Peanut Flour Waffles

Every body has a sea of microorganisms, (bacteria, viruses, fungi) that reside in our intestines, throat, mouth, nose, you name it. Most of the time, these microorganisms do not cause illness, unless our resistance becomes lowered. Candida albicans is a yeast that lives in the intestines, mouth, throat and genitourinary tract of most humans and is usually considered to be a normal part of the bowel flora.

Candida enters infants shortly after birth. In a healthy baby, the growth of the yeast is kept under control by the baby’s immune system. But, if the immune system is compromized and weakend, problems such as thrush can happen.

Candida coexists in our bodies with many types of bacteria in a specific balance. Healthy bacteria work to keep candida growth in check in our body ecology. In a healthy body, the immune system keeps candida growth under control; but when immune response is weakened, candida growth can happen too fast. It is an “opportunistic organism,” and will try to colonize all bodily tissues. The uncontrolled growth of candida is known as candida overgrowth.

The first signs of candida overgrowth is nasal congestion, blisters in the mouth, sore throat, abdominal pain, belching, bloating, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, rectal burning or itching, vaginal itching and discharge, PMS, prostatitis, impotence, frequent urination, burning on urination, and bladder infections. But, if the immune system remains weak long enough, candida can cause fatigue, lack of concentration, mood swings, dizziness, headaches, bad breath, coughing, wheezing, joint swelling, arthritis, failing vision, ear pain, deafness, tearing eyes, muscle aches, depression, irritability, sweet cravings, numbness and tingling, cold hands and feet, asthma, hay fever, allergies, hives and rashes, eczema, psoriasis, chronic fungal infections infections.

The most common causes of candida overgrowth are antibiotics, steroids, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, oral contraceptives, mercury dental fillings, drugs or alcohol, chlorinated drinking water, meat or dairy products from animals fed antibiotics, and diets full of too much sugar and refined and processed foods.

If candida overgrowth is present certain foods should be eliminated, such as peanuts, yeast, sugar, starchy foods, mushrooms and others that could allow the candida to grow. Once candida is under control, you can re-introduce peanuts and mushrooms.



1 3/4 cup peanut flour
1 TBS baking powder
2 TBS Swerve
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup softened coconut oil or butter

Preheat waffle iron. In a medium sized bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until smooth.

Make sure the iron is hot and add the batter onto the greased waffle iron. Close the iron and cook according to directions (3-5 minutes) or until crisp. These tasted great by themselves or with a little butter melted on top! Makes 12 single waffles.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per single waffle)
Traditional Waffle = 166 calories, 9.2g fat, 3g protein, 17.6 carbs, 0.5g fiber
"Healthified" Waffle = 104 calories, 8.7 g fat, 5.7g protein, 3.9 carbs, 1.5g fiber

CLICK HERE TO FIND MY FAVORITE WAFFLE IRON!

Thai Peanut "Noodles"

I love peanut butter! I ate this for a 3PM snack when I got home. I am usually very hungry and this totally satisfied me and I loved that the peanut butter gave me a little love to my sweet tooth!

I always have a batch of zucchini shredded into noodles in the fridge and I had the peanut sauce ready to go. All I had to do when I got home was put the two together! I enjoyed it cold, but you could warm it first if desired.

Noodles:
4 cups zucchini, cut into noodle-like strips
*I used my handy-dandy tool: The Spiral Slicer

Peanut Sauce:
4 TBS natural peanut butter
4 TBS hot water
2 TBS aged wheat free tamari sauce (fermented soy sauce)
1 1/2 TBS Swerve
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Peanuts for garnish: I made chili lime peanuts...recipe to come:)

In a small bowl combine peanut butter and water; mix until a smooth paste forms. Stir in soy sauce, then Swerve, cayenne and lemon juice. Mix by hand until well combined and smooth. Mix with the zucchini and enjoy! Makes 4 servings.

Option: add chicken or shrimp to make this one hardy meal!

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Using White Pasta = 322 calories, 44 carbs, 3g fiber, 12g protein, 11g fat
Using Zucchini Pasta = 119 calories, 7 carbs, 3g fiber, 7g protein, 8g fat

Scotch Eggs

These were really tasty. I've never had a real scotch egg, but we liked these!

8 eggs 

1 lb ground lamb or pork sausage
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup coconut flour
1 tsp onion powder, OR other spice
1/4 cup coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place eggs in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs sit in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, immediately rinse with cold water, cool and peel.

Flatten the sausage and make a patty to surround each egg. Coat the sausage with beaten egg. Roll in coconut flour and onion powder mixture to cover evenly. In deep fryer, heat coconut oil to 375 degrees F. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes.
Nutritional Comparison:
"Traditional Scotch Egg" = 300 calories, 16 carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Scotch Egg = 328 calories, 1.5g carbs , 0.9g fiber

Eating at the State Fair

The MN State Fair starts this Thursday. I will be with Showcase MN giving suggestions on how to eat healthy at the fair. Most fairs have the same food items, so even if you are in a different area here are some of my favorite picks.

