Energy – live, laugh, thrive!

Indie Seasonal Salsa

Winter’s ice cold days calls for adding plenty of bright fresh foods that bring a little extra oomph and colour to your table and will help chase away the same-old menu blues. I was happy to come across a recipe for fresh fig and mango salsa, recently, as I enjoy using in-season fruit. I instantly went ‘Indie’ by adapting the recipe and by adding fresh seasonal anils of pomegranate, a hint of turmeric and hot sweet chili paste, cilantro and lemon honey. I totally loved the results! This salsa will be worth making more than once over the holidays. Not only will this salsa with a twist add a fresh burst of fruity flavour without being overpowering, it’s a lovely chutney served with roast turkey, or makes for a fabulous brunch idea, (top it on french bread for a bold bruschetta, with melted provolone). Alternatively, simply chow down this sizzle of a salsa ‘as is’ with your preferred winter spicy Indian meal as I enjoyed doing last week. Since this recipe goes great with just about anything, give it a whirl, and let me know what you think.

Ingredients: 3 medium sized organic tomatoes, diced; 1 ripe mango, diced; 1 lb. fresh figs, washed and diced; 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate anils; 1/2 cup chopped spring/green onion; 1/2 c. chopped cilantro; 1/2 tsp. pressed garlic or garlic paste; 1/2 tsp. turmeric paste, 1 Tbsp. sweet chili paste (or ‘to taste’); 1 tsp. coconut vinegar; 1 tsp. lemon or ginger liquid honey; Fresh ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together well. Serve fresh or heated. Serves – 4 – 6.

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Beat stress — naturally

STRESS — is a bully. It can sneak up unawares, robbing us of well-being. Over time stress can wreak havoc on our whole being – spirit, mind and body. The good news — if you’re aware stress is taking a toll, you can beat it. Here are a few friendly tips.

#1 Get daily moderate exercise and hydrate throughout the day. Aim for 30 – 45 minutes of moderate walking, cycling, gym or sports activity. Drink 8 glasses of water to refresh your system throughout the day. I’ve recently discovered Amazonian guayusa tea with a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar and fresh lemon is a fabulous way to get going with a clean burst of energy that lasts all day. Guayusa has caffeine, so if you need to avoid caffeine, look for a herbal tea option instead.

#2 Be mindful and aware of ‘stress triggers’ at home, work, in relationships, etc., Know what boundaries you need to put in place in your life to stay on top of and proactive about stress. You know the old saying, ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’. Make it a motto.

#3 Take things lightly, and do your best at what you love to do, but avoid striving or overdoing things. Meeting deadlines is sometimes necessary, but perfectionism or overdoing can be a trap that causes ‘brain drain’ and can rob you of everyday joy.

#4 Practise relaxation. One of the best ways to beat stress is to find time to play with a pet, watch a fun movie, read an inspiring book. Whatever you do, make a habit of taking a load off.

#5 Eat healthy snacks and meals including plenty of fresh fruit, veggies and a wholesome balance of food groups to suit your lifestyle. Complement your daily eats with high quality nutritional supplements — and always check with your naturopath or doctor if you’re on medications in order to avoid any interactions.

Life is good. Keep it simple. Breathe deep and often. Live it well. Live it happy.

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patchouli & things…

hyssop

Experimentation with herbs and essential oils is a glorious thing…

After experiencing several months of immune stress and shut down, I’ve enjoyed new avenues of exploration in health and wellness, including discovering the benefits of numerous plants, including a great new favourite — hyssop from Israel, (which I found was wonderfully delicious sprinkled on salads, scramble eggs, pizza, and just about anything!)

After looking into the health benefits of all manner of plants, including those used as essential oils, I tried a new blend of patchouli, lemon, orange, frankincense, and bergamot, 10 drops each in 2 cups of sweet almond and coconut natural oils. This makes for a wonderful massage oil after exercise and is warming and calmative for strained muscles and aches. By the way, bergamot oil is famously used in Early Grey tea, a favorite beverage of mine, especially on cold wintry evenings.

With all of my plant (planetary?) meanderings, I can’t help notice I’ve found little time to blog. I’ve missed you all, however, since many things bright and beautiful await, I must keep exploring… See you again soon. We’re blessed with a wonderful world…let’s keep savouring good things and make the most of every day.

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this pod’s 4 u :)

cardamom

In focusing on spices for health and wellness, I would be remiss not to mention cardamom. This uniquely flavoured and delicate native spice from India and Nepal is growing more and more in popularity, (in fact, Starbucks has introduced a lovely Cardamom Latte this fall that’s already a ‘fave’ of mine). If you aren’t familiar with this unassuming ‘pod’ its worth looking into.

