Well I’ve gone and done it again, I’ve been a bad blogger all year long and am now trying to make up for it at the end of the year with some holiday recipes. For those of you who have said what where’s my recipes, I am sorry. Life has been rolling through like a freight train and sitting down to edit and post has been a challenge. I am still updating the Instagram quite often so check that out if you need some inspiration for some healthy meals!

This year has been a lot of first for me, spent the summer in Sweden cooking, built some furniture and have been really thinking about getting back into some of my personal passions and picking up that paint brush and creating work again.

When I started this blog it was my creative outlet, my space to share my creations in a way that everyone could relate to, through food. Recently though I have gotten the bug to start sharing through different mediums, I am still cooking everyday but you may just see a new Instagram dedicated to my art coming next year.

Let’s talk about food though. I am still eating fresh whole alkaline foods but have recently delved into the world of low carb as well. Mainly, I was curious as to what it would do for me and my body. I am not on keto nor am I trying to only eat 1 net carb a day but through thinking about this new aspect of eating for health it did make me recognize that although I wasn’t eating processed sugar, I was still consuming a LOT of natural sugars. My body is super sensitive to sugar in any form, but to me natural sugar was just fine right?? Turns out not really. I do still eat fruit on occasion but am not downing it for every snack and loading every smoothie with bananas, apples, and berries. I am not throwing honey or maple syrup in everything and I only on rare occasions eat pasta or bread (it has to be made at the place I am at for me to even try it). So what has this done for me? It has made me feel better. I don’t have any bloat, when I do eat something sweet, even an apple, it tastes so much better and according to my recent blood work, I am in outstanding health. I don’t say no to treats I want but I am more conscious of what I am consuming and in the long run that makes me feel better and I can more easily pinpoint those things that really just make me feel like crap.

So with Thanksgiving and its carb loaded feast slowly making its way towards us, here is a little recipe that is both delicious but also a bit on the healthy side. This recipe grills the brussels sprouts and the onions but you can always roast them in the oven if you are in a cold climate. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!

Grilled Brussels Sprouts, Green Apple, Almond and Blue Cheese Salad

1 bag Brussels Sprouts, halved

1 Red Onion, Sliced into rounds

1 tbs Olive Oil

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1 Green Apple, Diced

1/2 cup Almonds, chopped

1/2 cup Crumbled Blue Cheese

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Honey, Maple Syrup or Monk Fruit syrup (my new fav)

1 tbs Whole Grain Mustard

Preheat the grill, toss the halved brussels sprouts and round slices of onion in the oil, salt and paprika. Grill for 15-20 minutes until they are cooked through and have some char.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add the apple cider vinegar and honey. Simmer on low until heated through and a bit cooked down, add the mustard and cook for another minute.

Remove the brussels sprouts and onions from the grill, chop the onion roughly and place into a bowl with the brussels sprouts, add the apple, nut, and cider vinegar mixture, tossing to combine. Place in a serving bowl and top with the blue cheese. Enjoy with family and friends!

I don't know if this is true where you are, but it is flu season here and it has hit hard. People of all ages are coming down with head colds, ear infections, sinus infections, bronchitis and more! As an educator I am constantly surrounded by sniffles, runny noses, dirty hands and illness. Fighting off the onslaught of disease has become common practice and the best way to do that is to keep your immune system super charged through eating good food!

Every year I fight off illness with garlic, ginger, apple cider vinegar, spirulina and my all time super hero, oil of oregano. That stuff is a lifesaver and has stopped many a cold in its tracks.

Often I do research on the medicinal properties of food in order to gain a greater understanding of how our bodies utilize minerals and vitamins as well as to gain ideas for new recipes and flavor combinations. Recently, when performing this research I came across an old favorite that is currently being touted as a super-food, horseradish!

Horseradish is extremely alkaline, is loaded with nutrients and minerals including fiber, vitamin c, folate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and manganese. It can clear a sinus infection, ease joint pain, kill bacteria, cure a urinary tract infection and has shown promise in reducing cancerous tumors as well as protecting the body from toxins.

I love horseradish and its spicy goodness and it just so happened that I had some fresh horseradish root in the fridge waiting to be prepared. I made up a batch of horseradish by peeling and processing the potent root in the food processor with water, apple cider vinegar and salt. As my eyes were tearing and my nose running I decided that I wanted to turn some of that horseradish into a delicious sauce to go with the squash, brussels sprouts and tomatoes that I had just roasted. Often times when cooking I kind of just wing it and hope for the best. I saw some parsley in the fridge as well and thought that it would go nicely with the horseradish then added some lemon, mustard, more apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. I didn't want to go the route of a cream sauce but boy I needed something to cut the heat of my creation, thus adding a can of chickpeas to the processor created a hummus that was absolutely delightful topped with the roasted vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil. I hope that you enjoy as well.

Roasted Vegetables over a Spicy Horseradish and Parsley Hummus

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

2 cups of Brussels Sprouts, halved

1 pint Grape Tomatoes

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1 tsp Oregano

Horseradish and Parsley Hummus

4 tbs Horseradish

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Handful of Flat Leaf Parsley

1 tbs Whole Grain Mustard

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 15.5oz can of Chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 375. Toss the butternut squash and brussels sprouts with the olive oil, oregano, and a liberal dose of salt. Turn onto a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes or until browned, stirring halfway through. Throw the tomatoes into the same bowl that you tossed the squash and brussels sprouts in, coating with the leftover oil. Add to the baking sheet and roast all of the vegetables for another 10 minutes or until the tomatoes have split.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, process the horseradish, parsley, apple cider vinegar, lemon, mustard, chickpeas and olive oil. Season with salt to taste.

At this time you can choose to warm the hummus slightly or serve as is topped with the roasted vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy and healthy eating!