Sea Salt vs. Refined Salt

    

     I have been asked why I use sea salt in my recipes. After all, salt is salt and it's all bad for you, right? Actually, the human body needs some salt to maintain electrolyte balance and healthy bodily functions. Blood pressure, nerve and muscle function are all dependant on sodium. The brain is extremely sensitive to sodium levels.
I've seen first hand the effects of low sodium levels. Hyponatremia is a below-normal level of sodium in the blood. When the sodium levels in the blood are too low, it can cause loss of appetite, weakness, muscle spasms, hallucinations, headache, and confusion. My father had all of those symptoms last year as a result of  hyponatremia caused by all the drugs he was given after knee replacement surgery. Hyponatremia can cause seizures, coma and death if not corrected. It's pretty scary stuff.

    Some salt is necessary to the body. The problem lies in the processing. Extreme heat and chemicals are used during processing, leaving refined table salt with only sodium and chloride. All other nutrients have been stripped away during the processing. Then anti-caking agents and dextrose(sugar) are added to it. Refined salt is added in large amounts to other processed foods, so if you eat the standard american diet (SAD), you get far too much sodium and it's completely out of balance. Refined table salt is not a whole food.

     Unrefined sea salt has been dried by the sun and wind from clean sea water. It has had nothing removed nor added to it. It contains no anti-caking or bleaching agents. It is usually grayish in color- white sea salt has been refined. Unrefined sea salt contains a natural balance of minerals and trace elements (magnesium, calcium, manganese and many others) that work together, which the body needs. It is a whole food.

     I use Celtic Sea Salt, but no matter what brand you choose, the key is to make sure it is unrefined.

Yesterday we had to go and pickup my daughter at marching band camp. It was about an hour and a half each way, so not much time left for cooking when we got home. Luckily her favorite meal is quick and easy. I made the Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Pine Nuts found here-

I used heirloom yellow tomatoes and fresh basil from my garden and she was very happy!

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Zucchini Pancakes with Heirloom Tomatoes

I've been using some of my quick vegetarian recipes this week because it has been a busy one around my house. We had to go to two schools to pick up schedules for my son and daughter. The other daughter is at marching band camp this week, so we'll go to the third school and get hers next week. And my other son started his fall classes at the college this week. Four kids at four different schools!

Last night we had some fun and went to see the symphony at the last summer concert for the year. It was very relaxing and enjoyable. Three of the four kids enjoy the symphony and I think it's because I tried to expose them to lots of different music growing up. If you don't expose them to it while they are young, they never get the chance to appreciate it . I'm really glad that my kids enjoy such a variety of music.

Summer is winding down, but you'd never know it from the amount of zucchini still showing up at the farmers' market. These zucchini pancakes are great for breakfast, but work equally well for a quick dinner. They are delicious topped with diced, seasoned, heirloom tomatoes, and they are great topped with salsa too.

Zucchini Pancakes

For tomato topping:

In a small bowl mix:

3-4 diced heirloom tomatoes

small handful of various cherry tomatoes, cut in half

sea salt , pepper, basil to taste.

Set aside and let these juice up while making pancakes.

For Pancakes:
In large bowl combine:
2 c. shredded zucchini
1/3 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
1 T. milk
1/4 c. parmesian cheese
Mix. Cook in skillet or on griddle like regular pancakes, makes about 6 and serves 2. Recipe doubles well.

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Homegrown Veggies

This is today's haul from my small garden. There is something immensely satisfying about growing your own vegetables. It makes you feel more connected to the earth and nature. Planting a seed, nurturing it along and knowing in the end it will nurture you, giving health and life to your body is a wondrous thing.

Tending a garden can be a spiritual exercise as well as a great stress reliever. What better way to release tension than to rip out weeds. Taking a break from the fast pace of life and all of the technology by spending a little time working on the garden can be so refreshing. You don't have to live on a farm or have a huge yard to reap the benefits, even a few pots will grow some delicious veggies and give you the opportunity to get back to nature.

If more people grew some of their own veggies I believe they would pay more attention to what they eat as well as how they treat the environment.

Here is a smoothie I made with this morning's swiss chard and beet greens. I don't mind my smoothies being green or the color of sludge, but it's more appetizing to add a handful of blackberries for color. Blackberries also add a lot of nutrients.

In blender or smoothie maker combine:

Large bunch of beet greens and/or swiss chard, stems removed

4 ice cubes

1/2 c. 100% juice

8 strawberries

2 ripe bananas

6 oz. container organic yogurt ( I used strawberry)

handfull of blackberries

Blend till smooth, makes 4 servings.

