älysiabars

So, I came upon this post on Chocolate & Zucchini via a link on Craftster. Basically, the author was introduced to lärabars, which she enjoyed, and decided to try to make a homemade version. I like to pack a little snack like this when I have class or am otherwise going to be somewhere where I might get hungry, but good-quality energy bars can get expensive, and who wouldn't rather make their own?

I was intrigued.

I am not a big chocolate fan, so I decided to change this recipe around to suit my tastes.

Behold, the älysiabar:

Ingredients:

1 16oz package Medjool dates

1.5 cups roasted unsalted mixed nuts

Juice and most of the zest from one small lemon

1/4 cup whole flax seed

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

A little bit of whole wheat flour (or any flour, really)

First, pulse the nuts in a food processor until they are broken up, but not reduced to a dust. Remove and set aside.

If your dates are not pitted, you will need to pit them yourself (like I did). Simply slice in half with a paring knife and remove the pits.

Process dates into a thick paste in the food processor. You will know they are mashed enough when a ball forms and starts threatening to jam up the blade. Take the ball out, break it into pieces, and put it back into the food processor (your hands are going to be sticky now if they weren't already).

Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the flour), and process until mixed, or until another ball forms. Take the ball out, and if it looks like it could still use a little mixing, knead it around in your hands.

Flour your baking pan (I used an 8.5" square pyrex dish) and then press in the mixture.

Put it in the fridge and let it set until firm, then cut up into small rectangles and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. I got 15 out of the batch, they seem small but they are really rich and packed with energy. A little goes a long way! They will keep for about a week in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Kombucha Update

So I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seats, wondering what's going on with my kombucha brewing venture. You can relax, I'm going to fill you in right now.

I checked on my jar-o-'booch today, and to my delight, things are happening! Good, culture-growth things. There is a film that has formed on the top, which will become the new "mother" SCOBY, that you can see here:

You can also see that the original SCOBY is growing in size/thickness, and I think there might even be another one that is beginning to grow, as well:

So, I have been asked, what am I going to do with this fungus-tea, if and when it ever comes to maturity. Well, I am going to drink it, of course!

But why!?!? It's got floaty culture bits and who knows what else in it.... I mean, gross.

Colby is concerned:

Kombucha tea comes from China, where it has been brewed for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of years. It is purported to be a kind of "cure-all" tonic, and people who know and love it have story after story about what it has done to improve their health and their lives. What makes kombucha "work" is the fact that it is a living beverage, chock-full of probiotic (good bacteria) material. It is actually available, bottled, at most health-food, Whole-Foods type places. Here's an example of a bottle I purchased and drank at my local Kimberton Whole Foods store:

I highly recommend this flavor. Yum!

So why am I, specifically, interested in this beverage? Those of you who know me well, also know that I have quite the problem stomach. One of the main benefits ascribed to the consumption of probiotics is improved digestion and gastrointestinal function.

Plus, the homebrewing process appeals to both the science geek and culinary crafter in me ;)

*Phew!* Colby is relieved.

You can all go back to your regularly-scheduled Sunday naps, now (Colby in particular).

Kombucha: Take One

Today, I am trying my hand at brewing homemade kombucha. To rip off Wikipedia, kombucha is "a fermented tea that is quaffed for medicinal purposes. Kombucha is generally fermented using a visible solid mass of microorganisms called a 'kombucha culture'." There is a great post on how to do this over on Sustainable Table, check it out.

So where to start? First, I needed a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Luckily, due to the high rate of reproduction of these little slimy fellas, there are plenty of good-hearted souls looking to unload their extra SCOBY "babies" over on the Kombucha Exchange. To my surprise, one of the few PA volunteers lives in the next town over from me. How convenient! Within a few days of email, my new SCOBY had arrived home.

So now to make the tea. I decided to only make about a half gallon (in our one-gallon pickle jar), so as not to overwhelm my new SCOBY. I brewed up enough rooibos tea, added organic sugar and some vinegar, and let it cool. It took overnight, due to the heat (ugh). This morning, I added the SCOBY:


(Sorry for the lousy-lighting cellphone pics)

Here's a closer shot where you can kind of see the little disc of culture (the SCOBY):



So now the waiting begins! According to my research, it should take a week or so to ferment. Only time will tell...