Another great way to use up turkey leftovers is into a nourishing wholesome soup. Adding homemade bone broth, turmeric, and fresh herbs, makes this soup gut-healing and anti-inflammatory. Enjoy it on a cool winter night, after a day of skiing, snowshoeing, skating or hiking.
Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
What you need:
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 celery stalks, sliced (approx. 1 cup)
- 2 cups chopped cabbage
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 4 cups bone broth
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1/2 lb cooked turkey leftovers, cubed
- 2 cups rice vermicelli, broken into small pieces
- 2 cups water (more or less)
What you do:
- Melt coconut oil in large saucepan, over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions have softened. Add turmeric and mix. Continue cooking for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the celery, carrots and cabbage and stir. Continue to sauté for another minute.
- Add the bone broth, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the cooked turkey, rice noodles and extra water (as needed). Cook another 5 minutes until noodles are cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into soup bowls and enjoy!
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the fresh thyme and parsley with any other fresh herbs, or 1 tsp dried thyme and 1 tbsp dried parsley.
- Replace the cooked turkey with cooked chicken.
- Replace the vermicelli with rice.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Will freeze very well for up to three months.
And How it Will Help Shape 2020!
Written by Danika Desforges-Bell, M.Sc. Ps. ed.
Same but Different!
Our yearly tradition of attending the Namaste November Yoga Retreat is in its third year. Same incredible yogi Lee guiding us, same incredible accommodations at the Drake Devonshire Inn, and same quaint town of Wellington in Prince-Edward County. Many similarities yet every year brings small shifts and differences: new group, different yoga styles, different hotel room, different weather, and different mood. It seems like a perfect reflection of ourselves, always a little bit the same but also a little bit different, always hoping to get closer to our full potential and becoming the person we know we can be. The end of the retreat is a good time to take a step back and reflect on my takeaways for this year and reflect on how I have evolved in hopes of getting closer to the person I am meant to be.
1. I love… ME!
Lee is guiding us through a powerful meditation at the retreat and tears are already flowing: “Visualize yourself in a room filled with mirrors. Approach the first mirror and look at your reflection. Tell yourself I love you. Let your reflection say it back, I love you.” Although I like myself, I am not sure if I LOVE all parts of myself. It got me thinking to all the times I easily say I love you to everyone, yet when it comes to telling myself that I love myself, full-heartedly and with no conditions or restraints, it was very emotional and difficult. I do hope to come back next year with more love in my heart for myself.
2. Visualizing the life I want
Lee is guiding us through another powerful meditation, visualizing and imagining the future we desire and associating that visualization to an intention (a few words that resonate and represent that desired future life). She explains that it helps plant the seed to it becoming a reality. That got me thinking. A few studies (LUPIEN, 2010) have shown that taking the time to jot down possible solutions to a problem can diminish stress levels and develop key problem-solving skills. Could this be the same idea? If we take the time to truly visualize the life WE desire based on OUR core values without being influenced by other’s desires, needs or wants from us, we can guide ourselves to a future that gets us closer to our full potential. Deep thoughts yet somehow strangely reassuring.
3. The joy of sisterhood
Laughter and play. Can those be considered core values? There is nothing like an evening, a day, an hour or a weekend of fun and giggles with loved ones. It feels soooo good to take the time to incorporate them into our daily life. One of my favourite parts about the yoga retreat is spending some quality time with my CLV sisters (Sofie and Lyne) and this year, my best friend from Montreal. Taking the time to connect with them, laugh together, hold hands during a shavasana, or read next to one another in the beautiful fall sun, fills me with such joy and gratitude. It reminds me how important it is to simply feel connected to one another.
