“Crack” Chicken for the Instant pot

Addictive as crack?

Ok maybe not but this recipe comes from a site that claims it is so addictive that it is like crack cocaine… whatever. Let’s not test that theroy ok? Anyways this chicken recipe is for the instant pot, super good and easy and even keto frendly… Since we all know that Im currently searching fro new recipes this works for me!

Credit where credit is due

I got this recipe from here: https://theketoqueens.com/keto-crack-chicken-recipe/

it is not mine I borrowed !

Also important – you can do this with frozen chicken as well as thawed or fresh!!! Did I say I love this instant pot thing?

Close Up of Keto Instant Pot Crack Chicken with Bacon and Scallion on Top

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients listed for crack chicken…. just reading them makes my mouth water! I can’t wait to try this one out next week!

Ingredients

So originally I had posted the ingredientes and directions here… I thought that by giving credit to the website originators and posting their link they would be happy to share… Apparently not.

I just received this email prior to this being shared on my social media

“Hi Dr. Karen Hudes,

My name is ***** and I am one of the owners of the website TheKetoQueens.com. We appreciate that you liked our recipe enough to share it, but we are asking that you take down our recipe. Sharing our image and full recipe without our permission is copyright infringement.

We have no issue if you would like to share the image and a link back to our site for the recipe and ingredients, but we are asking that you immediately remove our ingredients and directions from your website.

We hope you understand.”

I guess they would like you to need to scroll through all of their advertising etc to get the recipe. The recipe does look really yummy containing things like cream cheese, bacon and scallions and I definately will try it but I am not entirely sure I would have been infinging copyright here since I gave credit to them and posted a link to their site to drive traffic to them… I took it down anyways because they did ask. Please click the link for the full recipe.

August 10, 2018

Instant Pot recipes for the beginier (aka me)

So I got a new Instant Pot

It was Amazon Prime day in July… I couldn’t help it. I bought an instant pot to my husband’s chagrin. (we already have way too many kitchen gadgets).

I am hopeful this new gaget will replace my slow cooker – It should, and take it’s cupboard space. ANNNNDDD I hope it solves another problem – the one I have with forgetting to take out meat to thaw in the morning. With the instant pot you can cook from frozen in 30 minutes – its true! I tried it!

At first I was a bit scared of the pressure cooker feature – while I never had one growing up my mom regailed me with stories of exploding pressure cookers in the 70’s – she was scared, and passed it to me. Hence I have never had one.

Nowadays they make these things way safer… still though at first I was scared and ran out of the kitchen. Old habits die hard.

Ok so here are two beginer recipes I have tried and one I will try this week:

Instant Pot hard boiled eggs

This one is so simple its crazy. And it makes the perfect, most easily peeled hard boiled eggs.

Image result for hard boiled eggs

A perfect starter place…

Place eggs in the instant pot on the rack. Put in 1 cup of cold water into pot. you can cook 6-8 eggs at a time – close the lid of the instat pot and make sure the steam valve is closed and in the sealing position – cook on high pressure for 5 minutes (manual or pressure cook setting).

When it beeps do a quick release of the steam (careful not to burn yourself! I always do this with silicone oven mitts on…) and submerge the eggs in ice water for 5 min so they dont over cook – use tongs!

Done! perfect and easy to peel every time!

Instant pot poached chicken breasts

Also super easy!

To make it easier make sure you freeze the chicken breasts individually – then you don’t have to fight to separate them – and they do need to be separated!

Ok so you can put in lots – you can stack the chicken breasts but make sure to separate – I did 6 the first time!

Image result for poached chicken instant pot

Steps:

put frozen chicken breasts in pit

add 1 cup of water or chicken broth and season with salt and pepper

Close the lid of the instant pot and move valve to sealing and press manual or pressure cooker setting and set timer to 10-12 minutes (12 was too long for me last time). When it beeps let the pressure release naturally for 5-10 min and then release the remaining pressure – so easy!

If you do longer on the cook time the chicke shreds nicely for chicken salad. Shorter and you get perfectly poached chicken… just make sure the internal temp of the chicken is 180F when you are done to make sure it is cooked through if you are worried.

