Chicken or Beef Stir Fry!

Your choice of meat:  Lean beef or chicken breast (also taste good without any meat with only veggies) 


1 Tbl Olive oil  (add more if needed)
2 Large Carrots sliced in circles or slivers (your preference) 
1 small red onion (diced) 
1/2 - 1 cup bell peppers (any color) 
2 Stalks of celery cubed
Sliced cabbage (optional depending on your likes) 
2 Cloves garlic (small pieces)
1 cup broccoli 
Water chest nuts add a nice crunch as well if you like them

After preparing the veggies turn the wok or stove to medium heat place the oil in the bottom (if using meat place the meat in first and cook until almost done) then add all veggie except broccoli. 


Cook for several minuets over medium heat until tender, then add your broccoli for the last 2 minuets or so


If you like add 1/4 hunan/stir fry sauce (lower sodium is available)

Serve over brown rice  prepared according to their instructions and add some lower sodium stir fry or soy sauce.  

Can also be served with the peanut sauce which can be found on the rice wraps recipe in an earlier posting.

Michael’s Wholesome Turkey or Beef Chili

• 1-2 TB olive oil
• 1 lb lean ground all-natural turkey breast/ lean organic-non steroids beef
• 1 medium (organic) red onion, chopped
• 1 medium (organic) green pepper, chopped
• 1 can (28 oz) can (organic) diced tomatoes no salt added
• 2 tsp chili powder, or to taste
• 1–2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp cayenne red pepper, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 1 can (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz)  chili beans

(Organic) if organic is not an inexpensive option for you; just try to get the freshest ingredients and not just the overly processed items.  
Prep Instructions:
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, onion and peppers, stirring often until meat is cooked and onion is tender, about 7–10 minutes.
Stir in whole can of diced tomatoes. Add chili powder, salt, cayenne and paprika. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the beans and cook another five minutes to heat thoroughly.

Nuttin Crazy Granola

• 3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
• ¼ cup Flax Seed
• 1 cup nut/seed mixture (slivered almonds, sunflower, pumpkin)  
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup canola/olive oil
• 6 Tablespoons raw honey (approx ¼ cup)
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup raisins/craisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Coat a large, rimmed baking sheet lightly with natural olive oil cooking spray.

In a large bowl, toss 1 ^st four ingredients;

In a small bowl, stir in honey, oil, cinnamon and salt together with water until well blended.

Pour wet mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine.

Spread combined mixture evenly over baking sheet.

Stirring occasionally (about 10 min intervals)  bake for 30 minutes or until evenly browned.

Remove from oven and cool. Mix in the raisins and other desired dried fruits.

(Adding fruits before will cause them to be too hard)

Grilled Spicy Paprika & Lemon Chicken Salad

Chicken
2 tsp Spicy Paprika
2 tsp Real lemon juice
2 Boneless skinless breast of Chicken

Combine the Paprika and lemon juice in a plastic storage bag or bowl
Add chicken and allow to sit until fully marinated
Place chicken on a grill for medium heat grilling and allow to cook thoroughly

Mix green salad:
Green, Red or Romaine lettuce cut into small pieces
bell pepper(any color you prefer)
sliced red onion
sliced red tomato
boiled egg white
chopped raw broccoli
chopped raw cauliflower
chopped celery
sprinkle with ground flax seed
cut chicken into small strips or pieces
cubed avocado (optional)


Dressing options:
Olive/Balsamic
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
_______________________

Honey mustard:
3 tsp raw honey
2 tsp mustard
Mix together to a smooth consistency


Serving(s) Can make two large salads or 4 small salads depending on your desire

Spinach Salad!

Spinach Salad with nuts:

Fresh Spinach leaves
Feta cheese or crumbled cheese of choice
cranberries
Homemade Balsamic Vinegar/Olive Oil dressing

options:

Poppy seed dressing with strawberries
Any other dressing you like to put on Spinach

Easy and it compliments the roasted chicken
and really can be a meal on its own if you add some chicken or such on top

Baked Oatmeal!

1/3 oil
1/4 cup raw honey *
1 large egg
2 cups oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 skim milk (water can be substituted in equal amounts)
1/4 cup nuts (pecans & almonds work great) *
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon

* optional
You can also add most any fruit you would like to try or wait to put it on top

Mix 1st 3 ingredients. Add next 4, mix well then add nuts and cinnamon.
Bake in 9x9 stoneware or lightly sprayed dish at 350 degrees for 20- 25 minutes

You can also sprinkle cinnamon on top prior to baking.

