Dr. John Day, Cardiologist

Well, I must admit, this was a home run, both in terms of speed and taste. We were racing to make the Thanksgiving veggies and get to our special holiday meal at my sister-in-law’s home.  I was planning to make another dish, but in our rush, this one came together more quickly, so we went with it. Upon trying it, everyone said they loved it, even John, and EVEN my two year old! The dressing is walnut, parsley, olive oil, lemon, garlic, miso and white balsamic. I used the common curly green kale, massaged the dressing in and topped it with a few crunchy crouton substitutes: slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds. You can also sprinkle in some parmesan cheese, if you’d like.

Quinoa, blueberries, walnuts, flax seed, and hempseed––you are giving yourself a delicious super food start to your day. Also a great afternoon energy boost without producing cravings!

My nine-year old son declares that this is his favorite muffin. Made with gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats, and no flours, this muffin could be a great option for those who want to avoid gluten. Prunes, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla and almond extracts serve as the sweeteners.  You can feel good about enjoying this satisfying muffin!

Beets are packed with nutrients such as vitamins A, B & C, potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron, beta-carotene, beta-cyanine and folic acid. Beets contain betaine and trytophan which can help alleviate depression and relax the mind.  Beets may also lower blood pressure, among other things.

I’ve always loved beets, but just discovered these awesome chiogga beets which are pink and white stripped.  I used to steam or roast my beets until I realized how easy it is to simply grate them raw. They are a bright, sweet, delicious addition to any salad.

Avocado, when added to a salad, up to quadruples the absorption of two key carotenoid antioxidants—lycopene and beta-carotene—over an otherwise avocado-free salad. Avocado oil also performs this magic.

Avocados contain phytosterols (beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigma sterol)  and polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs) which provide anti-inflammatory benefits.

Avocados boast a high amount of a fatty acid called oleic acid which can increase our absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like carotenoids. They have also been shown to help lower our risk of heart disease.

Walnuts contain a high amount of an unusual type of vitamin E, which can help with heart health, among other things.

Walnuts offer a special anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant phytonutrients that are unique to this nut.  These phytonutrients can help with metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular problems, and type 2 diabetes. They have also been shown to help reduce the risk of certain cancers.

You’ll also enjoy and benefit from all of the other nutrients provided by the purple cabbage, spinach, red onion, carrot, and tomato in this salad.

“These waffles are a different color! Normally they’re green!”

This was my daughter’s comment when I served these waffles.

It’s true. I usually add zucchini to my waffles, but this time I felt just fine not adding a vegetable because they have so many other nutrient-rich ingredients.

We tried these waffles with and without the lemon juice in the batter, and we all preferred the lemon.

The lemon is a tip that I got from John’s sole cookbook that he brought into our marriage over 20 years ago, entitled:

“Where’s Mom Now That I Need Her?”

I threw this hearty salad together last night with ingredients we had on hand and we enjoyed it with baked halibut.  It is also substantial enough to be served as a meal on its own.  It is highly versatile–you can add practically any veggies, fruits, nuts and even beans that you have on hand. It tastes even better the next day, as the dressing mellows the kale. I went to bed last night looking forward to this salad and enjoyed it again for breakfast.