We are in day 14 of our Fast. Woo hoo! We had a MAJOR prayer answered yesterday. I can't stop praising God! We found out a few months ago that our health insurance was going up over $500 in 2014. We have been very concerned and praying hard. There's no way we could afford $500 a month on top of all of our other bills. Our prayers were answered yesterday. God provided a way that most of it is going to be covered. Praise God! I feel like I got one elephant off my chest.
Don't give up! Persistence pays off.
From the Fasting Edge - "When you pray and fast, your persistence breaks resistance. It brings you to a place where you can feel God move powerfully in your life - but it also causes Him to feel your need. Whatever forces have been resisting what God had coming in your life, your persistence will break resistance. Fasting not only positions you to feel God - but it also positions God to hear your heart's cry as well.
You may have heard of the PUSH prayer model: Pray Until Something Happens. It's a good reminder to be persistent in prayer. You may have other areas that need persistent prayer in your life, but today, if there is sickness in your body or mind, or in the body or mind of a loved one, begin to speak forth health and healing in Jesus' name. Begin to declare what His word says about healing. Your persistence will break resistance, just like the woman with the issue of blood. Her healing came about because she persisted and positioned herself where she could touch the Master. By your prayers today, position yourself to touch the Master. Speak words that release health and healing for your body, your family, your church, and others."
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2
FOOD - My family's favorite way to eat veggies is to take potatoes, onions, zuchini, yellow squash, carrots, bell peppers & whatever other veggies we've got handy. Slice them or dice them where they are even in size so they cook evenly. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Spread veggies out on parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and I use my hands and make sure all the veggies are coated in olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and whatever your favorite herbs are (we love basil). Place in 400 degree oven and cook for about 20-30 minutes. Roasting the veggies this way really makes them tastes delicious. We love it. You can also do this with sweet potatoes. YUMMY!
Have a blessed day!
Lori
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Monday, October 21, 2013
WHY YOU NEED ALPHA LIPOIC ACID (ALA)
Alpha Lipoic Acid has been, literally, a Godsend to me in getting my health back and freedom from pain, tingling and numbness. Back in 2011 when I decided it was time to take back my health, I prayed and talked to God pretty much 24/7 asking for Him to show me what I needed to do to get my health back. If you've read any of my blog posts then you know that He started revealing to me what foods to eat that would nourish my body and what "foods" to stay away from that were destroying my body. Well, during this time I also kept hearing "alpha lipoic acid" "alpha lipoic acid". I would hear it as I was driving down the road, as I was trying to go to sleep, it was the first thing that came into my mind as I awoke every morning. After a 2 or 3 weeks of this, I told my husband one day "I think God wants me to take Alpha Lipoic Acid". Kevin asked me what it was and I said "I don't know. I've never heard of it." So, I began to research alpha lipoic acid. And WOW! As I kept finding out more about this incredible antioxidant, I began to realize why God was telling me to take it. And right about now, some of you think I have lost my mind, but I know that others of you understand exactly what I'm talking about.
So, let me tell you about Alpha Lipoic Acid. It is a naturally occurring compound that's made in the body, but when you're system is out of whack, your body can not produce enough of it to help you. ALA is an antioxidant & is one of the most potent of all antioxidants because it is soluble in both water and fat. This unique ability to dissolve in both fat and water means that ALA has more "free range" to scrub your body for cell damaging free radicals. Here's just a few of the benefits of ALA:
* Converts glucose to energy
* Lowers blood sugar
* Lowers blood pressure
* Detoxes and protects the liver
* REPAIRS DAMAGED NERVES
Europeans have been using ALA for years to provide relief from the pain, burning, tingling and numbness caused by neuropathy. Studies show that ALA aids in stopping or slowing the damage done by a variety of health conditions including HIV and liver disease.
Research also shows that ALA helps mend damage caused by strokes and even to help slow down the process of Alzheimer's. It's ability to facilitate the regeneration of nerve cells has some very promising implications in brain and nerve trauma treatment.
ALA supports healthy skin as well. It keeps your skin young and resilient.
The American Cancer Society says that "ALA may inhibit genes that trigger cancer cells to grow and some recommend it as a component of an alternative anti-cancer regimen or as a complementary therapy to prevent or relieve some side effects of conventional cancer treatments. Researchers have begun to look at whether ALA can help prevent nerve damage from the use of chemotherapy drugs."
ALA is found in red meats, organ meats, spinach and broccoli, but you would have to eat a ton of these foods every day to get what your body needs. So supplementation of ALA is crucial to stay healthy.
http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/pharmacologicalandbiologicaltreatment/lipoic-acid
http://www.webmd.com/diet/alpha-lipoic-acid-ala
ALA has helped me tremendously with the pain, numbness & tingling from neuropathy and carpal tunnel.
Blessings to you all,
Lori
So, let me tell you about Alpha Lipoic Acid. It is a naturally occurring compound that's made in the body, but when you're system is out of whack, your body can not produce enough of it to help you. ALA is an antioxidant & is one of the most potent of all antioxidants because it is soluble in both water and fat. This unique ability to dissolve in both fat and water means that ALA has more "free range" to scrub your body for cell damaging free radicals. Here's just a few of the benefits of ALA:
* Converts glucose to energy
* Lowers blood sugar
* Lowers blood pressure
* Detoxes and protects the liver
* REPAIRS DAMAGED NERVES
Europeans have been using ALA for years to provide relief from the pain, burning, tingling and numbness caused by neuropathy. Studies show that ALA aids in stopping or slowing the damage done by a variety of health conditions including HIV and liver disease.
Research also shows that ALA helps mend damage caused by strokes and even to help slow down the process of Alzheimer's. It's ability to facilitate the regeneration of nerve cells has some very promising implications in brain and nerve trauma treatment.
ALA supports healthy skin as well. It keeps your skin young and resilient.
The American Cancer Society says that "ALA may inhibit genes that trigger cancer cells to grow and some recommend it as a component of an alternative anti-cancer regimen or as a complementary therapy to prevent or relieve some side effects of conventional cancer treatments. Researchers have begun to look at whether ALA can help prevent nerve damage from the use of chemotherapy drugs."
ALA is found in red meats, organ meats, spinach and broccoli, but you would have to eat a ton of these foods every day to get what your body needs. So supplementation of ALA is crucial to stay healthy.
http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/pharmacologicalandbiologicaltreatment/lipoic-acid
http://www.webmd.com/diet/alpha-lipoic-acid-ala
ALA has helped me tremendously with the pain, numbness & tingling from neuropathy and carpal tunnel.
Blessings to you all,
Lori
Thursday, October 3, 2013
WHOLE GRAIN PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE WITH COCONUT SUGAR
My husband's appetite is back! The last 4 years he has not had much of an appetite. He said nothing tasted good to him and of course, being on dialysis, he didn't feel real good most of the time. Before he got sick, he had a huge appetite. And he has always had an enormous sweet tooth. One of his favorite cakes is Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I used to make it with Bisquick and lots of brown sugar. So, since we have cut back on processed foods and are trying to eat more nutritiously, I decided to try to make a more nutritious Pineapple Upside Down Cake.
First step was NO Bisquick. Then had to replace the brown sugar for a more nutritious option. I've posted several recipes using coconut palm sugar. My family loves it! And it is a good feeling to know that I am feeding them a sweet treat that is actually nutritious and not going to harm them. Coconut sugar has a low glycemic index so it is safe for diabetics. It is high in several minerals including potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Here is a link to a couple of good articles on coconut sugar. http://www.naturalnews.com/030120_coconut_sugar_sweetener.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/280219-healing-benefits-of-coconut-palm-sugar/
WHOLE GRAIN PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup organic coconut palm sugar
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
1 - 15 1/4 ounce can crushed or sliced pineapple, drained
BATTER
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup organic coconut palm sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pineapple juice (from the crushed pineapple)
1 cup organic oat flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch round baking pan; heat in oven until melted. Remove pan from oven and tilt pan to coat bottom and sides with butter.
2. Mix coconut sugar, nutmeg & cinnamon together and sprinkle onto bottom of buttered pan.
3. Spread pineapple over sugar mixture.
4. For batter - in a large bowl, beat butter and coconut sugar until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and pineapple juice.
5. In another bowl, whisk flours, baking powder and salt together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. I do it in thirds.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
I put 4 maraschino cherries on the cake for Kevin. He loves them, but he doesn't get them very often anymore. Now that we know about HFCS and red dye! Scary!
I know I don't take good pictures. Sorry. You can tell it doesn't look like your traditional pineapple upside down cake which is yellow or white. We have to get past that idea that white food is pretty. Most white food is not healthy. Whole grains have color and texture.
VARIATIONS:
You can replace one of the flours for white flour if you don't like the texture of whole grain flours. But, please, use organic unbleached white flour. At least it isn't loaded with chemicals like regular flour.
I hope you enjoy it as much as my husband did!
Blessings to you all,
Lori
First step was NO Bisquick. Then had to replace the brown sugar for a more nutritious option. I've posted several recipes using coconut palm sugar. My family loves it! And it is a good feeling to know that I am feeding them a sweet treat that is actually nutritious and not going to harm them. Coconut sugar has a low glycemic index so it is safe for diabetics. It is high in several minerals including potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Here is a link to a couple of good articles on coconut sugar. http://www.naturalnews.com/030120_coconut_sugar_sweetener.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/280219-healing-benefits-of-coconut-palm-sugar/
WHOLE GRAIN PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup organic coconut palm sugar
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
1 - 15 1/4 ounce can crushed or sliced pineapple, drained
BATTER
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup organic coconut palm sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pineapple juice (from the crushed pineapple)
1 cup organic oat flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch round baking pan; heat in oven until melted. Remove pan from oven and tilt pan to coat bottom and sides with butter.
