Whole Grain Baking for Everyone

What do you think when you hear whole grain??  Many people think, yuck!  A lot of us also think of hearty, whole wheat.  However, there are SO many other grains.  I have been experimenting a lot with all kinds of grains: corn, Kamut, Buckwheat, Rye, Millet, Quinoa, and the list goes on.  What I want to share with you all here is that whole grain baking doesn't have to require extensive amounts of time or expensive equipment.

You can grind your own grains at home using a $30-$60 blender at home.  I can't even begin to explain all the benefits of using whole grains.  This book does a good job of breaking it down.  My favorite way that I have been using to make many of family's dishes is just this method.  Sue Gregg explains it all here in an excerpt of her cookbook: http://www.suegregg.com/cookbooks/WholeGrainBaking.pdf.  I use her method, blend up the grains I am using, soak overnight with a little apple cider vinegar to make the nutrients more readily available for the body to absorb and use, add a couple of ingredients, reblend and bake!  This method makes the fluffiest breads/muffins I have ever had.  And it is so versatile, I will use some wheat, millet, oats, and whatever I have on hand to blend together.  Sue has lots of gluten-free ideas too.  To purchase grains in bulk you can check out www.breadbeckers.com, they even have a pick-up in Buford every couple of months.  You can also get many of these from the bulk section at Whole Foods, Dekalb Farmer's Market, and even at Amazon.

Here are some things I have made lately using this book.:

gluten-free pancakes

muffins

Almond Coffee Cake

Cornbread



A delicious cupcake recipe:



**One note:  I used organic, unrefined coconut oil instead of butter for the cupcake and it came out great!
**I also ground my own soft white wheat flour in the blender, but of course not necessary
**Staying away from unrefined sugar is best, try Sucanat in place of the coconut sugar, as this is more difficult to find
**For the frosting, I used half the butter, and it still came out great.  I put it in a plastic baggie, cut off the tip and decorated.  Then refrigerate or it will melt and slide down.

Bright red strawberries bake right into the batter to create these moist little cakes bursting with flavor, and more berries are added to the frosting for a perfect celebration of the season.

2 pints ripe organic strawberries
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
4 ounces softened unsalted butter
1 cup unrefined white sugar
1/2 cup blonde coconut sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Wash and cap the berries. Chop about 6 berries into small dice and set aside. Puree the rest of the berries in a food processor or blender and measure out about 1 1/4 cups for the cake batter. Save the leftover puree for the frosting.

Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat in the eggs and then beat in the milk, vanilla and strawberry puree. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture. You may now fold in the chopped strawberries or press them on top of the batter before baking.

Spoon the batter into lined cupcake tins, filling them to a generous 3/4 full. Press the chopped strawberries into the batter if you chose this option.

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

4 ounces softened unsalted butter
3 to 4 tablespoons pureed strawberries
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar (1 1/2 pounds) (See Notes)
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice

In an electric mixer, blend the butter, strawberry puree and salt. Add the powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice. Beat to a smooth consistency, adding a little more lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, as needed.

Warm Fuzzy Homey Dishes: Polenta Gratin, Vegetarian "Meatballs", Winter Squash Galette and Important Olive Oil Info

Hi All!  It's good to be back online adding another blog post with a few of the latest dishes I have made recently!  I have been taking full advantage of this cooler weather by shopping seasonally and making dishes that warm the heart.

You see, there a those who cook because they love to be in the kitchen and smell the aromas, working with their hands...and that's great, I applaud them.  But, that's not me.  I began cooking in the kitchen more mainly because I LOVE to eat!!  It is the desire for yummy food that drives my cooking endeavors ..I confess I am just a fat kid at heart.  And I love it!

I am also bound and determined to show people that being healthy (and mainly vegan) does not mean I eat salad or plain rice like most people I come across seem to think.  I often get a horrified look from people, along with the question..."So...umm....WHAT on earth do you eat?"  Well people, I don't eat just as well as you, I eat better!  And being healthy does take a little more time, but with some experience under your belt, and a little planning, not too much.  This is coming from the girl who still takes forever to cut a pepper!!  (If you are still looking for resources, please check out www.onehundreddaysofrealfood.com and foodbabe.com)  Also, you will want to check out the olive oil info at the end!!

