Cupcakes! raw vegan

Blueberry Coconut Cupcakes

If you don't have a piping bag, simply spread the frosting with a knife or use a plastic baggie. Simply snip the tip. Coconut flakes would be a really nice garnish too! 

Coconut Cupcakes

1 cup dried coconut

2/3 cup cashews

3 tablespoons agave, maple, or coconut nectar to taste

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

4-6 tablespoons freeze dried blueberries or dried blueberries, optional*

Grind the dried shredded coconut in a food processor.
Add the cashews and grind until both ingredients look like crumbs. 

Add the remaining ingredients, except blueberries. Pulse to combine. 

Fold the blueberries into the dough.

Lightly press into mini muffin cups.

*For a nice crunch throughout the cupcakes use the freeze dried blueberries or use the dried blueberries (naturally dried without sugar). 

Lemon Coconut Cupcakes: Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon lemon zest to the dough and replace the vanilla with lemon juice.

Coconut Cardamom Cupcakes: Add cardamom powder to the dough, to taste (it can be strong, start with only a little bit).

Blueberry Frosting

Creamy blueberry frosting with a white chocolate flavor from the cacao butter. 

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup cashews

1/4 cup agave, maple, or coconut nectar

2 tablespoons agave powder (inulin)*

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

4 1/2 tablespoons melted cacao butter

Add all ingredients to a high speed blender, in order given (oil/butter are added last). Blend all until smooth, creamy, and warm.

Pour into a large shallow dish and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours. 

When firm, spread or pipe over the cupcakes. 

Raw Banana Coconut Cupcakes

1/2 cup almond pulp*

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 cup oat flour**

3/4 cup shredded coconut

2 tablespoons  maple or coconut sugar, or to taste

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Pinch of salt

In a food processor grind the almond pulp, pecans, oat flour, shredded coconut, and maple sugar.
Add the banana, vanilla, and salt. Blend again to incorporate.
Add the coconut oil last and pulse in.
Press this cupcake dough into mini muffin cups (pressing lightly will give a more fluffy texture). Set aside.

*leftover from making almond milk
**Grind enough raw oat groats or regular oats to make 1/4 cup

White Chocolate Banana Frosting

1 1/2 cups mashed banana

1/2 cup cashews

3 tablespoons maple or coconut sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla

3 tablespoons melted cacao butter

In a high speed blender, combine the banana, cashews, coconut sugar, lemon, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Add the cacao butter and blend again.
Chill the mixture in the fridge in a large bowl/container for at least 8 hours until it firms up.
Pipe or spread over the cupcakes.

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Raw Coconut Avocado Soup, divine on taste and nutrition

Ingredients 

- 1 coconut, both the coconut water and the coconut meat from Fresh Young Coconuts

- 1 avocado

- 1 and a half cups Raw Cashews or Raw Macadamia Nuts nuts

- 1/4th cup nutritional yeast

- 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt salt

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1/4th Organic Extra Virgin olive oil cold pressed

- 1 lemon

- your favorite herbs (optional)

Directions

- Blend all above together (Add enough water to fill to the top of blender).

- Pour into serving bowl and stir in these Ingredients:

 finely chopped red onion

1 bunch cilantro finely chopped

optional:
 finely chopped vegetables of your choice.

- Serves 4

inspired by: http://jinjeetalifero.com/

Glutathione, why you need it

Glutathione is an essential factor in energy utilization, detoxification, and preventing the diseases we associate with aging. Glutathione deficiency has been linked to:

• Age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
• Coronary and autoimmune diseases
• Arthritis, asthma and other inflammatory conditions
• Cancer
• Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Muscle weakness and fatigue

Glutathione levels can be enhanced somewhat by taking supplements such as alpha lipoic acid, which is known to regenerate glutathione. Alpha lipoic acid also helps to regenerate vitamins C and E so that they remain active longer in your body. Red meat and organ meats are the best dietary source of alpha lipoic acid.

Glutamine can be used as a supplement since it’s a direct precursor to glutathione. However, there is quite a bit of evidence it is poorly absorbed.

There is also evidence that vitamin D increases intracellular glutathione.  I am an enthusiastic fan of vitamin D, and this is yet one more reason it’s so important for your health.

Some nutritional authorities recommend taking a form of cysteine known as N-acetyl-cysteine NAC, but I would advise against using this supplement if you still have mercury amalgam fillings because it could interfere with detoxification of the mercury.

Fortunately, there are natural ways to boost your body’s glutathione reserves.

