Watermelon Mint Sorbetto, Mint Lemonade

While Sarah was visiting with all that came to her reception, and dancing with Jordan

I was drinking cup after cup of the delicious lemon

Mint Lemonade
ice
water
country time lemonade mix
fresh mint,  chopped (4-5 leaves, or to taste)

Fill a blender 2/3 full with ice and water. (NO MORE reports Cheryl...unless you want to clean up a mess!) Add a scoop of lemonade mix and mint.

image and recipe here
we didn't have pink, but it's an option.


_________________________________

I checked out a book on gelato and other frozen desserts. 

The first I tried was a Watermelon Mint Sorbet. 

The guys said they would like it without the mint. 

(I even cut the amount of mint the recipes called for in half!)

I loved it! And it reminded me of the lemonade with mint posted above.

I also tried cantaloupe and enjoyed it.

[you can click for a larger image of the recipe]

The source of future yumminess to experiment with!

'Otai

image and alternate recipe here

We have a Tongan ward in our stake, and many are friends and/or relatives of the Tongan family we met in our ward a number of years ago. Suliana made a delicious traditional meal for us then, including having her brother roast a pig. The drink she made was mango and ice, and so wonderful. Ian was excited to try this version of the recipe from The Friend magazine. A couple years ago they were highlighting friends around the world and this month featured Tonga.This was so yummy! Ian liked it least of all though. This was so yummy! Ian liked it least of all though.

Almond Joy Brownie Bites + 2 months of green smoothie recipes

recipe from here

I saw these online and then made them for our ward Christmas Party. The blogger who put these together said she wanted to know what "would happen if Almond Joys and brownies got married and had a baby." Sounds yummy to me! 

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

Brownie batter (homemade, from a boxed mix, whatever is your favorite. I used Ghirardelli)
4 c. sweetened shredded coconut
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
About 4 dozen almonds
Chocolate candy melts or almond bark (I used chocolate chips)


Preheat your oven according to brownie recipe directions and generously spray two mini muffin pans with nonstick spray. Fill cups about 1/2 full with brownie batter and bake according to directions.

When brownies are done, place pans on a cooling rack and remove brownies once cooled completely.

In a medium bowl, combine coconut and sweetened condensed milk. With clean hands, roll coconut mixture into balls and press onto tops of brownie bites. Press an almond into the top of each. Place brownies in the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes.

Melt almond bark or candy melts according to directions. Remove brownies from freezer and dip the tops in the chocolate. Place dipped brownies on a wax paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set.

Yield: Approximately 40 brownie bites


_________________

Happy 2015!

If you are looking to eat more healthy in the new year—after eating Almond Joy Brownie Bites, of course—here are collections of greens smoothies to help with those good habits.

Raw Food Family Green Smoothie 30 day challenge—videos here
They use whole foods, not supplement powders, etc.

Here are a few of the first days. I've not watched all the videos to collect the rest. If you leave a comment, I'd be happy to send you the rest after I gather them.

Day 1
½ bunch green kale
½ bunch basil
½ banana
½ pear
5 strawberries
1 pint water

Day 2
½ bunch dandelion greens
½ apple
½ banana
½ cup blueberries
4 apricots
1 pint water

Day 3
¼ medium watermelon
½ -1 bunch basil

Day 4
¼ medium watermelon
½ bunch dandelion greens
½ banana
½ cup blueberries

Day 5 (savory smoothie)
½ bunch watercress
¼ bunch green kale
2 medium tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
½ small avocado
½ lemon
1 pint water

Day 6
½ bunch Swiss chard
½ - 1 cup green grapes
½ small avocado
½ apple
½ lemon
1 pint water

Day 7
½ bunch dinosaur kale
½ - 1 cup green grapes
½ banana
½ tangelo
5 strawberries
1 pint water

Green Smoothie Girl  30 day challenge—Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5 with recipes/shopping lists. She had some creative combos of heathy things, but also promotes buying her protein powders, etc. I've included these, and the Raw Food Family videos above to show the variety of choices for healthy smoothies. What a quick and easy fast food full of nutrition!




by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Hot Pink Smoothie

recipe and image from here

I started drinking green smoothies about 5 years ago. Here's a post with more information. A friend gave me the recipe for this pink smoothie. I have to say I was skeptical, but I do really enjoy it. Scott also! I usually don't do the optional ingredients, and and half a medium or one small beet. I've tried using fresh young coconuts, but prefer buying coconut water. This is what I learned about beets: 

"The juice of the beet is rich in sodium, chlorine, iodine, copper, bioflavanoids, and vitamins B1, B2, and C. Folic acid, found abundantly in beets, helps anemias and cervical cancer. The juice is excellent for cleansing and rebuilding kidneys and gallbladder. As a fibrous root, it's excellent for eliminating constipation, adding bulk to the diet, and improving peristalsis in the intestines. The red color is actually betacyanin, a powerful anti-carcinogen known to prevent colon cancer. And a study showed a 30-40% drop in cholesterol and triglycerides of animals fed beet fiber."

