Zestylicous Kale Chips

May 26, 2020 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

This growing season I decided to grow an entire Tower Garden of Kale. You’ve probably heard or read that Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense plants on the planet and full of of great vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant properties.

A single cup of raw kale (about 67 grams or 2.4 ounces) contains (1):

Vitamin A: 206% of the DV (from beta-carotene)
Vitamin K: 684% of the DV
Vitamin C: 134% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV
Manganese: 26% of the DV
Calcium: 9% of the DV
Copper: 10% of the DV
Potassium: 9% of the DV
Magnesium: 6% of the DV
It also contains 3% or more of the DV for vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron and phosphorus

A single cup of raw kale is equivalent to 33 calories, 6 grams of carbs (2 of which are fiber), and 3 grams of protein. This is definitely a plant to put into your wheelhouse of what to eat on a regular basis!

I was fine with purchasing kale from the grocery store until I learned through Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) 2019 Dirty Dozen™ analysis and report that Kale has higher pesticide residues than nearly all other produce found on supermarket shelves. Kale actually ranked third, after strawberries and spinach as having the most pesticide residues of products tested! That’s astonishing considering that I can grow it on my hydroponic / aeroponic Tower Garden without using any pesticides! Pesticides are known to be an Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and can have a significant impact on the health of women with PCOS. EDCs are linked to increasing estrogen and testosterone, affecting fertility, causes weight gain, and even one’s glucose metabolism. According to EWG, 92 percent of conventionally grown kale samples had at least two or more pesticide residues. Some samples contained residues from as many as 18 different pesticides!

So, on one hand, we need to eat this plant to optimize our health and fight cancer and yet on the other hand, we can’t eat it from the store, because the food production system is spraying it with the very thing that contributes to disrupting our hormones. In short, grow this plant and eat it.

“But I can’t grow anything! I have a black thumb!” I can just hear some of you say right now. Well, I used to be in a similar spot when I first moved to the South. Our ground in our yard was chalk-full of clay and I continually fought growing vegetables in the soil — even when I tried to amend it with packages of compost. About 7 years ago, I got fed up trying to constantly fix the soil (and fight the insects in the soil) and thought that there has to be a better way. And that’s when I learned about hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics. These are different methods of growing food with water and nutrients.

For the sake of brevity, I’ll only focus on hydroponics & aeroponics here because there’s a tool you can invest in to make growing food easy-peasy-breezy turning the blackest thumb to green! If you have a moment, head on over to Tower Garden and watch a few videos on my preferred growing system. I love hydroponics because you can grow food 30% faster with 98% less water than traditional gardens. Not to mention, because the plants are getting the right amount of nutrients, they typically grow 30% bigger than soil-grown plants! I at first balked at the cost of the system because I had the wrong mindset. I would pay thousands on health insurance, but almost nothing on ways to proactively improve my health. After my husband had his heart attack, we began rethinking the path we were currently on and decided to start pro-actively invest in our own health and the health of our family — we took the plunge and bought three Tower Gardens and that has been the BEST DECISION EVER!

grow your own kale hydroponically using the Tower Garden

Our daughter helping me bring in the kale from our Tower Garden

Our daughter has been helping us bring in the kale harvest for several years! You’re never to young or to old to learn how to eat healthy food.

I tell you over the past three years, the systems have MORE THAN paid for themselves in cost savings! My cystic acne has cleared up eating greens and food I’ve grown (no Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals or Pesticides to worry about because I know what I put or don’t put on my growing food!) and I also started taking JuicePlus+ capsules to fill in the gaps for the times in my life where I maybe wasn’t getting all my fruits and veggies in like I should each day. I AM SO GLAD that we took the leap to grow our own food this way. I am especially motivated because I have a daughter that could possibly have the same PCOS genes I have and I want to give her a fighting chance to beat PCOS and develop healthy habits from a young age.

Whether you grow in hydroponics or in soil, I hope you will want to learn more about how to grow food. I invite you to check out and follow our sister site Grow Your Health Gardening — I’d love to show you how to grow healthy nutritious food with minimal effort.

Getting back to my Tower Garden of Kale … I have five different varieties of 28 Kale plants growing in less than a 2.5′ x 2.5′ space. I harvest every 4 days and the plants just soak up the sun and keep growing and growing! I couldn’t be happier with the production of this plant. I haven’t had to spray my plants with any pesticide. Kale is a cool season crop meaning it grows in the spring and in the fall. Here in Atlanta, it will keep producing in the 65ºF-80ºF weather but will probably start going to seed as we enter the 90ºF weather. At that point, I’ll pull the Kale and put another veggie in it’s place that loves the warm weather. Come September, I’ll put another round of Kale in and stock my freezer and pantry full of Kale for the winter ahead.

I like to keep my greens in this Rubbermaid Freshworks container. It keeps them fresher longer. You can find one for your fridge here: https://amzn.to/3cZRHPa

My favorite snack to make is Zestylicous Kale Chips. I keep them in a glass Mason jar or in a gallon-size bag and it’s great for a grab-and-go snack. If you have a dehydrator or an oven, you can make this recipe noted below and it’ll keep in a glass jar with an oxygen absorber on a cool pantry shelf for at least one year. (Some sources I’ve read on dehydrating claim even longer, but on the safe side, I’ll say a year.)

