METAL and EARTH

Spring Cleanse

It’s the first day of spring officially, but here in Minnesota it is still a chilly nine degrees with plenty of snow on the ground.  Never the less we can feel Spring in the air, the daylight is shining longer and the sun feels warmer on our face.  It is this time of year that I get asked a lot about “Spring Cleanses” to clean up a winter of fatty, rich foods and over-indulgence.

Cleanses are a very popular marketing term for any diet, dietary aid, or combination of these used to clean-up the body, especially the liver in order to rid the body of toxins.  Proposed benefits of these cleanses include weight loss, more energy, better complexion, clearer thinking and much more.  While the verdict is still out as to weather or not these store-bought cleanses actually do “cleanse” the body of toxins, the concept of cleansing in the spring is not new.

In Chinese medicine there is a concept of the five elements - wood, fire, earth, water, and metal.  Each element corresponds to a distinct stage in nature and a particular time of year as well as organs in the body. Spring is represented by the element of wood, and the corresponding organ is the liver, with the complementary organ being the gall bladder. This is a time of cleansing, regeneration, increase of activity, renewal of spirit and new beginnings. 

So the concept of a spring cleanse is not a new one.  What is new is the overwhelming marketing of boxed or created cleanses.  What the Chinese figured out thousands, yes thousands, of years ago was that nature provides us with the ultimate cleanse possible.  So using the basics of Chinese and Taoist thought, here are some basic tips to truly cleanse your body:

1. Move - Exercise promotes the flow of Qi in the body which can increase the flow of blood to and from the liver to the tendons and muscles.  Try adding a light 5-10 minute movement routine to your morning.  This can be yoga, qigong, dance, or any authentic movement.  Just watch your pets and let it flow.

2. Spring Foods - Nature is WAY smarter than any science, marketing firm, or nutrition guru in that it has provided you with all the necessary foods for proper, healthy cleansing.  Spring is the season of bitter greens, dandelion greens, garlic, ramps, etc.  These foods are well known for their ability to detox and move the bodies qi.  They also support the liver and it’s ability to cleanse the body.  So experiment with some new, exciting foods this spring.

3. Get Outside - The sunshine is lasting longer and the sun’s angle is getting higher which means that it is warmer too.  Get outside for at least 10 minutes each day and really get the cleansing juices flowing.

4. Let Go - Taoist thought talks about letting go of things that do not serve you or are unnecessary to you current state.  This means moving on from the heavy foods and comforting habits that have been created during the Winter months.  This is the time for new habits, lighter foods, lighter thoughts and new beginnings.

So the next time you think about buying the latest cleanse at you local health food store, remember that nature already has you covered.  Get tucked into some good bitter greens, get outside and get moving.  That is a cleanse that I can stand behind.

My favorite lunch!

BURMESE FRIED RICE WITH SHALLOTS  adapted from Burma-Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid

Serves 1-2

2 tbs cooking fat (peanut oil, lard, coconut oil)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup sliced shallots
4 oz diced pork (optional) (can also use chicken, beef, tofu, or cooked chickpeas)
2 cups chilled cooked jasmine rice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup green peas (frozen or fresh)
1 tbs fried shallots (can be purchased at asian markets)
lime wedge
tart-sweet garlic-chili sauce (see accompanying recipe)
fresh cilantro

Place a wok or large fry pan over medium-high heat and add oil.  Add shallots, pork and turmeric and fry until pork is lightly golden and almost cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Raise heat to high and add the peas and salt.  Cook for 1-2 minutes until the peas are cooked.  Break up any rice clumps and add all of the rice to the pan.  Fry, pressing against sides and stirring constantly until rice is hot and golden yellow from the turmeric. 
Place in serving bowl.  Top with a squeeze of lime, fried shallots, chili sauce and cilantro.

TIPS:
This is a very versatile dish that can be eaten as breakfast (with a fried egg on top), lunch or dinner.  It also makes a wonderful side dish to Thai and Burmese dinners.




BURMESE TART-SWEET CHILI-GARLIC SAUCE adapted from Burma-Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid

Makes 1 3/4 cups

1 cup dried red chilies (whole, not flakes, stems removed)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup garlic (roughly chopped)
1/4 cup thai fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup rice vinegar


Break chilies in half and shake out most of the seeds (discard seeds and stems).  Place chilies in a small pot with the garlic and water.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes.  The chilies will be soft and swell up a bit.
Combine chilies, garlic, cooking water, fish sauce, and sugar in a food processor.  Process to a course paste (scrape the sides down if you need to).
Add rice vinegar and process again.  Sauce should be watery and a little bit course.
Transfer to a clean glass jar and refrigerate overnight.  It can be used right away but it is much better after it sits for a day or two.  It will keep for several weeks (if it lasts that long!)

Pickled Onions

Pickled Onions

1 large red onion sliced thin. (cut ends off onion, cut in half and slice with the grain thinly)

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

1 dried red chili

1 star anise

Slice onion thinly and place in a heat proof jar (a mason jar works great). Place remaining ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar. Pour over onions and place in fridge for 2 days to pickle.

P.S. In the video I said I had a quart jar, but it was actually a pint.  Sorry.

New Year's Kitchen Alterations

The holidays are over.  The presents are all opened, parties have all been attended, and the tree is on its way out to the curb.  New year’s resolutions are now in order and you are probably hoping to make some positive changes to your lifestyle. 

