Raw Ranch Dressing

Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Healthy Raw Ranch Dressing From www.draxe.com

My brother is a ranch FREAK! He puts it on everything! I decided to make him Raw Ranch Dressing from the Dr. Axe cookbook! He LOVES it!

3/4 cup raw soaked cashews
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 soaked and pitted dates
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 tsp. garlic powder
3 tsp. onion powder
3 Tbsp. basil
3 Tbsp. dill

Soak dates and cashews for 2 hours. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy!

Heathy Coconut Oil Mayonnaise

Coconut oil Mayo
3 Egg Yolk room temperature 
1 tsp. Of  Mustard 
1 1/2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
2 tbsp. whey
3/4 cup Of Coconut Oil (make sure its melted all the way)
Pinch of Sea Salt and Black Pepper

In food processor or blender (I used my vita mix) blend all ingredients except oil at VERY low power. SLOWLY drizzle in oil. Let that combine for at least a minute! Scoop into container a and screw the lid on very tightly. Leave mayo out for seven hours before refrigerating. Mayonnaise will keep in fridge for several months.

This taste AMAZING! There is a hint of coconut but it really doesn't bother me! I would try it to see if you like it! I put it in my salmon salad which I had for dinner last night, and it was amazing!

Sugar For Breakfast?

Many people don't realize that even the packages that claim to be "heathy" for you are really just more sugar!

Take a look at this typical "healthy" breakfast that isn't really that heathy! 

What you see here is two pieces of raisin bread thats been toasted, whipped conventional butter, and a glass of orange juice! Many people think that is a heathy, or normal breakfast! 

Yah well I'm sorry but I'm about to tell you how much sugar this contains! And I'm afraid you aren't going to be pleased!

First lets look at the ingredients in the bread........

Enriched Flour (wheat flour, malted barely flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), raisins, water, wheat gluten, butter, nonfat milk, sugar, yeast, soybean oil, cinnamon, salt, raisin juice concentrate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, lemon powder (corn syrup solids, lemon juice solids, natural flavors), monoglycerides, soy flour, calcium peroxide, soy lecithin.   

Okay, so I spotted MSG in the form of "natural flavors." Also GMO, every soy ingredient is genetically modified. Hydrogenated oils and SUGAR, CARBS AND SUGAR! 

Okay lets look at the nutritional facts on the bread label.........

Serving size is one slice of bread, but there is two so I'm going to add it up! 

Carb is 36 grams = 9 tsp. of sugar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (by the way you take the total carb and divid it by 4)

Sugar is 16 grams.

Now I'm going to add in the orange juice! 

Okay, well first of all this juice is from concentrate, and its been pasteurized which means that the vitamins that used to be in the orange got heated out and all your left with is SUGAR!

For the cup of orange juice you saw in the picture here is what it contained.

Carb 27 grams = 6.75 tsp. of sugar

Sugar 24 grams.

By the way just a little side note, the american heart association put their little check mark on the orange juice container saying "Low in saturated fat!!! Good for your heart!" Yah right! And good for diabetes as well!  

  

So your getting 15.75 tsp. of sugar for breakfast! That is just from the carbs! 

Grainless Cereal

Grainless Cereal


Many of you might have cereal eater in your home, or are one yourself! I personally am not but I did make up this recipe for my sister Kayla! She LOVES it! :D

1/4 cup chopped raw pecans
1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut flakes or shredded coconut
3 dates pitted and cut into little pieces
1 banana sliced
1/2 cup almond or coconut milk
sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg

Combine in bowl and pour milk on top!

There are several ways you can do this recipe! You can do without the banana, dates and coconut flakes and add either fresh or dehydrated apples and make in apple cinnamon cereal. Or you can do with out the dates and raisins and add blueberries. Try it out and see how you like it!

Grainless Granola

I threw this recipe together today! Its a wonderful snack that kids and adults will enjoy, whether on the go or at home! Enjoy!

1/2 cup raw chopped pecans
1/2 cup raw chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raw chopped almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup chopped dehydrated organic apples
1/2 tsp cinnamon,
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp clove
pinch of sea salt

Throw all together in a bowl and mix with you hands or spoon!

This is a great raw recipe, that makes a good breakfast or snack! It goes good with coconut milk or greek yogurt in the morning or dry for a snack!

Chilled Cucumber Soup

I made up this recipe today! And let me tell you, it is YUMMY!

