Quinoa Lasagna with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

I was really hesitant how this would turn out, but it was amazing. Completely enjoyed this. My kids wouldn't try it, but next time they will...I know it! David and I ate this with lots of salad and grilled asparagus.

The picture above is from the website: www.danielschallenge.com. It was posted by a guest chef from the Healthy Seekers Kitchen.

Click HERE for the recipe.

I followed it exactly. The pumpkin seed pesto was my favorite. Make sure you use a speghettis sauce you really love. Enjoy!

Vitamineral Green

If you haven't heard of this stuff before, it is amazing! It is concentrated green super foods! This is my key to get through the winter without getting sick. I even have one out of my three children who will take it now. For my older daughter, I will be making capsules for her, because she can swallow pills.

I have even talked with a lady I know that lived solely off of this for two weeks and she did it! For food storage purposes, she has now added this to her storage supply and feels that if we are in an extreme situation without fresh foods, this will give your body all the greens it needs to stay healthy and thrive!

From the bottle itself:

100% actual food
100% super food
Gluten-free
Yeast free
100% focused: not diluted with grains, beans, seeds, fibers, fruits, fillers

100% pure raw vegan
massive probiotics
glass bottle and oxygen absorber preserves nutrients, enzymes and probiotics

This one 5.3 oz bottle contains:
from the land:
nettle leaf, shavegrass, alfalfa leaf juice, dandelion leaf juice, barley grass juice, oat grass juice, barley grass, wheat grass, American basil, holy basil, morinca lead, yacon leaf, nopal cactus, chickweed, ginger root, broccoli juice, kale juice, spinach juice, parsley juice, carob pod and amla berry.

from the waters:
spirulina and chlorella.

from the oceans:
iceland kelp, dulse, nori, alaria, bladderwrack.

enzymes:
protease, amylase, lipase, cellulase, bromelain, papain, alpha-galactosidase.

probiotics: 10 million per 2 tablespoons


This is not the best taking stuff, so if you can't handle it with water, mix it in a little of your smoothie and chug it, or put it in capsules, using a capsulator.

I started with a teaspoon and am now up to a tablespoon. For the winter, I will consume this and my apple cider vinegar concoction (found here).

Easy Snack

If you are tired of eating salad, try rolling it up like tacos. I left one open so you can see what is in it. I like to use butter lettuce, because it rolls nicely and isn't too crunchy. To my lettuce tacos, I add:
alfalfa sprouts
red pepper, thinly sliced
cucumber wedges
broccoli slaw (in a bag by the coleslaw)
avocado slices

I like to dip these in a raw ranch dressing from www.danielschallenge.com. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 C. raw cashews (one review said you could cut the nut amount in half...so I will try that next time)
3/4 C. - 1 C. water, depending on thickness of dressing
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. sea salt
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried dill
2 T. chia seeds (optional)

Put all in your blender and blend on high until smooth. Refrigerate before serving. Perfect for dipping!

Sprouted Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

This is my favorite "whole foods" dessert I have ever made. Don't be intimidated by the instructions. It really was easy and the final product was well worth it. Don't get me wrong, this is not your CINNABON roll or a cinnamon roll you would buy loaded with sugary white frosting. This is a dense roll, slightly sweet and very filling and satisfying. My friend Jen made these the other day and we ate one after a long run. I find this the perfect thing to eat after a long workout...full of good carbs, fats and some protein.

A recap on sprouting. If you are new to my blog, or new to the whole foods world in general, you might be wondering, what the heck is sprouting? Basically you are taking a dormant food and bringing it back to a live food. I sprout grains, quinoa, seeds, nuts and legumes. There is a significant increase in protein, vitamins, enzymes, fiber and it becomes more absorbable.

So...with that said...here is what to do for this recipe. I sprouted spelt, but you can use wheat (preferably white wheat.) Take 4 cups of wheat and soak it in a bowl with filtered water overnight.

In the morning, pour grain into a colander and rinse. Cover grain with a damp clean towel and rinse several times throughout the day. By the next day, you should see tiny white ends on the grain...your sprout. When you see this, you are ready to use them in this recipe:

Flourless Cinnamon Rolls

adapted from Diet Rebels Cookbook:

Rolls:

6 cups sprouted, moist white wheat, spelt or kamut
2 T. raw honey
1/2 t. sea salt
2 t. baking soda

Filling:

1/4 C. good quality butter melted (for vegan rolls, use earth balance) (I used some coconut oil instead)
2 T. raw honey
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 C. raisin
1/4 C. chopped raw almonds
1/4 C. chopped raw pecans

Topping:

1/4 C. butter
1/4 C. coconut oil
3 T. raw honey
1 packet stevia
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla

Directions:

1. Blend wheat sprouts in a food processor until they form a ball of dough

2. Add honey, salt, and baking soda and mix well.

3. Roll dough in a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Make sure to have an oiled surface or dough will stick

4. Mix butter and honey and cinnamon and spread out over rolls. Sprinkle raisins and nuts

5. Using a sharp knife, cut into 3/4 inch thick wedges and lay in greased 13x9 or jelly roll pan.

6. Bake at 350 for no more than 20 minutes. I think mine were about 14 minutes.

While making, mix together topping ingredients with a hand mixer. Top rolls while hot.

