Cranberry Orange Muffins

One of my all time holiday season, breakfast favorites!!! Bursting with flavor, beautifully colorful and slightly sweet! …and still innocent! Perfect for the season. Enjoy!

½ cup golden flax
⅓ cup coconut flour
1¼ cup gluten free flour blend (choose a high fiber brand)
½ cup xylitol
½ tsp KAL stevia*
½ tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 eggs, beaten
2½ Tbsp applesauce (unsweetened)
¼ cup coconut oil
1 medium orange, peeled, seeded, and pureed
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla
⅔ cup almond milk (unsweetened, vanilla)
3 Tbsp raw honey
1½ cups fresh cranberries,** sorted, rinsed, drained and chopped

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine all remaining wet ingredients with dry and stir (except cranberries). Gently fold in chopped cranberries. Scoop into lightly greased muffin pan. Bake at 350° about 28-30 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins

* Amount may vary by brand

** To prevent “pink, red or purple” muffins, chop hard-frozen cranberries immediately before folding into batter

Sweet Apple Appeal

apple benefitsApples. Nothing is more American than Apple Pie, an apple for the teacher, cherishing that special someone who’s the “apple of our eye” or taking a trip to “the Big Apple”. And what better time to celebrate them than National Apple Month?! Yes, it’s apple season!! We get a huge selection of seemingly every apple variety available, while maybe more importantly: fall + apple season + holidays = lots of yummy apple dishes!

Though this is apple season, they can become so familiar, everyday, common and ordinary that we forget the uniqueness and beauty of the fruit. Here’s a refresher to celebrate the benefits your body especially gets to enjoy this season and every day, (based on research literature reviews, summaries and even the USApple organization.) Take a taste…and enjoy!

Apples are one of the main sources of dietary flavonoids (phytochemicals and antioxidants) which work to:

—Encourage long life, associated with overall better health
—Lower risk of cancer especially lung cancer – 21% in women
—Support overall lung health – lower risk of asthma and bronchial sensitivity and promote strong lung function
—Reduce risk of heart disease 13-22% reduced risk
—Protect heart and vascular health
—Cut risk of strokes:  Ohio State University reports eating one apple a day for four weeks lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL, the “bad cholesterol,” by 40%.
—Lower inflammation:  1 apple daily for 6 months lowered C-Reactive Protein 32% (Arthritis Foundation)
—Reduce risk of type 2 diabetes
—Help blood sugar regulation – This promising new area shows potential benefits in promoting the pancreas to produce insulin and activating insulin cell receptors to increase blood sugar uptake
—Promote weight loss:
• Those eating three apples (or pears) a day lost more weight with a reduced calorie intake than women who didn’t add apples (or pears) to their menus
• Granny Smith apples promote growth of “beneficial gut bacteria” because of their  high levels of fiber and antioxidants with their low levels of available carbohydrates, which may protect against obesity-associated disorders (Washington State University)
—Improve digestion and may boost immune system – Apples help increase good bacteria in the large intestine (Clostridiales and Bacteriodes, which help increase  butyric acid), which keeps the intestinal lining healthy
—May lessen Alzheimer’s symptoms:  Daily apple juice and/or even better, apple intake significantly improved mood and behavior among a group of patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s

Other benefits may include liver protection and additional cholesterol lowering affect, improving HDLs, LDLs and triglycerides and cancer protection (based on rat/mice studies)

 

Want the most benefits from your apples? Eat the apple, with the peel.  Apple peels hold most of the fruit’s antioxidants (about 67%)

Juicing removes up to 90% of some antioxidants.

Choose organic. The Environmental Working Group’s 2015 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce rated apples #1 on their list of the “dirtiest, or most pesticide-contaminated” fruits and veggies for the 5th straight year. In 2016, they fell to #2 just behind strawberries. EWG’s analysts report, “Apples tend to have the most pesticides because of the chemicals applied to the crop before and after harvest to preserve them longer.”

So take a bite into your favorite apple, make your favorite seasonal apple dish, and try some new apple ideas this fall and enjoy the goodness in every bite!

and remember, share the benefits with a friend!

 

Resources available.

Coconut Almond Drops

coconut-almond-drops-recipeTry these super easy, innocently sweet and deliciously satisfying gluten, dairy, sugar free treats:

Coconut Almond Drops

2 c coconut flakes, unsweetened
2 c almonds, ground into meal/flour
6 Tbsp raw honey, maple syrup or agave
6-8 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla (or almond extract)
Sea salt (~1/16-1/8 tsp)

Blend coconut, almond meal and sea salt in food processor until light and fluffy. Overbeating will make it oily. Blend in sweetener, oil and vanilla until desired consistency. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet and shape into balls. Roll in coconut, top with chocolate chips or even sprinkle with cocoa, cinnamon, or top with other dried fruit.

