New Spring Salad
24 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Candida, Recipes Tags: raw, apple cider vinegar, candidiasis, green veggies, quick meal, Local food, organic, salad dressing, one dish meal, carrots, greens, salad, cheese, candida diet, meditation, health coach, candida, candida cookbook, tuna, yoga, kripalu yoga
Dana and I literally made room for our yoga practice.
I’ve been a bit pressed for time since there are a lot of exciting changes going on right now; the garden is growing, there are houses to bid on (woah!) and we converted an extra room in our house to a yoga/meditation room. I have been naturally waking up consistently early for the past few weeks, a change I attribute to the new season and a sign that my health continues to improve. The combination of getting up earlier and our yoga room means I’m able to do an hour of Kripalu yoga, mediate and start my day having already accomplished two of my most important goals for the day. Or I can work in an hour of yoga later in the day. Either way, having hour long classes, on line, that range from gentle restorative yoga to more vigorous, challenging classes, right on the Kripalu home page, makes a daily practice pretty easy to incorporate. If you have space for a yoga mat and an internet connection, you too can incorporate yoga into your daily routine. Give it a try!
One of 4 post cards designed to promote the market. This one is my favorite. You can see the other designs on the New Amsterdam Market Facebook page.
Dana, Brian and I are also expanding Fire Cider to a weekly market in New York City called ‘The New Amsterdam Market’ which opens next Sunday at 11 am in the Old Fulton Fish Market. This is such an exciting next step for us and there’s a lot to do to get ready! So, I find I have less time that I would like to spend writing new recipes and playing in the kitchen. In the interest of time, mine and yours, I’ve come up with a new way to write recipes so I can continue to share with you on a weekly basis…
The ingredients will be listed in the order they are added to the recipe. Simple instructions will appear throughout the list and the meal should take about 5-15 min to assemble or cook, sound good? Healthy meals fast, yes please!
One dish dinner with the daffodils my mom picked for us, thanks mama!
New Spring Salad
In a large bowl combine:
1 can tuna
3-4 T mayo
2 T spicy dijon mustard
2 T raw apple cider vinegar
2 T each: Kalamata olives halved and chopped oil cured olives
salt and pepper to taste
Mix well then add
Salad greens of your choosing: baby spinach and dandelion greens are especially nutritious.
1 grated carrot
Mix again and top with
grated cheese, I used some Vermont cheese from the co-op that’s part cheddar and part Romano
a small handful of toasted, salted sunflower seeds
Serve and eat!
Sunday Breakfast
09 Apr 2012 1 Comment
in Recipes Tags: arugula, Beads and Beyond, Bisque, candida, candida cookbook, candida diet, candidiasis, cheddar, class series, eggs, green veggies, health coach, healthy living in the Berkshires, Local food, North Street, one dish meal, Pittsfield, protein, quick meal, raw, raw cheese
On Saturday night I made dinner for Dana and I: roasted cauliflower dressed in ghee, cumin, turmeric and two of our homemade curry spice mixes with mustard seeds. Then kale with goat cheese, hot pepper and a dusting of cumin and curry. For dessert I made biscuits which I planned to use again in the morning for breakfast.
For the meal pictured I started with a bed of arugula, drizzled olive oil, sprinkled salt, black pepper and hot pepper and then grated some amazing raw cheddar cheese from Vermont. I fried up some eggs and toasted the biscuits. The eggs go on top of the greens and then I grated more cheese on top of everything. A quick meal with plenty of protein and even a serving of greens!
Coming soon: my cookbook based on the recipes in this blog and a new class series, “Healthy Living in the Berkshires” which will be hosted by Bisque, Beads and Beyond on North Street starting with two information and sign up sessions May 23rd and 24th. Mark your calendars and stay tuned!
Date Coconut ‘Fudge’
02 Aug 2011 2 Comments
in Recipes Tags: cocoa powder, coconut, dates, fiber, potassium, protein, raw, snack, vegan
Clearly these are not on the candida diet, they are however nutritious, raw, vegan spheres of deliciousness. This recipe was sent to me by my friend Jess who accepted my offer to make these for her, everyone needs a taste tester! The original recipe calls them ‘Bliss Balls’ and they are blissfully good and round but the name just seems a little over the top. The texture of this naturally sweet snack is similar to fudge due to the dates and Dutch process cocoa powder, yum! These snacks are packed with protein from the almonds, and full of fiber from the dates, which also provide energy-fueling carbohydrates and have more potassium than bananas.
