Posts Tagged ‘recipe’

The Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobiotic

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics by Jessica Porter

For those of you unfamiliar with the Kushi Institute’s “Way To Health Program”, It is a weeklong immersion into macrobiotics where on average 12 people arrive at the Kushi Institute Sunday evening, with many having very serious health problems, and often only a spattering of macrobiotic knowledge. When they leave the following Saturday, they are to have learned enough to begin a successful practice of macrobiotics. A pretty tall order to pull off, right? Jessica was the manager of this program for two years, she knows what essential information must be conveyed to the beginning person to macrobiotics, and she does it in a very interesting and at the same time witty manner. She goes far beyond the essentials, sure there are many books out there that cover the basic concept of yin and yang, but there are far fewer that attempt to tackle the teaching of the Twelve Laws of Change of the Infinite Universe. Jessica shows us the 12 laws at work in her own life, so hopefully we can more easily apply them to our own. With these passages, Jessica is transformed from mere author to the heroine of the book, and in the process without our realizing, she has succeed in teaching us what would regularly be some very difficult material to grasp.

Jessica includes a very large section of recipes in her book, besides including probably every dish a beginner would want to have in their recipe repertoire, like nishime, nabe, and kinpira, there is also huge amount of recipes that long term macros probably have not seen elsewhere. I personally have made the Amaranth and Apricots recipe and was quite pleased to find such a unique recipe. There are many more that I can’t wait to try out like mock tuna, or Black-Eyed Pea Croquettes, hambulghur helper, or peanut butter cups from the extensive dessert section. This is definitely not a situation where you buy a new book, and are soon disappointed to find that it really just has 1 or 2 truly useful recipes to use that you already did not have from somewhere else. I do not think I have never seen anywhere else Jessica’s recipe for sourdough bread, which interestingly enough is steamed rather than baked, as baking is something one wants to try to minimize when possible.

Maybe the nicest thing about this book is that it is so contemporary. Yes there are some very nice macrobiotic cookbooks out there, but sadly many of them are from the late eighties, and early nineties when I first began my practice of macrobiotics. There are so many new issues that have appeared on the horizon since then, like genetically modified foods, newer sweeteners like stevia and sugar cane, low carb diets, or many of the new highly processed “convenience health foods” now on the market, Jessica addresses them all, plus gives frank information on timeless ones like dairy, meat, chicken, nightshade vegetables, alcohol and much more.

Finally there is a great chapter entitled Beyond Diet, a handy glossary, and a very comprehensive resources section including macrobiotic counselors, places to study, mail order resources to buy food, and a great selection of web sites to check out. All in all, this is a great book for both the beginner, and those of you that are long time macros. Probably the best advice that Jessica offers to someone that is just easing into macrobiotic cooking is. “Maybe there is no garnish for the soup. Perhaps you never made it to the seaweed dish. Who cares? It doesn’t matter. The Macro Police are over at Madonna’s house.” This in a nut shell sums up the overriding philosophy of the book, provide comprehensive information about macrobiotics, but never make it dull or boring.

Heralded by New York magazine as one of the city’s most popular diets, macrobiotics has become the latest trend in dieting, thanks to high-profile supporters like Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Speaking to the generation of young women looking to extend their healthy lifestyles beyond yoga and Pilates, macrobiotic chef and instructor Jessica Porter offers fresh, contemporary, and accessible insight into one of the world’s oldest, yet most popular, diets. She explains that by eating good quality whole foods, any woman can experience physical, sensory, emotional, and intellectual freedom.

The effects of eating a macrobiotic diet can extend beyond basic health to weight loss, beauty, better sex, and peace of mind. Cooking tips and recipes are combined with Jessica’s no-nonsense philosophy and witty anecdotes to create a lifestyle book that will inspire women to hit the kitchen with an understanding of how to strengthen their minds and bodies through food.