What are you growing?

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Cauliflower Pie

I love a good vegetarian casserole. This one is adapted from a recipe in one of the moosewood cookbooks, I can't remember which one because I've been making it for years. It's loaded with veggies that I found at the farmers market; cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, onions. We've had some cool, fallish days here, perfect for a more substantial meal.

Cauliflower Pie

crust:

2 c. grated potato ( I used 1 sweet potato and 3 small white potatoes)

1/4 c. grated onion

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 egg, beaten

filling:

1 small onion, chopped

1 cauliflower, cut in small pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, diced

1/2 small head broccoli, cut in small pieces

2 eggs

1/4 c. skim milk

1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

sea salt, pepper, basil, oregano, paprika

Preheat oven to 400. Combine crust ingredients, press into oiled pie plate. Bake 30 min., brush with a little olive oil and bake 10 min. more. Remove from oven and turn down to 375.

Meanwhile, in large skillet in 1 T. olive oil saute onion, garlic, and carrot for about 5 min., add cauliflower and broccoli, cover and cook 10-15 min. stirring occasionally till tender.

Spoon veggies into baked crust, sprinkle cheese over. Combine eggs and milk, pour over top of veggies, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, basil, oregano and paprika. Bake 30 min. until set.

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Salsa and Canning

I spent my weekend canning diced tomatoes and salsa. I make a lot of salsa this time of year. Some, like my Heirloom Tomato Salsa and my Bing Cherry Salsa is for eating fresh. Some is traditional cooked salsa which I can for use later in the year when tomato season is over. Aside from being a tasty dip, salsa is great on baked sweet potatoes.

If you don't have a garden, the farmers' markets have all of the fresh ingredients you need for salsa. The salsa recipe I use for canning makes about 5 pints.

Salsa

7 c. peeled, diced tomatoes
2 c. diced onion
1 c. diced green pepper
7 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomato paste
3/4 c. Heinz white vinegar
1/2 tsp. cumin

Combine ingredients in large stainless steel pan, cook, stirring occasionally, about 30 min. till thickened.
If canning- meanwhile prepare canner, jars and lids. Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Process in boiling water bath for 20 min., remove lid and let cool 5 min., then remove jars.

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Apricot Custard

This is a simple dessert that makes use of the luscious apricots I found at the farmer's market, along with the eggs I got there. I had some cream left over from the fresh tomato soup I made earlier this week, so I used it, but I have made this before using only skim milk and it was tasty.

Apricot Custard

7 fresh apricots, chop 6 and slice 1, reserving the slices

1/2 c. cream (or you can use 1 1/2 c. skim milk and skip the cream)

1 c. skim milk

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

3 T. cane sugar

cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Place 6 custard cups into a 9-13 pan. Place 1 chopped apricot into each cup.

Combine cream, milk, eggs and extracts and beat well. Stir in sugar. Divide among custard cups. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Fill pan with hot water up to the level of the custard in the cups. Place in oven, bake 40-45 min. till a knife inserted in custard comes out clean. Remove cups from water and garnish with reserved apricot slices. Serve warm or chilled.

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What The World Eats

Here is a fascinating photo essay of what families around the world eat in a typical week, along with how much they spend on food. I found it interesting that the family from North Carolina spent $341.98 and had almost no fresh produce, mainly processed and junk foods.
The family from Guatamala spent $75.70 and had lots of fresh produce,and healthy real food, and the family from Chad spent $1.23 and had mostly grain.
Part 1:
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519,00.html
Part 2:
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1645016,00.html

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Fresh Tomato Soup

Fresh tomatoes are one of the highlights of summer. There's nothing quite like biting into a tomato warmed by the sun, picked fresh off the vine. There's also nothing quite like rich, flavorful fresh tomato soup. I used real cream for this -since this is a seasonal dish, I do not skimp on the ingredients. My daughter summed it up nicely, she said this is the best soup she's ever had. I served it with the focaccia that I posted yesterday for a perfect summer meal.

Fresh Tomato Soup

In saucepan saute:

1/2 small red onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

in 1 T. olive oil

for about 10 min. till soft, then add:

2 c. vegetable broth

4 c. chopped, seeded tomatoes (I used about 6 heirloom tomatoes of different varieties)

1 T. chopped fresh basil

Simmer about 15 min., then remove from heat and puree with stick blender. We like it a bit chunky, so I stop before it is completely smooth. Stir in:

1/4 - 1/2 c. heavy cream (depending on how thick and creamy you want it)

sea salt and pepper to taste.

