A New Take on Romaine!

Back when we had cable television I used to watch a LOT of Food Network. I remember seeing chef Michael Smith throwing a head of romaine onto the BBQ for a new spin on caesar salad, but I had never tried it until recently. This technique is AMAZING at bringing out the flavor of an otherwise bland leafy green! Here's how:

Rub your entire head of romaine in olive oil (just the outside) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place it on the BBQ just for under a minute per side - you don't want to 'steam' the lettuce, but rather give it nice grill marks. When it's done, slice it in half lengthwise and drizzle with home-made dressing (naturopathic take on ceasar)!
Dressing:
1 Tbsp Dijon
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
Blend with an immersion blender while slowly adding about 1/3 cup olive oil to emulsify the dressing (this makes it thick).

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Cauliflower Bake Using 'Cashew Cheese'

Cauliflower subs in for pasta in this satisfyingly filling main. This delicious healthy paelo alternative to traditional cream sauce is perfect for dairy-free, gluten-free diets. This is such a comfort meal that the whole family will love, and it really tastes 'cheesy'. If you've never tried making a cashew 'cheese' sauce, this recipe is a must!

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup  (150 mL)  raw cashews
• 1 cup  (150 mL)  Broth OR water
• 2 tbsp  (30 mL)  Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp  (2 mL)  smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp  (2 mL)  pepper 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 clove  garlic
• 3 cup  (750 mL)  chopped cauliflower florets, blanched
• 1/2 cup  (125 mL)  chopped parsley, plus 2 tbsp (30 mL), loosely packed

Preparation

1. Soak cashews in broth for 1 hour. In blender, combine with mustard,  paprika, salt & pepper and garlic and blend to a fine creamy consistency. Scrape mixture into large bowl.
2. In large pot of boiling water, lightly blanch cauliflower for 3-4 minute; drain and toss with sauce and 1/2 cup/125 mL of the parsley.
3. Scrape into a 9-inch/23 cm ovenproof skillet or square baking dish. Bake in 375°F/190°C oven for 30 minutes or until bubbling. Garnish with remaining parsley

You can always add a little sauteed sausage, chicken or bacon and serve it as a meal, or keep as is and serve as a side dish! Enjoy.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Roasted fennel & beets Quinoa

Whenever we have a relaxed weekend I find myself cooking up a storm in preparation for the week. I love to try new recipes and explore with different flavors. This weekend I made several recipes including this amazing roasted fennel and beet quinoa salad. Here's how easy it is.

-slice one fennel bulb in half and then into 1/4 inch strips. Toss in olive oil and place in a parchment lined baking dish
-wrap 3-4 beets in foil and place on same sheet
Bake these in a 425 oven for 30-40 min or until beets are fork tender and fennel is caramelized

Meanwhile rinse your 1 cup of quinoa and cook in water or broth for 18-20 min.

Mix all ingredients together. Drizzle with additional olive oil, salt & pepper, and if desired add chopped parsley, dried cranberries and some cashews! This dish tastes great hot or cold. Naturopath approved!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Chia Seed 'Tapioca' Pudding - Naturopath approved!

This is such a simple, tasty and healthy recipe that is gluten/dairy/grain-free and a hit with the kids and entire family! This qualifies as a paleo dessert if you are following this sort of diet. High in fiber, omegas and moderate protein from the chia seeds, this is both a wonderful dessert OR mid-day snack.
1 can coconut milk (or 2 cups of milk substitute such as almond milk - omit coconut water in this case)
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp Honey (or sweeten to taste)
option - grate peel of 1/2 lemon

Mix in a glass bowl and refrigerate at least 4 hrs or overnight. Serve topped with fruit if desired!
 



Enjoy!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Birthday Cake alternative!

We celebrated my father's birthday this past week, and I wanted to surprise him with something tasty and healthy (he is one of the healthiest eaters  I know). So I made one cake entirely out of fruit (the 3 tiers are cut out of watermelon, and then decorated with fruit inserted onto toothpicks, and several skewers of fruit stuck into the top tier). It turned out beautifully. This is true clean eating, and would pass the 'naturopathic' stamp of approval!

I also made another 'real' cake, but I made it egg-free because my dad has a sensitivity to egg. I decorated it with dark chocolate and chocolate covered strawberries, which is still decent in terms of health concerns yet fairly indulgent!

They were both yummy, and it was interesting how the kids loved picking apart the fruit cake!

I think this type of cake makes a nice gift for any occasion, and is nice to bring to BBQ's!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
We're On Facebook!

Amazing dessert...and Healthy too!

Ok all you ice cream lovers, this ones for you. When I saw this recipe in 'Best Health' magazine I didn't believe it but I thought I'd try it. I gave away my magazine before I had a chance to write down the exact measurements, but it turned out amazing. Here is what I did:

-Cut up 3 ripe banana into large chunks and freeze
-take out the bananas and put into a food processor
-add approximately 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup almond milk (or coconut milk or other substitute), and a couple tablespoons or maple syrup or agave syrup.
-blend until smooth and serve.

This tastes just like a rich chocolate ice cream with a hint of banana. I am going to try different variations next time, like adding strawberries or blueberries. This dessert will satisfy the biggest skeptic!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Clinic Director
Vitality for Life Health Center
www.vitalityforlife.ca

Vitality for Life is an integrative health clinic in Barrie, Ontario. We offer the services of a Naturopathic Doctor, Chiropractor and massage therapists.
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Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
We're On Facebook!

Mung Bean Soup

Yesterday I winged a mung bean soup (adapted from Delicious Detox) because i didn't have all the ingredients necessary for the exact recipe. It turned out great. A note about Mung beans - because they're small, they're more digestable.
Ingredients:
3 cups mung beans
2 medium onions
3 stalks celery
2 carrots
3 cloves garlic
1 large sweet potato diced
water
oregano, basil, bay leaf, salt and pepper and Bragg's liquid seasoning to taste

Soak your mung beans in hot water for 3 hrs, rinse and strain. In a large pot use a little olive oil to sautee the onion, celery, garlic and spices. After a few minutes add the mung beans, sweet potato and enough water to cover the whole soup by about 3 inches (the mung beans expand). simmer for 30-40 min, puree with a hand blender and adjust the seasonings to taste.
I served mine with a dash of tobasco and a spoonful of my plain home-made yogurt. Yummy!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Clinic Director
Vitality for Life Health Center
www.vitalityforlife.ca

Vitality for Life is an integrative health clinic in Barrie, Ontario. We offer the services of a Naturopathic Doctor, Chiropractor and massage therapists.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
We're On Facebook!