Magic Bullets....For Colds, Bugs & Flu

I've done a lot of research over the years on garlic - but it's not that I want to mention. It's the fact that I have taken oodles of garlic in one form or another to cure any infection, inflammation, upset, issue, problem or what have you....

I love this stuff!

This week the cold I had ended up moving into my sinuses and staying put. Of course for the first couple of days or so, I was so busy with Solstice and Christmas preparations that I was in a bit of denial about it all.

Then on my third day of feeling tired and headachy I knew I had to do something because it was now an infection in my sinuses. So, what does a Medical Intuitive do with a sinus infection? Mostly, I keep going, I did not change my Yoga habit or my holiday cheer (eating lots!) although I did alter the types of exercise I was doing.

And since I have long been steering clear of any type of medication or antibiotic (because I know these don't work and are the scourge of the earth, doing far more harm then good) - my medicine is always herbs, food, exercise, fresh air and rest when needed. 

With this is mind. I add raw garlic to the mix - over the years I have found it easiest to get it into me in guacamole on small crackers. And I have been known to take up to 28 cloves in a single day (tooth abscess) but usually 5 to 7 will do the trick.

My method is simple, take the garlic (must be raw, crushed, allowed to stand for 10 minutes) a few cloves (this week about 7 each day) and blend these into the guacamole. Eat this throughout the day (until I am tired of it!) and then sleep.

Within a few hours of starting this 'medicine' - my head starts to clear, and I feel better. But, I don't stop yet because 72 hours are key for the first round. Once I have done the first 72 hours then I take a break of a day or two and go right back for another 72 hours of garlic.

What I have found over the years (I have taken only garlic for everything from a uterine infection to kidney infection) is that the garlic has an intelligence of it's own. It has been shown to target the site of inflammation directly and starts working immediately.

Garlic is also a herb with powerful anti bacterial, anti viral and anti fungal properties. Yet, because it is a food your body treats it like that and it only goes after the 'problem' while not disturbing your internal balance of beneficial bacteria.

To accompany this I also increase and find ways to put more herbs in my diet - I might make a tea with lemon balm and this past week I added elderberry to the turkey stuffing, sage, thyme, rosemary, and fresh parsley to nearly everything....breads, rices, meats, fish and so forth. 

Each of these herbs (and foods) boost immune function and support the work of the body during the inflammatory process. 

There is always a better, safer and healthier way to heal your body while removing the source of the inflammation - instead of pushing it into the tissues (which is what modern medicine is known to do). Like any other dark energy (energy vampire), you want to draw it up and out while rendering it harmless in the process and there is not one thing that does this better then garlic.

April

Garlic Guacamole 

Smoked Tuna & Chick Pea Stew

If you are craving something different for the season (but not too different lol) this might be the meal for you...I like to have some fish as a change from meat (not that I eat very much of it) and this time of year a little smoked fish is great to work with.

To make Smoked Tuna and Chick Pea stew it is always tastier to soak the dried chick peas (about 1 cup) overnight in cold water and then drain in the morning. Cook these in sea weed and fresh water for about 30 or 40 minutes or until tender.

Next in a stock pot place a couple of cups of chopped veggies such as carrots, sweet potato and turnip in the water from the chick peas - together with the chick peas and the sea weed. Add a little salt and pepper, thyme or oregano.

In another saucepan sauté a chopped onion, leek and 2 or 3 cloves of garlic in a little bit of olive oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, ground cumin and coriander to the mixture as they cook. This will be fragrant and lovely.

Add these to the now bubbling stock pot with the chick peas and veggies. Turn down to a low heat and let cook until the veggies are quite soft and the sweet potato has thickened the stew. Once it is cooked, turn off the heat and add as much smoked tuna (cubed) as you would like.

I usually add about 2 medium sized pieces to a large stock pot of stew. If you can, let this sit for a few hours and reheat or allow to stand for at least an hour before serving. The flavours will blend and it tastes great.

Serve with a savory bread such as Rosemary Sea Salt spelt bread and cucumber salad....Yumm!

April

Smoked Tuna & Chick Pea Stew 

Raise Your Vibration With Food

Here we are right in the middle of the Solstice - Christmas - Yule - New Years season and it all feels great so far. Or does it? How are you feeling right now, really? Do you feel over stuffed, full, heavy, like your digestion has stopped moving all together and generally yukky?

Yesterday I saw someone had written a Christmas greeting to their friends - 'Happy Bloated Christmas' and it got me thinking or more precisely remembering how I used to feel during this time of the year. Bloated, tired, achy, tight, stiff, sick, stagnant - you name it, however even with all the negative feelings floating around..... 

I never once put down how I was feeling to wickedness, evil or dark energy being sent my way from some of the people I was associated with. And these were my 'family' or friends!! But what was far worse, this was supposed to be a great time of plenty (food, drink and people) and this was relatively normal.

The back biting, gossip, negative comments, ridicule, bullying, maligning, two facedness and general wickedness - and that was just with family members in a small circle of people. I could not be part of this (even if I was not participating, I was still condoning it by my presence) and still maintain a healthy spiritual connection within myself.

How sad was all of that?

So, what I have done for well over a decade now since I walked (ran!) away from all of that - is a few different things. Of course I cut ties and stayed away from people who pulled me down, used my energy or spread negativity around in any way. 

But the bigger part of this cleanup was I completely changed my diet, my habits and my lifestyle into something far more suitable for a person walking a spiritual path. The irony here is that most of the changes I have made over the years have come about because of the behavior I saw around the Christmas season. 

Besides, all of this negativity around was causing me to eat all the dark, low vibration food that was showing up at my place in the hands of those same people (sound familiar?). Empty dead food which is devoid of life force is a vessel for this evil energy. 