4. Learning to listen, really listen
Lee begins another yoga class by exhausting our senses (closing our eyes, lying in stillness, identifying the sounds outside the building, the ones outside the room, the ones in the room and focusing on the sound of our breath and beating heart). It can sometimes be difficult to focus on sounds that are further away or out of our reach and this practice sometimes triggered irritation and frustration for me. But this year, I saw it differently. It reminded me how difficult it can be to drown out noise to really focus on what’s important and actively listen to someone who might be communicating an important message through verbal or non-verbal cues. We spend our days drowning out our environment by playing loud music or by constantly staying productive. How about taking a step back and truly connecting with our surroundings? It is such a relief and a beautiful way to take in what’s happening on the inside instead of avoiding it. It reminded me of why I love yoga so much: getting comfortable with the discomfort to truly break through the noise!
5. Giving myself a break
Easier said then done, right? As someone who has 2 careers, a busy family and social life, as well as many other personal projects and goals, it is often difficult to find the time to stop or do a little self-care. That being said, I often come out of Namaste November realizing that although this is a great reset, it’s also a great opportunity to bring in some more playfulness, me-time, laughter and meditation-yoga practice into my day-to-day life. The reason I return year after year is because of the magical spirit this retreat has but I now realize that it’s important to incorporate that magic a little bit each and every day. I’m still trying to figure that part out but I am sure my CLV tribe will remind me of ways or simple practices to bring a little breath and play into my busy life!
What about those 10 words at the beginning of this blog post? These were words that each member of the retreat wrote about me on a heart-shaped piece of paper, including one I wrote for myself. These were added to a special envelope for me to open later. It’s amazing how all these kinds words rarely come up in my conversations with myself but every year, I look forward to reading through some of the qualities other see in me that I don’t always see in myself. They help me heal. They help me grow. They help me love. They help me find some self-compassion during some hard times. I keep these kind words nearby and use them as grounding reminders of who I am and what I am capable of.
I am already looking forward to next year when everything will be the same but a little different…and hopefully so will I!
LUPIEN, Sonia. Par amour du stress, Montréal:Éditions au Carré. 2010.
This “sconie” was inspired by a traditional scone recipe that is a favourite in the Desforges-Bell household. In order to satisfy more restrictive diets, we have played around with this recipe to obtain a gluten-free version. The result is halfway between a scone and a cookie, hence the name “sconie”. Enjoy these with your favourite cup of tea as a great afternoon snack.
Makes 12 servings (or 12 cookies)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30
What you need:
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1/4 cup unrefined coconut sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp cold butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (from the can)
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, and salt). Add the cold butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or a fork, until you get a mixture that resembles a coarse meal.
- Add the cream and mix well until the mixture thickens up.
- Using a large spoon, scoop some of the mixture and drop onto your baking sheet. Flatten with fingers if necessary to form a thick cookie. Using a smaller spoon, add some strawberry jam to each cookie by pressing into the middle of each one. Top with some chopped pecans. Dust with some extra coconut sugar if desired.
- Cook in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool over a wire rack. Enjoy with your favourite cup of tea!
Bon appétit!
Useful tips:
- You can use 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary instead of fresh.
- You can replace the strawberry jam with any fruit jam or jelly.
- Serving size is one cookie.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
5 Tips to Help You Stay on Track
By Lyne Desforges, Registered Holistic Nutritionist & Culinary Nutrition Expert
Most people associate the holiday season with a 5-lb weight gain but it doesn’t have to be. You can still enjoy the good food and the fun times. Practising a little mindfulness and gratitude will go a long
way in helping you stay on track.
Here are our 5 top tips for staying focused on your health and wellness goals.
-
Have a plan and stick to it.
Before heading out to a cocktail party, a family dinner, or a night out with
friends, decide what you will permit for that evening. For example, you may choose to have only one drink for the whole evening. Or you may decide that you will taste everything but in small quantities. Or finally, you might choose to skip the dessert. Whatever your plan is, make sure to stick with it.
It is also good to get organized at home. Prep and plan your meals in advance to prevent the temptation of buying fast or processed food. Meal planning is also an excellent tool to help maintain a healthy weight. -
Eat only when truly hungry.