Author Biography: Jessica Porter is a macrobiotic chef, cooking instructor, and hypnotist. She completed her macrobiotic training at the Kushi Institute in Beckett, Massachusetts. She hosts a weekly radio show in Portland, Maine, has written and appeared in her own one-woman show, Zen Comedy, and has been featured in Simon Doonan’s recent book, Wacky Chicks: Life Lessons from Fearlessly Inappropriate and Fabulously Eccentric Women.
Paperback: 289 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.80 x 9.16 x 7.48
Publisher: Avery Publishing Group; (September 9, 2004)
ISBN: 1583332057

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Natural sourdough bread baking

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

Baking recipe method for 2 loaves of Sourdough Bread

Recipe quantities:
1300 g freshly milled Wheat flour
400 g sourdough (starter)
20-22 g white sea salt
500-600 ml spring water

1. Mix sourdough with half of the water.
2. Add this mixture to the dry flour, together with remaining water until no dry particles are left.
3. Now add the salt and fold the flour over a couple of times, do not knead, don’t try to form a dough yet!
4. Allow this mix to rest 20-30 min., then with moist hands knead the flour for a few minutes until a dough forms.
5. Now let the dough rest about 60 minutes.
6. Knead again for a few minutes (add no more dry flour), use wet hands and a moist working surface. Then cur the dough in half, roll in flour, and place in oiled baking tins.
7. Leave the loaves to rise at no less than 22 *C room temperature. They should be ready to bake in no more than 6-7 hours, otherwise you will have sour tasting bread.
8. When the dough has about doubled in size or risen to the level of the baking tins they are ready to bake.
Place in a fully heated oven (250 *C) for 10 min.
Then lower the temperature to around 200 *C for another 50 minutes.
9. Now take the bread out of the oven, remove the tins and bake the bread a further 10 min. at a 140 *C.
10. Let the bread cool down on a wire rack, it’s best to wait 12 hours before eating the bread. Store the bread in paper bags.

Common problems

Bread takes too long to rise or not at all
It is important to have a very healthy sourdough starter - always use fresh flour to feed the sourdough and good clean water. Store sourdough in a clean glass jar in the refridgerator. Feed sourdough more often.

Baked loaves have burst or broken open
Probably placed in the oven too soon.
Uneven fermentation, salt added or absorbed too early.

After a few days sourdough bread drys out and lends itself very well to steaming. Cut the bread in slices, soak briefly in water and steam in a pot.

A Short Primer on Natural Leaven Baking

Baking by Principle

The aim of bread baking is to allow the various nutrients obtained from fresh-milled whole grain flour to increase, be better absorbed and thus become nutritionally more beneficial. To do this effectively, life’s laws must be respected through all of the transformations of grain into flour into the fermented dough and through the oven heat (dextrinization, caramelization) that perfects the loaf. It is important for the baking to duplicate the changes that the grain goes through: Germination, growth and maturity.

Yeast versus Natural Leaven

In books on baking and even in nutritional/medical writings, the two techniques: Natural Leaven (sourdough) and baker’s yeast are often mingled and confounded. We will clear up this confusion first then give you the simple detailed instructions that will enable you to bake with this almost forgotten method.
Baking with natural leaven is in harmony with nature and maintains the integrity and nutrition of the cereal grain used, rye, wheat or other .i.e. The process helps to increase and reinforce our body’s absorption of the cereal’s nutrients. Unlike yeasted bread that diminishes, even destroys much of the grain’s nutritional value, naturally leavened bread does not stale and, as it ages, maintains its original moisture much longer. A lot of that information was known pragmatically for centuries and thus, when yeast was first introduced (in France, at the court of Louis XIV in March 1668); because at that time the scientists already knew that the use of yeast would imperil the people’s health, it was strongly rejected. Today, yeast is used almost universally, without any testing, and the recent scientific evidence and clinical findings are confirming the ancient taboos with biochemical and bio-electronic valid proofs that wholly support that age-old common sense decision. For these reasons and for the health of everyone concerned, it is advisable not to bake nor to consume yeasted products.

Starter Leaven

Definition
A starter is a leavening agent that has been obtained by attracting into a raw barm (a mixture of flour and water) a broad spectrum of beneficial wild biological ferments, micro-alginic molds and digestive enzymes. These micro-organisms come from nature’s ferments that abound in the air. This multi-macro flora is made up of a multitude of micro-organisms in symbiosis - a mutually beneficial association - all contributing by their micro-algae structure to the health of the human digestive system and to its beneficial flora.

Primary Function
The starter serves to change the raw elements of wheat and other cereal grains into readily assimilated nutrients, more easily absorbed by the body.

Auxiliary Role
The combined action of the wild ferments and enzymes maintained within the starter added to the active enzymes existing in the fresh ground whole flour are creating carbon dioxide, alcohol and energy that will aerate and leaven the bread harmoniously.

