Category: Healthy Weight

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Celery and Summer Squash Soup

Heart Healthy Soup. It’s nutritious, delicious and flavoursome as well as healthy, and it only takes 30 minutes start to finish. If your looking for Vegan, its fills that box too and its free of gluten. You’ll be happy in a good way after eating this tasty and wholesome soup.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6-8

Description

A quick and easy vegan celery and summer time soup recipe with celery, summer squash, carrots, and fresh herbs. Dairy and gluten free!

Ingredients

  • 3 medium summer yellow squash, quartered and diced
  • 2 celery ribs (heads), diced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled, quartered and diced
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1/4 cup vegan friendly dry white wine OR 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon thyme, roughly chopped
  • Coarse salt, ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, cooking until somewhat softened and onion is starting to become translucent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add garlic, stirring frequently, and cook for 1 more minute, until fragrant.
  3. Add squash, cumin, and coriander. Cook until somewhat softened, about 5-10 minutes.
  4. Add the white wine and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
  5. Pour in broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are easily pierced with a fork.
  6. Remove cover. Stir in fresh herbs and lemon juice. Cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a stand blender and blend until completely smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Garnish with a little cream swirl (non-vegan topping) if desired, a couple drops of olive oil, a little ground paprika, and fresh lemon thyme and parsley. Serve warm or chilled!

Traditional Chinese Nutritional Therapy

This nutritious hearty soup is filled with all the nutrients to strengthen the Heart and help prevent Heart disharmony.

Nature: Cooling

Organs: Heart, Spleen, Liver

Celery: Clears Heat, Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach, Tonifies the Kidney, Tonifies Qi, Cools the Liver, Resolves Damp, Purifies the Blood, Calms Shen, Stops Bleeding. Squash Summer: Nourish Yin, Cools the body and inflammation, Relieves pain, Cultivates Qi,  Carrot: Clears heat, Detoxifies, Strengthens all internal organs, Benefits the eyes, Relieves measles, Lubricates the intestines, Promotes digestion. Onion: Promotes the smooth flow of Qi, Regulates Blood, Resolve Phlegm and Dampness, Expel cold, Relax the intestines, Harmonize the stomach, Strengthen the spleen, Promote digestion. Garlic: Warm Yang, Promotes the Smooth Flow of Qi, Resolves Damp, Eliminates toxins, Calm Wind, Moisten the Lungs, Strengthen the Stomach, Warm the Middle Jiao. Eliminate Wind-Cold. Coriander: Promotes sweating. Removes rashes. Allows the release of toxicity from the surface. Detoxifies and eases pain, Strengthens digestion, Regulates Qi flow

James O’Sullivan - that's me, a people friendly practitioner and lecturer of Integrated Medicine, serving my patients, my students and the public with the positive benefits of both Conventional Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. It's a wonderful life
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to diagnose or assess. The information provided is not to be considered a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care practitioner.
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Garlic Dragons Breath

Here’s an incredibly tasty and nutritious herbal vinegar recipe, to add “FIRE” to your next cup of tea or glass of warm water or your next salad. You can use it one spoon at a time to stay healthy and cold or flu free. I place 1 to 2 Tablespoons of it in my morning cuppa but you may also use it as a dressing on fresh greens or roasted vegetables.

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed to break up the healthy properties.
  • 1 lemon cut in half.
  • 4 Tbsp fresh ginger – peeled and chopped in chunks.
  • 4 Tbsp freshly grated horseradish root
  • Handful of parsley
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Honey
  • Cayenne powder
  • Serrano Pepper (Optional) or substitute Jalapeno pepper.

Directions:

  • Combine the onion, garlic, lemon, ginger, parsley, and horseradish in a wide mouth mason jar.
  • Add warmed apple cider vinegar to cover them. (warming the vinegar allows it to more actively draw the properties out of the herbs. Just warm, if it becomes too hot the good enzymes will be no longer active.)
  • Place on counter for 3 weeks, shaking it at times.
  • Strain, then discard the root veggies, herbs and fruit. Compost please!
  • Add honey and cayenne to taste!

The final creation will be a lively, hot, pungent, and yet sweet mixture.
Shaken occasionally, kept in a shady spot.

To use it:

  • 1 – 2 Tbsp at first sign of a cold, and repeat every 4 hours until feeling better
  • 1 Tbsp in water once or twice a week
  • Mix with a bit of olive oil and use as a salad dressing or In you Caesar!!

In Smiling Body Nutritional Therapy, the benefits of Dragons Breath help to strengthen Yang while warming the Lungs and Releases the exterior by inducing sweating, meaning that strengthen our Immunity. It benefits our resistance to the Common cold, Vomiting, Dysentery and Dyspepsia.

James O’Sullivan - that's me, a people friendly practitioner and lecturer of Integrated Medicine, serving my patients, my students and the public with the positive benefits of both Conventional Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to diagnose or assess. The information provided is not to be considered a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care practitioner.
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Champion Chicken with Goji Berries

A hearty healing dish that strengthens weakness due to Illness or Surgery. I recommend that the ingredients below should be fresh and organic is possible. “When you buy products from organic farmers your purchase is like a donation to a healthier world!”.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 (2cm) piece Fresh Ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 roasting Chicken, skinned and cut up OR 2Kilos skinless legs and/or breasts
  • 2 medium sized Green Onions, chopped into (1.5 CM) pieces, roots and tough tips discarded
  • 3-4 tbsp Rice Wine or Dry Sherry
  • 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 2 tbsp Goji Berries
  • 350ml Water or Vegetable Stock
  • 1 tsp Dark Sesame Oil

