ADOPTION: FIRST VIDEO OF OUR FAMILY

I have been waiting for years to experience this moment. All of my dreams lately have been consumed by my boys. Craig and I made the trip to Ethiopia on May 16th. We are back (with the flu!...the boys were sick, but still so sweet!) My favorite parts of the video is when Micah says "Momme-se" which is 'mommy' in his native language, and when he is playing with some children and when I walk in the room he starts to cry and hold his arms out to me; once I pick him up he immediately stops crying! What a little 'mommy's boy!'

Micah is 22 months old.
Kai is 5 months old.

ADOPTION UPDATE from Craig Emmerich on Vimeo.

Thank you to all of you who have made this possible. When Craig lost his job, we decided to put together a few of my favorite recipes into a cookbook to help keep the dream of adopting alive. It is all of you who have made this dream a reality for us. I can't believe the support we have received. You all are amazing! AND it makes us happy that you all have the desire to keep your families healthy too!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Shallots Sambar

Wrapped in shiny purple peel ,the mild flavored shallots are said to be cross between sweet onions and garlic.Available in many varities ,shallots are rich in vitamin A, B, C and E.Regular consumption of shallots can reduce cholesterol levels and improve the blood circulation. Its very high concentration of flavonoids can reduce the risk of cardio-vascular diseases.

Shallot's delicate flavor is a perfect compliment in exotically spicy sambar , one of the most savored South Indian dishes,served alongside rice ,idli or vada.
Recipe :Shallots Sambar.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Yellow Split Lentil(Toor Dal)
8-10 pearl onions ,hulled and peeled
1 medium Plum Tomato choppeds
1 big Clove of Garlic
1/2 inch Ginger root or use 1/2 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste.
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Red chilli powder or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon each of Cumin and coriander powder or use 1 teaspoon sambar powder
1 tablespoon of tamarind paste in 11/2 cups of water
1 sprig of Curry leaves
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds(Methi)
1 teaspoon Salt
1-2 green chillies
Method
Cook the Lentils
Wash and Soak lentil for 10minutes.
Wash and soak the lentil for 5-10 minutes in a cup of water. Transfer in a pressure cooker or small saucepan with lid.Add another 1/2 cup of water ,season with salt,1/4 tsp each of turmeric and chilli powder.Cover and let cook on medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes in pressure cooker and 45-50 minutes in the covered skillet until soft.When cooked mash or blend it to smooth paste.
Cook the Onions and mix in the mashed Lentils
Heat oil in a saucepan on medium high .Add the peal onions, green chillies and saute for a minute along with cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add minced ginger and garlic saute for another minute before adding rest of the spices and tamarind juice. Simmer till Onions are tender,about 15 minutes, then mix in the cooked mashed lentils. Simmer for another 5 minutes.Serve warm with brown rice or idli or Vada.

Whatchamacallit Candy Bar

At my baby shower, we played the "poopie" diaper game...where you melt different candy bars in diapers and you pass them around to guess what candy bar it is. One of them was a WHATCHAMACALLIT. That game gave me a great idea! I could make these with Whey Crisps! WHATCHAMACALLITs have a peanut-flavored crisp inside with a layer of caramel and a milk chocolate coating.

WHATCHAMACALLITs are a old-time favorite of mine, but now that I know what trans-fats and fructose does to my cells, I won’t touch that stuff!

Ingredients: Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Crisp Rice, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel and Soybean Oil), Vegetable Oil (Cocoa Butter, Palm, Shea, Sunflower and/or Safflower Oil), Partially Defatted Peanuts, Nonfat Milk, Chocolate, Partially Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Whey (Milk), Contains 2% or Less of: Dairy Butter (Milk), Milk Fat, Salt, Mono- and Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Molasses, Barley Malt, Vanillin (Artificial Flavor), Disodium Phosphate.


Peanut Butter Crispy Center:
3/4 cup Swerve (or erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup natural Peanut Butter
3 cups whey crisps

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a saucepan and warm until melted and mixed well. Add the whey crisps and mix. Form tinfoil into candy bar shapes. Pour batter into the tinfoil shape. Let cool in fridge or freezer until set.

