Ingredients

– 1 C broccoli florets
– 1-2 T olive oil or flax oil
– 1/2 avocado
– Juice of 1/2 lemon
– 2 T shallots
– 1/4 tsp himalayan salt
– 2 tsp chickpea miso
– 1/8 tsp black pepper
– pinch cayenne
– 2/3 C spring nettle tea

Method

-Coat the broccoli in the oil and the Himalayan salt in a medium sized bowl

-Massage the broccoli until it takes on a slightly cooked texture

-Place the broccoli along with all the other ingredients and a bit of nettle tea (just enough to blend) in your high speed blender

-Blend your soup until warm

-Voila!

-Serve with a sprinkling of Dulse on top for your soup if you have some

Notes on Broccoli Soup

The fresher you can get your broccoli the better, that will mean it has more glucoraphanin for your gut bacteria to turn into sulforaphane.  You are adding nutrients and inflammation modulating properties through the nettle tea.  Your digestive bacteria will love the shallots and the chickpea miso.  If the allium family bother you or if you get gas and bloating from onions you may have an imbalance of bacteria in the small intestine.  You can always infuse the shallots into flax oil in the fridge OR use Green onions instead as they don’t have the same spectrum of carbohydrates and won’t feed the same small intestinal bacteria.

Enjoy this warming soup on a late summer evening with a beautiful colour and gentle flavour, almost no prep!  If you want to cook the carrots try steaming them whole to preserve the most antioxidants and carotenoids.  These carotenoids are said to be better absorbed in cooked foods, including lycopene.  This can be true depending on the type of lycopene present.  Carotenoids are also important to feed our digestive bacteria.  That’s right, we don’t want to absorb all our carotenoids.  Our digestive bacteria need them.  Diets rich in carotenoids foster a healthy balance of gut flora.  See the study at the bottom of the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 t fresh minced ginger (I use a little more)
• 2 C chopped carrots
• 2 T coconut butter (can substitute almond butter)
• 1 T or less shallots
• 1 t chives, minced for garnish
• Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
• Water if needed for blending

Instructions

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until you reach your desired consistency, adding only as much water as you need to achieve your desired consistency (I added a little less than a cup but this will depend on your blender’s superpowers)

Taste for seasonings and adjust

You may choose to add more almond/coconut butter or more Himalayan salt at this time
Allow the soup to be warmed by the blender, over your stove or enjoy this soup chilled from the fridge.
Garnish your soup with chopped chives, fresh black pepper and/or a tablespoon of hemp/flax/chia oil

Read more about the carotenoids and their effects on digestive bacteria here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6582396/

Here is a chocolatey nutmilk shake that takes very little time to prepare, is easy on the blood sugars and high in minerals and precious antioxidants.  It has the protein from hemp, chia and goji and the hormone and microbiome balancing effects of cinnamon.  The polyphenols in cinnamon and especially chocolate will help to feed the short chain fatty acid producing bacteria in the large intestine.  More good stuff for the forces of good inside us.  Remember if you have a sensitivity, just substitute.  Everything is changeable.  I made this without banana on purpose to keep blood sugars steady, this really could be a vegan keto recipe.  If you want you can replace the chia with banana.  I hope you love this simple shake as much as I do and make it your own. (read more…)

This juice is a powerhouse of medicinal foods and vitamin C and minerals to kick that cold to the curb.  Hey if you don’t have a cold your digestive lining needs vitamin C to be healthy.  Just like your external skin (just like vitamin C cream), this is because collagen is an important part of healthy skin, inside and out, and vitamin C is essential for the building of that.

Feel Free to leave out the garlic if you must however it is a big part of the cold busting part of this juice! Enjoy.

People often ask me to write how many servings my juice recipes make. I will say this makes a little over a litre which I consider one serving…

t = teaspoon
T = tablespoon
C = cup

Coldbuster Green Juice Ingredients

• 2 Cucumbers
• 6 stalks Celery
• 6 – 10 Kale leaves
• 1 bunch Parsley
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange
• 1 small cube ginger
• 1 clove garlic
• pinch cayenne

Instructions

Cut the veggies into juice-able sized pieces and juice according to your manufacturer’s directions.

Strain your juice if desired

Sprinkle with cayenne and store in a cool place or drink right away.

SAMSUNG CSC

This recipe is high in blood sugar stabilizing magnesium as well as carob, Maitake and cinnamon, each of them blood sugar AND insulin lowering foods. This elixir is sweetened with stevia to keep it super low on the GI.  Change it if you must, you can also use Luo Han Guo.

