Milk Alternatives - Recipe Supplement

Wow! It took me quite a while to get this up here...Sorry about that everyone!

Don't forget to voice your opinion in the poll to your left. Thanks. - Tara

There are dozens of methods for making milk alternatives. Some call for soaking, blanching, and peeling of nuts, some don’t. Some are straightforward, some are more complicated. Raw nuts are often specified to meet the needs of people who prefer raw food, but cooked nuts work just as well. Sweeteners are a big issue here. Agave nectar is a wonderful alternative to honey because it is low on the glycemic index and is vegan—but can be hard to find. Honey and maple syrup are good alternatives to processed sugar. Pitted dates and banana can be used to sweeten as well as to create a thicker texture. We suggest playing around with the recipes here (and the different sweeteners) until you find the perfect fit for your needs. All of these milks need to be refrigerated, and should keep for at least 2 days.

30-SECOND NUT MILK
Inspired by Raw Food, Real World (Regan Books, 2005)
2 heaping tablespoons raw nut butter
2 cups filtered water
Pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons agave nectar or 1 packet stevia
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coconut butter (optional)

1. In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth.

BASIC ALMOND MILK
1 cup raw almonds, soaked at least 4 hours
3 cups filtered water

1. In a high-speed blender blend the nuts and water for about 2 minutes until the nuts are completely blended.
2. Strain the mix through multiple layers of cheesecloth in a colander two times.

ALMOND NOG
Adapted from a recipe at www.rawglow.com
1 batch basic almond milk
5 large soft pitted dates
2 very ripe bananas
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts (optional)

In a high-speed blender add all ingredients and blend until combined.
Adjust sweetness to taste by adding more or less dates.
The macadamia nuts are optional but they will give the drink a thicker consistency.

CASHEW MILK
1/2 cup raw cashew pieces
2 cups water
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Combine cashews with 1 cup water and maple syrup in blender.
Blend on high until thick and creamy.
Slowly add remaining water and blend on high for 2 minutes.
Strain if desired.

HEMP MILK
Hemp milk contains 33 percent protein and Canadian studies point to hemp protein as being the highest quality found in any plant. Hemp also offers well-balanced essential fatty acids that our bodies require and don’t make themselves. The key for making quick and easy hemp milk is to buy shelled hemp seeds. I called four local natural food stores and all carried shelled hemp seeds, so it is easy to go this route. Otherwise you have to take extra measures to strain out the shells. Check the dates on your seeds to make sure that you buy the freshest seeds possible. Store in a dark place. Sunlight will destroy the oils’ benefits and make the seeds rancid.

¼ cup shelled hemp seeds
1 cup warm water
Flavoring (vanilla, honey, etc.)

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender.

Some recipes for unshelled hemp seeds are more complex, ”>but here is an example.

HORCHATA
Inspired by a recipe by Gale Gand from the Food Network
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups almonds
1-inch piece cinnamon bark
8 cups water
1/2 organic sugar (or your favorite sweetener)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Wash and drain the rice.
2. Use a spice grinder, or electric coffee grinder, and grind the rice until fine.

3. Combine rice with the almonds and cinnamon bark. Add 3 1/2 cups water, cover, and let sit overnight.
4. In a blender, blend rice mixture until smooth. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and continue blending. Add sweetener and vanilla extract.
5. Strain horchata with a metal strainer, and then again using a double layer of cheesecloth.
6. Add up to an additional 2 cups of water until it you get the consistency you like.

MACADAMIA MILK
Inspired by Raw Food, Real World (Regan Books, 2005)
1 cup macadmaia nuts, soaked 1 hour or more
3 cups filtered water
3 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons coconut butter (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
pinch of sea salt
(optional)

1. In a blender, blend the nuts and water on high speed for about 2 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend to combine.
3. Strain if you want it super creamy, or drink as is.

