Come along with me for good tasting healthy recipes for those who love to eat and hate to "diet." Join me as my family and I lose weight the easy way, and then maintain our weight with the same delicious recipes, by incorporating some of the principles you will see in the "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" book by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig. If you are a first time visitor, I recommend that you start by reading "Why I Created This Blog" and "My Health Diet In A Nutshell" first.
I am a happily married wife of a wonderful husband who loves the Lord, the mother of 3 grown children, living on a mini farm with just under an acre. Our beautiful German Shepherd roams the farm making sure all is as it should be. :o)
The first time I had Hummus was at my sister-in-law Kathy's house. She's a fabulous cook, and it didn't take long to devour that delectable snack. Unfortunately I don't have her recipe, but we really enjoy this one.
Several recent studies suggest this pale legume deserves the limelight.
Packed with fiber, protein, folate and hard-working phytonutrients,
chickpeas (garbanzo) beans have a lot to brag about. Australian researchers found that chickpeas
helped with glycemic control and insulin resistance — which may be
valuable in the prevention and managment of diabetes. Other studies
suggest chickpeas can tame your appetite (boost satiety) and could even
help trim your waistline.
Tuna fish are truly a nutrient-dense food. An excellent source of high
quality protein, tuna are rich in a variety of important nutrients
including the minerals selenium, magnesium, and potassium; the B
vitamins niacin, B1 and B6; and perhaps most important, the beneficial
omega-3 essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are so named
because they are essential for our health but cannot be made by the
body; they must therefore be obtained from foods. Cold-water fish like
tuna are a rich source of the omega-3 essential fats, a form of
essential fatty acids in which the standard American diet is sorely
deficient. (The other form of essential fatty acids, the omega-6s, are
plentiful in a variety of commonly consumed oils such as corn and
safflower oil. In fact, the omega-6s are so plentiful in the typical
American diet that too much omega-6 is consumed in proportion to
omega-3s--an imbalance that promotes inflammation, thus contributing to
virtually every chronic disease in which inflammation is a key
component.) This recipe is fairly spicy, go easy on the seasoning if you're not a fan of hot spices. However, Cayenne is extremely healthy for the heart and is great for weight loss because it speeds up your metabolism.
I could never stand eating oatmeal until my sister-in-law Kathy showed me that it didn't have to be mushy. I will be forever thankful to her because oatmeal is packed with good nutrition and sound weight loss principles.
Oatmeal has long been considered a health food and recently, a dieting food as well. It is a dieter’s dream meal: it is rich in nutrients and carbohydrates that by itself it can already be considered a complete meal.
Whole grain oats contain seven B vitamins, vitamin E, and nine minerals, including iron and calcium. B vitamins are necessary for weight loss because it helps your body not retain water, flushing it easily through the system and not allowing it to build up in the body. The quality and quantity of the protein in oats is far superior to that of wheat and many other grains. As with all grains, when soaked before cooking, it becomes even more power packed with good nutrition.
This is my mother-in-law's recipe for meatloaf that she shared with me many years ago with a twist to it. Adding the glaze to the top of it imparts even more unforgettable flavor into an already delicious recipe. My mother-in-law was a fantastic cook, and I am thankful to have learned so much from her. Because of the high sugar content in this dish, I recommend that if you are trying to lose weight on my Health "Diet" that you serve this dish with the same meal that you eat your weekly Dazzling Dessert. (Dazzling Desserts coming soon to this blog.)
Cucumbers are a good source of Vitamin A, Pantothenic Acid,
Magnesium, Phosphorus and Manganese, and a great source of Vitamin C,
Vitamin K and Potassium. Cultured sour cream has the beneficial bacteria your tummy needs for good health support.
"“An
88-year-old man consumed 24 soft-boiled eggs a day for 15
years. Scientists found
that despite a cholesterol intake close to 6,000 mg a day –
well above the
recommended maximum of 300 mg – the man had normal blood
cholesterol and
showed no signs of heart disease.” Source: Edward Blonz PPNF
Health Journal
quoted in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon p444."
