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In winter, what does it mean to eat in season?  At this the dormant time of year when plants are at rest, consolidating their energy for the expansive growth season ahead, it seems that nature leaves little to sustain us.   So it may sound silly to think of eating in season.  Yet, deep in winter’s bare-shelved food pantry, I believe there is a valuable and intended message.

You probably recall that all foods represent one of the three macronutrients—proteins, carbohydrates, fats, or combinations thereof.  In the past, when winter provided no fresh sources of carbohydrate-rich foods, cultures relied in the cold months more heavily on good quality fats.  Today, of course, with the convenience of commercial transport and supermarket shopping, we easily override winter’s constraints with foods from around the world associated with almost any season.  It is true that global out-of-season foods can, indeed, be a blessing by supplying nutrients and variety we would not otherwise have.   But, if over-consumed they can crowd out healthy fats and disconnect us from the normal seasonal rotation that would naturally place fats in a relatively more important place in our winter diet.

Many clues point to the idea that to eat seasonally in winter means to eat relatively more fats.  Good quality fats fit winter.  Traditional fats and oils are perfectly designed as lubricating agents for the body during cold, dry days; and, as concentrated calories, they provide quick-burning heat energy to buffer the bitter chill.  They also supply fat soluble vitamins, particularly vitamin D, to fill in the sunshine gap and to act as an antidote to winter blues.

If we doubt the wisdom of fats in winter, look at nature’s planned progression of foods offered to us through the growing season:  Following winter, bitter greens with their cleansing power arrive in spring to clear our systems of the rich protein/fat meals consumed over the frigid, cold months.  Bitter greens are followed in summer by expansive, high-water content, quite perishable fruits and vegetables like zucchini, corn, and tomatoes that are meant for timely consumption.  Fall harvest vegetables such as roots and tubers, in contrast, are generally more concentrated, contractive, durable and sustaining (see: Seasonal Harmony, September, 2010).

Eating in Season–With the Life Cycle.

Beyond the seasonal calendar, there is a second way to think of eating seasonally, which is defined by the life cycle.  While good fats and oils are important at any age for neurological and proper cellular function, hormone balance, fertility (see bullets, below), a generous portion is especially called for as we age and journey into the “winter” season of life.

A quick way to think of this is captured by Ayurveda theory, which draws parallels between the seasons and the life span.  Ayurveda healers define Spring, from birth to age 15, as the growth years; Summer, from 15-55 years, as the time of productive activity; and, Winter, from 55 and beyond, as the time of wisdom but also when the body tends to dry out and requires extra hydrating fats and oils.  As we age, we need adequate amounts of traditional fats and oils to lubricate the system and cushion the aging process, to moisten skin and smooth wrinkles, and most importantly, to provide adequate nourishment for the brain.

The brain is largely composed of saturated fats.  A healthy mix of traditional saturated fats and essential fatty acids (EFAs) are needed for the building of healthy cell membranes and proper cell function.  EFAs are required for neurological and inter-cellular communication.  Consuming saturated fats with a generous complement of EFAs is a valuable strategy for the prevention of Alzheimer’s and dementia.  The “good fats” also elevate mood, sharpen focus, and work to prevent depression and anxiety.

Discriminating Fats.

“Bad fats and oils will destroy your health faster than sugar.  They cause more problems than any other class of food.” …Paul Pitchford

Fats have a bad name, and perhaps this reputation is deserved based on the amount of pro-inflammatory refined vegetable oils that compose the majority of fats consumed by Americans today.   Yes, fats are “bad” if by fats we mean the refined vegetable oils that are hidden in so many of the packaged and processed foods that we often, with little thought, rely upon.   These hardly resemble the health-promoting fats enjoyed by cultures in the past.

When thinking about fats, it pays to be discriminating.  Traditional fats are vital to health.  Life cannot be sustained without them.  Good fats and oils:

• Provide heat and energy and cushion organs;

• Help us assimilate the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K and a variety of minerals including magnesium and calcium;

• Are vital to proper brain function (the brain is 60% fat), mood and nerve regulation;

• Are the building block of hormones, which are key for strong bones and general health;

• Satisfy hunger and boost metabolism to support weight loss; AND

• Are vital to give the body the right materials to build healthy cell membranes, which are made of fats.  Cell membranes need to be “smart” to monitor traffic in and out of the cell, just as the lining of the digestive tract screens and prevents toxic materials from entering the blood stream.

