Recipe Box

Old Fashion Organic Popcorn

2012-02-27T20:14:00.002-08:00

How to make old fashion popcorn in a covered pot.

"A Healthy Snack!"

One of my favorite outings as a child was going to the drive-in movie theater. My grandfather would pop each one of us a bag of old fashion stovetop popcorn, top it with real butter and salt. The drive-in theater has been replaced with fancy movie theaters, but old fashion popcorn never go's out of style at our house. We love settling in and watching a movie with a big bowl of buttery popcorn and a cold glass of homemade lemonade or ice green tea with spearmint.

Makes 3 quarts

What you'll need:

1 large stock stainless steel stock pot with a fitted cover
3 tablespoons of coconut oil
1/2 cup popping corn
1/2 teaspoon fine, unrefined sea salt
1/4 cup organic or raw butter, melted

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the oil, salt and popping corn. Turn the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid left slightly ajar, and shake once or twice.
2. The corn kernels will begin to pop within a minute or two. Once the popping slows to an almost stop, remove the pot from the heat.
3. Transfer the popcorn to a large serving bowl and drizzle with melted butter, tossing well to combine. Add more butter or salt, if preferred.

Eat Healthy and Live Well!

Breakfast Ice Cream

2012-02-20T14:59:00.000-08:00

Your kids will love breakfast ice cream and you'll love that it's good for them.

2 cups of frozen fruit, preferably organic
1 1/2 cups thick yogurt or whole milk, preferably raw
1 tbsp. raw honey, preferably local (within 20 miles of your home)
2 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil (I prefer wilderness family)
1 tsp vanilla extract, preferably organic
1 tbsp of raw honey

Blend all together in a food processor or blender and serve.

Top with fresh fruit, coconut flakes, and or raw nuts.

Eat Healthy and Live Well!

Sauteed Mixed Veggies

2012-02-19T18:18:00.001-08:00

Mixed Veggies make a great side dish or saute some chicken with your veggies and you've got a complete meal. A healthy meal that s easy on your digestive system.

Ingredients

2 med zucchini, sliced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 med onion or onion powder
1/2 bulb garlic, sliced thin or garlic powder
2 tablespoons of Ghee found in most grocery stores.
1 tablespoon, unrefined, find sea salt
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander powder

Directions:Melt Ghee in medium sauce pan then add spices except for salt and sauté. Add vegetables and cook on medium heat, stir often to prevent burning of veggies. When veggies are soft and well cooked, then add-in salt and garnish with cilantro before serving.

Whenever possible use organic produce and herbs.

Enjoy!

Apple Nut Muffins

2012-02-18T15:21:00.000-08:00

Makes 12 large or 18 small - Sweetness: Medium

Fresh apples and pecan nuts throughout makes this muffin moist and a bit crunchy. This muffin goes great with a side of eggs or have it for a healthy snack.

Ingredients

4 cups Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour or (see homemade almond flour recipe here)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp baking soda, preferably aluminum free
1/2 cup arrowroot flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 cup raw honey
2 lg. eggs, preferably pasture raised
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 organic gala apples, peeled, cored, and diced
3/4 cup raw pecans or raw walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tin with unbleached paper muffin cups.
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and cinnamon.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil, eggs and vanilla extract and then stir in raw honey and mix well. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined, then fold in the apples and nuts. Spoon the batter into the muffing cups.
Bake for 25 or 30 minutes, until the muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in for at least 30 minutes, then serve with real creamy butter or homemade cream cheese.

Eat Healthy and Live Well!

This recipe adapted from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam.

Fermented Sweet Potatoes

2012-02-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

The Proliferation (cell growth) of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increase vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as natural antibiotic and anti carcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy gut flora throughout your intestinal tract. Lactic acid possess potential therapeutic properties including anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities, as well as other features of interest.Reports also indicated that some cultures administered to animals inhibited liver, colon, bladder, and mammary tumors, highlighting potential systemic effects of probiotics with anti-neoplastic activities.

Fermented foods often have numerous advantages over the raw materials from which they are made. Fermentation not only makes the end product more digestible, it can also create improved flavor and texture, appearance and aroma, synthesize vitamins (including B12, which is difficult to get in vegetarian diets), reduce or eliminate carbohydrates believed to cause flatulence, decrease the required cooking time, increase storage life, transform what might otherwise be agricultural wastes into tasty and nutritious human foods, and replenish intestinal microflora.

A little History

The origins of microbiology (other than the general knowledge of fermented foods which existed since biblical times. (Leviticus 7:13; Exodus 12:34;Song of Solomon 5:1;Jeremiah 40:12;Deuteronomy 8:8)

Egyptians praised Osiris for the brewing of beer and the Greeks established Bacchus as the god of wine.

Ingredients

Sweet potatoes (2 pounds)
Sea salt (2 TBS ) — where to buy sea salt
or 1 TBS of Sea Salt and 4 TBS of Whey, homemade whey from raw milk or yogurt. (optional). If you don't have time to make homemade whey, check with your local farmers.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stab the yams with a fork. Stick them in the oven and bake for 1 hour or until soft. Let cool, then peel and mash with whey and or sea salt. Spoon sweet potato mixture into a glass mason jar and leave out at room temperature, for 24 hours. Refrigerate and enjoy!

If your menopausal or have light menses substitute the sweet potato for yams. Yams are loaded with natural estrogen.

Eat well, Live Healthy

References
Ljungh, Åsa; Wadström, Torkel, eds (2009). Lactobacillus Molecular Biology: From Genomics to Probiotics. Caister Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-904455-41-7Chen, X.; Fruehauf, J.; Goldsmith, J. D.; Xu, H.; Katchar, K. K.; Koon, H. W.; Zhao, D.; Kokkotou, E. G. et al. (2009). "Saccharomyces boulardii Inhibits EGF Receptor Signaling and Intestinal Tumor Growth in Apcmin Mice". Gastroenterology 137 (3): 914. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2009.05.050. PMID 19482027.

Carrot and Cashew Zuppa

2012-01-30T17:33:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite soups! These ingredients might now sound like they go together, but trust me they do. This soup is nutrient dense and taste good too.

Ingredients:

2 cups finely chopped carrots
2 cups finely chopped green cabbage
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped into bite-size chunks
1/2 cup whole raw cashews (soak overnight in 1/2 cup filtered water and 1 tsp of lemon juice)
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup long grain brown rice (soaked overnight in 1/3 cup filtered water with 1 tsp of lemon juice, rinsed and drained)
1/4 stick of real butter
1/4 cup organic tomato paste
6 cups homemade vegetable broth
Unrefined Sea salt and ground black pepper

Directions:1. Cook carrots, cabbage, and onion in real butter in a large soup pot over medium heat; stir and cook until carrots are tender - about 10 minutes.2. While the vegetables are simmering, whisk vegetable broth and tomato paste together in a bowl.3. When carrots are tender, add vegetable broth and tomato paste mix to soup pot, bring to a boil.4. Stir in apples and rice. Reduce heat, cover pot, and let simmer until rice is tender but firm - about 30 to 35 minutes.5. Stir in cashews and raisins. Cover and let cook for about 10 more minutes, or until rice is tender and raisins are plump.6. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

Tip: Whenever possible use organic ingredients.

Enjoy!

Eat Healthy and Live Well!

Traditional Stuffed Cabbage

2012-01-29T16:26:00.000-08:00

I always loved stuffed cabbage, even though as a kid I would peel away the cabbage and eat only the meat stuffing. Now I embrace the health benefits of cabbage and enjoy it as much as the meat stuffing.

Makes 12 Stuffed Cabbage

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium organic cabbage head
2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat or real butter
2 small organic onions, diced
1 28 oz. can of organic crushed tomatoes or substitute with sliced carrots
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound grass-fed beef bones
1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1/4 cup soaked long grain brown rice
1/4 cup grated organic onion
1 pasture raised egg
3 tablespoons filtered cold water
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup fresh organic lemon juice
1/4 cup organic raisins (optional)

PREPARATION:

After cleaning the cabbage, core and place the head in a pot of boiling water. Cover and remove from heat. Let the cabbage soak for 15 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the pot and take 12 large, outer leaves. Set aside.

Heat the fat over medium heat in a deep, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Brown the sliced onions, then add the crushed tomatoes or carrots, half the salt and half the pepper. Add the bones and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Mix together the ground beef, rice, grated onion, egg, water, and remaining salt and pepper. Divide this mixture into 12 equal parts and place on each cabbage leaf. Tuck in the sides and roll up, sealing with wooden toothpicks where needed. Remove bones with a slotted laddle. Carefully add the cabbage rolls to the sauce.

Cover and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Then add the honey, lemon juice, and raisins, and cook for another 30 minutes covered.

Enjoy!

Eat Healthy, Live Well

Gloria Prater

A Healthy Raspberry - Vanilla Breakfast Smoothie

2012-01-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

Most health-conscious individuals are well aware of the dangers of soda, with its 5 to 6 tablespoons of health-eroding sugar per serving, corrosive phosphoric acid, and copious amounts of nerve-wrecking caffeine. Youngsters make up the largest soda-drinking portion of the population, which is why it is so critical for us as parents to provide tasty nutritious alternatives.

My family and I love smoothies and I am all about only drinking and eating nutrient dense food. I decided to adapted this delicious Raspberry - Vanilla Smoothie recipe from a poor nutritional choice to a complete nutritional breakfast drink that you and your kids will love. Compare recipes and see how a few simple changes can make a drink much healthier.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup raw or a good quality whole milk plain yogurt
1 raw pasture raised egg
1 cup fresh organic raspberries or frozen organic raspberries
1/2 cup fresh gala apple, peel and chop
1/2 cup whole milk, preferably raw
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
2 cups ice (filtered water poured into stainless steel ice trays)
A pinch of Stevia

Directions
Add all your ingredients to a high speed blender, blend on high until smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with fresh fruit or pour your smoothie into a stainless steel thermos and take it to go.

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Health Benefits of Raspberries: Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Anticarcinogenic Protection .Vitamin C, dietary fiber, manganese, vitamin k, magnesium, folate, vitamin e, omega 3 fatty acid, potassium, and copper.

Apples - Antioxidant, Anticarcinogenic, Bone Protection, Diabetes management, Vitamin C and dietary fiber.

Eggs add protein to a person's diet, as well as various other nutrients. Chicken eggs are the most commonly eaten eggs. They supply all essential amino acids for humans, and provide several vitamins and minerals, including retinol (vitamin A), riboflavin (vitamin B₂), folic acid (vitamin B₉), vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, choline, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. They are also a single-food source of protein.

All of the egg's vitamin A, D, and E are in the egg yolk. The egg is one of the few foods to naturally contain vitamin D. A large egg yolk contains approximately 60 Calories; the egg white contains about 15 Calories. A large yolk contains more than two-thirds of the recommended daily intake of 300 mg of cholesterol.

Raw Milk Benefits

Enjoy!

In Health and Happiness
Gloria Prater

Homemade Yogurt

2012-01-08T11:09:00.000-08:00

The ancient Assyrian word for yogurt, "lebeny" meant life. It's interesting to note that the modern word 'probiotic' can literally be translated to "For Life". There has been a longstanding belief that eating yogurt or the consumption of some type of cultured milk product is associated with longevity due to the friendly bacteria’s ability to fight disease.

These cultures, known as probiotics, are beneficial bacteria that naturally reside your digestive tract and improve intestinal function, promote good digestive health, and lead your body's defenses against a number of ailments.

Studies have shown that these probiotic cultures benefit your health in a variety of ways:

LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS L. acidophilus provides various health benefits in the gastrointestinal tract. Several studies indicate that L. acidophilus helps lower cholesterol by interfering with cholesterol re-absorption in the intestine.
BIFIDOBACTERIA (BIFIDUS) Bifidus stimulates the immune system, helps prevent common digestive ailments and supports healthy growth and development of the digestive tract.
LACTOBACILLUS CASEI L. casei enhances positive bacterial balance in the intestine. It enhances the immune system by inhibiting growth of diarrhea-producing organisms, alleviates constipation, reduces hypertension, inhibits the growth of carcinogenic tumors, and suppresses disease-producing microorganisms.
LACTOBACILLUS Lactobacillus has also been investigated as a potential treatment for life-threatening diarrhea, particularly in children and is already well known for its protective effect of particular strains of thrush. Yogurt has great potential as a protective, anti-infection agent. Preliminary research indicates that increased yogurt consumption might help increase one's resistance to immune-related diseases such as cancer and infection, particularly gastrointestinal infection. This is believed to be in part due to the live and active cultures (LAC) found in yogurt.

To make their products last longer on store shelves, manufacturers may heat-treat their yogurts after fermentation. While this doesn't affect the calcium content of the yogurt, it does kill the live cultures, the very ingredient many people expect in a yogurt. Don't be confused by a label that says "made with active cultures." All yogurts are made this way, but only the brands that are not heat-treated after fermentation retain their living cultures.

I also discovered that "Yoplait" 99% fat-free yogurt contain 4 tablespoons sugar per 6 oz. container and the risk that lies in consuming pasteurized milk from cows treated with a synthetic, genetically engineered growth hormone called rBGH, I decided to start drinking raw cows milk and raw yogurt.

Homemade yogurt is nutritionally superior to store bought.It is pretty easy, fun and economical. And there's something gratifying about making a cultured food product of your own, without preservatives, thickeners and other additives that most store-bought yogurts have.

The process I use makes a nice smooth yogurt like the fresh raw kind I enjoyed in the Bahamas—most store-bought yogurt in the U.S. is sour tasting, acidic and indigestible.

I am fortunate enough to live near an organic farm that sells raw cows milk which I use for my yogurt base and raw yogurt which I can use as my starter. If you do not have access to raw dairy products you certainly can use pasteurized whole milk and a quality plain organic yogurt or a powdered cultured yogurt starter.

