Thursday, November 13, 2008

Corn corn corn… it’s not what you think

I was just discussing with a friend about the dangers of… corn… duh duh duh. Yeah, I know, you are reading this and probably thinking “What is he talking about?”. I know, it may seem crazy but is really not. Sometimes the truth seems crazy.

The fact is there is way too much of this grain in the American diet (did you notice I said grain… I tried to make you notice… notice it). Corn is not a vegetable and has been hybridized again and again over the years. In fact real corn or “maize” has gone so many changes and was a contributing factor to so much malnutrition when the crop was first introduced to places where they were not used to it due to the specific way it had to be cultivated. The Europeans had never even had corn until coming to America and seeing how it was cultivated. It was first cultivated from teosinte.

So now that you have that overview. Let me say that every now and then I enjoy some corn on the cob, HOWEVER, corn is being way overused today. It is in everything. If you eat a burger most likely the cow was fed corn instead of grass as they should be. If you have fries most likely they were fried in corn oil or vegetable oil which usually has a blend of corn oil in it. If you eat almost anything from a conventional grocery store it will have high fructose corn syrup in it.. everything from drinks, to peanut butter, to “nutritional bars”, to chicken wings, to YEAH YOU NAME IT. Ethanol is being processed out of corn. Do you get the picture? Canola is becoming similar.

What is happening is that these cultivars or cultivated crops are cheap and easy to grow and so they are pushed on a public that does not take the time to learn and think about what they eat, but instead eat whatever big business or the government tells them is good for them. Again, corn is a grain. Many grains are high in phytates which can inhibit the absorption of nutrients in the body. SO what should you do about it?

1) Eat meat that comes from free-range, grass-fed/pastured animals… avoid grain fed.
2) Avoid high fructose corn syrup. Do not buy anything with it. See my earlier my post if you like here.
3) Eat corn in limited moderation. It is good to eat all grains in moderation and to have them either sprouted or fermented but this is even more true with corn as corn is not an excellent food source no matter what anyone says.

Like I mentioned earlier, I enjoy having fresh corn on the cob, but I probably have it only a few times a year and have cut out almost every other source of corn except when I am out with friends or end up having chips and salsa. Of course there are ways to get around the chip thing and make pita chips or something else.. but keep reading and I will tell you what I like to use. It is the type of thing where I would allow it where I would not allow other things like pork or shellfish… even though I do not think it an excellent food choice. In fact, where it is used, it contributes to vastly imbalanced ratios of omega fatty acids and all sorts of disease both in animals and humans.

So again, let me say, treat it as a grain to have in limited moderation as there are better grains. For an example of an organic and sprouted corn product that would be a good choice for those times you choose to have it I would recommend something like Food For Life’s Sprouted Tortillas. You can cut them up and bake or fry them in coconut oil and have chips that are so much better for you than anything in the store. Not only that they taste ten times better. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid and contains medium chain fatty acids which your body burns very easy. OR you can buy the store brands that are all made with a vegetable oil like sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, or cottonseed oil and go rancid really easily and have long chain fatty acids that will not burn easily, that will clog your arteries, that will not digest as easily, and that will not stimulate and enhance your immune system or metabolism.

Well, I hope this post has been helpful. It actually has to me, strangely enough in more ways than one. So I encourage you to be more informed and take care of your temple. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Sourdough Update

Here is a pic of one of my best loaves of sourdough.

This round tasted great, however, I have not had consistent success. One of my main problems has been that I do not have an active enough starter. I made one batch with mixed in dry yeast and it rose much better. Also, another problem is that I am sure I would have better results with a higher protein flour or by adding gluten to the flour. I have been using an organic whole wheat flour and I have also used King Arthur (it’s nice) white whole wheat. I want to make a loaf with King Arthur all-purpose flour and maybe try a loaf with real whole grain flour (like stoneground) which would be really heavy.

I just read an interesting article about the health effects of different types of bread. Sourdough won the day over them all. This was of course as I expected, however sprouted grain breads were not tested and the whole wheat bread that was tested was not traditional whole grain. In many of the whole wheat varieties (both flour and bread) that can be bought in the store, the whole germ and bran is added and mixed back in with white flour after it has been extracted (which is too much processing).

