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Showing posts from 2016

Hot Carob Drink

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  Mmmm hot carob!  Have you tried it?  If not, you might be surprised to know that it is a creamy, dreamy sweet drink-- like cocoa, but creamier and without the bitterness.  And without caffeine. And without theobromine. And, as I discovered, it helps to settle a wonky tummy (otherwise known as 'diarrhea'). Without creating the reverse 'issues' (i.e., constipation). Or, that is what it did in this household. I am not a medical practitioner, just someone looking for a possible help for a problem and finding many indications that a hot carob drink can 'do the trick'. See this article in Healthline , for example. Please check it out with your own health provider. I have baked with carob powder (muffins, cakes, cookies, bliss balls) and carob chips, but hadn't checked out the hot drink. I like it better than cocoa (hot chocolate). THE SIMPLE RECIPE FOR 1 CUP OF HOT CAROB DRINK: For one mug of hot carob: Slowly heat a cup of non-dairy milk on the stove until it

Maple Walnut Chocolate Chip Healthy Brain Cookies

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This recipe is for my all-time favourite chocolate chip cookie (you can sub raisins or carob chips if you are not a fan of chocolate chips).  I was introduced to it in Dr. Neil Nedley's Depression Recovery Program that our neighbouring Campbell River Adventist Church offered in 2010.  These cookies, as part of an overall holistic depression treatment program, pack the kind of brain-nurturing nutrition that the walnut and flaxseed meal Omega3 fatty acids offer as a major ingredient.  This recipe makes a dozen cookies-- you won't feel compelled to eat the whole batch yourself as they are very high fibre and satisfyingly sweet and filling.  Enjoy! Crank the oven up to 350F/175C. Process 2 1/2 C. of Walnut pieces into a fine crumble in a food processor. In a medium size bowl, combine the following with the walnuts above, and mix well: 1/3 C.  Flaxseed Meal  (I grind my own fresh in a coffee bean grinder) 2/3 C.  Wholewheat  Pastry  Flour 1    tsp.  Salt  (I skipped the s

Plum-Banana Breakfast Squares, Vegan and Gluten-Free

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These plum-banana breakfast squares are the result of wanting to use up some of the abundance of a backyard plum harvest.  I will also be making a plum upside-down cake to take to Church tomorrow (but not a very healthy recipe, so it won't be on this blog). We will use some of these plums today: I love these little orbs of sunshine.  I call them "Little Golden Plums" although I know they must have a proper scientific name. 😶You can use any sort/named plum but make sure you remove the stone when prepping them. 😶Set the Oven for 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 180 C. 😶Make your flaxseed or chia seed egg: ·      1 tbsp ground  Flaxseed  or  Chia Seed  + 3 tbsp  water- whisk up together and set aside until it is the consistency of whisked egg white, creamy and sticky (about 10-15 minutes)      ðŸ˜¶Add the flaxseed/chia seed egg to the following in your food processor: ·           6oz  Coconut Milk   ·           1 ripe   Banana, mashed ·           1 tsp p

Is This The Famous Mushroom Gravy Recipe I've Heard So Much About? (Gluten-free, Vegan)

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Is this the very tasty vegan Mushroom Gravy recipe  by Shirley Gong?  This mushroom gravy recipe is part of the repertoire of delicious sauces that regularly appear at the meals put together by the Port Alberni Adventist Church. Shirley's Mushroom Gravy Good to know: This recipe serves 24 people (medium-size potluck) so if you are serving a family of 4-6, you will want to cut it back to 1/4 of this recipe (divide all following ingredients by 4... ah, math!) INGREDIENTS: 1/2 c. Vegetable Oil 5 Qt./Li. or 2 1/2 pounds of sliced Mushrooms Optional: 1 1/2 pounds of diced Onions , to add sweetness 1/2 C. Soy Sauce or Tamari Sauce 1 C. Apple Juice mixed with 1/2 C. Water and 1/2 C. Nutritional Yeast (if not using Veg. Stock) 2 1/2 Qt./Li. Vegetable Stock or Water (if using the above Apple Juice Mix) 1 T. each of dried Sage, Thyme and Marjoram (or 3 T. Poultry Seasoning) 3/4 C. Cornstarch 1 C. Cold Water Salt and Pepper to taste METHOD: Heat oil in pan,

