Steamed Beet and Avocado Salad + Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots

As January comes to a close, and perhaps New Year’s resolutions are still chugging along, I just want to send some nutritional inspiration. The biggest step towards health and making lasting healing changes is about what you ADD IN CONSISTENTLY vs. what you TAKE OUT. Although for some completing an elimination trial can be very beneficial, while others may have very specific requirements based on a health condition or specific goals. But in general, simply adding in MORE VEGETABLES and SOME FRUIT alone will have a huge impact on your overall health. Check out this wonderful resource from the Institute of Functional Medicine on the health benefits of eating more vegetables and fruit!

Now take a minute and assess your current intake of whole vegetables and whole fruit. Are you eating 2-4 per day, 5-7 per day, or are you upwards of 8+ per day? And then, how many of those servings are vegetables and how many are fruit? In general, for an anti-inflammatory based eating pattern, I recommend 9+ servings of veggies and fruit per day. Specifically 6-7+ servings of vegetables, and 2-3 servings of fruit. Now what does one serving look like??

One Serving is Equal To: 

1 cup leafy greens

½ cup raw or cooked hardy veggies

1 medium fruit

2 small fruit (kiwi, cuties)

1 cup diced melon/berries

The best way to make sure you are getting in enough veggies (since that is what most people struggle with) is to make sure you are getting at least 2 servings PER MEAL (including breakfast). If breakfast is void of veggies, then you should make sure to get a veggie rich snack (for example: bell pepper slices and hummus) in between meals. The second most important point, is getting a variety of different veggies throughout the day…not just the same three that you feel comfortable with. Each veggie and fruit provides its own unique health benefit. The more variety, the more health benefits you will acquire! Once again, see this resource for more information on why VARIETY is key.

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Sample One Day Whole Foods Based Meal Plan

The following meal plan has 7 servings of veggies and 2 servings of fruit. Each meal is also balanced to include complex carbohydrates, quality protein, and quality fat. No single macronutrient is missing. I encourage you to think of how your meals look at home. Is there a dominating presence of one type of macronutrient vs the others, or is there a balance?

Note: v = 1 serving veggie, f = 1 serving fruit

BREAKFAST

Egg scramble with large handful baby spinach (v), 1 diced Roma tomato (v), ½ medium bell pepper (v) sautéed in extra virgin olive oil. 

Whole grapefruit

LUNCH:

Quinoa and Chickpea Bowl with large handful mixed greens (v), ¼ cup grated carrots (1/2 v), ¼ cup diced cucumber (1/2 v), drizzled with homemade olive oil vinaigrette.

SNACK:

1 cup grapes or berries (f)

½ cup grass-fed organic yogurt/kefir

DINNER

3oz oven roasted sockeye salmon with grass-fed garlic butter

Side of steamed beet and avocado salad (v)

Side of roasted honey glazed carrots (v)

2/3 cup steamed turmeric brown rice

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Delicious Root Veggies

Easy does it, right? Simple, tasty food that doesn’t take too much attention span to prepare. Well, I’ve got two wonderful recipes just for you. They both keep well, taste great, and are a great way to get extra veggies on your plate during the winter months. Plus, they are gluten-free and vegan so all can enjoy! The roasted carrots are also perfect on a Low FODMAP diet.

Steamed Beet and Avocado Salad

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

6 medium beets, greens removed

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (white or brown)

½ avocado, diced

Finely minced parsley

Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Place a steamer basket into a large stock pot. Fill with water until the water level is right below the steamer basket. Put the beets into the pot and cover with a lid. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to medium. After 30 minutes check to make sure there is water left in pot, and add more if needed. You really want to make sure there is enough water so that your pot doesn’t burn! Cover and continue to steam for another 30 minutes, or more if needed until beets are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat and allow the beets to cool 5-10 minutes. Then under running cool water, rub the beets to remove the outside skin. The skin should come off really easy if the beets are steamed until tender.

Once the skin is removed, dice the beets into small bite sized pieces and toss into a bowl. In a small glass or bowl whisk the olive oil and vinegar together with a fork. Add 2 generous pinches sea salt, and whisk until combined. I used a 1:1 ratio, but you can increase the olive oil or the vinegar based on your taste preference and total amount of beets. Pour the vinaigrette over the diced beets and mix until all are nicely coated in dressing.

To serve transfer the beets into a nice bowl or onto a serving plater. Top with diced avocado, handful chopped parsley, and a sprinkle of ground pepper.

Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots (low fodmap)

Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch carrots (with green tops)

1 tablespoon clover honey (or maple syrup)

1 tablespoon extra virgin oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Salt and pepper

Finely minced parsley or cilantro (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile cut off the green tops leaving an inch at the top of the carrot. Save the greens to make carrot top pesto or to toss into salads if desired. Wash and scrub the carrots and towel dry to ensure they are completely dry.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. If the carrots are thin and long, leave whole and place on the parchment paper. If the carrots are a little thicker, cut in half lengthwise. Place onto baking sheet in a single layer.

Mix together the honey, olive oil, and vinegar in a small bowl. Drizzle over the carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender, yet still firm with browning spots.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with freshly minced parsley or cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

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An Ode to Turmeric

It is Turmeric season right now!! Fresh, juicy turmeric root harvested from Hawaii is finding its way into my local natural food stores. Usually, if I can find turmeric root fresh, its small, somewhat shriveled up, and dried up a bit. But not these! When it’s turmeric season, and the Hawaiian grown roots are vibrant in color and plump with juice, I do a happy dance almost every time I see them. And perhaps go a wee bit crazy with the amount I purchase. However, its for good reason.

