Tag Archives: cayenne

Warm & Fuzzy Feeling Autumn Stew

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Fall is here, it’s finally here! :)

I love summer don’t get me wrong, but there is something so comforting & cozy about fall that you just have to fall in love! When the weather gets cooler & the wind starts blowing the leaves around, I suprise my family with their favorite stew to warm them up from head to toe & keep them super happy & healthy.

Filled with delish & healthy seasonal Root Veggies, the amazing Anti~Inflammatory & Anti~Microbal; Garlic, Your Digestive systems best friend; Miso & one of my Top Ten Protein’s; Lentils you really can’t go wrong.

**I will warn you all in advance, Please Please Please make a double Recipe. I 100% Guarentte there will be no left~overs, & you will want some for lunch the next day.**

Start with Cutting everything up, the Veggies are up to you. Some Wonderful Ideas are:

2 Large Carrots

2 Medium Potatoes (Red, Blue, Sweet or Yams)

3-5 Large Garlic Cloves

1/2 Medium Squash Organic with the skin (Any type but Spaghetti will work)

2 Large Celery Sticks

1 Medium Onion

And anything else you love!

Once everything is Chopped. Start to slowly saute the Garlic & Onions in some Coconut Oil. When they are done beautifully throw in all your Root Veggies (Squash, Carrots, Potatoes, Celery, Yams, etc). Toss them around together & coat them with

1 TBsp of Tamarin or Soy Sauce &

1Tsp of both Cumin & Paprika (or Cayenne if you can handle it)!

Once coated thru, & you smell the gorgeous aroma’s you need to add in your Vegan (or Vegetarian) Broth.

Put this on to Boil for about 15~20 minutes.

Now add in 1 cup of Red Lentils (if adding Green Lentils, add them in before the boil).

Also add in another 1TBsp of Tamarin or Soy Sauce & 1Tsp of both Cumin & Paprika (again :) )

Once it’s simmered for around 20~30 minutes & the Root Veggies are soft. (or you just can’t handle the incredible scents any longer) Grab your bowl, add a heaping TBsp of Miso to it & pour a small spoonful of Broth over top to mix. Once done add in your soup/stew!

Top off with Fresh Basil & some Healthy 3~6~9 oil & you’re totally good to go!

Like I mentioned, this is a Family Fav in our house. The kids (& hubby) can smell it out in the hall when I’m cooking & usually run to the table with Hands washed & ready to go. Try it out next time the wind is blowing the leaves around & you feel a chill in the air. Heck, try it out today & let me know in the comments how you liked it! (& what you’r choice ingredients were!)

*to give credit where credit is due, the orignal recipe is from the ever beautiful Alicia Silverstone & her book ‘The Kind Diet’. Find her here on FaceBook & tell her where you found it :)

Herbs & their Nutritional Content Part 1

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Have you ever wondered what so great about the Herbs you see in the stores? Why should we buy them & put them in our stews, teas, sandwiches, salads, etc. There are so SO many reasons why we should utilize these amazing ‘foods’ more often. Herbs are a prime example of where Food can truly be Medicine & Medicine can be our Food.

The following is a small Alphabetical list of Herbs along with some of the Vitamins & Minerals they contain. Go ahead & add them to your Soups, Stews, Teas, Stir Fry’s, Salads, & more!

Alfalfa is a Wonderful Resilient Herb that can be grown quite easily on a window sill. It contains  Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Protein, Manganese, Selenium & Zinc. It has been used to treat a number of Digestive issues as well as the Digestive tract & Kidneys.

Astragalus Root is harvested for its roots, but adorded for it’s beautful Purple flowers. Known to Increase Energy & Build resistance to Dis~ease by Strengthening the Immune System, it also helps the Adrenal Glands. Astragalus contains Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese & Zinc.

Burdock Root is a Biennial Herb that can be easily found in most Health food stores. It is used as a Blood Purifier & Cleanser, can help with Acne & Eczema, has been used against Cancer, has AntiBacterial & AntiFungal Properties & can stimulate the Digestive & Immune systems. Burdock Root contains Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Manganese, Phosphorous, Selenium, & Zinc.

Cayenne comes from a fruit. It is typically Red but can come in Orange, Purple & Yellow. Paprika is a mild form of Cayenne. Cayenne has been known to Cleanse the entire Digestive & Circulatory systems, it promotes normal blood pressure, helps prevent muscle aches, headaches, ulcers, sore throats, & more. It contains Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Iron, Calcium, Selenium, & Magnesium, Potassium.

Chamomile is a popular Hardy Evergreen, used for herbal tea, it is a beautiful Perennial bud. Traditionally used for cramps, digestion & a sleep aid, Chamomile can also be used as a diuretic, to calm nerves, reduce stress, relieve flatulence & headaches.  Chamomile contains B1, B2, B3, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Selenium, Zinc

Dandelion is found everywhere it seems, but care must be taken when picking them. Pesticides are used on them quite heavily, so you must trust where you find them. Organic is a minimum here! This amazing ‘weed’ will stimulate your liver to eliminate toxins, cleanse the blood, act as a diuretic, lower blood pressure, & can be used for Urinary Tract Infections. Dandelion contains Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Calcium, Copper, Manganese, Iron, Boron, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, & Zinc

Fennel Seeds are a wonderful addition to any herb & spice cupboard. Organic is always better, keep them in a cool dark space in an airtight container. Fennel Seeds contain Vitamin A, B1, B2,B3, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Selenium, & Zinc.

