By Irene Hayton

It’s important to start your day with a healthy breakfast; however, many people say that they don’t have time in the morning. So now there’s no excuse. The ingredients for this recipe can be put into a slow cooker (also known as a crock pot) with very little effort and in as little as 15 minutes before you go to bed at night. You’ll wake up to a hearty, healthy and creamy oatmeal that tastes as good as it smells.

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) coconut oil or butter
• 1 cup (250 ml) large flake (steel cut) oats
• 3 cups (750 ml) filtered water
• 1 large apple, peeled and chopped
• 1½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped walnuts (optional) 

Use the coconut oil or butter to coat the inside of the slow cooker. Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover and cook on the low setting for 6 to 7 hours. Serve as is or with your favourite type of milk. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Notes:

• Be sure to use large flake (steel cut) oats; don’t substitute quick oats or the consistency will be like mush.
• Any leftovers can be refrigerated and quickly reheated on the stove in a saucepan with a bit of your favourite type of milk.
• See this month’s Health Tip for info about slow cookers.

By Irene Hayton

• ¾ cup (190 ml) coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) smooth almond butter
•  ½ tablespoon (7.5 ml) pure cocoa powder
• 1 scoop protein powder

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a blender and process until well mixed. Add the protein powder and blend briefly. Makes 1 serving.

Notes:

• If using unsweetened coconut milk, you may want to use a small amount of natural sweetener such as pure maple syrup, unpasteurized honey, pure vanilla extract, or a pinch of stevia.
• Use whey, hemp, rice, or fermented soy protein powder. The amount of protein varies from brand to brand so use enough to obtain approximately 10 to 20 grams of protein (the label will tell you how many grams are in a scoop).
• Add Udo’s oil or Udo’s DHA oil for omega-3 benefits. Or add chia or salba seeds for omega-3 benefits plus fiber.

By Irene Hayton

Buckwheat groats can be purchased in health food stores and some grocery stores. Roasted buckwheat groats, also called kasha, are also available but it’s best to buy them unroasted (plain) and toast them yourself—the tend to taste fresher. If using kasha in this recipe, skip the first step. For more information about buckwheat, see this month’s Health Tip.

• ½ cup (125 ml) unroasted buckwheat groats
• ¾ cup (175 ml) filtered water
• 2 pinches unprocessed sea salt

Toast the buckwheat groats in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes. The groats will give off a nutty aroma and turn darker in color as you toast them.

Meanwhile, bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the toasted buckwheat and reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave to sit with the lid on for 5 minutes, and then fluff the buckwheat with a fork.

Serve with low-fat milk, unsweetened almond milk or rice milk. Add a small amount of natural sweetener, if desired, such as unpasteurized honey, pure maple syrup, sucanat, pure vanilla extract, unsweetened applesauce, raisins, currants, etc. You can also add a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or stir in some virgin coconut oil before adding the milk. Makes about 2 cups or 2 servings.

By Irene Hayton

Higher in fiber and lower in sugar and fat than typical pancakes, these healthy ones will fill you up and they taste great without the blueberries if you don’t have any on hand. Unlike most pancakes which are cooked quickly in a hot pan, these ones should be cooked for a bit longer over medium-low heat due to the oats, otherwise they’ll be overcooked on the surface and uncooked on the inside.

• ¾ cup (175 ml) large flake (old-fashioned) oats
• 1 cup (250 ml) unsweetened almond milk, rice milk or low-fat milk
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup (125 ml) whole-wheat or spelt flour
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) non-alum baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sucanat
• coconut oil to grease the skillet
• ¾ cup (175 ml) fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, rinse and drain well)

In a large bowl, combine the oats, milk, egg whites, applesauce and vanilla; stir to mix well and leave to sit for 10 minutes to soften the oats.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sucanat.

Add the flour mixture to the oat/milk mixture and stir gently just until the dry ingredients are moistened; do not over mix—some lumps in the batter are okay.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat; add enough coconut oil (about ½ to 1 teaspoon per batch of pancakes) to coat it evenly. For each pancake, place 1 heaping spoonful of batter (soup spoon size) into the skillet and spread it lightly to form a pancake about 3 inches in diameter. Gently press about 6 blueberries into each pancake. Cook until the edges are dry and the bottom is golden brown, another 4 to 5 minutes—do not press down the pancake with the spatula/lifter. Makes about 12 pancakes.

