Warning- Farro is an ancient grain that does contain gluten. It is ancient so it will be easier to digest than most of our wheat. I created this salad to eat at the airport. It travels well and it’s easy to transport. It’s filled with ingredients that support the gut and is delicious warm or cold. 1 cup farro (uncooked) 1 1/2–2 cups water or vegetable broth (for cooking farro) 1 1/2 c garbanzo beans - cooked and drained 2–3 stalks celery, finely chopped 1/2 cup fre

When I was a little girl I used to have to make big balls of Lion s Head on the Lunar New Year. These were the size of baseballs and sat on a bed of cabbage. My father loved them! These remind me of family, love and possibility:)      1 c cooked adzuki beans, drained ·       1 cup cooked buckwheat groats ·       ¾ cup fermented beetroot, finely chopped ·       ¼ cup cashews, finely ground ·       ¼ cup walnuts, finely ground ·       2 tbsp ground flaxseed ·       2 tbsp

We served this soup on the counter last week. Tony described it as  a home run hit!” Others asked that I post the recipe. I think people liked the umami flavor of the mushrooms. It’s a soup that reflects the exit of winter – the eggplant- and the welcoming of an early spring – the kohlrabi ·       2 medium kohlrabies, peeled and diced small ·       1 medium Japanese or Chinese eggplant, diced ·       1 cup shiitake, lions mane, pippiono or blue oyster mushrooms, sliced ·     

As we experience the warmth of Southern California, we continue to be blessed with apples while at the same time citruses are already becoming abundant. Leafy greens are especially delicious this time of year. This simple salad is packed with nutrients and fiber to support your heart, skin, eyes and gut. 1 small head of your favorite leafy green 1 apple, sliced 1 avocado, sliced 1 grapefruit, sliced ¼ c goji berries ¼ c pumpkin seeds ¼ c muun chi Super Seed Crunch ½ c your fa

As we transition into warmer days and colder nights, I find myself looking for a dish that is a cross between warm and cold! I created this salad that embraces the warmth of the roasted winter squash and served over a bed of arugula or your favorite greens, or even a bowl of buckwheat. 2 lbs winter squash - butternut, acorn, delicata sliced in 1” cubes or crescents, skin on 1 red beet root, sliced in wedges 1 yellow beet root, sliced in wedges 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1 c

We hear so many wonderful things about beets - how it increases your nitric oxide production, enriches your blood, improves your oxygen levels, and our gut bugs love them! Nature gives us these gorgeous bloody beet root and their leaves for a reason. During the winter months we need that enriched blood to maintain a healthy immune system. 2 medium beets roots, chopped Beet leaves, chopped 3 carrots, sliced 1 apple, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 T

This is the time of year you will see the Delicata squash. I love to roast them with some delicious spices. You may choose to serve them atop a salad or bowl for a little winter sweetness. Great for the eyes, skin, heart, immunity and blood sugar management. 3 medium Delicata Squash 2 T olive oil 1 T muun chi Fermented Roots 1 tsp cumin ½ tsp paprika 1.     Slice 3 medium delicate squash lengthwise in half. Then ¼ inch thick crescents. 2.     Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Have you ever eaten cactus paddle? I had not until just the other day when I ran into a man at the farmer’s market. He was shaving the paddles with an instrument that looked a lot like a giant carrot peeler, making sure the prickles came off before being sold.  I had to try them! At first I thought I was just buying them so I could say that I had tried cactus, but honestly, they were delicious! I will be on the lookout for more! They taste like a cross between asparagus and p

This is a recipe I use when life gets wacky and I know I’ve been eating food that is typically out of bounds for me - when I choose to be social and not strict. It’s a quick dish that my body craves. I almost always have a head of broccoli in my fridge and I always have muun chi Fermented roots. 2 c chopped broccoli including the tender part of the stalk, sliced or diced as you prefer 1 T coconut oil or avocado oil 2 c white navy bean cooked 1/2 c tahini 2 T muun chi Fer

Many of you will be celebrating the new year with friends and family, and possibly alcohol.  If you would like to imbibe alcohol free, this is fun mocktail with a lot of flavor and color from natureJ   1 lime 1 orange ½ c  pomegranate seed 1/4 c muun chi Muunvass 3 c filtered water 1 c sparkling water 1 T muun chi Fermented Roots Sprigs of fresh mint and extra pomegranate seeds   Soak the lime and orange in baking soda water for ½ hour.  (1 T baking soda to 2 c filtered water

