Popcorn Cauliflower

If you know me well, or even slightly well, you know that I love, love, love popcorn.  So when I came upon this healthy, yummy alternative, I got super excited…

Popcorn cauliflower is now my new favorite low calorie, healthy, yummy, delicious snack.

3 amazing reasons to eat cauliflower include:

Cauliflower is a member of the cancer-fighting cruciferous family of vegetables

Cauliflower is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich, and may boost both your heart and brain health

Eating cauliflower will provide your body with impressive amounts of vitamin C, vitamin k, beta-carotene, and much more while supporting healthy digestion and detoxification

Need I say more? And cooking it this way tastes fabulous….let me know what you think and Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 teaspoons coconut sugar or truvia or a dab of stevia
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 heads organic cauliflower, cut into mini bite-size pieces
coconut oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Whisk sweetener, salt, paprika, turmeric, onion powder, and garlic powder together in a bowl.
Spread cauliflower onto the prepared baking sheet; spray or whisk liberally with coconut oil or oilve oil, can use spray, organic oil version if you like as well. Season cauliflower with spice mixture.
Roast in the preheated oven until cauliflower is tender, 30 to 35 minutes. You can also do a quick broil to make them crispier
once out of the oven, may sprinkle with nutritional yeast and cayenne pepper if you like a little heat
Enjoy

 

 

I Love MACA

 

Why do I love Maca? Maca root is a highly nutritious root vegetable, but also a wonderful medicinal adaptogen, also known as “Peruvian ginseng”. In today’s day and age, with all of the stressers in our daily lives, adaptogenic herbs and foods are our friends, the more we eat the better we shall feel and thrive. I believe that Maca and other adaptogens should be part of our daily diet.

Maca grows in the high mountainous areas of South America, and has been cultivated as a vegetable crop for thousands of years.

Maca’s has some wonderful positive effects of the body and the mind; especially the endocrine and reproductive system. It is known for its hormone balancing and regulating effects and seems very good for the reproductive health of both men and women. Maca root is said to increase fertility, improve sexual function, improve hormone balance, and help increase energy and stamina. It may also help improve mental health, especially mood, focus and learning. WOW!

In Peru, maca is cooked and eaten like a vegetable. Here, it is more available as a dried powdered root and is considered quite the superfood.

Raw maca powder does not mix well with liquids so I like to use it in baking, as a replacemnt for ordinary flour. You can still mix the raw powder into a smoothie or a no-baked recipe, but it needs to be blended quite well. I recommend about 1 tablespoon once or twice a day, and because it might help boost your energy, I usually take it in the morning or early afternoon.

Maca has a pleasant flavor, and I think it tastes creamy and delicious. Some describe it as similar to butterscotch, and it comes in a variety of colors, most commonly yellow, black, and red. All colors of maca have similar benefits, although specific maca types/colors are thought to be more beneficial for certain medical conditions.

Rich and yummy Maca Blueberry Cocoa Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen blueberries

1-2 Tsp Maca

2 Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder

2 cups coconut milk, full fat in a can

1 Tbsp raw organic honey

OR 1/4 tsp stevia powder extract

Directions:

Put everything in a blender until well combined.

Drink it all yourself or share it with a lucky friend!

Another awesome Maca recipe is Maca Cocoa Coconut Bliss Balls

Ingredients

10 Medjool Dates (about 10-12)
1/3 cup finely chopped Macadamia Nuts
1/3 cup Goji Berries
2 tablespoons Chia Seeds
2 tablesspoons Cacao Nibs
1 tablespoon Maca Powder
1 Teaspoon Raw Honey (VEGAN VERSION – 3-4 drops stevia)
1 Teaspoon Cacao Powder
Dash of Vanilla Extract
Finely shredded Coconut (for rolling them in)

Instructions

Combine dates, chia seeds, cocao powder, vanilla extract and honey in a food processor and whiz up until you get a fairly smooth consistency.

Stir in the goji berries, macadamia nuts and cacao nibs. Feel free to add or take out any of the nuts and seeds, play with the ingredients anf find a blend that you love.

With clean washed hands, start forming into little balls or fun shapes and then roll them  in the shredded coconut.

Then simply enjoy !

 

 

A Dab of Apple Cider Vinegar a Day May Keep the Doctor Away

I remember when I first started working as a holistic doctor, Carol, a sweet patient of mine gifted me a handbook called Health and Healing with Apple Cider Vinegar. She had a severe case of arthritis and told me that just by adding a little bit of apple cider vinegar into her water every day, helped to heal her from years of pain.

