Fermenting Vegetables & Fruits with Water Kefir

Water kefir grains that have been dyed red from beets.

  I've been making water kefir for a few months now. It's a non-dairy and inexpensive way of getting some beneficial bacteria. I got my live "grains" from http://www.waterkefirgrains.com/, and they've been great. The grains double with every 48 hour ferment. They are alive and require a certain amount of care. They are effected by temperature, food, and water quality.

  At first I fed the grains sucanat but then switched over to maple syrup and used yacon syrup to supplement. They love yacon syrup and palm sugar. I have also fermented store bought coconut water. When I'm not making water kefir, I store the grains in chlorine-free, flouride-free water in glass jars in the fridge. I have started to ferment vegetables using water kefir grains and am pleased with the results.

Beets and muscadine grapes.

  I enjoy fermenting vegetables and fruits with water kefir grains. It allows me to cut the amount of salt usually associated with fermented and pickled foods. The fermented food is ready in 2 days. I've been fermenting beets, which I love! I start with raw beets and end up with tasty, crisp, slightly tangy beets and probiotic beet juice.

  My last fermentation consisted of 2 raw beets cut up, 1 cup muscadine grapes, halved and pitted, 6 tbsp. water kefir grains, 2 & 1/2 tbsp Sweet Tree Coconut Palm Sugar with a hint of Balinese sea salt, and enough chlorine-free, flouride-free water to fill my 64oz. Now Foods Sprouting Jar within an inch of the top. I use a closed lid from a 26oz. Mahatma Almond Butter jar which fits well. I let the jar sit in a warm(75F-98F), relatively dark area of the house for 2 days. 

  When it's done fermenting, the water kefir grains will have settled to the bottom, and the vegetables and fruit will be on top. I scoop the fermented food into separate smaller jars. Then I screw the mesh screen lid onto the Now Foods Sprouting jar and pour the fermented juice into the small jars along with the fermented food. I put the jars in the fridge. I usually eat all of it within a day or two, so I don't know how long it lasts in the fridge. Then I rinse and strain the grains a few times with chlorine-free, flouride-free water. I do food fermentation with excess grains, and always keep backup grains in the fridge.

... breakfast

  

Buckwheat Cake (grain-free, bean-free, sugar-free)

My whole family's concept of cake has changed. My 5 year old insisted that this is cake, although from the look of the ingredients, I'd call it a bread. Nevertheless, we now make it almost every day. I've used organic buckwheat flour from NutsOnline, Arrowhead Mills, and I've also used buckwheat ground at home. We've topped the cake with various nut-butter and also tried putting on chocolate while the cake was still hot and letting it melt, really good!
Will post a pic later

4 cups buckwheat flour or ground buckwheat (about 1 lb.)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Frontier garam masala (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves cumin, black pepper, coriander blend)
1/2 tsp ginger root powder
3 & 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 13"x9" pan or one of similar volume. Grease pan with prefered oil. I use a silicone baking sheet nestled inside a stainless steel pan, so I don't have to use oil.
2) Into a large bowl, place buckwheat flour, baking soda, garam masala, and ginger. Mix ingredients together with a fork.
3) Add water and stir until combined, making sure to scrape bottom of bowl with rubber or silicone spatula.
4) Last, add apple cider vinegar and gently fold into mixture with spatula. Be careful not to overmix.
5) Pour batter into prepared pan, place in oven, and bake for 35 minutes.

A Simple Grain-free, Bean-free Cake

A simple cake made from quinoa, amaranth, and flax.

I've been trying to cut the sugar in my family's diet. I avoid artificial sugars and sugar alcohols, since they are made from corn; Furthermore, my son with autism reacts poorly to them. In this recipe, I use sucanat but less than I have in the past. If you're looking for a grain-free cake that is not too sweet, then this is it.

This recipe requires a food processor or powerful, wide-based blender.