Caramel Layer:
1/2 cup xylitol (or Just Like Sugar)
3 TBS butter
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Before you begin, make sure you have everything ready to go - the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. If you don't work fast, the xylitol will burn. You may want to wear oven mitts; the caramelized sugar will be much hotter than boiling water. Heat xylitol on moderately high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart or 3-quart saucepan. As it begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as it comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. As soon as all of the xyltiol crystals have melted (the liquid should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note than when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up considerably. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Add a layer of 1 TBS caramel on top of the whey crisp mold. Set in freezer to set up.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
2 TBS grass fed butter or coconut oil
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
10 TBS heavy cream
1/4 cup Swerve (or erythritol)
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. Take frozen whey crisp mold out of the freezer and roll in the chocolate. Set the candy bar on parchment paper to cool and set. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Whatchamacallit = 222 calories, 28.5 carbs, 0.9 fiber
“Heathified” Whatchamacallit = 210 calories, 3.8 carbs, 1.5 fiber

Chocolate Nutella Cream Puffs and CHOLINE

Do you know anyone suffering from Alzheimer's? How is your memory? Do you only eat egg whites? If you are, you are skimping on an essential mineral called CHOLINE! Egg yolks are filled with this vital mineral. Choline is a chemical similar to the B-vitamins and serves many functions in our bodies:

1. Composes the structure of cell membranes, the flexibility and integrity depend on adequate supplies of choline.
2. Protects our livers from accumulating fat. 77% of men, 80% of postmenopausal women, and 44% of premenopausal women developed fatty liver when they ate a diet deprived of choline. (Premenopausal women were not as affected because choline can be made by our bodies from the synthesis of phosphatidyl-choline, which is regulated by estrogen from our ovaries).
3. It is the precursor molecule for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which I write a whole chapter on in Secrets to Controlling Your Weight Cravings and Mood. This is a neurotransmitter that carries messages from and to nerves, acetylcholine is the body's primary chemical means of sending messages between nerves and muscles.
4. Because of rapid development in fetuses and infants, we have a great need for choline in our early lives. Human milk has high levels of choline. Studies prove that mothers who don't consume enough choline have babies with less brain development and poorer memories after birth.

I know, I know, you are asking, "Well, how many eggs can I have in a day? What about the cholesterol in the yolks?" When most people hear "cholesterol" they think "bad." Like most things in life, the reality is more complex. First off, I am talking about using farm-fresh, free-range, omega-3 filled eggs. Yes, they cost more, but I don't need to buy Choline or Omega 3 supplements...I just spend my money on quality food!:)

Cholesterol is more of our "fire-fighters" that come in to put out the inflammation going on in our body. If your cholesterol numbers are high, you have inflammation going on. What can cause inflammation?
1. Too many Omega 6 fatty acids (omega 3 imbalance)
2. Low fat dairy products (oxidized milk solids added to skim/1%/2% milk)
3. Processed-prepackaged foods
4. Food Allergies/Sensitivities
5. Alcohol consumption
6. Too much fructose in the diet (Agave, HFCS, JUICE (even 100% natural juice)

So instead of forcefully pushing cholesterol down with statin drugs, focus on what is causing the inflammation. People whose diets supplied the highest average intake of choline (egg yolks), have levels of inflammatory markers at least 20% lower than people with the lowest intakes, reports the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Detopoulou P, Panagiotakos DB, et al.) Chronic inflammation has been linked to a wide range of conditions including cognitive decline and Alzheimer's, heart disease, osteoporosis, and type-2 diabetes.

So, here is a recipe for our brain!

PUFFS:
3 eggs, separated
3 oz cream cheese or coconut cream (if dairy allergy)
1/2 cup chocolate whey protein (vanilla works too)
4 TBS cocoa powder
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp stevia glycerite

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a bowl, whip egg whites with cream of tartar until peaks are very stiff (about 5 minutes, see photo). Slowly mix in whey protein and cocoa powder. In separate bowl, blend cream cheese, yolks and stevia. Slowly add the cream cheese mixture into the stiff egg whites. Grease a cookie sheet or a medium size muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes (or until golden brown). Remove pans from oven and let cool on a cooling rack. Once cool, use a knife to cut a small hole in the puffs to insert the cream filling.

