tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35919679985503948662024-02-20T22:43:49.272-08:00Hungry For HealthRebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-80306626408239357142014-05-21T18:25:00.000-07:002014-05-21T21:27:17.235-07:00Chicks in Paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been only 3 months since our chicks, Millie and Quinie, hatched into this world and came into our hale and ohana. Boy do they grow fast and keep the chicken and life lessons coming! They are now enjoying their teenage weeks, and all their growing stages have literally been in days and weeks since they grow into adulthood in only 4 to 6 months and have a lifespan range of 4-12 years. Chickens start laying as early as 4 months. So the countdown begins to 2 fresh eggs a day that I will be sure to share when we they arrive.<br />
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It has been an interesting experience raising chickens and even more sharing the story with others. I have gotten so many different reactions from people when I tell them my husband and I are raising chickens not just for pets (because mine are also my pets) but for the healthy fresh eggs and the goal of creating a more self-sustaining life. Many people have questioned us eating the eggs because they think we will be eating their babies. Our chicken's eggs will all be unfertilized (meaning no embryo and no baby chick inside) since we do not have a rooster around. So no worry, we will not be eating their babies. However, it is important to be aware that many peoples and cultures do eat fertilized chicken eggs. Also, many chickens that do not receive a balanced diet will actually start eating their own eggs to get the essential nutrients they are lacking. You will want to avoid that from happening because once they start doing that it is very hard to get them to stop. Always allow them to feed as much as they want, they self-regulate and should not be given limitations on food and water. Provide them with a diet full of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, bugs, and worms so they get enough protein and calcium to maintain their health. I have been feeding our chickens our own food scraps - quinoa, millet, buckwheat, corn, papaya, pineapple, banana, and plenty fresh veggies - I supplement with chicken feed and they also free range in our yard for a large part of the day so they can eat all the free bugs, grass, and greens they need.<br />
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They also happened to eat the remaining plants from my spring garden including 8 kale plants, hah! At least they are healthy eaters! Check out my bell peppers and cilantro next to one of my last skeleton kale plants. </div>
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The hubby and I restrategized how to maintain a garden while also raising chickens and together we built a chicken run attached to the coup so our chicks can free range without obliterating our next garden. Again, we were able to find used (and free) wood and chicken wire so we could save our earth (recycle and reuse) and our pockets. This time we will be putting in a raised garden bed for our summer planting so when we allow the chickens out of their run they will not eat an entire kale plant in less than 30 seconds, and seriously they will! </div>
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It has been an amazing 3 months watching our chickens grow and develop and be able to care for their well-being. We want our chickens to live a happy healthy life not only so we can enjoy the benefit of healthy eggs they produce but also because they are living beings that deserve that. All living things deserve that in life.<br />
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It is incredible to watch them because in one moment they look like dinosaurs when you see them devour a lizard or beetle and another they are lovable creatures that jump on your lap and ask you to pet them with their sweet chirps and softened eyes. It is funny to see these two sisters chest bump each other, pick on each other, play keep away with beetles, spook each other and then turn around and cuddle, nap together, dirt bathe together, cry when they get separated, snuggle in their favorite beach chair, and give each other kisses. They are adorable and inseparable and I feel blessed to raise these two beautiful Rhode Island Red hens.<br />
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Recently, I have heard some negative commentary on raising chickens and those of you who are still thinking of taking on this quest, don't worry, it all depends on how you look at it. All the poop that comes along with raising chickens, goes into my compost pile and makes rich soil that goes into my garden bed and eventually into healthy fruits and veggies. All the time spent caring for the chickens: building a chicken coup and run, watching them free range, keeping them well fed with scraps and garden produce has enriched my life because I worked alongside my husband to create a more healthy, loving, sustainable life for both them and us. So yes I step in poop a lot and get dirty working in the yard but I enjoy every moment of it!<br />
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Thank you to my multi-talented husband for building this chicken coup and run. Now we are off to begin a summer garden project! Viva Aloha!<br />
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-78973666862690148402014-03-01T13:01:00.000-08:002014-03-01T19:51:02.739-08:00New life brings more life to our Ohana: Meet Millie and Quinie!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After moving to Hawaii in 2011 one of my husband and my goals was live a sustainable life so that we can give back to mother earth and take care of our planet home so our future generations can also live a beautiful life. Last year, after finally finding the right home that is close to work, has just enough yard space to grow plants and raise animals, and a wonderful landlord who approved us to raise chickens, the building of a bright beautiful future began. We started a garden in our yard and are now growing apple banana's, meyer lemons, gmo-free papaya, lilikoi, tomatillos, tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, kabocha pumpkin, manoa lettuce, kale, beets, chives, green onion, dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, and we are already lucky to have a mango tree that produces delicious fruit and plenty avocado trees in the area. Next began our quest to raise chickens for healthy, free range eggs so we won't have to buy expensive eggs shipped from the mainland and to enjoy the pleasures of one of the greatest pets to humans.<br />
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So , last year I began to research and study how to raise chickens and was immediately disheartened when other bloggers said you would need $300-$500 just for supplies to just build your own coop, we did not have any extra income after rent at that time. I told my husband and he, the smarty pants that he is, said he could borrow tools and gather wood that others were throwing away. So we watched around, and just in time our neighbors were trowing away a couple wood pallets, so my hubby and our good friend Paul, gathered up enough wood to get started us started. After buying some hinges and 2 screens for the coup, the total cost was under $30!!! So if you are also on a tight budget and want to raise your own chickens, a little creativity and recycling can go a long way. Not to mention reusing wood and tools is always better than buying new, less waste, more green space on earth!<br />
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Angel started building the coup in January while on winter break from teaching and last weekend we just completed the coup by water proofing the wood, so all we have to do now is put the roof on. Will post an updated picture soon!<br />
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After 3 months of reading and researching how to raise chickens I put the order in last December for our 2 baby chicks. We ordered from Asagi Hatchery in Honolulu, whom I highly recommend if you live in Oahu. We ordered from their specialty hatch of Rhode Island Reds which are guaranteed 99% a female sex bird and are great egg layers as well! Here is their website: http://www.asagihatchery.com/<br />
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Just this past Monday, on February 24th, our babies hatched! We went to pick them up from the hatchery yesterday as well as all the goods we needed to keep them happy and healthy. We purchased a heat lamp for $11, water and food feeder for $6 each and attached a glass jar to the top for the water and used the lid for the top of the food dispenser, you can use a mason jar or any glass jar that fits. We purchased the baby chick feed and pine shaving pellets for their temporary home while they grow and get stronger. We brought them home and used a large cardboard box for their shelter for the next month. Added newspaper to line the box, the pine shavings, and then assembled heat lamp, the chick feeder, and water feeder. As soon as I put Millie and Quinie in their home they went running wild! They are so cute and fun to watch and they love to be held and loved! They will start laying 1 egg a day in about 4-5 months, and will live 5-7 years. They are the first babies to become part of our family and hopefully will have their own babies to keep this new tradition going. I would love to see chicks hatch from their eggs one day!<br />
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If you plan on taking on this adventure yourselves, here are some things you should know. Baby chicks need to stay warm so keep them inside your home in a large container (I used a cardboard box) for the first 4-6 weeks, they need lots of space because they grow very fast and can jump high, about 2 square feet per chick is ideal. I also cut out a window for them to see out, and they love seeing me close by and they love to look around. Assemble the heat lamp and watch their behavior, if they always stay away from it, they are to hot, if they are always under it bundled together, they are too cold, move the lamp closer.<br />
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Each week they need less and less heat, you can move the lamp further away each week and monitor their behavior, if they are upset they will let you know, and will cry and chirp very loud. Also, if you want chickens, get at least 2, for their happiness, they are very social animals and love companionship from humans and other animals. Hold them frequently, if you want them to be social around humans, if you have kids, let them hold them too, it is good for both sides. Chicks and chickens eat, drink, and poop, A LOT! Watch their feeders, keep them clean of poop, and if you hold them, you will get pooped on. LOL Just go with it! The babies slept so good the first night, I checked on them 3 times (each time I had to pee, hahaha) in the night, and were sleeping each time and never cried. They are eating and drinking very well, they nap a lot, and they run around a lot. It is so fun to watch them, I love deez lil cuties. The picture above is Angel holding them, they love the warmth and security of being held.<br />
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Yesterday, when we introduced the babies to Miss Lady Chita, the chicken we inherited when we moved in, we were both nervous and excited to see how it would play out. I read that chickens can behave differently when introducing new life. Some hens will treat them as their own babies, some will try to hurt or even kill them by pecking them aggressively, and some will start acting like a rooster and cockadoodoldoo, seriously!<br />
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So far, Miss Lady is very curious! She pecked at them once, so we have to watch carefully, but we will have a playdate every day from here on out, and she will grow to love them, just life human families grow together. She will definitely still remain the boss lady around here, but, every new life brings more life in this world and we all have to learn to live harmoniously together. Aloha!</div>
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Learning to love and live together harmoniously!</div>
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Check out this video when we introduced the babies to Miss Lady Chita, I didn't know my hubby was filming, it is so real!<br />
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-69900653212224473972014-02-09T23:51:00.002-08:002014-02-10T01:12:45.761-08:00Time to bravely bake some bread!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Years ago, after I began the switch to cooking and baking with whole foods, I always had this fear when trying to make something new. I was always worrying about how it would come out and if it would come out the right way with gluten-free and whole food ingredients. Well after many experiments, I found that most of the time I, my husband, and any friends eating with us usually enjoyed all the food thoroughly. Of course I experienced trial and error, but mostly, I just grew better at making a dish the more I did it and I gained confidence each time I conquered something new. Well, I can say that finally, after trying and succeeding by just doing it, really, just do it, that I don't stress and worry when preparing new dishes. I know this is a great thing because I truly believe that the energy of the person preparing the food (whether it is you, your spouse, or a cook at a restaurant) all goes into that meal and directly into you or whoever is eating it. So, I always like to include LOVE and HAPPINESS in all the meals I create.<br />
