After not having logged into this blog for almost 2 years, I was shocked to see that it still gets views! For those of you still following me, stumbling onto this blog, or just curious, I will be launching an all new blog very soon and will post the link to this blog for anyone who might like to follow. Let's just say lots has changed since my last posts on here and I cannot wait to share!
Monday, December 2, 2013
Monday, October 24, 2011
A Gluten Free Fall Favorite!
Many of my Facebook friends have seen my post on this one and the picture to go with it and have demanded that I put the recipe online. So, here it is, my reciped for Pumpkin Cinnamon Cream Cheese Muffins! These muffins are both Gluten free and Sugar free! I am big into cooking/baking improvisation so I will list the recipe but also put notes in to show you how exactly I did it.
Recipe:
Muffins -
1 1/4 Cup Almond Flour *(I actually used 1 cu. Almond and 1/4 cu. Coconut flour to test consistency..turned out great! You don't have to mix, however, to get a great product. I swear by Almond flour.)
1/4 Cup Flax Seeds
1 Can unsweetened Organic Pumpkin (or unsweetened reg pumpkin if you can't find organic)
2 Teaspoons Aluminum Free Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Nutmeg (I used Ginger here instead, which gave it just a hint of a zing.)
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
2/3 Cup Stevia or Xylitol (DO NOT USE SUGAR!)
4 Large eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup water
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla
Cream Cheese Filling -
1 8 oz pkg Whole Fat Cream Cheese
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla
1/4 Cup Stevia or Truvia
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (for topping)
Directions for Muffins:
-Pre-heat oven to 350 F
- Mix together all dry ingredients thoroughly
- Mix together all wet ingredients thoroughly
- Combine all wet and dry ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix together thoroughly
-Allow batter to stand for 10 minutes
-Separate batter into muffin tins in muffin pan. Batter should yield 1 dozen muffins
-Bake for 15 minutes before adding Cream Cheese filling
Directions for Cream Cheese Filling:
-Allow Cream Cheese to acclimate to room temperature so that it is soft and pliable
-Once Cream Cheese is ready, place into mixing bowl with Stevia, Cinnamon, and Vanilla
-With stand alone mixer or hand mixer, beat together ingredients until whipped consistency emerges. Taste test for sweetness and flavor,adjust sugar and cinnamon to desired taste.
-If you have a piping bag, place mixture in piping bag with metal spout. If you don't have a piping bag you can use a ziplock bag (which I did!). Just place all the mixture into a quart size zip lock bag, securely close the bag, forcing all of the mixture into one of the corners. Using scissors, cut the corner tip off of the bag and you'll have a homemade piping bag!
Piping Muffins:
-At the 15 Minute mark take the cupcakes out and use the handle end of an egg beater, meat fork, or any other kitchen utensil that you can find that will make a hole in the middle of the muffin.
-Use utensil to put hole in middle of muffin. While hole is visible, use the piping bag to pipe cream cheese into the middle of each muffin. You'll want to fill it to just overflowing so that you have some on top of the muffin.
-Once you have all cream cheese piped, sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over each muffin. These nuts add a great extra crunch to the finished product.
-Place muffins back in the oven and back for approximately 5-10 more minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
-Take muffins out and allow to cool. ENJOY!
This all may sound very complicated but I can tell you I whipped these up on the fly with 10 minutes of prep time and then actual bake time. They are super easy and everyone who has had them thus far has fallen in love with them!
Recipe:
Muffins -
1 1/4 Cup Almond Flour *(I actually used 1 cu. Almond and 1/4 cu. Coconut flour to test consistency..turned out great! You don't have to mix, however, to get a great product. I swear by Almond flour.)
1/4 Cup Flax Seeds
1 Can unsweetened Organic Pumpkin (or unsweetened reg pumpkin if you can't find organic)
2 Teaspoons Aluminum Free Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Nutmeg (I used Ginger here instead, which gave it just a hint of a zing.)
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
2/3 Cup Stevia or Xylitol (DO NOT USE SUGAR!)
