better hummus

This is a better more flavorful, healthy hummus soak sunflower seeds . soak for hours or better overnight. If you want to sprout them change the water and drain and recover for several days. let them sprout. 1 can garbonzo beans drained and rinsed 2 cloves garlic (to taste) puree in vitamix add juice of 1 lemon several tablespoons olive oil. herbs like cilantro parsley(very detoxing) salt pepper You can add nutritional yeast to boost the b vitamins if you chose.

Effacy of Three Common Remedies for the Cold

Winter is a time for Halloween candy, Thanksgiving get togethers and holidays for many different religions It is also the time for the common cold. Colds, are caused by virus’ including the Rhinovirus, Coronavirus and RSV virus most commonly but over 200 virus’ can cause colds. Symptoms of a cold are generally mild. Cold symptoms usually begin with a sore throat, nasal symptoms, runny nose, and congestion followed with a cough developing on the fourth and fifth days. Fever is uncommon in adults, but a slight fever is possible. Children are more likely to have a fever with a cold. Also the nose teems with watery nasal secretions for the first few days. Later, these become thicker and darker. Darker mucus is natural and does not mean you have a bacterial infection, such as a sinus infection, or the flu. Symptoms last for about one week and you are most contagious for the first 4 days. Especially if fever and symptoms are present. Since most of us can not take off a week from our lives to recover, humans look for ways to stop or shorten the common cold, also you don't feel very good! This paper will look at three common treatments for the common cold; a vitamin, vitamin C, a mineral, Zinc and a common herbal remedy from the Elder tree, Elderberry or Sambucus Negra. All studies were conducted by the National institute for Health in order to have an effective comparison done by similar standards. Although other studies have been preformed and may have different results. Vitamin C is also known as absorbic acid and is a water soluble nutrient found in food. It is abundant in peppers, bell and chili, as well as Kale and broccoli. Vitamin C is probably the most common remedy used when people have a cold. Studies by the National institute of Health show that taking vitamin C for over a year only slightly reduced the length and severity of the common cold. It did not decrease the amounts of colds people caught. The placebo effect of taking vitamin C probably had a similar effect. It may be the amount taken in the study was insufficient or was not a type used effectively by the body. An essential trace mineral and metal, ZInc showed more promising results when studied by the NIH. It in fact did reduce the length and duration of the common cold but must be used within the first 24 hours of the cold symptoms beginning.Just as promising was a study conducted on children that showed taking zinc for 5 months did reduce the amount of colds children came down with. This could be promising research for children with compromised immune systems like HIV/AIDS or asthma etc as colds can broaden into greater health challenges and hospitalization. Black Elderberry was tested and showed significant advantages for treating the common cold. First the duration of the common cold was reduced to 3 days over 7-9 typically seen in the cold. Also production of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8) significantly increased, These cytokine are produced by our body to fight illness especially inflammation, as sen in the cold. The most striking increase was noted to be 44.9 fold! We can conclude from this study that, in addition to its antiviral properties elderberry activates the healthy immune system by increasing inflammatory cytokine production. Sambucol can be beneficial to immune system activation and to the inflammatory process in patients with colds. Sambucol could also have an immunoprotective or immunostimulatory effect when administered to cancer or AIDS patients including children. In Conclusion the most common remedy, vitamin C has little to no effect on the common cold. It is however important in the overall health of the human body. Zinc a trace metal mineral was found to decrease the amount of colds caught when taken for 5 months before and slightly decreased the duration of the cold if began within 24 hours of the first sign Elderberry had a significant effect on the cold by reducing the duration of the cold by more then half. This could be promising in getting us back to work and feeling better. More studies on Elderberry as well as vitamins and minerals are warranted.

Green Chili

As the weather turns colder and my garden goes into full winter mode, I harvest the last of my green tomatoes and chilies. I decided to make a green pepper and green tomato chili with the remains of the summer.
1 medium yellow onion
4 small carrots
9 medium green chilies. These are not spicy
5 garlic cloves
3 small potatoes cubed
1 can of navy beans or white beans
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon Mexican oregeno
2 teaspoons sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic and onion powder
1/2 pound of ground beef or pork, chicken turkey
a little papricka or chili powder is a good warming spice too if you want it spicy. Or serve some spicy pico on the side with jalepenos!This is great so the kids can have it mild and the adults hotter!
as many green tomatoes as you can fit it the pot or have on hand. If not used tomatoes in a jar. fill with liquid either stock or water up to almost the top.
cook down on medium for about an hour or two.
top with pico ge gallo, I used green and pink tomatoes with garlic lime juice salt and cilantro from the garden(the last of the fresh tomatoes!)
top with sour cream and cilantro leaves and sharp cheddar cheese.
I also made a hearty cornbread with mexican sugar and butter to add a beautiful sweetness. Corn bread recipe to fallow.

