Turnip chips

New Years brings new resolutions. Since I'm not one for resolutions, here I stand truckin' on in my same old Grok-ette style, but if you'd like to join me for some Paleo low carb munchie chips then crunch on!  Many thanks to BJ for gifting me with these fresh delicious turnips this past weekend.

I'd never pulled fresh turnips before.  Even on that chilly Sunday morning after viewing her hens and coop setup (yes, all us chicken mommies check out everyone else's coops), we sunk into the sandy mud to pull some gorgeous purple head turnips.  Since I pulled too many (darn efficient harvest hand) some turnip chips sounded good (again, thanks BJ!).  Easy, crunchy and seasoned to your pleasure...  For those embarking upon a low carb diet this new year, keep turnips in the forefront of your mind.  Though most root vegetables are high carb, turnips, celeraic root and cauliflower are great potato substitutes.

 About 1 lb fresh turnips

if desired: sea salt and seasonings of choice: for savory try parsley garlic powder and tamari or cayenne sea salt and curry.  Just plain old extra virgin olive oil, pink salt, and pepper work just fine too though!  

For raw turnips chips: wash and chop off ends.  My hens loved the fresh greens but you can eat them, make turnip green "chips" or discard them- whichever.  Slice very thin and place in dehydrator.  Rotate trays and check about every 4 hours.  I let mine dry overnight since it is chilly in our house.  They are finished when they are crisp.  Store in an airtight container.

Typical vegetable chip method for the dehydrator:

Wash and destem turnips.  Slice very thin and place in boiling water.  Blanch turnip slices; that is, boil for about 2 minutes until purple color is vibrant.  Drain and steep slices in ice water.  Drain again once cool and pat dry.  Salt and season as desired.  Place in dehydrator and dry in 4 hour intervals, checking slices to desired crispness.  Store in an airtight container.

Turnips are relatively low carb with raw turnips being a great source of certain B vitamins like B6 and folate, calcium, and minerals like copper and potassium.  Every bit of natural whole food vitamin source of potassium in particular will help to balance the SAD (standard american diet) bad sodium (processed salt) intake.  Cooked turnips will have more fiber but lose vitamin C and B vitamins if you drain the water.  Luckily blanching retains most of the vitamins so here this is not much of a worry.  Now grab your turnip chips and munch on into the new year!

crunchy turnip glory!

Breathe Easy Herbal Sea Salt Bath Scrub

After a hot day in the yard covered with god knows what (undoubtedly some array of grass trimmings, compost and chicken "charms," and good ole sweat) what I really want is a nice soothing bath.  Preferably one that helps me breathe and eases the contact dermatitis I keep getting from that darn poke weed... or poison ivy, not sure.   Anyways those who know me can vouch for my bath and herbal smelly products habit.  

Herbal scrubs made correctly with good ingredients and essential  oils are incredibly healing, though beware that most commercial scrubs use petroleum based oils (Bath and Body Works for one) and other non desirable chemicals.  More ranting on that later- suffice it to say an herbal bath junkie wants affordable   aromatic and quality scrubs.  I am a big fan of Sunshine scrubs which I order online (no I am not an affiliate, I just like their ingredients), however my bath scrub and essential oil buying habit was starting to plunder the piggybank.  Thus I now make my own and it's so easy and fun anyone can do it (mental glimpses of sundry Geiko commercials here).  

To make a pint wide mouth mason jar of scrub:

wide mouth mason jar with lid

scoop

sea salt, coarse ground for maximal exfoliation or fine ground for more sensitive skin

extra virgin olive oil*

~1/4 c virgin coconut oil, melted (optional- you can use all olive oil if desired)

~1.5 T. cut and dried sage leaf (I used some from my garden)

1 T. dried orange peel granules

1 T. brown sugar (optional)

to smell and preference: essential oils of Eucalyptus, orange, and grapefruit 

*often sweet almond oil, sunflower, safflower and other oils are used as carriers (bases) but I used olive oil since it is cheap and almost everyone has it on hand. 

just add water and skin!

In your glass jar melt the coconut oil and add one part oil to two parts mix of sugar and salt. Add the amount of salt/sugar you desire for the "scrub" feel- anywhere from a few tablespoons to a cup.  Add half that amount of oil, the orange peel (just for more "grit" and orange essence), sage, and essential oils. Mix with a spoon.   That's it! Cancer promoting estrogenic free holistic scrub to soothe your body and soul for cheap!

 

The Romans called sage "herba sacra" and its namesake "salvation" attests to its healing powers.  Sage is useful for skin and oral infections, irritations, can help boost mood and even ease mild depression.  Sage also effectively reduces fatigue without the edginess of a stimulant.  For you Ayurvedic folks out there, it helps balance the pelvic chakra and for us common folk it supports the metabolism.  Sage is antifungal, slightly phytoestrogenic, and antitumorial and is often used to balance the hormones.  

