On Monday I set out to make raw crackers, I had a ton of vegetables in my fridge which I planned to use, such as peppers, tomatoes, spinach and carrots. But when it came to soaking the flaxseeds the night before I realised I didn’t actually have any, so I soaked a cup of almonds instead. So, I pulverised all the veg in my food processor and then added some sprouted lentils and the almonds.
For flavour I added spices such as cumin and paprika and dry mixed herbs, oregano and fresh parsley. The mixture tasted delicious.
I spread it thickly onto to 2 dehydrator trays and sat patiently waiting for many hours for them to be ready. As the crackers started to dry out I noticed they had shrunk substantially and in the end my crackers were very delicate and thin and there were holes where there weren’t before.
I must say they were delicious but not strong enough to hold any kind of filling or topping.
Flaxseeds when soaked whole form a jelly out of the water it is soaking in and I guess this is what holds the crackers together when they are dried.
So next time I may have to use flax instead of almond and use carrot pulp instead of whole carrot which should reduce the water content of the mixture. If I succeed I will post the recipe.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Thursday 2 April 2009
Wheatgrass
I send out a newsletter almost every month (to subscribe visit www.therawgreek.com) and a lot of my life experiences often lead me to the main topic of each issue. I try to keep each article factual but a few personal bits find their way in there. I would like to add more of the personal bits but I know it isn’t everyone’s cup of green tea that is one of the reasons I am putting together this blog.
Here I intend to provide a lot of the facts as well adding my thoughts and the wonderings in my mind which lead me to research certain topics.
This month my main focus is on wheatgrass.
Why?
My mother-in-law has been fighting cancer for some time, and the most recent development is in her intestine. I personally have little faith in the traditional methods for treating cancer because she has undergone many tiring and painful chemo sessions and was told the cancer had gone, only to be examined a few months later completely by chance and then told that it hadn’t disappeared and the cancer had gotten worse. If chemotherapy isn’t working which in this case it isn’t I wonder if it ever cures cancer as we are led to believe it does. Cancer is an attack on the system as a result of a compromised immune system, so far all I have seen chemotherapy do is weaken the patient thus weakening the immune system further. In the end my mother-in-law’s cancer in the intestine progressed so much it blocked her intestine causing her lots of discomfort which the Dr’s ignored for some time until she was so sick, bloated and dizzy she was taken to hospital again and after lots more tests and no food for weeks (which weakened her even more) she was told that her intestine was now blocked and she needed surgery which led to a bag being inserted so that food no longer attempted to pass the blockage.
The worse thing about the Greek medical profession is that they lie to the patient about the severity of the disease so they still have some hope, and only tell the immediate family the truth. So, in our case my mother-in-law doesn’t realise that this bag will be there for life and there is nothing they can do for her apart from give her more chemo and hope for the best.
We, on the other hand, her close family know the truth and I have taken it upon myself to help her as best I can using alternative methods. My husband and I have discussed it many times and he agrees that something needs to be done. So I asked for some trusted advice from Jill Swyers (www.jillswyers.com) who has had experience in this area, I listened very carefully to everything she had to say and with my own knowledge of the local produce and nutrition gathered the tools to start.
As soon as my mother-in-law was well enough to stomach food and fluids we sat her down and told her what we can do for her and how it will be affect her, she agreed to give it a go saying that she wants to see her granddaughter (only 3 months old) grow up. The very next day (Friday) I turned up at her house bright and early armed with my juicer, wheatgrass and many other greens for juicing.
After her first shot of wheatgrass and a green juice I started clearing her cupboards and fridge of anything containing sugar of any kind. It was a big task because she has a terrible sweet tooth and is always chomping down boiled sweets, cakes and biscuits.
