Brownies: COCONUT and FERTILITY

Fertility Success Story...

"Maria Emmerich began helping me in my health journey before she even knew my name. About a year ago I stumbled upon her blog (http://www.mariahealth.blogspot.com/) and from that time on, I was hooked! Maria presents the truth about our health, our food, and they way our food impacts our health, in a way that's easy to understand. Within a few weeks of reading almost every post on her blog, I ordered all of her books and began making small, healthy changes in my life.

Fast forward a year: When my husband I decided that we wanted to become pregnant, I instantly thought of Maria as a way to help us naturally conceive. I had been experiencing some concerning symptoms and hormonal issues, seen various drs and specialists, etc. and hadn't been able to find anything that worked. I wanted to work on balancing my body the natural way- with the food that I ate- rather than with prescription drugs, so I scheduled a consult with Maria and she helped guide me. We made changes to my nutrition and she suggested supplements that would help heal my body. Within a month, not only had my hormones balanced, but I found out that I was pregnant! It still feels hard to believe.... but I am so excited, so forever grateful to Maria for her guidance!

I will definitely be working with Maria and following her advice throughout my pregnancy and the birth of what I know will be a healthy, happy baby.

Thanks again for your help!! I'm so excited!! :) :) :) " -KATE

One thing I had Kate add was coconut oil. The amazing properties of coconuts have been celebrated for their fertility and pregnancy boosting abilities. In tropical areas where coconuts are plentiful, pregnant women drink coconut water to increase the fetus' health; babies in Thailand eat 3 spoonfuls of coconut puree as their first baby food from the priest; and women in India get a special coconut from the priest for a blessing when trying to conceive. Not only were the women correct with the traditions of enhancing the babies health, but we now have scientific proof of the numerous health benefits of coconuts.

1. DECREASE MISCARRIAGES: Fat is essential to make hormones. Some miscarriages are caused by a lack of progesterone to sustain the pregnancy. Eating coconut oil in addition to progesterone supplementation will provide a healthy fat that can be used to attain a healthy body weight and balance hormones.

2. HORMONE BALANCE: Overweight women may have problems conceiving due to too much estrogen (we have 3 types of estrogen: I'm talking about the one stored in our fat cells); this will inhibit ovulation from happening, and decrease the lining of the uterus for implantation, along with many other imbalances. Coconut oil is a medium-chained triglyceride, which aids in thyroid health and helps women lose weight while also balancing hormones.

3. MORNING SICKNESS: Coconut water is a natural remedy for nausea and has been traditionally used to calm malaria, typhoid, and other illness that include nausea as a side effect.

4. DECREASES GAS: It naturally calms and heals the stomach lining, which eventually decreases gas.

5. HYDRATION: Coconut water is nature's true "sports drink." It has all the elecrolytes and minerals that we need and lose during extreme activity (such as marathon running) and also supports the nutritional needs of pregnant women with the extra blood volume.

6. NUMBER 2: Most pregnant women struggle with going #2 in the third trimester. This is due to the intestines slowing down to absorb extra nutrients for the fetus. Coconut is a mild laxative. Coconut milk, water or eating coconut oil can assist to keep our intestinal system moving properly.

7. GESTATIONAL DIABETES: Coconut assists with proper blood sugar balance. When our blood sugar goes too high (if you eat too many crackers or processed carbs with morning sickness:))), you blood sugar drops too low and this will not only lead to insulin issues, it also induces nausea! Coconut will help due to the high amounts of fiber (my coconut flour recipes are filled with fiber!) and the healthy fats keep our insulin levels from rising too much.

8. URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS: No need for antibiotics that decrease the mother's and baby's probiotics (and cause food allergies). Coconut decreases UTI's because it cleans the kidneys.

9. IMMUNE SYSTEM: Coconut oil is 50% lauric acid (LA). LA has natural antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Pregnant women have a weakened immune system and LA boosts immunity and protects her from harmful infections.

10. BODY TEMPERATURE: Coconut cools the body, which can be an issue with the high levels of progesterone and weight.

11. STRETCH MARKS: Coconut oil is AMAZING for the skin! It moisturizes itchy and dry skin. It also reduces the appearance of stretch marks. When applied to the perineum in the weeks leading up to labor, it can help reduce tearing during birth.

12. ACNE: When applied to the skin and face, coconut water clears up acne and blackheads caused by the high levels of hormones during pregnancy.

13. LACTATION: Lauric Acid (LA) is found in two sources: coconut and breast milk! It has been proven that breast feeding women who eat coconut products have higher levels of LA in their milk. This is important because as listed above, it boosts the immune system. Other awesome properties of LA is that it increases the baby's brain and bone development. Our bodies can store LA so start consuming coconut early on in pregnancy helps with milk production.

So let's try this recipe that will satisfy those sweet, carb, chocolate cravings without the detrimental effects of a blood sugar spike from high-sugar white-flour chemically-filled packaged brownies.

5 oz cream cheese OR coconut cream, softened
3/4 cup coconut oil or butter, softened
1 TBS vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/2 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup erythritol (Swerve)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush both sides of an 8" by 8" pan with coconut oil, or spray with olive oil cooking spray. Place a cut square of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan.

Beat softened cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in butter, vanilla, and sweetener. Whisk together dry ingredients. Add eggs one at a time to cream cheese mixture, and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and almond milk, mix well. Pour mixture into prepared pan, and smooth top with a spatula. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top feels firm to the touch. When done, place pan on wire rack and cool completely or place in fridge overnight. Slice and serve. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMAPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Brownie = 334 calories, 52.7 carbs, 1.4 g fiber, 2.9 g protein
"Healthified" Brownie = 193 calories, 2 carbs, 0.9 g fiber, 2.9 g protein

Crab BLT and Paula Deen's Diabetes

It is so frustrating when I hear that Paula Deen decided to work with the pharmaceutical companies to help with her diabetes. First off, does she really need more money? and WHY would the pharmaceutical companies want people to know the truth about how diet can control Type II diabetes by eating no starch or sugar??? They won't make any money! Here's some proof...
Another Maria Moment...this one was with DIABETES. I myself have had my own success story with Maria's eating style...so I decided to introduce her recipes to my very picky, very diabetic father in-law. I spend the summers at the lake with my in-law and decided that this year I was going to cook out of Maria’s cookbook exclusively. I made some of my favorite banana walnut muffins and almond waffles and asked my father in-law if he would please try some. He is not fond of trying new foods maybe due to being picky but also because he has had terrible diabetes for over 30 years. My father in-law has large blood sugar swings even with his insulin pump.
He tried the waffles and muffins and loved them. Keep in mind he had butter on both and sugar free syrup on the waffle. As we stood in the kitchen discussing how many units of insulin he should calculate for the food he ate, we come to the conclusion that he should take 5 units. normally for the food he had just consumed he would have needed to take 8 but since Maria’s food is different we shot it on the lower side... my father in-law left for about 1 hr and came back out of sorts. My mother in-law said “Tom are you ok...go check your blood." He went and checked his blood and it had taken a huge nose dive...he had a blood sugar level of 45! Now at this time only 2 units had gone into his body...not 5 and he had to stop the rest of the insulin from entering his system. We couldn't believe it! Here he had taken almost 4 times less than he normally would have and his levels were too low.
Ok, fast forward...about a week later his blood sugar was too low so my mother in-law said "tom why don't you have 2 almond waffles with butter and syrup to bring your blood sugars up a bit." He decided he would do this but they had to decide how much insulin he should take...what they decided was that he would take NOTHING!!!! Now how crazy does that sound. In all the years I have known him, which is 28 years I have NEVER seen him not adjust his levels when he eats something. So, Tom ate the waffles and hung out to see what happened and after about 1 and a half hours his levels were back in the normal range. Not only did he not have to take any insulin, his levels were taking care of what needed to be done without huge swings and without adjusting for the food. It was SO COOL! Now it’s on to trying more of Maria’s recipes and working with his levels but after these results my father in-law is a believer in these recipes. Maria's way of eating does change lives...even lives that have only known diabetes for years. Thank you again Maria for your help...here is just another moment where you have made a positive effect on someone’s life. YOU ROCK GIRL!" -Cindy V (Northfield, MN)

