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Smokey Potato and Brussels Sprout Skillet Hash
With Easter Sunday just a few short days away, I, clearly, cannot get breakfast off my mind. I got a beautiful bunch of brussels sprouts and beautiful green garlic from our CSA box (community supported agriculture), bacon and eggs from a local farmer and I had some organic russet potatoes on-hand from another recipe I was creating – it was as if this recipe created itself.
There is something about brunch that just makes me so happy. After a long and busy week, a weekend brunch is that welcomed slow highlight, that light at the end of the hectic tunnel. To me brunch is a time to relish in the quiet and the peace, the time to connect with your people. Holiday or not, I feel like every single week should include one incredible brunch. Whether made at home or out at your favorite local eatery.
The wonderful thing about this hash is how simple it is to make. It’s a one-pan meal on it’s own. It is fantastic served alongside a spring-inspired frittata, or maybe some delicious savory breakfast muffins, or just keep it crazy simple and fry up a couple of eggs and plop them on top. Done and done.
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Baked Eggs with Asparagus and Lemony Pea Pesto {Paleo, Whole30}
We are officially through the winter, onto the other side and into the spring. I absolutely adore this time of year. It’s so refreshing and inspiring. Spring brings so much fresh newness and light. Despite being nearly 4 months from the start of the new year, to me, the springtime truly feels like birth of the new year. We welcome the light back into our lives and there is a very palpable energy floating amongst us. I feel rejuvenated and ready to take on the world.
From a food standpoint, there is so much beautiful produce popping up, once again. So much is in bloom and there is much greenery. I feel so inspired to create in the kitchen this time of year. While I won’t be hosting a big Easter brunch this year, I am very much in the mood to think about beautiful spring-inspired brunch foods right now. More than the typical omelet or scrambled eggs, these baked eggs incorporate the best of the season and they can become a meal in and of themselves. They can be made in single servings, so you can prep everything and just place the ramekins or crocks into the oven. What comes out are these beautiful little baked eggs with an elegant vernal twist. The perfect dish for guests. Asparagus and green peas are stars of this show, making their first appearance of the season, in the first of many delicious dishes.
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Digestion 101: A North to South Process // Part 3: The Accessory Organs – Pancreas, Gallbladder and Liver
Digestion 101: A North to South Process
As we continue more south in digestion, after first the brain and the mouth and then the stomach we move onto the accessory organs, the pancreas, liver and gallbladder
As we move further south from the stomach, while the small intestines are next in line for the food, but we first take a small pause/detour to discuss “the accessory organs of digestion”. The pancreas, liver and gallbladder, each play a very important role in the digestive process and each can be affected with their own dysfunction as well.
The stomach, small intestines and large intestines are all part of the system of digestion we call “the alimentary canal”, “the gut tube” or “digestive tube”. Between each of these organs we have valves or sphincters that keep the food where it is supposed to be and move it along when the time and the environment is right. These accessory organs are not a part of this tube or system but they play a major role in the process.
There is a synergistic and symbiotic relationship with the small intestines and these accessory organs, so we will discuss first how these play a role before we move into the function of the rest of the GI tract.
The duodenum is the start of the small intestine, but it almost acts more as part of the stomach, in it’s roles of breaking things down further playing a larger part in the process of digestion, vs the rest of the small intestine being less of a digestive organ and more about absorption or assimilation.
See Part One: The Brain and The Mouth
THE PANCREAS, GALLBLADDER AND LIVER:
How It’s Supposed to Work
When the pH of the chyme (the digested food moving from the stomach into the small intestines) is in it’s normal range, 1.5 – 3.0 , which we talked about in the stomach post. This is very acidic and necessary to the stomach performing it’s duties. As it hits the pyloric valve and into the duodenum with it’s proper pH, this is where the roles of the accessory organs come into play. This highly acidic chyme is what triggers these functions.
The duodenum no longer wants this highly acidic chyme and in order for the enzymes to work correctly it has to take that chyme to a neutral pH of 7.0. This happens by way of sodium bicarbonate, which is released by the pancreas to alkalinize the chyme. This release of sodium bicarbonate is signaled by secretin, a hormone released by the small intestines, which as you might have already guessed, is triggered by the (proper) acidic level of the chyme, that pH of 1.3 – 5. (Ahem, here is that reminder to look north, if the stomach isn’t producing proper HCl, then none of this will function properly, either!!)
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Spicy Garlic Roasted Broccoli
What is most interesting to me about cooking and food, is it’s role as a common thread to connect us. Food is something that we all experience on a daily basis (at least I hope so), we can all connect over this need to eat for sustenance and also the collective memories we have created over this nourishment, on our own or together. Food knows no boundaries, it sees no limits. We all need to eat. Where you go with your choices for food and your personal approach to eating, that’s up to you. But we can all bond over the nourishment, the community and the beautiful moments and memories food can elicit, too.
