One of our favorite winter warmer recipes, this coconut Dahl is packed with flavor. I like to make this for lunch along with fresh bread for dipping. If there is any left, this recipe is even better on the second day and it saves me having to think about lunch. My husband likes to fry up some homemade sausage supplied by our local grass fed beef farmer. I’ll admit, it’s a perfect fit.

Make sure you have a good stock on hand. Vegetable or chicken stock is best.  A veggie stock is quick to make and I recently added my recipe to the comments section in the preceding link.

*If you would rather work from a condensed version of this recipe, please scroll to the bottom.

I hope you enjoy!

1.  Place 3/4 cup dry yellow split peas and 3/4 cup dry green split peas in a pot with 10 cups of vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to boil and skim off all foam that arises.

2.  Cook until peas are half cooked and then add 1 medium carrot, chopped.

3.  In a small pan, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add 2 tsp mustard seed and wait until seeds start to pop. Turn heat off.

4.  Add 1 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp crushed chillies (omit if little ones don’t like spice), 1 tsp turmeric and 1 medium potato, chopped.

5.  Coat potato well with spices and let sit for 5 minutes.

6.  Roast 1 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut in oven until just browning.

7.  Add potato with spices and roasted coconut to soup pot. Simmer on low until split peas are soft.

8.  Add to soup pot: 1 tsp Tamari, 1 small red or yellow pepper, 3/4 cup of frozen organic green peas, sea salt to taste.

Serve over brown Basmati rice or alone. Dahl will thicken once it cools down.

Coconut Curry Dahl

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dry yellow peas
3/4 cup dry green peas
10 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp crushed chillies
1 tsp turmeric
1 med potato, chopped
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp Tamari
1 small red or yellow pepper, chopped
3/4 cup frozen non-GMO green peas
sea salt to taste

1.  Place 3/4 cup dry yellow split peas and 3/4 cup dry green split peas in a pot with 10 cups of vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to boil and skim off all foam that arises.  Cook until peas are half cooked and then add 1 medium carrot, chopped.

2.  In a small pan, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add 2 tsp mustard seed and wait until seeds start to pop. Turn heat off. Add 1 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp crushed chillies (omit if little ones don’t like spice), 1 tsp turmeric and 1 medium potato, chopped. Coat potato well with spices and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Roast 1 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut in oven until just browning.  Add potato with spices and roasted coconut to soup pot. Simmer on low until split peas are soft.
4. Add 1 tsp Tamari, 1 small red or yellow pepper, 3/4 cup of frozen organic green peas, S&P to taste.

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve over brown Basmati rice or alone. Dahl will thicken once it cools down.

adapted from original recipe at Fresh restaurant.

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Toasted Coconut Curry Dahl

One of the first changes we have made since reading Nourishing Traditions is making  a homemade stock each week. Now I understand why my Grandma always made the best soups, forget that, the best everything! The secret was in her stocks made from chicken, beef and fish. Stocks not only help create dishes that are talked about, there is much health wisdom in this centuries old practice.

Why is chicken soup superior to all the things we have, even more relaxing than Tylenol? It is because chicken soup has a natural ingredient which repairs and calms the mucous lining in the small intestine. This inner lining is the beginning or ending of the nervous system. It is easily pulled away from the intestine through too many laxatives, too many food additives…and parasites. Chicken soup…heals the nerves, improves digestion, reduces allergies, relaxes and gives strength. Hanna Kroeger – Ageless Remedies From Mother’s Kitchen.

I think homemade stocks are a lost art in many modern families. Although I observed a simmering pot of stock many times while growing up, the wisdom of why they are so beneficial unfortunately did not get passed down. And perhaps even if it did, I overlooked stocks simply because whole grains and legumes (as opposed to a meat dominant diet) have made the majority of our meals up until this point.

I mentioned that I was vegetarian for almost 10 years so another roadblock in making stocks is simply due to my lack of knowledge and experience in handling meat. I am now relearning how to cook with meat and making some big changes in the type of meat we eat – but I’ll save that for another article.

The basic stock recipe I am using is from Nourishing Traditions which advises to use vinegar to the broth to help pull the nutrients form the bones. Read Broth is Beautiful for additional information about the health benefits of stocks as well as the clincher for me - the benefits of gelatin . One interesting tidbit is the ancient use of stocks to help prevent infectious disease. I admit to feeling reassured by having homemade stock on hand should we get rundown with a virus.

In folk wisdom, rich chicken broth-the famous Jewish penicillin-is a valued remedy for the flu. The 12th-century physician Moses Maimonides prescribed chicken broth as a treatment for colds and asthma. Modern research has confirmed that broth helps prevent and mitigate infectious diseases. The wise food provider, who uses gelatin-rich broth on a daily or frequent basis, provides continuous protection from many health problems. Nourishing Traditions

Each Sunday we now roast a whole locally raised free range chicken. After feasting, I gently simmer the stock pot overnight. In the morning, after the stock has cooled I measure out 2 and 4 cup increments into shallow containers for freezing. Later, I unmold and label, storing the disks in zippered bags stacked vertically in the freezer. I also freeze extra baby cubes to blend with Evan’s homemade baby puree – one of a few important changes to his diet. Thankfully, I am not alone in my concerns that introducing the nasty refined baby cereal as a first food is not a healthy way to get started. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear it’s a sick plot to get our children addicted to refined foods from the get go!

From Nourishing Traditions:

Chicken Stock

1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
gizzards from one chicken (optional)
2-4 chicken feet (optional)
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley

*Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.

If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. (If you are using a whole chicken, remove the neck and wings and cut them into several pieces.) Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.

Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches or curries. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer.

