BRT Insights - WW Kayaking & Hiking

Dark Chocolate Nut Spread Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 17:09:00 +0000

Quick, simple, and healthy recipe for a chocolate spread that tastes great.

Ingredients:
2 cups (16 oz) nut or seed butter
4 to 6 tbs cocoa powder unsweetened
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1/2 tsp stevia powder concentrate

Instructions:
1. Pour off most or all of the clear oil that separates on the top of a jar of natural nut or seed butter.
2. Stir all the ingredients together.
3. Store in the refrigerator.

Variations:

Mexican chocolate recipe: add 2 tsp cinnamon and 2 tsp nutmeg to the recipe above.

Aztec chocolate recipe: add 2 tsp cayenne, 2 tsp cinnamon to the recipe above. Allow a few hours for the full flavor of the cayenne to be released. Carefully adjust cayenne amounts to suit your taste and the hotness of the cayenne you use.

Orange chocolate recipe: add fresh grated orange zest and 1 tbs orange extract to the recipe above.

Notes:
Commercial chocolate-nut spread tastes great, but this junk food contains sugar and palm oil which I prefer to avoid for a variety of health, nutritional and environmental reasons. In contrast, my homemade recipe contains no refined sugar, and only the healthy oil content from whatever nut or seed butter was used. This recipe is also low in sodium if you choose an unsalted nut or seed butter.

After pouring off most of the clear oil separated on the top, mixing, and consuming one or two servings of plain nut butter, then the chocolate and other ingredients can be simply stirred into the jar of store-bought nut or seed butter for maximum convenience and minimum dishwashing.

My homemade recipe amounts produce a spread that tastes like semi-sweet chocolate. Adjust all of the ingredient amounts as needed to suit your own tastes.

Stevia is a natural, noncaloric sweetener and flavor enhancer that is increasingly available in grocery stores or can be purchased online. You could also substitute whatever sugar or noncaloric sweetener you prefer.

Pouring off most of the oil separated at the top of the nut butter jar produces a thicker, stiffer spread. Later on you can very carefully add back oil if needed to achieve whatever degree of creaminess you desire. I like mine to be very thick and barely spreadable straight out of the refrigerator so that a very thick layer of chocolate spread on my wholegrain toast doesn't turn runny and melt too quickly. Add more cocoa powder if necessary to thicken the recipe.

Peanut butter is the lowest cost and most widely available, but a wide range of tree nut butters (e.g. almond, cashew) and seed butters (e.g. pumpkinseed, sunflowerseed, sesame/tahini) are available in stores or can be made at home using a food processor. All of the nut and seed butters are fairly good sources of protein (e.g. peanut butter nutritional value). Uniquely among the nut and seed butters walnut is a good source of omega-3 fat.

This recipe is a great way to enjoy the health benefits of dark chocolate without the sugar and less healthy fats found in chocolate candies. Many people with special dietary requirements (e.g. low sugar, low salt, etc.) can enjoy this guilt-free chocolate spread.

The Aztec Chocolate recipe adds the flavors of the traditional Olmec, Mayan and Aztec chocolatl/xocoatl drink into the nut spread recipe. See more about chili pepper nutritional benefits.

People with allergies to tree nuts and/or peanuts may be able to enjoy the recipe if its made with a seed butter instead. If you put the recipe in your own container with your own label make sure to identify the type of nut or seed butter used because some people are deathly allergic to certain kinds of nuts.

Please share this recipe with everybody you know who loves chocolate !! Forward the link via email and/or share the link on your Facebook.

Please post your comments, questions and recipe modifications here. Thanks !!

Hiking in Sonoma County, CA - Map to the Trailheads.

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 23:33:00 +0000

Here is a set of online interactive maps to the hiking trails of Sonoma County, California. Zoom in and zoom out on the road map, satellite map, terrain map and topographic map to help plan your drive to the trailheads and your hiking and mountain biking trips on the trails.

Sonoma County Trailhead Maps.

Sonoma County Trailheads.

• Full-Screen online driving map - Sonoma County Trailheads.

Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.45666 W 122.63894 - Annadel State Park (A)
N 38.54121 W 123.00854 - Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve (B)
N 38.44433 W 122.87716 - Atascadero Creek Marsh Ecological Reserve (C)
N 38.57241 W 123.05076 - Austin Creek State Recreation Area (D)
N 38.80293 W 122.74806 - Cobb Mountain - Southwest Peak. (E)
N 38.52452 W 123.23071 - Fort Ross State Historic Park (F)
N 38.45884 W 122.55142 - Hood Mountain Regional Park (G)
N 38.34852 W 122.55713 - Jack London State Historic Park (H)
N 38.71980 W 123.00018 - Lake Sonoma Wildlife Area (I)
N 38.21481 W 122.33187 - Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area (J)
N 38.55513 W 122.63878 - Petrified Forest (K)
N 38.65275 W 122.59992 - Robert Louis Stevenson State Park (L)
N 38.56671 W 123.32470 - Salt Point State Park (M)
N 38.15341 W 122.43611 - San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge (N)
N 38.44911 W 123.11524 - Sonoma Coast State Park (O)
N 38.44266 W 122.53312 - Sugarloaf Ridge State Park & Sonoma Creek Falls (P)

Driving Directions

Upcoming Events at Point Reyes National Seashore, Fall 2013

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 22:20:00 +0000

• Volunteer on Horse Trail at Bear Valley to fill in trail with rock and other tasks. Saturday, September 7, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm

• Free Nature Walk: Drake's Beach Geology with John Karachewski Saturday, September 21, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

• Trails Challenge Celebration Walk and BBQ - let's celebrate your efforts together! Saturday, October 19, 10:30 am - 2:30 pm

To learn more or to RSVP contact:
phone: (415) 663.1200 x304
email: trailschallenge@ptreyes.org

See you on the trail,
Jessica Taylor
Trails Challenger, Coordinator and Caretaker
Point Reyes National Seashore Association, 1 Bear Valley Rd, Bldg 70, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

P.S. It's not too late to have friends and family register for the Point Reyes Trail Challenge, so keep up the good work and
help us share the Challenge through social media, email and be sure to invite people to walk with you! Thanks again!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
More Point Reyes Information: Maps, Hiking Guide, Trail Checklist, Trail Conditions, Hiking in the Park, Horses in the Park, Camping in the Park, Dogs in the Park, Bikes in the Park, Benefits of Hiking, Healthy Parks.

