Laurel of Leaves

Making the Move to WordPress

2010-12-03T17:25:00.001-06:00

I can't even tell you how excited I am to show you my new blog design.

My sweet husband has been hard at work (in between the other 18 projects he generally has going at one time) to create a beautiful masterpiece for Laurel of Leaves.

And it will be live on Monday! Here is a preview to whet your whistle:

If you follow me on Blogger right now, I'd love for you to subscribe again, since I'll be making the move to WordPress.

In the meantime, check out five of my most popular articles since Laurel of Leaves began a year and a half ago:

Yes, I Know I'm Crazy...
Why I ditched my microwave.

My New Favorite Cookies
Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies. And yes, they're good for you.

Taking Recycling to a New Level
Doing more than just separating paper, glass, & plastic. 5 ideas to help get you started.

Why I Don't Wear Sunscreen
And why I'm not scared of getting cancer.

5 Ways to Multi-task with Coconut Oil
Need I say more? Such good stuff.

Ultimate Carrot Cake

2010-11-23T09:33:00.002-06:00

Today is my husband's birthday.

{Happy Birthday love!}

It's been a week long celebration with family, friends, and cake.

Good cake.

No, I mean really good cake.

What I like to call the Ultimate (at least Semi-Healthy) Carrot Cake.

I made this same recipe for his birthday last year and a repeat occurrence was requested again this year. I was only too happy to oblige because I wanted to eat it just as much as my husband did!

After a few tweaks to the recipe, I think this one came out even better. I spent Saturday night baking, but, unfortunately, I couldn't taste the cake until his party on Sunday.

I did manage to lick the spatula clean of the icing after I was done though. Baking is somehow incomplete and entirely unfulfilling if you can't lick the spatula clean.

The weather was, in a word, GORGEOUS. I was so happy to see temperatures in the 70s in November. (Good ole' schizophrenic Tennessee weather.) We invited some friends and hung out at the park.

And ate good food, like blue corn chips with peach mango salsa, homemade strawberry lemonade, and veggies with raw ranch dressing.

And I couldn't resist adding one New Zealand-themed touch, since we are, of course, spending the next year in NZ.

Then it was time for cake! The wind was so fierce we didn't bother lighting candles.

But I don't think it really mattered to Drew....

He did finally get his slice of birthday cake... and even went back for seconds!

Recipe time! I would imagine this cake would also be a big hit at holiday parties or family dinners.

The Cake:

3 c. spelt flour

1 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. unsweetened coconut

2 c. grated carrots

1 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 c. grapeseed oil

1 1/2 c. maple syrup or honey (or a combination)

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. crushed pineapple (with juice)

Preheat oven to 325. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in another bowl (or blender--I used my Vitamix), then add to dry ingredients. Stir until smooth.

Grease 2 round cake pans (I save my butter wrappers and rub them on the pan) and pour batter into pans. Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes.

In the meantime, make the Cream Cheese Icing:

1/2 c. unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

2/3 c. maple syrup or honey (or a combination)

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and blend until smooth.

When the cake is cool, ice away! I would love any tips for icing a cake without the cake crumbs getting all mixed up in the icing. I've always had trouble with that...

As a side note, this was my first time to use spelt flour. I generally stick with gluten-free flour options like brown rice flour or Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour. But a friend recommended spelt and told me it was very low in gluten. She said many people with gluten intolerances still do well with it. And I have to say, I was really pleased with the consistency of the cake using the spelt flour.

What is your best birthday cake memory? Or your favorite variety of cake?

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Tuesday Twister

Apple Crisp: Quintessential Autumn

2010-11-17T21:51:00.000-06:00

What could possibly be better than a warm apple crisp, fragrant and steaming, fresh out of the oven?

I would vote a raw apple crisp pulled straight out of the fridge!

Ok, so maybe we are comparing apples and oranges here (or at least hot apples to cold ones...). You really can't compare much to a warm apple crisp right out of the oven, but there is plenty to love about this twist on a classic.

It may not be Grandma's recipe, but boy does it taste just as good. To be quite honest, I dismissed the recipe for a while, passing it off as a boring and potentially complicated dish.

But now I am seriously considering taking this to Thanksgiving dinner and not telling anyone how healthy it actually is.

But don't take my word for it (whoa, flashback to the Reading Rainbow.....)

Here's the recipe so you can check it out for yourself. And see if it doesn't take at least half as long to make as a traditional crisp:

8 apples, peeled & chopped
1 c. raisins, soaked & drained
2 tsp. cinnamon, divided
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 c. walnuts
1 c. pitted dates
1/8 tsp. sea salt

Place 2 apples, raisins, 1 tsp. cinnamon & the nutmeg in a food processor or Vitamix and process until smooth.

Toss remaining chopped apples with lemon juice in a large bowl. Pour apple raisin puree over apples and mix well.

Spoon mixture into a medium sized baking dish and set aside.

Crumble:
Pulse walnuts, dates, 1 tsp. cinnamon, & sea salt in a food processor or Vitamix until coarsely ground. Don't over mix.

Sprinkle mixture over apples and press down lightly with your hands.

Serve immediately or let sit for a few hours for the flavor to marinate.

As a side note, this recipe can be found in the The Real Food Diet Cookbook by my boss, Dr. Josh Axe! I was the project manager for the book and I have to say I'm pretty darn proud of it. Check it out here.

Local Restaurant Review: Burger Up

2010-11-11T21:49:00.001-06:00

This was one of those restaurants I kept hearing people rave about.

And it sounded great! Grass-fed burgers in a trendy neighborhood south of Nashville. A restaurant owned and operated by the owners of the Frothy Monkey coffee house down the street. (Popular with the college crowd. Food from local farms on their menu. Good stuff.)

An upscale burger joint seemed the perfect place to meet up with my cousin and his fiance when they stopped into town.

The sidewalk was teeming with people waiting for a table when we arrived. Granted, it was a Saturday and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. So we waited. And waited. But finally we were seated on the patio.

Which was preferable to me in the first place, but it became increasingly preferable as we walked through the dining room to our table.

People were jam. packed. into that place. Elbow to elbow. I pity the servers in there.

Looking over the menu, it was obvious they offered much, much more than just your average, run of the mill burger. We're talking Tuna Tartar, Crab Cakes, Tomato Basil Soup, etc.

But their specialty is definitely the burgers.

As much as I was tempted to order the Marathon Quinoa & Black Bean Burger, just for a change of pace, I knew I couldn't leave Burger Up without trying their Triple L Classic (All their beef is sourced exclusively through Triple L Ranch in Franklin, TN).

Yum. Big yum.

The other tempting menu options? A Lamb Burger with wilted arugula, peppermint dijon, and boursin cheese. Or the Citrus Salmon Burger with cilantro lime creme fraise and shaved red onion. But at $13 and $11 respectively, I had to pass on those. Even if they come with fries, that's a pretty hefty price tag for an entree at a burger joint.

Here's how I would break down my experience at Burger Up:

Pros:

Excellent food. You just can't deny it.

Great location. Right down the street from the trendy & historic 12th South neighborhood.

Cons:

Relatively slow service.

Prices on the high end. You definitely pay for the atmosphere.

My final verdict?

The creative menu options and local ingredients would bring me back on a special occasion, but for just 'grabbing a burger,' I would be more likely to opt for something just as delicious, but a bit easier on the budget--like Gabby's Burgers & Fries.

Want to check out Burger Up for yourself? Here's the info:

Burger Up

2901 12th Ave. South

Nashville, TN 37204

www.burger-up.com

Check out other reviews on Urbanspoon:

Sunny Side Up Brunch Salad

2010-11-09T08:27:00.001-06:00

As much as I love muffins (and boy do I love muffins), I find that a breakfast without some greens just isn't complete.

Green veggies (whether it's spinach blended into my smoothie or my Sunny Side Up Salad below) give me a boost of energy for the day, alkalize my body, boost my nutrient intake, and help protect my skin.

I brought this dish to a brunch with our 'dinner and a doc' friends, Thomas & Jeanette. This time it was brunch and a doc (not quite the same effect when lacking the alliteration, but you get the idea). I brought Sunny Side Up Salad and Thomas made Venison & Shitake meatballs served with a trio of mashes (carrot ginger, sweet potato garlic, and radish turnip). He is insanely creative in the kitchen. I love it.

We ate while we bemoaned the current state of our national debt by watching I.O.U.S.A.

The Sunny Side Up Salad is a warm spinach and potato salad with a red wine & mustard vinaigrette, topped with a fried egg. Sunny side up of course.

Here's the recipe:

2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil or coconut oil
2 baking potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes (I used 4 red potatoes)
sea salt & black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (I used stoneground mustard)
1 shallot, minced (or you can use sweet yellow onion)
2 bunches of flat leaf spinach or abt 1/2 lb. of baby spinach leaves, stems removed
2 oz. Parmesan cheese
4 large free-range eggs from happy chickens

Heat grapeseed or coconut oil in a large skillet. Add potatoes and season with sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and browned, about 12-14 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, and minced shallot in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add spinach and Parmesan to the bowl and set aside.

When potatoes are done, add them to the bowl and toss salad until spinach is only slightly wilted.

Fry up your eggs until the whites are just set but yolks are still soft, then top each salad with an egg.

Perfect served alongside muffins for brunch! (Or breakfast or lunch or dinner. There really are no rules here.)

What is your favorite brunch dish?

This post is linked to Tuesday Twister

Cooking Dried Beans in 3 Easy Steps

2010-11-03T21:14:00.001-05:00

This information has changed my life.

Not even kidding.

I had always shied away from buying dried beans in the past. All the soaking and hours of cooking on the stove just wasn't something I had the time or patience for.

But then I came across a wonderful blog post by the Cheapskate Cook on the Convenience of Canned Beans--Without the Can or Additives.

And there it was. My life would never be the same again.

I'll share with you the simplified version...

Cooking Dried Beans in 3 Easy Steps:

1. Place dried beans and water in a crock pot (in a 1:2 ratio--1 cup of beans for every 2 cups of water)

2. Turn on crock pot.

3. Walk away.

I know--you're blown away. Don't you love the simplicity?!

Not to mention the health benefits of avoiding additives & preservatives typically found in canned beans.

AND the financial benefits of buying dried beans in bulk versus canned beans.

I ended up with the equivalent of at least 5 cans of black beans (only 4 are pictured below) for a whopping $2.62. When you consider that a can of organic beans costs around $1 each (or more), I ended up saving almost half what I would normally spend!

That's a pretty darn significant savings.

When they are finished cooking (6-8 hours on low, 4-5 hours on high), I like to portion them into containers using a slotted spoon (I peel the labels off my almond butter and spaghetti sauce jars to be used for events just like this).

You can stick them in the freezer if you don't see yourself using them in the next couple of weeks.

But when there are so many delicious ways to cook with beans, I'm not sure you will have any problem with that.

I add beans to my chili, or I toss them with some brown rice pasta, sauteed onions & peppers, and red sauce.

I also include them in quinoa salads like these from Karina at Gluten Free Goddess or Erin at Erin's Food Files.

And at the request of my seemingly-always-hungry husband, I make large quantities of homemade hummus!

What are your favorite ways to eat beans?

This post is linked to Simple Lives Thursday

The Cancer Controversy

2010-10-25T09:15:00.003-05:00

I sparked quite the controversy the other day on Facebook.

People came out of the woodwork to get across their point of view.

But I see it all being positive. Because these things need to be talked about. Issues that are otherwise generally accepted as truth need to be brought to the surface. Lies need to be exposed.

The issue? Cancer.

Here was my original post:

You don't get cancer which MAKES you UNHEALTHY. You get cancer BECAUSE you are UNHEALTHY. (via Matthew McAlees) So true!

I'll give you the reader's digest version of the controversy that followed, then leave you with a more detailed explanation of my point of view.

The first round:

"Health does not = no cancer! That's a myth. Health decreases your likelihood of developing certain cancers but there are thousands of healthy people who were struck by this nasty illness."

This is what I used to believe too! So I'm certainly not casting judgments on those who still believe it. I've been there. Done that.

But now I know differently.

Dr. McAlees offered some research on the subject:

"What the research actually says is that 95% of cancers are lifestyle induced. I think eventually we will find out it's 100%. Nutrition & exercise don't equal health. They are components, but are by no means health in its entirety. People may do a few things right, but that doesn't mean the principle isn't true. Cancer can only exist in a body with a weak immune system. A healthy body kills cancer. Check out the research from the National Institutes of Health"

Then round two:

"If that's true, then why do 2 year olds, who have had little chance to eat improperly, smoke, and in general be un-healthy get brain tumors, or leukemia, or something?"

Valid question indeed.

Dr. Dale Brown then posed a very important question:

"Everyone, may I ask that all of you, in your own words and with your current knowledge, define what health is?"

Most people believe they are healthy if they feel good, eat well (or at least try to eat well), and exercise (or at least exercise occasionally).

How do you define health? Let's start a conversation below in the comments section.

There were quite a few more comments, arguments, heated debates, thoughts, musings, etc. that I won't post here (Reader's Digest version, remember?)

But I do want to leave you with one last comment. It may or may not qualify under the 'Reader's Digest' heading, but I believe it's worth sharing.

This sums up very nicely what I believe about cancer (and health in general!)

"EVERYONE HAS CANCER cells in their bodies. However, a properly functioning immune system (part of 'health') routinely takes care of them as a matter of course - thousands created & destroyed daily. Your 'health' determines how well that immune system will deal with them. As your health declines, your immune system cannot keep up and you 'get cancer.' It is disease that builds over time due to poor health, not something that you 'catch.' The process has been going on long before the tumor shows up.

On the topic of GENETICS, yes, different people have predetermined TENDENCIES to develop cancer. However, lifestyle has a HUGE say in whether or not those genetic tendencies are expressed - same goes for obesity, alcoholism, etc.

In regards to CHILDHOOD CANCERS, as was pointed out earlier, these result largely from exposure to toxins from mom, possibly compounded with a genetic disposition. Toxins accumulate in mom's body and are absolutely passed on to junior in the womb. You may think that these exposures are minimal. However, if you are only made up of a handful of cells when the exposure occurs, it can cause damage to DNA which passes on every time a cell duplicates, making the effects multiply exponentially during development.

Ultimately, it does come back to mom. A toxin-free mom will not give birth to a baby with cancer. By two years of age, children have been exposed to enough toxins from vaccines, household cleaners, baby formula, radio and microwaves, and low quality food to drastically inhibit the immune system's ability to deal with cancer cells.

The tragic price of our modern, 'advanced' civilization. We've invented lots of things that can kill us."

Well said, my friend. Well said.

What about you? Thoughts? Comments? Differing opinions?

If you'd like more information on the subject, I will leave you with a few links for further reading and watching:

The Futility of Conventional Cancer Treatments
Gerson Institute: Healing with Nature
The Gerson Miracle documentary Cancer's Link to Your Diet
The Beautiful Truth documentary
Preventing & Treating Cancer from the Inside Out

This post is linked to Simple Lives Thursday

Dinner on an Empty Fridge

2010-10-22T07:03:00.001-05:00

We've been on a tighter budget these days since we are (drum roll please....) saving up to spend a year traveling New Zealand!

(You can follow our journey on our travel blog: There & Back Again)

At any rate, I had yet to get to the grocery store the other night and was faced with an empty refrigerator.

Ok, maybe it wasn't completely empty. We had chicken sausages--but we had eaten those the past 2 nights in a row. We had sweet potatoes--but we had eaten those the past 2 nights in a row.

And there were a handful of containers of leftovers. But nothing really substantial.

