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)

SIMPLE, HEALTHY, DELICIOUS SUMMER TREATS – JULY 2016 – VOLUME 8 ISSUE 4

With all the fresh fruits and vegetables coming into the market at this time of year, I want to focus on some simple, healthy summer treats this month. While I've designed them with kids in mind, I'm sure you'll agree that adults will enjoy them just as much. This newsletter is based largely on a recent interview I did with CTV Morning Live. 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. It is a step toward longevity. Volume 8, Issue 4 Simple, Healthy, Delicious Summer Treats - Enjoy! Ramila Padiachy Doctorate of Natural Medicine (DNM)® Ramilas Healing Arts Clinic 1437 Woodroffe Avenue Ottawa ON (map) 613.829.0427 info@ramilas.com Simple, Healthy, Delicious Summer Treats - Enjoy! My main feature is popsicles - four different kinds. The first (see recipes below) features 3 colourful layers, with no food dyes - the bottom layer (you actually add the layers in the opposite order when you're making this) of mangos, then strawberries, and kiwi on top. All fruits are blended and added individually after freezing the previous layer for 15-30 minutes. As well as using a standard popsicle shape, these can also be made in the shape of a cup cake.     There are also recipes (below) for creamsicles, yogurt popsicles and blueberry freezies.   In addition, I've provided you with recipes for two types of ice cream, suggestions for fruit skewers and a chocolate pudding that makes an excellent dip for the fruit skewers. The pudding contains avocado, so it is rich in protein, and no one would suspect it was there. This pudding is the only one with a little sweetener added - maple syrup - and none of the other recipes contain any added sugar or other sweetener.   Avoid Sugars, Dyes and Other Food Additives This topic is huge and here we can only scratch the surface, however, here are some basic tips.   What is a food additive? Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavour or enhance its taste and appearance. Sugars and dyes are probably the most common types of additive.   Why you should avoid added sugars: Added sugar contains no essential nutrients and is bad for your teeth. Added sugar, and especially HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), is high in fructose which can overload your liver. If you eat too much fructose (and especially if you are sedentary and eat a lot of processed foods), the liver will convert it into fat. Overloading the liver with fructose can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). People with NAFLD consume 2 to 3 times as much fructose as the average person. Sugar can cause insulin resistance, which is a stepping stone toward metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Sugar is a leading cause of obesity in both children and adults. In turn, obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and several types of cancer, and other diseases and disabilities. It's not the fat in your diet, it's the sugar, or more specifically the fructose, that raises your cholesterol (small, dense LDL and oxidized LDL), and triglyceride levels which can lead to heart disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends restricting added sugars to 5% of our dietary intake.  For the average person, this would be about 6 teaspoons (30 ml) of sugar per day - that's less than the amount in one can of sugar sweetened soft drink. While WHO concedes that 5% might be unrealistic for many people, they emphasize that the dietary intake of sugar definitely should not exceed 10%.   Food dyes   Food dyes are one of the most widely used and dangerous additives. There are many different food dyes with different risks, however the main points can be summarized: Several food dyes increase the risk of different types of cancer in laboratory animals. Some dyes are known carcinogens; for others, more research is needed but why take the risk? The other major area of concern is hyperactivity and other behavioural effects, particularly in children. Dyes are also linked to sensitivities and to asthma, among others. Detailed information is available in the CSPI's (Center for Science in the Public Interest) Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks (pdf).   There are many other additives, but this covers a major proportion of most peoples' exposure. In general, food additives are best avoided.   I hope you enjoy the recipes below, and that you're having a great summer!   Recipes POPSICLES   1. Fruit Pops blend kiwi and pour into popsicle mould 1/3 way up, freeze for 15 to 30 minutes blend strawberries and fill 1/3 way up freeze again blend mango and fill final 1/3 of mould freeze and enjoy 2. Creamsicles mix 1 scoop TNT formula (available at our clinic) in 60ml of water and 60 ml of pure mango juice pour into popsicle mould freeze and enjoy 3.  Frozen yogurt pops mix 2 scoops of the TNT formula with 60 ml of coconut milk and 60 ml of Greek yogurt, shake to combine pour into popsicle mould freeze and enjoy 4. Blueberry freezies pour coconut water into mould and drop in a few blueberries freeze and enjoy   ICE CREAMS   Choco-banana ice cream 2 frozen bananas  1 cup coconut milk  2 tsp coconut oil  2 tsp vanilla  2 tbsp raw cocoa powder  Optional: 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt Blend together, freeze and enjoy.   Piña Colada ice cream 2 cups frozen pineapple 1 cup coconut milk  4 tbsp shredded coconut  Optional: 1 scoop protein powder (Nature's Harvest works well and is available at our clinic) Blend together, freeze and enjoy.   PUDDING   Chocolate avocado pudding 1 medium avocado 1/2 cup almond or coconut milk  1 tbsp maple syrup  1 tbsp raw cocoa powder  pinch of salt pinch of cinnamon  Blend together, chill and enjoy.   FRUIT SKEWERS fruit of your choice cut into equal sized pieces to fit on bamboo skewers evenly  the chocolate avocado pudding makes a great dip for these Watch Ramila's CTV Morning Live feature about Healthy Summer Snacks to see all of the treats described here. Supplements for Success There are a couple of Nature's Sunshine products that you can use in these recipes. You can find information about these products and purchase them in our online store: TNT Nature's Harvest   For additional information, please email info@ramilas.com or call Ramilas Healing Arts Clinic at 613.829.0427 for an appointment. Please continue letting friends and family know about this newsletter. Visit our website where you can see back issues of this newsletter, information about services, products and our clinic, and order products. References: Food additive. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_additive Accessed July 5, 2016. Gunnars K. 10 disturbing reasons why sugar is bad for you. authoritynutrition.com/10-disturbing-reasons-why-sugar-is-bad/ September 2013. Accessed July 4, 2016. Branswell H. Eating sugar causes massive health problems, says WHO. The Canadian Press. huffingtonpost.ca/2014/03/05/eating-sugar_n_4903790.html Accessed July 4, 2016. Mercola J. Are you or your family eating toxic food dyes? February 24, 2011. articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/24/are-you-or-your-family-eating-toxic-food-dyes.aspx Accessed July 4, 2016.  Kobylewski S, Jacobson ME. Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks. Washington, DC: Center for Science in the Public Interest, 2010. cspinet.org/new/pdf/food-dyes-rainbow-of-risks.pdf   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. After several years of searching for relief, a friend has recommended I see Ramila. I suffered from debilitating environmental and food allergies, and such fatigue that walking up a flight of stairs was difficult. Within a few minutes of my first visit I knew I was in good hands with Ramila, as she had the uncanny ability to understand my problem and therefore get to the root of my illness.   For my path to wellness, Ramila had suggested sensitivity clearing for my allergies, as well as herbal supplements. I also gained tremendous relief from her emotional release technique. After each treatment I felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulders, I would never have believed how your emotions could play such a pivotal role in your physical well-being. Today I am happy to report health, wellness and serenity that I never thought possible.   - A.J., Ottawa, ON