Domestic Productions

Healthy Blog Recipes to Try #1

2011-06-02T18:11:00.001-04:00

There are so many good and "good for you" recipes, that it's hard to keep up with all of them.

So I decided when I came across something I'd like to make, I'd gather them up, hoping you might like to try them also.

I'm looking forward to making these!

Lentil Sloppy Joes from Loving Life
Only changes would be agave nectar or rapadurah (a less processed sugar cane) for the brown sugar

Cheesy Broccoli Stuffed Chicken Breast from Confessions of a Recovering Chocoholic
No frying, extra breading or creamy sauces, just a good hearty meal

Superfood Pancakes from 16 Balls in the Air
Wait til you see this one!

Peanut Butter Freezer Treats from Daily Bites
Yummy!

Grain Free Fig Bars from Mrs Ed's Research and Recipes
Always looking for more ways to eat figs!

Which ones would you like to try?

Thank you to these blogs in hosting these recipe links:

This is post is linked to:

Smoked Salmon Yogurt Dip

2011-05-30T21:56:00.004-04:00

Would you expect to find a salmon dip recipe on a fashion blog? I didn't, but here it is.

Smoked Salmon Yogurt Dip

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
4 oz. smoked salmon (I got a BOGO)
Splash of lemon juice (very little splash)

Place in food processor and spin until the dip gets thick, pink and creamy. I ate it on Triscuits for a nice little snack. If you have time to let it sit, it just gets better, but for me, that wasn't as option. (When you gotta have, you gotta have it.)

You can also add other ingredients if you wish, but the point for this dip today was to satisfy a craving for a smoked salmon cream cheese bagel. Yes, sometimes I just want one. This had to be something quick, easy AND healthy.

Healthy Exchanges:

Exchanged cream cheese for plain Greek yogurt

Exchanged bagel for original whole grain Triscuits or my gluten free crackers

Satisfaction? Yes, in my tummy, checkbook and my "thinker", knowing I made an investment in my well being.

Also linked to:

Tasty Tuesday

Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

A Reason to Blog

2011-05-28T12:53:00.000-04:00

Now that I've started blogging again, I really want to stay consistent and not get "blogged down" so when I read this timely article, I thought others may benefit also.

It's from Becoming Minimalist, a great blog about keeping things simple.

It made me think.

What are my reasons for blogging?

After reading his list, I decided...

I'd love to inspire others to a better life through good nutrition and other avenues of healthy choices.

Click HERE for the article.

What are your reasons for blogging?

Keeping it Simple and Keeping it Real!

2011-05-25T11:14:00.001-04:00

Domestic Productions are abundant at our home. We have new recipes, new home projects, new exercise plans, all within the realm of our little bitty lives that we are living big in Jesus Christ and His abundant blessing.

To keep this as simple as possible, I want to post some of the productions that have been "manufactured" with my ever active hands. Some have been 15 minutes, others have been 15 days BUT I have completed all I've set my hand to do and that makes me feel good!

So I'm going to try and keep to my 15 minute goal mark to my posts and not get "blogged". (That means not getting bogged down with my blog!) I have a lot that the Lord Jesus has called me to do and I am READY to get 'er done.

Keeping it Simple and Keeping it Real!

Why is something like this a healthy venture? Because being productive, changing your environment for the better, and accomplishing a goal are key markers for a feeling of good health.

1. Have a plan. (I like written, others like mental)
2. Get started! Don't procrastinate.
3. Finish what you start.

Number one, I am great with lists and plans. Number two and three are hard for me! BUT it can be done; if I can do it, you can do it.

My first Home Project was to reupholster our dining room chairs. After many visits to JoAnn Fabrics and wrestling with the wrong size foam (another story) I finally got them done and (whew) they look fabulous. If you want to do this, watch Youtube videos and GO FOR IT!

Here's my simple and real chair project...

Obviously, my cat loves to be the center of attention...

(Just keep looking at the cat and not the chairs, please)

The fabulous fabric up close...

What's the deal with my cat in all the pictures?

My finished chairs!!

My goal and reminder to myself...It's not about perfection, it's about production. "Redeeming the time wisely with the Lord in what He has called me to do" is the motto for today. (What He's called me to do is important. Not just what I want to do.)

That being said, my chairs look awesome and my family is being blessed by the fruit of my hands.

What home projects do you have planned this season?

This is linked to:

Got Energy?

2010-04-27T13:27:00.004-04:00

Do you need more energy? Like our cat, do you feel like you want to take naps during the day? Do you need a caffeine fix in the morning or afternoon just to make it through the day? Do you feel like you can't exercise because of a lack of energy? Let's look at a very short list of why there could be a deficit and go over a very basic plan to increase your energy...

1. Lack of sleep

2. Poor eating plan

3. Lack of exercise

These three are the most common reasons the average person has a lack of energy. Let's briefly look at each and explore possible remedies.

1. A lack of sleep is usually remedied by getting on a regular sleep schedule, eliminating caffeine in the afternoon and evening, and increasing your energy expenditure during the day. Here are some other common and uncommon helps from www.iloveindia.com

- Following the same routine every night

- Apply hot packs to the spine and have a hot footbath before going to bed. (ooh, that sounds good!)

- Take a ripe banana and mash it. Add roasted cumin seeds to it and mix properly. Consume this mashed mix before going to sleep. (a healthy substitute for the midnight snacker)

- Increase in the consumption of vitamin B foods such as whole grains and nuts. (Which leads to our next culprit of energy...)

2. A poor eating plan can certainly deprive your body of nutrients that supply constant energy throughout the day. We need to eat properly balanced calories. What do I mean by that? We want nutrient dense food, not empty calories. Afternoon snacks are the biggest culprit. What constitutes empty calories that perhaps we think give us energy to keep us going the rest of the day but actually zap us?

caffeinated soft drinks (diet or not)

candy bars/pastries

granola bars with sugar/corn syrup (supposed to be healthy, right?)

energy drinks such as Monster, Red Bull (look here for adverse affects)

specialty coffee drinks/black teas (I know these are delicious, but have you actually looked at the calories and sugar levels these contain? (Look at carbs with zero fiber) Look up your favorite drink here)

regular coffee? Adrenal fatigue can be caused by too much caffeine.

little 5 hour bottles of caffeine (must we go there?)

chips, pretzels, chocolate, vending machine goodies

All of these are empty calories that will give you a short term boost that leave you holding the bag on energy for the rest of the day.

What snacks are good for afternoon?

Veggies or Fruit with a protein to balance blood sugar levels

Carrots, celery sticks, and apples along with nuts (almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or peanut butter or almond butter) The fruit helps alleviate the sweet tooth some of us get in the PM and the crunch psychologically wakes us up.

Good energy bars (fruit-sweetened)

Yogurt Smoothie (with protein or veggie powder balancing sugar levels)

Hummus and organic chips (Archer Farms organic corn chip, Garden of Eatin)

Trail Mix (basically dried fruits and nuts, or combo of nuts, no fruit) (no MM's please)

Veggies with yogurt dip

These are just to name a few. Experiment to see what you like best. Actually, sometimes it's a matter of what you can tolerate best in the beginning of your healthy eating plan. We can be honest, right? It's hard to compare a Dark Cherry Mocha Coffee Latte with a celery stick, apple and almonds... I completely understand. But remember, it's all a matter of habit and what you get used to. Examine and Exchange those unhealthy empty calories that take your money and leave you with nothing, lack of energy most of all, feeling bad and guilty the rest of the day. Fight Back! You're worth it!

3. Lack of exercise is our third reason the average person has no energy. You're probably saying, "What do you mean? I have no energy...How am I supposed to exercise if I don't have energy to begin with??" It's a vicious cycle, isn't it? That's exactly what I'm saying...Begin to exercise and you will get more energy. At this point, it's mind over matter.

-Choose a time when you can consistently exercise. Morning, Afternoon, or Evening? Whatever time you choose, guard it. You don't really want to exercise late evening because that could interfere with your sleep. But if you work outside the home, exercise when you get home then fix a quick healthy dinner by using a crockpot, 15-30 minute meals, or leftovers. Planning is Key both in exercise and cooking healthy.

-Choose your exercise. You can walk, swim or go to a gym but I am on a kick right now of Jillian Michael's exercise DVDs. Why? Because (1) they are effective (2) anyone can do them (remember Biggest ~~Loser~~ Winner?) and (3) she motivates many people in a no-nonsense, "just do it" approach without making you feel like you can't. I would recommend these for anyone. Are they easy? NO WAY! But can you work up to it? MOST CERTAINLY! She combines weights (hand weights), with cardio, and stomach exercises (abs). The 30 Day Shred DVD is inexpensive, so are the weights. No excuse, right? Wait, there's more...it only takes 20 minutes. Yep, that's it. Am I getting any compensation for this. NO, I just want to help those who need it.

We live in busy times but you choose what you want to do with the time you have. If you eat the foods close to the original way God made them (not processed) and give your body the exercise and sleep it needs... You will live a happier, more productive and satisfying life. Is that all there is? No, obviously not, but that's a good start over what you can control.

I saw this on DiseaseProof.com today and thought it appropriate.

“Successful people aren’t born that way. They become successful by establishing the habit of doing things unsuccessful people don’t like to do. The successful people don’t always like these things themselves; they just get on and do them.” - author unknown

I think that sums it up...What changes will you make today?

This is linked to:
Tasty Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays

BBQ Shredded Chicken with Coleslaw on Sweet Potato Rolls

2010-04-20T23:12:00.007-04:00

No nutrition facts this time I just want to bask in this recipe that was a wonderful Sunday meal, or two or three, for us.

BBQ Shredded Chicken with Coleslaw on Sweet Potato Rolls

This actually is a meal that takes little preparation if you don't make your own rolls, 15 minutes would do it, but the combination of the bbq, coleslaw, and sweet potato sounded too good to pass up.

BBQ Crockpot Chicken
(This is so simple you don't need a recipe but here's what I did.)

3 whole (6 halves) chicken breasts boneless and skinless
BBQ sauce (I used Xagave recipe here)
Teriyaki sauce (Xagave recipe to come)
Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Shred. Keep warm in juices.

Creamy Coleslaw
(inspired by Bobby Flay's Creamy Coleslaw)

1 head cabbage (used thickest slicer on food processor blade)
2 large carrots (shredded)
3/4 c. mayonaise
1-2 tbsp. grated onion
2 tbsp. sugar or agave nectar
2 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tbsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper

Combine dressing then mix thoroughly with cabbage and carrot.
Set aside.

Optional:

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Rolls
(inspired by Floyd at TheFreshLoaf.com)

Combine to make a paste:
1 sweet potato, baked
1 c. milk (I used 1/2 c. water and 1/2 c. yogurt)
1/2 c. white or brown sugar
(I used Rapadurah -evaporated cane juice)

3-4 c. whole wheat flour (or use 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat)
2 tsp. instant yeast (next time I'd use 3 tsp. with whole wheat)
1-1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Mix in 2 cups of the flour with other dry ingredients. Add to sweet potato mixture until thoroughly combined. Add 1/4 c. flour at a time until dough is tacky but workable. Knead by hand or machine 5-10 minutes.

Set dough to rise in covered bowl for 1 to 1-1/2 hours with 3 stretch and folds until doubled in size. (Click here for info on stretch and folds)

Divide in a dozen or so pieces, shape in rolls, and allow to rise until doubled, another hour or so. (Mine didn't quite double)

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes (25 for me) until they begin to brown.

Slice open rolls.
Coat with BBQ sauce.
Pile with Shredded BBQ Chicken.
Pile with Creamy Coleslaw.
Top with bun.

Devour...or politely stuff in mouth so you get the taste of bun, bbq and coleslaw all in one. :)

The amazing thing is that I didn't think this was going to turn out at all. The chicken breasts were dry in the beginning but as it sat in the juices it turned more like shredded pork. (My family thought it was pork!)

The buns took way longer than the directions said because I used whole wheat flour. I wrote the times in the above directions.

But patience paid off...

The next two meals with the leftovers were just as delicious. When we ran out of rolls we used toasted whole wheat bread (double fiber 6g per slice) and it was good also.

If you happen to be pressed for time, use whole wheat bread and bottled bbq sauce. Do what you can! Everyone will still enjoy it!

What is your favorite delicious healthy meal?

For more great recipes:
Crockpot Wednesday
Foodie Friday
Friday Food

Gluten Free Wheat Thin Crackers

2010-04-19T12:57:00.006-04:00

Since we've just covered Grains in our Basics Series I thought I'd take a moment to share a recipe that is gluten free for so many of those that have gluten sensitivities or intolerance issues. My daughter prefers gluten free food and it's probably a good idea not to bombard our system with gluten so I was extremely happy when I found these crackers that turned out crispy and delicious.

Here's a quick list of nutrient dense, superfood, gluten free grains and seeds:

brown rice
flaxseeds
wild rice
millet
amaranth
quinoa (keen' wa)
buckwheat
yellow corn

oats (not processed alongside gluten grains)

The first time I made these crackers, they were too thick and were chewy not crisp. So the second time, I rolled them as thin as possible, laid them on the sheet and cooked until the edges were browned some. My daughter, along with the rest of us, ~~devoured~~ ate them all. The only change I would make is to double or triple the batch so they'd last longer than 10 minutes. :)

Hopefully, from these pictures you can see how thin to roll the dough. And you can definitely see the specks of flaxseed. The crackers shrink and pull apart while they bake so you don't have to separate it, a real time saver. :)

While we try to limit our dairy, I didn't feel inclined to switch the butter for olive oil but I may try at some point. The flavor right now is pretty good and we're enjoying them as they are.

