Our family LOVES soup!  In fact, our freezer is full of different type of soups that we have made and stored for later meals.  As winter approaches, we are always on the look out for new recipes that are easy to make and healthy.  This Lentil Soup Recipe was a huge hit with the family and filling enough to be served as the main course.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

Ingredients:
¼ cup Olive Oil
1 Onion, Chopped
3 Carrots, diced
5 stalks Celery, chopped
5 cloves Garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian Seasonings
1 tsp Organic Kirkland No-Salt Seasonings
3 Bay Leaves
2 (14.5 oz) cans Diced Tomatoes, drained
2 ½ cup Lentils, dry
10 cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 bunch Collard Greens, chopped
2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions, carrots, and celery.  Cook until onions are tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Add garlic, seasonings, and bay leaves.  Stir for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in tomatoes, lentils, broth, and collard greens.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low and simmer with cover for 1-1 ½ hours or until collard greens are tender.
4. Add Vinegar and season with salt & pepper.  Serve & Enjoy!

Vegan Marshmellow Muffin

So my friend Shari & I keep tweaking this original Vegan Cupcake Recipe I posted a while back. It’s really been a fantastic hit with non-veg friends and kids alike & so for the Holidays we’ve been adding pumpkin, cinnamon & nutmeg and making them these Holiday Fun Treats. However tonight I had a bunch of sweet potatoes (which I love to eat this time of year) & so I decided to try and take it to the next level and I have to say these are absolutely delightful!

Here’s the base from the Cupcake Recipe mentioned above which is what you’ll be expanding upon. You can always use Gluten Free “Flour” to make these even more health conscious. But if you really want a way to “WOW” your guests this year, give these a shot!

*TIP* I always double the recipe because these go FAST!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cups almond milk
2 cups all-purpose flour (can substitute for whole wheat, or gluten free)
1 cup organic brown sugar
½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt (can omit to make low sodium)
½ cup coconut oil, warmed until liquid (I use a stainless steel measuring cup over a burner on the stove)
1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract

To make these into a fantastically marshmallowy and VEGAN delight:

Add:

-1 Cup of Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

-1 Tablespoon Nutmeg

-1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

-1/4 Cup Maple Syrup

-1 Cup Peeled, Steamed Sweet Potatoes (or Pumpkin)

-1 “Square” Marshmellow for each individual muffin (I prefer sweet & sarah but if you’re not a vegan you can just use regular “smore grade” mallow)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with cupcake papers
2. Measure out the apple cider vinegar & almond milk together to allow the milk to curdle-takes approx. 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl whisk dry ingredients, then in separate bowl mix wet ingredients
4. Combine wet with dry ingredients
5. Mix well (with an electronic mixer) until there are no lumps
6. Fill cupcake papers (approx. 1/3 full to allow room for the marshmellow)
7. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when touched or a toothpick runs clean. Approx. 20-25 mins.

8. During the last 10 mins before they’re done open the oven and top the muffin with the marshmellow this will allow them to warm and puff up.

Remove from the oven, let cool & devour!

I’m about to share a secret, “Award Winning” chili recipe with you.  I hope you’re all excited!  Herbie, my husband, has won the Chili Cook Off at his work 3 out of the 5 years he’s been there.  Its not a huge competition but I’m still proud of him.  Hehe.  We also serve this chili at most of our family functions or potlucks since its super easy to make, will feed a lot of people, and its delicious!

So…after several requests by friends & family, he finally decided to write down the recipe.  The secret to this recipe is adding sweet potato.  It gives the chili a different dimension to traditional recipes by adding sweetness and a smooth texture.  Also, Herbie usually prepares the recipe in the stockpot the night before it needs to be served and puts it in the refrigerator overnight.  In the morning, the chili is put into a crock pot on the low setting and allowed to heat for at least 6 hours.  You can still eat the chili on the day you make it, which is still delicious, but letting it marinate overnight just adds more to the flavor.  Lastly, we love to eat our chili with a big piece of cornbread.  Enjoy!

