Agave Nectar-Not so safe for diabetics.

Check out this link to the Glycemic Research Institute.  It says that no more clinical trials with agave nectar for diabetics will be used, because agave nectar isn't so good for diabetics it turns out.  Nor the rest of us.

http://www.glycemic.com/AgaveReport.htm

the take away message- use real foods, and use sweet in small, infrequent portions.  Maple syrup, honey, fruit, or a tiny bit of cane sugar- and only occasionally.


Really a bowl of frozen wild blueberries topped with coconut whipped cream and cacao nibs tops ice cream everyday once you wean off the intense sweetness of sugar laden foods.  Sadly that delicious coconut milk ice cream- yeah- it uses Agave nectar as the sweetener.    Limit your portions! 

Bacon mayonnaise with preserved lemon, rosemary and black pepper

Bacon Mayonnaise with Preserved Lemon, Rosemary and Black Pepper

• 1/2 c bacon grease, warmed to just liquid
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
• 3 slices preserved lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh or dried rosemary
• 1 tsp crack black peppercorns
• pinch of salt to taste

Blend in a blender on high, eggs, lemon and spices.  When fully blended, still on high, drizzle in liquid oils slowly.  Stop the blender when the mayonnaise has fully emulsified and turned creamy.  

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

The Incredible Edible Egg Yolk

  The incredible edible egg. Breakfast staple, bakers friend, chicken embryo.  If you are like me, following a whole foods, healthy protein and fat rich diet, while restricting your sugars, grains, and starches- you probably eat a lot of eggs.  Sometimes, even I get tired of eggs at breakfast.  Sure you can scramble, you can fry (in bacon grease even), you can poach, boil, or make an omelette or frittata.  But if that variety isn't cutting it anymore- here's a few more ways to incorporate the nutrient rich egg yolk into your daily life.

Egg yolks are the most nutrient dense part of the egg, weather it be chicken, duck, goose, quail or any other kind of egg you like to eat.  Egg yolks are rich in B vitamins, folate, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Calcium, Phosphorus and Selenium plus loads of brain nutrients choline and lecithin. The yellower the better, so get your yolks from happy chickens that root around eating bugs, seeds and things, not soy feed.  Bonus, eggs from birds fed their natural diet (not soy or corn feed) are rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

Not to worry about the cholesterol and saturated fats in egg yolks, modern science is telling us that sugar, refined carbohydrates and transfats are a more deadly culprit in causing heart disease.

Studies have shown that eating a breakfast high in protein, especially with eggs, can help with weight loss, and a high protein breakfast will set you up for a day without sugar & carb cravings and crashes, full of healthy energy, clear thinking mind and even blood sugar, but don't stop at breakfast.  Eat your yolks any time of day.

here's some ideas to get you started.  Have others? Please share!

1. Make Mushroom Gravy (or add it to any gravy you like)
2.  Make Craving Killer Hot Cocoa- whip up an egg yolk with your cocoa powder, add hot milk or water and a splash of coconut oil! Frothy chocolatey goodness- kills a sugar craving in a hurry.
3.Make Egg Nog- not just for the holidays anymore!
         And you don't need to add the alcohol if you just want a  nourishing delicious drink.  I prefer my nog warm, but I think I'm the only person who does.  But here's a quick and dirty and delicious dairy free nog.
                              Warm in a sauce pan:
                                2 c almond milk
                                1/2 c coconut milk or cream
                              Whisk in 4 egg yolks
                                Beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form, and fold those into the nog just before serving.
                                Top with generous and fresh ground nutmeg, clove and cinnamon to taste.
                                 You may sweeten this if you like with stevia, honey, cane sugar etc.
4. Stir into soup!
           Any soup is enhanced by dropping a fresh egg yolk into the steaming hot bowl of broth.  Stir it around, or leave it be.  It adds body, flavor and nutrients to any soup.  Here's a recipe for Avgolemono soup- Greek egg and lemon soup.
5.  Make hollandaise sauce.  Top veggies with this deliciate and delicious and nutritious sauce.
6. Make custard- pumpkin or coconut, or even herbal infused custard (lavender is delicious!)
7.  Stir into hot cereal.  If you still like a hot bowl of 7 grain cereal on cold winter mornings, one way to up the  nutrient content and protein content of your breakfast is to stir that yolk right into the hot steaming cereal in the bowl.  One or two yolks according to taste.  You can do this with whole beaten eggs as well.
8.  Make mayonnaise.  Bacon mayo is even better than regular, or lard.  Just don't use corn, soy or canola oil to make it.  If you like, you can be creative and add garlic, black pepper, basil or lemon and mint for delicious flavored aioli.

or you can put it in your hair.  Yup, thats right. Egg yolks in your hair.  It makes an amazingly conditioning hair treatment all on its own, but I like to add some honey, and a touch of coconut or jojoba oil to the egg, whip well, and apply generously to damp hair and leave on for an hour or so  (you can add a drop of lavender, rosemary or other essential oil if you desire.)  Rinse thoroughly, but don't shampoo it out, else you loose many of the conditioning benefits of the treatment.

