Staying Healthy During Winter

It's January and cold, flu and winter blues have set in. I think it's a perfect time to share some tips on how to keep healthy. Now when I say healthy, most people think of just absence of disease. However health is defined by the WHO as  : A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. So I'll be focusing on ways to stay not only cold and flu free, but also ways to stay healthy in every sense. 


 Cold and Flu : 

I myself usually catch one cold every winter, as an Master Herbalist I know how to take care of myself when I do. I never catch the flu, and I never get a flu vaccination. This isn't to say that you shouldn't. I believe it's one's personal choice for themselves. Anyway, onward I go with some simple tips. 

 
Prevention:

1. I normally try to take a good Vitamin C supplement just to give my Immune system a little extra help. 
2. Drinking Green tea is a wonderful source of antioxidants and it tends to have Immune boosting power.  
3. Eating a healthy diet ( more on this later) 
4. For those who do choose to vaccinate, there is that for the flu. 
 

If you catch it anyway : 

First off, if you think you might have the flu, you'll want to see a doctor to make sure ( I suspected i had it last year, and after they tested me, I just had an Upper Respiratory Infection ). If your not sure what doctor you should see or if your looking for a new doctor I suggest using Amino.com . All you have to do is go to the site, click "Find a Doctor" and type in " Flu"  ( or any condition or test you might need, or even checkup will work) you tell your age and gender, as well as your address and health insurance. You can even pick if you prefer a female or male doctor.  It will give you a list along with a map showing all the doctors in your area. You can click on a name, get doctor information and contact info. It's super simple and fast. 

If you do in fact have the Flu, you may get the standard flu medicine, but usually it only works so well because the flu is a virus. If it's just a cold, then of course there is only so much you can do for that as well. 

Here are tips for helping to relieve the symptoms. 

1. Tea. Any kind really, but green tea and herbal teas are excellent. I generally make a large pot of tea and drink it all day long when I'm sick. 

2.  Of course if you hate tea, drink lots of fluids anyway, it helps thin mucus. Drink fluids such as low sugar fruit juices, water, or low sodium broths. 

3. Chicken soup, it's proven to help. Plus it's pretty yummy.  

4. Garlic is great. It has antiviral, antibiotic and antifungal properties. 

5. Echinacea is a wonderful herb for cold and flu. However check with your doctor, pharmacist or local herbalist ( or you could totally just email me).  Remember just because something is "natural" does not mean it isn't going to produce a chemical reaction inside your body. Herbs, vitamins and medications can have terrible interactions when used together.  

6. Elderberry extract is another great herb that may help. Again check with a health professional.  


Beating the Winter Blues : 


Winter is usually a gray, cold dreary season. Unless you live somewhere sunny all year long. The cold and lack of sunshine can make you feel well totally blue. Here are my tips for helping you stay happy during the winter. 

1. Light. If it's sunny, pull the curtains back and let the sun in, you might just forget it's winter. If it's totally snowy and gloomy outside ( like for me right now, Eastern Kentucky is due for up to 16 inches of snow and some ice this weekend!) try a Wake Up Lamp, these lamps allow you to wake up to light that mimics sunlight. It might just help you feel happier. 

2. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Simple, but I find that cooking and eating brightly colored fruits and veggies make me smile more. 

3. Winter activities. Sometimes if you can't beat it, join it. Go sledding, build a snowman, snow ball fights, a winter hike, winter picnic, there are tons of activities. 

4. Exercise. A lot of those winter activities count as exercise too, and it's proven that exercise makes you happy. If it's dry and at least 40 degrees outside I enjoy a nice jog. Just dress warmly! 

5. Chocolate. Small portions of dark chocolate can lift your mood. Hot chocolate ( without too much added sugars) is perfect for cold dreary nights or after your fun in the snow. 

6. Time with friends and family. If the weather isn't too bad, have some friends over for a game night or a movie night. Company always lifts my mood. 

7. In the worst case, if you feel like your winter blues could be something else, I suggest you visit a doctor to see if you could suffer from depression.

Eating well : 

I mention eating well a lot I know, but it really makes a huge impact on health. I'm going to give some simple tips to help you eat more nutritious foods and possibly stick with those new years resolutions.  

1. Strive for 3 meals a day. Make it a habit. Studies show that eating is actually habitual , so try to make new healthier  habits.  

