Raspberry Popsicles and Some Fun News :)

5 year-old, Paige, with her popsicle

 

 

I was at the library the other day getting my kids some books, and I saw a book on display
called Ice Pop Joy by Anni Daulter.  To my surprise, the recipes were whole food!  So I took it home, excited to try some new recipes.  A couple of days later, my daughter asked if we could make popsicles, and she flipped through the pages looking for something that looked good.  Only problem was, I didn't have the exact ingredients for the popsicles she wanted to make.  So, we improvised and it ended up turning out great!  My kids and I were very happy with our new recipe for Raspberry popsicles :)



Raspberry Popsicles

1.5 cups fresh raspberries
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 banana
2 tbsp. raw honey
1/2 squirt of liquid stevia (unflavored)
1/2 cup coconut milk


Combine ingredients in blender and puree until smooth.  Pour into popsicle mold and freeze until solid.

Makes about 6 (4-ounce) popsicles.

In other news....We are going to be adding a new addition to our family in August!  I am about 29 weeks prego with my fourth kid.  It's a boy, so my oldest - 7 year old Talbot - is really excited to finally have a brother :)

 

This time around we have decided to have the baby at a birthing center, which I've never done before, so I'm anxious to see if I like the difference :) I will definitely be filling all of you in when the time comes.  So far, the midwives have been great during prenatal visits. 

 

Happy Summer!

 

Jenny :)

Coming Out of the Carnivorous Closet

I've been writing this post in my head for about two months now.  I figure it's time to actually put it into words.  There's no easy way to get this out so I'm just going to say it.  I'm not vegetarian anymore.  I'm guessing most of you probably aren't emotionally attached to my meat eating status, but I feel like it's something I have to be up front about if I'm going to continue to write on this blog.  The way it all happened is a long boring story, so I won't get into it right now.  It's been about 3 months since I made the switch, and to be perfectly honest, I don't feel any different.  Which isn't a huge surprise because really, for me, the only things that I KNOW make me feel like hud are sugar (in all forms really) and an over consumption of grains (particularly wheat).  I wouldn't go as far as to say I've jumped on the Paleo bandwagon.  I don't think that much meat would work for me.  But I've definitely become reacquainted with some old recipes that I never thought I'd come into contact with again.  Needless to say, my husband is a very happy man.  I still consider myself to be plant based, but the strict vegetarian ship hath sailed.  At least for now.  

One thing I've learned through all of this is that there isn't any one "diet" (although I hate calling it that) that works for everyone.  I don't think that the science behind any one theory is perfectly sound or backed up with enough evidence to convince me that it's correct.  So, basically, the way you decide to feed yourself and your family boils down to how different foods affect you, and what you feel is right for you.  For example, my son has celiac.  He's done great with it so far, but a few months ago I started realizing that he was consuming WAY to much "gluten free" food (bread, pasta, crackers, etc).  It was happening by default because I wasn't really making any meals containing meat or gluten and he's crazy picky when it comes to vegetables.  After I started providing some other options (organic chicken, fresh turkey, etc) he started cutting back on the stuff that's completely void of any significant nutrition.  I still wish he would increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in his diet, but I'm definitely feeling better about what he's consuming at this point.

The other thing that forced my hand was my workout regimen.  It like, quadrupled in intensity.  I started doing some serious HIIT* training back in February and noticed that it would take me a good 4-5 days to recover from a workout (yes, singular - just one workout).  Not.  Normal.  My hair also started falling out by the handfuls.  Again, not normal.  I knew I was protein deficient.  No question about it.  So, my point here is, life changes.  And in a lot of ways, my son being diagnosed with celiac has forced me to re-think everything I thought I knew.  It's been good for me to look at where I'm at in my life and consider the possibility that not all of the nutritional needs of my family were being met.  Now, don't get me wrong.  We're not going out for double bacon cheese burgers or anything.  HEAVENS no.  I like my arteries to have a little breathing room thankyouverymuch.  But we have incorporated some organic chicken, turkey, and fish into our diets.  It's been good for everyone and I think we all feel significantly less deprived since having to cut gluten from the scene (most of it at least - I'm pretty lax about it when we go out, which happens like...never).

Anyway, I'm hoping now that I've come out of the closet, that I'll be able to post recipes here without feeling like a hypocrite.  I have some good ones.  Some with meat.  Some without.  But all wholesome nutritious recipes that you can feel good about feeding your crew.

*HIIT training (TRX specifically).  Oh, it is so awesome.  Soon I will do a post about the love affair I have going on right now with this kind of workout.  

Almond Butter Banana Bread Bars (sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan)

 

I adapted these bars from Oh She Glows.  They are great for a quick breakfast, a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, or even as a dessert after dinner.  I was excited when I stumbled upon the recipe, but even more excited when I changed it to exclude any sweetener (other than stevia) at all.  The unsweetened version tastes better than the original, in my opinion.  Feel free to make both, if you wish!  You'll be happy either way :)

My friend, Liz, test-tasted these, and was happily surprised that despite being gluten-free, they were moist and not crumbly, as many gluten-free baked goods are.


Almond Butter Banana Bread Bars
Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper. 

