Tag: Healthy Eating

Recipes

Easy Chicken Tacos with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms

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Want an easy go-to recipe for healthy weeknight dinners? These delicious and flavorful chicken tacos are bound to be a new family favorite. Swiss chard is packed with beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin K, and magnesium; and since it picks up the flavor of the salsa it’s cooked in, it’s a sneaky way to eat more veggies.

Makes 4-6 servings

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup crimini mushrooms, washed and sliced
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 bunch swiss chard
  • 4 tsp unrefined coconut oil
  • 1 14 oz container fresh mild salsa (usually found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store)
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)
  • 1 package corn tortillas

sauteed-chardSeparate the chard stems from the leaves. Chop the chard stems into small, 1/4 inch slices. Set the leaves aside. In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil over medium heat.  Add the chicken breasts and sear, approximately 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside onto a plate. Add the remaining oil to the skillet along with the chard stems, mushrooms, and onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the chicken back to the skillet. Pour in the salsa, making sure to cover the chicken. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the salsa doesn’t burn. In the meantime, roughly chop the chard leaves into 1/2 inch pieces. Flip over the chicken breasts and allow to simmer, covered, for 8 minutes more. Add the chard leaves to the skillet and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully shred the chicken using a knife and fork. Stir together the mixture and spoon over warmed tortillas. Sprinkle a small amount of feta on each taco before serving.

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Recipes

Delicious Paleo Chocolate Truffles

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Got chocolate cravings? Try this recipe for amazingly decadent yet wonderfully healthy chocolate truffles. Best yet, they’re Paleo, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Once you make the basic recipe you can experiment with different flavors by substituting the vanilla extract with other flavored extracts like peppermint, almond, or orange. You can also try rolling the truffles in finely chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts to garnish.

Makes about 30 truffles

Basic Truffle Recipe

  • 8 oz. unsweetened 100% chocolate pieces
  • 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
  • 4 Tbs raw honey
  • 1 Tbs pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt

For Chocolate Coconut Truffles

  • 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

For Spicy Cinnamon Chocolate Truffles

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne powder

To make the basic truffle recipe use a hot water bath method to melt the chocolate. If you don’t have a double boiler you can nest a smaller pot inside of a large pot. Fill the large pot with about 2 inches of water and heat over low. Add the chocolate pieces, coconut milk, vanilla, and salt to the small pot and heat gently until completely melted, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Once melted, add in the honey and remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a small bowl and let cool in the fridge until it is firm (about 60-90 minutes).

Once the chocolate has set, get your other ingredients ready. If you are making the coconut truffles place the shredded coconut on a small plate. If making the spicy cinnamon truffles then mix together those ingredients and spread on a small plate.

Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out a small amount of chocolate mixture. Roll the mixture using clean hands to form a small ball. Roll the ball of chocolate in the coconut or spicy cinnamon so that all sides are covered and set aside. Continue until all of the chocolate has been used. The truffles can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (but they likely won’t last that long!).

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Recipes

Creamy Paleo Butternut Squash Soup

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This dairy-free Paleo butternut squash soup gets it’s creaminess from coconut milk. This soup is slightly sweet and full of flavor. It’s one of my favorite comfort foods and it’s super easy to make. Butternut squash is a great source  of Beta-carotene and Vitamin C, nutrients that are important for immune function and healthy skin. Butternut squash also contains Vitamin B6, Magnesium, and Calcium, which are beneficial for promoting a calm, relaxed mood.

Serves 4-5

  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 apple, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
  • 1 quart chicken stock or bone broth
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 4 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped finely
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat the coconut oil in a large stock pot over medium low heat. Sauté the squash for 10 minutes, or until slightly softened, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning. Add the onion and apple, and cook for about 5 more minutes. Then add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Pour in the stock or broth and bring it to a boil, before reducing the stove temperature to allow the soup to simmer for 5-10 more minutes. When the apple and squash are tender, add the spices and coconut milk and remove the soup from heat. Blend the mixture using an immersion hand blender, or if using a tabletop jar blender, allow the soup to cool slightly before carefully transferring to the blender. Serve warm.