So I was forced to get creative! But I think the final product turned out rather nicely:

Soup and sandwich combos are traditionally more of a lunch thing, but I'll take what I can get.

The soup came from these leftovers:

a small container of leftover brown rice couscous
an even smaller container of leftover Morrocan Harira soup
chicken broth
baby spinach leaves

Then I cooked up one of my favorite comfort foods--a fried almond butter & banana sandwich on Ezekiel bread. Made the same way I cook my grilled cheese sandwiches.

Elvis would be proud.

Dessert was a square or 2 (ok--or 3) of dark chocolate.

And in keeping with our New Zealand travel plans, it was all eaten while watching The Lord of the Rings (which was, of course, filmed for the most part on the South Island of New Zealand)!

So, what are your favorite meals to make from leftovers? What has been your most creative attempt at dinner on an empty fridge?

This post is linked to Tuesday Twister

Carrot Raisin Muffins on a Rainy Afternoon

2010-10-15T12:34:00.001-05:00

Usually muffins are a weekend breakfast treat. Like cake for breakfast.

But the other afternoon I had a craving for a baked good.

I needed something warm and moist and comforting.

Earlier the day was sunny and the sky was blue (lending itself nicely to a picnic lunch). But the afternoon turned gray and rainy. And cold.

Cakes & breads take too long to cook. I wasn't in the mood for cookies.

But Carrot Raisin Muffins did the trick nicely!

Back in the summer I made a variation on these muffins with blueberries.

But raisins just seem so fall-ish to me. I also added some flax meal to this recipe for some Omega-3's.

2/3 c. all-purpose gluten-free baking flour

2/3 c. brown rice flour

1/3 c. flax meal

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/3 c. raisins

3/4 c. grated carrots

2 eggs

1/3 c. maple syrup

2 packets stevia

2/3 c. grapeseed oil

Combine all dry ingredients through raisins in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

To grate the carrots, I use my VitaMix. If you have one, just cut a couple carrots into baby carrot size. With the VitaMix empty, turn it on at Variable 4. Open the lid plug and drop in each carrot piece one at a time.

Then add the eggs, maple syrup, stevia and oil and continue blending.

If you don't have a VitaMix, you can use a food processor or a hand grater.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Pour into muffin tin and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

I like to make 6 muffins at a time and save the rest of the batter for the next day. For breakfast. Or afternoon tea or dessert.

What's your favorite rainy afternoon snack?

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays

Street Food: Moroccan Harira

2010-10-13T15:03:00.000-05:00

Welcome to another installment of ethnic recipes from my Street Food cookbook.

This is a Moroccan Harira. A bean soup. It's also considered Morocco's national soup.

(Does the US have a national soup? Who knew that sort of thing even existed...)

But I do know that hearty soups are perfect for fall weather!

Nothing was incredibly complicated about this soup. Most of the ingredients are things I keep on hand, or they were very easy to find (with one exception--see below).

I messed with the amounts of different ingredients based on what happened to be in my pantry or refrigerator. But that's the beauty of cooking--it still came out tasting great!

Here are the measurements I used:

1 c. chickpeas or lentils, cooked (I used lentils)
3 shallots, chopped
1/2 tsp. saffron strands, soaked (Ok--didn't use this. Where do you find these??)
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. ginger (I used more like a Tbsp. of minced ginger root)
3 tomatoes, chopped
4 c. chicken stock and/or water
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2-3 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
2-3 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. brown rice flour
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
butter
sea salt & pepper to taste

In a large stock pot combine the cooked chickpeas or lentils, shallots, saffron, turmeric, ginger, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock or water, and half of the parsley & cilantro. The directions then instruct you to add a blob of butter.

A blob.

I rather liked that.

(Granted, they called for margarine, which is a disgusting fake food that should never, ever, under any circumstances be considered healthy.)

But I digress...

Getting back to the soup, bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Place the flour in a small bowl and add a bit of the cooking liquid. Stir to make a creamy paste. Then return to the soup and mix well.

Add lemon juice and adjust seasonings. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes more, then serve! Garnish with cilantro & parsley.

They also recommended serving the soup with dates or almonds & honey.

I recommend eating it while sitting in the middle of a big pile of fallen leaves on a sunny autumn afternoon.

Anyone been to Morocco? Did I do justice to their national soup?

5 Ways to Multi-task with Coconut Oil

2010-10-11T09:13:00.002-05:00

Could anything in this world be more wonderful than coconut oil?

(Ok, besides goat cheese, the Silly Goose, & Jesus?)

In all seriousness though, coconut oil definitely tops the list of must-have products on my list.

Coconut oil (and all coconut products, really) have gotten a terrible, though incredibly undeserved, reputation over the last 50 years or so. People freak out over the caloric intake of coconut products, bemoaning and lamenting the saturated fat found in coconut milk and coconut oil.

Truthfully, eating a low-fat diet is one of the worst things you could possibly do for your body (50% of your cell membranes are made up of saturated fatty acids. No healthy fats=a terrible hormone imbalance=all kinds of problems with weight gain, hair loss, or painful or irregular menstrual cycles). Eating healthy saturated fats can actually help you lose weight!

Sally Fallon (of Weston A. Price fame) gives a laundry list of the benefits of saturated fats:

Provide our cells with necessary stiffness & integrity
Play a vital role in bone health (at least 50% of your fat intake should be saturated in order for calcium to be absorbed properly)
Protects our liver from alcohol and toxins (like Tylenol)
Enhance the immune system
Protect the heart during times of stress
Provide antimicrobial properties

It's also very interesting to note that coconut products contains lauric acid--the same type of fatty acid found in women's breast milk. Turns out God knows what He's doing...

So, why is coconut oil so wonderful?

So glad you asked.

Here are 5 reasons I love coconut oil:

1) I cook with it. Coconut oil has a higher heat threshold, making it ideal for higher temperatures. Oils like vegetable oil, canola oil, and even olive oil, can't handle high heats and will oxidize (i.e. turn rancid) when the temperature gets too high.

2) I moisturize with it. I threw out all my froo-froo smelling lotions when I learned that the majority of the ingredients were carcinogenic. Coconut oil doesn't have fake colors, fragrances, aluminum, parabens, propylene glycol, or sodium laurel sulfate.
It's also a myth that people with oily skin should not use oil-based beauty products. What really happens is that washing your face too much and using toxic lotions will strip your skin of it's natural oils, causing it to produce more. Coconut oil will balance your skin's natural oil production. I no longer deal with an oily face!

3) I use it as a mousse. I tried quite a few natural mousse/gel products for my curly hair, but nothing impressed me. Especially at the price I paid. But coconut oil works better than anything I've tried in the past! I don't use much, mostly focusing on the ends and the top layer to prevent frizz.

4) I protect from sunburn with it. It's no secret that I don't wear sunscreen. But I will put on a layer of coconut oil if I'm going to be in the sun for more than an hour or two. This also works with high quality olive oil (but has the potential to look ridiculous if you aren't a muscular male from the Mediterranean...)
Coconut oil also works wonders for a sunburn. I rarely peel from a sunburn anymore if I apply coconut oil twice a day to the affected area.

5) I use it on scratches, wounds, breakouts & bug bites. Because coconut oil has antimicrobial products, I apply it to any part of my skin that needs to be kept clean in order to heal properly.

You can find coconut oil at pretty much any natural health food store (always get unrefined!). But you'll find a much better price if you order it online.

So, do you love coconut oil as much as I do? Have you ever even used it before? Maybe you have a new use. Share away!

This post is also linked to Simple Lives Thursday.

Easy Stromboli

2010-10-07T07:56:00.000-05:00

I grew up eating strombolis (strombolii?) and calzones from this New York style pizza place in Memphis--Milano's.

And I do still love a good, greasy pizza these days too. I can pack it away with the best of them.

So when I found Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough for a dollar (scratch that--99 CENTS!), I went to town making homemade pizzas piled high with veggies and goat cheese.

The pizza dough isn't the healthiest thing on the face of the planet. It still has gluten and canola oil (which is a rancid oil after it's been processed). And even 'whole wheat' is super processed and turns to sugar quickly in your body. But keeping a big picture perspective, it's not the worst thing you could possibly eat either.

And so inspiration hit me recently and produced this lovely dish:

Here's what I did:

I cooked up some grass-fed beef and chopped onions. While that was in the pan, I divided the pizza dough in half and rolled each half out into a rectangular shape.

I spooned the meat into the center of each rectangle of dough, then added spinach and goat cheese.

Next I folded the long sides on top of the meat about halfway. Then, starting with the bottom of the dough (the side closest to you on the counter....), I folded the dough over the filling and rolled it up like a burrito.

I placed them on a baking sheet and baked according the pizza dough directions. In the last 5 minutes I brushed some coconut oil on the tops to make them crisp and lovely.

Definitely a hearty meal. Very 'guy-friendly' as well. And very open to your own interpretation!

What stromboli fillings do you want to try?

Pomegranate Pear & Gouda Quesadillas

2010-10-06T12:20:00.000-05:00

I feel like I've referenced this recipe about 14 times without actually sharing it.

(Ok, so 14 is an overstatement. But it was at least twice.)

This recipe is so enigmatic. It's simple (6 ingredients), but complicated at the same time (as you'll see below). It's fried food, yet it's healthy.

So what makes it simple? The 6 simple ingredients:

1/2 c. pomegranate arils

2 brown rice tortillas

1 pear, sliced thinly

slices of smoked gouda cheese (I use unpasteurized)

sprinkle of stevia

1 Tbsp. grapeseed or coconut oil

And what makes it complicated?

The brown rice tortillas.

They break apart as soon as you fold them in half, making the innards fall out upon flipping.

But tortillas of the brown rice variety taste so much better than the sprouted grain variety.

I don't even bother with regular flour tortillas since I'm doing my best to stay away from foods that turn to sugar quickly in my body, contain chemicals and preservatives, and have gluten.

If you're willing to deal with a potential mess in the frying pan, start by laying thin slices of the gouda cheese over half the tortilla. Press the pomegranate arils gently into the cheese (it helps if the cheese is at room temperature at this point instead of coming directly from the fridge). Need help with the pomegranate arils? See my how-to post on opening a pomegranate.

Next layer thin slices of pear and sprinkle with stevia to taste (you won't need a lot).

Then heat the oil in a frying pan. This is where the healthy fried food conundrum plays out. Just because something is fried doesn't necessarily mean it's automatically bad. When you cook food in healthy oils (like grapeseed or coconut) that don't turn rancid when they're heated, you're good to go!

Fold the tortilla in half and place in the pan. After a few minutes, flip the quesadilla using a spatula and taking great caution.

There truly is an art form associated with quesadilla (and omelet) flipping. I have certainly not yet mastered it.

But my Pomegranate Pear & Gouda Quesadillas end up tasting pretty darn amazing anyway.

I'm interested in trying a version of this recipe as a grilled cheese with Ezekiel bread as well...

Thoughts? Ideas? Tips?

When Allergies Go Awry

2010-10-05T08:58:00.000-05:00

Most people take it for granted that a change in seasons means their allergies will flare up.

Noses run. Eyes itch. Throats become sore.

But our bodies wouldn't require an immune response to a change in the weather (or to certain plants, etc.), if we didn't have so much immuno-compromising toxicity and/or deficiency in the first place.

(This is true of all diseases by the way.)

But, alas, through the course of my quarter century on the earth so far I have been exposed to a host of toxins (pollutants, chemicals, vaccines....) and have not always eaten so well (Yes, it's true, I ate cake for breakfast in college. On a regular basis. Warmed in the microwave no less.)

So when the fall made its debut this past week, my nose knew it.

I attacked the head congestion and drainage not with medications (which only cover over the symptoms and deposit more toxicity into my body), but by skipping straight to the root of the problem and boosting my immune system! My body fought it off naturally and became stronger for it.

Here's a rundown of what I did when my allergies went awry:

Garden of Life Immune Balance Sinus
Garden of Life is a top notch company. It was founded by The Maker's Diet author Jordan Rubin. And you can count on them to have the highest quality, whole-food based supplements out there.
This is a combination of vitamin C (from RAW citrus C blend), vitamin D3, wild crafted butterbur extract (supports sinus health & respiratory function), an herbal immune blend (of acerola cherry, angelica root, citrus bioflavanoids, elderberry extract, ginger root, lemon balm, & olive leaf extract), & a sinus enzyme blend of bromelain & protease.

Colloidal Silver spray
This is my go-to for a sore throat. It acts as an antiseptic & disinfectant. Colloidal silver is actually hotly debated in the medical world for its safety. I'm certainly not saying colloidal silver is a cure-all for every disease and doesn't have the potential to be risky if you use too much, but the medical world also says vaccines are safe.....
I give a spray of this stuff into the back of my throat 1-3 times a day when my throat is scratchy or sore.

Probiotics
When 70%-85% of your immune system is found in your gut, you want to make sure everything is in balance. This means making sure you have a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria. Since I took (many) rounds of antibiotics growing up, I know that a good portion of my probiotics have been wiped out.
I actually take probiotics every day to keep my immune system in check and my digestive tract in order.

Elderberry Syrup
This herbal syrup is a super immune booster. When I start to feel sick, I take a teaspoon full an hour before bed, then get a full night's rest to recover.

Axe Naturals Berry Greens Powder
This is something else I take every single morning. Greens powders are full of antioxidants, energy-giving green vegetables, detoxifying algaes, and even a extra boost of probiotics in this formula. Plus the freeze dried berries and stevia make it rather tasty actually!
I mix one scoop in about 8 oz. of water, stir, and drain it down. You could also put a scoop in a smoothie.

I also brewed up a batch of Bee Balm Mint tea using herbs grown on my balcony!

Bee balm (also known as Lemon Balm) helps open up your sinuses. Think Vicks Vapor Rub without the nasty chemicals or medication.

I used a combination of fresh and dried bee balm leaves as well as fresh and dried mint leaves for the flavor.

And there you have it! A detailed plan of action for the next time your allergies go awry.

Do you have any other home remedies for runny noses, sore throats or itchy eyes?

Book Review: Doctor of the Future

2010-09-30T16:18:00.001-05:00

This isn't necessarily a book I would have picked from the bookstore shelf myself. Admittedly the cover is incredibly cheesy.

This came as required reading for staff meetings at work.

And I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much new information I learned from it!

The first page describes the book as a 'guidebook for how you and your family can transform American health care. It shows you what you need to know today to take better care of your health, and your family's tomorrow. It also illustrates how to use the body's own power of self-healing to produce greater health and vitality.'

It is obvious that the author was using the book as a promotional tool for his clinic (based on the number of times he references it by name and offers the phone number, website and mailing address ad nauseum). But if you can look past that, the book really does skip over the fluff and offers information you can really sink your teeth into.

Maybe you're curious about the spine on the front cover. How can a small segment of the medical field--an offshoot of 'alternative medicine'--be considered the answer to true health?

That, my friends, is something I have learned much about in the past couple years.

As it turns out, God needs no help healing us, just no interference.

The author of this book does a really fantastic job explaining in layman's terms how misalignments of the spine can wreak havoc on your health.

After all, if your brain runs and controls every single function of your body, what happens if the nerve impulses from the brain get stopped or delayed because there is pressure on a nerve due to a misalignment in the spine?

And he doesn't stop there. There are chapters on the history of medicine, nutrition, stress, & exercise.

