Garlic

Sautéed Garlic and Tomato Sauce on Zucchini Recipe

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Garlic and Tomato Saute recipeThose who are following a Paleo or Mediterranean style diet will love this recipe! This recipe is great for those who are trying to avoid gluten, dairy, and ultimately refined carbs. It can also be a vegan option if the meat/fish option is avoided. This recipe also requires a spiral sliver or spiralizer. The recipe is also best done in stages as opposed to adding all of the ingredients at once. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil
  • 2 zucchinis
  • approximately 625g of grape tomatoes halved – or more
  • 1/3 cup of basil (or Italian seasoning)
  • Optional: Shrimp
  • Optional: Feta cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil on low – medium heat.
  2. Add in the minced garlic and sauté until softened (approximately 5 min).
  3. If you are adding in shrimp, add it to the garlic mixture and cook for approximately 10 minutes on medium heat.
  4. Add in halved tomatoes and let cook for approximately 10 minutes (this also depends on the desired consistency of the sauce you prefer. For a “chunky” sauce, cook for less time.)
  5. Spiral cut the zucchini, and add it to the pan, cooking for approximately 10 minutes or until “noodles” are soft.
  6. Remove from pan and serve.
  7. For extra flavour, you can add feta cheese to the top if this works with your specific diet.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today! 

 

 

Sauce-less/Salt and Pepper Chicken Recipe

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Having completed the elimination diet previously and restricted my diet from certain substances for my own health concerns, I found it challenging to find any sauces that fit my needs. I have also found that many of the sauces contain excess sugar and added preservatives, making them less than ideal for a healthy diet. Finally, my husband did something so simple to our chicken that we now use all the time! Simple, easy and delicious! Rather than using a sauce, we do more of a rub for the chicken that works out great! The ingredients below are rough estimates as it depends on your preference, health concerns and dietary restrictions. Most of the ingredients we do to taste.

Ingredients

  • Chicken (thighs, drum sticks, or breasts)
  • Approximately 1 cup of olive oil
  • Approximately 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
  • Approximately 1 – 2 teaspoons of salt
  • Approximately 1 – 2 teaspoons of pepper

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Mix together olive oil and garlic powder in bowl.
  3. Coat both sides of the chicken with the olive oil mixture.
  4. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over all of the pieces of chicken.
  5. Place chicken on a baking pan with parchment paper or on a non – stick sheet.
  6. Place chicken in oven for 1 hour, then remove, let cool, and serve.

Like I said, simple but so good and void of excess sugar and “contaminants” to your diet!

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

 

 

 

 

Power Food: Garlic

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Garlic ClovesGarlic has been used for many centuries to prevent and treat diseases due to its health promoting properties. Historical documents have found that garlic was used to keep working class citizens strong and productive, as well as keep them free of abnormal growths or tumours, diarrhea, worms, and cardiovascular difficulties.

Currently, we know that Garlic has the following therapeutic actions, which makes it such a “Power Food”.

  • Antimicrobial – kill or inhibit growth of microorganisms
  • Antifungal – kills or inhibits growth of fungus
  • Diaphoretic – promotes sweating
  • Hypocholesteremic – lowers cholesterol
  • Cholagogue – promotes bile flow and digestion
  • Hypotensive – lowers blood pressure
  • Antispasmodic – relaxes smooth muscles

As a result of these therapeutic actions, garlic has the potential to prevent and treat infections of the respiratory system such as chronic bronchitis, recurrent colds and influenza, and can even be used as a broader approach to treating asthma. Garlic also works on the digestive system by killing bad bacteria and supporting good bacteria within it. It also affects the Gall Bladder by increasing the amount of bile secreted and therefore aiding in digestion and making it work more smoothly. This activation of the gall bladder also helps with the detoxification of the body.

Many studies have also shown the benefits of using garlic to treat hypertension, and overall, lower blood pressure. Along with aiding those with high blood pressure, garlic also reduces bad cholesterol (low density lipoproteins [LDLs]) and increases good cholesterol (high density lipoproteins [HDLs]), and protects against plaque build-up in the blood vessels.

So you might be asking, what health conditions can garlic prevent and what can it be used to treat in my daily life? To begin with, Garlic could aid in preventing Atherosclerosis, Hypertension (high blood pressure), Myocardial Infarction (heart attack), and stroke. In regards to using garlic in every day life, not only can garlic be added to meals, but also used as a treatment for your skin. Garlic can be applied to the skin to treat ring worm, warts, and athlete’s foot (just do not use the garlic in your cooking afterwards).

The next time you see garlic, do not merely think of it as a vampire deterring bulb, but rather a health promoting addition to your diet!

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.