 Combine in a bowl:

2/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup raw buckwheat groat flour (I ground raw buckwheat groats to flour in my BlendTec)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
3 Tbsp. chia seeds
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Real Salt

Add to mixture:

1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 regular bananas)
1/2 cup toasted almond butter (I used Marantha brand)
1 tsp. vanilla (I use Frontier non-alcoholic vanilla flavor, but extract would also work)
1/4 tsp. Sweetleaf Clear liquid stevia


Mixture should be very sticky.  Pour into square pan, using a spatula to evenly spread mixture. 

Bake for about 22-26 minutes, or until bread is fairly firm to the touch.  Let cool and cut into bars.

Let me know what you think!

Jenny :)

 

 



Jenny's Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok, let me preface this post by saying that these cookies are absolutely delicious, but they are also absolutely a treat to be enjoyed moderately.  And preferably under supervision.  Because you just might take a taste and not be able to control yourself.  And, in case you're wondering, YES, I am speaking from experience. 

My husband requested these for Easter Sunday dessert, so I complied.  In fact, ever since I made them the first time, he asks for them weekly.  But I don't say yes very often because while they are definitely healthier than many gluten-free baked goods, they do contain a lot of starch in the form of Sorghum flour and Arrowroot powder, among other things. Why did I create the recipe in the first place if I still want to change so many things?  Because it WORKED, it TASTED GOOD, and it was SEMI-HEALTHY.  For a dessert, I thought it was okay every now and then.   So my intentions are to come up with a variation of this recipe, but guess what?  I couldn't keep the recipe from the blog any longer.  The more I shared these cookies, the more and more people wanted the recipe.  Annie's boy, who was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease, has been begging me to give this recipe to his mom for months.  I'm so sorry it's taken me so long, buddy.  Now maybe your mom can whip you up a batch and you won't have to wait for me to come around :)

Jenny's Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dry Ingredients

1 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon guar gum
1 teaspoon Real Salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup coconut sugar

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup grapeseed oil
2 large, organic eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla (I use alcohol-free vanilla flavor, but I'm sure extract would work as well)


1/2 cup gluten/dairy/sugar free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life mini chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine dry ingredients.  Add in wet ingredients.  Mix dough with hand-beater until wet and sticky.  Add in chocolate chips and mix well. 

This dough is too sticky to roll into balls, so scoop some batter into a utensil teaspoon and scrape off onto parchment paper. It will just drop down and not be a perfect ball, but the cookie will spread a lot as it bakes so it doesn't matter.  I put about 9-12 on each cookie sheet. 

Bake for 12 minutes or until slightly golden.  Transfer and cool on wire rack.   The cookies will harden as they cool. 

This recipe makes about 30 cookies.

Grape n' Salmon Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free)

Every now and then we'll have organic wild salmon for dinner.  It's a freaking ripoff so we don't have it very often, but when we do, I downright REFUSE to let any of it go to waste.    Way too pricey to throw it away.  In the spirit of being resourceful, I've tried out many a leftover salmon recipe.  It's one of those things that doesn't really taste as good heated up after refrigeration, so this gluten-free pasta salad with salmon, grapes, and dill is the perfect way to get your money's worth out of a salmon fillet.  I know it seems weird, but I'm telling you, it's DELICIOUS.  You could even try it with some organic canned salmon. 

Grape n' Salmon Pasta Salad (gluten-free) 

2 1/2 cups gluten-free pasta (I use quinoa pasta)
2 cups seedless red grapes, sliced the long way
1 1/2 tablespoons Veganaise Vegan Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup leftover salmon, broken into pieces

Cook pasta according to directions.  Drain.  In large bowl, combine all ingredients with pasta.  Toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.

I promise you, you will not regret trying this recipe.  

Annie♥

Lemony Chickpea Stirfry

This is the second of four recipes that I tried and loved from 101Cookbooks.com several months ago. I printed the recipe out and stuck it in my cookbook binder, but every time I passed by it, I never had tofu or zucchini on hand.  Well, today I passed by the recipe, and guess what?  I was lucky enough to have sprouted tofu, zucchini, tons of chickpeas that I had cooked a couple days earlier and were waiting to be used, and kale already chopped up. All my necessary ingredients were literally staring at me in the front of my fridge.  When does that ever happen?  For me, almost never!  Since everything was ready to go, this dish seriously took me about 10 minutes to prepare.  Nothin' better, I tell you. 

Lemony Chickpea Stirfry (tweaked a bit)
(Serves about 4 for dinner.  I double for my family of 5. )

2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
sea salt
1 small onion
1 cup cooked chickpeas
8 ounces extra-firm tofu (I use organic sprouted tofu.  I have also eliminated it before).
2 cups chopped kale
2 small zucchini, chopped
zest and juice of 3/4 lemon

Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in a big pinch of salt, the onion, and chickpeas.  Saute until the chickpeas are deeply golden and crusty.  Stir in the tofu and cook just until the tofu is heated through, just a minute or so.  Stir in the kale and cook for one minute more.

Remove everything from the skillet onto a large plate and set aside.  In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil, add the zucchini and saute until it starts to take on a bit of color, two or three minutes.  Add the chickpea mixture back to the skillet, and remove from heat.  Stir in the lemon juice and zest, taste, and season with a bit more salt if needed.  Turn out onto a platter and serve family style. 

This picture depicts a single recipe. 

Jenny :)

South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry

About a month ago I picked up a copy of Fine Cooking, Soups & Stews thinking I might get a couple of good recipes out of it.  Wrong-O.  Everything I've tried from this book has been out of this world amazing.  Even the meaty recipes that I made vegetarian instead have been fantastic.  The South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry is my favorite so far, but that Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup with Apples and Mint is looking extremely promising.  I'll let you know.

South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tablespoon coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-3 cups organic vegetable broth (I used closer to 3)
1 can organic coconut milk
1 cinnamon stick
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 head cauliflower, broken into 1 1/2-inch florets
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups spinach (lightly packed)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a 5-6 quart heavy duty pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3-4 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium (or medium low if necessary) and cook until the onion is richly browned, 5-7 minutes more.  Add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, for 1 minute to blend the flavors.  Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper; stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices.  Add the tomato paste and stir until well blended with the aromatics, about 1 minute.

Add the broth, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium low or low and simmer for 10 minutes.  

Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots.  Raise the heat to medium high and return to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20-25 minutes.  Discard the cinnamon stick.

Stir in the chickpeas, spinach, lime juice, and zest; cook until the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes more.  Season to taste with salt.  Served garnished with the cilantro.

I hope everyone loves this as much as I did.

Annie ♡

Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins (gluten-free, grain free, dairy free)

I've been making these muffins for my family for quite some time now.  They are originally from Elana's Pantry, but I've changed them over the years, making them healthier, which makes me happier :)  These muffins do contain eggs, which I tend not to use much in my baking, but since Annie got chickens and shares the fruits of her labor on a consistent basis, well, these muffins are appearing more often.  Thanks, Annie! 

My son and husband are the biggest fans of these muffins -- they tend to like the same kinds of foods.  What's funny is my 4.5 year old daughter and I tend to like the same foods.  We are just fine with some avocado sprinkled with salt.  The boys like heartier things that we girls don't like as much -- eggs, salmon, potatoes.  It is funny to see who matches up in the family in terms of taste.  I don't know where Baby Bridget is on the taste spectrum yet. She's usually happy to eat what I give her :)

Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins
Makes about 8 muffins

 

1.5 cups almond flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)

1/4 teaspoon Real Salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Sprinkle of ground cloves

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce *

1/3 cup agave nectar

2 large organic eggs

1 cup pumpkin (either canned or homemade)


Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, then add wet ingredients. Bake for about 42 minutes at 350 degrees. They come out of the wrappers better when they have cooled for a couple of hours.
 

 

*Many times I don't have applesauce on hand, and just blend an apple with a touch of water.  Works perfectly every time. 

**Since this recipe makes so few muffins, I usually triple it.  You would think it would come out to 24 exactly, but I usually get about 25 or 26 muffins out of it, which is annoying.  If you feel so inclined, slightly decrease ingredients.  Otherwise, just deal with it, like I do :)

              _____________________________________________________________


In other news, tomorrow is my son's 7th birthday.  He has been my guinea pig throughout the years because we changed our diet when he was 6 months old.  He has been a part of our learning curve through the process of raising a family on a whole foods, plant-based diet in a world that's almost the exact opposite.  And he's been a champ about it.  He's not perfect, but he's close enough for me. 

Happy Birthday, Talbot!!

After deliberating what to bring to his class for his birthday "treat", we decided on this:  Unsweetened applesauce, dressed up.  I printed out Happy * Birthday * Talbot! from the template provided on this website.  It was easy, so cute, healthy, and allergen free (there is a student in his class that has many severe allergies). 



                  

  What healthy things have you done for classroom birthday treats?  I would love more ideas!

 

 

Jenny :)

Get Ready For My Cancer Rant & Sauteed Artichoke Hearts

The past month has been the longest of my entire life.  You guys, seriously, cancer is ruthless.  I wish I could tell you that eating healthy and staying fit will cancer proof you, but really, if my dad can get cancer, you can too.  He is the healthiest 63 year old I know.  He hikes, bikes, runs, and skis (just to list a few), and eats like a champ, so to say we were surprised by his diagnosis would be the understatement of the century.  Don't get me wrong, eating healthy and staying fit definitely lowers your risk.  DEFINITELY!  So do it!  But human physiology is very intricate and complex, and there's much more at play than diet and exercise.  I've been devouring every little bit of information I can get about cancer and I plan to write quite a bit about it in the coming months (I know, you're over flowing with anticipation).  

Here's the thing.  It's predicted that in the next 50 years, 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer.  With those odds, I think learning everything we can about the disease now can only help.  You'd think that seeing everything I've seen over the past several weeks would make me ultra paranoid about getting cancer.  But it's done exactly the opposite.  Knowledge is power, and I feel much more empowered than I ever have before regarding cancer.  Treatment options have improved by leaps and bounds in both traditional and alternative medicine.  I'll get more into both of those topics very soon.

So, obviously I've been a little pre-occupied lately.  Like, so pre-occupied that I haven't actually "cooked" a full meal in weeks.  I've been throwing together any ingredients I can find.  My motto?  The easier, the better.  I've been cutting corners left and right andI've given new meaning to the words, "fast foods".  But I've also come up with some super fabulous, easy, cheap meals.  And this one is definitely in my top 3.  Try it.  I promise you'll be surprised.