OAT MILK
2 cups cooked oatmeal
4 cups water
1 ripe banana
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt (optional)
Sweetener to taste (if desired)

1. Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth about 2-3 minutes.
2. Chill, and shake before using.

RICE MILK
Inspired by a recipe from Mothering Magazine

1/2 cup brown rice
8 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Place rice, 8 cups water, and salt in pan.
2. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer 3 hours, or until rice is very soft. (You can also do this in a slow cooker overnight.)
3. In blender, puree rice mixture with remaining ingredients. You will have to do it in two batches. Puree each batch at least 2 or 3 minutes to completely liquefy the rice.
4. Add more water if you prefer it thinner.

Milk Alternatives - A Three Part Series, Part III

Some people have pretty compelling arguments against drinking milk. And while it’s true that we are the only species to drink the milk of another species—we are also the only species that cooks its food and can open a bottle of red wine (should we give that up too?). Truth be told, there are a number of persuasive reasons to wean oneself from cow milk—find out here if you should stop drinking milk, and read about non-dairy alternatives.

Personally, I’ve hopped on and off the milk-drinking fence so many times I am not sure which side I’m on. But a few things are sure: If you are vegan, lactose intolerant, or have a milk allergy, you probably use milk alternatives. Some might also switch to milk alternatives for taste, or to lower their saturated fat intake (although skim cow’s milk is non-fat, some find milk alternatives are a better tasting way to avoid saturated fat). I would convert, once and for all, to non-dairy milk if I couldn’t get milk from rBGH-free cows.

The Vegan Case
Animal rights proponents point to the cruelty inherent in industrial farming. The animals are treated terribly and the milk is can be quite unhealthy. (See "Cow Milk" from a couple of posts ago). In addition, there are serious environmental problems that dairy farms create. The dairy-products industry is the primary source of smog-forming pollutants in California; a single cow emits more of these harmful gases than a car does. The last common argument for a dairy free life is that cow’s milk is made for cows. We are the only mammal that drinks the milk of another mammal—and we were just not meant to do that, as evidenced by our inadequate lactase production.

Intolerance and Allergies
Lactase is the enzyme produced in our small intestine that breaks down lactose, the natural sugar in any milk. In toddler-hood we begin producing less lactase. It is the reduction of lactase that leads to lactose intolerance—which is the inability to properly digest milk. Millions of Americans are lactose intolerant, and an estimated 90 percent of Asian-Americans and 75 percent of Native- and African-Americans suffer from the condition. Lactose intolerance can cause bloating, gas, cramps, vomiting, headaches, rashes, and asthma. Having a milk allergy is different: in this case the body has an allergic reaction to one or more of the proteins in milk (casein, whey, and lactalbumin). Milk allergies can incite gastric distress, as well as skin problems like rashes and eczema, and runny noses or nasal congestion.

The Calcium Issue
But if we require so much calcium, it might seem that our bodies really do need milk. According to an authoritative article in the British newspaper The Guardian, Anne Karpf exhaustively explores the problems with milk. Here is just one fascinating fact she doles out: “American women are among the biggest consumers of calcium in the world, yet still have one of the highest levels of osteoporosis in the world…Most Chinese people eat and drink no dairy products and consume only half the calcium of Americans…yet osteoporosis is uncommon in China despite an average life expectancy of 70.” She goes on to propose that the bone loss and deteriorating bone tissue that take place in osteoporosis are due not to calcium deficiency but rather to its resorption: it’s not that our bodies don’t get enough calcium, rather that they excrete too much of what they already have. Is our need for calcium from dairy just a very deep-seated myth? Okay, I am grappling with this one. We have been programmed since childhood to believe in the necessity of milk and calcium, but those statistics are hard to ignore.

The Alternatives
With all of that in mind, here’s a quick round up of the alternatives. One of the reasons that milk is so popular is because it’s an excellent source of fortified (added) calcium, B12, riboflavin, and vitamin D. (As well as a very strong dairy industry and their lobbying arms.) Milk alternatives won’t automatically contain those ingredients, so be sure to look for a brand that is fortified.