Vitamins and supplements have their uses but are always less desirable than nutrients in their natural form, obtained from the foods you eat. What has been proven beyond a doubt is that whole food based diets--rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and quality protein--promote health and longevity.

What Foods Promote the Highest Glutathione Levels?

Many whole foods contain significant amounts of glutathione or its precursors. Foods richest in sulfur-containing amino acids are usually the best sources of glutathione:

• The overall top food for maximizing your glutathione is high quality whey protein. It must be cold pressed whey protein derived from grass fed cows, and free of hormones, chemicals and sugar. 
  Quality whey provides all the key amino acids for glutathione production (cysteine, glycine and glutamate) and contains a unique cysteine residue (glutamylcysteine) that is highly bioactive in its affinity for converting to glutathione. 
  
  Glutamylcysteine is a bonded cysteine molecule (cysteine plus glutamate) that naturally occurs in Bovine Serum Albumin – a fragile immune component of the whey. This unique cysteine is exclusive to whey and rarely appears in other protein foods – which makes whey protein the best glutathione-promoting food source. 
  
  Furthermore, whey provides critical co-factors, immunoglobulins, lactoferrin and alpha Lactalbumin (also a great source of cysteine), which together help create the right metabolic environment for high glutathione activity.
• Raw milk products, raw eggs and meat: Glutathione occurs in the highest levels in fresh, uncooked meats and raw milk, but is almost entirely absent in pasteurized dairy products.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables provide excellent glutathione, but once cooked, values become negligible. Spinach, potatoes, asparagus, avocado, squash, okra, cauliflower, broccoli, walnuts, garlic and tomatoes have the highest glutathione per serving.
• The herb milk thistle is an excellent source of the antioxidant compound silymarin, which may help to prevent glutathione depletion in the liver. Glutathione is crucial in the liver for detoxification and can become depleted from acetaminophen (Tylenol), alcohol consumption, and general toxic overload.
• Curcumin may also be useful for increasing glutathione levels.

Keeping your glutathione levels up is a matter of increasing factors that boost your glutathione and decreasing factors that lower it. The things that deplete your glutathione the fastest are chemicals, toxins and sugar.

PURE-NATURAL-WHEY

If you want to supplement your diet with whey protein products, you have to be careful because not all whey protein products are created equal. Supermarket and nutrition store shelves are lined with protein powder choices, 99 percent of which are loaded with sugar and chemicals that don’t support your health goal.

If you’re going to supplement, you should only use a high quality whey protein that provides all the necessary nutritional elements for NATURALLY boosting glutathione and also preventing its decline.

Be sure your whey protein supplement has the following features:

1. The whey comes from grass-fed cows that are not treated with pesticides or hormones
2. Cold processed, since heat destroys whey’s fragile molecular structure
3. Whey protein concentrate, not protein isolates
4. Sweetened naturally, not artificially, and low in carbohydrates
5. Highly digestible—look for medium chain fatty acids (MCTs), not long chain fatty acids