2. What I currently do ( and it totally works for me) is to make a big salad that will last for days. I usually go for romaine lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, broccoli, baby spinach and onions and store this in a large clear bowl and set it in the middle of my fridge. This way, when I need lunch, but am too lazy to cook, or if I need a post work out meal, or a snack, I see the salad first, and I tend to go for that. That's right, midnight snack? I'm eating salad. It also works for a quick side of veggies for dinner, or I can add an egg and have it for breakfast. 

3. Whole grains. I buy a lot of whole grains. Most pastas are available in whole grain or whole wheat varieties. Also whole grain breads are just as satisfying. Have oatmeal for breakfast instead of sugary cereals. 

4. Yogurt. I like to buy a large tub of organic yogurt. This works for snacks, breakfast smoothies and such. You actually save money when you buy in bulk too. 

5. You can totally sign up for meal plans , just search the internet. I normally like organic , low calorie and not too heavy on the carbs.  

6. Meal prep. It saves you money, and if your getting meal plans, awesome, they go hand in hand. 

7. If your like me and cutting carbs ( just not too much, ok? you still need those grains) I enjoy Soba noodles, they're made from buckwheat, and are half the carbs of traditional noodles. 

8. Read labels. Remember, pay attention to the number of servings per container, as well as the 5/20 rule. 5/20 means that if your wanting to make sure something has a good amount of vitamins or another nutrient look at the percentage, if it's close to 20%, then it's a good source of that nutrient. If it's closer to 5%, then it's not a good source. The same goes for what you WANT TO AVOID, such as fat, and sodium, but in this case, if  say the total fat is close to 20% it is bad, and you should rethink this food choice, if the total fat is closer to 5% then this is a much healthier choice. 

8. With healthy eating tip #2 in mind, make sure you eat the recommended servings for fruit and veggies, or follow the choosemyplate.gov suggestion, half the plate, fruits and veggies ( I usually do half my plate just veggies for lunch and dinner, and have fruit and veggies for breakfast, and like an orange for a snack). 
 
 I hope these tips have helped and hopefully inspired you to be healthier this winter. Below I'm including a informative guide from Amino.com . 

 

Spaghetti Squash and Baked Turkey Spinach Meatballs

Happy (late) New Year! I'm finally able to blog after much work and a lot of classes in nutrition. I try to take a few classes to keep up to date on anything medical and health related, especially things I deal with in my work.  So anyway, it's January and it's cold and likely snowy in other part of the world that are not the south. So I come baring comfort food, that doesn't break the New Year's resolutions! Unless of course your resolution was to be vegetarian or vegan... I would totally use Tofu in place of the turkey, and swap in a vegan egg. 

This is probably one of my favorite meatball dishes, and a favorite spaghetti squash dish as well.
I love this recipe, I came up with it  Tuesday this week ( I simply didn't have the energy Monday to do anything special for lunch other than salad) after seeing like a ton of meatball recipes. I decided I'd make a much healthier version of Spaghetti and Meatballs. The recipe is below  remember to try to use Organic if possible! 



Spaghetti Squash and Baked Turkey Spinach Meatballs


* 1 Pound Ground Turkey ( or tofu) 
* 1/2 Cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs 
* 1 Egg 
* 1 Cup baby Spinach Chopped
* 1 Spaghetti Squash
* 1 Tbsp Olive or Grape Seed Oil 
* 1 tsp Garlic Powder 
* 1 tsp Italian Seasoning 
*  Your favorite pasta sauce recipe or favorite prepared sauce
 ( here's a nice recipe for sauce http://wellnessmama.com/8907/pasta-sauce/ )



Directions : 
  
Prepare a baking sheet. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. 
In a large bowl add the turkey, bread crumbs, egg, and spinach. Combine well with your hands. Begin rolling the mixture into 1 inch size meatballs and place on the prepared pan. After you have rolled all the meatballs, bake them for 30-45 minutes or until done
( always be sure to use a meat thermometer! Internal temperature for meatballs should be 165 degrees) 

Once the meatballs are done, remove them from the pan and put them into a medium to large sauce pan, cover and set aside. 

Next wash the Spaghetti Squash well, and slice the top ( the part with the stem) off. Slice the Squash in half ( long ways) and scoop out the seeds. Next drizzle oil over each half of the squash and salt to taste. Bake at 400 Degrees for 50 minuets or until done.  

