Taco Shells and DEPRESSION

Are you feeling a little "down in the dumps?" or not as "happy-go-lucky" as you once were? What types of foods are you putting in your mouth? Even if you are good 80% of the time and the other 20% you let loose with your diet, you may be filling your cells with trans-fat and those detrimental fats take 9 MONTHS to detox from our body!

When we consume even 1 gram of trans-fat, that plastic molecule finds our way to our cells and takes up the "parking" spot in our cells that were meant for healthy Omega 3 fats. The membranes of our neurons (the specialized brain cells that communicate with each other) are composed of a thin double-layer of fatty acid molecules. The myelin (the protective sheath that covers communicating neurons) is composed of 30% protein and 70% fat. One of the most common fatty acids in myelin is oleic acid, which is also the most abundant fatty acid in human breast milk and in other foods like coconut milk, coconut oil as well as the oils from almonds, peanuts, pecans, macadamias, and avocados.

When we consume trans-fats instead of healthy omega fats filled with oleic acids, our cells no longer communicate and "Happy Cells are Talking Cells." The increase in depression in North America is in direct correlation with the decline in consumption of omega 3 fatty acids. To read more on what foods cause depression click HERE to check out my book Secrets to Controlling Your Weight Cravings and Mood.

So let us all throw this common pantry staple in the garbage. Not only are the trans fat (hydrogenated oils) causing weight gain and inflammation (click HERE for more information), the corn and corn flour is a GMO food that contains ROUND UP (click HERE for more information).

Ingredients: Yellow Corn, Whole Grain Corn Flour, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Water, Salt, Hydrated Lime.

Let's make this recipe filled with brain building oleic acid! AND top it with some guacamole!



"Healthified" Taco Shells:
1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup unflavored whey protein
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
Water (just enough to hold dough together)
Optional: Mexican spices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift all the dry ingredients together. Slowly add in water, 1 TBS at a time until dough can hold a ball shape. Grease 2 pieces of parchment paper. Place 4 TBS dough onto greased parchment, top with the second piece of parchment (greased side down). Roll the dough using a rolling pin on top of the parchment. Roll until 1/16th in thick circle. Remove the top piece of parchment. Place the bottom parchment (with the rolled out dough) onto a cookie sheet, repeat with remaining dough. Place cookie sheet in oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, form into a taco shell (the dough will be pliable). Place back into oven for 8-10 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to completely cool. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 2 shells)
Old El Paso Tortilla = 170 calories, 23 carbs, 2 fiber
"Healthified" Taco Shells = 104 calories, 2 carbs, 1g fiber

Coconut Shrimp with Orange Marmalade

If you are a fan of Outback Steakhouse Coconut Shrimp, you will enjoy this recipe. It cuts 300 calories and 33 carbohydrates just for the shrimp portion. This recipe also cuts over 350 calories and 105 carbohydrates with the marmalade! I hope you enjoy!

Coconut Shrimp:
Coconut or macadamia nut oil, for frying
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 pinches ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
2 egg whites
1 pound shrimp, deveined and peeled

Heat 2 inches oil over medium high heat. Season coconut flour with salt, cayenne pepper and five-spice powder.

Add coconut flakes to seasoned coconut flour and combine. Lightly beat the egg whites. Dip shrimp in the egg whites, then coat with the coconut breading. Fry shrimp 5 minutes in hot oil until evenly golden and crispy. Serve with orange marmalade. Makes 4 servings.

Orange Marmalade:
1/2 cup Nature's Hollow Marmalade
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup xylitol honey
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce

Make the dipping sauce: combine marmalade, mustard, honey and hot sauce in a small bowl. Mix well and enjoy. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON: (6 shrimp)
OUTBACK Steakhouse coconut Shrimp = 690 calories, 21g fat, 29g protein, 67 carbs, 8 fiber
OUTBACK ORANGE Marmalade (1/4 cup serving) = 403 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein, 107g carbohydrates!!! 1.6g fiber

"Healthified" Coconut Shrimp = 252 calories, 14g fat, 30g protein, 12 carbs, 7g fiber (4 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Orange Marmalade (1/4 cup serving) = 29 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein, 2 carbs, 0 effective carbs

Hamburger Helper

Here is another staple to toss from your pantry!

Ingredients = Enriched Pasta (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Corn Starch, Salt, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Onion*, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Ricotta Cheese (Whey, Milkfat, Lactic Acid, Salt)*, Sugar, Monosodium Glutamate, Monoglycerides, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Corn Syrup*, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Yeast Extract, Modified Corn Starch, Colored With (Yellows 5 & 6 Lake, Yellows 5 & 6, and Red 4O Lake), Barley Flour, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Dextrin, Vinegar*, Yeast, Spices, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes)*, Garlic*, Egg, Soy Flour. * Dried Contains Wheat, Milk, Egg and Soy Ingredients.

This way tastes SOOOO much better anyway!

Here is a healthier version of a classic...

2 medium zucchini OR eggplant (peeled and cut into 'cubes')
1 TBS butter or coconut oil
1 lb. ground beef (grass-fed)
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small squares (goat cheese if dairy sensitive)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 tsp ginger

Prepare "Noodles": With potato peeler, peal off skin. Cut the vegetable into cubes. Place the cubed veggie in pan with butter. Saute over medium-high, stirring to prevent burning. Cook until edges are translucent, for about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large saute pan, brown ground beef and drain fat. Add onion, garlic, and spices. Stir in the tomato sauce and water and stir. Add cheese. Stir to melt cheese. When cheese is completely melted add "noodles." Stir well and serve. Serves 4.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Hamburger Helper = 656 calories, 22g fat, 48g protein, 53 carbs, 2.4 fiber
"Healthified" Hamburger Helper = 404 calories, 19g fat, 44.7g protein, 10 carbs, 3.5 fiber

"Faux"tato Chips and TIRED TOXIC LIVER

Your liver plays a major role in weight loss. The liver is a chief organ in the body for metabolism functions. Keeping our liver at optimal health should be a main focus of your weight loss plan. I write a chapter in my book, Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism, called Tired Toxic Liver...this is my mom's favorite sub-chapter because it all makes sense!

The liver makes and secretes bile for storage in the gallbladder. During digestion, the bile is moved to the intestine to break down fats. But, if the liver is congested, it doesn’t produce enough bile for fat to be broken down. The liver can become congested from chemicals, toxins, drugs and heavy metals. Evidence of a "fatty liver" is often shown by a roll of fat at the waistline, which happens because the liver has stopped breaking down fat and started storing it. Only once you bring your liver back to full function, will you lose this fat. This is why I list specific ingredients like "aluminum free baking powder." All of these steps help the body in little, yet important ways.