As you may notice, this recipe incorporates some hemp powder. If you are unfamiliar with hemp seeds or hemp powder, it has a higher concentration of soluble and insoluble fiber meaning you will feel full faster and stay full longer. This is important especially if you’re trying to lose weight. You want to eat foods that help you feel full without high caloric intake of carbs or sugars. In addition, a 2016 study discovered that hemp has very strong anti-inflammatory properties and has a “great potential to dampen [the] inflammatory processes and improve signs and symptoms of several inflammatory diseases.” And finally, hemp seeds contain the perfect 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which is considered the optimal ratio for heart, skin, and brain health. One thing to watch out for with hemp though… it can interact with certain medications: Cardiac glycosides and Diuretics. If you’re taking either types of these medications, skip adding the hemp powder otherwise, I think it will help.

One tip when making these kale chips is to mix dry ingredients together and wet ingredients together first before combining. I also like to use a food-safe glove to work it into the kale, messaging the kale will soften it and help it dehydrate faster.

Mix your dry ingredients together first before you add the wet ingredients. Combine and massage into your awaiting clean and nutritious kale.

Make your own kale chips at home copy cat cheesy kale recipe

Once you work the wet mix through massaging the kale, your kale will shrink down a bit in volume.

Spread a thin layer of kale chips on a dehydrator sheet. I wear gloves to keep the mix from getting under my finger nails.

In addition to drying / dehydrating Kale, you can freeze it. You can add frozen kale to smoothies or soups. And any fresh Kale can be made into a tasty fresh Kale Salad or I also like adding it into my quinoa or black wild rice. Think of it like medicine and find ways to incorporate it into you weekly eating regiment. And if you don’t like the texture, find ways to soften it (like cooking it) or disguising it by mixing into soups and grains/rices. I personally have grown to love this plant, but I think it’s in part, because I’ve watched it grow from seed to harvest. There’s something extremely satisfying about eating something you’ve grown from seed because you’ve worked on it. It’s the fruit of your labor. And as you eat it, you appreciate it more because you put a little bit of effort and energy into growing it. You’ve patiently waited for it to grow and in 4 short weeks you begin to reap the rewards of your efforts.

And if you have a Kale recipe you love, please reach out to us and feel free to share. I’m always on the look-out for new ways on how to enjoy this nutrient-packed plant. I hope you will consider adding it to your food regiment and even consider growing it. And if you do, be sure to follow Grow Your Health Gardening and learn as you go. Life change isn’t an overnight event — it’s a journey of making healthy choices every day. I’m proud of you for making time to learn and hope that you continue as you pursue healing and health!

— Erin

Zestylicous

Servings: 5-7
Time: 1 hr: 15 min prep, 45 baking
Difficulty: easy
Print

INGREDIENTS:
• 8 cups kale, washed and chopped
• 2 cups raw cashews or walnuts, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup Dehydrated Red Onion, 1/2 cup if using raw red onion
• 5 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 TBSP hemp powder*
• 1/2 cup water
• 5 TBSP fresh lemon juice

TOOLS:
• Dehydrator
• Non-stick Dehydrator Sheets
• Mixing Bowl
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Measuring Cups
• Teaspoon and Tablespoon Measurement
• Rubber Spatula

DIRECTIONS:

Place cashews in a bowl. Add water to cover the cashews completely. Cover bowl and soak 4-6 hours.
Rinse and drain cashews. Set aside.
Wash kale. Pat dry.
De-stem kale (take out center stem with a knife) and tear into approximately 3-inch pieces. Place kale pieces in a bowl and set aside.
To make zesty mixture, blend dry ingredients first; cashews, nutritional yeast, red onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, hemp powder and salt until thoroughly incorporated.
Measure water and lemon juice and then add to dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Using a spatula, scrape sides down and continue to blend well until mixed.
Pour mixture over kale. Put food-safe gloves on and massage mixture into the fresh kale making sure all leaves are coated evenly and no clumps remain.
Place the coated kale onto coated liners on a dehydrator tray. Make sure that the kale leaves are spaced out evenly. They should not be touching. Also watch that there are no large clumps from the mixture. This will ensure that the kale dries out evenly and quickly.
Dehydrate for 24 hours at 110°F or until the chips are crisp (around 8-10 hrs).

This recipe is refined-sugar free, gluten-free, corn-free, and lactose-free. *Caution: Do not add hemp powder if you currently take prescriptive medications such as: Cardiac glycosides (i.e.: Lanoxin (digoxin) or a Diuretic (such as Diuril (chlorothiazide), Thalitone (chlorthalidone), Lasix (furosemide), Microzide (hydrochlorothiazide) as it will interact with these drugs and potentially cause harm.

refinedsugar-free gluten-free corn-free lactose-free

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No Meat or Bread in the store? No problem!

March 19, 2020 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

I was a little taken aback at how the meat section and paper aisles were just stripped bare at only 10 am on a Tuesday morning at our local grocery store as part of the CoronaVirus Crisis. Our store was limiting all purchases to only two items of each. That’s a bit difficult to say the least when you’re responsible for feeding seven people! Thankfully, this store run was to get some meds for my husband and as I waited for it to be ready I figured I’d grab some fresh produce for these yummy Mushroom-Cucumber-Lettuce-Carrot-Bell Pepper Rolls. For the first time, I actually felt relief about my decision to eat more veggies because that meant the produce section was more full for me and my family to shop from!

If you haven’t checked out the Forks Over Knives Recipes, you may want to take a gander online. There’s a movie documentary (watch online/rent/buy) that you can watch, a cookbook or can purchase as a reference for your kitchen library, and these great seasonal magazines (Spring 2020, Winter 2020) full of recipes as well as stories of those who have forever changed their lives by eating whole-based greens, fruits, and veggies while ditching gluten, dairy and sugar.

