The Great OIL debate. Olive Oil and Coconut Oil Suck?

Most people were brought up thinking that "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" was super healthy.
And more recently Coconut Oil was able to overcome the "Saturated Fat is bad...". A little marketing allowed them to add "except for Coconut Oil".

Sometimes the proof came from tribes in foreign lands that had high amounts of certain oils and no heart problems. A simple google search will explain the other so called benefits.

Coconut oil was even prescribed by our nutritionist to be eat by the spoonful on a daily basis. Yes, a straight spoonful. That never sat right with me. Even if they claim it helps metabolism etc.

The guys over at Engine2Diet and Bill Clinton himself, are 100% anti ANY oils. Even Fish Oil. Kinda makes sense. Will I cut out oils? Probably not, will I eat a spoonful directly, not anymore. I will try and cook with veggies that have juices already in them (onions, peppers etc) and just use that instead of oil.

Here is a video of Bill Clinton and why he went healthy vegan and oil free.


And here is the "proof" that E2D gives: Marketing Junk Food: Don't Go Cuckoo Over Coconut Oil
Not sure what to believe. Based on his assessment, water would be bad for you.

Frank

ICE CREAM!! Vegan Kale & Banana Ice Cream! Loved by Toddlers

I don't really do recipes. I just shove random things in the Vitamix. The Vitamix is a MUST if you want to make it creamy enough to pass as ice cream. Other blenders won't crush the ice. The Blendtec is not ideal since it takes 4x longer since it has no stamper, this melts the ice cream. 

Basic recipe:

- Bunch of Kale. Frozen is better. (fresh, but recently frozen is best)

- 1/2 Banana. Frozen is better. (this fruit specifically counteracts the Kale taste)

- Ice
- Liquid as needed. (cold water, coconut milk, or almond milk).

Beginner recipe:
- Double the Banana and add some blueberries. The more sugar the tastier, but not as healthy, but best to get the toddler hooked on the concept with more fruit at first (no adding straight sugar).

Optional other recipe stuff:
- Dash of Stevia (an all natural, real plant sweetener)
- Cinnamon
- Wyman's wild blueberries (not too many,t hey are very flavorful)
- Capful of Apple Cider Vinegar (only if from Braggs)

Frank

Coconut Oil Chocolate Stevia Cookies. For Toddlers.

Recipe:
• Coconut Oil, slightly melted
• Cacao powder (raw, no sugar)
• Stevia
• Low sugar granola

Mix it up, put it in the fridge too "cook" it. Yep, it hardens in cold temperatures. Then good to eat. Sometimes tends to be heavy on the oil taste (to keep it together), but raw coconut oil is still good for you straight up. Frank

Steel Cut Oatmeal. Low sugar, Toddler friendly

Not an official recipe, just threw this together and the Toddler loved it. Super low in sugar yet tasty and really healthy.

- Steel cut Oatmeal cooked for 13 min or so. - Pear slices (I cooked the pear in the water, not sure if this is necessary)
- A few blueberries (I like the small wild and flavorful variety from Waymens)
- A few banana slices
- Coconut shavings
- Cinnamon
- Some vanilla
- Dash of Stevia
- Optional: Some "So Delicious" Keflir-type plain drinkable yogurt. (only 3g sugar in it)
- Optional: Some currants. They are 1/4th the size of raisins. 

All Vegan of course.

I made enough to store some in the freezer and some in the fridge for tomorrow.

Frank

Raw Vegan Kale Chip Recipe! For Toddlers

Kale Chips are addictive and great and healthy. Make sure to add a sauce. If you want to keep it simple just use a sauce of 50% cashew, 50% red pepper . More complex recipe is below.

They can be cooked at low temperatures in an oven, or best in a dehydrator overnight at 115 degrees, just below the temperature that many nutrients are lost. The food is still considered "RAW" at 115. But expect a good 10-14 hours, so don't wait for it. Also eat it within a couple hours of finishing. If you "cook" it for 14 hours and let it sit for 4 hours until you get home, it will pick up moisture in the room and lose the crisp.

Put it in a plastic bag, try and remove the air, sometimes I put rice in it, not sure if that does much to absorb moisture, or those "do not eat, silica" packets also should help absorb moisture.

This is my favorite Kale Chip Recipe (inspired by this Kale Chip recipe)

Video:

• 1 bunch kale, rinsed with large pieces since they shrink (maybe 5 pieces per leaf)

Put this in the blender (Vitamix preferred)

• 2 cups raw cashews (buy pieces, they are cheaper) (soak for 4 hours is better, but not required)
• 1 large red pepper
• 1 clove garlic!
• 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes ( I use KAL Nutritional Yeast Flakes) optional
• Juice of one lemon
• Pinch of sea salt

Some people add some olive oil.

Get your hands messy and lather it up.

When you make the above recipe, the more liquidy you make it, the less stay on the chips. But if it is too clumpy and thick, it won't spread well. So play with it. Also think of it as 75% will go away, so don't think you are putting too much on.

Frank

p.s. We own the Excalibur Food Dehydrator 3526T, 5 tray , which has a timer on it. Most of their models do NOT have a timer unless you buy it from them on ebay or directly. Resellers get the non timer model, which is a pain. You could buy a $15 timer at Home Depot I guess.

Mushroom Chips from a Dehydrator. Loved by Toddler

One of Dr. Fuhrman's top 5 food to eat are mushrooms. There are some that my toddler has been able to eat directly. Some from the farmers market. But the best way I found to get them in him is making Portobello Mushroom Chips! In our dehydrator. Set at 115 degrees, so it is still considered RAW.

Sometimes we will put a small dab of "So Good Miso Mayo" or Vegenaise (both Vegan).

Here is a video of our toddler loving them.

Note that they only last 1 day out. You need to keep them dry to keep them crispy. I put them in a bag or canister with rice at the bottom (or those "do not eat" silica packets that absorb moisture).

Also sometimes I mix the mushrooms in the leftover sauce from the Kale Chips (cashews, red pepper, garlic homemade sauce)

Frank

p.s. We own the Excalibur Food Dehydrator 3526T, 5 tray , which has a timer on it. Most of their models don't unless you buy it from them on ebay or directly. Resellers get the non timer model, which is a pain. You could buy a $15 timer at Home Depot I guess.

Drink 1 Liter of Water within 10 minutes of waking up.

Recently I have been drinking 8 oz of water immediately upon waking up. I really like it because it tends to wake me up. Like coffee, but healthy.

Today watching FoodMatters, they said to try a full liter of water, within 10 minutes of getting up. Before even eating anything. I plan to try it for a week. Supposed to help cleanse the body and get all the bad stuff out. Even helped one guy lose 14 pounds in one day (went to the bathroom 14 times).