Mascarpone Cream PASTA and THYROID

Did you know that in 90% of cases, hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease? Did you know that autoimmune thyroid disease and is linked to a gluten intolerance? Hashimoto’s and Graves’ are most likely caused by a gluten intolerance.

What happens is that the cell structure of gliadin (the protein in gluten) resembles the thyroid gland. If you don't have a healthy intestinal lining, you can create holes; enter Leaky Gut. When this happens food leaks into the bloodstream and since your blood doesn't know what the substances are, it puts your immune system into overdrive to kill the foreign substance (this is why I have my clients get a thyroid 'antibody' test; it helps determine if there is a food allergy). So if you are eating skim milk and cereal for breakfast, you will most likely have a dairy and wheat allergy.

These antibodies produced to attach the gliadin in the blood, also causes the body to attack the thyroid. If you continue to eat gluten, your immune system will attack your thyroid. Some clients mistakenly think they can eat small amounts of bread or gluten on the weekend or at a party, BUT nope. The immune response to gluten can last up to 6 months every time you consume it. In order to stop the destruction of the thyroid, you have to be 100% gluten-free. Gluten, even "whole grains," contain phytates that damage our intestinal lining and inhibit nutrient absorption.

Many people make the mistake of running to their doctor for an allergy blood-test to find out if a food allergy is the root of their problems. The main issue with this is that blood tests are about 90 percent INACCURATE! Crazy but true. If I notice a food sensitivity with a client, our success comes by an elimination diet along with nutrition therapy of enhancing vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It is also helpful to consult a doctor, but don’t wait for a blood test to tell you what will make you feel your best; start now instead. If anything, I recommend a stool test.

1 in 3 Americans are gluten intolerant. In some clients with autoimmune disease, their immune system is so worn out they can no longer produce many antibodies. This is why everyone should kick the gluten regardless of antibody test results.

To find charts on what foods balance all your hormones (thyroid, leptin, ghrelin, estrogen, testosterone and more) check out my book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.




I picked up some scallops at Trader Joe's and the worked great for this dish! Happy Eating!

1 lb scallops
1 large zucchini, into pasta
1 cup mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)
4 TBS butter
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Celtic sea salt and white pepper, to taste
beef broth as needed

SAUCE: In a medium saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add the mascarpone to the melted butter and stir until it has melted and mixed well. Add nutmeg to the cheese mixture and stir to combine. Add all of the Parmesan cheese at once and stir it into the mixture. Remove from heat (the sauce will clump up if it is gets too hot after the Parmesan is added). Adjust the sauce consistency to your likes with beef broth added in small amounts. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

PASTA: Peel and cut zucchini into noodles using THIS tool: Joyce Chen Spiral Slicer. Set aside. Heat 2 TBS oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.

SCALLOPS: Rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry. Add the oil to a 12 to 14-inch saute pan on high heat. Salt and pepper the scallops. Once the oil begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other. Sear the scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. The scallops should have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while still being translucent in the center. Serve immediately over zucchini pasta and top with sauce. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
With White Pasta = 604 calories, 25g fat, 32g protein, 63 carbs, 2g fiber
With Zucchini Pasta = 376 calories, 24g fat, 32g protein, 7.8 carbs, 1g fiber

Chicken DUMPLING Soup and Intestinal Health

Nope, this isn't apple juice... it is bone broth! I make a pot for my son Kai once a week to put into his bottle. When he sees this when he wakes up his legs start to kick a mile a minute! He LOVES this stuff!

Bone broths are one of the most nourishing foods. It is so medicinal that if I could bottle up into a pill, the pharmaceutical companies would be broke.

Because broth can be regarded as a liquefied form of the important components of bones, the medicinal benefits of bone broth are attributed to the exceptionally high levels of minerals and amino acids. In fact bone broth can be considered both a high quality multi-mineral and protein supplement.

1. HYDROPHILIC COLLOIDS: Stock is also awesome because it has hydrophilic colloids. Raw foods are colloidal and are hydrophilic, meaning that they attract liquids. This is important because when we eat a salad or other raw food, the hydrophilic colloids attract digestive juices for rapid and effective digestion. Colloids that have been heated are usually hydrophobic (meaning they repel liquids, making cooked foods harder to digest). However, the gelatin in meat broths has the special property of attracting liquids even after it has been heated. A good visual is Jell-O, the gelatin attracts water to form desserts, which allows it to attract digestive juices to the surface of cooked food particles.