“…ourbalance of omega-6 to omega-3 affects our health as much as any other aspect of dietary fat…Because the ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s helps determine the flexibility of cell membranes, nearly all chemical communication throughout the body depends at least in part on the correct balance between omega-6s and omega-3s.  Within this context, it is difficult to imagine any health problem that isn’t partly related to the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3.”¹ …Elson Haas

What is meant by “traditional fats?”  Butter from grass-fed cows is one example.  In contrast to butter from commercially-raised animals with a 9:1 omega-6/-3 ratio, butter from grass-fed cows contains an ideal 1:1 ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s.  The following link offers a graphic picture of this relationship.
Other examples of traditional fats include nutrient-dense animal fats from pastured animals; extra virgin olive oil; unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil; and, fish oils and cod liver oil from reputable providers.

Over the past century, particularly with the population shift from farm to city and with the growth of the processed food industry, Americans have experienced a rather complete “oil change.”  Per capita, we have tripled in the last 100 years our consumption of fats, with the entire increase attributable to commercially-manipulated, denatured, pro-inflammatory vegetable oils².  We consume 25 times (!) the refined vegetable oils of a century ago, and less than a third the the amount of butter (see: 20th Century Oil Change, May, 2010.) Much of this shift is unconscious and unnoticed:  it reflects the changing American lifestyle away from home cooking to our modern reliance upon processed and packaged food products that are laden with refined vegetable oils.  In the early post-war years, the food industry replaced expensive butter and coconut oil with inexpensive vegetable oils that do not go rancid and therefore offer a long shelf-life for processed and packaged foods.

Rx for Winter—Quality Fats for Depression and Mental Focus

Traditional cultures used a variety of natural strategies to cope with winter.  During the dark, cold months, they intuitively relied upon cod liver oil, which they consumed in modest quantities, anchored by generous amounts of butter and other saturated fats from grass-fed animals.  Modern science now confirms this intuitive wisdom:  the highly fragile 5- and 6- double bond EPA and DHA fatty acids in cod liver oil require sufficient saturated fats like butter to be properly and effectively utilized by the body.

Throughout most of the last century, we moved away from many of the natural antidotes to winter—cod liver oil, butter from grass-fed animals, eggs from barnyard hens, milk and other animal products from grass-fed animals, and bone stocks—the foods that maintain a sense of health and well-being through the dark winter months.   In 1927, for example, the United States imported 5 million gallons of cod liver oil, a level ten times the meager one-half million gallons imported in 2000.³  If we consider the generous doubling of the population over this period, implicitly the average per capita consumption of cod liver oil in the United States currently stands at less than one-twentieth 1927 levels.  In recent decades, we have replaced traditional cod liver oil with an array of expensive prescription anti-depressant drugs.

Cod liver oil is a premier buffer for winter.  It is a rich source of vitamin A (immune function); vitamin D [strong bones, immune system, relief for depression⁴ ]; omega-3 oils (healthy nervous system, relief from pain and inflammation, antidote for depression).   Cod liver oil, as a rich source of vitamins A and D, works synergistically with other cofactors like calcium and arachidonic acid found in other animal products  to support mental focus and emotional well-being.    Some of the best work in this field comes from Chris Masterjohn.  In his 2008 Wise Traditions article “The Pursuit of Happiness:  How Nutrient-dense Animal Fats Promote Mental and Emotional Health” he provides the biochemistry and scientific detail to support the conclusion that good fats and oils containing vitamin A and D along with calcium and arachidonic acid work synergistically to help protect again depression and anxiety, while also supporting focused, goal-oriented behavior:

Modern science has now elucidated the role of nutrient-dense animal fats in preventing mental illness and supporting the focused, goal-oriented behavior needed to confront challenges and pursue a happy, satisfying, and successful life.                                                   …Chris Masterjohn

• Cod liver oil (vitamins A and D)
• Butter from grass-fed animal (arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Egg yolks from grass-fed chickens (arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Fats from grass-fed animals (arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Organ meats from grass-fed animals (arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Bone broths (calcium)
• Raw whole milk from grass-fed animals (calcium, arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Fish eggs (vitamins A and D)
• Small whole fish (calcium, vitamins A and D)
• Shell fish (vitamins A and D)                                                               Source:  Chris Masterjohn

To this ”feel good’ list I would add unrefined, extra-virgin coconut oil, a saturated fat that is high in anti-microbial lauric acid and, as a medium-chain fatty acid, metabolizes rapidly to provide quick energy.

