Random Veggie Burger

The picture doesn't do the burger justice - it was out of batteries, and I got in just one shot before the camera cakked out on me. So I have a picture of a tomato with a blurry burger in the foreground.

So it's time to go grocery shopping, very badly, the fridge is almost empty, but surely there's lots to eat in the house! So I took the following ingredients (without measuring! I'm very sorry! I just put things together and see what happens.. but food's food, so you really can't go wrong eating something that doesn't "work out"!)

First I ground up into a coarse flour:

-buckwheat groats (I'd say 1/2 cup?)
-lentils - about 1/4 cup

.. and added some salt, spelt flour (1/4 cup), thyme, black pepper

Then I diced up and then pureed in my grinder:

-remains of an eggplant

-zucchini

-carrot

-onion

Add the two together, wet your hands, and plop balls of this batter onto a buttery cookie sheet. I baked them at 350F for about 35 minutes, and they turned out delish!

We ate them with an Ezekiel brand hamburger bun, slice of tomato, slices of naturally fermented picks, and Grandma's homemade mustard!.. and Anna got to take some with her to lunch the next day! I bet these burgers cost a whopping $.50 cents to make, which is astonishing considering you pay almost $7 for good real-food (and whole food!) veg burgers in the health food store. I smell as business plan... and another batch of veg. burgers in my oven.

Creamy Quinoa Porridge

This was my breakfast, along with miso soup. It felt so good I had to blog about it!

• Grind quinoa in a grinder to a course flour (you can toast it first to remove the bitter saponins, but I couldn't be bothered this morning as I was multi-tasking)
  
• Add to water (as it's warming up to a boil) and stir in!

You can add sweet - but I chose:

• finely diced carrot
• fennel and dill seed

Bring to a boil, stirring, and then simmer. It's ready then, but letting it sit does some good to it!

It's really that simple.... 5 minutes, tops!

As-close-to-normal-but-healthy Pancakes

I made these everyday this week. Firstly, to see if I could perfect them, and secondly, because they were so good and there was something about them that made me hum like a.. I have no cliche for that. I just hummed when I ate them. (I mean felt harmonious and wonderful).

They can be made without soaking the flour - but soaking it gave it the hum factor I was looking for. Soak for an hour or so:

• 2 cups whole grain spelt flour, with a little salt
• 1 cup goat milk (I didn't try water, but I'm sure that would work too

Then stir in:

• 1 egg beaten, and a bit more milk if the batter got too sticky from soaking
• 1 Tbsp baking powder (please get aluminum free!)
• any seasonings you wish - I used almond extract and pomegranate syrup, it was great!

Brush a pan with butter/ghee on LOW heat! Once hot, laddle in the sticky batter and spread out the cakes with a wet utensil or your hands dipped in cold water (batter doesn't stick that way)

Let them cook slowly, on low-medium heat (like 4 on an electric stove) and then flip once the first bubble on top becomes solid.

Cook on the other side for about half the time of the first, and then transfer to a warmed toaster oven or directly to your mouth.

I topped these with flax oil and stevia, but you can use your imagination on how to top! They make nice little lunch snacks too, like muffins, because they are good on their own!

Indian Lentil Curry

Goodness me, I've really got to start writing down recipes for my entries! The reason is because, well, recipes ruin my appetite. I'd rather smell and taste my food to gauge what needs to go into the pot, rather than consulting a check list of ingredients! This way, you can just make stuff from what you've got, and not have to go into town to buy a list of ingredients to make an exquisite meal.

So here is what got put into this curry:

• oil
• cumin, coriander, mustard seeds
• cardamom pods, garam masala, ground cumin
• onions, garlic and ginger
• veggies (leftover chunks of veggies got put in, like eggplant, zucchini, etc)
• cooked lentils, and some left over tofu
• diced tomatoes and a splash of yogurt or something creamy (but sour is best)

When making curry - always carefully bring the oil in your pan to heat (not too hot, please don't let your oil smoke!) and then briefly sautee your seeds and spices (not herbs) for just a moment. Put in your chopped or pureed garlic, onion and ginger (to taste) and cook until aromatic, brown, or how you like it. Next, cook your veg until soft, add meat or beans, and cook in. Then this Korma-ish dish had diced tomatoes (or tomato paste) and a bit of yogurt put into it. The longer you let is simmer, the more delicious it becomes! Serve with rice (we made Indian rice to go with it, using turmeric and some other fun things, but won't blog about that right now).