Ingredients

• 2 T carob powder (raw if available)
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 – 1 t Maitake mushroom powder (if available)
• 2 T coconut butter
• 1/4 t real vanilla powder
• pinch cayenne
• 2 C warm water
• 3 drops vanilla stevia
• 6 drops medicine flower chocolate extract (if desired)

Instructions

Blend all ingredients, strain and serve.  Straining is essential, I always use my tea strainer.  Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a sprinkle of carob on the top.

This is a quick I-have-no-nutmilk recipe for a delicious elixir to support you through your day.  This is a great way to get some carrot in!  And some great fungal modulating herbs like cinnamon and nutmeg.  The beta carotene in carrots is great for the microbiome and the integrity of the digestive lining too.

Serves one

C = cup
T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon

Ingredients

• 1 T cacao butter
• 2 T hazelnuts (soaked, soaked/dehydrated if wanted)
• 1 t chia, soaked in 2 T water (this will make it harder to strain but I love the good fats, definitely easier with it soaked)
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t vanilla powder
• 1/8 t cloves
• 1/8 t allspice (just use whatever spices you have or sub)
• 1 small (1/2 cm) pc of fresh ginger or 1/8 t dried ginger
• 1 carrot (small)
• Sweetener of choice or 2 dates (I used Yacon)
• Filtered water (or tea/dandelion coffee) to fill up to 2 cups of whatever temperature you desire… hot, warm, cold.

Optional ingredients:

• 1 t chicory
• 5 drops medicine flower white chocolate oil
• 1 t dried pumpkin powder
• 1 T tocotrienols
• 1 t sunflower lecithin (I always add this)

Instructions

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender and strain through a nut milk bag or fine mesh strainer.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy.

For when that chocolate craving strikes and you don’t want to fall victim to junk food but would rather support your stamina and energy through healing herbs.  The astragalus in here can help to regulate digestive immunity and also contains long chain carbohydrates to help encourage Bifidobacteria.  The ashwagandha also contains some more medium chain carbohydrates which makes for a great spectrum for digestion IF you are not sensitive to FODMAPS or have any small intestinal motility issues.  Ginseng can help encourage the growth of digestive mucosa which can help with our digestive immunity and balance.  Find what is right for you and customize.

Chocodrenal Dream Elixer

Ingredients

• 1 C hot filtered water
• 3 T walnuts
• 3 dates
• 1 T cacao
• 1 T coconut butter
• 1/8 t powdered vanilla bean or 1/2 t vanilla extract
• A few drops of stevia (to taste if not sweet enough)

Optional ingredients, use them if you have them:

• 1 t sunflower lecithin
• 1 t astragalus
• 1 t ashwagandha
• 1/4-1/2 t powdered or one squirt liquid panax ginseng

Just use the herbs that you have on hand or anything you already have that is better suited to your needs.  If you feel like upgrading just do so one at a time so that you can get a good feel for the taste of these herbs.  Some can be a bit bitter and it is great to know the effect they have on your body before adding more.  I like to always taste the herbs before adding them to the elixir to achieve a good flavour balance.

Instructions

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until well combined

Strain

Taste for sweetness, make sure this is sweet enough to satisfy and adjust accordingly

Pour into indulgent mug and enjoy

I am really enjoying warm evening elixirs with carob (until I get over my chocolate allergy…) Feel free to replace the carob with your favourite cacao powder if it suits your fancy and remember to feel all warm and fuzzy inside while drinking!  Each of the ingredients except maybe the Carob are totally optional and interchangeable.  Make sure to taste your herbs before using them as some can be bitter and you may not like it.

Feel free to leave out any of the herbs that you don’t have or that are not suitable for you at this time.

Healing Heart Hot Carob

Ingredients

• 1 T almond butter
• 1.5 T coconut butter
• 1 T carob powder
• 1 T dandy blend or other coffee substitute powder
• 1 t muira puama
• 2 dropperfulls Siberian ginseng
• 1/2 t concentrated maca powder
• 1 t mushroom immunity powder blend
• 1 t chicory powder
• 1 t ionic magnesium
• 1/4 t asparagus root powder
• 1/2 t He Shou Wu powder
• 1/8 t vanilla powder
• 1/8-1/4 t kelp powder
• 5 drops stevia
• 2 C warm water
• 5 drops medicine flower chocolate oil (totally optional!!)

Instructions

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender, strain into your favourite cup, taste for sweetness and enjoy

ALL herbal ingredients are optional.  I hope this can serve as an example of what you can do but it is not necessary to have it all.

