I have just finished making a raspberry-vanilla-honey syrup to use in my second ferment of coconut water kefir. Since we are on the GAPS / SCD diets we have been finding every way possible to get more probiotics into our bodies. Coconut water kefir is a very delicious way to get extra probiotics as it creates a fizzy, champagne-like coconut water soda.

Personally I prefer using dairy kefir grains, which work quite well a few times, but since they prefer dairy to grow in they will get depleted and you will have to replace them. You can also use water kefir grains which just love a mineral-rich, sweet medium to grow in and coconut water is just perfect. If you are looking for cultures you can get dairy or water kefir grains here. The same method works for either dairy or water kefir grains.

Coconut water kefir is very rich in probiotics and it is best to only drink about 1/4 to 1/2 cup at a time especially when you first start drinking it.

I have been meaning to post this recipe for years now I feel terrible for not having posted it before–it is such a simple dish. Shan State in Myanmar (Burma) has a very unique tofu recipe which is made from channa dhal not soybeans. Channa dhal is a bean that is similar to chickpeas but smaller, more yellow and easier to digest, especially if it is properly soaked. This recipe is a delicious traditional recipe that can be made into a variety of items. From tofu nwe (a sort of warm tofu porridge with peanuts and cilantro–also used to make the delicious Shan Noodle dish), to tofu thoke (tofu salad) to tofu hnat pyan kyaw (twice fried tofu) to a sauce for the fried tofu. For a beautiful but heart wrenching true Channa Dhal Romeo and Juliet true story click here.

This is a really delicious recipe and makes great muffins. It can also be made into a loaf of bread which makes a great Yule Kaka (which my family traditionally eats at Christmas-time). It is a grain-free, GAPS and SCD friendly recipe, which I highly recommend. Featured in the Hella Delicious 2012 Recipe Calendar.

• 1/2 c honey
• 1/4 c butter
• 1 c cashew butter (raw)
• 2 c almond flour (blanched)
• 1 t baking soda
• 5 eggs
• 1 c raisins
• 1/4 c honey-candied citrus peel
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1/2 t cloves
• dash salt

It wasn’t until I moved to NZ that I first started making fritters. I consider fritters to be one of a New Zealand’s national foods. They make fritters out of anything–beets, corn, sweet potato….White bait fritters could be called NZ’s national dish. For a Kiwi, the fritters I am about to describe are not actually white-bait. They are silver fish, and Chinese, in fact even comparing the two is a sin.

NZ white bait are a whole other ball-game, any Kiwi will tell you that. They are much more expensive than silver-fish. During the white bait season in New Zealand, all ages can be found down on the beach pulling white-bait fresh out of the water, whisking them up with some eggs and right into the frying pan with some butter. Talk about fresh! This recipe is my version and we think it is very tasty even if you have to use silver fish instead of white bait. These days you may also want to know where your fish came from, because it isn’t recommended to eat fish from the Pacific Ocean because of the Fukushima disaster.

I have had a hankering for Hot Cross Buns lately and have after several attempts come up with a delicious rendition of GAPS and SCD friendly Hot Cross Buns. They are more like muffins, and a thick custard makes a tasty cross. This recipe will make about 18 buns.

For the buns:

• 1/2 c honey
• 1/4 c butter
• 1 c cashew butter (raw)
• 2 c almond flour (blanched)
• 1 t baking soda
• 5 eggs
• 1 c raisins
• 1/4 c honey-candied citrus peel
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1/2 t cloves
• dash salt

I am not exactly sure where I found this recipe at this point. Most likely it was www.pecanbread.com which has an incredible archive of recipes for the SCD or GAPS diets. It is called Lois Lang Light and is a lighter version of the famous Lois Lang Bread. This bread is a wonderful no-grain almond flour bread, that is rich and delicious. The following recipe makes 2 loaves of bread.

• 7 c almond flour
• 1 1/4 c dry curd or cream cheese
• 7 T butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 c water
• 2 T caraway seeds

Well I’ve been feeling a bit bad about not posting many recipes lately, so I just wanted to share this one. Recently we’ve started adding juices to our kefir–yum! Very easy fresh and full of friendly enzymes, probiotics and vitamins.

• 3 apples
• 3 medium carrots
• 1-2 inch piece of ginger
• 1 c of freshly made kefir

I have a couple friends that are doing detox or cleansing treatments after the holidays, to set their bodies on a healthy course for the next year, and perhaps lose some weight gained through all the holiday feasting. I hadn’t given much thought to doing one myself, since I feel I generally keep a healthy diet. What I did do to start the year off right was a thorough house cleaning, and this is what led me to my own dietary change. While sorting out a drawer full of papers, I came across a handout I had picked up last fall at the Strathcona Harvest Festival. It came from the Rocky Mountain Grain Products tent, along with a free sample pack of hemp hearts. I almost just put the handout in the junk pile and kept on sorting, but the color photo of a big beautiful salad caught my eye, and I gave it some attention.

This is quite a lovely idea for people who make their own yogurt at home–a herbal infused yogurt. It is VERY simple, yet exotic–using only milk, yogurt culture and your choice of aromatic herb(s) or spice(s). Some delightful herbs I have used are keffir lime leaves, lemon verbena, rosemary, mint, jasmine, lavender, rose, but I am sure there are many others that are fantastic as well. It is good to think about what you will be using the yogurt for, and what herbs go well with a sour flavor. Generally I strain it in to cream cheese and make it into a dip or use it to make cheesecake or other baked items, but it is also fantastic as yogurt. A nice rosemary yogurt added into a carrot and lamb stew is a very delicately delicious addition to a potentially heavy meal….

Sandra over in the South Pacific sent in this great recipe! People love it!

I discovered this recipe last year when I was living in Australia. Originally it used sugar, I have changed it to honey to make it more healthy and practical for people on the GAPS or SCD diets or for those folks who boycott refined foods. Enjoy!

• 2 yellow summer squash
• 2 medium lemons, juice and peel
• 2 T honey
• 2 T butter or coconut oil