First recipe is one of my favorite to fall back on when we have Romanian guests over :).  Reason being, my husband is Romanian and a comfort food that Romanians commonly have is called mamaliga and it's like grits but more finely ground.  They usually serve it with lots of garlic and cheese.  This is a twist on that!  I love the versatility of dressing the dish up for company by cutting in squares, but when I don't have much time, I omit this step altogether for a quick meal!

Rosemary Polenta Gratin

 Ingredients
* 2 cups cornmeal grits, preferably stoneground
* 15 oz. can of tomato sauce or 1 1/2 cups homemade tomato sauce
* 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary, divided
* 1/2 cup fontina cheese, divided
* 1/4 cup gorgonzola          
*if you do not eat cheese, you can use Daiya or soy cheese.  You can also sprinkle a mixture of nuts and breadcrumbs over the top and dot with vegan butter, such as Earth Balance
* 1 tbsp of (vegan) butter

1.  First step is to make the polenta.  Bring 6-8 cups of salted water to boil in a large soup pot.  Slowly pour two cups of grits in a steady stream into the boiling water, whisking as you go. Simmer this on low for 30-45 minutes  whisking every so often to avoid lumps and adding extra water if it gets too thick.  In last couple minutes of cooking stir in butter and half of the cheese.
2. Lay down parchment paper or lightly greased aluminum foil and pour the polenta out onto as pictured above.  Let cool for at least an hour.
3. Warm tomato sauce and half of the rosemary.
4. Slice in squares of whatever shape you like.
5. Pour thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 3 qt gratin dish like in picture above on the bottom.
6. Stack polenta squares, covering with the fontina cheese and the rest of the rosemary.
7. Add the Gorgonzola or nut and breadcrumb mixture and then top with tomato sauce in thin bands.
8. Bake at 375 for 25-30 mintues until hot and bubbly.
**To make more quickly, omit pouring and cutting and just pour the polenta straight into a 3 qt gratin dish, top with your choice and bake for just 10 minutes in the oven.

This is delicious served with a simple, but colorful side salad:

vegetarian meatballs

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/VEGETARIAN-MEATBALLS-1276437

ingredients

5 large eggs, lightly beaten...I only used 3.  
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese...I used vegan cheese here, about 1/2 cup, could also try nutritional yeast here
1 cup ground pecans or any other nut (peanuts not recommended)
1 1/2 cups finely ground fresh bread crumbs or Italian bread crumbs
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, oregano, and/or basil
3 tablespoons of olive oil
spaghetti or marinara sauce, optional...I used Amy's Smokey Maple Organic BBQ sauce (can find in health food section of grocery store) and cooked them in the oven for 3o minutes...SO good!!

preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix ingredients (eggs through herbs) together until just combined. Form into balls of uniform size. Heat olive oil in an oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Brown meatballs on one side, about 5 minutes. Carefully turn all over and place skillet in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until browned on the bottom and cooked through. Finish cooking in simmering sauce for 45 minutes if desired
.

Winter Squash Galette (from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone...best cookbook ever!)

Ingredients:
* 2 1/2 pounds winter squash, I used butternut
* 1 small clove of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 onion, finely diced
* 12 fresh sage leaves, chopped, or 2 tsp dried
* 1/2 cup fresh grated parm. cheese (or for vegan I used 1/2 cup chopped walnuts)
* salt and pepper

1. Make the dough (Don't be intimidated--you can used prepared pizza crust in fridge section, whole wheat pizza crust packaged and made, or even try natural crescent rolls rolled out or a pie shell would work too...just check for partially hydrogenated oils).  If you want to take extra time you can make the dough.  You will need:
- 2 tsp. active dry yeast, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 cup warm water, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 egg (or 3 tablespoons of warm water with 1 more tbsp oil), 3/8 tsp salt, 1 3/4 cup of flour.  Dissolve yeast and sugar in water and let stand about 10 minutes until it bubbles.  Add oil, egg, and salt.  then stir in flour.  When dough is too stiff to work with spoon, turn onto counter and knead about 4 minutes until smooth and elastic.  Set in oiled bowl and cover with towel in warm place for about 45 minutes  or until doubles in size.  Roll the dough out and put it into a pie pan, use it as a pizza, or as a free form galette.
2. Preheat oven to 375.  Cut squash in half and scrape out seeds.  Brush with oil and stuff cavities with garlic.  Place cut side down on sheet pan and bake until tender, about 40 minutes   Scoop out flesh and mash with garlic cloves pulp (squeeze the garlic out of the skins like pictured below).
3. Warm 1 tbsp. of oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and sage and cook until onion is soft.  I also added walnuts here to toast some.  Cook for about 12 minutes and then add to squash mixture.
4.  Fill pie crust, spread over pizza, or place on rolled out galette dough leaving 2 inches of space.  If doing a galette, place dough over filling, then brush edges with some olive oil.  Bake until crust is golden, about 25 minutes.