I made the Cucumber-Mushroom Rolls without the dry brown rice Mai Fun Noodles and added some sweet bell peppers I had on hand. This is the first time I’ve ever played around with these round rice papers. Couple of first-timer tips if I may… dip it for about 7-10 seconds and take it out while it’s still slightly stiff. I diced up the lettuce (from a medley kit because my Tower Garden romaine wasn’t quite ready — but will be soon!) and put all the components each in a small bowl and just sat there and did assembly-line style. The thing that took the longest was simply cutting the veggies. This is a seriously easy thing to make in my opinion.

When folding your rice paper, fold sides first (left, then right) and then fold the bottom flap up to seal the corner before rolling the goods into the rice paper. There is a little bit of stretch. I used the peanut dipping sauce recipe on the back of my rice paper because it was free of any gluten and sugar. (I drizzled onto the top as I ate instead of dipping.)

This is definitely going to go into my spring/summer meal plan wheel-house, because it won’t heat up my kitchen by turning on the stove. I do encourage you to pick up a copy of the Forks Over Knives Summer 2019 Edition as it contains many more great recipes like this one!

Enjoy!

— Erin

Garden-grown Healthy Homemade Protein-packed Pesto

July 11, 2018July 12, 2018 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / 1 Comment

If you’re not used to eating greens, pesto can especially be a great place to start. This recipe tastes traditional, but sneaks in foods you might not otherwise pair together in a pesto. And as you know, no recipe placed on PCOSbites goes without getting personally tested and approved. Even my five kids loved this!

A couple of things to know about why you should eat this…

Basil is rich in Vitamin K as well as other vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, vitamin C and potassium (see chart below). Basil also has antibacterial properties and contains DNA-protecting flavonoids making it a power food for helping your body’s cells do their job!Basil is the main foundation to the pesto, so you will want it as fresh as possible. We encourage you to grow your own in either a pot with soil or in a Tower Garden off your back deck/inside your house. (We’ve especially have found basil to grow well in the hydroponic/aeroponic systems, like the Tower Garden!) Basil germinates within 8-14 days from seed and is ready to start harvesting as soon as 3 weeks. This is a staple plant in our home — we always have basil growing. If you’re not familiar with how to grow basil, check out our helpful tips on growyourhealthgardening.com

1 cup of chopped basil has:
Nutrient Quantity
- Vitamin A 1477 IU
- Vitamin C 5 mg
- Vitamin E 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K 116 mcg
- Folate 19 mcg
- Choline 3.2 mcg
- Calcium 49.6 mg
- Magnesium 17.9 mg
- Potassium 82.6 mg
- Phosphorus 15.7 mg
- Iron 0.9 mg
- Sodium 1.1 mg
Watercress (or also referred to sometimes as Upland Cress) is a peppery flavored green and is chalk-full of vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and magnesium, all of which benefit the body. Watercress is also known for lowering blood pressure, improving thyroid gland function, increases diuresis (which efficiently eliminates toxins from the whole body), and improving weight-loss. Watercress also has an antioxidant known as alpha-lipoic acid meaning it will lower glucose levels, prevent changes brought on by oxidative stress, and increase insulin sensitivity. In short, you want to eat this green whenever possible — add it to salads, incorporate it into soups, sauces, casseroles, or even a little bit of gluten-free pasta. We’ve included it in this recipe in place of black pepper and encourage you to think of using it the same way in other dishes!1 cup of chopped watercress has:
Nutrient Quantity
- Vitamin A 1085 IU
- Vitamin C 6 mg
- Niacin 1 mg
- Folate 1 mcg
- Vitamin K 0 mcg
- Calcium 8 mg
- Magnesium 1 mg
- Phosphorus 4 mg
- Sodium 9 mg
Hemp heart seeds are rich in healthy fats and essential fatty acids. They are also a great protein source and contain high amounts of vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc. You can purchase this in powder form making it a great addition to your pesto and increasing your protein intake. Further, if you suffer from PMS symptoms and painful cycles, research has found that the Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), found in hemp seeds, produces prostaglandin E1, which reduces the effects of prolactin. If you aren’t keen on using hemp heart seeds, simply substitute another plant-based protein powder.
Why do we use pumpkin seeds, walnuts and almonds instead of the traditional pine nuts? For one, they are less expensive and secondly, these three nuts are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber. In fact, pumpkin seeds have been found to aid in managing insulin levels and even improve blood pressure.
Swerve can also be used as a straight swap for sugar to sweeten drinks such as coffee and tea. Erythritol is absorbed in the small intestine and then eliminated by the body, so it’s never metabolized and can’t contribute calories to the diet. Some do get stomach cramps from erythritol, so listen to your body and adjust as needed. If you’re not keen on taking a sugar-alcohol (erythritol), simply swap this element with the same measurement of natural honey. It’s not a deal-breaker for still making this a healthy recipe if you opt for honey in leu of Swerve.

Once you’ve made your pesto, you can place a spoonful on a piece of chicken breast for a yummy lunch or dinner. Store up to one week in refrigerator. For long-term storage, place in freezer-safe container and remove any air and store in freezer for up to one year. When you’re ready to use, simply take out and thaw. For portion-control pesto, pour into a ice tray and then pop out when frozen and place into a freezer bag (remove as much air as possible.) Don’t forget to note the date that you made your pesto!