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It is so easy for me to feel complete joy while preparing healthy food for myself and others. I am grateful that I have the time and energy to do this every day because eating is one of the most intimate things you do for your body. Everything you put in your mouth has a direct effect on your body and how it will feel short and long term, and that can be positive and or negative. One of the reasons my husband and I do not like to eat out is because, chefs and cooks work in the most stressful conditions and are expected to put out good food in really no time at all. All the emotions they feel during food prep are transferred into the food you eat. This is also true with the quality of food you eat, for example, when you choose conventional food over organic. An egg from a free range chicken is going to be much healthier because that chicken was happily able to roam in a healthy environment versus a chicken that is caged with other chickens like sardines and forced fed gmo grains to fatten them quicker than its normal growth pattern to get their meat and eggs in a shorter time frame just so the company can increase their profits.<br />
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When I prepare food, I want it to be positive every time and I like to eat every meal with the mindset that it will nourish and heal my body. I have confidence that it will do just that because I know where my food is coming from and I know how it is being prepared.<br />
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In this day and age, with the cost of living so high, and with everyone balancing multiple jobs, or working with raising a family, or working while earning a degree in higher education, it can be a serious challenge to find the time to prepare your own food. And trust me, I KNOW it takes time and effort but I am here to tell you it is worth it, it can be done, and you must do it in order to begin to take control of your own health and the health of your family. So get over those jitters, insecurities, and don't procrastinate any longer. I have learned to start food prep the night before and to tackle longer food processes on my days off. Now build your mana (strength), get in a healthy mindset, and pick the right day to bravely bake your own bread!<br />
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Your body and belly will thank you! Most store bought breads contain preservatives, additives, corn-syrup, highly processed and refined ingredients, and canola oil. Yes, you should not consume canola oil, no human can break down this oil and it wreaks havoc on your digestion.<br />
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So here we go. Start as early in the day as you can. Bread should rise like the sun.<br />
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<b>Millet Flaxseed Bread</b></div>
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Choose a small cast iron pan or loaf baking dish, the pictures below were for a double batch so choose a pan accordingly.</div>
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Get your ingredients ready to go:<br />
1 packet active dry yeast<br />
2 Tbs. coconut sugar or sucanet<br />
1 cup warm non-gmo soy milk (you can use any nut or dairy milk)<br />
tapioca flour for dusting<br />
2 cups millet flour<br />
1 cup fresh ground flaxseed (grind in a coffee grinder)<br />
1 teas. salt<br />
1/4 cup organic butter<br />
1 teas. apple cider vinegar<br />
seeds and herbs of choice: rosemary, sesame, nettle leaf<br />
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Add the sugar in a mixing bowl. Warm the milk and whisk in 2 teas.of that sugar to milk. Add 1 packet of yeast to the milk and let sit for 5 minutes. Make sure the milk is lukewarm, if too hot it will kill the yeast and the bread will not rise, I've done that before but the bread still came out delicious, hah!</div>
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Grease your baking dish with butter, lard, or oil then lightly dust with tapioca flour.</div>
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In the mixing bowl add millet flour, fresh ground flaxseed, and sea salt and mix thoroughly.<br />
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You will see the milk start to bubble and foam after about 5 minutes.</div>
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Add melted butter, milk, and 1 teas. vinegar to mixing bowl with dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.</div>
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Transfer dough to the pan with a spoon or spatula and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds, rosemary, and nettle leaf.</div>
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Set next to the warmest window in the house and allow to rise for a few hours.</div>
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After it rises, about 2-4 hours, with a knife make 3 slits on top, then bake on 375 degrees for one hour.</div>
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I enjoyed mine with some homemade soup and more buttah of course. Oh Ono!</div>
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This recipe is dedicated to my mom, Becky Michaelis, who inspired me to bake my own bread. She is a mother to 12 children and an amazing bread baker and cook. When I was growing up, she would take my sisters and me to a cannery where we canned then stored whole grains that she later would grind into flours at home and then created the most beautiful healthy breads, waffles, and scones I have ever seen! Her birthday is this month, on February 27th, and after having and raising a family of 12 with my dad, she is more beautiful than ever.<br />
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This family picture was taken in 2008, it is very challenging to take family portraits when there are so many of us in different places now. I hope we can take another complete family picture soon!<br />
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-34730022398369537262014-01-26T18:36:00.000-08:002014-01-27T12:19:07.593-08:00Island Winter Inspired Soup <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For those of you reading this on the mainland you probably wouldn't believe that there is winter weather on a tropical island. Really. If you came in the winter for a visit and you live in the frozen tundra it would obviously feel like summer to you. However, after living through our 3rd winter here, I understand even Hawaii goes through a winter season in which you will see locals wearing sweaters, you will hear them talk about sleeping in sweats and 2 blankets, you will watch in awe the 20-30 foot waves on the north shore, and you will notice how much it can pour down the rain, hence why it is so vividly green as well. This is so funny to me after living through 3 winters in Chicago and experiencing -20 degree weather and then getting so spoiled in Hawaii that it feels cold again! Hah! Those of you living in the REAL cold temperatures may scoff at me now. But really, this past week we experienced many nights in the mid 50's, and yes, that means we are cold here, because we are used to at least 70 and up here in paradise. And I sure don't mind being spoiled in that matter. =)<br />
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So after shivering (a bit) this past week and gaining more organic produce from my latest volunteer day at SOFT farm (an organic farm run by UH Manoa students and volunteers), then came all the thoughts of how I could utilize this magnificent giant gourd vegetable grown abundantly on the islands. Many of my experiences in life has taught me the value of healthy organic food and how not everyone can access or afford their own, therefore, I NEVER waste, I will and can always find a way to utilize the greatest gift provided in life.<br />
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I got some inspiration from a local friend who just happens to be a chef (Mahalo Kaimana) and the recent double blanket induced temperatures, grabbed that gourd and the rest of the vegetables I had on hand and got to work. And really this is not work to me, I just freakin love it!<br />
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Asparagus Cabbage Gourd Soup </div>
Organic Ingredients- Non GMO unsweetened soy milk, grapeseed oil, asparagus, cabbage, gourd, parsley, onion, garlic, Hawaiian sea salt, fresh ground pepper, turmeric, paprika, and bay leaf.<br />
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Chop all the veggies</div>
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Steam just the asparagus, (except the tops, will add to soup pot later)<br />
In a blender or food processor, add the steamed asparagus, 4 garlic cloves, and 2 cups soy milk, and blend until smooth.<br />
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Add the blended asparagus garlic broth to a large pot, add 2-3 cups water, 1 more cup soy milk, 2 Tbs. grapeseed oil, all chopped veggies with the asparagus tops, salt, pepper, paprika, and turmeric (I don't measure out spices, I use my intuition and taste as I go.) <br />
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Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. </div>
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Now all you have to do is enjoy and that will be so easy to do! I topped the soup with fresh parsley and paired it with a piece of homemade cornbread topped with local raw honey.<br />
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Cornbread is so quick and easy to make, try this wholesome healthy version with only unrefined, organic, and non-gmo ingredients. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl add and mix dry ingredients together then mix in the wet with the dry, pour in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. (I use Bob's Red Mill brand for my non-gmo and gluten-free flours.)<br />
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2 cups polenta<br />
1 cup masa harina flour<br />
3/4 cup millet flour<br />
1/4 cup fresh ground flaxseed (golden or brown version)<br />
1/2 teas. sea salt<br />
3/4 cup grade B maple syrup (you can substitute with any unrefined sweetener of choice)<br />
1/2 cup coconut oil (can substitute with butter)<br />
2 cups coconut milk (or any nut milk or dairy milk)<br />
<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-7696930058822507832014-01-14T12:18:00.002-08:002014-01-15T12:07:16.922-08:00Happy Healthy Healing 2014!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzmvkR8Hd7ss8hz8dgjUejz9Dz63Yn_bGll0MZ0d1KwUaLaTEp2Yv2Dg6bUCrBrmHqO69yCbq9xCsZRNZ6pkHTUzVWU7BqvpHoEdA0RaLouKt_zKj1eRVCeDzCiOzCR57AGI8SGvR7ZIU/s1600/vintage+hula+girl+posters.co.uk.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzmvkR8Hd7ss8hz8dgjUejz9Dz63Yn_bGll0MZ0d1KwUaLaTEp2Yv2Dg6bUCrBrmHqO69yCbq9xCsZRNZ6pkHTUzVWU7BqvpHoEdA0RaLouKt_zKj1eRVCeDzCiOzCR57AGI8SGvR7ZIU/s640/vintage+hula+girl+posters.co.uk.jpeg" height="640" width="515" /></a>After we have all overcome our challenges of last year it is time for a fresh new beginning. I love the new year for all it's new possibilities being dreamed of, new ventures unforeseen, and exciting belly butterflies of the unknown. Some like to make new goals, reflect on previous achievements, or measure personal growth and success. I believe all of these are great and purposeful to realize where you are in your life and what you want for your future. This year I would like to focus on the important little things that bring me happiness, health, and healing through my own creativity and self expression.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Many of you may have heard me say, "in my next life, I want to be a dancer!" LOL. I have always admired, loved, and enjoyed watching anyone brave, skillful, graceful, and strong enough to dance. So instead of waiting for my next life, why not do it in this one? After participating in rigorous intense physical activity in my 20's and after unsuccessfully trying to keep up the pace, I came upon the realization that if I continued the same way I would not have any energy left for other important endeavors in my life. So, I have accepted myself and my body for what it is and slowed down. And I am so happy. I now thoroughly enjoy yoga, hiking, gardening, and ocean swimming. I have always found so much joy and therapy in using and moving my body and I still yearn for more of that, so this year, I desire to learn and practice Hula. For me. So I can express myself in the way that feels best. And I am hopeful one day that I may be able to pass that knowledge and love down to my own child(ren).</span></div>
