Glossary

Agave nectar is produced from the Blue Agave plant which grows in the volcanic soils of Southern Mexico. The plant resembles Aloe Vera or a large cactus in appearance. It has been used for thousands of years and even the Aztecs prized the agave as a gift from the gods, using the liquid in both food and drinks. Agave is a low glycemic product and should never have additives or other sweeteners added, it should be 100% pure and of course organic. Agave nectar is mainly sold in three varieties; light, amber and dark (and raw). I mostly use the raw type or very light although the darker varieties go well in desserts which require maple syrup. Most raw versions are not heated above 47 degrees Celsius/118 Fahrenheit. This means that if you are a raw foodist, you can enjoy agave nectar in your diet. I use agave nectar straight out of the bottle as a sweetener on pancakes and waffles and any dessert that would require maple syrup or honey.

How to use: In recipes, use about 3/4 cup of agave nectar for every 1 cup of sugar. This works for most recipes although if you have a sweet tooth, you might have to add more agave nectar. When using agave nectar, reduce the liquid slightly in your recipe (often by as much as 25-33%. Whenever I use agave nectar in my recipes I have already adjusted the liquid required. Agave nectar is available in most health food stores (and sometimes can be found in larger supermarkets).

Arrowroot is a gluten free and vegan thickening agent used for puddings, jellies, cakes, hot sauces and even in ice creams (to prevent ice crystals from forming). This white powder, extracted from the root of a West Indian plant looks and feels like cornstarch or baking powder. Arrowroot thickens at a lower temperatures than flour or cornstarch.

How to use: I recommend mixing arrowroot with cold water before using it with hot fluids. Do not overheat (remove from heat source as soon as the mixture thickens). Arrowroot does not mix particularly well with dairy. When purchasing make sure that you are buying pure arrowroot as some manufacturers mix it with various flours and starches. Substitute one heaped tablespoon arrowroot for one level tablespoon cornstarch. Arrowroot is available in most health food stores.

Carob is not widely known...at least not in Northern Europe. It was used in Greece since 4BC and was then called the Egyptian fig. Carob was used for various purposes such as an adhesive in binding mummies and the Romans ate the pods for their sweetness. The pods are also often used as cattle feed.

Carob is often considered a healthy alternative to chocolate and cocoa. Carob is free from stimulants such as caffeine and theobromine found in cocoa. These chemicals can make chocolate addictive and is often unsuitable for nursing mothers, babies and those that suffer from heart related problems. Since it does not contain theobromine it is also considered a safe dog treat (a chemical which can be toxic for dogs). Carob contains vitamins A, B, B2, B3 and D. It is fairly rich in protein (8%) and also includes potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, nickel and more. It does not include any oxalate acid (which blocks the body using calcium and zinc, both vital for a healthy skin). Carob has three times as much calcium than cocoa! It is also often preferred by those that suffer from migraines as chocolate (as a stimulant) does sometimes trigger attacks. Carob is also a lot lower in fat than cocoa powder (one tablespoon of carob powder has 25 calories, no fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol, and only 6 grams carbohydrate). It is therefore often used by people trying to loose weight but want a sweet treat.

Carob powder is usually raw (not heated above 47 degrees Celsius/118 Fahrenheit) and is therefore favoured by many raw foodists.

Taste wise it is a bit difficult to describe carob. It is slightly sweeter than cocoa powder but has a distinctive earthy and caramel taste and is not as complex in flavour as cocoa powder (that is my opinion). Those that love chocolate are usually not very fond of carob but if you start using it, you will start to like it. Just don't invite chocolate lovers to a "chocolate free cake" and hope they will like it...they probably won't in the first instance.

Carobella is a brand which makes carob bars (similar to chocolate), you can use any brand you like, just ensure the products are organic.

How to use: You can replace cocoa powder with carob (spoon for spoon) and chocolate bars with carob bars (gram for gram). Be careful not to overheat if melting carob bars over hot water. You can make excellent desserts such as cakes, cookies, ice creams, smoothies, "chocolate sauces" and more using carob, just start slowly introducing carob into your diet and I am sure you will learn to love it. Carob is available in most health food stores (and sometimes can be found in larger supermarkets).

