Top 5 Harmful Foods

June 12, 2015 2 Comments

Although I am anti-deprivation and pro-filling your plate with a bountiful of various fresh foods, there are some damaging foods you need to know about to avoid any further detrimental long-term effects to your body. These usually won’t kill you if you consume them once, but over time they are gauranteed to drain your energy level, jack up your hormones (yes men, you fo sho have hormones too!), make your skin wrinkly, pack on the pounds, and significantly increase your risk of cancer and disease by leaps and bounds. What’s sad is that these foods are in the majority of people’s every day diet. And….we wonder why the cancer rate has drastically increased to 1 out of 2 people. It’s pretty easy to see why when you take a step back and look at what most people are eating every day, not to mention stress, toxins, etc. YOU CAN live a healthy life free of disease! It’s not all that hard, just eat clean, be happy, drink water, get rest, get grounded, and find ways to manage your stress.

As much as you can, try to avoid these lame.com foods that will make you a sicko.

1. Sugar

White sugar is one of the most detrimental elements for our health. Not only does it cause inflammation, suppress the immune system, cause infection to grow, and create chronic fatigue, but it is the #1 food choice for cancer. As far back as 1957 in his article published in the Michigan Organic News, Dr. William Coda classified sugar as a poison because it is stripped of life forces, vitamins and minerals. “What is left consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. Incomplete carbohydrate metabolism results in the formation of `toxic metabolite` such as pyruvic acid. This interferes with the function of a part of the body and is the beginning of degenerative disease”. Read your labels carefully because sugar is in almost all processed foods. Here are more resources on the dangers of sugar:

• http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx

• http://www.naturalnews.com/022692_sugar_xylitol_stevia.html

• http://www.naturalnews.com/027644_refined_sugar_dangers.html#ixzz2ENFgedT7

2. Dirty Dairy

Dirty dairy is any kind of dairy that is non-organic and pasteurized. The only kind of dairy that has some nutritional value is if it is raw or unpasteurized and organic from grass-fed cows, sheep, or goats. When milk is pasteurized it completely kills all nutrient value, rendering it a completely dead food. This requires significant amounts of energy and work for the body to process the food when you consume it, leaving you fatigued. Homogenized dairy is even worse as it completely denatures all the proteins and becomes even more toxic to consume. Dairy is also a mucous forming food. If you have ever struggled with allergies, sinus infections, or digestive distress, most likely you have excessive mucous production in your body. Mucus production is a result of the body’s protective mechanism, but too much mucous results in malabsorption of foods in the digestive tract, leading to malnourishment, and degenerative disease. On top of being mucous forming, the worst part is the fact that commercialized dairy these days is full of artificial hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. It is IMPOSSIBLE for you to consume dairy products with these dangerous elements and not be damaged at some level from them.

Now to clear up a few myths of milk and diary.

1. It does not prevent osteoporosis, but actually causes it! http://www.news-medical.net/news/2005/09/12/13120.aspx.

2. It does not increase calcium levels, nor is it the best source. http://yehoshuatree.blogspot.com.es/2012/01/milk-cause-calcium-deficiency.html

3. Low-fat dairy is not healthier. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/21/why-you-need-to-avoid-low-fat-milk-and-cheese.aspx

Here are more resources on dirty dairy:

• http://www.naturalnews.com/036970_dairy_health_problems_alternatives.html

• http://www.naturalnews.com/002695_Robert_Cohen_cows_milk.html

• http://www.naturalnews.com/028111_milk_dairy.html

3. Gluten

To keep it short and simple, modern wheat and grains is night and day different to what was available in the Bible days. There is a common misconception that whole wheat is actually healthy for you. I used to think this as well, but the truth is, even whole grain wheat can be damaging to our bodies. Did you know that the wheat grain available in ancient times didn’t actually contain gluten? Interesting huh? The wheat grain back then is referred to as Einkorn Wheat and doesn’t contain any gluten nor does it compare to regular grains. This type of wheat is very nutritious! Modern day gluten-containing foods damage our intestinal lining and cause inflammation, always leading to degenerative effects on the body. Remember our talk about sugar? As soon as we eat foods containing gluten, it immediately changes into sugar in our system and has all of the same destructive effects. Here are more resources on gluten:

