Homeopath and pet expert Susie Killian and Lauren pair up to share the very latest information on Gemmo extracts for your furry friends.  Learn to harmonize your pet’s nervous system, support healthy elimination, and address chronic symptoms naturally with Gemmo plant bud extracts. Your pets will thank you.

In this episode learn the basic guidelines for dosing your pets and the first two extracts you might consider to harmonize your pet’s Central Nervous System.  

Contact Susie Killian regarding consultation for your pet.

Buy Gemmotherapy extracts here. 

Learn more about Gemmotherapy here.

Homeopath and pet specialist Susie Killian and I pair up to share the very latest information on Gemmo extracts for your furry friends.  Learn to harmonize your pet’s nervous system, support healthy elimination, and address chronic symptoms naturally with Gemmo plant bud extracts. Your pets will thank you.

One of my favorite kitchen challenges is to capture the essence of a dish with only my memory of the flavors as a guide. While I may not have captured the exquisite visual appeal, the taste of these creamy white beans over polenta was spot on. 

This recipe was inspired by a delightful farm to table experience at Toddy Pond Farm just outside Belfast.

Polenta Base

• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup polenta — note whether you have quick cooking polenta or not and adjust the cooking time.
• 4 cups of water
• Vegan Butter (I love Miyokos brand)

Beans

• Olive Oil
• 1 large or 2 small shallots peeled and chopped fine
• 1 large carrot diced
• A handful of fresh sage and thyme 
• 2-3  cups of prepared veggie broth
• 1 can of Cannellini beans washed and drained (or other firm white beans)
• ½ cup of store bought or prepare your own cashew cream
• 1 T Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Basket of garden fresh cherry tomatoes, about 24

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium-size heavy saucepan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Pour cornmeal slowly into water, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon. Continue stirring as mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Cover, reduce heat and allow to simmer until thickened and corn grits are swollen and soft, not gritty.  The cooking time can be 5-10 mins for quick cooking versions of 30-40 mins minutes for traditional.  Stir every 5 minutes.
3. Prepare a baking sheet or pan with a bit of olive oil or vegan butter.  Choose a pan that will allow the polenta to be no thicker than one inch.  
4. Pour cooked polenta into the pan, score into rectangles, and set aside to cool while you prepare the beans.
5. Coat a heavy skillet with olive oil and adjust heat to medium.  When oil is hot add chopped shallots, reduce heat and saute until soft, careful not to burn the edges.  Add carrots, allowing to brown slightly, then add sage leaves and fresh thyme.  Pour enough prepared veggie broth to cover and simmer until carrots are tender, adding broth as needed.  
6. In the meantime prepare cashew cream and drain white beans.
7. When carrots are tender, adjust liquid so that veggies remain completely covered. Add drained beans and cashew cream, allowing to simmer just long enough to meld the flavors but not break down the shape of the beans. Add balsamic vinegar and set aside, warming gently just before serving.
8. Heat another skillet with a splash of olive oil and saute cherry tomatoes with a handful of sage leaves until they pop and just begin to collapse.  Remove to a dish and set aside.
9. The final step is giving the polenta a crispy exterior. This can be done in a frying pan, heating long enough to slightly brown each side or on a baking sheet, brushing with oil first and browning in an oven set to 450 degrees. 
10. Once the polenta is ready it’s time to assemble the dish on one serving plate or individually. Polenta layer first, topped with beans and then cherry tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Enjoy!

Listen in and discover what Sweet Chestnut can offer you and your family now. Enjoy this balanced conversation with a splash Materia Medica and an Asian Medicine lens as Maegan and Lauren explore the potential of Sweet Chestnut Gemmotherapy.

Discover more about Lauren and Maegan’s work here:

Lauren Hubele

Maegan Lemp

These gorgeous purple cabbage heads called me by name at the Damariscotta Maine Coop.  Locally grown with sweet, crisp leaves they produced a crunchy slaw packed with texture and flavor that didn’t disappoint. The pomegranate molasses added the perfect tang to create a bowlful of deliciousness. Preparing this an hour before serving will provide the best results. 

Ingredients

1 Small Asian Cabbage

1 Small Purple Cabbage

1 Yellow Sweet Pepper

——————————

3 TBL apple cider or white balsamic vinegar

1-2 TBL Maple Syrup

3 TBL Pomegranate Molasses

⅔ Cup Olive Oil 

Handful of Basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

———————————

Dried Cherries

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Slice cabbages and sweet pepper into fine strips, cutting in half if needed. Blend dressing ingredients in a small processor or with an immersion blender, adjust as needed for a tart-sweet flavor. Pour just enough dressing over veggies to coat well.  Add dried cherries and pumpkin seeds. 

Enjoy!

