Time for Garlic Scapes!!!

Garlic scapes are the vibrant, curly shoots that emerge from garlic plants, enticing us with their unique flavor and versatile culinary applications. These delightful green shoots add a visually appealing touch to any dish and also offer a range of health benefits. In this blog, I’ll share what garlic scapes are, when and why to harvest them (if you grow garlic!), show you how to harvest them (video time!), their nutritional value, and two easy and yummy recipes to make the most of these culinary gems.

What Are Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scapes are the flowering shoots that sprout from the stem of garlic plants. They typically appear in late spring or early summer, boasting a whimsical appearance with their long, curling stems. These scapes emerge from the garlic bulb and reach a height of about 10 to 15 inches, showcasing a vibrant green color. At the tip of each scape, you’ll find a bulbil or flower bud that can be removed before consumption.

When and How To Harvest

Knowing the optimal time to harvest garlic scapes is essential to ensure optimal flavor and tenderness. Typically, scapes are ready to be harvested when they have made one or two full loops or curls, but before the flower buds open. Harvesting the scapes helps redirect the plant’s energy towards bulb growth, leading to larger garlic bulbs during harvest time.

To harvest a garlic scape, look for its base, and carefully twist it clockwise until it breaks free from the plant or cut it off with a pairing knife or scissors. Ensure you don’t damage the plant while harvesting the scape so the garlic bulb will continue to grow until fully matured.

Here’s a video showing how I harvest my scapes!

Why Bother With Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scapes offer a wide array of nutrients, making them a healthy addition to your diet. They are a rich source of numerous nutrients, including beneficial compounds such as allicin, which has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Including garlic scapes in your meals can enhance both the flavor and the nutritional profile of your dishes! You can simply chop them up and use them as you would use spring onions in any dish, or you can get a bit more creative. There are loads of garlic scape recipes on the internet, but here are a couple to get you started! 

Two Easy and Delicious Garlic Scape Recipes

Garlic Scape Pesto
• 1 cup garlic scapes (chopped)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, blend the garlic scapes, basil leaves, pine nuts (or walnuts), and Parmesan cheese until well combined. Slowly add the olive oil while the processor is running until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Use this delicious pesto as you would any other!


Grilled Garlic Scapes
• Garlic scapes – as many as you’d like to serve per person
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium heat. Toss the garlic scapes in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the scapes for about 2-3 minutes per side, until they become tender and have slight grill marks on them (avoid charring/burning!). Remove from the grill and serve as a delightful side dish or use them as a topping for grilled meats and salads.

Enjoy!

Marinades for a Healthy & Tasty BBQ Season

I love BBQ season! One of my favourite summertime activities is to cook an entire main course on the grill while we enjoy our backyard…and the dinner guests who are joining us!

Barbecuing foods – meats in particular (note that I’ll be using the word ‘meat’ as a catch-all to include red meat, pork, poultry, and fish) – can lead to the formation of health-harming substances such as heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Many studies show that HCAs and PAHs may increase the risk of cancer. The good news is there are several things you can do to limit/prevent the formation of these harmful substances so that you can enjoy delicious AND healthy summer-time grilling! One of them is to marinate before you grill.

Marinating meats for at least 30 minutes before grilling has been shown to significantly reduce the amounts of HCAs and PAHs created during grilling. Below are 3 basic marinade recipes to get your creative – and digestive – juices flowing! Each recipe makes about 1 cup of marinade which is the amount that is typically recommended for 2 pounds of meat, so adjust the recipes as needed. Simply put all the ingredients in a glass container (preferably one that can be covered), whisk until well blended, add the meat, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator from 30 minutes to 3 hours. The meat doesn’t have to be completely submerged in the marinade, but for best results, turn it frequently so that all sides get well coated/marinated. Feel free to adjust the amounts of garlic, herbs, or spices to suit your taste. Get creative by adding your own favourite flavours!

Mediterranean Chicken Marinade

This marinade makes a delicious souvlaki-flavoured chicken.

  • ½ cup of olive oil
  • ½ cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 to 2 tsp of dried oregano
  • A pinch of sea salt

Asian Inspired Fish Marinade

This marinade is perfect for salmon.

  • ½ cup of organic tamari or soy sauce
  • 4 TBSP of olive oil
  • 4 TBSP of rice vinegar
  • 2 TBSP of maple syrup or honey
  • 2 TBSP of sesame oil
  • 4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
  • 2 TBSP of fresh ginger, minced

Red Wine Steak Marinade

This is a great marinade for steaks/red meat and cubes of beef/red meat for shish-kebabs.

