Killer Kale Salad

[embed]https://vimeo.com/202786529[/embed]

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding (super-charged of course)

Who doesn't love a chia pudding?  And seriously, folks are going crazy for pumpkin pie everything! What we have here is a super tonic, super nutritious, super delicious and filling pudding! High in easy to digest proteins fat and fiber, and low in sugar. This is a delicious, filling, and highly nutritious snack!

1 can pumpkin puree

1 can full fat coconut milk

6 medjool dates (soaked for 10 min in boiling water and drained)

2 squirts liquid stevia

4 T coconut sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 T ground turmeric (anti-inflammatory boost) 

1 T ground Eleutherococcus-a gentle adaptogen herb to help with stress response (I get mine here)

6 drops cinnamon essential oil (Certified Pure, Therapeutic Grade oils only-you can purchase here)

2 T ground ginger (anti-inflammatory boost)

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 scoop unflavored Whey Protein powder (I use this brand) 

2 scoops Collagen Peptides (I use this brand)

2/3 cup chia seeds

Add all ingredients except the chia seeds to a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed until fully smooth. Add chia seeds and pulse to gently mix in. Spoon into jars or serving dishes. Let set up for 1-2 hours. Serve with cocoa nibs and unsweetened shredded coconut.

Turmeric Ginger Summer Switchel

 

Excited to share my new favorite summer drink! Why Turmeric? In botanical medicine it goes by it's Latin name, Curcuma Longa. It is a member of the ginger family and is a rhizome that looks like ginger, but is bright orange/yellow. The orange color is the carotenoid called 'curcumin' which is responsible for the amazing health benefits including high antioxidant power. Turmeric is wonderful for soothing and quenching all sorts of inflammation. We now understand that inflammation is at the root of many common chronic illnesses. It has anti-cancer as well as brain protective benefits. With dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases on the rise, I am definitely looking for prevention strategies, especially ones that taste so good! If you are looking for a way to add delicious supercharged nutrition to your life, you can't go wrong with Turmeric!

It is also slightly bitter, and a warming, stimulating herb which helps with bile production, and can support healthy cholesterol levels. We know it is absorbed best when in the presence of black pepper. In this recipe I use doTERRA black pepper essential oil which is really mild and adds a great balance to the flavor.

If you want to purchase black pepper oil you can do that here. 

Ginger is a natural companion to turmeric. Very anti-inflammatory itself, it also helps with digestion, has anticancer benefits too. Ginger has been shown to reduce migraine pain and menstrual cramps. This is powerful kitchen medicine! A switchel is an old fashioned beverage using apple cider vinegar with some sort of sweetener- commonly honey, maple syrup, or molasses. I will be experimenting with using a xylitol simple syrup to reduce the glycemic impact of the switchel. However, the amount of honey used in this recipe is relatively small, and the switchel is diluted with still or sparkling water, so the sugar content is much lower than most commercially available sodas and drinks.

Here is the recipe:

Equal parts fresh turmeric and ginger juice. I juiced them in my champion juicer, however if you do not have a juicer you can grate them on a fine, microplane grater, and then add the freshly grated roots to the apple cider vinegar mixture. When you serve it you will just want to strain it first. So you can scale this recipe as you want, but for this example let's say we have 1/4 cup combined turmeric and ginger juices. 

To this you will add 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon, lime or a combo of juice.

Then add 3/4 cup Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Then stir in your sweetener. I used honey in mine and I used 1/2 cup. You may like it more or less sweet and you can adjust to your taste. 

4 drops black pepper essential oil

Stir all together. This makes the base of your switchel drink. It is very strong by itself. To serve, add 2-3 Tablespoons to a 12 oz glass filled with ice and either still or sparkling water. It is also delicious added to summer cocktails! Be aware that the Turmeric can stain anything it comes in contact with!

Enjoy!

Ginger, Turmeric, Cinnamon Tea

More and more research is supporting the idea that inflammation is at the heart of most chronic diseases.

A wonderful friend of mine taught me this delicious recipe for an anti-inflammatory tea.  She experienced significant reduction in her arthritis pain after regular consumption.  I decided I had to try it myself!  Not only is it extremely good for you, it is delicious!