I think I underlined and highlighted half of the book, but here are some really great nuggets of wisdom:

"The history of pharmaceutical misinformation can be traced to the Rockefellers and the Carnegies at the turn of the nineteenth century. That's who started pumping tons of money into the drug industry. They saw a tremendous opportunity to make lots of money, so they started funding medical schools. At that point in time, medical schools were designed to just teach surgery. The Rockefellers and Carnegies introduced the drug industry because they knew that by doing so they could expand and glean huge profits." -p. 25

Rather reminds me of the snake oil salesman and the history of the pharmaceutical industry.

"Isn't it funny how the practice of good spinal health, maintaining excellent nerve function, nutrition, detoxification, exercise, and vitamin supplements, which are all vital to great health and well-being, are called alternative medicine? Wellness practices should be considered primary health care. Traditional medicine is emergency, urgent crisis care, involving drugs and surgery; it is not health care. This should really be called the alternative." -p. 45

I love this explanation of salt vs. sea salt and high blood pressure:

"Alarmingly, table salt is poisonous to the nervous system. Ninety-four percent of the world's sodium is used commercially for shellacs and abrasive cleaning agents. Table salt is created by heating up ocean salt to extract sodium chloride for its commercial use as an abrasive; whatever is left over is that you find on the typical dinner table. When combined with the eighty-plus minerals indigenous to natural sea salt, sodium chloride is highly beneficial. When you take in sodium chloride by itself, it's a toxic poison to the body. That's why salt causes blood pressure to rise. You put a toxin in your body, and arteries immediately constrict. Your heart has to work harder, which causes blood pressure to go up." p. 103

And I had to include all this info on avocados. Who knew they were so amazing?!

"Avocados contain compounds that lower cholesterol and help prevent certain types of cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Avocados have antioxidant as well as antacid properties. They contain fourteen minerals, notably iron and copper, which aid in red blood cell regeneration, and potassium. They are one of the best sources of vitamin A, contain no starch, and minimal sugar. Avocados are 80 percent fat, all of it good fat. They are a good source of protein and have more potassium than bananas without all the sugar. They are rich sources of phytochemicals and glutathione, a powerful antioxidant and anti-aging chemical. Avocados are also the richest source of lutein, which protects against cancer and eye diseases. They are also very high in vitamin E." -p. 113

Whew! I'm just saying.....

The Final Verdict

Pros:

Packed full of really useful, practical information
Very easy to read--scientific information presented in layman's terms
Offers a wealth of resources (websites for products, organizations, etc.)

Cons:

Evidently self-published (full of grammatical errors & typos)
Blatant promotion of his Florida based clinic

Overall though, a really good choice if you want to learn more about how to be proactive with your health.

Check it out on Amazon:

Grilled Cheese for Grown-ups

2010-09-29T18:29:00.000-05:00

You know those days when you open the refrigerator and just stand there staring into it?

You're hungry. But you don't feel like taking the time to cook anything fancy.

You're not in the mood to throw together a salad. Or to snack on veggies & hummus. But that's all you see in the fridge.

This has (obviously) happened to me more than once. And I can almost guarantee you know what I'm talking about.

But inspiration hit me recently. I saw Ezekiel bread. I saw goat cheese.

And what more could a girl want, really? It's no secret that I love goat cheese. It tops the list of my all-time favorite foods (right up there alongside pineapple and lima beans).

And so I ended up with a Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich!

You can't beat a good Grilled Cheese sandwich. It definitely brought back memories of slapping a couple slices of plastic American cheese onto slices of soggy white bread and popping it in the toaster oven. Ah, childhood...

At least I have a better grasp of nutrition these days!

In this case, I spread goat cheese on 2 pieces of Ezekiel bread, heated up some grapeseed oil in a skillet (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan), then placed the bread, cheese side up, in the oil to cook. Once the cheese got soft, I put the pieces together. Voila! Lunch in a jiffy.

Had I been to the grocery store prior to this bout of culinary inspiration, I would have also put in a fat tomato slice and some fresh basil.

Or served it plain with a big bowl of homemade tomato soup.

Ok, now it's your turn! What is your favorite healthy grilled cheese recipe?

Sunny with a High of 75

2010-09-28T14:47:00.000-05:00

Yep, not only is it the title of a Relient K song that defined my sophomore year of college, sunny with a high of 75 was the actual forecast for the day here in Nash-vegas.

And what a glorious day it is!

I love being able to curl up in the blankets at night, then wear my fuzzy robe while I drink hot tea in the morning. But best of all, I like picnic lunches and being able to lay in the sun on a blanket in shorts to soak up some vitamin D!

Today's picnic lunch didn't require that I travel far. I just took a blanket to a grassy area right outside my apartment.

On the menu today?

Organic brown rice pasta (from Trader Joe's) tossed with homemade pesto
Baby cucumber slices
Black bean hummus (from Whole Foods)
Orange bell pepper slices

The pesto pasta was especially quick and easy to throw together since I froze my pesto in ice cube trays when I made it a couple months ago. After it froze, I put 2 'cubes' in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Then I pulled them out today and mixed it with freshly cooked pasta!

What are your favorite picnic foods?

Street Food: Ethiopian Lentil Wat

2010-09-23T11:17:00.000-05:00

Let it be known this was the first time I've ever cooked with lentils.

I know, I know.....what kind of health nut are you?

Just goes to show that I'm not as crazy as people might think. (Or, maybe I am. It's definitely debatable.)

At any rate, when my sweet husband bought me this Street Food cookbook for my birthday, this was one of the first recipes I tried.

It doesn't look a thing like the picture in the book, but I figured rarely do they ever. It tasted amazing though!

Lentils=a success.

I had to do a bit of research on them since this was my first introduction. Here's what I found:

Lentils come in quite a few varieties, but they are all a great source of inexpensive protein, and high in iron, B-vitamins, and fiber (which helps control blood sugar levels).

Want to make your own? Here's the recipe:

1 c. lentils

1-2 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated

3 cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Tbsp. cilantro or parsley

sea salt & pepper

1 Tbsp. coconut oil

Put the lentils in a saucepan with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Skim off any froth with a spoon, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 min.

Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a pan and saute the onions & garlic. Next, add the chili powder, ginger, cloves, nutmeg & lemon juice.

Spoon cooked lentils into the spice mix and stir to combine. Cook over low heat for 5-10 min. to let the flavors expand, stirring frequently. Garnish with cilantro or parsley.

If you're interested in more Street Food, I'll be reviewing more recipes from the cookbook as I make them. You can also get your own copy from Amazon. Sales of the book support Fair Trade!

How to Open a Pomegranate

2010-09-21T13:13:00.000-05:00

Pomegranates are lovely. Packed full of antioxidants and exploding with flavor.

But if you've never cooked with a pomegranate before (or, let's face it, seen one in person), they can be awfully intimidating. What do you do it? How to extract those little rubies enclosed inside?

I'll be completely honest--it was only about a year and half ago that I had even seen a real pomegranate in person. I had no clue how to open it or what to do with it. But I had a recipe for Pear, Pomegranate & Gouda Quesadillas. Sounds incredible, right?

So off to Google I went! To save you the time and hassle, I've created a pictorial guide for how to open a pomegranate....

You'll start by chopping off one end:

Then, using a knife, score the pomegranate into quarters. Just score, don't cut all the way through!

Next, break apart the quarters with your hands. They should come apart without too much difficulty.

You'll want to get a bowl of water and, very gently, break off the arils with your fingers and let them fall into the water. Any white flesh that falls will float to the top of the water, making it very easy to pick out at the end.

All that's left is to strain out the water!

Now to cook! Or eat straight from the strainer. Talk about a tasty (and addicting) snack!

What are your favorite ways to eat or cook with pomegranate?

Flavor of the Week: Orange Pomegranate Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-09-14T13:45:00.000-05:00

I have a weakness for muffins.

You might have noticed, what with my posts on Banana Chocolate Chip muffins & Carrot Blueberry Muffins.

These Orange Pomegranate Chocolate Chip muffins were definitely a blog-worthy success!

The coming of fall means pomegranates appear in the grocery store. I can't tell you how excited I was to see them! I immediately put one in my shopping cart. Didn't hurt that they were on sale too.

The inspiration for the muffins came from having extra pomegranate arils left over from our Pomegranate Pear Quesadillas last night, then having a friend over for breakfast this morning.

She brought eggs, spinach & goat cheese. I made muffins and hot tea. What a beautiful combination.

Sadly, we gobbled up the muffins amidst our chatter about her upcoming wedding and move to New Zealand before I remembered to take a picture of the final product. But I'm sure you can imagine what they looked like. You've seen muffins before after all.

Inspired? Here's the recipe:

1 c. gluten-free flour (I used a combination of brown rice flour and Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour)
1/3 c. maple syrup
sprinkle of stevia
1/3 c. coconut milk
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 Tbsp. butter (which I didn't have, so I didn't include)
1/8 tsp. grated orange zest
1/8 c. fresh orange juice
1/3 c. pomegranate arils
1/3 c. dark chocolate chips

Note that the above measurements are for 6 muffins. Double it up (but just keep one egg) if you want to make a dozen.

Combine all your ingredients well, stirring in the pomegranate arils and chocolate chips carefully at the end. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and gorgeous.

I might recommend including the butter and possibly adding a bit more orange juice or grapeseed oil to make sure they are moist.

Any other flavor substitutions you would make? What are your favorite fall flavors for baked goods?

Book Review: Made by Hand

2010-09-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

Made by Hand
Searching for Meaning in a Throwaway World
by Mark Frauenfelder

I happened to find this book on Amazon's homepage. I was definitely intrigued, especially by the book's tagline, so I put it on my WishList.

I love making things myself, using recycled materials, and generally doing my best not to contribute to the wastefulness of consumerism all the time.

My sweet husband bought the book for me for my birthday, and after I finished reading the other 5 books I was making my way through at the time, I started in on this one.

The whole theme of the book is the author's journey in the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) world. Why he decided to build a chicken coop from leftover building materials and raise his own chickens. Why he wanted to fine tune his espresso machine himself. The challenges and rewards that came with growing his own food, keeping bees, and crafting a cigar box guitar.

The book caught me right away as I read about his attempt to escape the rat race of the American lifestyle and live as a freelance writer with his wife and 2 small children on the tropical island of Rarotonga.

I loved how he described it:

"The problem wasn't how much money we were spending, it was how we were spending our time. Did we really want to raise our kids in an environment of prepackaged diversions, theme-park rides, trips to the mall, freeway traffic, and incessant emails?"

I'll let you read for yourself to see if they stayed in Rarotonga or not....

Overall, I loved his honest take on his projects and getting a glimpse inside his life. And I learned a thing or two about subjects that I've never studied, like bee-keeping and fermenting foods.

But I have to admit, this is definitely more of book for a complete newcomer to the DIY, natural, sustainable, recyclable world. I found myself wishing he would take things a step further or be a bit more extreme. Or even a bit funnier.

But I don't regret the time I spent reading it to be sure. It was worth reading, but it definitely didn't make my Top 10 list of books.

Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think:

Why I Don't Wear Sunscreen

2010-09-08T09:09:00.001-05:00

In a nutshell, sunscreen does more to cause cancer than it ever will to prevent it.

Yes, it goes against everything you’ve ever heard about the sun and skin cancer.

But does it surprise you that I would blog about topics that are counter to the profit-driven culture and seem a bit ‘conspiracy-theory’ in nature?

I’m just looking for the Truth.

I lived in fear of developing skin cancer my entire life. Sunscreens slathered on liberally, just like the doctors and tv commercials told me.

But then I learned the godly principles of living the way the Creator intended. True, things are not as they should be in this world--physically or spiritually. This should be painfully obvious to you, my readers, in many different ways. And, yes, we must learn to operate within these spectrums and limitations.

But what if something God created as the source of Light and Life on this earth actually isn’t the cause of scary illnesses that kill peoples’ mothers?

What if the sun actually pulled toxins out of your body and provided your body with it’s daily requirement of Vitamin D--a strong immune booster in the fight against any disease or illness?

So what would happen if we ran from the sun and holed up in our toxic houses (the air in which the EPA says is 70% more toxic than the air outdoors) and office cubicles?

Or when we did venture out into the sun, the toxic chemicals we just slathered onto our skin (in the form of sunscreens, lotions, makeup, etc.) reacted with the toxins that are being pulled out from inside our bodies?

The following is from a book called Never Be Sick Again by Raymond Francis:

“Synthetic chemical sunscreens may indeed help prevent a sunburn, but they do not prevent skin cancer--in fact, they may even promote it.

“Researchers at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston cite: ‘There is no substantial evidence that sunscreen protects against any of the three forms of skin cancer.’

“Robin Marks, M.B., M.P.H., a dermatologist and a professor at the University of Melbourne said: ‘Relying on synthetic chemicals to prevent cancer is laughable.’

“Arthur Rhodes, a University of Pittsburgh dermatologist, told a 1994 meeting of the American Cancer Society that sunscreens ‘appear weakly effective or ineffective.’"

And did you ever think about the people in tropical countries who basically spend their whole life outdoors in the sun?

“While public health officials have been warning that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun increases your risk of developing melanoma, an epidemic of the disease has broken out among indoor workers.

“These workers get three to nine times LESS solar UV exposure than outdoor workers get, yet only indoor workers have increasing rates of melanoma -- and the rates have been increasing since before 1940.

“There are two major factors that help explain this, and the first has to do with the type of UV exposure. There are two primary types of UV rays from sunlight, the vitamin-D-producing UVB rays and the skin-damaging UVA light.

“Both UVA and UVB can cause tanning and burning, although UVB does so far more rapidly. UVA, however, penetrates your skin more deeply than UVB, and may be a much more important factor in photoaging, wrinkles and skin cancers.

“A recent study found that indoor workers may have increased rates of melanoma because they’re exposed to sunlight through windows, and only UVA light, unlike UVB, can pass through window glass.

“At the same time, these indoor workers are missing out on exposure to the beneficial UVB rays, and have lower levels of vitamin D.”

(That came from an article by Dr. Joseph Mercola)

So what to do?

First off, just forget everything you’ve ever learned about the sun, sunscreen and skin cancer.

I mean it.

And get out in the sun! God created it to give Life and Light. And Vitamin D!

The best time is actually between 10:00a and 2:00p when the Vitamin D producing UVB rays are the most intense. You want to stay out until you turn a very light shade of pink. Fair-skinned people will probably max out after about 10-20 minutes. The darker your skin, the longer you need to stay out.

If I go to the beach or spend the whole day at the lake before I’ve had a chance to build up a good tan, I’ll use natural sunscreens like coconut oil or natural brands like Burt’s Bees or Jason.

And the biggest piece of advice?

You are what you eat.

“Watch your diet. People whose diets are high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (such as sunflower, safflower and other vegetable oils) are more prone to have sun-damaged skin. Once consumed, these oils work their way to the skin surface, where sunlight oxidises them, which rapidly creates free radicals - unstable molecules that damage the cells’ DNA, leading to photoageing as well as skin cancer (Nutr Cancer, 1987; 9: 219-26).”

I like what Raymond Francis said best:

“Unless you do something foolish, the sun will not cause disease in healthy people who have adequate amounts of nutrients like carotenes, lycopene, essential fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, E, and zinc and selenium.”

The Simplest Dessert Ever

2010-09-01T10:18:00.000-05:00

I love simplicity.

And simple, easy recipes that taste amazing at the same time? Watch out.

I also love variety. And this recipe brings together so many of the things I love.

The basis is a super simple Chocolate Fondue:

Pour some coconut milk (full fat) into a small saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat. Take a bar of dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa, break it into pieces, and drop them in the coconut milk. Sprinkle in stevia to taste (I use about half a packet. But I don't like things extremely sweet.)

Bam. You're done.