And when we feel awful for one reason or another - what kinds of foods would we be tempted to turn to for comfort? That's right - the sugary, dead, highly processed and chemical containing low (or no) vibration foods.

So for me, when I let go of the one side of this equation (the dead end relationships), I also had to clean up the poor relationship with this kind of food. In fact one went out the door with the other....

And in it's place ever since has been a energy that has been healing, filling up with goodness, good will and happiness. It takes time to build a life around you and raise your physical vibration - but don't let that stop you - start with something kind and compassionate (organic wholesome food) and take it from there! 

April

Wholesome goodies - nut butter, oatmeal raisin and molasses ginger cookies (organic, spelt, whole grain, sugar free)

Happy Turkey - The Land of Plenty....

I love turkey! Well, at least these last couple of days I do anyway. It's not something I can say I have eaten in the past decade or so, making this year quite extraordinary actually. Not only have I eaten turkey, but the ones I did eat, were raised and then (ahem) prepared by me.

In my other life I used to be a Food Hygiene Inspector, what that means for those of you who are unfamiliar with the processes of meat before it arrives on your plate - is that I was the person who carried out an ante and post mortem inspection on animals meant for food.

To say the very least, I have seen nearly all animals walk into a plant and come out the other side in boxes. As you might imagine, I am fairly particular about the meat I would eat and feed my family and was for many years a strict vegan.

What prompted me to raise my own turkeys this year you might ask - up to now I have been thinking I did not know. But, I really do, somewhere deep inside - it's only now that I have taken the time to sort out how I am feeling about it all.

A turkey for me (and us) is more then representative of being thankful - it also says something far more in our hearts. These turkeys are about abundance, plenty and the arrival on new shores - on our walk of life. 

This year we have spent so much time feeling thankful for our health, all we have and especially the food that takes us there. It has been quite a year this last full cycle of the Mayan calendar - one age has ended and another one is being ushered in. 

Something dark, heavy and old has ceased to exist for us, leaving the door wide open for change. And the turkey is only the start of it - a move into the land of plenty!

Happy Christmas,

April

A beautiful turkey cooked with sage from the garden...

Reflections of the Season...

This is my favourite time of the year - with the preparation, cooking, baking and eating just being part of the overall picture. For me it's always a time to reflect back on the 12 months gone and see how far I've come down this road.

I would like to think that many people are right now enjoying the results of positive changes they have made to their diets and lifestyles during 2012. It really is now or never - there has never before been such a time as this on the earth.

This present moment has a down side in that we have never been so inundated with toxins, chemicals and pollutants in our water and food. We are ingesting these poisons at an alarming rate - overwhelming our livers and detoxification processes.

At the same time, the other side of this is that we have never known quite so much or been as enlightened about food, health, well-being and the mind/body connection between our diets and our emotional, spiritual and physical health.

These last few days of late December 2012 are a great time to look back on the year that was. What changes have we made and how much further we can go towards creating not only abundant health and vitality but also a better life.

Without a healthy body, mind and spirit, you are not living or doing much of anything worth while. And the only way through that door is with water and food - the time for denial is over.

April

An Unprocessed Solstice and Yule Season

Taking stock of where we are now and looking back at how far we've come this year alone - things are much the same BUT - everything is completely different. And I am only touching on the food part of things here.

Our diets are pretty well the same - we eat organic and have for many years. We would eat mostly vegetables, some grains, a little fish, some fruit, nuts, seeds, herbs and some meat. Ours is a fairly well rounded eating plan with plenty of room in there for variety and seasonal change.

However, even though I made nearly everything from scratch my self - there is always room for improvement and this year has seen a dramatic shift in our bodies, mind and spirits because of the complete removal of any processed foods.

Right now is the season you would tend to plan for when it comes to food - make it through the Holiday season and it's smooth sailing after that. With this time of year in mind I made jams, chutneys, sauces, pickles, raised turkeys, stored honey and did the extra baking.

And all of it from using only the raw ingredients. If we want juice, jam, halva, pretzels, sweet treats or mustard - we find a way to make it. To be honest, late last night I was up making stocking treats for the kids (and everyone!) everything from scratch, including some of the ingredients....

I am feeling quite impressed with the entire process for a couple of reasons. First of all when I started out, I thought it would all be so complicated and perhaps difficult. At least for some of the foods that we are used to eating. 

Of course it has turned out to be the exact opposite in every way. Making food from scratch is straight forward and gets easier as I gather better tools and try the recipes several times.

Then, there was this entire resistance thing I had to overcome - mostly in my mind surrounding the amount of work involved and the convenience of being able to just buy a couple of things ready made. It may take a little bit more time in some cases, however, this is my food - what could be more important?

 Finally, I really was not prepared for the profound difference in taste, texture and the sheer amount of choice I now have in, well, everything we eat. I can make up my own recipes, create different textures and try out new things....simply by changing an ingredient or two.

Life and food could not get better then this!

April

Barley Cove Beach, West Cork

Vibrational Shift....

Today is a feast day - and for us this means lots of food and tasty treats we wouldn't otherwise have very often. But it also means many other things as well - this time of year especially is all about the return of light breaking through the darkness.

I don't know about you, but there is often nothing darker then some of the foods that people are expected to eat and perhaps nothing more evil then the energy they contain. Food is like anything else really - when depleted it will fill up on whatever it is exposed to.

And if that happens to be drained, poorly paid, unhappy employees, clanging machinery, in a profit driven company - then that's what the food will carry. It's the same with people, once our systems are pulled down by life, stress, poor diets, over exposure to chemicals and toxins, we too have a low vibration.

It takes an enormous amount of energy to pull ourselves back up from some of the dark depths we might be found in...

