Corn & Crab Chowder

not a very appetizing picture, but I assure you it was FANTASTIC!

This might be my favorite new recipe that I've ever made... ever! The recipe I found online was super complicated, which I can't stand. So I seriously simplified it for you guys. I made this for the Superbowl, and it was a pretty big hit. But this is one of those things that you can make for just about anything, and I plan on making it way more than once and a while.

• 3 cans organic sweet corn
• 1 lg sweet onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 small red potatoes, chopped into small cubes
• 1 box organic chicken stock
• 1/3 box organic vegetable stock
• 2 containers crab claw meat
• 1/4 stick butter
• olive oil, a few splashes
• salt, pepper, ground cloves, seafood seasoning to taste
• 2 c. half & half

1. Heat olive oil and butter in pot on med/low heat. Chop onions & saute in butter/oil mixture. Add in garlic after onions are soft. 
2. Add in 1 can of corn and chopped potatoes. 
3. Take other 2 cans of corn (including water) and blend in blender/vitamix until it is a creamy consistency.
4. Add in corn and chicken stock. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes.
5. Turn heat to low.
6. Add in seasonings a little at a time, stir, and taste, adding until desired taste. (Go easy on the cloves at first...they are a very strong flavor.)
7. Add in crab meat and half and half to desired creaminess!

If you are making it for a party, you might want to set some aside for yourself as leftovers (we did). It goes fast with seafood lovers! 

Enjoy!

Last minute cornbread

If any of you are looking for a last minute quick recipe for something you can bring to your Superbowl party... here it is. I made these last night in 30 minutes and they taste amazing!

• 1 c. organic cornmeal
• 1 c. whole wheat bread flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 container of plain Greek yogurt (6 oz)
• 1 c. half & half
• 1 lg jalapeno (diced), take out seeds if you don't want it to be too spicy
• 2/3 can organic corn 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners or heavily grease w/ organic butter
2. Put all ingredients in Kitchenaid mixer (or you can do it the old fashioned way with a bowl and a wooden spoon)
3. Batter is going to be thick and gooey so you will have to spoon it in.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Hope you all enjoy tonight!

Ethnic Food vs. American Food

I was having a conversation with my sister the other day about the amazing food we've eaten in other countries.  I have no idea how we got on this topic, but I have to admit it is one of the more intelligent conversations we've had in a while.

Anyway, she asked me if I liked Indian food, and I said 'yes, actually there hasn't been an ethnic food I've tried and not liked- ever!' One of the things our food (in America) is really lacking is spice. I'm not talking about hot pepper spicy, I'm talking about using different spices. That is one of the great things about eating different ethnicity's foods. A lot of other countries still use their traditional spices for cooking. And they still cook with traditional methods... i.e. everything is not deep fried.

We were both marveling at the fact that the food we've eaten in other countries is different too...it's real. Most of the food we eat here is heavily processed and either sweet, salty, or sour in taste. There are 3 other tastes that most American's don't even know about- bitter, pungent, and astringent.

When I was in the Bahamas I ate conch at least twice a day- prepared in all different ways. When I was in Puerto Rico I ate rice, beans, beef, and tropical fruit. Even the prepared foods were more homemade than the homemade foods most people eat here.

I encourage you all to start experimenting with different spices when you cook (hopefully you are cooking at least something :) I recently started buying all sorts of random spices as I came across them, and have come up with some very tasty combinations along the way. Spices are sooo very healthy for us all.

Here's a list of some common (and some not so common) spices.

WARNING: Pickles that can kill

A few weeks ago when I made a HUGE batch of pickles I used a recipe that called for garlic, onions, and dill. This recipe made the best pickles I've ever tasted, however, I was informed by my mom that garlic if stored in liquid can cause botulism. I've heard of this term once or twice in conversation with canning tomatoes, but I never really paid much attention to it. 

Well, now it has caught my attention, since I have to drain and re-jar 7 giant bottles of pickles. I left the garlic in the jars thinking it would enhance the flavor, but little did I know that it could cause botulism.

Botulism, if you aren't aware, is a bacteria that grows on certain vegetables when stored improperly. It is deadly, and will kill you rather fast- like in days.

So, if you made my pickles I'm sorry, but you are going to have to take the garlic out of the jars, just like I did. This is especially important if you are jarring and not keeping them in the refrigerator, or not planning on eating them right away. Here is a warning I found:

BOTULISM WARNING 

Regardless of its flavor potency, garlic is a low-acid vegetable. The pH of a clove of garlic typically ranges from 5.3 to 6.3. As with all low-acid vegetables, garlic will support the growth and subsequent toxin production of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum when given the right conditions. These conditions include improper home canning and improper preparation and storage of fresh herb and garlic-in-oil mixtures. Moisture, room temperature, lack of oxygen, and low-acid conditions all favor the growth of Clostridium botulinum. When growing, this bacterium produces an extremely potent toxin that causes the illness botulism. If untreated, death can result within a few days of consuming the toxic food. 

