The Cabbage Patch - Cultivating Family Wellness

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The Cabbage Patch - Cultivating Family Wellness Maureen Pearsall offers health coaching to families interested in cooking more nutritiously and integrating wellness into their everyday lives.

She has a particular passion for teaching children to love themselves early through healthy food choices. Diagnosed with Celiac in 2016, Maureen embarked on a passionate journey to wellness, committed to getting better. Thanks to the help of Parsley Health, Dr. Robin Berzin and her health coach Jackie Damboragian, Maureen learned how healing food can be and how our bodies can learn to health thems

elves when given half a chance. With the birth of her son in 2020, she was determined to set him on a path to nutritional living, self-love and wellness from the very start. After months of making him homemade organic baby food, she enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is now a certified health coach. It is her dream and vision to help families integrate nutritious living into their everyday lives. With allergies, autoimmune diseases, obesity and type-2 diabetes on the rise, she hopes that by teaching children from the very start to love themselves through healthy eating, they can enjoy a long, happy and healthy life. Food is such a gift, one that should energize and truly nourish us. She hopes to teach families the power of gardening, clean eating, mindfulness and self-love.

Pasta - it's so easy, right? Our kids will always eat it and there are so many possibilities. But, it's nothing but refi...
03/06/2022

Pasta - it's so easy, right? Our kids will always eat it and there are so many possibilities. But, it's nothing but refined carbs that carry little nutritional value and only spike your child's blood sugar (which can lead to insulin resistance over time). Let me introduce a new favorite whole grain of mine - BUCKWHEAT! It is gluten-free and as a seed, it's not even a relative of wheat; it's actually a relative of rhubarb. Of all the grains, it has the longest transit time through the digestive tract and is the most filling. Rich in B-vitamins and a good source of phytonutrients, it is heart-healthy!!! It stabilizes blood sugar, benefits circulation and supports a healthy cholesterol profile. Tonight, I used it in lieu of risotto with sautéed organic chicken, tamari sauce, leeks, onions, mushrooms, garlic, ginger and lemon juice. I couldn't tell the difference and with no gluten, I felt sated, but not bloated.

Hey, Busy Mamas! Do you find ways to steal some time for yourself for self-care? We give, give, give. All day. But, what...
27/05/2022

Hey, Busy Mamas! Do you find ways to steal some time for yourself for self-care? We give, give, give. All day. But, what happens when we're all tapped out? It's so important to replenish. I've always been on the go, but this year, for my health, I've focused more on slowing down. And it's made me a better person, a healthier wife and mother. I found this meditation group here in Delray Beach that meets once a week and offers free daycare. I was so lonely when I first moved here and they've become a spiritual family to me. Best of all, my son sees me meditate, so I hope it'll instill in him the vital practice of mindfulness. It's the best "present" there is. What do you do to take care of you? I'd love to hear some fresh ideas.

25/05/2022

What does it mean to eat "clean"? And why bother? To eat "clean" food is to eat real, whole, natural foods as close to the source as possible. Why does it matter? "Clean" foods are easily recognized by the bacteria in your gut which communicate directly with your immune system. When foreign, processed chemicals hit your gut, your bacteria can't recognize them and send up red flags to your immune system, which goes on high alert. Over time, this leads to allergies, inflammation, asthma, autoimmune disease and leaky gut.

Let's consider the label for Quaker Oats processed oatmeal. It contains 12 grams of sugar, nearly half of your daily recommended amount. Not good. It contains canola oil (rancid oil), corn starch, polydextrose (sugar!), sodium bicarbonate, sodium sulfate and a dozen other ingredients. Why is all that in there?

What would "clean" oatmeal look like? I make it myself in 5 minutes or less. I boil water and add gluten-free sprouted oats. The only ingredient is oats, natural and real. I add ground flaxseed, again real food. I add blueberries, organic, real and natural. I add organic maple syrup, a natural sugar. I add organic cinnamon. No chemicals, no processed foods. I know exactly what I'm giving my son. It doesn't have to be hard.

Dino kale?!?! What? I came across it by accident today when I didn’t like the looks of the standard green kale. And what...
24/05/2022

Dino kale?!?! What? I came across it by accident today when I didn’t like the looks of the standard green kale. And what a find! I ”dino” if your kid is like mine, but he loves dinosaurs, and I “dino” if you have to bribe your kiddo like I do to eat his greens, but this worked. It’s much more approachable than normal kale with a crunchier and less “leathery” texture. It’s also way less bitter and you can eat the stem too, so no need to remove the leaves from the stem. Earthy and nutty, it’s delicious simply sautéed in olive oil with sea salt and black pepper. Same phytonutrients, all that good green chlorophyll and way tastier. Let me know whatcha think!

Quinoa!!! Oh, how I love it so! You can serve it sweet or savory; it has countless possibilities. While lumped into the ...
21/05/2022

Quinoa!!! Oh, how I love it so! You can serve it sweet or savory; it has countless possibilities. While lumped into the grain family because of how it is cooked, it is really a seed and its nutritional profile is impressive. It offers high amino acid content; in fact, it has all 9 amino acids in it, making it a complete protein. Just one cup of quinoa has 8 grams of protein. It is gluten-free and easy to digest, and is rich in B vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium. It is good for endurance, strengthens the kidneys and heart, and reduces inflammation. Given its simple flavor profile, it just absorbs the flavors of whatever you add to it.