This recipe is easy to make in the morning and features Cardamom which has been shown to be effective against Staph bacteria that have shown resistance to antibiotics.  These are a normal member of our digestive flora but can be out of balance for some.  While cardamom is not the most potent of the microbial modulating herbs I feel it’s the most tasty.  It has also been shown to reduce nausea, just like ginger.  All the plants are my favourite plants.

This recipe is great if you can tolerate blackberries.  If you cannot please consider using more spinach, soaked blended chia and Medicine Flower Blackberry Extract.  Make it work for you, keep the cardamom, get crafty.

Ingredients

• 1 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• 1 cup spinach, packed
• 2 tablespoons aloe vera, fresh gel, optional
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
• 3 drops stevia, to taste
• water, as needed

Instructions

Blend and serve!
(Makes 3 cups)

Although it is pouring rain today I can just picture myself sitting on the dock sipping this green smoothie. Somehow in the summer it seems like anything is possible.  You can add a cup of your non-dairy yogurt to this recipe to make it creamier and add some probiotics.

Cardamom Peach Green Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 peaches
• 1 C spinach
• 1/2 C cucumber pieces
• 2 t coconut butter
• 1/4 t cardamom powder
• 1/4 t cinnamon powder
• 1 T hemp seeds
• 1/2 banana (optional)
• 1.5 C chilled herbal tea or water as needed (I used a pineapple roiboos, yum)
  *optional scoop of high quality greens or protein powder

Instructions

If using herbal tea steep the night before and leave in the fridge to cool overnight

Blend everything to desired consistency

Do not be afraid to add ice or sweetener of choice if that suits your taste!

If I am going to drink a matcha tea I can’t help but make it as herbal as possible.  I don’t drink caffeinated tea very often but since I have started making fancy concoctions out of it I seem to drink even less because I prefer my magic to the magic of the local coffee shop.  The more other green foods and fun adrenal support I put in my teas the less room there is for tea.  I love the creative process.

I used the western hemlock in North Van at my old home in this recipe because there was one in my back yard and it has great anti-inflammatory properties.  Now I use the Grand Fir, I have it freeze dried out of season and pick it fresh in the early summer.  Make sure you know what you are looking for if you are harvesting wild herbs or trees.  Some trees like the Yew are not safe to consume.

The rosemary, fir and nettle (if using) have microbial modulating properties and and the polyphenols in the green tea are great for the short chain fatty acid producing bacteria in the digestive system.  Any of the ingredients are totally completely replaceable/exchangeable.  I love the combination of the rosemary, blackberry and vanilla here though and I encourage you to give fruits and herbs a try.

Rosemary Morning Matcha

Ingredients

• 1.5 t fresh rosemary (I like a little more…)
• 1.5 t fresh western hemlock needles
• 1 t matcha tea OR your favourite greens powder, this works really well with Ormus Greens
• 3 brazil nuts
• 2 T hemp seeds
• 1/2 t kelp powder
• 1/4 C fresh blackberries OR 1 t blackberry powder
• 1/2 t goji berry powder OR 2 T dried goji berries
• 1/4 t vanilla powder
• 4 drops lime essential oil
• 5 drops stevia or vanilla stevia
• 1/2 t sunflower lecithin
• enough water to make up 2 cups with the other ingredients

Instructions

Blend all ingredients except essential oils in a high speed blender, strain into your favourite cup, stir in essential oils and taste for sweetness and adjust

*I now often add nettle powder or use that interchangeably with the matcha

Ingredients

• 3 C nettle/horsetail tea for vitamin C, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, silica
• 1 C any mixture of almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds for magnesium, calcium, zinc
• 1 Tbsp sunflower lecithin for the choline
• 2 tsp ionic silica (optional)
• Vitamin D3 drops or capsules if preferred
• Other optional add-ons (boron, strontium, B12 drops)
• Stevia/sweetener as desired and pinch of Himalayan salt

Method

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender
Strain through a nut milk bag or your juicer
Sweeten as desired

Make this chocolate mint milk for adults and kids alike

Makes about a litre

t = teaspoon
T = tablespoon
C = cup

Chocolate Peppermint Milk

Ingredients

• 1 C hazelnuts, almonds or brazil nuts
• 3-4 C water
• 2 T cacao powder
• 4 dates or 5 drops stevia
• 1/2 t vanilla bean powder
• Pinch himilayan salt
• 1 drop peppermint essential oil (really, just try it before you add more…)

Instructions

If using almonds or hazelnuts soak them for 8-12 hours in water (can be in the fridge) and rinse before you start

Blend the nuts with 3-4 C water until very smooth

Strain through a nut milk bag

Return your “milk” to the blender and add your dates/stevia, cacao and peppermint essential oil

Taste for sweetness and peppermintyness and adjust accordingly