Kombucha
A bit about
it/why I make it:
SCOBY is an acronym for Symbiotic Colony Of
Bacteria and Yeast (yummy!). So the Kombucha tea not only contains bacteria and
yeast, it also contains organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids and polyphenols.
What this means in English is that it gives your stomach the good bacteria it
needs for better digestion and helps detox your body (mainly the liver).
Kombucha also gives you more energy which a result from the fermentation itself
combined with the caffeine from the tea. The SCOBY needs the caffeinated tea
and the sugar to thrive. And who wants to keep paying $4/bottle!?
What you
need:
-8 black tea bags
-1 cup white sugar
-SCOBY
-Gallon size Mason jar
-Cheesecloth or coffee filters
-Juice for kombucha flavor
-Strainer (optional)
-Glass jars for bottling
How you
make it:
-Fill a pot of water (maybe ½ gallon) and bring to
a boil. Drop in the tea bags & cup of sugar & then let it cool. I
usually let it sit overnight to ensure it has cooled down all the way.
Otherwise you will burn & kill your SCOBY!
-Fill up the Mason jar with the brewed tea, add
the SCOBY and fill the rest of the jar up with water
- Cover the top of the jar with cheesecloth or
coffee filters & let sit for about 3 weeks. I have my jar sitting on our kitchen
counter. Don’t put the jar in sunlight!
-After the fermentation process is complete, I
make sure to have my next batch of tea ready to go so that I can put the SCOBY
back in the jar to sit for another few weeks
-I use old Kombucha glass bottles that I’ve saved
after buying them at the store. I like to use a strainer to prevent less
“stuff” from getting in my bottles. I fill up the jars about 85% (to the top of
the label on the bottle) to leave a little room for juice.
-After filling (& closing) the bottles I leave
them out on the counter for 3 days to carbonate before adding juice &
sticking them in the fridge. I personally like Cranberry and Pineapple juices
the best but add whatever you like. *Don’t shake the bottles*
Kombucha is an
acquired taste, to say the least. Happy Brewing!
Almond Butter
A bit about
it/why I make it:
Not only is it cheaper and healthier than what you buy in
the store (no additives!), it’s ridiculously
easy to make.
What you
need:
-1 bag of roasted unsalted almonds (you can buy
the salted variety, just make sure what almonds you do use are roasted because
that’s what gives the butter its flavor)
-1 Mason jar (storage)
-Food processor (I have a Hamilton Beach 10-cup,
500w processor)
How you
make it:
-Throw the almonds in the food processor, turn it
on, and come back in 10 minutes. Yes, it’s that easy. The natural oils of the
almonds will release after about 7-8 min, so no need to add any extra oils in.
-I like to use a Mason jar (you can use whatever
you like), & the butter should be kept in the refrigerator.
Sweet Potato and
Beet Chips
A bit about
it/why I make it:
Healthier and cheaper than most store-bought chips! They are
easy to make & bring along for a snack and, for me, the most pleasant way
to eat beets. Also, I just love chips. DID YOU KNOW… that stackable chips (such
as Pringles, Lays stackables, etc.) aren’t potato chips at all? Check out this
article: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/07/the-shocking-true-story-of-how-pringles-are-made.aspx
What you need:
-Oven
-Baking sheet (with rims! You don’t want oil
spilling into your oven)
-Sweet potatoes
-Beets
-Peeler
-Olive oil
-Mandolin (you can use a knife, but a mandolin
will make your life a whole lot easier)
-Sea salt
-Tupperware (or something comparable) for storage
How you
make it:
-Preheat the oven to 400, and cover your baking
pan with aluminum foil. (I’ve found out the hard way that parchment paper sets
off the fire alarm!)
-Use as many sweet potatoes & beets as you
like & cut them into the thinnest slices possible. I toss them in olive oil
and put them in the oven for 20-25min depending how crispy you want them. I
have found that the beets take about 10min longer to bake. You can also put a
combo of Paprika & Cumin, or Garlic & Rosemary on them as well… super
yummy!
-After taking them out I sprinkle on sea salt
before they cool.