Makes about 32.

Share the sweetness with a friend!

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

pumpkin-pie-ice-cream-dairy-free-sugar-freeWhoo-hoo! Pumpkin spice season is here…and can stay!  Check out this no-guilt comfort treat…and it’s dairy free and sugar free too!

1 cup pumpkin, frozen to “slushy”*
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 scoops KAL Stevia extract powder**
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 Tbsp cashew butter
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
Pinch sea salt
Pinch cloves
1 cup coconut milk, frozen into ice cubes

Blend all in high-powered blender until well blended and very thick, ice cream texture. Left overs can be frozen into popsicles for kids of all ages.

Makes 3 cups

 

* the colder the ingredients the better the ice cream consistency will be
**use scoop that comes in sweetener bottle

17 Reasons You Want Pumpkin for More Than Your Lattes and Décor this Season…and Always!

pumpkin-benefits PSL (pumpkin spice lattes) and pumpkin pies seem to win in culinary, pumpkin popularity from September through December, but you can pretty much find pumpkin-everything throughout the fall and winter season. Besides its comforting flavor, yearly traditions, warm holiday memories and versatile, creative tastiness, pumpkin is loaded with benefits for your entire body!  Check them out:

1- Supports vision: With 200% of the “Recommended Daily Allowance” (even though this is simply an estimate to prevent deficiency) for Vitamin A in the beautiful orange flesh, it can help with sight even in low-lighting situations.

2- Protects vision: Loaded with two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, it can help prevent and slow the development of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Hormone support for men and women:

3- Men – Shrinks and prevents enlarged prostate:  Pumpkin seed’s phytosterols and zinc help support prostate health, shrinking an enlarged prostate and reducing urinary-related symptoms, even preventing enlargement.

4- Women – Improves fertility: Seeds rich in iron can help promote fertility.

5- Supports pregnancy and breastfeeding: Rich beta-carotene content converts to vitamin A, essential for hormone production during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

6- Reduces menopausal symptoms: Pumpkin seed oil is rich in natural phytoestrogens, which can significantly lower menopausal symptoms in post-menopausal women: lower blood pressure, hot flashes, headaches, joint pains and also increase HDLs (good cholesterol).

7- Fights anemia: As a rich source of iron, seeds can help maintain normal iron levels.

8- Aids in weight management:  Fiber in pumpkin (3-5grams/cup) slows down the digestion of foods, balancing blood sugar levels, and making you feel full longer throughout the day. It’s also low-glycemic and low-calorie, yet packed with flavor!

9- Keeps skin young and beautiful: Loaded with beta-carotene, its potent antioxidant effect not only protects from UV and environmental toxins, but helps skin cells exfoliate and rejuvenate.

Try a Pumpkin Mask: 1 Tbsp pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie), 1 Tbsp scrambled raw egg, 1 tsp raw honey, 1 teaspoon organic yogurt and a ½ tsp lemon juice. Mix, apply, let sit 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

10- Flushes out toxins: High potassium content makes pumpkin a natural diuretic, helping flush out toxins and unwanted waste from your body.

11- Builds Immune System: As one of the richest sources of carotenes and Vitamin A, combined with Vitamin C, zinc and other antioxidants, it works to boost immunity, fight infections, bacteria and viruses and…

12- Protects against cancer: Beta carotenes are excellent cancer fighters, especially against prostate, colon and lung forms.

13- Helps balance blood sugar: Pumpkin has been shown to reduce blood sugars and even increase the body’s insulin production, aided with its unique B-vitamin composition: B1, B3, B6, pantothenic acid, folate and other unique phytonutrients.

14- Fights Inflammation: Beta carotene in both the fruit and seeds can naturally protect against joint inflammation and arthritis.

15- Recharges after workout: Lots of potassium (more than in a banana!) helps aid in rebalancing electrolytes after a workout, keeping muscles functioning optimally.

16- Boosts moods: Pumpkin seeds also contain tryptophan, a natural mood booster that helps produce serotonin.

17- Improves sleep: Pumpkin seed’s tryptophan content boosts serotonin which converts to melatonin (sleep hormone), and has been shown to provide restful sleep and even improve insomnia.