Like every American, you're probably totally puzzled on which is the right weight loss plan. You've been flooded with emails of new miracle diets, and wondering if there are any health risks associated with them. Before choosing a weight loss programs, you need to discover if your liver could be to blame for your issues. When the liver is overloaded and toxic, every organ in a person's body is affected and weight loss efforts are stalled. Some signs of a toxic liver are weight gain, cellulite, abdominal bloating, indigestion, fatigue, mood swings, depression, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and skin rashes. Many people struggle with weight gain and a sluggish metabolism most of their lives, and go through lots of yo-yo dieting unsuccessfully. “So why doesn’t anything really work?” we may ask. We have been tackling the symptom when we should be addressing the cause; weight gain is often due to poor liver function.

The liver performs more than 400 different jobs, and is the body's most important metabolism-enhancing organ; it acts as a filter to clear the body of toxins, metabolize protein, control hormonal balance and enhance our immune system. Your liver is a “worker bee” that can even regenerate its own damaged cells! But our liver is not invincible. When it is abused and lacks essential nutrients, or when it is overwhelmed by toxins, it no longer performs as it should. Fat may build up in the liver and just under the skin, hormone imbalances can develop, and toxins increase and get into the blood stream.

The liver metabolizes not only fats, but proteins and carbohydrates for fuel. It breaks down amino acids from proteins into various pieces to help build muscle; which directly impacts your calorie burn. It also transports amino acids through the blood stream for hormone balance; which is critical to avoid water retention, bloating, cravings, as well other undesired weight issues. Amino acids also help move waste, such as damaged cholesterol, and used estrogen and insulin to the liver, for detoxification and elimination through the kidney.

The liver's most important function, and the one that puts it at greatest risk for damages, is to detoxify the numerous toxins that attack our bodies daily. Working together with the lungs, kidneys, skin and intestines, a healthy liver detoxifies many damaging substances and eliminates them without polluting the bloodstream. When we cleanse the liver and eat the right foods, liver metabolism will improve and we start burning fat. As liver function improves, so does energy. With more energy, fitness improves, because we have the ability to exercise more and improve our muscle tone.

The following are the most common symptoms of a toxic liver; being edgy, easily stressed, elevated cholesterol, skin irritation, depression, sleep difficulties, indigestion, kidney damage, heart damage, brain fog, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, weight gain, poor memory, PMS, blood sugar imbalances, allergies, or obesity. The liver also plays a role in migraines. If this vital organ is overloaded with toxic substances, it can cause inflammation that triggers migraine pain. If you have tried many ways to improve your health and energy level and nothing seemed to help, it is possible that your tired liver is triggering your difficulties. Restoring liver function is one of the most essential actions you could ever do for your health. When the liver gets congested it will remain that way and get worse until it gets cleaned and revitalized.

THINGS TO AVOID
1. FRUCTOSE: Are you consuming fruit for a snack or breakfast? Grabbing a banana for breakfast is a bad thing to do for your liver, yet so many people do this thinking it is helpful for weight loss. Fructose, the sugar in fruit is really hard on our liver. Think of fruit (and only the low-sugar berries) as an occasional treat. Agave should also be avoided since it is chemically 90% fructose (sugar is 50% fructose).

2. SUGAR: Sugar is also a terrible and very common liver stressor. You may say you don't consume sugar, but you may be ingesting it from a lot of prepared food quite unknowingly. Always read the labels; it is hidden in marinara sauce, ketchup, salad dressings, the list is scary. In the process of being metabolized, sugar robs your body of important nutrients; for example zinc, is essential for liver function. Sugar also restrains your liver's production of enzymes, needed in the detoxification process.

3. HYDROGENATED OILS: A major liver stressor is trans-fat found in solid fats or semi solid fats like margarine. Trans-fat obstructs your liver's ability to burn fat. Our body will never learn how to process those “plastic-like” man-made fats.

4. Some liver stressors are caffeine, sugars, trans-fats, chocolate, soft drinks, many over the counter medications, cholesterol lowering drugs, anticonvulsants, and an inadequate intake of fiber. Women detoxify caffeine slower than men because of hormonal interactions with caffeine. Birth control pills also increase the time to detox caffeine by twice as much.

5. ALCOHOL: Alcohol is terrible for our liver. Overwhelming evidence has proved that alcohol itself is toxic to the liver, even when nutrition is adequate. Alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to metabolize hormones, which are important for maintaining blood pressure. Having one drink can cause acute liver inflammation. As the liver breaks down alcohol, by-products are formed, such as acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is approximately 30 times more toxic than alcohol, and is a major cause of hangovers. Drinking alcohol depletes a store of a liver peptide called GHS, which helps us detoxify chemicals. Much of the cell damage that occurs in liver degeneration is believed to be caused by free radicals, highly reactive molecular fragments, liberated during alcohol metabolism. The damage caused by free radicals can include the destruction of essential components of cell membranes. Acetaldehyde appears to be the key generator of free radicals. Alcohol also stimulates the liver to make more triglycerides, and even a 2 oz. glass of wine a week can raise triglyceride levels. Stay Away!

If you want more ideas on food to eat for your liver, see the chapter TIRED TOXIC LIVER in my Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism Book.

One "Liver-Healing" Food that I write about in my book is the artichoke. If you wanted other ideas to use artichokes, click HERE for my "Easy Pasta."

Faux-"Potato" Chips
Here is a new vegetable for your family to try...a Jerusalem Artichoke. They are similar to water chestnuts in taste. Jerusalem artichokes resemble potatoes except the carbohydrates composing 75 to 80% of the tubers are in the form of inulin rather than starch, which will keep our insulin from rising. In this recipe, the important step to making them into crispy chips is to slice them very thin.

1 lemon, sliced in half
4 Jerusalem artichokes
Celtic sea salt (to taste)
Coconut Oil or other unrefined oil

In a deep pan, heat about 2 inches oil to medium-high. Wash and peel fresh Jerusalem Artichokes. Using a mandolin, slice into very thin strips (like you would a potato). Once the oil is hot, add a few slices to the pan, fry until they are golden brown. Work in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Once they are golden brown, remove and pat dry. Dust with sea salt and serve with lemon. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1/2 cup serving)
Traditional Chips = 170 calories, 24 carbs, 2g fiber
"Healthified" Chips = 109 calories, 13 carbs, 1.9g fiber

"Faux-Oatmeal" and Facts on ASTHMA

What causes asthma? Inflammation of the lungs. What causes inflammation of the lungs...Sugar, starch, "complex" carbohydrates, food allergies, tran-fats...shall I go on?

One reason I will focus on is food allergies, which can develop when food is not properly digested which causes fermentation activated by yeast in the intestines. One reason for the lack of digestion is the "ROUND UP" ready seeds in Monsanto's corn, soy and GMO foods (click HERE to learn more). This process further increases the amount of yeast in the digestive tract. The increase level of yeast causes the increased penetrability of the wall of the intestine, which can cause "leaky gut syndrome". The undesired micro-organisms (yeast) enter the blood stream and attack different parts of the body (lungs, vagina, kidneys, brain, and other organs). This can create asthma, yeast infections, allergies, sinus infections, chronic fatigue, depression...Yikes!

