Nourishing Sprouted Flour Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake has many possibilities for nourishing us. It is a varied ingredient recipe that you can change to your liking!   I promised I would post this recipe...and well folks, here it finally is months after the promise ;)   Pregnancy has changed my priorities a bit, and that is why my posts are far between.  Enjoy this nourishing carrot cake this season! (or anytime of the year!!)

Cake:


4 cups peeled and grated carrots
1 1/2 cups soaked and dried walnuts or pecans
1 cup chopped dates (or raisins if you prefer)
2 cups sprouted flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon (or more if you fancy! I love the smell so I always add more!)
1 teaspoon cloves (or less since it's strong)
2 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum free)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 large pastured eggs
1 cup coconut oil, melted/softened
1 cup maple syrup (or other natural sweetener- maple sugar, whole cane sugar, etc.)
~1 cup maple sugar (you can use less, use something with a  molasses flavor to replace brown sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup finely chopped soaked dried nuts (optional- to cover sides of cake)


Cream Cheese Icing:


1 cup pastured unsalted butter
16 ounces cream cheese (2 - 8 oz packages organic full fat cream cheese)
 Powdered evaporated cane juice to taste
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla

• Oven: 350
• Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans or a 9x13 sheet cake pan.
• Mix carrots, nuts, dates in a bowl and set aside.
• In another bowl, mix flour, cinnamon,cloves, baking powder, soda and salt.
• In a LARGE bowl, beat eggs, coconut oil, sugars and vanilla until blended.
• Fold flour mixture into egg mix until just moistened. 
• Fold in carrot mix until combined.
• Divide batter between 2 pans or spread evenly in sheet pan.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until cake springs to touch and toothpick or knife comes out clean.
• Cool in pan 15 min.  Remove from pans to cooling rack.

ICING:

• Cream butter and cream cheese together with speed mixer until light and fluffy. Add powdered cane juice until smooth.
  
• Add orange zest and vanilla.
  
• Combine for 1 minute until fluffly.

If making 2 layer cake:


Cut off rounded top of cake to create 2 flat surfaces. Place one cake layer cut side down on a platter, spread 1/3 of icing. Top with second layer of cake, cute side down ( so you aren't frosting crumbs!)  Spread top with 1/2 of remaining icing. Use rest of icing to cover sides.


Coat sides with chopped nuts if using.


For sheet cake- cover cake with a thick coating of icing. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if using.


ENJOY. It's so satisfyingly delicious.  I love all the nuts in this as it adds proteins and fats, and slows the sweet response in the body.

Still time to Register for WAPF Conference!

I want to help spread the word so you can enjoy this conference!   I was able to attend last year's conference in PA and it was fabulous- this year sounds like it will be even more top notch!!!  Dr. Mercola is the keynote speaker- which I wish I could be there to hear!   And as usual, the meals will be fabulous- the meals a lone are worth the cost of registration!   Enjoy to all those who get to attend this years conference!    I will be busy growing my baby belly and getting ready to visit family for Thanksgiving! Wish We could make it though!

Space is still available for registration for this not-to-be-missed event!

 

Wise Traditions 2011:  Mythbusters

12th Annual Conference of the Weston A. Price Foundation

November 11-13, 2011 Sheraton Dallas Hotel in Dallas, TX

 

Don’t miss our keynote speaker – Dr. Joseph Mercola  Dr. Mercola is board certified as a family medicine physician and was in private practice for 20 years before founding Mercola.com in 1997. His site, Mercola.com is the third most visited health site in the world, approaching two million subscribers to his free online newsletter and 30 million visits every month.  Dr. Mercola has written two NY Times bestselling books and has been on the Today Show, CNN, ABC World News Tonight, The Dr. Oz Show, and The Doctors. He has also been in Time, Business Week, and Forbes magazines and is committed to changing the existing health model in the US.

