DILL CHICKEN SALAD with celery, apples, and sunflower seeds

Spring is in the air. And the ground. The snow is melting, the sun is shining, and thunderstorms grace the skies. It's a glorious time - my favorite in fact. Lately I've been craving chicken salad. Light yet substantial. Versatile and at the ready for park time, bike rides, and all the outdoor fun that comes with this season. Enjoy!

[THE RECIPE]

1 - 1.25 lbs chicken breast (I love Creswick Farms chicken), cut into large chunks or strips (2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans to make vegan)
2 tablespoons of ghee or butter (avocado or algae oil for vegan)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup celery, chopped into small chunks
2 small or 1 large sweet apple, chopped into small chunks
1/2 heaping cup of raw sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon of dried dill or 1/4 cup fresh dill leaves
1/2 cup vegenaise or mayonaise (I love Soy-Free Vegenaise or Chose Foods Avocado Oil Mayo)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet, melt ghee or butter (or oil). Gently spread chicken (or garbanzo beans) out in pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 - 7 minutes. If using garbanzo beans in lieu of chicken, shake the pan over the burner from time to time to stir. When the pan side of the chicken begins to brown, flip and cook another 5-7 minutes until browned. Cut into a slice of chicken to make sure it is cooked all the way through. Turn off heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

While chicken cools, combine celery, apples, sunflower seeds, pepper, and dill in a large glass or stainless steel bowl. Mix well.

Chop the chicken into really small pieces (lightly crush garbanzo beans if using). Add the chicken and vegenaise/mayo and stir until all of the mixture is coated evenly. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for up to a week.

KEEPING WARM + APPLE CRISP

Tis the week of Thanksgiving and I've found myself a bit flustered. Normally the weather kicks me into holiday mode but this season I find myself completely tricked. Not that I'm complaining. Some extra days of warm air and outdoor fun sans heavy snow gear is aways a treat. But the shocking twist in temperatures has my body freaking out a bit.

As the thermometer drops, our bodies tend to curl inward and tighten. Pay attention and you may notice a more pronounced hunkering over - you're body's desperate attempt to keep warm on the inside. Your may become less flexible, more stiff with increased soreness, and really dry. Don't get mad - your body is doing what it's supposed to. Protecting your precious insides.

But there are ways to settle the body and care for it well amidst what can be a pretty tough seasonal transition.

Twists and circular movements in yoga help soften the body and lubricate our joints. Opening in gentle backbends counteracts the tendency to curl forward. Meditation aids the settling of our mind, especially when tucked within busy schedules, parties, and school activities.

Herbs and spices like ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, garlic, rosemary, sage, and nutmeg are all excellent at maintaining and providing a balanced warmth. Apples, pears, and dates help to increase moisture in the body. Cooked grains, ghee and root vegetables give substance and nourishment. It's the season for soups and stews, dal and kitchari, risotto and crisp.

Hydration is really important. Warm or room temperature water is ideal, especially with a small piece of ginger and some lemon juice.

Know that cold doesn't have to be miserable. It just asks us to shift our routines with the seasons. We so naturally change over our closets - trading sandals and shorts for boots, scarves, and fleece-lined leggings. Why not trust the same instinctual desire when it comes to how we care for our bodies?










[THE RECIPE]

8 - 10 apples, peeled and cut into thin chunks or slices
1 - 2 cups apple cider or juice
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups gluten-free old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour [ground fresh if possible]
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 teapsoon sea salt
3/4 cup ghee or coconut oil [for vegan]
3/4 cup maple syrup

Spread out prepared apples in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Pour in apple cider or juice so that there is about an inch of liquid along the bottom. Add more if necessary. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine oats, oat flour, sugar, salt and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Warm ghee or oil and syrup in a small saucepan over low heat until completely melted. Pour warmed liquid over oat mixture and stir until oats are completely covered. The consistency should be moist but not wet and fairly crumbly. Add more oil-syrup mixture or oats as needed.

Spread the oat topping evenly over the prepared apples. Loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until liquid is bubbling, approximately 45 minutes. At this point, remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the oat topping just begins to brown in spots.

Remove from oven and let sit for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or cool.

SPICED APPLE PORRIDGE

As the cooler weather sets in, I naturally tend to gravitate towards the warmer blessings of life - a fire in the fireplace, endless mugs of hot tea [ginger is a favorite right now], heavy blankets, hooded sweatshirts, soups and stews and warm applesauce.

For me, this dish is nourishing with a hint of sweet, rich with flavor and depth, and helps keep me snug through these windy, cold days. The added spices are perfect for warming the body from the inside out.