Serve these pancakes plain or with butter and/or a small amount of pure maple syrup. They also taste great with just a small amount of virgin coconut oil on them. The plain ones (without blueberries) are also good with just nut butter (such as almond or peanut) on them. Extra pancakes can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated. Or try them cold or at room temperature, plain or with nut butter, for a snack.

By Irene Hayton

• 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
• ½ cup (125 ml) plain kefir (see Notes)
• ½ cup (125 ml) filtered water
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) finely minced or grated fresh ginger
• protein powder (see Notes)  
• pinch unprocessed sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until well mixed. Makes 1 serving.

 Notes:

• See this month’s Health Tip (January 2009) for information about kefir.
• Use whey, hemp, rice, or fermented soy protein powder. The amount of protein varies from brand to brand so use enough to obtain approximately 10 to 20 grams of protein (the label will tell you how many grams are in a scoop).

By Irene Hayton

For those who have dairy or soy sensitivities, almond milk is a good substitute. You can find it in health food stores or in the natural food section of many grocery stores. Virgin coconut oil has a lot more coconut flavor compared to the regular variety. See the November 2003 Health Tip for more information about the health benefits of coconut oil and this month’s Health Tip (September 2007) for information about oats. The almond milk and the coconut oil provide enough sweetness so that you shouldn’t need any additional sweetener.

• · ⅔ cup (150 ml) filtered water
• · ⅛ teaspoon (.5 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• · ⅓ cup (75 ml) large flake (old-fashioned) oats
• · 1 tablespoon (15 ml) virgin coconut oil
• · ¼ cup (50 ml) almond milk
• · ½ to 1 scoop whey protein powder (see Note)

Combine the water and sea salt in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut oil. Combine the almond milk and protein powder in a shaker cup or blender, shake or blend until well mixed, and then pour over the oatmeal. Makes 1 serving. For those with larger appetites, you can increase the filtered water to 1 cup (250 ml) and the oats to ½ cup (125 ml) and add more almond milk if needed.

Note: Different brands of whey powder vary in the size of the scoop so use enough to obtain approximately 20 grams of protein (the label will tell you how many grams are in a scoop). See the June 2007 Health Tip for information on how to choose a high-quality whey protein powder.

By Irene Hayton

Normally Dr. Matsen advises against combining proteins (found in the yogurt and the whey powder) with sweets (the berries, in this case) because proteins require hydrochloric acid (HCl) for digestion in the stomach, and sweets can inhibit HCl production. Combining sweets and proteins, therefore, results in a slower rate of digestion, allowing yeast and bacteria more time to create toxins. However, the proteins in the yogurt and whey powder do not require as much HCl as more complex proteins (for example, fish or chicken). Also, the berries are not very sweet so the HCl production may not be affected in most people. Be sure to add the sea salt to help avoid ileocecal valve problems because the berries are ‘cooling’ foods.

• · ½ cup (125 ml) fresh or frozen blueberries
• · ½ cup (125 ml) fresh or frozen raspberries
• · 1 cup (250 ml) filtered water
• · ¾ cup (175 ml) low-fat plain yogurt
• · 1 scoop whey protein powder (see Note)
• · 1 tablespoon (5 ml) flaxseeds, freshly ground
• · ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) stevia/Chicolin
• · ⅛ teaspoon (.5 ml) sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until well mixed. Makes 1 serving.

Note: Different brands of whey powder vary in the size of the scoop so use enough to obtain approximately 20 grams of protein (the label will tell you how many grams are in a scoop). See this month’s Health Tip (June 2007) for information on how to choose a high-quality whey protein powder.