It's amazing to me that all of the different whole foods we are give are packed with nutrients. If we ate with variety, prudence and thanksgiving as the scriptures say, we would be the most healthy. Eating what we can in season also benefits us.

Hot Pink Smoothie
1-1/2 c. coconut liquid (raw from a coconut, or you can find this in cans or cartons)
1 large carrot, cleaned and cut into small pieces (or 5-6 baby carrots)
1/4 of a medium beet, raw, peeled
1/4 c. cashews, raw and unsalted
1/4 c. chopped dates
2 t. vanilla
12 frozen or fresh strawberries
optional: 1-2 T. plant protein powder (with hemp, pea, brown rice, and chia)
optional: 2 T. kefir or yogurt.

And if you are up for a heathy start to your holidays, you can sign up for this December green smoothie challenge. Here is the link. If you complete the challenge you'll get these two free e-cookbooks above.

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

chill out with beverages

These looked very refreshing to me. Let me know if you try one.

I have them on my list for this summer. So far I've tried one of the four I'm posting.

Watermelon Breeze
3 c. cubed chilled watermelon
1 c. coconut water
squeeze of fresh lime

:::::

I did try this shake that is supposed to take like a Wendy's frosty. 

It was chocolaty and chilly.

Skinny Shake
3/4 c. almond milk
about 15 ice cubes
1/2 t. vanilla
1-2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 of a banana
Blend.

:::::

This smoothie was from the Oprah site. "Enjoy this beverage as often as you like. (I typically recommend two glasses between meals.) Pineapple contains digestive enzymes. Kale is rich in compounds that support enzymes in the liver. And artichoke can improve bile flow."

Pineapple Kale Juice
½ c. pineapple
4 c.chopped kale leaves (no stems)
2 large cucumbers
½ lemon, squeezed
½ c. mint
2 artichoke hearts (from can or jar)
Directions

If you don't have a juicer, use a blender on high; just add 1½ cups water and remove the pulp with a strainer. I recommend keeping the pulp in and getting a few extra grams of fiber.

:::::

I'm still doing the green smoothie thing, so more recipes = more variety.

Parsley-Passion Green Smoothie 1½ c. water ½ cucumber 1 banana 1 c. pineapple chunks ¼ bunch of parsley 1 c. ice cubes Add ingredients to FourSide or WildSide jar in order listed. Select “Whole Juice.”

:::::

recipe from here

Strawberry Lemonade

10 strawberries
1 lemon, juiced
4 dates (or 2 Tablespoon honey)
I quart pure water

Blend well.
Serves 3

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake

recipe and image from here

The preparedness group I'm in has been sending healthy snack recipes. Here's one we tried yesterday. It was very good. The person who sent it said their family makes it with almond butter, so we'll have to try that next time.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake
2 frozen bananas
¾ c. almond milk (homemade or store-bought)
1 T. pure maple syrup (optional)
2 T. cocoa powder
¼ c. natural peanut butter
pinch of sea salt
1 t. vanilla extract
7 ice cubes (about 2 handfuls)

Throw all of the ingredients into a high-powered blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. (I like to freeze my bananas whole, for easy measuring, then I break them in half when adding them to the blender.) Pour into two glasses and serve immediately!

Notes:
• For best results, use a high-speed blender like the Vitamix, which breaks down ice effortlessly. A traditional blender should also work– though, you may need to add a bit more almond milk to facilitate blending.

• 1-2 servings
 

Cabbage Salad, Mango Spinach Salad, Chia Lemonade, Lemon Chia Seed Muffins, Chia and Flax Egg Replacements

This post has been postponed from the summer. We were invited to a BBQ with friends, and asked to bring a salad. I wanted to try this new-to-us cabbage salad (recipe below). Our friends' daughter-in-law made the exact salad...and those were the only two for dinner. It was pretty funny! I should have gone with my other choice, the Spinach Mango Salad.

I also learned more about chia seeds this summer. 