The first day we started she couldn’t get out of bed without help and moving caused her a lot of pain, walking was a hunched hobble and she could only manage a couple of minutes at a time. By Monday (only 4 days later) she was getting out of bed on her own, walking around the outside of house for fresh air, her once strong voice was back to normal and she was even able to cook meals for her husband. A great start if you ask me. But of course when someone starts to feel better they often stop the medication as is always the case with conventional medicine. And this is exactly what happened here, she started to feel better and get back her appetite for sweet things. And with her next Dr’s appointment coming up in a few days she was starting to worry about whether she should continue the chemotherapy as was advised. My opinion was no, but after many years of medical intervention and faith in the Dr’s and God it was hard to talk her round. So she went to the Dr and he told her that the chemo is necessary and if she wants to continue with the diet she can but she has to also do the chemo (this is what my husband told me), my mother-in-law on the other hand told me that the Dr had told her that she has to do the chemo and if she wants to continue the diet she can do so after the next three chemo sessions. A clear sign that she no longer wants to continue with the juicing.
I am very disappointed with the attitude of the Dr’s and my mother-in-law’s decision to not continue, but at the same time I am excited about the results we achieved after only a few days I truly believe wheatgrass to be a superfood.
Here is some info about wheatgrass and it nutritional content:
Top of the list of important wheatgrass functions is the fact that it contains chlorophyll which has almost the same molecular structure as haemoglobin. The only difference between chlorophyll and haemoglobin is in the central element, chlorophyll contains magnesium and haemoglobin contains iron. (Haemoglobin is the iron-containing protein in the red blood cells which transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body).
Chlorophyll increases haemoglobin production, meaning more oxygen circulates around the body thus breaking down poisonous carbon dioxide and releasing more oxygen.
There is also plenty of Selenium in wheatgrass; Chlorophyll and selenium together build the immune system. On top of that wheatgrass is one of the most alkaline foods known to man. For body tissue to remain healthy it needs to be alkaline and oxygenated, when the body is over acidic many diseases and health problems can occur. Wheatgrass stimulates metabolism and enzymes, the abundance of alkaline minerals in the juice helps to reduce over acidity in the blood.
Why is oxygen so important?Oxygen is one of the most basic needs of the human body, without it the body cannot survive. It is necessary to oxidize bacteria, fungi and viruses and for burning up toxins in the body generated both internally and from external sources such as food, water and the environment.
Nutritionally wheatgrass is amazing:
· A 30ml shot of freshly squeezed juice contains a as many vitamins, minerals and amino acid as approximately 2 kilos of fresh green vegetables in a bioavailable form.
· It is a complete protein containing about 20 amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and about 30 enzymes which are incredibly important for correct digestion and other bodily processes.
· Wheatgrass juice is an abundant source of B vitamins, vitamins C, E and carotene, which work to successfully destroy free radicals that can lead to the degeneration of the immune system, and the body as a whole.
· It contains over 90 minerals all of which are needed to maintain good metabolism. Some of these alkaline minerals are calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.
· Enzymes are important active ingredients in wheatgrass juice. They are the life force of our foods, and are required to carry out many important biological and chemical functions within the body.
· It contains chlorophyll which stimulates and regenerates the liver. The liver is the main organ of detoxification in the body. Three compounds found in the juice that helps the liver with this are:
- Choline which prevents the deposition of fats
- Magnesium which draws out excess fat;
- Potassium which invigorates and stimulates
Chloraphyl normalizes high blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways throughout the body, and stimulates healthy blood tissue cell growth.
* Wheatgrass is different from wheat. One is a green vegetable, the other a grain. The green vegetable grass contains no gluten and is therefore no more allergic than spinach or lettuce.
Useful links
How to grow wheatgrass
www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010107/spectrum/main6.htm
Wheatgrass juicers
www.vitality4life.com/
Wheatgrass kits
www.wheatgrass-kits.co.uk
Wheatgrass juice concoctions
Many, myself included, don’t enjoy the taste of wheatgrass, it makes my hair stand on end. Others find it pleasant or at least bearable. There are a few tricks to help ‘the medicine’ go down and I wouldn’t dare suggest a spoonful of sugar.
The most common way to drink wheatgrass juice is to knock back a small 25-30ml shot of it quick and painless, some people like to follow it with a slice of orange. Or you could treat it like a famous alcoholic shot and lick some salt of the back of your hand knock back the shot and then suck on a slice of lemon as Jason Vale does in one of his juice bars.
