tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56039316766226397272024-02-02T05:47:45.789-07:00Naturally Sweet SurprisesOne mom's journey to find optimal health.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-48380105362371633712012-07-10T10:00:00.000-07:002012-07-10T10:00:00.520-07:00Happy Birthday Melissa!! (+ favorite recipe)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In honor of my sister's birthday today I decided to share what has been our favorite family recipe for about 3 years now. It was my first healthy recipe to ever receive and we still absolutely love it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">When I asked my sister the other day what she was hoping to receive for her birthday, the only thing she said was "your peanut butter bars" so guess what...I'm about to head into the kitchen and whip some up! She's going to get a little more than just the bars but that is to remain a surprise for now :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As for my sister, she is literally the best sister a girl could ever ask for. I remember in high school being so annoyed with her and someone telling me the wisest words: Someday she'll be your best friend. I sure scoffed at them then but their words proved true...she is my best friend! I am blessed to live near my sister where our kids can grow up together and hopefully be best friends too (our 2nd sons were born only 1 day apart!). My sister is the most loving, patient friend and mom. She sacrifices more for her family than most people will ever know. And she sacrifices much for me and my family as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is a tribute to her and I hope she doesn't mind my sharing our last photo taken together:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong>Happy Birthday Melissa!!!</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">Peanut Butter Granola Bars</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a large bowl combine the following:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup honey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just over 1 c peanut butter (chunky or creamy – if creamy you can add some chopped pecans)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup oats (I use ¼ c steel cut oats, ¾ c rolled oats – you can use all of one or whatever combo of both to get the consistency you like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you use quick cooking oats you might want to cut back cooking time a little)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ c granola</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You can add anything you like – butterscotch chips, cc chips, chopped m&m (after cooking), etc…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Microwave for 2 min, mix ingredients</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Microwave for an additional 2 min, mix ingredients</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cover baking sheet with wax paper or tin foil, spread mix over paper and let sit for a few hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (I actually cover over the top too and then use a rolling pin to roll them flat and even. Then I refrigerate them.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Cut into bars – enjoy!</span></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-51760433224831735852012-07-01T21:13:00.000-07:002012-07-01T21:14:03.810-07:00Chocolate Chip Bread Bites...or are they cookies??<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today was a special day for us. My little guy turned 6! I made these wonderful from-a-box cupcakes that were dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, sugar-free. (Believe it or not, they really are good!!) At the party this one little cutie says "no thankyou" to the cupcakes. I said, "Really? Are you sure?" and he said, "I've already had two donuts today. I can't have any more sugar." (Cheers to his mom!) I was so impressed! So I said, "Well, guess what! These don't have any sugar in them!" and with that three kids at the table pushed them away and said, "Ew! I don't want to eat these!" Oh well... You win some (1) and lose some (3).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I changed up my Recipe page and won't be posting any recipes on there from this point on but will be catching up on all the past recipes and re-posting them. They will now be accessible to everyone. Today I'm transferring over the recipe that has been on that page (for the past 6 months...oops it's July... so 7 months!) to this post. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>And I have a favor to ask.</strong> If you look to the right ------------> where the "email" button is, would you please enter your email to receive subscriptions straight to your inbox when I publish new posts? Once you enter it you will receive a confirmation email. Just open the email and click to confirm. I'd love to get my numbers up a little bit and would appreciate the help! Thank you!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Here's the Recipe. It's a favorite!</strong> I made it for our recent trip to California. It traveled well and gave us energy for both Legoland and Sea World. I hope you love it as much as we do!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Re-posted from January 2012:</strong> I found this recipe last week and immediately had to hop off my bed and run to make it. It only has a few ingredients and is super quick to whip up, making them a truly perfect recipe. BUT while they were called cookies in her blog (Chocolate Covered Katie), and they look like cookies, they do NOT taste like cookies. Once I got over the non-cookie-tasting cookies, I loved them. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have adjusted a few ingredients and renamed the recipe to be Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bread Bites. Because they really are like eating little oatmeal bread bites...or Chippers as Paradise Bakery might call them. They're great for a solid snack, easy to grab for on-the-go, great breakfast for kids before school (and they're sweet!). They are gluten-free AND sugar free! My kids didn't like them at first but, as with all of my clean-eating snacks, they are adjusting and just gobbled up a few of the ones that came out of the oven moments ago. So here you are...have fun trying variations of this recipe and enjoy!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chocolate-Chip Oatmeal Bread Bites</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ingredients</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Directions</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bake for 30 - 35 min (less if you like moister cookies, more if you want a more crisp top)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Isn't that the easiest recipe ever! You can do raisins/craisins instead of chocolate chips. Add in some chopped nuts. Change out 2 over-ripe mashed bananas for the applesauce for more of a banana bread taste. So many options! This is super healthy. Add in 1 T ground flax-seed for more of a health kick (ooh - why am I just thinking of that now? I'm definitely doing that next time!) Take out the maple syrup if you want it less sweet.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hope you love these as much as I do!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With clean-eating recipes, food doesn't expand as it bakes. Feel free to pack them on the tray! They'll come out exactly the same size that you plopped them on at. (pre-baking pic)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Post-baking picture. They look pretty much the same. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bake 5 min longer if you want them a little more browned on top.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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</div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-39758418458212121252012-06-27T10:00:00.000-07:002012-06-27T12:51:01.220-07:00Crunchies Recipe (i.e. homemade Clean granola)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven't made my "regular" recipes for a few months now...since I did my juice fast. My clean-eating granola, cookies, brownies, muffins, etc... I've stayed pretty much raw as far as food prepared in-home. But this week for some reason I find myself needing something snacky and reaching for sugar again. Seriously...what IS it with me and sugar?!? Once an addict...always an addict. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So tonight I decided it was time to get back to my recipes and make something that will satisfy my snack-need but still be healthy. I tend to use my blog as my own personal recipe book (which I guess it is!) but when I looked up my Crunchies (i.e. granola) recipe, it wasn't here! This is the #1 recipe I've recommended to people over the past year + and I'm embarrassed to see it's missing from my blog. Time to correct that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I had originally posted it in the Recipes section and then was rotating the recipes out every 2 weeks. If you take a look in there you can see that hasn't happened in awhile. So I'm going to update the Recipe section a little and just put the links to the recipes that are posted throughout the blog, and then make sure the recipes I've already posted are all here again and accessible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong><u>Amy's Crunchies</u></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1NnQP6D1GPM8ma7FvIHJHShspmsf9sCx1WaOwXc8ZfeuuPLIgr6dB5EAwOI2nIeVBS7aImMhWEM2tdenurP-xxzHlw3yQPQhASrltuM6NSze8OI4CqEKrD02GA4CJSJx_i7_KWrkZG8/s1600/DSCN4813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1NnQP6D1GPM8ma7FvIHJHShspmsf9sCx1WaOwXc8ZfeuuPLIgr6dB5EAwOI2nIeVBS7aImMhWEM2tdenurP-xxzHlw3yQPQhASrltuM6NSze8OI4CqEKrD02GA4CJSJx_i7_KWrkZG8/s400/DSCN4813.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I originally posted this recipe on 9/10/11 and this is what I wrote:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This granola recipe has become the #1 breakfast and snack food in my house. We eat it in a bowl with milk, sprinkled over Greek Yogurt or in baggies as a snack. The kids love it in their lunches at school. I love it when I need something sweet in the middle of the day. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I did, however, find this recipe on Tosca Reno's Eat-Clean Diet website, posted by one of her followers. Boy am I grateful she did post it! The original name for it was "Chocolate/PB Eat-Clean Granola" (who wouldn't love that!). We changed the name to "Crunchies" because my kids won't eat things with certain names. Granola is one of their forbidden words ...they won't touch it if it's granola. (I know - they're weird. They also won't eat a sandwich if you call it a sandwich. Call it peanut butter bread and they're all over it.) So one day I called these Crunchies and they downed the entire tray!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Ingredients</strong></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 cups of Oats</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a few Tablespoons flax seeds</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 tsp chia seeds </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 Tablespoons all natural nut butter (any kind you like)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 tsp pure vanilla</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 Tablespoons raw honey</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/2 c chopped dark chocolate (70% or higher)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Instructions</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mix the oats, walnuts, flax seed and chia seeds in a mixing bowl. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a separate bowl add the nut butter, coconut oil, honey and vanilla. Heat in microwave in 20 second intervals until melted. Stir until nice and creamy. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Slowly add the wet mixture to the oats and fold gently until all oats are covered and a bit moist. Fold in the chopped dark chocolate (or dark chocolate chips).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Place a sheet of parchment paper or tin foil on a cookie sheet. Spread the oatmeal mixture on the parchment paper nice and flat. Bake for 12 minutes and then flip and move the oat mixture around, then cook for another 12 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 30 minutes. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Makes approx 3 1/2 cups of granola.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Preparation Time:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 10 minutes <br /><b>Cooking Time:</b> 25 minutes</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: ""serif"", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>*My side notes:</b> my family prefers when I make this with peanut butter and I usually add a little more than the recipe calls for. My sister's family prefers it with almond butter. Almond butter will make the granola come out darker. Both taste great! I double the recipe but pack it all onto one baking sheet so that it hardens into larger clumps, which make great snacks that are easy to hold. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Serving suggestion:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> mix finished granola with other nuts, seeds, dried fruits and pretzels (if you're not going 100% clean) and make a trail mix.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></div>
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</div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-63479595814820734312012-06-23T20:14:00.002-07:002012-06-23T20:14:56.154-07:00Some Interesting Things<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've come across a few interesting things lately so I thought I'd share them with you. I'm a big fan of <a href="http://www.rawfor30days.com/index5a.html" target="_blank">Raw for Thirty Days</a> (how to be healed from diabetes in 30 days...amazing!!). Alex Ortner and his brother and sister (Nick and Jessica) have done some amazing research on the human body and I've found it fascinating how God has designed us with such incredible thought and detail. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They sent out some info this week by Jon Gabriel called "The 9 Primitive Fat Triggers In Your Life". If you had the opportunity to view <a href="http://www.hungryforchange.tv/" target="_blank">Hungry For Change</a> that came out earlier this year, Jon Gabriel was featured in that film. (If not, you can watch the first 20 min at the link I included. Please do...it's worth it!!) There is a 3-minute test at this link to find out your top fat triggers (why your body wants to hold on to fat). Take it here: <a href="http://www.gabrielcode.com/online/what-are-your-fat-triggers-1">http://www.gabrielcode.com/online/what-are-your-fat-triggers-1</a> There's a short video with it where John shares a little of his story about being 400+ lbs...you've got to see him now! What a story! (My #1 fat trigger is Toxicity, #2 is Lifestyle Stresses...feel free to share yours in the comments.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Something else I discovered this week that I found interesting is the following:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most common things I'm told is "I could never eat like you because it's just too expensive!" I'd like to challenge you to keep track of how much money you're spending on food for one month. I'm not talking JUST grocery store...track every trip to McDonald's, Chick Fil A, icecream etc... ANY food you eat, keep track of it in a notebook. When I first started on my journey to health, I did this and found I was spending approx $300/mo in the grocery but over $400/mo on fast food. It was crazy ridiculous!!! At that point I was eating fast food 2-3x a day. Even if I am spending the same amount on groceries now as before (I don't know, I haven't tracked it), I know for sure I'm saving at least $400 a month because eating as I now do (Clean and plant-based) keeps me away from fast food! Give it a try and then PLEASE don't tell me anymore how expensive eating healthy it!