Utilizing your Slow Cooker When Detoxing

 NOT what you expected from a detox, is it?

As most of you know from our previous Blog, we as a clinic and clientele are beginning our Spring Detox under the guidance of our naturopathic doctor Dr. Jessica. 

As Dr. Jessica mentioned some people can not only be a little overwhelmed with the aspect of a detox (have no fear: our entire staff has gone on this journey and took our husbands with us!) but also the unfortunate stereotype that "I'll only chew on lettuce and be hungry all the time". So NOT true and here's just one of many recipes that proves that.

We hear a lot of people say they'd love to try a detox but with busy schedules, families, errands, life etc... there's just no time to food prep or cook. Well, even the prep method of this recipe proves that wrong: you can use your slow cooker! Easy. Easy. Easy! The bonus is that you cook once and can get 2-3 meals saving even more time. 

I love my slow cooker and there's just something so satisfying and filling about a slow cooked, juicy meat dish that took no time to prepare and less time to eat. Try this recipe from the Whole30 Slow Cooking  website and it will completely change your mind about what a detox or eating healthy can be! Another great thing? Using your slow cooker with these 'summer flavours' is a great substitute on a hot, humid day when standing over the blazing BBQ is just not an option.

Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork 

 

              Sweet Spice Rub                                              

                     1 Tbsp sea salt

                     1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

                     1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

                     1/2 tsp chili powder

                     1/2 tsp ground ginger

                     1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

       Ingredients

      One 4-5 pound boneless pork butt

      

      1 large sweet onion, peeled and    

      sliced

      

      1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple      

      cider

Instructions

Combine all of the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the rub evenly along the sides and top of the pork roast.

Add the onion slices to the bottom of a six quart slow cooker. 

Place the seasoned pork roast on top of the onions. Then add the apple cider. (If roast is too large, you may wish to cut it in half and place the halves side by side in the slow cooker.)

Cover and cook on high for approx. 7-8 hours or low for 8-10 hours, until the meat is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork.

Turn off the slow cooker once the roast is done. Carefully transfer the pork to a large platter and allow it to rest for a few minutes.

Pour the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Place one cup of the liquid back in the slow cooker; discard the remaining liquid and onion.

Shred the pork using two forks. Then return to the slow cooker. Toss well with the reserved cooking liquid. Season to taste with additional sea salt and pepper if desired.

Serve the pork with your favourite Whole30-compliant coleslaw (like this one from The Healthy Foodie) and a side of sweet mashed potatoes.   

Helpful Hints I've Tried

When using any rub on a meat, it's important to rub a little aggressively to allow it to penetrate the meat itself. Any leftover rub can be sprinkled on the top to utilize all the flavouring.

My palate has never been a fan of salt, and others I have made this for have commented how it can taste 'salty', so I like to decrease the salt in the rub to 1/2 Tbsp. 

Pork can get very dry if in the slow cooker too long so I found that decreasing the cooking times to a standard 5-6 hours on high or 6-8 on low is more than fine. I did this batch on high for 6 hours with no issues. 

If you get an early start and the meal is done before dinner that's great: I found letting it sit on the 'warm' setting for approximately an hour really allows the juices to be reabsorbed. 

Digging In Detox-style

This meal can be enjoyed numerous ways from making a salad absolutely amazing, to Whole30 compliant 'sandwiches'. Ideas on just how you can make many styles of meals from this core recipe can be found here.

Let us know what you think and any tips of your own when you try this satisfying recipe.

Happy cooking!               

When You Must Have COOKIES!

We here at The Coach House like to practice what we preach. Whether it's our recipes, lifestyle choices, or decreasing chemicals in the home, we all take a natural, healthier approach. But come on let's face it: we're human too and sometimes you NEED a treat! And what better way to feel like you're indulging than with cookies?

As pictured above, I recently took in a batch of each of my favourite "better choice for me but feels like a treat" cookies to share with my patients. I'm happy to say that both received rave reviews- barely any were left to take home.