When I created this website way back nearly 6 years ago, simply a hobby at the time, I had hoped to create a space where you, the readers, would always feel encouraged and inspired to get into the kitchen. Too often I find that cooking and recipes can become elitest and overcomplicated, so much so that it becomes less accessible to people with for-real busy lives and in some cases it can actually intimidate people from ever stepping into the kitchen first place. Then it’s back to the fast foods, the take out, the packaged foods and the meals of convenience. This idea is absolutely devastating, soul-crushing and heart-breaking, to me.
I always want to elicit excitement around cooking and creating in the kitchen. Some days I feel like this is my true life’s mission. There is so much joy that can come from constructing beautiful, nourishing meals, made with love. That said, I also think about cooking the way I do about most other things in my life: Less is more, keep it simple, don’t overcomplicate things and focus on what you love. These simple ideas have never failed me in life and they have also never failed me in the kitchen, either.
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Grain-free Matcha Orange Blossom Shortbread with Black Sesame Seeds
Green has always been one of my very favorite colors. I have always been intuitively drawn to it, as long as I can remember. After I grew out of the typical pale pink phase that most little girls go through, I wanted everything to be green in my childhood bedroom. I am drawn to green food and I find comfort in lush green environments. From an energetic standpoint the color green represents the heart chakra, Anahata. Our center of love and compassion.
I think when we hear the word love, often we think of our relationships, our spouses and partners, our family and our closest friends. We are all taken by this feeling of being drawn together and connected in unity. But, lately I have very much reminded how just as important that same love and compassion is, when it comes to ourselves.
It is so very easy to get caught up in life, to forget our own needs and to be so available to those that we love that we can forget to care for ourselves. After struggling with this at the end of last year and as I continue to explore the idea of helping others on a deeper level, I am constantly reminded how vital self care, self love and self compassion are to me being able to bring my best self to others. I struggle with my ego trying to convince me to believe this self care is selfish, the balance is delicate and often that line is greyed, for some people.
This need for self-love has been most apparent to me as I have tackled my own healing journey this past year and I would say the same could be said for anyone going through any of their own healing. Whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual. To heal is to make whole. If our heart center is the catalyst to unification, then it too becomes the center of healing. Indeed, love stands to be the ultimate healing force.
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Digestion 101: A North to South Process // Part 2: The Stomach
Digestion 101: A North to South Process
As we continue more south in digestion, after the brain and the mouth, next up we have the stomach. Before we get started, I wanted to remind you that you will constantly hear me reiterate as we go through this step-by-step process to “always look north” and I want you to truly understand what this means, exactly. I am referring to the fact that often times dysfunction that presents itself from further down the line, is actually due to a malfunction more north. For example, as you will read about in this second post and as we talked about briefly in the first, (the brain and the mouth), if you are eating in a stressful state and your body doesn’t make the necessary switch to that parasympathetic mode (rest and digest), then before your stomach ever had a chance to function properly, the brain basically threw it under the bus. So, while the symptoms may present themselves in the stomach (or even further south) it may not make sense to supplement, treat or approach the symptoms specifically until we instead move more north to investigate if these malfunctions are treatable with just some simple lifestyle and mindset shifts.
This is not at all to say that all digestive dysfunction starts in the brain, that would make my job and my own healthy journey so much simpler. In fact, there are many reasons why dysfunction can exist, as you will see, but beginning the investigative process at the start, way up north, allows us to rule out the possible, more simple resolutions before we move deeper and into more challenging treatments.
See Part One: The Brain and The Mouth
THE STOMACH:
How it’s Supposed to Work
After we chew our food, it turns into what we call a “bolus”. The bolus passes through the esophagus and the cardiac valve (the lower esophageal sphincter) and the bolus then enters our stomach, At this stage gastric juices are released. I like to think of the stomach as a blender. Mucous, pepsin and hydrochloric acid are all released for the “churning and burning” stage of digestion. Both mechanical and chemical breakdown happens at this stage.
The hydrochloric acid (HCl) being the most important of these gastric juices as it creates an acidic environment that disenfects the food and aids in the breakdown. Despite popular belief the stomach is absolutely meant to be acidic. In a healthy individual the pH of the stomach during digestion should drop to 1.5 to 3. We have a thick mucosal layer in our stomach, that acts as a barrier that protects the cells from the acid.
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Zucchini Noodles with Caramelized Fennel and Spicy Sourdough Breadcrumbs
As someone that generally has so much to say in real life, at times I can find this blank window of a new post to be completely daunting. I am not a writer, not by any stretch of the imagination. My posts are riddled with incorrect punctuation and remedial grammatical errors – probably every last post on this website. I can be somewhat insecure about this fact, it used to almost be crippling at times. Being ever a perfectionist, I want everything to always be on-point and I can give myself an insanely hard time when I feel that things don’t meet my expectations.
Thankfully I have the utmost confidence in my recipes and my ideas, so I power through. I chat a little, I share what’s on my mind and we just get through it together. This is one of those times that my brain is so overloaded with everything going on, that while it feels full to the brim, somehow, I am also at a loss. With mid-terms last weekend, Expo West this weekend add a back injury, parties, a newborn nephew on the other side of the country, tons of people in town right now, and everything in between – there is almost too much to share that somehow there ends up being nothing important enough to write to you about. Or maybe my brain is just beyond tired. I am leaning more towards that.