These bites are just the best for travel, mid meal snacks, and hikes. You”ll see this is more of an ingredient list than a recipe. The only trick here is to adjust the amount of wet ingredients to dry so that the mixture comes together and can easily hold it’s shape. Enjoy the versatility of these yummy treats and improvise with whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of medjool dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 10-15 mins
• 3/4 of a cup of any nut butter or tahini
• 3/4 of a cup of walnuts, pecans or any other nut ground (cashews and or sunflower seeds are excellent)
• ½ cup of ground seeds ( I like a mix of pumpkin and sunflower) and/or desiccated coconut 
• ½ cup or handful of dried fruits ( apricot, fig, cherries, golden raisins are all delicious)
• 2 Tbs of chia seeds
• 1-2 Tbs of coconut oil
• 2 Tbs of hemp seeds
• 2 Tbs of 1 raw cacao powder or crushed cacao nibs
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• A splash or two of maple syrup if needed for moisture or sweetening

Prep all ingredients and then add to the bowl of your food processor. Pulsing until you reach a desired consistency. Taste and adjust sweetenings.

You might consider using a mini ice cream scoop for quick portioning.

These bites can be portioned and stored in the freezer or fridge to be ready when needed. 

Enjoy!

Here’s a stew inspired by Yotom Ottolenghi to carry you into fall and it is a much deserved helping of pure comfort in a bowl. 

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 Red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• Fresh thyme leaves removed from stems
• 1 large or 2 small eggplants cut in chunks
• 24 cherry tomatoes halved or 2 large tomatoes chopped
• 180 g or 1 cup of Green French Lentils (Puy)
• Fresh baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach
• Water to cover
• 1-2 cubes of vegetable bouillon 
• Vegan sour cream
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Fresh oregano sprigs

Directions

1. Place chopped eggplant and halved cherry tomatoes in a large bowl.  Generously season with salt and pepper and allow to sit.
2. Add olive oil to a large heavy, lidded skillet on medium heat.  Add onion and saute until soft.  Remove onion with a slotted spoon, leaving oil in the pan.  Return to heat and add thyme, with eggplant and tomatoes, in batches if necessary.  Saute until eggplant has softened and tomatoes have collapsed.  
3. Add lentils and stir well to incorporate.  Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add water if necessary.  Adjust seasonings as needed, adding bouillon cubes one at a time. Fold in spinach before serving.
4. Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream, pinch of red pepper flakes and a sprig of oregano. 

Maybe it was nostalgia for simple times or perhaps it was the comfort appeal, but this recipe won my attention this week and I’m glad it did. What a treat!

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

Ingredients for 2 Servings

COMPOTE

• 1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds

Combine blueberries and orange juice in a small skillet. Warm over medium-high heat until bubbling. Cook until blueberries begin to collapse.  Remove from heat and add chia seeds. Stir well.

Divide the compote between two small serving dishes and set in the refrigerator to chill.

PUDDING

• 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
• 1/2 cup coconut milk 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup 
• 3 Tbsp of nut butter with salt, or add a pinch of salt to the mixture
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• Fresh blueberries for topping

Pour almond and coconut milk into a blender, adding vanilla, maple syrup, and nut butter. Blend on high to fully combine. Taste and adjust flavors as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness.

Add chia seeds and pulse only a moment to leave chia seeds whole.

Transfer to a jar and set in the fridge to begin chilling.

Once slightly thickened divide the pudding mixture between the two dishes with the berries. Return to fridge and allow to sit 2 hours or overnight.  Top with remaining blueberries and extra nut butter if you like. 

Despite residing in the Southwest for over 12 years I am not particularly knowledgeable when it comes to chilis. My dear German husband though nearly perfect in many ways is not a fan of spicy food.  I on the other hand adore new flavors—salty, spicy and hot. What I  love about this dish is that it introduced me to guajillo chilis that add depth but not so much heat, and so they passed the Joachim test.  I now have a new friend in the kitchen and thanks to my friend Alina I know where to find the good ones.

Ingredients:

• 2 large guajillo chiles, soak 15 mins in hot water, then remove stem and seeds 
• 1 Tablespoon oil grapeseed oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large onion thinly sliced or chopped
• 7 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 8 oz (226.8 g) sliced or chopped mushrooms white, cremini or a combination with others
• 2 chipotle chile in adobo sauce 1 for less heat
• 1 tsp ground cumin, or a combination of cumin and coriander
• 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) smoked hot paprika or 1 tsp chili powder blend
• 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) ground cinnamon or a dash
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves or a pinch
• 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) or more salt
• 3/4 cup (176.25 ml) water or veggie broth
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 to 3 tsp lime juice to preference
• 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) sugar or maple – optional

Suggested Toppings:

Prepared Salsa 

Guacamole

Vegan Sour Cream

Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Lime Wedges

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add bay leaf, onions, garlic, and pinch of salt and cook until translucent. 5 mins.
2. Remove half of the onion mixture and transfer to a blender.
3. Add mushrooms to the skillet with the remaining onion mixture, a pinch of salt and continue to cook over medium heat. If doubling this recipe cook mushrooms in batches.
4. Add softened chile to the blender along with the chipotle pepper and the next 7 ingredients.  Blend until smooth pouring into mushroom mixture in skillet. 
5. Simmer on low for 20-30 mins, add vinegar and lime just before serving.
6. Adjust seasonings, remove bay leaf.
7. Serve with warm corn tortillas with suggested toppings on the side. 

Notes:

Guajillo Chiles are very mild, chipotle chilies are moderate to hot. Adjust the heat of your dish with varying amounts of these two.  For a very milder sauce seed the chipotle pepper before adding. For more spice add cayenne pepper. 