Have you ever noticed that you can eat a lot of junk food, but you never feel satisfied? Well, our brain is brilliant…it knows what nutrients we need to survive. So we produce hormones that send hunger pains and cravings. For example, leptin is our hormone that gives us a “satisfied” feeling. Leptin doesn't kick in when we consume too much fructose. And if you experience cravings for chocolate, it usually is because of a magnesium deficiency (chocolate is very high in magnesium). Cravings for salt can mean a zinc deficiency (oysters are very high in zinc).

When we eat packaged and convenience "food" without macro and micronutrients, we never feel satisfied and end up overeating. Here are some options at the fair that contain some of these important nutrients and NO TRANS-FAT.

Protein Waffles

These crisped up really nice. I plan on doubling the batch next time to keep in my freezer for an easy breakfast in the toaster!

2 cups almond flour
1 cup vanilla egg white or whey protein
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 TBS aluminum free baking powder
1 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
2 eggs
4 TBS butter or coconut oil, melted

Preheat waffle iron to high. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry. Let sit for 5 minutes. Bake according to your waffle iron directions. Enjoy! Makes 10 waffles.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per waffle)
Traditional Waffle = 247 calories, 27 carbs, 0.7g fiber
"Healthified" Waffle = 182 calories calories, 3.5 carbs, 1.5g fiber

CLICK HERE TO FIND MY FAVORITE WAFFLE IRON.

No Bake Protein Balls and SPECIAL K BARS

As consumers I want to warn you against false advertising. These Special K bars are anything but healthy and will cause weight gain rather than weight loss.

Kellogg's Special K Protein Snack Bar Chocolate Delight Ingredients: COATING (SUGAR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, WHEY, NONFAT DRY MILK, SOY LECITHIN, SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE, SALT, POLYSORBATE 60, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR), CORN SYRUP, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, FRUCTOSE, SUGAR, RICE FLOUR, SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER), TOFFEE BITS (SUGAR, BUTTER [CREAM, SALT], CRISP RICE [RICE FLOUR, SUGAR, MALT EXTRACT, SALT, RICE BRAN], CORN SYRUP, SWEETENED CONDENSED SKIM MILK [SUGAR, SKIM MILK], SALT), SOYBEAN AND PALM OIL WITH TBHQ, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF INULIN, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, NONFAT DRY MILK, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SALT, GELATIN, GLYCERIN, MALT EXTRACT, SODIUM ASCORBATE (VITAMIN C), VITAMIN E ACETATE, SOY LECITHIN, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, NIACINAMIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), ALMOND FLOUR, PARTIALLY DEFATTED PEANUT FLOUR, WHEAT STARCH, VITAMIN B12.

Issues with this so-called "protein" bar:
1. SUGAR is the main ingredient. It is listed first on the ingredient list (ingredients are listed in order of prevalence). When you’re a kid and you eat candy loaded with sugar, your blood sugar increases and your pancreas releases a little insulin, which drives your blood sugar back down rapidly. The pancreas only releases a small amount of insulin because in children the cells are very sensitive to this hormone. This delicate sensitivity causes insulin to easily handle extreme amounts of sugar and carbohydrates that kids gorge themselves with, but not without a price. We may think it is fine for our kids to enjoy the simple pleasures of junk food, but they eventually develop a loss of sensitivity in the sensors to insulin, a condition known as insulin resistance. This begins a cruel cycle of needing more insulin to keep the system going. As the body releases more insulin in an attempt to push through the resistance and force the precious blood sugar to the muscles and liver that need it, the extra insulin leads to carbohydrate cravings. In an attempt to calm our desire for carbohydrate-filled foods, even more insulin is released. In an attempt to protect itself from too much insulin the body becomes even more insulin resistant. Eventually, the fat cells will shut down while the insulin gets stuck in the bloodstream which leads to adult-onset diabetes. As the years go by of overconsumption of refined carbohydrates and sugar, our bodies require higher levels of insulin in order to metabolize food appropriately and keep our blood sugar in the normal range.

2. PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OILS: NO one wishes harm on their children, but if you feed them trans-fats, you are unknowingly setting them up for severe health issues. This is because trans-fats in foods are like BIG SUV's trying to park into a "compact" parking spaces of our cells that are reserved for healthy Omega 3 fats (DHA). When this happens, our neurotransmitters responsible for focus, mood, and memory have a hard time finding and recognizing their receptors due to the inflammation of the membranes on the brain cells caused by the consumption of trans fats. Brain levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine (important for mood and focus) are lowered by 95% when you ingest trans fats. BUT what is even more disturbing, is that when you switch to eating 100% trans-fat free our brain remains unable to produce normal amounts of dopamine in the hippocampus (the part of the brain most responsible for consolidating memory). This is one reason for the high rates of ADHD and depression.

3. SOY PROTEIN: Soy protein blocks zinc and iodine absorption in the thyroid gland which is essential for proper metabolism. It also contains enzyme inhibitors that reduce protein digestion. The processed soy protein in soy burgers, soy milk, soy-butter are phytoestrogens. This in turn decreases testosterone (women we want this for our metabolism and sex drive!). This estrogenic effect is toxic and increases risk of cancer to estrogen-sensitive organs; such as breast and uterus. Baby's given soy formula are found to have growth and thyroid disorders, infertility, and tumor growth. Soy also has toxic chemicals and carcinogens, unless fermented.

