Tempeh: Plant Based Probiotic Filled Yummy-ness: Quinoa And Kidney Bean

Tempeh comes from Indonesia with some Chinese and Japanese influence in the origin of it.  It's a great source of protein, B Vitamins [even some B12 according to some, yet others dismiss as inaccessible due to it's analogue form] and probiotics. Fermentation halts many of its antinutrient qualities. It's fairly expensive in the West though. So here's how you can make it yourself! It's quite easy but the temperature range if VERY limited. You need an incubation chamber such as a dehydrator or an oven with the light on. I use a construction light on a cord with a 100W bulb.

As with most ferments, experimentation leads to truth 😆. Get set:

2 cups kidney beans soaked over-night in about 4 c water
1 cup quinoa
4 Tablespoons white vinegar
Starter [I make my own - watch for it!]

The skins need to come off the beans. You can try taking them off before cooking or after. It depends on the bean as their thickness varies. You need to do this so the mold - the mycelium can enter the flesh of the beans. An option is to slightly cut up manually or in a food processor.

Cook the beans in a pot or pressure cooker. They should be al dente. You don't want mush.
When done, cook the quinoa in 2 c water for about 10-15 minutes.

Drain both of these very well in a sieve. Mix.
These need to be slightly dried. Using a towel or a hair dryer, dry them so they are just damp.
Spread the vinegar evenly and mix all.
Put in your casserole dish or similar - but the layer should not exceed 2 cm or 1 inch.
Distribute the starter evenly over the tray[s].
Cover with plastic wrap. Put pin size holes in it about 1.5cm [1/2 in.] apart.
You could also put the mix in ziplock bags with the same type of holes throughout them.
Put in your incubation chamber. Maintain a temp. of 31C/88F.
After 12-18 hours white spores will begin to be seen. The excitement begins: it will create it's own heat. So watch carefully and turn off the heat to maintain 31C/88F.
Within 6-12 hrs. the tempeh will look like a thin white cake.
At this point you need to stop fermentation. Put in the fridge or freezer. Only freezing will halt the process totally.

Watch for recipes and how to make your own starter! Enjoy.

Veganism: Will A Plant Based Diet Make You Thrive?

 Much adieu today about eating only plants. Even Canada's Food Guide leans this way. But to regard such guides as reliable, just look at the past ones in Canada/U.S. - see how they change with the dietocrats' words. With little scientific basis, they are mainly the result of persuasive people, organizations and corporations. The bed-fellows of the FDA, USDA, Monsanto, and other toxic pesticide companies do a lot to ensure that we eat poisoned food from toxic soil. Monsanto has been sued numerous times - so perhaps some justice is being done.

Looking at the work of Weston A. Price [and others], a Canadian dentist who traveled the world examining groups who ate a "primitive" diet, high in fat: around 60% mainly from animals,  found people without cancer, heart disease, no cavities and well shaped faces/jaws, and entire bodies. Compare today, how many us don't have room for 'wisdom teeth', other teeth crowding, cavities, root canals, etc. Yet when he, and others, examined those eating the "civilized diet", consisting more of processed grains, sugar, and less animal products, he found unhealthy teeth, heads and entire bodies.

The Masai, an African tribe ate only meat, raw milk [lots of it], and blood. They are/were stronger than other tribes that did not follow that diet and had great hearts too! And few cases of cancer! Compare that with today!

But here is where science comes in. We can not draw "cause and affect" relationships based on epidemiological studies. They were not designed to study nutrition and certainly not long term stories. Yet this is oft the case with support for diets of all kinds. There are too many factors involved to pin point just one. Yet we can certainly see clear correlations.

And many of these studies do show that societies that ate more of a plant based diet, did not live as long as those in the vicinity that ate more animal products.  Teicholz has well documented that it is the low fat and vegan diet that  has caused the cancer and heart problems we see today.

We must remember that anecdotal evidence is not scientific. It should lead us to clinical trials. These are very expensive and difficult. But when we come across anecdotal stories, we need to look at the starting point of the person's diet/lifestyle. It is common to hear of the fast food guru with high blood pressure, no exercise and a tummy that you swear has 3 full grown kids in it. And I'm referring, just to men here! Then they "go vegan" and feel great. They exercise regularly, have secret vegan facebook friends/groups [for real] = social support, have purpose....No wonder they feel great! Is it the food or the other factors? All of them! But this doesn't prove plant based diets [or any other] are the real 'fixes' here. Correlated perhaps.

