Many fruits and vegetables can provide a base to eat off of, as a replacement for crackers but roasted yams are one of my favorites. When cut thin enough and roasted they start to crisp up around the edges and the inside becomes soft but still sturdy enough to hold its shape and keep the toppings from toppling off. Many yams are thin and long but for something like this the best ones are almost spherical, being nearly as thick in diameter as they are long. Continue Reading →
Cranberry Pecan Meatballs
My pickiest brother was hovering around the kitchen watching me as I made these. He said there was no way that they could compare with Ikea meatballs and he wasn’t loving the idea of diluting beef with fruit and nuts, though I could tell he was intrigued. Once they were made he inhaled a plate of them and then had more with dinner so they were a win after all. I used ground beef but ground turkey would work well in its place for a lighter option and more traditional flavor combination. All berries are highly renowned for their high concentrations of antioxidants and of them cranberries top the charts. Continue Reading →
Pomegranate Orange Massaged Kale Salad
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 →
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 →
Hot Apple Cider
Like most of our beloved winter drinks apple cider is now conveniently available in packets that can be added to hot water for instant holiday cheer. If you have never tried a homemade version this stuff isn’t too bad (just don’t read the label to discover how many of the ingredients came from a science lab), but once you’ve had the real stuff it just doesn’t compare. The fresher the juice the more nutrients and flavor the drink will contain, if sweet apples were used then it will not even need any added sugars. 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 →
Pumpkin Overnight Oats
On cold frigid mornings there are few things I would rather eat than a nourishing bowl of oatmeal. They are very filling and easy on our bodies, with a soothing effect on our digestive systems. Continue Reading →
Twice Baked Yams
Besides yams, the main ingredient in this dish is ground turkey. This festive bird is known best nutritionally for being a good source of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is classified as essential because our bodies cannot make it, but not many foods contain it in high levels, so it can be hard to get. Continue Reading →
Winter Brown Rice Risotto with Prawns
Risotto is a satisfying winter comfort food but unfortunately there are no shortcuts to obtaining the creamy texture. This version requires three pots and enough time to diligently stand guard while it is cooking. The extra fiber and vitamins from the brown rice and vegetables Continue Reading →