If red kuri is not available in your area, feel free to substitute a winter squash of your choice. Red kuri is a naturally sweet, versatile squash that is great for baking and stuffing, in addition to stir-frys and curries. Kuri, like all winter squash, is high in vitamins A, C, riboflavin and thiamin, as well as the minerals calcium, potassium and iron and an excellent source of fiber. Winter squash have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and blood sugar benefits. Enjoy this beautiful dish on a crisp autumn’s day.

Prep

• ½ cup coconut, shredded
• 1 medium red kuri squash
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 sweet onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger
• 3 cups cauliflower
• 2 cups kale
• 1 lime
• quinoa

Preheat oven to 350°.

Toast coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat, 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Cut squash in half; spread 1 tablespoon coconut oil on cut sides. Place in a baking dish cut sides down and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until tender.

While squash is baking, prep other ingredients. Peel and dice onion. Peel and press or mince garlic. Grate ginger. Chop cauliflower and kale. Juice lime.

Following package instructions, make enough quinoa for 4 servings.

Curry

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 teaspoon coriander, ground
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon mustard, ground
• 1 teaspoon chile powder, ground
• ½ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cardamon
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can coconut milk

Sauté onion, garlic and ginger in 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. When onion is translucent, add cauliflower, spices and chicken broth. Simmer 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is al dente.

When squash is cooked, scoop out flesh and add to cauliflower. Stir in kale, coconut milk and lime juice. Simmer until kale is bright green and tender, stirring occasionally.

Serve
Ladle over quinoa and sprinkle toasted coconut on top.

Preparation: 30 minutes active, plus 45 minutes to bake
Serves: 4

Your efforts will be well rewarded, though. Moist and flavorful, the turkey basks in a delicious and well-balanced sauce. Many healing ingredients comprise this meal. Fennel is closely related to parsley, carrots and dill. It has played an important role in the traditional food culture of France and Italy, dating back to ancient times. Supporting many of the body’s systems, fennel is particularly helpful for cardiovascular and colon health.
 
Prep

• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 bulbs fennel
• ¼ pound shiitake mushrooms
• 1 bunch chard
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 inches fresh ginger

 
Roughly chop onions, fennel, mushrooms and chard. Peel and mince or press garlic. Grate ginger.
 
Marinade

• 2 inches fresh ginger
• 2 limes
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds turkey cutlets

 
Grate ginger. Juice limes. In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, ginger, tamari, lime juice and pepper. Marinate turkey in this mixture for 1 hour.
 
Rice

• 2¼ cups chicken broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cups uncooked sprouted rice
• ½ teaspoon salt

 
Meanwhile, start rice; bring 2¼ cups chicken broth and 1 can coconut milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in rice and ½ teaspoon salt; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, set aside.
 
Turkey

• 4 tablespoons coconut flour
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil

 
When the marinating hour is nearly up, preheat oven to 350°. Oil a large, ovenproof skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
 
Remove turkey from marinade, discard marinade. Dust with coconut flour and fry about 1 minute on each side.
 
Cover and bake until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 170°, or about 10 – 15 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
 
Sauce

• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons almond butter

 
For the sauce, whisk together fresh ginger, tamari, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, almond butter and 2 tablespoons water. Set aside.
 
Vegetables

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ¼ cup chicken broth

 
Sauté green onions and garlic in coconut oil over medium heat. Add fennel and mushrooms, continue to cook, stirring frequently until mushrooms soften. Add broth and chard and cook until bright green. Toss veggies with some of the sauce.
 
Serve
Serve veggies and turkey over rice, with a drizzle of sauce.
 
Preparation: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Serves: 4

Letting the salad set up in the refrigerator for as long as 24 hours prior to serving allows the flavors to mingle perfectly. Cinnamon is one of humanity’s oldest known spices, dating back to at least 2,700 BC. Prized for its medicinal properties in ancient China, it is now used the world over. Cinnamon is an excellent source of manganese, which helps grow strong bones, maintains skin integrity, helps to control blood sugar and protects against free radical damage.
 