2 cups whole quinoa
2 & 1/2 cups water
1 cup ground flax seeds or flax meal
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup granulated sugar (sucanat, palm sugar, or maple sugar)
3 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 350F and grease 7x11x2", 9" round, or prefered pan.
2) Add quinoa and 2 cups water to food processor and process for 5 minutes or till well combined.
3) Add flax meal and 1/2 cup water to processor and process for 3 minutes.
4) In a separate, large bowl, add amaranth flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and sugar and combine with fork.
5) Pour wet mixture into dry mix and combine, making sure to scrape bottom of bowl.
6) Add apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) and gently fold in with silicone or rubber spatula. This is when cake will begin to rise. Be careful not to over mix.
7) Quickly pour mixture into prepared pan and bake in oven for 40 minutes or until done.

This cake is grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, bean-free, soy-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

It can be made yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Quinoa & Almond Sandwich Bread (w/ Almond-free Option)

Just Quinoa Bread (almond-free option)

This is a simple recipe for a grain-free and nutritious vegan bread. It slices well after two hours of cooling. A food processor or powerful wide-based blender is needed for this recipe. Additionally, a coffee grinder or similar device may be needed to finely grind almonds or almond meal. You can also use this recipe to make just quinoa bread, by using quinoa flour in place of almond flour.


 2 cups whole quinoa
1 cup ground flax seeds or flax seed meal
3 & 1/3 cup water
1 cup lightly packed, finely ground almonds or finely ground almond flour or ground quinoa/quinoa flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp powdered kelp (optional)
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice




Grain-free Quinoa & Almond Vegan Bread



1) Preheat oven to 350F and grease standard size loaf pan with coconut oil.

2) Place quinoa and 2 cups water into food processor and process for 5 minutes.

3) Add ground flax seed and 1& 1/3 cup water to food processor and process mixture until homogeneous.
4) In large bowl, place finely ground almonds (or quinoa flour), baking soda, and powdered kelp, and combine dry ingredients.
5) Add quinoa mixture from food processor to dry mix in bowl.
6) Stir ingredients well, making sure to scrape bottom of bowl
7) Lastly, add apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) to bowl and gently fold into mixture with silicone or rubber spatula. At this point the bread will begin rising, so be careful not to over mix.  The mixture should a thick batter.
8) Quickly pour mixture into greased bread pan and place in oven. You should be able to slightly shape the top of the loaf after pouring it into the pan.
9) Bake for 1 hour.
10) Let loaf cool in pan for 5 minutes. Then loosen sides with knife and flip out of pan. Cool on rack or plate, if you don't have a rack.
11) After two hours, bread will be sliceable. Depending on how long you want your bread to stay fresh, keep it at room temperature for a couple of days, or for 4-5 days refrigerated, wrapped in a paper towel or brown paper bag, and kept in plastic.

This bread is grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, bean-free, soy-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

This bread can be made almond-free and tree nut-free.

It can be made completely yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Grain-free, Bean-Free, Vegan Spice Cake

This cake is similar to Grain-free Gingerbread Cake but made with quinoa instead of besan and arrowroot. It's just as delicious, and the whole family loved it. This recipe requires a food processor or wide-based blender.

Wet ingredients:
1/3 cup flax seed meal or ground flax seeds
1 cup granulated sugar (sucanat, palm, or maple)
1 & 1/2 cup quinoa flour or ground quinoa or finely ground almonds
1 & 1/4 cup water (use just 1 cup water if using almonds)
1/3 cup organic coconut oil
1/4 vanilla bean pod or caviar

Dry ingredients:
1 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg blend)

Last ingredient:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 350F and grease 11x7x2", 8x8", or 9" round pan.
2) Place wet ingredients in food processor and process for 5 minutes.
3) Place dry ingredients in separate bowl and stir together.
4) Pour wet mixture into bowl containing dry mix and stir together, making sure to scrape bottom of bowl.
5) Make sure oven is preheated and pan is prepared.
6) Add last ingredient to bowl and gently fold in using rubber or silicone spatula. This is when the cake will begin to rise, so be careful not to over mix.
7) Pour cake batter into pan and gently smooth out or ease batter into sides of pan if needed.
8) Sprinkle with additional sucanat if desired.
9) Place cake into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake is done.

