Summer Brunch

If you're looking to throw a delicious brunch this summer sure to please any palate, try this vegetarian menu. The main dish is a Spinach, Basil and Feta Fritatta; hearty enough for any appetite. It is accompanied by a Creamy Tomato Bisque and a fresh Arugula & Strawberry Salad. If you are growing a garden of your own you may be able to find many of these ingredients right in your own yard. See below for recipes for these three delicious dishes.

Spinach, Basil and Feta Fritatta  

A hearty whole wheat and oat crust filled with a savory combination of spinach, garlic, onion, parmesan and cheddar cheeses.Makes 6-8 servings.

Filling:
1 large onion, chopped
Garlic, minced

extra virgin olive oil
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (or water or milk substitute)
1/2 cups feta cheese

8 Mushrooms, sliced
As much fresh spinach as you want or other garden greens
1/2 cups green onion, sliced thin

8-10 basil leaves sliced
Salt/Pepper to taste

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350° F
• Prepare the filling: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and mushroms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. 
• While those are cooking inn a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. 
• Add the remaining ingredients into the pan –  the spinach or other greens, green onions, basil. 
• Pour the eggs/milk mix into the pan and keep it on the burner for a few minutes before placing the pan into the oven
• Bake for about 10 minutes and then add the feta cheese to the top.

 

Creamy Tomato Bisque

Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic are simmered until soft and fragrant then blended with tomatoes and simmered with fresh parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. The soup is then blended and strained leaving a creamy tomato sauce that is simmered with heavy cream and salt. Served warm, with fresh ground pepper to taste. 

 Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced bacon (about 1/2 ounce)

1 Spanish onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned

1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid), roughly chopped

3 parsley sprigs

3 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 cup heavy cream

1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. 
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. 
4. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
5.  Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. 
6. Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. 
7. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. 
8. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
9. When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. 
10. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. 
11. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree. 
12. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.
13. Whisk the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste.

 

Arugula & Strawberry Salad

A rich source of iron and vitamins A and C, arugula is balanced here, with balsamic vinegar, walnuts shaved parmesan cheese and strawberries.

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

4 cups baby arugula, or torn arugula leaves

2 cups sliced strawberries, (about 10 ounces)

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved and crumbled into small pieces (1/2 cup)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, (see Ingredient note)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and aromatic, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a salad bowl; let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Add arugula, strawberries, Parmesan, pepper and salt. Sprinkle vinegar and oil over the salad; toss gently and serve at once.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient Note: Aged balsamic vinegar (12 years or older) is a treat, but not an economical one. If you don't want to spring for a $40 bottle, use regular balsamic. Alternatively, bring 1/2 cup regular balsamic vinegar to a boil over high heat in a small skillet. Cook until the vinegar begins to thicken and become syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes.

4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Total Time: 25 minutes

Homemade Cough Syrup

Coming down with a cold but don't want to down a bunch of cough syrup or throat sprays. Try this antimicrobial honey. Make it in advance so it's ready when you need it. It can take up to a few weeks to be ready and can be stored in the fridge for a few months. The syrup is not only soothing to the throat when taken either by the spoonful or added to a soothing tea perhaps. All of the ingredients in this syrup have antimicrobial properties making it not only soothing to the throat, but also helpful in fighting off whatever bug you have come down with.

Properties of the ingredients:

• Garlic, also known by it's latin name Allium sativum. Garlic is an important culinary ingredient as well as cardioprotective, antioxidant and widely used for it's antimicrobial properties. It can not ony be used to treat the common cold, but also help prevent many illnesses. It's obvious how well garlic penetrates the body because after eating it your breath and every pore sweats out the sweet smell of garlic. 
• Onion: Onion is a base to most recipes and there is good reason for it. Not only is it delicious and nutritious it is also anti-micriobial, anti-parasitic, and good for fevers, colds and coughs.
• Ginger, Zingiber officinalis: Ginger is energetically warming which to the circulatory system makes it a blood mover. Ginger is added to many formulas not only for it's healing properties, but also because it helps drive other herbs to where they need to be in the body by increasing circulation. Ginger helps with inflammation of any kind in the body through various mechanisms. According to natural medicine database it is also great for most ailments of the stomach (Nausea, Diarrhea and general stomachaches and pains) as well as migraine headaches and motion sickness. Ginger can treat just about anything. Feeling chilly, take some ginger it will warm you right up.
• Honey: Well besides being sweet and amazing it is also