Eating food high in starch (even "complex carbohydrates") are just glucose molecules hooked together in long chains; which increase blood sugar levels. This in turn rapidly increases the problem; yeast LOVES sugar! Sugar and starchy foods cause the blood sugar to rise fast and then plummet to under the normal healthy level. The drop of blood sugar causes the production of serotonin to go down and cause depression. The decrease of serotonin causes the production of histamine, which causes the expansion of blood vessels. Over expansion of blood vessels causes liquid in the blood vessels to leak out. When liquid leaks out into sinus area it causes nasal drip. When it drips into the bronchi, it causes asthma. When it drips into the brain, it causes headaches and migraines.

Another cause of asthma is a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in rich in omega-3 fatty acids. When that balance is out of whack, inflammation can set in.

Many mineral deficiencies can also cause asthma. One of which is magnesium, which is possibly the single most important nutrient for managing asthma because of its multiple effects on the asthmatic condition. It is extremely powerful in the relaxation of bronchial muscle, resulting in a reduction of bronchospasm and increased airways diameter. Magnesium stimulates the production of AMP and ATP, two important mediators that create relaxation of bronchospasm. Magnesium also reduces the histamine response, which calms inflammation. Patients suffering from asthma often have high histamine release from white blood cells, which causes inflammation and bronchoconstriction. Magnesium will dull this response.

If you would like more information on getting rid of asthma through food and therapeutic supplements, please contact me for a consult. Click HERE for more information.

BUT, for now try this recipe which is filled with omega 3's and magnesium! It is also low in starch and sugar. Enjoy and Happy Breathing!

FAUX OATMEAL
1 cup of warm almond milk (or coconut milk)
2 TBS freshly ground flaxseeds OR Coconut Flour
4 TBS vanilla Jay Robb egg white or whey protein
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 drop stevia glycerite
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
Optional: you can add some nuts or unsweetened coconut flakes to this recipe.

Combine warm milk, flax, whey, stevia, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir well and let sit for a few minutes or overnight until the “oatmeal” thickens (if you grind your flaxseed fresh, it will thicken and it will have tons of Omega 3's). Enjoy! Makes 1 serving.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Oatmeal = 187 calories, 29 carbs, 2.8g fiber
"Healthified" Oatmeal = 169 calories, 5 carbs, 4.5 fiber
(The above chart is from Here)

Southwestern "Tabbouleh"

Add your favorite protein and it is a quick meal. Craig liked it more than he thought...he took the leftovers for lunch the next day.

3 cups cauliflower
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup sliced red onion
3/4 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped peeled avocado
1/4 cup diced seeded peeled cucumber
1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled queso fresco
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 TBS fresh lime juice
2 tsp diced seeded jalapeño pepper (optional)
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1 garlic clove, minced
Dash of hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

"RICE": Place the cauliflower heads into a food processor (click HERE to find the one I use), pulse until small pieces of 'rice.' Place cauliflower rice in a frying pan with oil and stir fry until tender. Add cilantro and remaining ingredients; toss well. Fry for another 3-5 minutes to let the flavors soak into the cauliflower and enjoy! Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Tabbouleh = 690 calories, 19g fat, 16g protein, 111.5 carbs, 7g fiber
"Healthified" Tabbouleh = 229 calories, 17g fat, 5.5g protein, 13g carbs , 5.4g fiber

Kiwi Yogurt Smoothie

Rich in anti-oxidants and fiber,this hairy fruit is packed with lot of healthy surprises.An equivalent serving of Kiwi has more Vitamin C than Orange and more potassium than a Banana.

Combined with a probiotic rich source as yogurt ,the kiwi fruit smoothie is an amazing formula to build excellent immunity and over all health.


Ingredients
2 very ripe Kiwi ,peeled and chopped
1 very ripe banana
1/2 cup chilled Organic vanilla soy milk
1 cup Organic vanilla fat-free yogurt(or 3/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt )
2 tablespoon Pure Organic honey

Method
Add all the ingredients in a high power blender and blend until smooth on low power(do not over blend,crushed kiwi seeds can be bitter) .Serve cold.

Scalloped "Potatoes"

I'm all about making healthy eating more affordable. One trick is to use the whole cauliflower, stem and all! The stem has just as much nutrients and it works great to make this scalloped "potato" dish. Using a mandolin to cut the stem, creates a potato-look to your dish.

To see the recipe, check out the cookbook; LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS! Click HERE to find.



NUTRITIONAL Comparison (per serving):
Using Potatoes and Heavy Cream: 686 calories, 24.3 Carbs, 1.8 fiber
Using Cauliflower and Broth: 210 calories, 1.7 carbs, trace fiber

Almond Joy Ice Cream and BENEFITS OF COCONUT MILK

Why do I love coconut milk? Let me count the ways...

1. DIABETICS: Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose. Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
2. INTESTINAL DISORDERS: Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease. Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers. Improves digestion and bowel function. Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids. Supports tissue healing and repair of the intestines. Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
3. ATHLETES: Provides ketones for a quick source energy. Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance. This also helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
4. IMMUNE SYSTEM: Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
5. Kills fungi and yeasts that cause thrush, candida, ringworm, athlete's foot, diaper rash, and other infections.
6. Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body. Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
7. OSTEOPOROSIS: Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.
8. HEART DISEASE: Reduces inflammation. It is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease. Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.
9. AGING: Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease. Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do. Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation. Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
10. KIDNEY STONES: Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections. Dissolves kidney stones.
11. WEIGHT LOSS: It is lower in calories than all other fats and it supports thyroid function. It promotes weight loss by increasing metabolic rate. Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats. Medium chained triglycerides produce ketones (energy) rather than being stored as fat.
12. SKIN DISORDERS: Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection. Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin. Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking. Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion. Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Helps control dandruff.
13. Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.

SO, with all of those benefits, let's whip up a yummy, healthy treat.



3 cups (2 cans) unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
6 TBS Swerve (or Just Like Sugar)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
1 tsp Celtic sea salt (helps it from hardening like a rock)
1 tsp almond extract (or vanilla)
OPTIONAL: Homemade Almond Joy Chocolate Chunks

Whisk cocoa powder in a small amount of coconut milk, until smooth. Then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until well combined. Make according to your machines instructions. This ice cream will get very hard in the freezer, but I just set it out for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy! Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Ice Cream = 266 calories, 24 carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" Ice Cream = 276 calories, 6.5 carbs, 2.6g fiber

*Note: it is not all about the calories! But more importantly WHERE those calories come from!

For MORE recipes with coconut milk, check out my cookbook: NUTRITIOUS AND DELICIOUS!

If you aren't in the mood for making your own ice cream. SoDelicious is making a no-sugar added coconut milk ice cream. If you can't find it in your local grocery store, ask them to:) That is what I do! Click HERE to fill out a form.

FOODS TO EAT for High Blood Pressure

Are you on a high grain, low fat diet...like most American's? If you are reading my blog...probably not, BUT if you know someone who has high blood pressure, how are they eating?

