Category: Recipes

Rainbow Bean Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
• 1 medium onion thinly sliced and then cut in half
• 2 carrots, sliced diagonally
• ½ red pepper, finely diced
• ½ yellow pepper, finely diced
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, sliced diagonally into thirds
• 3 Tbsps chopped parsley
• ½ tsp. dill weed

Instructions:

1. Sauté onions until soft.
2. Add the carrots and sauté lightly to soften slightly.
3. Cool slightly.
4. Blanch the sugar snap peas in boiling water for 1 minute, the cool immediately in ice water.
5. Toss all the vegetables with the vinaigrette and the chopped parsley and dill weed.
6. Enjoy!

Although this recipe seems exotic with galangal root, lemongrass and lime kefir leaves, it is really very simple and quick to prepare once you know the trick behind getting these ingredients and having them on hand.  Galangal root is a cousin of ginger with a milder flavor. Galangal root, lime kefir leaves and lemongrass are available at Asian markets. Because I frequently make this soup in cold-season, I purchased them in larger quantities and freezer them.  I slice the galangal root into thin coins and wrap them well before freezing.  Lemongrass stalks can be wrapped in plastic and stored in the freezer. This way they are ready to go when the first sign of a cold appears. 

Ingredients

• 2 large onions
• 8 ounces thin rice sticks
• 6 cups home made or boxed chicken stock
• 2 inches galangal root or 6-8 slices
• 2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 lime kefir leaves
• 1 large carrot
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley
• Organic extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• Sea salt
• Optional for added protein: cooked diced chicken, shrimp or extra firm tofu
• Sriracha sauce
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Soak the rice sticks in hot water for about 20 minutes to soften them.  When soft, drain and rinse well and set aside.
2. Cut the onions from root to stem in long thin slices.  In a large skillet, sauté the sliced onions in olive or coconut oil over moderate-low heat until the onions are soft and sweet and just begin to develop a golden color. 
3. In a soup pot, heat stock to a boil with galangal root, lemongrass and lime kefir leaves.  Reduce heat to a gentle simmer (just an occasional bubble breaking through the surface).  Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
4. Slice the carrot into matchsticks. Add carrots and sautéed onions to the simmered broth and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.  Taste and adjust flavor with sea salt. 
5. Just a few minutes before you are ready to serve, add the cooked chicken, shrimp or tofu if using. 
6. To serve, add a bundle of softened rice noodles to each bowl.  Ladle the hot broth over the noodles, garnish with cilantro or parsley.  Serve with lime wedge to spritz into the soup and sriracha sauce.

Enjoy!

Shopping notes: 

At Oriental Market, which is just down the street from Boise Natural Health on Emerald at Orchard, they stock lime kefir leaves and galangal root in the freezer.  (They are tricky to find, so ask the clerk for help.)  Each Saturday, the Oriental Market gets a selection of Asian produce, including fresh lemongrass.   The lemongrass supply does not always last past the weekend, but they do have grated lemongrass in the freezer.  You can use a tablespoon or 2 instead of the fresh stalks.  Because the grated lemongrass is quite fibrous, tie it into a little cheesecloth, or place it in a tea ball and it will infuse beautifully.

Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A dash of honey or a pinch of sugar if too acidic

Instructions:

1. Wisk together the vinaigrette, adjust to taste with salt, pepper, honey.
2. Add more vinegar, olive oil or a dash of water if needed, but note that the beans are sweet and absorb a substantial amount of the acidity of the vinaigrette.

Notes:  Make plenty because this keeps well for several days.  You can make this with any vegetable you have on hand and like. Often I include artichokes hearts, celery, blanched celeriac, cucumbers, cauliflower or broccoli florets, and asparagus …whatever is fresh and fabulous or just needs to be used in your refrigerator or garden.

From What’s for Breakfast: Protein-Based Breakfasts for Food-Sensitive, Time-Challenged People by Joan Haynes, NMD and Lori Horan Soule, NMD, LAc

Ingredients

• 1 cup ground flax seeds
• 1  cup ground almonds
• ½ cup oat bran
• 1 ¼ cup rice bran
• 1 cup rice protein powder

This thick hot cereal is comfort food at its best.  Plus, it keeps you regular.