This is the perfect treat, when you want something sweet, or just to eat because you had an awesome day or because you love yourself so much, you want to indulge on some awesome whole-food goodness!

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

The other morning, while I was riding my bike in the basement (its getting too cold to ride outside), I turned on Rachel Ray and she was at the end of her show making this beautiful squash soup that I had to try. Here it is. I made it pretty much to the recipe. Enjoy! Perfect for a chilly fall day!

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced

salt and pepper

3 T. butter (can use earth balance if you don't eat dairy)

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 rib celery, finely chopped

1 onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 T. each lemon and orange zest

2 pinches saffron threads

1 T. honey

1 quart water or chicken stock

toasted chopped pistachio nuts, for garnish

toasted pumpkin seeds

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees

2. Dress squash with olive oil (I used a tiny bit) to coat lightly and season with salt, pepper, and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Toast to golden edges and very tender, about 25 minutes.

3. In a soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onions, garlic, citrus zest, salt and pepper. Cook to soften vegetables...about 10 minutes. Add saffron, stock, and a drizzle of honey. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer to soften vegetables, 20 minutes.

4. Puree with an immersion blender (I used my vitamix). Add roasted squash and blend to combine, thinning with extra water to the consistency you want.

Top with toasted pistachios and pumpkin seeds!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This recipe is something I have always loved about my childhood. My mom would usually make it on a Sunday afternoon and we would enjoy it together. Even then, she would try to make it healthier. Here is my version. Sorry for the borrowed photo! We ate it too quick with our guests and I forgot to snap a pic...but it is really how it looks if you sprinkle it with powdered sugar.

I love watching my kids eat cake with zucchini in it....no one even had a clue...not even my husband! Enjoy!

In your mixer, cream:
1/2 C. organic butter
1/2 C. applesauce
1 1/2 C. sugar (I used have organic can juice and half sucanat)

Then add:
2 eggs (I use organic free range eggs)
1 t. vanilla
1/2 C. buttermilk
2 1/2 C. flour (I used ground white wheat)
4 T. cocoa powder
1 t. baking soda
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
2 C. grated zucchini

Mix all together and pour in your greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. When done, invert to a serving plate and sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar for a fun fall dessert.

Tip: To make your own powdered sugar, just mix your raw cane juice in a high speed blender until the consistency you want

I'm back!

I wrote the last post in August right before we left for our trip to San Diego. After a fun and tiring two week trip, we came home and packed our house and moved down the street! We were very excited to buy our home, yet the timing was crazy! The kids were starting school and we were still exhausted from our trip. We closed escrow on August 31st and moved in. I am happy to say that tonight we unpacked the last of the boxes that we have had planned and are ready to get our lives moving again!
It was hard to not get to cook for a few weeks. Having meals brought it from friends and neighbors was a huge blessing, but we have truly gotten out of our grove!
It was nice this week to cook again in my new kitchen.
I thought I would celebrate this post with a fun and unusual side dish.

Cauliflower Rice

Directions:
On your cutting board, cut one head of cauliflower up into large chunks. You then want to put half the batch in your food processor and pulse until the cauliflower resembles rice grains. When it is to that point, dump out the blended mixture and pour on a baking sheet. Pulse the second half the same way and add to the baking sheet.
I then drizzled olive oil, lightly over the top.
I finished with freshly cracked pepper, sea salt, onion, and garlic powder.

Bake at 400, stirring every 5 minutes until the edges start to brown. Enjoy with stir-fry, or veggies, or just by itself. We actually had it with free range, organic, BBQ chicken, something we haven't had in a LONG time and fresh green beans! The kids didn't even ask what it was...they just ate it. I thought it looked like couscous!

Have a fabulous Day!

Awesome Dinner

I had a few of my nephews over for dinner Sunday night and we had an awesome dinner.

I made:

zucchini soup

roasted vegetables

green salad with strawberries and pomegranate dressing

vegan peach cobbler with raw coconut butter lime sauce

Here are the recipes:

Roasted Vegetables:

Cut up the veggies of your choice in good sized chunks. We used red potatoes, onion from our garden, carrots, sweet potatoes and yams. Once everything is cut, just toss the veggies in a few tablespoons of coconut oil, a few cloves or garlic,

sea salt and fresh cracked pepper...that's it! I thoug

ht I was eating candy...the coconut oil was amazing. I WILL NOT roast any veggies in any other oil except coconut. It really brings out the flavors. I glared at David as he doused his in BBQ sauce...oh well...some people never learn ;).

