Recipe: 

1 can of full fat coconut milk* 

1-1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh fruit- mango and strawberry are my favorite

2 tsp. honey

Mix coconut milk and honey together in a liquid measuring cup (one with a pour spout). Add chopped fruit evenly to popsicle moulds. If you keep the fruit big enough, you will be able to stack it up, that way it will be more evenly distributed throughout the mould. Pour the coconut milk/honey mixture over the fruit, leaving about 1 cm at the top of the mould.

Freeze, and enjoy!

*I have found that the brand does make a difference- I use either 'Grace brand that I buy at Sobeys or Bulk Barn, or Thai Kitchen that I buy at Superstore

(I bought my popsicle moulds at The Superstore. Unfortunately they are plastic, but are listed as BPA free.)

Coconut Craze

Coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut flour, and other coconut products are becoming increasingly popular. Coconut is a natural gluten and dairy-free alternative that is extensively consumed in certain cultures, especially in the south pacific. Despite the fact that coconut oil is predominately saturated fat, it is very good for you. Not all saturated fats are equal! The saturated fats in coconut are medium-chain fatty acids, or medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which act more similarly to a carbohydrate in their metabolism than a fat, except that they don't spike insulin like carbs do. MCTs are quickly converted to energy for use by muscles and organs, decreasing the likelihood of being stored as fat for later use.

  Coconut oil has been found to have numerous health benefits, including

·         improving blood sugar balance

·         heart protective effects

·         stimulating thermogenesis (fat burning)

·         supporting proper thyroid function

·         anti-microbial and anti-viral properties

·         improved athletic performance

to name a few!

Coconut oil, specifically, is useful as a fat to cook with, especially at high heats because it has a very high smoke point (the point at which an oil becomes chemically damaged and is not healthy to consume). You can use coconut oil in any way that you would ordinarily use other oils! Try coconut oil as the grease on your pan for sweet potato fries, or as the oil in a batch of your favorite muffins. Prepare to be hooked!

You know Nova Scotia summer is just around the corner, when rhubarb stalks are large enough to gather and enjoy! For those who are unfamiliar, rhubarb, looks somewhat like pink celery with large heart shaped crinkly leaves. It is a perennial plant that grows in backyards and in gardens without much attention. The stalks, also called petioles, are edible. The leaves of the rhubarb plant however are not edible. They contain high amounts of oxalic acid, which when concentrated is toxic.

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, and is touted as being one of the lowest calorie vegetable out there. The stalks contain a number of nutrients including vitamin C,     B vitamins, vitamin K, and polyphenolic compounds like beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein. These compounds have numerous health benefitting effects.

Rhubarb has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine for lowering cholesterol, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, cholagogue (stimulates the gallbladder), demulcent, diuretic, laxative, and purgative actions as well as being a stomach tonic. More recently, extracts of rhubarb known as anthraquinones, have been found to possess promising anti-cancer properties 1.

If you have every chewed on a raw stalk of rhubarb, you know that it is very tart! One of the drawbacks to cooking with rhubarb is that often copious amounts of sugar are used to account for the tartness. The color of the stalks can change the taste; green stalks and flesh are typically more sour, pink or red stalks and flesh are somewhat sweeter. Another way to sweeten up rhubarb is to combine it with other sweet fruits and berries!

Here is a gluten-free Rhubarb Crisp recipe:

Preheat oven to 350o F.

Combine:

1/2 cup coconut palm sugar*

1/2 tsp cornstarch

and mix with:

4 cups rhubarb chopped into 1/4" pieces

2 apples (a soft, sweet variety like MacIntosh are great), peeled if not organic, and chopped into 1/4" or smaller pieces

Pour rhubarb/apple/sugar mixture into a 9x9 inch square pan.

Drizzle with 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup.

To make the topping, combine:

1 1/2 cup oats

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3 Tbsp coconut flour*

Cut in (with a pastry blender, or your fingers):

1/4 cup butter/coconut oil mixed (I use about 1/8 cup of each)

Pour the topping over the rhubarb/apple mixture, and pack down slightly. Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes, or until you see the fruit juices bubbling up around the edges of the pan, and the rhubarb and apples are soft!

(Oats are by nature gluten-free, however they are often cross-contaminated with wheat/gluten during processing, if you need 100% gluten-free, be sure to buy 100% gluten-free oats. Cornstarch can also contain trace amounts of wheat/gluten, so again, if you need 100% gluten-free, be sure to use certified gluten-free cornstarch)

*Coconut flour, and coconut palm sugar can usually be purchased in health food sections of grocery stores, and at bulk stores.

1          Q. Huang, G. Lu, H. M. Shen, M. C. Chung, and C. N. Ong, 'Anti-Cancer Properties of Anthraquinones from Rhubarb', Med Res Rev, 27 (2007), 609-30.

With more and more people identifying gluten as a food intolerance, or just choosing to reduce and eliminate gluten in their diet, gluten free recipes are becoming ever more popular. I have finally figured out a gluten free pizza crust that is fairly simple and tastes great -so great you might be able to fool your gluten eating friends!

