CookWell For Life

Winter 2012 CookWell Newsletter & Group Class Schedule

2012-02-05T07:03:00.000-08:00

Spring is here early! May the buzzing of new life bless your awareness with joy, and bring you peace...

ANNOUNCEMENT: we’re now teaching on Sunday Afternoons instead of Saturday Mornings at New Frontiers (new schedule posted below for you). This means that more people will be able to attend!

I’ve included one of my all-time favorite recipes for you - Contagious Coconut Curry - at the end of this newsletter.

FEBRUARY TIP: be sure your probiotic supplement contains “Acidophilus DDS-1" which is one of the few strains of beneficial bacteria which survives our stomach acid to make it into our large intestine where it’s needed.

Private CookWell sessions have been so much fun lately! If you have a few friends who want to get together to learn to CookWell, I’d love to talk to you about your needs. Sessions are 2 hours long and cost $25 per person for a group of 6. I also have course outlines posted on my site for kid’s classes! Whether you want to have either of us, or both Don & I come to your kitchen for a private CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our group classes listed below, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you. An outline of exactly what you’ll learn and what we can cook together in each foundational CookWell session is posted on The Course page of my website www.cookwell.org.
In conjunction with teaching, Don & I offer on-site cooking for parties and events, or meals to store & re-heat for your busy work week. And we’ve been updating our CookWell blog with past newsletter content, recipes, and links to informative articles.
Don’s website for life path counseling is www.gingerbuddha.com, in case you or anyone you know needs help in quieting their mind, enjoying the journey of life, or in simply finding personal balance. Don also makes handmade kitchen & camp knives!
Thank You So Much for spreading the word about what we offer. We feel blessed to share this wonderful community with you, and welcome any questions you may have via phone or email (courtney@cookwell.org OR 528-8837). We hope to see you sometime soon to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food!

Hands-On CookWell Course at Cal Poly!
Cooking & Baking With Whole Foods

Four Wednesday Evenings: April 11, 18, 25 and May 2, 5:30 - 8PM
Course Fee: $179 (includes meal in each session)
Location: the only hands-on teaching kitchen in SLO! Cal Poly’s Food Processing Building #24, room 103A
Enroll Online: www.continuing-ed.calpoly.edu OR 756-2053
Course Description: Increase your culinary know-how and expand your recipe repertoire in our instructional kitchen which offers affordable, recreational culinary experience for all ages. Whole foods expert Courtney Coleman (www.cookwell.org) will lead students in intermediate level cooking techniques for flavorful ethnic dishes, casseroles, sauces, soups and baked desserts. Using lots of seasonal vegetables and only unrefined ingredients, students will gain experience cooking according to their dietary needs and taste preferences, grinding & culturing nutrient-dense whole grains for gluten free, low-glycemic desserts such as cookies, cakes, quick breads and even pizza crust! Unrefined sweeteners will be used in desserts, as well as stevia for sugar-free desserts. Courtney will review foundational concepts and apply principals of whole foods cooking as preventative medicine throughout the course. Class is limited to 16 participants.
List of dishes we’ll prepare and eat together:
Yellow Curry Casserole
Chipotle Black Bean Stew
Thai Coconut-Curry Soup
Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza!
Savory Jalepeno-Cheddar Loaf
Gluten & Sugar Free Gingerbread-Coconut Cookies
Gluten & Sugar Free Ginger-Orange-Carrot Spice Cake
Gluten & Sugar Free Nutmeg-Almond Loaf

Group Classes at New Frontiers, SLO
$30 per person (includes meal)
NOW ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS!
Please RSVP and pre-pay to reserve your spot at least 3 days before class
(805) 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org THANKS!

Whole Foods Cooking 101 For Busy People

Sun Feb 19, 2-4PM at New Frontiers
Courtney will show you how to prepare the foundation of a healing and revitalizing whole foods diet, from which you can change and add to according to your tastes. She’ll teach you how to streamline your routine to make your journey into preparing your own whole foods meals easier and less expensive than you imagined possible. She'll discuss with you several important whole foods diet & lifestyle topics such as the basics of macrobiotic theory, the basics of the blood type diet to begin individualizing your diet, the CookWell list of whole foods preparation staples for your kitchen, the best cooking oils for various temperatures, and the importance of & how to start drinking enough re-mineralized water daily. You'll receive several informational handouts for your reference, as well as a list of fantastic recipes! Then, together you'll make ghee to use as a delicious, stable oil in your cooking, sprouted & simmered whole grain millet & amaranth, a dark leafy greens & seasonal veggies stir-steam, and a beautiful pot of black beans. Then, of course, you’ll get to feast together!

Individualizing Your Whole Foods Diet
Sun March 4, 2-4PM at New Frontiers

We’ll discuss: the Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, the blood type diet guidelines, protein/fat/carb ratios for different metabolic types, basic guidelines for diet & lifestyle according to macrobiotic constitution, maintaining proper body alkalinity through diet, and practicing mindfulness as it relates to preparing healing food.
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, general principals re: Ayurvedic diet & lifestyle, blood type diet basics, and a list of fantastic recipes!
Then, together we’ll prepare: kichadi (tasty East Indian stew of mung beans, brown rice, & seasonal veggies), and fantastic custom cole slaw.

Delicious Cooking w/ Sea Vegetables For Beauty & Longevity
Sun March 18, 2-4PM at New Frontiers

We’ll discuss: how to cook flavorfully with various types of sea vegetables (including those which bind and expel heavy metals and radioactive substances from the body!), how to maximize vitamin/mineral assimilation with whole foods combinations, and hormone balance guidelines with whole foods diet & lifestyle.
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference: benefits of 7 different sea vegetables with recipes for each, CookWell calcium protocol, guidelines for hormone balance, and fantastic recipes #5 w/ list of tasty herb/spice combinations for seasoning.
Then together we’ll prepare: black beans and seasonal veggies with wakame & hijiki sea vegetables

Pre-Natal Nutrition and Whole Foods Cooking For Mommies!
2 possible dates & places to join in the fun:
Sat 2/25 at the new Sukha Wellness Center in Avila Beach, 12-2PM
Sun 3/25, at New Frontiersfs SLO, 2-4PM

Courtney will teach you how to create delicious whole foods snacks and meals for optimal pre-natal nutrition and for the long term health and happiness of you & your family. She’ll show you how to develop a practical, inexpensive routine around preparing amazingly flavorful, whole foods meals for balance of mind body and spirit according to the ancient principles of Macrobiotics & Ayurvedic cooking.
We’ll discuss these concepts: whole foods as preventative medicine, whole foods snack ideas for kids, discovering the diet & lifestyle that’s most balancing for your body type and blood type, sprouting & simmering the nutrient-dense whole grains, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen and the best cooking oils for various temperatures, better digestibility of beans, and how to drink enough re-mineralized water daily
We'll prepare 4 dishes: beautiful pot of black beans with a bit of cumin, coriander & ginger, sprouted whole grain millet & amaranth, ghee to use as a cooking oil, dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam.
You'll get 4 handout pages for reference: list of whole foods preparation staples for your kitchen, recommended reading list, blood type diet & lifestyle basics, and a list of fantastic recipes.

Gluten & Sugar Free TEA PARTY CLASS!
Sunday, 2/26, 1-3PM, at Courtney’s home in Los Osos cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for gluten & sugar free baked recipes, and strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicine
We’ll serve: The Secret Garden’s blended herbal teas alongside our gluten & sugar free desserts!
ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat groats, minced carrot & ginger, orange zest, virgin coconut oil & vanilla stevia
almond-amaranth cookies made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, virgin coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & stevia
heavenly lemon-lavender poppy loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & millet, virgin coconut oil, lavender, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds

ORGANIZE A GROUP OF YOUR FRIENDS FOR A PRIVATE COOKWELL SESSION!

For a fun & informative time with friends or loved ones, I’d love to come to your kitchen (or you’re welcome to come to mine) to show you how to prepare the foundation of a healing and revitalizing whole foods diet, from which you can change and add to according to your tastes. I’ll teach your group how to streamline your routine to make your journey into preparing your own whole foods meals easier and less expensive than you imagined possible. I’ll discuss with you several important whole foods diet & lifestyle topics - whichever ones you’d like from my CookWell course outline. You'll receive several informational handouts for your reference, as well as several fantastic recipes. Then, together we'll make 3 delicious whole foods dishes you’d like, and then of course, we’ll get to feast together! The fee is $25 per person with a 6 person minimum (for smaller groups, see “rates” page of cookwell.org). Everyone who participates should bring a notebook & pen to take notes, as well as a glass, ceramic, stainless steel or wooden container to take some amazing food home.

And, I’m gathering participants for our CookWell Teacher Training series !
Anyone interested can call or email me - once we get 6-10 participants, we’ll schedule the dates which work for everyone. courtney@cookwell.org OR 528-8837

Notice: Arroyo Grande Farmer’s Market has moved to Spencer’s parking lot (corner of Grande Ave & Courtland). Market time is Wednesday mornings, 8:00 till 10:30. See you there!

FEBRUARY RECIPE
Contagious Coconut Curry
I call this dish contagious, because it’s that good!
In a large, deep stainless steel pot / cast iron pot / wok with a fitting lid, place 3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil over low heat until it melts & coats the bottom of the pan. Immediately add 1 Tbsp curry powder, 1 Tbsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp cayenne. Stir and let spices sizzle for about 20 seconds on low heat before adding 3 cups diced yam (or carrot) and 2 cups diced burdock root OR fennel bulb (diced into ½ inch cubes), and any diced meat if you like. Add 2/3 cup filtered water and stir, making sure the spices spread evenly over the root veggies & as many veggies touch the bottom of the pan as possible. Okay, turn heat up to med, cover & simmer w/out stirring for about 2 minutes. Next add any medium-dense, bite size, chopped veggies on hand (potabella mushroom, broccoli, green beans, snap peas, cabbage, celery or bok choy stalks, etc.) and stir well. Keep cooking another 2 minutes or so, stirring every 30 seconds so all the veggies have a chance to cook on the bottom of the pan for 30 seconds, and any meat (if used) is cooked through. Next, layer 2 bunches chopped, dark kale or collard greens (the darker the greens, the more minerals they have!) and green bok choy tops if you’ve got ‘em, until the pot is stuffed full of greens - it’s okay if you can barely get the lid back on - they’ll cook down. Cover and simmer for another minute until greens wilt down slightly. Then sprinkle in 1 Tbsp tarragon, 1 tsp dill, and 1 tsp marjoram OR rosemary on top of the greens and stir. When all the greens have wilted slightly & softened TURN OFF the heat - we don’t want to overcook the greens. Then stir in 1 can Thai Kitchen brand coconut milk (full fat, not light), 3 - 5 Tbsp Nama, San-J, or Eden brand shoyu or tamari soy sauce to taste, and the juice of 2 - 3 ripe limes. Stir again & serve over brown rice or millet with lime halves on the side for those who want more tanginess. Also, some fresh chopped chives or cilantro on top is a nice garnish. Enjoy!

As always,
        Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email. For more information on the ancient whole foods philosophies we teach about, see the “about the food” page of my website www.cookwell.org.
        We hope to see you sometime soon to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food!

Namaste ~
Courtney & Don

September 2011 Newletter

2011-09-18T07:39:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Cafes
        The bounty of summer produce has been wonderful! Don & I hope you’ve been feeling vital & enjoying the widely varied veggies & fruits at our farmer’s markets.
        In this newsletter, I’ll give you the details about two excellent new cafes dedicated to local, organic and whole foods dishes which our friend ss have opened - Yay! I’ve listed our Sep- Nov CookWell class schedule, and included a powerful mindfulness visualization, which I’m sure will benefit anyone who reads it. And lastly, I’ve listed my newest, deliciously fun recipe: amaranth pizza crust (gluten-free), with amazing pizza sauce , along with suggestions on complimentary toppings.
        Whether you want to have both Don & I, or just me (Courtney), come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our group classes listed below, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you. An outline of exactly what you’ll learn and what we can cook together in each session is posted on The Course page of my website www.cookwell.org. And Don’s website for life path counseling is www.gingerbuddha.com, and he’s also a knifemaker . Don’s been updating our CookWell blog with past newsletter content, free recipes, and links to informative articles. Enjoy!

We’re offering Our Entire CookWell Course
Tuesday evenings in October, 5:30-8PM at Cal Poly Continuing Education $175 (dinner included in each session!)
Enroll Online: www.continuing-ed.calpoly.edu OR 756-2053

CookWell Classes in the beautiful demonstration kitchen at New Frontiers, SLO RSVP with Dusty: 785-0106 x125 or marketing@newfrontiersslo.com
CookWell Session #4: How To Make Sauerkraut & Cook with
Sea Vegetables for Cleansing, Beauty and Longevity
Tue, Sep 20, 6-8PM   cost: $30 per person (includes meal!)
We’ll show you step by step, how to make your own raw sauerkraut for probiotic supplementation, and how to cook flavorfully with the types of sea vegetables which bind and expel heavy metals and radioactive substances from the body. We’ll talk about incorporating more raw and living foods into your diet and when is best to do so, as well as strategies for getting off refined sugar.
We’ll demonstrate cooking and serve: amazing chili stew with kombu & wakame sea vegetables, sweet cultured coriander corn bread, and how to prepare sauerkraut
   You’ll get 4 handouts for reference: health benefits of the different sea vegetables and recipes for each, step by step for home-made sauerkraut, strategies for getting off refined sugar, fantastic recipes #4

CookWell Session #5: Calcium Uptake, Hormone Balance, & Delicious Gluten & Sugar Free Desserts
Tue, Sep 27, 6-8PM cost: $30 per person (includes meal!)
We’ll discuss 1) calcium uptake and hormone balance guidelines with whole foods diet & lifestyle, 2) the importance of getting low glycemic to prevent most degenerative diseases, how to fresh grind & culture the low glycemic, nutrient-dense whole grains for baking delicious, sugar & gluten free desserts, 3) iron rich and calcium rich whole foods meals for most efficient mineral assimilation, 4) the benefits of periodic cleansing diets for various organs and body systems, 5) emotions as they relate to eating & how to gently work toward the diet & lifestyle best for you
We’ll demonstrate cooking and serve: fresh ground & cultured lemon-lavender-poppy loaf dessert, homemade lemon-tahini dressing over farmer’s market fresh greens, toasted sesame-wakame as calcium supplement
You’ll get 5 handouts for reference: CookWell calcium protocol, guidelines for hormone balance, fantastic recipes #5, colon cleansing guidelines, & strategies for getting lower glycemic as preventative medicine

CookWell Session #1: Whole Foods Cooking 101
Sat, Nov 5th, 10-12 cost: $30 per person (includes meal!)
We’ll discuss: 1) whole foods diet, cooking and lifestyle as preventative medicine, 2) the basics of macrobiotic theory, 3) sprouting & simmering the nutrient-dense whole grains, 4) better digestibility of beans, 5) the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen including the best cooking oils for various temperatures, 6) the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, and 6) blood type basics
We’ll demonstrate cooking then eat together: beautiful pot of black beans with cumin, coriander & ginger, sprouted then simmered whole grain millet & amaranth, ghee to use as a stable cooking oil, and dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference: ,list of whole foods preparation staples, recommended reading list, blood type basics & fantastic recipes #1

Whole Foods Cooking For The Holidays
Sat, Nov12, 10-12 cost: $30 per person (includes meal!)
We’ll discuss food combining principals for better holiday meal digestion. We’ll explain why a whole foods diet & lifestyle acts as preventative medicine, and how to discover your unique needs to maintain personal balance. We’ll talk about emotions as they relate to food and how to become more mindful of why we make the choices we do, as well as how to be gentle with ourselves in incorporating whole foods diet and lifestyle practices.
We’ll demonstrate cooking then eat together: yam & portabella mushroom with ginger, coriander & nutmeg (better than candied yams!), ginger-orange-cranberry relish (with maple syrup instead of sugar), delicious dark leafy greens to alkalize and balance heavy holiday meals
You’ll get 3 handouts for reference: whole foods recipes for the holidays, whole foods staples for your kitchen, & recommended reading list

Specialty CookWell Class in Los Osos
RSVP with Courtney for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org

Gluten & Sugar Free TEA PARTY CLASS!
Thursday, Sep 22, 6-8PM cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for gluten & sugar free baked recipes, and strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicine
We’ll serve: The Secret Garden’s blended herbal teas alongside our gluten & sugar free desserts!
ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat groats, minced carrot & ginger, orange zest, virgin coconut oil & vanilla stevia
almond-amaranth cookies made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, virgin coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & stevia
heavenly lavender-lemon-poppy loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & millet, virgin coconut oil, lavender, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds

September Newsletter Topic:
My Favorite Cafes
Roxanne's Cafe, downtown SLO
Our friend & remarkable chef Roxanne Lapuyade has opened her first café in downtown SLO. I say first cafe, as I’m sure she will be dazzling the citizens of SLO for many decades to come with her whole foods chef genius in various forms. Her menu is dedicated to whole, organic, local foods with intuitively genius flavors. Absolutely everything on it is a winner, from the heavenly coconut curry soup to the kitchen sink salad - you’ll just have to experience it for yourself! The café is open for lunch 11-3, Mon-Sat, in downtown SLO, in the charming courtyard of Smiling Dog Yoga (1227 Archer St). *note, the cafe will be closed for a month, Sept 25-Oct 23, for Roxanne’s much needed vacation.
Roxanne has had a long love affair with the full gamut of fresh, local produce, as she’s selected & purchased fresh produce for the Co Op Natural Foods store for several years. She‘s come to know many of our local farmers, so if you want to know about any of the fruits or veggies on your plate at her café, she can tell you who grew it and how. Her skills as a chef she’s developed over many years in the kitchen growing up with both sides of her cooking and baking enthusiast family. As an adult, she’s cooked at Honeymoon Café, and most recently as sous chef at Thomas Hill Organics in Paso Robles. My favorite aspect of Roxanne’s fare is the fact that she uses only whole, unrefined foods - no white flour, white sugar, refined oils, refined salt or any other processed foods. Way to go Roxanne! You’re the first truly whole foods café in SLO since Natural Flavors. I hope you get tons of joy from sharing your delicious & healing dishes with our community for many moons to come!

