I took the Dr. Oz microwave flax muffin recipe and came up with this: 

1/4 Cup Chia Seeds 
1/2 tsp baking powder 
1/4 tsp agave syrup (a bit of a cheat but I didn't have anything lower on the glycemic index in the house!) 
1 tsp cinnamon 
A pinch of pumpkin pie spice 
1 egg 
1 TBSP red palm oil 

Mix it all in a coffee mug. Then sprinkle some hemp seeds on top. 

Zap it for 1 minute on high in the microwave (I'd love to hear oven options!) 

Dump it out of the cup, spread with pure peanut peanut butter or butter or jam ... you've got options! 
Enjoy!

I found this a little dry, I might add a milk alternative next time....  But this was SUPER filling - I could only eat 1/2 of it :)

I've been using A. Vogel's Echinaforce Extra Hot Drink for the last 20 days and I've been healthy while the kids and hubby have gotten the sniffles and scratchy throats!  So I did a little research into the product and and here's what I found:

History of Echinacea and how it's used:  http://www.avogel.ca/en/plant-encyclopedia/echinacea-purpurea.php

A bunch of studies done to prove Echinaforce's effectiveness:  

Safety and Efficacy Profile of Echinacea purpurea,2012
Effects of Echinaforce treatment on ex vivo-stimulated blood cells, 2011
Echinaforce study summary: anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory, 2010
Echinacea -bactericidal and immunomodulatory effect, 2010
Echinacea potential use for acne, 2010
Echinaforce-Antiviral and mode of action on H1N1 flu, 2009
Echinaforce Antiviral effect - H3N2 Flu, 2009
Echinaforce antiinflammatory effect, 2008
Echinacea, Lancet article 2007


And some information on Elderberries too:
http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-elderberry.html
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-434-ELDERBERRY.aspx?activeIngredientId=434&activeIngredientName=ELDERBERRY

I've seen the proof in my own home as well as at the store with customers coming in regularly for products such as these raving about how well they work.   I like the Hot Drink option because I can make a soothing tea to curl up with  - or add it to my smoothie in the morning before I rush out the door - super versatile.  Plus the kids and hubby didn't mind the tea either - I added a little honey and they drank it down!


Next I'm going to try Host Defense's My Community since the kids were both complaining of scratchy throats again this morning!  
Gotta love cold & flu season!  I'll let you know what happens :)

I found this recipe on Vega's site, and served it at our Winter Solstice Celebration.  It was loved by all!  

I cut each acorn squash into halves, and then into slices and served it up like meatloaf.   

With the left overs I made a version of our much loved harvest soup - it was wonderful as well :)

Ingredients

• 1 squash, any variety*
• 1 tsp. coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 onion, cut into quarters
• 2 carrots, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked
• 1 tsp. chili flakes
• Salt and pepper, to taste

*If you’re using a squash without a plat bottom, such as an acorn squash, you can either cut off base so it can stand up and stuff per the instructions above, or cut it in half, stuff each half, and bake. For the latter, you may need to reduce the cooking time by about 10 minutes.

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F
2. In a food processor, add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Process to a coarse consistency.
3. In a large sauté pan, melt oil. Add vegetable mixture. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Add in tomato paste and sauté 2 more minutes
4. In the food processor, add hemp, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Process to a coarse consistency.
5. In a large bowl, combine cooked vegetable mixture, seed mixture, cooked brown rice, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Mix. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Cut squash top off like you would if you were carving a pumpkin. Gut squash.
7. Place squash on baking sheet and stuff with filling. Place lid beside squash on baking sheet.
8. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until you can pierce the squash with a fork.
9. Cut into wedges and serve.

This is an energizing drink I like to enjoy in the winter months - chalk full of antioxidants, chlorophyll, and L-Theanine - and super tasty!  

Blend a teaspoon of 2nd Harvest Matcha powder with a bit of hot water to make a paste.
Add more hot water - about half your cup depending on how much milk you like. v (You could do just hot milk - but that adds to the fat and sugars)
Froth with your matcha whisk.
Top up with Vanilla Coconut Milk (or any milk you like).
Sprinkle with cinnamon or chocolate if you like.
Sweeten if necessary (I don't!)
Enjoy!  

EASY PEAZY!

