Nothing says “love” like a flourless chocolate cake. Especially when it’s homemade. You don’t have to be gluten-free or wheat-free to appreciate the sheer decadence of a flourless chocolate cake. It’s a delectable way to enjoy a combination of healthy fats: pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed butter, dark chocolate and cocoa powder (ideally, unsweetened and 100% cocoa)—all […]
Show Me the Love! Ultra-Dark Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies
Want to show your love? Give me chocolate—the darker, the better (I like 85% cocoa content or higher). Or…you could make these brownies! Why does chocolate = love? We have to credit the Mayans for creating this symbolic connection. In the 7th century, the Mayans migrated from Guatemala to the Yucatan peninsula, where they established […]
Resolution Rx: 10 Healthy Shifts for 2017
Did you make a New Year’s health resolution—like losing weight, getting fit, or eating healthy? In all likelihood, by end-January, that initial fire in your belly has faded. Maybe you’ve even reverted to familiar (but unhealthy) habits. An estimated 92% of people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions, according to a University of Scranton […]
Creamy Carb Comfort: Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”
If you’re weaning yourself off of “white foods”, like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes—starchy foods that raise blood sugar and can contribute to weight gain—you’ll be happy to know that there is one white food that you can enjoy with virtual abandon: cauliflower mashed “potatoes”. Truth? There are no potatoes in this mash—just cauliflower. But, […]
Grass-fed Beef and Stealth Vegetable Ragu + Zoodles
When the temperature drops and a deep chill prevails, there’s nothing more satisfying (and warming) than a savory one-pot meal. If you’re cooking for picky children (or a fussy spouse / partner / girlfriend / boyfriend), they won’t notice that plenty of good-for-you vegetables hide in this one-pot grass-fed beef ragu served over sautéed zoodles […]
6 Mood Changers: How to Boost Mood Naturally
As summer wanes, with shorter days and a hint of cool, are you experiencing a mood shift—perhaps, feeling unexpectedly blue or in need of a “lift”? If you’ve ever had a “gut feeling” about something, experienced digestive upset, like nausea or diarrhea, when feeling stressed, or felt “butterflies” before giving a work presentation, then you’ve […]
Stress-Busting Basil
This summer, I fell unexpectedly in love with basil. At my favorite farm stand, I would rivet toward the herbs on display, drawn to the co-mingling scent of several varieties of basil, including Genovese (sweet) basil, lemon basil, Thai basil and holy basil, also known as tulsi. The uniquely aromatic, uplifting fragrance of basil […]
Clean Protein: Pastured Lamb
I find pasture-raised lamb to be an incredibly flavorful, versatile and nourishing red meat. A few years ago, I was inexplicably exhausted. Not only did the slightest physical exertion, like a five-minute telephone conversation, drain me of all energy, I was always freezing cold! At the time, I would go to bed, shivering, despite wearing […]
Sweet Taste of Summer: Watermelon
July is “National Watermelon Month”. Official designation or not, watermelon is a delicious and detoxifying warm weather food that deserves recognition for its many health-promoting properties. A welcome finale at the end of any summer meal, it’s also the easiest, fuss-free dessert you’ll ever serve! Naturally sweet-tasting, yet crisp and refreshing, watermelon is an extremely […]
Oodles of Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles)
If your garden is overflowing with zucchini, or neighbors are gifting you with bags of homegrown summer squash, enjoy your unexpected abundance by making zoodles, a.k.a. zucchini noodles. Because I have hypothyroidism and NCGS (Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity), I don’t eat wheat or other gluten-containing grains. It’s not a hardship though! I find zoodles more satisfying […]