 

Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD  Dr. Campbell-McBride is the creator of the term GAPS or Gut And Psychology Syndrome and Gut And Physiology Syndrome, which establishes a connection between functioning of the digestive system and functioning of the rest of the body. She has written two books: "Gut And Psychology Syndrome. Natural treatment of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression and schizophrenia", and "Put your heart in your mouth. What really causes heart disease and what we can do to prevent and even reverse it". Dr Campbell-McBride has a large following around the world with patients and health practitioners adopting her GAPS Nutritional Protocol for treating disease. See GAPS.me

 

Michael Schmidt  Michael Schmidt is currently in week number 3 of his hunger strike for food freedom.  As a bio-dynamic farmer with passion he challenged through education and lectures from day one the current industrial farming system which more and more destroys the cultural identity of rural North America. He introduced Spelt to the North American market and founded Ontar-Bio which then became Organic Meadow Co-operative, the largest organic dairy processor in Canada. In 1992 he started the first Cow Share program for raw milk in Canada. In 1995 he founded Symphony in the Barn and conducted symphonies, operas and concertos with world renowned artists.
In 2006 his farm was raided by 25 armed officers, after being arrested he was charged with 19 offences for breaking the current health and milk laws. In 2010 after defending himself without a lawyer against an army of Government lawyers he was acquitted of all charges. As a free man he is now spearheading Cow Share Canada. He keeps challenging the entire public food politics of government and policy makers in regards to raw milk. 

 

Asthma Kills Thousands, Raw Milk Prevents Asthma

SEPTEMBER 2011 INFORMATION ALERT  from the Weston A Price Foundation:

IN THE NEWS: KIDS WHO DRINK RAW MILK HAVE LESS ASTHMA, ALLERGIES

A large European study has found--once again--that children who drink raw milk have less asthma and allergies. This is not big news to WAPF members, but the really big news is that the findings were publicized in a September 13, 2011 Reuters Health press release, with worldwide circulation.  Of course the article contained the usual warnings about the dangers of raw milkwhen we have no records of raw milk killing a single child, while asthma is a life-threatening disease that kills thousands of individuals each year. In the U.S., more than seven percent of adults and even more kids have asthma, causing millions of visits to emergency rooms and doctors' offices every year.
The researchers tapped into a large survey in which parents answered questions about their children's milk consumption. The researchers also collected eight hundred milk samples from the participants' households. Compared with kids who only drank store-bought milk, those who drank raw milk had a 41 percent reduction in their odds of developing asthma. They were also only about half as likely to develop hay fever--even after accounting for other factors that might be relevant. On the other hand, those who drank boiled farm milk had no less asthma than those who drank store milk.
The study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, is the first to point to the exact components in the milk that might be protective. The protective effect was linked to so-called whey proteins in the milk, such as BSA and alpha-lactalbumin."Pasteurization remains an effective tool to inactivate harmful microorganisms but may simultaneously destroy whey proteins," said a spokesperson for the study

SOURCE: bit.ly/rrHjuE Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, online August 29, 2011.

Article posted at:
http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USTRE78C75O20110913


to find yourself a source of real raw milk visit: http://realmilk.com/where.html

Raw Milk Deemed Safe By Government Data

Here is a  Press Release from the Weston A. Price Foundation.  
GOVERNMENT DATA PROVES RAW MILK SAFE
Raw Milk Risk Extremely Small Compared to Risk of Other Foods

WASHINGTON, DC June 22, 2011:  Data gleaned from U.S. government websites and government-sanctioned reports on foodborne illnesses show that the risk of contracting foodborne illness by consuming raw milk is much smaller than the risk of becoming ill from other foods, according to research by Dr. Ted Beals, MD, appearing in the Summer, 2011 issue of Wise Traditions, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

At last we have access to the numbers we need to determine the risk of consuming raw milk on a per-person basis, says Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, a non-profit nutrition education foundation that provides information on the health benefits of raw, whole milk from pastured cows.

The key figure that permits a calculation of raw milk illnesses on a per-person basis comes from a 2007 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) FoodNet survey, which found that 3.04 percent of the population consumes raw milk, or about 9.4 million people, based on the 2010 census. This number may in fact be larger in 2011 as raw milk is growing in popularity.  For example, sales of raw milk increased 25 percent in California in 2010, while sales of pasteurized milk declined 3 percent.

In addition, Dr. Beals has compiled published reports of illness attributed to raw milk from 1999 to 2010.  During the eleven-year period, illnesses attributed to raw milk averaged 42 per year.

Using government figures for foodborne illness for the entire population, Dr. Beals has shown that you are about thirty-five thousand times more likely to get sick from other foods than you are from raw milk, says Fallon Morell. And with good management practices in small grass-based dairies offering fresh unprocessed whole milk for direct human consumption, we may be able to reduce the risk even further.