Pear and Tofu Pudding

I made this when I lost my voice last year. I ate so much of it that I did get my voice back, but I also got the scoots, as this lovely treat is super moistening for the body, which often results in moist bowels as well.

In a blender, add pear, soft tofu (not firm!) - and really, that could be all, but I also added almond extract, fresh and dried ginger, and a little green stevia.

It was really refreshing and can quench an insatiable thirst 

(*Note - if you have an unsatiable thirst, it is better to eat fruits and moistening foods (like tofu) and even sea vegetables as oppose to continuously guzzling water, which can actually exasperate thirst when water is over drunk!)

Snacks for Your Stool

Oh yeah.. these are good. Try to get the imagery of gigantic stools out of your head first tho, because it makes these less appetizing.

The reason I called them Snacks for Your Stool is because it's mostly ground flax. I put flax in a grinder, and then added tahini, flax oil and molasses. That's it - spread it on something snacky, e voila! A Snack for Your Stool 

(I used at least 1/4 cup of flax seeds for this, plus I added some sesame seeds too, and I think pumpkin seeds got in there sometime too.. I like experimenting with something over and over to see what comes of it, and so I tried different seeds, and I'm sure nuts would work well too - but they're a little too rich for me right now, so I'm eating few of them).

KILL YOUR YEASTS!

Yeast, or more specifically Candida Albicans, is a bacteria that should normally be 15% of your intestinal flora, however, with antibiotics, poor dietary habits, poor chewing habits, and excessive sweets or alcohol, candida tends to thrive and be the "man in charge" in your gut - which isn't good because candida is also a malicious fungus that can bore holes through you intestinal lining and make its way through your body tissues, plaguing your other nearby body parts with infection and fungus (such as a yeast infection) but also can be localized in the ears, mouth, liver, etc.. AND can sometimes be systemic, which means your entire body is filled with it, greatly taxing your immune system as it's ALWAYS cleaning up this culprit. 

The candida bacteria have the job of cleaning up your waste foods, typically unchewed food, undigestible foods (such as maltodextrin and other zero-carb sugars), but otherwise eats leftover carbs in the body.

The resulting effects of a yeast (candida) overgrowth is 

• itchiness (ANYWHERE, nose, anus, feet, face, hands)
• foggy headedness (as the metabolic byproduct of yeasts is ALCOHOL.. which means, you actually have alcohol in your blood stream, leaving you feel drunk and stupid!)
• sluggish digestion and weird bowels
• insatiable appetite, easily feel like you are overeating
• edginess and inflammation (which go hand in hand)
• moodiness
• decreased energy
• decreased immunity, and a host of other symptoms. 

Basically, this fungus is like a parasite, constantly taxing your body, and as long as you've got it, you've got an infection festering inside of you - leaving your body sick and at war for as long as you've got it. Antibiotics are given to kill this baddie off, but it also kills the bacteria that check and balance the candida, giving you NO immune defense, which means the candida have an even easier time coming back. I really don't think there is a remedy that a doctor can give that will totally get rid of it that will last. Really, I believe that most people have this to some degree (more so the younger you are, because of the worsening of our diet and increase in antibiotic use) but remember that we should have some of it - but our healthy bacteria should be the majority party ruling our intestines, which keeps the bad boys in check. We're obsessed with sterility and anti-bacteria. But really, our ancestors have grown up with bacteria all their lives, its all around us, heck - we actually have more bacterial cells in our body than human tissue cells.. isn't that amazing? A forest floor has bacteria to help decay and breakdown to renew life, and so do we! I've always got something fermenting in the kitchen, whether on purpose (sourdough, sauerkraut, rejuvelac, etc) or unintentionally (leftover rice, beans, veg... these can sit out for quite a while, as long at the food is still 'sweet' and not foul, you're game for good bacteria!). We've got this same lovely fermenting bacteria in our gut (the good ones) but when you have candida, everything just molds and turns to fungus. But really, must we sterilize EVERYTHING!? Our food is so sterile, not even bacteria can survive from it - but it is this good bacteria that we thrive from!! Did you know that US almonds are ALL sterilized with a toxic chemical, so that NO bacteria can thrive from them? Gees, we've got pasteurized nuts now too!! 

