1 Tb. cornstarch
1 Tb. cold water
1/4 c. organic brown sugar
1/2 c. soy sauce, organic. Gluten free is best
1/4 c. cider vinegar
1 Tb. minced garlic
1.2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. pepper
12 chicken drumsticks (about 2-3 lbs. or 2 packages)
-Combine the first 8 ingredients and bring to a boil in a medium saucepan.
-Reduce heat to low and stir constantly until it thickens.
-In a 13 x 9 baking dish, layer the chicken drumsticks.
-Pour sauce over the drumsticks.
-Cook at 450' for 30 minutes on each side, testing to make sure they are cooked all the way through.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Sausage Apple Breakfast Casserole
9 slices Wheat Berry Earthgrains Bread, diced and crusts removed
6 eggs
1/2 c. half and half or whole milk
1 pack (11 oz.) Lou's Famous Apple Chicken Sausages, diced.
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium apple, diced
1 tsp. basil
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
-Preheat oven to 350'.
-Spray a 9 x 13 csserole dish with an olive oil spray.
-Layer the bread cubes over the bottom of the dish.
-Combine the eggs and the milk or half and half and pour over the bread cubes.
-Combine the sausage, the onion and apple and layer over the egg mixture.
-Sprinkle with the basil and the cheddar over the top.
-Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
-Season with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste if desired.
6 eggs
1/2 c. half and half or whole milk
1 pack (11 oz.) Lou's Famous Apple Chicken Sausages, diced.
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium apple, diced
1 tsp. basil
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
-Preheat oven to 350'.
-Spray a 9 x 13 csserole dish with an olive oil spray.
-Layer the bread cubes over the bottom of the dish.
-Combine the eggs and the milk or half and half and pour over the bread cubes.
-Combine the sausage, the onion and apple and layer over the egg mixture.
-Sprinkle with the basil and the cheddar over the top.
-Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
-Season with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste if desired.
Chicken Lemon Dill Soup
1 large onion diced
1 Tb. minced garlic
2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. baby carrots or 4 carrots diced
1 c. celery diced
1 lb. chicken, cooked and diced
32 oz. chicken stock
1 tsp. herbamare seasoning
2 Tb. dried parsley
2 Tb. dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon
1 c. whole wheat elbow macaroni pasta
-Saute the garlic and onion in the extra virgin olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes.
-In a large dutch oven, combine the sauted vegetables, the carrots, the celery, the chicken and chicken stock. Add the seasonings and lemon juice, being careful to not get lemon seeds in the soup.
-Bring to boil, and then simmer for 30 minutes.
-10 minutes before done, add the whole wheat pasta to the soup. If necessary, add more broth.
1 Tb. minced garlic
2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. baby carrots or 4 carrots diced
1 c. celery diced
1 lb. chicken, cooked and diced
32 oz. chicken stock
1 tsp. herbamare seasoning
2 Tb. dried parsley
2 Tb. dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon
1 c. whole wheat elbow macaroni pasta
-Saute the garlic and onion in the extra virgin olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes.
-In a large dutch oven, combine the sauted vegetables, the carrots, the celery, the chicken and chicken stock. Add the seasonings and lemon juice, being careful to not get lemon seeds in the soup.
-Bring to boil, and then simmer for 30 minutes.
-10 minutes before done, add the whole wheat pasta to the soup. If necessary, add more broth.
Creamy Chicken Casserole
This recipe is one that my mom used to make when I was younger, so it is one of my comfort foods. with a simple switch to using organic products and a small substitution of one ingredient, the casserole still comes out creamy and delicious.
2 lbs. broccoli, cooked and diced
1 lb. chicken, cooked and diced
24 oz. sour cream (organic and low fat or fat free)
12 oz. organic cream of chicken (in the non-aluminum box)
10 oz. savory herb organic stuffing mix
-Preheat oven to 350'.
-Spray bottom of 13 x 9 cassserole dish with an olive oil spray.
-After cooking broccoli and chicken, layer these in the dish.
-Combine the sour cream and the cream of chicken together and stir into the chicken and broccoli mixture.
-Prepare the stuffing mix according the package directions and then spoon on top of the sour cream layer.
-Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
*My mom used 8 oz. sour cream and 1 can of cream of chicken soup and 1 can of cream of mushroom soup. I am trying to avoid processed foods that are non organic as well items in aluminum cans.
2 lbs. broccoli, cooked and diced
1 lb. chicken, cooked and diced
24 oz. sour cream (organic and low fat or fat free)
12 oz. organic cream of chicken (in the non-aluminum box)
10 oz. savory herb organic stuffing mix
-Preheat oven to 350'.
-Spray bottom of 13 x 9 cassserole dish with an olive oil spray.
-After cooking broccoli and chicken, layer these in the dish.
-Combine the sour cream and the cream of chicken together and stir into the chicken and broccoli mixture.
-Prepare the stuffing mix according the package directions and then spoon on top of the sour cream layer.
-Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
*My mom used 8 oz. sour cream and 1 can of cream of chicken soup and 1 can of cream of mushroom soup. I am trying to avoid processed foods that are non organic as well items in aluminum cans.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
More Cooking with Buffalo
Here is a fun link from the NBA (National Buffalo Association) which has more recipes on how to cook easy buffalo recipes. Click "here" to see the list of recipes, such as grilled steak marinades, burgers and kabobs.
Buffalo Stew
Okay, before you get completely grossed out about eating buffalo, remember that it looks just like beef AND it is is tons healthier for you! Consider these facts about buffalo:
-Buffalo tastes like a more fine beef, but has a more rich flavor and is slightly sweeter.
-Buffalo is naturally tender.
-You get more protein, minerals and nutrients, with less fat and calories in the same serving size as beef.
-They naturally spend more time in a pasture, with very little time in a feedlot. This means they are not usually given questionable hormones (like beef) and have less stressed induced hormones injected into their body when living the last part of their lives in a feedlot like store bought beef. (That makes the meat more tough and less tasty).
-Buffalo has a greater concentration of iron and essential fatty acids necessary to human health.
-Reader's Digest has listed Buffalo as being one of the top 5 foods women should eat since it is a good source of iron.
Plus, it tastes freaking awesome! It is super easy to prepare - simply use in place of any beef in any recipe. I found buffalo meat cubes at Whole Foods for only $4.50 for a dinner size package, and my husband thoughts stew on a cold wintry day sounded good. But, you can get ground buffalo, buffalo steak, buffalo roasts etc. The possibilities are endless!
Here is the stew recipe I tried, using what veges I had on hand. You can modify it to your own taste or favorite beef stew recipe:
3/4 lb. buffalo meat cubes, thawed (You can use more, but this was the size I found already prepared at Whole Foods).
32 oz. beef broth
4 medium red potatoes, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 stalks of celery, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 Tb. Basil
1 Tb. Parsley
1 Tb. Thyme
1 Tb. salt
1 Tb. pepper
1 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
I combined everything in a crockpot on low. I am going to cook it for 4-6 hours, since the meat was thawed. I also microwaved the meat for 3 minutes to help make sure it was a little more cooked and I would not have to leave it in the crockpot as long.
If anyone has a better stew recipe, I would love to try it! I love making homemade soups and stews. Preparing all the fresh vegetables is a relaxing thing for me and makes me feel like I am actively trying to be healthier.
-Buffalo tastes like a more fine beef, but has a more rich flavor and is slightly sweeter.
-Buffalo is naturally tender.
-You get more protein, minerals and nutrients, with less fat and calories in the same serving size as beef.
-They naturally spend more time in a pasture, with very little time in a feedlot. This means they are not usually given questionable hormones (like beef) and have less stressed induced hormones injected into their body when living the last part of their lives in a feedlot like store bought beef. (That makes the meat more tough and less tasty).
-Buffalo has a greater concentration of iron and essential fatty acids necessary to human health.
-Reader's Digest has listed Buffalo as being one of the top 5 foods women should eat since it is a good source of iron.
Plus, it tastes freaking awesome! It is super easy to prepare - simply use in place of any beef in any recipe. I found buffalo meat cubes at Whole Foods for only $4.50 for a dinner size package, and my husband thoughts stew on a cold wintry day sounded good. But, you can get ground buffalo, buffalo steak, buffalo roasts etc. The possibilities are endless!
Here is the stew recipe I tried, using what veges I had on hand. You can modify it to your own taste or favorite beef stew recipe:
3/4 lb. buffalo meat cubes, thawed (You can use more, but this was the size I found already prepared at Whole Foods).
32 oz. beef broth
4 medium red potatoes, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 stalks of celery, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 Tb. Basil
1 Tb. Parsley
1 Tb. Thyme
1 Tb. salt
1 Tb. pepper
1 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
I combined everything in a crockpot on low. I am going to cook it for 4-6 hours, since the meat was thawed. I also microwaved the meat for 3 minutes to help make sure it was a little more cooked and I would not have to leave it in the crockpot as long.
If anyone has a better stew recipe, I would love to try it! I love making homemade soups and stews. Preparing all the fresh vegetables is a relaxing thing for me and makes me feel like I am actively trying to be healthier.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Whole Foods Sale this week
I was so excited to see that the ground beef is half off this week - from $5.99 per pound to $2.99 per pound. I bought 10 lbs. I know it seems like alot - and it sure is more than Super Walmart, but it still makes a cheaper and MUCH healthier organic dinner....tacos, burgers, spaghetti sauce, chili etc.
Some other good deals:
Some other good deals:
- $2.99 for a 2 lb. bag of organic lemons - contains about 9 lemons ($1.00 off)
- Buy one, get one free for Super Bowl Game Day Dips (salsa, guacamole, black bean dip and more)
- Buy one, get one free Lou's Famous chicken sausages (regular $5.99 each)
- Don't forget the ground beef at $2.99 per pound!
Lamb with Red Potatoes and Green Beans
This was super easy to make, and tasted pretty darn good. I was out of rosemary, so I resorted to concocting the below marinade which worked out great. I based it off the mint yogurt that is often served with lamb.
1 Tb. olive oil
1 lb. lamb chops ($8.99 per lb. at Whole Foods)
1 tsp. dried mint
1 lemon, squeezed out on lamb.
sea salt and pepper to taste
-Take thawed lamb chops, and cook in olive oil over low heat. It is apparently best to cook these in a cast iron skillet, but I do not have one. You also do not need alot of oil, since the fat in lamb will naturally help it to cook and not stick to the pan.
-Sprinkle with mint, lemon and salt and pepper to taste.
-Cook 6 minutes for medium rare and 10-12 minutes for a more well done lamb chop.
-Serve with red potatoes and parsley and green beans.
Now you have a super easy, yet elegant dinner that can be whipped up to impress anyone on short notice!
1 Tb. olive oil
1 lb. lamb chops ($8.99 per lb. at Whole Foods)
1 tsp. dried mint
1 lemon, squeezed out on lamb.
sea salt and pepper to taste
-Take thawed lamb chops, and cook in olive oil over low heat. It is apparently best to cook these in a cast iron skillet, but I do not have one. You also do not need alot of oil, since the fat in lamb will naturally help it to cook and not stick to the pan.
-Sprinkle with mint, lemon and salt and pepper to taste.
-Cook 6 minutes for medium rare and 10-12 minutes for a more well done lamb chop.
-Serve with red potatoes and parsley and green beans.
Now you have a super easy, yet elegant dinner that can be whipped up to impress anyone on short notice!
Southwestern Chili
I have been searching for the perfect chili for a LONG time. I have tried countless recipes, only to have too many tomatoes, too bland seasoning, too hot seasoning...This time I decided to forget all other recipes and simply go with what I thought both my husband and I would enjoy. This turned out really good, and was really especially yummy with sour cream, cheddar and green onions on top.I have also put variations at the bottom of the recipe to make other styles of chili.
