Here are a few more recipes that are so delicious, quick, and healthy!
My kids love sauces and strong flavored foods, and I don't really buy dressings and sauces. So things have been getting kind of boring. We needed a flavor change! This is a flavorful, delicious home made tomato sauce recipe from my sister Sarah Nagar:
Half a container of colorful heirloom tomatoes, half container of juicy cherry tomatoes, four large, regular tomatoes, one onion, fresh basil, parsley, oregano, onion and garlic powder.
Chop up tomatoes and onion, saute all the ingredients with some olive oil until soft and mushy. Blend up in food processor or immersion blender. And there you have it...sweet, tangy, colorful, home made tomato sauce with the taste and freshness you won't find in any store bought bottle!
2. Kale chips...
Take a bunch of kale, pick the leaves off the stems. Lay them out on a baking tray, sprinkle with coconut oil and sea salt. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Enjoy a very healthy, crunchy, flavorful snack!
(Kale is a dark, green leafy veggie, packed with vitamin A and C, calcium, iron and can do great things for the respiratory and circulatory systems. More on leafy greens later.)
3. "Ice cream" popsicles.
Mix some coconut milk (canned, without preservatives or additives) with a bag of frozen berries, add a little raw honey and pour into an ice cube tray. My kids had this for snack and dinner for a few days when it was so hot out and their appetites weren't as strong as usual.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Correction on sugar substitutes and sweeteners
I have been thinking a lot about xylitol. And as I was thinking more about I realized its probably just as processed and awful for you as any other processed food on the market. I did a little research, and will continue to do so. Originally, xylitol was taken from the trunk of a birch tree. Now a days, with government subsidized corn fields, corn is in everything. So it was no surprise to me to learn that a lot of xylitol products we see on the shelves, are actually made from corn. Quite a difference from a birch tree growing peacefully in a quite, green forest.
This is the problem with the food industry. You never know what you are eating, where it comes from and if the labels you are reading are true. The key is to know how to read between the lines and figure out where your food is coming from. (More on the food industry later. I get very lively and aggravated when it comes to food politics and the food industry. So I can go on and on with this topic for pages and pages. I'll spare you the details, but I'll definitely give you some helpful hints later on.)
So the point is, if mashed bananas just don't do it for you, find a natural, unprocessed, raw sweetener, with no other added ingredients and use in small amounts. Whether its brown rice syrup, maple syrup or honey, just make sure its pure and whole!
Hope this helps! Have a great Sunday!
This is the problem with the food industry. You never know what you are eating, where it comes from and if the labels you are reading are true. The key is to know how to read between the lines and figure out where your food is coming from. (More on the food industry later. I get very lively and aggravated when it comes to food politics and the food industry. So I can go on and on with this topic for pages and pages. I'll spare you the details, but I'll definitely give you some helpful hints later on.)
So the point is, if mashed bananas just don't do it for you, find a natural, unprocessed, raw sweetener, with no other added ingredients and use in small amounts. Whether its brown rice syrup, maple syrup or honey, just make sure its pure and whole!
Hope this helps! Have a great Sunday!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Kid friendly meals
My kids love noodles! Since noodles aren't exactly a health food I try to make them as sparingly as possible. When I do make them I use quinoa noodles, or red lentil or something of the sort. While not the same consistency as regular noodles, its a much better alternative. Ill sprinkle on some "fake cheese" like daiya and some salt and herbs, and mix in some pastured chicken or meat on the side.
Another favorite in my house is "pizza betzah" which is basically scrambled eggs.
I use pastured eggs, nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor and consistency, sea salt and I'll boil up some edamame, quinoa or sweet potatoes on the side, with fresh veggies too.
Its another quick, easy, healthy dinner that my kids will eat without a fuss!
Have a great shabbos everyone!
Another favorite in my house is "pizza betzah" which is basically scrambled eggs.
I use pastured eggs, nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor and consistency, sea salt and I'll boil up some edamame, quinoa or sweet potatoes on the side, with fresh veggies too.
Its another quick, easy, healthy dinner that my kids will eat without a fuss!