If you'd like to add a cup of raisins or other add-in,

• soak dehydrated-fruit for 10 minutes and then drain
• increase baking soda to 1 teaspoon
• add 1 cup of your choice fruit, nibs, nuts, etc., and stir in before adding vinegar or lemon juice
• increase vinegar or lemon juice to 1/4 cup

Enjoy!

This cake is grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, bean-free, soy-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

It can be made yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Grain-free, Bean-free Quinoa Cookies

Grain-free, bean-free, vegan quinoa cookies

I made these cookies today for my kids. My youngest, who is sometimes picky about what he eats, enjoyed them. I'm happy he did because the amount of quinoa they contain. A food processor is needed for this recipe.


1 cup whole quinoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup flax seed meal or ground flax seed
one inch of vanilla bean pod or caviar
1 cup virgin coconut oil
1 cup granulated sugar (sucanat, palm, or maple)
1 cup quinoa flour or ground quinoa (I use a coffee grinder to grind quinoa, as well as flax seeds)
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 350F
2) Place whole quinoa, water, and vanilla into food processor and process for 5 minutes.
3) Add flax seed meal and coconut oil and process for another 5 minutes.
4) Add granulated sugar and process until homogeneous.
5) In separate bowl, add quinoa flour or ground quinoa and baking soda, and stir dry ingredients together.
6) Add mixture from food processor to dry ingredients in bowl and stir.
7)  Add vinegar (or lemon juice) to bowl and gently fold in with silicone or rubber spatula. Be careful not to over mix. This is when your cookies will begin to rise.
8) Drop cookies by 1/4 cupfuls onto silicone sheet or prepared pan. If you want to put this mix into muffin cups that would also work. These cookies retain the same shape through baking, so the way you put them in is the way they'll be when they come out. Shape the dough if necessary.
9) Bake cookies for 20 minutes or until done. Cookies or muffins will be golden and show some cracks when ready.

During step 6, you can add 1/2 cup organic raisins or 1/2 cup chocolate bits to this recipe if desired.

Enjoy

These cookies are grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, bean-free, soy-free, almond-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

They can be made yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Grain-free, Bean-free, Vegan Pizza Crust

This crust is soft, doughy, and holds together well.  It reminds me of personal pan pizza crust from my former favorite chain pizza place. It also makes a good mock New York style crust. A food processor or wide-based blender is needed for this recipe. I have made this recipe without flax seeds, although it requires reducing the water by approx. 1/2 cup.

1 cup whole quinoa
2 tbsp flax meal (ground flax seeds)
3 tbsp flax seeds
1 tsp powdered kelp
2 cups water
1 cup arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 400F and grease your choice of pan, 13x9, 11x7, 9" round, etc. The pan you choose will determine the thickness of your crust. I bake my crust on a non-stick silicone sheet inside a 13x9 inch pan. This mixture pourable.
2) Place quinoa, flax seeds, powdered kelp, and 1 cup water into for processor and process for 5 minutes.
3) Add arrowroot, flax meal, and one cup water and process for 3 minutes.
4) Add baking soda and process for 30 seconds.
5) Make sure oven is preheated and pan is ready, then add apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) to food processor. Process for 5 seconds. At this point the mixture will rise, so be careful not to over mix.
6) Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on what size pan you use. When the center of crust is firm and you can see some cracks or bubbles on the top of the crust that is when it is ready to take out of the oven and put on toppings.
7) Place desired sauce and toppings on pizza, and place back into oven to cook until done.

Some pizza toppings should be cooked a little before placing on pizza, such as broccoli.

I enjoy having pizza with a spinach sauce, made out of raw baby spinach, organic olive oil, powdered kelp, and garlic that has been pureed together in the food processor or blender.

Raw pumpkin seeds, pepitas, out of the shell, also make a great sauce, when combined with olive oil, sunflower seeds, powdered kelp, and garlic in the food processor or blender.