4 Large eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup water
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla
Cream Cheese Filling -
1 8 oz pkg Whole Fat Cream Cheese
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla
1/4 Cup Stevia or Truvia
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (for topping)
Directions for Muffins:
-Pre-heat oven to 350 F
- Mix together all dry ingredients thoroughly
- Mix together all wet ingredients thoroughly
- Combine all wet and dry ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix together thoroughly
-Allow batter to stand for 10 minutes
-Separate batter into muffin tins in muffin pan. Batter should yield 1 dozen muffins
-Bake for 15 minutes before adding Cream Cheese filling
Directions for Cream Cheese Filling:
-Allow Cream Cheese to acclimate to room temperature so that it is soft and pliable
-Once Cream Cheese is ready, place into mixing bowl with Stevia, Cinnamon, and Vanilla
-With stand alone mixer or hand mixer, beat together ingredients until whipped consistency emerges. Taste test for sweetness and flavor,adjust sugar and cinnamon to desired taste.
-If you have a piping bag, place mixture in piping bag with metal spout. If you don't have a piping bag you can use a ziplock bag (which I did!). Just place all the mixture into a quart size zip lock bag, securely close the bag, forcing all of the mixture into one of the corners. Using scissors, cut the corner tip off of the bag and you'll have a homemade piping bag!
Piping Muffins:
-At the 15 Minute mark take the cupcakes out and use the handle end of an egg beater, meat fork, or any other kitchen utensil that you can find that will make a hole in the middle of the muffin.
-Use utensil to put hole in middle of muffin. While hole is visible, use the piping bag to pipe cream cheese into the middle of each muffin. You'll want to fill it to just overflowing so that you have some on top of the muffin.
-Once you have all cream cheese piped, sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over each muffin. These nuts add a great extra crunch to the finished product.
-Place muffins back in the oven and back for approximately 5-10 more minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
-Take muffins out and allow to cool. ENJOY!
This all may sound very complicated but I can tell you I whipped these up on the fly with 10 minutes of prep time and then actual bake time. They are super easy and everyone who has had them thus far has fallen in love with them!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Yahoo Article Commentary
I love when I pop onto Yahoo! and find some sort of story on "7 Cosmetic Items to Avoid" or "Does Caffiene Make You Fat?" Being a newly deemed "Health Queen", my curiosity can not help but be piqued by such titles. Now, you must know that I do not look at Yahoo! News as any source of viable reporting, but I do find it interesting to see what they are peddling to the unassuming public.
Today I stumbled across this enticing story entitled Diet Foods that Make You Fat:
http://health.yahoo.net/articles/nutrition/photos/diet-foods-that-make-you-fat#1
In this article the writers highlight several foods or ingredients found in many foods that can cause weight gain instead of loss. There's nothing too terribly medically founded here and really, anyone who has watched Dr. Oz more than once already knows about all of these, but I wanted to highlight a few that I thought were interesting.
First? Their #1 "Diet Food" making people fat was Fast Food Salads. Nothing about the words "Fast-Food-Salad" rings a "HEALTHY" bell in my mind, but ok Yahoo!, let's consider it. The average Joe or Jolene will visit a fastfood joint or a sit down restaurant and think that if they are going to eat healthy then the best they can do is eat a salad, right? WRONG. Consider that most restaurant salads contain over 1,000 calories and 30-60 grams of fat. How about just cutting out Fast Food altogether? Fast Food is just what it suggests, FAST. And you want to know why it's fast? Because it takes all of 20 seconds to nuke a processed meat patty, throw it on a high carb low nutrient bun, and throw some chemically inhanced produce and condiments on in. Sounds yummy right? You CAN eat healthy at regular sit-down restaurants but it takes work and it takes speaking up and custom ordering items to keep your plate as healthy as possible. Your best bet? Keep most of your meals on the dinner table at home, made in your kitchen from ingredients that YOU purchased and put together, and save going out to dinner for special occassions. It's time America got back in the kitchen and started taking some ownership of their meals!
Next? Frozen and boxed meals or meal fixing products. Can we stamp a big fat "DUH" sticker on this one? If you check the boxes on your average "Hungry Man" meal you'll find insane amounts of sodium, trans fats, cholesterol, sugar, etc. You'll also find a box ful of processed "pseudo food" that does nothing but act as a placebo to your stomach to make you think you're full and satisfied when all you've really done is pumped your body full of chemicals and additives. Nothing about that is making you thinner, it's making you sicker. Fresh food is the way to go! "But that takes too much time! I need to be able to pack something fast for work!" It takes no longer to pack a healthy lunch that you've prepared ahead of time than it does to pull a box of junk out of the freezer.
