Have you tried turmeric ginger tea? Turmeric has a huge reputation for its proven health benefits. It is part of the ginger family, hence its similar looks! When consumed together, ginger and turmeric can be a great cure for cold and flu. Treasure Valley snow will soon make its 2017 appearance. Our northern neighbors have already seen a share. Today, we give you the recipe for an anti-inflammatory turmeric ginger tea. Keep fresh ginger and turmeric on hand for the cold days coming. Bonus recipe included for a spiced creamy turmeric-ginger tea.

Yields 3 cups

Ingredients
2.5 inch piece of fresh turmeric root or 1 tsp of ground turmeric
1 inch of fresh ginger root
4 cups water
Lemon / lime juice
*Black pepper
Honey

**NOTE: To increase the absorption in the body (turmeric has low absorption and rapid metabolism), you need to add a little fat to the tea, such as a teaspoon of the coconut oil or black pepper in this recipe, which aids in the absorption of curcumin.

Preparation:

1. Add water into the pot to boil
2. Clean and roughly chop the turmeric and the ginger root
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes
4. Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes
5. Add turmeric tea to cup(s)
6. Add a pinch of black pepper to each cup
7. Juice 1/4 lemon / lime into each cup
8. Add 1 teaspoon of honey and stir well

FRESH SPICE TIPS:

Storage:

Store fresh turmeric in the fridge; keep them wrapped loosely with plastic wrap to prevent them from mold. Turmeric can also be frozen. What I tend to do, is keep half the pack in the fridge and the other half in the freezer

I make the tea from fresh turmeric, but if you can’t find fresh ones, you can use ground turmeric. The active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. The black pepper helps to enhance the bioavailability of curcumin by a thousand times, so add a pinch in your cup when drinking.

Dried Spice alternative:

If you cannot find fresh turmeric, the general rule of thumb for converting dried spice to fresh is 1 to 3. So, 1 teaspoon of dried spice is equal to 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) of fresh. To make it easier for you, I use around 2 or 2.5 inch in length of turmeric for 4 measuring cups of water, this is equal to about 1 tablespoon of freshly grated spice.

And with just 1 tablespoon of turmeric, it is going to provide you with 15% daily intake of iron, 5% vitamin B6, 5% fibre and 3% magnesium

Stains Tips when preparing the tea:

Turmeric’s bright yellow/orange color can stain fingers and surfaces and can be quite tough to clean. You can clean with a solution of baking soda, white vinegar and water to wash it out.

To minimize stains, don’t peel the turmeric root or grate it as some people prefer to. First, clean the turmeric root; give it a good wash and scrub. What I like to do is re-use a small piece of plastic wrap, and place it on the chopping board with the turmeric root and then carefully and roughly chop it up. When done, add the turmeric into the pot and quickly clean your knife. After drinking the tea, rinse and/or brush your teeth!

The health benefits of turmeric:

• Powerful anti-oxidant
• Body and liver detoxifier
• Cancer prevention
• Prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease
• Cleanses and purifies the blood
• Boost metabolism
• Eases symptoms of coughs and colds
• Diabetes control
• Reduces inflammation such as all types of arthritis, tendonitis, and other inflammation
• Strengthens ligaments
• Improves skin complexion
• Treatment for skin disorders
• Prevents asthma
• Prevents arthritis
• Anti-depressant
• Reduces joint pain
• Prevents stroke
• Treats fever
• Improves digestion
• Gastrointestinal treatments
• Boosts immune system by improving liver function
• Weight-loss support
• Improves circulation in the body
• Wound healing
• Anti-bacterial
• Natural painkiller
• Prevents internal bleed clotting
• Protects liver tissue
• Reduce allergies
• Protect against sleep deprivation
• Reduces bad cholesterol
• Stimulates secretion of bile which helps break down fat

Quick Recipe Tips: How much Chopped or Diced is in a Ginger Root or Tumeric Root?

Many recipes will call for “1 tablespoon of chopped ginger” or “1 inch of ginger diced” but it is not always obvious to determine actually how much ginger in a …. In order to help make cooking easier we did some experiments to help tell you exactly how much ginger you need to buy.

Fresh ginger is used after removing the skin with a vegetable peeler. Then depending on the end result desired, the ginger can be diced with a knife, grated with a coarse cheese grater, or sliced thinly with a mandoline.