Coconut oil has been used for centuries and has a significant role to play in a well balanced, nutritious diet. Coconut oil has anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and can be used on your skin, your hair and for cooking. When travelling through Africa I have often come across women using coconut oil for their beauty treatments (as well as cocoa butter). Considering that the skin is our largest organ, this is a huge deal. I am a great fan of "use both externally and internally" because it means that not only is the product good for your outer health, but for your inner health as well. Coconut oil has received bad publicity due to its high saturated fat content. We have been educated to believe that saturated fats (found in red meat, dairy products and more) are bad for us and in essence they are. However research has shown that not all saturated fats are alike and coconut oil is very unique in its structure. It includes the highest source of saturated medium chain triglycerides (62%) of any natural vegan food source. These are important for our metabolism so consuming coconut oil can actually help burn fat! Around half of medium chain triglycerides are made up of lauric acid which is the most important essential fatty acid for our body's immune system. They are also more easily digested than fats from other oil sources as they are processed directly in the liver and converted immideately into energy. This means that there is less strain on the liver, pancreas and the digestive system. The only other source of lauric acid in such high concentrations is in mother's milk! Any other vegetable oils is deficient of these medium chain fatty acids. It is important not to use hydrogenated coconut oil (loaded with transfats) and to use only cold pressed oils. Also there is no such thing as extra virgin coconut oil (there is no standard recognised for this).

How to use: I use coconut oil instead of butter in my recipes (especially those that require any heating as the coconut oil can tolerate higher heat than many other types of oils). If the coconut oil is cold (in which case it becomes solid), place the jar in a bowl filled with hot water for a couple of minutes. Depending on the type of recipe, I use olive oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, flaxseed oil and other oils for salads, on top of bruschettas, in smoothies and more. Coconut oil is available in most health food stores (and sometimes can be found in larger supermarkets).       
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These bananas (Bogoya bananas) are slowly dried, whole and without any additives or flavourings. I never use the hard, dry banana slices covered in sugar or honey (often with added banana flavour), marketed as health food.

How to use: I use the bananas in my muesli and in some of my energy bars. If you don't like dried bananas (or can't find them) you can omit or use dried apricots or apples instead. Dried, whole bananas are available in many health food stores. 

Himalyan salt is said to have over 80 minerals and iron and to be much healthier than ordinary table salt which often contains chemicals, iodine and is mostly made up of sodium chloride. Ordinary table salt is also dried at excessive heat which alters the natural chemical balance of the salt. Himalayan salt (which come in beautiful shades of pink, ranging from light pink to a deep reddish-pink colour) is hand-mined and found deep inside the Himalayan Mountains. That is the story at least. In reality, Himalaya salt is a rock salt from Pakistan, mined in the Khewra Salt Mines in Punjab. It is delicious and no matter the origin I prefer it to table salt, just make sure that it is not ordinary table salt labelled as Himalaya/Himalayan salt.

How to use: Himalaya salt is used in the same way as ordinary table salt. You can also use the coarser salt in your bath for smooth skin. It can be found in most health food stores and larger supermarkets. It is often available in delicatessens as well.

Muscovado is pure, unrefined cane sugar which retains all of the natural ingredients of sugar cane, making it an unrefined sweetener. Muscovado has a fairly strong molasses flavour, is very sticky and goes well in most recipes which call for brown sugar. Muscovado contains calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.

How to use: Muscovado sugar can be used in most recipes where brown sugar is called for. However it is not widely available in all countries. It is sometimes called Barbados Sugar or Moist Sugar. You can use Rapadura sugar instead in most recipes although it does not have the strong flavour of the muscovado or the stickiness. Try sourcing muscovado in health food stores, at sugar specialists or in large supermarkets.

Puffed rice is just that, puffed rice, usually made from heating rice kernels under high pressure and steam. It is gluten free and often used in cereals and energy bars.

How to use: I use puffed rice in some recipes and you can use puffed spelt or puffed wheat instead if you prefer. Puffed rice is great as a filling ingredient so that energy bars don't become too bulky or heavy. Also great in cereals, especially if you are gluten intolerant. Puffed rice is widely available, in most health food stores and some supermarkets. Check that your puffed rice is Non GMO (Not Genetically Modified) and organic.

