Relish Health Gift Guide 2023

It’s that time of year again when we think about how to show our love to family, friends and community. Gifts don’t necessarily come wrapped in a little box to make a big difference. Consider some of these options:

The Gift of Time

Some of the most meaningful gifts are gifts of time.

• We can volunteer. Being deliberate about calling or visiting our elders, cooking for people with stressful circumstances, pitching in to clean a park, serving meals at a shelter are just a few examples. Volunteering is good for your community and good for your soul and health. 

• We can spend time with someone we love. Time with friends and family is precious. It is not only enjoyable, but also contributes to better health. Finding time to enjoy the simple pleasures of the season with loved ones can help us feel more connected. My family loves to wander the local Christmas market, drive the neighborhood to view holiday lights and spend afternoons baking together.

• We can make something for someone we love. Imagine how much your dear friend would love 2 quarts of soup or a soup assortment! Or a box of dark chocolate bark, a bag of homemade granola, delicious spiced biscotti or salted date caramel turtles all dolled up in a box with ribbon. A work of art, a lovingly knit cowl, or a hand-sewn sachet filled with lavender and rose petals fall into this category, too. 

The Gift of Health

The New Year is a perfect time to renew focus on health. Consider giving devices or experiences that can gently help your loved ones reclaim healthy habits.

• Wearable fitness devices are revolutionizing the way we monitor our health. I continue to marvel at the technology that is available for home use. If you or your loved one are driven by data, these devices can help you monitor and optimize your health trends. These are some of my top picks:

  • Created by neuroscientists and physicians, the Apollo wearable device delivers gentle, soothing vibrations, called Apollo Vibes™, that are like music your body can feel – higher vibrations improve your energy and focus, while lower vibrations reduce stress, help you relax and fall asleep.

  • The Oura Ring can be worn both day and night to capture activity, movement and sleep data. This data is used to calculate scores for “Readiness, Sleep, and Activity” giving you an accurate read on your overall health. The Oura Ring only uses Bluetooth during data downloads and can be safely used on a regular basis for those that are concerned about EMF exposure.

  • The Apple Watch has the capacity to monitor blood oxygen levels, electrocardiogram (ECG) and can provide notification for high and low heart rates or irregular heart rhythms. I personally use an Apple watch to monitor my steps, sleep pattern and daily heart rate variability (HVR).

• Comprehensive lab and lifestyle assessment At Relish Health I have many tools to provide detailed evaluations of one’s nutritional status, hormone balance and stress levels to help make a personalized plan for optimal wellness. Learn more about available tests here.

The Gift of Wisdom

As a bookophile I believe books are always a great gift. These are a few books on my recently enjoyed list and wish list.

• Creative Acts for Curious People “A delightful, compelling book that offers a dazzling array of practical, thoughtful exercises designed to spark creativity, help solve problems, foster connection, and make our lives better.”—Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author and host of the Happier podcast

• The Art of Fermentation "The bible for the D.I.Y set: detailed instructions for how to make your own sauerkraut, beer, yogurt and pretty much everything involving microorganisms."--The New York Times

• The Body Keeps the Score “Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society.” —Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies

A GIFT For you… a jump start on a new you in the new year:

ProLon is a fasting mimicking diet system that gives you all the benefits of a 5-day fast while enjoying food. Increased focus, fat focused weight loss, enhanced cellular renewal and improved metabolic health are well documented benefits. (Learn more about the fast here.) Prolon kits can be purchased through Fullscripts or pick up at the Relish Health office.

Some gifts never go out of style. Check out the gift guides from
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022

(This blog post is not sponsored by any manufacturer. However, at no cost to you, Relish Health may receive a commission on purchases made through an Amazon link.)

How to Upgrade Your Breakfast

Breakfast is a challenging meal for many people and often gets less priority in busy mornings while rushing out the door for work or school. However, this meal is so powerful for our bodies, it has residual effects on our sleep later that evening. If you are focused on improving your nutrition and wellness, look first to how you start your day. Overnight our bodies spend several hours repairing and rejuvenating from the activity of the previous day. The first meal after sleep provides the fuel we need to further recharge for activity and get our bodies running well. Studies show that the food we eat for breakfast influences our energy levels, cravings, emotions and clarity throughout the day.

Unfortunately, many people skip it altogether, while others may reach for something quick, processed, and packaged. Often these quick choices are high-carbohydrate, dessert-like foods which do more harm than good. These foods spike our blood sugar, drain our energy, leaving us searching for our next “fix” of sugary foods as well as caffeinated beverages to keep this false sense of energy up and prevent a sugar crash.

Luckily, a nutritious breakfast can be easy, and help us get in the habit of including nutrient-dense foods at every meal. Listed below are a few tips to help set you up for a delicious day.

Tip 1: Prioritize your P’s at breakfast: Protein and Produce

Meals that contain healthy fats, good-quality proteins, and colorful vegetables, will provide a sense of balance and satisfaction. Having balanced macronutrients creates lasting energy and brain function that encourages you to continue making healthy choices all day.

Consider incorporating these quality ingredients into your morning:

• Proteins like eggs, wild salmon, leftover poultry, and for those that tolerate dairy it may include plain organic yogurt, or a high-quality plant-based protein powder 

• Healthy fats like avocado, natural almond butter, natural peanut butter, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, coconut oil, coconut butter, olive oil, avocado oil, pesto, or high-quality cheeses

• Green vegetables such as spinach, Swiss chard, arugula, zucchini, asparagus, broccoli. These are just a few greens that work well. You can add any vegetables that you like.

• Complex carbohydrates: black beans, chickpeas, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato, steel cut oatmeal

Tip 2: Make your carbs slow burning

When we eat refined carbohydrates like simple sugars and refined flours our blood sugar and insulin levels spike. Unfortunately, our bodies were not designed to handle the blood sugar and insulin roller coaster that many of us are on.

When we eat sugar, whether it’s in an obvious form like a donut or a non-obvious form like a sweetened yogurt cup, our blood sugar increases quickly. This fast increase then spikes insulin. When insulin removes blood sugar, you can then have a blood sugar crash, and then cortisol (our stress hormone) moves in to compensate and try to move sugar out of storage and back into the bloodstream. This process can be responsible for many carb and sugar cravings.

A simple solution to prevent blood sugar crashes is to eat a savory breakfast that includes fiber, good fats, and proteins. This will balance your blood sugar and give you more sustained energy and focus.

Tip 3: Fiber, Fiber, Fiber

Fiber is your friend for so many reasons. We know that it helps with digestion and keeping us regular, but it is also helpful in blood sugar control. Fiber slows our body’s absorption of sugar into our blood stream so that our blood sugar spikes are less significant. Fiber also feeds the good bacteria in our digestive tract that influences our metabolism and immunity. Breakfast is an easy and ideal meal to prioritize fiber consumption because again it sets the stage for the rest our day. If you are a woman then aim for at least 25 grams of fiber daily. Men should consume at least 38 grams of fiber daily.

Looking or some breakfast inspiration? Check out the recipes located at RelishHealthMD.com.

Here is a “produce and protein” recipe below to get you started:

Poached Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

This elegant egg dish is traditionally called Shakshuka. It is a classic dish enjoyed widely in the middle east and Northern Africa. Although traditionally enjoyed for breakfast, it makes an easy and satisfying dinner and is a great way to increase vegetable consumption. Consider adding a can of chickpeas or artichokes to make the dish even more hearty.

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD (Adapted from the NYT Cooking website)
Serves: 4-6
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 roasted red pepper, diced (jarred or freshly prepared)
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sweet or smoked paprika (or try a mixture of the two)
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with juice
4 handfuls of greens like spinach or chopped kale
1 tsp sea salt
Pepper to taste
6 large eggs
Chopped Cilantro for garnish (optional)
Hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add red peppers, cumin, paprika, pepper flakes and stir to combine. Add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. If using firm greens like kale, add them at this time. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tomatoes start to thicken. If using tender greens, like spinach, stir them in just before adding the eggs.

