Tis The Season To Be Merry

Christmas is a time for feasting. When the love and celebration of friends and family is traditionally expressed with food and drink. Though much of what we eat this time of year is not recommended in a healthy diet, it doesn't all have to be processed and nutritionally deficient.  

Here is a simple Christmas cookie that has lots of fiber, plenty of protein, healthy fats AND tastes great. The perfect treat all year round but can be made to look just as fun and festive as many of the other treats at the party. It is also simple and fast giving more time to enjoy the season.

No Bake Christmas Balls

Makes 12-15 balls

Basic:

            1 c medjool dates

            ½ c oats

            ½ c organic unsweetened coconut

            ½ c raw organic walnuts

            2 Tbsp organic peanut butter

            pinch of Himalayan sea salt

Optional Add-ins:

            Organic dried fruit

            Organic 70%+ dark chocolate chunks

Directions:

1. Put pitted dates in food processor and blend until small. 

2. Add in walnuts and pulse until finely chopped.

3. Add remainder of ingredients one at a time and process until mixed well.

4. Hand roll into small balls.

5. You may roll balls to cover in coconut or hemp seed if desired. 

6. Place in air tight container and refrigerate.

*Feel free to personalize. This recipe is just a template. As long as it sticks together and tastes good your are good to go. Substitute the walnuts for any other nut or seed as well as the peanut butter for another nut or seed butter. Make it your own.

Pleasingly Pureed: Leek, cauliflower, potato soup.

I don't know about you but I love a pureed soup. This one was inspired yet again by the market's bounty. It is simple in prep as well as flavours. I was going to take a lovely picture with green onions as a garnish but my stomach had other ideas after coming in from a crisp morning of yard work.

Leek, Cauliflower, Potato Soup

1 white or yellow onion, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 TBS of ghee or coconut oil
1 medium head of cauliflower chopped
3 potatoes peeled and chopped
3 leeks, white ends chopped
4 cups of stalk
3 TBS or roughly 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
pinch of traditionally harvested sea salt
generous amount of fresh ground pepper

1. Chop the leeks and put in bowl and cover with cold water to remove any sediment. Just lift out the floating leeks when ready to add to pot. Leaving water and sediment behind.
2. In a good sized soup pot add the ghee, leeks, onions and garlic and saute til onions are translucent and beginning to caramelize. Careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Add in the potatoes and cauliflower. Stir to coat in onion mixture and oil.
4. Add in the stock. Homemade is always recommended but you may use either veggie or chicken stalk here. Just check your ingredients list to make sure it is without sugar and additives like MSG.
5. Bring mixture to boil and let simmer until potatoes and cauliflower are soft.
6. Puree with a stick blender, regular blender or food processor until smooth.
7. Stir in fresh lemon.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

It's time to stock up

About a month ago I was asked to be a guest columnist for Dr Amy Punke, ND in The News. Here I shared my recipe and thoughts on making homemade stock.

It's time to stock up

The leaves are turning; there is a chill in the air and its time to trade in your smoothies and salads for some warming soups and stews. It is important to eat for the seasons if you are aiming for optimal health or if you are trying to regain health. We want to work with the body’s processes, not against them. In Nova Scotia, come October, our bodies are living in a cool and damp environment so we need to keep warm.

A staple this time of year has to be stock. Whether it is bone broth or veggie broth, there is so much you can do with it. Stock gets overlooked sometimes but it teaming with nutrients. Not unlike the green juices and smoothies of the warmer seasons, stock is hydrating and easily absorbed. Even better then its summer counterparts, with stock there are no blood sugar spikes to manage. It makes a good supplement for those with digestive issues or the elderly.

You can drink stock alone like a tea, use as a soup base, use it to flavour your grain dishes or use instead of oils to sauté your veggies for a stir fry. It is convenient to have on hand for a fast meal. Just heat it up and pour it over the same ingredients you would have put in that summer salad or whiz it up with some greens and veg for a warm soup on the go.

As usual there are quality issues when buying stock. Many of them are full of msg, salt and sugar – yes, sugar! So read your ingredients! Or for an easy remedy, make your own.  There is nothing simpler to make in your own kitchen than stock. It can be as little as three ingredients. Mirepoix is the french term for the three basic aromatic flavours: celery, onions and carrots. These three ingredients are the basis of a good stock and the sky is the limit from there. Throw in what you have and what you like. Here’s mine:

Basic Broth

In large pot, place the following roughly chopped vegetables:

3 carrots

3 celery stocks

1 medium onion

2 inch ginger

5 garlic cloves

3 sprigs of kale

1 small piece of dulse

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp cumin

bunch of cilantro

Cover with 3 litres of water and bring to boil. Let simmer for 2 hours. Strain.

Broth will keep in fridge for 4 days and freezes well.

Luckily for us the earth readily provides us with all that we need for optimal health just as we need it. Harvest time is so exciting for me as I am overwhelmed with the abundance right here on our doorsteps. Grab all that there is and stock up on what you can. Harness all that delicious healing energy.

