Practice Update: Montague Integrative Health – Grand Opening!

Dear Friends,

I am excited to announce that I have moved my practice from Greenfield to the lovely, centrally located village of Montague Center, where I am joining three other holistic practitioners to form Montague Integrative Health. Together, we look forward to providing high quality, comprehensive natural healthcare to the greater Pioneer Valley community. You can learn more about our group by visiting the "about me" page on my website, www.eat2evolve.com.

All local readers are warmly invited to attend our Open House tomorrow, Sunday November 9th from 2 to 5 PM at the offices of Montague Integrative Health, 432 Greenfield Road, Montague (adjacent to the Book Mill). Of course, we will be serving yummy raw, local and organic treats including my famous Raw Pumpkin Pie with Coconut-Date Pecan Crust, mulled cider from New Salem Preserves, Pierce Brothers coffee, assorted raw cheeses, Spicy Sunflower Chia Chips, Emily's fresh Eggplant Caponata, Nancy's Olive Oil Cookies and more!

Here's the recipe for my Chia Chips, which I developed as a way to use the pulp left over from juicing carrots. You probably could make this with any kind of juice pulp, provided it isn't too stringy (i.e. zucchini or cucumber as opposed to celery or kale). Feel free to substitue ground flax for chia, and mix up the seasonings as the spirit moves you – curry, pesto, jalapeno, whatever! I make this in a 9-tray Excalibur dehydrator. My beautiful, cobalt blue Kitchen Aid mixer does a super job of turning all the ingredients into a uniform dough. A big batch like this usually lasts a couple of weeks (unless it is being served at a grand opening celebration!)... Bon appetit!


SPICY SUNFLOWER CHIA CHIPS

INGREDIENTS

½ cup whole flaxseeds
1 ½ cups ground chia seed

½ large onion, minced
4 lg cloves garlic, minced
4 dried red chili peppers, minced
2 Tbs chipotle chili powder
2 Tbs dried basil
2 Tbs dried oregano
1 Tbs dried thyme
1 Tbs kelp powder
1 tsp sea salt

1 cup sunflower seeds
4 cups carrot pulp
4 Tbs wheat free tamari or nama shoyu (contains gluten)
1 cup minced fresh cilantro leaf and stem

DIRECTIONS

Combine flax and chia seeds in a large bowl. Cover with water and stir until as smooth as possible – it will clump up. Add more water to reach consistency of very thick paste. (Add more water if you want thinner chips, as the wetter dough will be easier to spread thin.) Stir well and allow to soak at least 15 minutes while you prepare other ingredients.

Combine minced onions, garlic and hot peppers. Add chili powder, basil, oregano, thyme, kelp powder and sea salt. Stir this mixture into the flax/chia seed paste and combine thoroughly. Add sunflower seeds, carrot pulp, tamari and cilantro, and combine thoroughly again. You can use a mixer if you like to help fully blend ingredients into a thick dough. Feel free to taste and adjust seasonings, but remember that all flavors–especially saltiness–will intensify as the crackers lose moisture and dry.

Line seven dehydrator trays with Paraflexx sheets or waxed paper. Divide dough evenly between the seven trays. One by one, spread each clump of dough into a flat square about 10 X 10 inches. Dampen your palms with water to facilitate spreading if needed. Once flat, I hold a chopstick against the sides and spread dough into edge to make a straight line. If you like, pre-score dough into chip shapes by lightly pressing a knife straight down into the flattened dough – for instance, 9 squares or 18 rectangles.

Put trays in dehydrator and dry at 105 degrees for 10-12 hours. Remove trays from dehydrator and one by one, place a mesh-lined tray on top of dry side of chip, flip trays upside down together, then peel off Paraflexx sheet to expose wet side. Return trays to dehydrator for another 10-12 hours or until chips are dry. Break along scores and store in airtight container; will keep for several weeks.