3. Using the back of a spoon, gently make small wells for each egg in the tomato sauce. Moving quickly so that all eggs cook evenly, gently crack each egg and place in the sauce.

4. Place the skillet in the oven and bake the eggs for 5-8 minutes or until just set. Watch closely to prevent over cooking.

5. Garnish with herbs and hot sauce and serve with your favorite bread, toast or gluten- free grain.

Note: This sauce can be made in advance and reheated in individual portions if needed. For a quick morning meal, sauté the number of eggs needed and lay on top of the heated sauce.

Calories (per egg with sauce) 200; Fat 13 grams; Carbohydrates 16 grams; Fiber 4 grams; Sugar 3 grams; Protein 10 grams

BACK TO SCHOOL BREAKFASTS

Peach Melon Gazpacho

Local, tree ripened peaches are one of my favorite foods. In the late mid-western summer, they happen to be bountiful along with sweet melons and mellow cucumbers. These beauties are easy to pick up at your local farmer’s market or grocery. One benefit of deliberately eating locally and seasonally is that you are more likely to eat a wide variety of foods resulting in a greater diversity of phytonutrients vital for health and chronic disease prevention. The shorter the distance food needs to travel to reach you, the fresher and more flavorful it will be.

I hope you enjoy this recipe that combines the best of late summer fruits.

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Peach Melon Jalapeño Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a Spanish-style soup often made from tomatoes and other vegetables and spices. This recipe is a liberal interpretation of the delicious chilled soup. The cucumbers, jalapeños and cilantro add balance and contrast to the sweet fruits, while the lemon and salt enhance all the flavors.

Peach Melon Jalapeño Gazpacho

Makes approximately 3 cups (6 servings)
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 peaches, peeled and pit removed

• 1/2 medium cantaloupe melon, rind and seeds removed; cut in large cubes

• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeds removed

• 1-2 medium jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed

• 2-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1-2 small lemons)

• 1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 1 hour then drained

• Generous pinch of salt

• Garnish: Cilantro leaves and fruity olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine all the soup ingredients in a blender until smooth. Fruits can vary in sweetness and heat. Adjust the amount of lemon juice and salt to taste to balance the the fruit and veggie mixture.

2. Store the soup in the fridge, but allow the mixture to come close to room temperature before serving.

3. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves and a drizzle of high quality olive oil.

Tips to Make Your Holiday Cookies More Wholesome

My first memories in the kitchen involve making holiday cookies to share with friends and family. As a functional medicine physician and chef, I’ve learned a few tips to make my holiday baking traditions more health supportive. For me, the perfect cookie is baked with minimally-processed ingredients, yet has crispy, lightly golden edges with rich flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. Here are some easy substitutions you can do at home this holiday season to bring a bit more nutrition to your favorite cookie recipes:

• Start with the best ingredients. Of course, the quality of the finished product is only as good as the ingredients you start with. Aim to use fresh organic ingredients when possible. The holiday baking season is a great time to take inventory of the products in your pantry. Check their expiration dates and check that dried spices have not become rancid with age. Try swapping sea salt for iodized table salt and use aluminum-free baking soda. Minimize artificial ingredients that may be found in imitation extracts and food colorings.

• Replace and reduce sugar. Cookies are a treat. As a general rule, minimizing sugar in our daily routine is important for our health, but life is meant to be celebrated especially at the holidays. There are ways to cut back on sugar yet still have a tasty show-stopping cookie. Instead of icing your sugar cookies, sprinkle with nuts, orange zest, dried flowers (I love crushed rose petals), seeds or drizzle with dark chocolate. Sugar adds moisture to cookies, but you can often decrease the sugar in a recipe (up to about 25%) with little compromise. Experiment with your favorite cookie recipe. You can add in a splash of your favorite extract like vanilla, almond or lemon for a sweet confectionary flavor. Natural nonnutritive sweeteners like monk fruit, erythritol or stevia can also be used as alternatives to granulated sugar. I like Lakanto brand monk fruit sweetener. It can easily be used to replace some of the sugar in a recipe. Beware, however, cookies using alternative sweeteners may become dry faster than their regular sugar sweetened counterparts.

• Upgrade your egg. Using a pasture-raised egg offers a slight nutritional advantage over a conventional egg. If you wish to make vegan cookies, replace each egg with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/4 mashed banana or with a flax egg. Applesauce works well in cakey cookies like snickerdoodles. For chewy recipes try the flax egg. For a flax egg mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons warm water for each egg (up to two in a recipe). Let the mixture sit until cool before adding to your wet ingredients.

• Add some fiber. Change up your white flour for whole-wheat pastry flour as a cup-for-cup substitution. Whole wheat flour is made from the whole grain, so it contains more fiber and minerals. Whole wheat bread flour has a high protein content and will yield a tough finished cookie. Using whole-wheat flour in place of all-purpose flour gives your cookies about four times the amount of fiber in every batch.

• Mind the gluten. Gluten sensitivity is increasingly common. Luckily there are numerous alternative baking mixes available. I love to bake with almond flour and enjoy recipes from the Sweet Laurel Cookbook. You can also make your own alternative flour mix. Here is a recipe from my culinary alma mater, The Natural Gourmet Institute: try mixing 2 cups white rice flour with 2/3 cup potato starch and 1/3 cup tapioca starch. Treat this blend like it is all-purpose flour. You can also store it in an air-tight container.

• Mind the quality of your fats. Steer clear of ingredients that contain partially hydrogenated oil (or trans fats), like margarine and vegetable shortening. If you use butter, aim to buy organic cultured butter, which contains probiotics and no antibiotics. If you have a dairy sensitivity or wish to make vegan cookies, consider swapping butter or margarine for coconut oil. For every stick (1/2 cup) of butter, use 5 tablespoons coconut oil plus 3 tablespoons coconut cream. Use this for recipes that require creaming the butter and sugar together, like sugar cookies and shortbread. 

• Chocolate is your friend. There is always a bit of trial and error when experimenting with recipes. If your cookies are good but a bit less than perfect, try dipping or drizzling them with melted chocolate. When it comes to chocolate, the darker the better. Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants.

 A PRIMER ON GLUTEN-FREE FLOURS
HOW TO REPLACE BUTTER WHEN BAKING

Enjoying Bitter Greens: Promote Digestion and Gain Nutrients

Red Belgian Endive

As Americans we are sugar-addicted and bitter-phobic, but many cultures embrace bitter flavors. Europeans have a tradition of “digestive” bitters and the ideal Chinese meal always includes a bitter food on the plate. We humans have taste receptors for five flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and the elusive umami.

These flavors are important and have played a role in our evolutionary development. For example, sweet flavors signify sugars and sources of easy calories. On the other hand, bitter flavors have likely helped us avoid eating toxic substances. Over time we developed tolerance to these flavors, which has allowed us to eat nutritious plants that have bitter-flavors and now they are easily found in your grocery store. The chemical compounds in these plants that are responsible for the bitter flavors have demonstrated beneficial properties, including stimulating appetite, promoting digestive enzyme production necessary for optimal nutrient absorption as well as promoting gastrointestinal motility. Many people already use bitters for this purpose in the form of a morning cup of coffee. In fact, the three most recognized bitters in the American diet include coffee, chocolate and beer.

