Grow Something Edible, Anything!

Our back yard with experimental pallet gardening. Hint: strawberry pallet garden was the most successful, or using it for creeping vines or flowers. Large vegetables did not have enough root space.

Grow Something Edible

You don't need to start planning an acre garden or tell your significant other you are going to dig up the entire back yard. How about starting slow with the few things that you like to eat on a regular basis at home. Maybe you decide you want lettuce, kale, collard greens or spinach. Maybe you like sugar snap peas or beets or cucumbers. Or maybe herbs are less intimidating and you start with some basil, thyme and/or oregano. Whatever it may be, plant something that is edible this summer, and then eat it! You will be amazed at the pride that you feel when you grow your own food. You will also learn to appreciate food in a whole different way.
For me, the biggest things about creating a garden is that I feel a deep connection with the earth, the sun, the rain, the wind....the universe. Each one of the elements effects the food that I am growing and I am thankful for each one in their own way. It also has allowed me to deepen the understanding of life in how there is a beginning, middle, end and back to a beginning that leads into another middle and another end, the circle of life. Seeds become a plant, become a fruit or vegetable, become food and scraps (food becomes part of me and scraps become compost, which becomes dirt) and I am fueled to become something even greater and the dirt is made so that I can plant and nourish my next round of food. The cycle keeps rolling on. And so does life. How we take care of ourselves directly effects our health and well being. By lovingly growing food for us and our family we harvest so much more than just food, we are able to serve up edible love. So go ahead, try it, it is not that complicated. I promise you will smile ear to ear next time you pick up that salad or eat that cucumber or strawberry that was grown by you! Plus, your grocery bill will thank you.

Need some inspiration once you have home grown lettuce, here is a recipe that a dear friend from Growing Places Indy gave me. It is my go to salad dressing. I also use it as a dip or a dressing for grain salad mixes:

6 TBL Olive oil
3 TBL Balsamic vinegar
1 TBL Honey or maple syrup
1 TBL Soy sauce
1 TBL Mustard
2 cloves crushed or chopped garlic
1-2 inch ginger shredded
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Throw all ingredients into a glass jar and shake until well combined. Pour desired amount over salad. Keeps in refrigerator up to 2 weeks....but I doubt it will last that long :)

Make Allergy Season Enjoyable

Many people love the fact that the weather is turning the corner and spring is in the air! Many people also experience allergies this time of year that can leave them feeling drowsy, stuffy, itchy, congested and irritated. A suggestion to help keep your nasal passage way clean and clear is neti pot irrigation. This is a simple and quick self care regimen that you can incorporate into your morning and/or evening routine that can help manage the severity of the symptoms that you may normally experience. If you have asthma or severe allergies, please talk with your doctor first about adding this to your routine.

You can purchase a neti pot at most local convenience or drug stores or online at places like Banyan Botanicals. When you use the neti pot make sure you use filtered, sterile water that is room temp or slightly warm to touch. Fill the neti pot about 3/4 full of water then mix 1/4 teaspoon non- iodized salt into the water in order to make your saline solution. Follow directions on your neti pot box or check out this link here for more instruction: www.yoga108.org

After your neti pot experience make sure to use some nasaya oil. Or plain, organic sesame seed oil in your nose. This oil will prevent your nostrils from drying out, which makes you more susceptible to allergens and infections. Just place a few drops on your pinky or ring finger and gently wipe the inside of the nostril with a thin layer of oil. Dab the tip of your nose with a napkin to wipe up any excess oil from the face. To learn more about this technique and to take it a step further visit Banyan Botanicals for a video and product information.

Enjoy easier breathing this season and take time to actually stop and smell the fresh rain, flowers and spring air. 

Breathe easy!

Oil Pulling Leads to Total Body Detox

I have been seeing a lot of chatter about oil pulling on social media and have been seeing it pop up on the web as an alternative health suggestion for many health issues. It is something that I tried a few years back but then discontinued because my morning routine was growing to large, to fast. But I have recently picked it up again because a few of my clients have been asking about it and I want to be able to speak from experience as I regurgitate information from ayurvedic and medical texts.

Oil pulling is an ancient ayurvedic method of healing for the gums and teeth, as well as detoxifying the entire body.
The benefits of this practice are quite expansive and worth the 20 minutes of your time in the morning. You may do it while you focus on other things like cleaning the house, washing dishes, folding laundry, taking the dog for a walk, or my favorite, getting some morning reading in before my day gets crazy.