...WHICH MEANS YOU ARE AT RISK OF GETTING SICK FROM STORING IT THE WAY YOU DO.
STORING GARLIC.

Commercially, garlic is stored near 32 degrees F. However, most home refrigerators are too warm for ideal long-term storage of garlic. Instead, store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place in well-ventilated containers such as mesh bags. Storage life is 3 to 5 months under cool (60 degree F) dry, dark conditions. 

WHICH MEANS YOU CAN SAFELY KEEP IT IN A COOL DRY PLACE AT HOME INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT IN OIL. 

FREEZING GARLIC 

Garlic can be frozen in a number of ways.1. Chop the garlic, wrap it tightly in a plastic freezer bag or in plastic wrap, and freeze. To use, grate or break off the amount needed.2. Freeze the garlic unpeeled and remove cloves as needed.3. Peel the cloves and puree them with oil in a blender or food processor using 2 parts oil to 1 part garlic. The puree will stay soft enough in the freezer to scrape out parts to use in sautéing. Freeze this mixture immediately - do not store it at room temperature. The combination of the low-acid garlic, the exclusion of air (by mixing with oil), and room-temperature storage can support the growth of Clostridium botulinum.  

THESE ARE THE SAFER OPTIONS, BECAUSE STORING IT IN OIL TAKES AWAY ITS OXYGEN(DROWNS IT) AND THEN IT BECOMES DANGEROUS TO EAT.

STORING GARLIC IN OIL 

Extreme care must be taken when preparing flavored oils with garlic or when storing garlic in oil. Peeled garlic cloves may be submerged in oil and stored in the freezer for several months. Do not store garlic in oil at room temperature. Garlic-in-oil mixtures stored at room temperature provide perfect conditions for producing botulism toxin (low acidity, no free oxygen in the oil, and warm temperatures). The same hazard exists for roasted garlic stored in oil. At least three outbreaks of botulism associated with garlic-in-oil mixtures have been reported in North America.  

By law, commercially prepared garlic in oil has been prepared using strict guidelines and must contain citric or phosphoric acid to increase the acidity. Unfortunately, there is no easy or reliable method to acidify garlic in the home. Acidifying garlic in vinegar is a lengthy and highly variable process; a whole clove of garlic covered with vinegar can take from 3 days to more than 1 week to sufficiently acidify. As an alternative, properly dried garlic cloves may be safely added to flavor oils." 

SO IT IS SAFE TO SUBMERGE THE GARLIC IN OIL AND THEN FREEZE BUT NOT REFRIGERATE OR LEAVE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. 

Now it says above that it acidify garlic in vinegar is a safe way to prevent botulism, which my pickles are in a lot of vinegar, but I'm not going to take the chance, and you shouldn't either. I read that in order to acidify garlic properly it must be soaked/submerged in vinegar for 3-7 days. (Which I did not.) I'd err on the side of caution and do it for a full 7 if you are so inclined to do this.

Operation-remove-garlic-from-pickles is about to start. 

UPDATE: Liver Cleanse Juice

So a few weeks ago I wrote about a liver cleanse that I came across in my travels. It was basically citrus juice, cayenne pepper, olive oil, ginger, and garlic. Well instead of making juice, I decided it would be faster to smoothie everything. It was rather gross but I pushed through and drank as much as I could for a few days.

I'm not really sure if it actually did anything to my liver, but I assume it was beneficial overall. With all those potent living fruits and vegetables and spices it had to help something.

So this time I decided to juice the citrus fruits, including the garlic and ginger. That made all the difference. This juice version is so good! It's like a spicy lemonade that is a little on the sweeter side because of the oranges. If you have a juicer I highly suggest you try it.

• 3 oranges
• 1 grapefruit
• 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 knob ginger root
• cayenne pepper to taste
• dash olive oil

I would recommend putting the olive oil and cayenne pepper at the bottom of the glass before you juice the fruits, ginger, and garlic. And be careful (!) because you don't need a lot for it to become really spicy.

Enjoy!

My FAVORITE! Juice Recipe

I have been making a whole variety of different juice recipes over the past few weeks for an e-book I am working on for Raw Generation Juices and I wanted to share with you my absolute favorite one that I have made thus far.

RED ROOTS (about 16 oz)

• 1 beet
• 2 red apples
• 4 carrots
• 1 lemon
• 1" piece ginger root

This combination is sweet, earthy, tangy, warming, and delicious all at the same time. It's also instant energy. I have tried it a few times recently when it's the middle of the day and I'm dragging ass. Instead of drinking coffee I drink a juice and within a few minutes I am feeling revived. 

Bet you didn't know that beets:

• act as a medicine for liver and gallbladder
• help lower cholesterol
• destroy tumor cells and cancer cells
• strengthen the function of blood and overcome Anemia
• produce red blood cells
• clean and neutralize toxins in the body
• strengthen the circulatory system and immune syste
• fight against inflammation, infections, and kidney stones
• give power and balance to the body

Even if you only do one juice a day, I highly recommend incorporating some form of juice into your everyday diet. The benefits of getting all of these fruits and vegetables in your body outnumber the effort it takes to make. This juice takes all of 4 minutes to make and is enough to fill you up. And BONUS! You are getting roughly 8 servings of fruits and vegetables in one shot!