Learn about a new outdoor app called YONDER for your iPhone

Demolition of San Clemente Dam on the Carmel River - Monterey County, California, USA

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 21:36:00 +0000

Carmel River restoration to be completed in fall 2015

"A 92-year-old dam that's been in danger of collapse for decades is slated for demolition this summer, the largest dam to come down in California history. The $83 million, 28-month tear down is prompting hopes that the 36-mile waterway once listed among "America's Top Ten Most Endangered Rivers" might someday be restored to the quiet, clear ribbon that flowed from forested mountains to the Monterey Bay." "'The irony is that people think they're living in the most beautiful place in the world, where they think they can just build and build, but they have no idea where their water comes from, and they're blind to their impact on this finite resource, the Carmel River,' said author and journalist Ray A. March, whose 2012 book 'River in Ruin: The Story of the Carmel River' documents the damage."
(California's San Clemente Dam removal project groundbreaking - SJ Mercury News 21june2013 and Sacramento Bee)

"When San Clemente Dam was built in 1921, the curved arch structure was a key source of water for growing Monterey Peninsula towns. But now it's obsolete and ... its reservoir is so silted up with sand and gravel that it hasn't been used to supply water since 2002. ... construction crews on Friday were to begin a three-year, $84 million project to tear down the hulking landmark - California's largest dam-removal project ever. The work will open up 25 miles of upstream tributaries and creeks so endangered steelhead trout can return to their historical spawning grounds."
(San Clemente Dam removal project on the Carmel River - SJ Mercury News 21june2013 and Sacramento Bee)

San Clemente Dam and Carmel River Maps.

Hiking in Napa County, CA - Map to the Trailheads.

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:01:00 +0000

Here is a set of online interactive maps to the hiking trails of Napa County, California. Zoom in and zoom out on the road map, satellite map, terrain map and topographic map to help plan your drive to the trailheads and your hiking and mountain biking trips on the trails.

Napa County Trailhead Maps.

• Map book: California Maps - Atlas and Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.

Napa County Trailheads - North.

• Full-Screen online driving map - northern Napa County Trailheads.

Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.54118 W 122.50889 - Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park (A)
N 38.55337 W 122.52580 - Bothe-Napa Valley State Park (B)
N 38.63772 W 122.34607 - Cedar Roughs Wildlife Area - Maxwell Ck Trail (C)
N 38.62716 W 122.32663 - Cedar Roughs Wildlife Area (D)
N 38.57347 W 122.46155 - Devils Punchbowl Falls (E)
N 38.70318 W 122.26615 - Knoxville Wildlife Area - Berryessa Peak Trail (F)
N 38.79614 W 122.30212 - Knoxville Wildlife Area - Long Canyon Trail (G)
N 38.75197 W 122.28337 - Knoxville Wildlife Area - Zim Zim Falls Trail (H)
N 38.63427 W 122.28822 - Lake Berryessa North Shore Trail (I)
N 38.62525 W 122.32371 - Lake Berryessa Pope Canyon Trail (J)
N 38.57575 W 122.24509 - Lake Berryessa Smittle Creek Trail (K)
N 38.68042 W 122.26204 - Lake Berryessa Wildlife Area (L)
N 38.56459 W 122.42078 - Las Posadas State Forest (M)
N 38.64734 W 122.52563 - Oat Hill Mine Trail - Aetna Springs (N) (upper end)
N 38.58929 W 122.57755 - Oat Hill Mine Trail - Calistoga (O) (lower end)
N 38.55159 W 122.65055 - Petrified Forest (P)
N 38.65261 W 122.60056 - Robert Louis Stevenson State Park (Memorial Trail, Table Rock Trail) (Q)

Napa County Trailheads - South.

• Full-Screen online driving map - southern Napa County Trailheads.

Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.32304 W 122.33270 - Alston Park (A)
N 38.18099 W 122.27249 - American Canyon Wetlands Trail (B)
N 38.50200 W 122.38117 - Lake Hennessey City Recreation Area (C)
N 38.50825 W 122.35452 - Moore Creek Park (D)
N 38.41708 W 122.35345 - Napa River Ecological Reserve (E)
N 38.32482 W 122.28446 - Napa River Trail north end (F)
N 38.26308 W 122.28392 - Napa River Trail south end (G)
N 38.18241 W 122.23766 - Newell Open Space Preserve (H)
N 38.43517 W 122.34804 - Rector Reservoir Wildlife Area (I)
N 38.26537 W 122.28271 - River to Ridge Trail (J)
N 38.27949 W 122.24839 - Skyline Wilderness Park (K)
N 38.30331 W 122.34972 - Timberhill Park (L)
N 38.30280 W 122.31946 - Westwood Hills Park (M)

Driving Directions

Google Maps provide directions, distance and driving time from your house to the trailheads. Locations can be specified by geographic coordinates or by the name of a city, town or landmark. Click and drag the gold figurine onto the map to see a panoramic StreetView of your destination, critical turns along your route, scenery along the way, etc.

See also:
• Trailhead maps for California counties - BRT Insights.
• Hiking and biking trip reports - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Directory - BRT Insights.

Tags: hiking, mountain biking, trail, trailhead, Napa County, near Napa CA, near St Helena CA, near Calistoga CA, California.
Tags: Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, Berryessa Peak Trail, Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, Cedar Roughs Trail, Devils Punchbowl Falls, Dollarhide Rd Maxwell Ck Trail, Lake Berryessa North Shore Trail, Lake Berryessa Wildlife Area, Lake Hennessey City Recreation Area, Las Posadas State Forest, Long Canyon Trail, Napa River at Yountville Crossroads, Newell Open Space Preserve, Oat Hill Mine Trail, Pope Canyon Trail, Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, Skyline Wilderness Park, American Canyon Wetlands Trail, Napa River Trail, Petrified Forest, Rector Reservoir Wildlife Area, River to Ridge Trail, Timberhill Park, Westwood Hills Park, Smittle Creek Trail, Zim Zim Falls Trail, Moore Creek Park.

Hiking in Sacramento County, CA - Map to the Trailheads.

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Sun, 12 May 2013 18:32:00 +0000

Here is a set of online interactive maps to the hiking trails of Sacramento County, California. Zoom in and zoom out on the road map, satellite map, terrain map and topographic map to help plan your drive to the trailheads and your hiking and mountain biking trips on the trails.

Sacramento County Trailhead Maps.

Driving Directions

Google Maps provide directions, distance & driving time from your house to the trailheads. Locations can be specified by geographic coordinates or by the name of a city, town or landmark. Click and drag the gold figurine onto the map to see a panoramic StreetView of your destination, critical turns along your route, scenery along the way, etc.

See also:
• Trailhead maps for California counties - BRT Insights.
• Hiking & biking trip reports - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Directory - BRT Insights.

Tags: hiking, mountain biking, trail, trailhead, Sacramento County, California.
Tags: American River Parkway, Cosumnes River Preserve, Deer Creek Hills, Dry Creek Parkway, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, Humbug Willow Creek Trail, Mather Regional Park, Rancho Seco Howard Ranch Trail, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.

Trailhead maps for hiking and mountain biking in California (subtopic)

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:39:00 +0000

Maps to the Trailheads

Road maps, satellite maps, terrain maps and topographic maps provide good trip planning resources. In some cases the trail will be visible by zooming in on the topographic map.

• Colusa County trailheads.

• Napa County trailheads.

• Sacramento County trailheads.

• Solano County trailheads.

• Sonoma County trailheads.

• Yolo County trailheads.

Driving Directions

Hiking in Colusa County, California - Map to the Trailheads.

