February 6, 2010
Baked Oatmeal!
1/3 oil
1/4 cup raw honey *
1 large egg
2 cups oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 skim milk (water can be substituted in equal amounts)
1/4 cup nuts (pecans & almonds work great) *
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
* optional
You can also add most any fruit you would like to try or wait to put it on top
Mix 1st 3 ingredients. Add next 4, mix well then add nuts and cinnamon.
Bake in 9x9 stoneware or lightly sprayed dish at 350 degrees for 20- 25 minutes
You can also sprinkle cinnamon on top prior to baking.
Serve with milk, peanut butter, yogurt etc on top. This is also great for a snack in the mid afternoon to get some fiber and heart healthy oats.
Pancakes & Waffles!
Butter Milk (Lesa)
1 cup whole wheat (fresh ground taste great)
2 T cornmeal
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 T non-aluminum baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 T oil
1 1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 egg
Mix 1st 5 ingredients and whisk together; mix liquids in separate bowl and then add to dry.
Pour onto heated griddle 375 and cook until covered with bubbles flip and cook until done
Makes 8-10 depending upon the size you enjoy.
1 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg (can substitute plain yogurt if desired)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c skim milk
1 - 1/1/4 cup water
1 T ground flax seed
1 tsp vanilla *
1/4 tsp cinnamon *
*optional ingredients
Mix all 8 ingredients . Pour into heated waffle iron or griddle if pancakes.
Makes 8-10 depending on size
1 cup whole wheat (fresh ground taste great)
2 T cornmeal
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 T non-aluminum baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 T oil
1 1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 egg
Pour onto heated griddle 375 and cook until covered with bubbles flip and cook until done
Makes 8-10 depending upon the size you enjoy.
Whole Wheat Waffle/Pancake (Michael)
1 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg (can substitute plain yogurt if desired)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c skim milk
1 - 1/1/4 cup water
1 T ground flax seed
1 tsp vanilla *
1/4 tsp cinnamon *
*optional ingredients
Mix all 8 ingredients . Pour into heated waffle iron or griddle if pancakes.
Makes 8-10 depending on size
Artificial Sweeteners, Obesity and Organic!
As you may have noticed we utilize organic ingredients and this is why! Certified Organic (especially when rated as USDA organic) means no Genetically Modified Organisms (GM O's) have been placed into the food products and though many people argue the benefits by saying it's just a ploy for the food corporation to make money I would argue that the food corporation is only about making money to begin with.
Food companies (through their countless studies) know many of the artificial ingredients in their food only serve to cause greater hunger and the feeling of dissatisfaction unless you eat more. One of these being high fructose corn syrup, a man- made sweetener (which barely existed 30 years ago) is cheaper and sweeter than sugar. Less production cost meaning more money in the companies; enhancing their profits and a few of those companies make things like Ketchup, Soda, Pasta sauce and packaged cookies. Seems like a good business idea for making money but it's bad business for you the consumer; especially when it comes to your body. When nutritionist's do a word association process with HFCS the synonym which comes up is "Obesity"! This is a processed sweetener which came to be in the 1970's.
The main problem is this; HFCS is packed with calories yet the body doesn't recognize the calories. This artificial sweetener placed in so many foods actually works against your system by shutting off the body's natural appetite control switches, allowing you to feel the need to eat and eat far beyond what your body would normally be able to handle.
This sweetener is made of Fructose and Corn Syrup! Fructose occurs naturally in fruit and honey. Corn syrup is primarily made of glucose (sugar) which can be burned as a source of immediate energy, stored in you liver or muscles for later use or as a last resort, turned to fat. However it's not as sweet as other sugars, which is the reason HFCS hit the market running. It's cheap and at least twice as sweet!
