This is the type of cooking and eating that is the goal for all the individuals I work with in the nutrition clinic, but admittedly, it can take a long time to get there when one’s intuition is overwhelmed by inflammation, chronic pain, nutrition and food confusion, etc.
But back to the cookbook – Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower has been my favorite inspiration to cook from for the past few years. It’s hyper seasonal with produce common of the climate I live in, exceptionally British (meaning the seasonings and ingredients are very much of the region), and uses simple high quality ingredients in often novel and creative ways. The ingredient lists tend to be short and don’t require much beyond the produce and pantry staples at hand.
This creamy rutabaga mash with mushrooms is one such example of inspiration I took from Gill Meller last year. I first shared and published this recipe locally with a farming and food organization that I served on the board of for the last few years, the Willamette Farm & Food Coalition (WFFC).
Each year, WFFC publishes what is called the Locally Grown Guide, a printed and online directory of all the local food resources: farms, farm stands, CSA’s, grocery stores that stock local, and the like. This recipe first appeared in the 2023 edition of the Locally Grown Guide, but since we’re gearing up for a 2024 release (with new inspiration within the pages), I want to share the recipe here.
Plus this combo of creamy mashed rutabagas (also called Swede), mushrooms, sage and hazelnuts is incredibly tasty. It’s a true comfort dish using local–to Western Oregon as well as the UK–fall and winter ingredients. And it’s a good one for mid to late winter, when our ideas for novel and healthful (and seasonal) eating tend to wear out.
As you’ll see, this recipe is either a side-dish or a meatless “main component,” and it will need a protein on the side to balance out the meal. Even though many vegetarians tend to recommend mushrooms as an alternative to a protein source (and they do contain some protein), I don’t recommend just eating this on it’s own–most individuals will benefit from 20 to 35 grams of protein for main meals during the day–so pair it with a side of sauteed or baked tempeh, stewed and sage-ey garbanzos, or your choice of animal-based protein on the side. Another option is to pair it with a simple and delicious pot of lentils.
P.S. Lentils have been my often go-to the last few months. If you follow me on Instagram or read my newsletter, you’ll know why I’ve had them on repeat. :)
Creamy Rutabaga Mash with Mushrooms, Sage + Hazelnuts inspired and adapted from Root Stem Leaf Flower by Gill Meller
Prep: 10-15 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes | Serves:4
1 large ~ 1 ½ lb. (600 gr) rutabaga, peeled and chopped 1 Tbs. ghee or butter 8-12 fresh sage leaves ½ tsp. mineral salt, divided ⅛ tsp. ground black pepper 1 Tbs. olive oil or ghee 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound (450 gr) mushrooms, thickly sliced A small handful of toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Place the chopped rutabaga in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 25-35 minutes, until the pieces are completely soft when pierced.
Drain the rutabaga with a colander, then transfer to a food processor or a blender. Add the butter or ghee, ¼ tsp. salt, about four small sage leaves, and black pepper. Puree until smooth, adding a splash of water if it is too dry. Set aside and keep warm.
Mince the remaining sage leaves.
Then heat the remaining olive oil or ghee in a large saute pan and bring to medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms. remaining ¼ tsp. salt, minced sage leaves, and garlic. Cook the mushrooms for about 6-8 minutes, until they are tender, dark, and the moisture has cooked off. Then stir in the chopped hazelnuts and give it all a good stir.
To serve, spoon the rutabaga puree onto plates and top with the mushroom and hazelnut mixture.
Notes: – Rutabagas, which are also called swede in some countries, are truly underrated but you can swap them out for nearly any other root vegetable for a variation. – Rutabaga belongs to the same family as broccoli and has compounds called glucosinolates, which can help with liver detoxification and can help prevent conditions like heart disease and cancer. Hint: it looks like a large turnip but the interior flesh is more yellow.