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lastly...here's a fun little nutritional quiz I heard today and want to pass on to you. What food do we eat like a vegetable, call a vegetable but actually is NOT a vegetable? It's a grain! Click this link: <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/06/22/healthy-corn-casserole/" target="_blank">Chocolate Covered Katie</a> for the answer. I was surprised...are you?</span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-37164271330123126282012-06-20T10:24:00.000-07:002012-06-20T10:24:00.283-07:00Amazing Lemon Blueberry Pancakes<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've tried dozens of pancake recipes over the past year, trying to come up with just the perfect one for my family. I've found some decent ones but ususally there's something wrong... a strange smell... they're too heavy...or they just plain taste wierd.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'd been using this recipe by <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/06/09/blueberry-pie-pancakes/" target="_blank">Chocolate Covered Katie</a> for awhile but the kids hated it and it had a strange smell. I'm honestly not sure why but I think it might have been the whole wheat flour that I was using. A few weeks ago I took this recipe and changed it a teeny tiny bit but what a HUGE difference it made. I made them again this morning and the kids were RAVING... "Mom, you're the BEST COOK!" "These are the best pancakes EVER." etc... I had to agree...they really were fabulous! It only took a year to come up with something that would get as good of reviews as Aunt Jemima. I feel like I can finally sit back and say "Job Done!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here it is...my edited version of Katie's blueberry pancakes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong>Lemon Blueberry Pancakes</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Ingredients</strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 1/3 cup spelt flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/3 cup + 2 T oat flour (just put the oats in a blender/grinder and blend into powder)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 overflowing tsp baking powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 tsp salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 tsp pure vanilla</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 T maple syrup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 1/2 cups almond milk</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">rind of one lemon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">juice of 1/2 lemon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">several handfuls of blueberries</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Directions:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I tossed all the ingredients except the blueberries into my blender and blended until it was a smooth mixture, but you can also mix by hand. Gently add blueberries. Coat the frying pan/griddle with coconut oil and cook. Because of the lemon and the spelt flour, these come out light and fluffy. If you don't like lemon, replace lemon with 2 tsp cinnamon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">**Note: Spelt Flour is not gluten-free</span><br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-48204220853177950862012-06-16T09:59:00.000-07:002012-06-16T10:04:52.165-07:00Have I Fallen Off the Face of Earth? (+ new recipe)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think the honest and real answer to my title is "yes". Or maybe it's YES!!! Some unexpected and difficult things have happened in my life the past few months to derail not just my blogging but pretty much everything I find enjoyable in life. Nevertheless, while I may have disappeared as a blogger for awhile, I've continued to stay strong with my healthy eating lifestyle. In fact, I've actually progressed to a whole new level!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I do want to (and will) eventually blog the details as so many people are asking me about it. In short, I've learned about juicing, enjoyed a 21 day Juice Fast and as a result lost 10 lbs (gained back 4 for a grand total of -6!) and haven't eaten meat in nearly 2 months. I'm loving my plant-based life! (i.e. Vegetarian)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have a few new resources to share that I've gained the past two months. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For those interested in juicing, I'd recommend picking up anything by Jason Vale, otherwise known as <a href="http://www.juicemaster.com/us/" target="_blank">The Juice Master</a>. Also I encourage everyone to watch <a href="http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/" target="_blank">Fat Sick and Nearly Dead</a> (available on Netflix) or click the link to head directly to the website. This will be the best hour and 1/2 investment you could put into your health! And you'll fully understand why I chose to do a juice fast. Finally I'd recommend <a href="http://www.forksoverknives.com/" target="_blank">Forks Over Knives</a> (also on Netflix) for a deeper understanding of why I've chosen a plant-based diet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">All three of these resources have had a life-changing impact on me the past few months that have helped me more fully understand the WHY behind my choice to eat healthy and strive to obtain optimal health.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I've also changed gyms and hired a trainer. I did my full-body test and came out as <em>still</em> being clinically obese, or as my trainer calls me "skinny fat". And my age equivalency came out to be the same as a 59 year old woman (not to offend any of my beautiful 59 year old friends...but I <strong>am</strong> only in my 30's!). So while I thought I was doing great, it turns out I have a looong way to go to obtain optimal health. That whole pride coming before a fall has really hit me hard this month. On the plus side, I am on the right track!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, on to the recipe. I was in California last week and fell in love with all the healthy vegetarian options everywhere I went (i.e. Legoland, Sea World, the beach!). I discovered a fast food restaurant that served vegetarian and vegan food options! Man I wish I could clone it here in Arizona. It was called <a href="http://www.crazybowlsandwraps.com/" target="_blank">CBW</a> (Crazy Bowls and Wraps) and it was listed as a "green" food fast chain. Click the link to check them out and see if there's one by you. We went through the drive-thru each day and I love love loved one particular item on their menu. Here's my version!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><u>Indonesian Peanut Stir-Fry</u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 grain (choose either quinoa, brown rice or white rice)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">chop and lightly stir-fry your choice of veggies in coconut oil (8 or more for a nice variety)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Indonesian peanut-sauce (see below)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">*optional - add black beans or tofu for an additional protein punch. CBW grilled the tofu, cut it into chunks and added it. Fabulous!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Sauce:</strong> Whisk the following ingredients in a bowl until creamy (takes a few minutes)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 cup peanut butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3 T low-sodium soy sauce (tamari or coconut amino's will work too)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 T red wine vinegar (or 1 T cooking wine and 1 T your choice of vinegar)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 T water (or a little more if the sauce tastes too strong for you)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 tsp sesame oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">optional: 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Directions:</strong> Put 1/2 cup of your grain in a bowl and top with a generous helping of your stir-fried veggies, beans and/or tofu. Put a dollop of the peanut-sauce on top and enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Some veggie suggestions:</strong> kale, broccoli, carrots, onion, bell-pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, egg plant, garlic... Whatever is in your fridge! This is a great recipe for cleaning out the veggie drawer and not letting anything go to waste. This would taste great with pineapple chunks mixed in too.</span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-45328957358846973672012-04-15T18:45:00.000-07:002012-04-15T18:45:20.967-07:00A TON of Oatmeal Recipes!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have always hated cooked oatmeal so I find it kind of ironic that I'm writing about oatmeal today. Or that oatmeal has become such a HUGE part of my diet at all! I had no idea it was possible to eat raw oatmeal until a few months ago, when my sister introduced me to their raw oatmeal that they eat every morning. It turns out that while I hate cooked oatmeal, oats in general I absolutely love! It's a good thing too because they're rich in iron, which is something I seem to be really needing these days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Oats are not only high in iron, they also provide a solid amount of protein and fiber.</strong> They can be ground into flour or used whole. You can find them in quick cooking versions (these have lower nutritional value as they are more processed), long cooking (these are what we eat/use. I think they taste better) or steel-cut oats, which are harder to chew but pack a real nutritional punch! <u>Oats help lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and are incredibly healthy for the heart.</u> Seriously, what's not to love about oatmeal? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Except...</strong>when cooked, I seriously hate the texture. It's either slimy or so thick I'd need a glass of milk for every spoonful. And they're sooo bland. The only way I could eat oatmeal was in the instant flavored packets. But once I started learning about eating healthy, I discovered how unhealthy those packets were. In fact, the sugar and salt levels in them completely negated all health benefits of the oats! (And the "diet" versions are actually much worse that the regular.) I can't tell you how glad I am to discover that raw oats not only taste great but are even healthier than the cooked version. (Any food cooked over 104 degrees loses nutritional value.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Is it any surprise that I have a TON of recipes to share? Some I'll give you links, some I'll type below for you. Sorry I don't have many pictures. (There are some things I just have to let slide these days and photos of food is one of them.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Serving Size:</strong> 1/3 cup = 1 serving of oatmeal. If you're focusing on weight control, be sure you keep a measuring cup with your oats. I used to just dump from the container the amount that looked good to me until I discovered it was more like 2 servings worth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Recipe 1: Melissa's Raw Breakfast Oatmeal</strong></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I name this for my sister who shared the recipe with me. I can't remember if she created it herself or found it somewhere. What I'm sharing below is how I make it, which is a little different than she does. Same great results though!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/3 cup whole long-cooking oats</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">couple shakes of cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">approx 1 tsp pure maple syrup</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">handful of raisins or craisins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">non-dairy milk (we use almond milk...also rice or soy are good options)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Mix ingredients and add as much milk as you desire. Let sit for 5 min. The longer they sit the softer the oats will be. Remember this oatmeal will be cold! It's a different experience and one I was hesitant to try, but once I did...absolutely loved it!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Recipe 2: Tosca Reno's Oatmeal-on-the-Go</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This recipe is from <u>The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged</u> by Tosca Reno. She keeps the following ingredients in baggies and carries them with her. If she's out and clean food isn't an option, she simply asks for a bowl, spoon and hot water, whips out her oatmeal, adds water and has a full meal. My kids eat this several days a week. 2 of the 3 love it (pretty good stats for my family).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/3 cup whole oats </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">+ a little of each of the following (no worries if you're missing one or two):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">wheat germ</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">ground flax seed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">sea salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">protein powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">bee pollen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">raisins or craisins (although they do have sugar)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">*peanut butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">*maple syrup or honey</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The * foods are ones we add in addition to Tosca's recipe. Add boiling water and wait 3-4 minutes before enjoying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><u>Recipe 3: "Crunchies" (aka Clean-Eating Granola</u></strong>)</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ingredients</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Instructions</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mix the oats, walnuts, flax seed and chia seeds in a mixing bowl. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a separate bowl add the nut butter, coconut oil, honey and vanilla. Heat in microwave in 20 second intervals until melted. Stir until nice and creamy. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Slowly add the wet mixture to the oats and fold gently until all oats are covered and a bit moist. Fold in the chopped dark chocolate.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Spread the oatmeal mixture on the parchment paper nice and flat. Bake for 12 minutes and then flip and move the oat mixture around, then cook for another 12 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 30 minutes. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Makes approx 3 1/2 cups of granola.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Recipe 4: Tosca's Oatmeal Pancakes</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is our favorite pancake recipe, although I'll add one more at the bottom via link that is also fabulous. The base recipe is Tosca's however I've changed a few things so if you find hers on-line, it looks similar but isn't exact.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Ingredients</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• 2 1/2 cups dry rolled oats<br />• 4 whole eggs (or 6 egg whites)<br />• 1 cup milk of your choice<br />• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed <br />• 1 Tbsp Coconut oil <br />• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder <br />• 1 tsp vanilla <br />• 1 tsp cinnamon <br />• Coconut oil for cooking the pancakes</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial;">**Our favorite way to eat these is to leave out the cinnamon. Add juice of 1 lemon + the grated rind of the lemon. Add about a cup of blueberries. YUM!!</span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">reparation</span></span></strong></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor (except blueberries if you're using those...add those at the end whole). Blend the mixture for 20 seconds. The resulting mixture should be smooth. Melt or pour 1 tbsp coconut oil into your frying pan. Heat over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of pancake mixture on the hot surface. Cook until the pancakes are dry and bubbly on the edges. Bubbles should appear on top, as well. Turn and brown the other side. (These take longer than normal pancakes to cook.)</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Always use pure maple syrup, never the cheap fake versions. This is always your best option for both flavor and health.</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Blueberry Pie Pancakes (and a whole lot of other choices):</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/pancake-pandemonium/">http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/pancake-pandemonium/</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Energy Bites (my kids call them chocolate balls):</strong> <a href="http://naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2012/03/pinterest-or-pin-uninterest.html">http://naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2012/03/pinterest-or-pin-uninterest.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Clean-Eating Muffin Cookies:</strong></span><br />
