7 Rules Of Life
Tuesday 25 February 2014
The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread
It took me a long time to settle on the title for this post. Why? Because it’s quite a statement to suggest that a humble loaf of bread will change your life.
I am willing to be so bold.
When I began eating healthier, bread was definitely on my hit list. Not because bread is inherently “bad” (in my books nothing is that black and white), but that I knew when I was basing three meals a day around a loaf of crusty, white French loaf, something had to give. I realized that if I replaced a few slices of bread a day, I could make room for things like greens, fresh fruits, legumes, and that I would be getting more nutrients from the same amount of calories. Light bulb moment.
Now, that isn’t to say that my love affair with bread ended there. Oh no. When I moved to Denmark four years ago I fell head-over-heels for bread all over again, except this time, it wasn’t light and fluffy – it was kind of like the weather – dark, deep, and intense. The Danes are excellent bread makers, especially when it comes to sourdoughs and of course, rye. Bread here is hearty, filling, and a single slice is almost like a meal in itself. I love going to the bakery on Saturday morning and getting a loaf of rye that has naturally risen for days, been baked for 24 hours, and looks and feels like a brick.
People often ask me why I don’t bake my own bread, and the answer is simple: the Danes just do it better. And I like the ritual of walking down the canal to the bakery (rye bread is one of the few things I actually purchase “ready-made”). This way I appreciate bread on a whole other level and it becomes special. I savour every slice instead of making it every meal.
It wasn’t until I went for lunch at a friend’s place a couple weeks ago that my life changed. When I walked into her apartment I could smell it. Something malty and definitely baked, toasty, nutty…when I rounded the corner to her kitchen, there it was. A very beautiful loaf of bread, pretty as a picture, studded with sunflower seeds, chia and almonds, golden around the corners and begging me to slice into it.
She served it with a number of spreads; pesto, lentil hummus, some veggie pate. It magically seemed to compliment everything I slathered across its speckled flesh. Moist, dense, chewy. Hints of sea salt here and there, nestled between the oats, around the corner from a golden flax seed. So beautiful and more than tasty, this was a revelation. “Please tell me this is good for me!” I begged her.
She smiled.
Friendly Fiber: Psyllium Seed Husks
You’re probably asking yourself how the heck this bread holds itself together without any flour. Nice observation, and the answer is psyllium seed husks.
Psyllium seed husks are one of nature’s most absorbent fibers, able to suck up over ten times their weight in water. For this reason, you’ll often find psyllium in over-the-counter laxatives, stool-bulking agents and colon cleansing kits; basically anything having to do with poo. I just came back from running a detox course in Lisbon where I got all the participants in-the-know about this amazing little supplement that also helps to reduce cholesterol levels, aid digestion and weight loss, and alleviate diarrhea and constipation.
Psyllium seed husks contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber dissolves in water and soothes the digestive tract with its mucilaginous properties, while the insoluble fiber acts like a broom to sweep the colon free of toxins. Taken during a detox, juice cleanse, or fast, psyllium can greatly improve the body’s ability to eliminate impurities. But the good news is, you can take it anytime – many people find that a daily dose of a teaspoon or two in a glass of water really helps them get their bowels moving, (or slow them down if necessary).*
But what does this have to do with bread? Well, the idea here is to use psyllium to bind all these lovely ingredients together without resorting to flour. There have been some low-carb bread recipes floating around the ‘net as of late that take advantage of psyllium and I think it’s a great idea. Eat delicious bread, have good poops. I’m in!
Psyllium is available at health food stores and most pharmacies. It comes in two forms, the raw husks themselves, and powdered, which are just the husks that have been pulverized. It is easier to take the powdered form as it dissolves easier in water, but that is not important in the case of this bread – either type work just fine.
Now, allow me to explain the title. I know you’re just burning for me to back this up with a few good reasons, so here we go.
First of all, when I make bread, there are bowls, spoons, measuring cups and flour everywhere. There is always a mess to clean up, and my biggest pet peeve is trying to get the very last bit of dough unstuck from the mixing bowl. Serenity now.
The only thing this bread leaves you with is a used spoon and a measuring cup. Everything that you mix, you do so right in the loaf pan. Genius.
Secondly, bread almost always requires some kneading, then some waiting, and then perhaps more kneading. Maybe more waiting? I’m confused already.
This bread, on the other hand, is kind of brainless. Dump all the ingredients into the loaf pan, stir, and let it sit for a couple hours. Or overnight. Or all day. Or however long or short you find convenient. Whatevs. You rule the bread, not the other way around.