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 300 F
2. In a coffee grinder, grind flax and almonds separately.
3. In oven, lightly toast the ground almonds on a cookie sheet for 5 – 7 minutes.  Let cool.
4. Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container.  To serve, put ½ cup of the mixture in a bowl and add ¾ of boiling water and a pinch of salt.  Stir briskly, and let the cereal sit for a few minutes before eating.

For flavor you can add a dash of stevia, a sprinkle of cinnamon, a few drops of backstrap molasses, raisins, dried cranberries, and/or shredded coconut.

Honey-glazed Salmon with Basil

Ingredients

• 2 6-oz salmon fillets
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Rinse salmon and pat dry. Place skin side down on a baking pan, lightly oiled with extra virgin olive oil. Season the salmon with salt and pepper, brush with honey and top with the chopped basil.
3. Bake until done, usually about 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Serve immediately. Enjoy slowly!

by Joan Haynes, NMD

Basic Recipe

In a blender add:

• 1 scoop of green powder
• 20 grams whey protein powder
• 1Tbsp up to ¼ cup ground flax seeds
• ¼ teaspoon probiotic powder
• 1 teaspoon fractionated pectin powder
• Liquid
• Ice makes it more like a milkshake

Flavor

• Stevia to sweeten.  Flavored liquids add variety.
• Fresh or frozen fruit – an apple, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, mango
• Natural Extracts such as vanilla, almond, coconut

Dr. Joan’s Cancer Fighting Chocolate Chai Spice Mix

• Full of cancer fighting properties and darn tasty:
• ½ tsp or more of any or all of the following:
• powdered cinnamon, powdered or fresh ginger, powdered cardamom, powdered or fresh turmeric, powdered raw cacao (chocolate)

Benefits of your Daily Smoothie

• GREENS: Concentrated green powders contain numerous phytochemicals to support optimal nutrition. For example, one of these many phytochemicals, proanthocyanidins, are found in grape skins and seeds, and fruits and vegetables which kill cancer cells in studies.   Nano Greens or Greens First are good brands.  Look for low heat processed and mixed variety of nutrients.  You can add fresh greens such as kale, spinach or parsley in the blender as well.
• PROTEIN: Whey induces phase II of your liver’s detoxification pathway to help clear toxins from your body.  It increases the body’s major antioxidant – glutathione.  It also provides protein for energy and cellular repair.  Whey Cool and Terra’s Whey are good brands.  Look for low heat processed from organic milk.  Many people who are sensitive to whole dairy find they do fine with whey.  Hemp, rice and pea proteins are also available.
• FIBER:  The lignans in ground whole flaxseeds have been shown in several animal studies to reduce tumor growth and help prevent metastasis.  Also the fiber in ground flax binds toxins in the gut and impedes reabsorption. The more the better but your bowels may need to work up to the higher dose of this fiber.  Buy whole and grind in a coffee grinder.
• PROBIOTICS:  Supplemental intestinal bacteria keep your bowel ecology healthy.  Bacteria metabolize nutrients needed for immune function and detoxification.  They are also associated with direct anti-carcinogenic effects.  HMF Powder is a good brand.
• FRACTIONATED PECTIN POWDER:  Also called modified citrus pectin, this fiber works to inhibit the spread of cancer and prevents the body’s immune system from becoming overwhelmed by an increasing cancer cell load.  MCP molecules bind to receptors on cancerous cells, thereby preventing these cells from penetrating into nearby healthy tissues.  Once this has occurred, the cancer cells circulate in the blood stream until they die or are eliminated.  Look for the form used in the studies
• LIQUID:  Water is fine.  You may want a creamier shake with rice, almond, hemp, almond, or coconut milk.  Avoid fruit juice due to sugar content. 

When you are shopping for quality products, consider what we carry at Boise Natural Health.  We guarantee what we sell and can help you customize your purchases. 

Avocado, Almond and Pomegranate Salad

Ingredients

• ½ head of butter lettuce
• 1 small avocado peeled and sliced
• 2 Tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
• 2 Tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds
• ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced

Ingredients – Vinaigrette

• 2 Tablespoon of champagne or white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey and garlic in a small bowl.
2. Add the oil gradually while whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning as needed.
3. Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place on a large serving plate. Arrange the avocado, pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds on top.
4. Lightly drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving, and serve the remaining dressing on the side.

