Back to School EASY Freezer Dinners!

I don't know about you, but I get overwhelmed with our family's schedule once school and activities start back up. We all have those days where it feels like between work and extracurricular activities there's just no time to cook or feed your family a healthy meal! I decided that I wasn't going to let our schedule side-track my efforts, so the perfect solution was making a large batch of freezer meals ahead of time that could be popped into the crock-pot in the morning, and served immediately after school. In this video I'm sharing the process with you. The total prep time was about 40 minutes of chopping, and it made 5 large meals. Next time I'm going to aim for 10 in my freezer has the space!

I didn't have a recipe to start, but had the following items:
-Sweet Potato
-Carrots
-Celery
-Dried Green Lentils
-Quinoa (uncooked)
-Brown Rice
-Onion
-Garlic
-Chili Powder
-Cumin
-Chicken
-Sausage

As you see in the video, I put a little of each ingredient (except only ONE grain) into each bag for freezing. When you're ready to throw it in the crockpot, I add either a carton of Broth OR Tomato Sauce (or both) and let it cook on low for 6-8 hrs. It ends up tasting like a tex-mex combo, similar to chili....it's wonderful!

I make a point in the video that children have a window in which getting good nutrition into them is easy - immediately after school when they're starving. I prefer to feed them an early dinner and then head off to activities. I hope you find this video helpful!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Sprouting...Super easy technique

What exactly is sprouting you may ask? Basically it's taking any dried bean/legume/seed and germinating it to be eaten raw or cooked. Sprouting is a great way to provide greens and live food for consumption in a very affordable way. 1/2 cup of dried legumes can make close to 4 cups of sprouts! By germinating the seed you are creating a food that is easily digestible, contains live enzymes, B-vitamins, amino-acids, proteins and healthy fats. You are also decreasing the total starches, phytates and protease-inhibitors (which are considered anti-nutrients).

Sprouting is simple! You can use a jar with a perforated lid, or you can use one of these nifty domes that purchased for under $20 at a trade show. Basically, depending on which method you are using, you'll be soaking the sprouts in water for 8-12 hrs, and then rinsing twice daily (every 12 hrs) until you have achieved the desired level of sprouting (2-3 days). This video will show you the simple process:

These photos are taken on day 2 and day 3 of the process:
 

 

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

We've got Jerky!

My dehydrator has been going non-stop, but the biggest surprise of all during my experimentation is that beef jerky has become the #1 hit in our household (a 'game changer' as my husband says!). Why am I so excited about this? Is jerky even healthy? Let me answer these questions!
No, usually the store bought jerky is preserved with tonnes of sodium, nitrates, flavorings etc. When you make it yourself, you choose the quality of meat (lean works best, farm-raised etc) and the seasonings (I make my own blend of garlic powder, chili powder, sea salt, brown sugar and I use it as a dry rub, marinating overnight).
Why is this such a wonderful snack? For those of you watching your sugar (ie. fruit, grains, baked goods) consumption, this is a wonderful paleo snack that provided lots of protein, iron and minerals without affecting blood sugar. For children, it supports their tissue and brain development - although keep in mind that young children only require about half the protein (but more healthy fats) than adults - this increases if your child is in sports. Dried meat has been around for centuries as a healthy and convenient way to get protein, so adding it to your snack options is a wonderful idea for those of you on the go! Enjoy!

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

Back to School Basics for a Healthy Child!

I love this SIMPLE CHART of things you can do to help your child's immune system survive the back-to-school germs and viruses! I'm a big believer in using fish oils, vitamin D and probiotics on a daily basis for MOST kids!

 

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

Quinoa-Beef stuffing - One Stuffing, Two Meals

I don't know why I've never tried combining beef and quinoa before - it makes an amazing stuffing. I bought a couple very LARGE zucchini's and a cabbage at the local market (Harris' Farm) and got creative with how to use them. Here's what I came up with: Stuffed Zucchini and Cabbage Rolls - both are filled using the same stuffing (bonus!).
For the 'stuffing':
-Saute 1 lb beef, 1 onion, 1 large carrot (grated), 2 celery stalks and 3 large cloves garlic
-Season with thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.
-Add 2 cups cooked Quinoa (I cooked mine with a dash of Bragg's seasoning).





Stuffed Zucchini:
Cut your zucchi
ni in half and scoop out the seeds (to make hollow 'boats'). Fill with your filling, top with diced tomato. Can sprinkle on parmesan or cheese if you wish. Bake in a lasagna dish

Cabbage Rolls:
Gently remove as many cabbage leaves as you want for the rolls. Add them to a pot of boiling water until the leaves are soft (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from the water. Fill each cabbage leaf with stuffing and roll it up. Place into a glass oven-proof dish. Top with diced tomato.

Bake in a 350 oven for 45 minutes.

**These pictures are taken BEFORE baking!

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