Everyone needs a little sugar now and again. These “cleaner-than-average” caramels can be finished with melted Vega Maca Chocolate and some coarse Himalayan sea salt and you’ve got yourself one very special treat!

Makes: 64 caramels, depending on size
*Warning – Use caution when working with hot sugar

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. coconut oil
• 1 ½ cups canned coconut milk, thick cream only
• 2/3 cup pumpkin purée
• ½ tsp. each nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground ginger
• 2 cups raw, evaporated cane sugar*
• ½ cup agave
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup water
• 4 Tbsp. coconut oil
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ¾ tsp. coarse salt (sea salt, fleur de sel, or Himalayan pink salt)
• Optional: 2 Vega Maca Chocolate bars, melted

Instructions:

1. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan (or a cookie sheet) with parchment paper. Using 1 teaspoon of coconut oil, grease the parchment paper thoroughly.
2. In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, pumpkin and spices. Get mixture warm, but not boiling.
3. In a second heavy-bottomed pan, with sides at least 4 inches high, combine sugar, agave, maple syrup, and water. Stir until the sugars are melted. Then let it boil until it reaches 244 degrees on a candy thermometer.
4. Slowly and carefully pour cream mixture into sugar. Slowly bring mixture to 240°F on a candy thermometer (this can take a while). Don’t leave the kitchen—keep a close eye on the pot. Stir constantly.
5. As soon as the mixture reaches 240°F pull it off the heat and stir in coconut oil and lemon juice. Mix vigorously so the coconut oil is fully incorporated.
6. Pour mixture onto lined pan. Let cool 30 minutes and sprinkle with salt. Let caramels fully set at least 2 more hours before using a hot knife to cut them into 1 inch squares and wrapping them with waxed paper.
7. Optional: If using Vega Maca Chocolate, let caramels set completely before drizzling with chocolate and top with salt after.

* Coconut sugar will not work as a substitute in this recipe. Trust us—we tried!

Today is a cooking day :)
Along with simply salted cashews and teriyaki cashews I also tried a new recipe for a cross between Sloppy Sams (a vegetarian Sloppy Joe's) and chili.  Turned out yummy too!


3 C mixed beans (soaked over night and pre-cooked - I used chick peas and black beans)
2 small onions - diced
5 medium cloves garlic - diced
5.5 oz tomato paste
28 oz dice tomatoes (canned 'cuz I was lazy today!)
1 C ketchup
2 tsp dried mustard (you can use less)
1-3 TBSP molasses (choose Barbados or black strap for the best nutrients)
2 dashes of Worcester sauce
Sprinkle of Himalayan salt
Sprinkle of crushed black pepper

I fried up the onions and garlic in some olive oil before throwing everything into the slow cooker for the day.  

Serve over buns.  

As promised here's my recipe for this tasty and not so over the top crumble :)  
I never really follow a recipe exactly as I find it - but here's what we did this time - and it's awesome :)

In the dish you're going to bake in:
Mix well:  
1 C Organic Raw Cane Sugar
1 TBSP Gluten Free Baking Mix (I use Pamela's GF Pancake & Baking mix)
1 Free Range Organic Egg
1 tsp Chemical Free Apple Pie Spice Mix

Add 6 Cups mixed berries & apple chunks.  (This time we used a mixed berry blend, plus some extra raspberries and a very large sweet apple & 2 TBSP of Chia Seeds.)  Coat the fruit with the sugar mix.   

In a separate bowl:  
Mush together with a fork and your hands:
1 C Organic Butter
2 C Organic Quick Rolled Oats
2 C Gluten Free Baking Mix
1 C Organic Raw Cane Sugar
1/2 tsp All-Natural Baking Powder
1/2 tsp All-Natural Baking Soda
2 TBSP Chia Seeds


Spread the crisp mix over the berry mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes - let it cool before you eat it - but not too much, you want the vanilla coconut ice cream to melt when you serve it!

Everybody knows how much I love Green Vibrance!  It replaces your multivitamin, your vitamin D, some of your calcium, your fiber, your acidophilous, plus it's very nourishing and cleansing!  