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Comforting Mushroom Soup
Something strange has happened in Southern California over the last couple of days…we had weather!! Yes, more than just sunshine and blue skies. We had violent and incredible thunderstorms lighting up the skies, pouring rain with the biggest rain drops you ever did see and heavy winds, bending those strong and sturdy palms, to and fro. It was incredible, chilly and so cozy. I miss days like this. When the skies open up and bathe us in this sweet and necessary rain, I am beyond grateful not only for the obvious, but also for the reminder and the excuse to slow down. I also find myself reminded of the importance of soul-warming, comfort food.
I have been making this comforting mushroom soup on and off throughout this winter. It’s so hearty, rich and earthy without being too heavy or indulgent. I also find that like most of my recipes, it’s also quite versatile. You can make it vegan by utilizing just the flavor of a beautiful mushroom broth and the meatiness of the varying mushrooms as the base, or you can, as we opted to here, add in some beautiful chicken stock and a little shredded dark meat chicken, for additional flavor and a source of protein for a complete meal.
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Grain-free Banana Cream Pie Bites {Paleo & Gluten-free}
Sometimes, my Type-A, control-freak brain comes in very handy, I can be so organized when it comes to certain things and I can also be so obsessed with being in control and ahead. I am competitive with myself and I am always striving to do better than the last time. But, there is still that little hippie type-B inside of me, that likes to be relaxed and fly by the seat of my pants, go with the wind and whatever my mood and the energy of the day dictates. This post is a culmination of all of this. Let me explain why.
I was lying in bed Monday night thinking about all those silly “National Food Holidays”, that have become such a thing over the past few years. If you are on any social media platform, I know you know about it. There is National Donut Day, National Red Wine Day, Chocolate Cake Day, Pizza Day, last week there was National Margarita day and National Toast Day… the list goes on and on and on. I have no clue where these come from, nor who created them. Mostly I think it’s fun. I like the excuse to be reminded of something in the TY recipe archives that you guys might like to know about it, after all I have nearly 6 years of recipes just hanging out here.
As I thought about this trend, I decided to see what food holidays were coming up this month and I saw that today, March 2nd, was National Banana Cream Pie Day. Fun. But wait, I don’t have a banana cream pie recipe to share, that I love. I sat up in bed and started thinking about so many fun recipe ideas and then realized I had everything on hand to whip up some adorable little mini Banana Cream Pie Bites! As I drifted off to dreamland, I dreamt of soft, luscious, banana cream pies that I could actually eat.
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Seared Tuna with Wasabi Citrus Aioli
Seafood has become a staple in our house. At least once a week I serve up some type of seafood. Scallops, salmon, tuna, halibut, shrimp, and many others are on regular rotation around here. Since we moved to the West Coast I have found that my love of seafood has reached new heights. Driving by the ocean daily, will do that to you. Additionally, by way of nutritionist school, I have gained an even deeper awareness of the many nutritional benefits of wild caught seafood, including it’s abundance of omega-3 essential fatty acids, obviously quality protein and of course, fat soluble vitamins A and D and various macro and trace minerals including iodine, selenium, zinc and magnesium. Our soils may be depleted of certain trace minerals, but every mineral we need is in the oceans and seafood is our only sure source for obtaining them all. These are just some of the many reasons high quality seafood at the top of the list for our protein choices, around here.
Why Sustainable, Wild Caught Seafood is Your Best Choice:
Regardless of the long list of nutritional benefits, it so very important to always harbor concern for overfishing and sustainability. Selecting your fish should comes with a responsibility, and hopefully, a commitment to supporting sustainably managed fisheries with a focus on best practices and ethics. I personally want to know the fisherman are using ethical catch methods (hook and line) and that at the heart of the business I am supporting, are small boat fishermen who really care and have a high level of pride in what they do. Those nutritional benefits listed above, you can be sure those will only come with wild cause fish. Just an FYI for those who still don’t know, farm raised fish, often receive antibiotics and inappropriate feed, including soy meal containing pesticide residues. Oh and pssst, farm raised salmon are actually given a dye to make their flesh pink!
One Hook, One Fish at a Time
Only a small percentage—less than 5%—of Alaska seafood comes from hook and line methods, but what line-caught fish lack in quantity, they more than make up for in quality. Using a small boat, hook and line fishermen catch and process One Hook, One Fish At A Time. This is a traditional way of fishing that results in an extremely high quality fish. Additionally, the knowledgable fishermen who know where to fish and can pinpoint species with the right lures, results in minimal by-catch.
A line-caught fish is a superior product and is the most premium quality fish on the market. No fish is handled with more care from the time it leaves the water until it is delivered to a customer than a line-caught fish. With these practices come the belief that each fish deserves to be treated with a singular devotion to quality and the respect due to a wild creature, all the way to the consumer.
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How-to Make Ghee at Home
Ghee is a kitchen staple around here. For the longest time I was buying it, and I still do in a pinch, but as I discovered the cost efficiency and simplicity of making it at home, I have made this part of my DIY repertoire.