2. CROHN'S and COLITIS: Broth contains gelatin, which aids in digestion and works amazing as a treatment of intestinal disorders, including hyperacidity, colitis and Crohn’s disease because it heals the intestinal wall. Many clients of mine have Colitis, leaky gut, diverticulitis, Crohn’s or other intestinal problems. By supplementing with broth and other key supplements (such as l-glutamine) we can strengthen the intestinal walls, which also supports our immune system. Babies had fewer digestive problems when gelatin was added to their milk. It enhances digestion by attracting digestive juices to food in the gut. It also calms and soothes the gut lining. Gelatin should be the first therapeutic food for anyone suffering from digestive conditions affecting the intestines.

3. Collagen is a protein extracted in broth through the breakdown of bone and cartilage during the cooking process and is referred to as gelatin. The quality of broth is usually determined by the amount of gelatin it contains. The gelatin in broth is also useful for the treatment of anemia and other blood disorders, like diabetes, muscular dystrophy and even cancer.

4. AMINO ACIDS: Although gelatin isn't a complete protein, (it only has the amino acids arginine and glycine in large amounts) it acts as a protein sparer, allowing the body to more fully utilize the complete proteins that are taken in. So if you are someone who can't afford large amounts of meat in your diet, gelatin-rich broths are great to help boost protein absorption.

5. MINERAL ABSORPTION: Healthy bone tissue is naturally high in minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium) which provide a healthy bone structure, nervous system as well as hormone balance. Fish stock will also provide iodine which is essential for a healthy thyroid. Broths made from fish bones will also provide iodine. The gelatin in broth strengthens digestion which helps you absorb more nutrients. Gelatin helps people digest milk and dairy products.
"Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.” Sally Fallon Morell

6. JOINT HEALTH: Since the gelatin is derived from cartilage a huge benefit of broth is that it provides an awesome source of glucosamine and chondroitin. These nutrients are essential for regaining joint health.

NOTE: When making bone broth using an acid like organic vinegar helps extract more minerals from the bones. The extracted minerals then become the alkalizing agents to neutralize the acidity of the broth. I use coconut vinegar. Click HERE to find. Coconut vinegar exceeds all other vinegars in amino acids, vitamins and mineral content. It is also a FOS (prebiotic that promotes digestive health). Don't worry, it doesn't taste like coconut!



"Healthified" BROTH BASE:
4 quarts water (reverse osmosis filtered water is best)
1 Leftover bones and skin from one pasture fed chicken
1 whole clove fresh garlic, peeled & smashed
2 TBS apple cider vinegar (organic)
2 TBS coconut oil
2 onions, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tsp thyme leaves

Place the water, chicken, garlic, and vinegar in a large kettle or a large crockpot and set the heat to "high." Bring to a boil, then reduce the setting to "low" for a soft simmer. Cook for a minimum of 8 hours and up to 24 hours. The longer it cooks the more nutrients and minerals!

Strain broth through a colander into a large container; reserve broth and discard skin and bones. Return kettle or crockpot to burner set on medium-high. Add oil, then onions and celery. Saute about 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Add chicken, broth and thyme. Bring to a simmer.

DUMPLINGS:
1 cup coconut flour (OR 2 cups almond flour)
2 TBS psyllium husk fiber
4 eggs (2 eggs if using almond flour)
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp thyme
IF USING COCONUT FLOUR: 1/2 cup chicken broth

In a medium sized bowl, mix the eggs, salt, flour, psyllium, and thyme, mix until sticky and well-blended. For coconut flour dumplings add a little broth until the dough sticks together. Shape into dumplings with hands. Note: These can be made ahead and frozen until you are ready for some soup!

With the soup at a simmer, add the dumplings. Cover the soup and cook for 20-30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy! Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Soup = 330 calories, 10g fat, 25g protein, 31 carbs, 2.2g fiber
Almond Flour Dumpling Soup = 363 calories, 22g fat, 29g protein, 9.7 carbs, 3.5 fiber
Coconut Flour Dumpling Soup = 291 calories, 12g fat, 28g protein, 11 carbs, 5g fiber

Coconut-Lime Fried "Rice" & Macadamia Nuts

When you hear the words "butter" or "coconut oil" you have been trained to think "heart disease!" Well, I am here to tell you we have been replacing these natural good-mood fats with rancid vegetable oils (corn/canola/soybean) overloaded with omega 6 fats. Butter and coconut oil, actually protect the omega-3s in our brain. Outside of mother's milk, coconut oil is nature's richest source of medium chain triglycerides (MCT); they are extraordinary fats because they are not processed by your body in the same manner as long chain triglycerides.

Coconut oil increases thermogenesis, which increases metabolism and produces energy. The medium chain fats in coconut oil goes directly to the liver and are immediately converted to energy, we call these KETONES. It also increases metabolism because it is easily absorbed and produces organelles in our cells.