Read the Labels
Also, when selecting a milk alternative be sure to compare nutritional labels. You’ll be amazed by the amount of sugar some of these products have. One popular brand of soy milk rang in with a dizzying 19 grams of sugar per serving: that’s the equivalent of almost five teaspoons of sugar!

Almond Milk
With only 2 grams of protein per 8 ounces, almond milk is not that impressive in the protein department—but almonds are one of the healthiest foods around. They’re rich in magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, and calcium. Almond milk has a nice sweet, nutty flavor and a good consistency, which makes it good for drinking as well as a good dairy substitute in cooking.

Hemp Milk
A personal favorite: Hemp milk is new to the market and is made from seeds grown in Canada, where growing hemp is legal. It is a good source of omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids, calcium, and phosphorous, and is commonly fortified with other vitamins and minerals. One (very delicious) brand, Living Harvest, states that unlike soy protein, hemp protein doesn’t contain high levels of enzyme inhibitors, phytates, which can interfere with the proper assimilation of essential minerals, or oligosaccharides which cause flatulence and stomach distress.

Oat Milk
Oat milk is gaining in popularity and availability. It is high in fiber, is cholesterol and lactose free, and contains vitamin E, folic acid, and other trace elements and minerals. Oats are also rich in phytochemicals, naturally occurring chemicals in plants that help fight diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke. It is said to be highly tolerated by people with multiple allergies—however it’s not good for people with gluten intolerance.

Rice Milk
Rice milk is processed from brown rice and typically contains rice syrup, evaporated cane juice or another natural sweetener. It is usually fortified with calcium or vitamin D. It is generally very sweet, and pretty watery. The main drawback of rice milk is that it is mainly just a source of carbohydrates—it is a good dairy substitute for cooking, but shouldn’t be used as a replacement for nutrients.

Soy Milk
There was a time when soy was considered nothing short of a miracle bean. But times have changed. The preponderance of GMO strains drifting into soy fields is alarming (it is estimated that 90 percent of soy is genetically modified), and people are increasingly acquiring quite serious allergies to soy. If you drink a lot of soy milk, you might want to read the arguments about possible health issues associated with soy. Dr. Kaayle Daniel, author of the book The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Health Food says: “Soy isoflavones–the plant estrogens in soy most often credited with cancer prevention–are listed as carcinogens in many toxicology textbooks. They have also been proven to be mutagenic, clastogenic and teratogenic.” Excessive soy intake has also been linked to an increased risk of thyroid disease, and some feel that soy’s phytoestrogens may attenuate testosterone levels in boys. The jury may still be out on soy, but the bottom line might just be that soy milk is significantly more processed than the other milk alternatives.

Not-Milk Milk Recipes
Milk alternatives are surprisingly easy to make at home. See our collection of simple, delicious, and quick nut, seed and grain milk recipes in the next post!

Cow Milk - A Three Part Series, Part I

For many, milk is nearly as fundamental as water—the definition of “wholesome” in a glass. The choice has traditionally been simple: whole or skim? But as the scientific and political debates about different kinds of milk increase, so do the options. The choices are confounding. In this first of a series of three on milk, find out the one sure thing we recommend about milk.

Health-conscious people, animal advocates, the scientific community, and the dairy industry all have very strong feelings about milk. I have seen debates among friends fierce enough to rival the Hatfields and McCoys: Organic vs. conventional, raw vs. pasteurized, animal vs. soy. And when you bring in the literature from professionals—oh boy.

In the midst of all the arguments, despite the conflicting information pelting us from non-dairy proponents on one side and dairy industry advocates on the other, our research has made one thing clear. If you drink cow’s milk, make sure it is free of Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)!