Rapadura sugar is an unbleached, unrefined sweetener to use in place of refined sugars. It is the only sugar where the sugar stream is not separated form the molasses which in turn helps retain most of its essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals and is very high in dietary iron. Rapadura is produced by simply evaporating the water from the organic cane juice. It has a mild caramel-like flavour.  It is common in Latin American countries such as Brazil, Venezuela and the Caribbean.

How to use: You can use rapadura for baking and sweetening of food and drinks. Use 1 cup of rapadura for each cup of other sugars (such as white sugar) in any recipe. The only recipes I am not keen on using rapadura in, is ice creams where I prefer to use agave nectar. Also if you like to retain a light colour on your cooking go for cane sugar (not rapadura) as the rapadura will give a light brown hue. Also rapadura can be fairly strong in taste so if you are making something quite delicate in taste (such as meringues) it can be quite strong in flavour and it will make the meringues light brown in colour. Rapadura can be found in most health food stores and larger supermarkets. It is light brown in colour and is slightly coarse in texture (looking more like sand on the beach than sugar).

Smoked Paprika is a Spanish product (and widely used in Hungary as well) made from smoked, ground pimiento peppers. It can be found in varying intensities from sweet and mild to bittersweet and hot.

How to use: Smoked paprika is delicious in marinades, sauces, dips and salsas that require a smoky or "barbecued" taste. You can find smoked paprika in many larger supermarkets and delicatessens as well as markets specialising in Spanish (or Hungarian) products.

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and is the main ingredient used in hummus as well as halvah (Middle Eastern confectionary). Tahini comes in two varieties, hulled and unhulled. Unhulled tahini is bitter although healthier than the hulled tahini since it contains a lot more calcium and nutrients. Tahini actually contains more calcium than milk and is therefore an excellent calcium source for vegans and raw foodists. Tahini is also richer in protein than milk, yogurt, almonds and various other nuts. It includes important minerals such as iron, potassium, phosphorus, copper, zinc and magnesium. It also contains vitamins A, B1, B3, E, F and T and essential amino acids such as Methionine!!! Tahini is very good for your skin, eyes, heart and bones and contains dietary fibre, making it important for preventing certain types of cancer. Tahini is also a good source of essential fatty acids.

How to use: You can make your own tahini by using a food processor and mixing sesame seeds with peanut oil or olive oil and a little salt until creamy. Use tahini in hummus and for making (sweet and savoury) sauces creamier. I also use it in smoothies. Tahini is available in health food stores, larger supermarkets and Asian markets. Shake the jar before using (or stir with a spoon) as the oil will separate from the sesame paste. One of my favourite uses for tahini is in cookies (instead of butter) and in a delicious smoothie (with maple syrup, banana, cocoa powder, tahini and almond milk).

Tamarind Paste (Tamarind Concentrate) is made from the pods of the tamarind tree which is native to Africa.

How to use: Tamarind is extremely tart and usually needs to be mixed with a sweet ingredient (such as agave nectar or fruit juices) to be used in cooking. Tamarind is commonly used in Thai food and Indian curries and chutneys and is also used in fruit drinks in Africa and the West Indies. It is not an ingredient I use a lot but some recipes do require tamarind paste. Be careful not to confuse tamari sauce (which is similar to soy sauce) with tamarind paste. Tamarind paste can usually be bought from Asian markets and larger supermarkets. Make sure that the tamarind paste doesn't contain white sugar.

Whey protein/Whey Protein/Dried Whey is a mixture of proteins isolated from whey, left over when milk coagulates (removed after cheese is processed). The fat is removed and the whey is processed for human consumption, often by drying. It is often used by body builders and people looking to up their protein intake as it is a rich source of complete protein.

How to use: In smoothies, chocolate making, baking (at low temperatures) and more. It is also great to bring whey powder along on hikes as it keeps well even at higher temperatures and can be easily mixed with water for skimmed milk in cereals. Whey powder is usually stored in the chilled compartment in supermarkets. Look for organic whey protein from a free range farm.

I am a vegetarian (I do eat fish, eggs and dairy products however) but my husband eats chicken and occasionally lamb and beef. I will never, ever buy chicken or other meat that is not free range or a product of an animal that hasn't had a happy life without suffering. This especially applies to eggs. It is not fair on animals and it is not fair on nature. If you eat meat, please only purchase free range meat.

See more information on Wikipedia on Free range farming: