Sweet Potato Stew

When the weather gets cold, I love to prepare warm, mushy, and stewy foods. Last night I made a dinner in honor of my father in law's birthday. This sweet potatoe stew recipe "stole the show". 

I love using organic root veggies for this recipe because organic produce tastes better (as we talked about in the past) and because organic produce eliminates the need for peeling and saves valuable prep time. I've also made this recipe with steamed tempeh in the past. If you are interested in using tempeh, you can add it in with the potatoes. 

Ingredients:

1-2  yellow onions, peeled and diced

2-3 carrots, washed and diced

2-3 stalks of celery, washed and diced

3-5 sweet potatoes (preferably organic so that you can just wash and cube them without peeling to preserve all the goodness)

2-3 regular potatoes

2-3 bay leaves

1 12 oz can of black beans

1 14 0z can of diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon cumin (ground or whole)

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

a pinch of cayenne or chili powder

some salt

some ground pepper

some olive oil

a handful of dried cranberries, currents, cherries or blueberries (if available)

1 bunch of parsley or cilantro

water as needed

 

Directions:

1. Sautee onions in olive oil until soft or golden.
   
2. Add celery and carrots and continue to sautee for another 5 min.
3. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder or cayenne, salt and pepper and bay leaves. Mix all of the ingredients in the pot.
4. Add a can of diced tomatoes, regular and sweet potatoes, black beans, dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries or currants.
5. Add enough water to cook the potatoes without burning, but not to make this recipe it soupy
6. Cook on low simmer, stirring often, adjusting water as needed until the potatoes are soft.
7. Add cilantro or parsely at the end.
8. Enjoy!

 

 

Artichoke Lemon Pesto

There is no need to ponder about the ingredients on the store-bought container of pesto or atichoke dip, when you can make your own using extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil from the farmer's market, and a newly picked lemon from your neighbor's tree. Leave the BGH laden cheese, canola oil mayonaise, and canned and preserved artichokes at the store, and prioritize your health today!

Ingredients:

1 12 oz bag of frozen artichoke hearts

1 bunch of fresh basil, washed 

1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds (can substitute with walnuts, pine nuts or almonds)

juice of 1 small lemon

1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

salt

pepper

Directions:

1. Thaw frozen artichokes overnight

2. In a food processor, roughly chop pumpkin seeds

3. Add artichokes, basil (stems and leaves), lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper

4. Bring to a rough or a creamy consistency

5. Adjust salt and pepper

6. Store in an airtight container 

7. Enjoy as a spread or a dip

 

Summer Butternut Squash Soup

This week, the LA weather took a turn for the worse. And by worse, I mean, it turned ugly and reminiscent of an Arizona summer. I really enjoying making and tasting soups. In yesterday's 100 degree heat, I had to think of another way to enjoy my shapely organic butternut squash. I decided to make a chilled summer soup. I let my crock pot do the sweating, while I went to the beach. This soup came out really well and I am excited to share it with you!

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash cleaned, peeled, seeded and cut into 1.5 inch cubes

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

4 stalks of celery, roughly chopped

1/2 bunch dill, roughly chopped

1 twig of fresh rosemary, or 1-2 teaspoons dried rosemary

1 inch section of ginger, peeled and finely minced

juice of 1 orange

olive oil

salt

pepper

6-8 cups of water

Directions:

1. In a pan, saute onion in olive oil until golden brown.

2. Add celery, carrot, salt, pepper, rosemary, ginger, orange juice and dill and continue to saute covered for 10 more minutes

4. Put butternut squash in a crock pot. Cover with water and cook on low setting for 6-8 hrs. (If you don't have a crock pot, you can also simmer it in a soup pot on low heat for an hour)

5. Adjust water, salt and pepper

6. Pure in a food processor, blender or using an immersion blender.

7. Chill in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours

8. Enjoy!

Matza Brie Breakfast

I first learned about Matza Brie while visiting a friend in Paris during Passover 9 years ago. We made Matza Brie with Canadian Maple Syrup and French Matza. We also bid good bye to Passover at a Parisian bar with Belgian beer.

Made from flour and water, Matza is a Passover staple that looks and tastes like a cracker. It is a symbol of Jewish escape from Egypt. They could not weight for the bread to rise - hence we eat Matza, unleavened bread.

This Matza Brie recipe is accompanied by slices of avocado and cilantro dressing. The cilantro dressing is also great on any green or roasted root-veggetable salad. You can use maple syrup in lieu of this dressing and avocado for a sweet take on breakfast.

