9/01/2011

Alkalining your Body and The Rotation Diet

I have so much to learn still about the science of food combining and balance. In my previous post back in May, I wrote about the alkaline diet and how alkaline foods need to be balanced with more acidic foods. I decided to redo this post and delete the previous post because I realized I was sending wrong information out. I will blame that on a book I read in which I took out of context due to misinterpreting information. Here is what I have learned that has more truth behind it according to research.
First of all, the body, (unless it has celiac (allergy to gluten) or some food allergy) needs to have a diet rich in all foods, rotated throughout the week. I have learned that extreme dieting is not good for anyone (unless your doctor specifies it's okay). Eating the same food daily without being properly balanced with fruits and veggies, will create a body too high in acid, which can lead to disease. No germ, parasite or virus can really survive in a alkalined body, and the body does have reserves to fight off too much acid when person doesn't eat enough alkaline. But when the body becomes weak and depleted of its reserved preserves, then acid can rule the body and then sickness or disease can occur. So, a rule that I like to follow and keep simple is too just make sure I am not eating an over-abundance of the same food day after day. Here is a sample of a eating protocol I like to follow in this rotation diet.
Day 1 Wheat and meat
Breakfast: whole grain, high fiber flourless bread such as Ezikial bread, with almond butter, oatmeal, and fruit smoothie drink.
Lunch- organic turkey meat with goat cheese, avocado, sprouts, and tomato on spelt flour tortilla with carrots and apple/celery
Snack-apples and goat cheese together, chips and salsa, yogurt with pro-biotics, veggie drink
Dinner-Speghetti with meat and whole wheat pasta
Day 2 Rice and Corn with a little meat or none at all
Breakfast- rice or corn cereal, fruit and eggs
Lunch, Salad with black beans and rice in place of meat
Snack- apples, carrots, rice crackers and hummus
Dinner- chicken enchiladas made with corn tortillas, or veggie and tofu stir fry with rice
Day 3 Soups and easy digestables
Breakfast- apple sauce, cream of wheat with soft, heated berries, yogurt
Lunch- Soup of your choice
Snack, protein smoothie, fruit smoothie, or carrot juice
Dinner- mashed potatoes and gravy, cooked grean beans or other veggie.
Dessert- chocolate protein smoothie
Day 4- Back to wheat and meat of your choice (include alkaline veggies throughout the day)
Day 5 Back to rice and corn
Day 6 back to soups and easy digestables
Day 7 back to wheat and meat.
Hope this is helpful for some who don't understand the rotation diet. It is difficult to do unless you keep track and plan meals. If you want to give this a try, it's worth it!

I LOOOOVE My Blendtec


This is a picture of a blendtec and I am the proud owner of one. You may have seem this one at Costco, during demo time, making all sorts of scrumptious juices, soups, yogurts, ect. For months we have been wanting one, but the price being 400.00, we just couldn't give in. My mom has a vitamix she got, and I would get spoiled using hers. Have you ever wanted something so badly, but just couldn't come to terms with how expensive it is? I had a solution. Sell our kitchen table and purchase one. We did just that, and now I can say it's well worth 400.00, in fact, this super blender is the best 400.00 I have ever spent, the best investment too...an investment to health!
I use this thing about twice a day. I make lots of veggie drink combos, fruit juice combos, soups, salsas, everything, you name it! This blender is ultra-powerful and does what most average blenders could not do. In fact, your average blender would break if you put whole veggies in it daily and made it do what this blender does effortlessly. In a former post I wrote about how important it is to get more alkaline in our diets. With this blendtec, I make pure alkaline drinks. I love super-charging my system. The benefits are amazing. Here are some sample recipes I make.
Alkaline Carrot Combo Drink
2 carrots
2 celery
handful of spinach
1 c. water
1 apple
Super-charged Veggie Drink (sordive like V-8 but without all the salt)
2 carrots
2 celery
handful of spinach
1 yam or sweet potato
2 tomatos
1 cucumber
1 c. water
Fruit Combo drinks
2 oranges
2 carrots
1 c. water or juice
Banana Combo Drink
2 bananas
1 c. spinach
1 c. soy milk
1 c. chopped pineapple
There are many more combos, but just think of how long it would take you to eat all those fruits and veggies if you had to eat them in their basic form. Drinking them takes less time, and you are able to get so many more servings of fruits and veggies that way. Also, more digestable in liquid form, full of live enzymes your body needs, and delicious. If you can't afford a blend-tec, I recommend you save for one. You will definately get your moneys worth out of it, if you are committed to your health daily.

