Honey – Mustard Salad Dressing Recipe

This salad dressing is very easy and very tasty! There are a couple of ways of making it if you are not a fan of olive oil as an ingredient. Those variations are included next to the ingredient. This recipe could be used for such diets as the elimination diet, the Mediterranean diet, and the paleo diet; to name a few. I adapted this recipe from a recipe from “Paleo takes 5 or fewer” by Sexton.

Honey-Mustard Dressing

  • ¼ cup Extra light olive oil (or coconut milk)
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • Salt and Pepper

Combine all ingredients, mixing well, until one cohesive combination. Chill and enjoy!

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

 

Sautéed Garlic and Tomato Sauce on Zucchini Recipe

Garlic and Tomato Saute recipeThose who are following a Paleo or Mediterranean style diet will love this recipe! This recipe is great for those who are trying to avoid gluten, dairy, and ultimately refined carbs. It can also be a vegan option if the meat/fish option is avoided. This recipe also requires a spiral sliver or spiralizer. The recipe is also best done in stages as opposed to adding all of the ingredients at once. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil
  • 2 zucchinis
  • approximately 625g of grape tomatoes halved – or more
  • 1/3 cup of basil (or Italian seasoning)
  • Optional: Shrimp
  • Optional: Feta cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil on low – medium heat.
  2. Add in the minced garlic and sauté until softened (approximately 5 min).
  3. If you are adding in shrimp, add it to the garlic mixture and cook for approximately 10 minutes on medium heat.
  4. Add in halved tomatoes and let cook for approximately 10 minutes (this also depends on the desired consistency of the sauce you prefer. For a “chunky” sauce, cook for less time.)
  5. Spiral cut the zucchini, and add it to the pan, cooking for approximately 10 minutes or until “noodles” are soft.
  6. Remove from pan and serve.
  7. For extra flavour, you can add feta cheese to the top if this works with your specific diet.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today! 

 

 

Chocolate Chickpea Cupcakes

This recipe was created by Janice Chan, and was originally gluten and grain free only. I made several modifications, and now it is both gluten and dairy – free. These cupcakes are very moist and are a great alternative to the gluten and dairy loaded cupcakes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Can of Chickpeas
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • ¾ – 1 ½ Cup of Sugar
  • 1 ½ Teaspoon baking powder
  • 5 Tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2-3 Tablespoons of Cocoa Powder

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan for 15-16 cupcakes.
  2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
  3. Combine the chickpeas, eggs and vanilla extract in a food processor until smooth.
  4. Add 3/4 cup of sugar and baking powder, and pulse to blend.
  5. Place the coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Heat until all the oil is melted, pausing to stir every 20 seconds. Add the cocoa powder to the melted oil and combine well.
  6. Add the melted coconut oil and chocolate mixture into the food processor, and blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides with a spatula to make sure all the chocolate is completely mixed with the chickpeas. You may need to add more sugar at this point to make the mixture slightly sweeter depending on your preference (approximately 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup).
  7. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them almost to the top.
  8. Bake for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cupcake comes out clean.
  9. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please contact Elisha Cook for more information.

How to Paleo the Right Way – A Guest Blog By Katelyn Butler Birmingham

Paleolithic Diet Food ListThe Paleo diet has been on the market awhile now…people have had time to ‘digest it’ so to speak, but its more than just eating bacon and sausages every day. If you’re going to go Paleo, here are some important things to remember:

1)      Eat Whole Foods. This means if it comes in a can, a box, vacuum sealed or says ‘just add water’ it should be avoided.

2)      Fruit and Veggies are your friends: berries, apples, bananas, sweet potato, rutabaga, carrots etc

3)      Drink water! Add citrus, cucumber or berries to make it more exciting.

4)      Nuts and seeds are a great source of protein: Almonds, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds…Go nuts!

5)      Meat, seafood and eggs are encouraged – but be mindful of portion size – no bigger than the palm of your hand.

6)      No Dairy!

7)      No Grains – no breads, pasta, cereals or rice

8)      Think of yourself as a Hunter/Gatherer – If you can’t hunt it or pick it from a tree/bush or from the ground, you probably can’t eat it.

9)      Spice things up – all of the spices under the sun are allowed.

10)   Have fun with food – create new recipe ideas!

Here is a Sample Day to get you started:

Breakfast:

  • One soft boiled egg
  • Two cups of combined steamed asparagus and red peppers
  • One cup of mixed berries
  • Herbal tea

Snack:

  • Handful of mixed pine nuts, walnuts and sunflower seeds
  • Water

Lunch:

  • Salmon salad with Apple slices.
  • Salad: lettuce, spinach, red onions, tomatoes, cucumber. Top with salmon and thinly sliced apple.
  • Dressing: Combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, black pepper and balsamic vinegar
  • Water with raspberries

Snack:

  • Piece of fruit of your choice
  • Water

Dinner:

  • Chicken breast with sautéed mushrooms, onions and bok choy
  • Side of mashed yams with cranberries and black pepper
  • Coconut milk to drink

The Paleo Diet has a lot to offer as far as eating well and feeling great – just remember the above and you’ll be well on your way!

Thank you to Elisha for allowing me to guest blog while she is away 🙂

Katelyn Butler-Birmingham, CCNM Naturopathic Medical Intern

@KTBB_ND