How to prevent stress, colds, headaches and allergies, reverse diabetes, weight gain, cancer, heart disease, and live a better life.

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his or her patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” – Thomas Edison

‘8 out of the 10 most frequently diagnosed diseases today are lifestyle and diet related. Most of us weren’t born with conditions like obesity, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, but develop them through poor dietary and lifestyle choices.’ - Dr. Asa Andrew

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The human body regenerates itself about 1 percent every day, which means that the sum total of the food you ate over the last few years determines the body you have today. Of course there are genetic factors that can predispose a person to disease and obesity, but for the most part we eat and lifestyle our way into illness and we can eat and lifestyle our way into health.

You may say, “Well if I have to die of something, it might as well be tasty!” But health isn’t about just living longer! Sure, you will live much longer, but you’ll also live better. You’ll live a fuller life, and it’ll still be tasty. Nobody is going to make you get well, but if you are choosing to take responsibility for your health, and you want to get rid of illness, lose a ton of weight, and build lean muscle, then read on!

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Here are the rules to live and eat by:

Rule 1. Remove refined grains, ‘whole grains’, and refined sugars from your diet. Refined grains contribute to nearly every chronic disease in modern civilization.

It is universally agreed in the nutrition community that refined, processed carbohydrates are the worst things to eat on the entire planet. Let’s try eating real food instead. Refined grains are things like white or wheat bread, rice, cereal, pasta, and fried food with breading. If weight loss is not a concern, small quantities of intact grains are great. Whole intact grains are things you can picture in nature, like oats, barley, brown rice, quinoa (sort of), and faro. Sprouted grain breads like Ezekiel 4:9 can be OK in moderation.

Rule 2. Eat super-healthy foods. A healthy diet will consist of equal portions of each macronutrient (we’re talking calories, not volume). That means 1/3 low-glycemic carbs, 1/3 healthy fats, and 1/3 healthy protein. The modern diet tends to consist of low fat or trans fat foods, poor processed proteins, and poor processed carbs. The most successful eaters keep it simple. Mix and match from these three groups:

Proteins:

Organic Grass-fed beef. Lamb, buffalo, etc. are great too.

Chicken or turkey. Boneless thighs are a great inexpensive option.

Wild Caught cold-water Fish. (salmon, tuna, tilapia, mahi-mahi, etc.)

Organic Free Range Eggs – God created the egg whole for a reason! Egg yolks from quality sources are amazing at lowering cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.

Pure Whey Protein (Make sure there’s no added junk, like sucralose or fructose. There’s some great Stevia sweetened options, or just get pure whey isolate).

Nuts, Seeds, and legumes

Try to eat only organic animal products. Dairy is not necessary and better sources of calcium are leafy greens, legumes, and fish. If you must have cheese, go with a grass-fed, raw milk, or goat cheese.

Carbohydrates:

Most vegetables. Broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, garlic, spinach, kale, onion, mushrooms, leafy greens, sprouts, etc.

Sweet potatoes

Berries

Some other fruits (apples, grapefruit, lemon/lime) Many fruits, like bananas, are extremely high in sugar, so be careful to select good low-glycemic fruits.

Whole intact grains – (in small quantities)

This includes oats, barley, brown rice, quinoa (sort of), and faro. White rice is not a whole grain. If you’re looking to lose weight, you’re best off removing grains completely. Whole wheat doesn’t count. Removing refined grains and sugars is the best thing you can do for your health besides quitting smoking.

Raw vegetable juice.

Beans Lentils, black beans, and chickpeas are my favorite. Make sure to rinse and drain your beans.

*A note about fat* Fat does not make you fat! The low-fat craze in America corresponds with dramatic spikes in obesity and disease. Saturated fats from healthy sources reduce risk of heart disease, strengthen bones, and improve brain and immune system function. We eat tons of saturated fat and cholesterol, yet Laura’s cholesterol is 23 LDL 76 HDL. It’s processed carbohydrates that primarily raise bad cholesterol.

Fats:

Organic eggs and meats

Coconut oil (for cooking)

Organic pastured butter. (for cooking)

Coconut milk

Fish

Avocados

Healthy oils – Extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, fish oils. Don’t cook with any oils besides coconut oil and organic butter, especially not canola oil or olive oil, which become hydrogenated when cooked and produce trans fats.

Nuts and Seeds – Almond butter is my favorite! Make sure the ingredients are just nuts. Nothing else. Peanuts are not a nut and have a reputation for being acidic, and pesticide and mold laden.

Other good foods: fresh guacamole, fresh salsa (no sugar added), apple cider or balsamic vinegar, sea salt, garlic, and other spices/herbs.

Rule 3. Don’t Drink Calories. If its not water, black coffee, or tea, then its not a drink, its food. Drink two glasses of filtered water right after you wake up, even before you eat anything. The exception is 1 glass of dry red wine for ladies and 1-2 for gentlemen to prevent heart disease, cancer, and aid sports recovery.

We’re undecided on coffee. I’m in love with the stuff but studies say 90% of Americans have adrenal fatigue from stress and stimulants so I’m considering giving it up. If you do stick with coffee, absolutely don’t add creamer, agave nectar, or other sweeteners. Stevia, xylitol, protein powder, cinnamon, and coconut milk are great additions.