Available in pods or as a crushed spice, I like adding a pod or two to a cup of steaming black tea. Some people find cardamom minty in flavour, I find it slightly smoky and earthy, a cross between mint and vanilla. Dig around to discover and learn more about cardamom’s goodness. Used in traditional medicine for many years, this spice has valuable antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory benefits, (which is more than enough to make me want to keep it in my spice shelf!) Use and experiment with cardamom for both savoury or dessert preparations, and visit Healthline’s list of cardamom benefits or additional highlights at Organic Facts.net.

AllRecipes.com has a marvellous line-up of cardamom-featuring recipes to try, including two I absolutely love – Chicken Korma (or for a delightful black tea or coffee ‘dunking’ treat), Cardamom and Espresso Chocolate Cookies.

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You say, tom-ay-to…

I say ‘tomat-oh’…No matter, because any way you say it, autumn’s ‘the’ season for red and bright coloured foods, and for me nothing adds zest and comfort to life and this time of year quite like the inestimable tomato.

I’ve heard of late that certain ‘wellness gurus’ claim tomatoes are no longer a ‘good’ or even a healthy food. We’ve heard this about all kinds of things, so I won’t even ‘go there’. Instead, I will say that I love the health benefits and low calorie rich fibre benefits of tomatoes. My favorites are vine-ripened, (garden/organic) and bright-tasting bite-size romas, cherry tomatoes, etc. I like to make homemade tomato soup this time of year, and I will continue to judge the goodness of tomatoes not by the latest ‘good for you, bad for you’ reports out there, but by how much this amazing fruit that dresses up as a vegetable continues to pack a load of lycopene, (an important antioxidant) and other positive benefits. Discover 11 good things about tomatoes at organicfacts.net and if you have a favorite tomato soup recipe, let me know. Here’s one I love from AllRecipes.com

Keep loving good eats!

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Ah–hhh, black tea

black tea

No ‘ifs’, ‘ands’ or ‘buts’, stress is tough on our bodies. Whether it’s work/life-related, environmental or otherwise, stress can do a number on our immune systems. Even if you’re careful to hydrate, eat healthy, supplement with quality nutritionals, and make a regular effort to exercise and get a good night’s sleep, life can sometimes flip into overdrive (even with ‘good stress’) causing immune system ‘overload’ and making you more vulnerable to viruses, flus and colds. To get a jump start on stress while doing all the great things you do to stay healthy, try taking advantage of the health benefits of black tea. Ahhh—hh, black tea.

One of my favorites is ‘Paris’ blend by Harney & Sons — (crazy about the hint of caramel, black currant and vanilla). To brew a perfect cup, bring water to the boil, fill your tea mug or teapot with hot water to insulate warm it up, then pour out the hot water, and fill again with ‘to the boil’ (never boiling) water, and steep for 3 to 5 minutes. I tend to use tea bags for convenience, but infused loose tea is always amazing (try one of David’s Teas fun & creative infusers). Infusing brings out tea’s finer notes. Enjoy black or with a non-dairy creamer. I find a cup of black tea easily takes the chill out of cool weather while adding a healthy boost for your immune system (check out 25 impressive healthy benefits of black tea at OrganicFacts.net). If caffeine’s a concern — look for decaf varieties. Love life , love tea.

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go, go, GO…

gogo-quinoa welcome to foodie wellness…As a lover of all food, I often adapt recipes to include a ton of veggies, pulses, legumes and super grains in my meal plans. A highly-energizing super-grain dish to prepare in under 30 minutes is falafel (croquettes) using organic quinoa and amaranth flours. Btw — these falafel store great in the refrigerator for 2-3 days & may freeze well too (but I have yet to keep them on hand to find out).

To prepare from scratch, select finely-ground organic quinoa and amaranth flours, (3 parts to one) and add turmeric, garlic powder, garlic scape/sea salt blend, and other seasonings to taste. For convenience, I prefer using an excellent ‘on the go’ ready-blend — ‘Go Go Quinoa Burger Mix’. (available in both US and Canada). Go-Go’s a fair trade company with super grains directly sourced from Bolivia. Their website features incredible recipes, including desserts and monthly features like a Mediterranean Falafel Bowl. To prepare from mix, follow package directions, adding warm water. Flour should be just moist enough to easily form golf-ball-sized falafel. Fry for 3-5 minutes in a ceramic non-stick pan (I never deep-fry), using 3 – 5 TBSP coconut or olive oil. Turn and remove from heat when golden brown. Before falafel are done try some spice and sizzle by adding a dash of coconut aminos (instead of soy sauce), green chili Tabasco and red chili paste. And…you’re ready to… go, go, GO. Keep loving & enjoying great food.

image (GoGoQuinoa.com)