I first saw this recipe at Finding Joy in My Kitchen. So if you want the whole wheat version of Wheat Thin Crackers, be sure to check out her blog along with her other delicious healthy recipes.

This gluten free version calls for a grinder (and so many people have them now) but if you don't, that's perfectly fine; there are great gluten free flours out there so use what you have available. I, personally, was determined to find a flour that was gluten free, freshly ground, and highly nutritious. This is what I developed...

Gluten Free Wheat Thin Crackers

Inspired by Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Nutritious Gluten Free Flour Mix (refer to Gluten Free Muffins)

1-1/2 c. brown rice (grinds to make about 2 1/2 c. flour)

1/4 c. amaranth

1/4 c. millet
(I put these two together and blend on high in a Blendtec. Makes about 3/4 c. flour)

1/4 c. flaxseed (I blend on med. high in Blendtec. Makes about 1/2 c.)

Total flour comes to about 3-3/4 c., enough for a triple batch. This is a gluten free flour mix that can be substituted for wheat flour. I keep the leftover in a freezer bag in the freezer.

For one batch:

Mix together

1-1/4 c. Nutritious Gluten Free Flour mix (above)
1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. paprika

Add rest of ingredients and stir until combined

1 tbsp. raw honey

1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp. butter
a little less than 1/4 c. water (use only what is necessary to make dough moist but not too wet)

Now you have some choices here:
1) If you soak your grains, put in frig overnight. (Bring to room temp before using)
2) If you use fleshly ground flour you may want to let it absorb for 20-60 minutes.
3) Or use it right away; the choice is yours and depends on how much time you have. :)

When you're ready to bake, divide in two, and roll as thin as possible on parchment paper sprinkled with flour. (Otherwise, it would tear when moved) Move whole paper on cookie sheet and cut with pizza cutter into crackers. Optional: can sprinkle a little sea salt over top of crackers before cutting and press lightly.

Bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned. In my oven, 8 minutes was perfect. It depends how small or large you cut your crackers.

We like them best, thin and crispy, served with Spicy Chipotle Salmon Dip.

So in about 15 minutes, you can have your first batch of crunchy crackers to go with any healthy dip or crudites that you like. It's not hard to have healthy home cooked food in 15 minutes, sometimes it just takes a little planning and determination.

How do you like to serve your crackers?

For more delicious recipes, visit these great blogs:

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays
Tasty Tuesday

Basic #3 - Grains Galore (San Francisco Quinoa)

2010-04-15T17:43:00.006-04:00

The grains I'm exploring here are, overall, ones we eat as main or side dishes but they can also be ground for breads or muffins. But I'd rather cover those specific grinding grains separately so we'll talk about those later.

Okay, the nitty gritty of it all...Here are three lists that give you the most nutrient dense grains and pseudograins (seeds though commonly referred to as grains). I'll cover seeds and nuts separately also but these psuedograins are usually used as "cook and eat" grains.

Superfoods Rx by Dr. Steven Pratt

Oats, wheat germ, and ground flaxseed are his top Superfoods, followed by brown rice, barley, wheat, millet, bulgar wheat, amaranth, quinoa, triticale, kamut, yellow corn, wild rice, spelt, couscous

Eat for Health by Dr. Joel Fuhrman

barley, buckwheat, millet, oats, quinoa, wild rice

Thrive by Brendan Brazier

Pseudograins (all are gluten free, easily digestible, alkaline-forming)

amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, wild rice

Grains

brown rice, millet, teff, spelt (contains gluten but in considerably smaller quantities than whole wheat)

I really like this book, THRIVE. It contains gluten free, dairy free, and soy free ingredients and recipes. He is a vegan Ironman competitor (not Strongman but the guys who bike, swim and run.) It is all about high energy, high nutrient foods. Be forewarned this is probably not for the healthy food beginner. It does contain some unusual ingredients but all can be found at the health food store and some can cost a pretty penny.

There are so many grains to choose from and so many nutrients in each to fill those nutrient voids in our bodies that it would be wise to try one new grain every week or two. You'll have your favorites but continue introducing and experimenting with each. Remember "examine and exchange" the grains you use now for healthier choices.

What is the biggest complaint about changing to whole grains? The time it takes to cook them. And I understand completely, after all, my premise here is to work in 15 minute increments. For those grains that cook a while, you just need to plan accordingly but that's what I like about quinoa, cooks in 20 minutes and is a great substitute for white rice dishes.

What is so special about quinoa (keen' wa)? Here is a great video that will tell you everything I wanted to write. If you don't have time to watch it, the thing you need to know for sure is...please RINSE YOUR QUINOA. Here's a picture of a sieve to use for rinsing the toxin off your seeds. (Yes, toxin, but more than likely it's been pre-rinsed before you bought it but I rinse to make sure it's all off anyway.)

This recipe is adapted from Chef Paul Prudhomme's book, Seasoned America. Well, really the only thing close is the spice mix but it was the inspiration of this quinoa dish, and the first time we liked quinoa.

San Francisco Quinoa

Seasoning Mix
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley (opt)
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 - 3/4 tsp. grd. ginger
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

(I know this is a lot of spice but once you buy it, you have it, even the inexpensive brands will do.)

Cook over medium heat
2 tbs. oil (olive or grapeseed)
1 onion (3/4 c. chopped)
1-2 stalks celery (1/2 c. chopped)
1 - 2 large cloves chopped garlic

Combine
onion mixture
seasoning mix
2 c. rinsed quinoa
(I used the ivory but the red quinoa, pictured in the grains above top right, is great also!)

For fastest cooking, while onion sautes, heat 3 1/2 c. water, veggie broth, or chicken broth til boiling and then add to quinoa above.

Bring to another boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. You'll know when it's done when you see cute little spirals all over the quinoa.

Serve with warmed peas and sliced tomatoes for a light meal or add cooked chicken or ground turkey also for a hearty one dish entree.

Grains are used best nutritionally when soaked, sprouted or cooked in water.

The internet is covered with cooking times and recipes for all the grains above. Most people are used to the flavor, or lack thereof, of white rice as their main grain. With all these healthier grains there is a new "flavor" with each. Be patient and explore new recipes with spices, herbs, veggies, and broths to give delicious, some would call tolerable, flavor to each grain you introduce to your family.

What is going to be your first new grain to try this week?

This post is linked to:

Foodie Fridays
Food on Fridays
Friday Food
Friday Favorite

Basic #2 - Fabulous Fruits

2010-04-06T18:34:00.004-04:00

"A thousand different sorts of trees, with their fruit were to be met with, and of a wonderfully delicious odor"

-A quote from Christopher Columbus' journal on his voyage-

I don't know about you, but that quote makes my mouth water... Maybe it's because I love fruit, all fruits, every fruit. Some of my most cherished childhood moments are sitting around the table eating an avocado or mango with my mom. She had the magical way of invoking in all three of us kids a love for all kinds of food. Probably because she loved all sorts of food. Fruit is easy to like; I think everybody does. We just get stuck buying the same ol' ones, like our veggies.

Again, like in all food, there is the nutritional hierarchy. Let's look at the two authors and PhDs that we looked at before for the vegetable rankings, Dr. Joel Fuhrman and Dr. Steven Pratt.

Joel Fuhrman's Eat for Health High Nutrient Foods chart lists these:

-apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, grapefruit, grapes, kiwis, mangoes, nectarines, all melons, oranges, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapples, plums, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines

Dr. Steven Pratt's book, Superfood Rx, is the original chart for superfoods. His superfoods are in blue above with more listed here:

-purple grapes (specifically), cranberries, boysenberries, currants, cherries and all other varieties of fresh, frozen, or dried berries.

-oranges, lemons, kumquats, limes

-red watermelon (specifically), red fleshed papaya, strawberry quava

He suggests eating 1 to 2 cups daily of the berries, and 1 serving each daily of the citrus and red fruits.

Here's what Dr. Steven Pratt, in Superfood Rx, says about berries:

"I think of the polyphenols in berries as the choir directors. The other nutrients are all members of a huge, effective choir, working together to create something much more powerful than each individual voice. With that in mind, and remembering that each polyphenol in each berry has something to contribute, mix it up! Don't limit your berry consumption to any particular kind. Eat them all!"

This speaks to not only eating a variety of berries but also a variety of fruits, in general. There are compounds yet to be discovered and they all work synergistically together for our benefit. Keep fruits as close to the original as possible.

Fruits are available in many ways, fresh and frozen being the best. As far as berries are concerned, frozen berries are by far the most cost effective way; they don't spoil and you can thaw them, if frozen is not desired. But there is nothing like yummy fresh ripe fruit to go with ANY recipe at ANY time. You don't even need a recipe, just grab, wash and eat! It's that simple and is definitely less than 15 minutes to give you super nutrients to fuel your body.

This is one of those recipes in which you just use what you have available and make to suit your tastes. Definitely use the yogurt but use whatever fruit and nuts you have on hand. Easy prep and easy clean up.

Here it is: a 3 in 1 breakfast, snack or dessert recipe.

Powerful Fruity Parfait

In a goblet or pretty vertical glass,

layer starting at bottom

small spoonful of all fruit jam (sweet surprise)

organic low fat yogurt (unsweetened)

spoonful of raw honey over yogurt

chopped strawberries (berries of all varieties)

1 tbsp. fresh squeezed tangerine juice (any citrus)

layer sliced almonds (or chopped nuts)

another layer of yogurt with honey on top

chopped strawberries and tangerine juice

topped with a few sliced almonds

My favorite way to serve this in the glasses my grandmother gave me. They make the meal pretty and special and remind me of her and her passion for pretty dishes.

Serve and enjoy your nutrient dense parfait that has eye appeal and taste appeal. Yum! Children of all ages enjoy meals like this. :)

This post is linked to:

Tasty Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy
Gluten Free Wednesdays
Real Food Wednesday

What are your basic food choices? Do they include High Nutrient/ Superfoods?

Thirsty Thursday - What can I give?

2010-04-01T14:58:00.000-04:00

Nourishment for the spirit

So as these past two weeks have gone by, I've dealt with meeting graduation deadlines (for a wonderful homeschooling graduation ceremony), sickness (yuk! makes me appreciate the years of health I've had), and home/church/activity management. Anyone else been there?

So as Resurrection Day approaches, I've had the question lingering in my heart...What can I give? What can I offer to the Lord? Not that He needs anything from me, it's that I want to stay in a place of openness to Him.

So as I was praying and asking the Lord what can I offer? "Your words" was the answer. Now if you personally knew me, you would know that I'm not quiet as a churchmouse (people who know me are now chuckling at that statement). You would know that I love talking with people. So at the time when the answer came, I knew it was just right for "me". Isn't the Lord good about that?

So my quest for this week of Resurrection Day celebration, is to guard my words. I have already failed many times since I started. No, not mean or vulgar but...

idle

complaining

not faith-filled

not productive

causing ill-will or division

meaningless

Proverbs is such an excellent book on building one's character.

12:25 Heaviness in the heart of a man makes it stoop; but a good word makes it glad.

15:23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season how good it is!

25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

I want to that...

Ultimately, what I'm striving to do is really concentrate on speaking what the Father wants me to speak, or not speak. That is so hard for me, especially the latter. Oh the tongue who can tame it? So here's my verse for what I am offering to the Lord, my words...

Colossians 3:17

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.

What are you giving to the Lord this Resurrection Day weekend? Yes, I know He did the final work; but neither will I offer unto the Lord my God that which costs me nothing. (2Samuel 24:24)

May you have a Resurrection Day that glorifies Jesus Christ and brings you times of refreshing.

Basic #1 - Veggies, Veggies, and More Veggies

2010-03-22T23:01:00.005-04:00

Basic #1 is about veggies. Have I lost anyone yet? I have to say that the veggies we grew up on are not the same ones as today and I'm not talking about nutritive value (although that's true) but I'm talking about the variety. We have so much to choose from that there shouldn't be any boredom in our eating plans. But there is and, I understand, because I get stuck buying the same things, myself.

Are there more nutritious vegetables than others? Yes, but all kinds need to be eaten. The more variety you have, the more phytonutrients are available to you. Since we are talking about nutrient dense food, I'll take you to the Eat for Health books by Dr. Joel Fuhrman that give a list of nutrient dense vegetables.

Leafy Green Vegetables
romaine lettuce, leaf lettuces, kale, collards, Swiss chard, cabbage, spinach, bok choy, parsley

Solid Green Vegetables
artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumber, kohlrabi, okra, peas, green peppers, snow peas, string beans, zucchini

Non-Green, High-Nutrient Vegetables
beets, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, peppers, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, cauliflower, squash, carrots

The ones highlighted in blue are also classified as superfoods in his book Superfoods Rx by Dr. Steven Pratt, along with these:

Orange bell peppers, mustard and turnip greens, pumpkin, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes. (I know some are scientifically classified as fruits but for sake of ease, we'll leave them here.)

Organic? Fresh? Frozen? There are so many choices and the answer is simply...buy what you can. Yes, organic is great but it's better to buy vegetables, period. Whatever you can afford. This is what we buy from a local produce stand about every 10 days or so.

We also shop the grocer (frozen veggies) and health food store for good buys on organic. If they are within a few dimes of what I would normally pay, I'll get it; if not, I stay with our produce stand. It's the habit of eating vegetables that is most important. That's all it is...a habit.

Okay, we have the list now, how do we cook them? Eat as many raw as you can, but you'll actually eat more if you cook some too. Cook as short a time as possible. There is a favorite out there of roasting veggies. This is my favorite! But these long cooking times are not good for the nutrients or enzymes.

Roast your veggies (cut up), plain, in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, that's all. Then as soon as they come out, pour some extra virgin olive oil and kosher or sea salt over them while warm and it is yummy, buttery goodness. More about that here.