I am sure if you are reading this blog, you have already heard about the laundry list of benefits that turmeric root provides. Perhaps you have even tried my Liquid Gold Latte recipe that I have posted many years ago. But just as a friendly reminder, I will review a few of the researched benefits of turmeric and its active component curcumin.

Enhancing Turmeric (Curcumin) Absorption

Before I dive into the research, I just want to talk about something that is often overlooked and very important when it comes to absorbing the beneficial compound curcumin from food. Firstly, curcumin is a fat-soluble compound, therefore it requires fat to be absorbed. If no fat is present in the food product that turmeric is in, you will simply eliminate turmeric in your stool. But wait, there has been some research indicating that undigested turmeric may reduce cancersalong the digestive tract and help in cases of inflammatory bowel diseases such as colitis. So perhaps if not all is absorbed during transport along the intestinal tract and the colon, the host will still be able to benefit. However, for other health benefits, consuming turmeric as part of a fat containing meal or beverage, is important to increase blood concentrations.

Secondly, adding black pepper to turmeric, allows curcumin to be present longer in the system before it is metabolized by the liver and eliminated via the urine. Pepper, or the active component piperine, acts on the liver during phase one of detoxification, by slowing the metabolism of bioactive components (including curcumin). Therefore, pepper simply allows curcumin to be active longer and therefore communicate its benefits for a longer period of time throughout the body. Even a pinch of pepper can significantly boost levels.

 

Researched Health Benefits of Curcumin

Pain and Inflammation Relief: Curcumin has been found to inhibit the inflammatory cascade at the same enzymatic reaction as over the counter NSAIDs, without the side effects associated with chronic NSAID use. These include stomach pain and heartburn, stomach ulcers and bleeding, high blood pressure, and more. Therefore, turmeric root can be a great addition to anyone dealing with chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, autoimmune conditions, and joint pain.

Cancer Prevention: As mentioned before, curcumin can be beneficial in preventing colon cancer and cancers along the digestive tract. Specifically research has found that turmeric inhibits cancer/tumor growth in all stages of tumor development. Therefore, in terms of cancer prevention, turmeric can be a great addition to any diet.   

Cardiovascular Health: Elevated LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease. Research has found that a daily supplementation of turmeric can help reduce total LDL cholesterol and increase HDL, while also reducing triglyceride levels. 

Weight Loss: Overweight individuals with metabolic syndrome may benefit from daily turmeric consumption. A recent research study found an increased weight loss and enhanced percentage reduction of body fat after consuming curcumin daily for 30 days in addition to diet and lifestyle changes versus simply just diet and lifestyle changes alone. If weight loss is a part of your health goals, then the addition of turmeric to a whole foods diet can be helpful. 

Detoxification: The liver has two phases of detoxification. The first phase metabolizes xenobiotics (chemicals, toxins, hormones, pesticides, alcohol/drugs, bacterial end products, etc) into intermediates, which often are even more toxic than they were prior to phase 1. This step creates a lot of free radicals and therefore good antioxidant status is important. Then during phase 2, these intermediates are converted to water soluble compounds for excretion via the urine or via the bile for elimination with the stool. Curcumin increases phase 2 activity and can be very supportive when someone is struggling with a large xenobiotic load.

How to get MORE Turmeric into Your Life

Generally, I recommend using the fresh root if it is available to you. However, organic ground turmeric powder can be used as well. Use 1 teaspoon ground turmeric in place of the 2-3 inches of fresh turmeric root. Turmeric is found in curry blends, but you can also use turmeric to add color to any dish. Add a teaspoon of turmeric to your pot of rice or quinoa during cooking for a bright yellow color and added health benefits. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, ground turmeric, salt and pepper for added flavor and brightly colored yellow florets. Or use the recipes below for more TURMERIC inspiration. 

Turmeric Miso Dressing

Makes ~ 1 cup 

This tasty dressing is made with a combination of three very potent anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and heart healthy ingredients turmeric, ginger, and garlic. Use this dressing for salads or simply drizzle over steamed rice, roasted veggies, or anything your heart desires.

INGREDIENTS

1 thumbs length fresh turmeric root (~2-3 inches)

Juice of 1 medium navel orange (~1/2 cup)

1 clove garlic, grated

1 teaspoon grated ginger root

1 ½ tablespoons white mellow miso

2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

¼ teaspoon sea salt (I used Eden’s)

Pinch cayenne

Fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Using a spoon, gently scrape as much skin off the turmeric root as possible. Coarsely chop and place into a high-speed blender. Add the juice of 1 medium orange. Using a microplaner, grate the garlic clove into the blender. Using the same microplaner, grate 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger root (use the same spoon technique with the ginger root to scrape off the skin prior to grating) and add to the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste if desired. Store in a glass jar.

Zesty Turmeric Citrus Tonic

Makes 2 servings

This tonic is potent and powerful. If you feel a cold coming on, or simply need a detox boost after the holidays, this is a great way to do it. It is an easy way to get a large amount of fresh turmeric in just a few minutes. Best is to drink this fresh to get as much vitamin C as possible, as the vitamin C from the oranges quickly degrades after processing. Therefore, I recommend sharing the other half with your significant other.

INGREDIENTS

1 thumbs length fresh turmeric root (~2-3 inches)

Juice of 2 medium navel oranges (~ 1 cup)

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon MCT oil

Pinch fresh ground black pepper

Filtered water

DIRECTIONS

Place all the ingredients into a high-speed blender. If needed add a little filtered water to make 1 cup total volume. Blend until smooth. Divide into two glasses and enjoy immediately.

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