Sauteed Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Pepper and Balsamic Vinegar

1can quartered artichoke hearts (organic if possible)
1-2 tablespoons avocado or coconut oil
squeeze of lemon or lime
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (we use gluten free)
*other vegetables of choice
lemon pepper & sea salt to taste

*additional vegetables - tomatoes (fresh or sundried), onions, zuchinni, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, carrots, celery, etc.  (I've used several different combinations, my favorite being sundried tomatoes, kale, and red onions).

Place small pan on low heat.  Add oil.  Drain artichoke hearts and place them in the heated pan.  Cook and stir.  After a minute or two, turn up the heat to medium.  Add lemon or lime juice and balsamic vinegar.  Sautee for several more minutes or until they start to brown a bit and then add your other vegetables (unless you're using sweet potatoes - they need to cook for about 6-7 minutes before you add the artichoke hearts).  When the artichokes look browned to your liking and the other vegetables are warm and wilted, remove pan from heat.  Season liberally with sea salt and lemon pepper.  Serve immediately.  

And just in case you were wondering...

Health benefits of Artichoke

• Artichoke is low in calories and fat, but is a rich source of dietary fiber; provide 5.4 g per 100 g, about 14% of RDA. Dietary-fiber helps control constipation conditions, decrease bad or "LDL" cholesterol levels by binding to it in the intestines and help prevent colon cancer risks by preventing toxic compounds in the food from absorption.
• Artichoke contains bitter principles, cynarin and sesquiterpene-lactones. Scientific studies show that these compounds inhibit cholesterol synthesis and increase its excretion in the bile and thus; have overall cholesterol reduction in the blood.
• Fresh artichoke is an excellent source of vitamin folic acid; provide about 68 µg per 100 g (17% of recommended daily allowance). Folic acid acts as a co-factor for enzymes involved in the synthesis of DNA. Scientific studies have proven that adequate levels of folates in the diet during pre-conception period, and during early pregnancy, help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn baby.
• Fresh globes also contain good amounts of anti-oxidant vitamin; vitamin-C (Provides about 20% of recommended levels per 100 g). Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
• It is one of the vegetable sources for vitamin K; provide about 12% of DRI. Vitamin K has potential role bone health by promoting osteotrophic (bone formation) activity. Adequate vitamin-K levels in the diet help limiting neuronal damage in the brain; thus, has established role in the treatment of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
• It is an also good source of antioxidants such as silymarin, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid, which help the body protect from harmful free-radical agents. Total antioxidant strength (ORAC) of artichokes (globe or french) is 6552 µmol TE/100 g.
• It is also rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, and pantothenic acid that are essential for optimum cellular metabolic functions.
• Further, artichoke is rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation.
• Additionally, it contains small amounts of antioxidant flavonoid compounds like carotene-beta, lutein, and zea-xanthin
• Annie ♥

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

 

 

 

 

Thanks to my friend, Liz, for finding, changing, and perfecting this recipe.  My husband and all three of my kids love it, which means it is a dish we make quite a bit.  When my family got sick over the holidays, she brought over a huge bowl of these, and my six-year old son ate almost the whole bowl.  It took a couple of exposures for my four-year-old little girl to like them, but all of a sudden one day she decided to try them and said,  "Can I have some more of those delicious sweet potatoes?!" It made me laugh :)

 

The best part is, they are really easy to make and don't require many ingredients.

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

 

2 very large sweet potatoes (orange fleshed), cubed

About 2 tbsp. preferred cooking oil (I use grapeseed oil for these)

2 tablespoons paprika

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tablespoon cinnamon



Sprinkle of Real Salt and ground pepper

 

Put cubed sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and use spatula to toss until potatoes are very lightly coated with oil.  Sprinkle seasonings over the sweet potatoes, and toss until all are evenly coated witht the seasoning.  Bake at 425 degrees for 50 minutes, making sure to flip with spatula at half-way cooking mark.  They should be soft and a bit puffed up. 

 

 

On a side note, here is a picture of Baby Bridget, getting older (17 months), drinking my her green shake :)

 Jenny :)

This Post Brought to You By Cancer

I told you recently about my little brother Sam, and his diagnosis of the not so good variety (stage 4 hodgkin's lymphoma).  Things were finally settling down a little bit until my dad started feeling left out.  So last week he went and got some equally not very good news.  Stage 4 non-hodgkin's lymphoma (spread to the small intestine resulting in recent bowel resection - he's a lucky duck).  My family is something of a hot mess right now, but if you know us at all, you know that it's times like these that we pull together seamlessly.  Consider yourself warned that we are big and loud and rude and irreverent.  It's how we cope.  So if you want to read about our cancer adventures, this would be a good place to start.  And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.   

Annie♥

Lentil Stew

Over the holidays, I went to visit my family in Iowa (my birthplace) for a week.  While there, surprisingly, my 19 year-old brother told me he had found a recipe, tweaked it to his taste, and wanted to make it for me.  What?  Someone make dinner for me?  It was almost too good to be true.  I immediately took him up on his offer.  I have to mention that I was super impressed with his initiative to find a recipe, chop veggies (to which he gave detailed attention -- all of the veggies had to be equal in size. Lol!), and cook this stew, especially since he lives in a dorm and has a meal plan.  That's my kinda boy.

