(Algae Industry Magazine –Dr. Aaron Baum) The popular image of algae farming is bubbling green columns and white-coated scientists and seems out of reach for ordinary people. Is the experience of algae farming limited to professionals? A growing network of DIY algae farmers is proving that we can all participate, by creating successful algae ponds and growth tanks in our own homes.

These are not mere science projects. Because of the high rate of algae growth and their potential nutrient density, it is possible to produce enough in a single window to significantly supplement an ordinary person’s experimentalist’s diet.

Helping these folks is the mission of our lab and website, Algaelab.org. Although there are many kinds of algae, and we’re committed to helping people grow any strain they’re interested in, we believe that Spirulina is the best species for DIYers to start with, for three main reasons:

1. The unique health value of live, fresh Spirulina, even at small doses.

Just a few grams of Spirulina powder a day have been shown to have definite health benefits. Spirulina is by far the most-studied nutritional algae, both in terms of its benefits and lack of harm. It has been shown to make a difference in preventing and treating ailments from obesity to malnutrition, cancer to heart disease.

These studies are on powdered Spirulina. Though it hasn’t been studied, it seems obvious that the live, fresh stuff—which is only available if you grow it yourself—would be even healthier. Personally, I find that eating a few grams of Spirulina with every meal makes the meal more satisfying, smoothes out sugar highs and lows, and gives me extended endurance and stamina.

2. Spirulina is safe and easy to grow.

As innocent as it may seem, Spirulina is in fact an extremophile, capable of growing in extremely alkaline water inhospitable to almost every other organism. Most other algae grow in essentially pH-neutral water, which supports the growth of a vast range of algae—including types that produce toxins—as well as doing nothing to inhibit the growth of other potentially harmful organisms such as bacteria. In my biofuel-algae work, we’re constantly fending off invasive species. It’s not just an academic concern. Since it is generally hard to control the growth of possibly harmful stuff (and although it’s fun, we think you should look at your culture under the microscope every day), this aspect of Spirulina cultivation is pretty key to growing pure and safe cultures on a DIY basis. One of the best aspects of growing your own Spirulina is knowing that the product that you are growing is as pure and free of contamination as possible.

3. Ease of harvest, and no need for further processing.

Even when an algal culture looks nice and thick, it’s probably still about 99.9% water. Separating the desired .1% from all that water can be a real trick. As a general rule, algal cells are tiny, roughly spherical, and devilishly difficult to pull out of the water without some special (read: expensive) tech. This is where the corkscrew shape of Spirulina cells comes in; when a culture is poured through nothing more complex than a fine cloth, it filters out easily, leaving a thick paste, which can be consumed immediately. Contrast that with the need for cell rupturing, drying, and product extraction in typical algal production systems, and it’s easy to see why Spirulina is a good place to start.

So if you or someone you know wants to get involved, what is necessary? Nothing more than a sunny window, some sort of transparent container, and a kit of supplies. If you want to assemble your own kit, we can set you up with spirulina starter, growing tips, and any other equipment you might want.

Some FAQs about growing algae at home:

How long does it take to grow from the kit with the 1 liter starter bottle, until I can start harvesting from my tank?

Grow-up proceeds in stages—see the instructions; you put half the contents of the bottle into one quarter of the tank (2.5 gallons for a 10-gallon tank) to start with, which results in a very thin culture at first, which will thicken over time. After a couple of weeks, the algae should be thick enough that you can double the culture volume, then after a week or so, double again, so that the tank is full. Once the tank is full, the algae are thick (3cm Secchi or less, see below), and the pH has been at least 10 for 24 hours, you should be able to harvest. This process can take from 3 to 6 weeks.

Can I harvest multiple times?

Once you have a thriving culture (which typically takes a few weeks), you can harvest from it regularly (how often depends mostly on how much light the algae get, the more the better); each time you harvest, you add a little Make-Up Mix to the culture to make up for the nutrients that are taken out in the harvested algae.

What kind of water should I use to make the growth medium?

We use tap water, filtered through activated carbon (such as a Brita) or through a ceramic filter (such as a Berkey). Algae are quite sensitive to chlorine (which is why it’s used in the first place!), so tap water is only usable if the chlorine has been removed—which can be done using products sold for fish aquariums. The afore-mentioned filters, and de-chlorination, leave minerals in the water, which is generally a good thing; if you want to use de-mineralized water such as distilled or reverse osmosis water, or if your water is particularly soft, you may get better growth if you add some combination of 0.1 g/L magnesium sulfate, 0.5 g/L potassium sulfate, and/or 0.1 g/L calcium chloride (or lime or plaster). That said, we have yet to hear of anyone having trouble growing in non- or de-chlorinated drinking water of any kind.

How much Spirulina will I be able to harvest from my tank, how often, and for how long?

If you follow the instructions and thus provide proper temperature, pH, and nutrients, yield will depend mostly on the hours of bright light the tank receives. This generally means sunlight. (See below for a discussion of artificial lighting.) 
In a south-facing window with plenty of direct sun exposure, you can get roughly a tablespoon of live Spirulina harvest from a typical 10-gallon tank every other day. Two or three such tanks (or bigger) can fit in a window for daily harvest.

For how long? If the proper amount of make-up mix is added back to the tank after every harvest, the nutrient balance can be maintained for a high level of growth for about four to six months, at which point the pH will have risen too high (11+) for good growth. At this point you simply mix up a new batch of medium, harvest all your Spirulina, and immediately put them in the new medium.  After a couple of weeks your culture should be full, dense, and ready for harvest again, ready to start the 4-6 month cycle. So, you need enough starter mix to renew your culture every 4-6 months, though it’s a good idea to keep some on hand in case anything else might go wrong with your medium (though this is unusual). There is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to keep going this way indefinitely. The formulae for the starter and make-up mix are in the instructions if you want to make your own.