Here are some facts:

just 2 tablespoons of chia has—

4 grams of complete protein

4.5 grams of omega 3 oils

5.5 grams fiber

9% RDA calcium

7% RDA iron

Here's another chia recipe Karen sent this summer. Give the little seeds a try. It's easy to add them to a smoothie, sprinkle them on food, or even just eat a few from your hand. There are stories about South American long distance runners historically using them because of their high nutrition. 

image and recipe from here

Lemon Chia Seed Muffins
1-3/4 c. whole-wheat pastry flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. chia seeds (black, white, or a mix)
1/2 c. unsweetened soy milk or 2% milk
2 t. fresh squeezed lemon juice
2/3 c. unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. lemon zest (or zest of 1 small lemon)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chia seeds. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fill each well of the lined muffin tin 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until slightly golden in color and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

image from here

I got this recipe from the preparedness group leader we buy things through. The notes are hers.

Chia Agave Lemonade
For 1 gallon:
1 c. agave
2 c. lemon juice
2 c. hydrated chia - 6 T. chia to 2 c. water (I just add the chia to the water in the pitcher.)

Shake together in a 1 gallon container. Add water to make 1 gallon - shake. Chill overnight. Shake before serving.

I ran the lemonade through my Blendtec to pulverize the chia so the kids would drink it. I think it will actually be better that way. Lemonade is a personal thing. Some like it sweet and some tart. We like it tart so this recipe may need adjustment for your taste.

Finally, you can use chia as an egg replacement. No chia? You can also use flax seed!

Chia Egg Replacement

3 T. water

1 T. chia seed

Let soak for 20 minutes. Use for one egg.

Flax Seed Egg Replacement

1 T. ground flax seeds

2-3 T. water

by Karen, Barbara's daughter; and Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Southwest Quinoa Salad, Blackberry Watermelon Smoothie

We tried these two recipes in August for a cool summer supper.  They were both good. With leftover salad, I added avocado. I think it would also be good with shopped bell peppers in all colors. Scott thought chopped tomatillos would also be good. And, if you love spice, you'll want to add your favorite hot sauce.

Blackberry, Watermelon and Chia Seed Smoothie
1 c. chopped watermelon
1 c. blackberries
1 handful spinach
1 T. chia seeds
1/2 c. coconut water
1 c. mango, frozen or fresh
1 t. raw honey

Put all of these ingredients in a blender with a handful of ice cubes to ensure that it is cold. Blend on high for 45 seconds. Drink and enjoy! Here's the link to this recipe.

SOUTHWEST QUINOA SALAD
2 c. quinoa, rinsed well (soak for a few minutes, then drain in a fine strainer)
4 c. water
2 cans black beans, rinsed well
4 medium tomatoes, diced
8 green onions, chopped (including most of the green part)
1 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing
1 heaping T. grated lime zest
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
6 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. maple syrup
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the lime zest and juice, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a serving bowl. Simmer the quinoa in water uncovered for about 10 min. Turn off the heat, cover, and let stand 10 min. Strain any excess water. Add quinoa to dressing and toss well, then stir in remaining ingredients (beans, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro). I made a half batch and we had leftovers for three of us. Here's the link.

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

'Seeded' Watermelon Frosty

The watermelon frosty was great…could have used less maple syrup! Probably depends on the fruit and your own taste, but very cute and I actually liked the chia seeds in it (me and chia have an iffy relationship at present) so this is good. 

Watermelon Frosty 
2 1/4 c. frozen watermelon cubes
1/2 c. water (approximately)
2 T. maple syrup
1 large lemon, squeezed (lime juice also works very well! use 2 limes)
1 fresh banana

Blend. Fold in about 1/2 t. of chia seeds per glass. Serve!

See link here, and more chia information

optional: a few dashes of cayenne powder in the blender or over top when you serve!
Garnish: a few slices of watermelon - with rind on - frozen. Serves 2

link here

Lime Watermelon Frosty 
2 c. frozen watermelon
1 large ripe banana
2 T. agave syrup (or maple syrup)
4 T. lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/2 t. lime zest
1/2 c. + water as needed to get blender moving

optional: a few dashes of cayenne for a spicy sip
optional: a few ice cubes for an extra frosty sip – I like to use coconut water ice cubes

serves 2-3
Blend. Serve!
video link here

contributed by Karen, Barbara's daughter

Pineapple Smoothie

Just made this as part of our breakfast.....AMAZING!!!!!