Then you have the option to dip in fruit like a fondue, or drizzle the chocolate sauce over any number of things: bananas, berries, coconut milk ice cream, black bean brownies (my friend has perfected this recipe, which I will share with you, my dear readers, as soon as I can pry it from her).

So, why coconut milk?

I love coconut milk for many reasons. I don't drink pasteurized cow's milk anymore (and here's why). Coconut contains medium chain fatty acids (i.e. the good kind of saturated fat) that will actually help you lose weight. Most notably, it has lauric acid--also found in a mother's breast milk. Saturated fat is important since the majority of your brain and nervous system are made of fat!

Best place to buy coconut milk: Whole Foods. Their 365 brand for canned coconut milk is organic and costs less than most other brands like Thai Kitchen.

Why dark chocolate?

Cocoa has a ton of antioxidants, but when you add all the sugar, preservatives and processing, chocolate becomes a junk food. Dark chocolate that's been minimally processed can actually be good for you! I tend to gravitate toward the darkest of dark--85-88% cocoa.

Best brands for dark chocolate: I like the Endangered Species brand or Lindt. Newman's Own is good as well. You can find these at pretty much any store.

Why stevia?

Stevia is not sugar. It's not an artificial sweetener. It comes from the stevia plant and is naturally sweet--far sweeter than sugar, so you don't have to use nearly as much. And it doesn't affect your blood sugar levels at all.

Many people don't like stevia after trying it for the first time because of it's bitter aftertaste, but usually that's because they tried a lower quality, more processed brand. Even still, stevia doesn't work as a sweetener for everything. I prefer honey or maple syrup for baking or for my tea.

Best place to buy stevia: iHerb.com will have the best prices by far. I use the NuNaturals brand in the packets. They travel well in my purse. I would stay away from the 'mainstream' brands since they are usually super processed, use a different part of the stevia plant, and are often manufactured by the same food giants that are destroying our soil and our family farmers.

What will you do with the Simplest Dessert Ever?! Share your plans below so I can try them as well.

Restaurant Review: Baja Burrito

2010-08-25T08:29:00.001-05:00

This is not your typical chain burrito joint. It's a local, independently owned burrito joint that features local meats and healthy options.

And whoa, is it good.

Baja is well known in Nashville by the college scene and young crowd. It's located at the edge of the artsy and eclectic Berry Hill neighborhood, across the street from the 100 Oaks shopping center. Parking may be limited, but seating is plenty, especially if you don't mind sitting outside on the patio.

And it's hard to miss. Just look for the dilapidated VW bug painted to look like an American flag out front.

The inside matches the whimsy outside.

I actually appreciate the fact that nothing here is polished or prissy. Most of the time the hole-in-the-wall joints have the best food. And this is definitely no exception.

My choice for lunch: a basket of 3 locally sourced beef brisket tacos on corn tortillas with rice and black beans topped with pico, cheese, lettuce, salsa, cilantro, sour cream and cucumber.

Yeah. I got 3 of those.

So. Good.

And so affordable too. My ticket was right at 6 bucks without chips or a drink. (Trust me, you won't need more food after eating those puppies....)

And just so you know....

As funny as that little notice is, I'm glad they do offer brown rice (which is gluten-free and less processed that the white variety). It would be great if that was the standard at all restaurants.

And now to leave you with one last piece of Baja wisdom for your day:

When life makes waves...SURF!

Want to visit? Here's the info:

Baja Burrito

722 Thompson Lane

Nashville, TN 37204

See it on the map

615.383.BAJA

www.bajaburrito.com

Or check out other reviews on Urbanspoon:

In the Raw: Not-Tuna Pate with Pesto

2010-08-18T09:03:00.000-05:00

There are some incredibly creative raw recipes out there.

You can make pasta from zucchini, cheesecake from nuts and dates, & taco meat from walnuts (for real!)

And it's not just for show. This stuff actually tastes amazing.

Take, for instance, my dinner last night: Not-Tuna Pate with homegrown tomato slices topped with fresh pesto.

My husband loved it too. Not that his palate is hard to please. He's a guy--if it's edible, he loves it. But even this fancy-schmancy presentation didn't turn him away. (It is pretty, don't you think? I was excited about it. But then again, I'm easily amused...)

So, why go raw, you may ask? There are about a kajillion reasons. But here are a just a few:

Preserve all the enzymes in your living food (heat destroys enzymes)
Save time in the kitchen
Keep the house cool in the summer with the oven/stove turned off
Eat more vegetables, fruits and healthy nuts & seeds
Raw food gives you more energy
Your skin will have a glow about it
Digestion (and bowel movements) will be improved

If you're new to the "going raw" trend, it's one that I would encourage you to look into. I don't know about you, but I get tired of eating the same old salad everyday because I know I need to eat more vegetables. Plus, it's good to get out of a cooking rut!

Here are some websites that I've found helpful when searching for new raw food ideas:

Gone Raw-this is a great blog full of user-submitted raw recipes, forums and news about raw, vegan & vegetarian fare.

Raw Food Made Easy-I watched one of Jenny Cornbleet's Raw Food DVDs before I came across her site. She explains everything and makes it super easy.

We Like it Raw-This blog's recipe section features super slick pictures (which are a necessity for recipes in my mind).

And to get you started, here's the recipe for my Not-Tuna Pate with Pesto:

1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds, soaked

1/4 c. raw almonds, soaked

2 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. minced celery

1 Tbsp. minced onion

1 Tbsp. parsley

Throw the sunflower seeds, almonds, water, lemon juice and sea salt into a food processor or blender (a Vitamix if you have one). Blend to a paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until combined. It looks like Tuna Salad, but it's not (obviously).

I didn't really follow a recipe for the pesto--I just kind of threw some things in the Vitamix and went to town. I know I used:

1 c. walnuts and/or pine nuts

4 cloves garlic

4 Tbsp. olive oil

sea salt

lemon juice

lots of fresh basil leaves

Ok, now it's your turn!! Where do you find your raw recipes? What is your favorite one?

Flavor of the Week: Mango Chicken Salad

2010-08-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

Summer is so good to me. I love the sun. I love the fruit that is in season. And I love having a big bowl of chicken salad in the refrigerator when I come home for lunch.

This a very summer-y chicken salad. I don't exactly have a recipe for this one because I just started chopping things up and throwing them in a bowl.

Here's a rundown of the ingredients:

Chicken thighs (because they are cheaper), boiled then chopped
Celery
Walnuts
Apples
Mango
Cucumber
Veganaise (with grapeseed oil)
Lemon juice
Sea salt & pepper

I like to serve my chicken salad on a bed of baby spinach leaves. This recipe is way too chunky to stay inside the bounds of a sandwich. Plus spinach is so much better for you than bread--it's super nutrient dense, high in antioxidants and other nutrients like folate and iron, and won't give you a carb coma later in the day.

Blueberries would have also been stellar in this salad.

The great thing about chicken salads is that you can put just about anything in there, and it will likely taste wonderful. At the tea room where I served tables in college, Mrs. Judy had a famous chicken salad recipe. She used grapes, celery, dried cranberries, and almond slices.

What is your favorite chicken salad recipe?

Beginner's Guide to Drying Herbs

2010-08-10T09:57:00.000-05:00

You should know on the front end that drying herbs is super easy. If I can do it, so can you.

This is the first year I have actually had any kind of success growing herbs on my balcony. We don't get much sun on our side of the apartment complex, so last year's cilantro grew from seed to an impressive 1 1/2 inches tall before wilting and turning brown. It was a sad day.

That's why I call this post a Beginner's Guide. I am definitely a beginner myself.

This year though, Old Man Mike who lives around the corner gave us a big stash of full grown herb plants. We love Mike. He sits outside his house every day with his guitar and his tomato plants. He knows every single person that lives on his block. And he's been kind enough to give us plenty of invaluable advice about growing things.

I recently harvested some mint, spicy basil, and bee balm from my containers.

Mint: I make mint tea from my dried mint leaves! Aside from tasting delicious, mint can help soothe an upset stomach and has anti-fungal properties.

Basil: I haven't dried much basil this year since I need to make it through my Costco-sized container of organic dried basil before using valuable kitchen cabinet space to store more. But I have made lots of pesto this year!
Basil has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and can also aid in digestion.

Bee Balm: This one was new to me, but when Mike told me to make a tea from it to clear up a stuffy nose and congested chest in the winter, I was sold. I don't get sick very often, but when the snot comes, I want it out of my body as soon as possible!
A little research confirmed that bee balm is good for nasal congestion, a tight chest, colds & flu as well as nausea. The 'real' name of this herb is Bergamot.

Here's the drying process:

1. Rinse the herbs in clean water. Set them on a towel to dry.

2. Gather several stalks of the herb and tie them at one end with a piece of string or yarn. You can dry more in one bunch than I have pictured here, but be careful not to use too much or the leaves inside the bunch could mold. Tie the string tightly as the herbs will shrink slightly as they dry.

3. Hang them in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

4. After 2-3 weeks, untie the herbs and break off the leaves. Store them in a glass container. Make sure you label it!

I love growing my own herbs. It is so much more cost effective than spending $3 on a plastic pouch of already cut herbs from the store. You can buy an entire plant for $3, have fresh herbs all season long, then dried herbs for tea and seasonings all through the fall and winter.

Just try to tell me eating healthy and living naturally is too expensive ;)

Do you grow herbs or like to cook with them? Which are your favorite?

Pain, Pleasure, and Barre Class

2010-08-04T12:22:00.001-05:00

Everyone knows exercising is part of a healthy life.

(Everyone DOES know that, right? Silly me.....)

Our bodies adapt to the level of activity we subject them to each day. That's why walking is not necessarily exercise. We walk all day every day. Our bodies are used to it. So nothing ever changes.

Exercising for weight loss has never been something I've felt the need to do. I've been blessed with problems in the opposite direction. But it's not like I've ever really thought exercising was fun either.

I tried running for a while. And I kept it up for a few months. And--almost unbelievably--I actually started to like it.

Sort of.

I read somewhere that we all make decisions based on pain or pleasure. We don't get up at 5am because it's painful. We roll over and go back to sleep because that brings us pleasure. And so we sleep in, don't exercise, plod through the day with minimal energy, stay up late watching television, then sleep in late the next morning because we are tired.....

And we won't change that cycle until the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of change.

I rolled out of bed this morning at 5am, not with a scowl on my face dreading what was to come. I made the choice to hop in my car and drive 15 minutes to my BarreAmped class at Seren Motus just so I could get my butt kicked by the lovely Suzanne Bowen.

The pain involved:

Waking up earlier than usual (not something I always have to do. Some classes are at 9:30 in the morning).
Feeling the burn in my thighs (and butt, arms, shoulders and abs....)
Dealing with sore muscles a day or two after the fact

But the pleasure involved:

Feeling incredibly refreshed after each and every class
Stretching out my muscles and gaining some flexibility back (makes me miss my gymnastics days)
Watching my muscles get noticeably stronger and more toned (I can actually SEE my abs!)
Increased energy levels for the rest of the day
Knowing I will now live longer with this credit to my health account

It's really about finding something you enjoy doing.

And having some kind of accountability.

I love BarreAmped because I feel like a dancer, my body is stronger, I've made new friends in class, and I enjoy learning from one of the best teachers out there. I'm also more educated about my body and how to exercise safely.

More ideas for you:

Find a friend to ride bikes with once a week at the park.

Find a tennis partner for a weekly match.

Dance! Take a class, hit the clubs, or search for things like swing dancing at local churches.

Join a local sports team.

Try a yoga, pilates or Zumba class. You can often get your first class free.

What do you love to do to stay active? What is the pain vs. pleasure dichotomy for you as it applies to exercise?

Pillow Case Skirt

2010-07-30T08:21:00.001-05:00

This is something I've been meaning to do for the longest time.

I took a sewing class from a fabric/crafts store and then proceeded to NOT sew anything for a solid 6 months.

But I finally got down to business last weekend and made a skirt from pillowcases!

I love the concept of using recycled materials instead of contributing to the wastefulness of consumerism at every turn. (Please note: I am a wasteful person too. But I'm working on it.)

I found these pillowcases at the thrift store on half off day. 50 cents each.

And the added bonus of pillowcase skirts? One less hem you have to sew!

That idea resonated with me because I was sure that my hem would be uneven and very un-pretty and it would discourage me from sewing again.

I followed these instructions to make my own simple pattern (fair warning: this is yet another website that unfortunately belongs in the Design Hall of Shame). I didn't want my skirt to be quite so flared, so I only added one inch to the bottom width measurements when their instructions called for 4.

I did remember one very important lesson from my beginner's sewing class--

Pressing your seams is the secret to making clothes that illicit a "Wow! You made that yourself?!?" response as opposed to an "Oh, you made that yourself, didn't you?"

I'm looking forward to making more skirts, and potentially even dresses, from old t-shirts and fabric I find in the back of my closet or at the thrift store.

Do you sew? What are you favorite things to create with fabric?

Taking Recycling to a New Level

2010-07-28T10:45:00.001-05:00

We all learned in the first grade that recycling was good for the planet.

Recycle, reduce, reuse....and close the loop!

And I do take my plastics, glass, cardboard and junk mail to the recycling center. I wash out glass containers and reuse them. I even have plans to build an entire house from recycled materials (I love what Dan Phillips is doing).

But wouldn't it be great if we stopped consuming so much to begin with?

Let's face it. There is plenty of stuff in existence in the world already. Walk into any major retail store and think for a minute about the gargantuan quantities of things there to buy.

Then think about the people who made them. Sure, most stuff is made in factories today, but factories don't run without people.

And they are not treated well, they are not paid well, and they do not work in ideal conditions.

And I don't mean 'not ideal' like that crappy fast food job you had in high school. (Granted, that's another story for another day).

I found a great article/rant on an online magazine called Snow's Cut that explained why buying a bunch of unnecessary plastic crap from overseas isn't in our best interest:

It’s bad for our country, our economy and our environment. It’s bad for our country because we’re sending way, way too much money to China. It’s bad for our economy because we’re squeezing out American manufacturing by buying this garbage and it’s bad for our environment because all this crap just ends up in the landfill – not to mention the pollution created by the factories that roll out millions and millions of plastic trinkets every day.

How do you suppose big companies can afford to produce their stuff so cheaply that they can still make a profit when they sell it to you for $2 or less?

Because Chinese factory workers are basically slaves. They make maybe $1/hour. Now you can’t fixate on that number because a meal at a nice restaurant there costs about 50 cents, but this much is true – they work long, hard hours, live in dormitories and are lucky to send a few bucks back to their families every month.

One website I visited displayed the rules of a typical Chinese factory. Certain infractions could cost a worker anywhere from an hour’s wages to three day’s pay. My personal favorites:

“Putting personal objects on the work desk.” – 2 hour’s wages
“Plugging in electronics [using electricity] in the dorm room for personal use.” – 1.5 day’s wages
“Putting up personal notices…or handing out flyers.” – 3 day’s wages

Just some food for thought.

I was first introduced to these concepts in a major way through a documentary called What Would Jesus Buy? It's a rather strange film, but the concepts ring true and the facts are the facts. And ever since watching it, I have thought more than twice about the products I buy, the stores from which I buy them, the impact my purchases have on the environment, and the message I send with my life.

And so I've created a list of ideas for consuming less and recycling more than just plastic containers and day old newspapers.