Once the Squash is done, add your pasta sauce to the sauce pan with the meatballs, bring that to a boil and reduce heat, allow it to simmer for 2 minuets. While the sauce simmers, using a fork, scrape the squash flesh out of the hulls. Place the spaghetti squash flesh into plates. Sprinkle garlic powder and Italian seasoning over the squash. Once the sauce is finished simmering, add sauce and meatballs to the plates. 

Enjoy  :) 

 

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Fries

I'm back, though you probably were not aware that I'd left...other than no new posts. Lets just say September and most of October have been busy. Majorly busy. Lots of life changes ( new kitten), lots of work ( I've been selling at the Farmer's Market! ) , then my usual doctor visit.  But today I'm back, with a yummy recipe for the cool weather. With Halloween coming up you might be like me and having something simple, like burgers. I'm doing a craft and artisan fair ( with my new Christmas herbal tea line!) on Halloween, so after I get home it'll be a quick meal and horror movie marathon ( our town does trick or treat on the 30th this year, bummer,  I always like it on the actual day).  Anyway, these fries. Oh my. I've seen recipes for either sweet potato fries or Butternut fries...so I decided to mix the two legendary fall veggies and have the best of both worlds. Yum!

They're amazing, I just ate most of this bowl. They're that good. Actually so good I'd eat the whole bowl, but I shared.

As for my Christmas teas I mentioned , I'll tell you all about them. :)  First is my Mountain Christmas Tea, it's basically all the flavors of Christmas into one amazing herbal tea. It's sweet, refreshing, and cozy.

Next is my Merry Berry Christmas tea, it's sweet, yet slightly tangy and would make sugar plum faeries dance with glee. 

Then there is Peppermint Dreams, it's well..minty lol with a touch of birch and vanilla.

Gingersnap is my mother's favorite. It's well..gingery, with cinnamon and cloves and other sweetness in it. It's comforting and would accompany gingerbread men cookies quite well.


So that's a bit about my teas check Etsy, or my business page, or just message me on facebook to order one. :) Of course I won't list them on Etsy and my business page till November.


On to the fries! Remember to try to use organic! 




Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Fries


* 1 Small Butternut Squash
* 1 Large Sweet Potato 
* 2 Tbsp Olive oil 
* 1/2 tsp Garlic powder 
* 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning
* 1/4 tsp Thyme 
* 1/4 tsp Sage 
* 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar 
* 1/4 tsp Sriracha 

Directions : 


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
Peel the Butternut Squash with a vegetable peeler ( cut off the top with the stem first) , cut in half, scoop out the seeds.  I prefer to cut off the bottom and slice it up, and simply cut off the stringy stuff. This gives me more squash so nothing is left to waste. Next peel and slice up your sweet potato. Add squash and potato to a large bowl. In a small bowl combine the last 7 ingredients and mix well.  Pour the seasoning onto the fries, coat the fries well.  Pour the fries into a pan ( though I prefer to bake the fries on a rack in a pan for more even baking) with parchment paper. Bake for 35 minutes or until done.  

Enjoy :)  
   

Meal Plan

I've had an idea. It's never really dawned on me before until today. Why not create a meal plan and share it? I recently had a rough week sticking to my "diet". I realized it'd be easier if I already  had a plan for the day and stuck to it, then of course share it for those of you in need of a meal plan, but don't like the idea of paying people for one.

Like my big watermelon? It weighted 34.4 pounds! By time I eat it all, I'll be sooo sick of watermelon, till Spring. So below is a simple free 5 day meal plan, if you like it, let me know I'll post more. :) If you'd prefer to make your own here are some tips :

* Food Blogs - check out all the healthy recipes on all your favorite food blogs and jot down your favorites. Don't forget to bookmark and print the recipes!

* Pintrest -  Just search your prefered diet ( vegan, vegetarian, paleo, low carb ect. ) and what ever your in the mood for or use words like " healthy breakfast" or "vegan lunches" and such.

* Instagram- Just follow all the healthy accounts you can find, check daily for inspiration and most accounts give recipes with the photos. Make sure to jot down your favorite recipes.

* Tumblr- Like Instagram, just follow healthy accounts, and check for yummy recipes and print them out.