If you would like to search your area for a farm that sells raw dairy products go to REAL MILK.

You will need the following:

Stock pot (preferably cast iron or stainless steel)
2 quart glass jars Stainless steel spoon Kitchen thermometer
2 hand towels & 2 rubber bands

Ingredients
8 cups of whole milk, preferably raw cows or goats can by used by those of you who are lactose intolerant.
1/4 cup yogurt from a previous batch or plain organic yogurt or yogurt starter (see sources above)
2 quart size glass jars, preferably mason ball jars

Directions
Pour milk into quart leaving 1 inch space from the top of the jar. Hang kitchen thermometer off side of pot, place spoon and glass jars in water. Water should come up to middle of each quart. Over low heat, slowly bring the milk to at least 180F, or until a ring of bubble forms around the edge of he pan, but don't over boil. Use tongs with a rubber grip from pot and spoon, keep your spoon sterile. Let cool down to 110 F (check temp in about 45 minutes). Divided yogurt or yogurt starter between two wide-mouth quart-size sterilized glass jars. If Pour in about 1/4 cup of your warm milk and stir gently to incorporate your starter of choice. Fill the jars with the rest of the milk and screw on the lids. Wrap the jars in a warm hand towels, secure with rubber band. and let sit in a warm place for 24 hours. Unwrap and place in the refrigerator. I know you will enjoy this creamy, healthy yogurt.

This step is optional - You will need a large glass bowl, strainer and cheese cloth. Set the strainer on top of bowl and line strainer with cheese cloth. Pour the yogurt into the strainer and place in refrigerator. This allows the whey to separate from the yogurt. Whey last forever and can be used to soaks grains and added to smoothies to make there far more nutritious. Place yogurt in one glass mason jar and whey in the other.

You can also consider making yogurt in a crock pot or purchasing and electric yogurt making. I prefer making the old fashion way, less gadgets taking up counter and closet space.

Enjoy! Eat Well and Live Healthy

Dutch Baby Apple Pancakes

2012-01-06T20:12:00.000-08:00

Serves 4 to 6
1 c. fresh ground spelt or whole wheat flour
1 cup buttermilk or yoghurt
4 eggs
3 apples sliced thin
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 c. filtered water
4 tbsp. butter
Top with Cinnamon and Maple Syrup

Soak flour in buttermilk or yoghurt. Place flour in large glass bowl, add buttermilk or yogurt, mix and cover bowl with a plate and leave in warm place for 12-24 hrs. If you have a dairy allergy, use 1 cup filtered water plus 2 tablespoons whey, lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar in place of butter milk or yogurt.

* I add flour to a large glass bowl, early morning and soak my flour until the following morning. I leave mixture on kitchen counter near my stove where it is nice and warm (avoid leaving near a window) your mixture should remain at room temperature. I like using my food processor to mix my batter but not necessary.

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Place eggs in large bowl or food processor and blend well for several minutes. Add flour mixture, vanilla, water, and salt and process another minute. Place skillet on stove top, add 2 tabs butter and 1/2 your apples, toss apples in butter until complete covered in butter. Pour 1/2 of your batter over apples and place in oven. Bake at 350 degrees until pancake is puffed and golden brown. Repeat for second pancake. Dust with Cinnamon. Serve with butter and syrup.

Tips and Facts:

Grade B Maple Syrup is not only a delicious sweetener commonly used as a condiment for additional flavoring on food and for use in baking, but it's also a very healthy treat. In it's unrefined form, it contains a ton of nutritional content. Grade B Maple Syrup includes vast portions of these vitamins and a large amount of amino acids in a single serving. For this reason, it is preferred by health connoisseurs over many other table top condiments, such as, refined sugar, corn syrup alternatives, and other sweetner containing artifical supplements like aspartame.
Salt is a vital substance for maintaining your health. We constantly hear bad press about salt, and indeed refined salt is extremely unhealthy, however your body needs natural salts to function properly.Isolated, synthetic, sodium chloride however, with none of the valuable minerals and trace elements, cannot be assimilated by the body, making it a poison to the system. Another case of Mother Nature knowing best - pure, natural salt such as Celtic Ocean Sea Salt has the perfect balance of minerals, nutrients and sodium chloride that we need for optimum health; your body can recognise and absorb these essential nutrients efficiently.
Whenever possible use raw unpasteurized dairy products and organic spices and produce.
Cast Iron and or Stoneware are the safest skillets and pans to bake in.

Citrus Coconut Bisque

2012-01-01T09:25:00.000-08:00

A delicious winter bisque and very easy to make. You can use 5 or more cups of chicken broth instead of the water for a more nutritious and delicious bisque.

Makes 6 servings

-1 tablespoon extra virgin unrefined coconut oil or 1/2 cup stock
-1 medium winter squash, seeded and cubed
-pinch unrefined, fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper, season to taste
-1 large orange, zested and juiced
-5 or more cups stock
-1 can (13.5 ounces) pure coconut milk
-fresh herbs, for garnish

Heat oil or broth in medium stockpot. Sauté the squash with sea salt for about three minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if the kabocha starts to stick to the pan. Add orange zest and juice. Sauté for two more minutes.

Add water and coconut milk and bring to boil. Simmer until kabocha is very soft (about 20 minutes). Puree with immersion blender right in the pot or in batches in a regular blender (return to pot when finished blending). Add pepper and sea salt to taste. Serve hot garnished with fresh herbs.

Facts and Tips: Use Homemade Chicken or Vegetable Stock - homemade stock is nutrient dense. Can broth is has little nutrients and way to much white table salt.

Coconut Oil and Milk help maintain blood glucose; keeps skin and blood vessels flexible and elastic; aids in building strong bones; helps to prevent anemia; relaxes muscles and nerves; helps by controlling weight; decrease the risk of joint inflammation; helps to maintain a healthy immune system (coconut oil and milk has been very successful with aids and cancer patients); helps in lowering high blood pressure; promotes the health of prostate gland and helps in lowering high blood pressure.

If your interested in getting more coconut into your diet check out our Power House Banana Shake and The Miracle of Coconut by Bruce Fife.

Use organic produce whenever possible and filtered water.

Enjoy!

Eat Healthy and Live Well! (Comer sano y vivir bien)

Oatmeal - The "REAL" Champion of Breakfast

2011-12-28T13:42:00.000-08:00

Two or three nights per week, just before bed, we add oats and nuts to water and soak over night for the following mornings breakfast. Our oatmeal has definitely evolved over the years. It has gone from instant oats, sweetened with white sugar, to a nutritious, digestible oatmeal that is sweetener with fruit and or a natural sweetener like raw honey or maple syrup.

It’s important to soak oatmeal prior to preparation. Doing so increases the digestibility of oats as it does and it enables the nutrients found in the grain to be better absorbed by your body. Oats, like all grains, contain phytic acid which can inhibit the proper absorption of minerals link zinc and iron.

We prefer to use organic oats and if we cannot find them packaged our second option is Old Fashion Quaker Oats.

We like to serve these oats with seeds, nuts, fruit and fresh raw yogurt.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 C. Rolled Oats

1 C. Whole Milk

Pinch of Sea Salt

Cinnamon, season to taste

1/4 C. Nuts of your choice

1/4 C. Fruit

1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil (optional)

Instructions:

Soak 1 cup rolled oats and nuts overnight in enough water to cover – adding 1 tbsp of either lemon juice, kefir, whey, yogurt or raw apple cider vinegar to the water. In the morning, using a sieve, drain oats and rinse them well. Add milk or water and oats to a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; immediately turn down heat and add remaining ingredients. Stir frequently and continue to simmer until oatmeal has thickened to your liking.

Serve with yogurt and natural sweetener of your choice.

Tips for better nutrition, absorption and digestion use the follow whenever possible.

Find Real Milk - http://www.realmilk.com

Packaged Organic Arrowhead Oats, Bobs Red Mill or Country Choice (Avoid Store Bins, Oats are usually rancid and you have no idea what else might be lurking in those bins;

Unrefined, Fine Sea Salt;

Organic dried, fresh or frozen fruit;

Wilderness Family Coconut Oil;

Raw nuts (most nuts are rancid and your best choice is always raw);

Serve your children old-fashion traditional breakfast and avoid breakfast cereals;

Eat Healthy and Live Well

Gloria Prater

Fermented Carrot Sticks

2011-12-26T21:44:00.000-08:00

Adult and kids love these tangy, crunchy fermented carrot sticks. They are easy to make, fun to eat and nutritious

Ingredients

Carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
2 tbsp. of celtic sea salt to every 1/2 doz. of carrots
or
1 tbsp. of celtic sea salt and 1 tablespoon whey to every 1/2 doz. carrots
1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried
3 cloves of fresh organic garlic, minced
Filtered water

Directions

Two or three hours before making your fermented carrots sticks, take your carrots out of refrigerator and let them become room temperature.
Cut carrots into sticks once they reach room temperature and place the carrot sticks into a quart mason jar and add the rest of the ingredients (fill the jar, carrots should be compact).
Top off with water leaving about 1 inch from the top of the jar.
Cover tightly and allow to sit at room temperature for 4 or 5 days.

If you want your carrots stick really "sour" ferment them for 7 days. Because the carrots are more dense, they take longer to ferment than other lactoferments like sauerkraut or pickles. They also stay crunchier, which the kids like! After fermenting at room temperature, keep in your fridge- they last for months! And, because they last for months I make a few dozen at a time. If you have a dairy allergy just use the sea salt and forget about the whey or if you just don't have the time to make it.

Eat Well and Live Healthy
Gloria Prater, Culinarian

Homemade Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut

2011-12-26T11:18:00.001-08:00

I knew thought I would say "I love lacto-fermented Sauerkraut". When I first began reading about the benefits of lacto-fermented veggies, I was very resistant to the thought of eating fermented cabbage. I was the kid that got dismissed, the one day a month, that the school served Sauerkraut over hotdogs for lunch.

Homemade sauerkraut requires little else but cabbage, salt and time. Learn to make this nourishing, lactofermented vegetable in a few simple steps.

Ingredients (2 quarts)

2 medium heads cabbage (about 4 to 5 total pounds), cored and finely shredded
2 tablespoons unrefined sea salt (see sources)
or
1 tablespoon of unrefined sea salt and 1 tablespoon of whey
1 tablespoon of caraway seeds

Instructions

Start by shredding your cabbage and placing it a large glass bowl. Add your salt caraway seeds and whey (optional) and to cabbage and toss. And let it sit for 30 minutes.
Next, squeeze the cabbage and salt together with your hands, kneading it thoroughly to break up the cellular structure of the shredded cabbage.
When the cabbage has become limp and released its juice, transfer it to a mason/ball jar, Pack the salted cabbage into the glass jar as tightly as you can, eliminating air bubbles. Continue packing the cabbage into the container until it is completely submerged by liquid. Cover loosely and allow it to sit at room temperature, undisturbed, for 4 days and up to a week, testing the sauerkraut every few days until it is done to your liking. Transfer to the refrigerator or other cold storage where it should keep for at least six months.

Eat Well and Live Healthy

Gloria Prater, Culinarian

German Rotkohl

2011-12-25T17:59:00.000-08:00

Here is one tangy and nutritious recipe. It is traditional with roast goose or bratwurst and potato puree. I prefer my Rotkohl with pork chops and boiled baby red bliss potatoes.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb bacon
1 medium head of red cabbage
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 gala apples, chopped
3 or 4 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 Bay leaf, preferably fresh
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 or 3 raw honey sugar
2 or 3 cloves
1/4 teaspoon sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare the cabbage by removing any wilted outer leaves and the stem. Wash it thoroughly and chop it, but not too finely. Cook your bacon until it is brown and crispy, set aside on a paper towel. Heat the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onion a minute or two until it is transparent. Add the chopped cabbage and allow it to cook a few minutes uncovered. Add the bacon, apples, vinegar, bay leaf, cloves, honey and salt. Stir and cover. Turn down the heat and allow the cabbage to simmer for 70 to 90 minutes. Properly done, the cabbage will be soft but not mushy. You can also cook for 70 minutes in a dutch over.

Recommendations: Whenever possible purchase fresh, organic produce, herbs, and spices. Raw pastured raised animal products. Raw honey and real sea salt.

Tips: For better absorption and digestion lightly salt your potatoes and add 1 or 2 tbsp of real butter. Table Salt and Butter Substitutes are two very unhealthy items to add to your food.

Eat Healthy and Live Well

Gloria Prater

Apple Barley Pilaf

2011-12-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

This is a great side dish for the holidays. You can use barley or brown rice, either way it taste delicious and it's nutritious.

Ingredients

2 T. butter
1/4 c. finely chopped spring onions or yellow onion
1/2 c. uncooked barley
1 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. raisins
1/4 t. fresh or dried thyme
2 T. chopped fresh Italian flat parsley
2 large apples, cored and finely chopped
sea salt, season for taste

Directions

In a large skillet with a tight fitting lid, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and barley; cook, stirring until golden. Add broth, raisins, and thyme to barley mixture. Heat to boil; reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 40 to 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Fold apples and parsley into barley mixture; cook 5 more minutes. Taste for salt, and serve.

This dish goes well with lamb or pork chops; grass- fed and humanely raised of course.