By irene hayton and Carol Song

• 2 scoops (¼ cup/50 ml) hemp protein powder
• 1 cup (250 ml) fresh or frozen berries (we used blueberries and raspberries)
• ½ cup (125 ml) low-fat plain yogurt
• ½ cup (125 ml) filtered water
• stevia/Chicolin^TM to taste (about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Makes 1 large

By Irene Hayton

Cranberry Juice

• 8 cups (2 l) filtered water
• 3 cups (750 ml) fresh or frozen cranberries (12 oz/ 340 g bag)
• ½ teaspoon (2 ml) sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) stevia powder (optional)

Put the water and cranberries in a large pot, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and boil gently until all of the cranberries burst (this takes about 5 minutes.) Pour the mixture through a sieve or cheesecloth and discard the berries. Add the sea salt and stevia, if using, to the juice; stir well to dissolve. Pour the juice into a glass juice container and refrigerate. To serve, mix 1 part juice with 1 part filtered water (for example: ½ cup/125 ml of juice with ½ cup/125 ml water.) Optional: add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Makes 16 1-cup servings.

Oatmeal with Cranberries

• 1 cup (250 ml) filtered water
• pinch of sea salt
• ½ cup (125 ml) large flake oats
• ½ cup (125 ml) fresh or frozen cranberries

Combine the water and sea salt in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats and cranberries. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes 2 servings.

• Optional: Serve with low-fat milk, rice milk, almond milk or soy milk.
• If the oatmeal is too tart for your liking, sweeten it with a pinch of stevia or stevia/Chicolin mixture, or with a small amount (about ¼ teaspoon/1 ml) of pure maple syrup or pure vanilla extract. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon.
• To increase the protein content, add ½ to 1 scoop of whey protein powder to your milk, shake/stir well to dissolve, and then add the mixture to your oatmeal.
• For additional health benefits, stir some Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend^® (1 to 3 teaspoons/5 to 15 ml) into your oatmeal after it’s cooked. Udo’s Oil provides your body with essential fatty acids. (For information on the benefits of essential fatty acids, see the article “Fats that Heal and Fats that Kill” at the beginning of Part II: The Food Section in Eating Alive II.)

By Irene Hayton

Don’t be afraid to add the oil in this recipe—it’s a great way to supply your body with the essential fatty acids that it needs to keep you healthy. (See the article in Eating Alive II,  titled “Fats That Heal and Fats That Kill,” by Udo Erasmus.) You can substitute yogurt or water for the tofu and vice versa in this recipe, depending on what you like and what you have on hand.

Normally Dr. Matsen advises against combining proteins (the soy and the yogurt) with sweets (the blueberries, in this case) because proteins require hydrochloric acid (HCl) for digestion in the stomach, and sweets can inhibit HCl production. Combining sweets and proteins, therefore, results in a slower rate of digestion, allowing yeast and bacteria more time to create toxins. However, the proteins in the yogurt and tofu do not require as much HCl as more complex proteins (for example, fish or chicken). Also, the blueberries are not very sweet so the HCl production may not be affected in most people. Be sure to add the sea salt to help avoid ileocecal valve problems because the berries are ‘cooling’ foods.

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend^®
• ½ cup (125 ml) plain low-fat yogurt
• ½ to 1 scoop fermented soy protein powder
• ½ cup (125 ml) fresh or frozen blueberries
• vanilla extract or stevia/Chicolin™ to taste (about ½ teaspoon or 2 ml)
• pinch sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until well mixed.

Note: For additional flavour, substitute a few raspberries for some of the blueberries.

By Irene Hayton and Carol Song

Toasting the amaranth seeds before cooking gives off a nutty aroma and produces a cereal that is less glutinous than if they are not toasted. Putting some oil in the water and making sure the water is boiling before adding the amaranth also helps to keep the amaranth from being “gummy.”

• 1 cup (250 ml) amaranth
• 2 cups (500 ml) filtered water
• ½ teaspoon (2 ml) coconut oil
• 2 pinches sea salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend^®
• milk, soy milk, or rice milk
• freshly ground flax seeds
• stevia/Chicolin™ mixture (see Eating Alive II)

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the amaranth and toast it, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the water, coconut oil, and sea salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the toasted amaranth and turn the heat down to low. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat, cover tightly, and let it sit for 5 more minutes before serving. Top each serving with ½ tablespoon (7 ml) Udo’s Oil, your choice of milk, and freshly ground flax seeds and stevia/Chicolin™ mixture to taste. Additional toppings include: fruit such as raisins, dried cranberries (unsweetened), or fresh or frozen berries; cinnamon; nut butter; applesauce. Makes 4 servings.

Variation: Omit the milk, flax seeds, and stevia/Chicolin™ mixture and serve the amaranth as a side dish for lunch or dinner.