Flax seeds look like Apple seeds only flatter & must be ground to gain any health benefit. Flax Colours range from Dark Brown, Deep Red, to a Golden Yellow. Flax contain Vitamin E, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium & Manganese, Phosphorus, Iron & Copper.

Goldenseal Root is Native to Siberia it is a Perennial with Pink or Yellowish flowers. Goldenseal has been shown to help regulate Liver Function, to Kill Poisons in the Body, Cleanse Mucous Membranes, aid in Digestion, Fight Infection & Inflammation, Strengthen the Immune System, Colon, Liver, Pancreas, Spleen, Lymphatic & Respiratory system. Goldenseal contains Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Iron & Manganese.

Green Tea, Native to SouthEast Asia, it is an extremely popular drink & with good reason. Green Tea leaves have been used for Cancer treatment, lowering Cholesterol, Blood clotting, to Stimulate the Immune System, regulate Blood Sugar, Combat Fatigue & help with Weight Loss. Green Tea Leaves also contains the elusive Vitamin K!

Hops is an ingredient not often used unless there is Beer involved, but it should be due to its amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B12, Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Selenium, & Zinc.

Kelp  Found in the sea, Kelp is an amazing addition to any stew, soup, stirfry, pasta or rice dish. Kelp contains, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin B12.

LemonGrass is a great addition to soups & can add a nice touch to plain filtered water. LemonGrass contains Vitamin A, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium & Selenium.

Nettle is mostly thought of as a weed, but this prickly plant can do many amazing things for us. Stinging Nettle has been used to treat Urinary Tract Infections & Kidney Stones. It has Anti~Inflammatory properties, is used in Detoxing (flushes out toxins) & can improve short-term memory. It contains Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Calcium, Chromium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc.

Parsley is best known as that green stuff on the side of your plate when dinning out. It is also known as a breath freshener, & contains Vitamin A, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron & Zinc.

Peppermint is an easy to grow perennial, it makes a nice fresh tea. Peppermint contains Vitamin A, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Selenium.

Raspberry Leaf is a great tea during the last trimester of Pregnancy to strengthen the Uterus, it contains Vitamin A, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium & Selenium.

Red Clover is seen as a weed or Bunny food to most, but is known to contain Vitamin A, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Chromium, Magnesium, Manganese.

Rose Hips are a wonderful addition to many teas, as they are rich in Anti~oxidants. They are used as blood & Kidney tonics, can help with Colic & Urinary Tract Infections. They contain Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Iron, Manganese, Selenium, Zinc

Yarrow  has anti~inflammatory oils & is known to help with purifying the Blood, regulating Liver & Thyroid, balancing Hormones. It can aid in the treatment of Ulcers, Hemorrhoids & can stimulate the liver for Detox. Yarrow contains Vitamins B1, Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese & Selenium

Yellow Dock , found 1st in Europe & now everywhere, it is a Blood Purifier & a wonderful Lymphatic Cleanser. It is known to improve the Colon & Liver Functions, help with Psoriasis, Eczema, Hives, Herpes & Rashes. It can help eliminate Intestinal Parasites, reduce Inflammation in Nasal passages & Respiratory Tract. Yellow Dock contains Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese & Selenium.

Wild Yam a Hardy plant with long knotty root stocks found all around North America. It contains a hormone precursors to Female Progesterone. It can Relax muscles & Cramps, treats Chronic Gas & Colic and may be good for IBS & Kidney Stones. Wild Yam contains Chromiun & Zinc.

Melt in your Mouth Valentines Chocolates

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Here is goes…….

I’ve battled back & forth in my head about sharing this recipe with you all or making billions of dollars on it ;) I’ve decided that sharing it with you, all my loyal readers, is totally the best way to go!

I love this recipe for a few reasons.

#1~ it’s totally simple. The ingredients are few & the actual way to make it is easy~peasy!

#2~ the ingredients are completely healthy! Whaaaat? Healthy Chocolate? YUP!

#3~ you can personalize it to your hearts content!

Okay. Deep Breathe. Here is goes!!!

(pls note: I’ve had to make small changes due to the fact that our stove/oven is BROKEN!!!!)

Get your ingredients ready!

1/3 Cup Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup Choice of Chocolate

Mix & Melt together

I usually do this on the stove, but today I had to use our mini~oven (pretty inventive right?) I had to keep an extra close eye on it, I really dis~like the taste of burnt chocolate. When it’s nice & melted you need to add in some

1/2 Cup Maple Syrup!

(aprox, depending on if you’ve used sweetened Chocolate or not~ I use unsweetened, so adjust to your tastes)

While this is all melting & mixing keep your fingers out of the pot taste~testing by getting your mini cupcake holders ready. Plain, with treats, it doesn’t matter~ they’re all good!!!

Coffee?

Hazelnuts?

Cayenne Pepper?

Candies?

Currants or Dried Fruits?

Anything your Heart desires! Why not add a small scoop of Peanut Butter, Candy Canes… the list can go on & on!

Once you have filled your mini~cupcake liners to 3/4 full, throw these sweet~hearts in the Fridge. Let them cool at least 25-30 minutes before you pop them in your mouth & let then melt!

If serving them, leave them refrigerated until ready to eat, these babies will start thawing soon, so don’t keep them out too long. If you’re taking them somewhere, make sure they get put in a cooler or something! If all else fails & they start melting, eat up!!

:)

Does your Valentines day include Chocolate? What’s your favorite kind?