I'm not suggesting that you eat 24 eggs a day, but all my studies that I have done says that eating plenty of fresh eggs in a well balanced diet will not have an effect on my cholesterol levels whatsoever. In fact I have read several studies that eggs, the whole egg has reduced cholesterol levels in individuals whose Cholesterol levels were "too high" Now that is another subject all it's own. How high is too high? Studies have shown that young children and the elderly need higher cholesterol levels. Unconventional thinking, I know, but I have seen 3 different elderly women who were told that their Cholesterol levels were way too high, and so the doctor put them on Cholesterol lowering drugs. These drugs lowered their Cholesterol levels to a so called "normal" level. A level that also made one of them forget to lock the store door when they left work and sometimes forgetting to take care of the money in the till. (This after having worked there for numerous years and a habit so ingrained in them, it was unbelievable to her.) Another one I know would drive to her destination, open the door and immediately slump forward in slumber, her head hitting the steering wheel. I happened to see this several times. She said she would have to pull over while driving because she knew she was going fall asleep at the wheel. Both of these instances were after starting the drugs. Studies have shown that these are symptoms of a Cholesterol level that is too low. We eat our eggs without worrying about Cholesterol levels whatsoever. In fact, we go through 30 dozen eggs a month between the 8 of us. Our Cholesterol levels are normal.
Laura's Super Easy Delicious Crustless Quiche
1/2 lb. Bacon or Ham, cut up in pieces, and from animals that haven't received antibiotics or hormones and have no nitrates added.
1/2 cup chopped organic red Onion
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 cup organic fresh baby Spinach
6 fresh organic Eggs, whisked in small bowl
1 cup raw white Cheddar Cheese
Celtic Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp.Garlic Powder
1 tsp. dried or fresh Parsley, if fresh, increase to 2 tsp.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On medium heat, using a cast iron skillet, cook pieces of bacon until crisp. In bacon fat, add the sliced mushrooms, onion and fresh spinach. Cook until onions are opaque. In bowl with whisked eggs, whisk together the eggs, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper, garlic powder and parsley. Add to the cooked mixture in the skillet, and stir until well mixed. Transfer skillet to preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
The first time I was introduced to clay pot cooking, I thought I was in heaven!! You can take just about any mundane ingredients, put them in the clay pot and voila!! You have an extremely moist gourmet dish that is not only healthy, but saves on dishes if you put the veggies in it as well. Because the clay pot is soaked, both top and bottom before putting in a cold oven, the food is steamed, retaining the vitamins and minerals in the food. Romertopf clay pots are lead free, and I can't imagine that any other clay pot company could get away with selling anything other than lead free as well. You can buy one like mine here: http://www.romertopfonline.com/clay-bakers/01132/ Or you can wait to find one at a garage sale like I did. I have purchased 3 different ones and different sizes from garage sales for $5.00 each. Tim just brought home the biggest size they carry for only $ 5.00-not bad for a $70.00 item!
Our family loves these easy to make pancakes. We love the flavor of homemade buttermilk with these, and it is worth the wait to make the cultured buttermilk in order to make these. To make the buttermilk, put about a 1/2 cup of store bought Organic buttermilk to a quart jar and add fresh raw milk or pasteurized milk (not ultra-pasteurized) to about 1 inch below the rim of jar. Put the lid on it loosely and put it on top of the refrigerator for a couple of days. It will smell like sweet buttermilk when ready. Best Buttermilk Pancakes
2 Cups freshly ground Hard White Wheat Flour (I often use a combination of White Wheat, Oat flour and Spelt)
2 Tsp. aluminum free Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp. Celtic fine grind Sea Salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar
2 Large Organic fresh eggs, lightly beaten
2 to 2 1/2 Cups fresh cultured Buttermilk
4 Tbsp. Organic butter, melted plus more for skillet
Melt butter in small saucepan on stove. Heat skillet (about a number 3 on my stove.) Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl. add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons melted butter; whisk to combine. batter should have small to medium lumps. Do not over beat. This makes the pancakes tough, and not light and fluffy.