If using jarred tomato sauce, buy organic and read the label. Many tomato sauces contain citric acid. Citric acid in the U.S. is made from corn, which is a grain.

This pizza crust is grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, bean-free, soy-free, almond-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

It can be made completely yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Grain-free Spice Pancakes

I ran out of amaranth and quinoa, so I made these pancakes. Then, I kept making them, because they are yummy.

1/3 cup flax meal (ground flax seeds)
1 cup water
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup besan aka chickpea flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar (sucanat, palm, or maple)
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg blend)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp organic, raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

organic, virgin coconut oil for skillet

1) Combine all ingredients, EXCEPT apple cider vinegar, in food-processor or with mixer.
2) Grease your skillet and preheat to a medium-low heat.
3) Add apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) to mixture and just combine, avoiding overmixing.
4) Pour batter into skillet and shape.
5) Flip after a few minutes, when underside has browned.
6) Cook for a few more minutes, then serve.

These taste delicious on their own. Sometimes I will sprinkle a little extra sucanat on top for my kids.

These pancakes are grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, soy-free, almond-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

They can be made yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Grain-free, Bean-free, Vegan Sandwich Bread

Quinoa and coconut grain-free, vegan bread

This bread is delicious and simple. You can slice it thinly for sandwiches after cooling and refrigerating. You will need a food processor or wide-based blender for this recipe.


2 cups whole quinoa
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup sucanat or coconut sugar (can omit)
4 cups water
1 cup coconut flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons raw, organic apple cider vinegar or lemon juice


1) Preheat oven to 350F and grease standard size loaf pan with coconut oil.
2) Place quinoa, flax seeds, sucanat, and 2 cups water into food processor and process for 3 minutes.
3) Add 1 cup water to food processor and process mixture until homogeneous or just about.
4) In large bowl, place coconut flour and baking soda and combine.
5) Add quinoa mixture from food processor, as well as 1 cup water, to dry mix in bowl.
6) Stir ingredients well, making sure to scrape bottom of bowl
7) Lastly, add apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) to bowl and gently fold into mixture with silicone or rubber spatula. At this point the bread will begin rising, so be careful not to over mix.
8) Quickly pour mixture into greased bread pan and place in oven. Note: The shape of the batter going in will be similar to what it looks like when it comes out, so if you want a rounded top, make sure it looks like that before placing it in oven.
9) Bake for one hour.

10) After cooling for 10 minutes, unmold bread by loosening sides of loaf with thin knife or thin spatula and then flipping over pan, allowing loaf to fall out. Before slicing, allow to cool for one hour on a rack or plate at room-temperature. If you want thinner slices, wrap loaf, after cooled, in paper towel, place into plastic bag, and refrigerate for a few hours.

This bread is grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, bean-free, soy-free, almond-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

It can be made completely yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Grain-free Gingerbread Cake

This is by far the best gingerbread I have ever tasted! I made this cake today out of ingredients on hand, and it's phenomenal.  If you'd like the bean-free version of this cake, please see Grain-free, Bean-free, Vegan Spice Cake . You will need a food processor, wide-based blender, or strong mixer.


Wet mix ingredients:
1/3 cup organic flax seed meal (ground flax seeds)
1 cup granulated sugar (sucanat, palm, or maple)
1/2 cup besan aka chickpea flour
1 cup arrowroot starch/flour
1 cup water
1/3 cup virgin, organic coconut oil
1/4 vanilla bean pod or caviar

Dry ingredients:
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg blend)
3/4 tsp baking soda

Last ingredient:
3 tbsp. raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 350F and grease 11x7x2" pan or 8" round, or 8x8".
2) Add wet ingredients to food processor and process until combined.
3) In separate, large bowl place dry ingredients and stir together.
4) Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix well, making sure to scrape bottom of bowl.
5) Add last ingredient, apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice), and fold into mixture using silicone or rubber spatula. This is when the cake will start rising, so do not over mix.
6) Quickly pour mixture into greased pan and sprinkle with extra granulated sugar on top if desired.
7) Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until done.

