Category: Daily Routine

No Bake Granola Bars with Raisins and Chocolate Chips {Grain Free, Paleo}

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Chewy, crunchy, sweet and salty, these grain free and paleo no bake granola bars are going to become your favorite with the first bite!  They’re loaded with raisins and mini chocolate chips, coconut flakes and nuts, sweetened with raw honey and packed with healthy fats.  Kid approved, gluten-free, dairy-free, grain free and addicting! 

Prep Time: 15 minutesChill Time: 2 hrsTotal Time: 15 minutesCourse: Paleo snack/treat Cuisine: dairy-free, grain free, Paleo Servings: 20 bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw pecans or walnuts
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1 cup  coconut flakes unsweetened
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/2 tsp salt or 1/4 for less salty
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted (use refined for no coconut flavor)
  • 1/4 cup almond butter (no sugar added)
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup mini choc. chips  dairy free, soy free

Instructions

  1. Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse several times to “chop” them into a crumbly texture – a few larger pieces are a good thing – don’t overmix!
  2. Transfer the nuts to a large mixing bowl* and stir in coconut flakes, cinnamon, salt, and raisins to evenly combine.
  3. Place melted coconut oil in a small sauce pan and whisk in the almond butter and honey. Set heat to low and whisk while honey and almond butter melt. Once mixture is smooth and well combined, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to fully combine – I used a silicone spatula for this step. Thoroughly mix to make sure all the dry mixture is coated. Once coated, gently stir in the chocolate chips.
  5. Line an 8 x 8” or 9 x 9” square pan with parchment paper along the bottom and sides, with extra up the sides for easy removal. Transfer mixture in and press down, using your hands, or another piece of parchment paper to get it packed tightly into the pan.
  6. Cover the top with parchment or plastic wrap, then set in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm, or longer if you have time.
  7. Remove pan from freezer and grab two ends of the parchment paper to remove the bars, set on a cutting board.
  8. Using a long very sharp knife, cut into 20 bars.  You can wrap them in parchment individually storing in the fridge (for up to two weeks) or freezer for longer.
  9. Bars will start to melt around room temp due to the coconut oil, so they’ll need to be kept chilled to stay firm. Enjoy!

LEMON BLUEBERRY SCONES (PALEO, GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE

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Paleo lemon blueberry scones (gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free)

I love these easy lemon blueberry scones. Made with almond flour, blueberries, lemon, and honey, they are everything that is good about scones. And they are paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free. These scones are amazing with honey butter (I make it with ghee) right out of the oven. Of course, you can use coconut butter for a dairy-free topping.

It’s important to use fresh blueberries — frozen blueberries add too much moisture to these scones. And I like a lot of blueberries, they add to the natural sweetness of the almond and honey. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter at the last minute.

The key to this blueberry scone recipe is to keep stirring the flour mixture with the wet ingredients until it forms a dough. At first, it will seem like there is not enough moisture, but if you keep going it will come together into a nice dough. The consistency is similar to biscuit or cookie dough.

It’s also important to use superfine blanched almond flour for these grain-free blueberry scones. Do not substitute coconut flour or other gluten-free flour blends as they will not work in this recipe.


These lemon blueberry scones are perfect with tea or coffee.Prep Time10 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time30 mins

Ingredients

  • 315 grams almond flour  about 3 cups
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoonshoney
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Add the almond flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest to a large bowl and stir to combine.
  • Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the wet ingredients. Starting in the center, stir the dough until well combined. Fold in blueberries.
  • Using a large cookie or ice cream scoop, drop the scones onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly wet hands and gently flatten the tops of the scones. They should be about 1 inch thick.
  • Bake 18-20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1.2% | Vitamin C: 3% | Calcium: 7.9% | Iron: 8.5%

HEALTHIEST KIDS MEAL WHEN YOU JUST DO NOT HAVE TIME!!

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So we all have those days where we just can’t manage to cook a nice dinner or lunch for our little ones. We just wish we had some healthy options in the freezer we can pop in the toaster oven. Well I have done some research on which frozen foods for kids are the most well balanced and cleanest. I wanted to find some that include veggies and protein. I looked to avoid products with soy, artificial ingredients and sugar the best I could. I know for Jaxson he loves a lot of the Earth’s Best products and Vans. He will gobble up the gluten free vans waffles and they have no sugar. Make sure you read the label because some of them do contain sugar. I love the Kidfresh products and there is a wide variety of main meals and sides all free of artificial products and most free of sugar. I have posted some products below with direct links to order so you can save time running to grocery stores all over town!