1/2 cucumber peeled and seeded
1 avocado pitted
6-7 green onion
3 large cloves of garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup suero gold
1/2 sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Throw all ingredients in Vita Mix or powerful food processor for 1-2 minutes or until creamy. Put into container and chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Serve with minced chives salt and pepper sprinkled on top.

Healthy Homemade "Mounds" Candy

From the Kitchen of the Coconut Mama  www.thecoconutmama.com

Ingredients 

1 cup organic shredded coconut 
1/4 cup organic coconut oil
3-4 medjool dates, pitted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

2 bars of organic fair trade dark chocolate (I enjoy Green & Black brand and Rapunzel brand)

Step 1: Using a small saucepan, gently heat coconut oil and shredded coconut on low heat. The shredded coconut will begin to “puff” up after a few minutes in the warm oil. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 2: In a food processor, process dates, vanilla and salt until creamy and smooth.

Step 3: Mix coconut mixture with date mixture. Pour into a small, bread loaf size pan. Place in freezer for an hour or until set.

Step 4: Gently heat dark chocolate in a small saucepan on low heat. You can also use a double broiler to melt the chocolate. While chocolate is melting, cut the coconut candy into “mound” size pieces.
I cut mine into even squares, then cut them in half again. These taste great without the chocolate too!

Step 5: Dip coconut candy into melted chocolate and then place them carefully on parchment paper. Refrigerate the candy until it is set, 30-45 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Little Known Additives Just as Dangerous as MSG

Paul Bragg, health pioneer and nutritionists said, “If it is boxed, canned, or processed in any way, don’t eat it” Great advice! It’s scary to think about but many of the labels on the food products are ambiguous and deceptive, leading you to think you’re getting a healthy food product, when in fact you’re really getting something that is detrimental to your health. Many food processing plants have found government loopholes that allow them to add toxic additives into your prepared dinner entrees and other food items.

The Government Loophole
The big manufacturing and processing companies know that if they make the food taste good with additives such as yeast extract and free glutamate, the main ingredient of MSG, then you’ll want more and buy more. The loophole is within a section of the labeling committee that says “what can be posted on food labels”. As in this case, if free glutamate or glutamate acid is less than 78% of an additive, they don’t have to label it as having MSG! Really? This is more than just a loophole—this is misleading and false advertising of their products.

Research by Vanderbilt University has found that although the FDA does not prohibit the use of yeast extract, even when the name is used to disguise the presence of MSG, the quantity of free glutamate it contains poses problems for MSG-sensitive individuals who experience its effects as toxic. Which many people do find that ingesting even small amounts of MSG will make them sick.

So remember this next time you go grocery shopping. Many popular prepared food items at your grocery store will have MSG in them but it will not be listed as an ingredient on the label. Why are we being mislead like this? Well, we’re being misled because the big processing plants want to save money. It’s far cheaper for them to use food additives (chemicals) such as free glutamate and glutamate acid rather than natural spices and herbs to enhance flavors of food. Ugh!

This is why it’s so important to heed the advice of health gurus such as Bill Bragg and myself about the importance of preparing your own meals versus buying processed dinner entrees and snacks. It is much healthier and safer preparing your own meals and snacks using organic, whole foods rather than buying already prepared food items that who knows what could be lurking inside.

Yeast Extract is a Form of MSG
Next time you’re out grocery shopping and reading labels and it says yeast extract it’s really MSG incognito. It also may be called autolyzed yeast, or hydrolyzed yeast, but they all contain some amounts of free glutamates or glutamate acids, which is MSG. Below is just a few of the food items that have MSG in them but DO NOT list it on their labels.

• McKay’s Chicken Style Instant Broth and Seasoning
• Spice Boquet Adobo Seasoning
• Nightlife Foods Tofu Pups
• Simply Organic Spicy Chili
• Hain Pure Foods All Natural Chicken Broth and Vegetable Broth
• Blue Diamond Almond Toppers
• Farm House Parmesan Pasta (General Mills Sales, Inc.)
• Dominique’s New England Clam Chowder
• Newman’s Own Ranch Dressing

According to the Live Strong website yeast extracts are used in most canned and frozen soups to enhance the flavors. It would be far healthier to buy some beef bones or whole organic chicken and prepare your own soups and stews and stay clear of all canned food products. Paul Bragg knew what he was talking about. “If it is canned, boxed or processed in any way, it is bad for your health”!

