Thanksgiving & Healthy Pumkin Pie

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone is enjoying time with loved ones, and remembering to be grateful for the little things. In the company of friends and family, and an abundance of delicious food, there is no better time to reflect on the many blessings which comprise  our lives. Thanksgiving is also a perfect time to share healthful and delicious foods with the people most important to us. So here are a few recipe ideas for dinner:)

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Butternut Squash Soup

Sweet Potato and Black Beans

Also, you just can't have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. That being said, here is a recipe for mini pumpkin pies. Of course they are comprised entirely of whole, pure, and nourishing ingredients. 

Ingredients:
(makes about 3 servings)

Pumpkin Chia Pudding

2 cups canned pumpkin

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 tbsp chia seeds

1tbsp grated ginger

2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice


Raisin Walnut Crust

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tbsp pure virgin coconut oil

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp water


In a bowl whisk all pudding ingredients together until smooth.
Set in fridge to chill.
In a bowl mix chia seeds with water.
Allow to sit for about 10 minutes, until the seeds reach a gel consistency.
In a blender or food processor combine walnuts and raisins and puree until finely chopped.
Add the walnuts, raisins, almond flour, maple syrup, and coconut oil to chia seed gel.
Mix until ingredients are thouroughly combined.
Place dough into small serving bowls, and with your fingers shape into the form of a pie crust.
Pour pudding into the crust.
Chill for about an hour.
Enjoy!

Classic Butternut Squash Soup

It's almost Thanksgiving, and I finally gave in and wore my winter coat for the first time this year. It's getting cold! In my opinion this time of year just wouldn't be complete without butternut squash soup. There is something so comforting and familiar about this traditional recipe. It's incredibly healthy, and easier to make than you would think. Making it a perfect dish to bring to family Thanksgiving dinner!

According to Ayurveda, the traditional holistic health and wellness practice from India, this time of year marks the beginning of the season associated with the Vata Dosha. Ayurvedic philosophies emphasize the importance of eating seasonally. There are three seasons; Kapha (Spring), Pitta (Summer and early Fall), and Vata (late Fall and Winter). According to Ayurveda our dietary needs change with the seasons, because our bodies have to acclimate to different climates. During the late Fall and Winter the weather is cold and arid, therefore are bodies benefit from warm and moist foods such as soups, cooked vegetables, and hot drinks. Ever noticed that you naturally crave these foods on chilly days? It's because your body is trying to find balance with your environment. So listen to your body, it might just be saying it wants some of this soup!

Ingredients:

(makes 5 to 6 servings)

1 large butternut squash

1 large apple

1/2 of a sweet onion

1 small clove of garlic

2 tbsp coconut oil

6 cups vegetable broth

Chop the top and the bottom off of the butternut squash so that it can stand upright.

Remove the skin with a vegetable peeler.

Cut in half and remove seeds (save for baking!)

Chop squash into about 1 inch chunks and set aside.

Core and chop apple and set aside.

Mince garlic.

In a large pot combine garlic and coconut oil and simmer on low heat.

Chop onion and add to pot.

Stir so that coconut oil is evenly distributed and continue to simmer until onion is tender.

Add butternut squash chunks and apple to the pot.

Add vegetable broth and cook on high heat.

When soup is almost boiling reduce to low heat and allow soup to simmer for about 20 minutes.

Transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth (it might take two batches depending on how big your blender is).

Serve warm with rosemary garlic croutons.

Enjoy!

Rosemary Garlic Croutons

2 slices of whole grain bread (I always use Ezekiel sprouted grain bread)

4 tbsp olive oil

2 small cloves of garlic

a few sprigs of rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mince garlic.

In a pan lightly sautee garlic with olive oil.

Cut pieces of bread into crouton sized pieces.

Place on lightly oiled baking sheet.

Drizzle olive oil and garlic evenly over bread.

Gently tear rosemary leaves from stems.

Sprinkle evenly over bread.

Place bread in oven and bake for about 10 minutes.

Serve over homemade soup.

Enjoy!

Peppermint Tea

Recently every time I go to the farmer’s market I cannot resist the beautiful fresh herbs available. I always end up coming home with a delicious smelling bunch of peppermint leaves. As a result I’ve become obsessed with peppermint tea. For centuries peppermint has been revered for it’s curative properties. It helps to alleviate stress, depression, headaches, and insomnia. It also benefits the digestive system and liver and is known to relieve indigestion.
To make peppermint tea you simply pour boiling water over fresh mint leaves. You can adjust the strength of the tea to your taste by changing the ratio of water to leaves. Cover the tea and allow it to steep for about 10 minutes. I also like to add a little bit of raw honey. People who suffer from insomnia or anxiety will find this drink to be very helpful before bed due to it’s calming properties.

Detox Salad

I shamelessly stole this recipe idea from the Whole Foods salad bar. I just loved the idea of useing naturally cleansing cruciferous vegetables to make a detoxifying meal. I used the original salad as an inspiration, then my goal was to make it healthier, yummier, and of course cheaper! I switched up the ingredients a bit, and was delighted with the results. The raisins balance out the flavors of the vegetables, and the lemon and apple cider vinegar in the dressing increase the cleansing benefits of this salad.
Cruciferous vegetables are some of the most nutrient dense plants in nature. Examples of cruciferous vegetables in season right now include; broccoli, cauliflower (guess I'm still obsessed), kale, brussel sprouts, bok choy, and cabbage, to name a few. Cruciferous vegetables offer a wide array of health benefits; they support the liver and aid the body’s detoxification system (hence the name of the salad!), provide antioxidants which eliminate free radicals in the body, and even protect against certain forms of cancer. These veggies are also an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, and fiber. You can understand why I was so inclined to steal this recipe featuring cruciferous vegetables as the key ingredients! 