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References

• Bounous G. Whey protein concentrate (WPC) and glutathione modulation in cancer treatment. Anticancer Res. 2000 Nov-Dec;20(6C):4785-92.
• Bounous G., Gold P. 1991. The biological activity of undenatured dietary whey proteins: role of glutathione. Clin Invest Med.Aug;14(4):296-309.
• Dickinson D., Iles K., Zhang K., Blank V., and Forman H. (2003) Curcumin alters EpRE and AP-1 binding complexes and elevates glutamate-cysteine ligase gene expression. J FASEB 17, 472.
• Donnini D., Zambito A.M., Perrella G; Ambesi-Impiombato F.S., Curcio F. Glucose may induce cell death through a free radical-mediated mechanism. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 219(2):412-7 1996 Feb 15.
• El-Hawary Z., El-Hawary M.F.S., Morcus S.R. 1977. Blood glucose, glutathione, and total keto-acids levels in alloxan-diabetic rats. Zeitschrift für Ernährungswissenschaft 16(4): 227-230.
• Fidelus R.K., Tsan M.F. Glutathione and lymphocyte activation: a function of aging and auto-immune disease. Immunology. 1987 61:503-508.
• Glutathione. 
• Glutathione White Paper. Richard Van Konynenburg, PhD. 
• Herbert F.K., Cotonio Bourne M., Groen J. 1930. The effect of glutathione on the determination of blood-sugar. Department of Chemical Pathology, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London.
• Higashi T., Tateshi N., Naruse A., Sakamoto Y. (1977) A novel physiological role of liver glutathione as a reservoir of L-cystein. J Biochem. 82, 117.
• Huh K., Kwon T.H., Kim J.S., Park J.M. Role of the hepatic xanthine oxidase in thyroid dysfunction: effect of thyroid hormones in oxidative stress in rat liver. Arch Pharm Res; 21(3):236-40 Jun 1998.
• Loven D., Schedl H., Wilson H., Daabees T.T., Stegink L.D., Diekus M., Oberley L. Effect of insulin and oral glutathione on glutathione levels and superoxide dismutase activities in organs of rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes. 
• Meister A. (1983) Selective modification of glutathione metabolism. Science. 220, 472.
• Meredith M.J., Reed D.J. (1983) Depletion in vitro of mitochondrial glutathione in rat hepatocytes and enhancement of lipid peroxidation by adriamycin and 1,3Bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosaurea (BCNU). Biochem Pharmacol. 32, 1383.
• Powell L.A., Warpeha K.M., Xu W., Walker B., Trimble E.R. High glucose decreases intracellular glutathione concentrations and upregulates inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression in intestinal epithelial cells. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.December 1, 2004 33:797-803.
• Seymen, O., Seven A., Candan G., Yigit G., Hatemi S., Hatemi H. The effect of iron supplementation on GSH levels, GSH-Px, and SOD activities of erythrocytes in L-thyroxine administration. Acta Med Okayama. 51(3):129-33 1997 Jun.
• Stohs S.J., Lawson T., Al-Turk W.A. (1984) Changes in glutathione and glutathione metabolizing enzymes erythrocytes and lymphocytes of mice as a function of age. Gen Pharmacol. 15, 267.
• Tsan M.F., Danis E.H., Del Vecchio P.J., Rosano C.B. (1985) Enhancement of intracellular glutathione protects endothelial cells against oxidative damage. Biochem Biophys. Res. Commun. 127, 270.
• Wellner V.P., Anderson M.E., Puri R.N., Jensen G.L., Meister A. (1982) Radioprotection by glutathione ester: transport of glutathione ester in human lymphoid cells and fibroblasts. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81, 4732.

Raw Protein Bars, nice and simple...

 Protein Bars 

    2 cups  whole almonds or almond flour

    1/4 cup  ground flaxseed
    1/2 cup  organic dates  (about 6 whole pitted dates)
    1/2 cup  organic unsweetened coconut flakes(optional)
    1/2 cup  organic raw almond butter
    1/2 tsp  unrefined sea salt
    1/2 cup  organic coconut oil, melted
    1-2 Tbsp  organic maple syrup or raw honey
    2-3 tsp  vanilla

    1 handful 100% baking chips, or 3-4 unsweetened chocolate baking squares, melted  (optional)

To make

  1.  Place almonds, flaxseed, dates, coconut, almond butter and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine you may need to add a bit of water.
  2.  Melt coconut oil using LOW heat, and add vanilla and honey.
  3.  Add melted oil mixture to the food processor and pulse/grind ingredients until it forms a coarse paste.
  4.  Scoop out the mixture and press down hard into an square bar pan.

You can stop here, you don't need the topping, but go ahead and add it if you like....

  5.  Melt chocolate in a double boiler, add a bit of honey to sweeten. Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the already pressed down bars. Smooth out and place into the fridge or freezer until chocolate has hardened. To serve, take bars out of fridge/freezer for at least 30 minutes.

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3 Natural Killer (NK) Cell Boosters

What are Natural Killer (NK) Cells?
Part of the first line of immune defense, NK cell provide surveillance for the immune system. Natural Killer (NK) cells are specialized immune cells of the innate, non-specific immune system. Comprising about 10% of white blood cells they are densest in the liver, spleen, blood, lung, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. In response to an immune threat, NK cells release a class of chemical messengers (cytokines, IFN-y) that recruit T lymphocytes and other immune cells to attack. They also function to communicate to other immune cells to curtail their offenses, thus inhibiting an overactive response. 
Why Are They Important?
NK cells provide surveillance for the immune system. They circulate looking for viruses and cancer cells, in particular. Once in range, they release chemical grenades—perforins and granzymes—which poke holes in the enemy cells resulting in cell death, or apoptosis. It is now believed that NK cells have the potential to “remember” previous immune insults, leading to better coordinated immune cell responses with repeat exposure.
What Does ME/CFS Research Say About NK Cells?
 Natural Killer cell deficiency is a consistent finding in ME/CFS patients. In fact, some argue that NK cell measurement may be diagnostic. There are two types of NK cell deficiency: classical and functional. A classical NK cell deficiency is defined as an absence of NK cells in peripheral blood. This is thought to be a rare genetic condition involving three key genes (MCM4, FCGR3A, & GATA2). Several studies have found reduced NK cell functioning in ME/CFS. While no concrete study has examined this specifically in ME/CFS, a 2010 study from Nancy Klimas’ group detected a functional deficiency in CFS patients when compared to controls.
 In their study, NK cell numbers were not significantly different between groups, but markers of activation were far lower in the CFS group. Not mentioned in this study, but worth noting, is that many ME/CFS patients also have perforin deficiency—the grenade-like ammunition of NK cells. This finding, which has been duplicated by others, suggests that NK cell function is most affected in ME/CFS. 
Does Poor Natural Killer Cell Functioning Really Matter?
Few would argue that NK cell counts in the high normal range are beneficial for long term health. Studies have found that those with genetic polymorphisms (classical type) that result in deficient NK cells have increased incidence of some cancers and greater susceptibility to Herpes family viral infections (EBV, CMV, HPV, HSV). Furthermore, some preliminary cancer therapies exploit NK cells to decrease tumor size and improve survival. 
But what effect might this bring for ME/CFS?
 In Klimas’ 2010 study, the researchers stated that NK cell activity was a strong indicator of illness severity—those with the lowest scores had more severe symptoms. Also, the recent trials using Rituximab for ME/CFS highlight the importance of NK cell activity for recovery and symptom relief. These drugs are thought to work at least in part due to their ability to enhance NK cell activity. Clinical trails are still underway using Rituximab for ME/CFS, so it is too soon to tell the exact effects. The side effects and potential dangers of this type of therapy should not be overlooked. 
 In lieu of clinical trials, many ME/CFS doctors opt for natural ingredients to boost NK cell activity.
 Here are three supplements with well documented evidence of raising NK cell number AND function.

Three Natural Natural Killer Boosters

Colostrum
Pregnant cows provide the nutrient and immune factor rick colostrum some people use to boost immune functioning, including NKN cell functioning ovine-derived colostrum has been used to enhance immune health for over a hundred years. In fact before antibiotics were developed colostrum, which refers to a densely immune factor and nutrient rich milk produced late in pregnancy, was used frequently to provide immunoglobulins to fight infections. Among others colostrum contains immunoglobins that target Escherichia coli, Cryptosporidium parvum, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella, Staphylococcus and rotavirus. With antibiotic resistance on the rise, more people are turning to colostrum as a natural alternative to antibiotics. Colostrum contains a large percentage of Proline-rich Polypeptides (PRP’s), also known as Transfer Factors, which act as intercellular signaling molecules that modulate the immune system. Human studies have shown that PRPs from colostrum induce IFN-y –a robust promoter of NK cell activity. A small placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized crossover trial concluded that consumption of colostrum resulted in increased NK cell release from bone marrow as well as homing of NK cells into tissues. Other studies relating to Alzheimer’s research have also highlighted the immunomodulating effects of colostrum. While research studies looking at colostrum’s use in ME/CFS are limited, its effects on exercise are intriguing. Runners have been able to reduce their recovery time from peak exercise efforts using colostrum and colostrum reduced gut permeability that occurred as a result of exercise.

Melatonin 
Far from just a sleep aid, melatonin also affects immune functioning and may reduce pain. Although traditionally thought of as a sleep-inducing hormone, the melatonin receptors dotting immune organs and cells indicate that melatonin plays substantial immunomodulatory role in humans as well. Numerous animal and human studies have shown melatonin increases NK cell number and function and production of IFN-y. Melatonin’s immune enhancing effects have led to many interventional studies in cancers. Melatonin also reduces the TLR4 innate immune inflammatory pathway that has been implicated in many inflammatory disorders and may be upregulated in ME/CFS. The inflammatory and neuropathic pain models in animals also suggest melatonin may have significant anti-pain properties. Studies indicate melatonin secretion in Fibromyalgia is reduced and melatonin can improve fatigue and concentration in ME/CFS. 

