Detox Your Liver for Vitality




Milk Thistle




7 Fall Foods to Help Lower Blood Pressure

Although high blood pressure is one of the most common ailments to affect the modern world, it is also one of the most easily remedied conditions; changing your lifestyle is the key! Reducing the amount of processed foods you consume, along with increasing the volume of whole and natural foods you consume, combined with moderate exercise and adequate rest, are the corner-stones to reducing high blood pressure and maintaining a healthy, energetic life. Fortunately, Fall provides a bounty of  foods that are not only tasty, but have just the right ingredients to get your blood pressure on track.

Be sure to check out: 7 Foods to Help Lower Blood Pressure and 5 Ways to Lower Blood Pressure Without Medication for more tips for lowering blood pressure naturally.

Acorn Squash, and other winter and fall squashes such as pumpkin, butternut squash, kabocha, and banana squash, are a delicious addition to any meal (or as a meal!) for those looking to lower and maintain healthy blood pressure. Acorn squash boasts an impressive amount of the minerals magnesium and potassium, as well as some calcium. Adequate amounts of these minerals are important for maintaining healthy blood pressure, as they directly help to regulate proper blood vessel function (and thus blood pressure). In addition, acorn squash contains numerous other beneficial nutrients, such as Beta-carotene and Vitamin C. Both these nutrients are important for helping to reduce inflammation in your body — reducing levels of inflammation is also important for reducing high blood pressure, but also important for reducing your risk for all other diseases, especially heart disease. Not sure how to eat acorn squash? Try roasting it in the oven and preparing the seeds. It’s simple to prepare, and you can prepare all the winter squashes the same way!

Brussels Sprouts are commonly despised by children and adults alike, yet are one of the most health promoting foods you can consume! When it comes to blood pressure, they’re almost ideal! Brussels sprouts contain an impressive amount of potassium, one of those all-important electrolytes important for regulating blood pressure. Being a member of the cabbage family, they also contain large amounts of Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, calcium, fiber, and beneficial phytonutrients that decrease inflammation and help reduce your risk for all forms of cancer. Most people are introduced to Brussels sprouts steamed, which is perhaps the least appetizing way they can be prepared. Try cutting your Brussels sprouts in half, coating them with a bit of olive oil, tossing them with your favorite spices (a generic seasoning spice is wonderful), and roasting in the oven at 400°F for tasty vegetable dish!

Apples are said to keep the doctor away for good reason! This fruit seems common place in the face of other ‘superfruits’ (like pomegranate and açaí) that we tend to forget it’s substantial health benefits. Apples contain a unique kind of soluble fiber called pectin. Pectin has been linked to lowering high cholesterol levels, reducing body inflammation, improving elimination, and reducing high blood pressure. Apples also boast a respectable amount of Vitamin C and an antioxidant called quercetin, which has been shown to increase oxygen availability in your lungs, thereby increasing overall endurance and relieving stress on your body. Try eating apples raw, baked or sauteed, or even make your own apple sauce!

Pumpkin Seeds, also known as pepitas, are usually available year-round at most grocery stores, but can be made fresh during the Fall! Pumpkin seeds contain large amounts of magnesium, an important mineral for maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood flower. A single serving of pumpkin seeds (1/4 cup) can contain as much as 50% of your recommended daily intake of magnesium! Pumpkin seeds also boast significant quantities of Vitamin E and zinc, two important nutrients required to promote optimal health, including supporting a healthy libido. Pumpkin seeds are especially beneficial for men, with numerous studies suggesting that consuming pumpkin seeds regularly will help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. You can eat pumpkin seeds shelled (pepitas), or prepare your own by saving the seeds from jack-o-lanterns and roasting them in the oven. This can also be done with any seeds you save from other winter squashes, such as acorn squash!

Sweet Potato, while not considered as villainous as the potato before it, is frequently served loaded with large quantities of fats and brown sugar. But like the potato, it is extremely beneficial to helping to reduce high blood pressure. Sweet potatoes contain ample amounts of those important electrolytes magnesium and potassium, and also a hefty quantity of Vitamin C. Sweet potatoes take the nutrition level up from potatoes in that they also contain large amounts of Beta-carotene, helping to reduce your body’s inflammation. In addition, sweet potatoes having a lower Glycemic index than potatoes, making them a more ideal choice for those looking to regulate blood sugar. Eat sweet potatoes steamed or baked, and try to avoid them fried as sweet potato fries (a new trend) or candied (as frequently served for Thanksgiving).