However, all is not lost! Once you begin to make any effort at all, with even the tiniest of intentions, your body will more then meet you half way and work very hard to come back into proper alignment within.This means balancing and bringing back normal function in all tissues and organs.

Today was perhaps the most anticipated day (in a collective global sense) we have seen in some time on this planet. With so many of us considering the changes, energy shifts and perhaps endings associated with this date - I wonder if some other important aspects were lost in the shuffle.

The only way to change your body in a healthy meaningful way (this changes your mind and spirit too by the way) is to alter your diet and the water you drink. Take this a little bit further and the only way to shift into a higher cellular vibrational frequency (or to experience states of higher expanded consciousness) is to change your diet and the water you drink! 

It really all is this simple and today was a giant leap forward towards breaking free of the old ways that have enslaved humanity for a very long time. We are moving forwards into very interesting times indeed...

April

Sticky Date & Fig Pudding was delicious!! 

Positive Vibration Food - Honey Cinnamon Roasted Nuts (homemade!)

Well, it all comes upon so fast doesn't it? The holidays are practically here and for the most part, ready or not, we are going to dive into this season and make the most of whatever comes our way. Except the food - you can't make the most of bad food....

Food in general is one of those things that is vibration specific, if it's of a low or poor quality then it's essence is low or already gone. You simply cannot breathe new life into dead food. And I for one would never expect my body to eat something that doesn't have a positive frequency.

With this in mind it's always best to make as much of your holiday fare as possible - one of our favourites around here is nuts. Of course nuts are usually very good for you - however when heavily  processed they end up on the dark side of junk.

I enjoy salted as well as sweet or honeyed nuts - and they are so easy to make at home. I have mentioned here a few months ago the details of making your own roasted salted cashews - which are yummy and can be made in a few minutes or a few hours if soaking in brine.

And then there are Honey Roasted Cinnamon Nuts.....this is what makes the ultimate Yule time snack for us here and no holiday season would be complete without them. I kept myself busy yesterday making these and then enjoying the aroma of deliciousness!

To make this type of nuts get 2 cups of almonds or my favourites, pecans, walnuts and almonds - but keep them all separate from each other in different bowls. As long as you have 2 cups in total of all these nuts together.

You will need 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon oil (I use olive oil), 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, dash pepper. Preheat your oven to about 170C and prepare a baking sheet by covering with parchment paper. 

Mix all these ingredients (not the nuts) in a small saucepan and gently heat while stirring constantly until runny. Then spoon out evenly over each batch of nuts and toss the nuts into the sticky mixture, but still keep them separate because they require different cooking times. 

On the baking sheet, spoon out the nuts in different batches - the almonds will take the longest at about 15-17 minutes while other softer nuts take about 12-14 minutes. Watch them carefully once in the oven and take them out if they start to burn or darken too much. 

When ready, take out the softer nuts first and using a wooden spoon, lift them onto a piece of tin foil to cool. Separate them while you do this. After a few minutes all of the nuts will be cooling on the foil. Once cool you can mix them together in an air tight jar, add a tiny bit more salt if desired and they will keep for about a week or so.

These are so tasty, we can't stop eating them!

Enjoy,

April

Honey Roasted Cinnamon Nuts

How to Approach a Feast

Some of the more popular topics to be discussing these days seems to be along the lines of how to avoid overeating during the holidays as well as choosing the wrong kinds of foods....one person I know was busy coming up with a strategy to distract herself from all the sugar...

Of course I have one question - Why on earth would you bring it into the house in the first place? I mean if it's not there, how can you possibly eat it? And to be honest, what kind of person buys pure rubbish for the family but refuses to eat it themselves?

That all sounds like a twisted form of torture to me...

When you have looked at as many recipes as I have over the years, you also get to see the tricks used to make food taste so addictive. How about apples fried in butter and then made into a cobbler (what's wrong with cooking the apples in water?) or adding salt to counter-balance all the sugar?

The bottom line here is that you don't know how these things were prepared, yes they probably look good and even smell good, but are these foods good for you as well. Now that's another story. I would tend to think anything coming from a shop would not be the best nutrition. 

If you want to keep those pounds off, stay on some sort of a healthy eating plan, and enjoy your feast days at the same time - your plan this time of year has to be simple. Make as much of these foods yourself as you can, don't use sugar when honey, agave, maple syrup, treacle, date syrup or apple sauce will do...

But wait, there's more! It's not only the sugar - what about preservatives, additives or unnecessary ingredients? Otherwise known as fillers, bulking agents, extenders and flavour enhancers - we can just refer to much of this as chemicals and not part of the food realm.

Besides, why fill up the cupboards with sugary junk that leaves you feeling sick and low when you can bake a few cookies or a cake that will be thoroughly enjoyed. Not only will you feel good while you eat it, but as you digest it too.

I remember those days well - it tasted good going in, but after about an hour, everything in the world looked dark, my body felt heavy and my stomach took years to get over it. It's just not worth all the aggregation of doing that to my body.

So, instead my eating plan this holiday season is to not watch calories, not count anything - just eat as much as I want of the foods I have prepared and plan to make. That's why it's called a feast time, these seasons are the right time for feasting...

Of course, when it is over, you must stop, take yourself in hand and get that eating under control. A few days fasting to clear out your system would then help ease you back into normal food days of healthy meals....

This is the only healthy way I have found to have my cake and eat it too! I eat it at the right time....

April

Making cinnamon cakes today...

Organisation Takes the Stress out of the Season..

I am usually an organized person - I remember well the days I was completing my Master's, working at home, homeschooling my son and then the arrival of a new baby. Those days taught me a lot about lists, piles, not procrastinating and doing what you say you are going to do.

So, I have learned to do what I want, make the most of where I am and what I have as well as keep the energy moving forward by taking action when possible. That usually means doing what I need to do to have the lifestyle I want to have - living off the food grid. 