What do we suggest to get rid of this enemy inside us?

1. Don't overeat!.. and for heaven's sake - chew your food!! Especially carbs
2. Raw foods easily rot in the body, making it easier for the candida. "Rot" (breakdown) the food by cooking it first (therefore, eat mostly cooked foods)
3. Exercise, as fungus can't survive in an oxygen rich environment (picture hanging a mildewy cloth out on the line to get sun and air, and the mold disappears!)
4. Eat little salt, and ABSOLUTELY NO SWEETS, of any kind. Natural or refined (and definitely not artificial!! Stevia is tolerated however)
5. Avoid preservatives and other non-foods
6. Eat fermented foods, as they contain lots of GOOD bacteria (like acidophillus)
7. Don't eat cold foods or drinks, but drink tea and room temperature water moderately
8. Don't worry - worry worsens any damp condition, and don't force it, because you'll worry
9. Eat chlorophyll rich foods (green!) as it neutralizes toxins in your body and heals our tissues
10. AVOID bad oils, packaged foods, anything refined, overly floury foods (please, just eat a whole foods diet for goodness sake!!)

As I felt the onset of yeast last week (starting with an itchy nose), I started delving into sweets and ignoring it. It really started to bother me when my food didn't satiate me, which DRIVES ME NUTS!...  So I did this therapeutic plan for three days and seriously kicked its ass.

(From Left to Right in the photo)

1. Dandelion tea/coffee - which cleanses the blood (especially effective if systemic)
2. Lavender essential oil - please be cautious, use 100% botanical and only do ONE drop every three days to start.. if you get a headache, you're using too much (cleansing reaction)
3. Oxygen - which just destroys yeasts on contact. Good for systemic as well, please don't overdo this as well (remedies 1-3 are HIGHLY cleansing and should be moderated) 20 drops a day to start (I did 100 drops a day, but I also had no cleansing reactions)
4. Sauerkraut (in back) - a bacterial supplement for the body, which helps check and balance the yeasts, takes their place when they die, and is rejuvenating for the tissues (HIGH in vitamin C!). An acidophillus supplement is advised as well, but I had already spent too much money on the remedies and needed low cost bacterial support. This sauerkraut is locally made, is raw (unpasteurized), and NO SALT - which is preferred for killing candida or any infection
5. Garlic - nature's antibiotic!! This KILLS any pathogenic microbobes BUT leaves the good ones standing, giving them a favourable place to proliferate!! Seriously, antibiotics kill life, good and bad, but garlic just kills the bad.....  One clove eaten raw before a meal, sometimes best eaten with an apple slice, yogurt (another fermented food!) to soothe the digestive lining if the garlic burns too much. I ate a head in under 3 days! Too much!! Garlic is known in the East by sages to create emotional desire. This actually happened to me!! Desire arose, and I became very emotional. I stopped the garlic, and the desire went away - interesting lesson. (Sweets create desire as well... which just leaves us perpetually shackled to the things we desire!! Not good!)
6. Flax oil - healing for the digestive lining (to reduce inflammation), and rebuilding. Also satiates when you are in an "unsatiable mode"! Repairs the tissues that were aggravated by infection, and cleanses the liver (the body's filter) of junk while healing. Good stuff!
7. Aloe juice from inner fillet (not GEL - and NOT the WHOLE LEAF!!!). This stuff is magic. The sour flavour of the juice just gives away its healing and restorative properties (the sour flavour is healing to the liver as it is like soap, or a solvent to toxins, fatty residues, and all the other crap that is stored in the liver). It is also BUILDING!! Isn't this amazing!! It cleanses and builds at the same time!? It's an antimicrobial, like garlic, but builds the immunity, heals tissue and reduces inflammation, while keeping us cool and refreshed. This is a great pair for when using lavender oil or oxygen, as it "protects" us from the harsh reducing nature of the aforementioned remedies. Oxygen alone can create a feeling of light headedness and poor stability, but when combined with oxygen, keeps us centred, but clear as a bell. Drink 2-3 oz. a day to start (with 20 drops of oxygen) but up it if you can handle it and want to specifically heal short term. I drank the whole bottle of juice in 3 days, accompanied with larger doses of oxygen - but treated it acutely.