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100 % Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread

Focaccia is an italian flat bread that is seasoned with olive oil , coarse salt and herbs. It's a quick, simple bread, so it's a great way for those who have never made bread to begin. Focaccia is usually made from white flour, but I make a tasty whole wheat version. You can make this using the dough cycle of your bread machine, with a mixmaster using the dough hook, or by hand. Since it is a flatbread, it's pretty much impossible to mess this up. I used a leftover baked potato for this, but you can boil one for about 20 min. then mash it. This bread goes especially well with soups.

100% Whole Wheat Focaccia

In bread machine pan or bowl combine:

1 c. water

1 cooked potato, mashed

2 T. olive oil

1 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour

1 c. white whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. yeast

Run through dough cycle, or mix well, knead for 5 min. , then let raise about 20 min. till nearly doubled in size. Roll into a rectangle, place on oiled cookie sheet, brush liberally with olive oil. Set on top of stove while oven preheats to 425. When oven is ready, press fingertips into dough to dimple it, drizzle with:
1 T. olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
and sprinkle with:
sea salt
herbs of your choice-I used dried basil, but you can use oregano, fresh rosemary, or whatever else you like.
Bake on lowest rack in oven about 20 min. till golden.

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Quinoa Pilaf with Fresh Garden Veggies

This is a simple vegetarian pilaf that's great for summer. It doesn't heat up the kitchen since you can either use your stovetop to cook it or the rice cooker like I did. Top it with whatever fresh veggies you have on hand, I had green beans and cherry tomatoes, but it's also good with squash, eggplant and peppers.

Quinoa Pilaf

If not using pre-rinsed quinoa, place in a fine mesh strainer and rinse well to remove the bitter saponin coating.

In 1 T. olive oil, saute:

1 onion, diced fine

1 carrot, diced fine

1 stalk of celery, diced fine

1 clove garlic, minced

reduce heat to low, cover and sweat for about 10 min. till tender.

If using stovetop, add everything to veggies in pan, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer, cook for about 15 min.

If using rice cooker, add veggies to rice cooker pot, then everything else and stir to mix:

1 c. quinoa

2 c. veggie broth

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

zest and juice of 1/2 lime

While quinoa cooks, steam whatever veggies you desire. My rice cooker has a steamer basket which I used to steam the green beans while the quinoa cooked. I topped it all with halved cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of feta cheese.

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Zucchini Chips and Heirloom Tomato Salsa

My dehydrator gets a workout this time of year with all of the fresh produce. Zucchini chips are simple to make. They are fun, raw, and healthy. They travel well and are great for lunches. Serve them with hummus, salsa or any other dip you enjoy.

Zucchini Chips

Wash, dry and slice zucchini into 3/8" slices. Dehydrate on 110 or in oven on lowest setting with door ajar until crisp. Store in an airtight container.

My salsa is chunky, not overly hot, and it is cilantro-free. I think cilantro is vile and you'll never see a recipe here containing it. I used heirloom tomatoes from my mom's garden since mine are still not ripening. I especially love the yellow tomatoes!

Heirloom Tomato Salsa

Combine:

1/4 of a green pepper, diced

1/2 of a red onion, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 heirloom tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

juice of 1 key lime

1/2 T. olive oil

sea salt and pepper to taste

Chill at least 2 hrs. to let flavors mingle.

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Farm Fresh Eggs

I was very excited to find local, organic, free-range eggs at the farmers market. So along with the peppers, onions and tomatoes I got there, I made omelets. Sorry about the lousy photo, mine started to fall apart as I was removing it from the pan-Murphy's Law! and the kids had already eaten theirs. It was very cool to get eggs that were all different colors and sizes. So unlike the uniform factory farmed eggs that you get at the supermarket.

I don't eat eggs often simply because I try to limit the amount of animal products I consume. But when I do, I make sure they are free-range and organically raised to avoid antibiotic, hormone and chemical residues in the eggs. This also ensures they haven't been fed genetically modified foods, and that they are raised humanely. Healthy chickens produce healthy eggs.

I eat the whole egg, not just the white. I find it sinful that so many people think it's a good idea to throw away the most nutritious part of the egg- the yolk. It contains all of the vitamins-A, D, E, K, B12, folate, choline and more. The white really contains just protein. Like all whole foods, the entire egg should be eaten. The cholesterol in eggs has never been shown to raise blood cholesterol. Eating a high-fat diet has.