Image credit: Muffet

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Wise Cooks Use Homemade Stocks

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy delicious smoothies. Even if you don’t have frozen fruit on hand, you can still create healthy smoothies for breakfast or any other time of day.

Breakfast smoothies are a wonderful way to start the day however I find that if they are made with only fruit, I am hungry within an hour. With a few tweaks to a regular smoothie, you can heave a healthy and hearty breakfast smoothie in minutes.

The best way to start the day is with a little protein. I usually have organic eggs along with a breakfast smoothie. People generally underestimate how much protein they really need to maintain their energy and well being. Skipping breakfast sends your body into survival, storing fat for a “famine” by lowering your metabolism, so it’s best to give your body the fuel it needs withing an hour of waking each day.

One little health tip while you’re here: Have a glass of warm water with 1/2 lemon squeezed into it. This is a wonderful way to stimulate digestion and metabolism. Do this especially if you are not a “breakfast person!” It will help your body readjust to eating and loving breakfast again – not to mention help you naturally balance your metabolism and well being.

Here are our favorite breakfast smoothie recipes. They are nutritious and quick with a good serving  of protein as well. If you tend to skip breakfast because you are busy (ahem…!) then you will love how easy these recipes are.

Our Favorite (Healthy!) Breakfast Smoothie Recipes:

Almond Boost

1-2 cups rice or almond mild – make sure they are non GMO and organic.
1/2 banana
1-2 Tbs almond butter (raw or roasted)
1-2 scoops of good quality whey protein powder (this is optional – you also get protein from the almond butter)
dash of cinnamon
1 tsp raw honey (optional, there is plenty of flavor from the other ingredients)

Place all ingredients together in a blender, adding the protein powder last so it does not stick to the sides. Blend until smooth. Serves 1-2.

Oatmeal Breakfast in a Glass

1-2 cups rice or almond mild – make sure they are non GMO and organic.
1/2 banana
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal (Rolled oats are most healthy. Precook some oats and refrigerate for your breakfast smoothies. Grains including Oats should be soaked overnight before cooking to ensure your body gets maximum nutritional benefits.)
1-2 scoops of good quality whey protein powder (optional)
1tsp raw honey or maple syrup
dash of cinnamon

(adding a few strawberries or blueberries is also delicious)

Place all ingredients together in a blender, adding the protein powder last so it does not stick to the sides. Blend until smooth. Serves 1-2.

If you’re looking for a bunch of great smoothie recipes, have a look at “sensational smoothie” recipes. They have been a great hit with our family. We have breakfast smoothies in the mornings and generally a “green” smoothie later in the day.

I thought my husband was wasting money (sorry honey) when told me he was buying an infomercial product but he’s proven me wrong with this one. If you want a very quick and clean way to make a smoothie with almost zero clean up I have to highly recommend The Magic Bullet. We use it at least two times a day. Since we each prefer different smoothie recipes, I love that I can make multiple smoothies at the same time. We drink from the actual mixing cup and I don’t have to spend the time washing and reassembling a big blender. I only need to screw off the blade top and rinse.

Cheers to your health, I hope you enjoy my favorite breakfast smoothie recipes – let me know what you think?

photo: Nikki L.

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Healthy Breakfast Smoothie Recipes

We love to make salads all year long, but as the weather turns colder we prefer a heartier salad that has some staying power. Pulses (such as lentils and beans) are best eaten together with whole grains because the combination makes a complete protein that your body can digest and absorb easily.

If you are not eating lentils yet what the heck are you waiting for?! There is no better time to introduce lentils and beans than with small children. I often gave Liv black beans, garbanzo beans, lentils with raw cheese (a complete protein) as a snack instead of refined starches such as fish crackers. Now she loves them!

That being said, I remember the first time I cooked with lentils. My husbands brother, in his early twenties, came to visit. As a regular consumer of junk food, I decided it was my mission to get him healthy while he visited. His welcome dinner was a lentil Shepard’s pie with miso gravy. Unfortunately, it was bland, dry and chewy.  The poor kid was so polite trying to eat it up, but he was clearly being tortured. This particular recipe was not a good introduction to healthy eating. I promise you’ll love this salad…it’s not dry or bland.

Eat for lunch or as a healthy dinner companion. I usually pull some of the lentil salad out for Liv before I add the parsley and red onion.

*Update 01/10 – Remember to soak your lentils at least 12 hours (overnight) in a-2 tablespoons of yogurt, buttermilk, whey or Kefir before cooking and skimming. This helps to “predigest” the outer layer so that you can receive the full benefits of the nutrients available ans also to help prevent digestive disorders commonly accociated with certain grains. Read more about soaking lentils and other grains.

Healthy Lentil Rice Salad With Cranberries

1 Tbs lemon zest – a grater or micro-plane zester works best for this.
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of cayenne
1 can of lentils (540ml) drained and rinsed or 2 cups cooked
2 cups long grain brown rice – cooked
1 cup parsley – loosely packed & chopped
3/4 cup red onion – diced
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbs fresh mint – finely chopped

In a large bowl whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, cinnamon and cayenne.
Add lentils, toss and then add rice and toss gently.
Add parsley, onion, currants, cranberries and mint. Toss gently and serve.
Serves 4-6.  Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Originally published in Alive Magazine

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Healthy Lentil Rice Salad with Cranberries

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and I’m always on the hunt for terrific stuffing recipes to have on hand. Have a peek at this recipe, because it’s sure to be a winner with you and the whole family:

Holly’s Pilgrim Stuffing: Grab the recipe now!

Video courtesy of Cookus Interruptus – Cooking Despite Life’s Interruptions.

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In A Pinch: Holly’s Pilgrim Stuffing