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced fine
1 large green bell pepper, diced fine
1/2 c. celery, diced fine
1/2 c. red bell pepper, diced fine
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 Tb. butter
16 oz. frozen sweet corn
1 teaspoon each: cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. You can add more of any of these to taste.
16 oz. black beans, cooked and drained.
Garnishments: sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, tomatoes, hot sauce etc.
-In large skillet, saute beef until done. Drain fat. Set aside.
-Combine the next 6 ingredients in a large skillet and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
-In dutch oven, cook corn until done. Drain water.
-Add beef, sauteed vegetables, spices and cooked black beans. Add 1 cup water and simmer for 5 minutes.
-Add more seasonings and garnishments to taste.
Variation #1: Substitute 16 oz. kidney beans for 16 oz. black beans; and 1 lb. tomatoes for 1 lb.corn
Variation #2: Substitute 16 oz. pinto beans for 16 oz. black beans; and 1-2 jalapenos and 2 c. diced tomatoes in place of corn; add cilantro for garnish.
Variation #3: Substitute 16 oz. white beans for 16 oz. black beans; 1 lb. chicken for 1 lb. ground beef; and 1 lb. tomatoes for 1 lb. corn.
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced fine
1 large green bell pepper, diced fine
1/2 c. celery, diced fine
1/2 c. red bell pepper, diced fine
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 Tb. butter
16 oz. frozen sweet corn
1 teaspoon each: cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. You can add more of any of these to taste.
16 oz. black beans, cooked and drained.
Garnishments: sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, tomatoes, hot sauce etc.
-In large skillet, saute beef until done. Drain fat. Set aside.
-Combine the next 6 ingredients in a large skillet and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
-In dutch oven, cook corn until done. Drain water.
-Add beef, sauteed vegetables, spices and cooked black beans. Add 1 cup water and simmer for 5 minutes.
-Add more seasonings and garnishments to taste.
Variation #1: Substitute 16 oz. kidney beans for 16 oz. black beans; and 1 lb. tomatoes for 1 lb.corn
Variation #2: Substitute 16 oz. pinto beans for 16 oz. black beans; and 1-2 jalapenos and 2 c. diced tomatoes in place of corn; add cilantro for garnish.
Variation #3: Substitute 16 oz. white beans for 16 oz. black beans; 1 lb. chicken for 1 lb. ground beef; and 1 lb. tomatoes for 1 lb. corn.
Creamy Basil Fettuccine Aldredo
*This recipe came off the back of the Ezekiel 4:9 16 oz. Sprouted Fettuccine box. I altered it to my own preference. The original recipe contained carrots, julienned, and mushrooms. I am not a big fan of carrots in my pasta and I was out of mushrooms. The following recipe is my own adaptation to the box recipe.*
8 oz. Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted Organic Grain Fettuccine
2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
2 c. whole milk
3/4 c. Parmesan
1 Tb. dried oregano
1 Tb. dried basil
4 TB. corn starch
1 Tb. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced fine
1 red bell pepper, diced fine
8 oz. frozen broccoli, steamed and chopped
sea salt and black pepper to taste
-Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add pasta and olive oil.
*COOK 4-5 minutes and be careful to not overcook (oops! it dissolves apparently!)*
-Drain and set aside.
-In large saucepan over low heat, add milk, Parmesan and spices. Add corn starch and whisk until thick and creamy. Stir into pasta.
-In smaller skillet, saute pepper and onion in skillet (and mushrooms if you want them).
-Combine sauteed vegetables and broccoli in pasta.
-Season with salt and pepper to taste.
*You can also add a meat like turkey bacon, chicken or sausage on the side or in the dish.*
This is a REALLY filling pasta. You may think that the 8 oz. hardly seems like enough, but by the time you add the sauce and vegetables, you will have 4-6 servings. This helps alot, since this pasta is not the cheapest in the world.
8 oz. Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted Organic Grain Fettuccine
2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
2 c. whole milk
3/4 c. Parmesan
1 Tb. dried oregano
1 Tb. dried basil
4 TB. corn starch
1 Tb. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced fine
1 red bell pepper, diced fine
8 oz. frozen broccoli, steamed and chopped
sea salt and black pepper to taste
-Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add pasta and olive oil.
*COOK 4-5 minutes and be careful to not overcook (oops! it dissolves apparently!)*
-Drain and set aside.
-In large saucepan over low heat, add milk, Parmesan and spices. Add corn starch and whisk until thick and creamy. Stir into pasta.
-In smaller skillet, saute pepper and onion in skillet (and mushrooms if you want them).
-Combine sauteed vegetables and broccoli in pasta.
-Season with salt and pepper to taste.
*You can also add a meat like turkey bacon, chicken or sausage on the side or in the dish.*
This is a REALLY filling pasta. You may think that the 8 oz. hardly seems like enough, but by the time you add the sauce and vegetables, you will have 4-6 servings. This helps alot, since this pasta is not the cheapest in the world.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Butternut Squash Soup for Cold Wintery Days
I was inspired by my good friend, Abi, who recently made a delicious looking loaf of bread and served it with a homemade butternut squash soup. Since it is definitely hard core winter now, nothing makes you feel better than a nice hot creamy bowl of soup.
Here is the recipe I got off the Whole Foods website. I recommend adding the heavy whipping cream to make it creamy and more enjoyable for the family who may not be used to the rich vegetable puree texture. And, if you are eating organic there are plenty of delicious homemade bread recipes to try (think Organic Whole Grain or Sprouted Sourdough recipes) Or, you can buy these already done at Whole Foods or Trader Joes or wherever else you go.
Here is the recipe from Whole Foods:
Butternut Squash Soup
I changed the following ingrediants:
3 cups already diced and prepared butternut squash from Trader Joes ($2.69)
1 Tb. dried Thyme
1 tsp. each kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/2 c. (organic) heavy whipping cream - stirred in at last 5 minutes of cooking
parmesan to taste.
Delicious! And, thanks Abi for inspiring me!!
Here is the recipe I got off the Whole Foods website. I recommend adding the heavy whipping cream to make it creamy and more enjoyable for the family who may not be used to the rich vegetable puree texture. And, if you are eating organic there are plenty of delicious homemade bread recipes to try (think Organic Whole Grain or Sprouted Sourdough recipes) Or, you can buy these already done at Whole Foods or Trader Joes or wherever else you go.
Here is the recipe from Whole Foods:
Butternut Squash Soup
I changed the following ingrediants:
3 cups already diced and prepared butternut squash from Trader Joes ($2.69)
1 Tb. dried Thyme
1 tsp. each kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/2 c. (organic) heavy whipping cream - stirred in at last 5 minutes of cooking
parmesan to taste.
Delicious! And, thanks Abi for inspiring me!!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
60% Whole Foods Gift Baskets!!!!!
Use code Box60WFM to take 60% off at checkout.
Click here to see list of available gift baskets...hurry, they are selling out!
Check out the spa gift basket set above. I think I will take two!
Click here to see list of available gift baskets...hurry, they are selling out!
Check out the spa gift basket set above. I think I will take two!
Hair Health
I have been wondering this whole time that if eating better and taking supplements is good for you, then surely there must be better options and alternatives to the chemically laden hair care products in our bathrooms. I was right! Jordan Rubin briefly talks about in his book how cosmetics, fragrances and many hair products are full of toxins. Yet, we use them on a daily basis and lather them directly into our skin. The more I think about it, the more nervous I get.
I did some research and found a few helpful resources that I am going to give at a try:
Burt's Bees Shampoos and Conditioners:
These products are mostly all natural and use coconut and sunflower oils, as well as, other natural oils in place of harsh chemicals for your hair. One thing to watch out for though is that you will need to RINSE, RINSE, and RINSE some more. These products do not lather as much (because they rely on your own hair oils and natural oils), and they are best used when you shampoo your hair sparingly...as in 2-3 times a week. It is recommended that you condition the ends of your hair every day in the shower though and use a deep cleanser once a week, especially if you use heat styling products.
There are some good deals online now! Right now you can get the 12 oz. Conditioner for free when you buy the Shampoo and Conditioner Value Pack for $8.00 (each normally is $8.00). Add enough to your cart (buy for 6 months) and get free shipping over $49.00. PLUS, at checkout you get a free lipgloss added to your cart. I love FREE stuff!
You can also join online The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and help push for stronger legislation to remove known carcinogens out of well known cosmetic companies.
I did some research and found a few helpful resources that I am going to give at a try:
Burt's Bees Shampoos and Conditioners:
These products are mostly all natural and use coconut and sunflower oils, as well as, other natural oils in place of harsh chemicals for your hair. One thing to watch out for though is that you will need to RINSE, RINSE, and RINSE some more. These products do not lather as much (because they rely on your own hair oils and natural oils), and they are best used when you shampoo your hair sparingly...as in 2-3 times a week. It is recommended that you condition the ends of your hair every day in the shower though and use a deep cleanser once a week, especially if you use heat styling products.
There are some good deals online now! Right now you can get the 12 oz. Conditioner for free when you buy the Shampoo and Conditioner Value Pack for $8.00 (each normally is $8.00). Add enough to your cart (buy for 6 months) and get free shipping over $49.00. PLUS, at checkout you get a free lipgloss added to your cart. I love FREE stuff!
You can also join online The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and help push for stronger legislation to remove known carcinogens out of well known cosmetic companies.
Snowy Day Breakfast Idea
A snowstorm hit last night and this morning I decided I would start a new tradition of making waffles on cold wintery mornings. I love waffles and I had hoped this would cheer me up from the rather drab and bitter cold wintery snowstorm outside my kitchen window.
Waffles, it turns out, are a hard to find recipe when you don't stock sugar and delightful pantry items that you might use. All I have is hard core healthy stuff, like organic wheat flour, steel cut organic oats, organic raisens.....
Thanks to Whole Foods Helpful Recipe collection, I quickly found a fun looking recipe for super easy Oatmeal-Apple Pancakes with Maple Syrup. With a food processor, they were a snap to make and tasted really good. Plus, they were actually seriously healthy!
Here is the recipe, but I modified it just a tad as I like to do. Even now, I have lots of fun ideas:
2 cups Organic Steel Cut Oats
1 c. applesauce
2 eggs (Omega 3 enriched, cage free)
4 Tb. pure maple syrup ( I used the Organic Nature's Promise from Giant)
1/2 - 1 T. Butter for frying
1/4 - 1/2 c. raisins
-I pureed the first four ingredients in my blender for one to two minutes.
-Then, after melting butter, I poured 2 Tb. for each pancake and make a total of 12 using this doubled recipe batch. For half of the pancakes, I sprinkled raisins on top of the uncooked side, and flipped it over frying them in.
-Serve with maple syrup and if you want to a sprinkle of cinnamon.
*You can alternate the applesauce with pumpkin and replace the raisins with walnuts and cranberries.
-OR-
*You can alternate the applesauce with any fruit puree and switch out the raisins with nuts, chocolate chips, and/ or a dried fruit to complement the fruit puree you choose.
Waffles, it turns out, are a hard to find recipe when you don't stock sugar and delightful pantry items that you might use. All I have is hard core healthy stuff, like organic wheat flour, steel cut organic oats, organic raisens.....
Thanks to Whole Foods Helpful Recipe collection, I quickly found a fun looking recipe for super easy Oatmeal-Apple Pancakes with Maple Syrup. With a food processor, they were a snap to make and tasted really good. Plus, they were actually seriously healthy!