For those unfamiliar, ghee is a clarified butter, of sorts, that has been cooked down for some time, removing any moisture, milk solids and impurities. What remains is a pure and delicious butter oil, that has turned a beautiful golden color, it’s taste and flavor are slightly sweet and nutty. Ghee brings an aroma, taste and flavor a lot like butter, but even better. The difference between clarified butter and ghee is ghee’s lengthier cooking process, to remove all the moisture and the milk solids are browned in the fat and then strained out, bringing the slightly nutty taste. Ghee has a longer shelf life, due to all the moisture being removed.
Ghee is a wonderful option for those who are lactose or casein intolerant and want to enjoy the taste of butter. Ghee is also clearly a much better option than those scary hydrogenated oil-filled margarines and other highly processed vegan spreads. It does not burn, unless heated excessively, so it’s a wonderful option for stir fries, sautéing, frying, roasting, sauces, ettc. It’s also delicious as a spread, on toast, pancakes, scones, over rice and more. It can also be used on the body, as an oil for massage, as a base for healing herbal treatments, for burns, skin rashes, etc.
In India, ghee is a sacred and celebrated symbol of nourishment and healing, especially in daily rituals. It is also used in every day cooking. Ayurvedic physicians celebrate this liquid gold as being important to health and well-being, balance and vitality. If you don’t wish to make your own, ghee is usually found in the ethnic section of any big grocery store, in most Indian/South Asian stores or online.
Always make ghee with high-quality grass-fed organic butter. Cheap butter contains a lot of water and chemicals and it tends to burn faster. Due to the reduction and straining process, always start with 25% more butter than the amount of clarified butter desired. 1 pound of butter = approximately 1 1/2 cups ghee.
The Benefits of Choosing Ghee:
Rich Butter Taste without the Lactose or Casein. Made from butter ghee has the buttery flavor, but the milk solids have been removed, so if you are lactose or casein free, enjoy without issue.
Ghee has a high smoke point. 485ºF. You can cook and fry with ghee and it will not burn nor will it break down into free radicals, like so many other cooking oils can.
Ghee doesn’t spoil easily. Without the presence of milk fat and water, this makes ghee shelf stable. If you desire, it can be stored at room temperature rather then refrigeration. Ghee will last a couple months in an air-tight container at room temperature. If you aren’t sure if any moisture or milk solids remain, you can certainly play it safe and store in the fridge, to maximize it’s shelf life. That’s generally what I do.
Ghee is rich in fat soluable vitamins A D and E. If you have gluten sensitivity, leaky gut, IBS, Crohn’s or certain pancreatic disorders, you may have a problem absorbing vitamin A. By using ghee for cooking, and as a replacement for butter, you can increase your intake. Vitamin D can be made in the body, after exposure to sunlight, but obviously in the colder winter months is can be challenging for us to make enough. Ghee benefits the body by improving moisture and contains vitamin E, which is an antioxidant whose role is to repair damaged skin, balance hormones, improve vision and help to balance cholesterol. Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed with fat and stored in the gastrointestinal tract — and they are essential to maintaining a healthy metabolism and various biochemical functions in the body. (1)
Ghee is also rich is K2 and Conjugated Linoleum Acid. Studies show K2 is better for building bones than calcium and proper levels of K2 can help fight tooth decay, bone loss and aid in the fight against the calcification of arteries. CJA is antioxidant with anti-viral properties, when sourced from grass-fed cows. Studies indicate that it may help to reduce tumors, lower cholesterol and high blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and actually lower body fat.(2)
Like coconut oil, ghee is rich is medium chain fatty acids, which are quickly absorbed directly to the liver and used as energy. This quick burn can actually lead to weight loss.
Ghee and butter are rich in butyric acid, a short chain fatty acid great for protection against fungal infections and aids in colon health. It’s been shown to support healthy insulin levels, is an anti-inflammatory, and may be helpful for individuals suffering from IBS, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. (3)
Ghee Reduces Inflammation. Ghee’s levels of butyrate play a role in reducing inflammation in the digestive tract and throughout the body. In Ayurvedic practice, ghee benefits the body by creating a more alkaline system that overall reduces inflammation by reducing the leukotriene secretion and reducing prostaglandin in the body(4)
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Digestion 101: A North to South Process // Part 1: The Brain and the Mouth
As many of you know, my digestion has been the source of much on and off distress over many years of my life. While I found the greatest relief by going 100% gluten-free after discovering an intolerance over 11 years ago, my digestion in the time since, has still not been without challenge and discomfort and at times, straight pain. As I began the journey to heal my body of my newly discovered autoimmune condition last year, we first needed to address my still, not-so-great digestion. This foundational approach to the healing of consequences, such as autoimmune conditions, by first treating digestive dysfunction – is a common approach, especially for functional and naturopathic doctors and nutritionists, who know that without properly functioning digestion, we cannot expect to ever find health and vitality. Without proper digestion we can be sure that we aren’t going to adequately assimilate the necessary nutrients through the food we are eating, no matter how healthy we eat and no matter what supplements or medications that we take. In working with a naturopathic doctor, we discovered early last year that I was struggling with leaky gut, and even found at the start of this year, after a year of dealing with the leaky gut, yet still not feeling 100%, that I had an unwelcome parasite and an excess of pathogenic bacteria (both likely the results of having a leaky gut, for who knows how long). It’s been a long year, to say the least.
