By Hayley Stobbs R.Ac, CNC
I intuitively eliminated tomato out of my diet at a young age simply because I didn't feel good after eating them. Later on, green peppers, and then I noticed eggplant and goji berries would cause wheezing symptoms. To this day my body still doesn't love them and I honour this because the symptoms aren't worth it. Once I started studying nutrition I learned that these foods are nightshade plants.
The term nightshade describes the alkaloid family of vegetables that contain a phytochemical solanine, within the subset called glycoalkaloids. These chemicals can be irritating and inflammatory to body tissues in certain individuals — ask your holistic nutritionist to find out more about your health state, constitution, and nightshades. There inflammatory nature does have the potential to exacerbate arthritic, asthmatic, migraine, and autoimmune symptoms. Nightshade vegetables, fruits, and herbs, include: eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, goji berry (all), ground cherry aka gooseberry, ashwaganda, garden huckleberries, paprika, pepinos, pimentos, tamarillos, tomatillos.
On to the recipe. Once in a while when presented with a challenge to create something where desired, to meet a need, it sparks my nourishing nature to get busy in the kitchen, for example zucchini cheese, and nightshade-free tomato sauce. The following nightshade-free salsa and salsa verde recipes contain a balance of cooling and warming properties although they lean towards the warmer side. To read more about the eastern nutrition energetics of the blood-building red salsa click here. The combination of pungent, sour, and mild sweet flavours in the salsa verde is a fantastic recipe for liver qi stagnation. Both recipes are seasonally appropriate for spring, summer, and early fall (Indian summer). Serve with vegetables and protein of choice.
NIGHTSHADE-FREE SALSA
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Makes: 3 1/2 cups
Ingredients
2 cups carrot, cut into 1/2 inch diagonal slices
1/3 - 1/2 cup beet, diced *use 1/2 cup if carrot and/or beet look less vibrant in colour
1 1/2 cup frozen green beans, or fresh, trimmed and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup red onion, diced
3 - 5 garlic cloves, minced
2 - 3 tablespoons fresh grated ginger root
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 lime, fresh squeezed juice
1/2 teaspoon mustard-wasabi powder, I used this brand
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, fine chopped, optional
Directions
1. Prepare the carrot, beet, and green beans. Bring to a boil, covered, in a medium sized saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for approximately 15 - 20 minutes or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small fry-pan. Add the diced onion and garlic and saute over low heat until soft.
3. Transfer the cooked carrot, beet, green beans, water, fresh grated ginger root, cider vinegar, lime juice, wasabi powder, and sea salt to a blender. Blend or pulse on low until the ingredients appear to look similar in texture to traditional salsa. Be careful not to over-blend!
4. Transfer to a 1 L jar and stir in the onion, garlic, and cilantro. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavours mingle.
Notes:
* To add flavour dimension, thickening, and to create a softer 'red' coloured salsa, add a tablespoon or two of yellow or dijon mustard.
* For AIP use a wasabi powder that doesn't contain mustard. It will be stronger so start with 1/4 teaspoon and taste and adjust as needed. Swap green beans with chopped broccoli stems or zucchini.
* For low-fodmap omit onion and garlic.
NIGHTSHADE-FREE SALSA VERDE
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 3 cups
Ingredients
2 cups leek (green part), sliced into 1/2 inch strips
1 cup small broccoli florets
1 cup broccoli stems, peeled and diced
1/2 cup frozen green peas
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup green onion (green part), sliced
2 - 3 tablespoons fresh grated ginger root
2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
2 - 3 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard-wasabi powder
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
1. Prepare the leek green, broccoli, and broccoli stems. Bring to a boil, covered, in a medium sized saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for approximately 10 - 15 minutes or until soft. Add the green peas in the last few minutes of cooking.
2. Transfer the cooked vegetable mixture, water, scallion, fresh grated ginger root, minced garlic, capers, cider vinegar, oil, mustard-wasabi powder, and sea salt to a blender. Blend or pulse on low until the ingredients appear to look similar in texture to traditional salsa verde. Be careful not to over-blend!
4. Transfer to a 1 L jar. Stir. Refrigerate for a few hours to infuse the flavours.
Notes:
* For AIP use a wasabi powder that doesn't contain mustard. It will be stronger so start with 1/4 teaspoon and taste and adjust as needed. Swap green peas with 1/2 cup broccoli stems or zucchini.
* For low-fodmap omit garlic.
If you’re interested in acupuncture and diet therapy I’d be happy to guide you along. Please visit www.vcaspa.com to book online. To learn more about my acupuncture practice, follow @hayley_stobbs on Instagram.
In health & happiness,
Hayley Stobbs R.Ac, CNC