Almond Coconut Porridge

Almond Coconut Porridge

This is a great creamy, nutty porridge. 

1/2 cup almonds, soaked

1 apple, chopped

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/2-3/4 cup almond milk

2 tbs maple syrup or agave syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Fruit, Goji Berries, to taste

In a food processor, pulse the soaked almonds with the other ingredients, leaving some texture.

AGAVE NECTAR: THE SWEET DETAILS

AGAVE NECTAR: THE SWEET DETAILS

Recently, we've noticed the conversation about agave nectar's health benefits has become more divided and vocal. We often use agave nectar in our favorite raw dessert recipes.

· Agave nectar comes from the pina (heart) of the Agave plant and starts out with a much more dense, fibrous consistency.

· The process of creating agave nectar involves 3 main steps (all remaining below 118 degrees fahrenheit):
1.     Shredding and crushing the pina. In this step, the pina is carefully broken down, then flushed with warm water and pressed to extract a light brown juice. All unused pulp is then composted in the facility she visited.

   2.     Filtering. The juice from the first step is poured into tanks with heating coils. The coils provide increased surface area and even heat distribution. This low temperature warming breaks down the juice into fructose through hydrolysis (think dehydration) and takes approximately 34 hours (cooked agave only takes 8 hours).

   3.     Evaporation. This is the fastest step of the process, where the juice is put into a pressure tunnel and the water is evaporated out within a vacuum to ensure that the temperature does not exceed 118 degrees. The extracted water is then recycled back to the first step of the process. This only takes a few seconds.

· The processes to create agave nectar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), although they may appear similar on the surface, are extremely different, with agave nectar using nothing more than the plant, water and time to achieve the end result.

· Choosing your agave nectar is very important. Make sure that it is truly raw, additive free and monitored for temperature throughout the production process.

· The color of agave nectar is in large part due to the filtering process and the particles that make it through. While temperature and time will increase the dark amber hues, the particles have the largest impact on color (and taste).

· Agave nectar is a low-glycemic sweetener unlike other artificially produced sugar substitutes and does not have any aftertaste like other sweeteners, including stevia.

· While agave does have a low-glycemic index, it has a higher fructose content (around 90%). However, the fructose in agave nectar is not "free" fructose like in HFCS, which can be much more damaging. It's also important to remember that almost every fruit and vegetable in existence contains fructose.

The key to agave nectar, as with any sugar/sweetener, is moderation and doing what you feel is best for you. We hope this helps explain all the conversation around agave. 

FDA has not approved these statements. This report is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

10 Scariest Food Additives

The problem with additives runsdeep. The FDA currently maintains a list of ingredients calledEverything Added to Food in the United States(EAFUS), which features more than 3,000 items and counting. Thankfully, mostEAFUS ingredients are benign, but a few of them do havepotentially harmful effects. Why they're legal is a mystery to us. Some of them might be backed by powerful lobby groups, while others probably survive simply because some guy at the FDA has too much paperwork on hisdesk and hasn't made time to adequately review the data.

Scary Ingredient #1: Olestra

A fat substitute synthesized by Procter & Gamble. Because human digestive enzymes can't break down the big molecules, Olestra contributes 0 calories to your diet.

Why it’s scary: In the late ’90s, Frito-Lay released Olestra-enhanced WOW chips and Procter & Gamble introduced Fat Free Pringles. Both products were required to carry warning labels to notify customers about the risk of "loose stools." Within 4 years, some 15,000 people had dialed in to a hotline set up specifically to handle adverse-reaction complaints. Apparently the complaints didn't move the FDA, because in 2003, the administration revoked the warning-label mandate. If you want to take your chances with diarrhea, go ahead, but first consider this: Olestra

also appears to interfere with the body's ability to absorb some crucial nutrients like beta-carotene and lycopene. To counteract the effect, processers add some nutrients back, but it's unlikely that all the blocked nutrients are adequetly replaced.

Where you’ll find it: Lay’s Light chips, Pringles Light chips, etc.