Another gem? If you see the words "Fat-Free" or "Low Fat" or "Sugar Free" run in the opposite direction! These labels are a nice little trick that marketing firms came up with to peddle more worthless, toxic, product. You HAVE to read labels! Don't trust marketing. Marketing never made anyone healthy. Most "Fat-Free" products are laced with other flavor enhancers, sodium, and all sorts of other items to make them taste even half way decent...which never works, they still taste awful. Even "Low Fat" does this. And " Sugar-Free"? Forget it. All you'll find there is chemically enchanced sugar substitutes, fake ingredients, and a hot mess. Eat healthy fats like nuts, cook with healthy fats like Olive Oil and Coconut Oil. Use Stevia to sweeten your cooking or baking. I've created delicious masterpeieces with these things. They aren't hard to find nor are they expensive!
Watch out for added ingredients in your favorite so called "health foods" and see where you can make a switch. Ditch "low fat" flavored yogurts....filled to the brim with aspertame and chemicals. Instead pick up whole milk, full fat, unsweetened yogurt and flavor it with fresh berries, nuts, and a dash of cinnamon and Stevia! You NEED the healthy fats found in yogurt. Don't skip out on the essential fats you need for your body to function! Skip the "low fat" cottage cheeses too. You need the full milk fat!
My last one? SUGAR!!! Let's face it, especially if you're on the Maximized Living Advanced Plan like me, you KNOW that sugar is in everything. Oh Sugar, how America consumes thee, let me count the ways...:
-Salad dressing
-Cereal
-Candy
-Fruit Juice
-Pop
-Canned foods
-Mixes and boxed food
-Snack bars, fruit snacks
-Yogurt, milk, cottage cheese
I could go on and on, because the list certainly does, but you get my point. Sugar is killing us! The average American consumes over 12 tablespoons of sugar in one 24 hour period versus the recommended 6 teaspoons. Yikes! We're all walking around in sugar commas! Is it any wonder we're fat, depressed, hyper active, unable to concentrate, lethargic, achy, injury prone, and just plain sick all the time? Read up on what health experts have to say about the toxic effects of sugar on the body and you'll think twice about picking up that next Diet Coke or Snicker's bar. Just sayin'
Be Green and Live Healthy Today!
Today I stumbled across this enticing story entitled Diet Foods that Make You Fat:
http://health.yahoo.net/articles/nutrition/photos/diet-foods-that-make-you-fat#1
In this article the writers highlight several foods or ingredients found in many foods that can cause weight gain instead of loss. There's nothing too terribly medically founded here and really, anyone who has watched Dr. Oz more than once already knows about all of these, but I wanted to highlight a few that I thought were interesting.
First? Their #1 "Diet Food" making people fat was Fast Food Salads. Nothing about the words "Fast-Food-Salad" rings a "HEALTHY" bell in my mind, but ok Yahoo!, let's consider it. The average Joe or Jolene will visit a fastfood joint or a sit down restaurant and think that if they are going to eat healthy then the best they can do is eat a salad, right? WRONG. Consider that most restaurant salads contain over 1,000 calories and 30-60 grams of fat. How about just cutting out Fast Food altogether? Fast Food is just what it suggests, FAST. And you want to know why it's fast? Because it takes all of 20 seconds to nuke a processed meat patty, throw it on a high carb low nutrient bun, and throw some chemically inhanced produce and condiments on in. Sounds yummy right? You CAN eat healthy at regular sit-down restaurants but it takes work and it takes speaking up and custom ordering items to keep your plate as healthy as possible. Your best bet? Keep most of your meals on the dinner table at home, made in your kitchen from ingredients that YOU purchased and put together, and save going out to dinner for special occassions. It's time America got back in the kitchen and started taking some ownership of their meals!
