 As Mother Earth awakens from her winter slumber, we bless the start of spring to awaken in us the spirit and joy of new beginnings. We are so excited to be celebrating the Spring Equinox with you! This special day marks the start of spring and a time to find balance in the day and harmony in the moment. Two of our favorite rock stars to focus on in spring are beets & dandelion greens. Dandelion greens have long been revered for liver-supporting abilities. Here is a great article from WellandGood that shares about why wellness lovers love dandelions - from supporting detoxification and skin care - it’s a must for us too! We also want to add in cleaning tips for the dandelion greens. It is recommended to soak greens in cold, salted water for 10-15 minutes and then do a quick blanch. There are notes below on all the steps. Check out our blog on the nutritional benefits of beets. Beets support blood regeneration, blood pressure regulation, and support liver detoxification. Red beetroots contain the enzyme glutathione s-transferase (GST) which may support phase II detoxification and antioxidant defense (1), (2) supporting liver health. Plus - beet greens specifically are loaded with vitamin K, lutein, and zeaxanthin (3). We hope you are getting hungry and excited to bring in spring with this great recipe. This one is perfect for a time when you have roasted off beets and have those lovely beet greens available. Friendly reminder to separate the greens from the beetroot right when you get them home. Wrap the greens in a layer of paper towel and store in an air-tight container in the veggie cooler until needed.  Clarifying Spring Greens with Garlic & Lemon
Serving Size: about 1/2 cup Number of Servings: 4 INGREDIENTS:
STEPS: 1. Slice the garlic and set aside to activate the anti-cancer fighting properties (here’s why: Chopping And Cooking Affect Garlic's Anti-Cancer Activity) 2. Soak the dandelion greens in cold, salted water for 10-15 minutes. While the greens are soaking, bring a pot of water to a boil. When ready, boil the greens for 5 minutes then drain and stop the cooking by running the greens under cold water for about a minute (5). 3. Next, turn a pan on to medium-low heat and add the avocado oil & garlic. Cook the garlic in the oil for about 2-3 minutes. Watch it closely as garlic is easy to burn - let the garlic sweat and for the oil to take on the garlic-y flavor without burning it. After a few minutes, remove the garlic and set aside for later. 4. Turn the heat up to medium and add in the chopped onion. Let the onion sweat and adjust the heat as needed to help the onion carmelize but not burn. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. 5. Next, add in the chopped beet, lemon zest, salt/pepper, and most of the water. You may decide you need a little more water or that about ¼ cup works well. You may also decide you want to add a tad more avocado oil - this is a good time to do that. 6. Cover the pan (mostly) - Tilt the lid to allow for steam to get out while also helping the greens steam. Let the greens & onions cook for 4-5 minutes then lift the lid and ensure nothing is sticking. Add in the blanched dandelion greens and cook everything together. When the beet greens are bright green - turn off the heat and add in the lemon juice. Once the lemon juice is folded in, taste for seasoning adjustments as desired. 7. Lastly, chop the sliced sauteed garlic and add as garnish before service. Consider adding a few lemon wedges on the plate. Resources: 1. Kooienga, Mckel, MS, RDN, LDN. Foundational Five - Beets. Found on www.nutritionstripped.com. 2. Clifford, Tom, Howatson, Glyn, West, Daniel J., Stevenson, Emma J. (2015, April). The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot supplementation in Health and Disease. 3. Nutritionvalue.org - raw beets, cooked beets, beet greens. 4. Chopping And Cooking Affect Garlic's Anti-Cancer Activity posted by Penn State (1998,November) found on ScienceDaily. 5. ClevelandClinic Health Essentials. Can you eat dandelions?. (2021, July).
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 Winter Greetings: Welcoming the Solstice
May you find peace, faith, and strength in the promise of the winter solstice. As we reflect on the year, light our internal flames, and release that which no longer serves us - we are offered the opportunity to magnify our efforts with the power of food. Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year. That is why today we are focusing on tips for supporting the body against Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) often triggered by changing seasons and decrease in sunlight during winter months. A few ways to fight SAD with food:  Sometimes you (I mean I!) just need a delicious chocolate treat! Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a delicious, nutrition packed, easy chocolate gummy recipe? This healthy chocolate gummy is yummy and easy to make. The gummies store well in the fridge or freezer, and are silky smooth unlike some of the other gummy recipes out there! High quality gelatin from pasture raised cows is full of amino acids and soothing to the gut. Coconut milk is rich in non-PUFA fatty acids. Cacao is full of magnesium and other minerals. Finally, raw honey is soothing to the gut and nourishing to the immune system!
Paleo * Whole 30 * GAPS  I know that there are a lot of beef stew recipes out there, but you will not regret giving this one a try! Bone broth is used as a base stock to truly increase the nutritional benefits and mineral content, and the spices are warming and so flavorful! This stew is delicious, gut healing and mineralizing. I served this to my very large extended family recently and all ages loved it!
This recipe is so incredibly simple and requires very little preparation time. It freezes well and I freeze it in 16 oz containers to bring out for quick lunches.  LOVE OTHERS. LOVE YOURSELF.
One of our favorite ways to celebrate LOVE is to make these delicious raw Rose and Maca herbal truffles. They are divinely delicious and totally satisfying. They have elicited big, loud reactions of pleasure from many people! We were originally inspired by the MinimalistBaker (1). Our version adds delicate rose petals and exciting maca for an aphrodisiac twist. We also soaked and dried our nuts here! |
Mitten's BlogCheck out my blog for day to day useful self and and family nourishment and wellness guidance. Archives
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