Now, enjoy your eggs!

                                

Nourishing the Wild You- Food, Energetics and Nourishment Online Intensive

Back by popular demand in 2011!  I will only offer this course once this year, so get in while the getting is good!
Class size is strictly limited to 20 students!  Last year 45 students enrolled!  Don't miss out!

Join Herbalist, Nutritionist, and food lover, Darcey Blue French of Brighid's Well Herbs (www.brighidswellherbs.com), for an  8 week online intensive course on the energetics of food, true nourishment, nutrition, relationship with place and food, nutritional healing and more.

Feb 15 2011 - April 19 2011

*Learn about the ways traditional healing systems such as Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine see food energetics, and use food as healing tools on a day to day basis.

* Explore your relationship with food, your body, what you eat and why.

* Discover your natural physical constitution, and how you can use food to help you stay balanced.

* Be prepared for a deep exploration of food and our relationship to it, this can be uncomfortable and emotional, as well as enlightening and sensual. Food is a deeply influential factor in our psyche, social interactions, and cultures. All students are expected to be sensitive to others and compassionate and respectful.

*Appropriate for food enthusiasts & practitioners alike.

*Very HANDS ON, expect to be preparing foods, meals and weekly assignments for the duration of the course. This is an EXPERIENTIAL class, not just book work. I will provide resources and readings, but the bulk of the work will require the actual preparation and consumption of food.

* This is not a cooking how to class. You should feel comfortable cooking and working in your kitchen. There will be recipes and ideas shared during class discussion, and pointers and questions are always acceptable.

*Requires access to e mail and the internet on a weekly basis. Class discussion is a part of the learning process.

*Weekly telephone conference session with Darcey and other students for discussion, questions and sharing.  

*some additional texts/books suggested in addition to course fee

Arrangements may be available for those with limited access. Please inquire.

Sliding scale $125- $150-$175  per student, payable by check or paypal. Payment in installments is available by request.

Please register by emailing Darcey at shamana.flora@gmail.com or calling 520 429 2654.

About the Instructor:

Darcey Blue French is an herbalist and food lover, who has over the years explored various ways of eating, interacting with food and preparing food. Educated as a Clinical Nutritionist at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism in 2008, she has been in private practice since that time. She has experience in Ayurvedic Cooking, Vegetarian, Allergen Free, Primal/Paleo diets and the philosophies of Dr. Weston Price. Food is far more than fuel, and Darcey is passionate about food that not only nourishes the body, but also the spirit, and tastes wonderful too. She works closely with plants, both wild and cultivated that provide both food and medicine. She is an avid forager of wild foods, gardener of organic vegetables, and is passionate about local and sustainable food systems, and how our relationship with the land, nature and wilderness impacts our physical and spiritual health and wellbeing. She truly believes that one cannot separate the health of the people from the health of the ecosystem in which they live.

Intense, vibrantly wild and alive!

REPOST FREELY!! PLEASE & THANK YOU!

Healing Foods: Beet Kvass

In my continuing effort to keep up with blogging, I've decided to create a new series based on my deep love of food as medicine. I love the medicine plants that we use as teas, tinctures and salves, but I also love the food plants, and believe that the deepest most effective healing begins with NOURISHMENT, and we nourish ourselves with food three or more times a day. I'm entitling it Healing Foods, and will cover one food or preparation method in each post that you can use to create nourishing and delicious food medicines! If you have anything you'd like to see in particular, please let me know and I'll try to cover it!

For now, let's begin with Beet Kvass!
Beets
Element: EarthTaste: Sweet
Thermal Nature: Neutral to warm
Pitta -
Vata -
Kapha +

Beets, an often disliked root vegetable is sweet, earthy and rich in betaine, folate, beta carotene, vit C, iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Betaine, a compound found in beets (also inbroccoli, spinach and shellfish) protects the liver from damage and aids in the production of antioxidants in the liver. It is also protective for the cardiovascular system. Not suprising then, that Chinese food energetics say that the sweet, mineral rich root clears the liver of stagnant or congested qi and blood. I use beets frequent

ly when addressing liver congestion or digestive weakness related to the liver. Beets will help stimulate the liver to produce fluids, and flush old blood out. Beets are a wonderful food to support the liver and digestion and they help maintain regular elimination. Some people find that eating beets turns stool or urine bright pink or red (this is called Beeturia), and is nothing to worry over. Beets are excellent for building healthy, rich blood for those with "blood deficiency" or anemia. I like to eat beets around the time of my moon cycle to aid the liver in detoxifying estrogen and other end

ogenous hormones, and to replenish my blood with iron and other minerals.
Beets are considered detoxifying and cleansing to the blood, strengthening to the heart and cardiovascular system , calming the spirit or "shen", moistening to the digestive system and other mucous tissue.