  • ½ cup of red wine
  • ¼ cup of olive oil
  • 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 TBSP of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • ¼ tsp each of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ¼ tsp each of oregano and ground cumin…or any herb/spice you like with your steak! (optional)

Earlier I mentioned that marinating before grilling is just one way to reduce the formation of health-harming HCAs and PAHs. To learn about other ways, check out my blog entitled 8 Tips for a Healthy and Tasty BBQ Season.

Take control of what you can!

Cover photo from vecteezy.com

10 ‘Green-Forward’ Recipes to Honour St. Paddy’s Day!

Happy St. Paddy’s Day! I thought I would acknowledge it by sharing 10 recipes that celebrate the power of green! In no particular order, here are some of my favourites. I hope you’ll give them a try! Just click on the recipe title to get to the recipe.  Taitneamh a bhaint as do chuid béile! (Time for a Google translate from Gaelic to English!)

1. Greens & Feta Cheese Quiche with an Almond Crust

This delicious recipe is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You will not believe how good this wheat-free crust is! It freezes beautifully either whole or in individual slices, which would make it a great ‘grab-and-go’ meal. My recipe is adapted from a ‘Heal Thyself’ recipe.

 

2. Fiddlehead Ginger Soup

It will be fiddlehead season soon! They are delicious and packed with vitamins, minerals (especially iron), and antioxidants. I have had enjoyed them steamed and then tossed in butter and salt, sauteed in garlic and olive oil, pickled, in tempura, and so many other ways. If I had to pick a veggie that they most resemble in terms of taste and texture, I’d say asparagus … sort of! Anyway, one of my favourite ways to enjoy fiddleheads is in this delicious soup.

3. Kale and Sweet Potato Casserole

This recipe incorporates two of the most nutrient-packed veggies into one delicious casserole! Kale and sweet potatoes are loaded with fibre and nutrients that offer numerous health benefits, including modulating our immune and inflammatory responses, which are critical to overall health. This recipe serves 6-8 as a side dish and can be prepared a day or two in advance. Enjoy!

4. Cilantro-Lime-Jalapeno-Garlic Dressing/Dip

If you like cilantro, you’ll love this dressing/dip that can be used in so many ways. The recipe makes a very generous cup, and it keeps well in the fridge for up to a week.  By the way, cilantro isn’t just delicious – it also delivers significant  health-boosting actions. Cilantro is touted as having potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It also has significant chelating properties, which means it can bind to heavy metals that can then be eliminated through the body’s regular excretory channels. Cilantro is often used in heavy metal detox protocols and has been cited to have a particularly strong affinity for mercury.

5. Guacamole

Avocados offer some pretty amazing health benefits. They’re loaded with antioxidants, as well as healthy fats that promote heart health and fight inflammation. Guacamole is a delicious way to enjoy all the health benefits of avocados. This recipe is quick and easy…and includes a tip for preventing your left over guacamole from turning brown!

6. Stuffed Zucchini

I especially love this recipe when I have zucchini coming out of my ears from my veggie garden. You can use whatever veggies and other ingredients you like for the stuffing – no need to stick to what I’ve used. Just make sure you use something that will hold the filling together. I used an egg and cheese. You can freeze these once they’re stuffed/before you bake them.

7. Delicious Green Smoothie

Quick, delicious, refreshing and nutritious! Really! If you’re looking for something quick and refreshing, this green smoothie will hit the spot. Sometimes I make individual frozen packets of the ingredients so they are ready to go!

 

8. My Favourite Salad Dressing

Everyone LOVES this dressing, so I guess it’s not just ‘my’ favourite! It will last a good week or so in the fridge (you can also freeze it), so feel free to double or triple the recipe. I typically use it on green salads, but it is also delicious drizzled on cooked veggies.

 

9. Presto! Make your own Pesto!

I love basil … and all the other ingredients that go into making this delicious pesto. I particularly love making this recipe when my garden is overflowing with basil. Most people use pesto as a pasta ‘sauce’; however, it’s also great on fish, chicken, and veggies, and it’s a yummy addition to wraps, salad dressings, and dip. This recipe is easy and so delicious and can be doubled, tripled, quadruples …. you get the picture. It freezes beautifully in lined ice cube or muffin trays.