* Food Companies - It might be strange but if you recently went shopping, check the websites of all your healthy foods, yes even the produce and meat ( if your eating meat). They nearly always have recipes on the sites, and who better to get cooking tips from, than the people who made, or grew the product. Just print the recipes :)

Once you have a decent amount of recipes you love, begin mapping out your days with which recipe for what meal , each day. It's best to do this a few days before your plan will start so you have time to shop for things you might need. It can help you save money in the long run ( if your only buying for what is needed for a week and not just guessing, you avoid random unneeded items that wont be used until you discover it months later and use it.) . If your super busy you might want to look into meal prepping as well.

So here it goes, my simple Mostly Vegetarian Meal Plan 

 * Remember to use organic if possible. Also I will provide links to recipes as needed.
 You may switch ingrediants as needed to fit your dietary needs.
 Day 1 

Breakfast : 1 serving Baked Eggs with Hummus : 
http://sabra.com/recipes/Baked-Eggs-with-Hummus

Snack: 1 Apple Sliced, Preferred Nut butter Spread on apple slices.


Lunch: 1 Serving Bean Tacos : 
 http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/black-bean-tacos-with-roasted-peppers-and-onions/ 
 http://www.marinmamacooks.com/2012/06/paul-mccartneys-refried-bean-tacos/

You may enjoy a side salad as well.


Snack: Blueberries with honey or Celery with Hummus , ranch, or nutbutter

Dinner : Go with the flow. I like having dinner options open. Enjoy a filling salad, or baked falafel.


Day 2

Breakfast: Fruit Parfait : 
 http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/fresh-fruit-parfaits


Snack:  Carrots and salad dressing.

Lunch: Veggie Curry , you may add a dollop of hummus. :) 
http://minimalistbaker.com/30-minute-coconut-curry/

Snack: Apple or other fruit.

Dinner: Go with the flow :) Veggie burgers are lovely though, or you can have a nice veggie soup.



Day 3

Breakfast: Baked Egg Scramble : Basically 1 egg prepared for scramble, poured into a ramekin or muffin tins. Add peppers and onion, preferred seasoning ( i like Mrs. dash), bake at 400 for 15 minutes. You can top with cheese if you like. Have a side of fruit, yogurt or toast. 


Snack:  Fruit or nuts


Lunch:  Hummus and Veggie Wrap :
http://www.simple-veganista.com/2014/06/hummus-veggie-wrap.html

Snack: Nut and cheese or fruit plate.

Dinner:Go with the flow, but loaded baked sweet potatoes and a salad is a great idea.


Day 4 

Breakfast: Yogurt and fruit with a drizzle of honey and nuts OR granola.


Snack:  Apple

Lunch:  Southwest Salad : 
 http://www.homesweetjones.com/vegan-southwest-salad-creamy-avocado-chipotle-dressing-2/

Snack: Bliss Ball : http://happyholisticliving.blogspot.com/2015/08/cocoa-bliss-balls.html

Dinner: It's up to you, but this looks amazing.
 http://www.homesweetjones.com/baked-eggplant-parmesan-stacks/



Day 5

Breakfast:  Huevos Rancheros : 
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/04/huevos-rancheros.html

Snack:  Nuts, seeds or fruit of cucumber slices.


Lunch:  This yummy pizza : ( you may totally add cheese if you need it, but this is great on it's own)  http://www.simple-veganista.com/2012/07/veggie-lover-pizza-gluten-free.html

Snack:  Popcorn, yay!

Dinner: You know the drill, but here are a couple ideas. 

http://www.homesweetjones.com/cedar-plank-salmon-oven/    with a salad. 

http://www.simple-veganista.com/2014/03/chinese-chop-salad-peanut-sesame.html


So there we have it. A simple meal plan. I didn't add dessert, I assume you can figure out something lovely to have. :) Hope you enjoyed this.

Cocoa Bliss Balls

Happy Tuesday. Ok it's been a rather depressing Tuesday, rainy and gloomy all day, as well as trying to fix things on the website. Thankfully I have a yummy treat in my fridge. Cocoa Bliss Balls are delicious , vegan, and wonderful for satisfying your chocolate cravings.

The picture is awful I know. I made these quickly and just decided to post the recipe. There are tons of chocolate bliss ball recipes out there, I like using ideas from lots of different ones. I kept these simple though. Remember to try to use Organic ingredients. 



