I'm thankful for chocolate......

The subject of Sugar has been beaten to death, but yet most of us are still addicted to it in one form or another. We all know it isn't good for us, but yet......My own personal addiction is in the form of CHOCOLATE. Chocolate is everywhere. It is good to have a 'defensive plan' in place before it hits. My own way of dealing with it is to have healthier choices available so I don't feel deprived by not indulging in the sweet temptations. It is just like any healthy eating options, you have to plan ahead and make a commitment to do it. The only bad part about making your own chocolate bars is that they have no preservatives or chemicals in them so they melt at room temperature. If you take them out of the refrigerator, you have to eat them all. (oh darn!) Here is my favorite - play with it and make it your own! 

Chocolate Bark (or as we say Down Under - Chocolate Slice)

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup almond butter (or any nut butter)

1/2 cup raw Cacao powder

1 tablespoon raw Maca powder

1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, date syrup or rice syrup (rice syrup has no fructose in it but it isn't as sweet tasting, which I like because since giving up white sugar, I find I don’t want it so sweet. In fact I cut back to 1/3 cup when I use honey or maple syrup)

In saucepan, on low heat, melt coconut oil and nut butter, add and stir sweetener, cacao and maca. Pour onto tray lined with parchment paper. (Parchment paper hack: if you wad it up into a ball, then flatten it out again, it will stay put better in the corners) Sprinkle with whatever your favorites are, i.e.: nuts, coconut, blueberries. Place in fridge or freezer until set, about 15 minutes. Cut into squares for a healthy treat.

I’ve tried all four sweeteners and my favorite is organic date syrup which is simply pureed dates and a little water.

Eat beans to live longer better

There are several spots in the world where people seem to live longer than others called Blue Zones. The zones pinpointed were Ikaria in Greece, Okinawa in Japan, the Barbagia region of Sardinia, Loma Linda in California (which contains the highest concentration of Seventh Day Adventists in the US) and Nicoya in Costa Rica. The lifestyles in these areas vary. They have different diets and beliefs. One of the things they do have in common is beans. Yes, something as simple as beans.

From studying the blue zones, it is believed that beans are "the world's greatest longevity foods" and that eating beans - of every variety, including fava, black, soy and lentil - is fundamental to healthy living and the "cornerstone of every longevity diet". The blue-zone people are "eating a cup of beans a day on average".

Why are beans so special, though? We know they are high in fiber, vitamins and micronutrients but they also remove the need for animal protein, so are better for the gut. The Blue Zoners eat only 5 percent meat. The majority of their food is plant based.

When you eat a lot of meat, the gut bacteria (the flora) of your gut changes to digest it. So a certain type of bacteria thrives when you eat a lot of meat; that bacteria causes inflammation, which is at the root of every age-related disease.

When you eat beans, however, you switch to another type of flora (it is during this changeover that flatulence occurs, but it only lasts a couple of weeks), which lowers inflammation and obesity rates.

The goal isn't necessarily to live to be 100, but to LIVE until you die. It is amazing how something as simple as beans can increase your quality of life. So eat your beans (take a walk if they cause flatulence and let it rip - exercise is the bonus!) and enjoy a longer, healthier life.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

You can now have delicious hot chocolate that is 'junk free'. If you read the ingredients of the popular chocolate syrup brands you will see lots of 'junk' there. I just noticed that the Nesquik one also has yellow dye in it, which would make it NOT gluten free. Heres to getting the JUNK out of your diet!

Homemade Chocolate Syrup :: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free

Ingredients

• 1 cup filtered water

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey, or any other sweetener of choice*

• 1/2 cup cocoa or cacao powder

• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, whisking regularly. You don’t want the mixture to boil or simmer. You want it to just get hot enough to melt the sugar and help everything blend together.

2. Remove from heat and pour into a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

3. Let cool to room temperature and then store in the fridge.

4. Note that because we are not using any emulsifiers, this may separate a little when stored in the fridge. That’s OK. Simply shake well before use.

Note: To make your homemade chocolate milk, simply combine 2 teaspoons of syrup per 8 ounces of milk (more or less to suit your personal tastes) and whisk or shake to combine. You can also heat this to make hot cocoa. 

*I like coconut syrup with cacao recipes.

Adapted from Delicious Obsessions by Jessica Espinoza

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

As a kid we were given apples and walnuts at the door when Trick or Treating. (Yup, I'm that old!). That was a treat for us. Maybe we should try to get back to those basics.......An Apple a Day keeps the Doctor Away! Here are three ways that the nutrients in apples keep those doctors away and help keep your body healthy and ready for weight loss.

Soluble Fiber
 - Unlike insoluble fiber (think: kale), soluble fiber can absorb and trap liquids (think of how oatmeal absorbs water). In your body, soluble fiber absorbs and traps cholesterol, and actually helps to remove it from your body. Because of their soluble fiber, apples have been shown to decrease total cholesterol (yeah!).