Here is the recipe, but I modified it just a tad as I like to do. Even now, I have lots of fun ideas:
2 cups Organic Steel Cut Oats
1 c. applesauce
2 eggs (Omega 3 enriched, cage free)
4 Tb. pure maple syrup ( I used the Organic Nature's Promise from Giant)
1/2 - 1 T. Butter for frying
1/4 - 1/2 c. raisins
-I pureed the first four ingredients in my blender for one to two minutes.
-Then, after melting butter, I poured 2 Tb. for each pancake and make a total of 12 using this doubled recipe batch. For half of the pancakes, I sprinkled raisins on top of the uncooked side, and flipped it over frying them in.
-Serve with maple syrup and if you want to a sprinkle of cinnamon.
*You can alternate the applesauce with pumpkin and replace the raisins with walnuts and cranberries.
-OR-
*You can alternate the applesauce with any fruit puree and switch out the raisins with nuts, chocolate chips, and/ or a dried fruit to complement the fruit puree you choose.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
So, where was I?
Well, I guess you could say I fell off the blogwagon. I have been sick, AGAIN, for days now and frankly have had little or no desire to cook or eat. I can say with extreme confidence that what you eat definitely has a profound effect on your body. I am not able to eat anything anymore (and hopefully that will change in the future) that is fast food or good old fashioned comfort food without having a severe reaction, a toxin unloading I guess. I have lost 10 pounds in the last 2 weeks (yay for fitting into my old jeans again!), but then again, I like eating as much as my old jeans so it is a slight predictament. Heck, I love eating. My old jeans are old for a reason, thank you Mr. Double Cheeseburger from McDonalds.
What really happened is that I started getting lazy...grabbing chocolates at work at the candy basket and making a sandwich at my moms when I picked up my son after work (after all I was too tired to cook that day) and dinner out with husband dearest. Honestly, when the sickness hit this time I was so sick for so long that even prescriptions could barely help me keep my gatorade down.
I plan on pushing through with the diet though. It will get worse before it gets better is my theme. Jordan Rubin said in his book he actually became sicker for 30 full days before his health completely turned around. Some digestive diseases, especially ones that are more severe, may take some serious time and adjustment if you are really hoping to completely reverse your intestinal ratio of good and bad bacteria. Praise God it is almost the end of month one! I am really hoping the end is in sight.
On a side note, I did not do a budget for week 3 since I barely cooked or ate. When we did run to Trader Joe's, we only spent $57.00 for a basket full of what we estimated we would need for a week. That made my day since I think we are getting pretty close to our budgeted goal of $50 per week. Since I really didn't feel like cooking much, we were able to try some cheaper dinner options instead of cooking lots of organic meats (which can run up your grocery bill) - organic frozen pizza for under $5.00 and VIDA Spelt spaghetti pasta, which was $3 for one box, but made tons of pasta for days and tasted SOOO much better than the typical wheat pastas in the grocery store. The pizza, shockingly, will fill you up on much smaller slices and tastes much better than the usual greasy cardboard crap.
Okay, I am going to finish my organic coffee and enjoy the new Hazelnut creamer from Trader Joes that I have not had much of a chance to appreciate the past week or so. Hope to be back blogging tomorrow about some delicious new recipe from Whole Foods!
What really happened is that I started getting lazy...grabbing chocolates at work at the candy basket and making a sandwich at my moms when I picked up my son after work (after all I was too tired to cook that day) and dinner out with husband dearest. Honestly, when the sickness hit this time I was so sick for so long that even prescriptions could barely help me keep my gatorade down.
I plan on pushing through with the diet though. It will get worse before it gets better is my theme. Jordan Rubin said in his book he actually became sicker for 30 full days before his health completely turned around. Some digestive diseases, especially ones that are more severe, may take some serious time and adjustment if you are really hoping to completely reverse your intestinal ratio of good and bad bacteria. Praise God it is almost the end of month one! I am really hoping the end is in sight.
On a side note, I did not do a budget for week 3 since I barely cooked or ate. When we did run to Trader Joe's, we only spent $57.00 for a basket full of what we estimated we would need for a week. That made my day since I think we are getting pretty close to our budgeted goal of $50 per week. Since I really didn't feel like cooking much, we were able to try some cheaper dinner options instead of cooking lots of organic meats (which can run up your grocery bill) - organic frozen pizza for under $5.00 and VIDA Spelt spaghetti pasta, which was $3 for one box, but made tons of pasta for days and tasted SOOO much better than the typical wheat pastas in the grocery store. The pizza, shockingly, will fill you up on much smaller slices and tastes much better than the usual greasy cardboard crap.
Okay, I am going to finish my organic coffee and enjoy the new Hazelnut creamer from Trader Joes that I have not had much of a chance to appreciate the past week or so. Hope to be back blogging tomorrow about some delicious new recipe from Whole Foods!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Budget for Week 2
So, the goal was to beat $87 from last week and to hopefully get down to $50 per week. Here is a tally of the main grocery list and the condiments on the bottom that I used. I feel good this week...hopefully I did it!
1 lb. ground beef $2.99 - Whole Foods
2 Cornish Game Hens $5.99 - Richardsons Farm
1 lb. chicken tenders $5.59 - Weis
1 pack Tuna Steaks - $4.55 - Trader Joes
1 lb. turkey chops $4.14 - Richardsons Farm1 steak - $3.00 - Whole Foods
1 lb. chicken tenders $5.59 - Weis
1/2 lb. baby carrots $1.29 (for 1 lb). - Giant One pack of 4 tomatoes for $3.99 - Trader Joes
1 pack of cilantro, used for several meals this week, $1.69 - Trader Joes
1 package of Romaine $2.79
3 grapefruit $1.50 - Trader Joes
8 oz. mushrooms$1.99 - Trader Joes
16 oz. frozen green beans $1.79 - Whole Foods
1 box frozen spinach $1.99 - Whole Foods4 limes $2.00 - Whole Foods
16 oz.broccoli $1.99 - Whole Foods
1 bunch celery $1.99 - Trader Joes
2 bunches of green onions $.99 - Whole Foods
bag of frozen mixed vegetables $1.69 - Trader Joes
Acorn Squash was part of a gift basket...not sure how much...
less than 1 dozen eggs for the week $2.49 - Trader Joes
1 pint creamer - $2.79 - Trader Joes1/2 pint Kefir $2.79 - Whole Foods (with coupon)
1/2 lb. coffee - $3.49 - Whole Foods1/2 box of Stevia - $3.00 - Whole Foods
1 lb. lentils $.69 - Food Lion (Not organic...I did not realize they offered these at Whole Foods for $1.99)
$72.79 for the basics! Yea!
Extra Pantry Items that last indefinitely:
Olive Oil $3.99 - BB's for 32 oz.
Onions $3.99 - Whole Foods for 4 lbs.
large container of Sea Salt $1.69 - Whole Foods
ground black pepper $1.69 - Whole Foods
Almond Butter $4.99 - Trader Joes
Apple Juice for James - 1 gallon for $6.99 for organic, fresh juice - Whole Foods
White Wine for Cooking $3.39 - Whole Foods
$26.73 for extra pantry items
1 lb. ground beef $2.99 - Whole Foods
2 Cornish Game Hens $5.99 - Richardsons Farm
1 lb. chicken tenders $5.59 - Weis
1 pack Tuna Steaks - $4.55 - Trader Joes
1 lb. turkey chops $4.14 - Richardsons Farm1 steak - $3.00 - Whole Foods
1 lb. chicken tenders $5.59 - Weis
1/2 lb. baby carrots $1.29 (for 1 lb). - Giant One pack of 4 tomatoes for $3.99 - Trader Joes
1 pack of cilantro, used for several meals this week, $1.69 - Trader Joes
1 package of Romaine $2.79
3 grapefruit $1.50 - Trader Joes
8 oz. mushrooms$1.99 - Trader Joes
16 oz. frozen green beans $1.79 - Whole Foods
1 box frozen spinach $1.99 - Whole Foods4 limes $2.00 - Whole Foods
16 oz.broccoli $1.99 - Whole Foods
1 bunch celery $1.99 - Trader Joes
2 bunches of green onions $.99 - Whole Foods
bag of frozen mixed vegetables $1.69 - Trader Joes
Acorn Squash was part of a gift basket...not sure how much...
less than 1 dozen eggs for the week $2.49 - Trader Joes
1 pint creamer - $2.79 - Trader Joes1/2 pint Kefir $2.79 - Whole Foods (with coupon)
1/2 lb. coffee - $3.49 - Whole Foods1/2 box of Stevia - $3.00 - Whole Foods
1 lb. lentils $.69 - Food Lion (Not organic...I did not realize they offered these at Whole Foods for $1.99)
$72.79 for the basics! Yea!
Extra Pantry Items that last indefinitely:
Olive Oil $3.99 - BB's for 32 oz.
Onions $3.99 - Whole Foods for 4 lbs.
large container of Sea Salt $1.69 - Whole Foods
ground black pepper $1.69 - Whole Foods
Almond Butter $4.99 - Trader Joes
Apple Juice for James - 1 gallon for $6.99 for organic, fresh juice - Whole Foods
White Wine for Cooking $3.39 - Whole Foods
$26.73 for extra pantry items
Friday, January 14, 2011
Helpful Maryland Resources
My fellow coworked, Ed, passed on a helpful link for finding fresh organic farms and meat sources in Maryland.
Click here to see the website Eat Wild Maryland. I really liked The Ferguson Farm in Maryland, plus their prices for ordering beef in large quantities seemed reasonable.
Click here to see the website Eat Wild Maryland. I really liked The Ferguson Farm in Maryland, plus their prices for ordering beef in large quantities seemed reasonable.
Check this out!
My friend sent me this funny link on how to tell if your food is real or not. I thought it fit right in with my organic life blogging. Hope you enjoy!
Grocery shopping has never been more confusing than it is in 2011.
With conflicting nutrition information coming at us from all sides, navigating the supermarket can feel as impossible as doing long division while juggling loaded bear traps. It's neither fun nor safe.
To help you find real food within the endless labyrinth of junk, I've put together this handy flowchart for your use and amusement. Consider it your supermarket GPS. If you ever get lost, just start back at the top.
May the food be with you.
Originally posted at Summer Tomato, where you can find more healthy eating tips.
Grocery shopping has never been more confusing than it is in 2011.
With conflicting nutrition information coming at us from all sides, navigating the supermarket can feel as impossible as doing long division while juggling loaded bear traps. It's neither fun nor safe.
To help you find real food within the endless labyrinth of junk, I've put together this handy flowchart for your use and amusement. Consider it your supermarket GPS. If you ever get lost, just start back at the top.
May the food be with you.
Originally posted at Summer Tomato, where you can find more healthy eating tips.
Recipes: Day 14
2 HSO supplements and water.
Breakfast:
Organic coffee with creamer and Stevia
Again, we are not that hungry and I wonder if it has to do with no sugar in our diets.
Mid Morning Cheat: A Small Mocha while at the Avenue with a friend. It was so delicious, but my stomach has been hurting ever since. Coincidence?
Lunch:
leftovers...making dinner pays off when you don't have to pull something together for every meal, thanks to extras!
Dinner:
Apple Turkey Chops* and Mixed Vegetables:
1/2 - 1 c. of Apple Juice
1 lb. of turkey chops (about 4 pieces)
salt and pepper to taste
12 oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables
-In skillet, place defrosted turkey chops and pour in apple juice (or cider). Simmer until chops are done (20 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
-5 minutes before done, boil the frozen mixed vegetables until they are tender. Season with salt and pepper when done.
*This recipe came from the compilation cookbook of crockpot recipes, "Fix-it and Forget-it: Feasting With Your Slow Cooker." Barbara Rose was the author of the recipe that was entitled 'Turkey Breast". I adapted it to a skillet and added more apple juice to simmer it longer.