 

So what kind of pumpkin will YOU have today? Get creative and make pumpkin and pumpkin seeds a regular part of your everyday life, not just during fall and holidays. For the most benefits, make your pumpkin choices low in sugar or sweeten naturally. As for seeds, choose raw then season (cinnamon, sea salt or spicy and savory with garlic and a pinch of cayenne) and toast them lightly yourself to maintain the most benefits from their nutrient-rich oils: 15-20 minutes at 160-170.°

Preparation Tips:

  • 100% canned pumpkin saves lots of time
  • Using fresh? Look for pie pumpkins vs. decorative ones for better flavor and results
  • Seeds – look for raw or minimally processed with sea salt

Pass on the pumpkin goodness to a friend!

5 Lessons from the Garden – Part 2

I’m still amazed by the depth of these seemingly simply little “life-lessons” from the garden. Wow! If we can simply keep them at the front of our minds and walk them out, they are life-changing! Hope you find them encouraging wherever you are at in your “dailies,” as we continue from last week. Catch Part 1 here if you missed it.lessons-from-the-garden

 

3- Keep the cats out! –Some messes and distractions that come along in life just aren’t worth it! Some events, opportunities, appointments, even people. You name it – They can be toxic as they come into your space and ‘dump their mess.’ They may be good, well-intentioned and even super cute…and sometimes deceivingly so! But, see them for what they are. Either be OK with cleaning up the mess they bring because it’s worth it to you OR choose to make and keep a mess-free, clean “space” by restricting them from your “garden.” (For the record, I’m not anti-cat. I simply don’t have one and don’t want the responsibility to clean up regularly after someone else’s.)

4- Plant seeds! And most are very small! But don’t let the size be deceiving. They hold a TON of potential to produce a large harvest. The same with seeds in our life. Seeds of hope, new ideas, and dreams come to us in seed form. Most of them can seem small, maybe insignificant at first, and sometimes even our hopes start out as a very tiny glimmer. BUT, as they get planted, watered, cultivated and protected, they grow and develop…taking root and beginning to produce. Rarely do they come or start by accident, but it takes time, intention, tending, nurturing, developing. Just like the garden!

5- Give it time! – A crop requires a lot of work and TIME! I’d really rather have an instant fix and instant results. We live in a fast-paced technology, microwave, fast-food, 140-character-Twitter culture… but (sadly!) that’s just not how it works. This is such a good reminder, especially for me, when I get in a hurry and am very impatient! So much happens in the “process”…character development, skill development, stretching, roots go deep and solidify the “structure,” new ideas, new pathways and SO much more! Sometimes we can’t even see or understand what’s actually happening in the growth process until much later. Then…WOW! Look what has grown and even multiplied into being! Keep waiting; trust the process is doing good things and will bring great results!

 

So tell me about your garden! Any “cats” you need to keep out of your garden?? What seeds do you want to plant? What seeds need a little extra tending in your life? Where do you need to relax, take a deep breath, be patient and let the “process” have its way?

Be sure to share with a friend today who needs these little reminders!

Happy Gardening!

5 Lessons from the Garden – Part 1

lessons-from-the-gardenFall! It’s finally (mostly!) here! Don’t you just love the change of seasons?!  After the long HOT AZ summer months, I’m LOVING being back outside. AND it’s finally time to plant the garden! I certainly don’t claim to have a green thumb just yet, but I’m working on it and learning a ton in the process! It truly amazes me how our great-grandparents could survive growing the majority of their own food! What a lot of hard work. TOTALLY worth it with the flavor and nutrient quality; in fact, I’m spoiled! But I’m still surprised every season by what it takes to make a thriving garden!

More than just the fresh air, free (sweat) sauna and the excitement and anticipation of fresh produce, gardening always makes me ponder life. The parallels and visuals between the two are so incredible! Let me share just a couple I’ve been contemplating (and living out!) over the last few days and months…and how they can affect many areas of our lives!

1- Clean out the old season! – To make room for the new plants and new life requires ripping out last season’s plants, digging up old roots, and preparing for the new. SO true! So many times before we can move into new jobs, relationships, projects and adventures, we have to clean out from the last season: things we no longer need (clutter, files, equipment, books, clothes, etc.—cleaning our offices, storage room, garage, closets, pantry, kids rooms). It doesn’t just stop there, but also means letting go of past disappointments, regrets, guilt, resentment, comfort (oh my!), and sometimes even relationships and jobs. It’s those things that clutter our lives or no longer serve us and that will only hinder us and keep up from moving into the “new.” It’s amazing how deep and how big the roots can grow beneath the surface. Leaving them there will simply choke out the room and life of new plants trying to grow and be established in their place.