What it Does:

• Brightens and whitens teeth, reduced plaque and bad breath
• Reduces stiffness and pain in joints 
• Relieves nasal and sinus congestion
• May help with migraine headaches
• Regulates menstrual cycle and provides relief from PMS
• Helps with clearing skin
• Boosts energy
• Benifits the throat, voice and eyes
• Improves the lymphatic system
• May help to alleviate allergies
• Boosts the immune system
• Helps with insomnia
• Possible remedy for jaw soreness and TMJ

How it is Done:

• Wake up
• Splash your face with cool water and rinse out your eyes
• Drink a large glass of warm water
• Try for your morning evacuation 
• Before you brush your teeth and on an empty stomach, take 1/2 up to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, sesame oil or sunflower oil and swish it in your mouth for 10-20 minutes. Ultimately you are going for 1 tablespoon of oil for 20 minutes, but if you need to work up to that, start with less oil for less amount of time and give yourself a few days to get used to it.
• Make sure to move the oil around slowly in the mouth and swish it through the teeth. Try to get the oil in all the nooks of the mouth. Lightly, lightly gargle a few times before you spit it out. 
• DO NOT SWALLOW any of the oil, it is absorbing and pulling toxins from your body that you do not want to reabsorb. 
• When your 20 minutes is up spit out the oil in your toilet or trash, you do not want to spit it into the sinks, as it will clog your pipes. 
• Rinse out your mouth with warm water and then brush your teeth and scrape your tongue.

NOTE: Do not do this for more or less than 20 minutes (after you have worked up to your 20 minutes). More than 20 gives chance to reabsorbing the toxins through the mouth that you are trying to get rid of. Less than 20 is not nearly as effective. Definitely brush your teeth afterwards. It takes about 15-20 days of doing it every day, to see results. If every day is not possible try for every other day, shoot for at least 4 days a week, which is better than not doing it at all!

How You Eat Is Just As Important As What You Eat

Here are 11 healthful tips on how to eat so that you may digest your food optimally. If you have digestive issues and/or feel super tiered after you eat, these tips will help your digestive system come back into balance. How you eat is just as important as what you eat.

1. Eat in a quiet, settled atmosphere
2. Offer some sort of blessing or thought of gratitude towards your food before you eat
3. Only eat when you are hungry
4. Wait until previous meal is digested before you put anything else in your mouth (besides water). Usually give your stomach 4-5 hours in between meals 
5. Chew your food thoroughly and eat at a moderate pace
6. Sip 4-6 oz of warm water with a meal. Stay away from iced and carbonated beverages with your meal
7. Eat to a point of comfort. Eat to satisfaction, not full. 
8. Postpose eating if you are upset 
9. Always sit down to eat (sitting in the car does NOT count) 
10. Eat around the same time every day
11. Rest for a few minutes after each meal, laying on your left side will also help with digestion after a meal.

Try a handful of these recommendations until they become habit and then layer on a few more. Your digestion should get better and stronger by following these tips.  

Cheers!

Serve Yourself a Bowl of Health

Making your own food is not only an act of labor, it is an act of deep love, for you and those you are cooking for. Yes, it can be time consuming sometimes, but in the end the act of creating can bring to you more than you expect. 

Here is a quick recipe that is packed with all kinds of great warming spices, cooling coconut, grounding root vegetables, protein packed lentils and chickpeas and digestive kraut. 

Recipe:

1/2 cup lentils (soak in warm water in the morning so they are ready to use when you get home from work) 

1/2 cup dry chickpeas or 1 cup canned (if using dry, soak in warm water in the morning as well)

1 large sweet potato, chopped into 1 inch chunks and roasted

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1/3 cup diced onion

2 inches fresh minced ginger

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons garam masala powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder (if you want/like more spice)

2 teaspoon cumin seed

4 small -medium carrots

1 cup broccoli

3 cups vegetable broth or water

1 cup full fat coconut cream or thick coconut milk

2 cups spinach or kale

kraut of choice

Fresh lime cut into quarters

Instructions:

Soak your lentils and chickpeas in the morning. Set aside in a bowl. When you get home and are ready to cook, rinse the lentils and chickpeas separately, and then put them in separate sauce pans. Cover both with 2 inches of water, typically 2-3 cups. Add a sprinkle of ginger powder and black pepper to the water, this will help with the bloating feeling that some people get from these two foods. Turn on medium high and bring to boil, then bring to simmer for 20-30 minutes, until tender. 

While the beans and lentils are cooking, clean and chop your sweet potato. Toss it in olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a dutch-oven or large soup pot melt coconut oil and then add in the onion, stir for about 2 minutes then add the garlic and ginger, sauté for about 1 minute all together. Then add the spices and cumin seeds, mix well until fragrant. Add the carrots and broccoli and stir until they are coated in the spices. 

