E.WagnerHolisticHealth

                                 Blog #21: Joy of Cooking Healthy

Food preparation can be creative, fun, social, meditative, healing, down-to-earth and enlightening.  Here are three recipes I have used, varied, and shared with others. Used on a regular basis, they can be very effective. 

Anti-Inflammatory Alkalinizing Smoothie:  Into a blender place eight ounces of filtered water or young coconut water.  Add one serving of a high quality alkalinizing green protein powder, such as Pure Synergy from the Synergy Company, or another kind of alkalinizing protein powder, such as the rice-based UltraClear Plus pH from Metagenics.   Add ½ tsp cinnamon, a total of three large handfuls of different raw organic green vegetables such as kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, broccoli florets, water cress, etc., a handful of organic fresh or frozen fruit, such as blueberries, pitted cherries, banana or mango, and blend until smooth.  Additional ingredients could include fresh or dried ginger root, and juice from ½ lemon or lime.  This can make an excellent meal.  Some find it filling enough to divide in half and consume at two meals.  Refrigerate after blending, and use within 12 hours.

Bone Strengthening Soup:  Into a crock pot or double boiler combine your choice of the following items to make stock:  water, sea salt or sea vegetables, herbs such as turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic, ginger root, onion, nettles, oregano, and sage, root vegetables such as carrot, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, white potato, and yam, green vegetables such as celery, Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, parsley, broccoli, collard, turnip, and mustard greens.  You may also want to add mushrooms, eggplant, squash or other foods, as well as some fresh or high quality organic canned tomato.  The most important ingredient in this recipe is, as the name says, bones.  Usually, chicken necks, backs, and feet are used.  It is important that the chickens are raised without the use of hormones and antibiotics.  Ideally, they should be fed an organic diet, and be free-range.  Remove as much skin as possible before cooking.  Bones should be cooked in the soup for several hours or even overnight, until soft.

Juice, Soup, and Stew Tonic for Blood and Energy:  These three versions have almost the same ingredients.  They include apples, carrots, burdock root, beet root and greens, dandelion greens, spinach, parsley, kale, celery stalk, broccoli, red cabbage, and fresh nettles, if available.  Ingredients should be unsprayed, and preferably organically grown.  Nettles tend to absorb environmental toxins, so if they are wild, make sure they are not growing near a well-trafficked road or other source of pollution.  Generally, two kinds of root vegetables are sufficient in these recipes.

Juice:  Using a (preferably) good quality juicer, such as the Green Star, Green Power Juicer, Norwalk, Champion, Samson 6 - 1, or Super Angel, juice the ingredients, making sure to include lots of green vegetables.  It is best to drink the juice right away, in order to obtain as much of the enzymes and other nutrients as possible.  Fresh made juice will usually keep up to 48 hours in the refrigerator.  Include beet root, greens and nettles to build blood.

Soup:  Simmer chopped ingredients for several hours in a double boiler or crock pot.  Mushrooms, sea vegetables, and turkey are other ingredients you may want to add, especially around this time of year.  For sweetness add black strap molasses.

Stew:  Prepare in oven in a casserole dish, in a pressure cooker, or in a crock pot.  In addition to the above vegetables and herbs, kidney and/or liver from organically raised, grass-fed animals will help build blood and energy.  Dried fruit, especially raisins and wolfberries also will help build blood and energy, and help support the eyes.  If using a conventional oven, it is preferable to cook foods at relatively low temperatures, i.e. 200 degrees F, for two or more hours rather than at 350 degrees for 45 – 60 minutes, since cooking at lower temperatures will preserve more enzymes and other nutrients.  There is disagreement about the effectiveness of microwave ovens in preserving vitamins and enzymes.   I don’t recommend their use.

This blog’s offer:  Schedule a session to meet and discuss specific foods, herbs, and recipes that would be especially beneficial for you.  Mention this blog and I will take extra time to review blood work with you or test you for specific supplements.  A reasonable fee will apply.