It is all about WHAT we eat rather than how much. Our bodies create biological responses to everything we consume! Choosing the right foods at the right time is an art. Here is a recipe for a healthy lunch!

PROTEIN BREAD:
6 eggs, separated
1 cup Jay Robb unflavored egg white or whey protein
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Separate the eggs (save the yolks for a different recipe...creme brule???), and whip the whites for a few minutes until VERY stiff (I use a stand mixer on high for a few minutes). Slowly fold in the whey protein and onion powder if using. Then slowly fold in the cream cheese into the whites (making sure the whites don't fall). Grease a bread pan and fill with "dough." Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Let completely cool before cutting or the bread will fall. Cut into 12 slices. I keep this bread in the freezer at all times to make sandwiches. OPTION: Make bread into 12 buns on a greased cookie sheet.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per slice)
White Bread = 80 calories, 15 carbs, 1 fiber, 3 g protein
"Healthified" Bread = 60 calories, trace carbs, 6 g protein

FILLING (per sandwich):
1 slice natural smoked bacon
4 oz canned crab
1 TBS Spectrum Mayo
1 slice tomato
Handful of leafy greens

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per sandwich)
Traditional BLT = 350 calories, 34 carbs, 28 g protein
"Healthified" BLT = 330 calories, 4.8 carbs, 34 g protein

NUTRITION CLASS

Hey all! I am holding a FOOD MOOD and WEIGHT LOSS class on Sunday Feb. 12th from 5-7pm in my home (River Falls, WI). The class is only $25. Pre-registration is required. For those of you who are out of the area there will be a Skype option. The Skype option will be $20 and limited to the first 25 people (so sign up fast) and you get a PDF of the slides to follow along with the Skype audio.

Please email me at mariamindbodyhealth@gmail.com for more details.

This class is sure to SHOCK you! Find out exactly what certain ingredients do to our cells. What we put in our mouth directly effects our our moods, depression, anxiety, MS, energy, and memory. Participants will feel empowered to make permanent lifestyle changes. Find out which foods optimize our production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. You will also discover the biochemical connection to cravings and how over the counter medications and poor intestinal health can lower your mood. One of the most interesting connections is between cravings and our biochemical response! The more sugar we eat, the more we crave it. If you start your day off with cereal and skim milk, you aren’t going to be able to walk by the candy jar in your office at 2pm! Check out these to breakfast comparisons:

Option 1: 1 cup SMART START Cereal (1 cup skim milk and banana)
472 calories, 105 carbs, 4g fiber = 25.25 tsp of sugar in blood (IF you didn’t add any sugar!)

Option 2: 2 eggs, with 2 cups of mushrooms, peppers, onions
190 calories, 9 carbs, 3 fiber = 1.5 tsp of sugar in blood

Option 3: My homemade donut made with coconut flour
217 calories, 7.4 carbs, 4.6g fiber = 0.7 tsp of sugar in blood!

To eat is a necessity; to eat ‘healthy’ is an art.

TREATS will be served!

Enchilada Casserole

Here is another pantry item to throw out! To find how to properly stock a pantry, check out my Pantry List in SECRETS TO A HEALTHY METABOLISM.

Ingredients = Water, Tomato Paste, Modified Corn Starch, Spices, Salt, Onion Powder, Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Garlic Powder, Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten, Soy and Wheat Gluten Proteins, Citric Acid, Dried Yeast, Soy Flour. Contains: soybeans and wheat

Do you still have pre-packaged Taco Seasoning in your pantry? If you do, check this out!

