The Queen B

Baked Avocado with Chicken

2015-02-20T15:45:00.000-05:00

This is a super fast and easy lunch or dinner recipe. Low carbs and wheat and grain free!!

Ingredients:
1 whole avocado
1 already prepared and seasoned chicken breast ( I used left over grilled with taco seasoning)
4 Tbs salsa
1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese blend

Preheat the oven to 425. Cut open the avocado in half and remove the pit. Slice the avocado inside in to little squares but don't remove it. Fill the hole with salsa ( make sure it's healthy with no chemicals or added sugars in the ingredients list..tomatoes have natural sugar but it shouldn't be added to the list below). Place chicken and cheese on top. Bake for 5 minutes and enjoy! Bonus if cheese falls off and burns on the pan and you get to eat burned cheese!

chad likes his chicken on the side of his !

Sole Water Daily For Health Benefits

2015-01-27T16:49:00.002-05:00

What is Sole?

Since I am on a filtered water kick, I thought I would let you know how I start the day with it!

Sole (pronounced Solay) is water that has been fully saturated with a natural salt. This isn’t just a small amount of salt dissolved in water, but rather water that has absorbed as much natural salt as it is able and will not absorb any more. The term Sole comes from the Latin “Sol” meaning Sun. I am not talking about table salt, this is sea salt or pink Himalaya salt that you use that make this with.

I drink this every day on an empty stomach before breakfast.

You may be thinking salt can be harmful, so the idea of drinking salt water may sound counter-intuitive, but it turns out that this concentrated salt solution can have a variety of health-supporting uses. This remedy has been used for centuries in some countries and claims both anecdotal and scientifically supported evidence for the following uses:

Helps Hydration- The body naturally repairs and detoxifies during sleep, but in doing so, it uses up a good amount of water. This is why we are often more thirsty in the morning. Consuming a salt solution like Sole helps the body re-hydrate.
Helps the Body Detoxify- The minerals in Sole make it useful in the natural detoxification that the body already does. Sole is naturally anti-bacterial and can help remove bad bacteria in the body.
Boosts Energy- The minerals and stored energy in Sole help boost energy throughout the day.
Improving Digestion- Sole stimulates the digestive system promoting food absorption and regularity naturally.
Improving blood sugar
A Natural Anti-histamine- Sole can work as a powerful natural anti-histamine. This action is likely due to its balancing effects on the body.
Helps with Muscle Cramps
Bone Health- Sole is naturally full of minerals and alkalizing so that makes it helpful with bone health as well.
Healthy Veins- By supporting the correct mineral balance in the body and blood, Sole can help reduce or avoid vein problems like varicose veins.
Blood Pressure- Contrary to what we often hear, many people notice a reduction in blood pressure from using Sole.
Weight Loss- By improving digestion and nourishing the body on a cellular level, Sole can help promote weight loss.
Healthy Skin, Hair and Nails- Sole’s high mineral content makes it great for healthy skin (and acne problems), and for hair and nail growth.

While table salt could certainly have a negative effect and is best avoided, natural salt contains over 84 minerals and is incredibly nourishing for the body.

I personally use Himalaya Pink Salt to make my Sole. The recipe is below:

How to make Salt Sole:

Fill a glass jar about 1/4 of the way with himalayan salt (or celtic sea salt), either ground or in chunks. Fill the rest of the way with filtered water. Add a plastic lid (not metal!), shake and let sit overnight. You should always have some undissolved salt in the jar, this means the water is fully saturated. Add more salt if needed.
In the morning, take 1 tsp. of sole, mixed into some room temperature water, upon waking. Never use metal utensils with your sole!
Keep refilling your jar with salt and water when it runs low. It lasts indefinitely.

The reason for not using metal utensil or a lid is that salt when mixed with water will oxidize metals. When this happens it can release other metals and chemicals into the salt water as the metal lid (or metal spoon) starts to corrode. Even if they are stainless steel or other non-corrosive metals that won’t rust in theory, they can still react to the salt water. If you use a metal lid on this, it will rust quickly.

Now that said, using a metal spoon to scoop water out a little water or to quickly stir the solution probably won’t be in contact with the salt water to start the reaction, so I would not worry too much about that few seconds. I do that myself without worry. Leaving the metal spoon in the salt water, or using metal canning jar lid that is in contact with the salt water for longer periods really increases the potential of having oxidization and corrosion issues by drawing chemicals/metals/elements out of the metal and into the water.

What's in Your Water? Why We Chose A Berkey Filter

2015-01-26T14:33:00.001-05:00

What’s In Your Water?

If you are drinking tap water, the answer to that question is 300+ chemicals and pollutants, according to research from the Environmental Working Group. Among these contaminants are:

Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) such as pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. These chemicals are found in most municipal water sources and even in well and other sources due to agricultural run-off and contamination. Research links certain VOCs to damage in the reproductive system, liver, kidneys and more.
Heavy Metals like lead and mercury are found in some water sources and have been linked to any health problems.
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals are chemicals that may mimic or interfere with the normal hormones in the body and these chemicals are being found in increasing amounts in the water supply. They have been linked in studies to various types of cancers. These chemicals are known to affect animals when they enter the water supply as well.
Fluoride: Is purposefully added to the water and there is much heated debate about the benefits/harm of this. If fluoride has any benefit, it would be directly to the teeth, as drinking the fluoride has not been statistically shown to increase oral health at all. Additionally, fluoride has been linked to thyroid problems and other disorders when consumed internally.
Pharmaceutical Drugs: Those medications that are taken and expelled through body fluids and also that are expired and flushed down the toilets are also in your water supply. The molecules are often very small and a certain amount is allowed to pass in our water supply and is unable to be filtered out at treatment facilities.

So what are some alternatives to the tap?

Bottled Water:

Bottled water has started falling out of favor lately and with good reason. Mark’s Daily Apple did an in-depth analysis of why, but bottled water is not a good option for several reasons:

Chemicals from the plastic bottle itself can leech into the water
In most cases, the water itself is no different than tap water
Bottled water costs more in many cases that drinking tap water
Water bottles are a major source of consumer waste each year!

Verdict: Not the best option on price, taste, or health so we only use it when you are on the go all day. We buy spring water only.

Pitcher Water Filters

Pitcher water filters like Brita use Granulated Activated Charcoal to remove some contaminants. They are less expensive than other filter options upfront, but require frequent filling (especially for large families) and cartridge replacement (making them more expensive in the long run). Since the carbon is not solid, it does not remove all toxins though these filters will improve taste.

Pitcher filters will reduce chlorine, but are not effective at removing VOCs, heavy metals, endocrine disruptors or fluoride. This category also includes faucet mount external filters, which use the same technology.

Verdict: Better than nothing, but doesn’t remove the worst offenders and is somewhat costly to use compared to other options.

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Reverse Osmosis filtration uses a membrane which removes many contaminants from water. It is usually paired with a Granulated Activated Charcoal filter to remove chlorine and many mount under the sink and have a holding tank. The semipermeable membrane separates many contaminates (which usually have a larger particle size that water) from the water and rejects a large amount of water in the process.

The result is a waste of several gallons of water for every gallon filtered and many naturally occurring minerals (including calcium and magnesium) are also removed from the water. It does remove a large amount of contaminants but is not the best option, in my opinion.

Pros: Removes a large amount of contaminants. Many unites are stored under the sink and have a simple spigot over the counter for getting the water. Does reduce arsenic, asbestos and heavy metals. Does remove fluoride.

Cons: Wastes more water than it produces. Does not reduce VOCs or endocrine disruptors or pharmaceuticals. Takes up to an hour to filter one gallon of water and filters need to be replaced regularly. Removes necessary minerals from the water.

Verdict: Certainly better than a lot of options out there and does remove fluoride, but not the best due to its waste of water and costly filters.

Solid Block Carbon Filters

Recognized by the EPA as the best option for removing chemicals like herbicides, pesticides and VOCs. Quality carbon block filters will remove chemicals, pesticides, bacteria, fluoride (with filter attachment), heavy metals, nitrate, nitrites and parasites. Most are gravity based and can safely transform any type of water into safe drinking water including rain water, pond water and even sea water. If you filter all those types of water they will make your filters not last as long though lol. It will even filter water with food coloring to create clear water.

