With all of this new-found time on my hands (which ends as of this morning - cafe world, here I come!), I've been experimenting a lot in the kitchen. Since out of work, I've gotten back into making batches of things ahead of time (ie steel cut oats for the morning and snacks, brown rice with black beans for dinners and lunches). I've decided to take the extra 5 minutes (literally) to measure out my goods and set them on the stove for 30 minutes while I'm doing other things, because eating this way makes me feel better! I feel everything is working in a very harmonious manner. The state my body has reached in terms of energy, mind-clarity, mood - it's as if I keep reaching a sort of natural high on a daily basis. My body feels well oiled, powered and taken care of, and when that's where you're working from, there is little that can tear you down. I've always been pretty conscious about what I put in my body, and would have considered myself a "balanced" health nut, but sometimes felt like the instant-oatmeal packet was all I could afford (time-wise). Oh - so wrong! I've found that as our priorities shift (like tending to our mind, our body, our soul, our Self), that taking these extra couple of steps to ensure you're giving your body what it needs, becomes normal (and easy to accommodate!). It's a little thing called time management, my friends, and the willingness to investigate what you're really doing to your body. It doesn't have to be hard!Throughout the past couple of years, I've had a growing interest in letting go of the processed foods in my diet. We haven't made it there - yet, but changes have been made. Things such as cereal, pastas, sauces, (most) chips and crackers, any boxed/microwavable/pre-made meals, will rarely find their way into our cart. It's been a process, but we've found some cool alternatives along the way, and now I know, I could never go back. Lately, I've become infatuated with the bulk isle at my local natural grocer. Ok, I don't know about you guys, but I always had the weirdest thing with the bulk isle (especially at the health food stores). I always felt lost, unprepared, and like I didn't belong or didn't know what I was doing (or what I was looking at). However, a couple items here, a couple items there, some winners in the kitchen, and best of all - a much cheaper grocery bill (!), I was turned on big time and now the beginning of a beautiful, healthy relationship is being born!
Now this is where I come in - say you're still a little uneasy with that section, you feel a little awkward scooping mounds of "what is that..?" into foggy, little bags - that's ok! I've done the research! I've found some very simple recipes that call for less mainstream ingredients, and for the most part are cheaper (if bought in the right quantities), and they're so satisfying to make!
Yesterday, I tried making crackers for the first time (huge cracker fan right here - huge). I've noticed that I think I have somewhat of a baby wheat allergy, so I found a gluten-free recipe that I liked, courtesy of the blog, Daring to Thrive: Gluten-free cooking, wellness, nutrition, and living a positively thriving, engaged life. These babies were so simple to make, so delicious and left you feeling empowered, like "Yeah! I make my own snacks!" (try that on for size, Nabisco!). I tweaked their recipe a bit, to suit what I could find at the store and to make them more my own, so feel free to do the same!
Crispy Gluten-Free Hemp Crackers
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour (contains the tapioca and sorghum flour that the original recipe called for - brilliant!)
- 1/4 cup flax seed (soaked in water for 5-10 minutes)
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (can grind or leave)
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon red Cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons hemp seed
- 2-3 teaspoon (to taste) of olive or grapeseed oil (the oil really flavors the cracker, so use what you like)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- about 2 tablespoons warm water
Tools:
- parchment paper
- cookie sheet
- rolling pin (or a wine bottle!)
Preheat oven to 400* F.
In a large bowl mix flour(s) pepper and salt.
Add flax seed, hemp seed, Cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar and oil. Mix until coarse and pebbled dough forms.
Add warm water a little bit at a time and knead into an even textured ball. Should be moist, but not sticky. If so, add more flour.
Put half the dough between parchment paper on baking sheet. Flatten with hands and roll out to be paper thin. Carefully peel off top layer of parchment paper and either cut dough carefully into desired shapes before baking, or break up after baking.
Bake for 15 minutes (until golden and crispy). Repeat with other half of dough.
There are many other things you could incorporate into these yummy crackers, such as: strong, sharp cheeses, herbs (rosemary would be great!), other seeds and spices, scallions, green onions - go wild and get creative!
To go with mine, I also made my own hummus. No, not hard at all! I purchased ground up garbanzo bean mix from my local co-op grocer for $1.08 (and it's something that'll last me a little bit, as I only need to mix it up when I'm feelin' the urge!). It's very simple. The ratios are, for 1 cup of mix, add 1 1/2 cups warm water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and voila, you're set! Super simple and you can make as little or as much as you want and it still tastes fantastic! A little dry the next day - just add a smidgen of oil and you're golden!
Enjoy! And Happy Experimenting! Remember: both you and your body are worth it!
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