What are your favorite juice recipes?

Mark Bittman on Brown Rice

I know my posts have been a little on the heavy side lately. Sorry, I went off on a tangent that I had to get out of my system. This quick video is a great way to cook brown rice. Also, the great thing about brown rice is that (besides being a whole grain) you can cook a ton of it at once, keep it in the refrigerator, and mix it a bunch of different ways.

I think we may have a 5 ways here:

• w/ black beans, chopped raw onions, curry powder, paprika, & turmeric
• w/ chopped carrots, onions, and peas, salt & pepper (like in the video)
• w/ chopped tomato, basil, cucumber, feta cheese, salt & pepper
• w/ sweet potato, black beans, butter, & garamasala spice
• w/ olive oil and chopped herbs de provence (marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, sage & fennel)

Happy Weekend!

Guest Post: Phytotherapy

Hello loyal readers! I am going to be at a conference for the next 3 days, and coincidentally I was approached this week by a doctor who is interested in us writing for each other. The universe works in wonderful ways sometimes! Dr. Leta Vaughan APN, CNM has been working with women and promoting healthcare for over 30 years. Dr. Vaughan is board certified and advocates an effective combination of balanced nutrition, exercise, and supplements to enhance a woman’s changing lifestyle needs.

Thank you Dr. Vaughan! It is so wonderful to see doctors that are concerned with diet and lifestyle.

What the heck is Phytotherapy? 

Dr. Leta Vaughan APN, CNM  www.biohormonesinc.com

770,000 people are injured or die each year in hospitals from adverse drug events (ADE)  Just because a pharmaceutical drug has been studied in a laboratory, regulated by the FDA and prescribed by a doctor, it still has risks.  

Phytotherapy is the use of medicinal plants to heal and restore balance and is becoming more popular in the United States. Eastern medicine has utilized botanical medicine for centuries and as more and more people are looking for alternatives, phytotherapy has gained in popularity. Much of this studying of plants over the years has led us to the pharmaceuticals we are now so familiar with. Modern pharmaceutical manufacturers change the plant’s chemical compound in order to specialize and enhance its actions. But using plants in their pure form are much gentler and easier on the body. Phytotherapy has the potential to prevent illness as well as treat. 

Phytoestrogens 

The word phytoestrogen literally means “plant estrogen.” But phytoestrogens are not estrogen. They do not behave the same way as our body’s own estrogens or like estrogen replacement drugs (ERT).  

The National Cancer Institute  defines the word “phytoestrogen” as an estrogen-like substance found in some plants and plant products and states “phytoestrogens may have anticancer effects.” 

Phytoestrogens are part of the phytohormone class, which means they structurally resemble the body’s native estrogen. Their chemical structure is such that it allows them to weakly bind to an estrogen receptor, potentially blocking excess estrogen, or, when estrogen is low, quieting the
system’s need for estrogen. But they are not estrogen. 

The phytoestrogens used and recommended today in botanical and nutritional medicine do not increase endogenous estrogen production in the body. There are no studies confirming that phytoestrogens increase the risk for cancer. In fact, new research suggests that phytoestrogens
commonly used in nutritional and botanical medicine may protect women from breast
and other cancers. 

Phytoestrogens  may also decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke, and protect your bones. A 2007 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine confirmed that the phytoestrogen genistein protects against bone loss. All of this while calming the symptoms of menopause! More benefits of phytoestrogens are being discovered and discussed every day so keep in touch for further exciting information. 

Your endocrine system is the command center for all of your hormones and consists of
many small organs such as the pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands and ovaries as well
as diverse tissues such as the gut, breast and skin. These various glands secrete active
hormones that take messages throughout the body to the brain, liver, heart, bone, skin and
blood vessels as well as the reproductive organs. Plant molecules can also communicate
these messages. 

Responses within your cells that originate from the plant world are known as phytocrine. Phytocrines are the bioactive molecules in plants that share features with our own hormones and “connect” with our endocrine system. 

Adaptogens are plant foods recognized for their rebalancing effect on the body. An adaptogen doesn’t have a specific effect on the body as such. What it does is support the body in healing where the body needs it; an adaptogen goes to the weak areas of the body, and helps strengthen them. In doing so, adaptogens restore homeostasis in the body. 

Menopause 

When combined with a healthy lifestyle  and diet, phytotherapy has the ability to reverse hormonal imbalance in menopause. Utilizing herbs for menopausal symptoms has gained popularity and information is readily available across the web. 

(source)

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) a plant native to Eastern North America, has been used by women all over the world for generations to help with hot flashes.

(source)

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is rich in phytoestrogens including lignans, coumestans, and isoflavones and is used for relief of general menopausal symptoms.