This is the option that we use now and my only complaint is that it does take up counter space. The advantages are that it is gravity based and will work even without electricity or running water. While these types of units can be more pricey that pitcher filters or other filters up front, they seem to be the least expensive in the long run and require the fewest filter replacements. These types of filters also don’t remove naturally occurring minerals from the water, making it the best tasting filtered water option, in my opinion.

The most common type of this filter is the Berkey and it comes in many sizes for different uses. It can even be used camping to filter river water for drinking!

Pros: Filters VOCs, heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, nitrates/ites, bacteria, parasites and other chemicals. Very inexpensive per gallon cost and infrequent filter replacement. Great tasting water. Doesn’t require electricity or water pressure to work. Portable options can even be used while traveling.

Cons: Does require counter space and does have to be manually filled (not a big deal for us, we just fill at night and we have plenty of water the next day). More expensive up front.

Verdict: This is what we are using now. We ordered the Big Berkey off Amazon for Christmas with the arsenic and fluoride filters in a set all together with the carbon blocks. It holds a little over 2 gallons of water in the tank. It is simple and easy to use and everyone that has tasted the water are amazed and refill their bottles every time they come over. We have also created two water snob children who say that water when we got out places tastes like a swimming pool. We are excited to take it to the beach with us this year and save some $ on buying a bunch of jugs and bottles of water all week. (water at the beach just tastes weird like sulfur lol).

This is the one we use called the Big Berkey

Other Notes:

UV Filters which does kill bacteria and parasites but does not reduce other types of contaminants and is not feasible for home use.
Water softeners which add sodium to the water to reduce calcium and magnesium (thus “softening”) but does not filter or remove contaminants.
Ceramic filters which do remove some contaminants but which are in many cases comparable on price to block carbon filters and which do not remove as many contaminants.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

2014-09-03T16:57:00.000-04:00

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

(Cake):

1 C almond flour
2 T coconut flour
1 T whey protein powder (I use NOW Whey Protein Isolate Dutch Chocolate)
1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 C sweetener (I used Truvia)
1/2 C melted coconut oil
3/4 C water
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

(Frosting):

4 T butter, softened
3 T cream cheese, softened
4 T melted butter
2 T natural peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup truvia

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients for the cake and whisk them together (almond flour, coconut flour, whey protein, cocoa powder, sweetener, baking soda, baking powder, salt).

2. Once whisked, add in your wet ingredients: eggs, oil, water and vanilla extract. Using a whisk, stir the batter vigorously until it's smooth and lump free.

3. Grease 8 wells of a muffin pan or line them with paper liners. Divide the batter up between the eight wells, filling each about two thirds full.

4. Place the pan in the oven and bake on the middle rack for approximately 20 minutes, or until cupcakes are firm to the touch (just barely) and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

5. Put together the frosting by creaming together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy, then add in the peanut butter and beat with electric mixer for another minute or so until it is smooth and lump free. I used a hand mixer.

6. Add in the vanilla and sweetener into the butter/cheese mixture.

7. Beat with an electric mixer for about two minutes on medium speed until everything is incorporated and the frosting is light, fluffy and smooth.

8. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Makes 8 cupcakes. 4g net carbs each.

Mini Vegetable and Bacon Fritatas

2014-04-10T15:50:00.002-04:00

Mini Vegetable and Bacon Fritatas

You all are going to love this! Healthy, gluten free, wheat free, wonderful, protein packed, breakfast or snack idea! You could really add any veggies you want in here. Personally, I will be adding spinach to them, but since I sent these to Chad's office and didn't want to scare people away with the greens, I didn't..lol.. How nice of me!

INGREDIENTS

6 Organic eggs beaten
1 cup organic egg whites, I buy them in a container
1 red peppers chopped
1 green red pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
4Tbs olive oil
3 cloves of garlic chopped
3-4 green onion chopped (the top part)
10 slices nitrate free bacon chopped ( I cut the bacon with scissors)
1/2 cup organic cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

First cook the bacon. I bake it in the oven on 400 degrees for 20 minutes for not getting it all over me, but you can fry it if you want to.

Preheat oven to 350 for the frittatas

In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion and peppers. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and bacon and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

In a bowl, combine egg whites and eggs and whisk together.

Spray muffin tins with clean cooking spray. You can make regular size muffins or a whole bunch of mini muffins. I did both in the picture above.

Divide veggie mixture in to the muffin cups. Top veggies with 3-4 tablespoons of the egg mixture. Sprinkle a little cheese on top and then mix them up a little. Cut green onion tops on to top of the mixture.

Bake for 20-25 min until tops start to brown just a little.

Ingredients:

6 eggs, beaten, I always use organic eggs
1 cup egg whites, I buy them in a container
2 red peppers, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3-4 green onions, chopped
6 slices Canadian bacon, chopped. I get Canadian bacon which is the only one I can find without sodium nitrate, a potent carcinogenic

Directions:

Spray muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
On a sauce pan over medium heat heat the oil and add the veggies except the garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and bacon and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
In a bowl mix regular eggs and egg whites. Preheat oven to 350F.
Divide veggie mixture between the muffin tins. Top veggies with 3-4 tablespoons of the egg mixture. Sprinkle each fritata with the green onions like in the picture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Let the fritatas cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Run a small knife alongside each fritatta to release it from the pan. Serve warm

Green Smoothies

2014-01-29T16:05:00.002-05:00

Genesis 1:29
And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.

Chad and I got a Ninja Blender for Christmas. We had researched all the expensive blenders and for making green smoothies and such, this is the best one we found for the price. If you try to make these in your regular blender, the greens will not blend well and you will have a "chunky" smoothie and it will all stick in the straw.. that is from experience.. click HERE for where we got our blender and the exact one.

We make this for breakfast in place of a meal every day now. If we don't, we feel blah for the day. It really has helped us feel more energetic and it gets our veggies in for the day. I will drink these and do a workout out at the gym and have lots of energy!!

Health Benefits of Green Smoothies

1 – Natural Weight Loss
Drinking a green smoothie is the best thing you can do to lose weight.
Green smoothies provide the nutrition, vitamins, minerals, healthy carbohydrates, fiber and low fat whole food that you need to lose weight quickly, safely and effectively without starving yourself. After drinking green smoothies for a few weeks, I noticed that my cravings for junk foods were greatly reduced and I actually began craving healthy food options!

2 – Increased Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables (Particularly Greens)
The American Cancer Society recommends that we eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day to prevent cancer and other diseases. Green smoothies are a quick and convenient way to get your vegetables and dark, leafy greens without tasting them. The fruit masks the flavor so even though all you taste is pineapple, mango, banana or strawberry, you are consuming a healthy dose of spinach, kale, carrots, tomatoes and any other vegetable that you put in.

3 – Easy Digestibility and Nutrient Assimilation
Blending fruits and vegetables together breaks down the cells of plants and improves digestibility. Your blender unlocks the nutrients and maximizes their delivery to your body more than chewing any salad could. Smoothies are quicker and more convenient than preparing and thoroughly chewing a salad, especially when you are on the go.

4 – Antioxidants
Green smoothies are high in antioxidants and phytonutrients. Not only are you giving your body the best defenses for disease, but you are ingesting a variety of natural substances that are essential for optimum health and fitness.

5 – Increased Energy
Smoothies provide a powerful boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients without bogging down your digestive system. Since you are eating natural, whole foods in the most optimum form for your digestion and nutrient absorption, you will have more energy to get things done and enjoy your day.

6 – Mental Clarity and Focus
With a healthier diet comes greater mental clarity and focus.

7 – Increased Fiber Intake
Unlike fruit juice or using a juicer, green smoothies use the whole fruit and vegetable so that you get all the fiber and nutrition. Fiber is essential for good colon health and it keeps your bowels in working order.

8 – Clearer Skin
Clearer, radiant skin is an often-reported benefit to eating healthier. Smoothies are high in fiber and allow your body to eliminate toxins the right way instead of through your skin.

9 – Reduce Cravings
Green smoothies reduce cravings for junk foods, unhealthy sweets, salt and fats. You will find that after a few weeks of drinking smoothies, you will crave healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables and greens.

