Baked Bananas--looks good!

Baked Bananas Posted: 25 Nov 2009 07:51 AM PST If you are looking for a delicious dessert that you can enjoy without the guilt, try this tasty treat! Baked Bananas Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Yields: 4 servings Ingredients: 4 firm bananas 1 teaspoon olive oil 1-inch piece grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 tablespoon nutmeg 1/2 cup raisins Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Peel and cut bananas in half, lengthwise. 3. Oil a baking pan and arrange bananas. 4. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and raisins. 5. Cover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Notes: * Wonderful with chocolate sauce. Happy Thanksgiving!

Vegan Holiday Recipe

Stuffed Roasted Acorn

Posted on November 20th, 2009 by Integrative Nutrition

It’s that time of year. Are you planning your Thanksgiving dinner menu? Here is a recipe that is healthy and delicious! Enjoy!

Stuffed Roasted Acorn

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Sea salt and pepper
½ cup toasted pumpkin seed, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped

Stuffing:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon curry
¼ cup golden raisins or currants
1 cup cooked whole grain (quinoa, brown rice, millet, barley)
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 zucchini, diced

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut acorn squash in half and clean out seeds and fibers. Cut a very thin slice off bottom, so that acorn squash halves can sit flat like soup bowls.
3. Brush with olive oil and distribute garlic evenly over 4 halves.
4. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes.
5. While squash is baking prepare stuffing.
6. In a skillet heat oil and sauté onions, curry and raisins for 3 minutes. Add cooked grains andstir for 5 minutes.
7. Remove skillet from heat and mix in parsley and zucchini.
8. Fill each squash cup with stuffing and top with chopped pumpkin seeds.
9. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the squash is soft (when a butter knife sinks into the squash with ease).
10. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Consumer Guide to Water Filter

How to find the right water filter for your home.

The water coming out of your faucet may not be as clean as it should be. NRDC is working toward the day when all Americans can drink and shower in tap water without worry, but if you have immediate concerns about the water in your home, an independently certified water filter can be a good temporary fix for your kitchen faucet. Some filters aim to produce clearer, better-tasting water, while others work to remove contaminants that could affect your health. This guide will help you determine what type of filter might be right for your home.

Find Out What's in Your Water

In many cities, healthy adults can drink tap water without cause for concern. However, pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable to some contaminants in tap water. If you're shopping for a water filter, first find out what pollutants might be in your water. Check the NRDC report What's On Tap?, and ask your water utility (the company that sends you your water bill) for a copy of their annual water quality report. ("Making Sense of Your Right to Know Report" can help you decipher reports issued by your water utility.) NRDC recommends that you test your tap water for lead contamination, particularly if you have young kids, are pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, since lead is especially dangerous and levels can vary enormously from house to house. A lead test costs about $25 (see, for example, University of North Carolina's low-cost testing information). Once you know what's in your water, you can find a filter that's geared toward getting rid of the specific pollutants, if any, that may be present.

Select the Right Filter

Household water filters generally fall into one of two categories: point-of-entry units, which treat water before it gets distributed throughout the house; and point-of-use units, which include countertop filters (e.g. filter pitchers), faucet filters, and under-the-sink units. Some filters use more than one kind of filtration technology. As a general rule, look for filters labeled as meeting NSF/ANSI standard 53 and that are certified to remove the contaminant(s) of concern in your water. While the NSF certification program is not flawless, it does provide some assurance that at least some claims made by the manufacturer have been verified. NSF-certified filters have been independently tested to show that they can reduce levels of certain pollutants under specified conditions. Those that meet standard 53 are geared toward treating water for health, not just for aesthetic qualities.

For many people, an activated carbon filter bearing NSF Standard 53 certification will filter out most pollutants of concern. But if you've got perchlorate, a rocket fuel ingredient, in your water, for example, a simple countertop filter won't do the job. The list below will you help you determine what type of filter will work best for you. Once you've got a general idea, visit NSF International's drinking water treatment units online product database.

• Activated Carbon Filter

  How it works : Positively charged and highly absorbent carbon in the filter attracts and traps many impurities.

  Used in : Countertop, faucet filters and under-the-sink units.

  Gets rid of : Bad tastes and odors, including chlorine. Standard 53-certified filters also can substantially reduce many hazardous contaminants, including heavy metals such as copper, lead and mercury; disinfection byproducts; parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium ; pesticides; radon; and volatile organic chemicals such as methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE), dichlorobenzene and trichloroethylene (TCE).

  
  

• Cation Exchange Softener

  How it works : "Softens" hard water by trading minerals with a strong positive charge for one with less of a charge.

  Used in : Whole-house, point-of-entry units.

  Gets rid of: Calcium and magnesium, which form mineral deposits in plumbing and fixtures, as well as barium and some other ions that can create health hazards.

  
  

• Distiller

  How it works : Boils water and recondenses the purified steam.

  Used in : Countertop or whole house point-of-entry units; can be combined with a carbon filter.

  Gets rid of : Heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and mercury, as well as arsenic, barium, fluoride, selenium and sodium.

  
  

• Reverse Osmosis

  How it works: A semipermeable membrane separates impurities from water. (Note: This filtration technique wastes a substantial amount of water during the treatment process.)

  Used in: Under-the-sink units; often in combination with a carbon filter or UV disinfection unit.

  Gets rid of: Most contaminants, including certain parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia; heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, lead and mercury; and other pollutants, including arsenic, barium, nitrate/nitrite, perchlorate and selenium.

  
  

• Ultraviolet Disinfection

  How it works: Ultraviolet light kills bacteria and other microorganisms.

  Used in: Under-the-sink units, often in combination with a carbon filter and sediment screen.