Through the process of my own personal journey, I have and I continue to learn so much about digestion. This personal, ongoing path towards healing and all of the knowledge and know-how I have collected along the way, is what ultimately prompted me to go back to school to become a certified nutritional therapist. I wanted to truly learn and understand all of this in much deeper and fuller way, to allow me to not only continue to help and heal myself and my loved ones, but to also share this knowledge with others and hopefully help them help themselves, in the process.
So much of what we have been learning in school, about nutrition and more specifically, digestion, has really struck home for me. Much of what we cover are very simple concepts that I truly believe most people need to understand, and support – all of this ultimately has inspired me to share with you guys more about the process of digestion! I know so very many of you, too, are plagued by these varying epidemic levels of dysfunction and I want to empower you with the knowledge to overcome them.
In this series of posts I am going to break down the north to south process of digestion, covering how proper function should occur and also discussing the typical dysfunctions that can derail this process along the pathway. I am also going to offer advice, tips, foods, supplements and other remedies, both traditional and not, to hopefully bring you healing.
Digestion 101: A North to South Process
Digestion is a north to south process, it begins in the brain and ends in elimination. More often than not, while we feel the signs and symptoms of poor digestion further down the line, in the stomach or the upper or the lower GI, simply treating those symptoms with band-aid-like approaches, natural or not, likely won’t get to the root of the problem. To properly address any digestive dysfucntion and truthfully many other nutritional deficiencies, dysfunctions, illness, allergies, etc – we must first start up north, acknowledging possible dysfunction and continue moving south until we address all possible culprits.
Just as proper digestion is a north to south process, so is dysfunction. So, to properly understand and diagnose digestive dysfunction, we have to start all the way at the top, up north in the brain. Yes, the brain is one of THE most crucial elements of digestion. One of the most important take-aways, I hope this first post gives you, is an understanding that remedying digestive malfunction and dysfunction doesn’t always rely on supplements and major dietary changes, oftentimes if can be simple lifestyle changes that can make all the difference in the world. All of the tips I offer in this first post, won’t cost you a dollar, you don’t need to track down supplements or special foods and in fact, you can start today. So, let’s peel back the layers of digestion, before we supplement our way out and instead, let’s support the process as it’s supposed to happen.
As a side-note, these northern-most points in the digestive process are probably my most favorite to cover, they are the starting points of the entire process, but they also require so little, in terms of support.
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Grain-free Savory Breakfast Muffins
Whenever I ask, over on the Tasty Yummies Facebook page, what types of recipes you guys want more of, inevitably, easy, healthy breakfasts are almost always requested. I’m with you guys, when life gets hectic and we are on the go, often times breakfast is the first meal to get the boot. If there is time for a morning bite, maybe you just grab a coffee and a muffin or a breakfast bar on the way out the door, eat it in your car, while you drive and hope for the best. Sadly, this is a sad tone to kick start any day on. Not only is your digestion confused by the state in which it’s being forced to eat, but starting off your day loaded with sugar, even of the natural variety, gets the blood sugar control game out of whack before it ever had a chance. You can be sure with a sweet breakfast and a coffee, that mid-day crash is sure to follow.
For me, starting the day with a breakfast filled with protein and healthy-fats, not only means that my body is armed with a more long burning fuel source, but I also find that I stay full much longer. I also really love eating veggies at breakfast, it feels like I got one up on the rest of the world, who doesn’t even consider this move until lunch time.
These Grain-free Savory Breakfast Muffins are a wonderful option for those busy mornings. Make them ahead and keep them in the fridge, grab and eat chilled or slice in half, pop it into the toaster oven to take the chill off and bring a little crisp to the outside. Maybe add a small pat of butter and a little hot sauce, when serving.
What I really love about this recipe, like so many others you will find here on Tasty Yummies, it is super customizable. The veggies can be whatever you have on hand and specific to the season. If you wish to add bacon, sausage or another meat, that would be delicious, if you like cheese, add your favorite.
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How-to Make Elderberry Syrup
We aren’t out of the woods just yet, cold and flu season is very much still upon us! Rather than going into hiding, I suggest you arm yourself. Your first line of defense being a nutrient-dense, properly prepared whole foods diet, eliminating sugar and processed foods and of course, minimizing stress and maximizing your rest and relaxation time. That said, extra boosts to your immune system, also never hurt. Elderberry Syrup is an incredible, all-natural remedy that is high in immune-boosting compounds, research (and my own personal experiences) show that it is an effective therapy for shortening the duration of colds and flus.
