October 2021 Health Hotline® Magazine Issue 51

October 2021 Health Hotline® Magazine Issue 51

Recipes

  • Chai Spiced Poached Pears
  • Keto Salisbury Steak

Articles

  • Heal Your Gut for Optimal Health
  • Phosphatidylserine (PS), a Love Letter to Your Brain
  • For the Love of Organic: Tea
  • Earth Watch: Glyphosate, The Planet's Most Popular Herbicide, Leaves A Heavy Environmental Footprint
 

Chai Spice Poached Pears with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Chai Pears Recipe
Gorgeous to behold and a delight to eat, these poached pears are infused with warming chai spices and topped with cinnamon whipped cream. Make them vegan by subbing coconut whip or your favorite non-dairy whipped topping for the heavy cream. The best part is that you can make them ahead of time!
Natural Grocers® Brand Bulk Organic Seasonings
3 cinnamon sticks
1⁄2 teaspoon Whole Cloves or 10 Whole Cardamom Pods
1 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns
6 cups water
  1-inch organic ginger root, thinly sliced
2 organic black tea bags
4 ripe but firm small organic pears , (try Bosc, Bartlett, or D’Anjou)
1 cup Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Coconut Sugar
For the cinnamon whipped cream
1⁄2 cup organic heavy whipping cream
1⁄4 teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Cinnamon
  1-2 teaspoons Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Cane Sugar

1. Using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife, break up the cinnamon sticks, cloves or cardamom pods, and peppercorns a little. Combine the water, spices, and ginger in a wide skillet with straight sides or a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the tea bags, cover and let steep for 2 minutes. Remove the tea bags, squeezing to remove as much liquid as possible.

2. While the spices simmer, peel the pears, then cut them in half from top to bottom and use a spoon to scoop out the core. Use a knife to trim away any remaining blossom from the end opposite the stem.

3. Add the coconut sugar to the spice liquid and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and then gently slip the pear halves into the liquid. Watch closely until small bubbles start to form and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the pears are tender when the tip of a knife is inserted, 25-45 minutes, depending on the pears, gently turning them occasionally as they cook. Adjust the temperature as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the pears to come to room temperature before serving, about one hour, or combine the pears and sauce in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Remove the pears from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature before serving.

5. Just before serving, combine the heavy whipping cream with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon sugar. Whip until soft peaks form. Taste and add the remaining sugar as desired and whip until fully incorporated.

6. To serve, gently lift the pears halves from the liquid and place two on each serving plate. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

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Keto Salisbury Steak

Keto Salisbury Steak
If you are following a grain-free or keto-style diet, comfort food can be a challenge! Too often it is loaded with refined carbohydrates that upset blood sugar and make it feel heavy, not comforting. Enter our Keto Salisbury Steak. We’ve revamped this nostalgic recipe to be low in carbs and high in nutrition. So go ahead, enjoy this delicious recipe along with some cauliflower mash, and revel in the nostalgia!
For the patties
1 pound ground grass-fed beef , (80% lean)
1⁄2 cup Natural Grocers® Brand Organic Parmesan Cheese Shreds
1 teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Real Salt
1 teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Ground Black Pepper
1 tablespoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Hemp Seeds
1 tablespoon organic Dijon mustard
1 Natural Grocers Brand Regenerative Organic Pasture-Raised Eggs
1⁄2 tablespoon organic gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon organic butter
For the gravy
2 tablespoons organic butter
1 cup sliced organic button mushrooms
1⁄2 organic yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 organic garlic clove, minced
1 cup organic beef broth
1⁄2 tablespoon organic gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
1⁄2 cup organic heavy whipping cream
  Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Real Salt and Organic Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1⁄4 teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Xanthan Gum
  Optional garnish: chopped fresh organic parsley, thinly sliced organic chives, hemp seeds

1. To make the patties, combine all ingredients except the butter and mix well by hand, then form into six oblong patties.

2. Melt the tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and hot, add the patties and cook for 2 minutes per side to sear. Remove to a plate.

3. Using the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the mushrooms and onions. Season lightly with salt and cook, stirring as needed, until both are golden brown, 5-7 minutes.

4. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, stirring to combine and to prevent burning. Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and whisk in the heavy whipping cream, stirring for 1 minute to deglaze the pan.

5. Place patties back in the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes to finish cooking. Once the patties are at temperature (160° F) remove to the plate again.

6. With the skillet still at a simmer, sprinkle the xanthan gum over the gravy, whisking as you go. Continue whisking until xanthan gum is fully incorporated and no lumps remain, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Return the patties to skillet, spoon the sauce over the patties, remove from heat, and serve.

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