We have studied cows and other animals with different fats:
Feed animals vegetable oils = put on weight and produce fatty meat
If you feed them coconut oil = very lean

Normal fat metabolism depends on bile salts that have been released from your gallbladder before broken down in your digestive system. Coconut oil bypass bile metabolism and go directly to your liver where they are converted into ketones.
The liver immediately releases KETONES into the bloodstream transported to the brain to be used as fuel.

BENEFITS OF KETONES:
Ketones = stable source of energy for the brain during periods of low blood sugar without the harmful neurological side effects associated with high blood sugar.

Ketones = preferred source of brain food in people affected by diabetes or any neurodegenerative condition such as Alzheimer's, ALS, Parkinson's, & Multiple Sclerosis. In these conditions, the brain can no longer use glucose for fuel so we need to use an alternative source...ketones!

Ketones = help heart patients recover from a heart attack and they can dramatically shrink cancerous tumors.



So let's use some flavorful coconut oil to help our brain and body!

SAUCE
1/4 cup lime juice
2 TBS organic Tamari (soy sauce)
1/2 tsp stevia glycerite (or 2 TBS Swerve)
1 TBS grated lime peel
"RICE"
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 TBS coconut oil, divided
3 eggs, beaten
1 TBS minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini
4 cups cauliflower "rice"
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

SAUCE: Combine all sauce ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.

"RICE": Place the cauliflower heads into a food processor (click HERE to find the one I use), pulse until small pieces of 'rice.' Set aside.

Add 1 TBS of the oil to skillet; stir-fry eggs over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes or until scrambled but still moist. Remove eggs.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and ginger to skillet; stir-fry 40 to 60 seconds or until fragrant. Add zucchini and cauliflower "rice". Increase heat to medium-high; stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in sauce until combined. Stir in egg, cilantro, half of the nuts and half of the coconut. Serve topped with remaining nuts and coconut. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARRISON (per serving)
Traditional Fried Rice = 510 calories, 59 carbs, 5 g fiber
"Healthified" Fried Rice = 204 calories, 9 carbs, 3.8 g fiber (5.2 effective carbs)

Crab Cakes and ALOPECIA PROOF

Do you or someone you know suffer from an auto immune disease? My client, who suffers from alopecia (auto immune disease where you lose all your hair) had no hair when I first met her. Well, she showed up today with a surprise! She took her hat off for me and "TADA!"

She thought I was crazy when I told her that she had a food allergy causing her to lose her hair. She is a total believer now! She was so excited that she had her first hair cut in over 10 years!

Here is a great dish that Kiki could enjoy. I adapted this recipe from the BBC.


CRAB CAKES
1 pound crabmeat
2 TBS diced green bell pepper
1 TBS Spectrum organic mayonnaise
2 TBS coconut flour
2 eggs
1 TBS aluminum free baking powder
2 tsp seafood seasoning
1 tsp fish sauce (Optional: umami flavor)
2 TBS macadamia nut or coconut oil
EGGS:
4 eggs
GREENS:
1 TBS coconut oil or butter
14 oz fresh spinach
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg

CRAB CAKES: In a medium-large bowl, mix all ingredients except oil until blended. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. With a spoon, place 2 TBS of the crab mixture into the pan for mini-cakes. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, and then flip and cook another minute.

EGGS: Heat pan to medium high heat. Place 1/4 cup water in the pan. Crack in the egg, cover the pan so it traps any air (see photo: an easy way to 'poach' an egg). Cook the egg just until the white are cooked, but the yolk is still soft and runny.

GREENS: Heat the coconut oil or butter in a frying pan over a low to medium heat. When it has melted, add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until wilted. Add the spices to desired taste.

Spoon the cooked greens into the center of a plate. Place 2-3 crab cakes on top of each portion, and top with an egg. Then watch the yolk pour all over the delicious crab cake as you break it open with a fork! Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Crab Cake = 368 calories, 10 carbs, 0.8 g fiber
"Healthified" Crab Cake = 248 calories, 0.4 carbs, trace fiber

Twice-Baked Cauliflower

I hate going to a restaurant where all they serve is Bacon Bits at the salad bar. Reasons why they are so bad?

McCormick Bacon Bits Ingredients = Textured Soy Flour, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Corn Starch, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Corn Gluten and Wheat Protein, FD&C Red 3 and Autolyzed Yeast.

