Raw Bagel Recipe - Rich in Probiotics

If you follow me on instagram you know that I was experimenting with raw bagel recipes this past week (raw meaning none of the ingredients are cooked) and OH MY GOODNESS do I have a treat for you. I created pretty much the greatest thing known to mankind. Ok, perhaps that sounds extreme, but seriously, I'm pretty sure I can say it because it's true.

I started with fermented oatmeal in sauerkraut juice. Although this may turn you off right away, HALT YEE and stay on the page! I'll explain. Sauerkraut juice is FULL of probiotics, and fermenting the oatmeal in it creates a ton of living organisms that are imperative for a healthy + beautiful body.

Probiotics are key for healthy digestion, glowing skin, and the ability to actually absorb the nutrients that are in our food. Most of us are deficient in probiotics because of antibiotic use - either directly - or those that are found in industrial dairy and meat products. 

Raw Bagel with Peanut Butter

I also added a ton of fun superfoods because I had them handy, like Maca, Camu Camu, and Holy Basil, but these can be left out, or swapped with anything you have on hand. The point of trying out a recipe like this is to have fun with it, and do your own thang. And to shake it.

Without further ado, here is the most delicious recipe in the history of mankind:

Raw Bagels

3 cups of Oatmeal ( I used gluten free oats)
6 cups filtered water
1/3 cup Ground Flax
1/3 cup Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Sunflower Oil
1/2 cup Unpasteurized, Local Honey
1/3 cup Chia Seeds
2 tbsp Maca
1 tsp Camu Camu
1 tsp Holy Basil
Cinnamon, Nutmeg + Allspice to Taste

Please note - The quantities are approximate.

Directions

1. In a large bowl, pour in the oats + water. (I used a mixture of water and sauerkraut juice for extra probiotics, but it's not necessary) Allow the mixture to sit, room temperature, for 1 -3 days.

2. Pour out any excess water, and use it in smoothies or on cooked oatmeal. (It's full of friendly probiotics at this point)

3. Add in the rest of the ingredients, until a runny batter like consistency is reached.

4. Mould the batter into bagel shapes in your dehydrator. Turn on a med-high setting, and leave for 6-12 hours. Flip. Wait 3-4 hours.


The bagels take on a slightly gooey, fully delicious consistency, and go well with pretty much anything.  I toasted the bagels for a minute or two and topped them with peanut butter. My roommate + bestie had his with coconut butter and alfalfa sprouts. I also tried mine with avocado, salt, and barbecue sauce. The possibilities are endless.

Happy experimenting!

xo Beth

A Moment of Triumph - I Can Eat French Toast

I recently discovered I could eat spelt. Seriously the best discovery ever. Like... ever. "What the heck?" you say, and I say back "I CAN EAT GLUTEN!"

Ok... let me explain. I haven't been eating gluten since I got back from a diarrhoea filled trip to Central American (TMI?) and although I have savoured the gluten-free breads I've been eating, it's just not the same. So the other day I challenged myself. Upon learning that a gluten intolerance is correlated to an energetic imbalance caused by not feeling safe, I knew that it wouldn't be long before I could indulge in the odd glutenous treat. (I'm always working on feeling safe and taken care of by the Universe, you see)

So recently, during a brave moment, I tried some gluten. It was organic spelt bread, and has a very low gluten content, and guess what, I was fine! Totally fine! My thoughts quickly went to French Toast, one of my favourite meals of all time.

So I made some bread in the breadmaker with organic, sprouted spelt flour, and got crafting. I used a very simple recipe, but I'll include for you all since it's always nice to have a frame of reference.

Ingredients

• 1-2 slices of homemade bread
• 1 organic, free range egg
• 1-2 Tbsp of vanilla rice milk
• Cinnamon*
• Maple Syrup*
• Coconut Oil*

      *To Taste

Directions

1. Turn on the pan to low/med and throw in some coconut oil
2. Combine the egg and rice milk
3. Soak the bread in the egg mixture, and place in the pan
4. Flip when golden brown
5. Serve with coconut oil, sprinkled cinnamon and maple syrup

Vegan Mango Ice Cream (No Ice Cream Maker Required!)

I really do love desserts, but my body typically doesn't love refined sugars, gluten or dairy. While for some this may seem restrictive, there's actually a plethora of other options for after meal treats. On top of that, most of them are so good for you, they can be eaten as snacks throughout the day.

One of my favourite new discoveries is vegan ice-cream. My love of coconut milk inspired me to craft this recipe up, and ohhhhh (wo)man, I'm glad it did. This ice cream can be made with very few ingredients, in very little time, and without an ice cream maker. It can also be easily changed around to accommodate for what you have on hand.

Ingredients

A Can of Organic Coconut Milk
1/2 Tbsp of Maple Syrup
A dash of Cinnamon
A Handful of Frozen Mango
2 Tbsp of Applesauce

Directions

1. Pour the coconut milk into an ice cube tray, and put in the freezer.
2. Once the coconut milk has frozen, remove 8 or so cubes, and throw them in a food processor or high powered blender.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, and blend on high until the mixture is smooth!
4. Eat the ice cream in all it's yummy goodness before it melts. (It doesn't keep in the freezer well)

Im thinking that a substitution of mango for pumpkin pie mix would be unreal for a fall rendition of this recipe, but try it with bananas, blueberries, rhubarb, cocoa, whatever you're feeling! Have fun crafting. :)

Gluten Free Garlic Onion Bread

Yesterday I felt crafty. And I felt hungry. For bread.

