As a person who has been on the journey of healing from my own autoimmune condition for 3 years, I have collected many cookbooks that have helped me in finding recipes while eliminating food that aggravated my immune system. I have two or three cookbooks that I recommend or gift to many of my patients. The Healing Kitchen will definitely be added to that list!
As our FLI wellness coach and doctors try to guide and support the patients to making a healing, elimination diet work for their everyday lives, we run into the same struggles over and over. While some want a designated menu plan, others desire flexibility in their food plan, eating whatever strikes their mood. One patient may be a kitchen lover, while another patient may want their cooking time to be very minimal. Some people are “on the run” all of the time, or travel frequently. Some like to batch cook, while others are resentful of a big chunk of time being taken out of their weekend, even if it does make their week run smoother. We are constantly adjusting what recipes and approaches we recommend for them, based on their feedback on how it is melding into their daily lives. This aspect of our job just got a lot easier!
One of the most remarkable things about The Healing Kitchen is that they have the following weekly menu plans:
- 4 weeks of basic menu plans
- 2 menus based off batch cooking, complete with instructions and a video to make you efficient in your cooking session
- A plan with simple “5 ingredients or less” meals
- An “on the go” menu with foods that are grab-and-go, and/or travel easier
- “One pot meals” plan for those who hate washing dishes as much as I do
- For busy people who can only be in the kitchen to prepare a meal for less than 20 minutes, they have a “20 minute or less” menu plan
- Keeping cooking time down, but variety up, they have a menu where you get the best of both worlds, reinventing leftovers into new meals.
- And, finally, my personal favorite, “Family Favorites” avoiding the cooking of multiple meals- one for those on this nourishment plan, and another for any pickier eaters!
This alone is worth the cost of the book. I know I have personally gone through all of the above phases with my love/hate relationship with cooking. Pick my mood, pick my menu! Love it! This is going to help many patients, as they go through their various moods and stages, have a steady resource.
In addition to the amazing menu plans, the food looks simple, delicious, nutritious, and inspiring. No crazy ingredients or excessive prep times. Many options for ingredients, where it isn’t “coconut everything” or “avocado everything” or “tapioca everything.” The bottom line is, that everyone’s diet needs to be further customized to their own unique sensitivities. No one book can accomplish that, but seldom does a book have such high ingredient diversity, making it probable that nearly everyone can find recipes that work for their unique sensitivities and lifestyle. For this reason, I can see The Healing Kitchen as being a helpful resource on the journey to optimal wellness..
Thank you for using the affiliate link to purchase The Healing Kitchen. All proceeds from purchases made in FLI’s Amazon store are donated to Brenda’s Corner, to help our beutiful FLI friend who is bravely battling ovarian cancer.
And, now, a sneak peak recipe from The Healing Kitchen! Ladies and Gentlemen, being the pizza-loving girl that I am, I bring you….
Pesto Chicken Pizza
Makes one 10” pizza, serving 2-3.
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 10 min. Total Time: 20 min.
Ingredients:
1 recipe of Thin Pizza Crust (recipe below)
1 Recipe of Pronto Pesto (recipe below)
1 ¼ cups shredded cooked chicken
¼ cup sliced black olives
¼ cup sliced canned artichoke hearts
¼ tsp truffle salt or fine sea salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Place the bakes pizza crust on the cookie sheet or pizza pan. Spread the pesto evenly on the crust, reserving a few tablespoons for garnish, if desired. Top with chicken, olives, artichoke hearts, and salt.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is crispy and the toppings are lightly browned. Let the pizza rest for a few minutes, then slice using a rocker knife or sharp pizza cutter. Garnish with a drizzle of the reserved pesto, if desired.
Tip: To save time, use shredded meat from a store bought plain rotisserie chicken.
Store and Reheat: Store cooled and sliced pizza in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To keep the crust from getting soggy when reheating, place the pizza directly on an oven rack and warm under a low broil.
Thin Pizza Crust
Makes one 10” crust
Prep time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 13 minutes. Total time: 18 minutes.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup arrowroot starch
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or truffle salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup warm water
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Slowly pour in the olive oil, continuously stirring the mixture as you pour. The dough will be slightly crumbly, but once you roll it out in Step 3, it will bind together.
- Place the dough on the prepared cookie sheet or pizza pan. Lay another piece of parchment paper on top of the dough and use your hands or a rolling pin to smooth the dough into a crust about ¼ inch thick. You may roll it into the desired shape, such as a circle, oval, or rectangle.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, until lightly golden brown and crisp. Use immediately in one of our pizza recipes, or let cool and store as directed.
Storage: Once cool, store wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Pronto Pesto
Makes about 2/3 cup.
Prep Time: 8 minutes. Total Time: 8 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
¾ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup mashed avocado
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions:
- Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and blend until the herbs are finely chopped. While the food processor is running, slowly pour in the olive oil to make a smooth pesto sauce. Pesto is best served after the flavors are allowed to marry for at least 1 hour.
Storage: Store in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