<a href="http://naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2011/09/muffin-cookies-for-breakfast-or-any.html">http://naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2011/09/muffin-cookies-for-breakfast-or-any.html</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alrighty...there are actually SO many oatmeal recipes I keep coming across that I'll have to do another blog with more of them. Here's my most recent one and a current favorite. It was so good when I made one batch (and ate straight from the bowl) that I had to make a 2nd batch while the ingredients were still out. It uses oatmeal flour. I just put raw oats into a mini food processor and a few seconds later have flour! I do sift it before adding to the bowl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>No Bake Peanut-Butter Pretzel Bars </strong>(leave pretzels out to make them GF)</span><br />
<a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/04/09/no-bake-peanut-butter-pretzel-bars/">http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/04/09/no-bake-peanut-butter-pretzel-bars/</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can probably tell from these recipes that I also love peanut butter! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of this reminds me that I have to bring a casserole for my MOPS group this next Wed. Guess what I'm bringing...OATMEAL CASSEROLE! (A recipe all the moms love, and one I'll have to share next time because I actually have to locate the recipe :-).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Enjoy and please share your feedback: which you tried and what you thought.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">**Note on oats...they are gluten free naturally however Quaker Oats are processed in a plant where other wheat products are processed. There is a high chance there will be cross-contamination. Try Bob's Red Mill for truly GF oats.</span></div>
</span></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-40734154245951073942012-04-07T10:00:00.000-07:002012-04-07T10:00:00.668-07:00ReVisiting my WHY<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April is officially upon us and with April come Allergies. Everyone around me is so miserable. Usually I'm right there with you all! I've had allergies my entire life and this time of year I'm usually sick sick sick. Realizing that, for the first time, I'm not suffering with the masses, I've started to reflect upon April 2011 and how I was feeling... and what has changed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Miserable!</strong> Last April I couldn't breathe. I went to my family doctor who sent me to an Asthma specialist, who then sent me to an Allergy specialist. I visited them all 2-3x. Everyone had to do their own testing and blood work. I was being tested for Lupus, among other diseases. I was given a pneumonia shot that you can only receive 2x in your lifetime, so they could check my immunities. I had Atopic Dermatitis and my skin was always itchy. I felt miserable, I hated sitting hours in each of the offices only to leave with no help or hope. I hated being poked and prodded. And the final conclusion... Out of all the specialists I visited, not one could figure out what was wrong with me. The only thing of value I left with was this advice: "Try losing weight and eating healthier."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">At this point I'd already been doing Weight Watchers for 2 months so I thought I was on the right track. But I stumbled upon Clean Eating and Raw/Vegan eating and the combo of these has literally changed my life! My skin cleared up. I've been able to stop using the special expensive lotion and use a good but less expensive brand. I could stop with the inhalers and asthma meds (which I was using even though they said I didn't have asthma). I lost 40 lbs, started exercising/running and felt great about myself for the first time in a looong time. I've not been back to the doctor in a year and it feels so fabulous! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>What has made this difference?</strong> Cutting out all processed foods, fried foods, fast foods and drinks other than coffee, tea & water. Cutting out sugar. Decreasing my dairy intake. Eating a lot of raw foods and whole foods. Adding Grapefruit Seed Extract and Bee Pollen to my diet. And drinking water...a lot of water! (Check out Tosca Reno's book <u>The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged</u>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm glad to be reviewing my life a year ago because it's easy to grow complacent, to forget my WHY, to slip back into old ways of eating and to think it doesn't matter anymore. But it does matter. I need to stay diligent so I can stay healthy. After all, my WHY is optimal health...to not get any of the diseases that I see my friends falling to around me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So this is a "happy anniversary" of health to me. I still need to lose those final pesky 10 lbs. BUT I'm happy that I've stayed consistent weight-wise instead of the usual roller-coaster. It's also exciting that I've not been sick with allergies at all this year. I do take Zyrtec every morning and Benadryl every afternoon because of the atopic dermatitis (I'm afraid to stop!), and I know that helps with the allergies too. (Last year those meds didn't even touch the allergy problems I was having.) Taking bee pollen most days has really helped with the allergies this year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In my last post a few weeks ago I included a recipe that I wasn't sure how to name. After making 4 batches of it and going through it all in 1-2 days each, I've concluded that "Energy Bites" really are the best title. Those little nutritious balls really pack a punch! They keep you feeling full and give more energy than a cup of coffee. And they taste great! The other day my husband was asking my kids what they had for breakfast. I heard my 5 year old say, "We had chocolate balls, Dad. With some healthy stuff in them too." With what other way of eating could I feed my kids "chocolate balls" for breakfast and not have to feel guilty? In case you missed that post, here's the link to it and the recipe: <a href="http://www.naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2012/03/pinterest-or-pin-uninterest.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As this is the beginning of our Easter weekend, I wish you all a wonderful holiday and I encourage you to stay away from the jelly beans, the Peeps (blech...seriously the WORST food you could ever ever ever eat!!) and all the other chocolate covered eggs and bunnies out there. Choose healthy eating...and choose a healthy life!</span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-24008131736904418282012-03-18T13:55:00.001-07:002012-03-18T13:55:17.548-07:00Pinterest or Pin-uninterest?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you a fan of Pinterest? I'm guessing that 85% of you reading this are fans of this new social/creative-idea-sharing website. I have not joined nor do I see myself joining anytime in the near future. I know it might help grow my blog or my photo props business, but honestly I'm already on such idea overload that I'm not sure adding one more website will be beneficial to my brain. So for now...I graciously decline all of the invites many of you keep sending me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">That said, there was a recipe from Pinterest that a friend shared on Facebook today. The minute I saw it, I knew I had to try it. And boy am I glad I did! I wasn't able to access the actual recipe (it took another friend to get it for me) but for those of you who can, here's the original recipe and all of her notes so that you can go re-pin it and encourage the originator: <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/215046950926882633/">http://pinterest.com/pin/215046950926882633/</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For those of you in my pin-uninterest camp, the recipe is below. These, to me, are the closest tasting to chocolate chip cookie dough I've made. And it's almost-raw, clean and oh so healthy! What surprised me was that 1) the kids were willing to try them right away (we've come a long way, baby! and 2) the kids...and me...couldn't stop eating them! These are super easy and really worth making. The kids are excited to have them in their lunches tomorrow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The original maker calls them: No-Bake Energy Bites Recipe</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would simply call them <strong>"Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Dough Balls"</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><strong>Ingredients:</strong></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup no-sugar-added coconut flakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use free trade dark chocolate chips)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup peanut butter (I use Kirkland Signature natural peanut butter)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup ground flaxseed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/3 cup honey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp. vanilla</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><strong>Method:</strong></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I made mini dime-sized balls perfect to pop into little kids' mouths. Towards the bottom of the bowl it was hard to make it stick together so I dumped the rest into a baggie and shaped it into a granola bar size bar and tossed it in the fridge. I don't know how many it makes because we ate so much! But I still have an entire Ziploc storage container full in the fridge. Sorry I don't have a picture to add. Maybe tomorrow...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*the only change I made from the original was the coconut. She put to use toasted coconut. I used un-toasted no-sugar-added coconut flakes from Sprouts. Really good!!</span></div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-19302353211278989012012-02-21T10:34:00.000-07:002012-02-21T10:34:11.772-07:00UnLent...What to add??<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today is Fat Tuesday and I'm honestly sitting here feeling kind of fat because I've been very bad about following my own health proclamations from this blog. The past 5 weeks have seen me backing off and choosing unhealth. And to be honest, I haven't wanted to write or post on the blog because I felt like a hypocrite. But today is Fat Tuesday which means tomorrow is Lent...is there any better time to get back on track than today? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Having grown up in a Conservative Baptist home/church environment, I never heard of Fat Tuesday or Lent. It wasn't something we believed in or embraced, therefore I was never exposed to it. And honestly, if I hadn't been listening to the radio today talking about it, I wouldn't even know now that tomorrow is Lent or that Fat Tuesday even existed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now I know that fasting is Biblical, and fasting for 40 days was modeled by Jesus. But I'm not convinced that there is a Biblical precedence for Lent. Without researching it right now, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the "church" (i.e. of Rome) created this occasion. Not that this is a bad occasion, I'm just saying it's not something that the Bible mandates. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">All that said, I've always found it curious that people give up chocolate or coffee (those are probably the most common ones I've heard of) for 40 days. The true reason for giving up something is to draw you closer to Christ, to shift the time, effort and energy you would normally put into that item into reflecting and meditating upon the Holy One. For the most part I wonder if people know about the reason for Lent and really use that time to prepare for Easter. That's a personal issue between you/them and Jesus. But I want to throw out there that perhaps this Lent you don't give up something but you add something in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>How about UnLenting!</strong> Here are some ideas. Add in drinking a glass of water with lemon each morning for 40 days before Easter. Let the bitterness of the drink remind you of the bitterness of Jesus on the cross even as the lemon and water wash toxins from your body...so Jesus washes the sin from us. Add in 1 green smoothie every day for the next 40 days. Add health to your life so that your life might last longer! Add Jesus to your life...add in reading the Bible daily. Or choosing one verse a day to meditate on through the day. Or 5 minutes on your knees in prayer every day for the next 40 days. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If omitting something from your life is supposed to be good for you - imagine how wonderful adding something into your life will be! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Whatever your beliefs are, my prayer for you is that the next 40 days will lead to a healthier you...both physically and spiritually...and I pray that for myself as well.</span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-12680908350676622732012-01-20T08:40:00.002-07:002012-01-20T08:40:51.579-07:00Samer's Hummus Recipe<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've received quite a few requests for recipes so I decided to re-post this most requested one (my friend Samer's hummus recipe). I'm also making it a little easier to find recipes by posting links on my <a href="http://www.naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/p/recipe-of-week.html" target="_blank">"Recipes"</a> page to all previous recipes in my blog, by title. You can always type in "recipe" into the search bar also to pull up any blog that uses that word.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I wanted to thank all the new people who have become members of my blog on Google. It's fun to see new faces on there! I'd really like to get my Feedburner numbers up, so if you haven't subscribed to my blog via email, please take about 30 seconds to do that. To the right of the screen you'll see the words "follow by email". Just type in your email and hit submit. Then you will need to go to your email and verify your subscription in the link that Feedburner will send you. You'll automatically receive each updated posting straight to your email from that point on!