What you will need:

• 1 Red or Yellow Onion, sliced evenly
• ½ head of Garlic 
• Sliced ginger Root
• Roughly a cup of organic raw honey 
• And roughly a half of granulated white sugar or brown sugar*
• A jar or something similar with a tight fitting lid that will comfortably but snugly hold your onion.
• *the amounts may vary slightly with the size of container you use*

Instructions:

1. Place the base of the sliced onion in your jar, and then pour honey in a layer over it (or cover in a layer of sugar, if that’s your sweetener of choice.) 
2. Then add a layer of garlic and ginger. 
3. Don't skimp on the garlic, onion and ginger, the more you add the more powerful your syrup.
4. Continue with another layer of sweetener and then onion. repeat until you reach the top of the jar. 
5. When you’re finished, cover tightly and let it sit in a cupboard. Check it after a few days. 
6. After it has sat out, there will now be liquid in the jar. 
7.  The sweetener draws out the antimicrobial constituents. 
8. Once the liquid has formed strain it out into a new jar
9. Use a spoonful as needed to control your cough (3 spoonful’s an hour, if needed.)
10. You can use the ginger, onion and garlic to add to a marinade, stir-fry or other dish. 
11. Repeat the process to keep your fridge stocked with this magic cough syrup.

Far Left side: Starting layer of onion, garlic, ginger and sugar. Bottom Right a few days into the process and the syrup is starting to form in the bottom. Top right: the delicious, antimicrobial syrup.

Resources:
Botanical Medicine Course - Bastyr University
Natural Partners Research database - onion and garlic and ginger 

Disclaimer:

Information is for health education only and is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or medical condition.

Always see your health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment

Information on herbs and supplements has not been evaluated by the FDA

 

Smoking... why quit?

The World Health Organization (WHO) states, "Tobacco kills nearly 6 million people each year. More than five million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while more than 600 000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. Unless urgent action is taken, the annual death toll could rise to more than eight million by 2030."(http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs339/en/. If quitting for your own health isn't enough, then the fact that every tme you light up a cigarette you are contributing to over 600,000 second hand smoking deaths worldwide should help. Quitting smoking no matter how long you have been smoking for is shown to help reduce your risk of smoking related illnesses including heart disease, lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses. See the CDC Fact Sheet for more ways to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is the single best thing a smoker can do for their health according to the surgeon general. Besides the cost to your health, it also has serious financial burden to your wallet. Check out this calculator to see how much your cigarettes are costing you.

Suggestions to Help with Quitting:

• Join a support group. It’s easier to do things together than alone.
• Try to cut back slow. Sometimes going cold turkey can be too much and lead to more relapse.
• Don’t be hard on yourself. According to the Real cost of smoking
• One suggestion is keeping a craving journal. It allows you see your pattern of smoking cigarettes and the feelings, emotions and habitual behaviors related. Once you figure out some of the more routine cigarettes you have you can attempt to break those habits by replacing them with other tasks. People are often smoking for a reason and it is important to identify that reason and be able to replace it with a more health promoting behavior. 
• Here is a great journal I found on line to use as a template: Craving Journal  
• Once you’ve identified the triggers from using your food journal then find methods to cope with those triggers.
• Make a plan to help with cravings and then put the plan into action!

Resources:

• The real cost of smoking 

• American Lung Association Quit Smoking Help

• Alere Wellbeing; Quit for life program: One of the nations leading tobacco cessation programs boasting a 50% smoking cessation rate
• Become an Ex: Is an online program that teaches people how to learn to live life without cigarettes. 
•  SmokeFree.gov: Can call 1-800-QuitNow (Washington state Tobacco Quit Line)
•  Quit Plans: http://smokefree.gov/quit-plan
•  Swedish Hospital Smoking Cessation Programs

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Disclaimer: Information is for health education only and is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or medical condition.

—Always see your health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment

—Information on herbs and supplements has not been evaluated by the FDA

Seasonal Allergies, What is Happening This Year!!

Does it seem like everyone is talking like they’re holding their noses and itching their eyes.  Maybe it is just because I am at clinic, but this allergy season seems to be hitting people harder than usual.

