Vegan Dahl: A Seasonal Comfort Food Recipe

Annex Naturopathic

The change from hot to cold weather has me searching for comfort foods that will provide the feeling of warmth and energy.

As a N.D I'm regularly informing patients about healthy recipes and encouraging them to create a diet around the changing seasons.

One of my favourite spice palettes during the winter season is the warm, aromatic flavours of Indian cuisine -  likely because it’s full of warming, sweet spices designed by nature to boost our metabolism, increase circulation and  strengthen digestion, all properties that we need to warm our bodies during the colder seasons.

Any warm recipe containing these spices will be a good choice for the upcoming winter.  

Dahl is essentially made up of lentils, which are packed with protein, B vitamins, fibre and iron, making this legume a super food, especially for vegetarians/vegans.  

Lentils are an amazing source of protein because it contains all but two of the amino acids (the building blocks of protein).  

Lentils are high in one particular amino acid, lysine, a great remedy for viral infections, handy during cold and flu season. 

Top this on a small bed of basmati rice, or enjoy with a few whole grain (non-GMO) crackers.  

Ingredients

3 tablespoons coconut oil (or whatever you have)

1 medium yellow onion

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups of spinach or chopped kale

1 teaspoon of fine seasalt

1 cup dried red lentils

2 tablespoon tomato paste

4-5 cups water or veg broth

5 plum tomatoes, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1 cup lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro

Spice blend

2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

6 whole cloves

4 cardamom pods

2 dried red chilies (seeds removed)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

Directions

1. In a sauté pan over medium heat, toast the seeds (but not the dried red chili) for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently (make sure not to burn). Be prepare for a strong (but pleasant), spicy aroma.
2. Remove from pan and let cool. Transfer to coffee grinder, along with the dried red chili and cinnamon, and grind to a fine powder.
3. Over medium-high heat oil a soup pot, add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and sauté 5 more minutes. Add ground spices and salt, sauté for 3 more
4. Add 4 cups of water and stir to deglaze the pot. Add tomato paste and lentils. Bring to a boil then lower the heat a bit and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, greens, lime juice and cilantro and more water if it looks to thick. Simmer 10 more minutes, or until lentils are completely tender.
6. Add extra salt as needed for taste

Some Tips to Cooking with Spices

• You can buy all these spices at any bulk food store – store them in a dark cook place

• Spices like ground cumin and coriander go rancid 6 months after they are ground up – that is why you should grind them yourself, rather than buying pre-ground versions – keep them in the refrigerator and use within 6 months

• Toasting the seeds before grinding activates and releases the volatile oils in the seeds, producing the well-known aroma of Indian dishes

• YOU NEED SALT for any dish that uses these spices – salt activates and brings out the flavours of other spices… without it you will be disappointed in the overall taste (add salt according to preferred taste – but not too much!)

If you’re curious to learn more about this subject or would like to consult with one of our NDs feel free to book a visit or contact us.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Tanya Lee, N.D

Annex Naturopathic Clinic
572 Bloor St W #201, Toronto, ON M6G 1K1
-https://goo.gl/maps/uVRBvcyoUa62

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Roasted Delicata Squash with Apples & Sage

It's November, so let the countdown to Thanksgiving begin! My favorite part about this holiday: the sides! Of course there are the essentials: stuffing, mashed potatoes, a nd the infamous green bean casserole but what I'm really excited for is the Go to the recipe...

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A Sleep Technique For When You Have A Cough and Congestion

Annex Naturopathic

Cold and flu season is here and one of the worst parts of getting sick is the stuffy nose and stubborn mucus that just wants to keep you from getting a good night’s sleep.

As a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, many patients ask if there are natural, non-drug ways to manage congestion and allow for a good night's sleep.

Congestion in the sinuses prevents one from breathing through the nose while sleeping, forcing us to breathe through our mouths that can lead to throat dryness, irritation.

This could leave to coughing or chronic lung congestion can may cause incessant coughing, preventing one from sleeping throughout the night.

Sleep is extremely important for recovery when you’re sick.