Annabelle Cameron, RHN, Mindful Nutrition, Whole Self Wellness Centre 902 759 1676 www.mindfulnutrition.ca

Maple Caramel Corn

Halloween is coming and the trash train will roll in with all its processed glory. If you would like to feel a little better about what you are dishing out to the goblins, here is a more wholesome yet yummy treat.  

When making popcorn, I choose organic and therefore non - GMO popping corn and I air pop it. You can also pop on the stove if you do not have an air popper. Just avoid at all cost the packaged microwave versions. They are laced with rancid oils and often many other unsavory ingredients. 

You may not recognize the dressed up characters at your door but you should recognize the ingredients in your food.

Caramel Topping

                          1/2 cup virgin coconut oil or butter

                          1 cup maple syrup

                          Dash of sea salt

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a small to medium saucepan heat the coconut oil or butter, maple syrup, and a few dashes sea salt over medium heat.
• Once small bubbles form begin timing for 4 to 5 minutes. Cook, whisking occasionally until thickened and foamy. 
• Quickly pour over popcorn in bowls and toss together using two large spoons. 
• Spread into two shallow baking pans or cookie sheets and place in the oven.
• Bake for 10 minutes stirring half way through. 
• Let cool completely. Caramel corn will crisp up as it cools. 
• Store in a tightly sealed container once completely cooled to keep it crisp. 

Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

Cozy up with a Coconut Curry

When the weather starts to turn and the leaves begin to fall we naturally start to crave something warm in our bellies. This is a great way to use some those tomatoes your grew and some of the other local in season vegetables that feed the body and the soul.

Coconut Curry

1 medium onion
3 large cloves of garlic chopped
1x1 inch chunk of ginger minced
2 Tbs of coconut oil or ghee
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp of cayenne
1 can of organic coconut milk
1 medium cauliflower, chopped
1 can of whole organic tomatoes or fresh tomatoes
bunch of green beans, trimmed and chopped

In large pan, saute in coconut oil, onions, garlic and ginger until onions are translucent.
Add in cumin, curry and cayenne.
Add in cauliflower and coat with spice onion mixture. 
Add coconut milk, tomatoes and green beans.
Cover and let simmer until cauliflower is soft and flavours have melded.

Enjoy over rice, millet or quinoa.

Don't be afraid to substitute the veg that you have on hand. 

Delectable Dessert - No Added Sugar

After hosting the screening of FED UP!, the documentary that exposes how much sugar we consume  and the damage it causes. I thought it would be a good idea to share a dessert that is more than delish and has no added sugar. A way to transition from processed sweet treats. The sweet in this creamy mousse comes from dates. A naturally sweet and high fibre fruit. Unlike sugar, dates are nutrient dense (rich in B vitamins, iron, copper, potassium and magnesium) so have something to offer as opposed to robbing your body of its precious minerals. Here it is paired with some healthy fats in the avocado and coconut.

Whole food sweeteners are always the better choice if you are going to have a treat.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse Recipe

Ingredients
2 medium sized ripe avocados
1/3 cup raw cacao powder, or more to taste
5 fresh dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup coconut milk, nut milk or filtered water (I use coconut milk)
1tsp natural vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean powder
A pinch of unrefined sea salt

Optional: Dried coconut, grated dark chocolate or berries to serve

Method
1. Soak the dates in the milk or water for 10-30 minutes to soften. In a blender, add the avocado flesh, dates, milk, vanilla and salt and cacao powder. Blend until smooth. You may need a little more liquid to facilitate blending and scrape down the sides of the jug a few times.
2. Adjust ingredients to taste, adding more cacao powder if it needs it. Serve and garnish with your choice of toppings.

This recipe is sourced from the Food Matters Recipe Book

Warm Thanksgiving Salad

This is a hearty salad bursting with flavour. It is a meal in and of itself. The dressing is taken from one of fellow RHN,  Selah Koile's creations. It is fall and Thanksgiving in a bowl. Enjoy!

Warm Thanksgiving Salad

4 cups chopped greens of choice (I used romaine and spinach)
2 medium sweet potatoes pealed and chopped
1 head of broccoli
1 lrg. apple, chopped
1 c pecans
1 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen.
1 cup (or half can) of black beans (i use Eden Organic)
1 medium-large onion sliced into half moons
2 heaping tablespoons of minced garlic
2 tbsp ghee (or coconut oil)
2 tsp dry rosemary
2 tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp chili flakes
½ tsp sea salt
3 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp maple syrup

1. Fill bowl with a base of greens - I used a mix of romaine and spinach chopped to bite sized pieces. 

2. Warm dressing:
In a large pan, saute  onions, garlic, spices and sea salt in 2 tbsp of ghee until onions are soft. Then add the apple cider vinegar and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup and let simmer for another few minutes Mixture will thicken slightly. At this point add in pecans and cranberries to warm.

3. Meanwhile steam:

• sweet potato, cubed
• broccoli, bit sized
• cooked black beans (steamed just to heat through)

4. Add the steamed vegetables over the greens and dress with onion, cranberry, pecan mixture. Top all this with chopped apple.

5. Take a moment to give thanks for natures healing harvest.