It is irresponsible for senior national government officials to oppose raw milk, claiming that it is inherently hazardous, says Dr. Beals. There is no justification for opposing the sale of raw milk or warning against its inclusion in the diets of children and adults.

According to Pete Kennedy, president of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, FDA has an agenda that has nothing to do with protecting the public health.  The agency wants to deny freedom of choice and impose its views on what foods the people should and should not be consuming.

Every time there is a possible connection between illness and raw milk, government officials issue dire press releases and call for bans on raw milk sales, says Fallon Morell. However these numbers make a laughing stock of government opposition and prove what weve known all along, that raw milk is a safe and healthy food.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:  www.realmilk.com/real-milk-pathogens.html.

How to Use Zucchini for an Appetizer or Side Dish

Fresh Fried Zucchini with Grass-fed Parmesan

You will need:

• Zucchini, sliced into 1/2'' thick pieces
• Olive Oil and grass-fed Butter, or Ghee for frying
• Sea Salt and Pepper
• Grass-fed Grated Parmesan Cheese
  

1. Heat butter and oil in pan  (butter makes oil more heat stable for frying.)
2. Place slices in pan on high and brown each side, turning once
3. Move to a warm plate and sprinkle salt, pepper, and cheese on top while hot.
4. Serve Warm and Enjoy!

6 Health Benefits of Zucchini

1. Cancer PreventionVitamins C and A, as well as folate, found in zucchini act as powerful antioxidants that fight oxidative stress that can lead to many different types of cancer.
2. Prostate HealthStudies show that the phytonutrients in zucchini aid in reducing the symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BOH), a condition in which the prostate gland enlarges and leads to complications with urination and sexual functions in men.
3. Anti-InflammatoryVitamins C and A not only serve the body as powerful antioxidants, but also as effective anti-inflammatory agents. Along with the copper found in zucchini, these vitamins deter the development of many hyper-inflammatory disorders, including asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
4. Heart Attack and Stroke PreventionA one cup serving of zucchini contains over 10% of the RDA of magnesium, a mineral
   proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Zucchini also provides folate, a vitamin needed to break down the dangerous amino acid homocysteine, which - if levels in the body shoot up - can contribute to heart attack and stroke.
5. Lower Blood PressureAlong with magnesium, the potassium found in zucchini helps lower blood pressure. Both the potassium and magnesium in zucchini, however, can help alleviate the stress on the body's circulatory system.
6. High in Manganese A trace mineral and essential nutrient, manganese provides many health benefits and contributes to a slew of normal physiological functions. One cup of zucchini contains 19% of the RDA of manganese, which helps the body metabolize protein and carbohydrates, participates in the production of sex hormones, and catalyzes the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. The manganese in zucchini also increases the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the enzyme responsible for protecting mitochondria against oxidative stress. Finally, manganese is essential for the production of proline, and amino acid that allows collagen to form, thus allowing for healthy skin and proper wound-healing.

Resource  http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/8-health-benefits-of-zucchini.html and Photo Credit (1)http://tipsylaundry.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-top-5-pizza-toppings.html  (2)  http://www.the-first-time-cook.com/how-to-cook-zucchini.html

Brilliant Yellow Grass-fed Ghee from Pure Indian Foods

Recently, I was able to try Grass-fed Ghee (Clarified Butter!)  from . Pure Indian Foods
Ghee- what is the world is that?  Ghee may seem like a "foreign" word to many!  "I got a jar of Ghee"  or " I fried my pancakes in Ghee"  might boggle some of your minds, wondering, "What is Ghee?"



What a satisfying flavor and aroma it has.  So brilliant yellow and full of fat soluble vitamins!


Here is a little explanation from Wiki about how it's made and what it is:

Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Nepali and Pakistani cuisine.

 Ghee is made by simmering unsalted butter in a cooking vessel until all water has boiled off, the milk solids (or protein) have settled to the bottom, and a froth has floated on top. After removing the froth, the cooked and clarified butter is then spooned off or tipped out carefully to avoid disturbing the milk solids on the bottom of the pan. Ghee can be stored for extended periods without refrigeration, provided that it is kept in an airtight container to prevent oxidation and remains moisture-free. The texture, color, or taste of ghee depends on the source of the milk from which the butter was made and the extent of boiling and simmering.

There you have it- Ghee is free from dairy proteins- if you have a milk or dairy sensitivity- you can still have Ghee!