To answer How much ginger in a… we went to the grocery store to check out the fresh spices section. After surveying the selection we discovered that if you weigh 5 different 1 inch pieces of ginger, the weight varies depending on the diameter of the ginger selected. And in turn it can make an even more significant difference in the flavor of your food! Sometimes it is easier when shopping by weight; you tend to get the same amount every time. We decided to use a 2 ounce (56.7 grams) piece of ginger for our tests.

A 1 inch piece of raw ginger with a 1 inch diameter yields about 1.1 tablespoons chopped weighing .26 ounce. A piece measuring a little less than 4 inches, will weigh 1 ounce (28.3 grams) and measure about ¼ cup when sliced. One whole cup of chopped ginger will weigh about 4 ounces. And for cooking large quantities, 1 pound of fresh sliced ginger will yield about 3 cups.

information from howmuchisin.com

photo source: http://yumprint.com/app/search/all/?q=lemon%20ginger%20syrup
photo source: http://www.kimbertonwholefoods.com/turmeric-tea/

Here’s another warming, health boosting turmeric tea. Have YOU tried it? 

Exceprts from the USA Today Article:

Jennifer Lowry, pediatrician and toxicologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., who is not affiliated with the research, said these chemicals can affect fine motor skills and cognition. 

Mainstream brands including Gerber, Enfamil, Plum Organics and Sprout were among the worst offenders — scoring two out of five in the Clean Label Project’s report card for toxic metals. Plus, 60% of products claiming to be “BPA free” tested positive for the industrial chemical bisphenol A. The quantities of contaminates range, but some products tested positive for up to 600 parts of arsenic per billion. That’s far more than just trace amounts. 

Arsenic was the most common contaminant spotted in the Clean Label Project study. Nearly 80% of infant formula samples tested positive for arsenic. The toxin is associated with developmental defects, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity, diabetes and even cancer, according to the World Health Organization.

Lead, also found in food tested by the Clean Label Project, has been found in baby food before.
Just a few months ago, the Environmental Defense Fund found 20% of 2,164 baby food samples tested contained lead.
No amount of lead is safe, but it’s not regulated. 

Low levels of lead in children’s blood have been connected to lower IQs, slowed growth, behavioral problems, hearing issues and anemia, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

The Clean Label Project posted a list of products it tested, along with a star-rating grade informed by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, on its website. Bowen said she hopes the data helps parents become better advocates for their children’s health, and creates change in the baby food business.

Cominated baby food isn’t a new topic. This knowledge was brought to light in August 2017 during the Health Freedom Idaho sponsored event the Children’s March in Boise. Families were made aware of another organization Pesticide Action Network and their searchable database What’s On My Food? It is designed to make the public problem of pesticide exposure visible and more understandable.

Pesticides
…on our food, even after washing;
…in our bodies, for years;
…& in our environment, traveling many miles on wind, water and dust.

How do we protect our children from exposure?
Seek out pesticide free foods, shop local sources such as farmer’s markets.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in antioxidants, iron, zinc, magnesium and many other nutrients. An ounce (28 grams) contains about 151 calories.

Pumpkin Seed Growers in the Treasure Valley? 

American retailers prefer to buy domestic foods, but most pumpkin seeds in snack foods come from China, she said.

Kit Kamo director of the Snake River Economic Development Alliance says there are local farmers interested in growing the seeds, and a researcher from Oregon State University is developing a cost estimate for producing and handling them. The findings will help determine whether seed pumpkins — which are distinct from decorative pumpkins and those grown for pumpkin pie — would be economically viable in Malheur County, Oregon and southwest Idaho.

“We feel there is a potential,” she told The Argus Observer of Ontario, Oregon.

Kamo said she met with officials from Kathie’s Kitchen, which produces the SuperSeedz brand of seasoned or flavored pumpkin seeds.

The seeds are harvested wet and will need to be washed and dried so they can be stored, she said. The seeds can be substituted in some applications for soy products, for people who are allergic to soy.

Pumpkin seeds aren’t the only potential new crop for the Western Treasure Valley. Most sunflower seeds used in snacks are also grown in China and may present another opportunity for farmers in the Treasure Valley, Kamo said.

How to you eat your seeds? Any favorite recipes to share? 

Add them to the comments!! 

OCTOBER IS APPLE MONTH—Most of the summer fruit and veggies are winding down, but apples are in GREAT SUPPLY! 