How do I use the Make-Up Mix?

As described above, the make-up mix is used only at harvest time (or when removing dead algae). Add an amount of make-up mix proportional to the harvested algae—one teaspoon of the mix per tablespoon of harvested algae, plus a dash of iron juice. This makes up for the nutrients lost in the harvested algae, thus the name.

How do I keep my Spirulina alive when I go on vacation?  Can they be “parked” for a while?

The trick is to slow down their metabolism by lowering the tank temperature. This can be done simply by turning off the heater. The tank should also be kept from strong direct light during this time as well, although it does need some light. If kept in this way, it should be fine for several weeks or more. When bringing it back from this state, raise the temperature and light in stages, over a few days, and the algae will be fine.

Can I use artificial lights to grow my algae?

Some algae-nauts have had good results from using artificial illumination, but it’s worth remembering that direct sunshine is about 100x brighter (~100,000 lux) than the light in what would be considered a very well artifically-lit room (1000 lux). It’s hard to compete with the sun. If using artificial lighting, it’s smart to take advantage of the heat generated by the light fixture as well. See below for a discussion of the optimal color for an artificial light source.
Do I need to tell you to be very careful about combining water and electricity? Watch for dripping water going along power cords – keep plugs high so you won’t get shocked!

What are the health benefits of eating Spirulina?

Too many to mention here; take a look around the Web for a more complete picture. In a nutshell, because it lacks a cell wall or any other indigestible components, Spirulina is a super-concentrated, highly available nutrient source, which enhances the nutrition of any food eaten with it. Spirulina is about 65% complete protein, and the remainder is packed with anti-oxidants, essential omega-3 fatty acids, and other compounds with healthful anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer properties. As a blue-green algae, its nutritional value is unique, since blue-green algae split evolutionarily from green plants approximately a billion years ago.

My experience with Spirulina (I eat about 15 grams a day) is that it greatly improves my stamina, raises and levels out my mood, and speeds up all kinds of healing. The first two effects are consistent with clinical studies that show a large reduction (up to 50%)in the glycemic index of foods eaten with even a small amount (2.5%) of Spirulina.

Is live Spirulina better for you than the powder or pills I can get at the health food store?

All studies of the health benefits of Spirulina have been on the dead, powdered stuff. I believe that the live, fresh version of such a highly perishable food would have superior properties, and this is my experience, having eaten both. Purveyors of the powder claim that they take every precaution to preserve the nutritional properties of the algae, but what would you rather eat, a fresh blueberry, or a powdered blueberry?

How long does the live, fresh Spirulina last? How can I preserve it?

Fresh Spirulina, once removed from the preserving alkaline environment of the tank, is like raw eggs in its perishability—it should be eaten or refrigerated within an hour or so of harvest. It will last in the fridge for up to three days. If frozen, it lasts indefinitely; if dehydrated (and kept dry), it will last for about a year, longer if kept in an airtight container. It’s not hard to tell if it does go bad—it smells like rotten eggs.

Is there an optimal artificial light to use for growing Spirulina?

As a general rule, a plant or alga (or anything else for that matter) absorbs the wavelengths (colors) that are not present in its apparent color, which is made up of the wavelengths that it bounces out without absorbing. So, the chlorophyll of green plants absorbs mainly red and blue light, and bounces out green light. Green plants need both red and blue light to thrive. Blue-green algae, such as spirulina, have special accessory pigments called phycocyanins and allophycocyanins, which allow them to capture more red and orange light (and to a lesser extent yellow and green) than green plants. They do have chlorophyll (only slightly different from green plants’ chlorophyll), so they also use blue light.

For these reasons, ordinary “grow lights”, which are optimized for green land plants, are not particularly good for growing Spirulina or other blue-green algae (though they will work). A light with more red and orange light—i.e. a “warmer” color—would be more efficient for growth, as a higher fraction of the light will be absorbed. Another approach would be to use white light supplemented by a red-orange light source (peaking at 620-650 nm), to hit the phyco-pigments better. I have used the “warmer” colored compact fluorescents with some success, but haven’t done any side-by-side testing. In general, though, the color of the light source is not as important in my experience as getting the nutrients and temperature right, and providing LOTS of light, which is a lot easier using sunshine!

Related Reading:

•  Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula (with Spirulina and chlorella)
• Algae-Growing Nuns In Central African Grow Spirulina For Malnourished Children
• Health Benefits of Kelp
• The Weird Sustainable Foods We Could All Be Eating Soon
• Algae-Growing Nuns In Central African Grow Spirulina For Malnourished Children
• Health Benefits of Kelp

Summer is the most exciting time for cooking with food that has come straight from the earth, and the innate flavor of freshly picked vegetables make simple recipes like the below Zucchini and Tomato Tarts from my first cookbook, SAVOR: Rustic Recipe Inspired by Forest, Field, and Farm, an instant success. Eating food that is in season can be served simply, without lots of added spices or complicated dressings, and tastes delicious nevertheless. These tarts are a great way to use up fresh vegetables when you have an abundance of them in the summer.

Tomato Tart

Makes one 11- to 12-inch tart; serves 4 to 6

This tart makes great use of sun-ripened, fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes, so when your garden is overflowing with them, reach for this recipe. The dough is shaped into a free-form crust, making a beautiful rustic tart.