Garden-grown Healthy Homemade Protein-packed Pesto

Servings: 6-7
Time: 20 min prep, 0 min cook time
Difficulty: easy
Print

PCOSbites Healthy Pesto

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups of Basil (freshly harvested, rinsed & spun on salad spinner) Get Basil Seeds

• 1/2 cup Watercress (freshly harvested, rinsed & spun on salad spinner) Get Watercress Seeds

• 4 TBS of EVOO or MTC Oil

• 1/2 cup of rough chopped Pumpkin Seeds + Walnuts + Almonds (I just do a equal part mix of all)

• 3 TBSP of Hemp Hearts Powder (or a protein powder of your choice)

• 5 tsp of Garlic (minced)

• 1 tsp Swerve Natural Sweetener

• 1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt (Fine)

• 1/2 cup Water

• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (Reduced Fat)

• 1 TBSP Lemon Juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Make an ice bath and add 1 TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar. Take bowl to where your basil and watercress are growing.
Harvest 3 cups of loose basil leaves from your personal Tower Garden. To harvest, take a sharp pair of clean pruning scissors and cut about 1/4″ above two leaves. Remove leaves from stem and place basil leaves immediately into ice bath after cutting. Leave in ice bath for about 10-15 minutes. Place basil leaves in salad spinner and spin until all water droplets have been removed. Put in a ziplock bag and set aside in refrigerator until you’re ready to make your pesto.
Harvest 1/2 cup of loose greens of Upland Cress or Watercress from your personal Tower Garden. To harvest, take a sharp pair of clean pruning scissors and cut about 1/4″ from base of plant. Leave some leaves in plant to encourage further growth. Remove leaves from stem and place Watercress leaves immediately into ice bath after cutting. Leave in ice bath for about 10-15 minutes. Place watercress leaves in salad spinner and spin until all water droplets have been removed. Put in a Ziplock storage bag and set aside in refrigerator until you’re ready to make your pesto.
After your greens have been cleaned and water removed, you can begin to make your pesto. Take your blender and add the ingredients listed above.
Blend on low speed at first and then scrape down sides down as needed.
Increase blend speed until on high and all ingredients have been well macerated and combined. I usually blend for around a minute.
Pour pesto mix into a refrigerator safe storage container and place lid on top. Store up to one week in refrigerator. For long-term storage, place in freezer-safe container and remove any air and store in freezer for up to one year. When you’re ready to use, simply take out and thaw.
When you’re ready to use your fresh pesto, simply scoop desired amount — remember a little goes along way! Enjoy!!!

OTHER TOOLS YOU MIGHT NEED:
• Silicone spatula
• Food Blender
• Salad Spinner
• Bowl with ice bath + Apple Cider Vinegar + ice cubes
• Spoon

refinedsugar-free
This recipe is Gluten-free, Corn-free, and Refined Sugar-Free

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Are you eating Cancer-Fighting Heart-Healthy Red Onion?

May 28, 2018May 28, 2018 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

When my husband had a heart attack earlier this year, we really took a hard look at what we were consuming for foods to see if we could dial it in a little bit more. Come to find out, even the “healthy” foods like some salads that we ate while eating out were STILL too high in sodium! (The American Heart Association recommends around 1500 mg of sodium a day for the average adult. Source)

So, what do red onions have to do with sodium daily intake? A lot! They are not only a healthier option, but they can replace the amount of salt needed in seasoning your cooked food and soups.

Did you know? Both the red and white onion contain the flavonoid quercetin, an antioxidant that might protect you from heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. Concentration of the flavonoid is greater in the dry, outer layers than the inner layers of the onion. And the red onion has higher amounts of quercetin than the white onion, according to the National Onion Association. Red onion has also anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Women with PCOS have a higher risk of ovarian cancer so eating red onion may be a good food to have in your pantry for fighting PCOS!

So today I’m putting on another batch of red onions on the dehydrator…why? Because not only are they healthy for my heart and everything I’ve already shared, but freshly dried onions make the most AMAZING tasting seasoning (onion powder) for cooking soups and on your lean meats. Just buy a bag of organic red onions from the store, slice into rings and pop onto a dehydrator at 120 degrees for about 12 hours. Dry and use a coffee grinder to break down into a powder.

To store your dehydrated red onions, simply add one moisture absorbing packet (I like these – they change color as they’re rechargeable) and seal your jar with a lid. Dehydrated foods will last about two years if stored properly. I write the date on the lid and new batches go behind others already in my pantry shelf.

Why do I make my own red onion powder? Not only is the taste fresh superb, but I can be assured that it won’t have chemicals and pesticides in it that store-bought seasonings can have depending on the brand. If you don’t have a dehydrator or don’t have time to make your own, this seasoning may work well, too.

Eating Out: Mastering the Menu

April 9, 2018April 9, 2018 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

When perusing a menu, it can be difficult to always know how things are being prepped back in the kitchen. The following are a few terminologies to be aware of as it affects how your food is being prepared (with salt and fats).

In short…

Avoid any anything that says “fried”, “au gratin”, “crispy”, “scalloped”, “pan-fried”, “sautéed”, and/or “buttered”.

Instead look for or ask for… “Steamed”, “broiled”, “baked”, “grilled”, “poached”, and/or “roasted”.

Bonus tip: And always ask for no-salt/no butter in your prep. You can always control the salt seasoning at the table. Many foods come pre-prepped in salty brines or salt seasoning to give them a longer shelf life from where they originate until they come out of the cooler at the restaurant. Your daily allotment for salt should be around 1500 mg according to the National Heart Association. Do your due diligence before you head into a restaurant and know which items are higher in sodium content.