The best breads are either sprouted whole grains or naturally fermented sourdough. Of course, different people are sensitive to different grains and therefore you should find which are the best for you. I tolerate sprouted wheat and sourdough wheat just fine, but I have noticed that I digest spelt and buckwheat much better. Sometimes I just want an airy, crusty sourdough loaf though and spelt and buckwheat just can’t cut it… but healthwise, there is a noted difference as it all comes back to digestion.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Homemade Mayonnaise

Homemade mayonnaise is the way to go if you like mayonnaise. It is much better than anything you can buy in the store, including the ‘healthy’ brands. Many of the store versions contain all sorts of stuff that you don’t need to be consuming in your mayo like calcium disodium edta, xantham gum, vegetable oil, soybean oil, and other ‘’natural flavors” (which you have no clue what they are).

Making mayonnaise at home is rather simple and easy. The thing to remember is that it is an emulsion. You have to whisk a large amount of oil into a small amount of egg and lemon juice (you could use vinegar as well). There are so many variations to making mayonnaise and you can try all sorts of things till you find something you like but I will give you a general, basic mayonnaise recipe that I have used:

-Either 1 egg or 2 egg yolks (doesn’t matter. but it will be a different density depending which)
-2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
-sea salt to taste
-1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the eggs, lemon juice, and salt till smooth and combined well. Then start pouring the olive oil in VERY SLOWLY. If you pour the oil in to fast it will break the emulsion and your mayonnaise will just be runny. Pouring the oil in slowly is the only thing that is tedious about making mayonnaise. As you continue to add the oil you can speed up a bit as long as you notice the emulsion staying together. When finished you should have a mayonnaise that is not runny and that will stay in place when you tip the jar.

There are many variations on mayonnaise and you should experiment till you get what you like. Many people like to add dijon mustard (like 2 teaspoons or a tablespoon). Some people add lots of pepper or cayenne pepper. Others like garlic and herbs. Once you get the basic recipe down you can pretty much rule the mayonnaise world. Once you rule the mayonnaise world you will never go back to store bought mayonnaise… well… you shouldn’t… cause that would be crazy.

Alas, I have no pictures to show from my last mayonnaise making extravaganza. I will have to take some pics for you the next time I make it.

Out.

Monday, September 15, 2008

A General Informational Blog On General Detoxifying

I had an interesting conversation the other day with a customer at Whole Foods Market. We were talking about detoxification. Most people do not have a very good idea of the process or the problem.

Growing up in the world that we currently live in has put us into contact with all sorts of dangerous things that our fearfully and wonderfully made bodies take in and deal with as best they can… many times to our long term detriment. Substances like PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls), nitrates and nitrites, fake sugars (aspartame, splenda), and heavy metals like mercury, lead, and cadmium have been in products we have eaten, slathered on our bodies, shampooed with, or put on our fingernails (yeah girls… there is some pretty toxic fingernail polish out there).

Our body many times responds by storing these toxins in fat cells in order to minimize their impact on the body. Many people don’t realize that the cellulite that they can’t get rid of or the reason they have certain accentuated body parts with fat is due to the stored toxins. If you ever watch people you were friends with from an early age and watch them get worse and worse in their diets… just watch what happens to their body. Yeah, not pretty.... I know… I have seen it.

So how can we get rid of all of these toxins from all these years? Well, some things are easy and others are not. Due to the nature of our dynamic bodies, everyone is different. However, there are some major things that can be done. Fundamental things that are cornerstone’s of detoxifying. The first being water.

Most people do not realize the power that water has to eliminate toxins and even cellulite. Toxins come out in all sorts of ways, through the pores, through sweat, through urination, through defecation (ok, poop), through the nose, through the eyes, and, well… basically through all sorts of openings on your body. Water, if you haven’t noticed, aids in all of these processes. Ahem.

The type of water is important as well. Water treated through reverse osmosis is good for this cause because it is completely free of, well, everything, and therefore it dissolves toxins, as well as good minerals from your body and helps eliminate them. I do not like reverse osmosis for continued use due to the fact that it is dead water… if you will. I prefer water that has naturally occurring minerals, has naturally reduced ionization (not electrically induced), and increased solubility. Basically a mountain spring. There is a filter that does the same thing which I have mentioned before called the wellness filter. Of course these are optimal solutions in water. A good carbon filter will go a long way for most people. Making it a point to drink more water and to sweat regularly is a good step in detoxifying with water.