Ingredients:

Matza Brie:
1. 1 egg per 1 square of matza
2. 1 cup of boiling water per 1 square of matza
3. olive, coconut or grapeseed oil
4. salt and pepper
5. optional: avocado slices and cilantro dressing OR maple syrup

Cilantro dressing:
1. 1 bunch of washed cilantro
2. 1 clove of garlic
3. salt, pepper, cumin
4. 2 tablepoons of honey
5. 2 tablespoons of mustard
6. juice of 1 large lemon
7. optional: tahini

Directions:

Matza Brie
1. in a bowl, break up matza square into about 1 inch pieces
2. pour boiling water over the matza and let sit for a few minutes until matza is soft
3. in another bowl, beat the egg; add salt and pepper
4. drain the water from the matza
5. put matza in a skilet over low heat with some oil
6. add eggs and mix every few minutes until the eggs look scrambled
7. serve with avocado slices and cilantro dressing (see recipe below)
8. enjoy!


Cilantro dressing
1. mix all the ingredients in a blender
2. blend on high until you reach dressing consistency
3. pour into a glass container and store in the refrigerator
4. use within 7 days of making

Chinese Spinach Soup

At last week's West Hollywood Farmer's Market, I bought a big bunch of Chinese spinach. It looks a bit like basil, but tastes like spinach. I wanted to make a soup out of it, but couldn't find any recipes with Chinese spinach. I didn't want to see this green beauty wilt in my refrigerator or go to the compost bucket untouched, so I created this recipe. Jacob tells me that this was the best soup he's tasted, and second only to his Bubby's. I tend to think that the love you put into the meal you make is what makes it tastes so good, but this time it was a complete accident. I put the soup on the stove and completely forgot about it. I was consumed by some phone calls for about 45 minutes, while the soup was bubbling on the stove. This soup tastes yum with bits of matza. I plan on buying a different bouquet of greens every week and making a soup around it. Next week will be sweet potato greens week.

Ingredients:

1. 1 leek, washed and thinly sliced; remember to discard the dark green parts
2. 4 stalks of celery, washed and diced
3. 2 medium potatoes, washed and diced
4. 1 large or 2 medium carrots, washed and diced
5. 1 bunch of Chinese spinach, washed and chopped roughly, including stems and leaves
6. 2 tablespoons of miso
7. olive oil
8. salt, pepper, cumin
9. bragg's liquid aminos
10. 8 cups of water

Directions:

1. saute leek in olive oil on low heat
2. add celery, carrot, and potato; mix well
3. cover and let sweat
4. add Chinese spinach, salt, pepper, cumin; mix well
5. continue to saute under the cover
6. add water; cover and cook on low heat for about 45 minutes
7. turn off the heat, add miso and mix well
8. adjust salt to taste or add bragg's liquid aminos
9. enjoy!

Mint Green Tea Iced Tea

Ingredients:

8 cups of filtered water

1 bunch of washed regular mint, pepper mint, or spear mint

1 tablespoon of loose green tea

2 tablespoons of honey or agave nectar

juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

1. boil 8 cups of water and set aside

2. put a whole bunch of mint into a glass container and bruise with a wooden spoon to release essential oils

3. add loose green tea

4. cover with hot (not boiling) water and set aside for 1-3 hrs

5. strain 

6. add lemon juice

7. serve over ice with a sprig of mint

8. enjoy

Naturopathic Medicine Series Airs on April 8th, 2009 on KOCE PBS

Naturopathic Medicine Series to Air April 8th, 2009
Program is the first to educate public on this powerful form of natural medicine

On April 8, 2009 the country's first series on naturopathic medicine will air on southern California's KOCE, the sixth-largest PBS station in the country. Produced by the award-winning American Health Journal in conjunction with the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), the series will educate the public about the practices and philosophy of naturopathic medicine. 

"The public is hungry for a system of health care that is patient-centered, wellness focused, cost-effective, and which uses natural remedies without side effects," said Karen Howard, AANP's Executive Director. "Naturopathic medicine is what the public wants and needs. We're excited about this opportunity to educate the public about naturopathic medicine."

The program will cover a broad range of topics, including the training and education of naturopathic physicians, environmental health and cancer, naturopathic approaches to chronic disease, family medicine, preventing heart disease and diabetes, mental health, allergies, and chronic pain.   The six-part series (with a seventh "best of" episode) will begin airing April 8, 2009.

Naturopathic physicians combine the wisdom of nature with the rigors of modern science. Steeped in traditional healing methods, principles and practices, naturopathic medicine focuses on holistic, proactive prevention and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment. Naturopathic medicine embraces the medical oath "first do no harm." By using protocols that minimize the risk of harm, naturopathic physicians help facilitate the body's inherent ability to restore and maintain optimal health. It is the naturopathic physician's role to identify and remove barriers to good health by helping to create a healing internal and external environment. Currently, 15 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors. In these states, naturopathic doctors are required to graduate from a four-year, postgraduate naturopathic medical school and to pass an extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX) in order to receive a license.