Glossary: Ingredients (G-I)

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GARBANZO BEANS (a.k.a Chick Peas): are an edible legume. Buttery and nut-like in flavor, garbanzo beans are a good source of protein and fiber. They can be cooked and sprouted. They also can be ground into flour for gluten-free baking. Garbanzo beans come in many varieties that feature black, green, red and brown beans and can be consumed cooked or raw (but not dry). To prepare chickpeas for consumption either way, it is optimal to sprout them to neutralize the enzyme inhibitors. Almost all dry packaged or bulk garbanzo beans are raw and can be sprouted. Canned garbanzos will more than likely contain the enzyme inhibitors and this could cause gas or stomach upset for most people.

If you can’t make the time to sprout your chickpeas, here’s the next best way to cook them: rinse, then soak your chickpeas overnight in a glass bowl with enough water to cover them. Drain the garbanzo beans and rinse again. If you won’t be using them right away, make sure they are well drained and dry and place them in the fridge. When ready to use, transfer garbanzo beans to a pot and cover with water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover and cook until the garbanzos are soft and tender—about 1 hour. Try the bulk section or pasta section of your local grocery store to find organic garbanzos.

Try them in: Mixed Vegetable Curry with Brown Basmati Rice
How to cook: Garbanzos

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GELATIN: is a translucent, colorless, odorless, brittle, nearly tasteless solid substance, derived from the collagen inside animals’ skin and bones. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing. You won’t find us starting the gelatin fan club, or using it in any of our recipes. A good substitute (use equal amounts to replace) is Agar Agar. Read about preparation here.

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GINGER (a.k.a Ginger Root): is a tuber that cultures around the globe have used as a healing compound as well as a cooking ingredient. Often called “ginger root”, ginger is actually the rhizome of the plant, which is more of a subterranean stem than a root.Ginger is believed to help gastrointestinal circulation (helping the body sweat) and it relieves nausea associated with stomach upset, motion sickness and chemotherapy. Since it is a warming herb, it can be consumed as a tea (steep about 1 Tbsp chopped ginger in hot water) on cold winter days. Due to its warming properties, it is also used to treat fever. There are many benefits to using ginger. You can find it in your local grocery store in “root” form or in the international foods aisle already ground or minced.

Try it in: Mixed Vegetable Curry with Brown Basmati Rice

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GLUTEN: is a special type of protein that is commonly found in rye, wheat, and barley. Therefore, it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of bread. Not all foods from the grain family, however, contain gluten. Examples of grains that do not have gluten include wild rice, corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, teff, oats, soybeans, and sunflower seeds. Some people suffer from celiac disease, which impedes the digestion of gluten. Individuals with celiac disease must eat foods that do not contain gluten in order to prevent illness. Care must be taken when eating grains that do not contain gluten, particularly oats and teff, as they are commonly grown near foods with gluten or processed in the same bins.

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GOJI BERRIES (a.k.a. Wolfberries): are a superfood fruit renowned in Asia and particularly in the raw food community for their nutritional and medicinal properties. Goji berries have been utilized by Chinese doctors and healers for over two millennia. It is believed, however, that goji berries have been used to improve health and nutrition for over 4,000 years. Goji berries are believed to improve one’s immune system, improve eyesight, and promote healthy liver function, to name just a few of the berries’ benefits. Some people also say that goji berries improve circulation and, in men, increase sperm production. They can be enjoyed raw or dried, added to salads and other dishes. The berries can also be crushed and enjoyed as a juice or brewed into a tea. Not only are the berries very nutritious, but they are also rich in antioxidants. Goji berries are most commonly found in health food stores in their dried form or as juice. Look for them in your local health food store.

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GREEN TEA: is a type of tea made solely with the leaves of Camellia sinensis that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures in Asia from Japan to the Middle East. It contains carotenoids, tocopherols, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), minerals such as chromium, manganese, selenium or zinc, certain phytochemical compounds and is associated with reduced heart disease in epidemiological studies. In 1994, the Journal of National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly 60%. Purdue University researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol. The caffeine content of a cup of green tea depends greatly on the type of tea and how it is prepared. Sources quote anywhere from 3 to 30 mg of caffeine in a cup of green tea. Green tea can be found in your local asian market, grocery store and health food stores.

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HEMP OIL: is a dark green oil with a nutty flavor that has the ideal ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. It is obtained by pressing the incredibly nutritious hemp seed. It makes a fantastic base for salad dressings, but should not be used for cooking as heating can break down the oil and make what is incredibly nutritious—toxic. Drizzle this oil over cooked foods or use it in as many cold dishes as you like. You should be able to find hemp oil in your local health food store.

