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~ Mostly Recipes & Musings on Health

This Sydney Life

Tag Archives: Alexx Stuart

Sandor Katz Hits Sydney

17 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by Joanna in Australia, Food

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Alexx Stuart, Autoimmune Protocol, Cultured Food, Food Trends, Gut Health, Health, Kombucha, Lacto-fermentation, Live Food, Michael Pollan, Milkwood Permaculture, Pickling, Probiotics, Sandor Katz, Sauerkraut, The ARt of Fermentation

Sandor Katz Hits Sydney

(Image by TSL)

Six months. SIX WHOLE MONTHS! That’s how long ago I booked tickets through the inspiring team at Milkwood Permaculture for two sessions with Sandor Katz on the art of fermentation.  It’s been a long time coming. But, I gotta’ tell you – it was worth it.

Sandor Katz is colloquially known as the ‘Godfather of Lacto-Fermentation’. It’s a practice that is currently undergoing a bit of a renaissance – particularly as interest grows in the probiotic benefits of eating live food. Certainly, it helps that it tastes pretty great, too!*

Even food writer Michael Pollan acknowledges Sandor Katz’s most recent book as being largely responsible for his ignited passion for cultured food…

Katz’s book is the main reason that my kitchen counters and basement floor have lately sprouted an assortment of mason jars, ceramic crocks, jelly jars, bottles, and carboys, the clear ones glowing with unearthly colours. (Michael Pollan)

…and, if some of the high-profile Sydney-based chefs (the ones that I recognised, anyway!) in attendance at the sessions are any prediction of food trends, lacto-fermentated morsels will soon be popping up all over town. I know Mr Gilmore down at Circular Quay has been working on fermenting vegetable juices. Just saying!

TSL Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut by Sandor Katz
Cabbage, carrot, herbs, garlic ready to bubble away…
(Image by TSL)

But, what is lacto-fermentation?

Heard of probiotics?

Lacto-fermentation is a natural way of preserving food that pre-dates refrigeration (by quite some time!). It is natures way of allowing us to utilise microbial processes using beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. and other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (also known as probiotics), which thrive in an anaerobic fermenting environment.

So, the ‘lacto’ part in lacto-fermentation, comes from ‘lactobacillus’. A wide variety of LAB and yeasts are involved in the process of lacto-fermentation. These all work together to convert raw food into more easily digestible components, along with releasing and stabilising nutrients of the food.

There are a number of stages and processes along the way – and, as with most things ‘living,’ it is not an exact science. There is no ‘right’ way or one recipe. Not by a long shot.

There is no one way to ferment. Ultimately it is about experiential learning. (Sandor Katz)

So, lacto-fermentation is a process of preserving food that produces things like  traditional dill pickles (gherkins), real sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented beverages, even naturally produced vinegar (think Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar). At its most basic, it takes nothing more than vegetables, salt, water and a bit of patience – anyone can try it.

This simple process works because of the lucky fact that bacteria that could be harmful to us can’t tolerate much salt, but there are healthy bacteria that can.

But, why should I care?

The benefits of eating food with live, Lactobacillus bacteria include a healthier digestive system and speedy recovery from yeast infections. They are also supposed to have anti-inflammatory properties and be useful in preventing certain kinds of cancer. And, as I’ve already mentioned, they taste good!

The prevailing view is that you should add small, frequent amounts of as many varieties of fermented foods and beverages as you can to your diet – each has their own beneficial probiotic qualities. At a minimum, I try to add a couple of tablespoons of fermented vegetables to two of my meals every day.

There are a number of artisan food producers who have started up with their own lacto-fermented products. Because of the live nature of these foods and beverages, and the requirement to keep them chilled, they tend to be region specific. Refrigerated shipping is expensive! And, because the process is a little labour intensive, these products can get expensive.

So, I went to see Sandor in action to better understand how to make my own lacto- fermented product. Cheaply!

Sandor Katz Fermented vegetables

(L – R) Sauerkraut, Beet Kvass, Kimchi, Pickles
(Image by TSL)

Sandor was an inspirational presenter. His knowledge about fermentation is encyclopaedic – and it’s not just theory. The man has spent the last three decades experimenting with the art.

I walked away from my day determined to expand my horizons with fermenting vegetables (itching to try the four celery ferment – celeriac, stalk, leaves and seeds) and to try my hand at making fermented beverages (kombucha – a sweetened fermented tea is first cab off the rank)… I promise to keep you posted on my progress!

If you are at all interested in learning more about fermentation, I have it on very good authority that the very pragmatic and talented Alexx Stuart is running a series of posts about this very subject next week on her blog, Real Food & Low Tox Living.

*If you need a refresher on just who is this Sandor Katz character and his ‘Art of Fermentation’ – check out the last post I did about him here.