2. Mix coconut sugar, nutmeg & cinnamon together and sprinkle onto bottom of buttered pan.
3. Spread pineapple over sugar mixture.
4. For batter - in a large bowl, beat butter and coconut sugar until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and pineapple juice.
5. In another bowl, whisk flours, baking powder and salt together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. I do it in thirds.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
I put 4 maraschino cherries on the cake for Kevin. He loves them, but he doesn't get them very often anymore. Now that we know about HFCS and red dye! Scary!
I know I don't take good pictures. Sorry. You can tell it doesn't look like your traditional pineapple upside down cake which is yellow or white. We have to get past that idea that white food is pretty. Most white food is not healthy. Whole grains have color and texture.
 |
| Pineapple upside down cake |
VARIATIONS:
You can replace one of the flours for white flour if you don't like the texture of whole grain flours. But, please, use organic unbleached white flour. At least it isn't loaded with chemicals like regular flour.
I hope you enjoy it as much as my husband did!
Blessings to you all,
Lori
Saturday, September 21, 2013
THE INCREDIBLE GIFT OF LIFE
It has been a wild 2 months, but we have seen God move mountains and have felt His presence in a very special way. So, here's our transplant story:
We received our first transplant call on Memorial Day weekend. Most transplants happen on holiday weekends, especially during summer holidays because of drinking and driving, boating accidents, etc. The hospital actually called us a few days before July 4th and told us to not go too far and keep close to the phone in case a kidney became available. Kevin even told his family that he couldn't go on their annual fishing/camping trip this year because he was expecting a kidney. July 4th came and went and no phone call. So we went on with dialysis as usual. Then on Sunday morning, July 14, 2013 we had our Bibles in our hands and getting ready to walk out the door for church when the phone rang. We looked at each other and smiled. We knew this was it. So I called the church and my dear friend, Teri, answered the phone. I told her we weren't going to make it today because we were going to get a new kidney.
Kevin, Grant & I packed our bags quickly and took off for Oklahoma City. When we got to OU Medical they were waiting for us. They got Kevin in a room quickly and started working on all of the testing they have to do to make sure he is healthy enough for a transplant and if he is a good enough match for this particular kidney. The surgery happened on Monday, July 15 around 7:00 pm. Dr. Sebastian came and talked to Kevin's Mom, Dad & I around 1:00 a.m. or so and told us that the surgery went well. They moved him into ICU a little after 3:00 a.m. I could not believe how good he looked already! The nurse told us that Kevin was making jokes the whole time. She said he sure is funny. Yep, that's my hubby. He was in ICU 2 days where he was blessed to have some of the most amazing nurses. We got so attached to everyone there. Almost ALL of the staff, nurses, assistants, doctors, housekeeping, etc. at OU Medical are professional & knowledgeable, but also very compassionate. I'm not much on doctors or hospitals, but they really go above and beyond at OU Medical. Dr. Sebastian is the transplant surgeon. We LOVE this man! It was obvious the first time we met him that God called him to perform transplant operations. What a gift this precious man is to the State of Oklahoma.
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| His Dad stayed all week |
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| Dr wrote Kevin speaks Redneck |
Every nurse, doctor and medical staff member kept telling us all that day that this was a "beautiful very healthy" kidney. We felt so blessed to receive such an amazing gift, but at the same time, so sad that another family was dealing with losing a loved one. All that we know is that the donor was a young mother and that it was very unexpected. My heart breaks for her children, family and friends. I just have a feeling that she was a wonderful loving person. We thank God every day for this incredible gift and ask God to comfort her family and friends and to bless them and to let them know somehow how thankful we are. I pray that we never take this beautiful kidney for granted and always remember the price that was paid in order for Kevin to be healthy again.
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| READY to go home |
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| Leaving hospital |
Kevin is doing fantastic! He went back to work 6 weeks after the surgery. His appetite is back and so is his sweet tooth. While on dialysis his phosphorus was always very high so he could not have much ice cream. HE LOVES ICE CREAM! That was probably one of the hardest things for him to do without. After the transplant, his phosphorus was low so the doctor told him to eat more dairy. So he started eating ice cream every day. Some days he was eating 3 bowls a day! He is on a lot of prescriptions and has to do bloodwork every week to monitor all of his levels. But, they have already cut way back on his medicine. We are praying and believing that he will be the healthiest transplant patient there has ever been.
We got all of the dialysis and medical equipment out of our house. Our house is no longer a dialysis clinic. Praise God! For 3 years medical equipment has taken over our home. It filled one bedroom (Cole's old bedroom), part of the dining room and living room. Plus Kevin kept some supplies at his work. We do not miss that at all!
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| Dialysis water, filters, etc. |
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| Dialysis machine |
God has truly blessed us with some of the most amazing friends, church family and co-workers. We could not have made it the last 3 1/2 years without the Willinghams, Beanes, Twyfords, our entire church family, Kevin's co-workers and my co-workers. We are incredibly blessed to have all of these people in our lives.
Love & blessings to all,
Lori
Monday, July 8, 2013
MY NEW LUNCH OBSESSION AND KNOW YOUR CHICKEN
As you know I try to eat as clean as possible. Being a busy working Mom & living in a small town, it is nearly impossible to eat 100% clean. I eat at least 80-85% clean. The absolute biggest chemical I REFUSE to eat is high fructose corn syrup. I am ashamed of our government for allowing HFCS to be in so many "foods" in the U.S. It is banned from most countries. Cole & Tiffany are still in Venezuala. They said that they have read the labels on the foods there and can not find HFCS in ANYTHING! But, Americans like to think that they are so much smarter than people in other countries. Believing that the government, USDA and FDA have your best interest in mind is NOT smart. It is all about money. If they really wanted what was best for Americans, they would do like other countries have done and ban HFCS, aspartame and hormones & antibiotics in milk to name a few.
This beautiful nutritious salad comes with Poppy Seed Dressing which I do not eat. The first ingredient in the dressing is HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP! Why do they have to do that?! I bring my own dressing from home to put on my salad.
Educate yourself, friends. Know what you are putting in your body and what you are feeding your children. God wants us to take good care of our bodies. He put food on the earth to nourish our bodies. Eat more vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs (from free range chickens) and wild game and fish. If the ingredient list is a mile long and/or you can not pronounce most of the ingredients, don't buy it. There are better choices out there. If we stop buying the nasty stuff and buy more of the good stuff, food companies will get the message.
Blessings to all,
Lori
I have told you before how much I love Braum's. I'm not even an ice cream lover, so that is not why I love it so much. Braum's takes pride in the fact that they do not add hormones and antibiotics to their cows therefore NONE of their dairy products contain those nasty things. I buy as much groceries as I can at Braum's. I realize it is not organic, but I believe it is much better quality than other brands and it is cheaper than most brands, probably because there is no middle man. It goes straight from the Braum's farm to Braum's stores. Braum's has a new Chicken Strawberry Salad that I am obsessed with. It has chicken (grilled or crispy), strawberries, blueberries, pineapples, almonds, carrots, spinach and romaine. I have been eating this for lunch at least twice a week. It is only $5 & is a delicious & nutritious lunch. I drink a large lime water with it. Braum's employees squeeze the lime juice into the water instead of just tossing a lime in it. http://www.braums.com/about-us/
I get really freaked out over fast food chicken. Really I freak out over some restaurant chicken also. Chicken can be one of the most processed, chemically laiden foods their is. Educate yourself. Know what you are eating. Braum's uses REAL chicken. It's not processed chicken product like so many restaurants use. For instance Subway's chicken is very little chicken. It is mostly chemicals and most of their breads have either HFCS or corn syrup along with a long list of chemicals. And Subway has Americans believing that it is one of the healthiest places you can eat. That is false advertising in my book. They should have to disclose that their "meats" and breads are nothing but chemicals. Here's a link to their ingredient list which looks like a horror movie to me.
We do not have a Chick-fil-A where I live. I wish we did. They only serve REAL chicken. I was appalled to learn that all of KFC's chicken has MSG! Really?! MSG causes migraines for many people and creates inflammation in the body.
Here is a link to Chick-fil-A talking about the chicken they use.
Here is a picture of my yummy Braum's salad.
This beautiful nutritious salad comes with Poppy Seed Dressing which I do not eat. The first ingredient in the dressing is HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP! Why do they have to do that?! I bring my own dressing from home to put on my salad.
Educate yourself, friends. Know what you are putting in your body and what you are feeding your children. God wants us to take good care of our bodies. He put food on the earth to nourish our bodies. Eat more vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs (from free range chickens) and wild game and fish. If the ingredient list is a mile long and/or you can not pronounce most of the ingredients, don't buy it. There are better choices out there. If we stop buying the nasty stuff and buy more of the good stuff, food companies will get the message.
Blessings to all,
Lori
Saturday, March 23, 2013
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
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
You are what you eat and you are what the animals that you are eating ate.