Beets are sweet and thus are rich in natural sugars, which for some people, especially those with insulin resistance, need to be taken in moderation. Beets also contain oxalic acid and if eaten in large amounts can inhibit calcium absorption. So, eat beets, but don't over do it.
My favorite way to eat beets is when they have been lacto-fermented! The process for beet lacto pickles in not much different than making kvass, but for today, we will just cover Kvass. Kvass- fermented beverage traditionally made with bread, comes from Russia, but for many of us, fermented or not, bread is not an option. Plus beets have such wonderful properties on their own, thus emerged Beet Kvass. Lacto-fermentation of beets frees up the minerals and vitamins into a h

ighly bioavailable form, helps to populate the digestive tract with beneficial flora, and changes the sweet flavor of beets into a refreshing blend of sweet, sour and salty. Fermentation also helps to break down some of the

sugars in the roots. Sour and salty flavors

are cooling and refreshing, and help the body hold on to fluids. Beet Kvass is a wonderful way to use excess beets, and provide your family with the benefits of healthy lacto-fermented

foods and the minerals and healing properties of beets. I recommend starting with just 4-6 oz of Beet Kvass per day, until your body gets acquainted with it. The sign you've had to much is loose stools. We used to joke in my family after drinking fresh beet juice "look out below." Kvass will keep you regular, and is a simple, healthy and

gentle remedy for occasional constipation safe for all ages, a daily support to improve liver health and digestive function, and a rich source of highly assimilable nutrients and probiotic bacteria.
Beet Kvass

• 1- 1/2 gal canning jar
• 3-4 medium beets (more makes a stronger brew, less a weaker brew- this is flexible)
• 3 tbsp sea salt
• 1/2 gal clean water (not chlorinated)

Procedure:

1. Clean your beets to remove any traces of dirt. Remove the greens and reserve for cooking.
2. Chop the beets into quarters or eighths- smaller pieces will ferment faster. You may leave the skin on, and use the long, skinny root tip as well.
3. Place beets and salt in the jar.
4. Top with enough water to fill the jar and stir briefly to dissolve the salt.
5. Cover the jar loosely with a cloth and rubber band, or clean paper towel underneath the ring portion of the jar lid.
6. Place in a warm spot in the kitchen where it will not be disturbed.
7. Let ferment for 3-5 days. You may want to taste test your kvass after 3 days (I use a metal bombilla). It should be salty and sour, and a little bit fizzy. If it isn't sour yet, let it continue to ferment. Keep in mind that warmer temperatures and small pieces of beets will speed up the fermentation process. If it is chilly out it will take longer.
8. Once it has reached your desired level of tartness, you may place the jar with a clean lid in the fridge, or strain the beets from the liquid and store. There may be a layer of white slime or mold on the top of the liquid. Just skim it off and the liquid beneath is delicious and healthy.
9. Eat the beets- chop them into salads! Healthy lacto-fermented beets. Alternatively, you can make a second batch of kvass with the beets, which will be milder.
10. Serve cool, in small portions 4-8 oz. 1 or 2 servings a day according to tolerance. May also be diluted with water, and a splash of lime juice added.
    

Variations: Some people use whey from raw milk or yogurt to inoculate their kvass. I find this is not necessary and not ideal if you are dairy free. You may need to favor using more salt if you do not use whey. If you prefer a less salty drink, you can use less salt (2 tbsp) but you may have more slime develop on the top. Often I innoculate my kvass with the juice from lactofermented sauerkraut instead. I also like to include digestive supporting carminative spices in my kvass during the fermentation to add variety and further stimulate the digestion. My favorites are cardamom or fresh ginger, but you could use fennel, anise, caraway or dill seed, black pepper, star anise, or allspice.



Resources:

Healing with whole foods: Asian traditions and modern nutrition. Paul Pitchford

www.joyfulbelly.com

Conquering Insulin Resistance Naturally with Nutrition and Herbs: Online Intensive

Conquering Insulin Resistance Naturally with Nutrition and Herbs: Online Intensive

Are you concerned about any of the following modern diseases: Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, trouble losing weight, cardiovascular health concerns, inflammation, cancer. Did you know that all of these are signs and or symptoms of what is called Syndrome X, or Metabolic Syndrome. Underlying the syndrome/symptoms is a metabolic dysregulation called Insulin Resistance. Much to our dismay, this is rampant in the United States, and is causing health problems for millions of people, some without even knowing! Fortunately for us, there are many natural ways of dealing with and controlling insulin resistance through food, nutrition, herbalism and lifestyle changes. Western medicine will tell you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer and throw you a medication to control the symptom, but very rarely does the underlying cause of the symptom get addressed.

Join Herbalist and Nutritionist, Darcey Blue, for an 8 week long online intensive covering all aspects of Insulin Resistance and how to manage it naturally through food, herbs and lifestyle changes. We will cover the following topics.