You are going to love this recipe.  It’s a gravy that will have everyone wondering “why did it take me so long to become plant forward?” There is no dairy, no turkey fat, no turkey broth… just good mushrooms and herbs and of course muun chi CoCoFir! 2 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter 1 2 shallots, finely diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 12 oz (340 g) mushrooms, finely chopped (I like the blend of cremini + shiitake 1 c of white navy bean, cooked 2 cups vegetable broth 1 tbsp cocon

If you live in Southern California, you are spoiled with the vegetables and fruit that are still around. If you live elsewhere, think  about substituting some colorful root vegetables in place of the strawberry.  One of our muun chi friends stopped by to share with us some of the last of the most divine strawberries ever from Harry’s Berries at the farmer's market! I had to include them in this week’s recipe. 1 bunch of your favorite kale, torn into bite size pieces (I like t

As I watch all the holiday decorations go up around my neighborhood, I’m reminded how far behind I am in sharing my joy with the people who live near me.  I want to have people over one of these days, when I’m actually awake at my house. At the gathering I want to serve something warm and cozy. This is a nondairy eggnog recipe that has the richness and depth of the real deal, without the inflammatory effects   ·       3 cups almond and cashew Mylk blend (take ½ c almond and ½

This month we will be offering recipes you may choose to include on your holiday table or as part of the holiday cheer. It’s also a great addition to a potluck. This is a fun, easy salad that supports the gut and the thyroid.  If you have the quinoa already cooked, this salad takes about 10 minutes to prepare. Dressing: 3 T fresh lime juice 2 T olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced or 1 T muun chi Fermented Roots Salt and pepper to taste Salad: 3 c cooked quinoa, cooled and fluff

I remember making our sweet potato casserole back in the day – tons of brown sugar, butter and marshmallows!! There is nothing sweet in this dish except for the magical sweet potato itself. There are so many health benefits of the sweet potato, including beta carotene for the eyes. Great for the heart, blood sugar management, gut, skin, hair… I guess we should be asking – what does it not do? No wonder Dr. Zach Bush chooses the sweet potato as his food of choice if he could

Thanksgiving would not be the same without green beans.  I must admit, my family only knew American string beans m out of a can.  We would take the can of green beans and add a can of Campbells cream of mushroom soup, some milk and then work then top it with crunchy onions from a can. Things have changed now.  This Sunday, the farmers market had the most brilliant green beans. Here is the dish I now make for Thanksgiving. 1 lb string beans, ends removed 1 T avocado oil ½ c ch

There are so many wonderful dishes to prepare for this tradition to express our gratitude for so many wonders in life!  One of my favorite memories was making mashed potatoes.  Our culture didn’t use potatoes, in fact, the only time I ate this yummy root vegetable was at Thanksgiving when we would pour out flakes from a box and add water. The kids always got to do this dish because it was easy and we were good at reading the directions on the box.  After we made this mush we

This is a recipe that is super easy to make and fall in love with. It begins with roasted cauliflower and then it’s mixed with a simple sauce that brings out flavors of fall. Great for the skin, gut, heart, eyes and immunity. Mix in a blender ½ c muun chi Lemon Chia Pudding 2 tsp capers 2 tsp muun chi Fermented Roots 1 shallot 1 hachiya persimmon, ripe and mushy Parsley 2 T muun chi Power Crunch Chop the cauliflower into bite sized pieces. Coat in avocado or coconut oil with

There is something very magical about a early harvest cold pressed extra virgin oil. Rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, olive oil has been shown to help reduce cholesterol, support brain, heart and gut health. It even helps bones density. Look for olive oil bottled in a dark glass bottle and has the date on the back of the most recent past October or early November (this is the time of year that olives are still green and are richest in polyphenols). This recipe combine

There so many wonderful vegetables that are key to Autumn . This recipe highlights the lime, avocado and beetroot. The layers of beet sit on top of a layer of fermented kraut. Serve this beautiful veggie dip with your favorite chip or slices of cucumber or chips of zucchini. The bottom layer is 1 c muun chi Muunkraut The next layer is made from roasted beets: 2 beets, diced in small cubes - roast your beets first then dice Roast in a 425 degree oven for 45 min. Squeeze some