Kale is so hardy, it’s one of the very few vegetables that can survive through frosts. This is great for farmers and gardeners but it’s dense fibrousness can be found unappealing. The secret to softening kale up is to massage it. Literally… you add some oil and a pinch of sea salt and massage it with a hand or two until it softens and decreases to about half its original size. Most leafy greens don’t last long, becoming slimy, once they come into contact with dressing, massaged kale however will last for a day or two so you can make extra and have easy left overs for lunch the next day. Continue Reading →
Santa Strawberries and Cream
Coconut is a surprisingly versatile plant, from it we can derive sugar, flour, electrolyte rich water, milk and the fruit flesh itself either fresh or dried. Best of all, we can make it into whipped cream. Cans of full fat coconut milk separate into coconut cream and coconut water, the trick is to chill it in the fridge so that the cream part hardens up at the top of the can and becomes easy to separate from the coconut water. Continue Reading →
Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
One of my first choice for treats is the dark chocolate peanut butter cups from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory but they are huge and not the kind of thing you only eat part of and save for later, so I made these mini ones to keep my indulgences in check. These are very easy to make, require only a few ingredients and do not require any baking. Chocolate and peanut butter is a pretty classic combination but almond or any other nut butter would work just as well. Continue Reading →
Coconut Snowballs
These no bake treats offer a lot of flavor in a small package. Coconut is mostly fat with some carbs and a bit of protein; the fat in coconut, unlike in the vast majority of plants, is mostly saturated. Here’s where it gets complicated- saturated fat is not bad, in fact it is necessary because we do need it to make cholesterol to make hormones that keep our metabolism and everything else balanced and in working order. The trick is we do not need too much of it, so no, unfortunately that 36 ounce steak does not get a free pass. Saturated fats get even more complicated when we break down the different types. There is one type in particular, which makes up a large percentage of coconuts’ fat called lauric acid and it is special and beneficial because it has antifungal, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antiviral properties. Continue Reading →
Roasted Za’atar Cauliflower with Tahini Dressing
Eating the rainbow is a good way to ensure that you are getting a wide range of different nutrients, but don’t forget about the plain old white produce. Different colors of fruits and vegetables generally have higher concentrations of specific vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. White, and shades of white produce contain potassium and magnesium, two important minerals that can be deficient in western diets. Cauliflower has the added bonus of being a member of the cruciferous family, boasting special sulfur compounds that have been found to fight cancer. It also offers high levels of vitamins C, K and some of the B vitamins. Continue Reading →
Baked Baby Crab Cakes with Tzatziki
Miniature crab cakes are a good appetizer for seafood lovers. They are normally loaded down with mayonnaise and white bread crumbs then fried, making them much less healthy than they can be. These ingredients can be substituted for almond flour and a bunch of different fresh flavorings that accentuate the crab and add health supporting nutrients. Continue Reading →
Pumpkin Chai Smoothie
When it is cold outside it is good to eat warm foods, but the smoothie addicts out there can use warming spices to make cold smoothies a little more seasonally appropriate. Spices can be cooling or heating, affecting how we feel on a very subtle level but affecting our digestive function more noticeably. Warming spices generally promote more efficient digestion and have a detoxifying effect. We want our digestion to move along fairly quickly, if food gets blocked up (many causes can attribute to this including too much acidity, not enough acidity, not chewing thoroughly enough and pancreas and/or liver overload) it can sit in our large intestine and start to ferment, in which case toxins can be released back into our blood stream and we can experience bloating and the socially awkward body’s warning sign of flatulence. Continue Reading →
Asian Chicken Stir Fry
Stir fry has no bounds. If you keep highly processed sauces with added sugars to a minimum or omit them completely, stir fry can be one of the healthiest and fastest dinners to throw together. This is a really basic chicken based dish with some Asian inspired flavors, though I didn’t use anything too intimidating for cooks new to asian cuisine like fish or oyster sauce. It could be served with some left-over cauliflower rice, cooked whole grains or long noodles like soba or rice noodles to make a more substantial meal. Continue Reading →
Yam Breakfast Hash
Eggs make excellent binders, bringing together leftover bits and pieces and creating a whole new dish. Frittatas are a good example of how easy this can be, but so are breakfast hashes. Any kind of roasted vegetable and meat works well, but I like to make sure to have some potatoes or yams in there to make it extra filling. My brother dubbed these the perfect little brekkie bowls but they are good for any meal, any time of the day. Continue Reading →
Raw Chocolate Truffles
Cacao, a bean that comprises the base of chocolate, comes from a plant, but does that make it a health food? Like all other ingredients there can be a yes or no answer- it all depends on how it was produced, and if we’re getting really picky, on how it was grown (organic and fair trade are two labels to promise a higher quality product). Raw cacao itself is full of nutrients, especially antioxidants, the minerals copper, iron, manganese, and magnesium, several of the B vitamins and healthy fats. Continue Reading →