10 – Excellent Source Of Minerals For Healthy Bones
Green smoothies provide a rich source of minerals thanks to the dark, leafy greens. All of the bone-building nutrients are abundant including calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

11 – Rich With Chlorophyll
Green smoothies are rich with chlorophyll which some natural health experts say enhances the immune system, purifies the blood and rejuvenates the body.

In addition to these health benefits, green smoothies are:

Easy to make and clean up after.
Taste amazing.
Will keep for a couple days in the fridge.
Are fun to make and experiment with different fruit and vegetable combinations.

Here are a few tips we have learned:

Put the whole fruit and veggie in the blender. I mean the whole thing. With apples, the nutrients are found in the fruit and peeling as well as the stem, seeds, and core. I cut mine it to fourths and throw it all in. For a pineapple, buy the whole fruit and put the core in when you slice it. You can even blend up an avocado pit full of nutrients!
Bananas and a slice of lime neutralize the greens and you will never taste them if you have one of those in there.
Blend, Blend, Blend... We blend ours for 3 minutes total and it they have a smooth consistency.
Do not use the spines of kale..they are very bitter and hard to mask.
We like to use a mix of spinach, kale, beet tops, and chard. They sell them as a blend called super greens. Start off with one handful and work your way up to more greens and less fruit. I currently use one or two fruits and 2 very large handfuls of greens.
If using whey protein powder, blend everything for 3 minutes, then add protein powder and mix another 30 seconds or so.

We have a blend of antioxidant powders that we add to the smoothie and sometimes we add protein powder as well. The antioxidants come from www.nuts.com. It contains turmeric, cinnamon, macca, acai, cherry, noni, goji, wheatgrass, and blueberry. We have a recipe for the ratios for those and we put a tablespoon of the mix in each smoothie. For protein powder, Chad uses vegan powder and I use whey with stevia.

Here are a few of our favorite recipes. Pinterest has a lot of ideas so try something new! There are some recipes out there with more veggies and even broccoli that we will be experimenting with and will post the good ones that we try! Remember these are not juices, they are whole fruits and veggie smoothies! We are currently working on our boys. When I find the kid perfect recipe...I will post it!! Jacob is currently drinking a protein one as we speak..now to sneak in the greens... ha ha ha!!

Morning Energizer:
1 cup water
1 apple (core,seeds, and stems)
1 banana
1 one inch slice of pineapple with core
2 dates
1 carrot
2 Tbs unsweetened organic coconut flakes
2 large handfuls of greens
1 TBS antioxidant powders (optional)
1 1/2 cups ice
1 slice of lime

Place all items in the blender in this order. Blend for 3 minutes. Sometimes Chad adds a whole orange to this as well.

Peanut Butter Banana (chocolate optional)
1 banana
2 Tbls raw peanut butter (only peanuts in ingredient list..I make my own at Ingles)
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 large handfuls of greens
1 cup of ice
1 scoop of protein powder (chocolate or vanilla) Chad uses Sun Warrior Blend and I use Simply Organic Whey
1 Tbs of antioxidant powder (optional)
1 cup ice

Place all items in the blend in this order and blend for 3 minutes. TIP: add everything in but the protein powder if using whey..it will be whip cream like if you don't...yup another experience.

Strawberry Banana

1 cup coconut milk
1 banana
1 cup strawberries
2 handfuls of greens
1 scoop protein powder.
1 cup ice

Place all items in the blend in this order and blend for 3 minutes. TIP: add everything in but the protein powder if using whey.

Almond Butter Banana

1 banana
2 Tbls raw almond butter( almonds only in ingredient list..I make my own at Ingles)
1 cup almond milk
2 large handfuls of greens
1 cup of ice
1 scoop of protein powder (chocolate or vanilla) Chad uses Sun Warrior Blend and I use Simply Organic Whey
1 Tbs of antioxidant powder (optional)
1 cup ice

Place all items in the blend in this order and blend for 3 minutes. TIP: add everything in but the protein powder if using whey

New Year..New You!

2013-12-31T17:08:00.001-05:00

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

It's that time of year. Where we all make resolutions of things we are going to do better, more of, fix, or just do period. The best thing you can do for yourself this year, is to get healthy. After all, God gave us these bodies so we could go out and accomplish His work, and if we don't have this machine ready to go and in good working order, we can't effectively complete our mission.

Wellness is not just absence from disease. It is an active process through which we all make choices toward more successful and healthy lives.

Here are a few ways to get your wellness and health on track. This is not a list to get skinny, this is a list to get healthy. Weight loss comes as a benefit of wellness and a side effect. We, as women, should not strive for being skinny, we should strive for wellness. We need to stop comparing our size to everyone else's and focus on what is important and that is our total body wellness.

1. Have a relationship with Christ. If you are eating healthy, working out, and you have no relationship with the God who created you, you can not have total wellness. Jesus Christ is the only way to achieve total wellness.

We are marvelously designed by God. He made us in a way that all our body systems work together in unimaginable and intricate ways. Our soul, spirit, mind and body are all connected and work together perfectly according to His design. Because we are designed by God, when we live according to His principles as outlined in the Bible, our life will be more full and we are more likely to experience a life of peace, joy and hope. This will create an environment that favors good health. http://www.faithandhealthconnection.org/

2. Eat 6 Small Meals per Day

3. Eat every 2-3 hours

4. Eat a combination of Lean Protein Foods Plus a Complex Carbohydrate at each meal.

5. Drink 2-3 Liters of Water each Day.

6. Depend on lots of Fresh Fruits And Veggies for complex carbs and fiber. Chad and I recently got a high powered Ninja and drink our fruits and veggies every morning. We put the apple with the stem and seeds in, peelings on certain things..that's where the nutrients are! A plant based diet will decrease your cholesterol, heart disease, inflammation and is a cure for many ailments. I am sure you have seen my recent pinterest board of vegan and vegetarian. We are just trying to cut back on meats and eat more vegetarian meals for the purposes of Chad's cholesterol.

7. Limit grains (especially wheat) but eat a small amount healthy grains, not refined, over processed, full of chemical foods. Healthy grains include quinoa, steel cut oats, brown and wild rice, spelt and kamut, Grains are the most genetically modified plants and have decreased nutritional value with wheat being the worst..that's whole wheat included. Soy beans are also on the high list of genetically modified plants.

8. Stop eating Sugar. Check the labels on everything! Sugar in everything especially boxed up processed foods. Sugar causes inflammation and weight gain and leads to a huge pyramid of health issues. Stick to healthy alternatives in small amounts like honey, stevia, and birch sugar.

9. Eat Fats to Get Lean...From healthy fat sources Your body needs omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids to live. Feed your body healthy fats!

10. Never skip a meal...ESPECIALLY BREAKFAST! This is a great time to whip up a green smoothie and drink it in a hurry and get those veggies in! I know you are thinking, "oh yuck" but let me tell you, those smoothies are yummy and the greens don't taste like anything if you fix them right!

11. Stick to reasonable portion size. Just because it's healthy food doesn't mean you can eat all you want. I suggest tracking calories even on healthy foods. I like the livestrong or the fitness pal apps.

12. Get Adequate Sleep. Your body needs time to rest and repair itself.

13. Exercise. To be healthy and achieve wellness for the whole body you have to do cardio and strength training to increase muscle and bone mass. If you are over 30 and you aren't making muscle, you are losing muscle!

14. See a good doctor. I had to do a lot of research to find a healthy doctor. That is a funny sentence, I know. But it is true. If you go to a doctor that throws you a Rx every time you walk through the door, I urge you to find another one. I am a nurse and I know all about Rx medicines and I do believe they are necessary and needed in certain conditions. That is why God let us discover them. The problem lies in that fact that drug companies and insurance companies work together with the doctors and medications are over prescribed and cause more health issues than they help. I had patients at the hospital come in with two Wal-Mart bags full of Rxs that they take everyday. I just wanted to say "Stop and look at this and you might find where you problem is coming from..like this bag!" There are lots of great doctors out there who will help your body heal itself with diet, exercise, and plant based supplements. Your body has all it needs to heal itself, if you know what you need to do it.