Blessings & good health to you all,
Lori
Sunday, March 10, 2013
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
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 & saltpaprika
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
Friday, January 18, 2013
LOVIN' YOUR LIVER
I've learned the hard way how important it is to have a healthy liver. At the end of my last pregnancy (17 years ago) my liver was failing. I noticed the last few weeks that my stools were white but didn't think much about it because I was pregnant and when you're pregnant, your body just does weird things. After I had my son and was in my hospital room, my doctor along with other doctors came in and started asking how much Tylenol I take and had I been drinking alcohol, etc. That's all that conventional doctors know that causes liver failure. They also don't know how to rejuvenate your liver, they will just say you need a transplant. I know it's not their fault. All they teach them in medical school is to hand out medication and do surgeries. They don't learn how to use food and herbs to heal our bodies and keep our bodies healthy.
A friend introduced me to natural medicine. She helped me research natural cures for liver disease and we found that Milk Thistle can actually help the liver to regenerate and heal itself. After taking Milk Thistle for a month, I went to the doctor and had my liver enzymes checked. The doctor was shocked that my liver was improving. I told him what I was doing and he had never heard of it before but agreed that it seemed to be working. After 2 months of taking Milk Thistle my liver enzymes were NORMAL. I continued to take Milk Thistle off and on for a few years, but life got crazier and crazier and I actually forgot all about it for awhile. Then in 2011 after feeling so bad for so long I went to the doctor and had bloodwork done which showed, among other things, that my liver was in bad shape again. That's when I knew that I had to take charge of my health if I wanted to be here to see my future grandchildren.
Here's what I have learned after lots of research on our livers. The liver is the largest solid organ in the body. It has many functions including production of bile that is required to digest food properly; stores extra sugar & converts it into glucose for energy; produces blood clotting factors; processes & stores iron necessary for red blood cell production; converts waste products into urine; metabolizes medications into their active ingredient; and numerous other functions.
As you can see, a healthy liver is crucial to good health. The American diet of fast food, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, chemicals and the numerous medications handed out by American doctors damage our livers. America is the unhealthiest country and that is very sad. Americans outnumber all other countries in people with diabetes, obesity, heart disease, strokes, etc. Americans eat the least amount of vegetables and fruits of any other country. My daughter in law is from Colombia. She told me that when they moved to America, they were shocked by how "fake" our "food" is and how few vegetables and fruits Americans eat. In Colombia their diet is mainly vegetables, fruits, rice, chicken and seafood. They don't eat fast food or out of boxes or plastic bags.
In order to keep your liver healthy avoid processed foods, chemicals, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, etc. Eat more vegetables and fruits and drink plenty of good water. NOT TAP WATER! Tap water is loaded with toxins and chemicals. I won't even get into all of that now. The best foods for your liver are dark green veggies, garlic, grapefruit, lemons, beets, carrots, avocados, walnuts, cabbage, turmeric, olive oil & green tea. If you have been eating a diet full of processed foods and/or fast foods or if you feel like you just need to reboot your liver, try taking Milk Thistle. It's cheap, about $7-$15 a bottle and can be found at any health food store or online. The only warning I have ever found about Milk Thistle is that it is a member of the ragweed, marigold, daisy family, so if you are allergic to those, you might not be able to take Milk Thistle.
Final thought, God created our bodies and God provided us with the food that our bodies need to stay healthy. God did NOT make aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, splenda, artificial colors & dyes, preservatives, etc. When we set our minds to eat the way that God intended for us to eat, it is amazing how good we can feel. It took me over forty years and having to be so sick and in so much pain that I could barely walk or function, before I finally "got it". I am amazed at how good I feel now. I don't eat "perfect" all the time. I splurge once or twice a week, but never twice in one day or two days straight. I try to eat "clean" at least 85% of the time. I love sausage biscuits & hot dogs, so I allow myself one now & then, but I make sure that it the only "bad" thing I eat that day.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2013,
Lori
A friend introduced me to natural medicine. She helped me research natural cures for liver disease and we found that Milk Thistle can actually help the liver to regenerate and heal itself. After taking Milk Thistle for a month, I went to the doctor and had my liver enzymes checked. The doctor was shocked that my liver was improving. I told him what I was doing and he had never heard of it before but agreed that it seemed to be working. After 2 months of taking Milk Thistle my liver enzymes were NORMAL. I continued to take Milk Thistle off and on for a few years, but life got crazier and crazier and I actually forgot all about it for awhile. Then in 2011 after feeling so bad for so long I went to the doctor and had bloodwork done which showed, among other things, that my liver was in bad shape again. That's when I knew that I had to take charge of my health if I wanted to be here to see my future grandchildren.
Here's what I have learned after lots of research on our livers. The liver is the largest solid organ in the body. It has many functions including production of bile that is required to digest food properly; stores extra sugar & converts it into glucose for energy; produces blood clotting factors; processes & stores iron necessary for red blood cell production; converts waste products into urine; metabolizes medications into their active ingredient; and numerous other functions.
As you can see, a healthy liver is crucial to good health. The American diet of fast food, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, chemicals and the numerous medications handed out by American doctors damage our livers. America is the unhealthiest country and that is very sad. Americans outnumber all other countries in people with diabetes, obesity, heart disease, strokes, etc. Americans eat the least amount of vegetables and fruits of any other country. My daughter in law is from Colombia. She told me that when they moved to America, they were shocked by how "fake" our "food" is and how few vegetables and fruits Americans eat. In Colombia their diet is mainly vegetables, fruits, rice, chicken and seafood. They don't eat fast food or out of boxes or plastic bags.
In order to keep your liver healthy avoid processed foods, chemicals, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, etc. Eat more vegetables and fruits and drink plenty of good water. NOT TAP WATER! Tap water is loaded with toxins and chemicals. I won't even get into all of that now. The best foods for your liver are dark green veggies, garlic, grapefruit, lemons, beets, carrots, avocados, walnuts, cabbage, turmeric, olive oil & green tea. If you have been eating a diet full of processed foods and/or fast foods or if you feel like you just need to reboot your liver, try taking Milk Thistle. It's cheap, about $7-$15 a bottle and can be found at any health food store or online. The only warning I have ever found about Milk Thistle is that it is a member of the ragweed, marigold, daisy family, so if you are allergic to those, you might not be able to take Milk Thistle.
Final thought, God created our bodies and God provided us with the food that our bodies need to stay healthy. God did NOT make aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, splenda, artificial colors & dyes, preservatives, etc. When we set our minds to eat the way that God intended for us to eat, it is amazing how good we can feel. It took me over forty years and having to be so sick and in so much pain that I could barely walk or function, before I finally "got it". I am amazed at how good I feel now. I don't eat "perfect" all the time. I splurge once or twice a week, but never twice in one day or two days straight. I try to eat "clean" at least 85% of the time. I love sausage biscuits & hot dogs, so I allow myself one now & then, but I make sure that it the only "bad" thing I eat that day.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2013,
Lori
Saturday, November 3, 2012
STOCKING UP HEALTHY & ON A BUDGET
With all of the natural disasters that have been happening lately, we decided that it was time to stock up and prepare in case of a disaster or emergency. Preparing for an emergency or disaster was part of our home dialysis training. Since Kevin's life literally depends on having electricity and medical supplies, we have to be prepared. About 10 years ago we had a horrible ice storm and were without electricity for 7 days. Since then I try to always have flashlights and extra batteries handy as well as candles and lighters. Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast this week and stopped New York City, New Jersey and others in its tracks. Some people may be weeks without power. Please keep all of these people and the workers in your prayers as they try to clean up and get back to normal. Trying to stock up on non perishable foods while maintaining a healthy diet can be a challenge, but I've been doing some research and want to share with you what I've come up with.
MEDICAL - In home dialysis training they gave us a red folder with a list of Kevin's prescriptions; all of his doctor's contact information; emergency contact information; letters from his doctor stating that he is on life support and needs immediate medical attention in case of disaster or emergency. They told us to keep that folder somewhere other than our home in case we lost our home, so I keep that red folder in my office at work.
MISC SUPPLIES - Hand held can opener; utility tool; flashlights & extra batteries; wet wipes; hand sanitizer; band aids; plastic forks & spoons; lighters; alcohol pads; dust masks, etc. You get the picture.
FOODS - Canned beans (great source of complex carbs, protein & fiber)
Canned veggies
Canned soups
Tuna (great source of protein)
Salmon (great source of protein)
Granola bars
Canned nuts
Crackers
Peanut butter
Juice boxes
Bottled water
Cans of V8 juice
Ensure, Slim Fast or other protein drinks
My local Homeland grocer has Libbys canned vegetables on sale for $0.69 a can this week and Big Lots has Green Giant canned veggies on sale for $0.65 a can. While they are that cheap is a great time to stock up. I also found Kashi and Nature Valley granola bars at Big Lots for $2.00 a box. They are great sources of energy and don't have a lot of junk in them. Big Lots also had canned and jars of nuts on sale. Nuts are a nutritional powerhouse.
Most canned soups are loaded with HFCS, MSG, preservatives, sodium, etc. But Progresso has some without all of that and Campbells now has a new line of "Natural" soups without all the junk in them. Big Lots has the Campbells Natural Soups for $1.25 a can, plus I had a coupon for $1.00 off when you buy 3 cans.
Big Lots also had wet wipes, bottled water, flashlights and jumbo packs of batteries very cheap.
Anyone that knows me knows that I do not go to my local Walmart. Our town has the worst Walmart in the world! I don't have the time or patience to go there. You can't get in and out in under an hour and always have to stand in line to checkout for 30 minutes. The only time I have to shop is my lunch hour, right after work (but I have to be home by 6 to get Kevin hooked up to the machine), and on Saturdays or Sunday afternoons. You couldn't pay me enough money to go to our Walmart on a Saturday. I watch the sale papers, use coupons and shop at Homeland, Walgreens, Dollar General and Big Lots. I can shop in any of those stores and be in and out in 30 minutes.