So now you eat a vegan burger. You feel great. You are helping "the planet" too. Actually these are worse for the "planet". See article in this blog and also here for discussion. But what is missing that healthy, sustainable [local, grass-fed, etc.] meat would provide? Meat is high in vitamin A, B12, Iron and many minerals. Talk to doctors, including naturopaths and they will tell you the multitudes of vegans and vegetarians lacking iron and B12, among other essentials.

Homo sapiens have evolved eating 45-65 per cent animal products. But "we" have chosen the fatty parts - especially the organs - which are far more nutrient dense than plants. Some argue this is why we have the brain powerhouses that we do.

Many vitamins are soluble [ie. assimilated] in fat. Vitamins A, D, E, K all need to be eaten with fat. And if you're importing coconuts oil from far far off, this is not sustainable, the workers have no rights, and huge corporations steal land from peasants to grow your fat. See my articles that deal with such issues.

Indigenous cultures are lauded around the world today. Yet few want to praise their food systems: all animal products, with a few berries. Some in tropical areas would also have eaten some grains, tubers, fruit and other plants.

But to get plant protein, one needs to eat grains and beans. Many can not digest these and are allergic to gluten. They also are high in phytic acid which leaches minerals when eaten. These anti-nutrients can be removed by fermenting, sprouting, soaking, and some argue, by cooking. The same is true for nuts.

To change one's diet or to recommend a nation to go more plant based is not looking at the history of homo sapiens. The polyunsaturate oil push did [as is still doing] just that. To alter our evolved foods must have dire consequences. I am not arguing in support of factory farming, of course not. But plants are being grown in the same manner today: production, toxic chemicals applied, speed, money! Meat/fish provide dense nutrition that we were made/evolved to assimilate. Iron from heme in meat is easily absorbed, while plant based iron is not.

Watch for more on this topic. This is a huge topic. But to put forth the claims about the wonder of plant based diets we hear today. without clear LONG TERM clinical studies [which include affects on offspring], we can not truth-fully claim much at all. Remember that epidemiological studies do not show cause and affect!

If you do rely on plant based proteins, be sure to prepare as described above. And grow your own food! Even in apartments you can grow a few herbs or veg. And support small scale local organic growers that are building the soil. Animals poop is actually needed to do this [see articles in this blog and here ]. You can also compost your poop and use to build the soil and grow food in. See here.

Superfood: Fermenting Turnips - Sauerrueben

Turnips are quite easy to grow. I start them in my greenhouse in late winter. Here a great recipe to preserve them for the winter or just to add some fizzle and beneficial bacteria to them!

Turnips fight cancer as they are part of the cabbage family. See 123EatMeOut for other foods that also fight cancer. They are a traditional food in most of Europe and much of North America. You can follow the easy recipe below and also see the video here.

All you need are:
3-4 kg of cleaned turnips
3-4 T [tablespoons] of salt [use sea salt etc. without iodine or anything else]

You can either thinly slice or shred the turnips like coleslaw. 
After doing that, rub in or sprinkle the salt on the turnips. Put them in mason jars with the top on them.
Let sit for 30 minutes or so. The water will start to come out of them.
If there isn't enough liquid, which is more common when slicing them, you can add more.
The standard mix is 3 T salt to 4 cups water.

You want them to be covered in the jar. That's it!
Leave the sealed jar on the counter 3-5 days out of the sun. Press down to get the air out. Be sure there's always enough liquid to cover veg. Leave about 1 cm air space at the top before putting in the fridge. They will last 2-3 years! Wow!

Note: be creative and add things like ginger, pepper, caraway, fennel seeds or whatever spices you like.

Edible Wild Plants: Garlic Mustard And Friends!

Many people complain about the rain, the cold and the weeds. I say "screw you all" 😼 . It's been a cold, wet [always is] spring in Ontario. We need the rain. We need gratitude! Many floods...but what do you expect when you pave over forests, plains, swamps...all places the water would have gone into and been absorbed!.Too many people using too many resources and not thinking/caring. We need to examine the destruction and act to change NOW. Time to get "political" as right-wing governments that worship money and destructive jobs are devouring the land, water, air.

Anyway, the plants are happy! So am I! Free nutritious food is popping up everywhere!

So what is out and edible now? In the pic we see dandelions, garlic mustard, violet flowers, fiddleheads [ferns] and nettles. These are all very nutritious. For e.g., garlic mustard is super high in Vitamin A and has the constituents of garlic and mustard: both with fight cancer. Nettles are high in iron and great if you have allergies. Be careful...they prickle. You may feel the sting for hours after handling. Hence they are called "stinging nettles". Both grow in disturbed areas. GM also grows in forests and may damage the tree roots. Mustards are known to "sterilize" the soil. Some are used to help kill nematodes in the soil, such as the garlic nematode.