Alternatively you could try to disguise the taste in other juices. My personal favourite is as follows:
1 shot of fresh wheatgrass juice
Kiwi fruits
Juice the wheatgrass, peel the kiwi fruits and also juice. Mix the 2 juices together and drink immediately. The kiwi almost disguises the taste of wheatgrass completely.
Another one of my favourite juice concoctions as suggested by Ann Wigmore in her book The Wheatgrass Book is:
3 medium carrots
2 large celery stalks
1.5 shots (45ml) wheatgrass juice
Five sprigs parsley
Juice all the ingredients and enjoy!
Here I intend to provide a lot of the facts as well adding my thoughts and the wonderings in my mind which lead me to research certain topics.
This month my main focus is on wheatgrass.
Why?
My mother-in-law has been fighting cancer for some time, and the most recent development is in her intestine. I personally have little faith in the traditional methods for treating cancer because she has undergone many tiring and painful chemo sessions and was told the cancer had gone, only to be examined a few months later completely by chance and then told that it hadn’t disappeared and the cancer had gotten worse. If chemotherapy isn’t working which in this case it isn’t I wonder if it ever cures cancer as we are led to believe it does. Cancer is an attack on the system as a result of a compromised immune system, so far all I have seen chemotherapy do is weaken the patient thus weakening the immune system further. In the end my mother-in-law’s cancer in the intestine progressed so much it blocked her intestine causing her lots of discomfort which the Dr’s ignored for some time until she was so sick, bloated and dizzy she was taken to hospital again and after lots more tests and no food for weeks (which weakened her even more) she was told that her intestine was now blocked and she needed surgery which led to a bag being inserted so that food no longer attempted to pass the blockage.
The worse thing about the Greek medical profession is that they lie to the patient about the severity of the disease so they still have some hope, and only tell the immediate family the truth. So, in our case my mother-in-law doesn’t realise that this bag will be there for life and there is nothing they can do for her apart from give her more chemo and hope for the best.
We, on the other hand, her close family know the truth and I have taken it upon myself to help her as best I can using alternative methods. My husband and I have discussed it many times and he agrees that something needs to be done. So I asked for some trusted advice from Jill Swyers (www.jillswyers.com) who has had experience in this area, I listened very carefully to everything she had to say and with my own knowledge of the local produce and nutrition gathered the tools to start.
As soon as my mother-in-law was well enough to stomach food and fluids we sat her down and told her what we can do for her and how it will be affect her, she agreed to give it a go saying that she wants to see her granddaughter (only 3 months old) grow up. The very next day (Friday) I turned up at her house bright and early armed with my juicer, wheatgrass and many other greens for juicing.
After her first shot of wheatgrass and a green juice I started clearing her cupboards and fridge of anything containing sugar of any kind. It was a big task because she has a terrible sweet tooth and is always chomping down boiled sweets, cakes and biscuits.
The first day we started she couldn’t get out of bed without help and moving caused her a lot of pain, walking was a hunched hobble and she could only manage a couple of minutes at a time. By Monday (only 4 days later) she was getting out of bed on her own, walking around the outside of house for fresh air, her once strong voice was back to normal and she was even able to cook meals for her husband. A great start if you ask me. But of course when someone starts to feel better they often stop the medication as is always the case with conventional medicine. And this is exactly what happened here, she started to feel better and get back her appetite for sweet things. And with her next Dr’s appointment coming up in a few days she was starting to worry about whether she should continue the chemotherapy as was advised. My opinion was no, but after many years of medical intervention and faith in the Dr’s and God it was hard to talk her round. So she went to the Dr and he told her that the chemo is necessary and if she wants to continue with the diet she can but she has to also do the chemo (this is what my husband told me), my mother-in-law on the other hand told me that the Dr had told her that she has to do the chemo and if she wants to continue the diet she can do so after the next three chemo sessions. A clear sign that she no longer wants to continue with the juicing.