I helped said brother out with the meal a bit since I was going to be partaking.  No Little Red Hen here.  But truly he did most of the work. Thanks, Matt. 

My older sister was kind enough to wait on her meal while I snapped a few pics.  I should've taken pics of my own bowl, but you know me.  I tend to scarf before I think. 


Lentil Stew
Family-Sized

One red onion, small diced
4 medium carrots, small diced
4 stalks celery, small diced
1 cup sweet potatoes, small diced
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
About 4 leaves kale, ripped/chopped small (de-stemmed)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. unrefined coconut oil (or preferred cooking oil)
2 bayleafs
1 t rosemary

Put coconut oil in pot and saute red onion, carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes on medium heat until soft (abt. 6 minutes).

Add kale and garlic cloves.  Saute for a couple of minutes until kale wilts.

Put in red lentils with enough water to submerge the food, usually about 4 cups, depending on how soupy you want your stew.  Add more if needed to cook lentils.

Add bayleafs and rosemary, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, until lentils are cooked. Be sure to remove bayleafs before you serve!

Jenny :)

Butternut Squash Tostadas and Long Story You Probably Aren't Interested In

Have you ever gone through the holidays and not felt even once like it was in fact, the holidays?  Yeah, that's a good way to explain how it felt to me this year.  It's amazing how right when you start feeling confident about life, karma kicks your trash to the curb.  You guys, my trash, hath been kicked.  I've been trying to decided what and how much to tell here on this little blog of ours.  I mean, you know, there's that line you try not to cross (I can actually hear you all laughing).  But if for no other reason, I have to write this so that next time I have a Christmas season that I think sucks, I can read this and realize that it most likely does not suck as bad as I think it does.  I have to imagine that the depths of this years Christmas suckiness will probably hold the winning title for quite some time.

Right after Thanksgiving, I took my 11 year old son to the doctor for a stomach ache that had persisted for about 8 days.  He had also lost a lot of weight which is never a good thing for a kid who's a lanky bean pole to begin with.  I wasn't worried though.  The trip to the doctor, in my mind, was to rule out strep (my kids tend to get weird stomach aches with strep). Not surprisingly, it wasn't strep.  The dr. we saw, who wasn't our normal ped., did the regular work up, and while listening to my son's heart, lingered there just long enough for me to start squirming a little.  After several minutes of silence, he said that he could hear what's called an abdominal bruit.  Highly unusual cardiac symptom to find in a child.  It's usually associated with an aortic aneurysm.  Sweet.  He wanted to send us up to the cardiology department at Primary Children's Hospital but I declined because I wanted a second opinion before we ran clear across town for what was most likely nothing.  Specifically, I wanted the opinion of our regular pediatrician before we did anything.  He (the Dr. we saw) also sent us to the local hospital for a blood draw to hopefully rule out several things related to the stomach ache.  Said hospital is only a minute away from our house, so I figured we could just get it done on our way home.  

SO, to make a long story short, I took him to get his blood test done while still feeling slightly uneasy about the decision I made to not take him to Primary's to rule out an aortic aneurysm.  Bad idea.  Because immediately after his blood was drawn my son pulled a total Marie Osmond.  He passed out cold.  And I LOST IT (remember, I'm thinking his aorta just exploded)!!!  Would have been nice if the phlebotomist hadn't freaked the hell out though.  That sometimes helps nervous moms keep their crap together.  You know, when the medical professionals make a point to NOT panic.  An hour and a half later, we made it home.  Anyway, please enjoy this picture I took directly following the drama.  Boy looks good with a rag on his face. 

Okay.  I'm going to fast forward and consolidate here.  Later on, the results of his blood work came in.  Positive for celiac disease.  I gotta tell you, I did NOT see this one coming, although I should have considering he has several relatives with the disease.  Some of them first cousins.  The next step was to get a biopsy done via endoscopy (an easy procedure - I've had it done, it's no biggie).  Sounds easy enough, right?  Not when they can't fit you in for 12 weeks.  We were actually supposed to wait around twiddling our thumbs for 3 months before we could find out how much damage has already been done to his small intestine.  THREE MONTHS.  So the dilemma became, do we keep him eating gluten and feeling miserable for three more months so we can do the biopsy?  Or do we just ditch the gluten now, and pass on the biopsy (you have to have been on a regular gluten diet for about 6 months for the results to be accurate)?  You know you can't sit around and do nothing when your kid looks like this ALL.THE.TIME.

After several long frustrating days, we decided to put him on a gluten-free diet and hope for the best.  At this point, I actually think he's improving.  It's a slow process, but it's getting better.  

Not that this will surprise any of you, but I have to tell you that the day we found out he had celiac, Jenny was over at my house within minutes to give the boy a pep-talk (and a bag of gluten-free oats, naturally).  He was still an emotional wreck from finding out the results of his blood test and realizing what the future would be like for him, so being an 11 year old child, all he could really do was cry.  Sweet Jenny knows him so well and loves him so much that of course, she couldn't help but cry with him.  It's amazing to see people love your children the same way you do.  Sometimes there are those moments when it's so blatantly obvious that the people in your life were put directly in your path for a reason.  This was one of them.  Oh how I love that girl.