And did you SEE that?  Ghee can be STORED for extended periods of time withOUT refrigeration!   Real Food- FOOD STORAGE here I come!  (I'm planning to prepare information about including *REAL* foods into our food storage!)



There are many benefits of ghee, especially when made from butter from cows that are grassfed!

    From the Pure Indian Foods website:   "Food for Optimum Health:

Ghee is a nutrient dense food and contains healthy fat soluble vitamins which aids in the absorption of nutrients in foods and are essential for good health."


When from grassfed cows, benefits include cancer-fighting Conjugated Lineoleic Acid:

"More Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA):

Pasture-grazed cows have more CLA in their milk than grain fed cows and our lab tests show our ghee has more CLA than plain butter. CLA is an antioxidant and essential fatty acid that has been getting a lot of attention lately. In animal studies, it reportedly exhibits anticarcinogenic and other beneficial physiological effects.
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/ScienceForums/forum03/E-04.htm"

WHY Cook with Ghee?

"Ghee is one of the best oils for cooking. It stimulates digestive fire (or Agni) according to Ayurveda. It has a very high smoke point (~485°F) and its chemical structure does not change at high heat. When you cook with ghee, there is no hissing, popping or splattering. It produces sweet aroma when heated. You use less than half of other oils and it enhances the flavor of food."

OTHER Benefits-  What?  Ghee can improve my complexion or heal my dry skin?  YES!

 "Ayurvedic Usage

A ghee which has been properly washed accordingly to Ayurvedic specifications is very beneficial in healing the skin. A small amount of ghee applied to belly button nourishes the entire body and is especially helpful is healing dried lips. Ghee has slightly alkalizing effect on the body whereas butter has a slightly acidifying effect. Ghee is widely used in Ayurvedic massages and supplements. Ghee keeps skin soft, smooth and lubricated. "

For me, I mostly use Ghee for frying- especially for eggs.  And I really enjoy spreading it on coconout flour pancakes- I feel like i'm eating butter toffee- such a rich flavor!

For more uses and information about Ghee visit the Pure Indian Foods website!  

http://www.pureindianfoods.com/

I asked Sandeep, the owner of Pure Indian Foods, if I could do a blog article about their Ghee products!  He gave permission to use the photos and information from their website. Thank you Sandeep!   I'm so happy to support a small business and family owned farm and company!   Thank you for producing a High quality organic Ghee that I can be happy to share with my family and recommend to friends!

3 ACTION ITEMS You can DO to Stand UP for Freedom to Choose SMALL Farmers and Local Food

Grassfed Cows on Amish Farm
(courtesy of B. Brown)

Recently our Local Amish Farmer has been facing harassment by the FDA. This has been an ongoing issue since about April 2010, when FDA agents raided his private property at 5am, waking his wife and small children and issuing a search warrant. I remember breaking into tears as I read this line as quoted by one of his children asking his momma,
" Is daddy going to jail? " (click to read full article)

 Our farmer, recently received an injunction notice filed by the FDA to the courts. At this point has 12 days to respond to the FDA- so things need to move quickly. We live in Maryland, where raw milk sales are illegal- so cow-sharing (as in the consumers own the farm and animals) with a farm in Pennsylvania is one of our only options to obtain high quality fresh milk.

REAL LOCAL FOOD- Isn't it beautiful? It's worth standing up for!

We've enjoyed the farm's fresh raw milk (and eggs and other foods!) for the past 2 years, and it nourishes my young child each and every day. I cannot imagine our lives without the fresh milk as it has improved my family's health in many ways. As if this were your farmer, Please bring awareness to this issue and publicize, publicize!

ACTION ITEM #1:   Link these articles about what has happened on Facebook, Twitter and Blog Posts- Email to friends and family who are concious of the foods they eat- and that as a people we need to maintain and stand up for the freedom to CHOOSE OUR FOOD.

• http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/28/feds-sting-amish-farmer-selling-raw-milk-locally/

• http://www.grist.org/food/2011-04-29-picture-this-fda-agents-slinking-through-md-backyards-to-grab
  
  
• http://www.thecompletepatient.com/journal/2011/5/1/its-time-to-give-the-fda-a-dose-of-its-own-medicine-five-sug.html

ACTION ITEM #2:   There will be a PEACE RALLY (woo! I know!)   on Monday May 16th, 10am- so far it's planned to happen on the Washington D.C. Capitol Steps.  There will be appointments made to meet with local government representatives- they are there to represent us- but in order to do that- they need to know from the PEOPLE what is important to them!    There will be speakers, publicity and possibly a celebrity appearance! (Yes- many celebrities seek out RAW milk- because it's not processed!)