BeLoved Café, Los Osos
        Another dear friend of ours, Heather Sainsbury, has opened a terrific new café committed to organic, local and natural foods in Baywood Park, Los Osos. The cafe’s got something for everyone! Heather calls it BeLoved, as it’s in the same space that was BeLove Café, where Brandie Michele still makes available her rejuvenating, fresh pressed vegetable juices. Brandie and Heather are sharing the space, and Heather is offering delicious (as everyone’s been saying) whole foods breakfasts & lunches. Dishes like: huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos, eggs & greens, or a simple bowl of handmade granola with yogurt & seasonal local fruit. Lunches look like this: sprouted grain OR gluten free teff wraps with avocado, brown rice, seasonal veggies & pesto OR humus, tasty vegetarian soups or stews, and beautiful salads. The Baywood Grilled Veggie Sandwich seems to be the signature dish so far. And here’s the real pleaser for most of the locals; Heather’s got three delicious versions of SLO Roasted Coffee and baked goodies! There’s also 10 different healing tea blends from The Secret Garden. And for the raw, vegan crowd, Heather’s offering Awesome Acai Bowls OR chocolatey Chia Bowls for energy, antioxidants, and omega 3's. And let me not forget the delicious, stamina giving, meal replacer: the green Superfood Smoothie that Brandie made famous when she first opened her raw café in SLO several years ago. There’s even a kid’s menu! How do you do it Heather? It’s all possible with her sweet husband Matt’s help. I’ve been bicycling down to cook with them on Mondays & Thursdays, and loving their fun, upbeat attitude, and the enlightening conversations we have with each other AND with many of the customers who wander in!
        Oh! The best part is that the café and the comfy space in the back where Brandie makes her juices, is intended to be to be a hub of mind, body, spirit wellness which offers any kind of healing or consciousness raising talks, classes, workshops, etc., like “Meditation Mondays”. The schedule of these classes will be posted, along with the seasonal menu changes, at www.belovednaturacafe.com
   Some would say that the best part is the fact that BeLoved Café Delivers to Los Osos and Morro Bay! Wow! Finally! Way to go Heather!
        BeLoved Café hours are: Thur & Fri 7-2, Sat & Sun 8-2, Monday 7-5 during the famous Baywood Farmer’s market which bustles every Monday afternoon from 2-5 right outside the front door of the café. Tuesday the café is open 7-2, and closed on Wednesday.
        Everyone at BeLoved café would love to meet & serve you, so stop on by for some healthy, delicious breakfast or lunch next time you’re on the coast.

Mindfulness Visualization
      My friend Jeanie recently sent me this brief visualization from Dr. Dan Siegel’s recent book Mindsight. It is so powerful and to the point, I had to include it in this newsletter. I hope it helps you, and whomever you choose to gift it to.

The Wheel of Awareness
         From the quiet spacious hub in the center, simply being in presence and in awareness, from that clarity and receptivity, let your attention focus on various objects on the rim of the wheel - traditionally your own breathing (or the breathing of people sitting near you); your own body sensations and impulses - tingles, contractions, itches and aches; your own emotions arising in just this very moment - a flicker of irritation, a twinge of sadness, a wisp of longing; always returning to the quiet spaciousness of the hub to re-center and then to explore again. Mind states of longing or boredom or overwhelm. Desires for a full night's sleep or deeper intimacy with your partner. Ambitions for your daughter's high MCAT scores or your own financial safety net. Entire stories and belief systems about who we are, where we've come from, where we're going; always returning to the quiet hub in the center for a conscious re-centering, re-balancing.
         Use this wheel of awareness exercise to become more cognizant of what's missing on the rim. (Most important is to make sure the clear awareness in the center, in the hub, isn't missing.) A conversation with a sibling about a mis-understanding at Thanksgiving, long postponed because we're both too busy. The growing dissatisfaction about our job since the latest downsizing, shunted to the background because the implications are truly scary. The occasional twinge in our knee that we tell ourselves doesn't mean anything too serious and we get by well enough any way.
          The Wheel of Awareness hasn't solved any problems yet, simply brought them to consciousness where we can use the models below to re-balance. The Wheel of Awareness creates a receptivity to allow what's been missing to return to our consciousness where our own deeper intuitive wisdom can surface a clear wise action.
Article on Life Balance www.lindagraham-mft.net

September Recipes:
   Amaranth flour, preferably fresh ground with a coffee grinder, is a wonderful, gluten-free, low-glycemic, nutrient-dense grain to use for cookies, cakes, pizza crust, etc. Have fun experimenting!

Gluten Free Pizza Crust!: This is an amazing alternative to wheat pizza crust which Don & I invented lately, and it’s so much more nutrient-dense than whole wheat flour. Set your oven to 400 degrees. Rub a cookie sheet with 1 Tbsp ghee, coconut, grapeseed or avocado oil & set aside. Okay. 2 cups of amaranth flour (preferably fresh ground amaranth - a coffee grinder works great for this!), will make one small-med sized pizza (feeds 2-3 people). For every 2 cups amaranth flour, use: 1/4 cup water, 1 egg, 3 Tbsp ghee, coconut, grapeseed or avocado oil, and ½ tsp whole sea salt. As you mix, the consistency should be tough and thick, like cookie dough - there should be just enough moisture that you have to keep mixing for a couple of minutes to get all the loose flour to stick together into one mass. Next just dump the mass onto the cookie sheet and press flat into any shape you like with your hands so that the dough lies ½” thick evenly. You’ll want to pre-bake this crust at 400 degrees for 7 minutes, then take it out to cool a bit & top with whatever your little heart desires. Then bake again for 13 more minutes. Here’s some great topping ideas if I do say so myself: vegan > spread a few Tbsp sesame tahini on first, then spread fresh pesto sauce over the tahini and top with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, olives, spinach, onion, olives, pine nuts, etc. vegetarian > pesto with any veggies you like and Valbreso brand sheep’s milk feta & walnuts
   .
Courtney’s Amazing Pizza Sauce & Perfect Veggie Toppings: In a deep stainless steel pot, saute a diced yellow onion on medium heat in 5 Tbsp coconut oil or ghee for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so. Next sprinkle in 2 Tbsp ground coriander, 1tsp tumeric powder, and 1/4 tsp cayenne. Stir, saute another 2 minutes, stirring often, and add 1 cup water. Turn heat down to low, and simmer another 3 minutes or so until the onions become translucent. Add 1 bunch finely chopped kale or collard greens, stir and cover with the lid so the greens wilt down in the steam (just takes about 1 minute). Add a 1 tsp sea salt and 1 small can of tomato paste, and a 16 oz can of pureed tomato (no onion or garlic added, as is the case in “tomato sauce”). Stir until tomato paste becomes evenly spread throughout and add 1 Tbsp Herbs de Provance and 1 tsp marjoram. As soon as the tomato sauce comes to a low simmer, stir it again, turn off the heat & set it aside. For veggies to top your pizza, I recommend dicing fennel bulb and broccoli and crimini mushrooms and stirring in a pan on med heat with 3 more Tbsp coconut oil and ½ tsp sea salt for about 3 minutes, then adding some diced summer squash and stirring another minute on low heat. Top your half-baked crust with the amazing sauce you just made, these lightly cooked veggies, slices of fresh heirloom tomato, and Bel Gioso brand mozzarella grated and mixed with minced fresh basil. Oh! Sliced black olives are a must on this pizza too...get ready for heaven!

As always,
        Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email: courtney@cookwell.org OR (805) 547-9073. For more information on the ancient whole foods diet & lifestyle philosophies we teach about, see “The Food” page of my website.
        We hope to see you sometime soon to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food!

Namaste ~
Courtney & Don

More Information on Raw, Juicing, Low-Carbohydrate Diets

2011-08-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

We get asked often about particular aspects of diet such as Raw, or Low-Carbohydrate. Some fall into the "Fad-Diet" realm often due to lack of information, resulting in not taking a more in-depth look at, and even more important, a personal inquiry into our own unique body systems & food history before embarking on such a dietary change.

The links to articles and audio interviews below are here for you to continue to explore for yourself and to help you to understand more about the world of Raw, Juicing and carbohydrates and how they are functioning in your body. Read and listen-on and enjoy the journey:)

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The first is perhaps one of the most eoquently and well stated view on the scope of nutrition that I have listened to. We encourage all of you to take the time to listed to what David Rainoshek has to say about his experience with Raw and other dietary realities.

Expert Reveals His Experience with Raw Foods Diet

Dr. Mercola goes into which veggies to start with for gentleness on the digestion for newbies to juicing, then which veggies to work up to juicing for each nutritional type - it's excellent!

In this Benefits of Juicing & How to Juice for Your Nutritional Type article

More information on Nutritional Typing

________________________________

Next is an article worth reading in response to the realities of refined vegetable oils in our diets. We post this because so may people that are wary of "saturated fats" often think they are doing a good thing for their health by eating "vegetable oil", the opposite is actually the Truth.

The Dangers of Polyunsaturated Vegetable Oils From the pioneering research of Dr. Weston A. Price

________________________________

Many people talk about low carbohydrate diets and yet seem to skirt the real issue of glycemic aspect of diet and the reality of sugars in our systems. The following are two excellent articles on sugars in the diet. The Dr. Rosedale article titled Insulin and it's Metabolic Effects (actually an excerpt from a speech he gave back in 1999) is one of the most critical pieces of information for anyone to read that has a sincere interest in obtaining optimal health. The Dr. Rosedale article is a long read so we posted a short version of a similar idea that is also worth talking a look at. Ultimately the Dr. Rosedale excerpt is more in-depth at 32-pages long and significantly more revealing.

Fructose and your Metabolism

Insulin and it's Metabolic Effects

Also we wanted to include another comprehensive Mercola article on:

Staged Diet & Lifestyle Plans for the Beginner, Intermediate & the Advanced

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Take your time with all of this. Contact us with any questions you may have. It is a life-long learning experience in applying/experimenting with these or any other nutritional concepts and information. Learning how they relate to your individual dietary requirements is only accomplished through research and ultimately personal experience. Bodies change throughout our lives and from day-to-day, moment-to-moment. Most of all, we encourage everyone to be gentle with yourself.

We send you ALL Blessings of Goodness and Health

Courtney and Don

July-August 2011 Newsletter

2011-07-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Grain Controversy
     Don & I hope that all is well with you - that you’re feeling vital and blessed. We’re excited about our CookWell session #2 (Individualizing Your Diet) tonight at New Frontiers, because our dear friend Greg Money, Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, will be there to introduce Ayurveda and give free pulse assessments to help determine everyone’s Ayurvedic body/mind type. We can’t wait! And for those who miss this opportunity, we’ll again be leading session #2 with Greg in Los Osos on Thursday, August 25th (details below).
        This newsletter topic, the grain controversy, took lots of time to compose. I was prompted to write it by a startling, recent article on commercial wheat as a potentially dangerous food for the brain and the heart. I then felt it necessary to shed light on a shocking new finding about the effects of eating genetically modified corn (and other GM foods). And of course, because I’m a carb-type, I had to go into the nutritional wonders of the lower-glycemic, nutrient-dense whole grains, when prepared in the ways of our ancestors. I’ve linked to lots of research and shared our personal experiences, which I hope give you some clarity and inspiration in choosing the foods that are most beneficial for you. At the end, you’ll find our recipes for perfect brown rice, carob-coconut cloud, sprouted then simmered millet & amaranth, and sweet cultured coriander cornbread.
        I’ve listed the July & August schedule of our foundational CookWell classes in the beautiful demonstration kitchen at New Frontiers, as well as our specialty class schedule. Whether you want to have both Don & I, or just me (Courtney), come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our group classes listed below, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you. Our collaborative sessions are outlined on the “sustenance training” page of Don’s website for life path counseling: www.gingerbuddha.com. My website for solo teaching in whole foods cooking is: www.cookwell.org. And we’ve been updating our CookWell blog with past newsletter content, free recipes, and links to great articles. Enjoy!

Our Foundational CookWell Classes at New Frontiers, SLO
please RSVP with Dusty (785-0106 x125 or marketing@newfrontiersslo.com)
CookWell Session #1: Whole Foods Cooking 101
Tuesday, Aug 10th, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: whole foods cooking as preventative medicine, the basics of macrobiotic theory, neutralizing phytic acid in grains by sprouting & simmering, the nightshades, oxalic acid & sulfur veggies, food-based vitamin/mineral supplements, better digestibility of beans, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen and the best cooking oils for various temperatures, the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, and blood type diet & lifestyle basics
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
list of whole foods preparation staples
recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1
We’ll demonstrate making:
beautiful pot of adzuki beans with cayenne, sage and rosemary
sprouted then simmered whole grain millet & amaranth to incorporate with the beans
ghee to use as a stable cooking oil
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam

CookWell Session #3: Food Combining For Increased Vitality
Tuesday, Aug 23, 6-8PM
cost $30 per person
We’ll discuss: the importance of proper food combining for best digestion and assimilation, how to gradually eliminate refined flour & salt from your diet, flax seed vs. fish oil as supplements, nut/grain milks vs. goat’s milk/raw milk products, and deeply listening to your body to recognize imbalance & know what you really need
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
food combining fundamentals
fantastic recipes #3
chart of cooking times and water ratios for simmering each whole grain
chart of cooking times and water ratios for simmering each legume (beans)
We’ll demonstrate making:
curried tempe with shallots, kale, arame sea vegetable, lemon and dill
yams and portabella mushrooms with coriander, nutmeg and ginger
cilantro cole slaw with cayenne, lime and dill

July Specialty Classes in Los Osos
       We hope you can make it sometime to our home in Los Osos, to eat some healing food & learn lots of new information. Our CookWell specialty classes will cover current health concerns / topics, and will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner. Our goal is that you have a great time & that all of your questions around the slated topics are answered. We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer.
Please RSVP for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org

Specialty CookWell session #1 - whole foods cooking for busy people
Thursday, July 28, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: how to transition into regularly preparing your own whole foods meals to eat at home or to take on the go, even with a busy schedule. We’ll apply your goals in incorporating a wholefoods diet & lifestyle to your specific needs and limitations. We’ll review the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen including the best cooking oils, the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, and blood type basics. This is our foundational session #1 - but it’s tailored for busy people.                 You'll get 4 handouts for reference:
list of whole foods preparation staples
recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1
We’ll demonstrate making:
beautiful pot of black beans with cumin, coriander & ginger
sprouted then simmered whole grain brown rice to incorporate with the beans
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam

ANOTHER TEA PARTY CLASS!
Thursday, August 18, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: the importance of and how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for baked recipes, and strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicine
We’ll serve blended herbal teas with Kirsten Sherritt of The Secret Garden alongside our gluten & sugar free desserts!

ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat groats, minced carrot & ginger, orange zest, virgin coconut oil & vanilla stevia
almond-amaranth cookies made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, virgin coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & stevia
heavenly lavender-lemon-poppy loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & millet, virgin coconut oil, lavender essential oil, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds

CookWell Session #2: Individualizing Your Diet & The Wonders Of Kvaas - with Greg Money, Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, who will give free pulse assessments to help determine your Ayurvedic body/mind type
Thursday, Aug 25, 6-8PM
cost $30 per person
We’ll discuss: practicing mindfulness as it relates to preparing healing food, the Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, maintaining proper body alkalinity through diet, protein/fat/carb ratios for different metabolic types, the pros and cons of soy, the importance of incorporating cultured foods such as amazing beet kvaas into your diet, and knife skills for safety and achieving various textures and flavors
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each
general principals re: Ayurvedic diet & lifestyle
list of tasty herb/spice combinations for seasoning
fantastic recipes #2
We’ll demonstrate making:
kichadi (extremely tasty East Indian mung bean & seasonal veggies stew)
red quinoa arugula tabouli (aka: tabougula)
beet kvaas drink (probiotic, mineral supplement, digestive aid, and liver tonic)

Announcement:
FREE HEALTH EXPO! Sat 7/23, 10am -1pm
At Cross Fit Gym in Grover Beach (226 Front St.)
Lots of Free Information, Exhibits, Activities, Vendors, Music and More! I’ll be having a CookWell booth at this great event, and hope to see you there!

July / August Newsletter Topic:
The Grain Controversy

Lately there have been several proponents for a no-grain diet. Because of the genetic modification, the high glycemic aspect, and general overuse of wheat & corn in processed foods, I agree that regular consumption of these grains (as well as the other high-glycemic grains & foods which spike the blood sugar), are major factors in the causes of the most common diseases of modern people. Thanks to articles by Dr. Neal Rosedale (Insulin and it's metabolic effects), we know that diabetes, high cholesterol & heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, thyroid dysfunction, depressed immunity, hormone & brain chemistry imbalances, depressed immune function and systemic inflammation, are all brought on by a high-glycemic diet. I believe that the other major factors in the causes of these diseases are: 1) the regular intake of refined salt, refined grains & sugars of course, and refined vegetable oils (canola being the worst) via processed foods, restaurant food, and fast food, 2) the lack of seasonal regional vegetables (especially the dark leafy greens) as at least 50% of the diet, 3) the lack of sufficient daily hydration with re-mineralized water, 4) the over-consumption of pasturized dairy and commercially raised meats, 5) sedentary to only moderately active lifestyles, and 6) the polluted, stress-filled cities we live in with a socially unbalanced, competitive, and emotionally void standard of behavior. Every part of the picture must be factored in before coming to the conclusion that all grains are bad for all people.

