Hold The Hamburger Helper!

This is so easy. Need a last minute healthy meal? Make these black bean soft tacos!

Whole Grain Wheat tortillas

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
shredded white cheddar or monterrey jack cheese

fresh cut tomatoes and avocados

Place beans and cheese in wraps and roll up. Place in dish and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Add tomatoes and avocado (You can add salsa and sour cream if you want) roll back up and enjoy!

Hint: Leftovers aren't so good...or maybe that was just my icky morning sickness..?

Note to self: Check your beans!! I made chili today and used a generic brand of beans. After opening I checked the ingredients (which I usually do in the store, guess not this time!) and it was full of unnecessary stuff, including high fructose corn syrup! I am buying organic from now on. I found the Whole Foods brand is only 10 or 20 cents more. Worth it to me!

Sneaky MSG Info

Here is great information about MSG (Monosodium Glutamate). It sure is sneaky. The end is pretty pro-vegan (which I am not), but the bottom line is that it is pretty surprising all this other stuff is or has amounts of MSG in it. Gross.

YOU MUST READ LABELS!!!
If is says, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed protein, or textureized vegetable protein, IT IS MSG.
If it says, maltodextrin, barley malt, whey protein, soy protein isolate (or words to that nature), IT IS MSG.
Gelatin (used in vitamin capsules) contains MSG.
Most smoke flavor or "flavorings" contain MSG.
Soy sauce, made from the fermentation of soy beans contains MSG and pure MSG powder can be added to cheaper brands of soy sauce to enhance its flavor.
Confirmed with Fearn Foods, the manufacturer of Spike, Spike contains MSG.
It is in vegetarian meat analogs, "hot dog analogs", soup broths, bouillon, and products using the words containing protein fortified, enzyme modified, rice syrup, brown rice syrup, citric acid, milk powder, dry milk solids, annatto, spice, carrageenan, guar gum, and lecithin (if from hydrolyzed soy products).
But wait, there`s more!Candy, drinks, gum, packaged salads with citric acid, low fat milk, stevia (if coupled with maltodextrin), Accent, Lawry`s Seasoning Salt, Torula Yeast, Adobo salt, Chinese Seasonings, and believe it or not, internal feeding materials and some fluids administered intravenously in hospitals.
So, what is one to do?Learn to cook and eat naturally, forget fast foods, processed foods, animal products and dairy products and eat an organic vegan plant based diet that is as much organic as possible.Let your spices be natural from foods and herbs. And above all, before you buy anything packaged and/or processed, YOU MUST READ LABELS.One more thing, politicians that receive campaign contributions from large food companies have made it so that legislation has been passed to NOT list MSG as an ingredient but to euphemistically use the words mentioned above.

2-For-One Meal!

I'm all about easy these days. So tonight you can make this Asian Chicken Salad, while easily marinating the chicken with similar ingredients for tomorrow's dinner! And both are so easy.

Asian Chicken Salad

Romaine Lettuce
1 small can mandarin oranges in juice not syrup, save the juice
slivered almonds
Your favorite dressing, maybe Asian or balsamic
Cooked chicken:
1 to 2 organic free range chicken breasts cut into cubes
pan fry on medium heat with grapeseed oil once or twice around the pan
about a half cup of Asian sauce, soy, teriyaki, tamari, etc. Low sodium & check my post on MSG **San-J Tamari is my favorite
a couple tablespoons of sesame seeds
Cook about 10 minutes until golden brown
Add to salad and you're all done!

I wanted to serve this with home made fresh spring rolls but hey...I'm pregnant.



Now, use the extra chicken breasts from the pack and trim, tenderize, and cut in half
Place in a glass baking dish
Drizzle 1 or 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil in a mixing bowl
1 or 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons raw honey
3/4 cup of the same Asian sauce from the salad
Juice from the mandarin oranges
season with sea salt, pepper, garlic salt, ginger and parsley
Mix it up and pour on top of chicken.
Marinade in fridge overnight, turning breasts over in the morning
Grill for dinner, or you can bake it in the dish. If you grill, save the extra marinade, boil it, and use it as a sauce to dip the chicken in.

2 easy, healthy, light meals DONE. Yay!

Lack of New Posts!

