Moroccan Spiced Sweet Potatoes

This morning I posted on the Journey with GP Facebook page about my simple breakfast for the day and of course a recipe was requested!

"Small cup of Perfect Energy tea, 1 egg + egg white scramble with a few pieces of leftover Moroccan spiced, steamed sweet potato."

The spice blend used includes some wonderful digestive aids and releases a sweet, exotic aroma in the air.  I was inspired by a dish I used to make years ago, Moroccan chicken with almond couscous, when we engaged more in dinner parties, entertaining friends through food and drinks.  For my best friend's surprise 30th birthday party, I had the entire stove top covered with multiple pans, simmering mounds of spiced chicken in broth, shallots and fresh dates.  She still talks about that dinner to this day!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin is a bit of an obsession of mine this time of year.  Starting in early September when the fog begins to settle in, the love affair begins.  Grain-free pumpkin pancakes* for breakfast and banana pumpkin smoothies for a an afternoon snack.  As the weather cools and the leaves begin to fall in October, starting the day with hot cereal with a scoop of pumpkin and almond butter to energize my morning, and tomorrow warm pumpkin soup with a drizzle of coconut milk to warm the evening.  

Simple Squash Soup

What do I love more than a delicious fall meal?  A simple soup made from those delicious leftovers!  Even with a "broken" stomach, being in the kitchen still brings such pleasures, especially when I know the food is nourishing and good for me, body and soul.  However, there are always days when energy is low or the day is long, when a bowl of warm and comforting soup with minimal effort is calling.  We may eat mini meals but that doesn't mean we have to prepare them that way.  Rule of thumb in the GP kitchen: cook once, eat twice (or multiple times!).

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pancakes

This time of year I can't get enough of this delicious, nutrient dense, GP-friendly food!  Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A (1 cup has 760% of the daily value!) as well as vitamin C, iron, and calcium.  The variety of ways to use it are endless, for example adding a scoop to hot cereal, smoothies, soup, etc.  Most recently I experimented with a recipe for a protein rich breakfast that would include the pumpkin love.  The result was a light and fluffy crepe like pancake, with plenty of fall flavor!

Spice Remedies Part II: Love Affair with Cilantro

Exploring the digestive benefits of spices is a journey I began years ago and still often turn to when preparing food.  From smoothies to soups, herbs and spices can be used to create much more than flavor. This series began months ago in Part 1: Cardamom Cures and to this day happens to be the most popular and viewed post!  So, this got me thinking, maybe its time to continue looking at ways to enhance flavor and digestion.  Continuing with C's, next on the list is my love for coriander/cilantro.

Spice Remedies Part 1: Cardamom Cures and Recipes

Most of us are well aware of the benefits of ginger for GP and nausea but how many know about one of my favorite spices, cardamom?
I was first introduced to this exotic aromatic spice when my dear friend Alan would serve a small cup of coffee with a pinch of cardamom after a delicious GP friendly lunch of well cooked local vegetables and soft melt in your mouth white fish drizzled with a tiny bit of olive oil.  Only if I could hire him to be my personal chef, everyday I would be swimming in waves of tasty adventures!
When I was in acupuncture school this past year I picked up a little bit of an addiction to coffee (hey, it's Seattle, whats a girl gonna do?!).  I know, absolutely NOT a friend to a sensitive stomach but between living in denial and the hours of studying it was my weak spot.  My favorite day of the week was Thursday when my friend Marlee and I would head down to our favorite coffee shop in Freemont.  We would find the largest table available, spread out our piles of books and note cards then anxiously order our hot java (aka liquid crack).  However, with me and my secret spice stash it was never just a normal cup of coffee.  Oh no, this was special coffee because hidden in my purse was a magical bag of ground cardamom.  Before diving into the hours of quizzing (and distracting) each other we eagerly scooped the spice into our coffee, took the first sip and for a moment melted into cardamom coffee heaven before the marathon began.
Now, a few months and fewer coffee's later, this spice is nothing but nice in so many countless ways.

A soothing and comforting food, cardamom is the perfect tummy tamer and should be at the top of the list of pantry staples for anyone with GP.  Known as the queen of spices, it has been around and used medicinally for 5,000 years.   Stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, it helps to control digestion and saliva production. It is an anti-spasmodic and is recommended for nausea, chronic indigestion with bloating, belching, flatulence and hiccups. It is also an effective remedy for heartburn as it relieves pressure in the chest caused by swollen stomach pressing on the diaphragm.