4. RICE FLOUR: We mistakenly believe complex carbohydrates are healthy and we need to eat them in abundance. But what if I told you that complex carbohydrates are just glucose molecules hooked together in long chains. The digestive track breaks it down into glucose (sugar). So a sugary and a starchy diet are pretty much the same thing. When I write about sugar, I am also referring to starch. Rice flour, the common flour substitute in gluten-free products, is higher in calories, higher in carbohydrates, and lower in nutrients than regular flour. It can cause more inflammation in our body.



3/4 cup Just Like Sugar (or erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter
1/2 cup vanilla or chocolate almond milk (optional)
1/2 cup natural Peanut Butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups whey crisps

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil for 1 1/2 minutes. I then add the other three ingredients and drop by tablespoon on wax paper. Let cool and enjoy. Makes 24 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional No Bake Cookies = 152 calories, 19.2 carbs, 1.3 fiber
“Heathified” No Bake Cookies = 109 calories, 3 carbs, 1.3 fiber

Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies

Do you know what TBHQ is? It is found in A LOT of packaged foods and fast food items (chicken nuggets are sprayed with it). TBHQ is derived from petroleum that is either sprayed directly on products or the inside of the box it comes in to "help preserve freshness." According to A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives, TBHQ is a form of butane (i.e. lighter fluid) the FDA allows processors to use sparingly in our food: It can comprise no more than 0.02 percent of the oil in food. Which is probably just as well, considering that ingesting a single gram of TBHQ can cause "nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, delirium, a sense of suffocation, and collapse." Ingesting five grams of TBHQ can kill.

INGREDIENTS in Little Debbie Brand: Corn Syrup, Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1]Riboflavin [Vitamin B2]Folic Acid)Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil with TBHQ to Preserve Flavor, Dextrose, Water, Oats, Sugar, Molasses, Raisins, contains 2% or less of each of the Following: Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Ammonium Bicarbonate)Whey [Milk]Emulsifiers (Soy Lecithin, Mono and Diglycerides, Sorbitan Monostearate, Polysorbate 60)Salt, Cornstarch, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Eggs, Interesterfied Palm and Palm Kernel Oils, Soybean Oil, Sorbic Acid (To Retain Freshness)Cocoa, Colors (Caramel Color, Titanium Dioxide, Red 40, Beta Carotene, Turmeric, Annatto Extract, Yellow 5)Egg Whites, Citric Acid, Pectin, Sodium Citrate, Coconut (Sulfite Treated to Preserve Color)Evaporated Apples (Sulfite Treated to Preserve Color)Nonfat Dry Milk, Carrageenan, Spices, Rice Flour.



COOKIES:
1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1 cup coconut oil or butter
1 1/2 cup Swerve (or erythritol)
2 tsp stevia glycerite (omit if using Swerve)
1 egg
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups crushed macadamia nuts (to resemble oats)OR vanilla whey crisps

Creme Filling
2 cups cream cheese or coconut cream, softened
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup confectioners Swerve (or Erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, erythritol and stevia (add in egg if using). Cream for a few minutes until very fluffy. In a separate bowl mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth. Roll 2 TBS of dough into a ball in your hands (for uniform shape) onto a cookie sheet, then press down to they are about ¾ of an inch thick. Place cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.

While the cookies bake, prepare the filling. Combine the ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. This mixture will thicken up after it sets. I make this ahead of time and let it sit in my fridge overnight.

Assemble each creme pie by spreading the filling over one side of a cookie (the flat side) and press another cookie on top, making a sandwich. Repeat for the remaining cookies and filling. Makes 20 servings (20 cookie sandwiches).

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Little Debbie: 310 calories, 12g fat, 2g protein, 49 carbs, 1g fiber
Healthified Creme Pie: 301 calories, 28g fat, 7.2g protein, 4.6 carbs, 1.9 fiber (using whey crisps)

Eggs Benedict

This one is for you April!

6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 TBS Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups melted unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 large eggplant (cut into "English muffin" shapes)
3 cups Crab, or ham slices
12 large eggs
Optional: Capers

Make hollandaise sauce: In the bottom of a double boiler or in a medium saucepan, bring 1 in. of water to a simmer over high heat and adjust heat to maintain simmer. Put egg yolks, lemon juice, and mustard in top of a double boiler or in a round-bottomed medium bowl and set over simmering water. Whisk yolk mixture to blend.

Whisking constantly, add butter in a slow, steady stream (it should take about 90 seconds). Cook sauce, whisking, until it reaches 140°, then adjust heat to maintain temperature (remove from simmering water if necessary). Add salt, pepper, and cayenne and continue whisking until thick, about 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Remove from stove and set aside.

Preheat oven to 450°. Cut eggplant into "english muffins" (I used a round cookie cutter) and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and bake until toasted, about 5 minutes.

Put 2 muffin halves on each plate and top with crab (or a slice of ham if you are traditional:), dividing evenly.