Makes 4 servings

Tips:

We recommend using animal products from livestock that have been grass-fed, pastured raised without hormones, antibiotics or other chemicals and treated humanely.
Organic vegetables are highly recommend especially fruits and vegetables that sprout forth from the ground (e.g., strawberries, blueberries, lettuce, string beans).
Hulled barley vs. Pearl Barley - Pearl barley like white rice has most of the nutrients stripped during processing whereas hulled and brown rice maintain their nutrients due to minimal processing when the grain is harvested. The difference is you can use pearl barley without prior soaking and hulled barley cooks faster and better after it is soaked. Soaking the grain neutralizes phytic acid making the grains digestible.The recommendation is to soak them overnight.
Homemade chicken stock is superior to all store bought chicken stock/broth which contain commercial salts, pasteurized vinegar; MSG, artificial flavors, additives and chemical produced preservatives.
The best and purest commercially available source of salt is unrefined sea salt.
Fresh organic herbs should be used whenever possible - they are rich in vitamins, minerals and other health-promoting factors. Always buy herbs and spices labeled non-irradiated.
Apples are one of the thirteen most contaminated fruits and vegetables sold in American supermarkets, so we recommend you buy local, organic apples, whenever possible.

Enjoy

Eat Well and Live Healthy
Gloria Prater

Maple Mustard Glazed Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts

2011-11-27T16:16:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs. sm. red bliss potatoes, halved
3/4 lb. Brussels sprouts
2 small yellow onions, thickly sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T Braggs soy sauce
3/4 cup 100% pure or organic maple syrup
3 T Dijon mustard
2 T unfiltered olive oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400. Place the vegetables in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. In a mixing bowl stir together all the other ingredients until the mustard is dissolved. Pour over the vegetables & mix well until everything is coated. Cover with foil & place in oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven; mix vegetables & sauce to coat well. Turn oven down to 325 & cook for 45 minutes uncovered. Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Eat Well and Live Healthy

Gloria Prater

Nuts for Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

2011-11-26T12:06:00.000-08:00

"Sweet Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, C and Calcium."!

Double - baked, coconut and pecan nut- crusted sweet potato are delicious. Your kids will love them too. Sweet creaminess from a generous splash of coconut milk crunch from toasted coconut and almonds, and a kick from freshly grated ginger.

Ingredients

1/2 pds sweet potatoes (preferably orange-fleshed)

1/3 c. Thai Kitchen’s Organic Coconut Milk(poor quality coconut milks have sulfur dioxide in it, so be aware when buying coconut milk)

1 tbsp. fresh organic ginger, grated

1 tbsp. organic maple syrup

1/2 tsp fine-grain sea salt

1/3 c. raw, organic unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbsp. pastured butter, melted
1/3 cup raw, pecans walnuts or almonds nuts, chopped and toasted (I like to mix my nuts)
1/3 cup raw, unsweetened grated coconut

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees, use highest over rack. Butter a large casserole dish or 6 individuals ramekins dishes. a rack in the upper third.

Wrap each sweet potato in foil, pierce numerous times with the a fork and place in the oven for an hour or until each is baked through. Times vary greatly depending on the size of your sweet potatoes - in the end you should be able to cut through the center flesh as if it were soft butter. Remove the potatoes from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes, and cut each sweet potato in half. Scrape the flesh into a medium mixing bowl. You should have about three cups of sweet potatoes. In a large bowl mash the sweet potatoes with the coconut milk (mash by hand, with a blender or food processor). Stir in the ginger, maple syrup and salt. Let it sit for a few minutes, stir again and taste - adjust the seasoning if you need to - this is your chance to get the right amount of salt and ginger in the sweet potatoes before they go in the oven.

Spoon the sweet potato mixture into sweet potato skins, place back into individual baking dishes (or single larger baking dish), sprinkle with coconut, drizzle with melted butter and bake uncovered until warm and the coconut golden roughly 30 minutes. While your sweet potatoes are baking toast your almonds in a tbsp of coconut oil or olive oil. Remove and sprinkle with the toasted nuts.

Serves about 6.
Enjoy!
Eat Well and Live Healthy

Sweet Potato History and Nutritional Facts:

Sweet potatoes are actually a completely different vegetable than regular potatoes. They are not even in the same botanical family. Sweet potatoes offer a host of nutrients and an impressive array of antioxidants. I seldom eat white potatoes and if I do I stick with red bliss and or fingerling; smaller potatoes have far more fiber than a large baked potato. Sweet potatoes are not "potatoes". The potato's scientific name, Solanum tuberosum reflects that it belongs to the Solanaceae family whose other members include tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatillos. Cultivation of sweet potatoes dates back about 4,500 years to farming practices in Central and South America. Attention Mom and other diabetic patients * Sweet potatoes do not appear to place our blood sugar at risk as much as their more common counterpart, potentially because they are about twice as high in dietary fiber as ordinary Russet Burbank white baking potatoes, and this doubled fiber slows down digestion and the release of sugar. Sweet potatoes and regular potatoes share some nutritional similarities, yet also share a host of unique features. Like potatoes, sweet potatoes are a very good source of vitamin C, and a good source of copper, fiber, vitamin B6, and potassium. While potatoes are a good source of manganese, sweet potatoes are a very good source of this trace mineral and a good source of iron.

Spinach, Bacon and Goat Cheese Quiche

2011-11-21T19:51:00.000-08:00

A great dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is also a big hit at parties.

"Delicious prepared with fresh ingredients, this simple quiche has become a favorite in our house".

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons raw and or organic Butter

4 Ounces (1/2 Cup) Diced nitrate free bacon

1/3 to 1/2 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese, Preferably Raw

1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

5 Tablespoons Organic Parsley, Finely Chopped,

1 Cup Raw or Organic Heavy Cream

1/2 Cup Raw Goats Milk or Cow

4 Large Egg Yolks, Pasture Raised

2 Tablespoons Fresh Organic Rosemary, Finely Chopped

Cracked Black Pepper, season to taste

1) 9 - inch nut flour pie crust

This is my basis nut flour crust. But before I can use my nut flour I have to soak and dehydrate the nuts - click here to learn how to make your own nut flour.

I use almond, walnut, pecan nuts - price usually determines which nuts I buy. I also buy already made nut flours including coconut flour; my favorite.

Pie Crust Ingredients

2 – 2-1/4 cups finely ground nuts

6 TB butter or coconut oil

1/4 cup sweetener (date sugar, agave, sugar, etc.)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients and press into a pie dish.

2. Pinch edges to make it look really delicate.

3. Prick the bottom with a fork a couple of times to allow air to escape.

4. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes for a quiche – do not over brown.

5. Let cool.

6. Make your quiche, or fill with apple pie filling or whatever you like.

Nut flour crust that you make yourself is a healthier alternative to a crust made with all-purpose

Enjoy!
Eat Well and Live Healthy

Gloria Prater

How to Soak and Dehydrate Nuts For Optimal Digestion

2011-11-21T19:40:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago I stumbled upon a website that share recipes that used nut flours rather than white or wheat all purpose flour. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that nut flours could be used for making pie crust, pizza dough, muffins and more. I had no idea that you could bake using nut flours, but I didn’t negate it–anything made without white flour, and even wheat or other high carb grain flours suits me. This superfood nutritional powerhouse is full of antioxidants and nutrients to support your healthy cooking.

I like to soak nuts, as it helps neutralize and break down the phytic acid that surround the food nut or seed, which prevents absorption of valuable nutrients, like calcium and iron. The nuts are easily digestible, which can help you keep on track with you weight by not backing up your digestion.

So, how do you make your own soaked and blanched almond flour?

How to Soak and Dehydrate Nuts and Seeds

Put 4 cups of any raw, organic nut or seed in a half gallon mason jar. Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Fill with water to the top of the jar. Swirl the water around to dissolve the salt. (The salt is for taste and has no effect on whether the enzymes become available or not.)
Let the nuts sit in the jar sit overnight, or for at least 7 hours.
Drain the nuts. Rinsing is optional. Using a sprout screen with metal band really makes this easy. Remove skins, if desired.
Spread the nuts in a single layer on a dehydrator tray. (See Resources for sources of quality dehydrators.)
Dry at 95 to 100 degrees F until crispy. Check by taste – are they crunchy and free of moisture? This usually takes about 24 hours, depending on dehydrator and other conditions, etc.

If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use the sun during sunny months. Set out a tray full of soaked nuts/seeds in sunlight. Keep it covered with a light cloth to keep out dust and bugs. Using an oven above 115 degrees F is a second-choice solution because it will kill the enzymes present in the nuts/seeds. (However, you will have nuts/seeds free of enzyme inhibitors due to the soaking and the cooking.)

Enjoy!

Eat Well and Live Healthy

Gloria Prater

Organic French Toast with Fruit

2011-11-20T21:20:00.000-08:00

My mom made the best french toast. My brothers and I loved when my mom made french toast, bacon and french toast for dinner. It sure beat her New England Boiled dinner that's for sure. My mom would stand at the stove making us one piece after another, I swear my two brothers and I went through an entire loaf of bread.That's what I call a labor of love.

Our french toast was made with white bread, the syrup was not pure, but rather a bottle of thick brown sugar and the bacon contain nitrates and preservatives. My mother like every other mother in America was told that these were health foods that they could serve to their families with ease. Since then heart disease had become our number one killer and cancer a close second. Type II diabetes and adverse side effect to prescription medication are also killing thousands of people per day. It's more than obvious that we have to go back to traditional cooking, it's vital that we go back to eating the way our ancestors ate before the 1900's. The first myocardial infraction (heart disease) was recorded in 1921 not long after vegetable oil was introduce into our diet. Heart disease began to soar after world war II. The military discovered how to preserve food which paved the way for processed foods and more vegetable oil.

I purchase most of my food from my local farmer(s)and I make my own homemade bread by soaking the grains. It not difficult at all you just have to locate the farmers in your area and there are many books and video's available that teach how to soak grains and make your own breads and bake goods.

Ingredients

3 *pastured eggs
1/2 c. raw goats or cow milk
1/2 tsp. organic vanilla or almond vanilla
1/2 stick organic butter
8 slices of sprouted bread (Shiloh Farms or Nature's Path manna bread)
1/2 c. raw walnuts or almonds, soaked 1hour prior to making your *French Toast
2 organic bananas, sliced

Directions:

Crack eggs into a medium bowl and beat lightly with a whisk.

Stir in raw milk and organic vanilla. Over medium heat melt your

organic butter in a cast iron skillet or a stainless steel fry pan. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture (both sides). Place bread slices in your pan, heating slowly on each side until golden brown.

Top your french toast with butter, hot syrup, fruit of your choice and nuts. Serve with fresh farm bacon and fresh blended organic blueberry juice.

*Children love Mother Linda's maple sugar powder sprinkled on their french toast. www.motherlindas.com

*We recommend - Shady Maple Farms Organic, Spring Tree Organic or Russell Organic Maple Syrup

* Soaking your nuts in warm water will neutralize enzyme inhibitors, and also help encourage the production of beneficial enzymes. These enzymes, in turn, increase many vitamins, especially B vitamins. It also makes these nuts much easier to digest and the nutrients more easily absorbed.

*How to Buy Organic Eggs: Pastured vs. Free Range Eggs.

Enjoy!

Eat Well and Live Healthy

Gloria Prater

Attention ICers: Do not fear eating banana's we all need potassium it is a vital nutrient that helps balance the body. Unless you have been diagnosed with a specific banana allergy or your taking medication that specifies the need to avoid foods with potassium. Not eating foods that contain potassium will only keep you in and unbalance state. The health benefits of potassium include stroke, blood pressure, anxiety and stress, muscular strength, metabolism, heart and kidney disorders, water balance, electrolytic functions, nervous system and other general health benefits of potassium.

Apples of New England Hold Wealth of History and Key Vitamins

2011-11-19T00:20:00.000-08:00

Fall in New England was all about annual trips to the apple orchard when I was a kid. We ate enough apples to end up with one hell of a belly ache. And, you never left the orchard without a dozen bags of apples and a gallon of apple cider. My cousin Barbara and I couldn't wait to get home and make Carmel apples and bake apple pies. I confess I didn't do much of the baking; I did most of the eating. (Apples Stuffed with Sweetness Recipe can be found at the bottom of the page.)

Apples originated in the mountains of Kazakhstan, the fruit spread to Europe and eventually made its way to the United States.

At the turn of the 19th century John Chapman, born in 1774 in Massachusetts, started his famous travel across pioneer America; planting and selling apple seeds. This man became the basis for the legend of Johnny Appleseed.

A huge variety of apples developed across the United States, but most of the trees bore bitter fruit. So in the apple's early career it was rarely eaten and usually used for making hard cider, which was the staple alcohol of rural America for many years. With prohibition in the 1920s, the apple was a forbidden fruit once more. The prohibitionist Carrie Nation is famous for carrying a hatchet not just to break down bars but also to chop down apple trees. With their main product illegal, cider orchards raced to find the rare sweet tasting apples so they could graft sweet bearing trees. They re-branded the apple a health food and promoted the campaign, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."

The big suppliers of apples have restricted the species' natural ability to evolve by cloning rather than planting from seed. This is not good news for the apple. As soon as you freeze its evolution by growing them in monocultures it loses its defense against pests. Today they are routinely sprayed with pesticides. An orchard with a couple hundred acres spends a $.5 to .75 million a year on chemicals and one of the biggest consumers of pesticides in this country is the apple crop.

There is hardly fruit more iconic and representative of fall than the apple.

Organic Apples are available in most supermarkets now.

What's New and Beneficial About Apples

Antioxidant Benefits

Anti-Cancer Benefits

Anti-Asthma Benefits

Blood Sugar Regulation

Cardiovascular Benefits

Whole apples are a much better nutritional choice than apple juice. Not only are whole apples richer in dietary fiber, but the current processes of juicing seem to drastically reduce the polyphenolic phytonutrient concentrations originally found in the whole fruit.

Apple is a good source of fiber, including the soluble fiber pectin, and it's also a good source of vitamin A - beta carotene, C, B1,2,3, E, folate, magnesium, calcium, magnesium, potassium and more.

