The Paleo Mama

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Heirloom Plants – More Than Tomatoes

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Heirloom ingredients are making a comeback and not just in the produce aisle. Prized for flavors and traits that have been preserved for centuries, these “old-world” edibles are popping up in all kinds of packaged goods. Even better than that, homesteaders and heritage farmers around the nation are choosing to grow their own heirloom plants —and that means more than just tomatoes.

If you’ve followed me for any time, you know that our Gather Heritage Farm is committed to raising heritage animals, and heirloom plants and vegetables. I oohed and aahed over my wonderful garden plot of 10 different kinds of heritage tomato plants this last summer. But my gardens have been filled with more than just heirloom tomato plants this year—and I’m already planning on many more next year. I firmly believe that heritage animals and heirloom plants are the seeds of yesterday that will build a better tomorrow.

I want to introduce you to some of heirloom plants and vegetables that have become important to raise for many homesteaders and organic farmers around our nation. Let me begin with a simple definition of what an heirloom plant really is.

In short, heirloom is a designation for produce that hasn’t been crossbred with any other varieties for several generations (how many is a matter of debate, but at least 50 years tends to be a good rule of thumb) and hasn’t been genetically modified. Heritage is essentially the same thing, but for birds and animals. Plenty of people use the terms interchangeably [including me].[1]

Why Grow Heirloom Plants?

Growing heirloom plants is really more than just a trend—for many it’s a cause, a passion, and even considered a revolution by some. There are many reasons for this decision by many, including these:

  1. A desire to preserve and cherish seeds from generations past, sometimes within our own families. I don’t have seeds from my own ancestors’ gardens (I sure wish I did), but I cherish the 75 year-old seeds I now have from a San Marzano tomato that my 94 year old neighbor handed me when I invited him to share Thanksgiving dinner with us last year. He brought these tomato seeds home to his wife when he was serving in Italy during World War 2. 
  2. There are some very practical reasons to use heirloom seeds. They possess a hardiness, disease and pest resistance that has grown over the generations of their existence, which makes them impervious to the things that kill our evolved, improved and genetically modified vegetables in big box supermarkets today.
  3. Another reason to grow heirloom plants is their adaptability to both climate and soil conditions. They have adapted to growing conditions and developed disease resistance over a long period of time. These are highly sought-after traits to us homesteaders and organic gardeners!
  4. However, there is another reason also—an aesthetic one! Give me the imperfectly colored, soft and squishy look of one of my UglyRipe tomatoes any day over the hard, flavorless, plastic tomatoes you buy in stores!
  5. The most important reason for growing heirloom plants and vegetables is the desire to preserve their biodiversity (the existence of a wide variety of the vegetables and plants). For example, one website lists 28 different types of heirloom tomatoes.[2] Things are different in the modern improved world of vegetables. As commercial growers have concentrated on perfecting just a few plants of any one type, many others varieties have gone extinct. The Millennium Seed Bank Partnership estimates that 60,000 -100,000 plant species today are threatened with extinction.[3]

Every gardener raising heirloom plants has his or her own reasons for doing so. Frank and I raise heritage animals and heirloom plants because it allows us to help preserve essential genetic traits, things like self-sufficiency, foraging ability, maternal instincts, and resistance to diseases and parasites. We believe that these plants and breeds store a wealth of genetic resources that are important for tomorrow.

You rarely get satisfaction sitting in an easy chair. If you work in a garden on the other hand, and it yields beautiful tomatoes, that’s a good feeling.

—Dan Buettner

What Types of Heirloom
Vegetables Are Available?

Many heirloom vegetables never make it to a seed catalog or become a food consumed by the average public consumer. These plants have been handed down by families, and often their spread goes no further than to a few family friends. Many heirloom vegetables look nothing like their improved counterpart in today’s supermarkets. But many heirloom plants and seeds are now becoming highly sought for by homesteaders and organic farmers. So I want to list a few of the heirloom vegetables that, although probably a bit strange looking and sounding, are available in online specialty websites.

  • Magenta Sunset Chard—this is a beautiful species with dark green, almost flat leaves, and a magenta stalk.
  • Dragon Tongue Bush Bean—it is a Dutch heirloom that has striking purple stripes mottled over a bright yellow color. They have a unique, clean, vibrant flavor.
  • Weebee Little Pumpkins—these miniature pumpkins can easily fit into the palm of your hand. They have a sweet flavor, and are the perfect size for tea light candles.
  • Sweet Chocolate Peppers—these peppers turn from green to a rich chocolate color as they ripen. They are very sweet in taste, and are a wonderful addition to salads.
  • Violetta Italia Cauliflower—these ae stunning, large, bright purple cauliflowers. They are delicious raw, cooked, or steamed.
  • White Scallop Squash—these are similar to the golden patty pan squash I had in my garden this year. They have a clean white color and a great taste. They can withstand most squash bugs and vine borers.
  • Blue Hopi Corn—this is a dark blue, almost black variety of corn. It is an heirloom from the Hopi Native Americans who ate it as a staple food for thousands of years.
  • Purple Majesty Potato—it has a bright royal purple color on both the outside and the inside. It makes very interesting purple mashed potatoes or purple chips.[4]

These are just a few of the kinds of heirloom vegetables you can find available in specialty seed outlets. I absolutely love and recommend Sow True Seed. This organic seed outlet is local to me but they do ship! Their seeds are ALWAYS open pollinated, non-GMO, and non-hybrid. 

Why Not Consider Raising
Your Own Heirloom Veggies?

tomatoesforme

I encourage you to help preserve these awesome, generations-old, heirloom plants and vegetables. Not all heirlooms have the same wonderful flavor and hardiness if grown outside of their area of origin, so be sure you get some advice from your local gardeners as to which heirlooms are best suited for your region. It may even be possible to get some special seeds from heirloom growers in your area.

We have gotten our entire family involved in gardening and understanding the importance of heirloom plants. Gardening is a perfect family activity, and teaches cooperation and responsibility. Heirloom vegetables have amazing flavors—flavors of times past when food still tasted the way our grandparents remember. Why would you choose to eat flavorless foods if you can enjoy heirloom flavors?

Heirloom seeds aren’t just about gardening. Throughout the centuries they have been intricately linked with medicine, love, romance, exploration, discovery, and poisons. They have been part of history, science, cooking, literature, fairy tales, genetics, and wildlife. They are wrapped up in farming, travel, state fairs, archeology, philosophy, and so much more. When you plant heirloom seeds remember where they’ve been. Keep them going.

—Lynn Coulter, Gardening With Heirloom Seeds[5]

Now the Best—Cooking with
Heirloom Vegetables

Once you’ve tasted something made with the unparalleled flavor of heirloom veggies, I’m betting you will never go back to the boring supermarket flavors. I want to encourage you with a couple of great recipes—buy the heirloom veggie and try these recipes…you’ll definitely want more!