Warming socks technique for a good night's sleep 

The warming sock technique is done at night in order to battle these symptoms.

It can also help reduce temperature if there is also a fever present.

What you will need for this technique:

1. One pair of normal thickness socks
2. One pair of thick wool socks
3. Extra blanket for your feet for extra warming

Directions:

1. If your feet are icy cold it is important to warm them first.This is very important as the treatment will not be as effective and could be harmful.Warming can be accomplished by soaking in warm water for 5-10 minutes.

2. Next, take a pair of thin cotton socks and thoroughly wet all but the ankle portion with cold water.Wring them out so they are not dripping

3. Walk to bed and place the wet socks on your feet.

4. Then cover with thick wool socks.

5. Get comfy in your bed tucked in with plenty of warm blankets to fall asleep - you can use the extra blanket on the feet if needed.

6. Get an uninterrupted night of sleep.

7. In the morning you will find that the wet cotton socks will be dry, and you will feel well rested from a great night’s sleep!

In response to the wet socks placed on your feet, the body sends the circulation of blood and lymph (therefore some heat) down to warm the feet, pulling along the congestion from the head and lungs, allowing drainage through the lymphatic system.

Many of my patients report being able to get a full night's sleep when using the wet socks for cough and congestion.

If you feel this will be uncomfortable, don’t fret - the discomfort of wet socks on your feet tends to let up after a couple of minutes.

You wake up with completely dry feet!

This can be used for the whole family, ages through 100

If you’re curious to learn more about this subject or would like to consult with one of our NDs feel free to book a visit or contact us.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Tanya Lee, N.D

Annex Naturopathic Clinic
572 Bloor St W #201, Toronto, ON M6G 1K1
-https://goo.gl/maps/uVRBvcyoUa62

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A No-Bake Breakfast Cookie Recipe For Healthy Eating On The Go

Annex Naturopathic

I call this recipe, “reverse engineering at its finest".

I kept taking a detour on my morning walks with my pup, Maeve, to grab one of these cookies from a local cafe- so I decided to make them myself!

This cookie is great on its own for breakfast, and also makes a great snack when you are on the go.

Not to mention, it’s absolutely refined sugar-free, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free and nut-free making this an extremely “hypo-allergenic” cookie.

A great option for school lunches. And the best part- these cookies taste great!

They fit almost every “health nut” parameter, being both vegan and raw.

Watch this video to see how it’s done

[embed]https://youtu.be/bZLFTP4lBrI[/embed]

Ingredients:

2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 banana (ripe)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
8 dates
6 tbsp water
1/2 bar 70-85% dark chocolate
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
Makes 12 cookies.

Step 1:

Blend water & dates.

You can use a food processor, a magic bullet, or blender.

Once thoroughly mixed, add banana and blend until a paste is formed.

Step 2:

Mix together the dry ingredients: the rolled oats, coconut, sea salt, and cinnamon.

Step 3:

Combine the banana-date mixture with the dry ingredients.

Step 4:

Chop the chocolate and mix it in with step 3.

Step 5:

Using mason jar lids, form your cookies by firmly pressing the mixture into the lids.

Place in plastic ziploc bag or container and place in freezer for 1 hour to harden.

Remove from freezer and enjoy.

Store cookies in fridge or freezer.

If storing the cookies together, separate them by squares of parchment paper.

 

If you’re curious to learn more about this subject or would like to consult with one of our NDs feel free to book a visit or contact us.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Marnie Luck, N.D

Annex Naturopathic Clinic
572 Bloor St W #201, Toronto, ON M6G 1K1
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A Seasonal Garlic Honey Recipe For Sore Throats

Annex Naturopathic

’Tis the season for sore throats!

The fluctuating temperatures of the change of seasons renders our immune system weak, making our bodies susceptible to these floating viruses waiting to find a host.

Or that person standing right near you is just waiting to pass on their strept infection (they may not even know they have it yet).

One of the most common symptoms people experience when catching a cold (or a more severe viral or bacterial infection) is a sore throat.

Being a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, regularly around this time of year I receive many inquiries on how to treat cold symptoms.