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Another desire of mine sprung up recently because of my upbringing. Even though I grew up in a gigantor of a family my parents somehow made it possible to provide enriching activities for all of us. I remember the piano lessons, and I remember our sweet piano teacher, she was so patient, loving, and fun. She would laugh when something silly happened and she never got angry or frustrated if I didn't practice or when I made mistakes. I am so grateful for her lessons in piano and in life. As I got older I chose other activities over piano and eventually the piano was gone and forgotten. After reflecting on this past, I now have the desire to bring that aspect back into my life. And after recently being given a piano from Angel's boss (in his second job as a mover) I am again given the same opportunity that I had before and so I will relearn and play. I realize how important music and song is in my life. It it truly healing to hear a song, play a song, or sing a song. So my husband and I together plan on learning and using a musical instrument this year, me the piano, and him the ukulele. Now, we can not only sing together, and ya'll know how much we love that, but now we can play and sing together. I can't wait!<br />
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This year I hope you all can tap into your creative side and just try something new or do something that will make YOU happy. Pick something you have a passion for, a desire for, and a joy for. Find the time even if you work full-time and have children, work full-time and have school, or work full-time with a second job, or work full-time and have a life. Believe in yourself. Heal yourself. If not in this life, then when?<br />
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Aloha 2014</div>
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This picture was taken in 2007, the beginning stages of our dating life, we still sing like this together and will forever. </div>
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-42143743070335154292014-01-08T14:16:00.000-08:002014-01-11T18:00:07.134-08:002013: A Life in a Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I just want to start off by saying that I feel compelled to write about the past year because it was pretty significant to me and my husband Angel, and also because I am far from family and friends that I would normally get to talk regularly in person with about life and daily struggles and I just need an outlet to tell my story for myself and hopefully to help others. To make it clear, I am not looking for sympathy, I do not think my life is bad or too much to handle, I LOVE my life, but I do feel the need to write about my experiences and how it is shaping me into the person I am now and who I want to be when I grow up. =)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">Well, 2013 has come and gone and the world is still revolving around the sun, which I am really grateful for because I yearn for more of this stuff and all the knowledge, relationships, and experiences it continues to provide as I continue on with this journey we are all on together.</span><br />
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I have to say, I LOVE getting older because it means I am growing and learning and loving more and more! This past year, specifically, I experienced such remarkable growth, which I and I know many others, including you, felt the enormous growing pains of. Reflecting back, I still remember the growing pains I had as a child, my legs would ache every night because I kept getting taller and taller, I would whimper in the night, and my dad would come check on me to make sure I was okay, wow, he was so good at keeping watch on all his children (all 12 of us) at night and he ALWAYS sensed when something was wrong. Well, I continued to feel the growing pains as a teenager as I went through puberty and trying to get through that oh so awkward stage in life when you want and try so hard to be accepted by others. Then, I really felt the growing pains in my 20's when I was trying to be strong through a healthy diet, rigorous exercise, financial stability by working 3 jobs to pay my way through college, and wanting to love and be loved back. Now, that I am in my 30's, I thought these growing pains would taper off a bit when I considered what I had been through in my 20's with the onset of celiac disease and 6 years of severe symptoms before my diagnosis, many nutritional deficiencies, emergency surgeries, and learning how to heal, love, and forgive. Boy, did I get a smacked in the face for thinking I deserved a break in life, LOL.</div>
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After moving to Hawaii in 2011, with no home or job in place and one suitcase each, my husband and I began to build a new life together while in search of health, happiness, and quality of life. We have been through so many enriching experiences, some good, some bad, happy, sad, scary, painful, and joyful! Now, after 2 1/2 years of building this new life in paradise with the love of my life, which I know looks amazing and beautiful in all the pictures I love to share on facebook,and believe me all those moments definitely are all those things. It just doesn't depict the other part of life we ALL deal with. Like the tremendous pain and guilt I felt, from being so far from loved ones and not being able to afford to visit them or help them when they were in need, and fear, when I wasn't sure we would make rent or have any money for groceries after all the bills are paid, then despair, when myself or others were mistreated, misjudged, or unappreciated, worry, about the uncontrollable, and uncertainty, when my husband goes through one job loss after another, and while I search relentlessly and apply for jobs that I will never hear back from. And then, after finally securing a job on my part, trying to live off of a servers salary in one of the most expensive places to live in our country. Again, please do not mistake this for complaining, this just a part of what my husband and I have been through while building this new life, which we knew and told family we knew, would not be easy, but if we had to start over again, hell yeah, we would do it and I am so proud of how far we come!</div>
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All this has been worth it. In 2013, my husband finally started his dream job teaching Sociology courses at University of Hawaii Manoa. And as his wife, I watched him struggle the last 7 years that I have known him (and his quest started even before that) to just be able to begin a career! I believe all those years he spent in grad school, as a student teacher, and all the odd jobs he has had to make a living is so meaningful and necessary to get him to this point today. Nothing comes without the work and that takes time and patience. I am so proud of him for remaining true to himself when he has so much pressures from society to do otherwise and just focus on making money. Well, he just got his student reviews this week for last semester and I must quote a couple of them because it just reaffirms to me that he is fulfilling his passion in this life to teach others and help us all find a way to make this world a better place for all, no matter what color your skin, what language you speak, where your from, or what you believe. I couldn't be more proud and happy for him! He is a remarkable man.</div>
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<tr height="53" style="height: 39.95pt;"><td colspan="15" height="53" style="height: 39.95pt; margin: 0px; width: 720pt;" width="960"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"It was very eye opening to see how many of the problems in our society are interconnected. I think it is a good course because it exposed me to problems that I often never think about; it broadened my understanding of how society interacts and why certain problems occur and persist." -Anonymous UH student.</span><br />
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<tr height="53" style="height: 39.95pt;"><td colspan="15" height="53" style="height: 39.95pt; margin: 0px; width: 720pt;" width="960"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Don't change a thing I love the way he teach's, he has become one of my favorite teachers." -Anonymous UH student</span></td></tr>
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<tr height="53" style="height: 39.95pt;"><td colspan="15" height="53" style="height: 39.95pt; margin: 0px; width: 720pt;" width="960"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Angel was extremely knowledgeable and very opinionated but would always tell us to take everything, even what he presented to us, with a grain of salt which made the whole class better sociologists in my opinion. I think he's the best sociology professor on staff. He presents us with information the way it is and not sugar coated which is very refreshing." -Anonymous UH student</span><br />
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<tr height="53" style="height: 39.95pt;"><td colspan="15" height="53" style="height: 39.95pt; margin: 0px; width: 720pt;" width="960"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"I really apologize for the disappointment our Honors class caused you this semester, and I hope Angel knows that he is an excellent professor that is both inspiring and relatable. He makes sociology more interesting than it already is and I hope to take his Pop Culture 400 level class in the near future." -Anonymous UH student<br /><span style="color: #222222;">-this student was so sweet that he/she apologized for the students not engaging in class discussions. </span></span></td></tr>
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Okay I know that was more than a couple but I wanted to add way more. =)</div>
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So last year, even though we had to pick up and move for the 11th time in less than 7 years together (and yes I moaned and groaned throughout the whole process), we are now in a marvelous home nestled in Manoa Valley, one of the most majestic and unique tropical valleys in Oahu. It is right next to the UH Manoa campus and Honolulu but it looks and feels like country living and more importantly, it FEELS like home. We have a chicken living on the property, and our sweet landlord just approved us to get more baby chicks to raise them as pets and to enjoy the healthy eggs so we can save money on groceries! My multi-talented husband is almost finished building our Hawaiian hut chicken coup out of wood pallets other people were throwing out in their rubbish piles! Yeeehaw! For the first time in all the years we have been together, we adopted our first pet, (baby steps now) a beautiful blue beta fish we named Kai Uli, meaning deep blue sea, because I was gifted a aquaponic fish tank that grows veggies on top, for my birthday, from a good friend of ours who is not only very generous but so thoughtful that he knew I would love and enjoy it!<br />
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In the beginning of 2013, Angel went through his second job loss in Hawaii, he knew it was time to move on and tried again without much hope, for another teaching position in the UH system. Spring came and he got news that they wanted him for the summer at UH Manoa! Oh the JOY, excitement, and relief we both felt. The light at the end of the tunnel could be seen.<br />
Unfortunately, the summer classes fell through so he started working for a moving company because my part-time hours as a server just wasn't cutting it. We then planned our next move to be close to work (since both our luxury beaters were no longer holding up, traffic to town was to horrendous to continue, and gas prices to much for us to afford). We sold our beloved 99 Land Rover Deluxe Beater, and moved into our new home in early summer. I started getting full-time hours at work and Angel took the 2 months before school to prep for his 4 class schedule (which was extremely tedious and time consuming). So I supported us during that time and thankfully was given enough hours at work to make it through. The day finally came for him to start teaching, and on his first day of classes he was told that his load of 4 classes was cut down to 2 due to low enrollment. This cut his expected income in half, and I broke down from the stress of not being able to make it financially in Hawaii, we had lived on the beach when we first moved to Hawaii but I no longer felt able to do that again.<br />
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I became sick, so sick, and I had been sick before, so I did what I knew to do, I took care of myself by cooking and eating what my body needed and resting every chance I could, which, unfortunately was not much with the new schedule I was working at the hotel. After a month of deteriorating, I woke up one morning and was going about my morning tasks before getting ready for my shift later in the day, when I collapsed, I could not get up from the floor and I could not get enough air to breathe. I was so scared, so I just cried. Angel was in the middle of teaching so I calmed down, left a message on his phone and waited. He finished class and called right away and ran home and thank God it's only a mile from home. I told him I knew something was wrong, seriously wrong, so he took me to the emergency room, which I was hesitant about after previous experiences I had in the past and knowing how our health care system works. Well, they did what they could for me, treated me with fluids and after many tests said it could be mononucleosis, and that was that, they did not feel the need to confirm it or tell me how to treat it, except to refrain from all physical activity for another 2 months due to a swollen spleen that could rupture. They sent me home and told me to see a doctor to confirm and for follow up care.<br />