Ingredients

• 4 medium tomatoes, cut into thin slices, or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• All-purpose flour, for shaping the crust
• Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spread the tomato slices out over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle them evenly with the salt and let drain for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, coat a medium sauté pan with the olive oil and sauté the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and sweet, about 8 minutes.
4. Put the Savory Tart Dough on a baking sheet.
5. Lightly flour your hands and gently pull and stretch the dough into a 13- to 14-inch circle.
6. Spread the onions over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border.
7. Arrange the tomatoes over the onions; there should be no onions visible when all the tomatoes have been layered on top. Drizzle with the olive oil and top with the thyme sprigs.
8. Fold the border of the dough over the filling. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
9. This tart can be served hot out of the oven but is just as delicious at room temperature. Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Bring back to room temperature before serving or reheat in the oven.

Zucchini Tart

Makes one 11- to 12-inch tart; serves 4 to 6

This tart is delicious at room temperature, making it a great picnic food. The dough for the tart can be made up to a week in advance and kept in the refrigerator. It also freezes well. With the dough on hand, this tart comes together very fast: simply slice the zucchini, combine the cheese with the herbs, spread the cheese mixture over the flattened dough, top with the zucchini, and shape it into a rustic free-form tart before baking.

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini, thinly sliced
• Flaky sea salt
• Savory Tart Dough
• 8 ounces goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
• 1⁄8 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Place the zucchini slices in a strainer and sprinkle them evenly with teaspoon salt. Let drain for 30 minutes, then spread them out on paper towels to drain for another 30 minutes.
2. When the zucchini has almost finished draining, preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Transfer the tart dough to a baking sheet.
4. Using a potato masher, mash together the goat cheese, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl.
5. Flour your hands and gently pull and stretch the dough into a 13- to 14-inch circle on the baking sheet.
6. Spread the cheese mixture over the crust, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Starting at the outside edge, layer the zucchini, overlapping the slices on top of the cheese mixture. Drizzle with olive oil.
7. Fold the border of the dough over the filling. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.

Savory Tart Dough

Makes dough for one 11- to 12-inch tart

A tart crust is a good vehicle for tasting the nuances of different flours. It’s a great way to see how flours can differ in texture, too. This recipe uses spelt or farro flour, which produces a firm, hearty crust.

• 1 cup organic spelt flour plus more for shaping the crust
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons white wine

1. Combine the flour, rosemary, and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and butter and mix together by hand until the dough has the consistency of wet sand. Add the wine and mix together. If the dough is too dry and does not come together, add a little water.
2. Knead the dough by hand inside the bowl for a few minutes until it comes together as a ball. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

For the tart dough, it is worth buying organic grain with a non-GMO heritage instead of supermarket products made from flour whose origins are unclear, or even better, mill your own grains. You can find more information on learning to mill grains at home in my book, SAVOR: Rustic Recipe Inspired by Forest, Field, and Farm, and online at IlonaOppenheim.com.

Bread, cookies, croutons, cereal, crackers, and all other baked goods that are made from scratch with home-milled grains may lead the way to more sustainable living. If we can all teach our children this way of life, one that integrates nature on every level, we can change the perception of food, reduce our “foodprint,” and make the planet a healthier place.

Article excerpted from Savor by Ilona Oppenheim (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2016. Photographs by Ilona Oppenheim.

Recommended Reading:

• Book Review – A Wilder Life: A Season-by-Season Guide to Getting In Touch with Nature
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Powerfully Healing Raspberry Cream Smoothie Recipe
• Homemade, Vegan Nut Milk Recipes and More
• The Case for Carob – This Chocolate Alternative Has A Lot to Offer

The culinary use of edible flowers is not a recent trend; it can be traced back thousands of years to the Greeks, Romans, and Chinese. Flowers were traditionally incorporated into many various cuisines –from Asian and East Indian to European, Victorian English, and Middle Eastern. Think of the lush rose petals in Indian food and the bright squash blossoms in the Italian meals.

Edible flowers fell out of grace, but they are making a huge come-back, not only as a fancy garnish, but also as an effective seasoning. Of course, flowers are not everyone’s cup of tea when it comes to cooking. The secret is to learn to pick the right ones and to combine them properly with other ingredients.

The buds and blooms of different plants offer a wide range of flavour, colour, and a tinge of whimsy. Some are irresistibly fragrant and tasty, others are spicy and sharp. Some are lemony or weedy while others are floral or herbaceous. The rich palette of taste and colour make edible flowers a perfect addition to almost every dish. Spruce up the regular meal with these surprisingly delicious blooms.

Not All Flowers Are Edible

Not every flower that you have in your garden is edible. Even though the buds may not be poisonous, they don’t all taste good! Luckily, most of the blooms of fruits, veggies, and herbs work just as great as their fully-grown counterparts.  It’s advisable to consume only plants that have been grown without pesticides or with such that are suitable for edible crops. If you buy flowers from expert gardeners, a nursery or garden centres, check to see if they are labelled as edible. Make sure you are not allergic to a certain type of plant before you use it. That said, here are a couple of tips on how to harvest and store your edible flowers.

• Pick the blooms and buds just before you use them for the best flavour
• Harvest during the cool of the day, after the dew evaporates
• Brush off any soil and remove any insects hiding within
• Wash the flowers gently and let them air-dry over a paper towel
• If not used right away, keep them in the fridge for no longer than 10 days
• They can be dried, frozen or preserved in vinegar or oil

Some Flowers You Can Grow and Eat

You can choose from a variety of annuals, biennials, and perennials that will look gorgeous in your garden and will add unique taste to your meals. Planting some of these flowers can introduce benefits both to your garden and your cooking routine. If you are looking for your next gardening projects, here are a couple of ideas you might want to consider:

Nasturtium

There are many reasons to consider planting nasturtium in your garden. These vibrant and versatile annuals serve a double duty – as an exquisite culinary delight and as a natural pest control. The sun-loving greenery will bloom from midsummer until the first frost. Its peppery tasting flowers can be added to fresh salads or used in your favourite pesto recipe. You can also skip the mustard, and stuff the spicy petals into your sandwiches with creamy cheese and sliced tomatoes.