Kale is a nutrient powerhouse of a vegetable. Like the Brussels sprout, it is also a member of the cabbage family. I had a recent article about the full health benefits of kale, but it’s so nutritious it was worth mentioning again! Kale contains a very large quantity of potassium, but also contains large amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, and Omega 3 fats — all of which are important for regulating a healthy blood pressure, and largely work in conjunction with each other! Since Kale is a member of the cabbage family, be sure to cook it the majority of the time you consume it, such as by steaming or sauteed lightly.

No Fall, Winter, or holiday treat is complete with the blood pressure reducing herb that is Cinnamon! While cinnamon is largely known for being delicious, it is most frequently touted for helping to regulate blood sugar levels. However, more recent studies have also shown cinnamon to be an important addition to helping regulate healthy blood pressure levels. The blood pressure regulating effect of cinnamon has been shown to be even more powerful for those looking to regulate blood sugar levels. While it is unknown exactly why cinnamon is beneficial for regulating blood pressure, it likely has to do with lowering overall inflammation in the body. Sprinkle cinnamon on your oatmeal in the morning, or especially on your baked apples and acorn squash!

Vegetable Oils Will Destroy Your Health!

Fat and oil in our diet is one of the most widely misunderstood and confusing subjects when it comes to our health. Decades ago we were informed that a ‘low-fat’ diet was optimal for energy, health, and preventing nearly all diseases — especially heart disease. We were then informed that fats are crucial for health, yet also told that the best fats to consume are vegetable oils. Vegetable oils have widely been touted to help lower blood pressure, prevent heart disease, aid weight loss, and even help to lower cholesterol. Almost every product that contains vegetable oils has today been labeled as ‘Heart Healthy.’ But the truth is that consuming vegetable oils will actually destroy your health!

Vegetable oils are generally produced from seemingly healthy foods: from soybeans, corn, rapeseed (canola oil), safflower, sunflower, etc. Yet, if we think back 100 years, oils produced from these plants were non-existent. Technology had yet to be developed that would actually allow oil to be extracted from these plants. Especially in the case of soybeans and corn, think about eating a soybean or a kernel of corn. How much fat do they contain? Not much. In the early 1900s chemical solvents, usually petroleum based, were created that allowed oils to be extracted and separated from their whole-food form. These chemical solvents were (and are) cheap to produce, and could be applied to nearly any crop. Manufacturers applied these cheap chemicals to the cheapest crops, creating a large surplus of vegetable oil. Now vegetable oils are in everything: margarine, mayonnaise, salad dressing, roasted nuts and seeds, and almost every processed food!

Vegetable oils will destroy your health for two reasons: they way in which they are manufactured and their chemical makeup.

Because vegetable oils tend to be extracted from the cheapest of crops, they tend to derive from genetically modified (GMO) crops. In the case of canola oil, oil cannot be extracted from a non-genetically modified variety of rapeseed! The variety of rapeseed from which oil is extracted was specifically engineered to have oil extracted from it! I’ll have a future article on why to avoid GMOs, but know that genetically modified crops also tend to be the crops with the most heavily used pesticides and herbicides. Oil is a concentrated form of a food, thus oils have a much greater concentration of whatever pesticides and herbicides were sprayed on its whole-form!

When vegetable oil is extracted from it’s whole-form, it is extracted by heating the food and applying the chemical solvent. Waxy residues are created from this heat and chemical mixture, and must be removed by applying yet another mixture of heat and a chemical acid. If this doesn’t sound that tempting — it’s not. At this point, vegetable oils have an unappetizing color and smell. Manufacturers know this, so use even more chemicals to make the color more appetizing. This is followed by another chemical process to deodorize the oil. Such chemicals used in these processes include bleach and hexane, an extremely dangerous chemical known to be a neurotoxin and potent carcinogen (a cancer promoting substance). Residue from the chemicals required for extraction are found in vegetables. These chemicals combined with the pesticides and herbicides used for growing the crop create a vegetable oil that is, in actuality, a toxic concoction.