I was too busy cuddling Jess's new baby to remember to take a picture of these yummy treats! Thanks to EcoBeautyEditor for the picture.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups raw almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cup dates
2 tsp coconut, plus more for rolling (optional)
Enough water to make it sticky
Grind nuts in a food processor. Add in dates, cocoa and coconut. Blend until mixed, then slowly add in water until the mixture is sticky but stays together. Roll into golf ball-sized balls, and cover with shredded coconut. These remain fresh in an air-tight container for a week but I bet they’ll get eaten way before then!
Crunchy Kale Salad
31 May 2011 1 Comment
in Recipes Tags: carrot, goat cheese, greens, kale, purple onion, quick meal, raw, travel food
I found this salad at The Biscuit in Somerville last weekend while my family and I were in town for my sisters college graduation. I had this for brunch and it was so simply delightful. Kale salad is great traveling food since the greens and onions get softer and the flavors meld together the longer they sit before serving. So I got one to go for the car ride back to the Berkshires. And when we got home I used the list of ingredients on the container to make my own version.
A big healthy serving of greens, no cooking required!
Ingredients for two large portions:
1 ½ bunch of kale, ribs removed, ripped into bit size pieces
2 T olive oil
1 carrot, grated
Handful of thinly sliced purple onion
2-3 ounces chevre, soft goat cheese
For the dressing:
2 T olive oil
2 T spicy brown mustard
1 T lemon juice
1 garlic clove, mashed or pressed
Salt to taste
First, using your hands, massage 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and some salt into the ripped kale pieces. The more you work the oil into the kale, the better. The oil makes the kale soft, flavorful and easier to digest. Add the onion and carrot and goat cheese and toss to combine. Set aside and make the dressing.
For the dressing put all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dressing to the kale salad and toss to coat evenly. Eat now or set some aside for later, this salad gets better with time and is great to make ahead for lunch or travel food!
Asparagus Salad with Lemon and Parmesan
10 May 2011 Leave a Comment
in Recipes Tags: asparagus, lemon, Parmesan, pine nuts, quick meal cheese, raw, salad
I found this recipe on SmittenKitchen.com which has an adorable name and delectable recipes. Recipes so delicious they need no tweaking and so I copied this one as is- Candida diet friendly, seasonal and a really cool way to eat asparagus! Here’s the original post with more great pictures.
Asparagus salad with lemon, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, what's not to love?
Ribbony Asparagus Salad with Lemon and Parmesan
Inspired by the Union Square Cafe
When you start trying to eat along with the seasons, you realize how long the winter is on the East Coast and begin to eagerly anticipate the day in spring when the first green things pop from the ground. Round here, that’s asparagus. And when it is as fresh as you can get it now, there’s no reason to cook it, not when you can turn it into a pile of ribbons and twist them around like spaghetti on your fork.
There are no exact measurements in this recipe. Everything is to taste, so taste as you go along to make sure you’re getting all the Parmesan, nutty, and lemony flavors you want.
1/4 cup pine nuts or sliced almonds, toasted* and cooled
1 pound asparagus, rinsed
1 lemon, halved
Olive oil
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 ounces Parmesan cheese
No need to snap off the tough ends of your asparagus. Lay a single stalk on its side on a cutting board. Holding onto the tough end, use a vegetable peeler (a Y-shaped peeler is easiest, but I’ve used a standard one successfully) to shave off thin asparagus ribbons from stalk to tip.
Using a Y-shaped peeler to create ribbons of fresh asparagus.
Gently pile your ribbons on a medium-sized serving platter. Squeeze some lemon juice over the asparagus, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Toss gently and then use your peeler to shave curls of Parmesan right off the block, over the asparagus. Sprinkle with some toasted nuts. Repeat with remaining asparagus, a third of the remaining bundle at a time. Eat immediately.
* I toast mine in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350 for 5 to 10 minutes. It’s really important, especially with pine nuts, that you stay close and toss them frequently because they love to burn, but if you move them around a bit, you can get a wonderful, even coffee color on them and an intensely nutty flavor. It makes even unfancy nuts taste amazing.
Goddess Dressing: Vitamin C and Liver Detox
15 Dec 2010 2 Comments
in Detoxing, Recipes Tags: apple cider vinegar, dandelion, garlic, green veggies, parsley, raw, salad, salad dressing, tahini
Goddess Dressing with Dandelion Greens and Baby Romain
Last night I was craving Green Goddess Dressing but, looking over my recipe posting I realized I didn’t have much on hand to make it and I was too hungry to go to the store. So I searched around and found a recipe using the ingredients I was really wanting to eat; parsley, raw apple cider vinegar and tahini. I ate mine over dandelion greens, the bitter flavor of the greens goes really well with this dressing. Dandelion greens are great for supporting your liver and kidneys and the bitter taste encourages the release of digestive enzymes which aid in digestion. Dandelion is high in Vitamin C, Iron and Calcium. Parsley is also high in Vitamin C and great for liver and kidney support. I have been doing a detox diet the past week and I think my liver was asking for more support. I felt better after eating this light meal and my craving was totally satisfied. Ah, the power of green food!