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Recipes

Spicy Black Bean Soup

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blackbeansThis delicious black bean soup has just enough of a kick to warm you up on a cold night. Black beans contain lots of healthy fiber and protein as well as a wide array of vitamins and minerals like Folate, Vitamin B1, Magnesium, and Iron.

Serves 4-5

Note: If you have leftover soup try freezing it in a glass mason jar. Make sure to leave about 1 inch of airspace at the top to help prevent the glass jar from breaking during freezing.

 

  • 2 cups dry black turtle beans
  • 4 cups water + extra for soaking beans
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 2 cups tomatoes, diced
  • 2 Tbs coconut oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1 Tbs cumin powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1/2 tsp allspice powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Soak beans in a large bowl with enough water to fully cover for 8-24 hours. Drain and rinse the beans. Place beans and 4 cups of cold water in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until beans begin to soften. Add the broth, tomatoes, and spices (except for salt and pepper) and simmer for 30 more minutes. Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Saute the onion, celery, carrot, and bell pepper for 5-7 minutes until vegetables start to soften and onion becomes translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes, then remove from heat. Add the veggies to the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, cilantro, and lime juice. Discard the bay leaves. Try serving with sliced avocado or small amount of organic sour cream.

 

Recipes

Paleo Persimmon Cookies

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These cookies are a winter tradition for me and I have made them almost every year without fail for the past 17 years. The recipe is from my Great-Aunt, via my Grandmother, and is a family favorite. I adapted the recipe to be grain and dairy free and they are just as delicious as the ones I grew up loving.

Note: The recipe calls for Hachiya persimmons, which are the tear-dropped shaped variety that is used mostly for baking. Hachiya persimmons  are extremely astringent until they are VERY ripe and they will usually need to ripen on the counter for 1 to 2 weeks before they are ready to use. Don’t worry if they develop small black spots on the outer skin, this is common while they are ripening.

Makes 2.5 dozen cookies

  • 2 very ripe Hachiya persimmons
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 2 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare the persimmons by removing the stems and peeling them. Place the inner persimmon flesh in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer the persimmon pulp to a small bowl (you should have 1 cup of pulp) and mix in the baking soda; let stand. In a large bowl, mix together the flours, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, blend the coconut oil and sweetener using a hand mixer. Mix in the eggs and persimmon pulp mixture. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the pecans and raisins. Oil two cookie sheets and spoon the cookie dough onto the sheets. Bake the cookies for 35-40 minutes, or until done.

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Natural Health News

Change Your Diet, Transform Your Life

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healthy-cup-fruits-raspberries.jpgA recent article written by Danielle Walker, author of the popular Paleo cookbook, Against All Grain, tells an inspiring story of how she completely turned around her health and her life through dietary changes. Walker suffered from a debilitating digestive illness called Ulcerative Colitis and found herself in constant pain and unable to care for her family. After working with a naturopathic doctor and eliminating grains, dairy, refined sugars, and other foods that she was sensitive to, she was able to get off her medications and prevent surgeries and further hospitalizations.

paleo-healthy-dietThe Paleo diet has gotten a lot of attention in the popular press lately and it can be easy to dismiss as simply one more fad diet. The basic premise of Paleo is to eat unprocessed whole foods and to avoid grains, dairy, and other foods that tend to promote inflammation. Inflammation in the body can cause chronic pain and has been shown to trigger a myriad of chronic diseases. I have personally seen the benefits of the Paleo diet in people with autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). By replacing inflammatory foods with healthy, whole, unprocessed foods like vegetables, lean protein, and good fats, you can build a strong foundation of health and wellness.

Dietary changes unfortunately aren’t usually a quick fix and it can take months of sticking to a new plan before the true results become obvious. However, with patience and motivation, the benefits of diet are often profound and long lasting.

I often recommend a basic whole-foods-based diet like the Whole30, which cuts out sugar, diary, alcohol, grains, legumes, and processed foods in favor of vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat, nuts, and seeds. Although it is billed as a 30 day detox and diet plan, many people find that they feel so well eating this way that they incorporate these changes into their long-term eating choices.

Some people with autoimmune diseases find that they feel best when they also avoid tree nuts and vegetables in the nightshade family (i.e. peppers, eggplant, potatoes, and tomatoes). Although these foods do not cause inflammation in everyone, some people find that they don’t tolerate them well, especially when their disease is in a flare. This diet is called the autoimmune paleo protocol, and although it can be challenging to stick to, many people experience a significant decrease in pain and other symptoms when they follow it.

There are many variations on healthy, whole-foods-based diets. If you are interested in finding an individualized diet plan to help you feel your best, consider working with a naturopathic doctor or a nutritionist who is trained in whole-foods nutrition. Practitioners who are trained in nutrition can help make sure that you are eating a balanced diet with sufficient nutrients.

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Disclaimer: This article is purely informational. It is not meant to represent a treatment, prevention, or cure for a specific disease or health condition and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. Please never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Natural Health News

Healthy Strategies for Cancer Prevention

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With all the talk in the news lately about meat causing cancer (spoiler alert: the increased risk is minimal), it seems like a good time to look at the role that diet and lifestyle can play in cancer prevention. Cancer has become an epidemic in the United States. Recent statistics from the American Cancer Society estimate a lifetime risk of developing cancer at 1 in 2 for males and 1 in 3 for females. The likelihood of dying from cancer is approximately 1 in 4 for males and 1 in 5 for females.

Cancer is undiscriminating and there is often no rhyme or reason to why some people develop cancers and others do not. Genetics and predisposition play a big role in some cancers, but there are also many things you can do every day to decrease your risk.

Optimize Your Diet:

healthy-diet-cancer-preventionWhen it comes to diet, it is important to taste the rainbow! Eating a variety of fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits provides many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants with potent health benefits. Foods of different colors tend to have different types of these nutrients, so be sure to add a variety of different colors to your plate.

Choose fruits and vegetables that are lower in carbohydrates and high in potent antioxidants called flavonoids. One type of flavonoid that has received a lot of attention for cancer prevention is a group of blue and purple pigments called Anthocyanins that are found in red grapes, blackberries, blueberries, plums, cranberries, and red cabbage. Typically the brighter or darker the color, the more cancer fighting potential it has.

Fiber is also very important when it comes to cancer prevention. There are two main forms of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is the kind that attracts water and makes things slimy (like flax, chia, oats, and psyllium). Insoluble fiber is often called “roughage” and is found in green vegetables, lentils, beans, nuts, and seeds. Fiber is like a scrub brush for the intestines and rids your body of toxins and excess blood sugar, cholesterol, and hormones, all of which helps to prevent certain types of cancer.

Move Your Body:

exercise-cancer-preventionResearch has found that increased physical activity is correlated to a lower incidence of many types of cancer including colon, lung, breast, uterine, and prostate cancers. A good goal for most people is 150 minutes per week of aerobic activity. Exercise also significantly improves cholesterol, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels, and mood. You should exercise at a level of your safe target heart rate and talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.

Vitamin D:

Optimizing your vitamin D status is one of the easiest things you can do to prevent cancer. If you’ve never had your Vitamin D levels tested, there’s no better time than the present. Supplementing Vitamin D to get your blood levels in an optimum range of 40-70 ng/mL can decrease your risk of breast, colon, ovarian, or prostate cancer by as much as 50 percent.

Avoid Toxic Cleaning and Beauty Products:

natural-nontoxic-makeupHousehold cleaners and beauty products are often full of chemicals known to be carcinogenic (i.e. cancer causing) and endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with your body’s natural hormones. Many endocrine disruptors mimic estrogen and may increase the risk for certain hormonal cancers like breast and ovarian cancers. One major endocrine disruptor is Dioxin, which is a byproduct of the bleaching process and found in many feminine hygiene products. Another potent endocrine disruptor is BPA, a component of many plastics and food and drink containers.

For yourself and your family, choose natural home cleaning products or make your own using simple ingredients like vinegar and baking soda. The Environmental Working Group maintains amazing resources for finding non-toxic household products and cosmetics.

Don’t Use Tobacco:

Tobacco causes more than just lung cancer. It also increases your risk of head and neck, stomach, kidney, bladder, pancreatic, ovarian, and cervical cancers. Quitting can be hard, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are many medications, supplements, and acupuncture treatments that may make it easier to quit.