15. Know you numbers. Find that good doctor and they will draw some lab values that you need to know. Cholesterol, blood sugar, hormone, thyroid, and vitamin levels are all lab values you need to know. The other important number is your blood pressure. These are all a gage of how "well" your body is doing.

I challenge you to follow these rules and see what happens to you. If you don't know where to start. This is it! Let's go in to the new year with a new outlook on health and wellness!

Six Biggest Workout Mistakes

2013-12-06T15:44:00.001-05:00

1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

Our family recently joined the gym. I personally, had been doing my workout videos at home and walking outside and felt like I was doing just fine on my own. Until.... I just recently (like in February to be exact) for no reason, with my healthy eating obsession still in tact and doing the videos I have always done and loved, started to gain weight. What in the world????

This gym stuff all started when Joseph broke his ankle in October, so he was out of soccer for 6 weeks. We signed him up in November for the gym so he could work on upper body and not lose all physical abilities that he has worked on during that time. So, my brain said "Wait! You are paying for a membership for your child and not doing anything to help your situation!". See, I am very bad to sacrifice whatever I need, to help my children, or other people. I am one of those who needs to learn to do something for me. I am a nurse, so I am wired to help others all the time. But, something (maybe God) said you need to join with him. So, if I am going down with him, so is everyone else in this house, lol! We all joined. The Great Body Company has been wonderful to help all of us. They have made a workout even for Jacob who is 9. We have been going for about 4 weeks now. I have always been kind of anti-gym if that is a word. I felt like I was fine to work out on my own at home without paying money. While that is true, you can do that, I have found that it is much more effect for me to go workout on equipment and with people that I don't have the access to here at my house.

So the trainer there told me something eye opening. Are you ready for this one.... if you are over 35 and you are not actively lifting weights and making muscle, you are actively loosing muscle! It's all part of the aging process. Muscle helps metabolism, as well as strength and bone mass. So if I am losing muscle everything is slowing down. So if I am not building muscle, my body says...slow it down guys she is getting old lol! So my anti-aging plan is to lift some weights and turn this car around! I do not have all the things that I need to do this at my house and for the cost to buy it all, we can pay much less and go work out as a family and with friends..bonus!!

Here are some helpful tips and six big workout mistakes... and I, Mrs. Health Fanatic, am guilty of them all!!

Mistake #1: Too much cardio

You need to avoid steady state cardio and shock your body! Get off the treadmill and the elliptical and start mixing things up. Increase your workout intensity, but lower your duration. Try something fun and new (kickboxing, circuit training, sprints, or play a new sport) and continue to switch things up to keep your body guessing. By lowering the amount of traditional steady state cardio, and replacing it with higher intensity and shorter duration exercise, you will actually improve your hormonal state and your body’s ability to burn fat and build lean muscle.

Mistake #2: Intimidated by weight training and therefore not doing it

I understand that you are afraid to get “bulky” and lose your feminine look, however you need to throw this fear and misconception out the window. Strength training is extremely beneficial for your bone health and overall long-term health. Additionally, lean muscle will improve your body composition and help you burn fat faster than cardio. One key ingredient is finding the proper environment or facility to learn to strength train and losing your false insecurities that others in the gym are watching you or judging you.

Mistake #3: Spending 15-20 minutes isolating your abdominals

Your abs are made in the kitchen with a great diet and not by performing an insane amount of isolated abdominal movements. As you begin to strength train, you will want to do multi-joint functional movements (Ex: squats, dead lifts, pull-ups, kettle bell swings) where your abs are engaged throughout the entire workout. Fortunately or unfortunately, all of the isolation crunches, bends, twists, etc. will never out do or overcome a poor diet. Did you hear that?? YOU CAN'T OUT RUN YOUR FORK!

Mistake #4: More is not better

It is absolutely important to work hard in the gym and get after it. However, you need to also listen to your body and work to develop a set training schedule. If you are overtraining and pushing your body too far, more time in the gym will not equal better or faster results. Lack of sleep and too much training is counter-productive to your results because you will be putting your body in a poor hormonal state and you will be taxing yourself mentally as well. As previously mentioned, shorter and more intense workouts are the best way to burn fat and build lean muscle. I just started a few weeks ago, and if you know me, I am all in or nothing on everything. So, I am guilty here and my elbow is sore because I pushed a little too much lol!

Mistake #5: Carbohydrate loading before workouts

There are many misconceptions about carbohydrates, but most experts would agree that lower to moderate carb intake is effective to get lean. We must also understand that athletic performance is different than weight loss and training for body composition. If your primary purpose is to get a lean fit body, then stop eating carbs before your workout. If you need to have a snack or eat before try eating something with just protein and fat in your pre-workout meal. Many people will get leaner and feel better with ketogenic, low carb, or cyclic low carb diets.

Mistake #6: Unrealistic expectations

You can’t be so hard on yourself and you must understand that your body will not change overnight and you need to be patient. Changing your body or anything in your life will take consistent effort over time and you must have a plan and stick to it. You must immediately stop your obsession with the scale and instead notice how you feel, how your body looks in the mirror, how your clothes fit, and how you perform in life on a daily basis. Set a realistic time frame for your goal. I would recommend setting a date of at least six weeks and preferably eight to twelve weeks before you judge your results. I am so guilty of this..SO GUILTY!
You must also remember that diet, sleep, and stress are arguably even more important than what you do in the gym. So make sure these aspects of your life are also in check so you do not sabotage your well deserved results!

Action Steps

In order to take this information and put it to good use in your life today, you will need to do several things:
Get a workout plan that involves variation and has a focus around strength training.
You must find an environment that you are comfortable in and hire a coach that can properly teach you new things. If you have budgetary constraints, start by reaching out to an experienced and “fit friend” for some initial guidance.
Have realistic expectations and set goals for at least six weeks out and avoid the mental traps of the scale.
Have equal focus on your diet, sleep, and stress levels so you can get the results that you deserve from your workout program. Moving towards a real food diet will be a great start.
Now you have specific action steps to move forward today and you can begin working smarter and not harder towards the body or your dreams.

Brownies ..gluten free and paleo friendly

2013-10-03T09:45:00.000-04:00

I made these last week and they were so good! The kids loved them and I took them to a family get together and they all loved them and they are free of wheat! You can also make them sugar free by substituting stevia in the place of honey.

Paleo, Gluten Free Brownies

ingredients:

1/2 cup almond flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 stick organic butter
2 organic free range eggs
3 tablespoons of raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons almond butter
1/4 cup chocolate chips

instructions:

mix together the almond flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt
melt the butter
whisk the melted butter with eggs, honey, almond butter, and vanilla
add dry ingredients in to the wet and gently fold in the chocolate chips to the batter
spread the batter in an 8x8 inch greased pan or parchment paper lined pan
bake at 350 for 25 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
let brownies cool before cutting

my ingredients

mix dry ingredients

whisk wet ingredients

mix together wet and dry and fold in chips

I like to use these chips

all done!

Budget Friendly Healthy Eating Tips

2013-09-30T11:31:00.000-04:00

1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

The biggest complaint I hear from people trying to start a healthy diet is the following.. "it's too expensive to eat healthy". Well, first of all, the price of being unhealthy is much more. You will have more medical problems, medical bills, and medication costs, if not now, you will have them later. You are what you eat and eventually it will all catch up to you. If you don't put the proper food and nutrients in to your body your body is suffering. Not to mention what the added chemicals in your foods will cause. Like everyone else in this day's economy, we don't want to go out and spend $300 a week on a grocery bill and we don't. So how do you eat healthy and stay on a budget?