Salads, Dips, and Smoothies are also great ways to get lots of raw veggies (and fruits) in our bodies. Another superb way to get veggies? Soups. This could be the easiest way to increase your intake as a family. We have 3 course meals sometimes to emphasize our veggies (don't tell my family). First, we'll have salad, second (after we taken time to eat our salads), we'll have our soup and when we are done with that, we'll have our main meal. We will have plenty of soup and salad in their tummies even before the main meal hits the table.

Need a good soup recipe? Here you go...

Minestrone Superfoods Soup

adapted from Todd Wilbur

Serves 8

Saute together about 5 minutes

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 c. white onion

1/2 c. chopped zucchini

1/2 c. frozen Italian cut green beans

1/4 c. minced celery (4 cloves)

Add

7 c. vegetable broth (easy one here)

2 (15 oz.) cans red kidney beans, drained

2 (15 oz.) cans white beans (cannellini)

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1/2 c. carrots, julienned

2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 - 3/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme

Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Add
4 c. fresh baby spinach leaves, cut up

Cook for additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency. (I adjusted the spices and left out the pasta so feel free to make it your own. The good thing is soup is so flexible.)

So basically, this takes

15 minutes to prepare,
Cook 20 minutes;

Throw in the spinach
Cook 20-30 minutes longer

That's all, and you have a delicious nutrient dense soup. Did you happen to see all the superfoods?

It's really all in a mindset of eating what's best for you. I look at that meal and see 15 minutes work time; the rest is cooking time. If you're tight on time start it or even cook it the night before, or on the weekend and freeze.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the task at hand? I'll give you my secret...

"Share your plans with the Lord and you shall succeed."

Proverbs 16:3 (CEV)

This post is linked to:
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Tasty Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy

What We Eat - The Basics

2010-03-21T22:38:00.001-04:00

If you were to try and sum up our eating plan, you'd pretty much have a look like this cute fellow in this Norman Rockwell plate. So first let me tell you what we are not...

We are not Vegetarian; although veggies are usually the mainstay of our meals.

We are not in the Real Food category since we are not big advocates of saturated fat but I do soak a lot of my grains and what we do eat is real food and from scratch.

We don't follow a Low-Fat diet because we are firm believers in good fats.

We are not in the Gluten Free crowd, because I still use whole grains although I do fix a lot of gluten free meals and breads.

We are not just in the Health Food category because we don't like soy products or all the prepackaged "so called" health foods that are on the market.

I would say we are close to Nutritarians, as coined by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, which means we eat nutrient dense food; while lean meats are not necessarily nutrient dense, we see the need for limited amounts in our eating plan.

I would even go so far to say we eat only Biblically Clean foods but even then we are not legalistic about it.

We do limit certain things, and use portion control (well, usually), and not limit others.

So in summary, we eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, some lean meats such as chicken and turkey, and fish (wild salmon being choice). We love organic plain yogurt, whole grains, pseudograins, and legumes. And we do allow ourselves to eat what we want at times, that way we can remember how "bad food" makes us feel. :) (Not really but that's what usually happens.)

For the next few posts, I'll go into a little more detail with recipes to boot so we'll have a little more understanding and have a happy face like this fellow by the time we're done.

How would you summarize your eating plan?

Green Goddess Dip & Tomato Salsa

2010-03-18T22:44:00.002-04:00

I am very happy to present to you Chef Cristina, our contributing International Chef to Domestic Productions. Dips are a great way to increasing not only your vegetable intake but your family time also. Choose whatever veggies your family likes and sneak in a few new ones to try.

dip [dip]

verb (dipped, dipping)

There is nothing like enjoying time with loved ones, and whenever these gatherings are your idea you have to call for the Maestro Host in you to come out and shine.

This time around I want to bring focus back to the "dips". Oh the dips! Dips are so much fun; they have the power to set the mood on any get together. In my humble opinion, dips are a host tool to make guests feel comfortable and leave them wanting more. (Think back real quick to the last really good dip you had and it was over so quickly) see smart tool for a host. Keep in mind that dips have not been around for more than 55 years; they still have a long way to go and a bright future ahead.

Here's a short but interesting article about the history behind "Dips".

Dipping into History

I have chosen two very popular recipes that never go out of style. They are very easy to make and will have everybody gathering around the dipping table.

Green Goddess Dip

1 can (2 oz.) anchovies fillets, drained

1 small shallot, chopped (or a small 2 in. piece red onion)

1/2 c. flat-leaf parsley (3 handfuls)

12 blades fresh chives, chopped (3 tbsp.)

2 tbsp. chopped tarragon leaves, (3 sprigs)

3 tbsp. white wine or tarragon vinegar

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

1 c. sour cream

Black Pepper

3/4 # baby carrots

1 celery heart (4 in. sticks)

1 red pepper, seeded and sliced into 1/2 in. strips

1 pkg. bread sticks, any flavor or variety

In a food processor, combine first 7 ingredients. Turn on processor and stream in extra virgin olive oil. Transfer dip to a bowl and stir in sour cream and black pepper. Serve with veggies and bread sticks for dipping.

Classic Tomato Salsa

3 - 6 fresh Serrano chilies

1 large white onion

Grated rind and juice of 2 limes, plus strips of lime rind to garnish

8 ripe firm tomatoes

Large bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro)

1/4 tsp. sugar

Salt to taste

Variations:

Use spring onion (scallions) or mild red onions instead of white onion. For a smoky flavor, use chipotle chilies instead of Serrano chilies.

1. Use 3 chilies for salsa for medium heat. To peel chilies, dry-fry the chilies in a griddle pan until the skins are scorched and blackened.

2. Place the roasted chilies in a strong plastic bag and tie the top of bag to keep the steam in. Set aside for about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, chop the onion finely and put it in a bowl with the lime rind and juice. The lime juice will soften the onion considerably.

4. Remove the chilies fro the bag and peel off the skins. Cut off the stalks, then slit the chilies and scrape out the seeds. Chop the flesh and set aside in a small bowl.

5. Cut a small cross in the base of each tomato. Place in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water to cover. Leave for 30 seconds.

6. Lift out the tomatoes and plunge them in to a bowl of cold water. Drain well; remove skins.

7. Dice the peeled tomatoes and put them in a bowl. Add the chopped onion, which should've softened, together with any remaining lime juice and rind. Chop coriander (cilantro) finely.

8. Add the chopped cilantro to the salsa, with the chilies and the sugar. Mix gently until the sugar has dissolved and all the ingredients are coated in the lime juice.

9. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Like they say in Catalonia

Bon Profit!

Thanks to Chef Cristina for her awesome recipes so be sure to try these out this week.

Remember small changes to better health

are better than no changes at all.

For more great recipes go to:

Foodie Fridays at DesignsbyGollem
Friday Food at MomTrends

Thirsty Thursday - Tent Meeting

2010-03-18T14:23:00.000-04:00

Nourishment for the spirit

Exodus 32 - 33

During the travels of the Israelites, when Moses was gone (only) 40 days, the people turned to Aaron and they ended up making the golden calf and worshiping it as if it were their deliverer from Egypt, their god.

When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, and saw the horrible situation, he was so mad he broke the tablets in which God, Himself, had written. And because the people were so rebellious, God told Moses He would not go the rest of the way with them lest He consume them. It was an extremely traumatic and disappointing time for Moses.

But Moses continued to intercede for the people. He would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp, day after day, and talk with God, as a man speaks to his friend.

God granted Moses his request saying that He would go with the Israelites the rest of the journey. Then as recorded in Exodus 33:17-23, you see an intimate fellowship between a man and his Creator. Moses wants to see God's Glory. God protects Moses by His own hand and shows Moses His back as He passes by, as much Glory as he can handle.

The encouragement came when I realized that

-after Moses had such disappointment, of family, of others, and perhaps even of God,

-had he not kept going to the tent of meeting, talking with God as a man talks with his friend,

-Moses would've missed out on the holy divine presence and glory of God.

We all have disappointment of life in one way or another. Let's continue going to the tent of meeting so that we, too, will experience God's Glory.

I invite you to read the whole account in Exodus Chapters 32 & 33.

Hopefully your thirst will be quenched today.

Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." -John 4:13-14

Nutrient Packed Gluten Free Mini Muffins

2010-03-17T11:08:00.002-04:00

I'm sure you know people that have grinders for their whole grain breads to get the freshest, most nutritious grain they can. That's why I have mine. So I decided to find a gluten free mixture that would be as fresh and nutritious as what I use in whole grain breads.

I am so excited because they are not only nutritious but gluten free for my dear daughter. The great thing is my husband and son love them too.

I have found a great combination that works for us...

Nutritious Gluten Free Mini Muffins

1 1/2 c. brown rice (grinds to make about 2 1/2 c. flour)

1/4 c. amaranth

1/4 c. millet (I put these two together and blend on high in a Blendtec. Makes about 3/4 c. flour)

1/4 c. flaxseed (I blend on med. high in Blendtec. Makes about 1/2 c.)

Makes about 3 3/4 c. total of flour then mix with

1 tsp. sea salt

4 tsp. baking powder

Set aside.

Lightly beat 4 eggs and add

4 tbsp. oil (I like olive, grapeseed, avocado, or almond)

6 tbsp. raw honey

2 c. milk (I use almond milk to make it dairy free)

Gently mix dry and wet together.

Optional but very delicious: add raisins/currants and finely chopped nuts for flavor and crunch. In my picture I used sunflower seeds but my favorite is walnuts.

Place heaping tablespoons of batter in mini muffin tin. They are better if you slightly under bake. Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes. Then I let these rest 5 minutes in the pan so they come out easier. These get a nice rise and are loved by even the pickiest of children.

Makes about 4 dozen minis. If you don't have more than 15 minutes, put extra batter in frig to finish later.

You can also grind grains ahead of time and keep in freezer. This grain mix (rice, amaranth, millet and flaxseed) is also great to substitute for any other muffin recipe you have.

Garden of Eden Nutrition:

Amaranth contains protein that is unusually complete for a plant source and has a higher protein content than wheat. For more information on Amaranth go to the Nutritional Value section here.

Millet is considered to be one of the least allerginic and most digestible grains available. To read more on millet, follow this link.

Here's a quick list of the benefits of Flaxseeds.

What if you don't have a grinder or high powered blender? Please don't let that stop you from trying new gluten free flours from your grocer or health food store. Some people have issues with gluten and some don't. If nothing else, it's a nice way to add more variety and nutrients to your healthy eating plan.

Quick Nutrition: Just grind some flaxseeds or buy cold pressed ground flax and add it to your existing muffin recipe. It'll add a wonderful nuttiness and some great benefits.

A healthier lifestyle is only one change away.

Great cultural changes begin in affectation and end in routine.

-Jacques Barzun 1959-

For more great recipes:

Gluten Free Wednesdays at The Gluten Free Homemaker

Real Food Wednesdays at Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Recipes - Separating the Good from the Not so Good

2010-03-16T15:01:00.002-04:00

I was wanting to say Recipes - Separating the Good from the Bad, but when I thought of all my "bad" recipes and the memories of birthday parties, get togethers, or special meals, I couldn't call them bad. They are just ones that we want to eat on occasion rather than daily, weekly, or some even monthly. Why? Because while they are good for great meals, they are not good for the health of our bodies long term.

There's a common adage these days that says, "Eat 90% healthy and 10% not-so-healthy". Well, I thought we had always done that but then when I kept a food log, I realized we had too many "exceptions" and took way more than 10% of our meal plan. I also notice it while I'm outside and I walk by the recycling bin and see all the food boxes leftover. If you don't want to keep a food log and do recycle, then you can get a pretty good idea what you're eating just from your recycle bin. I know, the neighbors, I'm sure, have seen me snooping curiously in our bins and trash can, assessing how we are doing. :)

So what change did I make to our meal plan to help? I separated my recipes. I got the original idea from Alton Brown. He makes a copy of the recipe from the book, that way he can make notes and changes, and then puts it in a page protector to keep it nice while he's cooking with it.

I went a step farther and separated my healthy "good for me" recipes from the ones not so healthy. It's a real help when making a meal plan to just use those recipes that are already healthy or can be made healthier by the "examine and exchange" method. But the problem was that they were all crammed in the notebook without rhyme or reason. I took this opportunity to not procrastinate any longer and put the copies in page protectors (that weren't already in one) and then separated them with dividers by category.

Three things I learned:

1. I have WAY more recipes than what I thought (With it more organized, I'll have more variety in meals)
2. Make sure you have enough page protectors
3. Never do this on an empty stomach (Boy, it makes you hungry!)

As you can see I have plenty of healthy recipes left still to put in the binder. I wish I had more page protectors to finish but, again, I procrastinated...

"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday." -Don Marquis-

What can you do to realign your eating strategy? Perhaps a separate notebook just for healthy recipes would help. Why not take 15 minutes and start today?

This is linked to:
Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays at New Nostalgia

Greek Salad with all the Works

2010-03-15T18:25:00.004-04:00

If I could tell you how to increase your vegetable intake without even eating more vegetables, would you be interested?

Well, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, with his Eat to Live and Eat to Health books, says that people miss up to 70 % of their green leafy vegetable intake by...get this...Not Chewing Sufficiently. So the good news is that you can actually and easily increase your vegetable intake by 70% just by chewing your food better. Wow, and that doesn't even take 15 minutes. :)

There are many versions of Greek Salad; the one I like best is adapted from ones I grew up eating. As with any salad, you dress it with ingredients you love. Salads are a daily meal for those that want optimal health. It's one of the basics in a nutrient dense meal plan.

