Lavender in the Kitchen

Healthy eating can sometimes have the reputation of being ‘not-so-tasty’, but healthy eating does not have to be boring or bland.  Transitioning from the bevy of processed foods (laden with salt, sugar and fat) to wholesome, from-the-earth foods can sometimes leave us to wonder if there is more to eating than just learning to like the strong taste of kale.  The processed food companies have hijacked our taste buds to think that salt, sugar and fat are the flavors our bodies are looking for, but Mother Nature provides far more satisfying and complex flavors for us. You just need to step out of the box a little and experiment with a little creativity sometimes. 

You can do that by using familiar spices like cinnamon and red pepper flakes. You can even add less familiar flavors like turmeric and maca, but have you introduced your taste buds to lavender? You might be thinking that lavender only belongs in soaps and lotions, or aromatherapy oils, but lavender is becoming a new star in the world of food flavors.

Lavender is typically known as a fragrance for soap or for the relaxing properties that help you reduce stress, improve sleep, tame headaches and as fragrance for other body products.  It has also been widely used in food for decades and is one of the ingredients in the French spice blend called “herbs de Provence”.  Cooking with lavender adds a slight sweetness and fragrance to your food. Primarily used in baked goods, you can also use lavender on its own to flavor drinks, fruits, cheese and dairy products and it can be mixed with salt and lemon as a flavor for grilled chicken.   Culinary lavender has health benefits as well.  "The polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) in lavender can help reduce the 'bad' bacteria in your gut," says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., author of "Doctor's Detox Diet" and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Ready to try a few lavender recipes?  There are a few things you need to know about lavender before you start to cook with it:

·      Quality is crucial. Do not eat flowers from florists, nurseries, etc. – treated with pesticides.  Get fresh culinary lavender from your yard or farmer’s market where you can talk to the grower. You need to buy CULINARY lavender. The wrong variety will taste bitter.

·      It lends a slightly sweet flavor to your food when used properly.  Do not use too much or you will feel like you are eating perfume or soap.   A little goes a long way when it comes to lavender.

·      Lavender goes well with strawberries, blueberries, pears, lemon, orange, honey, sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme, black pepper, mascarpone, ricotta, spearmint balsamic vinegar, figs and even pistachios.

And here are some recipes to get you started:

Peaches with Raw Honey and Crushed Lavender - Wash and slice white peaches then drizzle with some raw honey and top with a sprinkle of crushed culinary lavender.

Lavender Lemon Shortbread  – Simple ingredients, great flavor- I could eat the whole batch!  

Lavender Simple Syrup – great for adding to lemonades, ice tea and cocktails.

Expand what it means to eat healthy and flavorful and add lavender to the mix.  And if you have a favorite, share it in the comments below.  Wishing you happy, healthy eating!

(Healthy) Valentine's Sweets That are Easy to Love

Did I just say healthy and sweets in the same sentence? Yes. It is not a typo.  While all sweets need to be eaten infrequently, there are ways to enjoy them without going overboard in the 'bad-for-you' category.  I, for one, love a yummy dessert and Valentine’s Day is one of the occasions where I like to splurge.  But at the same time, I don’t want to stray from eating clean, so I choose carefully.  If you want to indulge this February 14th, without too much guilt, I’ve got a few recipes to share.

Here are 3 recipes that satisfy a sweet tooth while sticking with healthy, unprocessed ingredients… and you won’t have to sacrifice taste. 

Chocolate Chia Pudding – there are dozens of versions of chia seed pudding. This one is really chocolaty.  {print recipe}

Almond Butter Cups – love the hint of cinnamon in these! {print recipe}

Lime Cheesecake Squares – from Clean Eating Magazine, this re-invented recipe saves you more than 200 calories over the original and slashes sugar and fat by eliminating sweetened condensed milk and cream.  {Click here for link}

May your Valentine’s Day be full of smiles, love and (healthy) sweets.

Nature's Candy

©growinwellness.com

We are smack dab in the middle of strawberry season and I couldn’t be happier.  There is nothing quite so amazing as biting into an organic, fresh, ripe strawberry.  Brightly colored, perfectly sweet and juicy enough to make your mouth water just by smelling it.  I like to think of them as nature’s candy – they can satisfy your sweet tooth and give you a nutrition boost all at the same time.

Strawberries are a powerhouse for vitamin C (one cup yields 150% of daily value of vitamin C) and only 50 calories.  They contain fiber and although they have natural sugars as part of their sweetness, they have a low glycemic load that won’t cause your blood sugar to spike and crash.

On a more in-depth level, strawberries contain trace minerals, such as manganese, folate and potassium, all which contribute to healthier bones. They contain antioxidants and they help protect your heart, lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure.  What’s not to love about this fruit that has a heart-shaped silhouette?

When you shop for strawberries, buy organic (they are on the dirty dozen list for high pesticide residue) and smell the package to see if they are ripe. It should smell sweet and fragrant.  Look for a clean, dry berry that is plump, firm, and fully red. The caps should be green and fresh looking. Avoid bruised or wrinkled berries. Strawberries do not ripen after being picked, so you will want to eat them soon after you buy them.

And what’s the best way to eat them?  At this time of year…. Simply rinse, remove the stem (here’s a great tool to do that) and pop them into your mouth.  Delicious!