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So I found a doctor, (have not had or needed one this whole time in Hawaii until this) she confirmed it was in fact a mono infection that also caused a B12 and B1 deficiency which resulted in beri beri, a deficiency disease that causes severe weakness and fatigue. My doctor asked if I needed time off work, and I replied with, I would like time off but cannot financially afford to take time off, because as an on call position at the hotel I did not receive any sick time benefits. So I kept working, even though a typical mono infection takes a minimum of 3 months and up to 2 years or more to fully recover and regain your normal energy levels and strength. And work was busy and physically strenuous and I was in constant pain but no one really understood due to the lack of awareness as well as the fact that I looked normal and healthy to them. But I wasn't getting better, I felt like I was going to feel like this for the rest of my life, everything hurt, especially my back (from the swollen spleen) and I cried like a big baby before every shift I worked because I knew how painful it would be and how I would feel afterwards.<br />
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Then, our only luxury beater, the 99 SAAB, Green Machine, gave out too, and this time we couldn't afford to fix it or pay the overdue registration. I made myself walk 3 miles to work, thinking it would help me get stronger again (silly me) and left my shift early to make it to the last bus to get home or hitched a ride from a friendly co-worker when we were slammed and was unable to leave early. By November, Angel, could not take it anymore, he said I had to leave my job and rest so I could get better, but I was scared because I knew he only made enough for rent and I covered everything else. So I worked and saved what I thought would get us through the rest of the year. Then I trusted. And I am so glad, because everything just fell into place. I would not have recovered so quickly this last month if it wasn't for him, he made me do nothing, literally, he started working for the moving company while also teaching, he did all the housework, and he cared for me like I have never been cared for in my life. He IS my Angel. </div>
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Sorry I must back track here, after we moved to Hawaii in 2011, we started out on the island of Kauai, one day Angel and I met an Ayurveda herbalist while enjoying some hot tub action at a local beach side hotel. Her name is Kathy Matara and she IS a healer. I told her my about my health complications and how I couldn't figure out why I still wasn't healthy after all I had done, I no longer knew what to do and exhausted all my efforts. She taught me quick, real quick, and I am forever grateful for being put on the right path, because of being on the right path, so I could just meet her in the first place. To this day we remain good friends with her and her beautiful daughter. Well, she also introduced me to me Transcendental Meditation, and told me it was a form of mediation that anyone can learn that provides rest deeper than sleep and in which healing takes place. I knew I wanted to learn this form of meditation but it took over a year from the time I was introduced to it by her to be able to afford to learn. Oh boy do I love my husband, he is always up for all the things I want to do in this life, so last month, Angel and I learned this technique and we are forever changed. I know it was the missing link to what I needed in my life. I have always had the desire, drive, and hope but now I have the strength, endurance, and health to accomplish everything I dream of in my life. I feel ALIVE again and I feel eternally grateful to the gift of learning TM. Not only have I retrieved my health, strength, and vitality back after losing it all over again, but I am watching my husband continue to evolve into an amazing husband, son, brother, uncle, friend, and teacher. He has gone above and beyond what he thought capable of himself and I am so happy to see him thrive!</div>
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As I was regaining my strength this past month, and enjoying the holidays, my favorite time of year, we had the most remarkable experiences that made me cry tears of joy almost every day as well as feel a sense of peace I have never felt before in my life! I will just touch on a few because this is already becoming way longer than I intended. =) I had stocked up on food in November to get us through the holidays and saved as much as possible to pay our monthly utility bills. The first gift we started receiving was from a student at UH Manoa who volunteers at the student organic farm, SOFT, she was providing us with fresh organic produce every week that she said was a surplus they couldn't otherwise use, which we gratefully ate all of. Then she allowed us to borrow her car so we could stock up on groceries and toiletries for the month. As if that wasn't enough she left her car for us to use for 10 days while she left for the mainland to be with family for the holidays and even gifted me some seedlings and starter soil for the garden I had been wanting to start but kept having to put off from being to weak and unable to get supplies. So during this time off together, Angel and I knew gifts were out of the question for us and family, nor did we feel the need to participate, so we enjoyed the holidays by enjoying the island the way we used to when we had a vehicle and visited our favorite island beaches, picked out our Hawaiian tree at our island's Christmas Tree farm, decorated our home, went to see our previous neighbors for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, planted our veggie garden, and went dancing for my birthday.<br />
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Angel continued to work for the moving company and one day after housecleaning he complained that our vacuum wasn't working, but I said we just have to deal, we cannot afford another, well, the next day he went to work and came home with a new Dyson vacuum that their client gave away to him during his move. A Dyson! Dude! We are set for life with this bad ass piece of machine! LOL. Angel's boss, another very good person we are so lucky to have in our life, came over one night and while I was telling him how grateful I was for the vacuum, I said I thought Angel might come home with a piano one day so I could reteach myself how to learn (my parents provided us with lessons and we had a piano when I was young). Then he said well we already have 2 in our storage and I would like you to have one. OMG! really?! Wow, as if all this that wasn't enough for us, I received the most amazing birthday card from my parents and 11 siblings, a check from my caring sister Evette, that was enough to cover our gas bill, another generous gift from my always supportive older sister Rachel that helped with another bill we were short on, and a check from Angels parents that provided more healthy food in our happy belly's! I come from a very large family and I know how hard everyone in my family and Angel's struggles, so I never would ask for anything, ever, but somehow they did all this for us without being told, they loved me through their thoughtful words, their actions, and their gifts, and I am truly thankful for the LOVE I have in my life, and that is the most important thing in life, LOVE. </div>
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So to finish, I am truly grateful for everything my husband and I have been through together this past year, and truly grateful for my family and where I come from. I now can continue on to do what I love most and help others. Whether it's caring for a neighbor's tutu (grandmother), baking for co-workers, cooking with friends, posting a new recipe on face book, hanging out with our chicken, or loving my husband, I am truly happy to do it all. Angel starts teaching a full load next week, and enrollment is up and I can't wait for what's next in my life, I am just excited to be here, right now. I have some very good inklings on what's to come in 2014, and yes, life in paradise is pretty damn good, but I never said it was easy!</div>
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Aloha,</div>
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Rebecca<br />
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If you would like to learn more about Transcendental Mediation, here is their official website, or can call me if you have any questions.</div>
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<a href="http://www.tm.org/?leadsource=CRM984&gclid=CMD0lfSc7rsCFeZ7Qgodj2wAeQ" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.tm.org/?leadsource=<wbr></wbr>CRM984&gclid=<wbr></wbr>CMD0lfSc7rsCFeZ7Qgodj2wAeQ</a></div>
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If you are interested in Ayurvedic health management, you can contact Kathy Matara, she is able to do phone consultations for individualized herbal prescriptions and diet plans.</div>
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<a href="tel:808-212-1495" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+18082121495">808-652-9462</a></div>
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Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-84933413176049527992011-11-11T14:53:00.001-08:002014-01-15T20:35:54.901-08:00Coconut Ginger Snaps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is Aloha Friday on 11/11/11 and that is reason enough to whip up a batch of seasonal cookies to share with family or friends. These treats are so easy to make that you can even get your kiddos involved in the fun and the warmth and aroma it creates in your home will make you want to bake every night of this holiday season. I promise it is much more satisfying than a holiday glade candle because your nose and taste buds get a nice treat that everyone will appreciate!<br />
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<b>Gluten-Free Organic Ingredients</b><br />
makes about 20 cookies<br />
<ul>
<li>2 1/2 cups brown rice flour</li>
<li>1 cup sucanet (evaporated cane juice)</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1/2 cup unsalted butter</li>
<li>3 Tbs Molasses</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract (make sure to get a gluten and corn syrup free brand)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)</li>
<li>1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger</li>
<li>1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinammon </li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon sea salt</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon ground cloves</li>
<li>1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut</li>
<li>2 TBS sucanet</li>
</ul>
- Pre-heat oven to 375 and place 1 oven rack on the lower middle position and one on the upper middle position.<br />
- On a baking sheet with parchment paper spread the coconut flakes evenly and bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes or until toasted.<br />
- In a bowl, add the coconut flakes and 2 Tbs. honey or sucanet and mix together. <br />
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sucanet, egg, molasses, vanilla, and coconut extract with an electric mixer or by hand.<br />
- Add the flour and the rest of the dry ingredients and beat until blended.<br />
- Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, dip in coconut flakes, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper spaced 2 inches apart.<br />
- Slightly flaten each cookie by pressing with a spoon or thumb. <br />
- Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking time.<br />
- If you have allergies to tree nuts just make without the coconut ingredients. <br />
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Now enjoy these scrumptious tasty treats!<br />
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-55978672923408082602011-11-07T19:33:00.000-08:002011-11-09T18:35:46.778-08:00Healthy HolidaysNow that Halloween has come and gone and we are already in the month of November (can you believe it?) the holiday season is in full swing. We all know what that means: lots of social gatherings, lots of food, lots of drinking, did I mention lots of food? With high calorie meals and sweets constantly around and practically in your face it can be hard not to go overboard on the eating during this time of year. If you need a break from the high fat foods and sugary sweets just try this simple recipe that is not only light in fat and calories, but very filling and rich in plenty of nutrients. <br />