Test skillet by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off the skillet, it is hot enough. Put in a teaspoon or so of butter in the skillet and spread around. If you like crunchy sides, leave the excess butter, otherwise wipe off the excess lightly with a paper towel. Spread about 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter in the middle of skillet. When pancakes bubble on top and are slightly dry around the edges (about 2 1/2 minutes,) flip the pancake with a pancake turner. Cook until golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter; keep finished pancakes on a heat-proof plate in the oven.
Serve with homemade freezer jam, real maple syrup, honey, or homemade berry syrup.
This is one of our favorite rice accompaniment dishes. Many people have asked for this recipe in the past. I grew up not liking brown rice, but now we have such wonderful kinds of brown rice such as Basmati, Jasmine, and even Sweet brown rice which is often used for Sushi.
Brown rice is every weight watcher’s dream food, and is a common sense approach
to obesity control because it has a low glycemic index just like raw vegetables
and fruits and other whole grains. By metabolizing slowly and maintaining stable levels of blood sugar
and/or serotonin, brown rice snips away food cravings. Brown rice has antioxidants
and phytonutrients, and is a very good source of selenium, a trace mineral that induces DNA repair
and synthesis in damaged cells and inhibits the proliferation of cancer
cells. Brown rice is an excellent source of manganese and magnesium as well.
Just one cup of brown rice will provide you with 88.0% of the daily
value for manganese. This trace mineral helps produce energy from
protein and carbohydrates and is involved in the synthesis of essential
fatty acids.
1 Cup organic Basmati or Jasmine brown rice (I have also added wild rice to the brown rice successfully)
1 Cup Butter from grass fed cows
1 lb. Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
1 Cup chopped organic Yellow Onion
1 Cup chopped organic Celery
4 Cups organic or homemade Beef Broth
1 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon dried Thyme, if fresh, use 2 teaspoons chopped Thyme
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown dry rice, stirring constantly until rice is a golden brown, about 5 minutes. Pour into large casserole dish. In same skillet, in half of the butter, cook celery and when starting to turn opaque, put in the onions and mushrooms cooking until tender. Add remaining ingredients and heat to boiling. Over rice in casserole dish, pour mixture from skillet. Stir and cover casserole and bake for 1 hour, or until the rice tests done and all liquid is absorbed. With a fork, lightly toss the remaining butter (cut into cubes) until butter is melted and mixture is fluffy.
This recipe is actually our favorite recipe for marinated grilled pork chops, but it is very versatile and can be used for chicken, beef, and lamb as well.
Beef is
one of the best absorbed sources of iron. It is often overlooked however, that
red meat provides a total nutrition package. Beef is an important source of
protein, with the B vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12, as well as the essential
minerals, iron and zinc. Beef is a
nutrient dense food, in other words, a small serving gives a large amount of
important nutrients for health. Due to
its high protein and fat content, it makes a satisfying meal (helping us feel full for
longer), aiding weight control. Thefat in beef from animals that have not received antibiotics and hormones, preferably grass fed, is an essential nutrient. It provides for the absorption of
fat soluble vitamins and the formation of essential hormones, and is used as
an energy source. More than half the fatty acids in beef are
monounsaturated, the same type of fatty acids found in olive oil and
championed for their heart-healthy properties. In addition,
approximately one third of the saturated fat in beef is stearic acid,
which is shown to have a neutral effect on blood cholesterol.