Next? Frozen and boxed meals or meal fixing products. Can we stamp a big fat "DUH" sticker on this one? If you check the boxes on your average "Hungry Man" meal you'll find insane amounts of sodium, trans fats, cholesterol, sugar, etc. You'll also find a box ful of processed "pseudo food" that does nothing but act as a placebo to your stomach to make you think you're full and satisfied when all you've really done is pumped your body full of chemicals and additives. Nothing about that is making you thinner, it's making you sicker. Fresh food is the way to go! "But that takes too much time! I need to be able to pack something fast for work!" It takes no longer to pack a healthy lunch that you've prepared ahead of time than it does to pull a box of junk out of the freezer.
Another gem? If you see the words "Fat-Free" or "Low Fat" or "Sugar Free" run in the opposite direction! These labels are a nice little trick that marketing firms came up with to peddle more worthless, toxic, product. You HAVE to read labels! Don't trust marketing. Marketing never made anyone healthy. Most "Fat-Free" products are laced with other flavor enhancers, sodium, and all sorts of other items to make them taste even half way decent...which never works, they still taste awful. Even "Low Fat" does this. And " Sugar-Free"? Forget it. All you'll find there is chemically enchanced sugar substitutes, fake ingredients, and a hot mess. Eat healthy fats like nuts, cook with healthy fats like Olive Oil and Coconut Oil. Use Stevia to sweeten your cooking or baking. I've created delicious masterpeieces with these things. They aren't hard to find nor are they expensive!
Watch out for added ingredients in your favorite so called "health foods" and see where you can make a switch. Ditch "low fat" flavored yogurts....filled to the brim with aspertame and chemicals. Instead pick up whole milk, full fat, unsweetened yogurt and flavor it with fresh berries, nuts, and a dash of cinnamon and Stevia! You NEED the healthy fats found in yogurt. Don't skip out on the essential fats you need for your body to function! Skip the "low fat" cottage cheeses too. You need the full milk fat!
My last one? SUGAR!!! Let's face it, especially if you're on the Maximized Living Advanced Plan like me, you KNOW that sugar is in everything. Oh Sugar, how America consumes thee, let me count the ways...:
-Salad dressing
-Cereal
-Candy
-Fruit Juice
-Pop
-Canned foods
-Mixes and boxed food
-Snack bars, fruit snacks
-Yogurt, milk, cottage cheese
I could go on and on, because the list certainly does, but you get my point. Sugar is killing us! The average American consumes over 12 tablespoons of sugar in one 24 hour period versus the recommended 6 teaspoons. Yikes! We're all walking around in sugar commas! Is it any wonder we're fat, depressed, hyper active, unable to concentrate, lethargic, achy, injury prone, and just plain sick all the time? Read up on what health experts have to say about the toxic effects of sugar on the body and you'll think twice about picking up that next Diet Coke or Snicker's bar. Just sayin'
Be Green and Live Healthy Today!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
A Psalm 104 Kind of Morning
I spent some time at Castlewood park this morning, hiking through the Lord's amazing creation. Once my climbing partner and I reached a great outlook I sat down on a rock, pulled out my Bible, and this is the Scripture that the Lord laid open for me (Psalm 104). I took pictures just after reading this and couldn't help but find all of the wonderful connections. What a mighty God we serve! I was so blessed this morning by the ways that He individually and specifically touches my life and the lives of those around me. Lately He has been showering me, literally flooding my life, with unexpected blessings and provisions. Proverbs 8:34 says "Blessed are those who listen to Me, watching daily at My doors, waiting at My doorway." If we listen for Him to speak, obey when He He gives direction, and allow Him to take the reigns and guide our paths, He WILL bless! I'm a living, breathing, example of this. Don't give up just because you don't see things coming together as YOU may have desired because, guess what?, His ways are higher and He will orchestrate things in such a picture perfect way that you'll end up praising the Lord that YOUR way didnt work out. Trust!
See the reminder He gave me of His greatness this morning...set to His creation:
"Praise the LORD, my soul.
LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
2 The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes winds his messengers,[a]
flames of fire his servants.
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes winds his messengers,[a]
flames of fire his servants.
5 He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.
6 You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8 they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
9 You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth. "
it can never be moved.
6 You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8 they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
9 You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth. "
"He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
15 wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine,
and bread that sustains their hearts.