Orange essential oil is a common blending oil and like most of the citrus family oils is composed of 80% to 96% limonene.  The high limonene content contributes the antiturmoral aspect of orange oil, though it is more commonly know for its uplifting, relaxant, and circulatory stimulant qualities.  Orange oil aids with muscle spasms and is a useful tool for both sore muscles and irritable bowel syndrome or dyspepsia.  Citrus oils also contain potent bioflavonoids such as Vitamin P.  Dr. David Jockers recently blogged about a few essential oils for ingestion and skincare, as can be read in his newsletter.

Eucalyptus essential oil contains concentrated eucalyptol and is know for its antimicrobial action in mouth washes like Lysterine, though it is also used in chest vapor rubs and toothpastes due to its expectorant and mucolytic qualities (a potent decongestant).  Eucalyptus oil is antibacterial, antifungal, and antivirual properties to boot.  I know I can finally get a good chest full of air taking a steep in it after a day in the yard.  

Grapefruit seems to be the hot item in beauty products currently with brands like Neutrogena pushing their pink grapefruit facial products for grapefruit's antiseptic and detoxifying aspects.   But thsi ruby gem is not just another delicious (and low glycemic) fruit treat, grapefruit oil itself boasts all the purported metabolism and cleansing actions of the fruit while also acting as a mild antidepressant.  In fact the oils of the whole citrus family are largely composed of limonene which gives grapefruit, lime, orange and bergamot cleansing and uplifting essences.  

Last but not least is coconut oil which is righly nourishing to the skin as well as internal organs.  It is antiviral  antifungal, antibacterial, and high in vitamin E.  The MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) lauric acid, caprilic acid  and myristic acid among a few of the components of coconut oil which contribute the antimicrobial qualities of the oil.  Don't worry about feeling "greasy" when using coconut oil on the skin- simply rub in and if desired rinse off 10 or so minutes later to leave your skin soft and supple.  The skin being our largest body organ and membrane is quite permeable and absorbs any products which we apply.  Since coconut oil is a whole food and free of tany man-made chemicals you can have your scrub and eat it too!

Herbed Heirloom Tomato Salad with Red Kraut

Grok's been out in the garden as of late.  Summer solstice brought forth a crop of fresh assorted tomatoes, beans, greens, and all sorts of colorful goodies (man I love gardening in old chicken runs! Great poop dirt :))  I love combining my homemade red sauerkraut with fresh produce, especially our various tomatoes.  This is quick, easy and an excellent side dish or snack with avocado (what isn't great with avocado though?!?).  Don't waste these beautiful days inside slaving over a hot oven and instead sweat outside in your garden!

1 large fresh red tomato (I used a better boy I think)
1 large yellow tomato (I used a yellow jubilee)
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1/4 c. homemade or raw unpasturized red sauerkraut
2 T. organic raw apple cider vinegar
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. dried (homegrown) oregano
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. stevia (optional)
sea salt and pepper, to taste 


Easy: Chop tomatoes into bite sized pieces, combine vinegar and olive oil with garlic and herbs and toss.  Spoon over red kraut and mix gently.  Chill and serve with fresh sliced avocado.

 

Fresh tomatoes are wonderfully hydrating and a great natural sugar pick me up on a dehydrating summer afternoon.  Since lycopene is concentrated in tomatoes cooked in oil, adding avocado and olive oil will help nutrient absorption.  The oregano adds a nice bite, especially if it is fresh.  I used some I dried from my garden a few weeks ago and it is quite pungent, medicinal even.  Oregano itself is a famous medicinal food (think Hypocrites' commandant) which is high in anxtioxidants, vitamin B6, folate, and assorted minerals like potassium and copper.  It is also nicely balanced in calcium,  magnesium, and iron.  These minerals which compete for absorption in the body but are balanced when found in nature for better bio-availability.  Since oregano is a good source of fat soluble vitamins A, E, and K be sure to consume it in dishes with healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil and avocado or guacamole.  Raw nuts and virgin coconut oil are also great fats, but try to avoid peanuts and cashews which are legumes, not nuts (at least if you're Paleo).  Oregano is also a highly antiinflammatory and a great antibacterial, antiparastic, and antibiotic herb.

The red sauerkraut is a fantastic Paleo/ low carb condiment which whacks a nutritional punch beyond its volume.  I make my own krauts and kimchis and prefer red kraut to regular green since it adds such color.  Red cabbage also provides a different array of nutrients and phytochemicals than the other varieties of cabbage.  WHFoods cites red cabbage as higher in anthocyanin polyphenols and vitamin C.  Mother was right: Color is the key to health!

As I've mentioned previously, raw lacto fermented foods like sauerkraut provide a concentrated source of probiotics with additional strains such as L. Plantarum which stick to intestinal walls and are not found in other fermented foods.  As a note, you must get raw and unpasteurized saurerkrauts, not the commercial bagged or canned sauerkrauts which are pasteurized.  The high temperatures of canned products kill all the bacteria, good and potentially bad. So spoon on the krauts swimming in friendly intestinal goodies and eat up!