What kind of Olive Oil do you have?? And why it matters...

Try to be careful to buy extra virgin, unrefined, cold-pressed olive oil with opaque glass or a tin.  This retains the most nutrients.  Read up on all the incredible olive oil benefits :http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=132.  Olive oil is truly a wonder oil, with proven benefits of cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory properties, bone health, strengthening skin, and so much more!

Chocolate Carob Walnut Carob Muffins, Anything Goes Potato Soup and Fresh Bread!

It's been a couple of weeks since I have posted up new recipes.  Check out my guest post on this website, which I have mentioned before.  This popular, green mommy-owned company is what I use to be able to afford all-organic weekly produce!  In this post I have five fabulous ways to eat your greens and a yummy roasted beets recipe that is perfect for the more reluctant!  Eating local and in season is a great way to support local growers.

We went to Alabama to visit my parents over the holiday weekend and they cooked us scrumptious cuisine! It was nice to have a cooking break :-)  When I returned, I tried a couple of new recipes out, but they need some adjustments--works in progress.

However, I also made a couple simply delicious dishes to share with you guys!  First, I will post up the chocolate carob muffin recipe from last week.  I milled my own flour for these and they were very tasty, but no need to do this to make these great.  I would recommend using whole wheat flour (whole wheat from white wheat berries imparts a more mild "wheat" flavor...usually called 100% white whole wheat flour).  It is healthier and doesn't take away from the flavor of these wonderful muffins, making them into a perfect breakfast or snack.  Also, a little known trick...if you don't have dark brown sugar, you can use blackstap molasses, about 1tablespoon per cup of sugar and fork mash it into the sugar until it becomes...brown sugar!  Not to mention unsulphered blackstrap molasses is good for you!!

Vegan Chocolate Walnut Muffins Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk or soy milk
• 1 1/2 t. apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 t. baking soda
• 3/4 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 cup agave nectar
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup carob chips (or dark dairy-free chocolate chips)
• Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional, I did not use this)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil a 12-cup muffin tray and set aside. In a small-medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dairy-free almond milk and cider vinegar until well combined. Set aside.

2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, dark brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

3. Add the agave nectar, oil, and vanilla extract to the almond milk-vinegar mixture, whisking until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin emerges clean. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkling with powdered sugar if desired.

The other meal I made this week is an original recipe and is one I like to make fairly often.  It is versatile, simple, and delicious.  I usually make it at the end of a week when I have odds and ends of veggies I need to use up!  I recommend serving it with freshly baked bread like I did...nothing like fresh bread with freshly ground flour (optional).  I used this amazing vegan recipe.

Anything goes Potato Soup

Ingredients: 

* Red Potatoes (1-1/2 pounds), scrubbed with peels on, quartered

* Carrots (1-2), cut into 1 inch chunks 

* 1 head Broccoli, 1/2 head Cauliflower florets, cut into pieces

*whatever other veggie you would like to chop and add such as onion, celery, zucchini, ect.  the possibilities are endless!

* 6-8 cups of broth/stock

* 1 cup soy/almond milk

* 1 Tbsp. vegan margarine

* 1/2 cup daiya cheddar cheese

* 1 Tbsp. Parsley

* salt and pepper to taste

1.  Place potatoes in a large soup pot with carrots and cover with water, the water level should reach about an inch over the potatoes.  If I don't have broth on hand, or when I am trying to save money, I throw in a natural bullion cube or two (my favorite brand pictured below, they also have low sodium varieties).  Please, please to not get the regular bullion cubes squares, full of MSG and other things you don't want to spend your money on!

2. Cook this on medium heat for about 25 minutes after the water begins to boil, covered.  Then add in other veggies that take less time, such as broccoli or zucchini. Add the parsley. Cook 10 more minutes.

3. Turn off heat and add milk and margarine. Use potato masher (for thicker consistency) or immersion blender (smoother) and mash.  Stir in cheese, salt, pepper and enjoy!