Dandelions, also high in Vit A feed bees and many insects in early spring. Foolish people spray this wonder-full plant and medicine. It is great for the liver also. Bitter is good for you. Our stomachs, like our tongues have sensors that detect bitter, according to Jeffrey Bland, the "grand-daddy" of Functional Medicine. You can make wine from the flowers, eat the leaves and make a coffee substitute from the roots!

Violets feeds insects with the flowers. They are also great if you have a cold [so are the leaves].

Fiddleheads grow in sun and sun/shade in gardens and forests. Be sure you know which are edible. There are many types eaten all over world. They are all toxic to some degree. When cooking the ostrich fern, discard the steaming water. Watch for my fermented FH recipe. These fight cancer and have antioxidants and Omega 3/6 fatty acids. See article on foods that fight cancer in this blog.

Remember to not go off paths to collect any plants. These are all in abundance so no issue with picking too many. GM needs to be picked. Watch this blog and here for a video on making PESTO from GM! Yum.

En-joy the free, nutritious food! If you have land, you can plant all of them. But not the GM. Unless that is all you plan to grow! According to medical botanist James Duke, they can produce 100,000 seeds in 1 sq. m!
Beware! But it may be better than useless/destructive foreign grasses that stupid men are brain "washed" to love, protect and worship. Better to grow something that feeds the real world of nature [of which we are part of!].

GMO's, Science, Quaker Oats: A Deadly Breakfast

I sat down to eat what I have been told is a healthy break-fast: good old Quaker Oats. As I was eating them, I read that they, and many crops like wheat and even oranges are sprayed with the herbicide Roundup. What? My wholesome meal is tainted? Yes, Billy, the world is in a sad state today.

Years ago a farmer had told me he sprays his wheat and other crops with Roundup so they die and dry quicker for harvest. I had forgotten. This is Canada - the land of clean water and 'democracy'.

So what's the big deal? Aren't GMO's the big bad guys? The WHO says that Roundup causes non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.Wouldn't Science win and save us? Well, Mr. Monsanto got right on the job to disprove an organization that attempts to make the world better. It's amazing what money, being "buddy buddy" with the FDA/Health Canada...and supplying your own 'science' to them can do. Surprise surprise: most have no idea about this nor the fact that they are eating GMO's or crops sprayed with Roundup.

Don't we have a 'right' to know what we are eating? Let's not forget the other toxic sprays on our food that are not on labels - but should be! Let's also not forget the sweat of the workers - oft exploited beyond our imagination.

Monsanto has had to pay $289 million to compensate for a man's cancer.Recently, another $80 million being paid to victim.

The recent film, Modified reminds us that more dangerous chemicals are being used due to resistance to Roundup [glyphosate based]. The old, deadly toxin 2, 4-D is also now being engineered into crops.  Hello super weeds and more cancer, hormone disruption and...

How is it that Monsanto [bought out by Bayer - who control 25% of world's pesticide market], Canadian and American governments, that we are told protect us, do what is detrimental to our, and the "planet's" health? Do we need to move to Europe for some regulations that are in the 'peoples' interests'? Health Canada and The Canadian Food Inspection Agency wouldn't even participate in an interview for Modified! Now that's reassuring. Great to see our taxes being used wisely.

Remember that corporations lobby the politicians constantly - while the rest of us look at our phones, go to sports games, hide in fantasy entertainment....We're told Science will save us [see other articles here and here that will scare you!]. But it looks like Mr. Science got bought out by Bayer too! You see, Billy, capital-ism does work and is the best possible economic system in the world and for all time.

You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted;

you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,

defending the fatherless and the oppressed,

in order that man, who is of the earth, 

may terrify

no more.

Psalm 10

Thai Banana Fritters - Sugar Free!

Kanom Fak Bua [Thai]

These are yummy and easy to make. They are basically pancakes.

You need:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup water
2 medium bananas, mashed
1 egg
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger - whatever spices you prefer
oil or butter for frying

Mix all the the ingredients, except the oil in a bowl. Heat the oil or butter, gently, in a frying pan - basically just covering bottom of pan. Pour in about a tablespoon of batter so that it 'blossums' into a round patty. Cook till brown, turn over if needed, and do like-wise. Set aside. Repeat.

Serving with a thick yogourt or kefir is the ultimate. Butter on them is yummy too.

Note that like all recipes you can experiment by adding other fruit, veges, spices....

For lots of cooking videos full of yummy-ness see here.