Squash Blossoms

These are probably some of the most widely used edible flowers, especially in the Italian cuisine. Squash blossoms are the flowers of the late-season pumpkins, zucchini, summer squash, and winter squash. The orange and yellow buds can be used raw in a salad or stuffed with cheese. They taste like a more delicate version of squash and can be fried or cooked with creamy rice.

Dill

Dill offers remarkable benefits for both your health and your garden. It contains enzymes that help reduce the free radicals and carcinogens in the human body. Plus it prevents bone loss and has anti-bacterial properties. According to the gardening experts, the blossoms can attract pollinators and beneficial insects into your backyard. The flowers have light dill flavour and are usually added to jars with cucumber pickles.

Chives Blossoms

Chives don’t require any garden maintenance or efforts. Your site is probably filled with these lavender-pink flowers, so why not try them out? Toss them in a fresh salad, add them in a casserole, or cook them with fresh vegetables. Their taste resembles onions so don’t use too many of these pungent flowers.

Violet

Viola odorata or sweet violet is an all time classic when it comes to cooking with edible flowers. It was a favourite treat of English royalty and a popular ingredient during the Victorian era. The taste of this flower pairs well with lemon and chocolate. You can use it in different recipes – from crèmes and desserts to tarts and salads.  Violets can be quite challenging when it comes to cooking, because you will need a lot of them to extract enough flavour.

For more unusual gardening ideas, be sure to read the Home Garden blog.

Further Reading:

• Foods, Vitamins, and Herbs That Kill Cancer
• Get to Know Microgreens – Easy to Grow & Better than Sprouts
• Five Common Weeds to Cultivate for Health and Nutrition
• The Amazing Benefits of Stinging Nettles, with Recipes
• Useful Tips for Growing Food in the Big City
• Elderberries and Recipes

Sources:

• Tasty Edible Flowers – Apartment Therapy
• Flowers You Can Grow and Eat – Rodale’s Organic Life
• Stuffed Squash Blossoms – Recipe Hubs

How many of these nutrient dense foods have you incorporated into your diet?

Seaweed

Vegetables that are found in the sea contain essential omega 3 fatty acids, which can be great for your body. From combatting heart disease to strengthening your bones, the calcium, zinc and iron packed into seaweed will boost your day-to-day fitness – as well as keep your body healthy over longer periods of time. Seaweed is commonly used as an addition to sushi but, if you’re looking for other ways to get it into your diet, there are plenty of exciting recipes to try out – including some delicious snacks!

Recipe Idea: Seaweed Crisps

Ingredients

• 12 nori seaweed sheets
• ¼ cup of water
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 275°F/140°C. Place nori seaweed sheets on a baking tray and sprinkle with water, adding another layer of nori each time. Use scissors to cut the sheets into your preferred shapes and sizes. Mix the garlic and sesame oil together in a bowl – adding salt and pepper to taste. Gently rub the mixture across the seaweed crisps and bake for around 20 minutes for a delicious snack you can enjoy any time of the day.

Coconut Oil

Many people are put off from incorporating coconut oil into their diets because they’re concerned about the calories it contains, but not all calories are created equal. By restricting your intake, you could be depriving your body of essential nutrients found in more calorific foods. Coconut oil can be used for just about anything. From adding it to a stir-fry to give your noodles an extra kick to injecting some flavour into your chicken satay, the options are limitless.

Recipe Idea: Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 banana
• Handful of blueberries
• 30g oats
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 2 tbsp. flaxseed
• 1 tsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp of water

Instructions

Chop up the banana and add the flaxseeds, peanut butter, water and oats to a mixer and blend until creamy. Set your frying pan to medium heat and add the coconut oil. Pour in the mixture and cook for one minute on each side. Serve with blueberries for a quick, easy and protein-packed breakfast.

Chia Seeds

Noted as being one of the most healthy foods around, chia seeds are packed with fibre, fat, and protein – among many other healthy nutrients. Like blueberries, chia seeds contain antioxidants, which help to fight off diseases. If you’re looking for healthier after-dinner options, try baking some flapjacks and adding pumpkin and chia seeds for a delicious dessert alternative.

Recipe Idea: No Cook Peanut Butter Dip

Ingredients

• 1 pot Greek yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsps. peanut butter
• 2 tbsps. chia seeds
• 2-3 tbsps. honey

Instructions

Pour Greek yoghurt into a bowl and mix in peanut butter and honey, adding chia seeds as you go. Serve with fruit and use as a dip for a tasty after-dinner treat.

Açai Berries

When it comes to antioxidants, berries are among the best foods around. Açai berries are packed with fibre that’s proven to aid digestion. These berries also contain oleic acid, which is a healthy fat thought to combat heart disease. Açai berries are highly perishable – but you can mix them with other fruits to make tasty juices or shakes, which you can refrigerate.

Recipe Idea: No Cook Açai Berry Truffles

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried açai powder
• 1 tbsp. almond butter
• 2 tbsp. cacao powder
• 2 tbsp. palm sugar
• 1 ½ tbsp. coconut oil
• 8 dates
• 1 small plate of desiccated coconut

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and mix until you’re left with a doughy texture. Roll individual balls to a size of your choice and refrigerate. Once chilled, roll in a plate of desiccated coconut to dust and serve as a decadent dessert.