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:40:00 +0000

Hiking trails of Colusa County, CA are located on this online interactive map. Plan your drive to the trailheads and your hiking and mountain biking trips on the trails by zooming in and out on the road map, satellite map, terrain map and topographic map.

Colusa County Trailhead Maps.

• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Click on the spinning globe to minimize the green box.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online driving map - Colusa County Trailheads.

Geographic Coordinates - Colusa County Trailheads (Marker)
N 39.07101 W 122.40980 - Bear Valley (A)
N 38.94114 W 122.34095 - Billy's Hill to Cortina Ridge (B)
N 38.94750 W 122.34860 - Brophy Canyon Trail (C)
N 39.00878 W 122.41482 - Cache Creek Ridge Trail North (D)
N 38.92660 W 122.33259 - Cache Creek Ridge Trail South (E)
N 39.19535 W 122.04094 - Colusa National Wildlife Refuge (F)
N 39.22215 W 122.01555 - Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area (G)
N 39.24184 W 121.99448 - Colusa Weir Recreation Area (H)
N 38.99858 W 122.35431 - Craig Canyon Thompson Canyon Trail (I)
N 39.33556 W 122.70338 - Dixie Glade Trail Snow Mountain Wilderness (J)
N 38.95688 W 122.34372 - High Bridge Trail (K)
N 39.00467 W 122.39128 - Lynch Canyon Trail (L)
N 39.06905 W 122.48159 - Signal Rock Eagle Rock Loop Trail (M)

See nearby:
• Trailheads in Yolo County CA - BRT Insights.
• Trailheads in Solano County CA - BRT Insights.

For more information:
• Hiking, Mountain Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Trails Directory - BRT Insights.
• Hiking Trails in California - Davis Wiki.

Tags: hiking, mountain biking, trail, Colusa County, California.
Tags: Colusa County CA, trailhead, Bear Valley, Billy's Hill to Cortina Ridge Trail, Brophy Canyon Trail, Cache Creek Ridge Trail, Cache Creek Ridge Trail, Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area, Colusa Weir Recreation Area, Craig Canyon Trail, Thompson Canyon Trail, Dixie Glade Trail, Snow Mountain Wilderness, High Bridge Trail, Lynch Canyon Trail, Signal Rock Eagle Rock Loop Trail.

Hiking in Yolo County, CA - Map to the Trailheads

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 02:04:00 +0000

The hiking trails of Yolo County, California are located on this online interactive map. Zoom in and zoom out on the road map, satellite map, terrain map and topographic map to help plan your drive to the trailheads and your hiking and mountain biking trips on the trails.

Yolo County Trailhead Maps.

• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online driving map - Yolo County Trailheads.

Geographic Coordinates - Trailheads (Marker)
N 38.52996 W 121.76259 - Arboretum at UC Davis (A)
N 38.69108 W 121.87191 - Cache Creek Nature Preserve (B)
N 38.90860 W 122.31184 - Cache Creek Regional Park Lower Site (C)
Trailhead for: Frog Pond Trail, Rayhouse Road, Fiske Creek Trail, Blue Ridge Trail
N 38.59064 W 121.67685 - Davis Wetlands (D)
N 38.75897 W 121.66785 - Fremont Weir State Wildlife Area (E)
N 38.49493 W 121.69552 - Grasslands Regional Park (F)
N 38.87146 W 122.38207 - Little Blue Peak (G)
N 38.82142 W 122.20865 - Pierce Canyon Falls Trail (H)
N 38.52081 W 121.96751 - Putah Creek Parkway (I)
N 38.52695 W 121.80362 - Putah Creek Riparian Reserve (J)
N 38.51752 W 121.69484 - Putah Creek South Fork Preserve (K)
N 38.60284 W 121.55575 - Sacramento Bypass Wildlife Area (L)
N 38.90938 W 122.26579 - Valley Vista Regional Park (M)
N 38.56139 W 121.63805 - Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (N)

See nearby:
• Trailheads in Solano County CA - BRT Insights.
• Colusa County Trailheads Map - BRT Insights

For more information:
• Hiking, Mountain Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Trails Directory - BRT Insights.
• Hiking Trails in California - Davis Wiki.

Tags: hiking, mountain biking, trail, Yolo County, California.
Tags: Yolo County CA, trailhead, Arboretum at UC Davis, Cache Creek Nature Preserve, Cache Creek Regional Park Lower Site, Frog Pond Trail, Rayhouse Road, Fiske Creek Trail, Blue Ridge Trail, Davis Wetlands, Fremont Weir State Wildlife Area, Grasslands Regional Park, Little Blue Peak, Pierce Canyon Falls Trail, Putah Creek Parkway, Putah Creek Riparian Reserve, Putah Creek South Fork Preserve, Sacramento Bypass Wildlife Area, Valley Vista Regional Park, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area.

Pierce Canyon Falls Trail mountain biking & hiking, Yolo County, California

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:48:00 +0000

JimH & I met in Winters, CA and got deli sandwiches at Town & Country Market. We drove to Guinda, CA in Capay Valley and then to the Pierce Canyon Falls Trailhead (A). We parked along the road just outside of the no parking zone.

Pierce Canyon Falls Trail Maps.

• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• Click on the spinning globe to minimize the green box.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online driving map - Pierce Canyon Falls Trail.

Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.82142 W 122.20865 - Pierce Canyon Falls trailhead (A) (elevation 440 ft)
N 38.81122 W 122.22462 - Bridge over the creek (B)
N 38.80085 W 122.23123 - Pierce Canyon Falls viewpoint (C)
N 38.78942 W 122.24144 - End of County Road 53 (D) (elevation 1800 ft)

Hiking/Biking the Pierce Canyon Falls Trail

The trail (County Road 53) climbs steadily upward from Capay Valley up into the hills to the west. This gravel road is closed to traffic except for the local landowners and is really a nice place for a bike/hike. The ranch at the trailhead has some longhorn cattle that are very cool. Our mountain bikes got us through the first part of the trail just beyond the bridge over the creek (B). As the trail got steeper biking uphill became slower and harder than walking, so we parked the bikes and hiked the rest of the way.

Click on the photos to see the larger view. Use the back button to return.

In some places the road is nicely shaded by overhanging trees, but it is exposed for most of the way. We saw a succession of many different types of wildflowers as we climbed to higher elevations. The trail also provided some excellent landscape views back down to the Capay Valley and the Capay Hills to the east. Along the way I ate my homemade cranberry walnut granola bars and drank my PowerT hydration energy drink. We had a nice cool day with intermittent light drizzle that provided soft light and interesting skies that were great for photography. Although there was also a little rain there the day before we found almost no flow in the creek and nothing much to see at Pierce Canyon Falls (C).

We stopped for lunch on the tiny bridge at the end of County Road 53 (D) and ate our deli sandwiches. On the way back the rain stopped and we had nice sunny skies. At the beginning of the day I started thinking that bringing the bikes might have been a mistake, but at the end of the day biking downhill through the last section back to the trailhead was really great.

