Author Archives: Amanda Naturally

One-Sentence Journal

| 4 Comments | Holistic Health

One Sentence Journal | AmandaNaturally.comOne of the promises I made to myself as I was recovering from Adrenal Fatigue was to focus on the positive whenever possible. Since I am predisposed (both through personality and genetics) to be susceptible to stress, the habits I formed during my recovery have become part of my every day life, in an effort to not end up in the same position I was 8 months ago.

Being positive is a natural tendency for me (save for a short period of time in my life when I was dating a positivity-vampire), however when life gets stressful, you can fall into a negativity pit without even realizing and it can be a struggle to climb out. In an effort to not let that happen, I continue to make little changes to my life and add small habits that contribute to positivity and happiness.

One of my recent new habits was to subscribe to the podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin. A few years ago I read Rubin’s first book – The Happiness Project – which was a wonderful, systematic discussion of her personal journey to becoming happier. There were a couple of key takeaways from that book that I’ve held on to, my favourite being to always Be Gretchen (or in my case, Be Amanda) which means just because most other people enjoy something doesn’t mean that I have to. So when I heard that the author had begun a weekly podcast, I instantly subscribed.

I love love love podcasts! My husband can attest to that since most of our conversations these days begin with me saying “today on a podcast….”. I listen to them while walking the dog, doing laundry, cleaning up around the house and most importantly (from a happiness perspective) driving. I never worry about traffic anymore, because being in the car is now sacred me time, where I get to listen to whichever podcast suits my fancy that day!

On one of her earlier podcasts, she spoke about the power of a One-Sentence Journal, which instantly piqued my interest. I love the idea of journaling, but in practice, it feels very overwhelming. The whole idea of logging a major entry every day is enough to put me off the concept altogether. However, the concept of writing down one sentence seems totally manageable. So I instantly went to amazon and bought her One-Sentence Journal: A Five-Year Record.

 

What I liked about her book is that each page is reserved for one day, but it contains 5 years worth spaces to fill in. So in theory, on this day next year, I’ll be able to reflect back on what happened today! The idea is that by writing down a memory from today, you will (a) be more likely to remember it simply through the process of acknowledging it and writing it down and (b) you will have a hard copy of your real life everything from major milestones to simple moments. 

So I’ve been one-sentence journaling for a few weeks now and here’s what I’ve noticed:

  1. It’s easy to remember to do – I leave the journal beside my bed and quickly jot down a memory from the day before I go to bed. 
  2. The act of writing down something that makes me happy before bed, is a great way to finish the day. I am routinely turning out the light with a smile on my face.
  3. This is something I did not expect to happen…all day I am looking at the different moments, aspects, routines – all seemingly mundane and unimportant – as possible journal entries! I seem to be looking at my life with happiness goggles on! Every minute is an opportunity to be happy and I am seeking out all the happiness!!
  4. There are no rules, and that’s a good thing! Some days there are big ticket items like a wonderful dinner with friends, but other days are as simple as being grateful for enjoying an extra cup of coffee on a Monday morning with my husband or watching the first snowfall of the season.

As of right now (only a few weeks in), I can see myself doing this religiously. If for nothing else than the excitement of coming full circle a year from now and seeing what I was writing about, and how things have changed. But most importantly, I hope this new habit allows me to keep these happiness-coloured glasses I have become so fond of!

So tell me, do you journal? How does it work for you? Any tips to share?

Do you listen to podcasts? What are some of your favourites? Share below!

Ginger Carrot Soup

| 2 Comments | AIP, Apps, Snacks & Sides, Beatty Protocols, Meals, Recipes

Ginger Carrot Soup | dairy free, paleo, vegan | AmandaNaturally.comThis past weekend we harvested all of the carrots from our garden. We were shocked to see how many there were! We only planted 1 row, but ended up with bowls and bowls of carrots. So in order to use them all while they’re fresh and most tasty, I quickly turned them into my favourite carrot soup. I quadrupled the recipe below and used my 2 largest pots, and still couldn’t get all of the carrots in! I froze most of the soup in both single serving and larger jars that contain 2-3 servings. I always try to make larger quantities of a freezable recipe, for those days when there are no leftovers for lunch, or when life gets crazy and there’s nothing for dinner!

