Blog Posts

Gut reaction: How bacteria in your belly may affect your heart

7/29/2016

Harvard Medical School just published a great article showing several studies exploring how our gut microbes affect our heart.

"You're probably well aware that what you eat plays a role in your heart’s health. Now, scientists are learning more about how the trillions of bacteria dwelling deep inside your digestive tract can affect your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Collectively known as the gut microbiota, these microbes assist with digestion, but also make certain vitamins, break down toxins, and train your immune system. Over the past decade, scientists have uncovered compelling connections between different types of gut microbes and the development of obesity and diabetes — two factors closely tied to a higher risk of heart disease. Recently, several studies have explored how our gut microbes interact with the food we eat to spur artery-damaging inflammation and narrowing. "

Read the full article here.

Building a Healthy Child by Melina Roberts, N.D.

7/28/2016

Dr. Melina Roberts is a Naturopathic Doctor, Author of Building a Healthy Child and Clinic Director and Founder of Advanced Naturopathic Medical Centre.

Have you ever wondered if you could prevent allergies or other childhood illnesses in your child? Have you ever wondering if it was possible to build long-term health in your child, so they could avoid chronic disease as adults?

Dr. Roberts has developed a revolutionary food introduction program that:

Supports proper growth and development
Prevents childhood illnesses
Build long-term health

The standard food introduction programs recommend introducing cereals as a first food and though this may seem like an easy first food to digest, it can actually initiate a cycle of health problems.
This program is different than any other program out there because it takes into consideration 3 major concepts which are ignored in all other standard food introduction programs. These 3 major concepts are:

Building a healthy, diverse microbiome in the digestive tract
Organs and body systems mature at different times, which means nutrition needs are different at varying ages
We are hardwired to digest real, nutrient dense, in their natural form foods, not process, chemically-laden, altered food

This book includes:

Benefits of Breastfeeding
Six Problem Foods
Detailed Food Introduction Program of solid foods to infants and toddlers
Guide to Prevent Allergies
Supplements and Remedies
Understand Toxins and How to Avoid Them
Recipes for each Stage of Development

BONUS APPENDIX:

Preconception Preparation
What to eat and supplements to take in Pregnancy
Things to think about in terms of vaccinations

Homemade Waffle Cones!

7/28/2016

The whole family can enjoy delicious, rich cone flavors in a choice of shapes (cone or bowl) with an infinite variety of fillings, from ice cream or sorbet to fresh fruit and whipped cream. Cones can even be dipped in chocolate and sprinkles…just like the ice cream parlor!
The Chef’sChoice® WaffleCone Express comes equipped with a cone rolling form for easy, uniform shaping. It recovers its’ temperature instantly so it is always ready to bake. The non-stick baking surface and overflow channel insure easy clean up. The color control dial adjusts for desired texture and color. The WaffleCone Express features “Baking” and “Ready” lights for added convenience. Enjoy Your Summer!

Vegetarian Pizza

7/28/2016

Check out this great Vegetarian Pizza Recipe that includes Jarlsberg Cheese. Enjoy!
DOUGH

25 g yeast
1.3 cups water
3 tbsp. Olive oil
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt

TOMATO SAUCE
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp. Olive oil
1 clove garlic
salt or pepper
water

TOPPING
400 g Jarlsberg®
1 can artichokes with stem
100 g pine nuts, toasted
A few basil leaves

Makes 4 portions

Instructions:
Start with the dough. Add the yeast, salt, olive oil in a bowl before adding the lukewarm water. Mix everything by hand or preferably by using a dough kneader. Add flour gradually until you get an elastic and not too soft dough. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest for about 60 minutes. To make the tomato sauce, add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix using a hand blender. When the dough is ready, shape it into a thin round or square shape. Preheat the oven with the baking tray inside at 250ºC. Add tomato sauce, grated Jarlsberg® cheese and finally the artichokes (cut in large strips). Bake in oven at 250ºC for 15 minutes. While waiting for the pizza to be done, roast the pine nuts in a dry pan. Finally, add the roasted pine nuts and basil leaves and enjoy.
Recipe Credit: Jarlsberg

Mother Earth News Almanac: A Guide For All Seasons

7/19/2016

Mother Earth News Almanac: A Guide for All Seasons is a new and updated version of the 1970’s long-out-of-print best seller, and just like the original, it’s a compendium of wisdom and inspiration on how to live simply, healthy and sustainably.