All those holiday treats look very alluring, but do you really need to eat right now? Are your truly hungry or is it something else? Identify what is the trigger for your need to eat (i.e. boredom, social pressure, fatigue, thirst, etc.). Have a big glass of water instead and wait 15 minutes. If you are still truly hungry, have a nutritious snack. Check out our free Eat Clean for the Holidays cookbook for healthy snack ideas. -
Reduce or eliminate alcohol.
Avoid all those sugary cocktails and the bingeing on alcohol. These are empty calories that provide no nutrient value to the body. It actually affects your immune system and your sleep. So instead of opting for one or two glasses of wine, why not make it one spritzer and eliminate half of the alcohol. Or even better, try one of our suggested drinks in our free Clean Eats for the Holidays cookbook. -
Stick to your fitness routine.
It’s even more important to keep active during the holidays, to burn the excess calories you may be ingesting. Add a walk after every meal to help with digestion. Get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. How about some snowshoeing, skating, or tobogganing? Play outside like when you were a child.
-
Be mindful and use moderation.
Being a mindful eater means sitting down at a table, chewing slowly, and savouring every bite. Doing this means you will automatically eat less. Include the practice of Hara Hachi Bu in your eating routine. This is the Japanese art of eating till only 80% full. Use moderation in your portions and frequency of meals.
Allow yourself one guilt-free day where you can indulge on great homemade foods! And lastly, practice gratitude every day. Being in a state of gratitude not only injects you with a sense of happiness and joy but it has many medical benefits as well. So, take a moment to be thankful for all the bounty that surrounds you…the bounty of food, good health and loved ones.
Need a quick and easy meal that is filling and nutritious. Then a hash is what you want. Hash comes from the French term “haché” which means chopped. A hash is basically a mix of meat, potatoes, and any other chopped leftover veggies. In this version, we use organic pork sausage, sweet potatoes, apples and kale. Simple and quick to prepare. Pre-cook the sausages to save on time.
Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
What you need:
- 2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
- 1 large organic sweet potato, unpeeled, diced
- 6 cups kale, de-stemmed and chopped
- 1 large organic apple, unpeeled, diced
- 2 organic cooked pork sausages, cut in 1-inch slices
- 1 lime, juiced
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
What you do:
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the ghee or coconut oil. Add the sweet potatoes and sauté for 1 minute. Then turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.
- Add the kale and apple to the skillet. Cover and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until kale is wilted but still a vibrant green.
- Add to the sliced sausages to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they are heated through.
- Drizzle lime juice over everything and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
*To cook sausages, use a dry skillet. Add the sausages and brown on all sides over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Turn down heat to medium-low. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes until no longer pink inside.
Bon appétit!
Prep tips:
- Cook your sausages on the weekend and store in the fridge until ready to use. This will cut down on your meal time.
- Keep your kale stems and freeze them. Then add them to your smoothie or use them when making bone broth.
Soup is a stable in our household. You can mix and match vegetables according to what you have in your refrigerator. Our Fall Harvest Soup is a great way to use up the wonderful variety of vegetables that are available at your local farmers’ market in the fall. Adding an apple to the soup gives it a natural sweet tanginess. This soup can be served as is or pureed.
Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
What you need:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large sweet potatoes, cubed
- 2 cup chopped cabbage
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 1 large apple, unpeeled if organic, cubed
-
- 3-4 cups bone broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (or any squash purée)
- 1 tbsp Herbes de Provence (or Italian Seasoning)
- 1 tsp salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
What you do:
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Cook until softened.
- Add the sweet potatoes, cabbage and carrots. Stir and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Add the bone broth, the apple, and the pumpkin purée. Mix well and add seasoning. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to a simmer. Continue simmering for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are cooked.
- Add the spinach and mix until wilted. Turn off the heat. Serve into soup bowls and enjoy!
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the cabbage with 2-3 stalks chopped celery.
- Replace the spinach with another leafy green such as kale.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Will freeze very well for up to three months.
- If you prefer creamier soups, then just purée this soup in your blender and add some coconut milk.
