Gluten Free Protein Bars

My hubby loves granola bars and is always looking for something quick to eat when he's running out the door. I think that a challenge for many of us who are trying to eat better and less processed is trying to have quick snack items on hand. I've found that healthy bars are not only hard to find, but are expensive. In the spirit of cooking and baking in bulk, we tried out this "protein" bar recipe. While it is does have whole ingredients, it tastes like a dessert!

It makes a large portion which can be cut, divided and put into baggies ahead of time. I was lax with measuring which made my bars come out a little crumbly, but they were still very good! And very easy. 

2 cups brown rice cereal 
2 cups rolled oats 
1/4 cup flax meal 
2 tbsp. Cocoa
1 tbsp cinnamon (more or less to taste) 
1/2 cup raisins (more or less to taste, you can also add other dried fruits, chopped) 

1/2-3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 
1/2 cup raw honey 
2 tbsp. vegetable oil, like coconut 
2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a big bowl.
In a saucepan, heat the peanut butter, oil, honey, and maple syrup until bubbly (about 3-5 min)
Pour the liquid combo into the dry ingredients and stir until well blended. If you're like me and over pour the cereals, you may need to add more honey or peanut butter to make it stick together better and not be too crumbly. 

Spoon the batter into a 9x13 pan and push it down until it's flat with parchment paper. Refrigerate and allow to cool completely before cutting.  

Happy health! 


P.S. Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook to enter to win a bottle of Nordic Naturals Omegas! 

Children's Nordic Natural Omega Give-away!!

Recently, I had written about the benefits of Omega's (enhanced mental clarity and function, lessens inflammation in the body, eye & brain health - to name a few) and a great company - Nordic Naturals. They sent me some amazing goodies to try, like their fizzy effervescent Omega drink (tastes like a Frosted Orange) and their new plant based - Algae derived Omega product. It's lemon flavored, with NO fishy taste. 

I'd love to share one of their products with someone who'd like to benefit from them! It's the Omega 3-6-9 Junior bottle for ages five through teens. It has a lemon taste - is chewable and a soft gel. (Adults can also take these - they are just a lower dosage)

There are 90 capsules in the bottle - a $19.95 value - for FREE!  Pretty great, right? 

Want to win? It's easy.

Here's how to enter: 

US residents age 18 and over can enter except where prohibited by law.
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY do at least one, any, or all of the following to qualify with a comment:

1 entry....Become a follower on Google Friend Connect and leave a comment letting me know!

1 entry... Become a follower on Facebook and leave a comment letting me know!

1 entry...Let me know if you already are a follower on Facebook or Google Friend Connect

2 entries...Share this giveaway, our blog, or one of my blog entries on your Facebook or Blog and comment to let me know!

In addition to the 90 capsule bottle, Nordic Naturals will also send you a baggie full of samples for you and your family! 


Good luck! 

Entry deadline is June 6, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. EST / US.
Winner will be announced on my blog and facebook June 7, 2012

Winner to be drawn at random from all entries. Entrants must reside in the United States and be over 18 years of age. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. Odds of winning are based on the total number of valid entries (maximum of three entries per person.) Winner will be notified and have 72 hours to respond. If they don't respond in that time frame another winner will be chosen.
A special thank you to Jill at Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons Blog who gave me tips on setting up a give-away! 

Do you have a food sensitivity that's making you sick??

Food plays a major role in how we feel, how we look, how often we get sick, and our immune response. 
There are several foods which are "trouble" foods for many people. Meaning, many people are either allergic or sensitive to these foods. Gluten, dairy and citrus are three of the main culprits. 


Here are some warning signs that you may have a food allergy or sensitivity: 

• Eczema
• Asthma
• Allergies
• GI Issues: Diarrhea/ Constipation/ Gas
• "Cloudy" or foggy feeling head
• Migraines
• Weight Gain
• Abdominal Swelling
• Fatigue
• Rashes
• Redness or inflammation
• Swelling
• Pain or inflammation of the joints

There are tests that can be performed in the doctor's office to rule out an allergy, however if you think that you may have a food sensitivity, first try a simple elimination diet. 