Going gluten-free has been surprisingly easy thanks to all our loved ones who have already walked this path.  We are surrounded by so many friends and family members who have gone above and beyond to help educate me and my son.  We've been absolutely blown away with the things people have done to help us with the transition to this new lifestyle.  We are so very fortunate.     

But, we weren't in the clear yet.  We were still in limbo with the heart thing.  A few days after the celiac fiasco, our ped. called and said that he was indeed worried about the abdominal bruit (an abnormal sound in the aorta) they had discovered, so he sent us up to the children's hospital for testing.  I didn't know much about abnormal aortic sounds, but I did know that you really don't want your kid to have to deal with heart problems.  For the first time since it all started, I was worried.  Again, long story short, nothing significant was found in the first round of testing so of course they recommended we get started on round two.  And would you believe it if I told you that my two amazing friends had dinner waiting for us when we got home from the hospital?  I speak the truth folks.  In the end, we decided to wait until after Christmas to go ahead with the second round of tests.  Round one proved to be more than a little traumatic for my son and we figured he'd be better off with a some time to actually enjoy the holiday season.  This decision was made the same day that my little brother had a tumor in his armpit biopsied.  Mostly just as a precaution.  They thought it was probably a lipoma (a harmless fatty tumor). 

My little brother Sam (the "bear", I like to call him) had been working hard to lose weight over the past 4 months or so.  The more weight he lost the more he began to notice a weird, soft, tumor-thing under his arm.  They did an ultrasound, which led to a biopsy, which then led to surgery to remove said tumor.  That was about 2 weeks ago.  Unfortunately we found out the day after Christmas that it is cancerous.  Hodgkin's lymphoma.  Sometimes life can be so unfair.  But if anyone can wrangle and hogtie cancer, it's my brother Sam.   

My two little brothers and their, um...matching plaids.  They're both single.  And straight.  I swear.

Tomorrow we find out the course of action his doctors want to take.  I fully intend on doing my part by stuffing him with alkaline foods for the next 6 months.  He can't wait.  He loves having a health food kook for a sister.       

Dealing with health problems is always sobering.  I keep telling my brother that unless you have a few things go wrong, you can't fully appreciate your body.  The human body is amazing and complex and often times very resilient.  The next few months might be difficult for Sam, but we have every reason to believe that he's eventually going to be completely fine.  

So yeah, the holidays kind of sucker punched us this year.  But you know what they say, upward and onward.  

In honor of my little bro. who is always kind enough to eat my weird concoctions, allow me to share with you my latest favorite.  I stole the concept and photo from this website.  Because in addition to all the holiday fun I've been telling you about, the hard drive on my computer crashed.  Like, totally kicked the bucket.  6 years of photographs, GONE.  Dear gracious I'm so glad Christmas is over.  Here's to hoping 2013 is a little more merciful than 2012.

Butternut Squash Tostada  

For the Tostada Shells:
6 blue corn tortillas (I used brown rice tortillas)
Cooking spray (orgainc olive oil if possible)
Salt or mexican spice

For the Butternut Squash:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or better yet, just snag   some of that pre-cut butternut squash they sell at Costco)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Creamy Avocado Dressing:
2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup coconut milk or almond milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 small jalapeño pepper, chopped and seeds removed
2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus a little zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Tostada Toppings:
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed, drained, and heated
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup pepitas
Chopped Lettuce

1. To make the baked tostada shells, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray each side of the corn tortillas with cooking spray. Season with salt. Place tortillas on a large baking sheet and bake until tostadas are lightly browned and crisp on one side, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven and flip the tortillas. Place back in the oven and cook until lightly browned and crisp on the other side, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, add the butternut squash, olive oil, cumin, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Toss until squash is well coated. Spread the squash out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Place in the 400 degree F oven and roast until the squash is tender and starts to caramelize on the edges, about 30-35 minutes.

3. While the squash is roasting, make the creamy avocado dressing. Combine the avocados, buttermilk, garlic, cilantro, green onion, jalapeño, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

4. To assemble the tostadas, top a crispy corn tortilla with butternut squash, black beans, red onion, lettuce, and pepitas. Drizzle the creamy avocado dressing on top. Serve immediately.

I also served it with salsa and avocado slices.  My ENTIRE family ate this.  A minor miracle at our house.

Annie♥

Unmasking Celiac Disease

As I've mentioned several times before, I have Celiac Disease, also called Celiac Sprue, which means I cannot digest a protein called gluten.  I was diagnosed when I was 14 months old, but before my parents received the diagnosis, my mom told me she felt like she was a piece of furniture in the doctor's office. 

I was always getting ear infections, and threw up all the time.  Instead of increasing, my weight was plummeting until, in the words of my dad, the skin on my arms was hanging.  But I had a puffed out belly, like those starving kids in Africa.

My parents couldn't understand what was happening, especially since Celiac Sprue was basically unheard of 30 years ago.  When I threw up the birthday cake at my first birthday party, my mom said enough was enough.  And thus it began.  The rounds of going from doctor to doctor to find out what was wrong with me.