Corn & wheat are not healthy staple grains for most people for several reasons. Beside the fact that they’re both high glycemic, commercially grown corn is extremely bad for us because, like most other genetically modified (GM) crops, it contains pesticide. The real shocker is that GM foods have recently been found to mutate human gut bacteria to begin producing pesticide within our own cells! This startling new research is very maddening to me when I think about the billions of people who eat processed foods daily, and the thousands of women I know and have heard about who can’t get pregnant, as sterility in rats & mice fed GM foods was the first discovery about the adverse effects of GM foods. What’s worse, is that organically grown corn is often inadvertently pollinated by the winds from neighboring fields of genetically modified corn. So these days, even corn that’s labeled “organic” often contains the genetic markers of Monsanto’s GM corn. Don & I steer clear of all commercially grown corn products these days, and even drastically limit our intake of organic corn products. The other commercially grown crops which are GM and that we avoid like the plague are: soy, canola oil, zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, Hawaiin papaya, and sugar from sugar beets (not that we eat white sugar!). The next crops slated to be widely grown GM are wheat and alfalfa. Dr Joseph Mercola sends out updates on this sort of thing as well as tons of other crucial, cutting-edge diet & lifestyle info daily in his e-articles, which we highly recommend subscribing to.

One of Dr. Mercola’s most recent articles, the one which prompted all this writing in the first place, is about the dangers of eating wheat. Wheat contains 40% more glutin than ever before, due to it’s hybridization over recent decades. With increasing exposure to glutin (a protien in wheat termed “wheat germ aglutinin or WGA”), more and more of us are becoming glutin sensitive - some of us are even glutin intolerant. Glutin exists not only in wheat, but in spelt, barley, rye, kamut, triticale, and others. It’s been recently proven to not only cause systemic inflammation (which has been known for years), but is now considered cardiotoxic and neurotoxic! Each of us is sensitive to glutin in widely varying degrees, and with widely varying symptoms. For instance, if I eat a piece of wheat bread I get a bit of a bloated feeling, as if I ate too much, even though I didn’t. If Don eats one bite of something made with any gluten grain, he experiences the cardiac inflammatory response which causes him heart arrhythmia. By the way, Don lost 50 lb in one year, simply by quitting eating gluten grains! And a friend of ours can’t even have a crumb of anything made with a gluten grain, or she ends up in the bathroom all night with loose bowels. If she has a full bite of anything made with a gluten grain, her throat begins to close up and she goes to the emergency room. The symptoms vary as widely as the severity of them, from stomach pain & intestinal diseases/digestive disorders, to asthma & skin rash, to chronic pain & inflammation (arthritis), to heart arrhythmia, to infertility, to brain chemistry imbalance which often leads to psychosis.

This is scary, I know, but I want to remind you of two things at this point. First, that there are many other wonderfully nutritious, low glycemic whole grains that are gluten-free which you can you can make even more nutritious with certain methods of preparation (which I’ll get into in the next paragraph). And second, that if you are feeling healthy and balanced in mind, body & spirit, let 80% of your diet be whole foods, and the other 20% be an emotionally soothing deviation. Food has strong emotional effects, and in a stressful time we may need to just go out to eat, or have a sweet treat at a party, for the sake of preserving our sanity. When you do deviate from your whole foods diet, see it as an experience that feeds your soul, not as an unhealthy deviation. The emotions you experience while eating are as important as what you’re eating. Just say to yourself, “everything I eat turns to health and beauty”, and if you believe it, it’ll be so!

The other 80% (a whole foods diet) looks like this: seasonal, regional vegetables (with at least 1 bunch of dark leafy greens per person per day) as 40-60% of the diet, low glycemic whole grains prepared in the ways of our ancestors (details below), soaked & simmered beans, fresh raw nuts & seeds, small amounts of seasonal, regional fruit (avocado has completely replaced my desire for dairy!), moderate amounts of whole sea salts, extra virgin or “unrefined”, natural fats & oils, and consciously raised (preferably organic) animal proteins and raw dairy products in moderate amounts when needed for building strength and warmth ( ie: hard physical work, pregnancy, weakness, coldness, deficiency type illnesses, underweight, or if you are a protein-type with meat-eating ancestry, and/or slower metabolism (usually people with type O blood). Click here to take the simple test to discover your nutritional type. This is one of the basic guidelines of Macrobiotics (the Asian tradition of eating & living in harmony with nature): eat to balance your individual constitution.

The carb-type whole foods diet is what most indigenous people around the world happen to thrive on. And I mean thrive on! I’m talking about people who, well into their nineties, are strong and limber, happy, mentally acute and engaged socially from the heart. Wow right? I want that for myself and for everyone I love! What I’ve been waiting for lately, is for any of the no-grain diet proponents to acknowledge the late-life vitality of indigenous people who ate as a staple the lower glycemic, nutrient-dense whole grains - grains like millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and brown rice. Did you know that amaranth is highest of all the grains in both calcium & iron, and in countries where it’s a staple, there is no malnutrition? And, when these types of grains are soaked (aka: sprouted) and simmered, OR freshly ground & cultured, they provide an easily digestible, long lasting energy source for most people (which are carb-type or mixed-types). I have type A blood and a fast metabolism (carb-type), so preparing these types of grains in this way as about 40% of my diet gives me a wonderfully high level of vitality. And, just to let you know, doing so doesn’t take as much time as you might think (see recipes below). The modern processed food industry skips these important steps, which our ancestors nearly always took, in preparing grains. Either of these steps is important because they help break down the complex carbohydrates in the grains, making them much easier to digest. When our bodies don’t have to work so hard on digestion, our internal energy is free to heal and balance other areas. Soaking or culturing also neutralizes the phytic acid in the bran of the grain, which makes it’s vitamins & minerals much more bio-available. If you’re a carb or a mixed nutritional type, I’ve listed a few of these kinds of recipes below to get you started. I hope you enjoy the process and the vitality that follows. And, as always, feel free to call or email me with any questions whatsoever. 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org

Recipes

Positively Perfect Brown Rice: The health benefits of organic brown rice are innumerable according to the book Healing With Whole Foods. Rinse 2 cups organic short grain brown rice and soak overnight under an inch of filtered water in the saucepan you plan to cook it in. Soaking grains for a day before cooking initiates the sprouting process, which 1) makes it more easily digestible, 2) increases the grain's amino acid profile so it becomes closer to a complete protein, and 3) neutralizes it's phytic acid which would otherwise bind with minerals in the intestine and inhibit mineral absorption. Okay, the next day, pour off the old soak water and refill the pot so that the fresh water level is about 3/4 of an inch above the level of the rice - measure it if you have to! (No ruler? It’s the length of your fore finger from the tip to the very first knuckle /joint just above your fingernail - not halfway up your finger). Soaked rice requires way less water to simmer than unsoaked rice. In fact, this 3/4 inch rule applies to every pot of soaked rice, no matter how big the pot, or how much rice you’ve soaked. Okay, after you’ve got that 3/4 inch of fresh water over the rice, bring it to a boil, reduce to simmer, and stir in1/2 tsp whole sea salt for every 2 cups of soaked rice. Put the lid on the pot at an angle so the steam can escape, and simmer for 40 minutes exactly. Comes out wonderfully fluffy every time.

Millet & Amaranth - powerhouse grains for hard workers & people with increased iron needs: Soak 2 cups millet and 1 cup amaranth overnight under an inch of filtered water in the large saucepan you plan to cook it in. The next day, pour off the soak water and refill the pot so that the water level is 2 inches or so above the level of the grain. Bring to a boil, stir in 1/2 tsp whole sea salt, reduce to very low heat, put the lid on the pot at an angle so the steam can escape, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring twice during the last 5 minutes to make sure there’s enough water in the bottom of the pan to prevent burning. Feel free to add ½ cup or so of water if it’s all evaporated before 30 minutes. It’s better to have more water and just pour the excess off at the end, than to not have enough and have it burn. Mil-amaranth is great stirred into vegetarian chili as faux ground beef.

Carob-Coconut Cloud (a great breakfast OR dessert!): In a small saucepan over low heat add 1 cup water and 2 cups any freshly simmered or leftover grain (brown rice or millet are great!). Stir and add 1 Tbsp coconut oil, butter or ghee. Stir until melted and add ½ tsp whole sea salt, ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice OR ½ tsp each cinnamon & nutmeg, 2 Tbsp carob powder, 6 drops vanilla stevia OR 1 Tbsp maple syrup / raw honey, AND ½ cup dried coconut. Stir until mixed well & enjoy warm topped with pecans, almonds, walnuts, brazil or macadamia nuts OR fresh / frozen berries, OR both! Also, 1/4 cup juice of ripe meyer lemon, 6 drops vanilla stevia & 1 cup mashed berries makes a great, tangy-sweet topping.

Sweet Cultured Coriander Corn Bread: Combine 1 cup fresh ground amaranth OR oat flour AND 1 cup organic corn meal with 1 cup plain, cultured yogurt and 2/3 cup water (1tsp acidophilus powder OR content of 2 capsules any live probiotic mixed with 1 cup water = dairy free alternative to yogurt). Mix until just blended and let sit covered at room temperature for 24 hrs. You see, the yogurt cultures (probiotic bacteria) neutralize the phytic acid in the whole grain flour (so it can't bind with minerals in your intestines & inhibit their absorption) and they break down the complex carbohydrates which makes the grain's nutrients more assimilatable and much more digestible. Okay, the next day, in a separate bowl combine 1/2 cup melted butter or ghee, 1 egg, 3 Tbsp raw honey or grade B maple syrup (OR, for the sugar free: 1/2 tsp Nu Naturals brand liquid vanilla stevia), 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp nutmeg, and ½ tsp whole sea salt. Mix well and stir into cultured flour mixture along with 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels. Pour into a buttered 8" x 8" or loaf size baking pan or glass dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. So sweet and moist I almost called it "Corn Cake".

As always,
        Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email. For more information on the ancient whole foods philosophies we teach about, see "the food” page of my website www.cookwell.org.
        We hope to see you sometime soon to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food!

Namaste ~
Courtney & Don

An Ayurvedic Cookbook for Modern Living

2011-07-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

Eat-Taste-Heal

by:

Thomas Yarema , Daniel Rhoda & Johnny Brannigan

This is a link to a book I was recently shown by a friend. I only took a quick look at it, but it looks like a great investment in your health, and a wonderful addition to any cooks library.

Link to Amazon where to get this book.

Is Wheat Damaging Your Health?

2011-07-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

The research on wheat has been out for a long time now and more is being revealed every day from our top medical research specialists that have an authentic interest our/your health and the foods that we eat. Please click on the link below and read on. We think you will be very glad you did.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/07/04/can-eating-this-common-grain-cause-psychiatric-problems.aspx

For me personally (Don Talking Here) Wheat was a long time contributor to unclear thinking and health problems all my life.....I just did not know it. I had my suspicions but ate it anyhow, bread is god right?
As I have said in lectures and to groups & individuals that I have coached to improved health through proper nutrition; I started my investigation many years ago after reading Eat Right For your Type. The Dr. Peter D'Adamo book on blood type and diet. At that time (1996) after 9-months I had some successes in improved health, less pain issues, better digestion and some weight loss, but decided to go on for the next 10-years eating "sprouted wheat" products. This was ultimately a poor decision.

Today I am 3+Years off of Wheat, and free of the pharmaceuticals I was taking for "heart conditions" & high blood pressure, weigh 30lbs.<less than when I was at my peak performance levels as a 26-year-old and riding my bicycle 200-miles per week, and in may ways, I am today more healthy than even before. All of this due to quitting eating Wheat!

It is a long story best told in person, but the main point is that:
Wheat was causing more problems than just inflammatory issues and poor digestion, it was affecting my heart negatively. The research on Wheat Allergy and Cardiac Inflammatory Response is difficult to find. But now it is all coming to light. Dr Mercola posted a very extensive compilation of websites, articles and research papers addressing the negative health effects of Wheat in the diet. I urge you ALL to click on the above link and read on.......and on.
Visit all of the links that are present there if you are interested in improving your health and want to spread the word about wheat. The fact that wheat is a cardio toxin and a neurotoxin are truly revealing and are worth paying close attention to; along with the myriad of other degenerative conditions that our modern wheat is causing many, if not all of us.

Why is Wheat Disorder on the Rise?

Low Grain and Carbohydrate Diets Treat Hypoglycemia, Heart disease, Diabetes.......

An Index of studies that show that wheat can have a detrimental effect on your health.

_________________________________

I believe deeply that you will be glad that you took the time do investigate for yourself.

Especially if you are experiencing:

Joint pain, Arthritis, Poor digestion, weak muscles, immunity problems, heart problems, high blood pressure, dry skin, neurological issues, psychosis and psychiatric issues, unclear thinking...........and the list goes on>and ON!

Blessings of Goodness and Health to you ALL :)

New Frontiers SLO Cooking Studio: Sessions #1 & #2 July 2011

2011-07-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Don & I will be teaching our CookWell session #1: Whole Foods Cooking As Preventative Medicine

this Tuesday 7/5, 6-8PM
at the New Frontiers SLO demonstartion kitchen
$30 includes a delicious whole foods dinner we'll domonstrate making (see class outline below)
Please RSVP with Dusty at New Frontiers: 785-0837 x125 or marketing@newfrontiersslo.com

AND

We will be teaching session #2:

Individualizing Your Diet & The Wonders Of Kvaas
Tuesday, July 19, 6-8PM
cost $30 per person
Read below session one details for a description of session two.

SESSION #1: Whole Foods Cooking As Preventative Medicine
We want to help you find the diet that works best for you, and make it taste fantastic! As a group, we’ll discuss: the basics of macrobiotic theory and individual body types, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples and the best cooking oils, and the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, neutralizing phytic acid in grains, the nightshades, oxalic acid & sulfur veggies, food-based vitamin/mineral supplements, better digestibility of beans, and so much more...

We'll demonstrate preparation of 4 items
beautiful pot of adzuki beans with cumin, coriander, ground ginger and rosemary
sprouted, whole grain millet & amaranth to incorporate with the beans
ghee to use as a stable cooking oil
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam

You'll get 4 handouts for reference
list of whole foods preparation staples
recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1

Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend everyone!
Be Well,
Courtney & Don

CookWell Session #2: Individualizing Your Diet & The Wonders Of Kvaas
Tuesday, July 19, 6-8PM

at the New Frontiers SLO demonstartion kitchen
$30 includes a delicious whole foods dinner we'll domonstrate making (see class outline below)
Please RSVP with Dusty at New Frontiers: 785-0837 x125 or marketing@newfrontiersslo.com

We’ll discuss: practicing mindfulness as it relates to preparing healing food, the Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, maintaining proper body alkalinity through diet, protein/fat/carb ratios for different metabolic types, the pros and cons of soy, the importance of incorporating cultured foods such as amazing beet kvaas into your diet, and knife skills for safety and achieving various textures and flavors

You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
   Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each
   general principals re: Ayurvedic diet & lifestyle
   list of tasty herb/spice combinations for seasoning
   fantastic recipes #2

We’ll demonstrate making:
   kichadi (very tasty East Indian mung bean & seasonal veggie stew)
   red quinoa arugula tabouli (aka: tabougula)
   beet kvaas drink (probiotic, mineral supplement, digestive aid, and liver/gallbladder tonic)

Kraut Class Thur 6/30

2011-06-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

Specialty Class: How To Make Sauerkraut and Cleansing The Colon
Thursday, June 30, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person (PLEASE RSVP to: courtney@cookwell.org OR 528-8837)
We’ll demonstrate making sauerkraut and we’ll discuss: the many benefits of making your own raw sauerkraut on digestion, assimilation, immunity, skin, blood pressure, metabolism, and genetic expression. We'll share our personal stories around colon cleansing, our step by step guidelines for an effective colon cleanse, and how we can support you in your cleansing process.
We’ll serve: black eyed pea stew with seasonal veggies/greens & sauerkraut!

June Newsletter Topics
   Probiotic-Rich, Cultured Veggies
        Culturing (aka: fermenting) vegetables has long been a tradition originally meant to extend the shelf-life of fresh produce throughout the winter months. In the modern world, we don’t experience this particular dilemma much, but we are burdened by stress, a toxic environment, vitamin/mineral deficient food, and many other health degrading factors. Making your own cultured veggies like sauerkraut, kimchee, or beet kvaas, is a great, inexpensive way to get a healthy internal population established of the wonderful little vitality-givers we call probiotics.
        Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help our bodies to thrive on multiple levels. Aside from helping our bodies to better digest and assimilate nutrients through our food, they act as the foundation of our immune systems, they help lower blood pressure, they keep bad bacteria and yeasts in our bodies in check, they contribute significantly to healthy skin, they work to help normalize our weight, and they produce both vitamin B12 and K2 in our intestines. Wow, right?
        There are even more amazing new findings on how probiotics influence our continued genetic expression, which Dr. Joseph Mercola has highlighted in a recent article. He says, “One of the most cutting-edge fields of medicine is epigenetics, which has shown that your lifestyle plays a significant role in how your genes are expressed. Probiotics influence the activity of hundreds of your genes, helping them to express in a positive, disease-fighting manner. The widely accepted dogma that your genes control your health destiny is now being completely uprooted, as your genetic code is not set in stone. Rather it is constantly changing based on factors like your diet and stress levels. To put it simply, the more dietary and lifestyle habits you engage in that positively influence your genetic expression, the more protection you’ll naturally receive against a host of chronic illnesses. For instance, eating broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, garlic and onions helps to activate tumor suppressor genes that fight cancer. Likewise, researchers revealed that eating probiotic-rich foods influenced the activity of hundreds of human genes in a positive manner.”
        We can start to take advantage of epigenetics by incorporating probiotic-rich foods into our diets such as raw sauerkraut, kimchee, beet kvaas, miso, kefir, yogurt, kombucha, etc. Cultured foods should always be raw or unpasteurized, refrigerated, and never cooked or heated to boiling, so the good bacteria are kept alive. I prefer making my own cultured veggies than buying a probiotic supplement. This is because a good probiotic supplement (in which most of the probiotics actually survive the stomach acid into the intestines where they’re needed) is usually pretty expensive. If you’d rather spend the money than make your own cultured foods, I recommend these brands: Primal Defense, Pure Encapsulations Probiotic 5, and BioK. And, just as a side note, kombucha tends to exacerbate candida conditions, so I don’t recommend using it as probiotic supplementation for those with yeast issues.
        Making your own sauerkraut can be tricky, but it’s very satisfying. The first time I made a good batch, I felt triumphant. The weeks of waiting had finally proven worthwhile. And, I realized I was connecting to my ancestors by going through the motions they had so many times. Also, the sour the sour flavor satisfies the third taste according to both Ayurveda and Macrobiotics. If a meal contains all 5 tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and pungent), we’ll feel more satisfied and have less of a tendency to overeat.

