Today I am writing a post to share an incredible recipe with you (one of the most flavorful salad recipes I believe I have created thus far), and open up about some transformations in my life. Some of you have been part of this newsletter since I started it in 2004 and have watched as I have shared photos as our family grew and children went from babies to teenagers! In fact, my oldest daughter is now 21!

We all need very easy recipes to stay on track with dietary changes. I have found that the number one thing necessary to maintaining any healing diet is to be able to easily throw together nutrient-dense meals in minutes. Having easy recipes that contain a balance of vegetables, protein, and fat will help you maintain your diet and heal. It's easy to grab what's convenient when you are hungry, and that's why I recommend stocking your fridge with a snack to help curb those cravings, as well as a few soups or stews that you can reheat for lunch, and keep recipes like this one on hand that can be prepped and cooked in less than 30 minutes.

Full body health begins with the little things we do every day. Did you know that incorporating fresh herbs and spices into your meals adds thousands of flavonoid compounds that benefit your health and the health of your microbiome? Flavonoids from plant foods have been found to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, are protective against neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, and help prevent a wide range of cancers. Fresh basil, cilantro, mint, parsley, rosemary, thyme garlic, turmeric, and ginger are herbs and spices that can easily be incorporated into your daily meals. Not only do these herbs brighten the flavors of the final dish, but they add an abundance of phytonutrients that reduce inflammation and prevent disease! 

If you're navigating an elimination diet and looking for simple, satisfying meals the whole family will love, these garlic-herb turkey burgers are a staple worth keeping on repeat. They're quick to prepare, deeply nourishing, and easy to pair with a variety of vegetables for a balanced, anti-inflammatory meal. I often make turkey burgers once a week—especially during warmer months when lighter, grill-friendly meals feel just right. We love wrapping them in crisp lettuce leaves or tender napa cabbage instead of buns.

I really love being able to toss ingredients into my slow cooker in the morning in order to have a meal ready to go later in the day, don't you? There's just so much less stress, and I feel so organized, with a clean kitchen going into dinnertime! This recipe for tomato-free, paleo slow cooked beef can be used in a multitude of ways. If you don't want to stuff it into baked sweet potatoes then you could use it as a taco filling for corn tortillas, Brown Rice Flour Tortillas, or simply served with sautéed kale and cabbage!

This flavorful green soup uses simple ingredients to create a nourishing meal that can help support natural detoxification. It is designed for Phase 1 of our Elimination Diet, but of course is a wonderful addition to your weekly meal planning even if you are not on the elimination diet! The Elimination Diet is not a diet that tells you what is good for you and what is not. It is a process that helps you discover what foods work best for you. We are all unique. There is no one way of eating or one perfect diet that is right for everyone. Even Hippocrates noticed this well over 2000 years ago.

I've got an easy, nourishing main dish recipe for you today! These Nightshade-Free Chicken Tacos are super easy to prepare and perfect if you are following an elimination diet, nightshade-free diet, or another special diet such as an autoimmune diet. My children also love this recipe! The chicken taco filling is cooked in a slow-cooker making the prep time less than 10 minutes. I like to serve the taco filling with my Plantain Tortillas (pictured here) or my gluten-free brown rice flour tortillas. The filling is also wonderful served inside of a baked half of a kabocha or delicata squash, topped with greens and sprouts of course!

Bone broth may be trending now, but this traditional food has been a staple in ancestral kitchens for centuries. Simmering bones with vegetables, herbs, and a splash of acid yields a deeply flavorful, mineral-rich broth that nourishes from the inside out. It’s more than just a base for soups and stews—it’s a healing tonic for the gut, the immune system, and the nervous system.

It's autumn. The harvest is in. The fires are lit. The chill in the air invites simmering soups and stews in the kitchen. This nourishing, harvest vegetable soup recipe uses some common fall vegetables and some that you might not use that often like celeriac and rutabagas. I've created a detailed photo below to help you identify some of these vegetables when shopping. I've used both beef stew meat and cooked beans in this recipe so use whatever works best for your body! This recipe makes a large batch of soup. You will need a large pot that is at least 9-quarts in size. You can of course easily cut this recipe in half for a smaller batch.

I've sat down at the computer numerous times this past week, each time starting a new post. I have wonderful recipes with lovely photos to share but somehow I just wasn't inspired enough to follow through with them. Writing a blog post, or anything in my life for that matter, comes from some sort of deep seated inspiration.