However that is only one aspect of what this time of the year puts on our plates - the main things I see when I am out and about in the shops are the immense, grotesque, obscene piles of rubbish that people like you and me are expected to buy.

And eat by the bucket load over the holidays. Then to make matters worse - studies and reports are released this week stating how far more people become diseased or die from overeating (obesity and related problems) as opposed to being under fed.

Naturally. So what's a person to do about all of this confusion and mixed messages surrounding food? What I have personally found over the years is to rely on my organizational skills and prepare for the season like nothing else.

That way, the only temptation is what I have on hand - ready made sweets, treats, goodies, delicious foods to eat and enjoy as much as I want without any thought of anything other then organic (as much as possible) wholesome goodness and great taste.

All of this can be accomplished without sugar, preservatives, additives, colours, dyes, artificial anything or any other kind of drug. You can have the food you want without any guilt or worry about damaging your body in any way.

You can do this by spending a few hours cooking and baking with the carefully planned ingredients you have bought to make your holiday a real food zone. Think of the amount of time and energy you will save yourself when you no longer stress over this one aspect of the Solstice/Christmas season.

What freedom!

April

Wild Rice, sweet potato & figs.... 

Don't Let Anyone Change Who You Are - By Telling You What to Eat! (rant)

Today I was leafing through the local adverts from a supermarket - it's getting close to Christmas and I would expect it to be full of items people might think they need for these holiday dinners...such as the veg, some kind of meat, flour and fixings for desserts and so forth.

However I was quite surprised at how far away the marketing has come from reality and perhaps how far away I am now from the rubbish they are expecting people to buy and eat (and I have an Honours degree in Food Marketing, so I studied this stuff). The thing that got me going was that there was not one single raw ingredient advertised in over 10 pages of pictures and prices.

Each and every single item was of something prepared, either cooked or ready to put in the oven and cook. So, it seems you are expected to purchase your 'holiday' meals ready to pop in the oven (or microwave?) and just press a button.

Then presto - it's like some sort of magic - you have a ready made already assembled Christmas dinner - all you have to do is fork this into your mouth.

This is not the kind of magic I am interested in at all. Who wants someone else's energy (hung over employee unhappy with wages, co-workers, self and life) spread all over their food? It's more then enough to deal with our own stuff, but at least that's familiar to us!

Oh, but my rant continues! You are not only expected to buy and eat this prepared food (it's cheap), the ingredients are already selected for you. You can have carrots, potatoes, parsnips or 2 other vegetables combinations. With tiny bits of parsley as a garnish.

What happened to the other 90 vegetables in the kingdom? Where are the real herbs? Does everything have to be slathered in butter? Not to mention cooked and then packed in plastic trays (were they cooked in plastic too?).

Probably tastes like garbage bags....

I mean why would they even bother with the plastic trays of 'food' - why not condense it down further and just put each dinner into pill form and we can all pop those. So convenient - we wouldn't even have to taste anything...

Indeed, it seems as if they are busy creating their own reality...with the consumer in mind.

Do yourself a favour this year - find some different vegetables at a Farmers market (organic if you can) look for celeriac, purple carrots, rare varieties of apples, heaps of fresh herbs - and then look up recipes online or make up your own.

Have some fun with your food - but whatever you do, handle and prepare it yourself. Don't let anyone dictate to you what your meals should consist of by cooking them for you....don't let anyone change who you are.

April

Now, we need to get our green branches and it will take shape... table centre piece 

Table Centre Piece - Do It Yourself!

Today I was out and about with the children and realized that I had not given much thought to our table decorations this year...not that we do much to make it fancy - with young children you kind of get out of those habits and never seem to get back into them!

But, as I was walking around and thinking this over my mind was already going into one direction...it has to be homemade what ever it is. Perhaps as an extension of our homemade unprocessed lifestyle there is no way I can go out and buy something 'pretty' for the Solstice table. 

I have to make it myself. 

Over these past few days we have been busy making our yearly decorations for the house and a few for the tree. The children love this part of the holidays and ever since the year I decided to have an 'edible' Christmas tree, we have been making most of our ornaments.

But, I would always get flowers, or something arranged for the table (years ago before the kids!) and tell myself that I was not very good at making up arrangements myself. Not this year - I am perfectly able to make something wonderful for the table and that is exactly what I am working on right now.

Actually my fingers are sore at the moment from poking cloves into oranges while the house smells so nice from all the fragrance. We usually make these oranges and put them in corners for the smell, but this year I am thinking of giving them a more prominent position.

Of course there are loads of ideas now floating around in my head of things I could do with the dinner table and other areas to make them look festive - my main ground rules are that everything has to be natural, non toxic and not really breakable if it hits the floor.

Should be simple, right? I will keep you posted....

April

Lemurs at Fota - keeping warm!

High Vibration Eating & Cooking

Today has been a busy one - just getting a few more things done for the holidays as well as trying to finish up some tasks I have set for myself. It's all good though and I am still working away down my list for our upcoming feast....

I just finished making cookies for the freezer (no one got to sample them!) as I thought how much easier it would be to have as much as possible made ahead of time. Then I get to concentrate on the main meals while I enjoy a little free time too.

Yesterday I decided to make another pudding for our collection - this one is a Sticky Date & Fig pudding - it took far longer to cook then I thought it would and I was up every hour checking on the steamer last night, until about 4 this morning! LOL

But, I think this one is going to be a winner because it smelled and looked so nice. It was steamed entirely on the wood stove (perhaps that's why it took 8 hours) and it has got me thinking that this slower cooking method might be even better than all of the slow methods I use now.