Additional Comments:

• Cod liver oil (CLO)— Taken in moderation, CLO is generally safe for most people and causes no major reactions.  However, if you are on medications, it is best to check with your doctor before using it.  Dosage for the winter months of ½ to 2 teaspoons a day is generally appropriate unless you are pregnant, in the intense sun or sunbath regularly, take vitamin A supplements, or are scheduled for imminent surgery (since it affects blood clotting).  Fermented CLO is more easily digested than regular CLO, and it is more nutrient-dense so you can take less.  In summer, to avoid vitamin D toxicity if you spend long hours in the sun, you may wish to switch to fish oil, which has no vitamin D (or vitamin A for that matter).  All CLO is screened by the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) for 32 contaminants before being imported.  Mercury is water soluble so it appears in the flesh of fish but not in CLO and fish oils.

• Butter for Pastured Animals—Butter, extra-virgin coconut oil, and other saturated animal fats work synergistically with CLO for its assimilation and utilization.  To benefit, consume both.

• Egg Yolks—After CLO, egg yolks are the second most potent source of vitamin D, but only if hens are exposed to full sunlight, sunlamps or receive a 2% dietary CLO supplement.  Eggs from commercially-raised hens may not provide the nutrition that we have come to expect.

• Liver—Liver is rich in B vitamins, iron, arachidonic acid and vitamin A but not vitamin D.  It can provide a sense of well-being for anyone concerned about vitamin D excess.  [CLO is a rich source of vitamins A, D, and DHA, but unlike liver, it provides no iron or B vitamins.]

• Bone Broths—Bone broths are best using the bones of organic, grass-fed animals.

Finally, if you begin a program of consuming these healthy fats and oils, allow a few weeks to feel the positive benefits.  Depressive symptoms diminish over time with daily use (The Hordland Health Study).

A Word about the “Feel-Good” Nutrients:

• Vitamin A—Liver and cod liver oil are by far the richest sources of vitamin A.  Vitamin A is important for proper immune function, vision, the digestive system, and healthy skin.

• Vitamin D—Vitamin D helps maintain healthy bones and teeth, assists in blood pressure regulation, strengthens the immune system, and reduces the risk of many forms of cancer, and can work as an anti-depressant.

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids, EPA and DHA—Omega-3s help reduce pain and inflammation and the inflammatory response. EPA reduces inflammation and works as an antidepressant.  DHA supports a healthy nervous system, vision, learning and mental function, relieves depression, and promotes healthy skin.

• Arachidonic acid (AA)—AA supports growth, digestive health, fertility, healthy skin and hair.

A Yin/Yang Word of Caution—Any Extreme Can Transform to the Opposite—More is Not Better…

Cod liver oil, when used in moderation and complemented with quality saturated fats for assimilation, can support health and vitality and ameliorate a variety of health conditions.  Omega-3s help relieve pain and inflammation for arthritis sufferers; reduce stress and relieve depression; prevent allergies and cancers; and relieve high blood pressure.  They also work to support healthy skin and hair.

However, excessive levels of CLO and fish oils can disrupt immune function, result in scaly skin and hair loss, elevate blood pressure, cause internal bleeding, and create complications for diabetics—the very issues that in moderation they address.  Cod liver oil, a rich source of fat-soluble vitamins A and D, can accumulate in the body (unlike water soluble vitamins) and lead to toxicity.  Always use cod liver oil and fish oils with care.  More is not better.

Shopping Resources:

• Cod Liver Oil and X-Factor Butter Oil:  GreenPasture.org and Radiant Life.com are several reliable sources.  I like Blue Ice “Cinnamon Tingle” Cod Liver Oil which I order from GreenPasture.org.  I find its “.org” status to be reassuring.

• Liver: North Star Bison and Hawthorne Valley Farms are several fine providers, or consult your local Weston A. Price Foundation chapter for other source in your area.

• Seafood, Canned Salmon, and Sardines: Try Vital Choice.com for wild, sustainably-caught fish and seafood.  Their website is a wealth of information.

For other shopping suggestions, see the Resources tab of my website and January, 2009 The Gift of the Kitchen.

Reading Resources:

Mary Enig, Know Your Fats

Udo Eramus, Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill

Chris Masterjohn, “The Pursuit of Happiness:  How Nutrient-dense Animal Fats Promote Mental and Emotional Health,” Winter 2008, Wise Traditions.