Green Salad with Pomegranate Dressing:

This salad was romaine, spinach, and mixed greens. I added sliced strawberries, sliced naval oranges, 1/2 bunch green onions, pecans, and a little feta cheese. The dressing is from my friend Cody... we all LOVED it. Thanks girl!

Cody's Pomegranate Dressing:

In a small jar, add:

1 C. POM juice

3 T. balsamic vinegar

3 T. honey

3 T. oli

ve oil

zest of one orange

sea salt and pepper to taste

Shake up and refrig

erate until ready t

o use! YUMMY!

Vegan Peach Cobbler with Coconut Butter Lime Sauce:

In the bottom of a 13x9 pan, or equivalent (mine was a big oval dish), layer fresh (or frozen) peeled, sliced peaches. I use

d white peaches...such a great, unique flavor.

Then, in a separate bowl add:

1/2 C. co

conut oil

1/2 C. agave

3/4 C to 1 C. raw cane juice crystals (or sugar if you don't have raw sugar)

1 C. white wheat whole-wheat flour

1 C. oats

2 t. bakin

g powder

1 C. almond milk

1 T. vanilla

2 T. cinnamon

Ok..so I lost the recipe I wrote down the other night, so I am hoping these are the right amounts. The topping, once mixed together ta

stes soo good raw with a spoon. Once I was finally able to stop eating the batter, I spooned it over the peaches.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until bubbly on the edges and only slightly doughy in the middle.

Serve with this awesome sauce on top:

Raw Coconut Butter Sauce:

In your blender, add:

4 oz. coconut butter

juice

of two small limes

2 small peaches,

peeled and pitted

2-4 T. agave.

Blend until smooth and refrigerate until ready to eat. Next time, I will try this with strawberries instead of peaches. I think I will go eat some right now with a banana, since the cobbler is long gone :(.

You can find the recipe HERE on the Artisana Foods website. This is the brand of coconut butter I buy and the other recipes on their web page

look yummy too!

Rice and Beans, Italian Style

This recipe was inspiried from a recipe by Bush's Beans that I found HERE.

This is the picture from Bush's Website...my dish had a lot more color ;)

Here is what I did to make it taste even better (I was feeding extra people, and this really made a lot). Feel free to cut it in half if you want:

Ingredients:

olive oil for sauteing

1 small onion, diced onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 t. salt

3 C. brown rice

6 cups water, or vegetable broth or half and half

1 zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

2 Cans white beans, drained and rinsed well

2 Cans Italian style diced tomatoes

1-2 T. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a big pot, saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil. Add salt and once onion is translucent, add rice and stir for a few minutes.

2. Add water, cover pot and bring to a boil

3. Once boiling, reduce heat so rice will continue cooking at a high simmer

4. After ten minutes of cooking, add in zucchini and yellow squash, beans, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning.

5. Once rice is pretty much done, turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

6. My kids like Parmesan cheese on theirs and we added extra salt and pepper. Much more flavor the second day. Serve with a BIG green salad with lots of veggies!

Amazing Summer Quinoa Salad

Picture is from HERE (but this is what my salad looked like!)

I wanted to make a new quinoa salad...and found this amazing recipe HERE! I doubled the ingredients for the salad and tripled the dressing recipe. Again, no picture..so I found one that looked just like it. I love it, because it is sweet and savory at the same time. We accompanied this with grilled veggies and shrimp and a big green salad. I like this recipe because you toast the quinoa first before cooking it...adds more depth to the seed.. Enjoy!
(Tastes even better the next day):


Ingredients:

1/2 C. quinoa
1 C. water
1/4 C. orange juice
1/4 C. chopped fresh cilantro
2 T. rice vinegar
2 t. toasted sesame oil
1 t. minced fresh ginger
1/4 t. salt
dash of Cayenne pepper
1 small mango, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 C. black beans
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Toast quinoa in a small dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it crackles and becomes fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a fine strainer and rinse well. Put quinoa in pot with water and bring to a boil then simmer with lid until quinoa is tender and water is gone.
2. In the mean time, whisk orange juice (i made fresh o.j.), cilantro, vinegar, oil, ginger, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add mango, pepper, beans and green onions; toss to coat.
3. When the quinoa is finished cooking, add to the mango mixture and toss to combine!

Wheat-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

I checked out this awesome cookbook from the library : VEGANOMICON! It is full of amazing recipes, and this is one of our family favorites so far. I made these while we had movie night last night with the kids and my nephew and new niece. The entire batch was gone before I could even take a picture (so I had to borrow one)... Enjoy!!

(picture from: http://www.smittenkitchen.com/)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C. oat flour (oats ground finely in a blender will do just fine..I added a little more flour to make the dough less sticky)
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/4 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. natural sugar
1/3 C. canola oil (I will try coconut oil next)
1 T. ground flax seeds
1/4 C. soy milk
1 t. vanilla
3/4 C. good quality chocolate chips


Directions:

Sift together the oat flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a bowl, whisk together flax seeds and soy milk. Add the brown and white sugars and stir, add the vanilla. Whisk about 1 minute

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry and fold in chocolate chips.

