Category Archives: Beatty Protocols

Compliant with most dietary protocols recommended at Beatty Naturopathic

Homemade Salad Dressings – a DIY Tutorial and a Recipe Round Up!

| 4 Comments | AIP, Apps, Snacks & Sides, Beatty Protocols, Condiments, Kitchen Tutorials, Recipes

Salad Dressings | DIY Tutorial | Recipe Round Up | AmandaNaturally.comOne of the processed foods I really caution my clients against is pre-made salad dressings. The reason for this is multi-factorial:

  • The oil is always a vegetable oil. Even if it says “made with olive oil”. Check the ingredients list, olive oil will be listed after an industrial seed oil such as canola or soybean. This is true even for the “healthy” or “organic” salad dressings. I don’t care of canola oil is organic, it is still not suitable for human consumption, since it is an unstable, damaged oil that causes high levels of inflammation and free radicals in the body.
  • It always contains at least one form of sugar, and often as many as 4 or 5. Sugar, brown rice syrup, brown rice syrup solids, corn syrup, honey, fruit concentrates, barley malt syrup or just malt syrup (note: also gluten), dextrose, maltodextrin… why so many types? Because ingredients are listed in order of highest amount to lowest. Better to list 5 low amounts of sugar, which show up at the end the list, than use just one type and have it be the first ingredient.
  • It is thickened and stabilized with fake foods. Things like xantham gum and maltodextrin (derived from GMO corn).
  • Weird ingredients are added for flavour and texture. Things like autolyzed yeast extract, corn syrup and caramel colour pop up regularly.
  • Natural flavour (which is just chemically synthesized from real food, often GMO foods) and artificial flavours are common ingredients.
  • They are notorious for containing major allergens – specifically dairy, corn, gluten, soy and egg.

I hate to break it to you, but store-bought salad dressings are simply sugary, chemical-filled, inflammatory flavour boosters. So you can see why I take all of my clients off it right? Interestingly, it’s something that I get a lot of resistance to. For some reason people are scared to make their own salad dressings, or they have no idea where to start. Little do they know that it’s super easy and way less expensive too!

Real salad dressing, made with real ingredients, are not only more delicious than these junky store-bought ones, but can have major health benefits as well! By using quality, nourishing oils and natural ingredients such as vinegars, herbs and spices, you can enjoy your salad for both the flavour and the nutrition it’s providing you. And you don’t have to do that silly old “diet trick” of dipping your fork into the salad dressing first before spearing some salad, so you get the taste without all the calories. With real salad dressing you’re going to want those calories because they contain all sorts of awesome nutrition and/or they help deliver the nutrition found in vegetables to your body.

So, how do you make your own salad dressing? It’s a lot easier than you think it is, I promise. Here’s how.

 

Homemade Salad Dressings

Choose 1 or 2 from each list:

Nourishing OilsSalad Dressings | DIY Tutorial | Recipe Round Up | AmandaNaturally.com

  • olive oil
  • avocado oil
  • MCT oil
  • bacon fat
  • sesame oil

Acid

  • vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, white wine, red wine, raspberry wine, champagne etc.)
  • citrus (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)
  • pineapple juice

Flavour

  • sea salt (always include this!)
  • herbs such as cilantro, parsley, dill, oregano, basil, thyme, mint, tarragon (herbs can be fresh or dry)
  • spices such as cumin, chili, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, black pepper, paprika, coriander, mustard powder, ginger (omit nightshades and seed-based spices if AIP)
  • aromatic vegetables such as minced garlic, diced onion/shallot/chives
  • other flavours like anchovies (caesar), nutritional yeast (vegan/paleo cheesy flavour), tamari sauce or soy-free coconut seasoning (aka coconut aminos in the USA), citrus zest

Optional Add-Ins

  • mustard or egg yolk, for flavour and as an emulsifier
  • homemade mayonnaise or ripe avocado for a creamy consistency
  • mashed raspberries or strawberries (fresh, or thawed from frozen) or a bit of organic jam
  • raw honey, real maple syrup or pomegranate molasses to add a bit of sweetness

 