Eating healthy, stocking up and being prepared for an emergency can be done on a budget. It never hurts to be prepared just in case. If you have any other tips that I left out, please share.
God bless each of you and keep you and your families safe and healthy always.
Lori
MEDICAL - In home dialysis training they gave us a red folder with a list of Kevin's prescriptions; all of his doctor's contact information; emergency contact information; letters from his doctor stating that he is on life support and needs immediate medical attention in case of disaster or emergency. They told us to keep that folder somewhere other than our home in case we lost our home, so I keep that red folder in my office at work.
MISC SUPPLIES - Hand held can opener; utility tool; flashlights & extra batteries; wet wipes; hand sanitizer; band aids; plastic forks & spoons; lighters; alcohol pads; dust masks, etc. You get the picture.
FOODS - Canned beans (great source of complex carbs, protein & fiber)
Canned veggies
Canned soups
Tuna (great source of protein)
Salmon (great source of protein)
Granola bars
Canned nuts
Crackers
Peanut butter
Juice boxes
Bottled water
Cans of V8 juice
Ensure, Slim Fast or other protein drinks
My local Homeland grocer has Libbys canned vegetables on sale for $0.69 a can this week and Big Lots has Green Giant canned veggies on sale for $0.65 a can. While they are that cheap is a great time to stock up. I also found Kashi and Nature Valley granola bars at Big Lots for $2.00 a box. They are great sources of energy and don't have a lot of junk in them. Big Lots also had canned and jars of nuts on sale. Nuts are a nutritional powerhouse.
Most canned soups are loaded with HFCS, MSG, preservatives, sodium, etc. But Progresso has some without all of that and Campbells now has a new line of "Natural" soups without all the junk in them. Big Lots has the Campbells Natural Soups for $1.25 a can, plus I had a coupon for $1.00 off when you buy 3 cans.
Big Lots also had wet wipes, bottled water, flashlights and jumbo packs of batteries very cheap.
Anyone that knows me knows that I do not go to my local Walmart. Our town has the worst Walmart in the world! I don't have the time or patience to go there. You can't get in and out in under an hour and always have to stand in line to checkout for 30 minutes. The only time I have to shop is my lunch hour, right after work (but I have to be home by 6 to get Kevin hooked up to the machine), and on Saturdays or Sunday afternoons. You couldn't pay me enough money to go to our Walmart on a Saturday. I watch the sale papers, use coupons and shop at Homeland, Walgreens, Dollar General and Big Lots. I can shop in any of those stores and be in and out in 30 minutes.
Eating healthy, stocking up and being prepared for an emergency can be done on a budget. It never hurts to be prepared just in case. If you have any other tips that I left out, please share.
God bless each of you and keep you and your families safe and healthy always.
Lori
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
QUINOA CHICKEN SPAGHETTI (GLUTEN FREE)
I'm really excited about sharing this recipe with you. This is a gluten free, high fiber, high protein, no processed foods, casserole dish. My husband, teenage son and his friends can't get enough of it. I'm going to have to start making two pans at a time. It also makes great leftovers.
I used to be the Queen of cooking with canned soups. I bought cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup 5 cans at a time. It was so easy to mix in a can of soup into some rice or pasta or pour over some meat, sprinkle with cheese and everybody loved it. Fast & easy. But, those canned soups are loaded with sodium, preservatives and lots of chemicals that apparently my liver didn't like too well and now I also know aggravates my arthritis. So trying to cook meals my guys enjoy eating without using the canned soups has been very challenging.
Also, since throwing out most of the processed foods, Kevin's blood tests have improved greatly. We have to draw blood once or twice a month and mail it to a lab for testing. The lab sends the results to his nephrologist that he sees once a month. The doctor and nurses are just amazed that his numbers have improved so much (i.e., calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, etc.). If that's what eating REAL food can do for someone whose kidneys don't work, just imagine what it can do for a normal person! All of those chemicals and preservatives put so much stress on all of your organs.
Since I can't eat regular pasta because of diabetes and arthritis, finding good pasta alternatives has been a challenge as well. I like whole wheat pasta and can tolerate it in small amounts, but have noticed my body feels better when I use brown rice pasta or quinoa pasta.
Quinoa is now considered a superfood. It is gluten free, anti inflammatory, high in fiber, high in protein, loaded with heart healthy fats, magnesium, Vitamin E, calcium and many other "good for you" things too numerous to list. Quinoa is great for diabetics and of course, anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. This quinoa pasta can be found at any natural food store or in the organic section of the grocery store.
Add sauce to pasta and chicken and stir together until
thoroughly combined. Transfer to greased 13x9 casserole dish. Top with your favorite shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees 25-35 minutes or until
cheese is melted.
NOTE: My husband loves cheddar cheese and I love white cheeses (provolone, mozzarella, etc.), so I put cheddar on half and shredded Italian cheese blend on the other half. My son's friend scooped out of the middle because he wanted both. Ha ha!
I hope your family enjoys this as much as mine does.
Blessings to you all,
Lori
I used to be the Queen of cooking with canned soups. I bought cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup 5 cans at a time. It was so easy to mix in a can of soup into some rice or pasta or pour over some meat, sprinkle with cheese and everybody loved it. Fast & easy. But, those canned soups are loaded with sodium, preservatives and lots of chemicals that apparently my liver didn't like too well and now I also know aggravates my arthritis. So trying to cook meals my guys enjoy eating without using the canned soups has been very challenging.
Also, since throwing out most of the processed foods, Kevin's blood tests have improved greatly. We have to draw blood once or twice a month and mail it to a lab for testing. The lab sends the results to his nephrologist that he sees once a month. The doctor and nurses are just amazed that his numbers have improved so much (i.e., calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, etc.). If that's what eating REAL food can do for someone whose kidneys don't work, just imagine what it can do for a normal person! All of those chemicals and preservatives put so much stress on all of your organs.
Since I can't eat regular pasta because of diabetes and arthritis, finding good pasta alternatives has been a challenge as well. I like whole wheat pasta and can tolerate it in small amounts, but have noticed my body feels better when I use brown rice pasta or quinoa pasta.
Quinoa is now considered a superfood. It is gluten free, anti inflammatory, high in fiber, high in protein, loaded with heart healthy fats, magnesium, Vitamin E, calcium and many other "good for you" things too numerous to list. Quinoa is great for diabetics and of course, anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. This quinoa pasta can be found at any natural food store or in the organic section of the grocery store.
QUINOA CHICKEN
SPAGHETTI
16 ounces quinoa spaghetti
3-4 cups chicken, cooked & shredded
½ stick butter or olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (green or red)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced or chopped
3 tbsp flour (all purpose or gluten free)
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
2 tsp minced garlic
Salt & pepper
2 cups of shredded cheese (cheddar, Italian, your favorite)
Cook quinoa according to package directions MINUS 1-2
minutes, pasta will finish cooking in the oven. Drain & place in large bowl
with shredded chicken.
Melt butter or heat olive oil over medium to medium high
heat. Add chopped veggies and cook until veggies are soft.
Add flour to veggies in skillet and sauté until flour is
incorporated into mixture. Whisk in chicken broth. Whisk a couple of minutes,
then add milk. Continue to whisk until it reaches gravy like consistency. Add
garlic, salt & pepper and mix in well.
NOTE: My husband loves cheddar cheese and I love white cheeses (provolone, mozzarella, etc.), so I put cheddar on half and shredded Italian cheese blend on the other half. My son's friend scooped out of the middle because he wanted both. Ha ha!
I hope your family enjoys this as much as mine does.
Blessings to you all,
Lori
Thursday, September 20, 2012
NOT YO MOMMA'S MEATLOAF
While growing up meatloaf was a regular at my family's dinner table. While the rest of the family ate meatloaf, I usually ate a bologna sandwich. I hated meatloaf. For years I thought all meatloaf was dry and flavorless and could not understand why so many people loved it so much. One night many years ago, my husband asked me why I never made meatloaf and I told him it was dry and disgusting. So we talked about what we liked and didn't like and I decided to try to make a meatloaf using the flavors that we knew we liked. Of course, as with a lot of my recipes, it has Rotel tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce in it. I do buy these items in bulk when I go to Sam's.
I know this meatloaf is not for everybody. But, if you are like me and have stayed away from meatloaf because you thought it was all dry and tasteless, I promise you that this is one the moistest and most flavorful meatloaf you have will ever eat.
Healthy note - This works well with 1/2 ground turkey and 1/2 ground beef. The tomatoes, onion and peppers add lots of nutrients and antioxidants. Adding oats to the mixture is a sneaky way to add some fiber.
I urge you to read ALL labels. Hunts is the ONLY tomato sauce that I have found in this area that does NOT have high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and other chemicals in it. Also Lea & Perrins is the ONLY Worcestershire sauce I have found without a bunch of junk in it. HFCS is scary stuff. It is toxic to your body, especially your pancreas and liver and it causes inflammation in the body which creates pain and stiffness. And if you are diabetic, you really need to stay away from it because when it hits your blood stream it instantly raises your blood sugar. Since I have degenerative arthritis, which is an inflammatory disease, I have noticed that any time I eat anything with HFCS it causes swelling & inflammation in my body to the point that the pain is almost incapacitating. Since I have eaten HFCS FREE & focus on eating anti inflammatory foods, the swelling & pain has drastically decreased. If you have pain or any inflammatory disease (arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, etc.), try avoiding HFCS and eat more fruits & veggies. Try it for 2 weeks and I guarantee you will see a huge difference. It really upsets me that our government allows food manufacturers to put so many toxic chemicals in our food. Sorry. That is my rant for the day. I hope you try this recipe and that your family enjoys it as much as mine does.
