New Ingredient Alert! I’ve never cooked with delicata squash before. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever even had a delicata squash in my kitchen. That is, until I picked up my CSA this week. Not only does my CSA (Full-Plate Farm Collective) provide me with organic, local and ultra-seasonal produce, it encourages me to branch out from my traditional recipes and try things that are new to me.
The easiest way to grow vegetables is to plant seeds directly into the ground. Some vegetables such as beans, cucumbers, radishes, melons and squash mature within a typical growing season and don’t transplant well and hence should always be planted directly in the ground as soon as the soil reaches a temperature of roughly 60 degrees. Depending on where you garden, it’s probably time to sow these seeds. Prepare your planting beds by making sure they are level and weed and rock-free. Pole beans, cucumbers and some squash benefit from being trellised. Here’s my design for a cucumber/squash trellis: This is a great way to grow pole beans: It’s a good idea to mark where you planted your seeds. Whenever ... Continue
Ingredients Avocado, Carrot, Cucumber: 1 sheet Nori 1/3 avocado 1/4 carrot 1/4 cucumber Just Avocado: 1 sheet Nori 1/3 avocado smear of wasabi paste (optional) Shredded Cabbage-Avocado: 1 sheet Nori 1/3 avocado 4 tbsp shredded red/purple cabbage Directions Heat oven to 250 degrees. Roast Nori briefly, about 2-4 minutes turning temperature down to 200 degrees as needed to prevent burning. Watch Nori closely while cooking. Remove from oven. Cut into 4 pieces. Cut up veggies. Place veggies inside the 4 Nori sheets. Roll up and enjoy!
Ingredients 3 tbsp Olive Oil 1 large Onion, chopped 3 cloves Garlic, minced 3 medium Carrots, chopped 3 Celery Stalks, chopped 3 Tomatoes, chopped with juice reserved 1 medium Zucchini, cut into half moons 1 cup Green Beans, trimmed to 1 inch pieces 3-4 handfuls Kale (Tuscan Cabbage) or other leafy green such as Chard (silverbeet) or Bok Choy, chopped into small pieces 6 cups Water 3/4 tbsp fresh Thyme, chopped 1 tbsp fresh Oregano, chopped (or 1/2 tbsp dried) 1 tsp. Sea Salt 1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper Directions In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, ... Continue
Ingredients 2 tbsp Olive Oil 2 Leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced 3 cloves Garlic, minced 1 head Broccoli, trimmed to small florets 2 medium Zucchini, cut into half moons 1 head Spinach, roughly chopped 4 leaves Basil 1 tsp. Sea Salt 1/2 tsp. fresh ground Pepper 6 cups water 3 tbsp fresh Basil, chopped Directions In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the leeks and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add the broccoli, zucchini, spinach, basil, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat ... Continue
Ingredients 3 Tomatoes, chopped 1 small Onion chopped 1 Jalapeno Pepper (optional) seeded and finely chopped 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro (Australia: Coriander) 1 Tbsp Lime Juice 1/8 teaspoon Salt Directions Combine all ingredients and toss – you can also throw tomato, onion and jalepeno pepper into a food processor before mixing with lime juice.
Thomas Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of the United States. He was the 3rd President, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, a supporter of religious freedom and an inventor, among other things. But why am I writing about him on a health and wellness blog? Well, this true Renaissance man, (and hero of mine, as I am a proud graduate of the University of Virginia, founded by Jefferson) was also a dedicated vegetable farmer, and he cultivated a wide range of plants numbering in excess of 300 different varieties. When I recently learned what a strong vegetable advocate he was, througha story on NPR’s All Things Considered, it pretty much blew my mind. How could this ... Continue
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S., and doubles the risk of heart attack and stroke.1 However, type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease – our food choices can either prevent or promote insulin resistance and resultant diabetes. Many conventional diabetes diets rely on meat or grains as the major calorie source. However, these strategies have serious drawbacks (read more on Diseaseproof.com). High-nutrient, low glycemic load (GL) foods are the optimal foods for diabetics, and these foods also help to prevent diabetes in the first place: Leafy greens and other non-starchy vegetables: Green and non-starchy vegetables have almost nonexistent effects on blood glucose, and are packed with fiber and phytochemicals. A recent meta-analysis found that greater leafy ... Continue
Congratulations on making this healthy choice for yourself and welcome to the Reboot program. Here is a list of foods that we recommend during your program, and recipes that incorporate these healthy, fresh choices which you can enjoy during a Reboot. Here are some Simple Eating Guidelines to consider when planning your meals during and after your Reboot.
Clinical depression is a mental health condition that affects moods, thoughts and behaviour. Common symptoms include elongated bouts of sadness or lack of purpose, lack of motivation to do things you normally like to do, moodiness, irritability, frustration, spending less time with friends and family, sleep disturbances, fatigue, aches and pains, slowing down of thoughts and actions and uncontrollable crying. Depression is one of the most common mental health illnesses. In Australia on average, one in six people will experience depression in their lifetime. When you’re struggling with depressive symptoms, maintaining good eating habits can be difficult; this is the time when many people will reach for the comfort foods that are high in refined, processed sugar, refined carbohydrates and ... Continue