Keto Pork Tenderloin in the instant pot

This one I haven’t yet tried as of the writing of this post – I will be trying it this weekend or early next week though… credit to this blog and more instant pot keto goodness here! https://www.savorytooth.com/instant-pot-pork-tenderloin/ I totally stole this whole thing from there…

cooked instant pot pork tenderloin drizzled with mustard sauce and onions

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin (1 – 1.5 pounds)
1 small onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

For the sauce:

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Instructions

Cut the pork tenderloin in half so it’s half as long as before. If unseasoned, season all sides with salt and pepper.
Turn on the pressure cooker’s saute mode for medium heat. When the display reads HOT, add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot. Add pork and cook until golden brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip to cook the other side for a few minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate.
Add onions and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Turn off the saute mode.
Add water, stirring and briefly scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Return the pork to the pot, nestling it on top of the onions.
Secure and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 4 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural release. Make sure to wait the full 10 minutes; do not open even if the pressure is completely released before 10 minutes have elapsed.
Uncover and insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin — it should read 140-145 F. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest, where it will continue cooking. Do not slice yet.
Turn on the saute mode. Add heavy cream and mustard to the pot, stirring together. Bring to a boil. Let the sauce boil for 8-10 minutes to thicken, stirring frequently. Turn off the saute mode and stir for a minute to let the boiling subside. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted.
Slice the pork into thin slices and serve onto plates. Pour the sauce on top.

July 14, 2018

Yummy Drink Recipes for Summer

Beach Drinks

Some background on how we came across the yummy drink recipes: So while on vacation this year during the first week of July, my family spent time at my In Law’s home. The once lived in Toronto but have retired and sold their house in the city, renovated the cottage, and now live in beautiful Port Elgin Ontario full time. We have instructions to call this the cottage in perpetuity.

While there this year with my family, in laws and 15 year old niece Sydney, Syd and I decided we needed beach drinks.

And pineapple shaped glasses we found at Walmart for $3.50 (side note – apparently they are at the Dollar store for way less – perfect).

But who doesn’t need pineapple glasses for the beach?

So we came up with a few different recipes (2 appropriate for the 15 year old and one just for the over 19 crowd) – here they are:

Watermelon, Lime and ginger slushy yummy drink

Yummy Drink number 1 ingredients:

4- 6 cups of watermelon cubed (for slushy freeze these first)

juice of 3 limes

1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger grated

Place watermelon and ginger in blender in batches and blend till smooth – pour through strainer and add lime juice, stir and serve with more crushed ice or ice cubes in super cute pineapple glasses.

*side note – yes I realize that the glasses are pineapple and fruit is watermelon – pretend this is somewhat ironic somehow…

Pineapple coconut milk smoothie yummy drink

Yummy drink recipe number 2 Ingredients:

one pineapple cut into chunks and frozen

2 bananas

2 cans coconut milk (full fat)

1 orange (fresh juice and zest of whole orange)

Place all ingredients into blender and blend till smooth – serve in cute pineapple glasses.

*side note – pineapple glasses more appropriate here.

Yummy Drink for over 19 crowd:

I can coconut water

1-1.5 oz Malibu rum

serve over ice or crushed ice in super cute (yet ironic) pineapple glasses.

Hope you enjoy (and if you drink the one for the over 19 crowd please enjoy responsibly!)

June 28, 2018

Canada Day Strawberry Cake!

Strawberry Season is upon us!

Happy Canada Day! One of my patients just posted this recipe and said I could repost it here because it looks soooooo amazing – I have not yet made it but maybe next week when I get some farm fresh strawberries. Anyway, who wouldn’t like a strawberry cake? Annnnd its Red and White just in time for Canada Day! Photo Credit to my Patient L.M.!

Image may contain: food

I remember as a kid going strawberry picking each year with my mom. This year my fave farm has closed and I am not sure where to go so I may actually skip it for the year so I can figure it out…. sad I don’t have that place to go to anymore but such is life…. thank goodness there are still lots of strawberry farms around the GTA! If anyone has a favourite please tell me!

Ingredients

Here are all of the things you will need for this Strawberry Cake:

Strawberry topper:

1/2 c sugar

2 tbsp. corn starch

4 c fresh quartered strawberries

1 tsp vanilla

Cake:

2 c flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs at room temp

1/2 c melted butter

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 c whole milk at room temp

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Strawberry Cake here we come!

Grease and flour a 10 inch round (or 9×9 square) cake pan and pre heat oven to 350F. Mix corn starch and 1/2 c sugar and sprinkle over strawberries as well as vanilla. Toss together and spread over bottom of pan.