Have a great shabbos everyone!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Recipes for kids who don't eat!
My kids go through stages. Sometimes they eat everything of their plates, sometimes they don't touch a thing. When they're in the non eating phase, I have to get quite creative to make sure they're getting the fat and protein they need. Here are a few ideas...
1. Protein pancakes
I put in flax meal, oats or even cooked quinoa, bananas, coconut oil, flax seeds, pastured eggs, (no hormones or antibiotics), crushed nuts, etc... You can be creative too. You can add in wheat germ, cinnamon, or whatever healthy things your kids like. Mix it all up really well until its smooth and liquidy and not clumpy.
I don't add any sweetener into the pancake mix besides bananas. I serve them with a little spreadable honey and some berries and my kids love them!
2. Home made granola bars (compliments of Rebecca Green. I just tweeked her recipe a bit.)
2 cups oats
half cup wheat germ
cinnamon
1 cup flour (I only use spelt, or oat)
organic raisins
1 egg
1/2 cup honey (raw, organic or spreadable)
half cup coconut oil
chopped nuts
vanilla
Bake for 30-35 mins and allow to cool for 5 mins before you cut them.
3. The new "cool" thing in my house now is to make those yogurts that they have in the bagel store. My daughter thinks those are really cool.
I put a thin layer of coconut milk (in a can without preservatives, left opened in fridge over night) ,chopped nuts, strawberries, oats, maybe some honey, depending on their sweet tooth that day, and keep layering until the the cup of bowl is filled up to your liking. Sometimes I mix in some plain cocoa powder when they want it to be "chocolatey". My kids know that cocoa powder is bitter, but if you mix it with honey, you might outsmart yours!
More to follow! Hope these are helpful!
1. Protein pancakes
I put in flax meal, oats or even cooked quinoa, bananas, coconut oil, flax seeds, pastured eggs, (no hormones or antibiotics), crushed nuts, etc... You can be creative too. You can add in wheat germ, cinnamon, or whatever healthy things your kids like. Mix it all up really well until its smooth and liquidy and not clumpy.
I don't add any sweetener into the pancake mix besides bananas. I serve them with a little spreadable honey and some berries and my kids love them!
2. Home made granola bars (compliments of Rebecca Green. I just tweeked her recipe a bit.)
2 cups oats
half cup wheat germ
cinnamon
1 cup flour (I only use spelt, or oat)
organic raisins
1 egg
1/2 cup honey (raw, organic or spreadable)
half cup coconut oil
chopped nuts
vanilla
Bake for 30-35 mins and allow to cool for 5 mins before you cut them.
3. The new "cool" thing in my house now is to make those yogurts that they have in the bagel store. My daughter thinks those are really cool.
I put a thin layer of coconut milk (in a can without preservatives, left opened in fridge over night) ,chopped nuts, strawberries, oats, maybe some honey, depending on their sweet tooth that day, and keep layering until the the cup of bowl is filled up to your liking. Sometimes I mix in some plain cocoa powder when they want it to be "chocolatey". My kids know that cocoa powder is bitter, but if you mix it with honey, you might outsmart yours!
More to follow! Hope these are helpful!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
sugars, sugar substitutes, artificial sweeteners...
"Sugar" has become a really complicated issue. Sugar is in everything, under many hidden names, and there are so many sugar substitutes that have found their way into our diets!
First of all, I would like to point out that natural sugar, such as fructose, which is found in fruits, is a good sugar, (when eating the fruit.) We need sugar in our blood (glucose) to help our blood get where it needs to go.
On the other hand, added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and many other sugars that are found in almost everything, are really not good for us. Having too much sugar does the same thing to the body that too much fat does: leads to obesity, heart disease, and of course, diabetes. It creates problems in the liver and disrupts the natural cycle of our systems, causing us to have highs and lows. And most commonly known, it can contribute to children having "ADD" and ADHD.
The problem is, while many of us have started to avoid sugar, we have turned to substitutes that can actually be worse then the sugar itself!
