This is a great resource for cooking with almond flour..

Check this out...very cool website. Im buying the book will give thoughts on it laters :)

     http://www.elanaspantry.com/about/

Whole Grains! Eat em Eat em eat em

Whole grains are all  the rage. The shit. The Bees Knees. Not only do they leave you feeling full and satisfied, but there are tons of studies coming out about how they can help you loose weight (especially in the belly). Dr. Andrew Weil has a lot to say on the subject. He is a kick as physician and general heath guru. The founder of Integrated medicine, which combines medical treatments with holistic ingredients. The following was taken off his web site. Really good info...

Cooking With Whole Grains Whole grains - full of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and low-glycemic carbohydrates - are an important part of my Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid, but I always specify "true" whole grains. This means that the individual grains must be intact or cracked into a few large pieces, not ground in flour. Few nutrition guides make this distinction, but it is vital - with true whole grains, the outer bran and germ layers remain to encase the starchy endosperm within. This means it takes longer for digestion to occur, which slows the conversion of starch to sugar, keeping you fuller longer and preventing spikes in blood sugar that can lead to insulin resistance - a major driver of obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Don't be fooled by "whole-grain" products such as whole wheat flour (or bread made from it), which have a glycemic index nearly as high as that of refined flour. Grains that have been pulverized into flour, whether "whole" or not, have a significantly expanded starchy surface area available to digestive enzymes, and cause blood sugar levels to spike dramatically. In addition to regulating blood sugar levels, the fiber in whole grains improves cholesterol ratios and aids the digestive system. A recent government study even linked the fiber found in whole grains specifically to longer life (a lower risk of death at any age from common fatal conditions such as cardiovascular, respiratory and infectious diseases and possibly even cancer). A serving of true whole grains - embellished or plain - makes a healthy side for almost any meal, but they are also wonderful in soups, stews, salads and stuffings. Alternatively, try any of the following grains as breakfast porridge (in the same way you would enjoy oats), cooked a little longer if necessary. Serve with fruit, cinnamon and/or a healthy sweetener such as a bit of maple syrup or agave nectar. ; However you serve your whole grains, know that you are making a good choice for your heart, waistline, blood sugar levels and food budget. General tips on cooking with grains: For most grains, rinse prior to cooking to remove any debris (rolled oats and kasha are exceptions). It's particularly important to rinse quinoa, which has soap-like components called saponins that can taste bitter and have a laxative effect. To rinse, place in a bowl of cold water and swish around with your fingers, refilling the water once or twice. Drain in a fine-meshed strainer. The instructions given for each grain here are for stovetop preparation. But you can also use a rice or pressure cooker for any whole grain instead of a pot on the burner; just know that the cooking times and liquid ratios provided may need to be adjusted. To reduce cooking time for longer-cooking grains, pre-soak them for a few hours or overnight (with the exception of quinoa, which has a bitter coating that can be absorbed if soaked; rinse quinoa briefly instead). Except where stirring or uncovering is suggested, don’t remove the lid while cooking grains, as it disrupts the steaming process. If you are watching your sodium intake, feel free to cook your grains in unsalted water. Otherwise, one-fourth teaspoon of sea salt goes a long way (add salt when you combine grain and water in the pot). Alternatively, try using vegetable broth as the cooking liquid, or for a more exotic flavor, a 50/50 mixture of water and juice. You can even add a splash of wine or dried herbs. It’s generally a good idea to purchase grains in bulk, except where otherwise noted. Some grains such as rice and oats are found at typical supermarkets, but you will have better luck finding more obscure grains, such as teff and amaranth, at your local natural foods store. For all grains, opt for organic varieties from the bulk bins of health food stores whenever possible - they have higher turnover rates, which improves the likelihood of freshness. Store in tightly sealed containers in the pantry (or another cool, dry, dark place). Even better: store in the refrigerator if you have room. Unless otherwise noted, properly stored grains can last up to one year. The grain-by-grain guide below offers everything you need to know about whole grains, including historical and cultural heritage, common varieties, nutritional value, storage tips, healthful recipes, and most importantly, standard cooking instructions. Try these grains as part of a healthy diet plan: Amaranth Barley Brown rice Buckwheat Bulgur Cracked wheat Farro Kamut Kasha Millet Oats Quinoa Rye Spelt Teff Wheat berries Wild rice	advertisement

Fish oil for Dogs!

