Celery Juice for Better Sleep

Posted on by

I have something interesting and exciting to share! Anyone who really knows me, knows that I’m a pretty poor sleeper. I feel tired, I go to bed, I toss and turn for hours. I limit my caffeine intake to mostly mornings only but it doesn’t quite matter-although if I drink caffeine in the afternoon, I’m wide awake till the sunrises again!

So what’s my big deal? Last Friday I decided to juice 2-3 ribs of celery, knowing that celery is a natural sleep inducer but not quite believing it would help. It helped the first 2 nights but I thought I was just THAT tired, it’s coincidence. I continued each night with about 2 ribs of celery and have been sleeping surprisingly well, not drugs just food!! Wow!

Last night, it was late when I thought of it and I didn’t want to clean the juicer, which in fact is easy, but I decided to try my small magic bullet. I used 2 ribs of celery, cut it small enough to fit in the cup, added water to just cover the celery so it would actually move around, and blended it for a good 2-3 minutes. While it was smooth, it was a bit textured, not the best feeling but through a straw, it went down easily enough and again, I slept well!

You could always snack on 2-3 ribs before bed too, just chew it well! I prefer to extract the nutrients and drink it so that my body will absorb it quickly and easily. Give it a try; let us know how it works for you!

celery juice

Browned Tempeh with Marinara Snack

Posted on by

image

It looks unhealthy but it’s not! :)

While I don’t normally make a habit of eating soy, once in awhile it’s okay as a treat.
Tempeh is low in fat, low in sodium, high in protein & potassium, has no cholesterol, has some calcium vitamin B6, magnesium, B12 and 25% iron per cup.

Slice 1 block of tempeh into 1/4″ slices,  heat oil in pan and brown tempeh on both sides. Add your favorite healthy dipper into a cup. Use marinara sauce,  peanut butter with a dash of tamari sauce and chili powder, or a lighter yogurt/cucumber dip.

Potato, Fresh Corn & Leek Chowder with Celeriac

Posted on by

In my attempt to eat less during dinner I’m trying to eat more vegetable based soups before the main course.

I decided to use fresh veggies that I recently picked up from the local farm stand. A few of the highlight veggies turned out to make one fabulous soup!

wpid-20130917_180312.jpg

Here’s the recipe:
3 large potatoes

3-6 leeks, cleaned, green part trimmed off

2 celery roots, peeled and chopped

3 strips of bacon, I used all natural, no nitrates or nitrites (Omit if vegan dish is preferred)

4 cups water

2 cups almond milk

2 ears fresh corn, kernels removed

Salt and Pepper

Chop bacon into tiny bits and sautee in large pot until crisp-if not using bacon, heat 3 tablespoons of olive, grape seed or sunflower oil, add chopped celeriac (celery root), potatoes, leeks and water, add salt and simmer low for 30 minutes. Add corn and almond milk, heat through.

Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with pepper and enjoy!

wpid-20130917_183101.jpg

Sautéed Squash and String Beans

Posted on by

imageIt’s easy!

Grab a few handfuls of string beans,

1 zucchini

1 summer (yellow crookneck) squash

2 garlic cloves, peeled & minced or pressed

2-3 Tbs. Olive oil

2 Tbs. tamari or soy sauce

Salt & Pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a medium-high heated pan and sautee for about 5 minutes until veggies are tender-crisp.

Sorghum

Posted on by

My new favorite gluten free grain

image

You can pop it like you would make popcorn, simmer it and use it in a wide variety of ways.
I made a curried sorghum salad from Bob’s Red Mill sorghum.

image

I did pop some too, it tasted good and looked like cute little popcorn!

Zucchini & Kale Soup

Posted on by

image

1 lg zucchini (or 4 small), chopped
8 lg leaves kale, cut into thin ribbons
1 lg sweet onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 inch fresh ginger peeled & chopped
2 tbsp olive or grapeseed oil
4 cups broth
1/4 tsp. Turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup coconut milk
Salt & black pepper to taste

Heat oil in large saucepan, add zucchini & onion, cook on medium until onions are soft. Add broth, garlic, ginger, half of the kale and spices. Simmer until zucchini is cooked, about 30 minutes; using a hand blender, puree until smooth.  Add coconut milk, salt if needed and remaining kale- simmer 10 minutes, add freshly ground pepper and seeds ~ serve & enjoy!

image

image

Continue reading →

Summer Fare

Posted on by

image

Fresh garden salad with walnuts, grilled wild salmon, and leftover gluten free pasta and veggies make for a fast but healthy dinner.  Be creative!

Time for Quiet Reflection

Posted on by

You can find answers to your questions when you give yourself the time and space to think about them.

Giving yourself the time and space is as simple as sitting quietly for 5-10 minutes witout distractions from radio, tv, phone, internet. You might find that turning off the radio while driving can open up a flood of thought and resolve.

You might find answers to: “how can I do this…reset your intentions…control cravings…forgive yourself…find peace…”

Be kind to your mind every day; find time for queit reflection.

Goals and Dreams

Posted on by

Success in reaching any goal happens when you’re truly committed from the heart and head-when both are in sync, success wins.

If you fight with yourself, if you hate what you must do to reach a goal then you’re most likely not going to follow through. If you have to find excuses or reason with yourself every step of the way, then you’re heart isn’t in it.

Being and living healthy shouldn’t be a chore, it shouldn’t feel like work; it should feel like renewal, like the new you….the vibrant, energetic, positive you!

Set your mind and heart in sync. Love who you are and who you want to be. Never give up on your goals – never be too old to dream big!