NOTE: I ADDED IN THE OIL LAST AND WORKED IT IN AND IT MADE A THICKER DOUGH WHICH LED TO COOKIES NOT SO FLAT..SO IF YOU WANT TO TRY THAT. ADD THE OIL NOW AT THE END!

Drop batter by the tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before you transfer to a cooling rack!

WARNING: These are really yummy!

Boise Half Ironman!

We made it to Boise!

The Boise Guest House were we stayed with our friends, Cody and Trevor!

Checking my bike in the day before the race...it's kind of the deer in the headlights kind of look!

Cody and I with matching compression socks, iron man sweatshirts and tri outfits...

David and I on race day hiking up to the reservoir for the swim. David brought his pump to check all our bikes before the race! He was my awesome support crew!

Tri Group: Me, Cody, Greg (our coach) and Allan
My group just after the swim started!

Hello Blogging World! The last six weeks I have been super busy and just really trying to enjoy life with my kids while they are on summer break. We have had many visitors coming through Utah and have enjoyed having friends and family stay at our house. On June 11th, I finished my first official triathalon race, the Boise 70.3 Ironman event! It was absolutely amazing and exhilerating. David and I left our sweet children at home and went to Idaho with our friends, Cody and Trevor. We met Greg, our triathalon coach there in Idaho. The hardest part for sure was the swim. The water just tapped out at 53 degrees! My was that cold. It took me just over 50 minutes to complete the 1.2 mile swim...a long time, but I really tried to pace myself to save energy for the rest of the race. The 56 mile bike ride felt great and took me about 3 hours and 8 minutes to complete. The bike ride ends in downtown Boise, where the run starts. It is a 13.1 mile run around Boise's downtown district and river trail. The streets were lined with people cheering you on. I couldn't help but get caught up in the emotions! The run took me just over 2 hours because of a pulled muscle in my right foot (don't wear shoes that are only three weeks old on race day).. Coming across the finish line was so amazing and I couldn't help but cheer and cry at the same time! I did it and I can't wait to do it again.

Right after the swim when my body was frozen from the 53 degree water!

Just finishing the bike!

Ready for the 13.1 mile run

Just after the race...so amazed I did it!

Cody and I getting our official ironman picture taken

David and I...he was proud of me...It was an amazing moment to share with my best friend!

In honor of finishing this amazing experience, I wanted to share one of my most favorite recipe, which has proved to be perfect training and racing fuel:

If the Tarahumara tribe can run 50 to 100 miles for run and fuel on pinole (masa harina corn flour) and chia seeds..I thought I would give it a try.

I found the perfect recipe to start using:

Vegan Pinole-Chia Waffles

from: http://www.nomeatathlete.com/

Ingredients:

3/4 C. medium to finely ground pinole (look for masa harina)

1/4 C. chia seeds

1/4 C. oats, ground

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1/2 C.applesauce

1 C. hemp milk (sometimes I use coconut)

1 T. coconut oil

1 T. maple syrup

1 T. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat Waffle Iron

2. Stir together corneal, chia, ground oats, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce, milk, oil, maple syrup and vanilla.

3. Stir wet ingredients into dry to make a smooth batter. Sometimes I add more milk.

4. Spray waffle iron with non-stick spray and pour batter into hot waffle iron.

5. Cook according to directions of your waffle maker.

I have taken these waffles on long bike rides, and fueled with these the whole time I was on the bike during the half-iron man. I also use them before long runs. They are awesome and I was so thankful to never "bonk" on my ride...or my run!

EXPLORE THE POWER OF CHIA SEEDS!!

Food Lately!

Me and my triathlon coach, Greg after my first 50 mile bike ride..took us 3 hours!

For those of you that don't know, I am in the middle of training for a half-iron man race which will take place on June, 11th in Boise, Idaho. This will involve a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run. I train at least 1 hour a day, usually more and sometimes doing two workouts in a day. It has been interesting trying to fit everything in, but has also been very rewarding. The only problem is what I am eating. I feel like it has taken me a really long time to figure out what my body needs, nutrition wise, why I am training this hard. I support what Dr. Furhman says and still try to live a Nutritarian lifestyle, but have had to make some adjustments to fit my needs.

Me with my new racing shoes I am trying to break in before the race in two weeks!

I know that I need to eat in between meals, especially when I am burning 3500-4000 calories in a day. I know this, because of my exerspy arm band. You can learn more about this awesome tool by contacting my trainer Cody HERE!