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Don't get me wrong, I fully enjoy holiday treats or just sweets in general, but they still should be enjoyed sparingly even when you make them with healthy unrefined ingredients. My hubby and I love to splurge once a week on a heavier meal (usually meat and higher fat foods) and one of my homemade gluten-free tasty treats, but the rest of the time we stick to the basics and keep it simple: brown rice, quinoa, veggies, and beans. It gives our sensitive stomachs a break from hard to digest rich foods and it makes those splurge eats and treats even more enjoyable! So this year keep a more balanced ratio of healthy foods and holidays splurges by cooking more simple meals at home. Here is just one of the many simple and healthy meals I will be sharing this season. <br />
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<b>Aduki Bean Soup with Cabbage Salad</b><br />
Serves 4<br />
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- Add 2 cups dry Aduki beans and 8-10 cups water in a cooking pot. <br />
- Bring to a boil, then turn down to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. These beans are great because of their short cooking time. <br />
- At the end of the cooking time season with desired amounts sea salt, ground black pepper, granulated garlic, and oregano.<br />
- Add fresh chopped cilantro and onion to the beans and serve with a scoop of brown rice or quinoa<br />
- Then top it off with the prepared cabbage salad. <br />
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Prepare the cabbage salad while beans are cooking:<br />
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- For 15 minutes soak 1/2 cabbage head, 2 carrots, green onion bunch, and aduki bean sprouts (any bean sprouts will work) in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon unrefined Apple Cider Vinegar and water to remove all bacteria and parasites.<br />
- Rinse veggies and finely chop the cabbage, grate the carrots, chop the green onion, then add all chopped veggies and sprouts together in a large bowl.<br />
- Add sea salt and about a half teaspoon each of cayenne, chili powder, and paprika to the salad.<br />
- Add less of the seasonings if you do not handle heat well, it can be spicy. <br />
- Add fresh squeezed juice of 2 lemons. <br />
- With clean hands or spoon mix all salad ingredients together.<br />
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I like to add the cabbage salad to the bean soup with the quinoa or brown rice and eat it all together in one big soup bowl. For healthy fats I add a teaspoon of olive oil or some fresh sliced avocado on top. This meal has so many great flavors and they all come together very nicely. So eat up and enjoy, I know I did!<br />
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Fun Health Facts:<br />
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- Aduki beans detoxify the body, reduce swelling and inflammation, and promote weight loss.<br />
- Aduki beans and all sprouts are easier to digest than other beans and legumes.<br />
- Cabbage improves digestion, beautifies the skin, and purifies the blood. It can be used to treat constipation, the common cold, cough, and even mental depression or irritability. <br />
- Carrots are one of the richest sources of the anti-oxidant beta carotene which protect against cancer and other diseases.<br />
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-45476480949232614042011-10-31T17:00:00.000-07:002011-10-31T17:00:07.081-07:00Happy Healthy Halloween!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Halloween is a favorite holiday for many of us because it is filled with fun activities and good times with family and friends. With lots of pumpkins, costumes, scares, and sweets, it is hard not to have a great time. I enjoy all these things about Halloween but I especially enjoy the pumpkin carving and pumpkin seed roasting. This year my hubby and I went with the island theme, to match our new surroundings, and the end product was very satisfying!<br />
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Check them out =) Cute huh?<br />
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Next time you carve your pumpkin, don't forget to save the seeds and enjoy the most nutritious treat of Halloween. It is so quick and easy to make, just follow these simple steps:<br />
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<b>Gluten-Free Roasted Pumpkin Seeds</b> <br />
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- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees<br />
- Scoop out all the seeds from the pumpkin and separate from the stringy flesh.<br />
- Rinse thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.<br />
- Spread seeds evenly on a large flat pan covered with parchment paper.<br />
- Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, granulated garlic, and paprika.<br />
- Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.<br />
- Turn and mix the seeds after fifteen minutes to ensure even roasting on each side.<br />
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You will absolutely enjoy these crunchy tasty treats!<br />
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- Pumpkin seeds are packed with protein, omega 3 healthy fats, and fiber.<br />
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- They are rich in magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc.<br />
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- They also aid in clearing the digestive tract of harmful bacteria and pathogens and can soothe nausea and digestive discomfort. <br />
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For those of us with celiac disease and gluten-intolerance, Halloween candy is just not a safe option to enjoy without risking exposure to gluten followed by another painful bathroom ordeal. Last year I ate candy that claimed to be gluten-free but my gut reaction told a different story. So stay safe this year and splurge on these tasty homemade Halloween treats anyone would love!<br />
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<b>Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies</b><br />
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Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees<br />
Use organic ingredients and hormone-free butter and eggs.<br />
<ul>
<li>3 cups GF oats (Bob's Red Mill is a good brand)</li>
<li>1 cup ground flaxseed</li>
<li>1/2 cup brown rice flour</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups evaporated cane juice (aka: sucanet, an unrefined sweetener) </li>
<li>1 teaspoon sea salt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li> 3 eggs</li>
<li>2 sticks melted unsalted butter</li>
<li>1/2 cup raw honey (choose locally made)</li>
<li>1 TBS Molasses</li>
<li>2 teaspoons GF and corn syrup free vanilla extract </li>
<li>1 package chocolate chip cookies (Enjoy Life Brand is gluten, soy, nut, and dairy free)</li>
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Optional additions and variations if you do not have any nut allergies:<br />
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- 1 cup pure peanut butter, preferably organic, or<br />
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes<br />
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Bake the cookies for about 15-20 minutes.<br />
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To make sure they do not fall apart when eating you can refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.<br />
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Happy Halloween!<br />
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Check out our costumes, this year Angel went for hysterical and I went for crafty. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hint: Look at the Do </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzjAljRFuoZHKKyR7XnQ1xg1_6XzQnz-jxtqWIdRqqlUN373EC6yLLaODfevpJ3lhc9FjVgtmFX1gQDuzhd1W1rBPdqwSlDb-65MRi97Lh4w1ruxvLJrMcfjn8jQVpNHhFPxEU5CzWFs-/s1600/Halloween+2011+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzjAljRFuoZHKKyR7XnQ1xg1_6XzQnz-jxtqWIdRqqlUN373EC6yLLaODfevpJ3lhc9FjVgtmFX1gQDuzhd1W1rBPdqwSlDb-65MRi97Lh4w1ruxvLJrMcfjn8jQVpNHhFPxEU5CzWFs-/s200/Halloween+2011+010.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you guess who Angel is this year?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6V9EBhp5HE9Br6JKu5i8tZ9KzmKSXYUADfMc_mhINc8G4DBWurXat1eRGnNesQgbygntGrsn1KHjU_36IouxoT00M18nc9aee0bVT_Q8HsF0y6ipuDVteebp7EU8yIUmWJ7vEcxiuwHn/s1600/Halloween+2011+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6V9EBhp5HE9Br6JKu5i8tZ9KzmKSXYUADfMc_mhINc8G4DBWurXat1eRGnNesQgbygntGrsn1KHjU_36IouxoT00M18nc9aee0bVT_Q8HsF0y6ipuDVteebp7EU8yIUmWJ7vEcxiuwHn/s640/Halloween+2011+012.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky Balboa presents: Clubber Lang! "I pity the fool"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUa2Fj5JVvITT_-DwnVE3JVWQffwsB_FNXOOZZ6hZCv6en4vxrXurBxiPgQAdplqAUb2Nn77v9HtEVU7uAWfBe1xihj7npQxAu9oHTU1Hgt5NtG0Uo4X-h7ZMJI2Cj4LN4hwzC8Cu5v_Ua/s1600/Halloween+2011+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUa2Fj5JVvITT_-DwnVE3JVWQffwsB_FNXOOZZ6hZCv6en4vxrXurBxiPgQAdplqAUb2Nn77v9HtEVU7uAWfBe1xihj7npQxAu9oHTU1Hgt5NtG0Uo4X-h7ZMJI2Cj4LN4hwzC8Cu5v_Ua/s640/Halloween+2011+001.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made my Sea Turtle Costume from cardboard and fabric scraps. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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</div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-45902815362605929432011-10-21T15:18:00.000-07:002011-10-22T14:00:44.881-07:00Fall Favorite: GF Mac N Cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgmf6pltwlF3ArNLNv2-pLArQe779vDqI_aXNYAYbzcKY5wF-UO4oAXDvQeqkFlnA-6DeH4PdSwkka8z9mXjjzd1xQWiS_8WGzsNUfL1cpIGdmFUU_7o0qqMwDseJFWDZtYKQgT80Gq3h/s1600/new+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgmf6pltwlF3ArNLNv2-pLArQe779vDqI_aXNYAYbzcKY5wF-UO4oAXDvQeqkFlnA-6DeH4PdSwkka8z9mXjjzd1xQWiS_8WGzsNUfL1cpIGdmFUU_7o0qqMwDseJFWDZtYKQgT80Gq3h/s320/new+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Whenever you feel the need to create a meal that will satisfy everyone's growling stomach and ease exhaustion, then try this simple and traditional favorite of kids and adults alike. This recipe is perfect for the very hungry, the very big appetite, or the need for a comforting meal after a long day, week, chilly weather, or anything that necessitates a relaxing night with good people and good food. </div>
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Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees<br />
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<b>Organic Ingredients</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>1 package Tinkyada GF Brown Rice elbow pasta (cooked in salted water)</li>
<li>3 cups unsweetened Almond Milk (my favorite brand: Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, original flavor </li>
<li>3 Tbs brown rice flour</li>
<li>1 Tbs tapioca flour</li>
<li>2 Tbs butter</li>
<li>1 cup (8 ounces) grated monterey jack cheese, or pepper jack for a spicy kick</li>
<li>1 cup (8 ounces) grated mild cheddar cheese</li>
<li>2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional, adds a nice spicy kick)</li>
<li>2 teaspoons chili powder (optional, adds a nice spicy kick)</li>
<li>2 teaspoons paprika</li>
<li>kosher or sea salt</li>
<li>freshly ground black pepper</li>
</ul>
Choose dairy products that are organic or from free-range, grass-fed cows, with no hormones and antibiotics.<br />
<br />
<b>Prepare Toppings</b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>Chop up and cook 1 package (8 ounces) bacon: Applegate Sunday Bacon Uncured is gluten
and casein free, with no preservatives, nitrates, nitrites and from
animals that are vegetarian fed.</li>
<li>GF bread crumbs: 2 slices of Udi's gf whole grain brown rice bread chopped in a food processor or with hands.</li>
<li>Chop broccoli.</li>
</ul>
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup almond milk with rice flour and tapioca flour.</div>
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- On the stove-top over medium to medium high heat, in a large cast iron skillet or saucepan, add the rest of the milk with milk flour mixture and whisk constantly while cooking until mixture thickens.</div>
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- Add the butter, cayenne, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper, and whisk together. </div>
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- Turn the heat down to low and add the grated cheese and mix until completely melted. </div>
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- Remove the pan from heat, add the cooked hot pasta, and mix thoroughly. </div>
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- Transfer to a baking dish or leave in the skillet (if using a cast iron skillet).</div>
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- Top with brocceli</div>
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- Bake for 15 minutes, then top with the bread crumbs and pre-cooked bacon bits. </div>
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- Bake 15 more minutes and serve hot. </div>
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Perfect for a cozy night in with the family, friends, your lover, or the little kiddos. Put a movie on, put your feet up, and enjoy your full warm belly. It's time to relax. =)</div>