Third. Bread recipes are specific. Use this kind of flour, and that kind of yeast…
What if I told you that if you don’t have hazelnut, you could use almonds? If you don’t like oats, you could use rolled spelt. Out of maple syrup? Use honey! See where I am going with this? The only thing I will emphasize is to replace the ingredients in the same proportion and with a similar ingredient for the best results. The rest if your call.
Fourth, breads require a rising agent, whether that is a sourdough starter (this takes days to make) or commercial yeast (which should really be avoided if possible). This bread doesn’t. Great.
Fifth reason, your typical loaf of bread is not really that healthy. It uses flour, which has often been stripped of much of its fiber, bran, essential fats, and unless milled mere hours before baking has lost most of its nutrients through oxidation. It is high in carbohydrates (often refined ones at that) and low in protein and healthy fats. It is high in gluten, something many of us are trying to eat less of. And sometimes bread has kooky ingredients like corn syrup and food colouring. Seriously. Read those labels.
The Life-Changing Loaf uses whole grains, nuts, and seeds. It is high in protein. It is incredibly high in fiber. It is gluten-free and vegan. Everything gets soaked for optimal nutrition and digestion. I will go so far as to say that this bread is good for you.
Sixth, this bread makes the best toast. Ever.
The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread
Makes 1 loaf Ingredients:
1 cup / 135g sunflower seeds
½ cup / 90g flax seeds
½ cup / 65g hazelnuts or almonds
1 ½ cups / 145g rolled oats
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt (add ½ tsp. if using coarse salt)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee
1 ½ cups / 350ml water
Directions:
1. In a flexible, silicon loaf pan combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it it.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).
4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast!
I realize that few pleasures in life will ever be able to compete with tearing open a fresh baguette, or slicing into a thick-crusted country levain, and I am not suggesting that those pleasures be forgotten. On the contrary, let’s let those things be what they are and enjoy them from time to time. And for now, and hopefully the better part of your bread-munching days, I offer my latest and greatest pleasure to you; a loaf with no down-side, a bread with personality, a triumphant flag raised high exclaiming that deliciousness and health are not exclusive. This bread changed my life. Will it change yours too?
Q & A:
To answer the number of questions about substitutions coming into the comments section, I will answer some here. Please be advised that I cannot guarantee any results beyond the recipe above. To help out, if you do make a successful substitution, let me know in the comments! Thanks!
1. There is no substitute for the psyllium husks. Whenever I write an entire article about a specific ingredient, it is because THAT is the point of the recipe, as it highlights one way you can use it. For those of you who can’t find psyllium, buy it online. It’s cheap.
2. For nut substitutions, the bulk of this bread is nuts and seeds so you’ll have to skip the recipe. If it is JUST a nut allergy and seeds are okay, replace the nuts with seeds.
3. You can use ground flax seeds instead of whole, but you’re going to need a lot more water as the ground flax seed is highly absorbent.
4. Substituting the oats with quinoa flakes may work, but again, they absorb a lot more water than oats do. Add more water accordingly.
5. Oats are inherently gluten-free, but if you have a sensitivity to gluten, make sure to purchase certified gluten-free oats.
6. For sugar-free or low-sugar diets, use a pinch stevia to replace the maple syrup.
7. A flexible, silicon loaf pan is best because you can test to see if the dough is holding together, and it’s easy to remove the loaf from the pan, BUT, a regular pan should be fine.
8. This bread is not raw. I haven’t tried drying it out. If you want to make it raw I suggest *trying* to slice it before you bake it and dehydrating the slices individually.
The font that should not be on your résumé—and other tips for job seekers
What was once the default font of choice is now seen as lackluster, lazy, and difficult—three words we’re sure you wouldn’t put on your résumé.
The following infographic from Colorado Technical University recommends using a font that’s more easily readable, such as Georgia.
It also suggests you break out the old storyboards and weave a theme into your C.V. to paint a better picture of yourself for potential employers
We suggest a create-your-own-adventure style résumé, but that’s just us.
View the rest of the tips below.
There Are Two Kinds of Auto Insurance Buyers. Which Kind Are You?
One of the dirty little secrets of the auto insurance world is that there are two types of customers; savvy ones who pay rates considerably below the norm, and those who get a quote from just one company and end up paying way more than they need to.
If you’ve been casually following the news about
the auto insurance industry over the past few years, you could be
forgiven for believing that rates have skyrocketed and continue to
climb. The real story is that,
as a result of relentless consumer and regulatory pressure on insurance
companies, auto rates in many cases have actually dropped. Of course, don’t expect your insurance company to let you know you could be getting coverage for less.
Of all the monthly expenses that can be reduced with some time and effort, auto insurance tops the list. But, of course our time itself is worth money. Often, we don’t take the time to research if we could be getting a better deal. It’s a tradeoff between perhaps paying more and spending hours of our time getting quotes from multiple insurers.