More Popular Foods that Contain Yeast Extracts

• Most canned meats and fish products
• Frozen hamburger patties
• Brand name turkey’s and chicken’s
• Lunch meats
• Some brands of veggie burgers
• Most sauces and gravies
• Spice and savory mixes
• Salad dressings
• Bouillon cubes and spices

Usually only those meats that are cut and sold right in the butcher shop or grocery store, without packaging, will be free of yeast extracts. It is always best to steer clear of canned fruits and vegetables; you know for sure that buying the whole fruit or vegetable will not have any additives as the canned one would.

Most boxed snack foods such as crackers, pretzels, and cookies contain yeast extracts. You’re better off making your own snacks and bringing them with you. Yeast extracts are also used for cultivating microorganism in most dairy products such as in cheeses, cottage cheese, and yogurts. Yeast extract is extensively used to make cheese taste cheesy. And even though it is MSG in disguise the FDA still calls it a natural favorer as if it is something good for your health.

The bottom line is if most of the food products sold in the groceries stores have MSG lurking inside, then I think it is far safer to stop buying their filthy food. America’s food is dirty and unfit for human consumption, that is to say, if we want to be healthy and fit. I think we need to heed the wise words of our pioneers in health and just say no to canned, boxed, and processed foods of any kind, so we can truly know that we are not eating toxic chemical additives disguised as something good for us in our food! Simply, do NOT eat it!

Sources: naturalnews.com, truthinlabeling.org, livestrong.com, jacklalanne.com, draxe.com

Grainless Almond Cookies

Grainless Almond Cookies

This recipe I didn't entirely make up! But I did a lot of critiquing!!!!!! 

I just made these this morning, for a wedding we're going to! 

1/2 cup organic raw butter

1 egg

1/3 cup honey

1 Tbsp coconut milk

1/2 tsp. almond extract

3/4 cup almond flour

3/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 tsp. sea salt 

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup slivered almonds 

Directions

Cream butter, egg, honey, coconut milk and almond extract in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add flours, sea salt, baking soda and almonds. Mix well together.

With you hands form into hearts and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Healthy Mint Chocolate Shake

I LOVE milkshakes, and so does my mom! She really loves mint chocolate ones, so I decided to make it and see if it turned out! And it did! She actually will have one of these milkshakes for breakfast and have a light lunch and a light dinner and then she'll be down two pounds the next day! I LOVE this recipe!!!!

From the Kitchen of Kelcie Yeo 

(this recipe makes two servings)

Mint Chocolate Shake

1 cup coconut milk (full fat)

2-3 heaping Tbsp. 100% unsweetened cocoa powder

1 heaping Tbsp. raw organic honey

10 drops stevia extract

1 tsp. Organic vanilla extract

6 large ice cubes 

1 drop pure peppermint essential oil   

Blend well in blender. 

Staying Motivated!!!

Staying Motivated!!!!!

Something that keeps most people from finishing, or even starting a new healthy life style is motivation! It can be very difficult to stay motivated at times! 

Here are a few tips to keep you motivated!

1. Get a piece of paper, write down the date you intend to start your new way of living, write down how much weight you want to loose, the date you want to loose it by! Tape this piece of paper to your bathroom mirror, or bedroom mirror. Just as long as you are able to see it at least everyday! 

2. Find someone to do this with you! Whether it be you husband/wife, son/daughter, friend! Some to keep you accountable. When your having a bad day it helps to be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone who knows exactly how your feeling! 

3. Really dig into God's word. The only way this will REALLY work well for anyone is if you really seek the Lord out! That may sound silly to a lot of people out there but I know especially for me when I don't have my devotions in the morning I don't tend to have a good day with food, or for that matter much else! So it is important to dive into the word of God. I find that on the days that I'm not feeling so great, he will give me a burst of joy! Thats actually what happened yesterday! I was amazed! 

4. Bible verses! Bible verses that really encourage you even if it doesn't have anything to do with food, use those, post them everywhere you can think of! It will help keep you going! 

What Does The Bible Say?

The Bible actually has a lot to say about food, and eating healthy! Here are a few of my favorite verses.                  

1 Corinthians 10:31


"So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 


1 Corinthians 6:19-20


"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."


Genesis 1:29

"And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food." 

Proverbs 25:27

"It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory."

Genesis 9:3

"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything."

Leviticus 11:2

“Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth."

What's Fake Food?