Prep

• ½ cup frozen edamame
• 3 pounds sweet potatoes
• ½ inch ginger
• ½ lime
• ½ small red onion
• 3 stalks celery
• ¼ cup fresh dill

 
Thaw and shell edamame. Dice sweet potatoes. Grate ginger. Juice lime. Thinly slice onion and celery. Finely chop dill.
 
Stovetop
In a medium saucepan with a steamer basket and 1 inch of water, steam sweet potatoes until tender, 10 – 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
 
Dressing

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

 
Whisk together lime juice, mustard, ginger, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
 
Salad
Combine onion, edamame, celery and dill in a large bowl. Stir in sweet potatoes and toss with dressing.
 
Cover and refrigerate at least two, and up to 24 hours.
 
Preparation: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours to set
Serves: 4

Coconut oil is made of medium chain fatty acids that have been shown to help improve cognitive functioning in older adults with memory disorders. Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamins A and C and antioxidants. Ginger supports digestion and also has anti-inflammatory properties. This is a mild, lightly sweet soup that is popular with the whole family. I serve it over the holidays and it is always well received.
 
Soup

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
• 1½ teaspoons curry powder
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 5 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 cups sweet potatoes, cubed
• 1 can (13.5 oz.) unsweetened coconut milk
• Himalayan salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

 
In a soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallot and a splash of broth and sauté about 2 minutes. Add ginger, sauté another 2 minutes. Add curry powder and stir until fragrant.

Add remaining broth, carrots, and sweet potatoes, and simmer on medium-high heat until vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes). Add coconut milk, and salt and pepper to taste.

Use an immersion blender or blend in batches, making sure blender is not more than half full. Return to soup pot and reheat.
 
Serve
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
 
Serve piping hot, in bowls, garnished with cilantro and fresh lime wedges.

Preparation: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

This salad is sweet and tangy, providing a wealth of taste sensations as well as an abundance of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. You might be surprised to see maple syrup included here, but don’t be, this natural sweetener is a powerful antioxidant, providing B vitamins, and minerals such as zinc and potassium. Black-eyed peas are a good source of soluble fiber, potassium, folate, manganese and beta-carotene.
 
Prep

• ½ cup cashews
• 1 cup dried black-eyed peas

 
Chop cashews and toast in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
 
If using dried black-eyed peas, cook according to package directions to make two cups cooked beans. Drain, rinse and set aside to cool. Substitute drained and rinsed canned beans, if you prefer.
 
Dressing

• 1 large garlic clove
• ½ inch ginger
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mince garlic and grate ginger. Whisk together, along with olive oil, lime juice, turmeric, maple syrup, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
 
Salad

• ½ cup dried dates
• 4-6 carrots
• 1 bunch kale
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado
• ½ cup goat feta or parmesan cheese

 
Chop dates into small pieces, being mindful of the pits. Shred enough carrots to make 1½ cups. Chop kale, including stems. Chop cilantro. Peel and dice avocado.
 
In a medium bowl, combine the carrots, black-eyed peas, dried dates, cashews, kale and cilantro. Mix in dressing and gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Toss in avocado and cheese. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
 
Preparation: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

This recipe is a lovely way to introduce cabbage into the diet. Cabbage has numerous health benefits, not the least of which is the abundance of vitamins K and C. You’ll notice that there are very few wheat-based products in this cookbook. Occasionally, though, I do like to offer couscous and other pastas for a bit of variety. Of course, if you are avoiding wheat or gluten, feel free to substitute quinoa. When paired with the bountiful benefits of the vegetables and healing spices in this recipe, couscous offers a delightful texture as well as the trace mineral selenium, which is essential for the body and difficult to find in food sources.

Prep

• couscous
• 2 tablespoons cashews
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 cups savoy cabbage
• ¼ cup cilantro
• 1 sweet potato
• 4 dates
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 lime
• 1 can chickpeas

Cook couscous according to package directions to make 4 servings. Chop cashews and toast in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently. Set aside.

Chop onion, cabbage and cilantro. Finely dice sweet potato. Pit and chop dates. Grate ginger. Mince or press garlic. Cut lime into wedges. Rinse and drain chickpeas.

