COCONUT MUNCHIES - SIMPLE, SPEEDY AND DELICIOUS

Friends are coming round for tea and you haven't a cake or biscuit in the place, so try making these tasty munchies.

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

115g/4 oz icing sugar

115g/4 oz ground almonds

115g/4 oz desiccated coconut

few drops almond essence

75g/3oz sultanas or fine chopped glacé cherries

Pre-heat oven to 150˚C / 300˚F. Line baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

Whisk egg whites until stiff, fold in icing sugar and almonds. Add almond essence. Fold in coconut and sultanas/cherries.

Place heaped teaspoonfuls of mix onto the prepared sheet. Bake for 25 mins or until pale golden. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to wire rack.

Store in air-tight container for up to a week.

MARVELLOUS MILK, OR IS IT? from Sue

There's a debate going on now that we've discovered lactose intolerance. Is cow's milk as good for us as we've always thought? Once weaned why do we need milk? No other animal does. Yes, there is lots of protein in it which is good for building strong bones, but do we need the bones of a cow? We can get sufficient protein from other sources (see our food values chart - click on feed at top of the page). Milk can create digestive problems - could that be one of the reasons why some of us are constantly chewing Rennies? And what about what's in the milk we buy in the supermarket? It can contain traces of bovine growth hormone, antibiotics, steroids, insecticides and pesticides - all those drugs and chemicals so popular with farmers these days. If you buy organic milk, at least you shouldn't be at risk of consuming them too.
If you'd prefer to avoid cow's milk as much a possible, there are alternatives - almond and rice milk to name but two. Then there's soy, but I think it's best to keep consumption of soy to a minimum (see why here). If you have cereal for breakfast, try it with fruit juice - lushy.
Now there's evidence that goat's milk is better for humans than cow's, check out the Alternative Medicine directory list to find out the reasons.
All of this is not to deny that there are still those schools of thought that say cow's milk isn't a problem for human beings. If you want to follow the subject up, there are lots of web sites. In the meantime, here are two of our local cows, Peppermint and Orange.

Did you know this week is WORLD WEEK FOR ANIMALS IN LABS? To find out more about it, click on article by Alicia Graef for Care2 causes. Gary Francione's excellent book 'Introduction to Animal Rights' has a well-researched, non-emotional, non-fanatical chapter on vivisection for those who are particularly concerned about man's use of animals.

THE VIRTUES OF VINEGAR by Sue

There are literally hundreds of uses for vinegar and here are just a few random ones :

Acts as an antiseptic on cuts, scrapes and scratches (neat on a bit of cotton wool)
Soothes itching from stings and insect bites ( ditto)
Preserves cut flowers and perks up droopy ones (add 2 tbs & 1 tsp sugar to 1 quart water in vase)
Preserves colour, improves taste and reduces gas (later!) from boiled vegetables (add 1 tsp to water)
Preserves olives and pimentos (cover with vinegar and keep in jars in fridge)
Stops eggs from cracking when boiling (add 1 - 2 tbs to water)
Removes labels or price tags (soak a cloth in vinegar, cover label or tag and leave overnight)
Removes lime and mildew from bathroom surfaces, shower curtains and shower doors (wipe with undiluted vinegar and rinse off with water)
Cleans the loo up splendidly! (add a mugful of neat vinegar to water, leave to soak overnight. Scrub with loo brush and flush)

That plain-looking bottle can save you loadsa money and is far more eco than all those flashy products in the supermakets.

For more vinegar tips from Mart, check out comment below and for others click here.

* To check out delicious alternatives to Sue's nut and seed paté, click on label recipes (see top right) then scroll right down to the bottom of the page. Thank you to Mart for this contribution. *

THERE'S ALWAYS MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT

'SUSTAINABILITY IS LIVING ON NATURE'S INCOME RATHER THAN ITS CAPITAL'
Murray Gell-Mann, Nobel Prize-winning physicist

'WE SHOULD RECYCLE BECAUSE IF IT GETS TOO TRASHY, THE WORLD MIGHT DIE.'
Sonia, age 6

IT'S SPROUTING TIME AGAIN by Sue

Sprouted seeds contain lots of vitamins as well as protein, carbohydrates, minerals and oils - they're hugely nutritious. So, now the winter is fast receding, I've dug my seed sprouter out of the cupboard and it's back in action. Once again we can have mung, alfalfa, green lentil and azuki sprouts with our salad, in our sandwiches or our stir-fries. Sometimes just a handful as a snack is delicious. And mung sprouts with peeled grapes, mint leaves and vinaigrette with a little honey in the mix is absolutely scrumptious. Here's a pic of my sprouter in action.

But what if you haven't got a sprouter or haven't sprouted seeds before but would love to try? Well, here's what you can do. Find or buy 2 or 3 large kilner jars. Remove the fastening arrangements on the top and replace with a piece of muslin or net held down with a strong elastic band. That's your sprouter. Now, to do the actual business:
Take a half cupful of each of your chosen seeds and soak overnight (individually!) in plenty of cold water. In the morning, remove the muslin from the jars, rinse and drain the seeds and pour them into the jars. Replace muslin and lay the jars on their sides in a light'ish corner of your kitchen, not in direct sunlight. Rinse night and morning by pouring water through the muslin and shaking it out thoroughly holding tightly onto the muslin as you do so, make sure the seeds are well drained. Within days they will begin to sprout; mung and green lentils are pretty quick, so is alfalfa, azuki takes a bit longer. When fully sprouted, rinse again and drain well before using or storing in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last for several days.
There are lots of other seeds and grains you can sprout - check them out at this website which also suggests some interesting ways of incorporating the sprouts in your cooking. GOOD LUCK!