Gluten Free Bread Mix

** Bread Flour Mix GF**

This is one loaf (I make this times 10 in a big bowl. Mix really well and put it in a Tupperware. Approximately 486 grams makes one loaf) 

100g maize starch

100g potato starch

100g brown rice flour         

50g sorghum 

35g flaxseed meal

35g millet flour

10g psyllium husk

10g sugar (2 t)

15g quinoa flakes    

10g salt

8g pea protein

2g xanthan/guargum mix (half and half)

2 T chia seeds

2 T potato flakes (Costco)

In bread maker on GF setting:

580g warm water

1 recipe bread mix (486g)

7g yeast (apprx 2 teaspoons)

(I like to add 1/4 cup sourdough starter to dough if I have any. Seems to make it even better)

Optional: Sunflower Seeds

This could be mixed and poured into a bread loaf pan. Place in warm (not hot) oven and let rise for about 30 minutes. Turn oven up to 350F and bake for about an hour. Slice when cooled.  Haha, I can never wait that long!

THE BEST WAY TO BAKE IS IN A BREAD MAKER ON GLUTEN FREE SETTING. Must have GF setting. All bread makers are not created equal.

Sourdough Bread

I’ve been playing with gluten free sourdough bread making. I’ve come up with a pretty good formula. I’ve made a few bricks, but finally have a tasty, SOFT sourdough loaf of bread. But you will need the right equipment. If anyone finds a better recipe, please share!

Sourdough Bread

I use a gluten free brown rice sourdough starter. Making that is a whole other recipe.

Mix together:

200g           Active Brown Rice sourdough starter

400-450g    water

100g           Brown Rice Flour

80g             Sorghum flour

150g           Potato starch

20g             Pea Protein Isolate

35g            Ground flaxseed meal

2 tsp.          Psyllium Husk

Ferment above mixture in an Insta pot on yoghurt setting for about 3-4 hours. Until the mixture has doubled. 

Then add following and mix together until smooth (add more water if needed to make a thick batter consistency):

150g         Potato starch

2 tsp          Sea salt

1 Tbl          Raw sugar

1-2            Eggs

1 Tbl         Extra virgin olive oil

Place the mixture in a bread maker on the GF setting.  You have to have the GF setting because GF baking is entirely different from wheat bread. Also I’ve found that since gluten free baking is so temperamental, I use about 7 grams of dry yeast to the last mix to help with the rise. Otherwise, it is hit and miss on the fluffy vs. bricks. But you still have that wonderful sourdough flavour. 

Sounds like a lot of work, but when you are set up for gluten free baking anyway, it’s not that bad. If you would like to set up a time for me to call you to help trouble shoot, Email me. gale4health@yahoo.com

If you have the starter add a couple tablespoons to your gluten free pancake batter…..best GF pancakes I’ve ever made!

Mango Salsa

 Mango Salsa

2 large ripe mangoes

1 medium cucumber, diced

2 medium red capsicum, roasted, seeded, diced

1 medium red onion, peeled, diced

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander 

2-3 Serrano chilies, minced (optional)

Fresh lime juice to taste

Salt to taste

1. Peel the mangoes, cut flesh away from pit, cut into small chunks.

2. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients, toss gently but thoroughly.

3. Let salsa stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow flavours to meld. Serve at room temp or slightly chilled. Delicious with fish tacos or with tortilla chips.

Sugar

Did you know medical research shows that today by 8 years of age children have consumed as much sugar as people did in a lifetime 100 years ago? 🤯

Did you know that our bodies can only process 1 tablespoon of sugar and anything above this causes inflammation? Inflammation is the root cause of all disease.

Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Cancer, diseases Hypertension or Hyperactivity....can be linked to inflammation related to sugar.

This is why we eliminate sugar!

Know the names for sugar. Read labels!

Thai Yellow Curry

During this 2020 Quarantine eating out has been curtailed. So I’ve been craving my favourite Thai Sa-On restaurant yellow curry. The canned yellow curry paste you can purchase in the market is too hot for this ‘no heat gal’. So to scratch for me! This recipe has large chunks of potatoes and other vegetables. I’m excited that it is pretty close to Thai Sa-On! Next time I will make a double batch of the paste to have it on hand. It should keep in the fridge for a few weeks.
Enjoy!

Ahead bake or boil at least 2 potatoes.