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Raw Pear Cookies

It will soon be back to school, so I am trying to come up with healthy ideas for the kids to take in their lunches. I helped my son lose 80 lbs. over two years ago, so it is especially important for him to have yummy, healthy things to take in his lunch. It's not much fun to be eating carrot sticks when the kids next to him are eating twinkies. Also, since he is a cancer survivor, nutrition is paramount.

Raw pear cookies are a yummy, healthy treat. They are great to pack in lunches since they store and travel well. I haven't yet tried them using plums or peaches instead of pears, but I'm sure they would be tasty too.

Dehydrate these for 24-36 hrs. on 110, or in an oven on the lowest setting with the door ajar till firm and chewy. Store in an airtight container.

Raw Pear Cookies

In food processor combine:

2 very ripe pears, peeled and cored

1/2 c. raw almond butter

1/2 c. raw agave nectar

1/2 c. raw coconut flakes

juice of 1 small lemon

Puree till smooth, place cookie sized drops on dehydrator sheets or parchment lined cookie sheets if drying in oven.

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Quick Cucumber Roll-Ups

These vegan cucumber roll-ups are a good way to help use up the abundance of cucumbers in my garden. Cucumbers are one of the few things out there doing well this summer.
I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian, but I try to eat a number of vegan meals each week. I do not believe that we should be eating animal products at every meal. New vegetarians often struggle with this and substitute loads of cheese and other dairy for the meat they've given up. I think that's simply because they don't know what else to do. Recipes like this one are a good place to start.
These make a quick, light, yet filling meal that doesn't heat up the kitchen, nor weigh down your body. They are loaded with nutrients and since much of it is raw, also with enzymes. I used my homemade hummus, found Here, but you can use any you like.

Cucumber Roll-Ups

1-2 cucumbers

hummus

1 avacado

1 tomato

4 fresh basil leaves

sea salt and black pepper

Slice cucumber lengthwise, into very thin slices.

Spread with hummus and sprinkle with chopped avacado. Roll up.

To make raw tomato sauce:

In blender puree 3/4 of one tomato, the basil, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Dice the remaining 1/4 tomato and add to puree. Drizzle over roll-ups.

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The Meatrix

On the fence about becoming vegetarian? Watch this short video, it's well worth a couple minutes of your time.



http://www.themeatrix1.com/

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Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is extremely nutritious and it's very filling. You can do a lot of things with it; top it with veggies, spaghetti sauce, or herbs and cheese. It's good hot or cold. I like to eat it with chili on top of it. The sweet squash pairs well with the heat from the chili. It's a simple meal, the squash bakes while I cook the chili.

Spaghetti Squash

Preheat oven to 375. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds and pulp. Lay face down on oiled baking sheet. Bake 30 -40 min. till it easily separates from the skin. Let cool in fridge ( I use the freezer) for 10 min. before scraping out with a fork and separating the strands.

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One For The Now And Eleven For The Later

Or 42 for the later to be more exact. Yep, I have canned 42 jars of delectable homemade jam. I have been working on these all week. This morning I did the above blueberry jam. Earlier in the week I canned peach and plum jams shown here:

And in July I did strawberry, but I forgot to take a photo of it. I just need to make 10 more jars and I'll have a year's supply of jam. My large family of six goes through about a jar a week. I like making my own with fresh local fruit. I control the ingredients, no high-fructose corn syrup and no sodium benzoate.

Most commercial jams use sodium benzoate. When it's mixed with ascorbic acid (vitamin c), it can react to form benzene, a known carcinogen. Coca-Cola removed these from their soda as a result of a lawsuit in 2007 and have a statement about it on their website. But most other sodas as well as some salad dressings and most jams still contain it. It's so important to read the ingredients on labels.

I use the Ball Blue Book and the Ball Complete Book of Home Canning as my guides. Canning is simple, fun and rewarding, you know you are preserving good wholesome food when you do it yourself. But make sure to follow all of the proper handling and processing rules to keep your food safe. Home canning is one area where you do not want to cut corners.

And a BIG THANK YOU to Vegiegail at http://hungryvegan.blogspot.com/ for giving me another one of these:

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Award

I received this award from Chris at http://irawvegan.blogspot.com/, which is one of my absolute favorite blogs! Thank you so much Chris!

The rules of this award are to share it with 7 people and list 7 things about yourself. I would like to share this with these wonderful bloggers:

1. Matt at http://www.nomeatathlete.com/

2. http://myveggietable.blogspot.com/

3. http://hungryvegan.blogspot.com/

4. Rebecca at http://www.playfulnoshings.blogspot.com/

5. http://mamasweeds.wordpress.com/

6. http://happilyhome.blogspot.com/

7. http://backyardgrocerygardening.blogspot.com/

Here are 7 things about myself:

1. I enjoy birdwatching and love hearing the birds sing.

2. I have a great need to be surrounded by green-trees, plants etc. I live in the suburbs and I could never live in a desert climate or in too urban a setting.