Cocoa Balls 

* 2 Cups pitted dates
* 2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder 
* 2 Tbsp Cocoanut Milk ( may substitute water or other nut milk) 
* Dash of salt 
* 2 Tbsp Chocolate Chips
* 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions : 

In a Food Processor or High Powdered Blender , add the dated, blend till they become lightly chopped. Add the rest of the ingredient. Blend till combined, yet chunky. Scoop out mixture and for into balls. Allow them to chill in a fridge or freezer for 20 - 20 minutes. After they are done chilling you may roll them in mini chocolate chips, cocoa powder, or shredded cocoanut. 

Enjoy :)  
 

Simply American Pinto Bean Burgers

So it's basically the last full month of summer. It's sad I know. But there are still plenty weekends left for grilling or just having a quick dinner. I consider myself Mostly Vegetarian, as in, I have some meat once in a while, but mainly live on fruit, veggies, nuts, and seeds. I'm like a fairy who craves meat sometimes. My Bean Barely and Kale burgers are nice and all, when my kale isn't frozen for soups...yeah. Also sometimes I just crave a meaty-ish burger with "American flavor" you know, ketchup, mustard, pickles... basically the classic American Cheeseburger. While searching the web for a good recipe, every single one I found seemed to take 2 hours to make and you had to add the tears of a unicorn, fairy dust and dance around the bowl singing kumbaya. I'm kidding of course, but I didn't see the point of using the same basic ingredients and 3 different methods ( that took hours) for the same type of burger. So I made my own.

Also I don't want the carbs of a big cheeseburger on a wheat bun...so I stuff the burger in a low carb Pita.  Pictured is a Vegan version ( no cheese).  It's a simple and great recipe, plus you can freeze the burgers after baking for using later.  Remember to try to use Organic. 
  
Simply American Pinto Bean Burgers 

* 1 and 1/2 Cup Cooked Pinto Beans 
* 2 Tbsp Ketchup 
* 1 Tbsp Mustard
* 1 tsp Liquid Smoke 
* 1 Can Mushrooms, Drained 
* 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
* 1/2 tsp Onion Powder 
* 1/4 tsp Sriracha
* 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce ( optional) 
* 1 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs ( You may add more if needed) 

Directions: 

Mash the beans with a fork till mostly mashed, but small bean halves remain. Add in wet ingredients and seasonings. Mix well. Add in bread crumbs till a soft "dough" is formed. With a spoon drop mixture onto a prepared pan, shape into patties. Bake at 400, for 7 minutes on each side. Enjoy with preferred toppings and bread ( or just lettuce) 

Enjoy :) 

This is the Cheeseburger version. No that's not a bug on the plate, it's a bean crumb. lol

Creamy Garlic Lemon Hummus

Happy August! This blog is officially a year old now, actually it was at the end of July...I totally missed it. Oh well, there are so many birthdays coming up for me. Today I have a great hummus recipe. Hummus is super healthy and very popular among vegetarians and vegans. Hummus is loaded with protein and nutrients, plus it's just yummy.

It looks great right? Sorry I don't top it with oil like some people. I just don't like a big bite of hummus, smothered in even more oil. You see, I make my own Tahini ( I use this recipe from thekitchn)  and well, I see all the oil added to it, and I feel as if smothering the hummus in oil, just isn't the best way to go. Coming up with this recipe was rather fun, and scarey. When I made it, I had never tried hummus before. I was dreadfully curious and thought I'd make my own ( I like having control over what goes in my food) plus I have a confession...I hate chickpeas unless they have really good seasonings, and even then sometimes I can't stomach them . It turned out so good ( I loved it, didn't turn my stomach at all!), and creamy.  Below is the recipe, remember to try to use organic. Also..some of the seasonings aren't typical hummus seasonings, but I don't care, it's just too good.


Creamy Garlic Lemon Hummus 

* 1 can Chickpeas ( Garbanzo Beans)
* 2 Tbsp Tahini  
* 4 Cloves minced Garlic  
* 1 Tbsp Lemon Juce 
* 1/2 Tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
* 1/8 Tsp Onion Powder
* 1/4 tsp Cumin 
* 2 Tbsp Water
* Salt to taste 
* Feta cheese and Pumpkin Seeds to top ( Optional) 
* Assorted Veggies and Pitas/Crackers to dip 

Directions: 

A small note on the Tahini recipe. I use Cocoanut oil in place of olive oil. 