The rBGH Hormone Story
Oh rBGH, you naughty little genetically engineered hormone. Developed by Monsanto in the 1980s and marketed under the name Posilac, rBGH (also called rSBT) was approved by the FDA in 1993. Approved by the FDA? Sounds good, safe even. However, in a strange twist of procedure, rBHG was tested on 30 rats for only 90 days—while most studies required by the FDA are performed on hundreds of rats and last for two years before approval is granted. How in the world can a genetically engineered hormone be deemed safe in 90 days?!

We won’t go into reports of Monsanto employees working for the FDA and all of the thrilling intrigue there…or the details about Monsanto’s history with horrifying chemicals…or Monsanto’s role in genetic modification.

Most of the World Has Banned It
No, we won’t go there—but we will tell you that Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and all 25 nations of the European Union have banned rBGH. Codex Alimentarius, the U.N. body that sets food safety standards, has refused to approve the safety of rBGH not once, not twice, but three times.

With rBGH Human Cancer Cells Can Multiply Faster
rBGH is injected into dairy cows to increase milk production by stimulating a growth hormone called Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). We humans absorb this IGF-1, and guess what, it makes our cells grow faster, including cancer cells. It doesn’t take a hypochondriac to worry about what extra doses of cell-growing hormones might do to a body. As it turns out, it is no surprise that numerous studies have determined that increased levels of this hormone are connected to increased risks of prostrate, breast, colon, pancreatic, and lung cancers.

With rBGH You’ll Get Cow Antibiotics in Your Milk
With the 10 to 15 percent increase in milk production from rBGH, also comes a whopping increase in the rates of mastitis, an infection of the udders. Along with the problem this presents to the poor cow, this affects our milk in two ways. To treat mastitis the infected cows are pumped with antibiotics, which can pass through the milk.

Some people have allergies to specific antibiotics and their unexpected presence in food can cause reactions. Also, frequent exposure to low level antibiotics can cause resistance to them so that they are ineffective when needed to fight a human infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control, overuse of agricultural antibiotics is the biggest contributor to food-borne, antibiotic-resistant infections in humans.

…And Pus
Beyond the possibility of antibiotics being passed through milk to humans—mastitis causes another substance to pass to the drinker as well. And this isn’t pretty. As with all infections, mastitis creates an increased somatic cell count—which is the nice way of saying pus. This may sound far-fetched at first, like vegan propaganda or an urban food myth—but the FDA has an actual acceptable level of somatic cells allowed in milk. So there you go. Up to 750,000 somatic cells per milliliter are allowed in milk. Yuck.

What You Can Do
We try to be pretty open-minded here, but when it comes to milk we have one guiding principal that we’ll go to the mat for: If you can buy organic, do. It costs more, but it is an important place to spend the money if you can.

If you have a choice between organic brands, buy from smaller local dairy farms rather than national brands. As well, if you are unable to buy organic try to purchase milk produced from smaller local dairy farms. Smaller farms rely less on industrial dairy practices and have lower infection rates. Since Monsanto has lawsuits against dairies that label their milk “rBGH-free” some cartons may not use that specific language. Look for “hormone free” and “antibiotic free.”

The lobbying powers of Monsanto and the dairy industry are exceptionally strong, as is the literature from the scientific and anti-dairy communities. It really boils down to a “he said-she said” scenario. But even without all of the statistics and scientific facts being batted around, at the very least, who wants to drink milk from cows treated with a genetically modified hormone to make them produce more milk—polluted milk from infected, aching cows? Strive for milk from natural, happy cows—milk as wholesome as milk should be.

Coming up: Raw Milk, and Milk Alternatives. Stay tuned!

My Favourite Cold & Flu Remedies

It's that time of year again! And, no, I'm not talking about white Christmases and turkey dinners...I'm talking about cold & flu season. If you want to stay healthy over the holidays, try these great tips and formulas.

This is going to be a large post, so brace yourselves. If one remedy doesn't sound appealing to you, or if you're allergic to any of the ingredients, another remedy follows!

I’ve included teas, soups, homemade syrups, and more—all natural, all comforting, all effective. Great care for colds and flu, right here.

