Sprouted Curry Flax Crackers

Now that Paleo diets and Crossfit workouts are all the rage and soccer moms are packing kale chips in their kids' lunchboxes, it seems timely (or a bit late) to post a quick easy cracker alternative.  Flaxseed is a darling of the natural health circles and is yet another "health food" gone fashionable with the general public.  As a no net carb low carb seed packed with Omega 3 fatty acids and lignan fibers, it is easy to see why flaxseed is a popular ingredient.  

While there is controversy always raging in the Paleolithic community about exactly which food is paleo or primal, flax is considered a paleo hunter-gatherer diet friendly food and flour substitute.  While I love flax mostly for the beautiful blooms of the plant in my wildflower hedges, eating the seeds formed into crackers is enjoyable as well.  Soaking these innocent looking brown and gold babies allows them to sprout making the lignans and nutrients more bioavailable and enzymatically alive.  Rinsing the sprouted seeds before making the crackers removes much of the antinutrients like phytic acid found in nuts, seeds, and legumes.  Flaxseed makes a delicious versatile cracker spiced to your preference and convenient for travel and as a low carb "bread" or cracker replacement.  As always, consume in balance with healthy low glycemic foods and with plenty of water for the optimal benefit!  

ingredients:
2 cups organic (gluten free) flaxseed
about 2 cups filtered water
generous 1 T. raw pink Himalayan sea salt (used only salt not typical tamari or Bragg's liquid amino and salt blend)
 spices to taste: for the curry blend I used about

•  2 T crushed red pepper
• gluten free curry blend- I like the Madras style spicy curry turmeric 1 tsp
• dried oregano

method:

First measure out and sort your flaxseed.  Add the filtered water (I use reverse osmosis water if that matters) and cover.  Let sit at least overnight until the seeds have sprouted.

The sprouting process will make the seed enzymatically active and more bioavailable and thus more easily digested.  The soaked mixture will be a gelatin like sticky goo.  To remove at least some phytic acid, rinse thoroughly with filtered water.  Just do your best, there are no hard and fast rules here.  The final rinsed mix should be gooey but not runny.

Add your sea salt and spices to taste.  Stir well.  It is helpful to spray your dehydrator or pan with nonstick spray or grease lightly with coconut oil at this point.  I use my old dehydrator with craft quilting mats I cut to fit (so the flax doesn't fall through the large dehydrator holes).

Spread the flax on the sheets about 1/8th to 1/4 inch thick.  You want the final product to be hearty enough to hold up to guacamole dip or shredded chicken, say, but thin enough to dry evenly.

You can also use a cookie pan and your oven.  If using an oven, dry around 100 to 125 degrees for about 6 hours.  I dry my chips in the dehydrator overnight until they break apart easily and are crispy.

sidenotes:

In the past few years flaxseed has gotten some bad press about its phytoestrogens and link with prostate cancer.  Is flax some insidious estrogenic food for men (or women for that matter who suffer from estrogen dominance and many hormone imbalance issues, especially after menopause)?  The Mayo clinic gives a short Q&A about this, but suffice to say that eating flax crackers in a balanced diet is not going to pump your body full of evil cancer-promoting cooties.  Taking high doses of flax oil for its ALA vegetarian omega 3 benefits, as once recommended, is probably not the best approach however since the oil is much more concentrated in phytoestrogens and lignans than the edible quantity of seeds.  I don't think Grok had access to high doses of isolated flax oil... somehow I doubt that Grok would drool at the sight of beautiful flax wildflower blooms as he might with a buffalo.   Besides, omega 3 fatty acids are best consumed as part of a whole food and from animal sources (read: eat fatty wild fish).   Lastly, there is evidence that the lignans in flax actually bind to estrogen in the digestive track.  For an interesting discussion on phytic acid and other antinutrient concerns in nuts and seeds, check out Mark's Daily apple.  I emphasize the importance of balance here as to not become overwhelmed by the micronutrient aspect of your food (didn't your mother tell you not to play with your food?!?).   Flax is healthy and fine in moderation- you wouldn't stop eating broccoli because of its phytoestrogen nuances would you?  Crunch on a darn flax cracker rather than a gluten carb rancid omega 6 oil GMO loaded chip, that's all I'm saying.  That and more importantly address your stress and lifestyle (exercise, sleep, diet, social support structure, higher power, etc) in a holistic manner, not just your food.  

On the lighter side, flax reduces inflammation, supports cardiovascular health, helps lower cholesterol, and reduces metabolic syndrome.  (Again, whether low cholesterol is actually beneficial to health is debatable and research shows that higher cholesterol in post menopausal women increases longevity).  