Greek Salad with all the Works

Roasted Beets

Jarred or canned beets are not a good representation of such a nutritious root. For this awesome salad it's best to use fresh beets and roast them. It's easy and not time consuming at all.

The night before I plan on having the salad, I roast the beets. First wash them (you don't want to peel or cut at all) and if you have stems, cut them to one inch. Place in small dish covered with foil. Roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes until easily pierced with knife. (I choose this temperature because I can roast garlic and veggies at the same time as to make the oven most productive.) After they are done I let them sit in the dish until cool enough to handle. So far this has only taken about 5 minutes of prep time. Now this will take only 5 more. Be prepared for your hands to turn a little pink but this is why I do it at night. :) Take a paper towel and rub off the peel of the beet. It comes right off and leaves a beautiful shiny texture. It's that easy. Stick them whole in a container to refrigerate until ready for use.

Potato Salad - Greek style

5-6 potatoes, chopped (a real time saver is to wash well and leave the skins on) Put in cold water and bring to boil. Boil about 10 minutes until fork tender. Drain and place in bowl.

1/4 c. parsley, finely chopped

1/2 c. green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 c. salad dressing (below)

Sea salt or Kosher salt

I love mixing it all together while potatoes are still warm. The potatoes really seem to soak up the dressing to give them a great flavor.

Onto the actual salad part...

1 head romaine lettuce (green leaf, red leaf, etc.)

2 tomatoes, cut up in larger chunks

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded

1 avocado, peeled and cut up

2 roasted beets, cut off bottom of root and slice into wedges

greek kalamato olives

greek feta cheese

radishes and sliced green pepper (opt)

Salad dressing

(to use on green salad and potato salad)

1/3 c. lemon juice (or white vinegar)

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Whisk these together and drizzle in oil while whisking:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil (or more to taste)

Once combined, pour over potato salad. As for plating your dish, I like to pile the potato salad in the middle of the plate and then after tossing the salad, serve with green salad on top. This way you get a great combination of flavors with both salads. Finish it off with a sprinkle of oregano.

If you're not used to a strong olive oil flavor, feel free to start with "light" olive oil or another mild flavored oil of your choosing. But remember olive oil has the wonder-working omega 9s that we all need in our body so getting used to the flavor has real benefits.

Use what you have locally

I get the olives and feta cheese at a local produce stand. They are Greek so they carry delicious greek cuisine. The feta cheese is made from sheep's milk which is better than the cow's milk (not mucus forming and far superior in taste) and the olives and olive oil are fresher and better priced than in the grocery stores.Obviously, you may not have a greek produce stand near you but find out what you do have and use it. It'll have fresher ingredients and a new world of flavors for you to try.

And like your mama told you, Chew Your Food!

For more great recipes go to:

Tasty Tuesday

Tempt My Tummy
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

Orange Pecan Whole Wheat French Toast

2010-03-12T10:53:00.005-05:00

How would it be if you were getting ready to receive your inheritance and your brothers go through the line before you so you hear what they receive? Some don't get much because they don't deserve much considering the way they acted earlier in life, but some get raving reviews and receive words that they would be victorious over their enemies and that the scepter would never depart from them, and others become great merchants and still others a judge for the people.

Then it becomes your turn to receive the words that would define who you are and who your children would become. And the words from your father Jacob are..."Asher, your bread shall be fat and you shall yield royal dainties." (Genesis 49:20) What?

You mean after you tell my brothers that they're going to be great warriors and judges you come to me and say, I'm going to have "fat bread and royal dainties"? Yes, in fact, Asher's inheritance was just that. But you have to understand that not only did he have sustenance for his family every day with bread and oil (meaning he had very profitable crops) but that his family and country were gifted in the area of food and provision, so much so that they later served their delicacies to King Solomon and his household according to two different commentators.

We have a God that not only provides needs, as in daily bread, but beyond as in the royal dainties, the luxuries of life. I'm sure that if you really took the time to meditate on how and what God has provided, you, yourself, could say, yes, my inheritance has been filled with not only daily bread but royal dainties as well.

Orange Pecan Whole Wheat French Toast

1 lb. loaf of leftover bread (hide it if you have to) :)

Whisk together
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c. raw honey
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (freshly ground)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. almond milk (or organic milk)

Dip bread and soak up mixture. Put on griddle, medium low heat, until lightly browned. Keep warm in 200 degree oven.

After toast is done, place, sprinkle and drizzle over top
1 - 2 oranges, peeled and sectioned, juice reserved
1/2 c. pecans, chopped fine

Here's a quick picture tutorial on the quickest way to peel and section an orange. To get the juice, after you section the orange squeeze the leftover segments over the french toast right before serving.

We like our french toast not too sweet. You may like to add more honey or all-fruit marmalade over top after toast is done but I'd rather not have the extra sweetness, especially in the morning. You can also add the orange zest to the egg mixture if you wanted more orange flavor. If you don't have homemade bread, another option is the high fiber bread (6g fiber) available. It's a real filler and helps slow the absorption in the body.

Buy the best eggs (omega 3 or cage free) you can afford and try to limit your dairy intake by using something like almond milk. (Dairy is very acidic in the body.) Pecans add crunch and extra nutrients and the citrus is awesome to have every day. Have a look to see what citrus does as a fat burner.

There are many ways to use our leftover bread, since we have plenty. :) And adding variety in the morning is an excellent way to stay consistent with healthful eating.

To make this go quicker, plan ahead - slice your bread the night before, combine your egg mixture and place in frig to use the next morning. Pull it all out and just do what you can; if you have any mixture leftover, place what you need to in the frig and finish the next morning. Or even prepare it all the night before and heat them in a toaster oven as needed.

A nice warm filling breakfast is a great way to start the day! Remember small changes are better than no changes at all.

This is linked to:

Friday Food at MomTrends
Foodie Friday at DesignsbyGollum
Finer Things Friday at TheFinerThingsInLife
Fight Back Friday at FoodRenegade
Ultimate Recipe Swap at LifeAsMom

Procrastination - The Lock to Healthy Eating

2010-03-09T08:30:00.002-05:00

I said earlier that The Key to Healthy Eating is Planning. Well, that makes Procrastination the Lock to Healthy Eating. When we procrastinate it leaves us in a state of emotional eating and held hostage to convenience food.

I've been putting off making bread. For some reason, the priority wasn't there but I realized there needs to be something to "grab and go" or some place for those yummy dips and even extra virgin olive oil with roasted garlic to be spread and devoured, I mean, eaten.

So thanks to a friend's idea, I was determined to get my bread done and it looks delicious. I used to use a bread machine (which I think is still a good idea) but since I've gone through two, I decided to try it by hand. I found an excellent website The Fresh Loaf and learned how a few years ago.

This is a great recipe for trying your hand at making bread, well, by hand. The original recipe has a nice tutorial on the website so definitely go there and get all the details.

I break all these steps down into 15 minute or less segments so while it does take a while to get the finished product, it's not a time consuming venture. Here's how I made mine...

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

(makes two loaves)

In mixer bowl, stir together and let sit 20 minutes

1 lb. whole wheat or spelt flour (freshly ground)

12 oz. hot water

Add

8 oz. bread flour or more whole wheat/spelt

5 oz. half yogurt and half water

1/3 c. raw honey

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

3 tsp. instant yeast

Run mixer for 5-10 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes and then knead just a minute or two more to get silky texture. Place in oiled bowl and let rise a total of 60 - 90 minutes using 3 stretch and folds. (I know that's really domestic but watch this video on how to do it; it's great for rise.) Then divide in two and shape. Let rise 20-30 minutes (mine always rise fast.) Place in hot oven 425 degrees and immediately turn down heat to 375 and bake for 25 - 35 minutes. When out of oven try to resist eating until cooled. (That's the hardest part about baking bread.) It really helps the finished product though.

Yes, that is citrus honey from our backyard but that's another story. When I make the bread for my family I use all whole wheat or spelt. If you want a great transition bread or are new to baking, use the 8 ounces of bread flour. The recipe called for a can of evaporated milk but in all my breads that include milk, I substitute half yogurt and half water. (Fermented dairy is better digested than regular milk)

There are just too many details to put in this post so if you are new to bread baking please check out the website, it'll really help.

Thanks to Amy at New Nostalgia for helping me not procrastinate any longer.

What have you been procrastinating lately?

This is also posted at:

Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Tempt My Tummy at Blessed with Grace

Fortified Peanut Butter

2010-03-08T07:00:00.002-05:00

Do you need your kids to eat more of the good fats and less of the bad fats? I think as parents, we all struggle with this. My children love peanut butter and as I'm always looking for better ways to feed them (secretly, if necessary) I wanted to improve something they eat 2 -3 times per week (sometimes more if it goes in smoothies). So I decided to add more nutrient dense nuts and seeds to increase the nutrition to a staple in our home.

Fortified Peanut Butter

In a food processor
1/8 c. almonds (raw and unsalted)

1/8 c. walnuts (same)

Process until small chunks

Add

16 oz. jar natural peanut butter (the kind you stir like Smucker's)

1 tbsp. ground flaxseeds

1/4 c. raw honey (keeps oil from separating again)

Only for the daringly domestic

1-3 tsp. EFA oil blend (optional)

Blend altogether.

If you need to transition your children from gooey hydrogenated filled peanut butter to natural, start with mixing a third to a half with the pure peanut butter, increasing amounts gradually, and over time they will be accustomed to eating the healthier (I think tastier) peanut butter.

Here are links for the benefits of almonds, walnuts, and flaxseeds.

You can serve peanut butter as sandwiches or on fruit and veggies like celery, apples, and bananas. I have even heard of people eating it on broccoli, though I haven't tried it myself.

This whole recipe takes less than 15 minutes including washing the food processor. What other things can we do to fortify our bodies for protection?

In A.W. Pink's book, Profiting from the Word, he says, "An individual is spiritually profited when the Word fortifies against sin."

"Fortify" has such a strong meaning:
(a) to strengthen and secure with fortifications,
(b) to reinforce by adding material,
(c) to impart physical strength or endurance,
(d) to give emotional, moral, or mental strength,
(e) to strengthen and enrich

Pink reminds us that the Bible teaches us "how to be kept from displeasing God". "Yes, we are to anticipate the future and be fortified against it, by storing the Word in our hearts for coming emergencies."

Just as we want our physical bodies fortified and protected from those things that would harm us, we should protect our spiritual bodies by fortifying them with the Word of God.

How much fortification do you have right now?

Target for Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon

2010-03-04T13:16:00.000-05:00

Good news! Target Stores are getting it right when they get rid of all farm-raised salmon and carry only wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Let's support those who are trying to bring us better quality foods. Here's just one short article on the change...

Target Stores to Stop selling Farm-raised Salmon

Not that I agree with everything Target does, but this is something I will support. Remember though that Target is only able to do half the job; the consumer needs to do the other half. Expect to pay a little more but remember it helps our bodies in the long run NOT to have the corn-fed salmon with PCBs and more antibiotics and such. Here's an article why farm-raised salmon is not good for you...

7 Reasons to Avoid Farm-Raised Salmon

Want to know more about Wild Salmon? Go here for a great explanation by a great guy (my hubby). :)

Be encouraged in the fact that small changes are better than no changes.

5 Foods You Should Eat Everyday

2010-03-03T11:35:00.001-05:00

This is a quick video and cheat sheet of what we should be eating everday to have optimal health. This is a great list to post on your frig and take with you to the grocery store, produce stand, and health food store when you shop.

5 Foods You Should Eat Everyday

Organic vegetables and grains are best, but do what you can. Most vegetables are priced cheaper than any meat you're going to buy anyway and you can usually eat as many vegetables as you want. If organic is within a few dimes of the price I would normally buy it, if not, I just get them from the produce stand and do a 15 minute soak.

Get your nuts raw and unsalted. Have variety so you won't get bored.

Plain low-fat and organic is the best option when choosing yogurt. Sweeten with honey, agave, fruit or jelly. Add nuts or granola for a meal replacement.

You don't have to shoot for eating them everyday yet, just add them in there somewhere.

Which of these foods could you add to your grocery list this week?

Giada's Roasted Balsamic Vinaigrette Chicken

2010-03-02T11:32:00.004-05:00

Again, I need to preface this with saying I am having technical difficulties with my blog and my wonderful patient husband is working long and hard at it. Blogger should've told me not to cut and paste with Microsoft Word...

There are only a few times that I have not altered a recipe and this is one of them, although I did leave the pan drippings out and skin the chicken to make it healthier (so I guess I did alter some). This marinade is so flexible and you do not even have to marinade it that long, not at all if you don't have the time. I have had this recipe for at least 2 years but never made it. The balsamic vinegar just scared me. In salad dressings it has been really strong and I just didn't give it a thought to experiment until one evening when I realized I wanted something different on the chicken than the usual. Emotional eating at its best. :)

I started buying the Publix Greenwise whole chickens because I got fed up with the size of Albertson's chicken breasts that look like they came off the chest of an ostrich. It's just not natural! Bigger is not always better. It depends on how they get that way. I'd rather have a little more saturated fat (whole chicken) that was cleaner than less fat (chicken breast) that was full of who knows what. We are not to the point of buying all organic meat and I am glad, at least for the sake of reaching others, it's not practical. There will be a time I think when the public starts to speak out against the practices of the food industry and the demand of better meat and poultry will go up which will mean the prices will come down. Then the majority of people will be able to afford no antibiotic, hormone free, corn free, free range beef and poultry. Until then, I am buying my whole chickens at Publix ($2.39/lb).

