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Here you will find informative articles and posts about food, health, and happy living.

"A Regular Gal" Healthy Grain Breakfast

Another new breakfast idea struck Veganishta this morning. For weight loss, high nutrient content and absorption, and low glycemic load, this quinoa dish hit the spot. Quinoa is a good grain to eat to keep protein levels higher and gluten and starches lower. Greens and hemp nuts are packed with so many good nutrients besides protein. They are high in essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Healthy fats help to absorb the nutrients and are easier on the liver. If you need to cut the fat amount, cut out the coconut oil this time. But for me, it has been helping me to lose weight. Here's the recipe that I enjoyed this morning:

1/2 cup cooked quinoa

1 tsp. unrefined coconut oil plus 3 tbsp water

1/2 cup lightly steamed or boiled chopped collards (don't cook too long)

1 tbsp hemp nuts

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1 tbsp cinnamon

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From One Butter Lover to Another

Love butter? I do and always have loved it. Gotta have it on toast, love my butter cookies, gotta have it on potatoes, gotta have it on veggies, gotta have it on rice, and more. Which butter is best, you ask? If you must, then butter from pastured, grass-fed cows, goats, or sheep is best. Better yet is Ghee* (small amounts) for cooking or a little on toast. Cows fed with corn and grain have an astronomically unproportional amount of Omega 6s over 3s.(1) Grass fed is much, more balanced. Scientific research attributes many of our major diseases today to too many Omega 6s in the diet. It is recommended to increase our Omega 3s.(2) So, I now get my butter fix occasionally with a little Ghee, which has a more appropriate ratio of the better fats. And for the other healthy fats, I get them from flax seed, raw nuts and seeds, avocados, etc. Those foods are easy to fit into my daily diet. For example, this morning I had homemade organic buckwheat pancakes, made with almond milk, pureed pumpkin, organic wild blueberries, flax seed, and hemp seeds. I topped them off with pure maple syrup. I noticed that the buckwheat battered cakes did not sopp up the syrup as would white flour battered cakes. Therefore, I consumed less sugar.

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Chocolate Married My Coffee Today

Frappacino Drink.jpg While working hard on my new "back-to-school" group health program, which is so exciting by the way, I decided I needed a little break and something sweet and cool. Chocolate pea protein and instant coffee along with some almond milk and ice came to my rescue. Easy recipe and so delicious:

1 cup almond milk

1 scoop of chocolate pea protein

3 tbsp of instant coffee

1/2 cup ice

Blend all until frothy and smooth, and enjoy 23g of protein. Who needs Starbucks?

I'm diggin' it!

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Raw and Cooling Salads

Why is it that in the summer we naturally crave more fresh and raw foods? These foods have a cooling effect on the body. The lightness and high water, fiber and vitamin content work together to act as our internal air conditioning during these warm months. At this time of year we also need less dense, high-energy food because we get so much energy from being outside in the fresh air and sunshine.

There is no better season than summer to have fun creating your own fresh, tasty, creative salad combinations. By simply tossing together several of your favorite raw veggies, naked or with a light dressing, you have a perfect meal for a hot summer's day.

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Try Something New

Summer is finally in full force, and the living is easy! Do you notice in summertime how everything seems promising? The plants are in full bloom and the sun feels glorious on your skin. The longer days give you boundless energy, making you feel like it's possible to achieve all your desires and dreams. Why not harness this energy, ride the wave of summer, and try something new?

Throughout the year we live at an intense pace (physical, emotional and mental), and we often get stuck in routine, either for the sake of efficiency or out of fear of unfamiliar territory. The lack of variety in doing the same things over and over stagnates not only our minds, but also our bodies and hearts. Are you hesitant to break your routine? Fear and excitement have the same physiological expression in our bodies; it is our mind that classifies the feeling as either positive or negative. So the next time you consider a change in routine and your mind says "scary!" see if you can re-frame it as "exciting!" I can tell you that I recently did just that.

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Oh, Sugar, Sugar

Sugar can surely lift us up and it can surely put us down. Does feeling lonely, sluggish, sad, or happy cause you to reach for that favorite candy bar? C'mon, don't be shy. We all do it. I will confess that in the past I could wipe out an entire bag of miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups while driving in my car. And on some evenings, have even eaten practically an entire bag of Oreo cookies (leaving only 5 in the package).

Sugar has taken control of our lives in many, many ways. We include it in our celebrations, in times of trial and troubles, and to just basically "love ourselves." Have you actually thought about the wide-spread diabetes epidemic these days? I bet some of you are approaching that dilemma in your own lives and most definitely have friends and family on that journey of finger-pricking daily, meds, and the "what should I eat?" conundrum. Don't fret. There is a way out. Here are some tips:

1. Try to replace those times of loneliness and sadness with relationship support and looking to your spiritual inner healing to guide you through the temptations.

2. Grab a carrot instead. Make a baked sweet potato. Eat a couple of dates. Sit down and enjoy something good and nutritious for your body.

3. Gradually incorporate more leafy greens and beans into your diet. With the proper nutrition, your body won't beg you to feed it something else.

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Spring Cleaning!

You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.

-Jan Glidewell

Spring Cleaning

People like “stuff.” We tend to hold onto it year after year. We save and stock up on things that we don’t know what to do with anymore. Maybe we keep things because they hold precious memories of days gone by, or they remind us of our parents, grandparents, past loves, or childhood. To part with these precious possessions seems out of the question. There is a saying that goes, “You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new.” If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try spring-cleaning. Throw out some of that stuff, say goodbye to your past, and welcome the new energy of your happy, healthy future. Try these three ideas:

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Food Focus

Greens

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

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