How we SHOULD be eating. OR How the food guide pyramid is WRONG

Long title...I know. So today I'll tackle " how the food guide pyramid is wrong"  and everybody gasp and exclaim " how can that be it's created by nutritionists!"  or..unless you already know...then right on man. 0.o yeah...it's the 60's again..in my head anyway. 

So this is the standard food guide pyramid. ( above)

Below is my Dropbox link for MY version...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/id6v91y1qtjl5oh/food%20pyrimid.pdf?dl=0


So Y'all know how this works right? Foods at the bottom are what we're suppose to eat most. Notice a difference? Veggies and fruits are at the bottom instead of grain, and we all know those are packed with nutrition. Meat, Eggs, Nuts, Poultry, Fish and Dairy are next, they're great sources of healthy fats, calcium, and protein and other essential nutrients. Next is grains. Grains DO have good vitamins, and Gluten Free grains such as quinoa, are awesome super foods. Wheat should be limited. When eating wheat, enjoy a good GMO free WHOLE WHEAT bread. White bread is just like glue in your guts, and have little nutrients or fiber. Next up is "sweets and sugar and unhealthy oils and fats" the icky stuff. These should be limited. I know, that doughnut in the window you pass everyday calls to you, and those fries..smell amazing, but remember what can come from daily doughnuts and fries and other unhealthy foods. Weight gain, little nutrients, and possibly make you more susceptible to disease. As for how much you should eat of each food group? I believe it depends on you. Your age, weight, and height. Basically how many calories to maintain your current weight, or if your planning to lose weight, the amount your allowed daily to lose SAFELY. There shouldn't be a set amount of each food , for the world to eat. Also make sure you get at least 15- 30 minutes of exercise a day! If your not sure what exercise is best for you, ask your Doctor or you can comment below or visit http://happyholisticlivin.wix.com/happyholisticliving for a consultation, or simply email me for advice.


Now that said, here's my latest Organic/Local food Haul...never actually showed the pics before...but here it goes.

Ok so that's it. YES I went to Walmart. Why? It's the only place to go, other than an extremely over priced local grocery store that sells few organic . The nearest Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, Trader Joe's is AT LEAST a 2 hour drive..... now on to what's shown!

1.  Organic Romaine hearts
2. Organic Carrots
3. Organic Cauliflower
4. Organic Broccoli
5. Locally Grown Beef ( from a  little local place, not walmart)
6. 2 Jars of Organic Pasta Sauce
7. Organic Yogurt
8. Organic Cocoanut oil  


and there you have it. :) I hope it inspired you a little bit to go out and shop organic and locally and to understand how we SHOULD be eating.

Fried Cabbage

So it's a Thursday, i'm a bit late for a Meatless Monday dish...right? Oh well, this is a dish that's awesome anytime of the week, year...day? Yes I'd so eat this for breakfast. I know alot of you may be afraid the cabbage turns slimy and gross and oil laden and loses all it's nutrients..but it doesn't! This cabbage is warm and tender, yet soooo crunchy, and full of nutrients and flavor ( you can't forget the flavor) . Cabbage is also know to help prevent certain cancers...so eat up!  So the recipe is below.

*Remember to try to use organic when possible.


                                             Fried Cabbage 

* Half of 1 green Cabbage
* 1 medium Onion, chopped 
* enough Olive or Cocoanut oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. 
* 1/4 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning ( or you can skip it) 
* sprinkle of Black Pepper
* sprinkle of Kosher Salt
* sprinkle of Garlic powder. 



** For those of you who want to add a bit of extra flavor, fry some ham/bacon/pork tenderloin and crumble the meat up before adding the cabbage to the pan...of course the dish is no longer meatless then..

Directions: 

Begin by chopping the cabbage up.

 It doesn't have to be super fine, just roughly chopped, as seen above. After you finish chopping the cabbage, slice up the onion, again it doesn't need to be finely chopped, leave it roughly chopped. 

Next toss the onions in first, then the cabbage, keep the heat on medium. 