TSL’s BEST EVER Ragu Bolognese…

04 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by Joanna in Food

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Alexx Stuart, Best Bolognaise Recipe, Best Bolognese Recipe, Best Lasagne Recipe, Best Pasta Sauce, Best Ragu Recipe, Cook, Dairy Free, Delia, Delia Smith, Dolly Parton, food, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Main Course, Paleo, Ragout Recipe, Real Food, Recipe, Sea Vegetable

Ragu Bolognese TSL-Style

Ragu Bolognese TSL-Style
inspired by Delia
(Image by TSL)

My weaknesses have always been food and men – in that order. (Dolly Parton)

I like to cook. Which is rather fortunate, because I also like to eat. And, as I get older I find myself becoming more particular about what I will eat, and where my food comes from.

There are times, though, when even the most passionate of cooks can’t face the kitchen. I have friends back in New Zealand who have lovely wee lamb cutlets as their ‘go to’ meal when they can’t be bothered thinking about cooking at the end of a particularly long work day. I think they may even have a super-special crumb recipe in which they coat their wee cutlets. They buy the little chops in bulk, do their magic ‘crumb-thingy’, and then freeze them in portion-size packages. Yum.

My go-to ‘can’t be bothered thinking about cooking‘ answer has long been to have portion-sized containers of Delia Smith’s Authentic Ragu Bolognese in my freezer. It’s so good and has a secret ingredient to make it seriously smooth and rich. Chicken livers. Yep. That’s right – chicken livers.

Wanna’ know why we should eat more chicken liver? Among other things, it is:

  • high in protein and a rich store of folate
  • loaded with iron (for energy and immune system health)
  • a treasure trove of certain B vitamins, most notably B12 (guards your body against anemia, good for tissue repair).
  • one of the top sources of vitamin A (which promotes good eyesight)

And, even if the idea of liver has you running for the hills, you won’t even know it’s in this recipe. True!

I used to make the ragu as part of Delia’s Lasagne al Forno. That’s no longer an option in the gluten-free, dairy-free world I now cook in at Casa TSL.* So, now I just make the ragu and have it on hand for whenever I can’t face the kitchen…

Ragu Bolognese TSL-Style

Ragu Bolognese TSL-Style
inspired by Delia
(Image by TSL)

Lately, I’ve had a wee bit of a girl-crush on Alexx Stuart of Real Food. Low Tox Living. She is a great proponent of eating real food, which just makes a lot of sense to me (and I like her pragmatic, unpretentious style). I saw her in action at the MINDD Foundation ‘Food is Medicine’ seminar. Now I like her even more!

And, as a result of Alexx’s presentation, I received a metaphorical kick-in-the-bum regarding making my own stocks from grass-fed bones again. So, this past week, I picked up some lovely bones from G.R.U.B. and made a massive batch of beef bone broth. So much, in fact, that I couldn’t fit it all in the freezer.

With all this excess broth and a need to replenish my emergency supplies of ragu, I have adapted Delia’s recipe to suit my needs. And, you know what? It works AND it’s more kiddie-friendly because there’s no wine in it. Delia’s recipe makes 8 225g portions, each serving 2 people. Mine makes more…

Ragu Bolognese TSL-Style

Ragu Bolognese TSL-Style
inspired by Delia
(Image by TSL)

Ragu Bolognese TSL-Style
(adapted from Delia Smith’s recipe)

Ingredients:
About 500g grass-fed Beef mince
About 500g pork mince (from happy pigs)
Coconut oil (or fat of choice)
About 225g chicken livers
2 x medium onions (chopped)
4 x large cloves of garlic (minced)
About 150g speck (or pancetta), chopped
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
4 x heaped tablespoons tomato paste
500ml beef bone broth (preferably home-made!)
Fresh herb of choice (basil, parsley or whatever you have to hand)
Salt & Pepper
Sea Vegetables (Optional, but soooooo good for you! I use this one)
grated nutmeg (preferably fresh)

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 140°C (275°F)
  2. Heat your largest frying pan over a medium heat. Add a generous dollop of coconut oil. Gently fry the onion and garlic until softened – about ten minutes. Give it a stir every now and then.
  3. Add the chopped speck to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a large casserole (my beloved le Creuset holds just over 4 litres).
  4. Add some more coconut oil to the pan and turn the heat up to high. Add the minced beef in batches to brown. I use a wooden fork to break it up in the pan. Add the cooked mince to the casserole. Repeat until all your beef is browned.
  5. Do the same with the pork mince. While the pork mince is cooking, rinse the chicken livers and dry them with a paper towel. Trim off any sinew and chop them into teeny-tiny pieces.
  6. Once the pork is browned and transferred to the casserole, heat a little more coconut oil and briefly brown the chicken livers. Add these to the casserole.
  7. Place the casserole over a direct medium heat and give everything a good stir. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, bone broth and a generous seasoning of good salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the nutmeg (and the sea vegetables, if you are going to. Go on – dare you!). Stir again and allow to come to a simmer.
  8. Add the chopped leaves of about half a bunch of basil or parsley
  9. place the casserole in the oven (without a lid) for four hours. I give it a stir every hour or so. You should end up with a thick, unctuous meaty sauce with only a teeny bit of liquid.
  10. Check for seasoning and add the remaining half bunch of your herbs.
  11. When the sauce has cooled, divide it up. Delia reckons 225g feeds two people, so that’s the measure I go with. I use my scales.