Add the minced Garlic to the food processor, process for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients except Toppings and veggies/pitas/. Process till smooth, scraping the sides down as needed. Once desired consistency is achieved, serve cold or room temperature with veggies, pitas, crackers, and cheese.

Enjoy :) 

Sunny Skies Fruit Tart

I still have a major sweet tooth since I made my  Blueberry Crumble.  It went very fast and I'm still craving sweets. Making a Fruit Tart is probably the easiest way to get more fruit in your diet. I arranged my fruit in a cute sunny type pattern ( or perhaps flower like, depends on how you look at it) . I think it's just so fun for summer.

The crust is basically the top from the blueberry crumble, just pressed into the pan and baked before adding filling. It's a simple, yet pretty and healthy dessert. I know most fruit tarts have a type of pastry filling, but I didn't want all that sugar, and if using cocoanut yogurt and maple syrup in place of honey, this could be vegan.So I did some research, and people use yogurt all the time. The recipe is below, remember to try to use organic is possible. 


Sunny Skies Fruit Tart 

* 1and 1/2 cup rolled oats
* 1/4 cup sliced almonds 
* 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 
* 1 egg 
* 1/2 cup Honey ( or less if you prefer, may also use maple syrup in place of honey) 
* 1 and 1/2 cup Organic Vanilla Yogurt ( you may use coconut yogurt or soy yogurt to make it vegan)
* Assorted Fresh Fruit ( I used Peaches, Strawberries and 
 Blueberries)


Directions : 
Combine oats, vanilla, almonds, egg, and honey in a large bowl. Mix till everything is well combined. Press into a prepared ( lightly greased) tart or pie pan. Bake the Crust at 350 for 15-25 minutes or until browned. 
Once the Crust is baked, allow to sit and fully cool. After the crust is cooled, fill the crust with the yogurt. You may swirl a bit of honey on the yogurt for extra sweetness. Next arrange fruit as desired on top. You may prepare a glaze ( basically heating apricot preserves till liquid and shiny, then brushing over the fruits) to brush over the fruit, or use another type of fruit preserve unless your serving this tart right away. 

Hope you enjoy this recipe :)  

Amazing Almond Recipes

Happy Monday! I know most of you are likely groaning like a zombie because it's the start of the work week. I'm one of those insane people who love Mondays because I'm not happy unless I have something to do. My brain simply runs with about a million different ideas each day. So anyway, I heard about the nice people of  nuts.com.

And got involved in their project, getting people talking about almonds.  However instead of one recipe, I have two! Though before the recipe part, I'm going to give some reasons why almonds are amazing.


Almond Nutrition Facts : 

*As a Master Herbalist , I often suggest diet changes along with herbal suggestions. Eating a handful of raw almonds daily is what I suggest for most cancer patients. Almonds are great for helping to kill cancer cells. 

 * Almonds contain Vitamin E and Vitamin B2, as well as copper, magnesium, phosporous and many other awesome nutrients. 

* Almonds can lower your LDL cholesterol and help reduce Heart Disease risk. 
* Almonds are full of Fiber, and wonderful for helping reduce Diabetes risk. 
*Almonds are wonderful for improving blood fats. 
* Eating Almonds can help you lose weight and lowers risk of gaining weight

So 6 awesome reason to buy a big bag of almonds and eat them daily :) I highly suggest it.  Now on to some great recipes ( once you have some almonds in your possession ).


Warm Vegetarian Curry Salad with Almonds. 
 

This is the most amazing salad ever ( ok I think most salads are the most amazing salad ever. Except in the case of stale , sitting out too long fast food salads. Gross. ) but it really is. It's warm and spicy and sweet. Juicy yet crisp. Warm, but cool and refreshing. All Served with warmed Lavash, because I couldn't find Naan at the store ( I have yet to make Naan ). But Lavash is an amazing bread, plus this was low carb.
Most of the veggies are fresh from my garden or the farmer's market. I think maybe 4 ( carrots, lettuce, squash, mushrooms) are store bought. So it's a super healthy salad, with yummy slivered almonds. Recipe is below, remember to try to use organics!