The best part? Both are Paleo diet friendly! Now a lot of people assume that making a better choice i.e. choosing a Paleo diet recipe will entail a lot more work, whether in prep time or in finding those 'new to me' ingredients (that will shortly become a staple in your pantry) but that couldn't be further from the truth. Find out more below as I list the recipes, little tweaks I have tried and where to find these ingredients. 

So fire up your oven and let's get baking!

Carrot Cake Caveman Cookies

This recipe is courtesy of  The Civilized Caveman. I liked this recipe as all the ingredients are very much staples in your fridge and pantry, therefore on hand and easy to whip up a batch when the mood strikes.

These cookies are very filling and tasty but keep in mind they are not a sweet cookie, that fun recipe is to follow :)

2 cups mini carrots
2 cups almonds
1 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp coconut oil
3 eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT eggs in food processor, pulse it until all pieces are small but still a little chunky.
3. Combine that mixture with the eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
4. Using your hands, form the mixture into 'patties' and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. The size of the 'patties' are up to you, or you can make them into bars.
5. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes.

Little Tricks

1. To the average palate, these cookies can be a bit bland, especially when used to the store bought 'sugary' cookies. To add a punch of flavour, I like to add more nutmeg, not only to the recipe itself but also a little sprinkle on top while cookies are cooling. The next time I may add a pinch of ground cloves in keeping with the carrot cake theme.

2. I found it easier to pulse the carrots and almonds a little first, then add the rest of the ingredients to finish the mixing process.

3. These cookies actually taste better the next day! They can be a little dry when first cooked/right out of the oven but waiting until later in the day or next day allows the ingredients i.e. carrots to 'settle' and moisturize the cookies, of course when stored in an airtight container.

For the person who has a 'sweet tooth' and craves the sinful flavour of chocolate the next recipe will definitely be up your alley.



Perfect Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

The first time I was trying this recipe from Texanerin Baking, I thought "Vegan option, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy free? Great- these will taste horrible!" but OH.MY.GOODNESS! This recipe is absolutely amazing and I can't emphasize this enough: they actually taste yummy like chocolate chip cookies!

 

When looking at the ingredient list most people will be intimidated seeing items like paleo-friendly chocolate chips, almond flour, coconut palm sugar, coconut flour and more. The two thoughts right away are a) Where do I get these ingredients? and b) How much will this cost? 

The answer is simpler than you think: Bulk Barn! This store has all the items you need for a minor extra expense and is one of the 3 places to shop as recommended by our naturopathic doctor, Dr. Jessica (More on how easy and great shopping at Bulk Barn is, is forthcoming in a future Blog by Dr. Jessica). 

1 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons coconut oil OR room temperature unsalted butter 
3/4 cups coconut sugar OR brown sugar
6 tablespoons natural almond butter, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature (or 1 chia egg for vegan)
1 1/4 cups paleo-friendly semi sweet chocolate chips



Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer) beat together the fat and sugar at medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. If you use coconut oil it may not come together easily: use your hands to combine and then beat another 20 seconds.
3. Beat in almond butter and vanilla extract on medium until combined. Beat in egg on low until well incorporated. Stir in flour mixture until well combined. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips. If you used brown sugar skip to the next step. If you used coconut sugar, refrigerate for 1 hour until dough is firm.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Roll the dough into balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on top and sides of the dough balls and press down dough slightly with palm of your hand.
6. Bake for approximately 14 minutes (if using coconut sugar) or 17 minutes (if using brown sugar), OR until the surface and centre of cookies no longer appears wet. They will be very soft but will continue to cook as they sit on cookie sheet.
7. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

For Paleo: use coconut sugar, coconut oil and paleo-friendly chocolate chips.
For dairy free: use coconut oil and dairy-free chocolate chips.

Little Tricks

1. Make two batches of these at a time because they are SO good they will NOT last! There are no tricks, ingredients or instructions I would change at all- these cookies are that good.

And there you have it, two super tasty and varied recipes for when you need to indulge your taste buds and have a treat. Let us know if you tried these recipes and have any little tricks of your own- we'd love to hear from you!

Happy Baking!

