Feijoa recipes and preservation

It’s that time of year again – more feijoas than we can eat all in one go! But no need to waste anything. I’ve posted some of these before, but here are all my ideas in one place. Eat them fresh or put them in a smoothie Cut in half and scoop out the flesh. Save the skins for feijoa fizz. The smoothie pictured has: A cup of caspian sea yoghurt One pear, chopped Two […]

Velvet Latte Strawberry Smoothie

Just before Christmas, we added a new product to the Nature Foods line up called Velvet Latte. It’s a whole food, caffeine-free, latte mix that’s a variation on a Chai Latte. (Update: no longer stocked by Nature Foods, but widely available throughout NZ & Australia) The manufacturer describes it as  “a delicious beetroot chai infusion, which makes a beautiful vibrant pink latte. Naturally sweet with subtle ayurvedic chai spices, this blend is a perfect harmony of […]

Using up the summer bounty of FEIJOAS (Smoothie recipe)

For a few weeks every summer, anyone in New Zealand with a feijoa tree has more of them than they know what to do with, including members of our family. So we regularly bring home way more than we can eat before they go off. This recipe is GAPS friendly, Paleo, grain free, sugar free and can be made dairy free. We’ve found an EASY way to store them for winter. Just throw a bag of […]

Choc-Currant Breakfast Smoothie

Many people love blueberries in their smoothies, but I prefer blackcurrants. They are higher in ORAC (antioxidant) value, have a more complex flavour and go wonderfully with chocolate. What more could you ask for? I’ve made this version with homemade cashew milk, as many people have issues with dairy (especially pasteurised dairy), but you could use milk, yoghurt, coconut milk or any other kind of nut milk. You can buy your nut milk, or there […]

Beefing up your Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate

Some of us wanting to eat only real foods might miss the convenience of whipping up a protein rich smoothie – most protein powders are too processed, contain some sort of undesirable additive, or are based on foods that might not suit our metabolism. Yes, we can add raw eggs to our smoothies, but we may be aiming for more protein per meal than we can get from eggs. Enter, gelatin! Yes, there is still […]

Egg Nog

Savoury egg nog A savoury option that is very soothing on a cold day for breakfast, or any time. This is good for someone with a small appetite at breakfast. Others might need something else as well. Whisk up a raw, free range egg or 2 yolks in a large glass or mug. Add a cup hot beef or chicken stock and whisk some more. Optional: Play with adding different spices Creamy egg nog Or […]

Nut milk

If you want a fairly neutral flavoured milk, I prefer almond, macadamia or cashew. But you can make milk from any nuts, including walnuts, pecans, brazils. If the nuts are large, like brazils, chop roughly Soak 1 cup nuts in water for 8 hours or overnight (if using cashews, soak for 4 hours maximum) Drain and rinse Blend thoroughly with 4 cups fresh water If you have a high speed blender, you may be able to use the […]

Mix & Match Smoothie

This smoothie can be adapted to use different bases. Zizz all together in a blender and enjoy. Remember to sip slowly and “chew” it. (For AIP, you might not be able to use all of the combinations) (If you’re in NZ and looking for sources, some of these products are available through our Nature Foods online store, and are linked to for your convenience. If there’s anything else you can’t find, ask us.) Your base […]

Winter Warmer Soup

This is a quick and easy way to make your daily stock more interesting, when you can’t be bothered making a vegetable soup.    Have a mug of this warming soup at first signs of a flu or cold, or when you’re feeling the winter weather. If you get sick, sip throughout the day. 1 litre of chicken, duck or turkey stock 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped 4-8 Tablespoons creamed coconut juice of 1 […]

Fermented cabbage juice

If you are doing the GAPS Intro stage where you use sauerkraut juice only, this recipe is a lot easier than making the full sauerkraut recipe. It’s also easier to sip this if you don’t like eating sauerkraut. I found this recipe on a NZ website Jacqueline Organics. Here is her recipe with a couple of my own comments below: Fill a blender with chopped green cabbage and distilled water, which is available at the […]

