“Many of our holiday ‘traditions’ revolve around the North American custom of gorging ourselves. In fact, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day and our birthday celebrations, all involve the ritual of overconsuming, and wasting, a lot of food.”  GreenMuze.com

What one thing can you do to NOT gain weight during the holidays?

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  (James 3:17; KJV)

How many holiday parties will you be attending…and hosting?  For some people attending parties is a highlight of this season. They love to see friends and family that they’ve not seen lately.  They enjoy catching up on the news of their acquaintances.  And, then there is the food.  Food, food and more food!  One doesn’t have to enter 2010 five pounds or even two pounds heavier.  It is very possible to enjoy oneself during the holidays and not gain any weight.  If you will be attending some parties, here are some tips that can help you to enjoy yourself without having to buy the next larger size of pants in January.

• Don’t go hungry. Going to a party when you’re ravenously hungry is asking for big trouble.  You’ll eat far too much of the wrong foods and perhaps far too much of the right foods.  Eat a high protein snack before you go to the party.  Eat a hard-boiled egg or a piece of chicken with a small apple before heading to the festivities.  Having protein on board will curb the desire to dig into all those fat-producing cookies.

• Be a food snob. Choose what you eat very carefully.  Don’t waste empty calories on high starch and high carbohydrate foods that will make you want to eat more but will quickly add unwanted pounds.  Choose raw fruit, fresh vegetables, nuts, bean dip, deviled eggs, cheese cubes, and turkey breast or roast beef.  Avoid the “mystery” foods or foods that you have no idea what they were in their original state.  Avoid the store bought pastries, cookies, and cakes.  Choose one dessert and be very picky.  A small piece of homemade cheesecake would be an acceptable choice.  (But I still ask [in a nice way] what it’s made from.  If I hear Cool Whip, I pass.)

• Don’t drink your calories. Wine, hard liquor, beer, sodas, and even punches can add lots of extra, empty calories.  Stay with water and add some lemon or lime slices for variety.  Herbal teas can be iced and sweetened with stevia for a nice change.  A small glass of organic juice or hot cider is nice for a treat, but save your calories for more nutrient dense foods such as nuts, cheese, and meats.

• Choose smaller plates. When you enter the buffet line, instead of using a large dinner plate, choose the small dessert plate for your entire eating spree.  You’ll consume less food that way.  Eat the food slowly, savoring each bite.  When the plate is finished, discard it and go find someone to talk with.  Stay away from the food table to avoid further temptation.

• Be hospitable. Take something yummy to the party with you.  That way if there is nothing available that you choose to eat, you’ll have something that you can enjoy.  I usually always make a high protein food to take with me to parties.  Someone usually has fresh vegetables and fruit at a party.  So, if nothing else is available, I eat the vegetables, fruit, and what I brought.

Enjoy your parties and picture yourself entering 2010 thin, fit, and healthy.  Today’s link is a great dish to take to a party.

Prayer Power
Father, we are so grateful for all of Your bounty!  Thank You for Your unending love and grace for us.

Link of the Day
Spinach Artichoke Dip

Blessings on you as you make wise food choices at your holiday parties.

Photo by Sharon

“Nuts and seeds naturally contain enzyme inhibitors. And by soaking them, you not only release the toxic enzyme inhibitors, but also increase the life and vitality contained within them.”  Avena Originals

How are you doing with exploring some new and different fruits and vegetables that you’ve not eaten before?

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.  (Is 61:11; NIV)

These instructions are a follow-up from last Thursday’s DG.  You might see various recipes for soaking nuts and seeds.  However, this method is taken from Sally Fallon’s book titled Nourishing Traditions.

Pumpkin seeds
- 4 cups of raw, hulled pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- filtered water
Soaking Time: At least 7 hours, or overnight
Dehydrating time: 12-24 hours, until dry and crisp

Pecans or Walnuts
- 4 cups of nuts
- 2 teaspoons seal salt
- filtered water
Soaking time: 7 or more hours (can do overnight)
Dehydrating time: 12-24 hours, until completely dry and crisp.
Pecans can be stored in an airtight container, but walnuts are more susceptible to become rancid so should always be stores in the refrigerator.

