EGGS - FACTS VS FICTION

I have never liked eating eggs. I didn't eat them at all until I was in my twenties, then only scrambled and well done. However, since I've been on this journey to get my health back, I have become a huge fan of eggs. I still will only eat them scrambled. I just don't like the texture of fried or boiled eggs. But, since I found out how many nutrients are in eggs and that they are very anti inflammatory, I eat a scrambled egg almost every morning. Eggs have gotten a bad rap just like fats have. There are bad fats, but there are so many good fats that your body and your brain, in particular, need. A large egg is only 70 calories, yolk and all. Stop being afraid of eggs, people! They are nutritional powerhouses that nourish your body and make you strong.

There are good eggs and bad eggs. Those eggs sitting on the grocery store shelf that are so much cheaper than all the others are BAD. They are not worth saving a few cents for. The average grocery store egg is 3-6 weeks old. Those eggs come from hens that are kept in cages, not allowed to move, covered in their own filth, given antibiotics and hormones and the poor hens are stressed out. They are fed a diet of GMO soy and corn feed. Please please please do not feed those nasty eggs to your family. If I run out of farm fresh eggs, the only ones I will buy is organic free range  or Land O Lakes with extra Omega 3's. The Land O Lakes with extra Omega 3's are from chickens that are fed flaxseed.

We are blessed to have friends that share their fresh eggs with us. There is no comparison in a store bought egg versus a farm fresh egg. First of all, the store bought eggs have no color, whereas the fresh eggs are a beautiful yellow. Remember the more NATURAL color your food has, the more vitamins and nutrients you are getting. Farm fresh eggs have 2/3 more Vitamin A, 1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4 less saturated fat, 2 times more Omega 3's, 3 times more Vitamin E, 7 times more beta carotene and 4-6 times more Vitamin D. Plus everyone knows that eggs are great source of protein. And EAT THE YOLK! There are valuable nutrients in the yolk that your body needs.

I cook my eggs in coconut oil to add even more health benefits. If you don't know about the great benefits of coconut oil, go to www.coconutoil.com and see for yourself. Coconut oil is another food that God created for us to eat in order to get vital nutrients that our bodies need. Some idiot in the 80's decided that coconut oil was bad and everyone believed him. I believe that God is the creator of our bodies and He created food for us to eat that would give us the nourishment that we need. I know I feel so much better when I eat REAL food that God created than I do when I eat fake "food" that man made in a science lab.

A couple of more great foods that God created for us is honey and cinnamon. The more I read about the benefits of honey and cinnamon, the more amazed I am. I have been trying to eat honey and cinnamon everyday. Buy local honey to get the most nutrition. Read the label. Honey flavored syrup is nothing but junk. Please use real honey. Sometimes I spread it on whole grain toast and eat with my egg for breakfast. Another favorite is to dip apple slices in a mixture of peanut butter, honey and cinnamon. YUMMY! That has been my lunch several times the last couple of weeks. It is very filling and satisfying.
http://benefitsofhoneyblog.com/health-benefits-of-honey-and-cinnamon

One of my favorite ways to make my scrambled eggs is with a handful of baby spinach and a little shredded parmesan cheese. Eaten with a piece of whole grain toast with honey and cinnamon is a great way to start the day.

You are what you eat and you are what the animals that you are eating ate.

Blessings & good health to you all,
Lori

FISH TACOS & CABBAGE

I LOVE FISH!! I love to catch fish. I love to eat fish. I don't love to clean fish. And I love to eat just about any kind of fish. I could eat fish almost every day. My new obsession is fish tacos. They are delicious & healthy. What more could you ask for? Kevin does not share my love of fish tacos. He also does not share my love...well, obsession with fish. He LIKES to fish and he LIKES to eat fish, he just does not LOVE it the way that I do. The last few months, I have made fish tacos at least once a week.

I usually use tilapia. You can use any kind of fish you want. My family prefers the mild flavor of tilapia. Tilapia is known as "The Bible Fish" or "St. Peter's Fish". It is the main fish eaten in Biblical times. Tilapia feed on algae and plants. They are not scavengers. It is a very clean fish. Tilapia has very low levels of mercury. The only drawback is that it is low in Omega 3's.

We love spicy food, so for Kevin & I, I coat ours in cayenne pepper. When I cook fish for people that don't like spicy, I usually just use garlic & paprika and of course, always salt.

I try to eat cabbage at least 2-3 times a week. Cabbage is very anti inflammatory and my body feels good when I eat it. As a matter of fact, after I have had my weekly "splurge" meal, I almost always follow it up with a bowl of cabbage to help clean my body out. Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable. It is high in fiber, manganese, calcium, potassium, magnesium, chlorophyll and has small amounts of iron and zinc. It is also high in vitamins C, K, A, B6, B1 & B2. Some studies have shown that eating cabbage on a regular basis significantly lowers the risk of breast cancer. It is also proven to help fight anemia & colon cancer. It detoxes & heals the colon & boosts the immune system. Doesn't that make you want to eat more cabbage?

My favorite way to eat fish tacos is on corn tortillas heated in coconut oil with cabbage, sour cream & salsa. So here is how I make fish tacos. It is super easy and only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. As always, play around with it. Change the flavors to suit your own taste.

NOTE: I use frozen tilapia fillets. I live in Oklahoma. I don't live by an ocean or sea. And I'm pretty sure the tilapia in my grocery store was not caught the same day it was placed in the window and labeled "fresh". Frozen fish is frozen the same day it is caught. That "fresh" fish behind the glass around here has probably been frozen and thawed more than once. I put the package in a bowl of hot water & it thaws out very quickly. Usually by the time I get my cabbage slaw & everything else ready, the fish is thawed.

FISH TACOS

Tilapia fillets
olive oil or coconut oil (I bet grapeseed oil would be good also)
cayenne pepper
garlic salt or garlic powder & salt
paprika
tortillas - your favorite

Fish taco slaw
1 cup shredded cabbage
1-2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1-3 tablespoons salsa

1)  In a small bowl mix cabbage, sour cream & salsa together. Set aside.
2)  Heat oil in a skillet. FYI - cooking in cast iron adds more iron to the food you eat.
3)  Sprinkle or coat fish with garlic salt, cayenne & paprika. Or whatever other flavors you like. Just garlic and basil is yummy also. I very liberally coat ours in cayenne.
4)  Carefully place fish in HOT oil. (If your oil is not hot enough the fish will stick) Cook about 4-6 minutes on each side.
5) Heat a couple teaspoons of coconut oil in skillet. Cook tortillas in oil a couple of minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Adds such great flavor to tortillas plus tons of health benefits from the coconut oil.
6) Place fish in center of tortilla, spread slaw over fish & eat.

This is one of the fastest, easiest and healthiest meals you can make. I hope you enjoy. If you love fish as much as I do, give me a shout out.

EAT TO LIVE, DON'T LIVE TO EAT

Blessings to you all,
Lori