Avocados

Loaded with nutritional values, the avocado has a number of proven health benefits. Avocados are packed with vitamins K, C, and E – among others – and are extremely low in saturated fat. Avocados are an acquired taste – but try mashing up a ripe avocado and mixing in lemon juice and black pepper to make a tasty dip for your snacks.

Recipe Idea: Avocado Baked Eggs

Ingredients

• 1 avocado
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp. chives
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to.425°F/220°C. Half the avocado and remove the pit. Place both halves into oven-proof bowls and crack an egg into each half. Bake for around 15 minutes. Finely chop the chives and sprinkle on top, adding salt and pepper to taste, for a healthy, hearty breakfast.

Staying healthy doesn’t have to be about implementing strict diets or spending all of your time in the gym. By mixing some superfoods into your daily diet, you can put your body on the path to a healthier 2016.

Recommended Reading:

• 35 Things You Could Do With Coconut Oil – From Body Care toHousehold
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
  
• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula

If I told you there was a plant that offered an amazing range of nutrients, eased allergy suffering, reduced inflammation, treated arthritis, healed rashes, cured anemia, and improved energy, you would want to know about it, right? Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) are a superfood, super-medicine, and all around superstar of the plant world.

Nettles have a long history, appearing in the writings of the ancient Greeks, ancient Egyptians, and Roman armies. Their fibers were found in artifacts from the Bronze age and early indigenous American cultures. Nettles are found growing all over the world and in forests and fields near you. They are readily available as a bulk herb and supplement at health food stores. You can incorporate nettles in your diet by creating amazing culinary delights or by steeping them as a tea when you just feel like you need some super powers. There is a lot that you should know about nettles.

Nettles – the Super-Green Superfood!

Nettles pack a powerful punch of nutritional value, making them an excellent superfood and tonic. They contain high levels of iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, and more chlorophyll than almost any other plant. They have been used throughout history to restore energy to the sick and stimulate sluggish metabolic and lymphatic systems in the spring.

When consumed as a broth, tea, or even a traditional beer, nettles are an age-old cure for scurvy, anemia, low energy, and general depletion from illness or fever. Nettle tea can be extremely useful as a mother’s helper to bolster prenatal nutrition and to increase milk production for breastfeeding. The high nutrient content, combined with all the other positive benefits, makes nettles a worthy daily health supplement. Whether this is in the form of a capsule, tincture, or fresh herb, it’s a good way to ensure you are taking care of yourself.

Nettles as All Around Medicine

Stinging nettle is one of those plants I like to call “Nature’s medicine chest.” It addresses such a wide variety of ailments both internally and topically, that it is always worth having on hand. Aside from the more prevalent treatments for arthritis and allergies, nettles act as an anti-inflammatory agent, addressing a variety of related conditions from sore muscles to gastrointestinal discomfort. The diuretic properties of nettles make them a useful treatment for urinary tract infections, issues with the bladder and kidneys, and enlarged prostate (BPH) for men. A reliable women’s health herb throughout the entire reproductive

Nettles alleviate a variety of issues encountered during menstruation, pregnancy, the postpartum period, and menopause making them a reliable women’s health herb for the entire reproductive cycle.

It is also thought that nettles aid in reducing blood pressure and lowering blood sugar. Externally, nettles treat eczema, burns, rashes, hives, and stimulate hair growth. As an astringent, it stops bleeding and can be applied in a powdered form to arrest nosebleeds. When it comes down to it, nettles belong in your medicine cabinet in some form, much like band-aids. Really.

Nettles as Arthritis Treatment

Although the sting of the stinging nettle is uncomfortable when you encounter it out on a walk, the prickly hairs on the stem and leaves actually reduce the pain and swelling of arthritis. If you pick  nettles with your bare hands, your fingertips may be numb for hours afterward. Urtification, or basically flogging the affected area with stinging nettles, is a practice documented over the last two thousand years. Research has shown that the “sting” of nettles both interferes with pain signals in the body and releases anti-inflammatory compounds to treat arthritic conditions. Taken internally, nettles have been found to support bone and joint health, deliver a healthy dose of boron, balance hormones that affect arthritic conditions, and flush uric acid buildup from the affected joint areas. With plenty of not-so-great-for-you pain relief available these days, it’s nice to have this natural, safe, herbal go-to available for daily management.

Nettles as Allergy Treatment

For a large number of the population suffering from allergies and hay fever, nettles can be a great ally. It is most commonly taken in the form of freeze-dried capsules during periods of seasonal allergies, to reduce inflammation of the affected tissues. Nettles are thought to reduce the histamine levels produced by the body as an allergy response, thus alleviating the allergy symptoms. Many people have reported that itchy eyes, sneezing, runny noses, and stuffy sinuses are treated as effectively, if not more so, by stinging nettle than over the counter allergy medications. They will also leave you feeling energized rather than drowsy. I have always thought it was a wonderful coincidence that nettles start growing in the spring just as pollens are coming out, and continue into the summer and height of pollen season.

Benefits and Use of Stinging Nettles for Other Ailments

Stinging nettles are a blood purifying, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, detoxifying antioxidant with more health benefits than we can list.