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Super easy and thank you in advance!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">On to the recipe... Samer's Hummus recipe is the best I've made...and I've tried plenty! I was so grateful when he shared this with me and allowed me to put in on my blog. I has been my most requested recipe to re-post so here you are!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is how it looked when Samer made it.</span> </td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ingredients</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">*2 15oz cans of Kuner's Garbonzo beans (no salt added)<br /><br />1/2 tablespoon of salt<br /><br />1 tablespoon of garlic powder<br /><br />1/4 cup olive oil<br /><br />1 cup of Tahini (I found it at Fresh & Easy...Samer gets it from Middle Eastern markets)<br /><br />1/3 cup of lemon juice (approx the juice of 2 med lemons)<br /><br />1/4 cup of water (if desired...I needed it)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Directions:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Empty cans into food processor or blender, 2/3rds drained. You need the liquid in there so the beans don't stick to the sides. If cooking your own beans, add water or it will really clog your machine.<br /><br />Add the salt and garlic powder and turn on the processor/blender.<br /><br />Keep an eye on it and make sure the beans are moving and not sticking to side. If they are, add just a little bit of water to keep it going. Let run for 2 minutes or until the beans look less and less grainy...<br /><br />While it's still running, add the olive oil, tahini and lemon juice<br /><br />Let run until desired smoothness. You can add more of any of the ingredients to desired taste. I've discovered if one of the ingredients' flavor is overpowering, adding some water or tahini helps balance it out. The longer you let the processor run, the smoother the texture will be. <br /><br />Plate, and decorate with fresh chives, tomatoes, paprika, and cumin powders. Drizzle olive oil on top.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My notes:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">* I used dry beans, soaked them for 24 hrs and then boiled for 1 hr. Make sure the pot is full of water because it will boil out by the end. This is supposed to be a money saver however when it heats my house and I'm paying for AC to cool it down and it's 108 outside...I'm thinking go with the canned beans. In the winter though...great way to warm up the house and add humidity! I used about 2 cups cooked beans.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Serving suggestions:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Serve for dinner, as a dip for a party, appetizer, etc... Dip chips, pita bread, crackers, pizza crust (my method of choice tonight!), or cut veggies such as green/red bell peppers, carrots, celery, etc...</span></div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-11899785046077999412012-01-17T13:59:00.000-07:002012-01-17T13:59:56.461-07:00Mistakes Made, Lessons Learned<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you ever know what the right thing is to do but do the opposite of it anyway? I guess the truest definition of that is 'sin' but no, this blog is not about sin and God's amazing Grace and Redemption (although I do love that topic!). <strong>It's actually about being sick.</strong> This week our family has been hit hard with fevers, sore throats, runny noses...basic cold symptoms that really wipe a person out. Now, we used to get this in September, October, November, December, January...you get the picture. We were one of the SICKEST families around. I've often joked that I needed to take out stock in Kleenix because I was sure I kept them in business. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Many of my childhood memories revolve around me, tissues and sore throats. In college I sang in a choir and we would take a yearly tour for a week around California, singing in churches. Every year I went and mouthed the words because I'd be sick and have no voice. My first year of teaching, my biggest fear was what to do when I was sick and didn't have a voice, because it happened SO OFTEN!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I joked yesterday with a friend that I feel like I'm a living science experiment. I went into Clean Eating/Healthy Lifestyle with Optimal Health as my end goal. My supposition was that if you eat clean and healthy, your body will be able to fight disease and you will stay healthy. And if anyone would know what it's like to be sick, it's me. For the most part, I'm pleased to say, I'm proving my theory to be true. Sickness and germs are still around me and my body is constantly under attack, especially on weeks like this one where the other 4 in my family have all been sick. Would I get sick too? Or would my food truly be my medicine?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I did really well last week. I ate cooked food (clean only!) one time a day and otherwise it was all raw. Broccoli salad, sweet potato salad, green smoothies, Walnut pate, etc... Amazing food...seriously delicious! I had no symptoms of sickness while everyone else was sneezing all over me. Until...yesterday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>When I made my BIG mistake.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I was coming home at 6 p.m., exhausted and hungry. Instead of going home and eating food I'd already prepared, I drove through Panda Express...our former favorite food. We chowed down. The kids wanted dessert and I said, "Are you kidding me! You just ate sugar coated chicken. You just HAD your dessert!" Which is 100% true. But my sweet tooth was kicked into high gear so I topped it off with the only sugar left in the house...1/2 bag of M&M's. Within 30 minutes not only did I feel terribly sick to my stomach but I had a raging sore throat. The germs in me had been fed with their favorite food, <strong>sugar</strong>, and I was getting sick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I knew better! I knew that I was in the middle of the battle ground but I still gave in! Sometimes I frustrate myself SO MUCH. I went to bed early and woke up with the same sore throat, if not worse. So I went to my daily arsenal (which I had completely neglected yesterday) and fired it up. I know there are many more things to do than this, but this is what I do DAILY.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 spoonful of bee pollen (don't do if you're allergic to bee stings)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">glasses and glasses of water (should be 1/2 your body weight in ounces)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">hot tea with honey</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 vitamin C tablets a day</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 freshly-squeezed lemon to a glass of water + 5 drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract (it's nasty business but it works!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 <a href="http://naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2011/09/raw-green-smoothies.html" target="_blank">green smoothies</a> a day (both with 5 drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">And most important...NO SUGAR!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ironically, this is what a family friend, Kimbra Nungessar, wrote yesterday in her Menu Monday raw cooking emails. Kimbra has been a Raw/Vegan for 9 years and her husband is co-author of the cookbook <a href="http://toprawmen.net/index.asp" target="_blank">TopRawMen</a> (click to link to their website).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"People wonder why they and their kids are always sick in the winter. We blame sick classmates, cold weather outside, too many germs inside, the list goes on. Think about this...Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day and Easter. Candy, sugar, Candy and more sugar. Sugar kills our immune system. Normally after Easter sickness disappears and our kids run healthy through the summer and early fall until....Halloween, Thanksgiving...etc. I encourage you to control the amount of candy and sugar in your kids diet. I can literally turn runny noses on and off in my kids via their diet. Some of the worst offenders are well meaning Sunday School teachers and school teachers which feed high sugar snacks to the kids on a weekly basis. </span><br />
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<div id="yui_3_2_0_30_1326805551749556">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span class="yiv526304415Apple-style-span" id="yui_3_2_0_30_1326805551749555" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use the dollar store or garage sales to fill a basket with small trinkets. Let your kids cash in their candy for an item from the basket. However, don't stash the candy away in the house because guess who will eat it in a moment of weakness...you! Throw it away, give it away or send it to work with someone you know. </span><span class="yiv526304415Apple-style-span" id="yui_3_2_0_30_1326805551749557" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If your kids want to work together let them slowly put their candy treats in a collective jar. Write the prize on the outside of the jar: family movie night, trip to bounceU, whatever would motivate your kids. When the jar is full of sweets they get to go on the treat!"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I love it! Thank you SO much Kimbra! <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">It's now 1:40 p.m. and I am sore-throat free! Yay to healthy eating!</span></span></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-62378731600853553492012-01-12T19:20:00.000-07:002012-01-12T19:23:50.338-07:00Brownies for Dinner<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has been a crazy busy week. I went from vacation-mode (totally relaxed, having tons of time to work on things at home, like my blog and new Etsy site) to jumping into the deep-end of life once again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd wanted to write several new blog posts by now and put up a new recipe but it hasn't happened and isn't looking like it will until about this time next week. So.... I've been asked a few times to share this brownie recipe again and think it will be the perfect filler-post until I can get back to writing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Speaking of my new Etsy site, here's the link in case anyone's interested: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/koreakids">http://www.etsy.com/shop/koreakids</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And my new Facebook Fan Page, which is ironically also called "Naturally Sweet Surprises". <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naturally-Sweet-Surprises/224753450938635">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naturally-Sweet-Surprises/224753450938635</a> (Neither of these links are food-based sites.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I called this post "Brownies for Dinner" because these clean-eating brownies are packed full of protein. They are also sugar-free and gluten-free. And there were no beans involved in the baking of these brownies! They are my kids' favorite dessert for our new lifestyle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Speaking of dessert...today is my daughter's birthday and I bought the tiniest cake I could find. It was called a "baby cake" and was made for 2 to share. I cut it into 6 pieces and none of us could finish our slice! Two of the kids asked to wrap theirs up to finish tomorrow. This is just cake from a grocery nearby! In my past life I would have polished off 1/2 the cake in one sitting, no problem. Tonight my tongue and stomach were telling me things my eyes weren't quite agreeing with...too sweet, too fake tasting. My eyes kept saying, "What's wrong with you? It looks amazing!" I was nearly sick from the cake and my eyes are going to have to catch up with the rest of me pretty quick here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">On to the recipe. It's originally from <a href="http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-brownies/" target="_blank">The Gracious Pantry</a>. (Click to see original recipe.) I posted this back in November as a "Recipe of the Week". Enjoy!</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #770750; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clean-Eating Brownies</span></b><span style="color: #770750; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #770750; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brownie Ingredients</span></b><span style="color: #770750; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><br />1 (16 oz.) container almond butter<br />4 egg whites<br />1 cup honey (raw if at all possible)<br />1 tbsp vanilla<br />1/2 cup cacao powder (if not available, Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder is next best)<br />1 tsp. baking soda<br />1 cup organic dark chocolate chips (42% cacao or higher)</span><b><span style="color: #770750; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brownie Directions</span></b><span style="color: #770750; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.<br /><br />Step 1 – Add each ingredient, in the order listed, to a large mixing bowl, one at a time. Whisk in each ingredient completely before adding the next.<br /><br />Step 2 – Pour into an oiled 9x13 baking pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.<br /><br />This recipe yields 20 brownies. Each brownie has 217 calories and 5-8 grams of protein, depending on what type of calculator you use (and what type of nut butter).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #770750; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><br />So simple, right! Some tips I have from my experience baking them...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #770750; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #770750; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I used crunchy almond butter because that's what I had. Still tastes great and the kids haven't complained about the nut pieces in them but next time I'll do it with creamy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #770750; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #770750; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You can use peanut butter or cashew butter instead of almond...it will alter the taste. I'd recommend trying with almond first so you know the base taste and then alter.</span></div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-39008981748881117552012-01-06T12:27:00.000-07:002012-01-06T12:27:35.774-07:00My New Year's Revolution, part 1<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love new beginnings. I've always loved Mondays as they are a fresh start to the week. I've loved the 1st of the month and 1st of the year. But I've never loved New Year's Resolutions. Like most people, I make one (or more) with all the greatest intentions...but with no intentional acts to make my resolution a reality. Last year I was praying about this and decided I would choose one thing to revolutionize my life for the year of 2011. So I called it my New Year's Revolution. (The funny thing was, after making this decision, suddenly that term was all over the Christian radio stations. But I came up with it on my own!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, my Revolution last year was to improve on all things "kitchen". That meant doing the dishes in a more timely manner (getting a new dishwasher in 2011 really helped with that!), cooking healthier, making meal-times more of a family affair. That's really all there was to it. I did not go into it intending to lose weight, learn about whole, clean, raw foods, etc... All I wanted to do was improve in those little areas...cleanliness and family time. But God heard my prayer and indeed made my revolution into a REVOLUTION. I have never experienced so much change in one year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So I'm going to step out a little and put my before/after photos up. I'm not finished with this revolution. I need one more year to complete it. But I've made such giant leaps that the baby steps left shouldn't be too hard. (I can hope, anyway!) These photos are really hard for me to put up because they're embarrassing. I never saw myself as being overweight, unless I looked at a photo of myself. And looking at these photos was my reality check. I'm so glad I embarked on this journey! (may I never go back)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinouMX9UCDTyxApuuCnBmRjhp8cnhfwv2LcOgYg4OnLhed8GDTqT-fxO5NZJDXcreYrIBRUObtv3sMAbocDTP9StNvmepmzuKhcV9ZRQoIhuZ7i06kkWe0mtOBm-GDNU9yxlrkR07NSt0/s1600/S5004369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinouMX9UCDTyxApuuCnBmRjhp8cnhfwv2LcOgYg4OnLhed8GDTqT-fxO5NZJDXcreYrIBRUObtv3sMAbocDTP9StNvmepmzuKhcV9ZRQoIhuZ7i06kkWe0mtOBm-GDNU9yxlrkR07NSt0/s400/S5004369.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This was at my heaviest, 199 lbs. Taken Feb 2011. I call them my "Weight Watchers Pictures"</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmt5Bwk9ZS6nAfyJtWK4N3dZfxK2_t94PPmVP502HJS1Y_Y1CHERWARs4SkZqwNtyViapPv7OQ9B1xtmAcr3mVdj6-JcGEvbRNZ24kNjn3DUfm3T0ToHye1VC2z6cFRRK-0pGJjL7-BmM/s1600/S5004370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmt5Bwk9ZS6nAfyJtWK4N3dZfxK2_t94PPmVP502HJS1Y_Y1CHERWARs4SkZqwNtyViapPv7OQ9B1xtmAcr3mVdj6-JcGEvbRNZ24kNjn3DUfm3T0ToHye1VC2z6cFRRK-0pGJjL7-BmM/s400/S5004370.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9SRReo9dzSNvtAk40IaLtgMUqUUYP1_iegvIzAvgdJqMuAob4glB8kDL8W_l2M1B-wnviA0qAK32ZMPBE9nEvGLfoSiTpZLNlkh-RTaMvUcyoMARYKXwUeVniv6fKeqiEnCyF38WU64/s1600/DSCN5487+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9SRReo9dzSNvtAk40IaLtgMUqUUYP1_iegvIzAvgdJqMuAob4glB8kDL8W_l2M1B-wnviA0qAK32ZMPBE9nEvGLfoSiTpZLNlkh-RTaMvUcyoMARYKXwUeVniv6fKeqiEnCyF38WU64/s400/DSCN5487+-+Copy.JPG" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My "After" Pic, taken Oct 2011. 160 lbs</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpn1kiqVe5S6nWEvChyamvJnAtQGK-IbVkw7IVEz2fd7EZf9AmI83TO0F1KrJHXoT1mB8NJjE5HWv_jD1krcAt6NdGSKUkbNFnRZhIufpbhzf7E0lSORIUNq-vWptU__nnqW6xteZ6vw/s1600/DSCN5489+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpn1kiqVe5S6nWEvChyamvJnAtQGK-IbVkw7IVEz2fd7EZf9AmI83TO0F1KrJHXoT1mB8NJjE5HWv_jD1krcAt6NdGSKUkbNFnRZhIufpbhzf7E0lSORIUNq-vWptU__nnqW6xteZ6vw/s400/DSCN5489+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">That was my favorite shirt but after taking this photo I realized it was a size 16/18. It went into the donate pile!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MJ2VWbevNERblOEcWImEL0rpLLAE6jRwAcYt4Em1jXapNe_TeeQfdZsK1cQqs3KPi2gqJMJDxOt-D1rKxRknt75_8JjHEzCXKUAuy-1-bTT2Mm-LJvBGIq2yJv3fMwevZhPphozrciU/s1600/DSCN9489+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MJ2VWbevNERblOEcWImEL0rpLLAE6jRwAcYt4Em1jXapNe_TeeQfdZsK1cQqs3KPi2gqJMJDxOt-D1rKxRknt75_8JjHEzCXKUAuy-1-bTT2Mm-LJvBGIq2yJv3fMwevZhPphozrciU/s400/DSCN9489+-+Copy.JPG" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This was taken Jan 4, 2012. I haven't lost any additional weight BUT haven't gained any either. Still at 160, I have 10 lbs to go to be where I want to be. I'm very pleased that by eating Clean/Raw, I've been able to maintain a stable weight for so long.</span></td></tr>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-64841987710968544172011-12-29T19:58:00.003-07:002011-12-29T21:33:31.003-07:00Amazing Almonds & an Almond Butter Recipe<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almonds are amazing. The fact that I've written that, alone, shows how far I've come on this journey. I used to hate almonds. All nuts actually. And now I eat almonds daily and in so many forms that mostly, I don't even know I'm eating almonds! I always crack up when I serve my husband something and he says "I wish you'd put nuts in this. It would taste better." Little does he know that the main ingredients ARE nuts! Almonds usually. (although I do do a lot with walnuts and pecans too)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's one example:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDJggn6WMWFFpqFI8J2RVNtySRK6YPj5sPWTtIyVUteskuPM-lWMvEYRlqhUHC2K-a5HGFWqN9AUqWJaW9ED_hgMJXVm8ADpMRqmw38W_ndOtEZujYuQy-qCLdB-UEs3dnlRYDmvFK8U/s1600/DSCN5686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDJggn6WMWFFpqFI8J2RVNtySRK6YPj5sPWTtIyVUteskuPM-lWMvEYRlqhUHC2K-a5HGFWqN9AUqWJaW9ED_hgMJXVm8ADpMRqmw38W_ndOtEZujYuQy-qCLdB-UEs3dnlRYDmvFK8U/s400/DSCN5686.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These brownies are my kids' favorite dessert. They are flour-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and taste absolutely fabulous. Hard to believe, isn't it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So what's the fuss with Almonds? Almonds are full of folic acid and fiber (which means they're a great choice if you're pregnant!), vitamins and minerals...and they're cholesterol-free. They help fight heart disease and help get your blood pressure and cholesterol back to normal. There's even research now showing how almonds help with cancer prevention. Yes, there's fat in them...but it's the GOOD kind of fat. (Of course, everything in moderation, including almonds.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>The things I make with almonds...</strong></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Brownies (as seen above)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Chocolate (I just made an amazing dark chocolate candy bar that's was made of 5 ingredients...cacao, maple syrup, coconut oil, salt and ALMONDS! So much healthier and more delicious than grabbing a Hershey's bar.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cookies, Bars, Oatmeal, Muffins, Pancakes ... I grind the almonds in my mini-food processor so that it makes a powder. It's called Almond Flour and makes a great addition to most foods.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Almond Butter. (Lately I've swapped out the peanut butter in my kids' lunches for almond butter. They eat the sandwiches without a problem and don't even notice the difference.)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So while I'm on the topic of Almond Butter...that's actually the motivation for this post. The friend I mentioned two posts ago who gave me the Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter as a Christmas gift sent me the recipe below. (Thank You!!) <strong>Dark Chocolate Almond Butter</strong>. Who could pass that up? I just HAD to make it! And it turned out AMAZING!! So I'm going to share the recipe and the link to where it originated. It is not my recipe...I'm am simply delivering it to you to try out. Healthy food that tastes good...That's the way to eat!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">4-Ingredient Dark Chocolate Almond Butter</span></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">(This reminds me a little of Nutella. It's the smoothest almond butter I've ever had!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups raw almonds</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup dark chocolate (I used organic dark chocolate chips)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp coconut oil (another oil may work too)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/8th-1/4 tsp kosher salt, to taste</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Directions</strong>: Place 2 cups of raw, whole almonds into a food processor. Process for about 15 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl every minute or as necessary. It is a long process, but you don’t want to stop until you have released all the oils in the almonds and the mixture is very smooth and buttery! This took me a good 14-15 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just before your almond butter is ready, add the 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 tsp of coconut oil to a small pot. Melt on low. You want to remove the pot from heat when there are still some chocolate chip clumps remaining. Don’t worry they will melt as you stir the mixture. I always take it off the heat a bit early to avoid burning the chocolate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the melted chocolate to the almond butter (still in the processor) and process for a couple minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add your kosher salt to taste and process more. Scoop into a container and store in the fridge. Makes 1 & 1/4 cups, 20 one-tbsp servings, or enough to fill a 250 ml jar. Refrigerate.<strong> </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note that the almond butter firms up in the fridge. Allow it to sit at room temperature to soften before using. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: red;">Nutritional Info</span></span>: (per tbsp, approx 20 servings per batch): 104 kcals, 9 grams fat (1 gram sat fat), 6 grams carbs, 2 grams fibre, 3 grams sugar, 3 grams protein.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's her link: </span><a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/12/4-ingredient-dark-chocolate-almond-butter/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/12/4-ingredient-dark-chocolate-almond-butter/</span></a><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My notes on this recipe:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Definitely view her link because it shows detailed photos that helped me a lot in making this. In fact, I would have given up long before if I hadn't seen her photos. It took double the time she says it takes. Scraping the bowl takes a long time and a lot of physical strength. I thought it would never turn into butter then then suddenly it happened. It was fascinating to watch. It also yields 2x what she says it will. I filled up a jar that was 410 ml (a coconut oil jar). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I used 72% cacao but if you want something a little sweeter, I'd recommend adding 1 TBSP or more maple syrup to the melted chocolate. I think I might try that next time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to say it took a lot of time and work to get one jar of almond butter. But it tasted so amazing that it was worth it. At first I'd thought this would make a great Christmas gift to give out to friends next year, but after all the time to get one jar...IF anyone gets this as a gift from me they're going to know I love them VERY much. :-)</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. This chocolate almond butter is a great substitute for hot fudge on ice cream. Yes...I cheated (but it was Haagen Daz so it was as close to clean-eating as ice cream can get!) Also, the recipe I posted here <a href="http://www.naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2011/12/adoration-and-recipe.html">http://www.naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2011/12/adoration-and-recipe.html</a> for the Raw Maple Sweet Potatoes turned out wonderful! The family ate it up at Christmas dinner. I was a little disappointed there weren't any leftovers.</span></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-28576567708522614322011-12-24T20:00:00.000-07:002011-12-24T20:00:00.528-07:00Adoration (and a recipe)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Merry</span> <span style="color: red;">Christ</span><span style="color: #38761d;">mas</span>! I titled this post Adoration because, for our family, that's what Christmas is about. It's about Christ, his birth and the amazing circumstances surrounding the Baby Jesus. Just the thought of Baby Jesus makes me smile. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so thankful that my parents raised me to celebrate Jesus on Christmas. There was Santa (more of the feeling and fun of Santa, I never actually believed he existed) and gifts and lights. But more important was Jesus. And I always knew that Jesus was the TRUE reason that we have a reason to celebrate. I want my kids to know that too. So we've made decisions for our family that help us make Christ the center. No TV for one. We have A TV and we watch DVD's but the television itself isn't hooked up to anything else. No TV = NO commercials!! And it's amazing how that alone eliminates the greedy "I wants". People ask my kids all the time what Santa is bringing them for Christmas...and in return all they get is a blank look. Ask them about Baby Jesus, though, and you're going to get an earful!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Yes, there are gifts (as my kids remind me constantly...the 2nd best part of Christmas is the PRESENTS!). But we do everything we can to create an atmosphere of ADORATION during the holiday season. (One thing we started this year is called "7 Nights Before Christmas". Each evening we light a candle and I read from the grown-up Bible part of the story of Christmas...after prayer the kids get to open one small gift. They loved it!!) Jesus was a babe in the<strong> cradle</strong> so he could become a Savior on the <strong>cross</strong>...and now he wears a <strong>crown </strong>and sits on the throne of our hearts. How I want you to know the true meaning of <strong>Christ</strong>mas this year! If you haven't already, please consider giving Him authority over your life so that you may know the true peace and meaning of Christmas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is not a normal blog post for me. I've worked hard to transform my physical body but just couldn't let Christmas Day go by without sharing a tiny bit about how to make a spiritual transformation as well. It's so simple...confess to God your sins, repent of your sins and ask for His forgiveness. And ask that Jesus come into your life and transform you from the inside out. And if you choose to do that, WELCOME to the family of God!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's my annual photo with my daughter, who is turning 7 in a few weeks. We do this exact pose in front of a Christmas tree every year. I just love seeing the hairstyle changes and facial changes from year to year. I don't know if you can tell but the bottom photo from last year was me at my heaviest (I tried to hide it with hair and angle) and this year's (on top) is me at 43 lbs lighter. This has been such a year of transformation for me in so many ways! (more before/after photos to come on New Years!). You can see it's been a year of transformation for my daughter too! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christmas 2011</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Christmas 2010</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is it just me or do we both look healthier?</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here's a recipe to close out the holiday season. This is a new one I'm very eager to try for our Christmas dinner this year. I love sweet potatoes but have not known if it was possible to eat them raw. Now I can give it a try! I'll let you know how it turns out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #e90052; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTCom-Bd; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #e90052; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTCom-Bd; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #e90052; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTCom-Bd; font-size: x-large;"><div align="left">
Herb-Infused Maple & Pecan</div>
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Sweet Potatoes <span style="font-size: small;">by Russell James, The Raw Chef</span></div>
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INGREDIENTS</div>