There are a number of ways to remedy a sore throat, but one of the most effective (and tasty!) ways is to take a spoonful of raw, unpasteurized HONEY, infused with garlic in order to soothe and heal this delicate mucus membrane.

Medical properties of Honey

Honey has been long used as medicine - with its use dating back to 5500BC until now, the properties of honey have been found to be efiective for infections (internal and external), wound healing, lowering cholesterol and cardiovascular risk.

Honey has potent anti-microbial properties, where studies have shown antimicrobial activity against a number of gram positive and gram negative bacteria, such as Haemophilus influenzae, the Streptococcus family, and the antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA.¹

Anti-viral properties of honey have been studies, one finding that honey given to children with upper respiratory tract infections can reduce cough at night time.²

There are many mechanisms involved with the anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties of honey, but one of the most simplest ones comes from the fact that honey blocks the attachment of “bugs” to the tissues they’re trying to infect.

This is important when you’re exposed to someone with strept throat, or sore throat in general - by taking honey after exposure, you may be able to prevent the actual attachment and incubation of this bacteria, steering clear of infection.

On top of it’s anti-viral and anti-microbial properties, honey is also very soothing to the throat; it’s strong wound-healing properties stimulates the repair of damaged tissues and protection of mucus membranes from inflammation.

Add garlic to increase the anti-microbial, anti-viral effect

The anti-viral and anti-microbial and immune boosting properties of garlic have been long known in the medical community,^3,4 so it’s a no brainer that combining these two natural foods would be a great way to battle sore throats and fight infection.

Along with it’s ability to fight infection, garlic is full of antioxidants (vitamin C, selenium, B-vitamins etc.), which can help keep the immune system strong during an infection.

By adding honey to the garlic, the slow-moving viscous honey can coat the throat, allowing the anti-viral, antimicrobial properties of both honey and garlic act longer on the affected tissues.

Recipe

This is a very easy recipe - there are many on the web, but this is how I like to make this amazing remedy.

Ingredients

• 125mL or 250mL jars - or larger if you want to make a big batch!
• Raw, Unpasturized, Honey (Pasturization of honey rids this functional food of all it’s beneficial properties so isn’t beneficial to use)
• 1 head of organic garlic for 125mL or 2 heads of garlic for 250mL (or enough garlic to fill about 1/3 of the jar you would like to use)

Directions

• Break apart the garlic head. Crush the garlic with the flat surface of the knife (this will activate the garlic, release the juices, making it more potent, and it helps you peel the garlic quicker).
• Peel garlic and place the activated garlic in the jar - filling 1/3 of the jar.
• Fill the jar with honey
• Close the lid and store in a dark, cool place for at least a month before use (giving a good shake every week)
• Separate the cloves from the honey, to store in their own, air-tight jars. Keep the honey in a dark, cool place such as a cellar or the refrigerator.  If you’re saving the cloves, they should definitely go in to the refrigerator.

Medicinal Use

At first signs of infection, you can actually eat the garlic to fight off the infection, but if you don’t want to do this (it’s potent!!), discard.

You can use the cloves for cooking to reduce waste and to give your dishes some extra flare (ahem, it’s amazing in salsas, and coconut curries).

Keep them in the fridge.

The garlic cloves don’t keep as long so use within the month after infusing.

The garlic infused honey should be good for up to a year.

Take 1/2 to 1 tsp of honey when you’re feeling a sore throat.

You can take this up to 3-4x/day (it’s pretty sweet and sugary so you don’t want to take too much!).

A great way to use this is for when you or your family are waking up with a sore throat because congested sinuses are forcing you to breathe through the mouth throughout the night.

If this is the case, taking it before bed, and on waking can help.

Due to the potent antimicrobial and anti-fungal effects of garlic and honey, this will prevent bacterial (Clostridium botulinum) and mold buildup in the honey, so this can keep for a while (a whole season).

I’ve never encountered any contamination of my garlic honey, but make sure to use CLEAN equipment when making this, and make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling any ingredient.