So, I thought I would share with you what is working for me right now..it is still a work in progress, and based on what is going on that day, I do change things up..but for now, this is a pretty general food schedule for me:

Breakfast: Raw Oats (David and I make up a batch of this every few weeks). It is a recipe from Raw Melissa, but you can really add whatever you want. We add:

10 C. oats

1 C. coconut

1 C. chopped pecans

1 C. chopped dried cherries

1 C. sunflower seeds

1 C. pumpkin seeds.

Mix all together and put in a cool cookie jar. I leave it on my counter. David takes this to work every day. Scoop out what you want (I use 1/2 C.) and top with almond milk. Let sit for 10 minutes and enjoy with a packet of stevia and fresh blueberries! This is great when you are in a hurry, need something chewy and sweet (stevia is VERY sweet).

Morning Snack: Protein Shake made from Life's Basics Plant Protein Powder. With 25 grams of protein from pea, brown rice, hemp, and chia seeds, I feel this is the perfect addition on days when I am working out really hard.

Favorite Shake:

1 scoop Life's Basics Chocolate plant protein powder

1 small banana

2 C. spinach

1 medium zucchini

1 scoop cacao powder

1 T. natural peanut butter

You can get this protein powder at your local health food store, but it is cheaper on websites like amazon. The green protein powder is also awesome! Has soo many vitamins.

Lunch:

Giant salad with at least 1 pound of veggies, beans and cashew ranch dressing. Just like the one I wrote about HERE!

Afternoon snack:
a take a little carrot juice (really cuts the vinegar flavor out) and mix in 1 T. of apple cider vinegar and 2 t. Vitamineral greens. You can read about them here!
If I need another shake, I will make a green smoothie using Life Source plant protein powder.Dinner is what ever I make (can't turn off the stupid underlining thing..sorry)...usually a balance with a plant based protein, like beans and or quinoa and lots of veggies!

Another Raw Cookie Adaptation

My friend, Liz took Raw Melissa's chocolate no-bake recipe, which you can find here and changed it. I then took her recipe and added a few more things. Here you go:

Raw Cinnamon Oatmeal No Bakes

Ingredients:

3 C. rolled oats
1/2 C. almond butter
1/2 C. coconut butter
1 T. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
3/4 t. sea salt
1 C. agave

Directions:
In a bowl, mix the following ingredients and let sit for 1 hour to soften. Then add:

1 C. almond flour (almonds ground up finely in a high-powered blender)
Mix together and shape into 24 cookies. These are really good...add raisins, craisens or chocolate chips for extra yumminess!

Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad

This is a really yummy dish...perfect to fill you up, especially after a really hard workout.
Again, it is from www.ohsheglows.com: Here you go:

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 C. organic vegetable broth
1 C. uncooked green lentils
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 C. spinach chopped
Dressing (I doubled this)
1 T. pure maple syrup, 1 t. dijon mustard, 1 T. olive oil, 1 T. balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and chop sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes. In a bowl, mix with 1 T. olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, stiring with a spatula half-way through
2. While those are cooking, cook lentils on the stove with the broth.
3. To a pan, add chopped onion and garlic. Cook with a drop of olive oil for 4 minutes and then add in chopped pepper and spinach and cook for another 5 minutes. When the lentils and sweet potatoes are done, add them in.
4. Mix your dressing, and then stir into mixture on the stove. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 4-6 side servings.

(p.s. I served it with homemade pita bread that I made. I have been experimenting with naturally leavened whole-wheat bread. If you are interested in obtaining a starter, you can get it from the authors of Original Fast Foods. Click HERE, to read more about naturally-leavened bread and what you can make with one batch of dough! YUMMY! To obtain a starter, they have information on the right hand side of the page, about half way down

Getting a cold? Try this,,,,,

I sent the following info to one of my dearest friends in the whole world and thought I would share.
After Easter, and all the candy, both of my girls started to get sick..within 48 hours of each other. The following remedies worked for both of them. My youngest took about a day to feel better and my older daughter...it only took a few hours!
I love finding amazing things that God has given us that help our bodies heal and stay healthy.
So...here you go (this info is taken from my book, Looking Younger, Living Longer):

1. Grapefruit seed extract (anti-microbial):
*It is a powerful, broad-spectrum anti-microbial that is being used to fight many types of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi and other microbes.
*It is nontoxic, even to pregnant women and children.
*Kills candida, staph, salmonella, strep, and e. coli.
*great for urinary tract infections
*Does not harm beneficial bacteria in digestive tract
*can be used internally and externally
*Can be used as a disinfectant around the house (more effective than bleach)
*can gargle AND swallow it
Dosage: Adults- 5 to 15 drops in a glass of juice or water, one to three times a day. You can also gargle this for a sore throat
Children: Take 1 to 3 drops in juice or water, one to three times daily
You can buy it HERE!