Flax ranks higher than blueberries and spinach in antioxidants and new investigation shows the delicate ALA omega 3 fats are not damaged by baking with flaxseed (and certainly not damaged by low temperature dehydration like here).  

The fiber in flax stabilizes blood sugar levels making flaxseed based crackers, muffins and breads better choices for those  with metabolic syndrome or on a low carb diet.  (Ground flax, hemp powder, and coconut flours make a wonderful hearty low carb high fiber gluten free and vegan "flour" blend.  I make variations of these baked goods and my digestion loves me for it!).   Flaxseed is high in manganese, magnesium, vitamin B1, and tryptophan to name a few nutrients.  Soaking and sprouting the seeds makes the crackers' enzymes and nutrients more bioavailable while the low temperature drying of the cracker makes it a raw food.  Of course the most touted glory of flaxseed is that it is practically all fiber so any food made of flax will be "no net carbs" which is what makes flax based muffins and bread popular in the low carb community. 

The longwinded micronutrient aspects of flaxseed aside, these babies are high fiber no net carbs spicy goodness and make great crackers for my hen's free range eggs from the backyard which I softboil and serve over steamed veggies and greens.  Get creative with your own spice blend- I have made these in various ways but always love a crunchy spicy treat!

Rice and Flax "Oatmeal" Porridge

This is my affordable bulk GF replacement for my fiance's oh-so-frightening obsession with oatmeal for breakfast (before our household went GF). He is a "carb" metabolic type where I am a strong protein type, so often we need double meals so satisfy our different needs. This recipe, however, can feed us both (sigh!). It includes flax for healthy Omega 3 fats, superior fiber (7 of 8 carbs are fiber so flax is perfect for low carb diets), and high protein. The flax lowers the glycemic index of the rice and raisins (I use a 1/2 - 1/2 recipe here). If you have too much gas or cramping from the high fiber, then feel free to reduce the amount of flax. I made this in the crockpot, but it can be made in a pot or microwaved.

2 c. whole grain organic brown rice*
2 c. flax seeds
1/3 -1/2 c. raisins and/or cranberries
1/3 c. walnuts and slivered almonds for a good "crunch"
2 c. Almond Breeze almond milk**
5-8 c. water (adjustable, see below)

*Brown rice has a glycemic index around 57 where white rice is 88, much too high for even people without insulin problems.
**I use unsweetened; any rice/soy/cow/hemp/hazelnut milk can also be used but most will add sugar; a good dairy substitution would use 1 can evaporated milk.

Grind/blend uncooked rice and flax in blender (I use a dry blade Vitamix container which takes about 30 seconds to pulverize the rice and flax). Adjust the grind to suit your tastes. We like it mostly fine ground with a few surviving rice kernels. Place the resulting meal in a crockpot or pot of choice and add raisins (cranberries, currants), nuts, seeds*, and milk. Stir and add spices to taste. I use a LOT of cinnamon (also helps with glycemic index and insulin levels), nutmeg, and cloves. Add water or more milk until mixture is very watery, keeping in mind that the flax will absorb much of the water before the rice even gets a chance to cook. Cook on low anywhere from 3-8 hours. I have found that I could not overcook the porridge as long as I added water when needed).

*seeds such as sunflower seeds provide good omega 6 fats to balance the omega 3 fats from the flax.

Serve hot or cold (best hot), topped with fresh banana, blueberries or other seasonal, local fruit. My fiance likes some natural brown sugar in it as well, though agave nectar or honey work also.

***Be sure that your brown sugar is REAL and not just white sugar with molasses added. We use Whole Foods Natural Brown sugar. Another cheaper alternative is to buy your brown sugar from Kroger; Kroger actually has organic brown sugar for less than WF's natural.***

Yield: way to many bowls! This stuff last forever. It's a great family breakfast that is easy, healthy, GF and DF, and budget friendly! Reheat leftovers for quick breakfasts (or great dessert base) in the microwave. I made this since gluten free oats and other commercial gluten free cereals (millet, white rice, tapioca, etc) are pricey or choc-full-o' sugar or high glycemic grains only. I want to control the glycemic index of what we eat; many gluten free items are sky high in glycemic impact and actually WORSE for you than white bread (see The International Table of GI and GL Values for a downloadable Excel file with glycemic indicies (GI) and loads (GL) ).

As an alternative but similar breakfast, consider our Fruit and Rice "Pudding" Porridge.

This recipe is dairy free, gluten free, parve, vegan and vegetarian.