16 The trees of the LORD are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the junipers.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.
it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
15 wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine,
and bread that sustains their hearts.
16 The trees of the LORD are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the junipers.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.
19 He made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
23 Then people go out to their work,
to their labor until evening.
and the sun knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
23 Then people go out to their work,
to their labor until evening.
24 How many are your works, LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.
26 There the ships go to and fro,
and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.
26 There the ships go to and fro,
and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
27 All creatures look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
29 When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
30 When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
to give them their food at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
29 When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
30 When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works—
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
may the LORD rejoice in his works—
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.
35 But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.
35 But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, my soul.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
What Items in YOUR home might be killing you?
Last month 212 held an Advanced Talk on toxins in the home, basically what products are we using daily that are really acting as silent killers. Sadly, I was unable to attend but fun enough Yahoo! News posted a story on the 12 Scary Products to eliminate from your home. (See Link Below)
12 Scary Household Items to Eliminate
One such product? Room airfresheners. The chemicals contained in most (probably 98%) of aerosol room freshener sprays can not only irritate existing allergic or pulmonary conditions, they have also been linked to creating neurotoxicity, immune system issues, cancers, etc. Pitch the can... It's not worth it!
Better Option: Soy Bean Candles....they are all natural and usually are scented with natural essential oils.
Another example? Toothpaste. Many toothpastes contain a pesticide known as Triclosan. Here's what the Eviromental Working Group has to say in a recent article on Triclosan Toxicity: "Lab studies link triclosan to cancer, developmental defects, and liver and inhalation toxicity. A secret study by Colgate scientists revealed exposure to low levels of triclosan caused liver tumors in mice (See 1996). Colgate refuses to release this study to EPA for evaluation, though it provided it to FDA in order to ensure it could add triclosan to toothpaste and other oral care products." I would highly suggest checking out the rest of the article through this link: http://www.ewg.org/node/26701 Triclosan is also found in many hand soaps and other body products.
Better Option: Tom's of Maine Toothpaste. I switched out my paste last month and am now using a Tom's paste and LOVE it. The taste is good, consistency is good, and it leaves my mouth feeling super clean! What is great is that you no longer have to spend the few extra dollars to get it at Whole Foods. It's actually carried at WalMart and Target for a buck or so cheaper...not as many flavor options but still a great deal!
Final example: Plastic storage containers...including water bottles. Most, if not all plastic food and beverage containers contain some level of BPA. But what is BPA? Bisphenol A is a chemical released when plastics are heated that changes the chemical components of whatever the plastic is surrounding. BPA can be found in everything from baby bottles to water bottles to food containers. According to EWG this is what you can look out for on your plastic products: "BPA is found in polycarbonate plastic food containers often marked on the bottom with the letters "PC" recycling label #7. Not all #7 labeled products are polycarbonate but this is a reasonable guideline for a category of plastics to avoid. Polycarbonate plastics are rigid and transparent and used for sippy cups, baby bottles, food storage, and water bottles. Some polycarbonate water bottles are marketed as 'non-leaching' for minimizing plastic taste or odor, however there is still a possibility that trace amounts of BPA will migrate from these containers, particularly if used to heat liquids." Some plastics are passible...such as those with recycling numbers #1, #2, and #4. Ideally you should store your food in glass storage containers which you can find at anywhere from Whole Foods to Target.
Better Option: For water you should also choose either glass or stainless steel containers. I know what you're thinking, GLASS WATER BOTTLE?! But seriously, there are some great ones out there right now that have a no-slip rubber grip on them to help avoid dropping or breaking. More companies are coming out with great Stainless Steel options as well. If you're like me you like the convenience of a bottle that you dont have to screw the cap off of to drink out of. Well now you can find the stainless steel with mouth pieces. Yoga company, Gaiam, not makes stainless bottle with straws. They are super sweet and can be found atTarget! You do have to watch for the lining in certain stainless steel bottles as some do contain BPA. Make sure that the stainless steel bottle you're purchasing is classified as BPA free.
Check out Gaiam's website for some great products! http://www.gaiam.com/category/fitness-center/water-bottles.do
These few items don't begin to cover the lengthy list of household items that are slowly doing you in. Might be time to start taking stock of what you're using everyday. If it's not helping you be healthy, it's helping you get one foot in the grave that much quicker.
