In my experience as a nutritional therapist (and in my own experience as a mother) I have seen overwhelming clinical evidence to support the hypothesis that the diets we begin with set the stage for our health for the rest of our lives.  There is one common thread among all of my most chronically ill clients.  They were all fed formula as children, and started on first foods that were nutrient depleted, which set the stage for all kinds of metabolism problems throughout the childhood and teen years.

Now, I will be the first to tell you that just because you cannot breastfeed, it doesn’t mean you can’t undo the damage caused by formula.  First of all, you can switch your baby from commercial formula to a homemade raw goat’s milk formula that is highly nutritious, easier to digest, and full of live probiotics and enzymes that the body needs (of which commercial formula is devoid).  You can read about my son’s amazing story with raw goat’s milk formula.  I plan to blog more about the goat’s milk formula and FAQs related to that very soon, as I get several e-mails a week related to that!

If circumstances prevent you from making your own formula, that’s okay too.  My daughter (who is older than Jonathan) was on commercial formula for a year and unfortunately I didn’t know any other alternative at the time.  While we did have to really do a lot of work to reverse the effects on her digestive system, (thank you LORD for the GAPS diet and Nutritional Balancing), after 5 years we are finally seeing some really great results and improvements.   So there is ALWAYS hope, and kids can turn around fast.  But I believe that the window of time is critical because once puberty and adolescence hits, the nutritional deficiencies can really begin to manifest. 

So, what can one do right now to begin to nourish the body and get off to a great start, regardless of whether you were able to give your child commercial formula, homemade, or breastmilk?

First of all, it’s vitally important to understand that all children are born fast oxidizers.  The oxidation rate explains the metabolism, and since babies are growing so fast, they demand lots of fats in the diet.  Breastmilk (ideally, although not all breastmilk is the same quality) has the ideal proportion of fats, carbohydrates, and protein.  In an ideal world, if we could breastfeed, we would keep kids on breastmilk for as long as possible (up to 3 years or more) since it is the perfect food, and it changes and adjusts to perfectly suit the child.  If you can do this, that is GREAT.  Do whatever you can to nurse as long as possible.

Unfortunately, for many of you who find your way to my blog, you were unable to breastfeed for very long if at all, and so this is simply not an option.  And I totally understand and grieve with you about this.  But God was able to turn my grief of not being able to fully breastfeed my kids into a passion.  He lead me down a path that showed me that yes, you CAN nourish your children, NO MATTER WHAT!!!  But the reality is, we need to be serious about working against a nutritional deficit because, let’s face it, breastmilk is best.  But I’m here to tell you that you CAN have vibrantly healthy children who have not been able to be fully breastfeed!  My kids are living proof!  (And obviously, there is more to nourishment than food.  Your love, your intention, and the low-stress environment you can create for your children goes a LONG way towards their healing and nourishment!)

Before we go further, I want to demystify the “Nourishing My Kids is Too Expensive” excuse.  I want to encourage you to be creative and to be a good steward of your finances, and stewardship means first and formost, providing your children and family with nourishing foods.  Sacrifices do need to be made for this to happen.  Americans pay the smallest percentage of their income on food.  Around the world, many people live to eat.  If you think about it, the earliest Nomads and Native peoples of every culture built their lives around nourishment.  That doesn’t mean you “worship your stomach” or make an “idol out of food”.  God is the giver of all good things.  Food is one of those things.  Sacrificing–whatever that means for you, whether it’s growing more of your own food, or spending more money on organic produce or raw milk and living with a smaller house or less of a wardrobe– is a gift of love for your family. That is what life is all about.  Sacrifical love.  We offer these things on the alter of our lives. 

Obviously we can take this too far and we can be tempted to make an idol out of food.  But nourishing our children and families doesn’t have to be expensive. 

{Forgive me as I switch gears again.}

Understanding your babies metabolism will help you be guided towards the right choices.

Obviously babies are growing and developing at a rapid rate and need food throughout the day.  AGAIN, I will state clearly that breastmilk is best and ideally all that is needed for the first 2 years of life, IDEALLY.  So my recommendations here are to augment a diet that consists mainly of breastmilk OR a quality homemade formula or simply raw milk. 

{Ok, I need to digress again real quick:}

Why do I emphasize raw milk so much?  Pastuerized milk is basically not even a food, in my opinion.  Here are the top 3 reasons why not to even bother with it:

1) Pasteurization denatures the proteins making them unrecognizable to the body and therefore potentially allergy-producing.

