Chia Seeds - 5 Reasons to Eat Them!

I love chia seeds so much and here are just 5 reasons why:

1.  They have twice as much protein as other seeds or grains, providing all the essential amino acids in an easily digestible form.
2.  They have three times the antioxidant strength of blueberries.
3.  They are the richest plant source of Omega-3 fatty acids, (the vital fats that protect against inflammation—such as arthritis—and heart disease).  They have twice as much as wild salmon.
4.  They are easier to digest than flax seeds and they don't need ground up.
5.  They make a delicious drink in minutes, called Chia Fresca, and it is so hydrating.

There are so many more reasons than 5 to eat Chia seeds.  They are shown to help with high blood pressure, weight loss, and blood sugar control.  They have 5 times more iron than spinach, 2 times more potassium than bananas, and 5 times more calcium than milk (plus boron which is a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones).


What a great plant-based source of all these great nutrients!  And they are so much fun and so easy to use.  Add them to your morning smoothie, make Chia Fresca, Chia Pudding, and many other wonderful recipes.

'Chia Fresca'

2 tsp chia seeds
10oz pure water
juice of one lemon or lime
agave syrup or raw honey to taste

This is still a popular drink in modern-day Mexico. Simply stir the ingredients together and enjoy.

Raw 'Rice Pudding'

4-5 tbsp chia seed
2 cups almond milk
raw honey or agave syrup to taste

Combine the ingredients to your taste. Leave the chia to soak for at least 10 minutes before consuming. You can also add other flavours like vanilla, cinnamon or cardamom.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/022468_chia_seeds_food.html#ixzz1dcyLsmeo 

and http://www.nutsonline.com/cookingbaking/chia-seeds/premium.html

Amp Up Your Immune System

The cold weather has officially settled in but that doesn't mean you need to indulge in high calorie comfort foods and skip exercise.

Our immune system takes a beating over winter with the cooler weather making us more susceptible to colds and flu. Some ways to boost your immunity and stay healthy over the winter are listed below:

 

Alkalize - our immune system is strongest in an alkaline environment. Bacteria and viruses love an acid environment, but cannot survive in a healthy alkaline state. Add more dark leafy greens such as kale, silverbeet and spinach  to your diet which will not only boost your alkalinity they will provide a balance of vitamins, mineral and phytonutrients which will enhance the body's immune system.

Get plenty of rest and relaxation - Stress and tiredness weaken our immune system and we get ill much easier when we are run down. Our body naturally restores and recuperates during rest and sleep. Allow your body to recover and fight illness by getting 7-9 hours sleep each night. Yoga and meditation are great ways to relax.

 

Avoid bad habits - Convenience and pre-packaged foods, caffeine, alcohol and smoking are all harmful to the immune system. Cutting back on these and replacing them with whole foods, herbal teas and fresh juices and smoothies are a great way to support your body and get rid of cravings.

 

Work up a sweat - Exercise is a great way to warm up your body and keep you fit. By working up a sweat the body has an opportunity to release stored toxins through the skin the body's largest organ. 

 

Drink plenty of water- keep yourself well hydrated by drinking at least 2 litres of good quality water per day. This will help your body flush wastes and dilute mucous, helping eliminate bacteria and viruses which make us ill. Try our Mega Hydrate a revolutionary product that helps rid your body of toxins and free radicals like no other supplement.

Strengthen your immune system with these foods - Don't wait till you get a cold try to include the following foods into your diet to strengthen your immunity naturally:

Garlic - has anti bacterial, anti fungal and anti viral action for protecting against infections
Seaweeds - touted as superfoods because they offer extraordinary health promoting compounds not found in any other land vegetables. They have anti cancer properties and help boost the immune system. We have a few varieties you can experiment with: dulse great in salads available in leaf or flake form, wakame great in a miso soup or salad, sea spaghetti and kelp noodles make wonderful healthy alternatives to pasta.
Shitake Mushrooms - used for thousands of years in Asia for there phenomenol healing properties. They contain lentinan an immune strengthener that stimulates the system to clear cancerous cells. Try our organic variety of shitake
Vitamic C- exceptional sources are of course citrus, broccoli, but even higher levels are found in Goji Berries, camu camu and even chia seeds!
Miso - a rich source of protein, fibre and B vitmins for energy production and nervous system health. Unpasteurised organic miso contains active lactobacillus, which aids digestion and strengthens immunity. 
Vitamin D - Vitamin D deficiency affects a large proportion of people today. Vitamin D promotes the growth and development of bones and teeth. It is also heralded as having anti-cancer effects and boosting immunity. Sunlight is the easiest way to obtain this vitamin however quite often we don't absorb it or we don't actually get out enough to see the sunshine.  Talk to your health care provider about testing your level and supplementing if needed. 

 

Pick a couple of suggestions from this list and stick to them to avoid the flu this winter season!

Information from www.conscious-choice.com

Blissful Balance Wellness: Healthy Halloween Recipes eRecipe Book

Blissful Balance Wellness: Healthy Halloween Recipes eRecipe Book: Free Download "Healthy Halloween Recipes" is available for a few more days. Get recipes for great healthy halloween treats. Here are...