Artichoke Curry Bison Burgers [Paleo] [Low Carb]

1 lb ground bison (local if possible)
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (since grass fed meat is very lean)
1 free range egg (optional- some ground flax or psyllium powder keeps it together nicely)
1 small jalapeño with seeds
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/4" piece fresh ginger root, minced
2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
2-3 sliced red onion, garnish

Seasonings:
sea salt and pepper
2 T. crushed red pepper
dash hot curry powder (to taste)

Ok, I'm going to cheat here and use old instructions on how we make our burger patties. No methodology has changed, so here's the scoop:

To make burgers:
First mince or finely chop the garlic and ginger in a food processor. In a large bowl, mix fresh or defrosted meat, the minced garlic and ginger, seasonings, olive oil, and egg (if the egg is included).

If you're not using egg, you can omit it entirely or add the psyllium powder or freshly ground flax now. If you use flax, be sure to buy whole flaxseed (it is cheapest in bulk or Whole Foods brand in packages with the cereal and oatmeal). Grind the flax right before use with a small coffee grinder or blender since pre-ground flax or stored ground flax has rancid fat. The delicate Omega 3 fats in flax are easily destroyed with light, heat, and time so it is best and easiest to grind it fresh each time and ensure good quality fat. More on flax here and in my upcoming flax informational post "The Flax of Life" (Jon loves that title), but for now back to the bison:

Pat meat mixture into 4-6 patties and grill 3-5 minutes. Remember that grass fed buffalo (bison) meat is very lean and requires significantly less cooking time than normal meat; keep a close eye on it. These cook great on the grill or in a pan with a lid for quicker cooking. If you like your burgers medium or rare as I do, then pay special attention to cooking time and remove burgers when they are still raw inside - they will continue to cook afterwards.

Serve with sides of your choice. Since I prefer my meat on the less dead side (there are more enzymes which have not been destroyed by cooking and it tastes better to me!), I like these burgers best fresh. They do fine as reheated leftovers, but nothing really compares to a fresh juicy burger! If you like a tangy flavor, drizzle some gluten free and corn syrup free bbq sauce over the burgers. I use the Kraft light bbq sauce since it is gluten and dairy free.

Jon actually made these burgers with my instructions and it was a nice break for me. The curry powder adds a great flavor and it's not "spicy" hot like some people might assume. As many of you have heard and as our local blogging nutritionist Melissa at Gluten Free for Good has said before, curry powder has a wide array of health benefits. The active ingredient in curry, curcumin, has been shown to protect the brain for Alzheimer's, help heal digestion and inflammation (that's a huge Celiac concern), and prevent tumors. It has even been rumored to help STDs and skin cancer. I can't even do it justice here with my limited time, so I'll rant more on it in the future (you're spared for now!) The World's Healthiest Foods site has a good little summary here.

Once you're finished reading up on the healthy side of curry, throw a hearty dash or two into your burgers, whether vegetarian/vegan bean or tuna burgers, or carnivorous high B12 grass fed beef or bison patties or a low fat turkey and spinach burger. Grill on. Yum!

Buckwheat Coconut Caraway Biscuits [Low Carb]

1/2 c. organic buckwheat flour
a generous 1/4 c. organic coconut flour*
1 t. non-aluminum baking powder
sea salt
1 t. organic raw apple cider vinegar
1-2 t. freshly ground caraway seeds (fruit)
onion and garlic powder
punch oregano
2 T. smart balance light, melted or 2 T. organic coconut oil
2 eggs
2 T. agave
1 T. flax (optional)

* You can add water or coconut milk a few tablespoons at a time if yours thickens too much for a biscuit dough

In a medium bowl, mix the eggs (or egg substitute with 3 T. ground flaxseed), melted vegan smart balance (or organic coconut oil, whichever you are using), agave, sea salt, and apple cider vinegar. Add in the coconut flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder, flax (whole or ground) to the bowl of liquids. Stir the batter as you add the coconut flour and flax so that no lumps are formed and the moisture is distributed evenly. You can add a few tablespoons of water or unsweetened applesauce if the dough becomes too thick and tough to stir. The high fiber content of the coconut flour, flax, and buckwheat will absorb the moisture quickly. Grind the caraway seeds in your mortar by hand, with a little coffee grinder or blender, or just use pre-ground caraway. I prefer the smell of freshly ground caraway seeds and it only take a few seconds to take out any morning aggression on those poor whole seeds with my marble mortar :)

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and drop the dough onto the sheet. You can also use a regular muffin tin as I did. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Keep your eye out after 13 minutes so the muffins do not brown too fast. Remember coconut flour tends to need to cook a little longer than other flours, but it remains moist throughout the longer baking period.

