Vitamin D...Do you get enough?

This important vitamin gets this nickname because it is made in our bodies after exposure to the sun. Though it is more commonly known for its role in building strong bones, researchers have found that Vitamin D can help balance the immune system, helping to prevent a whole host of health problems as well as colds and flu.

It is known that flu predictably occurs in the winter months when Vitamin D is low. Much of the population living in Britain and countries that have similar seasons become deficient in Vitamin D during the winter and spring when exposure to sunlight is lacking.

Researchers studying the effects of Vitamin D on the immune system have shown that it increases production of certain peptides that quickly destroy the influenza virus. They have only recently learned how Vitamin D increases production of antimicrobial peptides while simultaneously preventing the immune system from releasing too many inflammatory cells.

Although the main source of Vitamin D is exposure of the skin to sunlight you can get some Vitamin D from food. The main source from food is the flesh of oily fish and small amounts are found in cheese and egg yolks. Because it is quite difficult to get adequate amounts from food but is so important for strong bones, some foods like cereals, milk and yogurt have been fortified with it. In spite of this it is thought that people only get about a third of that they need from food.

Getting enough Vitamin D was not considered to be a problem until recently but some experts believe we are in the middle of an unrecognized pandemic of Vitamin D deficiency. According to one study an amazing nine out of ten people are deficient in Vitamin D during winter and spring.

M'lis Vitamin D provides 400IU per softgel of high quality vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is the most potent form of supplemental Vitamin D. 1-2 softgels per day provide enough vitamin D to rectify most deficiencies and supply the body with optimal levels of this beneficial immune boosting nutrient.

Call your M'lis representative for more information or to order.

Inner Bliss Health & Wellness
(337)475-2547

Potato Soup

Potato Soup

2 T olive oil or butter
2 onions, finely diced
3 bay leaves
sea salt
2 Q water
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
pepper
2 T parsley, chopped
Sauté the onions and bay leaves in oil or butter over medium heat.

Add the potatoes, turn up to high heat, and cook about 10 minutes. Onions will be browning and the mixture will be starting to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add sea salt and 1 c water, then scrape the bottom of the pan. Add remaining water and bring soup to a boil.

Lower heat, partially cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked.

Remove the bay leaves and season the soup with salt, pepper, and parsley.

Optionally, you can put some or all of the soup in a blender or food processor for a smoother, heavier soup.

**I added red and yellow bell peppers and sauted them with the onions. I also don't always add the bay leaves.

Saw this on Oprah!

Celery Root Soup with Granny Smith Apples
Recipe from The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen



Photo: Linda LongThis is the most popular soup I make—people go crazy for it. I first made it for a supper club I started at my friend Ko's jazz place in L.A. Throwing in some diced apple at the end adds a surprise tartness, and dots of chive oil give it a sleek, dramatic finish.


Ingredients:Serves 6


Sea salt
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium celery roots , peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 stalks celery , chopped
1 large onion , chopped
2 quarts faux chicken or vegetable broth (try Better than Bouillon brand)
1 bay leaf
1 cup thick Cashew Cream
Freshly ground black pepper
1 unpeeled Granny Smith apple , very finely diced
Chive oil
Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. This will create a nonstick effect.

Add the celery root, celery, and onion and sauté for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft but not brown. Add the stock and bay leaf, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the Cashew Cream and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, cover the lid with a towel (the hot liquid tends to erupt), and blend on high. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls. Place a spoonful of the diced apple in the center of each serving, drizzle the Chive Oil around the apple, and serve.

Cashew Cream

Cashew Cream
Recipe from The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen


Cashew cream is a vegan-chef staple that stands in for dairy in a variety of ways.

In the raw-food world, where it originated, it's used in lots of desserts. When you cook with it, though, it can be so much more—from cheese filling in ravioli to heavy cream in soups. It can be stored 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen for up to 6 months (although after it's defrosted it can be a bit lumpy, so it's good to give it a spin in the blender to smooth it out before using it).

The trick when making cashew cream is to use raw cashews. They have no flavor of their own; they're just a vessel for fat and creaminess. (It's the roasting that brings out the familiar sweetness in cashews.) Because it has a nice fat content, cashew cream reduces in a pan even faster than heavy cream. (Soy milk, which some people use in vegan cooking, has no fat, so it doesn't reduce into a thick sauce—it's really not an alternative.)



Ingredients:Makes about 2 1/4 cups thick cream or 3 1/2 cups regular cream


2 cups whole raw cashews (not pieces, which are often dry), rinsed very well under cold water
Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. (If you're not using a professional high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, which creates an ultra-smooth cream, strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve.)

To make thick cashew cream, which some of the recipes in this book call for, simply reduce the amount of water in the blender, so that the water just covers the cashews.