Almonds
- 4 cups of almonds
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- filtered water
Soaking time: At least 7 hours, or overnight
Dehydrating Time: 12 -24 hours, until completely dry and crisp

So, when I begin the process, I place the nuts in a large glass bowl.  Then I cover them with filtered water and stir in the salt.  I place a plate on top of the bowl and allow them to sit on the counter for the required time.  I check the nuts periodically during the soaking time to see if more water is needed to keep the nuts covered. 

After the allotted time, I drain the nuts in a colander.  Most recipes call for drying the nuts in a food dehydrator.  This will make the nuts crispy and flavorful.  I have an oldie but goodie food dehydrator.  I place the drained nuts on trays and allow them to dehydrate for the specified time.  Then I store the nuts in glass jars.

Most modern ovens do not have a low enough temperature setting to dry the nuts without actually roasting them, which destroys the good enzymes in the nuts.  Perhaps I’ll write about dehydrators in another DG.

Prayer Power
Father, we love You and adore You.  We are thankful for each new day and for every new thing that we learn about You.

Link of the Day
UNCOMMON Wellness Coaching

Blessings on you as you experiment with making your seeds and nuts easier to digest.

Previous in Series-/

“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.”  Author Unknown

When was the last time you blessed someone with a home-cooked meal?

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate. (Ps 127:5; NIV)

Jerry and I are blessed to attend a church with lots of new growth!  There have been many new babies born in the past two months with more to come!  Who doesn’t love the sight of a newborn baby?  Their unbelievably soft skin, precious fragrance and tiny little features all speak to the glory of the Father.  They are one of God’s most precious gifts to all of us, and we as a church get to rejoice with each and every one of these new, wee ones.

We enjoy supporting these young families with our prayers, our support, AND our food.  What young mama, after the energy draining marathon of giving birth doesn’t welcome a steaming hot, fragrantly spiced, home cooked meal?  It’s a fun blessing for me to be able to prepare a meal, deliver it, and get to see and hold the new baby!

I got to do this just last week for a favorite family of mine!  The mama is one of my long-time nutrition “mentorees” and she had her second, beautiful baby girl.  When preparing a meal for a family, take time to give some thought to what would really bless them.  What would you enjoy eating if someone was bringing you a meal?  Would you prefer a tub of KFC over a simple, home-prepared meat loaf?  I think NOT.  I made a meat loaf using bison and loaded it with lots of vegetables.  The topping was made of tomato paste, vinegar, honey and mustard.  You can find a similar recipe on our blog at www.nutrition777.com.  I also prepared a mixed green salad using organic spring mix.  I loaded it with other cut up vegetables such as cucumbers, yellow and orange peppers, carrots, and tomatoes.

I also made a sweet potato dish and called it Sweet Potato Royale.  I didn’t want to prepare the recipe I use at holiday time as it’s a bit on the sweet side.  So, I developed a less sweet version.  Click today’s link for the recipe.

Enjoy!!!

Prayer Power
Father, thank You for the gift of life and for all of these wonderful mamas who choose LIFE!

Link of the day
Sweet Potato Royale

Blessings on you as you choose to bless someone else.

“Food historians tell us the history of soup is probably as old as the history of cooking.”  www.foodtimeline.org

How are you doing with the health goals that you started at the beginning of the year?

We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost — also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.  (Nu 11:5; NIV)

How well do you like French Onion Soup?  Is it one of your favorites?  I can still remember of going out to a restaurant as a teenager and having my first taste of this “rich, can’t stop at one bite” soup.  It was one of my Dad’s favorites so I began experimenting with various recipes a number of years ago.  And there are so many variations to this recipe.  Many recipes call for the use of wine.  I’ve not used much wine in cooking so I developed this recipe without it.  Feel free to use about 4 ounces of red or white wine if you’d like.

Many recipes call for beef broth instead of the chicken broth that I use.  It’s difficult to find organic beef broth, especially in the cartons.  And most of the commercial, canned beef broths contain additives and MSG.  One could always make their own beef stock from beef if time wasn’t a factor.  I’ve used the organic chicken broth many times and am pleased with it.  The addition of organic Tamari and a bit of unsulphured molasses brings out the flavor and deepens the color of the cooked onions.  The rich flavor of the soup actually comes from the caramelized onions.