Big announcement to all: We are expecting our 2nd child in May 2010! Thus the reason I have not been posting.....I have not been doing much cooking....been super tired! And why is it so hard to eat healthy when you're pregnant, especially during the first trimester? Ugh!

I think I am getting back into my groove, so hopefully that means more healthy home made meals and more posts. :)

Comments!

If you have tried any of these recipes, please share a comment, good or bad! I would love to know if you had success or not.

:D

Flu Shot Info!

Great information if you're on the fence on whether or not to get the flu and/or H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine!

drtenpenny.com/Documents/the%20truth%20about%20the%20flu%20shot--%20short.pdf

Please keep in mind the life style changes that are necessary if you are going to decide not to get a vaccine. If you are not living a healthy lifestyle, your body will not be able to fight off disease. All the more reason to give up junk and start eating healthy, whole foods and drinking a lot of GOOD water!

Taken from an article on Mercola.com:
"So how do you stop worrying about the flu vaccine, how do you really prevent flues and more serious diseases? When I give the answer, this is where I lose those who are addicted to "quick fixes," who are lazy, or just plain brainwashed by the pharmaceutical companies, but here it is:
Start focusing NOW on eating properly. That means STOP with the junk foods and fast foods, STOP with the sugary foods, the processed grains, and the trans-fats. That means INCREASE the healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in cod liver oil, the good carbohydrates like those in vegetables, and the healthy proteins like those in clean, naturally raised meats (i.e., NOT the kind you typically find in grocery stores) like free-range chicken. That means learn your metabolic type as soon as possible so you know what proportion of fats, carbs and proteins are ideal to build YOUR immune system (and help you optimize your weight, and increase energy, and avoid premature aging).
I guarantee that this and not vaccines and pills are the answer. I have spent over two decades developing my dietary program, and through my respected clinic it has proven to help tens of thousands of people build their immunity, overcome disease (most far more serious than the flu), optimize their weight and increase their energy."

Top ways to fight off the flu (also from Mercola.com):

Probiotics:
Probiotics are one of only two supplements that are recommended to all new patients who come to the Natural Health Center that I stared in 1985 (the other being an omega-3 fat supplement). It’s also one of the few supplements that I personally take every day.
In many cultures, probiotic-rich food and drinks, such as the fermented superfoods natto, kefir, lassi (an Indian yogurt drink) and sauerkraut, are an integral part of the daily diet.
If you eat a diet rich in fermented foods like these that have NOT been pasteurized (pasteurization will kill the probiotics), then you will likely enjoy great digestive, and immune system, health.
However, if you find yourself strongly drawn to processed foods or rely on mostly cooked foods, as is commonplace in the United States, the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract will have a hard time staying optimal.
This is most unfortunate because this ratio between the "good" bacteria and the other bacteria is one of the critical factors determining your optimal health, as the good bacteria are essential for:\
The proper development of your immune system
Protection against over-growth of other microorganisms that could cause disease
Digestion of food and absorption of nutrients
The probiotics in your gut also play a role in helping numerous bodily functions, such as:
Digesting and absorbing certain carbohydrates.
Producing vitamins, absorbing minerals and eliminating toxins.
Keeping bad bacteria under control.
Preventing allergies. Friendly bacteria train your immune system to distinguish between pathogens and non-harmful antigens, and to respond appropriately.
Providing vital support to your immune system. Beneficial bacteria have a lifelong, powerful effect on your gut’s immune system and your systemic immune system as well.
Sugar is also an incredibly efficient fertilizer for growing bad bacteria and yeast in your gut, so if you indulge in a lot of it you’re fueling the bad bacteria rather than the good.
Likewise, stress, pollution, and taking antibiotics can further upset the balance in a negative way.
Since helpful bacteria are increasingly absent in most people’s diets, it is important to purposely include foods that contain live probiotic bacteria in your diet, or take a probiotic supplement -- especially since flu season is just around the corner.