Kale, Swiss Chard and Arugula

Americans often ignore these wonderfully nutritious bitter greens. They are packed with vitamins A, C, K and minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium yet low in calories. They are also great sources of folate and fiber.  Adding bitter greens to your diet can be simple. Arugula, endive, broccoli rabe, swiss chard, dandelion greens, escarole, frisée, kale, mizuna, mustard greens, beet greens, radicchio, and watercress can all be found seasonally in the produce section of most local groceries. The tender bitter greens can be incorporated into your salad. For the sturdier greens, consider lightly sautéing in a small amount of olive oil with a sprinkle of salt to tame the bitter flavor and make the greens more digestible.

To introduce your palate to these flavors, try the following recipe.

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Bitter Greens Salad

Of all the flavors that grace our plate, the bitter flavor is potentially the most fascinating. There is strong tradition around the world to use bitter flavors to help aid digestion, cleanse the body and build vitality. One of the best ways to introduce bitterness to your plate is to incorporate the bitter taste of nutrient dense greens into your salad. Chicory, dandelion, arugula, radicchio, endive or watercress are wonderfully complex tasting greens that are easily found in groceries and farmers’ markets. Slowly increase their proportion to sweeter tasting lettuces in your salad to build up your tolerance.

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Serves: 4-6
Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
6 cups mixed greens like romaine lettuce, endive, radicchio, watercress
Optional add-ins: a thinly sliced apple, fennel or radish

Directions:

1. Combine vinegar, mustard, honey in a small bowl. Add oils and whisk until well blended. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Combine greens and any additional toppings in a large bowl and drizzle with dressing. Toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes:
Tart, yet sweet apples, like pink ladies or gala apples work well in this recipe. When possible use raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar like Braggs brand. 

Modern Edamame Succotash

Succotash is a classic culinary dish often made with lima beans and sweet corn. While I enjoy the traditional dish, I’ve given this recipe a model twist by incorporating shelled edamame in place of the lima beans and creamy ripe avocado instead of the traditional butter or lard. The result is a nutrient-dense, flavor-packed salad that is perfect for your summer picnic.

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Edemame Succotash

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Servings: 4-6 (makes approximately 6 cups)
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen wukimame (AKA shelled edamame)
2 cups frozen organic sweet corn 
1 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 diced red or orange bell pepper
1 ripe avocado, diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green portions
1/4 cups roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons rice wine or champagne vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 handfuls of parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Salt generously. Boil the wukimame for five minutes. During the last minute, add the frozen sweet corn. Drain well and rinse with cold water.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the cool wukimame and corn with the remaining ingredients. Stir well.  

3. Serve chilled.  The salad is best if made several hours in advance.

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Looking for other great picnic recipes? Give these a try:
NUTS FOR KALE SALAD
SHAVED BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD WITH ALMONDS AND CITRUS VINAIGRETTE
BEET AND LENTIL HERB SALAD
HERBED VINAIGRETTE POTATO SALAD

Grilled Tuna with Marinated Artichokes

This is summer grilling at it’s finest. Fresh tuna is a rare and special treat at my house. It is one of my all-time favorite meals. I’ve been making this dish for the last 20 years. Even non-fish eaters seem to enjoy this recipe.

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Grilled Tuna Kabobs with Marinated Artichokes

Serves 4
Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup light flavored olive oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 lbs fresh tuna cut into 1-inch cubes
8 marinated artichoke quarters, drained from their can or jar
4 skewers soaked in water for several minutes

Directions:

1. In a medium size bowl, whisk the mustard, oil, lemon juice, garlic, pepper flakes and salt/pepper until a thick paste develops.

2. Add the fish to the bowl and coat generously in the mixture.

3. Place the fish and artichokes on the skewers in an alternating pattern.

4. Grill the fish about 1 minute per side. The goal is a nice sear on the outside with a pink center of the cube.

I garnish with parsley and serve these skewers with rice and a light salad.
Recipe adapted from a Martha Stewart magazine circa 2002.

5-day Winter Menu

Did you make a new year’s resolutions this year? I’m a fan of setting monthly goals instead of grandiose resolutions. If meal planning is not something you routinely do, I encourage you to consider it as a way to improve both the quality and nutrition of your meals, but also to help relieve some of the stress of making dinner throughout the week. Planning meals in advance prevents the daily challenge of answering “what’s for dinner” and also allows for fewer last-minute trips to the grocery. (This will hopefully give you a few “found” minutes for extra self-care— another worthy goal). On each Sunday, I faithfully make a meal plan for every dinner in the upcoming week. I can then fill my online shopping cart and pickup groceries on Monday mornings because this works best for my schedule. I previously shared about getting started meal planning here. Now I will share what kind of meals make it to my planner. I hope this gives you some inspiration. (Fun weird personal fact… I save all of my menus and can tell you what my family had for dinner for the past 5 years).

I rarely follow recipes verbatim in my kitchen, as I view them as suggestions and inspiration. I’ve included links to some of my inspirational recipes, so you have a guide to get you started.  This menu is gluten-free, dairy-free and can easily be paleo if you leave out the rice and legumes or swap them for alternative ingredients.

A 5-day menu:

Monday: Simple seared salmon with lemony Brussel sprout slaw

Brussel sprouts are in the cruciferous vegetable family making them especially nutritious. They can be shredded with a mandolin, knife or food processor. (The mandolin makes the shreds look the most attractive, but the food processor is easiest.) I’m adding pomegranate seeds to the slaw since they are in season. You could also add dried cranberries for a pop of color and flavor. I like to make a huge slaw salad. It makes excellent leftovers for weekday lunches. I’m fine with the salmon and slaw as my meal but I am also serving it with rice for my growing teenagers. I typically make extra rice and freeze it in quantities needed for a future meal.

For the salmon: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. On a cook-top heat a cast iron skillet or similar pan on medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, drizzle a small amount of avocado oil on your salmon and in the bottom of your pan. Distribute the oil evenly in the pan and on the salmon flesh. Season the fish with salt and pepper. When the pan is hot, place the salmon skin side up on the pan for 4-5 minutes. Then flip the fish and place the pan in the oven until the fish is done. Aim to remove it when the temperature reaches approximately 130’-135' degrees in the center for medium. Fish typically takes a total of 10 minutes per inch thickness cooking time (add the cook-top and oven time together when calculating your estimated time needed for cooking). Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Tuesday: Winter veggie soup with white beans and arugula flat breads.

For the soup I am using the linked recipe as inspiration. Feel free to use whatever veggies you like. I am starting with onions, garlic, carrots and celery; then adding potatoes, parsnips, zucchini, green beans, diced canned tomatoes and a can of white beans. I season with oregano, basil, bay leaf, a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Use your favorite stock as the base. I find chopping veggies meditative, but if you find the task is a chore, consider purchasing the veggies already chopped from the produce section of the grocery. You will pay slightly more for the convenience, but the slight up-charge is substantially less expensive and more nutritious than take-out. Again, I’m making a big pot, so I have leftovers for lunch. Notice a theme?

To mix things up a bit I am serving the soup with a flatbread. I start with a frozen cauliflower crust from my local grocery. I will lightly cover it with olive oil and toast it in the oven. After baking, pile the crust with fresh arugula, a pinch of salt and a drizzle of fruity olive oil. Some thinly sliced peppadew peppers are also nice on top for color and extra flavor. Slice and enjoy.

I love beans as a source of fiber and plant-based protein, but they can be challenging to tolerate for people with autoimmune disease or certain GI conditions. Grass-fed beef stew meat would be a great substitute for the beans if you are looking to make this meal paleo. I recommend browning the meat in your soup pot with a small amount of oil, salt and pepper at the beginning of the soup recipe instructions.

Wednesday: Cashew cream Alfredo pasta with shitake bacon

This is comfort food at its finest. This sauce recipe makes enough for two meals for my family. I will be freezing whatever sauce is not eaten so I have an easy future meal. I serve this over gluten-free, lentil pasta for my family. I also enjoy this sauce on spiraled zucchini that has been lightly sautéed. My favorite part of the meal is the mushrooms.