We went from a hot, smoky, and dry October this year to a cold, rainy, (and for a couple hours snowy), November. During a recent day’s of non-stop downpour at 33 degrees, I had one of my last long run’s for my fall training block and returned soaked, frozen, and less enthusiastic about the return of the rain. I normally love the rain.
This last weekend our temperature dropped to 24 degrees. I woke up to a fortunately clear and crisp day to run one of my fastest half marathons (a formal race PR, though around the same time as a solo time trial effort during the pandemic.) Winter and the holiday season is most definitely here.
In northern Washington, where my parent’s now live, that flip of the switch went from summer to a foot+ of snow. We’re taking a long holiday week there this year for Thanksgiving, and are already “enjoying” the beautiful but freezing, powdery snow.
I’ve been asked for holiday recipes of late, and I gave some thought to a simple menu that is nutritionally balanced, easy to digest, tasty, seasonal, and able to prepare without spending hours in the kitchen. At the time I initially prepared this meal, I began cooking after a long work week and for a “quick” evening dinner. That being said, if you’re going to prepare this delicious meal within an hour, there will be some prep and hands-off cooking to do.
As a reminder, I only share recipes on this blog / website semi-seasonally, but do still share recipes in my newsletter. Sign up here to receive more regular recipes and nutrition tips and suggestions.
In whatever way you’re spending the holiday season this year, I hope you are surrounded by those or what you love and reminded of what brings joy to your life.
Savory // recipes below Wild Rice Stuffing with Rosemary, Hazelnuts + Astragalus Long-Cooked Creamy White Beans with Rosemary + Thyme Sage-Roasted Buttercup or Butternut Winter Squash Holiday Braised Cabbage
Further Menu Suggestions: If you’d like some other ideas, check out previous holiday recipe and menu’s I’ve shared over the years or check out the Recipe Index in general for even more suggestions! 2021 2020 2019
Wild Rice Stuffing with Rosemary, Hazelnuts, and Astragalus
Astragalus is an excellent qi tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is warming, drying, and slightly sweet in an earthy, rooty way. Medicinally, it can be useful for conditions which are cold in nature, when your energy is depleted, and if you are suffering from chronic fatigue. Used over time, it can strengthen and enhance immunity. As an ingredient addition, the amount used here is not medicinal, or at least it’s not medicinal if used as an ingredient only randomly. If you do not have access to it, it’s okay to leave it out. See the notes below for where to source.
Prep: 4-8 hours | Cook: 1 hour | Serves:4
Wild Rice: 1 cup wild rice, ideally soaked in water for 4-8 hours ⅛ tsp. mineral salt ½ Tbs. astragalus root pieces or 2 slices astragalus root (see Notes) 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, destemmed and minced 2 ½ – 3 cups water
Drain the soaked wild rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it briefly.
Then in a medium pot, add the salt, astragalus pieces, and fresh minced rosemary, along with the water and rice. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 45-50 minutes. When it’s done, take off the heat, fluff slightly and leave the top off a little to allow it to cool slightly.
In a serving dish or platter, gently mix together the wild rice, raisins and cranberries, chopped hazelnuts, and balsamic vinegar. With a micro-grater, grate a small amount of fresh orange peel over the top, and then gently mix that in too. You don’t want to overdo the orange – just add an additional lively seasonal topnote to round out the dish.
Serve warm or at room temperature. While this “stuffing” is not used to stuff anything, you can also make it just as written and then use it as actual stuffing if you are making a holiday roast (turkey, etc.) or to stuff and bake a pumpkin, squash or other large vegetable.
Notes: Astragalus root can be purchased in many well-stocked herb or natural food stores in the bulk section, or online from trusted retailers. Mountain Rose Herbs is an excellent source.
Sage-Roasted Buttercup or Butternut Squash
A simple and delicious side dish that can be added to any number of fall and winter meals, whether it’s for a feast day meal, or for a simple weeknight.
Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes | Serves:4-6
1 medium (~1 – 1 ½ lb.) buttercup or butternut squash ¼ tsp. mineral salt Pinch of black pepper 6-8 fresh sage leaves, minced 2-3 tsp. olive oil water to cover
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F, and prep a large baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.
Split the squash in half, then take out the seeds. Slice the two halves into medium-long slices, and lay them on the baking pan in a single layer.
Sprinkle over the minced sage, salt, and black pepper. With your hands or a mixing spoon, stir the squash so the seasonings are dispersed. Then add a little water to the bottom of the pan so it comes up to about ¼ – ⅓ of the way up the sides of the squash pieces.
Roast in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the squash is totally soft when pierced with a fork. The water should all be absorbed and baked off.
When the squash comes out of the oven, drizzle over a little olive oil and transfer to a serving platter, or atop the wild rice stuffing.
Notes: – Buttercup (shown in the photos) is a different, smaller variety of winter squash than butternut. It is lovely – if you find it at your local market, try it out. The flesh is a little more yellow and slightly less dense than butternut squash. – Wait to add olive oil until the vegetables have been removed from the oven and are cooked. High quality olive oil is extremely rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals – but they are sensitive to high heat and will turn toxic and inflammatory to the body when oxidized. Think of extra virgin olive oil as an olive smoothie. You wouldn’t roast your green smoothie, would you?
Creamy White Beans with Rosemary + Thyme
It is very common for many people to not tolerate beans and lentils – either any/all beans and lentils or the types that are larger, thicker-skinned, and more difficult to digest. This is often the case when digestion is compromised. Instead of eliminating these nutrient-packed foods from the diet and decreasing diversity, many people will find they can actually tolerate them when cooked with spices/seasonings that aid in digestion. Adding herbs and spices is beneficial for digestion of most meals. In most cultures, the foundational reason that spices are added is for digestion and absorption first, and for taste as a secondary bonus. These white beans are cooked until creamy and soft; their texture is lovely, flavor delicious, and they are easier to digest too!
Prep: 8+ hours | Cook: 2 hours | Serves:4-5
1 cup dry cannellini, flageolet or similar white beans, soaked for at least 8 hours ½ tsp. mineral salt 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme or about 1 tsp. dried thyme 1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary leaves, finely minced Pinch of fenugreek seeds water to cover
Add the soaked and drained beans to a medium saucepan along with the salt, herbs, fenugreek, and enough water to cover by a couple inches. Bring to a medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Then turn down to a medium-simmer and partially cover. Cook for about 2 hours, until the beans are soft and beginning to break apart easily on their own, or when lightly pressed.
Cabbage cooked simply has a subtle natural sweetness that comes through. It rarely looks show-stopping, but as a bitter / extractive vegetable, it’s quite the quiet powerhouse. Use any type of cabbage here, from bright red/purple, crinkly savoy, or your standard green variety.
Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 20-30 minutes | Serves:4
1-2 tsp. olive oil ¼ tsp. mineral salt ½ tsp. fennel seeds ¼ tsp. black cumin / kalonji / nigella seeds (see note) 1 medium cabbage, thinly sliced 1/2 cup water
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then add the salt, and seeds and warm until they start to develop an aroma.
Turn up the heat slightly and stir in the sliced cabbage, along with the water. When the water begins to simmer, lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer over low heat for about 20-30 minutes, or until the cabbage is very tender. Check and stir the cabbage a few times while cooking and add a little more water if it begins to dry out or starts to stick. When it’s done cooking, you don’t want any water left in the bottom of the pan, but you don’t want it to be dry either.
Enjoy as a simple, tasty side dish.
Notes: Black cumin (also called black seed) is warming and an excellent addition for digestion. If you cannot locate it, add a pinch of brown mustard seeds instead.
I had an idea of something different that I’d share here today but the past few weeks, with the news cycle, panic-stocking, and fear of a pandemic virus circulating, an entirely different reassurance presented itself to me this morning, so I’ll share it with you.