*Physiology of insulin resistance
*Sugar/carbohydrate cravings and addiction
*Nutrient dense foods and meals that control insulin resistance
*Herbs and Supplements
*appropriate and effective exercise specifically for managing IR
*stress and sleep
*the role of inflammation

This course is specifically helpful for those who are working to manage Insulin Resistance in their own lives, but is appropriate for anyone who wants to learn more about health and the roots of many of today's chronic and rampant diseases, or those working with clients or family members with Insuslin resistance.

You will receive bi-weekly lessons and reading material, suggestions for additional resources, assignments which focus on experiencing first hand the ways you can use the suggestions for Insulin Resistance in your own life, personal attention and coaching from Darcey, a supportive group community all working towards the same goal! Classes are run via e-mail mailing list, and weekly computer access is a requirement for the course.

Class runs from July 5- Aug 30
Cost: Sliding scale $150-$200- payments plans are available
Some additional materials (books, herbs) will be needed for the course.

For more details or questions, or to register contact Darcey (shamana.flora@gmail.com or 520-429-2654)
Payments may be made via check/money order or paypal.


About the Instructor:
Darcey Blue French is an herbalist and food lover, who has over the years explored various ways of eating, interacting with food and preparing food. Educated as a Clinical Herbalist and Nutritionist at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism in 2008, she has been in private practice since that time. She has experience in Ayurvedic Cooking, Vegetarian, Allergen Free, Insulin Resistance diets and the philosophies of Dr. Weston Price. Food is far more than fuel, and Darcey is passionate about food that not only nourishes the body, but also the spirit, and tastes wonderful too. She works closely with plants, both wild and cultivated that provide both food and medicine. She is an avid forager of wild foods, gardener of organic vegetables, and is passionate about local and sustainable food systems, and how our relationship with the land, nature and wilderness impacts our physical and spiritual health and wellbeing. She truly believes that one cannot separate the health of the people from the health of the ecosystem in which they live.

Intense, vibrantly wild and alive!

Online Intensive: Food, Energetics and Nourishment

Join Herbalist, Nutritionist, and food lover, Darcey Blue French of Brighid's Well Herbs (www.brighidswellherbs.com), for a 6 week online intensive course on the energetics of food, true nourishment, nutrition, relationship with place and food, nutritional healing and more.

March 15, 2010 - May 3, 2010

*Learn about the ways traditional healing systems such as Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine see food energetics, and use food as healing tools on a day to day basis.
* Explore your relationship with food, your body, what you eat and why.
* Discover your natural physical constitution, and how you can use food to help you stay balanced.
* Be prepared for a deep exploration of food and our relationship to it, this can be uncomfortable and emotional, as well as enlightening and sensual. Food is a deeply influential factor in our psyche, social interactions, and cultures. All students are expected to be sensitive to others and compassionate and respectful.
*Appropriate for food enthusiasts & practitioners alike.
*Very HANDS ON, expect to be preparing foods, meals and weekly assignments for the duration of the course. This is an EXPERIENTIAL class, not just book work. I will provide resources and readings, but the bulk of the work will require the actual preparation and consumption of food.
* This is not a cooking how to class. You should feel comfortable cooking and working in your kitchen. There will be recipes and ideas shared during class discussion, and pointers and questions are always acceptable.
*Requires access to e mail and the internet on a weekly basis. Class discussion is a part of the learning process. Arrangements may be available for those with limited access. Please inquire.

Sliding scale $60-$80 per student, payable by check or paypal. Payment in installments is available by request.

Please register by emailing Darcey at shamana.flora@gmail.com or calling 520 429 2654.



About the Instructor:
Darcey Blue French is an herbalist and food lover, who has over the years explored various ways of eating, interacting with food and preparing food. Educated as a Clinical Nutritionist at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism in 2008, she has been in private practice since that time. She has experience in Ayurvedic Cooking, Vegetarian, Allergen Free, Primal/Paleo diets and the philosophies of Dr. Weston Price. Food is far more than fuel, and Darcey is passionate about food that not only nourishes the body, but also the spirit, and tastes wonderful too. She works closely with plants, both wild and cultivated that provide both food and medicine. She is an avid forager of wild foods, gardener of organic vegetables, and is passionate about local and sustainable food systems, and how our relationship with the land, nature and wilderness impacts our physical and spiritual health and wellbeing. She truly believes that one cannot separate the health of the people from the health of the ecosystem in which they live.

Perfectly delicious primal pie!

This primal friendly, but still slightly sweet dessert was inspired by two friends on two occasions. It's a cross between a yummy dairy free avocado pudding, and a gluten free raw brownie...turned into a chocolate berry tart extroidonaire! This contains no refined sugar ( I used honey as the sweetener, you could use agave or stevia to go truly low glycemic), no dairy, no gluten, LOTS of luscious fat, protein and antioxidants from raw cacao and berries.