New recipes and cleaning routine for the new year!

Things are finally getting back to normal since all the holiday festivities.  Got the Christmas decorations down, although my husband insists on keeping the tree up even though the lights and ornaments are off.   Whatever makes him happy!  My daughter's preschool started back today so I actually got to cook and clean and felt like I got so much done!!

I started the day off with doing the dishes and a sink shine.  I found a really neat, natural way to keep the lovely bright white kitchen sink we have (which shows no mercy in the slightest stain) cleaner.  I sprinkle coarsely ground sea salt all along the surface after I finish and wipe with the sponge and voila, *sparkling*.  Which is the goal according to www.flylady.net.  I love this get clean program, and if your New Years resolution is to get cleaner and STAY cleaner this year, I have been doing this for a year now and it really works.  I love how she emphasizes baby steps.  I tend to go on a cleaning spree but then can't sustain it long term. The other major cleaning I did today, as I do each Monday while Ethan is down for his nap, is to sweep and mop the floors.  I fill the sink with water, vinegar, and 4-5 drops of an antibacterial essential oil (today it was Lemon-Eucaplytus) and sanitized the floors.  This is a great alternative to the harmful chemical solutions bought at the store, not to mention much more economical.

Ok, on to the good stuff!  Today we are cooking up vegan meatballs and wheat blend speghetti and sautéed rainbow chard.  I again used recipes from the Whole Foods site.  This is not always the case, but I tend to get bored easily and so I am constantly trying new recipes!

What I love about this recipe is the high protein content.  I did some preparation ahead of time to make it less time consuming later.  I made the rice and cooked vegetable mixture ahead of time so I just had to blend it all together and put in the oven.  Another great tip, other than doing early prep-work--as mentioned in my last post, is to utilize time wisely by planning ahead and coordinating when things will be cooked.  Since I am trying to keep the amount of time I spend on a meal 30 minutes or under, I blend the meatball mixture and get it in the oven.  While that's cooking, I get the water for the pasta going.  I then prep and sauté the swiss chard while all that is going on and I clean in between.

Another note to make, if you like a more "meaty" taste to the meatballs, use portobello mushrooms instead of cremini.  I just used simple button and it was delicious!

Here is the recipe for the chard.  If you do not like bitter greens normally, you should really give this recipe a try (plus they are in season and on sale ;-)).  Sautéing them with fresh garlic and vinegar (my favorite for this recipe is balsamic) imparts a warm flavor and they almost melt in your mouth, if you can believe it!

Recipe for "meatballs":

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup roughly chopped cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup packed baby spinach
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup cooked or canned black beans, rinsed, drained and divided
• 2 teaspoons dried organic basil
• 2 teaspoons dried organic oregano
• 1 cup frozen organic brown rice, thawed
• 8 ounces organic spaghetti
• 1 (25 ounces) jar organic pasta sauce

Method: 

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and spinach. Cover and cook until mushrooms are tender and spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, pulse sunflower seeds until coarsely ground. Add cooked vegetable mixture, half the beans, basil and oregano. Pulse until mixture is just coming together. In a large bowl, combine puréed mixture, remaining beans and rice. Stir until combined. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake meatballs 30 minutes or until heated through and crisp on the outside. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain well and return to pot. Add pasta sauce and toss until combined and heated through. Add meatballs and toss very gently to combine, taking care not to break up meatballs. Serve.

Nutritional Info: 

PER SERVING:620 calories (200 from fat), 22g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 980mg sodium, 89g carbohydrate (12g dietary fiber, 10g sugar), 18g protein

Here are my pics:

The consistency should be like this before forming into meatballs.

 Veggie mixture.

A little tip here I have learned after doing things the hard way...for greens such as kale or chard, fold in half as i show in the picture below.  Then take one hand and slide it along the stem, pulling away from you as you go.  The leaves will come off in your hands, if this makes sense.

 Then you are left with the leaves and the stems like this!