3/09/2011

Basil Spring Rolls

20 rice papers (your choice of size) I recommend the largest so you can cut into thirds.
15-20 fresh basil, cut into halfs
1 1/2 c. mung bean sprouts
1 1/2 c. chopped cucumber
2 pounds of cooked, cleaned and deveined shrimp with tails off
1 big bunch of romaine lettuce, shredded
1 c. shredded carrots

dip each rice paper into warm water for 10 seconds. Take out of water and lay flat on cutting board or large cutting surface. Begin by placing a small handful of each ingrediant on each rice paper. Wrap like a burrito and continue same process for each of them. Serve immediately.

These tast great in peanut sauce. Either you can buy peanut sauce at store or make your own. I used homemade version.

1/2 c. smooth peanut butter, heated on stove until melts
1 T. brown sugar
3 T. soy sauce
1/4 c. water
a drop or two of sesame oil
mix all together and then heat on stove. sprinkle with chopped peanuts if you like.

10/11/2010

Delicious Quinoa Salad (My own version)


This quinoa salad is so good I could literally eat it all day long. I had this salad this weekend and it was the main food item I ate. I overlooked the sloppy joes and other salads and just focused on this salad because it is that good. I decided to change the recipe a little, so I added chopped baby spinach and extra lime juice for an added kick. This salad is served chilled out of the fridge and is so nutritious you will not believe how something so good could be that good for you. Quinoa is a grain and when cooked is rather fluffy and easy to work with. It is very high in protein and amino acids and has TONS of vitamins and nutrients. You will feel great after eating it. It has a mild flavor and is perfect anytime of the year. You can purchase quinoa at almost anywhere. I purchased a big bag for at Costco.


Delicious Quinoa Salad

1 c. uncooked quinoa
2 c. chicken broth
a handful of fresh chopped baby spinach
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 half of an onion, chopped
1 small/medium sized cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. red wine vinager
1 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. lime juice
1 T. olive oil

Cook quinoa in chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and then simmer, covered. When quinoa is cooked, it will be light and fluffy and liquid will be absorbed. Pour quinoa into a large bowl and set aside. Next, combine all the veggies together and toss veggies into quinoa. Add minced garlic cloves to red wine vinager and pour over quinoa and veggies. Add lime juice and olive oil and then cover and chill in fridge until ready to serve.

9/30/2010

Dinner In A Pumpkin




I love dinner in a pumpkin. I look forward to this tasty meal during the year! Do you ever wonder what to do with your leftover pumpkin? You can make a delicious meal in it, eat he pumpkin (taste similiar to squash) and then bake the seeds (add some sea salt, and pumpkin seeds are high in good vitamins like zinc).

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 pound of lean hamburger meat or turkey meat
2 c. cooked rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. chopped celery
1 small can of mushrooms (for fresh mushrooms, about 1 c. of chopped mushrooms is about right).
1 T soy sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1 small can of water chestnuts (chopped)
1/2 c. chopped onions
1 tsp. onion powder

Preheat oven to 450. Have pumpkin cleaned out and ready to fill with mixture inside. Cook hamburger, drain grease, and set aside. Combine cream of mushroom soup, onions, onion powder, celery, soy sauce, brown sugar and water chestnuts with the rice. Mix together well. Add to hamburger or turkey mixture. Mix well. Fill the pumpkin and replace the lid. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours. Continuously check pumpkin flesh to make sure it is tender, when it is tender, it is ready to be eaten with mixture. A real festive treat, I tell ya!

9/28/2010

Fall Harvest Dessert


I made up this title, but this dessert just reminds me of the great tastes of fall. I am sure you will love this dessert.

Ingrediants:

For crust:

1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. softened to melted butter
1/2 c. cinnamon

preheat to 350. Mix and then once moist, spread into an 8 X 8 greased baking pan. If it is not moist or spreadable, add a little more melted butter to it. Set aside

For pumpkin custard

2 c. pumpkin puree
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 5 oz cans of evaporated milk.
In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, spices and milk. In seperate bowl, beat eggs, then combine the egss with the sugar mixture and beat on low. Add pumpkin and beat again on low until creamy and smooth.

Pour the pumpkin custard over the crust and bake at 400 for first 10 min. then reduce to 350 and bake for 40-50 min. Insert a toothpick in custard to see if done. Allow to cool for 2 hours before serving and keep in fridge. Cut into bars and top with ice-cream or whipped cream.

Easy Cream of Potato Soup


I made this scrumptious soup for my husband who was home sick with a stomach bug. It is so quick and easy to put together.

You will need (for 3-4).

3 medium potatos, peeled and cubed
2 c. water
1/2 c. grated carrots
1-2 celery stalk(s) chopped
1/4 c. chopped onions
1/4 tsp. minced garlic (optional)
2 chicken bouilion cubes ( used reduced sodium).
1 1/2 c. milk (I used skim)
onion powder to taste
pepper to taste
chili powder to taste
salt to taste

Combine into pot and cook to boiling. Reduce to simmer and allow to simmer for about 15 min. Serve and enjoy!

Tasty!

Tasty!
Mango Salsa (see January archive on right for recipe)