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/gluten-what-you-dontknow_b_379089.html

• http://www.naturalnews.com/036455_gluten_sensitivity_flour.html

• http://www.naturalnews.com/035224_gluten_nervous_system_brain_damage.html

4. Hydrogenated & Partially Hydrogenated Oils

These oils are also known as trans-fats and are extremely dangerous. These oils are used in many processed foods, deep fried foods, pastries, and many store-bought cookies and crackers. They are a major culprit to heart disease, chronic inflammation, joint pain, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disease, & birth defects. They are SO dangerous that they have actually been outlawed in states like New York! Here are more resources on these oils:

• http://www.naturalnews.com/010095_hydrogenated_oils_unhealthy.html

• http://www.naturalnews.com/027445_fat_fats_trans.html

• http://www.truthpublishing.com/poisonfood_p/yprint-cat21284.htm

5. GMO Foods

These “wanna-be” foods also known as “Frankenfoods” are extremely dangerous not only for our bodies but for our children and their children. GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. Basically, these foods are created in a laboratory where their genes are modified. This genius (insert sarcastic tone here) invention was created by the most evil corporation on the planet, Monsanto. GMO foods are manipulated genetically so when the crops are sprayed with highly toxic RoundUp and pesticides, they don’t die. Read more about GMO foods and how they have recently been scientifically proven to cause cancer, tumors, and premature death here- http://www.naturalnews.com/037249_GMO_study_cancer_tumors_organ_damage.html

Here is a great resource to learn how to avoid GMO foods- http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com

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So, guys, do what you can to avoid these nasties and keep it fresh with local produce, clean meats (if you eat it), nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and gluten-free whole grains. You can do it! Have an awesome day soaking up the sunshine and getting your Vitamin D!

-Your Health Coach-

Jessica, RN, BSN, CHC

Inspriation, Recipes

The Breakfast Sandwich.

January 4, 2014 No Comments

Hey!!!

I wanted to share this scrumptious and easy breakfast sandwich with you! This was my breakfast this morning before a looooooong day. It is filling, delicious, & nutritious!!

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1. Heat up 1 tbs coconut oil in a pan. When melted, place 1 slice of *organic* turkey in the coconut oil on one side of the pan and crack an organic egg on the other side. Flip when necessary to evenly cook both sides of turkey slice and egg.

2. While egg and turkey are cooking, slice a gluten-free english muffin in half and put in toaster.

3. When english muffin is done, spread coconut oil on each side, add avocado slices, thinly sliced raw cheese, cooked turkey slice, and egg. Sprinkle with Himalayan salt.

4. Cut sandwich in half if desired. Add a side of sauerkraut with sandwich to start off the morning with some enzymes & probiotics.

5. If desired, drink with good-belly juice and/or inner-eco. Recommended to eat while reading some inspiring literature such as a devotional or your favorite book in the Bible to start off the day strong!

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations…Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead..and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was STRENGTHENED in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”- Romans 5:18-21

YOU’RE AWESOME!!!

Jessica Aubrey

Jessica@JessicaAubreyRN.com

Gluten free

How to go Gluten-Free & LOVE it! (Part 3 of 3)

October 18, 2013 No Comments

Hey Friends!

Finally part 3 to my Gluten-Free series has arrived! This is the FUN part! Today, I’m going to give you some awesome tools to going gluten-free and how you can make it taste delicious and not ruin your life…because let’s be honest, in the beginning of a huge lifestyle change like this, it can suck all the fun out of life. I am here to tell you, it does NOT have to be that way.

I’ve been gluten, sugar, and dirty-dairy free for about 4 years. It’s been a big transition, but a challenge I have actually loved! Below you’ll find some of my favorite recipes and alternatives to traditional gluten-filled foods.

Transitional foods

Instead of…. Choose…

Pasta Quinoa or brown rice pasta (it comes in all shapes and sizes)

Bread Gluten-Free breads. Udi’s usually has the best taste. OR cut out the bread in your life!

Tortillas Sprouted or gluten-free tortillas OR lettuce

Soy Sauce Organic Tamari or Braggs Aminos

Crackers Gluten-free crackers

Cakes Dangerously Delicious Chocolate Cake! See recipe below…

Cookies There are many gluten-free cookies you can buy OR make some yourself!