Rule 4. Eat whatever you want 2 meals a week. Never cheat out of convenience or lack of planning. An indulgence should always be a special occasion! Aim for just 2 cheat meals a week, which would account for 10% of your total meals if you ate 3 meals a day. You’re body is resilient enough to recover from this amount of junk. It can actually help you lose weight by managing your metabolism, and most importantly keep you sane.

Recipe Examples:

So how do you actually eat healthy, instead of just knowing that you should eat healthy? Create a meal plan, constructed with super healthy foods that you enjoy eating. If you don’t love the foods you’re eating, you’ll fall off the wagon real fast. The key is to stock the kitchen with only healthy options, so that when it comes time to eat the choice is already made for you and you don’t have to muster up the discipline.

Sample meal plans:

 Breakfast

 

Eggs with spinach and black beans. (This is our most common breakfast because it’s fast, delicious, healthy, and cheap)

http://summertomato.com/how-to-make-eggs-taste-as-good-as-bacon/

Omelets/frittatas with veggies

Breakfast stir-fry with sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, eggs, etc

Protein shake

Steel cut oats (or rolled oats) with all the fixins (nuts, cinnamon, extra dark chocolate, protein powder)

 Lunch:

 

Huge cancer fighting salad

http://chrisbeatcancer.com/the-giant-cancer-fighting-salad/

Coconut Thai curry stir-fry with vegetables, fresh basil, chicken, and canned coconut milk.

Snacks:

Apple and almond butter

Homemade protein shake w/ whey protein, almond butter, coconut milk, frozen or fresh fruit, etc

Fruit and Nuts

Dinner:

 

Grass fed beef or Turkey Chili

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=11967

Almond flour crusted chicken

Oven baked vegetables and sweet potato

Dessert:

 

Sugar and flour free Cookie Dough

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/09/27/new-recipe-sugar-free-cookie-dough-dip/

Almond Flour Cookies

Berries and dark chocolate (at least 70 percent)

Bonus tips for the uber health-nuts:

1. Eat at least 3-5 meals a day and make sure to have a protein rich breakfast within 30 minutes of waking. Stay hydrated throughout the day, drinking ½ your weight in ounces, with two glasses of water immediately upon waking. That would be at least 75oz for a 150lb person. This alone can help you lose tons of fat.
2. Try a partial fast once a week. Drink only water for 18 hours, replace 2 meals with vegetable juice, etc. This will give your body a chance to detoxify and prevent protein uptake down-regulation. Kind of a reverse cheat day.
3. How to eat out: Its tough to eat healthy at restaurants! Even if you pick healthy food items, restaurants often don’t get their food from good sources. Our favorite place to eat out is Whole Foods, since you can get a fast, healthy, and delicious meal for about $6.00. Chipotle is surprisingly healthy at $6.25 if you skip the tortilla and rice. I order a salad with black bean, peppers and onions, chicken, guacamole, and salsa. Yum! Restaurants will often let you substitute rice or bread for vegetables. It may cost a dollar extra but consider it your six-pack tax!
4. It's not just food that can contribute to your daily toxin intake. Toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, shampoo, soap, conditioner, face-wash, shaving cream, chlorinated water, etc. are all full of harmful chemicals that suppress your immune system and cause weight gain. Switch to organic versions without heavy metals like aluminum, and lauryl sulfate, chlorine, butane, propane, etc.

If all this seems way too complicated, just do this: Drink tons of water, eat vegetables, organic grass-fed or pastured meats, nuts and beans, and some low-sugar fruits and intact grains in moderation.

Top things to avoid:

1. High fructose corn syrup and processed sugars
2. Processed wheat and white flour 
3. Trans fats – Almost any oil besides organic butter and coconut oil cooked at high temperatures (fried) produces trans fats. Even if the label says “0g trans fat”
4. Soy products
5. Soft drinks
6. Unfiltered tap water
7. Non-organic dairy and meat products. Eat only grass-fed beef and cage-free chicken and eggs.
8. Scavengers, including pork and shellfish.
9. Artificial sweeteners 

Happy eating!

Post Workout Nutrition

I've had a question about post workout nutrition and between my husband and a really good source, as well as a bit of life experience I feel reasonably confident about answering this question:  What should I eat post workout?

I tend to be pretty laid back about these kinds of things, but if you are serious about building muscle, or losing fat, this is a pretty critical step to remember in your health journey.  This is often times considered the most important meal of your day.  Why is it so important?  Well, after an intense workout, your body enters into a catabolic state where it is experiencing glycogen depletion.  Essentially, your muscle tissue begins to break down.  To reverse this into an anabolic state where your body can then build muscle, you need a fast digesting meal as soon as you can after a workout (usually a smoothie or shake digests the most quickly).

The meal should contain a 2:1, or a 4:1 carbs:protein proportion.  While fat is a good thing to have in your meals throughout the day, this particular meal should contain as little fat as possible as this slows down absorption, achieving the opposite of what you want.  Now, pause:  There are so many advertisements for supplements and concoctions to build muscle and a million different proteins.  Forget that.  Natural ingredients are going to be your best bet, especially if your goal is for optimal health.  Many of those gimmicks are low quality and a rip off.

The best source of naturally quick digesting carbs are frozen fruits such as bananas, berries, pineapple, etc.  This will help your body repair muscle tissue and reach an anabolic state where you can build muscle and increase metabolism, burning fat.

The best source of natural protein will be a high quality natural (no artificial sweeteners whatsoever) whey protein and/or low fat/fat-free plain yogurt.  There are a lot of low quality proteins out there and the good stuff is pretty costly, but if it is worth it to you, this is an outstanding option:  http://nextfitnessevolution.com/essential-whey-protein.  Just do some research and be smart about it!  Ask if you have questions.