Allergy Basics:

Seasonal allergies are the result of our body’s defense system mounting a response to various types of pollens. Each spring, summer and fall, plants release tiny particles called pollen into the air in order to reproduce. Pollen from plants, such as ragweed, can trigger allergy symptoms. Pollen is a protein recognized by specialized immune cells, called mast cells, in our nasal passageways.  These cells release histamine and other inflammatory factors, which are responsible for all the unpleasant symptoms we feel including, watery or itchy eyes, runny nose, general congestion and sore throat.  The congestion caused by increase mucus production can lead to headaches, nausea from post-nasal drip and brain fog.

Basic Steps to Reduce Allergy Symptoms:

Since we know that contact between pollen and your nasal passageways (or any mucus membrane), starts this whole process then the first step is to limit exposure. 

• Staying indoors during the heat of the day as the hot air rising lifts pollen and avoiding windy weather.  Also, staying clear of highly populated areas of known plants that you know trigger symptoms. 
• Damp dust the indoor surfaces
• Wash bedding weekly. 
• Taking shoes off at the front door and having a walk-off mat at all entrances also limits the amount of outdoor allergens being tracked inside.
• Limit the amount of time the pollen is in contact with the membrane can help. Washing hands and face is helpful. Rinsing the nasal passageways a couple times a day with a saline solution from a Neti pot or nasal bulb syringe will wash away these proteins stuck inside the nasal passageway.
• Here is a useful video from Banyan Botanicals on how to use a Neti Pot

According to Up-to-Date Seasonal allergies are often treated with great success through acupuncture and Naturopathic modalities such as Homeopathy, Botanical Medicine, Physical Medicine and more. It is best to seek the advice of a licensed Naturopathic Doctor as they will be able to inform you on legitimate herbal companies. Caution with purchasing herbs unless you are aware of the quality of the herb and the manufactures Quality Assurance program because the FDA does not regulate herbs currently.

If you live in Seattle and are looking for an acupuncturist call my friend Alex Flores down at The Pin Cushion on Capitol Hill. He provides community acupuncture and not only can he help you with your allergies but let him know what else you have going on he might be able to help you there too.

Taking Action Against Dementia, Science Says

As we age there is often the concern that we will lose our memory, especially if we have seen it occur in older family members.  While there is no ‘cure all’ for dementia, a recently published study in the Lancet encourages us that there are proactive steps we can take to reduce cognitive decline.  This large double-blind randomized control study (very rare for a lifestyle intervention) compared 2 groups; the intervention group received diet and exercise modification along with cognitive training, while the control group received general health advice.  The researchers concluded, after the 2 years study period, that participant in the intervention group scored better on cognitive tests than the control group.

As humans walking this earth, there are things far beyond our control, we all know this.  However, thinking that our health is entirely up to our genetic predisposition is both disempowering and false.  The study mentioned above and thousands of other studies show that there are aspects of our health that we get to have a say in.  There is a term for this, ‘modifiable risk factors.’  For instance, smoking is a modifiable risk factor for lung cancer, stroke and kidney disease.  If a smoker stops smoking they have proactively modified their risk for developing those diseases.  In the same way reducing saturated fat, fried foods and sugar modifies someone’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

For dementia, individual modifiable risk factors have been determined, but the trial above tests them all together in over 1,000 participants who are already showing signs of dementia.  Enough participants continued in the study for the results to show a significant difference between the 2 groups.  A ‘significant’ finding in a scientific study means the final measured difference in test scores was great enough to be caused by the intervention and not by chance.  In this case, a significant finding means that the researchers are confident that diet, exercise and cognitive training are more effective than general health advice for actually reducing progression of dementia.

The article highlights that the lifestyle factors are likely improving vascular function, a long held theory about the progression of dementia.  If our brains are not getting the proper amount of blood flow, it does not get adequate oxygen.  Improving vascular health, the health of your circulatory system, will help with cognitive functioning.  So, the next time you have an important meeting or test, take a walk around the block beforehand and get that blood moving!

Reference:

Ngandu T, Lehtisalo J, Solomon A, et al. A 2 year multidomain intervention of diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring versus control to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk elderly people (FINGER): a randomized controlled trial. Lancet. 2015 Mar 11. pii: S0140-6736(15)60461-5.2.

Part 2: Guidelines for Mindful Eating

I wrote earlier about what is mindful eating. Mindful eating cannot only help people who have an unhealthy relationship with food, but can also help people  who are suffering from digestion issues. Below is a Mindful Eating Guideline to help you practice being more mindful during meal times.