M. Baroy Raeder, V.M. Steen, S. Emil Vollset and I. Bjelland (2007).  Associations between cod liver oil use and symptoms of depression:  The Hordaland Health Study.  Journal of Affective Disorders, 101 (1-3), 245-249.

See also A Primer on Good Fats and Oils and May, 2010, The 20th Century Oil Change.

Winter Recipes—Cooking in Season:  Bone Stocks and Cooking with Bones

On cold, invigorating days, I think of my stock pot.  I like to fill it with an organic chicken or two, some vegetables, and leave it for hours to slow-simmer.  For me, nothing feeds the soul more than the inviting, nurturing aromas of a bone stock.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine, bones are associated with winter and with our “kidney essence” energy.  Beyond the calcium and other minerals that they provide, they also seem to feed our deep inner energy and convey a profound sense of well-being.  Bone stocks are versatile and can be used in cooking grains, hot cereals, and soups to add flavor and nutrition to meals.  Used this way, they are an especially good tool to add nutrition to meal—especially if you have a picky eater in the house (see February, 2010, Investing in Stocks).

Winter is also the perfect season to cook with bones.  Bones enrich winter soups and stews.  And, they lend extra character and extra nutrition to slow-simmering meals that feature beans, legumes, and grains (see March, 2010, Putting Bones Back on Your Meat.)

Very, Very Rich Chicken Bone Stock…A bowl or two can make a meal.

3-4 pound chicken, whole or in parts
12 cups cold water
3 or 4 large carrots
2 or 3 celery stalks, with leaves
1 parsnip
1 onion, peeled

½ head garlic
1 leek
2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Handful fresh parsley leaves and stems
8 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Other vegetable scraps, like fennel fronds, chard stems or squash ends
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Fine sea salt to taste

Into a large stock pot, place cleaned chicken and water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Skim and discard any foam that appears.
Meanwhile, clean the vegetables and herbs, and cut the vegetables into large pieces so that they will fit inside the pot. Add all the ingredients, except the sea salt, to the soup pot. Bring the soup to a boil again, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer uncovered. After the first hour of simmering, remove the chicken, take the meat off the bone, and set it aside to be added back to the soup when it’s finished cooking (boiled meat is rather spent after 6 hours in a pot). Simmer the soup uncovered for another five hours. Then remove it from the heat, strain, skim the fat if necessary, and serve with the reserved chicken pieces. This serves a family of five, so it can be cut down.

Source: Ellen Arian, www.ellensfoodandsoul.com

Copyright 2011 Pathways4Health.org

1. Staying Healthy With Nutrition. [↩]
2.  Economic Research Service, USDA [↩]
3.  Katharine Blunt and Ruth Cowan, Ultraviolet Light and Vitamin D in Nutrition and Krispin Sullivan. [↩]
4. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/depression.shtml [↩]

Cows that are raised organically, free to roam on rotating pasture lands, and that eat nothing but grass are the “gold standard” of red meat: Meat from grass-fed beef has about one-half to one-third as much fat, almost twice as much anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats and beta-carotene, three times the vitamin E, four times the vitamin A, and almost five times the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a nutrient that has been helpful in reducing the risk of cancer).  A dairy cow pastured on grass can produce milk that contains as much as five times the CLA as a grain-fed animal, as well as an ideal one-to-one ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 essential fatty acids.

Ayurvedic healers view the life cycle in terms of a gradual transition of energy from Kappa to Pita to Vata.  Kappa, through the age of 15, concerns growth and building skills; Pita marks the productive years from 15-55; and Vata, marked by wisdom and a gradual drying out of the body, concludes the life span.  As we age and move toward the Vata period of life, consuming traditional fats and oils is particularly helpful, especially for neurological function.

Ayurveda healers in India developed some 5,000 years ago a model of energy similar to the Chinese that has survived to this day.  It is based on the concept of living in harmony with the seasons and cycles in nature in order to alleviate the stresses of life and minimize disease.  The Ayurveda system breaks the day in two 12-hour cycles, each with three parts, Kappa, Pitta, and Vata.¹

• Kappa time, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. is the time to exercise to overcome the heaviness of sleep, to re-set the metabolism, and to get the brain going.
• Pitta time, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. is when digestion is at its best and the major meal is to be eaten.
• Vata time, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. is the time, after a nourishing noontime meal, for effective and sustained brain function.
• Kappa time, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the evening is again “heavy” time that naturally sets up sleep.