I’ve now made this several times and it adapts very well to the addition of a can of black or pinto beans.

Here’s a delightfully delicious way to showcase gorgeous Asian eggplant now in season.

Recipe inspired by Hetty McKinnon’s Ginger Scallion Glazed Eggplant, To Asia with Love.  This book is well worth the purchase even if you only use her amazing essential sauce and oil recipes. 

Ingredients

• 4 Japanese Eggplants, halved lengthwise
• 1 TBL Toasted Sesame Oil 
• 1 TBL of white miso paste
• 1 TBL maple syrup
• 3-4 TBL of Ginger Scallion Oil ( see below)
• 2 teaspoons of Sesame Seeds
• 1 Scallion Finely Chopped
• A handful of Cilantro Leaves

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with oil and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast eggplant, flipping once, until very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to broil.

Step 2

Meanwhile, whisk white miso, maple syrup, and Ginger-Scallion oil in a small bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds and 2 Tbsp. scallions. Smear a layer of the sauce on the cut side of each eggplant slice. Broil until golden and charred in places, 4–5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds and 1 Tbsp. scallions.

Serve with steamed rice and a side of pan roasted broccoli. 

Ginger Scallion Oil

• 5 ounces of finely chopped peeled ginger
• 6 scallions finely sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1 TBL tamari or coconut aminos
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 ¼ cup of grapeseed or other neutral oil

In a heatproof bowl combine the ginger, white of the scallions, tamari, and sea salt.

Warm oil on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Carefully pour into the bowl.  Allow to cool, add the green part of the scallions, stir to combine, use for the recipe, and store remainder in a glass jar in the fridge. 

For nearly a decade of my life, Saturdays meant roisenbrot day from Mahlzahn Backerei in Neuenheim, Heidelberg.  Picking up a loaf generally involved a morning walk across Bruckenstrasse with Sophie our Bernese Mountain Dog stopping traffic as she languished along behind Sebastian’s kinderwagon. Although we’ve said farewell to Sophie and gluten since those days and there was never a replacement for Sophie’s big heart I think I finally found a Gluten-free Roisienbrot that stands the Mahlzahn test.  Thanks once again to Aran Goyoaga for the inspiration. 

You may be pleased to learn there’s no sourdough involved so you can make this bread tonight if you have an enamel cast iron dutch oven handy.  This workhorse of the kitchen makes every oven a bread oven including my countertop toaster oven.  I hope you enjoy this bread as much as we do. Close your eyes with the first bite and you might even see the Heidelberg castle. 

Ingredients

• 500 g (2 ¼ cup)  of plant-based milk, I use almond
• 3 TBL of maple syrup, date syrup, or honey
• 1 TBL yeast
• 3 TBL Psyllium Husks
• 240 g Buckwheat Flour ( 2 cups) 
• 120 g Tapioca Starch ( 1 cup)
• Grated zest from one lemon
• ½ tea cinnamon
• ¼ tea cardamon
• 1.5 tea salt
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 TBL sesame seeds

Directions

1. Weigh all dry ingredients and place in the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor. Blend briefly to mix.
2. In a saucepan, gently warm milk to 110 degrees, add sweetener, and yeast, whisking to combine.  Allow yeast to activate until frothy.  Add psyllium husks and allow 5 minutes to gel.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry and process or mix for 2 minutes. The dough will be sticky.
4. Turn out onto a floured board knead in raisins and form into a ball. 
5. Gently placed in flour and sesame seed-dusted bowl or proofing basket to rise, cover with a damp towel, and set aside for 45-60 minutes depending on air temperature.
6. 30 minutes prior to baking place the dutch oven with the lid on the rack and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
7. When the dough is ready to bake gently slide it into the hot dutch oven, cover, and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees, remove lid from dutch oven and continue baking another 30 minutes. 
8. Despite temptation otherwise, cool this loaf completely before slicing. Cut in slices for toast or into quarters for freezing.  Warm gently at 175 degrees for 20 minutes prior to serving. 

I really did not believe there was a cauliflower recipe I had not tried and then along came this one, and wow!  It is so yummy and so simple I’d make it again tomorrow! 

Inspired by 177Milk Street, Tomato Braised Cauliflower, Rebecca Richmond

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower cut into small florets of similar size
• 1 whole yellow onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• ½ cup of tomato paste
• A pinch or two of red pepper flakes
• A handful of raisins
• ½ tea of cinnamon
• 2 TBL of honey
• Cubes or Crumbles of Vegan Feta
• Chopped toasted almonds
• Steamed Rice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Toss cauliflower pieces with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet ( do not crowd) and roast 15-18  minutes. Edges should brown and pieces should be just fork tender but still hold their shape.
3. While the cauliflower roasts heat a heavy skillet with a splash or two of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft.  Push onion aside and add tomato paste and pepper flakes allowing the paste to darken and thicken further.  Add cinnamon, honey, and raisins mixing well. Tip roasted cauliflower pieces into the pan and stir gently to coat each piece.  
5. Serve with rice and top with feta and chopped almonds.