So I decided to create my very own recipes for gluten free bread, using coconut flour - an ingredient I've never worked with before. I tried out two loaves - one in the bread maker, and the other in the oven. While one was a ginormous flop (literally, after I took it out of the bread maker it lost all shape and melted) - the other was DELICIOUS, and my roommates and I devoured most of it within hours.

It turned out more as a loaf, than a bread though, which makes it totally serve-able for lunch or dinner (with a side of raw soup or a salad maybe? - how delish!)

So here it is - Garlic Onion Bread - in all it's gluten free glory:

3 Free Range Eggs
3 Tbsp Ground Chia
9 Tbsp Water
1 Onion - Pureed or Finely Chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, Shredded
1/3 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbsp of Blackstrap Molasses
3/4 Cup Coconut Flour

*Note - I used all organic ingredients, which makes a big difference both for taste and energetics

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Whip eggs with a fork.
3.  Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Add more water or flour as needed to get your desired    consistency.
4.  Grease a small baking dish with coconut oil, add the dough.
5.  Bake for 40 minutes.

www.wavesoffire.ca

Dairy Free Survival Guide - When Dairy Stops Loving You Back

I was recently talking to a friend who had just discovered a dairy intolerance, and she was lamenting how much the revelation was affecting her. “How do I live without dairy”, she asked, “It’s just so good!” I told her once she committed to it, it would be easy - understandable her next question was - “But what about CHEESE?!”

Granted, cheese is a tough one to reproduce vegan style, but there are ways. I’ve been living mostly dairy free for years now, because, frankly, it makes me feel like shit. And it’s really awesome NOT to feel like shit, and that’s why, my friends, it’s really awesome to live without dairy.

Almonds make a super tasty milk alternative.
Photo from Jules | Flickr

Here’s my survival guide for those of you who suspect that dairy is no longer returning your longtime love.

1. Coconut milk 

Godsend. Seriously. Coconut milk is creamy, delicious, and much tastier than regular old milk. It’s especially good for coffee and tea, as almond and rice milk are usually much too watery to convert your morning beverage into a creamy treat. Just make sure you don’t overdo it - a few tablespoons a day is plenty.

2. Almond (Cashew, Sunflower Seed, Pumpkin Seed, Hemp, etc.) Milk 

Almond milk was my go to for a while, and I still love it, though I prefer the homemade kind the best now. Even though the storebought brands are much better for you than milk, they’ve still been processed in order to sit on a shelf for long periods of time. Try making your own nut milk - it’s super easy. Soak raw almonds overnight. Then add them to 3-4 cups of water. Blend the two ingredients together, and sift it through a strainer or cheesecloth. Add a dash of salt, some vanilla, cinnamon, and maybe even maple syrup to the final product and you’ve got the most delicious milk of all time. See the links above for more recipes.

3. Nutritional Yeast

Ah yes, nutritional yeast, my love. Nutritional yeast is one of your new replacements for cheeses. You can throw it on pizza, popcorn, toast, wraps, even on salad, and it adds a unique flavor that somewhat mimics what you may love about cheese. It’s also good for you, which is a major plus. Find it at most natural food stores.

4. Avocado

Of course, avocado. It’s fatty (in the good way), flavourful, and delicious on pretty much everything. Salads, wraps, toast, pizza, rice, pasta, sandwiches, the list goes on. Add a dash of sea salt to bring out it's ultimate flavour.

5. When You Just Gotta Have Some Cheese

All right, I get it, cheese is unbelievably delicous. It just is. Sometimes you may crave it just a little bit too much to grab that avocado, and thats ok! In times like these, opt for goat cheese, or feta, and make absolute sure it’s organic. Factory farmed cows produce non-organic cheese, and the energy of that product will throw your system way out of whack. Organic goat cheese and feta are much easier for your body to process than the regular stuff, so if you end up having a bite every week or two, it’s not the end of the world. Just make sure to observe how you feel afterwards.

www.wavesoffire.ca

Mango Mint Green Smoothie Recipe

A delicious Mango Mint Green Smoothie

Starting my mornings off with green smoothies is an obsession of mine. Not only do they taste DELICIOUS, but they also start the day off right with raw, superfood goodness. I'm in the habit of getting inspired by recipes, and then creating my own version based on my preferences and what I have in the house (or garden!) This Mango Mint Green Smoothie was based on a refreshing concoction I tried at Jupiter in Tofino, BC.

• 1 handful leafy greens ( I used spinach & pea sprouts)
• 3/4 cup frozen organic mango
• 1/4 organic banana
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 3/4 cup water
• 2-3 tbsp chia seeds
• 10-15 fresh mint leaves
• Sweetener to taste (I used coconut tree sap, but honey, dates, raisins & maple syrup are also good choices)
• Optional: hemp hearts, flax seeds, spirulina

Blend all, and enjoy! Happy sipping.

Make your own, and have fun with the recipe!