For the pudding:
2 avocados
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp fresh cardamom, ground
1/2 c raw cacao powder (more if you want it more like dark chocolate)
honey or stevia to taste (maybe 2 tbsp honey)

For the brownie:
1 c walnuts
1 c almonds
1 c hemp seeds
(use any combo you like best though)
6 dates
1 c coconut flakes
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 c cacao powder
honey or stevia to taste

Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until it makes a thick fudgy batter. Press this into a thick layer in a pie pan. Pour the pudding into the middle and spread around generously. Top with your favorite berries in a beautiful arrangement, I chose a double spiral of blueberries and raspberries, with blackberry and strawberry border.

Refridgerate for at least an hour to firm up. Serve cool. This will soften and melt a bit at room temperature, so be aware of that. I like it best firm. You could top it with coconut milk for extra creaminess if desired. Enjoy!

Primal Breakfast: Frittata

No this isn't quiche, this is Frittata. It was an egg day, and instead of the usual fried or scrambled ensamble, I made Frittata. This is deceptively easy, and delicious to boot, and a very good meal to take with you. I used a small 8 inch cast iron for my individual appetite, but you may use a bigger pan if you have more mouths to feed.


Choose your selection of veggies and meat if desired. Sliced mushrooms, onions, spinach, tomatoes, green chiles, fennel bulb etc. I had a leek, fennel, spinach and wild olive frittata...here's your chance to get creative with your flavors...basil and tomato w garlic and olives, green chiles and chorizo, bacon, broccoli and red onion. You choose your favorites!
Mine-
1/2 fennel bulb
1 leek (white part)
2 c chopped spinach
a sprinkle of wild olives.
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp sage leaf

Sautee your veggies in butter with salt and pepper. If you are using a meat, you may want to cook this first, then add the veggies to the pan to soften. Preheat your oven to 350 at this point ( and make sure you are using a oven safe pan. If not, you can transfer the veggies to a pie dish after they are cooked)

Sprinkle your veggies with spices (salt, pepper, sage) and cheese if you use it.

6-7 eggs, beaten (for an 8 inch pan, more if your pan is wider)

Beat your eggs well, and pour evenly over the veggies/meat/cheese mixture in the pan. Do not stir. Just put the pan in the nice hot oven, and bake uncovered for 15-20 min, until the middle is firm, and the top just beginning to turn golden.

Serve warm, in quarters. Add a bowl of blueberries, and a green salad or sauteed veggies ( extra from your sautee pan?)

This is relatively easy, but does take some time in the oven, but can easily be whipped up, and put to bake while you shower or tend to other morning chores. Once cool , it can easily be taken with you for lunch or as a snack. I like mine cold as well as warm, but you can warm it up again if you like.

Primal Breakfast: Elk Burgers

Yum! Elk burgers for breakfast! This is a fast fix breakfast if you prepare the patties in advance ( i.e. the night before for supper, or frozen and defrosted) but if you have time in the morning you can make a quick patty.
I chose some nice ground elk meat available at my local grocery store, but if you don't have access to elk, use bison, or even grassfed beef will work. Skip the bun, but keep the fixins for extra flavor and appeal. ( I have to admit, a plain patty doesn't really excite me either, but dress it up with onions, pickles, mustard, tomato = YUM!)
Pair up your primal burger with a mixed veggie salad, or steamed veggies. I had salad prepared from the night before again, to keep things simple and fast. Fresh lettuce, baby beet greens, dandelion leaves, arugula, pickled beets, snap peas, carrots, green onions, a touch of goat cheese and a tahini dressing.

For the burgers:
1 lb ground elk, bison or grassfed beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp sage leaf
1 tbsp wild oregano or regular oregano
2 tsp medium hot chile powder (use mild if you don't like spicy foods)
1 tsp chipotle flakes
black pepper to taste
1 tsp salt
1 egg

Mix all the ingredients well, using your hands makes this easier. Form into 4 1/4 lb patties. Pan fry immediately for approximately 10 min, depending on how thick you have made your patties. (You can grill these too, but firing up the grill in the a.m. is a bit ambitious for me). Or, wrap in wax paper or plastic, and fridge or freeze for later.

Serve burger hot, topped with sliced onion, mustard, horseradish, tomato, pickles ( I added a bit of cheese, not entirely primal), lettuce, or sauteed mushrooms and peppers. Whatever you like.

Another perfectly primal breakfast to keep you going the whole day through. I served my breakfast with a nice steaming cup of spicy chai to wake up my digestive system with carminatives and warming digestive stimulants (ginger, cardamom, orange peel etc).

Kale!

Here's a handy link to a blog with a million and one ideas to prepare kale. Perfect for those who are tired of the usual sauteed kale, or dont know what to do with the 20 lbs of kale that the garden is producing weekly. (That would be me! I'm getting a bit tired of kale already!) But these ladies have some fantabulous ideas that I'm going to put to the test this morning!

http://iheartkale.blogspot.com/2009/04/another-kale-recipe-roundup-dehydrated.html

Enjoy!

