Go-To Veggie Dish

I recently went through an extensive candida cleanse, which pretty much included eating only vegetables for a good number of weeks.  I literally had no cooking experience at this point, and this dish became my go-to for nourishment and kicking the candida.  This dish is one of my favorites, and far too quick & simple to make.  Not only is it jam packed with crazy amounts of preventative medicine, but also tastes quite unlike any vegetable stir-fry I've tried before.

1. Gather & chop your favorite mixture of veggies. I use (lots) of organic broccoli, carrots, onions, mushrooms and green peppers.

2. Heat 2 tbs. coconut oil in a medium plan. Once melted, add turmeric and let sit in oil as it heats.  (This maximizes the health benefits)

3. Add carrots, cook 2 minutes.

4. Add onions & peppers, cook 2 minutes.

5. Add broccoli, mushrooms, & chopped garlic, cook 2 minutes.

6. Turn heat off & sprinkle with hemp hearts, if desired.

I also like to season this dish with the season salt from The Real Salt Co, pictured in the first photo above.  This company sells unrefined, all natural sea salts, as well as addicting seasonings. Real Salt makes sure you get trace minerals back in your body, which are critical for heart and brain function, and are always missing from traditional table salt. I buy mine locally from my hometown in Southern Nevada @ Wellness 2000 Int'l, my go-to health store.

Hemp Hearts are my favorite source of magnesium, and I've been sprinkling them on everything lately (to help my sleep).

If you're looking for ingredients to help fight your candida, look no further than coconut oil, garlic, and onions. Coconut oil contains caprylic acid, which is a powerful anti-fungal and actually kills the cell walls of candida.  Garlic is also a great anti-fungal, but really helps with stimulating the liver & colon in detoxification and boosting good gut bacteria.  Onions are anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, AND anti-parasitic, making them beneficial on many levels.

Feel free to mix & match different vegetables, spices, and toppings for the benefits you're looking for in your own health.  Be sure to share what mixtures are your favorites!

Veggie Blend Pizza Crust

Cauliflower crust can be a tricky thing.  You want it to hold up to you holding it + you definitely want it to be health-packed, kid-friendly + easy to take on the go, right?

Unlike many of the cheese packed recipes out there, this pizza is dairy free, gluten free, paleo approved + candida cleanse friendly. It can even be made vegan by substituting chia seeds + water for the eggs.  Not only is it packed with vegetables, but the flours + flax provide healthy fats, fiber + protein. 

---

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cauliflower crumbles (about one medium cauliflower head)

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1 tbs. coconut flour

• 1 tbs. ground flax

• salt, pepper + other spices

• garlic cloves, minced

• handful of kale, finely chopped

• toppings (this could be an endless list...)

• parchment paper (This really is necessary!) 

Oven @ 450 degrees F

Directions:

1. To make cauliflower crumbles, slowly add small pieces of cauliflower into food processor or blender on chop mode. You can also hand chop here. You ultimately want a rice like texture.

2. Microwave cauliflower for 5 minutes. Let cool. Strain using a thin dish towel.  The more water you can release, the better.

3. Mix all ingredients together, until well blended. (If it seems a little too wet, add a bit more almond flour. This depends on how much water you were able to strain from cauliflower.)

4. Roll mixture into a ball and place in fridge to set, 30-60 minutes. 

5. Using a sprayed, parchment lined baking sheet, pat dough into pizza shape, 1/4" thick.  If you find it sticks to your hands, gently wet them with water or oil. 

6. Brush olive oil on perimeter of pizza, if desired.  This helps crisp it up.

7. Bake dough for 15-20 minutes @ 450 degrees F.

8. Add desired toppings & bake for 10-15 more minutes.  This just depends on toppings used, and how well done you like your veggies and crust.

9. Let cool & enjoy!

---

I personally love using pesto instead of pizza sauce.  Theres no sugar, no need for cheese + it's really easy to make at home. 

I also recommend always using organic, non-GMO ingredients whenever possible.

Tell me what you think + include what toppings you like to use on your pizzas!

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread Heaven

After months of being about 80/20 gluten & sugar free,  I have finally found a recipe that satisfies my sweet tooth and carb cravings without sending me into the downward spiral of depleting health.  Growing up with half of my family from Oklahoma, there was never a shortage of bread in the house or at family meals.  I always noticed a little sleepiness after consuming these types of foods, but never  realized what it was contributing to in my GI tract... After being diagnosed with two types of Candida, among other health concerns, I found myself needing to get rid of carbs and sugar for good.  If you have never heard of Candida, it is a yeast/fungus that, when overgrown in the body, penetrates the intestinal walls and enters the bloodstream.  When this happens, symptoms can range from leaky gut, skin rashes, brain fog, and depression.  I experienced all of these symptoms + more, and it took a good long time to start the healing process. But that's another story in itself.

With the help of my naturopathic doctor at Bloom,  it took several months to get to the amount of control I have today, and definitely remains a struggle to stay on track.  I realized sugar was literally changing my moods, making me cry and leaving me tired and angry.  Bread and carbs were weighing me down, making my mind fuzzy and creating a barrier for me to get any work done.  Bread will forever have a place in my heart, but finding the right substitutions makes all the difference.

Against All Grain has become one of my favorite gluten-free websites and Danielle's page is just bursting with beautiful photos.  Below is her recipe that I've used over and over again, making minor changes as my own recipe evolves.

Almond Flour Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cup blanched almond flour

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

• 3 eggs, beaten

• ¼ cup honey

• 1 ripe banana

• 1 cup shredded, unpeeled zucchini

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.

3. Place the wet ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, then beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until frothy and fully combined. Add the zucchini and beat again just enough to incorporate.

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients with the mixer running, until all of the flour mixture has been incorporated.

5. Spoon the batter into 2 mini loaf pans. You can also use this batter to make muffins.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the middle is set and a toothpick comes out clean.

I have found that this recipe only makes one loaf, and after making my first batch, I noticed that the bread was TOO moist for my liking.  I have since eliminated the banana (also eliminating a bit of the sugar the banana brings).  I tend to add a bit more zucchini, some chopped carrots, and a little unsweetened shredded coconut. I seem to like a little bit more dense, veggie-esque bread, as well as using this recipe for muffins on-the-go.  Because of the honey, this recipe is not sugar free, but instead uses a natural sweetener.  This at least keeps the blood glucose level lower than traditional sugar.  I do not recommend this for the beginning stages of an anti-candida protocol, but it's great if you want to start eliminating sugar and gluten, or just want a healthy sweet treat.

Read more about Candida here, and let me know what kinds of substitutions you like to make in your bread.

-Leah