FILLING:
2 cups raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup erythritol
1 tsp stevia glycerite
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt
3 TBS hazelnut oil (could use other oil like coconut or macademia nut)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the hazelnuts evenly over a cookie sheet and roast until they darken and become aromatic, about 10 minutes. Transfer the hazelnuts to a damp towel and rub to remove the skins.

Pulsing the Erythritol in a coffee blender and blending it until a fine powder is an optional step, but it makes a really smooth nutella.

In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts to a smooth butter, scraping the sides as needed so they process evenly, about 5 minutes.

Add the cocoa, sweetener, vanilla, salt and oil to the food processor and continue to process until well blended, about 1 minute. The finished spread should have the consistency of creamy peanut butter; if it is too dry, process in a little extra hazelnut oil until the desired consistency is achieved. Remove to a container, cover and refrigerate until needed. Allow the spread to come to room temperature before using, as it thickens considerably when refrigerated. It will keep for at least a week.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON:
Traditional Nutella = 200 calories, 23 carbs, 2 fiber
“Healthified” Nutella = 110 calories, 3.4 carbs, 2 fiber

Green Almonds Soba noodles stir fry

Spring special fruit,these tender tangy green almonds have a soft white almond and is completely edible. While the green almonds harvested in late summer have harder shell,with a more firm and brown almond in the core. Originating from Middle East and Mediterranean,these are also grown in California and can easily be spotted in Middle Eastern and other specialty stores,at an affordable price.Tender green almonds are perfect for snacking ,nutritious addition in salads and stir fries.


The Japanese style soba noodles with touch of Mediterranean green almonds is one quick and satisfying entree.

Recipe :Green Almonds Soba noodles stir fry
Ingredients
6 ounces buckwheat Soba Noodles(about 2 bundles)
1 cup tender green almond
2 medium bell peppers(red or green or orange) seeded and sliced
1 big clove garlic,finely chopped or minced
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon Schezwan sauce(or any East Asian hot chili sauce)
1 tablespoon Peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method
Cook the Noodles
Boil water in a big pot of salted water ,cook the noodles as per the package instructions and drain.
Cook the Vegetables
In meantime heat a wok or a deep pan add teaspoon of oil turn the heat to medium-high add the garlic and bell peppers ,stir often and cook for few minutes until most of the water is cooked about 5-6 minutes,add the hot sauce and soy sauce ,stir in the almonds and cook another minute or two.
Toss Up
When the vegetables are done,mix in the cooked noodles then lastly mix in the tofu and sprouts.Serve warm with a drizzle of mild hot chili sauce if desired.



This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging ,hosted this week by Lynne from Cafe Lynnylu

Chicory Root Sweetener

You are going to start seeing my recipes use Chicory Root (Oligosaccharides) instead of Truvia. It is a natural sweetener that has some very helpful properties. The Chicory Root is the root of a perennial plant. It dates back about 5000 years and the Romans believed it kept the blood pure.