Heirloom Tomato Basil Caprese Salad

This is soooo good! And it requires no cooking, can be made in under 5 minutes, and really looks impressive when you serve it. See for yourself.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick (I recommend a ripe freshly picked one from the garden!)
  • A big ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced thin (I use my homemade mozzarella, but you buy yours at the real cheese counter in your store, or from a farmer’s market
  • Handful of fresh basil
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic dressing
  • Sea Salt

Directions

Arrange sliced tomatoes and cheese on a big plate, overlapping each one slightly. Sprinkle with salt, and let it sit a minute or so to get the juices going. Tear up a few leaves of basil and spread over the top. Drizzle balsamic and olive oil on top.

Mashed Purple Majesty Potatoes

You’ve probably seen these purple potatoes in your supermarket. They have begun appearing more and more. I highly recommend that you purchase them from a reputable organic, heirloom gardener if at all possible. Try making these purple mashed potatoes and watch your family chomp them down.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. purple majesty potatoes, washed
  • 3-4 minced shallots (or green onions)
  • 3-4 TBSP heavy cream (I use our raw milk cream)
  • Fresh parsley
  • Sea salt
  • White or Black pepper

Directions

Cook your potatoes in a large pot of heavily salted water until tender, about 15-18 minutes. If desired you can peel them while still warm, but we prefer to leave the skins on. Gently mash the potatoes, leaving this a little bit chunky. Fold in the shallots, salt and pepper and heavy cream (use only what you need to get the consistency you desire). Finish with a few sprinkles of fresh parsley.  Serve while still warm.

Get Started

Take the time to do your own research and determine what heirloom vegetables you would like to grow. If you do not live on a farm, you can grow heirloom tomatoes in a bit pot sitting in a sunny spot on your patio. Once you taste the flavor of these cherished heirloom veggies, you will want to grow more. Find a local, organic seed supplier or consider purchasing from my favorite seeds supplier! Now is the time to request your free catalog and start planning your spring and summer garden! 

The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.

— Alfred Austin

Heirloom Plants pin

Sources

  1. https://www.planetnatural.com/heirloom-vegetables/
  2. https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/what-are-heirloom-vegetables-heritage-breeds
  3. https://www.planetnatural.com/heirloom-vegetables/

[1] https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/what-are-heirloom-vegetables-heritage-breeds

[2] https://www.greenmarketrecipes.com/tomatoes/types_of_heirloom_tomatoes.htm

[3] https://www.planetnatural.com/heirloom-vegetables/

[4] https://listverse.com/2011/11/11/20-heirloom-vegetables/

[5] https://amzn.to/2eVVXks

Time for a Teatox? The Scoop on Detox Teas

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Generations ago our ancestors had very little reason to be concerned about toxins entering their bodies. They drank pure water and ate fresh, unpolluted organic foods that were grown on land never polluted with chemicals. But things have changed a lot for our generation. Especially in the last 60 years, more toxins have entered our environment that ever before. Toxins lodge is cells, tissue and muscles until our bodies are completely overwhelmed. And a companion problem is the fact that so many necessary nutrients have been completely destroyed in our land, our sources of meat, and our crops of fruits and vegetables. Add that to the fact that most Americans purchase as much as 80-90 percent of their foods, health products, and cleaning supplies from the chemically laden, toxin-filled canned, boxed, and packaged aisles in our grocery stores.

So it’s no big surprise that on many days—for no apparent reason—we feel sluggish, depressed, weak, and suffering from unexplained illnesses. Our bodies are being slowly poisoned because our detox systems are not strong enough to protect our bodies from all the toxins we are piling in.

I want to suggest one way we can begin to rid our bodies of these toxins —using detox teas. Let me quickly add that there is no one miracle way to do this. A detox tea will have little effect unless we are making many more healthy choices to eliminate toxins from our bodies and finding ways to prevent them from ever entering it.

Toxin Tragedies

Before we look at detox teas, let’s find out a bit more about the effect toxins have on our bodies. Here are a few things to think about:

  • Toxins accumulate in fat tissue and breast tissue.
  • Toxins like PCBs and dioxins affect your endocrine system, causing harmful health affects like decreased sperm count and testicular cancer in men, early puberty in girls, endometriosis in women and exposure to high levels of estrogen in babies.
  • Some toxins are persistent and stay in your body for many years.
  • Mothers can pass toxins to babies in the womb or while breastfeeding.
  • Toxins have a stronger effect on children’s developing bodies. Exposure can lead to conditions such as eczema, hives, asthma, headaches, dyslexia, irritability, infections, autism, PDD, ADHD and ADD.
  • Over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the US alone. Adults and children consume these pesticides, causing health problems like heart rate changes, nausea, muscle cramps, confusion, emotional instability, diarrhea, difficulty breathing and even death.
  • Seemingly innocent products like household cleaners and lawn care products contribute to your toxic load. 
  • Most beauty products are loaded with toxins. Your shampoo, toothpaste, body lotion, facial cream and other products may be causing aging and other harmful affects due to toxic chemicals in the ingredients. Even health food store products may contain toxic chemicals.
  • Over time, the daily onslaught of these toxins can clog up your detoxification pathways and lead to illness and dis-ease.[1]

It is so important for our health that we are doing all we can to support the proper function of our detox systems. One way we will look at to do just that is by using detox teas.

detox teas

The Benefits of Detox Teas

Detox teas have been around for years, especially among people who shopped at health-food stores or consulted with alternative practitioners. They’ve become big business today. Social media sites are filled with examples of celebrities, TV shows, and sports/fitness gurus praising their chosen detox tea. Have you ever wondered—“Do they really work? Are they safe?”

What you should know about detox teas

Before I give you some of the benefits, let me just mention some things we should know about detox teas.

  • Detox teas can contain ingredients that cause negative effects for some people. Before using any detox tea, be sure you know the ingredients and be sure you are not allergic to any of them.
  • Detox teas can increase or decrease the absorption of drugs or herbs you are taking at the same time. Be sure you know the side effects of the tea you are taking.
  • The diuretic effects of most detox teas can raise the risk of dehydration in some people.
  • Because many detox teas contain caffeine, it can interfere with getting enough sleep. Avoid them at least six hours before bedtime.

Detox teas need to work in partnership with a healthy diet. In order to really detoxify your body you need to also cut processed and fried foods, up your intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins and healthy fats. Once your diet is clean and gentle on your body, detoxifying teas can begin to do the work of getting rid of those pesky toxins.

Important benefits of detox teas

Now let’s look at some of the healthy benefits to detox tea.

  • Appetite Suppressant—detox teas have the effect of making you feel less hungry, and therefore, less likely to snack.
  • Aide Digestion—the natural compounds in most detox teas aid the digestive process and speed up the emptying of the colon, removing waste from the body.
  • Removes Toxins—the natural herbs in detox teas assist the liver in detoxifying the body of alcohol, caffeine, smoke, and other food additives. They lead to the improved activation of detox enzymes in the liver.
  • Boosts the Immune System—detox teas are high in antioxidants, which shield your body from free radicals that can trigger healthy issues.
  • Increases Metabolism—this allows your body to burn extra calories, even when you are at rest. Detox teas can have a thermogenic effect that burns fat and decreases fat storage in your body.

All of these benefits can get you on the journey to better health.