This recipe is also great because you can bake the pizza crust ahead of time and freeze for later use.

Don't fear that something is wrong when you make this dough and it is too sticky to handle. Simply spread it out on the parchment paper (see picture) and be prepared to be amazed as it cooks and separates from the paper!

For toppings, I am usually fairly experimental. I often mix things up  and use olive oil, roasted garlic with olive oil, or pesto as my sauce. If you are dairy free, go cheese-less since the crust is already dairy free!  Instead brush the toppings with olive oil to prevent them from drying out too much.



Gluten-Free Pizza Crust  (makes 2-12 inch crusts)

3/4 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

 2/3 cup sorghum flour

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. salt


3/4 cup water  (should be between 105°F and 115° F on a candy thermometer)

 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

 2 tsp. honey


2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

3 1/2 Tbsp. plus 1 teaspoon olive oil


Pizza sauce and toppings


Special equipment

Special equipment: heavy baking sheet, pizza stone, or baking peel, parchment paper.


Make pizza crust
Mix together tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch), brown rice flour, sorghum flour, xanthan gum, and salt, set aside.

Mix warm water and honey together, add yeast and give it a quick stir.

Beat two egg whites lightly in a bowl. Add 2 TBsp. olive oil. 

Add water/honey/yeast mixture, and egg white/oil mixture to the dry ingredients all at once. Beat either with paddle attachment of stand mixer, or with a wooden spoon and arm power, until the dough is very smooth and thick, 3-4 minutes.

Set pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in oven, and preheat to 400°F. (Preheat at least 45 minutes if using pizza stone or 20 minutes if using baking sheet.)

Have ready two 12-inch squares of parchment paper. Scrape half of dough onto each square and form each half into a ball (if possible). Coat each ball with 2 teaspoons oil, then use oiled fingertips to pat and stretch each ball into 9-inch-diameter round, 1/4 inch thick, with a 1/2-inch-thick border. Or smear dough out with a combo of spoon/spatula and hands until it is the dimensions listed above (see picture). Let rise in a warm draft-free place until each pizza has swelled slightly, about 20 minutes.

Carefully transfer pizza dough on the parchment paper onto preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. If you have a 'baking peel', you can use it for the transfer! Bake until top is puffed and firm and underside is slightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove pizza shell from the oven and discard the parchment paper (it should have risen off of the parchment by this time).Transfer baked crust to a cooling rack. Bake second crust in same manner. (Baked crusts can be made ahead and frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, up to 1 month. Thaw in 350°F oven until hot, 4 to 5 minutes, before topping and broiling.)

Top each pizza with desired sauce and toppings. Return to the oven either on a pan, or directly onto the oven rack if you feel the crust is sturdy enough! Bake until crust is golden brown and toppings are done!

Enjoy!

Green tea has numerous health benefits and I often suggest people add it into their daily routine. When people are hesitant, they often complain that it's too bitter or tastes unpleasant. If this is you, read on!  A simple explanation for these complaints is that all too often green tea is brewed incorrectly. Green tea is made from the same leaves that make black tea, but are processed differently. Green tea leaves are simply steamed or pan-dried, holding their delicate flavour. When we use water that is too hot, or steep for too long, we essentially scorch the tender leaves and cause them to become bitter. To prevent bitter green tea, bring water close to a boil, but not a full rolling boil. If you have a thermometer, the water should be about 82oC (degrees Celsius) . Pour the water in the cup with your tea bag, and set a timer for 2-3 minutes. You do not need to steep it any longer than that. If the water did come to a rolling boil, turn the kettle off and let it sit for 5 minutes to cool down, or put a little cold water in the cup before adding the hot water. Green tea leaves can be used again to make a second cup of tea, there should still be plenty of taste, and this will actually liberate more of the active constituents. If you steep it again, continue to use the proper temperature water and only steep 2-3 minutes. The more times you steep the tea, the less caffeine left in the leaves.  

Green tea has many health properties. It contains polyphenols, flavonoids, and catechins that have liver cleansing, liver healing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. Recent research has also shown that it may also help to regulate blood sugar and reduce cholesterol. It really is a wonderful (and tasty if prepared right!) addition to a healthy lifestyle. 

New Year, New You!

The new year is upon us and if you made any resolutions to lose weight, I have just the program for you. I am offering a 12 week Naturopathic weight loss challenge!

I want to empower you with the knowledge of how to lose weight naturally and permanently and to educate you about all factors that impact obtaining a healthy weight. This challenge isn't a crash diet but rather a challenge to change your lifestyle- however small or large, to live the healthiest life possible.  

The challenge consists of:

• Three one-on-one consultations

• A two week guided 'kick-start cleanse'

• Five one-hour group seminars covering topics such as

        -Recognizing proteins, fats & carbs - optimizing the basics

        -Understanding the importance of cleansing/detox and liver health

        -Using supplements to improve your metabolism

        -Addressing issues such as blood sugar regulation, poor sleep, hormones, and inflammation for long term success

 Please feel free to contact me for more details or to enroll!

Happy New Year!