Soothing Tummy Tea

The holidays are famous for overeating, aren't they? I thought I would share with you a digestion-stimulating herbal tea recipe of ours. It is a unique combination of roots, leaves, and flowers. First you simmer the roots, called a decoction, and then you add the leaves and flowers to steep.

We make a pot of this herbal brew a few times a week. Sometimes we add nettles, sometimes burdock root, but always ginger and licorice.

I am not an herbalist so I can't explain the details of how this tea works on your digestion, just know it works, and it works well.

Briefly, dandelion root stimulates the liver to help digest dietary fats. Ginger decreases inflammation and is soothing to the stomach. Spearmint relieves gas and nausea. Licorice is soothing to the stomach lining, promoting more mucous production which then in turn reduces acid indigestion, ulcers, and an upset tummy. Chamomile contains compounds which relax the smooth muscles in the digestive tract to relieve pain and cramping.

The tea has a delicious blend of sweet and spicy flavors with overtones of mint and chamomile. It is perfect for the holidays or simply sipped while curled up on the couch with your kids and a pile of books on a windy Autumn day.

Tummy Comfort Tea

This tea is great for children who may have eaten food that doesn't agree with them or for children with food sensitivities who ate something they react to. We dilute this tea with water for our children. The younger they are, the more dilution. You'll have to decide the best ratio of water and tea for you. Strain tea and store in a large glass jar in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, heat in a small pot. The licorice makes this tea naturally sweet but you could add a touch of fresh honey to each cup if desired.

6 cups purified water

2 to 4 tablespoons (we use 4) sliced fresh ginger

1 1/2 tablespoons dandelion root

1 tablespoon licorice root

2 tablespoons dried spearmint

1 tablespoon dried chamomile

Place the 6 cups water, fresh ginger, dandelion root, and licorice root in a medium-sized pot. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and add spearmint and chamomile, cover, and steep for about 10 to 15 more minutes.

Strain, pour into small tea cups and dilute each with water to desired taste. Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

We buy most of our herbs locally from Wonderland Teas and Spices here in Bellingham, WA.

Other News:

Next week I will be posting Thanksgiving Recipes for a Gluten-Free Progressive Dinner Party I am participating in along with a few other bloggers. I will be linking up with them so you will have lots of ideas for yummy Holiday recipes. Look forward to that beginning Monday, November 16th!

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Sugar-Free Holiday Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Cranberries are one of my favorite fruits. Blame it on growing up in Wisconsin, or maybe their tart and tangy nature, or beautiful ruby color. Whatever the case may be, I love cranberries!

I created this sauce to go over my Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake, but it would also work as part of your Thanksgiving feast. Traditional cranberry sauce uses loads of cane sugar. This one doesn't. I use either pure maple syrup or agave nectar to give it a little sweetness.

Serve it warm or cold, either way it is sure to please. When it is cold I like to use it as a jam to spread over toasted Hemp Bread. Mmmm, so delicious!

Update: This is a cane sugar-free sauce. It still needs quite a bit of sweetener to make it palatable and not overly tart. The sauce is still not very sweet even with this amount. There are infinite ways to make cranberry sauce. Some suggestions include adding diced pears or apples, increasing the orange juice and decreasing the sweetener, or using coconut sugar. Please read the comments below for all of the suggestions. Be creative here and try what works for you. If you come up with something great then leave your recipe in the comments section below. Enjoy!

Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce

Spoon some of this warm sauce over slices of Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Maple syrup will lend a maple flavor to this sauce. If you would like to clearly taste the cranberry and orange flavors then use agave nectar. Another option if you do not want to use agave nectar or maple syrup is to try frozen apple juice concentrate instead. This sauce will stay fresh in a tightly sealed container for about a week in the fridge.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 3/4 cups

4 cups fresh cranberries

1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup or agave nectar

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 to 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel

Place all ingredients into a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes while using a large spoon to mash the berries as they cook. The sauce will begin to thicken as the berries cook.

Remove from heat after the sauce is thickened and the berries are mashed. Pour into a serving bowl or store for future use. Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

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Spicy Dairy-Free Tahini Dip

I thought you might enjoy this thick and creamy dairy-free dip recipe for your upcoming holiday gatherings. It would make a great appetizer! In this recipe I use a fresh jalapeño pepper and cayenne pepper for a very spicy dip, but below the recipe I have a variation for a non-spicy herbed version.

