Going Preservative Free

This is a great paraben-free, all natural lotion with essential oils, that I really like. After doing research on how preservatives and additives in processed food can affect our bodies, I have decided to really watch what can be absorbed into my skin as well. Most lotions have preservatives, such as paraben, to protect the shelf life of the lotion, the same way food has preservatives to protect it from bacteria and fungi.

Here are common preservatives and additives in food that I watch out for. (healthfood stores generally don't carry foods with these preservatives).

TBHQ: this preservative is found in items such as taco shells, ramon noodles, packaged breaded fish sticks...

Nitrates: this is found in most deli meats found at grocery store.

MSG: a flavor enhancer that can cause headaches.

Red 40 and other food colorings such as tartrazine (yellow food coloring)

stannous chloride (tin) This is found in canned foods mostly. Avoid going above 250 mg per liter.

The list goes on. There is a reason why people turn to whole foods and avoid processed foods all together.

Common Cosmetic Preservatives include:

Paraben

glycol

artificial colors

synthetic fragrances

sulfates

propylene

The Magic Of Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass has become one of my best friends lately. I am on a role of going to Jamba Juice every day and getting this daily two ounce drink. Some may wonder why I don't just save money and juice it myself. I tried that once and we'll leave that at once! I thought I would put my juicer to work and juice it myself. A huge carton of about three pounds (valued at about 6.00 at heathfood store) produced about 2 ounces of juice and a huge mess. It took me a very long time to clean the juicer. The price of a once ounce is 1.95 and two ounce is 3.25. I just learned that two ounces of this juice is equivalent to three pounds of veggies. Wow, I think I am sold on getting this juice. Their are so many detoxing benefits of wheatgrass. Numerous books have been ritten on the benefits of this juice. Is it worth the 3.25 I spend on this juice daily? Totally!!

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.

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.

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.

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!