Your body doesn't use the fructose immediately as it does the glucose, rather it metabolizes (breaks down) the fructose into fat. Although eating a piece of fruit or some honey will not cause you to get fat, eating HFCS is like taking a straight shot into the gut. Among the worst culprits is soda's (diet or regular) and due to other ingredients diet is actually worse. When you body doesn't recognize the artificial ingredients it goes into action in order to protect your vital internal organs from a foreign object (which is what it's supposed to do) and en-turn stores the stuff in your fat cells which has protector of the organs one of there many jobs. Over time this process causes greater stretching of the cells in the abdominal region and what's known as visceral fat (intra-abdominal fat) referring to the fat which surrounds the internal organs, starts to multiply.
As the visceral fat grows continuing to surround the organs, eventually the organs will start to shut down as they are pressed against the interior walls having no space to function properly. Visceral fat has been linked to greater risks of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and hypertension. People who are smokers, drinkers and sedentary (non- active) have been shown to be even more susceptible to visceral fat than those who are active and do not smoke or drink. Stress may also play a part in this organ killing disease causing fat in our bodies.
Organic companies desire to make the practice of producing food a safer environment for the workers (producing without harmful pesticides) as well as for the environment which should natter to all of us to. Along with this Organic food is closer to it's natural state which means more of the healthful nutrients are still in the foods when we get them and we are not filling our bodies with all the fake stuff our bodies can't recognize. The idea is this, Organic fruits, vegetables, and other products have as the baseline good nutrition in mind meaning better nutrients, ingredients and less processing than conventional foods or chemically laced fruits and vegetables coming from places that pick it green spray it with a ripening agent and put it on a truck for us to buy in standard grocery stores world-wide.
This is a topic we need to be better educated on and though we hope the U.S. government is not intentionally placing people in harms way with the foods being produced; we know they are allowing the stuff to continue being processed. It is our individual responsibilities to do everything possible to protect our health and the health of our loved ones.
In our experience though it cost a little more at the store (depending upon availability of stores), we waste less food (organic foods keep longer) and we feel better in our bodies. As a family we have chosen to go fully organic, but this has been a process over time not overnight. When we share with others who are desiring to start using Organic products but feel unable to go fully Organic this is our advice! Go Organic as much as possible in your ; meats (beef, chicken etc) are organic or at least free range, grass fed without the administering of harmful antibiotics, steroids, and animal by-product feeds. The toxins in the treated meat stores in the animal fat and is then ingested by use; grains (flour, corn mill, etc) if non-organic make sure it states non-GMO ingredients which means nothing has hopefully been added to grain and corn seeds prior to planting; fruits and vegetables are also very important to go organic due to spray, water and the ground itself.
The main thing is education for you and those you prepare nutritious meals for. It is our passion to see people live healthy, whole and fulfilled lives while becoming what they were created to be. Though it's not all about food and exercise to get to this place we are responsible to maintain these bodies in the best way we can.
Have fun, be creative and continue to learn.
Food companies (through their countless studies) know many of the artificial ingredients in their food only serve to cause greater hunger and the feeling of dissatisfaction unless you eat more. One of these being high fructose corn syrup, a man- made sweetener (which barely existed 30 years ago) is cheaper and sweeter than sugar. Less production cost meaning more money in the companies; enhancing their profits and a few of those companies make things like Ketchup, Soda, Pasta sauce and packaged cookies. Seems like a good business idea for making money but it's bad business for you the consumer; especially when it comes to your body. When nutritionist's do a word association process with HFCS the synonym which comes up is "Obesity"! This is a processed sweetener which came to be in the 1970's.
The main problem is this; HFCS is packed with calories yet the body doesn't recognize the calories. This artificial sweetener placed in so many foods actually works against your system by shutting off the body's natural appetite control switches, allowing you to feel the need to eat and eat far beyond what your body would normally be able to handle.
This sweetener is made of Fructose and Corn Syrup! Fructose occurs naturally in fruit and honey. Corn syrup is primarily made of glucose (sugar) which can be burned as a source of immediate energy, stored in you liver or muscles for later use or as a last resort, turned to fat. However it's not as sweet as other sugars, which is the reason HFCS hit the market running. It's cheap and at least twice as sweet!