Poach eggs: Bring 1 in. water to boil in a 12-in.-wide pan. Lower heat so that small bubbles form on the bottom of the pan and break to the surface only occasionally. Crack eggs into water 1 at a time, holding shells close to the water's surface and letting eggs slide out gently. Poach eggs, in 2 batches to keep them from crowding, 3 to 4 minutes for soft-cooked. Lift eggs out with a slotted spoon, pat dry with a paper towel, and place 1 egg on each crab-topped eggplant.

Top each egg with 2 to 3 tbsp. reserved hollandaise sauce and serve hot.

How to Prepare Eggplant
Eggplant is a very bitter vegetable and it must be prepared carefully. Older eggplants tend to be more bitter than younger ones, so you should choose eggplants that are firm, shiny, light, and smooth-skinned. Pockmarks and soft spots are indicators of a more bitter eggplant.The usual preparation method is to slice it, wash it well, and then rub it with salt. The salt pulls out the bitter juices, so when preparing it is often best to put the slices of eggplant on a rack over a sink or on paper towels. After at least 30 to 60 minutes, brush off the salt with a paper towel and cook according to your recipe. When the eggplant has been "purged" in this manner, the flesh becomes much more absorbent and flexible, like a sponge, and is excellent at absorbing other liquids and flavors.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Serves 6 (with 4 TBS of hollandaise per serving)
424 Calories, 5g Carbs, 3g fiber

Pop Tarts

Sending our kids off to school with protein and healthy fat is essential for concentration in school. We can't expect them to focus on a diet of enriched flour found in cereals and pre-packaged breakfasts. Pop Tarts also contain TBHQ (lighter fluid), trans-fat, HFCS (causing leptin resistance and fatty liver disease), caramel coloring (banned in other countries, due to the link to cancer), ...should I go on? So if your kids don't like eggs, here is another option for a protein-packed breakfast.

Ingredients in Kellog's Pop Tarts:
ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, DEXTROSE, SOYBEAN AND PALM OIL (WITH TBHQ FOR FRESHNESS), CRACKER MEAL, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF WHEAT STARCH, SALT, DRIED BLUEBERRIES, DRIED GRAPES, DRIED APPLES, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), CITRIC ACID, CORNSTARCH, MODIFIED WHEAT STARCH, SOY LECITHIN, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL BLUEBERRY FLAVOR, XANTHAN GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, RED #40, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, NIACINAMIDE, REDUCED IRON, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), BLUE #1, BLUE #2, RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1), FOLIC ACID.


"Healthified" Poptart Recipe:
1/2 cup vanilla egg white or whey protein
3/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
3 TBS Just Like Sugar (or a few drops of stevia)
2-3 TBS water(just enough to hold dough together)
1 large egg (to brush on pastry)

FILLING:
Nature's Hollow Jelly

Alternate fillings: 9 TBS of chopped ChocoPerfection bar, 9 TBS Homemade Nutella

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the whey, almond flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the butter lumps are smaller than peas. Stir in the almond milk (or water) and sweetener to form a stiff dough.

On parchment paper, place 10 balls of dough a few inches apart. Shape with hands into rectangle shapes (size of a PopTart).

Beat the egg and brush it over the entire surface of the rectangles. Even the “insides” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it. Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Repeat with remaining tarts.

Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become fluffy pillows instead of flat toaster pastries (my mistake number 1). Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges are lightly browned. Cool in oven to crisp up. Serves 5.

Pop Tart Minis: These are tough, but SO cute! This recipe will make a batch of 16 2 1/4″ x 3″ rectangles.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Kellog's Pop Tart = 210 calories, 37 carbs, 1 fiber, 2 protein
Healthified Pop Tart = 199 calories, 3.8 carbs, 1.8 fiber

Iced Chai Latte & Homemade Almond Milk

Who doesn't love an iced chai latte from your local coffee shop? But a Grande at Starbucks can load 315 calories and 37g sugar in 16 ounces! Even a Grande using soy milk is 203 calories and 25g carbohydrates.

"HEATHIFIED" ICED CHAI
1 Chai Tea Bag
16 ounces vanilla almond milk (or coconut milk)
4 TBS Swerve (or stevia to taste)

Warm almond milk until soft steam (not boiling).  Add tea bag and sweetener and steep.  Place in fridge to cool.  Pour over ice and serve. (Or serve hot).

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Starbuck's Chai Latte = 315 calories, 39 carbs, 0 fiber, 37g sugar
"Healified" Chai Latte = 80 Calories, 4 carbs, 2 fiber, 0 sugar

For those of you who think you are doing yourself a favor by drinking soy, think again. Many people are becoming aware of the health problems connected with pasteurized dairy products, so a lot of people are turning to milk substitutes like soy and rice milk. But they both have some issues too.