• May treat many skin problems from acne to eczema
• Stimulates lymph system
• Stimulates immune system
• Support adrenal glands
• Supports thyroid
• Supports prostate
• Supports the spleen
• Supports the pancreas
• Supports entire endocrine system (hormonal system, glands)
• Good for menstrual cramps, bloating, PMS
• Relieves menopausal symptoms
• Relieves arthritis symptoms
• Promotes release of uric acid from joints
• Supports the kidneys
• May break down kidney stones
• Helps with respiratory tract infections and respiratory inflammation
• Helps asthma sufferers
• Strengthens the fetus in pregnant women
• Promotes milk production for breastfeeding
• Improves blood clotting
• Relieves pain and symptoms from osteoarthritis
• Reduces inflammation
• Reduces likelihood of prostate cancer
• Eliminates allergic rhinitis
• Reduces hypertension
• May reduce nausea
• Alleviates diarrhea
• Helps with gastrointestinal disease, IBS, and constipation
• Reduces gingivitis (when used in mouth)
• Removes and helps prevents plaque buildup (when used in mouth)
• Has been shown to help treat Alzheimer’s disease
• Provides relief for neurological disorders like MS, ALS, and sciatica
• Destroys intestinal worms and other parasites
• It’s antifungal. Kills Candida along with other yeast and fungi

How to Find Nettles

Nettles can be found growing in moist soils at the edge of forests, in fields, along ditches and near streams or marshy areas. With a good plant ID guide and advice from local foragers, you can venture out and gather your own nettles all through the spring months. You can also purchase nettle seeds from heirloom seed companies and plant them in your garden. I have found that the rhizomes from wild nettle patches transplant nicely into my garden. They love my compost pile. With a little water, you can keep them going through the summer. Nettles are very easy to dry and use throughout the rest of the year when they aren’t found growing outside. If you do not have access to foraging areas or garden space, you can always purchase dried nettle leaf and a variety of nettle supplements. In the Spring, grocery stores will sometimes carry fresh, wildcrafted nettles.

Wellness Nettle Broth Recipe

I have found when I am feeling under the weather, or I am just in need of some solidly green food at the end of the winter, a nettle broth is perfect. It leaves me feeling healthy and energized.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of fresh stinging nettle tips (or 1 cup dried)
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 4-5 cloves fresh minced garlic
• 2 Tbs fresh grated ginger root
• 1 burdock root peeled and chopped fine (or 4 Tbs dried)
• 4 cups vegetable broth, miso broth, or bone broth
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• dash of tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, sauté onions until translucent. Add burdock root, garlic, and ginger and sauté a few more minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add nettles, turn down to a simmer, and stir occasionally until the nettles are soft and fully cooked. (This breaks down the prickly hairs, and your tongue will thank you.) Add tamari or Bragg’s and season to taste.

Stinging Nettle Homemade Toothpaste Recipe

The boron in stinging nettles is an essential element for bone health that helps bones and teeth retain calcium. Therefore, it is a great addition to homemade toothpaste.

Homemade toothpaste is easy. If you don’t have one of the ingredients, leave it out or substitute something similar. Mix it up, and experiment.

• 2 Tbsp nettle powder
• 1 tsp Irish moss powder
• 1 tsp bladderwrack powder
• 1 drops liquid stevia
• 5 drops peppermint essential oil
• 1 tsp unrefined sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

Add dry ingredients together and mix. Add wet ingredients and a little bit of distilled water to get your desired consistency.

Recommended Reading:

• Five Common Weeds to Cultivate for Health and Nutrition
• Fight Cavities and Gingivitis Naturally With Homemade DIY Oral Health
• Allergy Free in Five Days (foods, dander, dust, seasonal, etc.)
• What Causes Chronic Inflammation, and How To Stop It For Good
• Things You Should Know About Garlic – DIY, Recipes, Other Tips

Related Products:

• Gaia Herbs Nettle Leaf Capsules
• Gaia Herbs Nettle Leaf Liquid Extract
• Douglas Labs Nettle Capsules

Sources:

• Stinging Nettle – University of Maryland Medical Center
• Stinging Nettle – Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Legacy
• Use Natural Remedies for Arthritis Pain – Mother Earth News
• Nettle: Nutritious Allergy Ally – The Practical Herbalist
• Eat Your Wild Greens: The Delectable Nettle – A Mountain Hearth
• Nettles Bring Spring to the Kitchen – NPR

If you’re making nut milks for better health, there are a few rules you’ll want to adhere to. First and foremost, kudos for making your own. Homemade is always better when done right. But to do it right, skip the soy milk. It’s no good. When buying almonds, make sure they are not pasteurized. Buy raw nuts. Cashews aren’t really raw, so they’re not the healthiest choice, but I do use them sometimes.

Contents

• Soaking & Sprouting

• Nut Milk with a Blender

• Almond Milk with a Juicer

• Flax Milk

• Hemp Milk

• Coconut Milk

• Rice Milk

PRE-MILKING: Soak and Sprout Times for Nuts

Before you milk your nuts, it is best to soak them. There’s a lot of conflicting information about soak times for nuts but I personally soak nuts for 24 hours and then dehydrate them at 112°F in our dehydrator or at room temperature if the air is dry enough.

I soak raw nuts to remove enzyme inhibitors and activate enzymes. I don’t soak seeds, but some do. I don’t soak cashews because I think that nut is already dead, but as you can see from the infographics on the left, there is some disagreement.

How to Make Nut Milk with a Blender

This recipe yields 5 cups or just over a liter and takes less than ten minutes. I’ve used almonds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, cashews, pecans, and walnuts for this standard nut milk recipe.

Ingredients

• 3-4 cups water (some nuts and some circumstances require a little more or less)
• 1 cup of raw, soaked nuts
• 1-3 pitted dates or use stevia, raw honey, or maple syrup to taste (all sweeteners are optional; you may prefer unsweetened nut milk to drink or for use in recipes)

Instructions

1. Place ingredients in a blender and secure lid.
2. Turn blender on high, but not too fast or for too long if you want raw milk.  (Too fast or too long will cook the enzymes!)
3. Blend for about 45 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.
4. If you like thinner milk (most do, but I usually keep the fiber), strain it with cheesecloth, pantyhose (unworn would be a good idea here), or muslin cloth and a fine mesh strainer, but many prefer to use a reinforced nut milk bag.
5. Store milk in refrigerator.
6. Shake well before using.

