What is Inflammation, How Omega 3s Can Help, and Some All Natural Zucchini Muffins Remade with Mila

"I hurt all over but nothing is broken", a good friend recently said to me.

What is all this talk about inflammation?
Inflammation is your body's attempt to defend itself against bacteria and viruses and to heal damaged tissue, however; chronic inflammation is not a good thing-it is what is involved in atherosclerosis which is what can lead to clogged arteries.  This can cause everything from memory loss to strokes. Info source, Harvard Medical
The food that you eat can exacerbate inflammation or calm it.  Unfortunately the SAD diet, or standard American diet and lifestyle, is one that exacerbates inflammation.

Refined oils
Fried foods
Processed foods
Alcoholic beverages
Lack of exercise
Cigarette smoking

What are some foods that counteract the SAD diet?  Foods that contain omega3s

How can Omega 3s help?
I'm going to be speaking a lot about Omega 3s in the upcoming months as I learn more and more about the importance.

Omega 3s are essential fatty acids that our bodies can not produce-we need to get them from food.

According to Harvard Medical, "Omega-3 fats help protect the heart from lapsing into potentially deadly erratic rhythms, ease inflammation, inhibit the formation of dangerous clots in the bloodstream, and lower levels of triglycerides, the most common type of fat-carrying particle in the blood. An excellent way to get omega-3 fats is by eating fish two or three times a week. Good plant sources of omega-3 fats include chia seeds (sold as Salvia), flaxseeds, walnuts, and oils such as flaxseed, canola, and soybean."

Notice the FIRST plant based source of Omega 3s.  Chia.  Chia is the one ingredient in Mila.  Notice the non plant-based suggestion is to eat fish. Mila has eight times more Omega 3s than wild farmed salmon.  The reason Mila is better than standard chia is because it's grown in specific climate conditions in super nutrient dense soil.  Here is a study done on Mila vs standard Chia.  In the area of Omega3s it scored MUCH higher in a study done by the Dole Institute, which is why I'm now recommending it.
Web MD states "When possible, try to get omega-3 fatty acids from foods rather than supplements."

If you decide you must take a supplement - "The most common side effect from fish oil is indigestion and gas." 
How can you incorporate more of this anti-inflammatory?  Bake them into wholesome goodies for your family.   Mila paired with the super fresh zucchini from KYV farm pack a nutrient punch that can't be beat.  I guarantee that if you join a CSA/farm share, incorporating more fresh veggies, and then add the anti-inflammatory properties of Omega3s on top, you will feel better than ever. 

To order Mila you can click here.
Remember those zucchini muffins I made?  The all natural ones -vegan, gluten free, sugar free and 100% delicious? Well I re-made them with Mila and they came out even better, which I didn't think was possible.  These are soft, moist, sweet and HEALTHY!
p.s. Stay tuned for the next post - What is Oxidative Stress?

All Natural Zucchini Muffins with Mila
Serves 12
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients


2 tbsp Mila + 6 tbsp water (vegan "eggs")
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 c agave (or honey for non-vegan)
1 1/4 cup shredded zucchini from KYV Farm1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon and/or pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (or whole wheat or brown rice flour would also work)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup loosely packed raisins
Rounded 1/2 tsp sea salt
Optional
Turbindo sugar to sprinkle on top (but if you do this you can't call them "sugar free".


Directions


1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the flax egg and set aside for about 5 minutes. Mix the olive oil, agave, zucchini and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt; mix until just wet and ingredients are combined; fold in raisins.

 2. Pour patter into 12 muffin tins, sprayed with cooking spray (I used organic coconut oil spray). Bake about 18 to 20 minutes or until browned and a knife comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts
12 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 133.4
Total Fat 9.4 g
Saturated Fat 1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.6 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 98.7 mg
Potassium 115.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 13.2 g
Dietary Fiber 1.1 g
Sugars 10.9 g
Protein 0.6 g


Vitamin A 5.0 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 1.8 %
Vitamin C 2.2 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 5.9 %
Calcium 1.5 %
Copper 2.1 %
Folate 1.1 %
Iron 2.4 %
Magnesium 1.8 %
Manganese 5.8 %
Niacin 0.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 0.3 %
Phosphorus 2.5 %
Riboflavin 1.1 %
Selenium 0.2 %
Thiamin 1.3 %
Zinc 0.6 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Back from Islamorada and a Slow Food Restaurant Find in Key West

I just returned from a relaxing Keys vacation and came back with a Slow Food Restaurant find in Key West!