One of the reasons I love soup so much is it’s the easiest way to get in my favourite food ever – bone broth! For full details check out my original post – but to sum it up: homemade broth is pretty much good for everything. Bone broth contains nutrients that helps heal leaky gut, nourishes your joints, keeps your skin/hair/nails strong & healthy, helps heal any damage to & maintains pliability of your arteries…the list goes on. In short – it’s amazing and every single client we have has bone broth on their prescription sheet.

Another reason I love soup is it’s very easy to digest, so if there is any gut irritation, damage or illness, soup is a great way to get nutrients in easily. And you can jam it with way more veggies than any other meal – and again, they’re very easy to digest. Clients I have with major digestive illnesses (celiac, crohn’s, colitis, post-cancer etc.) that are experiencing a flare or are in an acute inflammatory situation, always get the recommendation to avoid raw veggies (which can act like steal wool on a tender gut) and focus on stews and soups. That way you get the nutrients in (in addition to gut-healing bone broth) and don’t add to the irritation! 

Ok enough with the science & health (my fav thing) – onto the food (my other fav thing!). I hope you enjoy this recipe for Ginger Carrot Soup!

Notes:

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN OPTION: you can make a pescatarian bone broth with fish bones or shrimp shells, but you can’t make a vegetarian one. If you need a vegetarian broth and don’t want to buy a junk-filled one, use things like mushrooms and sea greens to take your broth to the next level (from a nutrient perspective!)

AIP: to make this suitable for the autoimmune protocol, omit cumin and coriander. Use ½ tbsp of turmeric instead. Add ½ cup fresh cilantro right before pureeing. 

 

Ginger Carrot Soup
Serves 8
A perfect soup to warm you up on a chilly day! Packed with nutrients from veggies and homemade broth. Freezes really well!
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1 tbsp fat of choice (ghee, coconut oil, lard, olive oil)
  2. 1 cup onion, chopped
  3. 1 cup celery, chopped
  4. ½ tbsp cumin seeds
  5. ½ tbsp coriander seeds
  6. 4 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 2 tbsp ginger, minced
  8. 7 cups carrots, chopped
  9. 7 cups liquid (I usually do half broth, half water)
  10. 1 tsp sea salt
Optional
  1. 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or grassfed cream
Instructions
  1. 1. In a large pot over medium heat, add fat and let heat for 15-20s.
  2. 2. Add in onions and celery, sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not burn.
  3. 3. Meanwhile, in a small pan, toast cumin and coriander seeds. Simply cook over medium heat, tossing every few minutes until toasted - abut 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on these, they burn quickly! Once toasted, grind in a spice or (dedicated) coffee grinder.
  4. 4. Once the onions and celery are tender, add in garlic, ginger and toasted/ground spices. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  5. 5. Add in carrots, broth, water and sea salt. The carrots should be almost completely submerged, so add more liquid if you need to.
  6. 6. Bring to a boil and reduce a simmer. Cook for at least 30 minutes, ideally closer to an hour.
  7. 7. Using an immersion blender, puree soup and serve!
Optional
  1. 8. If using coconut milk or grassfed cream, stir in right before serving, just to heat through.
Notes
  1. To make vegetarian/vegan - use vegetable broth or homemade broth (ideally made with mushrooms and sea greens for added nutrition).
  2. You can use ground cumin/coriander as well, but it will be less flavourful.
  3. To make AIP - omit cumin and coriander. Use ½ tbsp of turmeric instead. Add ½ cup fresh cilantro right before blending.
  4. This recipe freezes well - simply fill glass jars almost all the way, leaving about 2 inches of room at the top so the jar doesn't explode. Let cool for an hour or 2 before putting in the freezer.
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/

Red Curry Mussels

| 0 Comments | Beatty Protocols, Kitchen Tutorials, Meals, Recipes

Red Curry Mussels | grain free, low carb, nutrient dense | AmandaNaturally.comMussels have been a restaurant go-to of mine for a long time now! Living with food allergies can be challenging when it comes to eating out – especially since so many people love Italian (read: wheat and cheese). However most of the time there’s a mussel dish on the menu, and usually it’s in a simple tomato or wine sauce (although my favourite is thai curry mussels – hence the recipe below!). Add a side salad, or a side of fries if you’re into that (who isn’t?!), and boom – a naturally grain & dairy free meal. Bonus is they’re usually on the appetizer section of the menu so end up being much more reasonably priced than the entrees!