5 Ways to Take Recycling to a New Level:

Shop at thrift stores or second hand clothing shops like Plato's Closet or Clothing X-Change (locally in Nashville). I have found practically brand new, brand name clothing at thrift stores and some really great vintage pieces.
Get up early one Friday or Saturday and hit some yard sales. One person's junk is another person's treasure. Yard sales are a great place to find furniture that can be repainted, gently used sports equipment, books, and kid's toys.
Resist the urge to run to the store to pick up "just a couple things." Look around your house to find ways to improvise or use something you already own. You might just find you don't need said item after all.
Host a trading party. Everyone invited brings all the stuff they don't need or want anymore to give away in exchange for someone else's unwanted stuff. Like a private garage sale, but everything is free! (What could possibly be better?!)
Make art! Old, everyday items can be transformed into a masterpiece with just a little creativity. Paint on old pieces of plywood, turn earrings that have lost their mate into a pendant necklace, or make a mosaic from broken pieces of plates. If you're not an artist, donate your potential art items to a creative friend or an after school arts program.

Do you recycle? Why or why not?

Flavor of the Week: Carrot Blueberry Muffins

2010-07-25T12:05:00.002-05:00

I managed to save just enough freshly picked blueberries for a batch of Carrot Blueberry Muffins this weekend. Not an easy task might I add (the saving of the blueberries, not the making of the muffins....those were some dang delicious blueberries!)

This recipe is a variation on one of my favorite muffin recipes: Carrot Raisin Muffins. I just replaced the raisins with blueberries.

1 2/3 c. gluten-free flour (I used 1 c. brown rice flour & 2/3 c. Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 c. grated carrots
2 eggs
1/3 c. honey
2 packets stevia
2/3 c. grapeseed oil
2/3 c. blueberries (or raisins)

Combing wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine dry ingredients in a separate large bowl. Mix in wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes.

You might want to use more honey or try it with maple syrup. I don't tend to like super sweet things, so I will err on the side of less sweetener. My blood sugar levels tend to appreciate that too.

I served these up with some Frozen Strawberry Kiwi Juice.

2-3 kiwis, peeled
1 c. frozen strawberries
1/2 c. ice
water for consistency

Put everything in a blender and blend it up! Also very good with 2 c. red and green grapes instead of kiwi.

What is your favorite healthy weekend breakfast?

Picking Blueberries!

2010-07-19T11:40:00.000-05:00

Add this to my list of favorite things!

I have been wanting to pick my own blueberries for quite a while now and finally decided to just pick a place and DO IT.

Opting not to drive almost 2 hours to a farm recommended by a friend, I searched pickyourown.org for a closer farm that still had reasonable prices. (Be forewarned, this site belongs in the graphic/web design Hall of Shame. I'm sure one of those exists somewhere.)

I think we did pretty well.....

These beautiful blue orbs came from Golden Bell Blueberry Farm just east of Cool Springs at the corner of Oxford Glen Dr. & Clovercroft Rd.

Open only from 7a-12p Wednesday and Saturday mornings, this blueberry patch is obviously not the owner's main source of income. But even at a paltry $2.50/lb, I'm sure they are still making quite a nice profit from their labor.

They provided buckets for picking, then transferred the berries to plastic sacks for weighing. Between my husband and I we managed to almost fill 2 small buckets.

The final verdict? Just under 7 pounds of remarkably delectable blueberries for a grand total of $16.75.

I haven't stopped eating them since we brought them home.

I have plans for Carrot Blueberry Muffins, but breakfast this morning was Pumpkin Blueberry Pancakes.

1 c. gluten free pancake mix (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. blueberries

I usually make these pancakes with wild organic frozen blueberries from Costco (3 lbs. for $8!), but nothing can compare to fresh berries.

My next venture? Picking peaches!

Where do you pick berries, peaches, apples, etc.?

Fish Tacos

2010-07-18T12:03:00.002-05:00

After eating at one of the best Mexican joints in Memphis, I was inspired to create my own summertime fish tacos.

Fish is a great light entree in the sweltering summer heat.

I mean, who really wants steak and potatoes when they're sitting by the pool?

I bought frozen, wild-caught mahi-mahi from Costco. I don't buy fish that's not wild-caught because of the mercury toxicity, antibiotics, hormones and chemicals from pollution found in farmed fish.

I cooked it up in a pan over medium heat with butter, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, dill, sea salt and pepper.

I used Food for Life brand sprouted organic corn tortillas (admittedly not as tasty as the kind you get from a Mexican restaurant, but at least I know the corn was not genetically-modified and sprayed with pounds of pesticides).

I spread on some Veganaise (made with grapeseed oil), then topped the tacos with avocado slices and cilantro.

I mean, whoa.

Good stuff.

What's your favorite type of taco?

Zucchini in Abundance

2010-07-14T20:46:00.001-05:00

Summer squash grows like a weed (read: very well) in most people's gardens.

And while I don't have a garden of my own yet, everyone else I know who does grow veggies in their yard shares their excess with me!

So with bags of zucchini (and yellow squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, etc.....), what do I do with it all??

For starters, we have been eating lots of straight up sauteed squash and zucchini.

I cook it in coconut oil, seasoned with sea salt.

It's so simple, but tastes so wonderful!

My Zucchini Chocolate Chip muffins were edible, but I haven't quite perfected the recipe yet.

But I did succeed in baking a most beautiful loaf of zucchini bread.

Here's my recipe:

3 eggs, well beaten
1 c. honey
2 c. raw, grated, peeled zucchini (I use my VitaMix to grate these)
3 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. grapeseed oil
3 c. brown rice flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Combine wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.
Bake in a bread loaf pan (greased, I rub a butter wrapper in the pan) at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

What do you do with zucchini?

The Beautiful Truth....About Cancer?

2010-07-12T09:38:00.008-05:00

I love documentaries.

And good food.

And I love that I have like-minded friends with whom I can share them!

Last week I was treated to a gourmet meal at Thomas & Jeanette's house.

Sushi-esque appetizers made from zucchini and cucumber, baked tilapia and an eggplant stew.

Our after dinner fare was Foodmatters--a very well made documentary about how what we eat really does matter.

The following week was a potluck style meal of:

Tomato Basil soup
Chicken Meatballs
Asian Quinoa Salad
Organic Red Wine
Mint Dark Chocolate Coconut Milk ice cream.

Yum (!)

The night was filled with good friends, good conversation and a good documentary. This time we watched The Beautiful Truth. While the production quality was not quite up to par with other more recent films (like Foodmatters or Food, Inc.), the content was still brilliant.

It chronicled a young boy's homeschool lesson to uncover the truth behind alternative cancer treatments--treatments that are not used and are even shunned in the traditional medical community (who instead use dangerous, ineffective treatments like chemotherapy and radiation). The main focus of the film centered on the Gerson Institute, founded by Dr. Max Gerson in the 1920s.

On their website I read:

The Gerson Therapy is a safe, natural treatment developed by Dr. Max Gerson in the 1920’s that uses organic foods, juicing, coffee enemas, detoxification and natural supplements to activate the body’s ability to heal itself. Over the past 60 years, thousands of people have used the Gerson Therapy to recover from so-called “incurable” diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

So the Beautiful Truth about a seemingly 'incurable' disease that claims thousands of lives?

There is hope!

Cancer can be beat.

And our food really does matter.

Since our Dinner & Doc nights, my friend Thomas has been inspired to chronicle his own journey to True Health. You can read his story and follow his journey on his site: TakeItBack.me

My ever-growing list of documentaries I want to watch could still use some additions.

What documentaries do you recommend?

Summer Pasta Salad

2010-07-06T20:59:00.001-05:00

Apparently I have yet to outgrow Highlights magazine.

I know what you're thinking.....

"Yeah, I used to read that too!!

"Then I turned 5."

The magazine showed up in the mail at my office one day (why? still not sure....)

I let nostalgia take over as I thumbed through it, harking back to my second grade days when I would search for the differences between two similar pictures (I mean, come on, those things were tricky!)

Then my eye caught the very last page. A creamy pasta salad. Complete with instructional pictures of a Dad and his sweet son (using a plastic knife to cut tomatoes, mind you. Safety first.)

So with a few modifications (and a grown-up knife), I created a tasty Highlights pasta salad.

2 c. brown rice pasta
1 can garbanzo beans
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
4 oz. block goat cheese
1/4 c. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Sea salt & pepper to taste

Cook pasta. Drain and keep warm.
Drain can of beans and place in a large bowl. Add frozen peas and cherry tomatoes.
Crumble the goat cheese into the bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt & pepper.
Add warm pasta and stir until the goat cheese melts into a creamy sauce.
Serve warm or cold.

Not half bad for a simple recipe meant for 5 year olds.

I've found I'm not the biggest fan of chickpeas in their whole form (I prefer them mashed into hummus), so next time I might try cannellini beans.

What is your favorite pasta salad recipe?

Attack of the Fruit Flies

2010-07-01T08:23:00.009-05:00

Last weekend's canoeing trip on the Buffalo River meant that our friends took us to the Amish farms right down the road. We came home laden with fresh, local honey, cantaloupes, bell peppers, blackberries, green beans and potatoes (!)

Unfortunately, the fruit flies decided to stow away and make a new home in our kitchen.

Were they not happy on the farm?

There are a few words that come to mind when I think about the swarms of those little creatures flying around in my apartment......

Disgusting.

Revolting.

Nasty.

You really should have seen us standing in the kitchen trying our absolute best to swat at them and smack them when they landed somewhere (to no avail I might add....)

But then I learned a great trick! I poured a small amount of apple cider vinegar in a dish, mixed in a few drops of dishwashing soap and placed it on the counter.

The fruit flies didn't flock to it immediately, but they were attracted to it, and as such, stayed away from my head for the most part. Eventually, the majority of the flies crawled right in it and died!

So much more effective than our futile swatting and smacking attempts.

Do you have any other home remedies for fruit flies or bugs in the kitchen? Feel free to share them!

Local Restaurant Review: Las Tortugas

2010-06-27T17:11:00.007-05:00

Even though this local restaurant isn't local to me anymore (being located in Memphis, not Nashville), I couldn't resist reviewing it. It has fast become a place I HAVE to visit whenever I'm in Memphis.

This is not your typical cheese-laden, fajita-sizzling, monster margarita Mexican joint (though there's nothing wrong with monster margaritas...). The owner's son (who was a part of the Navy Parachute Team--impressive parachuting and skydiving pictures don the walls of the restaurant) tells me that Las Tortugas is exactly the kind of upscale 'torteria' or 'taqueria' you would find in Mexico City.

Lunch time was busy, busy, busy. The line stretched to the door almost the entire time we were there. But I figured the food must be great if a restaurant so small and inconspicuous stayed so busy (it would be very easy to miss the small 'Deli Mexicana' sign at the end of the small strip where it's located. A diamond in the rough indeed).

The food is fresh and made to order. The owner, Pepe, visits local stores and farmers each and every morning to handpick that day's produce and meats. No delivery truck pulls up to the back of this restaurant. And you can truly taste the difference.

We started our meal with a tesote--a citrus tea sweetened with honey. They offered other fruit drinks (watermelon, cantaloupe, etc.) and the traditional Mexican rice drink-horchata.

Their menu offered two main options--tacos or tortugas (sandwiches)--with plenty of variety in flavors. I opted for the fish tacos, which I gobbled up before I could take a picture. The fish was topped with avocado, cilantro and a tasty homemade green sauce all nestled in corn tortillas.

My husband (yes, the goose) had a roasted chicken tortuga. The toasted bread made this almost like a savory pastry (delicious!). But after one bite of my tacos, he agreed that would be his pick on our next visit.

Want to visit? Here's the information:

Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana

1215 S. Germantown Rd.

Germantown, TN 38138

901.751.1200

See it on the map

Check out other reviews on Urbanspoon:

Local Restaurant Review: The Silly Goose

2010-06-18T18:01:00.024-05:00

Goose [goos]:

1) A web-footed swimming bird

2) What I often call my husband

3) Quite possibly the BEST restaurant in all of Nashville

The thought crossed my mind to come back the next day.

And next week too.

After checking out their website, I was quite impressed with their credo:

We make delicious, nourishing, wholesome food with love and care from the purest and highest quality ingredients available to us. We search for and buy local, organic, sustainably produced, minimally manipulated food.

I had never been to this area of East Nashville before, but was so glad for the chance to check it out. So much character! So many wonderful bungalow houses to drool over!

Parking proved to be a bit challenging, but we found a slot on a side road across from the restaurant. Because there were only 5 tables in the entire place, we waited for a table with our friends next door at Ugly Mugs coffee shop.

Once we were seated, then came the challenge of making a decision. Luckily, our friends had been there before and could recommend some really tasty dishes.

We (unintentionally) ended up with the signature Citrus Mint Ginger Green Tea. Definitely a wonderful mistake. I highly recommend it. It was so fresh and sweetened with nothing but a bit of honey.

Their list of local farms was quite impressive....

We started the meal with a cheese plate.

Granted, this was not your everyday cheese plate.

There were 4 kinds of raw cheeses (aged Cheddar, Asiago Peppercorn, St. Jerome and one other I can't recall), 2 goat cheeses (one with a pesto sauce and the other with some sort of delectable chili sauce), almonds, Granny Smith apples, balsamic and toast.

The goose I'm married to and I split 2 dishes for lunch-and they were even so kind as to plate them for us as such!

We shared the Mexico City Couscous (Red Chili couscous, grilled chicken, poblano peppers, cilantro, goat cheese, mango and lime juice) and the Sparky Wrap (turkey breast, basil aioli, dried cranberries, brie, roasted walnuts and baby greens in a spinach wrap and then toasted).

And we couldn't very well leave without trying some homemade ice cream (made with cream from raw milk)!

We opted for the sampler (Because variety is the spice of life! Or something like that....) From left to right, we had: Ethiopian Coffee Cinnamon, Carrot Ginger, Honey Beet and (my favorite) Lemon Goat Cheese. The Lemon Goat Cheese tasted just like Lemon Meringue Pie!

Our bill wasn't exorbitant either. For our meals, tea and ice cream we paid just over $30.

Like what you see? Here is all the information for The Silly Goose in East Nashville. Make sure to invite me when you go!

The Silly Goose

1888 Eastland Avenue

Nashville, TN 37206

Google Map

See the menu on their website and check out weekly featured ice cream flavors on their Facebook page.

Don't want to take my word for it? See other reviews on Urbanspoon:

A Perfect Omelet

2010-05-04T16:56:00.009-05:00

I just had to share a picture of this omelet.

Never before (and possibly never again) have I made an omelet this pretty.

No oozing, no lost vegetables, no misshapen egg blobs.....

Hopefully you're not expecting me to tell you how you can make a perfect omelet as well, because, like I said, it may not be possible to replicate this more than once every hundred years or so.

But I can tell you how I usually make my omelets, which are not only tasty, but economical.

2 eggs, beaten

Sea salt

Ground black pepper

Dried basil

Chopped onion

Chopped bell pepper

Goat cheese

Beat eggs, sea salt, pepper and basil together in a small bowl.

Heat 1 Tbsp. coconut oil in a small frying pan. Pour egg mixture into pan and let cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add vegetables and goat cheese to one half of the omelet. When the egg is mostly set, fold the empty half over the vegetables and cheese using a spatula.

Do your best to seal the omelet along the open edge. If you succeed in making a pretty omelet, please send me a picture and tell me how!

What do you put in your omelets?

Nashville Urban Harvest

2010-04-22T11:16:00.009-05:00

If you have been wondering what ever became of my CSA Debate about a month back, here is the final decision.....

Even though we really wanted to, we opted not to join a CSA this summer. The main reason being the necessity of putting up the money on the front end (darn those student loans taking all our disposable income....)

Instead, we decided to volunteer at the Nashville Urban Harvest on Saturday mornings in exchange for some veggies!