Some suggestions for your ragu:

  • the obvious one – over pasta, gnocchi or noodled squash or zucchini
  • as a pizza topping
  • as a stuffing for potato, kumara (sweet potato), eggplant, peppers or mushrooms
  • as a sauce over steamed or roasted vegetable (my preferred option is over roasted broccoli)
  • in shakshuka (baked eggs)
  • As a super fancy-schmancy mince-on-toast
Bolognese-stuffed Eggplant

Bolognese-stuffed Eggplant
(Image from Taste)

If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart. (Cesar Chavez)

*But, if you don’t have these limitations and you feel like showing your family and/or friends just how much you love them, Delia’s lasagne recipe is an absolute corker. SERIOUSLY GOOD.

Pete Evans and His SERIOUSLY GOOD Bliss Balls…

24 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by Joanna in Australia, Food

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Activated Almonds, Alexx Stuart, Australia, Bliss Ball, Bliss Balls Recipe, Cook, Dairy Free, food, Food is Medicine, Gluten Free, Health, Healthy Snack Recipe, Manu Feildel, Mindd Foundation, Pete Evans, Real Food, Recipe, Teresa Cutter

Pete Evans and his activated almonds

Pete Evans – Famous for eating activated almonds
(Image from here)

Pete Evans gets A LOT of air time here in Australia.

Unsurprising, really. He’s published seven cookbooks, and apparently there’s another on the way. He’s both a chef and restaurateur. He and his good mate Manu Feildel front the popular ‘My Kitchen Rules’ show on the telly. He is an ambassador for healthy foodie brand Sumo Salad. Apparently, he has just launched a home fermentation and culturing kit to make real sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir (which I will have to check out).

AND, of course, this year he famously made headlines after his ‘My Day on a Plate’ contribution to ‘Sunday Life’ magazine went viral when he listed activated almonds as part of his über-healthy diet.

The thing is, while I might not be the kind of girl who watches ‘My Kitchen Rules’ or frequents the food halls where I imagine Sumo Salad sets up shop, I do like the healthy food message that Pete Evans espouses – activated almonds* and all.

And, on top of all of it – he looks so damned healthy! Admit it – the man has a permanent glow on…

Food is Medicine

Pete Evans for Food is Medicine through the Mindd Foundation
(Image from here)

Logical then, that the Mindd Foundation chose Pete to front the banner for their upcoming seminar on Food is Medicine.

If you’re interested in health, nutrition and food as medicine (and you’re in Sydney on Saturday!), then I reckon you should check this out. Clearly, Pete will be there doing some health food demos. But, so will Teresa Cutter (of the Healthy Chef) talking about meals that support digestion; Alexx Stuart (of Real Food and Low Tox Living) explaining the many uses of bone broth; and, many more from the local real food movement.

In an effort to get in the mood for Saturday, when I saw a recipe Pete posted AND also that I had all the ingredients to hand**, I headed straight to the kitchen to whip up some Buzz (Bliss) Balls.

I’m taking Pete at his word, and sharing his Bliss Ball recipe. They tick all the boxes – they’re healthy, easy-peasey to make, and they taste great.

Cook with balls, love and laughter. (Pete Evans)

Pete Evans' Buzz Balls (Image by TSL)

Pete Evans’ Buzz Balls
(Image by TSL)

Pete Evans’ Buzz Balls (aka Bliss Balls)

1/4 cup of unhulled Tahini
2 tablespoons of Pure Organic Maple Syrup (Pete called for 3, but that was just too much for me!)
1/4 cup of buckinis (activated buckwheat)
1/2 cup of macadamias
1/2 cup of almonds
1/2 cup of dried organic apricots, finely chopped
1/4 cup of desiccated coconut
3 tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil
filtered water to get the consistency right if it’s too dry to roll
extra desiccated coconut for rolling

Bung all the ingredients into your food processor and pulse until you reach your desired consistency. If the mixture is too dry to roll add a little filtered water, or if it’s too wet add extra desiccated coconut. Shape into balls and roll in coconut. I used a table-spoon and got 15 balls.

Allow the balls to set in the fridge for 30 minutes before you munch on them.

If you’d like to learn more about the Mindd Foundation Food is Medicine Seminar on this Saturday, check out their website here.

*If you’re wondering, activated nuts are soaked in water to force germination. The theory goes that the sprouted nut activates its digestive enzymes, making it easier to digest and better for you.

**do not ask me why I had activated buckwheat in my pantry – I might end up trending on twitter…

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