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Avoiding the flu is on many people’s minds, particularly this year with a worldwide flu vaccine shortage.

The good news is that people have been using essential oils for centuries to ward off illnesses, and we have an antibacterial room spray that can help in just this way. If you are unlucky enough to come down with a case of the flu, or a bad cold, there are many natural herbal and homeopathic remedies that also really help. Here is a list of these as well, so you can ride out such an illness with the least amount of misery!

Antibacterial Room Spray
Here is an excellent antiseptic and freshening room spray. It contains lavender and thyme oils, both of which are antiseptic and specifific to lung infections. If you are traveling, you might like to use it in your hotel room.

1. Fill a 2-ounce glass spray bottle with distilled water.
2. Add to it 7 drops of lavender oil and 4 drops of thyme oil.
3. Replace the spray top and spray!

Echinacea
Echinacea stimulates the immune system and helps the body rid itself of microbial infection. Echinace angustifolia and E. purpurrea are equally effective, and many products contain E. pallida as well. Start taking Echinacea tincture –30 to 45 drops 3x a day—a week before traveling to obtain ints immune –enhancing effects.

While all treatments work differently, depending on the individual, experience shows that Echinacea can knock out a cold if taken at the onset of symptoms.

Astragalus
Another effective immune-enhancing formula is a combination of astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) and Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) taken as a tincture twice a day, 20 to 30 drops per dose. This formula is appropriate to take daily throughout the cold and flu season. Begin a month prior to travel.

Boneset
Boneset (Eupatorium perforoliatum is an immune stimulant that assaults bacteria. In the 1700s and 1800s most U.S. homes in the Northeast had boneset drying from the rafters. It was used effectively to treat a flue epidemic in Pennysylvania in 800.

Redroot
This effective botanical stimulates and cleanses the lymph system. The lymph system is responsible for processing and cleansing the body of the byproducts of fighting infection.

Boneset, Redroot, and Echinachea
Make this formula blend yourself by buying single-herb tinctures of each of the three herbs and combine them in a larger jar. Fill a 2-ounce tincture bottle with some of the resulting formula and you’re all set. This remedy is good to take 20 to 30 drops at a time, every hour, at the onset of cold or flu symptoms.

Homeopathic Formula
A standard remedy for flu is the homeopathic formula Oscillococcinum. Manufactured by Boiron, Oscillo is taken like any other homeopathic remedy—sublingually (allowed to dissolve under the tongue) 30 minutes before or after eating or drinking anything except water. The standard dosage is three vials; each vial contains hundreds of minute pellets. As soon as you feel flu symptoms, take a vial of Oscillo. Repeat with the second vial six hours alter, and with the third six hours after the second.

Note: These recommendations are offered as information only, not as a medical recommendation, or to be used independently of your working with your doctor.

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If You Have a Cold but Need to Attend a Meeting

(From Beauty Feng Shui, by Chao-Hsiu Chen (Inner Traditions, 2000).

Heat 2 glasses of cola (try to find a healthy kind) with 10 thick slices of fresh ginger. Add 2 tablespoons honey and the juice of a lemon and drink the mixture. (This recipe is very popular in Hong Kong.)

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Herbal Bath Soothing Cold Remedy

Like several of my friends, I’m just recovering from a nasty cold brought on, I think, by the stress of adjusting to the falling temperature of my not-so-heated place of residence. I was eager to try this great formula–and the good news is that it really helped unstop my nose and soothe my sniffling soul. Plus it was pure pleasure to loll in such fragrant waters for a few minutes. (Warm baths are one of my favorite de-stressors, hands down!)

Get the simple and effective formula here to save for a sneezy day:

INGREDIENTS

2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons dried eucalyptus
4 tablespoons dried rosemary
4 tablespoons dried lavender buds
2 tablespoons dried rosebuds (I didn’t have any of these on hand, but the formula still worked without them)

Steep the herbs in the boiling water for 30 minutes, then strain and add the liquid to a warm bath.

