Cooking

Spicy Organic Sweet Potatoes

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Serves 4

Ingredients:

o 1 ½ pounds organic sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
o 1 small organic red onion, peeled and chopped
o 2 TBSP organic, unrefined raw coconut oil
o 1 to 1 ½ tsp organic chili pepper
o 4 gloves organic garlic, chopped fine

Directions:

Heat oven to 400o. Place the prepared potatoes (or yams) and onions in a reusable plastic bag. Drizzle in the coconut oil. Shake bag to coat vegetables well. Next, spread the vegetables into a glass baking dish in one layer; sprinkle evenly with the chili powder. Cover with foil and roast for 35 minutes. Remove the foil, carefully add the chopped garlic evenly, then cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Serve warm.

Blessings to you and may you take a moment to enjoy the beautiful food you have placed before you! 🙂

Inflammation – The Root Cause To Most Disease (part 1)

/ organic urban farmgirl / 1 Comment

Most always inflammation begins in the gut!

inflammation

  • Inflammation controls our lives. From the first bump on the head to chronic digestive stress inflammation is a leading indicator something is afoot.
  • Inflammation is an essential part of the immune system, chronic inflammation is not. Chronic inflammation harms the body instead of healing it, as it simultaneously destroys and heals tissues that cause the immune system to overexert itself.
  • It has become increasingly obvious that chronic inflammation is the main cause of many chronic illnesses. Heart disease, obesity, ADD/ADHD, dental issues, thyroid issues, migraines, diabetes, many cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease, are a few off the top of my head.
  • Inflammation is recognized as redness, heat, swelling and pain. It is a natural healing response to bring nourishment and immunity to an injury or infection. When the inflammation continues and refuses to go away, it causes illness.
  • Some of the things that contribute to inflammation include: stress, lack of exercise, dietary choices, genetics, exposure to toxic secondhand tobacco smoke, prescription drugs like steroids, OTC drugs like NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs!) and heavy metals.
  • Learning how to adjust dietary choices is one of the best ways to deal with chronic inflammation. Not only is this a safe choice, food is something your body recognizes and eating the right organic, soothing, cooling, anti-inflammatory foods heals and cleanses you from the inside out.
  • If you are living with chronic inflammation, digestive discomfort, bloating, arthritis and have low energy, fear not!! There is so much you can do to turn your life around and get your balance back.
  • FIRST TIP IS TO STOP EATING SUGAR in all forms!!!

The Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie!

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 inch of fresh ginger, gratedturmericsmoothie
1 inch of fresh turmeric, grated
Handful of baby spinach
Handful of watercress (or rocket/arugula)
1 small soft avocado
1/2 capsicum
Big handful of flat-leaf parsley and/ or coriander
1 cup coconut water (or filtered water)
Big pinch of cayenne
Pinch of unprocessed sea salt

Instructions

  1. Grate the roots into the blender and add the avocado and coconut water
  2. Blend this to form a base
  3. Next add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth

As with all days pay attention to what you are putting in your mouth….. this greatly impacts your health, your life and your mood!

Be well my friends and I am here to empower you on your journey of great self love!!

Jennifer

Pomegranate and Rice Medley Stuffing

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Makes 8 half-cup servings.
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Ingredients

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oilfarro
• 1 cup chopped celery
• ½ cup orange pepper, chopped (can substitute red or yellow pepper)
• ½ cup uncooked brown rice
• ½ cup uncooked wild rice
• ½ cup dried pomegranate seeds
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley OR 1 tsp dried parsley
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• ½ cup chopped roasted almonds
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
Heat olive oil in a roasting pan (4 qt or larger) over medium heat. Add chopped celery and chopped orange pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened (3 to 5 minutes). Add brown rice and wild rice, stir until coated with olive oil, just 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat, simmer and cook covered, 35 minutes.

At 35 minutes, remove lid and stir in basil and dried pomegranates. Simmer, covered, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 more minutes. Add black pepper to taste. Fluff with a fork and sprinkle chopped roasted almonds on top, or allow guests to sprinkle almonds per serving.