**We have yet to try a vegetarian version of this recipe but I’m sure we’ll be doing that soon.  If any of you happen to beat us to it, please let us know how it turns out.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 lb Ground Turkey
1 lb Chicken Breast, cubed
2 Red Onions, diced
2 tbsp Garlic, minced
2 large Sweet Potatoes, cubed
2 cans Diced Tomato, 14 oz
2 cans Kidney Beans, 15 oz
1 can Pinto Beans, 15 oz
1 can Black Beans, 15 oz
2 cans Tomato Paste, 6 oz
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Garlic Salt
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Kirkland No Salt Seasoning
Cayenne Pepper, to taste

Optional:
Green Onion, diced (garnish)
Cheese, shredded
Sour Cream

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a 4 qt stockpot on medium-high, add ground turkey and chicken.  Cook for 5-7 minutes or until meat is ALMOST fully cooked.
2. Add onions, garlic, and sweet potatoes.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. After the onions have softened, add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, and all the beans (NOT drained).  Stir mixture then add seasonings.
4. Bring chili to a boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce to low heat and continue cooking with the lid on for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Serve in bowls, add garnishings (optional), & enjoy!

Tips: Chili can be thinned with chicken stock if you prefer a less heavy chili.  For best results, refrigerate overnight.

Food and laughter is the best medicine according to Eddie Brill one of America’s most talented, witty & refreshingly honest comics in the entertainment industry today. Eddie’s works include the Late Show with David Letterman, the show “Louie” and he’s an Award Winner for outstanding male comic in NYC. He’s traveled the world, led an extraordinary life and recently entered into a new chapter, plant based living. Eddie said good bye to over 100 lbs., sleep apnea, joint pain, rosacea and most importantly his days of being unhealthy. Two years and about 1,000 shots of wheatgrass later he’s ready to share his story, Eddie 2.0!

“Food & Laughter is the Best Medicine” is a new and evolving showcase to help people learn about not only the health benefits of plant based foods, but also gain encouragement, insight and knowledge to move forward in their own journey.

$25 admission pays for exclusive access to the plant based vendor showcase, green drink, a raw appetizer and yummy dessert all courtesy of guest chef & LBTB’s very own Tovah Terranova.

So our readers can learn a little more about Eddie and what he’s all about we had him put some A’s to our Q’s:

- Hometown:  I was born in Brooklyn, NY…but grew up in Hollywood, Florida. Went to college in Boston at Emerson College & back to NYC ever since I graduated.  (Did live in apartments in both NYC and Los Angeles for four years in the late 80′s!)

- Favorite Song:  ”Paperback Writer” by The Beatles  I love how they weave in so many layers into that song.  There are a few refrains of “Frere Jacques” in there.  And also, some slick backwards guitar.  They recorded the guitar and then turned the tape around.

- If you could meet one person dead or alive who would it be?  It would be John Lennon.  He was a very courageous, charismatic and loving man.  He loved his wife so much and stood up for her…even though that most of the world “hated” her.

- How did you get into comedy? Why?  I never planned to be a comedian.  I LOVED comedy…but never saw it as a career for myself.  I joined together with some pals in college and we formed an improv and sketch comedy group.  It was wildly successful and through connections and friends…some of us tried stand-up.  I did that for a short while…and quit after college thinking I needed to find a “real” job.  But no matter what I did…stand up kept calling to me.  I do many kinds of work in the entertainment business. Acting, booking, writing, voice-overs, hosting big events, audience warm-up, producing….but I love doing stand-up the most.

- How did you begin your health conscious journey? What made you start healthy changes in your life? It was a series of three events:  My best friend went into the hospital for a heart problem and it scared the hell out of me.  The next day, a guy I knew died of a heart attack.  And then on the third day, I went to see a play and I could hardly fit into my seat.  That was the night I had had enough, and it was time to take control of my life.

- Tell us how this new act came about.  It is not a new act.  It is where I have come.  I love to talk about the truth.  My favorite kind of comedy is very vulnerable and is based in truth.

- What issues are you most passionate about?  I am passionate about being compassionate to our fellow man.  To pull the sheet off of the lies and manipulation that has us destoying each other in our society.

- What advice would you give yourself 20yrs. ago?  I wish I learned about nutrition and it’s truth twenty years ago.  But I didn’t.  And that’s ok.  Today is the only day that matters.

-What do you hope your audience takes away?  I hope the audience will be inspired as I have been to be good to themselves.  To know that it is ok to be good to ourselves.  Our society, through advertising and through political and some religious manipulation, makes us feel we are not good enough.  And there is so much self-loathing as a result.  We don’t need to live like that.  We are all capable of loving ourselves and not feeling guilty about it.  Guilt is not something tangible and can only be created.  I choose to be a good person with good intentions…and therefore have nothing to feel guilty about.  And boy, that is a weight off of my shoulders and a beauty that I love to share with everyone.

Tickets are now on sale here. Seating is limited.

What kid doesn’t like bouncy balls? Or ghosts for Halloween? For this craft I decided to combine both. It took minimal supplies or time to make, but the end result consumed amble amounts of playtime for my boys. They loved bouncing their ghosts and watching fly through the air.