This whole foods pie is very dense and very satisfying in small amounts. Coconut oil has been shown to slow aid in weight loss and slow on the onset of Alzheimer’s.

Divide and freeze or plan on sharing so you don’t have lots of leftovers. If you are focusing on low carbs, experiment with stevia as the sweetener.

Crust

Ingredients

• 2 cups of almonds (or choice of nuts) or almond flour
• 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup of arrowroot powder, or sprouted wheat flour (only use wheat flour if you can
  have gluten)
• 2/3 cup of coconut oil softened (or butter)
• Sweeten to taste, approx. ¼ cup of of sweetener such as coconut sugar, honey, rapadura, maple sugar or combination of sweeteners. Or use 10 – 20 drops of chocolate flavored stevia to taste and a few tsps of water to help the dough stick.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (make sure it’s gluten free, if needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F
2. Place almonds in a food processor, and process until a coarse flour.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until it forms uniform dough.
4. Press down into the greased pan and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.
5. Take out of the oven and cool.
6. Once the crust is cool, making the filling.

Filling

Ingredients

• 3-4 TBSP of unsweetened organic cocao powder
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (butter can be substituted)
• Sweeten to taste, approx. 1/4 cup of coconut sugar, honey, Rapdura or maple syrup or 10 – 20 drops chocolate flavored stevia. You may also want to use a combination of sweeteners.
• 1 1/2 cups of coconut cream (if you can’t find coconut cream, you can use a full fat coconut milk and skim the fatty top of the top. You will need two 14 ounce cans for that.)
• Dash of salt
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee or espresso or coffee substitute like Dandi Blend.

Instructions

1. Put Cocao Powder, coconut cream, coconut oil, sweetener, salt and espresso in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Cover with plastic wrap once all the way cool. Will keep at least three days in the fridge (if you can resist that long!).

Chocolate Bark with Ginger and Pistachios

Ingredients

• 3 oz. bittersweet dark chocolate (70% to 72% cacao), chopped (1/2 cup)
• 2 Tbs. chopped salted pistachios
• 1 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger

Instructions

1. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the pistachios and ginger.
3. In a double boiler (a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water) melt the chocolate. (Do not let the pan touch the water!) Continue to stir until the chocolate is melted and just warm to the touch.
4. Spread the melted dark chocolate into an approximately square ~5×5-inch.
5. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and ginger and press gently to set them into the chocolate.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
7. Break into pieces and serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

by Anne Woodhouse, CHN

Roast Vegetables

Most vegetables are delicious roasted!  Prep the vegetables by peeling (if appropriate) and cutting them in to the desired size and shape.   Put each type of vegetable into a bowl and toss with enough olive oil to coat with a dash of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Spread the vegetables on a large rimmed pan and roast at 375°F until tender.  Cooking time depends on the type of vegetable, the size and shape of the pieces and how many are on the pan.  Below are list of winter vegetables and general guidelines for the roasting times.

• Beets (red or golden):  peeled, quartered and sliced, roast in about 25 minute
• Sweet potatoes: cut into long fingers, or round slices, roast in 20-25 minutes
• Carrots: cut into slices or long fingers roast in 20-25 minutes
• Butternut squash:  peeled and cut in to 1” cubes roast in about 20-25 minutes
• Delacata squash: cut into rings (with skin on) roast in 20-25 minutes
• Mushrooms:  whole or cut in half or quarters roast in 20-25 minutes
• Fennel: cut into thin wedges with a bit of the root attached, roast 20-25 minutes
• Leeks:  cut in half lengthwise and then into 2-3” segments, roast in 20-25 minutes
• Turnips: whole if small, or cut into quarters and sliced if large, roast 20-25 minutes
• Parsnips: peel and cut into slices or long fingers and roast for about 20 minutes
• Onions:  cut into thin slices, roast ~20 minutes
• Brussel sprouts: small whole sprouts or large sprouts cut in half roast in 10-15 minutes.
• Broccoli or Cauliflower floret:  roast in about 10-15 minutes

Tips…

• Roast more than one type of vegetable on the same pan, but keep each type together in case one needs to pull while others need to cook longer.
• Cook plenty!  Roasted veggies go fast, even non- veggie eaters find them irresistible.  I like to prepare enough for a couple meals.
• To serve arrange vegetables on a plate or platter and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

ENJOY!