Antioxidants - in nearly every fruit or vegetable, apples are filled with them to protect the body from oxidation (think rust building up on iron). Apples help prevent the rust from building up.
Protect your heart by eating apples!

Blood Sugar Regulation - Apples include nutrients that slow digestion, slow glucose release, and increase the available insulin to process the glucose. We couldn’t design this process better if we tried! Don't you just love God's Pharmacy!

Apples are the original "fast food". Ready to eat on the go. I have some yummy Gluten Free apple recipes. Message me if you are interested.

A handful of nutrients in apples work together to help keep blood sugar stable. First, some nutrients increase the amount of time it takes for the apple to be digested into the simple sugars (glucose) that your body uses for energy. Then, other nutrients slow down the process of pushing that glucose into your blood stream. This is good—when the release of glucose is slower, your blood sugar does not “spike,” your body does not have to work as hard to manage a large dose of sugar, and you are satiated for a longer period of time. Meanwhile, other nutrients in apples ask the body to produce more insulin, which helps to take the simple sugars out of our blood and turn them into energy. So apples include nutrients that slow digestion, slow glucose release, and increase the available insulin to process the glucose. We couldn’t design this process better if we tried! Don't you just love God's Pharmacy!

Healthy Doses of Vitamin D*

We have been warned about skin cancer and harmful exposure to the sun. I remember the day we put baby oil all over our bodies and baked in the sun for hours. Oh the wrinkles! Come on now, who remembers that? I think we even put a little iodine in it to help with the color. 

We do need vitamin D from the sun, is there a safe way to get it? We have been told to put on sunscreen. Most sunscreens are loaded with chemicals that are also harmful. And if we put sunscreen on every day and never actually get ANY exposure to the UV rays we need, then what?

Once again, we go back to nature. If we are eating healthy foods that have lots of lycopene that protects our skin from sun damage, we can safely get the vitamin D we need. Common sense has to come into play here. Staying out in the sun long enough to burn is never wise. So how long is long enough? When the skin just starts to turn pink you have gotten the dose of vitamin D needed. Obviously the time will vary for each individual and skin type. My friend, Steve, has much darker skin than I do and will need to stay out longer to get enough vitamin D, but he can still burn, so he has to be careful too. Anytime, year round, if you are getting a pink glow to your skin from sun exposure, you are getting Vitamin D. 

How about Vitamin D supplements? Supplements might help if you are severely depleted, but can never give you the healthy levels you can get from the sun. So forgo the makeup with sunscreen in it, roll up those sleeves and get some sun! After you have your D fix for the day, then slather on some natural (chemical free) sunscreen. Vitamin D will store well in your cells to carry you through cloudy days.

It continues to amaze me at how our bodies work. Did you know the eyes receive a signal from the sun and the pores then close to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun? If we wear sunglasses when going out into the sun, the signal is missed and the skin is not naturally protected. (Don't you just love trivia?)

Get your Vitamin D fix as often as possible. Let those eyes receive and send signals to the skin. A healthy pink is what you are after, not a burn. Use lightweight clothing to cover up after you have had enough sun. Then put on those sexy sunglasses and enjoy your day. 

Posture

Did you know that your posture is a good measure of how you are and how you are perceived? I'm reading Jordan B. Peterson's book 12 Rules for Life. Rule #1: "Stand up straight, with your shoulders back." Sounds pretty simple, but has great consequences.

"Some of the positive feedback loops instantiated by body language can occur beyond the private confines of subject experience, in the social space you share with other people. If your posture is poor, for example--if you slump, shoulder forward and rounded, chest tucked in, head down, looking small, defeated and ineffectual (protected, in theory, against attack from behind)--then you will feel small, defeated and ineffectual.  The reactions of others will amplify that."

So, good posture isn't just for your good health -- which it also is, letting those organs expand and breath -- it is for your social health as well.  FYI: a good read.

Routines

Our bodies love routine. Even with our busy schedules we can keep our body routine. Regular bedtimes, regular meal times, right down to taking our Juice Plus at the same time every day. This is especially true if we are fighting an illness. The most challenging for me is travel. My life takes me away from home for a couple nights a week taking care of my grandkids, giving mums a break. I have my 'Grandma travel bag' with the 'equipment' I need to help me keep my routine. I carry a small jar of coconut oil for daily oil pulling, my portable alarm clock so I don't have to keep my cell phone in the same room, my small devotional to keep me on track spiritually, my water bottle, earplugs, my walking shoes and my Juice Plus and Complete. It is important to find the routine that works best for my body so I can keep up with these special little people in my life! And for heaven's sake, don't forget to keep up with your exercise routine so when your 4 year old grandson wants to teach you how to play Aussie football, you will be able to walk the next day!

