WHOLEGRAIN RYE BREAD

WHOLEGRAIN RYE BREAD
Adding the molasses and vanilla really helps mask any vital wheat gluten taste. This bread is tastier than most breads, low-carb or not! It is also great toasted. These bread slices are huge. You can find out about more breads using this similar recipe on lowcarbfriends here.

1 cup water (250 mL)
3 tbsp olive oil (45 mL)
1 large egg
1 cup vital wheat gluten (250 mL)
2/3 cup wholegrain rye flour (150 mL)
1/2 cup oat, OR wheat bran (125 mL)
1/4 cup wholegrain rye flour (50 mL)
4 tsp bread machine yeast (20 mL)
1 tbsp SPLENDA® Granular (15 mL)
2 tsp granulated sugar (10 mL)
1 tsp salt (5 mL)
1 tsp molasses (5 mL)
1 tbsp vanilla extract (15 mL)
1 tsp baking powder (5 mL)

In cereal bowl, heat water in microwave oven 1 minute. In bread pan, place water, olive oil, egg, vital wheat gluten, 2/3 cup (150 mL) rye flour, oat (or wheat bran), 1/4 cup (50 mL) rye flour, yeast, SPLENDA® Granular, sugar, salt, molasses, vanilla extract and baking powder. Program the bread machine to Bread Rapid setting (i.e. the shortest cycle). Remove 30 to 40 minutes before baking time is over or when brown in color. Easier to slice thinner when cool.

Variations: Loaf Pan Breads (Two): Use 1 cup (250 mL) water, plus 3 tbsp (45 mL), 2 eggs, 11/4 cups (300 mL) 80% vital wheat gluten and 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder. Follow recipe above with these changes. Program bread machine to pizza cycle or knead only. Divide dough in two equal portions. Place each roughly-shaped portion in greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch (2 L) loaf pan and place pans on bottom shelf in preheated 225°F (107°C) oven which is off. Allow to rise 40 minutes. Switch on oven to 350°F (180°C), leaving loaves inside. Set timer for 30 minutes (check sooner). Place loaves on cake rack to cool. Refrigerate for longer storage or freeze. Crisp the bread later again by pacing in medium oven 10 minutes. Yield: 2 Loaves, 22 slices each, 1 slice per serving. (2.9 g Carbs)

Hamburger Buns or Dinner Rolls: Same recipe as for Loaf Pan Breads above. Shape dough into 12 hamburger or 9 hot dog buns or 24 dinner rolls. Place on greased pizza pan. Spray buns with nonstick cooking spray. Proceed as above and bake 20 minutes. Yield: 12 Hamburger buns. (10.7 g Carbs), or 24 Dinner Rolls. (5.3 g Carbs)

Nutritional Analysis:

Yield: 18/20 slices
1 slice
88.3/79.5 calories
6.8/6.2 g protein
3.0/2.7 g fat
6.7/6.0 g carbs

Helpful Hints: Organic whole grain rye flour is made by Arrowhead Mills.

LEFTOVER CHICKEN OR TURKEY CASSEROLE (GF)

LEFTOVER CHICKEN OR TURKEY CASSEROLE
Tasty recipe to have on hand for times when leftover chicken or turkey in the refrigerator looks so uninviting – turn boring into interesting! Or, deliberately make this recipe using one roasted chicken. Click on the photo to see a larger image.
4 cups cooked chicken OR turkey (1 L)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 1/4 cups cooked green beans, (300 mL)
(about 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths)
Sauce:
3/4 cup sour cream (175 mL)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (125 mL)
1/4 cup canned jalapenos, chopped (50 mL)
2 tbsp water (25 mL)
1 SPLENDA® packet
1 tsp seasoning salt (5 mL)
1 tsp dried parsley (5 mL)
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (2 mL)
1/4 tsp No Salt (1 mL)
1/8 tsp white pepper (0.5 mL)
Topping:
1/2 cup grated Montery Jack cheese (125 mL)
1/3 cup Gluten-free Bake Mix, page___ (75 mL)
3 tbsp butter, melted (45 mL)

In large bowl, combine chicken or turkey. In frying pan, fry onion until soft and translucent. Add to chicken (or turkey) along with cooked green beans.

Sauce: In medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, jalapenos, water, SPLENDA® , seasoning salt, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, No Salt and white pepper. Stir sauce into poultry mixture and spread in a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) glass baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake in 350°F (180°C) oven 30 minutes, or until bubbling hot.