Milk kefir

Milk kefir can be made from kefir grains, or from a powdered starter. Here’s how to make it from kefir grains. When you receive your grains: If your grains have been stored in the fridge or freezer for a while or someone has posted them to you, they’ll need some preparation before they make a good batch. Put the grains into a jar with about ¼ of the normal amount of milk (eg. if you […]

Kombucha

The kombucha starter culture or scoby (a symbiotic colony of yeast & bacteria, sometimes known as a “mushroom”) acts on sugar & tea to produce a wide variety of beneficial acids, such as acetic & lactic acid. It is a therapeutic drink, and is considered a liver tonic, but is also very refreshing as a summer drink. 1 large, uncoloured pyrex bowl 2.7 litres filtered water (3 quarts) 1 cup sugar (white sugar feeds the […]

Lassi

Lassi is fresh yogurt blended with warm water. Yogurt is a curd and is said to be hard to digest, creating ama (residues of inefficient digestion), but once it is transformed into lassi it becomes lighter and aids digestion. Thinning yogurt with water and blending it changes the molecular structure so it’s more easily assimilated. It makes a good after meal drink and helps eliminate gas pains. Mango: Blend 1 part yogurt, 2 parts water, […]

Apple Cider

Adapted from a recipe in Nourishing Traditions, to make a smaller quantity For each 800ml jar: 10-12 organic apples 25ml (5 tsp) whey 5ml (1 tsp) fine sea salt Wash, quarter and core the apples. Do 3 at a time and then juice. Give the juice a quick stir, then strain into a litre-sized measuring jug. Continue until there is about 750ml of juice, excluding the foam on top. Remove as much of the foam […]

Ginger Beer

From Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon 14 teaspoons ground ginger 14 teaspoons white sugar filtered water 3 cups rapadura juice of 4 lemons Genuine ginger beer begins with a “bug” made by feeding 2 teaspoons ground ginger and 2 teaspoons white sugar to a culture for seven days. White sugar is used for the small quantity needed to make the “bug,” but rapadura is used for the larger quantity that goes into the beer. Place […]

Beetroot, carrot and celery juice

Beetroot juice is considered one of the most powerful cleansing and blood-building juices available. It contains four important vitamins and nine essential minerals including small amounts of iron. Beetroot juice has been used in the treatment of kidney and bladder disorders, gallstones, jaundice, gout, constipation, anaemia, menstrual problems & cancer. For the best flavour, juice the small, young beetroot. If you juice the beet tops you will get a good amount of chlorophyll, vitamins A […]

Beet Kvass (Makes 2 quarts)

From Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon ~3 medium or 2 large organic beetroot, peeled and chopped up coarsely 1/4 cup whey 1 tablespoon sea salt filtered water This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment far kidney stones […]

Kefired fruit juice

You can also use your milk kefir grains to make fruit juice kefirs. Plain fruit juice is very high in sugar, so not recommended as a drink. But once kefired the sugar turns to acids and can become mildly alcoholic. Freshly pressed, organic juice is best, but commercial juice will work even if pasteurised, as long as it doesn’t have any preservatives. Acidic juices work best, as high sugar juices make a more alcoholic drink. […]

Fermented vegetable juice

This recipe came from the Native Nutrition board. Commercial vegetable juice can be used (about 1 ½ litres/quarts), as long as it doesn’t contain preservatives, but freshly juiced is better. 6 large tomatoes 1 small beetroot (beet) 4 carrots 2 celery stalks 1/2 bunch of spinach 2 garlic cloves 2 lemons tabasco sauce to taste 1 Tbs sea salt 4 Tbs whey Juice the six vegetables and the lemons. Mix together with the rest of […]

Honey wine (T’ej)

This recipe is a “wild ferment” from Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Ellix Katz. If you enjoy this recipe and want to explore wild ferments in more depth, take a look at his website at Wild Fermentation or you can buy his book through Amazon. I’ve halved the recipe for your first experiment. 1 1/2 cups honey, preferably unheated 6 cups filtered water Stir together the honey and the water, in a large bowl or jar, […]