Breakfast of Champions

I have mild adrenal fatigue. A large part of recovering is through nourishment. I don't eat gluten, dairy, or eggs and get asked all the time "What DO you eat then?" So here's a sample. With adrenal fatigue, a protein packed breakfast is preferred over a carb laden one or one that's filled with sugar.  I have found some balance by adding protein powder to oats or hot farina cereal. But, this breakfast is my favorite and it's a nice change to my breakfast routine.

I'm not the best photographer:)
But, trust me it's delicious

Avocado Toast: Enough said:) YUM!
Ener G brand gluten, dairy free bread (toasted) 
1/2 avocado, mashed
salt and pepper to taste

Chicken Sausage
1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 apple diced
1/4 onion diced
2 tsp. poultry seasoning

Combine all and form into patties. Put in 385 degree oven for roughly 25 minutes
These are easy to make at the beginning of the week and store in fridge.

Wild Blueberry Smoothie
1/2 banana 
1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
3/4 cup water
1 scoop 3 grass blend powder
1 scoop collagen powder
1 slice lemon, squeezed
1 cup frozen spinach or kale

This is the breakfast of champions because of all the variety of nutrients involved. Avocado is a great fat and will keep you full longer. It helps balance the sugar in the bread so you don't have a sugar spike and then a drop. Chicken and collagen powders are proteins. Also very satiating and filled with amino acids.  Lemon in the smoothie is alkalizing. Wild blueberries are a superfood. Filled with antioxidants, they help your body heal from the inside out. I can eat this at 8:30 and not be hungry until noon.

Just Three Things....February

Here are my Just Three Things topics for this month:

Organic vs. Conventional Apples

For real people, this is not right?
(organic normal sized apple on the left)

Mercury Levels in Tuna: Is it Safe?
The Many Benefits of Liver

Organic vs. Conventional Apples
My kids know that when an apple looks all shiny and beautiful that that is not the apple you want to pick. At school, my son, told his friend that his shiny apple had pesticides on it. At first glance, I'm raising food snobs:) At second glance, he's educating others. Apples are always on the dirty dozen list of fruits and veggies with the highest pesticide loads. And yes, that shiny apple is coated in wax and other pesticides. Lately, I have been noticing HUGE apples at the store. I am sure they are GMO. Either way, SO wrong. No apple needs to be that big. It just doesn't seem right. Now I hear they are "creating" an apple that doesn't brown. Is this really such a big deal? Squeeze a little lemon juice on those apple slices before sending them off in your kid's lunch. Let's not create in a lab something that is not natural. When it comes to apples, bigger is not always better. 

Mercury Levels in Tuna

I love tuna. I used to pretend I was sick from school just so my mom would make me a tuna sandwich and mushroom soup. Tuna day was every Monday. Tuna with cucumbers on fluffy white bread....YUM! Ah, food memories...little did my parents know, or did I until recently, the amount of mercury in that tiny can. Mercury can really do damage to the body. Did you know that unless you intentionally try and clear it from your system, it will just sit there forever. Most of us even have mercury that has been passed down from our ancestors. Here is a link to the environmental defense fund's website with more detailed information on the topic: https://www.edf.org/oceans/mercury-alert-canned-tuna-safe-eat
I use canned salmon as a substitute. I also have found this tuna and have been using it. It tastes just as good and I feel better feeding it to my family. 
https://safecatch.com * TIP: A good first step to clearing your body of mercury or any other heavy metals, start eating cilantro. Its the best at detoxifying it and moving it out of your body.

The Many Benefits of Liver

Don't let the pic fool you. It's not chocolate mousse:)

Most of you are cringing I know. There are 2 frames of thought around liver. One is that it's a superfood. Full of amazing vitamins and minerals. The second is that its the liver. It filters through toxins all day long and why would I want to eat that? I'm on the side of superfood. Although, it's important to buy liver from grassfed and responsibly raised animals. The liver does filter toxins but it doesn't hold onto them. Liver is full of iron and zinc. So, if you are borderline anemic or have a low immune system, its a good thing to eat. It also has a healthy amount of Vitamin A and Vitamin B12. Vitamin A is an amazing antioxidant and vitamin B12 is essential for a healthy nervous system and keeping your red blood cells healthy. Liver has a very odd texture, so I cannot fry it up and eat it but I do make a killer liver pate that is so good with veggies or plantain chips. Its creamy and tasty. It may not look the best but I urge you to try it. 

My Liver Pate
1 lb chicken livers
1 onion sliced 
1 piece of nitrate free bacon
a few shakes of thyme, salt, and pepper

Preheat oven to 385 degrees. Put all ingredients in an oven safe dish. Cook in oven for 35 minutes. When it is done, put in ninja, vitamix, or food processor. Blend until smooth. Let cool in fridge. 
Enjoy.
* TIP: its also really good alongside of guacamole. Sounds odd but don't knock it before you try it. 

Grounding Vata Meal

 Before I let the crockpot
do it's magic

What an exhausting week. So much political energy circulating.  Regardless of what position, it's almost impossible not to get swept up in the energy of everything that's gone on last week. Nothing like a good meal to bring a sense of grounding to the energy of the body. We are still in Vata time, so warming, stewy, stick to your ribs food is still going to be helpful in grounding yourself. However, we are slowly moving towards kapha time.  Kapha is all about bringing a little spice back into your life, from a food perspective. So, this meal will ground you and your energy. It is warming, soothing, and  a little spicy. It just makes you feel like everything is going to be OK.

Spicy Shredded Beef
1-3 lb chuck roast ( Grass fed if possible)
1/2 jar of  Pepperocinis
 One bag of baby carrots
 One small onion

Put all ingredients in a crockpot. Layer carrots and onions on the bottom, beef on top of that, and pepperocinis with juice on top of beef.  Set too low for 6 to 8 hours. When done shredded beef with two forks and put beef mixture back in crockpot.  Serve immediately. You could eat this over potatoes or make this into a sandwich with a bun.

