Category — real foods

So I post this every year around the this time. Food coloring can lead to an assortment of health issues and natural dyes are a fun alternative for healthy kids.

Taken from The Vintage Remedies Guide to Real Foods
Chapter 10 – Real Foods for Kids

These are fun and easy to make, requiring just a little additional time collecting the materials, and they result in beautiful, natural hues that liven up any spring table.

Natural dyes will appear more vibrant when applied to white eggs. Contrary to popular belief, there is no nutritional difference between white and brown eggs. The color of the egg is determined by the breed of the chicken and the nutritional benefits of an egg are determined by the health of the chicken.

vinegar
distilled water
herbs for colors (see below for a guide)
boiled eggs

For each color, mix 4 cups of water with 4 T of the herb powder or 3/4 cup of the whole herb and 3T vinegar. Bring to a boil and boil for 20 – 25 minutes. Strain and cool. Soak eggs for 10 – 15 minutes in the dye. Dry in egg cups, then store in the fridge.

Color Guide:
Blue – red cabbage or blueberry concentrate
Brown – ground tea or coffee
Burnt Orange – red chili powder
Green – spinach powder or parsley powder
Red – cranberries
Orange – curry powder
Pink – beet powder
Purple – beets, purple onion skin, grape juice
Yellow – calendula petals, turmeric or saffron

Enjoy!

Although not a true cereal grain, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) has always been revered as an ancient grain. It is a hardy plant as it can tolerate extreme temperatures and thrive in some of the worst conditions. It is easily digested, making it an ideal protein source and easy addition to any diet. It has the highest protein content of any grain, and the WHO (World Health Organization) states that quinoa has as much protein as equal parts of milk. Interestingly enough, its amino acid profile is also similar to milk, which is highly unusual in a plant product. It actually contains more calcium than milk and also offers iron, phosphorus, vitamins B complex and E, manganese and magnesium.

Additionally, quinoa is a great source of lysine, an amino acid that can be difficult to obtain through plant sources. Lysine is essential for tissue growth and repair.

Quinoa is a great food for migraine sufferers. The magnesium content helps to relax the blood vessels, which helps to prevent the constriction characteristic of migraines. Those who suffer from frequent migraines will be happy to hear that increased intake of magnesium has been shown to reduce the frequency of headache episodes. This same mineral also helps with high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, and magnesium deficiencies are not uncommon among those who consume typical modern diets.

Unlike other small sized grain dishes such as couscous or rice, quinoa slightly crunchy after being cooked, adding an interesting texture to the meal. It is also naturally quick cooking, making it an ideal last minute addition. Quinoa can be substituted for rice, couscous or other grains or pastas in most dishes, or try one designed specifically for quinoa, like this Mediterranean quinoa and feta salad.

Quinoa and Feta Salad

1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup chopped fresh Mediterranean herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary…)
3 chopped celery stalks
1 cup halved seedless red grapes
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
2/3 cup crumbled feta
3 T vinaigrette (try red wine, citrus or Italian)

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Place into a serving bowl with the herbs, celery, grapes, tomatoes and cheese. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Serve chilled.

**From the Vintage Remedies Guide to Real Food, section 3**

When it comes to sweetening our homebaked goods, it is often difficult to convey the importance of choosing natural sweeteners over refined white sugar. After all, you can get a bag of white sugar for a few dollars, whereas a bottle of good maple syrup will run you well over $10. How do you justify the expense? A sugar gram is a sugar gram, right? Not exactly.

Natural sweeteners are not only the option for the posh with money to spare in the grocery budget. The health benefits they offer far outweigh the cost difference – and the cost could be a great factor encouraging us to reduce that total number of sugar grams so that it fits into a more ideal part of our well balanced diet.

For example, researchers found 13 brand new compounds in maple syrup this year, not to mention the 20 antioxidants they found. These compounds provide antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and even anti-diabetic benefits. Yes, anti-diabetic. So, while refined white sugar can lead to diabetes, natural maple syrup has compounds that can help prevent diabetes, adjusting for the sugar content. In other words, by consuming the food the way God created it, the risks associated with sugar consumption are addressed by the protective compounds that are included within the syrup.

Maple syrup is also a source of natural minerals such as calcium, zinc, potassium, magnesium and B complex vitamins.

For our Vintage Remedies School of Natural Health students – most of these compounds are flavonoids and phenols. It is believed that the phenolic acids are secreted as a result of the stress caused by the tapping of the tree to remove the sap.