Primal Breakfast: Bacon and Eggs

Okay, so this isn't exactly a suprise. Bacon and eggs is a standard primal friendly fare in my house. When I'm in the mood for eggs, I usually have them with bacon. Not just any bacon mind you. Make sure you are getting a good quality pork product without nitrates, preferably free range, and without a lot of added preservatives or ingredients. Usually the uncured varieties are a place to start.

My version usually goes something like this:
2 eggs
3 slices bacon
1/4 onion
1 clove garlic
2 c chopped greens
1 tsp hot chile powder
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp honey or maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste
(sprinkle of cheese if you eat it, gorgonzola is great on greens, as is feta).

Cook three slices of nitrate free bacon in a skillet. (This anywhere from 15 to 21 g of protein, depending on how thick your slices are.)
Remove bacon from the skillet, and fry your eggs in the bacon grease.
Remove eggs and add to the plate with the bacon.
In the same skillet with the remaining bacon grease, saute onion and garlic briefly. Add the greens and salt, and saute until wilted. Add chile, vinegar and syrup/honey. Remove from heat once cooked through, and sprinkle with cheese if using.
Add greens to the plate.
Serve. Eat!
Have this with a side of blueberries topped with coconut milk and a few walnuts if you like.

Got some concerns about the bacon grease? First, you'll have to get over the idea that fat is your enemy in the primal lifestyle. It isn't. The idea that fat is unhealthy is a made up fallacy that has been passed on by the government for some 50 odd years- all along, our health declining while we cut out the fat and got on the processed food bandwagon. But that's talk for another day.

Here's some food for thought from Rebecca at the Herbwife's Kitchen
"Funny thing is, according to the USDA, lard contains more monounsaturated fatty acids (think olive oil) than saturated ones. Here’s the fatty acid breakdown for one tablespoon of lard: 1.4g polyunsaturated; 5.8g monounsaturated; 5g saturated. (For reference, a tablespoon of butter: 0.4g polyunsaturated; 3g monounsaturated; 7.3g saturated.) So even if you buy the “saturated fat is the devil” theory (and I don’t), lard is not unhealthy."

Primal Breakfast: Steak and Greens

Here's another Primal Breakfast idea for you. This is my standard Go-To when eggs aren't on my mind, and I'm pressed for time.

Steak and Greens w/ a side of Blueberries!

1 thin sliced breakfast steak (I find these in beef or pork variety, or ask your butcher to slice your favorite cut into the thin slices that work best for this)

2 cups assorted chopped greens (chard, spinach, kale, nettles, cabbage, collards- pick your favorite)
1 handful cherry tomatoes
1/4 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1-2 tbsp butter or olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
1 tsp sage, thyme, or savory
1 tsp salt

1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed, or fresh berries.

Salt and pepper your thin steak, melt 1 tbsp of oil in a hot skillet. Sear steak on high for 2-3 min on each side, maybe less, depending on how thin it is, and how rare you like steak.

Remove from pan, and plate. Turn the heat down to medium, add remaining oil to the pan, add chopped onion, garlic, herbs, and tomatoes. Cook until soft, and tomatoes pop open. Add greens and salt, saute until greens are tender. Remove from heat, drizzle with lemon juice or vinegar, and plate with the steak. I like to top mine with a sprinkle of chia seeds.

Serve with a bowl of blueberries sprinkled with cinnamon.

Easy peasy- this takes me maybe 10-15 min to prepare, on a busy morning. The secret is the THINNESS of your steak. Save your nice juicy sirloin for a Sunday morning with more time, or dinner. Sometimes I even cook two of these steaks and enough greens for two meals, and take it with me for lunch, doesn't take any longer really, if you cook your steaks at the same time.

The flavors are easy to adjust to your taste, rub your steak with sage and chile, or paprika, or garlic powder, or cumin and lime, or.... use chopped mushrooms instead of tomatoes, squash, snap peas, or shredded carrot.

Spring Vegetable Soup

So I promise to put up another breakfast post SOON! In the meantime, here's a non breakfast recipe for you to enjoy!

It is the season of transition between winter and summer, the last of the winter root crops are being harvested, and the new spring veggies are starting to ripen. Here's a lovely, rich tasting, vegetable soup for a light evening meal.

1 qt chicken broth, salted
1 tbsp Garum (or asian fish sauce) Note: This is salty, do not add extra salt.
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp summer savory
1 tsp sage leaf
1 tsp dill
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
pepper to taste

1/2 fennel bulb, sliced
3 small carrots, sliced
1 c snap peas
2 cups fresh nettles ( use dried if needed, or substitute another mild green like spinach or chard)
3 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 yellow summer squash, sliced in half moons
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 c cooked chick peas (or cannellini)

lemon wedges ( garnish)
olive oil (garnish)

In a large sauce pan, combine broth, herbs, and fish sauce. Add diced carrots, fennel, garlic, nettles, squash and mushrooms to the broth. Simmer 5 or 10 min till veggies are cooked through. Add the beans and warm (5 min). Remove from heat. Add green onions and snap peas. Serve immediately.
Garnish bowls of soup with fresh squeezed lemon juice and olive oil.

