Scripture to help us remember why we need to take care of our bodies!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. NLT

Saturday, February 27, 2010

SUPER PUMPKIN COOKIES


SUPERFOODS: Pumpkin, Walnuts, Wheat Germ, Flax Meal

I found a recipe and changed it to make it a bit healthier. Now keep in mind that healthy and cookie are two words that don't really go together BUT the good news is you can do things to a recipe to make it better for you AND instead of eating one, you can eat 3:) I put the original in parenthesis.


Here it is.


4oz butter (recipe called for 8oz)(1/2cup)

40z apple sauce (I used it for the remainder of the butter)(1/2cup)

1/2 cup raw sugar (recipe called for 1 cup of white sugar)

1/2 cup brown sugar (recipe called for 1 cup)

3 Tbsp of egg white (recipe called for 1 egg)

1 tsp of vanilla

2 cups of pumpkin (recipe called for 1 cup) I used fresh pumpkin I pureed this fall. You can use canned pumpkin. I'm not sure what size they come in but I'd recommend trying to get close to the 2 cup mark. You can never have too much pumpkin PLUS it's one of the superfoods!


Cream butter, apple sauce, sugars with a mixer

Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin and blend together


In a separate bowl

1 1/2 cup oats (recipe calls for 1 cup)

1tsp baking powder

1 tsp of cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt (I didn't use salt)

I added 2Tbsp of flaxmeal and 2Tbsp of wheatgerm (recipe does not call for this)

1 1/2 cups of 100% whole wheat flour

1 cup of white flour (recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of white flour only)
I also added Walnuts. I didn't measure but I'd guess about 3/4 cup. It depends on how nutty you want them.
Obviously chocolate chips make any cookie better so you can always add them too.


Mix all of the dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Mixture will seem wet but just drop the dough on some parchment paper on a cookie sheet and they will bake just as they are dropped. They won't spread out so you will have a thick, soft, moist, yummy cookie!


Bake for 10 minutes at 350. I like my cookies more on the doughy side so test them at 10 min to see how you like them.


Have fun and let me know if you try them!


Canyon LOVED them and grabbed an extra when I wasn't looking:)