Ingredients: Yellow Corn Flour, Salt, Maltodextrin, Paprika, Spices, Modified Corn Starch, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Citric Acid, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Flavor, Caramel Color (sulfites).

There are a few issues with using prepackaged spice mixes. First off, caramel coloring is a food dye that is in the process of being banned by the FDA due to it's links to causing cancer. Another issue is the maltodexterin...the danger is that maltodextrin is very high on the glycemic index: 105. This is 5 points higher than glucose which is 100. And, it is almost double that of sugar which is around 59. AND ingredients are listed in the order of prevalence...they don't even list a spice until the 4th ingredient! I'll stick to making a triple batch of my own mix and keeping it in my pantry!

"HEALTHIFIED" TACO SPICES
2 TBS chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
3 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

In a bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container. Makes 20 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Store Bought Taco Seasoning = 20 calories, 4 carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Taco Seasoning = 5 calories, 0.9 carbs, 0.4g fiber



ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
1 TBS coconut oil
2 skinless chicken breast - cooked and shredded (I used a crock-pot)
*OR you could use 1 lb grass fed ground hamburger
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (7 oz) can chopped green chile peppers
2 TBS of taco seasoning (from above)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 eggs
2 cups cottage cheese
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (8 oz) package shaved chicken breasts (for tortillas)
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 (10 oz) can tomato sauce (or salsa)

To make the meat mixture, heat oil in medium skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken or ground beef, onion and green chile peppers and saute until browned, then add taco seasoning and 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Let simmer on low for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the cheese mixture. In a medium bowl mix eggs with cottage cheese and season with salt and pepper; stir until well blended.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). To assemble the casserole, layer the bottom of 9x13 inch baking dish with 1/2 the tomato sauce, top that with the meat mixture. Place a layer of shaved chicken breast on top of the meat (like tortillas), then top that with 1/2 the cottage cheese mixture. Place a layer of Monterrey Jack cheese on top of the cottage cheese. Repeat the layering one more time. Top with tomato sauce and remaining shredded cheese.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Casserole = 548 calories, 31g fat, 33g protein, 34.4 carbs, 4g fiber
"Healthified" Casserole = 417 calories, 30g fat, 38.7g protein, 6.9 carbs, 3.5g fiber

Jicama Crab Tacos

Cholesterol Testimony from my client Deb:

"I don’t know if you remember me, but I did your month long consult package last year in May. You convinced me to go off statins and I was getting ready for my son’s wedding. I wanted to let you know I finally got enough courage to go get my blood work done and found a doctor that doesn’t get too worked up about cholesterol.

I want to thank you for your post on the “LDL determination” regarding if it is large and fluffy. I brought that into the doctor and she ordered me a whole extension blood work up. I am thrilled to say I have a large and buoyant pattern!! In addition, the great news since I changed my eating habits, due to you, is I dropped my triglycerides from 199 to 86!! My HDL increased from 46 to 57!!

PS: Just an fyi, my husband has REALLY benefited from your suggestions and my new cooking habits, as his triglycerides dropped to 68 and his C-Reactive Protein was 0.39. Oh yes, he went off his statins as well!! J"

-Deb

Deb and I cleaned out her pantry. This detrimental "gluten-free" family staple is no longer lingering in her house!

Ortega White Corn Taco Shells Ingredients: White Corn, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Water, White Corn Flour, Salt, Hydrated Lime, Citric Acid

Try this tasty crispy shell idea instead! This was inspired after watching Top Chef! I LOVE that show!

6 Thin slices of jicama
2 cups organic leaf lettuce
6 oz. lump crab meat
1 Lime, cut into wedges
Salsa

Slice jicama into very thin slices, using an electric slicer (click HERE to find) or a mandolin slicer. Fold the jicama slices into taco shells; fill with lettuce, crab meat, and salsa. Squirt the lime juice into each jicama shell and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 2 taco shells)
Traditional Taco Shell = 130 calories, 19 carbs, 0 fiber
Jicama Taco Shell = 12 calories, 1.5 carb, 1 g fiber

Dairy Free Custard and Natural "Pedia-Sure"

Have you ever used PediaSure or Pedialyte to help with baby's health or dehydration? Pediasure's second ingredients is sugar, then GMO corn, soy oil, soy protein...this is NOT a healthy product.