Eat Well and Live Healthy

Gloria Prater

APPLES STUFFED WITH SWEETNESS RECIPE

Summers Bounty with Bacon and Pesto

2011-11-16T07:00:00.001-08:00

Summer's bounty gets even better when it's combined with fresh pesto basil and bacon bought from your local farmer.

6 bacon slices, preferably pastured raised
3 ears corn, kernels cut from cob or 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn
1 1/2 lb zucchini, coarsely chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 1/2 lb summer squash coarsely chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 cup of fresh basil or 1 (5- to 7-ounce) container basil pesto

Accompaniment:
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Drain on paper towels; discard drippings from skillet.
- Wash, chop and steam your veggies, reserved 1/4 cup water.
Add vegetables to skillet along with pesto and 1/4 cup reserved cooking water and toss. Season with sea salt.
Top with crumbled bacon , freshly ground pepper and grated parmigiano cheese.

Fresh basil recipe can be found HERE.

Eat Well and Live Healthy!

© copyright Wed Nov 16 16:24:14 UTC 2011 - All Rights Reserved

Basil Pesto

2011-11-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

Directions

Blend 8 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 1 cup unfiltered virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, 2 to 4 garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until almost smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.

We recommend that you use organic bail and garlic, "real" fine sea salt, unfiltered virgin olive oil, raw pine nuts and fresh grated cheese.

In Health and Happiness

Gloria P.

SWISS CHARD WITH BACON AND APPLE

2011-09-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, diced

1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 Gala apple, cored and diced

1 bunch (about 3/4 pound) Swiss chard, well rinsed

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions

Place a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel. Add onion to the pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in apple.

Meanwhile, cut off the stems of the chard and slice them thinly. Chop the leaves. Stir stems and leaves into the skillet along with the bacon, salt and pepper. Pour in 2 tablespoons water: cover the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until chard is tender, about 8 more minutes.

Top with a tablespoon of butter and enjoy!

* We recommend purchasing grass fed pork, organic fruits and veggies. Unrefined sea salt and fresh butter that comes from pastured raised livestock.

VANILLA PANCAKES

2011-09-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

Yield 6 small pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup almond flour

4 eggs

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon, fine, unrefined sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda and butter, for frying

Vanilla Honey Syrup or If you can find it organic maple syrup

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup raw honey

1 cinnamon stick (optional)

To make the pancakes, blend together all the ingredients, except the butter, in a food processor. Butter a griddle/frying pan and pour the pancake batter in spoonfuls onto the pan. Scoop only enough batter to cover the surface thinly. The thinner you make the pancakes, the more evenly and easily they will cook through. Fry until golden on the bottom, and then flip and cook until golden on the other side.

To make the syrup, heat all of the syrup ingredient in a pan until combined, approximately 1 minute. Drizzle on top of the pancakes and serve.

Garnish with fruit and nuts!

Enjoy!

In Health and Happiness

Gloria Prater

This recipe was altered/modify from a recipe that I found in the healthy living cookbook by Raman Prasad

BAKED SUMMER SQUASH

2011-09-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

This recipe is easy, nutritious, delicious and from start to finish it takes about an hour. The recipe is versatile...it can easily be doubled to serve a family dinner, or to have left overs.
Serves 2Ingredients 1 pound yellow summer squash, chopped 1/4 cup filtered water 1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped 1/2 teaspoon fine, unrefined sea salt black pepper for taste 1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 cup raw shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (optional) 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs, if possible make homemade bread crumbs with homemade sour dough bread or store bought sprouted bread. Click here to see how to make homemade bread crumbs. Directions In a saucepan, combine the squash, water, onion, bell pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from the heat; cool.

Stir in the egg, bread crumbs, butter and pepper. Transfer to a greased 1-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted.

Tips and Hints

Purchase organic vegetable whenever possible;

Support your local farms

Find a farmer that sells raw daily products, pasture raised eggs, raw butter and cheese or at least organic.

Purchase quality unrefined sea salt (it should look, grayish-brown and or pink)

Make homemade bread crumbs either earlier in the day or week so you have them ready to use. Store in refrigerator.

Use filtered water, distilled water or at least boil and cool the water before using.

Serve with a small side salad!

Enjoy

Eat Well and Live Healthy

Gloria Prater

GOAT CHEESE AND HERB STUFFED BURGERS

2011-08-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

This is one my family's favorite burgers and I know you and your family will love it too.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 1/2 pd grass fed beef or bison.

1 heaping tablespoon fresh oregano, minced

1 handful of fresh organic baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Sea Salt and fresh ground black pepper for taste

Directions

Mix goat cheese, oregano, and spinach in a small bowl; set aside, Dived the ground beef into 4 equal portions, and form into burgers. Place a few tablespoons of the goat cheese mixture in the middle of each patty, and re-form into a patty, making sure you cover the stuffing with meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat.

Enjoy!

Nut and Seed Butter, Nut and Seed Flour, Nut and Seed Milk

2011-08-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

PREPARING NUTS AND SEEDS

Soaking

Soaking nuts and seeds before consumption will aid in digestion. Phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors are naturally occurring in these foods and can make digestion difficult, especially for those who have a compromised digestive system already. Just a few extra steps can open the door to new and exciting meal ideas.

Directions for soaking:

(Recommended raw, organic nuts and seeds - sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, almond, cashew, walnut, pecan, filbert/hazelnut)

1. Put nuts and seeds in a large Mason jar or glass bowl. Add filtered water to completely cover the nuts and seeds (2-1 ration of water to nuts and seeds is recommended). Add some sea salt (approximately 2 Tbsp per 4 cups water) and cover the container with a cheesecloth or kitchen towel. It is recommended to soak overnight or 12 hours is recommended to soak overnight or 12 hours minimum.

2. Once soaking is completed, rinse the nuts and seeds several times. Discard all water used for soaking and rinsing.

3. Let the nuts and seeds dry on an air permeable surface. Nuts and seeds can be consumed immediately or refrigerated for 2-4 days. Soaking makes nuts and seeds more susceptible to spoiling. For longer storage, nuts and seeds can also be dehydrated or roasted at low temperatures.

Nut and Seed Butter

Making nut and seed butter is easy if you have a good quality food processor. Simply take your soaked and dehydrated nuts and seeds and blend in the food processor until creamy. This generally takes 10-15 minutes to complete depending on the strength of your food processor.

Nut and Seed Flour

Take your soaked and dehydrated nuts and seeds and grind them in a food processor. It is best to use the Pulse button when grinding to make sure you do not go past the flour stage and make butter. For a finer powder, sift through a strainer.

Nut and Seed Milk

Take your soaked and rinsed nuts and seeds and put 1 cup into a blender (they do not need to be dried). Add 3 cups of filtered water. Blend until the nuts and seeds are finely ground and the water has turned a nice milky color. You can use a nut bag, cheesecloth, or a fine sieve to separate the milk from the nut pulp. Add 1/2 tsp of organic vanilla extract, 3 meejol dates, pitted or raw honey to sweeten. You can also add fruit, such as strawberries, banana, or chocolate, (cocoa powder), pumpkin spice, ginger, cinnamon, to flavor your milk. To make flour from nut pulp, dehydrate the nut/seed pulp and once dry, blend it into a fine powder.

Enjoy!

Eat Well and Live Healthy!
Gloria Prater

The Perfect Time of Year for Fermenting Pickles

2011-08-02T07:24:00.000-07:00

Fermenting vegetables is an ancient digestive and detoxifying remedy, very popular in many parts of the world.

Pickles are easy to culture and when you make them this way (as opposed to vinegar pickles), you get all the awesome power of probiotics. The even better news is that in most places in the northern hemisphere, the special, small-sized cukes are still in season. So get on it!

History

Fermenting pickles is the oldest method of pickling. Pickling began 4000 years ago using cucumbers native to India. This was used as a way to preserve food for out-of-season use and for long journeys, especially by sea. Salt pork and salt beef were common staples for sailors before the days of steam engines. Although the process was invented to preserve foods, pickles are also made and eaten because people enjoy the resulting flavors. Pickling may also improve the nutritional value of food by introducing B vitamins produced by bacteria.

We chose to ferment our pickles using this method because I had a fear of vinegar. I was still caught up in the old way of thinking when it came to what I was told concerning IC (painful bladder syndrome) and diet. We have come to love the taste of fermented pickles and prefer them over vinegar pickles and we love the health benefits of eating fermented foods. It's one of our favorite fermented foods recipes.

The process of fermentation not only helps to preserve food, it breaks food nutrients down into more digestible forms, improves the bio-availability of minerals, and creates new nutrients including B vitamins (folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, and biotin). Fermented foods are also live foods, full of beneficial bacteria.
We are trained in our culture to think of bacteria as bad, but what Tom and I have learned is that many bacteria actually live symbiotically within our bodies and a healthy population of these beneficial bacteria is vital to good health.

Eating our pickles in fermented form carries these beneficial bacteria directly to our digestive systems where they greatly aid digestion.

So, how do you make fermented pickles?

For this fermented foods pickle recipe, you will need:

2 pounds pickling cucumbers
1/4 cup sea salt dissolved into 5 cups water
2-4 heads flowering dill
8-10 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp dill seeds
small bunch fresh grape leaves, or strawberry leave or horseradish leaves

(Add the leaves. This is very important, so don’t skip these! They are rich in tannins and will keep your pickles perky. Nobody likes a mushy pickle!)

Seasons/Availability - Fresh grape leaves are available mid-summer through early winter. Check your local food store, gourmet food stores that sell kosher food products,health food stores, farm stands are often willing to give you the leaves from strawberries or horseradish, farmers markets or if you know anyone who has a grapevine in their yard.

large glass jar/s
coffee filter/wash cloth + rubber bands
1 gallon of water, preferably filtered

Steps

wash your cucumbers and gently poke a 1 inch hole at each end, do not go all the way through, I use a wood bamboo skewer to make the hole;
Slice the onions, peel the garlic and rinse the grape leaves;
Boil the water and dissolve the salt in it and set aside to use later
Cram in the pickles, leaving room for at least 2 inches of liquid on top. Cover with the salt water, then top with the filter or dish towel and rubber band. If the cucumbers float you can keep them submerged with a smaller jar, as described in this sauerkraut tutorial (step 5)

Leave your pickles in a warm spot to ferment. Check the liquid levels daily and add more brine if needed. They’re ready after a week or so, but you can continue fermenting ‘to taste’.

But seriously, check the liquid levels every day . . .

Enjoy

Caution: Some individuals may feel nauseous, experience headache and or a stomach ache after eating
a fermented food for the first time. This is due to die-off (which in most cases should tell you they are working) and your body will get use to fermented foods eventually. We recommend those of you who experience uncomfortable symptoms to start with small amounts and to ferment foods that are in season in your area. We don't get fancy with fermented foods, pickles, vegetables, sour dough bread and yogurt suit us just fine and they are they foods that my palette and body are familiar with.

References:

Science of Pickles: Fascinating Pickle Facts

ITALIAN SEAFOOD STEW

2011-07-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

Italian Seafood Stew - called Stufato di frutti di mare italiane, this is a typical Italian tomato-and wine-based seafood stew. The stew can be prepared several hours ahead of serving, up to the point where the seafood is added; at mealtime, reheat the base and add the seafood.

(Use seafood of your choice. The price of seafood will determine what I use in my stew. I prefer halibut, shrimp and clams.)

Fish Stock ( You may want to go fishing, it's relaxing, a great way to get some vitamin D3, spend time with family or a close friend or just spend some quiet time alone, and a inexpensive way to get the bones you need for your fish stock. You could also go into your local fish market and buy some whole fish.)

To make a good fish stock you need bones, fins, skins and heads of the fish, not the meat. So, buy your fish whole, cut the meat off to use in your soup later and use the rest of the fish to make your fish stock. Your fishmonger/husband/son/boyfriend (person who sells/catches you the fish) can do all the trimming for you ( thought I would mention that for those of you who get as queasy as I do at the thought of handling fish heads).

Directions

Put the heads, bones, fins, and skin of the fish into a large pot, add 8-10 peppercorns and fill pot with water. Bring up to a boil, reduce the heat to a minimum and simmer for 90 minutes. Add unrefined sea salt to taste at the end of cooking. Take the fish out and sieve/strain the stock. Take the meat off the fish skeleton for use for soup making.

3 - lb seafood ( I use two pound of halibut and one pound of wild fresh large shrimp)

Unrefined Sea Salt and ground pepper for taste

1/4 - cup olive oil, cold pressed

3 - yellow onions, chopped

2 - yellow bell peppers, seeded, chopped

4 - cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 - teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

2 - tsp of fennel seed

2 - tsp of fresh or dried oregano

1 - fresh bay leave or dried

4 or 5 , ripe plum (Roma) or ripe yellow (Golden Queen) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (see below on how to peel and seed)

2 - cup dry red wine (optional)

32 oz of fish stock

4 - tbsp fresh flat-Italian parsley, chopped (I use scissors and cut my fresh herbs right into my soup/stew)

4 - tbsp fresh basil, chopped

* To add more great taste and dense nutrients add some steamed clams along with the juice to your soup at the end.

Cut the fish into 2 inch chunks. Place in a shallow glass dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate while making the broth.

* Begin making your fish stock now. (see above)

While fish stock simmers peel and seed your tomatoes. Next wash, chop and prepare your ingredients. During the last 15 minutes of your stock simmer, in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), fennel seeds, oregano, and bay leaf and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the wine (if using) and stock and simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes longer.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the seafood, uncovered, until opaque or cooked throughout when pierce with the tip of a knife, 5-8 minutes. If desired, stir in the parsley and basil.