Your body doesn't use the fructose immediately as it does the glucose, rather it metabolizes (breaks down) the fructose into fat. Although eating a piece of fruit or some honey will not cause you to get fat, eating HFCS is like taking a straight shot into the gut. Among the worst culprits is soda's (diet or regular) and due to other ingredients diet is actually worse. When you body doesn't recognize the artificial ingredients it goes into action in order to protect your vital internal organs from a foreign object (which is what it's supposed to do) and en-turn stores the stuff in your fat cells which has protector of the organs one of there many jobs. Over time this process causes greater stretching of the cells in the abdominal region and what's known as visceral fat (intra-abdominal fat) referring to the fat which surrounds the internal organs, starts to multiply.
As the visceral fat grows continuing to surround the organs, eventually the organs will start to shut down as they are pressed against the interior walls having no space to function properly. Visceral fat has been linked to greater risks of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and hypertension. People who are smokers, drinkers and sedentary (non- active) have been shown to be even more susceptible to visceral fat than those who are active and do not smoke or drink. Stress may also play a part in this organ killing disease causing fat in our bodies.
Organic companies desire to make the practice of producing food a safer environment for the workers (producing without harmful pesticides) as well as for the environment which should natter to all of us to. Along with this Organic food is closer to it's natural state which means more of the healthful nutrients are still in the foods when we get them and we are not filling our bodies with all the fake stuff our bodies can't recognize. The idea is this, Organic fruits, vegetables, and other products have as the baseline good nutrition in mind meaning better nutrients, ingredients and less processing than conventional foods or chemically laced fruits and vegetables coming from places that pick it green spray it with a ripening agent and put it on a truck for us to buy in standard grocery stores world-wide.
This is a topic we need to be better educated on and though we hope the U.S. government is not intentionally placing people in harms way with the foods being produced; we know they are allowing the stuff to continue being processed. It is our individual responsibilities to do everything possible to protect our health and the health of our loved ones.
In our experience though it cost a little more at the store (depending upon availability of stores), we waste less food (organic foods keep longer) and we feel better in our bodies. As a family we have chosen to go fully organic, but this has been a process over time not overnight. When we share with others who are desiring to start using Organic products but feel unable to go fully Organic this is our advice! Go Organic as much as possible in your ; meats (beef, chicken etc) are organic or at least free range, grass fed without the administering of harmful antibiotics, steroids, and animal by-product feeds. The toxins in the treated meat stores in the animal fat and is then ingested by use; grains (flour, corn mill, etc) if non-organic make sure it states non-GMO ingredients which means nothing has hopefully been added to grain and corn seeds prior to planting; fruits and vegetables are also very important to go organic due to spray, water and the ground itself.
The main thing is education for you and those you prepare nutritious meals for. It is our passion to see people live healthy, whole and fulfilled lives while becoming what they were created to be. Though it's not all about food and exercise to get to this place we are responsible to maintain these bodies in the best way we can.
Have fun, be creative and continue to learn.
January 26, 2010
Simple Meatloaf w/ Roasted Vegetables!
Meatloaf:
1/2 cup finely chopped onions (red or white)
1/2 cup finely chopped green peppers
3 tablespoons dried or fresh parsley
1 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp sea salt
2 cloves pressed garlic
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup whole grain (organic) oats
1 pound lean ground beef
1/3 cup ketchup (without high fructose corn syrup)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine 1st 8 ingredients in mixing bowl tossing until mixed. Crumble beef over mixture and toss until blended. Shape into regular size bread pan (or equivalent baking dish) sprayed lightly with olive oil spray.
Spread or brush ketchup over the top
Bake at 350 for 1 hour 10 minutes or until thermometer reads 160 degrees.
3. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing
Roasted Vegetables:
Use any vegetable you choose or like; the following is our choice of veggies!
