My new favorite smoothie...The Kavacado!

I have been bombarding my body lately with chlorophyll! Sounds odd, I know. Just bumping up my intake of green vegetables in general, less fruit, no wheat. I have been doing this now for 2 weeks and feel unbelievable. My anxiety is 95% gone, I feel more clear headed, no headaches, I have tons of energy, and I didn't even have 1 cramp when my monthly friend came to visit...amazing!  Avacado is my new best friend. I love avacado, so I have no problem eating one a day. I was missing my fruit smoothies and most green smoothies sounded disgusting. I like green juice, but a chunky smoothie did not sound appetizing. However, I went out on a limb and tried an avacado one...which I put my spin on my adding kale. I prefer it to a fruit smoothie and it has been kid approved. So, you know if my picky Jackson is drinking it that it must be good. Here it is:

Kavacado Smoothie
- 1/2 of an avacado
- 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk (I can't say how almond, rice, hemp, or cow's milk would make it taste, 
                                              but I am sure any one would be fine)
- 2 big handfulls of frozen, chopped kale (such a good thing to keep in your freezer to add to 
                                                                  any smoothie....can't even taste it)
- 1/2 cup crushed ice
- 1 or 2 packs stevia or sweetner of choice (stevia works wonders at balancing your blood sugar)
- 1 Tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tsp. almond extract
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 1/2 Tbsp. chia or flax seeds

Blend and enjoy. If it seems too thick, add some more milk or water. Tastes very much like pistacio:)
Everything beyond the basics are optional. If you don't have any protein powder, chia, or coconut oil...not a big deal. Without them this is an extremely nutritious smoothie, but with them it is a powerhouse!

Stinkies & Thieves

Jackson working hard alphabetizing my oils.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I cannot sleep at night without my "stinkie." It's technically a rice sock. My mom made one for me at one time and Don simply could not stand the lavenderish smell, so from than on they became known as "my stinkies".  Heat it up in the microwave and it is a great soother for a sore tummy or muscles. It can also be put in the freezer for injured muscles. It, honestly, calms me down at the end of the day. Some, of which I am sure, is the fact that it makes me think about my mom. Kinda like a hug from her at the end of the day:) They are WAY to easy to make and you can totally personalize them. We like to buy holiday socks on sale to fill ours and since pairs are 2, you get 2 for the price of one! So many fun patterns to choose from as well. Plus, the also give me a chance to play with my aromatherapy collection. Jackson is home and on the mend from an earache today, so he was my helper. We made Sleepy Stinkies and Sad Day Stinkies. Aromatherapy has been proven to have all kinds of beneficial effects on the body. So, why not try another solution to calming down your kids before bed or helping them come out of a bad day? Even if you do not have all the oils listed, a simple lavender or grapefruit sock would be lovely as well. Here are the things you need:

Sleepy Stinkies:
1 knee high sock
2 1/2 cups of non-instant rice
few drops of lavender essential oil
few drops of sage essential oil
few drops of bergamont essential oil
few drops of marjoram
(I buy So Essential Oils ay Health Hut)

Mix uncooked rice with oils in bowl and funnel into sock. Tie end of sock...DONE!
Heat for 1 minute or more to your liking.

These oils are good for calming down or relaxing.

Sad Day Stinkies:

1 knee high sock

2 1/2 cups of non-instant rice

few drops of lemon essential oil

few drops of grapefruit essential oil

few drops of mint essential oil

few drops of sweet orange

(I buy So Essential Oils ay Health Hut)

Mix uncooked rice with oils in bowl and funnel into sock. Tie end of sock...DONE!

Heat for 1 minute or more to your liking or this one can just be room temp.

These oils are uplifting oils good for bringing up moods or enhancing alertness.

I also made my own Thieves Blend. Anyone who has ever heard of Young Living Oils knows Thieves. I think it is the most popular oil in the brand. Known for it's immune boosting and sanitizing properties...but SUPER expensive. So, of course, I found the recipe online and I made that up today too. I can't take credit for this one, but here is the recipe if you are interested and there is also a list of the million things it can help with listed on the site:

http://www.natural-aromatherapy-benefits.com/thievesoilrecipe.html

The Plump Pomegranate

The Pomegranate: The food of the Gods. They believed that it was the secret to their immortality. It very well may have been. They are rich in antioxidents and beneficial in so many realms such as preventing cancer, keeping osteoarthritis at bay, keeping your skin beautiful, and many many more. I, myself, didn't start eating them until last year. The method to get the seeds out was intimidating to me. But, it really is easy. Just cut the fruit in half. Hold 1/2 over a bowl and hit it on the skin side with a meat tendorizer or small hammer. The seeds will just fall into the bowl. Here are 2 dishes that I have had this last week that include this beautiful jewel of a fruit. They are both side dishes,
rich in color, and delicious this time of year.

Triple P Salad: Pomegranate, Pear, and Pecan
1 head of organic romaine (chopped)
1 head of organic spinich (chopped)
1/2 cucumber (chopped)
1 onion (diced)
1 pear
1/2 cup chopped pecans
pomegranate seeds
feta cheese to your liking
*Poppyseed Dressing:
4 packets of Sweetleaf Stevia or 1/3 c. sugar
5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. grapeseed oil or your oil of choice

Assemble salad and mix dressing in canning jar. Apply as liberally as you like.
Dressing will stay fresh in canning jar for a week.