Muffins Use a gluten-free flour mix and make your own!

Breakdown of all bread products

Hamburger buns
Hotdog buns
Pasta in all forms
Sandwich bread
Dinner rolls
Bread for dips
Tortillas
Wraps
Baked goods
Pie crust (CHECK OUT www.Utopia-Pies.com)

ALL of these items can EASILY be replaced with either a gluten-free bread alternative OR by just going “bun-less” or “bread-less”! I promise, it’s not that scary! 🙂

5 Tips for eating out

Ask for a gluten-free menu or options if that restaurant has one.
Choose your favorite burger or sandwich without the bread. Get it lettuce wrapped
Order your favorite salad, just make sure there are no croutons or fried food items.
Avoid soy sauce at Asian cuisine as soy sauce contains gluten. Bring your own gluten-free tamari or simply order something with no soy sauce.
If you eat animal protein, look for clean meat options, such as wild caught Salmon, free-range chicken breast, or grass fed beef.

***REMEMBER- The more whole, unprocessed, and natural the food is that you’re eating, the better! You’re not going to have to worry about hidden ingredients in an organic piece of fruit.

RECIPE TIME!!!

I picked a few DELICIOUS recipes in various categories for you to experiment with. Let me know how you like them!! 🙂

DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE

REVOLUTIONIZED ENCHILADAS

RAW COCONUT CREAMER

PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS

HOMEMADE KALE CHIPS

FENNEL ROOT, PUMPKIN, & TEMPEH

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I hope today’s post was helpful for you and your family on your healthier happier journey! It’s a great idea to keep a journal through this process as you start realizing your energy and mood improve and less aches and pains. It’s a fun process to look back on! I’m so proud of you all for taking this tremendous step in your life!

In Health, Hope, & Happiness

READ PART 2 HERE- http://www.jessicalopezrn.com/why-go-gluten-free/

READ PART 1 HERE- http://www.jessicalopezrn.com/do-you-have-a-gluten-problem/

Gluten free

Why Go Gluten-Free- The Story of Mr. Gary Gluten (Part 2 of 3)

August 31, 2013 5 Comments

A few days ago, we talked about some symptoms of gluten-intolerance, the foods that contain it, and the alarming statistics of health issues correlated to gluten (you can read that post here). Today I want to go a little deeper into why it may benefit your quality of life to go gluten-free and what happens when you eat it.

In a Nutshell…How Gluten Does Its Damage

Everyone, meet “Mr. Gary Gluten”-

Looks harmless, right? Well I’m going to tell you a story of the journey this little guy goes on in your body when you eat him. He is found in the majority of foods you find at the supermarket today- breads, crackers, cakes, cookies, pasta, sauces, etc.

Here is Gary’s family traits-

From a Genetically Modified family (GMO). This means his family was first created in a laboratory where their genes were altered to no longer resemble their family genetics.

A couple thousand years ago, Gary’s family looked MUCH different than him, only having about 14 chromosomes. Gary has over 42.

He and his family have been modified genetically in such a way that they won’t die when their “keeper” sprays them with hundreds of dangerous chemicals known as pesticides and herbicides. These poisons kill all of the naturally growing weeds, bugs, and basically any life around them. These poisons also act to kill our human cells, effecting us in every way.

Gary was grown in a soil much different from his ancestors. He grew up in a soil that was stripped of all the minerals and life-giving nutrients except for Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and potassium, because many humans realized if only these 3 are present, the plant will look the same, but for a fraction of the cost. So, unfortunately Gary doesn’t have all of the “good-for-you” vitamins his family had hundreds of years ago even though he still may “look” the same.

Usually, before he is put into a food such as pasta, bread, etc… he is stripped of all his nutrients, fiber, protein, and good stuff, to be turned into a white flour substance.