Jon's sunflower seed and shredded cheese variation

Coconut flour and flax are excellent low carb, high fiber healthy flours for gluten and dairy free baking. Flax is a great vegan source of essential Omega 3 fatty acids and is more bioavailable to the body in ground form. You can, of course, chew the whole seeds throughly, but if you're anything like me then you tend to gulp your food, so freshly ground flax is a better option. If you do cook with flax, keep the heat to a minimum (I know, I'm using it here! However, when baked inside a dish the temperature is not as high as the crust or outside of the food. This means the flax is somewhat safer baked into a food then otherwise. Ideally, you would not really bake with flax since the high heat can damage the delicate Omega 3 fats, causing rancidity.) Buckwheat flour is also high in fiber and thus low in "net carbs," making it a great nutritious flour to add to your low glycemic index/low carb gluten free pantry.

Most people know caraway better for its use in rye bread, a gluten grain. I love the smell and taste of rye bread, but after more thought I realized that it was only the smell and robust flavor of the caraway seed which I enjoyed. If you are gluten free and remember that rye bread smell with longing, I suggest just adding some fresh caraway seeds to your gluten free bread. It really does give that rye smell and feel (minus the gluten, of course :) ) Rye bread also has an interesting past shrewed in mystery where it is theorized to have caused hallucinations leading to the Salem witch trials whereby the accusers ingested rye bread contaminated with mold (ergot poisoning, like LSD). Its an interesting tidbit you can ponder as you munch on gluten free coconut caraway biscuits in glee, eh?

Fruit and Rice "Pudding" Porridge [Vegan]

Okay Michelle (M), this is the whole-rice-in-the-porridge post I was talking about. Sorry it has taken me so long to put up. I actually made this for Jon last weekend before I left, but I've been slacking and haven't made time to finish up my old recipes ~sheepish grin~ Here's to enjoying what Jon has already devoured! This makes a great, hearty porridge or even a rice pudding dessert. Go crazy and add in any dried or fresh fruit and nuts (if you can eat them) that you prefer.

~7 c. water
1 c. ground flax
1/2 c. organic short grain brown rice*
1/2 c. organic long grain brown rice*
1 10 oz. can crushed unsweetened pineapple with juice
2 T. organic small red dates, pitted
3-4 T. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. shredded organic no-sulfur coconut
1/4 c. fresh cooked or canned pumpkin
1/4 c. cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 c. raisins
2 T. natural brown sugar (optional)
1/2 c. walnuts (optional, omit for nut free)
1 t. sea salt

Seasonings:
2 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
4-5 whole cloves

*Brown rice has a glycemic index around 57 where white rice is 88, much too high for even people without insulin problems. The lower g.i. and glycemic load of brown rice makes it a preferred diabetic and general rice option. White rice, parboiled, instant, and sweet rice should all be avoided when possible. This also goes for the lovely gluten free rice flours and premade gf mixes out there - you should really limit your exposure to the white, sweet, and refined rice products. Try brown rice or buckwheat flour instead; add a little extra aluminum-free baking powder to help your baked goods rise since these flours are a slightly more dense than their white and refined counterparts.

This recipe is similar to our Rice and Flax "Oatmeal" Porridge. For this recipe, only grind the flax. We use a dry blade Vitamix container which takes about 15 seconds to pulverize flax seed. Adjust the grind to suit your tastes. Place the resulting meal in a crockpot or pot of choice and add raisins (cranberries, currants), nuts, seeds*, and milk. Stir and add spices to taste. I use a LOT of cinnamon (also helps with glycemic index and insulin levels), nutmeg, and cloves. Add water or more milk until mixture is very watery, keeping in mind that the flax will absorb much of the water before the rice even gets a chance to cook. I use ~5 cups of water initially and stir in another 2 as the porridge cooks. Cook on low anywhere from 3-8 hours. I have found that I could not overcook the porridge as long as I added water when needed).

*seeds such as sunflower seeds provide good omega 6 fats to balance the omega 3 fats from the flax.

Serve hot or cold (best hot), topped with fresh banana, blueberries or other seasonal, local fruit. Jon likes some natural brown sugar in it as well, though agave nectar or honey work also.