</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">4 cups sweet potato, peeled</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">½ cup pine nuts</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">1 cup pecans</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: xx-small;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">/</span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: xx-small;">3 </span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">cup water</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">1 teaspoon garlic powder</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">4 Tablespoons olive oil</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">2 Tablespoons lemon juice</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">2 teaspoons onion powder</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">1 Tablespoon light miso</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">3 Tablespoons organic maple syrup</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">1 teaspoon salt</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #805aff; font-family: ZapfDingbatsITCbyBT-Regular; font-size: large;"><div align="left">
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;">2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, minced</span></span><span style="color: #7dff24; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTCom-Bd;"><span style="color: #7dff24; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTCom-Bd;"><div align="left">
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DIRECTIONS</div>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLT-Light; font-size: small;"><div align="left">
1. First make a thick pecan cream by blending the pecans, pine nuts and water. Add a little more water if necessary, to get it to blend.</div>
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2. In a food processor, grind the sweet potato into small pieces. Transfer to a large bowl and add remaining ingredients, except the fresh parsley and thyme. Stir thoroughly.</div>
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3. Blend mixture in small batches in a high speed blender until creamy.</div>
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4. Stir in the fresh herbs by hand.</span></span></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-78352281099582225762011-12-22T22:35:00.003-07:002011-12-22T22:39:21.251-07:00Accountability<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Accountability really is such a huge key to success. It doesn't matter what it is you're attempting, whether it's a work-at-home situation, improvement in parenting or weight-loss/eating healthier. (I chose those three since I'm very familiar with the need for accountability in all of them!) Choosing the right accountability partner can either make you...or break you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Accountability is what started me on this journey...a dear friend who said "will you do this with me"...and my life has not been the same since! Because of her I learned how to exercise and the ins and outs of weight-training. I kept going because I knew we'd be there doing it together. Now that she has moved away I miss my exercise accountability partner!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In this holiday season it can be hard to "be good". Everywhere you go candy is being handed out, party platters are filled to the brim with choice goodies that are too good to pass up, and friends are giving gifts of Christmas cookies, fudge and other traditional holiday delights.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Tonight I was serving at church in the pre-school department for the first of our 7 Christmas services. I walked into the Volunteer Central room for some bottles of water and was greeted by holiday temptation! The most alluring cupcakes surrounded by cake pops filled serving trays throughout the room. No one was around and it was SO TEMPTING not to "just have a taste". But I have this type of accountability now that most people don't have the blessing of having...it's called "Blog Followers". And while I don't have a huge following, yet, the ones that I have pop up in the craziest places. Tonight for instance, several people (none I'd expected!) came up to me and told me they were keeping up with me by following my blog, thanked me for writing it because it encouraged them, etc... That always surprises me to hear but encourages me so much. Tonight this happened several times and I was very thankful I hadn't caved to the temptation because, well, can you imagine how embarrassing it would have been if they'd seen me with a mouth full of cupcake! I do cave to temptation, more often than I'd like. But knowing people are watching me really helps me to walk the straight and narrow. Accountability helps me to "keep it clean".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, have you ever been blessed? Like really really blessed by something someone did for you that you knew was a sacrifice and a true gift of love? That happened to me tonight too. A beautiful friend (both inside and out!) researched out clean-eating recipes and made me the most amazing Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter as a Christmas gift. I can not tell you how that blessed me to the very core! (If you read this ~ THANK YOU!!) I had to dig in as soon as I got home and let me tell you...AMAZING! I may now have a new addiction (which is, thankfully, healthy!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Accountability...I'm telling you, it works! </strong></span><br />
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-33946766369513251372011-12-13T15:15:00.001-07:002011-12-13T15:16:27.567-07:00Super Salads (and a Recipe)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Did you eat your salad today?</strong> Believe it or not, this should be your primary food question every day! In fact, according to a leading doctor in health and wellness, Dr. Fuhrman, we should all have the slogan <strong>"Salad is the MAIN Food"</strong> on our refrigerators so we see it every...single...day.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I personally have a problem with that. My problem is that I don't really LIKE to eat salads. They are tedious. They take soooo long to chew... (there's a reason for that, actually). And if you make it properly, they take too long to prepare. It boils down to this: I just don't really WANT to eat salad, and especially not everyday! Boooring!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Over Thanksgiving I was channel-surfing and came across a PBS special by Dr. Fuhrman, author of<a href="http://www.drfuhrman.com/" target="_blank"> <u>Eat To Live</u></a>. He was sharing the science behind the type of eating that I encourage on this blog: no processed foods, no sugars and lots of whole foods. Absolutely fascinating! (I wished I had the $185 necessary to purchase the full 8 cd-set of his teachings.) A salad in it's purest form is 100% whole foods and, according to Dr Fuhrman, should be "nutrient dense". So nutrient dense that even the salad dressing is good enough to eat with a spoon. In other words, Ranch just isn't going to cut it! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The dressing is another problem for me with salads. The dressing itself should be nutrient dense and not full of fats, preservative, sugars and natural flavors. (All I can say about the "natural flavors" is EW! Natural but naturally WHAT? Beaver anal gland anyone??) I have such a hard time finding a decent salad dressing that I've given up eating salad completely. Dr. Fuhrman to the rescue! He shared a salad dressing recipe that I have included for you below. It's different but a good kind of different.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">For me, the idea of eating Raw appeals so much because I don't enjoy eating salads on a regular basis. Raw foods open up a whole new slew of options for me that are exactly the same nutrient-wise but are easier to chew than a salad and are vastly more interesting. The Raw Green Smoothies I drink 1-2x a day are equal to a salad-in-a-glass. Strawberry Swirl Cheezkake...Kale Crisps...Walnut Pate... There are just so many other ways to get my greens and/or nutrients than the traditional salad. (In fact I just pulled 2 trays of Kale Crisps from the oven and I've already eaten 1/2 of one tray! LOVE those and SUPER healthy! A great salad alternative! Recipe to come in future blog.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But back to the salads...I don't mind adding them into my mealplan 1-2 times a week. Here are some guidelines to live by when it comes to creating a Super Salad:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Use a variety of greens. Arugula and spinach are two nutrient-dense greens. Stay away from ice burg lettuce...you might as well drink a glass of water and save your jaw the effort.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Make your salad nutrient dense...that means having more "add-ins" than greens.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Good add-ins: avocados, bell-peppers, tomatoes, nuts, seeds (i.e. sunflower, chia, flax, pumpkin), dried cranberries or cherries, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, etc...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Bad add-ins: cheese, croutons, eggs (i.e. Cobb Salad), most dressings, bacon bits</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">The more colorful your salad, the better!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Use a dressing that is made with whole foods.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Chew each bite approx 45 times. Less than that and you won't ingest as many nutrients.</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr. Fuhrman's Orange Cashew Dressing/Dip</span></b></div>
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<span style="display: none; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hide: all;">Serves: 4</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="display: none; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hide: all;">Preparation Time: 2 minutes</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="display: none; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hide: all;">Ingredients:</span></b></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 oranges, peeled and quartered </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/2 cup raw cashews or 1/4 cup raw cashew butter </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 tablespoons </span><a href="http://www.drfuhrman.com/shop/salad_dressings.aspx#vinegars"><span style="color: #333399; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Dr. Fuhrman's Blood Orange Vinegar</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (I found the equivalent at Sprout's)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional) </span></li>
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<b><span style="display: none; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hide: all;">Instructions:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until smooth and creamy.<br />Add some orange juice to thin, if necessary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More recipes can be found at </span><a href="http://www.drfuhrman.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.drfuhrman.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> . This dressing does thicken over time (i.e. after about 24 hrs) and makes a great spread for sandwiches. It doesn't last longer than a week in the fridge so making 1/2 recipe might be recommended. It makes a lot! This says it serves 4 but I filled 2 glass jars with this recipe. Way too much for 4!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So...<strong>Did you eat your salad today?</strong> Are you ready to now? Despite my aversion to salad, I know the health benefits of eating whole, raw foods aer phenomenal and so worth eating. I hope at the very least you'll add 1-2 more salads into your diet a week and take the next step towards health and wellness.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S. Sorry for the lack of photos in this blog. I took a whole bunch but can't find them. Next time!</span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-49332165834035802562011-12-10T10:58:00.001-07:002011-12-10T13:59:33.048-07:00Eating Well<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do any of you feel overwhelmed and like things spin out of control in the holiday season? I really try to keep Christmas simple and not plan many extras. But somehow the extras tend to plan themselves. Two trips out of town (which were wonderful!!) plus Christmas decorating added into my regularly busy schedule have derailed me for the past few weeks. So my blog has fallen by the wayside. Despite that, friends keep telling me they're sharing my blog with others and my numbers soared to their highest ever on Dec 4. I have no idea why! But thank you!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So...I have actually written several awesome blogs in my head. Doesn't do you guys much good when it gets trapped in space and never makes it through my fingers and into Internet ink. My apologies! This morning I was reading the January/February 2011 issue of Experiencing Life magazine and came across this little side-column article that was titled simply: "How to eat simply and well". I thought that would be a great article to share while I pull my thoughts and photos together for my next post. I hope these tips will help you through the overwhelming season of parties, cookies, chocolate, hot coco and a million other temptations that are nearly impossible to resist. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So now that I've tempted you with those luscious words, do I dare confess that my great plans and intentions regarding food have gotten tossed out along with the laundry and dishes, vacuuming and... (I'm afraid to even think what else has been derailed the past few weeks.) I haven't totally gone back to my unhealthy eating but enough to feel really guilty and rather yuck around the tummy. Then my littlest got sick with strep a week ago. Before I knew it was strep I was slightly freaked by his swollen lymph nodes, which looked like someone had cut a golf ball in 1/2 and jammed it under his skin on both sides of his neck. All I could think was Lymphoma and that THIS was why we were eating healthy. Talk about a kick-in-the-pants! Optimal Health! Optimal Health! Optimal Health! If I were ever to get a tattoo, I would probably get those two words branded into the backs of my hands. Whatever it takes to keep me on the straight-and-narrow!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So...Here are the 10 Tips/Reminders to help you through the Holiday Temptation Season and carry you into the New Year, compliments of Experience Life.</span><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Embrace a wide variety of whole foods. All of them are good for you in balance and moderation.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Aim to maximize your intake of brightly colored, high-fiber veggies.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Don't eliminate whole foods rich in healthy fats, complex carbs and phytonutrients.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Do moderate your intake of foods high in sugars (added or otherwise) and minimize your intake of processed flours, sugars, starches and fried foods.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Replace some of the grains and starchy foods in your diet with leafy plants and legumes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">When you do eat grains, substitute whole, intact grains for refined grains and flours.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">When possible, opt for locally and organically grown whole foods. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Drink plenty of water, less of most other beverages. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Emphasize quality over quantity, and invest the majority of your food budget in nutritious choices. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Learn to cook well enough that you can prepare healthy, satisfying dishes you enjoy.</span></li>