The next fundamental may seem obvious, but so many people don’t do it: Stop eating or ingesting or absorbing toxic chemicals… the ones that you can control. Seek out foods and products that do not have toxic, fake, artificial substances in them. It doesn’t matter if you put it on your skin or in your mouth. Pay attention to what is in it. That means READ the label and know what it is. If you don’t know what it is then don’t buy it… go find out what it is first and then make a more informed purchase.

The next fundamental is to consume healthy foods. Of course this is very broad. In fact this whole blog is about eating healthy foods. So everything from healthy fats and oils to healthy dairy to healthy meats to healthy grains to healthy fruits and vegetables. In addition, seek foods that have specific detoxifying abilities such as chlorella, spirulina, and cilantro.

The next fundamental is to realize the importance of digestion and your gut. It would be an excellent practice to make sure you are taking some sort of probiotics every day. Yes, every day. Everyday. Every day. Ok, I am done messing. Whether it be a supplement probiotic or you get them through naturally fermented foods like kefir, kombucha, pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, ginger ale, new wine, and on and on… you can even get probiotics from gardening. I just thought of yogurt… and yes you can get good bacteria from yogurt, but most yogurt in the store is not very good because the milk is not high enough quality and it is pasteurized… not to mention the sugar.

So those are some food based things outside of exercise that you can do, which will not only aid your body in detoxing, but will also help you lose weight, inches, cup sizes, rolls, your big butt, your triple chin, and years of potentially life threatening, cancer causing substances… now who wouldn’t want to detox? Me me… sign me up!

Out. For now.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Why Do People Not Care What They Put In Their Bodies?

Why Do People Not Care What They Put In Their Bodies?

Sunday, July 13, 2008

What To Do About MAKING SOURDOUGH BREAD

Woops… sorry for the strange title. I am so used to writing “What To Do About...” whatever that it just came out. I decided to leave it since it is appropriate in this case.

I have always wanted to make some good bread… sourdough bread. I have just had my first success. Check it out:

Sourdough made completely from scratch. I think the coolest thing about making sourdough is using the yeast and bacteria that are in the air without adding any yeast. If you have never made sourdough bread before I will give you some pointers.

First you need a starter. The starter is basically your yeast and bacteria that you have captured from the air and keep alive in a batter or dough. I think a batter is a little easier to maintain so I use that instead of a dough, but you can use either one. So grab a glass jar or container and add 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water (this will make a batter). Let it sit out at room temperature for several days. It is good to pour half of the mixture out and add fresh flour and water (1/2 cup each to replace the half you poured out). This fresh feed is just that… it is fresh flour for the bacteria and yeast to feed on.

The starter should become yeasty, beery, soury, and maybe bubbly. It should have a pleasant fermenting aroma. You may also notice a hooch. That is the layer of alcohol that is on the top. I usually just mix it back in but you can pour it off… whatever. Once you have a nice fermenting starter, place it in the fridge to drastically slow down the process and keep it till you are ready to make your bread. You can keep it for a very long time… it would just be good to take it out and feed it every now and then.

Once you are ready to make your bread you need to proof the sponge. So take a bowl and add your starter. Then add a cup of flour and a cup of water. Now let that set until it is bubbly and fermenty and soury, and pleasanty (I realize I made most of those words up)… you get the idea. This process goes faster than the original because you already have your starter which ‘starts’ the fermenting. It should be proofed in 6-8 hours. Some are ready in 2 hours.... others can sit overnight. The longer it proofs the more sour it will be. It is an art, not an exact science.

Once you have your proofed sponge you can make your bread. Add 2 cups of it to your flour till you get the consistency of dough that you are looking for. (Let’s say 3-4 cups as a guide). Depending on the type of bread I am making I may add olive oil, honey, rapadura, sea salt, etc. For the bread that is pictured, I rolled it out and then put butter, raisins and cinnamon on it after the first rising (let it double in bulk). The rolled it up with those ingredients and let it rise again in my bread stone baking pan. Once it doubled in bulk again I popped it in a 350 degree oven and baked till it sounded hollow… about 35--45 min. I think It was on the longer side though… actually 45-55 minutes. Keep an eye on it.

Well I have to go. Hopefully you can make some wonderful sourdough for yourself. I think I will talk more about ingredients to use tomorrow or tuesday.

Out

Saturday, July 12, 2008

I am going to post tomorrow

I am just writing this because I made some good sourdough bread and I want to tell the world. I will post about it tomorrow. That is all. Be gone.