Dessert - cold, refrigerated oranges.
Breakfast:
Organic coffee with creamer and Stevia
Again, we are not that hungry and I wonder if it has to do with no sugar in our diets.
Mid Morning Cheat: A Small Mocha while at the Avenue with a friend. It was so delicious, but my stomach has been hurting ever since. Coincidence?
Lunch:
leftovers...making dinner pays off when you don't have to pull something together for every meal, thanks to extras!
Dinner:
Apple Turkey Chops* and Mixed Vegetables:
1/2 - 1 c. of Apple Juice
1 lb. of turkey chops (about 4 pieces)
salt and pepper to taste
12 oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables
-In skillet, place defrosted turkey chops and pour in apple juice (or cider). Simmer until chops are done (20 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
-5 minutes before done, boil the frozen mixed vegetables until they are tender. Season with salt and pepper when done.
*This recipe came from the compilation cookbook of crockpot recipes, "Fix-it and Forget-it: Feasting With Your Slow Cooker." Barbara Rose was the author of the recipe that was entitled 'Turkey Breast". I adapted it to a skillet and added more apple juice to simmer it longer.
Dessert - cold, refrigerated oranges.
Recipes: Day 13
2 HSO supplements and water
Breakfast:
Organic Coffee and creamer and Stevia. Again, not really hungry especially when I am rushing out the door for work!
Lunch:
Guessed right. Leftover chicken and green beans for me and Josh had steak and eggs with salsa. it is never to late to have a decent breakfast!
Dinner: Another delicious recipe from The Maker's Diet!)
Cilantro Lime Chicken with Tomato with Steamed Broccoli
1 lb. chicken tenders
1 Tb. minced garlic
4 fresh limes, juice squeezed out in skillet
3 Tb/ fresh chopped cilantro
2 Tb. olive oil
1 large tomatoe, diced fine
salt and pepper to taste
16 oz. brocolli
-Boil Chicken in water until done.
-Meanwhile, in separate skillet saute the next four ingrediants. Add cooked chicken and tomatoe to skillet and saute for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
-5-10 minutes before dinner is done, steam broccoli.
Beverage: water
Chicken dish was great, but would have been better served with sprouted tortillas, organic pinto beans and a mexican dish flair.
Breakfast:
Organic Coffee and creamer and Stevia. Again, not really hungry especially when I am rushing out the door for work!
Lunch:
Guessed right. Leftover chicken and green beans for me and Josh had steak and eggs with salsa. it is never to late to have a decent breakfast!
Dinner: Another delicious recipe from The Maker's Diet!)
Cilantro Lime Chicken with Tomato with Steamed Broccoli
1 lb. chicken tenders
1 Tb. minced garlic
4 fresh limes, juice squeezed out in skillet
3 Tb/ fresh chopped cilantro
2 Tb. olive oil
1 large tomatoe, diced fine
salt and pepper to taste
16 oz. brocolli
-Boil Chicken in water until done.
-Meanwhile, in separate skillet saute the next four ingrediants. Add cooked chicken and tomatoe to skillet and saute for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
-5-10 minutes before dinner is done, steam broccoli.
Beverage: water
Chicken dish was great, but would have been better served with sprouted tortillas, organic pinto beans and a mexican dish flair.
Recipes: Day 12
2 HSO supplements and water
Breakfast:
Honestly, we were not even that hungry and skipped it altogether. But, we did have our necessary cups of coffee in the morning!
Lunch:
Leftover Lentil Soup
1 c. blueberry Kefir with frozen mixed berries
Beverage: coffee in the afternoon
Dinner:
Grilled Tuna Steaks and Sauteed Spinach
2 large White Tuna Steaks (frozen wild-caught in bag at Trader Joes for less than $5!)
1 Tb. butter
1/4 c. cooking Sherry
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
10 oz. frozen box of organic spinach
1/4 c. water
1/2 medium onion, diced fine
1/2 Tb. butter
salt and pepper to taste
-After thawing the Tuna Steaks, I saw a recipe on the back of the package. It looked so good, but it was for a marinade for 3 hours. I figured I could still try to cook it, so I did add everything to the skillet. It was definitely good and Josh was even willing to take leftovers to work despite the No-Fish-For-Dinner Policy.
-Add the steaks, butter, white wine (I had preservative free cooking sherry which I used) and olive oil to pan. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Season steaks with salt and pepper.
-Meanwhile, place frozen box of spinach and diced onion in medium saucepan with 1/4 c. water.
-Saute with covered lid until spinach is tender. Add butter to taste on finished product. Season with salt and pepper.
Beverage: Water
I have never had a Tuna Steak before, so was not sure what to do with them. It turns out they are super easy and amazingly delicious! The steaks will be white when cooked through and will flake easily when prodded with a fork. They did not take long to cook either when they were defrosted. I also read on another blog that they make great tunafish sandwiches if you are trying to avoid canned foods like we are.
Breakfast:
Honestly, we were not even that hungry and skipped it altogether. But, we did have our necessary cups of coffee in the morning!
Lunch:
Leftover Lentil Soup
1 c. blueberry Kefir with frozen mixed berries
Beverage: coffee in the afternoon
Dinner:
Grilled Tuna Steaks and Sauteed Spinach
2 large White Tuna Steaks (frozen wild-caught in bag at Trader Joes for less than $5!)
1 Tb. butter
1/4 c. cooking Sherry
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
10 oz. frozen box of organic spinach
1/4 c. water
1/2 medium onion, diced fine
1/2 Tb. butter
salt and pepper to taste
-After thawing the Tuna Steaks, I saw a recipe on the back of the package. It looked so good, but it was for a marinade for 3 hours. I figured I could still try to cook it, so I did add everything to the skillet. It was definitely good and Josh was even willing to take leftovers to work despite the No-Fish-For-Dinner Policy.
-Add the steaks, butter, white wine (I had preservative free cooking sherry which I used) and olive oil to pan. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Season steaks with salt and pepper.
-Meanwhile, place frozen box of spinach and diced onion in medium saucepan with 1/4 c. water.
-Saute with covered lid until spinach is tender. Add butter to taste on finished product. Season with salt and pepper.
Beverage: Water
I have never had a Tuna Steak before, so was not sure what to do with them. It turns out they are super easy and amazingly delicious! The steaks will be white when cooked through and will flake easily when prodded with a fork. They did not take long to cook either when they were defrosted. I also read on another blog that they make great tunafish sandwiches if you are trying to avoid canned foods like we are.
Recipes: Days 10 & 11
Beginning on day 10 Josh and I bumped our probiotics up to 2 a day - our goal is to be at 3 a day by the end of the month. We bought a Brita Water purifier, which is something that is highly recommended in The Maker's Diet (basically avoiding the chlorine additive in water).
2 HSO supplements and water.
Breakfast for both days:
cold grapefruit and organic coffee...I think Josh is a little burned out on steak and eggs! James seems to enjoy the grapefruit, which is a little sweeter than normal store bought grapefruit.
Lunch for both days:
Leftovers for both days. The Lentil soup from earlier on made so much, that we may have to freeze some. Sadly, we ran out of parmesan which seems to be a key condiment for it. Never underestimate the organic ground black pepper though!
Beverage: water at noon and coffee at 2. I am not getting an afternoon slump anymore, but at work on Tuesday a warm cup of coffee does seem to speed my work up when I am starting to slow down. Again, I brought my own thermos in and since I am not drinking as much coffee as I used to, the thermos worked fine.
Dinner both days (makes alot):
Mushroom & Oregano Chicken in White Wine Sauce with Green Beans
(This recipe came from The Maker's Diet, but was modified slightly)
1 lb chicken tenders
1/4 c. olive oil (extra virgin)
1 medium onion, diced fine
1 tsp. salt and pepper and Oregano each
1 TB. minced Garlic
1 tomatoe, diced fine
1/2 c. white wine
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 TB. parsley
-Boil Chicken until it is cooked through, and then cut into 1" pieces. *You can fry chicken, but I always boil it to keep the grease and fat level down.*
-While preparing the chicken, saute the onion in oil and add seasoning, garlic, white wine and mushrooms.
-When the chicken is done, add it and the diced tomatoe to the saute for 5 minutes to season it.
-During the last 10 minutes of preparing the dish, steam the green beans and serve as a side or stirred together.
This was so delicious! Not only do the fresh ingrediants taste so much better, but you can actually appreciate the seasonings too! I had no idea that I have favorite seasonings, like Thyme and Parsley!
2 HSO supplements and water.
Breakfast for both days:
cold grapefruit and organic coffee...I think Josh is a little burned out on steak and eggs! James seems to enjoy the grapefruit, which is a little sweeter than normal store bought grapefruit.
Lunch for both days:
Leftovers for both days. The Lentil soup from earlier on made so much, that we may have to freeze some. Sadly, we ran out of parmesan which seems to be a key condiment for it. Never underestimate the organic ground black pepper though!
Beverage: water at noon and coffee at 2. I am not getting an afternoon slump anymore, but at work on Tuesday a warm cup of coffee does seem to speed my work up when I am starting to slow down. Again, I brought my own thermos in and since I am not drinking as much coffee as I used to, the thermos worked fine.
Dinner both days (makes alot):
Mushroom & Oregano Chicken in White Wine Sauce with Green Beans
(This recipe came from The Maker's Diet, but was modified slightly)
1 lb chicken tenders
1/4 c. olive oil (extra virgin)
1 medium onion, diced fine
1 tsp. salt and pepper and Oregano each
1 TB. minced Garlic
1 tomatoe, diced fine
1/2 c. white wine
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 TB. parsley
-Boil Chicken until it is cooked through, and then cut into 1" pieces. *You can fry chicken, but I always boil it to keep the grease and fat level down.*
-While preparing the chicken, saute the onion in oil and add seasoning, garlic, white wine and mushrooms.
-When the chicken is done, add it and the diced tomatoe to the saute for 5 minutes to season it.
-During the last 10 minutes of preparing the dish, steam the green beans and serve as a side or stirred together.
This was so delicious! Not only do the fresh ingrediants taste so much better, but you can actually appreciate the seasonings too! I had no idea that I have favorite seasonings, like Thyme and Parsley!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Contest at Wholefoods to win a $99 gift card...
Click here to see the entry description. All you have to do is leave a short blog on how you are eating healthier in 2011...10 winners will get $99.00 in February. Not bad! You will also get expert advice from a Whole Foods Nutritionalist who will help maximize your health goals for the year.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Recipes: Day 9
1 HSO Probiotic and 8 oz. water each.
Breakfast:
grapefruit
coffee and creamer and Stevia
Lunch:
The Hungry Texan's Lentil Beef Stew:
1 lb. lentils
1 Tb. butter
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 large onion, diced fine
2 1/2 c. leftover Chuck Roast with broth and onions
8 oz baby carrots, cooked and pureed
6 c. water
1 TB. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan to taste
-Boil lentils in large pot with enough water to keep from burning. (oops).
-Place in large crockpot.
-In small saucepan, melt butter and saute garlic and onion until tender
-Add garlic and onion to lentils
-Add leftover chuck roast, baby carrot purree, water, oregano, salt and pepper
-Cook on low 8 hours
-Serve with parmesan cheese.
*This would be even better with a big hunk of fresh baked bread, but we are not yet at the point where we can add that to our diet.*
This soup started as a boring lentil soup. I knew my hungry Texan would be looking for meat or cheese in it, so I thought I would throw in the chunk of beef that was leftover. The baby carrots were also kind of big and menacing looking, so I thought I would puree them. That thickened the soup up well, and the beef gave it a good overall flavor. Josh loved it too, which was amazing. He almost always vetoes homemade soup, so I know it could not have been too bad.