I am very disappointed with the attitude of the Dr’s and my mother-in-law’s decision to not continue, but at the same time I am excited about the results we achieved after only a few days I truly believe wheatgrass to be a superfood.
Here is some info about wheatgrass and it nutritional content:
Top of the list of important wheatgrass functions is the fact that it contains chlorophyll which has almost the same molecular structure as haemoglobin. The only difference between chlorophyll and haemoglobin is in the central element, chlorophyll contains magnesium and haemoglobin contains iron. (Haemoglobin is the iron-containing protein in the red blood cells which transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body).
Chlorophyll increases haemoglobin production, meaning more oxygen circulates around the body thus breaking down poisonous carbon dioxide and releasing more oxygen.
There is also plenty of Selenium in wheatgrass; Chlorophyll and selenium together build the immune system. On top of that wheatgrass is one of the most alkaline foods known to man. For body tissue to remain healthy it needs to be alkaline and oxygenated, when the body is over acidic many diseases and health problems can occur. Wheatgrass stimulates metabolism and enzymes, the abundance of alkaline minerals in the juice helps to reduce over acidity in the blood.
Why is oxygen so important?Oxygen is one of the most basic needs of the human body, without it the body cannot survive. It is necessary to oxidize bacteria, fungi and viruses and for burning up toxins in the body generated both internally and from external sources such as food, water and the environment.
Nutritionally wheatgrass is amazing:
· A 30ml shot of freshly squeezed juice contains a as many vitamins, minerals and amino acid as approximately 2 kilos of fresh green vegetables in a bioavailable form.
· It is a complete protein containing about 20 amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and about 30 enzymes which are incredibly important for correct digestion and other bodily processes.
· Wheatgrass juice is an abundant source of B vitamins, vitamins C, E and carotene, which work to successfully destroy free radicals that can lead to the degeneration of the immune system, and the body as a whole.
· It contains over 90 minerals all of which are needed to maintain good metabolism. Some of these alkaline minerals are calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.
· Enzymes are important active ingredients in wheatgrass juice. They are the life force of our foods, and are required to carry out many important biological and chemical functions within the body.
· It contains chlorophyll which stimulates and regenerates the liver. The liver is the main organ of detoxification in the body. Three compounds found in the juice that helps the liver with this are:
- Choline which prevents the deposition of fats
- Magnesium which draws out excess fat;
- Potassium which invigorates and stimulates
Chloraphyl normalizes high blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways throughout the body, and stimulates healthy blood tissue cell growth.
* Wheatgrass is different from wheat. One is a green vegetable, the other a grain. The green vegetable grass contains no gluten and is therefore no more allergic than spinach or lettuce.
Useful links
How to grow wheatgrass
www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010107/spectrum/main6.htm
Wheatgrass juicers
www.vitality4life.com/
Wheatgrass kits
www.wheatgrass-kits.co.uk
Wheatgrass juice concoctions
Many, myself included, don’t enjoy the taste of wheatgrass, it makes my hair stand on end. Others find it pleasant or at least bearable. There are a few tricks to help ‘the medicine’ go down and I wouldn’t dare suggest a spoonful of sugar.
The most common way to drink wheatgrass juice is to knock back a small 25-30ml shot of it quick and painless, some people like to follow it with a slice of orange. Or you could treat it like a famous alcoholic shot and lick some salt of the back of your hand knock back the shot and then suck on a slice of lemon as Jason Vale does in one of his juice bars.
Alternatively you could try to disguise the taste in other juices. My personal favourite is as follows:
1 shot of fresh wheatgrass juice
Kiwi fruits
Juice the wheatgrass, peel the kiwi fruits and also juice. Mix the 2 juices together and drink immediately. The kiwi almost disguises the taste of wheatgrass completely.
Another one of my favourite juice concoctions as suggested by Ann Wigmore in her book The Wheatgrass Book is:
3 medium carrots
2 large celery stalks
1.5 shots (45ml) wheatgrass juice
Five sprigs parsley
Juice all the ingredients and enjoy!
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