 Last thing!  I also have an eight month old son who I make baby food for. So I have the challenge of feeding him dinner too.  I took some of the rice from the meatball recipe earlier and added cut up apple, blended and served.  Mission accomplished :-)

Good Eatin in the New Year

Hi all!  I am excited about this upcoming year and all that it has in store.  I am more than ready to say goodbye to 2012 and hello to new beginnings.  I am an avid researcher and this year I am going to share all I have learned along the way with you all and would love to hear what you are learning as well!  This post will be dedicated to recipes of some of the vegan food I have been cooking lately.  Let's start this new year off right.  I will be posting healthy recipes to help us reach that goal.  So come on this adventure to good health with me.  I hope to soon have meal plans and so forth up as well!  I will also be posting reviews on health products I have found to work and the others that aren't so hot, as well as DIY beauty products and information.  Stay tuned!

Sweet potato enchiladas (don't knock it before you try it, they are delicious) are the first and most delicious recipe I made this week.  It took a little extra time, but I made a large batch, enough for two meals for my family!  That is my first tip to eating healthy on a regular basis with a busy schedule:  always cook double and freeze some for later or have it two nights in a row.  Work smarter, not harder! It does not take much extra time to double a recipe for what you are already doing.  I get many of my recipes from the whole foods website, this is no exception.  If you have a smartphone, they also have this great app (http://wholefoodsmarket.com/apps) where you can put in all the ingredients you have and they will give you the recipes that include those ingredients.

I have copied the recipe below.  One thing I would like to mention here is about roasting your own green chilies.  Takes very little time, and it is so much healthier than the supermarket versions, which use preservatives linked to stomach ulcers and several other side effects, which can be found just by googling the ingredients on the back of the can.

Just rinse off the green chilies and then preheat your oven to 450.  Simply place on a baking sheet and roast until skins blister, about ten minutes.

Another tip I am going to add here that is a big factor in cooking healthy consistently is to PREpare.  Meaning, I think ahead of time about what I will make and the time I need.  When I have time earlier in the day I will do the prep work.  I put in the chili pepper and potatoes in the morning to roast while I am doing household chores so they will be ready to assemble later.  The actual time it takes for them to cook is not time away from me or you.  So do other stuff while they are cooking and plan ahead.  You will be amazed how much extra time you feel that you have!

If you are looking for some delicious black beans, the BEST ones I have found are Eden's, which have no added salt and are packaged in a BPA free container (a super plus).  They are also organic and include seaweed which imparts a slightly salty flavor, while also increasing the digestibility of the bean, fondly known as "the miracle fruit" ;-)...if you know what I mean!  We get ours off of Amazon.

I would like to make one more note specifically for this recipe, if you do not have arrowroot powder, you can also use cornstarch (make sure you get the non-GMO kind!)  Also, this recipe made 12 enchiladas for me.  Here are my pics:  the finished product of the roasted chilies, the quickie sauce as it thickens, the roasted sweet potatoes (was attempting to show you in the bad phone shot that when you roast them at 400 for about 1.5 hours the skins easily peel off on their own), rolling them in the dishes, and the finished product with Daiya shredded cheese.  These are gluten free and can be vegan if you omit or use vegan cheese.

• Quickie Green Chile Sauce
• 1 cup light gluten-free vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch dissolved in a little cold water
• 1 generous cup chopped roasted green chiles, hot or mild
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin or chili powder, hot or mild, to taste
• Enchilada Filling
• 1 (15 ounces) can organic black beans, rinsed, drained
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh lime juice from 1 big juicy lime
• 2 heaping cups cooked diced sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted mild green chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder mild or spicy
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Assembly
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, as needed
• 8 white or yellow corn tortillas
• 4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Method: 

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Choose a baking dish that would hold 8 rolled enchiladas. Make your Quickie Green Chile Sauce by combining the broth, dissolved arrowroot, green chiles, garlic and spices in a sauce pan and heating over medium-high heat. Bring to a high simmer. Simmer until thickened. Taste test and adjust seasonings. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the Enchilada Filling, using a mixing bowl, combine the drained black beans with minced garlic and lime juice. Toss to coat the beans and set aside. In a separate bowl combine the cooked sweet potatoes with the chopped green chiles; add the spices. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Pour about 1/4 cup of the Quickie Green Chile Sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.

To assemble the enchiladas, grab a skillet and heat a dash of oil. Lightly cook the corn tortillas to soften them, one at a time, as you stuff each one.