Cultures in the past retired about two hours after sunset…they had enough energy in the early evening to allow the body to relax and fall asleep with ease, and they could capture the most efficient hours for sleep, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.  This sets us up for a natural fast from eating, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., which helps re-set the metabolism and helps the liver detoxify the body as it prepares for the next day.

1. Source:  Pathways4Health based on John Douillard in a speech to IIN, January, 2007. [↩]

Try to limit processed and fast foods, and avoid cooking with clear vegetable oils.  This can be a huge step toward creating in your diet a healthy 2:1 balance of omega-6:-3 oils. Omega-6 oils are inflammatory. They are hidden in processed, packaged, and fast foods, which is a major reason the typical American ratio is 20:1, rather than 2:1. The sensible way to bring the “-6:-3 ratio” into better balance and benefit from the omega-3s that you do consume is to limit your intake of omega-6 fats⁹ (the table on below can guide you).   Since omega-3s and -6s compete for the same digestive enzymes, consuming large amounts of omega-6s through processed and fast foods can negate the potential anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 oils, because omega-6s “crowd out” omega-3s.

As you can see by the table, every nut and seed is a unique combination of omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids.   Safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oil are primarily omega-6, with little anti-inflammatory omega-3 offset.  Olive oil and saturated fats such as butter and coconut oil have very little omega-6s, and are therefore thought to be “neutral” with respect to inflammation.

Coconut oil and butter are saturated fats and stable for high-temperature cooking.  Coconut oil is also high in anti-microbial lauric acid.

The 10 Best…You can save money and select commercial produce when buying these.  The money saved can then be spent on organic foods from the list of 10 Worst.

Cell membranes are composed of lipids (fats).  As raw materials for the body to construct healthy cell membranes and for proper cell function, the body needs both saturated fats for structure and unsaturated for flexibility.

Saturated fat molecules have no double bonds along the carbon chain–all carbon atoms are saturated with hydrogens, lending stability. In contrast, unsaturated fats are more reactive.  Along their carbon chain, they have one or more double bonds–places where carbon atoms are not paired with a full complement of hydrogens.   At these double-bond “hot spots” they are more vulnerable to oxidative stress and free-radical damage.  While the more double bonds, the more fragile, the more double bonds, the more effective these oils are to provide the body with materials necessary for cellular communication and neurological function.

This table, adapted from Elson Haas, illustrates food sources of a variety of unsaturated oils.  Note the 5 and 6 double bonds of fish oils, a reason fish are thought to be “brain food.”

Source: Adapted from Elson Haas, Staying Healthy With Nutrition

Breakfasts to Sustain Mind and Body

In recent years, when the proportion of adults who skip breakfast has essentially doubled, the rate of obesity has also doubled.

Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day. Remember that the brain cannot run on fat stores. It needs ready supplies of glucose. If we do not supply our brain with good carbohydrates at breakfast, our mind will not be able to concentrate well at the office or school. Ultimately we get a headache or become so hungry that we go for a high-calorie, mid-morning pick-up.

If we skip breakfast and expect our mind to function through the morning, the body will have to find energy somewhere and, since it cannot use fat to supply the brain, it will be forced to tap (albeit inefficiently) into its protein (muscle) stores. This is one of the reasons that you cannot come out even eating the extra piece of pie over a late dinner, rationalizing that you will balance off the calories by skipping breakfast the next day. Without breakfast, your body goes into starvation mode and begins to hoard calories.

Starting the day with a good breakfast speeds up your metabolism and fuels your muscles as well as your brain. Studies show that people who eat substantial breakfasts end up consuming the fewest calories over the course of a whole day.

A good rule of thumb for a hearty breakfast is to observe the 40/30/30 guideline, with carbohydrates’ share a bit above that of protein and fats. Beyond this, anything goes! Use your imagination, your leftovers, and have fun. For a sustaining breakfast, there is nothing wrong with a steaming bowl of lentil soup, for example, with whole-grain rye bread, spread with a nut or seed butter. Meats, soups, vegetables are also fine breakfast foods. It is the food companies backed by advertising that have redefined breakfast to be high-carbohydrate/sugary boxed cereals, Pop-Tarts, and packaged goods rather than traditional eggs, whole-grain porridges, and other traditional whole foods that help stabilize blood sugar and sustain energy.