Thursday: Poached cod with onions, fennel, tomatoes and olives served over rice with a side salad

This recipe feels a little fancy but is an easy one-pot wonder. No fennel, no problem— the caramelized onions alone are enough to make the dish delicious. I buy wild caught frozen cod at my local grocery.

The leftover or frozen rice from Monday comes in handy tonight. Again, I’m fine without it since I find a plant-forward paleo eating style helps me feel my best. Add the rice (or cauliflower rice) if you need a few more calories or carbs in your diet.

Serve with a side salad. I plan to make a salad with simple bibb lettuce and thinly sliced radishes. I’ll top it with a homemade Dijon vinaigrette.

Friday: Rotisserie Chicken, oven baked fries and roasted broccolini

Fridays we try to keep it simple. I chop potatoes and roast them in the oven or air frier with a little avocado oil and salt/pepper. If I want to get fancy, I toss them with a thinly sliced jalapeño and teaspoon of ghee after baking.

The broccolini can be steamed, roasted or blanched. Feel free to swap your favorite green veggie or perhaps whatever veggies is still in your fridge leftover from the week.

My husband typically picks the protein and mans the outdoor grill or indoor grill-pan. Or, on busy weeks, we simply pick up a fresh roasted, organic chicken from the grocery. (Pro-tip: Whole Foods allows you to call ahead to reserve your bird.)

Friday nights typically call for a nice glass of wine to celebrate the week.

Bon appétit.

Preserved Lemons

Many people are using their quarantine time to create sourdough starters. I've opted for an easier fermentation project. Preserved lemons require only two ingredients, lemon and salt, but together pack a tangy and bright acidic punch for your meal. This secret trick to enhancing salad dressings, dips and marinades is rich in probiotics and vitamin C, both of which can help support your immune system. You can use preserved lemons in any recipe that you would use fresh lemons. Delicious!

🍋🍋🍋

Preserved lemons:

• 5 organic lemons

• 2 Tbsp salt

• Optional: 1-2 peppercorns and/or a few saffron threads

1. With clean hands, thinly slice 3 1/2 lemons. Remove the seeds and place them in a clean, small glass jar. Pour the juice of the remaining 1 1/2 lemons over the slices. Add the salt and stir. 

2. Place a smaller glass jar or similar object on top of the lemon slices to keep them submerged in the juice. (I place the lemons in a wide-mouth ball jar and place a smaller juice glass inside.)

3. Cover the jar(s) with a towel or cheese cloth for protection from dust. Let the jar sit on the counter away from direct sunlight for about 1 week. 

4. After 1 week, refrigerate and use the lemons as desired. Note that a little bit goes a long way.

Relish Health Gift Guide 2020

It’s that time of year again when we think about how to show our love to family, friends and community. What shall we give after this very challenging year? Gifts don’t necessarily come wrapped in a little box to make a big difference. Consider some of these options:

The Gift of Time

Some of the most meaningful gifts are gifts of time.

• We can volunteer. Being deliberate about calling (or visiting if appropriate) elders, cooking for people with stressful circumstances, reading virtually to elders or children, pitching in to clean a park, serving meals at a shelter are just a few examples. My family will be collecting supplies for Outreach, a local organization that supports homeless youth. Volunteering is good for your community and good for your soul and health. 

• We can spend time with someone we love. The pandemic has changed how we socialize leaving many people feeling lonely. Spending time with friends and family is not only enjoyable, but also contributes to better health. Be creative with ways to safely interact. Consider a virtual board game or music recital together. Consider reading a play aloud on Zoom after assigning parts. Or make a kitchen date with people in your COVID circle. Make 3 pots of soup and split the proceeds to stock your freezer. There’s nothing like laughter to season the soup to perfection. This Morrocan lentil soup is a family favorite.

• We can make something for someone we love. Imagine how much your dear friend would love 2 quarts of soup or a soup assortment! Or a box of dark chocolate bark, a bag of homemade granola or salted date caramel turtles all dolled up in a box with ribbon. A work of art, a lovingly knit cowl, or a hand-sewn sachet filled with lavender and rose petals fall into this category, too. 

The Gift of Health

The New Year is a perfect time to renew focus on health. 2020 has taken a toll on physical and mental health for many people. Consider giving devices or experiences that can gently help your loved ones reclaim healthy habits.

• Wearable fitness devices are revolutionizing the way we monitor our health. I continue to marvel at the technology that is available for home use. If you or your loved one are driven by data, these devices can help you monitor and optimize your health trends. These are some of my top picks:

  • The Oura Ring can be worn both day and night to capture activity, movement and sleep data. This data is used to calculate scores for “Readiness, Sleep, and Activity” giving you an accurate read on your overall health. The Oura Ring only uses Bluetooth during data downloads and can be safely used on a regular basis for those that are concerned about EMF exposure.

  • The Apple Watch has the capacity to monitor blood oxygen levels, electrocardiogram (ECG) and can provide notification for high and low heart rates or irregular heart rhythms. I personally use an Apple watch to monitor my steps, sleep pattern and daily heart rate variability (HVR).

• Comprehensive lab and lifestyle assessment At Relish Health I have many tools to provide detailed evaluations of one’s nutritional status, hormone balance and stress levels to help make a personalized plan for optimal wellness. Learn more about available tests here.

The Gift of Wisdom

As a bookophile I believe books are always a great gift. These are a few books on my recently enjoyed list and wish list.

• The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron. I’ve taken Enneagram questionnaires in the past but this year felt like a good time for more self discovery and reflection. The Enneagram is an ancient personality typing system with an uncanny accuracy in describing how human beings are wired, both positively and negatively. The book allows you to learn more about yourself, but also start to see the world through other people's eyes, understanding how and why people think, feel, and act the way they do.

• The End of Alzheimer's Program: The First Protocol to Enhance Cognition and Reverse Decline at Any Age by Dale Bredesen. Memory loss and brain fog are not a part of normal aging. This book gives hope to the millions of people who may be suffering from cognitive changes. As a certified Bredesen Protocol provider, I can help you or your loved one implement this life changing program.

• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski. This may be a gift for yourself. 2020 has left many of us feeling burnout as a results of the challenges of the year. This book offers solutions to complete the biological stress cycle—and return your body to a state of relaxation.

• The Longevity Kitchen: Satisfying, Big-Flavor Recipes Featuring the Top 16 Age-Busting Power Foods by Rebecca Katz. Start the new year with more inspiration in the kitchen. Rebecca Katz is a fellow graduate of my culinary alma mater, The Natural Gourmet Institute. Her books provide inspiration and well researched, science-based, nutritional advice.

Some gifts never go out of style. Check out the gift guides from
2018 and 2019.

(This blog post is not sponsored by any manufacturer. However, at no cost to you, Relish Health may receive a commission on purchases made through an Amazon link.)

Seasonal Agrodolce Sauce

I’ve felt inspired by the gorgeous fruit in the market recently. The plums, peaches and pluots have vibrant color and sweetness that I find especially appealing. “Agrodolce” is a traditional sweet and sour sauce in Italian cuisine. I taught this recipe in a recent cooking class. It is easy to prepare yet makes a dramatic and elegant statement. The recipe captures the flavor of the fruit to make a savory accompaniment to a variety of dishes including fish like salmon or halibut, poultry, pork or even roasted veggies like squash or cauliflower.