Caramelization is the process in which onions are cooked very slowly at a low to medium temperature until the onions cook down and become brown. This can be accomplished within half an hour, but many chefs allow for hours of cooking to bring out the complex flavors of the onions’ sugars.  I’ve also read of a recipe that called for cooking the onions in the oven for several hours to enhance the flavors.

Another key ingredient to the soup is melted cheese.  Gruyère cheese is traditionally used.  It is a hard yellow cheese made from cow’s milk, named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland.  Gruyère is sweet but slightly salty, with a flavor that varies widely with age.  I used to use this cheese exclusively for French Onion Soup.  However, in recent years I use whatever organic cheese I have available and the soup still tastes great.

Prayer Power
Father we are so thankful to You for all of the wonderful foods that You have created for us to eat and enjoy.  Bless our readers with health and strength for this day.

Link of the Day
French Onion Soup

Blessings on you as you enjoy some French Onion Soup.

By the time most of you read this, Sharon and I will be flying high!  Actually, we’ll be on our way to Dallas for the annual conference of the wellness company we work with.

Then, on Sunday after we leave Dallas, we fly to Oklahoma City where we’ll be staying with the parents of one of our good friends, Kathy Stoltzfus.  While in Oklahoma City, I have been asked to teach a class regarding the business of coaching to a group of students at Southwestern Christian University Graduate School.  I’m really looking forward to sharing some of the amazing social networking technologies that I’ve been learning over the past couple of years.

All this to say that Sharon and I have decided to not try to write DGs the whole time we’re gone.  So, here is a break for you.  If either of us get particularly inspired to do one or two over the next week and a half we may surprise you.  But, it is likely that the next DG will be 3/23.

“There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric: no two are ever alike, unless of course you get your soup in a can.”  Laurie Colwin,

How are you doing with getting more vegetables into your daily diet?

Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.  (I Kings 4:20; KJV)

I realize that we’re coming to the end of the cold weather soup season, at least here in lovely Virginia Beach.  However, minestrone soup is one of those favorites that really can be served in any season.  It’s easy to make and also quite economical.

Minestrone is one of the cornerstones of Italian cuisine, and is just about as common as pasta on Italian tables.  In Italian, minestrone means, “the big soup”, the one with many ingredients.  Minestrone is a variety of thick Italian soups made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice.  Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes.

There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season.  It can be vegetarian, contain meat, or contain a meat-based broth.  The word “minestrone” has become a synonym for “hodgepodge.  Homemade chicken or beef stock can be used.  However, organic chicken and beef stocks are available in cartons, making the soup-making process one of ease and convenience.

I’ve been making minestrone soup for years…and never really make it the same way each time nor do I really measure the ingredients.  So, after reading many recipes and attempting to remember what I usually do, I’ve created one for this week’s post.  The amounts don’t have to be exact and other vegetables can be added.  Dark greens such as spinach or kale can be added toward the end of the cooking time adding more color to the soup.

Various types of beans can be used.  Many recipes call for kidney beans.  I like white kidney beans or even great northern beans.  Again, dried beans can be soaked and cooked instead of using canned beans.  Canned, organic beans are one of those conveniences that I take advantage of on busy days.  Garbanzo beans tend to go with Italian cuisine so I enjoy some of those in the soup as well.  And even though most minestrone soup recipes call for pasta, the soup is still great without it.  I used a small amount in this recipe.  Spelt or whole wheat elbow macaroni or rotini work great.  So, look in your refrigerator and in your vegetable bin and round up some soup.  Your family will thank you!

Prayer Power
Father, may we be ever grateful to You for this glorious day that You have made, and may we seek You for all that we are to do on this day.

Link of the Day
Minestrone Soup

Blessings on you as you enjoy some homemade soup.

“Potage Crécy: French for ‘It’s cold outside–you need some creamy carrot soup.’”  Terry Blue

When was the last time you indulged in some potage?

And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint:  (Gen. 25a:29; KJV)

Well, our month of chocolate recipes have ceased!  Let me know how you enjoy the recipes once you’ve tried them.  Please let me know too if you make adjustments to the recipes.  Since I personally create most of the recipes, I know they are NOT perfect and can always use tweaking.  Feel free to tweak…and let me in on it.