Notes:

• The less strained a nut milk is, the higher its fiber content.
• I don’t recommend straining cashew milk.
• If you use raw honey, do not use the milk for baking, cooking, coffee, hot tea, etc. if you want to retain the benefits of raw honey.
• I blend with 3 cups first, and then decide if I want some of the fourth cup.

The following are a few other nut milk and non-dairy recipes with videos. These videos are not our videos, so the recipes don’t always exactly match, but as you’ll see reading on, making nut, seed, rice, and other non-dairy milks is really just about blending together water with something fatty (like almonds) to flavor the water. The trick is how to have a finished product with the right consistency and taste balance. Play around and find your own nut milk style and groove.

Making Almond Milk with a Blender

Making Almond Milk with a Slow Juicer

Masticating verticle juicers such as the Omega VRT 350 or 400 and horizontal twin gear juicers can be used to make nut milks. In my experience, the single gear juicers like mine don’t do so well (see the video below).

The video indicates the 8004 (single gear) left behind a delicious nut cream. I tried it, and it worked well. I put the weak nut milk in a blender and added more almonds, lightly strained and had great milk.

Other Non-dairy Milk Recipes

Nut milks are rich and creamy, but there are many more to choose from, and mixing milks to find your own favorite formula is fun. I really like 40% flax, 50% almond, and 10% cashew with some cinnamon, cardamom, and a touch of nutmeg. I don’t like things very sweet, so if you do, you may prefer more dates than I do, or another sweetener entirely or no sweetener at all.

Speaking of flavor, sweeteners are not necessary (it’s up to you), and should always be done by taste. For more on sweeteners, be sure to check out Healthy Alternative Sugars. I recommend the following, in order based on both health consciousness and what I like to taste in these recipes.

Sweeteners and Spices For Non-Dairy Milks

• Stevia
• Dates
• Raw honey (only if it will not be heated)
• Blackstrap molasses
• Sugar cane juice
• Granny smith apple juice
• Maple syrup

I also like using stevia to sweeten and then just a little maple syrup or another sweetener to mask the stevia. Stevia is great for essentially amplifying the sweetness of another sweetener.

Spices for Non-Dairy Nut Milks

• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Allspice
• Ginger
• Cloves
• Cardamom

Just a pinch! Depending on what you are using the milk for, use very little of these spices. The taste gets stronger after the milk sets a while. This is especially true with nutmeg. You can ruin any dish with just a little too much nutmeg.

Also, the fineness of your strainer will have a tremendous impact on the taste and consistency of your milk. The less you strain, the more potential for a chalky or slimy texture (depending on the nut, the humidity, and some other factors). On the other hand, with some nuts and seeds, or with some recipes, less of a fine strain may be in order. Plus, there are health benefits in the pulp, so the more of it you get, the better, (unless there are digestive issues to consider).

Healthy & Heavenly Flax Milk Recipe

Flaxseed doesn’t have the most diverse set of benefits, but it is heavy in beneficial omega 3 fats and contains between 75 and 800 times more lignans than other plant foods.

There’s no need to soak or sprout flax seeds.

I like the taste of dates, maple syrup, cane juice, and honey in my homemade flax milk, but I tend to just use honey because I never heat flax milk, and I often heat other milks such as almond or hazelnut for oatmeal and other treats. Heating raw honey or flax does not make for a healthy meal. I’m also careful to keep the blender from cooking the flax as well.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup flax seeds
• 3 cups water (plus 1-1.5  more cups)
• Straining cloth or milk nut bag
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• Vanilla to taste (a tiny bit! I do about 1/4 tsp)

Instructions

1. Combine flax seeds and 3 cups water in blender
2. Blend until thick and creamy on high heat, but not too hot as to cook the flax
3. Strain
4. Blend 1-1.5 more cups water plus honey to desired consistency
5. Can be used right away or chilled for later

Notes

Brown or golden flax will work fine. I used brown, but I’ve read that golden flax results in a milder flavor.

Homemade Honey Hemp Milk

Hemp milk, like flax, is a quick and easy to make since hemp doesn’t need to be soaked overnight. Hemp seeds (hulled hemp nuts) are for omega-3 fatty acids and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential omega-6 fatty acid found in borage oil and egg yolks that is known to naturally balance hormones. Hemp also has all 10 essential amino acids, making hemp a complete source of protein on its own. Calcium, potassium, phosphorous, vitamin A, and magnesium are also prevalent in hemp and homemade hemp milk.

Ingredients

• 1 cup hemp hearts (also called seeds or shelled hemp nuts)
• 3 to 4 cups filtered or spring water (3 cups for thicker milk, and up to 4 cups for thinner)
• 1 Tbsp of coconut oil (optional)
• 2 Tbsp of raw honey and a drop of stevia (pick another sweetener if you’re gonna heat this milk)
• Vanilla to taste
• A pinch of Himalayan pink salt (or other unprocessed sea salt)

Instructions

1. In a high-speed blender, add hemp and water
2. Blend on high for about two minutes, until fully liquefied
3. Strain, put back into blender (rinse the blender first)
4. Add coconut oil (if using), honey and stevia, vanilla powder and salt. Blend briefly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGlx_ch-gvs

How to Make Your Own Coconut Milk

I find coconut milk to be an easy recipe, but if you’re picky about the texture, coconut can be a little more labor intensive. What I love about coconut milk is that I find it to be the most versatile, the most robust, and the most beneficial of all the nut milks.