Here’s What You Need to Know to Avoid the Flu This Year
Now is the time to start making healthy changes that will keep you virtually immune to cold and flu viruses. If you follow the tips I recommend, you can easily sail through each and every winter (and fall, spring and summer) without so much as a case of the sniffles.
How do I know this?
Because I have not caught the flu in over 20 years, and you can avoid it too -- without getting vaccinated -- by following these simple guidelines.
Optimize your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is the likely cause of seasonal flu viruses. Getting an optimal level of vitamin D will help you fight infections of all kinds. In fact, the largest study yet of the association between vitamin D and respiratory infections found people with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of the flu.
Eat plenty of probiotic-rich fermented foods, or take a high-quality probiotic supplement to support your digestive and immune system health.
Avoid or Limit Sugar. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately and a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness.
Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight off cold and flu viruses.
Have Tools to Address Stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.
If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using an energy psychology tool such as the Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT), which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma
Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.
Take a good source of animal based omega-3 fats like Krill Oil, which is crucial for maintaining health.
Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.
Also, be careful not to overdo it. Washing your hands too much can actually remove much of the protective layer on your skin and increase your chances of acquiring an infection

And I will add...eat garlic! :D

It's Flu Season! Bring Out The Garlic!

Ok, so with flu season right around the corner, I decided to throw in tons of fresh garlic into any meal I could. Here is one I made a few weeks ago.

Meat Sauce:

2-4 lbs free range ground turkey or ground beef

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

2 onions peeled and chopped

8-10 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

6-12 cloves (or more!) garlic peeled and coarsely chopped- I like to throw these in the blender :)

1 cups dry red wine

3 cans (28 ounces) organic crushed tomatoes
1 can (28 oz) organic diced tomatoes

1 can organic tomato paste

2 teaspoons Italian seasonings

2 teaspoons raw honey

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Brown meat with oil, onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook until meat is done, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, Italian seasonings, honey, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 45 minutes (at least), stirring occasionally.

Serve hot over cooked whole wheat or rice pasta. Freeze extras for another day!

If you're super adventurous, you can serve it with:

Tri-Color Pepper Salad:

1 orange, red and yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 or 2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

Whole Grain Corn Muffins

Fast, easy and yummy mini corn muffins.

1 1/2 cups Hodgson Mill yellow corn meal

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 raw honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup buttermilk*

1 egg
1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease mini muffin tin with grapeseed oil spray. Combine all ingredients in micing bowl and mix until just combined. Spoon batter into muffin tins, and bake for about 10 minutes. Makes about 24 mini muffins.

*Note: you can make buttermilk by adding one tbsp lemon juice to a one cup measuring cup then filling it the rest of the way with milk.

Crunchy Fish Sticks

I had a craving for fish sticks...so I made my own so I would at least know what I was eating! Took a little more time than frozen fish sticks, but they were so good, my daughter loved them! When you crave fried food, try it yourself! You'll save yourself at least a year of your life I'm sure. ;)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoons dried mustard

sea salt and pepper to taste

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

about 4 tilapia filets (fresh and cut lengthwise and then in half- cut in half again if too thick, 1/4 inch thickness works good)

Panko style bread crumbs

1 cup refined coconut oil

In a large bowl, mix together flour, mustard, salt, and pepper; add buttermilk and eggs. Heat oil over medium/medium high heat. Pour breadcrumbs into a large plate. Coat fish in egg mixture and roll in breadcrumbs. Cook in heated oil for about 2 minutes on each side (you will know the oil is hot enough if you drop some of the egg mixture into it and it sizzles). Place cooked fish sticks on a plate with paper towel to absorb extra oil. Serve hot.

Kitchen Sink Carob Crunchers

Made a brownie recipe with carob... I like carob, but it sure has a different taste than cocoa! You could use cocoa powder in this in place of carob if you don't like it.

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup carob powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 to 1 1/2 cups grapeseed oil

1 cup sucanat

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees, coat baking pan with grapeseed oil. Whisk together first 5 ingredients, set aside. Whisk oil, sugar, egg and vanilla, then add to dry ingredients. Stir in coconut and walnuts- you may need to add more oil if it's too dry. I did. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips, some coconut and some walnuts. Bake for about 25 minutes, cool, and cut into bars.

Is a UTI TMI??

This weekend I had a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) turning into or already a bladder infection....very painful, I had to pee all the time, and I had blood in my pee! (TMI?? Sorry!)
My Hubby bought me D-Mannose, a supplement used to promote a healthy urinary tract. I took it on Saturday and within 24 hours I was just about healed! It was amazing! I know UTI's can be common for woman, so I had to share. We got it from Whole Foods, it cost about $27- but way worth it as I did not have to pay a co-pay to see a Doctor, then pay for a prescription, not to mention the time it would take to have an appointment. An antibiotic would have killed the harmful bacteria I had (the infection), but also all the good bacteria too (what fights off illness). With the D-Mannose, my UTI is gone and I still have all the good bacteria I need in my body to fight off sickness. Just blows my mind, it's way cool!!! Here's a link with info on D-Mannose:
http://products.mercola.com/d-mannose/

And here's to no more UTI's!!! :)

Apple Breakfast Bars- FAST!