2016’s Best Detox Teas

detox teas

There are many detox teas available online. Unfortunately, not all of them are made with the purest of ingredients. If you are choosing a detox tea product there are 3 important qualities to watch for.

  • It contains research-proven ingredients.
  • The company making it is based in the USA.
  • It has minimal laxative effect.

Once you have checked these qualities, you can safely use a detox tea product. Some of the teas that have been rated best and healthiest are shown below:

Slimming Leaf Tea Combination —This combination includes one detox tea for daytime, and another for overnight. The teas are made by Cellular Research Institute in the United States. Crucial ingredients are free of exposure to harmful pollutants or toxins.

Green Root Wellness Organic Detox Tea —Rated as one of the Best and most effective cleansing diet tea’s for both Men and Women. 100% Organic Ingredients – Made with only the highest quality green tea and other natural herbal ingredients.

Dr. Stuart’s Hibiscus Ginger Goji Berry Tea —Hibiscus is considered by many to be one of the most powerful natural detoxifying ingredients, and it’s the star of this stimulating and refreshing blend. We make a Fire Cider Cold and Flu tonic using hibiscus (recipe here). 

Traditional Medicinals EveryDay Detox Tea —With ingredients like burdock and dandelion root, this tea helps promote healthy liver function.

MateFit 28-Day Detox Tea —Kiss unhealthy bacteria in the stomach and colon goodbye when you drink this down every other night.

Yogi Detox Tea —This brand has several great detox teas. As one of the brand’s best sellers, this detox tea gently supports the cleansing of organs like the liver and kidneys for an overall healthier you.[2]

DIY Detox Teas

Now you gotta know this could not be a Paleo Mama blog without some DIY recipes. You can make your own detox teas, and I have three recipes for you that could be the perfect solution to clear out those nasty toxins from your body. Here are some recipes for you to try.

Homemade Echinacea Tea

detox teas

Echinacea can be a super herb, both after a detox and generally for immune and system support. It increases the body’s overall ability to dispose of bacteria, infected and damaged cells, toxins and other harmful chemicals. We were fortunate to find that our farm came with a garden patch of Echinacea plants, and as I learned more about this plant, I discovered how useful it can be to help detox our bodies. I want to share with you my favorite Echinacea Tea recipe as well as much more information about the plant and its uses. You will find more information in my Echinacea blog here.

Ingredients

Directions

Simmer 8 ounces of water in a small pot over medium heat. Add the fresh or dried Echinacea. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain tea into a mug and add honey!

 I’ll let you in on a little “Ritz farm” secret—I am really attracted to the wonderful homemade Echinacea tea that I can brew from my perennially blooming Echinacea plants! Please read my blog to find out how to grow and harvest Echinacea, and to find a DIY recipe for Echinacea Tea.

Green Tea Detox Recipe

detox teas

Green tea is one of the most recommended ingredients for natural detoxing. There are many green detox tea recipes online, and one of my favorites is this one.

Ingredients

The ingredients you will use are:

  • Strawberries
  • Cucumber
  • Lemon
  • Green tea bag
  • Honey
  • Water

 To view the whole recipe, please go here. 

Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Tea

I have known the tremendous benefits of apple cider vinegar (with the mother) for a long time, and try to incorporate it into my diet whenever possible. If you have not found out about the magical properties it has, I recommend you begin your own research right now! Aside from aiding your detox, apple cider vinegar can help cure even the gravest of conditions, but for detox purposes you have to drink it. It might be a bit difficult to wash down on its own, so here is a super simple apple cider vinegar detox tea recipe that you can make at home.

Ingredients

Go here to read the directions on how to make this ACV tea! 

“How Do I Use My Detox Tea?”

The many prepared detox tea products available will each have information for how to detox using that tea. But when you make your own detox tea, you may not be confident that you really know how to use it. I want to make a few suggestions for you here.

  1. Morning—as soon as you get out of bed, made a hot cup of your detox tea to wake up your organs and kick-start your metabolism. You can have another cup of the tea about a half hour later, if desired, which will give you the antioxidant, vitamin, and energy boost you need for the rest of the day.
  2. Daytime—throughout the day, drink several cups of your detox tea.
  3. Nighttime—drink a cup of your detox tea. If desired, you could add a teaspoon of a natural herb that has great effectiveness for cleansing your colon. Try Senna, ginger root, cayenne or fennel. This will help to provide you with an overnight colon cleanse.

Follow this routine for 7, 14, or 28 days at a time. Don’t forget to change your food and meal plans for a healthier menu at the same time. You will be surprised at all the benefits you see from this simple commitment to detoxing your body.

If we don’t take care of this, the most magnificent machine that you will ever be given.…where are you going to live?

—Karyn Calabrese

detox-teas
Image credit

[1] https://www.savvy-team.com/hww/the-dangers-of-toxic-deposits-in-your-body/

[2] The six teas mentioned in this section were found at: https://www.bestproducts.com/eats/drinks/g552/best-detox-tea-cleanses/?

“Cheater” Fire Cider Recipe

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We have begun making Fire Cider as a part of our Home and Farm Apothecary.  Fire Cider is a homeopathic fermented tonic, praised for its flavors and its ability to fight off digestive bacteria and digestive problems. It’s a spicy, warming drink that usually contains horseradish, ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper.

Adding fermented foods and drinks to our eating plans is one of the top trending topics currently in health and wellness circles. I’m currently working on a blog post on “Fermented Superfoods,” which I can’t wait to share with you!

Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar created the first Fire Cider in her herbalist school kitchen in the early 1980s. She had a sincere desire to teach her students how to make herbal preparations that were as much food as they were medicines. Fire Cider was one of the early cross over recipes that came from her constant experimentation in medicinal herbalism.

I am so grateful for the contribution of herbalists like Rosemary Gladstar and my own herbalist instructor, Juliet Blankespoor of Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, who are helping people like me and others who are interested in knowing better how to use the natural herbs and plants of the earth to maximize the health of our families. I will tell you more about the great Herbalism school I attend in the post below.

What Is Fire Cider?

Fire Cider is a spicy hot deliciously sweet vinegar tonic. It is an especially healthy tonic to have available during the fall and winter months when seasonal colds and flus are creating havoc with many people’s health. 

When I first heard of Fire Cider and its variety of ingredients my first thought was the same of many others, “You want me to drink THAT?” The base ingredients include:

  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Ginger
  • Horseradish
  • Hot peppers

Believe me, you would probably want to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth before you got too close to your loved ones after Fire Cider made only with those ingredients! There are plenty of other herbs that can be thrown in, with everyone opting to add in their own favorite choices. You can take Fire Cider straight—by the spoonful (or swig)—and I’ll share my favorite recipe for how to make that below.

Health Benefits of Fire Cider

The many health benefits of fire cider come from the ingredients used to make it. Let me list a few of the ingredients, showing each ingredient’s health benefits.