Directions for Making Salad Dressing

  1. In a measuring cup, glass or small bowl, whisk together all of your ingredients except the oil. This might just be your acid and spices, or it might include mayo, egg yolk, mustard, honey etc.
  2. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
  3. Slowly drizzle in oil of choice, until the desired flavour and consistency is achieved.
  4. Tweak ingredients as needed – add more salt, vinegar, spices etc. until your dressing tastes 

Additional Tips

  • When it comes to the ratio of acid to vinegar, it really is a personal choice. I recommend starting at a 1:1 ratio, and tweaking it based on your palate.
  • If you want it creamy, but don’t want to use avocado/mayo, use a small food processor or immersion blender instead. Combine all ingredients and blend well. Drizzle in oil while blending to achieve a creamier consistency.
  • Keep it simple! Start with one oil, one vinegar/citrus, sea salt and one or two herbs. Make the dressing and taste it. Do you like it? Why or why not? Too simple, add more spices. Too vinegary but you can already taste the oil? Maybe add some mustard, honey or fruit. Play around!
  • Keep the volume of each ingredient small when you first start out so you can toss creations that go awry. You will be more likely to be creative and adventurous, if you aren’t stressed about wasting 2 cups of oil!

 

My Favourite Salad Dressings

Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • sea salt
  • black pepper
  • ¼ cup olive oil, whisked in at the end

Raspberry Vinaigrette

  • 2 tbsp mashed raspberries
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • ¼ cup olive oil, whisked in at the end

Chili Lime Vinaigrette

  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • pinch of sea salt
  • ¼ cup avocado oil, whisked in at the end

 

Salad Dressing Round Up

Sweet Kale Salad (copycat of the beloved Costco salad!) from Paleo Parents

Ranch from The Clothes Make the Girl

Ranch, nightshade free from Planks, Love and Guacamole

Ranch, AIP friendly from He Won’t Know It’s Paleo

Caesar from Primal Palate

Bacon Caesar from The Healthy Foodie

Honey Mustard The Ancestral Chef

French Tarragon Shallot from Cali Zona

Classic Greek from Detoxinista

Creamy Avocado from Tasty Yummies

Maple Mustard from Jay Bird Blog

Creamy Poppyseed from Living Loving Paleo

Italian from Paleo Cupboard

Sesame Ginger from Primal Palate

Orange Vinaigrette from Primal Palate

Chimichurri from Primal Palate

Pineapple Balsamic from Barefeet In The Kitchen

 

So am I missing a DIY version of your favourite dressing on this list? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to find a great homemade alternative for you!!

Simple Coleslaw with a Lime Vinaigrette

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

Simple Coleslaw with a Lime Vinaigrette | vegan, grain free, AIP | AmandaNaturally.comAs someone who never liked mayonnaise growing up, coleslaw was something that I avoided pretty passionately. I was even that weird kid who loved salads and veggies – but the mayo killed coleslaw for me. Then one day, a few years ago, I received a cabbage in our weekly veggie bin. So I hopped on the google, searched for “healthy coleslaw” and lo and behold, a vinaigrette version popped up! I made it and it was delicious. I was super jazzed to have a way of eating cabbage that I actually enjoyed.

So what’s the deal with cabbage anyway? Why am I so adamant about getting it into my diet? It’s because cabbage, along with other cruciferous veggies (kale, chard, collards, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy), are nutritional powerhouses. Here are some of their health benefits:

  • very high in the sulfurous compound, glucosinolate, which is metabolized by the body into potent antioxidants isothiocyanate and thiocyanate.
  • isothiocyanates have also been shown to be effective in protecting against cancer, specifically breast, colon, cervical and prostate.
  • help the body excrete excess estrogens (this is particularly helpful for someone coming off of birth control, or anyone who has estrogen dominance. Also a good idea for everyone, because many of the chemicals we are exposed to daily, from plastics to fragrances to pesticides, are xeno-estrogens, which means they mimic estrogen in our body) (additional source)
  • contains sulforaphane which may reduce hypertension and improve kidney function
  • packed with nutrients – vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fibre
  • contains indole-3-carbinol which supports phase 2 liver detoxification, phase 1 is also supported via the sulforaphane content. This balance is important because many “liver supporters” only up regulate phase I. Phase 1 often turns chemicals into more toxic substrates, before phase 2 neutralizes them. Only supporting phase 1 liver detox can result in nasty symptoms. (Note: supporting phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification is real detox, not juice-cleansing, cayenne shooters, no protein “detox” – that’s a load of crap.)