And don’t forget! Most people don’t get enough fruits or vegetables in their diet! We all know there is a gap between what we should eat and what we actually do eat. Juice Plus+ provides nutrition from fruits and vegetables, as well as grains, plants and algal oils, to help you bridge the gap to a healthy lifestyle all backed by over 30+ scientific clinical research.

JuicePlus+ capsules offer all the nutritional benefits of REAL fruits and vegetables in an easy to consume capsule. If you’re looking for convenient but healthy nutrition, you need to be looking at JuicePlus+.

You can learn more here or click on the following link to email your question to us!

5 PCOS-friendly Burgers to Grill

June 11, 2016 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

Summer is here and it’s time to fire up your grill! Here are five PCOS-friendly burgers to enjoy! Remember, gluten-free is the best option. Put your burger on a full bed of lettuce and enjoy with a fork or spoon. If you need to have something for a bun experience, check out the sprouted grain version of the Ezekiel Bread Hamburger Buns!

Healthy Salmon-Quinoa Burgers

by Skinny Taste | click to view recipe

Vegan Sweet Potato Sliders

by Emilie Eats | click to view recipe

Prosciutto Olive and Sundried Tomato Turkey Burgers

by The Healthy GF Life | click to view recipe

Chicken Caprese Burger

by Chef Robert Irvine | click to view recipe

Mediterranean Chickpea Burger

by Roboot with Joe | click to view recipe

Use Ezekiel Bread as a Sprouted Grain Burger Bun or a large Portobello Mushroom

click to view more details

No-Bake Chocolaty Protein Goji Berry Granola Bites

May 16, 2016May 16, 2016 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

There are so many things I love about this No-bake Chocolaty Protein Goji Berry Granola Bite recipe! You know all those seeds you can use in the Life Changing Cracker recipe and the Overnight Oats recipe we shared? Here’s another snack option you can make with them with a totally different taste! These power-punched bites are loaded with protein, natural fats, and anti-oxidants. Here are some highlights that make it so good for you:

Cacao: Touted as being even better for you than dark chocolate, cacao nibs and cacao powder found in this recipe are full of flavonoids and antioxidants that fight off free-radical damage which can cause DNA damage, premature aging and even cancers. Think of antioxidants as firefighters putting out a blaze — a blaze of inflammation in your body. And cacao is one of the highest sources of antioxidants. The best part is it will make this snack taste “chocolaty” to you and will fire up all those pleasure sensors in the brain and lower your cortisol levels (aka: destress). In addition, one ounce of cacao nibs has 9 grams of fiber! Fiber helps to control your blood pressure and blood glucose levels. This fiber can also help lower blood cholesterol. Last, but not least, cacao has magnesium and potassium. A one ounce serving of cacao nibs has 64 milligrams of magnesium making it one of the best dietary sources of it. Magnesium aids in protein synthesis within the body, helps muscle and nerves function properly (great if you are experiencing fibromaylgia symptoms), plus helps manage blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation.

Flax: Flax is full of healthy fats and fiber, but low in carbs, so it will help you feel satisfied longer so you will eat fewer calories overall which may lead to weight loss. ALA (another type of omega-3) fats found in flax may also help reduce inflammation. Studies have shown flax can help with weight loss and it will help to make healthy hair and clear skin. You’ll also get all the benefits of lowering blood cholesterol and managing blood glucose levels. Flax is also high in antioxidants, so just like cacao, flax will help to fight off free-radical damage which can cause DNA damage, premature agin, and even cancers. In fact, one study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that the lignans in flaxseeds may also reduce the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer. And finally, the lignans in the flax have been shown to have benefits for menopausal women. Evidently, it can be used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy because lignans have estrogenic properties.

Goji Berries: Goji berries are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, and are also low in calories. They are also a good source of iron and vitamin A. One serving of about four ounces of goji berries even provides nearly 10 percent of the suggested amount of dietary protein. Goji berries have a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) score of 3,290, showing that they contain much larger concentrations of antioxidants than most other fruits. They also raise blood sugars slowly — important for women with PCOS trying to manage insulin responses. Some studies also point to goji berries helping to lower arthritis symptoms. And these berries aren’t for everyone either — anyone who uses blood thinners or takes diabetic medication may have a negative reaction eating goji berries, according to WebMD. When in doubt, ask your doctor first. According to Paul Gross in his report, The Top 20 Superfruits, a quarter cup of goji berries contains 11 essential vitamins and 22 trace minerals, including 24 percent of our RDI of potassium, 18 percent of our RDI of zinc and a whopping 100 percent of our RDI of iron, copper and riboflavin. They also contain 8 polysaccharides, a primary source of dietary fiber. (Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/044316_goji_berries_superfoods_antioxidants.html#ixzz48q0wxCQ7)

Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkin seeds are a great source of manganese (74%), phosphorus (57%), magnesium (48%), copper (48%), zinc (23%), protein (20%), and iron (16%). They also contain plant compounds known as phytosterols and free-radical scavenging antioxidants, which can give your health an added boost. Also promising, recent animal studies have shown pumpkin seeds to improve insulin regulation. (Learn more: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=82 )

Walnuts: Cannot say enough good things about Walnuts! The anti-inflammatory nutrients in walnuts are amazing! They are full of omega-3 fats (113%), copper (53%), manganese (51%), molybdenum (20%), and biotin (19%). They also have anti-cancer treating benefits as well as the ability to help lower the bad cholesterol. According to the World’s Healthiest Foods, “The form of vitamin E found in walnuts is somewhat unusual, and particularly beneficial. Instead of having most of its vitamin E present in the alpha-tocopherol form, walnuts provide an unusually high level of vitamin E in the form of gamma-tocopherol. Particularly in studies on the cardiovascular health of men, this gamma-tocopherol form of vitamin E has been found to provide significant protection from heart problems.” (Learn more: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=99 )

If you want to add even more protein punch, you can include any protein powder you’ve been using. Although, a short word on protein powders and PCOS… the thing that’s problematic for us cysters with these powders is that most contain dairy and sugar or terrible sugar substitutes (sorbitol, mannitol, aspartame etc.) that mess with our insulin sensitivity. Read your label carefully! There is a lot of natural protein in this recipe already — you could probably skip the protein powder if you don’t have any on hand, or if you are concerned about it affecting your hormones.