I typically use water or almond milk as my liquid base.  You can add any combination of ingredients including fruit (banana, strawberries, blueberries), cinnamon, pumpkin (seasonal yummy), vanilla, yogurt, etc.  There are recipes all over the place on the internet!

This workout shake will tend to be quick digesting and higher glycemic index so keep in mind that your other meals throughout the day should return to normal with slower digesting foods and low glycemic index.  Also, I want to note that a lot of people use post workout meals to gorge on pasta, bread, sugar, etc.  I don't tend to think that is a wise choice nutritionally nor should a workout be an excuse to indulge or overeat.  Don't be foolish.  You should have a post work out shake if and only if you engage in a high intensity workout session with a large portion of your body involved in muscle and resistance building activity.  A run on the treadmill doesn't really warrant a post workout shake.

That is it for now and feel free to comment with extra tips and recipes for good shake ideas!

Lazy Saturday Link Love

Matt and I have to force ourselves to take a sabbath once a week.  This is really trying, as I could work and work and work (who's with me?!).  I also find my work to be fun (gasp!), so I could just keep goin' and goin'.  Today has been a day of rejuvenation and doing whatever I want, or even nothing at all...just because I can.  I tend to think that we overwork ourselves here in America and I am certainly no exception.  I need some margin in my life and today has been a breath of fresh air.  I went stumbling today, and multiple times this past week and dug up some sites that have been especially influencial to me...


Fall is about to tumble over into winter, and the food reflecting these changes is simply delightful.

This site features not only beautiful photography, but also some divine recipe ideas that are relevant to the season *my new favorite*

I plan on making these as a healthy dessert when the cravings hit next!

Surprising my hubby for breakfast one morning: Spinach Cake

Totally agree with this.

Good tips for the holidays:  How to Eat Less Without Noticing

Successfully made recipe!

Great motivation!

Great gift ideas for your foodie friends.

Always wanted something like this...

Learned so much this week.  Enjoy your weekend and take a much needed rest by enjoying some of your favorite reads, foods, people, and places.  :)

Renewed Vigor in Purpose and Passion

I have been away at a training course in Orlando, FL as my husband and I prepare to transport our whole lives to Cameroon, Africa.  It will be about two years before we get there, which is giving us a LOT of time to learn to trust in God and his provision.  However, we are OFFICIALLY missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators supporting bible translations for minority languages through the arts, theatre, and music.  If you don't already know what we are up to in this side of things visit www.gentlerevolutions.org to keep updated with us on that side of things!  Here are just a few pictures of the beautiful Wycliffe:

Isn't this gorgeous?  Phillip Shipley, a fellow missionary, took these amazing photos.  If I had any fears about not having family oversees, this trip reassured me that God always provides abundantly for our needs-and that includes providing family overseas.  I can honestly say that the 43 missionaries, young and old, that I met are now some of my great friends and new family.  I have never felt happier, more at peace, and full of purpose for the kingdom of God than I do now.

Another part of life that makes me really excited is cooking and walking with my husband.  The most joyous moments in life happen when we are creating fun, healthy meals together in the kitchen.  We have gotten in this habit of trying to get at least 10,000 steps a day.  Much of our work with Wycliffe right now involves sitting in a chair in front of the computer, so this is actually pretty hard to achieve sometimes.  But we were doing really great and I figured with the holidays just around the corner, bumping the step requirement up to 12,000 would be a fun and much needed challenge-with all the festivities upon us!  This has forced us to take long walks in the morning and evenings in addition to our work outs and it is beneficial for so many reasons.  It allows us to unwind together, to meditate in the midst of nature, to have intimate discussion and talk over what is running through our minds day in and day out.  As a result, we are communicating really well and have down time together that keeps us sane when our work load seems overwhelming.  How do we keep track of steps?  This little baby: my beloved fitbit.

So I have a challenge for you:  get in BETTER shape this month and in December.  Instead of trying to stay the same throughout all the holiday cheer, make it a point to progress!  Don't forget to have a treat every once and a while, but find new joy in healthfulness, in both diet and exercise!  Here's to the beginning of a great holiday season!

Harvest Cake with Vanilla Cream

I. love. food. blogs.

I receive so much satisfaction from my daily blog browsing.  How do I find these awesome blogs?  Stumbleupon.com is AWESOME.  It knows me better than I know myself. :)  Anyway, I came across this amazing harvest cake, and much to my surprise, it is grain-free, dairy-free, and extremely low in sugar.  The only sugar in the cake is about 1/4 cup of honey and some natural sugars from apples and such.  You even get some veggies in and the end product is a dense, but moist cake perfect for the fall and winter seasons. 

I try only to have dessert once a week, but I could hardly call this an indulgence-though it tastes as good as any dessert I've ever had.  Not too sweet, and very filling, this beautiful cake convinced me that nice ingredients are worth the investment for an amazing cake.  Make this with a cup of coffee and it will give you a lovely post dinner treat (though there is no need for guilt with this cake).