Vegetable oils by their chemical nature are mostly polyunsaturated fats. The chemical structure of polyunsaturated fats makes them extremely sensitive to heat: even a minor heating (such as light cooking) can damage the chemical structure, making them rancid and unfit for consumption. Vegetable oils are the most polyunsaturated of all oils! Yet the process required for extracting vegetable oil requires a high-temperature heating, not once, but twice! The reason oils smell unpalatable during manufacturing is because the oils have spoiled, they’re rancid. By using a deodorizing process, manufacturers cover up this reality. Rancid and spoiled oils are one of the most damaging foods you can consume. Rancid fats promote free radicals (those things anti-oxidants are supposed to help reduce), are toxic to the body (your body does not know how to eliminate them properly), and promote full-body inflammation (known to promote all major diseases and disorders).

Additionally, vegetable oils contains a large concentration of Omega-6 oils. While Omega-6 fats are important for health, the majority of people’s diets contain far too many Omega-6. A balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats are required for health, but an overabundance of Omega-6 promoted an over-inflammation of the body. As mentioned above, inflammation is perhaps the single largest and universal cause of all major diseases and disorders, especially heart disease and high blood pressure.

So what oils should you consume? Sticking with traditional oils, oils that have been consumed for millenia, are the safest and most health promoting! Such oils include coconut oil, palm fruit oil, and butter. While these oils are saturated fats, they are not dangerous to your health! Check out all the benefits of coconut oil! The saturated chemical structure of these fats makes them more stable than polyunsaturated vegetable oils, and thus extremely safe and the oil of choice for cooking. And while olive oil is a vegetable oil, it is perhaps the only safe vegetable oil for consumption. Buying cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil is your best bet, as the extraction process requires minimal heat and has been extracted for thousands of years without the use of chemical solvents.

Choosing the highest quality fats and oils in your diet will give you large gains in your overall health. Stick with traditional oils, and avoid vegetable oils that have only existed for a few decades, including eating the processed foods that contain them. You’ll find you feel better, reduce your risk for all major diseases, and you’ll probably enjoy them more, too!

The Health Benefits of Kale






Kabocha Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Kabocha Pumpkin Soup

By Chef Jamie Woolner

As I’ve mentioned, I looooove fall…mostly for the squash. With all the squash to choose from, pumpkin has to be my favorite. When the holidays come, I use it as an excuse to make pumpkin-themed everything. I have a friend who swaps cooking days with me, and we come up with new pumpkin-themed meals every week. When I tried this pumpkin soup by Chef Jamie, I begged him to share the recipe. Kabocha is a Japanese pumpkin, and it has a wonderful, creamy texture. It is the perfect base for a hearty, filling soup that will warm you during the chilly days of fall.

Serves 5


1 Whole Kabocha Pumpkin cut in half (found at your local Japanese Market)

2 sliced onions

2 garlic cloves, mincedScooping out kabocha squash

2 tsp pumpkin spice

Salt tt

4 cups water

1/2 cup cream or dairy substitute (optional)

2 tsp olive oil for sautéing

Special Equipment:

Blender, Ladle, Sheet Pan, Stock Pot, Sauté Pan, Knife, Cutting Board, bowls for hold ingredients, wooden spoon

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pumpkin halves-cut side down-on a greased baking sheet. When the oven is ready, put in thRoasting Kabochae pumpkin halves and cook for about 45 minutes, or until a butter knife slips through easily.

2.) While the pumpkin is cooking, heat a pan with the olive oil and sauté the onions on medium heat. Once the onions are colored nutty brown and translucent, then add the garlic. Cook for one more minute, being sure not to burn the garlic.

3.) Once the pumpkins are soft, scoop out the seeds and discard. You can also wash the seeds clean, then toast until crunchy and slightly browned, and use them as a garnish for the soup. Once the seeds are removed, scoop out the meat and place into a blender. Blend in four stages; at each stage add a quarter of all of the following ingredients: pumpkin meat, sautéed onion, garlic and water.  Blending Kabocha

4.) Once you’ve finished blending, add the blended ingredients to a large pot. Simmer and reduce. The soup is down simmering once it can coat the back of the spoon, but isn’t as thick as mashed potatoes. If you are adding cream, add it now. Season the soup with salt and pumpkin spice and finish with toasted pumpkin seeds, milk foam, caramelized onion or a combination of all three.