Avoid 1 or more of the foods for 7 days. Then reintroduce it on the 8th day and note your symptoms. 

Always seek out your doctor's advice if you think you have a true allergy. It's important that it's noted in your medical records. 

I have noticed a huge difference since working on understanding my food sensitivities. This weekend, I had some (rather delicious) banana pudding. It wasn't a large portion, but immediately afterwards, I had a stomach ache. I don't eat a lot of dairy, and my body was pushing back against it. Now, because I'm not truly allergic, I'm not saying I'll never have cheese or icecream again, but I can be sure that I will feel the effects shortly thereafter. 

Feeling good and being healthy is pretty important. Eliminating and replacing a toxic food in your diet can be a simple way to enhance your happiness and health. 

Email me if you have any questions or would like more information about a week long elimination diet to uncover hidden food sensitivities. 

Happy health!

Summer Vegetables with Kale and Curry - Guest Blog by:M.J. Pullen

Today's entry is courtesy of M.J. Pullen, my friend, and talented author of The Marriage Pact, and mom of two adorable little boys. She made a delicious looking summer vegetable curry bake and I wanted to share with everyone. Most of all, it's healthy, easy, and has anti-inflammatory agents, too. 

This year is our first time participating in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), and we are loving it. The kids enjoy going to the farmer's market and getting our veggies straight from the farmer. They are so fresh and delicious, plus it's giving me the opportunity to cook some things that I never would have thought of before. We got two kinds of Kale, cauliflower, spring onions and kohlrabi in this week's share, along with some other stuff I tried later in the week. This was my first time cooking or eating kohlrabi, so I am attaching a picture of the plant itself. It is very good - sort of a cross between an apple, potato, and cauliflower stem. Interesting!

I had some purple and red potatoes on hand already that needed to be used. I read a few recipes online but ended up making my own with what I had in the house:

4-5 lbs of baby potatoes, halved or quartered (the colorful potatoes made the dish look more interesting)
1 kohlrabi bulb, peeled and cut into chunks
1 head cauliflower, chopped
3 small spring onion bulbs, sliced into rings (I had one white and 2 red)
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch kale, any type, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp yellow curry powder
4 tbsp margarine (optional)
EVOO
3-4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic (or 2 fresh pressed cloves)
kosher or sea salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Preheat oven to 410 F. Put the cut potatoes, kohlrabi, cauliflower and spring onions in a large roasting pan. Coat with EVOO and about 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar (I pour it on thick and toss the veggies in it, but you could also use a brush if you're persnickety). Sprinkle liberally with garlic powder, the yellow curry powder, then add sea salt and black pepper to taste. You could also add a bit of cayenne here if you like it spicy. I added 4 pats of margarine at the corners of the pan to keep everything moist, but you could probably skip that and add more olive oil instead. 

Roast the veggies for 30 mins, or until the kohlrabi begins to get tender. Add the garbanzo beans, stirring lightly with a spoon, and return to oven for an additional 15 minutes. While it finishes roasting, heat 2 tbsp. EVOO in a large sautee pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the kale and apple cider vinegar and sautee until bright green and tender. Toss the kale in with the roasted veggies before serving. Since I had the whole spring onions, I chopped some of the greens and added them to the top, too, which made it even prettier and more flavorful. YUM!

My almost-three year old loved this dish, especially the garbanzos and the kohlrabi. I mashed up some for my 9 month old (minus the kohlrabi and tearing up the kale into tiny bits) and he loved it, too. I put some of the leftovers in the blender for him later and he gobbled them up! 

Kohlrabi has a bit of a sweet tinge to it, and it really goes well with the apple cider vinegar. The curry smells great while it's cooking, too. We had leftovers the next day and it reheated really well. 


Enjoy!
M.J. Pullen


M.J. Pullen is an author and mom who lives in Atlanta. Check out her blog at www.mjpullen.com 

Her very popular first novel, THE MARRIAGE PACT, is available as an eBook and paperback on amazon.com. 
http://www.amazon.com/Marriage-Pact-M-J-Pullen/dp/1463600682/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-marriage-pact-mj-pullen/1103851254
Twitter: @MJPullen

Emotional Eating & How to Break the Pattern

I recently heard something, that at the time, didn't register as TOO stressful or upsetting, until I took a breath and realized five minutes later that I was, mindlessly, eating a big piece of dark chocolate. It's then that I realized that before eating that chocolate, I was feeling a little anxious.