   Your Colon Health
        For those coming off the standard American diet, colon cleansing is one of the most important first steps on the road to vitality. The colon works with the liver and lymphatic system to keep our entire bodies free from toxic accumulations. It’s the first organ you’ll want to cleanse, so that there is a clear pathway out of the body when you decide to do a liver or gallbladder cleanse, etc. You see, every time we’ve eaten mucos-forming food (pasteurized dairy products - especially melted cheese, refined flour products, meat, and any food heavy in fats /oils), another layer of sticky matter adheres to the walls of the colon. Over time, the layers build up and the passageway through the colon gets smaller and smaller, and the layers get harder and dryer, as the colon is constantly working to dry out the feces to make them solid. This blocks the cleansing action of the colon, liver and lymph, and we can experience lethargy, headaches, distended abdomens, irregular bowel movements, acne, and a whole host of other symptoms. The layers can get so thick, there has been a 40lb colon removed from a man!
        Intense colon cleansing is usually most needed when initially getting off years of the standard American diet. A whole foods diet is gently cleansing over time, so, those who have been off of refined/processed/fast foods at least 90% of the time for several years won’t need intense colon cleansing. A whole foods diet, by the way, looks like this: seasonal & regional vegetables (some raw, some cooked) as the base of the diet, either soaked or cultured low-glycemic whole grains, grass fed / organic animal proteins when needed for warmth & building strength (during pregnancy, for people who work hard physically, or according to ancestry - type O blood), getting 60 - 100 oz per day of re-mineralized water, and using only unrefined (extra virgin) oils, whole sea salts & small amounts of unrefined sweeteners like grade B maple syrup, molasses, & raw honey.
        Colon cleansing can take from 1 week to 4 weeks depending on the severity of the blockage. It’s not a fasting cleanse, but you don’t want to eat any mucos-forming food while cleansing your colon, because the herbs you’ll be taking need to be able to reach the walls of your colon (instead of getting caught up in mucos-forming foods) to break up and help you pass the old, dry matter out. “But where do I get my protein during the cleanse?” you may ask. From 1-2 Tbsp spirulina powder per day. You see, spirulina (a type of blue-green algae) has everything your body needs. That’s why they call it a superfood - you can live on it exclusively. It will give you enough protein and other good fats & nutrients you need daily while on your cleanse, and the chlorophyl in it is very cleansing. Midway through your colon cleanse, when you start getting the old, dry matter out and you’re feeling lighter, more energized, and your belly is flatter than ever, you’ll get excited and want to keep doing it for whatever length of time feels right to you. Your body will tell you when it’s time to quit the cleanse.
        Don & I have done lots of various cleanses, and we believe in the revitalizing and re-balancing powers of cleansing wholeheartedly. We’ve come up with step by step recommendations & guidelines for this first and most important cleanse, the colon cleanse. If your intuition is saying you need to do it, we hope you’ll join us Thursday evening, June 30th, to hear our personal stories and experiences with colon cleansing, to see our demonstration on making probiotic-rich sauerkraut, and to receive our support and guidance on your path toward reaching your highest health potential.

Tea Party Class! Thursday June 23rd 6-8pm

2011-06-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

TEA PARTY CLASS! We'll serve our gluten & sugar free desserts alongside blended herbal teas from The Secret Garden
Thursday, June 23, 6-8PM
cost: $30
We’ll discuss: the importance of and how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for baked recipes And strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicine
We’ll serve: ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & oat flours, coconut oil, vanilla stevia, pumpkin pie spice & allspice
almond-amaranth cookies with coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & almond extract
lavender-lemon loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat flour, coconut oil, lavender essential oil, lemon extract, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds

June Newsletter 2011

2011-06-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

Culturing Veggies & Your Colon Health
            Many Blessings to you! Don & I hope you’re feeling great, and that your digestive tract is functioning optimally. If not, this newsletter may help, as we’ll review the many advantages of making your own cultured veggies, as well as the importance of colon cleansing. We’ve listed the July schedule of our foundational CookWell classes in the beautiful demonstration kitchen at New Frontiers, SLO, as well as our June specialty class schedule. And, at the end of this newsletter, we’ve included our recipe for making ghee, for those who’ve made the transition to a mostly whole foods diet.
            Whether you want to have both Don & I, or just me - Courtney, come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our specialty classes in Los Osos, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you.
        We’ve been enjoying adding lots of info to our CookWell blog lately, with past newsletter content, recipes, and links to great articles.
        Don’s website for life path counseling is: www.gingerbuddha.com (click on “sustenance training” to see our collaborative course outline). And my website for solo teaching in whole foods cooking is: www.cookwell.org.

Schedule of Foundational CookWell Classes at New Frontiers, SLO
Please RSVP with Dusty: marketing@newfrontiersslo.com or 785-0106 x125
CookWell Session #1: Whole Foods Cooking as Preventative Medicine
Tuesday, July 5, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: your goals in incorporating wholefoods, the basics of macrobiotic theory, neutralizing phytic acid in grains by sprouting or culturing, the nightshade veggies, oxalic acid & sulfur veggies, food-based vitamin/mineral supplements, better digestibility of beans, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen and the best cooking oils, the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, and blood type diet & lifestyle basics
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
   list of whole foods preparation staples
    recommended reading list
   blood type basics
   fantastic recipes #1
We’ll demonstrate making:
beautiful pot of adzuki beans with cayenne, sage and rosemary
sprouted then simmered whole grain millet & amaranth to incorporate with the beans
ghee to use as a stable cooking oil
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam

CookWell Session #2: Individualizing Your Diet & The Wonders Of Kvaas
Tuesday, July 19, 6-8PM
cost $30 per person
We’ll discuss: practicing mindfulness as it relates to preparing healing food, the Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, maintaining proper body alkalinity through diet, protein/fat/carb ratios for different metabolic types, the pros and cons of soy, the importance of incorporating cultured foods such as amazing beet kvaas into your diet, and knife skills for safety and achieving various textures and flavors
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
   Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each
   general principals re: Ayurvedic diet & lifestyle
   list of tasty herb/spice combinations for seasoning
   fantastic recipes #2
We’ll demonstrate making:
   kichadi (very tasty East Indian mung bean & seasonal veggie stew)
   red quinoa arugula tabouli (aka: tabougula)
   beet kvaas drink (probiotic, mineral supplement, digestive aid, and liver/gallbladder tonic)

June Specialty Classes
        We hope you can make it to our home in Los Osos sometime, to eat some healing food & learn lots of new information. Our CookWell specialty classes will cover current health concerns/topics, and will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner. Our goal is that you have a great time & that all of your questions around the slated topics are answered. We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer.
Please RSVP with me for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org

TEA PARTY CLASS!
Thursday, June 23, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: the importance of and how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for baked recipes, and strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicine
We’ll serve: blended herbal teas with Kirsten Sherritt of The Secret Garden alongside our gluten & sugar free desserts!
ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat groats, minced carrot & ginger, orange zest, virgin coconut oil & vanilla stevia
almond-amaranth cookies made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, virgin coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & stevia
lavender-lemon-poppy loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & millet, virgin coconut oil, lavender essential oil, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds

Specialty Class: How To Make Sauerkraut and Cleansing The Colon
Thursday, June 30, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person (PLEASE RSVP to: courtney@cookwell.org OR   528-8837)
We’ll demonstrate making sauerkraut and we’ll discuss: the many benefits of making your own raw sauerkraut on digestion, assimilation, immunity, skin, blood pressure, metabolism, and genetic expression. We'll share our personal stories around colon cleansing, our step by step guidelines for an effective colon cleanse, and how we can support you in your cleansing process.
We’ll serve: black eyed pea stew with seasonal veggies/greens & sauerkraut!

Plasic Bottles: Just Say No to plastic bottled waters and drinks

2011-06-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

Despite the ongoing research and hard data concerning the wildly un-healthful effects that drinking from plastic bottles has on out health & the health of communities, we still see people doing it. They take them to work in their cars, expose them to sunlight & heat, store them for prolonged periods at home by the case etc...

The convenience of these so called "filtered" or "pure" waters in these little bottles not only put your health at risk but also are a blight to the environment >>> Especially the environments of the people that live near the factories that produce these plastic bottles.

JUST SAY NO !!! And do yourself and the world community a favor.

The folloing links are well worth reading along with the movie that you can stream with instant Play on Netflix called Tapped, that will help you to understand the probelematics of bottled waters:

Tapped Official Site: http://www.tappedthemovie.com/

Netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Tapped/70124097?trkid=2361637#height1272

______________________

The following links take you to good articles withing the Mercola.com site for more education on the health risks of Bottled water:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/01/15/dangers-of-drinking-water-from-a-plastic-bottle.aspx

Perhaps the Most Toxic "Health" Drinks of the Century:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/04/now-they-are-trying-to-sell-you-diet-water.aspx

New Frontiers Cooking Studio - Class June 1st 5:30-7:30PM

2011-05-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

Please join us on June 1st at the New Frontiers Market Cooking Studio.

From 5:30-7:30PM

cost for 2 hr class and dinner: $30 per person

RSVP w/ Dusty:marketing@newfrontiersslo.com

___________________

Whole Food Cooking as Preventative Medicine

Topics: methods of incorporating whole foods into your daily diet, the basics of macrobiotic theory & the blood type diet, neutralizing phytic acid, oxalic acid and sulfur in certain foods, food-based vitamin/mineral supplements, the CookWell list of whole foods preparation staples and the best cooking oils, and the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily.
instruct on preparation of 4 items; possibly...

beautiful pot of black OR aduki beans with cayenne, sage and rosemary
sprouted, whole grain to incorporate with the beans
ghee to use as cooking oil
dark leafy greens stir-steam

give 4 handouts for reference:

list of whole foods preparation staples
whole foods snack ideas for kids and recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1

What you did not know about GMO Foods!!!

2011-05-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought it was safe to have a Taco, or some Tofu in that Miso soup!

I have always loved a taco or two out now and then and I have always been aware of the fact that that corn tortilla at the local taco shop is from GMO corn.
After reading the following I feel a stronger urge to increase my own personal requirements and restrictions for foods that go into my body, more specifically anything that could possibly be from GMO (genetically modified) crops: corn, soy, canola oil, sugar from sugar beets, zucchini & crookneck squash, Hawaiian papaya.

This article shares with us the fact that our gut bacteria, after eating GMO foods, mutate and begin producing pesticide withing our own cells!

If you were unhappy with Monsanto before please click on the link below that will take you to Mercola.com and read:

Eight Foods You Should Almost Never, Ever Eat

ALSO If you want more detailed information about how this all works on a genetic level the movie called The Future of Food. It is a great documentary to watch and will help you to understand the above Mercola.com article even more completely. and will enlighten you to the fact that with every GMO food you eat, you are also eating, bacteria and viruses, which are building block components for making "Round-Up Ready" crops.

I invite you to watch it and spread the word to everybody you know!

The Future of Food Official Website: http://www.thefutureoffood.com/

Netflix to watch the movie:
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Future_of_Food/70038794?trkid=2361637#height2203

May 2011 Thursday Night Dinners & Specialty Classes

2011-05-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

May Thursday Night Dinners & Specialty Classes
        We hope you can make it to our home in Los Osos one of these Thursdays, to eat some healing food & learn lots about whole foods diet & lifestyle as preventative medicine. Our CookWell specialty classes will cover current health concerns / topics, and will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner around 7:15. Our goal is that you have a great time & that all of your questions around the slated topics are answered. And we’re now hosting our foundational CookWell classes (5 sessions total) on the last Thursday of the month.
        We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer.
Please RSVP at least 24 hrs ahead for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org - THANKS!

TEA PARTY CLASS! We'll serve our gluten & sugar free desserts alongside blended herbal teas from The Secret Garden
Thursday, May 19, 6-8PM
cost: $30
We’ll discuss: the importance of and how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for baked recipes And strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicine
We’ll serve: ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & oat flours, coconut oil, vanilla stevia, pumpkin pie spice & allspice
almond-amaranth cookies with coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & almond extract
lavender-lemon loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat flour, coconut oil, lavender essential oil, lemon extract, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds

CookWell SESSION #2: Individualizing Your Diet & The Wonders Of Kvaas
Thursday, May 26, 6-8PM
cost for 2 hr class and dinner: $35 per person
We’ll discuss: practicing mindfulness as it relates to preparing healing food, the Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, maintaining proper body alkalinity through diet, protein/fat/carb ratios for different metabolic types, the pros and cons of soy, the importance of incorporating cultured foods such as beet kvaas into your diet, and knife skills for safety and achieving various textures and flavors
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
   Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each
   general principals re: Ayurvedic diet & lifestyle
   list of tasty herb/spice combinations for seasoning
   fantastic recipes #2
Then, together we’ll prepare:
   kichadi (East Indian vegetarian mung bean stew)
   red quinoa arugula tabouli (aka: tabougula)
   beet kvaas (probiotic, mineral supplement, digestive aid, and liver tonic)

Sprouting Or Fresh Grinding And Culturing Whole Grains

2011-05-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

Sprouting Or Fresh Grinding And Culturing Whole Grains
        Sally Fallon, in her book, Nourishing Traditions, shows us why our ancestors had far fewer diseases than modern people. As I said above, they eat seasonally and regionally, with whole grains and vegetables as the basis of their diets, but the other huge key to their vital longevity is that they soak & sprout OR ferment their whole grains.
        Unsprouted OR unfermented whole grains and flours contain phytic acid, which is in the bran of all whole grains and will bind with minerals in our intestines and inhibit their absorption, ultimately leading to degenerative bone loss and tooth decay. Soaking whole grains for 24 - 48 hrs OR culturing (fermenting) whole grain flours / steel cut oats, etc. neutralizes the phytic acid making the grains nutrients available to the body and it’s complex carbohydrates easier to digest. People who eat sprouted or fermented grains as a staple have strong teeth and bones late into life. Some Examples: Vikings and other European people fermented their wheat flour to make sourdough. Even American pioneers were famous for their sourdough breads, pancakes, and biscuits. African natives and the Welsh ferment corn or millet for several days to make porridges. In India rice and lentils are fermented to make idli and dosas. Indigenous Native Americans and Central & South Americans soak their corn with lime-water for days before it is ground - Mexican corn cakes (pozole) are made from fermented corn. Also, very importantly, they don’t eat processed & pasturized foods - refined flour, refined sugars, refined salt, refined vegetable oils, pasturized dairy products & honey, etc.
        Thanks to our years of study and experience, Don & I are more and more sure that living and eating in the ways of indigenous people is the way to true health & vitality of mind, body and spirit. Those of us who choose these ways are a healing influence to our friends, families, neighbors, co-workers, and even people we have only brief encounters with. If you are one of these people who choose to live and eat in harmony with nature, everyone inside your sphere of influence, as well as Mother Earth herself, is blessed by you.

MAY RECIPE: Amaranth Flour Stevia-Sweetened Cookies:
I recommend culturing the 2 cups amaranth flour 24 hrs ahead of time. Mix until just blended: 2 cups fresh ground amaranth (or packaged amaranth flour) with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup plain, cultured yogurt OR 1tsp acidophilus powder or two capsules of refrigerated probiotic opened & mixed with 1.5 cups water. Let the mixture sit for a day, covered, at room temperature so the yogurt cultures can neutralize the phytic acid in the whole grain flour and break down the complex starches. It’s much more digestible & the nutrients are better assimilated this way. The next day, make your cream mix in a small saucepan over low heat: 1 ½ sticks butter OR 2/3 cup virgin coconut oil, 15 drops Nu Naturals brand Vanilla Stevia,1 tsp almond extract and beat in one egg. Turn off the heat & whisk in ½ tsp each aluminum-free baking soda & whole sea salt, 1tsp ground coriander, & ½ tsp ground nutmeg. Combine cream mix with cultured flour mix until evenly blended & add any nuts, fruit, coconut, etc.(pecans are great!), so is unsulphered coconut, and dark chocolate chips (preferably malt-sweetened) or carob chips. Place heaping spoonfuls on a buttered baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
   Also, instead of nutmeg/coriander/almond extract/dried coconut/nuts/chocolate chips, you can get creative and use: pumpkin pie spice & allspice/ vanilla or almond extract/Sweet Leaf brand English Toffee stevia/finely diced fruit like apple, pear or persimmon OR coriander/vanilla extract & vanilla stevia/fresh, dried or frozen berries. Have fun!

As always, Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email. For more information on the ancient whole foods philosophies we teach about, see the “about the food” page of my website www.cookwell.org.
   We hope to see you sometime soon. Maybe on a Thursday night to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food.