Stir the mixture frequently allowing the cabbage and onion to heat evenly. After about 5 minuets, taste test the cabbage, it should be warm, tender, yet crunchy and flavorful. If it's not yet slightly tender, continue cooking till it is, then serve. 

Organic Soap vs "Big" Soap

Soap is what we all use to scrub ourselves clean everyday, right? Well A LOT of name brand , big soap companies use a lot of harmful chemicals. There are also chemicals that aren't considered a risk to certain..organizations that are meant to keep a look out for our health and safety >.>  Anyway we'll look at harmful chemicals in "Big Soaps" and a look at ingredients in organic or natural soaps.

"Big" Soap 


So, a lot of the soaps we buy everyday are full of these chemicals that are either considered a big risk, or the risk is really higher than the FDA makes it out to be.


1. Triclosan : it's usually found in ant-bacterial soaps ( even toothpaste) and some researchers believe it to manipulate hormones. 

2. Sodium Laureth Sulfate : This can cause  skin irritations. 

3. Sodium lauroyl isethionate : this is a basically a detergent,  it is usually made combining fatty acids with isethionic acid. Isethionic acid is created by combining sodium bisulfite in an aqueous solution and ethylene oxide.  Ethylene oxide is a known carcinogen. Some Ethylene can remain in the soap. Ick.

4. Fragrances Containing Phthalate : These can cause allergic reactions in some people. 

Organic Soap : 


Organic soap is awesome. ( in my opinion, i have an aversion to harmful chemicals and such...)  Below is the list of ingredients in  the soap I currently use. 


1. Organic Goats Milk 
2. Organic Spices
3. Oats
4. Vitamin E oil 
5. Skin Safe Essential Oils. 


That's it.  Simple, recognizable ingredients, 3 of which you could easily eat. ( Goats milk, oat, spices) I pop out of the shower smelling like a cookie and feeling like Cleopatra. ( she took milk baths)  
I know other organic/natural soaps contain different ingredients, but they're better for you. 





I hope this informed and inspired you! Below are link to buy organic or natural soaps. 

 https://www.drbronner.com/ 

 http://www.poppysoap.com/

 http://www.awildsoapbar.com/store/c/18-organic-bar-soaps.aspx

 http://happyholisticlivin.wix.com/happyholisticliving

Turkey Chili

It's officially fall!!!!!!!! Let the pumpkin pie, cake, bread, soup,...ok pumpkin everything begin! Don't forget those other types of winter squash either! PLUS there's the apples, sweet potatoes, winter greens, yummy nuts, and other fall goodies I can't think of at the moment. So for the official first day of fall, I made chili. Turkey chili. Awesome Chili. I've said chili too many times i'm sure. The recipe is below.  ( It's easily made vegan/vegetarian! Just kick out the turkey, add more beans ( perhaps black beans? ) or a black bean vegan burger might be nice? Just suggestions. )Remember to use all organic if possible!





                                                        Turkey Chili 

* 1 pound Ground Turkey
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 4 cloves of Garlic, chopped
* 1 Jalapeno Pepper,  chopped, seed removed. 
* 1 packet fave chili seasonings. ( I took shortcut...) 
* 1 Tbsp chili powder ( because the packet i use never has enough "chili" flavor for me) 
* 1 tsp Paprika 
* 1 can "chili" beans 
* 2, 8oz cans tomato juice


Directions : 

Brown turkey, with onions and garlic. Drain and transfer to a dutch oven, or any large pot. Add beans, tomato juice, jalapeno, chili packet, chili powder, and paprika. Mix well, bring mixture to a boil, let simmer 10 minuets. 

Enjoy :) 

Low calorie, Whole Grain Pizza.

It's Saturday, don't ask why I'm awake at 9am on the weekend, I'm obsessed with my work. Sorry. That's probably painful to hear. Anyway! It's the weekend and everyone loves pizza right? Even lovely whole grain low calories pizza you can eat ( even if your not trying to lose a few pounds like I am.) and not feel guilty. Now to please the family, I made pepperoni, but you can always skip the meat ( and cheese)  and use prepared vegan pesto and artichoke hearts ooo and sun dried tomatoes and peppers @_@ I wanna make another pizza....one I'll really love. So anyway this pizza is super easy. Instructions below.