Pour in the broth/water and coconut cream/milk, bring mix to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

Toss in the sweet potatoes, lentils (with their cooking water if any is left) and chickpeas (drain if using canned, if using freshly cooked, add the cooking water too). Then toss in the kale or spinach. Stir and simmer for 5 more minutes. 

Serve alone or over rice or quinoa. Top off with your favorite kraut and a squeeze of lime juice. Share with those that you love!

Nourish Yourself with Hot Chocolate

It has been a bit cold here in the midwest. And that means that it is perfect weather for hot chocolate!
Cold weather has an effect on the body by leaving it cold, dry, light, creaky and stiff. We can start to balance out those reducing qualities, by adding things into our daily routine and lifestyle that is rich, sweet, nurturing and grounding. One of these things is hot chocolate. Here is my favorite recipe that I have been playing around with this winter. Enjoy a guilt free cup with those that you love (young and old) and feel the love rush in!

Hot Chocolate Recipe
Serves 2

2 cup milk (coconut, almond, cow)
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 TBL almond butter
2 Medjool dates
4 TBL organic 100% pure cacao (cacao powder is high in anti-oxidants)
1 teaspoon *Ashwagandha powder
Optional: if you love coconut you can also add 2 teaspoons of coconut butter

Instructions: Measure and stir all ingredients into a pot, heat until it starts to simmer. Pour into a blender and blend for 2-3 minutes. Pour and sip hot with someone you love!

*Ashwagandha is an herb that is highly used in ayurvedic medicine:

• Increases energy and vitality
• General adaptogen for combating stress
• Assists in calming the mind and promotes restful sleep
• Supports proper function of the adrenals
• Helps calm anxiety and soothes the nervous system
• Will adapt to helping with rest in the evening or giving energy in the morning/mid-day
• Purchase here: http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/prodinfo.asp?number=6082

Obviously you can make the hot chocolate without this herb, but I highly suggest you order it and give it a try. 

Addition by a reader (that I fully appreciate): When we eat foods rich in flavonoids, it appears that we also benefit from its "antioxidant" power. Chocolate being an antioxidant, is believed to help the body's cells resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes, such as breathing, and from environmental contaminants, like cigarette smoke. Awesome right?

Cheers to a cozy night in!

Ginger - eat it, drink it, smell it

Ginger is becoming very popular these days and the tea isles are brimming with ginger tea claiming to help digestion, bloating and even the common cold. I am happy to say that the hype about this root is true and that if you have not incorporated this herb into your diet, now is as good of time as any!

Ginger is a medicinal plant that has many positive effects on the body. Here are a few ways that you can start to incorporate it into your daily life.

• Drinking ginger tea after a meal can help with digestion.

• Chew the root to help sooth a sore throat.

• Breath in ginger essential oils when you feel a headache coming on. 

• Apply the fresh root as a rouge, as it stimulates circulation.

• Grate ginger root into stews, sauces, oatmeal, and teas in order to help with the digestive process. When added to the cooking process of beans, mung beans or lentils it will help with flatulence (add turmeric and black pepper as well as grated or powdered ginger to help with bloating that may come from these foods). 

• Bake with ground ginger root for a warming spice. Great for cold weather foods to help the body feel warm.

• Ginger is great for nausea, so bring some with you when you travel if you are one who gets motion sickness easily.

• Ginger helps with spasms or cramps, so those of you who have painful cramps during your menstrual cycle should try to consume ginger at least 1-2 times a day, 2 weeks leading up to your period. 

• Eating a coin size piece of raw ginger before you eat a meal, squeeze some fresh lemon juice and add a dash of salt to the ginger and chew mindfully. Once you swallow you will feel your stomach start to warm up, this is your digestive fire burning at a higher level so that it can metabolize what you are about to feed it.

• Ginger essential oil will help relieve and clear out a head cold. Breath in a combination of 3 drops of each: basil, eucalyptus and ginger essential oils. Add these to a pot of steaming hot water and cover your head with a towel as you bend over the pot and breath deeply.  BE CAREFUL NOT TO BREATH IN TOO HOT OF STEAM. Wait for the water to cool slightly so that you can breath in the steam comfortably.

IMPORTANT: Ginger is heating and for some, may cause stomach distress. If you experience diarrhea or stomach pain after using ginger for a few days, back off. Not all herbs work for every-body, so it is important to make note and use your best judgement. There is always an alternative, although trying powdered ginger over fresh is also a good experiment, as fresh vs dry ginger is used differently by the body and might make a difference for those people who cannot handle fresh ginger.