Comfort Food & Feeling Well

Greetings Welcome once again to Whole Food Vegan 101, I woke up the other day not feeling well at all and very nauseous without an appetite. I took some quiet time to just breathe and send love to the parts of my body who were calling out for help. After about an hour only one thing appealed to my taste buds, broth. I remember chicken noodle soup being the in my house growing up. Something about it really did make me feel better. I knew I needed something green, but couldn't even think of downing a green juice. I wanted something warm and cozy to fill my insides. So I made #1 cure all a lovely and simple greens broth soup that really hit the spot.
Green Healing Broth
16 oz. water
1cup of chopped collard greens
1 cup chopped celery
1 T. Nutritional yeast
a pinch of salt
a teaspoon of coconut oil
simmer until greens are bright and celery is soft.


So this got me thinking again about about the emotional aspects of food and nutrition. Certainly juicing the greens and celery would have been a powerhouse of nutrition compared to a soup, but would it have warmed my soul when I was feeling under the weather? Can we strike a balance between making sure we have all the nutrition we need and indulging only in what makes us feel good in the moment? I think we can! So this week has been an open feast of honoring both my nutritional needs and emotional needs, wow it's been fun!





These are the yummy tacos and quinao I made the other day. These were so good and was a great balance between nutrition and comfort food. While I was making it I didn't write the recipe down, so next time I will put a recipe together and post it here.



I have been slowly but surely weaning myself from sugar. A bad addiction I have come o find myself in from years of abuse! Most of the time I am satisfied with fruit as a treat or if I need a dessert every now and then I will make a fruit salad or a raw pie. But lately I have been bitten by the baking bug and had to turn on the oven!

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

1 cup Spelt Flour
1 cup All purpose baking flour (GLUTEN free)
Baking Soda 1 teaspoons
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
Lemon zest from 2 lemons (optional)
Sugar 3/4 to 1 cup
Non-Dairy Mylk (I used hemp seed milk) 1 cup
Coconut Oil 1/3 cup
Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tablespoon
Blueberries, fresh or frozen 1 and 1/2 cups

Yield: 12 muffins.

These would satisfy any sweet tooth. In an effort to remain close to my "whole food " credo I used the spelt and gluten free flours. Even though I really don't consider flour to be a whole food, I chose an organic and less processed variety if there is such a thing! More on the comfort food side than nutrition side but it wasn't a snikers bar!

And I can not leave out what has been my favorite comfort food of all something that has grown nearer and dearer to me the more I stick with it and that is GREEN JUICE. It really just makes me FEEL so good. It may not satisfy the nostalgic longings of my youthful indulgences but it is something that will stay in my life everyday.

With that have a blessed day!
Herbal Eranah

Love Your Liver

I just had an epiphany and I had to share! I have been studying many different alternative modalities in search of the keys to better health and wellness. Including Chinese herbal medicine, acupressure, yoga, Ayurveda, raw foods, whole food vegan (of course), fasting, juice feasting, quantum biofeedback, reiki, massage, prayer and meditation to name a few. And although I have learned and healed a great deal from applying these new ideas and ways of living I am not where I want to be yet. So here is where the epiphany comes in.....the liver. Yes, this is so simple and it makes total sense. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the liver is associated with the spring, bitter herbs and flavors help support it and it also supports other organs. We know that the liver is the organ that filters our blood of toxicity. If our liver function is sluggish than toxins can build up in excess in our bloodstreams and cause problems (especially for those of us who have a delicate hormonal system). So I am beginning a routine of gently supporting my liver on a daily basis. Using foods like lemons, limes, garlic and turmeric and herbs like dandelion and milk thistle. I hope to assist my body in detoxifying through the liver. Then going on to other organs such and the colon and kidneys. Why the liver first? Well, since the liver is associated with the spring I realized that this is because the liver comes first, like spring time, everything is new and the first buds, flowers and sprouts are beginning to grow. It's that simple.

Love your liver gentle herbals:

juice of one lemon in warm water every morning
Milk thistle Tea
Dandelion Tea
Licorice Tea (don't use if you have blood pressure issues)
A teaspoon of Turmeric powder in water or non-dairy mylk

Peace (it's good to be back, sorry I was gone so long :-/)
Herbal Eranah