I love seeds. Really, anything made from them or with them, I love. They are versitile and packed with nutrients. Because we are talking Tahini, we will talk sesame seeds. The makeup (about 3 1/2 oz. serving):
Protein 17.730 grams
Iron 14.550 milligrams
Calcium 975 milligrams
Just that makes me love this seed. I won't lie you pay for what you get. I don't buy Tahini because it's expensive. Sesame seeds are also expensive. The difference? You can use sesame seeds when you want, instead of opening a container and needing to use it up before it spoils, like store bought tahini. I also use the seeds for a lot of differnt things, tahini, breads, stir-fry, snacking, trail mix.
How do I do it? I start with putting about a cup of sesame seeds on a cookie sheet. Spread them so it is just one layer. Put them in a hot oven of 350 degrees and let them roast for about 10 minutes. Check on them often in that 10 minutes. The darker they get the more bitter they become. I like them so they are a very light golden brown with speckles of darker seeds in the mix. If you do like a more bitter tahini keep them in longer. Put them in a magic bullet, food processor or blender. Start with a table spoon of olive oil and blend. It will most likely be thick. Add more olive oil to your desired consistancy. And wa-la. Tahini! So simple.
Notes.
-Instead of olive oil I use Udo's 3-6-9 oil. It is a whole foods oil that is made up of a blend of the 3, 6, 9 omega fatty acids. Here is the big fat note on that though, it runs about 45 dollars per 32 oz. I use it because I have taken my kids off of fish oils. The amount evens out for me.
-I have made tahini very thick with seeds still formed in it. I have made it very smooth and creamy. It all tastes the same. There doesn't need to be much attention on the consistency, the thing to watch is the bake time. It really can make a difference.
- Cost cutter. Some things are just more expensive. seeds tend to be one of them. I have learned though, if you get to know your local health food store owner or manager sometimes they will buy things in bulk per your request for a better price (my mom gets her chia seed this way). Also, I have used Azure standard. It is a co-op out of Oregon. But be careful, with every purchase with them they tack on a 15.00 shipping cost. It is worth it if you are doing a massive order or if you have a friend to combined orders with and split cost.
-Hulled or unhulled. Sesame seeds come hulled or unhulled. A white sesame seed is most common. However, if it is white that means it has been hulled. Hulled is the process of stripping off of the natural skin of the seed Unhulled is, obviously, the seed in it's natural state (they are a light brownish color)and the most nutritious. When shopping for sesame seeds the most bang for your buck will be unhulled!
That is all things Tahini! Enjoy.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Summer
The time has finally come. Time for chlorine, sunburns, days that last deep into the night, and times that are spent just loving what is. Welcome.
Friday was especially summery last week.
Ms. G enjoyed eating.
Our little man sported highly fashionable swim wear.
And Ms. B miraculously turned into a fish before our very eyes.
Friday was especially summery last week.
Ms. G enjoyed eating.
Our little man sported highly fashionable swim wear.
And Ms. B miraculously turned into a fish before our very eyes.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Food: Veganism, a soap box
All of our airport outfits are purchased. Signs are made. Food is stocked. We are ready, so I am loving this little distraction on the food topic. I really only can practice my "surprised, excited, supportive, loving," facials in the mirror (for when he walks off of that plane) so many times! So before food became the topic, I really was just watching the clock.
The topic was raised,Why Vegan, or my take on it? To be completely honest we are not 100% vegan. I think whole foods is a more appropriate term. While Jeremy is gone I have to be somewhat flexible. How we got to this way of eating was actually years of evolution (hold on tight, it's going to be a long post). When we arrived it was just a natural step. My undergraduate is in community health. I have always been fascinated in health and the way the body works. A quote that I love that has summed it up for me is, "with health you can do anything." And think about it, when your mind, body and spirit are healthy you truly feel unstoppable or living with purpose and energy. In that, how you treat your body is your number one defense and what you have control over, not to mention, your own responsibility. Food is so connected with all three of those facets.
Because of consciousness of health I started becoming a conscious eater. I learned about my food. I learned about the fuel I was putting in my own personal vehicle for life. I didn't want unclean or dangerous or unhealthy things in my body that wouldn't take me the places I wanted to go. First things to go, red meat and pork (I stopped eating white flours as a teenager). Next was minimizing things out of boxes and cans, then fast food then chicken, then eggs and then fish. The interesting thing is I have never told myself I wouldn't or couldn't eat something. I don't have nonsustainable rules for myself. I eat what I want when I want. But education is a grand thing. I don't eat things because I don't want to, pretty easy.
At 24 I found out I had a cancerous tumor in my lung. I was side swiped by this. A real sense of responsibility came over me at that point. The way I treat my body is my first line of defense against the elements. Can I expect to fuel it with crap, refined sugars, meats including all the hormones and antibiotics, processed stuff and preservatives; and then when an illness hits expect it to recover and take care of me? I founded an equal partnership, at that point, with my body.