(Carissa, Erik and Ethan celebrate Carissa's birthday.)

Pineapple Smoothie 

1 frozen banana 

1/3 of container of pineapple star fruit concentrate 

1/3 c. frozen mango chunks 

1 c. pineapple juice 

1/4 c. vanilla yogurt 

1 c. milk

Ethan getting into videos, bubbles and his duck.

by Erik, grandson of Barbara

Sarah's Pink Flamingo Smoothie

I saw this recipe and it reminded me of Sarah,
and her love for pink flamingos. 

You might want to try one this weekend
to celebrate Sarah's 21st birthday Sunday!

Pink Flamingo Smoothies
1 pint strawberries
2 bananas
2 raspberry yogurts
2 c. milk

Wash and hull strawberries. Peel bananas and slice into quarters. Place all fruit in blender; add yogurt and milk. Cover and pureé until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour into glasses. Makes 8 smoothies.

Pink Flamingo smoothies prepped and ready for a family 'car picnic' on the way to a Emergency Preparedness Expo this evening.

Chocolate Cherry Berry Smoothie, Banana Spelt Muffins, Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

Cheryl tried this smoothie recipe and loved it. A healthy alternative to a chocolate shake. This came from Blendtec, the Orem company where Kyle works.

Chocolate Cherry Berry Smoothie 

10 oz. vanilla coconut milk
2 c. spinach leaves
1 banana
2 ½ T. cacao or cocoa powder
¾ c. frozen blueberries
¾ c. frozen cherries

Add ingredients to blender jar in order listed and secure lid. Blend until smooth, then serve.

Note: Use a ripe banana to add a little more natural sweetness to the smoothie. As the banana ripens, the enzyme amylase begins to break down starch which leads to the formation of sucrose, aka table sugar.

Nutrition info per serving:
Servings 2
Serving Size 12 fl oz
Calories 200
Fat 4.5 g
Saturated Fat 4 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 45 mg
Carbohydrates 41 g
Fiber 8 g
Sugar 25 g
Protein 5 g

Cheryl made these Banana Spelt muffins and liked how they turned out.

She added three handfuls of oats to the mix.

Banana Spelt Muffins
1 egg
¼ c. butter or coconut butter, softened
3 ripe bananas
¾ c. granulated sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1½ c. wholegrain spelt flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
½ t. salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. Add first 5 ingredients to blender jar and secure lid. Press “Pulse” 4-6 times. Add dry ingredients to jar and secure lid. Press “Pulse” 4-6 times until dry ingredients are barely incorporated. Pour batter into a greased muffin tin or a tin lined with paper cups. Bake 15-18 minutes until done.

For a little spice, try adding ¼ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg.

For a little crunch, try adding ¾ C walnuts to the first addition of ingredients. As the wet ingredients blend and the blender blade mashes the bananas, the walnuts will be chopped.

Note: All-purpose flour may be used in place of wholegrain spelt flour.

Nutrition Info:
Servings 12
Serving Size 1 muffin
Calories 170
Fat 4.5 g
Saturated Fat 2.5 g
Cholesterol 30 mg
Sodium 260 mg
Carbohydrates 29 g
Fiber 2 g
Sugar 16 g
Protein 2 g

by Cheryl, Barbara's daughter

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup 1 celery root, peeled and cubed 1 large parsnip, peeled and thickly sliced 1 large carrot, peeled and thickly sliced 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed 1 medium onion, thickly sliced 4 garlic cloves, peeled 3 T. olive oil 5-6 C chicken or vegetable broth 1 ½ t. white wine vinegar 1/16 t. cayenne pepper Salt and pepper to taste  Preheat oven to 400°F.  Add prepared vegetables, onion and garlic to 9x13-inch pan and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss vegetables in olive oil and bake for 45 minutes until roasted and tender.  Add 3 cups of broth to blender jar and roasted vegetables and secure lid.  Select “Smoothies”.  Pour remaining broth into large saucepan and add pureed soup. Taste and adjust salt as necessary and add black pepper, if desired and serve warm. For a creamy touch, try adding ½ cup of half and half or full-fat coconut milk before serving or garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream.  Serve with a sprinkling of paprika, cumin or fresh herbs of your choice. Nutrition info per serving: Servings 9 Serving Size 1 cup Calories 100 Fat 4.5 g Saturated Fat 0.5 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 380 mg Carbohydrates 13 g Fiber 2 g Sugar 4 g Protein 2 g

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Christmas morning breakfast

Our traditional Christmas brunch consists of cinnamon rolls (Sedro Woolley cookbook, page 42!), ham & cheese omelettes (Scott's the chef), and Orange Julius (from Mom's cookbook, recopied below). This year we celebrated Christmas a little early as we had all in our family together last weekend here in Oregon. It was a bit hard, as Ian came down with croup and we tried to keep him quarantined from all, especially the babies. Despite the difficulties of that and a small house, it was nice to spend time together.

