towers, Author at Towers Family Chiropractor

2-for-1 Flounder

February 8, 2015 by towers

No time to cook from scratch? A common complaint I hear. I’m well aware that most people need easy recipes and time-saving ideas. This recipe will illustrate one way that I simplify getting dinner on the table two nights in a row. Try to always keep the basics on hand—onions, garlic, dried herbs, olive oil, carrots, celery, potatoes–so that it’s easy to pull this off without a lot of planning. I also always have zucchini in the refrigerator because we love having a side dish of zucchini noodles (made with the vegetable spiralizer).

Both recipes are gluten-free. Both could be dairy-free if the butter is left out.

We bought two pounds of flounder that was on sale. We baked it with olive oil, butter, onion and herbs. After we ate half of it with an avocado salad and zucchini noodles, I put the rest of the fish with all its juices (scrape the pan well with a spatula) into a pyrex storage container and place in the fridge for soup for the next day. The soup can be prepared quickly and is very flavorful.

2 pounds of flounder or cod

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 Tbsp. butter sliced in thin pieces

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. dried sweet basil, or dried herb of your choice

salt and black pepper

Oil large baking pan with olive oil. Add crushed garlic and stir around well. Wash fish in water and pat dry with some paper towels. Place each piece of fish flat in the pan rub it in the oil-garlic mixture and flip it over placing flat in the pan again. This coats the top of the fish with oil and garlic. Dot fish with butter slices. Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and basil over fish. Spread the chopped onion over the fish evenly. Bake in 400 degree F pre-heated oven for about 7 minutes or until fish flakes when pierced with a fork. Do not overbake or the fish will not be tender. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Save the juice in the pan (as described above) with any leftover fish.

The next day prepare the fish chowder soup:

1 large red onion, chopped fine

1 carrot, chopped fine

1 medium-sized red potato, chopped in 1/2 inch cubes

1 stalk celery, chopped fine

1/2 cup frozen sweet corn

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 quart of water

leftover fish mashed with a fork and its juices (which will have hardened)

salt and black pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. mellow miso

Saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add water and carrots, celery, potato, and corn. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer with a lid on the pan for about 15 minutes or until carrots and potato are cooked through. Add mashed leftover fish with its juices. Rinse container out with warm water and add it to the soup (don’t waste any of that flavorful stuff!). Bring to a simmer again and then heat for about 5 minutes. In a bowl, mix the miso with some of the broth. Add this mixture back to the soup pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.

Theo’s GF Pancakes

February 7, 2015 by towers

My son, Theo, and I made some yummy grain-free pancakes today. Being grain-free and made mostly with dried coconut and seeds, these pancakes are low glycemic compared to regular wheat pancakes or gluten-free pancakes. This is an important consideration if you are trying to lose weight or improve diabetes or pre-diabetes–avoid serving them with sugar-concentrated syrups if this is the case. They’re good plain or with some butter.

Makes about 8 pancakes

1 large or 2 small apples, skinned, cored, and quartered

1/2 cup sunflower seeds, ground

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, ground

1 cup dried coconut

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. arrowroot flour

-1 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh

some ghee or olive oil for oiling the pan

Blend in a blender the seeds and coconut to a fine powder. ( I used soaked and dried seeds–see the directions for soaking and drying in this seed butter recipe.) Put the apple and eggs in food processor and process until apple is thoroughly blended. Add ground seeds and rest of ingredients except the blueberries to the food processor. Process until well mixed. If batter is too thin add a little more arrowroot flour–1 tsp. at a time. The arrowroot will act as a binding agent but don’t use more than 1/4 cup total.

Heat a griddle or large pan on medium heat. Oil with ghee or olive oil–about 1 tsp. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. of batter for each pancake–they will be easier to flip if they are not bigger than 4 inches in diameter. Put 4 or 5 blueberries on each pancake before flipping so you can push them into the batter. Flip once the outside edge starts to appear cooked. If you try to flip it before this point it will break apart. The pancakes should be lightly browned on both sides. Serve plain or with butter, or apple butter or a little honey or maple syrup.

Unable to Walk

January 26, 2015 by towers

Please explain why you came to our office.

“Unable to walk. Had to use a cane. Pain on 1-10 was 10+.”

Please describe your response to treatment.

“After 3 treatments no cane. Pain decreased to 4. After 6 treatments zero pain. Ambulate without any discomfort.”

~63 yr. old male

Creamy Buckwheat Breakfast

December 23, 2014 by towers

Here’s a breakfast idea that is perfect for a cold winter morning. Kasha is the name for toasted buckwheat and that is all it is–no other ingredients. It is gluten-free and is available at the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op in the bulk section if you want to try a small amount. It is prepared like other grains but in this recipe it is cooked longer with extra water so it becomes “creamy”. The apple and coconut mellows the stronger taste of the buckwheat perfectly!

To serve 2:

1/3 cup of kasha

1 large apple, cored, peeled and cut in bite-sized pieces

at least 2 cups of water

1/2 cup ground dried coconut (shredded coconut that you blend in a blender–this is how I make coconut “flour”)

cinnamon to taste, about 1/2 tsp.

1 -2 tsp. butter, optional, and coconut oil could be substituted

Place kasha, water, ground coconut, and apple in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately decrease to low heat so mixture simmers. Cover with the lid cracked open. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Simmer until kasha “dissolves” and the mixture is creamy. This may take 30-45 minutes so add water if needed to maintain a porridge-like consistency. Add cinnamon to taste and butter or coconut oil if desired. We like it unsweetened but maple syrup or raisins could be added if you really must have it sweet.