Cake batter: sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat eggs, and sugar together until foamy. Mix together butter and oil in a measuring cup and add slowly to egg and sugar mix as it continues to beat. Stir vanilla into milk, and fold in with dry ingredients alternating between wet and dry. Pour batter over strawberries and bake 50-60 min until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before inverting onto heatproof serving plate and serve with whipped cream.

June 23, 2018

Individual Avocado Key Lime Pies

Super cute healthy pie

Wanna look like the love child of a Naturopath and Martha Stewart? Try this recipe for individualized avocado key lime pies frozen in mason jars for your next summer BBQ or party – the beauty is they can be made ahead and frozen for 2-3 hours or longer, are healthy and taste great. AAAANNNNDDD are super cute.

I mean look at them – look how cute they are!

What you need

so the ingredients and such that you need for the avocado key lime pie:

4 ripe avocados

1/2 cup lime juice (real stuff is best)

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 Tbsp coconut oil melted

125 ml mason jars or a 9 inch pie pain

freezer space

food processor

Directions

So these super cute avocado key lime pies are super easy. Here is the how: Put avocados in food processor with lime juice and honey and process until creamy. Mix crumbs and oil and press 1-2 tsp into each mason jar or all into a 9 inch pie pan. Pour green stuff mixture from processor over crust, cover and freeze 2-3 hours. Serve frozen with coconut whipped cream (recipe for that below)

Quick recipe for coconut whipped cream

To top these cute little avocado key lime pies try this whipped cream made from coconut milk!

1 can full fat coconut milk

1-2 tsp sugar or sweetener (agave)

1 tsp vanilla

Refrigerate coconut milk in can for 24 hrs or more and freeze beaters 15 minutes before use. Open bottom of can and pour out liquid and scoop cream into mixing bowl adding sugar and vanilla then beat and refrigerate till use.

June 9, 2018

4 healthy ice cream recipes – that don’t need an ice cream maker

It’s Ice Cream Season!

I love ice cream. Who doesn’t?

So for the last 5 years I have thought about buying an ice cream maker… ever since I saw one at Costco for about $40 and didn’t buy it. You know what happens when you don’t buy something at Costco right? Ya, it’s never there when you go back for it.

So every year this time I think about buying an ice cream maker. I hem and Haw and don’t end up buying one… I have really no idea why other than I really don’t have space for another kitchen gadget…. and so I keep stalling.

So in this edition, I will post some healthy recpies I have collected to make ice cream, without the use of a fancy gadget (other than maybe a blender and freezer)

Strawberry Banana Ice Cream

4 frozen bananas

1 cup frozen strawberries

2 tablespoons sugar (or stevia powder)

Place strawberries in a microwave safe bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Microwave until strawberries soften a bit and sugar dissolves in juices.

Place in blender with bananas – blend 2-3 minutes until smooth

That’s it – you can also freeze this and then just take out 10 minutes prior to serving to allow to melt a bit.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

4 frozen bananas

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

Blend all and serve – freezes well as well!

Chocolate Ice Cream

4 bananas sliced and frozen

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

5 tablespoons maple syrup

4 tablespoons chocolate chips (or leave out for paleo)

Place all except chocolate chips in blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy then stir in choc chips… that’s it – serve. Also will freeze well just take out 10 min prior to serving to scoop easily

Watermelon Mint Ice Cream

1 cup coconut cream

5 cups frozen watermelon cubes

a handful of fresh mint

2 tablespoons of maple syrup

pinch salt

Put all into blender and blend till creamy – then serve. that’s it! Can also be frozen and taken out to thaw a bit so you can scoop it.

May 12, 2018

Kombucha Recipe

Ever heard of Kombucha?

You may very well have as it is all the rage right now. It is a fizzy tasty fermented tea that you can buy in bottles at many health food stores and upscale markets… even Costco sells it now because it has become so popular.

One issue it is $4 a bottle on average (ouch)

Wanna learn to make it for pennies a bottle? Ok maybe a nickel since we don’t have pennies anymore…

If so read on…

What you’ll need:

This kombucha recipe (and my first scoby) came from a patient’s girlfriend so thank you so much Candace! This is posted with permission…

-Black tea (you can experiment with other teas but always have a back up scoby incase it gets mold, I’ve only used black tea and never had mold)

-Cane Sugar (can use other sugar but this one works best for the majority of brewers)

-Flavouring of your choice (berries, ginger, hibiscus, orange are some examples. This part is experimenting and finding what you like best)

-Non-metal spoon

-Kombucha starter

-Filtered water

-Scoby

-Container

-Vinegar

-Bottles

What the hell is a Scoby?