So with this in mind I only cooked food today for the kids on the wood stove....I made porridge, baked salmon, rice, stir-fry of veggies and some vegetable mash (carrot, sweet potato). All by gently cooking them on a lower heat for a little longer time.

Because I am still fasting, I really don't know if they tasted any better, however, I think the foods were of a higher vibration because they were handled in a gentler manner. And I am not sure I am explaining this very well here!! LOL

All living things have a vibration - food (especially) picks up and retains the vibrations of those who touch it, cook it as well as the methods used to process or prepare it. When it is gently and carefully made into a meal - then this is exactly the energy that you are consuming...

I feel as if I am learning an entire new way of eating and living here....once again.

April

Sticky Date & Fig Pudding 

Alternative Energy and Wood Stove Baking

I love finding new ways to cook and enjoy food (it's funny how I seem to discover them while I am fasting!) however, even on day 7 of my detox, I am delighted with myself for having successfully 'baked' scones on top of the wood stove.

Years ago I would have done this as a matter of course (and probably complained about having to eat/live/cook this way) during my long childhood summers spent camping on some family land in Northern Newfoundland. 

It came naturally to me then that if we wanted to eat, we had to improvise with nearly everything. And for some reason, it always worked out just fine and perhaps tasted far better then conventional cooking. Over the weekend, because we were off grid and running on a generator, I decided to give a few things a try...

Throughout the day I made porridge for the children, steamed my Christmas pudding for 8 hours or so, prepared ingredients (melted butter, warmed treacle, cooked shrimp for the turtle) and then to top it all off, successfully made lovely scones which got a thumbs up from my daughter.

The rest are right now in the freezer waiting for me to finish this detox so I can sample them and see what (if any) difference there is to the usual scones. The funny thing is I have a feeling they actually might taste a little better - took longer to cook, were darker on the outside and I had to turn them - but all else was great. 

Today, I am making another pudding for the holidays and will use only the 'off grid' method for this one as well. One thing that is really nice about all of this is how much I am learning about finding, remembering and realizing there are other ways to do things and some of them are even better!

April

Oak tree grown from seed....

Making Your Own Holiday Treats - Good Feelings Included

Did you know that you can use sweet mincemeat to make cookies, energy bars, cakes, biscuits, pies and perhaps nearly anything else? To be honest, I have never ever eaten a mincemeat pie...and I haven't even been interested in eating one....

But, yesterday I made up some sweet mincemeat for the holiday season, so that I could give it a go - use it in a few things and see how they turn out. And I am really interested in trying out these new tastes. 

Perhaps this change has more to do with the fact that I have finally fully internalized that I can make anything. And therefore if I can make it myself, I can also make it to taste really good. I love the fact that it's all so easy to prepare as well.

Making mincemeat is as simple as throwing ingredients into a deep bowl and letting them sit for a day, a week or up to months according to some recipes. In keeping with the diversity, I did make up my own recipe as well - but I won't give it yet, because I want to taste it first! LOL

One of the things I am noticing as I am out and about these weeks before Solstice/Christmas is the amount of baking that people are buying. The simplest things are available for sale in the shops, and it seems almost criminal. 

Mostly because the fun of this season is to have the house smell of cloves, nutmeg and spices while something baking or cooking is eagerly awaited. Then the tasting, the sheer enjoyment of making your own festive treats and having everyone feeling good about their food. 

None of this arrives home in a package from a shop at any time of the year and certainly not during this season. The good feelings are something that gets added by the chef - and should be a personal touch for your family to enjoy. 

I think we are missing out on so much when we buy our holiday goodies in the shops. As I am having a completely unprocessed Solstice this year, I admit, it is a challenge to make it all ourselves...but not impossible and I don't want to miss out on anything. 

At the moment I even have a traditional Christmas pudding sitting steaming on the wood stove, it needs to steam for about 10 hours or so....this is going to be interesting... 

So bring it on!!

April

Mincemeat sealed in jars -- ready to mature

Festive Cooking... Smoked Fish & Haricot Salad

Yesterday I spent the day experimenting with some holiday dishes that I hope to make during our festive season. I love smoked fish at this time of the year and thought about making some interesting dishes with it.

What I like about smoked fish in particular is that it's so versatile - you can add it to nearly anything and create a lovely new dish each time. Or have it on it's own on a cracker or some bread...simple or dressed up, it is a tasty addition to any meal.

Using some smoked tuna (one of my favourites) I decided to make a warm winter salad with it. Usually this goes with a cold salad, but it was being served to children and it's a cold time of the year. So, warm salad it was....

I soaked some haricot beans overnight and then cooked them in seaweed until soft but not mushy. These were then drained off and let stand for a while. In the meantime I chopped the vegetables; leeks, grated carrots, shallots, garlic, fresh parsley and sautéd them in a little olive oil until soft.

Once the vegetables were done, I added a small amount of ground cumin and pepper to the mixture (but not salt because the smoked fish is salty) and then tossed this together with the beans and seaweed. Already it was looking very tasty.

Next I warmed up the tuna in a skillet with a little oil and then broke it up into smaller pieces. These I placed on top of the bean mixture and served with fresh Rosemary Sea salt bread and butter....

It got rave reviews from my tough taste testers, so I was very pleased with it. You can also make this using fresh salad ingredients such as lettuce, spinach, finely chopped onion and olives. It's a great way to get the goodness of the beans along with the rich flavour of the smoked tuna.

April

Smoked Tuna & Haricot Salad 

Rosemary Sea Salt Bread -

I am always thinking up new ways to freshen old recipes especially when it comes to adding something very simple that will make a huge difference. We all love our bread around here and there have been endless recipes tried out making it better all the time.

One of my favourite for this time of the year is Rosemary Seasalt Bread. Perhaps I like it so much because it goes with nearly everything - any kind of meal you might cook, this herby bread is tasty and versatile. 