Namaste ~
Courtney & Don

May Newsletter 2011

2011-05-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

Newsletter #4 May 2011
sprouting/culturing grains & getting low glycemic

Don & I hope this newsletter finds you feeling well in every way! This month, we’ve listed our May schedule for our Thursday night classes (including a TEA PARTY class with our sugar & gluten free desserts alongside The Secret Garden’s blended teas!). Next we’ve explained why it’s so nourishing to freshly grind and culture whole grains before baking them, and why getting low glycemic in your diet prevents most modern diseases. And at the end of this newsletter, we’ve included our recipe for amaranth flour stevia sweetened cookies!
Don & I have been updating our CookWell blog (LINK) with past newsletter content, recipes, and links to info we like. Don’s website for life path counseling is: www.gingerbuddha.com (click on "sustenance training" to see our collaborative course outline). And my website for solo teaching in whole foods cooking is: www.cookwell.org. http://www.cookwell.org),
Whether you want to have both Don & I, or just me, come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our Thursday night specialty classes or dinners, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you.
May Thursday Night Dinners & Specialty Classes
We hope you can make it to our home in Los Osos one of these Thursdays, to eat some healing food & learn lots of new information. Our CookWell specialty classes will cover current health concerns / topics, and will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner around 7:15. Our goal is that you have a great time & that all of your questions around the slated topics are answered. And we’re now hosting our foundational CookWell classes (5 sessions total) on the last Thursday of the month.
We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer. Please RSVP for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org
TEA PARTY CLASS! blended herbal teas from The Secret Garden alongside our gluten & sugar free desserts Thursday, May 19, 6-8PM cost: $30 We’ll discuss: the importance of and how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for baked recipes And strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicineWe’ll serve:
ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & oat flours, coconut oil, vanilla stevia, pumpkin pie spice & allspice
almond-amaranth cookies with coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & almond extract
lavender-lemon loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat flour, coconut oil, lavender essential oil, lemon extract, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds
　
　
CookWell SESSION #2: Individualizing Your Diet & The Wonders Of Kvaas Thursday, May 26, 6-8PMcost for 2 hr class and dinner: $35 per personWe’ll discuss: practicing mindfulness as it relates to preparing healing food, the Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, maintaining proper body alkalinity through diet, protein/fat/carb ratios for different metabolic types, the pros and cons of soy, the importance of incorporating cultured foods such as beet kvaas into your diet, and knife skills for safety and achieving various textures and flavorsYou’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each
general principals re: Ayurvedic diet & lifestyle
list of tasty herb/spice combinations for seasoning
fantastic recipes #2
Then, together we’ll prepare:

kichadi (East Indian vegetarian mung bean stew)

red quinoa arugula tabouli (aka: tabougula)

beet kvaas (probiotic, mineral supplement, digestive aid, and liver tonic)

May Newsletter topics
Change Is Good When people realize that dietary changes need to be made for their optimal health, anxiety often follows. They have fears of not having enough time or money to prepare their own organic, whole foods meals, and fears of having to leave delicious flavors and truly satisfying food behind forever. Don & I are here to show you how, over time, we’ve incorporated eating & living in harmony with nature into our lives, as a way to support you on the path that works best for you, one step at a time.
Getting Lower Glycemic in Your Diet High-glycemic foods, consumed regularly over a lifetime, are now being found to be the culprits in not only insulin resistance and diabetes, but in cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol & heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammation, and in depressed immunity and thyroid function. Wow, right?
Different foods have different capacity to spike the blood sugar. The worst of them are the refined sugars like high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrates, etc. found in foods like candy bars, cookies, soda pop, etc. These refined sugars pull valuable minerals from our bodies, acidify our blood, and trigger extreme fluctuations in our hormones, brain chemistry and body chemistry.
Don & I believe that getting theses extremely high glycemic foods out of the diet is one of the first steps to healing and attaining vital health. We encourage people to work their way off refined sugars and toward: getting 60-90 oz of re-mineralized water daily depending on their body weight, eating little or no processed / fast / junk foods, getting enough exercise, rest & quality time with themselves and those they love, and taking time to maintain those healthy relationships. The next logical step in regard to diet is to gently ween themselves off of spiking their blood sugar with more than very small amounts (1 tsp max at a time) of other high glycemic foods such as honey, maple syrup, agave syrup/nectar, fruit juice concentrate, and to stay away from wheat flour, corn, white rice, etc. Eventually, they may even want to work their way off of large servings of yams, potatoes, wines, and dried & tropical fruits, as the final step in disease prevention through a low glycemic diet. Visit our blog to view an in-depth article by Dr. Ron Rosendale on insulin and it’s metabolic effects (right hand side under "health and wellness community" click on Dr. Ron Rosendale, and in his writings/articles it’s the last one listed). A diet centered around seasonal regional vegetables, low-glycemic whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and grass fed animal proteins / raw milk products when needed for warmth, for building strength, and during pregnancy, is the way of indigenous people who enjoy excellent health and vitality late into life. Our ancestors have eaten this way for thousands of years, and hardly ever suffered from brittle teeth & bones, diabetes, cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease and thyroid dysfunction. The Weston A. Price Foundation is a great resource for this research: www.westonaprice.org
Sprouting Or Fresh Grinding And Culturing Whole Grains
Sally Falon, in her book, Nourishing Traditions, shows us why our ancestors had far fewer diseases than modern people. As I said above, they eat seasonally and regionally, with whole grains and vegetables as the basis of their diets, but the other huge key to their vital longevity is that they soak & sprout OR ferment their whole grains. Unsprouted OR unfermented whole grains and flours contain phytic acid, which is in the bran of all whole grains and will bind with minerals in our intestines and inhibit their absorption, ultimately leading to degenerative bone loss and tooth decay. Soaking whole grains for 24 - 48 hrs OR culturing (fermenting) whole grain flours / steel cut oats, etc. neutralizes the phytic acid making the grains nutrients available to the body and it’s complex carbohydrates easier to digest. People who eat sprouted or fermented grains as a staple have strong teeth and bones late into life. Some Examples: Vikings and other European people fermented their wheat flour to make sourdough. Even American pioneers were famous for their sourdough breads, pancakes, and biscuits. African natives and the Welsh ferment corn or millet for several days to make porridges. In India rice and lentils are fermented to make idli and dosas. Indigenous Native Americans and Central & South Americans soak their corn with lime-water for days before it is ground - Mexican corn cakes (pozole) are made from fermented corn. Also, importantly, they don’t eat processed & pasturized foods - refined flour, refined sugars, refined salt, refined vegetable oils, pasturized dairy products & honey, etc.
Through our studies, Don & I are more and more sure that living and eating in the ways of indigenous people is the way to true health & vitality of our minds, bodies and of our unifying spirit. Those of us who choose these ways are a healing influence to our friends, families, neighbors, co-workers, and even people we have only brief encounters with. If you are one of these people who choose to live and eat in harmony with nature, everyone inside your sphere of influence, as well as Mother Earth herself, is blessed by you.

May Recipe:
Amaranth Flour Stevia-Sweetened Cookies: I recommend culturing the 2 cups amaranth flour 24 hrs ahead of time. Mix until just blended: 2 cups fresh ground amaranth (or packaged amaranth flour) with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup plain, cultured yogurt OR 1tsp acidophilus powder or two capsules of refrigerated probiotic opened & mixed with 2/3 cup water. Let the mixture sit for a day, covered, at room temperature so the yogurt cultures can neutralize the phytic acid in the whole grain flour and break down the complex starches. It’s much more digestible & the nutrients are better assimilated this way. The next day, make your cream mix in a small saucepan over low heat: 1 ½ sticks butter OR 2/3 cup virgin coconut oil, 15 drops Nu Naturals brand Vanilla Stevia,1 tsp almond extract and beat in one egg. Turn off the heat & whisk in ½ tsp each aluminum-free baking soda & whole sea salt, 1tsp ground coriander, & ½ tsp ground nutmeg. Combine cream mix with cultured flour mix until evenly blended & add any nuts, fruit, coconut, etc.(pecans are great!), so is unsulphered coconut, and dark chocolate chips (preferably malt-sweetened) or carob chips. Place heaping spoonfuls on a buttered baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Also, instead of nutmeg/coriander/almond extract/dried coconut/nuts/chocolate chips, you can get creative and use: pumpkin pie spice & allspice/ vanilla or almond extract/Sweet Leaf brand English Toffee stevia/finely diced fruit like apple, pear or persimmon OR coriander/vanilla extract & vanilla stevia/fresh, dried or frozen berries. Have fun!
As always, Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email. For more information on the ancient whole foods philosophies we teach about, see the "about the food" page of my website www.cookwell.org. We hope to see you sometime soon. Maybe on a Thursday night to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food.
Namaste ~
Courtney & Don

April Newsletter 2011

2011-04-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

Newsletter #3 April 2011
radiation - foods which cleanse

Don & I hope this newsletter finds you coping well with news of the tragedies in Japan. We send prayers and blessings to you and to everyone in this challenging time.
This month, we want to give you a list of foods which are known to cleanse radioactive substances & heavy metals from the body, along with the April schedule for our Thursday night classes & dinners (includes class: cooking with sea veggies to detox radiation & heavy metals) which we’ll be hosting at our home in Los Osos. After that, we’ve listed some descriptions & guidelines for each body type according to Ayurveda, which may help you further individualize your diet & lifestyle to maintain balance. Also, we’ve included a fantastic, sugar & gluten free breakfast/dessert recipe and linked to a radio show and column for people with celiac disease and others following the gluten-free diet.
We’ve been updating our CookWell blog (LINK) with our past newsletter content, recipes, links to info we like, and pictures of fantastic meals we’ve made together. Don’s website for life path counseling is: www.gingerbuddha.com (click on "sustenance training" to see our collaborative course outline). And my website for solo teaching in whole foods cooking is: www.cookwell.org. http://www.cookwell.org),Whether you want to have both Don & I (or just me) come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our Thursday night specialty classes or dinners, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you.
April Thursday Night Dinners & Specialty Classes We hope you can make it to our home in Los Osos one of these Thursdays, to eat some healing food & learn lots of new information. Our CookWell specialty classes will cover current health concerns / topics, and will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner around 7:15. Our goal is that you have a great time & that all of your questions around the slated topics are answered. And we’re now hosting our foundational CookWell classes (5 sessions total) on the last Thursday of the month, starting April 28^th with session #1.
We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer to both classes and dinners. Please RSVP for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org
CLASS: cooking with sea veggies to detox radiation & heavy metals Thursday, April 21, 6-8PM cost for 1 hr class and dinner: $35 per person
We’ll discuss: how sea vegetables in the diet bind & cleanse toxins
how they work to balance us mentally/emotionally, restore yin fluids to our tissues, and give us beautiful skin and hair
recipes for each kind of sea vegetable and the specific ways each one benefits us
We’ll be serving: black & adzuki beans with kale, carrot, and kombu & dulse sea vegetables
the best chicken tacos on the planet (yellow curry, rosemary, garlic, fennel & arugula)
green salad with extra virgin olive oil & lemon juice
coconut almond amaranth cookies (sugar AND gluten free!)
CLASS: CookWell session #1 Thursday, April 28, 6-8PM cost for 2 hr class and dinner: $35 per person
We’ll discuss: your goals in incorporating wholefoods, the basics of macrobiotic theory, neutralizing phytic acid in grains by sprouting or culturing, the nightshade veggies, oxalic acid & sulfur veggies, food-based vitamin/mineral supplements, better digestibility of beans, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen and the best cooking oils, the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, and blood type diet & lifestyle basics Then, together we’ll prepare:

beautiful pot of adzuki beans with cayenne, sage and rosemary
sprouted then simmered whole grain millet & amaranth to incorporate with the beans
ghee to use as a stable cooking oil
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam
sweet carrot salad

you’ll get 4 handouts for reference:

list of whole foods preparation staples
list of natural food stores in SLO county and recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1
　
April Newsletter topic:
Foods known to cleanse radioactive substances & heavy metals Many prayers to our brothers and sister in Japan.
May our Hearts Be United as One in Healing.
Here on the west coast we’ve been subject to lots of information and miss-information about how to best cope with elevated levels of radiation in our atmosphere as a result of fallout from the Nuclear disasters in Japan. Shelves in the health food stores have been cleared of anything seaweed related. Taking Potassium Iodide tablets can do more harm than good. Not to mention the fact that potassium iodide may protect only the thyroid gland, leaving all other areas of the body vulnerable to radiation, and that there are considerable health risks in taking elevated levels of iodine. The fact is that in our modern world we are coping with levels of differing types of radiation on a daily basis, be it from our own power plants, wi-fi, cell phone relay towers, computers, etc...Craig Lane of Health Alkemy has recently addressed this issue in a recent news letter titled "Radiation: The Hype and Common Sense". We took particular interest in the portion of his news letter that focused on which foods can be beneficial to us in cleansing various types of radiation from our bodies.
What we all need to understand is that, ultimately, whole foods are beneficial to us at this time as well. Below is a list of foods that might lead you to discover that you have been doing many of the right things already, just by eating a quality and well-rounded Whole Foods Diet.Foods known to cleanse radioactive substances & heavy metals:
Foods high in Iodine: kelp & dulse seaweeds are the best
Foods rich in vitamin P (bioflavanoids): Citrus Pulp, Bilberry & Blueberry
Foods rich in vitamin A: Sweet potato, Fish-liver oils, Butter, Dark green vegetables, Beef liver, Yellow & orange veggies, Carrots, Egg Yolk, Dandelion Greens/Root, Berries, Apricots, Spirulina, Chlorella, Blue green algae, Chilies
Foods rich in vitamin D: Fish liver oil, Butter, Eggs, Liver, Milk, Saltwater fish
Foods rich in vitamin E: Wheat germ, Wheat germ oil, Leafy green vegetables, Avocado, Nuts, Legumes, Raw vegetable oils, Sweet potato, Whole-grain products, Asparagus
Foods high in minerals : Dark Leafy Greens, Beets, etc.
Chlorella
Cilantro
Miso (good quality stuff from South River Miso or Miso Master)
Garlic
Eleuthero ginseng
Bentonite Clays if radiation exposure cannot be avoided (do not take by itself, always mix in later and add at least psyllium to it)
Raw greens & Sprouts
Reishi and Shiitake mushrooms
Burdock root
Raw beets
Celery root
Milk thistle, Dandelion or Artichoke Leaf
And Herbs specific for your constitution: schisandra berry, turmeric, aloe vera and triphala

Ayurvedic Body Types Basics

To eat in balance with our body type and the seasons is a wonderful way to align ourselves with nature and with our own changing needs throughout the year. In general, in winter eat more foods which balance Vata, in summer eat more foods which balance Pitta, and in spring eat more foods which balance Kapha. Excellent books for in-depth information are The Ayurvedic Cookbook and Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners by Amadea Morningstar.For more general principles regarding Ayurvedic diet and private consultations with my dear friend and Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, Holly Padove visit: www.balancedlivingayurveda.com or email: hpadove@hotmail.com
Vata: usually thin with slight frame, long features, mentally quick, bright, creative, flexible, inspiring. When out of balance tends to be cold with cold hands and feet, dry skin, constipated, gassy. Challenged by worry, fear & anxiety, and overwhelmed by stress. To bring back to balance needs warming, moistening foods (, squash, rice pudding, plenty of ghee/sesame oil, and may need more building, grounding foods such as eggs and meat), and the flavors sweet (whole grains, root vegetables, maple syrup, raw honey, etc), sour (yogurt, kefir, citrus), salty (whole sea salt), and mildly pungent (warming spices such as medium curries, ginger, fennel, garlic). Vata balancing spice combo (for pots of lentils, stir-frys, etc. ~ simmer ground spices 5-7 minutes):4 parts fennel, 3 cumin, 2 cardamom, 1 coriander, 1 ginger. Pitta: medium build with ample musculature, deep set eyes, rosy complexion, moles and freckles, good memory, intelligence, and an analytical mind. When out of balance tends to be too warm and dislikes humidity, has loose stools, heartburn, sweats profusely, has itchiness, rashes and acne. Challenged by anger, jealousy, resentment, and control issues. To bring back to balance needs cooling, soothing, drying foods (salads and dark leafy greens), cooling herbs (cucumber, cilantro, dill), and the flavors sweet (whole grains, root vegetables, maple syrup, raw honey, etc.), bitter (kale, collards, dandelion greens), and astringent (pomegranates, persimmons, blackberries). Pitta balancing spice combo (for pots of lentils, stir-frys, etc. ~ simmer ground spices 5-7 minutes): 4 parts fennel, 2 cumin, 1 cardamom, 2 coriander, 1 ginger. 　
Kapha: large frame with round face and features, lush hair, lustrous skin and eyes, pale complexion, mentally methodical and a deep sleeper. When out of balance tends to be cool, moist and clammy, has sluggish elimination, phlegm, and fatigue after meals. Challenged by sadness, lethargy and attachment. To bring back to balance needs warming, drying and lighter foods (salads, whole grain millet, teff and quinoa, light on the fats/oils, etc.), and the flavors bitter (kale, collards, dandelion greens), astringent (pomegranates, persimmons, blackberries), and pungent(hot spices such as hot curries, cayenne, etc.). Kapha balancing spice combo (for pots of lentils, stir-frys, etc. ~ simmer ground spices 5-7 minutes): 2 parts fennel, 2 cumin, 1 cardamom, 1 coriander, 3 ginger, (½ cinnamon, black pepper or cayenne optional).　

April Recipe
Fantastic, Low Glycemic Breakfast Or Dessert: In a small saucepan over low heat add 1 cup water and 2 cups any leftover grain (brown rice, quinoa or millet are great!) and stir. Add any fat & flavoring you’d like. Maybe...1 Tbsp coconut oil or butter or ghee, 1 cup fresh or from frozen berries of choice (or any low glycemic fruit: tart green apples, apricots, cherries, kiwi, peach, plum, or papya), juice from ½ a ripe lemon, 1/4 tsp whole sea salt, and 1/16 tsp stevia powder or 3-6 drops Nu Naturals brand liquid stevia. Another great flavor possibility is: 2 -3 Tbsp carob powder, ½ cup dried coconut, ½ tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp whole sea salt, and 1 Tbsp grade B maple syrup or 1 tsp raw honey (honey is refined by bees and is therefore pretty high glycemic, so just use a little bit). Stir until mixed well & enjoy warm topped with more coconut, fresh pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts or almonds.
Wheat / Gluten intolerant?
Local health and fitness expert and entrepreneur Jeanne "Bean" Murdock, owner of BEANFIT HEALTH AND FITNESS SERVICES in Paso Robles, just launched the first health and fitness radio show and column for people with celiac disease and others following the gluten-free diet. Celiac Radio and "Ask Bean" will run biweekly and weekly, respectively, covering all aspects of wellness for everyone to learn. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder marked by a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Jeanne was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1995—just three years after starting her business—and has been consulting on the condition and the diet ever since. Visit www.beanfit.com to listen, read, and to ask Bean . . . for free. Contact Jeanne for more information: 805-226-9893, info@beanfit.com.
As always, Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email. For more information on the ancient whole foods philosophies we teach about, see the "about the food" page of my website www.cookwell.org.
We hope to see you sometime soon. Maybe on a Thursday night to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food.
Namaste ~
Courtney & Don
　　

April Thursday Night Dinners & Specialty Classes

2011-04-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

April Thursday Night Dinners & Specialty Classes

     We hope you can make it to our home in Los Osos one of these Thursdays, to eat some healing food & learn lots of new information. Our CookWell specialty classes will cover current health concerns / topics, and will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner around 7:15. Our goal is that you have a great time & that all of your questions around the slated topics are answered.
And we’re now hosting our foundational CookWell classes (5 sessions total) on the last Thursday of the month, starting April 28th with session #1.
        We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer to both classes and dinners. Please RSVP for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org

CLASS: cooking with sea veggies to detox radiation & heavy metals
Thursday, April 21, 6-8PM
cost for 1 hr class and dinner: $35 per person
We’ll discuss:
how sea vegetables in the diet bind & cleanse toxins
how they work to balance us mentally/emotionally, restore yin fluids to our tissues, and give us beautiful skin and hair
recipes for each kind of sea vegetable and the specific ways each one benefits us
We’ll be serving:
black & adzuki beans with kale, carrot, and kombu & dulse sea vegetables
the best chicken tacos on the planet (yellow curry, rosemary, garlic, fennel & arugula)
green salad with extra virgin olive oil & lemon juice
coconut almond amaranth cookies (sugar AND gluten free!)