HOW TO PEEL ADD SEED TOMATOES

Bring a saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil. Using a small, sharp knife, cut out the core from the stem end of the tomato. Then cut a shallow X in the skin at the base of tomato's base. Submerge for about 20 seconds in boiling water, then remove and dip in a bowl of cold water. Staring at the X, Peel the skin from the tomato, using your fingertips and, if necessary, the knife blade, cut the tomatoes in half and turn each half cut side down. Then cut as directed in in recipe.

To seed a tomato, cut it in half cross wise. carefully squeeze to force out the seed sacs.

( Golden Queen Tomato)

Vibrant yellow in color, this low-acid tomato is truly exceptional in both looks and flavor. Just a little larger than a golf ball and tasting just like a tomato should taste, yellow tomatoes are succulent, juicy and just plain delicious.

Due to a sensitive bladder I prefer to use low-acid yellow tomatoes. Don't knock it til you try it.

Chianti is a wonderful selection for this stew!

Many individuals are sensitive to sulfates. If your going to use wine please consider the following: Organic wine has no added sulfites, but sulfites are a naturally occurring result of fermentation, coming from the skin of the grapes. So, organic wines must maintain a level of sulfites less than 100 parts per million (ppm), as opposed to the 350 ppm limit for non-organic wine makers.

If you are concerned with added sulfites, you should be aware that European wines have significantly more sulfites than American wines. Also, white wines need twice the sulfites red wines do.

Why would I make my own bone broth?

Bone broth is chock full of minerals and super healing for the gut. Chicken bone is especially soothing of gut inflammation (see recipe). Being so nourishing, it tends to eliminate cravings, Hot or cold, it also makes and excellent electrolyte drink.

When we heal the gut we eliminate food allergies and we start healing!

OLD FASHION CARROT CAKE

2011-07-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

A simple but oh-so-delicious traditional carrot cake. Carrot cake the way your great great grandmother would have made it.

A Little Carrot Cake History

According to the food historians, our modern carrot cake most likely descended from Medieval carrot puddings enjoyed by people in Europe.

"In the Middle Ages in Europe, when sweeteners were scarce and expensive, carrots were used in sweet cakes and desserts. In Britain...carrot puddings...often appeared in recipe books in the 18th and 19th centuries. Such uses were revived in Britain during the second World War, when the Ministry of Food disseminated recipes for carrot Christmas pudding, carrot cake, and so on and survive in a small way to the present day. Indeed, carrot cakes have enjoyed a revival in Britain in the last quarter of the 20th century.

Ingredient
(click on each ingredient to get an idea of which brands to look for in your local health food store. The majority of these ingredients I have purchased in Wholefoods Market and from my local farmers market)

1 1/2 cups nut flour

1 1/2 cups finely shredded organic carrots

3/4 cup raw honey (buy local raw honey)

1/2 cup organic raisins

1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped (optional)

1 tsp. baking soda aluminum free

1/2 cup butter (preferably raw and or organic)

2 eggs (pasture raised)

1 tsp. organic cinnamon

pinch unrefined - fine sea salt

1 tsp. organic vanilla

Directions
Add honey and eggs to softened butter and blend. Blend in nut flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add carrots, raisins, and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees, 45 mins. This cake has a tendency to overflow; therefore, use a round cake pan. Most people use non-stick pans but due to chemicals I use a stainless steel cake pan and I grease lightly with butter.

CARROTS

Carrots are perhaps best known for their rich supply of the antioxidant nutrient that was actually named for them: beta-carotene. However, these delicious root vegetables are the source not only of beta-carotene, but also of a wide variety of antioxidants and other health-supporting nutrients. The areas of antioxidant benefits, cardiovascular benefits, and anti-cancer benefits are the best-researched areas of health research with respect to dietary intake of carrots.

WALNUTS

Walnuts not only taste great but are a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and an excellent source of those hard to find omega-3 fatty acids. Like most nuts, they can easily be added to your Healthiest Way of Eating. Just chop and add to your favorite salad, vegetable dish, fruit, or dessert.

HONEY

In addition to its reputation as Nature's nutritive sweetener, research also indicates that honey's unique composition makes it useful as an antimicrobial agent and antioxidant.

Enjoy!

BASIC CHICKEN STOCK AND SOUP

2011-07-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

Broths made from bones have been used across the globe throughout human history. Nearly every traditional society boiled bones of meat-giving animals to make a nutritive broth. It is deeply flavorful, but versatile and can provide the base for soups, sauces, gravies as well as providing a cooking medium for grains and vegetables. In our house we drink and eat foods that contain broth most every day.

Homemade broths and stocks are essential for optimum health. Making homemade stock is easy and economical, and the stocks are packed with health benefits while they add amazing flavor to any dish. Stocks can be made in a large stock pot on the stove top or in a crock pot, require little culinary skill, and don’t need much attention. You can make a variety of stocks with herbs, vegetables, chicken, beef, fish, or any other meat you like. All are full of health benefits that you won’t find in commercially produced stocks.

Many studies now confirm what Grandma always knew--that broth made from bones is a great remedy, a tonic for the sick, a strengthener for athletes, a digestive aid, a healing elixir. And unlike bitter medicines, broth can be incorporated into delicious soups, stews and sauces. In fact, broth is the basis of all gourmet cuisines.

Here is a great and frugal way to use your leftover chicken and or use chicken thighs and legs. If you don't plan to use the broth right away store it in your freezer to use when you’re ready to make a soup. I firmly believe that broth is great for healing the gut. Try drinking a mug of warm broth each day in order to speed up the healing process.

4 Qt. Filtered Water

1 leftover chicken carcass and pan drippings (remove the majority of the skin) or fill the biggest pot you have half way with chicken thighs and legs.

2 onions, peel and quarter

3 celery stalks, wash, and cut in half

3 large carrots, peeled and cut in half

1/2 bunch of fresh thyme

1/2 bunch of fresh flat Italian parsley, chopped

2 tbsp raw Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

Season with unrefined sea salt (table salt not allowed it will ruin the medicinal property of your stock)
1 tbsp whole peppercorns, preferably green

Place carcass in a stock pot and fill pot 3/4 of the way, add peppercorns and vinegar; let it sit for 1 hour. This will draw all the calcium and nutrients from the bones. Add, the rest of your ingredients, turn on heat and bring to a boil, once boiling lower the heat and simmer the broth for at least 6 hours - the longer the broth simmers, the richer it will be. I simmer my broth between 12 and 36 hrs. Strain the liquid, remove the vegetables and put aside in a bowl, reserve the carcass and remove the meat. Place broth in a container, cover tightly, and refrigerate. When it is chilled, skim the fat from the surface. While your stock is chilling blend your veggies with 16 ounces of water and put aside, chopped carrots and celery and add any other vegetables you desire. I usually add a bit of baby spinach or escarole, zucchini and some extra chicken by boiling a few skinless chicken breasts in a small pot while I am chopping veggies.

Chicken Soup

2 Tbsp cold pressed olive oil
4 stalks celery, chopped small
4 carrots, chopped and diced into small cubes
1 lg. onion, diced
2 skinless chicken breasts, boiled and cubed (optional)or left over chicken from your whole chicken carcass
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
Spinach or Escarole; chop and add just before serving soup
Season to taste with sea salt and pepper
3/4 cup long-grain brown rice, soak in filtered water for at least 7 hrs before adding to your soup

Add olive oil to pot and heat, add onions, garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper, saute until soft, add all your ingredients with the exception of the zucchini and greens. Bring to a boil and turn down and simmer for a few hours. About 10 minutes before serving add zucchini and 3 min before serving add some greens. Greens are good for you and really give the soup some color.

Tip: While your broth is simmer, soak your rice. Soaking the rice makes reduces the anti-nutrients so we can absorb the vitamins and mineral and digest our rice without ill-affects. Remember no pasta or potatoes in your soup these types of starches can slow down the healing process.

The substitute for broth is MSG, which food manufacturers use to achieve the taste of meat in canned and dehydrated soups and in imitation sauces. MSG is toxic to the nervous system but broth--rich in calcium--is protective. One of the most important things you can do to improve your health is to use real broth and avoid imitation foods.

You are what you eat!

Start healing today!

BLUEBERRY SCONES

2011-05-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

SCONES: A SHORT HISTORY

Scones are biscuit-like pastries or quick breads that are often rolled into round shapes and cut into quarters, then baked, sometimes on a griddle. Scones can be savory or sweet and are usually eaten for breakfast, but are also served with tea and in coffeehouses.

History

Scones got their start as a Scottish quick bread. Originally made with oats and griddle-baked, today’s version is more often made with flour and baked in the oven. As for the origin of the word “Skone”, some say it comes from the Dutch word schoonbrot, which means beautiful bread, while others argue it comes from Stone of Destiny, where the Kings of Scotland were crowned. According to Webster’s Dictionary, scones originated in Scotland in the early 1500s.

Scones became popular and an essential part of the fashionable ritual of taking tea in England when Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1788 – 1861), one late afternoon, ordered the servants to bring tea and some sweet breads, which included scones. She was so delighted by this, that she ordered it every afternoon and what now has become an English tradition is the “Afternoon Tea Time” (precisely at 4:00 p.m.). They are still served daily with the traditional clotted cream topping in Britain.

Source: Wheat Foods Council www.wheatfoods.org

Ingredients

2 eggs (Wild cage free are best)

1 1/2 tbsp. flax meal

1/4 tsp. vinegar

2 1/2 cups almond four - How to make Almond Flour.

2 tbsp. raw honey - (Note: Raw honey is not acidic however, store bought honey that has been heated and processed is acidic and should be avoided) Find Raw Honey.

3 tbsp. coconut flour - How to make Coconut Flour or You can purchase it HERE.

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. fine grain sea salt

6 tbsp butter ( Raw butter and or at least organic is best)

1/4 cup organic blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a Sm bowl combine eggs, flax meal, vinegar, honey and mix until all the ingredients are combined.

3. In a large bow combine the almond flr., coconut, flr. , baking soda, sea salt and use a fork to combined your ingredients. Next cut your hard cold butter into small pieces and add to your dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter or a fork combined your butter into your dry ingredients.

4. Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and mixed until combined (be careful not to over mix). Your dough should look fairly wet so, now let it sit for 5 minutes in refrigerator, this allows the coconut flour to absorb the moisture.

5. In the meantime you can butter your baking sheet.

6. Take about 2 tbsp of dough at a time and form your scone into the shape you desire just be sure that it is 3/4 of an inch high.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy your scones warm with butter and a cup of herbal tea!

Where Do You Find Real Pastured Eggs?

When I made the switch from free range eggs to real pastured eggs, I had no idea where to get them.

I had no idea that they were right under my nose at the local farmer’s market. There are three different farmers at my local farmer’s market in Santa Monica who sell pastured eggs. (I’m pretty sure one of them does feed his birds soy, so I only buy from the other two, Rocky Canyon and Healthy Family Farms.)

If there is a local farmer’s market in your area, look for eggs. Talk to the farmer and ask if the birds are kept outdoors and ask what they are fed. (It’s best not to feed soy — its a whole ‘nother blog post.)

You can also check out the Eat Wild or Local Harvest websites to look for pastured eggs in your area.

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND FLOUR

2011-05-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

What is Almond Flour?

Almond flour is finely ground almonds. It adds a richness and moistness to recipes and adds a buttery taste and delicate crunch to crusts. Also called Almond Meal.

How to use Almond Flour

In baking, you can substitute up to 1/4 cup of Almond Flour per Cup of regular flour in your recipes. So if your original recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, you can use 1 1/2 Cups regular flour and 1/2 Cup Almond Flour.

Almond Flour is great in baked goods like cakes, cookies, muffins and breads. It is also delicious used in breading for meats, fish or vegetables.

The Benefits of Almond Flour

Almonds are an excellent source of protein, vitamin E, and magnesium. They also contain calcium, iron and zinc. Almond Flour contains about 3 grams of fiber per 1/4 Cup. A good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oil, almonds do have a fairly high calorie count, however, these oils are generally accepted as part of a healthy diet, just don’t overdo if you’re watching calorie intake.

How to make Almond Flour

Commercial Almond Flour, like Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour is made with blanched almonds. You can also make almond flour at home using either blanched almonds, or simply use whole raw almonds, with the skins still on. While some may not find the brownish color of the unbalanced almonds as aesthetically pleasing, they do retain more of the nutrients.

You will need:

* An electric coffee grinder dedicated to making almond flour, or grinding gluten free grains.
* A dedicated sifter for gluten free cooking

Take whole raw, or whole blanched almonds and grind them in the coffee grinder using on and off pulses, do not let the almonds get too warm. Grind until you get a course meal and put it through the sifter. Any pieces too large go back in the grinder for another try until all is sifted through.

Store almond flour in the fridge, or the freezer for longer storage, to preserve the flavor and nutritional value.

Where can I buy Almond Flour?

More and more grocery store are stocking specialty flours, and Bob’s Red Mill is pretty easy to find, at least on the east coast. Health Food stores are also a good bet. If you just don’t have a local place that stocks it, try Amazon to buy Almond Flour.

ASPARAGUS AND PECANS

2011-03-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

I love asparagus, it is one of my favorite vegetables and it has many health benefits. Asparagus and Pecans makes a wonderful summer time dish, taste delicious and it's good for you.

Asparagus is an alkaline food which is rich in protein but low in calories and carbohydrates. It is an excellent source of potassium, folic acid, vitamins A, C and K, and traces of vitamin B complex.

A good source of dietary fiber, asparagus is also rich in niacin, phosphorus and very low sodium. And certainly most impressive is that it is one of those few vegetables that actually has the calcium and magnesium in the ideal ratio of 2:1.

