Cat's Kitchen

By Cat, Feb 3, 2019 

Zinc is an essential mineral, but many of us – especially vegetarians – do not have sufficient levels. To find out if you have deficiency, take a simple test at home using an aqueous solution of zinc sulfate. I first took this test when I was living in Portland in the late 1990s, on a visit to my MD who practiced natural healing methods. My levels were indeed low, so he recommended adding a chelated zinc supplement.

I recently got an email from Dr. Jockers that included a link to more information about this zinc taste test (1). Read on for my notes. Continue reading →

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

By Cat, Jan 28, 2019; Photo, right, from Global Healing Center (4)

Apple cider vinegar has been in the news lately because of its lowering affect on blood sugar, but it’s important to note this is not its only health benefit. See my post: Apple Cider Vinegar’s Many Health Benefits (About).

A sore throat can be an indicator of a respiratory viral infection getting a foothold, so in addition to using one of these ACV remedies, I highly recommend taking an antiviral tincture for respiratory viruses, such as the Lomatium complex at Bigfork’s Swan Valley Herbs.

A salt gargle, or Sage & Thyme Gargle or Tea can also be helpful.

Organic raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (ACV) – with the Mother –  is well-known for its antimicrobial properties. Here are a few gargle options, repeating several times a day. Note: Don’t swallow the mixture, and rinse your mouth each time after gargling.  And drink plenty of fluids especially lukewarm water throughout the day.

See also: 1. Natural Healing Remedies Menu; 2. Apple Cider Vinegar’s Many Health Benefits (About) Continue reading →

By Cat, Jan 2019

EMFs (electro-magnetic fields) are a controversial topic  regarding the damage to human health that they may cause, especially as the digital world is growing exponentially. Just what is an electro-magnetic field?

It is a combination of an electric field and a magnetic field produced by electrically-charged moving objects such as electrons. EMFs can be produced by (examples):

• electric wiring in your home;
• your cell phone, computer, radio, television;
• your microwave oven;
• smart meters (for your electricity usage);
• radio and cell towers;
• and so on….

We are exposed to EMFs wherever we are and every moment of our lives. They can have very negative effects on our bodies and our health, and there is serious concern that in our digital age, EMFs may be our undoing. For more on this, see two of Dr. Allen Christianson’s emails on this topic as copied below.

I also include several links by Dr. Mercola on the topic of EMFs, and a documentary on the dangers of smart meters. Continue reading →

Green Beans

by Cat, Dec 2018 (photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

This year for Christmas Day dinner I wanted to go Greek, and do a roast leg of lamb with my lamb spice rub. But what veggies to serve with it? Since green beans are a frequent side dish for Christmas Day dinner, I decided to start with that, and add other Mediterranean veggies: artichoke, zucchini, spinach or other greens, and of course garlic and onion, sautéed.

It was delicious! and especially great with lamb. Read on for my recipe.

See also: 1. Sides and Condiments Menu; 2. Mediterranean Menu Continue reading →

Fresh whey, from cheese-making

For more than 20 years, I’ve been making a smoothie every morning. For the protein, I originally used a soy protein powder, but I developed a food sensitivity to it, so I switched to a whey protein powder. But I developed a sensitivity to that, and to all the others I tried. I realized the problem was the high temperature used to dehydrate the protein substance into a powder; that heat denatures the protein resulting in changes in the 3-D structure of the amino acid chain, so that the protein was no longer recognized as “safe” by my immune system. e

What was I to do? I switched to a combo of cottage cheese and whole coddled egg for the protein. Then one day I spotted something new on my grocer’s shelf: Bob’s Red Mill Whey Protein Powder. Bob’s Red Mill is a company I knew well from my years living in Portland – a company that takes pride in not denaturing its products, nor adding questionable ingredients. I’d been using their sweet dairy whey as a sugar substitute for years without any sensitivity issues because it is processed at low temperatures. So I grabbed a bag of the protein powder and added it to my smoothie. Wonderful! no sensitivity issues! And delicious, too.

See their great smoothie and shakes recipes on their website (BobsRedMill (dot) com; disguised for security)

So here’s a collection of their recipes (1) from my latest bag of their whey protein powder, adapted slightly for my needs. Give one a try!

• Includes: 1. Berry Smoothie; 2. Greens & Apple Smoothie; 3. Nut-Butter Smoothie 4. Tropical Fruit Shake
  
• See also: 1. Beverage Menu; 2. Cat’s Full-Meal Smoothie

Continue reading →

Tom and Jerry Bowl Set

By Cat, Dec 30, 2018; photo, right, from ebay (3)

During the 1950s and early 1960s, my parents owned Al’s Bar in downtown Bigfork, Montana. There were three bars in our tiny village, and at Christmas, all served a popular beverage to celebrate the Christmas holiday: Tom and Jerry. But each bar’s recipe was a bit different. Ours was the only bar that used a traditional serving set that included a beautiful big white glass bowl and matching mugs that said “Tom and Jerry” in Christmas-red color on the sides (similar to those in the photo, right).

Each customer got his/her first mug-full for free each year. Dad was quite proud of the liquor mix recipe he created, and Mom was equally proud of her batter that she had to mix up several times each day throughout the month of December. And I got to lick the beaters.

For an interesting video about a bar in Great Falls Montana that still serves Tom and Jerrys, check out KBZK’s video (1).

Continue reading →