How to cure hiccups fast and easy everytime

My family learned this trick to cure hiccups over 20 years ago but somehow the word never spread. It's ridiculously easy and works every time. I'm not kidding.

When you first read this you will probably think it's a joke. If so, try it anyway. Hiccuping doesn't make you look sophisticated either so what have you got to loose?

No more hiccups!

Step 1. Grab a glass of water or better yet a bottle that you can pick up with your teeth. 

Step 2. Plug your ears and nose. Easiest done by putting your thumbs in your ears and your fingers on your nose. 

Step 3. While keeping your nose and ears plugged drink at least half a glass of water. (It can work with just a mouthful of water but isn't as foolproof.) 

If you are by yourself and don't have a bottle, it is possible to pick the glass up with your little pinkies. Otherwise get someone to help you. 

Step 4.  Victory dance! 

(If it doesn't work, you probably didn't swallow often enough. Just try again with a bit more water. )

I don't remember where we learned this and have no idea why it works but it does so enjoy a hiccup free life!

Marzipan recipe with agave

Who doesn't love marzipan?!! Sinterklaas (Saint Nicolas) is back in the Netherlands so it's time for sweets, sweets and more sweets. Marzipan usually comes in sausage form, or as figurines. I made this one as a roll covered in chocolate. It's gone before anyone saw what it was anyway! It took me a little while to get a sweetener that gave the marzipan the right taste. I see a lot of recipes for marzipan with honey but I think the honey has too much of a distinguished taste to use in this case. I have found that agave is the best replacement for white sugar when taste is an issue.

Easy to make, easy to eat!

Marzipan with agave

Makes me want to stop writing this blog and go and make some!

150 grams (1 3/4 cups) almond flour 

100 gram (1/2 cup) light agave syrup

1 teaspoon almond extract

plastic wrap

optional: a bar of good quality dark chocolate and waxed paper

Mix the flour, agave and almond.

Yay you just made marzipan!

Scoop the marzipan onto a piece of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to make a roll, wrap it tightly.
Put the marzipan in the fridge overnight.

Now you can either eat as is, or coat it with chocolate like I did.

To do this put the marzipan in the freezer.
Cut a piece of waxed paper the size of a plate and put it on one.

Melt your bar of chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Don't let the bowl touch the water.
Just before it has melted completely, take the bowl off of the pan and let stand on the counter.

Put a piece of waxed paper on a baking tray.
Stir the chocolate gently to see if everything has melted. If not let stand for a few more minutes.
Pour the chocolate onto the baking tray.

Take the marzipan out of the freezer, remove the plastic wrap and push a fork in on either side.
Use the forks to roll the marzipan through the chocolate.
Put the marzipan on your waxed paper covered plate.

Keep the marzipan in the fridge until needed.
Remove it one hour before serving.
Cut in slices with a sharp knife.

Enjoy!


(Note: I'm not sure if agave can be called unrefined or natural as it's not found quite like this in nature but goes through a process. A look on the web gives lots of contradictory articles about the (un)healthy aspects of agave. As far as I can tell agave is high in fructose, low in glucose. This makes it low on the Glycemic Index, meaning it doesn't spike your blood sugar levels. However it does have effects on blood sugar and insulin levels in the long term. Also some agave nectar or syrup is made by a chemical process. This doesn't make it any healthier. Always read the back of the packaging to be sure. 
My opinion: Don't use agave on a daily basis or often in large quantities. Remember that every sugar is crap for your body. Try not to eat too much of it, enjoy it intensely when you do and eat more vegetables!)

Any thoughts on agave? Do you use it?
 

Amaranth pancake recipe, gluten free, no sugar, no dairy, candida diet approved

This is an awesome pancake recipe, gluten free, sugar free, lactose free (optional), candida diet approved and really yummy. Combine with veggies and eggs and you have a great dinner!

Last Saturday I took a small course in food photography. It was really fun and useful. Sadly I couldn't use the tips right away which means you still have to do with the awful pictures seen below, giggle.

I also started the Candida diet about a month ago. I did the no sugar, no lactose, no gluten, no carbs.... The first week I was ok, the second week I felt like throwing everything within reach against the wall (except my kids of course, they kept me sane enough to function), and the third week I was feeling so much better that I started eating normally again. I still eat a lot of veggies and try to keep the sugar to a minimum. 

So hereby a nice healthy candida diet recipe. The pancakes have a nice nutty taste and work really well with veggies and eggs. No need for maple syrup on these :)

Amaranth pancakes with veggies and eggs

(Makes about 8 pancakes)

The steam coming off the food made the picture blurry...

 

I love my coffee grinder, so versatile

Amaranth flour

First we need amaranth flour. This is easily made with a coffee grinder. I use a Krups Spice and Coffee grinder. Works really well and doesn't cost much, just 17 dollar! One tip: buy a little brush to get everything out.

 Just a few seconds of grinding is enough to turn the amaranth into flour. The amaranth that didn't get chopped will make for a nice crunch in your pancake!

Pancake ingredients: 

1 cup amaranth flour

1 cup buttermilk or almond milk (other milk is fine too)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda when using buttermilk or 1 teaspoon baking powder for other types of milk

Mix baking soda/baking powder with flour. Add milk and egg, mix well. 

The batter will be quite thick but don't be tempted to add a lot of water. One or two tablespoons of water will make it a little bit more fluid without it getting impossible to flip the pancakes.

Bake small pancakes, add some (green) veggies (I used zucchini, broccoli and some carrots) and some scrambled eggs. 

Looks just like a normal pancake :)

My kids loved this!

Looking for more pancake inspiration? How about these Healthy American pancakes or these classic Dutch pancakes.

Have you cooked with amaranth before? Any other good recipes I should try?