Photo from roostblog.com

Harvest Cake (Makes 1-9inch cake, to make a layered cake like pictured above double the recipe)

• 3 cups almond flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup ghee (or oil of your choice) if you use ghee make sure it is melted
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped apple

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9inch cake pan (you can use a regular cake pan if you prefer, not the fluted one pictured above). In a bowl combine dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl combine wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to incorporate. Pour into prepared cake pan and cook in oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Vanilla Cream (makes almost 2 cups)

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for three hours, water discarded
• 1/2 cup fresh apple juice
• 2 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 TBS honey
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pod discarded

In a high speed blender combine ingredients until very smooth. Spread on cake or muffins.
Cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days or in the fridge for 1 week.

Thank you roostblog.com for your beautiful recipes and this lovely cake!

Enjoy!

Coffee Talks: Discussing Diets

Join my husband and me on Tuesday at 2pm Eastern Time.  We will be discussing diets, what to eat, what to avoid, among many other things.  Though these topics are not always black and white, life experience and lots of reading in this area of understanding have led us to develop our own conclusions about food, fitness, and life wellness.  We would love to answer your burning health, diet, and exercise questions, though I don't guarantee that we will know everything.  Regardless, we will certainly help you find answers.  Join us on Tuesday!

Coffee Talks Video Series

Hello everyone!  I am starting a video series called "coffee talks" that I will post a link to on this blog.  I plan to do at least one a week, more or less.  These will be short videos on a topic of health of my choosing.  I would also love to take requests.  Essentially, these are live events and you can join in and ask your own question live via video or through the chat.  So feel free to join me live whenever you see that I am having a live event.  I will post via facebook, twitter, and on this blog ahead of time so that everyone knows!  The first episode was on socializing and eating healthy... Feel free to comment, request topic ideas, etc.  Enjoy!

Here is the first "coffee talk" episode:

Weekly Chore Schedule

I have recently become enamored with the idea of being a homemaker.  I love reading blogs and deeply admire and respect women who maintain their homes well, live "green", and promote community and good family values.  As newlyweds, Matt and I realize more and more how different life is from college.  Hard work really does pay off, and that means IN the home, too! 

Based on blogs and advice I have received, I now have a weekly chore schedule so that the work doesn't pile up.  I know that my husband feels more loved and respected when he can come home to a clean house.  Bible scriptures teach women to be hardworking and to maintain their homes and family and I am excited about getting better about this.  God is teaching me so much about becoming a Godly wife and while a clean house and daily chores don't make me more or less acceptable, I feel better knowing that I am honoring God and my husband by working hard in and out of the home.  In addition, I have begun to gather that being a follower of Jesus means taking care of the planet, conserving, and being aware of the needs in the world.  There are people all over the world without food and clean drinking water, much less appliances that make our everyday life so privelaged.  I thank God for the many blessings he has given me and will continue to blog about living frugally, green, and in a way that glorifies the God of the universe.



Printable Chore Schedule



The following chore schedule can be adjusted depending on if you have children (who can help out), your schedule, etc. Every day usually has a major chore and a minor chore to accompany:

Monday-  Laundry day!  I try to conserve and batch my time by only doing laundry one day a week.  Many will need to do it throughout the week, but with us we only need to do it once.  This includes sheets and pillow cases.  Every fourth Monday I include the comforters, quilts, etc.  Any clothing repair or folding that needs to be done gets done on this day.

I also do a quick kitchen wipedown for fingerprints and crumbs, as well as inspecting the fridge for things that need to be thrown out!

Tuesday- This is the day to mop the floors and vaccuum in the whole place.  Again, we have small living quarters and no pets so we don't need to do this very much.  High traffic areas need vacuuming more often during the week!

Also, do a 15 minute pick up of clutter and wipedown of the house!

Wednesday- This is errand day!  This would include grocery shopping and any small things that need to be done out of the home.

The  minor chore is to clean out the care and the entryways of the house.

Thursday- Deep clean of the bathroom.  Wiping down the bathrooms daily will reduce the work that needs to be done on deep clean day.

Friday- Deep clean kitchen day.  Again, it will be easier if you do a daily wipedown on the counters and sink, etc.

The minor chore is dusting the house.

Saturday- project day; any home maintenance projects or things that need to be done; Usually this is family and friends day, however!

Sunday- Plan for the week ahead.  This may include meal planning, pre-cooking meals for busy days ahead, scheduling, etc.  I also like to grocery shop on Sundays instead of on errand day, but that can vary from person to person.

Every day- kitchen and bathroom wipedown and sweeping, set the timer for 10 minutes and pick up clutter or misplaced items. 

The California

My honey is the most wonderful man in the planet.  We have both been sick for the past several days and being the sweetie that he is, he prepared one of my favorite meals the other morning.  In Nashville, there is a coffee shop called Frothy monkey that we used to eat something called "The California" every time we went.  It was really simple and easily made at home, but we have been missing that coffee shop so badly.  When my husband prepared a dish resembling The California the other morning, I smiled remembering all the wonderful memories that Frothy Monkey used to bring me.  Soon we will take a visit to Nashville again and I will get to revisit that wonderful place, but until then...we will suffice with our own homemade renditions...

The California

Ingredients:

2 slices Ezekiel bread
1 (or two if you want more) egg
bean sprouts (about 1/4 cup)

your fav. salsa
cheese
avocado

Instructions:

Toast your bread and fry up an egg to your desired personal taste.  When the egg is pretty close to done, put a slice of cheese on top.  Put one piece of toast on the plate and place the avocado on the toast.  Put the egg/cheese on top of the avocado (stacking), and lastly add sprouts on top.  The extra piece of toast is just for yummy fun!  Add a dab of your favorite salsa on the plate for dipping and keep a few slices of avocado on the side.  Enjoy!