Marinated Beef Chuck Roast
3/4 Cup organic light Olive Oil 1/3 Cup organic Soy Sauce (organic is very important for this item, as you don't want to use soy sauce made from genetically modified soybeans. I know of no non-organic sources of soy sauce that don't use genetically modified beans. Watch Food Inc. to learn why it is vitally important for your health and weight control to avoid the use of genetically modified food.) 1/4 Cup organic Brown Rice vinegar 2 Tbsp. organic Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed organic lemon juice 1 Tbsp. organic Dijon or stone ground yellow mustard 1 Tsp. Celtic fine grind Sea Salt 1 Tsp. freshly ground Black Pepper 1/2 Cup chopped organic Cilantro 3 Organic garlic cloves, minced 2 Lb. minimum well marbled Chuck Roast from cows that have not been given antibiotics or hormones, at room temperature (Be sure to have the roast marinating while coming to room temperature. Room temperature makes the roast cook evenly, ensuring that the outside will not be overcooked while waiting for the inside to come to desired inside temperature. So marinate for 2 to 4 hours on the counter depending on size of roast. The rice vinegar and beef from animals that have had no antibiotics and hormones helps to keep any bad bacteria at bay while coming to room temperature. Using well marbled beef insures that this inexpensive cut of meat is tender.) This is what I like my cuts of beef to look like.
Combine the first 10 ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag and add the roast to it. As you close the zipper, remove any excess air, and lightly knead the bag to ensure even marinating. Allow roast to come to room temperature about 2 hours while marinating, turning bag over every half hour.
Using a broiling pan, put the roast in the oven on a rack that has been raised to about 5 or 6 inches from broiler coil with the oven turned to broil setting. Broil for 5 minutes per side to sear the meat, leaving the oven door ajar while broiling. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees and move the rack to the middle position of the oven, and baste with marinade ocassionally until done. (It doesn't bother me to use the marinade that the roast was marinating in to baste with, once again, because of the bacterial killing presence of the vinegar.) Plan on 30 to 50 minutes per pound in the oven, or grill on the grill using the same manner I use for grilled salmon, cooking right on the grilling rack without the aluminum foil used with the salmon.
The next step is very important. When the roast is cooked to desired temperature, take the roast out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to distribute. This also helps to be sure that the meat is tender when you eat it. I always let my meat, fish, etc. rest before eating.
Studies show that organic eggs from hens raised on pasture offer better nutrition than typical supermarket eggs and contain:
four to six times more vitamin D
two-thirds more vitamin A
double the amount of omega-3 fatty acids
three times more vitamin E
seven times more beta carotene
English Muffins
4 cups freshly ground Organic Hard White Wheat (I used 1 cup Spelt in place of 1 of the cups flour)
1/2 tsp. Celtic fine grind Sea Salt
1 tsp. Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
Generous 1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 Cup Organic Sour Cream, or Daisy Pure & Natural Sour Cream (It has no added ingredients, just cultured cream and is from cows not receiving synthetic hormones)
Softened butter for mixing bowl and skillet
In medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Make a well in the center and add the lukewarm water and sour cream. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together, then knead with your hands until it comes away from the side of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 5-10 minutes, sprinkling lightly with flour as you knead until you are able to knead the dough without it sticking to the counter. Continue to knead until smooth and elastic.
Brush a medium bowl with softened butter and shape dough into a smooth round ball. Place dough into greased bowl, turning to coat all sides as you do. Cover with a moist dish towel and place in a warm place to double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Dust a cookie sheet with flour and tap off the excess into a garbage can. Turn out the dough onto the counter and knead lightly. Roll out to a thickness of just under1/2 inch, and stamp out 10-12 rounds with a 3 inch cookie cutter. Transfer the muffins to the prepared cookie sheet, cover with a damp dish towel, and let rise in a warm place until just under 1/2 inch in height.(Muffins will continue to rise as they are cooked.)
Heat a large skillet (I used my cast iron skillet) on medium to medium high heat (I needed the lower heat with my cast iron skillet) putting some of the softened butter in the skillet and turning to coat. Add half of the muffins and cook for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, again, depending on what type of skillet you will use until golden brown. Cook the remaining muffins the same way. If you prefer, you can make the muffins the night before and reheat in the morning if mornings are quite hectic for you. (Recommended)
Cut muffin in half and butter. Lay a slice of Hormel Natural Choices ham on buttered half of muffin, put a poached egg on top of it, season with sea salt and pepper, and pour hollandaise sauce over the egg. Add a sprig of fresh lemon thyme as a garnish.