What you will need:

• Old white T-shirt or any white material
• Bouncy ball
• Black Marker

How to make it:

1.  Cut about a 6×6 square out of your t-shirt (size will also depend on the size of your ball, ours was small)
2. Also cut a small strip to use as the tie at the ghosts neck
3. Wrap square material around the bouncy ball
4. Use the small strip to tie under the ball
5. Draw a ghost face

  Bounce away!

Roughly a year ago, on the weekend on September 11th, we had a massive blackout throughout Southern California. It was Indian Summer weather. We all had just come off a “heat wave” and I think most people that live in this area were over it. At least I know I was. I had the air conditioning on high and was juicing and making dinner simultaneously while the kids played. It was a sweet afternoon, and then just as I decided it was too darned hot in the house & went to crank up the A/C the power surged. Our clocks went black. The juicer stopped. I thought, OMG, I’ve blown out the fuse because I selfishly wanted it cooler in our small condo. I was mad at myself immediately for feeling entitled to more cool air and embarrassed when I sent a text to my husband that I’d “Blown the fuse. What do I do?” He said to check the breaker. As I went outside to do so I realized that 2 of my neighbors were in their driveways talking. This seemed strange. I live in a very intimate cul de sac and although these 6 homes are all pretty much facing one another in a circle we rarely speak to our neighbors. Don’t get me wrong, we’re friendly, we say hello, our daughters play sometimes, but most of the time we’re quite busy with life, our comings and goings.

Very quickly I realized that something was up. This wasn’t just our house that was affected, it was our neighborhood. As the day went on I would later learn that it was a significant power outage that left 1.5 Million people in California, Arizona & Mexico without power for the next 12-24 hours depending on the geography. I heard the neighbors radio playing and so I grabbed the kids and we let them play outside and have fun while we listened intently. Because of the Anniversary of 9/11 many of us were on edge and wondering what was really going on. As people were sent home from workless offices, the roadways became clogged, cell phone service was jammed and all of us simultaneously went “offline.” It was kind of scary not being able to communicate with the outside world. But the best part about it the day was that I got to meet my neighbors, really and truly. I had an opportunity to talk with them at length about the important things in life. And I never really ever thought that something as simple as a power outage could have such a profound ripple in my life.

And now, more often than not I find myself at times fantasizing about going “offline” for a vacation, just a day or two, maybe 3, where I’m unreachable. In this “fantasy,” really, I am with my husband and children. We spend all day together playing games, reading books, and doing things outside. We take naps when we are tired and eat when we are hungry. We let our true needs surface and face to face communication is the order of the day. And it’s so nice to have that “button” turned off so that you can simply be completely present in life. Connected to one another by presence.

The truth is, I love this fantasy. And while I’ve thought about it before, I’m ready to make it a reality. I believe that many, many people could benefit from putting down the technology for a few hours, an afternoon, or evening. Maybe you have to work up to a whole day in blocks of time that would suit your schedule. On the 7th day, God rested. If we are to be in his image should we not rest as well?

With more and more instant RSS feeds of technology springing directly from our palms, tablets, ipads and smart phones and into our brains, texting, emails, social networks and plugins just keep coming. They never take a break. Us humans though, we’re a tricky breed. All work and no play is not a healthy way to live. I think it’s time we put our foot down. Stop the “electric brain” that so many of us are having these days, it’s like our cell phone is glued to our hand. Radiating satellite frequencies and scrambling our personal signals. To be able to disconnect, may just truly give us an opportunity to look our loved ones in the eyes and communicate organically. Even if it’s just an hour of turning off your blackberry or iPhone wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry about what all is going on in THE world, let alone YOURS for just a little while? To take a break from the bill pay reminders, the Facebook comments, the emails and updates and just be present? Maybe in this hour you begin with a nap, or meditation, playing with your children, or going outside for a walk. Maybe even tackling that project you’ve been putting off. But being present, in the moment is sometimes the most valuable asset you have and can give. The best part of it is you just may find out where you really are without having to “check in.”

How to #ResetSunday

1. Silence your phone. Step away from it completely if possible.
2. Turn off your television, computer, ipad, kindle, etc.
3. Abstain from laundry or using the dishwasher if possible. Keep your appliances off to conserve energy and water. Do your washing ahead of time or in off-peak hours.
4. Practice active participation in family activities.
5. Get outside. Go for a walk around the block or a hike in the nearest canyon.
6. Abstain from driving if possible. Lowering your greenhouse emissions by just 1 day a week cuts the negative global impact and benefits the environment AND your wallet.
7. Make a home cooked meal (using as little appliances as possible).
8. Take care of yourself and rest.
9. Use candlelight after the sun goes down.
10. Unplug appliances that aren’t being used, like the toaster, blender, or juicer.
11. Camp out! Make a fire, pitch a tent, grab a flash light or glow stick. Use your imagination to enjoy your evening!