Mix together: (equal amounts or whatever you decide)
broccoli
cauliflower
sweet potato
carrots
green pepper
red onion
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
(Spice amounts can be altered to taste)
Cover with small amount of olive oil
Toss until veggies are covered well
Place in baking dish (lightly sprayed if needed)
Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (less if you like the veggies a little more crunchy)
Also the less you bake them the better the nutrient value will be.
Eat well and have fun!
Rice Paper Wraps!
Rice Paper rolls with chicken and veggies!
This recipe originated from a Korean friend of ours but we have made it our own and I think you will like it. It takes a little time, so plan ahead for the chopping of veggies and such but the finished product is worth the wait. This is something we have for a nice, fun dinner with friends but we also do smaller amounts when it's just the 2 of us. The rolls we had last night were only with chicken but you can also use stripes of steak with a little different seasoning.
Needed: (The list of toppings and veggies can be mixed up and are optional; the seasonings mix should be followed pretty closely)
Rice paper (can be found at most grocery stores; especially natural food stores) if you can find organic brown rice, that is the preference
Cooked or Raw Chicken (cut into small pieces) if you use Raw start cooking chicken 1st then add rest
Brown Rice (preferred by us, but if you prefer white have at it!)
Soy Sauce
Chopped Onion
Garlic
Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Green Peppers
Alfalfa Sprouts
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Avocado
Fried Egg(s)
Peanut Butter (Natural without partially hydrogenated oils or added sugar)
Rice:
Cook in rice cooker or stove top (plan time accordingly)
Mix in a frying pan or wok:
Cooked/Raw Chicken (amount depends upon your need)
soy sauce to taste (1-1 1/2 tablespoons?)
chopped onion (1/4 small onion)
1 clove garlic (pressed)
black pepper to taste (if you eat it)
1- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Cook on medium heat (Olive Oil is not a high temperature oil) until nicely flavored {be sure not to over cook}
Raw Veggies and other toppings:
Cut uncooked veggies as well as the optional fried egg into thin stripes, place on a plate to be added to the wrap
Peanut Sauce: (larger amount) alter due to need
1/4 cup Natural PB
1/2 tsp-1 tbl Soy Sauce
1 clove pressed Garlic
1/2 cup Boiling water
Mix 1st 3 and then add water: Let stand a few minutes and then mix til thin (pourable)
Rice Paper Wrap: Almost boiling water and container big enough to fully immerse the paper:
Put rice paper in water for about 10 seconds, then pull out, placing on plate (you will need to stretch it out)
fill with rice and all the toppings you like and wrap
Optional dips:
Soy sauce
Asian hot sauce
It looks like a lot of work but if you will plan ahead and give yourself some space, it's really not bad at all.
Have fun and be creative.
This recipe originated from a Korean friend of ours but we have made it our own and I think you will like it. It takes a little time, so plan ahead for the chopping of veggies and such but the finished product is worth the wait. This is something we have for a nice, fun dinner with friends but we also do smaller amounts when it's just the 2 of us. The rolls we had last night were only with chicken but you can also use stripes of steak with a little different seasoning.
Needed: (The list of toppings and veggies can be mixed up and are optional; the seasonings mix should be followed pretty closely)
Rice paper (can be found at most grocery stores; especially natural food stores) if you can find organic brown rice, that is the preference
Cooked or Raw Chicken (cut into small pieces) if you use Raw start cooking chicken 1st then add rest
Brown Rice (preferred by us, but if you prefer white have at it!)