                                                    Easy Whole Grain Pizza. ( low cal)


* 1 whole grain crust prepared ( I used all organic white wheat flour, instead of 3/4 white flour)

* 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese ( or skip the cheese! ) 
* 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup of your fave tomato pizza sauce. 
* Pepperoni ( or skip it and add veggies , like I really wanted to do)

Directions : 

Prepare the crust according to directions in the link. ( I didn't even use a food processor, just a big metal spoon) After all the rising and kneading, spread it out on a pan ( or paddle, or back of a pan to put on a pizza stone)  

Next add your toppings.

Now just pop it in the oven, I baked mine at 500 degrees, for about 8-10 minuets or until the crust is browned and cheese melted. 

Enjoy! 


P.S. Yes that is corn meal...it makes it easier to transfer to a pizza stone. By the Way... It's roughly 368 Calories for 3 slices :) your welcome.

Turkey Super Veggie Soup ( low in calories)

Monday make it officially Fall! Who else is excited? If your currently bouncing up and down with your hand in the air ( I so am) then your going to love this soup! If your not..well..here's some nice soup to keep you warm and happy during the dark cold months ahead. This soup can EASILY be made VEGAN/VEGETARIAN. It's also low in calories so you can enjoy it a little more with that in mind. 

Remember to always try to use Organic!

                                                 Turkey Super Veggie Soup



* 12 oz Ground Turkey 
* 14.5 oz Chicken or Veggie Broth
* 15 oz Tomato Sauce
* 4oz Tomato Juice
* 15.25 oz can Whole Kernel corn 
* 14.5 oz can Green beans
* 15oz can Sweet Peas 
*6 baby Carrots or 1 large Carrot, sliced thin
*4 Cloves Garlic chopped
*1 Large onion
* 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
* 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
* 1/2 Paprika or Smoked Paprika 
* 1 tsp Chili Powder
*  1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
* 1 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning.

Directions : 


Brown the turkey, add half the Italian seasoning, Mrs. Dash and Kosher salt. Add all the onion powder.  Next once the turkey is cooked, add the meat to a large Dutch Oven, turn on to medium heat, add garlic and onion. Cook the mixture till the onions begin to become translucent. 

Add the Worcestershire sauce and cook 1-2 minuets more,  stirring frequently. Next add the stock, bring to a boil, add the carrots first, allow to cook 1-2 min, next add peas, beans, and corn and tomato juice and sauce. Add remaining seasonings. 

Simmer on low for 35-40 minuets , or until carrots are tender.


Enjoy :) 

The calories for this soup is roughly 194 calories per cup.  

Edamame Buffalo Falafel

My house smells amazing! I recently bought a bag of Non-GMO Edamame for salads, and then...I discovered edamame falafel , and then happily I found a recipe for Buffalo Falafel. So I combined edamame falafel and Buffalo Falafel and this recipe was born. I baked instead of frying, but I hear frying makes it sooo much better, but this was still great.



                      Edamame Buffalo Falafel


* 1 cup Edamame 
* 2/3 cup prepared buffalo sauce 
* 2 Tbsp chopped onion 
* 1 Clove Garlic
* 1/2 tsp Cummin 
* 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt 
* 3 Tbsp white wheat flour
* Warmed Whole Wheat Pita
* 2 Tbsp Ranch dressing

Directions : 

Add Edamame, onion, garlic, cummin, salt, and buffalo sauce into a food processor. 