Enjoy

This cake is grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, soy-free, almond-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

It can be made yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Grain-free Dinner Rolls/Veggie Burger Buns-revised







Besan rolls made with brown flax meal.

 These are good on there own, with a meal, or as veggie burger buns. If you'd like lighter color rolls use golden flax meal.

2 & 1/2 cup besan a.k.a. chickpea flour

1 cup organic flax meal or ground flax

2 cups water

3/4 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 350F

2) Place besan, flax meal, baking soda, and water into bowl and stir until combined.

3) Add apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and gently fold in. This is when your dough will rise.
4) Drop by 1/2 cupfuls onto silicone pad or greased cookie sheet.

5) Bake for 30-35 minutes or until done.



These rolls and buns are grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, soy-free, almond-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

They can be made completely yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Grain-free, Bean-free Flatbread and Tortillas

This flatbread recipes is simple and versatile. You can refrigerate and use the dough at your leisure. The flatbread can either be baked or cooked on the stove top. You can use this to make quesadillas, flatbread pizza, grain-free matzah, tortilla chips, taco shells, etc. You will need a food processor or wide-based blender for this recipe.

2 1/2 cup whole quinoa
1/4 cup flax seeds
2  3/4 cup water
2 cup amaranth flour

1) Place quinoa, flax seed, and 2 cups water into food processor, process for 3 minutes.
2) Add 1/2 cup water to food processor, and process for three minutes.
3) Add 1/4 cup water and then process till homogeneous.
4) Place amaranth flour in a separate bowl.
5) Pour quinoa mixture into bowl and mix with a silicone or rubber spatula.

At this point you can either refrigerate your dough or roll it out. I usually use a wooden rolling pin and amaranth flour for dusting.

If you cook your flatbread on the stove top, you can use some oil in your skillet. Use a medium heat and flip it after a couple of minutes. Cook until golden brown or some bubbles form.

If you bake your flatbread, do it at 400 F. If you're making pizza, bake flatbread for a few minutes, until some bubbles form, and then put on ingredients. I bake my flatbread on a silicone sheet to prevent sticking.

Have fun!

This flatbread is grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, bean-free, soy-free, almond-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, xanthan gum-free, sugar-free, and yeast-free.

 

Grain-free, Bean-free, Vegan Vanilla Cake

Grain-free vanilla cake made with flax and agave.

My kids call this birthday cake...

It's kind of sweet and disappears quickly. You will need a food processor or wide-based blender to make this cake.

1 cup whole quinoa
1 cup water
2 tbsp flax seeds
1 cup agave nectar or maple syrup

2 cups ground amaranth or amaranth flour

1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp orange peel granules (optional)
scrapings of vanilla bean, a very small amount is good
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1 tsp organic sugar (optional)

• Preheat oven to 350 F, and grease an 11x7x2 pan with coconut oil. A 9" round or 8x8 pan may work as well.
• In food processor or blender, process quinoa and 1 cup water for a few minutes.
• Add flax seeds and process until homogeneous, then add agave nectar (or maple syrup) and combine in processor.
• In a separate bowl, add ground amaranth or amaranth flour, baking soda, orange peel granules, vanilla scrapings, and combine. I usually use a fork to mix dry ingredients.
• Add coconut oil to dry mix and stir.
• Pour wet mixture from food processor into dry mixture in bowl. Stir until combined. Again, I usually just use a fork to mix ingredients.
• Lastly, pour apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) into bowl and gently fold into cake mix, using a rubber or silicone spatula. At this point the vinegar will react with the baking soda and cause the cake batter to rise in the bowl, so don't overmix, just combine.
• Quickly pour batter into pan and sprinkle cake with organic sugar before placing in oven.
• Bake cake for approximately 30 minutes.

Cake right after coming out of oven.

I also will make a chocolate sauce for the cake, using 1 tbsp carob powder (or raw cocoa) mixed with 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil. The kids love it! And so do I. Note: Carob is a bean, so the cake will not be bean-free if you put carob on it.



Grain-free vanilla cake with carob and coconut oil topping.