10. Broccoli Salad

This broccoli salad is packed with nutrient-dense foods and makes a great side at any time of year. Use pomegranate seeds, diced red bell pepper, or dried cranberries instead of (or in addition to) the raisins for a festive look! Enjoy!

 

 

If you’re still hungry for more interesting info regarding the health-boosting powers of greens, including veggies, herbs, teas, and green supplements, check out my St Paddy’s Day Video below … and if you just have to have that green beer, I share a way you can turn it green naturally! Sláinte! (Time for Google translate again!)

Is Dark Chocolate Toxic?

Shortly after Valentine’s Day, I saw a segment on the news regarding a Consumer Report (U.S. based) that investigated the dangers of dark chocolate. The results revealed that many brands contain higher-than-safe levels of the heavy metals cadmium and/or lead.

Since I am a dark chocolate lover who eats some several times a week, I Googled the Consumer Report, which appears to have been released in December 2022. The report, entitled “Lead and Cadmium Could Be in Your Dark Chocolate”, stated that dangerous levels of heavy metals were found in many popular ‘healthy’ brands of dark chocolate bars including Lindt, Theo, and Trader Joe’s.

Consumer Reports tested 28 dark chocolate bars and found cadmium and lead in all of them and stated that for 23 of the bars tested “eating just an ounce a day would put an adult over a level that public health authorities and Consumer Reports experts say may be harmful for at least one of those heavy metals. Five of the bars were above those levels for both cadmium and lead.”

The report goes on to mention that while the greatest concern is for pregnant women and young children, people of any age are at risk as frequent exposure to lead in adults can damage the kidneys as well as cause problems with blood pressure, and compromise the immune, nervous, and reproductive systems. Pretty serious consequences linked to what has often been referred to as a healthy decadence!

My first reaction was to determine what an ounce of the brand of dark chocolate I normally have in my pantry looks like. The brand is Lindt Excellence 78% Cacao Smooth Dark. While this particular bar wasn’t included in the report, both the 70% and 85% Cacao Lindt bars were (and I often get those), with the 70% variety falling in the ‘High in Cadmium’ category, and the 85% variety falling into the ‘High in Lead’ category.

So … out comes my kitchen scale. The entire bar is 100 grams/3.5 ounces as stated on the package. My kitchen scale showed me that one square is about 1/3 of an ounce … and I usually have one or sometimes two squares at least several times a week.

Even though my one to two squares consumption is below the ‘eating just an ounce a day’ warning, I will keep two things top of mind:

#1 – Cut back on consumption.

I can happily make sure I don’t consumer more than one square a day of the Lindt 78% stash that I currently have on hand.

#2 – Look for safer options.

The ‘safer choices’ identified in the Consumer Reports brand are:

  • Mast Organic Dark Chocolate (80% Cocoa)
  • Taza Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate (70% Cacao)
  • Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate (both the 86% and 72% Cacoa bars)
  • Valrhona Abinao Dark Chocolate (85% Cacao)

Related to #2, when I buy chocolate from a small local supplier, I’ll ask them if they can comment on how their products measure up on the topic of heavy metals.

It Goes Beyond Dark Chocolate!

While this report focused on dark chocolate, the Canada Food Inspection Agency stated that “lead and cadmium are naturally occurring metals that enter the environment through both natural and industrial processes, ending up in the air, soil and bodies of water.” Some sources state that even healthy foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach contain heavy metals.

Of course … LOTS … and remember two words:

MODERATION AND VARIETY

Moderation and variety are important concepts to remember when it comes to eating food – including dark chocolate!

 Other good news is that studies show that there are many foods and nutrients that can offer protection against cadmium and lead and other heavy metal toxicity including:

  • The minerals zinc (pumpkin seeds are a good source), calcium (dark leafy greens, cruciferous and brassica family veggies are a good source), and selenium (Brazil nuts are a good source – you just need one a day!)
  • Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and the B vitamins. These nutrients and so many others are abundant in a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and unprocessed whole grains. Maker sure your grocery cart includes lots of veggies and some fruits and include all the colours of the rainbow!
  • Garlic and onions
  • Turmeric (curcumin) and ginger
  • Green tea
  • Probiotics – Probiotics offer SO many health benefits. I have been taking a daily probiotic supplement for over 10 years. Are you taking one yet?

Bottom line? I’m not giving up my dark chocolate, but I will keep the Consumer Report findings in mind. I’ll also continue practicing moderation and variety, continue to eat a healthy diet, and choose ‘cleaner’ brands of dark chocolate whenever possible.