I found this recipe online, and decided to try it because it looked so easy and healthy. Scarlotte and I made them this morning and easy and healthy they are!

Apple Breakfast Bars (or snack bars!)

Good and healthy!

1 1/2 cups quick rolled oats

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 orange juice (I only had apple juice and used that instead)

1 1/2 cups raw apples, shredded (about 2 medium)

cinnamon

honey

Place first 7 ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with honey (almost doesn't need the honey, but I added it anyway to find out later it was sweet already). Let stand 10 minutes. Press into a greased (grapeseed oil spray) 8 by 8 pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm. Freezes well.

My Most Favorite Soup Ever- Healthified!

We call this 'Cheesy Potato Soup'. I love anything potato and potato soup is my fav (like at Panera- yum!)! So here is a healthy version. I used to make this according to the recipe, and my husband and I both agreed that the healthier version tasted even better. First meal I ever made for him when we were dating! :)







Cheesy Potato Soup

6 medium potatoes

1 small onion

3 tablespoons organic butter

3 tablespoons whole wheat flour

Crushed red pepper flakes

Ground black pepper

3-4 cups raw milk (yes, I did say raw...although you can use regular or organic milk if you're not quite 'there' yet!)

1/2 teaspoon organic cane sugar or Xylitol

1 cup shredded all natural cheese such as white cheddar, swiss, monterrey jack or a combo of all 3  Raw cheese would be best!

About 1/2 lb uncured ham or You can also substitute turkey, cut in cubes. We don't eat a lot of pork and are trying to get away from it completely. Next time I make this I will use organic uncured turkey breast. You could also use uncured organic chicken sausage (cook it first).

Boil a pot of water while you peel and chop the potatoes (cut into cubes). Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, reserving one cup of the cooking water and set the potatoes and liquid aside.

Peel and finely chop onion. Melt coconut oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent and tender, but not brown. Add flour and season with red pepper flakes and pepper (beware- spicy!). Cook 3-4 minutes. Gradually add potatoes, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, 3 cups milk and sugar. Stir well. Add cheese and ham. Add extra cup of milk if too 'stoupy'. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Pair with a salad and dinner's done!

Home Made Whole Wheat Pizza

Enjoy a pizza night without the grease and without clogging your arteries! Make this SO EASY crust to add your favorite toppings to.

In a large bowl add:

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon organic cane sugar or raw honey

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 packages dry active yeast ( you need 3 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1 cup very warm water

Mix all together with a spoon. Knead dough 5-10 minutes until it is soft and springy. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes, until it has doubled and your finger inprint stays in the dough. I usually make this ahead of time, and let it rise for a couple hours.

For pizza: Grease a pizza stone using grapeseed oil and sprinkle with corn meal. Roll dough onto stone. Spread with your favorite sauce, mozzarella cheese and toppings. Bake at 475 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Scarlotte loves healthy pizza!

Monique's Praise and Glory Muffins

My version of my friend Monique's recipe for 'Praise and Glory' muffins. You can find the original gluten free recipe at http://www.chariscreationsrecipes.blogspot.com/. Please note that my version is NOT gluten free unless you use the gluten free flour version ;). These muffins are just like my favorite muffin at Whole Foods that my Hubby buys me once in a while for $1.25 per muffin! So yummy! My favorite and now I can make them at home!

Monique's Praise and Glory Muffins

350 degrees

1/2 cup raisins

1 large organic apple, chopped small

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (or use a meat tenderizer to smash!)

3/4 cup shredded coconut ( make sure it is ONLY coconut with no added sugars or anything else!)