INGREDIENTS: Water, Sugar, Corn Maltodextrin, Milk Protein Concentrate, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Soy Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate, Medium-Chain Triglycerides. Less than 0.5% of the Following: Soy Protein Isolate, Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Cellulose Gel, Magnesium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Phosphate, Salt (Sodium Chloride), Cellulose Gum, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Soy Lecithin, Monoglycerides, C. Cohnii Oil, m-Inositol, Potassium Hydroxide, Carrageenan, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, L-Carnitine, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacinamide, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Molybdate, Phylloquinone, Cyanocobalamin, and Vitamin D3. Contains milk and soy ingredients.

Babies suffering from diarrhea can benefit extremely by adding in coconut and coconut water; as this fluid can help calm their digestive tract, prevent dehydration and malnutrition.

Coconut oil most resembles a woman's breastmilk! Coconut provides B vitamins, protein, zinc, phosphorus and iron. It is also high in lauric acid, which also happens to be the main fatty acid found in breast milk. Lauric acid is what makes breast milk so digestible and protect sthe body from infection and boost the immune system.

Coconut oil helps cure jaundice. The first solid food eaten by a Thai baby is three spoonfuls of the custard-like flesh of young coconut fed to the baby by a Buddhist priest.

How Coconut Oil Helps Babies:
1. Immune system does not fully develop until 6 months old, only protection against everyday viruses comes by consuming lauric acid.
2. Helps ease an array of stomach and digestive tract problems that often plague infants. This is because the antimicrobial properties of coconut oil combat many of the bacteria, fungi and parasites that often contribute to infant indigestion.
3. Helps improve the body’s ability to absorb other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
4. Coconut oil is a great moisturizer for all skin types, including very dry skin and highly sensitive skin, such as that of a newborn infant. This is because it closely resembles human plasma; therefore it helps with Cradle Cap as the antimicrobial properties of this oil are highly effective at soothing this skin inflammation.

The fat in breast milk is filled with lauric acid and capric acid, IF the mother is eating a proper diet. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claims that lactating mothers who eat coconut oil and other coconut products, have significantly increased levels of lauric acid and capric acid in their breast milk; therefore, the milk supply has increased amounts of the protective antimicrobials, which will give even greater protection to the nursing infant.

The next best food is organic egg yolks, rich in choline, cholesterol and other brain-nourishing substances, can be added to your baby's diet as early as four months, as long as baby takes it easily. (If baby reacts poorly to egg yolk at that age, discontinue and try again one month later.) Cholesterol is vital for the insulation of the nerves in the brain and the entire central nervous system. It helps with fat digestion by increasing the formation of bile acids and is necessary for the production of many hormones. Since the brain is so dependent on cholesterol, it is especially vital during this time when brain growth is in hyper-speed. Choline is another critical nutrient for brain development. The traditional practice of feeding egg yolks early is confirmed by current research. A study published in the June 2002 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition compared the nutritional effects of feeding weaning infants 6-12 months of age regular egg yolks, enriched egg yolks, and an otherwise normal diet. The researchers found that both breastfed and formula-fed infants who consumed the egg yolks had improved iron levels when compared with the infants who did not. In addition, those infants who got the egg yolks enriched with extra fatty acids had 30 percent to 40 percent greater DHA levels than those fed regular egg yolks. No significant effect on blood cholesterol levels was seen.