Poached Egg Salad

This dish would make an awesome and healthy breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Poached eggs are super easy to make, quick, and complement salads extremely well!  Now before I get into the recipe, let give you some of my favorite reasons to eat eggs...There was a fad a few years back that told us to stay away from eggs, but recent research indicates that they are quite healthy for you:

1.  Due to the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs, they help prevent cataracts and keep our eyes healthy.
2.  One egg contains 6 grams of protein and all 9 amino acids.
3.  There is no significant evidence that egg consumption leads to heart disease.  In fact, they may even prevent blood clots and heart attacks.
4.  They contain healthy fats.
5.  Eggs contain healthy source of choline, which helps regulate the brain and nervous systems.
6.  Contrary to previous believe, eggs do not have a negative impact on cholesterol levels.  In fact, many researches now believe that eggs may improve a person's lipid profile.
7.  They contain naturally occurring vitamin D.
8.  Eggs strengthen hair and nails because of the sulfur content.

So there ya go!  There are many more reasons to eat eggs, but I want to emphasize the importance of paying a little extra for the cage free eggs, and make them local if you can manage.  They taste infinitely better and ensure optimum healthy benefits.

Poached Egg Salad


Ingredients:

Small Bunch of Broccoli
Asparagus
Shallot
Almonds
Apple Cider Vinegar
EVOO
1 Egg

* I didn't give amounts because I just estimated for one person and added the amount I wanted on a small plate

Chop up a small shallot and put it into a heated pan with a small spoonful of coconut oil.  Cut the broccoli and asparagus into small pieces.  I cut the asparagus into coin sized pieces.  After the shallot has softened, throw in the vegetables and cook for about a minute to warm through.  Throw in some almonds and put onto a plate.  Toss with a small amount of olive oil (use sparingly) and a cap full (or two) of apple cider vinegar.  Toss together.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to simmer and crack an egg into a cup without breaking the yolk.  Getting the cup as close to the water as possible gently drop the egg into the simmering water.  It will only take a few minutes and the longer it stays in the more done the egg becomes, but once white surrounds the yolk and you can barely see through to the yellow, the egg is done.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on top of your salad. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and some lemon zest.

*You can use just about any vegetables and different combinations, or different dressings.

New thoughts

God has been doing quite a work in my life lately.  I can hardly articulate what it means right now, but I thought that getting it out here might connect with someone out there and maybe someone would have some thoughts.

The best way I know how to describe what has been happening is to say that God has been pruning me;  Pruning my character, my marriage, my health, my knowledge and discernment, even my career path.  I have so many emotions running around in my cluttered brain that I can hardly contain my excitement, frustrations, and fervor for the Lord.  As many of you can probably relate, when God prunes, it is sort of painful.  It is beautiful, but also a painful process of weeding out the negativity, the bad parts of my character, bad habits, anything that surfaces as a distraction from intimacy with God.

Right now I'm learning so much about being thankful.  In the days of my pruning, I certainly don't feel like being thankful.  I feel like complaining.  I feel like giving up a little bit.  But the Lord commands us to "let the message of Christ dwell among (us) richly as (we) teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in (our) hearts" (Col. 3:16).  I find myself encountering the idea of peace and thankfulness in my time spent in the Word and can't help but think God is whispering to my spirit and washing me these beautiful fruits even in times when my sin seems so ugly.

Recently, I have been think a lot about social justice, community, apostleship, discipleship, The Great Commission, and how my gifting corresponds with all of it.  These are just thoughts that I will probably go into more at some point on a more specific basis, but I might request that my brothers and sisters in Christ would pray for strength, peace, and discernment in these time of transition in my life.

"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe..."  Ephesians 1:18-21

Homemade Peanut Butter Oat Protein Bars

I used to be really into protein bars, but I eventually stopped buying them because they reminded me too much of candy and they were entirely too expensive.  There are many days, however, when I wish I had them around...like when I have to rush off to the restaurant at noon and there is an awkward gap between breakfast and lunch; a power bar would work wonders in that situation, right? ... Or when Matt has to go straight from a workout to a guitar lesson.  Normally we end up without food since there isn't time to cook and we would rather not spend money eating out.  

I have been wanting to play around with homemade granola/protein bars for a while, but have never gotten around to it. Recently, my friend Paul from church mentioned that his wife was bringing him a homemade protein bar for breakfast and it inspired me to give it a go!  I watched a few you tube videos and essentially used the things I had lying about the house.  Shockingly, they turned out well and my husband loooved them (which is what matters most to me, anyhow)!  I was so excited and though they aren't perfect and could use a little tweaking-I'm rather pleased with my first attempt.  I was going to get some dried fruit, but decided to forgo the extra sugar.  Feel free to add in some dried fruit or something if you are into that.  It would certainly add a lovely texture.

