My somewhat sobering review of the best and worst brands of store yogurt has apparently resulted in some folks considering a switch to homemade. If this is your thought process too because not a single yogurt brand is optimal (grassfed, organic, non-homogenized milk, 24-hour, no additives), I would recommend slow cooker yogurt as an ideal solution. Most…

One of the greatest gifts in cooking at home is the ability to make something from almost nothing. It’s an ingenious trick if you can manage it. In a well-managed kitchen, bacon drippings are saved, scraps become broth, and nothing goes to waste. This isn’t new; good cooks have always managed to conjure up healthy,…

It is hard to think of an ingredient that is more useful than a preserved lemon. It can be the finishing touch on all manner of soups and stews, or that magic ingredient in a salad dressing or pasta. Adding preserved lemons to anything takes its flavor to the next level. Lemon’s bright sour taste…

Switchel, also called Haymakers Punch, is a refreshing drink that originated in the Caribbean. It is a tasty, slightly effervescent beverage made of water mixed with vinegar, sweetened with molasses, and sometimes lightly flavored with ginger. Honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup are also used in various locally adapted versions. Switchel made its way from…

How to make healthy probiotic pickles the old fashioned way by fermenting sliced cucumbers in water, sea salt and a culturing medium. When my Australian husband first moved to the United States some years ago after we first got engaged, he commented that Americans must really love pickles. No matter where you go in the…

Buttermilk, known as takra in Sanskrit, holds a very special place in the ancient system of healthy living from India, known as Ayurveda. It was written in one of the ancient Ayurvedic texts: “He who uses takra daily does not suffer from diseases, and diseases cured by takra do not recur.” AND “Just as divine…

I’ve always been a fan of kimchi. Many years ago, I was very lucky to learn to make Kimchi with an amazing Korean chef. And today, I’d like to share with you my homemade kimchi recipe. It’s easy and delicious. Let’s get started. Kimchi Recipe Rest time: 3 hours and 20 minutes Prep time: 45…

Kombucha has sprung up on the shelves of every big and small health food store. Don’t get me wrong, I love it; it always calms my nerves a little bit and I know it’s good for my digestion. But at $4 a bottle at most retailers it’s an expensive daily habit. And like goji berries and noni…

If you grew up eating yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, or similar fermented foods, you’ve done your body a seriously good favor without even realizing it. And if you weren’t so fortunate to have these foods as part of your standard diet, it’s not too late to start! These naturally fermented foods have long been enjoyed…

Recent research has shown that fermented foods can not only improve gut microbiome diversity, but lower the inflammatory response in your body that affects conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While I was still in active practice, I was passionate about helping people with RA. In fact, I treated more than 3,000 people with this…