The high alkalinity of this wonder juice is effective in reducing the acidity of the blood and helps cleanses the tissues and muscles of waste.
Consume asparagus regularly for its mild laxative effect and dietary fiber that provides for regular bowel movement.
A unique phytochemical in asparagus that produces anti-inflammatory effect.
The diuretic and alkaline properties of asparagus help prevent or dissolve kidney stones. It helps break up oxalic acid crystals formed in the kidney. The diuretic effect of asparagus juice helps relieve premenstrual swelling and bloating.
The magnesium in this wonder juice also help relieve irritability, fatigue, depression, etc.
Asparagus is a prime source of anti-oxidant and glutathione that can help prevent the dreaded cancer.
The high content of folic acid, calcium and other minerals in asparagus are important for women's health, especially pregnant woman.

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh organic asparagus, trimmed
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce, low sodium, gluten free
2 tablespoons butter, preferably organic and or goats butter
2 teaspoons raw honey or stevia
unrefined sea salt to taste
1/2 cup raw pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon green onions, chopped

Directions

Steam the asparagus until tender but crisp. Remove from strainer, briefly immerse in a bowl of cold water, remove and pat dry.
In a large, glass bowl, mix the rice vinegar, soy sauce, melted butter, honey, and sea salt. Cover bowl with a glass plate. Marinate 24 hours in the refrigerator. Garnish the marinated asparagus with pecans and green onion to serve. Optional: Toast your pecans in a skillet over medium heat. Do not add anything to the pan or the pecans, be sure to keep an eye on them as to not burn them.

Eat Well, Stay Healthy!

STRAWBERRY SALAD

2011-03-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1/2 bag Baby Spinach
1/2 head Romaine

Fresh Strawberries, Hulled & Sliced

2 Green shallots, Diced

1 Cucumbers

3 Ounces Raw Goat Cheese

Dressing:

1/2 Pint Fresh Raspberries

1 Tablespoon Raw Honey

1 Teaspoon Poppy Seeds

1/2 Teaspoon Unrefined Sea Salt (pink or grayish/brown)

1/2 Cup Filtered or Distilled Drinking Water

Garnish with Raw Sliced Almonds

Blend on high until smooth.

Enjoy!

* May we recommend that you purchase organic fruit when ever possible, especially fruits that grow on the ground.

CHICKEN W/ BROCCOLI & BABY SPINACH

2011-03-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

Serves 4

1 pound of skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thin sliced crosswise (grass fed)

1 1/2 cups chopped organic celery (a natural sodium)

1 carrot, peels and diced (helps cut the acid of the tomato)

1 1/2 cups chopped organic yellow tomatoes or Roma, peeled and seeded, set aside 1/2 cup and blend or canned (no salt)

2 cups organic broccoli, cut into bite size florets

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh organic parsley or 1 teaspoon dried

1 table spoon chopped fresh organic basil or 1 teaspoon dried

5 cups organic baby spinach (non organic spinach has 49 g of iron and organic has 1400 g)

2 tablespoons organic butter (should come from a grass fed animal)

1 tsp unrefined sea salt

Add butter to a non-stick skillet and heat. Cook think strips of chicken on medium high, turning occasionally, for 4 to 6 minutes until no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients except spinach, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add spinach and continue cooking until wilted.

Serve over small portion of soaked Jasmine rice. (soak overnight to soften and warm on low heat)

Facts: Meat is excessively acidic and should be eaten in small amounts. The majority of our livestock is fed corn, antibiotics, hormones (HGH) and steroids so if you are going to eat meat purchase grass fed from your local farmer.

Our diets should contains more alkaline food than acidic however, that doesn't mean we do not eat acidic food. We need to both.

Organic produce is free of pesticides and has far more nutrients.

Avoid all process foods they are loaded with chemicals, table salt and sugar.

If your wondering why we are the sickest nation in the world walk down the middle aisles in your local grocery store. And then avoid the middle aisles of your grocery store.

Eat Well , Stay Healthy!

Treat your body with love!

ZUPPA DI CAVOLO E HERB

2011-03-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

Tuscan Cabbage and Herb Soup

Ingredients

1 Yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 bulb of garlic, crushed
leaves from 1 or 2 fresh sage sprig, chopped
2 cups fresh crushed plum (Roma) tomatoes or canned organic
(If you have sensitivity to red tomatoes try using yellow tomatoes, peel, seed and crush yourself, they have far less acid than a red tomato)
64 oz chicken or vegetable stock, homemade or try Healthy Valley stock
6-8 red bliss or fingerling potatoes, cubed
1/2 head savory cabbage, core, sliced
1 cup long-grain brown rice, soak in filtered water for at least 7hrs prior to making soup
2 cup of white beans, soaked, follow direction on bag

Directions

* In a soup pot over medium heat, warm 1/2 cup broth. Add onion and garlic saute until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes and celery and saute until tender about 8 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes. Season to taste with sage, unrefined, fine sea salt, ground black pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently, stir occasionally, until the mixture thick, about 30 minutes.

* Pour in stock, add rice and beans bring soup to a boil, then turn down and simmer rice and beans until tender; lastly add cabbage and simmer until cabbage is soft.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve with a fresh green salad!

Enjoy!

Squash and Bean Soup

2011-02-25T18:37:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

4 Cups Cooked Cannellini Beans (See Recipe Below) Or 2 (14 Ounce Cans) If You Must!

2 Stalks Celery, Diced

2 Carrots, Peeled And Diced

1 Medium Onion, Peeled And Diced

3 Garlic Cloves, Peeled And Minced

3 Cups Peeled And Diced Butternut Squash

1 (14 Ounce) Can Chopped Tomatoes, low sodium

3 32 oz Container of Vegetable Broth, low sodium

Mr Dash, no salt seasoning, add enough to satisfy your taste

Pinch Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)

1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley

Directions

In a large heavy stock pot add the onions, celery, and carrot and saute in a 1/4 cup of your veggies stock until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute or two. Add the beans, diced squash, can of tomatoes, parsley and pepper flakes if using. Mix well. Add just enough broth to create a thick soup, keeping extra aside if needed. Bring the soup to a boil, then decrease the heat to a low simmer and cook until the squash and other vegetables are tender but not mushy, between 20 to 30 minutes. Place a cup of quinoa pasta or brown rice the bottom of each soup bowl, then spoon the soup over pasta/rice in each of the bowls and serve. Serve salad before the soup.

To Cook The Beans From Scratch

1 Pound Dried Beans

Pinch Of Baking Soda

1 Carrot Cut Into 3 Pieces

1 Stalk Celery Cut Into 3 Pieces

1/2 Onion Peeled And Quartered

1 Bay Leaf

The night before needed, put the beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Add a pinch of baking soda and leave for at least 12 hours. Drain. In a heavy stock pot place the beans and other vegetables, along with the bay leaf and cover by 4 or so inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook the beans until tender, about an hour. Drain, remove the vegetable pieces and bay leaf.

Fun Fruit Sticks

2011-02-25T15:12:00.000-08:00

Fruit Sticks

Sweets don’t always have to be unhealthy. Try to put in a pinch of health consciousness with this exciting recipe for kids and adults.These sweet delights are a regular at parties and - always a bit hit.

All you need is a bag of wooden skewers and your favorite fruit!

Italian Farmers Soup

2011-02-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

It has been snowing and raining all day today and I thought I would make some healthy comfort food. You guessed it "SOUP"! I made Italian Farmers Soup and the house smells like a Tuscany Restaurant. It looks so good I can't wait to eat it.

Ingredients

1 Large Sweet Potato, Peeled & Cubed

1 Small Butternut Squash, Peeled, Seeded, & Cubed

4 Large Carrots, Peeled & Diced

4 Celery Stalks, Trimmed & Diced

1 medium Onion, Peeled & Diced

2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled & Minced

2 Medium Parsnips, Peeled & Diced

1 Small Bunch Red Kale, Chopped

1/4 head of red cabbage, sliced

2 Zucchini, Trimmed & Diced

2 Summer Squash, Trimmed & Diced

1 (24 Ounce) Can Chopped Tomatoes (look for low sodium)

3 boxes of Vegetable Broth ( I like Pacific which is organic, low-sodium and gluten free)

2 Cups Chopped Fresh Herbs (A Mix Of Basil, Parsley, thyme)

Mrs Dash, salt free seasoning which is also gluten free, for taste

2 cups small dry white beans, soak over night or 1 (14 Ounce) Can Cannellini Beans (Add At The End)

Directions

Place all the prepared vegetables and canned tomatoes in a large stock pot and cover with water or broth. Bring to a bowl, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for an hour or two until all of the vegetables are almost tender. Add the beans, fresh herbs, Italian seasonings, and season. Continue to cook until everything is tender.

Buon Appetito!

Tips: Whenever possible use organic ingredients. Soak your owns beans and use fresh herbs. Omit or substitute ingredients that do not agree with you.

Chinese Cabbage and Bean Sprout Salad

2011-02-24T20:38:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

4 cups thinly sliced Chinese cabbage
4 cups fresh bean sprouts
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
3 tbsp soy sauce, Braggs
3 tbsp fresh squeeze lemon juice
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp freshly grated ginger

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients for salad in a large bowl
2. Mix all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss
4. Let stand 5 minutes and serve

Enjoy!

Tips: use organic ingredients whenever possible
Wash your veggies
use only raw honey
use fresh ingredients

Roasted Vegetables

2011-02-23T00:17:00.000-08:00

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 – 2 cloves garlic, chopped

8 cups vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, red onion, butternut squash, parsnips and russet potatoes), cut into bite-sized chunks

2 cups vegetable stock, low-sodium

2 tablespoons orange zest

Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix ground ginger, thyme, orange zest and garlic in small bowl. Add veggies to roasting pan and pour stock over veggies. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over vegetables and toss to coat.

Roast the vegetables for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender, a bit caramelized, and golden brown.

Enjoy

Cauliflower & Broccoli Florets Over Curry Rice

2011-02-22T22:52:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 cup Jasmine rice
1 head cauliflower, cut into to bite size florets
1 bunch of broccoli florets
2 scallion stalks, chopped
3 tbsp fresh squeeze lemon juice
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp raw honey
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup Pacific vegetable stock, organic low-sodium, gluten free
1/2 cup raw almond slices, toast

Directions

Add 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water, bring to boil, turn down and simmer for 45-50 minutes. Prepare your vegetables and spices. Steam veggies about 10 minutes before your rice is ready. Toast your almonds and set aside. Add veggie stock to saute pan, scallions, lemon curry, cilantro, honey, and stir over a medium heat for about 3 minutes until all your ingredients are mix well, add your steam veggies, mix and simmer for 5 minutes. Top with toasted almonds.

Tip: Use Organic ingredients whenever possible!

Enjoy!

Almond & Zucchini Stir -Fry

2011-02-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

Prep Time: About 10 Minutes
Cooking Time About 45 Minutes

A delicious, healthy, satisfying combination of rice and julienne zucchini,
seasoned with raw soy sauce and garnish with raw almonds.

Ingredients
1 cup Jasmine rice, soak overnight
1/2 cup raw almonds, sliced
6 med organic zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4 -by 2 inch sticks
2 cloves organic garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons of raw brags soy sauce

Directions
In a 3 quart pan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil over high heat; stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until sequid has been absorbed and rice is tender to bit (about 25 minutes). Set Timer. Fluff rice with a fork when once it becomes room temperature.

About 25 minutes before rice is one, in a wide nonstick frying pan or wok, stir almonds over medium heat until golden (3 or 4 minutes). Pour out of pan and set aside. To pan, add zucchini, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of water or low sodium veggie stock. Increase heat to medium-high; stir-fry until zucchini is tender-crisp to bite and liquid has evaporated (about 8 minutes.) Add 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce; mix gently.

To serve, spoon rice on to a plate (I prefer a salad plate) and pour zucchini over it; sprinkle with almonds. Taste vary so I usually off er more soy sauce to my guest just in case they want more taste.

Enjoy!

A Steamy Winter Salad!

2011-02-13T21:24:00.000-08:00

4 or 5 baby bok choy leaves, chopped
1 cup pea pods or frozen peas
3/4 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
3 ounces baby carrots, slivered (about 6)
4 cups sliced kale or collard greens
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brags raw soy sauce

Wash the bok choy well. Slice the white stems into 1/4-inch slices and set aside. Slice the green leafy tops thinly and keep separate from the stems.
Preheat a non-stick wok or deep skillet. Add the carrots, garlic, and cook for another minute. Add the bok choy stems, cabbage, basil, oregano, and 1/4 cup water. Cover tightly and steam for about 3 minutes, stirring several times. Stir in the bok choy leaves, kale, and beans and add another splash of water if it’s too dry. Cover and steam until the kale is tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in salad dressing or vinegar just before serving.
Servings: 2

HEALTHY HEARTY MINESTRONE

2011-02-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

2 - 32oz quarts of chicken stock
3 carrot, cut into match sticks
1 med yellow onion, diced
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 small summer squash, cubed
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary tie together, add to your stock
1/ 2 dozen small red bliss potatoes, quartered
1 bulb of organic garlic, chopped
4 cups tomatoes, remove seeds
2 cups small white cannelini beans

* see soup tips below
1. Dice the onion & cut the carrots into matchsticks.
2. Pour your stock into a 7-qt sauce-pan and add your carrots and onions, cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
3. While waiting, cut the zucchini and summer squash into 1/2 inch cubes and slice the celery.
4. Add all remaining ingredients, except for the beans and pasta, to the saucepan.
5. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low & cook for 20 minutes, add beans and pasta and cook until pasta is tender.
Serve with a fresh green salad!