Poached Eggs
Fresh, very cold Organic eggs
Water for poaching in
Pour water into a deep saucepan to equal 1 1/2 inches deep. Let boil, and then turn to low to simmer. Gently break a fresh, (needs to be fresh so that the egg white will set properly) coldegg onto a saucer without breaking the egg yolk, and gently slip it into the simmering water. Cook for 3-5 minutes depending on whether you like your egg yolk runny or not. Dip some of the simmering water gently on top of the egg yolk to cook the top to the desired stage of cooking.
HollandaiseSauce
3 Organic egg yolks
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed organic lemon juice
1 Tbsp. white cooking wine (or another tablespoon lemon juice)
1/2 Cup butter from grass fed hens
1/4 Tsp. Celtic fine grind sea salt
Place the bottom of a double boiler with water in it on the stove. Heat until hot, but not boiling. Place egg yolks, lemon juice and cooking wine in top part of double boiler, and beat until well mixed. Place pot on top of the double boiler bottom with hot water in it. While beating with a wire whisk, add 1/3rd of the butter into the yolk mixture and cook, beating constantly, until butter is completely melted. Add another third of the butter, repeat with remaining third, beating until mixture thickens and is heated through. Remove from heat; and stir in the salt.
To Assemble Eggs Benedict:
Cut muffin in half and butter. Lay a slice of Hormel Natural Choice (without antibiotics, hormones, nitrates or nitrites) ham on buttered half of muffin, put a poached egg on top of it, season with sea salt and pepper, and pour hollandaise sauce over the egg. Add a sprig of fresh lemon thyme as a garnish.
Everybody has their favorite way of grilling Salmon. This is our family's favorite, which we learned from Dan's dad.
Few single foods can bring as many health contributions to your diet in significant quantities as wild Alaskan salmon.
This well known and favorite fish is a very good source of easy digestible proteins (amino acids), fatty acids like Omega-3 Fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin A, members of the vitamin B family and minerals like Selenium, Zinc, Phosphorus, Calcium and Iron.
While trying to improve my health and that of my family’s, I unknowingly created a diet that would be very similar to Sally Fallon and Mary Enig’s book, “Eat Fat, Lose Fat, which I would then read nearly a year later. Not only did we improve our health, but we lost weight as an added bonus. This is not a weight loss diet per se, as many of you who are not overweight will see. When using foods to become healthy, weight loss management comes naturally.
Here are some of the basics to my health diet:
Before breakfast every morning, I take 1 tablespoon of Coconut oil, and 1 teaspoon of Garden of Life Lemon Mint Flavored Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil.
Before every meal, I take a tablespoon of Coconut oil. I carry Coconut oil gel caps in my purse for meals away from home. I cannot emphasize how important this is for my health, and weight maintenance. For more information on why Coconut oil is extremely healthy and why it helps maintain proper weight, go to http://www.coconutoil.com/ There you will find lots of information on saturated fats, cholesterol, etc. listed on the left side of the site.
The following are supplements that I take at each meal.
For breakfast: I drink ¾ of a scoop of Garden of Life Perfect Food Super Green formula w/ ½ cup of organic apple juice. I take 1 400 i.u. gel cap of Schiff vitamin E Complex with Mixed Tocopherols, 2 capsules of Dr. Christopher's Vital herbs, 2 tablets of Standard Process Cataplex B and 2 of Cataplex G (these are both whole food B complex. Whole food supplements are very important to me, as so many supplements that claim to be natural are actually synthetic. I won’t take any B vitamins that are separate from each other, nor will I take them if they are yellow or white in color. B vitamins are important for me so that my body will release built up water, and also aids in mental clarity of my mind, memory, etc.) Standard Process uses only organic foods for their products. I order them through Discount Health on the internet. In the winter (living in Alaska) I also take 3 drops of Carlson’s 2,000 i.u.Vitamin D3 Drops, and in the summer if it is a rainy day, I will take 1 drop. I also take a probiotic supplement, 2 Digestive Enzymes from Swanson Health Products (2 of them because of my age. The older I get, the more I need them.) I also take 1 Chastetree Berry Fruit capsule from Swanson’s for hormonal imbalances during the change of life. My daughter also takes these for PMS symptoms. And last but not least, I take a 1000 mg. soft gel of Barlean’s Flax Oil.