(source)

Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus) has active molecules that may affect our neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine, which acts in the brain and other parts of the body. Recent studies are showing that properties of this herb may mimic the soothing actions of progesterone and help with psychic and somatic symptoms of PMS.

(source)

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is a member of the pea family and is native to Asia. Much like red clover, it contains phytochemicals that function in a protective fashion. These include five major
isoflavanoids that can bind weakly to estrogen receptors, quieting the body’s need for estrogen during times of hormonal imbalance. Kudzu also has been linked with anti-aging properties.

(source)

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) has strong Native American roots and contains natural monamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI’s), which are known to have antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties.

(source)

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an herb with aphrodisiac and mood-stabilizing properties. Recent studies suggest this Ayurvedic herb can act in an adaptogenic fashion when androgen levels are low, activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis to increase the production of androgens.

(source)

Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) is native to North America and has been used for both menopause and menstrual-related symptoms. Research suggests that it acts as a functional mimetic of progesterone.

(source)

Soy (Glycine max), like red clover and kudzu, is a member of the legume family and contains phytoestrogens. It has been extensively studied and found to be supportive for improved insulin regulation, weight loss, bone health, and nail, skin and hair health. It has also been shown to decrease frequency and severity of menopausal discomforts, particularly vaginal dryness, hot flashes and night sweats. 

Different women have different symptoms as well as different combinations of such
so what works for one may not be as effective for another. Recommendations are for
combined use with herbs and many products contain formulas specific to particular
symptoms. It is important to look for reputable companies and talk with a provider who
is comfortable and experienced in herbal remedies. 

Other key points:

• Use consistently and monitor your progress. Nothing works if you do not follow the program
• Discuss with your provider other medications you may be on as some may impede and /or enhance herbal effects.
• Once you find a supplement that works, continue to use the same preparation.

Women’s health advanced practice nurses and certified nurse midwives http://
www.biohormonesinc.com are trained in holistically approaching healthcare symptoms
and take the time to talk and listen to your needs. 

To find one in your area check Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health or The American College of Nurse-Midwives 

Follow me @biohormonesinc
FB http://www.facebook.com/BioHormones

Dr. Leta Vaughan APN, CNM has been working with women and promoting healthcare for over 30 years. Dr. Vaughan is board certified and advocates an effective combination of balanced nutrition, exercise, and supplements to enhance a woman’s changing lifestyle needs.

** It's me, Jess....I just want to add that you don't need to be going through menopause to benefit from using the plants and their extracts above. Women at every age can benefit from incorporating these plants into their diet through teas and/or herbal supplements.

5 Ways: Pizza

I don't know about where you live, but here in New Jersey we are fortunate enough to have THE BEST PIZZA IN THE WORLD!! Unfortunately, that means we are eating white flour and loads of cheese. So I decided to make my own "healthy" pizza. Instead of loads of cheese, I used a variety of veggies and even one with fruit!

Pizza Dough:

• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 c. organic bread flour
• 1 pkt. yeast
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1/4 c. water + enough to make a ball of dough

1. Put the water, sugar, and yeast in bowl and mix.
2. After 5 minutes, add in flour, salt, and start mixing.
3. Add in water until a firm ball is formed. (shouldn't need more than 1 cup)
4. Let rise for 45 min.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
6. Sprinkle pan or stone with cornmeal.
7. Roll out out dough and brush with olive oil.
8. Add toppings & bake for 30 minutes.

Toppings 5 Ways:

• goat cheese, sliced green apples, onions, and rosemary (pictured above)
• fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, eggplant & fresh basil
• feta cheese, olives, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, bacon, & fresh thyme
• shredded mozzarella, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, onions, artichokes & sun-dried tomatoes
• Muenster cheese, tomatoes, diced Brussels sprouts, broccoli, & garlic

After brushing the dough with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and layer on the cheese and/or tomatoes, then the toppings, then more cheese! By adding all of the vegetable toppings on you will find that you will use less cheese. Enjoy!!!

What is your favorite way to eat pizza?

Has cold & flu season hit you yet?

I personally have not been sick in a while. Every so often when I don't get enough sleep I get that run down I'm-about-to-get-sick feeling. Usually I just whole up and sleep it off , but if that is not an option I have a solution that may possibly work for you. I became aware of Dr. John Douillard a few weeks ago when I listened to one of his lectures on Ayurveda. He is big into living in conjunction with nature and using everything that is available from nature to cure sickness.

Here is his explanation of why cold and flu season occurs during winter months:

"In the winter, temperatures drop and the air dries out. The further we go into winter, the drier the air becomes. Even the rain dries out and becomes snow. For ourselves, we further aggravate these dry conditions by pumping dry heat into our homes and offices to stay warm.