Here is one of my favorite lunch dishes for Cade – the Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl.

Ingredients for the bowl:
1 cup of cooked quinoa (be sure to rinse the quinoa in a grain strainer, or any strainer lined with paper towel, beforehand to remove the saponin, a bitter compound naturally present in it)
½ cup of chick peas
¼ cup of diced cucumbers
¼ cup of sliced cherry tomatoes
¼ cup of chopped parsley
I also like to add red onion, bell peppers and fresh basil.

Ingredients for the dressing:
¼ cup of tahini (rich in Vitamin D and a healthy fat)
The juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
2 chopped garlic cloves
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp fresh oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
3-5 tbsp filtered water based on the consistency you prefer

Directions:
Rinse the quinoa and bring to a boil with 2 cups of filtered water. Reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid for 25 minutes. Cool and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
While the quinoa is cooking, chop your fruits and herbs for the bowl.
Work on your dressing, simply adding the ingredients together in a bowl and mixing them.
Once the quinoa has cooled, add it to a large bowl, add the chopped fruits and herbs, the chick peas and the dressing. Toss and enjoy.

19/05/2022

9 cups of fruits and vegetables per day! That is how many we need for optimal health and wow, that's a lot. It amounts to 3 cups per meal or you can sneak it in with snacks. With the hot weather upon us and tomatoes about to be in season, I was thinking gazpacho yesterday. With 6 vine-ripened tomatoes in the recipe alongside cucumbers, white onion and garlic, it is an excellent source of Vitamin C, A and K. You can garnish it with shrimp, basil, crab, you name it. Cade was a fan! Here is the recipe I used:

https://spanishsabores.com/recipe-gazpacho-andaluz/

Protein is a macronutrient that is vital to our children's health and development, and is all too often overlooked. Here...
19/05/2022

Protein is a macronutrient that is vital to our children's health and development, and is all too often overlooked. Here is a recipe for delicious protein and energy balls you can serve your child for breakfast with fruit or as a snack. They are chock full of protein and healthy fats, and so easy to make!

You’ll need 40 minutes from start to finish because you have to let them freeze for about 30 minutes, but apart from that, it’s a mere 10-minutes worth of work. Just mix the ingredients listed below in a large bowl and then form them into 1-inch balls. Place them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and then place them in the freezer for 30 minutes so they solidify. Just remove them and enjoy! I usually store them in the refrigerator and the batch lasts a few days. They are very filling. Just grab them and go in the morning.

1 cup of gluten-free sprouted oats
½ cup of dark chocolate chips
½ cup of ground flaxseed meal
½ cup of crunchy organic peanut butter (I like to buy the kind you can make yourself with the grinder at the store.)
1/3 cup of maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean powder

Flaxseeds promote hearth health, improve brain function, balance hormones, reduce inflammation and aid digestion. They are a good source of fiber, magnesium, manganese, Omega-3s and thiamin. Peanuts carry 8 grams of protein in just one handful! They promote heart health, support neurological health and reduce inflammation. They are an excellent source of manganese, protein and Vitamin E, and a good source of copper, fiber, folate, magnesium, niacin, phosphorous and thiamin.

You can also swap out the dark chocolate chips for shredded coconut or replace the peanut butter with almond butter. The vanilla bean powder can be replaced with cacao, which is rich in antioxidants and naturally energizes.

Allow me to introduce you to my personal food critic, Cade. He has very discriminating tastes and does not hold back. If...
19/05/2022

Allow me to introduce you to my personal food critic, Cade. He has very discriminating tastes and does not hold back. If he does not like it, he scrunches his face, looks at me with this “Why, Mommy?” expression and then just spits it right on out. When he loves it, he will kick his feet in joy and moan with delight. What you find here are Cade-approved meals and snacks, nutritious and delicious.

It is with great humility that I am creating this page. I do not want to be this seemingly "know-it-all" Mom because hec...
19/05/2022

It is with great humility that I am creating this page. I do not want to be this seemingly "know-it-all" Mom because heck, I'm still figuring it out every day. But, I have Celiac, an autoimmune disease that keeps me from enjoying all those yummy foods we love - cupcakes, cookies, pastries, pizza. Yup, I can't ever eat those again. At least not the delicious gluten-full kind. So, I had no choice but to learn to heal myself through food and food was the best medicine I ever found. I have this lovely 19-month old son Cade and he's my whole world. I am deeply passionate about and committed to setting him on a path to nutritious living from the very beginning so he doesn't have to be sick like me one day. He doesn't love it all, but I love spending my days making nutrient-dense and plant-based meals for him so that he can grow strong and healthy, and understand that we love ourselves with the loving food choices we make. It is my dream to one day open a family wellness center, but in the interim, I've become a certified health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and am happy to offer coaching to families out there looking to live more nutritiously and healthfully. From allergies to autoimmune diseases to obesity to type-2 diabetes, our children are getting sick way too early and I would love to create a movement where we all work together to cultivate a true garden of wellness for our children from the very beginning. I am not a perfect mother by any means, but I love learning more and more about nutrition every day, so I am happy to share some of what I've discovered and continue to discover here on this page. I thank you for hanging out with me.

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