**Be sure that your brown sugar is REAL and not just white sugar with molasses added. We use organic brown sugar since it is "real," but the Whole Foods brand natural (not organic) brown sugar is also "real"**

Yield: way to many bowls! In fact, we actually made too much - our small crockpot overflowed a bit. If you are worried about the size of your crockpot, keep it on the safe side by adding and stirring the ingredients slowly. Since the flax absorbs the water, you will initially want to stir and add water every ~20 minutes (so make sure you have enough room for water :). This stuff lasts forever. It's a great family breakfast that is easy, healthy, GF and DF, and budget friendly! Reheat leftovers for quick breakfasts (or great dessert base) in the microwave. I made this since gluten free oats and other commercial gluten free cereals (millet, white rice, tapioca, etc) are pricey or choc-full-o' sugar or high glycemic grains only. I want to control the glycemic index of what we eat; many gluten free items are sky high in glycemic impact and actually WORSE for you than white bread (see The International Table of GI and GL Values for a downloadable Excel file with glycemic indicies (GI) and loads (GL) ). Millet is a good example of an extreme g.i. and g.l. gluten free food. It is gf and healthy, except that it has a very high g.i. and would need to be cooked or served with a large amount of healthy fat and protein to lower the g.i.

Spiced Flax and Apple Pancakes

3 T. ground flax
1 T. organic virgin coconut oil for frying
1 large organic apple, chopped
1 T. organic buckwheat or brown rice flour
3/4 c. water

Spices:
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
dash cayenne & cinnamon 50-50 mix
2 cloves

Topping Options:
extra 1 T. ground flax
Smart Balance Vegan Butter
unsweetened jam
organic pear, chopped

Melt oil in a large pan and preheat to medium high heat. Grind flax in a coffee grinder and add to a large bowl with chopped apple, spices, and buckwheat (or brown rice) flour. Stir to mix together; add water slowly while stirring. The flax will absorb the water and thicken the mixture quickly. Stir until the batter is just short of runny (you can add more water to make it thinner or more flax to thicken it).

Spoon the batter into the pan and turn the heat to medium low (4 on our electric range). Cover and cook for about 4 minutes then flip pancakes with a greased spatula. Cover and cook another 3-5 minutes or until the middle of the pancakes is set. Serve hot with garnish and toppings of your choice. If you can eat flax, it is a wonderful way to start the day since it is high in the essential Omega 3 fats, protein, and is low carb (virtually all the carbs are fiber). This is filling and will keep you going without a sugar crash like many gluten free breakfast baked goods.

Flax Crisps

1/2 c. fresh ground flax seed
1 T. Bragg's liquid aminos
lemon juice
sea salt and pepper
oregano
3/4 c. water (or enough to make flax mixture into a thin paste)
1 T. organic virgin coconut oil

Melt oil in pan over medium high heat. Mix flax, Braggs, lemon juice, water, and seasonings into a runny paste. You may need to add more water to make it thinner- the flax absorbs water quickly. Once coconut oil is melted, spoon or pour the flax mixture into the pan. Fry over medium-high heat for 4 minutes per side or until golden brown; be careful to flip the crisps and not let them burn. Serve hot with soup (or salad). Get creative and try your hand at funny shapes!

Double Chocolate Omega 3 Black Cherry Brownies with Flax and Walnuts

More chocolate ridiculousness. The combination of flax and walnuts pack these brownies with an Omega 3 wallop. The good Omega 3 fats along with the fiber in the ground flax and unsweetened cocoa powder lower the glycemic index of a normally sugar buster dessert.

Brownies:
1/2 c. organic brown rice flour
1/2 c. ground flax seed
2 T. whole flaxseed
1 handful walnuts
Optional: 1/4 c. honey or agave nectar
1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t. aluminum free baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. sea salt
1 egg
1 1/2 c. water (adjust for consistency; the flax absorbs water quickly)

Topping:
2 T. natural black cherry jam, dabbed over batter
1 finely chopped organic dark chocolate with cherry bar (dairy free)

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a Pyrex-style baking dish. Beat egg with water and pour into dry ingredients, stirring batter as you go. Mix thoroughly, adding walnuts, whole flax seed, chocolate chunks, and honey while stirring. Let batter rest 1-2 minutes and see if more water is needed. Pour batter into baking dish and top with jam and remaining chocolate slivers. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe is dairy free and gluten free.

Flourless Peanut Butter Flax Cookies [Vegan]

~ 1/2 lb no salt organic peanut butter

1/2 c. natural apple sauce, unsweetened
15-20 (handful) unsweetened cranberries
1 c. flax seed, ground

1/4 c. natural brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. gluten free vanilla
dash sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until smooth; I recommend doing this quickly since the flax rapidly absorbs the moisture from the peanut butter and applesauce. Once the dough is smooth, spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Roll the dough into little balls in your palms and place on the pan. Use your (greased) spatula to press the dough down to form a cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until brown (slightly more brown- the flax and peanut butter are already brown :) ). Ensure the cookie is sufficiently done by checking that it will not fall apart once cool. Cool cookies then devour. Note: these are not too sweet- they have a nice sweet residual taste. You may wish to add more brown sugar if you like sweet cookies.