Typically, if the "infection" is acute, an short term and aggressive remedy is effective, however, if you suspect that you've had it for a while, and is chronic, it is best to do long term (.5 - 2 years?) and start with the dietary changes, while doing some remedies at a very low level for a longer period of time. 

* NOTE: These are NOT to be taken as a daily preventative medicine, and we are not trying to replace the efforts of the medical system, and this is NOT a prescription. We are simply offering information, and what you do with it is up to you, and we will not be held liable for any healing effects or symptoms that may arise from it. Understood!? Any questions can be directed to Whole Foodies Michael and Sharla at foodies@wholefoodies.org

Oishii miso shiru (Delicious miso soup)

If you've never tried cooking with miso before, I advise to go to your local natural foods (or Asian foods store) and pick some up RIGHT now..... go on.... I'll wait.

Miso is one of the best things period. How it tastes, what you can do with it, and what it represents. 

I included a few pictures of when I was in Japan.  One picture was inside a miso shop, and the other was the line up to the store because everyone wanted to buy miso. You could buy handmade miso locally, and this particular shop sold a lot. This lovely couple had prepacked bags available (shouldn't really be sold in plastic, because it does absorb), but you could also buy it out of the barrel (shown in front.. the man is looking at it). It was amazing!

Soy beans are fermented in these barrels along with koji - which is a bacteria created from rice used for soya sauce, sake, and amasake (literally sweet sake, which is the goop at the end of the sake barrel). The older it is (ie. more than a year) the saltier, darker and dankier it will be. Sweet, light coloured miso is sometimes only fermented for a few months or less. 

Miso is 13 - 20% protein, has a profile similar to meat, contains plant sources of B12, (making it excellent for new vegetarians) is teeming with lactobacillus (same as yogurt), is alkalizing despite its building and high protein profile, neutralizes poisons in the body and effective at preventing radiation. This would be helpful for food poisoning as well! Awesome food? I think so.

It can be used for soups, sauces, seasonings, and you can find many recipes using miso in our blog. Here is a basic soup, often eaten for breakfast daily by the Japanese.

NEVER BOIL MISO - this kind of behaviour is punished in Japan (just kidding.. but not really)

Boil water and add veggies to soften them. Add seaweed, like wakame. Once veggies are soft, add tofu. At the very end, even when the soup is off of the burner, you can add miso. About 1 Tbsp per person or cup of water suits well. Stir and serve!

For plain miso, just add miso to boiled then slightly cooled water. That's it!! Easy!

Miso. It's what's for breakfast.. in Japan. 

By the way, although the lineup picture was taken in front of the miso shop, those kids weren't really in line to buy miso, I just thought it was a beautiful picture of the street and store front of where we bought it from.

Vegetable & Sprout Scrambly Wambly

Really.. sprouting is supposed to maximize the benefits of raw foods, thus it would make sense to eat them raw - as they are wee living organisms full of potential and life, just eager to bust out in the world and make a difference - well they do, definitely,.. on your liver, blood, heart and so on. But what if you feel like eating warm and cooked food, but also feel like the refreshing, energizing effects of sprouts. Cook 'em!!

By now I think I've probably insulted or offended the raw food advocate by cooking precious young greens as sprouts. I feel like I bastardized the food, like teaching a 2 year old swear words or something. Sure cooking destroys some of the benefits of their cleansing, reducing nature, but the sprouts contain so many more benefits than just they're reducing abilities - in fact, I'm not interested in reducing or cleansing right now, my focus is to build myself. Build my immunity, tissues, strength, liver, gusto.. you get it, and so I went with my instinct to cook these wiggly hair like green fellows. It was the first time I've ever done it.