Apples are in full swing if you choose to make your applesauce homemade. I prefer a mixed apple sauce and, here's a little secret, good farmers know their apples well. Generally they've been making applesauce from their own apples for years and can give you advice on which apples to choose. I've found asking my farmer to put together a basket of blended sauce apples is key to a successful end result. You can find an apple farmer at your local farmer's market or check out Local Harvest and search an organic farmer who grows apples [there are many out there who are uncertified but have amazing practices].

[THE RECIPE]
Single Serving

1 c. applesauce [unsweetened]
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
pinch of ginger powder
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Ceylon cinnamon powder [optional]
1/2 c. seed or nut milk of choice [walnut and hemp milk are lovely]

In a small saucepan warm applesauce and spices over low heat. Once the spiced sauce is very warm [but not quite hot], remove from heat and pour into a single serving bowl. Pour milk over sauce, serve immediately, and enjoy!

Additional Add-In Options: toasted walnuts or almonds, ground flax or chia seed, raw stevia / honey / maple syrup if added sweetness is desired, pinch of ground cloves or cardamom, toasted coconut flakes, soaked raisins or currants, dried fruit of choice

JUICE WITH NO JUICER!

Sometimes reading books or magazines or blogs or articles just plain adds stress to eating well.

I mean, seriously. Now I need a juicer in addition to my dehydrator, food processor, blender, spice grinder, toaster oven, Crock-pot, and mixer?!

Sometimes I simply get fed up with it all, throw modern-day convenience out the window and put on my thinking cap. You know, the scrappy, frugal, brilliant one our grandparents seem to have. The hat that allows me to make something out of nothing and use what I have rather than purchasing something new because, I need it.

I'll say it right up front, this juice will take more time than it's juicer-pressed counterpart. Whenever we choose to walk away from the machine and do things by hand it generally does. But the process will also connect you to something more melodic, more fluid - something slower and more present.

[WHY GO THROUGH THE HASSLE?]

Juicing is an incredible way of getting easy-to-assimilate vitamins and minerals into your body quickly and effectively. It's said to be easier on your digestive system, not requiring the effort many fruits and vegetables would normally take. This doesn't mean forgo eating whole foods in favor of juicing everything. It means juice in conjunction with eating whole vegetables and fruit. It also offers a great option during illness or during fasting.

Not all juice is equal. Many commercial juices contain far more fruits than vegetables which can have a blood sugar spiking effect. A good rule of thumb is one fruit for every three vegetables.

Because juice tends to digest both faster than whole foods and dilute stomach acid [necessary for digestion], it's important to drink juice at least 30 minutes prior to eating or an hour or more after eating rather than with a meal.

So, take a little time to squeeze your own juice. Make a large batch and freeze some for later. Enjoy walking away from the "I need's" for a moment - from the stress, and information, and noise - and simply enjoy letting juice run through your fingers and down your arm.


[THE RECIPE - NO JUICER REQUIRED]

Leaving peels on, rinse, scrub, and quarter or cut into chunks each vegetable or fruit listed unless otherwise noted

2 - 3 small beets or 1 large one
2 carrots
3 celery sticks [optional]
2 small apples or pears or 1 large one
large bunch of kale
1/2 cucumber [optional]
1/2 lemon, juiced
one 1" piece of ginger
1 - 2 cups of water
1 nut bag or large piece of cheesecloth folded in half

Place all chopped produce in a blender and cover with water. Blend on high until mixture is smooth [1 - 2 minutes].

Place nut bag or cheesecloth in a large measuring jar or bowl. Pour mixture into bag or cloth [you may have to split mixture into two]. Gently lift up bag or cloth and twist top to secure so the mixture does not squeeze out. Slowly begin to squeeze the mixture, sort of using a milking-the-cow like motion. Continue until all of the juice has been release and all that remains is a solid ball of pulp. Remove pulp and repeat if necessary.

Pour desired juice into a glass and freeze remaining for later. It's important to drink within a day or freeze to preserve the enzymes, vitamins, and minerals released during the juicing process.

[WINTER JUICE]

For a nice early winter juice try this recipe using persimmons [you might be able to score some at your Farmer's Market]. Persimmons are awesome for reducing excessive mucus, are packed with vitamin C, and counter the effects of dry weather. This recipe is great for building the health of your blood, boosting your immunity, and helps fight those nasty colds.

2 persimmons, remove stems and seeds
2 carrots, rinse and remove end
2 medium beets, rinse and remove end
2 1-inch pieces of peeled ginger
juice of 1 lemon

Follow juicing instructions above.