More people than ever before are looking for ways to simplify their lives and to live more practically - and they’re looking for the tools to make that a reality.

The information in the book is timeless - there’s organic growing and gardening techniques and info, money-saving tips, weather wisdom, crafts, kitchen know-how, home repair skills and so much more. It’s organized by season, with each chapter containing advice, instructions and more. In addition, there’s over thirty charts and tables for measurements, conversions and schedules such as a Planting Table for Family Gardening, Common Garden Pests and Their Natural Controls and recommended storage periods for fruits and vegetables. This book is a GREAT Resource!

Recipe: Warm Blueberry Buckwheat with Hazelnuts

7/19/2016

Credit: Pure Organic

July is National Blueberry Month, and Veronica Bosgraaf, Pure Food author and founder of Pure Organic has a great Wild Blueberry Pure Bar packed with organic blueberries. She also has a Blueberry Buckwheat with Hazelnut recipe that is a great option for a healthy blueberry breakfast. Enjoy!

Warm Blueberry Buckwheat with Hazelnuts
Ingredients
·         1 cup whole-grain buckwheat cereal
·         ¼ teaspoon sea salt
·         ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
·         ⅓ cup honey
·         ⅓ cup fresh blueberries
·         ¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
·         ½ cup almond milk, homemade or store-bought

Instructions:
1.       Put 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the buckwheat, salt, and nutmeg. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the buckwheat is soft, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess water from the cooked buckwheat
2.       Spoon the buckwheat into serving bowls. Stir in the honey, blueberries, and hazelnuts. Serve hot with the almond milk poured over the top.

Cocomels - Coconut Milk Caramels

7/19/2016

Credit: Cocomels

We've just tried the most amazing Cocomels Coconut Milk Caramels that are Vegan, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Organic, Non-GMO!! Flavors include Expresso, Vanilla, Sea Salt, and Original.
Check them out!

Tratto SF - A Modern Trattoria

7/14/2016

We had the most amazing dinner at Tratto, a newly opened casually chic offering exquisite and rustic Italian fare with sharable aperitivo style dishes using the freshest seasonal farmer’s market ingredients.
Executive Chef Kevin Scott brings more than a decade of culinary experience both as a chef and as a food stylist to create an array of dishes such as house-made pastas, pizza, seasonal vegetables, and entrees. The Desserts are delicious, and Cynthia Tran’s Italian cocktail and house-made limoncello selection is a must-try. The restaurant also features line art of muralist Amos Goldbaum. 501 Geary St., San Francisco.
See our photos below which include:
Cocktail: Tyrol Italian Punch (Lairds Apple Brandy, Calvados, Pineapple Gum Syrup, Ginger Beer (Sparkling)
Small Plates: Warm Marinated Olives, Eggplant Carponata/Grilled Bread
Salad: Grilled Little Gem Lettuce, Avocado, Green Goddess, Breadcrumbs
Pasta: Paparadelle, Tomato, Parmesan
Pizza: Tomato Mozzarella, Basil; Mushrooms, Fontina, Basil Pesto

Coconut Oil and Flax Hemp Paks

7/14/2016

Credit: Carrington Farms

Gratitude Gourmet has been a fan of the Carrington Farms Flax Paks for a while! Now there are Flax/Chia, Flax/Hemp, and Coconut Oil Paks you can take with you to work or on the go!

COCONUT “ on-the-go” OIL PAKS are pure, unrefined, and cold-pressed coconut oil used instead of butter or fat when sautéing vegetables, roasting sweet potatoes, and even in baked goods.
FLAX/CHIA PAKS are a combination of Organic Milled Flax Seeds and Chia Seeds and are rich in Omega-3’s, Fiber, Antioxidants, and Protein and an excellent source of energy and nutrients for lasting heart health and boosted metabolism.
FLAX/HEMP PAKS are a flavorful combination of Organic Milled Flax Seeds and Hulled Hemp Seeds.

Enjoy!

True North Nut Clusters

7/14/2016

Credit: True North

Are you looking for a snack to bring on a hike? Check out TrueNorth nut clusters available in three flavors: Cashew Crunch, Chocolate Nut Crunch and Almond Pecan Crunch.
- Cashews: 10% of your daily value of iron in a single serving
- Pecans: Rich in beta-sitosterol, which helps to lower cholesterol
- Almonds: More fiber and calcium than any other nut, lower-cal than others and an excellent source of Vitamin E
Enjoy!