Also, these bars are not to be eaten all the time, in my opinion.  They are for a pre and/or post workout boost.  They are not to be used as a snack throughout the day... I don't really believe in snacking so please don't misunderstand me.  These would also be good for a quick breakfast, although I always recommend a full meal first and foremost! :)

Oat & PB Protein Bars:

2 cups oats

1 cup whey protein (I used chocolate, but you can use any flavor combo you like)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon 

3-4 tbsp. almond butter

3 tbsp. honey

1/4 cup dark chocolate (70% or higher-I used 99 %) *optional

1/4-1/2 cup almond milk (this may be more or less depending on if you need to add or subtract moisture-just experiment)

1 tsp vanilla

Stir oats, protein, and cinnamon together in a bowl until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.  In a small sauce pan on medium to med-low heat stir almond butter, honey, dark chocolate,  and almond milk together until ingredients are melted together.  Stir until creamy and remove from heat.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is incorporated.  It may not seem like enough liquid, but keep stirring.  You don't want it to be too moist and eventually everything will come together. If you have to add a splash of water or milk then go ahead, but you shouldn't have to.  When everything is combined, put the batter (which will be pretty dry) into a 8 X 8 pan lined with parchment paper.  Flatten the dough so it fills out the pan and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.  Cut into 8 bars and wrap with plastic wrap to enjoy as a pre or post workout energy boost!

*You could experiment with different flavors, nuts, dried fruit, seeds (like flax), etc.

Enjoy!

If you have any suggestions, and/or awesome recipes you want to share, feel free to elaborate in the comments!

Ingredient profile of the week: Kale

Kale is a very fascinating vegetable to me.  I had never cooked with it until just a few months ago and my husband and I are hooked.  I have used it at least once a day as it is classified as one of those ridiculously healthy dark leafed vegetables to make sure you include in your diet.  When I'm tired of spinach, I go to kale.  Kale is a form of cabbage and has a crunchy, slightly bitter taste to it.  I love it raw, but mostly I cook it up in a pan with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and beans for about a minute to loosen it up a bit.


A highly nutritious vegetable and high in antioxidants, kale functions an an anti-inflammatory and is high in beta carotene, Vitamin K and C, Calcium, Iron, and other rich properties.  Kale apparently contains a chemical which carries an anti-cancer property.  However,  stick to steaming, pan frying, and microwaving, because boiling reduces the anti cancer compounds, whereas the other methods preserve them.  


In the kitchen, you would do well pairing Kale with stronger flavors like nuts, red pepper flakes, spice, curry, and Asian flavors.  


Raw Tuscan Kale Salad:
Taken from Heidi Swanson's 101cookbooks.com

1 bunch Tuscan kale (for ex: black or lacinato)
2 thin slices country bread, or two handfuls good, homemade coarse breadcrumbs

1/2 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch

1/4 cup (or small handful) grated pecorino cheese, plus adiitional for garnish

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish

Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon (scant 1/4 cup or ~50ml)

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Trim the bottom few inches off the kale stems and discard. Slice the kale into 3/4-inch ribbons. You should have 4 to 5 cups. Place the kale in a large bowl.

If using the bread, toast it until golden brown on both sides and dry throughout. Tear into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until the mixture forms coarse crumbs, or crumbs to your liking.

Using a mortar and pestle or a knife, pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss very well (the dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat the leaves).. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with the bread crumbs, additional cheese, and a drizzle of oil.

Adapted from the Raw Tuscan Kale Salad with Chiles and Pecorino recipe in Melissa Clark's In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 5 min

Taffy Apple Salad

We host a small group for young adults at our house on Friday nights.  Every other week we share a meal together, which I so look forward to each and every week.  These adults are wonderful beings each bringing their own unique spin on the group dynamic.  For me personally, the group isn't just about accountability or duty...It is a time of refreshing, unwinding, and inviting the peace and love of God to infiltrate our lives.  It gives us an opportunity to find intimacy in the trust of the circle and see growth.  Of course people come and go throughout the group, but it has become one of my favorite parts of daily life... One girl in particular, I have grown to admire.  Just to take some time to sing her praises---she is one of the coolest girls and a phenomenal wife.  She is around my age and yet profoundly organized.  She is the sort of wife that wakes up before the light shines through the window and has the house clean before even the birds begin to sing in the morning.  She has her meals planned out each week so that her husband never goes hungry and tries her new recipes on us at life group.  We are her guinea pigs and I LOVE it.  She has never brought a bad thing to our group.  She is hardworking and always willing to bring something, give her money, her time, and her care towards the group and towards the Great Commission that the Lord calls us to.  I find her to magnificent and wish that she could see herself the way that God does.  It is marvelous.

Anyway, one week (which wasn't even a dinner week for the group) she brought a side dish and I thought it sounded and looked weird, but it was different and of course I gave it a go...  Oh my goodness.  This was the kind of recipe that will make it into the list of family tradition recipes.  It is one of those that you will see at every Fourth of July celebration from here on out.  It was weird and unique and yet-lovely and comforting.  It is Taffy Apple Salad.  If I were to compare it to something it would be the green marshmallow fluffy pineappley stuff you see at so many holiday gatherings.  Or the pink stuff...anyone?  Okay so I guess you will just have to try it.  It could be a side or a dessert and has a very distinct taste so if you don't like it I wouldn't be surprised, but if you do---I think you will LOVE it!

*Disclaimer:  I know I tend to post health foods, and this isn't one of them, but as a food lover I feel obligated to post recipes that I think are spectacular, even if not the most nutritionally sound.  This is an awesome dish for a special function!

Taffy Apple Salad


1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. flour
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
8 oz. frozen whipped topping thawed
apples, peeled cored,  &  chopped (3-4 med/3 cups sliced/ 3 1/2 cups diced)
1 cup dry roasted peanuts chopped

Drain juice from pineapple and combine the juice, egg, sugar, flour, & vinegar in a small saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened.  (Will not become really thick)  Cool completely.  Fold in whipped topping and 1/2 cup peanuts.  Fold in apples and pineapple.  Garnish with remaining peanuts.