If you are like most people you are trying to eat better or cook more this year.  Allow me, if I may be so bold, to suggest a small but very powerful alteration to your lifestyle: REMOVE YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN FOR THIRTY DAYS.  Yep, you heard me, no nuking your food for one month. 

What will this do for your health you might ask?  Well, besides the controversy about the effects of microwaves on food and the plastic containers used to cook in, removing your microwave oven will challenge you to re-connect to the foods you eat.  How many times have you just popped food into the microwave, pressed a button and returned when a beep goes off? 

When we return to actually cooking our food, we develop a deeper understanding of what we are putting into our bodies, how food smells, tastes, looks, and sounds.  Simply put, we connect to it.  Also, most food that is microwaved is pre-packaged, processed, over-salted, over-sweetened and over-saturated.  In other words, not the healthiest choice. 

For the next thirty days I challenge you to make soup, cook a roast or stew,  re-heat leftovers in the oven, or boil water the “old fashioned” way, on the stove.  All of these may take a few minutes more, but the time spent re-connecting to the food you are eating, the process of cooking, and the time needed to actually take care of yourself can be very healing and meditative.

So unplug the microwave, remove the pots and pans from the oven and fire it up to make some delicious, home cooked, nourishing food.  Your body will thank you. And who knows, after thirty days you may just find yourself with more kitchen counter space and no need for a microwave!

Check out my video blog for recipe’s and tips to help you get back into the kitchen and reconnect to food and to your health.

Quick Poached Chicken w/stock

 

Coco Bites

 

These Coco Bites are a perfect snack to carry along with you when traveling, running errands, or at work.  They are full of protein and super-healthy saturated fats from organic coconut oil.

COCO BITES:

3 cups organic shredded coconut (not sweetened)

5 Tbs organic cocoa powder

1/2 cup organic, cocoa nibs

2-3 Tbs raw, organic honey

1/4 cup protein powder (whey, rice, or other high quality)

1/2 cup organic, extra virgin coconut oil

 

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well incorporated.  Form into small balls and refrigerate.

 

Oven-Crispy Chicken with Maple-Cider Sauce

With Autumn in full swing, I thought I would post one of my favorite Fall chicken recipes: Oven-Crispy Chicken with Maple-Cider Sauce. 

I absolutely love maple syrup.  I feel like it is THE taste of Fall: sweet, rich, deep and complex.  When it is blended with apple cider vinager it creates a sauce worth bathing in.  Give this simple recipe a try this weekend and post some pics!!!

 

RECIPE:

1 chicken (3-4 lbs) spatchcocked (see video)

Sea salt and pepper

SAUCE:

2 tbs butter or Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup shallots, minced

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/3 cup cider vinager

1/3 cup real maple syrup

-Saute shallots in butter over a medium heat until translucent (5-8 min)

-Add pepper, nutmeg and vinegar and bring to a boil

-Add maple syrup and simmer for 5 min to slightly reduce

FOR CHICKEN:

-Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees

-Season chicken with salt and pepper

-Heat a saute pan large enough to fit chicken in over high heat for 3 minutes

-Add oil and place chicken in pan breast side down

-Place in oven

-After 10 minutes, turn chicken over

-Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes or until an instant read thermometor placed in thigh reads 160-165 degrees

-Remove chicken from pan and let rest on cutting board

-Deglaze pan with the maple-cider sauce

-Cut up chicken into pieces, place on serving platter and pour sauce over the top

-ENJOY!!!!

 

 

OPEN FACED BREAKFAST SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 slice gluten free bread
• 1-2 organic, free-range eggs
• 1-2 slices of bacon
• 1/2 avocado
• raw milk cheddar cheese (optional)
• sea salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: 1 serving

Cook bacon in pan over medium heat until slightly
crispy and some fat has rendered out, remove

Put bread in toaster

Crack eggs into pan with bacon fat, season with salt
an pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes then turn over for
1 minute or until cooked to desired doneness

When toast is done lay cheese on it (if using)

Place eggs on top of the cheese and bacon on top of
eggs and slices of avocado on top of bacon

Autumn Maple-Cider Vinaigrette

 

Late Summer Gazpacho

As summer winds down, our local harvest is in full swing.  Amazing produce is arriving at the farmers markets.  Now is the time to take advantage of the great tomatoes, super sweet melons, and amazing variety of peppers available.  Here is a fantastic recipe for Late Summer Gazpacho makes full use of this bounty.

LATE SUMMER GAZPACHO

1/2 ripe cantaloupe or other sweet melon (about 2 cups cubed melon)

1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced

1/2 bell pepper, seeded and veins removed (red, yellow, or any other variety of sweet pepper)

4 large tomatoes roughly chopped (use any color or variety)

1/4 bunch cilantro (about 1/2 cup chopped)

Juice of 2-3 limes

1 shallot, roughly chopped

1/2-1 hot pepper, seeds removed (use any variety of hot pepper)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup sherry vinegar

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

 

Combine first 8 ingredients to blender and blend until smooth (2-3 minutes).  Transfer to large bowl and stir in vinegar, oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

SUGGESTIONS:

Serve with diced avocado

Add Grilled shrimp

Use a a sauce over grilled fish