"In the case of the common cold, this dryness has become overwhelming to the body. When we become excessively dry, the dryness extends to the mucus membranes in the sinuses and gut. The respiratory tract is lined with ciliated epithelium, skin covered with sweepers called cilia that house part of the immune system. These cilia, much like the villi of the gut, sweep toxins, bacteria and viruses through respiratory mucus membranes into the Mucus Associated Lymphatic Tissue, or MALT, where they are neutralized by the white-blood-cell-rich lymph nodes.  

Nature’s prescription for all this dryness is the seasonal harvest. The winter harvest consists of high-fat, high-protein, insulating foods that antidote the harshness of winter. Think of squirrels eating nuts when the weather begins to cool. See my Winter Tips & Grocery List, which explains how to prevent systemic dehydration and other winter imbalances with seasonal foods. 

He is proposing that to stop a cold from fully forming, you can take a combination of

• Trikatu: an Ayurvedic spice combination made from ginger, black pepper and long pepper that thins mucus, stimulates circulation to the respiratory tract and cervical lymph. 
• Sitopladi: is a traditional Ayurvedic combination of herbs that opens airways and heals and decongests mucus membranes of the sinuses, bronchioles and lungs. 
• Turmeric: is an Indian spice that has many medicinal uses including thins mucus, moves lymph, boosts immunity and heals the mucus membranes.

I know. I was like "what they hell is trikatu, I can't even pronounce it, and where the hell do I get that? Well, Dr. Douillard conveniently sells this stuff on his website which you can find by clicking here. I am buying this stuff and am going to use it as a preventative measure as I'm sure taking a little bit of these spices everyday could not hurt (I will let you know if it does). 

SIDE TRACK: Some of you may have read my post on being anti-vitamin (which I still am) and are confused because these are clearly supplements. Let me explain. These are not individual vitamins that have been plucked from the original source (or synthesized). These are herbs and spices that in their whole form are medicinal to the body. There I said it. I am against taking individual vitamins and minerals, and a multi-vitamin in that case. We don't know what vitamins and minerals our bodies need. Scientists think they know, but we are learning more and more each day about the nutrients in food and I know scientists are not even close to having the complete picture. In my humble opinion it is best to just eat whole foods to get your nutrition. 

What is your view on vitamins & supplements? Yay or nay?

SPICE'n It Up

I have been delinquent in my food shopping, therefore lunch today was constructed with what little options I had in my kitchen. Surprising what a little spice can do.

I found brown rice, beans, and a sweet potato. So I made rice and beans with a sweet potato, haha. Luckily for me I have a fully stocked spice cabinet. If there is one thing you should spend your money on it's spices (besides fruits & vegetables).

The Jamaican curry, paprika, and cayenne pepper went into the rice and beans, and I sprinkled the garamasala on the sweet potato and topped with a drizzle of honey. If you have never heard of garamasala it's an Indian spice. This was actually the first time I've used it. I found it all the way in the back of my spice cabinet, unopened. This is literally my new favorite spice. It's a mixture of coriander, cumin, cloves, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and anise. I fully plan on utilizing this for a batch of cookies, in my banana bread, and on every sweet potato I ever eat again for the rest of my life. It's that good.

This is a great way to serve rice and beans. If you are afraid of curry because you have bad memories of smelly Indian places (sorry India), or you think it is too strong of a flavor, or you've just never used it before I highly recommend using a Jamaican curry. It's usually some combination of salt, turmeric, curry powder, coriander, chilli powder, fennel, cumin, black pepper, and garlic.

This combo makes a regular appearance on my dinner table and goes with chicken, fish, and steak (especially a skirt steak). Oh and by the way... if beans give you gas...combine them with cumin- it will help with digestion.


I have to go grocery shopping so I can cook up something to write about. 

Thyme, What is it good for?

I figured since I named my blog after this herb, I should give you all a brief education on why this herb is so great. In addition to having a versatile flavor that goes well with anything from breads to soups to salads, it also plays a role in protecting your health.  

Thyme is an herb rich in phenols, especially thymol and carvacrol, which display antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. As such, thyme is an herbal remedy commonly used for internal and topical infections. However, according to the book “Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicine,“ carvacrol has stimulatory effects on the pancreas by increasing the secretions of digestive enzymes, which is of benefit for digestive disorders, but can further aggravate pancreatitis. Due to this stimulating effect, thyme is usually contraindicated for acute and chronic forms of pancreatitis, gastritis and enteritis. 

In addition to being a good antiseptic and able to fight disease-causing fungus and bacteria, thyme also aids in digestion because thymol and carvacol relax the smooth muscle tissue of the gastrointestinal tract, according to the “PDR for Herbal Medicine." Thyme is also used to help relieve menstrual cramps, reduce coughing, sooth sore throats and deter gingivitis. (Original Source)

I am a huge fan of using herbs. You can take a pretty simple meal and make it taste outstanding with the addition of a few herbs (and spices). So don't get hung up on not being a world renown chef. Just use more herbs and spices when you cook!

What is your favorite herb?