Yum!  What are your favorite family tradition foods or potential traditions?

Quick Breakfast Recipe

My husband in all his cuteness for the past several mornings has gotten up craving cereal.  We try to avoid cereal in general due to the thousands of ingredients, processed junk, HFCS, other sugars, etc.  There are a few that we would recommend, but geez-they are just so expensive.  One of our favorites is Ezekiel cereal, but it just isn't worth the money in my opinion except when it is on sale so recently we have been making our homemade muesli.  I don't know about you, but my husband and I are both the kind of people that wake up really hungry and need to eat almost immediately.  I love muesli because you can throw it together quickly and it has very little sugar and a lot of nutritional benefits!  You can add in or take out pretty much anything you want-there is a lot of room to be creative here...

Homemade Muesli:

3 cups of old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cut almonds

1/4 cup raisons

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Mix it all together and eat it hot or cold with some almond milk (or your choice of milk).

Other ideas:  You can toast it up in the oven for a few minutes with some honey or maple syrup; add cinnamon; add in your favorite dried fruits, nuts, etc.; mash up a banana to add an element of fresh as well

Muesli tends to taste better when it has soaked in the liquid for a bit, but I eat it right away!  :)  Thanks mom for the recipe and idea.

Sangria Pie

Alright, alright.  I'm going to go ahead and throw this out there and confess that this isn't a healthy recipe.  Do I feel guilty?  Heck no!  What is a well balanced diet without a few special indulgences by the name of 'sangria pie' every now and then?  So now that we are all on the same page,  I would like to give enormous amounts of credit to a man by the name of Christopher Dean, also known as my sister's boyfriend.  He created this recipe and though not a formal, official chef- he is going to be a great one someday.  Now I don't drink cocktails or sugary drinks ever really, but Sangria is my exception.

My sister and Chris (aka the Beam Dean team)  came to visit me here in sunny Florida.  We went to Disney, grilled out, saw beautiful beaches, and took tons of pictures.  However, one of the things I most remember is the Sangria Pie.  It's amazing how food accounts for so many memories that I remember most. So here it goes; The recipe for Sangria Pie (ish, as best as I can remember):


Pick two or three fruits- I picked strawberries, blackberries, and peaches

Cut up the fruit into halves, or quarters depending on the size of the fruit.

Fill a tea pitcher with two bottles of a sweet white wine.  I used white, but you can also make it red wine sangria by using a sweet red wine instead.

You can stop and use only wine and fruit, or you can add triple sec, orange liquor, or another fruity liquor.  Start with a cup and add more to taste.

Add the fruit into the pitcher, stir, and soak for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Strain out the wine soaked fruit and refrigerate the liquid.  Drink a glass of Sangria to celebrate!

Add honey, brown sugar, or white sugar to your liking.  I used honey and brown sugar-just enough to coat the fruit.

Add the fruit mixture into a pie crust (first poking a fork into the bottom of the crust).  I used a store bought crust, but you can make one yourself, which I encourage!

Add an additional pie crust on top of the mixture and use your fingers to adhere the top crust to the bottom crust.

Brush butter on the covering crust and sprinkle with a tiny bit of sugar.  Make a few slits on the top and put in the oven for about 30-45 minutes, checking on it every now and then.  Cook time will vary depending on the pie crust cook times which you will find accompanied by either the recipe or the box (for store bought).

Allow to cool, cut a slice, and enjoy with a glass of your homemade Sangria!

I found that the more it sat the more the flavors absorbed and the fruit softened.  It is also awesome with vanilla ice cream on top!

I hope everyone enjoys this recipe.  It is worth a taste for a dinner party dessert or something to be shared with others!

Media and the Food Industry

I was running in the gym today and watching the Food Network Channel.  I treasure these times in my day, because we cancelled our cable to save money and gym time is the only time I get to see Giada de Laurentiis, one of my favorite chefs to watch.  However, today Cooking For Real was on and she decided to stay in the healthy realm of cooking.  I got excited because I could always use more ideas, but I quickly became rather offended that she would make such a claim on health with what she was cooking.  Didn't she know that she was on national television reaching thousands of people and claiming that this food was healthy?  Essentially she was attempting to teach the public to make healthy choices.  Instead, this woman misguided the public into making some decent swaps in the general direction of healthy, but I wouldn't call what she cooked particularly healthy.  This was the menu:

Kale Pesto covering whole wheat linguini with some chicken meatballs.
She supplemented with a drink called blackberry fizz or something along those lines.

Now to most people, this would sound relatively healthy.  However, this proves my point that society has taught us that making simple swaps like whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta will solve our obesity problem in America.  To be blunt-It will take a bigger change than that, folks.  She also subtly stated that chicken is healthier than beef, which is highly debatable and that fat consumption is the problem in America, rather than dealing with sugar intake.  She ended the show with sorbet instead of ice cream in her soda, liquor, and blackberry sugary syrup filled drink.  Come again?  Healthy?