Perfect light spring supper. If you want something less substantial remove the beans, feel like you need more protein, use chicken in addition to or instead of beans.

Your Mortal Enemy- RED MEAT!??

Gak! Have you seen the recent news articles reporting that an epidemiological study found that red meat kills people!! I have, and I'm fuming.
1. It's rediculous to put real unprocessed red meat in the same category as processed sandwich meats, sausages and other refined meat products
2. Epidemiological studies are not very good at showing causality and very rarely effectively control for other factors.

I 'll let Dr. Mike set the record straight for us...since he's a bit more equipped to counter the arguments intelligently at the moment.
Meat and Mortality

And I'm still having a steak for breakfast!

Nettle Clover Pesto: Invigorating the blood with Wild greens of spring

This morning I whipped up a batch of springy fresh weed pesto! Almost everyone enjoys fresh basil pesto in the summer, but fewer know the joys of spring pesto made with the first pungent greens and weeds of spring. One of my personal favorites is sweet clover, Melilotus officinalis. I first learned to make clover pesto from Loba at the Anima center so many years ago, and ever since have always harvested the small, fresh, fragrant leaves and flowers of Melilotus for pesto in the spring. It makes a very strong flavored pungent pesto by itself, so I often mix it with other greens and herbs to mellow it out. Aside from its sweet vanilla scent of summer, clover is an excellent blood mover, helping to break up stagnant, pooling blood (and other fluids). Useful as a poultice for mastitis, and both internally and externally for nerve pain or weakness. I find it a wonderful spring food to get the blood and fluids moving and flowing in the body, and stimulate the digestion with its bitter aromatic flavor.

In addition to the clover, I am lucky to have a blossoming nettle patch in my garden plot. I've been harvesting the young nettle greens ( much to my delight and suprise, these very young leaves aren't causing me any headaches at all!) every week. Nettles are popping up all over the country in the warming spring, and I'm sure you can find some near you. Nettles are a wonderful mineral nutrient dense green, which builds the blood with its iron, vitamin K, calcium and more. In many parts of the world, nettles is one of the very first spring greens to pop up after a long winter without green foods, and is often touted as a spring tonic food and beverage. It supports kidney and liver health, skin, hair and nails and much much more. Suffice it to say, a winning spring green to include in your weed pesto, with a mild flavor that complements the stronger taste of clover or dandelion.
I often also add dandelion leaves to my weed pesto, but alas, my dandelions are much to small and few to get enough for pesto making, but I've been adding them to my salads on a regular basis. Dandelions are bitter and cooling and diuretic, also very mineral rich. Dandelions help the body efficiently eliminate waste products through the kidneys and bladder, and tone up the liver and our digestion by increasing bile production and bile secretion. You can make your pesto with just dandelion greens as well if other greens are not available to you.

The recipie follows:
several handfuls of spring greens. I used equal portions of fresh nettles and clover tops.
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon (more if you use dandelion or other bitter green)
1/2 c toasted walnuts
1 tsp salt

Steam the nettle greens briefly to neutralize the stinging formic acid. Strain and press well to remove as much water as possible.

Add nettles, clover, garlic, nuts, salt, lemon and olive oil to food processor. Be generous with your olive oil to make your pesto thinner. YOu may also add grated parmesean or romano cheese if you wish. I prefer my pesto without cheese.

Blend well in food processor or blender until smooth. Serve on eggs, fish, meat, in salad dressing, or as a dip for crackers or crudites, or as a sandwhich spread! Invigorate the blood and the body with the vitality of spring!

Sweet and Savory- Seeds of Digestion

Sometimes I shop at the little Indian Grocery and buy things like split mung beans, spices, and other indian treats. Yesterday I popped in for some tamarind paste, as I've been meaning to make sambar, a traditional southern Indian soup that is spicy and sour. Tamarind is one of the main ingredients, and it also makes a nice sour refreshing drink when mixed with water and honey. But, as I was perusing the aisles, I found my favorite treat. Sugar coated fennel seeds. Often you'll find these served at Indian restaurants as an after meal digestive. I couldn't resist. These are a great little after meal treat, made with real sugar and real natural colorings like turmeric, carrot, beets, and chlorophyll. Considering all the crap thats out there, this is a good option for a little sweet taste after your meal. But instead of just eating handfuls of little sugar coated seeds ( however good for the digestion fennel seeds might be, which is very easy to do with these folks!), I blended them with some other digestive seeds and spices to extend their life, increase the therapuetic digestive effect, and reduce the overall sugar content.

1 part sugar coated fennel seeds
1 part fennel seed, raw
1/2 part cumin seed, raw
1/4 part cardamom seeds, raw

This blend is bitter, pungent, astringent, and sweet, and the blend of seeds supports good digestive agni both before and after meals, and sweetens the breath quite nicely after a very garlicky dinner.

