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  • Written by taiga-admin
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    May 20 2016
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  • Posted In : blog
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  • 0 comments

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As many of you know, I advocate spending time in the outdoors, for exercise, enjoying nature, getting sunlight and more. I love the outdoors. We have 33 acres of land, and here I play with my horses and my children, and spend time enjoying the serenity it brings me. Enjoying the outdoors should not change, but it would be prudent to be mindful of the influx of disease carrying critters in the light of climate change, in this case, the deer tick.

The change in our climate has impacted life of all kinds, some negatively and others positively. Ticks are thriving with climate change, and Lyme disease is on the rise. Just a few years ago my daughter, who was a little girl at the time, woke up one day with a large target-like lesion on the back of her leg. I was suspicious, but needed expert advice. Enter Dr. Richard Freitag, Entomologist, aka “Dad”.

My father is an entomologist, who has spent his career studying insects. He is world renowned for his work on Tiger Beetles and he is the go-to guy for identifying all sorts of multi-legged creatures.

Dr. Freitag (Dad) identified the lesion on my daughter’s leg, and I brought her to the hospital. The lesion was so uncommon at the time, that all available doctors in the hospital were notified and encouraged to come to the Emergency department to “take a look” at the signature target-like rash. My daughter was treated with a round of antibiotics, and she is just fine.

We determined that our family dog had likely brought the tick in, as we subsequently discovered he was curling up on our daughter’s bed during the day. We never did see a tick. My daughter was lucky. Such a simple resolution isn’t always the case. Many people never notice a tick or a target-like rash, and many are left with debilitating symptoms that exist beyond treatment, especially if the treatment is not prompt. It is important to know how to avoid a tick bite in the first place, and what to do if you get bitten.

Ticks typically hang out in tall grass, and drop onto mammals as they pass by. (especially mice) Tip number one: keep the grass cut short.

Ticks can carry and pass on Lyme disease during all stages of development. This means even the tiniest, most immature stages of the deer tick may carry Lyme disease. The immature deer tick can be a small as the head of a pin. Tip number two: don’t assume you haven’t been bitten just because you never did see a tick.

Ticks tend to come out in the spring and again (in a lesser degree) in the late summer or early fall. Tip number three: Be especially aware of ticks during these times of the year.

The only tick that carries Lyme disease is the deer tick, otherwise known as the “Black-Legged Tick. Tip four: Take a look at the picture above and know how to identify this particular tick.

Tip five: When you are out in forested or grassy areas, pull socks over pant legs, tie hair back and if possible wear boots. Shower when you get home if you were in an environment where ticks thrive.

An interesting observation is that among people who have suffered lingering effects of Lyme disease as a result of late treatment, there are countless reports of full recovery from those who adopt whole foods, plant-based diets, raw vegan diets and Gerson Therapy in an effort to combat the disease. While anecdotal, this should not be overlooked.

Below you will find an article about ticks by my Dad that may be helpful. Please feel free to print this off and share. By the way, my Dad is 81 this year, and over the past few years has adopted a whole foods, plant-based diet, off of statins and doing great. I am so proud of him!

I hope you find this helpful. If so, feel free to share this article, and if you are inclined, I love getting “likes” on the Taiga Whole Health Facebook page.  Thank you!

In gratitude and good health,​​​​​​​

Margot

 

Ticks and Mites

Hold onto your hats, here comes another season of “bugs”.
Among the insects and spiders, ticks and mites become active this time of year too, but we often don’t see them because they are normally very small. Ticks and mites are related to the daddy long legs, spiders and scorpions. They have no antennae; adults have four pairs of legs; the head and rest of the body are fused together; and the mouthparts jut out from the front end of the body. Their lifecycle includes four stages: the egg, larva, nymph, and adult. The eggs are usually deposited under the surface of the soil, in leaf litter, and crevices among rocks, and some parasitic mites place their eggs in the tissues of their host. Ticks and mites are important in medicine and veterinary science because some of them are carriers of diseases and infections affecting humans and domestic animals, while others may cause skin irritations and allergic reactions. Still other species occur as internal parasites in the lungs and air sacks of snakes, birds, and mammals. Ticks and mites although belonging to the same order (Acarina) can be separated mainly by size, ticks being usually 3 mm or more in length, while mites are rarely more than 1 mm in length.