With lunch, along with my tablespoon of Coconut oil taken 20 minutes before, I take the 2 tablets each of Cataplex B and G, 2 Digestive Enzymes, and a chastetree berry capsule if I feel that I need it, and a Flax seed oil gelcap.
For dinner, along with my tablespoon of Coconut oil before dinner, I take 2 Digestive enzymes, 2 each of the cataplex B and G, another Vitamin E gel cap (again because of my age) another Chastetree berry capsule if needed, and a Flax seed oil gel cap.
If I need more calcium than what I am getting from raw milk which is always whole milk, as the cream helps my body to absorb the calcium, and is also the most nourishing part of the milk, I will take a couple of Standard Process Calcium Lactate tablets. Some of the symptoms that I have that would on occasion (very rarely) alert me to the need for more calcium in my body would be leg or toe cramps, or arthritis in my right knee. I always eat something fatty such as butter with it (on a piece of homemade bread, etc.) to be sure to absorb the calcium at the same time I take the tablets.
I use only meats that come from animals that have not been given antibiotics, hormones, and do not have nitrates or nitrites added to them. I look for Beef and Buffalo meat that is well marbled with fat because this is what gives extra nutrition and important digestive enzymes to digest the meat, and also tenderizes the meat giving intense wonderful delicious flavor. I then cut the fat off when ready to eat. I buy Hormel Natural Choice lunchmeat and bacon that meet the previous requirements I have for meat. I usually buy the lunchmeat and bacon when on sale 2 for $7.00 and stock up by buying 10 or 12 of them and putting them in the freezer. I buy only wild caught fish and seafood, as many farm-raised fish are given hormones in their feed.
I grind my own organic flour. A few of my favorites are Spelt, hard white wheat (for anything that I want to raise beautifully) soft white wheat for pastries, biscuits, pie dough, etc., and Buckwheat. I love the fact that Spelt not only has a wonderful nutty taste, but also is far superior in nutrition, and even has the B vitamin B17 in it, which has been used for cancer prevention and cure in Mexico. Spelt was used in the 1500’s as a food all on its own for its superior healing properties, given as a mash at all meals. Buckwheat also has a high nutrient value in it, and it doesn’t take many (usually ½ to 1 pancake) to fill us up when I make Buckwheat pancakes.
All ingredients that I can, I buy organic. It is interesting to note that when we first switched over to organic, I thought my grocery bill would be sky high. But because our bodies assimilated the nutrients far better, our grocery bill actually stayed the same, because we needed less food. The same thing happened when I switched the dog food over to organic for our German Shepherd. I was a little nervous about it being so expensive, but she ended up eating about half of what she used to consume just like we did because her body assimilated the organic food better, which ended up making her food cost about the same that we were paying before.
I use raw milk and cream, raw cheese, and I buy butter (which I slather on heavily any item that needs butter) from grass fed animals. It is important for weight loss that I eat 3 servings of calcium rich foods per day. My layer hens provide me with extremely healthy omega 3 eggs, and I make kefir with raw milk from kefir grains, and drink it either as a smoothie or if in a hurry, will mash up a banana and put a heaping tablespoon of strawberry freezer jam in it and stir it up. This is incredibly delicious. I also culture my own buttermilk which is fantastic in flavor by putting ¼ to ½ cup organic buttermilk in the bottom of a quart jar, fill with raw whole milk, put the lid on loosely, and leave on the top of the refrigerator for a couple of days until it smells like heavenly tasting buttermilk. I use buttermilk in pancakes, waffles, dressing, bread, etc. I use a lot of it. This is far better nutritionally than store bought, and can’t be matched for good flavor! I also make Kombucha Tea for its health benefits, and weight loss help. I try to drink lots of water, as much as half my body weight in ounces. This water is either reverse osmosis water or distilled water.
