“We have to practice the art of stopping. When we learn to stop we become calmer, and our mind becomes clearer, like clear water after the particles of mud have settled.”
~ Thich Nhat Hahn

Please join us in pausing to reflect and prepare for the New Year.

Lauren’s office and Vital Extract sales will both close at the end of the day on Friday, December 23 and reopen at 9am on Monday, January 2.

I’ll be wrapping up this series with what is probably one of the most neglected veggies in the produce aisle: Cabbage. And I’m really hoping I can entice you to give it try. Trust me, there is no harm done and so many great preparation methods to discover!

Perhaps you go for color with gorgeous red cabbage and saute it along with some apples. Or maybe you are intrigued by texture and opt for the savoy or napa and chop them into your slaw or kale salad. Neither direction disappoints. Cabbage, like carrots, hold their own reserved spot in my fridge and are worked into many a meal. Today I want to share one of my favorite ways to do that.

I didn’t see a cabbage roll until I lived in Germany and, even as a vegetarian, it took an experience at small farm to table restaurant to catch my interest. The chef had prepared delightful packages of savoy cabbage filled with wild rice, mushrooms, and hazelnuts. It was superb. Since that time, I have made several variations myself. I promise, this is super simple to do once you have a good basic recipe and learn to prep the cabbage.

Here’s a recipe to get you started.

For the Rolls
1 cup wild rice mix (consider other grains such as quinoa or millet or a grain free option of chopped root veggies)
1 teaspoon avocado oil OR olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. mushrooms, finely chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 large head savoy cabbage, leaves carefully removed

For the Sauce
15 oz tomato sauce
⅓ cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup water

I think we all can agree that the need for community is necessary now more than ever. That’s why I am letting you know that local ATX non-profit group Mamas of Color Rising needs our help. Mamas of Color Rising is an all-volunteer community group that works to support and build collective power of mothers of color, especially those who are struggling.

• diapers
• toys
• clothing and shoes
• body products and personal hygiene items
• food pantry items
• pro-bono services (body work, massage, and other health services) to offer to low-income mamas

Items can be brought to our office this week (12/12- 12/16) and/or you may communicate directly with our contact:

Christy Tashjian, CPM, LM, APRN, WHNP
www.motherbloommidwifery.com
christy@motherbloommidwifery.com
512-924-2229

We can always use one more spaghetti squash recipe and this one is so easily adaptable it makes a great go-to!

I have to admit, there are mixed feelings in our family when it comes to spaghetti squash but, since I happen to love it, we give it another try every so often hoping to sway the undecided voters. This basic recipe gets the best reviews. I do always increase the vegetable content with whatever I have on hand and play with the spices accordingly. Sometimes I will add sliced sauteed mushrooms and peppers and other times a bag of frozen spinach. Sauteed broccoli rabe, which is available through the winter here in Austin, is also a great compliment.

The prep with this dish is quite simple as the spaghetti squash will do it’s own thing in the oven while you prepare the sauce in your blender or Vitamix. If you are able to keep the squash shells from breaking while releasing the “spaghetti” you can refill them with the strands covered with sauce for serving.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Ingredients
1 medium spaghetti squash
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
salt & freshly ground pepper

Tomato Sauce Ingredients
½ cup raw cashews, soaked
1 15oz can fire roasted tomatoes, diced
¼ cup basil leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp water
½ tsp salt red pepper flakes (optional)

Full Instructions Here

Oh, carrots! You have been so loyal to us all these years, yet are continually upstaged by the likes of Brussels sprouts and kale. It’s high time carrots have their moment, rather than continually carrying the supporting role. What’s not to love about carrots? They are available year round, ridiculous affordable, hold well in the fridge, and when not the featured dish, carrots are the perfect addition to soups, curries and salads.

So, here you go now: carrots, up front and center with a fun and tasty twist. These fries absolutely deserve the spotlight as a treat for all ages and certainly a one of kind take-along dish to your next gathering of friends or family.

Ingredients (carrot fries)

• 8 large carrots
• 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• fresh cilantro, optional

Ingredients (curry dipping sauce)

• ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
• 1½ Tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ cup water

Directions

1. Soak cashews the night before. Place in a small bowl and cover with water. Set aside. If you forget to soak them, add them to hot water while the carrots cook.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F.
3. Cut carrots in matchsticks. Place in a large bowl and mix with avocado oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place on two parchment lined baking sheets, spreading out evenly. Make sure they are not too close together.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, stir/rotate, and bake for another 15 minutes.
5. While the carrot fries bake, make the sauce. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
6. Once carrots are done, sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Eat the Gains

Originally published Dec. 7, 2016

The votes are in and we are excited to announce that Traci R., with her recommendation of this recipe, is the winner of our Seasonal Side Dish contest!

Mouth Watering Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, outer leaves removed (6 cups prepped)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted or olive oil, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon dry Harissa spice blend
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. With a paring knife, trim off the ends of the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise, and pick off any loose outer leaves. Place the prepped sprouts into a large bowl. Add the oil onto the sprouts in the bowl and stir or toss with hands until thoroughly coated. Add the Harissa and salt, and stir until combined.Spread the Brussels sprouts onto the prepared baking sheet in a uniform layer. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.Roast the sprouts for 20 minutes, then flip with spatula, and continue roasting for another 5-15 minutes until browned to your liking. I tend to “overcook” these because I like them crispy and charred (I usually brown mine more than the photos show). Smaller sprouts will brown faster than larger ones. Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of melted coconut oil and quickly toss to coat. This infuses with flavor and moistens them a bit after roasting. Sometimes I also sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds if I have some on hand. Taste and add another tiny pinch of salt, if desired, and serve immediately – the hotter the better. (Recipe from Oh She Glows.)

Congratulations Traci! We sincerely hope you enjoy your copy of Gemmotherapy for Everyone: An Introduction To Acute Care!