I ended up eating about 3-4 large clamshells of sprouts that week, as greens always shrink when heated, and are much less rough getting down. They make my stomach happy. (Going back to clamshells.. I REALLY don't like those plastic tubs that greens and sprouts come in!! We've got to think of something better to transport those fellows in!... actually, solution: grow them yourself!) I usually don't buy the cramshell lettuces, greens and sprouts through the winter because it's not really what I crave (or need) in the winter, and it's so readily and locally available in the summer that you don't get them in those nasty plastic things, but it's spring now, and these dandy sprouts were hollering at me from across the store for me to put them in my basket, and consequently in my stomach (but first the pan). I digressed...

SO.. what is this beauty of a feast on my plate? Sauteed veg, then scramble eggs, then at the last moment (just after the eggs go in) toss in some sprouts and mix 'em around. In just a moment, when the eggs start solidifying - you're finished! I garnished with a half avocado and some spice. 

Home-made Veggie Pate!

As a treat, I occasionally like to get veggie pate from the natural food store and eat in on a sandwich or as a side to something fun, but I'd really like to be able to make it on my own so I can make it as a treat, instead of buy it, even though I like to support folks who make this kind of stuff and make it available in stores - because it is a nice treat!

So it's my first batch, and far from perfection, but this is what I did:

Blend the following in a food processor:

• 1-1/2 cups soaked buckwheat (from 3/4 cup dry)
• 1 cup oat flakes
• 1 cup diced eggplant
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds, ground
• 1/2 cup whole spelt flour, or other
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/3 cup each diced potato, onion, carrot
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Some salt

Oil a casserole dish, and put the blended paste into the dish. .. and I just realize that I didn't write down how long I cooked it for!! But I'm willing to bet it was at 350F for at least 45 minutes.. you could try that - but watch for the browness at the top, that might be an indication of how done it is.

As a side note, I actually bought some veggie pate from the store to compare mine to the "real" thing, and after having one bite of it before making it, I walked away to answer the phone or something, and when I came back, the dog had eaten the WHOLE thing with not a crumb left over. Yes folks.. it's just that good... mine was also very good... but maybe a little drier (I don't like using a lot of oil in my cooking, and I didn't get it so perfectly pureed as I could have.. but it was AWESOME.)

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This was served on our Whole Foods Cooking Retreat, and it was a complete hit! Cooked with love for all the guests by Whole Foodies Sharla and Anna.. what a treat!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Bake squash face down in halves for 1/2 hr. at
350F. Cook rice in stock or water. Heat oil in a
skillet, and sautee onions and garlic, then add
remaining ingredients, as well as cooked rice.
Stir all ingredients like a stir fry, add to cooked
squash and top with feta.

1 acorn squash, split in 2
2 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup black rice
1 onion
1 clove garlic
sun dried tomatoes
capers
parsley
herbs
bell peppers
feta

Awesomest Dinner Ever!

This was an exceptional treat! Hand crafted by Whole Foodie Anna, this was a perfect winter meal that brought about bliss that lasted all evening.

Unfortunately, like me (Mike), Anna doesn't really use recipes or measure anything, which is awesome - measuring things kills my appetite, and using the right side of your brain to cook only fosters more love in the food!

So - squash soup, gently sauteed veggies with almonds and a subtle sauce, and then a crunchy millet salad, that Anna did agree to write out for me:

Crunchy Millet Salad

• Sautee in water, cubed zucchini, onion, potato
• Cook millet
• Add these two things together along with:
• Pumpkin seeds
• Miso paste
• Basil
• Oil
• Parsley
• Spices - black pepper, dr. basil, curry, etc.

(I have a feeling there was garlic in there too, but she didn't write it down!)

Eat slowly and enjoy the poof of qi from this very digestive-fire stimulating dish!

Foods to get better by...

OK - so I came down with a bug this month. I did alright, recovering in a few days, but what did I eat? I thought I'd take a picture for you!