Raw Juices (my favorite recipes so far)
A bit about
it/why I make it:
Where do I begin?! There is no better or yummier
way to get in your daily intake of fruits and (especially) vegetables than by
juicing! It’s also WAY cheaper than buying juices at $10/bottle! I have the Omega
8006 juicer and I’m OBSESSED with it. My guinea pigs (roommate and boyfriend)
can attest to this & I think they’re both pretty happy to reap the benefits
of all my juicing experiments. Aside from a juicer, you will need the
following: mason jars or glass bottles for storage, knife, cutting board and
peeler.
Green Machine
Detox Juice
What you
need:
-3 green apples
-1 lemon
-1” cube of ginger
-5 kale leaves
-1 cucumber
How you
make it:
-The juicer doesn’t have a huge opening, so
everything will need to be chopped into fairly small pieces. The lemon and
ginger will both need to be peeled, and I make sure that little or no kale
stems make it into the juice
-Once everything has gone through the juicer, I
use a strainer (the juicer comes with one) a second time when pouring the juice
in the jar/bottle to eliminate any foam or chunks that weren’t caught the first
time.
-Yields approx 20oz
Beetjuice!
Beetjuice! Beetjuice!
By now, you know that I don’t like beets. But I
understand and respect their value. So… I have this recipe which has been
called “delicious” by beet lovers and “tolerable” by me.
What you
need:
-2 Beets
-6 Carrots
-1 Pineapple
How you
make it:
-The beets and carrots need to be peeled &
chopped. I would recommend buying a whole pineapple because it’s cheaper, but
you can cheat & buy the already cut up kind.
-Keep in mind that beets stain everything!
-Yields approx 32oz
Watermelon
Summertime Juice
What you
need:
-1 small watermelon (again you could cheat &
buy it already cut up)
-2 limes
-1 cup of green grapes
-Cayenne pepper (optional)
-Coconut water (optional)
How you
make it:
-Slice up the watermelon (seedless!) and peel the
limes
-You can add a pinch of cayenne, which I find to
give this juice the perfect little kick, but you don’t have to
-Yields approx 32oz
(My favorite, not all) Super Foods
Avocado - Their
high fat content (healthy fat! A bit oxymoronic, I know.) helps reduce cravings
for unhealthy foods by keeping you full and satisfied
Beets- I don’t
like them. But you should. Especially if you’re an athlete. Beets can help
improve blood flow to your heart and muscles, which is great for workouts. Just
don’t wear anything white or freak out when you pee.
Cherries – they
contain melatonin! Have them before bed instead of ice cream. I’ve also learned
from a friend that they are a natural remedy to conditions such a Gout because
it is a natural amino acid (& helps to break down the uric acid which
causes gout) and helps reduce inflammation as well.
Chia seeds – add
them to everything.
Dark Chocolate –
all day errrday. Yes, please, and thank you. Not only is it loaded with
antioxidants, it helps fight PMS symptoms and helps repair bad moods and
breakups (especially when paired with red wine).
Garlic – Aside
from keeping vampires away, it’s a great anti-inflammatory and great for your
immune system. NOT so great for your breath. Unless you’re on a bad date… then
it’s the perfect way to guarantee no second date.
Kale – I try to
incorporate kale in all of my salads and raw juice concoctions. Most dark green
leafy veggies are great staples for your diet, but I think kale is the
ultimate, followed by Spinach.
Nuts- We’re all a
little nutty… and therefore should enjoy the benefits of nuts. Unless you’re
allergic. They make a yummy snack or main course addition, are packed with
healthy fats and, with a food processor, can be made into flour substitutes and
butters.
Quinoa- I love
this as a side dish or for breakfast. You can cook it with chicken broth
instead of water if you think it needs a bit more flavor. This grain is celiac
friendly and has a ton of protein and fiber.
Sweet Potatoes-
yummy carbs AND the name gives you a hint to one of the benefits… a good
(sweet) mood!
Watermelon- Who
doesn’t like watermelon. Seriously. Its name also gives you a hint to one of
the benefits… water! Instead of paying too much for electrolyte-enhanced water
at the store, eat more of this fruit.
No comments:
Post a Comment