I had a lovely looking butternut squash sitting in the vegetable basket on the kitchen floor, staring up at me last week.  Hmmm…what can I do with you?  It was a cold, windy day.  I wanted to create a tasty soup using the squash.  I started thinking of various flavors that might be good in a squash soup.  Then, I began looking at a few recipes.  As is typical, I read through several recipes, walked away from them and begin thinking and picturing how I wanted the soup to look and taste.  Onion and carrot would be good and perhaps some apple for sweetness.  Ah, I enjoy the taste of curry powder and thought that might add a unique flavor.  The soup isn’t heavy with curry, though.  So, if you’re a curry lover, feel free to add more.  Some organic pre-made chicken broth hastened the soup making process.  I also knew I wanted to add something creamy but alas, no fresh cream on hand.  I reached for my all-time favorite coconut milk.  Nice touch.

Once I made the soup, I needed to name it.  I had heard the word “potage” before but didn’t know the exact meaning of the word.  Potage, pronounced poh-TAHZH is a thick soup made with cream, according to dictionary.com.  Wikipedia says: “Potage is a category of thick soups, stews, or porridges, in some of which meat and vegetables are boiled together with water until they form into a thick mush.  Some potages that were typical of Medieval cuisine were frumenty, jelly (flesh or fish in aspic), mawmenny (a thickened stew of capon or similar fowl), and pears in syrup. There were also many kinds of potages made of thickened liquids (such as milk and almond milk) with mashed flowers, or mashed or strained fruit.”  So, there you have it.  More information on this funny word than you ever wanted or needed to know.  But other than this recipe not containing any meat specifically, I’m satisfied with using potage in the title.  Enjoy!

Prayer Power
Oh Lord, we magnify You and all of Your goodness and grace to us.  We offer thanksgiving to You for every breath we take.

Link of the Day
Curried Apple Squash Potage

Blessings on you as you enjoy some potage.

“Who doesn’t love pouring warm chocolate sauce over a bowl of cold vanilla ice cream or using it as a dip for fresh strawberries?” Stephanie  Jaworksi

How are you doing with eating proper portion sizes of your food?

The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my lover.  (Sol 7:13;NIV)

As I mentioned before, I never set out to do a month of chocolate recipes.  However, we had a healthy chocolate pie the first week, a whole foods chocolate cake for Valentine’s Day, and an old fashioned, favorite cookie treat last week.  With one more week in February, I wondered what to make.  Ah, hot fudge or chocolate sauce seemed to fit the bill.

Now, I’ve been making chocolate sauce since I was a young girl living on the farm.  However, I’ve never used a recipe nor have I ever measured anything.  I make it different every time.  For many years, I didn’t make it all.  But, over the past several years I’ve made healthy, homemade vanilla ice cream from time to time.  Warm, homemade chocolate sauce poured over homemade ice cream is one of life’s ultimate treats!  Who needs Hershey’s when you can easily have homemade?

Making chocolate sauce isn’t difficult at all and it is so much healthier than what is available in the stores.  Since I usually don’t have baking chocolate in the house, I’ve developed a recipe that uses cocoa powder instead of the baking chocolate.  Carob can also be used instead of cocoa powder.  Sometimes I’ll add hot water to the cocoa powder and make a paste.  Then heat that mixture and add sweetener and a little cream, butter, and vanilla.  With today’s recipe I actually melt the butter and then add the cocoa powder and the sweeteners.  Then I add the cream or coconut milk.  (The coconut milk will not alter the taste, nor will it taste like coconut.)

The sauce needs to be stirred constantly while being made to prevent burning the chocolate.  Burned chocolate is NOT appetizing.  Always add the vanilla extract last and after you remove the pan from the stove, otherwise the alcohol in the vanilla can bubble up and burn you.  The addition of peanut or almond butter also makes the sauce yummy if you like chocolate and peanut butter together.

Prayer Power
Father, we thank You for our faithful readers and for those who encourage us.  May You pour out blessing after blessing on them.

Link of the Day
Chocolate Sauce

Blessings on you as you enjoy some healthy chocolate sauce.

“Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love.”  Charlie Brown

“Do you have a favorite food from your growing up years?  What could be done to make it in a more healthy fashion?

