Southern-Style Greens {BACON}

(The tasties. Not pictured: brown sugar)

I like greens. A LOT. Since many people associate "greens" with any green vegetable: lettuce, celery, asparagus, etc., I'll refer back to this post that clarifies what constitutes a Dark Leafy Green.

Greens should be eaten with fat in order to properly absorb the fat-soluble vitamins: Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. Hmmm. Usually I go for the standard, yet ever-delicious combination of olive oil, lemon and fresh garlic. Every once in a while, I have to switch it up. Enter: bacon in all of it's glory!

Southern Style Greens {with bacon...}
(Serves 2-4, takes approx 25 min)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb thick-cut organic bacon (preferably from a butcher, not from a package!)
1 large bunch organic collard greens (washed and prepped like pictured below)
1 sm-med brown onion (cut in half and sliced thinly)
3 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
1/4 c water
1/4 c Apple Cider Vinegar (I like Bragg's)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch crushed red pepper
Black Pepper

Directions:

Wash and prep your veggies. For the collard greens, I find it easiest to cut the stems off, and then roll the leaves up into one large jelly roll. Then slice into approx 1 in ribbons:
After than, cut the "ribbon circles" in half again.

Cut your bacon into bite-sized chunks. Sautee in a pan until most of the fat is rendered and they look nice and golden-brown, like so:

Is your mouth watering yet?? Ensure it is by adding in the onions, garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Sautee on medium-low until flavorful and soft. Then add your green ribbons.




Whisk together the water, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and a small pinch of sea salt. Pour over your mixture. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 8 minutes, or until greens are softened, stirring often.

Season with fresh cracked black pepper. Careful, these are WAY delicious. Greens might be tricky to get your family to eat...but mix some bacon in, and they won't be able to resist! :)

Anti-Inflammatory SUPER SHOT!

So, my shoulder has been a terrible wreck for the past 6 weeks. Pretty sure I injured my rotator cuff by "flipping my dog" wildly in yoga. So, upon Dr. Matt's recommendation, I have ceased all yoga (trust me...it's been a LONG month) and any weight training. I have been incorporating fresh turmeric & ginger in my cooking, juicing 1x a day, eating lots of fresh veggies (per usual) and overall taking it easy.

But 6 weeks...and no improvement. :/ Time to go see Dr. Rich, DC. He's very holistic-minded, which of course, I like. He did a vision test and some physical tests. I am stressed, he says. He might be right. His RX? Well, I'm sporting purple kinesio-tape on my shoulder, doing left-brain exercises on the computer, and spinning slowly (clockwise) in my chair 3x per day. I have to work on another form of stress relief besides yoga, he says. I have also agreed to keep up on the couch potato-ing, high dose of EPA/EHA and potent anti-inflammatories. I decided to get SERIOUS about turmeric today, which is the whole POINT of this post. :)

Went to Whole Foods, which is right next to Dr. Matt & Rich's office and bought a big bag of turmeric root, and a big bag of ginger, and a couple of habanero peppers. I juiced THE most powerful concoction I've tasted today, to help heal my inflamed shoulder: approx 1 lb ginger, 1 lb turmeric root and 1/2 HOT habanero. I got about a cup of beautiful bright yellow liquid, with a bit of screaming from my Breville juicer. Had to scraped the mesh screen a few times to move all of the thick pulp out of the way.

I took a shot of it plain earlier, but as Dr. Matt & I were thinking about it, realized that the anti-inflammatory powers of the turmeric are fat-soluble, so it is best taken with a fat. Thinking of traditional curries (which traditionally incorporate spicy, ginger & turmeric anyway), I decided to use coconut oil, and created this second "shot" for before bed. Went down a lot smoother, but....OH MY. This stuff. Is. Strong!

Here's the finished potion: 1.5T turmeric/ginger/habanero juice + 1.5 tbsp warm (liquid) coconut oil. Mix and drink quickly (the coconut oil will turn back solid if the refrigerated juice is too cool).
TURMERIC is part of the same family as ginger. It's the small, orange root sitting on top of the ginger in my photo. It's beautiful, and be careful, because it stains everything (even stainless steel knives). That's how you know it's working, I guess. ;) Turmeric supports everything from joint pain to Alzheimer's to detox of liver to a possible prevention for cancer. Warning: it's said to NOT take this during pregnancy. You can read more about it's healing effects on Natural News. Also, here is some more info on World's Healthiest Foods.