Beverage: water
Dinner:
Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Acorn Squash
This recipe came off the Whole Foods recipe blog. I can't wait to try it...the maple syrup smells so good in the oven now!
Here is a picture my Hungry Texan took:
Beverage: water
Breakfast:
grapefruit
coffee and creamer and Stevia
Lunch:
The Hungry Texan's Lentil Beef Stew:
1 lb. lentils
1 Tb. butter
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 large onion, diced fine
2 1/2 c. leftover Chuck Roast with broth and onions
8 oz baby carrots, cooked and pureed
6 c. water
1 TB. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan to taste
-Boil lentils in large pot with enough water to keep from burning. (oops).
-Place in large crockpot.
-In small saucepan, melt butter and saute garlic and onion until tender
-Add garlic and onion to lentils
-Add leftover chuck roast, baby carrot purree, water, oregano, salt and pepper
-Cook on low 8 hours
-Serve with parmesan cheese.
*This would be even better with a big hunk of fresh baked bread, but we are not yet at the point where we can add that to our diet.*
This soup started as a boring lentil soup. I knew my hungry Texan would be looking for meat or cheese in it, so I thought I would throw in the chunk of beef that was leftover. The baby carrots were also kind of big and menacing looking, so I thought I would puree them. That thickened the soup up well, and the beef gave it a good overall flavor. Josh loved it too, which was amazing. He almost always vetoes homemade soup, so I know it could not have been too bad.
Beverage: water
Dinner:
Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Acorn Squash
This recipe came off the Whole Foods recipe blog. I can't wait to try it...the maple syrup smells so good in the oven now!
Here is a picture my Hungry Texan took:
Beverage: water
Recipes: Day 8
1 HSO Probiotic Supplement with 8 oz. water
Breakfast split between me and James: (Josh not sure if he wants to eat anymore)
3 scrambled eggs with 1 oz. goat cheese and 2 Tb. organic salsa.
1 grapefruit, refrigerated
organic coffee with Stevia and organic creamer
Lunch:
Beef Taco Salad:
1/4 c. water
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, diced fine
*1/2 bunch Romaine lettuce, shredded* I hated the romaine and would rather use spinach next time*
1 diced tomato
1 Tb. diced fresh cilantro
1 oz. per person crumbled goat cheese
extras: ranch dressing (organic, preservative free); salsa; avocado slices; cheddar goat cheese; black olives; etc....
-Using thawed ground beef, cook it in medium highheat with onions until beef is no longer red. I add 1/4 cup water to help it not burn and stick to the pan. I try to avoid cooking with extra fat, oil and butter is possible.
-Shred lettuce on plate.
-Serve 1/4 c. beef and onion mixture over bed of lettuce.
-Top with diced tomato, cilantro and cheese.
-Serve with any additional options listed above or your own. Trader Joe's sells blocks of cheddar goat cheese which you can use in place of the regular goat cheese. I did not mind the regular, but in the future I would probably switch to the cheddar. The reason for using goat cheese is that for the first 2 weeks of the makers diet, goat cheese is one of the few diary products you can use.
Beverage: water
Dinner:
Leftovers!
The above made 6 large salads and since tacos is one of Josh's four food groups, he was not about to experiment with another interesting meal when he could have perfectly good cow meat (in the form of an organic salad, but my hungry Texan will take what he can!).
Beverage: water
Breakfast split between me and James: (Josh not sure if he wants to eat anymore)
3 scrambled eggs with 1 oz. goat cheese and 2 Tb. organic salsa.
1 grapefruit, refrigerated
organic coffee with Stevia and organic creamer
Lunch:
Beef Taco Salad:
1/4 c. water
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, diced fine
*1/2 bunch Romaine lettuce, shredded* I hated the romaine and would rather use spinach next time*
1 diced tomato
1 Tb. diced fresh cilantro
1 oz. per person crumbled goat cheese
extras: ranch dressing (organic, preservative free); salsa; avocado slices; cheddar goat cheese; black olives; etc....
-Using thawed ground beef, cook it in medium highheat with onions until beef is no longer red. I add 1/4 cup water to help it not burn and stick to the pan. I try to avoid cooking with extra fat, oil and butter is possible.
-Shred lettuce on plate.
-Serve 1/4 c. beef and onion mixture over bed of lettuce.
-Top with diced tomato, cilantro and cheese.
-Serve with any additional options listed above or your own. Trader Joe's sells blocks of cheddar goat cheese which you can use in place of the regular goat cheese. I did not mind the regular, but in the future I would probably switch to the cheddar. The reason for using goat cheese is that for the first 2 weeks of the makers diet, goat cheese is one of the few diary products you can use.
Beverage: water
Dinner:
Leftovers!
The above made 6 large salads and since tacos is one of Josh's four food groups, he was not about to experiment with another interesting meal when he could have perfectly good cow meat (in the form of an organic salad, but my hungry Texan will take what he can!).
Beverage: water
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Budget of One Week
I was curious how much everything cost to live organically for one week. Here is how much we spent on everything, which might give you hope that you can actually spend about the same as before. I was the most worried about how much this would cost, but it was pretty much the same as buying non organic food. I had to spend a little more this month to replace normal items in my pantry, so next month should be cheaper. Also, some items were not included in the total because my awesome friend Erin gave me a huge basket of organic fruit and veges for Christmas. When we have a garden this summer, I hope to give back to others AND cut my bill down even more.
-5 breakfasts of steak $11.25 (Whole Foods)
-1 1/2 dozen eggs $3.99 (Giant)
-1/2 lb. coffee $3.50 (Whole Foods)
-32 oz. creamer $1.99 (Whole Foods)
-1/2 box of Stevia packets ($4.79 for a whole box) $2.40 (Nature's Fresh)
-2 bags of salad $4.49 (Whole Foods)
-1/2 a block of goat cheese $4.99 for 11 oz, so $2.50 for this week (Whole Foods)
-Blackberries $2.50 (Whole Foods)
-5 avocados $4.99 (Whole Foods)
-4 Lemons $1.99 (Whole Foods)
-1 whole Chicken $6.50 (Weis)
-1 lb. chicken tenders $6.60 (Weis)
-1 lb. baby carrots $1.29 (Safeway)
-2 bunches of celery $3.99 (Giant)
-16 oz. frozen green beans $1.79 (Whole Foods)
-16 oz. frozen broccoli $1.99 (Whole Foods)
-32 oz. Kefir $3.99 (Giant)
-Frozen Strawberries $1 (Dollar Store) ..I checked back to get more and they were out of organics. Dang!
-2 lb. chuck roast $8.50 (Weis)
-1 lb. ground beef $2.99 (Whole Foods)
-Tomato Sauce $2.50 (Safeway)
-2 salmon fillets $2.99 (BB's)
-1/2 lb. asparagus (1.99)
-3 onions $1.99
Extra Items that will last a few months:
-Smart Balance Omega 3 Mayo $2.59 for one container.
-Flax Oil $.25 (BB's)
-Salsa $2.59 (Giant)
-1 stick of butter for the whole week, $4.29 for 4 sticks (Giant)
Total Food $87.71
Extra Pantry items: $9.72
I have since found that shopping directly at Trader Joes or Whole Foods for everything and buying fresh, not frozen is cheaper than the local grocery stores, even Giant. I also found the chicken is $1.99 per lb. at Richardsons Farm and ground turkey is $2.29 there as well. That is tons cheaper than the organic chicken in the grocery store and Whole Foods and what I paid this week. My goal is to get to $50 per week. We will see!
-5 breakfasts of steak $11.25 (Whole Foods)
-1 1/2 dozen eggs $3.99 (Giant)
-1/2 lb. coffee $3.50 (Whole Foods)
-32 oz. creamer $1.99 (Whole Foods)
-1/2 box of Stevia packets ($4.79 for a whole box) $2.40 (Nature's Fresh)
-2 bags of salad $4.49 (Whole Foods)
-1/2 a block of goat cheese $4.99 for 11 oz, so $2.50 for this week (Whole Foods)
-Blackberries $2.50 (Whole Foods)
-5 avocados $4.99 (Whole Foods)
-4 Lemons $1.99 (Whole Foods)
-1 whole Chicken $6.50 (Weis)
-1 lb. chicken tenders $6.60 (Weis)
-1 lb. baby carrots $1.29 (Safeway)
-2 bunches of celery $3.99 (Giant)
-16 oz. frozen green beans $1.79 (Whole Foods)
-16 oz. frozen broccoli $1.99 (Whole Foods)
-32 oz. Kefir $3.99 (Giant)
-Frozen Strawberries $1 (Dollar Store) ..I checked back to get more and they were out of organics. Dang!
-2 lb. chuck roast $8.50 (Weis)
-1 lb. ground beef $2.99 (Whole Foods)
-Tomato Sauce $2.50 (Safeway)
-2 salmon fillets $2.99 (BB's)
-1/2 lb. asparagus (1.99)
-3 onions $1.99
Extra Items that will last a few months:
-Smart Balance Omega 3 Mayo $2.59 for one container.
-Flax Oil $.25 (BB's)
-Salsa $2.59 (Giant)
-1 stick of butter for the whole week, $4.29 for 4 sticks (Giant)
Total Food $87.71
Extra Pantry items: $9.72
I have since found that shopping directly at Trader Joes or Whole Foods for everything and buying fresh, not frozen is cheaper than the local grocery stores, even Giant. I also found the chicken is $1.99 per lb. at Richardsons Farm and ground turkey is $2.29 there as well. That is tons cheaper than the organic chicken in the grocery store and Whole Foods and what I paid this week. My goal is to get to $50 per week. We will see!
Recipes: Day 7
Not much to report, since Josh and I both skipped breakfast and had organic coffee only this morning. We were shopping at Whole Foods around lunch, where we picked up a great sandwich to go with a fruit drink for Josh. They serve sandwiches that can easily rival Panera Bread, which is good to know since we don't want to run to McDonald's for a quick lunch anymore! Obviously, our dinner out was a semi disaster, but the date was fun. Oh well!
I did find some new snacks though that I will throw out there for fun:
-dry roasted almonds (I picked up a bag at BB's discount grocery). They tasted great and the deal at BB's was only $1.49. A great alternative instead of chips, cookies or other unhealthy munchies.
-nut butters with celery. I did not know there were so many nut butters out there. Sunflower Butter ($3.99 at Traded Joes); Almond Butter ($4.99 at Traded Joes and Whole Foods), Pumpkin Butter and the list goes on These are all healthy for you if you get the organic, dry roasted butters with no salt and they taste awesome with celery sticks. I have always been a big fan of Peanut Butter, but these are definitely worth giving a try.
-Kefir probiotic shakes. This 4 pack is $3.79 at Trader Joes (It IS alot), BUT they are in small easy to go containers for work or school. These are packed with extra probiotics compared to regular yogurt and are organic. You can get a 32 oz. bottle of Trader Joes Kefir for only $1.99 if you want to dish your own out in tupperwares to go. They taste even better with fresh frozen fruit thrown in.
I did find some new snacks though that I will throw out there for fun:
-dry roasted almonds (I picked up a bag at BB's discount grocery). They tasted great and the deal at BB's was only $1.49. A great alternative instead of chips, cookies or other unhealthy munchies.
-nut butters with celery. I did not know there were so many nut butters out there. Sunflower Butter ($3.99 at Traded Joes); Almond Butter ($4.99 at Traded Joes and Whole Foods), Pumpkin Butter and the list goes on These are all healthy for you if you get the organic, dry roasted butters with no salt and they taste awesome with celery sticks. I have always been a big fan of Peanut Butter, but these are definitely worth giving a try.