Anyhow, while I love promoting health, I have no problems with pasta and blackberry fizz drinks.  It is just when you call it healthy when it really isn't-that I have a problem.  Lets not blame it all on this woman, though.  We, in America, do this all the time.  The Food Network Channel in general, the USDA, "health" magazines-we do things like grouping fruits and vegetables together, even though fruit is the source of a much greater amount of sugar than veggies.  Natural, yes, but sugar is sugar.  While whole wheat pasta has more nutritional value than white pasta, it is still flour and should be treated as that-a treat.  Sorbet is still sugary, and so is soda so why ruin a sort of, maybe healthy meal with a sugary drink?  While I sometimes swap chicken for beef, why not promote grass fed beef instead?  Why do people always equate beef as something unhealthy that makes you fat?  In excess, yes-but there is a place for a small amount of grass fed beef in a healthy diet.  And why are we blaming fat so much?  If you read nutritional studies, you will find that most authentic sources will put more emphasis on the bad effects of sugar in our diets and confirm that fat isn't as bad as we thought it was in the 90's. 

The bottom line:  Don't believe everything you see on TV, in magazines, or in media in general. If you are at all invested in your health, doing a small amount of research in nutrition journals (much more reliable source) will give you straight facts on how to maintain health. 

Boiled Egg Skillet

I have a confession.  It is sad, but true that I didn't really know the correct way to hard boil (or soft boil) eggs.  I eat eggs almost every morning, or every other, but I just haven't ventured into the world of boiled eggs.  While my mom and dad were in town, my mom taught me and I discovered that it is truly one of my favorite ways to enjoy my eggs.  Many times an overeasy egg can be too greasy or oily, and poached eggs are just a pain to make, despite the many claims that it is super easy to do.  While it is, I don't claim to make the world's best poached eggs.  Anyhow, this morning all I had in my fridge was rice, some frozen vegetables, and eggs.  So needless to say I threw it all together in a skillet and tada!  Out came a pretty awesome breakfast skillet!  I was impressed despite the lack of options in my kitchen and I will certainly put that recipe on repeat for the future.    I have been doing this a lot lately when I'm too lazy to pull out something creative, but all I do is pile about five things into one skillet, add spices, and my one dish meal is complete.  It usually contains some veggies, beans (or rice or another whole grain), and a protein of some sort.  As long as you think it sounds good, you can throw just about anything together with salt, pepper, and your fav spices and the dish is finished in minutes, more spectacular than you could have imagined.  This mornings spontaneous combination:

4 boiled eggs chopped up (put in cold water and boil for three minutes, peel, chop)
1/2 onion diced and sauteed
two handfuls of frozen haricot verts (obviously fresh is better, but frozen is all I had and they turn out better than you would expect)
a handful of frozen corn (again, what I had on hand)
brown rice
balsamic vinegar
soy sauce
pepper
olive oil

I hard boiled the eggs in a pot and sauteed the onion in olive oil in a skillet.  I then added the veggies and let it all cook together for a few minutes.  After warmed through, add rice and a minute later add the chopped eggs.  Throw in a few splashes of the balsamic and soy sauce, as well as pepper.  Taste and season again to taste.  Plate!

It really doesn't get much easier and it is something a little different than usual.  I love mornings of fun discoveries!

The Truth About Fruit

My whole life fruits and vegetables have been grouped in the same category nutritionally, as if they contain the same flavor and nutrient profiles.  As if they were equally nutritious for you.  Both contain excellent nutritional factors, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidents that are beneficial in helping to fight diseases in our bodies.  The biggest difference, however, is the sugar content.  Fruit contains a relatively high content of sugar that can prohibit weight loss, or health goals if you aren't careful.  Without being any sort of a dietitian or scientist, anyone can tell that fruit is sweet, and most vegetables are not.  So that leads us to another question... Is fruit as good for us as we think it is?

Candy bars and ice cream contain sugar and essentially no nutritional benefits so we call this junk food.  We would never put fruit in that category, because it contains a lot of nutritional benefits.  However, sugar is sugar and too much of it is, well...still too much-even if it is fruit.  So do you want to cut down on added sugar?  Besides the obvious junk and processed foods, you can kick it up a notch by limiting the amount of fruit you eat.  Perhaps you could even treat fruit as a dessert.  We need to stop putting fruits and vegetables in the same category, because calorically and nutritionally they are very different.  I am by no means saying that you should cut out fruit completely, but rather suggesting that the importance of fruit in a healthy diet has been skewed in the past.  Now if you are craving something sweet, then a piece of fruit definitely beats out a cookie every time.  That just doesn't give license to ignore that fruit is high in sugar just because its natural and has nutritional value.

As for dried fruit, the natural sugars are concentrated into a much smaller package so more sugar and calories are consumed in a small handful.  This is also something to keep an eye on.


Guidelines for Eating Fruit

1.  Aim for no more than 2 cups of fruit a day.  This is the portion recommended for an average sized person, consuming about 2,000 calories a day.  Since I am smaller, I would only consume about 1 cup a day.  A cup is about a fistful, or one apple, orange, etc.  So I usually eat 1 piece of fruit a day and less on some days.

2.  Skip the fruit juice and aim for whole fruits, or unsweetened frozen fruit.  Juice contains less vitamins and minerals, and usually contains way too much sugar.

3.  Find local fruit that is in season.

4.  Watch dried fruit portions.  1/4 cup-1/3 cup (depending on sugar content of particular fruit) of dried fruit equals about 1 cup of whole fruit.

5.  Substitute fruits for sweets and add sugar content of your fruit into your added sugars count for the day.

Again, I'm not suggesting that fruit is bad for you; Just that it should be eaten with more caution than we've been taught to eat it with-especially in the case of shedding those few extra pounds.

Suggestions not intended as medical advice, but rather for informative and entertainment purposes.

Have a wonderful day and post any questions!