…that’s the best way to describe Mojamix’s favorite grain for the month of March, and that’s millet. Millet is rich in protein and B vitamins, especially niacin, B6, and folacin and offers calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. Because millet is gluten-free, it is a great choice for people with celiac disease or other problems with wheat.
But that’s just the beginning of the story on millet. A small-seeded grass that grows well in environments that are, er, challenging, millet can survive drought better than rice or wheat. So it’s not too surprising that millet was an essential part of prehistoric diets in China, Northern India, and Korea up to 10,000 years ago. Millet travelled from there to the Middle East and Northern Africa, where it became a staple. It grew in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and even got a mention in the Hebrew Bible (aka Old Testament).
Through trading with Eritrea and Somalia circa 3000 BCE, the early Egyptians learned from the Africans how to cultivate millet, The Moors and Europeans followed suit, making millet one of the most popular plants to ever spread across the globe. So there you have it: A teeny tiny grain with a huge history. Talk about a heritage food!
What can we say? We’re crazy for ancient grains—the older the better. For all you millet lovers and millet-curious out there, we now offer a choice between millet rice flakes and millet puffs for your Mojamix. Try it in your next mix, then hollaback! We bet you love it as much as we do.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
We know that a lot of you like to snack on Mojamix right out of the bag. At work, on the road… it’s handy and healthy whenever you don’t have time to cook.
Sometimes, however, you want to gussy it up just a little bit. Having a Mardi Gras party? Watching the Olympics with friends? Here’s a quick and easy way to turn your bag of Mojamix into a sweet treat that can’t be beat!
Mojamix Gone Wild
Ingredients
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup honey
¼ cup butter
1 package Mojamix
Directions
Mix and melt sugar, honey, and butter. Add Mojamix. Spread out on a cookie sheet or in a shallow baking pan and bake at 275 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Break up any large chunks as soon as possible after baking. Cool completely and store in a tightly covered container in cool, dry place.
Enjoy!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Eating like a caveman is all the rage—the Diet of the Day includes racks of venison, periods of fasting, and lots of jumping around on rocks. That might be fun for some–but we here at Mojamix know when to say, “Ugh! Me had enough!”.
Despite popular belief amongst followers of the Paleolithic Diet, grains (and their nutritional contribution, carbohydrates) have been a part of human diets for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years. According to University of Calgary researcher Julio Mercader, our stone age ancestors ate sorghum and other grains far earlier in history than was previously believed. He and other researchers have discovered ancient caches of food including grains, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.
In other words, cavemen ate cereal not all that different from ours. And good thing, because the human body needs carbohydrates to function properly. In fact, just about the healthiest way to have your daily carbs is the way you’ll find them in Mojamix—a diverse blend of grains with fruit, nuts, and seeds to supply you with a range of nutrients and micronutrients similar to what our healthiest, strongest, most rockingest ancestors ate. We call it the Mojamix Diet. 
We’ve been spending a lot of time on this blog recently talking about what you can do with your Mojamix—the many different ways to enjoy it, how to give it to as a gift, ways to fancy it up for special occasions, etc. And sure, there’s a lot to say about all those topics. But we thought that this week we’d take a look at some of the things not to do, instead. Such as:
- Don’t pour your Mojamix directly in the cup holder of your car. Convenient in the moment, yes. Worth the impression it’ll make on your next passenger, no. Use a cup, however, and you have the perfect commuting snack situation!
- Don’t trade Mojamix for sex. It’s just tacky. (We highly recommend, however, that you enjoy an intimate bowl together in the afterglow.)
- Don’t refuse to share. You never know when you’ll be the one with a rumble in your tummy and a neighbor with a luscious blend of grains, nuts, and berries.
- Don’t separate your Mojamix into tiny little piles of ingredients and eat them separately. Sure, you could do this—but it’s about as interesting as high school civics class. Just sayin’.
- Finally, don’t hide your oats under a bushel. We know it’s hard when mobs of friends or coworkers crowd around to gawk at your Mojamix, but once you introduce them to the good stuff, you’ll love having other cereal aficionados and artisans in your circle. So let your crunch flag fly!
Faithful readers, what else belongs on this list? We want to read your comments!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
“The Ancients used this medicine to remain fertile, strong and vigorous . . .”
from Pen T’sao Kang Mu
Yeah, we know. Hemp. Trendy, trippy—but also, as it turns out, tasty, timeless, and terrifically nutritious. Apart from the other oh-so-fabulous benefits people receive from hemp plants, the seeds have been an ancient and nutritionally complete part of human diets for at least four millennia in China, Egypt, Persia, and elsewhere.
There’s not enough THC in hempseeds to get you high—just enough nutrition to keep you healthy. With a pleasant, nutty taste similar to sunflower seeds, hemp seeds contain all the essential amino acids and the essential fatty acids that humans need to survive and thrive. Along with a sky-high level of protein and fiber, hemp seed is rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin E, and minerals, including magnesium, iron and zinc.
Load up your mix with 2-3 portions of hemp seeds to intensify your daily nutrition, and enjoy!
Monday, December 21, 2009
The Latin name for Walnut, Juglans, comes from Jupiter glans, or “Jupiter’s acorn”. In other words, a nut fit for a god. We agree—and so, apparently, do many of you! Today the mighty walnut is one of our most-often ordered ingredients.
Walnuts are the oldest tree food enjoyed by humanity, dating back to 7000 BCE. Originating in ancient Persia, they spread throughout the world to enjoy popularity everywhere. Nutritionally, walnuts are a fabulous source of omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts are considered a herb in traditional Chinese medicine and are used to condition the kidney and intestines and strengthen the backs and knees. They are even used as an offering to Mother Goddess Vaisnay Devi and as a celebratory food for the holiday of Diwali.
The walnut first came to our fabulous home state of California in the late 1700s and grew until the present state of affairs: California walnuts account for 99 percent of the walnuts sold in the US and two-thirds of walnuts in the world. The walnuts you’ll find in our Mojamix are the cream of that crop. Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Just as masters of Persian carpet weaving put in one wrong thread in each exquisite fabric art piece (with the reasoning that only God can create perfection) there is one, teeny, tiny thing wrong with this whole individualized cereal gig. Picking out the perfect cereal for yourself is one thing… but combining the perfect textures and flavors for another’s palate can be a task of Herculean proportion!
Unfortunately, this flaw rears its ugly head at no time more than the holidays, when you would like nothing better than to share the awesome-o Mojamix experience with everyone you know. That’s why we decided to offer the Mojamix gift card.
As a minimal-carbon present that the recipient is sure to use (who could resist?) and helps support local farmers, our card is The Perfect Green Gift. They’re available in amounts from $10 to $200, with an email gift card (for extra greenieness!) or a paper gift card (for that fun “gift in the hand” feel).
This year, give something perfectly customized that they’re guaranteed to love. And that you don’t have to think about at all. Happy holidays, everyone.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The holidays are a time to love. The holidays are a time to give. The holidays are a time to celebrate.
And above all, the holidays are a time to eat. Usually too much, and especially too much stuff that’s delicious–but not quite nutritious. That’s why in addition to recommending Mojamix as a fabulous, unique gift for everyone on your list, we suggest you pick up a little for yourself. Start off each morning of your busy holiday season with a bowl of mojamix with your favorite fruits and nuts. And give everyone you know the gift of an energetic, well fed, non-sugar-tweaked you.
Looking for ideas for a mojamix blend to make your holiday special? Try this recipe of seasonal tastes to give you the energy you need to get through the entire month and into the new year in style!
Green and Red and Yummy All Over Mix
Purity Buckwheat Granola
Cranberries
Pears
Pumpkin Seeds
Pistachios
(For a little extra zip–and protein–add all the fruits and nuts twice!)
For many years, I’ve celebrated Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead. I like to remember people who have touched my life and passed on. Their pictures grace the mantle. We light candles, listen to their favorite music, and eat their favorite foods.
This year, I wanted to have a simple meal that brought together something of everyone who we remember on this day. Mojamix fit the bill. Here’s what we had:
A base of oats, hearty and nourishing, in memory of friend, Natasha, who supported me always
Apples for my grandmother, baker of pies
Strawberries for an old love (why? That’s private)
Almonds for an old neighbour who was kind, if a bit… nutty
Hemp seeds for my great–uncle Alex—well, I probably don’t need to tell you what HE was like
And Pumpkin seeds for mom, who carved with me on Halloween
Every
Year.
Peace to you as we enter the quiet of late fall and start to prepare for winter. It’s that time of year, so watch this space for great ideas for incorporating Mojamix into your holidays. We have great ideas for everyone on your list!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
You may have noticed that we’ve added several new granola and trail mix blends to our menu. You guys said you loved eat-from-the-bag blends, and we listened. The next couple blog posts we’ll tell you a little bit more about the history of this delicious school of cereals and how you might best enjoy yours.
But first, let’s start with this. Strange but true: much like the VCR and Betamax, back at the beginning of its history, “granola” was in stiff competition with (wait for it…) “granula”. I think we can all be grateful that granola won that one.
“Granola” was developed by John Harvey Kellogg (yes, that Kellogg) as a highly nutritious food that is especially good for bowel health. His theory that a diet heavy in breakfast cereal would dampen sexual appetites. Happily, he turned out to be dead wrong about that. Today scientists know that a blend of high-protein, vitamin rich, fiber-heavy granola will support you in just about any physical activity you undertake. Or overtake. Or however you take it. The hippies knew this; why do you think granola got so popular again in the 60’s, anyway?