But, it also packs a punch as far as wholesome goodness is concerned as well. This past week I have been giving some thought to flu season, colds and winter bugs in general as they are so common this time of year - one food to always include in your cooking would be herbs to help strengthen your body.

It is no secret how much I love and use herbs - the vast majority of the ones used in my cooking are from my own garden. Planted, raised, grown and then dried by hand. These taste the best in cooking and baking adding superior flavour and freshness.

With this in mind I started making a Rosemary bread which by itself tastes great - I follow my usual recipe for baking spelt bread - which means to not measure anything, just start adding the ingredients! But, when I adding the simplest sea salt over top - the taste is outstanding!

To make this bread, I might use about 4 cups of organic whole grain spelt flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons dried rosemary (or fresh if you have it), 1/2 cup ground linseeds, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, pinch salt, water. This is all mixed up into a thick batter until it resembles a bread mixture and then spooned into a lined loaf pan.

Once the loaf pan is filled I sprinkle more rosemary over top together with coarse sea salt such as Celtic sea salt. I might press this into the bread dough a little bit to get it to stick as well. Then this is baked in a hot oven for about 50 minutes until done...

This is one of the simplest and tastiest breads that I have ever made and I can't wait until Solstice to try some out with a piece of smoked fish... Yumm!

April

Rosemary Sea Salt Bread 

Natural Immune Boosters.... A Lifestyle!

Keeping with the theme of staying healthy during these winter months it comes to mind to mention some natural ways to boost our immune systems... Of course this being my blog and all about The Pagan Diet - I would start with fasting as the easiest and best way to boost your entire body.

Right now I am on day 3 of my December detox and I am feeling great. To be honest, other than consistently eating a clean diet, fasting is probably the fastest way to boost your internal systems and the overall function of your entire body.

However, I would have to say your diet would need to be great in general to reap the full benefits - as well as a healthy lifestyle, unlike that being promoted through the airwaves. If you take care of your body, treat it well and do your utmost to remove toxins - your immune system will naturally benefit.

It is also important to detox regularly - thus the mention of fasting, which in my mind is the easiest way to cleanse because you allow your digestive system to virtually shutdown while you clear away old debris. And please don't think - oh, I did that a couple years ago, so I'm good - you are only scratching the surface...

So, as far as immune boosting goes there are a few approaches a person can take - start with food. On the days you are eating, include foods such as garlic, elder berries & blueberries, broccoli, oats, wild fish, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and seaweeds. And Vitamin C rich foods such as kiwi, oranges and parsley.

As well, it is counter productive to eat a lovely meal full of wonderful veggies and fish - then to chase it all down with a bottle of wine and a sugary dessert. If you are going to do this, keep it to a minimum and remember that positives do not outweigh negatives as far as food is concerned. Poisons and toxins win and do damage every time...

For the herbs that you might want to include in your weekly diet - try growing your own in pots (this can be done year round inside). Some of the best ones are coriander, parsley, basil, rosemary and thyme. But there are many others you can cook with - for instance elder berry mentioned above can be used in a stuffing, and you can make a tea from the flowers. 

As for a list of herbs which strengthen our immune systems some of the best ones to use are echinachea, goldenseal, ginger, turmeric, ginseng, astragalus and of course garlic as already mentioned. You can get some of these into your favourite foods and meals and make a tea with the rest. Start a new habit of having herbal teas in the evening for instance...

I must have been a water fairy in another lifetime because I am so fussy and sensitive about the water I drink. I remember being 8 months pregnant and running out of water while on a training course. I waited until I got home to have a drink - it was that important to me to only drink clean unprocessed water. 

It should be the same for all of us - our bodies are 66% water and this is the number one cleansing agent as well as being the primary ingredient in nearly every function and reaction inside our cells. If you want to boost any part of your health and well-being, drink only clean untreated water. 

Another natural way to boost your immune function and put yourself in a feel good mood is to exercise. Any kind of movement will do, but the ones I like the best for boosting our systems would be Yoga, pilates and dance. Aim for about 60 minutes per day (that's right) for each day that you eat food...

There is a lot to be said for an organized, tidy, low stress home environment and the amount it can potentially contribute to our inner workings. I happen to know that when my home life is lower in stress levels (that's not always easy to achieve) then my body works and feels better. There is the mind connection to all of this as well.

For us here, we don't deliberately go out of our way to avoid the flu (or try to get it either!) but, should it come our way, we would be ready and more then able for it. You could reduce the severity and length of any illness by taking some of these things on board and sticking with them during the winter months. 

April

Porridge with sugar free homemade jam and banana

It's Flu Season! How's Your Motor Running?

This is the time of year when most people are being told to get flu shots, stay away from hospitals because of winter vomiting bugs, kids come down with chicken pox and nearly everyone seems to have a runny nose...

I don't know about you but - as a Medical Intuitive, Nutritionist, parent and human being living on this planet for a number of years... all of this seems to be quite normal to me. I mean, this takes place every year, we get colds, we get bugs and this should be usual, right? 

So, why all the running around and fuss being made about how to avoid a cold? Get a flu shot? Not wanting our bodies to experience anything close to a 'sick' day has gotten to be a bigger epidemic then the so called Swine flu that never was... (I got it by the way, and now I have natural antibodies).

I guess my point here would be to say, why would we go out of our way to fight the flu, prevent colds (so we won't miss work or school?), run away from bugs and what not... This is the winter season, this is the perfect time of year to take your immune system out for a test run.

What I like to tell people is this: it's as if you have a fancy car sitting in your garage, perhaps a Porsche. It sits there week after week, month after month and you never take it out for a spin. Not once in all that time. How would you know, when you are ready to use it, that all is in working order?