-Kefir probiotic shakes. This 4 pack is $3.79 at Trader Joes (It IS alot), BUT they are in small easy to go containers for work or school. These are packed with extra probiotics compared to regular yogurt and are organic. You can get a 32 oz. bottle of Trader Joes Kefir for only $1.99 if you want to dish your own out in tupperwares to go. They taste even better with fresh frozen fruit thrown in.
Confessions of a Chocolate Eater
We have an obsession with foods that start with "C" here in our house. These comfort foods have frankly been sorely missed. Chocolate. Cheddar Cheese. Cheese Dip. Coke. Carbs. Chips. Crab. Chickfila. The list is endless.
We broke down and had some "C" foods tonight. It was quite yummy, but I have to say we were not prepared for what happened. It has not been pleasant. Apparently, eating seriously healthy and organically prepared foods, while taking probiotics has perhaps disposed our stomachs to treat these old and delicious comforts as toxins. I think we can safely safe that we are no longer feeling the same comfort towards these once friendly "C" foods.
It was innocent enough - date night out on day 7 for one meal. Josh wanted cheesy nachos and coke and I got chicken with crab imperial. We even had a coupon. Honestly, we barely made it through the meal before our stomachs were rumbling. Josh admitted that after cheating on his diet the other night with some other "C" foods, he had been feeling ill since.
I would love to know if this is a one time deal or if this is the way things go from now on. I also don't really know if this is the probiotics side effects or not. It could not be food poisoning since we both ordered different foods and Josh had felt sick from having cheddar cheese slices the night before (a non organic and processed snack). Anyway, it is interesting to say the least how quickly and dramatically our bodies are responding to all of the food changes. I think it shows that food definitely has an impact on our overall health and ultimately the ability to fight off disease.
We broke down and had some "C" foods tonight. It was quite yummy, but I have to say we were not prepared for what happened. It has not been pleasant. Apparently, eating seriously healthy and organically prepared foods, while taking probiotics has perhaps disposed our stomachs to treat these old and delicious comforts as toxins. I think we can safely safe that we are no longer feeling the same comfort towards these once friendly "C" foods.
It was innocent enough - date night out on day 7 for one meal. Josh wanted cheesy nachos and coke and I got chicken with crab imperial. We even had a coupon. Honestly, we barely made it through the meal before our stomachs were rumbling. Josh admitted that after cheating on his diet the other night with some other "C" foods, he had been feeling ill since.
I would love to know if this is a one time deal or if this is the way things go from now on. I also don't really know if this is the probiotics side effects or not. It could not be food poisoning since we both ordered different foods and Josh had felt sick from having cheddar cheese slices the night before (a non organic and processed snack). Anyway, it is interesting to say the least how quickly and dramatically our bodies are responding to all of the food changes. I think it shows that food definitely has an impact on our overall health and ultimately the ability to fight off disease.
Fun Recipe for Little Folks
James is a BIG fan of applesauce. Personally, he feels it is one of the four food groups. I have been trying to figure out a way to get him applesauce that tastes good and does not have sugar in it. I have experimented with trying different apples, cooking applesauce in the crockpot and on the stove, and adding various spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon. They all turned out okay, but the best ones have always ended up with lots of sugar to sweeten it. Not that he cares too much, but I feel bad when he wrinkles his nose up at my applesauce. Then, I found the perfect recipe only using fresh organic fruit.
James Applesauce:
8 organic red delicious apples
2 organic pears
-Rinse fruit and peel it.
-Dice it in medium chunks and toss in a large saucepan or dutch oven with enough water to cover the fruit. -Cook for 20 minutes, or until fruit is tender.
-Puree in a food processor for 2 minutes.
-Viola! The pear not only sweetens it, but you are adding a good source of Vitamin C and Dietary Fiber.
James Applesauce:
8 organic red delicious apples
2 organic pears
-Rinse fruit and peel it.
-Dice it in medium chunks and toss in a large saucepan or dutch oven with enough water to cover the fruit. -Cook for 20 minutes, or until fruit is tender.
-Puree in a food processor for 2 minutes.
-Viola! The pear not only sweetens it, but you are adding a good source of Vitamin C and Dietary Fiber.
Organicville Recipe Contest
Here is a fun chance to win a free t-shirt...submit an organic or healthy recipe online using one of Organicville's products and not only will it be published on their website, but you will get a free tee! Not that it is a mega prize, but it is a fun freebie offer for today! Think of all the ways you could use a free t-shirt...as a work out shirt, as a baby spit up shirt (can't wear your good stuff in the early months!), as a car washing rag, as a gardening shirt you get sweaty and dirty in, as a gag gift.....the options are endless!
Click here for more info.
Click here for more info.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Whole Foods Store Sales Week of 1/5 - 1/11
$1.00 off 2 Lifeway Brand Kefir 32 oz. dairy products. Normally $3.29 each at Whole Foods ($3.99 on sale at Giant), you can get these bad boys for $2.79 each. Best price in town here!
$1.00 off Stonyfield yotoddler 4-pack Omega 3 enriched organic yogurt, making them $1.79 instead of $2.79. James gives these a thumbs up!
$.50 off Whole Foods brand 365 organic plain yogurt, 32 oz, making the price $2.99 drop to $2.49. This drops it to cheaper than Trader Joes.
$3.99 steak sale (chuck roast and beef stew) per lb and $4.99 per lb. for round steak....this is a sweet deal! Mostly steak runs $6.99 and up per lb. here. You can buy steaks for $2-3 a pack, depending on the size. These are great and cheap for Josh's breakfast.
2 lb. bags of organic lemons for $2.99 (save $1).
$1.00 off Stonyfield yotoddler 4-pack Omega 3 enriched organic yogurt, making them $1.79 instead of $2.79. James gives these a thumbs up!
$.50 off Whole Foods brand 365 organic plain yogurt, 32 oz, making the price $2.99 drop to $2.49. This drops it to cheaper than Trader Joes.
$3.99 steak sale (chuck roast and beef stew) per lb and $4.99 per lb. for round steak....this is a sweet deal! Mostly steak runs $6.99 and up per lb. here. You can buy steaks for $2-3 a pack, depending on the size. These are great and cheap for Josh's breakfast.
2 lb. bags of organic lemons for $2.99 (save $1).
Whole Foods Fabulous Friday
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Recipes: Day 6
1 HSO Probiotic Supplement for Josh and 8 oz. of water. (I want to feel better from my flu bug before I start back on this probiotic supplement in case it would make me more sick.)
Breakfast:
Steak and 3 scrambled Eggs with Salsa for Josh (see previous days for recipe)
Beverage: organic coffee and creamer and Stevia for me and black organic coffee for Josh
*Today, I was going back to work and decided to make and take a thermos of organic coffee with me. I normally used to drink maybe up to 3 cups of coffee in the morning and 1 or more in the afternoon, since I would get sleepy or have headaches from working early in the morning. Today, I noticed that I barely made it through my thermos and went the entire day with drinking no more than 1 and a half cups of coffee. I then realized I am actually NOT having a slump anymore in the afternoon or feeling a need to have additional cups of caffeine in the morning to keep going since I don't have any sugar or bad carbs in my diet. Now, that's a great side effect of eating healthy!*
Lunch:
Chicken Soup Leftovers for me and Chicken Salad leftovers for Josh.
Beverage: Water
Dinner:
Chuck Roast with Asparagus
2 lb. chuck roast, pasture fed organic beef
2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
2 -3 Tb. dried Thyme
Salt and Pepper
2 C. Organic Beef Broth
1 large onion, sliced
Salt, pepper and additional Thyme for seasoning to taste
-Taking a defrosted 2 lb. chuck roast, I seared the sides of the roast for about a minute each (until lightly browned) in the olive oil. I seasoned each side with Thyme, and generous salt and pepper shaking after flipping and then refried each side quickly to make sure the seasoning was embedded in the roast. This took about 5 minutes.
-In a 5-quart crockpot, I placed the roast down first. I poured in the 2 cups of broth on top of that.
-Taking the sliced onion, I aarranged that over the roast.
-I then seasoned everything again, about 2 teaspoons each of salt, pepper and Thyme.
-I cooked this on low for 10 hours.
-When I got home from work, I steamed 1/2 lb. of asparagus and then seasoned with salt and pepper to serve with the roast. The roast was smelling amazing by now!
Beverage: Water
*The roast turned out awesome! I have NEVER made a successful beef roast. One thing with cooking pasture fed beef is that it must be cooked at a low temperature (Thank you Whole Foods for teaching me that on your recipe website). The other thing that made a huge difference (besides it being fresh and organic) was searing the sides of the beef. The inside was so juicy, which was a first since it has always been dry inside before. I was told once at Ruth Chris Steakhouse that that is how they do their steaks, and I have never gotten around to trying it. The asparagus was awful. If anyone has ideas on how to improve that, I would love to hear better recipes.*
Breakfast:
Steak and 3 scrambled Eggs with Salsa for Josh (see previous days for recipe)
Beverage: organic coffee and creamer and Stevia for me and black organic coffee for Josh
*Today, I was going back to work and decided to make and take a thermos of organic coffee with me. I normally used to drink maybe up to 3 cups of coffee in the morning and 1 or more in the afternoon, since I would get sleepy or have headaches from working early in the morning. Today, I noticed that I barely made it through my thermos and went the entire day with drinking no more than 1 and a half cups of coffee. I then realized I am actually NOT having a slump anymore in the afternoon or feeling a need to have additional cups of caffeine in the morning to keep going since I don't have any sugar or bad carbs in my diet. Now, that's a great side effect of eating healthy!*
Lunch:
Chicken Soup Leftovers for me and Chicken Salad leftovers for Josh.
Beverage: Water
Dinner:
Chuck Roast with Asparagus
2 lb. chuck roast, pasture fed organic beef
2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
2 -3 Tb. dried Thyme
Salt and Pepper
2 C. Organic Beef Broth
1 large onion, sliced
Salt, pepper and additional Thyme for seasoning to taste
-Taking a defrosted 2 lb. chuck roast, I seared the sides of the roast for about a minute each (until lightly browned) in the olive oil. I seasoned each side with Thyme, and generous salt and pepper shaking after flipping and then refried each side quickly to make sure the seasoning was embedded in the roast. This took about 5 minutes.
-In a 5-quart crockpot, I placed the roast down first. I poured in the 2 cups of broth on top of that.
-Taking the sliced onion, I aarranged that over the roast.
-I then seasoned everything again, about 2 teaspoons each of salt, pepper and Thyme.
-I cooked this on low for 10 hours.
-When I got home from work, I steamed 1/2 lb. of asparagus and then seasoned with salt and pepper to serve with the roast. The roast was smelling amazing by now!
Beverage: Water
*The roast turned out awesome! I have NEVER made a successful beef roast. One thing with cooking pasture fed beef is that it must be cooked at a low temperature (Thank you Whole Foods for teaching me that on your recipe website). The other thing that made a huge difference (besides it being fresh and organic) was searing the sides of the beef. The inside was so juicy, which was a first since it has always been dry inside before. I was told once at Ruth Chris Steakhouse that that is how they do their steaks, and I have never gotten around to trying it. The asparagus was awful. If anyone has ideas on how to improve that, I would love to hear better recipes.*
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Mel's Probiotics and Other Wholesome Goodies
The big deal with the Maker's Diet is to not only eat organic/ kosher food, BUT also to take in an HSO probiotic supplement that will help restore our improperly balanced immune system. There are lots of probiotics out there - the author of The Maker's Diet said he had tried over 40 some different kinds before he found the one that is now sold through Garden of Life. It may be hard to figure out which ones are hype and which ones are good.