Chicory Root Benefits
1. CHOLESTEROL: It decrease the levels of serum LDL cholesterol in the blood.
2. INFLAMMATION: It contains vitamin C, one of the most powerful antioxidants.
3. DIABETES: The inulin content is not digestible, so its lack of glucose can help promote optimal blood sugar levels while also increasing stool bulk and consistency.
4. CONSTIPATION: It provides soluble fiber, which improves digestion.
5. GALL BLADDER ISSUES: It builds your body's resistance to gallstones and liver stones. By increasing the flow of bile, it assists the body in digesting foods and liquids. The extra bile also helps break down fats in the body.Chicory root has a mild laxative effect, increases bile from the gallbladder, and decreases swelling.
6. URINARY INFECTIONS, KIDNEY STONES and GOUT: It has diuretic properties that provide protection for the urinary tract system and kidneys. Toxins are removed and the cleansing of the body is stimulated because of an increase in urine flow. It has been used to expel gravel, calcium deposits, and excess uric acid from the body, which helps to prevent gout and kidney stones.
7. WEIGHT LOSS: Chicory root benefits weight loss because of the effect it has on the digestive system. It is an excellent source of fructooligosaccharides which help promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. It also increases the rate of the break down of fats. It also helps with weight loss because it helps keep insulin levels low while enjoying sweet foods.
8. NATURAL "Liver" CLEANSER: Chicory root also supports the body's detoxification system through the liver and kidneys, and is believed to help with calcium absorption. Chicory also helps prevent jaundice and an enlarged liver when mixed with water. Because of Chicory Root’s potential for removing contaminants from the digestive system, the liver does not have to work as hard to filter out toxins that may have escaped into the bloodstream. It also acts as a gentle laxative and diuretic for removing excess water and toxins, and this can also reduce strain on the liver.
9. ANXIETY: It is a natural sedative and anti-inflammatory for the nervous system. If you have anxiety issues and still drink coffee, this sweetener can help.
10: INDIGESTION: It acts as an herbal antacid, the root neutralizes acid and correct acid indigestion, heartburn, gastritis, vomiting, upset stomach. Because it stimulates bile production, this helps to speed up the digestive process after eating too much rich food.
11. SKIN: Used externally, the Chicory Root has healing properties for cuts, sunburn, swellings, hemorrhoids, and poison ivy. It reduces the inflammation of rheumatism and the pain of stiff and sore joints.

So, with all the benefits to the digestive system and cleansing properties that chicory root offers, it is an awesome natural sweetener. ALLERGENS: If you are allergic to ragweed, you may be allergic to the Chicory Root.

Click HERE to buy it online.


The QUEST protein bars and SO Delicious Coconut Milk No-Sugar Added (not the AGAVE SWEETENED!) use the Chicory Root for their sweetener.

BBQ Chicken Pizza and DEPRESSION Facts

Why don't I eat gluten? Well, for many reasons, but for one, my mood has increased a lot. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. Have you put flour and water together to make your own gooey paste? In Poland, they use this for wallpaper paste. I’m not putting that “gummy” paste in my body; it causes way too much inflammation.

After the digestive tract, the most commonly affected system to be affected by gluten is the nervous system. It is thought that depression can be caused by gluten in one of 2 ways.

1. INFLAMMATION: A gluten sensitive individual’s immune system responds to the protein gliadin. Unfortunately, that protein is similar in structure to other proteins present in the body, including those of the brain and nerve cells. A cross reactivity can occur and the immune system “confuses” proteins in the body for the protein gliadin. This is called cellular mimicry and the result is the body attacking its own tissues with inflammation resulting. When inflammation happens in the brain and nervous system, a variety of symptoms can occur, including depression.

Please note, that even though most doctors will dismiss a gluten allergy/sensitivity if you don’t have any digestive issues, this is not true. You can have problems with gluten that show up in other parts of your body, not just the digestive track. Gluten can attack any organ: thyroid, gallbladder, nervous system, joints (arthritis), cellular membrane (multiple sclerosis), you name it.

2. SEROTONIN LEVELS: Gluten sensitivity interferes with protein absorption. Specifically the amino acid tryptophan, which is essential for brain health. Tryptophan is a protein in the brain responsible for a feeling of well-being and relaxation. A deficiency can be correlated to feelings of depression and anxiety (along with insomnia and constipation). 90% of serotonin production occurs in the digestive tract. So it makes sense that food has an effect, either positive or negative, on serotonin production. Our society is too willing to accept a “chemical imbalance” as an explanation for their symptoms and instead of getting to the root cause of the condition, simply swallow a pill – a pill that in the case of anti-depressants has very dangerous and undesired side effects.

The frequency with which clients can taper off their anti-depressants is considered “unbelievable” too many mainstream doctors, yet it happens regularly. How is that possible? Well, it is important to look at the root cause of the depression, rather than just putting a “Band-Aid” over the problem. Instead, I find success with a gluten-free diet as the main path to recovery, along with a therapeutic dose of amino acids, such as 5-HTP or GABA, along with Vitamin B and other key nutrients.