Another reason for consuming cabbage is it’s inexpensive, it makes a large quantity and it’s on the Clean Fifteen list so it doesn’t need to be organic. Also, unlike regular salad, when you turn it into coleslaw, it gets better the longer it sits in the fridge!! This Simple Coleslaw with a Lime Vinaigrette is my go-to in the summer – for potlucks to BBQs to a simple lunch paired with a few hard boiled eggs on a hot day. There’s a lot of flexibility with the ingredients too!

NOTE: Having a food processor with a shredder attachment is incredibly useful for making slaw. However, you can chop the cabbage up old school with a knife!

Simple Coleslaw with a Lime Vinaigrette | vegan, grain free, AIP | AmandaNaturally.com

Simple Coleslaw with a Lime Vinaigrette
This simple summer salad is perfect for everything from a BBQ to a quick lunch on a hot day. Highly nutritious and budget-friendly too!
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Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 head cabbage
  2. 1 bunch of hearty greens (broccoli, kale, collard greens)
  3. 1 bunch of green onions
  4. 1 bunch of cilantro
  5. ½ cup sunflower seeds, toasted**
Dressing
  1. juice of 2 limes
  2. ⅓ cup raw apple cider vinegar
  3. ⅓ cup olive oil
  4. sea salt
  5. black pepper**
Instructions
  1. Using the shredder attachment on your food processor, shred cabbage. Dump in a bowl.
  2. Shred broccoli or finely chop kale/collards. Add to the bowl.
  3. Chop green onions and cilantro. Add to the bowl along with toasted sunflower seeds.
  4. Combine dressing ingredients, whisk well and toss with coleslaw.
  5. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
  1. **AIP Modifications: omit black pepper, substitute shredded coconut for sunflower seeds
  2. This coleslaw gets better as it sits! So let it sit for a few hours or overnight before serving!
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/
Simple Coleslaw with a Lime Vinaigrette | vegan, grain free, AIP | AmandaNaturally.com

 

 

 

Fried Plantains

| 2 Comments | AIP, Apps, Snacks & Sides, Beatty Protocols, Breakfasts, Kitchen Tutorials, Recipes

Oh plantains – how I love thee!Fried Plantains | vegan, paleo, AIP | AmandaNaturally.com

Seriously guys, plantains are the best! Here’s why:

  1. They are incredibly versatile and can be used to make everything from biscuits and pancakes, to tortillas and nachos. Green plantains are savoury and a great alternative to potatoes. Ripe plantains (yellow, or yellow with brown spots) are super sweet and great for making batters.
  2. They last forever in your kitchen (well as long as you don’t eat them) because you can use them at all stages of their ripeness. Seriously, we’re talking weeks before they go bad!
  3. They cook up very quickly. Most people who have switched over to a real-food diet will agree with me when I say whole-food starches take a long time to prep! Sweet potatoes and squash take almost an hour in the oven, and sometimes (ok most times) I don’t have that kind of time! Fried plantains, as you’ll see in the recipe below, take 10 minutes.
  4. They are a very neutral starch, so unless you have a banana allergy, they are usually safe for most people.
  5. They are very nutrient dense (as opposed to grains and flours) and are full of the good kind of starch that feeds your beneficial gut bacteria.
  6. They are a great chip alternative, and while you can make your own, I highly suggest purchasing Inka Plantain Chips. (tip to all my Canadians out there – you can buy the Inka green plantain chips at Dollarama!!)
  7. They’re freakin’ delicious!