Your immune system is exactly like that car. You have the most amazing machine, it is a work of art - that has taken millions of years on this earth co-evolving with bacteria and viruses, to get to a state where your body can detect and respond to millions of different organisms. 

Each year you get a chance to take this incredible magical system out for a test - to ensure all is in order and to iron out any problems. Perhaps to give it a tuneup along the way... You get a cold, you might have a 24 hour bug or (shudders) you get a flu that puts you down for a week. 

This only makes perfect sense to me - how else do we test these bodily functions? Your body needs to be clean, be able to respond appropriately and know that it can heal and repair itself when any of this is necessary. 

To shut down your immune function with vaccines, medications, poor food choices, lack of exercise - and then to think  to yourself "I'm perfectly healthy, I never get a cold or flu" - is the biggest lie being told on the earth today. 

If your immune system hasn't kicked in for a while, it's time to make some serious changes to your life...

April

Corn growing in the garden... 

Maple Pecan Steamed Pudding

My first adventure in pudding making was a great success... and I had every excuse in the book as to why I wouldn't be able to make one, why it wouldn't turn out right and whatever... but I surprised myself here...

On the weekend I made a Maple Pecan Pudding and it was lovely! I was a bit concerned that it would not turn out right, because well, it is steamed and not baked and for the life of me I could not figure out how that would be an advantage.

And it's not really - however it is a completely different taste, texture and the process involved in making a pudding is quite interesting in itself. First of all not many people would have a pudding steamer and I certainly don't.

So, you have to improvise and that's not difficult at all. I used a glass bowl for the pudding, placed an upside down measuring cup on the bottom of the saucepan, then made a cover for the pudding using tin foil and parchment paper. It was all fastened with string and even a little handle...

To make the pudding I used 1 cup of chopped pecans, 4 tablespoons oats and 1/4 cup of maple syrup. I mixed these up and placed them into the buttered glass bowl at the bottom. Then to make the pudding I used 2 cups of spelt flour, grated orange rind, 1/4 agave syrup, 2 eggs beaten, 1/2 cup goat's milk, cloves and a pinch of salt.

I mixed all of these other ingredients together in a mixing bowl until it resembled a batter and then spooned it carefully onto the pecans. This would form the bottom part of the pudding. I covered the glass bowl with the foil and string and then carefully placed it into the saucepan (on it's perch) and turned up the heat.

This steamed for 2 hours with me checking to make sure there was enough water. I kept it up about half way around the bowl. 

To be honest I was not at all certain it would steam and cook - so was pleasantly surprised when I opened it and it was cooked. Nicely. To serve, this type of pudding is great with homemade custard and  drizzled with more maple syrup...

April

Maple Pecan Pudding... already sampled!

Spiritual Growth & Expansion of Consciousness

Well, these last few days I have cooked, baked and eaten lots of nice things including one of our own turkeys - which I have mentioned on my other blog. But, needless to say it was fabulous and I am not sure what was better - the taste and texture or the fact that we raised it ourselves and knew exactly what went into it's every moment of life...

We finished the last of the turkey today - and I don't feel like I've had too much at all. It was enjoyable - the spiritual connection of the food is what has become so important to me. And now I feel as if I am finally experiencing it.

I also feel like this when I eat something from my garden and I can't wait for my winter vegetables to come into season - we have kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, winter spinach, and still lots of herbs I am using as often as I can.

When you plant, grow, tend, feed and otherwise get involved with your food on this intimate level, your own essence also goes back into you. All the energy you are expending to do this work, your effort and output, comes back wrapped up in little morsels of food.

However there is one difference, your own energy (which you want back by the way) has been transformed in some ways. It is now a little bit different - you are filling up on plant, flesh and blood which has expanded somewhat to take into itself elements of wind, earth and water. 

Your own energy has then come back full circle - completed a cycle of season, change, growth and renewal all for your benefit through the plants, herbs and animals you are raising for your food. Nothing could be healthier or better for your own spiritual growth and expansion of consciousness. 

This is an amazing process that I am certain the ancient Pagans knew full well...and we are only rediscovering.

April

Stuffed Wild Pheasants....

Molasses Buns - Sugar free, probiotic winter treat!

I have been busy baking and cooking for the last couple of days as we have had a birthday celebration as well as our little Thanksgiving, so have made a few oldies as well as some new recipes to me. Amongst them is roasted pheasant (which was delicious), molasses buns and a steamed pudding...

To be honest I haven't done any of these in years. Once upon a time I would have made roasted game birds quite often at certain times of the year. And as we approach Solstice it is nice to try out some of these and give them a trial run. I like to make things a few times to get it down pat, but also to tweak my own recipe..

Another recipe I tried out on the gang here was old fashioned molasses buns - this is something I would have grown up eating as molasses is a common enough additive in Newfoundland. However, my children would have never eaten this type of food, until we bought molasses to make feed for the goats!

So, now we have organic molasses and I have been itching to bake and use it in my cooking... So far I have made these buns and of course they are great and very easy to make. Actually we used to refer to them as hockey pucks growing up, come to think of it they do look a little like that.

To make molasses buns you would start off with all the usual ingredients....

Molasses Buns

4 cups spelt flour

1 duck egg

1 cup molasses

1 cup butter (melted)

¼ cup agave syrup or honey

½ to ¾ cup goat’s milk

1 cup raisins

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon, cloves or allspice (or 1 teaspoon of a mixture of these)

Preheat your oven to 180°C and line a large cookie sheet or some other pan with parchment paper. Measure out the flour, baking soda, spices and salt into a deep bowl and sift together. 

In a small saucepan melt the butter and add molasses and honey to this mixture. Add the milk to the egg and whisk well. Pour these wet ingredients into the dry flour mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. If too dry, add a little more milk as you add the raisins.