Note: Season well once you have the consistency you want. Remember, not too thick, not too thin. The soup should coat a spoon thinly and remain their like cream consistency.

Kabocha Pumpkin Soup

Chef JamiChef Jamie Woolnere Woolner studied culinary arts at The Art Institute of California. He has cooked in many restaurants making Japanese, Latin, Italian, and American cuisine. Currently he owns and operates Pizza of Venice, CA, where he supplies events and restaurants with custom pizzas. You can find his company on facebook:

The Gluten Free Grains

With so many people trying to go ‘Gluten Free,’ a lot of people wonder what to eat. Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or an omnivore, removing gluten containing foods can be easy if you keep your foods simple: keep them as whole, or as close to their natural form, as possible. Load up on veggies, fruits, high quality lean meats and dairy, nuts, seeds, and excellent starches such as potato and sweet potato. But if you’re looking for another source of food in grains, what should you choose? Which grains are gluten free?

Fortunately, the majority of grains in the world actually do not contain gluten. This is excellent for variety purposes. However, many of the most widely available grains do contain gluten. Grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and spelt contain this protein. If you’re not sure what gluten is, be sure to click here!

QuinoaQuinoa is a rising star in the grain world, though it is not technically a grain. Hailing from the desert highlands of Central America, quinoa is a pseudo-grain, a grain like seed of the Chempodium genus of plants — a relative of beets and spinach. Quinoa is highly revered in Central American tradition, largely in part due to its exceedingly high nutrient profile, especially in regards to manganese and magnesium. Additionally, quinoa is one of the few starches in the world to contain a protein profile said to be ‘complete.’ That is, containing all the amino acids required to support human life. Among grains, quinoa is especially high in the amino acid tryptophan. Quinoa can be found readily available in health food stores, but is becoming more a mainstream food stuff, and thus can also be found in many other grocery markets. Cook it as a porridge or keep it light and fluffy for a salad!

OatsOats have a long history for human consumption, being one of the first grains to be harvested in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, though gained an even stronger foothold as a crop in Europe. Oats are widely touted for their unique fiber content, of which the majority if a soluble fiber, meaning it dissolves in water. As such, they are largely promoted for helping to lower blood pressure. Oats can be found on the market as either whole-oat groats (an unroasted variety, in it’s most whole form) or as rolled oats, the most commonly available form. Rolled oats are roasted, steamed, and then pressed to give them their distinctive shape. Oats are also a very nourishing grain, being high in manganese and selenium. It is important to note that oats are commonly grown alongside gluten containing grains, or processed in facilities that also process gluten containing grains. As such, if you are extremely sensitive to gluten, it is possible to find brands that process oats and other grains in a dedicated gluten free facility. Because of the soluble fiber of oats, it is frequently eaten as a porridge.

Rice is the third most consumed and produced crop in the world! It has a very long history of consumption in the Asian area of the world, largely due to requiring large amounts of water, in which it must be immersed, in order to grow — commonly called a rice paddy. Rice also has a history of being one of the first grains to be highly processed in the form of Brown Ricewhite rice, where the hull is removed and the grain then polished. While it is interesting to note that the nutritional deficiencies brought by polished white rice and far lower than that of any other grain (such as white wheat flour), brown rice is far more nourishing variation. Brown rice is nutrient rich in B-vitamins, higher than any other grain, and also a good source of manganese and selenium. Brown rice can be found in most any market, and can be paired with almost any other food for an excellent meal!

Blue CornCorn, or Maize, is the single largest most produced and consumed crop in the entire world! Corn likely hails from somewhere in Central America, most likely in the region of Mexico, and was originally used as a food crop by indigenous Native Americans. Since the arrival of the West, Corn has changed significantly. Corn was one of the first crops to be genetically modified, to have the genes of other organisms spliced into its own genome. I will touch on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in a future article, but for now know that it is best to find and consume only organic corn. There are many varieties of corn that exist, though the type we consume most is a sweet yellow corn variety. However, other varieties, especially Hopi blue corn, are gaining momentum for consumption. Corn is one of the few grains to be a decent source of Vitamin C, and like rice, can be paired with almost any other food for a delicious treat!