Here's a few ways to enjoy a dose every day:

Green Vibrance Smoothie:
1 Banana, 1 Cup Berries, 1 Scoop Green Vibrance
Top up with Coconut Water 
Blend in the Magic Bullet
OPTIONAL:
  - Sprinkle Cinnamon
  - Dab of Vanilla, or Use 1/2 Vanilla Milk Alternative & 1/2 Coconut Water to top up

Green Vibrance Banana Milk:
1 Scoop Green Vibrance
1 Large Banana
Top up with Vanilla or Chocolate Milk Alternative

Green Vibrance Orange Julius:
1 Scoop Green Vibrance
1 Orange (peeled)
1 Banana
Top up with Vanilla milk alternative

Green Vibrance Straight Up:
1 Scoop with 8 ounces of liquid
(Try water, apple juice, orange juice, grape juice, milk alternatives)

Wanna try it?  Shoot me a message!

I hear from a lot of my clients - how can I get ALL that water into me?  I'm here to tell you - you can.  It's not that hard, and it only takes about 2 weeks for your body to adjust - and then start craving - all that water! 

Don’t forget that we as humans can absorb our water from many sources!  So here are some tips and ideas about where you can get those 8 – 15 glasses of water a day from and still enjoy getting them into your body!

Best tip – Herbal Teas, Infusions & Healthy Add Ins:

1)     Drink it at a different temperature – warm, or hot, but only ice cold in the heat of summer.

2)     Add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon to your water – this is especially helpful first thing in the morning as it gets the liver and gallbladder going, speeds up and improves your metabolism and improves the cleansing abilities of your body.  You can do the same with any citrus fruit – and by using fresh fruit you’re giving both vitamins and enzymes to your body.

3)     Add a few slices of cucumber to your glass – this is a tonic to your lymphatic system (which is your detox highway)

4)     Add a few grains (just a few!) of unrefined Himalayan sea salts – this will boost the mineral content of the water providing your body with necessary electrolytes.

5)     Add a slice of ginger – this adds zing and it’s a great immune supporting herb.  It also increases the circulation and thus increases your metabolic rate.  Add it to ho water and drink as a tea.

6)     Add some fresh herbs - mints, lemongrass, or parsley are great for adding aroma and a hint of green to your water. If you want to release the flavor you can crush the plants a little bit before putting them into your water.  Every herb has medicinal properties – so by adding these herbs you are adding those properties as well – worth looking into before you drink a ton of any one kind of herbal infusion!

7)     Fresh or frozen berries – it’s the same concept as the citrus fruit – but you get the added punch of antioxidants as well.

8)     Herbal Teas – just brew and enjoy – either hot or cold.  Herbal teas should be brewed for at least 5 minutes – better 10 - to get all the benefits from the herbs.  Remember that herbs are medicine, so again be sure or what you’re drinking.  Chamomiles, mints, rooibos’ are all great and very safe options.

Next best option – from your food:  Soups, Juices and liquid-y foods all contain water.

1)     Count soups to the best of your ability – if it’s a straight broth you can count it one for one as water.  If it’s a thick creamy soup – maybe one cup only = ¼ water – you’ll have to make a judgment call here – and be fair with yourself!

2)     Milk is counted about 1 – ½.  So if you drink 1 cup of milk you’ve ingested about ½ cup of water.

3)     Juice is counted about 1 – ¾.  So if you drink a cup of juice, you’ve had about ¾ cup of water.  The added benefit of juices is all the nutrients they contain.  Freshly squeezed is by far the best option with enzymes and vitamins still active and available to you.  Pasteurized juices are great for vitamin C – but that’s about it.

Happy Hydrating Everyone!

Why Alkaline?  (From Santevia's Website)
1. Stay Healthy
2. Be Stronger
3. Live Longer We all want to Stay Healthy, Be Stronger and Live Longer so how do we do that? 

It’s all about BALANCE!  Our body is slightly alkaline (7.35pH) and we need to keep it that way to stay in homeostasis which is where our body can heal itself. 

So let’s talk about the BIG 3 things we need to do:

1.    Eat Alkaline (GREEN)
2.    Exercise to get rid of Acid
3.    Drink LOTS of healthy Alkaline Water

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is loaded with processed foods, meat and bread which are acidic, so it isn’t a big surprise that many of us end up with acidic bodies which can lead to acidosis and inflammation.  Add to that our sedentary lifestyle and it isn’t a wonder that type II diabetes and childhood obesity are rising threats to our society.  

What can I do?
1.    EAT your GREENS
2.    WALK for 20-30 minutes every day
3.    DRINK 8-10 glasses of clean, mineralized and alkaline water EVERY DAY!