Most people who are insulin resistant also have high blood pressure, and insulin resistance is directly caused by a high sugar, high grain (even "complex carbs") diet. So high blood pressure and uncontrolled blood sugar go hand in hand.

As your insulin level increases, so does your blood pres­sure. Insulin stores magnesium, but if your insulin receptors are blunted and your cells grow resistant to insulin, you can’t store magnesium so it passes out of your body through urination. Magnesium in your cells relaxes muscles. If your magnesium level is too low, your blood vessels will constrict rather than relax, which will raise your blood pressure and decrease your energy level. Most American's are very deficient in Magnesium. To check for signs check out my book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.

Insulin also affects your blood pressure by causing your body to retain sodium. Sodium retention causes fluid retention. Fluid retention in turn causes high blood pressure, and can lead to congestive heart failure.

To enhance your heart health, the first thing ISN'T to count sodium (WELL, I would get rid of junky table salt and use a quality mineralized salt), it is to remove all grains and sugars, mainly fructose, from your diet until blood pressure and weight is under control. Eating sug­ar and grains (in­cluding ANY type of bread, pasta, corn, potatoes, or ANY type of rice) will cause your insulin levels, and your blood pressure.

Fructose is a sugar that can only be metabolized by the liver, which breaks down into a variety of waste products that are unhealthy for your body, one of which is uric acid. Uric acid drives up your blood pressure by inhibiting the nitric oxide in your blood vessels. Nitric oxide helps your vessels maintain their elasticity, so nitric oxide suppression leads to increases in blood pressure. The average American now consumes 70 grams of fructose EVERY day!

STEPS FOR SUCCESS:
Avoid foods that boost insulin levels. Even whole, organic grains will rapidly break down to sugars, so they too should be avoided. "Complex Carbs" are just glucose molecules hooked together in long chains.



1. Skip the:
Breads, try my "Heathified" BREADS, WAFFLES, BAGELS
Pasta, try my "Healthified" PASTA IDEAS
Rice, try my "Healthified" CAULIFLOWER RICE
Cereal, try my "Healthified" COCOA CRISPIES
Potatoes, try my "Healthified" FAUX-TATOES!
Cookies, try my "Healthified" Oreos

2. INCREASE VITAMIN C: While vitamin C may be helpful, you'll also want to avoid eating too many fruits; the types and amounts being adjusted based on your nutritional type.

3. ADD GARLIC: One food that can be helpful for reducing your blood pressure is crushed, raw garlic.

4. Optimize vitamin D levels – Healthy vitamin D levels can have a powerful effect on normalizing your blood pressure. Low Vitamin D levels is associated with an increased risk for heart disease. Vitamin D has a positive impact on diabetes...it’s all linked together.

5. Balance your omega-6 to omega-3 fat ratio – Most Americans eating a standard American diet have a ratio of 25:1, which is super unbalanced. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is 1:1. To achieve this, lower the amount of vegetable oils in your diet, and consume high quality, animal-based source of omega-3s.

6. Take a Magnesium Supplement: Taking 400mg of Magnesium Glycinate right away in AM (blood pressure is highest in the morning) AND 400mg just before bed will help your blood vessels relax. Our food supply doesn't have the magnesium that it once did so a supplement is necessary.

Click HERE to find proper vitamins and minerals to help control blood pressure naturally! 

The "Sea of Estrogen"... this includes men!

Are you eating more fiber, taking the right probiotics, magnesium glycinate and still not going #2 everyday? Has your doctor told you that it is fine and that is just how your body is? Well, your doctor is wrong. Everyone should go #2 everyday...it is more important than you think. We are living in a sea of estrogens. When we aren't properly excreting those toxic levels of estrogens, they get stored in our fat cells which is detrimental for weight gain. Fat cells make estrogen and estrogen causes fatty tissue growth. This is a vicious cycle we’d like to avoid. Excess estrogen is excreted in the bowel. When stool remains in the bowel for a longer time, as in constipation, the estrogen is reabsorbed.

Some ways we get too much estrogen is exposure to chemicals that mimic estrogen such as many plastics (microwaving food in plastic dishes or using plastic wraps and containers...like they did in the schools on JAMIE OLIVER's FOOD REVOLUTION) or eating non-organic food. Beef and chickens are typically given potent estrogenic substances (‘super-estrogens’) to make them more productive. Our produce is often laced with these substances.

People develop estrogen dominance as a result of a high-carb low-fiber diet, consuming excess fructose, drinking alcohol, having a "Tired-Toxic Liver (see chapter in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism), or environmental factors...all of which we have some power to control.

The liver is a filter of sorts. It detoxifies our body, protecting us from the harmful effects of chemicals, elements in food, environmental toxins, and even natural products of our metabolism, including excess estrogen. Anything that impairs liver function or ties up the detoxifying function will result in excess estrogen levels. If your liver is tired and toxic, a special diet plan would be in order to help.

Estrogen is produced not only internally but also produced in reaction to chemicals and other substances in our food. When it is not broken down adequately, higher levels of estrogen build up. This is true for both men and women, although the effects are more easily recognized in men. Alcoholic men with impaired liver function develop a condition called gynecomastia, with estrogenic characteristics including enlarged breasts, loss of male pubic hair, and belly fat.

Some signs of excess estrogen in MEN and WOMEN:
-Migraines
-Low back pain
-Weight gain secondary to insulin resistance
-Belly Fat Accumulation (A "Beer Belly" is really an "Estrogen Belly")
-Fibrocystic breast disease
-Excessive PMS
-Menstrual disturbances--irregular and heavy bleeding
-Endometriosis
-Fibroids
-Ovarian cysts
-Breast Cancer

Correcting Estrogen Dominance involves more than just correcting the estrogen-progesterone balance and supporting the adrenals. It is important to eliminate the factors as much as possible. Exposure to xenoestrogens , insufficient sleep, toxic exposure, poor nutrition (high carbohydrates, low fat/protein intake, low nutrient value), and stress are some common causes. I also have suggestions for supplements to help speed the process of healing.

So, do you feel like you are eating the right way, taking the right supplements and STILL aren't going #2? It is most likely a food allergy! Contact me if you need some individualized meal plans and supplement suggestions.

FYI: Even bar soaps leach estrogen's into our bloodstream. Click HERE to find one that doesn't!

Cinnabun Cookies

Whey protein can help suppress appetite. A recent study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, found a fantastic effect when people consume whey protein before meals. In this study, the participants drank a 400 calorie beverage 90 minutes before eating a test meal. They split the test subjects into 4 groups to see how many calories they consume after their test beverage:

Group 1 = placebo – 987 Calories
Group 2 = 12.5% protein beverage – 841 Calories
Group 3 = 25% protein beverage – 808 Calories
Group 4 = 50% protein beverage – 681 Calories

This is just one of the many benefits to adding whey protein to your snacks and desserts...it helps with portion control!