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Happy Friday!</div>
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-53679095921717794912011-10-14T19:18:00.000-07:002014-02-08T12:27:20.231-08:00Anytime is the perfect time for a Pancake Party!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHuLmA7LTz9PLEP6RByl_69aPVCSOaqJb2SuP7gOa2glSNom6Vly8Obm3Cv9logqiqTa3ywHYt-OE26HDXlAcmY1qPXXFF36jiQfegrE8ehPtSzzveMooWR33oDsjZmrLBW12H2eXp8GI/s1600/pancakes+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHuLmA7LTz9PLEP6RByl_69aPVCSOaqJb2SuP7gOa2glSNom6Vly8Obm3Cv9logqiqTa3ywHYt-OE26HDXlAcmY1qPXXFF36jiQfegrE8ehPtSzzveMooWR33oDsjZmrLBW12H2eXp8GI/s320/pancakes+002.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
It is the perfect time of the year to make and enjoy some delicious and nutritious pancakes with your family, kids, or friends. So get together and spend some fun quality time whipping up something that everyone loves. They are so easy to make that anyone can do it, even the kiddos and all you bashful cooks. Forget those pre-made boxed pancake mixers, they have no taste and no nutritional value. Now is the time to start making your favorite foods from scratch, it is so much easier than you think and well worth it in the end. Here are some of my favorite pancakes you can try:<br />
<ul>
<li>Sweet Potato Pancakes </li>
<li>Pumpkin Pancakes </li>
<li>Banana Pancakes </li>
<li>Buttermilk Pancakes</li>
</ul>
<b>GF Pancake Recipe</b><br />
Choose your flavor: Puree cooked sweet potato or pumpkin, mash very ripe bananas, or make your own buttermilk by mixing 1 cup choice of nut or dairy milk with 1 TBS. lemon juice or vinegar and let sit on the counter for 15 minutes.<br />
- 1 cup pancake flavor filling (pick one from above)<br />
- 2 cups brown rice flour or millet flour<br />
- 2 Tbs. fresh ground flaxseed <br />
- 2 cups milk: use organic milk, or any nut milk, buttermilk pancakes need 2 Tbs. acid with the 2 cups milk of choice and do not need 1st ingredient on this list.<br />
- 2 beaten eggs (choose organic or hormone-free and cage-free eggs, if you have an egg allergy just substitute with 2 more Tbs. of fresh ground flaxseed)<br />
- 2 Tbs. melted unsalted organic or hormone free butter (vegans can substitute with coconut oil)<br />
- 2 Tbs. grade B maple syrup (optional)<br />
- 2 teas. vanilla extract (choose gluten-free and corn-syrup free)<br />
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (optional) <br />
- 2 teas. cinnamon (optional)<br />
- 1/2 teas. salt <br />
<br />
In a large bowl, mix together the flavor filling of choice with eggs, milk, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour, fresh ground flaxseed, salt, cinnamon and mix until well incorporated, add the lemon juice at the end for lighter pancakes and cook in a oiled/buttered and heated skillet.<br />
<br />
Top with 100% Grade B Maple Syrup or freshly made fruit syrup.<br />
*Never use Grade A Maple Syrup, it contains harmful ingredients like formaldehyde.<br />
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<b>GF Fresh Fruit Syrup</b><br />
Choose from lilikoi, blueberry, cranberry, or berry of choice.<br />
- 1 cup water or juice (blueberry, cranberry, or pomegranate).<br />
- 1 cup berries (fresh or frozen).<br />
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice.<br />
- 1/2 cup sucanet or coconut sugar.<br />
- 1 Tbs. tapioca flour.<br />
In a saucepan, mix the water/juice, berries, sweetener, and tapioca flour, bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook until mixture reduces. Remove from pan and let cool and firm up. <br />
<br />
I do not have
to tell you to enjoy this one! Today is Aloha Friday and I made some banana pancakes for me and my happy hubby from some
freshly ripened bananas I picked up from the farmers market yesterday. I can't wait to try the sweet potato pancakes next!<br />
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Onolicious!<br />
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*Ono means delicious in Hawaiian. ;-)<br />
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This one is the buttermilk pancake with lilikoi syrup.<br />
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-69528189033989611182011-10-06T14:40:00.000-07:002011-10-06T14:40:22.816-07:00Fabulous Fresh Fish Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLbYQzha-Snh1MCnoQC-GSa4fgC6oUhKL3mGYZKbjzugJKIJzUtLupUVKNcQfQEoWkLPPpq8kniUyliFBvCVc_DXcgVDQlUVYfGE-qp36wZWZ3MM9A3XYDFdiFVQ5mUjHivhV9fNReRbH/s1600/SaltPond+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLbYQzha-Snh1MCnoQC-GSa4fgC6oUhKL3mGYZKbjzugJKIJzUtLupUVKNcQfQEoWkLPPpq8kniUyliFBvCVc_DXcgVDQlUVYfGE-qp36wZWZ3MM9A3XYDFdiFVQ5mUjHivhV9fNReRbH/s320/SaltPond+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Yesterday, Angel made his second attempt to catch us a fresh fish for dinner. On his first attempt he got caught on the rocks and fought for hours to get his hook free, twice, but luckily he is a very patient fisherman, which I am so proud of. =)<br />
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So this time we headed to a pier, so the rocks would not be an issue, and waited patiently after he cast out his first line. After some time, he reeled in the line after feeling a tug and saw that something had stealthily snatched up the bait without getting hooked. So he tried again and it was not much longer that he got his first catch! He started reeling it in and when the fish finally emerged, we saw how huge it was, and then we realized it wasn't a fish at all, it was a baby Hammerhead Shark!<br />
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Angel lifted the Shark up and we saw that it was bleeding pretty good, so he wanted to get the hook out and release it quickly so it wouldn't die. Realizing he did not have any pliers to pull out the hook safely, and with no experience handling sharks, Angel asked a nearby fisherman for help. The guy quickly and with no hesitation pulled out the hook with his bare hands and threw him back in the ocean. Whew, what an adrenaline rush! I certainly have never seen or been that close to a Shark! <br />
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Unfortunately, I failed to catch a picture of the shark, but
with the use of a AA battery-operated camera with storage of only
11 pictures, I sadly missed the opportunity because the batteries were
not in and I could not delete a picture fast enough to make room for
just one more. Angel attempted a few more times for another catch and made friends with the other fisherman who helped save the day. He gave Angel some tips and pointers on where to go and what kind of bait to use for his next try.<br />
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Instead of fresh fish caught by my husband, I made dinner with a fresh catch we picked up from the local market. So, if you get in the mood for a healthy, light, and satisfying fish meal, give this simple recipe a try. <br />
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<b>Grilled Mahi Mahi on a bed of Brown Rice and Fresh Greens</b><br />
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- Cook desired amount of brown rice in rice cooker or pot.<br />
- Choose a white fish, fresh or frozen, and wild caught (avoid farm raised fish). <br />
- Marinate the fish in: olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and chili powder. <br />
- Prepare Fresh Green Salad: I used fresh green leaf lettuce, cilantro, purple onion, carrots, and avocado.<br />
- Top with your favorite fresh salsa or freshly made lemon and olive oil vinaigrette.<br />
Tip: Soak all fresh produce in a mild solution of apple cider vinegar for 15 minutes to remove bacteria and parasites.Use 1 T. vinegar per gallon of water or 1/4 C. per sinkful. <br />
- Cook fish on a grill pan or outdoor grill until white and cooked through. <br />
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Hope you enjoy this nutrient dense, delicious, and satisfying meal...we certainly did!<br />
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-21488647503411850442011-10-03T12:45:00.001-07:002011-10-03T14:33:27.912-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9Tuz1luHVXBLCK9k5YxWbXhpWTnYT7ELmqOO3R7W79jEFjZ-UtHMXdII9nIQcAkxTHD5otZRC0anxnTaY92V_5FAn2VI6mMdO8Js4QpqJmnXep73sFt4EwDD4FiYu0_H9XJrUW9npdwM/s1600/volleyball+2011+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9Tuz1luHVXBLCK9k5YxWbXhpWTnYT7ELmqOO3R7W79jEFjZ-UtHMXdII9nIQcAkxTHD5otZRC0anxnTaY92V_5FAn2VI6mMdO8Js4QpqJmnXep73sFt4EwDD4FiYu0_H9XJrUW9npdwM/s320/volleyball+2011+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Outdoor Activity</b><br />
<br />
One of the healthiest things we can do for our bodies is actually easier to do, more affordable, and more enjoyable than most people think. These days, when people hear about the importance of daily exercise and physical activity they think about huffing and puffing inside an expensive gym on a treadmill, elliptical, or with a personal trainer. You can actually get your daily activity in a lot more affordable ways and have fun while doing it. If you work inside an office all day, I can't imagine that the next thing you would want to do is to go indoors again. Enjoying the outdoors is so important for the mind, body, and soul and can awaken your senses even after the daily 9-5 routine. It doesn't make a difference if you live near a beach, lake, river, or in the mountains, desert, or city! And whether you get all the seasons or just one of them, there is always something nearby just waiting to be explored and enjoyed. So start exploring today: walk, hike, run, swim, bike, kayak, and dance so you can see and enjoy the beauty all around you and take a breath of fresh air.<br />
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<b>Quality over Quantity</b><br />
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When I was in my early 20's I would spend hours in the gym thinking that the more exercise I did the fitter and more in shape I would get. Over the years I have learned that not only do you use up precious time that could be enjoyed with family and friends, but you also break down your body from overuse rather than making it stronger. I have always loved being physically active and even as a child I would get up before the sun and run before school every day with my dad. So, it is not hard for me to get an hour of play every day doing the things I love: running, swimming, beach volleyball, and intense body strength routines with my husband a couple times a week. However, it could be as simple as walking or biking to work, or hiking a nearby trail to see the fall leaves. And for only 30 minutes a day with a friend or loved one, you'll feel revitalized, re-energized, and recharged. Everyone's body and fitness goals are different, so adjust them to your own and not the bodybuilder you see in the weight room.<br />
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<b>Balance</b><br />
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It is important for both men and women to get a good balance of cardiovascular and strength training activities to attain a strong healthy body. You still do not need to spend a lot of money to achieve both and you can do it in your own home, your back yard, or even better at your nearby park. Using your own body for developing and maintaining strength is all you need, and it's a lot more challenging than you may think.<br />
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So stay tuned for my quick and easy strength training videos that will guide you through the movements so you can feel fitter, healthier, and happier in life!<br />
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These are some of our pictures from a recent hike and volleyball beach day.<br />
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-42042808135112386692011-09-30T14:22:00.000-07:002011-10-01T13:40:12.575-07:00Eat Live Love Local<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The great thing about our new community is there is an abundance of local farmers who get together at our neighborhood park and sell fresh produce every week. I stopped by yesterday to see what yummy goods I could find for our next meal and for my husband's sweet tooth and I happily came across a variety of local produce. I picked out some fresh kale for dinner, Okinawan sweet potatoes for a future pie just waiting to be made, green onions for our weekend egg skillet, and the biggest sweetest smelling lemons I have ever seen! Growing up. my siblings and I had some awesome lemon trees in our yard that we used to make fresh lemonade, now I am going to use these lemons to make one of my husbands favorite treats: Lemon Meringue Pie.<br />
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If you get a craving for something delicious and nutritious, find your closest farmers market and go explore the goods, pick out the freshest produce you can find, and whip up a meal or tasty treat. Trust me, you can see, smell, and taste the difference. Not only does fresh local produce taste better, it contains far more nutrients (because it is allowed to ripen on the tree), and it boosts your immune system allowing for optimal health and wellness. <br />