2. Thymus (immune system enhancer)*the thymus gland has a lot of responsibility and is often times overwhelmed.
*taking thymus extract strengthens the thymus gland.
*the thymus gland is the "school and factory" for lymphocytes-the white blood cells responsible for the immunological reaction in the body. Lymphocytes come to the thymus from the bone marrow. Under the influence of the thymus hormones, these cells mature, then leave the thymus and settle in the lymph nodes and the spleen, where they give rise to other generations of lymphocytes called T cells. The thymus continues to secrete hormones and to train and export T cells until later in life. The thymus gland then prepares the T cells to destroy foreign cells. This role is called immunological surveillance, and is directly concerned with resistance to infections and cancers.
Dosage:
Adults: Take 3 tablets, four times a day when you first feel sick. Shouldn't need to take this for more than a day or two
Children: Take 1 tablet, opened into a glass or water, one time a day
You can buy it HERE

3. Apple Cider Vinegar
You can see my post about this powerful stuff here!
I also made my "sick-free" concoction using apple cider vinegar here!
Dosage:
Adults-Take 1 T. a day for maintenece
Children: I give my kids at least 1 t. when they are first showing signs of sickness.

4. Chlorella
I have mentioned this already HERE, but here is a quick re cap:
*highest form of chlorophyll...stronger than wheat grass
*superior nutritional support
*removes chemicals and heavy metals from the body
*provides critical nutritional support
*promotes normal blood pressure levels
*cholesterol cutting super-food, also increases blood vessel elasticity
*regulates digestion
*anti-cancer properties
Dosage:
Adults: take 1 t. a day. This stuff, in the powdered form, is NASTY! I mix 1 t. with my 1 T. of apple cider vinegar in a little of my smoothie and down it every day.
You can buy it HERE:

When my kids were sick, I gave them a little bit of smoothie and added the grapefruit seed extract, the thymus capsule and the apple cider vinegar all in one. They took it...only crying for a second.

It was amazing to see them get better so quickly! It is fun to make a difference in the lives of my children.

What do I eat for lunch?

I have had quite a few people interested in what I eat for lunch? I rarely have enough time to make lunch, like I do dinner. I try to always eat at least 1 pound of vegetables at lunch. By the time 12:30 rolls around, my body is actually asking me for veggies...so I try to deliver.

Here is a picture of a typical lunch for myself. It includes:

tons of chopped veggies (I try to rotate so I don't get tired of the same thing)
a cooked veggie burger from Costco (they are new and come in a white box.)
(I spray Bragg's amino acids on my burger to give it a great flavor)
1/2 C. beans (I really like white kidney beans)
a small serving of brown rice pasta
2 oz. of avocado
a drizzle of either balsamic vinaigrette or Cashew Ranch from Original Fast Foods.

Here is the recipe for Cashew Ranch Dressing:

In your blender. blend:
1 C. raw cashews
3/4 C. water (more if you want it to be thinner the next day)
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 t. garlic powder (sometimes I do more like 3/4 t.)
1/2 t. onion powder
1/4 t. REAL salt
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried dill
1 to 2 T. chia seeds if you want it really think

Blend until smooth, except the chia seeds. If you want it thick, add chia seeds and let sit for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

I love this dressing. It also works great if you want something creamy on a taco! Yummy!

Meat Glue Secret

Almond Butter from Heaven!

If I were to ask my husband to describe almond butter, he would make a weird face and pretend like he was choking...basically meaning it is too thick and not edible in his mind!

Well, when you combine store bought almond butter, with almond milk..something amazing happens...you get creamy, smooth and completely satisfying almond butter that you can just lick with your fingers or dip apples and bananas in!

Of Course it is from phsheglows.com....some day I will create my own recipes...but for now I just take what I can get from others and then try to make them my own.

Here is Angela's picture of the almond butter...and it really does look like this:

image from www.ohsheglows.com

Heavenly Almond Butter

Ingredients:

3/4 C. natural almond butter

3/4 C. unsweetened, vanilla almond milk

1 T. pure maple syrup

1/4 t. ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In your blender, add the almond milk and then the other ingredients. Blend until smooth and enjoy! Try to leave some for later :)

Veggie Stew and Corn Quinoa Muffins!

If you can't tell by now....I LOVE QUINOA! I LOVE IT...I LOVE IT....I LOVE IT!

I was so excited to try these new quinoa muffins from mynewroots.com. They were the perfect compliment to my stew that I adapted from ohsheglows.com.

Here you go:

Black Quinoa Corn Muffins

Ingredients:

1 C. organic corn meal

1/4 C. organic flour (aka masa harina..Bob's Red Mill sells it in a bag)

1 C. cooked black quinoa (I used white cause that's what I had)

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. sea salt

1 C. almond milk

3 T. chia seeds + 9 T. water

1/4 C. sunflower oil

1 T. raw honey

1/2 cup diced cilantro leaves

1 chili, minced or 1/2 t. ground chipotle

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line metal muffin tins with muffin papers (this batch made 12 muffins for me)

2. Mix chia seeds and water in a bowl and set aside to gel up (this will be used in place of using an egg). In about 10 minutes, it should look thick and almost gel like

3. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together and add the cooked, cooled quinoa.