  • Horseradish—it has many antibacterial properties, and is used to fight bacteria. I stimulates digestion, and increases gastric secretions and appetite. It’s also a good diuretic, promoting perspiration, which is useful in treating colds, fevers, and flu. It is also an expectorant and mild antibiotic, useful with both respiratory and urinary tract infections.
  • Ginger—it helps to warm the stomach, ease vomiting and nausea, and fight off colds, chills, and cough. It is useful for all kinds of congestion in the body.
  • Garlic—it supports the immune function, and opens the pores, which helps to lower fever. It has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that are useful in treating kidney and bladder infections, yeast infections, strep throat and ear infections.
  • Cayenne—this herb is useful for increasing circulation. It also helps to get phlegm flowing. It is often used as a digestive aid to stimulate gastric juices. Many people have even found that cayenne can give relief from migraines.[1]
  • Raw Apple Cider Vinegar—there are many benefits to apple cider vinegar. The primary ones include: it can kill many types of bacteria, preventing them from multiplying or reaching harmful levels; it lowers blood sugar levels and fights diabetes; it lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease; and it may have protective effects against cancer.[2]
  • Honey—it has been called “liquid gold” because of its numerous benefits. A simple list of some include:
    • Alleviates allergies
    • Is an excellent source of all-natural energy
    • Boosts memory
    • Is a cough suppressant
    • Aid in sleeping
    • Treats dandruff
    • Can be used to treat wounds and cuts
  • Turmeric—this is one of the world’s healthiest foods. While once focused on anti-inflammatory benefits, decreased cancer risk, and support of detoxification, studies on turmeric intake now include its potential for improving cognitive function, blood sugar balance, and kidney function, as well as lessening the degree of severity associated with certain forms of arthritis and certain digestive disorders.[3]

So it’s easy to recognize why you want to have some fire cider ready when those achy, stuffy feelings appear suddenly. As for me, I just like to enjoy a dose of fire cider for no better reason than the homey, comforting and relaxing feelings it wakes up in me whenever I drink it.

They say food is the best medicine. In some cases, that truism can be taken quite literally.

My Favorite Fire Cider Recipe

I feel very honored that my Herbalist Instructor, Juliet Blankespoor of Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, has given me permission to share her Hibiscus Pomegranate Cheater Fire Cider recipe with you. I made this for my medicine making course and just LOVED it so much that I didn’t want to recreate my own or alter it in any way. Two of her main ingredients are: 

  • Hbiscus leaves (where to buy)—they help to clear harmful and unwanted toxins from your body, are a good skin cleanser, regulate hormonal balance, and boost energy. They give this fire cider the beautiful, deep red hue that makes it extra special!
  • Pomegranate—they reduce arthritis and joint pain, lower blood pressure, fight bacterial infections, and improve memory. You can use either the fruit or POM juice for this recipe. 

I have already given you (above) the health benefits for the other base ingredients used.

Image of Hibiscus taken by Juliet Blankespoor

In April, I applied for Juliet’s herbal medicine school and I have enjoyed every, single second of it. As an avid essential oil user, I debated back-and-forth about going to an aromatherapist school or an herbalist school. But since we have a farm and garden and I love growing things, I wanted to learn all about soil, plant propagation and the medicinal benefits of herbs that I can cultivate and grow in my own garden. I haven’t been disappointed one bit! This online herbalism school is even based out of my growing zone, which is helpful, but not important. Juliet is extremely detailed and her photography skills are incredible (which is very helpful when looking at parts of plants). 

The herbal immersion program is 1-2 years long and you have the option of earning an “herbalist” certificate. There is a shorter program for those who just want to learn some herbal medicine making and I would recommend that to anyone who wants to learn more about salves, tonics, body butters, beginning tincturing, and so much more. 

“Cheater” Fire Cider Recipe

re-posted with permission. Original recipe posted here. 

hibiscus-fire-cider-bb2

Let’s take a look at the recipe for this fire cider.  You will notice that this is a recipe for cheater fire cider. Why?  Typically fire cider is made by using a fermenting process of placing the ingredients in a glass jar and letting it sit for six weeks. This recipe is a one-day affair and you can use the cider made with this recipe immediately (especially helpful if you are making this because you are sick). If you would rather make a stronger cider by using the traditional fermenting time, you can use this same recipe, but hold the pomegranate juice to be added right before you strain the cider. You would also skip the heating part.

Juliet’s recipe makes eight to ten 8-ounce bottles, but since I know most of you are going to be making this for just home-use, I’m going to give you the amounts to make 2 8-ounce bottles. Double, triple or quadruple the recipe if you are making it for gifts!. This milder, sweeter Hibiscus pomegranate Fire Cider is a great way to become herbally initiated to its taste. (IDEA: it would make a great Holiday gift.) 

Ingredients

Directions: 

  1. Peel the garlic, and coarsely chop the onions, horseradish, and turmeric. Place them in a food processor or blender, along with the cayenne, with enough apple cider vinegar to cover. Blend carefully with the lid on, and take care not to let fumes or slurry enter your eyes.
  2. Place the slurried spiciness in a double boiler. Don’t have one? Nest a smaller pot in a bigger pot or saucepan and use a couple of upside-down mason jar rings to keep the inside pot up off the outside one. Add a little water to the outside pot and voila – double boiler! Add the rest of the apple cider vinegar to the slurry and keep the heat on low, with the lid on! Let the mixture heat on low (don’t let it get above 120 degrees) for three hours, stirring once in a while. Again, careful with the fumes!!!!
  3. Meanwhile, back at the bat cave, peel your oranges and de-seed the pomegranates, sneaking off a nibble or two. Put on an old apron and mash the pomegranates and oranges with a potato masher in the sink.
  4. After a couple hours, taste the slurry. If it’s too mild for your fire cider pleasure, this is your chance to add more of the spicy herbs and cook for one more hour. After three hours of total cook time, turn off the heat and add the hibiscus and the juicy pomegranate/orange mixture. Let sit for one hour and check the color- if it’s too light in color add more hibiscus. When the cider is a beautiful red, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or potato ricer. If it’s not a deep red, then throw some more hibiscus flowers in there until you get the color you desire.
  5. You will need to squeeze out or press the slurry, or you will loose a great deal of the medicine. Add the honey and mix well, making sure all the honey is dissolved. Place in clear glass jars, label and refrigerate. 

I love this Cheater Fire Cider recipe, and I’m pretty sure you will too. The dosage is one teaspoon as needed. My husband and I take one swig a day during the fall and winter months. If one of us is sick, we will take multiple swigs a day. 

This fire cider is TOO spicy for children. I recommend giving children (over 12 months) Elderberry Syrup during the fall and winter months. You can see my Elderberry Syrup recipe here. 

Get Started

This fire cider is one more healthy addition to your conscious effort to eat (or drink) more health-filled fermented foods. Get started now on your journey to better health.

A healthy body is a guest-chamber for the soul; a sick body is a prison.

—Francis Bacon

cheater fire cider

Sources

  1. https://www.healingspiritsherbfarm.com/recipe/fire-cider
  2. https://mountainroseblog.com/fire-cider/
  3. https://modernfarmer.com/2015/12/cold-remedies-fire-cider/

[1] These first four ingredient were adapted from: https://www.healingspiritsherbfarm.com/recipe/fire-cider

[2] https://authoritynutrition.com/6-proven-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/

[3] https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78

What’s the Matcha Tea Craze All About?