Bonus Benefits
Among the multitude of elements present within the leaven starter bread, some serve to insure the bread’s keeping qualities while others serve to improve its taste during the baking and also during maturing (just like wine and beer improve with ageing).

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Macrobiotic way introduction

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

Macrobiotic way - introduction to macrobiotic diet

Book of Michio Kushi - Macrobiotic Way is book about fundamentals of macrobiotic containing recipes for beginners.

Michio Kushi - Macrobiotic way
Introduction
In accordance to the need to change somewhat dietary regimen of my family, I have stumbled upon book of Michio Kushi - Macrobiotic Way, in the store with healthy foods. After buying it I have readen it in one breath.

Basic thought of macrobiotic
First third of book is dedicated to the basic concepts and their explanation in accordance to macrobiotic. After reading this section helped me as the basic knowledge. In this part of book are also bring out people’s stories, that by changing of diet solved or improved their health problems. Macrobiotic is not only the way of food processing and consuming but also method of thinking, so these narratives are very useful here. For these that seek only new way of eating in macrobiotic, is this part of book unnecessary pithy.

Practical part - macrobiotic cookbook
Second part of book is most interesting, it’s devoted to macrobiotic kitchen and additionally describes working tools, methods, processes and materials in macrobiotic. Following 60 pages recipes with uncomplicated recipes for beginners. Macrobiotic don’t use animal milk and products, which is good advantage for these, that have non-milk diet, but for other diets it means choosing suitable recipes or appropriate materials for cooking.

Conclusion - using of macrobiotic
In the end of book are described individual products and their use for purpose of nutrition, so for medical purposes. After reading this book I have visited health food store, where I have found some of these mentioned products. I would suggest to beginners to go shopping with summary of products written on the small paper. This book seems to me like appropriate tool for microbiotic beginners.

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Children’s lunch programs

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

CHILDREN’S LUNCH PROGRAMS
Several school systems around the United States have introduced brown rice, tofu, and more healthful foods, but as a rule school lunches are still high in fat and cholesterol, dairy, sugar, and highly processed foods.

• Soy Approved for School Lunch Programs - In 1983 the U.S.D.A. approved the use of soy products and other vegetable protein products as partial substitutes for meats in school lunch and some other feeding programs, noting:
• Soy products were comparable with milk in protein quality for preschool and older children.
• Except for premature infants, soy protein can serve as a sole protein source in the human diet.
• Soy foods are high in protease inhibitors that inhibit the action of various enzymes that have been associated with causing cancer.
• Soy formulas are lactose free and may benefit infants and small children who are sensitive to cow-milk protein which can cause diarrhea, emesis, vomiting, and weight loss.
• Soy products can reduce cholesterol and triglycerides in subjects with high lipid levels and protect against heart disease.
• Soy foods are useful in decreasing blood glucose responses compared with other high-fiber foods and may prevent diabetes.
“One desirable way to alter typical American diet patterns to meet the above [National Academy of Science, WHO, USDA] dietary recommendations involves partial replacement of foods of animal origin with cereals and legumes… “Although at the present time soy protein makes up only a small component of the American diet, it is expected that the many positive aspects of soy will result in increasingly greater human use of this legume. A whole variety of low-cost, highly functional soy-protein products are available for use.”
Source: John W. Erdman, Jr. and Elizabeth J. Fordyce, “Soy Products and the Human Diet,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 49:725-37, 1989.

• Natural Foods in School Cafeterias - The Food Studies Institute in Trumansburg, N.Y., initiates programs in school cafeterias to teach children natural foods cooking and the value of wholesome nutritious foods from around the world. Organizer Antonia Demas reports that children who have a “hands-on sensory experience” of cooking brown rice, lentils, and other healthful foods together “eat things their parents swear they’d never touch.” Her curriculum has been adopted by several schools across the country. For Martin Luther King Day, children made a Soul Stew with black-eyed peas, corn, and kale, after sampling eight different greens. “The rest of the year, I kept hearing from parents that their kids were begging them to buy dandelion greens,” Dr. Demas said.
Source: Karen Baar, “School Lunches: When They Love Even the Greens, New York Times, Sept. 3, 1997 and The Food Studies Institute, 60 Cayuga St., Trumansburg NY 14886; (607) 387-6884.