No-Bake Protein Goji Berry Granola Bites - Option 1

Servings: 10-15
Time: 10 min prep, 4 hours fridge time
Difficulty: easy
Print

PCOSbites No bake ChocolatyGoji Berry Bites

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup rolled or quick oats (gluten free)
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces, chopped
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup flax seeds
• 1/4 cup cacao nibs
• 2 Tbsp of cacao powder
• 2 Tbsp of protein powder (optional* – see note above about which one you choose if you have PCOS)
• 1/2 cup of goji berries (*see note above if you are on blood thinners or on diabetic medicine)
• 1/4 tsp of Pink Himalayan Salt, finely ground
• 2/3 cup of almond butter
• 1/2 – 2/3 cup Honey

OTHER TOOLS YOU MIGHT NEED:

• 9″ x 13″ pan with lid to cover or saran wrap
• Large mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Non-stick spray

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. (Quick oats, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, cacao nibs, cacao powder, protein powder, salt, and goji berries. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients.
Drizzle honey evenly over the top of your dry ingredients.
Add almond butter and incorporate into ingredients until all ingredients are fully combined.
Take a 9″ x 13″ pan and spray with a non-stick spray. Spread your mixed ingredients into the base of the pan, pressing down firmly.
Cover your 9″x 13″ pan with saran wrap or a plastic fitted lid and place into your refrigerator and chill overnight.
In the morning, cut unto 2″ x 2″ squares and snack on as needed. Keep your bars in fridge for up to a week.

Tip: If you don’t need a larger batch, take half of what was made and place in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for later use.

refinedsugar-free
This recipe is Gluten-free, Lactose-free, Corn-free, and Refined Sugar-Free

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Lunch: Caesar Salad with Salmon and blooming Broccoli Florettes

May 11, 2016 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

There’s something about eating a flower from a healthy plant that just makes you want to smile. It’s yellow, warmed and grown by the sun and will make you want to draw a big ol’ yellow smiley face as you proudly put GOOD nourishing food in your body. It’s been about 6 weeks since I planted my broccoli starts into the garden. I purchased six small tender plants and they are beginning to produce their first crop. I meant to get out two days ago to trim the floret heads that were forming (they were so little and cute), but the busyness of life got in the way and as I looked out at our little garden this morning I saw that about four plants had started to bloom — those yellow flowers were like a neon sign saying, “We’re ready! Hurry! Come pick us before we are gone!” So out with the scissors I went and just trimmed the stalk right above where new growth shoots were already forming. The great thing about broccoli is that you can get several cuttings off of one plant in one season. And I didn’t realize at first that you can eat not only the broccoli florets, but the leaves and when it is at the flower stage as well.

Did you know that Broccoli is a good source of Protein, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Selenium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. I can just hear you saying, “Okay, great Erin. But translate that into how that helps me with my PCOS.” Women with PCOS typically have inflammation issues going on in their body and are at higher risk for ovarian cancer. This is where what you put into your mouth really matters — your liver and cells are counting on you to eat a food like this because it has (big word warning) isothiocyanates (also referred to as ITCs). ITCs are compounds that actually help shut down inflammation responses in the body. unique combination of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pro-detoxification components in broccoli make it a unique food in terms of cancer prevention. What’s more, broccoli is also a rich source of one particular phytonutrient (a flavonol) called kaempferol. Especially inside of our digestive tract, kaempferol has the ability to lessen the impact of allergy-related substances (by lowering the immune system’s production of IgE-antibodies). By lessening the impact of allergy-related substances, the kaempferol in broccoli can help lower our risk of chronic inflammation. In fact, if you eat only an average of 1/2 cup of broccoli per day—only 22 calories’ worth of broccoli—scientists have shown it will have some measurable benefits.

I know there might be some of you out there that were once like me and digging in your heels saying, “I don’t like vegetables!” Well, my dear cyster, this is what helped me change my thinking when I put it in context… which is worse, enjoying some crunchy green stuff on top of your salad or going thru chemo treatments? Harsh maybe, but if you have weight around your middle, this message is for you as you most likely have inflammation happening inside your body. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. I’m here to coax you out of denial so that you can change your life one bite at a time. When you reason it out, the choice seems really clear — eat broccoli. Raw or cooked, it needs to get in your tummy to nourish your body. (Note: if cooking, steam at temperature of 212°F (100°C), with a cooking times of 5 minutes at the most for optimal nourishment.)

But enough about wonderful broccoli — let’s get back to what’s for lunch … today we put together a simple Caesar Salad with romaine picked fresh from the garden this morning, freshly grated Parmesan flakes (low to almost no lactose), and salmon (leftover from dinner the night before.) I was reminded that I had harvested those pretty blooming broccoli florets (they were still soaking in a ice bath on the counter) and threw the broccoli florets with flowers on top as a crunching vitamin packed topping! It looks so pretty I wish you could see it in person! And the flavors were fantastic!