  Gets rid of : Bacteria and parasites; class A systems protect against harmful bacteria and viruses, including Cryptosporidium and Giardia , while class B systems are designed to make non-disease-causing bacteria inactive.

Maintain Your Filter Properly

No filter will give you good performance over the long term unless it receives regular maintenance. As contaminants build up, a filter can not only become less effective, but actually can make your water worse, by starting to release harmful bacteria or chemicals back into your filtered water. To keep your filter working properly, follow the manufacturer's maintenance directions. Some filters only require a cartridge change, while others are better maintained by a certified professional. Many filter distributors offer maintenance and service contracts for their products. Before buying any water treatment system, compare not only filter prices, but also operating and maintenance costs for the different units. To find a dealer in your area, see the Water Quality Association's online listings.

Vegeterian Pad Thai

Recipe

Papaya Salad

Recipe

Khao Soi

Recipe 1

or

Recipe 2

Soaking Nuts & Seeds

Soaking nuts, grains, seeds, and legumes
Nature has set it up so that the nut, grain and seed may survive until proper growing conditions are present. Nature’s defense mechanism includes nutritional inhibitors and toxic substances that can be removed naturally when there is enough precipitation to sustain a new plant after the nut, grain or seed germinates. When it rains the nut, grain or seed gets wet and can then germinate to produce a plant. So we are mimicking nature when we soak our nuts, grains and seeds.

Nutritional inhibitors and toxic substances found in nuts grains and seed can be minimized or eliminated by soaking. These inhibitors and toxic substances are enzyme inhibitors, phytates (phytic acid), polyphenols (tannins), and goitrogens.

What are Enzyme inhibitors?
There are digestive enzymes and metabolic enzymes. Digestive enzymes help break down food. Metabolic enzymes help every biological process the body does. Enzyme inhibitors will clog, warp or denature an active site of an enzyme. They may also bind to the enzyme, which will prevent the intended molecule from binding. “Once again, the habits of traditional peoples should serve as a guide. They understood instinctively that nuts are best soaked or partially sprouted before eaten. This is because nuts contain numerous enzyme inhibitors that can put a real strain on the digestive mechanism if consumed in excess.”

What are Phytates?
“All grains contain phytic acid in the outer layer or bran. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption. This is why a diet high in unfermented whole grains may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. The modern misguided practice of consuming large amounts of unprocessed bran often improves colon transit time at first but may lead to irritable bowel syndrome and, in the long term, many other adverse effects.”

Why soak nuts, grains and seeds?

• 1. To remove or reduce phytic acid.
• 2. To remove or reduce tannins.
• 3. To neutralize the enzyme inhibitors.
• 4. To encourage the production of beneficial enzymes.
• 5. To increase the amounts of vitamins, especially B vitamins.
• 6. To break down gluten and make digestion easier.
• 7. To make the proteins more readily available for absorption.
• 8. To prevent mineral deficiencies and bone loss.
• 9. To help neutralize toxins in the colon and keep the colon clean.
• 10. To prevent many health diseases and conditions.

“Soaking allows enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralize a large portion of phytic acid in grains. Soaking in warm water also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors, present in all seeds, and encourages the production of numerous beneficial enzymes. The action of these enzymes also increases the amount of many vitamins, especially B vitamins. During the process of soaking and fermenting, gluten and other difficult-to-digest proteins are partially broken down into simpler components that are more readily available for absorption.”

What can be used to soak nuts, grains and seeds?
I have found many references to soaking nuts, grains, and seeds in water, salt water, or a warm water mixture with something acidic like yogurt, whey or lemon juice. It seems within 7 to 24 hours the enzyme inhibitors are neutralized and the anti-nutrients are broken down regardless of the method you choose. There is evidence that the process works when you see sprouting begin.

How long does the soaking process take?
“As little as seven hours of soaking in warm acidulated water will neutralize a large portion of phytic acid in grains. The simple practice of soaking cracked or rolled cereal grains overnight will vastly improve their nutritional benefits.” “Flour products should be soaked at room temperature for at least twelve hours but better results may be obtained with a twenty-four hour soaking.”

Are the nuts, grains and seeds used wet?
I have enjoyed almonds wet. If you choose to try consuming anything in the soaked state, make little batches and store them in the refrigerator. Usually everything that is soaked is dried in a dehydrator or oven on the lowest possible setting for 24 – 48 hours to remove all moisture.

Wheat berries can be soaked whole for 8 to 22 hours, then drained and rinsed. Some recipes use the whole berries while they are wet, such as cracker dough ground right in the food processor. You can also dry sprouted wheat berries in a low-temperature oven or dehydrator, and then grind them in your grain mill and use the flour in a variety of recipes. Nuts, grains, seeds and legumes can be ground up to use as flour in many recipes after they have been dried.

Any advice on what to do with legumes?
Maureen Diaz recommends soaking any beans or legumes in water and vinegar for at least twelve hours before cooking. Soaked and dried beans may be ground up and used as flour for thickening and baking. This is helpful for those on a gluten free diet.

One recommendation includes placing soaked kombu or kelp seaweed in the bottom of the pot when soaking legumes. Add one part seaweed to six or more parts legumes. This is for improved flavor and digestion, more nutrients, and faster cooking. “Soak legumes for twelve hours or overnight in four parts water to one part legume. For best results, change the water once or twice. Lentils and whole dried peas require shorter soaking, while soybeans and garbanzos need to soak longer. Soaking softens skins and begins the sprouting process, which eliminates phytic acid, thereby making more minerals available. Soaking also promotes faster cooking and improved digestibility, because the gas-causing enzymes and trisaccharides in legumes are released into the soak water. Be sure to discard the soak water. After bringing legumes to a boil, scoop off and discard foam. Continue to boil for twenty minutes without lid at beginning of cooking to let steam rise (breaks up and disperses indigestible enzymes).”