If you want to make this more exotic you could add a small cinnamon stick and some nutmeg or allspice. You can add some rehydrated dried chilies like Pasilla or Ancho etc.

Thai yum salad

This salad is great in summer and easy to prepare.

Dressing is made pounded in mortar or use a stainless bowl or food processor
dried shrimp(if you have some don't worry if not)
one to two garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon palm sugar or mexican piloncillo or plain sugar or honey
1 whole lime juiced(zest the skin into the dressing for even better flavor)
1 tablespoon fish sauce,if you don't have or are veggie use soy or tamari.
some chili is nice also but if making for kids or breast feeding omit

Cut tomato into eighths through the stem end
slice or chunk cucumber
lettuce(ANY)
cabbage
carrots
onions (any)
herbs like cilantro,mint,basil etc Whats growing in your garden?
sprouts?
nuts?
toss in dressing and serve soon after doesnt hold well. YUM!

vegan ceaser dressing or nutty dressing

awesome vegan dressing

* 1/4 cup raw cashews
* 1/8 cup raw pine nuts
* 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 Tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil or another healthy oil
* 2 medium clove of garlic
* 1 tsp raw mild miso or 1 tsp bragg amino
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 1/2 tsp kelp granules
* 1/2 tsp raw agave nectar
* 1/4 cup water, reserved to help adjust thickness of dressing
* freshly ground pepper to taste
blend in blender or food proc and adjust seasoning thickness etc
great with grilled romaine leaves

KRAUT easy and healthy already packed in jars!

KRAUT

1 head of cabbage(green or purple)about 2 pounds
1 Tablespoon of natural salt(kosher sea or pickling salt ok)
1 capsule of probiotics
2 teaspoons kelp granules(optional)
4 cloves of garlic
1 pint of warm water with 1 teaspoon sea salt(or kosher etc)
Mix in large bowl shredded cabbage, 1 Tblspoon salt and one probiotic capsule and kelp

pack into wide mouth pint jars that are clean and press down firmly as you pack. I use an ice cream scooper and press with it too
fill to the bottom ring and add 2 garlic cloves and extra salt water to fill and cover cabbage. You must leave some head room!
store at 50-70 degrees for a week or two and check daily.
I store mine in my drying oven where I am curing bacon.

BACON! Pancetta!

5 pound pork belly (I got this one at central market for 20 dollars but you can get really cheap ones at Asian stores)
4 garlic gloves smashed with knife
2 teaspoons pink salt(12 grams)
2 ounces kosher salt(50 grams)Dont use fine sea salt as its too salty in the finished product(trust me I have tried many times as I love sea salt)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar(26 grams)
2 tablespoons blk pepper(20 grams)ground or smashed with a hammer
2 Tablespoons juniper berries(10 grams)
4 bay leaves crumbles
1 teaspoon nutmeg(4 grams)
4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme
Its better to weigh everything especially the pink salt(its ok in SMALL doses and vital to stop deadly bacteria)
you can make this with just salt or just salt and pepper. I do think using pink salt is important for beginners and does give extra precautions against deadly bacteria. But salt alone will make bacon. Just knoiw what you are doing and be very clean and keep it very cold etc. I have done all different type cures. They all work as long as there is salt!

Rub into meat lovingly and with lots of grateful intention to this beautiful animal who gave up its(probably his) life for our bacon.
put in 2 gallon ziplock(or use reusable plastic tub, not metal)
turn daily and rub through the bag in fridge for 5-7 days
remove from bag after a week and dry in fridge or cold cellar(I use an old wine fridge I got at goodwill for 20 bucks!! SCORE!!!) wrap it in cheesecloth before you hang or dry it. You can skip this step and go straight to smoking if you want bacon or not smoke it and you have pancetta
if you smoke it either do it indirect smoke on grill at about 200 degrees for 24 hours or so or do 2-3 hours in the oven at the lowest temp possible, probably 200
Slice eat enjoy! Say thank you to piggy again!