Soy and rice milk often contain polyunsaturated vegetable oils which contributes to an imbalance of essential fatty acids in your body. A chronic imbalance of these fatty acids caused by regular consumption of polyunsaturated vegetable oils is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Polyunsaturated fats that contribute to this harmful imbalance are found in corn, soybean, sunflower, and cottonseed oils...pretty much everything on the grocery store shelf. Some brands of soy and rice milk also contain rice syrup, evaporated cane juice, or some other natural sweetener. Natural or not, most sweeteners put significant stress on your pancreas and liver. They also raise your insulin levels, which significantly increases your risk of suffering from unhealthy weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease, premature aging, and several other negative side effects. While small amounts of fermented forms of soy like miso, tempeh, and natto can be okay choices for some people, non-fermented soy products can cause a variety of health problems if consumed in large quantities on a regular basis, including changing our estrogen levels. A jail was recently in big trouble because they were feeding the prisoners soy meat, milk, soy butter...you name it, they were trying to decrease the testosterone in the prisoners!

You can make a rich and creamy alternative to cow’s, soy, and rice milk with raw almonds and a good blender.

All-Natural Almond Milk

1 1/2 cups of raw almonds, soaked in water overnight
4 cups of filtered or spring water

Blend 1 ½ cups of raw almonds that have been soaked overnight in 4 cups of water. Blend with pure vanilla extract if you like your milk with a hint of sweetness. Strain once to remove almond granules. The result is a delicious, creamy milk that is free of harmful vegetable oil, and sweeteners. It can be stored safely for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Cauliflower Soup with Cauliflower Beignets

This soup was SO flavorful and the little beignets were an awesome addition.



SOUP:
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 strip bacon (cut into 1 inch strips)
1¾lb cauliflower florets, roughly chopped
1¾ pints chicken or beef stock
4 oz cream cheese
Celtic sea salt and pepper (to taste)

BEIGNETS:
3/4 cup cauliflower florets, roughly chopped
1/2 cup cold water
2 TBS unsalted butter, chopped
3 TBS coconut flour (or freshly ground flaxseeds)
2 free-range eggs
2oz Gruyère cheese, grated
Iodized sea salt and pepper (to taste)
Coconut oil OR ghee for frying

For the cauliflower soup, in a deep pot over a medium heat, place the bacon, and add the onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until just softened. Add the chopped cauliflower and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8-12 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Carefully pour the soup mixture into a food processor and blend to a purée. Set aside, reserving the pan (you will return the soup to it).

For the cauliflower beignets, heat the oil in a cast iron "donut" hole-type pan (or a flat pan, but your beignets will be flat).

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the chopped cauliflower and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well, then refresh in cold water (if you use a microwave, you could steam it in that).

In a separate pan, bring the water and butter to the boil and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, then and add all of the flaxseed meal and beat well until the mixture is smooth and well combined and thickens up a bit. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each egg well until the mixture is well combined. Add the cooked cauliflower and the grated Gruyère and mix until well combined. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Carefully lower teaspoonfuls of the beignet mixture into the hot oil in batches. Fry for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown on both sides. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towel. Keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining beignet mixture.

When the beignets are ready, return the puréed soup mixture to the pan and add the cream. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and bring to the boil for 1-2 minutes. To serve, divide the cauliflower soup equally among four serving bowls. Garnish the soup with the cauliflower beignets. Makes 4 LARGE servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving of soup only) = 177 calories, 11 carbs, 3.7 fiber

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

It is our 9th wedding anniversary today on August 11th, so I wanted to make Craig's favorite dessert...Vanilla Bean Cheesecake! I brought this to a gathering with family and friends and everyone loved it. No one knew it was "healthified!"

CRUST:
1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1 cup coconut oil or butter
1 cup Swerve (or erythritol)
2 tsp stevia glycerite
1 tsp Celtic sea salt

(UPDATE: This makes a very thick crust! In the future, I would do 1/2 the batch and add one egg to the dough. This makes for a better crust that isn't so thick)

FILLING:
6 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese
3 eggs
3/4 cup Swerve
1 vanilla bean

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix the "crust" ingredients and then press into bottom of spring-form pan.

Cut a vanilla bean open through the middle and scrape the beans out of the inside with a sharp knife.


Optional: in a coffee grinder, blend Swerve until a fine powder. This creates a smoother cheesecake. Mix cream cheese, sweetener, vanilla bean with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low after each, just until blended. Pour over crust. I use a water bath to create a more even baking process. To prevent water from seeping into the removable bottom of the springform pan, wrap aluminum foil completely around the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Place the cheesecake into a jellyroll pan (or any baking pan with sides) and place the pans into the oven. Use a teakettle to fill the outer pan with hot water. Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set.

Run knife around the rim of the pan to loosen cake and allow to cool before removing the spring-form pan ring. Refrigerate overnight. We cut the cheesecake into 18 pieces, which were so satisfying!


NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Cheesecake Factory Vanilla Bean = 869 calories, 72 carbs, 1 fiber, 3 protein
"Healthified" Cheesecake = 407 calories, 4.8 carbs, 1.2 fiber, 3 protein

Toaster Strudels

I remember eating Toaster Strudels like they were going out of style. Yikes, check out the ingredients...trans-fat and high fructose corn syrup.

Major Ingredients: Enriched Flour Bleached Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Apple Puree (10% of Filling), Maltodextrin: Allergen Warning Contains wheat, soy, corn, milk and egg ingredients as well as artificial color and flavoring.