From bottom left, clockwise:

• Oven cooked oatmeal with apples and cinnamon and a bit of goat milk
  
• Tea decoction including echinacea, ginger, lemon, fenugreek, thyme, fennel, flax, and a little licorice root (that was made for my condition on the day that I had it.. this isn't a catch-all solution)
  
• Sprouted bread, slightly toasted
• Pureed leftover soup stock ingredients
• Water with oxygen and a little apple cider vinegar
• Mochi (white,.. it was a gift) with nori paper

This was on the day that I noticed I was starting to heal, otherwise in the acute stages I'd suggest eating very little or only teas or foods cooked in lots of water (thus the soup stock!).. once the body starts to feel like it's winning, food is better suited if not overeaten, especially grains and cooked veggies. I picked at this tray all day... it was nice to have handy as I sat on my big pillow and let the healing juices flow.

Shabu shabu!

Wow.. we're really on a Japanese theme here aren't we? Well, we just had a Japanese couple living with us, and of course we love the food of Japan, it's silliness, cartoons, and all it's Zen-ness. 

So this is a traditional winter meal, not only eaten in Japan (although the name "shabu shabu" which is an onomatopoeia mimicking the sound of splashing your food in hot water) but eaten all over Asia in the hot pot style that indulged upon.

Using a portable burner on the table you eat at, bring a pot of water with seaweed to a boil, and then dunk cut vegetables and other foods into the boiling pot for a moment, and then retrieve them slightly cooked and delicious, and then dip into a sauce or shoyu before eating. This way, the meal is drawn out so incredibly long, that you can literally eat all night long.

Tofu can be used, meat, cabbage, leek, zucchini, carrot, mushrooms, daikon, etc.. anything that cooks in water! Serve with brown rice and edamame for some nice sides! And sake too of course!

OISHII!

(Pictured are Whole Foodies Sharla and Anna)

Okayu - soup for the sick Japanese soul

North Americans reach for instant, MSG laden, refined and boxed chicken noodle soup when feeling ill - Japanese however reach for okayu. This is such an incredible healing tonic, I recommend it for anyone feeling 'off', or having poor energy or immunity and need to heal. This will do it!

The base, and power of this fantastic "soup" is the really well cooked rice in ample water. You can try grinding the rice first if you wish, to have it cook a little quicker, but otherwise cook 1 part brown rice to 4 parts water or more. The more time, the more water, the more healing magic.

In this thickish rice soup, add seaweed (kombu or wakame), chopped leeks or green onion, black pepper, cayenne, and/or ginger. And then finally, when at a boil, pour in a beaten egg or two, stir, and then reduce to a simmer and let it cook for as long as you can allow. If it gets too thick, just add water. AHH!!!...... healing, and surprisingly delicious despite the appearance from the photo - it really is good and nurturing!

Nabe = Japanese pot

This is a winter food in Japan. Cooked in a pot (or known as 'nabe', the Japanese word for pot in Japanese) this dish is called "nabe" for obvious reasons.

Bring some water to a boil, and add seaweed like kombu or wakame, and then chop in lots of veggies - and some tofu, if you really want to embrace the spirit of Japan. We went all out and got all Japanese veggies, including hakusai (nappa cabbage), daikon (literally "giant root"), enoki (weird clustery mushrooms), and ninjin (carrot.. just showing off my Japanese).

Let's this infusion cook up until the veggies are soft, and then serve in soup bowls!

We added a dash of togarashi (7 pepper spice) on the top to give it some heat to the otherwise gently refreshing dish (despite it being served warm, the seaweed, water and veggie are nice and refreshing).

ITADAKIMASU!

Chocolate Pudding of my Gods

Chocolate pudding like I've never tasted before.

Add these fine things into a blender or mixer, or something that whizzes things about:

• cocoa powder (I used a "ruddy red" that was super dark.. so good)
• maple syrup
• soft tofu for a pudding, (or soft avocados if you want it thicker like mousse)
• vanilla
• whiskey or rum

That's it! Heaven in a bowl!

Sorry for no quantities.. that's just not how I cook. Try making it yourself and then adding more or less of something if you think it needs it!

Awesomest Lunch Ever!

Wow. No recipe for this guy - so simple, which is almost the best recipe for whole foods cooking - simple.

Pictured clockwise from bottom to top:

Cooked grains

Gently sauteed veggies

Miso sauce (miso, tahini, shoyu, apple cider vinegar, honey, cumin, etc)

Roasted potato fingers with sesame oil, salt and pepper

Poached egg (we're really into eggs lately... they make our Kidneys happy)

Restore, Renew, Rejuvenate!