 Blend well, until creamy/sticky and edamame is mostly chopped up. ( Leave chunks for texture) then roll mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 400 for 20 min. When done, allow to cool, and for extra spice, toss in the remaining buffalo sauce. Enjoy :)

This recipe was inspired by these two amazing recipes :

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/buffalo-falafel-pitas-wgarlic-blue-cheese-fries-ranch-style-tzatziki/

http://www.quitecurious.com/edamame-falafel/

Smoothie Bowl

Smoothie bowls seem to have become a majorly popular thing lately, and I a smoothie lover and just a lover of yogurt and fruit in general, gave them a try this morning. Because some mornings you just don't feel like measuring out all the ingredients. ( I measure to keep track of calories.) So i kinda just threw it all in a bowl, ( without blending in fruit or veggies because I felt lazy)  well not ALL my smoothie ingredients...but most of them.

So my smoothie bowl was basic, no bright colored yogurt that's had fruits and veggies blended in, like you often see, however if you look close, you'll see tiny little black specks...yep, those are chia seeds. I had some sitting around so sprinkled some in for good measure.


Simple Smoothie Bowl 

* 1/2 cup Organic Vanilla Yogurt
* 1/2 cup - 1 cup your fave granola ( mine had dried cranberries)
* 2 sliced peach and plum, cut in chunks ( or what ever fruit you have on hand) 

* sprinkle of Chia Seeds
* drizzle of REAL honey. 

Directions: 

Add yogurt to a bowl, top with chunks of fruit and granola, sprinkle in chia seeds and drizzle with honey. Enjoy. :)  

P.S That is a bottle of water in the picture, it's spring water and that bottle WILL be recycled. All plastic here is recycled. 

Groovy Green Pear and Radish Salad

So....I don't even know why I put the "groovy" in there....I'm in this hippie mood I suppose... I'm into tons of color even though it's so close to fall.

Anyway...this is an awesome salad! Lots of green lettuce and spinach ( for extra iron! ) and radishes for extra crunch...yummy red tomato and a pear for sweetness, paired with a tangy pesto vinaigrette.

   
After I had already tasted the salad...another spark of creativity...Edamame! YAY!  It just added a little something extra. But you can try it both ways..with or without. It's great either way. It's also pretty good with grilled chicken stuffed in a pita...just saying..




                                Groovy Green Pear and Radish Salad


1. 1/4 cup baby spinach

2. 1/4 cup romaine lettuce 

3. 1/4 cup iceberg lettuce  

4.  4 Small or "Garden" tomatoes sliced

5. 2 Radishes sliced thin

6. 1 pear peeled and cut into wedges. 

7. 1/2 cup Edamame (optional) 

Toss in a large bowl, store in the fridge. 

Pesto Vinaigrette  
 ( My first batch of this really sucked...so I had to follow this bottle special made for Vinaigrette dressings..) 

1. 2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar ( or what ever you have on hand)

2. 1 teaspoon Basil Pesto. 

3. 6 tablespoons  olive oil 

Mix well. Store for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Enjoy :) 

For You

So I know a lot of you may think I only suggest herbs, that's not all there is to it, I suggest herbs, diet changes, exercise, and I look at your mental and emotional well being. If you have any questions, feel free to message me either on Facebook, twitter, email, or via the contact form on the website or even comment, I will get back to you and help in any way possible. If you need a consultation, but can't afford it ( they're priced they way they are because it's just me, up late, going over each little detail of your provided medical history, and coming up with suggestions, that I prepare to discuss with you during the consultation) then message me about it and we'll come up with something, I'm here to help you in anyway I can. Even if you just need to talk. I'm here to listen , if it'll help your emotional and mental health, I'll listen for hours.

An Herbalist's Shopping List

Time for a little fun! It's important fun though! This is just a glimpse at what my personal shopping list is like ( of course I don't always buy exactly what's listed, but this is a general idea of what I buy or try to buy , sometimes I can't find what I want ) I'm also doing this to give you an idea of what a healthy diet is and how to afford it, and also to tell you where to buy organic. I know a lot of you may not know where to buy organic or how to go about picking out good fruits and veggies. So I'm here to help! BTW at the bottom of the blog page there is a little gadget that lists all produce that is in season!