More garden love....

My garden is overflowing with luscious winter greens. All those sweaty hours of digging in the October sun were definately worth it. I've got so many greens I can't seem to eat them all. This week I'm freezing or pickling 90% of what I've harvested so the green goodness lasts for months to come. That there is about a 3 x 5 square of tablecloth, loaded with veggies, and I have at least half that amount in the fridge still from my last trip to the garden!
That would be top, from left to right- Swiss chard, cabbage, rapini, mizuna, kale, kohlrabi, dill, cilantro, tat soi, green onions, arugala, snow peas, calendula flowers.


I harvested my first cabbage today! I'm going to turn it into kimchi!




And my new favorite vegetable, rapini or broccoli raab, a bit like broccoli, a bit like cabbage, and oh so versatile, and grows fast! It took only about 30 days to grow, from seed to plate ( in this mild climate anyway, the package says 45 days.)


And of course, don't forget the kohlrabi, basically a swollen broccoli stem, but the perfect dipping vegetable, sliced into thin rounds like chips and dipped into hummus, salad dressing or other things. I like it best raw, but it can be cooked in stirfries or pickled too.

I still have lettuce, spinach, fennel bulbs, carrots (maybe), Beets, mustard greens, chamomile, nettles and dandelion greens to harvest too! 12o sq feet of garden plot grows a lot!

Another Pumpkin Recipie : Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup, South Indian Style

I made this lovely soup tonight with leftover pumpkin puree. Dairy free (ghee is fine for most folks with dairy intolerance, use coconut oil if you really must avoid ghee), gluten free, ayurvedic and delicious! And it takes less than 30 min to prepare!
Enjoy!




2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp cumin seed
1 tsp mustard seed
2 tbsp fresh ginger
1 tsp cinnamon powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 onion , chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp hing
2 tsp red curry paste (add more if you want it extra spicy, and if your dosha can handle it, less if you can't handle the heat)
2 c cooked pumpkin puree, or 1 can of pumpkin
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
1/2 can coconut milk
1 c chicken stock
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
1 lime
1/2 c toasted coconut flakes ( toast in dry heat until light brown)

Saute cumin, mustard, garlic, and onion in ghee until soft. Add chicken stock, pumpkin, cauliflower and other spices. Simmer for 15 min, until the cauliflower is tender. Add coconut milk and lime juice (1/2 to 1 lime depending on taste.)
Simmer another 5 min.
Serve hot, top with chopped cilantro, more lime juice or pickled limes, and toasted coconut flakes.

Happy Thanksgiving! Gluten and Dairy Free!

So, I wanted to share my latest contribution for a gluten free and dairy free holiday season.

Here are a couple of my favorite recipes for the holidays!



Gluten Free/Dairy Free Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie



I made this the other night with a whole pie pumpkin. You may sub a can of pumpkin if you like. But baking a pie pumpkin, cut in half, at 400 for 45 min is fairly easy. Cool and scoop out the meat. Use some for this recipe and save the rest for pumpkin soup or something else yummy.



You could use honey and some molasses instead of cane sugar if you wanted.



Blend:

3 c pumpkin, cooked

1 c raw cane sugar

1 c coconut milk

4 eggs

spices to taste ( i used ginger, cinnamon and cardamom and vanilla- lots of ginger and cardamom, Nutmeg and clove are traditional. Use your favorites, but don't skimp on the ginger!)



crust:

1.5 bags of Pamelas Gluten Free ginger snap cookies blended to a powder (about 10 oz of GF ginger snaps)

2 tbsp fat of choice ( ghee is nice, coconut oil is great too!)

2 tbsp water



Mix the cookies and oil well, then add cold water to help it stick. Just a little, not enough to make it soggy!



Press crust into 9 in pie pan, bake 10 min at 400.

Pour pie filling in crust. Bake 15 min at 425 and then 45 min at 350.



YUM!



Something less sweet!

Pecan Shitake GF Stuffing

(serves 4)

1 c cooked Rice

¾ + ¼ c Pecans

¼ c Walnuts

1/8 c Sunflower seeds

¼ large onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 tsp Sage

1 tbsp Ghee

½ tsp Salt

Pepper to taste

1 c Bird broth

1 ½ c frozen sliced Shitake mushrooms

1 egg

In a large skillet cook onions, celery and sage, salt and pepper in ghee until soft.

Process ¾ c pecans and ¼ c walnuts and ¾ c of shitake mushrooms in a food processor into a coarse paste. Use a little broth to aid the processing.

Mix cooked onion and celery, and the nut/mushroom paste with the rice. Add the remaining nuts, mushrooms, broth and 1 egg to the rice and veggies. Mix well. Put into a casserole dish and bake at 425, uncovered for 35-40 min, until the top is browned and the middle is stiff.

Serve with bird and cranberries! Yum! Gluten free goodness!