Food Glorious Food

For those of you who love to garden (or aspire to) - raise your hands.
Gardening can take many forms. I started small; growing herbs in my window and throwing the odd seed in a pot when I lived in shared housing back in my college days.
I had little to be responsible for back then (compared to my days now as a mother). And I had something to watch grow. My education was less tangible it seemed, i guess ;)
This year I've planted my biggest edible garden yet. I feel so fortunate to have the space and the time (albeit not a lot!) Rather than have the token tomatoes, cucumbers, peas and beans and various herbs that I had last year, I have decided to go big.
This Summer I want to feed my family from the garden. I can always share any extras, right?
Then, my plan is to start making my move toward expanding into the fall and winter months and learn ways to extend the season. I've been learning much  from others who have been doing this for years. It's just about having a little know-how and taking the plunge. And making the best use of the space you have.

It's got to be one of the most gratifying things an individual can do - to grow your own food.  Not only is the process exhilarating - watching those tiny seed pods burst forth into seedling and then mature plants (all from a tiny seed!) - but the finished product pretty much blows your mind. Well, when things turn out, that is. There are never any guarantees with gardening but the risk of course is part of the excitement.

I lately been rather enthralled with the many ideas on the internet exploring vertical gardening. The ideas seem endless and so ingenious. It seems that folks want to grow wherever they are and no matter their space restrictions.  Good on them, I say!
I think that we all need to reconnect with our foods sources. So even if you live in a wee little north facing apartment with a black thumb. There is hope. You can grow - somehow.

Here's some links to get you started:http://www.windowfarms.org/
http://www.facebook.com/willemvancotthem
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/roof-wall-gardens-videos.html

Happy growing to you...

To Soak or Not To Soak

Have you ever noticed anyone soaking their beans for several hours before cooking them? Or perhaps fermenting their flour into sourdough?


Phytic Acid and other ‘anti-nutrients’ present in grains, beans and nuts…

Looking back in history, traditional peoples from all around the world were fermenting, soaking, or sprouting their grains, legumes and nuts/seeds. They somehow inherently knew that these foods required these techniques to break down ‘anti-nutrients’, such as phytic acid, creating better mineral absorption and other nutrient content as well increasing enzymes. It also creates a more alkaline product (we all seem to need more alkalinity these days!)

It’s amazing how traditional wisdom can be so easily overlooked! And our modern fast-paced diets, without these principles, are taking a toll on our health with a huge increase in food allergies, digestive/intestinal problems, immune deficiencies, etc.

Science now shows:

• Phytic acid present in most grain and beans and nuts and seeds binds with calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron (rendering these nutrients almost impossible to absorb). Soaking them will neutralise the phytic acid and allow for optimal absorption of these critical nutrients.

• ‘Enzyme inhibitors’ are also neutralised with soaking, not only increasing vitamin content, but dramatically increasing enzyme content.

• Gluten and other hard to digest proteins are broken down, making for easy digestion. *Rye, Barley, Wheat, Kamut and Spelt and most oat products contain gluten.

Using this technique:

• Soak grains at least 7 hours before use, ideally in an acidic medium (e.g. a dash of apple cider vinegar, a squeeze of lemon or tsp. of yogourt) or just water.

• Buy or make whole grain sourdough breads, as they have undergone full fermentation of the dough. *Yeast fermentation does not do the same.

• Ingesting sprouted grains and legumes:

o Immerse in grain/legume in jar about 1/3 full

o Fill with water to top overnight

o Pour off water, store away from direct light

o Rinse out with water twice a day until ¼ inch sprouts appear (1 to 4 days depending on type)

> Can be used in soups, eaten raw or mashed into dough to make bread.

• Soak nuts overnight, drain and then place in oven on lowest possible setting (pilot light for gas or 150 F electric) or, even better, a dehydrator to dry out (up to 12+ hours) for longer storage, better crunch and taste.

Oxalic Acid

This is found primarily in leafy green vegetables such as chard, spinach, beet greens, mustard greens. It binds with calcium and iron and inhibits their absorption. Lightly steaming is enough to neutralize the oxalic acid found within.

Summary

So, please do your best to get into the habit of at least soaking to ensure better absorption for you and your loved ones. Eventually almost everyone will have problems over time without this vital step in the kitchen.
Don’t rely on commercial kitchens/restaurants/delis to 'prepare' their grains/legumes/nuts & seeds. Some do it, but most don’t, as it takes more planning and many are just plain unaware of the importance of it (just as many of us were). Unfortunately, it seems to no longer be a piece of wisdom we naturally inherit from our parents. Times have changed, and we are undoubtedly evolving, but we cannot evolve as fast as our food has been in the past century. We need to take a step back, for the sake of our health and that of our children’s, and realize that some customs are not meant to be ‘lost in translation’.