Agrodolce

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD 
Makes: 1 cup (4 servings)
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ large red onion, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
½ cup raw almonds
½ cup golden raisins
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 small orange, zest and juice
1 cup diced ripe fruit like apple, plum or cherries
1.5-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (more to taste as needed)
Pinch salt
Pepper to taste
Water to thin if needed

Directions:

1. Place 1-2 tsp of oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the almonds until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

2. Place the remaining oil in the skillet and add the onion with a pinch of salt. Stir for 3-5 minutes until soft and caramelized. 

3. Add the raisins, fruit, herbs, orange zest and juice. Stir until the raisins are plump. 

4. Add the vinegar and simmer 2-3 additional minutes until the fruit is soft and the sauce has slightly thickened. Add in the reserved almonds. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water if the sauce becomes thicker than desired. Season to taste.

5. Serve warm or cold. 

Consider these additional pescatarian recipes:

ROASTED SALMON WITH LEMON WALNUT RELISH

GRILLED TUNA WITH ARTICHOKES

Back to School Breakfasts

Avocado Toast

The start of the school year means that many of us are getting back to familiar routines that may have become lax in the summer (or during quarantine). For those of us with school age children, late summer is a natural time to reset some of our habits for the upcoming year. Switching up your breakfast is an easy opportunity to increase your energy, control your cravings, encourage mental focus and potentially lose weight. These are benefits that can be enjoyed by the whole family regardless of age.  If you are currently skipping breakfast or not having a healthy breakfast, consider prioritizing this meal for a month and note how you feel. 

What is a healthy breakfast?

The typical American breakfast brings to mind foods like cereal, muffins, waffles, oatmeal and orange juice. Each of these foods and others like them are filled with sugar and carbs, and lack key nutrients such as protein and healthy fats. A meal high in sugar and carbs can temporarily boost energy, but without protein, healthy fats and fiber our blood sugar may spike and then quickly crash. This blood sugar roller coaster leads to more carb cravings, as well as compromised focus and erratic energy. The perfect breakfast is low in sugar and contains protein, healthy fats and plenty of fiber. The combination of these macronutrients ensures that our blood sugars are stable helping to keep us appropriately fueled for our day. 

Consider these sources:

• Protein: Plant-based protein powders (I like rice, pea and hemp), eggs, collagen or well-sourced, high-quality, unprocessed meats

• Fat: Nuts, nut butters, olives, high quality oils (EVOO, avocado oil, coconut oil)

• Fiber: Veggies of all colors and varieties especially greens, flax meal, chia seeds or psyllium husk

Breakfast when fasting:

If you’ve read my blogs or seen me in the office, you know I am a fan of time-restricted eating (AKA intermittent fasting). Not only is what we eat important, but when we eat it also impacts our health. Ideally the first meal of your day, regardless of the time it is eaten, includes protein, fat and fiber to set the tone for balanced blood sugars for the rest of the day.

Easy Swaps for your breakfast favorites:

 We all have favorite foods. Try applying some of these simple swaps to ensure balance in your meal.

• If you are fan of baked goods, including waffles or pancakes, try swapping the white flour for whole grain flour or almond flour to increase fiber. Almond flour can be easily swapped for a portion of the flour in most recipes. The almonds give added fiber and healthy fat to keep you full longer. Another tip for pancakes: if you like syrup, then try swapping with almond butter and cinnamon, applesauce, or berries.

• Include veggies in your favorite smoothie recipe. I recommend kale, spinach, avocado, cucumber or even carrots to add fiber and antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The goal here is to provide extra flavor and nutrition without sugar. Add only enough fruit to make the smoothie delicious enough for your to have it in your rotation. Bananas and pineapple can send your blood sugar soaring if not balanced with fat, protein and fiber. So, use them sparingly and with enough veggies to balance them.

• Use leftovers from dinner to balance your eggs. If you are only eating eggs, you are getting good protein, but you are missing fiber. Save some extra roasted or steamed veggies from dinner and add to your eggs in the morning. You will gain extra fiber and antioxidants to start your day. Or, serve your eggs with a side of mixed greens dressed with lemon juice and olive oil for a savory early day meal.

• Avocado toast is not just for brunch at your favorite restaurant. Smash an avocado and place on whole grain toast, with lemon, red pepper flakes, sliced radishes and “everything bagel” seasoning to add delicious favor. Experiment and make it your own with your favorite toppings. The avocado provides fat, fiber and antioxidants. For a twist, try hummus on toast.

• Make your oatmeal a complete meal. By itself, it is a good source of carbs and fiber, however it lacks protein and fat. Try adding a spoonful of protein powder, whole nuts or nut butter to make it work for you.

Below I have listed several quick and easy breakfast options to inspire you to have your (breakfast) cake and eat it too. By focusing on one meal at a time you can easily make food habits healthier, and breakfast is a simple place to start. These recipes are nutrient-dense, balanced and most importantly convenient for the morning rush. 

Chocolate Chia Pudding with Berries

Decadent German Chocolate Chia Pudding

Breakfast Parfait with Coconut Yogurt and Nutty Low-Sugar Granola

Avocado Toast with Eggs

Sweet Potato with Chai Spiced Almond Butter

Cured Salmon with Apple 

Smoothie Bowl with Protein Powder

Beet Red Velvet Waffles

Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Is Bone Broth Worth The Hype?

Simmering Bone Broth

I’m coming to terms lately that I may have a bit of a hoarding problem in the kitchen. I found no less than 9 quarts of homemade organic bone broth in my freezer. I love squirreling away veggie bits (ends of carrots, leeks, asparagus and onions, squash peels) together with bones from organic chicken. All of these scraps, which are often discarded, make amazing flavored broth that adds extra nourishment in many recipes. In my opinion, broth is what separates the good chefs from the extraordinary chefs. I use this broth in all my soups and often use it as the liquid for cooking rice. 

In the world of functional medicine, we LOVE bone broth. It is often cited as a gut-healing food. I frequently recommend its use when I am helping people overcome GI symptoms. It is delicious and well-tolerated, and does seem to anecdotally help people feel better. But, the scientist in me has often wondered if this was just hype or if research has proven this true. Unfortunately, there is very little scientific data about bone broth. 

Why drink bone broth?

Bone broth is a popular wellness product. The purported health benefits include being a rich source of collagen, amino acids and minerals with anti-inflammatory properties. The nutrients are extracted from the bones through a long cooking process that sometimes includes adding acid (vinegar) to the simmering stock.

Unfortunately, there is little published research about nutrients in bone broth. Recipes for broth can vary widely adding to the challenges of creating an accurate representation of the liquid. Small studies suggest broth contains modest amounts of chromium, molybdenum, potassium, selenium and magnesium, all of which are essential for health and healing. Other studies, however, suggest that broth contains only a minimal amount of calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and copper. Adding vegetables to the simmering broth does increase the minerals (and the taste) in the finished product. Of note, simmering bones for long periods of time can also extract undesired elements like lead and other heavy metals. Luckily, studies (linked below) suggest that the levels of toxic elements are low and unlikely to be of concern.

How to make your own bone broth

As evidenced by my freezer, I love to make bone broth. Regardless of the lack of scientific data, I continue to see it as a nourishing and delicious component of healthy, flavorful cooking. I feel accomplished when I turn bits of veggies and bone into food that nourishes my family and creates incredible flavor. This is the “recipe” I follow. It is very adaptable to whatever veggies scraps or bones you have on hand. Many people like to purchase beef bones or chicken feet for the sole purpose of making broth. I prefer to use what routinely comes into my kitchen. Since I use the broth in a variety of cooking dishes, I also prefer to not add vinegar to my recipe. I have success creating a rich, gelatinous broth with the recipe below.