1.     Slow Down:

§  Pause and enjoy the smells and beauty of the meal

§  Each time you take a bite, put down your fork until the last bite is thoroughly chewed

§  Chew thoroughly until the full taste is extracted

§  Chewing allows enzymes to digest food and signals of fullness to reach the stomach

2.     Eat the Right Amount:

§  The Okinawans, the longest lived people in the world, practice “hara no hachi bu,” which means eating until you are 80% full. We often eat until we are stuffed and then no longer enjoy the meal we consumed.

3.     Practice Mindful Substitution:

§  Offer substitutions that satisfy what you are craving. For instance, if you are craving sweets, try a baked apple drizzled with maple syrup because a kale salad may not keep the craving away. But reaching for a cookie or other desserts may not actually satisfy your craving either.

4.     Practice Mindful Meditation

§  Meditate for 5 – 10 minutes a day, focusing on your breath and being fully present

§  Use this time to set intentions for each day

5.     Recognize All Types of Hunger

§  Eye Hunger is the need for beauty. Satisfy eye hunger by creating a “feast for the eyes” with the colors on your plate. Feed on color and beauty without eating at other times in your life: looking at art or nature, for example.

§  Nose Hunger is the need to experience smell, which connects us to our memories. Always take time to smell before eating, and feast on smell without eating, such as using aromatherapy.

§  Mouth Hunger is the need to chew. Try different textures and feel each taste on your tongue.

§  Stomach Hunger is typical “hunger” in the belly. Always check in with stomach hunger before, during, and after a meal to make sure you are eating due to true stomach hunger and not another type of hunger.

§  Cellular Hunger is the body’s need for nutrients in its cells. What nutrients does your diet need to support your cells?

§  Mind or Heart Hunger is what we desire. This may not be hunger for food. Ask yourself what are you really hungry for? Nourish yourself in non-food ways daily.

Resources

Mindful Eating by Jan Chozen Bays

Eat, Drink, and Be Mindful by Susan Albers

The Center for Mindful Eating: www.thecenterformindfuleating.org

Adapted from BCNH 

Disclaimer:  Information is for health education only and is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or medical condition. Always see your health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment. Information on herbs and supplements has not been evaluated by the FDA

Note: If you are suffering from an eating disorder or digestive issues, please seek support from a physician.

Part 1: What is Mindful Eating?

Some of us have an unhealthy relationship with food. Mindful eating is a skill that can help you create a better relationship. Mindfulness is the act of deliberately paying attention to what is happening in the present moment in a non-judgmental way. This involves being aware of your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations and practicing acceptance of all these. Mindfulness allows us to be aware of reactive, habitual patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting, and offers the possibility of freeing ourselves from these habits if they do not serve us.

Mindful Eating is:

• Respecting your own inner wisdom during food selection and preparation
• Using all your senses in choosing to eat food that is both satisfying to you and nourishing to your body
• Accepting physical responses to food without judgment
• Becoming aware of physical hunger and satiety cues to guide your decision to begin and end eating
• Accepting that each person’s eating experience is unique, and there is no right or wrong way to eat
• Taking time to plan meals that support your health and well-being
• Eating at a time and place that allows you to focus only on the food while eating
• Eating on a schedule that respects your body’s needs and provides food regularly
• Recognizing foods that don’t serve your body and not judging yourself when these foods are eaten, thinking “I will learn from these experiences and continue to do better”
• Recognizing emotions before eating
• Recognizing the value and nourishment in each bite you are providing yourself
• Noticing habits or conditioning from childhood that no longer serve you, and releasing these
• Allowing yourself to enjoy the foods you love in a balanced and health-supportive way

Mindful eating is the opposite of mindless eating, a practice that can lead to guilt, indigestion, and struggle.