Tips

Use organic, low sodium, gluten free vegetable stock which can be purchase at most natural markets. I usually find my stock at either Trader Joe's or Whole foods and when I have the time I make my own stock which you can do to just click here to learn how.
Many of us have a sensitivity to tomatoes so how do I get around it so I can still enjoy them in my salads and soups?
You can cut down on the the acidity in more than one way:

make sure your tomatoes are ripe
use yellow tomatoes
use organic whenever possible, less chemicals is always best
scoop seeds out,
peel your tomatoes
add carrots to soup or salad that contain tomatoes to cut down on the acidity

use as much organic ingredients as possible
use quinoa or rice pasta shells/elbows
brown basmati rice is another option,
use a twisty to tie your rosemary
if you use potatoes use small organic red bliss or fingerling they have much more fiber, easier to digest
feel free to add mushrooms and even a handful of baby spinach
I do not recommend adding corn, it is difficult to digest and it contains lectin which causes inflammation.
As for your beans you can use can but dry beans have far less sodium than can and ICer do not do well with sodium
Also be sure to soak your beans overnight and make sure they are soft, uncooked beans are extremely difficult to digest, also do not add more than what the recipe calls for bean are excessively acidic although we tend to use them in soups because they have protein, fiber and they are filling.

Enjoy!

Peach and Raspberrie Arugula Salad

2011-01-31T18:00:00.000-08:00

2 large peaches, sliced or 2 cups frozen peaches, thawed
1 (5) ounce package baby arugula
1 tablespoon walnuts, chopped
1 3/4 cups fresh raspberries (put 1/2 aside for your dressing)
1 date
1/4 cup water

Date with a Raspberry Dressing
Blend Raspberries, date and water in high speed blender.

In a large salad bowl, toss peaches and arugula
Drizzle w/ Dressing
Serve

Serves 4

Stuffed Avocado

2011-01-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
Serves 2

1 Avocado
1Red or Yellow Bell Pepper
1 large Portabella Mushroom
1/2 cup Mung Bean Sprouts
1 stalk of green scallion
1 clove of garlic
1/2 in. fresh ginger root minced
1 Tbsp gluten free/low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup low sodium veggie broth
1 cup Brown Rice

Preparation

Start by preparing your rice, follow direction on package and while it is simmer you can start prepping your ingredients.
Cut your avocado length wise and remove the pit. Carefully remove flesh and cut each half into 6 strips. Keep your shells in tact and put aside. Wash and slice your mushroom, and bell pepper into thin, length wise slices. Chopped your scallion, minced your garlic and ginger, rinse your mung beans. In a skillet warm up your veggie broth, next add your bell pepper and saute for few minutes, add your mushrooms next, again saute for a few minutes, (keep an idea on your rice) next add your scallions, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. Saute 5 more minutes and now add your mug beans, saute another 2 minutes. Let your skillet sit for five minutes to let the flavors meld into one another. Now add your avocado and toss gently. Next take your Avocado Shells and add rice to each one, ten top with your stir fry and serve.

Tom and I always eat an extra large salad 30 minutes before our meal between the salad and the stuff avocado we are nice and full.

Double, Triple if your serving more than two, if you want more than one stuffed avocado for yourself may I recommend that you do not double the amount of avocado. Scoop out and put in the ice box for future use, like making a dip to go with fresh veggies. Also do not add extra garlic to your stuffed avocados it does have toxic properties and is a natural antibiotic and we all know what antibiotics can cause "yeast"!

Moderation is key however when it come to some ingredients they should only be eaten in small amounts. Like garlic, onions, and grains.

Cabbage and Soba Noodle Stir Fry

2011-01-27T18:01:00.000-08:00

makes 4 - 6 servings

1 package of buckwheat soba noodles
2 tbsp. braggs soy sauce
2 tsp. raw honey
5 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 head of green cabbage, cored and shredded
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped roasted cashews, unsalted
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped chives

Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Whisk together soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and hot sauce and set sauce aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes, then add cabbage, ginger, and carrots for 8-10 minutes, until cabbage softened. Add noodles and sauce and stir-fry until noodles are heated through. Top with cashews, chives, salt and pepper.

Nutrition facts per serving: 245 calories, 7 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 361 mg sodium, 37 g total carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 8 g protein

Coconut Water Cleanses Urinary Tract and more!

2011-01-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

Young Baby Coconuts

Coconut water is the purest liquid second only to water itself. It has many health benefits and uses that you probably did not know about.

If you consume coconut water on a regular basis it can reduce urinary problems.

People living on tropical islands have use coconut water to resolve various urinary issues. Such as retention! It cleanses kidneys and urinary tract.

Drinking coconut water has many benefits. The water of a coconut is a natural water! It is chock full of electrolytes, calcium, potassium, magnesium; everything that is good for you.

Unlike the meat which is high in fat, the water of a coconut is low in carbohydrates, sugar and 99% fat free.

Coconut water contains organic compounds possessing healthy growth promoting properties that have been know to do the following:

Keeps the body cool and at the proper temperature (makes sense why they grow in the tropics)
Orally re-hydrates your body, it is an all natural isotonic beverage.
Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Naturally replenish your body's fluids after exercising.
Raise your metabolism.
Promote weight loss
Boost your immune system
Detoxify and fight against viruses
Cleans digestive tract
Balance your pH
Boost poor circulation
Break up kidney stones

Coconut Water is More Nutritious than whole milk - Less fat and NO cholesterol!
Coconut water is naturally sterile -- Water permeates though the filtering husk!Coconut water is a universal donor-- Its identical to human blood plasma
Coconut Water is a Natural Isotonic Beverage - The same level we have in our blood.
Coconut water has saved lives in 3rd world countries via Coconut IV. Coconut water is the very stuff of nature, biologically pure, full of natural sugars, slats, and vitamins to ward off fatigue.
Coconut water contains more potassium than most sports drinks and most energy drinks.

Organic coconut oil works great as a skin moisturizer, I use it daily. It works great and it is free of hash chemicals that can screw with your hormones.

Soba Noodle Soup

2011-01-07T16:18:00.000-08:00

1/2 pd Buckwheat Soba Noodles
1/2 dozen portabella mushrooms, sliced
64 oz. of organic low-sodium vegetable stock (if you have a juicer you can make your own)
1 cup snow peas, cut into thin strips or broccoli
1 small can of water chestnuts
2 large carrot, chopped or cut into think strips
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated
4 tbsp gluten free soy sauce (or as per taste)
1 table spoon of olive oil
cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

In a large stock pot add your olive oil, garlic, onions, 2 tbsp soy sauce, mushrooms and saute. Next pour vegetable broth over saute veggies and bring to a boil. Next add your soba noodles, boil on medium heat until your noodles are al dente (cooked just enough to retain a somewhat firm texture), add the remainder of your ingredients and simmer for 20-25 mins.

Enjoy

Substitute: Frozen Peas or broccoli for snow peas

You can also add shrimp.

Buckwheat pasta and noodles are a good alternative for wheat intolerant or gluten intolerant people. Buckwheat pasta is darker in color than wheat pasta. It is used by the Japanese to make Soba noodles.
You can find this at most local whole food stores and or Asia market!

Apple - Celery Juice

2010-12-30T08:08:00.000-08:00

Serves 2
Make your apple - celery juice in a 3 to 1 ratio: 3 parts apple and 1 part celery.

3 Apples
1 Celery Stalk
(double recipe for every two people)

Make sure you remove the seeds from your apples, this will prevent bitterness. Peeling is not necessary if your using a juicer or a blender that has at least 650 watt motor.

Storage: Juice should be drank right away and or not stored for more than a few hours in the refrigerator, expect that it may separate and simply stir it before serving.

Garnish: A nice touch is a thin stalk of celery and use can use it as a swizzle stick!

The celery adds a tang to the apple juice that is absolutely delightful.

Benefit of Apples and Celery

The highly alkaline celery will neutralize acids in your stomach that may be causing discomfort.
It helps maintain your blood in its delicate alkaline balance, that you feel wonderful and mellow rather than acid and irritated.
In addition, celery is very high in natural sodium. When you perspire heavily during a workout or feel wilted because of the heat, this juice will put back the sodium you have lost. It actually raises your heat tolerance.
The phytonutrients in apples can help you regulate your blood sugar.
Research has shown that intake of apples in their whole food form can significantly lower many of our blood fats.
Cardiovascular benefits
Scientists have recently shown that important health benefits of apples may stem from their impact on bacteria in the digestive tract.
Several anti-cancer studies show daily intake of apples to provide better anti-cancer benefits.
Apple is a good source of fiber, including the soluble fiber pectin, and it's also a good source of vitamin C. Apple nutrients are disproportionately present in the skin, which is a particularly valuable part of the fruit with respect to its nutrient content.

Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system. Vitamin C-rich foods like celery may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms.
Vitamin C also prevents the free radical damage that triggers the inflammatory cascade, and is therefore also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions.
Celery contains active compounds called phthalides, which can help relax the muscles around arteries and allow those vessels to dilate. With more space inside the arteries, the blood can flow at a lower pressure. Phthalides also reduce stress hormones, one of whose effects is to cause blood vessels to constrict.
Celery ranks as a very good source of potassium and a good source of calcium and magnesium, because increased intake of these minerals has also been associated with reduced blood pressure.
Since two stalks of celery only provide about 4% of the sodium DV, most individuals would be able to include 2 or even more stalks of celery in a day's diet while keeping their total sodium intake below the DV by sticking with other low-sodium foods.
Today, we understand how celery, which is rich in both potassium and sodium, the minerals most important for regulating fluid balance, stimulates urine production, thus helping to rid the body of excess fluid.
Celery contains compounds called coumarins that help prevent free radicals from damaging cells, thus decreasing the mutations that increase the potential for cells to become cancerous.
Be sure to use the leaves-they contain the most vitamin C, calcium and potassium.
Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, potassium, folate, molybdenum, manganese and vitamin B6. Celery is also a good source of calcium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, magnesium, vitamin A, phosphorus and iron.
Celery also contains approximately 35 milligrams of sodium per stalk, so salt-sensitive individuals can enjoy celery, but should keep track of this amount when monitoring daily sodium intake.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Apples .
For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Celery .

Enjoy!

Tomato, Lentil and Vegetable Soup

2010-12-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 cup of Organic lentils, rinsed (optional)

3 Organic Roma tomatoes, seeded

2 Organic large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 Organic carrots diced
3 sticks of Organic celery, chopped

1/2 Cup of Gluten Free Quinoa pasta shells

A few bay leaves

This was made with gluten free quinoa pasta but I prefer the shells .

64 Ounces or 2 Containers of GF Vegetable Stock (organic Low sodium)

handful of greens, chopped (we used baby Spinach or Swiss Chard)
Place the lentils in a large pan and cover with vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and turn down to simmer. Prepare the vegetables and add to the pan with the tomatoes, and sage - add a cup of water if too thick. Cook at a low simmer for about 15 minutes then add pasta and cook another 7 minutes or until tender (do not over cook or add extra pasta otherwise your soup gets to thick and shells are to mushy. Add the greens for the last couple of minutes of cooking time and season to taste if it is to bland for your taste.
A Garden Salad is always great with soup however be sure to eat your salad at least 20 minutes before you serve your soup. We want to always eat uncooked raw food before we eat cooked food.

Tomatoes should be picked ripe, as the acids of the green tomato are very detrimental to the body and very hard on the kidneys. Many of the tomatoes today are grown in hothouses and are picked too green and allowed to ripen on their way to the markets or in cold storage plants built for this purpose. If the seeds, or the internal part of the tomato, is still green, while the outside is red, this is an indication that the fruit has been picked too green.
The tomato is not acid forming; it contains a great deal of citric acid but is alkaline forming when it enters the bloodstream. It increases the alkalinity of the and helps remove, especially uric acid, from the system. As a liver cleanser, tomatoes are wonderful, especially when used with the green vegetable juices.

We need to change the old way of thinking when it comes to fruits and veggies. I mean lets face it who has rid themselves of IC pain by avoiding fruits and veggies. Alcohol, Meat, Diary, grains are acid forming and the main staples of most peoples diet.

The best way to figure out whether or not you have a sensitivity to Tomatoes is to eat a raw diet for 30 days then introduce the tomato back into your diet by eating a mono meal (mono meal to eat one food by itself) of ripe tomatoes and wait up to 4 hrs to see how your body reacts.

Have A Great Week!
Gloria Prater

Tofu

2010-11-29T11:44:00.000-08:00

Q. Martin G. who is a member of our site asked:
Is tofu good or bad for you?
Answer.

Tofu is a product made from heated and processed soy bean curds, and so it is neither raw food nor healthy for you.

1) Heat as we all know destroys a large amount of nutrients and vitamins.

2) Beans are extremely difficult for our bodies to digest even after being cooked. And, the reason why most of get gas after eating them. Most IC patients suffer with IBS so beans probably are not a good idea.

3) The Majority of tofu contains salt which we all know should only be taken in small amounts. Salt is a major contributor of hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke, osteoporosis heartburn, and even gastric cancer.

4) Tofu also contains the food preservative "Gluconolactone" which is acidic and add a tangy taste to foods so an IC patient may want to reconsider eating tofu.
5) Calcium chloride, CaCl₂, is a salt of calcium and chlorine and is use to firm the tofu. Calcium chloride is used to increase the hardness in swimming pools. This reduces the erosion of the concrete in the pool chlorine. Calcium chloride is used in concrete mixes to help speed up the initial setting and in various medications.

Solid calcium chloride dissolves exothermically (in other words in the form of heat) and burns can result in the mouth and esophagus if calcium chloride is ingested. Ingestion of concentrated solutions or solid calcium chloride products may cause gastrointestinal irritation or ulceration.

Make you wonder why the FDA allows our foods to be full of this substance.

Eating celery and other vegetables gives us the organic salts and other minerals out bodies need in just the right amounts and combination's.

My recommendation skip the tofu and stick with eating a lot of fresh organic fruits and veggies.