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Homemade Chicken Bone Broth

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD 

Makes: 3 quarts stock

Time: 30 minutes hands-on time (15 minutes prep, 15 minutes packaging)

Ingredients:

• 1 onion*, halved

• 1 large carrot* (clean but it does not need to be peeled)

• 1 celery stalk* 

• 1-2 fennel stalks (optional)

• 5-10 mushroom stems (optional)

• Butternut squash peels (optional)

• 4-5 whole peppercorns

• 1 large bay leaf

• 5-10 parsley stems*

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ¼ tsp dried

• 1 1x4 inch piece dried kombu** (This seaweed supplies extra minerals like iodine.)

• Frame of 1-2 organic or pastured chicken or an equivalent amount of bones, preferably previously roasted

• 3 quarts filtered water

Directions:

1.     Place all ingredients in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. 

2.     Allow the ingredients to cook for 36 hours in the slow cooker on low heat or 4 hours in the pressure cooker at high pressure. 

3.     Strain the contents of the broth. Once appropriately cool, place the stock in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning skim off any undesired fat. 

4.     Pour the stock in 1-quart freezer containers. Store for future use. (I also like to freeze a portion of the broth in 1 cup increments** for convenience.)

* Or use an equivalent amount of scraps. I avoid using cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower or other similar brassica family veggies.

Never fear. If this process sounds overwhelming, studies comparing homemade verses commercially purchased bone broth did not show signifiant difference in nutritional contents.

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Culinary primer:

The term broth and stock are often used interchangeably. They are closely related. I have listed definitions below that have been provided by one of my favorite food authorities, Epicurious. What many people term bone broth should technically be called bone stock. I am not sure how bone broth became the popular term, perhaps because it has a better ring to it.

Broth is water simmered with veggies like carrots, celery and onions, aromatic herbs like parsley, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns and may or may not include meat or bones. It is usually cooked for a short period of time before being strained and seasoned. 

Stock is water simmered with veggies and herbs and animal bones (often roasted). It may also include pieces of meat. The water is simmered for longer periods of time before being strained. The goal is to extract the collagen from the connective tissue of the bones so that the stock has a thicker, gelatinous quality. 

 References:

1. McCance RA, Sheldon W, Widdowson EM. Bone and vegetable broth. Arch Dis Child. 1934 Aug;9(52):251-8.

2. Rennard BO, Ertl RF, Gossman GL, Robbins RA, Rennard SI. Chicken soup inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis in vitro. Chest. 2000 Oct;118(4):1150-7.

3. TIME magazine. January 2016. Science Can’t Explain Why Everyone is Drinking Bone Broth. Accessed at: http://time.com/4159156/bone-broth-health-benefits/

4. Monro JA, Leon R, Puri BK. The risk of lead contamination in bone broth diets. Med Hypotheses. 2013 Apr;80(4):389-90.

5. Hsu DJ, Lee CW, Tsai WC, Chien YC. Essential and toxic metals in animal bone broths. Food Nutr Res. 2017 Jul 18;61(1):1347478.

6. Dr. Kara Fitzgerald Bone Broth White paper: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/36f67b141008ab16392748797/files/76dd7b45-a07a-4c41-bc8d-fd4a497e1710/2019_Bone_Broth_Report_2_.pdf?mc_cid=d7e7a163d7&mc_eid=f46483d568

7. Broth vs Stock https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/difference-stock-broth-bone-broth-article

8. Alcock RD, Shaw GC, Burke LM. Bone Broth Unlikely to Provide Reliable Concentrations of Collagen Precursors Compared With Supplemental Sources of Collagen Used in Collagen Research. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2019 May 1;29(3):265-272. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0139. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

** Amazon affiliate link

Decadent German Chocolate Chia Pudding

Decadent German Chocolate Chia Pudding

I’ve had some extra time to be creative during COVID quarantine. Breakfasts have become slow family affairs which has been a fun time to experiment with new recipes. Chia pudding is a simple make-ahead option that is in our normal repertoire. This week I decided to make it more exciting with a decedent sauce made from whole, nourishing ingredients. Beyond breakfast, this recipe is delicious enough to be dessert!

Chia seeds are the edible seeds of a flowering plant in the mint family. They are rich in soluble fiber and a good source of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, iron, and calcium.  When soaked, chia seeds absorb up to 12 times their weight in liquid. The soaked seeds have a gel-like texture that can work as an egg replacement in recipes or, in the case of this recipe, create a tapioca pudding-like product.

Enjoy!

Decadent German Chocolate Chia Pudding

Author: Erica Leazenby

Serves: 4

Time: 10 minute plus 1 hour chilling time

Chocolate Pudding:

• 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice (I use cashew milk, but you may try almond milk or oat milk)

• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk

• 1/2 cup chia seeds

• 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup (or try monk fruit syrup for zero sugar)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• Pinch of salt

Coconut Pecan Date Sauce:

• 4 large Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in warm water until soft

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

• Pinch of salt

• 2 Tablespoons pecans (Optional: toast for richer flavor)

• 2 Tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes (Optional: toast for richer flavor)

Directions:

1. Drain the dates and place them in a food processor or blender with a 1/4 cup water, the vanilla and salt. Blend until the mixture is a smooth consistency. Stir in the the coconut and pecans by hand.

2. In a mixing bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the pudding. Pour the mixture into four containers. Top with a quarter of the coconut pecan sauce and garnish as desired with extra pecans and coconut.

3. Chill the pudding for approximately 1 hour before serving.

Calories per serving: 310, Fat: 22g, Total carbs: 28.5, Fiber 12g, Sugar 11.5, Protein 8g

References:

• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/291334#tips

Dairy Free, Egg free Indulgent Eggnog

Dairy-free eggnog... it’s that time of year when one of my favorite drinks is available. While you can certainly add bourbon or rum, and enjoy this classic drink by the fire; my preference is to enjoy it without the alcohol. It can be an afternoon treat, a dessert, or sometimes I add a splash in my morning coffee. Whenever I see dairy-free eggnog at my grocery I indulge because that limited time label means “buy now because you won’t see it again this season.” Last year I bought a carton before Thanksgiving and never saw it at the grocery again.  In case you missed the eggnog already, I have an easy recipe below to put on repeat for the season. 

Vegan Eggnog

• 1 13.5 oz can full-fat or lite coconut milk

• 13.5 oz unsweetened nut milk (I like cashew)

• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup or monk fruit sweetener

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

• Bourbon or rum (optional)

Blend until smooth. Chill and enjoy

Dairy-free Eggnog

Additional information about reducing dairy in the diet:

Milk and Health: Research from the New England Journal of Medicine

Think you know diary?

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

How to Replace Butter When Baking

Homemade Coconut Yogurt

How to replace butter when baking

How to replace butter when baking

Dairy is a delicious and nutrient-dense food, however not everyone can tolerate digesting it. Scientists estimate that 75% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. Many other people have a sensitivity or allergy to the protein in milk and find their health is better when dairy is left out of their daily diet. 

Replacing dairy milk with a nut milk and foregoing cheese are straightforward solutions to going dairy-free. However, converting a baking recipe with butter to a non-dairy alternative can be challenging. I’ve listed a few tips below to help you convert your favorite recipes with success. 

Tip 1: Determine the role of butter in the recipe. Butter is comprised of 80% fat and 20% water. When used in baking, the fat provides a softer texture and rich mouth feel while the water provides steam that can help create rise and volume. Butter also has a distinct flavor and the ability to brown. In recipes like quick breads or muffins, butter can often be substituted with bananas, applesauce or pumpkin purees to provide moisture. In recipes where a light, flaky or crisp texture is desired; the fat in the recipe must be substituted in order to produce a similar finished product. 