Variation:
Throw in some frozen raw cranberries

Gluten Free Granola and Hemp Muffins

These muffins come from the recipe off the Enjoy Life Gluten Free Granola which we found as a new item at Kroger yesterday. I was so excited to try the gluten free granola despite the fact that it is almost $5 for a tiny box (of air! - gluten free air specially manufactured in a facility...).

Very berry sawdust, mmm

I made my first mistake in thinking that I ever I missed granola. This will be a very biased review since I never liked granola, but then again I'm not a carb person. My subsequent mistake was in believing it would taste like real granola... or something other than stale brown rice syrup. I should be fair and say Jon tried it and he said it was decent, but would be improved with milk and lots of cinnamon and honey. If you like or miss granola, this might be ok for you since Jon has a better sense of granola than I do.

I followed up my buying mistake with an entertaining hour-long painstaking irritable dance around the kitchen while I tried to follow their recipe. I hate following directions. I can't do it, so I added some organic hemp protein and organic blackstrap molasses (skipped the brown sugar) to make it more my own. I should have added flax just to spite my dad who responded "No flax! I don't like that stuff, yuck" when I asked what he wanted with his homemade steak dinner for Christmas. Got it dad, extra flax. Double flax for that, but no flax here. Plenty of rice monstrosities masquerading as "granola" though :)

1 c. Enjoy Life granola (I used the berry variety)
1/2 c. brown rice flour
1/2 c. buckwheat flour
1/4 t. sea salt
3 t baking powder
1 T. cinnamon
1 small organic apple with skin, chopped
2 T. organic hemp protein powder
2 eggs
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. lite coconut milk
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. agave nectar
1 T. organic unsulfured blackstrap molasses
1/4 c. raisins
1 T. organic raw pumpkin seeds
1 T. raw organic sunflower seeds
1/4 c. shredded organic reduced fat coconut
1 organic banana, chopped

Coat your muffin tins with nonstick spray and preheat oven to 350 degrees. I used a large muffin tin of 12 cups plus smaller 6 muffin tins. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (except the fruit). In a separate smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients while adding the molasses and agave last. Add in the wet ingredients and stir well. I used a potato masher to squash the banana into the dough. Add the chopped apple, raisins, coconut, and seeds and stir until well mixed. Fill the muffin cups about half full and add extra granola on top if desired. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm.

Yield: 22-25 muffins

Scrumptious Quinoa "Carrot Cake"

Okay this one is for all those carrot cake addicts (like myself) who need yet another gluten free option. Carrot cake was, in fact, the last sin the day before my endoscopy and biopsies .... ah, the glory of full gluten and dairy, sugar and nut full fat carrot cake (I though I was going to die afterwards, by the way, so I don't recommend doing something that stupid).

My aim here was to make the "cake" as low-to-no added sugar and of course be GF. I gave in and made homemade cream cheese frosting since Jon loves dairy and would not choke down quinoa, flax, rice bran and other high protein and fiber blasphemies in a "cake". However, I must say, the cream cheese frosting really made the cake; I scarfed down 2 huge pieces which I now also regret :) The good news is that it is delicious and as low glycemic index as I could make it. The high protein and fiber also help soften the impact of the natural fruit sugars.

Cake:
1 c. washed quinoa
3 T. ground flax
1 heaping T. xantham gum
1/2 c. rice bran
1/2 c. buckwheat flour
1 T. organic shredded coconut
1/4 c. raisins
3 shredded or finely grated carrots
1 15 oz. can unsweetened crushed pineapple with very little of the juice
2 free range eggs
1 heaping T. baking soda
1-2 c. assorted unsalted walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews
1 sprinkle of whole flax seeds (crunchy texture)

Seasonings:
cinnamon (lots)
Optional: nutmeg
1 dash of cayenne pepper
1 heaping T. natural brown sugar

Frosting:
1 8 oz brick light cream cheese (or tofu or rice cream cheese)**
1/2 c. organic plain yogurt**
1 T. shredded organic coconut

**For a non-dairy, vegan alternative, see Coconut Frosting
For another carrot cake recipe, see my Veggie Carrot Spice Cake

Combine all dry cake ingredients, then add egg, pineapple, carrot, nuts and raisins. Mix until moist to slightly wet. The quinoa and flax will absorb the excess moisture as it rests and cooks. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray 8" cake pans. Fill cake pans and bake 20-30 minutes until cake is brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Note that more flax will decrease the cooking time and brown the top faster. Take out the cake layers and cool on wire racks; when the layers are cool, frost and stack them (or just sprinkle with more cinnamon and munch!). I also threw a little of leftover drained crushed pineapple in the middle. (I think apples will be a good addition come fall when they're in season.)

