End of Summer Sorbet

Summer has come to a close, but that doesn't mean that the summertime treats have to!

Here is a quick summer sorbet.

1/2 Frozen Banana
1/2 c Frozen Blueberries

In a food processor, blend all together.  That's it!

Immunity, Part 3

Part 1 was RELAXATION

Part 2 was EXERCISE

Part 3 is SUPPLEMENTS

You have heard it before-  take Vitamin C to get rid of a cold.  But for some reason, that's ALL that we've ever heard about.  You may have heard of echinacea if you're lucky...

There are so many vitamin, mineral, and herbal combos that can REALLY help your immune system along.  Here's what we take:

1- Vitamin C (prevents a cold, but doesn't shorten it's duration)
2- Zinc (prevents a cold and shortens duration)
3- Aged Garlic Extract (Kyolic) (anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal)
4- Oregano Oil (anti-bacterial) (anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic)
5- Echinacea (anti-viral) (shortens duration of a cold)
6- ProBiotics (the good bacteria that live in your gut)
7- Vitamin D3 (THE immune booster)

We don't take these supplements every day.  Each day, we take probiotics, a multi-vitamin, and vitamin d3.  When we have been around someone with a cold, or are going into an unfamiliar or crowded place, we take the rest in the list.

The fact of the matter is, the immune system will be what prevents your cold.  Pair that with good hand washing (with regular soap... anti-bacterial is not necessary) and a diet rich in colorful, organic produce and you'll be JUST FINE!!  No flu shot-o-death necessary!

Immunity, Part 2

Part 1 was Relaxation.

Part 2 is EXERCISE!

Take 20-30 minutes out of your day and exercise!  VIGOROUSLY.  The body has a few different ways of releasing toxins, and SWEATING is one of them. My FAAAAAAVORITE 20 minute workout is Jillian's 30 Day Shred.  This little workout will have you sweating in no time.   It's only 20 minutes, and well worth it.  And for $8.50 on Amazon... you can't really beat the price!  After your workout, give your lymphatic system a little boost by 'dry brushing' with a long handled, natural bristle brush before your shower.  Happy sweating!!

Immunity, Part 1

Hi everybody! Fall is in the air... can you smell it??? I walked into the office today and said "boy, it smells like fall in here!"  What does that mean??  You know, the smell of apple cinnamon, vanilla, pumpkin, ...and those disgusting candies like apple caramel pops and candy corn (YEP, I said it...groooossssss).  Haha, well anyway, that also means something else is brewing.... COLD SEASON.  Oy vey.  As much as I LOVE fall, I DON'T love cold season.  The kids have started losing their voices and coughing already!  So what can YOU do to keep yourself healthy?  I'm going to be doing a multi-post series regarding how to stay healthy while everyone else is sick.

Immunity Trick 1-  RELAXATION.

I can't tell you how many times Brenton and I have gotten sick JUST by becoming run down.  The fact of the matter is, you can't just go and go and go, and expect to come out 'ok' on the other side.  That said, you need to factor in relaxation time in your day.

I LOVE this youtube video.  It's so chill, and fantastic.  I like to put it on in the background while I'm doing yoga or cooking (which are my two favorite chill-out activities).




It's fantastic.

Your job today is to take some time out to RELAX.  Do an enjoyable activity like reading or taking a hot bath.  Renew your mind, renew your immune system.

Vegan Pasta Alfredo

Hi everyone!  I have a YUMMY (seriously!!) vegan pasta alfredo recipe to share... that's soy free!  WHOO!!

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Pasta, cooked
Handful of Arugula (to taste)

Alfredo:
1/2 C Cashews
1 clove Garlic
Dash of Sea Salt
Dash of White Pepper
Dash of Apple Cider Vinegar (can use lemon juice)
Dash of Water to help blend

Cook the pasta according to package directions.
















In the meantime, blend together all of the 'alfredo' ingredients in a blender.  Add water as needed to achieve desired consistency.

Once the pasta is cooked and drained, add the arugula and let the heat of the pasta wilt it.

Top with the alfredo and enjoy!!

Y-U-M-M-Y!!!

It's so easy to make.  Brenton made the alfredo sauce all by himself!  Enjoy!

Healthy Motion Sickness Remedies

Ba ba ba, ba ba ganoush

Our CSA yielded us a TON of eggplant this year.  I decided to make some baba ganoush!!  If you haven't had it before, it's kind of like an eggplant hummus.

1- take 2 eggplants, wash, and cut slits in the skin

2- roast at 400 until tender, about 30-45 minutes, then let cool for about 10 minutes

3- scoop the flesh out of the skin and let drain and cool in a colander (ewwww...it looks gross, right?!)

4- in a food processor, process eggplant guts (HAHA), with the juice of half of a lemon or lime, 2 T tahini, 2 T olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic (or more to taste) and dashes of sea salt, black pepper, chili powder, and sesame seeds.

5- blend until smooth and then let sit at room temperature for a hour before eating

Salsa Time!

Do you have a MILLION tomatoes that you need to get rid of?  Try making this nummy salsa!

Here are the ingredients:

For those that need an ingredients list....