Sugar substitutes such as Splenda are made from chemicals. Splenda has chlorine in it. The reason why these sweeteners are zero calories is because they are not foods so they aren't digested. At the same time, the chemicals in the sweeteners can enter our blood stream and cause harm. On top of that, these chemicals actually dehydrate us, making us hungry and crave sugar!
No need to worry though. There are lots of natural, healthy alternatives!
For example, you can try raw, unfiltered, creamed, spreadable honey! I'm not a big fan of honey, and even I love this!
You can try Xylitol, which is a sugar alcohol made from birch tree bark.
Mashed bananas are always a super sweet alternative, if you're a banana person.
These are just a few examples of different things you can try!
(Agave nectar has become quite popular and also controversial. Since it has been so commercialized, the brown, clear-ish stuff you are buying in bottles is almost all fructose. It's like using corn syrup as a sweetener. If you were to come across a cactus where the agave comes from and squeezed some nectar out of it's leaves, you would be getting the real stuff!)
Hope this was helpful!
Have a great day, and go and try something new!
First of all, I would like to point out that natural sugar, such as fructose, which is found in fruits, is a good sugar, (when eating the fruit.) We need sugar in our blood (glucose) to help our blood get where it needs to go.
On the other hand, added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and many other sugars that are found in almost everything, are really not good for us. Having too much sugar does the same thing to the body that too much fat does: leads to obesity, heart disease, and of course, diabetes. It creates problems in the liver and disrupts the natural cycle of our systems, causing us to have highs and lows. And most commonly known, it can contribute to children having "ADD" and ADHD.
The problem is, while many of us have started to avoid sugar, we have turned to substitutes that can actually be worse then the sugar itself!
Sugar substitutes such as Splenda are made from chemicals. Splenda has chlorine in it. The reason why these sweeteners are zero calories is because they are not foods so they aren't digested. At the same time, the chemicals in the sweeteners can enter our blood stream and cause harm. On top of that, these chemicals actually dehydrate us, making us hungry and crave sugar!
No need to worry though. There are lots of natural, healthy alternatives!
For example, you can try raw, unfiltered, creamed, spreadable honey! I'm not a big fan of honey, and even I love this!
You can try Xylitol, which is a sugar alcohol made from birch tree bark.
Mashed bananas are always a super sweet alternative, if you're a banana person.
These are just a few examples of different things you can try!
(Agave nectar has become quite popular and also controversial. Since it has been so commercialized, the brown, clear-ish stuff you are buying in bottles is almost all fructose. It's like using corn syrup as a sweetener. If you were to come across a cactus where the agave comes from and squeezed some nectar out of it's leaves, you would be getting the real stuff!)
Hope this was helpful!
Have a great day, and go and try something new!
Friday, May 20, 2011
whole spelt challah
This is the best, softest whole spelt challah recipe. I love it.
1. Dissolve 4 T of yeast in 2 C of warm water with a bit of honey
2. Let that dissolve and set aside
3. 2 C warm water mixed with 3/4 honey, 1/2 oil, 6 eggs, 2 T salt, 1 C flax meal (optional)
4. Mix together with yeast mixture and then add 5 LB of whole spelt flour
5. Knead really well and let rise one hour
6. Shape and let rise 1/2 hour and bake 25-30 minutes (depending on your oven)
I like to sprinkle cinnamon on top before I cook them.
When using honey, try and get raw, unfiltered honey. And if you can find any with the comb inside the jar that's even better. There are some great health benefits from natural honey and the comb!
Enjoy. If anyone tries this recipe, please tell me how it comes out!
Have a great shabbos everyone!
1. Dissolve 4 T of yeast in 2 C of warm water with a bit of honey
2. Let that dissolve and set aside
3. 2 C warm water mixed with 3/4 honey, 1/2 oil, 6 eggs, 2 T salt, 1 C flax meal (optional)
4. Mix together with yeast mixture and then add 5 LB of whole spelt flour
5. Knead really well and let rise one hour
6. Shape and let rise 1/2 hour and bake 25-30 minutes (depending on your oven)
I like to sprinkle cinnamon on top before I cook them.