WHY ZSWEET? It is another brand of erythritol and stevia mixed together. It comes in convenient large bags (as compared to the small tubs of Truvia). A lot of people prefer the taste of ZSweet over other non-caloric sweeteners.
CALORIES = 0
Glycemic Index = 0
SWEETNESS = same as sugar (use cup for cup)
BENEFITS
1. WEIGHT LOSS and DIABETICS: It does not affect blood sugar metabolism. This makes it a great tool in weight loss programs, but it also for diabetics.
2. BLOOD PRESSURE: helps lower blood pressure.
3. ANTI-BACTERIAL: has anti-bacterial properties in that it helps to inhibit the growth and reproduction of harmful bacteria that lead to disease.
4. CANCER: It keeps your body in a ketogenic state so you can starve the cancer of sugar to kill it (read more HERE).
5. MAINTAINS SWEETNESS: Great for cooking; it maintains flavor that many other sweeteners lose when heated.
6. Erythritol isn’t metabolized by oral bacteria, which means that it doesn’t contribute to tooth decay. Erythritol gets absorbed and assimilated easily in the small intestines, which reduces fermentation.

STRUDEL:
4 eggs
4 TBS coconut flour
4 tsp erythritol (or Swerve)
1 tsp stevia glycerite (omit if using Swerve)
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
2 TBS butter or coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
FILLING:
Nature's Hollow Jelly
FROSTING:
4 TBS cream cheese or coconut cream
1 drop stevia glycerite

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine all the strudel ingredients and combine until smooth. Using tinfoil, form 4 rectangular shaped cups to place the dough in, folding up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool, then using a knife, place a slit in the end and open the middle (without cutting the sides or other end).

Place the Jelly in a ziplock. Squish around until it is a mush. Squeeze into the corner of the bag. Cut a tiny hole in the corner and squeeze into the strudel.

Place the cream cheese in a ziplock. Squish around until it is a mush. Squeeze into the corner of the bag. Cut a tiny hole in the corner and squeeze onto the top just like you would with a "toaster strudel" frosting.

Nutrition Comparison:
Pillsbury Toaster Strudel = 190 Calories, 25 carbs, 1 fiber, 2 protein
"Healthified" Toaster Strudel = 182 calories, 7.2 g protein, 15.6 g fat, 1.5 g fiber, 1.9 g effective carbs

Click HERE to find ZSweet!

Homemade Mayo and BBQ Party Salad

Have you seen the ingredients in the Kraft Mayo? How long does it last in the fridge??? Forever!

INGREDIENTS in OLIVE OIL Blend: Water, Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Vinegar, Modified Food Starch*, Sugar, Maltodextrin*, Eggs, Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt, Mustard Flour, Dried Onions, Dried Garlic, Natural Flavor, Enzyme Modified Egg Yolk*, Beta Carotene* (Color), Lactic Acid*, Potassium Sorbate* And Calcium Disodium EDTA As Preservatives, Phosphoric Acid. *Ingredient Not Normally Found In Mayonnaise.

Soybean oil is the main ingredient in SO many store bought products. Reasons to steer clear of soy:
1. Soy creates phytoestrogens = estrogen like = soy burgers/milk/soybutter
2. Soy is very harmful for low thyroid function.
3. The estrogenic and toxic effect = cancer (of breast/uterus)
4. Growth and thyroid disorders, infertility, and tumor growth
5. Soy = toxic chemicals, unless fermented
6. Blocks the absorption of minerals from the intestines.
7. Contains enzymes inhibitors that reduce protein digestion.
8. Processed soy protein contains carcinogens such as nitrates.
9. MANSANTO's Round-Up Ready soybeans change the gut flora of intestines causing food allergies and auto immune diseases.


Homemade mayonnaise has a milder, more neutral flavor than the store-bought varieties, and can be customized to meet your tastes (I like garlic mayo). Mayonnaise is simply an emulsion of oil and egg yolks, with a little acidity and salt added to brighten the flavors.

To make 1 cup of mayonnaise you will need:
1 cup macadamia nut oil or avocado oil
1 egg
Juice of 1 lemon, or coconut vinegar
A pinch of Celtic sea salt (and pepper, if desired)
Water to thin the mayonnaise

Separate the egg. Reserve the whites for other recipes. Egg yolks contain a natural emulsifier, lecithin, which helps thicken sauces and bind ingredients.

Lemon juice or vinegar adds acidity to the mayonnaise. It also helps flavor the mayonnaise, which, incidentally, has quite a low pH, so is inhospitable for bacteria. Mayonnaise is rarely the culprit in food-borne illness cases: it's much more likely to be the potatoes or pasta (starch) in the picnic salads causing problems!

For each cup of mayonnaise, add between 1 and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice or vinegar, depending upon your tastes. Combine the egg and acid in the bowl, whisking to mix. You can make mayonnaise in a food processor or by hand, with a mixing bowl and whisk. The key for either method is to add oil very slowly, in a steady stream, while the processor is running or you're whisking vigorously. If the mayonnaise starts looking too thick, add enough water to thin it to the consistency you desire.
* Add about a teaspoon of water at a time.

