NEW RECIPES:

Three recipes for you to test out.
These are two recipes that I got from my Body Ecology Class from the woman who runs the website Healing Movement. Check out her site on my links.

Sauteed Sea Veggies
1 2oz bag of Arame (soak in water for about 20 minutes
1 yellow onion
2 carrots
2 zucchini
1 bunch of kale
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 to 1/2 of wheat-free tamari (I used Nama Shoyu unpasteurized soy sauce)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp curry powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
Sea Salt to taste


This is the kind of Arame I use. It's about $5 at Whole Foods or less at a Chinese market if you have one of those in your area.

This is what it looks like when you take it out of the package. Do not be afraid.

Soak arame in filtered water and set aside for 20 minutes.
Again, do not be afraid. The good news is when they are done soaking, feed the water to your plants, you will see a noticeable difference, especially if the plant looks like it is dying...the minerals are great.


Now that your arame is soaking. Saute Onion and Carrots in coconut oil, soy sauce, and spices. Add Zucchini. (BTW the nasty wall behind to food is stained that way and was like that when we moved into our nasty apt...I swear.)

Now go tend to your soaking arame.

Whoa! Yeah, I know, its kind of like magic...now you have plump reed-like veggie noodles.


Add arame and about an inch of filtered water to your pot.

Add Kale in bite-size pieces. (Just tear off the leaves, tossing out the stem and bulky spine that runs in the middle of the kale leaves. Kale gets much smaller after a few minutes of the hear, so don't worry about it being too much for the pot to handle at first.

Turn up the heat and cook until water evaporates. Don't forget to stir often. Add sea salt to taste. You are done!


Now here's the kicker...you, of course, will eat this because you are a beautiful, health-conscious individual with adventurous tastes...husbands, children, and other family or friends might not so willingly comply. Here is what you do: Cook it without them seeing the process (then they will for sure refuse to try)...present them with the final product and say that it is a type of Chinese noodle. They will not know the difference, once it is cooked it has a mild taste and a consistency like a noodle. Since I am not a huge fan of deception...once they have eaten it and love it (which they will) then reveal the truth. :)


PUMPKIN-QUINOA MUFFINS (No wheat, no dairy (unless you count eggs), no sugar) TOTALLY AMAZING. (all ingredients can be found at Whole Foods)

1/2 cup Quinoa Flakes
1/2 cup Quinoa Flour
1 can pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup Lakanto (order online) (very $$$ but lasts a long time) or sub 3-5 packets of stevia.

Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Mix together all ingredients. Lightly grease bottom of muffin pan with coconut oil. Bake for 20-25 mins.
*For variation you can add dry unsweetened coconut flakes, flax seeds, or sliced almonds.

One of my Original creations.

Kale-Red pepper Scramble (2 people, smaller portions)
1/2 onion
1/2 red pepper
3 Kale leaves (torn off spine)
3 eggs
1 tbsp ghee
Herbamare and ground pepper to taste

Saute onion and pepper in ghee until onion is soft. Add Kale, saute for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 3 eggs and scramble. Season with Herbamare (or Celtic sea salt) and pepper to taste.

Let me know if you like these.
Thanks!

DO I SMELL SEA VEGGIES???

Okay, so they might smell like fish and look like they could do some serious damage to small children but if you take a second look you might find yourself obsessed with these mineral-rich little gifts from the Sea.

WHAT IN THE CRAP ARE SEA VEGETABLES?
I only found out a few weeks ago and now these babies are a regular part of my diet. AND my suggestion is that you make them a part of your diet too.

Sea vegetables are different types of seaweed that grow in the ocean. Why would anyone want to eat sea vegetables? Because they offer the broadest range of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean-the same minerals that are found in human blood. Sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine and vitamin K, a very good source of the B-vitamin folate, and magnesium, and a good source of iron and calcium, and the B-vitamins riboflavin and pantothenic acid. In addition, sea vegetables contain good amounts of lignans, plant compounds with cancer-protective properties.

FOR HEALTH REASONS:
They are EXTREMELY good for you. Sea VEGGIES are main staple of the macrobiotic diet and body ecology diets (both diets focus on anti-cancer pro-immune system). Sea vegetables are a very good source of the B-vitamin folic acid. Studies have shown that diets high in folate-rich foods are associated with a significantly reduced risk for colon cancer. (AND BABIES!) They promote thyroid function, Help prevent birth defects and cardiovascular disease.