So, without further ado, let me introduce you to Melanie who also struggled with severe stomach issues and found success with using probiotics and eating organic/ healthier foods. Here are some top probiotics that she now promotes and recommends for safer, healthier living:
If you want to boost your immune system (if you have Crohn's or some other auto-immune disease and want to improve your immune system): click here. This is for the same purpose as the one I am taking.
If you want to simultaneously boost your digestive health, click here. (Melanie took both the immune booster and the digestive health booster).
For men who want to boost their overall health, click here.
For women who want to boost their overall health, click here.
For pregnant women who want a prenatal, click here.
For healthier kids (check product for age guidelines), click here.
For more information on the wellness company, click here.
Melanie shared a brief description of her experience with probiotics here. She has been a huge source of encouragement for me as I am starting this new way of life.
"After months of bloating, abdominal cramping and discomfort and no answers from the physicians I began to change my diet to eating more organic foods and taking the following women's vitamins and florify. I couldn't believe the difference; I can honestly say I no longer suffer from those abdominal issues. I love these health products so much that I became a marketing executive for the company. We develop, manufacture and sell over 350 of the world's leading wellness products for your home and family. We carefully craft products you use every day with the highest standards of safety, health, and wellness in mind. Take a look at a few of our amazing products! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or if you are interested in trying these health products that will truly enhance your life!"
To order these products directly, here is Melanie's email melaniekward@gmail.com and phone #443-278-4082.
I hope this helps someone! I have already talked myself into buying more probiotics now!
So, without further ado, let me introduce you to Melanie who also struggled with severe stomach issues and found success with using probiotics and eating organic/ healthier foods. Here are some top probiotics that she now promotes and recommends for safer, healthier living:
If you want to boost your immune system (if you have Crohn's or some other auto-immune disease and want to improve your immune system): click here. This is for the same purpose as the one I am taking.
If you want to simultaneously boost your digestive health, click here. (Melanie took both the immune booster and the digestive health booster).
For men who want to boost their overall health, click here.
For women who want to boost their overall health, click here.
For pregnant women who want a prenatal, click here.
For healthier kids (check product for age guidelines), click here.
For more information on the wellness company, click here.
Melanie shared a brief description of her experience with probiotics here. She has been a huge source of encouragement for me as I am starting this new way of life.
"After months of bloating, abdominal cramping and discomfort and no answers from the physicians I began to change my diet to eating more organic foods and taking the following women's vitamins and florify. I couldn't believe the difference; I can honestly say I no longer suffer from those abdominal issues. I love these health products so much that I became a marketing executive for the company. We develop, manufacture and sell over 350 of the world's leading wellness products for your home and family. We carefully craft products you use every day with the highest standards of safety, health, and wellness in mind. Take a look at a few of our amazing products! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or if you are interested in trying these health products that will truly enhance your life!"
To order these products directly, here is Melanie's email melaniekward@gmail.com and phone #443-278-4082.
I hope this helps someone! I have already talked myself into buying more probiotics now!
Recipes: Day 5
1 HSO Probiotic and 8 oz. of water for Josh. (I am still recovering from the flu and don't want to push my luck).
Breakfast:
Steak and Eggs:
See earlier recipe. Josh figures if he is going to "starve" on this new diet, he is taking as much steak as he can get! I have not been much of a breakfast eater, but this morning I did try a fried egg, and Josh is right. You can definitely taste the difference of the healthier fresh eggs. Plus, I noticed they are lower in fat by 25% than a regular egg!
Beverage: organic coffee and creamer and Stevia
Lunch:
Salad:
1 c. baby spinach
1/4th of an avocado, diced
1 oz. shredded goat cheese
1 TB. of OrganicVille Gluten Free Tarragon Dijon (Tastes like honey mustard...not bad!)
Salmon and Steamed Brocolli:
1/4 Tb. Butter
2 Salmon Fillets
1 lemon
1 Tb butter, cut in two small pats
salt and pepper to taste
16 oz. frozen organic brocolli
salt and pepper to taste
-Melt butter in 8*8 glass baking dish and coat bottom evenly. Place fillets in bottom of pan.
-Slice Lemon in 4-5 slices and squeeze over fish. Place in pan.
-Place pat of butter on the center top of each fillet. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.
-Cook for 20-25 minutes at 400', or until fish flakes and is done.
-While fish bakes, steam brocolli in dutch oven with just enough water to keep from burning.
-Season brocolli with salt and pepper to taste.
Beverage: 8 oz. water. It is definitely becoming better in taste by day 5, although it will never replace my beloved Diet Coke.
Afternoon Slump:
more organic Pacific rim Coffee.
Dinner:
Yea for leftover Chicken Soup! Since I have been under the weather, I am looking forward to more homemade soup for tonight. Seriously, I may never eat Campbells or Progresso again. Josh is having leftover chicken salad which he approves. He has very high standards for The Chicken Salad, so I was relieved he liked the taste.
Breakfast:
Steak and Eggs:
See earlier recipe. Josh figures if he is going to "starve" on this new diet, he is taking as much steak as he can get! I have not been much of a breakfast eater, but this morning I did try a fried egg, and Josh is right. You can definitely taste the difference of the healthier fresh eggs. Plus, I noticed they are lower in fat by 25% than a regular egg!
Beverage: organic coffee and creamer and Stevia
Lunch:
Salad:
1 c. baby spinach
1/4th of an avocado, diced
1 oz. shredded goat cheese
1 TB. of OrganicVille Gluten Free Tarragon Dijon (Tastes like honey mustard...not bad!)
Salmon and Steamed Brocolli:
1/4 Tb. Butter
2 Salmon Fillets
1 lemon
1 Tb butter, cut in two small pats
salt and pepper to taste
16 oz. frozen organic brocolli
salt and pepper to taste
-Melt butter in 8*8 glass baking dish and coat bottom evenly. Place fillets in bottom of pan.
-Slice Lemon in 4-5 slices and squeeze over fish. Place in pan.
-Place pat of butter on the center top of each fillet. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.
-Cook for 20-25 minutes at 400', or until fish flakes and is done.
-While fish bakes, steam brocolli in dutch oven with just enough water to keep from burning.
-Season brocolli with salt and pepper to taste.
Beverage: 8 oz. water. It is definitely becoming better in taste by day 5, although it will never replace my beloved Diet Coke.
Afternoon Slump:
more organic Pacific rim Coffee.
Dinner:
Yea for leftover Chicken Soup! Since I have been under the weather, I am looking forward to more homemade soup for tonight. Seriously, I may never eat Campbells or Progresso again. Josh is having leftover chicken salad which he approves. He has very high standards for The Chicken Salad, so I was relieved he liked the taste.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Recipes: Day 4
1 HSO Probiotic with 8 oz. water before breakfast.
Breakfast:
1 tb. butter
1/4 lb. round sandwich steak
3 eggs
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tb. chunky salsa
-Melt butter in skillet and saute steak for 5-8 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.
-Fry eggs 2-3 minutes on each side until the clear part is white.
-Season with salt, pepper and salsa to taste.
-Beverage: organic coffee with organic creamer and Stevia for me; straight black coffee for Josh. He says after consideration that pure organic black coffee is much better than the typical bitter, stale black processed coffee. I actually agree. The creamer and sweetener still are a nice touch though.
-Serves 1.
Lunch:
Chicken Soup with Homemade Stock
I took the leftover bones and skin from the roasted crockpot chicken last night (a heaping soup bowlful approximately) and started boiling them in my dutch oven at 8 AM. I put in about 3 inches of water. After water was boiling, I turned it to simmer for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, I drained off the fat, skin and bones to leave a highly seasoned concentrated chicken broth. I added the leftover baby carrots from last night (about 1 1/2 cups), 1 cup of diced onion, 1 cup of diced celery, and 2 cups of shredded seasoned leftover chicken form last night. I added 2 tsp. of italian seasoning, and a dash of pepper. I brought this to a boil and simmered for 30 minutes. You could also add potatos and corn, but we are trying to follow the Maler's Diet and both are not allowed just yet.
Josh wanted to add a little kosher salt, but we both thought this was by far the best chicken soup we have ever had. The homemade stock was worth the trouble of making!
-Serves 4
Afternoon slump:
More organic coffee with creamer and Stevia!
Dinner:
Chicken Salad with Greens:
1 c. diced onion
1 c. diced celery
2 c. shredded seasoned chicken from yesterday.
1 Tb. flax oil (I found a bottle of this for $.25 at BB's which is a STEAL!)
2 Tb. Smart Balance Omega Plus mayo (Click here for coupon)
kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
2 c. baby spinach (1/2 bag of 5 oz. Ready Pac Spinach mix)
1/2 cucumber
2 oz. crumbled goat cheese
2 Tb. organic, preservative free ranch* (This is actually taboo until week 3, but my anxious Texan needed his ranch to make the first two weeks workable.)
-Dice vegetables and stir in shredded chicken, oil, mayo and seasoning to taste.
-Serves 2
-Serve with spinach, cucumber, cheese and ranch as side.
-Serves 2
Dessert:
1 c. Strawberry Kefir* (I just realized that only plain kefir is allowed and at week 3 and on for that. Homemade kefir is allowed for the first two weeks, but I can;t stomach making it so I am making an exception here too.)
1/4 c. frozen berries (blackberries and strawberries)
-Serves 1
Breakfast:
1 tb. butter
1/4 lb. round sandwich steak
3 eggs
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tb. chunky salsa
-Melt butter in skillet and saute steak for 5-8 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.
-Fry eggs 2-3 minutes on each side until the clear part is white.
-Season with salt, pepper and salsa to taste.
-Beverage: organic coffee with organic creamer and Stevia for me; straight black coffee for Josh. He says after consideration that pure organic black coffee is much better than the typical bitter, stale black processed coffee. I actually agree. The creamer and sweetener still are a nice touch though.
-Serves 1.
Lunch:
Chicken Soup with Homemade Stock
I took the leftover bones and skin from the roasted crockpot chicken last night (a heaping soup bowlful approximately) and started boiling them in my dutch oven at 8 AM. I put in about 3 inches of water. After water was boiling, I turned it to simmer for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, I drained off the fat, skin and bones to leave a highly seasoned concentrated chicken broth. I added the leftover baby carrots from last night (about 1 1/2 cups), 1 cup of diced onion, 1 cup of diced celery, and 2 cups of shredded seasoned leftover chicken form last night. I added 2 tsp. of italian seasoning, and a dash of pepper. I brought this to a boil and simmered for 30 minutes. You could also add potatos and corn, but we are trying to follow the Maler's Diet and both are not allowed just yet.
Josh wanted to add a little kosher salt, but we both thought this was by far the best chicken soup we have ever had. The homemade stock was worth the trouble of making!
-Serves 4
Afternoon slump:
More organic coffee with creamer and Stevia!
Dinner:
Chicken Salad with Greens:
1 c. diced onion
1 c. diced celery
2 c. shredded seasoned chicken from yesterday.
1 Tb. flax oil (I found a bottle of this for $.25 at BB's which is a STEAL!)
2 Tb. Smart Balance Omega Plus mayo (Click here for coupon)
kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
2 c. baby spinach (1/2 bag of 5 oz. Ready Pac Spinach mix)
1/2 cucumber
2 oz. crumbled goat cheese
2 Tb. organic, preservative free ranch* (This is actually taboo until week 3, but my anxious Texan needed his ranch to make the first two weeks workable.)
-Dice vegetables and stir in shredded chicken, oil, mayo and seasoning to taste.
-Serves 2
-Serve with spinach, cucumber, cheese and ranch as side.
-Serves 2
Dessert:
1 c. Strawberry Kefir* (I just realized that only plain kefir is allowed and at week 3 and on for that. Homemade kefir is allowed for the first two weeks, but I can;t stomach making it so I am making an exception here too.)