We stayed at the Islander Resort in Islamorada....our favorite place to stay as the grounds are beautiful and they have kitchenettes which is great for people with families or anyone who would like to save a little money on eating out every meal.

Hotel View in Islamorada

The first night we watched the sunset and ate at Lorelei-a great restaurant right across the street...we rode our bikes everywhere!

Anthony and Courtney

View at Lorelei

At Lorelei, Islamorada

Double Rainbow Viewed from Lorelei, Islamorada

Theater of the Sea

Dolphin Show at Theater of the Sea

Heading into Butterfly Conservatory, Key West

My was practicing her photography skills.

Courtney caught a butterfly!

 help yourself cafe

I. Love. This. Concept.

An old gas station - turned natural foods market and cafe with a raised garden outdoor seating area.

I do think we need one of these in Jacksonville.

I found help yourself by googling "Slow Food Key West".

Charlie Wilson at Help Yourself, an organic food stop and restaurant on Fleming Street, supports the Slow Food philosophy that our children should grow up enjoying food that is both delicious and good for them, learning healthy habits that last throughout their life, and that getting nutritious food into schools is important.

Slow Food Key West - Help Yourself

help yourself cafe



Indian Summer Salad - Creamy Mix of Chickpeas, Quinoa, Carrots, Raisins, Onion with Indian Spices Over Mixed Greens with House Vinaigrette

This salad.....oh my gosh.  Protein rich with chickpeas, quinoa and nuts, lots of fresh veggies and Indian spices-I loved the weight and mix of flavors.

help yourself cafe -almost everything can be made gluten free
They made my daughter a GF chicken wrap with lettuce and apples.

help yourself cafe has a vegan lasagna with layers of zucchini.  Next time I'll be trying that!

Some of the info that really resonated with me is that they use all whole grains, no GMO, no dairy (coconut is the alternative), fresh juices and everything is prepared from scratch. Can you see why this was my kind of place?

That night we ate at Morada Bay - my favorite in Islamorada!

Morada Bay in Islamorada

 Monday, while everyone else was driving back up in traffic I could beat on a bike, we hit the pool and did some shopping.

There is an outdoor world there wish a really cool fish tank.

The last night there we ate at Islamorada Fish Company.  Our waiter was very nice and the view was gorgeous but the food was ok.  I asked if they make their on dressing and they said no.  That is my telltale way to tell the freshness and quality of the food.

Islamorada Fish Company

View from Islamorada Fish Company

How To Freeze Zucchini, Squash and Beans in Six Easy Steps!

Got tons of veggies from your garden or the farm?  Freeze them for soups, baking and stews later!

**Freezing will change the texture so it's best to eat them fresh if you want a firm veggie.

Step 1
Preheat a big pot with a steamer basket.

Step 2

Wash and dry your produce well.

Step 3
Chop it into bite size pieces.

Step 4
Steam the produce for three minutes and then pour it into an ice water bath to stop the cooking then DRY well.

Step 5
Freeze the produce on trays lined with parchment paper.  This will make it so they don't freeze into a giant block if you only need to cook with a small amount.

Step 6
Remove veggie from freezer and place into FREEZER SAFE zip top bags labeled with the date and what type of veggie it is.

Try to use your veggies within a month so they don't get freezer burn.  A little extra time won't kill them though so don't stress.

Wine Down Wednesday Returns with Potato Kale Cakes

Welcome back to Wine Down Wednesday where I review a vegan dish paired with two different wines selected by my friend Gregg at Broadbent Selections.

Vegan Version of Bon Appetit’s Potato Kale Cakes

To pair wines with a meatless dish we must look at the spices and main flavors of the recipe.

In this dish we have garlic, thyme and nutmeg.

The wines are Secateurs Rose, South Africa, 2011 (SO excited about this one) and Caballero De La Cepa Malbec, Argentina, 2010. 