GINGER is delicious, also a potent anti-inflammatory, known for soothing the stomach, and boosting the immune system. I love the taste and use it in juices and stir-frys, as well as in asian/indian dishes. Here is some more info on Ginger.

HABANERO PEPPERS are small and usually bright orange or red. I generally use only 1/2 of one in any given recipe, as they are WILDLY hot. They have a high capsaicin content helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and is also a potent anti-inflammatory. (hence it's included in my shot!) LiveStrong talks about the benefits of the habanero pepper here.

COCONUT OIL is a super versatile oil rich in monolauric acid and therefore has wonderful anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It helps control weight and supports thyroid and heart health. It's usually in solid form (here in MI), but when it gets warmer (76+ degrees), turns to a liquid. I cook (anything/everything) with it these days: cooking eggs, in pie crusts, in curries, stir frys, use it for oil-pulling, as a body lotion on face & body. I even make home made sugar or sea salt scrubs with coconut oil. I love the taste of it, and it's a good-for-you fat with MCFA's (medium chain fatty acids). Here's Dr. Mercola chatting about the benefits of coconut oil.

I plan on taking on 3x a day until I feel better.
TRY it yourself and let me know how you like it!

Cauliflower & Cashew Biryani (Vegan)

Craving Indian today like nobody's business, after a friend had mentioned her delicious Indian take out in Royal Oak. I found a few recipes which gave me a starting point for this cauliflower biryani dish. I added tofu to the traditional rice pilaf for additional substance & protein, but go ahead and leave it out if you don't eat soy. Chicken would make a nice substitution as well!

This hit the spot! Nice mixture of sweet, spicy, hearty, and tart. It's got a nice, delicate spice profile, and has a gorgeous yellow color from the turmeric. Don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list. Anything that you don't have around, just omit.

Cauliflower & Cashew Biryani (Serves 8)

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower, cored and split into small florets
2 medium carrots, halved and chunked

1 large tomato (diced)
1 inch ginger (finely diced)
1 jalapeno (finely diced)
1/2 red onion (finely diced)

Coconut oil for coating florets, plus 1-1/2 tablespoons

Salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp each - chili powder, coriander, cardamom powder, garam masala, cinnamon
1 bay leaf

1 cup brown or basmati rice

1/2 cup coarsely chopped unroasted, unsalted cashews

1/3 cup seedless dark raisins

1/3 cup dried apricots, diced (I used dates and apricots)

1/3-1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:

Put oven rack on upper level and preheat over to 450 degrees.

In large bowl, toss cauliflower and carrots with coconut oil. Season with salt. Dust florets with cumin and turmeric, chili powder, cardamom powder, garam masala, coriander powder and cinnamon. Spread on rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning florets once or twice to prevent burning. Let cool.

In a medium sauce pan, sautee the tomato, red onion, ginger and jalapeno with salt until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the rice, another cup of water and bay leaf. Simmer rice until done (15-20 min). Pull bayleaf out.

Cut tofu into cubes, dust with cumin and turmeric and fry in a large sautee pan until golden brown. Let cool.

In a large bowl combine everything: the tofu, cauliflower/carrots, rice, cashews, raisins, apricots and cilantro. Add the lemon juice and the remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons of coconut or olive oil (optional). Salt & pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Banana-Coconut Pancakes with Blueberry Smash (& let's talk about GLUTEN)

(Gluten-Free) Coconut-Banana Pancakes
& Blueberry Smash

These banana-coconut pancakes are out of this WORLD yummy, and super quick & easy! Not to mention, way better tasting and way better FOR YOU than some crappy pre-made pancake mixture with a bunch of who-knows-what on the ingredient list! I have been making them a couple times a week and perfecting the recipe. First, let's get down to business with making these delicious pannycakes...and then we have to talk about something. GLUTEN.

Blueberry Smash:
(High in antioxidants and a MUCH better choice than syrup)

1/3 c frozen or fresh organic blueberries
Coconut Oil (1 tsp)

Throw blueberries and coconut oil into a small saucepan. Turn on medium heat and let this go while you're cooking the pancakes. When the blueberries are hot and juicy, smash 'em with a fork turn the heat to simmer.

Banana-Coconut Pancakes:

NOTE: To my friends & loved ones who are allergic to coconut, NO WORRIES, I got you: OMIT the coconut shreds (throw in some walnut pieces instead!?!) and use another gluten free flour instead of coconut. Or just use regular flour.