This recipe is a slightly altered version of one found in a very lovely cookbook entitled, I Am Grateful, Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude. This cookbook is primarily a raw foods cookbook (or uncookbook I should say). In addition to the wonderful recipes with color photos, the book permeates warmth and love. Each recipe is an affirmation. I Am Flowing for a veggie noodle dish, or I Am Light for a dairy-free Tzatziki recipe, or how about I Am Cherished for a Cashew Lemon Cheesecake? They all sound so inviting, don't they?

I can feel the loving energy that was put forth to create this book on each and every page and this is why I want to share it with you. I have other raw food books, but I like this one because of how approachable it is. Enjoy!

Spicy Dairy-Free Tahini Dip (I Am Attentive)

The original recipe from the book, I Am Grateful, calls for 3/4 cup fresh coconut milk. Since I don't have any young coconuts sitting around, I used canned, organic coconut milk and part water to replace the fresh milk. I also replaced the 1/4 cup of white miso called for with 1/2 teaspoon of Herbamare (or sea salt). The only gluten-free, soy-free miso I have in my fridge is a dark, rich adzuki bean miso. I didn't think it would work here. If you don't already know this miso is normally made from soy beans and barley, so it is not gluten-free. The South River Miso Company makes a number of different soy and gluten-free misos that are excellent! Enjoy this dip with a variety of raw veggies, it's delicious!

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup raw sesame tahini

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup almond butter

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded

4 to 5 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Blend all ingredients until creamy. Add more water if you would like a sauce, or keep it thick for a dip.

Variation: Replace the jalapeño pepper and cayenne pepper with a large handful of fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and marjoram). Add about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

Other News:

Tom recently did a Webinar on the Digestive and Nutritional Complications in Celiac Disease. Click on the link to listen to it. The password is CeliacCCK and the customer code is 007. This is a follow-up webinar for those wanting more information on the article he wrote. The link to that article is posted in my Spiced Chicken and Rice Stew post.

Other dip, sauce, and dressing recipes you might like:

Hummus

Blueberry Syrup

Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing

Fig-Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Jalapeño-Lime Kale Slaw

Here is a simple recipe for a raw kale slaw. It is very quick to prepare but actually tastes best about 12 to 24 hours after preparing. The dressing is spicy, not the burn-your-mouth type of spiciness, but hot.

Disclaimer: my kids won't eat this!

Tom and I, however, love it. The spiciness feels just right to warm your belly on a cool fall evening. Last night we served it with warmed black beans and sticky brown rice, diced avocados, and baked delicata squash. I think it would be great with toasted pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top just before serving. The other week we served it atop a curried lentil and yam stew and the flavor combinations were fantastic!

You could go a lot of ways with this recipe. For example, the dressing would be great tossed with shredded Napa cabbage and carrots for another variation. Or use it to dress a salad topped with black beans and toasted pumpkin seeds. You'll probably come up with many ways to use this very tasty dressing.

Jalapeño-Lime Kale Slaw

Eating raw food, especially raw vegetables and greens as part of your meal can be helpful to digest other parts of your meal. Kale is high in Lutein, an carotenoid which helps to prevent age related macular degeneration. It has also been found that there is a 35% reduction in overall neurologic decline with an increased consumption of green leafy vegetables. Kale is also high in fiber which helps to keep cholesterol levels in check. You just can't go wrong with tasty and good for you!

5 to 6 cups thinly sliced lacinato kale
1/2 cup (or more) diced red bell pepper

Dressing:

1/4 cup packed cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded
1 clove garlic
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or Herbamare

Place kale and diced red pepper in a large bowl, set aside.

Place all ingredients for dressing into a blender and blend on medium until combined. I actually place all ingredients into a wide mouth jar and use my immersion blender. This way I don't dirty the whole blender!

Pour dressing over salad and toss together. Taste and add more salt if needed. Let dressing mingle with the kale for 2 to 24 hours. The kale with tenderize and become softer the longer it sits. Enjoy! Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

Other News:

Tom and I will be speaking at the Bellingham Gluten Intolerance Group's yearly event this Friday, November 6th. The event is free, so if you live in Bellingham, please join us! Details of the event can be found at BGIG's website. The event is also on Saturday where, Dr. Joan Stevenson, Ph.D. will be speaking on..."Did Caveman Eat Wheat? the Evolution of the Human Diet."

Other raw recipes you might like:

Raw Cilantro Lime Chutney
Mediterranean Kale Salad
Raw Energy Balls
Raw Chocolate Pie

Oh, and one more thing....today our blog is 1 YEAR OLD! Happy Birthday to us! It has sure been fun posting recipes for all of you to enjoy (hopefully)! :)

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