More photos:
• BRT photos - Pierce Canyon Falls April 1, 2013
• Pierce Canyon photos - JimH 01april2013

Slideshow:

Coming Home

On the way home we stopped at the Corner Store in Guinda, CA to get some chocolate milk recovery drinks.

The day after the hike I'm really glad we made it all the way to the end of the road, but my aching feet are saying that we should have turned back at the falls. Clearly I didn't do enough homework on the topographic map before going on this hike. I walked way too many miles in my flimsy shoes that I thought would be used mostly for biking.

Additional information:
• Hiking Trails in Yolo County - Davis Wiki.
• Hiking, Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot A490. Photos edited with IrfanView.

Tags: hiking, mountain biking, trail, Pierce Canyon Falls, Yolo County, California, Guinda CA.

Lake Solano County Park hiking trails, Solano County, California

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

JimH and I drove out to Lake Solano County Park for a bit of early spring hiking.

Lake Solano County Park Maps.

• Download map: Shoreline Trail Map, Shoreline InterpretiveTrail Map.
• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• Click on the spinning globe to minimize the green box.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online driving map - Lake Solano County Park.

Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.49234 W 122.02904 - Lake Solano County Park day use entrance (A)
N 38.49287 W 122.02834 - Boathouse (B)
N 38.49033 W 122.02077 - East end of lakeside trail (C)
N 38.49019 W 122.02264 - End of park main road (D)
N 38.49009 W 122.02850 - Shoreline Trail area (E)
N 38.49253 W 122.02935 - Lake Solano County Park campground entrance (F)
N 38.49302 W 122.02976 - Lake Solano Nature Center (G)
N 38.49664 W 122.03564 - End of Shoreline Interpretive Trail (H)
N 38.52142 W 121.97014 - El Pueblo Meat Market & Deli (I)

Parkinfo map:
• Full screen view of Parkinfo map of Lake Solano County Park

Click on the photos to see the larger view. Use the back button to return.

img 3268 Canada Geese

img 3300 Fruit tree in bloom.

img 3339 Shoreline Trail Map

Birdwatching and Wildflowers at Lake Solano County Park

We entered the day use section (A) and parked near the boathouse (B). Hiking the trail east along the south side of Lake Solano we saw lots of ducks, geese and other birds (C). Then we wandered around in the Shoreline Trail area for a while, sometimes walking on the trail and sometimes not (E). Spring wildflowers were starting to bloom and we also got some good views of the landscape.

Crossing over to the campground side of the park (F) we saw the nature center (G) and hiked the Shoreline Interpretive Trail (H). Along the way we saw a few of the famous Lake Solano peacocks.

img 3349 Famous Lake Solano Peacock.

img 3360 Shoreline Interpretive Trail Map.

Overall I was impressed. This is definitely a great little half-day hiking area, or possible longer depending upon how much time you spend birdwatching, photographing wildflowers and gazing at the scenery.

See more photos:
• Lake Solano March 3, 2013 - BRT
• Lake Solano photos - JimH 03march2013

Lake Solano County Park Birdwatching and Birdlistening Video

(Turn up your volume to hear the audio at the end.)

Coming Home

On the way home we got some excellent tacos, chips and salsa at El Pueblo Meat Market & Deli in Winters, CA.

Additional information:
• Hiking Trails in Solano County - Vacaville Wiki.
• Hiking, Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot A490. Photos edited with IrfanView.

Tags: hiking, trail, wildflowers, birdwatching, Lake Solano County Park, Solano County, California, Winters CA.

Hiking in Solano County, California - Map to the Trailheads.

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:13:00 +0000

Here is a set of online interactive maps to the hiking trails of Solano County, CA. Zoom in and zoom out on the road map, satellite map, terrain map and topographic map to help plan your drive to the trailheads and your hiking and mountain biking trips on the trails.

Solano County Trailhead Maps.

• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online driving map - Solano County Trailheads.

Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.07111 W 122.19305 - Benicia State Recreation Area (A)
N 38.12591 W 122.18994 - Blue Rock Springs Park (B)
N 38.06732 W 122.20831 - Glen Cove Waterfront Park (C)
N 38.07908 W 122.10505 - Grizzly Island Wildlife Area (D)
N 38.16839 W 122.19905 - Hiddenbrooke Trail (E)
N 38.23983 W 122.02030 - Hill Slough Wildlife Area (F)
N 38.27528 W 121.82370 - Jepson Prairie Reserve (G)
N 38.33317 W 122.00935 - Lagoon Valley Park (H)
N 38.09823 W 122.15836 - Lake Herman Preserve (I)
N 38.49276 W 122.02854 - Lake Solano County Park (J)
N 38.18586 W 122.18251 - Lynch Canyon Open Space (K)
N 38.08130 W 122.25633 - Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve (L)
N 38.40020 W 122.10608 - Mount Vaca (M)
N 38.15562 W 122.40400 - Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area (N)
N 38.51728 W 121.75581 - Putah Creek Riparian Reserve (O)
N 38.24627 W 122.14188 - Rockville Hills Regional Park (P)
N 38.20983 W 122.02515 - Rush Ranch (Q)
N 38.14066 W 121.69591 - Sandy Beach County Park (R)
N 38.14536 W 122.39575 - San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge (S)
N 38.50902 W 122.09707 - Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve (T)
N 38.12193 W 122.22247 - Vallejo Benicia Buffer (U)

For more information:
• Hiking, Mountain Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• California Hiking Trails Directory - BRT Insights.
• Hiking Trails in California - Davis Wiki.

Tags: hiking, mountain biking, trail, Solano County, California.
Tags: Benicia State Recreation Area, Blue Rock Springs Park, Glen Cove Waterfront Park, Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, Hiddenbrooke Trail, Hill Slough Wildlife Area, Jepson Prairie Reserve, Lagoon Valley Park, Lake Herman Preserve, Lake Solano County Park, Lynch Canyon Open Space, Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve, Mount Vaca, Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area, Putah Creek Riparian Reserve, Rockville Hills Regional Park, Rush Ranch, Sandy Beach County Park, San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, Vallejo Benicia Buffer, Solano County CA.

Black Dragon Brewery, Woodland, CA (Yolo County)

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:33:00 +0000

On our way back from biking at Fremont Weir Wildlife Area JimH & I stopped at Black Dragon Brewery for lunch. Drakemic Imperial Stout and the Wanderer's Lunch were both excellent!

Black Dragon Brewery Map.

2940 - Black Dragon Brewery

2944 - Beers on tap.

2951 - Black Dragon Brewery

2956 - Lunch.

More photos:
JimH photo - Black Dragon Brewery
BRT photos - Black Dragon Brewery

On our way home we took a short detour to cruise past local landmark Reiff's Antique Gas Station Museum.

Tags: Black Dragon Brewery, Woodland CA, Yolo County, California.

Fremont Weir Wildlife Area - mountain biking in Sutter and Yolo Counties, California

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:30:00 +0000

JimH & I drove out to Fremont Weir Wildlife Area (6 miles north-east of Woodland, CA) to explore by mountain biking. Sacramento River was at a level of 17.5 feet which is 16 feet below the top of the weir.