Millet in the United States is often considered to be and used as bird seed! Yet, this simple grain is one of the most widely consumed cereal crops in the world, frequently used as a staple food in regions in Africa and Asia. Like wheat and oats, millet was one of the first cereals to be cultivated as a food. Millet can come in a variety of colors, and looks Milletvery similar to quinoa. Millet can be found in many grocery stores, though you are more likely to find it in health food stores because of it’s lower demand as a food. Millet can be ground to make a bread called injera, a common food in Africa and Ethiopia, or can be made into a porridge. Millet has a slightly nutty flavor, but will take the flavor of whatever it is prepared with. Because of millet’s tendency to ‘cake,’ it is also excellent for use in veggie burgers or paired with other grains for a gluten free bread.

By expanding your pallet and trying new grains, going gluten free can be easy!

Balsamic Marinated Figs and Blueberries with Brie

Happy Labor Day! Although relaxation is imperative for health, holidays are often associated with overeating and unhealthy food. I decided to post this recipe, although to be totally honest, it’s not the healthiest thing I’ve posted…but I decided that for a holiday, I could meet halfway and go for a treat. It does has antioxidants and fiber in the figs and blueberries, and protein in the brie. Good-quality balsamic can ease digestion. It can be made gluten-free with a gf bread choice. It’s not the best for food combining, and it’s not vegan…but like I said, this holiday. Let’s meet in the middle. I first made this on a lovely day off, after I had picked some fresh blueberries off an alpaca farm. I hope you enjoy!

Balsamic Marinated Figs and Blueberries with BrieBalsamic Marinated Figs and Blueberries with Brie 


  • 4-6 ripe figs
  • Blueberries
  • Aged Balsamic, or blackberry balsamic vinegar **
  • Extra virgin olive oil**Oilve Oil, Aged Balsamic, Brie, Figs, and Blueberries
  • 1/2 round of Brie or Camembert Cheese
  • Fresh bread (Italian or Ciabatta work best) or crackers
  • Fresh or dried thyme
  • Fresh or dried marjoram
  • Salt and Pepper
  • *Optional: white or black truffle salt

**Quality is very important! You want thick, barrel aged balsamic. I love the classic We Olive Balsamic that is local to California, but you should be able to find some online, or in a specialty grocery store. The same goes for olive oil! By law, olive oil can be mixed with a certain % of low-quality vegetable oil. So if it’s very cheap, it’s probably not pure! Besides We Olive, I also LOVE Temecula Olive Oil Company. The Fresh Basil Olive Oil is to die for. Supporting local products is also more environmentally friendly, as it saves on the shipping fuel.


  1. Slice the tops off the figs, and cut into quarters. Place the figs and a handful of blueberries into a bowl. Finely chop the thyme and marjoram, and sprinkle over the top (fresh herbs are always best, but if not available dried works as well). Season with salt and crushed pepper. (Use less salt if you plan to use the truffle salt. But don’t put the truffle salt in yet; it will be used later.)
  2. Pour We Olive balsamic vinegar over the fruit. They should be pretty well covered, around 3 tablespoons. Put the bowl aside in a cool, dry place. (Not the refrigerator.) Let it marinade for at least an hour. Balsamic Marinated Figs and Blueberries
  3. If you’re using fresh bread, cut it into thin slices. Toast until crispy.
  4. Arrange the toasted pieces (or crackers) on a plate. Slice the Brie to your desired thickness, and place several pieces on each slice of bread.
  5. Take the bowl of marinated fruit, and place a some figs pieces and blueberries on each slice of bread. Drizzle some additional balsamic over each piece.
  6. When all the fruit is used, drizzle We Olive olive oil over each piece. Sprinkle some additional thyme, marjoram, and pepper on top for presentation.
  7. If you have truffle salt, sprinkle a pinch on each piece.
  8. Serve and enjoy!

Self Testing for Food Allergies and Intolerances

Many common ailments that affect us can be linked to either a food allergy or an intolerance that go (mostly) unnoticed. Headaches. Flatulence. Poor bowel movements. Lethargy. Fatigue. Depression. Sudden weight gain. There are numerous indicators; many can be common among multiple people, but they can also vary on an individual basis. An allergy, an intolerance, or a sensitivity to a food all have one thing in common, however: once they are removed, a greater sense of well-being returns.