Last week we planted celery and potatoes. It's been a great opportunity for many things:

Learning more about gardening
Getting our hands dirty and actually DOING something
Meeting new people and making new friends
Getting some fresh air and sunshine
Supporting the local food movement

For me, it's just another way I can be about the business of redemption and restoration-restoring the people to the land and to good health. And restoring our connection to the Creator.

I couldn't think of a better way to start the day than by feeling the sunshine on my back, taking a deep breath of fresh, garden air, closing my eyes and thanking Jesus for His creation, then getting busy getting dirty!

A Raccoon Stole my Cell Phone

2010-04-07T17:20:00.007-05:00

No. That is not a metaphor.

No symbolism or hidden meaning.

For real, a raccoon stole my cell phone.

How, you might ask? Well, one beautiful spring day Drew and Lori packed up their camping gear and hit the road to the Savage Gulf State Natural Area. I found a great little article online about the Collins West campground.

You leave your car in the lot, register for a free campsite (or sign your name on the clipboard if you are only hiking for the day), then hike about a half mile to the campground area. There are about 5 sites (spread apart very well). A gorgeous overlook is not even a tenth of a mile further, or you can visit Suter Falls (1/3 mile) and Horsepound Falls (2.5 miles).

It's an awesome area and I definitely recommend you try it out. It's free after all! You feel like you are in the middle of nowhere on the top of a mountain (though it's really a plateau). But if you forget something in the car, you can easily hike back out to retrieve it.

But back to the story......here are 4 Things You Should NOT Do While Camping at Collins West:

Neglect to bring a lighter for a camp fire because you didn't do enough research into the rules/allowances of the trail and campground.
Bring only 2 small headlamps, one of which is getting weaker by the minute.
Leave your cell phone sitting on the ground by the (unused) fire pit while you set up your sleeping bags and nifty inflatable pillows inside your tent (25 feet away from said fire pit) at dusk.
Bring only one other technological device that tells time and don't charge the battery before you spend 2 nights in the middle of the forest.

Once I realized my cell phone was not where I left it, I began to freak out. I also started hearing noises in the dark. Drew thought I was a loon for being so convinced that an animal stole my phone.

But man, those raccoons are ballsy! We are standing about ten feet away from the (unused) fire pit (in the pitch dark, mind you, while I clung to Drew's arm like a baby) when I hear rustling noises very close by. We see the green, beady eyes staring at us like the intruders to their home that we are.

I asked him if he wouldn't mind bringing my cell phone back.

But he didn't listen. Funny thing.

I'm sure the park ranger who came to check our permit the next night thought I was a loon too. But I know the truth. There is a criminal raccoon on that mountain.

They don't call it Savage Gulf for nothing.

Whole Foods is Tax Free on Tax Day

2010-04-07T10:38:00.009-05:00

This, my friends, is good news.

Very good news.

This news from the Nashville Business Journal online really made a buzz on my bargain hunting radar.

Whole Foods Market is offering a 9.5% discount on everyone's total order on Thursday, April 15, 2010. This applies to both Nashville locations (in Cool Springs and Green Hills) as well as other stores in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina & South Carolina.

Granted, it's only 9.5%. But still. It's 9.5%.

On your whole order.

I consider it a pretty sweet deal. This means I can stock up on coconut milk (which is already the best deal I've found at any store on organic coconut milk at $1.29 a can).

I'll most likely also stock up on things from the bulk bin section!

Beans (Yes, they take forever to soak then cook, but they are so much cheaper and taste better this way. Not that I always follow my own advice.)
Brown Rice Flour (Naturally gluten-free and a great texture for baked goods like muffins)
Dried Fruit (Raisins, cranberries, apples, mangoes--all great for trail mix or snacking alone)
Cashews (I get most of my nuts from Costco, but they don't have cashews. They are tasty by themselves, or I'll make cashew butter in my Vitamix. Note: it's cheaper to buy the 'large pieces' instead of the 'whole cashew halves.' You're going to chew them up anyway)
Coconut Flakes (Great in smoothies or my favorite cookies)

A recent discovery: the Whole Foods brand organic frozen lima beans. I have a love affair with lima beans.

For real.

And dinner the other night was like a revelation. Again, the cans are super convenient, but the frozen variety are on a completely different level of amazing-ness! The freezer will be stocked come April 15.

I could also splurge a bit on some fancy cheese. Cheese is such a big weakness of mine. But when I can get it raw and unpasteurized, it doesn't matter!

What will you stock up on from Whole Foods?

Eating Out with a Conscience

2010-04-07T10:07:00.005-05:00

Since I've joined the crusade for getting back to our roots and living naturally, I've been impressed with how "green" Nashville is/is becoming. The organic, natural, local, free-range, grass-fed, recycle-able, compost-able, sustainable stuff is really catching on here in Music City.

Granted, "going green" can sometimes just be the trendy thing to do.

But I've seriously been amazed at the number of restaurants in particular that base their entire business model on these concepts.

So my goal is to find and try each restaurant that fits the bill in Nashville and review them here for you! If you've eaten at a particular restaurant before (or your sister's uncle's mother-in-law has and she talked to you about it), let me know.

I'm also totally open to suggestions. What restaurants do you know of that should be reviewed? What do you want to know about each one (origin of the food, taste, service, price....what's most important to you)?

So here we go! Write in your suggestions below....

Flavor of the Week: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-03-20T12:12:00.006-05:00

Hot dang! These muffins are tasty, if I do say so myself!

Breakfast on the weekends is when I break out the baked goods. These are gluten free and oh-so-moist!

Here's the recipe:

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 3/4 c. gluten-free flour (I used a combo of Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten free baking flour and brown rice flour--I'm convinced the brown rice flour makes a huge difference!)

2/3 c. maple syrup

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

1/2 c. grapeseed oil

1/2 c. coconut milk (full fat)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. mashed bananas

3/4 c. dark chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Mix wet ingredients in a blender then mix into dry. Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake for 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Adding coconut flakes or walnuts might have been a nice touch too. Any other variations you can think of?

A Colorful Faux-Dinner

2010-03-09T16:47:00.008-06:00

Just wanted to share a recent, rather colorful, dinner. This was a super quick and easy meal that ended up looking very nice once it was plated. So my dinner guests weren't allowed to eat until I photographed their plates!

I made turkey burger patties by mixing all kinds of yummy spices with the meat--sea salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, curry powder.....Then I sauteed some veggies--peppers, red onions, zucchini--in grapeseed oil and served it over a bed of organic greens.

The mashed potatoes are, in fact, NOT potatoes at all! Mashed Faux-tatoes is one of my favorite recipes.

It also has the cheesiest name.

But I'm sure you'll forgive me that when you get over the fact that it's actually cauliflower!

Here's the recipe:

1 med. head cauliflower, steamed

1/2 c. organic butter

1/2 tsp. sea salt

ground black pepper to taste

minced chives (optional, not pictured)

Throw the steamed cauliflower in a blender or food processor with the butter, sea salt and pepper. Then blend.

How easy is that?

I like easy.

As a side note, I've made the faux-tatoes for quite a few people without telling them what it was. They never questioned the potato-ness of the dish!

They are also superb when served underneath a ladle-full of chili.

Produce All Summer Long: The CSA Debate

2010-02-22T22:11:00.004-06:00

I've been thinking about joining a CSA for a while now. CSA being Community Supported Agriculture. I love the concept of supporting local, organic farming and at the same time saving money on groceries (the bargain hunter in me will never die).

The idea is that farmers deliver fresh produce all summer long to the people who supported them financially up front--meaning they don't have to take out loans to run their farm (Dave Ramsey would be proud....)

I've found quite a few great options with pick-up locations in the Nashville area. Based on all the pros and cons, I think I may have made my decision, but I thought I would get your opinion, my dear readers.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all CSAs in Nashville, but just includes the ones I have considered for myself.

Option #1: Delvin Farms

These guys are one of the biggest organic farms in Middle TN. I've bought from them at the Franklin Farmer's Market and really like how professional they are.

Pricing: 1/2 Bushel once a week for $700, 1/2 Bushel once every other week for $400

Pick-up Locations: There are 11 of them, but none closer than 15-20 minutes from my home

Option #2: Avalon Acres Farm

I found this farm through Google. They use sustainable agriculture methods and also offer free range chicken and beef.

Pricing: So complicated I didn't even bother to calculate what I would pay....

Pick-up Locations: Lots. But no day/time/location combos that would be super convenient

Option #3: Beaverdam Creek Farm

A farm in Centerville with a nice looking website (that's the designer in me coming out...)

Pricing: 1/2 Bushel each week for $800, 1 Peck each week for $450 (nope, I don't know what a peck is, but I'm guessing it's smaller than a 1/2 Bushel)

Pick-Up Locations: Only 3, the closest being at least 15-20 minutes away

Option #4: Bells Bend Neighborhood Farm

This is a concept I can really get behind! The farm is basically operated on a volunteer/intern basis. They give group tours and host work days in an effort to teach people how to farm sustainably and biodynamically. Their CSA is rather small and I would have to join a waiting list. Even if I didn't join this CSA, I'm looking forward to checking out the farm and learning how to green up my thumb!

Pricing: More than 1/4 Bushel each week for $500, more than 1/2 Bushel each week for $950

Pick-up Locations: Only 3, none of which are close to me

Option #5: Eco-Gardens

I learned of this CSA from some friends of mine, the HealthyOates. This farm is located in southern Kentucky and seems to have the best prices.

Pricing: More than 3/8 bushel each week for $425, double share for $825

Pick-Up Locations: Only 2, but one is 10 minutes from my home!

Option #6: Long Hungry Creek Farm

This is where the Barefoot Farmer lives and works! I happened to see him on pubic television a few weeks ago (I must have been really bored....). The great thing about this CSA is that the season is longer than most other farms--it lasts through Thanksgiving into early December. Plus, the Barefoot Farmer invites CSA members who support the farm to come to picnics or use the land for camping, swimming or caving!

Pricing: 1/4 Bushel each week for $450, 1/2 Bushel each week for $750

Pick-Up Locations: Only 1. About 15 minutes from my home.

So there we have it. I'd love some input! Based on all the info, what is your vote for the best CSA for me?

Cabbage Flower

2010-02-22T21:52:00.004-06:00

Otherwise known as what happens when you leave a quarter head of red cabbage in the back of the refrigerator and proceed to forget that it exists.

Usually neglected foods turn a poopy shade of brown and go soggy (and smelly).

But instead of curling up my nose at finding this little jewel in the veggie drawer, I almost put it in a pot.

Who knew?

Not me. But I did know eating red cabbage is good for getting rid of dandruff.

Didja know that? ;)

I Do Not Like Them, Sam I Am....

2010-02-06T09:09:00.005-06:00

Lately I've been on a "let's make all our food green in color" kick.

So when someone told me about this little trick, I was all about it. (I cannot honestly remember who told me about this, so if you did and you are reading this now, forgive me. And don't be afraid to write a scathing comment about how rude I am to rip off your brilliant idea....)

At any rate, here is Green Eggs and (not) Ham!!

For the green eggs, put a few eggs in the blender with a handful of spinach. Then scramble them like normal eggs, adding sea salt and pepper to taste.

When the eggs were mostly finished, I also crumbled in some goat cheese (yum).

We do our best to avoid pork (because while piglets may make stinkin' cute pets, they are dirty, dirty animals who eat dirty, dirty things. Not their fault, though. They weren't created for food anyway. Seems like God knew what He was talking about when told the Israelites not to eat them.....). So we eat turkey bacon instead.

Anyone have any more ideas for turning food green?

My New Favorite Cookies

2010-01-06T17:44:00.004-06:00

I have a little love affair going on with these cookies (just don't tell the lima beans I'm cheating on them....)

They are wheat-free and gluten-free but certainly not taste free.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I found the recipe in a great new book called Clean Food by Terry Walters then modified it a bit.

2 bananas, mashed

1/4 c. grapeseed oil

1/4 c. maple syrup

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 c. flax meal

2/3 c. brown rice flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. shredded unsweetened dried coconut

pinch of sea salt

1/4 c. dark chocolate chips

Combine bananas, oil, syrup and vanilla in a medium bowl (I used a blender). In a separate bowl, combine flax, flour, soda, coconut & salt. Add banana mixture to the dry ingredients and blend until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop batter by teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet. No need to roll or flatten. Bake 14 min. at 350 or until lightly browned.

Makes 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Let me know how yours turn out :)

Cleaning with Just Water

2010-01-04T16:31:00.005-06:00

Apparently this was the Christmas of floor cleaning appliances. Maybe my Mom and Mom-in-law just assume I don't have a clean apartment (which, incidentally, is mostly true most of the time). Nevertheless, I was actually super stoked about my new vacuum cleaner and Shark steam pocket mop for hard surfaces.

So I took the Shark for a test drive. Here is my product review (for lack of a better term) and little pictorial explanation of how this contraption works......

This is what came in the box. Admittedly, finding a place to store all the extra attachments is a bit obnoxious. But at least they don't take up much room under the bathroom sink.

It comes with 3 different sized attachments: the 'normal' size, the extra large for correspondingly large rooms, and a triangular shape ideal for small rooms and (surprisingly enough) corners. The crazy, nappy purple one is for carpet refreshing and deodorizing.

Commence water pouring. How else did you think we were going to make some steam? I used the triangular pocket mop for our tiny little bathroom floor.

Once you plug it in and pump the handle down a few times it starts hissing at you and building steam.

Looks like my floor was thanking me.

Then you drop the filthy mop pockets in the washing machine so they are sparkly clean for next time.

Overall I was pretty pleased with my little Shark. Not gonna lie when I say I like not having to use (and pay for) toxic 'cleaning' chemicals.

I'm sure someone will leave a comment wondering just how spic and span this steam business can really make your floors. How do you know it killed all the germs Lori??

I don't know and I honestly don't care. Exposure to some germs and viruses on a more regular basis will build your immune system so it doesn't freak out when it comes into contact with them on a larger scale.

I just didn't want our friends leaving our house with dirty socks after walking over our floors.

So would I have purchased the Shark for myself? Maybe, maybe not. It does run about $100. But am I glad I have it? Absolutely yes.

Green Pancakes!

2009-12-30T17:16:00.013-06:00

I've become a bit more of an experimenter in the kitchen these days.

To satisfy my craving for pancakes the other night, while understanding that I really needed to eat some vegetables, I ended up with Green Pancakes.

Now, let it be known that I don't make very pretty shaped pancakes. Never have and probably never will.

Perhaps you can make perfectly round and pleasant pancakes with my recipe:

1 c. Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free Pancake Mix

2 eggs

3/4 c. coconut milk

1 banana

1 1/2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey

Small handful of baby spinach leaves

Put all ingredients (except the pancake mix) into a blender and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir the wonderfully green goop into the pancake mix.

Not even kidding--these pancakes were soooo good! The sweetness of the banana masked any leafy flavor.

Just add a touch of maple syrup! (Trader Joe's has the best price on All Natural Grade B maple syrup. Comes in a wine bottle to boot.)

So now that are either thoroughly repulsed or extremely intrigued, try them out and let me know what you think of them!

(And please let me know if you have a better name for these puppies than Green Pancakes. Surely someone out there has some ideas.)

Tractors are Sexy

2009-12-09T09:32:00.010-06:00

Oh Blog, how I've neglected you!

There is so much to catch up on, I'm simply feeling overwhelmed. Where to start?