You can also click here to go to a Cinnamon Roll recipe posted before. It's modified by the infamous Sunday School teacher and cinnamon rolls (and scones and more) teacher/baker Karen Christianson. (I decided to cheat by scanning the recipe instead of typing, as I'm not sure anyone checks this blog anyway! You can get bigger picture by clicking on the scanned recipe.)

ORANGE JULIUS
1/2 (12 oz.) can (1/3 c.) frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. (or less) sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
5 or 6 ice cubes  (or more)

Combine all ingredients in blender; cover and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately. Makes about 3 cups.

Scott learned how to perfect his omelette skills by watching a segment by Julia Child on David Letterman way back when. I tried to find it on YouTube, but wasn't successful. If you go to this link, you can hear her saying she'd make omelettes for a dinner party of 300. Yowza! I did find a hilarious bit with the two of them making hamburgers. It involves a blow torch and you won't want to miss it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas Day update:

Kyle called us with a recipe for Mint Hot Chocolate made in the blender. We are going to sip it sitting by the fireplace this evening. Merry Christmas!

Mint Hot Chocolate

6-8 T. Nestlé hot chocolate mix
3 c. warm water
1-2 candy canes

Put all ingredients in blender. If you have a Blendtec, use the "soup" cycle. He said it will come out perfectly smooth, and the perfect temperature.

by Barbara's son Scott, and his wife Dee

Breakfast in a Cup + Coconut Oil

We tried this for breakfast. It was quick, easy and great!

Breakfast In A Cup
Servings: 2

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
2 frozen bananas
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk (use more or less to adjust to desired consistency) or use kefir
1/2 cup coconut peanut butter or peanut butter
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil*, melted
dash cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup spinach (optional)

Place all ingredients in a good blender. Blend until smooth and well mixed. Pour into 2 glasses and drink immediately. [We used kefir, added about 1 T. of agave, and didn't put in spinach. Next time I want to try it with less peanut butter.]