Mmmmmmm, these taste like a crispy cinnamon roll from Cinnabon! I made a batch and brought them to my group of women in a weight loss series of classes that I am teaching for the month of October. We meet every Monday night and it is a blast. The healthy treats, once in awhile, make losing weight easy.

TO SEE THE RECIPE, CHECK OUT THE NEW COOKBOOK: LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS. TO FIND, CLICK HERE: http://amongfriends.us/

Nutritional Info: Make 24 cookies
Per Roll with frosting: 69 calories, 0.8 carbs, trace fiber, 2g protein, 6.5g fat
Per Roll without frosting: 43 calories, trave carbs, trace fiber

Peanut Butter Chicken Strips and JIFF "Omega 3"

Are you really fooled by this marketing? I hope not! I want to throw this down the aisle when I see people grab it off the shelf. The "hydrogenated oils" trump the fish oils that are added to the plastic tub...I should also mention that you can make healthy fish oils rancid by overheating them so they don't smell or taste "fishy," which you know they do because who wants a fish flavor in their peanut butter? BUT this is also why I nag my clients to spend the money on a quality fish oil. Cheap fish oil from SAM'S club is going to do more harm than good.

TRANS-FATS How they are made...
1. Manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils-soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, already rancid and full of free-radicals. Not to mention filled with ROUND UP!
2. Mix it with tiny metal particles - usually nickel oxide.
3. Put into hydrogen gas in a high-temperature machine.
4. Next, soap-like products and starch are added into the mixture to give it a better consistency.
5. Again subjected to high temperatures when it is cleaned by steaming.
6. This removes its unpleasant odor. Margarine's natural color, an unappetizing grey, is removed by bleach.
7. Dyes and strong flavors are then be added to make it look like butter.
Squashed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a “cholesterol-lowering” health food.

This is also how they make peanut butter. It keeps the oil from separating and good for aesthetics and ease of use, but terrible for our health. It becomes a plastic that changes the structure of our cells...our bodies basically become "partially hydrogenated!" Your body focuses on fighting the free radicals from clogging your bloodstream and it can’t focus on up-taking nutrients in your “food” to build, repair, and replenish; which is the main purpose of eating. When this happens, we constantly crave food, our brain is smart, it will tell us to eat until we fill it with the vitamins and minerals that we need. Are you constantly hungry? Could this be the culprit? To read more on "Trans Fat and Weight Gain," check out the book, Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.

So, if you make this recipe, make sure to use a natural peanut butter! Click HERE to find the one I love!



2 TBS coconut or sesame oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken sliced into strips
2 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp Organic Tamari sauce (soy sauce)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter OR Almond Butter
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Optional: 1/2 cup scallions, chopped

CHICKEN: Heat oil in large skillet and cook chicken until it is no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

SAUCE: Reduce heat to low and in a medium pan add ginger, Tamari sauce, peanut butter, coconut milk and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is bubbly and warm, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with scallions. Serve immediately. Makes 5 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Dish = 360 calories, 17 carbs, 2.6g fiber
"Healthified" Dish = 290 calories, 3.2 carbs, 2.1g fiber

FYI: The McNuggets only have 2g protein per serving! There's barely any meat in them!

Chicken McNuggets: White boneless chicken, water, food starch-modified, salt, seasoning (autolyzed yeast extract, salt, wheat starch, natural flavoring (botanical source), safflower oil, dextrose, citric acid, rosemary), sodium phosphates, seasoning (canola oil, mono- and diglycerides, extractives of rosemary). Battered and breaded with: water, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), yellow corn flour, food starch-modified, salt, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium lactate), spices, wheat starch, whey, corn starch. Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.

HEALING Bread and INFO on Crohn's and Colitis

I see many clients with a variety of problems. One issue on the rise is Crohn's and Colitis. If Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are caught before serious damage has been done, both conditions can be treated simply by restricting carbohydrates. An Austrian doctor, Professor Wolfgang Lutz, MD, PhD, has treated Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis successfully for over 40 years. This chart clearly shows that when carbohydrates are limited, both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis respond very quickly. Carbohydrates, sugar and vegetable oils are extremely inflammatory and terrible for our intestinal health. Could the increase in carbohydrates and sugar be the cause of all these problems??? In 1840 the average person consumed 2 tsp of sugar a day and in 2009 a typical person consumed over 63 tsp every day!!!

AVOID:
Long Chained Triglycerides: (Vegetable Oils...this means anything that is pre-packaged). Long-chain triglyceride impairs the healing time in active Crohn's disease. These fatty acids are substrates for inflammatory eicosanoid production.

Polyunsaturated oils: Red meat has long been wrongly blamed for IBS. A study published in December 2009 shows that linoleic acid harms the gut but news reports and health websites mislead by blaming 'red meat' — which contains the least linoleic acid. It's the polyunsaturated fats and oils, derived from seeds such as sunflower, safflower, soy and corn, which are the major dietary sources of linoleic acid; they are the most harmful oils for those with intestinal problems because they increase inflammation.

FOODS TO CONSUME:
1. ORGANIC BONE BROTH: stock is so awesome because it supplies hydrophilic colloids to the diet. The proteinaceous gelatin in meat broths has the helpful property of attracting liquids - it is hydrophilic. The same property by which gelatin attracts water to form desserts, like Jello, allows it to attract digestive juices to the surface of cooked food particles. Gelatin acts first and foremost as an aid to digestion and has been used successfully in the treatment of many intestinal disorders, including hyperacidity, colitis and Crohn’s disease. Although gelatin is by no means a complete protein, containing only the amino acids arginine and glycine in large amounts, it acts as a protein sparer, allowing the body to fully utilize the complete proteins that are taken in. So these gelatin-rich broths are essential for those who can't tolerate or afford large amounts of meat in their diets. Gelatin also seems to be of use in the treatment of many chronic disorders, including anemia and other diseases of the blood, diabetes, muscular dystrophy and even cancer.

2. Coconut Oil: is a medium-chained fatty acid. MCFA are broken down almost immediately by enzymes in the saliva and gastric juices so that pancreatic fat-digesting enzymes are not even essential. Therefore, there is less strain on the pancreas and digestive system. This has important implications for patients who suffer from digestive and metabolic problems. Since it is easily absorbed in the digestive tract it also helps other essential healing nutrients become absorbed as well.

Ulcerative colitis often begins with a virus or a bacterial infection and that the body's immune system malfunctions and stays active after the infection has cleared. Coconut has antimicrobial properties that affects intestinal health by killing troublesome microorganisms that may cause chronic inflammation. Coconut oil resembles breast milk more than any other food...breast milk helps keep babies healthy!

3. Dried Coconut: Is 60-70% fat (coconut oil). Coconut oil is one of nature's richest sources of medium chain triglycerides, or fatty acids (MCTs). These smaller chain fatty acids have been shown to absorb easier and quicker in the digestive tract than longer chain fatty acids found in other fats, like vegetable oils.