                         Shopping List :

1. Organic Salad Greens ( lettuce, arugula, what ever you like ) 

2. Organic Fruits ( apples ( in season!) , grapes, pears, bananas ( for my sister, I'm allergic myself) , mangoes, kiwi, peaches ( in season! ), plums , ect. ) 

3. Organic Veggies ( Squash,( summer and now Winter squash! Go for a nice butternut or acorn squash ),Radishes, Peppers (Chili, and Bell peppers ), Carrots, Parsnips, Onions, Corn, Turnips, Okra, Just whatever you like. 

4. Organic Quinoa 

5. Organic Salad Dressing ( or make your own! Grab a bottle of Your fave Vinegar, Fresh or dried herbs and some Olive oil ! ) 

6. Organic Yogurt 

7. Organic Milk or Nut Milks 

8.  Organic Cheese or Vegan Cheese

9. Good Whole Grain Organic Bread.  

10. Organic Veggie Juices ( I don't have my own juicer or even a really awesome blender, so I cut corners and buy organic kale or other veggie juices , except tomato..I can juice those beauties in a pot) 

11. Good Sprouts or Micro-Greens ( Or Make your own! ) 

12. Hormone Free, Organic Chicken

13.  Organic Seafood ( Salmon is a great fish for your heart! ) 

14. Organic Ground Turkey 

15. Organic, Free Range Eggs 

16. Organic Granola and Trail Mixes. 

17. Organic Soba Noodles and Rice Wrappers 

18. Organic Natural Peanut Butter or other Nut Butters 

19. Organic Honey and Organic raw Brown Sugar 

20. Organic Maple Syrup 

21. Organic Molasses 

22.  Organic Flour and Cornmeal 

23. Organic Beans and Lentils  

24. Olive Oil and/or Grape Seed Oil 

25. Organic Barley or Spelt 

26. Chia Seeds 

27. Assorted Herbs and Seasonings and Spices 

28. Organic Ice Cream  ( Low Sugar if possible or fruit pops for a treat! ) 

29. Organic Chocolate (  For a treat or special occasion ) 

30. Organic Tea ( Green Tea is awesome)
  

So that's a typical list, I don't buy ALL of that every time..but usually buy veggies and greens and fruits and certain meats and yogurt often.  Now I'll
list places to order or shop for Organic foods. Also If you can't afford certain Organic things..choose the best of the normal products , like fruits ( soak in vinager and water to clean well ) 

  You can find a variety of Organic products at these store that can be affordable. They have brands such as Cascadian Farms, Annie's, Amy's, Wild Oats, Simply Organic, Nature's Path, Kashi, Spectrum,  Muir Glen, Earthbound Farms, Nature's Greens, and Morning Star
Walmart

Food City 

Kroger

Whole Foods

Target 

Trader Joe's

Sam's Club




Hope this helps! :)

Vegetarian Wontons

I'll admit, the picture isn't that awesome, it's extremely hard to photograph wantons..for me anyway. ( I also felt a bit under the weather and just wanted to get it done) However these wontons are awesome! ( and super simple...if you like a little more to them..by all means add it, adapt this recipe to death! Really play around with it, this is just a good starting point.)  Baked instead of fried :) Recipe below :



                                                         Vegetarian Won-Tons



* 2 cups Bok Choy or normal Cabbage if you don't have Bok Choy

* 4 white button mushrooms sliced

*  1 medium onion chopped

*   drizzle of rice vinegar

*  drizzle of soy sauce 

* 20+ Wonton wrappers  ( the amount you need really depends on how much you can stuff in those little wrappers >.> I'd be impressed if you managed more than 1 teaspoon of filling without tearing the wrapper)

Pre-heat oven on 425.

1. Saute' the cabbage, mushrooms, onions, rice vinegar, and soy sauce until thoroughly hot. 

2. Begin filling the wrappers. ( follow the package instructions on that)

3. Place the wontons on a baking sheet. ( I suggest placing parchment paper on the pan first as these stick)

4. Bake wontons for 8-10 minuets or until brown.

Enjoy :)