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Matcha tea —the green powdered tea imported from Japan—has become one of the trendiest new superfoods. Most of us had never heard of it until one day we discovered that it was one of the hottest talking points in health and wellness websites. Matcha tea has been a part of Chinese and Japanese cultures for centuries, and is now taking the Western world by storm.

I heard about it a couple of years ago, and even prepared a guest blog from one blogger who had created a yummy version of Matcha tea—her Matcha Mate Almond Latte—to help her wean herself off her near addiction to black tea and coffee (Here).

Today, I want to explore just what it is that is driving the current Matcha Tea craze. We’ll look at:

  • Just what Matcha tea is.
  • What Matcha Tea’s superfood health benefits are.
  • How to enjoy Matcha Tea for yourself.

Just What Is Matcha Tea?

For many people, enjoying Matcha Tea is much more than benefitting from its health benefits—it is an experience. The moments spent with a warm cup of Matcha Tea in hand allow the person to experience positive mental wellbeing because of the tea’s cultural focus on meditation and spirituality. One leading tea expert and author sums it up this way: “Matcha is unique not only for its healthfulness and flavor, but because it combines the contradictory attributes of novelty and tradition.”[1]

Matcha is the tea used in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony known as chado. The formal ritual of chado is designed to lead toward spiritual awakening through four principles: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.[2] This is a positive concept to adopt, one that will allow us to slow down and cultivate a greater inner peace and outer harmony. In our American fast-paced, stress-filled culture, taking the time to unplug is a real luxury, and drinking Matcha Tea has become one way to do that. Even preparing the tea takes time—the water must be heated to just the right temperature, and the powder must be sifted, scooped, and whisked into a frothy frenzy before it’s ready to consume.

The Health Benefits of Matcha Tea

Matcha is much more than just another green tea.

  • It has a high concentration of polyphenols, catechins, and antioxidants. With these high concentrations, if can prevent cancer, help burn fat faster, and increase brain power.
  • It contains theanine, which has been shown to increase the natural levels of serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glycine in our bodies. This can lead to reduced mental and physical stress.
  • Its green color indicates that it has a high amount of chlorophyll, just like broccoli, spinach, kale and other leafy greens.
  • It contains a powerful amount of caffeine, making it a great alternative to less healthy caffeinated sugary beverages. The caffeine helps to improve alertness and cognitive functioning, all while being healthy too.
  • It has even stronger obesity-fighting potential than regular green tea. It can significantly reduce hypertension.[3]

These are just a few of the benefits to drinking Matcha Tea. There are practical benefits too, things like:

  • It relaxes you without making you sleepy.
  • It delivers caffeine into the bloodstream in a much more measured way than coffee.
  • Its caffeine effects last up to 4-6 hours, compared to coffee’s high and then quick crash.
  • There is evidence that it has some weight loss benefits.

Its Cautions

There are many benefits to drinking this tea, but there are also some cautions. Matcha tea is highly concentrated, and contains about three times as much powerful antioxidants as regular green tea, and as much caffeine as coffee. When you drink Matcha, you are drinking a suspension of ground leaves infused in water, which is different than a regular cup of tea where you steep the tea and then remove the tea leaves.

When you buy matcha tea powder (or leaves), stick to matcha teas grown in Japan that have been tested for the presence of heavy metals. The tea from China is grown is soil contaminated with lead, which will absort into the leaves. Also look for good-quality matcha, which is bright, vivid green and has a fine powdery consistency. Avoid anything yellowish or coarse—it will not taste good.

How to Choose a Good Matcha:

Good matcha tea is expensive, costing anywhere from $25-$33 an ounce (a tin of 30 grams). Anything cheaper is not likely to have a good flavor. A 30-gram tin will give you about 30 cups of tea.

Also avoid the Americanized version of prepared matcha tea now popular. They are likely to have lots of added sugar which completely ruins the Matcha. I prefer to purchase my Matcha Tea from a Japanese source and labeled “ceremonial grade” (click here to buy). I spend a little extra for a high quality brand because I look at Matcha as more of a superfood and supplement than an actual drink.

I also make sure I use my small Matcha scoop and whisk so I use the exact amount of recommeded Matcha per cup! 

How to Enjoy Matcha Tea for Yourself

Image credit to Flickr
Image credit to Flickr

Why not try making your own experience with a cup of warm, healthy matcha tea? Remember—it’s an experience, not a quick pick-me-up! Once you have tried it, no doubt you will want to continue this relaxing experience.

Step 1: Fill a kettle with water and heat. Don’t bring to a boil 

Step 2: Add (or sift) 1 teaspoon of matcha to a bowl. 

Step 3: Add 2 oz of hot water (not boiling) to the bowl. I use my matcha spoon to add the perfect amount. 

Step 4: Whisk until the tea is frothy using your bamboo (or wire) whisk. 

Step 5: Add 4 more oz of hot water, stir, and enjoy! Drink it out of the bowl or pour it into a mug. 

There are many ways to enjoy Matcha Tea. Here are just a few:

  1. Try Iced Matcha Milk, using almond milk or coconut milk for a healthy, unique tasting drink.
  2. Instead of adding sugar to your coffee, use high-quality matcha to add a sweet aftertaste with an antioxidant boost.
  3. If you like buttered coffee as much as I do, try adding a tsp. of matcha powder to your buttered morning coffee. What a way to start your day!
  4. Add a bit to naturally sweet Tabbouleh (bulgur, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil). Add it to your recipe when you add the tomatoes and parsley.
  5. Blend a little matcha powder into the cream cheese you top your bagel with in the morning.
  6. Make a creamy spread to use on sandwiches and burgers by chopping and steaming a bunch of kale, then blending in ½ tsp matcha powder and ½ cup walnut. Use your food processor to complete the spread.
  7. Stir a little matcha into your guacamole recipe just before you mash the ingredients together.

 

Matcha Mate Almond Latte

My guest blogger created this energizing and yummy to distract herself from morning coffee cravings. 

Ingredients

  • Yerba Mate—this is a traditional South American tea made from the dried leaves of the yerba mate plant.
  • Matcha—the superfood green powder we’ve been introducing in this post.
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • Sweetener—a touch of honey or maple syrup balances the mild bitterness of the matcha.
  • Flavoring—the recipe used cardamom, but you could also try pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla, or almond extract. If you love essential oils like I do, add your favorite essential oil flavor.

You can follow the recipe directions in the blog to make this warm and creamy morning drink. Click here to see the full recipe! 

 

Get Started

Any current trend got its claim to fame as more and more people tried it. Matcha Tea is one of the top ten trends in the health and wellness fields right now, so it’s obvious that a lot of people have tried it—and stuck with it. Why not give it a try yourself?

There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.

—Lin Yutang

image credit
image credit

Sources

  1. https://hauteliving.com/2016/07/a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-latest-matcha-craze/616857/
  2. https://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/2/11/8006039/everything-you-need-to-know-about-matcha
  3. https://vibrantwellnessjournal.com/2015/10/19/matcha-green-tea-food-trend/

[1] Quoted by James Norwood Pratt.