The role of ticks in the human economy merits some special attention. As carriers of human diseases they run a close second to mosquitoes. Ticks are known to transmit Jine groups of microbial organisms: (1) spirochetal, such as relapsing fever, (2) rickettsial, such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; (3) bacterial, such as tularemia; (4) viral, such as Colorado Tick Fever; and (5) protozoan, such as Texas Fever. They also cause tick paralysis, which is probably produced by a neurotoxin in the tick’s saliva.

The dog tick Dermacentor variabilis, a vector of the agents of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and tularemia, is widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains and also occurs on the PaciJic Coast. Dogs are the preferred host of the adult tick, although it also feeds on the blood of other large mammals, including humans. Adult ticks cling to low vegetation in spring, waiting to attach to a passing host. Males feed and mate on the host, and females feed, mate, and gorge on the host’s blood, and drop off to lay thousands of eggs. Upon hatching larva remain close to mouse runs where they attach to and feed on mice and other small animals. They soon drop off their host and molt. The emerging nymphs continue a feeding activity similar to that of the larva, and molt. The whole lifecycle requires from four months to a year.

The deer tick, Ixodes dammini, has a similar lifecycle to that of the dog tick but it may last up to two years. The preferred hosts are deer and mice, however deer ticks will also feed on humans, birds, rabbits, lizards, horses, cattle, dogs, cats and other animals. This tick species carries the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that it obtains from mice while drawing blood, a pathogen that causes Lyme disease in humans and pets. The symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to those of inJluenza, which are accompanied by a large, red, target-like skin rash where the tick bite occurred.
When individuals show signs of tick transmitted diseases medical attention should be sought as soon as possible for appropriate treatment. Two effective actions that can be taken to reduce tick contact are: (1) apply a well-known insect repellent while in the woods; (2) wear long sleeves and pants of tight woven fabric, and pant cuffs tucked in under long socks to prevent ticks from crawling under clothing.

Dr. Richard Freitag

Professor Emeritus, Biology

Lakehead University



My Favourite Bullet-Proofing, Antioxidant Rich Secret Ingredient

  • Written by taiga-admin
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    March 02 2016
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  • Posted In : blog
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  • 0 comments

Ever wonder how to make your morning smoothie with extra super antioxidant power?  Here is the best amazing antioxidant rich food source I have found yet…. and you get the added bonus of meeting my very special friend, Wish.

 



Amazing Barley Recipes

  • Written by taiga-admin
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    February 16 2016
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  • Posted In : recipes , Uncategorized
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  • 0 comments

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You may remember me sharing with you that barley was the fuel for the Roman Gladiators.  These vegan warriors got all of the nutrient-dense fuel they needed to rise to the challenge, and as such, they were known as “The Barley Men”.

Barley is an incredible grain that should not be overlooked! It is one of the grains with the greatest health benefits, high in both soluble and insoluble fibre, which provides a wealth of health promoting effects. The soluble fibre helps remove excess cholesterol from the gut, and helps the body metabolize fats and carbohydrates. The insoluble fibre provides the roughage critical for colon health. The fibre in barley nourishes the beneficial gut flora, improving our overall health. Barley has a low glycemic index, releasing sugars slowly and keeping us full longer, is a great source of selenium, (protects against cancer) niacin, (heart health) and tocotrienols, which is the best form of Vitamin E. Last but not least, barley is a great source of lignans, (phytoestrogens that are antioxidants). Here are some amazing barley recipes…. enjoy!

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Lima Bean, Barley and Green Split Pea Soup

2 onions chopped

1/2 cup dried green split peas

1/4 cup barley

1/4 cup baby lima beans

5 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. celery seeds

2 potatoes diced

3 carrots sliced

1 stock of celery, cut in chunks

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

Sauté onions in 2-3 tablespoons water until tender, set aside. Rinse peas, beans & barley, add with water, bay leaf & celery seeds to a large pot. Boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 & 1/2 hours, or until lima beans are tender. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, basil, thyme, salt & pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until carrots are tender. If adding liquid to thin, use vegetable stock. Remove bay leaf before serving.