Tips for a Growing Belly

Ah pregnancy: a time of wonder, a time of change, a time for advice!!!

As many Coach House patients know I am embarking on this wonderful journey of pregnancy and motherhood for the first time (our little girl is due to arrive May 11th) and with all the books, websites, social media outlets etc... it can be very overwhelming!

The benefit of working at the Coach House, besides our amazing patients of course, is that I am surrounded by not only other parents but, those who work in medical fields, especially natural ones. Plus, with our network of fellow natural based businesses, it has really helped guide me to some healthier and more natural options while my body is going through these changes.

Below are a few examples of things that I have discovered along the way that really worked for me! With anything regarding your pregnancy, of course check in with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor first.

A Growing Belly AND Winter Skin?!?!?!?

Yup- this happened! January and February were brutal on my skin not only from because my fascia was stretching to meet the demands of the growing belly, but add to that the cold weather and heaters turned up in the office, car, everywhere: I was going CRAZY!

Our Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Jessica, to the rescue! She introduced our clinic and patients to an incredible line of natural skin care products made right here in Kitchener Waterloo, Cocoon Apothecary. Trust me: the ENTIRE staff (and our hubbies) are addicted to this line: It's amazing!

According to Dr. Jessica: "The best way to keep your skin hydrated is by keeping your whole body hydrated- drinking water. But, especially during the winter months, we can use a little extra topical support. However, standard moisturizers (petroleum based like Vaseline) often only provide a barrier without actually hydrating the skin. This can actually make dry skin worse because it not only tries to lock moisture in, it also blocks air and moisture from getting in! It can also clog pores creating break outs. So skip the chemical based 'moisturizers' and opt for natural oils that don't clog pores and that provide both moisturizing and hydrating effects."

When you hear it like that it makes sense, right? So I immediately purchased Cocoon's Purist Unscented Body lotion and you could totally tell the difference from a texture point of view from the very first use. And guess what: in less than 2 days my winter skin 'dry patches' were completely gone! Bye bye irritating, night time scratch-a-thons!

I now use this product all over, including the belly, after every shower. If I get one of those days with 'itchy, growing belly' a little of this and *poof* itching gone! And trust me, as Dr. Jessica says, with this product being natural oil based a little goes a long way- I still have a lot in my bottle, and that's having to cover an ever increasing belly!

Another product our staff was introduced to and have used is Substance Belly Jelly. We featured this product at our "Birds n' Bees" seminar with the help of Nimira Husein, owner of Tadpole Children's Shoppe in Uptown Waterloo.

Described on parentingbynature.ca as "A rich emollient balm designed to intensely moisturize the skin.  Packed full of oils high in vitamin E, Belly Jelly increases the skin's elasticity, allowing it to stretch with your growing belly.  Rich shea butter, oats, lavender and a special blend of essential oils further nurtures the skin to add that extra ounce of prevention." which translated means this can help minimize stretch marks!

As I am in my last 2 months of pregnancy, the months of most growth, I'm super excited to try this product. The Belly Jelly of course can be used throughout all stages of belly growth but for my belly (and don't forget: everyone's fascia is different!) I found using the Cocoon Apothecary up until this stage worked for me. They even have a travel stick! It's available at Tadpole Children's Shoppe (you can do a registry online as well) and don't worry: if it's sold out as it was when I went in due to popularity, Nimira and staff will take your name and call you as soon as an order arrives. 

Staying Hydrated...Safely

So. very. thirsty! was and still is a common theme in pregnancy and it's very important for mom and baby to stay hydrated. According to the Dieticians of Canada pregnant females should aim for 2.3L or 9 1/2 cups of water per day. Although my body wanted water I found I got so bored with "just water" throughout the day.