Pumpkin Pie, GF/DF

December 13, 2014 by towers

Did you know that butternut squash makes a great pumpkin pie? And, of course, making a gluten-free, dairy-free pie that is delicious is easy! Place a medium-sized butternut in a baking pan and bake it whole in a 350 degree F oven for 1 hour or until very soft. Cut in half and remove seeds. Scoop out the “flesh” once cooled to room temperature and you are ready to make your pie. This recipe also uses coconut milk instead of milk or cream. And the crust can be made gluten and grain-free as this recipe demonstrates.

Filling

3 cups cooked butternut squash

1/2 cup organic sugar (I use sucanat)

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

3 eggs

1 cup organic coconut milk (classic, not lite)

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Pie crust

3/4 cup sunflower seeds, finely grounded in a blender or processor

1 cup dried shredded coconut, finely ground in a blender or processor

1/4 cup arrowroot powder

2 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

1 Tbsp. ghee or coconut oil

1 small egg

Grind the sunflower seeds and shredded coconut separately before proceeding to insure they are well ground. Place all crust ingredients in food processor and process well. If mixture is sticky add 1 tsp. more of arrowroot powder at a time processing after each addition until mixture is not sticky. Press evenly into pie pan with your hands. Prick the center with a fork. Now make the filling.

Put squash, sugar, and all spices and salt in food processor and process well. Add coconut milk and process again. Add eggs and process until thoroughly mixed. Taste for sweetness and add either 1/4 cup more sugar or liquid stevia a few drops at a time (processing well after each addition) until sweet enough for your taste. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F for 45 minutes. During baking cover with foil once crust is lightly browned to avoid burning crust. Continue baking until filling is set, checking every few minutes with a tooth pick until it comes out clean. Remove pie from oven. Cool thoroughly before serving.

Health & Quality of Life Improved Dramatically!

December 10, 2014 by towers

Why did you take the nutrition class?

“I took the nutrition class to learn about the basics of nutrition, so that I might improve my health and that of my community. Yes, it certainly met my goals! Since applying what I learned in class my health and quality of life have improved dramatically! I am more alert, my weight continues to drop, and my energy levels are through the sky. It has been such a life changer. I am thrilled to tell family and friends so that they may also experience what it is like to thrive each day, instead of survive each day!”

Sign up now for the next nutrition class starting in February, 2015!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Tumeric

November 19, 2014 by towers

Sweet potatoes are a wonderful winter food and this is a tasty way to get the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer components of turmeric into the diet. There was a restaurant in Trumansburg, NY that served sweet potato fries with an interesting dip that was made with turmeric and mayo. This is my attempt at reproducing this combination of flavors easily but without the mayo. We have buckets of home-grown sweet potatoes of 3 varieties in our basement. You can use any variety of sweet potato but it is always better to buy organically grown.

3 medium sized sweet potatoes, skinned, halved lengthwise ,and then sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch slices

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, or 1 Tbsp each of coconut oil and olive oil

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. sea salt,

1/4 tsp black pepper

pinch of cayenne, optional

Melt the coconut oil in a medium-sized sauce pot over low heat and add the olive oil. Add the turmeric, cayenne, and salt and black pepper. Take off the heat after 2 minutes of stirring. Stir in the sweet potato slices and continue to stir until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes into a shallow baking dish and spread evenly–ideally they are spsread to about 1 layer thick. Roast in a 375 degree F preheated oven. Use a spatula to flip the potatoes after 15 minutes minutes. As soon as the potatoes are lightly browned and tender inside (usually about 20-30 minutes), remove from the oven. Serve immediately. Serves 3-4.

Neck and shoulder pain relieved beyond expectations

November 12, 2014 by towers

Please explain why you came to our office.

“I have had chronic neck and shoulder pain since December 2010. This, I believe, is a consequence of years of “hunching” over a computer. I had very little flexibility. After all kinds of treatment, from drugs to long-term physical therapy–that therapist recommended Dr. Burgoon.”

Please describe your response to treatment.

“My response has been and continues to be beyond my expectations. I am now able to function without 16 advil a day and I have begun walking 30 minutes a day–something I could not do two months ago. This is so encouraging, after failed attempts with other pain management solutions. I will continue this therapy for optimal quality of life and to become pain free.” ~59 year-old female

Low back pain and, oh yeah, headaches too!

November 11, 2014 by towers

Please explain why you came to our office.

“I had lower back pain that had been bothering me for several months. One of my coworkers suggested I go to the chiropractor to see of if would help.”

Please describe your response to treatment.

“Dr. Burgoon’s treatment has been very helpful. When I first came in my back would hurt just getting in and out of the car. Now, after 3 weeks I am much better. Still a little bit of pain–mostly when I am tired, but much better. I also have had a problem with headaches and after several adjustments to my neck my headaches are gone!”

Fix my arm so I can pitch!

November 7, 2014 by towers

Please explain why you came to our office.

“I came to the office for my rotator cuff. I couldn’t move my arm after I hurt it pitching! I could barely eat and write. I begged my Mom to take me to Dr. Burgoon.

Please describe your response to treatment.

“Dr. Burgoon fixed my arm. I can pitch now! He gave me a lot of exercise , ice, and TENS instructions. I did as much as he said. My arm is much better after he adjusted it. Thank you.

~10 year-old female

« Previous Page

2-for-1 Flounder

Theo’s GF Pancakes

Unable to Walk

Creamy Buckwheat Breakfast

Pumpkin Pie, GF/DF

Health & Quality of Life Improved Dramatically!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Tumeric

Neck and shoulder pain relieved beyond expectations

Low back pain and, oh yeah, headaches too!

Fix my arm so I can pitch!

Good Nutrition

Warming Broth for a Cold

Children’s Adjustments

Children with back pain

Towers Family Chiropractic