Recipe?  In a saucepan full of water throw a few slices of fresh ginger, fresh turmeric, and cinnamon sticks.  Simmer for 20 min or longer.  Add  a small bit of honey and the juice of one lemon.   Drink hot or cold!  It is also easily made with dried, ground herbs as well.  Try 1 quart of water with 1/2 tsp of each herb.

Curcumin, the potent anti-oxidant in Turmeric has been found to be as effective an anti inflammatory as prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in a trial with rheumatoid arthritis patients.  It is an effective free radical scavenger, and holds promise in prevention of cancer and alzheimer's disease.  In nutrition, it seems that the deeper the color of the food the higher the nutritional value.  So when you are shopping, look for deep green greens like kale, dark berries, and bright yellow pigments like turmeric for nutrient dense power.

Ginger has been used traditionally to quell arthritis pain and has been shown effective in trials comparing it to NSAIDS.  Ginger is also a warming, digestive stimulant.

Cinnamon is rapidly earning its reputation as a blood sugar and lipid regulator for folks who struggle with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.  Besides this, cinnamon is also anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, warming and delicious!

Do you need any more encouragement to go put on a pot of water for a batch of turmeric, ginger, cinnamon tea?

Collard Harvest

We had a bumper crop of collard greens this year in the garden. Even our dog was eating them! Collards are super nutritious- high in vitamin A, vitamin K, and Folate. We use them as wraps for bread-less sandwiches (lightly steam them after removing the stem), stir fried with bacon, julienned in salads or as a noodle replacement. We eat a lot of soups in the winter time and I'm happy to have a supply of greens in the freezer. Pictured is julienned collards in green papaya salad.

Flu Shot

 Flu Vaccine Soup

There is a lot of news these days about the dread flu going around.  I’m not here to parse myth from fact,  but I do have a delicious soup recipe for you!  There are many immune stimulating reasons to eat this soup and I hope you find it as calming to your fears as it is nourishing to your body!

It is not necessary to make your own soup stock, but I did, and I threw some things in there that are good for the immune system, so I will share them with you.

Veggie/Bone Broth:

• Onion cut into quarters (I don’t peel it because the peel is rich in a flavonoid called quercitin)
• Garlic: a handful (garlic and onions both enhance the activities of our white blood cells which fight viruses)
• celery: 4-8 stalks
• carrots: 3-6
• tomatoes: 4-5 (I used Romas)
• zucchini: one cut into chunks
• Mushrooms: Dried Shitake, Miatake, Reishi
• 2 bay leaves, small handful of peppercorns, fennel seed
• 6 slices of dried astragalus (an antiviral herb)
• 6 slices of dried burdock root ( a tonic)
• 6 slices of dried licorice root (an antiviral herb)
• small handful of kelp
• Bones from an animal that had a happy life (chicken, beef, pork)
• Splash of organic apple cider vinegar (helps pull the minerals from the bones into the broth)

Put all the vegetables, bones and herbs in a large stainless steel pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer for 12-48 hours.  Strain solids out and discard.  Pour broth into jars for storage.  Freezes well.

Now that you have your stock ready, or if you are using prepared stock, it just takes a few minutes to prepare the soup.

Greens, Garlic, Ginger Soup/  Flu Vaccine Soup

• 3 cups stock (veggie or chicken)
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 6 cloves fresh garlic (I have a stone that fits nicely into my hand that I use to smash garlic.  Once smashed, the skin comes off easily.)

Bring to a boil and let the ginger and garlic simmer for 5-10 minutes in the broth.

• add 6-8 cups of chopped greens: kale, spinach, escarole, bok choy

Let the greens cook for 5 minutes or so.

• add salt and pepper to taste

Blend in blender, food processor, or vita mix, until pureed.

Drink up!

Remember there are a few other simple things you can do to keep your immune system strong:

• Get adequate sleep
• Stay away from sugar and simple carbohydrates
• Get enough vitamin D
• Reduce your stress levels
• Laugh, love, and feel grateful everyday
• Wash your hands!

I ordered my dried herbs fromMountain Rose Herbs

Super Tonic Chai

Astragalus- immune stimulating (increases macrophages and natural killer cells) and adrenal tonic.  great for anyone with spleen qi deficiency, supports good digestion.  Very safe, mildly sweet flavor, overall tonifying.

Burdock root- Liver tonic, blood cleanser, alterative.  Mildly bitter and therefore stimulating to the digestive system.  Historically used for hormone balancing and skin conditions.

Dandelion Root- Alterative, liver tonic, nutritive.  Wonderful for detoxification and elimination processes.

Licorice Root-Anti viral, immune modulating, adrenal tonic.  Sweet flavor.  Used to treat colds, coughs, stomach upset, chronic fatigue. (caution in high doses if you have high blood pressure)

Codonopsis – Also known as Dangshen, or poor man’s ginseng.  Used to increase resistance to stress, increase energy, modulate immune response (increase response in cancer, decrease in autoimmune conditions).

Ginger- potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, carminative (good for nausea, gas, dyspepsia).  Warming.

Cinnamon-wow, a powerhouse of health benefits!  Anti-inflammatory (great for arthritis pain and menstrual cramps), antimicrobial, promotes healthy blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, can promote healthy cholesterol levels.  Warming and delicious!

Black Peppercorns- Helps with digestion, is antioxidant and antimicrobial.

Cloves-Pain relief, high in antioxidants, antibacterial, digestive stimulant.

The amount of herbs pictured (I’m bad about measuring things, but you can see it’s a tablespoon or two of each herb) made one gallon of chai.  Simmer the herbs for 45 minutes to an hour, add black tea and steep for 4 minutes.  Strain.  You can keep this mixture in the fridge for a week, heating up one cup at a time.  Add cream and honey to taste.  You might not need to add any honey as some of the herbs are quite sweet.

I recommend drinking super tonic chai daily to build strong adrenals, and keep your immune system healthy!

Don't go without pumpkin pie this year! Gluten free, grain free, dairy free deliciousness!

I love my pumpkin pie, but I am determined this year to not have regrets about what I ate over the holidays!  How many times do I need to learn that the recovery time is not really worth the few bites of gluten laden decadence?  For those of you looking for a delicious alternative to feeling regret, read on!  I started with a real pumpkin because my CSA gives them to me!  But working with canned pumpkin is just fine too.  The only thing is you won't have the yummy roasted pumpkin seeds to snack on while you are waiting for the pie to cool!

Start by baking a pumpkin, if that's your plan.

Scoop out the guts and seeds of the pumpkin.

Bake face down on a sheet pan at 350 degrees until soft.  Let cool before scooping the flesh out of the shell into a measuring cup.

Meanwhile, separate the pumpkin guts from the pumpkin seeds.  Rinse the seeds and roast with a little oil (I used delicious, nutritious coconut oil which I got here) until you hear popping sounds coming from the oven.  They should be crunchy and irresistible, especially with good salt.  Pumpkin seeds are a powerhouse of nutrition.  Known to be a good source of minerals including zinc and magnesium as well as protein and essential fatty acids.  Research suggests they are useful for prostate health, bone density, parasites, arthritis and healthy blood lipids.  Find out more here.

In a food processor make the crust:

3/4 cup raw pecans or pumpkin seeds (grind ‘em up real good in the food processor)

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/2 cup coconut flour (find out why I'm such a fan of the coconut here and here)

1/2 tsp good salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup  coconut sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 free range egg

Process dry stuff, add the coconut oil and process.  Then add egg and pulse until it comes together.  It will be sticky.

Press into a pie plate or tart pan.  Freeze for 15-20 minutes, then bake for 20 minutes at 325 degrees until lightly browned.

Next mix up the filling in the food processor:

Filling:

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

3 eggs

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup (or less)

1/2 tsp good salt

1/4 tsp allspice

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

pinch of cayenne

pinch of ground cloves

1 can coconut milk (not LITE)

Blend everything together until it is a smooth puree.  Pour into partially baked pie crust.  Tap to release bubbles.

Bake 45-55 minutes at 325. Be sure to let it cool before you serve it.

Delicious ending to a healthy fall meal, but honestly it makes a darn good breakfast too!