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Whole Rolled Oatmeal

10/29/2014

A very simple oatmeal.

Whole Rolled Oats/Oat Bran

·         ½ cup whole rolled oats (non-quick or oat bran)

·         ½ cup vanilla or plain organic soy, rice or almond milk

·         ½ cup water

·         1-2 ripe bananas mashed

·         Strawberries/ blueberries/raspberries (1/2 cup) and/or 1 diced apple/pear

·         ½ tsp cinnamon

Add all ingredients to a pot. Bring to boil under med - high heat. Immediately reduce heat to low - med, and let simmer 10-15 min. (until desired consistency). Note: Can add fruit after cooking if preferred. Add 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds and nuts and/or seeds after cooked.

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Crunchy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

10/22/2014

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I have always loved chocolate chip cookies, but all of the butter, white sugar and white flour in conventional cookies has made me avoid them. It’s nice to be able to make an alternative to these cookies using whole ingredients that are healthier for you. Instead of butter you can use coconut oil or applesauce, in place of white sugar use maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar or sucanat and instead of white flour use a variety of wholesome, unprocessed flours like teff, oat, brown rice, spelt etc. These two recipes also take into consideration your texture preference. Sometimes I want a solid, crunchy cookie and other times I want something more soft and chewy. Both recipes are delicious and are for the most part allergy free without sacrificing flavour. (Also, I love cinnamon as it is great tasting and helps regulate blood sugar levels so I add it to most recipes or put it on fruit whenever possible.)

Chocolate Chip Teff Flour Cookies-Gluten, Dairy and Egg Free

Dry ingredients

·         ¾ cup teff flour

·         1/8 cup sucanat or coconut sugar

·         ¼ cup tapioca flour

·         ¼ cup arrowroot flour

·         1 tsp baking powder (Bob’s Red Mill)

·         1 tsp cinnamon

·         1/8 tsp fine sea salt

·         ¼ cup chocolate chips (I use Camino brand 70 % dark chocolate chips)

Wet ingredients

·         1/3 cup maple syrup

·         ¼ cup coconut oil

·         1 tbsp water

·         1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven 350 o F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a medium size bowl. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients with wooden spoon. Mix well and then drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper or greased with coconut oil. Use metal spoon to flatten and shape as necessary. Bake 10-12 minutes and cool on wire rack.

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies-Gluten and Dairy free (Egg free version too)

Dry ingredients

·         ¾ cup gluten free all purpose flour or brown rice flour

·         ¼ cup tapioca flour

·         ½ tsp baking soda

·         ¼ tsp xanthum gum

·         1 tsp cinnamon

·         1/8 tsp fine sea salt

·         1 ½ cup of rolled oats (Bob’s Red Mill)

·         1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips

Wet ingredients

·         ½ cup applesauce

·         2/3 cup maple syrup

·         1 egg or 1 tbsp chia in 3 tbsp water (let stand)

·         2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven at 350 o F. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients together except oats and chocolate chips. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients with a wooden spoon. Stir in oats and chocolate chips and mix well. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper or greased with coconut oil. Use metal spoon to flatten and shape as necessary. Bake 8-10 minutes and cool on wire rack.

Another cookie recipe

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (can be made gluten free, dairy free and egg free)

·         1 cup brown rice flour or oat flour

·         1 tsp baking powder

·         ½ tsp baking soda (ensure aluminum free)

·         ¼ tsp sea salt

·         ½ - 1 tsp cinnamon

·         ½ cup sucanat or 100% maple syrup

·         1 large egg or chia egg mixture (see above recipe)

·         ¼ cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce

·         ½ tsp vanilla powder

·         2 cups whole oats

·         3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350 o F. Line baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper or grease with coconut oil. In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In large bowl mix together applesauce, sugar or syrup and then beat in egg and add vanilla. Work by had to stir in flour mixture and oats until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Make even sizes of batter on baking sheet and slightly flatten cookie. Bake for 8-10 minutes until bottom is browned. Transfer to wire rack to let cool.

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Feeling tired? Causes and Treatments for Adrenal Fatigue

10/8/2014

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It is common for patients to report low energy as a concern at our initial visits. After ruling out other causes of fatigue, like hypothyroidism and anemia the adrenal glands are another factor to consider. There are many reasons as to why the adrenal glands can become depleted over time which include chronic stress, chronic caffeine use, chronic infections and poor diet. Adrenal fatigue symptoms include, but are not limited to: fatigue, not waking rested, difficulty getting up in the morning, difficulty coping with stress, feeling energetic after 6pm and cravings for sweet and salty. Four point salivary cortisol testing is an invaluable tool that can be used to assess adrenal function throughout the day to see where support is needed in that individual patient. However, a trial with diet and lifestyle modifications, botanical medicine and nutritional supplementation can also be done.

The most important dietary treatment is ensuring you are eating a whole foods diet which is balanced properly with healthy proteins, carbohydrates and fats. It is also important to eliminate caffeine intake from the diet as it is difficult to replenish the adrenal glands if you are still depleting them with caffeine use. Alternatives to coffee include Swiss water decaf coffee, green tea and licorice tea. (It is important to note that green tea does have a small amount of caffeine which is needed to absorb EGCG, a beneficial antioxidant.) Lifestyle treatments include finding reliable coping mechanisms to deal with stress like exercise, yoga, meditation and deep breathing. Vitamin C and B5 are essential nutrients that are specific for replenishing and balancing adrenal function. Other nutrients that can be considered are: B vitamins, magnesium and zinc as these are commonly deficient in patients with adrenal fatigue. Glandulars, which are sourced from bovine adrenal cortrex can help tonify the adrenals when they are severely depleted. Botanical medicines that can be used include Licorice, Siberian ginseng, Ashwagandha and Relora. It is imperative that treatments are individualized to each patient’s needs based on symptoms and lab testing (if completed) to ensure the most therapeutic benefit.

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Whole Rolled Oatmeal

Crunchy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Feeling tired? Causes and Treatments for Adrenal Fatigue

Chris and Darcie

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Whole Rolled Oatmeal

Crunchy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Feeling tired? Causes and Treatments for Adrenal Fatigue

Chris and Darcie

Archives

Categories

Book an appointment today!

Get natural health updates delivered to your email!Tips on whole foods, gluten and dairy free cooking, healthy living and more. We keep your information private and confidential and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Get natural health updates delivered to your email!
Tips on whole foods, gluten and dairy free cooking, healthy living and more. We keep your information private and confidential and you can unsubscribe at any time.