1 large ripe banana
2 organic eggs
1.5 tbsp coconut flour (find this online, at your local health store or at a Whole-Foods type grocery store)
1.5 tbsp shredded (unsweetened) coconut
Cinnamon (large pinch)
Sea Salt (small pinch)
1/2 tbsp Coconut Oil
Organic brown sugar (optional)

Smash banana and whisk all ingredients together until the chunks are relatively small and everything is well-incorporated. Let sit for a few minutes (2-5) so that the batter thickens.

Heat coconut oil in a large pan/griddle or skillet. Pour 4 equal portions of the batter into the pan. Cook for about 4 minutes (med-heat) on each side, or until golden brown. I like to sprinkle a wee-bit (like a teaspoon total) on the pancakes before I flip them. Then I sprinkle some other the other side and flip them for just a few seconds at the end to caramelize the sugar. This makes for a bit of sweetness and a crispy outside of your pancakes!

(After about a minute in the pan before the first flip and after a bit of brown sugar...blueberry smash is a-steamin'!)

Serve pancakes with smash on top (you can use any kind of fruit - strawberries, blackberries, peaches, etc.) and serve with an egg for some more protein!

NUTRITION FACTS COMPARISON vs. BOXED PANCAKES

FYI, here are the nutritional facts for both my version and a traditional pre-mix store bought version with syrup:

Banana-Coconut Pancakes + Blueberry Smash
(2 pancakes + 1/4c topping)
181 calories
8 g fat
24 g carbs
5 g protein
Pancake Ingredients: BANANA, EGGS, COCONUT FLOUR, COCONUT SHREDS (UNSWEETENED), CINNAMON, COCONUT OIL, BROWN SUGAR
Topping Ingredients: BLUEBERRIES

Bisquick Pancakes + Aunt Jemima Original Syrup
(2 pancakes + 1/4c topping)
370 calories
2 g fat
83 g carbs
5 g protein
Syrup Ingredients: CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.
Pancake Ingredients: ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, LEAVENING (SODIUM BICARBONATE, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), DEXTROSE, NONFAT DRY MILK, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, WHEAT GLUTEN, CALCIUM CARBONATE, DEFATTED SOY FLOUR, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, SOY LECITHIN, SODIUM CASEINATE, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SOYBEAN OIL, LACTIC ACID.
Nice. My rule of thumb? ALWAYS choose the product with less ingredients.

Buzzword: Gluten

NOTE: I don't have celiac disease or much of a gluten sensitivity...I just think we, as Americans, eat too much wheat in general. I limit any bread/pasta/etc. to 2x a week.

What is"gluten free"? Many people seem confused by this, which is why food manufacturers now proudly stamp "gluten free" all over their products (many of which NEVER CONTAINED Gluten in the first place). Gluten is a protein naturally found in wheat. It's a safe bet to say that anything that contains wheat, contains gluten. This includes: bread, pasta, cookies, crackers, flour, anything that is made with flour. Read more here. Bottom line - products like apple sauce never had wheat in it to begin with, but is now labeled "Gluten Free". I encourage ALL people to understand what gluten is, whether or not they want or need to avoid it, and not to become DEPENDENT on labels!

Consider this: How do you make PASTE in kindergarten? You mix flour together with water. It makes a thick, pasty GUNK. Now, imagine all of the bread, flour, wheat, dough, etc. that you eat, gunking up your intestines and digestive tract. Your small intestines are not smooth; they have textured walls. Over time, when you eat too much flour, you're filling in these crevices of these walls with "paste". This makes it tough for your body to absorb the proper nutrients. Think: smearing putty on a stucco wall....


Traditional Medical Doctors (MD's) test for gluten sensitivity via an invasive BIOPSY of your small intestines. *No thanks!* But, there are non-invasive tests that can provide a good indicator if one is gluten sensitive before resorting to an invasive test. A good first step would be to call a few (licensed) Naturopathic Medical Doctors in your area. Each state should have an association. For example, here is Michigan's (MANP). Many times they can get an indication of gluten-sensitivity via a simple stool test. An easy way to find out on your own is to just remove all gluten-containing products from your diet. Wait a MINIMUM of two weeks (better 4-6 weeks) and then see if your symptoms clear at all. Eat a big plate of whole wheat pasta. Then see how you feel...

Siting my sources: my#1 nutrition source comes from expert Dr. Matthew Marturano, NMD.

While you're checking out his site, make sure to take a look at our new business to teach other Metro-Detroiters how to eat REAL whole food and live healthier: Green Dreams!