Warm Vegetarian Curry Salad with Almonds 

For the Curry Veggies : 
* 1 Carrot, Chopped 
* 1 onion , chopped
* 1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped 
* 1 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
* 1 Yellow Bell Pepper , Chopped
* 1 Yellow Squash, Sliced ( can use zucchini) 
* 1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms ( Can be white button or portabella )
* 2 Tbsp Slivered Almonds
*  1 tsp Curry Powder 
* 1/2 tsp Chili Powder 
* 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger 
* 1/4 tsp Cumin 
* 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder ( or minced garlic ) 
* 1/2 Swonson's Flavor Boost Packet ( If you can find an organic brand  like this, wonderful , but if not, it's fine. )
* Salt and pepper to taste 
For The Curry Rice : 

* 1 Cup Brown Rice 
*  1 tsp Curry powder
* 1/4 tsp Cumin 
* 1/8 tsp ginger 
*1/4 Chili Powder 
* 1 tsp garlic powder 
* 1/2  Swonson's Flavor Boost Packet 
* Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Salad : 

* 2 Cups Romane Lettuce , Torn
*  1 Cucumber, Sliced
* 1 Cup Whole Kernal Corn, warmed
* 1-2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes , sliced.  
* Warm Lavash Bread, Sliced 
* Slivered Almonds
For the Dressing :  
 * 1 tsp Curry Powder
* 2 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar 
* 1 tsp Honey 
* 1/2 tsp Olive Oil 
* 1/8 tsp Ground Ginger 
1/4 tsp Parsley 
Salt and Pepper to taste 

Directions : 
 Make rice as directed on package, however in the last few moments of simmering, add the seasonings and mix well. Cover and sit to the side once finished.  Next add all Curry veggies, almonds and seasonings, to a frying pan, saute' until carrots are mostly cooked through ( soft , yet still crunchy). Cover and sit to the side. Next Mix together all salad dressing ingredients. 
Now assemble the salad. Make a bed of lettuce  at the bottom of the bowl, then top with tomatoes, cucumber, corn, curried veggies, and curried rice, sprinkle slivered almonds on top and drizzle dressing over the salad and serve with warm lavash. You may also add fresh cilantro.  

It's great for lunch or Dinner :) 



Fairytale  Refined Sugar Free Blueberry Crumble 

This is such an amazing dessert! I came up with this after we bought a 5 pound box of blueberries!

 It's like heaven on earth. Now on to the lovely recipe! Remember to try to use Organic, or Non-GMO


Fairytale Refined Sugar Free Blueberry Crumble

* 2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Blueberries 
* 1 and 1/2 Cups Rolled Oats 
* 1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds 
* 1 Egg 
* 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 
* 1/2 tsp Orange Extract 
* 3/4 Cup Honey 

Directions : 
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together oats, almonds, egg, vanilla extract, orange extract, and 1/2 cup of honey ( reserve the rest). Mix well, until everything is sticky.  Next spray a pie plate with cooking spray. Add the 2 cups of blueberries. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup honey over the blue berries. Spread the oat mixture on top of the blueberries.    

 
  Bake for 25 minutes or until crust is browned, and juices are bubbly. 

Enjoy with fresh whipped cream. :) 

I hope this has been a lovely and informative post, also I'm not being paid to mention nuts.com, I just really like their idea, and enjoy nuts.  

Gooey Refined Sugar Free Granola Bars ( or Globs )

Good Tuesday morning! Happy Holistlic Living has survived the terrible storms so far. I think we all need a sweet treat. It's also canning season so lots of us won't be have a proper lunch, so granola bars are perfect.

They look odd shaped I know. They're gooey and sticky, but so perfectly flavored. You can make them into globs, or better yet just eat them with a spoon, or make them in bar form. ( I was pressed for time and sucked at cutting bars...)
*remember to use organic if possible!

Gooey Refined Sugar Free Granola Bars 

1/2 Cup Rolled Oats 
1/3 Cup unsalted, shelled Peanuts ( may swap for another nut or seed) 
1/4 cup Honey ( or maple syrup)
1/4 Cup Peanutbutter  ( or other nut butter) 
1 Cup Dried Fruit ( I used dried cranberries ) 
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips ( optional) 

Directions : 

Mix all Ingredients together, except chocolate chips. Press mixture into a lined and greased baking sheet. Melt chocolate chips, and drizzle over granola bars. Cover and freeze for 2-3 hours or until hard. Cut into bars.  

* If you prefer "Globs" Simply shape the granola into little globs in the pan, continue as directed. 