I recently adopted a spunky older dog named Biscuit! She was practically perfect except for dry fur and dandruff. There are sooooo many topical treatment that you can buy to help a dog with dry itchy skin but they are very expensive and don't really work. I did a little research and fish oil was the number 1 natural choice. Fish oil is full of omegas and like for humans is very good for you. SO after just 3 weeks of putting a capsule on her dry food, i have noticed a big change in her fur. She is not itching as much and her fur is getting much softer. If you buy it in capsule form it is cheaper, just cut it open and put on food. If you have a bigger dog you might be able to just hide it in their food.

Late night Candy bindge.....redemption time

I was really really really craving sugar last night,bad. I almost made it,but the dog needed walking and the 7 eleven was right there so....Waking up this morning feeling bloated and my teeth hurt. What I should of done was make something sweet myself. Taking control of the ingredients. I am always going to have a sweet tooth, even though I know all about how bad refined white sugar is. How it gives me headaches, gas, bad teeth, turns into nasty carbs, and leaves me just wanting more . I know all about the good alternatives, agave, molasses, brown rice syrup. All are more mellow on the system. Even honey (which basically breaks down in the body as same as sugar) but oh the flavor. So as a throw away the skittles and twix wrappers like keg cups after a party, I am struck by this thought. Today is a new day. Usually when I make choices that arn't so great I follow them up with more bad choices. Its the whole "ah well fuck it" way of doing things. There is no need to indulge myself again just because I fell off the sugar wagon. Its green tea and puffed millet (sprinkled with chia seeds) this morning...but when the urge comes calling again(2-3 days, tee hee) I think this would be a better choice, I neeed to up my dessert game...
Chocolate Peanut butter cups(so easy)whooooooaaaaaa!!!!

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Servings: 12

• 1/2 cup(s) of Earth Balance butter
• 3/4 cup(s) of crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
• 3/4 cup(s) of graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares
• 1/4 cup(s) of maple sugar or other granulated sweetener
• 1 cup(s) of grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
• 1/4 cup(s) of soy, rice, or nut milk
• 1/4 cup(s) of chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts

Steps

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (If You Care makes unbleached liners made from recycled paper.)
2. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
4. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar and mix well.
5. Remove the mixture from the heat.
6. Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups.
7. Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan.
8. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted.
9. Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture.
10. Top with chopped nuts.
11. Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.
12. They are great soft, but even better a little firmer!

Looks like Kombu is totally in fasion...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/6bbc7534-3eef-11e0-834e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1FMcnCFWE

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All the coolest people are cooking and eating kombu...arn't you?

Kombu as a weapon

Sea Weed or sea vegetables (people seem more comfortable with calling it that) are AMAZING!  They are extremely high in Posassium, calcium, Vitamins A &C and amino acids. Adding Nori, hijiki,wakame,arame, and kombu just to name a few to your daily eating routine is really doing yourself a favor. Kombu in particular is one that I have really fallen in love with. I use it in almost anything that involves brasing, or a broth. kombu is especially high in the Glutamic acid (one of the essistinal amino acids) that helps with memory, bonus! Glutamic acid is also responsible for the flovor umami which is one of the 5 basic flavors. kombu leaves a sweet, salty, smoky flovor and is a key ingredient in a lot of Japanese cooking. It is also great for cooking beans. Kombu has the ability to soften foods it is cooked with. It breaks down sugars thus breaking down the gassy quality of beans, double bonus! So put it in your arsenal against memory loss, lack of flavor and gas...

Daikon is your friend..

I love all  types of radish. I especially love Daikon. This powerful plant is Chinese in origin and resembles a large white carrot. Don't be afraid if you find them covered in dirt (farmer's market style). It is a natural diuretic and helps your body cut through fat. Flushing you out through the good times and bad!  It is usually served raw.  Grated on the side in Japanese and Chinese cooking. When cooked it become soft n sweet! I put it in soups but I especially love it braised. It smells so good and is the perfect light addition to a any meal. I got this recipe from the "The Kind Diet"  by Alicia Silverstone. A very excellent and easy to follow book. Don't let the fact that its the chick from clueless sway u from buying it. I recommend taking the cover jacket off :)

Chop daikon into inch rounds  and place in skillet. Fill with h20 just to the center of the daikon . Add about a tablespoon shoyu or tamari, 3/4 cup mirin, and a 2 inch strip of kombu (totally essential). Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for bout 30 min or until the liquid is reduced. Sometimes they cook before all the liquid is reduced (work with the portions so this does not happen often). They should be a light brown in color and soft  n silky to eat. Good cold outta the fride too with hummus or almonf butter . Enjoy!