Healthy Halloween Recipes eRecipe Book

Free Download
"Healthy Halloween Recipes"
is available for a few more days.  Get recipes for great healthy halloween treats.  Here are a few of the recipes:

Apple Bites
Carrot Fingers
Creepy Cheesy Fingers
Creepy Eyeballs
Eyeballs You Can Eat
Goblin Smiles
Dried Fruit Eyeballs
Watermelon Brains
Monster Avocado Dip
Healthy Jack O’Lantern

Apple Teeth
Banana Ghosts on a Stick
Deviled Eyeballs

Here is the link:
Healthy Halloween Recipes eBook

Healthy Pumpkin Latte

I love pumpkin latte's in the fall -- a little bit of a comfort food on a rainy fall day like today.  But I am off sugar and prefer to use mainly Stevia. 

I just thought I'd look up the sugar content in a Starbuck's Pumpkin Latte so I could make a rational decision on how many I might want to consume this fall, if any. 

I usually get a grande size and I have to admit even I was surprised at how much sugar is in it.  Without the whipped cream it has a whopping 47 grams of sugar!

Just for a bit of perspective here, a Snickers bar has 30 grams, which is too much for me for a treat.  So you can see, I won't be having any Starbucks Pumpkin or other flavored latte's this fall.  

But, I did make one at home that was so delicious.  I used Stevia which is an all natural sweetener with no calories, or harmful effects to the body.  I actually had some freshly cooked pumpkin that I was making pumpkin soup from yesterday, so here's how I made it:

Healthy Pumpkin Latte

Make a simple sugar with Stevia:

2-3 packets of Stevia (to taste)

1 cup water

Bring it barely to a boil, simmer and stir for a minute or so.

Add:

4 TBS pumpkin puree 

2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice 

(or  just cinnamon).

Simmer for a few minutes.  Cool and refrigerate.  Should keep a week or two in fridge. This should make a few latte's.

Add 2 TBS to your steaming hot coffee and stir with a mini whisk.  Add steamed milk & stir.  I like a little foam too, but don't have a milk steamer.  I looked online and found a great way to make it in a jar, by shaking!

Steamed Milk (without a steamer)

1 cup organic half and half, put it in a jar with a lid and shake it vigorously for about a minute.  Then microwave it for about 30 seconds. lt makes the foam hold up well and heats the milk.  Pour the milk into the coffee & pumpkin mixture, holding the foam back with a spoon, then top with foam and a sprinkle of nutmeg.  

This is REALLY good.  If you don't happen to have fresh cooked pumpkin, you can open a can of organic pumpkin puree.  You can also use milk or low fat milk, but won't get quite as much foam. 

You are saving 47 grams of sugar, so enjoy, gullt-free!

Download your Healthy Halloween Recipes Book

Healthy Halloween Recipes

Get this fun and fabulous recipe book for your kids or your Halloween parties!

Here are some samples of what's in the Recipe Book:

Apple Bites
Carrot Finger
Creepy Cheesy Fingers
Creepy Eyeballs
Goblin Smiles
Watermelon Brains
Banana Ghosts on a Stick

and so much more!

Click on the link above to download.
  

How to Make Deviled Eyeballs

A spooky spin on traditional deviled eggs, these snacks are sure to delight your Halloween guests.

Supplies Needed:                                                                       
6 eggs
¼ mayonnaise
½ teaspoon of vinegar
1 tsp mustard
Salt and pepper
Green food coloring
Sliced black olives
Red food coloring

Also, keep on hand a pot to boil the eggs, a small bowl, fork, spoon, cutting board, knife and a toothpick.

Step 1: Hard Boil the Eggs
Place the eggs in a small pot and cover them with water. Place on high heat on the stove. Once the water starts to boil, set the timer for about 12 minutes, so the yolks will be hard.

Once you have finished boiling the eggs, run cold water over the pot and let the eggs cool down. This will make it easier to peel the eggs.

Step 2: Peel the Eggs
Next peel the all the eggs. Discard the shells and place the peeled eggs aside.

Step 3: Slice Eggs
Now you’re ready to slice the eggs. Slice each one lengthwise.

Step 4: Remove Yolks
Carefully remove the yolks from each egg half. You can use your finger to gently push the yolk out.

Step 5: Prepare the Filling
Start by mashing the yolks with a fork.
Mash until the yolks are completely crumby in texture.
Next, add ¼ mayonnaise.
Next add ½ teaspoon of vinegar.
Then add 1 teaspoon of mustard.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Then mash until creamy in texture.
Now add 2-3 drops of green food coloring.
Continue to stir the mixture until the coloring is evenly distributed.

Step 6: Assemble the Eggs
Now you’re ready for the final preparation of your eggs. Start by spooning the green mixture into each of the eggs.
Then add a sliced olive to the middle of the green mixture, to create the appearance of the iris.
Then place a small amount of red food coloring at the end of a toothpick and make small lines on the egg white to mimic bloodshot eyes.
Repeat for all the egg and place on a festive plate to serve.