I always think of the colon as party central, there are billions of bacteria living in the colon that support proper elimination and absorption of nutrients.  They also boost our immune system by fending off certain pathogens and germs.  These bacteria strains are known as probiotics and are the key to ultimate health and longevity.  Sometimes a good party can turn bad, layering on greasy fried foods, processed and sugary foods, overeating and bad food combinations crashes the good vibe feeling and the once fun filled party is turned into a demolition bonanza that sadly leads to severe colon hangover.  Your post party colon is left to deal with flatulence, sporadic movements, and smelly logs.  How do you keep the good party going you ask?...well, start with inoculating your bowels with rejuvelac!  Rejuvelac is a fermented drink that literally rejuvenates and supports your gut.  It is one of the easiest and healthiest beverages to make.  You can make rejuvelac with most any grain, it is most commonly made with wheat berries, but I have made it with kamut, rye, and barley.  

Here is how to make your own rejuvenating party drink:

Soak about 1-1 1/2 cups of wheat berries or other hearty grain in enough cold water to cover by 1 inch in a sprouting jar with a mesh screen or any large jar

soak 8 hours or overnight

drain and rinse the grain, make sure all excess liquid is removed, you do not want your grains to be sitting in water

rinse your grain once or twice a day, to ensure proper moisture

your grain will start to sprout, once the sprout is a little longer than the seed itself, fill the jar back up with filtered water

set the jar on your counter or on a shelf away from direct sunlight

check the jar daily, once it is bubbly and smells sweet and fermented it is ready!

strain and pour into a clean jar or pitcher, keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Reserve the sprouted grain for crackers, cookies (see banana kamut cookie recipe below)

or for a yummy Mana loaf (sprouted bread)

Enjoy your Rejuvelac and party on!

Sprouted Banana Kamut Cookies!

So what to do with 10 day leftover grain sprouts sitting in the fridge? They got really slimy, sticky, but were incredible fragrant with that delicious aromatic punch created from fermentation. The sprouts were used for sprouted bread, and so were only grown to about 1/2" long or shorter, which retains the grains starchy, meatiness that is required for bread making. If the sprouts were any longer, it would've become more like a veggie sprout and would've been more green and better for a sandwich, for instance.

So I've got quasi-fermented, half sprouted kamut, neglected and needing some love.

Step one: Dry them out - I laid them out on a baking sheet (I woefully used a non-stick although I usually avoid them.. but as they were so sticky and I didn't want to ruin the experiment, I really didn't want them to stick!)

Distribute them evenly on a the sheet, and leave them to dry in the oven at about 310 or so... not to cook them, just to dry up the sticky fermented film and give them a gentle pan toasting. I think I had them in there for 15 minutes, flipped them about, and then gave them another 10 or so...

Step two: Grind the dried, toasty grains in a grinder or something that will bring them to a paste.. like a wet flour. This is similar to making sprouted bread, but I toasted them first.

Step three: Add in a bowl and mix:

• ground, sprouted, toasted grains (about 1-1/2 cups.. give or take)
• 1/3 cup oat flakes
• 1/2 cup spelt flour
• 1 mashed banana
• 1 tsp dried ginger and cinnamon each
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp ghee or butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

Step four: Grease up your baking sheet with some of the ghee/butter, set the oven  to 375F, wet your hands with cold water, and then form little balls with the mixture. Press them down into cookies on the cookie sheet.. I made 3 large and 2 small with my batch, but I'm sure far more can be made with more ingredients or improvising. 

Step five: Bake for 30 minutes (I did 35 minutes, but the bottoms got to browned, and the still set nicely). Take them out and let them cool in a place where air can get underneath... like a wire rack. Wait until the set a little.. and enjoy!

These cookies had such a neat taste and aroma - something I've never tasted before. So earthy, hearty, almost with a beer-like dank to them... rich and sweet tasting, but not heavy or powerful. Just a wallop of that centred-sweet flavour you can only get from grains - especially fermented! Yum! 

Note: As with anything fermented, please use your nose to determine the 'quality' of the food! I have never had a failed fermentation project (more like accident!), but I always throw things away if the smell is putrid and foul. Good luck!