This recipe is gluten free.

Bison Spinach Pot Pie [Paleo] [Low carb]

Eugh (my new favorite obnoxious word)! I am still ill; I seemed to have picked up some crud walking around in the cool rain at Yale. My coworkers all seem to have a similar cruddy wipe-you-out-a-Mac-truck-just-hit-you sniffle too. Running around on that crazy schedule and different diet must have lowered our immune systems enough to catch the crud. Joy. Anyways, since I am at home and feeling crappy, I have been thinking of a few relatively easy recipes that will help heal and get me back on my low carb, dairy, gluten, egg, soy, nut, corn, potato, rice, and tuna-free diet. I have bison in the fridge - which I adore - but I've been getting a bit bored of the usual spicy meat, sundried tomato, collard, red cabbage, and kale sautees for lunch. I racked my brain for Cindy-edible, yummy, healthy, low carb, ground meat meals. I know what you're thinking: "well that ought to be easy, you do it on a daily basis!" Hey, it's hard to get back into the swing of things when you're feeling monkey-stomped and spoiled from a week of no-kitchen-available dining out :)

Karina, since you're on a similar diet and are reliant on Steve and others to help out, I was really hoping that this recipe would be okay for you and easy enough that someone could prepare it for you. Steve's smashed potatoes and meatloaf must have penetrated my brain as I slept, dreaming of sugar plums and ... bison? Well, this is an attempt to contribute. I'm sure you have similar recipes and food already :) Personally, I'm bored with meatballs, sauteed meat, burgers, etc; I wanted a nice thick slice of meat pie. ~smacking lips vigorously~

You can use grass fed ground beef, ground lamb, or venison if you'd like, but all I have right now is bison.

Vegan Low Carb Garbanzo and Flax Pie Crust*:
1/2 c. garbanzo flour
3/4 c. ground flax seed
1 T. xanthan gum
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. water
oregano
sea salt

Mix everything thoroughly in a mixing bowl until it becomes a thick paste. Spray an 8" pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Put the dough in the middle and form a crust with your mixing spoon by pressing the dough into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool completely. We used this as the crust for the meat pie, but it is also a great crust for pies if you switch out the spices, as in my Vegan Flax Pie Crust used in this delicious Low carb pumpkin pie.

* You can use any crust you'd like (or none at all, but I think it'd be a bit runny and fall apart without a crust). Gluten Free Bay has been on a delicious looking pie extravaganza lately and he uses the Natural Feast brand gluten-free frozen pie crusts, I believe. Gluten free bakehouse also makes pie crusts in the frozen section of Whole Foods, but I am not sure as to their kosher status since I don't use any premade crusts at this point. If you have allergies or suspect issues with flax, then I'd go with these premade crusts or no crust.

Bison and Spinach Pie Filling:
1/2 lb grass fed ground bison
1/4 lb frozen (or fresh) spinach
3 unsulfured sundried tomato pieces, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/4" chunk fresh ginger, minced
1/4" chunk fresh horseradish root, minced
1 small jalapeño with seeds, minced
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 organic carrot, grated
1/2 15 oz. can drained* Muir Glen fire roasted organic diced tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 small can green chilies, drained
1/2 T. hot sauce or to taste
optional drizzle of organic maple syrup or agave nectar to contrast the spice
~3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 can whole green chilies, halved to layer on top

*I recommend saving the juice for another occasion like soup or as a nice liquid kick for scrambled eggs or sauteed veggies.

Seasonings:
garlic powder
oregano
parsley
fresh basil leaves, chopped
rosemary
cayenne pepper and/or crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Dairy Free "Shepard's Pie" Variation/Additions: (I didn't use these this time, but I will in the future)
1 T. xanthan gum, to thicken the mixture into a set "pie"
1 T. Earth Balance Vegan butter
1 c. mashed and cooked cauliflower or the typical not low carb mashed potatoes option (we're out of cauliflower too)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and get out either your prebaked and cooled flax and garbanzo crust or your other premade pie crust. If you are choosing not to use a crust, then liberally coat the pie plate with nonstick olive oil spray. Be aware that not using a crust may mean that the filling just falls apart; the no-crusters might want to add an egg or two to keep everything together (but I didn't use eggs here).

Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and add the olive oil, chopped onion, minced garlic, ginger, horseradish, and the bison. Turn to medium heat (5). Season and crumble the meat as it browns. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until bison is almost done - remember not to overcook the bison since it is so lean and will become chewy.