Thinking about making Apple Cider Vinegar?!! Most of us think of apple cider vinegar as something you buy in a bottle at the store, and have never considered making it from scratch. That’s a shame, because making your own is very easy and inexpensive. https://youtu.be/veO25e11pNo  another great tutorial and lesson how to make without a starter mother. https://youtu.be/pVCOrF3gvdM

Share your FAVORITE Resource for Apples in comments below. 

I LOVE our local market Cliffs Country Market.  

Naturally fermented raw sauerkraut is an excellent source of important probiotics that help to maintain healthy gut bacteria. Raw sauerkraut contains lactic acid and living probiotic organisms that are created through the fermentation process, and which are heat sensitive and are killed if the sauerkraut is heat processed. Many of the store-bought sauerkraut options are canned or heat-processed in some way, so while they may still taste good, they are no longer a living food and do not provide the beneficial bacteria that raw sauerkraut does. For this reason, it is preferably to buy raw sauerkraut, or make your own in small batches for maximum benefit.

What does sauerkraut do for you, exactly? 

Sauerkraut can be made of two simple ingredients: cabbage and salt. At the beginning of the fermentation process, the salt preserves the cabbage to prevent if from rotting, allowing the fermentation process to begin – a process that begins after only a couple of days. During the process of fermentation, starches and sugar in the vegetables are converted to lactic acid, or probiotic bacteria, a naturally occurring substance that prevents the formation of harmful bacteria and acts as a preservative.

These probiotic bacteria are extremely helpful in aiding human digestion and in helping our bodies detox. They have been used for centuries in traditional food cultures as a way of preserving the harvest and providing needed nutrients, and even by sailors to prevent scurvy.

A healthy body begins with a healthy gut, and probiotics are your gut’s best friend. Probiotics can also be found in yogurt, kefir, chocolates and probiotic tablets, all of which introduce important lactobacilli to our gut; however most of these contain dairy. For those people wishing to avoid dairy or with lactose sensitivities, raw sauerkraut is an excellent alternative.

Benefits of sauerkraut:

• important source of probiotics for gut health
• help the body detox
• excellent source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K
• good source of iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, sodium and calcium
• excellent for digestive, heart, eye and skin health
• anti-inflammatory
• boosts immune system (35% RDV of vitamin C)

source: www.organicfacts.net

About Turmeric

Turmeric is a root vegetable native to India and China, and has been long been used for its medicinal qualities. Bright yellow-orange in color, slightly peppery and bitter in flavor, it is most commonly seen in curry powder and as an ingredient in ball park mustard. But more important are the health benefits it provides.

Turmeric qualities:

• it is anti-inflammatory
• excellent source of iron and manganese
• good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber and potassium
• has been used effectively in cancer treatments
• helps prevent gas when cooked together with legumes
• used in treatment of a variety of health issues including cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and high cholesterol

Source: whfoods.com

Are ready to make your own raw sauerkraut by now? You’re gonna love this stuff.

Turmeric Onion Sauerkraut

• 1.5 lbs/700g green cabbage, sliced thinly
• 1/2 onion, diced small
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1/2 tablespoon turmeric

Note: You may want to use kitchen gloves when handling this sauerkraut. Turmeric tends to stain everything it touches, so your hands will stay yellow for days.

Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel mixing bowl. Using your hands, massage the cabbage for about 5 minutes to tenderize it. Allow the mixture to rest for 30 minutes in order to let the salt draw the water out of the cabbage. Pack it into your Kraut Source jar or crock, pushing the cabbage down so that the liquid covers the vegetables. Secure the lid per the Kraut Source instructions; or if using a fermentation vessel, follow those instructions; or alternatively, check these instructions here.

Set the jar out of your way and out of direct sunlight to ferment for 3 weeks. You may want to place the jar in a shallow bowl or on a plate for the first week as it tends to bubble and sometimes spills over. After 3 weeks, taste the sauerkraut. If it tastes just the way you want it, transfer it to another glass jar with a lid and store in your refrigerator for up to several months. If you’d like it to be more sour, replace the lid and continue to ferment for several more days/week.

Makes 1 quart / 1 liter.

For additional recipes, try these:

• Kraut Source Recipes
• Wild Fermentation web site by Sandor Katz
• The Punk Domestics website and community

Did you like this recipe? What are you fermenting in your kitchen right now? Let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you.