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If you are interested in trying my gluten-free lemon meringue pie recipe, find some fresh lemons, fresh local eggs, and hormone-free butter and milk. These ingredients make up a big part of the pie. Luckily, lemons grow in many places and you can find local, hormone free milk and eggs even in the supermarket. The key to a delicious and nutritious wholesome pie is the fresh foods and whole, unrefined ingredients.<br />
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<b>Local Lemon Meringue Pie</b></div>
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<u>GF Crust</u><br />
This recipe should make enough for 2 pie crusts, you can refrigerate one for another time or double the filling recipe and make 2 pies. <u> </u><br />
Pre-heat oven to 325<br />
<ul>
<li>1 1/2 cups brown rice flour</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups almond meal</li>
<li>1/2 cup Wholesome Sweeteners sucanet (aka: unrefined evaporated cane juice)</li>
<li>1/2 teas. sea salt</li>
<li>2 sticks unsalted butter (use organic or hormone-free)</li>
</ul>
- Grease a glass pie pan with butter.<br />
- In a large bowl, combine and mix thoroughly all the dry ingredients.<br />
- Cut cold butter into small cubes and knead into dry ingredients until well incorporated into a smooth dough.<br />
- With your hands, press the dough evenly into the pan and up the sides.<br />
- Bake the dough on the bottom rack for 15-20 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. <br />
- Cool the dough as you make the filling and leave the oven on to bake the filling.<br />
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<u>GF Pie Filling</u><br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup Wholesome Sweeteners powdered sugar *gluten-free and unrefined</li>
<li> 3 Tbs. tapioca flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoon grated lemon zest</li>
<li>1/2 cup almond milk (or local hormone-free milk)</li>
<li>1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice</li>
<li>1 large egg</li>
<li>2 large egg yolks</li>
<li>2 Tbs. butter</li>
</ul>
- On the stove top, in a large saucepan, whisk together the sugar, tapioca flour, lemon zest, almond milk, and lemon juice.<br />
- Bring to boil over medium heat and stir constantly until it thickens into a gel like mixture.<br />
- Remove from heat.<br />
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk until smooth and then add the eggs into the saucepan with lemon gel mixture.<br />
- Cook over medium heat, add the butter, and stir constantly until fully combined.<br />
- Remove from heat and cover while making the meringue topping. <br />
*I use Wholesome Sweeteners brand for many of my baking ingredients because of their gluten-free and unrefined products. Be careful of conventional powdered sugar because it is not always gluten-free due to the addition of refined wheat flour.<br />
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<u>GF Meringue Topping</u><br />
<ul>
<li>3 egg whites</li>
<li>1/2 cup Wholesome sweeteners powdered sugar</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter</li>
</ul>
- Beat the egg whites and cream of tarter until soft peaks form.<br />
- Add the sugar and vanilla extract and keep beating until the filling is light and fluffy.<br />
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*When I didn't have an electric mixer, I just used some good ol' arm strength to get the meringue to form. It took quite some time, sweat, and endurance but if you have the willpower then go for it. If you already have an electric mixer it will take you way less time and leave you without the sore arms. <br />
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<u>Finally</u><br />
- I realized there are many steps to this, but it is well worth it!<br />
- Add the lemon mixture to the pie then add the merengue on top<br />
- Bake for 20 minutues until the merengue is a beautiful light golden brown color.<br />
- Cool for 30 minutes and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.<br />
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After all that LOVE you just put into making this, you and the lucky people you decide to share with will taste it in every bite!<br />
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Today is Aloha Friday, and our awesome little town gathers together for a
fun festival where locals sell beautiful art, play live music, and eat. I can't
wait to share my pie tonight!<br />
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<br />Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-45349410219627663882011-09-28T01:32:00.000-07:002011-09-28T13:42:02.200-07:00The Begining of a New Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Due to some recent life changes my blog will be adapting to include new ideas. Instead of sharing only cooking recipes, I will be sharing multiple ways to accomplish health, wellness, and happiness through diet, physical activity, and environment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">After doing everything in my control to be healthy by eating gluten-free whole foods and getting plenty of daily physical activity, I was still having health complication after health complication. All my spare time and energy was spent working on my health and receiving constant medical treatment and it became physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Instead of giving up, my husband and I made the ultimate life changing decision we have ever experienced and started on a journey to find a home in an environment that would allow for optimal health and healing so we could both live life to the fullest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">I paid off all my debt and left a great job, he attained his second masters degree and cut short his PhD degree, we sold all our life belongings and said our goodbyes to family and friends, and then we set off to the island of our dreams with one suitcase and one backpack each. It was LIBERATING!</span></div>
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Our first week in paradise included the purchase of our island car (named Thrilliam Marcellus Wallace, aka Thrill.i.am), camping at a beautiful north shore beach, and making friends with awesome local islanders. Every day we enjoyed the beauty of the island and people. We woke every
morning at 6am and were invited to join our friendly neighbor campers for coffee and fresh island picked fruit where a wealth of knowledge and information was shared, exchanged, and appreciated by us new arrivals. My husband and I followed our morning social hour with a great workout on the beach side park and then swam in the ocean and explored more of the island for the rest of our stay.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">By week 2 we were able to secure an apartment in a beautiful yellow beach cottage on the west side of the island where we made even more friends with our new welcoming neighbors. One day we went out to run errands and apply for a local drivers license (when Angel drove I had made a habit of hanging my foot out the car window to enjoy the warmth of the sunshine) so I proceeded to raise my foot on the window ledge when my sandel flew out the car window while Angel was driving 55 mph. After walking around the DMV and street sidewalks barefoot all day I finally took my drivers test and failed by one point, not my brightest moment (or should I say day) in life. Fortunately, Angel passed his drivers test and on the way home I spotted my sandal on the roadside and put it back on my newly blackened, burnt, and humiliated foot. LOL. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We are now in the third week of our new life and things keep falling into place. I feel more relaxed with each breath I take here. I happily passed my drivers test on my second try (only missed 2) What What! Yes, I did study this time. Angel is applying for some promising job openings at the local community college and we are just keeping our fingers crossed. I feel like I am gaining more strength and energy with each day and know I will feel better and better as time goes by. For now, I am using this precious time to meet the locals and learn about our resources so I can start a successful business that contributes back to the community. I can't wait to get my gluten-free cafe running so I can feed anyone who wants to eat and enjoy the most nutritious and delicious local fare! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Stay tuned for more ways to increase your quality of life! I will be sharing more healthy recipes, workout plans, and local ways to live your life to the fullest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Aloha! </span>
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Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com6Kauai, Hawaii, USA22.0964396 -159.526123821.8610426 -159.8419808 22.3318366 -159.2102668tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-27757307143846004272011-06-28T13:39:00.000-07:002011-06-29T19:49:48.546-07:00Summer Living Smoothie Style!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5I7WjJjpDmnS0_x8CDWDsybbluXMrZhyphenhyphenQN7IPuG76WkyY5ZNKSKwigEbG0HxLE4sIhRicOtlu4mt1YXdH0eebQU3P9Mz4gYX_6OFnJYXwQ4k-rQ6VMnLF79WRZ0Ca5ZvZQG2iB82gUp_x/s1600/USDA+food+pics+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623716797242430770" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5I7WjJjpDmnS0_x8CDWDsybbluXMrZhyphenhyphenQN7IPuG76WkyY5ZNKSKwigEbG0HxLE4sIhRicOtlu4mt1YXdH0eebQU3P9Mz4gYX_6OFnJYXwQ4k-rQ6VMnLF79WRZ0Ca5ZvZQG2iB82gUp_x/s400/USDA+food+pics+001.jpg" border="0" /></a> If you have read all my blogs for the month of June then by now you should know a few things about me:<br /><ol><li>I love summer<br /></li><li>I love to cook AND eat (especially Mexican food)<br /></li><li>I love to be physically active (aka play) outside<br /></li><li>and last but not least, </li></ol><p>did I mention that I LOVE Summer!<br /><br />One of the many reasons I enjoy summer is because of the abundance and variety of fresh, ripe, sweet, and juicy fruits that are just waiting for me to eat them. You should enjoy them as much as possible too because they pack a good nutritional punch in every bite with all the vitamins, minerals, and disease fighting antioxidants they contain. Don't forget to eat from every color group because each color provides different health benefits.<br /><br />These are my absolute favorite smoothie concoctions that I enjoy eating almost every day during the warm months for lunch or as a pre workout energy meal. They are always affordable to make when produce is in season and I can take them with me to work or any place I need to go and they also take very little time and energy to prepare. So blend up one of my favorite mixtures or come up with your own by including your favorite fruits of the season. </p><p><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Tropical Tahitian Blend</span></p><ul><li>Half of 1 fresh pineapple</li><br /><li>10-12 ounce bag of frozen mango</li><br /><li>6 ounces of frozen or fresh blackberries (berries are optional but add a nice great touch)</li><br /><li>3-4 cups of unsweetened Almond milk</li></ul><p><strong>Tropical Thailand Blend</strong><br /></p><ul><li>10-12 ounce bag of frozen mango</li><br /><li>4 fresh peaches</li><br /><li>3 -4 cups of unsweetened Almond milk </li></ul><p><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Berry Bonanza Blend</span><br /></p><ul><li>1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries</li><br /><li>1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries</li><br /><li>1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries </li><br /><li>3-4 cups unsweetened Almond milk</li></ul><p>Add fruit to blender and blend until smoothie style.<br />These amounts make enough for 2 to 4 people at a time so you can adjust accordingly for individual servings.<br />The key to a great smoothie is choosing one frozen fruit to create a better blend.<br />Pick your frozen fruit of choice for any of these blends.<br />Many times it is more affordable to buy frozen fruits, especially berries, mangoes, and other tropical fruits that are not grown here.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Health Facts:</span><br />- Almond milk is naturally free of gluten, soy, dairy, sugar, cholesterol, peanuts, casein, eggs, saturated fat, and MSG.<br />- It is an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D & E, and a good source of vitamin A.<br />- It is naturally vegan and low on the Glycemic Index which is good for diabetes control and weight management.<br />- It contains only 40 calories and 3.5 grams of (healthy fat) per cup.<br />- My favorite brand: Blue Diamond Almond Breeze<br /><br />So drink up and use Almond milk for all your baking, cooking, and/or drinking needs!<br /><br /></p>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-90299200163219477872011-06-21T19:51:00.000-07:002011-06-21T20:56:13.078-07:00Summer Living Salad Style!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQEUUHS52o-NkkNY27cZ-Xi7xV7yt5O0KYkguKFnJhaUVNhLCWJvxGE-nc6eYLu2VS7Is_8E3OqON92VxHAmf9WexazwnUDnGLDWM_he-cAi_0hPr1BvxaepRywrnesSTvUVJ-AAKwiq9/s1600/Food+Blog+111.