After chopping/mincing the carrot and jalapeños, stir them into the bison in the last minute or so of browning. Stir in the drained fire roasted tomatoes and mix well. You can either mix in the frozen spinach or you can save it for a topping layer as I did; it doesn't matter. Fill the crust with the bison veggie mix and top with the spinach (if you didn't mix it in already) and layer the whole green chilies over the top.

Bake the pie for about an hour at 350 degrees. Let cool completely, then slice and serve with a nice side salad or light vegetable broth soup.

bison lovin' by the slice

swirls of spinach in a close up side view

Where the Typical Gluten Free Diet Fails

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

My first experience gluten free relied heavily upon internet recipes featuring the canonical prescriptions of rice, potatoes, tapioca, millet and the like. These foods are indeed gluten free, but as I would soon experience in a diabetic crash, they are very high useless carbohydrates with little fiber and sky high glycemic index (g.i.). A true healthy celiac diet must be gluten free but I do not think it needs to be dependent on low quality genetically modified high g.i. grains to be GF and pratical. Personally, I am a loose follower of the Paleo Diet since I am a strong protein and (good) fat metabolic type. I do eat beans and corn, but I like to rely on flax, hemp, coconut, almond, and garbanzo flours for myself in general since all of these are low net carb and low g.i. In my other cooking I stick to GF flours which are more economical and still high fiber per carb and low fat count, such as brown rice flours, buckwheat, quinoa, blue corn meal, and rice bran.

Some basic research into my hypoglycemic diabetic reaction to the prepackaged GF spice cake mix revealed the popular buzz about the importance of the glycemix index and load in diet. A great reference website for a list of g.i. of typical foods is at: http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

Best Choices:

1. Brown rice over white rice: cook long grain organic varieties for lowest G.I. and to avoid genetically modified rice strains (GMO)
2. purple or red potatoes over white potatoes
3. fresh kernel corn or frozen corn
   
• over canned creamed corn
4. bean flours (garbanzo, fava, soy- except soy has many health drawbacks, etc), nuts flours (almond, hazelnut, etc), coconut flour, hemp, ground flax, quinoa (ground or flakes), rice bran, teff, and amaranth
   
• instead of white rice flour, potato flour, or white or yellow cornmeal/flour
5. fresh nuts and seeds
6. high fiber organic beans: black soy beans (low carb, high fiber and protein), black beans, garbanzos
7. Flax and bean flour based pizza crusts, breads, muffins, cakes, etc
   
8. lentils over rice or potatoes
   

*** Adding acidic foods (citrus, organic apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar), good fats (flax, walnuts, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, hemp), and fiber (include the peel!) all lower the glycemic index of your food.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

2 small organic apples or 1 large apple, washed and chopped
1 T. rice bran
2 T. organic brown rice flour
2 T. fresh ground flax seed
1 egg (free range), room temperature
1 t. sea salt
1/2 c. water
1 T. sunflower seeds

Seasonings:
- 4-5 T. cinnamon (just give it a liberal shake or two)
- 1 t. nutmeg
- 1 t. ground ginger

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in beaten egg and water, mixing well. Add more water as needed if the flax absorbs too much fluid; stir in the seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Spoon batter into an oiled preheated pan and cook 2-3 minutes per side or until the sides bubble. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes. Serve with a dash of cinnamon, extra ground flax, and your choice of fresh fruit topping, Smart Balance Vegan butter, honey, or agave nectar.

Serves: 4-6

Cinnamon is a great blood sugar stabilizer and is a proven natural treatment for diabetes (especially type 2). Cinnamon works best when eaten as a food rather than a pill, so get creative and add it to everything! I love the combo of cinnamon and cayenne pepper for a sweet-spicy tang that is perfect on everything from raw nuts to fresh fruit (it goes especially well with ground flax as a topping for everything).

This recipe is dairy free and gluten free.

Chocolate Flax and Whey Protein Smoothie

2 scoops whey protein isolate *
2-3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder (not processed with alkali)
about 8 ice cubes
1/2 c. water (add slowly- you only need enough to get the ice grinding)
cinnamon, to taste
2 T. ground flax
2 T. almond butter

Add everything to the Vitamix (or your blender) and blend on high for 1-3 minutes until smooth. You can add more water or blend longer to get a more liquid consistency- I like it thicker where I can eat it with a spoon. This is great as a dessert or as a meal. I add extra almond butter and top the smoothie with extra flax and cinnamon since I am an almond and flax addict.

* I only use very high quality whey protein isolate from NOW Foods (or Greens and Whey from Biochem). They are both gluten free and the whey isolate is lactose free- if you are dairy sensitive, do not use whey concentrate or whey blends since they do have lactose.