By “Reset Sunday” we aim to go “black out style.” We are conserving all expendable resources. And therefore this will make a huge global impact. By turning off the cell phone, the TV, the washing machine, and any other “plugged in” electrical devices we’re going to help the world save a great deal of energy.

By going without electricity for 1 full 12 hour period you will save somewhere around 32 kWh which is the average daily consumption. By not showering you’re saving 80-100 gallons of water per individual. The average family of 4 uses about 400 gallons daily in the United States. If you just made sure no one showered just on Reset Sunday’s your family alone would be allowing 400 more gallons to be saved. That’s amazing! Hi efficiency washing machines use approximately 27 gallons of water per load-by taking the day off & not doing laundry, again a huge opportuity to conserve resources.

Translate that into energy (see graphic below) and NOW youre talking making a difference. 1 person, 1 household, 1 Sunday at a time. Making a difference and reconnecting people.

Aside from actively participating in the noble cause of lessening your individual or family carbon footprint. More importantly you’re taking an opportunity connect with those you care about most, or maybe even just yourself, and there is nothing wrong with hopping off the grid for a little  while to be able to appreciate those things were often move to fast to see-each other. The loves in our life, big and little will flourish, and I believe a deeper sense of simplicity and calmness will come over ourselves. Disconnecting in efforts to reconnect-to the things we care more about, each other. We hope you’re as excited about #resetsundays as we are. We can’t wait to see what you’re up to in preparation, and success stories! Let the fun begin!

As Summer turns to Fall we all start thinking about pumpkin breads, crockpot meals, & old fashioned home made  warm comfort foods are high on the list as the seasons change for our family. Being that I am gluten-free I’m trying to raise my kids that way I’m always looking for ways to make comfort foods like spaghetti or traditional meals for them to eat. That being said, the squash recipe is easy and simple and they never even noticed the difference.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 Spaghetti Squash
• 1-2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Sauce:

• Organic Marinara Sauce

Directions:

1. Simmer Sauce on Stove-About 2.5 Cups
2. Pre-heat Oven to 350 degrees
3. While the oven warms-slice squash length wise (they have a really thick skin so if you don’t have a very sharp large knife or cleaver you can actually put the squash in the oven for 20 mins to soften the skin & then remove it & slice it & remove the seeds-THEN place it back in the oven for the regular cooking time).
4. Gently rub olive oil all over interior flesh of squash
5. Sprinkle lightly salt & pepper
6. Spray baking sheet lightly with cooking spray (to keep squash from sticking to pan).
7. Place squash open faced onto pan
8. Bake for 30-40mins (until softened)
9. Remove Squash then with a fork scrape length wise & the flesh will shred

It will resemble noodles very quickly. You can eat them plain, they’re really flavorful alone with that little bit of olive oil, salt & pepper. But for the kiddos, we added the marinara.

Voila! Enjoy!

Meditation by definition is a broad variety of seemingly simple yet complex practices aimed at quieting the mind, seeking stillness of thoughts, and furthermore finding God. While there’s a great deal of cultural & religious history associated with the term, one doesn’t have to prescribe to one set of beliefs or another in order to practice. Talk in the media (celebrities sing the praises of their practice), and health community about the benefits associated there still are some simple components to the practice of meditating that make the end result of stillness and rejuvenation all worth the effort.For those people (like myself) who are interested in a simple life, without stress and without the intrusion of technology, meditation can sound like a great idea. After all wouldn’t it be great to receive all your “feed” with a sense of calm? Some benefits of regular meditation include: clarity of the mind, improved concentration & focus, regulated hormones, sleep, & blood pressure, & of course reduced stress & anxiety. Who wouldn’t want all those things? And yet when you sit down and actually try to give it a shot it can be daunting, your mind starts to wander. I’ll be the first to admit that the idea of popping a pill sounds a whole lot simpler, but with all the crazy side effects associated with most medications today, learning how to meditate doesn’t sound so bad.

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 cup Oats (Quick Cooking)
• 1/4 cup Ground Flax seed
• 1/4 cup White Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

• 1 1/4 cups Almond Milk
• 1 tablespoon Vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup Melted Coconut Oil (or any Oil)
• 1/4 cup Blue Agave Sweetener (or maple syrup)

• 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Almonds, chopped