4. In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together, including the chia gel

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in cilantro and minced chili

6. Pour batter into muffin papers and bake for about 25 minutes until edges are brown.

Note: These were a little crumbly, but I really liked the texture, flavor and how dense they are. IT tasted great heated up for lunch today! Next time, I will use less cornmeal and more corn flour. Great gluten-free recipe!

Veggie Stew

adapted from: www.ohsheglows.com

Ingredients:

1-2 T. olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, pressed through the garlic press

4 green onions, diced

2 bay leaves

3 small zucchini, chopped

4 celery ribs, diced

2 C. baby carrots, chopped

4 C. organic, free range chicken broth

1 28 oz. can diced Italian blend tomatoes

2 small cans, no salt added, tomato sauce

1/2 C. uncooked green lentils

1/2 C. uncooked wild rice blend

1/2 C. frozen Edamame

1.5 T. fresh lemon juice

2-3 T. fresh minced parsley

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. onion powder

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1 t. sea salt

pepper to taste

2 C. chopped spinach

Directions:

1. In large pot over lower heat, add olive oil, onions and garlic. Heat for a few minutes until softer

2. Add bay leaves, the chopped veggies and cook for 5 or 6 more minutes

3. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, lentils and wild rice. Simmer over low/medium heat for 20 minutes.

4. After 20 minutes, add in the lemon juice, parsley, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, Edamame and spinach.

5. Cook until rice and lentils are tender. Discard bay leaves before eating!

Lots of flavor...my kids ate it over extra plain quinoa. I broke up my muffin and put it on top of my stew! YUMMY!

Happy Mother's Day!

Me with Victoria and Jocelyn in my bed when they brought me breakfast!

Yesterday was a great day! The kids wanted to bring me breakfast in bed, but David wasn't sure what I would want to eat...so sweet of him to plan ahead. We came up with this yummy breakfast for the girls and him to make for me...and I have to say, it tastes awesome and I made

it for myself again today:

Strawberry Pecan Bowl:

Here is it!

In a bowl, chop one small banana, a handful of strawberries and a few pecans.

Top with a few tablespoons thickly shredded coconut and a T of almond butter.

Drizzle coconut milk over the top and enjoy!

Me and the kids at church: Victoria, Jocelyn and Tyler

After breakfast and church, we went to our friend's house (Matt and Jen Stewart) for dinner. Jen made my favorite Raw Chocolate Mousse Peanut Butter Pie that our friend Liz taught us how to make...it was the perfect treat for Mother's Day! I couldn't help but be super happy! What a wonderful day. Thanks Honey for the love! (David loved being at the Stewart's cause we got to eat in the big kids dining room and all the kids ate in the other room...lovely!)

David and Me...11 1/2 years!

Liz's Raw Chocolate Mousse Peanut Butter Pie:

Ingredients:

Chocolate Crust:

2 C. walnuts, u soaked

6 Medjool dates, pitted, unsoaked

1/4 C. cocoa powder

1/4 t. sea salt

Chocolate Layer:

2 avocados diced

1/2 C. agave nectar

1/4 C. cocoa powder

1/4 C. water

2 t. vanilla

2 T. coconut butter

Almond Butter Layer:

1/4 C. almond butter (i use peanut butter)

1/2 C. cashews, unsoaked

1/2 C. agave nectar

2 T. coconut butter

1/2 C. water

Directions:

1. In food processor, combine walnuts, sea salt and dates until walnuts become crumbs. Add cocoa powder and mix well. Press crust into a spring form pan. Place in freezer

2. For the chocolate layer, combine avocados, agave nectar, coconut butter, water and vanilla extract in the blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Remove crust from freezer and pour chocolate mousse over the crust and place back in the freezer.

3. For the nut butter layer, add the cashews and agave to the blender until cashews break down a bit. Add the nut butter of choice and coconut butter. The mixture will become thick very quickly, have the water on hand to stream in the running blender, using additional water if necessary. Pour the mousse into the pan. Return to the freezer for at least 4 hours to set!

Enjoy this beautiful raw treat! It is truly amazing and brings a smile to my face :)

Buckwheat Rocks!

The following information is from HERE:

"What is buckwheat?

Technically, buckwheat is not a grain. It's not even related to wheat (which I didn't know). It is a seed, from the rhubarb family, but one that can be used in a wide range of recipes in a manner similar to wheat. The people of China and Jap

an, where it originated, have reaped its health benefits for centuries, but it remains relatively new to the U.S.

Benefits of Buckwheat:

Buckwheat is quite a nutritional powerhouse. Since it is not a wheat, it doesn't contain gluten, making it an ideal dietary option for those who are gluten sensitive or who have Celiacs disease. It is high in fiber and protein, and is a good source of iron and magnesium.Magnesium helps the body's metabolism function effectively,

and a half cup serving of buckwheat contains a mighty 51 mg of the mineral, as well as .8 mg of iron and 3 g of protein, all for just 90 calories.

1 cup of buckwheat contains more fiber than a cup of oatmeal and a slice of whole wheat toast combined.