2- Prepare and re-nourish the soil – Healthy garden growth and nutrient-dense produce needs to grow in good, rich soil that can nourish the seeds and allow for good water drainage. Sometimes we get wiped out from our last season or we’re just not quite prepared for the new to come into place. Either way, it often takes time, effort or focus to get ready to go into a ‘new’ season. It can mean re-nourishing our body, soul and spirit, resting and recharging to be re-energized to focus on new projects, ideas or assignments. Sometimes, it’s even healing, recovering and softening from life’s circumstances, events or even traumas we’ve just lived through. Once replenished, it makes for an easier, more productive and healthy new season and harvest.

So tell me about your garden! What are you planting? What needs to come out of your life before you can move into your new season? What the state of your “soil”??…What kind of tending and TLC does it need to be ready for the “new”?

Seasons are usually for a window of time! Take advantage of it…and look for Part 2 next week.

Share these tips with a friend and “get ready” together!

 

How to Make and LOVE Kale Salad

I seriously NEVER even wanted to try Kale, let alone did I ever think it would become one of my favorite salads. Kale is waaay more than the ugly plate garnish, we tend to know. 🙂 Here’s how to make a super easy kale salad…and LOVE it!

kale salad health benefits antioxicants lowers inflammation cancer fighterMediterranean Kale Salad

2 bunches Dino/Tuscan Kale, “de-veined,” washed and chopped (Dino/Tuscan is a more mild variety)
(OR make it super easy:  1 bag washed, chopped. Be sure it’s really clean and fresh!)
2-3 Roma Tomatoes, or grape tomatoes, chopped
1 can Garbanzo beans, rinsed
2-4 Garlic cloves, minced (to taste, I LOVE garlic, so I use 4!)
1/3 cup Olive oil (extra virgin, cold pressed)
1/3 cup Lemon juice
Sea salt
Cayenne pepper
*Grated Parmesan

1- Prep veggies: wash, dry, chop

2- Rinse and drain beans (makes them much easier to digest) and heat.

3- Make dressing by combining garlic, olive oil and lemon juice in an 8oz jar. Shake to mix well.

4- Place kale into large salad bowl and pour on dressing. Sprinkle with sea salt and a pinch of cayenne, both to taste. Toss well, to coat all greens. Get your hands in there and squeeze it by the handfuls for a minute or 2 to soften the kale (OR…I prefer to divide kale and dressing into batches and pulse-chop in the food processor, so I don’t have to cut or squeeze it. It becomes a softer texture in smaller pieces.)

5- Portion into serving bowls and top each salad with tomatoes, warm beans and a sprinkle of Parmesan* (to soften and melt just a bit.)

Fabulous!!!

Serves 2, with a little left over for lunches

 

*Dairy free version – top with avocado slices. YUM!

6 Reasons Kale is Always IN

kale benefitsKale went from an almost “unknown” to practically overdone as a superfood in the past few years. However, it’s SO loaded with benefits, I think you can see why it truly will never go out of style! Check them out:

1–Gives more than 45 antioxidants to help lower inflammation throughout the body and boost the immune system

2–Protects from cancer as a primary food source of “glucosinolates,” which the body actually converts into cancer fighters, specifically against bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate cancers

3–Supports  and improves detoxification pathways in the body, helping to remove toxins (environmental, products, pesticides)

4–Helps balance hormones by further supporting detox and ridding the body of harmful estrogens in both women and men

5–Lowers cholesterol – even when compared by research to cholestyramine (cholesterol lowering Rx). [Steamed kale may prove to be even more effective!]

6–Supplies lots of Vitamin K, which also reduces inflammation, supports bone strength and balances digestive health

Try some Mediterranean Kale Salad tonight…and share these tips with a friend!

 

 

 

References: Nutr Res. 2008 Jun;28(6):351-7. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2008.03.007, as on http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19083431 June 8, 2016.
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38

Sweet Potato Fries

sweet potato friesI hadn’t had fries for so long, I almost forgot how yummy they were. ….and these are EVEN better!

Sweet potatoes
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Chili powder
Cayenne
Sea salt

1- Scrub and slice sweet potatoes into desired sized strips or wedges.

2- Mist/Spray lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly (or heavily!)  with each of the spices to desired spicy-ness.

3- Bake at 450-  25-ish minutes or until tender, stirring or flipping the fries halfway through bake time.

Enjoy!