Paleo Coconut Crepes with Seasonal Berries

Berry season has arrived in our neighborhood with a profusion of gorgeous strawberries and dark-as-night blackberries. I wait in anticipation every year for local berries to appear at our market stands. These are the real deal -- bright, sassy and full of flavor. Not those tasteless varieties that have traveled, say, thousands of miles and were most likely picked unripe.

Low in calories yet high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, berries are one of the best foods you can eat in terms of nutritional value. Bursting with phytochemicals and flavonoids, berries help prevent certain forms of cancer, protect eye health and slow the aging process. Many are low-glycemic to boot, adding another sweet benefit. And berries just happen to be a terrific complement for crepes.

Superfood Blueberry Galette with Hazelnut

As we approach Thanksgiving, I wanted to include a recipe that highlights several traditional Native American superfoods. For those of you unfamiliar with mesquite flour, you are in for a treat. This novel flour is gluten free and nutrient packed. It is a rich source of protein and fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc along with the amino acid lysine. Mesquite flour has a mildly sweet, nutty flavor that lends itself well to baking. Blueberries, hazelnuts, and maple syrup were also important staples in the tribal diet. Blueberries provide ample antioxidants that help counteract free radicals and protect against cataracts, heart disease, and cancer. Hazelnuts are a wonderful source of vitamin E and folate together with carotenoids, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins which help prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer. Although not considered an absolute superfood, maple syrup has high levels of zinc and manganese, both of which are immune boosters. More information can be found here.

A Healthful Season of Harmony and Light

The winter solstice is almost upon us. I love this time of year. In the past, I was lucky enough to live in a very seasonal place, complete with snow at about this time. There is nothing quite like a brisk day, clear skies and white everywhere. We embrace the winter solstice as a time of quiet harmony, nourishing food, gratefulness, and candlelight. I thought it might be enjoyable to share the history of this festival along with a bit of contemporary inspiration for a delightfully healthy feast and celebration.

The winter solstice provides an opportunity to nurture connection and well-being through gatherings with family and friends. Winter solstice falls on or around the 21 of December in the Northern Hemisphere and represents perseverance, new beginnings, and the return of light-filled days. Traditional festivals of the winter solstice focus on the cycles of nature, specifically the rebirth of the sun god who symbolizes warmth, light, and sustenance of life.