Food for thought!
Live Green TODAY!
12 Scary Household Items to Eliminate
One such product? Room airfresheners. The chemicals contained in most (probably 98%) of aerosol room freshener sprays can not only irritate existing allergic or pulmonary conditions, they have also been linked to creating neurotoxicity, immune system issues, cancers, etc. Pitch the can... It's not worth it!
Better Option: Soy Bean Candles....they are all natural and usually are scented with natural essential oils.
Another example? Toothpaste. Many toothpastes contain a pesticide known as Triclosan. Here's what the Eviromental Working Group has to say in a recent article on Triclosan Toxicity: "Lab studies link triclosan to cancer, developmental defects, and liver and inhalation toxicity. A secret study by Colgate scientists revealed exposure to low levels of triclosan caused liver tumors in mice (See 1996). Colgate refuses to release this study to EPA for evaluation, though it provided it to FDA in order to ensure it could add triclosan to toothpaste and other oral care products." I would highly suggest checking out the rest of the article through this link: http://www.ewg.org/node/26701 Triclosan is also found in many hand soaps and other body products.
Better Option: Tom's of Maine Toothpaste. I switched out my paste last month and am now using a Tom's paste and LOVE it. The taste is good, consistency is good, and it leaves my mouth feeling super clean! What is great is that you no longer have to spend the few extra dollars to get it at Whole Foods. It's actually carried at WalMart and Target for a buck or so cheaper...not as many flavor options but still a great deal!
Final example: Plastic storage containers...including water bottles. Most, if not all plastic food and beverage containers contain some level of BPA. But what is BPA? Bisphenol A is a chemical released when plastics are heated that changes the chemical components of whatever the plastic is surrounding. BPA can be found in everything from baby bottles to water bottles to food containers. According to EWG this is what you can look out for on your plastic products: "BPA is found in polycarbonate plastic food containers often marked on the bottom with the letters "PC" recycling label #7. Not all #7 labeled products are polycarbonate but this is a reasonable guideline for a category of plastics to avoid. Polycarbonate plastics are rigid and transparent and used for sippy cups, baby bottles, food storage, and water bottles. Some polycarbonate water bottles are marketed as 'non-leaching' for minimizing plastic taste or odor, however there is still a possibility that trace amounts of BPA will migrate from these containers, particularly if used to heat liquids." Some plastics are passible...such as those with recycling numbers #1, #2, and #4. Ideally you should store your food in glass storage containers which you can find at anywhere from Whole Foods to Target.
Better Option: For water you should also choose either glass or stainless steel containers. I know what you're thinking, GLASS WATER BOTTLE?! But seriously, there are some great ones out there right now that have a no-slip rubber grip on them to help avoid dropping or breaking. More companies are coming out with great Stainless Steel options as well. If you're like me you like the convenience of a bottle that you dont have to screw the cap off of to drink out of. Well now you can find the stainless steel with mouth pieces. Yoga company, Gaiam, not makes stainless bottle with straws. They are super sweet and can be found atTarget! You do have to watch for the lining in certain stainless steel bottles as some do contain BPA. Make sure that the stainless steel bottle you're purchasing is classified as BPA free.
Check out Gaiam's website for some great products! http://www.gaiam.com/category/fitness-center/water-bottles.do
These few items don't begin to cover the lengthy list of household items that are slowly doing you in. Might be time to start taking stock of what you're using everyday. If it's not helping you be healthy, it's helping you get one foot in the grave that much quicker.
Food for thought!
Live Green TODAY!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Who wants some green candy?
My friend Jamie is about as big a health nut as I am and I love seeing what she's into these days. Today on Facebook she "liked" a page called "Natural Candy Store". Being the sweet treat lover that I am I had to find out what this page was about. Much to my delight it is a candy store that, like it says, features all natural candy. That's right folks, they bost candies and other treats that are free of artificial ingredients, colorings, flavors, perservatives, and hydrogenated oils. They have everything from mints to hard candies to candy bars and popcorn balls. I was thrilled to find through some research that this store is owned by a mom and her2 daughters (sounds very Kirk-like!) who wanted to provide only the best organic, all-natural candy available! While I may be on a sugar fast right now, you better know I plan to try out some of their yummy offerings as soon as it's over. If you'd like to check out this great site head over to www.naturalcandystore.com!