A food allergy differs from a food intolerance. A true food allergy can be measured by your doctor through a blood test. This test is conducted by measuring your immune system’s response by accounting for the amount of allergy antibodies in your blood, called immunoglobulin E (IgE), in response to an administered food. A high level of IgE indicates an allergy. Often, however, our bodies will not create a full immune response when a food is ingested or placed into our bodies, and thus these tests are not always accurate. A food intolerance can be a mild, prolonged immune response that is otherwise undetectable, but can also be a digestive system response. Both hamper your body’s ability to function at optimal levels. Common food allergies and sensitivities include foods such as grains, gluten (a unique protein in wheat, barley, and other grains), soy, milk (both the proteins and lactose), eggs, tree nuts, and peanuts (it’s really a legume!).

There are three common ways to self test for a food allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity:

The Pulse Test is on the fastest and easiest ways you can see if you potentially have a food allergy or intolerance. Your pulse can be taken anywhere you can feel your pulse best, or have someone take it for you!

  • Upon rising and after being awake for about an hour, take your pulse for 60 seconds. This will give you your average resting pulse rate.
  • Just before a meal, relax and again take your pulse rate for 60 seconds. If you have been quite active throughout the day, later in the day it may be higher than usual. If it is higher, note that it is higher, but still keep in mind what your average resting pulse rate is. Then, chow down!
  • 30, 60, and 90 minutes after the meal, again take your pulse rate. It is important not to take your pulse immediately after eating, as your body is sending extra blood to your stomach to begin digestion, creating an increase in your heart beat. If the rate ranges at least 10 beats more than your resting pulse rate, you may have a food sensitivity to a food you ate. Create a journal and write down what you ate if this is the case (more on this below!)
  • The next step is to isolate all the foods you ate when you note an increase in your heart rate. Test them systematically with the same process as above. Any food with a continued elevated heart rate may pose to be problematic for your body, and may be best removed from your diet. You may want to try an elimination diet for this food. More on this below, as well!

Keeping a Food Journal is one of the most effective ways of tracking foods that may pose potential problems for allergies or intolerance. At its basis, it is simply logging all foods you take in over any given period of time, and also logging how to feel after you eat. Log how you feel immediately after eating, shortly after (30,60,90 minutes), before you go to bed, and when you wake up the next day. If symptoms such as headache, lethargy, dizziness, sneezing, body ache, or any symptom you might find peculiar or curious (even if you experience it all the time!), write it down! Try eating similar foods, and see if the same symptoms occur. As with the Pulse Test, you will want to try isolating each food and log how you feel in reaction to each. If and when you find a reaction, you may want to avoid this food entirely or try…

The Elimination Diet. This diet can also be referred to as a rotation diet, and is best utilized in conjunction with a food journal. Elimination diets can vary, but at their core they follow a simply procedure:

  1. Eliminate all foods from your diet that you believe may be causing your trouble, OR reduce your diet down to basic foods that are unlikely to cause most people trouble: fruits, vegetables, lightly cooked meats (if you eat them), and easily digestible grains (primarily white rice).
  2. Log how you are feeling in your food journal. Simply by reducing potential problematic foods and following a more simply diet, many people will note an increase feeling of well being. Be specific in your food journal. How do you feel? What is your mental energy like? Your physical energy? What are you not feeling?
  3. Slowly reintroduce potential problematic foods to your diet, one at a time, and keep them in their most simple form. For example, if you think soy may pose a problem, try eating some soybeans or tofu rather than a processed soy product. Note in your journal how you feel immediately after eating, and again before bed and the following morning.
  4. If you find you react to a certain food, you may want to avoid it for a while again, and then try reintroducing it once or twice more. If you continue to find you react to the food, it is probably best to eliminate it entirely. However, frequently an intolerance can develop from eating a food too often. By eliminating some foods for a prolonged period of time, you may find you tolerate it again at a later time. Try reintroducing it slowly, however.