 

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Barley Mushroom Risotto

4-6 cups vegetable stock

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 cup pearl barley

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

3 cups mushrooms of choice, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

6 cups baby arugula

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

freshly ground pepper

Sauté onion and garlic with water in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until they begin to release their juices. Add barley, and cook for one minute. Add dry sherry and simmer, stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated. Reduce heat to medium. Add half a cup of broth to barley mixture at a time, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding a half cup of broth at a time and stirring until the liquid has been absorbed after each addition, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, until barley is tender and creamy but still firm. This should take about 40-45 minutes. Stir in arugula and cook, stirring until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar and season with pepper.

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Black Barley Pecan Salad with Radish

2 cups black or pearl barley

1 cup arugula

1/2 cup pecans

1 cup radishes, thinly sliced

1/4 cup shallot, thinly sliced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup parsley leaves, minced

1/2 cup tarragon leaves, minced (optional)

1/2 cup mint cut in a chiffonade (just roll up the leaves and thinly slice, so you have long thing strips)

2 tbsp walnut oil (optional)

2 tbsp olive oil (optional)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar (apple cider vinegar also works)

Add barley to salted boiling water and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside until almost cool. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Add salt to taste. (This recipe was modified from Food 52)

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How to Get Your Teenager to Eat Less Pizza and More Plants

  • Written by taiga-admin
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    February 16 2016
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  • Posted In : blog
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  • 0 comments

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If you are a parent of a teenager you know where I’m coming from. Suddenly there is this independent / dependent person in the house, spending more time in the mirror, on Snap Chat and on Instagram than you ever thought possible. They are, at once, fully needing you and fully not needing you, in fact they may be down right embarrassed of you….and it is evident that what their friends think, matters.

This is a twisted time for us Moms and Dads, trying to exercise some control, trying to keep our teens on track, trying to maintain some sort of level of cool, which apparently we are completely lacking, according to our very “swaggy” all-knowing, eye-rolling offspring. Our teens are going through the motions, growing up and finding themselves, and it is our job to guide them, but boy it can be tough sometimes, right?

Providing healthy nutrition is a big part of all of this. We all know that eating crap makes us feel like crap, and when it comes to our growing and developing teens, who we aim to keep happy, content and focused in school, it is important that they are fueled with nutrient-dense food. You have likely noticed that junk food plays a significant role in the social world of the average teenager! Pizza is more popular than ever. It is hard to avoid the junk; I’m not going to pretend I have it nailed down completely. But I do have some ammunition that seems to be working, at least most of the time.

Warning: This strategy is for stealthy parents only, and includes a nonchalant conversation about acne during puberty. Shall I continue? Simply share the following with your teen:

It turns out that acne is a disease that is predominant in the western world, by those eating a western diet, one specifically rich in dairy products. Eastern cultures eating a traditional diet primarily of plants, and no dairy, rarely see a pimple. Dairy products have been linked by numerous studies to Acne Vulgaris because of the hormone content in milk. When your teen indulges in cheese pizza, milk and sour cream, they are eating naturally occurring, pregnant cows hormones. We break two very important natural laws when we consume dairy. First, we drink the milk of another species, and second we drink milk beyond infancy. No other animal does this. Making matters worse, cows have been genetically engineered so that they can be impregnated while they are still milked. (typically mammals need to wean their young before they can conceive again) The result is that the hormone levels in the milk taken from cows at end stage pregnancy is 33 times that of the non-pregnant cow. Since cow milk comes from pregnant cows, the hormone load in dairy products is over the top.

