A Guide to Feeding our Future

Posts tagged ‘Susan Kingston’

Almond Muffins (GF/DF)

By: Susan Kingston, RHN – Montreal, QC

This is a delicious and easy gluten- and dairy-free muffin recipe that is hard to beat. For all of you that are gluten free, this is a winner!

almond muffin

Ingredients:

  • 2½ cups almond flour
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp Himalayan salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened pumpkin puree, thawed winter squash puree, butternut squash puree, unsweetened apple sauce, or mashed very ripe banana
  • 2 TBSP honey, agave nectar or maple syrup
  • 2 TSBP coconut oil or butter (melted)
  • 1 tsp vinegar (cider)
  • Optional Flavourings: 1 teaspoon extract (e.g., vanilla, almond), citrus zest, dried herbs (e.g., basil, dill), or spice (e.g., cinnamon, cumin)
  • Optional Stir-Ins: 1 cup fresh fruit (e.g., blueberries, diced apple) or ½ cup dried fruit/cacao nibs/chopped nuts/seeds

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 10 cups in a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, baking soda and salt (whisk in any dried spices or herbs at this point, if using).
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin, honey, oil and vinegar (add any extracts or zest at this point, if using).
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until blended (fold in any optional stir-ins, if using).
  5. Divide batter evenly among prepared cups.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 18 minutes until set at the centers and golden brown at the edges.
  7. Move the tin to a cooling rack and let muffins cool in the tin 30 minutes. Remove muffins from tin.
  8. Enjoy!
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Category:

Breakfast, Desserts, Kid-approved, Snacks

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Vinegar-free, Lactic-Acid-Fermented Pickles

 By: Susan Kingston, RHN – Montreal, QC

pickles

“Vinegar is found in many products, and although it is now used in a variety of pickles, it is not the best choice for our bodies. Vinegar feeds a fungus called Candida that lives in our systems, and can contribute to an overgrowth, causing damage to our gut lining, an imbalance in micro-flora, and a plefora of undesirable symptoms.

Lactic acid fermentation produces probiotic cultures similar to those found in kefir and yogurt, which makes traditionally-fermented pickles a healthy and tasty choice to boost healthy intestinal micro flora.

A healthy gut brings a healthy state of body and mind, so chow down on a pickle and enjoy the benefits!”

Ingredients:

  • 6 quarts/ liters of pickle cucumbers
  • 4-5 heads of fresh dill weed or 2 TBSP dill seed
  • 1/2 cup of Himalayan sea salt
  • 2 cups of raw cane sugar
  • 6 cups water
  • 6-8 sterilized mason jars

Directions:

  1. Wash and soak cucumbers overnight.
  2. Drain.
  3. Split equal amounts of dill in bottom of jars.
  4. Pack cucumbers in jar.
  5. Put more dill on top. Make sure there is a 1″ space at top of jar for expansion.
  6. Combine salt, sugar, and water in a pot, and bring to a boil.
  7. Pour over pickles and seal.
  8. Makes 4 liters. Cure for 6 weeks before eating.

Category:

Side Dishes, Snacks, Substitution Ideas

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Guilt-Free Chocolate Pudding

By: Susan Kingston, RHN – Montreal, QC

pudding

Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • ¼ cup cacao powder (preferably raw cacoa)
  • ¼ cup raw honey or stevia to taste
  • ¼ cup almond milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a blender,.
  2. Chill and serve

 

Category:

Desserts, Kid-approved, Snacks

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Health Tip: Getting your vitamin D!

By: Susan Kingston, RHN – Montreal, QC

Vitamin D – Essential and Scarce!

We all know the value of vitamin D to absorb calcium, but not everyone is aware of its many functions and the co-nutrients needed to absorb and utilize this essential fat-soluble nutrient.

Vitamin D is vital for our endocrine system (system of hormones). It is also essential for our nervous system – without it, neither system would function properly our ability to handle stress would diminish drastically. Our immune system is also weakened without it, allowing all kinds of pathogens to take over, and leaving us susceptible to stronger reactions to food intolerances.

In Canada, Vitamin D becomes quite hard to get because our skin absorbs it from the sun, and as we lose our long hours of sun and warmth, there is a great reduction in the amount of time our skin is exposed.

Some ways you can keep your vitamin D levels up to par is through food. The best sources are salmon, mackerel, and other fish. Cod liver oil (just as Grandma said 😉 ), is an excellent source, as well as a great source of vitamin A and Omega 3. For those with food intolerances, Vitamin A is essential for digestion, and Omega 3 reduces inflammation caused by intolerances.

An important co-nutrient required to absorb and utilize vitamin D, which may actually surprise you, is cholesterol. Cholesterol and vitamin D combined are crucial to brain function, and studies have shown a link to Alzheimer’s with low levels of vitamin D.

So please try to get as much sun as possible, and in the winter, if you only supplement with one thing, make it vitamin D for your body and brain function! And please don’t be afraid to include healthy cholesterol/saturated fats in your diet such as egg yolks, raw cheese, kefir, yogurt, poultry, grass fed beef, butter, wild fish and coconut oil – to get the best out of the Vitamin D that you do get!

Category:

Health Tips

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Peppermint Patties

By: Susan Kingston, RHN – Montreal, QC

peppermint-bark-1

“Enjoy this healthy candy alternative for the holiday season!”

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup melted 70 % dark chocolate
  • ½ cup melted coconut oil
  • 6-8 drops pure peppermint oil
  • optional: crushed candy cane for garnish

Directions:

  1. Mix all ingredients together.
  2. Lay in the bottom of a small pan and freeze.
  3. Break into pieces.
  4. Pull it out and eat whenever you are looking for a treat that tastes just like a peppermint patty!

Category:

Desserts

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The Educated Consumer: Kombucha

By: Susan Kingston, RHN – Montreal, QC

kombucha

One of my favorite beverages, and a great substitute for pop at Christmas for the kids (and for beer as a matter of fact) is Kombucha. It comes in many flavors, and can even be used in a spritzer if mixed with coconut water, or as a great base for a punch. Kombucha is beneficial to health because it contains healthy bacteria, feeding healthy gut flora, aiding in digestion and detoxifying.

Find it in health food stores!

Category:

Beverages, Kid-approved, The Educated Consumer

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