Food allergies can also affect our children’s behavior. Encounters with allergens stimulate the release of serotonin and histamine from mast cells in the body. This increase affect alters arousal, attention, activity and vigilance. As a result, a highly allergic child can be either quite sluggish or hyperactive, depending upon the system of the allergic reaction. Eliminating all allergens from the diet will eliminate hyperactivity or lethargy and inattention.

So when I tell clients to eat “gluten free” they often grab all the “gluten-free” pre-packaged foods on the shelf…but that most likely will cause weight gain and slow the healing process in your gut. Rice flour, the common flour substitute in gluten-free products, is higher in calories, higher in carbohydrates, and lower in nutrients than regular flour. It can cause more inflammation in our body. So my recommendation is to use make your own healthier options by using almond flour and coconut flour, which are very easy to digest. The healthy fats in nuts actually are nourishing to our brain. To read more on how to fight depression through food and supplements, check out Secrets to Controlling Your Cravings Weight and Mood.


Here is another item to toss from your freezer! Marketing Marketing Marketing. Click HERE to read why trans-fats increase depression.

Ingredients: Crust: Enriched Flour Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)Water, Tomatoes (Tomato Paste, Water)Cornmeal, Yeast, Vegetable Shortening (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil and Natural Flavor, Salt, Sugar, Dough Conditioner, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Ester Of Mono and Diglcerides ,Wheat Gluten, Sugar, Dextrose, Wheat Flour, Guar Gum, Active Malt Flour, Calcium Pyrophosphate, Lecithin, Ascorbic Acid, Enzyme)Butter Flavoring Oil with Garlic (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Oleoresin Garlic, Salt, Soybean Lecithin, Natural and Artificial Butter Flavors Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene Added For Color)Dough Conditioner (Dactyl Tartaric Acid Ester of Mono and Diglycerides ,Wheat Gluten, Sugar, Dextrose, Wheat Flour, Guar Gum Active Malt Flour Calcium Pyrophosphate, Lecithin, Ascorbic Acid, Enzyme)Olive Oil, Modified Food Starch, Spices, Garlic, Garlic Powder Dehydrated Parsley, Xanthan Gun Topping: Low Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, Cultured Pasteurized Part-Skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes)Tomatoes (Tomatoes Paste, Water) Pre-cooked Barbecued Chicken Breast Rib Meat-Smoke Flavor Added (Chicken Breast with Rib Meat, Water, Salt, Flavorings, Dextrose, Grill Flavor (Maltodextrin, Salt Grill Flavor (from Vegetable Oil)Modified Food Starch, Corn Syrup Solids, syrup Solids, Smoke Flavoring, Modified Food Starch, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Acid Phyrophoshate)Cooked with Bacon Bites Smoke Flavoring Added (cured with Water, Salt, Sugar, Smoke Flavoring, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Nitrite)Seasoning Blend (Sugar, Salt, Molasses Powder, Maltodextrin, Acetric Acid, Caramel Color, Sodium Diacetate, Smoke Flavor, Onion Powder, Mustard Flour, and Not More Than 2 % Silicon Dioxide Added To Prevent Caking, Spices, and spice Extra Extractives, Citric acid, Garlic Power, Anchovy Fish Powder Red Onion.

YIKES!!!! WHAT IS "Dough Conditioner"????? Let's toss those frozen pizzas and make our own!



Crust:
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: Italian spices

Preheat oven to 375 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 a pie pan. With wet fingers, push the dough to cover the pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Top with toppings listed below. Place back in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yum! Makes 2 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Frozen Pizza = 350 calories, 54 carbs, 5 fiber
"Healthified" Pizza CRUST Only = 208.5 calories, 4 carbs, 2g fiber

Layer the pizza with:
BBQ Sauce (no sugar)
Shredded Chicken (I precooked mine in a crockpot)
Freshly Shredded cheddar
Chopped Tomato
Red Onion

CLICK HERE TO FIND MY FAVORITE NO SUGAR BBQ SAUCE