Rosemary-Parmesan Focaccia

Today I had a couple hours to kill and a bunch of fresh rosemary sitting in the fridge. In lazy Saturday style...I found a couple of recipes and tweaked/combined...voila!

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
  
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour (I used all-purpose and it turned out just fine!)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

1. Mix yeast with 1/4 c of warm water, wait 10 min.

2. Add flour, salt, sugar, oil and rest of the water...kneed it good.

3. Add the rosemary, cheese & pepper and knead some more; add handfuls of flour one by one if needed.

4. Let rise an hour or so in an oiled, covered bowl in a warm place (I usually look for a heat vent and top the bowl with a clean kitchen towel).

5. Kneed some more, let rise another hour.

6. Bake at 375 until browned (25 min or so)

7. Remove from oven, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Seared Swordfish Steaks, Blue Cheese Smashed Taters & Kale...with a Lemon Butter Sauce

Tonight's dinner was pretty freaking delicious (according to me...and Matt...and the cats). I found some Sashimi Grade, Wild-Caught Swordfish steaks at Trader Joe's last week...only $7.29 a pound, which is a GREAT deal...so here goes:



PAN SEARED SWORDFISH STEAKS

Ingredients:

1 lb swordfish
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil (NOT olive)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450. Heat a frying pan to medium-high heat. Pat the fish down and salt & pepper it liberally and rub in a bit. Put some oil in the pan and get it pretty hot. Sear the swordfish steaks 5 min per side. Place in a shallow baking dish and finish for 5-8 minutes in the oven.

LEMON-BUTTER SAUCE

Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 1/2 - 1 lemon (I used one, it was pretty zingy!)
Sea salt & pepper
Pinch of garlic powder (or use fresh minced)

Directions:

In the saucepan, add the lemon juice, lemon zest and butter. Add a pinch of salt, pinch of garlic powder and butter. This will combine, heat and increase in deliciousness while you're cooking.

BLUE CHEESE SMASHED POTATOES
(Overheard a lady at yoga class saying her husband was making blue cheese potatoes for her birthday dinner. HAD to try!)

Ingredients:

3/4 lb Yukon Gold (or Idaho) potatoes
2 oz blue cheese
1 tbsp butter
Splash of milk
Cracked peppercorns

Directions:

Boil potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with the blue cheese, butter, milk and freshly ground black pepper. Smash with a potato smasher or fork. Taste and add salt if needed, but the blue cheese is pretty salty!


KALE

Heat salted water to medium-high and add kale. Cook until soft and bright green. Drain.


Plate and top the whole thing with the lemon butter sauce...let me know how ya like ;)

Cheesy Gallo Pinto Stuffed Peppers {Vegetarian}

Gallo Pinto is a Costa Rican staple translating directly as "Spotted Rooster". It's basically a spiced up version of black beans & rice. I make a big batch of this every week or two and it can be easily reheated as a side dish or mixed with greens as a salad option for the rest of the week!

For a hearty vegetarian entree, I've stuffed it into organic red bell peppers along with some grated cheddar cheese.

Gallo Pinto

Ingredients:

2c cooked white or brown rice (1 cup dry)
1.5 c cooked black beans (or use a 15oz can)
1 medium yellow onion (diced)
1/2 red, orange or yellow bell pepper (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 handful cilantro optional
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric (optional)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
Sea Salt
Olive Oil

Directions:
In a large sautee pan, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and sautee onion, bell pepper and garlic. Add cooked beans and rice. Add spices and sea salt to taste and lastly, chopped cilantro. Sautee for a minute or two, until combined and hot.

Sometimes I add carrots (here) and/or jalapenos for added flavor & nutrition

Cheesy Pinto Gallo Stuffed Peppers (makes 2)

Ingredients:

2 large bell peppers of your choice
2 cups gallo pinto
1 large handful (about 1 oz) grated cheddar cheese and a little more for topping
Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare peppers by cutting the tops off and gutting them. In a mixing bowl, mix cheese with gallo pinto. Stuff each pepper and add a bit more cheese on top. Replace tops of peppers. Pour a tiny bit of olive oil onto your hands and rub on the outsides of the peppers (and the stems...this helps prevent burning). Bake for 30-35 minutes, until peppers are soft. When I'm only making 2 or 3, they fit really nicely into a loaf pan and aren't able to tip over and spill!

Super yummy and about 250 calories per stuffed pepper!