1. Soy Protein: inhibits absorption of zinc and iodine for proper thyroid function, it has toxic chemicals (unless fermented), soy blocks the absorption of l-tyrosine from the intestines (essential for thyroid function), soy contains enzymes inhibitors that reduce protein digestion and processed soy protein contains carcinogens such as nitrates.
2. Hydrogenated Oils: Rancid oils are free radicals, single atoms with an unpaired electron. These free-radicals are very chemically reactive. They attack cell membranes and cause damage in our DNA, causing alterations in tissue, blood vessels and skin. Free radical damage to the tissues and organs causes tumor growths, free radical damage to the skin causes wrinkles, and free radical damage in the blood vessels promotes the buildup of plaque. New evidence finds links to free radicals with autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's disease and cataracts.
3. Caramel Coloring: Banned in all other countries due to the link to cancer.
4. Corn Starch and Corn Gluten: We feed corn to cows to fatten them up in 6 months vs 2-3 years for a pasture fed cow...why don't we associate that to our increase in weight?
6. Food Dye: One of the most common ingredients in the food we eat isn't even a food. It's food dye. Food dyes are synthetic chemicals; which causes hyperactivity, restlessness, and attention problems. The Center for Science in the Public Interest called on the FDA to ban 8 of the most common artificial dyes, instead, they put a warning… "Warning: The artificial coloring in this food causes hyperactivity and behavioral problems”
7. Yeast: Candida!

Let's stick to real bacon!


1 large head cauliflower
4 oz. cream cheese
2 T butter
1/4 cup minced scallions or green onions
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
6 slices nitrate free bacon, cooked and cut into pieces
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (Never pre-shredded cheese)
Sour Cream (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut out stem and core from cauliflower, and cut into small pieces. Cook in large pot of boiling water until cauliflower is tender, but not overly soft. Drain well and mash with potato masher, leaving some chunks. Mix in cream cheese, butter, green onion, Parmesan, and 3/4 of the bacon.

Spread evenly in an 8 X 8 inch glass casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and reserved bacon. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Twice Baked Potato = 28 Carbs, 2 sugar, 4 fiber, 116 Calories
Twice Baked Cauliflower = 243 calories, 19g fat, 12.5g protein, 6 carbs, 2.6g fiber

*If you really want to fool your family, pipe this into a hollowed out potato shell!
Recipe adapted from The Low Carb Gourmet

Chocolate "Pudding" and What Makes Us Fat

Have you seen the ingredients in pudding? Yikes! Some have as much sugar as a candy bar. Jell-O pudding contains really high levels of glucose syrup and is also full of refined carbohydrates and artificial additives which can aggravate children's behavioral issues. No only that, if you buy the "No Sugar Added" Pudding, that is no better!

NO SUGAR ADDED Snack Pack Chocolate Pudding Cups Ingredients: Non-Fat Milk, Water, Modified Corn Starch, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali)Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Less Than 2% of Salt, Carrageenan, Color Added, Artificial Flavors, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sucralose.

Partially hydrogenated oils don't just damage your cells, causing allergies, arthritis and auto immune diseases, but in they also make you fat!

Essential fatty acids are called 'essential' because your body NEEDS them and you can only get them through food. Your brain and body are very smart, even though your stomach may feel full, your brain never tells you to stop eating, because it still needs the essential fatty acids to sustain life. You will never be full until you do.

Partially hydrogenated oils make you gain weight because they interfere with the body's ability to ingest and utilize the healthy fats that you want to fill your cells with.

Imagine this, your cells are like neat parking lots. When you eat omega 3 fats, they are like little Smart Cars that park nice and neat into the parking spots that feed our body by decreasing inflammation (everything from joint pain to asthma to heart disease). BUT when we eat trans fats they are like huge SUVs that don't fit into these parking spots, but they force their way in anyway...damaging the cars around them so they can't run anymore (or help our body) AND they cause our fat cells to grow! If you eat even more trans-fats, those SUVs get mad because they can't find a parking spot, so they just drive around furiously in your body and bounce into all the cells causing free-radicals. To read more on how to decrease free-radicals, go to Supplement chapter in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.

Over time, more and more SUV are filling the parking spots which leaves no room for the Smart Cars. So new parking lots (fat cells) have to be built to make room for them. So now our body gets bigger, we have more inflammation and more health problems like asthma, arthritis, heart disease...not a good outcome!



3 avocados (or 3 cups cottage cheese)
6 TBS cocoa powder
½ cup chocolate unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
¼ cup of Just Like Sugar or Swerve
Optional: chopped pieces of ChocoPerfection Bar

Whip the almond or coconut milk and the sweetener in a mixing bowl. Peel and pit the avocados. Blend the avocados (or cottage cheese) and cocoa powder in a blender until smooth. Fold the chocolate avocado mix into the coconut and enjoy! Top with pieces of chocolate if desired. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Hunt's Pudding = 150 calories, 5g BAD FATS, 2g protein, 23g carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Avocado Pudding = 173 calories, 15 g GOOD fat, 3g protein, 11 carbs, 8.3g fiber
"Healthified" Cottage Cheese Pudding = 114 calories, 3g fat, 17g protein, 7 carbs, 2g fiber