</ol>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-27349462859427601902011-11-14T14:54:00.001-07:002011-11-14T15:28:02.508-07:00Detox Sucks<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please forgive the crassness of my title - but really, could I have said anything more true? I was going to title this "Detox = NO FUN" which is true too, but really...it just plain sucks so why not get the truth, the whole true and nothin' but the truth right out there in the open? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>What is detox?</strong> In my simplistic understanding of things, detox is getting the toxins (i.e. poisons) we've ingested into our bodies, out of our bodies. We most commonly think of detox as being related to drugs. We've probably seen it on TV shows with someone isolated in a white hospital room sweating and vomiting for 24 hrs, in total misery, trying to purge their bodies of the drugs. That would be an extreme example. What most people don't realize is that we ingest toxins and poisons everyday into our bodies simply by eating processed foods. Our kidneys and liver do an incredible job of trying to clean up the mess we make, but they can only clean up so much. Toxins get stored inside our cells, our organs...really, inside the entirety of our bodies. Unless we do something to get rid of it, it just keeps building. I believe (again, don't quote me) these stored toxins have a lot to do with the increase of cancer and other debilitating diseases (like diabetes) that are running rampant in our nation today.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">When I first attended a class on eating raw foods, <a href="http://www.livingrawbygrace.com/">Living Raw by Grace's</a> Haley Turney explained about detoxing and that no one should ever go raw overnight because the detox would be so intense you might not be able to endure it...and it would last up to 2 weeks. I listened to her say that several different times but it basically went in one ear and out the other. I'd been eating partially raw for a few months when my husband took a 2 week trip to Korea. The day he left I got this brainchild AH~HA moment, thinking it was the perfect time to go 100% raw while he was gone...i.e. no one around to influence my eating in a negative way. So I did. 3 days into eating raw and I literally thought I was going to die. I was depressed, angry, snappy, impatient with the kids, horrible stomach pain, achy, lying in bed and wondering if I was going insane or dying or both. Oh - and we won't even mention the toilet. We don't need that much truth!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">That's when I suddenly remembered Haley saying "I don't recommend anyone going raw overnight." UGH! NOW I remember? So immediately I contacted her on-line and told her what was going on. She thought it was a rather extreme detox but said yes, that's probably what it was and as sugar was an addictive drug, I might want to add some back into my diet and go off it a little slower next time. Lovely. At least I knew the reason behind the horribleness, though. I looked on-line and found this site called <a href="http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/Detox_Symptoms">Natural Therapy</a> and this is what it said (and I think I had all but 2):</span><br />
<br />
<h3 class="title">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Common Detox Symptoms</span></h3>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Detox can create a number of symptoms in your body as your body goes through the process of purifying itself and eliminating toxins. Some common detox symptoms include:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">headaches</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lethargy</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">temporary muscle aches</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mucus or other discharge</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a coated, pasty tongue</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">flu-like symptoms</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">irritability</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">difficulty sleeping</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">weakness</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cravings</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nausea</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">constipation</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">diarrhea</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gas </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You may even find that the detoxing process causes you to suffer the old symptoms that you have had that the body has suppressed. You may think that you are becoming ill but it is important that you continue with the detox and don’t take any medications to help with the symptoms. The aim to flush chemicals from the body, not introduce more!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Since that initial horrible introduction into detoxing, I've gone through it a dozen more times at least, but none to the same degree. It's funny that, still, I don't attribute how I'm feeling to detox. Just last week I started a new therapy called FSM (or Frequency Specific Microcurrent) to help with my inflammation on a cellular level. It basically cleans out your cells, getting rid of the toxins that have attached themselves to the cells and allows for healing to happen. Later the day I started FSM I thought I had the flu. I felt so horrible I laid my head on the kitchen table and cried. My little boy said, "Where's my mommy? What happened to you??" I felt terrible for making him feel sad. I told my sister that I didn't think the therapy was working because now I was sick with the flu. And she said "You're Detoxing Dummy!" (minus the "dummy" part but it WAS implied! lol).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, I write all this for anyone who is starting to eat clean, go Raw or do a Cleanse. You WILL experience detox and you might not know what's going on or may easily become discouraged. Hopefully this will help you not be discouraged. Know that this too will pass and you'll be a lot healthier for it!</span><br />
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-62763092182168805112011-11-07T10:00:00.000-07:002011-11-07T10:00:08.982-07:00Is it easy?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is (eating clean) easy? I get asked this question a lot. I actually don't understand why I get asked this question a lot. If you're reading this, and you know me, you've probably asked it...come on, fess up! The simple answer is NO! Is it easy for a smoker to quit smoking? Is it easy for drug addicts to walk away from their drug of choice? No, it's not. It's the same for a food addict...or more specifically, for a sugar addict. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I truly believe that sugar is a drug and that it's the most addictive and costly drug in America. It's in most of our food supply. Take a look at your Lawry's Garlic Salt...sugar. Your spaghetti sauce. Your cereal. Your whole wheat pita bread (which I was going to buy today until I read it...SUGAR!) Your muffins. Actually, muffins are the devil behind this moody post today. My husband is not on board with Clean Eating. He doesn't want to be limited by me and my "wierd" cooking habits. He usually goes to Fry's and stocks up on bags of carbs and sugar for the week. Honestly, none of that stuff tempts me because I think Fry's has the worst bakery known to man. So it's easy to stay away from it. But this week he wanted Costco muffins. Have you ever had Costco muffins? They're HUGE and moist and come in amazing flavors like Pumpkin Spice and Apple Cinnamon Crumble. I bought him the muffins thinking no problem...until I opened the package for a "quicky" breakfast for the kids (knowing I shouldn't but that whole "time" issue was at play...) and that sweet smell wafted out to tickle my nose. (Ok, I'm getting a little corny...I'm no novelist...). I just had to have a tiny taste of a crumb ~ That's ALL (I told myself)...until suddenly the entire giant muffin had disappeared. Do you know how good those taste? THEN I picked up the packaging. It was healthy, I told myself. It's a PUMPKIN muffin. Pumpkin is soooo healthy. But pumpkin wasn't the #1 ingredient. White processed flour wasn't even the main ingredient. No...SUGAR was the main ingredient. No wonder it tasted so good. No wonder I wanted to eat more.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">One irony about all these lifestyle changes I'm making is that people don't believe I'm a sugar addict! I'll tell someone I've just met (i.e. yesterday) about how I eat and they'll say "Oh, that's great. I could never do it. I have too big of a sweet tooth." Like I don't? I'm here to say I still struggle with this - every single day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">One episode of Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition really impacted me earlier this year when it was shown. A largely obese woman was talking about her food addiction and how hard it was going to be to change her eating. She said that for drug abusers, they can "just" stay away from drugs. Smokers can stay away from cigarettes (not to say it isn't a battle daily for them - BUT it is possible for them to avoid the source). But for a food addict, you can never stay away from the source. All people must eat daily. We have to have food, it's just not an option to not eat. Making the choice to eat the right foods IS. VERY. HARD. We can't drive down a main street in America without passing every sort of food temptation known to man.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I've read a lot of statistics over the past months and I'm terrible at remembering numbers, so I won't even attempt it. But I will give a broad summarization of them. Sugar addiction is the most costly and hardest-to-beat addiction in America. I believe it's also the leading cause of death. Whether it be death by diabetes or obesity or 1000 other health/weight related illnesses, including cancer. Sugar (also known as glucose or fructose) is a cancer cells main foodsource. Sugar is extremely costly. People spend more on medications to fight sugar-related illnesses than is spent on the entire drug war. And more people are dying of pharmaceutical drug overdose now than illegal drug overdose. This is a sad state of affairs we Americans find ourselves in. (please don't quote me - I am not a scientist or dr) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Statistics alone won't help a person make a lifestyle change. Watching one or two of the awesome videos out there (Food, Inc for one) isn't enough to make a lifestyle change stick. It's a great motivating start for a lifestyle change but in the end, it's not enough. There has to be a deeper reason to change a habit that has been built over decades. There has to be something or Someone greater that will help us to make right decisions when faced with 1000 temptations. And there has to be a whole lot of God's grace and help through the process. Because enthusiasm dies. And it's hard to press on despite the temptations. I encourage you to dig deeper. What's your reason? Who are you doing it for and why? Write it down - put it where you can see and remember. I WILL eat clean because...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So - is it easy? Is it easy for someone with a 30+ year addiction and 30+ years of bad habits to do a complete 180? No, it's not easy. But it IS worth it! It's worth it to see the weight fall off. It's worth it not to have trouble breathing. It's worth it to be able to bend over and pick up toys and trash off the living room floor without having to catch your breath in between bits and pieces. It's worth it to be off of all prescription medications. It's worth it to know (short of an accident of some sort) that I'm giving myself more time on the earth and for my kids. It's worth knowing what healthy is so I can teach it to my children. What an amazing legacy to pass on! <strong> </strong>Attaining Optimal Health is definitely worth it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">(Here are 3 of my Why's...isn't that photo hilarious? My fighters with their homemade pirates patches...they're definitely worth fighting for!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>It's not easy but YES it's worth it!</strong></span></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-50363165052075561852011-11-05T10:43:00.000-07:002011-11-05T10:43:55.387-07:00Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many times in my blogs and on my resources page I've mentioned Haley Turney of <a href="http://www.livingrawbygrace.com/">Living Raw by Grace</a>. I've done some classes with her and have all of her cookbooks, regularly preparing, sharing and enjoying many of her recipes. Last night she had a graduates potluck that I was very eager to attend. I couldn't wait to see what other recipes people had come up with while eating some amazing and healthy food. I also needed to go to "re-set" my brain and be reminded of why I've choosing to eat Clean and Raw.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sometimes despite the knowledge gathered and the best of intentions, old habits are just too hard to slip back into. A bite of this here, a piece of that there and then suddenly I can't claim to be eating Clean or Raw at all. So attending last night was a great refresher of the health benefits to eating well (and I'll actually go here and say - eating right!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We watched an incredible video called<a href="http://www.rawfor30days.com/index5.html"> "Simply Raw - Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days"</a> . If you have a family history of diabetes or have diabetes yourself, I highly recommend getting ahold of this video and taking an hour to watch. The movie follows 6 people beginning with their lives at home, showing the types of food they eat and describes how bad their diabetes is. It's so tragic to watch the hopelessness they live with on a daily basis. Each of them replied to a Craig's List ad to reverse their diabetes in 30 days. It was their last hope if they wanted to live...not just live a fantastic life...but to live! They came to a farm in Patagonia, Arizona (I'm from here and had never heard of Patagonia before!) for 30 days of isolation, training, and medical care but most importantly - of eating raw food. 30 days later they had ALL lost a minimum of 25 lbs and were off of all medications and insulin. They looked so healthy and happy - and hopeful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It just amazes me that when we go back to the way God created the earth, with the foods He designed to be perfect for our bodies, the wonderful health benefits that are reaped. This whole journey of food, with all of it's trials and errors, has left me profoundly amazed with the Creation story and the perfection of The Garden of Eden. Prior to this year, I could never understand how Adam and Eve were supposed to survive in the garden with "just" whole fresh fruits and veggies to eat. How boring! But now unboring it truly was. Leave it to a sinful people to see perfection as boring. And now, with all of the master chefs in the world preparing incredible foods from whole, raw ingredients, we have no excuses not to be enjoying God's complete food gifts to their fullest extent. (I write to myself - the Queen of Excuses!