According to the Google:

“Scoby” is actually an acronym: Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. And that’s exactly what it is! A scoby is the living home for the bacteria and yeast that transform sweet tea into tangy, fizzy kombucha — think of the scoby as the coral reef of the bacteria and yeast world.

You can make your own scoby and if you want to see this article:

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-your-own-kombucha-scoby-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-202596

It is easier to get one from someone – that is how I started. Each batch or two of Kombucha you should have a baby scoby and can give away your older one (though I suggest keeping a back up scoby in a ‘hotel’ (vessel with the scoby and some of the post brew tea and yeast) in case you somehow grow mould.

Why is Kombucha so popular

So, it is fizzy and tasty. On top of that it is very healthy. A way way better option than pop.

Kombucha is a fermented tea so it comes by its bubbles all naturally – fermented products have probiotics in them. Probiotics are important for gut health and their lack or imbalance in the microbiome of the gut have been tied to obesity, anxiety and depression and many more health related problems. So, we should all be taking probiotics and eating probiotic rich foods like fermented one (kombucha, sauerkraut, kim chi, apple cider vinegar to name a few) as well as pre-biotic foods (foods that feed the microbiome like dandelion greens, onions and jicama).

Ok, on to the fun stuff…. the recipe.

Here is a Helpful chart

Kombucha Instructions

Make sweet tea according to chart on page 3 depending on the size of your container and starter given (you can add majority of the water directly to the container, just keep some to make the tea).
Steep the tea for 10 minutes, add the sugar to dissolve.
Allow tea/sugar mixture to cool before adding to the container.
Add the kombucha starter to the container.
Add the scoby to the container.
Cover with breathable cloth and secure with rubber band.
Let sit for approximately 7 days (this varies depending on the temperature of your house and sweetness preference).
At day 7 you should see a baby scoby has formed on the top of the brew (looks like a thin cloudy white layer).
Remove the scobies and set aside in a container (the mother scoby will always be thicker than the baby scoby).
Taste test the brew (should taste similar to apple cider, if it is too sweet put the scobies back in and allow it to sit for a couple more days. If it tastes too vinegary, shorten the ferment time next brew).
When you are happy with how it tastes its time to bottle.
Give the brew a big stir with a non-metal spoon to distribute the yeast evenly (this will help with carbonation).
Remove kombucha starter for the next brew if using a 2-gallon jar this would be 4 cups worth.
Bottle the remaining kombucha leaving about an inch of headspace on the bottles. (swing top bottles are preferred, if using another type of bottle be sure to check on it during the second ferment).
During the second ferment is where you can experiment with different types of flavours. Keep in mind the sugar content of what flavours you decide to use. (for example: if using mango and ginger, the mango will be ready before the ginger)
Secure the bottles with an airtight seal, if using screw top bottles make sure they are as tight as possible or your kombucha will be flat.
Allow to sit on the counter for 2-4 days (swing top bottles are safe to leave, screw top bottles will need to be checked. You can leave the bottles longer but they may need to be burped, you can do this by slightly opening the cap and sealing it again to release some of the air)
Once the bottles are ready, transfer to the fridge.
The bottles will have formed little baby scobies in them; I personally strain them out before I drink it. They are safe to swallow if you don’t mind the texture.
Make a new brew and repeat the steps, add the baby scoby to your new brew.
Mother scobies can be stored in a hotel (separate container of backups). Store in cupboard put enough kombucha tea in to cover the scoby. If you do get mold you can use the starter tea in your hotel to make a new batch.

May 7, 2018

The Benefits of Self Care

Self Care the buzz words

So I tend to see articles about self care all over the place these days. On facebook groups, the internet, tv commercials, radio ads – really these buzz words seem to be everywhere lately.

Maybe I am just noticing it because I need some of my own?

So today I am going to talk about why I need to do some of my own self care, what I am going to do/have done, and some recommendations from me the person and me the doctor.

Why I need to do some self care around here

So, if you have been following me for a while on this blog or on facebook you may know my Dad has been ill. Today as I write this he has been in hospital for almost 3 months. One week ago he was transferred (finally) to a rehabilitation hospital after suffering a subdural haematoma (brain bleed). It has been a long road and as I write this I know he will be in rehab until at least June 18 and probably longer. In addition, when he was in the hospital I went every day to see him, had to advocate (and really fight every step of the way) in order to get him to rehab. The whole experience left me quite jaded towards the medical system and extremely tired. And we have a long long way to go.