got the recipe here

~~~~~~~~~

Popcorn with Coconut Oil

1/2 c. popcorn kernels

1/4 c. coconut oil

Put in kettle over medium heat on stovetop. When the oil is melted, shake the pan back and forth over the burner so the popcorn won't burn. Don't turn up the heat. When the popcorn is popped, remove from heat and add salt to taste. (We have been using 1/2 of this recipe and it is just right for three of us.)

Coconut Oil

I am in a preparedness group that does group buys on healthy foods, etc. I'm pasting in an email from a couple of the group members. The claims for coconut oil sound pretty amazing, which always makes me skeptical. The best advice we have is 'moderation in all things.' I was introduced to the product (and the group) by my healthy friend Debbie. I've been using it in cooking, and having it on toast for a few months now. Also, Debbie's husband Stan likes making popcorn with it, so I've included his recipe above. We've been enjoying the popcorn too!

Here are some of the claims about coconut oil:

"If you have looked around your grocery store and especially any health food store you will probably have noticed a lot of products that are now available containing coconut, i.e. coconut water, coconut oil, coconut ice cream and coconut milk. There are also lots of skin care products that contain coconut oil.

If you pick up any food item and read the labels (which I always urge that you do) you probably noticed that coconut products are high in fat and high in calories. You may have decided to put it back on the shelf especially if you are counting calories and trying to avoid fat. Well stop, don’t do that, because here is the good news about coconut oil.

Coconut oil will help you lose weight, will keep your joints, hair, thyroid and almost every cell in your body healthy and happy. Coconut oil is healthy for your heart because it contains about 50% lauric acid, which helps in preventing various heart problems including high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Coconut oil has the ability to kill viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis, herpes, SARS, etc. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections and pneumonia, etc. Coconut oil is also effective on fungi and yeast that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete’s food, thrust, diaper rash, etc.

If your joints hurt, you feel sluggish, have allergies, can’t lose weight no matter what you do, then you probably have candidiasis (yeast) overgrowth and coconut oil can rid your body of these nasty little invaders. Start by adding 1 teaspoon a day to your diet and work up to 1 tablespoon. I add my coconut oil to my morning smoothie. You will have some die-off and may have a feeling of flu symptoms or a feeling of unwellness, so don’t go too fast. Drink plenty of water and avoid sugar and sugar products such as juice. (Sugar is what keeps the nasties growing.) As the candida die off you will start to improve your health and you will get your energy back, and be able to shed the pounds.

Coconut oil is great for cooking and if you don’t like the taste then add part organic coconut oil and part organic olive oil to your pan. It can stand higher temperatures than most oil, but if it starts to smoke remove it from the heat, so the high heat doesn’t destroy all the benefits.

Coconut oil helps prevent liver diseases and kidney and gall bladder disease and helps to dissolve kidney stones. It is even believed to be useful in treating pancreatitis.

Coconut oil helps control blood sugar and is effective in utilization of blood glucose, thereby preventing and treating diabetes. It is great for bones and teeth as it helps your body to absorb important minerals such as calcium and magnesium.

Coconut oil breaks down the bad fat and is easily converted into energy. Best of all it does not lead to an accumulation of fat in the heart and arteries. Athletes love it because it helps to boost their energy and endurance and enhances their performance.

Coconut oil contains Vitamin E, Vitamin K and minerals such as iron.

If your hair tends to be dry then melt some of the oil in your microwave, wait for it to cool down a bit, then pour it on your scalp and work through your hair. Leave it on for 30 minutes for a real treatment. Just shampoo as you normally do, but notice how much healthier and shinier your hair is.

Wow, now that you know it is so healthy, please don’t avoid it. Find the best and most organic coconut oil that you can and add it to your diet."

"We do order Tropical Traditions Virgin coconut oil which is hand made. ALL other coconut oil is expeller expressed, even the virgin stuff. Tropical Traditions is the only coconut oil company in the US that has it own farms. they know everything about their oil. ALL others buy from huge importers who get it from everywhere and repackage, that is why they have so little information to share about their oil. They don't know where it came from. With Tropical Traditions you know your coconut oil farmer!"

kefir

A few weeks ago, my friend Debbie hosted a class on kefir (officially pronounced keh f é-er [as keh in kettle, and fear]). We were visiting Georgia and Virginia so I missed it. Then she and her husband took a tour of Jerusalem, and I became the kefir 'sitter'. I learned a lot in those two weeks. I did much testing and found things that worked and didn't turn out so great. So...what is it? Basically a yogurt-like fermented milk product that has probiotic properties. According to Sarah E., these are great for us. (For more information on kefir, click on the links here, here and here.) Kefir is supposed to be easier for people with lactose intolerance to digest. 