I swear by this stuff, you guys! It works. I always have it on hand for the onset of symptoms, but I also take it as an immune boosting player as part of my maintenance plan during the cold and flu season and/or during high stress periods where my immune system may be more compromised. While I have loved elderberry for a long time, after attending an herbal medicine workshop here in Long Beach a few weeks ago, where we learned all about elder, I was inspired to share with you just how easy it is to make. I really enjoyed spending time learning all about elderberries, their healing properties, meditating with the plant, learning it’s history and sampling various preparations. Elderberry syrup is one of my favorite ways to receive the healing powers of elder, because of course, the sweetness from the honey is delicious and it really brings out the sweetness of the berries, but honey in it’s own right is also very healing and soothing.
Store-bought elderberry syrups can be quite expensive and often times they contain high-fructose corn syrup, some contain food dyes, preservatives, and so on. Making your own syrup means that you not only save some money, but you also can control every ingredient used and once you make this yourself at home, you will wonder why you have ever bought it.
Elderberries – What Are They?
Elderberries (family Caprifoliaceae) are large deciduous shrubs or small trees native mostly to the northern hemisphere, although they have become naturalized throughout much of the temperate and subtropical regions where humans live. Elderberries or Sambucus Nigra L., have long been used for centuries by indigenous cultures to treat wounds, respiratory illness, viruses and more. Elder may have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancer properties. The berries of the plant are often used for preserves, syrups and tinctures, while the bark and flowers are also useful for treating allergies, creating salves, toning the skin and more. The leaves, stems are toxic.
Besides lots of flavonoids and free radical-scouring antioxidants, elderberries contain 87 percent of the daily value in vitamin C, and high amounts of vitamin A, potassium, iron, vitamin B6, fiber, and betacarotene. {source}
Elderberries add a bright, tart, and delightful flavor to various foods, making it a great choice for sauces, syrups, dressings and they can also be used to make wine. I suggest buying high-quality organic dried elderberries, this is a great brand, I also recommend these and finally, this brand. You can also use dried elderberries to make a quick tea. 1 tablespoon of dried berries, to every 8 ounces of filtered water. Bring to a boil, them simmer for 15 minutes. Strain out the berries and enjoy.
Treatment and Prevention of Colds and Flu:
In a human clinical trial, a significant improvement of influenza symptoms, including fever, was seen in 93.3% of the cases in the elderberry-treated group within 2 days, whereas in the control group 91.7% of the patients showed an improvement within 6 days. (Zakay-Rones, 1995)
The beautiful, deep rich purple elderberries are rich in antioxidant flavanoids believed to stimulate the immune system, reduce swelling and fight inflammation. The benefits seem to be greatest when started within 24 to 48 hours after the symptoms begin. One study found that elderberry could cut the duration of flu symptoms by more than 50%. {source}
The anthocyanins present in elderberries are similar to those found in other deeply hued foods like blueberries, acai berries, raspberries, red cabbage, grapes, black rice and others. These antioxidants may neutralize free radical buildup, also known as oxidative stress. Free radicals are linked to the development of a number of degenerative diseases and conditions. Free radicals are by-products of normal bodily functions and are inevitable in daily life. However, it is the delicate balance of antioxidants and free radicals that determine our state of health. {source} One laboratory study demonstrated that the anthocyanins taken from elderberries helped protect blood vessels from free radical damage, suggesting it could also be beneficial against cardiovascular disease.
Experts think that elderberry reduces the path of flu simply by suppressing an enzyme known as neuraminidase, a proteins that enables flu to spread. Some studies also show that elderberry may have distinct ability to bind with viruses, halting their ability to mutate, change or multiply, thereby shortening the duration of illness or halting the virus before it’s effects are felt by the body.
The antiviral components of elderberry fruit extract were tested and found to effectively inhibit Human Influenza A (H1N1 virus) in vitro, possibly by blocking the ability of the virus to infect host cells. The extract was so effective, that researchers compared it with the prescription medications Amantadine and Oseltamivir (Tamiflu). {source}
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My Path to Becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – Month 4
My Path to Becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – Month 4
This post continues to share my journey of becoming a Nutritional Therapist with the Nutritional Therapy Association, covering Month 4, January. To read more about how I came to selecting this program and to read about Month 1 of the program, see my first post. To read about months 2 and 3, read my second post.
Month 4
After our first workshop weekend and the holiday break, we hit the ground running at the start of January. We dove straight into Mineral Balance and then Hydration, the final two modules focused on the foundations. The foundations being, Digestion, Blood Sugar Regular Regulation, Fatty Acids, Mineral Balance and Hydration and of course, a properly prepared nutrient-dense, whole food diet. It was nice to finish with hydration, really honing in the classic “last but not least” cliché.
As we have continued to submerge ourselves into the content with the Nutritional Therapy Program, especially the foundations, I am continuing to connect deeply with the NTA’s individualistic approach to nutrition. Honoring that we are all bio-chemical individuals, means that there is no one catch-all diet, plan or protocol for every person. We are all very different. There are certainly constants and research that suggests specific nutritional approaches to be ideal, such as the avoidance of refined sugars, processed foods, hydrogenate oils, etc. As my intuition has always directed me to suggesting that people “nourish their own individuality”, this program really supports my personal approach. It feels good to feel validated and to continue to hone my skills in approaching food, nutrition, and overall health and wellness in this manner. I love that this program teaches a very foundational and functional approach to nutrition, not relying solely on on specific diet or slapping supplements on symptoms, especially those associated with the consequences, as a bandaid! This approach is not just how I live my own life, it is what I feel called to encourage others to do as well! I want to help people find their inner guiding voice and couple that with an arsenal of nutritional knowledge, to be able to intuitively navigate their way towards healing.