Budget Friendly Tips for Healthy Eating

Buy Local: it is much cheaper to buy from your local farmer or farmer's market than the grocery store for produce and other items. There are many local farmer's markets and if you plan meals and buy what is in season that alone will save you money. I not only love the farmer's market, but I love my local farmers and call them when I need items, such as grass fed beef, eggs, and produce. If you live in the Tri-cities area and don't know about Indian Brook farm near our church, send me a message and I will hook you up with my favorite farm girl, Wendi!
Plan meals: If you plan your meals for the week, make a grocery list, and stick to it, you won't be buying impulse items or throwing things away.
Go to more than one store on more than one day: No store has everything that I use and no store has their items at the same price. I shop about three different places about two different times a week and I shop a little at a time and do not do one huge grocery store trip. If I shop on Monday for eating grilled chicken on Friday, the chicken isn't as fresh and some of the veggies I would have used are starting to go bad. I don't like to waste and throw things away, so I will make a mid-week grocery stop often.
Shop the perimeter of the store: Most of your items that are healthy and fresh are around the perimeter of the store. Most of the processed junk food impulse items line the shelves down the middle. If you don't go down them, you don't buy any extra junk.
Use coupons: What?? They have healthy coupons?!? Yes, they do. Here are some links for healthy coupons. Note: earthfare has store coupons, but most of the coupons on their site are from the manufacturer, which means you can print and use it anywhere.

Earthfare Coupon Homepage : remember you don't have to shop there to use these!
Mambo Sprouts
Stoneyfield : sign up for free coupons

The World's Fastest Workout Video!!!

2013-08-08T09:53:00.002-04:00

The 4-Minute Fat-Burning Miracle Workout

1 Timothy 4:8

For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

I have pinned a lot of the these workouts on pinterest. I know some of you have heard of this and some of you think I am speaking a cool new language. It rolls off the tongue smoothly and the word sounds cool.

Tabata training is a High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) workout that lasts four minutes. I know what you're thinking.....how can that be effective? Oh, that's easy, four minutes.... HA HA HA, I say. Try one and you will see. When I first watched one of these, it reminded me of middle school PE exercises and I thought "this will be fun and easy and four minutes, oh yeah". Let me tell you, I was sucking wind, dizzy, breathing as loud as a bull, and laying on the floor. See, if you aren't about to fall over, you didn't do it right. So why would any human inflict this upon themselves? You will feel amazing and have lots of energy all day long. I miss that feeling when I don't do it. I do it first thing in the morning. It raises your heart rate for up to 36 hours after the workout and keeps that metabolism revving all day!

The History of Tabata

Tabata training was discovered by Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo. They used this on Olympic Speed Skaters to increase their aerobic capacity.

Tabata and his team conducted research on two groups of athletes: one group trained at a moderate intensity level while the other group trained at a high intensity level. The moderate intensity group worked out five days a week for a total of six weeks; each workout lasted one hour. The high intensity group worked out four days a week for six weeks; each workout lasted four minutes and 20 seconds (with 10 seconds of rest in between each set).
The results; group one had increased their aerobic system (cardiovascular), but showed little or no results for their anaerobic system (muscle). Group two showed much more increase in their aerobic system than group one, and increased their anaerobic system by 28 percent.
In conclusion, high intensity interval training has more impact on both the aerobic and anaerobic systems.

The Tabata Program

The Tabata workout lasts only four minutes, but is one of the longest four minutes you'll encounter. The structure of the program is:

Workout hard for 20 seconds
Rest for 10 seconds
Complete eight rounds

You push yourself as hard as you can for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds until you complete eight sets. You can do pretty much any exercise you wish. You can do squats, pushups, rows, etc... Any exercise that works your large muscle groups is strongly recommended.

Tabata is great to get a quick workout in if you're short on time, need to switch up your routine, or need to improve endurance speed. Incorporate this type of workout into your fitness routine and produce results.

Some people just do it on their own with little tabata timers. Personally, I like to do a video and have instructions out loud. I need to follow along to keep myself going at a fast pace. I will post my personal favorite video below. Have fun!!!

The Truth About Soy and Bonus Recipe for Protein Bars

2013-04-22T11:19:00.002-04:00

Genesis 1:29
And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.

I know you all have heard all the bad things about soy and good things about soy, so which one is it? Let's go back to rule #1 in clean eating..if God made it, it's good for you. God made soy beans. They are meant to be eaten in their whole form and not to be processed in to something else or genetically modified. This (as with all foods) is where the problem begins.

Meet the edamame

Edamame is a green vegetable more commonly known as a soybean, harvested at the peak of ripening right before it reaches the "hardening" time. The word Edamame means "Beans on Branches," and it grows in clusters on bushy branches. To retain the freshness and its natural flavor, it is parboiled and quick-frozen. In East Asia, the soybean has been used for over two thousand years as a major source of protein. Edamame is consumed as a snack, a vegetable dish, used in soup. As a snack, the pods are lightly boiled in salted water, and then the seeds are squeezed directly from the pods into the mouth with the fingers. This is the healthy form of soy.

When soy beans are processed, every healthy part is stripped away leaving you with SOY PROTEIN ISOLATES...these are little molecules of estrogen. This will get your hormones out of whack, help to increase the risk of breast cancer, causes girls to start periods at an earlier age, causes our boys and husbands to have increased breast tissue. AVOID THIS INGREDIENT at all costs.

Watch this little video below....it is wonderful about telling how soy is broken down when processed and what it does. It also shows you bad forms and good forms of soy protein. Please watch it..it's so informative!

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/1-food-women-should-avoid-processed-soy

Joseph runs track and plays soccer. He is our 13 year old. Sometimes he does that on the same day and is starving right after school before practice. I have been sending him with an apple and a Kind bar or some kind of organic protein bar daily. I checked the labels on them all...even organic and found this :

Do you see it?? The Soy Protein Isolate????

I have found that the "healthy snacks" aisle is responsible for more weight gain than the candy aisle. Most protein shakes and bars contain more sugar and fat than a bag of candy! They also all have soy protein isolate. The tricky part is that we think they are healthy because they came from the health food aisle. If you’re also trying to lose weight and stubborn body fat, you should run past this aisle.

There are a few bars out there without these ingredient in it...however Joseph doesn't like any of them. So I am making my own for him. What could be better?!?!

There are many healthy protein powders out there besides soy.. I choose to use cold-pressed whey that comes from milk and it has stevia instead of sugar. Other good ones are hemp and pea powders. It's the process that makes the difference on these. Anytime you heat up the products and process it, you strip it of the nutritional value and create issues. You will pay for high quality powders; just let me tell you, but I can't put a price on my family's health. It is actually more economical to make my own as these bars are expensive on this case.

Here is a recipe for you that I made for Joseph today:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bar

1 1/2 cups dry oatmeal

2 Tablespoons flax seed, ground

2 Tablespoons Honey

2-4 scoops protein powder

1/2 cup peanut butter ( no other ingredients but peanuts)

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup coconut oil or butter, melted

1 cup chocolate chips (divided) mine or pictured below

1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients and half a cup of chocolate chips.... (mixture will be somewhat sticky). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper and spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Melt the other 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on the stove or in the microwave. Drizzle or spread over the mixture in the pan.
Place the pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Cut into 10 -12 bars and wrap in plastic wrap and/or foil and store in the freezer.
Thaw slightly before serving.

my protein powder found at kroger

this only has peanuts or you can make your own as pictured below

this is peanut butter made at ingles

I cut mine with this super pampered chef thing..oh my so easy

I am going to wrap these individually and store in fridge

Natural Cures for A Migraine

2013-01-21T11:22:00.001-05:00

Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.

This is a pretend photo of me with a headache. (I know...good actress!). Actually, Friday, I had a real migraine headache and if someone snapped a photo of it, I probably would have went crazy. I had sunglasses on in the house while laying in the floor and all the shades pulled. I don't usually get headaches. I have had a few migraines in my life, but that was years ago. I don't like taking medications and I don't think they help anyway. When I worked in ER, we had people in there on a daily basis suffering with migraines; seeking help after days of suffering. Our high powered injections didn't usually provide pain relief for very long.

I am not sure what happened on Friday. I think it was a combination of factors. Maybe it was stress, the way the light shined off the snow, the weather itself, who knows. But I walked outside, the sun was shinning off the snow at just the right angle to about blind me and then I saw them. I saw the squiggly lines out of my left eye to the point I couldn't see out of it and I knew what was coming next. This is known as a migrain aura. After 20 minutes of annoying vision came the severe headache and nausea. The kids were out of school, we were making negotiations on our house that just appraised below selling price, and it had snowed so much we lost power and spent the night in a hotel. So, I didn't have time for all this and probably all this caused my issue in the first place :D.