The best choice for baby is yolks from pasture-fed hens raised on flax meal, fish meal, or insects since they will contain higher levels of DHA. Why just the yolk? The white is the portion that most often causes allergic reactions, so wait to give egg whites until after your child turns one. Don't neglect to put a pinch of salt on the egg yolk. While many books warn against giving salt to babies, salt is actually critical for digestion as well as for brain development. Use unrefined salt to supply a variety of trace minerals.

Click HERE to find the brand I like, on sale now!

"HEALTHIFIED" BABY'S CUSTARD
5 egg-yolks
1/4 cup Just Like Sugar
3 cups whole coconut milk
OPTIONAL: 3 TBS coconut flour (makes it less liquid so babies can pick up chunks)

1 TBS vanilla extract (or other extract...Kai LOVES banana and strawberry) Click HERE to find organic extracts.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan until simmers. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sweetener, coconut flour and vanilla extract. Slowly add the coconut milk, whisking constantly.

Pour the custard into 6 ramekins. Place ramekins in a deep baking pan and pour enough boiling water in the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the custard sets. Do not over bake; it should be a little soft in the center. Cool in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to firm up. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Custard = 360 calories, 32g fat, 5g protein, 16 carbs, 2.6g fiber
"Healthified" Custard = 327 calories, 32g fat, 5g protein, 7.4 carbs, 3.6g fiber

In any recipe you can use ZSweet, Truvia, Organic Zero, Xylitol or Just Like Sugar. In order to use a different product, use the same amount of sweetener for the amount of erythritol in the recipe and omit the stevia (except for Organic Zero, that is only erythritol and you will still need stevia for sweetness).

1 cup erythritol and 1 tsp stevia = 1 cup Swerve
1 cup erythritol and 1 tsp stevia = 1 cup ZSweet
1 cup erythritol and 1 tsp stevia = 1 cup Truvia
1 cup erythritol and 1 tsp stevia = 1 cup Xylitol
1 cup erythritol and 1 tsp stevia = 1 cup Just Like Sugar
1 cup erythritol and 1 tsp stevia = 1 cup Organic Zero and 1 tsp stevia

For more charts and information on sweeteners and why I use them, check out my book: The Art of Eating Healthy.

Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies

KEEBLER Fudge Stripe Cookie Ingredients: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean, Cottonseed, Palm Kernel and/or Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil With TBHQ and Citric Acid For Freshness), Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Contains Two Percent or less of Whey, Butter (Cream, Salt), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Salt, Soy Lecithin, Nonfat Milk, Molasses, Sorbitan Monostearate, Polysorbate 60, Artificial Flavor

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!


COOKIES:
1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1 cup coconut oil or butter
1 cup Just Like Sugar
1/2 cup erythritol (or Truvia)
2 tsp stevia glycerite
1 egg
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE:
2 TBS grass fed butter or coconut oil
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
10 TBS unsweetened almond milk OR heavy cream
1/4 cup erythritol (or Just Like Sugar)
1 tsp stevia glycerite

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, Just Like Brown Sugar, erythritol and stevia (add in egg if using). Cream for a few minutes until very fluffy. In a separate bowl mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth.

In between 2 pieces of parchment (greased parchment), roll the dough out into 1/4 in thick dough. Using circle cut-outs, cut into Samoa cookie shapes.

Place cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool completely on the baking sheet before removing from cookie sheet.

CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE: 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. Place 1/2 the chocolate in a shallow bowl and dip the bottom of the cookies into the chocolate. Place on parchment paper. Put the other 1/2 of the chocolate in a small ziplock bag. Cut the corner of the bag and use to pipe stripes over the cookies. Makes 24 cookies.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Keebler = 150 calories, 7g fat, 1g protein, 21 carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Cookie = 150 calories, 14g fat, 2.5g protein, 3.2 carbs, 1.8g fiber

Deep Dish Pizza and HIDDEN NUTRIENTS

Most people think you must eat fruits and veggies to get all your nutrients in for the day, but a hidden food that has A TON of nutrients are spices! Oregano is used in this recipe and is one of the top foods for Vitamin K! Vitamin K is essential for bone growth and can decrease bruising.