Potato Salad Heaven

No matter the bad wrap that potatoes have gotten, they are still a whole food. Yes they are a high-carb food, but if you have taken nothing from reading my blog so far please take this:

• your body needs carbs to function properly
• there is a difference between good carbs (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) and bad carbs (processed junk devoid of nutrition)
• you can loose weight by eating nothing but carbs (the good ones)

Most of the dietary advice out there is totally F'd up. No fat, low-carb, no fruit, high protein- WRONG! In all the lectures I have listened to thus far from Integrated Nutrition and from my own research there is a common theme: to avoid chronic sickness eat mostly plant based foods. And the more the merrier. Now that doesn't mean that you can eat nothing but potatoes all day everyday (I wish), but it is important to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and whole grains. 

In my (humble) opinion, it doesn't even serve us to focus on getting enough of a certain vitamin or mineral, anti-oxidant or phytochemical. That is just confusing and cumbersome. Instead focus on eating real whole foods, real ingredients, and a wide variety of them. That is one simple way you can get the range of nutrients your body needs without counting calories, percent of Vitamin C, grams of fiber, etc.

With that said...here is my fast, easy, and delicious potato salad:

• 5-6 sml potatoes (baked)
• 2 tbsp canola mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
•  thyme, a bunch
• salt & pepper to taste

You can also add hard boiled eggs, celery, rosemary, onion, turmeric, and you can use plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. 

Do you have a favorite ingredient to add to your potato salad?

Oh the PAIN!

I don't know if you remember the story about the last time I took Tylenol to relieve my EPISODE cramps. Well, I took too much, destroyed my stomach, and haven't taken it since.

TYLENOL CONSUMPTION: 6 pills x 3/day x 1-2 days = recipe for serious disaster
ADVIL CONSUMPTION: 2 pills x 2/day x 1-2 days = I can deal with this

Ever since I "became a woman" at the age of 13 I have had debilitating cramps. They used to be so bad that I would be bed ridden for 2 whole days (either at home or in the nurses office at school). I think people thought I was exaggerating, but I assure you I was not. I remember my mom being like, "How are you going to go to work when you get older?" Trust me, that is not something you want to hear when you are 13 and have just been involuntarily thrown into bloody torture that will repeat itself EVERY MONTH FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS!!!!!!

Anywho...I just came across this article from Dr. Mercola on natural pain killers and thought I would share it with you. I am going to start using some of this stuff and see if it works. These suggestions are more along the lines of prevention than band-aid (which is what Tylenol & Advil are).

• Start taking a high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fat like krill oil. Omega-3 fats are precursors to mediators of inflammation called prostaglandins. (In fact, that is how anti-inflammatory painkillers work, they positively influence prostaglandins.) The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA contained in krill oil have also been found in many animal and clinical studies to have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Eliminate or radically reduce most grains and sugars (including fructose) from your diet. Avoiding grains and sugars will lower your insulin and leptin levels. Elevated insulin and leptin levels are one of the most profound stimulators of inflammatory prostaglandin production. That is why eliminating sugar and grains is so important to controlling your pain and other types of chronic illnesses.
• Optimize your production of vitamin D by getting regular, appropriate sun exposure, which will work through a variety of different mechanisms to reduce your pain.
• In the meantime, you don't need to suffer unnecessarily. The following options provide excellent pain relief without any of the health hazards that acetaminophen and other pain relievers carry:
• Astaxanthin: One of the most effective oil-soluble antioxidants known. It has very potent anti-inflammatory properties and in many cases works far more effectively than many NSAIDs. Higher doses are typically required and one may need 8 mg or more per day to achieve this benefit.
• Ginger: This herb is anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.
• Curcumin: Curcumin is the primary therapeutic compound identified in the spice turmeric. In a study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added 200 mg of curcumin a day to their treatment plan had reduced pain and increased mobility.  In fact, curcumin has been shown in over 50 clinical studies to have potent anti-inflammatory activity, as well as demonstrating the ability in four studies to reduce Tylenol-associated adverse health effects.  
• Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," this herb contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties which have been prized for thousands of years. This is one of my personal favorites as I have seen it work well with many rheumatoid arthritis patients.
• Bromelain: This protein-digesting enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful.
• Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a "joint lubricant" and an anti-inflammatory. I have used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I type too much on non-ergonomic keyboards. I used a topical preparation for this.
• Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils: These contain the fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is useful for treating arthritic pain.
• Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body's supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.
• Therapeutic modalities such as yoga, acupuncture, meditation, hot and cold packs, and even holding hands can also result in astonishing pain relief without any drugs. (Not sure if holding hands is really going to help my raging cramps)

I have incorporated some of these into my diet, but not consistently. I am going to work on being more consistent which includes getting back to hot yoga. I started doing hot yoga 2 years ago and love it! I can't do it more than once a week though without getting burnt out, but it is great cardio and stretching.  

Does anyone have any other natural pain remedies?

Pea Soup: Take II

before

My first attempt at pea soup was a complete failure. I tried to make it vegetarian. FAIL. I used truffle oil. FAIL. This time I am using a good old ham bone.