As soon as I could see to read again, I laid in the floor with the ipad and starting researching natural ways to cure migraines. I thought, at this point what could it hurt. Medications don't help me, so I am willing to try anything.

First to understand what cures a migraine headache, you must understand what it even is. A migraine headache is a common form of headache that is believed to occur as a result of complex interactions between the nervous system and the vascular system as well as alterations in brain chemicals.

During A Migraine

Sympathetic nervous system activity delays emptying of the stomach into the small intestine and thereby prevents oral medications from entering the intestine and being absorbed.

The impaired absorption of oral medications is a common reason for the ineffectiveness of oral medications taken to treat migraine headaches.

The increased sympathetic activity also decreases the circulation of blood, and this leads to pallor of the skin as well as cold hands and feet.

The increased sympathetic activity also contributes to the sensitivity to light and sound as well as blurred vision.

Migraine headache triggersWhatever the exact mechanism of the headaches, a number of things may trigger them. Common migraine triggers include:

Hormonal changes in women. Fluctuations in estrogen seem to trigger headaches in many women with known migraines. Women with a history of migraines often report headaches immediately before or during their periods, when they have a major drop in estrogen. Others have an increased tendency to develop migraines during pregnancy or menopause. Hormonal medications — such as oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy — also may worsen migraines, though some women find it's beneficial to take them.
Foods. Some migraines appear to be triggered by certain foods. Common offenders include aged cheeses; chocolate; aspartame; overuse of caffeine; monosodium glutamate — a key ingredient in some Asian foods; salty foods; and processed foods. Skipping meals or fasting also can trigger migraine attacks.
Stress. Stress at work or home can instigate migraines.
Sensory stimuli. Bright lights and sun glare can induce migraines, as can loud sounds. Unusual smells — including pleasant scents, such as perfume, and unpleasant odors, such as paint thinner and secondhand smoke — can also trigger migraines.
Changes in wake-sleep pattern. Either missing sleep or getting too much sleep may serve as a trigger for migraines in some individuals, as can jet lag.
Physical factors. Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity, may provoke migraines.
Changes in the environment. A change of weather or barometric pressure can prompt a migraine.
Medications. Certain medications can aggravate migraines, especially oral contraceptives and vasodilators, such as nitroglycerin.

(Looks like from this list of problems I had on Friday, I was doomed for it LOL)

So now that we know what it is and what causes it, we can learn how to fix it!!

I did the hydrotherapy below and while I was doing it and I got INSTANT relief! I also went with a friend later and got a massage and the headache never returned! I used lavendar, eucalyptus, and chamomile in the tub of water I had my feet in when I did the warm water.

Hydrotherapy is easy, and it works. Contrast showers or filling up the bath tub with your feet in will help with many ailments. Stand in water as hot as you can stand for two minutes (this increases blood flow to the skin), then as cold as you can stand for two minutes (this sends blood to the core of the body). Alternate back and forth for 20 minutes to increase blood flow and circulation, bringing nutrients to organs and carrying away toxins. Then..put your feet in very cold water and a hot rag on the back of your neck. ( I used my microwavable buckwheat pillow ). This helps bring the blood down out of your head, by sending it to your feet.

Herbs- Feverfew is effective at preventing migraines, but not stopping them once they've begun. The plant's active ingredient, parthenolide, inhibits the chemicals in the brain that cause the blood vessels to dilate.

Acupressure points such as pinching the soft tissue between your thumb and forefinger can help alleviate pain as well. Another technique is to put your thumb in your mouth on the same side as the migraine pain, reaching up to find the cheekbone. Press that bone up and out. Repeat on the other side. Then place both thumbs on the upper palate (inside the mouth) and press the sides out. Several repetitions may be necessary. Relax and breath deep. Slowly inhale and exhale all the way out.

Diet corrections Last but probably most important, make the necessary. There is no substitute for water. When you are thirsty, it is not for coffee or soda, but water and only water. When you drink anything else, you need more water to flush that out. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. Eating more vegetables is best ways to correct nutritional deficiencies and correct your body's pH. Supplements help. Low magnesium and Vitamin B are often linked to Migraines.

Is it the Chicken or The Egg?

2012-10-23T09:29:00.002-04:00

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

I like this verse that talks about how birds don't worry. I am terrible at not worrying. That's my grandmother's fault, I'm pretty sure it's hereditary ha ha! The verse talks about the birds don't worry what they will eat and where they will take shelter, the just know that God will take care of it all.

Speaking of birds, they give us a source of wonderful food, the egg. I have heard great debate in my 37 years, the egg is bad, the egg is good, no the egg is bad again. The trouble with it all is not with the egg itself, it is how the chicken in raised and fed. So, the studies must take in consideration the chicken when they are being conducted. So...what is it, good or bad? The egg is a creation of God and the bible tells us that the creatures and the plants were made for us for food. So, by that, I will trust that the egg is good. So let's take a look at why I say it matters to take in to consideration the chicken itself.

Benefits of Eggs
1. Egg keep you feeling full much longer than cereal or toast.The protein and fat in eggs helps sustain your energy levels, keeping you satisfied for longer and reducing the need for a mid morning snack.
2. Eggs assist weight loss.
This is a follow on benefit from keeping you satiated. Studies have shown that people who eat eggs for breakfast are more likely to lose weight than those who ate bagels.
3. Eggs are a great source of protein.
Whole eggs are one of the most complete sources of protein, meaning eggs contain all the essential amino acids which we must get from our diets.
4. Eggs tend to be relatively inexpensive.
Compared to other high protein foods such as red meat, even free range eggs are more budget friendly.
5. Eggs aren’t going to make your cholesterol worse.
While it’s true that eggs do contain a significant amount of cholesterol, the old formula of the cholesterol you eat impacting on your blood cholesterol levels, has been disproven. So there’s no need to worry about eating eggs increasing your risk for heart disease.
6. Eggs help with brain development and memory.
Choline, an essential nutrient found in eggs, stimulates brain development and function. It has also been linked with increasing memory retention and recall as well as improving alertness.
7. Eggs protect your eyesight.
Two antioxidants, leutin and zeaxanthin, are present in eggs and have been linked to protecting eyes from damage related to UV exposure. They have also been associated with reducing the likelihood of developing cataracts in old age.

Eggs produced by free-range hens compare favourably with those produced by battery cage hens. Eggs from free range hens had up to:

1/3 less cholesterol

1/4 less saturated fat

2/3 more vitamin A

2 times more omega-3 fatty acids

3 times more vitamin E

7 times more beta carotene

When we treat God's creations like they should be, the effects it has on the overall health of the animal leads to a better production in the eggs they produce and the meat from the animal itself.

In this egg yolk picture to the left, you can see the comparison in color between the free range chicken egg yolk from a pastured chicken and the confined chicken egg yolk. The pale yellow egg yolk picture is from my confined chicken that was eating nearly 100% grains and was eating virtually no greens. Now you know too that there is a big visual difference between free range eggs from pastured chickens versus confined grain fed chicken eggs.

See, it does matter how the chicken in treated. I know where my eggs come from. I buy them weekly and I drive to the farm to get them. I took a picture of them with the cows. I won't go in to all the details, but multi-species grazing is great for both animals and the soil itself. It helps the fertilizer spread to the grass when the chickens scratch in the field, helping the field and bugs that the chicken and cattle eat. It's a win/win situation to let them roam free together!

If you want more information on my favorite local farm girl, feel free to message me for details. Indian Brook Farm Wendi and Craig Neibruegge.

Here is what the eggs look like....they are just so pretty!

No Flour, No Sugar..Snikerdooodles!

2012-10-18T10:05:00.001-04:00

Almond and Coconut Flour Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

1cup blanched, fine ground almond flour

1 cup coconut flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup coconut oil or organic butter

1 organic egg

1/4 cup Truvia

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Cinnamon coating:

3-4 tablespoons truvia

3-4 tablespoons ground cinnamon

In a medium sized bowl mix all the cookie ingredients. How easy is that?????