1 medium tomatoes
1 small handful of cherry tomatoes
1 small onion
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 clove of garlic
Dash of sea salt and pepper
1 T cilantro


In a blender, whirl all of the ingredients together until coarsely chopped.

If you're like me, you like heat in your salsa, so add some Tabasco to taste
















Enjoy!!

Are you up for the challenge?

We have all heard about how BAD the microwave is for us, right?  The whole 'making your food radioactive' thing is not what I call the healthiest idea in the world.  In our environment, radiation is all around us.  Because of this, the more we expose ourselves to microwaved food, airport body scanners, cell phones, etc., the more in-danger we become.  It's the cumulative effect of all of these devices that get us into trouble (trouble meaning the hospital bed...)

That said, I challenge you to give up your microwave for a week and see how you do.  I bet you can do it, especially when you see how easy it really is.  

I'll admit it- I used the microwave once every day or so, up through Saturday of this past week.  But now, I've been getting along fine without it!  It takes me no more time to boil water in my tea kettle or heat my chili on the stove than it did to do it in the microwave.  WHAT DID WE DO BEFORE MICROWAVES?  (actually...we did a whole lot.)  

Take my challenge.  I bet you can do it, too!

Vegan Zucchini Muffins

Good early morning, everyone!  I don't know why- for some reason I haven't been sleeping well.  At all.  Saturday night I woke up at 3am, last night I woke up at 1am.... BAH I'm ready to stop this cycle!!


Aaaaany way....


I made some FANTASTIC vegan muffins this week.  Check out my recipe, inspired by this message board post!! 


1 3/4 C Finely Chopped Zucchini, water squeezed out
2 1/2 C Flour (I used 1 1/2 C Whole Wheat and 1 C ground down Rolled Oats)
3 T Ground Flax Meal (or use flax seeds that have been processed)
1 Ripe Banana
1/3 C Sugar, Honey or Maple Syrup
1/3 C Oil (I used olive oil)
1 T Cinnamon
1 T Apple or Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 t Ground Ginger
1 T Baking Powder
1/2 C Raisins
1 C Water

(makes 12 muffins)

Preheat oven to 375

In a food processor, process together all of the wet ingredients, plus the banana and flax meal, until foamy (about a minute).

In a large bowl, mix together all of the remaining dry ingredients (including the raisins).

Pour the wet ingredients and zucchini into the dry ingredients bowl and mix well with a spoon. If the mixture is too dry, add a little bit more water.

Grease your muffin pan, and pour the mixture evenly into the cups. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Once baked, remove from the oven and transfer muffins to a cooling rack to cool, using a butter knife to help you get them out of the pan.



Here are the pictures!!

Like my broiler pan  cooling rack??

SOOOOooooooo gooooooood.  


OH!  I almost forgot... look at my new baybee...

Lovely.  Just lovely.  


Have a great day everybody!

Freezing CSA Produce

Good moooorrrrrrning everyone!  It's Tuesday, and in central Ohio it feels like FALL!  (which makes me smile a little bit, I'm not gonna to lie)

I have run into the issue of having too much CSA produce than I can down in one week, so I have decided to start freezing what I can.  This week:  GREEN BEANS!  Oye... I had 3 whole bags of green beans sitting in my fridge and I surely didn't want to waste them!

After doing some internet research, I figured out how to properly freeze them.  Here's the scoop:

Wash and trim the beans
Boil or steam them for 3-5 minutes (until the color is BRIGHT green)
Run the boiled or steamed beans under cool water
Place on a baking sheet or in a ziplock bag to freeze
Will last 6 months

SO, here it is in pictures!!

Fresh (massive amounts of) green beans!!

Getting my pot ready to go.  Water is almost boiling.  Like the book in the background HAHA!

Washed and trimmed green beans, getting lightly steamed.

After steamed and cooled, into the baggies they go!  It's freezer time.

I was glad that I found out how to do this!!  Hurray for saving fresh summer produce for winter!  I might have to find a vegan green bean casserole to make!  Happy Tuesday!

Another Trader Joe's Grocery Haul!!

Hi everyone! This is a little bit late... sorry about that!! Much love to you all.

Trader Joe's Grocery Haul

You asked for it....

Eatin' out of the Pantry- Part 6

Tonight on the menu was Tempeh Chili.  You can find the recipe here.

I am sad to say that the 'eating out of the pantry' challenge is now over.  I have run out of bananas, bread, and chips, so I better get to the store.  I must say, though, I did a pretty good job making up menus using only things that we had in the house!!!  You should give it a try sometime.  Flex your creative muscle!!

Eatin' out of the Pantry- Part 5

It's stuffed potato day!!!  WHOO!!  I LOVE stuffed potatoes.  This is a great travel food, as well as quick and easy meal to use up whatever you have in the fridge.

I SWEAR there is a potato under there!  Simply bake a potato in the oven or in...the...microwave...eek... and top with cooked beans, salsa, whatever veggies you have to use, and avocado.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If you use...the...microwave...eek... you can have this meal on the table in 15 minutes!!!  Great, quick meal.  Filling, too.