Roll out onto a generously floured surface to about 4 or 5 cm thick or more if desired. Using a cookie cutter or a glass, punch out round shapes and transfer these onto the cookie sheet. Then quickly into the hot oven.

Bake for about 14 -15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. These are delicious warm with butter and a tart jam or on their own with a cup of herbal tea. 

A little taste of something very old and wintery - but also great as a gut probiotic! 

April

Floury Molasses buns

Cranberry Apple Sauce - So Easy to Make! (sugar free)

Although this is not really an Irish thing, it has become more popular over the past few years and it seems to be something most people would buy rather than make at home. Cranberry sauce is a staple this time of year for the holiday season as well as anytime you think of eating turkey.

This week we will be having a turkey (the first time in about 10 years!) and it is one of our own. I was delighted that it turned out so well, growth wise anyway and seems to be plenty big. This one dressed out at just under 22 pounds... More than enough!!

Getting back to the sauce... well, I wanted to have a selection of condiments to choose from on the day and that meant getting cranberries. They are readily available in most shops and are also very easy to work with. 

What I like most about cranberries, besides the fact that they are so good for you, is their versatility. You can put many different things with them but my personal favourite would have to be apples. I like apples mainly because they balance the tartness of the berries with a sweeter softer taste.

They also thicken up the sauce very well eliminating the need for any other gelling agents. It's really so easy to make and could also be used as a jam for bread or crackers. Actually with a little cheese....

So, to make cranberry sauce I washed 500gr of berries and chopped up 4 apples (peeled and cored). These all went into a pot with a little water to be boiled down to the desired consistency. I did add a little ground cloves (what's winter without it?) and some agave syrup to sweeten, then blended the results once it was cooked.

Because I was making lots, I also sterilized 2 jars and canned the extra sauce for our Solstice season...and we still have a bowl of it to try in the meantime. It is lovely without being overly sweet or tart - the nicest thing about making this yourself is you can decide on the taste!

April

Cranberry Apple Sauce before blending 

Wild Venison Goulash

Yesterday was another cold clear day - the kind that winter should be made of...it was fresh and healthy  and we need far more of them. With the cold here, often comes some level of damp - which is in itself not a great way to be at any time of the year.

Thus our greater need for warm, nourishing foods such as soups and stews. I make no secret of the fact that I love to make them and equally enjoy eating them. Give me a good stew any day and I am quite satisfied I have eaten plenty and had all the goodness contained within.

Perhaps that is the main reason why I like making them so much - they are so versatile and you can get all your vegetables in one meal into a well organized pot of stew. With this in mind (and to have something different on our plates) I decided to make a Wild Venison Goulash.

For our purposes here, the main difference between goulash and stew (there aren't many!) is that a goulash would usually contain noodles of some kind and maybe less vegetables. To make a meal using venison, it also would have to be marinated and slow cooked.

Starting with 1 kg of diced venison, I simply added it (rolled in spelt flour) to the slow cooker with about 5 onions, lemon juice, crushed garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and several bay leaves. This I left on high to begin cooking while I added 2 cups of boiling water.

The key here to a nice taste is probably the onion (mixture of shallots and onions) and garlic - there are lots added and the meat gets to cook all day in these juices. After a few hours I added in some, but not too much, carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin and turnip. Just enough to notice there were vegetables in there.

Again I left the slow cooker on for a couple more hours, only this time I turned it down to a low heat setting. Once I was satisfied the goulash was cooked - I added 1 cup of noodles. I would have preferred to make them myself, however, next time I hope to be able to do that.

Within about 1/2 hour, the goulash was ready - at this point you can add some fresh goat's yogurt to the pot or even to individual bowls once it is served. But my children usually like this dish plain - and it was enjoyed all the same, very much so!

It's an easy meal to make and a nice change from an ordinary stew....

April

Wild Venison Goulash 

Creamed Coconut Macaroons - Sugar Free!

I am always trying to improve on a recipe - and when I think of some ingredient that will make an already good recipe taste great, I can't wait to try it out. These past few days I have been waiting until my cleanse was finished so I could play around with some ideas I had for my macaroons.

We are people who enjoy coconut but probably don't eat that much of it. Maybe that's why we still really like it - it's a treat to find it added to a dish or in a cake or cookie. My husband grew up eating coconut macaroons and would name them as one of his favorite treats.

As for me, my available treats would have been far more traditional with fruit cakes, pies and oaty squares being the usual fare. In our house now, we just want to eat well, try new things and improve on the old ones... so with this in mind I have been working on the macaroon.

I like a chewy cookie, it's not a biscuit - it also needs to be sweet but not overly and distinctive without being overwhelming. This type of cookie lends itself to this situation because it can easily be made the way your family likes it.

This morning I made some Creamed Coconut Macaroons using the following recipe;

Creamed Coconut Macaroons

1 ¼ cups whole spelt flour

½ cup ground almonds

1 ½ cups desiccated coconut

1/2 cup grated creamed coconut

1 cup goat’s milk

¼ cup maple syrup or apple concentrate

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

1/8 teaspoon salt

Turn your oven on to 180°C and prepare a large flat baking sheet. You can butter and flour it or cover with parchment paper. 

In a deep mixing bowl, measure out the flour, desiccated coconut, grated coconut, ground almonds, nutmeg and salt. Sift together until well mixed. Then pour in the maple syrup and milk – continue stirring until mixture is thick and sticks together well.

Using a wooden spoon, drop medium sized amounts onto the baking sheet until you have used up all the batter and these are evenly spaced. If making smaller ones you can space them closer together. 

Bake in the hot oven for 14 -16 minutes until golden brown on the outside. These are spicy and chewy, great as a snack anytime....

Enjoy!

April

Creamed Coconut Macaroons