Secateurs Rose, South Africa, 2011

Secateurs Rose

This rose is from a blend of grapes grown in the Swaartland district of South Africa-the vines being some of the oldest in that region. 

"The Cinsault and Grenache grapes were picked early in the morning and the whole bunches were gently pressed so as not to extract too much color. The Shiraz juice had 4 hours of skin contact before it was pressed, then the juice was blended and naturally fermented in tank. Only 15% was fermented in old French oak casks. The wine was clarified naturally with minimal filtration, then bottled. Only 300 cases of this wine and ready to drink now."

Caballero De La Cepa Malbec, Argentina, 2010

Caballero De La Cepa Reserva Malbec

This wine, in 1947, was the first to label wine by a specific varietal.

Gregg's suggestion for Malbec was to first taste, then decant the wine and funnel back into the bottle two to three times, then taste again.

Here is the rating info.

Categories

Category #1 - How well my dish turned out.
Category #2 – How well I like the wine.
Category #3 – Pairing notes - How well this wine pairs with the dish.

Rating Scale

Bleck -This wine is pretty bad.
Ho Hum- I could drink it if I was at a football game and there was nothing else in the cooler.
Nice -Good table wine. I would keep this in the wine cooler if it was a good value.
Yum - This is good, I would pay a fair bit more and have it for a special occasion.
Damn that’s Good – Self explanatory.
** We will use the same terminology for how the dish turned out and how well it paired.

Category #1 The Dish

Rating of Yum
The dish was delicious with its caramelized potatoes and wilted kale, but somewhere I went a bit wrong and they didn't hold together.  Next time I might add a bit of breadcrumb or some Mila to get it to stick together.  They made a perfect light dinner with some fresh corn from the farm.
Category #2 The Wines

Caballero De La Cepa Reserva Malbec Rating of YUM and once decanted a Damn That’s Good
I was glad that Gregg gave me the recommendation to decant this wine and funnel it back into the bottle about three times. Technically I broke my decanter so I had to aerate with two glasses for each glass of wine I wanted to drink; however it was well worth it. On initial taste I noticed spice and cocoa and it had a medium body; the color a deep burgundy/purple. After “decanting” the wine really opened up-more body, smoother and a bit of fruit. I wrote “WOW!”

Secateurs Rose Rating of Damn That’s Good
Maybe I’m partial because I got a chance to meet Adi, the Winemaker of this South African wine, but this rose was DAMN good. I’m also partial to roses lately and I’ve decided it’s my new favorite. I loved the color of this one and wrote “JUICY!” as my first note and then rosy and fruity. Though you may see the pink color, this actually a dry blend of Cinsault, Shiraz and Grenache. Gregg (my friend from Broadbent Selections that is supplying the wines for each recipe), if you read this….I definitely want to order this again!

Category #3 The Pairing

Paring with Malbec Rating of YUM
With a bite of the kale cake and a sip of wine the taste of nutmeg exploded – the spicy Malbec was a great choice.
Paring with Secateurs Rose Rating of Damn That’s Good
This light and fresh wine is perfect with these vegan veggie cakes. The outside of the cakes becomes a bit caramelized and is lovely with the chilled rose.  Damn that's good.  Oh wait, I already said that.

Where to buy

All the wines will be for sale locally at the Grotto in San Marco. You can contact Mitch Woodlief, grottomitch@aol.com with questions and pricing and anyone outside the Greater Jacksonville area can contact E-MAIL: mailto:info@broadbent.com PHONE PHONE: US +1 415-931-1725.

Potato Kale Cakes

Inspired by Bon Appetit

Makes 12 Cakes

Vegan, Gluten Free

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds unpeeled potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used a variety of KYV Farm potatoes)

1/4 cup plain non dairy creamer - I used silk soy creamer

2 Tbsp Earth Balance

1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped onion

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 pound kale, center rib and stem cut from each leaf, leaves coarsely chopped

1 tsp dried thyme or 1 Tbsp fresh chopped fresh thyme

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Optional

Garlic Sun Dried Tomato spread such as Joy's Gourmet brand (vegan).