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Zesty Cider Cold and Flu Formula

Adapted from 50 Simple Ways to Pamper Yourself, by Stephanie Tourles (Storey Books, 1999).

Here is a great natural formula—with a spicy, zesty, delicious flavor#—that offers relief from cold and flu symptoms, and is an effective natural antibiotic.

Several healing ingredients make this tasty formula one that you can drink at the first sign of a cold or flu to help open up your sinuses and bronchial passages. You can also gargle with it for relief from sore throats. We plan to print this out and keep it handy all fall and winter long; when the sniffles hit, this will help! Here’s the recipe:

INGREDIENTS (Try to use organic if at all possible)

25 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried or 3 tablespoons fresh Echinacea root, grated or chopped
1/3 cup fresh horseradish root, grated
1/4 cup fresh gingerroot, peeled and sliced
1 large white onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
Honey to sweeten, if desired
Raw apple cider vinegar, 1 quart or less

1. Place all dry ingredients in a 1-quart wide mouth jar. Fill to the top with vinegar. Cover the top of the jar with plastic wrap, then screw on the lid.

2. Refrigerate for six weeks so the flavor can develop and soften. Shake daily. There’s no need to strain and bottle it unless you want to. The flavor keeps getting better and bolder the longer the formula is allowed to steep.

3. At the first sign of a cold or flu, take 2 tablespoons of this formula with a warm water chaser. Rinse mouth out well after swallowing the cider. Repeat once or twice daily for the duration of the illness. You should feel your sinus and bronchial passages quickly open and your breathing become easier.

4. For a sore throat, gargle with the formula for 60 seconds, spit, then rinse out your mouth. You should feel immediate relief.

Makes about 1 quart.

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Honey Thyme for Colds and Flu

Cold and flu season is upon us, but we have an ancient remedy for congestion, coughs, and sore throats that is simply the bees’ knees!

It calls for honey, the sweetest of healers, and thyme, a wonderful herb with antibacterial properties that had been used by Wise Ones for centuries to alleviate the miseries of colds and flus. Easy to make and delicious to use:

INGREDIENTS
1 cup honey
1/2 cup fresh thyme or 1/4 cup dried thyme

1. In a small saucepan, combine the two ingredients and heat gently over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, being sure not to let the honey boil or scorch.

2. Remove from heat and allow the honey to cool. Strain out the herbs, then bottle the honey and label it.

3. To relieve colds, coughs, and sore throats, take 1 teaspoon of this thyme-infused honey three times a day. You could also add a teaspoon of it to a cup of regular hot tea and sip slowly.

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Herbs for the Flu, Tested By Science

Adapted from The Antibiotic Alternative: The Natural Guide to Fighting Infection and Maintaining a Healthy Immune System by Cindy L. A. Jones, Ph.D. (Inner Traditions, 2000).

It is getting to be time that we all get a bit more sophisticated about the flu, what with the Avian flu fears looming as a possible global pandemic. Vaccinations, antiviral drugs and pharmaceuticals are not the focus of this article, but finding effective herbs to help combat the illness is.

A flu and cold are often difficult to differentiate, but a flu is usually worse. Symptoms include a fever with chills, runny nose, cough, headache, and a feeling of malaise or tiredness. Although the most acute symptoms usually subside within three days, symptoms such as weakness and coughing may persist for ten days. Even though the flu is typically self-limiting, serious complications can arise in the very young or the elderly or those with a preexisting disease.

Two herbs have stood the test of science as being effective against the flu. Find out which ones, here:

The ideal approach to the flu is, of course, prevention. This might be accomplished by improving the immune system, especially in the fall as flu season approaches. Several studies have shown that astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous) extracts can stimulate the immune system. Use astragalus as an extract or add the root to soups.

If you do get the flu, here are two herbs shown to help reduce the severity of the illness.