One landmark study examined the dietary dairy intake 47,000 high school females, and found a positive association with acne for both total milk and skim milk. Several Major Harvard studies have shown that skim milk may be even more acne promoting, since estrogen levels are even higher in skim milk. These hormones are also responsible for the earliest onset of puberty and the latest onset of menopause, and in combination with casein (the main protein in cow milk) and Igf-1, (insulin-like growth factor, which significantly increases as a result of cow milk consumption), encouraging our kids not to consume milk provides protection for them against one day suffering from breast, prostate, colon and lung cancers. These exogenous hormones were not designed to be consumed during teenage and adult years. It’s no secret that teen acne closely parallels hormonal activity, and when extra hormones are added to the already increased naturally occurring human hormones, acne is the common result.

When we provide our teen with this critical information about the link between acne and cow milk, they may seek out alternatives, because the last thing our teens want is zits. Talk about motivation! Just this past weekend, I found myself at Pizza Hut (against my will!) with my kids and their friends. What a pleasant surprise it was to hear my children order a vegetarian pizza without cheese. It’s about progress, not perfection. We are getting there!

Keep up the good work.

Warmly,

Margot

p.s. references are thanks to Dr. Colin Campbell (The China Study, Whole) and Dr. Gregor (How Not to Die) at Nutritionfacts.org!



No Use Waiting For Good Weather or For a Spark of Motivation….

  • Written by taiga-admin
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    February 02 2016
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  • Posted In : blog
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  • 0 comments

Waiting for the perfect exercise weather might just mess up your fitness goals.  Never mind waiting for motivation or good weather.  Just get out there!



Getting Stronger With Chin-Ups

  • Written by taiga-admin
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    November 17 2015
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  • Posted In : blog
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  • 0 comments

Chin-ups are as old as time. They are great for strengthening most upper body muscles, especially the biceps and the latissimus dorsi, (lats), also known as the climbing muscle. They are an excellent exercise, but to do them right, they are really tough. Because just achieving one correct chin-up can be a challenge, often people leave them out of their workout.

But working toward a correct chin up can be an effective workout in itself.

A correct chin-up starts with a complete arm extension. Arms are slightly wider that shoulder width apart and palms are turned in toward you. These are not to be mistaken for the pull-up, where arms are wider and palms face away from you. (those are even harder!) Pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar you are holding.

Here are a few steps you can take to work up to a full complete chin up:

The double leg assisted chin-up: stand on a chair or bench, which is placed beneath the chin-up bar. Use as much upper arm strength as you can to achieve your chin-up, but use your legs to assist you. Work toward 12 repetitions, completing each with fully extended arms.
The single-leg assisted chin-up: just like the double-leg assisted chin-up, but this is the next progression. Use just one leg to assist you in your chin-up. Continue to try to use as much of your upper body strength as possible.
The reverse (eccentric) chin-up: In this exercise, start in the end position with your chin over the bar. You can hop up or step up into this position. Lower yourself out of the chin-up slowly, using a count of 5. Using muscle while it elongates the is called an “eccentric contraction”, and is an effective way to improve strength.

After some effort practicing these assisted and alternative techniques, try just one chin-up. You will be surprised at how quickly you can improve your strength!

I encourage you to invest in a chin up bar that you can easily install in a door way.  They are easily removed and you will tend to use them when you walk through the door!

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Dying to Live fully

  • Written by taiga-admin
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    November 17 2015
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  • Posted In : blog
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  • 0 comments

It was an early Sunday morning after a late Saturday night.  The Vancouver summer morning was perfect.  My friends picked me up in their truck, towing their gorgeous “Ski Nautique”, a speed boat specifically made for waterskiing, and we headed up to Deep Cove.

I did not grow up waterskiing, but I loved it when I learned how.  It suited me: outdoors, oceans and lakes, a sport that required strength and a little courage… and the feeling of the wind whipping by.  If you’ve done it, you know how exhilarating it feels.  I was never a pro, but could get up on one ski and hold my own for a good ride.​

On this particular morning the ocean was like “glass” as the water-skiers like to call it. Before I knew it I was floating behind the boat, arranging the rope and shouting “Okay!” The boat roared as it pulled me out of the water and I was zipping around the cove like nobody’s business. It was one of those moments you could take a snapshot of that depicted living life to its fullest; joy, courage, freedom…But it didn’t last more than a few minutes.