I will shop frugally the best I can but some things are worth it. We don't have meat at every meal and eat a lot less than what we used to. For example, last night we had one chicken to feed all four of us but with a large salad and brussels sprouts on the side it was enough. (I even saved the back for soup.) I'd rather eat less meat and buy better quality. Supporting the efforts of better food is worth the little extra right now.

Off my soapbox and onto the delicious recipe!

Roasted Balsamic Vinaigrette Chicken
(original recipe no longer available on food network)

Mix together
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 tbls. dijon mustard (any mustard will work)
2 tbls. fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped (roasted gives more flavor)
2 tbls. olive oil
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 (4 lb.) chicken, cut up (I skin everything but breast)
Put everything together in a container and let sit as long as possible, up to 1 day. (Giada says at least 2 hours)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (although I like 425) and roast for 35-45 minutes.

Giada then takes the pan drippings and makes a sauce and I am sure it's good but all the drippings are is fat. It's not necessary for this. You can sprinkle chicken with 1 tsp. lemon zest and 1 tbl. chopped parsley but I have yet to do this.

This is not a pretty dish because of the balsamic but it is okay because of the taste. By the time you add your colorful salad and veggies on the side, the plate looks good. I love good healthy food that tastes great!

This recipe takes less than 15 minutes to prepare, even with skinning the chicken. Next time try substituting a healthier brand of chicken for the one you usually buy; see if there's a difference. You should notice it in the taste and texture, besides being a normal size. Serve with roasted vegetables; if your oven's big enough, place tray in with chicken the last 15 minutes of cooking (400 degrees) for a time saver.

Start with one healthy change at a time and support the efforts of those trying to bring us better quality food. Enjoy!

This is linked to:

Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays at Blessed with Grace

Food on Fridays

Planning Ahead - The Key to Healthy Eating

2010-03-01T15:34:00.000-05:00

I want to preface this by letting you know I am having technical difficulties with my blog and my wonderful patient husband is working long and hard on it. Apparently, Blogger didn't tell me I wasn't supposed to cut and paste from Microsoft Word...

Back to Planning Ahead:

Isn't it funny how our emotions rule what we eat sometimes, I mean, most of the time? There have been many times when I've asked, "What do you feel like eating?" or "What do I feel like eating?" That is a giant indicator that I haven't planned ahead. It's easy to fall into the trap of emotional eating.

Planning ahead is probably THE secret to healthy eating. If you plan ahead you'll have a menu to take with you to the store. If you plan the next day's meals the night before, then you can get a jumpstart on the day. If you have a plan then more than likely you will follow it. Otherwise, you're left looking in the frig while wondering what you'll eat and how fast you can get it ready, maybe even stopping by take out.

There are 3 antecedents that lead to unplanned Unstructured Eating: Habit, Boredom, and Stress. A plan will keep all three at bay when those times come. If you want to learn more about eating habits, follow the link at Peak Performance Radio and look for Dr. Gerard Musante and his book The Structure House Weight Loss Plan to listen to a program about our relationship to food.

The Lord has created good food to satisfy our bodies; give it what it needs to function and heal itself. The more man does to it, the further it gets from the original plan. All it takes is 15 minutes to get some key healthy meals added to what you normally eat.

Or if you have your meal plan all ready, examine and exchange what you can to make it healthier. For an overview...

Examine                   Exchange

White Rice    Brown Rice or Quinoa
Bread                       Whole Grain Bread (5g fiber)
White Pasta              Whole Wheat Pasta
Regular Eggs             Omega-3 Eggs
White Flour               Whole Grain Flour
White Sugar              Honey or Agave Nectar
Regular Milk              Organic Milk or Almond Milk

Even vegetables like peas, corn and carrots (favorites of children) could be substituted with broccoli and cauliflower in small increments. One dinner of meat could be substituted with beans as a main dish. For beginning transitions, don't shock your family with change all at once. It usual doesn't go over well. Make slow transitions; you've eaten a certain way for years, a few more months in transition will not hurt.

Add a healthier dish as a side at first, then make it more of the main dish over time. Vegetable choices can be slowly built up where they can be as large (hopefully) as the main dish. You can have 2 - 3 side dishes of veggies and one meat or main dish. There's only so much room on your plate; side dishes can fill most of it.

The general rule in food is "white is only good for laundry". There are exceptions like cauliflower and bananas but for the most part, the more color the better it is. You want your plate as naturally colorful as possible.

So take 15 minutes, plan ahead and make those healthy substitutes, your bodies will thank you for it.

Citrus SuperFood Juice

2010-02-22T10:10:00.009-05:00

Do people really think they don’t have time to eat better? Adding a quick fresh juice is one of the easiest changes to obtain more nutrient dense food. The closer you get to God’s original creation the better it is.

Everyone knows some benefits of fresh citrus juice and remember it’s one of the original 14 superfoods recognized by Dr. Steven Pratt, the person who actually coined the term “Superfoods”. But did you know it could also have a weight loss effect? According to one of Dr. Pratt’s later books, Superfood Rx Diet, “people with adequate vitamin C status oxidize 30 percent more fat during moderate exercise than those with low vitamin C status”. That means if you have any movement at all, you’re going to burn more fat than the person who doesn’t have enough Vitamin C.

Juicing could be the easiest way to get fresh citrus into your family. If you don’t have an automatic citrus juicer, don’t worry, neither do I, one of the hand juicers is just fine. Take 5 minutes and just squeeze as much and you can during that time. Also split the juicing time with your family and then split the juice between your family members. It’s a great way to include all of them in the process of healthy eating.

As an extra bonus, another quick way to serve oranges is to just cut them into eighths. This is a favorite of children. For some reason, they like the slight messiness, they can cut it themselves (age appropriate), and it is much quicker than peeling.

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In less than 15 minutes you have a quick easy addition to your meal. Go to your local produce stand, if possible, and start juicing your way to health.

This is linked to Tasty Tuesday at Beauty and Bedlam

and Tempt My Tummy at Blessed with Grace.

Chef Cristina's Hake and Tomato Relish

2010-02-15T09:07:00.014-05:00

If you ask me, there is no better way of sharing or showing L-O-V-E than through cooking. When one takes the time to buy fresh ingredients, to carefully prepare them, to decide whether to cut, mince, saute, broil, bake, or poach... there is nothing more genuine than THAT.

Love is something that throughout history men and women have tried to define, to capture its essence. Even when Jesus was asked what was the absolute commandment, He said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37) He then added the second most important law, "You shall LOVE your neighbor as YOURSELF." Jesus said that the entire law was dependent upon these two commandments.

Let's take something as simple as family dinners and really think about it; no matter what was the situation when you were growing up whether your mom cooked once a week on Sundays, maybe she ordered food or if you were lucky enough that she cooked every night - you felt the love through food. Nowadays people do not want to cook; they fear the mess or the fire, the feeling of the texture of the fish, or the cleaning part, you name it. I have heard endless excuses of men and women about how they love to eat but hate the act of cooking itself.

In my humble opinion, we as a society (even a cyber one), need to take the LOVE back into our kitchens.

This time around I bring you a great recipe full of love and easy to make!

Pan-Fried Hake and Tomato Relish

For some reason over the years Hake has been trivialized. I personally love Hake; it's extremely easy to prepare, it's abundant, it's remarkably versatile and it's simply delicious! (There are close to a dozen species of hake; most of which are named depending on the color of their skin: red, white, silver, etc.)

Serves 4:

4 Hake fillets (about 6 oz.)
9 oz. small plum tomatoes (quartered)
1 bunch scallions (chopped)
3 tbsp. olive oil (plus extra drizzle)
1 tsp. superfine sugar
Splash white vinegar
Few thyme sprigs (leaves only)
Small handful of cilantro leaves (chopped)
Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)

Check the Hake fillets for any pin bones (if any, remove with a pair of tweezers). Season the fish with salt and pepper. Put 2 tbsp. of olive oil in pan and lay the fillets on top, skin side down.

Slowly warm the pan over LOW heat, then increase the heat to medium after a minute or two. Pan fry until the skin is golden and crisp, and the fillets are cooked halfway.

Turn the fish over and cook the flesh side for another 60 seconds only. Transfer to a plate with paper towels to drain. (Keep warm)

Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to the pan and saute the tomatoes and scallions for a minute. Add the sugar and splash of vinegar. Cook over high heat for a minute or two (until the vinegar has cooked off and the tomatoes are a little soft.)

Season the tomatoes well, toss in the herbs and divide among 4 plates.

Place the Hake fillets skin side up on top and serve.

For more information on Hake and fish available to substitute to here.

We are so thankful to Chef Cristina for giving us her time and passion for cooking and family. Set aside 15 minutes to create and enjoy...

This is linked to Tasty Tuesday.

What's in a name? Brunswick Stew

2010-02-12T18:24:00.056-05:00

When Moses was called by God (Exodus 3) to go to the Israelites, Moses said they would ask him, "Who sent you? What is His name?" And God replied, "I AM THAT I AM; tell them I AM sent you." God also said in Ex. 3:15, "This is My name forever and this is My memorial unto all generations." That caught my eye for some reason. His name? God's name shall be a memorial to us? What exactly did that mean?

Usually when something is memorialized, it is a covenant of remembrance. All the stones the Israelites placed throughout the land, He said would be a memorial for those passing by to remember what was done in that place.

Instead of stones, something temporal, God has given us His name as His memorial to us. For the Israelites, as Clarke's commentary states, "In this name, as His eternal memorial, God would now deliver them." God delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage; God also delivers us.

In fact, He has given us an even greater name and covenant with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, a name that is above all names...Jesus. Look up Phil. 2:9-11. There is no higher name, no higher covenant. Remember He still delivers us through His name.

So why are we talking about names? My bible reading happened to correlate with my curiosity of the name, Brunswick stew. Two places, called Brunswick, claim the original recipe and I'm sure it's hotly debated there, but no matter where it came from, with all the varieties of Brunswick stew, you'll surely find one you like. I wanted one healthier than the pork, beef, sugar, and butter variety. Here's what I made...

This is not a 15 minute recipe but some things are worth it. :)

2 1/2 quarts water
1 whole chicken, cut up and skinned
Put in large pot, bring to boil and simmer, partially covered, 40 minutes.

Take out chicken and add
1 large onion, diced
5 med. tomatoes, diced small
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
Bring to a boil, medium high heat and simmer, partially covered, 40 minutes.
Stir every now and then.

Skin, bone and shred chicken.

Add
Shredded chicken
1 pkg. frozen lima beans
3 potatoes, peeled and diced (optional)
Cook over low heat, partially covered, for 1 - 2 hours.

Add
1 pkg. frozen corn
1/8 c. agave nectar
1/8 c. balsamic vinegar
1/8 c. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
Cook over low heat, partially covered, 30 - 60 minutes.

I adapted this from 3 different recipes: Brunswick Stew, Paula's Brunswick, and Xagave Barbecue Sauce.

I like my Brunswick stew with a little BBQ flavor. The first recipe was the base, but I wanted the BBQ flavor like the second, and the third was the BBQ recipe with agave nectar, as I wanted to eliminate the pork, beef, sugar and butter from the traditional Brunswick Stew. As you look at these recipes, you'll see what I "examined and exchanged" for more nutrient dense food.

As I worked this recipe out, I skinned the chicken before cooking, switched one can of tomatoes for fresh, and didn't want a bottled BBQ sauce. Though I still wanted the BBQ flavor, I didn't want to have to make my own sauce, then cook, and then add. So I just added the ingredients instead and let it cook right there in the stew. I accomplished what I wanted. Yum!

It definitely passed my Strongman's approval and gave us a dish that is a filling comfort food, lower in saturated fat and full of veggies. Perfect for a cold rainy day!

What do you like to fix on cold rainy days? Could it be revamped to get rid of extra fat and sugars?

Xagave Barbecue Sauce

2010-02-12T18:16:00.003-05:00

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My husband received a cookbook for interviewing the author on his radio show, Peak Performance Radio. It is super! Initially, I was not enthused until I examined the recipes and found they really were health conscious, unlike most “so called healthy” cookbooks that still use white flour and sugar, or plastic substitutes for fat.

I normally do not like cookbooks that surround one particular brand but Delicious Meets Nutritious by Stephen Richards that uses Xagave, a brand of agave nectar, will be one I use often now.

I have tried a few of the recipes so far and am thrilled with the product and results. I like agave nectar because it is the closest taste to real sugar, with no aftertaste. Agave Nectar has a lower glycemic index and you use less than what you would with sugar, that means less calories, but alas, there is a problem with some of the agave nectar on the market today. There seems to be high fructose corn syrup being mixed in with agave. That’s appalling for those trying their best to feed their families optimally. This particular brand does not do this; read more about Xagave here.

[Photo]

Here’s the Barbecue Sauce recipe I adapted in my Brunswick Stew.

Kansas City Barbecue Sauce

2 c. tomato sauce (without sugar or corn syrup)
½ c. water
½ c. balsamic vinegar
1/3 c. Xagave (agave nectar)
½ tbs. onion powder
½ tbs. garlic powder½ tsp. salt
1 tbs. yellow mustard
¼ c. Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, simmer 45 minutes or desired thickness. Stores well in frig for weeks.

Use as a condiment, dipping sauce, or finishing sauce to poultry, fish or veggies. You’re going to like it!

Why Wild Salmon?