But, here’s the kicker: When it comes to auto
insurance, the savings to be had by doing a little comparison shopping
can be huge – often hundreds, if not thousands of dollars!
More importantly, new online services now make it
remarkably quick and easy to get multiple competitive quotes, so that
you can easily find the lowest quote for you.
One of the best of these free new services is InsureMyCar4Less.com, which is remarkably fast and easy to use. Just
input your information on their website and they will provide the
lowest rate quotes from top-tier insurance companies for you to compare. Most people are amazed by the huge differences between the quotes and their current coverage.
Bottom line: It makes it simple to find significant savings fast. And, contrary to what many people believe – it’s easy and cost-free to change insurance carriers anytime. Consumers are never locked into a policy for any period of time.
So, if you think that saving hundreds of dollars immediately with minimal effort is a smart move, check out InsureMyCar4Less.com31 Incredible Things Baking Soda Can Do
Is there an open little box of baking soda lurking in the back of your fridge? Mine, too. You probably have another box on the shelf with your baking ingredients. And, if you’re like me, you have a giant box stowed with your household cleaning supplies.
Baking soda — also known as bicarbonate of soda, sodium bicarbonate or saleratus — is a white powder with crystalline grains. Although it can be produced by artificial means, in its natural form, baking soda is a chemical salt called nahcolite, taking its name from its chemical formula of NaHCO3. Since it is weak alkaline, baking soda can neutralize acids and break down proteins.
Baking soda’s most common use is as a leavening agent in baking. When combined with a liquid and an acid, it undergoes a chemical reaction that causes carbon dioxide (CO2) to be released. These trapped CO2 bubbles cause the bread or dough to rise and give our cakes and muffins a light, airy texture.
Also known for its absorbing properties and its cleaning abilities, baking soda is a practical and environmentally friendly product to have around the home. You’ve probably heard it can be used for such disparate uses as carpet deodorizer and toothpaste, but there are a myriad of other surprising uses for this powerhouse powder. Here are some of the ones we have discovered:
PERSONAL CARE USES
1. Hair care. Add a pinch of baking soda to your shampoo once a week to help remove buildup that comes from hair products such as conditioners, mousses and gels.
2. Mouth rinse. Dissolve a teaspoon in a glass of warm water. Stir and then rinse your mouth or gargle with the solution.
3. Skin softener. Add a cup of baking soda to the water as it fills your bath tub.
4. Facial scrub. Make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to your skin and gently rinse. It is effective for treating acne breakouts. The paste can dry your skin, though, so be sure to moisturize afterwards.
5. Skin rash soother. Make a paste of baking soda with water and apply to insect bites and to sunburn to relieve itchiness and pain. Also helps soothe diaper rash.
150 Super-Easy Herbal Formulas for Green Cleaning…
6. Antacid. Drink a teaspoon of baking soda mixed in six ounces of water to ease heartburn and stomach distress.
7. Odor neutralizer. Onion or garlic smells on your hands? Try rubbing them with a baking soda or rinsing them with a solution of baking soda and water.
8. Hairbrush cleaner. Soak hair brushes and combs overnight in a baking soda and water solution to safely clean and deodorize them.
HOUSEHOLD USES
9. Dry dog shampoo. Got a stinky dog? In between baths, sprinkle baking soda directly onto the fur and work it in to distribute. Brush thoroughly and then wipe your dog down with a clean towel.
10. Laundry detergent booster. By stabilizing the pH level, baking soda helps your detergent work more effectively.
11. Glass jar odor eater. Use baking soda to get rid of stubborn odors lingering in glass jars you want to re-purpose. Also works well on a thermos and on baby bottles!
12. Deodorize carpet and upholstery. Liberally sprinkle on some baking soda. Wait about 15 minutes, and then vacuum away.
13. Clean baby toys. Forget the chemicals and safely clean baby toys by washing them in a mixture of a 1/4 cup of baking soda mixed in a quart of water. Rinse well and air dry.
14. Shower curtain cleaner. Make a solution of baking soda and water to scrub those yucky mildew stains away.
15. Spackle. To fill in a small hole, mix baking soda and white glue until it forms a paste.
16. Scuff remover. Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to make scuff marks disappear from walls and floors. Great for removing crayon marks, too!
17. Towel freshener. The next time your towels are not completely dry and get that sour smell, just sprinkle them with a little baking soda and toss them back in the dryer to get rid of the odor.
18. Litter box deodorizer. Add some baking soda to your cat’s litter box for extra odor protection.
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19. Shoe freshener. Sprinkle baking soda inside your shoes and boots to help neutralize odors. Let them sit overnight and simply shake out excess powder before wearing.
20. Flower power. Keep your cut flowers looking fresh and pretty longer by adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the water in your vase.
21. Bathroom cleanser. Use it as a natural scrub for sinks, counters, shower stalls and tubs.
22. Stainless steel cleaner. Make a paste of baking soda and water and use it to scrub enameled cast iron and stainless steel. This paste is also good for cleaning the inside of your oven or your outdoor grill.
23. Small fire extinguisher. Sprinkle baking soda on small flare-ups on the barbecue grill or in the kitchen without contaminating the food.
24. Clear cloudy iced tea. Simply add a pinch of baking soda to the pitcher and stir.
25. Dishwasher deodorizer. Sprinkle some baking soda inside the dishwasher to neutralize odors that accumulate there.
OUTDOOR USES
26. Car battery cleaner. Mix a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to corroded battery terminals. It will dissolve the corrosion so that it can then be washed away.
27. Prevent swimwear odor. On a beach or pool outing, bring along a large zippered plastic bag containing 1/4 cup of baking soda. After changing, place wet swimsuits in the bag and shake the bag. The baking soda will help absorb moisture and sour odors until you can rinse the suits.
28. Multi-purpose traveler. When you are tight on space for a camping trip or an overnighter, take along a box of baking soda to use as deodorant, toothpaste and all-purpose cleanser.
29. Slug killer. Slugs in your garden have met their match. Just sprinkle baking soda on them.
30. Outdoor furniture. Mix up a bucket full of baking soda and water to safely and effectively wash your plastic and vinyl lawn furniture.
31. Swimming pool water stabilizer. Added to swimming pool water, baking soda works to balance the pH level and therefore helps keep the water clear.
And we have just gotten you started! You are sure to find your own uses for baking soda in your own home. At about 50 cents a box and even less expensive when you buy it in larger sizes, baking soda is an affordable and effective natural product that you will quickly find you can’t do without.
Here’s one more tip: since the box in your fridge loses its effectiveness in absorbing odors after a few months, pour it down your kitchen drain and then rinse with hot water for an easy way of keeping your drain smelling fresh.
The Tulsi Plant Can Be Used To Remove Fluoride From Drinking Water
An exciting and new water treatment breakthrough has been announced
that will now make the removal of fluoride from the drinking water
supplies of the world’s poorest people more affordable than ever.
Researchers from Rajasthan University in
India have discovered that the Tulsi plant, also known as Holy Basil,
can be used to significantly reduce the amount of fluoride in drinking
water.
At present, the most reliable methods used to remove excessive
fluoride from drinking water are either too expensive or not suitable
for the environments where they are needed most.
The method discovered by researchers from Rajasthan University is
safe, cheap and readily available, making it an ideal alternative for
communities who can’t afford to use the more advanced techniques of
removing fluoride that are readily available in the West.
An experiment was conducted in the Yellareddyguda village of
Narketpally Mandal. The researchers soaked 75mg of Tulsi leaves in 100ml
of water that contained 7.4 parts per million of fluoride in the water.
After only soaking the Tulsi leaves for eight hours, it was
discovered that the level of fluoride in the water was reduced from 7.4
parts per million, to only 1.1 parts per million.
At present, the World Health Organization recommends that the safe level of fluoride in drinking water is between 0.5 to 1 parts per million.
The dangers of drinking water that contains high levels of fluoride
are well known. Some of the known side effects of drinking water that
contains fluoride are dental fluorosis, reduced intelligence in children and a damaged nervous system.
This new water treatment option could now provide the world’s poorest
people an opportunity to remove excessive fluoride from their drinking
water supplies.
However, more research is still needed to identify and validate the
effectiveness of using Tulasi leaves as a means of removing fluoride
from drinking water supplies.
Considering the cost-prohibitive nature of other more reliable water
treatment techniques, if the Tulsi plant is conclusively proven to be
effective in removing fluoride from drinking water, then we may witness a
revolution in water treatment, providing options to areas where none
currently exist.
The Simplified Guide to Getting Started in Photoshop
When photographer Devon Mikale was in high school, he created this lengthy manual for his newspaper class to help others learn how to get started in Photoshop. The high school’s faculty loved it so much that they ended up purchasing it for re-distribution in future classes. Mikale has graciously allowed us to publish the guide here for free.
It’s a lot of images and information, but if you’re just starting out and have been overwhelmed by all the different things you need to learn, this guide will walk you through the fundamentals.
You can bookmark this page for future reference. If you’d like a copy to print out or carry along with you, here’s a PDF version of the same guide! Be sure to share it with people you know who are just learning the ropes!
Let’s get started…
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