Oregano is a proven super "functional food". It has an excellent nutritional profile; just 100 g of oregano herb provides:

Dietary fiber- 107% (Percent of RDA)
Folate- 69%
Pyridoxine- 93%
Vitamin-C- 83%
Vitamin-A-230%
Vitamin-K- 518%
Iron- 550%
Manganese-203%
Carotene-ß- 4112 mcg

BENEFITS OF OREGANO:
1. Anti-Bacterial: The oils in oregano include thymol and carvacrol, both of which have been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Oregano to be more effective against Giardia than the commonly used prescription drug.

2. Anti-Oxidant: Oregano contains tons of phytonutrients; including thymol and rosmarinic acid. They are potent antioxidants that can prevent oxygen-based free-radical damage to cells. On a per gram fresh weight basis, oregano has demonstrated 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times more than blueberries.

3. PAIN RELIEVER: Concentrated amounts of oregano can help calm stomach upsets and painful menstruation.

4. IBS: Oregano increases the motility of the gastro-intestinal tract as well as increase digestion by increasing gastro-intestinal secretions.

5. DIABETES/CANCER/CHOLESTEROL: Oregano is a rich source of fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Fiber works in the body to bind to bile salts and cancer-causing toxins in the colon and remove them from the body. This forces the body to break down cholesterol to make more bile salts. These are just some of the reasons that diets high in fiber have been shown to lower high cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of colon cancer.





1 1/4 cup cottage cheese
5 eggs
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
PIZZA HUT SPICE MIX:
4 TBS Parmesan cheese
3 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS oregano
TOPPINGS:
Low-Sugar Marinara (Mario Batali = no soybean oil and no sugar)
Bolinski's chicken sausage
Mushrooms
Peppers
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large cake pan or lasagna pan with with coconut oil spray (click HERE to find).

In a food processor (click HERE to find the one I love for less than $30!) or large bowl, mix the cottage cheese, coconut flour, baking powder, eggs, salt and 1/2 of the Pizza Hut seasoning until very smooth.

Place dough into a large greased round cake pan (or lasagna pan), scatter with the remaining spice mix, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set, risen, and golden brown. Remove from oven and place your sauce, toppings and cheese on the crust. Place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 9 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving of CRUST only)
Traditional Deep Dish Pizza = 304 calories, 14 g fat, 45 g carbs, 1.2 g fiber (43.8 g effective carbs), 10 g protein
"Healthified" Pizza = 109 calories, 4.6 g fat, 5.2 carbs, 2.2 g fiber (3 effective carbs), 9.6 g protein

Almond Dark Chocolate Pancakes with Dark chocolate sauce

These dark chocolate almond pancakes can brighten any chocoholics day without guilt. The richness of dark chocolate ,nutty almonds and ripe sweet bananas ,an irresistibly tasty combination. The recipe can also be tweaked to include only vegan ingredients and make it an all vegan delight.

Be sure not to add any milk chocolate or dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe , cause only good quality dark chocolate ,pure cocoa powder with low sugar can keep this recipe a part of healthy diet.



Recipe : Almond Dark Chocolate Pancakes with Dark chocolate sauce.
Ingredients
For Pancakes
1 cup Whole Wheat flour(fine ground)
1/2 cup fine ground almonds
2 Tablespoon 100% pure Cocoa powder
1 large organic egg(vegan substitute :1/2 cup firm tofu)
1/2 cup of Reduced fat Milk or Almond milk or Soy milk
1 teaspoon Baking Powder(alum-free)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon fat-free Greek yogurt(vegan substitute : soy yogurt)
2 tablespoon Organic Agave nectar syrup or pure organic Honey
2 Ripe Bananas,sliced
1 tablespoon 100% canola oil

Dark Chocolate Sauce
1/4 Semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate chips with at least 60% cocoa(more is better)
1 teaspoon 100% cocoa powder
2 Tablespoon low-fat milk or almond milk
3 tablespoon Agave nectar or pure organic Honey

Handful of roughly chopped almonds for topping

Method
Pancakes
Mix all the dry ingredients. Whisk egg with syrup ,milk and yogurt. Add this wet mixture to dry mixture to make a smooth batter.
Heat non stick pan on medium flame. Smear it lightly with oil . Pour one ladle of batter and let cook. Flip when you see the bubbles over pan cake ,about one minute.Cook another 30 seconds.Serve warm with sliced bananas,chopped almonds and drizzle of warm dark chocolate sauce.