2010-02-09T11:39:00.003-05:00

We are blessed today to have Tom Mitchell, National and World’s 2007 NAS Strongman Champion, Masters Division (over 40 years old). He also speaks on nutrition internationally for JUS International and I am blessed to be married to this great guy. Since we eat a lot of salmon, I wanted you to know the benefits. So, without further ado, here he is…
Canned salmon is an interesting food. Some love it. Some hate it. Some don’t eat enough salmon to really know. Nevertheless, canned wild salmon is arguably the most important and beneficial meat that you can possibly eat.
Why is canned wild salmon good for you? Let me touch on just a few reasons.
1. It is wild as opposed to farmed (which changes the fatty acid profile dramatically for the good in the wild salmon).2. The wild salmon has eaten natural food sources as opposed to corn or wheat based food products; most of which are genetically modified.3. An incredible source of high quality protein4. Non-processed - a truly “wild” food source5. A good source of calcium and other minerals6. One of the very best sources of critically important omega-3 fatty acids – especially DHA and EPA7. Readily available and affordable, cooking is optional.
What is the most important benefit of canned wild salmon?
Without a doubt, the omega-3 content of wild salmon is an enormous benefit that cannot be overemphasized. By and large, most of the omega-3 content found in plant sources – flax, fruits, vegetables, hemp, etc. is primarily the omega-3 fatty acid called ALA. ALA, once consumed must be converted in the body to the far more critical fatty acids called EPA and DHA. Unfortunately, most people can only convert ALA to EPA/DHA at a rate of only 5 to 15%. As you can see, this type of conversion is very inefficient and requires a lot of additional eating which you may or may not want to do. (Just how much flax can you realistically eat every day?)
Why are EPA and DHA so important? To begin with, a large amount of your brain’s “dry” weight is omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA. This means that omega-3s are directly related to cognitive function and performance for you and your family. The old saying that fish is a “brain food” is very much true – provided it’s the right kind of fish. What’s the Bottom Line? A lack of omega-3s can reduce your ability to think quickly, clearly, and at a high level of understanding and comprehension. A number of studies have shown that children who eat plenty of omega-3s score better on tests and have improved attention spans. Other studies show increased memory and improved motor skills and coordination.
As we look for further benefits, we find that omega-3s are also incredibly important for cardiovascular health. They help keep your heart healthy and they promote better circulation.
Omega-3s also reduce inflammation in your body. This happens in part by bringing your balance of omega-3s to omega-6s in a healthier range. In America, we consume way too many omega-6s (vegetable oils, processed food, etc.) and a terribly low amount of omega-3s. The inevitable result is chronic inflammation which accelerates the aging process and the increased likelihood of aches and pains.
An interesting study, conducted by Nordic Naturals and world renowned Neurosurgeon Joseph Maroon, M.D., showed that by consuming omega-3s, many people, including professional athletes, reported the same pain relief as they would have found by taking NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen…). Again, this gets back to the anti-inflammatory benefits mentioned above.
Let’s get back to our can of wild salmon. We are looking at 14 ounces of salmon for around $2.50. What do you get? A large amount of protein and minerals, and 7 grams of highly bio-available omega-3s (DHA and EPA) which do not need to be converted to be used.
How much salmon do you need to eat? For all practical purposes, the more the better! As a minimum, you should try and eat at least a half can every 3-4 days. Ideally, a half can a day would be hugely beneficial for most adults.
What about mercury? Wild salmon is a better bet than most other fresh and saltwater choices. If given the choice between salmon and tuna, salmon wins every time. As a matter of fact, if given a choice, I would choose and recommend wild salmon over any other meat source that I know of.
What are other omega-3 fish choices? Sardines, Herring and Mackerel are some of the better ones.
What about fish oil capsules? They are a good choice provided you get a very high quality product. If you go this route, try to get enteric coated capsules to get around the common fish taste burps you get with the cheaper supplements.
Hey, what if you’re a vegetarian and fish and/or fish oil capsules aren’t an option? Your best solution will be to eat the highest quality plant-based sources of omega-3s you can find – hemp, flax, and blue-green algae come to mind. Or, just purchase the highest quality vegetarian omega-3 formula you can find.
In summary, unless you’re a strict vegetarian, eat your canned salmon, the more the better. Stay away from salmon fillets or salmon in a restaurant unless you are 100% sure it is wild, not farm-raised. Better brain function, a healthy heart, reduced pain and inflammation, there really isn’t a downside.
Stay tuned, as I’m sure Laurie will post a few delicious and healthy ways to eat more salmon. Enjoy!

Look up the label “Salmon” for recipes.

Fresh Lemon Fresh Dill Fresh Fish

2010-02-05T17:59:00.001-05:00

[Photo]
I am embarrassed to say, that I’ve come to the realization that most of the time, I cook incredibly simply, too simply maybe. This fish is a perfect example of what I mean.
Our neighbor, Chris, is gifted at fishing. Anytime we want fish, he gets it. This time it was mullet. Growing up, my mom said it was called a poor man’s fish but it’s delicious whether rich or poor. We would rather eat freshly caught fish than farmed-raised any day. Our fish intake includes canned salmon, wild sock-eyed salmon, sardines, tuna, and freshly caught fish. So when Chris brought over mullet, I gladly just used what I had on hand and, with my daughter’s help, here’s what we came up with... [Photo]
Fresh Lemon Fresh Dill Fresh Fish
This really simple recipe does not even have measurements. Just use enough ingredients to lightly cover but not soak. You don’t want it to stew. Rinse fish and let dry or pat dry.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a sheet with sides,Pour some EVOO over fish fillets and rub to cover.Then lightly pour freshly squeezed lemon juice over top.Sprinkle with sea salt (kosher salt) and pepper.Finely chop fresh dill and sprinkle over fish.[Photo]
Bake 7-8 minutes; my fillets were small. You’ll have to keep checking your fish. You’ll know when it’s done when it’s opaque and flakes with a fork. Again, we have a tasty dish that's good and good for you AND takes less than 15 minutes. [Photo]
I served it with roasted asparagus, 15 minutes here, and we had fresh quacamole to go with our leftover organic chips for an appetizer. I just mash the avocado, leaving it a little chunky, and add sea salt (again, a very simple yet wonderfully healthy dish). [Photo]
We should’ve had some grain or bread to go with it because later we snacked on nuts and dates. While not necessarily bad, I needed to fill my hubby up a little more to reduce the snacking.
But then I had a thought, what had I been doing in the kitchen that made me feel I spent the majority of last year there? Lately, I had cut back on those time consuming items, but now I’m missing them in our diet and need to establish a routine once more. Here are a few of them:
Ezekiel Bread (my husband’s favorite)Nutritious Gluten Free Bread (my daughter’s favorite)Muffins of all varieties (my son’s favorite)Yogurt (a favorite of all)
[Photo]As I work on fitting these back in the plan, I’ll share them with you. But I’ve realized another key to why we consistently eat healthy – I keep it simple! That may work for you or may not. We try to enjoy the flavors of the food itself. I just realized that myself. Oh the wonders of blogging…

Roasted Tomato Salsa & Spicy Chipotle Salmon Spread

2010-02-03T14:23:00.009-05:00

We ate our Superbowl meal last night!! It was awesome. I started out trying my new recipes I had planned, but then it led to, “Mmmmm, can you make more?” So I did, and we sat and ate like there was no tomorrow. (Forgetting all scriptures that talk about gluttony and justifying it because it was “healthy”) Anyone else been there?

The samplers on the menu were Roasted Tomato Salsa (the easiest salsa ever) and Chipotle Salmon Spread with organic chips (Garden of Eatin’). Both these recipes were adapted from Tyler Florence’s cookbook, Tyler’s Ultimate. I like this particular cookbook of his because it has simple recipes that I can adjust easily to our healthy way of eating. Remember our “examine and exchange” method/mindset? Go here to get a refresher.

Tyler’s Ultimate Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes (I used grape)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Juice of 1 lime (I increased the amount for flavor)

1 fresh green chile, thinly sliced (I used 2 jalapenos, quartered and sliced)

This is so easy and ready in less than 15 minutes. Turn your broiler on high and place the 2 pints tomatoes on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Tyler said broil 3-5 minutes, mine was 7-8 minutes, so keep checking every couple of minutes until all tomatoes have burst. Dump tomatoes and juices in a bowl. Add lime juice, chile, cilantro and about 4 tablespoons olive oil. You’ll probably need to add more salt so taste and adjust.

Combine. Serve at room temperature.

When I first made it, the three of us liked it and were eating it happily. Then when my husband came home, he wasn’t enamored with it, and suggested more jalapeno. I am a scaredy cat when it comes to hot stuff but I have to say, he was right! It was so much better with more spice (2 jalapenos), not enough to burn your lips off, but enough to spice your throat. So adjust your jalapeno accordingly, or use hotter peppers, but go for more heat than less.

Like I said, this is the easiest salsa ever; you don’t even have to cut up the tomatoes. Get yourself some organic chips (or baked chips like Tostitos, if necessary) and enjoy!

The other recipe was from Tyler’s The Ultimate Spicy Crab Salad. Obviously, he uses crab which I always exchange for canned salmon. I know, not as decadent, but a much healthier choice. Tomorrow I’ll have a link to explain Why Canned Salmon?

Tyler calls for Sambal hot chile paste which I did not have nor could find locally. So instead I used chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. It was outstanding! It gave the usual salmon flavor a new twist that was good enough for company, thus Superbowl. I would say good enough for people who aren’t even salmon lovers . The adobo sauce does have a miniscule amount of sugar, less than 1 gram, but that is worth the trade-off for the flavor it gives. (I would not make the trade if it were high fructose corn syrup though.) For more on chipotle, click here.

Spicy Chipotle Salmon Spread

15 oz. canned salmon (drained, broken to smaller pieces)

¼ cup mayonnaise

1-2 chipotle peppers with some sauce (finely mashed)

1-2 tbls. chopped cilantro

Juice of ½ lime

Freshly ground pepper (no salt, already in salmon)

Combine the mayo and chipotle first. Gently combine the rest. This takes less than 5 minutes and you have a snack which is full of omega-3’s in a good lean protein. You can even make your own mayo to provide you with better oil and no preservatives.

Last night we had this with the organic corn chips, but for Sunday I am making whole wheat crackers found at Finding Joy in My Kitchen and for my daughter, a gluten-free variety.

Along with these dishes we had potato salad (recipe another day), roasted cauliflower and whole carrots, cooked like this. We picked up whole thin organic carrots with their tops attached at the health food store. (Confession: I bought these simply because they were so cute.) I would gladly buy them again though because in 15 minutes we had delectably tender whole carrots that we just picked up and ate with our hands. (Remember we were practicing for Superbowl.) The tops I cut off before roasting and am using in other herb dishes, like our eggs this morning.

So all in all, we had a feast that took cleaning up afterward longer than actually making it. Oh yeah, strawberries for dessert. Wow, we really did pig out…

What are your healthy plans for Superbowl?

Edited: I have a great article from my husband on the nutritional benefits of salmon here.

Dr. Roizen and Superbowl plans

2010-01-29T15:28:00.003-05:00

It’s always best to get nutritional information from an expert and Dr. Roizen, co-author of You: the Owner's Manual is. My husband interviewed Dr. Roizen on his radio program, Peak Performance Radio from RadioJus.com. I thought I could just write the highlights in one post but there is so much great information that it’ll take a couple of posts. Here is the link for anyone who wants to listen to the whole interview, Go to past shows and find Roizen

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Highlights

Minor changes that you can make to reduce coronary heart disease by more than 80%...

1. Don’t smoke.

2. Have physical activity for 30 min. a day (as simple as walking)

3. Eat 5 servings (handfuls) of fruits and vegetables a day

4. Be 40 pounds or less overweight compared to what you’re supposed to weigh.

That sounds easy, right? But how often do we consistently do this? (Hint: Keep a food and exercise log to find out.)

The most amazing fact I’ve learned that has stuck with me everyday since I heard it is…

When we eat unhealthy foods like saturated fats and sugar, etc., we are switching on genes, RAS genes, that cause inflammation in the body for 3 to 21 days. Yes, that’s right… 3 to 21 days. When we eat bad food, it’s not over when it’s eliminated out of the body. It has your genes running around causing damage for up to 21 days, that’s 3 weeks.

On the flip side, when you eat healthy foods it turns on GSTM1 proteins that kill the diseased cells that are causing inflammation for the same period of time - 3 to 21 days.

Lest you think you can eat something bad and then right after eat something good to combat it, Dr. Roizen says it’s not “Let’s Make a Deal” with food. What you are eating is affecting you on a DNA level.

Your genetics are what you have in your body no matter what you do. You can either have those genes expressed (meaning come to fruition as disease) or you can live symbiotically with them not turning into the disease.

Ultimately, God is completely in control and he is the one who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith. I just find it interesting that He has given us so much information through the sciences and tests to find out we need to go back to a more biblical (old fashioned) way of eating.

That’s all for now, but that should be enough to chew on for a while.

Superbowl is coming up with all the food that usually includes saturated fat, processed cheese, and prepackaged food. It’s a good thing you’ve read this so you can make better choices for you and your family.

You can add a dish of fruit with whatever you have planned for your menu. Sometimes when we add fruit to a meal it’s a last minute “whatever’s available” choice. But if you strategically choose the right fruit that will complement your menu, it will be eaten.

Our fruit of choice will be Mangos and Strawberries. Have them cut up to bite size pieces and serve with toothpicks. They will also serve as a sweet snack so make sure you have plenty. Buy your fruit no later than mid week for the weekend so it’ll be ripe and at its peak when you serve it. Mangos especially need time to ripen on the counter. Click here for step by step instructions on how to cut up mango.

Keep your strawberries in the frig and rinse right before you need them so they won’t get mushy. If, and that’s only if, you have any left, you can use them in a fruit bowl in the morning with your breakfast or freeze them on a cookie sheet to stick in a smoothie next day.

In the 15 minutes it’ll take you to make a healthy addition to your Superbowl plans, you can be reassured that you are turning on disease fighting genes that’ll keep working for you up to 21 days. That’s getting a bang for your buck!