I have had the opportunity to visit and live in a few different countries. Some of these countries include Africa and Mexico. The lessons I learned from these places are, less truly is more. I have a deep appreciation for non-indulgent people, that live with the bare minimums and don't take more than they need. These are, also, some of the happiest people I know. That lesson I took with me in my food (and other parts of my life as well). I eat simply and yet it is some of the most richly flavored food I've ever eaten.
My oldest girlie has Celiac's Disease. Well, she is sort of a phenomenon. She carries the gene in her blood samples and yet her intestines are healthy. Technically, she can eat gluten. My second oldest girlie and my boy are lactose intolerant.
When I was pregnant with my boy and vegetarian I was really overwhelmed at meeting all the food needs of my family, including a very temperamental third trimester. The easiest thing I came up with to make everyone happy was fruits and veggies, whole grains, and legumes, no lactose, no gluten, no meat; it was perfect.
All of this, with the upbringing of loving the environment, as lead to my lifestyle now.
oh, wait, motherhood. Motherhood is a big one for me. I want to give all of this to my children. I put them in car seats and make them wear helmets. I protect the outsides of their bodies like crazy, why would I not protect their insides too? I am my kiddos protector. Why would I feed them harmful things? I sort of get nervous here because there are so many opinions on what is "harmful," I get that. but I am talking the basics, refined sugars, preservatives and so forth. I want my kids to be strong, spiritually, mentally, and physically. In addition to other things, I feed them well, as part of their temporal and spiritual preparedness. Don't get me wrong, we have treats. My kids are typical. They get to eat whatever their friends are eating. I don't pack them their own little bag of "good" food. I think social etiquette and graciousness are equally important. I also don't want them to be self-conscious I want them to be wise. So the foods we eat in our house are a little different than what we eat outside of it. When we go out we are flexible and we are especially appreciative to meals that friends have offered and homes that have been open to us. We eat up everything there, even if it is a steak breaded with ground beef deep fried with cheese sauce. The friendship is of equal priority.
Ok, I think I will stop now. This is not meant to be offensive these are just my own little tidbits. And believe it or not I still have more, maybe tomorrow we will get into the cost of it. I can feed my family for 2 days on a bag of lentils that cost 76 cents! I was going to get into Tahini tonight as well, but I am little long winded already...maybe tomorrow. Another thing I may cover is kids treats. We eat yummy treats like the next person, they are just made a little differently. And probably a post dedicated to protein. Number one question asked to someone that doesn't eat meat is about protein. Very fun this will definitely keep me occupied for the next few days. And if I don't post that means there's a husband around that I need to get reacquainted with.
The topic was raised,Why Vegan, or my take on it? To be completely honest we are not 100% vegan. I think whole foods is a more appropriate term. While Jeremy is gone I have to be somewhat flexible. How we got to this way of eating was actually years of evolution (hold on tight, it's going to be a long post). When we arrived it was just a natural step. My undergraduate is in community health. I have always been fascinated in health and the way the body works. A quote that I love that has summed it up for me is, "with health you can do anything." And think about it, when your mind, body and spirit are healthy you truly feel unstoppable or living with purpose and energy. In that, how you treat your body is your number one defense and what you have control over, not to mention, your own responsibility. Food is so connected with all three of those facets.
Because of consciousness of health I started becoming a conscious eater. I learned about my food. I learned about the fuel I was putting in my own personal vehicle for life. I didn't want unclean or dangerous or unhealthy things in my body that wouldn't take me the places I wanted to go. First things to go, red meat and pork (I stopped eating white flours as a teenager). Next was minimizing things out of boxes and cans, then fast food then chicken, then eggs and then fish. The interesting thing is I have never told myself I wouldn't or couldn't eat something. I don't have nonsustainable rules for myself. I eat what I want when I want. But education is a grand thing. I don't eat things because I don't want to, pretty easy.
At 24 I found out I had a cancerous tumor in my lung. I was side swiped by this. A real sense of responsibility came over me at that point. The way I treat my body is my first line of defense against the elements. Can I expect to fuel it with crap, refined sugars, meats including all the hormones and antibiotics, processed stuff and preservatives; and then when an illness hits expect it to recover and take care of me? I founded an equal partnership, at that point, with my body.
I have had the opportunity to visit and live in a few different countries. Some of these countries include Africa and Mexico. The lessons I learned from these places are, less truly is more. I have a deep appreciation for non-indulgent people, that live with the bare minimums and don't take more than they need. These are, also, some of the happiest people I know. That lesson I took with me in my food (and other parts of my life as well). I eat simply and yet it is some of the most richly flavored food I've ever eaten.
My oldest girlie has Celiac's Disease. Well, she is sort of a phenomenon. She carries the gene in her blood samples and yet her intestines are healthy. Technically, she can eat gluten. My second oldest girlie and my boy are lactose intolerant.
When I was pregnant with my boy and vegetarian I was really overwhelmed at meeting all the food needs of my family, including a very temperamental third trimester. The easiest thing I came up with to make everyone happy was fruits and veggies, whole grains, and legumes, no lactose, no gluten, no meat; it was perfect.