Note: May be made two days ahead and stored in sealed container in the refrigerator. Reheat by placing Pomegranate and Rice Medley Stuffing in lightly-oiled glass baking dish, add 2 tablespoons water, and warm at 300 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through.

10 Ways to save money and eat healthy organic foods!

/ organic urban farmgirl / 2 Comments

1) Go with home-made.  Americans today spend 49% of their food budget on eating out at restaurants.  When you make it yourself, you know what’s in it – and you can save a lot of money, too.

2) Use bulk bins. Buying beans, whole grains, and other non-perishables from bulk bins will save you an average of 56% over buying the same items pre-packaged.

3) Cook in quantity.  Whether you live alone or are part of a big family, making big sauces, pots of soup, casseroles and other meals saves time in the long run.  You can freeze extras for convenient instant meals, or create meal-sharing arrangements with friends or co-workers.

4) Grow food. It takes time, but gardening is the most economical way to enjoy the freshest possible food.  In urban neighborhoods, community gardens are a great way to grow food and build community at the same time.  There are an estimated 18,000 community gardens in the US and Canada.   For resources to help you start one, visit this the American Community Gardening Association.

5) Buy direct from farmers.  When you join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), you enter into a direct win-win partnership with local farmers.  Farmer’s Markets are a fantastic way to support farmers while enjoying fresh food straight from the source.  In the US, the number of farmer’s markets has more than doubled in the last decade.  Click here for more info on Farmer’s Market and CSA opportunities near you.

6) Use what’s in season, economical and nutritious.  Some of the most budget-conscious starches include beans, whole grains, and potatoes.  Some of the most affordable and nutritionally potent vegetables often include cabbage, carrots, and onions.

7) Use – and stick with – shopping lists.  Maintain an ongoing shopping list.  Conduct a quick inventory of your kitchen before you shop to see if you’re missing anything important.  By thinking your shopping through in advance, you’re more likely to get what you actually need, and less likely to waste money on impulse buying that you’ll later regret.

8) Cut down on animal products.  As Dr. John McDougall has pointed out, approximately one-third of the calories consumed by people living in developed nations are from animal sources.  Animal foods — like meat, poultry, fish, milk, and cheese, are usually an expensive source of protein and nutrients.

9) Eat before shopping.  Grocery stores know the power of delectable smells. Everything looks good when our stomachs are screaming, “feed me!”, and that can lead to more impulse buying.

10) Join Green Polka Dot Box.  This is a natural and organic buyers collective that makes healthy ad GMO-free foods available for great prices, delivered straight to your door, anywhere in the United States.  Find out more and sign up here.

Healthy food is a fundamental building block to a healthy life.  It’s an investment worth making.  And in many cases, we can even save money in the process.

And most importantly and always love life, yourself and remember

EAT……HEAL…….LIVE!

 

 

Making a smoothie to jumpstart your day!

/ organic urban farmgirl / 2 Comments

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I have made smoothies most of my adult life and it wasn’t until this past year that I made a few changes that have had a BIG difference in my energy and concentration. First and most improved is the BlendTec blender which is the best blender I have ever had and secondly are the ingredient I incorporate from my garden.

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I go out each morning and pick 3 – 4 big heirloom kale leaves and look for other dark greenery that could be used such as beet greens, broccoli leaves and sometimes lettuce although I would rather use that for my salad.

Once back in the kitchen I do a quick rinse and hold the stalk in one hand and slide my other thumb and pointer finger down the stalk to remove the greenery. When the stalk breaks I feel that means the rest of the leaf and stalk are tender enough to go in the blender. I use everything I pick and feel that each smoothie is packed full of great alive energy from those greens. I also put in a heaping teaspoon of Spirulina and another heaping teaspoon on Maca two ingredients that I had been intimidated to use, I’m still not sure why!

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Then my base is a banana, frozen organic blueberries sometimes frozen strawberries and whatever else is in the fruit bowl that needs to be used. My liquid of choice is organic unsweetened almond milk and then I blend that puppy until smooth. If you need it colder add some ice, I like mine medium temp and take my vitamins with it.

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The thing with smoothies that I really appreciate is that there is no waste, you ingest all the fiber of each ingredient and you get more brave as you realize this greenish thick drink tastes amazing and gives you a wonderful foundation to start your day.