• The Healthy School Lunch Program - The Healthy School Lunch Program is a network of volunteers around the country which meets with students, teachers, and food service personnel, providing them with information on healthful foods, offering recipes, and assisting in meal preparation. Part of John Robbin’s EarthSave Foundation, the project publishes Healthy School Lunch Action Guide by Susan Campbell and Todd Winant , offering a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to changing school lunch programs in local communities.
Source: The Healthy School Lunch Program, EarthSave, 706 Frederick St., Santa Cruz CA 95062; (408) 423-4069.

• Nutritional Curriculum for Junior High Students - The Rite Bite is a nutritional curriculum designed for junior high students to examine their own lifestyles and learn about vegetarian and natural foods. The 141-page notebook includes teacher lesson guides, background information, and posters, as well as handouts, activities, and fix-at-school recipes for six fun, informative sessions.
Source: The Rite Bite, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, 5100 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 404, Washington, DC 20016; (202) 686-2210.

• Preschoolers Like Tofu - In tests of the acceptability of tofu in the lunch menus of preschoolers, analysis showed that the nutritional quality of the nine tofu recipes adhered more closely to dietary guidelines than the beef, chicken, eggs, and cheese originally served. The children accepted the tofu well, preferring it to dairy and meat in several dishes including macaroni and cheese, lasagna, tuna casserole, and quiche.
Source: H. L. Ashraf et al., , “Use of Tofu in Preschool Meals,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 90:114-16, 1990.

• College Students Respond to Tofu - When tofu replaced meat, eggs, and dairy food as the main protein source in twelve recipes in a college cafeteria, researchers found that it increased nutrition and was well accepted by the students. The only two recipes found lacking were those for tofu nuggets, which had a poor texture, and tofu chocolate mint pie. In the latter recipe, students disliked not the tofu but the mint flavoring.
Source: H. L. Ashraf and D. Luczycki, “Acceptability of Tofu-Containing Foods among College Students,” Journal of Nutrition Education 22:137-40, 1990.

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Homemade natto recipe

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

How to make homemade natto? How to make natto at home? Nato home making recipe.

Natto-Moto, or Natto Spores are the key starter in making Japanese fresh natto. Use these essentials to make your own delicious, natural Japanese culinary treats at home!

Ingredients: Japanese natural natto starter spores (powder) nattomoto. Sold with full English Instructions.

Mitoku Japanese Takahashi nattomoto (Translated from Japanese
(Natto Spores Powder & Spoon)
10 Step Instructions for Making Homemade Natto

Utensils Needed:
Soybeans 2.2 lb. (1 Kg.)
Sterilized Water 10 ml (Boil water for 5-10 minutes)
One spoonful of Nattomoto powder (0.1g) - Please note: 1special measuring spoon is provided in every box
Sterilized Cheese Cloth (small mesh)
Sterilized Pot
Sterilized Stainless steel Large Spoon
3-4 Sterilized ovenproof Glass Containers with lids
Instructions:
Wash the soybeans and soak for 9 hours (Summer) to 12 hours (Winter).
Drain and boil the soybeans for 9 hours on the stove (or use a pressure cooker)* until thesoybeans are soft enough to easily break with your fingers.*If you use the pressure cooker, please follow the directions that came with it.
Drain and place the beans in a sterilized pot.
Dissolve one special spoonful of Nattomoto (0.1g) in the sterilized water 10 ml
Pour Nattomoto solution immediately over the beans and stir them carefully with asterilized stainless steel spoon.(Beans should still be still warm.)
Divide the bean mixture in 3-4 shallow glass containers. Do not put a lot of beans in 1 container, asthey should be a thin layer. Be extra careful not to spill any bean mixture.Discard any mixture that is spilled as it should NOT be added back to the containers.
Put sterilized cheese cloth on the container and cover with a tight fitting lid.
Preheat the oven or a Japanese Warmer (KOTATSU) to 100РF (38РC).
Place the covered containers in a 100ц (38РC) to 103ц (40у) oven or warmer.Let the natto ferment for 22 to 24 hours.
Remove from the oven (or warmer), remove the lid (keep the cloth inplace) and put it into the refrigerator for one night. The next morning the natto is ready!

Caution!!

For optimal results:

The entire process should be as sterile as possible. Every cooking utensil must be sterilized by boil

each instrument 5-10 minutes prior to making natto.

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