Now that you know a little bit more about Mr. Gary Gluten and how he is different from his ancient ancestors. Let’s take a look at what happens when you put him in your body…

You eat a sandwich, pasta, or cookie with Mr. Gary Gluten inside…

He is absorbed into your blood stream and causes your blood sugar to go sky high, even more than regular table sugar does! This increases your insulin (fat storing hormone) levels immediately. High blood sugar and insulin levels have a whole myriad of problems on their own including:

Diabetes

High cholesterol

High triglycerides

Chronic inflammation

Obesity

Heart Disease

Hormonal dysfunction

Metabolic X syndrome

and more…

Once he reaches your stomach, ideally you will have a good amount of stomach acid to break him down in order to make the job easier for your small intestine. Unfortunately, many people have a deficiency in stomach acid due to stress, adrenal fatigue, or taking antacids, and Gary doesn’t get digested properly, many times leading to heartburn, acid reflux, or bloating.

After his time in the stomach, he slips on down to the small intestine. This is where a large amount of damage happens. Our small intestine is critical to our overall health. This is where we absorb all of our “energy”, vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that feed the rest of our body. When this area is damaged, usually people have various digestive issues, chronic fatigue, pain, allergies, malnourishment, hormonal issues, skin disorders, and other seemingly “mysterious” health ailments. Due to Mr. Gary Gluten’s characteristics of being a GMO food, covered in nuerotoxic pesticides, and having way more chromosomes than the human body was meant to digest, Gary cannot be broken down very efficiently and he stays in the small intestine longer than he should. This causes “fermentation” in the gut which is bad news bears for intestinal health. This causes:
- Bloating
- Constipation and or diarrhea
- Damage and even wiping out of the microvilli that line the small intestine. These little finger-like structures are what are most critical to the small intestine as they are responsible for absorbing all nutrients from food. Without them, we don’t absorb the foods we eat, and they will go straight through us.
- Leaky-Gut syndrome- This happens when we eat gluten, GMO foods, and other processed foods that cause fermentation in the gut and damage. Basically, the walls of the small intestine are compromised by these foods and little holes begin to form, leaking undigested food, parasites, and chemicals out of the intestine and into places they should never be.
- Due to the internal stress your body is going through from the damage and from the malnourishment due to the microvilla being damaged, your adrenal glands have a much heavier load and become fatigued. This in turn effects ALL other hormones including your thyroid, estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. This may show up in symptoms such as:
  - Chronic fatigue
  - Insomnia
  - Women’s hormonal issues: irregular or absent menstrual cycles, heavy bleeding, endometriosis, PCOS, etc.
  - Infertility
  - Men’s hormonal issues: impotence, lack of drive, gynecomastia (men with bigger breasts due to excess estrogen)
  - Headaches & migraines
  - Emotional disorders

After a while, eating Mr. Gary Gluten and his family causes some significant damage to your digestive tract, even if you don’t feel the internal damage, it’s building up. 80% of your immune system is within your digestive tract, so now that you have damage in this area, your immune system is going to be very weak. The stress causing your adrenal glands to be fatigued also decreases your immune system, and you will most likely get sick rather easily.

Your brain also is going to work less efficiently. There is something called the “Gut-Brain Axis” which is a direct relationship between the health of your gut to the health of your brain. So, this damage and the increase of bad bacteria in the gut could cause…
- Foggy brain
- Lack of mental sharpness
- Anxiety/and or depression
- Poor memory
- Inability to retain information
- Emotional instability
- And similar symptoms…
When Mr. Gary Gluten is eaten with a poor quality fat such as with fried foods, when they combine, they create a dangerous cement-like substance. This can coat your arteries and digestive tract, and as you can imagine cause some serious problems.

WOW! Did you know products with gluten could do that much damage?!

For some of you, ALL of this is going to make sense, and be potentially life changing for you! Can you imagine having many of these symptoms and no medical professional being able to tell you what’s wrong?

I was in that situation, and if you haven’t been there, let me tell you, it is MISERABLE! You start to lose hope after trying numerous medications, doing a zillion tests that empty your pocketbook, and being left even more confused than before with no legitimate answers to what the problem is. Many people go throughout their whole life without finding the cause. They end up on 20+ medications to try and fix all of these symptoms, but end up feeling even more horrible. Their hope is gone, their health is gone, it lowers their quality of life and effects the rest of their family. How crazy is it that ALL of this could have been solved just by switching up their diet?!

In my next post I’m going to give you some real life tools to use to make the process of going gluten-free much less scary and much more enjoyable! Keep your eyes open!

Gluten free, Health Articles

Gluten-Free foods increasing your cancer risk?