Strongman Chronicles

2010-01-27T12:04:00.001-05:00

Once at church, a kind lady, who had just met my husband and learned that we were married, turned to me and said, “He’s your husband? You must live a Very Interesting Life.” That pretty much summed it up right then and there, my life with my Strongman. Well, now he’s on a new journey. He’s won the titles he wanted in Strongman – National and World Champion Heavy Weight Division in the over 40 year olds – and now sees no need to keep the extra bulk which served him so well in lifting the heavy weights.

His quest is to lose extra pounds while maintaining his strength and endurance to continue weight training. Why am I chronicling his quest? We need to do this together in order to succeed. My part is to plan the meals and see to it his nutrition will be at his best to accomplish this goal.

What is the plan? He’ll have a series of 30 day goals. The eating plan will consist of a mainly plant-based diet, supplemented with proteins like eggs, canned salmon, and lowfat plain organic yogurt. We’ll focus on raw and cooked vegetables with whole grains, psuedograins, and nuts, with limited gluten and dairy.

The part my husband plays (besides being a happy camper with the food) is to maintain his eating plan without veering when he’s on the road and to add a lot more cardio to his workouts. The challenge is that he’s 49 years old, and realizes that his body will fight him along the way, mentally as well as physically. That’s why he needs the Lord’s help, to feed his spirit with the Word of God and deny his flesh in ways that would defeat his purpose.

Goal for the first 30 days

Consistency – To be consistent with the eating plan and workout schedule is top priority.

How are we going to do this? A food and exercise log will help us track our progress, along with keeping a simple vision, plain and clear.

What about taking a 15-minute spread throughout the day to log what you eat and your exercise? You may not need to lose weight but tracking your food and exercise will give you an accurate assessment of what you’re actually putting in your mouth and how much exercise you’re getting or not getting. Our memory of what we eat is a lot more biased than paper. Let me know how you do…

“The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication.”
-Cecil B. De Mille (1955)

Cherished Chai Tea Latte

2010-01-25T18:24:00.007-05:00

During these cold months, it’s easy to turn to Hot Chocolate as a beverage to warm your body. We did, and while it was a nice treat, we like a beverage that we can have more often. By using a mindset, as much as a method, called “examine and exchange”, we consciously make better choices for what we put in our body.

First, we examine what ingredients could use a nutrient boost. We don’t need to have the mindset to eliminate ingredients, just exchange them. Sometimes when we grow up in a “meat and potatoes” or prepackaged food environment, it’s easy to look at healthful eating as eliminating all the “good stuff”. We don’t have to do that; it’s all in exchanging for a better, more nutritious, good tasting option.

The worst choice for warm drinks is going for one of the packaged hot chocolate mixes. So those definitely need to be exchanged with something homemade. The ingredients to the Hot Chocolate we make occasionally are: unsweetened cocoa, sugar, milk and vanilla extract. A minimal change that we’ve made is to use organic sugar and organic milk. So for an occasional treat this is a good start. While I don’t have a problem with cocoa, some have problems concerning their skin breaking out. The concerns with white sugar are evident and the limiting of dairy in one’s diet is becoming a growing concern due to the acidic nature that dairy produces in the body.

Now that we’ve examined our ingredients, what can we exchange? One alternative is to make a Hot Carob drink. It uses carob and raw honey in exchange for the cocoa and sugar. We also like to exchange Almond milk (brand: Almond Breeze) for the milk. While some like to exchange milk for soy milk, we personally do not. (More about that later)

One of my favorite exchanges though, is a Chai Tea Latte. Most of the time when you get a chai tea latte at the coffee shops, it’s from a mix filled with sugar, oils and chemicals. You can easily make this at home with healthful ingredients and a more full-bodied “mouth feel” than tea alone. This recipe was adapted from our good friend, Jessica. Originally, the recipe called for individual spices with black tea bags but, I really like all the flavors that an actual chai tea bag offers and it uses less ingredients, which is a time saver.

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Chai Tea Latte

4 chai tea bags (Celestial Seasonings preferred)
2 cups water
Boil the water and let tea bags steep for 5 min.

Add
2 cups milk or almond milk (to lower dairy intake)
Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally

When heated, add
2-3 tbs. raw honey (according to taste)

In less than 15 minutes, you have a spicy, creamy, sweet drink that will warm your body while still nourishing it. This makes 3-4 servings. If it’s just for you, you can refrigerate what’s left and heat again later, or refrigerate half and freeze half in ice cubes to make a chai tea latte frappuccino for tomorrow. Sometimes I even double the recipe to do this.

You can use all the different chai tea flavors that they offer now to bring variety to your beverages, hot or cold. (Know that the black tea will be stronger than the green or white tea varieties.) Feel free to share them with a friend.

Who could you think of now that could use warm company as well as a warm drink?

This post is linked to:

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Blessed with Grace

Roasted Vegetables- The Basics

2010-01-23T12:55:00.004-05:00

Vegetables are a mainstay of a healthy eating plan. They supply antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber all wrapped up in a low calorie package. Eating them raw is best but not always practical. The USDA recommends 9-13 servings a day. That’s not easy; it takes a conscious effort.

One thing’s for sure though, we can start with having a lot more variety! Vegetables have all the colors of the rainbow, every shape and texture, along with strong to mild flavors. Grocers and produce stands have more to choose from than ever before. The problem with most of our meal plans is that we have no variety. It’s the same ol’ vegetables day in and day out, no wonder we get tired of them.

Let’s start with a plan of adding more veggies at dinner. Go to your local produce stand (or grocer) and get one vegetable to add each evening. Don’t worry about the amount or if it’s organic; organic is best but just begin with what you can do today. No fancy recipes needed either.

When you get home, take 15 minutes and soak them in a sink filled with water and ¼ cup apple cider vinegar. This gets the dirt, bacteria, and pesticide residue off as much as possible. Rinse and let dry or wipe with towel. (Mushrooms should be brushed off and not rinsed.) When you have the produce already rinsed, it’s a real time saver for later and you’re more likely to quickly “grab and add” to the meal.

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The idea is to keep the cooking simple but maintain variety. The less water you use the better, when you cook veggies. Steaming is good but we really like the ease and flavor of roasting. I have found that 400 degrees for 15 minutes is the most optimal cooking approach, with minimal damage. The size you cut the vegetable is the only change. Broccoli and cauliflower florets are a little bigger than bite size. Brussel sprouts are usually cut in half. Most mushrooms can be left whole. After trimming asparagus ends, place in a single layer to cook whole. With a little practice, you’ll find the size that is best suited for each vegetable. You want it cooked but with a little crunch.

Here’s the best part. Immediately after you take the veggies from the oven, lightly pour extra virgin olive oil over the veggies and sprinkle lightly with sea salt or kosher salt. The buttery oil with the coarse salt is delicious together and you’ll never miss the butter.

Start with asking yourself or your family, “What are my top 3 vegetable favorites?” Try to vary the colors. Then add 1 or 2 “not so favorite” or “never tried” to give some variety. Mix them up or serve one at a time. The choice is yours.

Remember Vary the color and add Variety to promote your Vegetable success.

Very Good Very Easy Vegetable Stock

2010-01-19T09:48:00.004-05:00

Genesis talks about Isaac loving Esau because of the wild meat he would bring him, and Rebekah loving Jacob more. In one commentary, it stated that “the children please their parents according as they supply what is lacking in themselves. Isaac, himself so sedate, loves the wild, wandering hunter, because he supplies him with pleasures which his own quiet habits do not reach. Rebekah becomes attached to the gentle, industrious shepherd, who satisfies those social and spiritual tendencies in which she is more dependent than Isaac.”

Often we admire or like those things in people that benefit us. We also admire those things that we lack ourselves. I have friends that are absolutely gifted in the organization of their home. I certainly admire this and benefit from their example and enthusiasm of their giftings.

I hope to inspire those around me to take an inventory of the natural food we are feeding ourselves and make better choices, perhaps when we thought we didn’t have the time or ability to do so. Why should eating better be a priority? Just like we are to be good stewards of our material possessions, we need to be good stewards of the physical body God has given us. Being a good steward of my time has motivated me to find faster ways to provide healthful food for my own family.

In less than 15 minutes you can make your own vegetable stock for soups, rice, and more. Why make your own stock? It’s not so much what’s in your homemade stock as what’s NOT in it, too much sodium, hydrolyzed oils, MSG; the list goes on. We choose vegetable stock over chicken stock to lower our saturated fat intake. How do I have the time to make my own stock? By taking 15 minutes after dinner…

Basic Vegetable Stock

6 qt. crockpot

2 onions, quartered

3 carrots, cut into thirds

3 celery stalks plus any leaves

1 garlic bulb/head, cut in half

2 tsp. sea salt

10-12 peppercorns

handful parsley

Wash but leave skins on. Use as many organic vegetables as possible. Toss in crockpot and fill with filtered water. Set to “high” and let work overnight for 8-12 hours. I like “high” to keep a good simmer and evaporate some of the water. In the morning, let cool, strain and put in freezable quart containers. You now have 4 quarts of clear, deliciously rich vegetable stock that took 15 minutes of your time to fix. The health benefits of the vegetables cooking in the water and the elimination of harmful ingredients make whatever time you took to prepare it, worthwhile. I often have 2 crockpots at a time going to have enough for the week. Freeze and thaw when needed.

What talents do others have that benefit you? What gifts do you have that others can benefit?

Taco Salad Goodness

2010-01-13T10:14:00.003-05:00

Taco Salad is one of my favorite salads to eat. I grew up eating the ones my mom would make for us. Since it’s been so cold I haven’t wanted salads as much but they are a vital part of a nutrient dense eating plan. But even a regular taco salad can use improvement. Let’s see how we can take 15 minutes at a time and make a meal…

Taco Salad (New and Improved)

After dinner last night I took 15 minutes to cook up the meat with the spices. This taco meat recipe is adapted from Suzanne Somers’ book, Eat Great, Lose Weight.

2 tbl. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

Cook on medium high until tender.

Add:

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 lbs. ground turkey

Cook until no longer pink.

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Add spices then:

2 tbsp. tomato paste

¾ c. water

Stir in and cook until water evaporates.

I refrigerated the meat and had a plan for today’s dinner. I reheated the meat until warm (using a little water). While it was heating, I readied the salad ingredients which took about 15 minutes.

1 bunch Red Leaf lettuce (rinse, use salad spinner)

2 tomatoes, chopped small

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

For dressing, I used 2/3 c. Marzetti’s Ranch salad dressing (no msg) mixed with 3 tablespoons mashed avocado. Whisk together for avocado ranch dressing. Makes enough for 4 salads.

When meat is warm, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and a green onion.

Spread over salad fixings and top with salsa (I like raw salsa from Sam’s Club) and the rest of the avocado for quacamole.

For a little crunch, we use either baked Tostitos or throw some corn tortillas in the toaster oven until crisp. Cut up into chips and top salad.

This is appetizing, warm goodness! It’s low in saturated fat because of the turkey and you never miss the cheese. (Cheese is one of the most acidic foods you can put in your body.)

The Lord has created good food to satisfy our bodies and give it what it needs to function and heal itself. The more man does to it the further it gets from the original plan. All it takes is 15 minutes to infuse some key healthy additions to your already existing meal plan.

What can you do in 15 minutes tonight that will add nutrients to tomorrow’s dinner and make it easier to stick to a healthy eating regime?

Chef Cristina - Avocado + Tomato Salad

2010-01-11T14:01:00.006-05:00

I am honored to have Chef Cristina with us who loves healthy, organic, delicious food with a Mediterranean, Spanish, and Italian touch. She is one of our contributing writers that will bring you the very best recipes that are not only good for your health but good for your palette. Here she is...

I grew up sitting on the countertop of the kitchen, watching closely how my mom would prepare our family meals. I can vividly remember on schools days waking up to the smell of oatmeal being served; the aroma of cinnamon always made me SMILE. On Saturdays I would help her make her famous chicken spaghetti for me, and the troops (only imagine having a family of seven and adding your cousins brings the number to sixteen).

In consequence of my inquisitive spirit when it came to FOOD I gave in to the powers of salt and pepper and have been cooking ever since I can remember.

You want a delicious snack? Why settle with these protein, oatmeal, or whatever bars that will only deceive your taste-buds and fill you up with little or no vitamins and other nutrients that we all need to charge ourselves up.

Avocados and Tomatoes are a GREAT source of antioxidants like vitamins E + C. Avocados deliver iron and copper for your blood, have a low sugar content and because of their density like bananas they are very filling.

Tomatoes will cleanse your body of toxic compounds.

With this easy to make Avocado + Tomato Salad you will be ‘ready to go’.

This salad can be served on its own, but it is a great choice with simply prepared fish or chicken.

VINAIGRETTE

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ Cup Olive Oil

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

Kosher salt and black pepper TO TASTE

2 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks

1 medium Hass avocado, half, pitted, peeled and cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch chunks

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, cilantro or basil

Kosher salt and black pepper TO TASTE

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, dry mustard, salt and pepper. SET ASIDE

Toss the tomatoes, avocado, onion and parsley together in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss with ¼ cup dressing.

For me, there is nothing more heartfelt than the time spent in the kitchen weather it is alone, with a friend, with your spouse, your nephew, your dog, or your children.

COOKING BRINGS US TOGETHER

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My Note: That's a picture of my lunch. It was delicious! I had a yellow along with a red tomato for my salad (different color means different antioxidants). If you have any comments or questions for Chef Cristina please let us know by using the comments below. Enjoy!

