Grrrrrr! As a devoted winter lovin’ gal – I’ve hit a wall. Another -15C day here in Toronto and our icy sidewalk is once again in need of a shoveling. It’s been one of those strange winters. Colds, flu, croup, ice storms, power outages, burst water tanks, sick pets, exploding engines and windshields. Not necessarily a period in time that will be missed here on Beresford Avenue. Maybe things would be different if we had access to powdery slopes and expendable money to enjoy some serious apres ski. The reality – there is white as far as the eyes can see and cabin fever has set in – along with a serious hankerin’ for the deliciously succulent fresh fruit and veg delivered courtesy of Ontario’s sultry summers. I’m dreaming of a ripe heirloom tomata’….Do you think a song has ever been written about that? Hmmmmm
This brings me to hibernation and the heavy fare winter brings. Not sure about you – but when the cold weather arrives the first thing I do is reach for a glass of red wine, rich stew and a quilt. What’s more romantic that snuggling in front of a wood burning stove and watching the snow fall outside the window? Hell, it’s March and that time has passed – although you wouldn’t know it.
Cold has a way of seeping into ‘yer bones. To warm up – many of us opt for all those yummy things that may not be so healthy. Spring is a natural time for cleansing – preparation for those sleeveless – bathing suited summers. Ayurveda encourages one to embark on cleansing eating and living when the seasons change – so Spring is the ideal time for a healthy switch. Over the next few months MMH will be delivering some lighter options that don’t include my little white demons – refined sugar and flour. In fact I am banning all sugar items for one full month 😉
Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge advocate of balance. There will be no juice fasting on these pages! Frankly I don’t believe in them. Just some good old fashioned healthy eating. I could go on about the dangers of sugar – and I for one am guilty of pushing it, being foodblogger with a propensity to whip up little confections that are in no way. shape or form good for you. **Sigh** Food. It’s my weakness. As Grandmaster Flash would say:
“Twice as sweet as sugar, twice as bitter as salt
And if you get hooked, baby, it’s nobody else’s fault, so don’t do it!”
But let’s include one last white dish as an ode to the Winter of 2014 – and guess what? It’s healthy so not all white food is bad!:
Budwig Cottage Cheese Flax Seed Oil Cream
6 Tbsp Lowfat Organic Cottage Cheese (I prefer pressed)
3 Tbsp Flax Seed Oil (Cold Pressed Organic)
1 Tbsp Organic Flax Seeds Ground
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Tsp Raw Local Honey
1/2 Banana
Handful of fruit
With an immersion blender emulsify the cottage cheese and flax oil. Add banana, honey and vanilla. The result will be a lovely rich cream. It truly is deeeeelicious. Warning: if you use regular cottage cheese it will be thinner and saltier. Pressed cottage cheese is divine and will look like the cream below. You can play around with this recipe. Sometimes I add blueberries or strawberries instead of banana. You could also try almond extract or any number of other ingredients. Then top with freshly ground flax seed. One thing to remember – flax seeds when ground retain their positive attributes for a very short time. Do not pre-grind them and try to eat within 10 minutes of grinding them for optimum results. This emulsion allows the flax seed to be easily absorbed by your system. The Budwig protocol is said to be an anti-cancer diet. Dr. Budwig, a German biochemist, found that the blood of cancer patients was deficient in phosphatides and lipoproteins. She created a diet that included this cream to address this issue. No matter what you believe Budwig Cottage Cheese Flax Seed Oil Cream is a wonderful way to incorporate flax seed oil into your diet.
Enjoy!