[2] https://www.huffingtonpost.com/christie-carmelle-lopez/get-it-while-its-hot-matc_b_9117056.html

[3] These health benefits adapted from: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/matcha-craze

Avocado 101 – Everything You Need to Know

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Avocados have broken out of the bowl—they’re no longer found only in guacamole! The bumpy-skinned fruit (yes, avocado is a fruit) has taken America by storm. The sales of Hass avocados, which make up more than 95 percent of all avocados consumed in the United States, soared to a record of nearly 1.9 billion pounds (or some 4.25 billion avocados) in 2014—four times as many as sold in 2000.[1]

Fast food restaurants are now offering them with their sandwiches, avocado bars are cropping up in the west, even President Obama has tweeted about them,[2] and this morning (at a time when television is frustratingly overfilled with elections, violence, crime, and the Chicago Cubs), as I watched a bit of the news before starting this post, the lowly guacamole was right up there in the morning news! There’s a national avocado shortage right now and people are freaking out because they love their avocados so much. 

So I thought it was good timing to get on the bandwagon and share my own thoughts and findings about one of my favorite foods. Yes, I love avocados, and have been using them for much more than just guacamole for a couple years—although guacamole is one of my favorite things!

10 Health Benefits of Avocado

In an earlier post I wrote about 10 health benefits to avocados. Let me briefly list them here:

  1. Benefits in pregnancy. Avocados are a natural source of folate which contains folic acid and is important for the development of a healthy fetus. Synthetic versions of folic acid are recommended for all women who are planning to get pregnant; eating avocados is a simpler and tastier option!
  2. Avocados are brimming with ‘good’ fats. You may have heard that you should avoid avocados due to their high fat content. This is not quite the case. While they are very high in fat (and calories) these are monounsaturated fats or ‘good fats’. They assist good heart health and help to lower blood pressure. The monounsaturated fats found in avocados can also help to reverse insulin resistance which can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.
  3. Fantastic source of Vitamin E. Avocados are the fruit with the highest level of Vitamin E (yes avocados are a fruit!) Vitamin E is an essential vitamin and helps to maintain overall health. Vitamin E also has positive effects on heart disease, stroke, cancer prevention, and development of cataracts and is widely claimed to have anti-aging properties.
  4. Source of dietary fiber. Avocados contain both soluble and insoluble fiber meaning they help to reduce cholesterol levels by preventing re-absorption, help to maintain bowel function and can assist the body to avoid blood sugar spikes after meals.
  5. You know exactly what you’re getting when you buy an avocado. At the time of writing there are no genetically modified avocado crops. Avocados have such a thick skin that the inner fruit is protected from pesticides making the cost of organic avocados something you can easily bypass.
  6. Avocados are a ‘brain food’. Dr. Daniel G. Amen considers them one of the best brain-healthy foods that you can consume to help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Omega 3 fatty acids as well as Vitamin E are naturally occurring in avocados and have been clinically proven to stop Alzheimer’s disease from progressing and possibly even reversing the very early stages. 
  7. Better nutrient absorption. Adding avocado to a meal has been found to increase the amount of carotenoids absorbed from that meal by up to 5 times. Carotenoids include beta carotene and lycopene which are important nutrients for good health. This increase is through to be due to nutrients and enzymes in avocados that reduce stomach inflammation and inflammation in the small intestine’s mucous lining. So you not only get the powerhouse of nutrients contained in the avocado but you get greater benefits from the foods you choose to eat with it.
  8. May aid in stroke prevention. The high folate levels that are beneficial to pregnant women may also play a part in reducing the incidence of stroke. Those who eat diets that contain a lot of folate have been shown to suffer stroke far less than those who eat less folate in their everyday diet.
  9. Reduction of cholesterol. One study has shown a 17% decrease in cholesterol levels for participants who ate increased amounts of avocado for just one week. Researchers believe this is due to beta-sitosterol which has previously been found to assist in lowering cholesterol levels.
  10. Protection for your eyes. Eating avocados can increase your levels of Lutein which protects against macular degeneration and the formation of cataracts. Further research is needed to determine exactly what it is that may assist in eye protection.

But there are many more benefits to eating avocado than those ten listed above. Let’s look at a few more:

  • Good digestion—they soothe the intestine and help to keep it running smoothly. The fiber in avocados helps to ensure the smooth passage of food through the intestinal tract.
  • Dental Care—consuming avocados helps to prevent bad breath, and have been connected with preventing oral cancer.
  • Skin and Hair Care—the nutrient-dense benefits are fantastic for enriching skin that is dry, chapped or damaged.
  • Healthy Eyes—the carotenoids in avocados protect your eyes against cataracts and eye diseases related to aging.
  • Healthy Heart—they help to prevent atherosclerosis and reduce hypertension.
  • Arthritis—the anti-inflammatory properties and wide range of phytochemicals, flavonoids, carotenoids, phytosterols, fatty alcohols, and omega-3 fatty acids make avacodos one of the best foods for getting rid of inflammation in tissues, joints, and muscles.

These are just a few of the reasons why Americans are eating billions of this tasty fruit every year. Of course one of the biggest reasons—at least in my thinking—is the scrumptious taste and flavor of avocados.

Ways to Use Guacamole on Your Body

Don’t think that the only way you can use guacamole is as an ingredient in a food item. There are dozens of ways to use avocados that you can find online. Here’s a few.

  1. Avocado Face Mask—avocado is rich in fatty acids and makes a great natural moisturizer for dry of unbalanced skin. With winter coming on, this would be a great time for you to add this face mask to your winter beauty regimen. You can find the recipe here. 
  2. Avocado Hair Oil—avocado oil can seal in moisture, get rid of the frizzies, and prevent split ends in your hair. It is rich in vitamins and protein. Try making this Avocado Hair Oil  to use after washing and conditioning your hair. Apply a few drops and comb it through. You’ll love the smooth, soft, hydrated feel of your hair.
  3. DIY Avocado Foot Scrub—it’s not only the fruit of the avocado that is useful, you can make an exfoliating foot scrub using the peel and ground up pit. Maybe your feet are rough and calloused from summertime barefoot walking. Or maybe you have alligator soles year round and need to soften them. Try this DIY Avocado Foot Scrub recipe.
  4. Get rid of the bags under your eyes—Have you tried expensive creams and lotions and are still left with those ugly bags under your eyes? Simply peel an avocado, remove the pit, and slice quarter-inch crescents. Just lie down for about 20 minutes while placing a slice under each eye. (Don’t forget to use the remaining slices in your favorite recipes.)
  5. Avocado Baby Food—avocados are often called one of nature’s perfect foods because they are said to contain everything a person needs to survive. They are a great first food for baby due to their texture and creaminess. I gave my kids avocado long before many other “baby-appropriate” foods, and they loved them, and still do. You can find all the information you need for introducing avocados to your baby here. 

The Many Ways to Eat Avocados

You knew I’d get to the good part about eating them. There are so many ways to use avocados in recipes that I can’t begin to cover all of them. You can do your own research online—believe me, you won’t be disappointed!