1. Elder (Sambucus nigra) has a tradition of use for the treatment of colds and flu and has stood the test of science. The flowers from this plant have demonstrated antiviral activity against both influenza types A and B, as well as herpes simplex virus type 1. It also possesses anti-inflammatory activity.

A clinical study showed that a standardized elderberry extract, Sambucol, improved the symptoms of influenza with a complete recovery in two to three days, compared to a six-day recovery period for the group not receiving the herb. In this study patients were diagnosed with influenza type B. Elder may act by stimulating the body’s own interferon or by preventing attachment of the virus to the body’s surfaces.

2. Licorce root has also demonstrated antiviral activity. When mice infected with lethal doses of influenza virus were treated with glycyrrhizin, an active component of licorice, they were protected from death due to the virus and had less lung damage than did mice treated with saline controls.

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Restorative Roasted Garlic Soup

Adapted from The Border Cookbook, by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison (Harvard Common Press, 1995).

Some recipes for garlic soup are so laden with cream that the salubrious effects of the garlic are certainly thwarted. In this recipe for roasted garlic soup, you will find no cream. No dairy at all in fact. Instead, a creative combination of flavors with a Mexican spin that is as perky as it is restorative.

Roasting and simmering mellow the garlic’s sharpness and enhance its underlying sweetness.

This is one delicious way to boost your immune system so you can avoid the flu, or to nourish yourself if you’ve caught it.

INGREDIENTS

3 whole heads of garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, preferably peanut
1 medium onion, sliced thin
8 cups vegetable stock
1 to 2 dried or canned chipotle chiles
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime
Toasted thin flour tortilla strips and sliced avocado, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Coat garlic with a thin film of the oil, reserving the remaining oil. Place garlic in a shallow pan and bake it until very soft, about 45 minutes. When garlic is cool enough to handle, peel all the cloves and reserve them.

3. Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a large saucepan or Dutch oven and warm over medium heat. Add the onion to the oil and saute until it’s softened and lightly colored. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the reserved garlic. Puree, adding a little stock if necessary to blend the mixture.

4. Add remaining oil to the saucepan and warm it over medium-high heat. Pour in the blender mixture, being careful of any splatters, and saute it until it just begins to dry out and color. Add the rest of the stock, the chipotle, salt, and cumin, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer the soup for 25 to 30 minutes, remove it from the heat, and add the lime juice.

5. Divide the tortilla strips and avocado between the bowls and pour the hot soup over them. Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.

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Garlic Potato Healing Soup Recipe

Adapted from The Findhorn Book of Vegetarian Recipes, by Kay Lynne Sherman (Findhorn Press, 2003).

Here is a folk remedy for those days when you’re out of sorts and not feeling well. Comforting and packed with the healing power of garlic, this soup is good for what ails you!

Keep the recipe on hand to make whenever you or a loved one is feeling under the weather: Garlic Potato Healing Soup is a keeper.

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle
2 cups chopped potatoes
7 cups good-quality vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon butter
Croutons for garnish (optional)

1. Simmer potatoes and caraway seeds in stock or water for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are very soft.

2. Add crushed garlic and butter, stirring to combine thoroughly.

3. Serve hot with croutons on top, if desired.

Serves 2.

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Grandma’s Healing Soup Recipe

Inspired by Soup Makes the Meal, by Ken Haedrich (Harvard Common Press, 2001).

The author of this wonderful cookbook says he’s been making this light restorative soup for his kids when they’re sick for years–but that it’s so delicious, you don’t have to be sick to enjoy it! Either way, its luscious fragrance helps to clear the sinuses, with potatoes that are soothing to the digestive tract and a delightful broth filled with spinach, parsley, leeks, and garlic for minerals, vitamins, and healing antioxidants plus some winter root vegetables for sweetness. It reminded Cait of a lovely soup her Grandma used to make.