When using honey, try and get raw, unfiltered honey. And if you can find any with the comb inside the jar that's even better. There are some great health benefits from natural honey and the comb!
Enjoy. If anyone tries this recipe, please tell me how it comes out!
Have a great shabbos everyone!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
chocolate smoothie
I love chocolate! I made this yesterday for someone who got their wisdom teeth pulled out and can't eat anything.
A banana
some oats
blueberries
coconut milk (canned, no sugar or preservatives added)
slivered almonds
Raw cocoa powder or cacao goji powder found in health food stores
Blend it all up until it's really smooth and creamy! Seriously, there's no need for ice cream to make a great smoothie or milk shake! So delicious and on top of that you have your fruit, fiber, fat, protein, antioxidants, iron and whole grains.
Now if you're really adventurous, you can add a spoon of natural, no sugar added peanut or almond butter or some coconut oil for extra healthy fat (fat is a good thing in the right form) and flavor!
I did want to put some spinach leaves in the smoothie to get some extra super food energy in there, I just didn't know if the person would appreciate that very much!
Enjoy!
A banana
some oats
blueberries
coconut milk (canned, no sugar or preservatives added)
slivered almonds
Raw cocoa powder or cacao goji powder found in health food stores
Blend it all up until it's really smooth and creamy! Seriously, there's no need for ice cream to make a great smoothie or milk shake! So delicious and on top of that you have your fruit, fiber, fat, protein, antioxidants, iron and whole grains.
Now if you're really adventurous, you can add a spoon of natural, no sugar added peanut or almond butter or some coconut oil for extra healthy fat (fat is a good thing in the right form) and flavor!
I did want to put some spinach leaves in the smoothie to get some extra super food energy in there, I just didn't know if the person would appreciate that very much!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Crowding out
Ok I know I'm supposed to be posting more yummy treats. I'll get to that soon...
Crowding out those cravings! If you're the type who is craving sweets at night there are few things you can do to help. (That is, if you want to help it.)
1. Add more veggies to your daily diet! Add as many as you like and as many as you can. That way, at night, you won't have room in your body for junk
2. Drink water! Like I mentioned before, dehydration leads to cravings
3. Add sweet veggies to your diet, like cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, etc. which can give your body the sweetness it needs in a healthy way
4. If you really need something sweet, grab some dates! They're super sweet and come with lots of health benefits!
When I get in a craving sweets kind of mood, I'll drnk down a big cup of water, have some carrots (I like crunchy things,) and wait a few minutes to see what happens. I find that when I'm bored, annoyed or frustrated I crave crunchy sweets more. And when I haven't had enough to drink during the day, I really crave something sweet. If I can't get my mind off that craving, I go for the dates!
Crowding out those cravings! If you're the type who is craving sweets at night there are few things you can do to help. (That is, if you want to help it.)
1. Add more veggies to your daily diet! Add as many as you like and as many as you can. That way, at night, you won't have room in your body for junk
2. Drink water! Like I mentioned before, dehydration leads to cravings
3. Add sweet veggies to your diet, like cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, etc. which can give your body the sweetness it needs in a healthy way
4. If you really need something sweet, grab some dates! They're super sweet and come with lots of health benefits!
When I get in a craving sweets kind of mood, I'll drnk down a big cup of water, have some carrots (I like crunchy things,) and wait a few minutes to see what happens. I find that when I'm bored, annoyed or frustrated I crave crunchy sweets more. And when I haven't had enough to drink during the day, I really crave something sweet. If I can't get my mind off that craving, I go for the dates!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Cravings
I want to put out some information on cravings. Everyone has some kind of craving at some point or another, and some have them consistently. This will be part one of a few posts on cravings.
There are so many different reasons why we have cravings. Perhaps you haven't had enough water to drink, or maybe too many salty snacks. Maybe your late night craving for chocolate is because your body is lacking in magnesium, or maybe its just because you're plain old bored!
The first thing to think about when "deconstructing" cravings is WHY am I craving this"?
