Jill’s Lazy Sunday Stew

Jill’s Lazy Sunday Stew This stew is quick and easy. Serve it with some garlic bread and a salad for a great meal. The chili powder in this recipe gives the stew the kick it needs to keep you warm on those particularly cold days, while the beans provide protein, calcium, and fiber to keep you feeling fuller, for a longer period of time. Makes 8 servings Ingredients: Choose ORGANIC whenever possible! 1 30-ounce bag frozen hash brown potatoes 2 14-ounce cans tomato sauce or diced tomatoes (if you prefer chunky soups) 1 1/2 cups water 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 15-ounce can black beans,…

Continue ReadingJill’s Lazy Sunday Stew

Spicy Sweet & Sour Eggplant Recipe

Spicy Sweet & Sour Eggplant Recipe Eggplants are in season and we've been blessed abundantly with them from our CSA. I made this last night and it was delicious. Whether you are buying your eggplant from the local farmers market, growing your own or finding them in your CSA shares this month, consider trying this mouth watering whole foods recipe for a meat free night one day this week. Some notes on the recipe: The Arrowroot powder is the thickener in the sauce which replaces Cornstarch (typically GMO stuff). Obviously, cornstarch works as well if you don't have access to arrowroot. The Sweet & Sour Sauce would be great with stir-fry…

Continue ReadingSpicy Sweet & Sour Eggplant Recipe

Are You Unknowingly Keeping Yourself Sick and Miserable? Week 24 of 52 Weeks of Wellness

Are You Unknowingly Keeping Yourself Sick and Miserable?  Week 24 of 52 Weeks of Wellness Are you feeling sick, fatigued or just plain miserable? You should know that... 80% of disease is preventable by lifestyle choices. Meaning diet and exercise (or FSA as I like to call it, "fun sweaty activity") is the key. If you continue to believe that there is nothing you can do to prevent disease and you don't make wellness a priority you could have some serious health issues in the future to combat. We just finished up talking about how the majority of available "convenience foods" are terrible when it comes to your health.…

Continue ReadingAre You Unknowingly Keeping Yourself Sick and Miserable? Week 24 of 52 Weeks of Wellness

Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies These cookies make a great treat and the cranberries contain an array of cancer-fighting antioxidants. The deep red pigments also protect against cancer. In the fall, raspberries make a comeback and you can try substituting cranberry for raspberry too. Feel free to substitute the brown sugar with 1/4 cup of date sugar or 1/2 cup agave nectar. (If using agave, reduce the 1/2 cup nondairy milk by a tablespoon.) Makes 27 cookies Ingredients: 3/4 cup organic butter or coconut oil 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries 3 cups quick-cooking or rolled oats 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder…

Continue ReadingSpiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Health Issues from Prescription Medication

This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs.  Oh sorry, wrong post.  Talk about effective marketing!? Every time I see a photo of an egg it takes me back to that classic and powerful commercial. Although the commercial was targeting recreational drugs, the sad part is that we are using and abusing prescription medication at a much higher rate and it has become completely accepted in society. I can't remember the last time I've taken an over-the-counter or prescription medication.  The reason I don't remember is because it has been such a long time since I've used them.  And yes, I'm quite proud of that.  I have God…

Continue ReadingHealth Issues from Prescription Medication

Easy Summer Tomato Salad

Easy Summer Tomato Salad I am notorious for throwing random things together and calling it lunch or dinner.  Today's lunch included three simple ingredients that I had received from my Community Supported Agriculture; tomatoes, yellow sweet peppers and okra. It was delicious, simple and nutrient dense! Easy Summer Tomato Salad Recipe Tomatoes- 3 small, cut in bite size pieces Okra - 3 raw, cut into bite size pieces Yellow Sweet Pepper  - one-half of large pepper cut into rings. 1 T of Balsamic vinegar and 1 T Extra Virgin Olive oil I cut them up, placed in a bowl and poured the balsamic and EVOO over them in…

Continue ReadingEasy Summer Tomato Salad

Are You Unknowingly Keeping Yourself Sick and Miserable? Belief Without Research – Week 23 of 52 Weeks of Wellness

Are You Unknowingly Keeping Yourself Sick and Miserable? Belief Without Research - Week 23 of 52 Weeks of Wellness Are you feeling sick, unhealthy or miserable? Then you are likely (unknowingly?!) doing some counterintuitive health related things that have kind of be ingrained in us. For the new few weeks I'd like to debunk and discuss these hidden roadblocks to wellness in an attempt to educate and empower for better health and wellness. To start out I'd like to address the issue of Belief Without Research. Are you believing the media, ad agencies and food packaging when they tell you what foods are healthy? So many of us truly believe…

Continue ReadingAre You Unknowingly Keeping Yourself Sick and Miserable? Belief Without Research – Week 23 of 52 Weeks of Wellness

Watermelon Beverage Recipe: Watermelon seeds pack a nutritional punch!

Did you know watermelon seeds are good source of vitamin B like Thiamin, niacin, folate plus high in minerals like magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, Iron, potassium and copper. Midmorning snack idea: Watermelon Fruit Drink With Seeds: 1/4 or 1/2 of watermelon with seeds 2 T of gelled Chia seeds (for additional fiber, protein and calcium) Blend watermelon, I prefer using my Vitamix until seeds break down. Once mellon is blended, pour in a glass with 2 T of gelled Chia seeds and enjoy.

Continue ReadingWatermelon Beverage Recipe: Watermelon seeds pack a nutritional punch!

What’s Lurking in your Pantry?

What’s Lurking in your Pantry? One service that I offer and love is a Pantry Purge.  It doesn’t happen very often as most women are a bit intimidated and maybe even a little embarrassed to let me puruse their pantry.  I have been dubbed the "food Nazi" you know. So, this last purge was quite rewarding as I was able to help some of our best friends on their wellness journey by helping clean up their pantry.  They were the perfect clients who did what I recommended, no whining, excuses or complaining.  I love this type clients not because it makes my life  easier (as it does) but…

Continue ReadingWhat’s Lurking in your Pantry?

Simple Oven Fried Fish

This simple oven fried fish recipe is one of our family's go-to meals. Growing up eating fish every week while living in Michigan holds fond memories for me. My dad loved to fish in summer and ice fish in the winter. He was always willing to take me with him. Every Friday night was always fish night whether at home or at the local restaurant/bar! And it was always fried fish with french fries. This prompted me to find a recipe that modeled fried fish without the health implications of traditional fried food. Using coconut oil helps with that. We love to serve the fish with either homemade…

Continue ReadingSimple Oven Fried Fish