Topping: In small bowl, combine cheese, Gluten-Free Bake Mix, page___ and butter.

Nutritional Analysis: 6 large servings: 1 serving
421.2 calories, 28.7 g protein; 30.3 g fat; 6.4 g carbs

Bali Nine: Has Scott Rush converted to Islam?

THE death-row inmate and Bali nine drug courier Scott Rush (pictured) has been circumcised by a man who snuck in to Bali's Kerobokan jail and covertly performed the operation in an Islamic prayer room.

The procedure, performed on Friday, is commonly part of the ritual when a person converts to Islam, although the religious orientation of Rush - who has previously professed to be a Christian - could not be established last night.

Agus Hartawan, Kerobokan's medical officer, confirmed the circumcision in a telephone interview yesterday as he was examining Rush in his prison clinic.

''The wound is healing properly and he is doing fine,'' Dr Hartawan said.

He then passed the phone to Rush, who, when asked if he had converted to Islam, said ''No comment'', adding he would be making no further statements.

Even so, the Herald understands Rush has been given the Islamic name Suleiman, and has been spending a lot of time in the past two weeks with a small group of Muslim prisoners.

The clandestine circumcision was undertaken at the prison's musholla, or prayer room, by members of an Islamic group who entered the prison with medical equipment.

According to one source, a white sheet was put up while the operation took place. It is believed a local anaesthetic was used.

Dr Hartawan expressed his anger at the security breach.

''I am now very upset,'' he said. ''Kebakaran jenggot! [My beard is on fire!] ''I heard it was done by LSM Islam [an Islamic non-government organisation].''

Rush has battled depression since he was incarcerated more than five years ago and has been particularly unsettled lately as he waits for his final legal appeal against his death sentence to be lodged this year.

Just last month, on April 28, he spoke to the Herald of his struggle with Christianity and its concept of redemption for sinners who confess.

Rush said while he had confessed to his crime, expressed remorse and prayed regularly, ''I'm still looking for forgiveness. I just feel so bad about everything, especially for what I've done to my parents and family.''

It is understood his interest in Islam peaked just days after that interview, when he attended a prayer session for the first time.

A week later, he was circumcised, provoking uproar among prison officials and astounding other inmates.

Circumcision is recommended when converting to Islam, but it is not compulsory. The only mandatory act in adopting Islam is Shahada, or bearing witness.

This usually involves a person stating before reputable Muslim witnesses that there is no god but Allah, and that the prophet Muhammad is his messenger.

Rush was 19 when he made his first overseas trip as part of the Bali nine heroin smuggling ring.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, May 11, 2010

'Anxiety' behind Rush circumcision

THERE are grave concerns for the mental well-being of death row inmate and Bali nine member Scott Rush, as friends and family come to terms with his decision to be circumcised at an Islamic prayer room.

The circumcision occurred after a doctor was smuggled into Kerobokan prison on Friday by a group of Muslims and raised questions about Rush's religion.

Circumcision is commonly a part of a conversion ceremony although Rush told members of his prayer group who visited him yesterday that he remained a Christian.

But according to a former psychiatrist who was part of the group, the young Queenslander was ''anxious, thought disordered and confused''.

''He exhibited naivety and did not seem to realise the implications of what he had done,'' the former psychiatrist, who asked not to be identified, reported back to Rush's family and legal team.

''He is an anxious, lonely and terrified young man. He is trying to find understanding in a world that no longer makes sense.''

The former psychiatrist said Rush showed signs of ''death row phenomenon'', a mental malady that affects people under a death sentence, leading to ''perception disorder''.

Rush has been on death row for 2½ years for his role in the syndicate that tried to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin to Australia. His final legal appeal is due shortly.

According to Kerobokan's section head of rehabilitation, Anang Huzaini, Rush has prayed with Muslims at the jail and ''he did at one point tell me he had converted to Islam''.

Rush now maintains he undertook the circumcision - apparently performed with a laser - for ''health reasons'', Mr Huzaini said. But the jail has a clinic for such operations.

Mr Huzaini said he would ask the prison doctor on Friday to consider whether Rush needed outside psychiatric assistance.

Source: Brisbane Times, May 12, 2010

US hopes Malawi gay pardon sends message 'around the globe'

Washington - The White House Saturday said it was "pleased" to hear that a gay couple in Malawi had been pardoned from a long prison sentence and hoped the decision would open new dialogue and send a global message.

In a statement, the White House press secretary was reacting to the decision by Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika to grant the pardon, which came as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited the country.

The couple, Steven Monjeza, 26, and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, (pictured) had been sentenced to 14 years in prison after they openly celebrated their engagement. Homosexual acts are banned in the southern African country.

"We hope that President Mutharika's pardon marks the beginning of a new dialogue which reflects the country's history of tolerance and a new day for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights in Malawi and around the globe," the White House said.

The White House called for a renewed commitment to "ending the persecution and criminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity."

Malawian's views on homosexuality are shared by many people in Africa, where gays suffer widespread discrimination, repression and, sometimes, violence.

The parliament of the central African nation of Uganda, where homosexuality is already prohibited, is considering a bill that would increase the penalties for homosexual acts from 14 years in jail to life, or even the death penalty, for some acts.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has described gays as "worse than dogs and pigs."

Source: EarthTimes, May 29, 2010

Saudi Arabia: Five convicts to appeal death penalty verdict

QATIF: The relatives of five people who have been sentenced to death for murdering a Saudi youth in Qatif are to appeal the verdict.

The men, who strangled the youth after luring him to a rural location pretending he would meet a young woman there, have 30 days to appeal the verdict, Al-Yaum newspaper reported. A relative of one of the convicts said the murder was unintentional and that only one of the five men was responsible.

“They did not plan to kill him but only rob him. They had been in contact with the victim via mobile phone for around a month and had pretended they were women,” he said.

Having arrived at the location, the young man was met by two men dressed as women. They then drove to a remote location.

“One of the attackers was sitting on the front seat near the driver while the second was sitting on the back seat behind him.

“The two men then attempted to strangle him. When they saw him faint, they took him to the emergency section of a nearby hospital. The hospital, however, refused to treat him, which then led them to go and tell the police,” he said, adding that by that time the youth had died. Ahmad Al-Sudairy, the lawyer representing the five men, expressed surprise at the verdict.

“We’ve never heard of such a verdict," he said, adding that he hopes the appeal court will overturn the verdict.

“If we go over the case, then we can see that the murder was committed by one of five men and that they did not plan to kill him but only rob him,” he said.

He further wondered how all of the five could have strangled the man to death, adding that the others should receive some sort of Ta'azir punishment.

Source: Arab News, May 29, 2010

Afghan citizen hanged in central Iran

One man was hanged in the prison of Isfahan (central Iran) early this morning.

Quoting Isfahan judiciary’s public relations, "Isfahan Metropolis News agency" (IMNA) reported that an Afghan citisen identified as Nour Jamal S. (26) was hanged in the prison of Isfahan early this morning. The man was convicted of smugling 1,385 kg of crack according to the report.

Afghan civil society has in the recent months protested several times against execution of Afghans in Iran. The protests started after unofficial reports on execution of 45 Afghan prisoners in 3 days in March 2010.

Source: Iran Human Rights, May 29, 2010

Ecuador: Indian town drops death penalty in murder case

An Indian community that sentenced a young man to death by hanging for the murder of another man softened his punishment Sunday, ordering him to do five years of community service instead.

Orlando Quishpe, 21, was also subjected to punishments that included carrying a heavy sack of dirt, an ice-water bath and a public whipping with a thorny plant while he was forced to beg forgiveness.

Ecuador's attorney general had threatened legal action against the community after it ordered Quishpe's execution last week, because the South American nation does not allow the death penalty.

The Indians refused the government's request that the suspect be handed over to the regular courts. Ecuador's constitution recognizes indigenous justice as long as it does not violate the charter or human rights.

An assembly of residents in La Cocha, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) from the capital, debated for 6 hours Sunday and dropped the death penalty.

They decided Quishpe will carry out "5 years of work in the field," community leader Ricardo Chaluisa told reporters. He said the work would be supervised by members of Quishpe's home community, Guantopolo.

Before he was turned over to leaders from Guantopolo, Quishpe, who works as a carpenter and is in a rock band, underwent a day of punishment.

Nearly naked, he first was made to hold a sack of dirt for 10 minutes. Tied to a whipping post, he was doused in an icy bath and beaten with nettles while he apologized to the townspeople – although he denied any guilt in the slaying of Marco Olivo, 21.

Olivo was beaten and then hanged with a belt on May 9. Town leaders accused Quishpe of using his belt in the killing. No motive for the attack has been released.

4 other young men underwent a day of punishment for the crime a week ago. The community said they confessed to participating in the attack.

Source: Associated Press, May 29, 2010