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It's my hope that someday someone with diabetes will read this and that their life will be saved. Truly this information is life-saving and it's not info that a doctor will ever give them (you). Part of my journey to optimal health was to avoid diabetes. Given how I was eating and my sugar addiction, I was on a path of intersection with the disease, especially since I have a family history of it. "Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food" has become my motto and according to the doctors, I'm doing it successfully! I hope you will as well. Here's the link to the Simply Raw site. <a href="http://www.rawfor30days.com/index5.html">http://www.rawfor30days.com/index5.html</a> If you sign up for their newsletter you'll get some freebies to help kick-start your journey. Good luck...and I wish you a future full of Hope.</span><br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-15952472746876134872011-10-26T15:43:00.000-07:002011-10-26T15:43:33.414-07:00Cheat Meals...Cheat Weeks<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The past few weeks a very common topic on pretty much all of the blogs & Facebook clean-eating sites I follow has been about cheating on clean eating...what you do in xyz situation (i.e. parties, dinner out, travel, etc...). I think this is a natural topic given the upcoming holidays and sugar-festivals (i.e. Halloween). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I began learning about Clean Eating I understood that this was a lifestyle change. I was choosing to eat a certain way for health purposes, with the final goal being optimal health. It was a hard transition but I finally made it to being mostly clean/raw and that lasted a few months - I was doing great, working out, losing weight, etc... Then I started reading these articles about cheating. I've long said if there's a way to cheat (on just about anything), I will find it. So these discussions about cheating on Clean Eating planted seeds in my brain that "cheating is ok" and "as long as I'm doing well most of the week, a cheat meal is fine" and "cheating once doesn't ruin the whole day, it just ruins that meal... get back on-track with the next meal". All of that is 100% true BUT those seeds planted in my head added to my sister's leaving the country for a week (she supplies me with a lot of my raw eating!) I started a really bad downward spiral. A cheat meal turned into a cheat day which turned into a cheat week... You get the picture. Hence no blog posts for the past 2+ weeks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">That doesn't mean I've totally stopped eating properly. It means I've eaten pizza, more pizza, Panda Express, hamburgers, and sugared coffee drinks occasionally through the last two weeks. In comparison to how I used to eat, this is really nothing BUT I feel gross. And I've gained 3 lbs (figures...right after posting my progress report). And I know it's not right for my body. So in essence, eating these things is sinning for me. I know that God has made my body (A+ blood type) to eat a certain way and when I go against that, for me it's a sin. Wow - that punches me below the belt (so to speak).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So today I sat down and re-evaluated what I've been doing wrong, what I was doing right that I've stopped doing, and what I need to change. Then I got busy in the kitchen. Step 1 for me to get back on the right track was to stock-up on the right foods so that I won't be as tempted to cheat. Step 2 was to add back in 2 shakes a day. I'd unthinkingly cut it back to 1 a day. Here's what I prepared that will carry me through the next week:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Starting with the strawberries, going clock-wise, I made:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">fruit dip (Greek yogurt, cream cheese, peanut butter, maple syrup and cinnamon)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">walnut pate (walnuts, green onions, red bell peppers, celery, salt)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">hummus (chick peas, garlic powder, tahini, salt, olive oil, lemon juice)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">crunchies (i.e. granola...oats, chia, flax seeds, chocolate chips, honey, peanut butter)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">peanut butter bars (granola, oats, honey, peanut butter)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gingersnap Raw Cookie Dough Balls, middle item (almond butter, molasses, honey, ginger, coconut flour)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Color-wise, it's all monotonous. But once I add other fruit, Kefir, chopped veggies and whole-grain tortilla chips to it, each item becomes a colorfest! And they taste so different and are full of nutrition. Now I'm stocked with my favorite foods and excited about the Clean Eating week to come!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">On a side note, I've been having problems with my legs giving out on me as I walk. I'm working out regularly and my muscles are getting strong so I was starting to worry a lot about this problem. I finally went to the dr this week and she said it's compressed nerves. So I followed up at the Chiropractor and he agreed - compressed nerves in my back. He says after such a huge change in eating, exercise and weight loss, this is a very common side-effect. So if someone is experiencing the same thing, don't worry - just get to the chiropractor! He said, as you lose a lot of weight, your frame has to adjust to the different shape of your body and frequently nerves get caught in the process. I'm going to add his office info into my Resources page, if you're in the West Valley of Arizona...great doctor! Check him out (and if you go - please mention my name! Amy Sun...so I can participate in the referral program)! (<a href="http://valleywidehealthcenters.com/avondale-spinal-rehab-center">Avondale Health Center</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But the reason I mention this...both the doctor and the chiropractor said the way I've been eating is 100% correct and the way everyone should eat! They said this nation eats WAY too much protein, processed foods, sugars and fast food. And they both encouraged me to keep it up. So...cheat meals will happen. It's a fact of life. But I'm not going to let a cheat meal turn into a cheat week again.</span></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-2831245277062162932011-10-10T09:00:00.000-07:002011-10-10T09:00:01.869-07:00Progress Report<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I get asked a lot "So, is eating like this working for you?" I think it's kind of a funny question because anyone who has known me longer than 10 months has seen the change in me physically. So in a way it's a redundant question, mostly from sceptical people who don't want to have to do what I'm doing. However, I am kind of excited to report today about some more milestones I've finally met. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">When working hard to be healthier and to lose weight, it's easy to get "stuck" and become discouraged. You work and work and work and see no apparent transformation...in those moments it's so hard to keep going. It would be easier to give up and revert back to old (and bad) habits, and for years that's exactly what I would do. But let me tell you...when you keep going and keep striving to attain those goals, it's so worth it in the end! I'm not at the end YET but...It's still worth it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So the weather has turned cold(er)...if you can count 78 degrees as cold! And yesterday I was beginning to wonder what on earth I'm going to wear when winter hits since ALL of my winter clothes are for a 40+ lb heavier me. A few hours later a friend who is moving gave me a bag of pants and Capri's, most with tags still on (if you read this - THANK YOU!!). They were size 10's (a BIG 10, she told me) but still...the number was 10. The last 10 I fit into was my wedding dress 11 years ago! And I bought it 6 months before my wedding and could hardly fit into it for my wedding. I really didn't think I'd fit into these size 10 pants but thought they'd be a great motivation for me. Last night I decided to see how much farther I had to go AND THEY FIT!! Some were still a little tight but still THEY FIT! I wore a pair to church today and could hardly believe my legs got into those things with room to spare! THAT is a miracle!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Well, one of my big goals in this whole journey was to be able to wear my wedding ring again. I "outgrew" it (if you know what I mean) during my first pregnancy 6 years ago and haven't been able to wear it since. I tried it on 2 weeks ago and couldn't get it past my 2nd knuckle. But yesterday I figured, what the heck...I got into size 10 pants, let's try on the ring. AND IT FIT!!!! I wore size 10 pants AND my wedding ring today! Can you tell I'm excited? And you want to know the craziest part? I fell this week and sprained my foot and haven't been able to work out in 6 days. It's funny how you work and work and see no results and then suddenly BAM they sneak up on you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So if you've grown frustrated or discouraged, keep at it! You can do this! Keep your goals in sight. Weight loss hasn't been my only goal attained. I was digging through my bag today and found my inhaler. 10 months ago I was using it 2 times a day and, really, it wasn't helping at all. I couldn't catch a breath for days on end, was seeing 3 specialists to figure out what was wrong, etc... Now I can't remember the last time I used it. Several months ago at least. Clean/Raw eating has helped me overcome the asthma issues I struggled with for awhile.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So it's a pretty good progress report for this month! Share with me your progress for this month.</span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603931676622639727.post-67379549972111208892011-10-08T15:11:00.000-07:002011-10-08T15:11:27.460-07:00Kids' Snacks<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Autumn is totally in the air, and that's saying a lot for the Valley of the Sun. Autumn around here is more like 2nd Spring. Trees and bushes burst into bloom again, birds and ducks start flocking to the area and the weather cools to wonderful temps. Strange things happen like, one day it's 104 as the high and the next it's 76. Welcome to life in Phoenix! So why am I not outside enjoying? Honestly, all the great weather just makes me want to sleep! So I'm doing the next best thing and that's catching up on my blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Kids' Snacks</strong> (I'm writing it in the plural since I have 3 of them! Kids that is...)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is a little harder topic than the "<a href="http://naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-kind-of-snacks.html">Snacks for Me</a>" one. I love trying new healthy things and then making a bunch and stocking my freezer so I can just pull something out on the fly and munch away. (As I was just doing with my <a href="http://naturallysweetsurprises.blogspot.com/2011/09/muffin-cookies-for-breakfast-or-any.html">Muffin cookie</a> slathered with clean icing!) My kids are a LOT pickier and they generally don't like homemade foods. This is my fault since I have spent most of their little lives stuffing them full of Jack In the Box, Taco Bell and various other processed and sugary foods. Kids are no different than we are. Their diet can't just be changed overnight. If I've trained them to eat poorly that's my fault and it will take time to undo the damage I've caused. They'll go through detox just like I did. Step-by-step I continue to adjust their foods to be healthier. It takes time and patience, both on their part and on mine. My kids are slowly but surely getting there. Foods that they used to call "Mommy Food" they now embrace as their own (i.e. oatmeal protein pancakes) and they've stopped asking me "What's in it?" every time I offer them something new. BUT the battle isn't completely won, YET! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So finding snack food that they will eat and that is healthy and fast has become a huge mountain that I am bound and determined to overcome. Here are some of the things we've found to date that are either organic and/or made with whole foods (no sugar, corn syrup, food coloring, preservatives, etc... this is what I look for...this is what I've found although I'm not totally positive on the preservatives and food coloring part).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.annies.com/">Annie's</a>... We love just about anything that Annie's makes! From their mac & cheese to the bunny fruit snacks, bunny crackers, bunny cereal. Oh my goodness...if it has a bunny on the box my kids are ALL over it! Costco used to stock Annie's products and that was the best price to get them at and in bulk, but recently I haven't seen them (such a bummer!). I'm hoping that's a seasonal thing and that soon they'll be back on Costco shelves again. Locally I can find Annie's products at Sprouts, Fresh & Easy and Fry's in the organic section.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.clifbar.com/">Clif</a>... Gotta love this guy! Clif and Annie should seriously get married. Imagine what kind of organic empire they could control! I love the Clif Mojo bars, personally. My son loves their chocolate chip bars so I'll often cut one in 1/2 and stick it in his school lunch. But their Clif Kid Z Bar is just fabulous! It doesn't matter what flavor, my kids will down them and they are very satisfying. They also have a Kid Z Fruit Stick. Easily portable, not too sticky, full of fruit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here you can see what I'm talking about with the Annie's and Clif Kid Z products:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Also pictured is the Bare Fruit dried apple chips and pre-packaged all-fruit leather. Both I found at Costco. I also get the freeze dried apple, pear and strawberry chips at Costco. All pre-packaged and easy to grab on-the-go or pack in school lunches.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In the lower right corner of the photo are vegetable chips I buy at Sprout's. They are cooked in oil but it's a decent kind of oil and the kids enjoy eating them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Crunchies are also a snack my kids will never say no to. I've posted the recipe before...basically it's homemade granola but I add extra honey to make it clump into bigger cookie-like pieces. Someday I'll post the recipe again...be on the watch!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My kids' have made the adjustment from Gogurt to Greek Yogurt. Today we were in the store and my 6 yr old picked up the box of Gogurt and announced to everyone that we didn't eat it anymore because it has sugar in it. Then she chose some honey Greek yogurt for her snack for later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I can't end this blog on kids's snacks without mentioning fresh fruit and raw smoothies. What healthier food is there than whole fruit...just whole fruit! Bananas, apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries...either whole or blended in a smoothie. It gets them the crunch they want, the sweet they want and satisfaction I want them to have. My littlest (3 yrs old) guy's new favorite snack is "blueberry milk". Flavored Kefir in a cup with blueberries or raspberries floating inside. He takes a spoon, digs the fruit out and drinks the rest. SO good for his intestinal tract...and a combo of two "mega foods" in one snack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm always on the look-out for other kid-friendly, healthy, clean (or almost clean), sugar-free snacks. What have you found? If it's a product or a recipe, I'd love to hear about it!</span></div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17553633203741588813noreply@blogger.com0