A steaming bowlful on a cold winter day is so wonderfully soothing
and comforting–and it is very quick to make.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large leek, well-washed, white parts only, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large potato, diced
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups vegetable stock
Salt to taste
Handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Large handful fresh spinach leaves (around 4 ounces), rinsed and coarsely chopped
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a soup pot, heat the olive oil and add the leeks, carrot, potato, parsnip, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat about 5 minutes. Add stock and salt to taste, then bring to a simmer.

2. Simmer soup, partially covered, for about 5 minutes, then stir in parsley and spinach. Simmer, partially covered, about 5 more minutes. Add pepper to taste and serve piping hot.

Serves 4 to 5.

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French Healing Tea Recipe

The French sip this tea for pure pleasure, but it is also wonderfully healing for sore throats, upper respiratory troubles, and tummy bugs. It’s been a brutal flu season here in upstate New York, but this delicious tea has helped all of us who have tried it.

The recipe only calls for one herbal ingredient, and you probably have it on your kitchen shelf. As you sip, think of cozy French farmhouses surrounded by fields just beginning to thaw after the long cold winter. The sun is getting stronger. Spring is returning. Life is good.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (1 teaspoon fresh)

1. Place thyme in cup and cover with boiling water. Cover and allow to steep for 10 minutes.

2. Strain and serve, with honey and/or lemon, if you like.

Makes one serving.

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Warming Winter Good Health Tea

Adapted from The Great American Detox Cookbook, by Alex Jamieson (Rodale Press, 2005).

Most of us will eat some things over the holidays that we knew aren't all that good for us. Some of us are surrounded by sneezing and coughing co-workers. All of us could use a little help staying healthy. That’s where this wonderful tea comes in handy.

The author of this great cookbook helped her filmmaker fiance Morgan Spurlock come back from the brink after he ate a fast-food diet for a month for his movie “Super-Size Me.” She devised this super recipe to help us digest our meals more fully and to boost our immune systems. It has anti-depression ingredients, antiviral and antibacterial ingredients, relaxing ingredients—and it tastes delicious! Try the recipe, and enjoy better health this winter:

INGREDIENTS

4 cups water
3 slices fresh ginger, cut to the thickness of a quarter (warming, immune enhancer)
1 1-inch piece licorice root (antiviral, antibacterial, fights depression)
1 1/2-inch piece cinnamon stick (warming, digestive support, useful for diabetes)
1 tablespoon organic orange rind (sweet)
1 tablespoon dried parsley (digestive aid)
1 teaspoon dried lemon balm (relaxing, aromatic)
1 clove (warming, digestive aid)

1. In a pot, bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.

2. Steep 5 to 15 minutes. Strain and drink twice a day.

Makes 4 cups.

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Stay healthy! - Tara

Benefits of Biking

Okay, we all know bikes are one of the few methods of getting there that doesn’t produce carbon dioxide emissions. But biking also offers far-reaching benefits to you.

Find out what biking can do for you and the planet:

Easy on the Earth
Rather than adding to the pollution problem, biking is a completely clean form of transportation. The only fuel it burns is your own calories!

Biking is also quiet, a huge plus for all of us suffering from the ill effects of noise pollution.

Fitness
Not only good for the atmosphere, biking is good for your derriere, and lots of other body-parts as well. Firming, toning, calorie-burning: Biking has it beat over driving any day of the week.

How many calories will you burn in a hour of moderate biking? Or 30 minutes? Find out with this handy biking calorie-calculator.

Boosting Your Mood
Even moderate exercise, like a leisurely bike ride, will boost levels of euphoria-producing hormones called endorphins. Translation: You can bike away your blues.

Enjoying the Scene
When we whiz past scenery in a car, we miss so much. The slower pace of biking enables ups to experience the beauty of locale. Avid bikers report the satisfaction of smelling newly mown grass, or flowering trees, or the fertile damp earth as one of the added bonuses of cycling.

Meeting Like-Minded Others
You can bet that fellow cyclers are probably health-and-environmentally-minded. Many bikers say that deep friendships often form among cycling enthusiasts because of their common ground.