Curry

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk

Sauté onion, cumin, coriander, turmeric and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat, until onion begins to soften. Stir in cabbage, sweet potato, chickpeas, dates, ginger and garlic. Sauté an additional five minutes. Add broth, reduce heat and cover.

Simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in coconut milk, warm a few minutes longer.

Serve
Serve over couscous, topped with cashews, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Preparation: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

Replete with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, zesty chicken patties are filled with healing properties that will satisfy even the most discerning of palates. They are bright, colorful and pack a tasty punch. Make a big batch on the weekend for a week’s worth of easy lunches. Rolling the patties in hemp seeds provides a visual and textural surprise, as well as an added dose of Omega 3.

Prep

• 2 garlic cloves
  
• ⅔ cup cilantro
• 3 green onions
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger

 
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the cilantro and onions. Grate the ginger.

Patties

• 1 pound ground chicken
  
• 1 teaspoon red chile powder (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ lime
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 tablespoon hemp seeds

 
Mix garlic, cilantro onions and ginger along with the chicken, chile, fish sauce, salt, pepper, lime juice and turmeric. Form into patties, rub lightly with oil, and roll edges in hemp seeds.

Grill
Sauté or grill about 8 minutes on each side, or until done.

Serve
Mixed salad greens for serving

Serve over a bed of your favorite greens.
 
 
Preparation: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Not just for breakfast, my poached egg bowl also makes a great lunch or light dinner. Feel free to add any leftover veggies you may have in the fridge. Quinoa and spinach are both members of the chenopod family, known for their unique carotenoids that are especially beneficial to nervous system health. Spinach is also rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant flavonoids. Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia, brought to China by the 7th century and Europe in the 11th century.
 
Prep

• quinoa
  
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 shallot
• 3 cups spinach
• 2 carrots
• ½ inch ginger

 
Cook quinoa according to package directions, enough to make four servings. Peel and finely chop garlic and shallot. Chop spinach. Shred carrots. Grate ginger.
 
Stovetop

• ½ tablespoon white vinegar
  
• 4 eggs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric

 
Heat one inch of water along with vinegar in a shallow pan over high heat. When the water begins to simmer, lower heat to medium and gently crack eggs into water, add salt and pepper. Continue to simmer until whites are opaque.
 
Sauté shallot, garlic and spices in coconut oil; add quinoa and spinach. Continue cooking until spinach is just wilted; keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve
Divide quinoa and spinach mixture into bowls, serve with an egg.
 
Preparation: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Always a hit with the family, feel free to adjust the amount of chile peppers accordingly. Chile peppers owe their heat to capsaicin. Capsaicin is being studied as a treatment for sensory nerve fiber disorders. While I don’t often recommend nightshades such as chile peppers and tomatoes, in moderation, they do offer plenty of health benefits. If your body does not react well to them, by all means, leave them out. This tasty salad will still be delicious!
 
Prep

• 2 Thai chile peppers
  
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 inches fresh ginger
  
• ½ cup cilantro
• ½ cup basil
• ½ cup red onion
• 1 cucumber
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 pound flank steak
• 4 limes
• 1 head romaine

 
Seed and chop chile peppers. Peel and roughly chop garlic and ginger. Chop cilantro. Cut basil into ribbons. Thinly slice onion crosswise. Slice cucumber and tomatoes. Cut steak slices across the grain. Juice limes. Tear romaine leaves into bite-sized pieces.
 
Sauce

• ¼ cup tamari
  
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses

 
In a blender or a food processor, pulse peppers, garlic and ginger until finely chopped. Add tamari, fish sauce, molasses, cilantro and lime juice; process until well combined. Separate ⅓ cup of mixture for salad dressing, set aside.
 
Dressing

• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  

 
Whisk reserved sauce with sesame oil to make salad dressing.
 
Salad
In a large bowl, toss romaine, basil, onion, cucumber and tomatoes with salad dressing.
 
Steak

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté steak over medium-high heat for 1 minute per side and toss with remaining sauce.
 
Serve
Divide salad among dishes, top with steak slices.
 
Preparation: 20 minutes
Serves: 4