Ingredients:

1 cup of broccoli (finely chopped)

1 cup of cauliflower (finely chopped)

1/2 cup of kale (finely chopped)

1 large carrot (grated)

1/2 cup of raisins

Dressing:

juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp of maple syrup

Combine broccoli and cauliflower in a blender or food processor and blend until finely chopped.

Finely chop kale with a knife.

Grate carrot with a cheese grater.
Combine dressing ingredients in a seperate bowl and whisk together.

Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl and add dressing.

Toss well.

Enjoy!

The Secret Garden

The weather in New York has been so beautiful recently. Crisp and sunny = perfect fall weather. Don’t even get me started on the amazing colors of the fall foliage. I’ve been trying to spend as much time as possible outside, because in New York you never know what the weather will be like tomorrow.

The other day I discovered an adorable little pocket of nature in the heart of the East Village. One of my favorite things about living in New York is turning down a familiar block and stumbling upon a place you never knew existed. The city never fails to amaze me. This little garden is a pocket of tranquility in this crazy city. It’s a community sponsored garden project on 9th Street and Avenue C. It’s amazing how you don’t feel like you’re in a city the second you enter the garden. I brought a book and a cup of tea and took advantage of the gorgeous weather. In our fast-paced society it’s so important to take the time to enjoy the quiet moments and commune with nature. And yes, it’s possible to do so even in the middle of Manhattan.

Energy Smoothie

I love to start my day off with a green smoothie. In fact, I eat one for breakfast almost every morning. This smoothie recipe is particularly energizing due to the addition of bee pollen. It might seem like an unusual ingredient, but bee pollen is a superfood which contains energy and health enhancing properties. What is it? Bee pollen is the flower pollen which bees collect to make honey. It is a complete protien, containing all twenty-two essential amino acids. Bee pollen is a rich source of antioxidants, enzymes, phytonutrients, and minerals. On top of all that, a little bit of bee pollen adds a creamy consistency to the entire smoothie and makes it taste like a milkshake! 

Smoothies are an ideal way to start our day. Every night as we sleep our bodies cleanse and rejuvanate. If we eat a heavy meal in the morning, our bodies switch from cleaning to digesting. Digestion requires lots of energy. This is why heavy breakfasts can actually drain our energy. Smoothies are essentially predigested food. Therefore they require less energy to process while making nutrients more readily available to our bodies. Eating a smoothie for breakfast is an ideal way to extend our body’s cleansing process, while providing energy and easily assimilated nutrients.

Ingredients:

1 large banana

2 cups of spinach

1/2 cup of shredded kale

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk

1 tbsp of bee pollen

1 tsp of spirulina

1 drop of pure vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until desired consistency is reached. Enjoy boundless energy!

Ridiculously Easy Sweet Potato Dish

This dish is so simple, I’m not sure that it can even be called a recipe. Although I suppose most of my recipes fall into this grey area category. I guess I just believe that when vegetables are this fresh they require minimal preparation to taste their best! I’ll just call this a really easy and delicious way to prepare sweet potatoes, which have just come into season.

Sweet Potatoes are rich in fiber and potassium. Their vibrant orange color represents high levels of beta-carotene, in fact they are one of the nature’s best sources of this valuable nutrient. Beta-carotene is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning that it is best absorbed by the body when complemented with healthy fats. The coconut oil in this dish aids the body in assimilating the precious beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is beneficial because it helps the body combat free radicals and promotes optimal immune function. Very important this time of year!

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato

1 can of black beans (including liquid)

1 tbsp coconut oil

sea salt 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and scrub sweet potato, but do not remove skin (buy organic!).

Chop sweet potato into 1 inch pieces.

Coat pieces evenly with coconut oil.

Place on lightly oiled baking pan.

Pour beans and liquid evenly over the sweet potato chunks.

Season lightly with sea salt.

Bake for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Eat Your Apples!

It’s apple season here in the North East! It’s one of my favorite things about fall in New York. Every time I go to the farmer’s market I am ecstatic to see bushels upon bushels of colorful apples. Needless to say I have been eating them non-stop recently. My favorites are Honeycrisp and Fuji apples. The crunchier and sweeter the better!

Apples live up to the old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Apples are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. The phytonutrients and polyphenols in apples help to regulate blood sugar and lower cholesterol. The skin of the apple is where most of the nutrients are concentrated, so be sure to buy organic!
Apples are extremely cleansing due to their high fiber and water content. When eaten on an empty stomach, their natural detoxifying powers are maximized. According to food combining theory, fruits should always be eaten alone and on an empty stomach. This is because fruit digests very quickly due to the fact that fruit is comprised primarily of water. When the passage of fruit is blocked by slower digested foods, the fruit becomes trapped in the digestive tract. This makes the precious nutrients of fruit less available to the body, and can cause bloating and abdominal discomfort.

To maximize the amazing health benefits of fruits, such as apples, eat them on an empty stomach in the morning. This is when our bodies crave simple carbohydrates and natural sugars to provide energy after our nightly fast. Eating fruit in the morning extends our body’s natural daily cleansing cycle. Imagine the fiber and nutrients of an apple as a broom; sweeping through your digestive tract and cleaning out any leftover crud so that your body can efficiently process food throughout the rest of the day. Don’t worry, if you enjoy heartier breakfasts it’s fine to eat an apple and then 20 minutes later eat other foods too. If you want to eat fruit later in the day, just wait a few hours after a meal. Eating fruit alone will make you feel pure and energized!