Scary Ingredient #2: Caramel Coloring

An artificial pigment created by heating sugars. Frequently, this process includes ammonia.

Why it’s scary: Caramel coloring shows up in everything from soft drinks and sauces to breads and pastries. When made from straight sugar, it's relatively benign. But when produced with ammonia it puts off 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, chemicals that have been linked to cancer in mice. The risk is strong enough that the California

government, a bellwether for better food regulation, categorized 4-methylimidazole as “known to cause cancer” earlier this year. Unfortunately, companies aren't required to disclose whether their coloring is made with ammonia, so you'd be wise to avoid it as much as you can.

Where you'll find it: Colas and other soft drinks, La Choy soy sauce, Stove Top stuffing mix, etc.

Scary Ingredient #3: Saccharin

An artificial sweetener discovered by accident in the 1870s.

Why it’s scary: Studies have linked saccharin to bladder tumors in rats, and in 1977, the FDA required warning labels on all saccharin-containing foods. In 2000, the agency changed its stance and allowed saccharin to be sol

d without warning labels. But that doesn't make it entirely safe. A 2008 Purdue study found that replacing sugar with saccharin in rats’ diets made them gain more weight, proving once again that you should be aware of these faux fat foes.

Where you'll find it: Sweet ‘N Low, TaB cola etc.

Scary Ingredient #4: Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated

Hydroxytoluene (BHT)

Petroleum-derived antioxidants and preservatives.

Why they're scary: The Department of Health and Human Services says BHA is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen," yet the FDA allows it to be used anyway. BHT is considered less dangerous, but in animal research, it too has resulted in cancer. Oddly, the chemicals aren’t even always necessary; in most cases they can be replaced with vitamin E.

Where you'll find it: Goya lard, Golden Grahams, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Orbit gum, etc.

Scary Ingredient #5: Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

A semi-solid fat created when food processors force hydrogen into unsaturated fatty acids.

Why it's scary: Partially hydrogenated fats are the principle sources of trans fat in the American diet, and a Harvard study estimated that trans fat causes 70,000 heart attacks every year. The good news: Partially hydrogenated oils are beginning to slowly retreat from our food. Progressive jurisdictions like New York City are starting to restrict the allowable amounts in restaurants, and many chains are switching to healthier frying oil. Still,

the battle isn’t over. At Long John Silver’s, for example, there are still 17 menu items with more than 2 grams of the stuff. According to the American Heart Association, that's about the maximum you should consume in a single day.

Where you'll find it: McDonald’s McChicken, Long John Silver’s Broccoli Cheese Soup, etc.

Scary Ingredient #6: Sulfites

Preservatives that maintain the color of food, and by releasing sulfur dioxide, prevent bacterial growth.
Why it's scary: Humans have used sulfites to keep food fresh for thousands of years, but some people—especially asthma sufferers—experience breathing difficulties when exposed. In the 1980s, unregulated use resulted in at least a dozen deaths, prompting the FDA to slap warning labels on wine bottles and develop new guidelines for proper use. Now restaurants can no longer soak fresh ingredients in sulfites. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, there have been no known deaths since the new legislation took hold. The bottom line: If you're among the majority of people not sensitive to sulfites, consumption won’t hurt you. If you're not sure, ask your doctor for a test.

Where you'll find it: Wine, Sun-Maid Mixed Fruit, Jolly Ranchers, Fig Newtons, etc.

Scary Ingredient #7: Azodicarbonamide

A synthetic yellow-orange dough conditioner

Why it's scary: This chemical is used most frequently in the production of industrial foam plastic, and although the FDA has approved its use for food in the States, the United Kingdom has labeled it a potential cause of asthma. In a review of 47 studies on azodicarbonamide, the World Health Organization concluded that it probably does trigger asthmatic symptoms. The WHO concluded, “exposure levels should be reduced as much as possible.” I’ll put it more concisely: Avoid it.

Where you'll find it: Dunkin’ Donuts bagels, McDonald’s burger buns, etc.