Out of no where I was hit with an asthma attack. Not very glamorous, right? A giant squid or an orca attack would have made for a way better story. But it stopped me dead in my tracks. In an instant I couldn’t breathe. I dropped the rope and waited for what seemed like an eternity for the boat to come around. I have no words to describe the fear I experienced in that moment. Imagine taking a breathe and your trachea closing up, over and over. My friends could see I was in trouble. They pulled me in and dug for my Ventolin, that drug in the blue dispenser that had saved me time and time again. Somehow I recovered.

In those days it was not uncommon for me to go through an entire Ventolin every couple of weeks. As well I took Flovent, an inhaled steroid, and occasionally Prednisone.

What amazes me is that in all of the visits to emergency, to respirologists, family docs and other health care professionals, no one ever asked me “What are you eating?”

I harbor no ill will, pass no judgement nor do I intend to criticize these people in any way! I know their intentions were good. They were just doing their job, the way they were taught. It is true I never made the connection myself!

It’s just that schools generally do not include education on the power of food. The good news it that is changing. Its been a slow-go, but there is a movement toward the consideration of good nutrition as it relates to health…and health recovery. Thank goodness!

Within three days of eliminating animal-based foods and most processed foods, the asthma slipped away. It rears its ugly head now and again, if something slips into a restaurant meal or if I have processed foods that contain animal products or other specific ingredients. Its not just me. Pediatricians who recommend asthmatic children go plant based barely see asthma in their practices. If you know someone struggling with asthma, you could send them this video from Dr Gregor:

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/treating-asthma-and-eczema-with-plant-based-diets/

Did you know:  that Hippocrates first observed and wrote about negative reactions to cow’s milk around 370 BC

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Favourite Plant-Based Tomato Recipes

  • Written by taiga-admin
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    November 17 2015
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  • Posted In : lunch , recipes
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  • 0 comments

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Roasted Tomato-Fennel Pasta with Pine Nuts and Capers (modified from Dreena Burton)

1 teaspoon avocado oil

4 cups fresh Roma tomatoes (about 1.5 lbs/680 gm)

1 large fennel bulb

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 teas sea salt

fresh ground pepper

1 teas dried oregano

3/4 lb/340 g dried whole grain pasta

3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

2 tsp capers

1/2 cup fresh basil, torn or thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet toss together oil, tomatoes, fennel, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano.  Roast for 40-45 minutes, tossing once or twice, until tomatoes are soft and fennel is golden in spots. During the last 10-15 minutes of roasting, cook pasta according to the package directions.  When pasta is almost done, remove 1/2 cup of pasta water and reserve.  Remove veggies from oven.  Drain pasta and toss in roasted veggies.  If pasta seems dry, add some reserved pasta water, 1 tbsp at a time.  Just before serving, toss in pine nuts, capers and fresh basil.

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Fire-Roasted Salsa (Thug Kitchen)

1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

3 serrano peppers, chopped (seeds removed)

8 cloves roasted garlic*

1/4 teas ground cumin

juice of 1/2 lime

salt to taste

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until you reach desired consistency.

*to roast garlic, cut top layer off of bulb and wrap in tin foil, and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

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Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze:

When we were in Key West we discovered an amazing and delicious idea….bruschetta with balsamic glaze.  I begged and pleaded for the recipe, brought it home and tried it out without adding oil. Guess what?  It’s delicious.

5 Roma or plum tomatoes diced (I use roma, they are fleshier)

1.5 tbsp balsamic glaze

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp minced fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste.

Combine ingredients and serve with a whole grain baguette or whole grain crisps of choice.

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Grill-Roasted Tomato Soup

2 lbs plum tomatoes, firm but ripe

1 red onion, quartered and peeled

10 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh thyme sprigs

1/2 tablespoon avocado oil (optional, but omit for heart disease patients)

4 cups low-sodium veggie broth

1 teas sea salt

1/2 teas freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh basil

Prepare bar-b-que grill for direct cooking over low heat, or preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, thyme, and avocado oil and toss to coat. Arrange vegetable on grill pan, in grill basket, or on baking sheet, and cook until tomato skins wrinkle and start to brown, 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally.