Amaranth with Goji Berries and Chopped Almonds
Amaranth is a high-protein, non-gluten grain. Goji berries are great anti-oxidants, anti-aging, and boost the immune system. Almonds add protein.

This recipe is simple and one of my favorites. It can be made in big batches, can be cooked up the evening before while you enjoy your dinner. It also freezes well.

1 cup amaranth
3 cups water
1 cup Goji berries, raisins, or other dried/frozen berries
1 cup chopped almonds

Put amaranth, water, and berries in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Stir. Simmer, covered for about 25 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.
For more texture, stir in cooked millet, brown rice, or other grains, after cooking.

Peanut Butter Muffins
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 T. baking powder
½ t. salt
¼ cup natural, organic peanut butter
1/3 cup cold-pressed oil
¼ cup organic honey or molasses
1 ½ cups milk

Mix together first 3 dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, mix and blend the remaining ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to liquid mixture.
Blend, but do not beat.
Fill 12 oiled muffin tins 2/3rds full.
Bake 25 minutes in a pre-heated, 350 degree oven, or until done.

Almond-Oat Squares
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup oat bran
¼ cup sesame seeds
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup organic applesauce or mashed banana
2/3 cup almond butter

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. In a small bowl blend the applesauce or mased banana with the almond butter until well-blended. Aadd this to the dry ingredients, mix well, and pour into a 11”x7” oiled baking dish.
Bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes.
Note: Peanut and peanut butter or cashews and cashew butter can also be used.
Source: Ann Louise Gittleman

Pathways4Health Apple-Blueberry Bread Pudding
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk or nut milk
¼ cup honey or equivalent
1 T. cinnamon
1 T. vanilla
3 cups whole-grain bread in cubes
1 cup dried blueberries
1 chopped apple, pear, plum etc.

In a large bowl, mix together the first five ingredients.
Place bread cubes in a greased 8-9” round baking dish and sprinkle with the dried blueberries (or other dried fruits and nuts) and the chopped apple/pear/plum.
Pour wet ingredients over all and bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven, 35-40 minutes.

For more ideas, see Snack Bars

Simple Stewed Fruits

4 long (4”) cinnamon sticks

2 pounds dried organic prunes

1 pound dried organic apple slices

In a large pot, place cinnamon sticks and fruits.  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil, simmer 5 minutes.  Cover and let cool.  Store in the refrigerator.  Serve over granola, oatmeal, buckwheat cranberry almond bread or whatever strikes your fancy.

Apple-Blueberry Bread Pudding
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk or nut/seed milk
¼ cup honey or maple syrup
1 T. cinnamon
1 T. vanilla
3 cups whole-grain bread in cubes
1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup chopped apple; pear; or plum

1. In a large bowl, mix together the first 5 ingredients.
2. Place bread cubes in a greased, 8-9” round baking dish and sprinkle with dried fruit and nuts and the apple; pear; or plum.
3. Pour wet ingredients over all assembled ingredients and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, 35-40 minutes.

Amaranth with Wild Blueberries and Almonds
Amaranth and almonds are both high in protein and blueberries are rich in anti-oxidants.
This simple recipe is one of my favorites. It can be made in large batches, cooked the evening before, and freezes well. Adding a whole grain like wheat berries helps to lower the glycemic index.
1 cup amaranth
3 cups water
1 cup dried wild blueberries or other dried fruit
1 cup chopped almonds, or other nuts/seeds

1. Place amaranth, water, and berries in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir, cover, and let simmer about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed.
2. For additional texture, add cooked brown rice, millet, buckwheat, or wheat berries when amaranth is fully cooked.

Granola (yield: ~10 cups)
½ cup barley malt
¼ cup hot water
1 t. salt
2 t. vanilla extract
½ cup melted butter, ghee, or organic unrefined coconut oil
1 cup chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans or mixture
1/2-1 cup sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame seeds
6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 T. ground cinnamon, if desired
1 cup dried blueberries, cranberries, raisins, or other dried fruit, if desired.

1. In a bowl, combine first 5 ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
3. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients.
4. Spread ½” deep on a large baking pan.
5. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree over for about 8 minutes, turning over with a spatula several times until lightly golden brown. All to completely cool.
6. Add dried fruit.
7. Store in an airtight jars.