Sometimes you feel worse before you feel better. What to expect with probiotics.

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Probiotics: Who Shouldn’t Take Them?

Some people find that taking probiotics causes them to have gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort. For most people, these symptoms are temporary; however, side effects are more likely in those who are very young or elderly and those who have less robust immune systems or a damaged immune system, such as those with HIV or a terminal illness. Indeed, probiotics might not be good for people who are already extremely ill.

A general concern is that probiotics are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Instead, they are classified as a food supplement, so consumers are at the mercy of manufacturers and their health claims.

Keep in mind that the effects of one strain of probiotics do not necessarily hold true for other strains or even for different preparations of the same species or strain. If you do experience gas and bloating from one type of probiotic, you can try switching to a different kind to see whether it agrees more with your digestive system.

“Because the quality and quantity of probiotics is not regulated by the FDA, it is difficult to accurately assess the effectiveness of one formulation against another,” Lucak says.

Expert Tips for Choosing Probiotics

Probiotics come in two forms: live cultures — such as in probiotic yogurt — or in a dormant (but still living) form, such as those found in capsules. If you want to try probiotics, here are tips to help you choose.

Decide on food or supplements. One advantage to probiotics in food is that they may also contain other beneficial ingredients, such as dietary fiber,  which also promotes digestive health. But most experts agree that it’s a matter of preference whether you consume probiotics in your diet or as supplements. I find that supplements tend to be more effective, as long as the probiotics are good quality.

Watch the expiration date. Because probiotics are living organisms, the amount placed in the container or capsule when it was manufactured may not be the same as when you consume the product. You must use these products before the expiration date to be sure the probiotic is still effective.

Play detective. If your doctor recommends a specific species and strain of probiotic, be aware that you may have a difficult time finding it. Many manufacturers don’t tell you exactly which strain is in their product; they only list the species (e.g. Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium lactis). If you’re looking for a specific strain of probiotic and it’s not listed on the label, call the manufacturer and ask. This information might also be on the company’s website.

Buyer beware. To avoid being scammed, don’t order products over the Internet unless you know and can trust the site. Keep in mind that the price of probiotics can vary tremendously, and a higher cost doesn’t mean the products are of higher quality.

If you decide to try probiotics, make sure you store them according to the directions on the package; some must be kept in the refrigerator.

Sometimes when you start a probiotic you will experience some dye-off as your body begins to rebalance the good bacteria. Give it a week or two and see how you feel before you throw in the towel. If things aren’t getting better try a new brand. The one I have found to be the most effective with all of my clients is the Orthomolecular Biotic. Take one Am and one PM.

Bone Broth Nutrition: The Perfect Food for Cancer Patients?

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Bone broth is very high in both protein and nutrients, and while good for everyone, may be exceptionally beneficial for people with cancer.

Cancer patients who undergo conventional cancer treatments (surgery, chemo, and radiation) often experience a range of issues that impact eating. These can include: nausea, vomiting, headache, tiredness, sore mouth and/or throat, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, and changes in taste and smell of food.

After surgery, for example, the body requires extra calories and protein for wound healing and recovery. However, this is also when most cancer patients have pain and feel tired and often don’t feel up to eating. Bone broth is the perfect solution because it provides maximum nutrition in an easy to swallow form that is easily digested and soothing to the digestive system. This is in contrast to many other foods (especially solids) which can be difficult to fully break down.

The broth can be sipped alone, or turned into a base for soup to which you can add other cancer-fighting ingredients (i.e. organic vegetables, turmeric root, ginger, etc). For cancer patients who are experiencing a change in taste (or have lost their sense of taste) due to chemotherapy or radiation, herbs and spices can be easily added to enhance the flavor of the bone broth and make it more palatable.

Bone Broth Supports a Healthy Immune System

One of the most remarkable benefits of bone broth is its gut supportive benefits. This provides a holistic effect on the body which even supports healthy immune system function.

Leaky gut occurs when undigested particles from foods seep through tiny openings in the weakened intestinal lining and enter the bloodstream. The immune system detects these particles and becomes hyperactive which in turn increases inflammation. As the immune system releases high levels of antibodies, it causes an autoimmune-like response and attacks healthy tissue.