Take control of what you can!

10 Random (but Practical!) Tips for Better Health

Did you make New Year’s resolutions this year? If so, are you still on track? If not, you’re not alone as many sources estimate that 80% of people ditch their New Year’s resolutions by February!

I’ll tell you a secret. I don’t bother with New Year’s resolutions. That doesn’t mean I don’t strive to make changes or work on new habits that will improve my physical, mental, financial and social well being; however, instead of setting big, challenging changes for myself once a year on January 1st, I prefer to make small, simple, and practical changes throughout the year.

As we are halfway through February and its likely that many of those lofty New Year’s resolutions have been tossed to the side, I thought I’d take 10 minutes to share ’10 Random – but Practical Tips – for Better Health’ that you can start any time.

Enjoy!

Got Joint Pain? Get Joint-Pro™ Concentrate by CanPrev!

Why Do You Have Joint Pain?

The most common cause of joint pain is osteoarthritis (OA). Let’s break that word down:

“osteo” = bone
“arthro” = joint
“itis’ = inflammation.

Simply put, OA is inflammation of the joints. It commonly occurs in the hips and knees which are the body’s primary weight bearing joints. OA is responsible for approximately 80% of hip replacements and approximately 90% of knee replacements. While OA is rarely life-threatening, it is lifestyle-threatening.

OA is commonly referred to as a ‘wear-and-tear’ condition of the joints. Over time, cartilage (the protective rubbery cushion that covers the ends of most bones that meet at a joint), wears away eventually leading to ‘bone-on-bone’ which become inflamed. As this happens, our joints can become painful and stiff. Osteoarthritis exists in some degree in all individuals over age 65 and women are affected more than men (mostly due to more pronounced hormonal decline).

What Can You Do?

There are numerous things that can help to prevent or slow down the development of arthritis OR at least alleviate the symptoms. These include:

  • Lose weight if necessary (avoid fad diets – consult with a nutritionist like yours truly!)
  • Limit sugar, alcohol, starchy foods, wheat, processed grain products, and processed foods.
  • Avoid nightshade vegetables (e.g. potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers) if you find they aggravate joint pain. Nightshades may inhibit collagen repair and promote inflammation.

  • Eat an anti-inflammatory diet, including a variety of vegetables and omega-3 rich foods (e.g. salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts).
  • Eat healthy fats 
  • Keep moving/exercise
  • Take joint-health supplements like Joint-Pro™ Concentrate

Why Joint-Pro™ Concentrate?

CanPrev’s Joint-Pro™ Concentrate is a complete joint pain relief formula made with hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid and glucosamine in a liquid form for optimal absorption. These naturally occurring compounds are critical components of cartilage, bones, tendons, ligaments and the synovial fluid that cushions the joints. It also contains several anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as Devil’s Claw, Ginger, Curcumin and Boswellia, which work synergistically to reduce pain and swelling.

To order a bottle of Joint-Pro™ Concentrate, send an email to info@perfectresonance.com with the subject line “Joint-Pro™ Concentrate” and I’ll contact you with order, payment, and pick-up options (Ottawa-area only). A 500ml bottle costs $40 + HST (as of Feb 1 2023 – subject to change) and will last just over one month when taken at the recommended daily dose of one tablespoon (15 ml). 

Take control of what you can!

Tips for the Holidays

As you prepare for the holidays, I thought you might be interested in some delicious recipes, some tips that can  help us to be more mindful regarding holiday indulging, and some health-boosting related gift ideas.

First off, there’s my 12 Days of Christmas Recipes! There’s something for everyone, and for every occasion, including soups & starters, appetizers, side dishes, a one-pot chicken curry, treats (including an easy no-bake recipe), and a festive breakfast idea.

Twelve Days of Christmas Recipes

If you’d like to avoid grains/wheat/gluten without sacrificing deliciousness, check out my 5 Grain-Free Appetizer & Party Foods blog.

5 Grain-Free Appetizer & Party Foods

Interested in some practical ways you can enjoy all the season has to offer without completely going off the rails? Consider trying out one or more of my Twelve Tips of Christmas. They’ll help you to be a bit more mindful of your holiday indulgences so you can stay on track over the holidays.

The Twelve Tips of Christmas

Finally, make sure you check out the STORE tab at www.perfectresonance.com for health-boosting gift ideas, including books, DVDs, and gift certificates for nutrition consults.

Happy Holidays!

Privacy Policy