When the oil is all mixed in, the mayonnaise should be thick and fluffy, with your whisk forming ribbons through the mixture. Adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper and more acid, if desired. Store fresh mayonnaise in the refrigerator and use within five days.

BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER SALAD
10 slices nitrate free bacon
½ head fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
½ head fresh cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
¼ cup red onion, chopped
3 TBS coconut vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 drop stevia glycerite (or 1 packet Swerve)
1 cup homemade mayonnaise
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS: baby tomatoes, avocado chunks, sunflower seeds, hard boiled eggs, chopped

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli, cauliflower, hard boiled eggs (if using) and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, stevia and mayonnaise. Pour over broccoli mixture, and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Before serving, toss salad with crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds. Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving) = 358 calories, 9 carbs, 4 fiber

Zucchini Crisp and Fructose Facts

This recipe reminds us of an apple crisp, with less fructose. The only organ in your body that can take up fructose is your liver. The first thing that eating fructose does is causing an increase in uric acid. Fructose inhibits nitric oxide, which would otherwise reduce our blood pressure. This is why fructose is famous for causing hypertension (high blood pressure).

Fructose also initiates what’s known as lipogenesis, excess fat production. And the third thing that fructose does in the liver is it initiates an enzyme that inhibits our insulin receptors. That means your insulin levels all over your body have to rise...causing a whole slew of problems, including weight gain.

Between 1970 and 2003 our average consumption of fructose increased from less than half a pound per year to 56 pounds per year. We were never designed to take in so much fructose. Even some natural sweeteners have lots of fructose. From 90 to 97 percent of the sugar in agave nectar is fructose. Up to half of the sugar in some varieties of honey is fructose. To read more, check out the book: GOOD CALORIES, BAD CALORIES.

So is an "apple" the devil...no, but here is a way to lower the fructose overall.

Nutritional Comparison per cup:
Apple = 95 calories, 21 carbs, 4 fiber
Zucchini = 20 calories, 4 carbs, 1 fiber


TIP: Boil the zucchini slices in 1 cup of apple tea for 10 minutes! The zucchini soaks up the apple flavor and you would never notice the difference!

"HEALTHIFIED" CRISP
8 cups cubed peeled zucchini
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Swerve (or 1/4 cup erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

TOPPING:
1 cup Swerve (or 3/4 cup erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
1 cup chopped pecans (or other nut)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup Jay Robb vanilla whey or egg white protein
2/3 cup cold butter

In a bowl, combine the zucchini, lemon juice, sweetener, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.

For topping, combine sweetener, pecans almond flour and protein powder in a bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the zucchini mixture. Bake at 325 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until bubbly and the zucchini is tender. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Apple Crisp = 525 calories, 67 carbs, 2.3 fiber
"Healthified" Crisp = 363 calories, 15 carbs, 7.2 fiber!

Serve with Apple Ice Cream

Homemade Nutella and Almond Cookies

Are you a fan of Nutella? It is so easy to make! Here is a recipe for the yummy goodness. If desired try it in between the almond cookies!

2 cups raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Swerve (or 1/2 cup erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/2 teaspoon Pure vanilla
1/8 teaspoon iodized sea salt
3 tablespoons hazelnut oil (could use other oil like coconut)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the hazelnuts evenly over a cookie sheet and roast until they darken and become aromatic, about 10 minutes. Transfer the hazelnuts to a damp towel and rub to remove the skins.

Pulsing the Swerve or Erythritol in a coffee blender and blending it until a fine powder is an optional step, but it makes a really smooth nutella. (Alternately, you can use Confectioners Swerve)

In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts to a smooth butter, scraping the sides as needed so they process evenly, about 5 minutes.

Add the cocoa, sweetener, vanilla, salt and oil to the food processor and continue to process until well blended, about 1 minute. The finished spread should have the consistency of creamy peanut butter; if it is too dry, process in a little extra hazelnut oil until the desired consistency is achieved. Remove to a container, cover and refrigerate until needed. Allow the spread to come to room temperature before using, as it thickens considerably when refrigerated. It will keep for at least a week.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (2 TBS per serving):
Traditional Nutella = 200 calories, 23 carbs, 2 fiber
“Healthified” Nutella = 110 calories, 3.4 carbs, 2 fiber



ALMOND COOKIES
1/2 cup vanilla whey (Jay Robb...no sugar)
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter
2 TBS Swerve (or a few drops of stevia glycerite)
1-2 TBS vanilla almond milk OR water(just enough to hold dough together)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the whey, almond flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the butter lumps are smaller than peas. Stir in the almond milk and sweetener to form a stiff dough. On parchment paper (lightly sprayed with olive oil spray), roll the dough out to 1/8 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto cookie sheets. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges are lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Nutritional Info for the WHOLE Batch of cookies: 995 calories, 19 carbs, 9 fiber

How to Eat for Diabetes

I just received this email last week. She mentioned that she would like it on my website and blog so here it is...