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a pan and then add garlic and ginger and cook until garlic is golden (approx. 5 mins)
  2. Place chicken, garlic, ginger, green onions, wine, soy sauce, goji berries and water in a pot
  3. Bring mixture to a boil and cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 30
  4. minutes or until the chicken is cooked through
  5. Sprinkle the sesame oil on top as a finishing touch
  6. Serve in a bowl with some of the broth or on top of rice with the broth as gravy

Actions/Indications/Functions. This dish Warms the Stomach, while Tonifies Qi. It Nourishes Blood. A wonderfully nourishing dish that Strengthens Liver and Kidneys

James O’Sullivan - that's me, a people friendly practitioner and lecturer of Integrated Medicine, serving my patients, my students and the public with the positive benefits of both Conventional Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. It's a wonderful life
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to diagnose or assess. The information provided is not to be considered a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care practitioner.
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Sweet Potato Detox Soup

Packed with vitamin A and fiber, this orange soup is the best choice for a detox dinner.

Prep Time 5 mins             Cook Time 25 mins          Total Time 30 mins

Servings: 2

Calories: 382kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup cooked red lentils
  • 1 sweet potato peeled and cut in cubes
  • 3 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 parsnip peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 onion peeled and cut in quarters
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • Pinch of chili powder
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth warm
  • 1/2 inch piece of ginger peeled and grated
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • Fresh parsley 1 teaspoon coconut milk, to garnish

Instructions

Heat the oven at 165°C/329°F.

Line a baking sheet with baking paper, add the sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, onion, and garlic, season with salt, chili, turmeric, and cumin, add the coconut oil and toss to combine.

Roast for 20 minutes then transfer into the blender.

Add the warm vegetable broth, grated ginger, and cooked red lentils into the blender and process to obtain a smooth cream.

Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley.

James O’Sullivan - that's me, a people friendly practitioner and lecturer of Integrated Medicine, serving my patients, my students and the public with the positive benefits of both Conventional Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. It's a wonderful life
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to diagnose or assess. The information provided is not to be considered a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care practitioner.
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Reasons to Choose Organic

Today, you can make smarter choices in the food you buy. Organically grown foods have been increasing in popularity as people are choosing to live a smarter and healthier lifestyle. Organic farmers around the world are doing their part in preserving the quality of our ecosystem and to improve our health by growing food the way nature intended. Organically grown food gives us a naturally healthy and purely delicious food that is completely free of harmful chemicals and pesticides. Most foods contain a high level of pesticides that can be more harmful that organically grown foods.

The Five Reasons

– Organic foods are free of additives and preservatives and therefore taste more delicious and pure.
– Buying organic foods helps to reduce the dependence on all the non-renewable resources.
– The organic food industry promotes healthy farmland and supports those small family owned farms that produce the organic food.
– Growing organic foods help to keep chemicals out of the water supplies and help protect the farmers and other workers from having contact with harmful chemicals and pesticides.
– Organically grown food is exceedingly safe for children because it is free from harmful pesticides.

Consider the Organic Alternative

Next time you’re shopping for groceries, think about how buying organically grown food can benefit you and your family. Think about choosing a food that was grown as nature intended, compared to one that had frequently been covered with poisonous pesticides and other chemicals. Would you buy food knowing that it had once been saturated with harmful chemicals? At one point in time, that was something you never would have thought about, but now today in the information age, people are more aware of what they are putting into their bodies. Now people are aware of how food is grown and produced and now people have a choice.

Organic Foods List

Some great organically grown foods to buy are apples, grapes (imported), nectarines, pears, peaches, red raspberries, strawberries, bell peppers, celery, potatoes and spinach. There are even many other foods coming to market as organic foods such as eggs, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, milk, juice, bread, soup, meat, nuts, pasta and many baby foods.

What Does Organic Mean?

Being organic is referring to the way the agricultural products of fibre and food are processed and grown. The ecological system heavily relies on the rich soil to produce plants strong enough to withstand diseases and other pests. Organic farming means that the use of any chemicals and toxins are prohibited and work only in favour of the earth friendly habits that work with nature. In livestock, preventative measures are taken to keep the animals productive and healthy because the use of antibiotics is forbidden. Genetically modified organisms are also strictly prohibited in the organic production.

The Three Categories

  • 100% Organic: Means the food item is made purely and 100% of organic ingredients.
  • Organic Made: Means the food item is made of at least 95% organic ingredients with the remaining 5% heavily restricted and with no genetically modified organisms.
  • Made with Organic Ingredients: The food you choose can be made with ingredients containing no lesser than 70% of organic ingredients with the remaining 30% heavily restricted and no genetically modified organisms.

USDA Standards

The USDA has set strict regulations when labelling organic foods. An organic food must contain at least 95% of organic ingredients for it to be labelled as “organic”. Any foods that have less than 70% of organic ingredients cannot make any claims on the front of the package that it is organic in any way but may list the specific organically grown ingredients on the side panel.

Price is the main deciding issue when considering foods. Eating healthier is sometimes more expensive than the chemically treated foods. Of course, as the organic food industry is steadily rising as the varieties and availabilities are increasing, the prices are becoming more competitive and more appealing. Consider the real importance of staying healthy, it shouldn’t have to cost a ton either, find a local grower or a good organic place and they will offer a competitive offer.

James O’Sullivan - that's me, a people friendly practitioner and lecturer of Integrated Medicine, serving my patients, my students and the public with the positive benefits of both Conventional Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
It's a wonderful life
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to diagnose or assess. The information provided is not to be considered a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care practitioner.
Please share! Help the word get out. Pin the graphic too.