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

OATS

All information taken from Super Foods Rx Book
SUPER SIDEKICKS: Wheat Germ and Ground Flaxseed
SIDEKICKS: Brown Rice, Barley, Wheat, Buckwheat, Rye, Millet, Bulgur Wheat, Amaranth, Quinoa, Triticale, Kamut, Yellow Corn, Wild Rice, Spelt, Couscous
HOW MUCH
5 to 7 Servings a day
HOW THEY BENEFIT YOU
Stabilizes blood sugar
Lowers Cholesterol
Low in calories, high in fiber and protein
The degree of protection against disease offered by oats and other whole grains is greater than that of any of their ingredients taken in isolation.
Read this Chapter for more amazing benefits
SERVING?
1 slice of bread
1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
5 or 6 small crackers
1 four inch pita
1 small tortilla
3 rice or popcorn cakes
1/2 hamburger roll, bagel, or English muffin
1 serving of cold cereal
FLAXSEEDS
*Try to put 2 T of flaxmeal in your yogurt, cereal, or shake everyday. You can buy them whole but you must grind them as the nutrients are difficult to absorb from the whole seed. The oil in them spoils quickly so grind them as you go. (I keep flaxmeal in an airtight container in the fridge with my wheat germ and put 2T of each in my shake every morning for breakfast.)
WHEAT GERM
*2 T of wheat germ is packed with nutrition and can significantly boost your day's nutrition! Keep it in your fridge with your flaxmeal and start your day off right!
WHOLE GRAIN CONFUSION
*Carbs are not created equal!
*Whole grain carbohydrates are good for you and critical in your quest for lifelong health
*When reading labels look for the word WHOLE at the beginning of the ingredient list. This applies to all baked goods, bread, crackers, cereals, pretzels, etc. The fiber content should be at least 3 grams per serving for bread and cereal. If it's lower, put it back!
*Most people eat refined carbs like cookies, doughnuts, breads, and cakes loaded with sugar and fat.
*Whole grains are health promoting, refined grains (pasta, white flour, white bread, and white rice) have been associated with negative health effects.
*If you stick with real whole grains, you will get full before you get fat:)
HOW TO GET 15 GRAMS OF WHOLE GRAIN FIBER A DAY
*Uncle Sam Cereal-toastedwhole grain wheat flakes with crispy whole flaxseed (1cup) 10 grams
*1/2 cups oats 9 grams
*Post Shredded Wheat N Bran (1 1/4cups) 8 grams
*2 T flaxseed 7 grams
*1 slice Bran for Life bread 5 grams
*1/4 cup oat bran (raw not toasted) 4 grams
*2 T wheat germ (crude-not toasted) 2 grams
*1/2 cup cooked brown rice 2 grams
1/2 cup cooked yellow corn 2 grams
WAYS TO INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE
*Buy only Whole Grain Bread (Miltons Healthy Multi Grain Bread, Pepperidge Farms Natural Whole Grain 9 Grain, Premium Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat sliced Bread) Many others but I listed the ones I knew you could find anywhere for the most part.
*Substitute brown rice for white rice
*Buy whole grain crackers for snacks (My favorite cracker I buy at Whole foods is Ak-mak 100% Whole Wheat Stone Ground Sesame Cracker) tastes amazing!
*Use whole grain tortillas and pita bread for sandwiches and wraps
*Add oats to meatballs, turkey loaf or meat loaf
*Try Quinoa (very good surprisingly)
*look for Japanese soba buckwheat noodles (good in soups or cold with a sesame dressing
SUPER BREAKFAST IDEAS
*Bowl of hot oatmeal with raisins or dried cranberries or blueberries, sprinkled with 2T of ground flaxmeal and 2T of wheat germ
*Yogurt with berries and flaxmeal and wheatgerm on top.
*Make a smoothie with a little ice, yogurt, berries, milk and add the flaxmeal and wheatgerm before blending.
My favorite new creation is vanilla isagenix shake (you could substitute a vanilla yogurt and add protein powder if needed) with blueberries, peanut butter (1T), and my wheat germ and flaxmeal.
***Again a chapter so full of amazing information. I only take bits and pieces out of the book. The best reason for buying the book is the shopping list in the back that takes out all of the guesswork for what foods to buy. That way you know you are buying the best "whole grain" foods in all the categories.***

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Screaming Snowman Snowshoe Race

My New Year commitment was to sign up for some sort of race every month. For February my friend Tina convinced me to do this amazing snowshoe race! I have to say I was a bit nervous and concerned that it was possible to actually run in snowshoes:) It was very possible and a TON of fun!
It was by far the toughest, most exhausting race I have ever done but so worth the coffee mug for placing 2nd. Tina was AWESOME and placed first! Our friend Dawn came in at 4th place so our Fort Collins MOMMY team dominated this race:)

Thanks ladies for such a fun day! Next year we will have to attempt the 10K!


Thanks Tina for driving and inviting us on such an amazing adventure!

Dawn, it was so fun getting to know you better! Hope to run with you again very soon!!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

BROCCOLI


SIDEKICKS

Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, Swiss chard.

HOW MUCH

1/2 TO 1 CUP DAILY
*too much can have adverse effects, eat in moderation


WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO EAT BROCCOLI?

Most powerful weapons in our dietary arsenal against cancer

One of the most nutrient dense foods known; it offers an incredibly high level of nutrition for a very low caloric cost.

One cup of broccoli (cooked) contains more than 100 percent of the adult male/female RDA for vitamin C

This chapter is AMAZING. If I could post all of the benefits of broccoli it would take forever. Just know that it's a cancer curer...seriously!! Also great for bones, cataracts, birth defects


HOW TO SHOP FOR BROCCOLI

Choose tight, deeply colored, and dense florets. Choose smaller head. Yellow florets means broccoli is aged...not good. Firm leaves, not wilted.


HOW TO COOK BROCCOLI

Never wash before storing in the fridge. It will keep in a crisper for 5 to 7 days

The leaves are rich in nutrients, keep them:)

Steam or microwave. Boiling can loose more than 50 percent of its Vitamin C


HOW TO GET BROCCOLI IN YOUR DIET

Puree it and add it to a spaghetti sauce, your kids will never know

I love to saute it and brown it in a fry pan and add it to egg whites for a fun mid day meal, add fresh tomatoes to top it off.