Transfer vegetables to a large saucepan, and continue to cook until they are charred on all sides, about 5-10 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs. Add vegetable broth to saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer until tomatoes collapse completely, about 8 minutes. Transfer soup in batches to a blender and purée until very smooth. Pour soup through a mesh strainer to remove seeds. Season with salt, pepper and basil just before serving.

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Tomatoes: What you need to know about ‘The Wolf Peach’

  • Written by taiga-admin
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    November 17 2015
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  • Posted In : blog
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  • 0 comments

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Tomatoes contain high concentrations of  lycopene, a dietary carotenoid which is an antioxidant that fights free radicals that can potentially lead to cancer, heart disease and  premature aging.  Cooking tends to release the fat-soluble lycopenes from the fruits cell, making these antioxidants readily available.

Tomatoes are also high in vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K, and are great sources of potassium, iron, folate and phosphorus.  A medium tomato has as much fibre as a slice of whole grain bread, and contains about 35 calories. The tomato is a luscious fruit we know fondly as a vegetable.

Selecting your Tomatoes… There are over 7,000 varieties of tomato, with colours ranging from green stripes to dark purples.  They can weigh several pounds and they can be as small as a grape. Look for heavy tomatoes that are fragrant.  Heirloom varieties look a lot less perfect and tend to be fragile  Because of this, you probably won’t see them in the grocery store.  The heirloom tomatoes I buy at my farmer’s market are by far the tastiest I have ever had.  Don’t store tomatoes in the refrigerator.  The cold will render them bland and makes the flesh kind of pulpy.

If you want to peel a tomato, here is a neat trick:

-cut out the stem

-using tongs or a slotted spoon, dip the tomato into boiling water for 15 seconds.

-remove and place in ice water to cool.

-the skin should slip off easily!

If you want to remove seeds: cut tomato in half and gently squeeze over a bowl. Use a spoon or your finger to help detach the seeds.   Unknown-3The Wolf Peach:

Tomatoes are native to western South America and Central America.  In 1519 Cortez discovered tomatoes growing in montezuma’s gardens and brought seeds back to  Europe.  They were first planted as ornamental plants, but not eaten.  In Spain and Italy they were known as pomo d’oro, meaning ‘gold apples’, and the french called them pommes d’amour, or ‘love apples’, as they were thought to have aphrodisiacal qualities. French botanist Tournefort provided the latin name for tomato: Lycopersiconesculentum, which translates to ”wolf peach”; round and luscious like a peach, but thought to be poisonous: “poison in a palatable package which was used to destroy wolves”.

Tomatoes were once thought to be dangerous; up until the 18th century, physicians warned that tomatoes could cause appendicitis and stomach cancer.  But Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson of Salem, New Jersey had brought the tomato home from abroad in 1806.  He had been offering a prize yearly for the largest grown, but the public considered the tomato an ornamental plant.  On September 26, 1820, Colonel Johnson stood on the steps of the Salem courthouse and consumed an entire basket of tomatoes to prove they were safe.  He attracted over 2,000 people who were certain he was killing himself!  By 1842 farm journals of the time were touting the tomato as the latest craze….Unknown-1

 



Butternut Squash: Recipes You will Love!

  • Written by taiga-admin
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    October 16 2015
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  • Posted In : dinner , recipes
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  • 0 comments

Butternut Squash is at the top of my list of favourite foods.  Here are some of the recipes I love to make with this delicious and nutritious squash!

Butternut Squash Soup                                         

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1 large butternut squash

I large onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic

4 1/2 cups veggie broth (alternatively, use water and add 3-4 veggie boullion cubes -I use McCormicks)

salt and pepper to taste

1 teas nutmeg (optional)

Bake butternut squash, flesh side down in oven for 45 min or until fully baked, at 400 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup of water into the baking dish. Once baked, remove from oven and remove skin.

Sauté chopped onion in a few tablespoons water in a large skillet.   Add minced garlic and cook a few more minutes.  Add veggie broth and baked butternut squash.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Add salt and pepper and extra garlic powder if desired.   simmer for 30 minutes.  Transfer in batches to blender and purée.   Serve with fresh ground pepper and warm bread with roasted garlic.