This (according to my mom) is a super simple recipe. Somehow I screwed it up the first time, but I'm going to redeem myself here. It just kills me to spend an hour cooking something and have to throw it right in the garbage (it was that bad).

after

• 3 carrots
• 1 large onion
• 1 1/2 c. dried split green peas
• ham bone
• 2 cups cooked diced ham
• 4 cups organic vegetable broth
• 3 cups of water
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. black pepper

1. Chop onions.
2. Put in pot w/ 1/4 stick butter. Saute until soft.
3. Chop carrots. Cut carrots in 1/2 inch coins (don't cut the carrots too thin or they will disintegrate when cooked for an hour).
4. In lg. pot add all ingredients.
5. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn heat down to medium.
6. Cover and let simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Stir every 20 minutes or so.
7. Voila! 

TIP: If by the end your peas have not disintegrated enough, bring it up to a boil and stir vigorously. This is super simple, but the key is the ham. It just makes it. I'm in heaven. 

Christmas Dinner: Part 3 Dessert

Last but not least... ginger cookies (and a surprise bonus recipe)! I spent all morning slaving away in my kitchen to successfully make...dun dun duuuun...15 cookies. This little recipe was a tricky one.

The biggest lesson I learned is that I have decided that I am not going to bake any more (aside from bread and my banana bread which I will impress you with soon). For whatever reason, it stresses me out. I am ALWAYS self conscious about how it will turn out (which is usually pretty good) and worried about whether I am cooking it for the right amount of time. Most importantly, I don't enjoy it. I could cook for days and days and days and I love it. Baking on the other hand just doesn't satisfy me.

I had a conversation with my sister about all things baking on the way into the office today, and we decided that she would contribute the baked goods to my blog. She loves it, and wants a new hobby so, shortly after the holidays I will be introducing her to you, and passing the baked-goods-baton on to her.

Ok, back to ginger cookies. The recipe is pretty straight forward and I will teach you my simple tricks so they don't burn, or expand into one another making a giant cookie sheet.

DRY

• 2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

WET

• 2 sticks organic butter
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 farm egg
• 1/2 c. molasses (robust or blackstrap)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Grease cookie sheets with butter, or lay parchment paper down.
3. Mix dry ingredients in bowl.
4. In Kitchenaid (or use hand mixer), add in butter and brown sugar. Beat on med/high for 3 minutes. 
5. Add in remainder of wet ingredients. Mix well.
6. Add in dry ingredients.
7. Make balls and coat with raw sugar. 
8. Space balls 1 1/2" apart on cookie sheets. 
9. Cook for 10 minutes, check centers. If necessary cook for additional 2 minute increments until done. Should not take more than 16 minutes.

TRICK: Use teaspoon to make balls- they should be about the size of a big cherry. The batter should be sticky when making these balls, and they will flatten out while cooking BIG TIME! Also, if your oven heats from the bottom, move the racks in your oven as high as they can go with enough room to put the cookie sheets in (so the bottoms don't burn). If it heats from the top, put the racks at the bottom.

dry ingredients

butter and brown sugar

I made my ballz about double the size I would recommend

see? they ended up mushing together

The reason I only got 15 cookies was because A. I made the ballz too big, B. I burned an entire sheet of cookies (the one that was on the bottom rack was too close to the heat), C. the cookies were so big that they broke apart. 

they sure did photograph well though!

BONUS! My mom gave us her shortbread recipe a few weeks ago and since it was so simple I decided to out do myself and make it this morning. If you bring this to any dinner party/holiday, people will LOVE it. I promise. 

• 2 sticks organic butter (room temp)
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 egg
• a little milk (organic)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In Kitchaid or Cuisinart, put in all ingredients. Use dough hook on Kitchenaid or dough blade in Cuisinart. 
3. Dough should be very sticky.
4. Press into heavily greased mold. (I used a tart pan w/ a removable bottom)
5. Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes and then score top into wedges. Once the top is scored, go around a second time and cut all the way through. 
7. Let cool until you are able to handle the pan without oven mitts. Carefully remove the side of the tart pan.
8. Let cool completely, plate, and wrap in saran wrap until time to serve. 

HOLY BUTTER!

I love recipes that fit on post-it notes

I ended up doubling the recipe for this size pan (9"), and it took almost twice as long to cook. After 30 minutes, the sides were already brown but the middle was still gushy so I turned the oven down to 300 degrees for another 20 minutes or so. The edges should be slightly brown and the middle should be firm and dry looking. By the time it cools fully, the edges will be flaky and the middle should be dense and moist. Flour & Butter & Sugar- oh my!

Usually I try to "healthy" a recipe up, but in this case...don't mess with this perfection. My mom makes this every year for Christmas and I look forward to it soooo much! And it's rather easy to make (much easier than the ginger cookies). 

Merry Christmas!!! 

Christmas Dinner: Part Duex

On to the main course...fish or duck? That is the question. I initially thought duck would go best with this meal, however went against my gut and made fish because it would be lighter... it wasn't a huge mistake, but I really just think that duck or something like roast pork would tie all of the flavors together.