Asian Slaw Side
1 purple cabbage (chopped)
1 bunch of green onion tops
pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (or omit if you dont like it)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/8 cup sesame seeds
1 bag shredded carrots
*Dressing:
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1/4 c. grapeseed oil or oil of choice
3 tbsp. rice vinegar
juice of 1/2 an orange
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1 packet of stevia or 1 tbsp. sugar

Assemble slaw ingrediants and mix dressing. Pour dressing over slaw ingrediants and
let sit for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Bon Appetit!

No Sugar Cranberry Sauce

I swear to God, sometimes I think I am the only one in the world that likes cranberry sauce! Nevertheless, I still make it every year around this time. Not only is it good, but my version has no sugar, so all of the health benefits from the cranberries are not erased by a load of sugar. 

1 bag cranberries
2 mandarin oranges
1 cup water
2 1/2 tbsp stevia powder (You could use honey too)
dash of cinnamon or to taste

Cook all together on medium heat. Keep stirring until it thickens. Refrigerate a few hours. 

Smoothie for Colds

So, I swore I wouldn't get the cold that my whole family has gotten and I have made a really good run of it, but low and behold....I did catch it. I do believe it is not as bad as the rest of the fam's cold though. They all got real nasaly stuffy and I really don't feel super sick. It's more of an annoyance. The tickle in my throat is keeping me from sleeping at night and I just wanna be done with it. So, I have concocted a cold smoothie. This one has a ton of vitamin c! It's a little spice, a little soothing and alot tasty:

1 pineapple core (you can buy a bunch of them in the store in a pack for under $2.00.)
1/2 cup of mixed frozen tropical fruit
1 clementine
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 shake cinnamon
1 shake cayanne
1 packet of stevia
1/2 banana 

You can always substitute pineapple flesh instead of the core, but the core has a higher concentration of bromeline in it. You can also subsititute water for coconut milk But I would not substitute cow milk for it. Dairy can make you extra phlegmy.

Smoothie of the Week

A smoothie a day keeps the doctor away. I found a new and exciting ingrediant that I have been incoporating in my smoothies lately....wheat grass powder. Wheat grass is amazing. One tsp. of wheat grass powder has as much iron in it as a huge spinich salad. I admit, the smell is a little overwhelming...like fresh grass...obviously:) But, in a smoothie, you cannot even taste it! So, here is the  smoothie of the week, with my new addition:

1 cup, semi-frozen, mixed berries
1 tbsp. coconut oil
handful of frozen kale
1/2 cup coconut water (little more or a little less, based on the thickness you desire)
1 packet stevia
1 tbsp. hemp powder

blend until combined
ENJOY!

Fall Eats

I am clearly addicted to cooking:) When I am bored on a Saturday night and my idea, to break the boredom, is to make a gluten free apple coffee cake...you know it's bad!  I think about it day and night...what can I make tomorrow for breakfast, lunch, dinner? Something different than we have all the time....something tasty and healthy? What new snacks can I make the kids? So now that fall is here and I finally have a Vitamix, I am making so much fun stuff. Here are a few of the things that I have been trying. I can't take credit for most of the recipes...those are from my other addiction (Pinterest:)
First I'll list the ones that are my own:

Applesauce:
SO this time of year! Farmers markets have apples For $1.50-2.00 lb. I buy a ton and make sauce. The Vitamix makes it easier than ever. I cut the apples into quarters. I also keep the peels on (So many good nutrients in the peels) Put in a pot with a little water and watch them cook till they get real soft.You can also roast them in a cake pan with a little water and cinnamon in the oven. I transfer theses mushy apples straight to the vitamix and blend. Maybe add a little water and some cinnamon. Vitamix demolishes the peels..not a sign of one.  Put in canning jars and freeze. Eliminates the whole hot water bath canning mess and will keep for a long time. You can also add blended fruit purees to the sauce to make it flavored, i.e berry, pear, etc. 

Coconut Whipped Cream:
My kids have no idea that this is not whipped cream. For a while I was buying whole whipping cream and whipping it weekly with cinnamon and stevia. But, canned coconut milk is dairy free and has so many more health benefits. I put a can of organic whole fat coconut milk, unopened, in the freezer for a few hours upside down. Open it and you will see a layer of water and a large layer of thick coconut cream. You will only use the cream portion, so drain off the water part. Now whip with a mixer. Add any sweetner you choose. I do stevia and cinnamon. It does not have that "whippy" feel, i.e cool whip, but does the trick and it's all natural. This will stay good covered in the fridge for about a week.

Cinnamon Chips:
To go with the whipped cream, I make these cinnamon chips. Take tortillas, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cut into triangles with a pizza cutter and put on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. They are crunchy, yummy, sweet and great for dipping!

Pork Carnitas:
Cannot even describe how easy and good these are. Sat in the crockpot all day and made a good meal with some homemade guacamole and rice. 
http://mommyandmelunchbox.blogspot.com/2013/02/pork-carnitas-salad.html

No Bake Granola Bars:
Just made these this morning. Too easy and you can mess with different variations.
http://www.mykitchenescapades.com/2013/06/no-bake-chewy-granola-bars_23.html

Kheema, Indian Ground Beef with Peas:
Loved this! Maddy devoured it. If you like a little spice, but not super spicy...this is perfect. Very easy to make and good over rice.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/kheema-indian-ground-beef-with-peas-recipe/index.html

Slowcooker Rotisserie Chicken:
I have made many chicken slowcooker recipes and have only made them once because they were forgetable..nothing special...until this recipe. This, again, is easy to put together and really does taste like store rotisserie chicken. I took the crockpot drippings and made gravy to go on the sweet potato side. http://crockpot.betterrecipes.com/slow-cooker-rotisserie-chicken.html

Bon Appetit!