CLASS: CookWell session #1
Thursday, April 28, 6-8PM
cost for 2 hr class and dinner: $35 per person
We’ll discuss: your goals in incorporating wholefoods, the basics of macrobiotic theory, neutralizing phytic acid in grains by sprouting or culturing, the nightshade veggies, oxalic acid & sulfur veggies, food-based vitamin/mineral supplements, better digestibility of beans, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen and the best cooking oils, the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, and blood type diet & lifestyle basics
          Then, together we’ll prepare:
beautiful pot of adzuki beans with cayenne, sage and rosemary
sprouted then simmered whole grain millet & amaranth to incorporate with the beans
ghee to use as a stable cooking oil
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam
sweet carrot salad
    you’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
list of whole foods preparation staples
list of natural food stores in SLO county and recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1

________________

This month, we want to give you a list of foods which are known to cleanse radioactive substances & heavy metals from the body, along with the April schedule for our Thursday night classes & dinners (includes class: cooking with sea veggies to detox radiation & heavy metals) which we’ll be hosting at our home in Los Osos. After that, we’ve listed some descriptions & guidelines for each body type according to Ayurveda, which may help you further individualize your diet & lifestyle to maintain balance. Also, we’ve included a fantastic, sugar & gluten free breakfast/dessert recipe and linked to a radio show and column for people with celiac disease and others following the gluten-free diet.
             We’ve been updating our CookWell blog (LINK) with our past newsletter content, recipes, links to info we like, and pictures of fantastic meals we’ve made together. Don’s website for life path counseling is: www.gingerbuddha.com (click on “sustenance training” to see our collaborative course outline). And my website for solo teaching in whole foods cooking is: www.cookwell.org. Whether you want to have both Don & I (or just me) come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our Thursday night specialty classes or dinners, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you.

Foods known to cleanse radioactive substances & heavy metals
Many prayers to our brothers and sister in Japan.
May our Hearts Be United as One in Healing.

Here on the west coast we’ve been subject to lots of information and miss-information about how to best cope with elevated levels of radiation in our atmosphere as a result of fallout from the Nuclear disasters in Japan. Shelves in the health food stores have been cleared of anything seaweed related. Taking Potassium Iodide tablets can do more harm than good. Not to mention the fact that potassium iodide may protect only the thyroid gland, leaving all other areas of the body vulnerable to radiation, and that there are considerable health risks in taking elevated levels of iodine. The fact is that in our modern world we are coping with levels of differing types of radiation on a daily basis, be it from our own power plants, wi-fi, cell phone relay towers, computers, etc...

Craig Lane of Health Alkemy has recently addressed this issue in a recent news letter titled "Radiation: The Hype and Common Sense". We took particular interest in the portion of his news letter that focused on which foods can be beneficial to us in cleansing various types of radiation from our bodies.

What we all need to understand is that, ultimately, whole foods are beneficial to us at this time as well. Below is a list of foods that might lead you to discover that you have been doing many of the right things already, just by eating a quality and well-rounded Whole Foods Diet.

Foods known to cleanse radioactive substances & heavy metals:
Foods high in Iodine: kelp & dulse seaweeds are the best
Foods rich in vitamin P (bioflavanoids): Citrus Pulp, Bilberry & Blueberry
Foods rich in vitamin A: Sweet potato, Fish-liver oils, Butter, Dark green vegetables, Beef liver, Yellow & orange veggies, Carrots, Egg Yolk, Dandelion Greens/Root, Berries, Apricots, Spirulina, Chlorella, Blue green algae, Chilies
Foods rich in vitamin D: Fish liver oil, Butter, Eggs, Liver, Milk, Saltwater fish
Foods rich in vitamin E: Wheat germ, Wheat germ oil, Leafy green vegetables, Avocado, Nuts, Legumes, Raw vegetable oils, Sweet potato, Whole-grain products, Asparagus
Foods high in minerals : Dark Leafy Greens, Beets, etc.
Chlorella and Spirulina
Cilantro
Miso (good quality stuff from South River Miso or Miso Master)
Garlic
Eleuthero ginseng
Bentonite Clays if radiation exposure cannot be avoided (do not take by itself, always mix in later and add at least psyllium to it)
Raw greens & Sprouts
Reishi and Shiitake mushrooms
Burdock root
Raw beets
Celery root
Milk thistle, Dandelion or Artichoke Leaf
And Herbs specific for your constitution: schisandra berry, turmeric, aloe vera and triphala

Ayurvedic Body Types Basics

2011-04-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

Ayurvedic Body Types Basics
To eat in balance with our body type and the seasons is a wonderful way to align ourselves with nature and with our own changing needs throughout the year. In general, in winter eat more foods which balance Vata, in summer eat more foods which balance Pitta, and in spring eat more foods which balance Kapha. Excellent books for in-depth information are The Ayurvedic Cookbook and Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners by Amadea Morningstar.For more general principles regarding Ayurvedic diet and private consultations with my dear friend and Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, Holly Padove visit: www.balancedlivingayurveda.com or email: hpadove@hotmail.com

Vata: usually thin with slight frame, long features, mentally quick, bright, creative, flexible, inspiring. When out of balance tends to be cold with cold hands and feet, dry skin, constipated, gassy. Challenged by worry, fear & anxiety, and overwhelmed by stress.
To bring back to balance needs warming, moistening foods (, squash, rice pudding, plenty of ghee/sesame oil, and may need more building, grounding foods such as eggs and meat), and the flavors sweet (whole grains, root vegetables, maple syrup, raw honey, etc), sour (yogurt, kefir, citrus), salty (whole sea salt), and mildly pungent (warming spices such as medium curries, ginger, fennel, garlic).
Vata balancing spice combo (for pots of lentils, stir-frys, etc. ~ simmer ground spices 5-7 minutes):4 parts fennel, 3 cumin, 2 cardamom, 1 coriander, 1 ginger.

Pitta: medium build with ample musculature, deep set eyes, rosy complexion, moles and freckles, good memory, intelligence, and an analytical mind. When out of balance tends to be too warm and dislikes humidity, has loose stools, heartburn, sweats profusely, has itchiness, rashes and acne. Challenged by anger, jealousy, resentment, and control issues.
To bring back to balance needs cooling, soothing, drying foods (salads and dark leafy greens), cooling herbs (cucumber, cilantro, dill), and the flavors sweet (whole grains, root vegetables, maple syrup, raw honey, etc.), bitter (kale, collards, dandelion greens), and astringent (pomegranates, persimmons, blackberries). Pitta balancing spice combo (for pots of lentils, stir-frys, etc. ~ simmer ground spices 5-7 minutes): 4 parts fennel, 2 cumin, 1 cardamom, 2 coriander, 1 ginger.

Kapha: large frame with round face and features, lush hair, lustrous skin and eyes, pale complexion, mentally methodical and a deep sleeper. When out of balance tends to be cool, moist and clammy, has sluggish elimination, phlegm, and fatigue after meals. Challenged by sadness, lethargy and attachment.
To bring back to balance needs warming, drying and lighter foods (salads, whole grain millet, teff and quinoa, light on the fats/oils, etc.), and the flavors bitter (kale, collards, dandelion greens), astringent (pomegranates, persimmons, blackberries), and pungent(hot spices such as hot curries, cayenne, etc.). Kapha balancing spice combo (for pots of lentils, stir-frys, etc. ~ simmer ground spices 5-7 minutes): 2 parts fennel, 2 cumin, 1 cardamom, 1 coriander, 3 ginger, (½ cinnamon, black pepper or cayenne optional).

Radiation: Foods that Help Cleanse

2011-03-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Many prayers to our brothers and sister in Japan.

May our Hearts Be United as One in Healing.

________________________________________

Here on the West Coast we have been subjected to lots of information and miss-information about how to best cope with elevated levels of radiation in our atmosphere as a result of fallout from the Nuclear disasters in Japan. Shelves in the Health Food Stores have been cleared of anything seaweed related. Potassium Iodide tablets are no longer readily available, but taking high doses of this can do more harm than good. Not to mention the fact that potassium iodide may protect only the thyroid gland, leaving all other areas of the body vulnerable to radiation, and that there are considerable health risks in taking elevated levels of iodine. The fact is that in our modern world we are coping with levels of differing types of radiation on a daily basis, be it from our own power plants, wi-fi, cell phone relay towers, computers, etc...

Craig Lane of Health Alkemy has recently addressed this issue in a recent news letter titled "Radiation: The Hype and Common Sense". We took particular interest in the portion of his news letter that focused on which foods can be beneficial to us in cleansing various types of radiation from our bodies.

What we all need to understand is that, ultimately, whole foods are beneficial to us at this time as well. Below is a list of foods that might lead you to discover that you have been doing many of the right things already, just by eating a quality and well-rounded Whole Foods Diet.

_________________________________________

There are some easy and safe ways to protect ourselves from radiation and even thrive

Foods high in Iodine: kelp & dulse seaweeds are the best

Foods rich in vitamin P (bioflavanoids): Citrus Pulp, Bilberry & Blueberry

Foods rich in vitamin A: Sweet potato, Fish-liver oils, Butter, Dark green vegetables, Beef liver, Yellow & orange veggies, Carrots, Egg Yolk, Dandelion Greens/Root, Berries, Apricots, Spirulina, Chlorella, Blue green algae, Chilies

Foods rich in vitamin D: Fish liver oil, Butter, Eggs, Liver, Milk, Saltwater fish

Foods rich in vitamin E: Wheat germ, Wheat germ oil, Leafy green vegetables, Avocado, Nuts, Legumes, Raw vegetable oils, Sweet potato, Whole-grain products, Asparagus

Foods high in minerals : Dark Leafy Greens, Beets, etc.

Chlorella

Cilantro

Miso (good quality stuff from South River Miso or Miso Master)

Garlic

Eleuthero ginseng

Bentonite Clays if radiation exposure cannot be avoided (do not take by itself, always mix in water and add at least psyllium to it)

Raw greens & Sprouts

Reishi and Shiitake mushrooms

Burdock root

Raw beets

Celery root

Milk thistle, Dandelion or Artichoke Leaf

And Herbs specific for you like: schisandra berry, turmeric, aloe vera and triphala

Expert Reveals His Experience with Raw Foods Diet

2011-03-11T12:33:00.000-08:00

Every so often we hear someone speak about balance in diet in an eloquent and educated manner. Although we have been reading and listening to some amazing speakers lately, we feel that David Rainoshek is one of the very best, as he is extremely articulate in sharing a holistic view of his own experience with the Raw and Vegan Diet.
This was a perfect way to wrap up the Great Health Debate Hosted by Kevin Gianni of Renegade Health.
We hope you all take the time to listen to what David has to say in this phone interview.

http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2011/03/08/expert-reveals-challenges-with-the-100-raw-food-diet/

March 2011: Dinners & Specialty Classes

2011-03-08T08:06:00.000-08:00

March Thursday Night Dinners & Specialty Classes
    We hope you can make it to our home in Los Osos on any of the last three Thursdays of the month, to eat some healing food & learn lots of new information. Our CookWell specialty classes will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner around 7:15. Our goal is that you have a great time & that all of your questions around the slated topics are answered. We’re also hosting our foundational CookWell course (5 sessions total) the last Thursday of the month, starting March 31, for the next five months.
    We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer to both classes and dinners. Please RSVP for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org

CLASS: wheat, dairy and sugar - the unacknowledged burdens
Thursday, Mar 17, 6-8PM
cost for 1 hr class and dinner: $35 per person
We’ll discuss: why these foods are causing so many people ill health, our personal stories & strategies around getting these foods out of our diet, and details of the increased vitality that followed.
serving:
black bean chili stew w/seasonal veggies
steamed delecata winter squash
green salad with home-made lemon-tahini dressing
gluten & sugar free nutmeg-almond loaf

DINNER: Thursday night Dinner at Courtney & Don’s
Thursday night dinners are served around 6:30 and offer our community a warm, informal setting around great food & great conversation.
Thursday, Mar 24, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person ($20 vegetarian)
serving:
curried lamb & bacon tacos (w/ grass-fed lamb, nitrate-free bacon, fennel & arugula)
Courtney’s amazing beans
perfect brown rice
green salad with home-made lemon-tahini dressing
apple-spice rice w/ raspberry drizzle dessert

CLASS: CookWell session #1
Thursday, Mar 31, 6-8PM
cost for 2 hr class and dinner: $35 per person
We’ll discuss: your goals in incorporating wholefoods, the basics of macrobiotic theory, neutralizing phytic acid in grains, the nightshades, oxalic acid & sulfur veggies, food-based vitamin/mineral supplements, better digestibility of beans, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples and the best cooking oils, and the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily.
Then, together we’ll prepare:
beautiful pot of black OR adzuki beans with cayenne, sage and rosemary
sprouted then simmered whole grain millet & amaranth to incorporate with the beans
ghee to use as a stable cooking oil
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam
sweet carrot salad
you’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
list of whole foods preparation staples
list of natural food stores in SLO county and recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1

March Newsletter 2011

2011-03-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

2^nd CookWell Newsletter

3/11
Seasonal Tips, Recipes & New Classes We hope this newsletter finds you feeling excellent! The bulk info below is much shorter than last month’s four pager, so that alone should help you feel perky! I’m Courtney (www.cookwell.org), and this month I want to give you the March schedule for Thursday night classes & dinners Don & I will be hosting at our home in Los Osos. After that, I’ve composed some ideas for maintaining personal balance throughout the seasons according to macrobiotics (the brilliant whole foods diet & lifestyle philosophy of the ancient Asian tradition) because sadly, climate change renders each of us subject to more and more frequently abrupt and extreme changes in our weather.
Next, I’ve included my personal experience with and the dates for some free local wellness presentations about Juice Plus, an incredible whole food supplement (also very affordable - $41.75/mo) for those of us who find it difficult to get the recommended 9 -13 servings of different fruits & vegetables daily.
And at the end of this newsletter, you’ll find my updated perfect brown rice recipe, along with a savory recipe for black eyed pea, shitake mushroom & arame stew. Yum!
FYI, Don & I have been updating our CookWell blog (LINK) with bulky amounts of whole foods wisdom. There you’ll find past newsletter content & recipes, new health information we’ve researched lately, links to info we like, and pictures of fantastic whole foods meals we’ve made together. Yesterday, Don posted some new info about oxalic acid vegetables (beets, spinach & chard), which debunked a bad notion I’d had about them for years.
Don’s website for life path counseling is: www.gingerbuddha.com (click on "sustenance training" to see our collaborative course outline). So,http://www.cookwell.org), whether you want to have both Don & I, or just me, come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our specialty classes or community dinners, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you.
March Thursday Night Dinners & Specialty Classes We hope you can make it to our home in Los Osos on any of the last three Thursdays of the month, to eat some healing food & learn lots of new information. Our CookWell specialty classes will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner around 7:15. Our goal is that you have a great time & that all of your questions around the slated topics are answered. We’re also hosting our foundational CookWell course (5 sessions total) the last Thursday of the month, starting March 31.
We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer to both classes and dinners. Please RSVP for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org
CLASS: wheat, dairy and sugar - the unacknowledged burdens Thursday, Mar 17, 6-8PM cost for 1 hr class and dinner: $35 per person
We’ll discuss: why these foods are causing so many people ill health, our personal stories & strategies around getting these foods (one at a time) out of our diet, and the details of our increased vitality that followed. serving: black bean chili stew w/seasonal veggies
steamed delecata winter squash
green salad with home-made italian dressing
gluten & sugar free nutmeg-almond loaf
DINNER: Thursday night Dinner at Courtney & Don’s Thursday night dinners are served around 6:30 and offer our community a warm, informal setting around great food & great conversation.
Thursday, Mar 24, 6-8PM cost: $30 per person ($20 vegetarian)
serving: curried lamb & bacon tacos (w/ grass-fed lamb, nitrate-free bacon, fennel & arugula)
Courtney’s amazing beans
perfect brown rice
green salad with home-made lemon-tahini dressing
apple-spice rice w/ raspberry drizzle dessert
CLASS: CookWell session #1 Thursday, Mar 31, 6-8PM cost for 2 hr class and dinner: $35 per person
We’ll discuss: your goals in incorporating wholefoods, the basics of macrobiotic theory, neutralizing phytic acid in grains, the nightshades, oxalic acid & sulfur veggies, food-based vitamin/mineral supplements, better digestibility of beans, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples and the best cooking oils, and the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily. Then, together we’ll prepare: beautiful pot of black OR adzuki beans with cayenne, sage and rosemary
sprouted then simmered whole grain millet & amaranth to incorporate with the beans
ghee to use as a stable cooking oil
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam
sweet carrot saladyou’ll get 4 handouts for reference:

list of whole foods preparation staples
list of natural food stores in SLO county and recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1 　