To begin with, I finally bit the bullet and bought a VitaMix! But I don't regret a single penny I paid (rather like my MacBook Pro!) I don't even have to chop an apple into more than 4 pieces in order to blend it into my smoothies. Or my pancake batter. I make hot soup that is still considered raw and full of nutrients and enzymes. Homemade hummus is super easy and cheap. Yes, I will post pictures and recipes. Soon. (Someone had better hold me accountable to that!)

In other news, I'm now on the lookout for a large piece of earth (to borrow a phrase from the Secret Garden). And by large, I mean at least 25 acres or more. In a second-best case scenario (the best being what God already has planned--which we can't even imagine yet), a retiring farmer (or anyone, really) would donate said land to us and our compadres to support our cause and mission of communal farm living.

Strange concept, you might think. A commune? Farming? Like with overalls and cows? Sharing things with other people? I actually rather like it when people call us hippies. So go ahead, tell me how crazy you think I am......

The vision for our farm and what we will do there is constantly changing and evolving, but it's taking shape very quickly. And it's something that really excites me.

No, I don't think tractors are sexy and I will more than likely not be sittin' on a truck tailgate drinkin' beer every night in my daisy dukes. (Although Daisy Duke herself was pretty great...)

But I'm finding sustainable, green living something I am becoming passionate about. It's a respect for what the LORD has given us. How He desires for us to live in connection to the earth and with each other. How He designed our bodies to thrive in non-toxic conditions and consume whole foods for optimal health (for 120 years even!). It's all connected and it all works together so well.

He's pretty much the kindest Person I've ever met for giving us all of this.

I'm just saying......

Snake Oil Salesmen Had it Right?

2009-08-14T09:13:00.016-05:00

I almost deleted an email this morning, writing it off as a silly forwarded message that would tell me to send it along to 14 other people in the next hour or I didn't really love Jesus (are they kidding me?). But I'm so glad I did read it (and that it didn't judge my email habits in connection with the King of the Universe).

Inside was a great little article shedding some light on the evolution of "healthcare" in the West. With all the talk about "healthcare" reform in the government (which I don't really keep up with since I don't watch the news....better things to do.....), this offers a fresh perspective on an alternative--a "third way," if you will, to borrow a phrase from a respected author, Shane Claiborne (changed my life.....I recommend his stuff).

ps-I'm not hating on people who became doctors or nurses because they wanted to help people. But I do believe there are far, far better ways to build health and help others. Ways with no harmful side effects and big corporations who stand to profit big time from people's illness and/or fear.

Condensed History of Herbal Pharmacy,"Snake Oils", and the Pharmaceutical Industry
Authored by Evelyn Grady

For hundreds of years the European Pharmacopoeias collected and categorized information from research and reported responses of natural herbal remedies as this was the medicines prescribed by the doctors. During this time extensive research was also categorized regarding Homeopathic medicines which were also widely prescribed by European doctors.

In America, as the missionaries moved west to establish their church missions, they collected information from the Indians who already had figured out which herbs did what as they had been utilizing the natural plants for thousands of years and passed on their knowledge through their Medicine Men. The pharmaceutical industry paid these missionaries to collect the plants and send these herbal remedies to them, and the missionaries used this money as an additional means of funding their religious work.

There were not many toxic manmade drugs during the 1800's, except for the highly addictive cocaine and heroin "medicines" such as "Laudanum" which were guaranteed to be "safe" and widely prescribed until finally Congress put a stop to this highly lucrative business in favor of preventing further widespread addiction to the American public.

Later Congress passed a law which then prevented the pharmaceutical industry from patent protection on natural herbal remedies which they confirmed as "God given in the natural domain" and therefore open to all in the "public domain". Subsequently the Pharmaceutical Industry began to develop more and more manufactured chemical concoctions for the purpose of patent protection and Big Bucks.

Consequently this chemical drug industry began an earnest campaign to discredit the very same herbal medicines that they had previously distributed themselves by falsely claiming them as "ineffective" and "dangerous". They converted a phrase that previously had a positive meaning, "Snake oils" into a negative concept in order to create the impression that these were a "waste of money based on Old Wives Tales". For the people living during the time of this transition, this was confusing because "Snake Oils" were indeed a legitimate and proven effective treatment for snake bites, primarily the Melaleuca (Tea Tree) essential oils which were imported here all the way from Australia for this purpose. "Snake Oil Salesmen" made a good living during the pioneer days because this was indeed an effective treatment and the people in the West relied upon these medicine salesmen for Snake Oil as well as many other natural remedies. The legitimate Snake Oil salesmen had lots of repeat business because these medicines ACTUALLY WORKED.

Of course fraudulent medicine salesmen figured out that they could move from town to town selling colored sugar water "medicines" and they were hard to catch up with by the time the customers figured out that they had spent their hard earned money on fake remedies. These con artists unintentionally assisted the newly developing manmade drug business by further giving genuine snake oil salesmen a bad name.

Today we have a century of organized indoctrination and propaganda from the Pharmaceutical Industry resulting in medical doctors who are brainwashed from medical school onward. They do not receive the training that Naturopathic and Homeopathic doctors receive regarding nutritional and herbal therapies, and they are not aware of the extensive research and science which supports these proven therapies, many of which were used by our ancestors although their doctor's prescriptions were based primarily on "anecdotal" evidence. Example: When the doctors continually reported that Melaleuca oil recovered their patients from rattlesnake bites, this was considered to be Valid Scientific Evidence. [Basically this is what I call the "Proof in Pudding Test"]

In spite of the fact that today we have accumulated Scientific Evidence that confirms the Anecdotal Evidence of these natural therapies which were already being utilized in the world of natural medicine for hundreds to thousands of years, the only "evidence" that is recognized by the conventional medical system today is their own industry funded drug trials and studies. [I will refrain from further discussing the fraud and manipulated "results"]

Big Pharma has succeeded in their century long political efforts to obtain the cooperation of the AMA, FDA, and all medical and government organizations with the end result being a MONOPOLY, although technically this is illegal. However, since the American conventional medical system is entirely under the control of the Pharmaceutical Industry we can never expect the "expert opinions" of medical doctors who are only trained in drugs, to guide us towards true healing.....Instead it is our own responsibility to educate ourselves in order to pursue essential oils and other natural therapies that ACTUALLY WORK.

Robert Frost said it best when he wrote this in 1920:
"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

Time Keeps on Ticking

2009-05-29T09:15:00.007-05:00

Forgive my absence from the blogging world.....Busy-ness overtook me (and made me tired too).

So, in an effort to let you know that I am, indeed, still alive, I figured a new recipe was in order. I'm working on a jam-packed post on sunshine (and cancer, toxic chemical sunscreens and the like....) so stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, a busy, non-posting past few weeks calls for a recipe that caters to busy times (so punny.....I get that from my Dad).

This is more like a recipe template, which means you can use whatever you happen to have on hand, as well as be incredibly creative if you'd like.

Crustless Quiche

1-1 1/2 c. meats and veggies -- saute and season (ideas: chicken, ground turkey or beef, onion, zucchini, squash, bell peppers, garlic, broccoli)

Spread in a pie pan. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Custard:

4 cage-free eggs

1 1/2 c. liquid (I use coconut milk-yum!)

salt, pepper, an herb or two

Wisk together custard ingredients and pour over top. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 min.

Got Milk?

2009-04-29T14:29:00.009-05:00

If you do have milk in your fridge (and who doesn’t?), you might want to take a gander below at what could be in that yellow carton. And what it’s doing inside your body.

Let’s say you pick up a gallon of “normal” cow’s milk from the gas station or grocery store. It looks healthy enough. But things are not always as they seem (to reference the Arabian salesman at the beginning of Aladdin. Love that movie!)

That one gallon of milk is teeming with hormones and antibiotics. Bottom’s up!

(At this point you may be eyeing your toddler who is innocently playing with her dolls whilst consuming said hormones and antibiotics. This is a normal reaction. Don’t be afraid to take the sippy cup away from her after reading the rest of this post.)

“The biggest problems with modern dairy products come from our habit of ‘tinkering’ with dairy animals and their milk products to ‘make them better.’ Dairy farmers today selectively breed dairy cows and inject them with growth hormones to boost their annual milk production from 500 pounds to 3,000 pounds. That gives us lots of hormone laced antibiotic-rich milk--for our enjoyment.

“Rather than allow cows to feed on grass in the field, they pump them full of high-protein soybean meal. The cows, in turn, produce incredible amounts of milk for two years--and then suffer chronic mastitis (infection of the nipples) and shorter life spans. The milk we receive in such high quantities is very low in nutrients--especially compared to the highly nutritious milk produced by grass-fed cows and other animals.”*

So once I learned that, I started paying a bit more for organic milk. That must be the obvious answer, right? If it’s organic, then it must be good for you!

Not so much.......

The pasteurization process that all milk must undergo in order to be sold in stores alters the milk and creates all kinds of problems for our bodies.

“Modern milk producers routinely pasteurize milk by heating it at high temperatures to destroy undesirable bacteria. This process destroys all of the beneficial organisms in milk, along with all of the enzymes (considered the ‘final test’ for successful pasteurization). It also alters vital amino acids, reducing our ability to access to proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals in milk. (In reality, modern sanitation standards, sterile, stainless steel holding tanks and milking technology have made pasteurization largely unnecessary today.)

“Milk producers also “add” powdered milk and synthetic vitamin D2 or toxic D3 to “low-fat” milk to make it thicker. Then they ‘homogenize’ the mixture so fat particles remain in suspension--making them indigestible in the intestine, but highly likely to pass throught the intestinal wall, directly into the bloodstream.”*

Pasteurization also means the following for that tall, cold beverage into which you’re dunking your cookies:

Encourages the growth of harmful bacteria (the pasteurization process kills the lactic acid bacilli, meaning the milk cannot become naturally sour and therefore decomposes quickly).
Causes constipation
Renders the calcium in milk insoluble.
Destroys 20% of the iodine present in raw milk.
Turns the sugar of milk (lactose) into beta-lactose, which is absorbed into the body far more quickly.

(above from http://www.realmilk.com/rawvpasteur.html)

You may be wondering what you actually can drink..... So glad you asked!

Raw cow’s or goat’s milk are far better options. But don’t look for it in Whole Foods. By law, you have to go in search of it yourself, and even then, it must be sold as “pet food.” But don’t worry-if it comes from a reputable dairy, it is perfectly safe to consume. Find a dairy near you at realmilk.com. Some will even deliver!

Here are some really great facts to know about goat’s milk:

Goat’s milk is less allergenic (It does not contain the complex proteins that stimulate allergic reactions to cow’s milk)
Goat’s milk does not suppress the immune system.
Goat’s milk is easier to digest than cow’s milk. (An old statistic showed that goat’s milk will digest in a baby’s stomach in twenty minutes, whereas pasteurized cow’s milk takes eight hours. The difference is in the structure of the milk.)
Goat’s milk alkalinizes the digestive system. It actually contains an alkaline ash, and it does not produce acid in the intestinal system.
Goat’s milk contains twice the healthful medium chain fatty acids, which are highly antimicrobial. (They actually killed the bacteria used to test for the presence of antibiotics in cow’s milk!)
Goat’s milk does not produce mucus; it does not stimulate a defense response from the human immune system.

And of course there is always rice milk or almond milk, found in the aisle next to the soy milk--which you should avoid at all costs! Soy (in it’s overly processed state-i.e. anything other than organic edamame) is not a health food. Soy is the most mucus forming food on the planet. It will also mimic estrogen in the body and often contains aluminum from the processing. I’m sure I’ll have more on that later....

If you’ve had any experiences with raw milk yourself, feel free to leave your message at the beep!

*These quotes and the goat’s milk list are from Maker'S Diet by Jordan Rubin--a fantastic book that I highly recommend you read!

Noodle-less Lasagna

2009-04-18T22:07:00.005-05:00

Or a gloried meatloaf. It was more or less a cross between the two.

It was our dinner last night. And it was tasty!

Share-worthy, in fact. So share I will....

Zucchini Casserole

2 small zucchini

1 1/2 lbs. ground meat

1/2 small onion

3 cloves garlic

3 eggs

2 Tbsp. Bragg’s liquid aminos

2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce

2 7 oz. cans tomato paste

1 pint ricotta cheese

pinch of Stevia

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Mix in glass bowl liquid aminos, garlic, onion, eggs and ground meat.

Flatten mixture into 9 in. by 4 in. deep glass casserole dish.

Slice zucchini 1/4 in. thick and lay over meat bed mixture.

Mix ricotta cheese, 1 egg, salt and pepper and spread over zucchini.

Mix tomato paste, sauce and a pinch of Stevia and pour over ricotta.

Bake for approx. 1 1/2 hours at 350.

This dish does take quite a while to cook in the oven, but it’s great when you’re having company over so you don’t have to fuss over last minute details in the kitchen while your guests sit in the living room. Plus, it served 4 of us (most of which are hefty eaters).

Yes, I Know I'm Crazy....

2009-04-13T16:31:00.011-05:00

There is no microwave in my kitchen. When we learned what it does to our food, we unplugged it and stowed it away on the top shelf of a closet.

I’m not exactly sure what to do with it just yet....I would feel morally responsible for selling the “death box,” as my friend Thomas likes to call it (though he still uses it.....), and allowing a poor unsuspecting soul to further deteriorate his or her health. “Here, you can have this disease-causing machine at a reduced price! Today only!”

So why do we do our very best to avoid food cooked in microwaves?

So glad you asked.....

To avoid a long, scientific explanation, I will just give the basics. You can read this article for a more detailed description of the science behind these certain types of energy waves.

I think we can all agree on the principle that radiation is generally bad for humans. We were never meant to be exposed to it on any level. People die from radiation poisoning, yet we treat tumors by radiating one’s entire body--killing the tumor, yes, but affecting every other cell in the body at the same time. The same goes with chemotherapy (pure acid). The tumor may shrink or even disappear, but the entire rest of the body is now far more susceptible to developing cancer. Did you know that the majority of those who die from cancer die from second round cancer?

But we like to shoot radiation into our food because it’s fast and easy.

But what is it really doing to our food? Just warming it up? Not a chance......check out this excerpt from NEXUS magazine, Volume 2, #25 (April-May ’95):

“In early 1991, word leaked out about a lawsuit in Oklahoma. A woman named Norma Levitt had hip surgery, only to be killed by a simple blood transfusion when a nurse "warmed the blood for the transfusion in a microwave oven"! Logic suggests that if heating or cooking is all there is to it, then it doesn't matter what mode of heating technology one uses. However, it is quite apparent that there is more to 'heating' with microwaves than we've been led to believe.

“Blood for transfusions is routinely warmed-but not in microwave ovens! In the case of Mrs. Levitt, the microwaving altered the blood and it killed her. Does it not therefore follow that this form of heating does, indeed, do 'something different' to the substances being heated? Is it not prudent to determine what that 'something different' might do? A funny thing happened on the way to the bank with all that microwave oven revenue: nobody thought about the obvious. Only 'health nuts' who are constantly aware of the value of quality nutrition discerned a problem with the widespread 'denaturing' of our food.”

So not only does microwaved food not taste as good as foods prepared more naturally (Yeah, I know it takes longer, but warming up leftover pizza in the oven does not produce a limp, chewy triangular mass. Everyone does know this, right?), but microwaved foods are, indeed, dangerous!

Because of the unnatural manner in which the microwaves heat your food, you end up altering the molecules and producing toxic carcinogens (cancer-causing agents).