Saute onion and peppers in oil until soft. In a large bowl mix all above ingredients together with
hands. Place mixture in 13x9 pan and
bake at 350 about 45 minutes. Pour sauce (recipe below) over top and bake for another 10-15
minutes.
I know this meatloaf is not for everybody. But, if you are like me and have stayed away from meatloaf because you thought it was all dry and tasteless, I promise you that this is one the moistest and most flavorful meatloaf you have will ever eat.
Healthy note - This works well with 1/2 ground turkey and 1/2 ground beef. The tomatoes, onion and peppers add lots of nutrients and antioxidants. Adding oats to the mixture is a sneaky way to add some fiber.
I urge you to read ALL labels. Hunts is the ONLY tomato sauce that I have found in this area that does NOT have high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and other chemicals in it. Also Lea & Perrins is the ONLY Worcestershire sauce I have found without a bunch of junk in it. HFCS is scary stuff. It is toxic to your body, especially your pancreas and liver and it causes inflammation in the body which creates pain and stiffness. And if you are diabetic, you really need to stay away from it because when it hits your blood stream it instantly raises your blood sugar. Since I have degenerative arthritis, which is an inflammatory disease, I have noticed that any time I eat anything with HFCS it causes swelling & inflammation in my body to the point that the pain is almost incapacitating. Since I have eaten HFCS FREE & focus on eating anti inflammatory foods, the swelling & pain has drastically decreased. If you have pain or any inflammatory disease (arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, etc.), try avoiding HFCS and eat more fruits & veggies. Try it for 2 weeks and I guarantee you will see a huge difference. It really upsets me that our government allows food manufacturers to put so many toxic chemicals in our food. Sorry. That is my rant for the day. I hope you try this recipe and that your family enjoys it as much as mine does.
MEATLOAF
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsps olive oil or coconut oil
3 lbs ground beef (or ½ each ground turkey & gr beef)
1 cup Oats
1 sleeve saltine crackers (or 1 cup of breadcrumbs)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
2 eggs
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (I only use Lea & Perrin’s – NO
HFCS)
Garlic salt (to your taste- I use a LOT)
2-4 tsps McCormick Hot Shot (or just regular black pepper)
1/4 cup tomato sauce (I only use Hunt’s - NO HFCS)
SAUCE
1 regular size can tomato sauce
2 tbs mustard
1/4 cup ketchup (Hunt’s has NO HFCS)
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar + 1/4cup honey)
Mix together well and pour over top of meatloaf. Bake for
10-15 minutes more.
Wishing you all many blessings and much love,
Lori
Monday, September 10, 2012
WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
Kevin loves enchiladas and for years I have made chicken enchiladas with cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup. Since we don't eat canned soups or processed foods anymore, I had to come up with a different recipe for chicken enchiladas. The Joyful Momma's White Chicken enchiladas have spread like wildfire on Pinterest and does not use any canned soups, so I tried it.
(http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/white-chicken-enchiladas.html)
I had to leave out the green chiles because Grant does not like green chiles. He will eat Rotel, but mostly picks out the tomatoes & chiles. They were very good. Grant loved them, but they weren't spicy enough for Kevin, so I had to "kick them up a notch" as well as try to add a little more nutrient value.
Also, the second time I made them, I doubled the sauce because we do live in the South and my guys like everything smothered in gravy or sauce. A single batch is good, but they preferred it with more sauce.
This weekend, I put the enchiladas together (except the cheese) Saturday night & placed in refrigerator. Sunday morning I set them out on the counter before we left for church so they could come to room temperature. When we got home I just sprinkled cheese on top, put them in the oven while I made some taco rice and dinner was on the table in 30 minutes.
Here's my version of White Chicken Enchiladas.
WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
10-12 soft taco size tortillas (use your favorite- corn, flour, wheat, etc)
2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 can Ro Tel tomatoes, drained
2-3 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste (I used McCormick Hot Shot)
2 tablespoons chili powder (we like McCormick Spicy Mexican Chili Powder)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan.
2. Mix chicken, tomatoes and 1 cup of cheese.
3. Put a couple of tablespoons of chicken mixture (more or less depending on how much chicken you want in each one) in tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in pan. Continue until pan is full.
4. In a sauce pan, melt butter, add onion and saute until onion is soft (about 5 minutes). Add flour and cook about 1 minute.
5. Add broth & milk, whisk until smooth. Add salt & pepper to your taste and chili powder and garlic powder. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
6. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.
7. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
8. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Chopped cilantro or parsley can be sprinkled on top if desired.
NOTE: To soften the tortillas, add a little more flavor and great health benefits, you can heat the tortillas in a little coconut oil. Just put a few tablespoons of coconut oil in a skillet. When it gets hot, place tortillas in one or 2 at a time, just for a minute or two on each side. When the start to bubble up, I flip them over. Let cool on paper towels a few minutes before assembling the enchiladas. It is worth a few minutes of your time for the added flavor and health benefits. In case you have been living on another planet and have not heard about the incredible benefits of coconut oil, here's a link to get you started. http://www.deliciousobsessions.com/2012/05/122-uses-for-coconut-oil-even-more-of-the-simple-the-strange-and-the-downright-odd/http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/white-chicken-enchiladas.html
http://www.deliciousobsessions.com/2012/05/122-uses-for-coconut-oil-even-more-of-the-simple-the-strange-and-the-downright-odd/
GLUTEN FREE/WHEAT FREE VERSION - Use corn or brown rice tortillas and gluten free flour. King Arthur makes a wonderful gluten free flour.
Wishing you all blessings, joy, happiness and lots of love,
Lori
(http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/white-chicken-enchiladas.html)
I had to leave out the green chiles because Grant does not like green chiles. He will eat Rotel, but mostly picks out the tomatoes & chiles. They were very good. Grant loved them, but they weren't spicy enough for Kevin, so I had to "kick them up a notch" as well as try to add a little more nutrient value.
Also, the second time I made them, I doubled the sauce because we do live in the South and my guys like everything smothered in gravy or sauce. A single batch is good, but they preferred it with more sauce.
This weekend, I put the enchiladas together (except the cheese) Saturday night & placed in refrigerator. Sunday morning I set them out on the counter before we left for church so they could come to room temperature. When we got home I just sprinkled cheese on top, put them in the oven while I made some taco rice and dinner was on the table in 30 minutes.
Here's my version of White Chicken Enchiladas.
WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
10-12 soft taco size tortillas (use your favorite- corn, flour, wheat, etc)
2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 can Ro Tel tomatoes, drained
2-3 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste (I used McCormick Hot Shot)
2 tablespoons chili powder (we like McCormick Spicy Mexican Chili Powder)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan.
2. Mix chicken, tomatoes and 1 cup of cheese.
3. Put a couple of tablespoons of chicken mixture (more or less depending on how much chicken you want in each one) in tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in pan. Continue until pan is full.
4. In a sauce pan, melt butter, add onion and saute until onion is soft (about 5 minutes). Add flour and cook about 1 minute.
5. Add broth & milk, whisk until smooth. Add salt & pepper to your taste and chili powder and garlic powder. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
6. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.
7. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
8. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Chopped cilantro or parsley can be sprinkled on top if desired.
NOTE: To soften the tortillas, add a little more flavor and great health benefits, you can heat the tortillas in a little coconut oil. Just put a few tablespoons of coconut oil in a skillet. When it gets hot, place tortillas in one or 2 at a time, just for a minute or two on each side. When the start to bubble up, I flip them over. Let cool on paper towels a few minutes before assembling the enchiladas. It is worth a few minutes of your time for the added flavor and health benefits. In case you have been living on another planet and have not heard about the incredible benefits of coconut oil, here's a link to get you started. http://www.deliciousobsessions.com/2012/05/122-uses-for-coconut-oil-even-more-of-the-simple-the-strange-and-the-downright-odd/http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/white-chicken-enchiladas.html
http://www.deliciousobsessions.com/2012/05/122-uses-for-coconut-oil-even-more-of-the-simple-the-strange-and-the-downright-odd/
GLUTEN FREE/WHEAT FREE VERSION - Use corn or brown rice tortillas and gluten free flour. King Arthur makes a wonderful gluten free flour.
Wishing you all blessings, joy, happiness and lots of love,
Lori
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
WHOLE GRAIN SUGAR FREE BROWNIES
If you just can't past the idea of eating black beans as brownies, here is another recipe using oat flour and whole wheat pastry flour. Again, I have just taken out the white flour and sugar and replaced them with whole grains and NATURAL sweeteners with zero or very low glycemic index. And if you have not heard about the amazing health benefits of coconut oil, just google it and start reading. After researching coconut oil the last couple of months, I am convinced that coconuts are one of God's greatest gifts to the human race.
WHOLE GRAIN SUGAR FREE BROWNIES
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup coconut oil (OR you can use 1/2 cup butter)
1 cup Ideal or Stevia (OR 1/2 cup Stevia + 1/2 cup coconut sugar)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 square baking dish.