Thankfully there are a number of websites that offer various diffusion recipes using fruit and/or vegetable to help stave off boredom. These recipes and guidelines can actually be found on a previous Blog we did dated January 11th of this year. Feel free to visit that Blog for a lot of great information regarding dehydration and of course an easy chart for fun and tasty water recipes.

 http://thecoachhousetc.blogspot.ca/2017/01/tasty-water-recipes-to-stay-hydrated.html


Not only is it important to stay hydrated, but the type of glass you use to consume your fluid is just as important. Dr. Jessica has some very clear advice when it comes to plastic water bottles etc.. and your health: "DITCH THE PLASTIC. That BPA-Free label really means nothing when it comes to whether or not the plastic is healthy. Whether BPA-free or not, it will leach chemicals that you do not want to be exposed to." You can read more about how the BPA-free label is very misleading in her Facebook post dated January 12/17 on our Coach House Therapeutic Centre page featuring the following article: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/bpa-free-plastic-alternative-bps-may-not-be-safer-after-all-1.2184973



Thankfully Coach House friends fenigo.com are here for us. Located on Lexington Road in Waterloo this store is a treasure trove helping you go plastic and litter-free! Their glass water bottles are great and even better: they have glass travel mugs for coffee, tea etc... which is incredibly important as you do not want any chemicals leaching from the heat. That's just the beginning of the great and healthy products they provide!


  

A Snuggle Buddy for Sleep...Rest for your Aching Back

As the belly grows so does the discomfort. Whether it's restlessness at night time with your body getting adjusted to the new changes in your posture, or to the lower back pain most females feel with the growing belly this is definitely an issue for most pregnant females. Besides stretch marks (and the actual birth of course) the idea or threat of lower back and hip pain along with lack of sleep is usually at the top of our lists, especially heading into the third trimester.

May I introduce your new best friend: The Snoogle by LeachCo!

I have my best friend Michelle to thank for this little gift from heaven that I received as a Christmas present when I was approximately 5 months along. I 'thought' I was sleeping alright as that's right around the time my 'baby bump' really started to make an appearance. OH. MY. GOODNESS! What an incredible difference! I didn't realize how restless I actually was until I used this pillow and I slept like a baby from night one!

Being an RMT we are of course trained on how to give therapeutic massages throughout all stages of pregnancy. We know how to pillow the patient for safety of mom and baby, and of course for support. I was doing some pillowing every now and then between my knees but this pillow blew that away. 

The pillow comes with instructions on how to use it in 8 different positions, whether sleeping in bed or sitting up and watching TV. It alleviates pressure and pain on your hips, lower back, glutes and of course supports the belly.The following 2 minute YouTube video tells you all you need to know about this great product:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5CUFF7d_Eo

To prove the point even further, I unfortunately went through about 6-8 weeks of catching every little bug and virus that went through the clinic. With these fever flashes I didn't use my Snoogle for approximately 2-3 weeks as it was making me hotter. Upon getting healthier and back to work I noticed my lower back right at my sacroiliac joints were in pain/sore by the end of my shift. Being 6 months along I thought "Uh oh, well guess it's the size of the belly, having to stand all day and this is how it'll go for the rest of my pregnancy." WRONG! I brought my Snoogle back to bed and by the next day at work no pain! And this is from someone who had to stand for approximately 7 hours a day, and run up and down stairs.

This pillow is definitely worth the approximate $85-$100 investment. Super comfortable and supportive, you don't have to worry about adjusting random pillows throughout the night and to get some proper sleep before Munchkin arrives? Priceless!

Wrapping Up

So there you go: I'm throwing my little bit into the 'pregnancy advice' ring. But again, I find I'm at an advantage not only working with other natural modalities but having a large cross section of the population in my patient base who have passed on tricks that have worked for them. 

These are of course things that have helped me- every pregnancy is different. This and other concerns that you may have for your pregnancy (nausea/morning sickness, low iron etc...) should be discussed with your primary care physician or book an appointment with someone like our fantastic Dr. Jessica who has 2 munchkins of her own, so not only has she studied these elements at school but has actually utilized them and more!

Here's proof: visit our Coach House Therapeutic Centre YouTube channel for a great video on DIY Baby Wraps at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KviLWMdjmUg&t=90s

Wishing you nothing but health and happiness on your own pregnancy journey and make sure you cherish every step of the way. And of course: here's wishing all of you a safe (and quick!) delivery to welcome your beautiful bundle of joy to the world!