2) Homogenization and pasteurization oxidizes the fats making them very unhealthy.

3) Pasteurization kills the live probiotics and enzymes (such as lactase) that allows the body to self-digest the proteins and sugars in the milk, causing more stress on the body.

There are other reasons, of course, like the Vitamin A Palmitate and Vitmin D2 that is added to the milk.  The problems with pasteurization are beyond the scope of this article. But you can read all about the TRUTH about raw milk on the Real Milk website.

Bottom line? If you want to feed your children milk, look into finding a good raw source.  Most all raw dairy farms are small scale operations, and they take utmost care because they know their customers (who all buy farm-direct) will trace any problems directly back to them.  Farmers know they have an obligation to use the cleanest practices for their customers.  All the farmers that I know (and I do know a few!) drink the milk themselves.  Never buy from a farmer who won’t drink his own milk raw!  Our family has been drinking raw milk for over 3 years now and there has never been a single problem in terms of “food poisoning”.  I even purchased my own milking goats last spring because I realized that it would be more economical for me (and a friend who I partnered with) to just milk our own, and it’s not that difficult to keep it clean and sanitary.  So I don’t merely say this as a customer. I say this as a dairy goat “farmer” myself!!!!

{OK, step off soapbox}

So with breastmilk or a good raw milk formula as a foundation, how do we augment an older baby/toddler’s diet?

When to start solid foods really varies based on the individual baby.  A good rule of thumb is that when you sense your older baby (6 months +) just needs something “more” shortly after a feeding, then it might be time to introduce solid foods, if well tolerated.

1. First of all, with FAT.  Here are some great finger foods you can provide for your child:

*Chunks of grass-fed butter cut into little bit sized pieces. (Kerrygold is grassfed, and is cheapest at Trader Joe’s…you can follow that link to see what I love and hate about TJ’s!)

*Mashed ripe avocado.

*Full-fat, plain, whole milk yogurt.  Trader Joe’s organic European style yogurt is great. 

*Full-fat, plain kefir (you can read all about this on my Kefir for Kids post!)

*Sardines (this are full of great omega-3 fats.  If you get them introduced to these early, they will love them!) You can mash them and mix them with a good quality sour cream and make it more of a puree.

*Steamed and pureed veggies (green beans, peas, squash, sweet potatoes) mixed with a little cream or butter.

*Pureed liver pate (BUT ONLY ONLY ONLY if you can get really good, organic livers from a trusted source).

*Fish eggs (roe or caviar).  Good luck finding these; online mail order is your best bet.  Fish roe is nutrient density at its core, and you can fine affordable caviar, believe it or not.  These are full of brain-building nutrients and were prized by traditional cultures for growing children and pregnant and nursing mothers.  You can purchased Dried Tuna Roe and use it as a condiment to sprinkle on dishes in place of salt.  Or you can serve fresh salmon roe (an affordable choice from Marky’s Caviar online)  Remember that nutrient density is the key. It’s quality, not quantity. So you don’t need a lot of it!

*Egg yolks from pastured, free-range hens.  The yolks should be soft-cooked so as to enhance digestion.

*Meats: Dark meats are best, as they contain the most fats, vitamins, and minerals.  And the good news is that thighs and drumsticks are the cheapest usually!  A nice, tender pot roast or lamb roast is also great.  I do not recommend pork products, as they can harbor parisites even when cooked.

But what about cereals, crackers, and juices? 

I do not believe that these have a place in a young babies diet.  First of all, babies do not produce salivary amylase (the enzyme responsible for digesting starches) until they have their 2 year molars.  Crackers and cereals (even Cheerios) are mostly full of refined flour, and are “enriched” with vitamins that are not the most bioavailable.  They are an unbalanced food and are not suitable for fast oxidizers at all. They don’t really nourish and are certainly not nutrient-dense. It’s like heating the house with paper instead of logs. It works, sort of, but eventually it gets very inefficient, and over time can really unbalance the body nutritionally. 

Juices are way too sugary and really serve no purpose in the diet either. If necessary, you can add a little to “flavor” plain water if your child has already been introduced to juice.  Fresh vegetable juice like carrot juice, on the other hand, is a great choice for little ones; about 3-4 oz. per day.  Unfortunately, babies lack the ability to really convert much of the beta-carotene in carrots into a usable form, but carrot juice is a good source of bioavailable calcium.

What about fruit?

Yes, this is the most difficult one to give up.  I believe that fruit is God’s candy, and we should view it as candy.  Feed it to your baby as much as you would feed your baby candy.  If you would not feed your baby candy, then don’t feed fruit.  Yes, fruit is way more nutritious than candy in terms of minerals, but most modern fruit is full of sugar and should still be consumed in moderation.  Unfortunately, fruits do not contain body-building nutrients and therefore, for optimal health, should be given as a dessert and in moderation.  Fruits obviously are amazing gifts from God, full of enzymes and nutrients. Please don’t misunderstand.  But I believe fruit should be eaten in season and in moderation as a treat after all of the more nutrient-dense foods have been consumed.

Obviously, I take a pretty firm stand in a lot of ways on childhood nutrition.  If what I’m saying totally doesn’t work for you, then that’s totally fine. I don’t judge you. I am simply sharing what I have observed from both personal and clinical experience, as will as through my nutritional studies.  For some additional information that goes much deeper into the Foundation of My Children’s Nutrition Philosophy, you may visit the Weston A Price Foundation Website’s Feeding Babies and Children section and also the website of Dr. Larry Wilson, MD, who has worked with many children and families over the past 30 years developing scientific nutritional programs based on the above dietary principles:  Dr. Wilson’s Article on Feeding Children and Babies.

If you would like to begin to make changes but need some more personalized guidance in this journey, I offer an extremely discounted package for babies. I have such a heart for helping babies (especially those of the dear mamas who tried hard to breastfeed, but couldn’t) get on the right start nutritionally, and I use hair analysis to put together a specific nutritional program to balance your child’s physiology and offer support with meal suggestions and general moral support.  Please inquire by e-mailing carriethienes [at] nwholisticnutrition [dot] com with the Subject Heading “Baby Nutrition”.

Smile! YOU CAN DO THIS.  You are not alone, and you will find help in this journey, and the answers will come when we seek them out of love for our children.  This has been my experience, and may you be blessed in your journey to nourish your family in an organic and thrifty way!

To downoad a $1 off coupon for Udi’s Bread, visit Udi’s Website.  Then go buy some bread for your gluten-free Thanksgiving guests. They will humbly weep and thank you profusely. I promise.  No pressure, Nanna.

So today’s post is a simple solution that I think most coffee addicts will appreciate. A brief “commercial” (and my first attempt at videocasting!) on how to make a delicious coffee alternative.  Note: I get no money from any of the companies that produce any of these products. Unless you click on the Amazon link and order something….

Products Used in Video:

Teecino Coffee-Alternative Beverage (I used 2 T per 4 cups of water in my coffee maker)
Raw Goat’s Milk 
NuStevia Liquid Vanilla Stevia
EcoCup- ceramic reusable coffee cup

I’ve told you before what a huge fan I am of Elana’s Pantry.  Well, there are several modifications that I made to one of her recipes that I feel qualify me to post it as my own (with much credit to Elana’s inspiration!!)  This grain-free breakfast has only the smallest hint of sweetener, but it is low on the glycemic index and two small scones for breakfast with some kerrygold butter held me over all morning until a late lunch!

Some fun features of this recipe include the use of duck eggs, which I highly recommend for baking. They give rise and fluff like none other!  I also used thrifty Trader Joe’s almond meal instead of the more spendy Bob’s Red Mill or other blanched almond flours.  I find that even though Elana only vouches for the particular brands of almond flour in her book, I find that TJ’s works great.  And at $3.99 per lb, you can’t beat it! I was also really excited to try out my long-searched for find: Coconut Nectar! It’s a great, low-glycemic, minimally processed, low-fructose alternative to agave nectar. I found it when I was in Califoria. Coconut Secret is the brand, but I haven’t been able to find it in any Oregon stores, so I stocked up in California.

Cherry-Chocolate Chip Scones
Makes 14 scones

I used fresh, pitted cherries for this recipe, but dried would be fine as well!

2.5 cups of almond flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda (not GAPS allowed)
2 eggs
2 TBS coconut nectar (honey works too)
1/4 tsp liquid stevia
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup pitted, fresh cherries
1/4 cup  73% dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or simply grease with butter.

In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until combined. Add melted butter and coconut nectar or honey, and stevia.

Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Fold in cherries and chocolate chips.

Drop about 1/4 cup at a time of dough onto prepared baking sheets and shape as desired (I like the triangle look personally).

Bake for 15 minutes.  Serve with butter or whipped cream for a delicious, filling, low-glycemic breakfast!

This post has been submitted to Real Food Wednesday and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday!

Waffles have got to be the hardest thing to give up when you go off of grains, but no longer!  I’ve been experimenting with grain-free waffles for a while, but it’s really hard to find a good texture and taste that works.  But I think I’ve landed on a winner!Angela, a friend of mine (whom I met through this blog!) is the amazing mother of two children on the GAPS diet.  She shared this recipe with me, inspired by one found at Mark’s Daily Apple, another great grain-free blog!

These waffles are a great protein-rich way to start the day, with good fats and a negligible amount of carbohydrates.  Top with fresh sliced fruit, butter, a little whipped cream…..or just eat plain!

Grain-Free Waffles
-Makes 4 Waffles-
(Adapted from Mark’s Daily Apple)

4 eggs
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup coconut milk (full fat) or dary milk

1. Scramble the eggs. 

2. Add the vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, and milk.

3. Add the coconut flour and mix until there are no more lumps.

4. Pour into hot waffle iron and cook for about 5 minutes, until done.

5. Enjoy!

*These freeze well; make a large batch on Sunday or Saturday and have quick, grab-and-go frozen breakfasts throughout the week!

I had never even attempted to make Creme Brulee before I came across a great recipe for it in a Crockpot cookbook of all places!  Yes, I’ve adapted this from the wonderful Make it Fast, Cook it Slow cookbook by Stephanie O’Dea of  365 Days of SlowCooking. You can read my review of it here. 

I adapted the recipe (and doubled it) to be free of sugar and low-carb.  Oh, and I didn’t do anything involving a kitchen blow-torch on the top of it, so I guess this is not truly “creme brulee”. 

I used Truvia (a stevia-erythritol blend) instead of sugar.  By the way, I’m not 100% confident that Truvia is the best thing in the world, the jury is still out. I do trust it far more than any artificial sweetner, but if you’re concerned you can simply stick to your favorite form of stevia and add it to taste. There are lots of different Stevias out there, so go with what you prefer. In this household, right now we’re hooked on Truvia. But I don’t always trust things that are made by Cargill and white.

Creme Brulee

2 cups of heavy cream (preferably grass-fed, like Strauss)
5 egg yolks (Coscto now has 18-ct Organic, Cage Free Eggs for a little over $4! Not bad!)
1 Tbs vanilla extract
3-4 packets of Truvia (or your preferred form of Stevia, to taste)

1. Blend all ingredients together.

2. Place in individual ramekins or a large casserole dish. 

3. Place in crockpot. Fill crock with water to come up halfway around the dishes (like a hot water bath).

4. Cover and cook on high for about 3 hours.  Remove and let cool completely.

5. Transfer and chill in the fridge overnight. It will be a little “jiggly” before you chill it. Don’t worry.

6. Serve topped with sliced strawberries (preferably organic) and enjoy!

Check out some other sugar-free recipes at Naturally Knocked Up. Not all are gluten-free or even grain-free, but they are all at least free of refined sugar and look great!

Photo credit

Sorry for the poor quality picture!

There was a time when I thought kale was just a decoration for salad bars.  Who knew it was such a nutritious green (is there any other kind?) with so much versatility.  The challege, of course, is getting kale to appeal to wee ones, or anyone else with greenophobia.   What follows is a delicious, low-carb, nourishing snack reminiscent of potato chips!

It was a total coincidence that the famed Gluten-Free Girl recently posted her thoughts on kale chips around the same time I began this blog post. As I was about to write this post, I found her recipe and thought I would halt the presses, and do more recipe development from her inspiration. 

My version differs quite signficantly; she uses slick Italian Lacinato Kale, I use regular garden-variety kale (both work!). I have not tried using Red Russian Kale, and I’m not sure the texture would hold up quite as well. If you try it, let me know.  Lacinato Kale is sleek and firm, and easy to work with.  Our CSA share last week happened to be drowning in several varieties of regular “salad bar” kale, and it worked great.

Many kale chip recipes around the ‘net (and there are many!) use olive oil as their fat of choice.  I have tried olive oil and it certainly does the job, however after researching more about vegetable oils, I am not recommending using olive oil to cook at high temperatures. Olive oil is best used in salad dressings or for drizzling on to vegetables.  You can get by with low heat sauteeing, but even that is questionabe in my mind. The trouble is, the fat molecules in olive oil are monosaturates and polysaturates, which are much less stable in high heat.  The best fat for cooking at high heat is saturatd fat: butter, coconut oil, poultry fat, or bacon drippings.  You can even use a blend of saturated fat with a bit of olive oil, as the saturated fat helps stablize the mono- and poly-unsaturated fats in the olive oil.

These chips are flavored with salt, pepper, nutritional food yeast, and garlic powder.  Nutritional yeast is a great flavoring that also contains many B-vitamins and other essenial nutrients. 

Kale is a low-calorie, high fiber, nutrient-rich green. It is extremely high in beta-carotene and vitamin K. For more reasons than you ever needed to eat kale, go here.

Kale Chips

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale (lacinato or curly leaf, purple or green)
2 T bacon grease, or coconut oil
1 T olive oil (optional; if omitting, add 1 more T of coconut oil)
1 T nutritional yeast
1/2 t garlic powder
sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350. Rinse kale under running water to remove all grit and dirt.  Spin in a salad spinner or shake well to remove excess water.

2. Remove kale from stalks and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Place in a large bowl, and toss with melted oils/drippings and seasonings.  NOTE: Depending upon the size of your bunch of kale, you may need to adjust the amount of oil.You don’t want the kale too soggy; just slightly “dressed” as in a salad dressing.

3.  Place kale into a large roasting pan in a thin layers.

4. Place in oven and roast for about 20 minutes, checking and stirring every 5 minutes.  Kale will be done when it is crispy and bright green.

5. Remove from oven, let cool briefly, and enjoy!  These are tasty and addictive! Enjoy!

As parents one thing we all face, is keeping our energy levels up, as we keep up with our children.  This month Whole Foods Market’s current podcast series suggests tips and action steps to support our energy levels naturally and safely.  

Pop over to the Whole Foods Market blog for a great health podcast series!  This week’s feature is a look a healthy energy boosters.

Pictured above, by the way, is a delicious, simple energy-boosting beverage I whipped up the other day in my Vita-Mix, with the help of my sweet daughter!

Sugarless Strawberry Lemonade

3 cups filtered water
1 whole lemon, peeled
1-1.5 cups frozen, organic strawberries
3-4 packets of Truvia or other Stevia-based sweetener

Place all ingredients, in order listed, in a Vitamix (preferably) or blender.  Blend until totally mixed. 

Enjoy this delicious low carb kool-aid alternative on a spring day. In my opinion, this tastes exactly like the expensive strawberry lemonades you can purchase at the Health Food Store or even at restaurants, and is much more healthy!

We have come past the middle-mark of Lent, the days are getting longer. Spring is certanly in the air and all around us.  The world is renewing; apple blossoms and tulips open forth and the old, dead leaves and branches of winter are suddenly transfigured in green.  I love spring.  Lent can often be thought of as a time of depravation, especially at this point in the fast…and perhaps, if you’re like me, you’ve slipped up a little bit and had a bite or two of meat (or whatever it was you were fasting from!).

Well, there are a little over 2 weeks left, and if you’re tired of spending gobs of money on shrimp and scallops (oh, the irony!) to try and stay low-carb and nutrient dense, then I have some ideas for keeping the fast in a thrify, ultra-simple way:

This past weekend I stumbled upon an inspiring quote about fasting:

“fasting in a larger context, means to abstain from that which is toxic to mind, body, and soul.  A way to understand this is that fasting s the elimination of physical, emotional, and menta toxins from our organism, rather than simply cutting down or stopping food intake. Fasting for spiritual purposes usually involves some degree of removal of oneself from worldy responsibilities. It can mean complete silence and social isolation during the fast which can be a great revival to those of us who have been putting our energy outward.”  -Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MD

I also love the idea that fasting for spiritual reasons literally allows our lower, digestive energies to be released and move up into the heart, where our focus and energy should always remain.  As a devout “ortho-foodie”, I must confess this can be a core struggle for me.  With that in mind, I decided to take this week and really do a liquid fast with one meal per day. 

I will share my favorite list of ideas for healthy liquid fasting and simple, thrifty meals.  I don’t advocate imposing this on small children or unwilling spouses, however.  I’ve found that by not worrying about what I’m going to eat at each meal that’s “kosher” for Lent, I can allow my energy to focus on that which my children need to eat (which usually involves lots of eggs, dairy, and meat) and I just drink my liquids or eat very simple meals. Here are my thrifty meals during the fast:

Liquids

*Fresh juices in the blender or vita-mix: 1 avocado, a few handfuls of fresh greens such as dandelions, turnip, collards, or kale, 1/2 of an apple, 2-3 cups of filtered water, juice of 1 lemon, and a 1/2 cup of  berries.  This is a little bland and somewhat bitter, but I’m going for low sugar. Very filling and cleansing.

*Green Tea or Herbal Tea with a spoonful of melted coconut oil to provide nourishing fats and help regulate metabolism.  Herbs to consider drinking in the springtime include dandelion root, nettle leaf, peppermint, or your favorite!  Green tea is especially high in antioxidant and has calming properties that cancel out the effects of the caffiene to some extent.  During the day, when I’m feeling the need for something warm and filling, I turn to tea with coconut oil instead of food first.

*Kombucha is one of my favorite cleansing drinks, made by fermenting sweet tea.  Kombucha totally curbs my hunger cravings, provides energy and vitality, and is a great liver detoxifier.  Kombucha can be made very simply at home for about $0.50 per gallon.  Check out my resources page to invest in a starter and get brewing! If you prefer to purchase kombucha, Fred Meyer(a Kroger affliate in the NW) has them on sale 2/$5 this week!

*Miso Broth: My hubby makes the absolute best simple, miso soup in the world. He begins with a hefty tablespoon of miso, 1/4 tsp of  thai red curry paste, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and some seaweed flakes.  He places the ingredients into a bowl and pours boiling water over all.  This is pure comfort food, and mineral-rich, low carb comfort food at that!

*Master Cleanse Lemonade- Take 8 oz of filtered water and add the juice of 1-2 lemons.  Add 1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper and 1 tsp. of Grade B maple syrup (or more to taste).  This is said to be very helpful for liver congestion and has even helped people to shed some unwanted pounds!

Sensible Dinners:

To break the “fast” (either in the morning or evening, or to bookend the days) I chose simply prepared, in-season vegetables such as asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, or squashes and either roast the veggies and eat them alone, or cook them in a soup.

I’ve also been doing a lot with navy beans and lentils.  Sprouted, especially, these GAPS-friendly legumes can be eating lightly steamed on salads, in soups, or pureed and cooked as “patties”.  But I especially enjoy a simple soup of navy beans, garlic, and wilted greens. Laden, of course, with my favorite spices and chopped seasonal veggies. 

Here are some other simple ideas:

*Roasted Vegetables: Seasonal veggies are always the cheapest, and frozen works just fine too. I love to toss cauliflower or asparagus with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast and roast in the oven at 400 for about 15 minutes.  The kids LOVE it and devour their veggies when made this way!

*Simple salad: I love to take lettuce and top it with creamy chunks of avocado and sprinkle with baby shrimp. I also top it with a bit of my homemade PurpleKraut (available to Portland area folks to order!)

*Almonds or Pistachios with Raw Veggies and Hummus:  Nuts alone can be a simple meal for me, but with some fresh raw veggies (carrots, peppers, celery, etc.) dipped in a lima-bean hummus (if you’re on the GAPS diet, otherwise the traditional will do, just substitute cooked lima beans for garbanzos).

*Apples and Nut Butter: Is a delicious and simple meal or even dessert, due to the extra sweetness.

*Sauteed Scallops with Garlic and Green Beans is utterly simple and delicious.

*Shredded Veggie Stir-FryThis involves simply shredding cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and onions and whatever else suits your fancy and sauteing in a bit of oil and herbs of choice. I even add a few Tablespoons of hummus to make it “creamy”. 

What are your favorite simple, real-food Lenten meals that you can fix easily without much stress? 

Low Carb & Lenten Main Dish Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients:
organic lettuce or baby greens (sales and coupons abound for these, more about this tomorrow!)  ($0.50)
1/2 cup of non-starchy veggie (cucumbers, bell peppers, red onions, whatever you want!)  ($0.25)
1/2 an avocado, cubed   ($0.50)
1/2 cup of olives              ($0.50)
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds or chopped nuts   ($0.10)
1/4 cup of cooked, tiny bay shrimp    ($0.50)
1/4 cup of cooked navy beans, cooked from dry             ($0.25)
1-2 TBS of lacto-fermented vegetables (pictured here is my “PurpleKraut”).   ($0.25)
1 TBS of homemade balsamic vinaigrette (optional, see recipe below)   ($0.50)

Layer all ingredients in order listed above in a salad bowl. Toss to coat.  This is surprisingly filling and delicious!

Total Cost: $3.35

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, smashed (optional)
1 TBS flaxseed oil

Mix all ingredients together.

This post has been a part of Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and $5 Dinner Challenge!