GLUTEN FREE HONEY GRAHAM CRACKERS

If you have given up Gluten, you probably miss this old favourite. Even if you can tolerate gluten, you might want to try this healthier version of Graham Crackers. Using the gallon size baggies to roll out the dough makes this is a very easy way to make these crackers.

Serves: 34 crackers

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sorghum flour

• 1 cup tapioca starch

• 1/4 cup millet flour

• 1/2 cup organic brown sugar (or coconut sugar*)

• 2 tablespoons psyllium husk powder**

• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground ceylon cinnamon***

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 7 tablespoons coconut oil, at room temperature (or cold butter, or vegan butter)

• 3 tablespoons honey (or maple or coconut syrup)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   6-8 tablespoons cold water

 

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large mixing bowl (I used a standing mixer), whisk together the sorghum flour, tapioca starch, millet flour, organic brown sugar, psyllium husk powder, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.

• Cut in the coconut oil until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

• Add the honey, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons of the cold water. Stir, and continue to add the cold water, tablespoon by tablespoon until the mixture forms workable dough.

• Divide the dough in half and form each half into a disk. (I weigh it to divide it equally) Place each disk into the center of a gallon-sized sealable bag (so you have 2 bags filled with dough). Remove the excess air from the bag and seal it. Roll the dough out so that it is evenly flat and reaches all four corners of the bag (if necessary, open the bag and readjust the plastic). Roll the second bag of dough. Lay both bags of dough out flat in the refrigerator, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F), and line 2 large baking sheets (or pizza stones) with parchment paper.

• Remove the first bag of dough from the refrigerator, unseal it, and cut the bag to remove the top layer of plastic. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into squares or rectangles. Carefully use a spatula to transfer the crackers to one of the prepared baking sheets. Prick each cracker 2-3 times with a fork if desired. Repeat this step with the second bag of dough. (I removed the top plastic, flipped it over onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and removed the rest of the ziplock bag. I then cut it into squares with a pizza cutter. Less mess)

• Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until the crackers are golden brown, and slightly deeper golden around the edges. (Don't overcook, take them out before they look done. I burnt a few before catching on to this!) Transfer to cooling racks and cool completely before enjoying. Crackers will be soft when hot, but will crispen as they cool. 

*For a slightly healthier version I use the coconut sugar. It tastes almost the same, with a slightly stronger molasses taste. I like it better. 

**I've been told that psyllium husk is hard to get in America. I had a look on Amazon.com and found it for a reasonable price. Not sure what I would substitute for this. It helps with the texture and makes it more like a "real" graham cracker. 

***Ceylon Cinnamon is best - see http://gale4health.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/cinnamon.html for more information on healthy cinnamons. 

Adapted from Megan at Allergy Free Alaska

Powerballs

A treat your body will love.

Start with a nut butter (cashew, almond, peanut- ok, I know it’s a legume, not a nut, but it works) of your choice. OR you can just take about a cup of whole nuts and it will be more chunky.

Put it in a food processor. Start adding whatever sounds good (sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cacao nibs, chia seeds, etc. Add sweetener (maple syrup, honey, rice syrup, stevia). If you like chocolate you can add cacao powder. Blend. Drizzle melted coconut oil until it is the consistency you want. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet and place in frig or freezer until set. 

These are all just suggestions. Play with it and keep testing until you get the consistency you like.

Gluten Free French Bread

GLUTEN FREE FRENCH BREAD

1 1/2 cups almond meal 

3/4 cup Arrowroot flour or Tapioca Starch (same thing) 

3/4 cup Potato Starch (not flour, big difference) 

1/2 t Salt 

1 T rapid dry yeast *

___________

1 T Olive Oil 

3 Egg Whites 

1T honey 

1 t Raw Apple Cider Vinegar 

2/3 cup Warm Water 

In mixer, blend all dry ingredients. Add egg whites and oil, mix to blend. Add remaining wet ingredients and mix for 2 minutes. The dough will be like a thick pancake batter.  Lay parchment paper over French bread pans, folding up at the ends to prevent runoff.** Divide dough between the two sides.

Note: the original recipe (https://healthstartsinthekitchen.com/grain-free-french-bread/) was a bit confusing for me so I rewrote it and combined the tapioca and arrowroot flours since they are basically the same flour. I made this the first time without the French bread pan and it was ok, but it was MUCH better when I used the French bread pan. The French pan is made to bake more evenly. You have to line the pan with parchment paper** because the dough is more like a batter and will run. 

* the original recipe calls for rapid dry yeast. I’m not able to get that here, only “dry yeast”. So to get around that I let the dough rise in the mixing bowl for about 45 minutes, mix it to break it down, then pour it into the pans to bake. I skipped this ‘let rise’ step and the result was a much dencer bread. Won’t skip it again!

**if you wad up the parchment paper and then spread out flat, it will lay where you put it. Little tricks of the trade!