Gluten-Free Family

Do you have someone in your family who needs to eat gluten-free? Your family doesn't have to give up your favorite foods, instead learn to make them gluten free! Check out this article by NursingSchools.net that offers 100 gluten-free recipes and you won't even notice you are missing the gluten!:

http://www.nursingschools.net/blog/2011/01/100-delectable-recipes-for-your-gluten-free-kid/

If you have questions about gluten free diets or would like support in achieving a gluten-free diet or would like to explore if a gluten free diet might alleviate some of your health symptoms, please schedule a free health consultation with Sprout Wellbeing. This is just one of the many areas Sprout Wellbeing's health coaching programs can support you.

Interested in a gluten free cooking class? Contact me at sproutwellbeing@gmail.com

Make Your Own! Salad Dressing

In my last newsletter I wrote about "Make Your Own Granola Bars". (which by the way are amazing even after being frozen in the fridge for the three weeks I was out of town!). This month I will share some basics about "Make Your Own Salad Dressing". This series of "Make your Own" is not meant to overwhelm you with more things to do in life but to support you in slowly, one at a time, adding a few things into your routine that you "make on your own" in order to avoid the packaged varieties of your favorite foods which are commonly filled with preservatives and other weird ingredients. 

Salad Dressing is very simple to make yourself. When you look at the ingredient list of most salad dressings you will find a very long ingredient list of items you might not know how to pronounce, many of which are not things we want to be putting in our bodies. But when you make your own salad dressing it only takes a few simple ingredients and a few seconds to whip up a delicious and healthy dressing.   

Here is the equation for salad dressing:  Healthy Oil +  Acid + Sweetener + flavors = Dressing!

The ratios of  each ingredient in the equation is as follows:  3 oil to 1 acid to 1/2 sweetener

3 - Oil: Olive oil (avoid canola or vegetable oils)

1 - Acid: Any kind of vinegar, lemon, lime

1/2 - Sweetener: Honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar, fresh squeezed orange juice

Flavor Options to taste:

Mustard (use different kinds for variety)

Plain yogurt (optional if you want a creamy dressing)

Minced Garlic

Salt/pepper

Spices: cayenne pepper, parprika, cumin, red pepper flakes

Herbs: fresh or dried - oregano, cilantro, basil, chives….

Onion: yellow, red, shallot, green onion

Nut butters: Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter

Soy sauce

Chili sesame oil

You can try a variety of different ingredients from the list above as long as you are using the basic equation and ratio. For example here is a simple recipe:

Oil: 6 tbsp Olive Oil

Acid: 3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Sweetener: 1/2 tbsp Honey

Flavors:

1 Tbsp Mustard

1 Tbsp Plain yogurt

1 tsp Minced Garlic

Salt pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Pour over salad.

Tips:

You can always make salad dressings ahead and store them in a jar to use throughout the week.

Give it a try, be creative,  and share your favorite dressing creation with the Sprout Wellbeing blog community!

Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine: Pumpkin Sweet Potato Carrot Soup

The Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup I made for my Halloween party this year was inspired by rainy weather and this article about Fall Superfoods  which highlights the nutritional genius of the dark orange vegetable family including pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and carrots. The dark orange vegetable family outdoes all others in vitamin A content and sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium.

 

Beta-Carotene

Beta-carotene is one form of vitamin A that is found in plants. Orange vegetables are an especially good source of this potent antioxidant. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, some epidemiological studies indicate that diets rich in carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, are associated with a decreased risk for certain diseases, including cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Beta-carotene also plays a role in regulating the growth and reproduction of cells within the body.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is another potent antioxidant that is found in orange fruits and vegetables. In addition to its antioxidant value, vitamin C is vital for the immune system to function properly and is important in collagen formation.

 

Potassium

Potassium is a mineral found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including orange fruits and vegetables. Potassium has several important functions in the body, including muscle contraction, nerve function and pH regulation. Furthermore, diets high in potassium are associated with lower blood pressure, according to Gropper et al in "Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism."

 

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is one nutrient that 90% of Americans do not get enough of, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and may help protect against chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is 15 mg. Orange vegetables are good sources of vitamin E, and the amount contained in one cup of each orange vegetable is as follows: butternut squash, 2.6 mg; sweet potato, 1.4 mg; pumpkin, 2 mg; and carrots, 1.6 mg. Although orange fruits are good sources of other vitamins and minerals, they contain minimal vitamin E.

Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup Recipe:

Let Food Be Thy Medicine: Leafy Greens!!!

Your Goal this Week: Eat Greens for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Green vegetables are the foods most missing in modern diets. Learning to cook and eat greens is essential to creating health. When you nourish yourself with greens, you will naturally crowd out the foods that make you sick. Greens help build your internal rain forest and strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Green is associated with spring, the time of renewal, refreshment and vital energy. In Asian medicine, green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity.

Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phyto-chemicals. Whenever possible, choose organic. But eating non-organic greens is much better than not eating any greens at all!

Some of the benefits from eating dark leafy greens are: 
Blood purification 

Cancer prevention
Improved circulation
Strengthened immune system
Promotion of healthy intestinal flora
Promotion of subtle, light and flexible energy
Lifted spirit and elimination of depression
Improved liver, gall bladder and kidney function
Cleared congestion, especially in lungs by reducing mucus

Click "read more" below to get recipes for eating greens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Let Thy Food be Thy Medicine: Quinoa Black Bean Cilantro Lime Salad

I am always amazed when I look at the health benefits of the ingredients in my food. Real wholesome food can protect against and even reverse some of the most common and life devastating (not to mention expensive) diseases in our country such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Food really is medicine!!