I use raw honey because pasteurization takes out the important enzymes, also raw apple cider vinegar, raw brown rice vinegar for the same reasons, along with many wonderful gourmet vinegars. I use Celtic medium grind grey sea salt for cooking with and Celtic finely ground light grey sea salt for a finishing salt.(and for on the table) The medium grind is quite coarse. I use it in things where I know that it will naturally dissolve. This is my preferred salt. It is extremely good tasting all on it's own, used by many gourmet cooks the world over, (I tried a side by side test) is not as salty, and is chock full of minerals and nutrients. The fine grind sea salt is still very healthy, and was my first introduction to real, gourmet non refined sea salt. Many of the sea salt products that are found in the store have been refined, and do not have nutrients in it that this salt does. I learned that there are salts that heal and salts that kill. I do not use regular table salt or refined sea salt because of this. I use the salt very liberally. My rule of thumb for salt, is if it is white, I don't use it. Many of the healthy salts are grey, or pink, or have brown flecks in them.
While I still eat things like homemade freezer jam on biscuits, pancakes, or real maple syrup, maple sugar, organic brown sugar, organic evaporated cane sugar, in baked goods, I eat these things in moderation. (one very large pancake instead of two.) I also make a wonderful dessert once a week so that we aren’t tempted to give up on our diet all together. These desserts are still healthy because I use organic ingredients that haven't been refined so that the nutrients aren't taken out, but once again, the key is moderation if the goal is good health and to lose weight.
.
If I have time, I will soak my grains, or flour before using. This makes the flour exceptionally healthy for you. If I don’t have time, I just don’t worry about it, and I still lose the weight, and don’t get the flu or colds nearly as often as other people.
I do not get vaccinated for the flu, or anything else, as I believe (after much studying) that it causes the immune system to be compromised, and almost everybody that I know who gets a flu shot has the flu numerous times throughout the year. I can go for years without having a cold or the flu, and if I do get it, it is usually much more mild than others who come down with it. I do experience cleansing symptoms (nausea, headache, aches and pains,etc) from taking certain herbs for specific needs, if I don't drink enough water to wash the toxins from my body quickly. These are totally different from a virus caused cold or the flu.
Once a year I do a spring cleanse, and cleanse my liver and kidneys, along with a parasite and candida cleanse. I also take Butcher’s Broom once in awhile throughout the year as a liver and kidney cleanse, especially if I have overindulged in sweets. (Sugar is very hard on the liver and kidneys.) If I have a lower backache and it is not due to straining my back in some way, this is the time I will once again take Butcher’s Broom. The first time I took Butcher’s Broom, I had a very loose stool all day, but thereafter, it is usually is just slightly loose, and not constricting in any way. Because I take Butcher’s Broom, when I have a hair analysis test for toxic metals, etc. including mercury, arsenic, aluminum, etc, my test comes back free of these heavy metals, even though I still use aluminum cookie sheets, and aluminum foil for certain things. Maybe some day I will invest in stainless steal cookie sheets, but until then, I use what I have. I do use aluminum free deodorant, as I believe that it is important that I don't put the aluminum on my skin. I use Lavilin underarm deodorant which is used once a week, and it kills the bacteria as they escape from the skin for an entire week. It uses herbs in it's ingredients.
So the 3 Important keys to healthy weight loss (as given in the book Eat Fat, Lose Fat) for me are these: Coconut oil approx. 20 minutes before each meal (if I don't remember, I still take it with my meal) 1 teaspoon of unrefined Cod liver oil each morning, and 3 calcium rich servings with a fat such as butter, cream, etc.
That, in a nutshell is how I lost weight a few years ago, and then we slowly quit taking the coconut oil (but still cooked and baked with it) and Cod liver oil, at the same time as my wonderful daughter who loves to bake cookies for her husband moved into the apt. in our house, and we overindulged in the sweets too heavily at the same time, causing us to gain weight. Since my husband and I have been faithful again with the Coconut oil and Cod liver oil and we have been eating all foods in moderation instead of stuffing ourselves at every meal because it just tastes so good, my husband has lost 14 pounds in just over a month, and I have lost 10 pounds. During this month we have also done our Spring Cleanse which was a new cleanse for us, and has an herb that in the past made me gain weight while being on it, but since we continued to take the Coconut oil and Cod Liver oil while we were on the cleanse, I did not gain weight this time, it helped me to keep off the weight that I had lost prior to the cleanse.