You Know IT! Jamie Oliver Drinks RAW Milk!
(photo courtesy of Organic Pastures Dairy)

   PLEASE publicize this event- even if you aren't a local- spread the word! 
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=106868286066491


ACTION ITEM #3:   DONATE!   The Amish Farmer will need legal funding, and the Grass Fed on the Hill group plans to challenge the FDA's harassment of small farmers. The farmers cannot do this by themselves- it's up to the PEOPLE to stand up for what THEY want!  Otherwise- we'll all be shopping at BIG AG and large industrial producers- if we don't take this opportunity to CHANGE the way small farmers are treated- it's for more than yourself- it's for your future and the next generation- they need to know the REAL way to produce REAL food from Small farms!

Click Here to Make a Donation to SAVE freedom of access to farm foods!

https://www.wepay.com/donate/1844 

 From the Donation Site:

"The FDA has repeatedly harassed farmers across the nation for selling raw milk directly to consumers. It is time to stand up for our rights as consumers. We cannot stand by while the FDA, or other government agencies, takes away choices that we value and rely on. This case is bigger and broader than Dan Allgyer (our own farmer) extending to all farmers who the FDA is pursuing. We plan to challenge the current law and how it is enforced because government should not be overreaching into our personal lives. Whether it's alternative medicine, midwives or other choices/options, if you agree that government has intruded too much into our personal lives, please consider joining our fight!"   
https://www.wepay.com/donate/1844

This is a great opportunity to teach others that this is a freedom of choice issue that is being infringed on- and we need the layman to be supportive of this issue! The FDA will always stir the fear of the people- and people need to be informed that clean raw grassfed dairy is healthy and natural- it's estimated that over 10 million people in the US seek it out! 
                                                                   


Twitter, FB and write blog posts and send Love, Light and Prayers to this cause of food freedom and access to clean raw milk! Thank you!


-Elizabeth Grange-
www.NourishingCreations.com

Here is the Press Release from the Food Club:
####
For Immediate Release


Contact: Liz Reitzig 301-807-5063 liz.reitzig@verizon.net
Grassfed on The Hill Buying Club


Consumers Defend Their Farmer Against Tyrannical FDA—
Buying Club Members Angered by FDA Sting on Amish Dairy Farmer


Washington DC—A group of more than 1000 DC area or Maryland consumers are irate at the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) attempt to shut down their food supply by conducting a sting operation on their private buying club. Members of the private group contract with an Amish farmer in Pennsylvania to obtain fresh milk and other products from his farm. The FDA planted a spy in the group in October of 2009 to gather evidence against the farmer for alleged illegal interstate commerce of raw milk.


Claiming that transportation of raw milk across state lines constitutes illegal interstate commerce, FDA has conducted many sting operations and raids against US farmers providing consumers with fresh milk or fresh milk products. The most recent is this year-and-a –half long sting on the DC metro area group. FDA’s “investigation” into the activities of the group and farmer has culminated in the FDA filing a civil suit against Allgyer for introducing into interstate commerce raw milk intended for human consumption and giving Allgyer notice of a pending request for permanent injunction.


“We have every right to obtain the foods of our choice from the producer of our choice based on our values,” says the group’s founder, Karine Bouis-Towe. “There is trust that is created and built between the farmer and consumer in this relationship. The FDA and other federal government agencies should not interfere in private, direct relationships between farmers and consumers.”


The buying club and their supporters intend to fight the FDA’s claimed jurisdiction over private transactions.


List of government raids against small farms http://www.farmfoodvoicesdc.com/2011/03/list-of-raids-agains-americas-small.html


For more information about fresh milk http://westonaprice.org/ or http://realmilk.com/
####

How To Make Coconut Milk from a Fresh Coconut

Fresh Coconut Milk is so creamy and frothy and yummy! Using a fresh coconut, a blender and a little patience you can make this coconut milk- fresh!  It is very cost effective if you can find your coconuts for a decent price! I got this coconut for $1.50 at an Middle Eastern market- you can check your local ethnic markets for great deals on produce!  For $1.50  I got: Coconut Water,  1 qt. Coconut Milk, and Coconut Flesh (Shredded)  which could then be turned into coconut flour!  What a bargain!