Ingredients for yellow curry paste 
In a small blender or coffee grinder pulse until smooth:
1 small onion
2 t coriander seeds
2 t cumin seeds or ground cumin
1/4 black pepper
1 t ground turmeric
2 fresh red Thai chilli (leave out if you don’t want heat)
1/2 inch fresh ginger, chopped
2-3 fresh garlic cloves
2 T coconut milk
2 kaffir lime leaves (can sub 1/2 t lemon or lime zest)
1 stalk lemon grass finely chopped (skip if not available)

ingredients for Thai Yellow Curry

2 T coconut oil
2 potatoes, baked, chunked
One small carrot, chopped
5-6 button mushrooms, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
Add whatever green veg you like, snow peas are a favourite for me.
1 cup thick coconut milk
1/2 t raw sugar
1 T Thai basil, chopped
1-2 t soy sauce
1.5-2 cups water or vegetable broth
Salt to taste

Instructions:
Heat oil, add curry paste, sauté 1-2 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of the coconut milk, sauté another minute.
Add vegetables and mix well.
Add water or broth, sugar and salt, stir well and cover.
Simmer vegetables until starting to tender.
Add remaining coconut milk
Add soy sauce and simmer until desired doneness.
Add basil.
Serve over brown or white rice.
Reheats well.

I'm thankful for chocolate......

The subject of Sugar has been beaten to death, but yet most of us are still addicted to it in one form or another. We all know it isn't good for us, but yet......My own personal addiction is in the form of CHOCOLATE. Chocolate is everywhere. It is good to have a 'defensive plan' in place before it hits. My own way of dealing with it is to have healthier choices available so I don't feel deprived by not indulging in the sweet temptations. It is just like any healthy eating options, you have to plan ahead and make a commitment to do it. The only bad part about making your own chocolate bars is that they have no preservatives or chemicals in them so they melt at room temperature. If you take them out of the refrigerator, you have to eat them all. (oh darn!) Here is my favorite - play with it and make it your own! 

Chocolate Bark (or as we say Down Under - Chocolate Slice)

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup almond butter (or any nut butter)

1/2 cup raw Cacao powder

1 tablespoon raw Maca powder

1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, date syrup or rice syrup (rice syrup has no fructose in it but it isn't as sweet tasting, which I like because since giving up white sugar, I find I don’t want it so sweet. In fact I cut back to 1/3 cup when I use honey or maple syrup)

In saucepan, on low heat, melt coconut oil and nut butter, add and stir sweetener, cacao and maca. Pour onto tray lined with parchment paper. (Parchment paper hack: if you wad it up into a ball, then flatten it out again, it will stay put better in the corners) Sprinkle with whatever your favorites are, i.e.: nuts, coconut, blueberries. Place in fridge or freezer until set, about 15 minutes. Cut into squares for a healthy treat.

I’ve tried all four sweeteners and my favorite is organic date syrup which is simply pureed dates and a little water.

Eat beans to live longer better

There are several spots in the world where people seem to live longer than others called Blue Zones. The zones pinpointed were Ikaria in Greece, Okinawa in Japan, the Barbagia region of Sardinia, Loma Linda in California (which contains the highest concentration of Seventh Day Adventists in the US) and Nicoya in Costa Rica. The lifestyles in these areas vary. They have different diets and beliefs. One of the things they do have in common is beans. Yes, something as simple as beans.

From studying the blue zones, it is believed that beans are "the world's greatest longevity foods" and that eating beans - of every variety, including fava, black, soy and lentil - is fundamental to healthy living and the "cornerstone of every longevity diet". The blue-zone people are "eating a cup of beans a day on average".

Why are beans so special, though? We know they are high in fiber, vitamins and micronutrients but they also remove the need for animal protein, so are better for the gut. The Blue Zoners eat only 5 percent meat. The majority of their food is plant based.

When you eat a lot of meat, the gut bacteria (the flora) of your gut changes to digest it. So a certain type of bacteria thrives when you eat a lot of meat; that bacteria causes inflammation, which is at the root of every age-related disease.

When you eat beans, however, you switch to another type of flora (it is during this changeover that flatulence occurs, but it only lasts a couple of weeks), which lowers inflammation and obesity rates.

The goal isn't necessarily to live to be 100, but to LIVE until you die. It is amazing how something as simple as beans can increase your quality of life. So eat your beans (take a walk if they cause flatulence and let it rip - exercise is the bonus!) and enjoy a longer, healthier life.