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fermented  burdock  root

18/3/2018

 
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Burdock is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial propoerties. Pregnant women or women trying to become pregnant should avoid burdock, plus people allergic to chrysanthemums or daisies.

INGREDIENTS
1 kg burdock root, peeled and thinly sliced
2 spring onions, greens included, cut into 2cm slices 
1  tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1-1½ tbsp unrefined sea salt


METHOD:
  • Place the spring onions and ginger in a large bowl. Mix together and put to one side.
  • Peel the burdock root and thinly slice. Squeeze on the juice of the lemon, to stop the root from going brown. Add the burdock, lemon zest, and pepper to the bowl.  Mix to combine.
  • Add 1 tbsp of the salt to the mixture. Massage with your hands. Cover and let it sit for 30 - 45 minutes. Taste for salt. It should have a slightly salty flavour. Add more salt if needed.
  • Massage the mixture again for a few minutes. Brine should now form at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Transfer the mixture into a jar. Press down to remove any air pockets. As more brine releases, it will cover the mixture.
  • Seal the jar, out of direct sunlight, in a cool place for 7-14 days.  Check regularly for taste. When ready store in a fridge for up to on year.

POSITIVE  NEWS

15/2/2018

 
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Thanks to my friend Fan Sissoko for introducing me to Positive News. In these challenging times of bad news, rolling news and fake news, it's great to hear about alternative ways of presenting what's going on in the world. This issue is about efforts to redefine masculinity and features articles on Ron Finley's LA-based community gardening empire (pictured) and Nathan Roberts from Band of Brothers, a Brighton-based mentoring scheme for young men. Good stuff.

FERMENTED BUCKWHEAT BREAD

13/2/2018

 
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I've been looking for a gluten free alternative to rye bread. I've adapted this recipe, courtesy of Nutriplanet and make it regularly. It has a cake-like texture and is not sour. Good toasted. I've also tried adding seaweed, or hemp instead of the mixed seeds, both good.

INGREDIENTS
  • 425g raw buckwheat groats
  • 300ml water + water for soaking buckwheat
  • ½-1 tsp. sea salt
  • 3 handfuls of mixed seeds

METHOD
  1. Soak buckwheat groats for at least 6 hours. Rinse well and let drain for thoroughly.
  2. Place drained buckwheat groats into blender with 300ml of water. Blend on low speed until smooth-ish batter forms.
  3. Pour the batter into plastic or glass bowl (not metal bowl). Cover the bowl with clean cloth and place in a warm place.
  4. Let the batter ferment for 7 hours. (Alternatively, you can just leave the groats soaking overnight and then blend, it doesn't seem to make any difference to the final loaf).
  5. After 7 hours batter will have risen and small bubbles formed. If you don’t see that, let it ferment a bit longer. Add all the other ingredients to the buckwheat batter, gently and briefly stir with wooden or plastic spoon (do not use metal spoon). Do not over-mix as the batter will lose its fluffiness.
  6. Pour the batter into a loaf pan, greased or line with parchment paper. Bake for 1 hour-1 hour 30 minutes at 175°C (350°F). Let the bread be in the oven while it warms up. Count the hour from when the oven has reached the right temperature.
  7. Let the bread cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

PREKESE

23/11/2017

 
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These beauties are the dried fruit of the Aridan tree, known in Ghana as Prekese. I bought them in Brixton Market. I'm so lucky to have easy access to Ghanaian fruit and veg. The latin name is Tetrapleura tetraptera. As well as being used in cooking, the fruit is known for its medicinal, anti-inflammatory properties and used to treat arthritis, rheumatism, high-cholesterol and more. Mosquitoes don't like the smell of Prekese, so consuming it regularly acts as a natural repellent!
The fruit pods are hard, like dried leather, with four distinctive, wing-like ridges. I made a tonic with them by first washing and breaking into quarters, then boiling for about 30 minutes with some cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. The smell and taste are like vanilla; the colour of the liquid, amber. After a few days it ferments slightly, creating a more tangy flavour.