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HEMP SEED: (a.k.a. hemp nut) looks like a sesame seed and has a delicious nutty flavor similar to that of a pine nut or sunflower seed. Hemp protein contains all 21 known amino acids (complete protein), including the 9 essential ones that adult bodies cannot produce. Hemp Seeds are considered by leading researchers and medical doctors to be one of the most nutritious food sources on the planet. Shelled hemp seed is 33 percent pure digestible protein and rich in iron and vitamin E (3x the amount in flax) as well as omega-3 and GLA. The quality of omega-3 can be diminished by oxygen, heat, and light. Keep your seeds as fresh as possible by storing them (tightly sealed) in a dark, cold environment such as a refrigerator. You should be able to find hemp seed and other hemp products in your local health food store. Look for organic.

Try them in: Raw Hemp Milk

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HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (HFCS): A sweetener (that is usually made from genetically-modified corn) that is found in pretty much every product in a grocery store. HFCS doesn’t exist in nature. Our bodies are not designed to digest it. This is one of the reasons why most of America is obese. HFCS is making us fat since the sugar in HFCS (fructose) doesn’t stimulate the hormone leptin, which clues us in to when we are full. HFCS, which has been linked to higher levels of kidney damage and fatty liver disease has even been found to contain detectable levels of mercury. At this point, you would probably also guess that diabetics should avoid HFCS. Oh and there’s more. “The environmental footprint of HFCS is deep and wide,” writes Michael Pollan, author of “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto” but the corn industry has shamefully decided to try and justify HFCS. And as Starre Vartan, founder and editor-in-chief of Eco-Chick says to the corn industry “You are on the wrong side of history, folks. The people that are pushing HFCS as OK are in the same book as those folks who fought smoking bans for all those years.”

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HIMALAYAN SALT: is the product of an ancient, primal ocean that evaporated some 250,000,000 years ago in the region where the Himalayan Mountains now stand. Himalayan salt can be used as bath-salts, as well as for culinary purposes. Slightly pink in color, it contains 84 minerals in a form that can be easily assimilated and metabolized by the body. Himalayan salt restores the body’s alkaline and electrolyte balance and it is recognized as the most outstandingly delicious salt among those in the Culinary Arts.

Try it in: Banana Parfait with Crumble Topping

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HONEY: is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from a wide variety of flowers. In cold weather or when fresh food sources are scarce, bees use their stored honey as their source of energy. Honey is composed of two main sugars, levulose (fructose) and dextrose (glucose). These sugars do not need to be broken down by the digestive process, so honey is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, giving a quick energy boost to the body. This boost of instant strength and energy assists athletic performance, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue for athletes. Try a spoonful of raw, unfiltered honey before a workout or in the morning instead of coffee. The darker the honey, the more nutrients and antioxidants.

Vegans consider honey to be an animal product and therefore do not eat it or use it in topical products like moisturizers or soaps. It is however a whole food sweetener that aids digestion, can help relieve allergies, heals ulcers and burns, has antioxidant anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties and it can be humanely harvested. Check your Farmers’ Market for local honey and talk to the producers to learn about the different varietals.

Honey is 25 to 50% sweeter than sugar. In baked goods, reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used; add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of honey used; reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent overbrowning.

Although honey is a natural, healthy food that normally cannot support bacterial life, it’s important to note that it can carry C. botulinum spores which may be harmful to the undeveloped immune systems of infants. It is not for babies under one year old.

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IRISH MOSS: is a source of carrageenan, which is used as a thickener and stabilizer in raw and vegan recipes. In its raw form, this seaweed has been used as a bulk laxative, which coats and soothes the entire gastrointestinal tract. It has become a popular ingredient used in many raw food restaurants in the preparation of puddings and whipped cream-type products. Past topical applications of Irish Moss include its use in lotions to soften the skin and prevent premature wrinkling, and as a compress for inflamed tissues. It has also been used to thicken cosmetics, in addition to being used as a binding agent, like in toothpaste.

To prepare Irish Moss, rinse it thoroughly, and then soak it in water until it swells. Add the Irish Moss to the liquid you want to set, boil for 10 minutes, and remove the carrageen. One ounce of Irish Moss will gel 1 cup of liquid. Try to find it in local health food store and if it is not available, ask them to order it for you.

References:
1. Brazier, Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life. Canada: The Penguin Group. 2007
2. Wikipedia.org
3. wisegeek.com
4. Swanson, Heidi: Super Natural Cooking. USA: Crown Publishing 2007
5. indepthinfo.com
6. about.com
7. Sunfood.com
8. Vegcooking.com
9. http://www.reallyrawhoney.com

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