Dark Chocolate Sauce
Melt chocolate in a double broiler until smooth ,whisk in cocoa powder,milk and syrup until smooth ,add little more milk if needed. Keep warm until served.

Chicken Nuggets

It may look like a chicken breast, but anyone with a food allergy has realized the ill effects when eating this so-called protein at McDonald's. I have had many clients go to McDonald's (unwillingly) for group outings. They order the GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD with no dressing (because they weren't sure if there was wheat in the dressing) and they still get sick from wheat consumption. Why? Well, the 'chicken breast' is anything but just chicken!

Grilled Chicken Breast Filet ingredients: Chicken breast filets with rib meat, water, seasoning (salt, sugar, food starch-modified, maltodextrin, spices, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed [corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten] proteins, garlic powder, paprika, chicken fat, chicken broth, natural flavors (plant and animal source), caramel color, polysorbate 80, xanthan gum, onion powder, extractives of paprika), modified potato starch, and sodium phosphates. CONTAINS: SOY AND WHEAT. Prepared with Liquid Margarine: Liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservative), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color). CONTAINS: SOY LECITHIN.

Instead of giving your kids a dose of mechanically made chicken nuggets, try this instead...



1 pound Smart Chicken breasts
1 cup almond flour
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs. In another medium bowl, mix the almond flour and salt (and additional spices if desired).

Cut the chicken into bite sized nuggets. Dip the nugget into the egg mixture, then into the almond flour mixture. Coat each nugget well. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Timing will depend on how big you make the nuggets. Serve with Nature's Hollow BBQ sauce.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
McDonald's Nuggets = 280 calories, 17g fat, 14g protein, 16 carbs, 0g fiber
"Healthified" Nuggets = 171 calories, 10g fat, 16g protein, 3.2 carbs, 1.6g fiber

1 packet (28g)
McDonald's BBQ Sauce = 50 calories, 0 fat, 0 protein, 12 carbs, 0 fiber
Nature's Hollow BBQ Sauce = 18 calories, 0 fat, 0 protein, 2 carbs, 0 fiber

The photo above is from Business Insider.

Poutine

Poutine originally debuted in Quebec, Canada in the 1950’s and many people claim it was invented by Fernand Lachance. It’s now mass-produced across Canada in popular fast-food chain. The dish is made up of a combination of fries, gravy and cheese curds. To lighten it up, I tried the stem of the cauliflower and it is great!



1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 pound cauliflower
1 cup cheese curds
1 cup gravy
GRAVY:
2 TBS butter
1 tsp guar gum
2 cups organic beef broth
1 tsp organic Tamari soy sauce
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

To make the gravy, mix in sauce pan for 10 minutes until thick and bubbly.

Melt the butter in a pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté until just starting to caramelize, about 10-15 minutes.

FRIES: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the stem out of the cauliflower (you can also use the whole cauliflower if you want, but it won't look like "french fries"). Cut the stem into french fry shapes. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Spray the 'fries' with coconut oil spray and sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, place on a large plate and mix in the mushrooms. Spoon gravy over fries and top with cheese curds.

Nutritional Comparison (per serving):
"Healthified" Poutine = 204 calories, 9.5g protein, 13.8g fat, 2.6g fiber, 12g carbs (9.4 effective)
Traditional Poutine = 241 calories, 9.3g protein, 13.9g fat, 2.5g fiber, 20.5g carbs