For coating: mix the truvia and cinnamon in a bowl. You may have leftovers..just save them for next time :D

Using a rounded tablespoon, scoop out the dough, then gently form into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon mixture. Place the balls of cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Use a mason jar or glass and flatten the cookies on the sheet. Bake at 350 for about 8-10 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on sheet..they may seem under baked at first, but they will harden as the cool. ENJOY your sugar free, grain free coo

kies!!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint China Cabinet Makeover-Reduce, Re-Use, Re-Cycle

2012-09-12T11:33:00.000-04:00

This post has nothing to do with food, but just my lifestyle in general. My friends know I like to reduce, re-use, recycle :D I like to go to garage sales and I like the shabby chic style. My mamaw passed away 3 years ago and my papaw passed away in Feb. They kept and saved everything. They are the people that taught our family this lifestyle and healthy eating and gardening and working for what you have. Since they passed away, I have been trying to re-use their things. I have used a lot of old things in pictures for my photography business. I recently went to retrieve one of the many old pieces of furniture that was hers and give it a face lift and bring it in to my home.

If you don't know what Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is, let me introduce you to AMAZING! WHY?? No priming, no sanding, you JUST PAINT!!! I have repainted and painted furniture before, and this is like no other! It cover completely in one stroke of a brush with very little paint that you can put in a bowl and water down to make it go even farther. I used less than half a quart on this project. They have amazing old world colors:

It retails for about $35 a can..plus you need the wax is $25 ..you have to have both, but you can paint multiple projects with this! A lot of people are painting their kitchen cabinets with this. It's amazing! After you paint it, you wax it (their brushes also amazing and worth it). The wax bonds with and seals the paint and you buff for a low sheen. So it looks shabby, but it very durable! I am going to do my kitchen tables and chairs next and a buffet!
You can buy the paint locally in Johnson City at the Sparrow's Nest or Greeneville Tn at Greeneville Antique Market. It is only available in specialty stores. There is a recipe to make your own chalk paint on pinterest..but I haven't tried myself. I may try that someday on a piece that is not my grandmother's antique china cabinet.

I washed the furniture (it was in a basement for a long time). I used Murphy's oil soap, but it was stained with mold and mildew stains. I googled it and found you rub it down with white vinegar and let sit over night. GONE the next day..Yah! So next, I just started painting away. After painting, I waxed it, let the wax dry, distressed the edges with a little sand paper, and then I waxed over the distressed areas again, let it dry, buffed it and done!

I used duck egg blue on the inside back of the cabinet and for accents and pure white for the rest. Here are the before and after pics!

Before

After with my mamaw's china

I distressed all the edges and details with a little sand paper after clear wax

I painted the details and accents with duck egg blue

From the Website for the paint:

Applications:

BEST paint on the market for painting furniture
Paint can be use on any surface - literally!
Use on walls- for a soft matte effect or wax it for a polished plaster effect
Can even use paint floors
Paint can be applied to interior or exterior surfaces and furnishings

Techniques:

Use one color or layer colors
Distress and apply waxes to create an old world patina
Can be used as a wash-dilute with water so when you apply paint it shows the wood grain
You can use it as an impasto (thickly), just leave the lid off to thicken
Very little black is used so the colors can be mixed in any combination

Ease of Use:

No need to prime or prepare
The colors are mixed intelligently
Paint is flexible so you can be creative and change you mind

Go Green:

Paint has extremely low VOCs and has little to no odor

This Cookie Will Change Your Life! No sugar and No flour..what??????

2012-08-30T14:14:00.000-04:00

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip (you can also make it with Almond Butter, YUMMY!)

I haven't posted much on my own blog lately. First was summer, then we decided to put our house up for sale, then school started, then our house is still for sale, and now here we are and I have decided to jump back in to my own blog. I post on my church's once a week and that's about all I had time for this summer, so...we all know what comes first. God's blog postings first and not my own. Now that I have my computer back during school hours( my boys take it over) I can now get back to posting.

I have been doing clean eating classes for you in the local area and have lots of new ideas and recipes to share. I, personally, try to eat very little grain or wheat and no sugar on a daily basis. Everyone likes to have a treat, so why does it have to be bad for you to be a treat. It doesn't! I am going to be posting some yummy grain free and sugar free desserts..and YES, my kids love them!! Yah me!!

Here is the first cookie that will change your life!

Peanut Butter(or Almond Butter) Chocolate Chip Grain Free No Added Sugar

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter (read the label just almonds and peanuts.. only one ingredient should be on this label!)
1/4 cup stevia (I use Truvia)
1 whole organic free range egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350
Mix nut butter, egg, truvia, baking soda, sea salt, and vanilla in a bowl
Stir in chocolate chips
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Drop dough by spoon and press them in to a cookie shape with your hands. This has no flour so they won't spread and shape like a cookie on their own.
Bake for 8-10 min.
Take them out of the oven and let them rest on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. This is important, this is the step that firms them up like a normal cookie.
Remove from the pan and ENJOY!!!!

this is the brand peanut butter I use if I don't make my own in the machine at Ingles

This is the almond butter I use if I don't make my own in the machine at Ingles too :D

I like truvia best for baking

dump it all in

stir it all up

here are the 2 brands of chips I usually get

now that looks like normal cookie dough

here they are on the sheet pressed it to cookie form by my hands

here they are all baked and done

yummy my kids like the almond and peanut butter both!!

Snack Attack!!

2012-06-12T13:22:00.001-04:00

Snack Attack

I bet you are thinking..what is she posting a picture of that junk for!!?!?! This is what you end up eating when you are starving and are not prepared for a snack. The vending machine or gas station start calling your name and this is what happens.

Proverbs 20:4

The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

If we are not prepared in life for things that we know are coming, the end results will not be as good as they could have been.

I try to plan meals and snacks so that I don't get in a situation where we are all starving and we grab junk. We are going on vacation this week. As you read this, we are in Destin, FL! We made preparations on the front end for our traveling adventure. Last week, you saw me mention that I come with accessories. Here is one of them:

This little bag is packed with healthy choices all the time. I had a few people ask me, what do I even pack in there for snacks for me and the kids. Well, I am glad you asked. What I pack for me is the same things the kids eat! So here are some ideas of what healthy snacks are in there. Little tip: I keep a cold pack in there with my items. :D

Healthy Snack Choices

These are my non-cooler items that I pack for us:
Granola bars, applesauce, nuts, peanut butter crackers, organic pop tarts, simply fruit roll ups...

Cooler items:
Cheeses and yogurt

Fruit cut up and washed, in baggies, and of course a Zevia :D

Here is a close up of my baggies of berries. I wash them and put a paper towel in there to absorb any moisture that does not get dried off after washing. Keeps them fresh. I use name brand baggies like Hefty and Ziploc for food because they are BPA free, store name brands are not.

Snacking is great! It keeps our metabolism going. Choose healthy options and snack away!!!

Whole Living Magazine for $4.69 for the year!

2012-04-30T17:11:00.000-04:00

Click here to get this deal! I love the magazine!

Eat Clean French Toast and Fruit Kebabs

2012-04-12T16:25:00.001-04:00

Eat Clean French Toast and Fruit Kebab

8 large organic eggs

2/3 cup organic milk

pinch of sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 loaf of whole wheat bread (if you don't bake your own, Ezekiel is great brand)

2 Tbsp organic butter

fruit of choice..I used bananas, strawberries, and blueberries.

Whisk together eggs,milk,vanilla,salt, and cinnamon. Cut loaf in to one inch pieces. Stir bread into egg/milk mixture. Heat a large saute pan on medium heat, melt the butter. Place half the bread mixture in the pan, cook, and turn with spatula, until browned on all sides. Do the same with the other half of the bread mixture when done.

Place bread with fruit on to skewers. Serve with 100% pure maple syrup or drizzle with honey.

whisk all ingredients

stir in bread cubes

cook half of the mixture at a time in skillet on medium heat until browned all sides

layer with fruit on skewer sticks and enjoy dipped in maple syrup or drizzled with honey

Free Zevia product when you like them on Facebook!!

2012-04-10T15:59:00.000-04:00

If you know me..you know I love zevia. It's soda with stevia and no artificial junk in it. It flavoring and carbonated water with stevia. If you haven't tried these you need to!! I love the Dr Zevia..just like Dr Pepper only no calories and junk and Chad likes the Mt Zevia like Mt Dew..the boys like the grape soda flavor!