This cake is grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, bean-free, soy-free, almond-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

It can be made yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Grain-free, Bean-free, Vegan Pancakes

Grain-free, vegan pancakes made with flax and baby carrots.

You'll need a good blender or a food processor for this recipe.


1/2 cup whole quinoa 

3/4 cup water
1 tbsp flax seed
       or 1 tbsp chia seed
            meal
       or omit  
1/4 cup granulated sugar(sucanat, palm, or maple)
       or 2 tbsp agave nectar
       or omit sweetener
       or 1/4 cup organic
            baby carrots

1 cup ground amaranth or amaranth flour (I use a coffee grinder to grind amaranth)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup water

2 tbsp organic, raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

organic coconut oil for cooking

1) In food processor, or wide-base blender, place quinoa and 1/2 cup water and process for a few minutes.
2) Add flax seeds, 1/4 cup water, and sweetener to mixture in food processor and process until ingredients are homogeneous.

3) In separate bowl, mix ground amaranth with baking soda.

4) Add dry mixture to food processor along with 1/3 cup water and process until combined.

5) Oil and preheat your pan to a medium-low heat.

6) With food processor off, add apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) and pulse processor for about two seconds. The pancake mixture will puff up in food processor.

7)Pour mixture into pan and cook until pancake bubbles on top, then flip and cook till underside is lightly browned.

These pancakes are pretty great on their own or served with berries. Sweetened, they are sweet and moist enough to be served without syrup. Sometimes for the kids, I'll top them with almond butter or a chocolate sauce made out of 1 part carob powder (or raw cocoa) and 2 parts coconut oil.
Note: Carob is a bean, so the pancakes will not be bean-free if you put carob on them.

The pancakes made with organic baby carrots are also good on their own or with a light syrup. My four year old eats the carrot and flax pancakes topped with organic baby spinach that's been sauteed in coconut oil. It was his idea.







Grain-free pancakes made with flax and agave.

 





These pancakes are grain-free, gluten-free, corn-free, rice-free, dairy-free, casein-free, bean-free, soy-free, almond-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, potato-free, nightshade-free, and xanthan gum-free.

They can be made yeast-free by using lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.



What's so healthy about artificially sweetened and dyed water?

My four year old son came home from school today with a small bottle of bright red water. The bottle came from a popular, prepackaged lunch item designed for kids, and the bottle was labeled as spring water. This was not any part of the lunch that I had sent my son to school with. I looked up the information online and found that it is spring water and the red color is from a flavor packet. The flavor packet has artificial sweeteners as well as red 40 and blue 1.

I don't understand how a lunch that is made for children and is marketed as "healthy" can contain red-dyed water with artificial sweeteners. What's wrong with kids just drinking water? Water is healthy, but red-dyed, artificially sweetened water is not good for anyone.

Concerned, I asked my son, "Did you drink the red water?",
and he replied, "yes".
I told my son, "Next time someone gives you red water, you say, 'no thank you.'"
To which he said, "No thank you."

The only way anyone can think this water is healthy would be on the premise that it's low-calorie for a flavored beverage. I think it's sad that there are so many overweight children that this is seen as a "healthy" alternative. I urge everyone to drink water of the clear, tasteless variety.

Autism, ADHD, and how my family's diet evolved

My family became gluten-free a few years ago in efforts to try to ease the symptoms of my son's autism. Despite being gluten-free, we still had great difficulty with his sleep and continence issues until recently. Recently, we switched to a dye-free diet. After a couple of days dye-free, my son was able to sleep through the night and begin gaining control over his bladder. The effects of the dietary change were so profound and important to our family that I decided to make the whole house into a dye-free zone, including soaps and cleaning products.
After a couple of weeks I realized that my son was also effected by preservatives and pesticides, so we went all organic. Additionally, I realized he experienced gastrointestinal problems from corn and rice. With all these restrictions I had to learn how to cook in a way that would both satisfy and nourish a six year old boy while staying in budget. Hence, organic, grain-free, soy-free vegan recipes evolved.