Portrait of a Frig

2010-01-09T11:28:00.003-05:00

My daughter came across a very interesting webpage. It features pictures of people’s refrigerators. Not the outside (that would be an appliance store) but the insides. He just opened them up and took the picture as is. He calls it, You Are What You Eat. Here is the site. Go and have a look; I’ll wait.

You Are What You Eat

Did you see it? The snake. Can you believe what some people keep in their refrigerators? This, for some reason, was intriguing to me. So what do you think I did next? Of course, I went and opened my frig.

Go ahead, open your frig and really look, I mean, really look. It’ll just take a moment; I’ll wait.

Did you see any resemblance to any of the refrigerators in the pictures? Hopefully, it’s not the one with the snake. What did you see? You know, for something that we look into at least twenty times a day, we just don’t really see what’s inside. I mean, exactly, what the inventory is or has become.

After I saw the website, I went to see my own refrigerator. I opened the door and, yes, I took a picture. I had needed to go to the produce stand for a couple of days but hadn’t had the chance. I took the picture anyway. That’s what the photographer did, just opened the door and, click, took the picture.

Here’s the picture I took.

We are very conscious of what we buy at the grocery store, but this time I actually stood and, not only looked, but actually saw what was in it. There were a few good things I noticed: alfalfa sprouts, quinoa, brown rice, whole grain tortillas, spinach, high fiber whole grain bread, omega-3 eggs, some veggies and fruit in the crispers below, organic yogurt, organic milk and an “almost gone” 15 pound bag of organic carrots for juicing. In the door, I keep all our raw nuts, dried fruit, almond milk, salad dressings, and supplements. (No, that’s not wine; it’s JUS, a nutritional beverage.) Wow, I sound like a real health nut.

The bad news is that when I really examined it, I had way too much dairy and those sprouts growing out of the turnips meant that they had been in there way too long for use. I had no meat for thawing (which could leave me unprepared for dinner since I had no beans either) and overall, definitely not enough produce to feed a family of four.

That may not sound so bad since I didn’t have a frig like some of those folks, but I went there thinking I was okay and ended up enlightened to see I wasn’t okay after all. What is in your frig that you never really noticed before. If you are what you eat, then what are you eating from the looks of your refrigerator?

Opening my frig, taking a picture, and putting it on a blog, for me, is something that in the past, I would never have done. This whole examination was so eye-opening for me.

What would it be like if we could open up our spirits and be that transparent to each other that all could see the contents of our lives. If we did open up like that, others would see not only our good but our dirty, rotten contents as well. There is no hiding from God; He sees all anyway. But we could be a little more open with our struggles than maybe what we are. Not in a complaining way, but in an empathizing and understanding way with others to let them know they are not alone in their hardships. This is the transparency that Beth Moore talks about in her Esther study to really be able to reach people for Christ.

So what’s in your frig? Is there anyone brave enough to leave a comment on the best and worst thing that they found in their refrigerator after examination? Come on, be transparent, no one has a perfect frig. And definitely, if there’s a snake in your frig, I want to hear about it.

Salmon and Broccoli Frittata

2010-01-06T14:34:00.002-05:00

Tired of just plain ol’ eggs in the morning? What’ll ya have – scrambled, fried, poached? Well, this is a breakfast we have quite often, even as a dinner. It’s quick, easy, and tasty, and if you use cooked veggies it will definitely be ready in 15 minutes. It can be served as a stand alone for breakfast or with other dishes to make a full meal. It is mainly protein which is a good “stay with you” meal that is low in carbs.

The quickest way for the frittata to be ready is to use already cooked veggies and meat from your frig. Any veggies can be used in any combination. Any meat can be used in any combination or not even used. Any spice that you feel like adding is possible.

I want the basic frittata plate today so ingredients are left to a minimum. This makes one frittata. If you need more, like I often do, double everything and use 2 pans and 2 burners at the same time, or serve your frittata with toast or yogurt.

Salmon and Broccoli Frittata

Heat a 10” pan that can go in the oven as well on medium heat (I like a well seasoned cast iron skillet) and turn on your broiler. Place one of your oven racks about 4-6 inches from the heating element.

Beat:

7 large eggs (We like Omega-3 eggs)

½ to 1 tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

In the skillet, sauté until warm:

2 tbl. olive oil

1 clove chopped garlic

2 c. cooked broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus

(You can use fresh broccoli and cauliflower; dice into small pieces and put lid on skillet for 5-10 minutes until tender)

Sprinkle on top:

¼ - ½ c. canned salmon (crush bones if you like)

You may need 1 tbsp. more olive oil to prevent eggs sticking.

Pour beaten eggs over and move pan around to evenly distribute.

Cook over heat for 3-5 minutes until bottom is firm. At 3 minutes, run your spatula around edge to lift sides and check if set.

You may sprinkle 1/3 c. cheese at this point, but we limit our dairy so we like it plain.

Place in heated broiler for 3 minutes until puffed and set.

Run your spatula around the edge to loosen and carefully slide out onto plate.

Cut and serve immediately, plain or with toppers that include plain low-fat yogurt, salsa, or pesto.

Serves 3-4 people or 1 big guy.

As you can see, this dish is extremely flexible. There are more variations than can be printed in these pages, but we’ll do our best to give it a try.

It just reminds me of how there can be so many variations with the body of Christ. It’s the same basic plan but different flavors and textures to create a unique product. I have come to realize, especially now in the blogging world, that God has gifted so many men and woman in various ways. They all have the common goal to glorify Christ but all have a different flavor or texture in order to bring about the variety and originality that is so like our Creator. Just look at the uniqueness of each animal and plant in the world; we serve an awesome, creative God that has so gifted us in His image to portray a little of His flavor and texture in our creations. Enjoy your own uniqueness and appreciate the variety in others. It’s what makes us a “peculiar people”. (1 Peter 2:9)

ONE OF THE BASICS (part 1)

2010-01-04T13:55:00.005-05:00

I enjoy researching and learning about nutrition and food. It's a passion my husband and I have had for a long time. With that passion, it spills over into helping others eat better, but everyone has time limits. Is it really that easy to add better nutrition to your already existing meal plan? Yes! It's all about examine and exchange. Examine what you're eating. If you could make a better choice, exchange it for something else.

There are basics or essentials in all of our eating plans, something you fix every day or every week. We mainly do this out of habit and convenience. If we buy it at the store, it's because that's what we've always bought or if we buy it on the run, it's for convenience. What are some of the basics you have in your meal plan? Is there room for improvement? Examine and exchange one of your snacks or breakfasts to get a well needed nutrition boost with this smoothie.

In less than 15 minutes you can blend up a smoothie that is delicious and extremely healthy. If you’re rushed in the morning for breakfast or need a snack in between meals this is an easy solution. The ingredients can be readily available and there are many variations.

Here’s one...

Banana Berry Smoothie

In a blender, add

2 tbs. whole flaxseeds (optional)

Blend on medium high speed until ground

Add

1 c. plain low-fat yogurt

2 c. water with 1 freshly squeezed orange or lemon

or 2 c. water

2 large or 3 small bananas

2 c. frozen berries (blue or mixed)

Blend on medium high till smooth (50 sec.)

Pour immediately in 4 pint sized glasses or 2 large glasses.

You can use frozen bananas and fresh berries instead.

(Protein powder or a smoothie packet can be added as well.)

Substitutions are fine. Just be sure to have the bananas if you’re using yogurt; they add sweetness.

Garden of Eden Nutrition: The flaxseeds add nuttiness and have Omega-3 essential fatty acids as well as added fiber to slow digestion. These fatty acids are not made by the body; we must get them in our food. Just 2 tablespoons contain 146% of our daily intake of Omega-3. Check out more about flaxseeds. Grind in the blender or a coffee grinder right before use so the oils will not go rancid. Beginner's Note: You may need to start with one tablespoon and work your way up if not used to the flavor.

TO GO: Place in container and stick in frig or cooler. Make sure to use citrus juice (lemon, orange, grapefruit) so the bananas won’t brown. Shake before serving.

Chocolate Strawberries

2010-01-01T15:36:00.018-05:00

So getting ready for New Year’s Eve, as I did two other times during the holidays, I made Chocolate Covered Strawberries. This is an excellent healthful dessert since it’s mainly strawberry that you’re eating. Though definitely not a 15 minute meal, I did discover a shortcut to have the strawberries ready in 15 minutes for dipping. Then once dipped, they can be ready in about 15 minutes to serve.

Usually you have to rinse the strawberries and let them dry (while rotating so they don’t get a mushy spot). This can be time consuming, especially turning them. My shortcut is to get a little fan, set parchment paper on your counter, and as soon as you rinse your strawberries, set them slightly apart and turn the fan on. Within 15 minutes a quart of strawberries is dry, with no mushy spots, and ready to be deliciously dunked in chocolate that you’ve melted on the stove top while waiting.

While you’re dunking the delicacies, leave the fan on and place the strawberries back on the parchment for setting. No need to try and make room in your frig or move them around while setting. The fan dries them quickly and you’re off to your party.

As is my custom (as my children tell me), I can make a moral lesson out of anything. After all, isn’t that what a mom does? So as I sat looking at these berry beauties I thought to myself, if I didn’t stir or rotate them they’d get mushy spots, become unusable, and not complete the mission for which they were purposed. If God doesn’t stir us up or rotate us out of our comfort zone, we can get a little mushy, a little less useful, and not be ready to complete the mission in which we were purposed.

As we start this new year, we all have areas that need to be stirred up or rotated out of the rut. Ask the Lord, “In what areas of my walk with You have I become ‘mushy’ or ‘less useful’?”

2 Timothy 1:6 talks about stirring up the gift of God. One commentator actually states that he must stir it up; otherwise it would decay.

How does one get stirred or rotated? By prayer and by reading the Word, the Bible. How about starting a reading plan? What other goal could be more profitable than that for the new year?

Chicken Pesto in 15

2009-12-31T00:26:00.003-05:00

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

(Ps. 90:12)

“The prayer is, that God would enable us to form such an estimate of life,

that we shall be truly wise; that we may be able to act 'as if' we saw the whole of life.” (Barnes)

Could you imagine if we saw life as a “whole” instead of hour by hour or even day by day? Think how that would change our perspective on things, literally, things. What would be our priority, things, duties or people.

I have numbered my days and for now my number is 15. 15 minute segments of time to bring my family closer to the way He wants us to eat while keeping me from being too obsessed in the kitchen. It’s giving me more time to spend with the people that make a difference in my life. And just perhaps, I can make a difference in theirs.

15 minute meal –Chicken Pesto Sandwich

As part of my 15 minute regime last night, after supper I took the chicken breast I marinated (1 1/2 hours) earlier in:

1 mild grapefruit, juiced (it’s what I had and the citrus makes the chicken tender)

2 tangerines, juiced

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

¼ c. raw honey

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. oregano

4 whole chicken breasts (8 halves)

And used one whole breast for last night’s dinner (Chicken, Quinoa and Peas) and with the other 3 chicken breasts, in 15 minutes, I used my George Foreman grill to cook 3 breast halves at a time for 7 minutes each. They had beautiful grill marks and as soon as they cooled, I stuck them in the frig. George really helps when it comes to cooking low-fat and super fast.

That was last night…

After church tonight, we were all desperately hungry. I pulled out the chicken breasts I had cooked, stuck them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes (including preheating). I made a quick pesto with:

1 c. parsley, not packed (wash in water and use salad spinner to dry)

¼ c. walnuts

½ tsp. sea salt

2 cloves roasted garlic

I put all in food processor and pulsed until chopped. Then I added:

2-3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil while running the machine and, wahlah, pesto.

I chopped half a tomato, a few slivers of carrot, and washed and spun dry a handful of spinach. As the timer went off, I got out the bread (Nature’s Pride Double Fiber 6g per slice) and spread with the pesto, assembled the tomato, carrot, spinach, chicken and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

In 15 minutes, our late night fast food was done. No, it wasn’t like a professional chef’s domestic production but it certainly was tasty enough for our hungry bellies and ready soon enough to avoid a mutiny in the barracks.

Time and Cooking

2009-12-29T21:47:00.004-05:00

Time… such a short word for such a measurement of life. Time flies when…

You’re having fun

You’re cooking

You’re napping

You’re getting ready for an evening

You’re trying to fit an hour’s worth of work in five minutes, or a day’s worth in an hour

Where does the time go? I look back over the year and see some moments in time but that surely is not what I did for a year. So what do I remember…

Laughing with my family

Cooking

Watching movies with my family

Cooking

Going to church

Cooking

Getting together with friends

Cooking

Does there seem to be an inordinate amount of time in one area? My mind just reminisces over the events of the last year and, yes, this was a great year full of excitement with starting a new business, my youngest child’s last year of high school, and making new friends in all areas of our lives.

I am richly blessed. But there seems to be an area I could use some improvement…the amount of time I spend in the kitchen. I am one that can spend hours preparing a meal-- baking bread, making and simmering a soup, marinating and baking some meat, and then on top of that, throwing together a salad with homemade dressing. No, I am not an overachiever; I just love cooking healthy nutritious food for my family. It’s part of who I am. If I had the time (there’s that word again) and the ingenuity, I would have every morsel that came in touch with my family’s mouth fresh from the farm, field, or river.

But that’s just not possible in the area I live, the amount of other activities I like to be involved with, or the amount of time I love to spend talking and enjoying life with my husband, daughter, and son. Thus, my problem.

The more I meditate on the issue at hand, the more I think of ideas to do in 15 minute segments. What I do as a whole can take hours; not everyone is up for that. But what if I just broke that up in 15 minute bites and still accomplished good food for my family. What if I journaled it for keepsake and possibly helped others to do what I’m doing also? Hmmm..what if?