Emotional eating. 

It's amazing how our body tries to regulate itself when it's off balance with whatever is most accessible - and for most it's food. 

Food is a powerful soothing mechanism. Some foods even release feel good hormones in the body and literally make you feel better. This is why I (and a lot of others) believe that food can be an addiction, and if we all look a little inward, I'd say we all have a little food addiction somewhere. Food is everywhere, it's processed, it's salty, it's loaded with sugar to make you feel better and want more soon after. 

It works. 

Some find that when they are really ready to make weight loss goals a reality, it's difficult to stay on track. That's because it's not all about the food. It's more about what's going on in your life and what you eating and craving... and why. Are you stressed? Are you tired? Do you have a good support system?

Don't beat yourself up for eating cookies instead of carrots. Be kind to yourself and work on understanding your cravings. 

If you are having trouble with eating well and weight loss, try this exercise. 

Keep a log of what you are craving, how you feel and what you eat and how you feel afterwards. This will help you understand the connections between what you eat and how you feel. 

Notice any patterns. Are you eating baked goods or sodas around 3 when you're tired? Are you dehydrated?

Craving & Time of Day	How are you feeling emotionally?	Food eaten	How are you feeling emotionally (after)

What's your biggest craving? 

To learn more about achieving your weight loss goals and understanding your emotional eating habits, email me at theplantbasedhealthcoach@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation. 

Happy health!

Butter free Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Not only are these really tasty, they are dairy free. Added bonus!

I know that lately I've been saying this about my recipes, but really these are REALLY good! And healthy (ish) too! I love to bake and have had some trouble finding healthy recipes for baked goods. I adapted a recipe that I found on allrecipes.com . These do not have white sugar - I've replaced it with agave nectar, to help decrease those sugar spikes. They are whole wheat and dairy free. You can easily make them gluten free by substituting the wheat flour with buckwheat flour. 

Ingredients:

1/2 c. Earth Balance Soy Free Spread (Non-GMO, vegan)

3/4 c. Organic Agave Nectar

1 tsp. Salt

2 eggs

2 cups whole wheat flour (or any flour that you'd like)

2 tsp. Baking Powder

2 C. Fresh Blueberries

1/2 C. Coconut Milk (or other non-dairy or dairy milk)

1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Line muffin pan with liners. 

Beat the margarine, agave nectar and salt until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended. 

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. (Spoon some of this mixture in with the blueberries and toss to coat to prevent them from sinking to the bottom)

Stir the remaining flour mixture into the bowl with the eggs, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Gently fold in the blueberries. 

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling to the top.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool 10 min. before removing from pan. 

Try them and let me know if you also ate 4 right when they came out of the oven! 

Sugar, sugar everywhere

You can see how easy it is to become addicted to sugar.

Sugar. It's addictive. It promotes illness and immune suppression. It's in everything.
From pasta sauce to granola bars to frozen meals - it's literally added to almost everything.

Sugar promotes:

• mood swings
• inflammation 
• illness
• addiction 
• accelerated aging

Wondering if you're addicted? Avoid it for a week. Don't eat anything with added sugar. It'll hurt for a few days, but then you'll feel so much better once you're past the withdrawal. You'll experience a clearer mind, more stable blood sugar levels and  more stable moods. Sounds like someone coming off of a drug, right? Right. 

I must admit, I've always had a sweet tooth. Since I've been really working hard to avoid refined sugars, when I do indulge in something "worth" indulging in, 

a. I usually wish I hadn't because I feel the effects of it quickly (high, then sugar crash). Then I start craving it

c. It tastes SO sweet and is like a crazy party for my taste buds. If you've been reading my blog, I've mentioned that the more you eat whole, clean foods, the more your taste buds and tastes for foods changes. You'll actually want to eat vegetables and fruits. Refined sugar will taste different, if you've been off of it for awhile. 