3. I love to walk.

4. I hate wearing shoes and makeup.

5. I hate cologne and perfumes. I can hardly breathe when I'm around them and some people bathe in the stuff.

6. I love the library and good bookstores. I love the smell of books.

7. I hate waiting in line or at appointments. I get crabby unless I bring something to do while I wait, such as a good book or some knitting.

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Finally Some Summer Grilling

It's been unseasonably cool here this summer. You may note in the photo there are only 2 cherry tomatoes. That is exactly how many ripe tomatoes I have been able to pick so far this summer. It's been a very disappointing growing season.

We finally had a hot day, so I decided to take the quick and easy way out for dinner and grill it. I have made tempeh various ways. I enjoy it, but the kids never really cared for it. We are not big sweet and sour fans, they dislike soy sauce. This time I decided to marinate it in the same thing I use for the grilled veggies and they loved it. So did I. This will now be my go-to recipe for tempeh. Here's the simple marinade.

Marinade for Grilled Tempeh and Veggies

1/3 c. olive oil

1/3 c. red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. dried mustard

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

For dessert I grilled up these lovely peaches and plums with a drizzle of honey.

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Fruitless Fall Book Review

The bees are disappearing. This story has been in the news off and on for the last three years. Most people are not paying attention. Unless it's the headline news story they forget about it. Increased food prices and decreased food availability will wake them up at some point. Hopefully it will not be too late.

I just finished reading Fruitless Fall by Rowan Jacobsen. This book explores the causes of colony collapse disorder. The author explains and debunks some of the myths and theories surrounding it, such as the cell phone rumor.

It thoroughly details the life cycle of the bees and the hive, along with all of the ways we've distorted the natural cycle and all of the perils we've placed in their way. Today's bees are fed high-fructose corn syrup. They are treated with antibiotics, miticides, and must deal with multiple highly toxic pesticides. They are trucked all over the country, over-worked and over-stressed. They are exposed to exotic pathogens and parasites.

Unfortunately, our wild pollinators such as bumblebees are also disappearing. They face many of the same problems- habitat loss, massive amounts of toxic chemicals and exotic pathogens that we have introduced.

Various food crops and their pollinators are mentioned. Honeybees pollinate almonds, bumblebees pollinate tomatoes. Humans hand-pollinate all of the world's vanilla because the only variety of bees that once did it are extinct.

The book ends by explaining some things we can do. There is some info. on starting your own hive. For those of us who aren't that ambitious, we can help the wild pollinators by eliminating the use of all pesticides; fungicides, herbicides and insecticides. There is a list of plants that are good for wild bees. It ends with a chapter on the healing properties of honey.

This was very thorough, well researched and written, and quite an interesting read. This is information that affects us all. We all eat and without the bees our food choices will be very slim. I highly recommend this book.

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Cantaloupe and Lentil Salad

This is an odd pairing, but it's very tasty. I'm always on the lookout for new ways to use lentils, so when I saw this combination, I knew I had to try it. I adapted this from a recipe at recipezaar.

Cantaloupe is the most nutrient-dense of all melons. It contains large amounts of vitamin c, beta-carotene, potassium, b6 and folate.

A french study showed that beta-carotene (synthetic) supplements increased the risk of cancer in smokers. Not surprisingly a dutch study showed that dietary beta-carotene ( from foods like cantaloupe) reduced the risk of cancer, especially in smokers. So skip the synthetic supplements and get it from whole foods as nature intended. Your body will thank you.

Be sure to scrub your cantaloupe well before cutting into it to prevent bacteria from the skin from getting into the flesh of the melon. Cantaloupe is most flavorful at room temperature.

Cantaloupe and Lentil Salad

Cook 1/2 c. lentils in water to cover for 20 min. till tender. Drain, and rinse with cool water. Place in medium bowl. Add to bowl the following:
1/4 c. diced red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3 chives, chopped
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cantaloupe, diced
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine and serve at room temperature.

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Super Simple Strawberry Sorbet

This is a quick, simple, healthy dessert. It's very refreshing on a hot summer day. With no added sugar, it's guilt-free. Eat as much as you like!

Super Simple Strawberry Sorbet

In blender or food processor combine:

2 c. frozen strawberries

2 very ripe bananas

1/4 c. water

1/2 T. agave nectar

Puree till smooth, freeze till firm enough to scoop.

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