Tag: healthy eating

HOMEMADE MAYO – A HEALTHY CONDIMENT

Have you ever thought about making your own mayonnaise?

If you have access to high quality organic or farm fresh eggs, it is easy to make your own and you know exactly what’s going into it! While store-bought mayo is convenient, most of it contains hydrogenated soybean oil and preservatives. Homemade mayo on the other hand is packed with protein and good fats.

Ingredients

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

¼ tsp Dijon mustard

Pinch of sea salt

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup avocado, walnut or olive oil

Directions

  1. In a food processor blend eggs, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and sea salt. Pulse until combined.
  2. With the blender on low, slowly add the oil one drop at a time until the mixture resembles mayonnaise (makes about a cup).
  3. If you prefer to make a sauce, blend until it reaches the consistency you desire.

To make pesto mayo, add 3 fresh basil leaves plus 1 garlic clove and 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil to step 1.

To make lemon dill mayo, add the zest of 1 lemon and 2 tsp fresh dill to step 1.

Or if you prefer to make a Hollandaise sauce …http://againstallgrain.com/2012/02/21/paleo-coconut-oil-hollandaise-sauce/.

The mayonnaise can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Against all Grain by Danielle Walker

HEALING PROPERTIES OF BONE BROTH

Bone-based broths have a long history as a beneficial food for people recuperating from illness, child-birth or surgery. They are nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavor and easy for the body to assimilate. Bones used to make stocks are filled with minerals that many of us don’t get enough of, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and others.

Also, bones contain cartilage, collagen and marrow — substances found in no other foods. Collagen is the source of bone broth’s immune-boosting properties.

BENEFITS OF BONE BROTH:

  • Heals leaky gut/improves digestion
  • Can aid in healing IBS, crohn’s, ulcerative colitis and acid reflux
  • Fights infections such as colds and flu 
  • Heals food  intolerances and allergies
  • Improves joint health (arthritis)
  • Gelatin promotes probiotic balance and growth
  • Reduces cellulite
  • Boosts the immune system
  • Reduces inflammation in the respiratory system
  • Detoxifies cells, gut and liver

Gelatin in bone broths contains amino acids arginine, glycine, glutamine and proline.  These amino acids also contribute to stock’s healing properties.

Arginine

  • Necessary for immune system function and wound healing
  • Needed for the production and release of growth hormone
  • Helps regenerate damaged liver cells
  • Needed for the production of sperm

Glycine

  • Prevents breakdown of protein tissue like muscle
  • Used to make bile salts and glutathione
  • Helps detoxify the body of chemicals and acts as antioxidant
  • Is a neurotransmitter that improves sleep and improves memory and performance
  • Anti-inflammatory

Proline

  • Helps regenerate cartilage and heal joints
  • Reduces cellulite and makes skin more supple
  • Helps repair leaky gut
  • Anti-inflammatory

Glutamine

  • Protects gut lining
  • Metabolic fuel for cells in small intestine
  • Improves metabolism and muscle-building

BONE BROTH RECIPE

Ingredients:
4 quarts of filtered water
1 whole organic/free range chicken (remember you can use any type of protein)
1 garlic clove (more/less to taste)
2 Tbsp organic apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
1 Tsp unrefined sea salt (more/less to taste )
1 bay leaf
1 small onion
Fresh  ginger (peeled)
Fresh turmeric (teaspoon dry powder can be replaced for fresh)
3 stalks organic celery

Preparation:

  1. Bake the chicken on 325 for 2 hours.
  2. Once the chicken has cooled off, remove the meat and use as you like.
  3. Place the left over bones and water into a crock pot and set the heat to HIGH.
  4. Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat setting to the LOWEST setting.
  5. Add apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, turmeric, ginger, bay leaf  and celery.
  6. Allow the stock to cook for a minimum of  12 hours. A low and slow cook time is necessary to fully extract the nutrients in and around bone.
  7. Turn off the crock pot and allow the stock to cool.
  8. Strain the stock through a fine mesh metal strainer and discard bones.
  9. If you want to make chicken vegetable soup add your favorite vegetables (for added nutrient value). Continue cooking until vegetables are the consistency you like.
  10. Place the cooled stock into covered glass containers for storage in the fridge or freezer.
  11. You can also freeze the bone broth in ice-cube trays. Use the cubes anytime you want to add extra nutrients/flavor to a dish you are making.

TIPS:

  • Only use animal products that you know are organic, pasture-fed and free of antibiotics and hormones (bones can be purchased at U.S. Wellness Meats).
  • If you’re making beef broth or lamb broth, you should brown the meat before putting it into a stock pot.
  • Add a bit of apple cider vinegar to your pot to help draw the minerals from the bones.
  • When re-heating bone broth, bring it to a boil to kill any bacteria.
  • The combination of animal products and vegetables seemed to have synergistic effects, working together to be more beneficial than either alone.
  • I have found in my practice that a very small number of clients may not respond well to bone broth at first. When adding something new (whether it is a supplement, homeopathic remedy, food, or even a new personal care product) it is always a good idea to be observant for any changes. Every product, no  matter how great, organic, natural, or wonderful it is reported to be for others, is not necessarily a perfect fit for everyone! It is wise to be observant when adding anything new. If you see any behavior changes (lethargy, hyperactivity for example) or any physical symptoms (cold symptoms, stomach ache, etc.) perhaps bone broth is not a good fit for your child. Muscle testing (also known as applied kinesiology (AK)) is a good way to test for benefit and tolerance. You can learn AK yourself, and many natural health practitioners incorporate it into their practices. I incorporate AK into my client work, testing foods, supplements, remedies, and a tool to help to refine the most optimal healing strategy for each individual. If you are uncertain or see/experience symptoms when you add bone broth, you could use applied kinesiology or work with a  practitioner who does to test if bone broth is best for you or your child at this time.