Think back into your day to see if you had enough water to drink. Dehydration leads to cravings. Also think about your vegetable intake. The more you have during the day, the less you'll crave other foods at night. (That's called crowding out. We'll get that next time.)
These are just some small examples to get you thinking and help you get a start on identifying where and why your cravings are coming from. I'll give some more details and suggestions at the next post!
There are so many different reasons why we have cravings. Perhaps you haven't had enough water to drink, or maybe too many salty snacks. Maybe your late night craving for chocolate is because your body is lacking in magnesium, or maybe its just because you're plain old bored!
The first thing to think about when "deconstructing" cravings is WHY am I craving this"?
Think back into your day to see if you had enough water to drink. Dehydration leads to cravings. Also think about your vegetable intake. The more you have during the day, the less you'll crave other foods at night. (That's called crowding out. We'll get that next time.)
These are just some small examples to get you thinking and help you get a start on identifying where and why your cravings are coming from. I'll give some more details and suggestions at the next post!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
COFFEE
Just wanted to share a little bit about coffee.
There's a lot of information out there about coffee. Some studies say it improves your memory and lessens your risk for alzheimers. Many people in the (holistic) nutritional field will agree that coffee isn't that great for you. Just to name a few reasons...
1. coffee is an acidic drink which can really irritate your digestive system, which is why it commonly makes people go to the bathroom!
2. Unfiltered coffees such as turkish, espresso, latte etc. can actually raise your cholesterol
3. Coffee is caffeinated! When we drink a caffeinated beverage first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, our brain goes into "emergency mode". The caffeine grabs the energy from our body that we don't even have first thing in the morning and it uses it up, raising our blood pressure, creating stress and sending us into a jittery mess. And then just as quickly as we get hyped up, we crash, feeling tired and lethargic, and for some people, they will start the whole process over again. So if you need to have your coffee, have it with a big lunch so at least it can act as a digestive aid and not just send your body into "move, emergency, high stress mode".
(P.S. Putting stress on the body from caffeinated coffee on an empty stomach, for example, creates stress hormones which get stored as... can you guess? Fat!! Just something to consider if you're trying to lose some weight!)
There's a lot of information out there about coffee. Some studies say it improves your memory and lessens your risk for alzheimers. Many people in the (holistic) nutritional field will agree that coffee isn't that great for you. Just to name a few reasons...
1. coffee is an acidic drink which can really irritate your digestive system, which is why it commonly makes people go to the bathroom!
2. Unfiltered coffees such as turkish, espresso, latte etc. can actually raise your cholesterol
3. Coffee is caffeinated! When we drink a caffeinated beverage first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, our brain goes into "emergency mode". The caffeine grabs the energy from our body that we don't even have first thing in the morning and it uses it up, raising our blood pressure, creating stress and sending us into a jittery mess. And then just as quickly as we get hyped up, we crash, feeling tired and lethargic, and for some people, they will start the whole process over again. So if you need to have your coffee, have it with a big lunch so at least it can act as a digestive aid and not just send your body into "move, emergency, high stress mode".
(P.S. Putting stress on the body from caffeinated coffee on an empty stomach, for example, creates stress hormones which get stored as... can you guess? Fat!! Just something to consider if you're trying to lose some weight!)
Monday, May 9, 2011
chocolatey recipe
This is a really great, quick recipe!
Melt some dark chocolate (higher the percentage of cocoa the better and without added sweeteners) with some coconut oil.
Once melted, stir in some organic raisins, almonds, oats, puffed kamut. You can leave out the kamut and just make plain old chocolate bars.
Press into a pan and freeze.
And there you have it: a delicious dessert filled with antioxidants, protein, and essential fats, with the sweetness and crunch to satisfy that sweet tooth craving!
Melt some dark chocolate (higher the percentage of cocoa the better and without added sweeteners) with some coconut oil.
Once melted, stir in some organic raisins, almonds, oats, puffed kamut. You can leave out the kamut and just make plain old chocolate bars.
Press into a pan and freeze.
And there you have it: a delicious dessert filled with antioxidants, protein, and essential fats, with the sweetness and crunch to satisfy that sweet tooth craving!
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