Tip 2: Choose a liquid or a solid fat for substitution. Liquid fats like olive oil and avocado oil can make lovely substitutes in some baked products, especially recipes that call for melted butter. Liquid fats cannot be creamed with sugar to aerate a batter, so they are best to use in products that are moist and dense, like quick breads. Solid fats, however, can be creamed with sugar or rubbed into flour to trap air and provide lift for light, fluffy cakes and flaky crusts. Coconut oil is a plant-based fat that is solid at room temperature, so it behaves similar to butter when baking. One caveat is that butter melts at 90°F while coconut oil melts at 76°F. Coconut oil can easily melt in a warm kitchen thereby losing its ability to aerate your baked products. Chilling the oil in the refrigerator and taking care to not overwork the batter/dough can mitigate this difference. 

Tip 3: Adjust the quantity of fat. Unlike butter, coconut oil and liquid fats are 100% fat with no water content. Baked goods can feel heavy and greasy if oil is substituted 1-to-1 for butter. When substituting coconut oil for butter reduce the quantity used by 20-25%. 

 Tip 4: Add flavor. Olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil each have their own subtle flavor profiles. Adding vanilla, citrus zest, cinnamon, herbs or an extra pinch of salt can enhance the flavor of the product and make up for the loss of butter flavor. 

Converting recipes is a science and often requires trial and error. Don’t be afraid to experiment. I’ve had my fair share of less than perfect baked goods, but they usually always taste great. Through experimentation you will find the perfect replacement to get the light and fluffy or crispy texture you are after.

Additional information about reducing dairy in the diet:

Milk and Health: Research from the New England Journal of Medicine

Think you know diary?

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

Dairy Free, Egg Free Indulgent Eggnog

Homemade Coconut Yogurt

Relish Health Gift Guide 2019

Happy Holidays from our home to yours! The season of gift-giving is officially here, and few things are sweeter to me than finding the perfect gifts for loved ones - gifts that make them feel known and loved. I’ve pulled together some of my favorite health-enhancing gift ideas, and hope this guide gives inspiration, relieves shopping frenzy, and enables you and your loved ones to savor the season.

For the environmentalist:

In our family we love to give experiences. Museum memberships, annual zoo passes or my personal favorite: the annual pass to the National Park System. These passes help make memories while fostering health promoting love and connection to each other and nature.

If you are looking for something to wrap and put under the tree, consider reusable, non-toxic food storage. All of these options are perfect for a picnic at the museum or park!

For the foodie and chef in your life:

ruffage was named a Best Cookbook for Spring 2019 by The New York Times and Bon Appetit. It is a how-to cook book detailing how to cook 29 types of vegetables. Relish Health is all about promoting more veggies on the plate! “Author Abra Berens—chef, farmer, Midwesterner—shares a collection of techniques that result in new flavors, textures, and ways to enjoy all the vegetables you want to eat. From confit to caramelized and everything in between—braised, blistered, roasted and raw—the cooking methods covered here make this cookbook a go-to reference. You will never look at vegetables the same way again.”

For the health conscious reader:

Sara Gottfried, MD is a multiple New York Times bestselling author and Harvard-MIT educated women’s health expert. Her latest book, Brain Body Diet, explains the latest science on how to reconnect the brain and the body. She lays out practical strategies to address mood changes, weight loss and hormone balance. An excellent read!

For the fitness enthusiast or someone looking for more calm in their life:

Monitoring heart rate variability with a fitness tracker provides insights into managing mood and planning an optimal workout.

For your kind neighbors:

Heartfelt, homemade gifts are always in style. These granola recipes are simple and full of heart healthy goodness.

The Ultimate Nut Lovers Granola

Chocolate Strawberry Granola

For you… a jump start on a new you in the new year:

ProLon is a fasting mimicking diet system that gives you all the benefits of a 5-day fast while enjoying food. Increased focus, fat focused weight loss, enhanced cellular renewal and improved metabolic health are well documented benefits. Use PROLON20 for a 20% discount through https://relishhealthmd.gethealthy.store or pick up at the Relish Health office.

Some gifts never go out of style. Check out the gift guide from 2018.

(This blog post is not sponsored by any manufacturer. However, at no cost to you, Relish Health may receive a commission on purchases made through an Amazon link.)

Chocolate Strawberry Granola

Chocolate Strawberry Granola

This granola is a major favorite of my kids. The dried strawberries add a colorful, sweet punch they love. (No colored marshmallows needed!). This recipe is a just-sweet-enough treat to enjoy with the yogurt or the milk of your choice or just as a snack.

I purchase the dried strawberries in the snack section of my grocery but they are also available online. Monk fruit sweetener helps keep the sugar content of this recipe low. It can be purchased at health food stores or online.

Author: Erica Leazenby

Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 16 (1/3cup portions)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups gluten free old fashioned oats

• 1 cup pecan pieces

• ½ cup sliced almonds 

• ½ cup slivered almonds

• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted

• ¼ cup liquid monk fruit sweetener

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

• 1 Tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 Tablespoon vanilla

• 1 pinch sea salt

• ½ ounce freeze-dried strawberries

• Optional: 2 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips (70% or higher)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Combine the oats, nuts and seeds in a mixing bowl. 

3. Combine the oil, monk fruit, maple syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt in a large measuring cup or bowl. Mix well. Pour the mixture over the oat mix and stir well so that all the oats are well coated with the liquid. 

4. Spread the mixture onto one large, or two smaller, lined baking sheets in a thin layer. Toast the granola for approximately 40 minutes stirring every 10-15 minutes. Remove the granola from the oven when the mixture is golden in color and evenly browned throughout the mixture. 

5. Sprinkle the granola with the dark chocolate if using and let cool. Once the granola is room temperature sprinkle with the strawberries. Store the granola in an airtight container. The mix will keep for several weeks in the pantry or indefinitely in the freezer. 

Looking for other granola flavors? Check out this recipe for The Ultimate Nut Lovers Granola

(This blog post is not sponsored by any manufacturer. However, Relish Health may receive a commission on purchases made through an Amazon link.)

Prepare yourself for sugar season

Halloween marks the official start of sugar season. All of the candy from trick-or-treating gets us primed for the sugar feasting that often accompanies the holidays. Of course, a little sugar is a fun indulgence and makes life… sweeter, but with all of the upcoming office parties, happy hours and family feasts it is easy for our consumption to get out of hand. Understanding sugar and its impacts on your body can be a powerful tool in controlling your health, your weight, and your mood throughout the entire year.

What is sugar and do we need it?

Sugar is a carbohydrate that is naturally present in most whole foods. As we eat, our body produces digestive enzymes that break down these carbohydrates into simple sugars—glucose, galactose and fructose. These simple sugars are absorbed into our bloodstream and are processed by our liver. Glucose is released back into the bloodstream to fuel our cells and body.

Sugar comes in many forms. “Natural sugars” are those that come from whole foods like fruit or dairy. “Added sugars” are those that are added during manufacturing or processing. Added sugars can be natural (honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, etc.) or processed (cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.). Added sugars may be used to balance favors, produce caramelization, act as a preservative or extend the shelf life of products. With the variety of sugar forms and the diversity or roles it plays in food production it is easy to understand why sugar has become so prevalent in our food supply. 

Regardless of the type of sugar consumed, our body eventually breaks down all sugars to the same simple forms—glucose, galactose or fructose. Natural, whole food sources of sugars are healthiest because the sugar is accompanied with fiber, water, vitamins and other nutrients that slow the absorption of sugar into our body and put less demand on our metabolism. 

What is the harm in indulgence?

I believe life is meant to be celebrated with the occasional sweet treat. Unfortunately, the average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year. That is equal to 3 pounds (or 6 cups) of sugar in one week.  There is abundant medical research that shows that frequent consumption of sugar perpetuates inflammation, weight gain, fatty liver disease and increases our risk of diabetes, heart disease, dental cavities and even Alzheimer’s disease.  

How much sugar is OK?