August 25, 2013 4 Comments

Those of you who know me, know that I am a gluten-free foodie, and I have been for years. I have watched hundreds of people change their health and their life around simply by eliminating this one type of food from their diet.

Recently, as I was walking down the gluten-free isle at the grocery store and reading label after label, It occurred to me that many people may not know how UNHEALTHY many of these gluten-free foods really are. In fact, many formulated gluten-free foods are loaded with artificial colorings, sweeteners, sugar, fillers, binders, and GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) ingredients!

Isn’t the point of switching to a gluten-free diet to switch to a healthier lifestyle and heal the digestive tract? Well, unfortunately with these types of foods, there will not be much healing going on, and some of your symptoms may even get worse!

Today, I want to point out to you exactly what to look for when reading a gluten-free label and give you some great suggestions that will help you out the next time you go to the supermarket.

INGREDIENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR

CORN, SOY, CANOLA, & DERIVATIVES OF THESE FOODS (corn flour, corn syrup, soy protien isolate, etc…)
- These ingredients are some of the top GMO crops in America. If you’re not familiar with GMO’s and the horrific effects on our bodies, start by checking out this study done in France that PROVED GMO foods cause tumors, cancer, and premature death- http://www.naturalnews.com/037249_gmo_study_cancer_tumors_organ_damage.html. You know that motto, “Everything in moderation”… Well, in my opinion that NEVER applies to genetically modified foods. Each bite we take of these “Frankenfoods” does damage to our body, and potentially serious damage. These foods have the ability to actually splice our DNA, causing our DNA sequencing to replicate broken strands, leading to even further damage. To learn what this does to unborn babies, read here- http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/gm-new-study-shows-unborn-babies-could-be-harmed-522109.html

If a food product contains any of these ingredients, it MUST be labeled GMO-FREE, NON-GMO, or 100% ORGANIC. This ensures that even though the company may use one of these foods, it is a clean, non-GMO source.

SUGAR, ASPARTAME, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SUCRALOSE, SUCROSE, DEXTROSE
- All of the above are either sugar or an artificial sweetener. A small amount of REAL evaporated cane juice, or sugar in small amounts in my opinion is ok in small portions. But, read those labels, because many gluten-free foods are loaded with sugar. Make sure you read the serving size. It may say only 5 grams of sugar, but that’s per tablespoon, so when you eat 1 cup of the product, you’re getting a sugar overload. Artificial sweeteners are even worse as they can damage the pancreas, are proven neurotoxins (kill brain cells), and damage the gut. Here is more info on the link between sugar and cancer. http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/nutrition/sugar.htm

Make sure you choose a food that is has no sugar, is low in sugar or uses natural alternatives such as coconut sugar, stevia, erythritol, or non-GMO xylitol.

ADDITIVES
- MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
- AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT
- BHT/BHA
- SODIUM NITRATE/ SODIUM NITRITE (In processed meats)
- SULPHITES
- SODIUM BENZOATE
- ARTIFICIAL COLORINGS
  - For more info on these dangerous additives, read more here- http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/11/26/most-unhealthy-ingredients_n_2177450.html

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So, next time you’re in the gluten-free isle shopping for your favorite foods, make sure to watch out for these ingredients to make the best choices for you and your family. Here are some brands committed to the NON-GMO project that may help you navigate your way through the store- http://www.nongmoproject.org/find-non-gmo/search-participating-products/.

To make things easier, eat simple whole foods such as organic veggies, cultured foods and drinks, low-glycemic fruits, clean animal protein, raw organic dairy, sprouted nuts and seeds, and grain-like seeds such as quinoa, millet, amaranth, & buckwheat!

Stay tuned tomorrow for more on gluten sensitivity & Celiac’s disease!

In Health, Hope, & Happiness,

Recipes

Fennel Root, Pumpkin, & Tempeh

March 18, 2013 6 Comments

My lunch today was just too tasty not to share with my favorite people. 🙂 I’ve been trying to vegetables, new spices, & new combinations. I can honestly say I have never eaten this combination before today. I LOVE trying new delicious foods! I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Fennel Root thinly sliced
1/8 small pumpkin thinly sliced seeds removed
1/3 block Tempeh thinly sliced and cut in half
2 tbs. Coconut oil
Himalayan Salt
Shredded raw cheese (optional)

This is a SUPER simple recipe. Heat coconut oil over medium-high heat in a medium-sized pan then place fennel, pumpkin, & tempeh in pan. Cover and let cook for about 3 minutes, then stir. Cook mixture until browned. Sprinkle with salt and if desired sprinkle with cheese (raw cheese or Daiya cheese).