Ecological are concerns about soybeans that are produced in a non "eco-friendly" way - including soybean production that involves destruction of millions of acres of tropical forest or savannah in South America.

Together with corn, soybeans are one of the most widely engineered food crops from a genetic standpoint. In the United States, over 90% of all soybeans produced have been genetically engineered in some way (usually for herbicide tolerance).

Soy products cannot be completely digested due to enzymes present in the soybeans, and soy foods also inhibit iron absorption.
Endocrine disruption
Digestive problems

'Studies showing the dark side of soy date back 100 years,' says clinical nutritionist Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story (New Trends, 2005). 'The 1999 FDA-approved health claim pleased big business, despite massive evidence showing risks associated with soy, and against the protest of the FDA's own top scientists. Soy is a $4 billion [U.S.] industry that's taken these health claims to the bank.' Besides promoting heart health, the industry says, soy can alleviate symptoms associated with menopause, reduce the risk of certain cancers, and lower levels of LDL, the 'bad' cholesterol.

Epidemiological studies have shown that Asians, particularly in Japan and China, have a lower incidence of breast and prostate cancer than people in the United States, and many of these studies credit a traditional diet that includes soy. But Asian diets include small amounts--about nine grams a day--of primarily fermented soy products, such as miso, natto, and tempeh, and some tofu. Fermenting soy creates health-promoting probiotics, the good bacteria our bodies need to maintain digestive and overall wellness. By contrast, in the United States, processed soy food snacks or shakes can contain over 20 grams of nonfermented soy protein in one serving.

'There is important information on the cancer-protective values of soy,' says clinical nutritionist Ed Bauman, head of Bauman Clinic in Sebastopol, California, and director of Bauman College. Bauman cautions against painting the bean with a broad brush. 'As with any food, it can have benefits in one system and detriments in another. [An individual who is sensitive to it] may have an adverse response to soy. And not all soy is alike,' he adds, referring to processing methods and quality.
'Soy is not a food that is native to North America or Europe, and you have issues when you move food from one part of the world to another,' Bauman says. 'We fare better when we eat according to our ethnicity. Soy is a viable food, but we need to look at how it's used.'

Gloria Prater

Apples Stuffed with Sweetness

2010-11-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

A nutritious snack that your kids will love.

Ingredients

1. 6 apples, cored

2. 1 fresh lemon, quartered

3. 1/8 c. raisins

4. 1/8 c. meejol dates, chopped

5. 1/8 c. raw pecans, chopped

6. 1/8 c. raw walnuts, chopped

7. 1/8 c. raw almonds, chopped or sliced

8. 1/4 c. gluten free oats

9. 3 tbsp. coconut oil

10. 3 tbsp. raw honey

11. 3 tbsp. maple syrup

12. 1 tsp. cinnamon

13. 1/4 tsp. all spice

Directions:

Preheat your over to 425 degrees. Wash and core your apples. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each apple. Add ingredients 3-13 all together in a bowl and over stuff your apples. Bake 20-25 minutes in a 9 x 13 pyrex baking dish.

Garnish with shredded coconut and a drizzle with a little left over honey.

Enjoy!

Gloria Prater

Apricot Smoothie

2010-11-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

If you enjoy the taste of apricots you will love this smoothie. It is delicious and nutritious.

Ingredients:

2 c. fresh apricots, pitted or 2 cups unsweetened frozen apricots

1 1/2 c.whole milk or almond mylk

2 meejol dates, pitted, chopped or 1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:
Add all the ingredients to your blend and blend on high until it reaches a creamy consistency.

Add more water for a thinner smoothie and less water for a thicker smoothie.

Garnish with a colorful straw.

Note: If you do not like dates feel free to add 1/2 cup frozen strawberries.

Enjoy!

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Health Benefits:

Apricots are a sub-acid fruit, full of fiber and vitamin C.

They are low in calories and best when eaten fresh, however during the winter months most of us have to opt to eat them frozen. Apricots are a great source of vitamin A which we need along with sunlight so our bodies will make Vitamin D3 (which don't be fooled you cannot get this out of a bottle).

Nutrients in apricots can help protect the heart and eyes, as well as provide the disease fighting effects of fiber. Fiber has a wealth of benefits including preventing constipation and can prevent digestive issues.

Studies have show that getting enough vitamin A in your diet reduces the risk of getting cataracts. The recommend daily amount of fiber is 35 grams but most American average less than 10 grams per day.

Poor eating habits create poor digestion, poor digestion creates acidity through out the body, which in the end creates 85% of of disease.

Studies involving over 100, 000 men and women who ate a diet higher in fruits in veggies had far less health problems than a person who main staples are meat, grains and dairy.

Date with A Mango Smoothie

2010-10-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

Excellent summer drink!
1 Ripe Mango

1 Ripe Banana (peel slice and freeze at least 2 hour before)

2 or 3 Meejol Dates, pitted

2 Cups Whole Milk or Almond Mylk
1 Cup Ice

Add your ice to blender first and crush then add banana and crush a bit, add milk, mango, and dates and blend on high until smooth.

I am proud to say this smoothie came in first place in a contest and was published.

Enjoy!

Watermelon and Cucumber Cooler

2010-08-06T19:54:00.000-07:00

There are two ways to make this drink.

You can juice 1/4 of a whole watermelon with rind and 1 small cucumber with peel or without it's up to you. Juicing with rind cleanse the bladder. Add Crush Ice.

Or blend your ingredients without rind and enjoy.

This is a great summer time drink and it is great for hydrating the body and it is packed with vitamins and nutrients.

Enjoy!

Organic Produce vs. Commerical Produce

2010-07-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Americans spend about ninety percent of their food budget on processed foods, which, unlike whole foods, have been treated in some way after being harvested or butchered. Almost all of these processed foods contain additives, substances intended to change the food in some way before it is sold to consumers. Additives include flavorings that change a food's taste, preservatives that extend its shelf life, colorings that change the way it looks, and dietary additives, such as vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and other supplements. Packaging is considered an indirect food additive and, in fact, many kinds of packaging actually add substances to the food they enclose.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently has approved more than 3,000 food additives for use in the United States. However, while approved for human consumption, food additives threaten our health. This is one of many reasons why it is better to purchase whole foods, or those that have been minimally processed and treated.

Organic as many of us know has far more nutritional benefits and are not sprayed with 9 different chemicals like our commercial produce.

Remember the old adage “You get what you pay for” well this is very true when it comes to the quality of food.

Food manufactures today focus less on quality and more on quantity. And, none of us have to read a book or study nutrition to know that the quality of our food has decline drastically over the past decade.

Americans are sicker than ever, both physically and mentally. More and more of our children are being prescribed drugs for mental health issues and most of us do not make it too 50 without being put on some type of medication. Heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune syndromes and cancer have been on the rise for some time now and we can contribute this to the Standard American Diet (SAD). A processed food diet that is laden with chemicals.

I often hear people say they can’t afford to buy organic but the fact is the healthy we eat the less we will spend on health care, dental care, medication (both prescription and over-the-counter). I agree that organic foods cost more and that is why it is important to prioritize.

It is important that we eat a diet that is rich in nutrients and vitamins, free of chemicals which make our bodies toxic.

How can one afford to eat organic?

Make healthy eating a priority
Eat out less
Avoid purchasing coffee outside of the house
Decrease the amount of personal beauty products
Decrease the amount of household cleaners
Eat Less
Decrease the amount of meat you eat (meat is highly acidi
Decrease the amount of junk food you purchase and make homemade treats
Grow your own produce (don’t have a yard, plant a pot garden)
Shop your local farmers markets
Plan your meals
Buy produce that's in season

Here is some example of Organic Produce vs. Commercial Produce

Percentage of dry weight / Millequivalents per 100 grams dry weight

Vegetable	Mineral Ash	Phosphorous	Calcium	Magnesium	Sodium	Iron	Potassium
Spinach Organic Commercial	28.56 12.38	0.52 0.27	96.0 47.5	203.9 49.9	69.5 None	1584.0 49.0	237.0 84.6
Tomatoes Organic Commercial	14.20 6.07	0.35 0.16	23.0 4.5	59.2 4.5	6.5 None	1938.0 1.0	148.3 58.8
Lettuce Organic Commercial	24.48 7.01	0.43 0.22	71.0 16.0	49.3 13.1	12.2 None	516.0 9.0	176.5 53.7

Why do we need potassium?

Brain and nerve function. Prevents muscle contractions and maintains fluid and electrolyte balance in the body.

Potassium intake sufficient to support life can generally be guaranteed by eating a variety of Wholefoods. Clear cases of potassium deficiency (as defined by symptoms, signs and a below-normal blood level of the element) are rare in healthy individuals eating a balanced diet. Foods rich in potassium include whole milk , chicken, salmon, orange juice, potatoes, bananas, avocados, tomatoes, broccoli, peas, cauliflower, brown rice, garlic and apricots.

The misinformation regarding potassium and it's effects on the bladder have mislead IC patients into believing that they should avoid potassium rich foods e.g, bananas. The more we avoid nutrient minerals such as potassium the longer it takes to heal. One missing nutrient keeps the body from balancing. Potassium is vital and we should be getting from our food. We need to eat all whole foods including meat in moderate amounts to regain and maintain balance.

Functions of Potassium in the body

Regulates heart function
Reduces blood pressure
Essential for protein and nucleid acid synthesis
Required for normal fluid balance
Fundamental for normal nerve and muscle function
Converts glucose into glycogen (muscle fuel)
Important role in kidney function
Helps lungs eliminate carbon dioxide
Needed to maintain acid/alkali balance

The first signs of potassium deficiency are tiredness and muscle weakness. While these are relatively nonthreatening consequences, things can quickly get a lot worse. Severe potassium deficiency quickly leads to electrolyte imbalance which affects all muscles, nerves and numerous key body functions.

Association with other minerals and vitamins
Intimately involved with sodium to control electrolyte balance. These two positive ions are balanced by the negative chloride ion.

Factors which increase Potassium excretion
Sweating (can account for loss of 3000mg per day
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Excessive tea / coffee / caffeinated drinks
Diuretic medication
Some antibiotics
Our bodies need nutrients and vitamins in order to function properly; to prevent disease and to repair itself from injury caused by e.g., inflammation of the bladder.

Eat well and Live Healthy!

Gloria Prater

Recipe Box

Old Fashion Organic Popcorn

Breakfast Ice Cream

Sauteed Mixed Veggies

Apple Nut Muffins

Fermented Sweet Potatoes

Carrot and Cashew Zuppa

Traditional Stuffed Cabbage

I always loved stuffed cabbage, even though as a kid I would peel away the cabbage and eat only the meat stuffing. Now I embrace the health benefits of cabbage and enjoy it as much as the meat stuffing.

Makes 12 Stuffed Cabbage

INGREDIENTS:

PREPARATION:

A Healthy Raspberry - Vanilla Breakfast Smoothie

Homemade Yogurt

Dutch Baby Apple Pancakes

Citrus Coconut Bisque

Use organic produce whenever possible and filtered water.

Enjoy!

Eat Healthy and Live Well! (Comer sano y vivir bien)

Oatmeal - The "REAL" Champion of Breakfast

Fermented Carrot Sticks

Homemade Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut

German Rotkohl

Apple Barley Pilaf

Maple Mustard Glazed Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts

Nuts for Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Spinach, Bacon and Goat Cheese Quiche

How to Soak and Dehydrate Nuts For Optimal Digestion

How to Soak and Dehydrate Nuts and Seeds

Organic French Toast with Fruit

Apples of New England Hold Wealth of History and Key Vitamins

Summers Bounty with Bacon and Pesto

Accompaniment:

Basil Pesto

Directions

SWISS CHARD WITH BACON AND APPLE

VANILLA PANCAKES

BAKED SUMMER SQUASH

GOAT CHEESE AND HERB STUFFED BURGERS

Nut and Seed Butter, Nut and Seed Flour, Nut and Seed Milk

The Perfect Time of Year for Fermenting Pickles

ITALIAN SEAFOOD STEW

OLD FASHION CARROT CAKE

BASIC CHICKEN STOCK AND SOUP

BLUEBERRY SCONES

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND FLOUR

ASPARAGUS AND PECANS

The high alkalinity of this wonder juice is effective in reducing the acidity of the blood and helps cleanses the tissues and muscles of waste.

Consume asparagus regularly for its mild laxative effect and dietary fiber that provides for regular bowel movement.

A unique phytochemical in asparagus that produces anti-inflammatory effect.

The diuretic and alkaline properties of asparagus help prevent or dissolve kidney stones. It helps break up oxalic acid crystals formed in the kidney. The diuretic effect of asparagus juice helps relieve premenstrual swelling and bloating.

The magnesium in this wonder juice also help relieve irritability, fatigue, depression, etc.

Asparagus is a prime source of anti-oxidant and glutathione that can help prevent the dreaded cancer.

The high content of folic acid, calcium and other minerals in asparagus are important for women's health, especially pregnant woman.

Ingredients

Directions

STRAWBERRY SALAD

CHICKEN W/ BROCCOLI & BABY SPINACH

ZUPPA DI CAVOLO E HERB

Squash and Bean Soup

Fun Fruit Sticks

Fruit Sticks

Italian Farmers Soup

Chinese Cabbage and Bean Sprout Salad

Roasted Vegetables

Cauliflower & Broccoli Florets Over Curry Rice

Almond & Zucchini Stir -Fry

A Steamy Winter Salad!

HEALTHY HEARTY MINESTRONE

Peach and Raspberrie Arugula Salad

Stuffed Avocado

Cabbage and Soba Noodle Stir Fry

makes 4 - 6 servings

Coconut Water Cleanses Urinary Tract and more!

Soba Noodle Soup

Apple - Celery Juice

Tomato, Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Tofu

Apples Stuffed with Sweetness

Apricot Smoothie