Sources:

Weston A. Price Foundation

University of Nebraska Medical Center. “Chicken Soup for a Cold”  http://www.unmc.edu/publicrelations/chickensoup_newsrelease.htm (accessed 21 October  2011).

PALEO CILANTRO, LIME, AVOCADO, CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
  • 1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro leaves, stems removed
  • 2 cubed Hass ripe avocados, pits and skin removed
  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice from 1/2 of a fresh squeezed lime
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt (or more to taste)
  • 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper (or more to taste)

Directions:

1. Place the cooked shredded chicken in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2. Mix the cilantro, lime juice, avocado, olive oil, sea salt and ground black pepper in a bowl (use a food processor if you want a smoother blend).

3. Pour the avocado and cilantro mixture into the mixing bowl with the shredded chicken and toss well to coat.

4. Taste and add additional sea salt and ground black pepper if desired.

5. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

SPINACH, AVOCADO, AND BEET SALAD

Salad

3-4 cups baby spinach (or mix of arugula and spinach)

1 small raw beet (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)

1-2 shredded carrots (optional – I did not include them in my version, but they do make a tasty addition)

½ c red onion

1/2 avocado, cubed

Large handful of slivered almonds (optional: you can use sprouted raw sunflower seeds, by Go Raw, as well)

Dressing

Combine all dressing ingredients in blender, and blend on high until smooth and creamy.

½ c unsweetened almond milk

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 T olive oil

1 T Dijon mustard

Juice from ½ small lemon

Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

½ avocado, mashed into rest of dressing ingredients

Pour dressing over Salad and toss until fully combined.

Photo by: Happy, Health, & Whole

ON THE GO PALEO BREAKFAST MUFFINS RECIPE

Ingredients:

8 eggs

¼ lb cooked ground turkey or grass-fed beef

3 T onions, chopped

1-2 T celery, chopped

4-5 T diced broccoli florets or other veggie of choice

1 tsp sea salt (I love pink Himalayan Sea Salt)

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp thyme or other seasoning of choice

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Grease 8 muffin cups or a 8X8 glass Pyrex baking dish.
  3. Beat eggs together in a large bowl.
  4. Mix meat, veggie of choice, celery, onions, salt, black pepper, and thyme (or other seasonings) into the beaten eggs.
  5. Pour egg mixture evenly into prepared muffin cups or Pyrex dish.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven until muffins are set in the middle, 18 to 20 minutes.

*Optional: If you like your veggies softer, then lightly sauté them in coconut oil before adding to egg mixture.

Tip: Once cooked, these freeze and are great to heat up for breakfast on the go.

Blessings,

Jenna

WHAT IS THE PALEO DIET?

Source: The Paleo Diet

DIET OVERVIEW:

The Paleo Diet is based upon eating wholesome, contemporary foods from the food groups our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have thrived on during the Paleolithic era, the time period from about 2.6 million years ago to the beginning of the agricultural revolution, about 10,000 years ago.

Decades of research by Dr. Loren Cordain and his scientific colleagues demonstrate that hunter-gatherers typically were free from the chronic illnesses and diseases that are epidemic in Western populations.

Foods on the Paleo Diet include fresh meats (preferably grass-produced or free-ranging beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and game meat, if you can get it), fish, seafood, fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and healthful oils (olive, coconut, avocado, macadamia, walnut and flaxseed). Dairy products, cereal grains, legumes, refined sugars and processed foods were not part of our ancestral menu.

DIET PREMISES:

  • Higher protein intake – Protein comprises 15 % of the calories in the average western diet, which is considerably lower than the average values of 19-35 % found in hunter-gatherer diets.
  • Lower carbohydrate intake and lower glycemic index – Fresh fruits and vegetables represent the main carbohydrate source and will provide for 35-45 % of your daily calories. Most of these foods have low glycemic indices and therefore, won’t spike blood sugar levels.
  • Higher fiber intake – Dietary fiber is essential for good health, and despite what we’re told, whole grains aren’t the place to find it. Vegetables are a healthier source of fiber.
  • Moderate to higher fat intake dominated by monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats with balanced Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats – It is not the total amount of fat in your diet that raises your blood cholesterol levels and increases your risk for heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes, but rather the type of fat. Cut the trans fats and the Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats in your diet.
  • Higher potassium and lower sodium intake – Today, the average American consumes about twice as much sodium as potassium because we eat so much processed food. Cut processed foods from your diet and raise your potassium level to where it should be.
  • Net dietary alkaline load that balances dietary acid – Eat foods that promote proper acid/alkaline balance so that you have optimal digestion.

QUICK LIST OF WHAT TO EAT:

  • Grass-produced meats
  • Fish/seafood
  • Fresh fruits and veggies
  • Eggs
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Healthful oils (Olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut)

WHAT NOT TO EAT:

  • Cereal grains
  • Legumes (including peanuts)
  • Dairy
  • Refined sugar
  • Potatoes
  • Processed foods
  • Salt
  • Refined vegetable oils

If you’re looking for some recipes, check out my Paleo Recipes Pinterest Board:

Here are some other good websites/blogs for additional information and recipes:

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