This entire meal will take you about 10 minutes all together to make. It’s super delicious! Let me know how you like it by leaving me a comment below!

Health benefits of fennel bulb

Fennel bulb is a versatile vegetable, used since ancient times for its nutritional and medicinal properties. This winter season has some noteworthy essential oils, flavonoid anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins that have known health benefits.
Bulb fennel is one of very low calorie vegetables. 100 g bulb provides just 31 calories. Further, it contains generous amounts of fiber (3.1 g/100 g or 8% of RDI), very little fat and zero cholesterol.
Fresh bulbs give sweet anise-like flavor. Much of it is due to high concentration of aromatic essential oils like anethole, estragole, and fenchone (fenchyl acetate). Anethole has been found to have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
The bulbs have moderate amounts of minerals and vitamins that are essential for optimum health. Their juicy fronds indeed contain several vital vitamins such as pantothenic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin in small but healthy proportions. 100 g fresh bulbs provide 27 µg of folates. Folic acid is essential for DNA synthesis and cell division. Their adequate levels in the diet during pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn babies.
In addition, fennel bulb contains an average amount of water-soluble vitamin, vitamin-C. 100 g of fresh bulbs provide 12 mg or 20% of vitamin C. Vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals. Further, it has small amounts of vitamin A.
The bulbs have very good levels of heart-friendly electrolyte potassium. 100 g provides 414 mg or 9% of daily-recommended levels. It is an important electrolyte inside the cell. Potassium helps reduce blood pressure and rate of heartbeats by countering effects of sodium. Fennel also contains small amounts of minerals such as copper, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and selenium.

In Health, Hope, & Happiness,

Recipes

Homemade Kale Chips

January 16, 2013 1 Comment

Howdy!

I hope you all are having an awesome week! Today I wanted to share a SUPER simple, delicious, and nutrient dense snack recipe with you! YAAAAAY!!! 🙂 These are for those of you who…

Love chips
Want/need to add more veggies to your diet
Like delicious foods
Don’t want to get sick
Want big muscles
Want to lose fat
Love to snack
Are Human 🙂

I know many people are intimidated by kale. If you have been surviving on cheeseburgers, looking at this big curly leaf just might scare the crap out of you and your taste buds. This is where you have to build a bridge…and get over your fears and preconceived notions that kale tastes gross because it REALLY isn’t that bad and can be quite delicious! This is where Kale Chips come in! They are crisp, salty, oily, & delicious!! Try out this recipe and let me know what you think…

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut a large bunch of kale into bite-size pieces.
Place in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with 3-4 tbs. melted coconut oil.
Sprinkle with Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt.
Optional: sprinkle with 3 tbs. Palm sugar for sweet & salty mix.
Spread kale mixture on parchment paper covered baking sheet and place on middle rack in the oven for about 15 minutes or until chips begin to slightly brown and become crunchy.Mix half way through for a more well-rounded crispiness. Remove and let cool.
You can also put these in a dehydrator to keep them raw.

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That’s it! SUPER easy, right? There are many variations you can make of these, you can sprinkle them with raw or Daiya cheese, nutritional yeast, make sweet & salty, or use spices, be creative!! It’s a fantastic way to trick yourself and your family into eating a whole head of kale! 🙂 Have fun & enjoy!!

In Health, Hope, & Happiness,

Uncategorized

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

November 6, 2012 No Comments

For today’s “Tasty Tuesday” post, I want to give a shout out to the amazing Elana Amsterdam of www.ElanasPantry.com. She has inspired me so much throughout the years and has made the transition to a gluten-free lifestyle much more enjoyable! Her recent post was on these delicious pumpkin spice muffins, and they are way too good not to share! For the full posting and to get her recipe head on over to http://www.elanaspantry.com/pumpkin-spice-muffins/.

For those of you wanting to avoid honey, I would recommend substituting coconut syrup for the honey to lower the glycemic index a bit.