Crab is a good source of heart healthy omega 3's which help to lower triglycerides and blood pressure along with reducing the risk of heart disease. Omega 3's are also thought to reduce the inflammation, enhance immune function, and even lower the risk of certain types of cancer. Most Americans don't get enough omega 3's in their diet and adding crab meat to the table is a good way to start. Crab meat is also rich in vitamins and minerals with particularly high levels of vitamin B-12, a vitamin that's critical for healthy nerve function. It's also a good source of the minerals zinc and copper.
Ingredients:
1 pound lump wild caught crab meat, cooked
1 organic egg, beaten
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 green onions, chopped with greens
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup organic or homemade mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup bread crumbs from sprouted organic wheat bread
6 tablespoons butter
Directions:
Trying to preserve whole pieces of crabmeat, combine first 9 ingredients in medium bowl.
Using 1/3 - 1/2 cup for each cake, shape mixture into 6 cakes. Place cakes on plate and refrigerate 2 hours if too soft to fry immediately.
Melt butter in 10" skillet. Brown crab cakes in butter until golden on both sides and heated through.
Keep warm while making dipping sauce.
Never mind #5 or 6, I can't figure out how to get them off of here!! Lol!!
Directions for Samoan Dipping Sauce:
3 tablespoons organic brown rice vinegar
1/4 cup organic olive oil (light preferred in this case)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons organic evaporated cane sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated gingerroot
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
3 tablespoons organic soy sauce
Combine all ingredients, mix well. Dip crab cakes in sauce.
I have had many requests that I write down what I do to stay healthy. Since staying healthy involves one of my favorite things which is cooking, and baking, I thought it would be fun to create a blog about healthy eating my way.
Some of my favorite books are written by Sally Fallon. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon is full of healthy recipes, and is also jam packed full of information on good health. A few years ago I decided to put my family on a health "diet" that I created from things that I have studied about good nutrition. While on this diet, we all lost weight since we were all at least somewhat overweight, and began to feel healthier than ever before. I created this "diet" before I even knew that there was a book out by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig called "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" When I read the book, I knew from all my studies that she was spot on!! :o)
The goal of this blog is to give you some healthy good tasting options for everyday eating. We use almost all organic foods, whether raised on our small farm, bought at the farmer's market, through a Co-op, or in the grocery store. (My least favorite being from the grocery store.)
I grind my own organic flour to be sure that it is the freshest it can be. I use eggs from our healthy Organic fed hens who eat grass and fresh herbs in the summer, and along with their Organic layer pellets in the winter are given all organic: Coconut, Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, Flax seeds, Millet, Kelp, raw Apple Cider Vinegar in their water, and various herbs for good health in a heated (42 degree) chicken "palace." :o) I buy grass fed butter, and use raw milk and cream. I also use a lot of Organic Coconut oil for cooking and baking, along with Olive oil. We raise our own chickens for eating, and use only meats from animals that have been raised without antibiotics and hormones. This is NOT a low fat diet. This is just a sensible wonderful tasting diet. I do not have hunger pangs while on this diet, even though I have reduced the amount of food I eat to sensible proportions, and Coconut oil, whether I am using Coconut oil that tastes like Coconut, or the old fashioned expeller pressed coconut that doesn't taste like Coconut, is the main reason why I do not experience hunger.
Any nutritional information that you will find on this blog is not intended to replace your physician, and if you have a medical condition, I highly recommend that you consult your doctor. While I may mention different herbs, or foods that I use to maintain my own good health, or quotes from different sites about various items, you may or may not have the same results, and I recommend that you check with your doctor before changing your diet in any way.