Great for stir fry's

Add it to a salad

Always a fun addition to any casserole or hotdish. Chop it up small so your kids can enjoy it.

Kids will enjoy it with a dip. Hummus is good or a low cal ranch dressing.

Raw vs cooked have different benefits so eat both if you can.

Adding cheese for some improve taste but again, moderation.
Since every child loves mac and cheese, mix it in or add it to the cheese sauce in puree form.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

FROZEN YOGURT BLUEBERRY POPS


Makes 12 Pops

A great way to have fun with the kids! Haven't had the chance to make these yet but please let me know by posting a comment if you try them out!

12 paper or foil baking cups, 2 1/2 inch size

Zest and juices of 1 small lemon
2 cups of plain nonfat yogurt (I recommend Stonyfield french vanilla)
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (I would not use sugar but apple juice instead 4 oz) If you use the french vanilla yogurt and the apple juice you will not need sugar. Another idea would be to use a strawberry yogurt. Just try to pick a no added sugar, non fat yogurt.
1 pint of blueberries
12 Popsicle sticks

Line twelve 2 1/2 inch muffin pan cups with fluted paper baking cups. In a bowl, blend the lemon zest, lemon juice, yogurt and sugar until smooth. Stir in the blueberries. Divide the mixture among the paper lined muffin pan cups. Freeze for 1 1/2 hours, or until almost firm; insert a Popsicle stick in the middle of each pop. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours. For longer storage in the freezer, cover with plastic wrap. To serve, peel off the paper liners from the pops; let stand at room temperature 4 to 6 minutes to soften slightly for easier eating.
Have fun and let me know how they turn out. I hope to make them soon myself.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

INGREDIENTS FOR LIFE



This post doesn't necessarily talk about the kind of superfoods we eat, but to me personally it ties right in! The message at church today talked about ingredients and how some of us may look at what we put into our bodies on a daily basis. I am one to spend hours at the grocery store looking at labels and care deeply about the ingredients I am putting into my body.

Today I was impacted by the realization that it's just not the ingredients in food that are important in our lives but the ingredients found in the blood of Jesus. These are the ingredients that truly give us life.
The 5 ingredients we are given are REDEMPTION, FORGIVENESS, PURIFICATION, JUSTIFICATION, AND SANCTIFICATION. I challenge you this week to not only include a serving of broccoli (the next superfood) but a full serving of Jesus. Take a moment to thank him for this one body he has given us and for his blood that gives us LIFE full of pure ingredients, the only ingredients we truly need!

Ephesians 1:7-8 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of Gods grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (NIV)

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved, from God's wrath through him.

Hebrews 13:12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy (sanctified) through his own blood.
The blood of Jesus is a SUPERFOOD we can't live without!
You won't know unless you give it a try!

Monday, February 1, 2010

BLUEBERRIES



HOW MUCH?

1 to 2 cups daily

OTHER BERRIES

Purple grapes, cranberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries, and all other berries including frozen and dried.

WHY THEY ARE SO AMAZING

One serving of blueberries provides as many antioxidants as five servings of carrots, apples, broccoli, or squash

Berries seem to slow and even reverse many of the degenerative diseases associated with an aging brain.

Too many others to list:)

Remember that all berries are full of amazing benefits. Blueberries are just the best overall. So if you have to choose one, pick blueberries but don't be afraid to mix it up!

HOW TO INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR DAILY DIET

Put them in your cereal

Put them in a shake or smoothie.

Add them to pancakes (My favorite pancake mix is from Arrowhead Mills...Multigrain Pancake and Waffle Mix. Another good choice is their Buckwheat Pancake and Waffle Mix.


I have a cup of yogurt (another super food) (I buy Stonyfield Non Fat French Vanilla) with a cup of blueberries for my mid morning snack. This is usually right after my workout so I make it before I go and put it in a cooler to eat when I am finished. Since we usually run errands after my workout, it's a great snack to have with me to avoid being hungry. The boys are always happy to help me eat them. I put them in Canyons cereal almost every morning. A good addition to rice cereal as well for your infant when they are ready to eat them.


NOTE: *Super Walmart carries Dole Frozen Wild Blueberries in a huge bag for a good price. They also carry Stonyfield yogurt for the best prices!