Enjoy!

The perfect Vata breakfast

I have been sticking to my dosha eating plan for over a week now. I am a Vata. Totally describes me: cold all the time, bony, olive skin, long fingers, worry wart, creative, etc. The goal with Vata is to eat food that is cooked, warming, oily, and soothing. I am happy to report that all silent heartburn symptoms are 98% gone. So, I must be doing something right. Below is my morning oatmeal recipe. With the mornings getting colder, it's the perfect Vata breakfast seeing that we are also in the season of Vata as well:

Fried Apple and Oats

1 granny smith apple, sliced thin
1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 cup gluten free dried oats
2/3 cup water
cinnamon
stevia
coconut shreds
hemp hearts

Slice and fry apple in skillet with coconut oil. When soft, set aside.
Combine oats with water and microwave for 1 minute 40 seconds.
Add stevia and cinnamon to taste
Top with apples, coconut shreds and hemp hearts



* I am learning and implementing all I can about Ayurvedic living from the book: 
In Your Elements: A Blooming Ayurvedic Guide to Creating Your Best Life by Monica Bloom. It's a fantastic resource! It would be fun to follow the book with like minded folk. If you are interested, please contact me and maybe I an set up something either virtually or in person * 

Back into Balance

Welcome back to CulinaryZen. I have had a busy summer and found limited time to post. I had an interesting experience in September that I wanted to share with you. Something maybe everyone can learn from. 

I felt I needed a change and was inspired by FullyRaw Kristina to do a raw food eating plan for a month. I felt so phenomenal doing it. Filling up on delicious smoothies, dips, salads, fruit, and banana ice cream everyday was wonderful. Until 3 weeks in. I started getting symptoms of silent reflux: burning nose, throat, tongue, and eyes. I NEVER get heartburn, so I knew something was not right. I also felt more anxious than usual. This raw plan that has worked and brought healing and health to so many,  failed me. The "detox"stage was great. That's why I felt so good. But I was swimming upstream and going against the constitution of my body which prefers raw foods aside cooked veggies, protein, and healthy fat. My mind kept screaming balance until my body did the opposite. Lesson learned...LISTEN TO YOUR GUT. It will never steer you wrong. 

So, I have been healing for the last week and a half. Eating warming, cooked meals. Taking digestive enzymes, drinking a lot of water and feeling much better. I have also been moving slower (which is not how I usually move) and been doing acupuncture and chiropractic appointments to gently move my body back into balance. Not 100% yet, but it took me almost 30 days to get out of balance so it may take just as long to get back. I know what you are thinking: Most people live with things like heartburn and it's not such a big deal, right? I am so sensitive to my body that I just cannot allow it to feel off and I will not settle for it either. 

Starting to build the flavors of the Dal

I am still amazed at the power of food! This experience made me realize that every body has different needs. There is definately not a "one size fits all" for food. So, I have chosen to go with my gut and follow an Ayurvedic approach to nutrition. It's based on everyone having special  "dosa" types or constitution and eating specifically,  catering to those.  Ironically, mine is cooked food...go figure! Tonights meal is warm, soothing Mung Dal over rice from my favorite cookbook Nourishing Meals:



Mung Dal

2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp olive oil
1tbsp fresh ginger
1 tsp. tumeric
1tsp. cumin seed
1 onion
2 cups split mung beans
8 cups water
cilantro 
1 sweet potato chopped

Sautee oils with spices until fragrant. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes Add mung beans, water, potato, and water. Cover and cook for 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover for 5-10. Add cilantro and sea salt to taste. Eat over rice. 

Enjoy

Tried and True Kids Snack: Fried Smashed Plaintains

We used to buy these in the store and they were fried in canola oil and had one too many ingrediants for. Little did I know how easy they would be to make and how versatile they are. We use them not only as a snack but they can also be used as a taco shell, to put all of your beef, lettuce, tomatoes on. If you prefer, you can always sprinkle with cinnamon and coconut sugar before baking for a sweet treat. Plantains are so yummy, slightly sweet, and a good source of fiber and potassium. 


Fried Plantains
1 or 2 plantains
coconut oil

Peel and cut plantains into 1 inch chunks. Fry chunks in think layer of coconut oil in a pan. Just until both sides are brownish and semi soft. Place warm chunks on a waxed paper sheet. Place another sheet of waxed paper over and use a small bowl or cup to smash each one until flat. Put on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, flipping once. You can season with salt, spices, or cinnamon if need be.

Valentine's Day Sweets for my Sweeties!

Valentines day isn't always easy when you can't eat dairy. No milk chocolate hearts or chocolate covered anything. The kids have been begging me to make apple fritters for a while now so I figured that was next best idea. And I finally found a good recipe without too much sugar but that still was sweet.

Apple Fritter Donut Balls
3/4 cup garbanzo bean/ millet flour mix
1/8 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 cup chopped apples
1 egg, egg substitute, or chia egg
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix wet ingredient and dry ingredients separately. Combine them together. Add enough coconut oil to a small saucepan until it is 3/4 of an inch high when melted. Drop by spoonful in hot oil and fry about a minute on each side. Upon draining, roll in coconut sugar. Serve immediately or warm in 300 degree oven for 10 minutes.


Kids loved them!! We loved them!! Success!!

After a nice Mexican lunch out with my hubby we returned home to  daiya cheezecake with the kids. I thawed out some raspberries and coco whip to top it off. It tasted beyond my expectations for dairy free gluten free prepackaged desserts. It was almost decadent. A nice way to end the day on a sweet note.