What's Fake Food?


Good question! Many people aren't aware that fake food is in most everything we buy today!

There is a LOT of fake food I could talk about, but I'm going to discuss one of the big ones............... FAKE SUGAR!!


You might see all zeros on the back of your splenda but you might as well just eat a bowl of table sugar. Yep thats how bad it is for you!

Splenda is not natural; it is a chlorinated artificial sweetener. There have been no long-term human studies on the safety of Splenda; however, issues have been raised about Splenda in a new study from Duke University.

According to the study, Splenda “suppresses beneficial bacteria and directly affects the expression of the transporter P-gp and cytochrome P-450 isozymes that are known to interfere with the bioavailability of drugs and nutrients. Furthermore, these effects occur at Splenda doses that contain sucralose levels that are approved by the FDA for use in the food supply.”

www.truthaboutsplenda.com

Splenda is the trade name for sucralose. Sucralose is a synthetic compound, which is essentially a simple sugar modified by the addition of chlorine ions. Sucralose, at one point, was being developed to become a new pesticide.

Read more: http://www.righthealth.com/topic/Splenda_Side_Effects#ixzz1aUIJUO4e

Splenda and other artificial sweeteners actually cause weight gain! Yes thats right! These artificial sweeteners cause you to crave more food therefore putting on more weight! Also the fake sugar you find in diet soda have actually in some cases caused MS.

If you are a diabetic and aren't sure what to do, Stevia is a great alternative! Stevia is a plant grown in south America commonly referred to as Sweet Leaf. It is naturally zero calories, naturally zero sugar and carb! I buy the brand Sweet Leaf Stevia, which you can find on amazon! I prefer to buy the liquid form!    

Want to Reverse Your Diabetes?

Diabetes has grown 700% in the past 50 years. And has tripled in the past 10 years. 

There are a few side effects besides just energy levels being low and sugar levels being high. 

Diabetes actually can cause:

1. Nerve Degeneration 

2. Heart Failure 

3. Increase your risk of Alzheimer’s 

4. Increase your risk of Cancer  

Now in America typically what we do when we treat diabetes is we turn to medicine.  

The New England Journal of Medicine came out with a study, september 23rd 2010! They said, “Avandia is killing tens of thousands of people. 1,354 people died just from taking avandia alone last year. And 83 thousand people have had a heart attack from taking avandia. ” 

If you are taking avandia it actually increases your risk of a heart attack by 43% and it increases your risk of cardiovascular death 64%.

Now if you have Diabetes, heres what you need to do! 

Step number one!

Get ALL the sugar and grains out of your diet! The cause of diabetes is obviously to much sugar. 

Processed grains will actually break down into sugar with in 4 seconds of being in your body. 

Limit your fruit intake as well! There are specific types of fruit you should be eating. 

Raspberries- 1 cup 5 grams of sugar, 8 grams of fiber.

Lemons- 3 lemons 1 gram of sugar, and lots of vitamin C. 

Apples- 8-10 grams of sugar, lots of fiber and antioxidants.

Blueberries- 1 cup blueberries 9 grams of sugar, they are the fruit with the highest levels of antioxidants. 

I would stay away from most other fruits. 

Note that you should consume only about 30 grams of carbs a day! 

Step number two.

Start exercising! Exercising is an important tool to keep your blood sugar levels down! I would recommend starting with a 30 minute walk in the morning and in the evening! 

Step number three.

You need more minerals in your body! The number one supplement I recommend is Chromium. You should be taking 200mg with each of your meals. It will help your insulin levels stay where they need to be. 

You can also eat a lot of chromium rich food like, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds. 

Step number four.

Increase your antioxidants. Like consuming cinnamon! Cinnamon has a TON of wonderful health benefits one of them is it has been shown to balance of blood glucose! Here is a list of minerals and vitamins it contains: 

• Magnesium

• Phosphorus

• Calcium

• Potassium

• Zinc

• Copper

• Selenium

• Iron

• Manganese

• Sodium

• Betaine

• Vitamin K

• B6

• Pantothenic acid

Step number five.

Get more omega 3 fatty acids! I would recommend taking a supplement daily. Oceans 3 from Garden of Life is a great source! Avocados, walnuts and grass-fed beef are just a few example of foods that are rich in omega 3’s! 

So if you want to turn your life and your diet around, just follow these simple steps and you will be on your way to better health.

  Sources-www.draxe.com