If you need more "TLC" with your digestive issues, please contact me for a consult. I have lots of meal plans with specific "healing" foods and suggestions for vitamins and minerals to heal the digestive system.

This bread reminds us of more of a "corn bread," but it tastes great. You could make sandwiches out of it, or enjoy it with a big bowl of organic bone broth.



1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted OR unsweetened almond milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium sized bowl sift together the dry ingredients. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until very smooth. Grease a small bread pan and fill about 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Bread = 82 calories, 1g fat, 1g protein, 21g carbs, trace fiber (21 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Bread (oil) = 132 calories, 11g fat, 3.4g protein, 2.8g carbs, 1.7g fiber (1.1 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Bread (almond milk) = 54 calories, 2.8g fat, 3.5g protein, 2.9g carbs, 1.7g fiber (1.2 effective carbs)

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per serving) = 144 calories, 4.9 carbs, 2.8g fiber
(Above chart is from: Lutz W. Dismantling a Myth. Selecta-Verlag Dr. Ildar Idris GmbH & Co, KG Planegg Vor München, 1986: 125-180.)

Bubble Tea

I love this little tea shop called The Tea Garden. They serve something called "Bubble Tea." The unique ingredient of Bubble Tea is tapioca pearls, but in this case I used Chia Seeds. Tapioca pearls are about the size of pearls and they have a consistency like gummy candy; chia seeds are quite a bit smaller, but create the same gummy texture. The big difference is in the nutritional value. The carbohydrates in tapioca pearls are starch where chia seeds are a fiber. When soaked in liquid for 30 minutes, chia seeds form a thick gel. This gel also forms in the stomach when chia seeds are consumed. This wonderful quality helps slows down the rate at which digestive enzymes turn carbs into sugar, making it especially beneficial for diabetics and others with blood sugar issues.

A typical "Bubble Tea" drink at The Tea Garden uses between 25 and 75 of these tapioca pearls, and each pearl contains 14 calories of pure starch. So that means that just the tapioca in the drink is hundreds of calories. And that's without the sugar! Most "Bubble Teas" range from 400 - 1000 calories, depending on the size and the ingredients.

FUN FACTS ABOUT CHIA SEEDS:
1. Aztec warriors and runners are believed to have sustained themselves for an entire day on just a tablespoon of chia.

2. Chia seeds have more Omega-3 fatty acids than any other plant food, including flax seeds.

3. Chia seeds are about 20% protein.

4. Chia is hydrophilic and can absorb more than 12 times its weight in water. This makes it helpful in staying hydrated, something that is especially beneficial for athletes who need to remain hydrated during races and endurance activities. This might also cause the scale to go up, but realize that it is water weight...not fat.

5. Chia seeds are so high in antioxidants that they do not spoil easily and can be stored for long periods, unlike flax seeds. Antioxidants are essential for our health and wellbeing. To read more, check out my chapter on SUPPLEMENTS in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism book.

"HEALTHIFIED" BUBBLE TEA:
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 TBS chia seeds
1 cup brewed black tea
1 tsp stevia glycerite
Capella drops to taste (I used strawberry kiwi)
1 cup ice cubes

In a large bowl, add almond milk, chia seeds, tea, and sweeteners. Stir until the mixture is well combined (the longer you let it sit, the thicker it becomes). Add the ice cubes, and shake so the whole drink can get cold. Pour into a glass. Makes 1 serving.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Bubble Tea = 280 calories, 67.9 carbs, 0.5g fiber
"Healthified" Bubble Tea = 176 calories, 13 carbs, 11.5g fiber

Egg Salad Sandwich Minis and Mayo Info

The ingredients in Kraft mayo isn't exactly a health-food! The ingredients are hideous...soybean oil is a rancid oil already full of free radicals AND it is made from Mansanto's GMO "Round Up Ready" seeds. So unless you don't mind a little ROUND UP festering around in your stomach, I suggest making your own OR buying Spectrum Organic Mayo. No wonder why I see so many chronic stomach and intestinal issues. Round Up is found in non-organic soybeans and corn products: think chips, salad dressings, roasted nuts, cereals...YIKES!

Ingredients: Water, Soybean Oil, Vinegar, Modified Food Starch, Sugar, Maltodextrin, Eggs, contains Less Than 2% of Salt, Enzyme Modified Egg Yolk, Mustard Flour, Lactic Acid (Ingredient Not Normally Found in Mayonnaise)Potassium Sorbate (Ingredient Not Normally Found in Mayonnaise)Calcium Disodium EDTA as Preservatives, Phosphoric Acid (Ingredient Not Normally Found in Mayonnaise)Dried Onions, Dried Garlic, Natural Flavor, Beta Carotene

These are an awesome appetizer to make ahead for an upcoming party. I made the "puffs" a week ahead and I stored in the freezer. I also made the filling a day ahead and kept in the fridge until just before serving.

"Puffs":
3 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3 ounces Sour Cream or cream cheese
1/2 cup unflavored whey protein or egg white protein

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate the eggs and reserve the yolks for another recipe (creme brule anyone?). In a large bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until VERY stiff. Then add the whey. Using a spatula, gradually fold the sour cream into the egg white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. Place round balls of dough onto a GREASED baking sheet (or a mini muffin tin works great). Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Keep oven shut, and leave the puffs in there for another 5 minutes or until cool. Makes 24 puffs.

Filling:
8 eggs
1 TBS homemade mayo OR Spectrum Organic Mayo
2 TBS Dijon-style mustard
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp paprika
Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. In a large bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, paprika, and salt and pepper. Mash well with a fork or wooden spoon. Makes 4 servings. Per serving = 183 calories, 2.9 carbs, 0.5g fiber

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per puff)
Traditional Cream Puffs = 47 calories, 7 carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" Cream Puffs = 21 calories, trace carbs, 0 fiber, 2.3g protein

Tortilla Chips and FACTS on GMO

Have you looked out into a corn or soybean field lately? Can you notice what is missing? How about the weeds? I wish I could get my garden to look that great...or do I?

More than 9 out of 10 soybean and cotton seeds carry the Roundup Ready trait; and just a little lower for corn. You may be asking yourself..."I don't eat soy, corn and certainly not 'cotton'!" BUT lots of things have these so called "food items." What type of salad dressing are you using? It is probably starting with a soybean oil. Or the roasted almonds you enjoy at your afternoon snack?...most likely a soy or cottonseed oil.

A new self-replicating, micro-fungal virus-size organism found in Monsanto’s Roundup Ready soy and corn is being blamed for causing spontaneous abortions in livestock. This pathogen threatens the U.S. food and feed supply. We’ve reached the tipping point toward a disaster. The over use of Roundup is having profoundly bad consequences in the soil. The appearance of this new pathogen is a signal that we’ve gone too far. It is well-documented that glyphosate promotes soil pathogens and caused an increase of more than 40 plant diseases. Round Up dismantles plant defenses by chelating vital nutrients; and it reduces the bioavailability of nutrients in feed, which in turn can cause animal disorders. And then, we eat the animals and plants with little to no nutrients...no wonder why so many people are sick, on prescription medications, have food allergies, and have trouble maintaining a pregnancy. Thank you FDA.