I am also continuously grateful for the virtual platform that the NTA program is built on. I have discovered, that I learn so much more effectively when I am able to take in the content at my own speed, when it fits best into my life, vs. the structure of a timed class-setting. I also love that in addition to a virtual class setting, with multiple platforms to reach out to each other, there are three times throughout the program where we gather to have in-person workshop weekends, where we can connect with our fellow students, instructors and previous students, which really gives me something to look forward to.
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Slow Roasted Salmon with Meyer Lemon Gremolata
The thing about food is, it all tastes better when enjoyed with someone (or several someones) you love! Food is nourishment, but it is also community, it is celebration and it is love. When you put your passion, care, love and mindfulness into a meal, people will be eating your love. How incredible an idea is that?
If I could, I would give the universe to the people whom I love the most, so in my food, I seek to do just that.
Each Spoonful Contains the Universe
Pay attention to each spoonful of food. As you bring it up to your mouth, use your mindfulness to be aware that this food is the gift of the whole universe. The Earth and the sky have collaborated to bring this spoonful of food to you. While breathing in and out, you only need a second or two to recognize this. We eat in such a way that every morsel of food, every moment of eating has mindfulness in it. It takes only a few seconds to see that the food we’re holding in our spoon is the gift of the whole cosmos. While we chew, we maintain that awareness. When we chew, we know that the whole universe is there in that bite of food.
– Thich Nhat Hanh // How to Eat
The one contains the all. When you pick up a lemon, you can know that the entire universe resides in that lemon. The earth, the sun, the sky. When you enjoy a dish made with the lemon, not only is the love and care of all that came together to grow that food contained within it, the love of the farmer, but also the love of the person who made the meal. What’s more, even with all this talk of sharing your love through the food you make, if you are eating by yourself, you can trust that you are never truly alone. The food becomes the means to connect you with the larger community that helped to grow your food, every meal contains the presence of so many caring people.
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Dark Chocolate Rose Water Truffles
I have to be totally honest with you, after I passed the age of giving out Valentines at school (which I always adored), I have always found the fact that Valentine’s Day has become a day generally so focused on giving gifts, to just be a tad bit silly. I grew up with my mom saying to us kids every single year without fail, something along the lines of: “I don’t need one special day or any fancy gifts to show my love to you or your dad, I love you each and every single day of the year”. I have to say, I couldn’t agree more with my mother. I have always felt like the holiday was less about love and more about the greeting card industry, the jewelry stores and florists make out like bandits, and besides Easter, I have to imagine this is the biggest day of the year for chocolatiers. I also have to be real here for a sec, I kinda resent that this day has been somewhat stolen by those in monogamist romantic relationships! If it’s a day about love, then shouldn’t we celebrate ALL love? That of the romantic variety but also plutonic friends, parental, puppy-love (like I’m talking your actual pooch), your favorite co-worker, anyone and everyone that you have love for?
Don’t get it twisted, I don’t at all frown upon a day focused on love, how could I? What kind of V-day scrooge that would make me? It’s far from this. Nothing in this world makes me happier than love and I can only wish and hope that every day, every person has the pleasure of experiencing some love on some level, even if just that sweet look of adoration from their pooch on their morning walk. Love should be celebrated each and every day, so a day that puts it at the forefront, this certainly brings a smile to my face. But I say, collectively, we take that energy so many focus into this one single day and we extend it out throughout the year. Do sweet things for one other, share sweet thoughts with the people you love most, tell them you love them, surprise someone with homemade chocolates – these acts of love are are even better on a random Tuesday, not just on February 14th, one time a year.
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, if you want to give gifts, I am, just as any other holiday, very much in favor of those of the homemade variety. I also love the idea of thoughtful actions in lieu of presents and sweet unexpected somethings like breakfast in bed or a homemade meal, traditions, special outings, picnics etc. The gifts that come from the heart, they will, like cupid’s arrow, cut through with such vigor!
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Grain-free Salmon Cakes with Old Bay Aioli
Truth me told, the loaded fries and the chicken wings, those are more my husband’s football food. He begs and pleads for junk food on football Sundays, so I have always caved by simply recreating the classics for him, but in a healthier way. It’s a good deal for both of us. Me, I am a bit more uppity when it comes to what I want in a party spread. Give me an epic charcuterie or crudités platter, a little homemade roasted red pepper and feta dip, some tasty, fresh homemade salsa and chips (I reach for the plantain chips these days), a simple, but flavorful chili, the best darn gluten-free soft pretzel bites or these…tasty, crispy salmon cakes!