Joy's Gourmet

Directions

1. Heat large pot of water to a boil, add salt and cook potatoes until softened, about 25 minutes.  Add non dairy creamer, Earth Balance, salt and pepper; mash potatoes (with skins) and set aside 3 cups to cool, reserving remaining potatoes for another use. This step can be done in advance.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion and garlic and cook about five minutes, until translucent; add kale and sauté an additional 5 minutes.  Let cool and add to bowl with potatoes; sprinkle thyme and nutmeg.  In about 1/4 cup scoops, shape firmly into patties.  Heat 2 1/2 Tbsp oil in skillet over medium high heat and add potato kale cakes, about 4 at a time, to pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side.



Nutrition Facts
12 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 96.8
Total Fat 6.2 g
Saturated Fat 1.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.5 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 127.3 mg
Potassium 224.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 9.3 g
Dietary Fiber 1.5 g
Sugars 0.5 g
Protein 1.3 g

Vitamin A 51.3 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 8.1 %
Vitamin C 27.0 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 3.4 %
Calcium 2.2 %
Copper 4.0 %
Folate 2.8 %
Iron 2.9 %
Magnesium 3.4 %
Manganese 8.3 %
Niacin 2.6 %
Pantothenic Acid 1.4 %
Phosphorus 3.2 %
Riboflavin 1.7 %
Selenium 0.7 %
Thiamin 3.1 %
Zinc 1.3 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Summer Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal with Mila

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal

Growing up, my parents and I would go camping regularly in Sandwich Massachusetts which is on Cape Cod. 

Every visit to Shawme Crowell State Park we would visit a little restaurant called the Marshland to get a dozen blueberry muffins.

They were big and soft and sweet and blueberry-licious with a little crystallized sugar crust on top.

Now that my camper repairs are nearing completion (you can read all about my repairs of water damage here), camping has been on my mind.  I miss Cape Cod and the big fat blueberry muffins from the Marshland! 

Pic of camper I just took this morning!

As a tribute to those blueberry muffins I created this dish that incorporates the Mila I've added to my diet.  Mila is the raw seed blend I told you all about, with it's super high omega3s, fiber, calcium and tons of vitamins and nutrients.

Mila is awesome for weight loss, digestion, energy and brain function.

In fact I'll share a little secret, I was on an antidepressant called Bupropion until just recently, because of Mila, I'm now fully off of ALL pharmaceuticals and have replaced them with simply this blend of raw, organically grown seeds and feel so much better.

If you would like to try some for yourself you can order here! There's an old saying that says, you're worth it. 

Sunflower from KYV Farm

This oatmeal is just as delicious, yes I'm serious, as the original, but healthy enough to eat every day.

This simple breakfast is a little sweet, a little cinnamon and very blueberry. 

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal

The vanilla almond milk makes the oatmeal creamy and the swirl of blueberries is blueberry muffin all over.  It makes me I feel like I'm back at the Marshland right now!

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal

 Summer Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal with Mila

Serves 1

Vegan, Gluten Free

Printable Recipe

Ingredients


1 cup unsweet vanilla almond milk, plus a dash extra to moisten the blueberry mixture
Dash of salt and cinnamon
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
1 tsp raw agave (or regular agave or honey for non vegan will work)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
2 Tbsp Mila (I used 3 Tbsp though)


Directions


1. Bring almond milk, salt and cinnamon to a boil in a small pot over medium high heat. Reduce heat and cook 5 to 7 minutes; stir in agave.


2. Mix blueberries with mila in a bowl, add a dash of almond milk to moisten. Pour oatmeal over top and swirl with a spoon.



Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving

Calories 309.5
Total Fat 10.5 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 335.8 mg
Potassium 321.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 45.9 g
Dietary Fiber 12.1 g
Sugars 10.0 g
Protein 9.3 g


Vitamin A 10.7 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 2.3 %
Vitamin C 3.2 %
Vitamin D 25.0 %
Vitamin E 53.9 %
Calcium 28.6 %
Copper 1.3 %
Folate 1.4 %
Iron 18.8 %
Magnesium 5.0 %
Manganese 16.7 %
Niacin 2.0 %
Pantothenic Acid 1.0 %
Phosphorus 15.9 %
Riboflavin 3.7 %
Selenium 0.1 %
Thiamin 11.7 %
Zinc 0.4 %


*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.