The collagen/gelatin and the amino acids proline, glutamine, and arginine in traditionally-made bone broths help seal these openings in the gut lining and promote gut integrity.

By restoring gut health, bone broth aids in supporting immune system function and healthy inflammation response. As an added bonus, bone broth can even promote healthy sleep, boost energy during the day, and support a healthy mood… all critical elements when healing from cancer.

Don’t want to spend all that time making Bone Broth yourself…

6 Beneficial Nutrients Found in Bone Broth

  1. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) – support collagen and elastin production which is good for the structure of the body, skin, hair, and nails. GAGs also aid in digestive health by helping to restore the intestinal lining. Important GAGs found in bone broth include glucosamine, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulfate.
  2. Glucosamine (hydrochloride and sulfate) – Supports joint strength and mobility by helping to maintain the integrity of cartilage (the rubbery substance within joints that acts as a natural cushion to keep bones from rubbing together). Bone broth can be a delicious and easy alternative to expensive glucosamine supplements for supporting joint health.
  3. Hyaluronic Acid – supports healthy tissues, including cell rejuvenation and skin firmness. Hyaluronic acid is a common ingredient in anti-aging skin care products. Bone broth provides the benefits from the inside out!
  4. Chondroitin Sulfate – Often used along with glucosamine to support joint health. Studies have shown that supplementing with chondroitin supports healthy inflammation response as well as cardiovascular health, bone health, skin health, and healthy cholesterol levels
  5. Minerals and Electrolytes – Essential minerals, including electrolytes, found in bone broth include calcium, magnesium, and potassium, as well as many other minerals such as phosphorus. These minerals are important for supporting healthy circulation, bone density, nerve signaling functions, heart health, and digestive health.
  6. Collagen – Quality bone broth is a good source of collagen which has a number of important functions in the body. These include helping to form connective tissue (allowing for easier movement) and protecting and sealing the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Collagen is a complex protein that is a rich source of 19 amino acids, many of which must be obtained from diet.

I love My Salt Block + Recipe

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I am sure you have heard about how great a salt lamp is for you right ?Have you heard of the benefits of the Himalayan pink salt block? It is my new favorite way to cook in the kitchen. My steaks, pork chops and salmon are amazing.   So hopefully I can convince you to pop on Amazon and order yourself a salt block with the information below.

The Himalayan pink salt block is catching on and for good reason. Not only do these colorful prehistoric crystals make healthier, tastier and more interesting meals, they’re also just darn pretty to look at! Not enough, you say? Who doesn’t want to cook on this beautiful block.

TOP TEN REASONS TO COOK ON A SALT BLOCK:

1. Adds Healthy Minerals To Food

2. More Complex Taste Than Table Salt

3. A Hint of Salt, Not A Lot

4. Naturally Anti-Microbial Surface

5. Extreme Temperature Resistance

6. Superior Heat Distribution

7. Holds Temperature Longer

8. Use Heated or Chilled

9. Food Cures Through Contact

10. Blocks Double As Serving Platters

Where To Buy Your New Himalayan Salt Block click the salt block below to change your world!!

Here is the First Recipe I used on my Salt block …yummy

Himalayan Salt Block Recipe – Seared Flank Steak

Flank steak has to be pretty much the best thing short of a foot rub while drinking a root beer float.  But it’s tough.  It’s ornery.  There is a common strategy to making the flank steak supple enough to eat without popping your jaw out of joint: marinating.  I’ve made coffee and ginger marinades, lime and tequila marinades, smoked salt and chili pepper marinades, vinegar and sugar marinades… you name it.  Every time, great steak.  But think of the poor steak.  A wonderful, flavor-packed piece of meat forced to suffer quietly the insult of subjugation to intense acids and sugars and salts.  When we see a flank steak, we see a quandary.  How do we get that elemental flavor out of a meat that resists the teeth?  There is a solution, a way honor the humble yet noble flank steak in its naked beauty, a way that takes virtually no preparation ahead of time, a way results in a fun, incredibly juicy and savory dish.

There are two simple tricks to this dish (if you can call steak seared on a giant block of salt a dish): cutting the meat against the grain, and cooking it at a high temperature.  Oh, and cooking it NOT on steel, but on a block of ancient, super dense, mineral rich Himalayan salt.