1.) Drill a hole in one of the "eyes" of the coconut and then drain the coconut water. (Or stick a straw in and have a tropical getaway moment.)

2.) Wrap coconut in a kitchen towel.  Find your wooden rolling pin or hammer.  Put coconut on a cement floor and WHACK the coconut in the middle with the weapon of choice. Take out some aggression on this! Some coconuts are trickier than others to crack open.

 3.)  Remove coconut flesh from outer hard shell. ( A butter knife works.)

4.) There is a brown skin that is on the coconut flesh.  I peeled mine off with a vegetable peeler. Watch your fingers!

5.)  Try some of the coconut meat- yum yum chewy!

6.) Put all of the coconut meat into the blender. Add 1 quart of water until coconut pieces are covered.

7.) Blend on HIGH. Make sure you have lid on tight!

8.)  Voila-   Get a mesh strainer and some cheesecloth (or designated straining cloth or nut milk bag) and pour coconut+coconut milk mixture through cheesecloth. 

 9.) Squeeze cloth with coconut to get remaining milk out from coconut meat.

 Look at that- one quart of coconut milk!   You could even run it through the blender with more water one more time if you want!

10.) Separate coconut meat into a bowl when most of liquid has been squeezed out.

Then- stick coconut flakes in your dehydrator to dry the coconut for coconut shavings! I use this coconut to decorate cakes all the time! And on chocolate covered strawberries- it's gorgeous!  You could also dehydrate it on a baking sheet in a warm oven.

My 3 yr old helping spread the coconut in the dehydrator tray.

I think, if you had a fine flour mill, once it's dried, you could mill it into coconut flour! Yum!

Enjoy Your Homemade Coconut Milk!

-Nourishing Creations-

Linked Up at  Hearth and Soul Hop

Creamy Watercress Soup

Watercress is a spring-time perrenial green leafy and member of the brassica (cabbage) family. It has a mildly spicy flavor and is a great mix-in to spring time salads! When the flavor is a little too strong for those first-timer tastebuds- a simple and nourishing soup is a great way to tone down the spice and tang of Watercress.

A few noted health benefits to the watercress plant include:

• Watercress contains significant amounts of iron, calcium and folic acid, in addition to vitamin C.
  
• Many benefits from eating watercress are claimed, such as that it acts as a stimulant, a source of phytochemicals and antioxidants, a diuretic, an expectorant, and a digestive aid.
  
•  It also appears to have antiangiogenic cancer-suppressing properties; it is widely believed to help defend against lung cancer.
  
• A 2010 study conducted by the University of Southampton found that consumption of watercress may also inhibit the growth of breast cancer.
  
•  High iodine content- watercress has a strengthening effect on the thyroid gland and can be beneficial for those with thyroid disorders.  [source]

Ingredients for Warm Watercress Soup:

• 1 small onion
• Butter or Ghee for sauteeing
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 big sprig dill
• 1 potato, sliced (for a thicker consistency, but you could sub out for another onion if you are on GAPS.)
• 17 fl oz   homemade chicken broth or stock
• 1 bunch organic watercress, chopped
• 2 pastured egg yolks
• 8 fl oz grassfed cream
• Real Sea Salt
• Grassfed sour cream or cheese for topping
  
  

  Step 1: Cook the onion and potato

  In a medium soup pan, saute onion and potato in butter and remove from heat once the vegetables are about to turn brown. Pour in half a cup of water and cover the pan with lid. Allow the mixture to cook until the vegetables are soft and tender.

  Step 2: Add greens, egg and cream

  Toss in the chopped greens and pour the broth into the pan. Add the egg and half of the cream. Use an immersion blender and set it in medium speed. Allow the mixture to puree and whip until you achieved a light and frothy texture. Mix in remaining cream when done heating.

  Step 3: Garnish and serve

  Add salt and whip thoroughly. Place the soup in a bowl and serve hot. Top the soup with grassfed organic sour cream or cheese and small sprig of watercress.
  This Soup is a delicious transition from the 'soupy' months of winter and INTO the sunny days of SPRING!!
  Enjoy!
  -Nourishing Creations-