Here are a few of the other names for sugar. Avoid these if you want to try the "Sugarless for a Week" challenge.

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup
2. Rice Syrup
3. Barley Malt
4. Beet Sugar
5. Cane Syrup
6. Maltodextrin
7. Sorghum or Sorghum Syrup
8. Dehydrated Cane Juice

Try to go sugarless for a week and if that feels too extreme, try to only eat things with 8 grams of sugar or less for a week- let me know how it goes! 

Happy health and thanks for reading

Omega 3's - More Important Than You Think.

Most people are deficient in Omega 3 Fatty Acids. This is a problem because they are essential for brain and nervous system function, and they also prevent disease. 


Here's a short run down on why you should consider taking Omega 3 Fatty Acids.


Omega 3's help fight, prevent and even reverse inflammation in the body.

• Inflammation has been shown to be at the root of chronic disease including asthma, autoimmune disease, allergies, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's. 
• Classic inflammation is that which you can see - redness, soreness, etc. Silent inflammation can be deadly.

What is silent inflammation? 

• Inflammation at the cellular level 
• Inflammation without pain
• Origin of chronic disease

Nutrition plays a major part in how the body reacts to disease, stressors and inflammation.


What foods increase inflammation?
- refined, processed carbs (including excess sugar)
- decreased Omega 3's
- increase in vegetable oil intake

High doses of highly refined Omega 3 fatty acids, coupled with a low inflammation diet (clean whole foods diet, or Zone Diet), have been shown to reverse the symptoms of ADHD and Alzheimer's, according to Dr. Barry Sears.
Check out this article about fish oils and ADHD.


It's important to take a highly refined Omega 3 fatty acid.
Certain manufacturers highly refine the fish oil to make sure it is free from toxins including mercury. You can check out this website to cross check your brand of Omega's. www.ifosprogram.com. 


*Nordic Naturals is a trusted, highly refined brand. You can buy them at most health food stores, or online at Vitacost or Amazon. 


Dr. Sears advises those who take other medications such as Synthroid and insulin, that their dosages may change (meaning, the Omega's are helping!), and to work with your doctor to adjust them.


If you have any questions about the effects of Omega 3's with your medications, please contact your doctor.
Here's another great article on disease and inflammation from Dr. Mark Hyman.


Happy health!


For more information about Omegas or to set up a free health consultation, please email me at theplantbasedhealthcoach@gmail.com




Sources:
Dr. Barry Sears, Zone Diet
Dr. Mark Hyman

Negativity is a Toxin

We can eat all of the spinach and kale we want, but if we don't work on making every part of our life healthy, there will be a missing piece to the happiness puzzle. Not only does food matter to our well-being, relationships matter, friendships matter, exercise matters, physical touch matters. 


High cortisol (stress hormone in body)= lower immune system = poor health 


Negative words and negative thinking raises cortisol levels. 


Whether you put yourself down, or put others down, your limbic system doesn't know the difference. Whether you send the negativity inward (being self critical/ poor self talk) or outward (criticizing others), it is experienced in the same place in the brain (your limbic system). This activates cortisol. Hearing negativity also activates cortisol. 


Negativity is a toxin. 


Excess cortisol makes your overweight and smacks you with a lower immune system. 


Positive people = healthier people. 


Be a glass half full kinda person. 


Happy health. 

Arugula & Basil Whole Wheat Pasta Deliciousness

I was so very happy eating this meal. I think you will be too. It's very simple, and remarkably delicious.

There are a lot of great flavors going on in this dish. It's vegetarian - you can make it vegan (omit the cheese) or gluten free (substitute whole wheat pasta for rice pasta or spaghetti squash). If you haven't noticed, I post really easy recipes. I like to cook, but try to keep it simple in the kitchen. This way, we can eat healthy, and not go crazy with prep time.

This meal has lots of green veggies in it - full of antioxidants and vitamins. Eating green veggies has been linked to better respiration, better mental clarity and better energy. Whenever I can make a recipe that tastes good with leafy greens, I do it.