Curious about this natural amazing remedy, I began to do more research and naturally I also started to drink some of this golden nectar daily to see what effects it would have on me.

First let me start by saying that a little apple cider vinegar goes a long way. There is definitely a point where too much of this good thing is truly too much and quite overwhelming for the palate. So ease into this by starting with maybe 1/4 tsp in a glass of water daily, with the goal of reaching one tsp in a glass of water 3-4 times a day. Aside from the acidic taste however, which is actually the basis of most of its medicinal qualities, eventually you can become quite accustomed to this powerful natural remedy’s taste, and it is worth it. Apple cider vinegar is a potent healing remedy, a gem that I have grown to love and have discovered is amazing for so many different things.

As a folk remedy, apple cider vinegar has been credited with curing everything from  the flu, arthritis, aches, pains, dandruff, diabetes event warts. Many of its supposed benefits are unproven, but some experts, aka my patients, think that adding a little of this sour liquid to your life has many health benefits and no side effects, so why not give it a try?

In fact, I believe in this remedy so much that I actually added apple cider vinegar to the recipe for Flackers (www.drinthekitchen.com). Not only does it actually add a great flavor to the cracker but the medicinal benefits are overwhelming.

In case you were wondering, the following are just a few of the reasons to drink a sip of apple cider vinegar daily.

Apple cider vinegar may aid in weight loss

Apple cider vinegar can help you lose weight. Here’s why: The acetic acid suppresses your appetite, increases your metabolism, and reduces water retention. Scientists also theorize that apple cider vinegar interferes with the body’s digestion of starch, which means fewer calories enter the bloodstream

Apple Cider Vinegar and Blood Sugar

While apple cider vinegar is touted for its incredible weight loss abilities, I would have to say it probably won’t make you skinny, but taking it daily does appear to help with diabetes and blood sugar regulation. Its effects on blood sugar are similar to certain medications and apple cider vinegar’s antiglycemic effect is very well documented in the medical literature.

Vinegar blocks some of the digestion of starch preventing at least some of that starch from being digested and raising blood sugar. I was having dinner with a friend who wisely shared that information with me as we were indulging in sushi. The white rice which is typically high in the glycemic index, he explained, is lowered by the fact that the Japanese bathe it it vinegar first.

Apple cider vinegar for energy

Exercise and sometimes extreme stress cause lactic acid to build up in the body, causing fatigue. Interestingly, the amino acids contained in apple cider vinegar act as an antidote. What’s more, apple cider vinegar contains potassium and enzymes that may relieve that tired feeling. Next time you’re beat, add a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar to a glass of chilled vegetable drink or to a glass of water.

Apple cider vinegar soothes a sore throat

As soon as you feel the prickle of a employ germ-busting apple cider vinegar to help head off the infection at the pass. Turns out, most germs can’t survive in the acidic environment vinegar creates. Just mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup warm water and gargle every hour or so.

Apple cider vinegar prevents indigestion

Sip before eating, especially if you know you’re going to indulge in foods that are rich and decadent. Try this folk remedy: add 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water and drink it 30 minutes before you dine.Some folk remedy experts contend that apple cider vinegar contains pectin, which can help soothe intestinal spasms. Try mixing one or two tablespoons into water, or clear juice like apple juice

Apple cider vinegar to clear a stuffy nose

Next time you’re stuffed up from a congestion, consider a tsp of this golden liquid for relief. Apple cider vinegar contains potassium, which thins mucus; and the acetic acid in it prevents bacterial growth which could contribute to nasal congestion. Mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink to help sinus drainage.

Apple cider vinegar to ward off dandruff

The acidity of apple cider vinegar changes the pH of your scalp, making it harder for yeast to grow. Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup water in a spray bottle, and spritz on your scalp. Wrap your head in a towel and let sit for 15 minutes to an hour, then wash your hair as usual. Do this twice a week for best results.

Apple cider vinegar for acne

Apple cider vinegar makes a great natural toner that can act as  a natural astringent and leave skin looking healthier. Its antibacterial properties help keep acne under control, and the malic and lactic acids found in apple cider vinegar soften and exfoliate skin, reduce red spots, and balance the pH of your skin.

So go ahead and try some today. I suggest a tsp on an empty stomach first thing in the morning and then 20 minutes before each meal. Let me know what you think?

To your Health!