40 Day Clean Eating Challenge

Kale smoothie, yum! See the recipe below. 

Every Spring & Fall, I find myself itching for a little body cleanse. Whether it’s taking a break from alcohol or sugar for a bit, doing a full out Master Cleanse, or something in between – the change in seasons is a good time to get the body started fresh. It's always nice to whip things back into shape after a long winter or take a breather after the late summer food-based festivities, while prepping for the holidays – it’s good timing for me. In the past, I’ve tried lots . . . the full out Master Cleanse fast, smoothie cleanses, sober October. This spring I tried the Elimination Diet and also the Candida Diet. All are good for refocusing the body’s energy on basic foods, clearing out any build up,  and pressing the re-start button on much of our eating habits and digestive prowess. Digestive prowess? Yes indeed!

Heirloom tomatoes from the Bellingham Farmers Market

This fall, I’m feeling inspired to do a modifed clean eating challenge, focusing on more basic, whole foods, and avoiding all processed foods.  In an ideal world, this is the way we should be eating every day for optimal nutrition. Food is medicine after all! So, I embarked this past weekend on 40 lovely days of eating well and eating clean--that means day 41 will be Thanksgiving Day! What are my guidelines and goals? I'm planning to start with more of a cleanse and add things back in gradually, to keep it fun and interesting. Below is what I've got so far:

First week jump start:
-Green smoothie in morning with nuts on side
-Salad of some sort with nuts
-Steamed/lightly sauteed vegetables, some beans/nuts

Guidelines:
-Eating a diet based on whole foods: vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, whole grain
-Avoiding processed foods, including sugar and flours
-Avoiding dairy products
-Avoiding alcohol and caffeine
-Avoid sweeteners – no more than 1 T of honey/maple syrup/day

YES:
-All Vegetables, except potatoes (sweet potatoes are ok)
-One piece of fruit per day
-Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, barley, buckwheat
-Grass fed meat
-Eggs
-Nuts & Seeds (no peanuts)
-Beans
-Oils, Vinegars, Coconut products

No:
-Potatoes
-Dried fruit
-Nut butter
-Processed foods of any kind
-Dairy products
-Sugars and most sweeteners
-Flours

Goals:
-Be healthier
-Feel good and be more rested
-Lean up a bit. . . Lose the last 8 lbs that won’t budge!
-Prep for the holidays

Recipes:
Kale Smoothie (from Giselle Nizar)
1/2 bunch kale, stems included, finely chopped
4 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 banana
1 Tbsp flax oil
1 wedge of lemon juice
2 ice cubes
8 oz water

ABC Smoothie
1/2 apple
1 cup frozen blueberries
3 large collard greens, stems included, chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
1/2 large avocado
12 oz water

Add all ingredients to blender or Vitamix (wish I had one of these), and blend!

Wish me luck!

Summer Strawberry & Chard Salad with Fennel & Feta

Earlier this spring, I took a trip to Texas for my grandmother’s memorial and was able to prepare some food to share with my extended family (which I love). Staying with my mother, I was delighted to find both chard and fennel in her garden in May. What a treat for a now Northwest eater! I threw together a salad with my findings, added some strawberries and feta from the fridge, made up a quick dressing, and voila! I ended up making the salad twice during the trip as I received many compliments on it and my family really loved it. Promising to share the recipe and post it on my blog when I got back - I’m finally getting around to it, as fennel is in season here now! (Along with chard and strawberries too).

Using the whole vegetable:  For greens like chard, kale, collard greens - I encourage you to use the stems too! The trick is separating the stem from the leaves with a sharp knife and chopping them finely. When preparing a cooked dish, I’ll still separate the stems, and then throw them in to sauté or steam about 2-3 minutes before the leaves.