Coconut milk can be cooked at moderate temperatures without affecting the health benefits, the fat is incredibly good for you.

• 1 cup dried coconut chips -or- between 2-3 whole, mature coconuts
• 2 cups water

Instructions

If you’re using whole coconut, extract the meat. You can also use coconut water to substitute for water.

Blend. Blend for a while; take your time. You can blend at high speeds as well since coconut is not very susceptible to heat damage. When the coconut meat is as liquefied as possible, transfer the contents of your blender to the cheesecloth or other strainer.

Some people repeat the process, blending more and then straining again. Other recipes call for hot water to further emulsify the coconut meat into the water.

Making Brown Rice Milk at Home

It isn’t good for you at all if you use refined rice. Always use brown rice. Brown rice is a good source of fiber, manganese, and selenium. It also has some decent levels of iron, copper, niacin, and folate.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cooked rice
• 3 cups filtered water

Instructions

Measure rice into a blender, add the water, and blend until smooth (approximately 1 minute). You may want to blend again for ultra smooth consistency.

Conclusion

Most nut milks are best fresh though I find the sweeter, seasoned varieties I make are better 6-10 hours later. I admit, this could just be my imagination. Homemade nut and seed milks generally last between 5 to 10 days when properly refrigerated. The smell and taste is pretty obvious when they turn, so check the 5-day-old milk before you risk ruining a bowl of cereal. With all of these milks (just like unpasteurized milk), shake before using.

As mentioned, the sweeteners are optional. I recommend as little refined sugar as possible in a diet, and I rarely make sweet nut milks for myself. When I do, I almost always use stevia to amplify another sweetener like raw honey or maple syrup. I don’t generally do a lot of cashews or almonds because they’re expensive to buy unpasteurized (cashews are cooked during the difficult opening process, and truly raw cashews are hard to find and very expensive).

If you suffer from digestive problems or any health issues, see this article. And remember, it is imperative that you soak nuts that need to be soaked. Enzyme inhibitors age us rapidly, so get rid of them.

If you’ve got any tricks or techniques for making alternative, non-dairy milks, be sure to leave us a comment below.

Recommended Reading:

• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
• Sprouting to Remove Enzyme Inhibitors
• 35 Things You Could Do With Coconut Oil – From Body Care to Health to Household
• Homemade Vitamin C
• Homemade Calcium and Magnesium
• Three Homemade Toothpaste Recipes – Better Oral Health for Less Money

Sources:

• An Illustrated Guide: Benefits to Soaking and Sprouting Legumes, Grains and Seeds – KQED Foods
• Homemade Quinoa Milk – Simple Vegan Blog

I am feeling fabulous. Lounging in a jazz bar like a sophisticated cat, I am tasting all the flavors of the finest chocolate: orange, mint, cinnamon. I wonder which one is the most delicious and will delight my senses more. Let’s see…

Mint…mmm… It awakens my senses like a fresh morning breeze, reanimates my spirit, and puts me into a dynamic mood. The Antics said it aroused lustful feelings and in combination with chocolate it’s certainly true.

Let’s go on. Orange! My favorite! It embodies the sun, it’s a condensation of energy and information, and when it gets inside us it shines and radiates all its healing power concentrated in the form of vitamin C, a wonder that makes your skin glow. So let us shine, I say!

It’s difficult to get past the luscious and vibrant sensation of orange in my mouth so I taste a little more, this time with a little cinnamon added. Exquisite flavor, especially for this time of the year. Cinnamon, the spice from which Phoenix builds its nest. It was used in many early remedies such as Royal Unguent. To the Chinese, it was a panacea. In Medieval Europe, it was considered to be an aphrodisiac. Ooh, and if you combine that with the raw feminine energy of the chocolate, you do feel like a goddess.

Of course, you already knew that the Greek name for cocoa means “food of the gods.” So the whole idea that “chocolate is bad for you” is a misconception (probably a carryover from the Middle Ages when pleasure was considered a sin). It’s healthy. It’s divine. It’s a gift from gods. It is even used by shamans for magical ceremonies. Wow !

The idea is that when you buy chocolate, please make sure that the cocoa content is as high as possible (min.75%), and that it doesn’t contain that nasty hydrogenated vegetable fat that spoils our beloved chocolate. Because chocolate can and should be healthy. It can be raw, it can be vegan, it can be a superfood.

So if you want to get all the benefits, taste the flavors I did, and feel fabulous, you have two options.

The first is to make it yourself. My favorite recipe is invented by me and it goes something like this:

Mix in a bowl…

• 4-5 spoons of cocoa
• 1-2 spoons of coconut oil,
• 1 spoon of raw honey
• one handful of crushed raw (unpasteurized) almonds, or chopped mint leaves, or orange peel with a hint of cinnamon.

Pour it into heart shaped forms and refrigerate for one hour. And here you go! Lovely, healthy chocolate for you to enjoy together with your loved ones.

Of course, if you don`t have time, the second option is to buy. The guys from Raw Chocolate Love have an amazing, healthy chocolate – all the flavors I tasted and more. Handmade, raw, dairy-free, guilt-free and made with love (vitamin L). I whole-heartedly recommend.

Recommended Reading:

• Three Homemade Toothpaste Recipes – Better Oral Health for Less Cost
• 80% Raw Food Diet
• Inexpensive Easy Detox, – The One Gallon Challenge

Sources:

• Evidence-Based Medicinal Properties Oranges – GreenMedInfo
• Spiritual Benefits of Chocolate – Soul Discovery
• Fragrance and Well-being – Jennifer Peace Rhind