Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Low Fat Granola with Millet
Low Fat Granola with Millet
6 cup oats (not quick)
1/2 c. millet (regular, uncooked)
1 c. dessicated coconut
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. flax seeds or ground flax
1/2 c. wheat germ
1 c. pecans (or any kind of nut)
1 generous T. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground cardamom
dash of salt
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 - 1 c. maple syrup
orange juice
Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients from the oats down to salt. Drizzle in the maple syrup and stir well with a wooden spoon to get everything coated. Needs more liquids? Add in some more maple syrup or a bit of orange juice.
Spread the mix out into a large baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, checking and stirring occasionally so that nothing burns. Add in the raisins and cranberries and bake until the granola turns golden and crisp, again making sure things don't get too golden. Remove from oven and cool. Store in a sealed container. Serve with fresh fruit and yogurt.
6 cup oats (not quick)
1/2 c. millet (regular, uncooked)
1 c. dessicated coconut
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. flax seeds or ground flax
1/2 c. wheat germ
1 c. pecans (or any kind of nut)
1 generous T. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground cardamom
dash of salt
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 - 1 c. maple syrup
orange juice
Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients from the oats down to salt. Drizzle in the maple syrup and stir well with a wooden spoon to get everything coated. Needs more liquids? Add in some more maple syrup or a bit of orange juice.
Spread the mix out into a large baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, checking and stirring occasionally so that nothing burns. Add in the raisins and cranberries and bake until the granola turns golden and crisp, again making sure things don't get too golden. Remove from oven and cool. Store in a sealed container. Serve with fresh fruit and yogurt.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies--This recipe is not original to me, but delicious nonetheless.
1/2 c. butter3/4 c. raw honey
1 large egg
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. natural peanut butter
2 1/2-3 c. freshly milled soft white wheat
pinch of sea salt
Cream butter, honey, egg, peanut butter, vanilla. Mix dry ingredients. Add to wet. Bake 350 degrees for 12 min.
I added some chocolate chips just to get them out of my freezer.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Interesting Reading
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Saturated Fat
After doing some reading in Nourishing Traditions about saturated fat, my view has changed significantly. In America, the health professionals tell us one thing, yet I am led to question whether or not that is the truth.
Fats from animals and vegetable sources are a concentrated source of energy. These fats are the building blocks for cell membranes. Saturated fats slow down nutrient absorption, which helps you to feel full longer. Saturated fats are carriers for fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), and are also needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A. (see pg 4 of Nourishing Traditions for further information.)
We are told to reduce our consumption of saturated fats (from animal sources) because they contain cholesterol. In the 1950's, Ancel Keys presented Lipid Hypothesis. The basics of this theory said there was a relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in one's diet and coronary heart disease. Flaws have been found in his data and conclusions, yet we never hear about them.
Nathan Pritkin was also an advocate of a low-fat diet, BUT he also called for the elimination of sugar, white flour, and processed foods. He advocated the consumption of whole grains, fresh raw foods, and strenuous exercise. Pritkin's diet was successful, but due to more than just reducing dietary fat. The "fat-free" diet had many problems. (1) People had trouble staying on it. (2) Health problems developed, such as low energy, difficulty concentrating, depression, weight gain, and mineral deficiencies. (See above for what saturated fats do for you. This explains many of the health problems when fat is reduced or eliminated.)
"Experts" recommend avoidance of animal fats, yet there is very limited evidence to support it. Read pages 5-7 in Nourishing Traditions for examples of studies in other countries as well as the US on saturated fats. Saturated vegetable fat is associated with high rates of cancer--NOT animal fats. Some fats are in deed bad, but not all of them. Pages 8-10 explain the differences in good fats and bad fats, which ones are stable and which ones go rancid.
Saturated fats do not cause modern diseases. Here are some benefits:
* help cell membranes function properly
* play a vital role in the health of bones. Helps calcium be incorporated into skeletal structures.
* lowers Lp(a) -substance in blood that indicates proneness to heart disease
* protects liver from toxins
* enhances the immune system
* is needed for the body to properly utilize essential fatty acids
* the heart draws on a reserve of fat in times of stress. The fat around the heart is highly saturated.
* protects against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.
Saturated fats DO NOT cause artery clogging heart disease. Artery clogs are only 26% saturated fats.
There is no research to support that butter causes chronic high cholesterol. Margarine, on the other hand produces chronic high cholesterol, and is linked with heart disease and cancer. It is produced from rancid vegetable oils. Butter is the best source of fat soluble vitamins A, D, K, E. However, it should come from grass fed cows.