Making fresh dressing: It may seem daunting, but whipping up a quick salad dressing is extremely quick, easy and satisfying. The three basic components I use when creating almost any salad dressing are 1. An oil, 2. An acid (vinegar or citrus), 3. A sweet (like maple syrup, honey or agave). It's also fun to add variations like a little mustard for an extra kick, Bragg’s liquid aminos or soy sauce for a little salt profile, herbs and spices, and even tahini or other nut butters to create a delicious creamy dressing. If the flavors are too intense, just add a teaspoon of water at a time to your mix. It's fun to be able to adjust the dressing just to your tastes. Most dressings will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Ingredients:
1 bunch Swiss Chard
¾ cup strawberries, sliced
3 stalks fennel, chopped
2-3 oz feta

Dressing:
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Maple syrup/honey/agave nectar
1 tsp Yellow or Djion Mustard
1 tsp Braggs liquid aminos/soy sauce

1. Remove hearty stems from Swiss Chard and chop finely. Coarsely chop leaves and add to salad bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until blended.
4. Add dressing to salad and toss to coat evenly.
5. Add fresh cracked pepper to taste. Enjoy!

~Sara

Healthy Lettuce Wraps

I've always really enjoyed food that you can eat with your hands. There is something so fulfilling about the absence of utensils that just feels so primal, au naturale, exciting, and yes, sometimes a little messy. :) Lately, in addition to the delicious lettuce wraps I'm sharing with you today, I've been noshing on all kinds of wraps: Collard greens with a number of fillings (hummus, avocado and veggies, sunflower pate), spring roll-like rice paper wraps and cabbage rolls to name a few.

I remember my first experience with lettuce wraps many years ago, when I was living in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, at a PF Chang's restaurant. A few years ago, I looked up the recipe online, made my own variations,  that have slowly evolved throughout the years. My take on lettuce wraps uses similar proportions to their recipe, but with healthier (and tastier) ingredients. I've made this dish with tofu, chicken, cauliflower as the main ingredient, and a wide variety of vegetables -- this is one of my favorite mixes so far. Feel free to adapt this recipe to your dietary preferences -- it's delicious with tofu swapped for the beef and a number of vegetable combinations. Have fun, and bring the napkins!


Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4-5, about 14-15 wraps

Ingredients:
1 lb. grass-fed ground beef (Samish Bay)/ can also sub chicken or a mix of tofu/mushrooms
1 medium red onion, diced (Terre Verde Farm)
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
2-3 kale leaves, stems chopped finely, leaves diced (Rabbit Fields Farm)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (Terre Verde Farm)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Butter head lettuce

Stir fry sauce:
2 Tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos, tamari or soy sauce
2 Tbsp sweetener (I used agave nectar, but maple syrup could also work)
1/2 tsp. brown rice vinegar

Special sauce:
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp Bragg's Liquid aminos
1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp water
1 1/2 tsp djion mustard
1/2-1 tsp chili paste (sriracha sauce)


Directions:
1. Make special sauce by dissolving all ingredients (except the mustard and chili paste) in the 1/4 cup water. Refrigerate.
2. Heat a little water. Mix 1 tsp hot water with the djion mustard and chili paste until blended. Add to special sauce.
3. Prepare stir fry sauce by mixing in a small bowl.
4. Heat oil in large frying pan, add beef, garlic, onions, peppers, and kale stems and cook on medium high heat until meat is cooked through. Turn down heat and add stir fry sauce and kale leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
5. Serve in lettuce cups and top with special sauce as desired!

Heart-Warming Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

Winter lingers on (and on), and what better than a beef stew for a warm, hearty and healthy meal? This is actually one of my first beef stews! I remember the smells of stews and roasts from my mother and grandmother's kitchens growing up, but as an adult, meat based stews haven't been a big part of my culinary repertoire. Until now. I found myself craving red meat and a stew chocked full of goodness. I have to say,I was thrilled with the turnout -- this one is tasty!

I hadn't pulled out the ol' crock pot in what feels like a while and I forget just how convenient those little guys can be. I did about 25 minutes of prep work and 8 hours later, I had stew!

This stew is my own unique take on a 'traditional' beef stew and is delicious, healthy and EASY to make.
(Not that I usually base my dinner decisions on what is easy. . . I am the kind of person that will prepare a three course gourmet meal for myself. Ok, it's usually not that excessive, but I do really value preparing a good meal, even if it's just me at the supper table). Instead of the typical carrots and potatoes, I used Jerusalem artichokes and cauliflower. I added a sweet tomato sauce I canned from last summer. It's a nice simple stew that you could spice up, or add variations to taste.