Soy Sauce
Chopped Onion
Garlic
Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Green Peppers
Alfalfa Sprouts
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Avocado
Fried Egg(s)
Peanut Butter (Natural without partially hydrogenated oils or added sugar)
Rice:
Cook in rice cooker or stove top (plan time accordingly)
Mix in a frying pan or wok:
Cooked/Raw Chicken (amount depends upon your need)
soy sauce to taste (1-1 1/2 tablespoons?)
chopped onion (1/4 small onion)
1 clove garlic (pressed)
black pepper to taste (if you eat it)
1- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Cook on medium heat (Olive Oil is not a high temperature oil) until nicely flavored {be sure not to over cook}
Raw Veggies and other toppings:
Cut uncooked veggies as well as the optional fried egg into thin stripes, place on a plate to be added to the wrap
Peanut Sauce: (larger amount) alter due to need
1/4 cup Natural PB
1/2 tsp-1 tbl Soy Sauce
1 clove pressed Garlic
1/2 cup Boiling water
Mix 1st 3 and then add water: Let stand a few minutes and then mix til thin (pourable)
Rice Paper Wrap: Almost boiling water and container big enough to fully immerse the paper:
Put rice paper in water for about 10 seconds, then pull out, placing on plate (you will need to stretch it out)
fill with rice and all the toppings you like and wrap
Optional dips:
Soy sauce
Asian hot sauce
It looks like a lot of work but if you will plan ahead and give yourself some space, it's really not bad at all.
Have fun and be creative.
January 23, 2010
Roasted Chicken w/ carrotts, broccoli and bread!
Roasted Chicken, stuffed with onions, celery and sprinkled with rosemary sprigs
Steamed Broccoli
Cooked Carrots (honey, cinnamon and olive oil)
Homemade Whole wheat Garlic Focaccia Bread (olive oil and spices for dipping)
Roasted Chicken:
1 whole fryer (organic or at least not treated with chemicals)
1 stalk of celery (cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup sliced red onion
small amount of olive oil
Put thawed chicken into a baking dish w/ at least 2 inch sides
rub olive oil over the bird and pour a small amount inside the bird
stuff with celery and onion (can use anything you want to stuff it)
sprinkle inside and outside with rosemary springs
Preheat oven to 350~ cook for 1 1/2 hour or until thermometer reads 180-185
After fully cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before slicing
Cooked Carrots:
Cut up as many carrots as you need, place them in boiling water and cover
Cook until tender then drain.
After draining keep them in the pot and add a small amount honey and cinnamon (to taste)
stir in small amount of olive oil; Cover and let sit until ready
Steamed Broccoli:
This is completely up to you, however I would recommend if you are boiling the broccoli on the stove not to cook more than 30 -45 seconds in the boiling water. If you have a steamer that would be the better way to keep more nutrients in
Garlic Focaccia Bread:
Lesa made this with our Bosch mixer (we finally bought one after 13 years of marriage and it is fun) and the recipe is in the cookbook they sent. If you feel up to trying go ahead, if not you could use regular whole wheat toast and make garlic bread as we have done many times. Since the recipe is Bosch specific, I will allow you to come up with your own bread for dipping.
"Food is essential to life, therefore make it good"
S. Truett Cathy Founder of Chick-Fil-A
"You are created in His Image...Love that Image" (Lesa McCant)
Steamed Broccoli
Cooked Carrots (honey, cinnamon and olive oil)
Homemade Whole wheat Garlic Focaccia Bread (olive oil and spices for dipping)
Roasted Chicken:
1 whole fryer (organic or at least not treated with chemicals)
1 stalk of celery (cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup sliced red onion
small amount of olive oil
Put thawed chicken into a baking dish w/ at least 2 inch sides
rub olive oil over the bird and pour a small amount inside the bird
stuff with celery and onion (can use anything you want to stuff it)
sprinkle inside and outside with rosemary springs
Preheat oven to 350~ cook for 1 1/2 hour or until thermometer reads 180-185
After fully cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before slicing
Cooked Carrots:
Cut up as many carrots as you need, place them in boiling water and cover
Cook until tender then drain.