Lay the first hot tortilla in the sauced baking dish; wet it with the sauce. Spoon 1/8 of the sweet potato mixture down the center. Top with 1/8 of the black beans. Wrap and roll the tortilla to the end of the baking dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Top with the rest of the sauce. Top with a sprinkle of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the enchiladas are piping hot and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

Nutritional Info: 

PER SERVING:500 calories (190 from fat), 21g total fat, 7g saturated fat, 25mg cholesterol, 980mg sodium, 64g carbohydrate (11g dietary fiber, 11g sugar), 18g protein

Ok!  I am going to add one more delicious recipe for today....Macadamia Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

 2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup softened vegan butter or margarine (Earth Balance and Smart Balance Light are vegan)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs (vegan option: 2 tbsp of ground flax seeds soaked for 10 minutes in 6 tbsp of warm water)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup carob chips
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts (or another)
1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil (this is optional and is for a more decadent, buttery tasting cookie with added nutrition but not necessary to the recipe)

In small bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  In large bowl combine butter, sugar, vanilla.  Beat until creamy.  Then add eggs to larger bowl. gradually add dry ingredients.  Mix well.  Stir in chips and then nuts.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-12 minutes.  ENJOY!!

You Are What You Eat

We have all heard the saying "you are what you eat".  But what does this really mean?  Are we really educated on eating healthy in this day and age when so many conflicting messages exist?  I believe that eating is just as spiritual as anything else we do.  This is why God had rules about what and how to eat in the Old Testament and why Daniel did not eat what the other men who did not follow God ate (Daniel 1:8-20), and he was able to serve God better because of it.  This story is in the Bible because God cares about what we put into our bodies.  God has a higher standard for us, as Christians. We should be the main proponents of healthy eating and living.

What we put into our body and our minds will come out.  This connection is inevitable and it is strong. Sewing and reaping is an age old principle directly from the word of God (Galations 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.).  If we eat something full of fat and processed chemicals, we may enjoy it at the time, but afterwards it will leave us feeling yucky and wishing we would not have been so quick to satisfy short term cravings. Sin is the same way. "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it sins." (James 4:17) We do what is fun and gratifying in the moment, convincing ourselves it's not that bad.  In the end, we are left empty, with nothing to show.  Choosing what feels good in the moment is easy, but choosing what is best for the future is so much better.

My dad told me about a study in psychology where four year olds were sat down and given a marshmallow.  If they could wait twenty minutes they would get not just that marshmallow, but another one too.  The researchers followed these children through the lifespan and found that the children who were able to delay gratification, even at four, fared better in life (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/05/18/090518fa_fact_lehrer).  They got better grades, jobs, were happier, ect.  It feels great to know that I am doing the best for my family.

Here is the thing a lot of people don't realize.  It doesn't take any more time and effort for me than most other families.  I have learned to work smarter, but not necessarily harder.  I prioritize my life.  Eating healthy is high up so I sacrifice bits of money in other areas.  Instead of eating out as much, I cut back and eat at home. My husband takes the leftovers from dinner to work.  I also make enough of a dish to freeze another portion for another night or we have the same thing two nights in a row.  A rule I have is no more than 30 minutes in general are spent on making dinner. I buy organic produce box with local, fresh food each week. I have a baby and a toddler!! I need my sanity :-)

Eating foods directly affects our health, whether we see the effects now or fifty years down the road.  It does take some time and effort to eat healthy at first, but then it becomes a habit, a way of life.  They say 21 days makes a habit!  I for sure don't have it down, but I was once told that I was not being healthy and that it really matters what I eat.  I honestly didn't believe it.  So, I set out to prove this notion wrong, and ended up realizing it was true.

When I started eating more healthy, I truly felt a difference.  The main difference is that I have more energy that lasts longer.  Yeah, I may not get the cheapest food and feel accomplished for getting everything on sale in the grocery store, but I am investing in the future of my family.  I am not paying money for stuff that is cheap and on sale because it is not healthy and has many detrimental preservatives and additives that have been banned in most other countries, including China, but isn't here because of our big businesses.  This is all true.  Please do the research for yourself!  Our so-called "organic" food is most other countries regular food.  A couple good places to start:  www.100daysofrealfood.com and subscribe to the blog foodbabe.com

Feeling better on a daily basis, in turn also helps me to be able to serve God better and live out his will for me in my life because I am feeding my body what it needs to function at its best. I am not just dragging through life, only making it through on coffee each day (not condemning, I've been there :)).

In this blog, I will be posting about all things that nourish my soul:  what I am hearing from God, happenings in my family, lots of recipes and healthy eating, natural products for house, baby and body, and so forth!  I would love for you to come along and let me know what you think!