Two summers ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel. I fell in love with the local, popular dish shakshuka, which was readily available in almost all restaurants and served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I ended up eating it daily. Upon returning home to the states, I missed this savory middle eastern dish of eggs poached in tomato sauce and began experimenting with recipes to create my own perfect version. I use quite a bit more veggies than is traditionally used, and more eggs. I really enjoy this dish and often share the recipe with my clients, since it is so healthy and easy to make. I hope that you will enjoy it as well! Continue reading
Category Archives: Nutrition
The Trifecta of Fermented Foods, Vital for Health
Fermented foods are essential for gut health. A look at traditional cultures shows that all included a variety of fermented foods in their diet to ensure optimal health. These cultures understood the importance of fermenting their food for both nutrition and storage benefits. Three top fermented foods which provide an essential variety of probiotics, vitamins and nutrients for health are kefir, kombucha and fermented vegetables. These three fermented foods, consumed on a daily basis, have been responsible for reversing and healing many diseases. They also are responsible for preventing disease and maintaining excellent health. Including fermented foods with each meal aids in digestion, while also providing added nutrients. Continue reading
Simple Fermented Salsa, a Super Food for Health
Fermented vegetables are considered to be one of the three essential fermented foods for optimal health. The other top two fermented foods are the popular drink kombucha and milk kefir. All cultures have historically consumed various fermented foods as part of their eating traditions, knowing that these foods enhanced health.
Fermented salsa is a delicious, easy way to obtain the health benefits of fermented vegetables. Other popular American fermented vegetables include fermented cucumbers (pickles), along with sauerkraut. The benefits of fermenting vegetables is long term storage, improved digestibility and increased nutrients. Salsa once opened can usually only be kept for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. In contrast, fermented salsa can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Continue reading
Kefir: The Queen of Fermented Foods
Kefir is by far the most powerful and healing of all fermented foods. Home made kefir made with kefir grains and raw organic pastured milk contain up to 56 types of probiotics. Making your own kefir is quite simple. The most challenging part can be locating the kefir grains to start the process, but there are many online resources available. Some local communities have them, as well. I was fortunate to find some at a local grocery store, which carries both kefir grains and kombucha scobys.
Most healing and illnesses originate in the gut.
For this reason, enhancing one’s multitude of probiotics or healthy bacteria is essential for optimal health. There is no comparison between home made kefir and store bought kefir in terms of quantity and type of probiotics, but it can still be beneficial to use store bought kefir. Try and use brands which carry the highest quality ingredients possible, with no added sugar. Continue reading
The Perfect Storm: Vaccinations and Modern Malnutrition
We have the perfect storm for creating an environment that will continue to injure and destroy the health of our most precious gifts, our children. We live in America, which is the most highly vaccinated country on the planet. Vaccinations alone are responsible for tremendous health damage.
We are also a country that consumes a highly processed, sugar-laden, vitamin-deficient diet, which adds its own set of health problems. Good nutrition is the cornerstone of a strong immune system capable of maintaining health and naturally fighting disease. The combination of vaccinations and poor diets contribute to our growing health epidemic, creating the perfect storm. Continue reading
Delicious, Healthy and Easy Soaked Nuts
Nuts are a healthy, easy snack and can provide quick protein when energy lags. They also provide good fats, containing 60 to 80% of their calorie content in the form of fat. For those with no digestive issues, raw nuts in small quantities are relatively easy to digest and pose no health issues. However, to maximize the nutrients found in nuts and improve digestibility, it is recommended to first soak nuts in a combination of sea salt and filtered water for several hours, drain and then dry at low temperatures for 12-24 hours. What this process does is reduce the levels of phytic acid and numerous enzyme inhibitors which can strain the digestive system. Soaking or sprouting nuts also improves the nutrient availability of nuts. Continue reading
How To Eat Organic in the Holy Land
Our Favorite Tel Aviv Juicer
Recently, I had the amazing opportunity to spend 3 weeks touring Israel with my family. I also spent one day visiting the sites of Petra in Jordan.
With my transition to a nutrient dense, organic diet, an important question arose for me. How would I enjoy my travels while also eating well in the holy land? I asked some of my friends, who are more frequent visitors to Israel, and I also used my trusted friend “google”. I found a gluten free Israel FB group and joined, since one family member is gluten free. Because one daughter, who we met in Israel, had spent several months in Tel Aviv prior to my trip, I also had the advantage of her on site research and knowledge of good sources of food. Continue reading
Nutritious and Delicious “Fast Foods”
The argument against nutritious foods is often the time it takes to prepare them. What if there were fast foods that were easy to prepare, nutritious and delicious? What follows are ideas and recipes for fast, nourishing and mouth watering foods. Continue reading
Drink Your Real Milk with Your Chocolate
Chocolate can be enjoyed in moderation, especially if it is dark, organic chocolate. Washing it down with real, raw whole milk will add tremendously to its health benefits. Enjoy both without any guilt. Real milk has healing powers, along with raw cacao. To learn more click on the articles below. Continue reading
Why Grass-fed Meat is Better for Your Health and the Environment
For centuries, cows and chickens were raised outdoors on pasture, enjoying sunshine, clean air and their natural diet of grass and insects. These animals were healthy, enjoying the outdoors. Humans who ate their meat benefited from a nutrient-dense food high in healthy fats, proteins and vitamins. Continue reading