They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.  (Psa. 36:8; NIV)

I didn’t set out to have this month be a month of chocolate recipes.  As I mentioned previously, no form of chocolate touched my lips for years.  I was allergic to so many foods and my diet was extremely limited.  I would occasionally enjoy a homemade carob treat and had totally forgotten the taste of chocolate until a few years ago.  At one time, I developed a healthy version of the “No Bake Cookies” many of you might be familiar with from your growing up years (using carob instead of cocoa).  Most “No Bake Cookie” recipes call for white sugar (and lots of it), and milk along with the other ingredients.  Today’s recipe does use organic cocoa instead of carob but I also use honey (lots less than the white sugar) and no milk.

Over the past few years I’m sure we’ve all read or heard of chocolate’s controversy and/or its benefits.  This won’t be a treatise on chocolate.  However, Dr. Joseph Mercola says, “If you eat chocolate, eat only DARK chocolate. Dark chocolate has antioxidant properties, which can actually help to protect the body from damaging oxidative stress. It also is far better than milk chocolate, as adding milk cancels out the chocolate’s antioxidant effects.”

Dr Mercola goes on to say, “Only eat chocolate if you’re healthy. Chocolate, even if it is dark, still contains large quantities of sugar, and eating sugar is a profoundly negative influence on your immune system. So the key point here is that if you are sick, the absolute last thing you want to do is eat any sugars.”

And always consume chocolate in moderation. A small bit of chocolate can be very satisfying if you savor each bite, rather than just wolfing it down. Also, if you are constantly craving sweets, your body is lacking in specific nutrients and you’re likely not eating the correct balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates for your body’s needs.

So, if you’re taking responsibility for your own health and caring for your body in a proper fashion with exercise and a diet of whole, natural and healthy foods, enjoy a “No Bake Treat.”

Prayer Power
Father, we thank You that we can delight in You and that You delight in us.

Link of the Day
Healthy No-Bake Treats

Blessings on you as you enjoy a healthy treat.

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.”  Thoreau

What one thing can you do this week to serve someone you love?

We love because He first loved us.  (1John 4:19; NIV)

Ah, Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching!  A day for remembering all those we love and care about in a special way.  Jerry has said for many years that we have Valentine’s Day every day at our house!  We continue to grow in our love and admiration for one another, even after all these years!  I enjoy making a fuss over special occasions, although admittedly time pressures and growing older have decreased my “fuss-making” somewhat.

Years ago when Jerry worked at Eastman Kodak, I packed his lunch every day.  One year for his Valentine’s lunch I made everything in the shape of a heart.  I cut his bread with a large heart-shaped cookie cutter, giving him a heart-shaped sandwich.  I made him heart-shaped cookies and I recall that I arranged carrot strips and fresh fruit in containers in the shape of a heart.

I also used to make a heart-shaped chocolate or carob cake each year for Valentine’s Day.  I haven’t made this cake for a number of years, so am now resurrecting the recipe for our readers to have a healthy alternative to celebrate “Love Day.”    I use all whole food ingredients.  I grind my flour fresh with a grain mill.  If you don’t have a grain mill, buy organically grown, whole spelt flour.  The combination of coconut oil and butter makes the cake soft and moist.

For our readers who don’t care for chocolate or don’t care to eat it, carob powder can be substituted for the cocoa powder in equal amounts.  I actually used carob for most of the years I’ve made this cake as I didn’t eat chocolate until the last few years.  Sucanat and pure maple syrup give the cake its sweetness but it’s not overly sweet.

If you’ve never made 7 Minute Frosting, it’s a great treat that’s not difficult to make, it just takes some time and patience.  Many frosting recipes call for cream of tartar.  I’ve used it from time to time but didn’t use it for this recipe and the frosting is smooth and fluffy.  Bear in mind that this frosting won’t be lily white since I used maple syrup and Sucanat.  It’s a lovely silky beige color.

Have a great Valentine’s Day.  Let me know how you liked the cake.

Prayer Power
Lord, we thank You that You love us every day.  You pour out Your love on us continually.  May we honor you with all we do and say.

Link of the Day
Chocolate Heart Cake

Blessings on you as you find ways to bless those you love.