MACKA  B'S  MEDICAL MONDAYS

21/11/2017

 
I'm really loving Macka B's 'Medical Mondays' and
'Wha Me Eat Wednesdays' videos. Watch and learn!

A big thanks to Katie Beeson for the Macka B head's up!

GOODNESS  CDB  CHOCOLATE  now  AVAILABLE  ONLINE!

20/11/2017

 
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The blog has been quiet for a while as we've been busy setting up a new online outlet for Goodness CBD chocolate. We're excited to announce that small batches of our CBD chocolate are now available from our friends at CBD Brothers.
If you're in London, we also sell Goodness CBD chocolate at Alkaline Juice Factory in Brixton. Eventually, we'll sell through this website too, so watch this space.

Goodness  goes  to  suffolk

26/9/2017

 
It's been a busy couple of months. Goodness has started using CBD paste from CBD Brothers in some of our raw chocolate. In August, Ben from CBD Brothers invited my compadre, David (Alkaline Juice Factory), and me to visit them at the wonderful Ten Ten Farm in Suffolk. An excellent day was had, we enjoyed an extensive tour of their production unit and land. Ben and his team's generosity and enthusiasm for all things CBD is inspiring.

Ben kindly organised a give-away of Goodness CBD chocolate through the CDB Brothers Facebook page, which got a really positive response. Very soon, we will be selling small batches of  Goodness chocolate through the CBD Brothers website, so watch out for updates.

more  raw  vinegar

21/9/2017

 
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Our raw vinegar collection is growing nicely. There are now four mighty flavours - mango, pineapple, banana and coconut. The mango, pineapple and banana vinegars are made using waste skins left from the juicing process. The coconut water vinegar is made using fresh coconut water. Here are a few simple ideas for enjoying your raw vinegar. Don’t drink it undiluted - it will irritate your stomach and damage your tooth enamel. It’s powerful stuff!
RAW VINEGAR TONIC
1 tbsp raw vinegar
half glass warm water
natural sweetener of your choice (maple syrup, agave syrup, etc). Optional.
Raw vinegar tonic is best taken before food in the morning. A great way to get your system going!


DRINKING VINEGAR
1 tbsp raw vinegar
half glass of  water (still or sparkling)
half a glass of fresh fruit or veg juice of your choice
natural sweetener of your choice (maple syrup, agave syrup, etc). Optional.
Serve with ice. Optional. 


RAW VINEGAR TEA
2 tbsp raw vinegar
1 cup hot water
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
natural sweetener of your choice (maple syrup, agave syrup, etc). Optional.
This is a very soothing drink. Great for coughs and colds.

simply  cacao

12/7/2017

 
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This image deserves some space. I took this photo on my last trip to Ghana before I started making chocolate.
I need to go again. Seriously.

pearl  millet  drink

8/7/2017

 
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This is an easy to make, breakfast drink or snack. Pearl millet is grown in widely Africa and India. It's extremely nutritious, gluten-free and good for people on low cholesterol and diabetic diets. I'm slightly addicted to this comforting drink.

INGREDIENTS
3-4 tsp pearl millet flour
water - 1 cup
pinch of salt
coconut oil - 1 tsp
2 tsp maple syrup, or honey, etc, optional
cinnamon, to taste, optional

METHOD
  1. Add 1 cup of water to a pan and bring to a boil.
  2. Mix the pearl millet flour in a separate cup with a small amount of water, mix well into a paste.
  3. Remove pan of water from the heat, add flour paste, stirring to avoid lumps.
  4. Return pan to the heat, warm gently, add the salt and coconut oil.
  5. Cook this for further 2-3 minutes at low heat stirring continuously.
  6.  Serve warm. Add maple syrup and cinnamon as desired.
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    about me

    I'm Virginia and I run Goodness. I'm slightly obsessed with raw cacao and the medicinal properties of food, which runs in the blood (there are herbalists, nurses and farmers in my family). I'll be posting about chocolate, healing foods, thoughts, recipes and experiments.

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