Buckwheat Cranberry Almond Muffins (or Squares)
¾ cup buckwheat flour
¾ cup stone ground whole wheat flour
1 cup water
2 t. baking powder
2 eggs, well beaten
½ t. salt
4-6 T. honey or maple syrup
¼ cup coconut oil or butter, melted
2 t. vanilla
1 cup dried low-sugar cranberries
½-1 cup slivered almonds.

1. In a bowl, mix dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs and add and mix remaining liquids.
3. Combine and mix wet and dry ingredients.
4. Gently fold in cranberries and almonds.
5. Pour batter into a 8 ½” square well-oiled baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes. Batter can be baked as muffins, reducing the baking time to about 20 minutes.

Barley-Oatmeal Squares
This is a true family favorite. If you don’t have time to make cookies, just put the batter in a greased brownie pan and bake about 20 minutes, depending on the size of the pan and the depth of the batter.
1 cup barley flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
Pinch of salt
½ cup buttermilk
2-3 T. honey
1-2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
½ cup dried cranberries or other dried fruits/nuts

1. Mix wet ingredients.
2. Fold in chocolate chips, dried fruits, nuts
3. Drop by tablespoons onto a well-greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven, about 12 minutes.

Our Favorite Pumpkin Muffins
1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
¼ t. ginger
¼ t. salt
½ cup golden raisins
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs

1. Mix together dry ingredients and raisins.
2. In a large bowl, mix wet ingredients.
3. Add and combine dry into wet ingredients.
4. Fill well-oiled muffin tins 2/3rds full. Bake at 400 or 15-20 minutes. Batter can also be baked in a well-greased pan, for a slightly longer time.

Naturally Sweet Oatmeal-Banana Treats
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
6 cups ripe bananas, mashed
2-3 cups dried fruits, chocolate chips, nuts in whatever combination you wish
1 T. vanilla flavoring
Combine all ingredients and drop by spoonfuls on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350, ~20 minutes.

Peanut Butter/Tahini Muffins (yield: 12 muffins)
2 cups stone ground whole wheat flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/3 cup organic peanut or sesame seed (tahini) butter
¼ cup melted butter, coconut oil, or cold-pressed oil

1. Mix together first 3 ingredients
2. In a separate large bowl combine the remaining ingredients.
3. Add dry to wet ingredients and gently combine.
4. Fill well-oiled muffin pans 2/3rds full and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted and removed is dry. If baking in a pan, allow a bit more time.

Thermos Oatmeal
In a wide-mouth well-insulated thermos, pour boiling water and seal 5 minutes to warm. Pour out water. Add 1 cup boiling water, ¼ steel cut oats, and dried fruits if desired. Stir. Let sit overnight. Enjoy the next morning with milk, butter, nuts, maple syrup, etc.

Recipes: Thinking “Out-of-the-Box”

Hearty Lentil Soup (yield: 10 one-cup servings)
10 cups filtered water or stock
3 cups green lentils
1/4 cup red lentils or equivalent green lentils
2 cups chopped onion
3 bay leaves
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
2 T. minced garlic
2-4 T. olive oil

1. In a large pot, add first 4 ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.
2. Add next ingredients through garlic, stir well, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add olive oil, stir, adjust to taste.

Simple Split Pea Soup (yield: 10 one-cup servings)
2 cups split peas, washed and picked over
9 cups water or stock
1 piece large piece kombu (optional)
1-2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced organic celery
2 t. curry powder or ½ t. ground fennel seeds, to taste
Salt or tamari to taste

1. Wash the peas and place in a large pot with the onions, carrots, celery and stock. Bring to a boil stir, and reduce heat. Cover loosely and let simmer40-60 minutes until peas and vegetables are soft.
2. Add curry powder, fennel seeds, or other seasonings of your choice including salt if using.
3. Soup is finished when peas have cooked to a velvety smoothness. Add tamari and serve.

Thick Split Pea and Brown Rice Soup (serves 6; cooking time 1 hour)
This is adapted from Martha Rose Shulman and the combination of split peas with brown rice provides a complete protein meal. The same result can be had by serving whole grains or whole grain bread with the two simple soup options above.
1 T. butter or ghee
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. curry powder
2 cups split peas, picked over and washed
1 cup brown rice, washed and soaked over night
8 cups stock or water
3 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Heat the butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven and sauté the onion, carrot, and the garlic with the curry powder until the onion is tender.
2. Add the split peas, rice, stock, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour or until the peas are tender.
4. Check and add more water from time to time if needed if soup becomes too thick.
5. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and serve.