Por ejemplo,

Microwaving milk and cereal grains changes some of the amino acids into carcinogens.
Thawing frozen fruit in the microwave converts properties in the fruit to cancer-causing agents.
Even a very short exposure of any kind of vegetable (raw, cooked, frozen, etc.) to microwaves changes the plant alkaloids to carcinogens.
Free radicals are formed in microwaved root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, etc.)
There is a decrease in nutritional value in microwaved foods.

(Those findings were the results of a Russian study published by the Atlantis Raising Educational Center in Portland, Oregon. The Russians banned the use of microwaves in 1976.)

The article I mentioned above lays it all out plain and simple:

“From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, we will conclude this article with the following:

Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].

The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.

Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.

The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.

Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.

The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.

Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.

The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.

Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.

Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.”

So why do we not hear about these dangers? Certainly our government would tell us if we were unknowingly harming ourselves and our children, right? Those big businesses making millions of dollars from the sale of quick, easy and cheaply produced products wouldn’t sell anything to the public without thoroughly testing it first, would they? (Sarcasm intended)

You can decide for yourself on that front......

And I will continue to shun the use of the “death-box” and be healthier for it.

But I can hear you already: What in the world will I do without my microwave? I can’t live without it! I don’t have time to cook for real! I can’t possibly survive without it!

Relax! Here are some alternatives to consider:

Use the stove/oven/toaster oven. I promise it really doesn’t take that much longer to warm up some soup or heat water for tea on the stove top as opposed to the microwave. Added bonus-the whistle of the teapot will make you smile :)
Invest in a Vitamix. I’m saving my nickels and dimes for one of these puppies. The ultimate kitchen appliance in my opinion. It will crush, chop, mix, dice and even heat your food (I’ve seen it done! Into the blender go whole fresh veggies, some water and spices. Blend on high for about 4 min. Then enjoy your piping hot soup! But not quite so hot that the nutritional properties are lost--the food is still considered raw. Amazing!) If anyone would care to know more, they can feel free to have one sent to my apartment and I will review it here (recipes included, of course!)
The Turbo Oven. Sure, it looks cheesy, but the doctor who backs it is extremely respected in the natural living and traditional medicinal communities. I’ve not tried this one, but it looks like a pretty great option for about the same price as a new microwave oven would cost you anyway.
A crock-pot. What could be easier than dumping some meat and veggies in a pot and leaving it there all day?
Just go raw. All the nutritional properties in your fruits and veggies will be preserved to be sure. And there is such a satisfying crunch associated with a big ole raw carrot or fresh salad. Or broccoli and cauliflower dipped in hummus. Or bell pepper slices dipped in guacamole. Oh the possibilities are endless!

A few of my favorite things....

2009-04-01T12:48:00.021-05:00

At the risk of sounding like Oprah, I wanted to share a few items that I just really like.

My Camelbak Better Bottle tops the list! I have a thing about drinking through straws. I seem to drink more that way, and I run a far smaller risk of spilling my water down the front of me in a moving car. Yes, unfortunately, this has happened more times than I’d like to admit.....

But, the Better Bottle, which is made from BPA free plastic (a much safer option with far fewer harmful chemicals that can be leached into your beverage), does not spill or leak at all. You just bite down on the mouthpiece and drink from the straw. So much easier to tote around with me when I’m not worried about it tipping over and spilling in the car.

If you’re not a fan of the straw concept, my hubby has a Klean Kanteen made from stainless steel. When you order from their website, you can even choose different caps.

Next on the list is our Costco membership. How I went through almost a year and half of married life without one of these, I’m not sure. I practically grew up in Costco--my Mom is an avid Costco shopper and paid for our membership as our Christmas gift this past year.
If you are buying organic like we are now, Costco has an extremely wide variety of products. I mean, who wouldn’t get excited about a pound of organic baby spinach leaves for $4? Or a package of 8 greenhouse grown Roma tomatoes for $5? To me, it's well worth the $50 for a year long membership.

Cinnamon is another favorite of mine. I’ve found that this “super-spice” is super versatile! I use it in Berry Smoothies, Pumpkin Blueberry Pancakes and Persian Chicken and Rice-everything from breakfast all the way through dessert.

Plus, cinnamon is oh-so-good for oh-so-many things in your body:

Supports digestive function
Constricts and tones tissues
Relieves congestion
Relieves pain and stiffness of muscles and joints
Relieves menstrual discomfort
Blood-thinning compounds that stimulate circulation
Anti-inflammatory compounds that may relieve arthritis
Helps prevent urinary tract infections, tooth decay and gum disease
It’s a powerful anti-microbial agent that can kill E. coli and other bacteria

Cilantro makes my favorite things list as well. This was never something I cooked with in the past, but I can’t do without it in the fridge these days. I’m even trying to grow it on my balcony at the moment. The unique, fresh flavor adds a great kick to so many dishes.

Since I can’t very well post without a recipe, so here’s one that calls for cilantro as well as cinnamon!

Cashew Curry Fruited Rice

1 Tbsp. raw or organic butter
1/4 raw, unsalted whole cashews, broken in half
1 tsp. curry powder
1 bay leaf
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. finely grated fresh gingerroot
1/2 c. uncooked brown rice
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. dried apricots, chopped
1/4 c. sweetened dried cranberries
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh cilantro

Melt butter in skillet over med. heat. Add cashews and toast abt. 6-7 min. until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add curry powder, cinnamon and bay leaf. Cook 30-45 seconds, stirring constantly to coat cashews. Remove from skillet and set aside.
In same skillet, cook onion and gingerroot over med. heat 2-3 min. or until onion is tender. Add rice, stirring to coat, Add water, apricots and cranberries. Stir and cover. Reduce heat to low, simmer 18-20 min. or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand 5 min.
Carefully remove lid. Fluff rice with fork and discard bay leaf. Sprinkle cilantro and cashews over rice.

This certainly isn’t a comprehensive list, but I can’t end it without mentioning the awesome computer on which I am typing this post--our new Macbook Pro! We spent a while saving for this purchase, but it was worth every penny!

It’s a very green option for a laptop as well:

Arsenic-free glass
BFR-free internal components
Mercury-free LED-backlit display
PVC-free internal cables
Up to 37% smaller packaging
Highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosures

So that’s my list and I’m stickin’ to it. I’d love to hear what’s on yours....perhaps I’ll find some new treasures to add to my list as well :)

Me duele mi cabeza....

2009-03-23T13:29:00.008-05:00

Translation: My head is killing me, give me some pills!!

Well, ok, literally it just means 'my head pains me' en espanol, but you get the idea. And yes, in years past, the option of harmless looking little pills to ease the throbbing pain in my temple seemed like a great option.

Until I learned that meds like Advil, Tylenol and Aspirin are the leading cause of kidney and liver failure. And taking them for 6 months or more doubles your risk of heart disease and stroke.

There are always risks and negative side effects when something un-natural is introduced into our bodies. And since God didn't leave us hanging in the face of adversity, it's good to know there are plenty of natural cures and preventions for something as common as a headache.

Common, yes. Normal, no.

Ginger is a fabulous natural anti-inflammatory. You can find ginger tea in the store, or you can make your own by boiling a small piece of ginger root in a pot of water for about 30 min. Discard the ginger and enjoy the tea.

I've not had to do this since I've not had more than 3 or 4 headaches in the past 8 months (since I've been restoring the arc of life in my neck and getting pressure off my nerves), but a friend recently tried it. She was dealing with an excruciating migraine-like headache. So off I went to kitchen to whip up a homemade remedy (I'm just a regular Suzie Homemaker-HA!). She mentioned that the tea had quite a bite (that's ginger for you!), but her headache was gone within minutes of finishing her tea!

I love to cook with ginger as well. Aside from being a tasty Asian flavor, ginger:

-Soothes nausea, motion sickness and other stomach upsets
-Relieves morning sickness
-Relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract
-Antioxidant properties
-Relieves dizziness
-Boosts the immune system
-Protects against bacteria and fungi
-Promotes cardiovascular health

What's not to love?

And to prevent those pesky headaches in the first place, drink plenty of clean water (Spring or Reverse Osmosis filtered), get plenty of sleep (every hour before midnight counts as 2 after. Note also that your liver does most of its detoxing between the hours of 11pm-1am) and lay off the sugar (slowly back away from the soda....). It would also be wise to get checked out for pressure on any of the nerves in your neck. It's not called the Arc of Life for no reason! While headaches are common, they are not normal. Contact me on how to get checked....

Beef....It's What's for Dinner

2009-03-12T10:08:00.005-05:00

I’ve never been scared of eating red meat. I love it actually. Never crossed my mind that red meat was bad for my heart. Never paid much attention to studies done by the government or the FDA. Guess it’s all well and good at any rate, cuz all those silly studies done about red meat killing those rabbits had one minor flaw…..

…..rabbits are vegetarians by nature.

There goes that theory!

Granted, when consuming red meat, it’s good to know what else is in there. Growth hormones? Antibiotics? Pesticides from eating sprayed corn crops? Yes, yep and uh-huh. (By the way, all those tasty sounding poisons are found in the milk of the cow as well, and no, the pasteurization process does not remove them. More on that later….)

So what’s a girl to do? Give into scare tactics and avoid red meat like the plague? Far from it! Clean, healthy red meat is chock full of an essential fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA from here on out). CLA is an amazing substance that our bodies definitely need.

And who couldn’t use these benefits…..CLA:

fights the growth of cancer cells in your body (everyone has them)
helps to prevent diabetes
aids in weight loss
enhances your immune system

Let it be noted, however, that grass-fed beef contains 3-5 times more CLA than grain-fed beef.

If you’re like I was before I watched a fascinating documentary called King Corn, you’re thinking, “Cows eat grain? Who knew?” But indeed, most ranchers looking to turn a sizeable profit (as their main and perhaps only goal) will lock up hundreds of cows in stalls, never letting them walk around, feeding them genetically-modified corn sprayed with toxic pesticide chemicals (cows were never meant to eat corn, just in case you’re wondering. It makes them sick…..), injecting them with antibiotics (because the corn made them sick) and growth hormones.

And we eat all that. You are what you eat after all……

So only grass-fed beef (or bison) now graces our table. You won’t find it at Kroger, however. Whole Foods and other health food stores will carry it, but at a much higher price. We buy ours from the Nashville Farmer’s Market for $4/pound. There are several vendors with grass-fed meat, but we like Emerald Glen Farm out of Munfordville, KY.

So now that you have your grass-fed beef, what better way to eat it than in a chili!

1 Tbsp. coconut oil (unrefined)
½ c. chopped onions
2 med. garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped green pepper
1 ½ lbs. grass-fed beef or ground bison
2 tsp. thyme leaves
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
sea salt
1 8oz. can diced tomatoes
1 12oz. jar salsa (all natural or homemade)

In a large skillet, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Saute onions, garlic, celery and bell pepper until onion is translucent, abt. 3-4 min. Add ground meat, thyme, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, 5-6 min. Pour salt, tomatoes and salsa into crock pot. Add meat mixture. Cover and let simmer for the day. Then get cozy with a blanket in front of the fireplace and enjoy!

**Buying Guide**
Where I buy my chili ingredients at the best price:

Coconut oil-Whole Foods brand (organic and unrefined, for $6.99.)
Onions-Whole Foods (a 3 lb. bag of organic for $2.99)
Celery-Publix Greenwise brand (usually on sale for $1.99 for a good size stalk)
Green Pepper-Whole Foods will usually have local, organic green bell peppers
Beef-Nashville Farmer’s Market (Emerald Glen Farm, $4/lb.)
Fresh Thyme Leaves-Whole Foods (a container of organic herbs for $1.99)
Diced Tomatoes-Costco (8 pack of organic canned tomatoes for $7.99) or Kroger Organic canned tomatoes for those without the prestigious Costco membership

I had to buy new pants.

2009-03-07T12:40:00.005-06:00

I wasn’t even trying, but I had lost a few inches around my middle and my thighs. So when it started to become obnoxious to hike up my pants all day (but let’s face it, who wouldn’t prefer to have that problem instead of having buttons popping OFF their pants?), I bit the bullet and went to the store in search of new clothes. (Of course, being the bargain shopper I am, this required scouring the clearance racks for a while!)

My body was just responding naturally to changes in my diet (simple changes really, but ones that required an overhaul of our kitchen cabinets and a complete change in perspective). My family and most of my friends think we’re crazy (ok, they found us out. ha!), but I’m not complaining when I slide on pants that used to be tight on me, only to find they are now saggy and baggy. Kind of a nice feeling with bathing suit season just around the corner……just a thought.

I realized that the food most of us eat really isn’t food at all.

It’s dead.

Or it concocted in a lab.

And it’s poisoning us.

When some people became enamored with money and power and the rest of us gave into our laziness, the government and big businesses took over our food supply, spraying poisons on our crops to create a larger yield, coating food with waxes to make it last longer and look prettier, and otherwise concocting chemical cocktails that are unrecognizable as food to our bodies.

And our bodies are suffering for it. More people die of heart disease than ever before. 1 in 3 people will die from cancer. 1 in 3 kids will get diabetes. Obesity is a huge (no pun intended…oh dear-that’s my father’s humor coming through) problem. But more on that later……

Back to the food!

Getting back to the root of things, from the beginning, God has provided us with all the food we need to sustain us, satisfy us, heal us, and even give us pleasure (I mean, come on, fresh fruits and veggies taste amazing!). He is Good and He knows exactly what our bodies need.

The changes we made came from The Healing Diet from Exodus Health Center. I also read The Maker’s Diet by Jordin S. Rubin. I give two big thumbs up to both of those articles/books. Now instead of cooking with rancid vegetable oils, I use olive oil, grapeseed oil and coconut oil. Instead of hormone-laced, antibiotic-filled meat, I eat clean, grass-fed, happy cow meat. Instead of bleached, super-blood-sugar-spiking, turns-to-sugar-in-your-body-in-4-seconds white bread, noodles and rice, I eat super-yummy sprouted grain bread and noodles and brown rice.

Now before you leave me shaking your head and muttering “yeah, that's all well and good, but I just can't afford to eat like that," be encouraged that if we can do it so can you!! I've found that when we trusted the Lord with our health and stepped out in faith that these food choices were honoring our bodies, we have always had enough (more than enough really). Plus, I've done all the leg work for you as far as bargains are concerned! So stay tuned for where to buy what at the best price and what's on sale this week.

I'll leave you with a recipe to try to whet your appetite for truly good food!

Berry Smoothie
-This is great for breakfast. It really gets your metabolism going.

1/3 can coconut milk (full fat....don't fret-these healthy fats will actually help you lose weight)
2 cage free eggs or 1 scoop protein powder
1 c. frozen berries (no sugar added)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Stevia to taste (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until frothy. Enjoy immediately, preferably through a bendy straw (only because they're more fun!)

Coming Home

2009-03-02T13:31:00.010-06:00

First post. A rather daunting task.....I'm wanting to say something incredibly witty and clever to set the tone and make you come back and visit again. But i figure this post will eventually get lost in the archives anyway and we can move onto more important things...

...like living a thriving, vibrant life to 120 years old.

...like how to afford to eat organic.

...like why it's so cold in my apartment.

I tried. I really did. I put on another pair of socks, another blanket on the bed. But I just had to turn on the heat today! I complain (often) about being cold in the winter (ask my husband. or my co-workers. or anybody really), but when the weather makes one turn toward spring and the unit goes off, i like to keep it off. The thought of saving a zero or two on the utility bill inspires me to suck it up and just keep shivering.

But I know that in the end, being able to feel my fingers to type out this post is worth the few extra bucks. After all, I have big plans to spread the Truth about our health, our food, and all the other things that go along with that.

So I'd love it if you'd follow me on the journey. I'll even turn the heat on for you....