Melt butter and coconut oil either in a large glass bowl in microwave or in large saucepan on stove. When butter and oil is melted, stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Add cocoa, flours, salt and baking powder and mix well. Do not over stir. Batter should be a little lumpy. If you over stir brownies, they come out tough.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Do not overcook.
TIP - It's always better for brownies to be undercooked, than overcooked. When you overcook them, they get hard and dry.
Have a blessed day!
Lori
Monday, June 25, 2012
SUPER HEALTHY BROWNIES & THE EVILS OF WHITE FLOUR
My baby boy turned 17 last week. His favorite food is brownies. He also likes chocolate pudding. The last couple of years I have made him a trifle layered with brownies, chocolate pudding and crushed Butterfinger candy bars. (That recipe was shared with me by my friend, Stacy) Of course, I had to try to healthy it up a bit, so I made chocolate pudding using almond milk and Ideal. I also made 2 different recipes of brownies, both without white flour or sugar. Both were pretty good.
You guys are probably getting tired of my rantings about the evils of white flour and sugar, but I am absolutely convinced that they are the main causes of so many diseases today. I looked up the glycemic index of white flour and saw that it is the same as sugar. People need to be aware that eating white flour is the SAME as eating sugar. It turns to sugar in your body. It is so heavily processed there is nothing to digest, so it hits your bloodstream immediately and causes your blood sugar to spike. It also creates inflammation in your body. For anyone with arthritis, lupus, MS, etc. INFLAMMATION = PAIN.
I also have good reason to believe that white flour and sugar cause cellulite. I never thought about it until after eating anti inflammatory for about 6 months and I noticed that my cellulite was going away. I have only lost 40 pounds and have come to a standstill on weight loss (I am down 2-3 sizes). I am still overweight, but I am amazed at the reduction in cellulite. I've copied a couple of links to some articles on white flour that agree with my theory.
http://www.shapemag.co.za/health-nutrition/fight-cellulite-at-every-meal/
http://thediabetesclub.com/nutrition-in-bread-the-problems-with-enriched-white-flour/
So, on to the recipes. I had heard of black bean brownies, but I do NOT like black beans, so I was hesitant to try them. I wish I liked black beans. They are a superfood! Loaded with fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. So, now I found a way to eat black beans without my taste buds knowing I'm eating them. I know it sounds really weird, but you will be surprised at how good they are. Of course, the texture is a little different, kind of like eating a protein bar or other healthy bar, but these brownies are super low calorie, NO sugar, high in fiber and just really really really good for you. And they are chocolate!
BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil (or 3 tbsp vegetable oil)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup Stevia or Ideal
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp peanut butter (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 square baking dish.
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into greased baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes or until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of pan.
Now, in case you like frosting on your brownies, I found this recipe on another blog, but I can't remember which one it was. (DISCLAIMER: this is NOT my original recipe) I did not have avocados so I haven't made it yet, but it sounds delicious and really healthy. I think it would be delicious on the brownies.
AVOCADO FUDGE SPREAD
2 avocados
1/4 cup Agave or honey
3 tbsp cocoa powder
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Thank you for reading. Blessings and good health to all of you.
Lori
You guys are probably getting tired of my rantings about the evils of white flour and sugar, but I am absolutely convinced that they are the main causes of so many diseases today. I looked up the glycemic index of white flour and saw that it is the same as sugar. People need to be aware that eating white flour is the SAME as eating sugar. It turns to sugar in your body. It is so heavily processed there is nothing to digest, so it hits your bloodstream immediately and causes your blood sugar to spike. It also creates inflammation in your body. For anyone with arthritis, lupus, MS, etc. INFLAMMATION = PAIN.
I also have good reason to believe that white flour and sugar cause cellulite. I never thought about it until after eating anti inflammatory for about 6 months and I noticed that my cellulite was going away. I have only lost 40 pounds and have come to a standstill on weight loss (I am down 2-3 sizes). I am still overweight, but I am amazed at the reduction in cellulite. I've copied a couple of links to some articles on white flour that agree with my theory.
http://www.shapemag.co.za/health-nutrition/fight-cellulite-at-every-meal/
http://thediabetesclub.com/nutrition-in-bread-the-problems-with-enriched-white-flour/
So, on to the recipes. I had heard of black bean brownies, but I do NOT like black beans, so I was hesitant to try them. I wish I liked black beans. They are a superfood! Loaded with fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. So, now I found a way to eat black beans without my taste buds knowing I'm eating them. I know it sounds really weird, but you will be surprised at how good they are. Of course, the texture is a little different, kind of like eating a protein bar or other healthy bar, but these brownies are super low calorie, NO sugar, high in fiber and just really really really good for you. And they are chocolate!
BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil (or 3 tbsp vegetable oil)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup Stevia or Ideal
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp peanut butter (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 square baking dish.
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into greased baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes or until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of pan.
Now, in case you like frosting on your brownies, I found this recipe on another blog, but I can't remember which one it was. (DISCLAIMER: this is NOT my original recipe) I did not have avocados so I haven't made it yet, but it sounds delicious and really healthy. I think it would be delicious on the brownies.
AVOCADO FUDGE SPREAD
2 avocados
1/4 cup Agave or honey
3 tbsp cocoa powder
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Thank you for reading. Blessings and good health to all of you.
Lori
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
BERRY VANILLA TRIFLE, ALMONDS & OMEGA 3'S
I do not claim to be a nutritionist. I am only sharing the information that I have found that has helped me this last year on my journey back to health. I am not where I want to be, but praise God, I have come a long way in a year's time. This time last year my liver was failing, my blood sugar & blood pressure were high, cholesterol was high and arthritis had taken control of my entire body. I was in terrible pain 24/7. I got through work everyday, but would go home & not be able to move & literally would cry myself to sleep because I was in so much pain.
Now, a year later, taking NO DRUGS, my cholesterol is perfect, blood sugar & blood pressure is perfect, liver is healthy and I can walk, even jog with minimal pain. I'm not going to lie & say I am pain free. I have permanent nerve & joint damage & bone spurs. But I CAN MOVE & I enjoy it! I even started exercising a couple of months ago. I bought a Malibu Pilates Chair. I keep it in the living room so I can exercise while Kevin is on the dialysis machine. I am feeling better & stronger than I have felt in 15 years. And NO DRUGS!! It is amazing how good & strong you can feel when you focus on eating the foods that God put on the earth for us to eat & stay away from processed foods.
I have found that eating an anti inflammatory diet is the key for me. Which is lots of nuts, eggs, green veggies, fruit (berries & pineapple especially), beans, whole grains, avocados, etc. I probably eat more meat than I should, but I love meat & being from Oklahoma, I love beef. I eat very little sugar, white flour & processed foods. I eat a handful of almonds (no salt, no oil) everyday as well as put almond milk in my coffee. Almonds are an amazing superfood. They are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which makes them anti inflammatory. Almonds have fiber & 1 cup has 25% of our daily calcium &125% of our daily Vitamin E (which is a powerful antioxidant). Our bodies do not produce Omega 3 fatty acids, but they are essential to good health. Our only source of Omega 3's is through food. Omega 3's are needed for healthy cells, brain & nerve function. The best sources for Omega 3's are fish and nuts.
I am trying to use almond milk more. Lately I have used it when baking & am very pleased with the results. Here is a comparison of cow's milk vs. almond milk:
Last weekend was my Mother in law's birthday. She loves strawberry shortcake, so I tried to "healthy it up" a bit. My friend, Lana, suggested layering the berries with vanilla pudding which sounded very tasty. So I made a trifle with a sugar free homemade vanilla pudding using almond milk. I did 1/2 almond & 1/2 dairy, but next time I will use only almond milk. The pudding turned out sooooo delicious! I hope you enjoy!
2 pints of fresh strawberries, sliced
4 egg yolks, beaten
Now, a year later, taking NO DRUGS, my cholesterol is perfect, blood sugar & blood pressure is perfect, liver is healthy and I can walk, even jog with minimal pain. I'm not going to lie & say I am pain free. I have permanent nerve & joint damage & bone spurs. But I CAN MOVE & I enjoy it! I even started exercising a couple of months ago. I bought a Malibu Pilates Chair. I keep it in the living room so I can exercise while Kevin is on the dialysis machine. I am feeling better & stronger than I have felt in 15 years. And NO DRUGS!! It is amazing how good & strong you can feel when you focus on eating the foods that God put on the earth for us to eat & stay away from processed foods.
I have found that eating an anti inflammatory diet is the key for me. Which is lots of nuts, eggs, green veggies, fruit (berries & pineapple especially), beans, whole grains, avocados, etc. I probably eat more meat than I should, but I love meat & being from Oklahoma, I love beef. I eat very little sugar, white flour & processed foods. I eat a handful of almonds (no salt, no oil) everyday as well as put almond milk in my coffee. Almonds are an amazing superfood. They are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which makes them anti inflammatory. Almonds have fiber & 1 cup has 25% of our daily calcium &125% of our daily Vitamin E (which is a powerful antioxidant). Our bodies do not produce Omega 3 fatty acids, but they are essential to good health. Our only source of Omega 3's is through food. Omega 3's are needed for healthy cells, brain & nerve function. The best sources for Omega 3's are fish and nuts.