Shirley's Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe

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Here is another one of Elder Shirley Gong's splendid sauces: Thai Peanut Sauce.  Easy to make and delicious!  This recipe makes about 2 Cups of Peanut Sauce, or 16 servings. Wonderful for a special family gathering or a potluck! The peanut has suffered with some pretty negative attacks over the years, the worst being that it is a harmful food that causes cancer.  A number of scientific studies have since disproved this smear campaign and shown that the opposite is actually true. While peanuts are calorically dense legumes, they contain what we now label "good fats" and there are indicators that a diet with moderate peanut consumption is actually slimming! Too, Dr. Michael Greger of Nutrition.com points out in this short video a recent study shows that the lowly peanut has cancer-fighting qualities almost right up there with the big guy tree nuts: walnuts and  pecans. And no one is disputing the deliciousness of peanut butter. Now on with the delicious recipe: INGR

Shirley's Sweet and Sour Sauce

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Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce   This wonderful Sweet and Sour Pineapple sauce recipe from Elder Shirley Gong at the Port Alberni Adventist Church does not have some of the less attractive ingredients of commercial sauces (for example, no food coloring).  Use it as a sauce alternative for the Veggies and Pan Noodles , also a recipe of Shirley's.   INGREDIENTS Makes 6 Servings 1/2 C. Brown Sugar (or Coconut Palm Sugar) 11 T. Corn Starch 1 can Pineapple Chunks in Juice 1/3 C. Vinegar or Lemon Juice 1 T. Soy Sauce 1 small chopped Green Pepper METHOD: Mix Sugar and Starch together Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan, EXCEPT the pepper Heat slowly to a boil, stirring frequently. Add chopped Pepper Simmer 3 - 5 minutes. Add to your recipe.

Veggies and Pan Noodles with DIY Hoisin Sauce Recipe

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This delicious recipe for Veggie and Pan Noodles (either spaghetti/soban noodles or thin rice/angel hair noodles) is another generous offering from Elder Shirley Gong of the Port Alberni Adventist Church.   This recipe is great as a potluck dish for our small church potluck ( 24 servings ) but if you make it x4, you will have 100 hearty-size servings.  (Hoisin Peanut Sauce recipe is below-- Sweet and Sour Recipe is HERE .) INGREDIENTS: 4 pounds Soban-type or Thin Rice Noodles 2 pounds each, julienne: Cabbage, Onion, Carrots, Celery 2 T. or 6 Cloves Garlic , Minced or Pressed 1/2 C. Vegetable Oil Braising Sauce 1/2 C. Vegetable Oil 1 1/2 C. Water 2 C. or 1 - 14 oz. jar Hoisin Sauce (See Below for DIY Recipe) 1 C. light Soy Sauce or Tamari Sauce (not needed if using DIY Recipe) 3/4 C. Honey                                          (not needed if using DIY Recipe) 1 T. Garlic Powder                               (not needed if using DIY Recipe) Garnish with

BAKED TOFU: Sesame Surprise (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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I have to tell you that this BAKED TOFU recipe is one of my favourite tofu recipes of all time. Baked Tofu: Sesame Surprise  My husband and I have been back and forth on the Tofu Road.   We read a lot of health-related articles and watch a lot of (junk?) science on Youtube, so of course, we are well aware of the controversy around soy products... you know where you can go to read that side of the story as well. Well, here we are back again!  Because we have such great respect for slim heralds of plant-strong health like Dr. Darlene Blaney (recipes on this site),  Dr. Hans Diehl, Dr. John A. McDougall, Lani  Muelrath , Dr. Neal Barnard , among many others, some people we actually rub shoulders with on a regular basis, these tofu-eating crusaders for a healthy lifestyle have won us back again to tofu.   We're sort of like "slacker voters" I guess... we go with who impresses us the most with their pitch for benefits we will receive, and we vote with our forks.