Food allergies and intolerance can develop for many reasons. Sometimes our bodies are simply incapable of processing a specific food properly. Other times, various conditions can trigger our bodies to create an intolerance, such as emotions, stress, or even eating a specific food too frequently. It is always important to be mindful of the food we eat and the mental state in which we eat them. Choose your foods wisely, respect the signals your body gives you.

Peruvian Anticucho Grilling Sauce

Grilling with Peruvian Salsa Anticucho!
It’s a Baste, Marinade and Sauce
by Chef Jamie Woolner

There is a common misconception about health food…people often tell me that it’s bland! Since I am a nutritionist AND a foodie, this wouldn’t be true or I wouldn’t be interested. The key? Spices! I make all sorts of sauces, marinades, and rubs out of spices, peppers, vinegars, and healthy oils. So when I went to a bbq and tried this sauce, I begged the chef to share the recipe! It doubles not only as a baste, but also as a sauce or marinade. I even put it on my potato salad!

There’s no better way to bring in the summer than grilling out! Grilled foGrilling Veggiesod can be a unhealthy disaster, or a great way to add to your daily serving of vegetables! Almost any vegetables, proteins, (and a lot of fruit!) can be transformed after grilling. Get creative! I’ve  grilled slices of white squash, zucchini, tomatoes, tempeh, asparagus, and portabellas. I’ve even had things like peaches on the grill! So remember, vegetables don’t have to be boring. Spices can be healthy, too!

-Makes about 2 Cups-


  • 4 Tbs          Aji Amerillo Puree (Peruvian Yellow Pepper)*
    *Substitute: 2 yellow bell peppers, boiled in vinegar and water until soft and pureed w/ a half teaspoon of cayenne
  •  6 Tbs         Aji Panca Puree (Peruvian Sundried chili)**
    **Substitute: 1 Tablespoon of Chipotle adobo Puree w/ 3 red bell peppers boiled in vinegar and water until soft and pureed
  • 2 Tbs          Soy Sauce
  • 1 Clove      Garlic, Finely Minced
  • 3 Tbs          Rice Vinegar
  • 1 Tbs          Red Wine Vinegar
  • 4 Tbs          Lager Beer or Lighter Colored Beer (I used Heineken)
  •  Salt and Pepper to taste
  •     ½ Cup        Olive Oil
  •      1 Tbs         Cumin
  •      1 Tbs         Oregano Flakes or 1.5 tsp Oregano powder
  1. Heat up your grill.
  2. Add all ingredients into a large bowl (except for salt, pepper, and olive oil) and whisk to combine.
  3. Add olive oil as a slow stream while whisking.
  4. Season w/ salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Get a basting brush or a spoon and set the Anticucho next to your grill.
  6. Take any items that you want grilled, cut them into equal sized pieces and rub them in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.
  7. Start grilling. Baste vegetables and proteins on the topside. Flip and baste the other side. When the item is cooked, give it a final baste.

Note: if you choose to grill meat, get a separate container and brush for the finishing antichucho sauce.

So enjoy, and happy grilling!


Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins

In my ever present search for easy recipes, I stumbled upon these delicious gluten-free muffins. But these aren’t your average muffins, filled with sugar and simple carbohydrates, creating a blood sugar spike and leaving you hungry for more. These muffins are a meal! Bake up a big batch or two (or three), and you have easy, on-the-go mini meals, filled with complex carbs, good fats, and protein to keep you full for hours! As with all recipes, the ingredients listed below function as a base. Experiment to your heart’s content!


  • 1/2 cup Almond Flour
  • 1/2 cup Oat Flour
  • 1/4 cup Amaranth Flour
  • 1 cup Egg Whites/Eggs (I use 1/2 cup each, feel free to use whatever ratio your prefer or what you have on hand)
  • 7 to 8oz Greek Yogurt
  • 3 Ripe Bananas
  • 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 2 tbsp Cacao (Chocolate) Powder
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon


  • 1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Coat silicone muffin cups or muffin pan with olive oil so as not to stick.
  • 2. In a large bowl, mash bananas into a paste. I like them a little chunky for texture.
  • 3. Mix all remaining ingredients into the bowl until a smooth consistency is reached.
  • 4. Spoon mixture into muffin cups/muffin pan.
  • 5. Bake in oven approximately 15-17 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and eat!

Thinking about going gluten free? Or not sure what gluten is? Check out this article!