They do have one major downside – they’re definitely not local to where I live. So not only can that make them challenging to locate (note: Asian markets and ethnic grocery stores always have them), but it also means they have a high environmental footprint. I try to eat mostly local and seasonal – meat from local farmers, vegetables from a local CSA – but plantains, bananas and coconut are the one exception. Driving a Prius makes me feel a bit better about that!

Plantains can be a little intimidating the first time you make them, so my goal with this post is to show you how simple they are. This recipe is for fried green plantains, also called tostones or patacones, depending on where you’re from! These guys are reminiscent of a french fry or potato wedge. You can follow the exact same recipe for ripe plantains, but you won’t need to smash them halfway. Also they’ll be very sweet. Which ripeness you choose to fry up depends on the meal you’re preparing, your personal preference and if you have any plantains left that were allowed to ripen! 

Fried Plantains (a.k.a. Tostones)

1. Slice off the ends of your plantain and cut into 3 or 4 chunks, to make the next steps easier. 

 2. Score the skin of the plantain, being careful not to cut the flesh. Use your knife edge or fingernails to peel off the skin. It’s a lot tougher than a banana, but the flesh isn’t as delicate so no need to worry about bruising the plantain! 

3. Once the skin is removed, slice the plantains into about 1-2 cm discs. 

4. Heat a decent amount of fat in a frying pan over medium. I love using coconut oil for frying plantains because it really compliments the flavour of the plantain, but you can use any saturated fat (ghee, lard, bacon grease, tallow). You want the melted fat to be a few millimetres deep and covering the entire pan. 

5. Place the plantains in the hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes. You will notice the bottom turning golden brown. Keep the burner at medium or less, you want the whole bottom half of the plantain to cook through as it turns golden brown. If they are cooking too fast, turn down the heat.

 6. Flip the plantains and cook another 3-4 minutes on the other side. 

7. Once they’re golden on both sides and cooked through (you shouldn’t see any raw plantain in the middle), remove a few at a time and smash them! Take a chef’s knife or a glass cup and gently and evenly press down on the plantain disc until it flattens.

 

 

 

8. As you smash the plantains, return them to the frying pan and continue until they’re all flat. Fry for 1-2 more minutes on each side, adding extra oil if you need.

9. Season liberally with sea salt and serve! 

 

Foods to Eat Fried Plantains With:

  • eggs and bacon, in lieu of hashbrowns
  • burgers, in lieu of french fries
  • tacos
  • pulled pork
  • beef carnitas
  • whipped coconut cream, cinnamon and berries (using ripe plantains)
  • pretty much anything because they rock.

 

So tell me, what’s your favourite way to use plantains? 

Never used them before? Give it a go and report back!

 

Fried Plantains
A simple, nourishing starch free that cooks up in only 10 minutes and is sure to please the whole family!
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Save Recipe
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. Green plantains
  2. Fat (I prefer coconut oil because it really compliments the flavour of the plantain, but you can use any saturated fat - lard, bacon grease, tallow, ghee)
  3. Sea salt
Instructions
  1. 1. Slice the ends off of the plantain, and cut into 3 or 4 chunks.
  2. 2. Score the skin of the plantain, being careful not to cut the flesh. Use your knife edge or fingernails to peel off the skin.
  3. 3. Slice the plantains into about 1-2 cm discs.
  4. 4. Heat a liberal amount of fat in a frying pan over medium. Melted fat should be a few millimetres deep and covering the entire pan.
  5. 5. Place the plantains in the hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the bottom turns golden brown.
  6. 6. Flip the plantains and cook another 3-4 minutes on the other side.
  7. 7. Once they're golden on both sides and cooked through (no raw plantain in the middle), remove a few at a time and smash them! Take a chef's knife or a glass cup and gently and evenly press down on the plantain disc until it flattens.
  8. 8. As you smash the plantains, return them to the frying pan and continue until they're all flat. Fry for 1-2 more minutes on each side, adding extra oil if you need.
  9. 9. Season liberally with sea salt and serve!
Notes
  1. If you are using ripe plantains (which are just as awesome, but quite sweet), you do not need to smash them. Simply cook until golden brown on the first side, flip and cook to golden on the second side. Season with sea salt and serve!
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/
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