FOR VANITY REASONS:
What is the culture that ages the best? Umm, that would be the Asians. Having lived in California, I have seen first hand how 55 year old Asian women with 3 kids literally look like they are 30. Now some of that is genetics, but many of them give the credit to sea veggies. Apparently it was a greatly kept secret of the wealthy in Japanese society for thousands of years. From Oceanvegetables.com They contain high concentrations of beta carotene, chlorophyll, enzymes, and fiber to help restore your cells’ optimal health – getting rid of harmful toxins, improving the appearance of your skin and hair, and increasing energy. These incredible ocean plants are your best line of defense against aging.

Now you have your sea veggies and coconut oil and your ready for the fountain of youth.

WHAT ARE SEA VEGGIES:
There are several different types:
Here are the Body Ecology book definitions with a little bit of my 2 cents packed in:

DULSE: Can be eaten right from the package as a snack (although, I personally would not recommend it) Dulse makes spinach look like a sissy in the iron department. Its great in soups, salads, or sauteed.


NORI: What you find in Sushi...Nori is used in Japanese restaurants for making sushi. You can also toast it by passing it quickly over a burner until it changes color from black to green then crumble it onto salads



KOMBU: Can be soaked overnight in spring water to create a mineral-rich broth. Use this medicinal stock for making soups of for cooking your grains.

AGAR: Is used to make aspics, puddings, and gelatin desserts. Its in a ton of recipes you find in the supermarket. As a rule of thumb, for every cup of liquid, use a heaping tablespoon of agar flakes.

ARAME: The fine shredded strands have a crisp texture and sweet nutty flavor. It should be soaked about 20 minutes, chopped and tossed into a salad without cooking. If you want to cook it, I am including a great recipe we got from our class. You can mix Arame with onions and carrots with left over grain and form it into patties, then saute it in coconut oil or ghee.

HIJIKI: This stuff quadruples in volume when you soak it. It requires thorough rinsing when you soak it and longer cooking time.

WAKAME: Oh heaven. This one is my favorites. It starts off looking like little black ashy flakes and then you soak it and it turns into this lush green spinach like vegetable. Not a very strong taste and great in soups or salads.

Now that you are familiar with these amazing little creatures, I will not leave you hanging...next post: WONDERFUL and TASTY SEA VEGGIE RECIPES (complete with pics and all).

COCONUT OIL

SO, I had all this great health momentum and then I went to Utah...not that Utah is unhealthy, but it threw a wrench in my groove and its taken me a few days to get back on track...
BUT
Without further ado...

Lets talk about Coconut oil...



I had always thought that coconut oil was just for the skin and hair...but it has amazing health benefits when ingested as well...

FOR THE KITCHEN
I found this excerpt from an article "Health Living"
"Coconut oil is one of the smartest oils you can use in the kitchen today...It is the only oil that can withstand heat without oxidative damage, because of it's medium-chain triglicerides also called MCT's (lauric, caprillic, and capric acids)... These MCT's offer a myriad of health benefits. Lauric acid is the same acid compound found in mother's milk and contains very strong antiviral and antibacterial properties. MCT's are funneled directly to the liver and converted to energy (YAY) much like carbohydrates. THEY ARE NOT STORED AS FAT. Because MCT's are smaller, they permeate cell membranes more easily and METABOLISM INCREASES (YES!) helping you to LOSE weight. Better yet, multiple studies show that populations who consume high levels of coconut oil generally have lower levels of blood cholesterol and heart disease when compared to other cultures."

Great news huh? Whoever heard of an oil that helps you to lose weight?! My recommendation is substitute all cooking oils for coconut oil. You can saute in olive oil or use olive or flax seed oil in your salad dressings but I tell you I cook with Coconut oil now for all my soups, saute veggies or meats, and pop popcorn with the stuff. You can even add a tablespoon to a morning smoothie etc.

Here's one important detail...
YOU NEED TO BY EXTRA VIRGIN UNREFINED OIL...It looks like hard coco butter...but melts instantly with heat. This is the best type for you. I just find the cheapest version at Whole Foods and cook away.


OTHER BENEFITS:

1. Great for damaged hair
2. Great for skin because it is an anti-aging moisturizing wonder. Use it just like lotion. Helps protect your skin from aging effects of oxidation. it penetrates deep into the connective tissue helping to smooth wrinkles, and make the skin strong and supple.
3. Also great make-up remover...

SO...
Coconut oil is a little pricey. Usually ranging from $11-$22, for a 16oz jar...but it will last you a good month with cooking, and hey, we all know how much we spend on freaking moisturizer.

Now go enjoy yourself some Coconut oil. :)

For more info visit these links:
Organic Facts
Marie Claire's article
Cheesy video but very informative.

HUNGRY ANYONE?

Well that's probably because you are dehydrated...

Most people mistake hunger for thirst...you fill your body up with diet soda thinking its healthier (arsenic people)...juice (usually PACKED with sugar and carbs) and alcohol that actually dehydrates you and screws with your blood PH levels...