Recipe: Hot Logic Mini - Vanilla Bean Steel Cut Oats

7/14/2016

Photo courtesy of The Nutritious Kitchen

Are you looking for a way to heat your lunch or breakfast without using a microwave? Check out the Hot Logic Mini which can cook meals from scratch, reheat leftovers or frozen dinners, and keep food piping hot for hours. It’s fully automatic (no buttons, dials, settings or timers).
Here's a great hot healthy breakfast recipe for you to try:

Vanilla Bean Steel Cut Oats

1 cup steel cut oats (dry)
2 cups vanilla almond milk
3⁄4 cup water
1 vanilla bean pod (scraped)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
Sea salt to taste
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed (optional)

Note: You may substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for vanilla bean pod.
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to your Hot Logic, stir. Cook, go to bed and wake up to a delicious Hot Logic breakfast
Optional Toppings: Bananas or Berries - Pecans, almonds or nut butter - Maple syrup or brown sugar (swoon) - Greek yogurt - Chocolate!
This recipe was adapted for the Hot Logic from - http://thenutritiouskitchen.com/slow-cooker-vanilla-bean-steel-cut-oats/

Coco-Roons Snacks

7/13/2016

Coco-Roons snacks that are gluten free, vegan and paleo friendly and made from organic, non-GMO, nutrient rich ingredients.
Perfect for on-the-go healthy snacking, Coco-Roons are sweetened with the finest vitamin and mineral packed unfiltered organic Vermont maple syrup, and made with organic coconut that gives these delectable treats natural fats that stimulate the metabolism.

Coco-Roons
Sure to satisfy any sweet tooth, Coco-Roons are a delightful, good-for-you indulgence. Made with organic coconut, organic almond flour and sweetened with a touch of pure Vermont maple syrup, they are a great source of energy, making them a perfect afternoon snack. They come in six delectable flavors, including Brownie, Strawberry Almond, Lemon Pie, Vanilla Maple, Cacao Nib and Orange Dreamsicle.

pure food cookbook + hummus pizza recipe

7/6/2016

Image Credit: Pure Food

In Pure Food: Eat Clean with Seasonal, Plant-Based Recipes Veronica shares her easy vegetarian recipes—many of which are vegan and gluten-free, too—and tips for "cleaning" one's kitchen and lifestyle, from removing processed foods from the shopping cart at the supermarket to getting rid of chemical cleaners. Organized by month of the year, the recipes make use of whole grains, fresh produce, and other unprocessed ingredients, steering clear of refined sugar and grains and hydrogenated fats. Pure Food shows the simple steps busy home cooks can take to make their cooking more healthful—and delicious.

Hummus Pizza with Arugula and Wild Mushrooms
Serves 4
Pizza Dough
¾ cup almond milk, homemade (page 34) or store brought
1 ½ teaspoons grapeseed oil, plus more for bowl
1 ½ teaspoon organic cane sugar
1 cup white whole-wheat flour, plus more for kneading
1 (1/4-ounce) package rapid rise dry yeast
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup whole-wheat flour

Toppings
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
4 cups sliced mixed wild mushrooms
1 cup of fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup hummus, homemade (page 37) or store-bought
2 cups of loosely packed arugula
¾ cup sliced cherry tomatoes

1. For the dough, heat the almond milk and oil in small saucepan set over medium heat and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the sugar until it is finely ground. Add the white whole-wheat flour, yeast, and salt and pulse two or three times to combine. With the machine running, slowly put the hot almond milk through the feed tube. Add the whole-wheat flour ¼ cup at a time, pulsing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

3. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Knead for 4 to 5 minutes, and then shape into a ball. Put the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Dust 2 baking sheets lightly with flour and set aside.

5. Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Lightly dust a cutting board with flour and roll each piece out into a circle that is 1/8 inch thick. Transfer 2 crust to each of the prepared baking sheets and prick the surfaces all over with a fork. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

6. Bake the crusts until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside.

7. For the toppings, heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

8. Assemble the pizzas by spreading the hummus over the crusts and arranging the arugula, mushrooms, and tomatoes on top.
Serve immediately.

Image Credit: Pure Food

Gaea organic snack olives

7/6/2016

Gaea, authentic Greek natural foods brand, unveiled a number of products this year including:
ORGANIC SNACK OLIVES (fall 2016 launch): As olives are often susceptible to pests like the olive fly, it is sometimes hard to find a 100% organic olive product, but Gaea's New Organic Olive Snack Packs are USDA organic certified and a convenient way to enjoy healthy olives on the go! Two varieties are available: Halkidiki Green Olives and Kalamata Olives.

viki's granola - love is their 1st ingredient

7/6/2016

Image Credit: Viki's Granola

"Love is our first ingredient, we hope you can tell." - Viki's Granola.
Viki's Granola is made with 100% all natural ingredients, gluten-free, and available in both 12 oz. bags and on-the-go packs (1.5 oz.) in the following flavors: Original, Blueberry Almond, Maple Cranberry, Banana Walnut and Apple Cinnamon. It's great to enjoy on its own or with your favorite yogurt!

Vegetarian Chili

6/27/2016

Minute® Multi-Grain Medley is a blend of four popular gluten free 100% whole grains ... ready in only 10 minutes. Brown rice, Thai red rice, wild rice, and quinoa are pre-portioned in 4 separate bags for ease of preparation.
Here's a great Vegetarian Chili Recipe to try courtesy of Minute.

Ingredients
1bagMinute® Multi-Grain Medley, uncooked
1can(15 oz.) chili with beans
1can(14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with Mexican spices
1Tbsp dry chili seasoning mix

Directions

Prepare Multi-Grain Medley according to package directions. If desired, for more flavor, substitute vegetable broth for water when preparing rice.
In a large pot combine beans (undrained) and diced tomatoes and seasoning (undrained). Heat. Stir in rice.
Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

EPA Webinar June 23 - Pollinator Habitat and Food Security - What’s All the Buzz About?

6/21/2016

EPA Webinar June 23 - Pollinator Habitat and Food Security - What’s All the Buzz About? https://www.epa.gov/smm/sustainable-materials-management-smm-web-academy-webinar-pollinator-habitat-and-food-security

mindfulness jewelry

6/20/2016

Check out the Mindfulness Jewelry by Prana Heart. This Love Angel Wings Bracelet is beautiful and special.

This Onyx Bracelet features gorgeous ocean and sky blue tones.

the yin and yang of climate crisis

6/14/2016

In The Yin and Yang of Climate Crisis Brendan Kelly co-founder of the Chinese medicine clinic Jade Mountain Wellness in Burlington, Vermont marries the issues of western environmentalism with thousands of years of researched Chinese Medicine. Kelly identifies opportunities to heal our own health at the same time restoring the health of our environment.

I Dare You to be great by polly higgins

6/14/2016

I Dare You To Be Great.
What is greatness? For Polly Higgins it’s a quest – one that speaks to all of us. A lawyer who loves the Earth, I Dare You To Be Great is an invitation – to you – to step into your greatness and become a Voice for the Earth.
I Dare You To Be Great dips into her story as an Earth lawyer as she discovers how we can create a legal duty of care for the Earth – a law of Ecocide. We have a choice: break our chains and create a greater freedom, or remain enslaved to an era of Ecocide. Polly invites in a conversation of a different kind; firing up a neural pathway of exploration that takes us into the unknown yet expands our vision of what our legacy could be. Sharing her insights, she sheds a light on what is possible – a vision far greater and more beautiful than we have dared before.
“I dare you to be great - go, on stand up and speak out. We get to determine what the future is. Let’s engage in the big questions of our time, not the ones we already know the answers to. Ask questions – big ones that make a difference. And once you find the answer, let’s make it happen”.

You can read more about daring to be great at iamdaringtobegreat.com

<<Previous

Forward>>

Gratitude Gourmet(tM)

Gut reaction: How bacteria in your belly may affect your heart

Building a Healthy Child by Melina Roberts, N.D.

Homemade Waffle Cones!

Vegetarian Pizza

Mother Earth News Almanac: A Guide For All Seasons

Recipe: Warm Blueberry Buckwheat with Hazelnuts

Cocomels - Coconut Milk Caramels

Tratto SF - A Modern Trattoria

Coconut Oil and Flax Hemp Paks

True North Nut Clusters

Recipe: Hot Logic Mini - Vanilla Bean Steel Cut Oats

Coco-Roons Snacks

pure food cookbook + hummus pizza recipe

Gaea organic snack olives

viki's granola - love is their 1st ingredient

Vegetarian Chili

EPA Webinar June 23 - Pollinator Habitat and Food Security - What’s All the Buzz About?

mindfulness jewelry

the yin and yang of climate crisis

I Dare You to be great by polly higgins

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