2 cups grated carrots (about 2 large carrots)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

**2 cups whole wheat flour
(For gluten free, use 1 1/4 cup oat bran flour and 3/4 cup quinoa flour. Delicious!)

3 eggs

2/3 cup applesauce (no sugar added)

1/2 cup raw honey or 3/4 cup Xylitol

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, your choice of sweetener, applesauce, and vanilla. Next add your flour (s), cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix in carrots, raisins, nuts, coconut and anything else you want (we tried sunflower seeds today). Fill greased (grapeseed oil spray) muffin tins very full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick placed in center comes out clean. For me, it made 14 large muffins. Or 24 mini muffins and 6 large muffins.
**We absolutely love the gluten free version with xylitol of these! So healthy, light and delicious. Try it!

Yummy Guilt Free Alfredo!

Thanks to Rachael Ray for this recipe, of course I changed some of the ingredients (and added chicken and broccoli!)...

Chicken and Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo

Serves 6

(Sorry the picture is not that great!)

1 package whole wheat fettuccine pasta, cooked

2 boneless skinless free range chicken breasts, cut in cubes and sauteed in grapeseed oil and pepper in large skillet

1 head of broccoli, cut up and cooked (or 1 16 oz bag of frozen broccoli, cooked)

3 tablespoons refined coconut oil

1 cup organic or raw whole milk, half and half or heavy cream

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (I used raw cheese, not very budget friendly but at least no additives or MSG!)

sea salt and pepper

wheat flour

Boil pasta according to package directions. Boil broccoli until tender, drain. Cook chicken until done, drain extra juices and oil. Add pasta and broccoli to chicken pan.

In a small saucepan or skillet, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Sprinkle with pepper and sea salt. Add milk/half and half/heavy cream and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened. If too thin, sprinkle top with a teaspoon or two of whole wheat flour. Once at your desired thickness, pour over chicken, pasta and broccoli and mix in well.

Sprinkle parmesan over top and serve hot!

May I Have Some Water Please?

"And you shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless your bread and your water; and I the Lord God will take sickness from the midst of you." Exodus 23:25

Great article the importance of, and healing ability of good drinking water:

www.passionatehomemaking.com/2010/01/2010-health-goal-drink-more-water.html

So go on...Drink more water!

Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies...a work in progress!

My husband loves these...although I am not convinced- yet. I think they could be tastier. I think it was the dark chocolate for me. I prefer the sweeter taste of semisweet chocolate chips. Will do for now! :)

Makes: About 25 cookies

325 degrees

1 cup refined coconut oil or organic butter

1/4 cup sucanat

1/2 cup cane sugar or 1/4 cup raw honey

2 free range eggs

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3 1/3 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1-2 cups dark chocolate chips (I broke dark chocolate bars into tiny pieces)

Mix together coconut oil, sucanat and sugar or honey using a hand mixer. Add eggs and egg yolk. Add vanilla. Add all dry ingredients. Add dark chocolate. Line rounded tablespoons of dough on greased (grapeseed oil spray) cookie sheets and press down slighly. Bake for 8-12 minutes at 325 degrees.

Does This Surprise You?

I saw this on Yahoo today. Surprising? Not really!

http://food.yahoo.com/blog/hungrygirl/29929/new-fast-food-calorie-violators/

Yikes, America. We have a long way to go. Should we never eat fast food? Probably. Is that realistic in our culture? Probably not. So what now? When you're on the go, or travelling, try any of these great ideas:

http://nutrition.about.com/od/foodfun/a/healthyeating.htm

Good luck!

Blueberry Muffins

This is a Betty Crocker recipe re-done! I changed some of the ingredients to make them healthier. Not very sweet, but perfectly delicious and healthy!

2 cups milk

1/2 cup grapeseed oil or coconut oil (I love it with the coconut oil!)
2 eggs

1/4 cup raw honey
4 cups whole wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

2-3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I use a 12 oz bag of frozen organic blueberries)

Oats (just to sprinkle on top)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line or spray pans with grapeseed oil spray. Beat milk, oil, egg and your choice of sweetener. Mix in flour, baking powder and sea salt just until flour is moistened. Will be slightly lumpy. Fold in blueberries. Divide batter evenly among cups and sprinkle with streusel topping and oats.

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup organic sucanat (This may looked burned or very browned when cooked on top but it is not)
1 tablespoon raw honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (kept cold otherwise it gets too melty!)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, cutting in the coconut oil if it's solid enough. Sprinkle on muffins.

Bake for about 20 minutes. This makes between 15 and 20 muffins for me.