They were given various diagnoses from various doctors, but finally ended up at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (I am originally from Iowa), where doctors performed a biopsy by sticking a tube called a "snake" down into my intestines, and snipped a sample of my small intestines to inspect whether my villi had atrophied.  Well they had, meaning instead of looking like finger-like projections that were able to absorb nutrients, they were little stubs, unable to absorb many nutrients.  Which is why I was mal-nourished, despite being fed well my entire life. 

Healthy villi
 

 



Atrophied villi

 

See how with normal villi, the surface-area is larger, meaning it can absorb more nutrients?

Lately, gluten-free seems to be the buzz word, which is a good thing in my opinion.  Reflecting on my childhood, it was much more difficult to have Celiac Disease than it is now.  These days, almost any restaurant I walk into has a gluten-free menu, which is awe. some.  For the first several years of my marriage, I couldn't go to a restaurant and say the word "gluten" and have a single person know what I was talking about.  Now, I can say it freely and receive help with ordering.   

The reason I'm writing about this is that all around me, people are getting diagnosed with, and getting tested for, Celiac Sprue.  And even with all of the information about the disease that we have these days, a sure diagnosis still takes awhile for many reasons.  One of my favorite books that discusses this autoimmune disease is Celiac Disease, A Hidden Epidemic by Peter H.R. Green, M.D. and Rory Jones.  I have the old book, but there is now a revised and updated version, which is pictured above.  On the back of the book is a checklist of symptoms that can indicate gluten-intolerace, or even Celiac Disease, and I wanted to post it for you all as a reference for yourselves, friends, and family. 

I. Check each symptom you have had at least once a week during the past three months:

__ Bloating, gas, and/or stomach cramping
__ Diarrhea or runny stools
__ Constipation
__ Joint pain or numbness or tingling in your extremities
__ Itchy skin lesions
__ Constant unexplained fatigue
__ Frequent headaches or migraines

II. Check if you have had or been diagnosed with any of the following:

__ Irritable bowel syndrome
__ Eczema of unexplained dermatitis
__ Fibromyalgia
__ Chronic fatigue syndrome
__ Nervous stomach (non-ulcer dyspepsia)

III. Check if you have any of the following:

__ Lactose intolerance
__ Osteopenia and/or osteoporosis
__ Autoimmune disorders (thyroid disease [hypo/hyper], type 1 diabetes, Sjogren's syndrome, 
     chronic liver disease) or an immediate family member with an autoimmune condition
__ Peripheral neuropathy
__ Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
__ Small intestinal cancer
__ Psychiatric disorders or depression
__ Anemia (iron deficiency)
__ Infertility


If you have checked one or more lines in section I and II and have any of the illnesses listed in section III, the information in this book may explain a diagnosis that will change your life and well-being.


Let's educate ourselves so that we can recognize the signs that the body gives when Celiac Disease is present. 

Love you all. 


Jenny :)

Blueberry Banana Popsicles

Do you think I'm crazy for posting all these summer recipes (salsa, popsicles) in December?  Well, I normally wouldn't have posted this one, except for the fact that my kids still ask me to make popsicles for them, even when it's freezing cold outside. 

I'm told ice-cream sales actually elevate during the winter.  It's kinda like that.

So if you dare, I present to you Blueberry Banana Popsicles.  The recipe is adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe. Here goes:



Blueberry Banana Popsicles
3-4 ripe bananas
1.5 cups dairy-free vanilla yogurt (I used Amande almond milk yogurt.  Coconut milk yogurt would be another good choice).
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup fresh blueberries (or thawed and drained frozen blueberries)
2 squirts liquid stevia


In a food processor, puree bananas until smooth.  Add yogurt, lemon juice, and stevia, and process until smooth.  Add blueberries and pulse to incorporate to desired consistency. 

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for several hours.  Dip molds into hot water briefly to unmold.

Makes 10 popsicles.

Jenny :)

Jake's Garden Salsa

This summer our garden was very prolific.  It was seriously a forest with all its glorious veggies and fruit -- Kale, Green Chard (which is still thriving), zucchini, yellow squash, green bell peppers, celery, basil, parsley, cilantro, six cantaloupes (which accidentally grew out of our compost, oops!), spinach, cucumbers, pumpkins, and TONS of tomatoes.  Holy cow -- our tomatoes have never produced so much fruit! Which leads us to this recipe.

My husband loves it when the garden does well; I'm assuming it's partly because it means we're getting better at gardening, but mostly because we save money all summer/fall :)  Anyway, his new thing this summer was perfecting a salsa recipe that he still consistently makes and enjoys.  And I must say, it's very delicious.


Jake's Garden Salsa

6 Roma tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1.5 jalapeos, de-seeded
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 small red onion
1/4 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp. Real Salt


Pulse all ingredients in food processor until desired consistency.

Jenny :)

Veggie Tower - Egg Optional

Eggs.  We've discussed them before.  I have chickens, therefore I have eggs.  Lot's of them, in fact.  This is one of my favorite breakfast recipes that includes a poached egg.  Let's talk about poached eggs for a sec.  You see...I mean...awww forget it.  I'm just going to copy and paste from one of my favorite websites.