March Newsletter topics:
Climate change and your particular constitution
Maintaining personal balance throughout the year with diet & lifestyle can be challenging as our seasons become less and less predictable. According to macrobiotics, various types of foods and the way in which they are prepared has either a warming, neutral or cooling effect on the body. Also, each of us tends toward either being excess or deficient in our personal constitution, and may need certain foods for balance despite what’s recommended for the weather. Macrobiotics is an intricate system of using different foods and cooking techniques to also effect the body by moistening or drying, and by causing bodily energy to either ascend/descend or to move internally/externally. What follows references just the thermal effects of foods and cooking techniques.
The cooling, cleansing foods that naturally grow in the spring & summer are best if we’re feeling too hot due to weather or hormones. And vice versa, the warming, building foods naturally produced in the fall & winter are best when feeling cold, deficient or weak. These practices come in handy for me year round, but in no particular order, because of the more and more frequent abrupt, and extreme changes in our weather.
I think the most important aspect of this philosophy is that some of us inherently tend toward always being too warm or too cold. This is because of the varying amount of congenital chi (life force) that we inherit from our parents. Some people have strong, robust constitutions, with loud voices, reddish complexions, and a tendency toward having internal heat and excess body weight. Then on the other end of the spectrum, some of us have weak, deficient constitutions with quiet voices, pale complexions, and a tendency to have internal coldness and difficulty gaining weight. By the way, people who embody this deficient, cold end of the spectrum have to be careful with their diet & lifestyle early in life, as they don’t have a lot of extra energy to expend on being careless with their health. That’s why some people can eat processed & fast food, smoke, drink, and dance the hoochie coo til they’re 90, while some of us have to be careful from a very young age with what we eat, with what foods we combine in the same meal, and with lifestyle choices. According to macrobiotics, everyone’s constitution falls somewhere between the two extremes of excess/hot and deficient/cold, so each of us need different foods & lifestyle practices to maintain balance in mind, body and spirit. When we are in balance and feeling vital, eating what grows seasonally and regionally helps us maintain that balance. Below I’ve listed the breakdown of which foods and cooking methods have either a warming or cooling thermal effect on our bodies according to macrobiotics. You can use these guidelines to help you warm up or cool down - either to balance your constitution or to deal with the weather.
Next month, I’ll list the basic diet & lifestyle guidelines for the three constitutional types according to Ayurveda, the diet & lifestyle philosophy of India. I encourage you to experiment with different paths, one at a time, to discover which path or combination of paths works best to help your unique body type maintain balance and vitality.
Maintaining balance through the seasons according to macrobiotics spring and summer foods for a cooling & cleansing effect: - veggies/greens: bok choy, mustard greens, turnip and radish tops, green beans, lettuces, sprouts, summer squash & zucchini
- fruits: grapes, berries, melons, stone fruits & tropical fruits like banana, mango & pineapple
- grains: millet, corn, quinoa
- cooking methods which impart a cooling thermal nature into food: fruits & vegetables eaten raw, lightly sauted with some water, blanched or steamed in stainless steel
fall and winter foods for a warming & building effect:
-fall and winter veggies: root veggies, winter squash, sturdy winter greens like kale, collards, Brussel’s sprouts and cabbage
- grains: wheat, rye, kamut, amaranth
- more fats and animal products in the fall & winter
- winter fruits like apples, pears and kiwi
- cooking methods which impart a warming thermal nature into food: bake, pressure-cook, use cast iron
March Recipes:
Black eyed pea, shitake mushroom & arame stew and perfect brown rice
Black eyed pea, shitake mushroom & arame stew: This recipe is full of wonderful major minerals and trace minerals & so easy to re-heat for people with busy schedules. Soak 4 cups dry black eyed peas for 24hrs under 6 inches filtered water in a large (6 - 8 qt.) pot. The next day, rinse off the old soak water and replace with fresh filtered water (enough so the beans are covered by at least 3 inches of water). Bring to a boil, skimming excess foam off the top for the first few minutes. Reduce to simmer, then after 20 minutes of simmering put the lid on at an angle and simmer another 40 minutes. After beans are simmered for 1 hour, add 3 Tbsp ground cumin, ½ tsp cayenne, and 2 Tbsp each ground coriander and ginger. Stir and simmer another 5 minutes. Add 4 cups chopped carrots, 2 cups chopped shitake mushrooms, and a large handful dried arame sea vegetable. Simmer 3 more minutes, and add 4-5 cups (or as much as will fit in the pot) greens such as chopped kale, collards, savoy cabbage, bok choy or mustard greens. Turn off heat and stir in 1 Tbsp each dried dill, sage & tarragon. Add 5 Tbsp ghee or olive oil, and 3 - 5 Tbsp each shoyu or tamari soy sauce, stir and squeeze and lemon juice. Stir in some cooked grain (positively perfect brown rice goes great!) at the end if there’s room in the pot. A nice salad on the side makes this a perfect meal!

Updated perfect brown rice recipe: Since several clients have been confused about the amount of fresh water to cover the soaked brown rice with before simmering. The updated recipe follows...I welcome any questions anyone has about this. In fact, I welcome any questions anyone has about anything in the realm of whole foods diet & lifestyle as preventative medicine. courtney@cookwell.org

Positively Perfect Brown Rice: The health benefits of organic brown rice are innumerable according to the book Healing With Whole Foods. Rinse 2 cups organic short grain brown rice and soak overnight under an inch of filtered water in the saucepan you plan to cook it in. The next day, pour off the soak water and refill the pot so that the fresh water level is about 3/4 of an inch above the level of the rice - measure it if you have to! (No ruler? It’s the length of your fore finger from the tip to the very first knuckle / joint just above your fingernail- not halfway up your finger). Soaked rice requires way less water to simmer than unsoaked rice. In fact, this 3/4 inch rule applies to every pot of soaked rice, no matter how big the pot, or how much rice you’ve soaked. Okay, after you’ve got that 3/4 inch of fresh water over the rice, bring it to a boil, reduce to simmer, and stir in1/2 tsp whole sea salt for roughly every 2 cups of rice. Put the lid on the pot at an angle so the steam can escape, and simmer for 40 minutes exactly. Comes out wonderfully fluffy every time.

Oxalic Acid Veggies & Probiotics

2011-03-07T17:35:00.000-08:00

New information on oxalic acid veggies & probiotics

Don & I have been learning lots of great information in the recently produced, on-line audio seminar The Great Health Debate (see the post below our blog post from February 8th for the link). The program consists of interviews with and debates among today’s top authors in widely varying (and sometimes conflicting) food philosophies such as those listed below. We are not positive if you can still buy the entire program for $50, but there will most likely be ways to still listen to it if you do searches on-line, I highly recommend it. It confirms and helps individuals apply what I’ve been telling people for years in teaching them to CookWell - that everybody’s body is different and needs unique foods and lifestyle practices to maintain personal balance.

In the interview with Donna Gates, author of The Body Ecology Diet, a notion I’ve held for years about oxalic acid vegetables was debunked. 10 years ago, I learned that oxalic acid veggies such as beets & beet tops, spinach, Swiss chard and rhubarb should be avoided for the most part because they contain high amounts of oxalic acid, which inhibits mineral absorption (mostly calcium). The two ways around this, I learned, are that you can either neutralize the oxalic acid by fermenting these veggies for several days, OR bind the oxalates up by cooking them for at least 20 minutes with kombu sea vegetable (but the veggies get way too soft & mushy this way for my liking). Well, Donna Gates made perfect sense when she said that for people who have good body ecology (a healthy population of probiotic bacteria in their intestines), there’s no need to avoid oxalic acid vegetables or only eat them when fermented or cooked with kombu, because our probiotic bacteria will neutralize the oxalates for us! Of course Donna! Why didn’t I think of that? And, I’d say just for safe measure, because bone density issues end up plaguing most North American and European women, that some type of probiotic food like miso, plain yogurt or raw sauerkraut should be eaten with beets, spinach, chard or rhubarb - especially if you consume them regularly. Even if, you’ve already got a good population of probiotic bacteria established in your gut.
So, what’s a healthy population of probiotic bacteria? Whenever antibiotics are taken, and if you’ve got any digestive disturbances like excessive gas, bloating, undigested food in the toilet, constipation or diahrea, you should be sure to supplement with a good-quality, refrigerated probiotic between meals daily for six weeks to two months. Or, if you don’t want to spend the money on two months worth of probiotic supplementation, you can make your own cultured vegetables like beet kvaas, sauerkraut or kimchi. I enjoy walking my clients through making any of these live probiotic foods in CookWell session #2 & 4. They add a wonderful sour accent to breakfast, lunch or dinner, and aid digestion, healthy skin, immunity, B-12 production, and nutrient assimilation!

How to Make Ghee

2011-03-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

As has been known for centuries in India and other places in the world, clarified butter, or ghee is a high quality fat, stable at high temperatures for cooking and is also beneficial for the body in many ways. It aids digestion, balances hormones, is great for skin and connective tissues (through either ingestion OR topical application), foundational for healthy brain and nerves, and the list goes on. You can check this link to read more on the basic benefits of ghee in your diet: http://www.physicalnutrition.net/ghee-benefits.htm

* AND here is our process for making it.
Pretty simple really. By making it yourself, you control quality by choosing the initial butter-product that resonates best with your budget and food requirements (i.e. Grass-Fed, Organic, Raw, Hand Churned). By making it yourself, you save money and improve it's freshness.

Ghee
Simmer on extra low heat 4 sticks unsalted organic butter for 12 - 20 minutes uncovered, without stirring. You'll hear boiling oil sounds, and after 10 minutes or so the milk solids on top will become crusty and golden brown. Turn off the heat & skim off that crust on the top. Then pour just the clear, golden ghee into a wide mouth jar for scooping as cooking oil or spreading on toast, etc. Pouring it slowly through a fine mesh strainer helps separate it from the milk solids if you can’t quite skim all of them off the top. As you pour just the cellar golden butter fat into a jar, be sure not to let any of the possibly left behind whey (cloudy, whitish liquid on bottom) if any is left, slip into the jar - it'll sink & sour on the bottom of the jar. Let the ghee cool uncovered so all steam / condensation can evaporate. Then cover. Ghee keeps for up to 3 weeks on the counter at room temp. In the fridge it'll keep for months, but becomes like hard ice cream - hard to dig into. I usually put 1/2 in the fridge for use 3 weeks later, and 1/2 on the counter for use now. Enjoy!

North County Home, Garden and Gourmet Expo

2011-02-27T07:58:00.000-08:00

We want to thank All of you who came out to visit our booth see our Whole Foods and Cooking Presentation at the North County Show. We truly enjoyed meeting all of you and encourage each of you to let us know what we can do to assist you in adopting a whole foods diet and making it taste fantastic!

We would like to thank Simply Clear Marketing for Producing and Promoting & Managing a successful event.

AND >>> We will look forward to seeing some of you at the Health and Fitness Expo at the Madonna Inn Expo Center on March 19th and 20th. We will be giving a presentation and cooking demonstration on, Whole Foods as Preventative Medicine. Our talk is scheduled from 11am-12pm on Saturday March 19th. Come on by and learn something new & sample some of what we create:)

Blessing of Health and Goodness to you All.

Insulin and it's Metabolic Effects

2011-02-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

Insulin and it's Metabolic Effects
by: Ron Rosedale M.D.

This is a powerful document linked to the Dr. Mercola Website and read by both of us some time back.
It is a synopsis of a lecture that Dr. Ron Rosedale gave back in August 1999. Simply click the link on the title above and read. Take your time, it is a long paper (32 pgs), but worth reading when you grasp it's relevance.

This document will change the way you view carbohydrates and sugars, providing you with insight rarely ever talked about and hardly understood. It sheds light on how insulin functions in the body, what happens when there is excess insulin, when we become insulin resistant, and also the harsh realities of what is happening in the bodies of most North Americans that eat refined carbohydrates (breads & pasta) as a staple. The striking reality is that you will read how excess insulin and insulin-resistance relates to just about every major disease you can think of, and is not just privy to diabetes.

We'd love to know what you think about this document and how we can help you to make the choice towards getting lower glycemic in your diet.

The Dangers of Refined Vegetable Oils.

2011-02-11T10:22:00.000-08:00

The Dangers of Polyunsaturated Vegetable Oils

From the pioneering research of Dr. Weston A. Price

The above title is a live link to an amazing article by Dr. Weston Price. Worth more then just a cursory read! Take a look and consider what oils you have been using in your kitchen add top that a deeper consideration of what you have been eating when out to breakfast, lunch or dinner!

As I searched for images for this post it dawned on me that the collective images of these refined vegetable oils just looked scary and unhealthy, suitable for burning in a modified diesel engine at best!

_______________________________________________________________________________

How to Hydrate Properly

2011-02-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

Let’s take a look at some important ideas about water - some things I’ve been talking about for years, along with some startling new information I’ve come across. More and more doctors are recommending drinking more water, as doing so lowers cholesterol levels dramatically, reduces many allergy reactions by as much as 50%, and has many more benefits. Over time in our dehydrated culture, our internal organs begin to shrivel, literally. Most standard beverages in our modern world contain sugar or caffeine (or both!), or alcohol, all of which are dehydrating to the body. This, coupled with the fact that the packaged foods of most modern diets (breads, cookies, crackers, chips, fast food, etc.) contain little or no water compared to the whole foods diets (brown rice, beans, seasonal vegetables, etc.) of people living close to the earth. Most of us in the modern world are extremely dehydrated, and we don’t even know it because our thirst mechanism has been stunted since childhood. Here’s a tip that’s helped me: if it’s been a couple of hours since my last meal and my stomach gurgles (normal digestion), instead of asking myself if I am hungry for a snack, I ask myself if I’m thirsty. And, I find that the lemon-water going down my throat is exactly what my body was really asking for. My goal is to help you gently turn your sensitivity to thirst back up so you can live a longer, healthier life.
    So, how much water should we be drinking daily? I believe that each of us should hydrate with ½ our ideal body weight in ounces per day - a little less in the wintertime and a little more in the summertime. Some people think we should only drink when thirsty, but most modern people’s thirst mechanism has been stunted. When I started getting my 70 ounces of re-mineralized water daily (I weigh 140lb.), I began to feel SO MUCH BETTER! I had more energy & stamina, I craved fewer carbohydrates, my bowels became unconstipated, my headaches & acne reduced significantly, and I lost weight. By the way, all these things happened to an even further degree along with even more signs of increased vitality, a few years later when I decided to cut refined sugars out of my diet.
    It’s ideal to drink at times other than when we eat, so as not to inhibit digestion. Drinking more than 4 oz with a meal dilutes valuable stomach acids & enzymes. So ideally, you’ll want to hydrate with at least 16 - 24 oz of re-mineralized water, 4 times a day, between meals. Start out drinking less if that much at one time is difficult for you. As you begin to consciously re-hydrate yourself regularly, you’ll feel thirsty more often and be able to drink more at one time. Eventually you’ll be getting the right number of ounces for your body daily.
    And what do I mean by re-mineralizing? I mean adding trace minerals (aka: electrolytes) to your water because straight H2O doesn’t hydrate very efficiently. In fact, straight H2O can actually pull minerals from your body as it passes through. Think about it; water comes to us in nature in wells & streams where minerals are present. When water is void of minerals, your body can’t utilize it efficiently. By re-mineralizing your water, it’s like you’re making your own GatorAid - without the sugar!
Here’s several things you can add to your 16 oz glass of water to re-mineralize it:
1/16 tsp (pinch) of whole sea salt (Celtic, Himalayan, Portuguese, & Real Salt brand)
the juice from a lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit
1-2 tsp of raw apple cider vinegar
an ounce or so of any 100% fruit juice
2 - 3 oz. water leftover from soaking sea vegetables for cooking
    All of these contain trace minerals. I like lemon juice, as it takes my thirst away immediately and is gently cleansing to every organ. Raw apple cider vinegar is more strongly cleansing, alkalizing to the pH, aids digestion, helps prevent arthritis crystals from forming when taken regularly, and has many other benefits - those with weakened or sensitive kidneys use it sparingly. Whole sea salt is great to replace bodily electrolytes in the summer or when working out/sweating lots. 100% fruit juice is tasty, but may be too sugary for those with candida issues.
    Water Sources: Get your water from a good reverse osmosis filter, purifier, distiller, micro-filter, or from a good water store. Water vending machines outside grocery stores are okay, but less thorough at providing pure water, in my opinion. Always use glass, stainless steel, or ceramic bottles to store & carry it. By the way, I’ve found that most stainless steel water bottles for on the go eventually give the water a slight metallic taste, especially if you’re adding sea salt to re-mineralize it. I like 32 oz glass mason jars and 32 oz apple cider vinegar bottles best.
     If you have to use polycarbonate bottles, get the new ones labled BPA-free. And NEVER buy or drink water sold in convenient, low-grade plastic bottles (labeled on bottlom as #7 or lower) because they leach toxic plasticides (toxic chemicals such as BPA and even synthetic estrogens) into the water - especially if the bottles get warm sitting around. I recently watched the movie “Tapped” and learned more about this, along with the corporate agenda behind bottling & selling water to us - something that is our basic human right to have freely. And FYI, in case you didn’t know, tap water is swimming with both chlorine and flouride, both of which are very bad for nearly every system in the body, and toxic for infants and very young children.