1/4 c. frozen berries (blackberries and strawberries)
-Serves 1
Monday, January 3, 2011
Side effects or the Flu?
So, after revisiting my dinner over 18 times on day one, I began to be suspicious that the cold I had been facing for days prior was only getting worse and morphing into an out of control bug. Not sure if it was a Herzheimer Reaction or the flu, I went to Patient First on the morning of Day 2 and skipped the HSO Probiotic supplement. The doctor there confirmed I did have a viral flu bug, which I have to say was a relief! Josh still has not been sick yet, so I think the probiotic supplement should not be too scary once this flu thing is gone. I am anxious to get the probiotic supplement in my system, since all the reviews on it are mostly good with people claiming they never get the flu or cold again. Sounds good to me!
Recipes: Day 3
1 HSO Probiotic Supplement and 8 oz. water
Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese:
1/2 Tb. butter
3 eggs
1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
organic salsa as garnish
-Melt butter in Skillet. Whip eggs in seperate bowl and add to melted butter.
-When eggs are cooked, sprinkle with goat cheese and garnish with salt, pepper and salsa to taste.
Beverage: organic coffee with organic creamer and Stevia for Becki
herbal tea with pure honey for Josh
Lunch:
leftovers today!
Beverage: still more water. I am beginning to like it now, especially in frosty mugs.
Dinner (in a crockpot which I made early this morning):
Chicken with Baby Carrots:
1 lb. baby carrots
1 medium onion, diced fine
3 lb. whole chicken
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. chicken stock dissolved in 1/2 c. water in microwave for 30 seconds
1/4 c. white wine (can substitute chicken broth for white wine)
2 tsp. dried basil
-Layer baby carrots and onions on bottom of large crockpot.
-Place chicken on top of vegetables.
-Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
-Pour broth and wine in crockpot.
-Sprinkle with basil.
-Cook low 8-10 hours, or high 4-5 hours (or when chicken is done).
Beverage: water again!
Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese:
1/2 Tb. butter
3 eggs
1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
organic salsa as garnish
-Melt butter in Skillet. Whip eggs in seperate bowl and add to melted butter.
-When eggs are cooked, sprinkle with goat cheese and garnish with salt, pepper and salsa to taste.
Beverage: organic coffee with organic creamer and Stevia for Becki
herbal tea with pure honey for Josh
Lunch:
leftovers today!
Beverage: still more water. I am beginning to like it now, especially in frosty mugs.
Dinner (in a crockpot which I made early this morning):
Chicken with Baby Carrots:
1 lb. baby carrots
1 medium onion, diced fine
3 lb. whole chicken
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. chicken stock dissolved in 1/2 c. water in microwave for 30 seconds
1/4 c. white wine (can substitute chicken broth for white wine)
2 tsp. dried basil
-Layer baby carrots and onions on bottom of large crockpot.
-Place chicken on top of vegetables.
-Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
-Pour broth and wine in crockpot.
-Sprinkle with basil.
-Cook low 8-10 hours, or high 4-5 hours (or when chicken is done).
Beverage: water again!
Recipes for the second day
1 HSO Probiotic Supplement for Josh with 8 oz. water.
Breakfast:
Steak and Eggs (see recipe day 1)
Beverage: organic coffee, organic creamer and Stevia for Becki
herbal tea with pure honey for Josh who has since Vetoed Stevia.
Lunch:
Goat Cheese Salad (see recipe day 1)
Beverage: water
Dinner:
Lemon Basil Chicken with Steamed Green Beans
1 Tb. butter
1 lb. chicken tenders, thawed
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 lemons, sliced1/4 c. water
1/2 tsp. chicken stock base
1/4 c. dry white wine
16 oz. frozen green beans
1 c. water
-Melt Butter in large skillet.
-Brown Chicken 2-3 minutes on either side.
-Sprinkle oregano, basil, salt and pepper on top of chicken.
-Squeeze lemon juice from lemon slices and place lemon slices on top of chicken.
-In microwave, dissolve the chicken stock with the water and then add to skillet.
-Add white wine.
-Cover with a lid and cook 20 minutes, or until chicken is done and not pink.
-In medium saucepan, add green beans and water and cover with lid. Steam for 5-10 minutes until done.
Serves 4
Beverage: water.
*I took the leftover Lemon slices after cooking and tossed them in the garbage disposal. Not only does the acid help break down the food remains in the disposal, but the kitchen now smells like fresh lemons.*
Dessert:
1 cup Strawberry Lifeway brand kefir (click here for coupon)
1/4 c. frozen strawberries
Serves 1
I served these in ice cream glasses, and they helped this to taste like a milkshake...whatever works!
Breakfast:
Steak and Eggs (see recipe day 1)
Beverage: organic coffee, organic creamer and Stevia for Becki
herbal tea with pure honey for Josh who has since Vetoed Stevia.
Lunch:
Goat Cheese Salad (see recipe day 1)
Beverage: water
Dinner:
Lemon Basil Chicken with Steamed Green Beans
1 Tb. butter
1 lb. chicken tenders, thawed
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 lemons, sliced1/4 c. water
1/2 tsp. chicken stock base
1/4 c. dry white wine
16 oz. frozen green beans
1 c. water
-Melt Butter in large skillet.
-Brown Chicken 2-3 minutes on either side.
-Sprinkle oregano, basil, salt and pepper on top of chicken.
-Squeeze lemon juice from lemon slices and place lemon slices on top of chicken.
-In microwave, dissolve the chicken stock with the water and then add to skillet.
-Add white wine.
-Cover with a lid and cook 20 minutes, or until chicken is done and not pink.
-In medium saucepan, add green beans and water and cover with lid. Steam for 5-10 minutes until done.
Serves 4
Beverage: water.
*I took the leftover Lemon slices after cooking and tossed them in the garbage disposal. Not only does the acid help break down the food remains in the disposal, but the kitchen now smells like fresh lemons.*
Dessert:
1 cup Strawberry Lifeway brand kefir (click here for coupon)
1/4 c. frozen strawberries
Serves 1
I served these in ice cream glasses, and they helped this to taste like a milkshake...whatever works!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Recipes for the first Day
1 HSO Probiotic Supplement and 8 oz. water prior to breakfast.
Breakfast:
Steak and Eggs
1/2 Tb. butter
1/2 lb. sirloin steak
1/2 Tb. butter
2 eggs
kosher salt and ground black pepper
-Saute steak in butter for 10 minutes until done to your preference.
-Fry eggs 2-3 minutes on either side until the white part is done.
-Serve immediately with Steak and salt and pepper to taste.
-Makes one serving.
Beverages: Served with organic coffee, organic creamer and Stevia for sweetener
Lunch:
Salad with Goat Cheese:
1/4th bag of Arugula and Baby Greens (Ready Pac brand 5 oz.)
1 oz. crumbled goat cheese
1/4th diced avocado
3-4 oz. shredded turkey
4-5 blackberries
Makes one serving.
Beverage: water
Dinner:
Spaghetti Squash with Ground Beef Tomato Basil Sauce
1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half.
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce (I used the O Organics Safeway Brand)
Parmesan cheese, butter, salt and pepper to taste
-Take a fork and scrape out the seeds and strings from the inside pulp. Be sure to not scrape out the meat of the squash.
-Place spaghetti squash, rind side down on a baking sheet. Cook in a preheated oven at 375' for 45 minutes.
-When squash is cooled, take a fork and scrape the sides. Spaghetti strands of squash will shed right off.
-In sauce pan, brown the ground beef until it is done. Stir in the tomato basil pasta sauce.
-Serve the ground beef pasta sauce over the shredded squash.
-Serve with butter, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.
Beverage: water.
Breakfast:
Steak and Eggs
1/2 Tb. butter
1/2 lb. sirloin steak
1/2 Tb. butter
2 eggs
kosher salt and ground black pepper
-Saute steak in butter for 10 minutes until done to your preference.
-Fry eggs 2-3 minutes on either side until the white part is done.
-Serve immediately with Steak and salt and pepper to taste.
-Makes one serving.
Beverages: Served with organic coffee, organic creamer and Stevia for sweetener
Lunch:
Salad with Goat Cheese:
1/4th bag of Arugula and Baby Greens (Ready Pac brand 5 oz.)
1 oz. crumbled goat cheese
1/4th diced avocado
3-4 oz. shredded turkey
4-5 blackberries
Makes one serving.
Beverage: water
Dinner:
Spaghetti Squash with Ground Beef Tomato Basil Sauce
1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half.
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce (I used the O Organics Safeway Brand)
Parmesan cheese, butter, salt and pepper to taste
-Take a fork and scrape out the seeds and strings from the inside pulp. Be sure to not scrape out the meat of the squash.
-Place spaghetti squash, rind side down on a baking sheet. Cook in a preheated oven at 375' for 45 minutes.
-When squash is cooled, take a fork and scrape the sides. Spaghetti strands of squash will shed right off.
-In sauce pan, brown the ground beef until it is done. Stir in the tomato basil pasta sauce.
-Serve the ground beef pasta sauce over the shredded squash.
-Serve with butter, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.
Beverage: water.
First Days of New Foods
Although Hubby was a little skeptical yesterday when I gave him a goat cheese and turkey salad at lunch and fake pasta made out of spaghetti squash for dinner, he said it was not bad. Yea! He also said his steak and eggs this morning were so much better tasting than the regular steak and eggs. All in all, we agree that the taste of the food is more rich if that is possible, which makes sense if everything has not been coated in antibiotics, chemicals and pesticides!
Some other new things we are implementing: taking HSO probiotic supplements. There are several different companies that offer these, but we are starting with the Garden of Life brand. Josh is taking The Primal Defense, and is starting at one capsule a day, while working up to three capsules a day over the next few weeks. So far, he has not had any side effects and his stomach feels fine. I tried the Ultra Primal Defense, which has extra HSOs designed for stomach lining health since I have a digestive disease.I have been feeling pretty rough, but I do not know if that is the cold I have had for the past few days or a Herxheimer Reaction. We will see...
We have also switched deodorants to aluminum free deodorants; given up sodas, sugars and carbs for the next two weeks (following the Maker's Diet in the book); and switched to organic coffee beans. Finding the coffee beans has been the most challenging. The only place I have been able to find them is Whole Foods. We tried the Pacific Rim brand for $6.99 per lb. and I am not sure how long that will last. Maybe a few weeks? We brought the beans home, ground them ourselves and served the fresh coffee with organic creamer and Stevia for sweetener. It tastes stronger, since we are used to fun flavored creamers. The smell of the fresh coffee is so nice though!
Some other new things we are implementing: taking HSO probiotic supplements. There are several different companies that offer these, but we are starting with the Garden of Life brand. Josh is taking The Primal Defense, and is starting at one capsule a day, while working up to three capsules a day over the next few weeks. So far, he has not had any side effects and his stomach feels fine. I tried the Ultra Primal Defense, which has extra HSOs designed for stomach lining health since I have a digestive disease.I have been feeling pretty rough, but I do not know if that is the cold I have had for the past few days or a Herxheimer Reaction. We will see...
We have also switched deodorants to aluminum free deodorants; given up sodas, sugars and carbs for the next two weeks (following the Maker's Diet in the book); and switched to organic coffee beans. Finding the coffee beans has been the most challenging. The only place I have been able to find them is Whole Foods. We tried the Pacific Rim brand for $6.99 per lb. and I am not sure how long that will last. Maybe a few weeks? We brought the beans home, ground them ourselves and served the fresh coffee with organic creamer and Stevia for sweetener. It tastes stronger, since we are used to fun flavored creamers. The smell of the fresh coffee is so nice though!
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