Roasted Fennel

Roasting is such a nice way to treat your vegetables, it softens them and brings out their natural sugars. Fennel Bulb, for those of you who haven't tried it, has a liquorice or anise-like flavour. It's also a great two in one vegetable as the delicate tops can be used as an herb to add an extra layer of fennel taste to this recipe or another. 

  • 1 Bulb of fennel (tops removed and saved)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Using your sharpest chefs knife cut the fennel bulb in half and then into quarters, lengthwise. At the bottom of the bulb there's a bit of concentrated root, kind of like a core; slice it away and discard or save for stock. Slice each quarter of fennel into wedges about 2 cm thick. Lay the fennel on a sheet pan. Scatter the salt, chilli flakes, and cumin over the fennel. Drizzle the olive oil over top. Toss in the over and leave alone for ~1hr. Enjoy!

This fennel recipe goes really well with a pan fried fish. The fennel tops can be chopped (as you would parsley) and sprinkled on top of the fennel and/or fish. Any leftover roasted fennel makes a delicious addition to a winter salad.

Salmon In A Bag

This easy weeknight dinner will be on your table in 30 minutes with nothing but your knife, cutting board and a sheet pan to wash up :) It's an easy way to get more fish into your diet! Mix and match the fish, veggies and dressing to make your own delicious creation!

  • 4 Parchment Cooking Bags (or parchment paper folded into packets)
  • 4 Salmon Fillets
  • 4 Cups of Seasonal Vegetables (try mixing a winter green sliced like kale or swiss chard with some cubed winter squash)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup wine vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1Tbsp mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Preheat your oven to 3500F. Toss your vegetables with the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic. Divide between your paper bags. Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper and place into bags with vegetables. Seal the bags by folding the edges. Transfer the bags to a baking sheet at bake for ~20 minutes (for 6oz fillets). Place one bag per plate and let everyone open their own at the table. Enjoy!

Edamame

Yesterday was one of those days; I got home from work hungry and the meal plan for the evening was more slow food style than a 15 minute meal. I needed a snack. Fortunately there is usually a bag of edamame in our freezer reserved just for these occasions. Usually we keep it simple, steam and salt only. Last night, with some inspiration from Bon Appetit, things got a little spicy and very tasty. So with out further delay, here is a recipe for pumping up your edamame into a snack that's so yummy, you'll hardly believe it's good for you!

Grab 1 bag of frozen edamame and open it into your sink (or a bowl) and cover with hot tap water. Take 2 cloves of garlic and smash them leaving the skins on. Put a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 TBSP of olive oil. Put the smashed garlic in the pan with 2 chillies (fresh or dried). Drain your edamame and dry on a kitchen towel and then add it to the hot pan. Cook the edamame stirring occasionally until the outside gets blackened in places and the garlic looks golden and smells delicious. Dump the edamame into a serving bowl and mix in 1/4 tsp chilli flakes and 1 tsp of sea salt (flaked if you've got it). Enjoy! 

Happy National Non-Smoking Week!

This week in honour of National Non-Smoking Week we’re talking about quitting. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and illness in Ontario. If you’ve quit smoking - I’d like to extend my heartfelt congratulations on taking such a big positive change in your health. If you are thinking about quitting - I offer my support and respect for working to make that change for yourself. 

Many Local and National Organizations offer programs and support to help you quit smoking. Smokers Help Line Has tons of resources including online and workbook program, texting support, and a contest to win a new car!   The Lung Association has it’s own free pdf workbook you can find here. CAMH has a great tips list. 

Sometimes a workbook, or even a car lottery, isn’t enough to keep you on the path to being smoke free. Or maybe, you just don’t want to tackle this on your own. Naturopathic medicine can help. Your naturopathic doctor can use a variety of tools to support you: 

Food

Did you know foods can change the taste/enjoyability of a cigarette? Cutting back your coffee, alcohol, and sugar consumption (or enjoying these things away from cigarettes) decreases the taste of the cigarette. Consuming beverages like milk and water and foods like fruits and vegetables near the cigarette also negatively impact taste.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture consists of regular treatments where very thin needles are inserted into the body to simulate the movement of Qi (energy). This ancient system of medicine calms the nervous system, helps the body through the detoxification process, and can support the quitting process. 

Botanical Medicines

Plants come in a variety of forms: from pills, to liquids, to teas, and can be used to support the lungs, promote detoxification, and calm the nervous system.

Counselling

Naturopathic consultations for any condition include elements of counselling. If you are trying to quit smoking a naturopathic doctor can support your journey and help you reach your goals. They will celebrate with your successes and hold you accountable. Naturopaths ask the tough questions and are there to listen to your answers.

Local to Guelph? Book your appointment today! Let’s get you started on a smoke-free 2015!

Brussels Sprouts

Happy Christmas Eve Eve! My favourite thing about Christmas (and any holiday really) is planning out all the food I want to make and all the recipes I want to try that year. Seriously, I had my recipes picked out 3 weeks ago. I do realize that this makes me a little crazy. And so, assuming that you might be a little flexible about what you are cooking in a few days, or perhaps in need of a bit of inspiration, here’s a simple recipe to help take your veggies off the back burner (literally!) and put them centre stage. These dressed-up Brussels get really crispy and even a little sweet in the oven; the dressing takes them up a notch from "veggies I roasted" to "vegetable dish." They aren’t your Granny’s brussels sprouts!

Ingredients:

  • Brussels Sprouts 1 lb
  • Olive Oil 1 Tbsp
  • Salt 1/4 tsp
  • Chilli Flakes Pinch
  • Apple Cider Vinegar 2 Tbsp
  • Olive Oil 1 Tbsp
  • Pine Nuts 1/8 Cup
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400F. Wash your brussels sprouts in cold water. Trim off the ends and remove any bits that look tired. Cut into halves or quarters for larger brussels sprouts. Toss in olive oil with salt and chili flakes. Spread evenly over sheet pan and roast in oven stirring occasionally until the outside is brown and beginning to crisp up (about 20-25 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by mixing the olive oil and apple cider vinegar. When the sprouts are done toss them in the dressing while still warm and add your pine nuts and cheese (if using). Serve warm.

Bacon-Ginger Cookies

It’s the season of Christmas cookies and these cookies are a seasonal favourite at my house. This ginger cookie recipe uses bacon drippings instead of butter for a truly decadent non-dairy cookie experience! Swap out the all purpose flour for your favourite gluten-free baking blend and you've got a great tasting cookie that doesn't break a gluten and dairy free diet. I hope you enjoy the treat!

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup bacon drippings
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups (gluten-free) all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup white sugar (to coat)

Directions:

Cream the sugars with the bacon fat. Add in the eggs and molasses. In a separate bowl add all dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix to form a stiff dough. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare baking sheets with baking mats or parchment paper. Roll 1 Tbsp chunks of dough into balls and roll in sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake 10+ minutes, until the cookies have crackled and browned. Let Cool and Enjoy!