Here are just a few pics of what I'M looking forward to ordering :)
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| Dark Chocolate Mint Wafers! |
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| Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups! |
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| Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Cashews |
On a non-foodie topic, have any of you been keeping up with Bachelor Pad this season? Yes, I watch reality tv...but not all of it...no judging! lol I'm watching the finale as we speak so know I'll mention my thoughts on that later. I cannot believe Casey and Vienna are still hanging on. If they don't wint the $250,000 then they should most definitely win the "Most obnoxious couple ever" title. Just sayin'!
Let me know your thoughts, but I'm hoping either Ella and Curt or Michael and Holly will win. We shall see!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Green Baking Failures
Ok, So why is it that though I follow the recipes to the letter, the baked good NEVER turns out how I want them to?! This never happened when I baked with regular flour but now that I have to use flax meal and coconut flour, things turn out drastically different. Exhibit A: Zucchini Cake. The recipe in the Max Living book says to use Almond flour but I did not have any and used Coconut Flour instead. I worked the wet and dry ingredients separately but when I put them together a catastrophe insued that resulted in the batter looking more like play-do than cake batter. I added almost a full glass of almond milk and water and was still unable to get the batter thinned out. I went ahead and baked them but the cakes came out more like a shortbread than a cake. SOOOO frustrating!
I'm thinking about venturing to other recipes to find success. My sister found some amazing dessert recipes through www.healthyindulgences.net. I came home from work Sunday night to get to try an AMAZING Black Bean Chocolate Cake made by my sister.....who's first time it was to use odd ingredients to bake and yet her stuff turned out amazing in comparison to the baked goods I've attempted so far. Why is is that recipes NEVER put the right amount of liquid needed to make a batter? I've seen recipes that only require 3 TBSP of water for an entire batch of brownies....It is IMPOSSIBLE to make brownie batter out of 3 TBSP of water and mix. Try it, I dare you! If any of you have any tips for avoiding organic baking blunders, please let me know!
Apart from my own dismay at failed Zucchini Cake, the night was wonderful. My mom and I went down to Forest Park, Art Hill to be exact, to hear a free concert put on by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. They are preparing to kick off their season and compiled all of the best works from all of the shows they'll be presenting over the coming months. It was an amazing concert on an amazingly beautiful night. The weather was perfect and the sky was absolutely beautiful. Check it out for yourself!
I'm thinking about venturing to other recipes to find success. My sister found some amazing dessert recipes through www.healthyindulgences.net. I came home from work Sunday night to get to try an AMAZING Black Bean Chocolate Cake made by my sister.....who's first time it was to use odd ingredients to bake and yet her stuff turned out amazing in comparison to the baked goods I've attempted so far. Why is is that recipes NEVER put the right amount of liquid needed to make a batter? I've seen recipes that only require 3 TBSP of water for an entire batch of brownies....It is IMPOSSIBLE to make brownie batter out of 3 TBSP of water and mix. Try it, I dare you! If any of you have any tips for avoiding organic baking blunders, please let me know!
Apart from my own dismay at failed Zucchini Cake, the night was wonderful. My mom and I went down to Forest Park, Art Hill to be exact, to hear a free concert put on by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. They are preparing to kick off their season and compiled all of the best works from all of the shows they'll be presenting over the coming months. It was an amazing concert on an amazingly beautiful night. The weather was perfect and the sky was absolutely beautiful. Check it out for yourself!
Gorgeous, right?! We are so blessed to live in such a great city with all sorts of free events going on at a moment's notice. I don't think we often stop and think about how many wonderful, cultural outlets we have here that we can access for free or for reasonable price. If you haven't taken advantage of all St. Louis has to offer lately, you should!
So, here we are friends, on the precipice of another weekend. While most of you are counting down the hours to freedom, I'm counting down the hours to helping aid in freedom....I have to work. :)
I hope you all have a wonderful and restful weekend filled with lots of laughter, fun, and much peace.
Stay Healthy and Green! - Ash
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