Medicinal Mushrooms
Used for health purposes for centuries, shiktake and other medicine, are now being investigated by modern medicine Used for millennia in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western researchers are beginning to catch up and elucidate many of the health promoting effects of medicinal mushrooms. Certain varietals are better studied than others. Maitake, shitake, reishi, and cordyceps species have been studied predominantly and highlight various potent immune stimulating effects including effects on NK cells. The key components of these mushrooms are fruit body polysaccharide-proteins and mycelia that are administered in broths, distilled tinctures, or concentrated extracts. Several of these mushrooms have undergone phases I, II, and III clinical trials and are used extensively and successfully in Asia to treat various cancers and other diseases (7)

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source: http://www.cortjohnson.org/

skim

Jun

JUN 

1. Get a glass jar that holds ¾ gallons to 1 gallon of water or 1.5-5liters. 
2. Brew the tea. Pour hot filtered water over 4-5 green tea bags or the equivalent of loose tea. Organic is better because anything added to the tea leaves to kill pests can also kill your culture. Add 1c honey and mix well. Only use honey. I use raw honey.....That’s what the jun culture is adapted to. Let the sweetened tea sit until the temperature is comfortable to the touch—usually I let it sit overnight. If it’s too hot, you’ll cook your mother: she is alive!
3. Strain out the tea leaves.
4. Put your SCOBY mother (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) on the top of the culture. She might float down to the middle of the jar. That’s okay. Add ¼ to ½ cups (I just throw in a good sized “glurp”) of starter jun liquid, from your last batch. You can add even more if you want. Using starter liquid from your last batch helps create a pH environment that is inhospitable to molds, so if you have had mold trouble with other ferments, you might want to use more starter.
5. Cover it securely with a towel. You want it to be able to breathe, but you also don’t want bugs to get in. I suggest securing it with a couple of rubber bands.
6. Leave it in an out-of-way place, out of direct sunlight for 1-3 weeks. After 1 week, taste it. If it’s too sweet for your liking, then it’s not done. Put it back and let it keep going. If it’s too sour, you let it go too long. It’s still okay, just not as pleasant. Batches will ferment faster in warmer temperatures.
7. When the batch is done, you will notice that a new SCOBY has formed at the top of your jun liquid. Now you have two mothers. You can save one as a back up, give it away, compost it, or look for other options: if you look online, you’ll find people who have developed recipes for SCOBY (eeeeww). I’ve also heard of people drying them and turning them into fabric.
8. You can leave your finished jun in a big jar, or you can bottle it. Bottling the jun will help it to build up more bubbles, because you are not constantly opening and closing the same container and the pressure can build a little. If you are bottling, this is also a good time to flavor it. A few pieces of chopped ginger will make an extra fizzy one, or you can add other herbs. I like to use a few dollups of frozen juice concentrate (my favorite lately is pineapple). Edible aloe vera can make an interesting addition to your jun cocktail as well.
9. Once you have bottled your Jun, you may leave it out for about a day, especially if you have flavored it, to create a secondary ferment which will let the flavors sink in and build up bubbles. Soon, you will want to put it in the fridge, to slow down the fermentation process, or you’ll end up with a super sour and potentially explosive brew.
10. Make another batch! If you wait in between, you can store your SCOBY in a little bit of jun liquid, sealed in a jar in the refrigerator. She will lie dormant until you are ready to rock. You can also store her at room temperature in a little liquid, with a towel covering the container. This is what has been referred to by fellow fermenters as a “SCOBY hotel.” If you leave her at room temp, she will continue to grow, so you should check periodically to make sure that there is still liquid in your hotel.

Tips and FAQs:

1. It’s a pretty no-fail recipe, but sometimes things can happen. If you see mold growing on your mother THROW IT OUT! If flies invade, throw it out. But, if there are little brown strands hanging off the bottom of your mother, or if the mother has air bubbles in her, it’s okay.

2. Jun, like kombucha and tibicos, will corrode metal. If you handle your Jun brew or SCOBY intermittently with metal implements such as a fork, or a metal strainer, that’s okay. You do not want it in prolonged contact with metal, or you will both contaminate your SCOBY mother and ruin your metal.  You probably don’t want it in prolonged contact with plastic either.  I can just imagine what creepy chemicals that would leach out.

3. What does it taste like?  My Jun has a ‘lighter’ taste than kombucha, perhaps more astringent.  If you let it go too long, I think it gets even more vinegary than kombucha. 

4. What’s the difference between kombucha and Jun? Kombucha is a culture adapted to fermenting tea and sugar, whereas Jun takes green tea and honey. That’s the big difference.  I’m sure a bioscientist could tell you more specifics about the organisms in there.  I have found that my Jun tolerates cooler brewing temperatures better than kombucha in the winter, and it will grow a thicker SCOBY more rapidly.   Jun also tends to develop more sediment than Kombucha at the bottom of the bottle. This is the lees, in brewers terms.  Lees forms in wines also.  You can drink the sediment or filter it out.

The batch after I bottled most of it.  Notice the cloudiness at the bottom of the bottle, from the sediment.

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