I want to give you a list of some food options, and then I’ll share three of my favorite recipes with you.

Food Options

(You will find recipes for each item here.) 

  • Make vegan mayonnaise (or just use avocado in place of mayo.)
  • Bake cheesy skillet pizza bread
  • Make Banana Avocado Pudding
  • Freeze it into popsicles
  • Bake an egg in it
  • Grill it
  • Stuff it
  • Make low-carb, dairy-free mint chocolate chip ice cream.
  • Make guacamole hummus
  • Blend it into pesto
  • Use it as a base for cold soup
  • Substitute it in creamy salad dressings
  • Make frosting
  • Turn it into cheese-less cheesecake
  • Mix it in mashed potatoes
  • Use it in risotto
  • Eat avocado pancakes for breakfast
  • Make fried avocado tacos

Now I want to share three of my favorite ways to eat quacamole.

Jackie’s Guaciled Eggs

I was trying to figure out something to bring to a pot-luck one time, and I thought deviled eggs would be very Paleo-friendly, and even those who weren’t sticking to a specific food plan would enjoy it. In comes my idea for Guaciled Eggs!

Ingredients

  • 8 Boiled eggs – cut in half lengthwise and yolks removed. Here a post I did on my sneaky way to peel those annoying farm fresh eggs. 
  • 3-4 TB lemon juice
  • 2 TS of dried mustard
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • About 1/4 cup of Guacamole (I use Wholly Guacamole or make your own)
  • Paprika

Directions

I threw the egg yolks in the food processor and added the guacamole. I pulsed it a few times to combine and then added the lemon juice until it was the consistency I wanted. Then I threw in the spices, scooped the mixture in the egg whites, and added some paprika on top! It was delicious!!!

Fudgy Avocado Brownies

If you love chocolate as much as I do, then you are going to want to make these creamy, rich, decadent, thick, gooey, appetizing, exquisite, dense, heavenly, savory, succulent, sumptuous, yummy, fudgiest, chocolately brownies EVER! This is not my own recipe, but I highly recommend you try them. You will love them. Besides delicious avocados, you will use dark chocolate, coconut oil or butter, almond flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and eggs. You can even top them with the avocado frosting recipe you can find online in the list above. This delicious recipe can be found here. 

Baked Avocado and Egg

OK, I know the avocado brownie recipe was just a little bit hyped! You probably won’t make them every day. But this recipe for a breakfast dish using avocado and egg is something that would start you out with a healthy, delicious breakfast any day you try it. They are easy to prepare, and you can bake them while you are getting school lunches made or completing your morning chores.

Ingredients

  • 1 avocado (per two people)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
  • A sprinkle of your favorite spicy spice (We love red pepper on ours)
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • A little feta cheese (optional)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut each avocado in half, removing the pit. Crack an egg into each avocado hole. If the hole looks too small, scoop out a bit of the fruit before adding the egg. Season each half with spicy spice, sea salt and pepper. Put the halves in a glass baking dish and bake approximately 15 minutes. Check to be sure the egg is done the way you prefer before removing from oven. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and feta cheese, and dig in.

Get Started

If you’ve never tried eating avocado any way but in guacamole then it’s time you got creative. It’s one of the healthiest and tastiest things you can do for you and your family.

Holy Guacamole—Soooo delicious

avocado

Sources

  1. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-avocado.html
  2. https://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/ways-to-avocado?utm_term=.qb8jZqG2W#.jqnG61KDb 
  3. Natural Blaze

[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/01/22/the-sudden-rise-of-the-avocado-americas-new-favorite-fruit/

[2] https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/616338528138608640

Souping – A Healthier Alternative to Juicing

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For years the best-known body system cleanse has been juicing. Juicing involves extracting the juice from fruits and vegetables using a cold-press juicer. The juice is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and phytonutrients all in one easy drink. Juice cleanses have been widely used to cleanse the body and often are suggested as a sporadic fast of several days detox the body and kick start body systems into optimal function. But there have been negatives to juicing, including: the high cost of the fruits and vegetables as well as the expensive juicer you need to prepare the juices; negative symptoms like dizziness, headaches, weakness, and overwhelming hunger; and the high sugar/low fiber content of the juices after pressing.

What Is Souping?

Let’s start with this definition for souping:

It is a soup-only cleanse to heal and nourish your body with wholesome ingredients. It allows your body to detox naturally while simultaneously reducing inflammation, giving your body the nutrients it needs, and increasing circulation.[1]

Today many people have found juice cleanses to be too extreme, and are discovering that souping promises an easier detox than a juice cleanse. Just as there are many different approaches to juicing, so too there are many suggested approaches for souping. These include:

  • A 24-hour raw cleanse
  • A 3-day boost to your digestive system cleanse
  • The 5-day soup cleanse,
  • Following a prescribed program of specific soups
  • Choosing or making the soups you use for the cleanse

Each of these approaches share one common feature—you eat only soup for every meal of the day, and you follow this regimen for a chosen number of days.

I can easily see why souping is growing in popularity. There is nothing more soothing to me than a warm, tasty, homemade soup made with homemade bone broth (recipe here).  I want to take a closer look at this newer trend, and see if we can see what all the excitement is about!

What’s Healthier: Souping or Juicing?

Which is healthier is somewhat of a preference choice of the individual considering a cleanse. There are benefits and downsides to both. Take a look at some of the qualities of each in the table below: 

Souping Juicing
Offers variety Raw only product
Can be served in hot, warm or cold Served fresh (cold)
Contains fiber Almost no fiber, very high in carbohydrates and sugar
Contains proteins Enormous amounts of vitamins and minerals
Made from: fruits, vegetables, legumes, and even meat Made from vegetables and fruits only
More effective in suppressing hunger Easier to digest
More appropriate for long-term cleanses More appropriate for short-term cleanses
Lower in calories Higher in calories

Many people find that souping is more economical—if you are making your own soups. If you have tried juicing in the past, no doubt you’ve discovered that it takes a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables to get only a couple glasses of juice. Soups are really inexpensive to make, and you don’t need an expensive piece of equipment to make soup. In addition, you can store your soup in the fridge for several days, and for months in the freezer. Soups will not leave you feeling hungry, and you can use a wide variety of herbs, spices, and broth to make your soup.

How Many Days Do I Stay on the Soup Cleanse

There are a number of Soup Cleanse Programs that provide the soups you use and prescribe the number of days you stay on them, including:

  1. Splendid Spoon Soup Cleanse 
  2. Soupure 
  3. Dr. Oz’s 3-Day Souping Detox 
  4. Soupelina 
  5. Café West Express 

While these canned programs are handy to use and provide you with low calorie, low sodium, fiber-rich soups, you will find that they are pretty expensive to use. Since making soup is so easy, it is my recommendation that you take the plunge into making your own great tasting and often healthier homemade soups to use.

If you are making your own soups, and not following a Soup Cleanse Program the number of days you continue eating soups is up to you. However, like any other low-calorie plan, it is not advised that you eat only soups for more than a week or so.