After draining keep them in the pot and add a small amount honey and cinnamon (to taste)
stir in small amount of olive oil; Cover and let sit until ready
Steamed Broccoli:
This is completely up to you, however I would recommend if you are boiling the broccoli on the stove not to cook more than 30 -45 seconds in the boiling water. If you have a steamer that would be the better way to keep more nutrients in
Garlic Focaccia Bread:
Lesa made this with our Bosch mixer (we finally bought one after 13 years of marriage and it is fun) and the recipe is in the cookbook they sent. If you feel up to trying go ahead, if not you could use regular whole wheat toast and make garlic bread as we have done many times. Since the recipe is Bosch specific, I will allow you to come up with your own bread for dipping.
"Food is essential to life, therefore make it good"
S. Truett Cathy Founder of Chick-Fil-A
"You are created in His Image...Love that Image" (Lesa McCant)
Thoughts on Realistic Nutrition!
If you have read or been following our blogs for anytime now, you may remember the topic of Realistic Nutrition being another blog on our Fit for Life site. You would be right but as a starter to this page, I wanted to touch on the again for a moment.
One of the many items we talk about in our seminars and training sessions is realistic nutrition and meal planning. The reason we term this Realistic Nutrition is due to the fact that in order for you or us to maintain a lifestyle of health, wellness and fitness the changes we incorporate have to be realistic for us to accomplish in our everyday lives.
The topic of proper "healthy" nutrition is one which brings out the fight in almost any who start discussing it because there are so many different opinions to what is healthy or unhealthy in our food choices. The most simple way to approach the idea of healthy eating could be brought down to; most people know what they should be doing, it's the doing it that gets in the way. We all know if you have a choice between a Twinkies snack or an apple the healthier of the two would obviously be the apple {even non-organic apples are better for you than the Twinkies :)}, if you have the choice between the chicken fried chicken covered with white gravy or the grilled chicken with broccoli and a salad what is healthier? We know the answer, it's the carrying out of the better which causes us to stumble.
We do not in any way promote guilt as a way to get people to change their lifestyles and this includes how we talk to people concerning food. You have come here to check things out and what we want to do with these recipes and meal planning ideas is give you simple yet great tasting foods you may want to add to the meals you already prepare.
The idea and hope is to start blogging some of our meals here so you can see what we are cooking up at Cafe' Michael's (which is what Lesa affectionately calls our kitchen). These are meals we prepare and feel you may enjoy as well. The fun thing is, you we be able to take some of it; mix and match what you eat together for you or your family.
Enjoy and if you have any questions send them our way.
Power and Strength;
3 John 2
One of the many items we talk about in our seminars and training sessions is realistic nutrition and meal planning. The reason we term this Realistic Nutrition is due to the fact that in order for you or us to maintain a lifestyle of health, wellness and fitness the changes we incorporate have to be realistic for us to accomplish in our everyday lives.
The topic of proper "healthy" nutrition is one which brings out the fight in almost any who start discussing it because there are so many different opinions to what is healthy or unhealthy in our food choices. The most simple way to approach the idea of healthy eating could be brought down to; most people know what they should be doing, it's the doing it that gets in the way. We all know if you have a choice between a Twinkies snack or an apple the healthier of the two would obviously be the apple {even non-organic apples are better for you than the Twinkies :)}, if you have the choice between the chicken fried chicken covered with white gravy or the grilled chicken with broccoli and a salad what is healthier? We know the answer, it's the carrying out of the better which causes us to stumble.
We do not in any way promote guilt as a way to get people to change their lifestyles and this includes how we talk to people concerning food. You have come here to check things out and what we want to do with these recipes and meal planning ideas is give you simple yet great tasting foods you may want to add to the meals you already prepare.
The idea and hope is to start blogging some of our meals here so you can see what we are cooking up at Cafe' Michael's (which is what Lesa affectionately calls our kitchen). These are meals we prepare and feel you may enjoy as well. The fun thing is, you we be able to take some of it; mix and match what you eat together for you or your family.
Enjoy and if you have any questions send them our way.
Power and Strength;
3 John 2
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