Easy and healthy Medjool date snack recipe

Ingredients:

Medjool date

Creamed Coconut or Coconut Butter

Simply spread creamed coconut on top of one medjool date, and enjoy paradise in a quiet place!

I use:

Joolies Organic Medjool dates (cheapest at Target) and Let’s Do Organic Creamed Coconut.
My coconut cream requires softening before use so I melt down the package, pour it into an ice cube tray, and then store the frozen pieces in a jar in the freezer. I keep one or two pieces in a small jar on my kitchen counter so I have some ready to go anytime a craving strikes. To make it simple, you can use organic coconut butter from a jar instead of creamed coconut.

One pot Pasta Primavera recipe

This is an awesome recipe and so simple!

If you have dairy issues you can use vegan cream cheese instead of marscapone and/or less of the other cheeses. I also use almond milk instead of heavy cream. 

Instead of zucchini I use Target organic frozen peas and carrots.

If I don’t have any frozen broccoli and asparagus on hand, I use target organic frozen stirfry vegetables and chop the larger veggies. 

My daughter is not a big fan of paprika, so I omit that and use some basil instead. 

I add a tablespoon of butter at the end with the mascarpone cheese and Parmesan.

https://www.fooddolls.com/one-pot-veggie-pasta/

Affordable blood tests in spa-like facility - Vista labs!

Did you know that Vista Clinical Laboratory has an awesome business model for lab work?

Spa-like facilities

Short wait times

Super affordable rates

Fast results

No appointments necessary

Medicare rates to everyone who is uninsured

Wow! 

Even for those who are insured, Vitamin D testing has been dropped by many insurance plans, and Vista only charges a small fraction of what LabCorp and Quest charge for it.

Check them out!

http://www.vista-clinical.com/

Bullet Proof Coffee recipe (my low calorie version)

This is so delicious! It's like a cappuccino/latte but without the milk or sugar. It keeps me full and focused!

Recipe for my low calorie version of Bullet Proof Coffee

(the original is super high calorie and high fat):

Ingredients:

- Organic brewed coffee

- 1 tsp raw, extra virgin organic coconut oil

(I use Garden of Life available on Amazon)

- 1 tsp organic, grassfed butter or ghee [clarified butter]

(I use Ancient Organics Ghee available on Amazon or Organic Valley Ghee from Publix;  these are the most delicious ones by far!)

- Organic Stevia extract to taste 

(I use 2 heaping scoops of Plnt Organic Stevia Extract powder available at Vitamin Shoppe)

- 1 scoop organic acacia fiber (optional, not part of the original recipe, I like Root2 available at Vitacost.com or Renew Life Clear Acacia Fiber)

Instructions:

Pour hot organic coffee into a high-powered blender (like BlendTec, Vitamix, or Magic Bullet). 

If you're in a rush use a handheld frother, but it will taste and look a little different because it won't blend as well.

Add all other ingredients to the blender.

Cover the blender but remove the center plastic portion of the lid first. Use a napkin to cover the lid hole while keeping your hand on the lid, and pulse (hot water creates pressure in the blender so hold tight). Then blend for about 10 seconds at medium speed. It will change from coffee color to a latte color. Yum!

You can add different powders and vanilla extract to it to create various flavors.

Peppermint mocha:

Add one small square of natural peppermint bark, 1/2 TBS organic cocoa powder, and 1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract. Finding natural peppermint bark is not easy, so it might be simpler to buy liquid peppermint drops.

Pumpkin pie spice:

Add organic pumpkin pie spice powder and vanilla extract.

Hazelnut:

Add Flavorganics Organic Hazelnut Syrup on Amazon. It contains sugar so don't use too much.

Why I kissed spinach goodbye and said hello to greenleaf lettuce!

My daily green smoothies are now very low oxolate! 

Spinach 1 cup raw has 656 mg oxolates, while 

greenleaf lettuce has 0 oxolates!

I also had to say goodbye to almonds and a few other foods that are extremely high in oxolate levels.

Although my oxalate intolerance resulting in constant AFib episodes developed after being exposed to mold three times over the past 10 years (the toxicity led to increased oxalate levels in my body), I think it's a good idea for everyone to try to follow a low oxalate diet to prevent kidney stones and other common autoimmune problems.

Get this app! Super easy to use, and you'll be amazed at how quickly 100 mg add up!

Oxolate Counts

Dietitians recommend keeping oxalates at less than 100 mg per day, and under 50 mg if prone to kidney stones. But they caution us to do a slow reduction to avoid symptom flare-ups.

https://thevitalityclinic.co.uk/is-your-healthy-green-smoothie-poisoning-you/

One Pot Spinach and Artichoke Pasta (No-boil pasta recipe) by Food Dolls

So yummy and easy!

I added:

Organic grape tomatoes sliced in half

Organic green peas

My changes:

Vegan cream cheese instead of mascarpone

Mozzarella instead of Monterey Jack and smaller amount

A lot less of parmesan due to dairy sensitivity

A lot less salt if not rinsing the artichoke

INGREDIENTS

UNITS SCALE

• 16 oz uncooked spirali pasta (or similar shape)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 14 oz artichoke hearts, rinsed, chopped and squeezed dry
• 3 tsp sea salt (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, more or less to taste (optional)
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 8 oz freshly grated monterrey jack cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In an enameled pot or dutch oven on medium-high heat add uncooked pasta, spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper.
2. Pour the broth and give it a good stir. Increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is al-dente.
4. Once the pasta is cooked, reduce the heat to low. Stir in the mascarpone, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and monterey jack cheese. It should come together and be nice and creamy.
5. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

Find it online: https://www.fooddolls.com/one-pot-spinach-and-artichoke-pasta/

Spring Pasta with Mushrooms, Chiles and Spring Peas Recipe | Geoffrey Zakarian | Food Network

I made a few changes because I didn't have all the ingredients, but it still turned out great (used all organic)!

My changes:

Sweet peas instead of fresh shelled English peas.

Spaghetti instead of fettuccine.

Crushed red pepper flakes instead of pepperoncini chile flakes.

Canned cremini mushrooms instead of maitake and oyster.

Sweet red pepper and jalapeno instead of Fresno chile.

Parmesan instead of pecorino Romano.

Full recipe:

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/geoffrey-zakarian/spring-pasta-with-mushrooms-chiles-and-spring-peas-12296162

• Level: Easy
• Yield: 4 servings

• Total: 30 min
• Active: 25 min

Ingredients

Deselect All

Kosher salt

1/4 cup fresh shelled English peas

12 ounces fettuccine pasta

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for finishing

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 shallot, finely diced

1 big pinch pepperoncini chile flakes

4 ounces maitake mushrooms, sliced

4 ounces oyster mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup white wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 Fresno chile, finely diced

1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (fine like dust)

6 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

Directions

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Prepare an ice bath. Blanch the peas in the boiling water until bright green, about 20 seconds. Transfer immediately to the ice bath. Once cool, drain completely.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt until it tastes of lightly salted broth. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
3. While the pasta is cooking, in a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot and pepperoncini and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the maitake and oyster mushrooms and cook until softened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
4. When the pasta is cooked to al dente, add the pasta to the pan with the mushrooms directly from the pot, reserving the pasta water. Allow the pasta to finish cooking in the mushroom sauce, about 1 minute. Add the peas, butter and Fresno chile and stir to coat. Turn off the heat and add the Pecorino Romano in handfuls, stirring in between additions to prevent lumps. Add pasta water to thin the sauce as desired. Finish with the basil and a drizzle of olive oil.