What Kinds of Soup Do I Use?

Soup cleanses uses vegetables that are super low on the glycemic scale, which are also packed with fiber. Great veggies to include are: onions, beets, carrots, cauliflower, spinach, and dark, leafy greens and root vegetables. You can add fruits, legumes, and even meat, but this will raise the calorie count, so only 2-4 ounces of protein or legumes are recommended for each serving of soup.

The options are wide open for what you should include in your detox soup. You will want to use the healthiest, freshest ingredients possible. Stay away from any creamed soups, soups loaded with things like beans and beef (think chili), and soups filled with complex carbohydrates like root vegetables. Don’t add any grains (pasta, noodles) to your detox soups.

You can find many recipes for detox soups online. Note: One very important recommendation from me: Use only homemade bone broth as the base for your soups. Some of the variety of soups include:

  1. Vegetable only soup—There are dozens of good vegetable soup recipes online. One that you might want to consider can be found here. 
  2. Chicken Detox Soup—Chicken soup is loved by almost everyone, and it really doesn’t take a recipe to make. I love using my homemade bone broth, and throwing it into my slow cooker with some carrots, celery, maybe some onion, and my favorite spices (parsley, basil, rosemary, turmeric). But if you prefer to use a recipe, here is one that makes a great chicken detox soup. 
  3. Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup—Traditionally this soup is made with pork or beef. I recommend using chicken or portabello mushrooms instead. You can find a recipe here.
  4. Potassium Balancing Soup—Potassium is one nutrient that can be lacking in a diet. This detox soup pays extra attention to it, and can bring it back into balance.
  5. Detox Green Machine Soup—This soup is all vegetables and herbs blanched, then pureed into a healthy, low-cal, detoxifying soup. (Here) 
  6. Carrot, Cumin and Ginger Detox Soup—Carrots are a good source of antioxidant Vitamin A and fiber. Cumin and ginger have curative properties and act as a cleansing agent for the body. You will find the recipe here. 

Why Should I Consider a Soup Cleanse?

Are feeling lethargic and fuzzy-headed? Have you gradually slipped off the healthy eating wagon and fell into a habit of eating unhealthy “Comfort” foods? Do you want to get healthier and to live a longer, more vibrant life? Are you trying to heal a chronic condition? Then cleansing is essential to your health and longevity. There are so many benefits to cleansing, including:

  • More energy
  • Healthier hair, skin and nails
  • Less frequent colds and flu
  • Reduced risk for chronic disease
  • Mental clarity and a sense of wellbeing
  • Freedom from food cravings
  • Freedom from joint and muscle pain and headaches
  • Sound and restful sleep
  • No more digestive distress
  • Enhanced libido
  • A much younger and more energetic body[2]

My Favorite Soup Recipes

I want to help you get started by sharing three of my favorite soup recipes. These will get you started, and are inexpensive and easy to make. Try them—you will like them!

1. Homemade Bone Broth

Homemade bone broth will be the base for just about any detox soup you make. I am absolutely passionate about making bone broth, and I make it at least once a week, using the bones from our own harvested chickens, or bones I’ve begged or purchased from neighbors, farm stands, farmer’s markets, and have even been known to beg for them from restaurants. I use either my slow cooker or instant pot to make the soup, which actually makes itself—all I have to do is throw the ingredients into the pot.

Items Needed

  • Slow cooker or Instant Pot (the instant pot is my preferred method now)
  • Approximately 2-3  good quality, organic bones (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, etc)
  • 1-2 Tbsp. of raw, apple cider vinegar (like this one) 
  • Vegetable scraps: I use 1 onion, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot, 3 cloves garlic, 1 in knob of ginger, handful of herbs, salt and pepper

Instructions for Slow Cooker: 

Turn your slow cooker to high. Add your bones and vegetable scraps. Add raw apple cider vinegar (vinegar helps to extract minerals from the bones, but can alter the taste of the broth, so go easy with it). Add water to cover the bones, leaving about 1 inch of room at the top. Let it cook for 24 hours at least—48 hours or longer is ideal.

Allow it to cool a bit, and then pour it through a strainer and allow to cool fully. If you’ve used a lot of bones, your broth will gel in the fridge, but don’t fret if it doesn’t gel.

Instructions for Instant Pot (preferred method): 

Add your bones, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, onion, ginger, and apple cider vinegar to your Instant Pot. Add water to cover the bones. Press the “soup” button and adjust the time to 90 minutes. Allow it to naturally release. Cool for a little bit and pour it through a strainer and allow to cool fully. If you used a lot of bones, your broth will gel in the fridge, but don’t fret if it doesn’t gel (mine always gels in my Instant Pot…never in my Slow cooker). 

2. Homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup

There is nothing better than homemade chicken soup to soothe a cold or sniffles or to gobble up on a cold, blustery day. My homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup is adapted to the combination of spices and vegetables that my family loves. You can specialize it to your own preferences for your detox soup.

Ingredients

  • 4-5 cups of homemade chicken bone broth
  • 2-3 lbs. cut up or shredded chicken (we often use leftovers)
  • 2-3 cups carrots, chopped
  • 1-2 cups celery, chopped
  • ½ cup onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp, ginger, grated (or use ½ tsp. ginger spice)
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ Tbsp. basil
  • ½ Tbsp. parsley
  • 1 tsp. turmeric
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • About 3-4 cups water

Instructions

Put your chicken broth in a crock pot and add your chopped vegetables and spices. Add water to cover your ingredients and leave an inch of water or so above the ingredients (depends on how juicy you want your soup). Cover the crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 6-8 hours. Remove the chicken and shred it (if it wasn’t already shredded). Add it back to the crock pot and cook on low an additional hour. Adjust the salt and pepper before you serve it.

3. Homemade Turkey Soup

I love having enough leftover turkey after a great Thanksgiving meal to make some homemade turkey soup. My mother made sure she bought the biggest turkey available, and make turkey broth the day before Thanksgiving so she could throw the soup together right from the Thanksgiving table. I recommend my homemade turkey soup for anytime—not only during the holidays.

Ingredients

Instructions

Put turkey stock in crock pot. Add spices and cut up vegetables. Mix well into stock. Cook on low 3-4 hours. Add reserved turkey pieces (cut into bite size pieces), and continue cooking 1-2 more hours. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. This makes a great detox soup, and it freezes well.

Get Started

So…is the new trend of souping something you want to try. It is a pretty flexible plan, and you can make your choices of nutritious, low-calorie soups. Research online to find some of the best recipes you can for your family. You can soup cleanse for 3-7 days, eating only soups for each meal, or you can choose to eliminate one meal and substitute soup. Be sure that you are consuming only the most nutritious, healthy soups and/or other meal items. Be sure you drink lots of water while you are on the cleanse. This will help to move the toxins out of your body. I guarantee that when you finish, the negative symptoms that made you begin will be gone! 

Try it—you will like it.

souping an alternative to juicing

[1] https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/diet-fitness/a14306/everything-you-need-to-know-about-souping/

[2] https://bodyecology.com/articles/your_body_needs_to_cleanse_pt2.php