Here are my water tips for the day:

1. You should be drinking your body weight divided in half in ounces everyday (and that's NOT including days that are 102 degrees with 100% humitity or where you got ambitious and decided to sweat it out at the gym).


That means if I weighed 100 lbs (right...) then I would need to drink 50 oz of water each day just to keep me hydrated.

2. You should have 12oz or more before you eat ANYTHING in the morning. This not only jump-starts your metabolism, but when you wake up your body has been starving all night and needs to hydrate.

3. DO NOT drink with meals...Drink 15 minutes before...CHEW A TON (30 times per mouthful)...water with meals dilutes digestive enzymes causing more stress on the gut. If you wait 20 mintues after your meal you will serve your digestive system SO much more.

BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE FREAKING WATER BOTTLES LITTERING EVERYWHERE?
"Plastic litter is filling up America’s landfills at an alarming rate. Most plastic drinking water bottles are designed for one time use and then thrown away. Every cheap plastic bottle produced uses up precious oil which is non renewable and sends money out of America and into foreign oil producers’ pockets. New Wave addresses this issue by producing only bottles that can be used again and again. Our products include bottles made from Polycarbonate, Stainless Steel and Revolutionary Corn-Based Bottle."

Here's the answer: GET A FILTER AND A 1 liter WATER BOTTLE...make sure it doesn't release toxic gas...(glass, stainless steel, and REALLY HARD PLASTIC is usually okay). Fill it up twice per day.

www.enviroproductsinc.com This is where I bought some of mine. They are great because they have a wide-mouth and allow me to add ice, etc to them.

WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE WATER?

GREAT, I have a perfect solution for you...



1 liter water bottle with filtered water (I love the pink...)
1 small lemon (or lime) cut into fourths and squeezed into the bottle
5-7 Stevia drops (or 1-2 packets of Stevia)
2 slices of cucumber (optional)
sprig of mint (optional)
5-7 PH drops (I use PH MIRACLE DROPS but you can find any trace minerals from the health food store to infuse your water with some neutralizing PH...)
THis tastes like LEMONADE...


**Notice my little herb garden I've got going on in the background... :)
MORE ON STEVIA AND PH Balancing your water to come...

K is for Kefir...

I love this stuff. I started by drinking 2oz. at night before bed just a few weeks ago. I started sleeping better almost immediately. Kefir is PACKED with probiotics to help pump up the "good bacteria" in your intestinal flora. The more the merrier. It is great if you have been on antibiotics (those kill ALL the bacteria), have a sugar addiction, have been on birth control, suffer from stomach problems, have a wooden leg...etc. It is one of those "miracle drinks" that occurs naturally. Move over Tahitian Noni! You can drink the kefir milk (Helios is the good brand--get plain--the other kefir is packed with sugar--buy at Whole Foods or Wild Oats) it has a strong sour flavor. OR get the Young Green Coconut water Kefir. You can make this at your house.

Here are some informative articles...

Elixer in a Hairy Shell
By Dani Katz
(page 1 of 1)
If the name coconut-water kefir doesn’t sound amazing enough on its own to make you want to just dive in and gulp it down, perhaps a little 411 on the topic, will.

Widely reported benefits of a regular coconut-kefir regimen include better digestion, hormonal balancing, enhanced immunity, relief from joint pain, clearer complexion, improved vision, and increased energy levels. Coconut-water kefir is purported to eliminate sugar cravings and cleanse the endocrine system. But none of this compares to the best thing about it—it’s a great cure for a hangover.

For more...


Why Kefir is Essential to shed pounds...

To order or learn more go to
www.mytonix.com

UPCOMING TOPICS

1. Cooking with Sea Vegetables
2. Kefir and Cultured Veggies
3. The Benefit of Raw Foods
4. Healing Massages
5. Seasoning must-haves in the kitchen
6. Gardening at Home...even if there is no space...

We'll see how much more ambitious I get...

WELCOME!!!

I am so excited about learning new things and cooking great healthfood that I want to share it with all my friends. I want this to a place for young mom's and health conscious individuals to find resources on the web to help them to enrich their lives and the lives of their loved-ones.

I am seeing my own well-being and energy increase from eating great food and discovering a great new way to live life less stressfully. I want to create a place for everyone to be able to share their own health ideas, tips, and wellness information.

The focus is on all things green and healthy. From food to skin care, from the environment to make-up. All ideas welcome! I am going to start with compiling a nice little link list. If you have ideas then please send me your favorite recipes, websites, etc and I will create an entry on my blog for you!

hilshealthblog@gmail.com

Thanks!