Myth: Heart disease in America is caused by consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat from animal products.
Truth: During the period of rapid increase in heart disease (1920-1960), American consumption of animal fats declined but consumption of hydrogenated and industrially processed vegetable oils increased dramatically. (USDA-HN1)
What have we done? I only use butter. I purchase butter from grass fed cows when I can afford it. It is quite expensive. We do not use margarine at all! My children and myself use only whole milk. My husband is still a fan of 2%, but it is better than skim. Skim milk is terrible for you. Of course he loves whole milk in his ice cream. :) I do not follow a low fat diet, but a healthy fat diet.
Fats from animals and vegetable sources are a concentrated source of energy. These fats are the building blocks for cell membranes. Saturated fats slow down nutrient absorption, which helps you to feel full longer. Saturated fats are carriers for fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), and are also needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A. (see pg 4 of Nourishing Traditions for further information.)
We are told to reduce our consumption of saturated fats (from animal sources) because they contain cholesterol. In the 1950's, Ancel Keys presented Lipid Hypothesis. The basics of this theory said there was a relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in one's diet and coronary heart disease. Flaws have been found in his data and conclusions, yet we never hear about them.
Nathan Pritkin was also an advocate of a low-fat diet, BUT he also called for the elimination of sugar, white flour, and processed foods. He advocated the consumption of whole grains, fresh raw foods, and strenuous exercise. Pritkin's diet was successful, but due to more than just reducing dietary fat. The "fat-free" diet had many problems. (1) People had trouble staying on it. (2) Health problems developed, such as low energy, difficulty concentrating, depression, weight gain, and mineral deficiencies. (See above for what saturated fats do for you. This explains many of the health problems when fat is reduced or eliminated.)
"Experts" recommend avoidance of animal fats, yet there is very limited evidence to support it. Read pages 5-7 in Nourishing Traditions for examples of studies in other countries as well as the US on saturated fats. Saturated vegetable fat is associated with high rates of cancer--NOT animal fats. Some fats are in deed bad, but not all of them. Pages 8-10 explain the differences in good fats and bad fats, which ones are stable and which ones go rancid.
Saturated fats do not cause modern diseases. Here are some benefits:
* help cell membranes function properly
* play a vital role in the health of bones. Helps calcium be incorporated into skeletal structures.
* lowers Lp(a) -substance in blood that indicates proneness to heart disease
* protects liver from toxins
* enhances the immune system
* is needed for the body to properly utilize essential fatty acids
* the heart draws on a reserve of fat in times of stress. The fat around the heart is highly saturated.
* protects against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.
Saturated fats DO NOT cause artery clogging heart disease. Artery clogs are only 26% saturated fats.
There is no research to support that butter causes chronic high cholesterol. Margarine, on the other hand produces chronic high cholesterol, and is linked with heart disease and cancer. It is produced from rancid vegetable oils. Butter is the best source of fat soluble vitamins A, D, K, E. However, it should come from grass fed cows.
Myth: Heart disease in America is caused by consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat from animal products.
Truth: During the period of rapid increase in heart disease (1920-1960), American consumption of animal fats declined but consumption of hydrogenated and industrially processed vegetable oils increased dramatically. (USDA-HN1)
What have we done? I only use butter. I purchase butter from grass fed cows when I can afford it. It is quite expensive. We do not use margarine at all! My children and myself use only whole milk. My husband is still a fan of 2%, but it is better than skim. Skim milk is terrible for you. Of course he loves whole milk in his ice cream. :) I do not follow a low fat diet, but a healthy fat diet.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Coconut oil
Wow! It's been a while since I have actually had time to sit down and read for my blog. We have all been sick, out of town, and personally my doctor's appointments are getting more frequent. On top of that we are nearly 4 weeks away from the delivery of our new addition, so my energy is somewhat lacking. I'm back on track for a little while, at least.
I am going to take a just a few minutes to discuss some benefits of coconut oil and then include some links for you to read further.
Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I will discuss saturated fat in another entry. In the early 1900's most fats were saturated or monounsaturated. People used fats such as butter, lard, tallow, coconut oil, and small amounts of olive oil. Today we're told to eat polyunsaturated oils (vegetable oils, soy, corn, safflower, canola, etc.) We're also told that 30% of our calories should come from polyunsaturated oils. This is way too high. I will also discuss this in a later entry. It should be more like 4%. We we eat too much polyunsaturated oils it leads to an increase in health problems such as cancer, heart disease, immune system disorders, and many more. You can read Nourishing Traditions for more information on polyunsaturated oils and health related issues.
Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is also found in mother's milk and used in baby formulas. Lauric acid has strong anti fungal and antimicrobial properties. Coconut oil can be kept at room temperature without going rancid. It's great for baking.
JAMA 1967 202:1119-1123; Am J Clin Nutr 1981 34: 1552
Myth: Coconut Oil Causes Heart Disease
Truth: When coconut oil was fed as 7% of energy to patients recovering from heart attacks, the patients had greater improvement compared to untreated controls and no difference compared to patients treated with corn or safflower oils. Populations that consume coconut oil have low rates of heart disease. Coconut oil may also be one of the most useful oils to prevent heart disease because of its antiviral and antimicrobial characteristics.
Coconut Oil: Why Its Good for You, Lita Lee, PhD
People who live in tropical climates who have a diet high in coconut oil are healthier, have less heart disease, cancer, and colon problems. Coconut oil is stable. For example, unsaturated oils become rancid in a few hours.They also deplete vitamin E from your body. Coconut oil, even after 1 year at room temperature does not become rancid. Coconut oil is also shown to lower cholesterol (Blackburn et al 1988, Ahrens and colleagues, 1957). Another benefit is that it stimulates thyroid function. These are just a few benefits mentioned in this article.
Weston A Price also has a number of articles dealing with the health benefits of coconut oil. I will include those links at the bottom. When cooking, I typically only use olive oil, coconut oil, and butter. You should not heat olive oil to extreme temperatures as it becomes rancid and releases free radicals. I use it mainly for homemade salad dressings. We don't really fry things in our home, but if I have to brown something, I use butter. I like to bake with coconut oil because of it's rich flavor. It's also great in smoothies.
Coconut oils is becoming more widely available in stores, but it is often cheaper at Tropical Traditions. Our co-op orders from there, so it saves even a little more. I definitely recommend that you check out some more information about coconut oil and experiment with it in your cooking. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised.
More resources here and here and here.
I am going to take a just a few minutes to discuss some benefits of coconut oil and then include some links for you to read further.
Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I will discuss saturated fat in another entry. In the early 1900's most fats were saturated or monounsaturated. People used fats such as butter, lard, tallow, coconut oil, and small amounts of olive oil. Today we're told to eat polyunsaturated oils (vegetable oils, soy, corn, safflower, canola, etc.) We're also told that 30% of our calories should come from polyunsaturated oils. This is way too high. I will also discuss this in a later entry. It should be more like 4%. We we eat too much polyunsaturated oils it leads to an increase in health problems such as cancer, heart disease, immune system disorders, and many more. You can read Nourishing Traditions for more information on polyunsaturated oils and health related issues.
Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is also found in mother's milk and used in baby formulas. Lauric acid has strong anti fungal and antimicrobial properties. Coconut oil can be kept at room temperature without going rancid. It's great for baking.
JAMA 1967 202:1119-1123; Am J Clin Nutr 1981 34: 1552
Myth: Coconut Oil Causes Heart Disease
Truth: When coconut oil was fed as 7% of energy to patients recovering from heart attacks, the patients had greater improvement compared to untreated controls and no difference compared to patients treated with corn or safflower oils. Populations that consume coconut oil have low rates of heart disease. Coconut oil may also be one of the most useful oils to prevent heart disease because of its antiviral and antimicrobial characteristics.
Coconut Oil: Why Its Good for You, Lita Lee, PhD
People who live in tropical climates who have a diet high in coconut oil are healthier, have less heart disease, cancer, and colon problems. Coconut oil is stable. For example, unsaturated oils become rancid in a few hours.They also deplete vitamin E from your body. Coconut oil, even after 1 year at room temperature does not become rancid. Coconut oil is also shown to lower cholesterol (Blackburn et al 1988, Ahrens and colleagues, 1957). Another benefit is that it stimulates thyroid function. These are just a few benefits mentioned in this article.
Weston A Price also has a number of articles dealing with the health benefits of coconut oil. I will include those links at the bottom. When cooking, I typically only use olive oil, coconut oil, and butter. You should not heat olive oil to extreme temperatures as it becomes rancid and releases free radicals. I use it mainly for homemade salad dressings. We don't really fry things in our home, but if I have to brown something, I use butter. I like to bake with coconut oil because of it's rich flavor. It's also great in smoothies.
Coconut oils is becoming more widely available in stores, but it is often cheaper at Tropical Traditions. Our co-op orders from there, so it saves even a little more. I definitely recommend that you check out some more information about coconut oil and experiment with it in your cooking. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised.
More resources here and here and here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)