"Another Maria Moment...this one was with DIABETES. I myself have had my own success story with Maria's eating style...so I decided to introduce her recipes to my very picky, very diabetic father in-law. I spend the summers at the lake with my in-law and decided that this year I was going to cook out of Maria’s cookbook exclusively. I made some of my favorite banana walnut muffins and almond waffles and asked my father in-law if he would please try some. He is not fond of trying new foods maybe due to being picky but also because he has had terrible diabetes for over 30 years. My father in-law has large blood sugar swings even with his insulin pump.

He tried the waffles and muffins and loved them. Keep in mind he had butter on both and sugar free syrup on the waffle. As we stood in the kitchen discussing how many units of insulin he should calculate for the food he ate, we come to the conclusion that he should take 5 units. normally for the food he had just consumed he would have needed to take 8 but since Maria’s food is different we shot it on the lower side... my father in-law left for about 1 hr and came back out of sorts. My mother in-law said “Tom are you ok...go check your blood." He went and checked his blood and it had taken a huge nose dive...he had a blood sugar level of 45! Now at this time only 2 units had gone into his body...not 5 and he had to stop the rest of the insulin from entering his system. We couldn't believe it! Here he had taken almost 4 times less than he normally would have and his levels were too low.

Ok, fast forward...about a week later his blood sugar was too low so my mother in-law said "tom why don't you have 2 almond waffles with butter and syrup to bring your blood sugars up a bit." He decided he would do this but they had to decide how much insulin he should take...what they decided was that he would take NOTHING!!!! Now how crazy does that sound. In all the years I have known him, which is 28 years I have NEVER seen him not adjust his levels when he eats something. So, Tom ate the waffles and hung out to see what happened and after about 1 and a half hours his levels were back in the normal range. Not only did he not have to take any insulin, his levels were taking care of what needed to be done without huge swings and without adjusting for the food. It was SO COOL! Now it’s on to trying more of Maria’s recipes and working with his levels but after these results my father in-law is a believer in these recipes. Maria's way of eating does change lives...even lives that have only known diabetes for years. Thank you again Maria for your help...here is just another moment where you have made a positive effect on someone’s life. YOU ROCK GIRL!" -Cindy

My grandpa is VERY diabetic and I get so frustrated with the way they feed him. Who came up with these plans and guidelines? I am just a little voice compared to the large diabetic association, but it is stories like these that remind me of "THE STARFISH" fable..."

"But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then bent clown, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said - "It made a difference for that one."

Ice Cream Sandwiches AND "HEATHY CHOICE" Facts

Who could use a little cooling off? I know I could! Try this recipe and shave off over 30 grams of sugar! A traditional Ice Cream sandwich has 200 calories and over 40 carbohydrates. Not to mention the TRANS-Fat and other scary ingredients in the HEALTHY CHOICE brand! To read more on trans-fat and weight gain, click HERE.

Ingredients: Chocolate Wafer (Bleached Wheat Flour [Enriched with Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]Sugar, Caramel Color, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Corn Sugar, Cocoa, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Baking Soda, Soy Lecithin)Condensed Skim Milk, Whole Milk, Liquid Sugar, Water, Corn Syrup, contains 2% or less of each of the Following: Maltodextrin, Pasteurized Whey Protein Concentrate, Stabilizer (Mono and Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Calcium Sulfate, Locust Bean Gum, Polysorbate 65, Carrageenan)Natural and Artificial Vanilla Flavoring, Mono and Diglycerides, Polysorbate 80, Vitamin A Palmitate, Annatto Color, Cream.


SANDWICH:
1/2 cup vanilla whey or egg white protein
3/4 cup peanut flour (or almond flour)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup Swerve (or erythritol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
4 TBS cocoa powder
2-4 TBS water(just enough to hold dough together)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the whey, almond flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the butter lumps are smaller than peas. Stir in the almond milk and sweetener to form a stiff dough. On a cookie sheet, place 1/4 inch thick rectangles 2 inches apart. I used my hands to shape into rectangles (about 2 inches wide, by 4 inches long). Bake for 12-14 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges are lightly browned. Cool in oven to crisp up.

Nutritional Info for the WHOLE Batch (using Swerve): 995 calories, 19 carbs, 9 fiber

ICE CREAM FILLING:
2 oz heavy cream or coconut milk
2 oz cream cheese or coconut cream
3 TBS Natural creamy peanut butter
2-4 TBS Swerve (or erythritol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite

In a medium sized bowl, mix heavy cream with a mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Do not over-beat or it will turn into butter! Set the cream aside. Beat cream cheese, sweetener, and peanut butter until the mixture is smooth and clump free. Test for sweetness. It should be a bit sweeter than you want the finished product. Using a spatula, gently fold cream cheese into the whipped cream. Freeze for 1/2 hour. Once it has hardened enough to handle, remove from freezer and fill in between 2 "cookies." Place back in freezer to set for 1/2 hour. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Healthy Choice Bar = 130 calories, 3g fat, 2g protein, 24 carbs, 1g fiber
"Healthified" Bar = 126 calories, 9g fat, 8g protein, 3.5 carbs, 1.5g fiber