Mindless Eating is…

• Shopping when hungry and without a list
• Not planning meals, eating randomly and compulsively, skipping meals
• Relying primarily on take out, vending machines, and ready-prepared foods
• Eating on the run, while standing at the fridge, in the car, or while distracted (watching TV, working)
• Never anticipating food needs in advance; thinking of eating as a “nuisance”
• Eating only high calorie foods that are visible and accessible
• Swallowing food quickly
• Eating when emotionally upset; using food for stress relief, comfort, or to replace another desire
• Cleaning your plate without checking in with your hunger
• Eating only “favorite” foods regardless of nutrition Feeling guilty for slips and concluding that change is hopeless
• Forcing yourself to stick to a certain diet regardless of how your body feels
• Viewing healthy eating as a punishment and unhealthy foods as “rewards

Resources

Mindful Eating by Jan Chozen Bays

Eat, Drink, and Be Mindful by Susan Albers

The Center for Mindful Eating: www.thecenterformindfuleating.org

Adapted from BCNH 

Disclaimer:  Information is for health education only and is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or medical condition. Always see your health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment. Information on herbs and supplements has not been evaluated by the FDA

Cold and Flu Care

Prevention is the best medicine! Keeping your body healthy can be difficult especially during cold and flu season so here are a few tips to try to keep from catching something.

• Sleep! We all know how we feel when we don't get enough of it. The amount we need varies from person to person. Be mindful of your sleep and try to get a few more hours when you feel like you are coming down with something. Visit the National Sleep Foundation Website for more information. 
• Hand washing! According to the CDC hand washing saves lives (CDC:Handwashing). It also helps prevent the spread of germs so wash your hands. Hand washing is the best way to eliminate the spread of microbes! Singing the birthday song while washing your hands with simple soap and water helps to ensure you are washing for long enough.
• If you tend to be someone who "catches everything" take extra precaution and even where gloves in public places. 

If you feel something coming on:

• Wash your hands even more especially after coughing or sneezing. 
• Try warming socks best done for three nights in a row. See previous blog post. 
• Rest! Rest! Rest! Don't continue to push yourself when you're feeling rundown. Your body is talking to you and it's important you listen so your acute cold doesn't turn into something more chronic.  
• Early treatment is key to fighting off viral infections.  Pay special attention to infections that go directly to the lungs without a sore throat or congestion. These infections are sometimes more serious and must be treated strongly. Make an appointment to see your doctor if your usual home remedies are not working within a few days. 
• Foods to promote health are important such as a hearty soup base made of vegetables or chicken base. 
• Very important to stay hydrated to keep mucus thin if dealing with congestion.

Disclaimer:  Information is for health education only and is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or medical condition. Always see your health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment. Information on herbs and supplements has not been evaluated by the FDA

Gardening: good for mind, body and soul.

My gardening experiences started in my youth. All my mom ever wanted for Mother's Day or any other holiday was "yard work". At least at 12 it felt like work, or better yet punishment. I would have rather spent $50 on a gift then weeded around the porch, mow the yard, or a number of other garden tasks. As I grew up, I spent more time with my papa in his garden. Garden doesn’t even seem to paint a picture of his work of art. I realized it wasn’t work to him, yes there was labor involved but it was labor of love. He spent his mornings out in the yard or in his beautiful greenhouse attached to the house growing, transplanting and tending to the various fruit trees, bushes, or other various perennials growing vibrantly wherever they please. I fell in love with gardening that first summer, it changed from work to something I wanted to get up early to do. 

 

A few pictures from my papa's masterpiece

Gardening is not only nourishing to the body because of what you harvest, but also the effort of gardening is physical exercise without having to go to the gym. Here are some of the benefits I have found in gardening:

1. Movement – mowing, clipping, planting, harvesting. I am always moving and make a conscious effort to stretch and use good body mechanics.
2. Delicious Fruits and vegetables – fruits and vegetables grown in your own garden with your own labor taste unlike anything you can purchase from anywhere else even a farmers market. There is something delicious and special about taking something from the garden to the table that is if it makes it in the house. J  
3. Time to Meditate – however it is you spend the majority of your time is likely to produce some amount of stress which can lead to mental and physical exhaustion. Spending time in the gardening with your hands and feet in the dirt allows time to ground yourself. When most of our life is spent engulfed in technology it is important to make time to reconnect with the earth. Gardening allows for that time.
4. From seed to flower – there is something magic about helping Mother Nature grow her seeds. Learning to grow plants is an art and like any artist knows is full of trials and errors and the beauty is found in the process.
5. Solo or with Friends – I spend most of my time in the garden with my hopes, dreams and fears and love the time to reflect. But a great deal of joy comes from sharing my garden experience with a friend or loved one. 

And if you don’t have the space to garden at home or are new and would rather garden with friends, find a community garden in your area. Here is a beautiful community garden in Shoreline that not only has individual plots, but also grows food to donate to the local food bank. Check out their blog: http://www.twinpondsgarden.org/blog/