All of this, with the upbringing of loving the environment, as lead to my lifestyle now.
oh, wait, motherhood. Motherhood is a big one for me. I want to give all of this to my children. I put them in car seats and make them wear helmets. I protect the outsides of their bodies like crazy, why would I not protect their insides too? I am my kiddos protector. Why would I feed them harmful things? I sort of get nervous here because there are so many opinions on what is "harmful," I get that. but I am talking the basics, refined sugars, preservatives and so forth. I want my kids to be strong, spiritually, mentally, and physically. In addition to other things, I feed them well, as part of their temporal and spiritual preparedness. Don't get me wrong, we have treats. My kids are typical. They get to eat whatever their friends are eating. I don't pack them their own little bag of "good" food. I think social etiquette and graciousness are equally important. I also don't want them to be self-conscious I want them to be wise. So the foods we eat in our house are a little different than what we eat outside of it. When we go out we are flexible and we are especially appreciative to meals that friends have offered and homes that have been open to us. We eat up everything there, even if it is a steak breaded with ground beef deep fried with cheese sauce. The friendship is of equal priority.
Ok, I think I will stop now. This is not meant to be offensive these are just my own little tidbits. And believe it or not I still have more, maybe tomorrow we will get into the cost of it. I can feed my family for 2 days on a bag of lentils that cost 76 cents! I was going to get into Tahini tonight as well, but I am little long winded already...maybe tomorrow. Another thing I may cover is kids treats. We eat yummy treats like the next person, they are just made a little differently. And probably a post dedicated to protein. Number one question asked to someone that doesn't eat meat is about protein. Very fun this will definitely keep me occupied for the next few days. And if I don't post that means there's a husband around that I need to get reacquainted with.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Food
I was reminded that I was, at one point, going to start posting more recipes. I am not good at this, even when I commit it deep down in my heart. But I don't know, I am kind of liking blogging more and we will go with that until I get distracted with something else, maybe this will be a fun topic. Because I don't have a binder of recipes or any real "go to" place with all of my recipes. I am going to start with a few things I have eaten in a day. This will help simplify. Here are a couple of things from yesterday. Today we went to costco,so my meals consisted of samples, very non-vegan and not that healthy. About my recipes. If ever there is a question about what something is or the best place to buy it or so on, please let me know. I remember when I was getting into eating this way. I spent half the time figuring out the ingredients. I asked and still ask a ton of questions!
Quinoa and spinach.
So simple and my two year old licks the bowl clean.
1/2 c. quinoa
1 1/4 C. veggie broth
handfuls of spinach
Put quinoa and broth in a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in spinach, let wilt to desired consistency. Serve.
I was going to add pecans to this, but was out, hence the trip to costco.
Here is a sandwich that I could eat for almost every meal.
White Bean Hummus with Fresh Thyme and Basil
Recipe from eat, drink & be vegan.
MAKES 6–7 SERVINGS (ABOUT 2½ CUPS). WHEAT-FREE
2 cups cooked cannellini (white kidney) beans (drained and rinsed if using canned beans)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini
1 small to medium clove garlic, sliced
1 – 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (see note)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar (see note)
½ tsp dijon mustard
½ tsp sea salt
2½ - 3 tsp fresh thyme, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, torn or roughly chopped
1-2 tbsp water (may not need, just to thin dip as desired)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a food processor, combine all ingredients except water, thyme, and basil. Purée until smooth, gradually adding water as desired to thin dip and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add thyme and basil and purée briefly to incorporate ingredients.
I spread this pretty thick on a piece of Wasa bread and then put grated carrots on it. I love hummus and think this type of sandwich is the perfect quick picnic food.
Also, I use Great Northern Beans because I usually have those on hand. I make the tahini from scratch for all my hummus recipes. The taste, in my opinion, is so much better and it is more cost efficient.
Quinoa and spinach.
So simple and my two year old licks the bowl clean.
1/2 c. quinoa
1 1/4 C. veggie broth
handfuls of spinach
Put quinoa and broth in a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in spinach, let wilt to desired consistency. Serve.
I was going to add pecans to this, but was out, hence the trip to costco.
Here is a sandwich that I could eat for almost every meal.
White Bean Hummus with Fresh Thyme and Basil
Recipe from eat, drink & be vegan.
MAKES 6–7 SERVINGS (ABOUT 2½ CUPS). WHEAT-FREE
2 cups cooked cannellini (white kidney) beans (drained and rinsed if using canned beans)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini
1 small to medium clove garlic, sliced
1 – 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (see note)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar (see note)
½ tsp dijon mustard
½ tsp sea salt
2½ - 3 tsp fresh thyme, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, torn or roughly chopped
1-2 tbsp water (may not need, just to thin dip as desired)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a food processor, combine all ingredients except water, thyme, and basil. Purée until smooth, gradually adding water as desired to thin dip and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add thyme and basil and purée briefly to incorporate ingredients.
I spread this pretty thick on a piece of Wasa bread and then put grated carrots on it. I love hummus and think this type of sandwich is the perfect quick picnic food.
Also, I use Great Northern Beans because I usually have those on hand. I make the tahini from scratch for all my hummus recipes. The taste, in my opinion, is so much better and it is more cost efficient.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
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