Like the on facebook here to get your free product!!

Fishing Trip to Ga...Ate Clean Fish right out of the Lake :D

2012-04-09T11:54:00.002-04:00

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...well we were close to the edge in the middle of no where :D...We went on a fishing trip to a cabin in the woods on the lake in a state park in Ga..very little cell phone service and no wi fi..no apple products needed :D..I wish I could say they didn't play on them at all..but when it's storming at night in the woods with one tv in the cabin, they came out...

My dad always goes fishing every year down in Ga and this year for spring break the boys were finally old enough for him to handle on the big lake fishing all day. They caught their first bass this time. He taught them new casting techniques and had them trying to tie knots..the were in boy training. They haven't mastered holding the big fish they caught in the mouth without the gloves because they are afraid their hands will be scraped to pieces by micro fish teeth like Pap's :D..

It was beautiful weather in the 80's and 90's and the bugs were bigger and the people are slower and everything there is laid back. It's like going back in time. I felt like I was on an episode of Andy Griffith when all the people at the local grocer (which is 30 min away) asked me at the check out what I was going to do with castor oil and grape seed oil together. Hmmm good thing I said wash my face and not that I'm constipated ha ha ha :D Not joking, 3 of them, including an 80 year old man behind me in line, asked how to wash your face with that. The old man said "Does it make you glow?"..yep..spreading the oil cleansing method all the way to Elberton, Ga !!

The boys caught 14 fish one day and about 10-12 another day. They cleaned (well sort of..dad cleaned) some their fish and we fixed them for supper. My mom makes her own fish batter..you can just did them in egg and organic corn meal and fry them in olive oil..they are great with garlic seasoning and placed on the George Foreman grill too..we soaked them in milk so they wouldn't taste fishy.

The boys had a great week and missed their daddy because it was tax season and he had to stay home. BOOOO!! We are over tax season. It was fun just being outside, cooking in the cabin, and being with their pap and grams for a week :D

Here are some photos from our trip!

The dock at our cabin

pap and the boys and the boat

Pap holding their fish

Pap's big fish was about as big as Jacob..she had a really big mouth..he let her go

Yep..I can fish

Jacob practicing

Pap teaching how to fish with a lure

Casting class on the docks

Me and Joseph fishing for bait

How to tie a fishing knot

Casting classes

Lots of bluegill coming in for a snack

Storm rolling in that hit Augusta harder

That looks mean

Coming in on the boat

Grammy cooking

The fish..after

Ok..wants roughing it without a smores??? You know the 80/20 rule of eating clean :D

Eat Clean Southwest Chicken Wrap..toasted!

2012-03-29T17:46:00.002-04:00

This recipe is so quick and delicious!! You are going to love it!

Eat Clean Southwest Chicken Wrap

2 whole wheat wraps (I use Ezekiel Wraps)
Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Strips (you can roast your own or for a quick idea use the Hormel brand with no preservatives and clean ingredients) I used the whole box for 2 wraps
1/2 cup roasted red pepper
diced tomato
lettuce or mixed salad greens
2 Tbsp organic corn
2 Tbsp black beans
1 Tbsp (or more to taste) organic chipolte ranch dressing
sprinkle of cheddar cheese

Layer the ingredients on the wrap, place in George Foreman grill, toast until brown. You can add salsa or anything else you desire. So good and so good for you! Yummy!!

I didn't have any organic corn so it is left out it my pics below!

Greek Yogurt Snack Idea

2012-03-21T16:22:00.001-04:00

Hunting for a new snack idea?? Greek yogurt is oh so good for you! Lots of protein...I buy the plain kind with no flavors and no sugar and fix it for a snack the way I like it. There are so many ideas that you can do..Here is one of my favs!

Greek yogurt (about 1/2 cup) or one small container
handful of blueberries
handful of raspberries
4 strawberries sliced
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 packets of truvia

I slice and mix up the fruit in a bowl and put in the microwave for about 30 sec..it makes it warm and blends well. You can also use frozen fruit and thaw it by heating..that works well too! Then I add the fruit, chia, and truvia to the yogurt and enjoy!!
If you don't know what the powerhouse food chia seeds are...click here to read my post on those!

chia seeds

My ingredients

warm fruit and yogurt all blended up

add truvia and chia and enjoy!!

Eat Clean Energy Bites..No Bake with peanut butter and chocolate chips!!

2012-03-15T09:29:00.001-04:00

Pin It

If you know me..I love anything that combines peanut butter and chocolate! Thanks to my friend Karen for telling me about this recipe and telling me I should make them clean! WOW! Love it! She can't keep them made fast enough in her house..think we will be the same here. These are so healthy and so full of energizing nutrients! I am taking some to a mother of two certain twins today! You know..she needs me to come and bring her some and watch the babies while she eats a few! What twins momma doesn't need some healthy energy???!?! :D
The recipe below can be changed to fit your favorites..peanut butter can be any kind of nut butter, you can use agave or some other kind of sweetener if you prefer..the honey does help them stick together nicely, you can add some dried fruits and berries or nuts. The possibilities are endless!

Eat Clean No-Bake Energy Bites
1 cup oats
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (I make mine own at the machine in Ingles, nothing added just nuts!)
1/3 cup local honey
1 cup organic coconut flakes
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chip (I like the dark kind for it's health benefits)
1 tsp vanilla

Mix it all together until well blended. Put in the fridge and let chill about 30 min. Shape in to balls. Store in fridge in an air tight container. Makes about 30 bite sized balls.

all my ingredients

this looks yummy already!

put this in the fridge for 30 min

shape in to bite size balls

ENJOY SOME ENERGY!!

The Queen B

Baked Avocado with Chicken

Sole Water Daily For Health Benefits

What is Sole?

What's in Your Water? Why We Chose A Berkey Filter

What’s In Your Water?

Bottled Water:

Pitcher Water Filters

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Solid Block Carbon Filters

Other Notes:

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Mini Vegetable and Bacon Fritatas

Mini Vegetable and Bacon Fritatas

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Ingredients:

Directions:

Green Smoothies

Health Benefits of Green Smoothies

New Year..New You!

2 Corinthians 5:17

Six Biggest Workout Mistakes

Mistake #1: Too much cardio

Mistake #2: Intimidated by weight training and therefore not doing it

Mistake #3: Spending 15-20 minutes isolating your abdominals

Mistake #4: More is not better

Mistake #5: Carbohydrate loading before workouts

Mistake #6: Unrealistic expectations

Action Steps

Brownies ..gluten free and paleo friendly

Paleo, Gluten Free Brownies

ingredients:

instructions:

Budget Friendly Healthy Eating Tips

Budget Friendly Tips for Healthy Eating

Plan meals: If you plan your meals for the week, make a grocery list, and stick to it, you won't be buying impulse items or throwing things away.

Shop the perimeter of the store: Most of your items that are healthy and fresh are around the perimeter of the store. Most of the processed junk food impulse items line the shelves down the middle. If you don't go down them, you don't buy any extra junk.

Use coupons: What?? They have healthy coupons?!? Yes, they do. Here are some links for healthy coupons. Note: earthfare has store coupons, but most of the coupons on their site are from the manufacturer, which means you can print and use it anywhere.

The World's Fastest Workout Video!!!

1 Timothy 4:8

The History of Tabata

The Tabata Program

The Truth About Soy and Bonus Recipe for Protein Bars

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bar

Natural Cures for A Migraine

Is it the Chicken or The Egg?

No Flour, No Sugar..Snikerdooodles!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint China Cabinet Makeover-Reduce, Re-Use, Re-Cycle

Applications:

Techniques:

Ease of Use:

Go Green:

This Cookie Will Change Your Life! No sugar and No flour..what??????

Snack Attack!!

Proverbs 20:4

Whole Living Magazine for $4.69 for the year!

Eat Clean French Toast and Fruit Kebabs

Free Zevia product when you like them on Facebook!!

Fishing Trip to Ga...Ate Clean Fish right out of the Lake :D

Eat Clean Southwest Chicken Wrap..toasted!

Greek Yogurt Snack Idea

Eat Clean Energy Bites..No Bake with peanut butter and chocolate chips!!