Ingredients:
1 2lb piece of flank steak
1 9x9x2 inch salt block

Place the block of Himalayan rock salt on the stove and set to low heat, gradually, over the course of 30 minutes, bringing it to high heat, until the block reaches a cooking temperature of 475 to 500 degrees F.  Cut the piece of flank steak length wise along the grain of the meat, creating two long strips.  Then, turning the piece perpendicular to the blade of your knife cut the strips across the fiber of the meat into 1/4 inch thick strips, each about 2 to 3 inches long.

When the Himalayan pink salt plate is hot, which you can tell by when a sample piece of meat sizzles vigorously (or however it is that a piece of meat sizzles when it is REALLY sizzling), or by moving your hand closer and closer to the hot Himalayan salt block until your hand definitely doesn’t want to get any closer at about 2 or 3 inches away, or by gunning it with one of those very cool infra-red thermometers and noting that it is 475 to 500 degrees F, you are ready to cook.

Flank steak sauteed on Himalayan Salt plates blocks bricks

Place about 12 pieces of steak onto the block.  After 15 to 20 seconds, flip and cook for another 15 to 20 seconds.  Serve immediately.

The major drawback to this dish is that no matter how fast you cook, you can generally eat faster.  I’ve noticed that when diners are hungry enough, it is possible to actually eat the entire pieces without chewing–sort of iguana style.  To avoid giving the impression that we are savages, we have conferred upon this dish a sophisticated name that distracts those we are trying to impress.  We call it bifsteak à l’iguanne.

Hence the name, steak a l’iguana.  A good way avoid just hovering over the stove wolfing down the hot, juicy, rare-on-the-inside, seared-golden-on-the-outside pieces of steak, is to bring the cooking to the table, where children can be controlled and adults are obligated to be civil.

Place the hot brick on a trivet and place the piping hot Himalayan salt brick on the table.  The block of Himalayan salt stores enough heat to allow for 3 to 5 courses.  (As the block cools, subsequent batches of steak will be saltier.)  And voilà, all the civility of a good fondue Bourguignonne with even better, more indubitably seasoned cooking.



CBD Craze!!

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Ok, so I was a little skeptical as to whether or not this CBD craze was legit or not so I of course gave it a try. I tried the pills first and then the drops. For me personally my goal was to reduce my anxiety and help with sleep. I must say I have achieved my goal my anxiety is so much better and my sleep. I knew that when I lost my nanny and I didn’t have a new one to take over and I didn’t have a total panic attack and I stayed calm, that something was working and it had to be the CBD. As far as my clients I have not had one person say that it didn’t help them. So I am a firm believer CBD is not a marketing scam and it really works.
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People take or apply cannabidiol to treat a variety of symptoms, but the use has become very controversial. There is some confusion among people about what it is and how it affects the human body. Cannabidiol (CBD) may have some health benefits, and it may also have some risks. Products containing the compound are now legal in most American states where marijuana is not.

What is CBD oil?

CBD is one of many compounds, known as cannabinoids, in the cannabis plant. Researchers have been looking at the possible therapeutic uses of CBD.

CBD oils are oils that contain concentrations of CBD. The concentrations and the uses of these oils vary.

Is CBD marijuana?

CBD oil may have health benefits

 

Until recently, the best-known compound in cannabis was delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This is the most active ingredient in marijuana. Marijuana contains both THC and CBD.

THC creates a mind-altering “high” when a person uses it. This is because THC breaks down when we apply heat and introduce it into the body. CBD is different.  THC is not mind altering.  CBD does appear to produce significant changes in the body, and researchers are now finding that it can be used for medical purposes.

CBD comes from he least processed form of the cannabis plant is hemp. Hemp contains most of the CBD that people use medicinally. Hemp and marijuana come from the same plant, Cannabis sativa, but the two are very different.  However, hemp farmers have barely modified the plant. These are the plants that are used to create the CBD oil.

CBD may benefit a person’s health in a variety of ways. Here is just a short list of the many uses for CBD that have significant research on the positive health benefits from its use.

 

Natural pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties

Quitting smoking and drug withdrawals

Epilepsy

Other neurological symptoms and disorders

Fighting cancer

Anxiety disorders

Sleep 

Depression 

Type 1 diabetes

Acne

Alzheimer’s disease

So what is the best Brand to buy ? I have tried a couple different ones but I like Designs For Health CBD oil drops.   I find that the pills are not as effective as doing sublingual drops. As far as the creams for pain and inflammation I like Medical Miracles. There is a link below to purchase that Designs for Health you must get from a Health professional.