Grocery List: 

• Whole wheat pasta
• Arugula 
• A high quality cheese - try Italian Pecorino Romano Cheese - it's made with Sheep's Milk in Italy. It was very tasty (though a bit salty). 
• Tomato Sauce with fresh basil leaves (basil is super easy to grow in a garden, or even in a pot if you don't have a garden - fresh makes all the difference compared to dry basil.  (if you can make homemade sauce - it really enhances the flavor. It's really easy. If you need a quick tomato sauce recipe, email me - theplantbasedhealthcoach@gmail.com. Otherwise use your favorite jarred sauce)

Make a big pot of sauce, and then add cooked whole wheat pasta to it, and serve over a big plate of arugula. Grate a little cheese on top. If you use a strong, high quality cheese, you won't need a lot to get a lot of great flavor. Unless you're like me and love cheese, then grate a little more:). It's an indulgence, so enjoy it when you choose to eat it.

Happy health!

Wheatgrass - Get Your Daily Dose

Everyone knows that wheatgrass is good for you, right? But who really knows why. I didn't know just how good it was until recently. I picked some up at the Decatur's Farmers Market, and chewed on it. Wierd, I know. But it was actually very sweet. And more cost effective than buying it already juiced. I didn't continue sprouting it, but think I'll give it another try soon. Anyway, there are easier ways to get in your daily dose of wheatgrass. Here's 3 reasons why you should drink/eat this superfood. 

http://www.ehow.com/how_5078991_plant-wheatgrass.html

1. It's been clinically proven to heal ulcerative colitis and aid in cancer recovery (and cancer prevention). Check out this article from Natural News for more information. 

2. Wheatgrass contains no less than thirteen vitamins and all 20 essential amino acids. It also contains a very high amount of chlorophyll which has some proven health and anti-cancer properties. 1 fl. oz. is equivalent to eating 2.5 lbs of veggies. It's loaded with good, live enzymes too. 

3. It has a powerful detoxifying effect. Chlorophyll, in particular has a detoxifying effect. Everyone has toxins. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, MD, even newborn babies have 287 toxins in their umbilical cord blood, 217 of which are neurotoxic (poisonous to nerves or nerve cells).  Frightening, I know. 


Here are a just a few indicators, from Dr. Hyman, that you may need to detox:

• I have hard, difficult to pass movements every day or every other day
• I am constipated and only go every other day or less often
• I urinate small amounts of dark, strong smelling urine only a few times a day
• I almost never break a real sweat
• I have one or more of the following symptoms: fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, concentration and memory problems
• I have a negative reaction when I consume foods containing MSG, sulfites (wine, salad bars, dried fruit), sodium benzoate (preservative), red wine, cheese, bananas or chocolate, even a small amount of alcohol, eating food with garlic and onions
• When I drink coffee or caffeine containing substances I feel wired up, an increase in joint and muscle aching or have hypoglycemic symptoms (anxiety, palpitations, sweating, dizziness)
• I regularly consume any of the following substances or medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol), acid blocking drugs (Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid, Prilosec, Prevacid), hormone modulating medications in pills, patches or creams (the pill, estrogen, progesterone, prostate medication), ibuprofen or naproxen, medications for Colitis or Crohn’s disease, recurrent headaches, allergy symptoms, nausea, diarrhea or indigestion

If you have a juicer, growing your own wheatgrass may be a good option. If not, you can buy it in  several different supplement forms and either mix it with water, or blend it into your smoothie. 

If you need a really great smoothie recipe, here's a reminder of my favorite green smoothie. Add a scoop of powdered wheatgrass to it, too. Organic Powdered Wheat Grass

Ingredients: 
1 banana
3/4 can of peaches (or more, or less) - can use fresh when they come in season again
3 tbsp. Hemp  seeds
Ice
1/2-1c. coconut milk
big handful of spinach or baby spring mix - 
water as needed
Blend

Happy health!








Sources: 

http://www.naturalnews.com/026418_chlorophyll_wheatgrass_skin.html#ixzz1tfFev8XN

http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/04/28/ultrawellness-lesson-5-detoxification/

http://dynamicgreens.com/wheatgrass-benefits-of-wheatgrass.html

http://www.naturalhealthcure.org/therapies/wheat-grass-juice-therapy-health-benefits-and-healing-properties.html