* For a really gooey treat, bake the granola, and drizzle the chocolate. It's like an amazing cake. Enjoy :)    

Out and About : In the Garden

Happy July! I'm exhausted, my little sister turned 21 Tuesday, ( June 30th) and we partied hard. Not in the usual sense for a 21st ( she doesn't drink.) it was a lovely party with some great friends, and water balloons. Cause' it's summer. So anyway we're tired from running around like we're 10. As the title states above, I feel like since it's summer time, I'll go out and about and take photos of interesting herbs, flowers and veggies, oh and of course just awesome nature pics.

Like this pretty flower! Of course I plan on telling you all about the veggies and herbs :) the flowers are just eye candy.


Fruit and Veggies: 

This is my adorable watermelon growing fast. :) Watermelon is an excellent source of nutrition. Watermelon flushes the kidneys and has anti-cancer properties.

This is a Lipstick Pepper Plant, it's growing it's best, I can't wait for it to start blooming! Lipstick Peppers are long, red sweet peppers! Full of vitamins and amazing for your body.  You can buy seed here : http://www.rareseeds.com/lipstick/

Forgive some of the mess, It's cabbage harvesting time ( we cut a new head every few days). But in this picture there is cabbage and green beans and in the far left is a butternut squash plant. Cabbage is known for being anti-cancer and full of Probiotics ( when made into Sauerkraut). Green beans are amazing for the skin, and are very low calorie. 1 cup of green beans = 31 calories!  Butternut squash is low calorie, full of vitamin A and other essential vitamins, it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant support.

Here is our Corn and Tomatoes ( we grow lots and lots of tomatoes). Non-GMO Corn is the best kind, it's full of antioxidants, antioxidant phytonutrients such at beta-carotene and can even help normalize blood sugar. Tomatoes are amazing, they make great sauces, salsa, are amazing to eat on their own and perfect on sandwiches, not to mention such rich creamy soup. However they're full of awesome vitamins such as vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, B3 and B1. Just to name a few!

If your not from the south, you might not recognize this plant. This my dear friends is Okra. It's amazing, I love it fried and I love it in soups. It's full of vitamins and only 33 calories per cup!

This is our adorable Cucumber Patch! Cucumbers are known for detoxing. In spas the reason they put the cucumbers over your eyes is because cucumbers draw toxins out of the skin. Imagine what power they have when you actually eat them. Cucumbers main vitamin is vitamin K, and they're full of  Flavonoids, Lignans, and Triterpenes. Basically cucumbers have Antioxidant , Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Cancer properties. 

Lastly this is our beloved Apple tree! We make lots of apple jelly and apple butter once the apples are ripe. Apples are all fiber and vitamin C, they're packed with amazing Polyphenols. Apples have Cardiovascular benefits, Blood Sugar regulation benefits, Anti-Asthma and Anti-Cancer benefits. So an apple a day really can keep the doctor away! 

Here's a full list of all fruits and veggies we grow : 

Corn
Beans
Cabbage
Broccoli 
Onions
Lettuce 
Tomatoes
Peppers
Okra
Cucumbers
Watermelon
Grapes
Strawberries
Apples
Raspberries
Sweet Potatoes 


Medicinal Herbs: 

This is Peppermint. Peppermint is excellent for heart burn, and upset stomach. It's also wonderful for cold and flu. It's also a nice insect repellent. 

  
Aloe Vera, the gel is great for sunburn, burns, bites and stings. Aloe vera is also a laxative if ingested. 

Great Burdock, a wonderful Liver tonic herb, the root is consumed in many Asian dishes.  

Rosemary is amazing for culinary use but also memory loss, gas, and headache.  

St. John's Wort : Often used as a mild anti-depressant. Also great for bruises and cuts. 

Chicory is used much like Dandelion as in it is a nice liver/kidney tonic and a diuretic. 

Sage is basically a cure all. Sage is amazing for head aches, cooling fevers, and purifying the blood. 

Basil : Although an amazing culinary herb, Basil is a great medicinal herb for Sore throat, Cough, Fever, Kidney Stones... Ect. 

This is a young Chamomile plant, but once it flowers, it will be used for tea. Chamomile tea is amazing for sleep issues, anxiety, and skin issues. 

This is Comfrey, it's used mostly for healing broken bones, cuts and sprains. 



Flowers: ( Just some eye candy )

Hope you've enjoyed this post :)