Stuffed Wild Cod

• 1 filet per person, the thinner the better
• 1 pkg spinach per person
• olive oil
• minced garlic

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large pan, medium heat, warm olive oil.
3. Add in garlic, and saute for a minute.
4. Add in spinach. Cover and let cook down, stirring once or twice.
5. Remove spinach from heat and drain.
6. Lay fillets on a baking sheet covered w/ tin foil
7. Spread spinach over entire fillet
8. Roll up and place in casserole dish (they will produce quite a bit of liquid)
9. Bake for 30 minutes.

Roast Duck (serves 2-4)

While I have done this before, it has been a while...so here is a gal who has pretty detailed instructions (with lots of pictures!) ...please find directions at The Hungry Mouse. She has some other tricks for saving the fat too, but if you just want to roast a duck the instructions are there. (I would personally do it without the glaze she uses, but that's just me.)

Artichoke Salad (serves 4)

• 2 cans artichoke hearts
• 1 bunch arugula
• 1 container crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 head endive (optional)

1. Chop artichoke, arugula, and onion.
2. Mix in bowl with goat cheese.
3. Serve w/ endive or by itself.

salad in the endive..finger food

the salad plated

or...the salad served buffet style
(I'm glad I got such great pics in this bowl b/c I broke it
loading it into the dishwasher :(

Cranberry Sauce (serves 4)

• 1 bag cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 1/2 red apple (gala or honey crisp)
• 1 tsp. cinamon
• 3 pinches cardamom (optional)
• 1/4 c. sugar

1. Put all in food processor or blender and blend. That's it! No cooking necessary.

This is cardamom.

Cardamom is used quite a bit in Indian & Ayurvedic cooking. I bought it a while back b/c I thought it was interesting, but never knew what to do with it. Until now! Both cardamom and cranberries have an astringent flavor so I thought it went well. WATCH OUT! Cardamom is very strong so you only need a couple pinches to get the full effect of the flavor. 

After finding out that my favorite jellied cranberry sauce was LOADED with high fructose corn syrup I decided that I better figure out how to make a substitute. This was stupid simple- PERFECT!

Tomorrow night... dessert :) Enjoy!

Christmas Dinner: Part One

before

One of my favorite things about winter thyme is soup. The other one is homemade bread. I used butternut squash as the base of this soup as it can be made sweet or savory, but I chose to make it slightly sweet. I found the recipe somewhere AND the directions were like half a page long. They were actually quite cumbersome and a little confusing, but after making this I dumbed it down to a few short steps.

after

I think if people actually wrote the directions so they were easier to read, more people would cook. I took one look at the paragraph of instructions and almost didn't make it. Because you know what happens? You lose your place in the instructions...every time you have to look at them. ANNOYING! I don't know why people don't realize this- especially ones that are paid to design these magazine spreads. If you are going to tell people how do make something MAKE IT EASY ON THE EYES! Pretty please :)


Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 green apples
• 1 onion, sweet or Vidalia
• 1/4 stick organic butter
• 1 c. organic vegetable broth
• 2 c. water
• 5 sprigs thyme

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise and roast for 1 1/2 hours at 400 degrees. 
2. Chop onion and apple. Pull thyme leaves off twigs.
3. In pot on medium heat, saute onion until soft and slightly browned (approx 10 minutes).
4. Put in apples and thyme, saute for about 5 minutes.
5. Add in 1 c. water and 1 c. vegetable broth.
6. Bring to a boil, then turn heat back down to medium, let simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Scoop out squash and add to broth.
8. Put soup in food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
9. Add 1 c. water and honey to taste (if you want it sweet)

Because you have to roast the squash for so long, this is a good thing to start and then make something else while the squash is in the oven. On to the bread! I was going to infuse it with thyme, however, my little sis brought me some beautiful rosemary from her garden! Thanks poop face!

Rosemary Infused Whole Wheat Bread (serves 4)

• 1 c. organic bread flour
• 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 c. water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 pkt yeast
• 1 tbsp sugar
• a lot of rosemary
• drizzle of olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In bowl, put 1 c. water, 1 pkt yeast, and 1 tbsp sugar. Let sit for a few minutes to make sure the yeast is still active. (If it is it will have grown in size)
3. Add in all flour, salt, and rosemary.
4. Mix together.
5. Knead for 10 minutes (either Kitchenaid mixer or by hand)
6. Coat ball with olive oil and place in bowl to rise. Cover w/ a dish towel (a clean one)
7. Rise #1: 40 minutes, then deflate with fists folding it in on itself
8. Rise #2: 40 minutes, then shape into whatever shape you like...I used my french bread pan.
9. Bake for 35 minutes.
10. Optional: if you want a crispy glazed crust, whisk an egg and brush it on before it goes in to the oven and then half way through or you can put a pan of water in the bottom of the oven (or on the bottom rack) and the steam will create a great crust. 

Enjoy!