Instead of digging into a bag of Round Up Chips, try these instead!

"Healthified" Tortilla Chips
1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup unflavored whey protein or egg white protein
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
Water (just enough to hold dough together)
Optional: Mexican spices

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift all the dry ingredients together. Slowly add in water, 1 TBS at a time until dough can hold a ball shape. Grease 2 pieces of parchment paper. Place dough onto greased parchment, top with the second piece of parchment (greased side down). Roll the dough using a rolling pin on top of the parchment. Roll until 1/16th in thick. Remove the top piece of parchment. Place the bottom parchment (with the rolled out dough) onto a cookie sheet. Score the dough into chip shapes with a pizza cutter. Place cookie sheet in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Tortilla Chips = 150 calories, 8g fat, 2g protein, 18 carbs, 1g fiber
"Healthified" Tortilla Chips = 104 calories, 7g fat, 10.3g protein, 3 carbs, 1g fiber

Creamy Chicken with "Cornbread" Pancakes AND Facts on WEIGHT GAIN

Ah, Chicken and corn bread...comfort food. BUT if the Jiffy Corn Bread Mix is a box that you keep in your pantry, let's check the ingredients...

INGREDIENTS: WHEAT FLOUR, DEGERM-INATED YELLOW CORN MEAL, SUGAR, ANIMAL SHORTENING (CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: LARD, HYDROGENATED LARD, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED LARD), contains less than 2% of each of the following: BAKING SODA, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SALT, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID.

Diets rich in trans fat (hydrogenated oils) cause a redistribution of fat tissue into the abdomen and lead to a higher body weight even when the total calories are in a "weight loss" range. This is why I HATE some common weight loss programs out there that push their own "pre-packaged" foods. The "apple" body shape that is accelerated by eating trans fat increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Scientists have proven that every 1% increase in the portion of calories from trans fats translated to a 2-pound weight gain over 8 years. In other words, a woman who was consuming 6% of calories from trans fat would be 12 pounds heavier after eight years than a person eating no trans fat. Harvard School of Public Health looked at data on 16,587 men followed for 9 years and found that each 1% of increase in calories from trans fats was associated with an additional half-inch gain in waist circumference. So, let's make our own cornbread instead!

CREAMY CHICKEN:
3 TBS butter or coconut oil
1/4 large sweet onion, chopped
2 poblano chile peppers, seeded and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 skinned and boned chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 serving HOMEMADE cream of mushroom soup
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (8-ounce) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
Cornbread Pancakes (recipe Below)

Melt butter in a Dutch oven. Add onion, chile pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add chicken, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in the rest of the ingredients (except cheese) and stir until smooth. Add cheese, and cook 7 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve over Cornbread Pancakes.

"CORNBREAD" PANCAKES:
4 eggs
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Mix the ingredients and let them sit for five minutes (or overnight). Oil or grease a pan and heat over medium heat. Pour about a 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, brown on each side before flipping it. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON(per serving):
Traditional Dish = 853 calories, 35g fat, 60g protein, 65 carbs, 4.9g fiber
"Healthified" Dish = 597 calories, 29g fat, 61g protein, 10.5 carbs, 5g fiber

Serve with Nature's Hollow Honey.

Red Pepper Hummus Deviled Eggs

These incredible egg hors d'oeuvres make a perfect anytime snack. I bought these bag of sweet red peppers on sale and found some beautifully neat ideas to blend in the red pepper in variety of dishes


Most of egg's nutrition is in its yolk, so blend it in together with the chick peas. The mellow sweet flavor of roasted red peppers totally enhances taste and appeal of plain hummus.

Ingredients
2 red bell peppers
2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas.
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoon Tahini sauce
1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 Organic hard boiled eggs

Method
To Roast red peppers ,Char the pepper on high heat in a broiler or grill.Turn occasionally with tongs, until skins are blackened, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool then peel and deseed the pepper.
Remove shell from boiled eggs.Cut each egg in half, do not discard the yolks, blend in with chick peas.
To make the red pepper hummus , smoothly blend roasted peppers with all the ingredients(including egg yolks) in a high power food processor until creamy .Start without adding water then slowly pour in the Oil and lime juice
Fill each half of the boiled egg with the prepared red pepper hummus.Top each egg with chopped red peppers and herbs.



Can you guess the herb used to garnish these deviled eggs?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs and TBHQ

Reece's Peanut Butter Eggs were one of my weaknesses in my past life. But now with understanding on what certain chemicals do to our cells and brain, I have no problem walking by them in the grocery store. Instead, I enjoy every bite of my homemade eggs without any guilt.

Ingredients in REECE'S Eggs: Peanuts, sugar, dextrose, vegetable oil (cocoa butter, palm, shea, sunflower and/or safflower oil), chocolate, nonfat milk, contains 2% or less of milk fat, lactose, salt, whey, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, corn syrup, soy lecithin, cornstarch, glycerin, TBHQ & PGPR, vanillin

TBHQ comes from petroleum (think "lighter fluid"). It is applied either to the carton of fast food items or sprayed directly onto them, as well as in various other prepackaged food items. TBHQ is banned in other countries.

TBHQ keeps fats from going rancid, so you see it in a lot of foods that they want to have a long shelf life. It is considered an "anti-oxidant" BUT it can itself be oxidized into harmful molecules, like tert-butylquinone...causing a TIRED TOXIC LIVER (see chapter on the liver in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism).

But it also promotes production of quinone reductase, which is linked to cancer. TBHQ can cause a full range of reactions from asthma to anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, depression, tiredness, learning difficulties and children's behavior problems. This chemical is also found to effect estrogen levels...are you trying to get pregnant? or dealing with menopausal symptoms? I would avoid this like the plague.

In pre-packaged foods, if you see the words "no trans-fats," look for TBHQ in the ingredient lists. Some manufacturer's, such as Kellogg's, are using this "trickery," and are using TBHQ instead of trans-fats. Is it better than trans-fat? No. BUT what is even scarier... if you don't see it, that does not mean it is not there. Manufacturers are not required to list "secondary" ingredients. If you don't believe me, call the company and ask if their oil now contains TBHQ. Thank you FDA!

Oh, AND always make sure you use NATURAL peanut butter...Jiff has trans-fats!