So why would we want to eat mussels? Well aside from being delicious, they’re incredibly nutrient dense. Any time we eat the entire animal, we end up eating the organs, and since so many people these days are adverse to eating things like liver, kidney or heart, eating a whole-animal in the form of shellfish gets all that organy-goodness into you, without you even knowing it! (although you know it now, so try to forget it if that knowledge skeeves you out!)

Shellfish are a mineral powerhouse, specifically when it comes to the thyroid-supporting minerals iodine and selenium,  which tend to be quite low in a Standard North American Diet. Seafood is also a highly bioavailable protein that tends to be easier to digest, so if you have a weak, damaged or irritated digestive tract – or if you’re transitioning to animal proteins after avoiding them for any length of time – seafood is a great place to start. Seafood is also high in the protein glycine (also found in bone broth) which is important for supporting connective tissue in the body (ie. healing leaky gut, joints, skin and other membranes!).

Now, when it comes to actually preparing mussels at home, it’s not as straight-forward as say, baking chicken or grilling a burger. But it’s also incredibly simple – I promise! You just need to learn how, which you can below!

Red Curry Mussels

IMG_8598Ingredients

  • 4 lbs mussels, debearded
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (or other fat)
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp ginger, chopped
  • 1 tbsp red curry paste (I like Aroy D brand)
  • 2 cups broth (homemade is best!)
  • 2 cups water
  • sea salt (omit if using store-bought broth)
  • ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk (I like Aroy D brand)
  • chopped cilantro, for garnish

Step 1 – Make sure all of the mussels are fully debearded. To do this, hold the mussel under running water and rinse off any debris. If there is gunk coming out from the inside of the mussel, gently pull on it until it releases and discard. 

Step 2 – At the same time as you are debearding, take note of any mussels that are not firmly closed. If slightly open, knock on it, if it is still alive it should close in response to the knocking. If it remains open, discard – you do not want to eat a dead mussel! 

Step 3 – Once all of the mussels are debearded, set them aside. Heat coconut oil over medium high and sauté onions for about 5 minutes.

Step 4 – Add garlic, ginger and curry paste and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently.

Step 5 – Add broth, water and sea salt (if using), bring to a simmer.

Step 6 – Add in mussels, cover with a lid and steam for 5 minutes. 

Most, if not all, of the mussels should open up. Discard any that do not.

Step 7 – Stir in coconut milk, heat through and serve topped with cilantro. Enjoy with a side salad and sweet potato fries to dip into any extra broth!

 

Red Curry Mussels
Serves 4
Homemade restaurant-style dinner that is quick and jam-packed with nutrients. Free from dairy and grains as well!
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Save Recipe
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
25 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. 4 lbs mussels, debearded
  2. 2 tbsp coconut oil
  3. 2 onions, diced
  4. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  5. 1 tbsp ginger, chopped
  6. 1 tbsp red curry paste
  7. 2 cups broth (homemade is best!)
  8. 2 cups water
  9. sea salt (omit if using store-bought broth)
  10. ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
  11. chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
  1. 1. Make sure all of the mussels are fully debearded. To do this, hold the mussel under running water and rinse off any debris. If there is gunk coming out from the inside of the mussel, gently pull on it until it releases and discard.
  2. 2. At the same time as you are debearding, take note of any mussels that are not firmly closed. If slightly open, knock on it, if it is still alive it should close in response to the knocking. If it remains open, discard - you do not want to eat a dead mussel!
  3. 3. Once all of the mussels are debearded, set them aside. Heat coconut oil over medium high and sauté onions for about 5 minutes.
  4. 4. Add garlic, ginger and curry paste and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
  5. 5. Add broth, water and sea salt (if using), bring to a simmer.
  6. 6. Add in mussels, cover with a lid and steam for 5 minutes. Most, if not all, of the mussels should open up. Discard any that do not.
  7. 7. Stir in coconut milk, heat through and serve topped with cilantro.
Notes
  1. My favourite brand of coconut milk and thai curry paste is Aroy D. It can be found at international or Asian supermarkets, or sometimes in the international aisle of a major grocery chain.
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/

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