Bodhimed

I never thought I'd see my kids fight over kale.  Everytime I make these kale chips, however, I wish I had made a whole bunch more.  There's a million ways you can make them, and when I look around the Internet, I discover more combinations I'd never thought of.  If you're not already on this kale bandwagon that's sweeping the nation, get on board right now and go make some!

Nutritional Benefits of Kale

Kale is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.  In only one cup of kale, you get 192% of your daily allowance of Vitamin A, and 88% of your daily Vitamin C.  It contains 10% of your daily requirement of fiber and calcium as well.  The phytonutrients in kale, along with the antioxidant properties of Vitamins A and C, make it a very effective defense against free radical damage, aka cancer.  Kale actually helps to detoxify the body of harmful chemicals.  With all of these benefits and low caloric value, the more you can eat of this stuff, the better.  So make way more of these kale chips than you'd planned!

Basic Kale Chips Recipe

Wash and dry at least one bunch of curly kale.  Cut the leaves off of the stalk and into small-ish pieces. Think chip-size!

Toss the kale pieces in extra-virgin olive oil and some Celtic or Himalayan salt.

Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 250 degrees.  Enjoy until they're gobbled up by everyone else.

Kale Chips Variations

I've tried several variations on the recipe that were also great.  Get creative, and share your recipes in the comments below!

Always use olive oil, and try adding:

Parmesan, garlic and lemon juice.

Tamari and nutritional yeast.

Crushed almonds, balsamic vinegar, and bread crumbs.

These days it's trendy to sneak nutritious ingredients into kids' meals.  While I'd prefer that my kids willingly and happily enjoy vegetables in their natural state, I also appreciate the versatility and convenience of a protein-packed sauce.  I love sauces because they make everything taste better and can really complete a meal.  This Yumm! sauce recipe below was introduced to me by friends in Eugene, Oregon where, for obvious reasons, it is all the rage.  Try it over steamed veggies with rice, as a dip for raw carrots and cucumbers, or any other creative use you can think of.  Your kids really will say "Yummmm!!!"

Yumm! Sauce Recipe

• 3/4 c. melted coconut oil (or organic canola oil)
• 1/2 c. roasted almonds
• 2/3 c. nutritional yeast
• 1/2 c. cooked garbanzo beans
• 1/3 c. cooked soybeans
• 1/2 c. filtered water
• 1/2 c. lemon juice
• 2 or more (or many more if you are like me) garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried cilantro (To be honest, I skip this because I am not a cilantro person and it still tastes great.)
• 1.5 tsp. curry powder (optional)

Blend the almonds, beans, and oil in a blender.  Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until creamy and smooth.  Cover and let stand in the fridge for at least an hour.  Or just eat it right away.

These days just about everyone I know in Santa Fe is either suffering or just recovering from a nasty stomach flu.  It seems these little buggers have become stronger and more obnoxious because hardly any adult or child seems to be immune to it.  When this type of virus strikes, what can you do to shorten its duration?  Here's some natural health tips from various traditions to ease the suffering and an excellent Ayurvedic recipe for your first meal when you're ready to start thinking about food.

Probiotics To The Rescue

One of the most important things you need to do when you come down with a stomach virus is to take a high quality probiotic supplement.  We are exposed to harmful bacteria and viruses all the time, but they only "win" when either they are super-strength bugs, or when our own intestinal immunity is low.

It's not easy for me to admit that I wasn't able to cure my son of his chronic stomachaches.  After all, I've spent the last 20 years studying and practicing natural medicine.  Putting my ego aside, I recently sought help from yet another doctor in Santa Fe who focuses on food sensitivities and heavy metal toxicity.  Now that the results are in, I want to encourage all parents of children who suffer from any chronic health problem to consider these tests.  It's a sign of the times that our children likely carry a toxic burden that makes them hyper-sensitive to everyday whole foods.  If your child gets headaches, stomachaches, or any illness regularly, you'll want to investigate food sensitivities and heavy metal toxicity with these reliable tests.

Have you ever had a stubborn cough after a cold that just won't go away?  You've probably tried every herbal cough remedy, and maybe even resorted to Robitussin, in an attempt to get some relief.  I feel like I have A LOT of natural tricks up my sleeve that should treat a cough, but sometimes the darn thing won't go away.  I hear this story a lot, and my own children experience this from time to time. Thank goodness there are onions, because they are the magical natural cough remedy you've been looking for. Both Ayurveda and herbal folk wisdom have suggested this onion solution for centuries. Here's a video of how to prepare the onion poultice for deep-seated coughs.

This is a super easy remedy to put together. And I'm not kidding when I say I've had 100% success with this for stubborn coughs!

• Simply chop an onion (or 2 or 3, depending on your size). For increased antibiotic effect, you can throw in a few chopped garlic cloves.
• Steam the onion (and garlic) for about 5 minutes.
• Mix hot onions (and garlic) in a bowl with a few tablespoons of corn starch and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Let cool for just a minute.
• Place whole mixture in a natural fiber cloth and fold several times to form the poultice.
• Place cloth on your chest with a heating pad or hot water bottle on top of the poultice. Keep it on for 30 minutes.
• If desired, you may then repeat with the poultice on your mid to upper back for another 30 minutes.

Effective and Safe

This natural remedy is safe for everyone, including little kids and even babies. Just be careful that the onions are not so hot that they might burn the skin!  Sometimes if the cough is just a dry one, the onion poultice is not the best choice. It is better for the phlegmy, wet cough that doesn't respond to any other treatment. You can repeat the treatment several days in a row, if necessary, but I've never needed to do it more than twice!

Leave a comment below to share your story with the onion poultice for deep-seated coughs!

I think a lot of you can relate when I say it can be challenging to figure out what to make for dinner every night. Especially when we're aiming to make something really healthy and tasty, and for the whole family! Recently I got the brilliant idea to throw all my favorite super-nutritious beans and grains in the crockpot and call it chili.  On top of natural corn chips and with lots of fun toppings, this awesome version of a tostada is high in protein, minerals and fiber, and is easy and quick to prepare. This nutrition-packed recipe is sure to become one of your favorites too.

Remember when you were a kid how you believed you could do anything?  Kids have an inherent ability to learn, appreciate and apply new knowledge when it's presented in a way that's exciting and fun. The ancient medical system of Ayurveda is particularly easy for kids to understand because it is simple and based in nature.  Most kids are totally grounded in their physical bodies.  They can relate directly when an explanation of health also describes the natural world they see around them. When I had the opportunity to teach Ayurveda to my son's class,  I had no idea that I'd be creating such a riot of epiphanies.