The picture above shows the cultured kefir, and the picture below shows the 'grains' (not really grains as we think of grains, but a bacteria mass.) You can drink the kefir plain, mix it with juice, make smoothies with it, or cook with it. You can drain it (over 24-48 hrs. ) to make a soft cheese like sour cream or cottage cheese, or feta.  You can even eat the grains. You have to keep up with it—like a sourdough start—so it does involve some commitment. I haven't yet decided if it will work continually for our family. I priced a quart at a discount grocer and it was about $4...plus it has additives. It's been an another experiment in the kitchen. There's a recipe for fudge I'll have to give a try. If any one would like some grains to start with, stop by, I'd be happy to share! It's amazing how these multiply when you just feed them milk. You can also feed them non-milk products such as coconut milk.

kefir grains

Kefir Pancakes
One cup of any combination of grain flour (oats, spelt, buckwheat, barley flour, whole wheat)
Stir in 1 c. kefir or kefir whey and leave a room temperature 12-24 hours.
Stir in 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 egg

Coat griddle with virgin coconut oil (more on that another time!), and cook pancakes at 350 degrees. "These pancakes are somewhat flat and would make nice tortillas wraps for either sweet or savory fillings" says the recipe, though I haven't yet tried it.)

Kefir Pancakes II

2 c. flour
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 c. kefir
1/2 c. milk or buttermilk [I just used more kefir]
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten

I used part whole wheat, part white flour in these. They were fluffier than the first recipe.


Kefir Pancakes III

Blender Wheat Pancakes
1 c. kefir or milk (or reconstituted powdered milk: is 3 T. dry milk and 1 c. water)
1 c. wheat kernels (whole, uncooked)
2 eggs (or to use powdered eggs: 2 T. dry powdered eggs and 1/4 c. water)
2 t. baking powder
1-1/2 t. salt
2 T. oil
2 T. honey or sugar

Put milk and wheat kernels in blender. Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes (or 2 min. in high speed blender) or until batter is smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt and honey or sugar to above batter. Blend on low. Pour out batter into pancakes from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!) onto a hot greased or cooking sprayed griddle or large frying pan. Cook; flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.


Kefir Fruit Smoothie
1 c. kefir
fresh or frozen fruit (banan, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, mango
natural flavorings (cinnamon, stevia, cinnamon, vanilla, honey, maple syrup)

Blend.




Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
1 c. kefir
2 big T. peanut butter (natural)
1-2 T. cocoa power or 2 T. cocoa nibs
1 frozen banana
1 T. honey or agave (opt. )
blob of coconut oil (opt.)

Blend until smooth.


Vanilla or Chocolate Kefir Smoothie
1 lg. or 2 sm. bananas
1 c. kefir
1 c. coconut milk or water or cream
1-2 T. fresh kefir grains
1/2 t. cinnamon and ginger [I used 1/2 t. cinnamon + 1/4 t. ginger]
1 T. flax seed, soaked in kefir overnight [I've subbed ground flax when I forget to soak]
1/2 t. vanilla
2 fresh mint leaves
(for chocolate, include 1 T. cocoa powder)

Blend all ingredients. I really liked this. I think it will be the key to controlling the grain population so it doesn't run wild. In the summer, ice will make this even more like a shake. Debbie's daughter-in-law said this reminded her of the Mexican drink called Horchata.

Kefir Juice Drink
1/2 c. fruit juice of your choice
1/2 c.  kefir

Pour kefir over juice and drink. Easy!




I'd be happy to post some NORMAL recipes by anyone who'd like to email them!

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Green Smoothies

A few of years ago, a couple of gals in our ward did a RS cooking night based on the book Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfield. It was about getting more nutrition into our family meals. (There's also another book along that like called Stealth Health by an Oregonian dietician Brenda Ponichtera.) Great class and information. In that class, Joanna taught us about putting spinach in smoothies. I thought that there was NO way my guys would go for it, but they did. So for a few years I've been buying bags of spinach, then throwing them in the freezer. The fun part is crunching the spinach up into little bits. Anyway, we made smoothies with yogurt, bananas, frozen berries and a handful of spinach. As long as there is blueberry, or another dark fruit, it seemed drinkable. And nutritious!

Green Smoothie Revolution:
The Radical Leap Toward Natural Health
by Victoria Boutenko

http://greensmoothierevolution.com/
http://www.rawfamily.com/recipes
http://freegreensmoothierecipes.com/recipes/

Fast forward to last October. I saw the book above at our little Troutdale Library and checked it out. I learned about an Oregon woman who was trying to get more greens into her family's diet, as they were all suffering from ailments such as diabetes, heart disease, etc. Long story short, she started blending the greens. Then she began blending them with fruit so the smoothies were more tasty. I read her book, and then read her first book called Green for Life. It's a lot more technical about the nutrition in greens, etc. Anyway, I've been having a green smoothie most days since then. Scott will have some, and Ian has fun slurping them also. (Straws are the ticket for him!) Lately if I don't give him one, he asks for one. Victoria Boutenko is pretty radical (compared to the Standard American Diet—S.A.D.), and I don't want to scare you away...but throwing fruit and greens into the blender takes just a few minutes. The best 'fast food' ever. There has only been one time that I really couldn't choke one down. I added another banana and it was OK. I've kept a journal so I can remember what combos I/we like the best, but really it's been fun. AND NO COOKING! I've included some links, with recipes. She's all about just starting with water, adding fruit and greens and not really following a 'recipe' per se. I've been doing them for lunch, sharing with Ian, and saving some for late afternoon snack.Or we have a smoothie with a family meal. I did banana, fresh pineapple, mixed baby greens and water last week and all liked it. Unlimited options, so check the recipes to get ideas.