Tip: When you harvest lettuce of any type, take your cuttings early in the morning when it is still cool out and then water your plant and place your cuttings into a bath of ice water with some organic apple cider vinegar. The vinegar did flush out a little spider that was hiding in my romaine, so it’s always a good idea to wash your cuttings outside.

Salmon is an excellent source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium. It is a good source of niacin, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, phosphorus, and vitamin B6. It is also a good source of choline, pantothenic acid, biotin, and potassium. It’s also a food that will fight inflammation in the body, so try to eat Salmon about 2x a week (easy if you do a dinner one night and then left overs another time at either lunch or dinner.)

In short, eat this! It’s tasty and good for the cells and organs in your body! 👏💗👍

How much salad should you be eating each day?

May 7, 2016 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

If you are consuming less than 5 cups of salad a day, your body may be under-nourished. Did you know that we need about 4,700 mg per day of Potassium to run the body for someone who is 200 lbs. Take for instance a banana; one banana is 300 mg. You’d have to eat a lot of bananas to even begin to reach that 4,700 mg per day nutritional need within your body and the sugar (converted from the carbs in banana) would be a problem as well. The power house to help you feel your best? Salad!

You need approximately 7-10 cups of salad per day to fuel the cells in your body. And the heavier you are, the more greens you need per day to nourish your body. The good news is that salad is easy for your body to digest. One for lunch and one for dinner and you’ve nourished your body for the day.

Keep in mind as well that not only the quantity of how much salad you eat matters, but it also depends on the quality of the vegetable. Ice berg lettuce, for example, will not have as much nutritional value compared to something high-density like:

• Kale – Kale is packed full of vitamins A, C, and K. While slightly higher in calories than other greens, kale also provides a dose of vitamins B6-B1-B2-B3, manganese, iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, and potassium, making for a nutrient-packed salad. It also contains 3x times more lutein and zeaxanthin than spinach.

• Spinach – Spinach is packed with vitamin A and a great source of vitamins C and K, iron, and fiber. It also contains more folic acid than most salad greens, which helps convert the food you eat into energy and produces healthy red blood cells. Recent research also suggest compounds in the leaf membranes called thylakoids may serve as a powerful appetite suppressant. A recently published long-term study at Lund University in Sweden found that having a drink containing thylakoids before breakfast could significantly reduce cravings and promote weight loss. On average, the women who took the spinach extract lost 5.5 pounds more than the placebo group over the course of three months.

• Swiss Chard – Swiss Chard, a relative of the beet family, tastes similar to spinach. It is higher in sodium count than other salad greens (with 77 grams per cup), but it’s loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, and also provides some iron and calcium. Consider combining chard with a few other greens to make your own mix. Recent research has shown that these powerhouse leaves contain at least 13 different polyphenol antioxidants, including anthocyanins–anti-inflammatory compounds that could offer protection from type 2 diabetes. Researchers from the University of East Anglia analyzed questionnaires and blood samples of about 2,000 people and found that those with the highest dietary intakes of anthocyanins had lower insulin resistance and better blood glucose regulation.

• Watercress – It’s more nutrient-rich than romaine and leaf lettuce, containing almost all of the daily recommended intake for vitamins A and K, and half the daily recommendation for Vitamin C, in a 2.5 cup serving. Gram for gram this mild-tasting and flowery-looking green contains four times more beta carotene than an apple, and a whopping 238 percent of your daily recommended dose of vitamin K per 100 grams—two compounds that keep skin dewy and youthful. The beauty food is also the richest dietary source of PEITC (phenylethyl isothiocyanate), which research suggests can fight cancer. Results from an eight-week trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutritionsuggest daily supplementation of 85 grams of raw watercress (that’s about two cups) could reduce DMA damage linked to cancer by 17 percent. Exposure to heat may inactivate PEITC, so it’s best to enjoy watercress raw in salads, cold-pressed juices, and sandwiches.

• Parsley – Parsley is a quiet superfood, so packed with nutrients that even that one sprig can go a long way toward meeting your daily requirement for vitamin K. Moreover, research suggests the summer-y aroma and flavor of chopped parsley may help control your appetite.

• Romaine Lettuce – Romaine is rich in vitamins A and K, but it isn’t quite a mineral powerhouse. Be sure to mix it with some spinach or kale to pack in more antioxidants, or opt for a pre-mixed blend. packs high levels of folic acid, a water-soluble form of Vitamin B that’s proven to boost male fertility. A study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility found supplemental folic acid to significantly increase sperm counts. Folate also plays a role in battling depression — something women suffering with PCOS may be familiar.

• Red and Green Leaf Lettuce – It has a mild taste, making it a good choice for getting vitamins A and K into the diet of children and picky eaters.

• Butter/Bib/Boston Lettuce – Butter lettuce is low in sodium, a good source of vitamin A, and has small amounts of iron and calcium.

• Arugula – It’s a tasty choice with some vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. Mix arugula with more nutrient-dense options to pump up the flavor and the antioxidant power of your salad.

• Chicory/Radicchio – A study in the Journal of Nutrition found that people who consume 650 mg a day of polyphenols have a 30 percent chance at living longer than those who consume less than that. A cup of chicory leaves clocks in at about 235 mg (double that of spinach!), so consider adding a little leafy red into your leafy greens.