Incredible, Edible 

Obviously eggs are a huge subject matter that brings up all kinds of issues: the cholesterol question, ethics in raising chickens, salmonella, etc. Although these are all relevant topics, I am going to focus on just one specific topic today and maybe tackle the rest of it another time. Deal? I’ve only got so much free time.  

The thing I love most about eggs may surprise you: it’s lecithin. What the heck is that?, you ask. I bet if you were to go into your fridge or pantry right now, you could find at least one packaged food that contains this stuff, especially if you’ve got some ice cream lurking around, yogurt, cheese, margarine, even bread or granola bars. 

Lecithin is a nutrient produced by the liver, and is found in both whole and processed foods. Its function in the body is to emulsify fats, and enhance the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, namely vitamin A. The big reason for consuming lecithin however is the fact that nearly 1/3 of your brain is made of the stuff. Did you get that?! 30% of your brain's dry matter is lecithin. Seriously. You can imagine then, that lecithin is rather vital to proper brain function, increasing mental activity and enhancing memory. Lecithin also exhibits a calming effect and can be helpful in reducing hyperactivity. What’s more, lecithin protect against gallstone formation, high blood pressure, and cholesterol excesses.[1]

Whole food sources of lecithin include egg yolks, rice bran and soy beans. Processed foods often contain soy lecithin to ensure that the fats and water-based substances do not separate, and to make the food creamier.  It is added to baked goods to prevent the dough from sticking and to improve its ability to rise. Because soy is a very inexpensive and widely cultivated crop, it makes sense to use its byproduct in food processing (soy lecithin comes from the production of soy oil). 

The lecithin found in eggs is of high quality and should be eaten with enthusiasm, not fear! Does this mean that egg white omelets are a thing of the past? In my opinion, yes. So much of the good stuff is contained in that gorgeous yolk, but here’s the kicker: you have to keep those bad boys runny. Lecithin is a very delicate nutrient and is destroyed with heat. You know that when the yolks are hard, as in scrambled eggs or hard-boiled eggs, you've gone too far and the lecithin is no longer viable. Poaching and soft boiling are therefore your best choices for preserving the many health benefits of that precious lecithin. Fried eggs are best avoided because of the problems with fried fats.

Okay.  On to cooking them.

How to cook eggs with runny yolks, 2 ways
For the perfect soft boiled egg: 
1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil (no need to use a large pot for this; the water level only needs to come halfway up the egg as long as you use a lid)
2. Drop the number of desired eggs into the pot. Set timer. For medium eggs, 6 minutes. For large eggs, 7 minutes. Cover with a lid. 
3. When the time is up, remove eggs and run briefly under cold water. Crack open shell and eat. 

For the perfect poached egg:
1. Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil, add one tablespoon of vinegar, and reduce to a gentle simmer. 
2. Crack one egg at a time into a teacup and carefully tip it into the water bath. With a spoon, gently encourage the white to encase the yolk, if desired. 
3. Set the timer for 4 minutes. 
4. When the time is up, remove egg with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to remove any excess water. If you are cooking more than one egg at a time, keep the cooked ones in a little bit of poaching water to keep warm. 

And now, my favorite breakfast recipe.  Except that I had it for dinner THREE times last week, so I guess it's my favorite whenever recipe.  When I'm not in the mood for a poached egg but still want to add some extra protein, a little goats cheese sprinkled a top is muy bueno!  But if you want to keep it vegan, go with some olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar.

Veggie Tower topped with a poached egg 

1 sweet potato
3-4 oz. cherry tomatoes (or just a big handful)
1 generous fistful of baby spinach (approx. 150 grams / 5 oz.) 
1/2 small red onion
1 free-range, organic eggs
1 Tbsp. vinegar
coconut oil
extra virgin olive oil (optional)
sea salt & pepper
chili flakes  

Directions:
1. Start by caramelizing the onions. Peel and slice the onions into rounds. Heat some oil in a skillet, add onions and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally (not too often, or they will not brown) until dark, soft and sweet (sometimes I add a drop or 2 of stevia) – approx. 30-45 minutes. Do not wash pan after use. 
2. Preheat oven to 400 °F/200 °C. Slice sweet potatoes across their width into ¼" round discs. Coat with a little ghee or oil, place in a single layer on 2 baking sheets, leaving one sheet with a little space for the tomatoes. Wash and slice tomatoes in half. Place on one baking sheet with sweet potatoes, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes or so, until everything is soft. Keep in the oven until ready to serve.
3. Once the onions, sweet potatoes and tomatoes have all finished cooking, put a shallow saucepan of water on to boil, stir in 1 tablespoon of vinegar. 
4. Wash spinach, but do not spin dry, as the water will serve to steam the leaves while cooking. Add spinach to the onion pan on low heat and stir occasionally until wilted (3-4 minutes). 
5. While the spinach is wilting, poach the egg (see instructions above). 
6. While the eggs are poaching, assemble the plate: place 6-7 slices of roasted sweet potato on the bottom, followed by the wilted spinach and caramelized onions. Scatter the roasted tomatoes around the base with a drizzle of good olive oil. Place the poached egg on top of the stack, sprinkle with chili flakes if desired, and a generous grind of sea salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.  

Annie♥