I am trying to use almond milk more. Lately I have used it when baking & am very pleased with the results. Here is a comparison of cow's milk vs. almond milk:
Almond milk - 1 cup = 30 calories, 2.5 g fat, 1 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 0 sugar, 1 g protein
Skim milk - 1 cup = 130 calories, 0 fat, 18 carbs, 0 fiber, 18 sugar, 10 g protein
1% milk - 1 cup = 120 calories, 2.5 g fat, 15 g carbs, 0 fiber, 15 sugar, 10g protein
2% milk - 1 cup = 130 calories, 5 g fat, 13 carbs, 0 fiber, 13 sugar, 9g protein
whole milk - 1 cup = 150 calories, 8 g fat, 11 carbs, 0 fiber, 11 sugar, 8g protein
Notice that when the fat is taken out, the sugar & carbs go UP. Almond milk is great for people with dairy allergies. Vitamin D is also added to almond milk. And there are no hormones or antibiotics in almond milk like there are in dairy.
Last weekend was my Mother in law's birthday. She loves strawberry shortcake, so I tried to "healthy it up" a bit. My friend, Lana, suggested layering the berries with vanilla pudding which sounded very tasty. So I made a trifle with a sugar free homemade vanilla pudding using almond milk. I did 1/2 almond & 1/2 dairy, but next time I will use only almond milk. The pudding turned out sooooo delicious! I hope you enjoy!
SUGAR FREE
BERRY-KIWI VANILLA TRIFLE
2 pints of fresh strawberries, sliced
3 kiwis, peeled, sliced & halved
1 cup blueberries
1 cup Stevia or Ideal
¼ cup orange juice
Place all ingredients in a bowl & mix together making
sure that fruit is thoroughly coated in Stevia. Cover & place in
refrigerator. You can make this the night before & it will be juicy &
delicious. But, it will still be good if you don’t.
VANILLA PUDDING
¾ cup Stevia or Ideal
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ cups Almond milk (YOU CAN OMIT THE DAIRY & USE 3 CUPS OF ALMOND MILK)
1 ½ cups milk (I used 1%)
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1)
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar & cornstarch.
2)
Stir in milk. Cook & stir over medium heat until
thickened & bubbly.
NOTE: It’s going to take awhile,
but I promise, it is worth it.
3)
Remove from heat. Gradually stir 1 cup of milk mixture
into egg yolks.
4)
Add egg mixture to milk mixture in pan. STIR CONSTANTLY
until mixture comes to a GENTLE boil.
5)
Turn off heat. Cook & STIR 2 minutes. Remove from
heat.
6)
Stir in butter & vanilla.
7)
You just made completely from scratch, no processed
ingredients, sugar free & healthier vanilla pudding.
8)
Delicious warm or cold.
9)
For this recipe, you will want the pudding chilled.
In a trifle bowl, spread a layer of fruit on bottom. Spread
a layer of pudding over fruit, then another layer of fruit over pudding and so
on.
OPTIONS: You can tear angel food cake into chunks & layer it under the fruit. You could also top with slivered almonds or shaved chocolate or toasted coconut or whipped cream.
IF IT DIDN'T GROW, CRAWL, SWIM OR WALK, EAT IN VERY LIMITED AMOUNTS.
EATING TO LIVE, NOT LIVING TO EAT.
Blessings to all,
Lori
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Reuben sandwiches - health benefits of sauerkraut
I have always loved sandwiches. Good bread has always been my drug of choice. For some it is chocolate, ice cream or anything sugary. Not, me, I LOVE bread. Sadly, I have discovered that breads made with white flour & high fructose corn syrup were the main causes of inflammation in my body. I started noticing that every time I eat white flour or HFCS my hands, feet, legs, etc. began to swell within an hour. Eliminating those ingredients from my diet has greatly reduced the inflammation and pain in my body.
I still love bread. But, I have learned to be very careful about which breads I eat. It is getting easier as more companies are realizing that consumers want better quality ingredients in their food, so they are making healthier breads. On a recent trip to my local grocery store, I found a Jewish Rye bread that was calling out to me. It is made by Oroweat with unbleached wheat flour, malted barley flour & rye flour and NO HFCS. I thought this bread would be wonderful to make one of my all time favorite sandwiches, THE REUBEN. There are many variations of the reuben. Some people use roast beef, some pastrami, some corned beef. Some use rye bread, some pumpernickel. Some use thousand island or russian dressing. Some use swiss cheese or other white cheeses. But in order to be a reuben the sandwich must be grilled and have sauerkraut. YUM!
I always use either pastrami or corned beef. In my opinion, roast beef is not a reuben and roast beef does not go with sauerkraut. But, to each his own. Also, my family is partial to Provolone cheese and we do not like thousand island or russian dressing. I love pumpernickel bread with mine sometimes, but Kevin doesn't care for pumpernickel bread. We do like a good spicy brown mustard with our reubens. So, here is my version of one of my favorite sandwiches.
REUBEN SANDWICH
Oroweat Jewish Rye Bread
2-3 slices of pastrami
sauerkraut (drained)
provolone cheese
butter
spicy brown mustard
1) Pour saurkraut in colander to drain off excess liquid.
2) Place skillet or griddle on medium-medium high heat.
3) While griddle is getting hot, butter both sides of bread.
4) Place bread on hot griddle. When first side is toasted, flip over & place pastrami, provolone & sauerkraut on toasted side of bread.
5) Place toasted side of other piece of bread on top.
6) After a few minutes, carefully flip sandwich over to toast the other side.
7) When cheese is melted & bread is toasted, remove from griddle, add spicy brown mustard & ENJOY.
Of course, if you have a panini or sandwich maker, you can skip the flipping over step.
I served with grilled asparagus on the side.
FYI - The only BAD ingredient here is the pastrami. Pastrami is a cured meat. Some people believe that cured meats cause cancer. I do limit my intake of cured meats, but for my body, that doesn't seem to affect me as much as the white flour, sugar & HFCS. So, again, it is all about choices and knowing what works for you.
Sauerkraut is SUPER healthy! It is anti inflammatory, anti fungal, high in Vitamins A & C, probiotic & cleans your "gut". I try to eat sauerkraut at least twice a week. And again, I only use real butter. The spicy brown mustard I use has turmeric in it, which is also anti inflammatory as well as being good for your liver & heart.
Here's a link to just one article on the healthy benefits of sauerkraut.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/374784-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-sauerkraut/
I still love bread. But, I have learned to be very careful about which breads I eat. It is getting easier as more companies are realizing that consumers want better quality ingredients in their food, so they are making healthier breads. On a recent trip to my local grocery store, I found a Jewish Rye bread that was calling out to me. It is made by Oroweat with unbleached wheat flour, malted barley flour & rye flour and NO HFCS. I thought this bread would be wonderful to make one of my all time favorite sandwiches, THE REUBEN. There are many variations of the reuben. Some people use roast beef, some pastrami, some corned beef. Some use rye bread, some pumpernickel. Some use thousand island or russian dressing. Some use swiss cheese or other white cheeses. But in order to be a reuben the sandwich must be grilled and have sauerkraut. YUM!
I always use either pastrami or corned beef. In my opinion, roast beef is not a reuben and roast beef does not go with sauerkraut. But, to each his own. Also, my family is partial to Provolone cheese and we do not like thousand island or russian dressing. I love pumpernickel bread with mine sometimes, but Kevin doesn't care for pumpernickel bread. We do like a good spicy brown mustard with our reubens. So, here is my version of one of my favorite sandwiches.
REUBEN SANDWICHOroweat Jewish Rye Bread
2-3 slices of pastrami
sauerkraut (drained)
provolone cheese
butter
spicy brown mustard
1) Pour saurkraut in colander to drain off excess liquid.
2) Place skillet or griddle on medium-medium high heat.
3) While griddle is getting hot, butter both sides of bread.
4) Place bread on hot griddle. When first side is toasted, flip over & place pastrami, provolone & sauerkraut on toasted side of bread.
5) Place toasted side of other piece of bread on top.
6) After a few minutes, carefully flip sandwich over to toast the other side.
7) When cheese is melted & bread is toasted, remove from griddle, add spicy brown mustard & ENJOY.
Of course, if you have a panini or sandwich maker, you can skip the flipping over step.
I served with grilled asparagus on the side.
FYI - The only BAD ingredient here is the pastrami. Pastrami is a cured meat. Some people believe that cured meats cause cancer. I do limit my intake of cured meats, but for my body, that doesn't seem to affect me as much as the white flour, sugar & HFCS. So, again, it is all about choices and knowing what works for you.
Sauerkraut is SUPER healthy! It is anti inflammatory, anti fungal, high in Vitamins A & C, probiotic & cleans your "gut". I try to eat sauerkraut at least twice a week. And again, I only use real butter. The spicy brown mustard I use has turmeric in it, which is also anti inflammatory as well as being good for your liver & heart.
Here's a link to just one article on the healthy benefits of sauerkraut.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/374784-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-sauerkraut/
Friday, March 16, 2012
Healthier Gumbo with Flaxseed & Coconut oil
Here is a healthier version of my Gumbo. Using turkey sausage cuts down on the fat. Using brown rice instead of white adds fiber & also has lower glycemic index. Flaxseed adds fiber and is super heart healthy. Flaxseed has lots of Omega 3's which are anti-inflammatory. And I keep reading & hearing great things about coconut oil. Dr. Oz & lots of others believe that adding 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to your diet everyday reduces belly fat. I've just recently started using the coconut oil, so hope to post more recipes with it later.