Jerusalem Artichokes
Also called sunchokes, these nutty-flavored root vegetables pack a nutrient-dense punch. I chose Jerusalem artichokes in lieu of potatoes as I have been working to primarily follow the Candida Diet as of late, meaning avoiding foods that turn to sugar in the body. The nice thing about Jerusalem Artichokes is that they taste starchy and delicious but actually don't raise blood sugar in the body, because they store their carbohydrates in a form of inulin, which isn't released. High in iron, potassium and thiamine, Jerusalem artichokes also feed the healthy bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Sara's Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb. grass-fed beef stew meat (Samish Bay Cheese)
2 cups Jerusalem artichokes, sliced in 1/4" rounds (Osprey Hill Farm)
3/4 of a medium cauliflower, chopped 1/2"-1" pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (Terre Verde Farm)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup sweet tomato sauce* (tomatoes from Growing Washington)
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp rice flour (or regular flour)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp butter
Parsley, for garnish (optional)

*My pre-made sweet tomato sauce already had garlic, thyme, oregano, basil and a little honey for a hint of sweet. If you're buying store bought sauce, consider spicing it up to make your stew more flavorful.

Directions:

1. Add all vegetables but onions in the bottom of the crock pot. Saute the onions in 1/2 the butter until just soft and fragrant. Add to crock pot.
2. Heat rest of butter, add stew meat and lightly brown outsides over medium heat. Add to crock pot.
3. Mix tomato sauce, water, salt, pepper and any seasonings together. Pour over top of meat in crock pot.
4. It will look like you don't have enough liquid in the crock pot, but it's the right amount. Don't be tempted to add more, or you'll end up with a watery stew.
5. Cook in your crock pot on low for 8 hours (high for 4 hours would likely do the trick as well).
6. Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

Warm thoughts, 

~Sara

It's Suppertime!

I love food. That's why I started this blog. In particular, I really love dinner time, lovingly called supper in many households -- it's a sacred time to nourish the body, connect with loved ones and unwind from the day. Food can do all of these things. I'm learning more and more that food is medicine and the better foods I put in my body, the happier and healthier I am. But I'm not about to sacrifice on taste and flavor for health -- No sirree. Luckily, we can have both! 

My hope is to share with you some suppertime inspirations through sharing recipe ideas: some well-loved favorites along with whipped up concoctions that end up on my dinner table.

One important tip I will offer for you as you peruse these recipes -- feel free to modify with what you have on hand.  I love pouring through other recipe books and food blogs for new ideas, but also think that half of the fun of cooking is taking what you have already, and doing something wonderful and unexpected with it. Don't feel like you have to go out and buy everything on the ingredient list -- I'm a big believer in utilizing what you have and experimenting. For example, the recipe below could be used with a number of vegetables and spices, then topped with the almond butter sauce. If you don't have Brussels sprouts, but have mushrooms and red peppers, use those. Don't have mustard greens, but have kale or spinach on hand? Use those. Have fun and don't be afraid to get creative and use what you have in an exciting new way. Happy Supper! :)

Almond Butter Veggie Stir-Fry
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups Brussels sprouts, sliced in half  (Hopewell Farm)
1 1/2 cups turnips, sliced  (Rabbit Fields Farm)
1/2 cup red onions, sliced
2 cups mustard greens, chopped  (Sumas River Farm)
1/2 cup fresh greens  (Terre Verde Farm)
Handful sunflower spouts (optional)  (Spring Frog Farm)
Handful of pecans, to garnish (optional)
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/4 cup water
curry powder, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
sea salt, to taste

Almond butter sauce:
Mix all ingredients well, and set aside
2 Tbsp. almond butter
2 tsp. coconut aminos (or soy sauce/tamari)
1.5 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp olive oil

Directions:
1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add onion and pinch of sea salt and saute until onions are softening. Meanwhile, very lightly steam Brussels sprouts until just bright green (about 3-4 min)
2. Add turnips to onions and add 1/4 water. Mix together and cover with lid to "steam-fry" until turnips are softer but still crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove lid and stir in Brussels sprouts, pinch of curry powder and cayenne. Add mustard greens and stir-fry until barely wilted (1 min). Stir in almond sauce, turn off heat. 
3. Serve on bed of greens and sunflower sprouts. Garnish with pecans. Enjoy!