I was listening to a short meditative story on the goddesses of hearth and home, with the primary archetypes being Hestia or Vesta in Greek or Roman mythology. I was reminded that Hestia’s name means hearth, fire and alter, and that where we create warmth in our homes can also be our alters. Literally—where we create our meals can also be our sacred space.
So often when our minds run ahead or circulate around in fear or worry, it helps us to pull our energy down from that space, down from our head and into our body. This is partially why I find so much joy in athletic activity, as the meditation of physical movement is where my mind can more often turn off. And it’s partially why the kitchen is my favorite space in my home, the figurative center of the home, as it often is for those who love to cook.
For most of us, cooking and providing for ourselves and families are tasks that go on in the background of our lives, not tasks that we consider noteworthy or adventurous undertakings. But as Hestia’s name portrays, they can be powerful and sacred tasks, helping us to do what we’d otherwise avoid, drawing our minds down into our physical bodies, tuning into the senses of using our hands, noticing the smells, sounds and flavors of cooking.
As the onslaught of emails about immune health have reminded me in the past few days, combatting our daily stresses—literally not allowing the mind to run away into worries or coulds about the unknown future—is a powerful antidote to the weakening effects of that stress on our immune systems.
As the weather and temperature shifts into spring if you’re in the northern hemisphere, or fall in the southern, traditional medical wisdom tells us that now is a time when the shifting environmental patterns can invite in more physical or mental illness manifestations. I suspect this is contributing even more to the increasing anxiety and nervousness, and outright fear of our neighbors and community members that we’re currently facing.
The best remedies to combat the anxiety and fear are tuning into the body, acknowledging what it is feeling rather than running or distracting away from it, tuning into the senses, cooking nourishing meals, selecting an enjoyable kitchen playlist or podcast to invite in more relaxation, eating warming and nourishing foods, and deep breathing.
Falafel Loaf, serves about 4 Recipe updated slightly: 3/12/23
-This is great way to incorporate the flavors and ingredients that support our systems as we shift into spring: pungent vegetables like garlic and onion, spices to support moving the winter sluggishness from our liver and digestion including cumin, coriander, and cardamom, and ample herbs like cilantro for the same. If this particular herb is not your favorite, sub in parsley or mint instead. -With all the flavors of falafel but with easier prep and the ability to put it in the oven and walk away for a while, you’ll love this loaf-version of falafel. Plus, it allows for time to focus on the side ingredients, which in a pinch are sauteed or braised cabbage, and the quick tahini sauce linked below. – I haven’t tried making this without the egg since I’ve had limited success with egg-free veggie loaves or burgers staying together, but ground up chia or flax seeds would be my suggestion if that’s needed for you. – You may use another high-protein whole grain flour instead of the chickpea flour, such as amaranth, quinoa, or sorghum flour.
3 garlic cloves, peeled + roughly chopped 1 large onion, roughly chopped 2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander ¼ tsp. ground cardamom 1 ¾ cup cooked chickpeas or 1 can, drained and rinsed 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar 1/4 tsp. sea salt + more to taste ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. baking soda 1 egg ¾ cup chickpea flour ¾ cup finely chopped cilantro
In a food processor, pulse the garlic, onion, and spices, scraping down sides as needed, until coarsely chopped, 30-45 seconds. Then add the chickpeas and apple cider vinegar, and pulse again briefly. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the salt and pepper, baking soda, egg, chickpea flour and finely chopped cilantro. Gently stir to combine, being careful not to mash the mixture too much. Spoon the mixture into a 8 ½ x 4 in. loaf pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Smooth it down so its even, and then bake until the edges are browned and the center is completely set, about 60-70 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool at least 15-20 minutes, remove from the loaf pan onto a cutting board.
To serve, cut into big slices and drizzle garlic tahini sauce on top, serve with greens, socca, or other sides of choice.
GUTSy Performance Nutrition 