Fortunately, he is finally where he needs to be and the care he is receiving seems to be terrific (remember I’m currently jaded and distrustful).

Ok, so in the mean time – I haven’t had a vacation since last March (2017) – one got cancelled due to my husband taking a new job and the last one we couldn’t go because Dad needed us here.

So what am I going to do about getting myself some self care?

I booked a day at the spa (St. Annes’s) and I have never been before… I was supposed to go April 15 and…. Ice storm. Of course. Luckily, my friend and I were able to reschedule for May 6 which as I write this is tomorrow. Yay!

I have always wanted to go to this place and a whole day at the spa sounds like great self care to me! I will update this section after I attend tomorrow!

Not to be all advertisy like but here is Ste. Anne’s website in case you want to check it out… I hope I like it! http://www.steannes.com/

After Ste. Anne’s Spa

Back from my day spa experience. It was amazing. so relaxed. Whose idea was it to write some stuff tonight? Bad idea. Too relaxed. Instead I will do a whole post on what it was like and what I learned as well as stuff you can incorporate at home for self care next week.

Going to bed and doing a reverse sleep in instead (see below). Night night!

Other things that are great for self care

Ok, so we all can’t go running off to the spa all the time – for two reasons: Cost and time. So what other self care can you do if you just have a little time?

Me the doctor says:

take care of yourself physically and mentally –

get adjusted

get a massage

have a reverse sleep in (go to bed really early)

make sure to eat regularly and consume healthy food

take a hot Epsom saltz bath

do some exercise

do yoga

Me the person says:

hang out with a friend (no kids allowed)

have a glass of wine

read a fun book

get some quiet time to yourself (even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom)

May 5, 2018

Healthy and easy Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Recipe

Want a Healthy easy ice cream?

well this on has only 4 ingredients and is low fat and no preservatives…I am always looking for interesting flavour ice cream that are nut free for my son Leo who has a nut allergy and this home made pumpkin pie ice cream recipe fits the bill and is super easy.

I don’t remember where I got this one – likely on the internet somewhere as I didn’t invent it – if I stole it from you please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!

Ingredients

Here are the 4 healthy ingredients for this ice cream recipe:

4 bananas

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 c maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

Recipe Instructions

Here are the super complicated instructions for this recipe. Are you ready?

Ok, blend all ingredients in a food processor. Put in plastic container. Freeze for 1-2 hours until frozen but still soft.

That is it. Seriously.

I tried this beauty last summer but did not take a pic – I will remedy that asap but here is another pic of pumpkin pie ice cream to hold you over…

April 22, 2018

Elbow Pain Part 1: Tennis Elbow

So did you know you could get Tennis Elbow even if you have never played tennis?

True story.

My mom got it from mowing the lawn (She tended to do that especially after my Dad cut off the tip of middle finger once upon a time after a bar mitzvah luncheon. FYI, don’t stick your hand into a lawn mower if it gets clogged. Better idea, don’t mow the lawn after a couple of beers or three… it was the late 70s, ’nuff said.)

So, if you have never played tennis why the hell do you have tennis elbow?

Possible causes of tennis elbow

repetitive strain injuries
vibration
overuse

These can happen from all sorts of things including: overuse at work, prolonged computer or mouse work, heavy work such as construction and repetitive strain, mowing lawns, all sorts of other stuff and of course…. tennis.

Symptoms of tennis elbow

Symptoms of tennis elbow can include the following or may be just one of the following:

pain at the outside (lateral side) of the elbow just above or at the joint line
sharp pain when picking things up (even an empty cup)
heat or swelling at the joint (possible but not always)
forearm pain or tightness
pain can be in ‘strange’ places such as wrist or thumb ( ‘whaddaya mean its my elbow not my thumb?’)

Treatment of tennis elbow

So what can you do for this painful condition? The best thing of course is to get it treated… Here is what I do for a patient I diagnose with tennis elbow:

adjust the spine
Post Isometric relaxation (PIR) technique for the elbow extensors
deep muscle tissue release of the forearm
kinesiotape application
muscle care application
Wrist adjustments
exercise prescription
Icing instructions for the patient

So there is a gold standard exercise for this problem is super easy but really important to do daily. Please see the YouTube Video below for full instructions on it!