Mini Zucchini Millet Muffins - Gluten Free

Mini Zucchini Millet Muffins

Gluten Free.  You can make these dairy free by substituting water for the milk.  Still wonderful.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

Line muffin pan with baking cups.  You can use either mini (so cute) or regular muffin pans, just adjust baking time.

Mix together in a small bowl:

3/4 cup of warm milk of choice
1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

Let stand for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest.

Mix together in a large bowl:

2 cups millet flour (freshly ground if you have a Vita-Mix )
2 tablespoon freshly ground flax seed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

 Mix well then add:

1/3 cup of coconut oil (melt if needed)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup of grated zucchini
1 grated apple or ½ cup grated carrots

¼ cup organic agave syrup or maple syrup (optional)

Add contents of small bowl and combine well. Fill muffin pans 3/4 full. Bake mini muffins about 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Bake regular muffins about 15-18 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven, cool slightly and remove from pan.  These are delicious served warm with butter or add some maple syrup or honey for a sweet treat.

PS: You can use other flours and oils, but these are my favorites since I am not eating wheat.  Millet is similar to corn meal but I love the flavor for a change. 

Steve Jobs Insightful Quotes

What an inspiring and amazing person.  As far as I am concerned, these quotes pretty much say it all.

 "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: ‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been ‘No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

Coco-Choco-PB Energy Bites

Coco-Choco-PB Energy Bites

Last night after dinner I was really wanting a chocolate or sweet treat and my food supply was sadly missing anything along those lines.  Usually I can find something for my sweet tooth that is satisfying and healthy, even if its a tablespoon of peanut butter, but alas I was also out of that.  It was a little late and too rainy to run to the store, and I made do with a cup of tea.

So today I decided to whip up some healthy, tasty  tidbits of chocolatey goodness to keep in the fridge or freezer for the next time my sweet tooth kicked in.  They turned out really well and are very satisfying as well as very easy to make.  All the ingredients are healthy too, so win/win for me!

Here is the simple recipe

These are dairy-free, gluten-free and raw.  You could also substitute a different natural sweetener if needed.  So simple, here is the recipe:

1-1/2 cups shredded organic coconut
1/2 cup organic cocoa powder or cacao
1 tablespoon organic extra virgin coconut oil (melt if needed)
1/4 cup organic agave nectar
2 tablespoons organic Crunchy Peanut or Almond Butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt

Stir all this together until well mixed and shape into balls.  You can cover with a little finely shredded coconut if desired (I used the Vita-Mix to make the coconut flakes very fine).  Keep in refrigerator.

Cool Cucumber & Feta Salad

Cucumber & Feta Salad

 

So refreshing and you can make it in just a few minutes.

2 large cucumbers

¼ cup feta

¼ cup greek-style plain yogurt

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

½ tsp sea salt

1 small jalepeno, diced

Chopped mint leaves to garnish

Chop cucumbers into 1 inch cubes, add other ingredients and stir.

Chill and serve.

What are we feeding our kids?

         

No, I am NOT recommending Pop Tarts!

I saw an ad on television the other day for Kellogg’s Pop Tarts. My mouth dropped open because it was so obviously targeting young children. The ad was animated, whimsical and cute, with mom feeding her children these “wonderful” tasty treats. Now I know basically what the ingredients are in pop tarts, and they are pure white flour and sugars. Absolutely no nutrition and a huge shot of sugar. If that is what Kellogg’s thinks we should be feeding our children for breakfast, I am sadly appalled. 

So I had to look up the nutrition information on a box of Strawberry Pop Tarts, and it was even worse than I imagined.  Here it is:

ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, DEXTROSE, SOYBEAN AND PALM OIL (WITH TBHQ FOR FRESHNESS), SUGAR, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF CRACKER MEAL, WHEAT STARCH, SALT, DRIED STRAWBERRIES, DRIED PEARS, DRIED APPLES, CORNSTARCH, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), CITRIC ACID, CORN CEREAL, GELATIN, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL†, CARAMEL COLOR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, SOY LECITHIN, XANTHAN GUM, MODIFIED WHEAT STARCH, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, COLOR ADDED, TURMERIC COLOR, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, RED #40, NIACINAMIDE, REDUCED IRON, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), YELLOW #6, RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1), FOLIC ACID, BLUE #1.†LESS THAN 0.5g TRANS FAT PER SERVING

OMGosh. Where to start! The first ingredient is enriched flour, which sounds good, but is actually wheat with the germ and bran (the good stuff!) stripped away leaving only the starchy center. This acts the same as sugar in the body. Four of the next five ingredients are SUGAR! That means 5 of the first 6 ingredients are sugar/enriched flour. Oh, and the other ingredient in the top six? Soybean and palm oil, probably highly processed GMO. We don’t know because GMO doesn’t have to be labeled. It also includes hydrogenated oils, which everyone knows are unhealthy. One Pop Tart contains a whopping 38 grams of carbohydrates, none of it with any nutritional value. 

And we wonder why we have an obesity and health epidemic. Wow, Kellogg’s. Is this the best you can do?

Here is a great article on enriched white flour if you want to know more about it and why you should stay away from it:     Enriched Flour