MMM...MAC MILK

On the North Shore of Oahu, there has been a small raw food movement going on.  A lot of residents of this small surfing community are into 'healthy' eating.  It's no wonder since we are so close to the ocean and outdoors everyday, you can't help but want to make your body the best it can be.  I'm not totally raw, but I know those who are and it takes so much dedication to eat only non-cooked and non-processed foods.  I enjoy a few things here and there and pick what I like, and incorporate it into my own diet.  One thing that I have especially enjoyed is raw nut milk.  It is so good and it taste better than soy, rice or cow milk ( at least I think so, my office cohorts might disagree).  And it is super easy to make.

This is the recipe I use.  You can adjust it to your own taste.

Soak about 2-cups unsalted macadamia nuts in water to  cover them for 1 to 2 hours.  Rinse the nuts and put them and 4 to 8 cups of water into a blender.  The less water you have the creamier it will be.  It can be compared to whole milk (less water) to fat free milk (more water).  Add 2-tablespoons of a sweetener of your choice,  my favorites are raw honey, raw maple syrup or raw agave nectar, 1-teaspoon vanilla and 1-teaspoon cinnamon.  Blend ingredients until liquefied.  

Next, pour liquid into a nut milk bag ( a mesh bag made from cheese cloth) over a pitcher, squeeze bag until liquid is pressed from the nut meat.  Refrigerate until chilled, then serve.

Special note: nut milk only lasts about 2 days in the refrigerator.

KUKUI FOR MY KEIKI

Many babies and very young children have what is called infant stages of eczema:  very noticeable inflamed, red and itchy skin.  As any observant mom would do, once I noticed this on my son, I educated myself on the symptoms of eczema.  Doctors play a major role toward helping parents maintain a healthy regimen for their children, but at the same time, I believe it is vital for parents to make great decisions for the care of their children and their overall health.

My son suffered with eczema throughout his infant years and during this time I wanted to find any means possible to ease his pain.  As an Oils of Aloha employee, I knew all the benefits of Kukui Oil and decided to try the  Kukui Conditioning Shampoo that I spotted in the shower.

As I prepared him for a sponge bath, I placed my son on the bed and noticed large red patches on his butt cheeks and behind his knees.  I decided to try the Shampoo as a bubble bath.  I applied the Kukui Shampoo to the washcloth and then I gently stroked the cloth over the inflamed area.  From the time I bathed him, until I laid him on the towel in the room, the inflammation and redness disappeared.  

Seriously, there was no redness, no inflammation at all.  His skin was cleared.  I thought to myself, "Amazing!"

I remain a Believer in our Kukui products...

M. Hatchie

IS YOUR WOOD OIL FOOD SAFE?

We recently received a question from a customer that we have been asked a few times in the past. It goes something like, " I have a kitchen island that has a cutting board surface. I have just sanded it and would like to put some kind of finish coat on it. Would Kukui Oil as an oil finish be suitable for a food preparation surface?"

Answer:

For new or freshly sanded cutting boards, counter tops, or even fine wooden artisan pieces an initial treatment of pure Kukui Oil works very well. Apply several light coats of the oil and wipe away any excess.

For wooden surfaces like cutting boards that are constantly getting used and washed, the exterior is never really 'finished'. So the Kukui Oil helps to maintain the beauty of the wood. It is also excellent for use on wooden salad bowls.

Another consideration to keep in mind is that oil treatments are not impervious to water, so salad bowls and other wooden surfaces need to be re-oiled from time to time. Every time the surface is washed the oil should be reapplied very lightly. Wipe on an even coat and allow it to sit overnight or until the next use and wipe off any oil remaining on the surface.

Kukui Oil can go on the bowl straight from the bottle since it transfers no negative flavor to the food. Kukui Oil can even be consumed as an Omega 3 supplement ( I have been taking a teaspoon every morning for the past few years); therefore it is perfectly safe as a wood treatment on food surfaces.

FUNDRAISER FOR LANIKAI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Oils of Aloha is happy to report that Lanikai Elementary School’s Fundraiser this month was a huge success. With the support of the parents and children of Lanikai Elementary, Oils of Aloha helped raise money for the school to purchase a new bookshelf for Ms. Ramos’s Kindergarten class. The children enjoyed homemade brownies made with our Hawaii’s Gold Macadamia Oil while the parents sampled products from our KUKUIæ Skin Care Collection.

As a token of appreciation, the class drew a Thank You card (pictured above).

Do you have a fund raising idea? Please let us know, email jri@oilsofaloha.com.

DOGS & MACADAMIA NUTS

In the last blog we discussed how macadamias are filled with 'good fat', which provides a healthy alternative to other cooking oils for the human body.  We think it's great that you are paying attention to what you are putting into your body.  More and more people are looking at ingredients on both their own and their pet food labels and finding better choices.

The dog-lovers in our office got into a discussion the other day about macadamia nuts as known toxins to our furry friends.  We wouldn't want you to give them 'healthy' human food without thinking that they may be allergic or that it might be toxic to their bodies.

Though the exact cause of the toxicities from eating macadamia nuts is unknown, it could be because our dogs have a different metabolism from us.  Consuming macadamia nuts affects the digestive, nervous and muscle systems in canines.  Symptoms start with a weakness in their hind legs or even an inability to move them and slowly progresses up the body to the forelimbs.  It can become severe enough that they can't stand at all.  In some cases mental depression, vomiting, hyperthermia and joint pain have occurred.  So keep you furry friends happy and healthy by keeping your food to yourself.

The pictures above are the Oils of Aloha employee dogs. 

MACADAMIA FILLED WITH 'GOOD FAT'

If you've ever tried to crack open a raw macadamia nut, you know that it is a labor-intensive process. It can take up to six years after planting to harvest the first crop. The trees bear annually after that. These extremely delicate nuts are covered by such a hard shell that they require 300 pounds of pressure per square inch to crack. The real trick is to get the kernel out in one perfect piece.

Macadamias have a reputation for being unusually high in fat. This is true, but over 80% of the fatty acids in macadamia nuts are of the monounsaturated type, more than even olive oil. Monounsaturated fat (often called " the good fat") has been shown to lower blood cholesterol and may even have some cleansing effect on the arteries. Because of the potential benefits of highly monounsaturated oils, they are the subject of considerable research. Like all vegetable products, macadamia nuts have no cholesterol and, unless roasted and salted, little sodium.

So when choosing which fats to include in your diet, remember that the monounsaturated fats are likely to have the greatest positive effect on your health. So if you are going to include macadamia oil in your recipes, you might enjoy the variety of specialty oils from Oils of Aloha.

Check out our website at: Macadamia Cooking & Salad Recipes for more recipe ideas like this one.

Pele's Fire Grilled Ahi with Tropical Salsa

1 cup diced fresh pineapple

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. grated lime peel

3 Tbsp. Oils of Aloha Pele's Fire Macadamia Oil

2 (8 oz. each) ahi (tuna) or swordfish fillets

Freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl combine pineapple, red onion, bell pepper, basil, lime juice, lime peepl and 2 tablespoons of the macadamia oil; blend well. Chill. In a shallow dish sprinkle fish fillets with black pepper and baste with he remaining 1 tablespoon macadamia oil. Grill or broil about 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare or until desired doneness. Makes 2 servings.