Fremont Weir Wildlife Area Maps.

• Download map: Fremont Weir Wildlife Area Map PDF. Driving Map PDF.
• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online driving map - Fremont Weir Wildlife Area.

Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.75897 W 121.66785 - trailhead and parking (A)
N 38.75906 W 121.66546 - Fremont Weir west end (B)
N 38.76470 W 121.63552 - Fremont Weir east end (C)

Click on the photos to see the larger view. Use the back button to return.

2910 - Fremont Weir

Biking at Fremont Weir Wildlife Area

The road along the west side of the wildlife area is private. We made a cross-country loop through the north-west corner of the wildlife area. When some lakes blocked our progress we went north to the weir and proceeded east on the 2-track dirt road on the north side of the weir. Biking along the weir provided easy biking, great views of the landscape to the south and occasional views of the Sacramento River to the north. We stopped to eat some homemade cranberry walnut granola bars and have some of my PowerT Energy Drink recipe.

Once we got to the east end of the weir we got on the dirt road on the top of the levee. We explored about a mile to the north on Rd 107. This part of the levee road provides scenic views of the river on the left and farmland on the right. There are many more miles of scenic levee road that we can explore maybe next time. Then we went south on County Rd 16 on top of the levee to see the east side of the wildlife area. Cross-country travel into the center of the wildlife area was blocked by a long narrow lake paralleling the levee, but the scenery from the top of the levee was fine. On the way back north we took a path down at lake level. Then we retraced our path along the weir to get back to Jim's truck at the entrance.

Despite the small size of the wildlife area we saw quite a bit of wildlife. We saw 3 different groups of deer, lots of small birds, a few raptors, a flock of quail, a great blue heron and some small ducks. The first few wildflowers of spring were blooming.

2919 - Sacramento River

2932 - Rd 107 Levee Road

2937 - view from County Rd 16

More photos:
• JimH photos at Fremont Weir Wildlife Area
• BRT photos at Fremont Weir Wildlife Area

Slideshow:

Coming Home

On the way home we stopped for an excellent lunch at Black Dragon Brewery in Woodland, CA. See the BlackDragon Brewery trip report.

Additional information:
• Hiking Trails in California - Davis Wiki.
• Hiking, Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot A490. Photos edited with IrfanView and Windows Live Movie Maker.

Tags: mountain biking, trail, Fremont Weir Wildlife Area, Sutter County, Yolo County, California.

Cache Creek Nature Preserve hiking trail, Yolo County, California

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:08:00 +0000

JimH & I met at Cache Creek Nature Preserve (just a few miles west of Woodland, CA) for a bit of easy hiking close to home.

Cache Creek Nature Preserve Trail Maps.

• Download map: CCNP Trail Map. CCNP Audio Tour map.
• Map book: California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online driving map - Cache Creek Nature Preserve.

Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.69108 W 121.87191 - Cache Creek Nature Preserve (A)
N 38.67790 W 121.83410 - T & Y Strawberry Patch produce stand (B)
N 38.68136 W 121.96767 - La Plazita Taqueria (C)

• Full-Screen online satellite map - Cache Creek Nature Preserve.

Geographic Coordinates - Landmarks (Marker)
N 38.68975 W 121.87323 - wetland overlook (A)
N 38.68898 W 121.87524 - Tending & Gathering Garden (B)
N 38.68853 W 121.87225 - Cache Creek access (C)
N 38.68982 W 121.87070 - oak savannah and footbridge (D)
N 38.68960 W 121.87111 - Memorial Grove and Amphitheatre (E)
N 38.68989 W 121.87202 - Redwood Barn (F)
N 38.68961 W 121.87289 - Visitor Center (G)

Hiking the Audio Tour Trail

The audio tour trail is a short loop (~1 mile) around the middle of the preserve. At 6 stops along the trail the audio provides information about the history and ecology of the preserve and the surrounding area. The big wetlands pond area didn't have many waterbirds when we were there, but the views of the landscape were nice.

We stopped by Cache Creek to eat some dried watermelon jerky and pumpkin spice homemade granola bars. At a minimal flow of 90 cubic feet per second (Cache Creek flow gauge at Rumsey) lots of sand and gravel bars were exposed on the sides of the creek. The water might have been just barely deep enough for a gentle canoe or kayak trip, but more flow would be better for boating.

The audio tour ended at the historic redwood barn where there are many antique farm machines on display.

The Visitor Center has a nice taxidermy display of wildlife native to the area.

Click on the photos to see the larger view. Use the back button to return.

IMG 2828 - Wetlands

IMG 2874 - Cache Creek at 90 cfs

IMG 2882 - Historic Redwood Barn

IMG 2894 - Great Horned Owl

More photos:
Cache Creek Nature Preserve - JimH photos
Cache Creek Nature Preserve - BRT photos

Slideshow:

Coming Home

On the way home I stopped at T & Y Strawberry Patch produce stand (see map above) and got some great fruits and vegetables.

Additional information:
• Hiking Trails in California - Davis Wiki.
• Hiking, Biking & Camping Trip Reports & Photos - BRT Insights.
• Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot A490. Photos edited with IrfanView and Pixtra PanoStitcher software.

Tags: hiking, trail, Cache Creek Nature Preserve, Yolo County, California.

Pumpkin Spice Granola Fiber Bars homemade in my food dehydrator

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 04:16:00 +0000

These pumpkin flax oatmeal bars are rich in protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A.

This recipe was inspired by the recipe from tasty-yummies blog.
1 cup golden flax seed, freshly ground
1-2 cups pumpkin puree (or garnet yam, sweet potato, etc.)
1/2 cup oatmeal (or sunflower seeds)
1 tbs pumpkin pie spice mix (contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice)
1 tbs vanilla extract
water as needed to make a spreadable batter

The batter was spread on a solid dehydrator tray and was dried in the food dehydrator for a few hours. Then it was moved to a screen tray, enabling the drying to continue on both sides. When drying was complete the homemade granola bars were cut, sealed in plastic storage bags and kept in the refrigerator. These bars can also be oven baked as described in tasty-yummies blog. These healthy homemade granola bars are raw, wheat-free, gluten-free, and provide a lot of protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids (flaxseed nutrition facts) and vitamin A (pumpkin nutrition facts). Pumpkin spice granola bars are a great healthy snack to eat while hiking. They are also good warmed up in the toaster for breakfast.

Pumpkin spice batter partially dried on a solid dehydrator tray.

Pumpkin spice bars after dehydration and ready to eat.

More information:
• Dehydrated foods for Indoor Snacks and Outdoor Activities - BRT Insights.
• Garlic rosemary flaxseed crackers made in my food dehydrator.
• Cranberry Walnut Flaxseed Cracker recipe made in my food dehydrator.
• Banana flax crackers and banana walnut crackers, omega-3 fatty acid nutrition.
• Raw Flaxseed Crackers made in my Food Dehydrator.

Tags: pumpkin spice bar, food dehydrator, healthy snack foods, homemade snacks, snack food recipe, tv snacks.
Tags: granola flax bar, homemade granola bar, omega-3, raw vegan, wheat-free, gluten-free.

Garlic rosemary flaxseed crackers made in my food dehydrator

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 04:20:00 +0000

Savory crackers made with nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese can also be baked in the oven

This recipe was modified from fiddleheadscuisine blog.
1 cup golden flaxseed, freshly ground in a coffee grinder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (or 1/4 cup ground parmesan cheese)
1/2 tsp lite salt
1 tbs fresh rosemary
1/2 tbs garlic powder
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup water, plus a little more to make a spreadable batter
The batter was spread on a solid dehydrator tray. The crackers were dried in the food dehydrator for a few hours and then flipped onto a screen tray, enabling the cracker to continue drying from both sides for the remaining hours. When drying was complete the crackers were cut, sealed in plastic storage bags and kept in the refrigerator. For those who don't have a food dehydrator these crackers can be oven baked as described in fiddleheadscuisine blog. These flaxseed crackers are a good source of the omega-3 fatty acid nutrition that is so often deficient in typical western diets.

Garlic rosemary flax batter spread on a solid dehydrator tray.

Garlic rosemary flax crackers after dehydration, cut and ready to eat.

Nutritional Yeast or Parmesan Cheese provides the yum-yum factor

Nutritional yeast provides a savory, nutty, cheesy flavor (Bea Rue blog) comprised of protein and b-vitamins (Nutrition Facts).

Parmesan cheese provides real cheese flavor comprised of mostly protein and fat, including a lot of saturated fat (Nutrition Facts).

More information:
• Banana flax crackers and banana walnut crackers, omega-3 fatty acid nutrition.
• Cranberry Walnut Flax Granola Bar recipe made in my food dehydrator.
• Raw Flaxseed Crackers made in my Food Dehydrator.
• Dehydrated foods for Indoor Snacks and Outdoor Activities - BRT Insights.

Tags: flaxseed crackers, food dehydrator, healthy snack foods, homemade snacks, snack food recipe, tv snacks.
Tags: flaxseed crackers, nutritional yeast, omega-3, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, raw vegan, wheat-free, gluten-free.

Banana flax crackers and banana walnut crackers made in my food dehydrator

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 20:04:00 +0000

These raw dried crackers are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Banana Flax Cracker Recipe

Banana flax crackers are simply made by mixing 1/2 cup flaxseeds with the puree from one banana and then dehydrating. The recipe is even better with a little lemon juice added. This adds a little zip to the flavor and should help reduce browning of the banana. In this recipe the banana puree provides the glue that holds the flaxseeds together to form the cracker. I spooned the batter onto a solid dehydrator tray lubricated with Crisco Canola Oil with Omega-3 supplement. The crackers were dried for a few hours and then transferred to a screen tray to complete the drying. Any flaxseeds that are not thoroughly chewed when eating may pass through our bodies undigested, so much of the nutrition potential of the flaxseeds may be lost.

Banana flaxseed batter on a solid dehydrator tray.

Banana flaxseed crackers after dehydration.

Banana Walnut Cracker Recipe

I made banana walnut crackers by replacing the flaxseeds in the recipe above with chopped walnuts. Coarsely chopped walnuts produced thick crackers that looked more like cookies, but they tasted great! Finely chopped walnuts could be used to make a thinner cracker that would dehydrate faster. The banana lemon walnut crackers did turn somewhat brown during dehydration, so more lemon juice must be needed to prevent the browning reaction.

Banana walnut cracker batter on a solid dehydrator tray.

Banana lemon walnut crackers after dehydration.

I added 1/4 tsp of ascorbic acid powder (= vitamin C) to the next batch of banana walnut cookies and eliminated the browning problem.

Banana ascorbic acid walnut crackers after dehydration.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Nutrition.

Oh Mega: Part I, Part II and Part III describes why we all should be watching the omega-3 vs omega-6 fats in our diets. All of us who don't eat a lot of oily fish (salmon, sardines, herring) need to get our omega-3 nutrition from plant sources. Flaxseed and walnuts are two of the best plant sources for omega-3 fatty acids (flaxseed nutritional value)(walnut nutritional value). On those days when I don't eat fish I plan to eat some banana walnut crackers or flaxseed crackers to be sure I get the omega-3 nutrition that I need.

More information:
• Garlic rosemary flaxseed crackers made in my food dehydrator.
• Raw Flaxseed Crackers made in my Food Dehydrator.
• Cranberry Walnut Flax Granola Bar recipe made in my food dehydrator.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Your Nutrition Questions Answered - Harvard School of Public Health
• Discovery Health - Top 10 Foods High in Omega-3
• Dehydrated foods for Indoor Snacks and Outdoor Activities - BRT Insights.

Tags: flaxseed crackers, banana flaxseed crackers, food dehydrator, homemade snacks, snack food recipe, healthy snack foods, tv snacks.
Tags: banana walnut cracker, flaxseed crackers, omega-3, raw vegan, wheat-free, gluten-free, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers.

Cranberry Walnut Flax Granola Bar recipe made in my food dehydrator

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 22:18:00 +0000

Here is an upgrade of my previous homemade flaxseed cracker recipe. Whole flaxseed can pass through our system undigested, so I'm now using flaxseed meal to ensure that the flax is more thoroughly digested. Some whole flaxseed is used mostly for decoration; soaking these seeds overnight starts the germination process and may open the seed coats enough to allow digestion of any seeds that are not chewed thoroughly when the bars are eaten. Dried cranberries and chopped walnuts add flavor, texture and more nutrition, making these raw flaxseed bars good with a meal or used as a healthy snack.

1. Mix:
    1/4 cup flaxseed
    1 cup water
    soak overnight

2. Add:
    3/4 cup flaxseed meal
    1 cup dried cranberries
    1 cup chopped walnuts or oatmeal
    1/4 cup tamari (soy sauce)

3. Spread cracker batter on solid dehydrator tray, dehydrate 3 hr, cut divisions between crackers, dehydrate 3 hr more, flip onto screen tray, dehydrate until done, break crackers on dividing lines, seal in plastic bags, store in refrigerator.

Granola bar batter ready for dehydration.

Dried granola flax bar ready to eat.

4. Flaxseed meal is very susceptible to oxidation. Quantities of flaxseed meal purchased at the store should be stored in the freezer until used. (Whole, dry flaxseed can be stored at room temperature.)

5. Granola flax bars are also susceptible to oxidation, so they should be made in small batches, stored in the refrigerator and consumed quickly after dehydration.

More information:
• Garlic rosemary flaxseed crackers made in my food dehydrator.
• Banana flax crackers and banana walnut crackers, omega-3 fatty acid nutrition.
• Raw Flaxseed Crackers made in my Food Dehydrator.
• Dehydrated foods for Indoor Snacks and Outdoor Activities - BRT Insights.

Tags: granola flax bars, anti-inflammatory food, food dehydrator, homemade snacks, snack food recipe, healthy snack foods, tv snacks.
Tags: flaxseed bar recipe, anti-inflammatory, omega-3, raw vegan, wheat-free, gluten-free, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park hiking, Sonoma Creek Falls, Sonoma County, California

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:51:00 +0000

After a big rainstorm JimH and I hiked the trail to Sonoma Creek Falls at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Trail Maps.

• PDF map: Sugarloaf Ridge State Park map pdf.
• Map book: California Maps - Atlas and Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.

• Online map user instructions. Click and drag to reposition this interactive map.
• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point on the red markers to see the names.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo map. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen online map - Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.

Double-click on the photos to see the larger view. Use the back button to return.

Hiking trail map.

Trip Report

We hiked the Canyon Trail down to Sonoma Creek Falls. This trail goes through a shady green forest filled with mosses, ferns, fungi and lichens. Sonoma Creek Falls were filled with water from the rainstorms of the past few days.

Sonoma Creek Falls

Sonoma Creek

Then we climbed up the Pony Gate Trail. This part of the trail has shady sections and some sunny sections with some good views from higher elevation.

A shady section of the Pony Gate Trail

Then we hiked down the Stern Trail to loop back to the trailhead. (Stern Trail is also part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.) This gravel road is entirely in the sun and provides lots of long distance views of the landscape.

Panoramic view from Pony Gate - Stern Trail junction.

More photos:
• Sonoma Creek Falls - JimH photos
• Sugarloaf Ridge State Park - BRT photos

Sonoma Creek Falls video

Coming Home

On the way home we made our traditional stop at Betty Lou's Bar and Grill in Vacaville, CA. The daily special of turkey soup, salad, dark beer and persimmon pudding with lemon sauce was just what we needed after a brisk day of hiking.

Additional information:
• Waterfall Hiking in California - websites - BRT Insights.
• Hiking Trails in California - Davis Wiki.
• Hiking, Biking & Camping Trip Reports and Photos - BRT Insights.
• Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot A490. Photos edited with IrfanView and Pixtra PanoStitcher software.

Tags: hiking, trail, waterfalls, Sonoma Creek Falls, Sonoma County, California.

Raw Flaxseed Crackers made in my Food Dehydrator

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:50:00 +0000

I modified the raw flax crackers recipe by doubling the amount of tamari for more flavor and then adding no additional salt to the recipe.

1 cup whole flaxseeds
1 cup water
1/4 cup tamari
* add water to the flax seeds and soak for 2 hours
* add the tamari
* spread 1/8 inch thick on solid dehydrator trays

Flax seed cracker batter spread on solid dehydrator tray.

I dried the crackers in my food dehydrator for 6 hours and then flipped the partially dried crackers onto a dehydrator screen tray. This allowed the hot air to pass over both sides of the cracker to speed the final drying required.

Flax seed crackers after dehydration.

Flaxseeds are very high in omega-3 fatty acids, calories & fiber, and are very low in sugar. They also have a very strong anti-inflammatory food rating. In addition, flaxseeds provide some protein, vitamins and minerals. (Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Flaxseed)

Whole, dry flaxseeds can be stored at room temperature, but once the coats of the soaked seeds break open the fatty acids in the seeds can go rancid very quickly. Thus, I make flaxseed crackers in small batches, put them in in sealed bags in the refrigerator and eat them fairly soon after they are made.

I'm happy to get healthy flaxseed crackers into my diet because western diets are typically low in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. These high calorie, high fiber crackers are intended for eating in small quantities - much less than the typical serving size for starchy crackers or pretzels made from wheat flour. "Institute of Medicine ... has established adequate intake amounts of ... one tablespoon of ground flaxseed" (MayoClinic) so just a few flaxseed crackers are all you need to eat every day.

More information:
• Garlic rosemary flaxseed crackers made in my food dehydrator.
• Banana flax crackers and banana walnut crackers, omega-3 fatty acid nutrition.
• Cranberry Walnut Flaxseed Cracker recipe made in my food dehydrator.
• Flaxseed Health Benefits, Food Sources, Recipes, and Tips for Using It - webmd
• Dehydrated foods for Indoor Snacks and Outdoor Activities - BRT Insights.

Tags: flaxseed crackers, anti-inflammatory food, food dehydrator, homemade snacks, snack food recipe, healthy snack foods, tv snacks.
Tags: flaxseed cracker recipe, anti-inflammatory, omega-3, raw vegan, wheat-free, gluten-free, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers.

Dried Carrot Chips make a healthy, raw and tasty snack food

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 21:54:00 +0000

My initial efforts to make dehydrated carrot slices in my food dehydrator didn't turn out very well because my knife-cut slices were too thick. These thick carrot slices dried down into rock hard pieces that required a lot of chewing. Maybe these would be OK for somebody who wanted to chew on something that didn't contain too many calories, but these dried carrots were hard to appreciate.

Thinner carrot slices can be made with the slicing side of an inexpensive kitchen grater or a fancy mandolin slicer. The kitchen grater enabled me to quickly produce lots of small, thin carrot slices. The mandolin enabled me to make longer, wider carrot slices by cutting down the length of the carrot.

grater

mandolin slicer

After dehydration these thin carrot slices had a nice crunchy texture and a good carrot taste.

carrot slices from mandolin

dried carrot chips from mandolin slices

Carrot chips made in this way are good for raw vegan and paleo diet followers who want raw or minimally processed foods, but shelf life in storage for these carrot chips will be limited. The thin carrot slices should be blanched (brief heating) before drying if desired to produce carrot chips that can be stored for a longer time. Carrots are available all year round in my local grocery stores, so I will just make more carrot chips whenever my supply runs out and will never need to store the chips very long.

More about:
• Food & Drink for Indoor Snacks and Outdoor Activities - BRT Insights.
• Hot and Sour Zucchini Chips - Raw Dehydrated and Tasty - BRT Insights.

Tags: carrot chips, healthy snack foods, tv snacks, food dehydrator, veggie chips, vegetarian chips, homemade snacks, snack food recipe .
Tags: carrot chips, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, raw vegan, dried vegetables, vegetable chips, low salt snacks, low fat snacks, diet snacks, low calorie snacks, wheat-free, gluten-free.

Tart Cherry and Pomegranate Homemade Sports Drinks Help Reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) in Athletes.

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:23:00 +0000

Antioxidant-rich Fruit Juices have Anti-inflammatory Properties that Help Reduce Muscle Pain after Exercise.

Some additional evidence has been reported since I wrote about this in 2010 (Juices from pomegranate, cherry and other colorful fruits improve recovery and decrease muscle soreness in athletes - BRT Insights).

Pomegranate and Tart Cherry Juices - Sports Nutrition News - IRONMAN 11july2012 "Tart cherry juice contains numerous antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents that can reduce pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis. ... Pomegranate juice is another rich source of bioactive compounds that reduce muscle soreness. Healthy men who drank pomegranate juice for eight days before muscle-damaging exercise experienced less muscle soreness."

Researchers Say Tart Cherries Have 'the Highest Anti-Inflammatory Content of Any Food' - Cherry Marketing Institute 30may2012 "Tart cherries may help reduce chronic inflammation ... according to new research from Oregon Health & Science University presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine Conference (ACSM) in San Francisco, Calif.(1) In fact, the researchers suggest tart cherries have the "highest anti-inflammatory content of any food" ... The inflammation benefits could be particularly important for athletes, according to Kuehl's previous research. In a past study he found that people who drank tart cherry juice while training for a long distance run reported significantly less pain after exercise than those who didn't.(2)"

Tart Cherry Juice Reduces Muscle Pain and Inflammation - Oregon Health & Science University 07july2010 "Tart cherry juice may be a safer way to treat muscle pain and inflammation than over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, according to researchers at Oregon Health & Science University. A study of athletes who competed in Oregon’s Hood to Coast Relay showed runners who consumed Montmorency cherry juice for a week prior to the race and on race day reported significantly less pain than runners who received a placebo."

Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain during running - J Int Soc Sports Nutrition 2010. "Long distance running causes acute muscle damage resulting in inflammation and decreased force production. ... Tart cherries, rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may have a protective effect to reduce muscle damage and pain during strenuous exercise. This study aimed to assess the effects of tart cherry juice as compared to a placebo cherry drink on pain among runners in a long distance relay race. ... Conclusions: Ingesting tart cherry juice for 7 days prior to and during a strenuous running event can minimize post-run muscle pain."

Homemade Sports Drink Recipe that uses Tart Cherry or Pomegranate Juice

Athletes who use these fruit juices to help reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) may want to incorporate the same juices into the sports drinks that they use to maintain good hydration during exercise. My homemade isotonic sports drink recipe shows how antioxidant-rich tart cherry or pomegranate juices can be diluted precisely to make a great tasting sports drink.

More about:
• Grape juice sports drink DIY recipe for reducing delayed onset muscle soreness in athletes - BRT Insights 21aug2010.
• Food & Drink for Athletes and Outdoor Activities - BRT Insights.

Tags: delayed onset muscle soreness, isotonic, hydration, homemade sports drink.
Tags: DOMS, pomegranate juice, tart cherry juice, sports drink recipe, antiinflammation, antioxidant.

Hot and Sour Zucchini Chips - Raw Dehydrated and Tasty

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 18:50:00 +0000

I saw a recipe for fried Chipotle Lime Zucchini Chips, so I decided to combine those lime and hot chili flavors in a dried raw chip made in my food dehydrator. The giant zucchinis that many gardeners are so desperate to get rid of this time of year are just the right size for making dried zucchini chips. I marinaded zucchini slices in lime juice, then sprinkled them with cayenne before drying. This produced nice crispy chips with a distinct sour flavor, but my cautious sprinkle of cayenne didn't make the chips hot enough for my taste. Next time I'll add more cayenne or maybe use liquid chipotle hot sauce on the zucchini chips as I have done in the past.

Hot and sour chipotle lime zucchini slices ready for drying.

Not quite hot enough chipotle lime raw dehydrated zucchini chips ready for eating !!

Hot Mustard Flavored Raw Dried Zucchini Chips

The chauffeur left my Grey Poupon in the Rolls Royce again, so all I had was the store brand dijon mustard that I found in the back of the refrigerator. Nevertheless, my mustard flavored zucchini chips came out great. The hot part of the mustard flavor doesn't survive the drying process, but the zucchini mustard chips have a nice subtle mustard flavor. The beer is cold in the refrigerator, the baseball game will be on TV pretty soon, and all of these chips will all be gone before the 9th inning !!

Ordinary dijon mustard makes pretty great raw dehydrated zucchini chips !!

More about:
• Pickle-Flavored Zucchini Chips and Dried Pickle Recipes Made in a Food Dehydrator - BRT Insights.
• Food & Drink for Indoor Snacks and Outdoor Activities - BRT Insights.

Tags: zucchini chips, hot and sour, chipotle lime, dijon mustard, veggie chips, vegetarian chips, healthy snack foods, tv snacks, food dehydrator, homemade snacks, snack food recipe .
Tags: zucchini chips, low carb, hot chili, hot mustard, low salt snacks, low fat snacks, diabetic snacks, diet snacks, low calorie snacks, raw vegan, dried vegetables, vegetable chips, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, wheat-free, gluten-free.

Watermelon and Watermelon-Lime Sports Drink Recipes - homemade, healthy, natural and taste great too!

noreply@blogger.com (brthomas) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 23:16:00 +0000

Maintaining good hydration during vigorous work or fitness training activities is easier if you are drinking something that you like.

Eating more watermelon is part of a colorful healthy diet. Learning about the nutritional value of watermelon has made this a "watermelon summer" for me. I've been eating lots of fresh watermelon and drying watermelon jerky chips to eat in the future.

Watermelon Sports Drinks are another way to enjoy this favorite fruit. Watermelon contains 10 g sugars per 154 g of fruit, so there are 16 g of sugar in a 1 cup serving (240 g) of watermelon juice. Diluting this watermelon juice with an equal volume of water will produce the isotonic sugar concentration desired in a sports drink. It is critical to replace the fluids that are lost to sweat during intense, prolonged sports and work activities. Experiments show that isotonic drinks are absorbed into our bodies faster than plain water.

Watermelon Sports Drink Recipe

I liquified some watermelon in my blender. This produced a pulpy juice that one could drink from a wide-mouth bottle, but not through the narrow opening of a squirt bottle. Filtering through a fine cloth produced a clear liquid juice, but much of the red color and nutritional value remained with the pulp so I don't recommend filtering. Anybody who has a juicer machine could probably extract more from the pulp to make a clear liquid watermelon juice that retains more of the nutritional value, but my simple juice made in a blender worked fine for me.

Full strength watermelon juice tasted great, but based on my calculations (see above) it contains too much sugar to use it as a sports drink. Diluting the watermelon juice with an equal volume of water produced a great tasting isotonic watermelon sports drink. Adding a little stevia natural flavor enhancer and no-calorie sweetener made it taste even better.

Electrolytes serve 3 critical roles in a sports drink. Analysis shows that watermelon contains potassium but very little sodium electrolyte. To ensure maximum speed of absorption approximately 1/4 tsp of salt should be added per half-gallon of watermelon sports drink. This amount should be adjusted to your individual taste. Add enough salt so that its taste is just barely detectable. Salty sports drinks are intended to prevent the drink from quenching your thirst so you will be stimulated to continue drinking more of the drink. Beware of adding too much salt and making the drink taste bad. The goal is to have a slightly salty drink that still tastes good so you will want to drink lots of it to maintain good hydration during vigorous activities.

Watermelon-Lime Sweet and Sour Sports Drink Recipe

Adding 4 oz of lime or lemon juice to a half-gallon of watermelon sports drink gave it a nice tangy flavor and contributes more vitamin C to the nutritional value of the drink without altering the isotonic sugar concentration.

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Tags: sports drink, fitness, hydration, do it yourself, DIY, stevia, sodium, potassium , electrolyte.
Tags: watermelon, hydration, fruit juice, homemade recipe, isotonic.