HOLIDAY RECIPES - DECEMBER 2018 - VOLUME 10, ISSUE 9

Volume 10, Issue 9 December 2018 Holiday Recipes With the holidays just around the corner, there is always so much food! It's impossible to avoid treats, especially the ones that are only available at this time of year. But I thought you might appreciate some healthy recipes that you could intersperse with the richer foods you are bound to find beckoning to you. I wish you a happy, healthy holiday season! I hope these recipes are helpful to you during the holidays - and all year long. Read on below... These newsletters will help you make better choices for better health. The choices that you make today can either have a positive or negative impact on your overall health. Begin by choosing better as it is a step towards longevity. Ramila Padiachy Doctor of Natural Medicine (DNM)® A Few Suggestions for Lighter Holiday Meals These recipes come from my book, Candida Friendly Vegan Cook Book - Calming Foods for the Body, Mind and Soul. It is available with the purchase of my book, The Belly of the Beast - How to Calm Your Gut and Reclaim Your Health. I hope you enjoy them. Salads Refreshing Salad 2 English cucumbers diced 10 cherry tomatoes cut in halves 1 medium red onion chopped 1 ripe avocado pitted and cubed Handful of cilantro chopped (or handful of chopped basil) Toss all the ingredients into a medium serving bowl. Add olive oil and lemon juice dressing* and toss. *Olive Oil and Lemon Juice Dressing 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil juice of one large lemon or lime 1 clove garlic finely chopped Himalayan salt and black pepper to taste Combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake well. To vary the dressing, you can add: mint, chili powder, dry, ground coriander, ground cumin, dry mustard, basil, thyme, oregano or chives, any other herbs of your choice. Quinoa Tabouli 2 cups cooked quinoa 1 cup chopped curly parsley 1/2 large or one small red onion finely chopped 1 tomato chopped juice from 1 lemon 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper Toss all ingredients in a medium serving bowl. You can add 1/2 cup black beans or chickpeas if you like. You can also add 1/2 avocado cubed. Cover and refrigerate before serving. Main Meals Three-Bean Chili 1 cup cooked black beans 1 cup cooked kidney beans 1 cup cooked chickpeas (You may also use canned beans, drain and rinse thoroughly.) 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 large onion chopped 3 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 - 28 oz. can organic diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes 2 large carrots peeled and cubed 2 sticks celery cubed 2 cups kale or any greens of your choice 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoons dried oregano Himalayan salt to taste In a large saucepan heat coconut oil; add onions and sauté over medium heat until onions are transparent. Add garlic, spices and herbs and cook for 1 minute. Add carrots and celery and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and beans. Zucchini Pasta with Avocado-Pepita Pesto 5 small zucchini squash, or 2 large, spiralized 2 tablespoons coconut oil 1 clove crushed garlic 1 small avocado 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 1 cup fresh basil juice of 1 lemon 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 - 3 tablespoons water salt and pepper to taste Place avocado, pumpkin seeds, basil, lemon juice in food processor (or vitamix). Pulse. Gradually add olive oil and water and continue to blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add coconut oil to medium size pan; add garlic and simmer for 1 minute. Add zucchini noodles and increase the heat to medium high and cook. Toss using pasta tongs, until the noodles are al dente, about 3-5 minutes. (If you have a larger quantity you may cook it a little longer 5 - 7 minutes, or cook in 2 batches.) Don't overcook the noodles, keep the crunch. Toss zucchini noodles with some of the pesto, you can add more or less to your liking. Desserts Chia Pudding 3 tablespoons chia 1 cup coconut or almond milk 1/4 teaspoon vanilla Stevia or xylitol to taste 2 teaspoons shredded coconut Whisk together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Cover and let stand until it thickens in about 2 hours. Avocado Pudding 1 avocado few drops of vanilla 1 cup of coconut or almond milk Stevia or xylitol to taste Cut avocado in half; remove and discard pit. Scoop avocado flesh from the skins. In a small blender, blend above ingredients; then add 1 teaspoon crushed slivered almond to the mixture. Layer chia pudding and avocado pudding in parfait glasses. Garnish with shredded coconut and slivered almonds. Cover with saran wrap and chill before serving. Note: you can add another layer with chopped berries. Sweet Potato peel and cube 1 large sweet potato 2 sticks of cinnamon 3 whole cardamom 2 tablespoons coconut oil 1 tablespoon shredded coconut Heat coconut oil in a saucepan, add cinnamon sticks and cardamom, let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cubed sweet potato and stir; cover the saucepan with lid and cook on low heat until sweet potato is well-cooked. Serve warm and garnish with shredded coconut. Avocado Truffles 1 whole ripe avocado 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons cocoa or carob powder 1 tablespoon coconut oil 2 tablespoons almond butter pinch of salt Stevia or xylitol to taste Cut avocado in half, remove and discard pit. Scoop avocado flesh from the skins. Place all ingredients in a small food processor. Process until well-mixed. Place in a bowl and refrigerate until fairly firm. Scoop into balls using a small cookie scoop and roll into ball. Roll the balls in shredded coconut or cocoa powder. Freeze until you are ready to serve. Note: If you are following the Candida protocol, please note that stevia or xylitol may be added to the desserts in phase 2 of the protocol, but not in phase 1. References Padiachy R. Candida Friendly Vegan Cook Book - Calming Foods for the Body, Mind and Soul.PFD available with The Belly of the Beast (see below), 2017. Padiachy R, The Belly of the Beast - How to Calm Your Gut and Reclaim Your Health. Stouffville: Black Card Books, 2017. Disclaimer: The suggestions and recommendations in this newsletter are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic. The information is accurate and up to date to our knowledge, but we are not responsible for any errors in our sources of information. Supplements There are some Nature's Sunshine supplements that would help you to maximize your health. You can find information about these products and purchase them in our online store: Berberine IR Carbo Grabbers Vitamin C 1000 mg Vitamin C 500 mg Vitamin D3 Zambroza Zerenity Zinc 25 mg Zinc & Vitamin C Lozenges AVAILABLE NOW thebellyofthebeast.ca 1437 Woodroffe Avenue Ottawa ON (map)