The Great Health Debate

2011-02-08T20:06:00.000-08:00

This is an amazing opportunity to hear some of the best in the world talk about their different perspectives, compare and contrast, state their case and share their experiences! Wonderful!

http://www.renegadehealth.com/ghd/register6.html

Great Health Debate Lineup
    Charlotte Gerson - Gerson Institute for cancer recovery
    Donna Gates - author of The Body Ecology Diet
    Dr. Joseph Mercola - whole foods & nutritional typing
    Sally Fallon - author of Nourishing Traditions
    David Wolfe - raw diet & sun food nutrition
    T. Colin Campbell - author of The China Study & vegetarian advocate

February Newsletter 2011

2011-02-07T18:42:00.000-08:00

1^st CookWell Newsletter Feb 2011
Intro Don, new classes & recipes
It’s finally here! The monthly CookWell newsletter you’ve been waiting for! I’m Courtney Coleman, and I’ve got an exciting announcement to share with you, as well as some important new information about both water and exactly why refined sugars are so detrimental to long term health. I’ve included an amazing cultured carrot cake recipe that’s sugar & gluten free, and listed our February specialty class schedule, for the specialty classes & dinners that Don & I will be offering on Thursday nights in our home in Los Osos.
So... that’s the exciting news! My husband Don and I have been tandemly giving talks, cooking demos and classes in kitchens all over SLO County for the past six months! And, we’ve been getting some terrific reviews (aren’t we cute?) because together we present a very well-rounded picture of whole foods diet, cooking & lifestyle. Don is a teacher, chef, knifemaker and Zen kitchen enthusiast. He offers life path counseling, sustenance training, deep listening, and meditation coaching. In cooking well, Don takes people gently by the hand, helping them identify their emotional attachments to particular foods & habits, and shows them how to embody joy and mindfulness in cooking and in practicing a whole foods lifestyle. His website’s are: www.gingerbuddha.com (click on "sustenance training" to see our collaborative course outline), and www.californiacustomknives.com.
Whether you want to have just me or both Don & I come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, or if you just want to show up to one of our specialty classes or dinners at our home on Sunny Hill, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you.
Thursday Night Dinners & Specialty Classes We hope you can make it to our home one of these Thursday nights. Our classes will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner around 7:15. Our goal is that all your questions are answered.
Thursday night dinners are served around 6:30 and offer our community a warm, informal setting around great food & great conversation. We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer to both classes and dinners. Please RSVP to pre-pay and for directions to The Sunny Hill Residence. 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org
CLASS: Getting refined sugar out of the diet - strategies, personal stories & support Thursday, Feb 17, 6-8PM
cost for 1 hr class and dinner: $40 per person
serving: yam & portabella mushroom bake
seasonal vegetable stir-steam
green salad
gluten & sugar free ginger-orange-carrot spice cake
DINNER: Thursday night Dinner at Courtney & Don’s Thursday, Feb 24, 6-8PM
cost: $20 per person
serving: black eyed pea, shitake & seasonal vegetable stew
perfect brown rice
green salad with home-made lemon-tahini dressing
carob coconut cloud dessert
CLASS: Getting lower glycemic in your diet - strategies, personal stories & support Thursday, Mar 3, 6-8PM
cost: $40 per person
serving: curried lentils with millet & seasonal vegetables
bacon-wrapped jalepeno-sausage boats
green salad with home-made balsamic vinaigrette
stevia-sweetened almond & nutmeg amaranth cookies
Feb Newsletter topic:
The first two steps For most people, the first two steps in beginning the path to healing & vitality with a whole foods diet & lifestyle are: 1) getting enough re-mineralized water daily, and 2) getting refined sugar out of the diet.
First, let’s take a look at some important ideas about water - some things I’ve been talking about for years, along with some startling new information I’ve come across. More and more doctors are recommending drinking more water, as doing so lowers cholesterol levels dramatically, reduces many allergy reactions by as much as 50%, and has many more benefits. Over time in our dehydrated culture, our internal organs begin to shrivel, literally. Most standard beverages in our modern world contain sugar or caffeine (or both!), or alcohol, all of which are dehydrating to the body. This, coupled with the fact that the packaged foods of most modern diets (breads, cookies, crackers, chips, fast food, etc.) contain little or no water compared to the whole foods diets (brown rice, beans, seasonal vegetables, etc.) of people living close to the earth. Most of us in the modern world are extremely dehydrated, and we don’t even know it because our thirst mechanism has been stunted since childhood. Here’s a tip that’s helped me: if it’s been a couple of hours since my last meal and my stomach gurgles (normal digestion), instead of asking myself if I am hungry for a snack, I ask myself if I’m thirsty. And, I find that the lemon-water going down my throat is exactly what my body was really asking for. My goal is to help you gently turn your sensitivity to thirst back up so you can live a longer, healthier life.
So, how much water should we be drinking daily? I believe that each of us should hydrate with ½ our ideal body weight in ounces per day - a little less in the wintertime and a little more in the summertime. Some people think we should only drink when thirsty, but most modern people’s thirst mechanism has been stunted. When I started getting my 70 ounces of re-mineralized water daily (I weigh 140lb.), I began to feel SO MUCH BETTER! I had more energy & stamina, I craved fewer carbohydrates, my bowels became unconstipated, my headaches & acne reduced significantly, and I lost weight. By the way, all these things happened to an even further degree along with even more signs of increased vitality, a few years later when I decided to cut refined sugars out of my diet.
It’s ideal to drink at times other than when we eat, so as not to inhibit digestion. Drinking more than 4 oz with a meal dilutes valuable stomach acids & enzymes. So ideally, you’ll want to hydrate with at least 16 - 24 oz of re-mineralized water, 4 times a day, between meals. Start out drinking less if that much at one time is difficult for you. As you begin to consciously re-hydrate yourself regularly, you’ll feel thirsty more often and be able to drink more at one time. Eventually you’ll be getting the right number of ounces for your body daily.
And what do I mean by re-mineralizing? I mean adding trace minerals (aka: electrolytes) to your water because straight H2O doesn’t hydrate very efficiently. In fact, straight H2O can actually pull minerals from your body as it passes through. Think about it; water comes to us in nature in wells & streams where minerals are present. When water is void of minerals, your body can’t utilize it efficiently. By re-mineralizing your water, it’s like you’re making your own GatorAid - without the sugar!
Here’s several things you can add to your 16 oz glass of water to re-mineralize it: 1/16 tsp (pinch) of whole sea salt (Celtic, Himalayan, Portuguese, & Real Salt brand)
the juice from a lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit
1-2 tsp of raw apple cider vinegar
an ounce or so of any 100% fruit juice
2 - 3 oz. water leftover from soaking sea vegetables for cooking
All of these contain trace minerals. I like lemon juice, as it takes my thirst away immediately and is gently cleansing to every organ. Raw apple cider vinegar is more strongly cleansing, alkalizing to the pH, aids digestion, helps prevent arthritis crystals from forming when taken regularly, and has many other benefits - those with weakened or sensitive kidneys use it sparingly. Whole sea salt is great to replace bodily electrolytes in the summer or when working out/sweating lots. 100% fruit juice is tasty, but may be too sugary for those with candida issues.
Water Sources: Get your water from a good reverse osmosis filter, purifier, distiller, micro-filter, or from a good water store. Water vending machines outside grocery stores are okay, but less thorough at providing pure water, in my opinion. Always use glass, stainless steel, or ceramic bottles to store & carry it. By the way, I’ve found that most stainless steel water bottles for on the go eventually give the water a slight metallic taste, especially if you’re adding sea salt to re-mineralize it. I like 32 oz glass mason jars and 32 oz apple cider vinegar bottles best.
If you have to use polycarbonate bottles, get the new ones labled BPA-free. And NEVER buy or drink water sold in convenient, low-grade plastic bottles (labeled on bottlom as #7 or lower) because they leach toxic plasticides (toxic chemicals such as BPA and even synthetic estrogens) into the water - especially if the bottles get warm sitting around. I recently watched the movie "Tapped" and learned more about this, along with the corporate agenda behind bottling & selling water to us - something that is our basic human right to have freely. And FYI, in case you didn’t know, tap water is swimming with both chlorine and flouride, both of which are very bad for nearly every system in the body, and toxic for infants and very young children.
Refined sugars Okay, now for my soapbox talk about refined sugars. Most people want to know why refined sugars and spiking our blood sugar is so bad for us. That’s when I say, "don’t get me started!" Refined sugars are considered toxins by most alternative health practitioners today. Once in our bodies, they rob us of valuable vitamins and minerals. Also, our hormones, body chemistry and brain chemistry are all directly affected by blood sugar. When we are spiking our blood sugar throughout the day, our hormones and body chemistry are jumping around to extreme ends of their spectrums too. Over time, this is disastrous for our health. No wonder so many of us are out of whack! We’re raised on processed foods and don’t even want to get off the roller coaster of spiking our blood sugar because it’s extremely addicting, and because we become only satisfied with the extreme flavors of refined sugars and MSG, etc.
There are different levels of food’s capacity to spike our blood sugar. Refined sugars push it the highest - way too high for good health. Studies of people who live close to the earth (indigenous people) have found that these people have far fewer diseases than modern Americans. They don’t eat processed foods which spike the blood sugar. They eat regionally, with whole grains, beans and vegetables as the basis of their diets. They use animal products when needed medicinally, for building strength and warmth. And, they soak & sprout or ferment their grains (more on these practices and why they benefit the body in future newsletters). The whole foods diets of indigenous people also means their bodies aren’t getting assaulted by the many other detrimental factors of processed foods like; rancid & refined vegetable oils, refined salt, the stripping away of the natural vitamin and fiber-rich bran of grains, the adding of nutrient void fillers, chemical preservatives, anti-caking agents, antibiotics, hormones, etc. Processed foods are a major road to sickness, it’s just a matter of how fast, as different people have different constitutions (more on this in future newsletters).
The various names for refined sugars which spike the blood sugar dangerously high are: white sugar, cane sugar, organic cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, high-fructose corn syrup, fructose, white grape or fruit juice concentrate, and commercial honey. Honey is refined by bees and spikes the blood sugar just as much as refined sugar, just not quite as fast. Pasturized honey which is sold at mainstream grocery stores is bad for the body, whereas raw honey (preferably from a local source) is beneficial for the body and easier to digest because of the minerals and live enzymes in it. But any honey is still very high-glycemic, so try to use no more than 1 teaspoon at a time. Agave syrup or agave nectar is now being found to be nearly as high-glycemic as refined sugar, and in many cases, has been found to be nothing more than corn syrup with a little bit of real agave for flavoring.
Okay. Here’s the list of unrefined (unprocessed) sugars which haven’t been stripped of natural minerals - minerals which slow the sugar’s absorption into the bloodstream and are lower on the glycemic index. "Sucanat" or "Rapidura" are granular (looks like sand) and can be used for baking. I’ve heard great things about Yacon powder & syrup, but haven’t tried it yet. The other unrefined sugars are barley malt syrup, brown rice syrup, small amounts of raw honey, grade B maple syrup and organic molasses. For those on candida diets (no kind of sugar whatsoever) stevia leaf extract is a natural, no-sugar, no-calorie sweetener (the best I’ve found with no bitter aftertaste is Nu Naturals brand liquid vanilla flavored stevia). Xylitol and Maltitol are made from sugar alcohol and are sugar substitutes which act like sugar in baking recipes, but which have a low-medium reading on the glycemic index - often used in "sugar-free" products like chocolate, etc.
Now for a cultured carrot cake recipe that’s sugar & gluten free! You thought it wasn’t possible, right? Wrong! This one has been a favorite of both Don and I lately on our low-glycemic path because it’s moist, rich and sweet, and it’s spiced just right. It’s an especially perfect follow-up to warm winter meal.
Gluten & Sugar Free Ginger-Orange-Carrot Spice Cake: combine 2 cups fresh ground millet, 1 cup fresh ground amaranth, and 1 cup fresh ground oat groats (a coffee grinder works great for this) with 1 cup plain, cultured yogurt and 1 cup water (or, 1tsp acidophilus powder or any live probiotics mixed with 2 cups water). Mix until just blended and let sit covered at room temperature for 24 hrs. You see, the yogurt cultures (probiotic bacteria) neutralize the phytic acid in the whole grain flour (so it can't bind with minerals in your intestines & inhibit their absorption) and they break down the complex carbohydrates which makes the grain's nutrients more assimilatable and much more digestible. Okay, the next day, in a saucepan combine 1 cup melted coconut oil or butter or ghee, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1.5 tsp Nu Naturals liquid vanilla stevia, 2 tsp baking powder, 1.5 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp each allspice & pumpkin pie spice. Mix well and stir into cultured flour mixture. Next add 1 cup chopped fresh ginger root, ½ cup orange zest, 2 cups grated carrots, and 1 cup fresh walnuts if desired. Pour into a buttered pan or loaf size baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 40 -50 minutes until done in the middle. Adding a cup of dark chocolate chips (malt-sweetened chocolate chips available at Co Op in SLO) to this recipe will knock your socks off, but then it isn’t technically sugar free anymore, is it? Whatever you choose, you will not have to work hard to enjoy this one!
As always, Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email. For more information on the ancient whole foods philosophies we teach about, see the "about the food" page of my website www.cookwell.org.
We hope to see you sometime soon. Maybe on a Thursday night to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food.
Namaste ~
Courtney & Don
mailto:courtney@cookwell.org

Gluten and Sugar Free Ginger Carrot Cake

2011-02-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

Well....it sounds pretty yummy and it is! We have been working on several ideas for sugar free deserts for months now. Add to that gluten-Free and you have a truly rare occasion, one that you do not get often, especially in the baked format. So this cake is something special and we would love to share some with you.

So Here is how to make it:

Gluten & Sugar Free Ginger-Orange-Carrot Spice Cake
Combine 2 cups fresh ground amaranth, 1 cup fresh ground millet, and 1 cup fresh ground oat groats (a coffee grinder works great for this if you do not have a grain mill) with 1 cup plain, cultured yogurt and 1.25 cup water (or, 1tsp acidophilus powder or any live probiotics mixed with 2 cups water works to culture the flour as a dairy-free alternative to yogurt). Mix until just blended and let sit covered at room temperature for 24 hrs.
    You see, the yogurt cultures (probiotic bacteria) neutralize the phytic acid in the whole grain flour (so it can't bind with minerals in your intestines & inhibit their absorption) and they break down the complex carbohydrates which makes the grain's nutrients more assimilate-able and much more digestible.
    Okay, the next day, in a saucepan combine 1 cup melted coconut oil, 2-T vanilla extract, 1.5 tsp. Nu Naturals liquid vanilla stevia, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. sea salt, 1/2 tsp. allspice,
1-heavy tsp. pumpkin pie spice.
Mix well and stir into cultured flour mixture. Next add 3 beaten eggs, 1.5 cups grated then lightly chopped carrot, 1 cup finely diced fresh ginger root, 1/2 cup orange zest, and 1.5-2 cup fresh walnuts, 1.5-3/4 cup small or chopped large organic raisins and Pour into a buttered cake, spring-form pan or loaf size baking dish. Place in a 425-degree oven, then turn down to 400-degrees and bake 50 minutes or until done in the middle. Sometimes this particular cake can take as much as an hour and 60 min to cook! These are dense grains, Be patient and check for doneness with a wooden skewer. ALSo this cake tastes amazing the next day. So if you decide to make it for an event, make it the day before and wow will you be happy you did.
We hope you all enjoy this amazing Gluten and Sugar Free Cake.
    Feel free to adjust the ginger and orange aspect as you wish. It originally started as a ginger bread with no carrot or raisins so this is where the full cup of fresh finely dices Ginger came from.

____________________________

And now for more then just a word about refined sugar:

Refined sugars
    Okay, now for my soapbox talk about refined sugars. Most people want to know why refined sugars and spiking our blood sugar is so bad for us. That’s when I say, “don’t get me started!” Refined sugars are considered toxins by most alternative health practitioners today. Once in our bodies, they rob us of valuable vitamins and minerals. Also, our hormones, body chemistry and brain chemistry are all directly affected by blood sugar. When we are spiking our blood sugar throughout the day, our hormones and body chemistry are jumping around to extreme ends of their spectrums too. Over time, this is disastrous for our health. No wonder so many of us are out of whack! We’re raised on processed foods and don’t even want to get off the roller coaster of spiking our blood sugar because it’s extremely addicting, and because we become only satisfied with the extreme flavors of refined sugars and MSG, etc.
    There are different levels of food’s capacity to spike our blood sugar. Refined sugars push it the highest - way too high for good health. Studies of people who live close to the earth (indigenous people) have found that these people have far fewer diseases than modern Americans. They don’t eat processed foods which spike the blood sugar. They eat regionally, with whole grains, beans and vegetables as the basis of their diets. They use animal products when needed medicinally, for building strength and warmth. And, they soak & sprout or ferment their grains (more on these practices and why they benefit the body in future newsletters). The whole foods diets of indigenous people also means their bodies aren’t getting assaulted by the many other detrimental factors of processed foods like; rancid & refined vegetable oils, refined salt, the stripping away of the natural vitamin and fiber-rich bran of grains, the adding of nutrient void fillers, chemical preservatives, anti-caking agents, antibiotics, hormones, etc. Processed foods are a major road to sickness, it’s just a matter of how fast, as different people have different constitutions (more on this in future newsletters).
    The various names for refined sugars which spike the blood sugar dangerously high are: white sugar, cane sugar, organic cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, high-fructose corn syrup, fructose, white grape or fruit juice concentrate, and commercial honey. Honey is refined by bees and spikes the blood sugar just as much as refined sugar, just not quite as fast. Pasturized honey which is sold at mainstream grocery stores is bad for the body, whereas raw honey (preferably from a local source) is beneficial for the body and easier to digest because of the minerals and live enzymes in it. But any honey is still very high-glycemic, so try to use no more than 1 teaspoon at a time. Agave syrup or agave nectar is now being found to be nearly as high-glycemic as refined sugar, and in many cases, has been found to be nothing more than corn syrup with a little bit of real agave for flavoring.
    Okay. Here’s the list of unrefined (unprocessed) sugars which haven’t been stripped of natural minerals - minerals which slow the sugar’s absorption into the bloodstream and are lower on the glycemic index. “Sucanat” or “Rapidura” are granular (looks like sand) and can be used for baking. I’ve heard great things about Yacon powder & syrup, but haven’t tried it yet. The other unrefined sugars are barley malt syrup, brown rice syrup, small amounts of raw honey, grade B maple syrup and organic molasses. For those on candida diets (no kind of sugar whatsoever) stevia leaf extract is a natural, no-sugar, no-calorie sweetener (the best I’ve found with no bitter aftertaste is Nu Naturals brand liquid vanilla flavored stevia). Xylitol and Maltitol are made from sugar alcohol and are sugar substitutes which act like sugar in baking recipes, but which have a low-medium reading on the glycemic index - often used in “sugar-free” products like chocolate, etc.