"Healthified" Peanut Butter Eggs:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese or coconut cream, softened
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, softened
1 (18 ounce) jar creamy NATURAL peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup powdered erythritol* and 1 tsp stevia glycerite (or 1 cup Swerve)

Using a coffee grinder, grind the sweetener until a fine powder to resemble powdered sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Beat in sweetener. Form rounded tablespoonfuls into egg shapes. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill for 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE COATING:
2 TBS grass fed butter or coconut oil
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
5 TBS heavy cream or coconut milk
1/4 cup powdered* erythritol (or Confectioners Swerve)
1 tsp stevia glycerite

Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a double boiler (or in a heat safe dish over a pot of boiling water). Stir well until just melted (don't burn the chocolate!), add in the cream, and sweetener. Stir until smooth and thick. Dip eggs until coated; place on waxed paper to harden.

For more decorative eggs, place about 1/4 cup melted chocolate in a small plastic bag. Cut a hole in the corner of the bag; pipe chocolate over tops of eggs. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 16 eggs.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
1 Reeces PB Egg = 90 calories, 9 carbs, 0 fiber
1 "Healthified" Egg = 79 calories, 2.9 carbs, 2 fiber

Taquitos and FACTS ON DEPRESSION

About 60% of clients that I see are taking a prescription drug for depression or anxiety. Could our food supply be affecting our brain health? I KNOW so! It is not your fault for these low moods. We just need to start eating quality "food" rather than fill our stomach with "substance."

Certain foods make us feel better by boosting brain neurotransmitter levels such as serotonin and dopamine, and some foods make us feel terrible, one of which is trans fats. Trans fatty acids lead to biological changes that are linked not only to heart disease, but also to depression. Trans fats have a HUGE impact on LDL (bad) cholesterol which blocks blood flow to the brain. In the brain, substances secreted by inflammation interferes with neurotransmitters that affect mood. To read more, check out my book: Secrets to Controlling Your Weight Cravings and Mood.

So if you have these frozen mini tacos in your freezer, it may be time to make some changes.

Ingredients: Filling: Cooked beef in broth (beef, beef broth, salt), beef, water, pasteurized process cheddar cheese (cheddar cheese [milk, culture, salt enzymes], water, sodium phosphate, milkfat, sodium hexametaphosphate, salt, color added, [annatto and apocarotenal] if colored), textured wheat protein (wheat gluten, wheat flour, phosphate, caramel, antioxidants), textured vegetable protein (soy flour, caramel color), tomato paste, contains 2% or less of: gelatin, jalapeño peppers (jalapeños, salt, acetic acid, calcium chloride), hydrolyzed corn gluten, soy protein and wheat gluten, cheddar cheese flavoring (milk, whey, corn syrup, sugar, salt, cheese culture, sodium phosphate, enzymes), flavorings, modified food starch, salt, guar gum, chili powder (chili pepper, salt, spices, garlic powder), vinegar, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate. Tortilla: Corn flour (corn masa flour, trace of lime), water, salt, modified food starch. Tortilla may be sealed with modified food starch and/or water. Fried in partially hydrogenated soybean oil.



Try this recipe instead:

TORTILLA:
1/3 cup blanched almond flour
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup unflavored whey protein
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
Water (just enough to hold together)

In a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Slowly add water, just enough to hold the dough together. On greased parchment paper, roll out dough into a thin rectangle. Cut into 2 x 5 inch rectangles. Set aside to fill meat with.

BEEF FILLING:
1 (3.3 pound) grass fed beef roast (you will have extra)
*You could also use CHICKEN
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 TBS coconut oil
5 cups beef broth
1 onion quartered
3 garlic cloves

In a bowl mix together salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano. Rub mixture all over beef roast to coat. In a large pan heat oil. Brown roast on all sides, about 6 minutes per side. Place in a slow cooker. Add onion and garlic. Pour in water and beef broth. Cover and cook for 8 hours. Remove from slow cooker and shred. Use to fill tortillas.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheet. To assemble, spoon 2 tablespoons of meat mixture into tortilla and roll closed. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all are rolled.

Bake for 15 -20 minutes or until ends start to brown. Remove and sprinkle cheese on top. Turn oven setting to broil and broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven. Top with shredded lettuce and guacamole if desired. Serve with salsa for dipping.

This will make a lot of meat so you will have leftover meat. Idea: Make my Beef Stroganoff for tomorrow!

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving: 5 mini TAQUITOS)
El Charrito Taquitos = 380 calories, 42 carbs, 4g fiber
"Healthified" Taquitos = 257 calories, 1.9 carbs, trace fiber

Corndogs

On September 2nd, my 30th birthday, I was on Showcase MN at the Minnesota State Fair giving advice for healthy food choices at the fair...no, a corndog wasn't on on the list. But, here is one you can enjoy at home!

Morning Star "All Natural" Corn Dogs are ANYTHING but healthy! If you need more information on why these ingredients are so terrible for your cells, click HERE.

Ingredients: WATER, ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), ENRICHED YELLOW CORN MEAL (YELLOW CORN MEAL, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, WHEAT GLUTEN, CORN OIL, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, SOYBEAN OIL, YELLOW CORN FLOUR, SALT, METHYLCELLULOSE, DEXTROSE, HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (CORN PROTEIN, SOY PROTEIN), EGG WHITES, NATURAL FLAVORS, BROWN SUGAR (SUGAR, MOLASSES), SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, NONFAT MILK, POTATO FLOUR, LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE), SOY FLOUR, CARRAGEENAN, MUSTARD FLOUR, ONION POWDER, MALTODEXTRIN, SPICES, XANTHAN GUM, AUTOLYZED YEAST, PAPRIKA (COLOR), GARLIC POWDER, SOYBEANS, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE, HYDROLYZED TORULA AND BREWER'S YEAST, WHEAT, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED OIL†, GUM ARABIC, HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (CORN GLUTEN, SOY PROTEIN, WHEAT GLUTEN), THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE, PAPRIKA EXTRACT (COLOR), AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, LACTIC ACID, RED #40, CITRIC ACID, BLUE #1.



"HEALTHIFIED" CORNDOG
4 TBS coconut flour
4 TBS beef broth or veggie broth
1/2 tsp gelatin
2 egg
2 grassfed hot dog
Coconut oil for frying

In a medium size bowl, heat the broth and mix in the gelatin to dissolve. Add in the coconut flour and the egg. Let sit for a minute to thicken up. Wrap the batter around the hotdog (I had to use my hands). Add coconut oil or ghee to a skillet on high (or use THIS corndog skillet), once the skillet is hot, place the corndog in the oil and roll around until all side are cooked. CORNDOG! And this was my favorite way to use coconut flour! Makes 2 servings.

TIP: To help "breading" stick to foods, stir 1/2 tsp of unflavored gelatin into the "flour." Meat and gelatin are composed of proteins that form tight bonds with one another.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per corn dog)
Traditional Corn Dog = 250 calories, 29 carbs, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein
“Healthified” Corn Dog = 142 calories, 12.7 g protein, 6.7 g fat, 3.4 g fiber, 6.1 g effective carbs

Click HERE to find an amazing CORN DOG maker.

Option: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a mini muffin pan. Place 1 TBS of breading in the muffin tin. Place a 1 inch piece of hot dog into the dough. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy with homemade ketchup!