Here’s version two, more like the Annie’s Naturals Brand dressing that the San Fran original but just as tasty.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
- 2/3 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar plus 2 Tablespoons or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- salt, to taste at the end
- 7 green onions, whole (scallions) or about 1/4 cup chopped white onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 bunch parsley, with stems (this would be about 4 cups chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup water (more or less, to taste)
Procedure:
- Combine all ingredients except water in a food processor or blender, blend well.
- Add water a little at a time, until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. Taste and add more vinegar, salt, pepper, whatever you think it needs!
- Store refrigerated, 3-4 weeks.
Raw Collard Green Salad with Romano and Walnuts
24 Sep 2010 1 Comment
in Recipes Tags: candidiasis, cast iron skillet, collard greens, garlic, green veggies, quick meal, raw, salad dressing
The main ingredients: Collards, grated Romano and walnut pieces, yum!
Raw Collard Green Salad
Serves 1-2 people as a main course or 3-4 people as a side. I admit to eating this whole salad all by myself after an epic and hilly run! Takes about 20 minutes to make.
Ingredients: all organic, always!
One bunch collards, ribs removed and sliced into thin strips
Handful or two of walnut pieces
Grated Romano cheese, about 1/3 of a cup
Optional: if you want to make this a more complete meal add some chicken pieces, a can of high quality tuna, kidney beans, tempeh or a couple of sliced hard boiled eggs
For the dressing:
¼ cup walnut or extra virgin olive oil or a mix of the two
1 Tablespoon balsamic
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1-2 cloves of garlic pressed (if you don’t have a garlic press you can mash the cloves with a fork)
Removing the ribs from the collard leaves.
The Procedure:
In your large salad bowl add all of the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
Add the thin sliced collards and toss to coat.
Top with walnut pieces and the Romano cheese. Toss again. If you want to add any protein, now’s the time. Reserve a little grated cheese and few walnut pieces to add to the top for a pretty presentation.
You can eat immediately or you can let it sit out for an hour or overnight in the fridge. The longer it sits the softer the collards will be and the more the flavors will meld. This is a great salad to make ahead or if you love to have leftovers for lunch the next day!
Ready to eat!
Cool Off with Rawh Cucumber Salad
23 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Recipes Tags: apple cider vinegar, cucumber, onion, raw
My dad’s garden is overflowing with cucumbers. The last time I went to visit I came home with a huge bag full of freshly picked cucumbers (and zucchini and basil and flowers too!). I remember my grandmother would always make cucumber salad in the summer and now I know why! This recipe is very simple and very good for you. Cucumbers are a cooling food and they are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber and are also a great digestive aid. The raw onion in this salad has antibacterial properties as well as a lot of flavor. Raw onion has been credited with helping to raise good cholesterol, increase circulation and lower blood pressure. Using raw apple cider vinegar for the dressing will add enzymes (and a whole lot more!) which help us digest.
Ok, enough talk about the ingerdients, here’s the recipe:
Peel and thinly slice as many cucumbers as you want to eat. Remember this salad gets better with time so make enough to have for lunch tomorrow! Put the slices in a large bowl.
Thinly slice enough white onion so that you have about 3 times as many cucumber slices as you do onion. I know I justed use a ratio, don’t worry. This is not an exact science, it’s a salad.
Mix the onion in with the cucumber and add salt. How much salt? Well, how much salt do you like? The salt is to bring out the flavor and open up the pores of the veggies so they will absorb the vinegar and start to soften. Taste, add more salt, taste again. This will prevent you from dying of hunger before the salad is ready to serve. Look at you, multitasking!
Add a splash of olive oil, the good kind, extra virgin, organic, none of that swaggy processed with chemicals stuff. You don’t really need the oil but it does add a little flavor and it’s good for you so splash away!
Liberally add some vinegar, I recommend red wine vinegar for best taste but raw apple cider vinegar for best nutrition/health benefits. You could get crazy and use a little of both!
Now top with as much cracked black pepper as you like, it really adds a lot of flavor to this simple salad, the more the better!
Ok, toss everything together and get the cucumbers good and coated with the vinegar. You can eat it now or let it marinate (it will taste even better in an hour) while you make up something that actually has calories in it. This may be delicious and nutritious but it won’t fill you up.
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