Serve with milk, peanut butter, yogurt etc on top. This is also great for a snack in the mid afternoon to get some fiber and heart healthy oats.

Pancakes & Waffles!

Butter Milk (Lesa)

1 cup whole wheat (fresh ground taste great)
2 T cornmeal
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 T non-aluminum baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 T oil
1 1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 egg

Mix 1st 5 ingredients and whisk together; mix liquids in separate bowl and then add to dry.
Pour onto heated griddle 375 and cook until covered with bubbles flip and cook until done

Makes 8-10 depending upon the size you enjoy.

Whole Wheat Waffle/Pancake (Michael)

1 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg (can substitute plain yogurt if desired)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c skim milk
1 - 1/1/4 cup water
1 T ground flax seed
1 tsp vanilla *
1/4 tsp cinnamon *

*optional ingredients

Mix all 8 ingredients . Pour into heated waffle iron or griddle if pancakes.

Makes 8-10 depending on size

Artificial Sweeteners, Obesity and Organic!

As you may have noticed we utilize organic ingredients and this is why! Certified Organic (especially when rated as USDA organic) means no Genetically Modified Organisms (GM O's) have been placed into the food products and though many people argue the benefits by saying it's just a ploy for the food corporation to make money I would argue that the food corporation is only about making money to begin with.

Food companies (through their countless studies) know many of the artificial ingredients in their food only serve to cause greater hunger and the feeling of dissatisfaction unless you eat more. One of these being high fructose corn syrup, a man- made sweetener (which barely existed 30 years ago) is cheaper and sweeter than sugar. Less production cost meaning more money in the companies; enhancing their profits and a few of those companies make things like Ketchup, Soda, Pasta sauce and packaged cookies. Seems like a good business idea for making money but it's bad business for you the consumer; especially when it comes to your body. When nutritionist's do a word association process with HFCS the synonym which comes up is "Obesity"! This is a processed sweetener which came to be in the 1970's.

The main problem is this; HFCS is packed with calories yet the body doesn't recognize the calories. This artificial sweetener placed in so many foods actually works against your system by shutting off the body's natural appetite control switches, allowing you to feel the need to eat and eat far beyond what your body would normally be able to handle.

This sweetener is made of Fructose and Corn Syrup! Fructose occurs naturally in fruit and honey. Corn syrup is primarily made of glucose (sugar) which can be burned as a source of immediate energy, stored in you liver or muscles for later use or as a last resort, turned to fat. However it's not as sweet as other sugars, which is the reason HFCS hit the market running. It's cheap and at least twice as sweet!

Your body doesn't use the fructose immediately as it does the glucose, rather it metabolizes (breaks down) the fructose into fat. Although eating a piece of fruit or some honey will not cause you to get fat, eating HFCS is like taking a straight shot into the gut. Among the worst culprits is soda's (diet or regular) and due to other ingredients diet is actually worse. When you body doesn't recognize the artificial ingredients it goes into action in order to protect your vital internal organs from a foreign object (which is what it's supposed to do) and en-turn stores the stuff in your fat cells which has protector of the organs one of there many jobs. Over time this process causes greater stretching of the cells in the abdominal region and what's known as visceral fat (intra-abdominal fat) referring to the fat which surrounds the internal organs, starts to multiply.

As the visceral fat grows continuing to surround the organs, eventually the organs will start to shut down as they are pressed against the interior walls having no space to function properly. Visceral fat has been linked to greater risks of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and hypertension. People who are smokers, drinkers and sedentary (non- active) have been shown to be even more susceptible to visceral fat than those who are active and do not smoke or drink. Stress may also play a part in this organ killing disease causing fat in our bodies.

Organic companies desire to make the practice of producing food a safer environment for the workers (producing without harmful pesticides) as well as for the environment which should natter to all of us to. Along with this Organic food is closer to it's natural state which means more of the healthful nutrients are still in the foods when we get them and we are not filling our bodies with all the fake stuff our bodies can't recognize. The idea is this, Organic fruits, vegetables, and other products have as the baseline good nutrition in mind meaning better nutrients, ingredients and less processing than conventional foods or chemically laced fruits and vegetables coming from places that pick it green spray it with a ripening agent and put it on a truck for us to buy in standard grocery stores world-wide.

This is a topic we need to be better educated on and though we hope the U.S. government is not intentionally placing people in harms way with the foods being produced; we know they are allowing the stuff to continue being processed. It is our individual responsibilities to do everything possible to protect our health and the health of our loved ones.