http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/

While talking about green smoothies with my friend Debbie, I found that she and her husband were having them regularly also. They have been following another person who is a 'soccer mom' version of the gal above. (And she speaks of the author about as one of the pioneers in the field.) She is trying to make it doable for a family and offers a 12 step program to going all whole food. (step one adding green smoothies, step two adding a salad every day, step three appropriate dressing, etc.) She makes 3 qts. of green smoothie every morning. She has a quart, then gives a pint to each of her kids. Her recipes and program are not all online free. I did find her basic book shown below at the library. Debbie and Stan are light years ahead on eating healthy. Stan is diabetic, so they are always trying to do what will help him the most. They us the other things she recommends like chia seeds and coconut oil, etc. I haven't done that yet. I'm kind of like those 'fence sitters' Elder Maxwell talked about some: wanting to be in Zion, but keep a summer house in Babylon! I have good habits I'm developing, but bad habits I'm still working to eliminate. I think the closer we can get to the Word of Wisdom with healthy the better, but not for all vegetarian/vegan. Debbie and I went to a free class this month (2/4) by Robyn Openshaw (AKA Green Smoothie Girl).  She was very interesting, and feels very strongly about young mothers helping their children learn good heath habits. She also started research this because of a sick child.

I'm not perfect at this...especially the additional expensive things. Scott still would prefer 'meat and potato' land, but is usually willing to try dishes.. Some of the stuff in these books is a bit out of my league now, but I've really enjoyed feeling heathier drinking one for lunch everyday. There is actually a non-fruit one that I love. If you like guacamole you might like it. It's avocado, romas, water, cilantro, onion, garlic, green pepper and salt. Hope there is something interesting to you!




Robyn’s Green Smoothie Template Recipe

Makes 8 cups of 100% raw smoothie.

Put 2 1/2 to 3 cups water (or some ice also) in your blender.

(Optionally, add:

½ t. stevia (herbal sweetener) or
up to ¼ cup raw, organic agave nectar (low glycemic index)

¼ whole lemon, including peel (anti-skin cancer, high in flavanoids)

2-3 T. fresh, refrigerated flax oil (omega-3 rich oil)

Gradually add greens until, briefly pureed, the mixture comes up the 5-cup line (or less if you are “converting”):

¾ to 1 lb. raw, washed greens, added up to 5 ½ cup line:

spinach, chard, kale, collards, mixed greens, celery, turnip greens, beet greens, arugula, dandelion etc.

Puree greens mixture for 90 seconds until very smooth.

Gradually add fruit until the container is very full, blend 90 seconds or until smooth:

1-2 bananas

1-2 cups frozen mixed berries

any other fruit to taste: pears, peaches, apples, oranges, apricots, cantaloupe, mango, pineapple, etc.

Make a full blender and you’ll have some to drink, and some to share.
Why is the green smoothie habit worth 10 minutes of your day?
One quart is 12-15 servings of greens and fruit. That quart costs about $2.50. (Think of what people are spending daily on Starbucks or the $1 fast food menu...)

p.s.  Tips:  For beginners and those trying to convert children (or spouses!), consider using LESS greens and MORE fruit (especially berries and bananas) in the beginning, gradually working up to a 50/50 ratio as described here.  Consider using only spinach the first few days, then sneak in chard, collards, and kale, the other mild but excellent greens gradually.  Add other savory or bitter greens only when your family are “experts” in green smoothies!  Add a bit more water if you feel the smoothie is too thick. Also, add dark berries if the smoothies is too 'green' for someone...or say it's a Shrek smoothie for kids.

http://www.wordofwisdomliving.com/

Finally, I read about a new blog on your health. I just spent a few minutes there, but really liked what I saw.  The man that started this is a church member and engineer and very down-to-earth and Word of Wisdom based. His daughter wrote a guest post on a blog I read, and I'm hooked. I'll have to go back and read from the beginning of the year. Here's a taste: "My parents taught me good habits as a child, but over the past few years my dad has gotten really serious about studying nutrition. I’ve been encouraging him to start his own blog so he can share all that he’s learned with the rest of us. It’s now up and running and it’s called Word of Wisdom Living. It’s becoming a real community, with people asking questions and sharing what works for them.

In January he started one year of “Healthy Changes”, one small thing you can change in your diet or lifestyle each week. He’ll post a new one each Monday for the rest of the year. So far these have touched on topics like soda, fried foods, exercise and vitamin D. You can even download a little reminder card that you can hang on your bathroom mirror to help you remember. He’ll also be reviewing some of his favorite health books, sharing nutritional blogs and medical journal studies, and some of his favorite healthy recipes.

I know that I am biased, but my dad is a really smart guy. I think we all could learn a lot from him. Here’s to a healthy 2011!"

Back to Dee—OK, and here's one I really like below:

And by the author: "Though an avid student of nutrition, I am neither doctor nor scientist and don’t pretend to be. In fact, that is my credential: I’m a private person studying a public puzzle: how to live. In my search I have read over a hundred books, plus many, many articles and studies. Whatever I have been able to learn, I freely offer for your consideration and comment."

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott