Smarty Plants – Eat Trust!

AVOCADOS are my go-to super food for all around nutrition and staying power!  Maybe it’s the California girl in me!  My favorite is the Hass avocado.

Packed full of nutrients, did you know you could survive eating avocados alone? They are that “well-rounded!”  Not to mention you can transform them into guacamole!

I start each day by adding them to my breakfast plate, simply cutting up the meats and putting on a plate with a little sea salt.  Another favorite way I serve them up is to slice them on top of a piece of buttered sourdough toast… or even better, on top of melted cheese on toast!

Of course you can add them to any salad or sandwich…

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SWEET POTATOES aren’t just for Thanksgiving anymore!  I eat these wonderful gems nearly every day!  My favorite version is the baby sweet potato that come pre-washed in a steamer bag at the grocery… I pressure cook this little gem for 25 minutes, split in half and add a little butter.  Boom, done.  Yum.

You’d have to live under a rock not to notice sweet potatoes being used in everything!  Enjoy:

Sweet Potato Chips

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potatoes, Mashed

Sweet Potatoes, Baked

Sweet Potatoes, Spiralized

Sweet Potato Hash

Sweet Potatoes in Baked Goods

Sweet potatoes are a big part of the lectin-free lifestyle!  Autumn is here, and it is the perfect time to try sweet potatoes in soups, chili, and in holiday baked goods!  Here is the recipe for one of my favorite cookies (courtesy of Lectin Free Foodie)!

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Can you say, “cruciferous?”  It means super-good-for you! ARUGULA  is also called “rocket,” for a peppery taste will get your attention!

My favorite way to serve it up is as a goat cheese/arugula sandwich!  Yes, here we go with the toasted sourdough bread again!  Toss arugula with quality olive oil and sea salt.  Flake in the goat cheese (be generous!).  Sandwich between two toasted, buttered slices of crusty, crunchy sourdough, and voila!

But I don’t eat bread every day, so my favorite way to eat arugula is to my most frequent… On most days I eat an arugula salad.  Start by blending arugula, olive oil and sea salt in a bowl.  Flake in the goat cheese and toss.  Add in blueberries and bite-sized beets (or just splash with beet juice from the Unbeetables jar for a kick!) and voila!  Yum!  I usually add in a boiled egg, halved, and a couple of Buf Mozzarella Balls (cherry sized) to “round” things out!

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Okay, I was the one who always passed on the BEETS at the dinner table! Steamed, boiled or otherwise unseasoned beets are not the way to go!

My favorite way to eat this super star is as a sidecar to my morning cornucopia of colorful foods (like avocado, cantaloupe, berries and you guessed it – sourdough toast!). I have two favorites:

Love Beets (Sweet Chili).  Their baby whole beets come in a handy resealable container, and there are multiple flavors to choose from.  Love Beets may be found in grocers such as Whole Foods, Fresh Market and Super Target.

Unbeetables (Pacific Pickle Works).  These come in a resealable jar, and I get mine from Amazon.  Check out the Pacific Pickle Works website for many pickled delights… all of the names are hilarious!

Take Note (well, two):

Ever heard the phrase “beet red?”  It came from these roots.  The juice is as red as the day is long, and if you get it on your clothes it WILL NOT come out!  Be careful.

Beeturia, it’s a real thing.  It means that when you eat beets your pee may turn pink.  Perfectly normal.  No worries.

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Okay, I admit it.  It takes a little courage to try a DATE for the first time.  Its translucent, wrinkled skin is, well, not pretty.  But one bite of a Medjool date will send your taste buds over the moon (like frosting-on-a-cake over the moon sweet!).  I look for the pitted ones.  I like to snack on them whole (2 dates, paired with a cup of coffee, make a great afternoon break!).  Or, slice and add them to Greek yogurt (okay, or atop ice cream!).  This versatile bullet of sweet nutrition is a great compliment to a cold meat and cheese tray and may be stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled with balsamic glaze to impress!

Honestly, you will wonder why you ever craved confectioners sugar when you could have had equal parts sweetness with the nutritional bonus!

I have never attempted to make a date shake but fantasize about driving up the coast of California and stopping at one of those iconic date shake shacks for a frosty, sweet shake!

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BLUEBERRIES.  These little powerhouses pack a nutritional punch… and are bursting with flavor when you can find them just-ripe!  Of course, I add to them my Greek yogurt, and enjoy them atop an arugula & goat cheese salad (add to your favorite salad!)

 There are more ways to enjoy blueberries than you can count… but a few that come to mind include baking them into your favorite (lectin-free) treats, and blending them into smoothies… I have childhood memories of my dad adding them to piping hot syrup to pour on our pancakes…

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My husband will attest to the fact that I always say “LEMON makes everything better!”  It just adds that perfect zing to everything!  Squeeze some on scrambled eggs, sauted greens, cooked lentils, and even sliced apples!  The flavor of almost any food will be enhanced by adding lemon… and of course I love it in iced water and hot and cold green tea!

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SWISS CHARD/KALE/SPINACH.  I was a full-grown woman in my 40’s before I really “got it” about nutrition, and greens in particular!  Hey, I didn’t grow up with the internet and all worldly knowledge at my fingertips!  The moms of us pre-technology kids always told us to eat our greens, but it sounded more like a punishment than something to be enjoyed (am I right?).

Greens finally came into fashion about the same time that “organics,” “antioxidants,” and “whole foods” became mainstream.  I began to read about something called “cruciferous” vegetables and came to understand that they were “superfoods.”

Okay, all buzzwords aside, greens are just plain good for you (I know, mom) … and they can be prepared in such as way as to be delicious, too!

My favorite way to prepare swiss chard is to rid the leaf of its spine, cut into pieces that will shrink down to bit-sized morsels when cooked (the leaves will shrink based on how long they are subjected to heat), and then sautéed, slowly, over low-medium heat in olive oil and garlic.

For an extra taste sensation and a bit of additional texture, toss some pine nuts into the leaves just before removing them from the heat.  Sprinkle with some sea salt and enjoy!

This same method may be employed for any type of kale… and for the easiest and faster “greens-fix” just empty a bag of pre-washed baby spinach into the pan and you’ll have a tasty plate bursting with goodness in no time!

Of course you can easily incorporate raw greens into salads, and add the to soups, casseroles and smoothies!

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QUINOA (pronounced KEEN-wah), although often referred to as a grain, is actually a seed!  It has a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor.  It is most often simmered from boiling water and then left to absorb the liquid (much in the same way you would prepare rice).  I like to prepare mine in the pressure cooker in order to minimize the lectin content.

Enjoy it straight from the pot, with a little butter and sea salt!… or let it cool and add it to salads.  It may be used in a variety of soups and casseroles as well!  Try this recipe for Quinoa Cakes!

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If you have a NUT allergy.  Stop here.  Do not pass go.  Do not collect $200.

If it is safe for you to eat nuts, then enjoy those that don’t contain lectins, because they are loaded with nutrients and good fats!

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GREEN TEA is awesome!  I love it with squeezed lemon juice.  Serve it up hot or cold… but be warned: the caffeinated version will keep you up at night!  I use decaf.

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OLIVE OIL.  Don’t scrimp here – get the good stuff!  This rich oil can be added to so many things!  Simple salad dressing: olive oil and (you guessed it) lemon juice.  Delicious!  Scramble eggs in this oil and it will give them a lilt that will please the palate.  Sauté absolutely every vegetable in it!… (add lemon)! 

One word of caution: not for high heat!  Don’t use this oil on high heat (such as frying) … it will turn rancid and that can be harmful.  Just take your time and go at a slow pace with this oil… it will melt your heart.  Did I mention Omega-3’s?

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CANTALOUPE.  Okay, Dr. Gundry would likely scold me for recommending cantaloupe because it is not lectin free.  So, if you suffer from any health disorder that is inflamed by lections, steer clear!  I like to have this refreshing treat on occasion.

Juicy, delicious cantaloupe!  Slice it, dice it or scoop it into cute little balls!

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STEVIA/ERYTHRITOL/MONK FRUIT

Absolutely do not, not, NOT use artificial sweeteners, ever!  (see the 7 Deadly Disruptors).

Okay, I’ll admit that while I am a stevia promoter, I have not fully acclimated to the taste of straight-up stevia in my coffee.  I do like products that contain stevia as a sweetening agent (candy, protein bars, and Truvia).

I use Truvia in my coffee (it is a blend of stevia and erythritol).  Erythritol sounds like an artificial sweetener, but it’s actually a sugar alcohol.  Most sugar alcohols cause gastric upset, but erythritol does not because it is absorbed into the blood stream before it reaches the colon.   Yum, right?  Sorry – back to the subject of sweets!

Swerve is a brand of sweetener that contains erythritol and inulin (your gut buddies will love you!)… and is good for baking.  My personal favorite for baking is monk fruit sweetener!  It comes in white and brown and has that familiar gritty feel to it (like sugar!)

One other note about Truvia, while it comes in spoon-able form, I use the individual packets for amending my coffee, and each packet has un up-lifting quote on the packaging!

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ALMOND MILK.

The truth is, no other mammal drinks its mother’s milk beyond infancy; because its sole purpose is to promote rapid growth and weight gain.

Cow’s milk makes you fat, and most importantly it causes inflammation, wreaking havoc throughout the body.  It contains an insulin-like growth hormone and casein; both of which encourage fat storage and inflammation.

Cow’s milk is not good for you; soymilk is equally harmful, since soy emulates estrogen in the body (see the 7 Deadly Disruptors).

Coconut milk is a good alternative, but my favorite is almond milk!  What is almond milk?  It is blanched almonds (skins, therefore lectins, removed) soaked in water and strained.  It has a pleasant, creamy texture and nutty flavor.  Use it in place of cow’s milk in any way you would use milk (cereal, coffee, recipes, etc.) …

Be sure to reach for the unsweetened version!

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GREEK YOGURT (GOAT YOGURT).

I know, it’s not a plant.  You caught me!  Thick, creamy and a little tangy!  Yes, please!

Traditional Greek Yogurt is made with Goat milk (which is absent casein)

Makes a perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner… a great meal substitute when you want something light.

My favorite way to eat goat yogurt is by mixing one packet of stevia in it (sweet and sour, reminds me of cheesecake!), then topping it with blueberries (and occasionally some Lily’s dark chocolate chips for special treat!)…

On-line recipes abound for yogurt-based smoothies.  Goat yogurt also makes a perfect substitute for sour cream!  Use it in any way you would use a dollop of sour cream!

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Let us eat EGGS!  Scrambled, poached, over easy, hard boiled, soft boiled, sunny side up, and fried!  And don’t forget about omeletes and frittatas! Such a versatility from the contents of that little shell!  Oh my heavens!  Breakfast, lunch and dinner — a winner!

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SALMON.  Whether you pronounce the “L” or not, just eat it!  Abundant in those oh-so-important and elusive Omega-3’s!  In this photo it’s grilled with (you guessed it, lemon!)… it’s also wonderful smoked and served cold with red onion and capers.  It’s also the “lox” in Lox-and-Bagels, and if you like sushi it is always present as an option!

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