These Grain-free Salmon Cakes with Old Bay Aioli may seem a more fancy option at your Super Bowl spread, compared to the chips, fries or wings, but don’t let these fool you. They are whipped up in a mere minutes and they are the perfect small bite, party food. A little crispy on the outside with a soft, fluffy, perfect interior. Do not, I repeat do not skip out on the Old Bay Aioli. It’s a must here.
Though salmon cakes aren’t a food I grew up eating, these are comfort food to me. They are totally fuss-free, so they actually make for a very simple weeknight meal or a quick lunch or brunch, even. We almost always have canned salmon on hand, but this recipe is also great for leftover cooked salmon, as well. I love these served over a mixed baby greens salad, but they make an amazing appetizer, as well. Make the patties even bigger and go for more of a burger vibe, if you’d like.
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Spicy Orange Sriracha Cauliflower “Wings”
Today is a special one, I decided to create a second version of the Spicy Orange Sriracha Chicken Wings that I am also sharing here today, but swapping in veggies for the meat. Let it be known that I hate putting food words in quotes. It’s stupid. I will acknowledge this. But… sometimes it’s the only option. Cauliflower does in fact NOT have wings. I’m aware of this. Maybe if you fed it Red Bull, but otherwise no. OK. Not funny. Sorry. I digress, there really isn’t a good name for these. “Cauli-wings” is tempting, but let’s just be real, I don’t think this is a good choice if we’re talking SEO, google and keywords, do people even use that term? Blah blah. So here we are, another blog post with quotes. I’m rolling with it.
It may seem odd to be sharing, on the same day, a chicken wing recipe, along with a matching cauliflower “wing” recipe. But here’s the reality, I freakin’ LOVE vegetables you guys. They make my soul happy, they make my belly sing and if you are asking me, they are just always the best choice. I’ll eat the heck out of a chicken wing, don’t get me wrong, but if I can have a real-food veggie option, I want that,
tooinstead! Read the rest of this entry » -
Spicy Orange Sriracha Chicken Wings
It’s Super Bowl week and according to my hubby, it’s illegal to celebrate the big game without chicken wings! I grew up in Buffalo, spent more than 30 years there and Mark spent the better part of 10 years living there, so we know a thing or two about good chicken wings. In those parts, they make their appearance at nearly every gathering, party, get together and special occasion. That said, traditional Buffalo-Style chicken wings, while always good, we’ve been there, done that. It was time to mix things up a bit. I know what my husband likes so I created this recipe with him in mind, while for me and my love of veggies, I made a second, even less traditional version, with cauliflower, which you can grab here: Spicy Orange Sriracha Cauliflower “Wings”.
After making several batches of my honey-sweetened orange marmalade this past week, I was inspired to continue creating with it, we have more than enough of it and it’s so delicious I want to put it on everything! This sticky, finger-licking good wing sauce, combines the sweet, tartness of the homemade orange marmalade with the heat from Sriracha! Now that’s a winning team. Read the rest of this entry »
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Buffalo Style Loaded Sweet Potato Fries
The thing about being a mindful eater, about being aware of every single thing that you put into your face, for those of us who take the time to truly learn about food – is that it’s really hard to un-know what you discover as you dig deeper. While I truly believe that knowledge is power, if you allow it, that knowledge it can overpower and it can consume you. Back to that magical word you are probably sick of hearing from me, but here it is again. Balance. Aligning your knowledge and your intuition with the real world, being around other people, holidays and special occasions. It isn’t easy, but it’s totally possible.
As I continue on in school, the Nutritional Therapy Program with the NTA, I learn more and more every day. My eyes are opened and I can, in vulnerable times, find myself being fearful of food in a way that I never have before. Questioning food, where it is sourced from, the foods used in restaurants, etc., these have all been a very integrate part of my life these past 10 years, but now I truly feel like I am interrogating the wait staff at most restaurants. At times, I can see how dietary changes, strict protocols, elimination diets, etc – how they can breed disordered eating, if we aren’t careful. I know all of this will settle as I become more at comfortable with the new bits I am learning, but mostly I know I can always fall back into my old trusted way of knowing… that homemade is always better. When you make it yourself, you can always be certain you know what you are eating and you don’t have to fear the food you consume. When you want to veer off and indulge a little, you can do it without the guilt and without the worry.
This week, as I take on the Super Bowl, I encourage you to think out of the box, literally and make what you can, yourself. Swap in real foods and trust that updating a recipe to be a little bit healthier will likely be well-received by everyone else, if you are smart about it. This week, I am bringing you homemade, healthier, but still a little naughty, snacks, treats and bites. Because after all, a football party is not a football party without some good ‘ol fashioned finger food.
French fries of any and every kind, those are my true weakness. My Achilles heel. My Kryptonite. Take away all the candy, cookies, cakes and breads, I don’t care, but don’t take my fries! We’ve spent a fair amount time in school discussing fats and oils and learning that most restaurants, when frying, are using hydrogenated or worse, trans fat oils. Unless a restaurant makes their fries in a high quality fat, suitable for high heat, these days I just have to pass. It’s not easy, but it’s also not worth it. I make my consessions where I can, but I am no longer willing to do so here.