DO NOT GIVE HONEY TO CHILDREN UNDER 1.5 YEARS OLD.  Honey contains natural botulism spores. In kids over 1 and adults, our immune systems are strong and built up enough to naturally clear these spores.

Babies under 1 years old do not have the immune system to clear these spores and are at risk for botulism toxicity (floppy baby syndrome) and should NOT be fed honey.

Bees are special - they pollinate our plants, encourage genetic strength and survival of these plants by promoting cross-pollination, and are the only insects that produce food for human consumption.

They are important for our survival so please buy honey from ethical, sustainable farms.

If you’re curious to learn more about this subject or would like to consult with one of our NDs feel free to book a visit or contact us.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Tanya Lee, N.D

Annex Naturopathic Clinic
572 Bloor St W #201, Toronto, ON M6G 1K1
-https://goo.gl/maps/uVRBvcyoUa62

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References

• Israili ZH., Antimicrobial properties of honey.Am J Ther. 2014 Jul-Aug;21(4):304-23
• Cotton MF, Innes S, Jaspan H, et al. Management of upper respiratory tract infections in children. So Afr Fam Pract. 2008;50:6–12
• Goncagul G, Ayaz EAntimicrobial effect of garlic (Allium sativum).Recent Pat Antiinfect Drug Discov. 2010 Jan;5(1):91-3.
• Harris JC. et. al. Antimicrobial properties of Allium sativum (garlic).Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2001 Oct;57(3):282-6.

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How to Give a Crystal Reflexology Treatment

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First select a quartz crystal which has a very good polished/smooth single-terminated point.Then remove socks, tights and/or footwear. Instructions below are for someone giving a crystal reflexology treatment to a 'client' but this method is just as easily administered and just as effective if you are treating yourself.Also keep in mind that stimulating reflexes on the hands will work just as well as using foot reflexes it is really your preference!Crystal reflexology treatments may either be done lying on a massage couch or sitting in a comfortable chair. When using the latter method you yourself need to sit on a stool so that you can place your client's feet upon your lap. Reflexology i s basically a foot massage. Or, at least, that is the way that it is normally...
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How to Give a Crystal Reflexology Treatment

First select a quartz crystal which has a very good polished/smooth single-terminated point.

Then remove socks, tights and/or footwear. Instructions below are for someone giving a crystal reflexology treatment to a 'client' but this method is just as easily administered and just as effective if you are treating yourself.

Also keep in mind that stimulating reflexes on the hands will work just as well as using foot reflexes it is really your preference!

Crystal reflexology treatments may either be done lying on a massage couch or sitting in a comfortable chair. When using the latter method you yourself need to sit on a stool so that you can place your client's feet upon your lap. Reflexology is basically a foot massage. Or, at least, that is the way that it is normally described!

The principles of reflex ology, of course, is that the feet consist of numerous reflex points; all of which relate to specific parts of the physical body.

An ordinary qualified reflexologist will use his/her hands to press into every one of these reflex points and when a health problem is diagnosed the client will often feel a sharp pain and the therapist will detect a small pea-like lump just under the surface of the skin.

In crystal reflexology, however, we do not need to be quite as precise. First, naturally, we must program our healing quartz crystal to re-balance any imbalances which might be discovered in the client's body as the treatment proceeds.

Using the single-terminated end of the quartz crystal the crystal healer very gently and without pressing too deep into the skin starts to rotate the crystal in a clockwise direction just lightly pushing into the skin.

Starting with the soles of the left foot, the crystal is moved slowly around to the sides, lightly touching the skin all the time, and then on to the upper part of the foot. All movements should be both slow and deliberate. Make sure that you cover all the surface of the foot. Then on to the right foot

Whenever the crystal healer obtains a reaction from the client he or she will spend a few moments directing crystalline healing energy into the appropriate reflex point.

As the crystal reflexology treatment ends the therapist takes the quartz crystal and lightly runs it over the entire surface of the foot; on the soles and on the upper part of both feet.

As a rough time guide I would suggest that you spend around thirty minutes per foot but naturally, this is completely flexible depending on what you find and upon the needs of your client!