Enjoy these delicious Autumn muffins with a cold glass of homemade coconut-walnut milk!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Author: Elana Amsterdam

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

¼ cup coconut flour
⅛ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
3 large eggs
½ cup freshly roasted pumpkin (canned pumpkin will not work)
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons vegan palm oil shortening
⅛ teaspoon vanilla crème stevia

Instructions

In a food processor pulse together coconut flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger
Pulse in eggs, pumpkin, honey, shortening and stevia
Transfer batter into paper lined muffin tin
Bake at 350° for 25 minutes
Serve
Makes about 8 muffins

Again, make sure you check out her full post at http://www.elanaspantry.com/pumpkin-spice-muffins/.

Have a great day VOTING YES ON PROP 37!!! 🙂

XOXO,

Uncategorized

Tasty Tuesday- Pumpkin-Fig Pancakes- GF, SF, Paleo

October 30, 2012 No Comments

GOOD MORNING!!

You made it past Monday, and THAT deserves a celebration! How about some delicious pancakes? Maybe you’ve been trying to eat healthier and have cut gluten and sugar out of your diet. You feel GREAT, but there are some things you really miss! Pancakes might be one of those. 🙂 Luckily

we have this delicious pancake recipe that can feed your cravings while still nourishing your body! This is a variation from the original recipe found at www.runningtothekitchen.com. Check it out, it is a brilliant website!

There are many different pancake recipes out there that are delicious with different textures, flavors, and ingredients. This is just one of those variations. I made these for Sunday Morning Breakfast topped with some warm berries sprinkled with stevia and they were just perfect. Next time I’m going to drizzle my Sunflower sauce on these babies…YUM! Maybe with the berries…it would be like a PB&J pancake!! YESSS PLEASSSE!!

INGREDIENTS

½ cup almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seed
pinch of salt
½ tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup pumpkin puree (preferably homemade- if canned make sure it’s organic and from a BPA-Free can)
3 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbs coconut sugar or xylitol
1/4 cup dried figs (sulphate free) chopped into pieces (optional)
coconut oil for cooking pancakes
Berries, hemp seeds, cacao nibs, or shredded coconut for topping

Instructions

Heat a pancake griddle over medium heat.
Pour all ingredients except figs into a food processor and pulse until completely combined. You can also make these in a blender or stir by hand in a mixing bowl. Add in figs and stir by hand.
Add 1/2 tsp coconut oil to pan and let melt
Pour batter in 1/4 cupfuls onto the pan and use the back of a spoon to gently form into a circle and spread out. (Batter will be a bit thicker than regular pancake batter). Cover with a lid
Cook for about 2-3 minutes on the first side, carefully flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side.
Repeat with remaining batter, adding more coconut oil to the pan as needed.
Spread raw butter or coconut oil on pancakes and drizzle with warmed berries, sprinkle with hemp seeds and coconut. You can also sprinkle with powdered stevia or use my sunflower sauce!!

Enjoy!

XOXO,

You can fulfill the commands of the Bible better by falling in love with God than by trying to obey him.

-YouVersion Devotion

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FREE RECIPES!

September 24, 2012 No Comments

Hey Everyone!

Today, I want to share 3 of my favorite Go-To, Under 5-Minute Superfood meals with you! We all know vegetables and salads can be a bit boring sometimes if you eat them for every meal, but these are AMAZING and never get old! Here’s a sneak peak at their delishisness…

So, here’s what I’m going to do today…I want you to head on over to my page on “The Empowered Woman”, and if this sounds like something you’re interested in, I want you to put your email in the box at the bottom and use the calendar link you’ll receive in your email to schedule a FREE appointment with me to talk about how I can help you.

Once you put your email in, I’ll send you these 3 one-of-a-kind delicious recipes straight to your inbox!

And if you like the looks of these beauties, all the members of my program are really in for a treat! I’ll be giving them all my secrets and cream of the crop from my recipe collections. FUN! 🙂

I hope you all have a great day today and I hope to talk with you soon! Remember, if you know any women…which I’m pretty sure you do…pass on the link and program details, maybe you can do it together! Friends helping friends, that’s what it’s all about, right?

xoxo,

Jess