There are many public health organizations that weigh in on this issue. The America Heart Association, the CDC and the US Department of Health and Human Services among others, recommend no more than 36 grams of added sugar for men per day and no more that 24 grams for women and children over 2 years of age. For reference, one teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams. It is easy to meet and exceed these recommendations, especially when that grande pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks clocks in at 50 grams per indulgence!

There is definitely a place for sugar in our lives but keeping sugar to a minimum in our everyday lives is a good idea. Reducing added sugar consumption can help minimize the risks of lifestyle related causes of death like obesity, heart disease and diabetes. 

How do you reduce your sugar intake?

Making diet changes is no small task; and there is not necessarily one right way to do it. Below is a list of suggestions that can help you minimize added sugar in your diet. 

1.     Learn the many names of sugar so you can identify it when reading labels. The food industry has become very clever in disguising sugar. Familiarize yourself with the list below.

• Agave Nectar

• Barbados Sugar

• Barley Malt

• Beet Sugar

• Brown Sugar

• Cane Crystals

• Cane Juice Crystals

• Cane Juice

• Caramel

• Carob Syrup or Sugar

• Coconut Nectar/Sugar

• Concentrated Fruit Juice

• Confectioner's Sugar

• Corn Syrup Solids

• Corn Sweetener

• Crystalline Fructose

• Dextrin

• Diastatic Malt

• Diatase

• Evaporated Cane Juice

• Florida Crystals

• Fruit Concentrate

• Glucose Solids

• Golden Sugar/Syrup

• Granulated Sugar

• Grape Sugar

• Grape Juice Concentrate

• High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

• Honey

• Icing/Invert Sugar

• Lactose (added)

• Malt Syrup

• Maple Syrup

• Molasses

• Muscovado

• Nectresse

• Palm Sugar

• Refiner's Syrup

• Rice Syrup/Malt

• Sorghum Syrup

• Sugar/Raw Sugar

• Table Sugar

• Treacle

• Turbinado Sugar

• "-ol" sugars: erythritol, ethyl maltol, mannitol, sorbitol

• "-ose" sugars: dextrose, D-mannose, fructose, galactose, glucose, maltose, sucrose

2.     Gradually cut back on sweetened foods. Strategies like replacing sugar sweetened beverages with unsweetened tea or sparkling water, opting for fruit as a dessert or reaching for a square of dark chocolate instead of a Snickers can help move the needle when addressing our sugar consumption. Over time, our palates adapt and we may no longer appreciate the super-sweet products we once loved. 

3.     Or, eliminate sugars cold turkey. This method works well for some. Opting for a 7-10 days sugar elimination diet resets the palate and can dramatically reduce sugar cravings that keep us perpetually reaching for the candy jar. Be prepared: for some people days 3-5 of this challenge feel the toughest. Hang in there.

4.     Eat protein at breakfast. A meal that includes protein, fat and fiber helps to balance your blood sugar and keep you fueled and focused during your day. When you are satiated, you are less like to eat the donut in the break room that may prime your sweet tooth for a day’s worth of binging. 

5.     Drink more water and green tea. Staying hydrated during the day means we are less likely to confuse signals of thirst for hunger. If water is too boring, try drinking your favorite tea. Green tea in particular is full of antioxidants and contains EGCG which is a natural blood sugar balancer.

6.     Get your gut checked. If you have difficulty overcoming your sugar cravings, it may not be a failure of will power. Our gut is home to trillions of organisms that are metabolically active. Pathogenic bacteria and yeast may be contributing to your cravings. Luckily, there are testing and treatment options available to address the problem organisms. 

Schedule an appointment with Relish Health to develop a personalized plan to reduce sugar.

Interested in guilt-free homemade candies? Check out these recipes:

Salted Date Caramel Turtles
Dark Chocolate Brain Bark
Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
Raw Chocolate Cherry Truffles
Check out these other sweet tooth solutions. 

Roasted Vegetable Tagine with Apricot Chutney and Chermoula

Roasted Vegetable Tagine with Apricot Chutney and Chermoula

Diet trends come and go, but having a diet rich in vegetables has always been recognized for its ability to promote health. Getting a variety of vegetables in your diet each day should be a priority for everyone.

While veggies are great boiled, steamed or raw, my favorite way to eat veggies is roasted. Roasting is a wonderful technique for bringing out vegetables’ natural sweetness and deep flavor.

This recipe involves two sauces that add dramatic flavor to the veggies. They are easy to make and definitely worth the time investment. Each recipe makes a large quantity that can be frozen in portions for future use to make quick gourmet quality dinners with minimal time and effort.

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Roasted Vegetable Tagine with Apricot Chutney and Chermoula

A tagine is a North African stew that is named after the clay pot in which it is typically prepared. The chutney and chermoula in this tagine add dramatic sweet, tart and spicy flavor to the caramelized vegetables.

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD; Adapted from Late Harvest Kitchen
Serves: 6
Time: 45 minutes

 Ingredients:

• 6 cups prepared brown rice, quinoa or couscous

• 9-12 cups of assorted raw vegetables,* chopped in large bite size pieces

• Apricot Chutney 

• Chermoula

• Optional: Feta, Northern or garbanzo beans, chicken or lamb**

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Toss each veggie with a small amount of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the veggies in a single layer on one or two large sheet pans. Keep the veggies in individual groups rather than mixed. This will allow you to easily remove veggies that finish roasting before others. 

3. Roast the veggies for 25-40 minutes or until the veggies are fork tender and slightly charred. Flip veggies once while roasting. 

4. While the veggies are roasting make the chutney and chermoula.

5.  To serve, place the roasted veggies on a bed of rice. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of chermoula and a spoonful of chutney. Enjoy. 

* Use your favorite veggies. Broccoli and cauliflower florets, broccolini, carrots, parsnips, pearl onions, green beans and button mushrooms all work well. Plan on 1.5-2 cups of raw veggies per person if serving the dish as a main course. 

** Adding Northern beans, garbanzo beans, lamb or chicken will make this a complete meal. 

Check out these addition tips for perfect roasted veggies.

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Apricot Chutney

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD; Adapted from Late Harvest Kitchen
Makes 3 cups
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried apricots (about 6 ounces)

• ½ red onion

• 2 medium garlic cloves

• 1 packed cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems (about ½ bunch)

• ½ cup coconut or brown sugar

• 1 ½ cup red wine vinegar

• ½ teaspoon salt

• Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place the apricots in a food processor and pulse until the fruit is small pieces. 

2. Add the onion, garlic and cilantro to the processor with the dried fruit. Run the machine until all ingredients are finely chopped. 

3. Place the fruit and onion mixture in a sauce pan with the sugar and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the onions are soft. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes:

• This mixture keeps for months in the freezer. Portion the mixture in ½ cup servings for easy use in the future. Gently warm before serving.

• It your apricots are particularly tart add an additional tablespoon of sugar. 

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Chermoula

Chermoula is a marinade or relish commonly served in North African cooking. It traditionally includes herbs and many spices to flavor fish, seafood, meats and veggies. 

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD; Adapted from Late Harvest Kitchen
Makes 2 cups
Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon ginger powder

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon coriander

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 squirt sriracha

• 1-1¼ cup neutral olive oil

• 1 large shallot 

• 2 medium cloves garlic

• 2 packed cups parsley, leaves and tender stems (about 1 bunch)

• 1 packed cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems (about ½ bunch)

• 2 Tablespoon sugar or honey

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor with the exception of the olive oil. Run the machine until the mixture is finely chopped. 

2. While the machine is running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is the consistency of a sauce that can be drizzled on the veggies. 

3. Adjust seasoning and spices to taste. 

Note:

•  This mixture keeps well in the freezer. Portion the mixture in ¼- ½ cup servings for easy use in the future. Bring to room temperature before serving.