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Disclaimer: This article is purely informational and is not meant to represent a treatment, prevention, or cure for a specific disease or health condition and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

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Recipes

Sautéed Chard with Cherry Tomatoes

IMG_3164This is one of my favorite simple vegetable side dishes and a fantastic way to use an abundance of late summer produce! The array of colors always seems to brighten the day, and it is equally delicious with eggs for breakfast, or as a compliment to your dinner entree.

Rainbow chard is a nutritional powerhouse! This green leafy vegetable is filled with nutrients like Vitamin K, Vitamin C,  Vitamin E, Magnesium, Potassium, and Iron. It’s also a fun crop to grow in your garden!

Makes 4 Servings
  • 1 large bunch rainbow chard
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1/2 onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Tear the chard greens from their colorful stalks. Set the greens aside and chop the stalks into small, 1/2 inch pieces. Heat the oil over medium low heat in a heavy bottomed skillet. When the oil is warmed but not smoking, add the sliced onions and chard stems. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions start to become translucent. Add the chard greens, tomatoes, thyme, and salt and pepper to the skillet, cover, and let the mixture cook for another 5 minutes.

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Natural Health News

Vitamin D May Improve Insulin Resistance in Teens

A recent study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that giving Vitamin D to adolescents may improve insulin resistance. The study looked at multiple markers for insulin resistance in obese teens over a 6-month time period. The teens who were supplemented with Vitamin D instead of placebo had significantly lower markers of insulin resistance at the end of the 6-month period. This is important because insulin resistance can lead to other health conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

Vitamin D may improve insulin resistance by helping to reduce inflammation and enhancing the body’s ability to utilize sugars. When blood sugar increases, this normally triggers pancreatic cells to release insulin. It’s insulin’s job to help transport sugar out of the bloodstream and into cells, where it can be used as energy or stored for later. When blood sugar is chronically high, it often leads to chronically elevated insulin. Now, imagine someone constantly knocking at your door. And when you go to open the door, there is a pesky salesperson that you’d rather not talk to. Eventually after this happens day after day, you would probably put in ear plugs or turn up the volume on the music in your house and simply ignore the knocking. This is similar to what the body does when there is chronically high amounts of insulin around–eventually the body stops listening. This situation is called insulin resistance, and it leads to high blood sugar as well as other associated health issues.

There are currently more than 29 million individuals with Type 2 Diabetes in the United States and it is a growing problem in children and teens. The rate of Type 2 Diabetes in adolescents has increased by 30.5 percent between 2001 and 2009. There are many causes for this increase, including lack of access to healthy food and decreased physical activity levels. Compared to previous generations, children today are less likely to be outside playing and more likely to spend their time sitting inside. This may also lead to potential Vitamin D insufficiency, since Vitamin D is naturally synthesized in the skin when it is stimulated by the sun’s UV rays.

Childlookingoutwindow2Children who are not outside regularly should be tested for Vitamin D deficiency, especially if they are overweight. Vitamin D is often lower in overweight individuals because fat tissue sequesters the vitamin. Multiple studies have shown that, when compared to non-obese persons, it takes approximately twice the dose of Vitamin D to increase serum Vitamin D levels the same amount in people who are obese.

Although Vitamin D does not help someone lose weight, it may help protect against some of the potential health issues that can be associated with being overweight. Vitamin D, along with good nutrition and a healthy exercise program, may help to prevent insulin resistance, diabetes, PCOS, and metabolic syndrome.children_playing

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Improving Fertility Through Diet

pregnantCan nutrition effect fertility? A small study shows that women who eat diets higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates may have a higher chance of becoming pregnant. The study, released at an annual meeting of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, looked at a group of women undergoing fertility treatments and saw that the women who ate more protein had higher rates of pregnancy than those who ate higher amounts of carbs.

According to study researcher, Dr. Jeffrey Russell, director of the Delaware Institute for Reproductive Medicine, “Protein is essential for good quality embryos and better egg quality, it turns out”. This might not sound like a surprise to some, but this diet recommendation is another possible tool for women who are trying to become pregnant.

Good-quality proteins include organic and free-range poultry, pork, beef, lamb, and eggs, along with beans, nuts, lentils, and organic dairy. A healthy diet should also include lots and lots of fresh vegetables!

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