Scary Ingredient #8: Ammonium Sulfate

An inorganic salt that occurs naturally near active volcanoes and is used commercially to nourish yeast and help bread rise.

Why it's scary: This nitrogen-rich compound is most often used as fertilizer, and also appears commonly in flame retardants. Thankfully, the ingredient only sounds scary—a 2006 Japanese rat study found the additive to be non-carcinogenic. Both the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the FDA deem it safe.
Where you'll find it: Nature’s Own bread, Subway rolls, etc

Scary Ingredient #9: Aspartame

A zero-calorie artificial sweetener made by combing two amino acids with methanol. Most commonly used in diet

soda, aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar.

Why it’s scary: Over the past 30 years, the FDA has received thousands of consumer complaints due mostly to neurological symptoms such as headaches dizziness, memory loss, and, in rare cases, epileptic seizures. Many studies have shown the sweetener to be completely harmless, while other have linked the additive to cancer. A 2006 Italian study found that rats fed high daily doses of aspartame—the equivalent of nearly 3 liters for a 150-pound human—experienced higher levels of lymphomas, leukemia, and other types of cancer. Still, after reviewing the study, the FDA concluded that the results weren’t strong enough to warrant the confectionary chemical’s

removal from the market.

Where you’ll find it: Nutra-Sweet, Equal, Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, etc.

Scary Ingredient #10: Blue #2

An artificial dye used to color food. It can be used alone or mixed with other dyes, and the goal is typically to

suggest the appearance of natural food.

Why it’s scary: A study published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest showed that the ingestion of Blue #2 led to increases in tumor development in the brain and mammary glands in lab rats. The FDA dismissed these findings, citing a variety of nebulous weaknesses in the study’s methods. The bottom line: whether or not artificial dyes are harmful, the foods they appear in are the most heavily processed, nutritionally bankrupt foods in the supermarket.

Where you’ll find it: Fruit Loops, Skittles, Betty Crocker Rainbow Chip frosting, etc

Food Miles Video

Video artist Molly Schwartz traces how far food travels from field to fork.

Tropical Green Smoothie

Tropical Green Smoothie

What You Need:

1 banana, peeled and sliced (frozen or fresh)

1/2 Cup pineapple chunks (frozen or fresh)

1/2 Cup Mango (frozen or fresh)

1-1/2 cups of spinach leaves or any green

16.4 OZ. (485 ml) of Coconut water plus Coconut pulp optional

How to Make It:

Place the banana, pineapple, mango and spinach together in the blender.

Pour in the coconut water.

Cover and blend on high until smooth.

*If using all fresh fruit, you may want to add some ice

Getting 3 fruits and your spinach in with this one delicious drink can’t get any easier!

Cucumber Delight!

Cucumber Delight!

1 cucumber

1 small onion or 1 scallion (green onion)

1 avocado

salt and paper (papaya)

Peel the cucumber and cut in half. Using a spoon or scoop, scrape out the seed cavity and some of the flesh. Keep what has been scraped out and chop finely. To that, add one

chopped avocado and one finely minced onion. Mix together and use this to fill the cucumber.

add salt and paper to taste.

Place cucumber on top of greens.

Dressing

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons agave

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Papaya Pepper

papaya seeds from 1 papaya

Take seeds from your papaya. Rinse them.

Dry in a dehydrator.

Use just like peppercorns in a pepper mill or grind in a mortar and pestle. O yeah, enjoy the papaya fruit!

Raw Apple Crisp

Raw Apple Crisp

Serves 8

A simple mixture of nuts, raisins and spices makes a delicious topping for Honeycrisp apples.

Ingredients

4 Honeycrisp apples, cored and chopped

1/4 cup orange juice

3/4 cup pecan halves

3/4 cup hazelnuts

3/4 cup raisins or Mulberries

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

Put apples in an 8-inch square baking dish or 2-quart casserole dish. Drizzle with orange juice, toss until the fruit is coated and smooth the top. In a food processor, combine pecans, hazelnuts, raisins, ginger and cinnamon and pulse just until chopped. Spoon the nut mixture over the apple mixture and serve.