My goodness I am going to make this tonight.  Sooo good!

Butternut Squash Gnnochi

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and  diced

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon fresh finely chopped rosemary

1/2 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Bake butternut squash, flesh side down in oven for 45 minutes or untilfully baked, at 400 degrees.  Once baked, remove from oven and remove skin. Place the cooked squash in a large bowl and mash.

Add 2 1/2 cups of flour, nutritional yeast, herbs and salt to the squash. Stir with your hands rouse a hand mixer to combine. The dough should come together into a ball, and be soft but not overly sticky. Knead just until the flour is absorbed. (Over kneading will give you dense gnocchi.)

Cover dough with towel and refrigerate for 3 hours. (this is important to make sure the dough remains thick)

Place the dough on a large floured countertop. Cut the ball in half and then in half again for 4 equal pieces.  Roll out the pieces into a rope a little thicker than your thumb. Slice the rope into 1 inch slices. Scrap each piece with the tines of a fork. Place the pieces in a single layer on parchment paper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop your gnocchi into the boiling water being careful not to overcrowd. When the gnocchi starts to float they are done.  Remove with a slotted spoon and serve as desired.  We use a light marinara sauce or just toss the gnocchi in fresh minced garlic.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

1 ½ lb. winter squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 Tbs. maple syrup ½ tsp. salt, or to taste

1 medium onion, chopped

½ cup chopped pecans

2 Tbs. minced fresh sage, plus more for garnish

black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with parchment. Prepare dough or buy wonton wrappers.   Put squash in bowl; toss with 2 Tbs. oil, maple syrup and salt. Spread on baking sheet. Roast, stirring twice, about 25 minutes. Transfer squash to bowl, and mash. Sauté onion in skillet with a small amount of water for 10 minutes. Add pecans and sage; cook, stirring 2 minutes. Add onion mixture to squash; mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Bring pot of water to a simmer.  Spoon 1 1/2 tsp. squash mixture onto center of wonton or onto rolled dough placed on each ravioli pocket on Raviolicasa.  If using wontons, moisten edges with water; press to seal. Place on baking sheet; cover with damp towel. Add half of ravioli to water. Cook 5 minutes; do not boil. Remove with slotted spoon to serving dishes; keep warm. Repeat with remaining ravioli. Garnish with sage or rosemary.

Easy dough recipe:

3 cups flour

1 cup water

2 tbsp olive oil

Put flour in large mixing bowl, making a well in the center. Add wet ingredients to well and very slowly mix together with a fork, incorporating only a little flour at a time so it mixes smoothly and evenly. Knead by hand for about 10 minutes, let rest for a half hour covered with a towel. Repeat a couple times until dough is smooth and silky, and just slightly sticky. Shape by hand or with a machine. Note: Boiling fresh pasta takes significantly less time than dry pasta. Depending on the shape, cook for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. (dough recipe from www.food.com)

Baked Butternut Squash with Vegan parm

1 large butternut squash

2 lg. cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt

vegan parm:

1/3 cup walnut pieces

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 400F  Peel the squash. Thinly slice off the bottom and top and then slice through the middle lengthwise to make two halves. Remove seeds.  Chop two halves into 1-inch chunks and place into casserole dish. Add garlic, parsely and salt and stir until well combined with the squash.  Cover and bake at 400F for  45 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the vegan parm ingredients in a magic bullet or other small blender or chopper.  When squash is tender (45 minutes), remove from the oven and reduce heat to 350F. Sprinkle the vegan parm all over the squash . Bake for another 5-8 minutes.

(modified from Oh She Glows)

Butternut Squash Ribboned or Spiralized Salad or “Pasta” DSC_0285

(if you don’t have a Spiralizer, ask Santa for one for Christmas. )

Note: Try adding raw spiralized butternut squash to your favorite salads for the full vitamin C kick or bake them for warm soft noodles, as shown here:

Ingredients 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, spiralized with Blade C

1 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper, to taste

1 large garlic clove, minced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

salt and pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup vegan parm: 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and 1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts, blended up in a magic bullet

DSC_0302


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