Here are two recipes I tried using buckwheat this past week and I loved them both...especially since I can't really have wheat, it was nice to have pancakes. Enjoy:

Upside Down Apple Cake

from: www.ohsheglows.com

Ingredients:

1 large sweet apple, peeled, cored and

cut in thin slices

2 t. cinnamon

2 T. Sucanat (or brown sugar)

1 medium banana, mashed

1/2 C. unsweetened applesauce

1 t. vanilla

2 T. pure maple syrup

1 T. ground flax seeds

3/4 C. almond milk

3/4 C. plus 1 T. raw buckwheat flour (process raw buckwheat groats in your blender until they turn into flour)

1 t. ground cinnamon

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350. Line a 10 inch spring form pan or pie plate with a circle of parchment paper; then grease both the pan and the paper to prevent sticking.

2. In a small bowl, combine the apple, cinnamon and Sucanat. Toss with a spoon until all the sliced are coated. Place the sliced in a single layer over the bottom of the pan.

3. In a medium bowl, mash the banan

a. Now whisk together the mashed banana, applesauce, vanilla, maple syrup, milk and ground flax seeds until combined. In a large bowl, sift together the remaining ingredients. Add the wet mixture and stir until well combined. Pour batter over the apples and smooth over.

4. Bake the pancake at 350 for 40-45 minutes until no longer runny in the middle. Cook completely and then loosen edged of ca

ke with a knife. Remove spring form and flip cake over onto a plate!

This serves four big pieces with each at about 200 calories, 2 g. fat, 39 g. carbs, 5 g. fiber, and 4 g. protein.

Buckwheat Pinole Pancakes

from: www.nomeatathlete.com

Ingredients:

1/2 C. pinole (masa harina corn flour..B

ob's red mill sells it in a bag)

1/4 C. chia seeds

1/2 C. buckwheat flour (I used store bought..next time I will grind up the buckwheat groats)

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1/4 C. applesauce

1 C. milk (I had to almost double this to get a good pancake consistency)

2 T. oil

2 T. agave

1 t. vanilla

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients together and whisk in the wet ingredients. Cooking on a griddle and enjoy! I keep these in the freezer and pull out as I need them. YUM!

Day 11 of my Nutritarian Experiment

So, I haven't blogged everyday like I was hoping, but other things take priority in my life besides blogging. But on this day 11, I thought I would give you all an update. Since, last Monday, I have lost 4 pounds! Pretty awesome, if I do say so myself, but that is not what it exciting...

Last week was rough for me..I won't lie! This week....completely AMAZING!!! My body asks for for nutrient-dense foods and when I deliver...I am rewarded. Today I probably had my hardest triathalon class I can remember...and I wanted to keep going.

It is soo nice to feel strong..to feel happy..to feel relaxed...to feel energized...to feel at peace...to know that I am doing a great thing for myself and for my family!

The coolest part is...is that I feel like I am helping people. I have had a few people email me with some more specific questions, a few phone calls, and a few people knock on my door wanting to learn what I have learned...and I am happy to share. Happy to share a message of success, of longevity, a message of renewed balance and especially, ENERGY!

Have the STRENGTH to branch out and BE BRAVE...be brave to do something that others laugh at, and many don't understand...They only tease you or don't understand, because they lack the knowledge that you have...the knowledge to live a disease-free life!

WE have a huge choice to make while we are on this earth...to LIVE or DIE? You get to pick the path you are on...even if you are sick...even if you are in chronic pain and you can't see an end to your suffering...you still get to choose at this very moment if you are fighting and doing everything in your power to LIVE!

I CHOOSE TO:

If what I say isn't enough, here is what DR .FUHRMAN says about increasing your life span:

High-nutrient, low-calorie eating results in dramatic increases in life span as well as prevention of chronic illnesses. From rodents to primates, we see:

1. Resistance to experimentally induced cancers
2. Protection from spontaneous and genetically predisposed cancers
3. A delay in the onset of late-life diseases
4. Nonappearance of atherosclerosis and diabetes
5. Lower cholesterol and triglycerides and increased HDL
6. Improved insulin sensitivity
7. Enhancement of the energy-conservation mechanism, including reduced body temperature (i can tell mine is lower now..which is awesome for an athlete, because it gives you that extra allowance to push yourself that you competitor might not have)
8. Reduction in oxidative stress
9. Reduction in parameters of cellular again, including cellular congestion
10. Enhancement of cellular repair mechanisms, including DNA repair enzymes
11. Reduction in inflammatory response and immune cell proliferation
12. Improved defenses against environmental stress
13. Suppression of the genetic alterations associated with aging
14. Protection of genes associated with removal of oxygen radicals
15. Inhibited production of metabolites that are potent cross-linking agents
16. Slowed metabolic rate

The link between thinness and longevity, and obesity and a shorter life span, is concrete." (Eat to Live, pg. 27)