In our experience though it cost a little more at the store (depending upon availability of stores), we waste less food (organic foods keep longer) and we feel better in our bodies. As a family we have chosen to go fully organic, but this has been a process over time not overnight. When we share with others who are desiring to start using Organic products but feel unable to go fully Organic this is our advice! Go Organic as much as possible in your ; meats (beef, chicken etc) are organic or at least free range, grass fed without the administering of harmful antibiotics, steroids, and animal by-product feeds. The toxins in the treated meat stores in the animal fat and is then ingested by use; grains (flour, corn mill, etc) if non-organic make sure it states non-GMO ingredients which means nothing has hopefully been added to grain and corn seeds prior to planting; fruits and vegetables are also very important to go organic due to spray, water and the ground itself.

The main thing is education for you and those you prepare nutritious meals for. It is our passion to see people live healthy, whole and fulfilled lives while becoming what they were created to be. Though it's not all about food and exercise to get to this place we are responsible to maintain these bodies in the best way we can.

Have fun, be creative and continue to learn.

Simple Meatloaf w/ Roasted Vegetables!

Meatloaf:
1/2 cup finely chopped onions (red or white)
1/2 cup finely chopped green peppers
3 tablespoons dried or fresh parsley
1 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp sea salt
2 cloves pressed garlic
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup whole grain (organic) oats
1 pound lean ground beef
1/3 cup ketchup (without high fructose corn syrup)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine 1st 8 ingredients in mixing bowl tossing until mixed. Crumble beef over mixture and toss until blended. Shape into regular size bread pan (or equivalent baking dish) sprayed lightly with olive oil spray.
Spread or brush ketchup over the top
Bake at 350 for 1 hour 10 minutes or until thermometer reads 160 degrees.
3. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing

Roasted Vegetables:

Use any vegetable you choose or like; the following is our choice of veggies!

Mix together: (equal amounts or whatever you decide)
broccoli
cauliflower
sweet potato
carrots
green pepper
red onion

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

(Spice amounts can be altered to taste)

Cover with small amount of olive oil

Toss until veggies are covered well

Place in baking dish (lightly sprayed if needed)

Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (less if you like the veggies a little more crunchy)

Also the less you bake them the better the nutrient value will be.

Eat well and have fun!

Rice Paper Wraps!

Rice Paper rolls with chicken and veggies!

This recipe originated from a Korean friend of ours but we have made it our own and I think you will like it. It takes a little time, so plan ahead for the chopping of veggies and such but the finished product is worth the wait. This is something we have for a nice, fun dinner with friends but we also do smaller amounts when it's just the 2 of us. The rolls we had last night were only with chicken but you can also use stripes of steak with a little different seasoning.

Needed: (The list of toppings and veggies can be mixed up and are optional; the seasonings mix should be followed pretty closely)

Rice paper (can be found at most grocery stores; especially natural food stores) if you can find organic brown rice, that is the preference
Cooked or Raw Chicken (cut into small pieces) if you use Raw start cooking chicken 1st then add rest
Brown Rice (preferred by us, but if you prefer white have at it!)
Soy Sauce
Chopped Onion
Garlic
Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Green Peppers
Alfalfa Sprouts
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Avocado
Fried Egg(s)
Peanut Butter (Natural without partially hydrogenated oils or added sugar)

Rice:
Cook in rice cooker or stove top (plan time accordingly)

Mix in a frying pan or wok:
Cooked/Raw Chicken (amount depends upon your need)
soy sauce to taste (1-1 1/2 tablespoons?)
chopped onion (1/4 small onion)
1 clove garlic (pressed)
black pepper to taste (if you eat it)
1- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Cook on medium heat (Olive Oil is not a high temperature oil) until nicely flavored {be sure not to over cook}

Raw Veggies and other toppings:

Cut uncooked veggies as well as the optional fried egg into thin stripes, place on a plate to be added to the wrap

Peanut Sauce: (larger amount) alter due to need
1/4 cup Natural PB
1/2 tsp-1 tbl Soy Sauce
1 clove pressed Garlic
1/2 cup Boiling water

Mix 1st 3 and then add water: Let stand a few minutes and then mix til thin (pourable)


Rice Paper Wrap: Almost boiling water and container big enough to fully immerse the paper:

Put rice paper in water for about 10 seconds, then pull out, placing on plate (you will need to stretch it out)
fill with rice and all the toppings you like and wrap

Optional dips:

Soy sauce
Asian hot sauce

It looks like a lot of work but if you will plan ahead and give yourself some space, it's really not bad at all.

Have fun and be creative.