• Beet Greens – Only 1 cup of the bitter green serves up nearly 5 grams of fiber—that’s more than you’ll find in a bowl of Quaker oats! Researchers at the University of Leeds found that risk of cardiovascular disease was significantly lower for every 7 grams of fiber consumed.

• Chinese Cabbage – Rich sources of highly-available calcium and iron, cruciferous vegetables like the cabbage have the powerful ability to “turn off” inflammation markers thought to promote heart disease. In a study of more than 1,000 Chinese women, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, those who ate the most cruciferous vegetables (about 1.5 cups per day) had 13 percent less inflammation than those who ate the least.

Your goal is to get in the habit of eating salad, because of it’s nutrients for your body just to function. When at the grocery store, look for something like a Spring Salad Mix which is composed of several different plants; Arugula Romain, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Red Mustard, Beet Greens Let your goal be to consume 7-10 cups of salad a day at first and use whatever dressing helps you to begin that habit. Once you are more accustomed to eating your daily salads, work on lowering the sugar in your dressings. It is recommended to have 1 gram of sugar per tablespoon or less. Making your own would be even better.

Tip: If you purchase salad in a plastic container at the grocery store, after you’ve taken out a serving, fluff the leaves and add a couple sheets of dry unused paper towels to absorb extra moisture before putting the lid on and returning to the refrigerator and your salad will last longer.

Avoid Ice-berg lettuce (not very nutrient dense), and toppings like croutons, dairy high in lactose, dried cranberries or raisins, as well as anything with sugar or any nut topping coated in sugar.

Instead, focus on putting these types of things on your salad:

• Did you know that 1 tsp of Sprouts is equal to 50 tsp of broccoli with phytonutrients?! Add sprouts!

• If you add fat to your salad, you will pull more nutrition out of the salad. Use Bacon Bits, Feta, Olives, Olive Oil, nuts and seeds.

• Add protein like a hard-boiled egg or try 1/4 cup of cold cooked quinoa that is rich in protein as a topping as well. Hummus on the side is also a nice mix in to add moisture to the salad without adding extra dressing.

• A light topping of a beneficial fruit to fight inflammation in the body like: pomegranate, strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.

• Other vegetables like: sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, cooked beets, radishes, chopped broccoli, cut carrots, diced celery, cucumber slices, diced onions, soybeans, avocado, and peas.

Check out what Dr. Eric Berg has to share about salad portions and what type of greens to eat:

Dinner: Lemon-Basil Salmon + Quinoa + Green Beans

May 7, 2016May 7, 2016 / Erin Castillo | Grow Your Health Gardening Owner & Certified Hydroponic Grower / Leave a comment

Dinner: Wild Caught Pacific Salmon! We seasoned ours with a little bit of garlic rub, chopped up fresh basil and German basil from the garden, then lemon slices and lemon juice squeezed on top. Takes only 15-20 min to bake depending on size. Yum!

Sides: Cooked green beans and Quinoa seasoned with garlic salt, onion salt, parsley bits, and soy sauce.

Season your salmon (we buy ours frozen so we defrost in hot water for about ten minutes before we apply a basic garlic rub.) Dice up fresh basil (we also had German basil in the garden) to release the oils and flavors of the herbs while the salmon cooks. Slice lemons and place on top. Take the ends of your lemon and squeeze lemon juice onto seasoned meat. Put your salmon on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the oven at 425* for 20 min.

Above: Basil / Below: German Basil – the smells of cooking with your own fresh herbs is heavenly and heightens the flavors in your dish.

Tip: About once a week I trim the heads on my basil leaves down to just above the last two leaves on each stem and the plant grows even fuller. I put my cut leaves from my weekly pruning in an ice bath to clean and then pat dry with a paper towel.

Once your salmon is in the oven, grab a saucepan and put 2 cups of quinoa in it and add four cups of water. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to medium heat. set timer for 15-minutes. Do not lift the lid off of it for the next 15 min!

While the quinoa is cooking, chop up your fresh green beans (you can save time by buying frozen green beans, too). Heat up a sauce pan with water and toss green beans in for about 10-15 min. Our green beans and salmon finished at about the same time.

When timer goes off for the quinoa, take a fork and make a hole in the center of your quinoa and see if there is any water at the bottom. If there’s no more water, kill the heat and season as desired. I added some chopped bits of parsley to mine from the garden as well as onion powder, garlic powder and some finely ground pink Himalayan salt.

Check the widest part of your salmon for doneness. The smaller more narrow end may cook faster so feel free to cut off that portion and return the rest to the oven for an additional five minutes if needed.

Serve all food nice and hot and pile on the greens. Your salmon portion size should be between 4-6 oz. – visually about the size of your cell phone. Your quinoa should be about 1/2 cup – visually about the size of a computer mouse.

Enjoy this healthy dinner and knowing that you are feeding your body healthy omega-3 fatty acids and gluten-free healthy eats. If you can eat salmon once a week, that is ideal to help your body fight inflammation.

#salmon #omega3 #onebiteatatime #pcos #pcosdiet #pcosfood #pcosdiva #pcostips #pcosweightloss #pcosfighter #pcoscysters #pcosfriendly #pcosbites #thm #trimhealthymama #ww #weightwatchers #eatclean #paleo #paleodiet #paleofood #eatgood #glutenfree

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Healthy Salmon-Quinoa Burgers

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Use Ezekiel Bread as a Sprouted Grain Burger Bun or a large Portobello Mushroom

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No-Bake Protein Goji Berry Granola Bites - Option 1

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