HEALTHIER GUMBO
1 pkg. Turkey smoked
sausage (cut in 1/4 in. pieces)
chopped onion 2-3 tbsp Coconut oil
1 pkg. frozen okra
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 can RoTel tomatoes
chopped jalapeno or a couple dashes of hot sauce
2 cups brown rice
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
chicken broth (about 4 small
cans)
shredded cooked boneless
skinless chicken breasts (2-4 pieces depending on how much chicken you
want) OR use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store
Cayenne Pepper or Cajun
Seasoning (a few dashes)
Minced garlic (to your
taste)
2 handfuls of large thawed
frozen shrimp (if desired)
Place sausage & onion in
soup pot with a coconut oil and stir fry a few minutes until sausage is browned
& onions are tender. Add chicken broth, rice & flaxseed & bring to a boil for
about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, okra, chicken
and Cayenne Pepper and garlic to taste. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add more chicken broth if needed, depending on how soupy you want it.
Add a
couple of handfuls of large shrimp to the pot the last 5 minutes. I use thawed frozen shrimp. FYI – if you cook
the shrimp too long, it will be rubbery. The frozen shrimp is already cooked,
so you just need to incorporate it into your soup.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
EASY CHEESY BROWN RICE WITH FLAXSEED
The Belly Busting Soup did it's job. I lost 3 pounds in 4 days and my entire body was noticeably less puffy. I think the soup is a great cleanser for one thing and would be good if you wanted to drop a few pounds quickly & healthfully before an event or big weekend.
I came up with this rice dish last week and thought it was pretty good. I served it with baked pork chops. The guys ate it all & never said a word. Trying to sneak that Flaxseed in as much I can and the brown rice covered it up perfectly. They had no idea they were eating heart healthy Omega 3's, plus the fiber from the brown rice.
A LITTLE NOTE ABOUT FLAXSEED - Flaxseed is loaded with Omega 3's which makes it a superfood for your heart. Omega 3's are anti inflammatory, lowers bad cholesterol, raises good cholesterol and helps your blood to flow better. Flaxseed doesn't really have a taste. It blends in well with other foods. I sprinkle it in oatmeal, on shredded wheat cereal, scrambled eggs, smoothies, etc. I have been trying to sneak it into at least one food everyday. If my picky 16 year old son will eat this rice and not spit it out, you should be able to sneak it in on anybody. LOL
FAST & EASY CHEESY BROWN RICE
2 cups brown rice
1 3/4 cup water or chicken broth
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp butter
1 or 2 chopped jalapenos (optional, but nice kick, plus antioxidants)
1 tsp Basil
2 tsp Garlic Salt
1 tsp pepper (our favorite is McCormick Hot Shot)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 wedges Laughing Cow Garlic Herb cheese
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
3 tsp Flaxseed
Pour rice & water (or broth) in glass bowl with lid. Microwave covered 12 minutes.
While rice is cooking, melt butter in small skillet. Add onion & jalapeno. Saute until tender.
When rice is cooked, add onion & butter to rice. Add remaining ingredients and mix together well.
Microwave covered 5-7 minutes. Mix well again to incorporate melted cheese throughout dish and serve.
This is great as a healthy side dish or you can add shrimp, chicken, pork, etc. and make it a one pot meal. Also great for a meatless meal on it's own.
I hope you enjoy. And Happy Valentine's Day! Jesus is the ultimate Valentine. He paid the ultimate price for us just because He loves us.
Lori
I came up with this rice dish last week and thought it was pretty good. I served it with baked pork chops. The guys ate it all & never said a word. Trying to sneak that Flaxseed in as much I can and the brown rice covered it up perfectly. They had no idea they were eating heart healthy Omega 3's, plus the fiber from the brown rice.
A LITTLE NOTE ABOUT FLAXSEED - Flaxseed is loaded with Omega 3's which makes it a superfood for your heart. Omega 3's are anti inflammatory, lowers bad cholesterol, raises good cholesterol and helps your blood to flow better. Flaxseed doesn't really have a taste. It blends in well with other foods. I sprinkle it in oatmeal, on shredded wheat cereal, scrambled eggs, smoothies, etc. I have been trying to sneak it into at least one food everyday. If my picky 16 year old son will eat this rice and not spit it out, you should be able to sneak it in on anybody. LOL
FAST & EASY CHEESY BROWN RICE
2 cups brown rice
1 3/4 cup water or chicken broth
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp butter
1 or 2 chopped jalapenos (optional, but nice kick, plus antioxidants)
1 tsp Basil
2 tsp Garlic Salt
1 tsp pepper (our favorite is McCormick Hot Shot)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 wedges Laughing Cow Garlic Herb cheese
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
3 tsp Flaxseed
Pour rice & water (or broth) in glass bowl with lid. Microwave covered 12 minutes.
While rice is cooking, melt butter in small skillet. Add onion & jalapeno. Saute until tender.
When rice is cooked, add onion & butter to rice. Add remaining ingredients and mix together well.
Microwave covered 5-7 minutes. Mix well again to incorporate melted cheese throughout dish and serve.
This is great as a healthy side dish or you can add shrimp, chicken, pork, etc. and make it a one pot meal. Also great for a meatless meal on it's own.
I hope you enjoy. And Happy Valentine's Day! Jesus is the ultimate Valentine. He paid the ultimate price for us just because He loves us.
Lori
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
CRAZY BLOOD SUGAR & YUMMY PIZZA
NOTE: I wrote this on 2/1/2012, but apparently forgot to "publish" it.
The wedding is getting close! I am at a standstill with my weightloss and wanted to lose more before the wedding, so the last 2 weeks I have ate NO bread, rice, pasta, etc, even whole grain. I have just been eating meat, veggies, fruit & eggs. I dropped 3.5 pounds, but was feeling pretty shaky & light headed. I took my blood sugar and it was 54. I drank a big glass of 100% Blueberry Pomegranate juice & ate a piece of whole grain toast with All Fruit Jelly, then checked it again & it was 116. So this week, I have been eating whole grain toast for breakfast with my eggs and about every other day I eat tuna on pita bread or whole grain bread. It seems like the only way I can drop pounds is to cut out ALL carbs, but then my blood sugar bottoms out & I know that our bodies need some carbs. It looks like I am not going to be the size I wanted to be for the wedding, but at least I can walk without limping and hopefully won't be passing out.
The wedding is getting close! I am at a standstill with my weightloss and wanted to lose more before the wedding, so the last 2 weeks I have ate NO bread, rice, pasta, etc, even whole grain. I have just been eating meat, veggies, fruit & eggs. I dropped 3.5 pounds, but was feeling pretty shaky & light headed. I took my blood sugar and it was 54. I drank a big glass of 100% Blueberry Pomegranate juice & ate a piece of whole grain toast with All Fruit Jelly, then checked it again & it was 116. So this week, I have been eating whole grain toast for breakfast with my eggs and about every other day I eat tuna on pita bread or whole grain bread. It seems like the only way I can drop pounds is to cut out ALL carbs, but then my blood sugar bottoms out & I know that our bodies need some carbs. It looks like I am not going to be the size I wanted to be for the wedding, but at least I can walk without limping and hopefully won't be passing out.
So, the day my blood sugar bottomed out was last Saturday. We had a wedding that evening & had to get dialysis done early. I can't get very far from Kevin while he is hooked up to the machine. So, I took a shower while he was getting the machine ready because there would not be time for me to shower & get ready after dialysis. I had not had time to go to the grocery store, so the pickings were slim for lunch. I made cheese pizza out of pita bread. It was absolutely YUMMY!
PITA PIZZA
Organic whole grain pita bread
olive oil
marinara sauce
garlic powder
Italian seasonings
Basil
Provolone cheese
Shredded Italian cheese
Place the pita bread on a cookie sheet. Drizzle pita with olive oil. Spread marinara sauce on pita. Sprinkle garlic powder, Italian seasonings, basil, etc. whatever your favorite herbs are. I tend to go heavy on the garlic & basil. I placed Provolone (oh how I love Provolone) circle slices in the middle of the pita. Sprinkle with shredded Italian cheese. Bake in oven at 450 degrees about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted & gooey.
You can add any veggies you like or meats, etc.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Turnips - God's food vs. Man-made "food"
A co-worker plants turnips on his land for the deer. Deer season is over, so he brought me turnips that the deer didn't eat. I got so excited pulling them out of the sack. They were fresh out of the ground and dirty.
They smelled fresh & dirty. I used to would not touch food that had dirt on it, but now I cherish it. It reminds me that it is food that God made. The food that God put on the earth to nourish our bodies. It took me over 45 years to realize that the more of God's food that we eat, the healthier we are and the better we feel. It makes sense, because God created our bodies and He created the food that we need to keep our bodies healthy. Man-made "food" destroys our bodies. It really is as simple as that. So these days if I don't get all the dirt washed off my veggies and fruits, I don't panic. (Unless purchased in grocery store, then I make sure I wash extra extra good because they are probably full of pesticides.) I am so blessed to have friends that have beautiful gardens & share with me. I also try to buy organic when I can at the store.
I sliced up those gorgeous turnips, drizzled olive oil all over them & sprinled with salt & pepper & roasted in the oven at 450 for 30 minutes. So satisfying & delicious.
You just don't get that kind of satisfaction from a fast food place or a box. Wishing you all a happy, healthy & prosperous 2012.
Lori
I sliced up those gorgeous turnips, drizzled olive oil all over them & sprinled with salt & pepper & roasted in the oven at 450 for 30 minutes. So satisfying & delicious.
Lori
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