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQEUUHS52o-NkkNY27cZ-Xi7xV7yt5O0KYkguKFnJhaUVNhLCWJvxGE-nc6eYLu2VS7Is_8E3OqON92VxHAmf9WexazwnUDnGLDWM_he-cAi_0hPr1BvxaepRywrnesSTvUVJ-AAKwiq9/s400/Food+Blog+111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620883543681496834" border="0" /></a><br />It is now officially summer and my favorite time of the year because: I get to run, swim, bike and be active outside all day, it is hot and sunny during the day and warm at night, and finally there are so many options for delicious and nutritious meals.<br /><br />This is the best and easiest time of the year to boost your health: all you have to do is soak up the sun to get your daily dose of Vitamin D, play (be active) outside to get your physical activity, and eat all the fruits and veggies in season to get plenty of vitamins, minerals, and cancer fighting anti-oxidants.<br /><br />This recipe makes it very easy to add more veggies to your daily diet, you can eat as a side dish or as a meal with a scoop of quinoa, that is my favorite way!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">GF Organic Summer Salad</span><br /><ul><li>1 head green leaf lettuce</li><li>1 head red leaf lettuce</li><li>1 bunch flat leaf parsley<br /></li><li>1 medium purple onion</li><li>2 carrots</li><li>1 cucumber</li><li>1 green bell pepper</li><li>1 cup sliced mushrooms</li></ul>Serves 4-6 people, I make a big salad that lasts about 2 days for me and my hubby.<br />Chop all veggies and mix together in a large bowl.<br /><br />Fresh veggies are all naturally gluten-free but beware of processed bottled dressings that not only may contain gluten but also preservatives, additives, and unnecessary sugar. This dressing recipe is so easy to make, it only takes a few minutes to prepare, and it tastes way better than that bottled crap. =)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">GF Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing</span><br /><ul><li>1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil</li><li>Juice of 2 lemons</li><li>Kosher or sea salt</li><li>Freshly ground black pepper</li><li>Italian seasoning: or combine dried herbs: oregano, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary.<br /></li></ul>In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, and desired amounts of salt, pepper and dried herbs.<br />Serve 1 or 2 spoonfuls over a serving of salad.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health Tip /Facts:</span><br />Eat your salad with this lemon vinaigrette at the end of your meal to ease digestion, absorb more minerals and nutrients, promote weight loss, cleanse your blood, and cool the body from summer heat.<br /><br />These leafy greens and veggies are full of nutrients that help eliminate waste from the body, reduce body fat, keep your skin looking and feeling healthy, cleanse your blood, reduce inflammation and infections, and prevent and treat illness, disease, and cancer.<br /><br />So eat them all up!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3Kf0M4C88tywu11skIuialwxzkzxaNBEpGhJ3N6KIbzjsHrdX2HXEUC5rt6GTWB8IJvzCGW4jMk394abWuHeu784axXO8z8BQpd8s_8YJl8s4o3ZaZTshQoOFcLDsLTP2us8waWVqSwV/s1600/new+021.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3Kf0M4C88tywu11skIuialwxzkzxaNBEpGhJ3N6KIbzjsHrdX2HXEUC5rt6GTWB8IJvzCGW4jMk394abWuHeu784axXO8z8BQpd8s_8YJl8s4o3ZaZTshQoOFcLDsLTP2us8waWVqSwV/s400/new+021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620884893430952946" border="0" /></a>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-22981726058271559132011-06-10T14:12:00.000-07:002011-06-10T15:34:08.283-07:00Mexican Brown Rice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzQNE-Vb7Gfcj6zEMctO_XT60VZlVAod4FXti9FzS3L3AgdmHCnPDKoJZMF91wkksAfDQRUspog1wioFSLPMz90LUEOnullPh_asdB2H76gv5WXE6i_1LYXJQqoWTq9325sK8GxCO0BSN/s1600/new+024.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzQNE-Vb7Gfcj6zEMctO_XT60VZlVAod4FXti9FzS3L3AgdmHCnPDKoJZMF91wkksAfDQRUspog1wioFSLPMz90LUEOnullPh_asdB2H76gv5WXE6i_1LYXJQqoWTq9325sK8GxCO0BSN/s400/new+024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616718137792343938" border="0" /></a><br />I am so happy brown rice is gluten-free because it provides so many health benefits and it is easy and fun to cook in so many different ways that never fail to turn out amazing. To get more insight of the many healing qualities of brown rice, visit the link below to view my facebook note:<br /><br />https://www.facebook.com/#!/note.php?note_id=355085354823<br /><br />I like to eat whole grain brown rice at least 2 to 3 times a week and this recipe will give you another great way to include it in your diet as well: you can serve it for any meal as a side dish or make it the main course by adding beans, meat, or veggies. To make the perfect meal that is vegetarian as well, try this rice with my homemade refried beans recipe (recipe featured last month) and top with avocado and salsa verde (recipe in January 2011 archive). This also goes very well with my Carne Asada, enchiladas (recipe coming soon), and much much more! I sure hope you get to try it soon!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Organic and GF Ingredients</span><br /><ul><li>3 cups rinsed whole grain brown rice </li><li>1 medium white or yellow onion<br /></li><li>2 medium tomatoes</li><li>3 garlic cloves</li><li>granulated garlic powder<br /></li><li>kosher or sea salt </li><li>extra virgin olive oil<br /></li><li>water<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Preparation:</span><br />In a pot filled with water, boil the tomatoes until the skin starts to peel off, then drain the water and cover the pot to let the tomatoes steam. After steaming for about 5 minutes, peel the skin off the tomatoes and puree in a blender until smooth with salt, garlic cloves, and garlic powder.<br /><br />In the rice pot, add olive oil, enough to fill the bottom of the pot, and heat up on medium heat. Then add the rinsed brown rice and chopped onion and turn up to medium high heat, stir frequently, for about 10 minutes, until rice is evenly browned.<br /><br />Add water and the tomato puree to the rice pot: make enough liquid to double the rice, this recipe needs 6 cups total of water and tomato puree together. Keep on medium high heat and bring to a boil.<br /><br />After rice boils for a couple of minutes, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 65 to 75 minutes or until rice is fluffy and water is evaporated. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.<br /><br />Let's Cook!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCa5Mzw5yDwhjBJYVne27OVh6QNI4nYecRxk1T7RkalSyFepx6Jc6VU6Dw590aczfMl0clQoQZiUCyucCnBtX949r-Ylp0OsEweIl20H0WC7LkkZ1ucFBktJBBQsMKPeNZ71xzSsZ8HWtC/s1600/new+002.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCa5Mzw5yDwhjBJYVne27OVh6QNI4nYecRxk1T7RkalSyFepx6Jc6VU6Dw590aczfMl0clQoQZiUCyucCnBtX949r-Ylp0OsEweIl20H0WC7LkkZ1ucFBktJBBQsMKPeNZ71xzSsZ8HWtC/s400/new+002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616718130839834114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7lt6QveTgd1DcuSLibkzVXgmvkWGmofN18tDRehiMiI-U3Af2KqQCf9HnH_E21WbKWgS3n_qy5tqxhxcrVRGaRqdL5IgqwGNfAy76_PhqE6IDfYcu7In1ojTwHB4_7Orx7V_f18DPPDB/s1600/new+003.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7lt6QveTgd1DcuSLibkzVXgmvkWGmofN18tDRehiMiI-U3Af2KqQCf9HnH_E21WbKWgS3n_qy5tqxhxcrVRGaRqdL5IgqwGNfAy76_PhqE6IDfYcu7In1ojTwHB4_7Orx7V_f18DPPDB/s400/new+003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616718121299308258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEvYe5jz0Zzo3tGiqthyLtzTEPuTxhf4AKZflAPsamSEFBNJJ97Ob1mGWP7SDJwmMmfhGoBhw041RM57gVGQkpq6DAdhMA4KJkvSdgybHiCgpC8AgCXV6XrM4Z8EsO9__po3v-QZSprBX/s1600/new+004.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEvYe5jz0Zzo3tGiqthyLtzTEPuTxhf4AKZflAPsamSEFBNJJ97Ob1mGWP7SDJwmMmfhGoBhw041RM57gVGQkpq6DAdhMA4KJkvSdgybHiCgpC8AgCXV6XrM4Z8EsO9__po3v-QZSprBX/s400/new+004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616718112270343570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeJYz_Sfo-9_qN1-Y6EIYDV_HmdQHJTgQE7G8duIpCjs8OeX199d5wbcIQWddA8tJgwR4Tf9knCyRNX_gtC3nC7GyiiA4myeBsu3C8kHxBL_IIYqnBbkA3YeUGvvrgdKhBrjns8Cut2dV/s1600/new+008.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeJYz_Sfo-9_qN1-Y6EIYDV_HmdQHJTgQE7G8duIpCjs8OeX199d5wbcIQWddA8tJgwR4Tf9knCyRNX_gtC3nC7GyiiA4myeBsu3C8kHxBL_IIYqnBbkA3YeUGvvrgdKhBrjns8Cut2dV/s400/new+008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616718104749845714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaE0eFM-kPPNS0aqr8d1TaiSW5tnXadNc_fg0hjLFjSfQVI13gQQU9eDZVNA6fA6kjnJqC7Rxy7BMB9rpnvcPXUZuT51ezMPJ7KrfW0y7uACa_AcvKmdR46cHeeKk4IvMdVkte2OwrL7S/s1600/new+024.JPG"></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaE0eFM-kPPNS0aqr8d1TaiSW5tnXadNc_fg0hjLFjSfQVI13gQQU9eDZVNA6fA6kjnJqC7Rxy7BMB9rpnvcPXUZuT51ezMPJ7KrfW0y7uACa_AcvKmdR46cHeeKk4IvMdVkte2OwrL7S/s1600/new+024.JPG"> </a>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-18591910517179786132011-06-05T16:37:00.000-07:002011-06-06T09:38:12.749-07:00Summer Living Carne Asada Style!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbFtdokshGlwJQYOj0saKCkUhjxK68nglq8ug6aojcgZVHlNPH_5TKX4An1EcBy9fzAry8_T71mhwqlyxhK57BJ2gMusvAHWdPsd8IIW3Vnj_akiWc9V4Ngh7jJCzsdoI7GCfwtJLpbWH/s1600/new+017.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614890942395159186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbFtdokshGlwJQYOj0saKCkUhjxK68nglq8ug6aojcgZVHlNPH_5TKX4An1EcBy9fzAry8_T71mhwqlyxhK57BJ2gMusvAHWdPsd8IIW3Vnj_akiWc9V4Ngh7jJCzsdoI7GCfwtJLpbWH/s400/new+017.JPG" /></a>I need to apologize for the long break I have taken from my food blog, sometimes life gets in the way of things you want to do and that is exactly what happened. I planned on sharing my favorite Mexican recipes for the month of May because of Cinco de Mayo but I was unable to post them all due to my blogger break. Now it is already June (and thank God for that!) because I was in dire need of warm weather and summer to arrive here in the Mid-West after our stubborn lingering winter made our spring season painfully cold.<br /><br />I must say, I feel like a completely different person in the warmer months: I love living!<br />There is nothing like good friends, good music, good outdoor fun, and good food of course! I only left out family because that is the one thing I am missing in my life right now. I cannot wait for the times I will get to share with them.<br /><br />So this meal is dedicated to family, friends, summer, and living it up! I love to cook, but I LOVE to cook even more for family and friends. I am truly blessed to have a husband who enjoys and appreciates every meal I make, but I still do not feel completely satisfied unless we have others to share with the experience of a truly delicious and nutritious meal.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Carne Asada </span><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>Grass Fed skirt steak </li><br /><li>GF Soy Sauce: San J Organic Tamari GF Soy Sauce</li><br /><li>Juice of 1 lime </li><br /><li>Granulated garlic powder</li><br /><li>Kosher or Sea salt</li><br /><li>Freshly ground black pepper </li></ul><br /><p>-Prepare the charcoal grill first (that is where my husband comes in handy =)<br />-Place steaks flat in a large and deep baking dish.<br />-Add garlic powder and salt and pepper to both sides of steaks.<br />-Add fresh lime juice and enough soy sauce to cover the steaks.<br />-Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;">-</span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Grill steaks on each side, I prefer cooked to medium well.</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /><br /></span></span>The Fix-ins:</span> </p><br /><ul><br /><li>Enjoy Life GF Whole Corn Tortillas: Found at Whole Foods. Just warm up on the grill after the meat is ready. </li><br /><li>Rebecca's Salsa Verde (see recipe in January 2011 archive)</li><br /><li>Rebecca's Guacamole (recipe coming up soon!)</li><br /><li>Freshly squeezed lime juice</li><br /><li>Chopped cilantro and onion </li></ul>Don't forget your favorite cocktail!<br />I prefer a Pina Colada or Mai Tai: Recipes coming soon!<br /><br />I get affordable grass fed beef from City Fresh Market located at the French Market in Chicago. Look up your local farmers markets for farmers who sell affordable grass fed beef, and by that I mean they are cheaper than Whole Foods Market. You should expect to pay more for good quality food. You will actually save money by staying healthy and avoiding expensive medical bills.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Health Facts:</span><br />Grass-fed cows are humanely raised on free range farms and are never fed corn and/or grains because that causes them to get sick and in turn need antibiotics. You are more likely to get food poisening from conventional meat than from grass-fed meat.<br />Meat from grass-fed cows contains no hormones or antibiotics and contains less saturated and total fats than conventional beef, it contains 2-4 times the amount of Omega-3's and 3-5 times the amount of CLAs, all believed to improve cardiovascular health and fight cancer and disease. Beef is also a good source of protein, iron, and Vitamin B12.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-21120394512869921212011-05-10T20:14:00.000-07:002014-01-15T21:15:30.740-08:00GF Strawberry Liquado<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-xokJmpprfVSU_ZfgaGv0su6DarUenEl6_FjnLlQhuaYmmp3Z8hezE0ZtLbIc2bBHp1hYQibPD5HrIOZvwZmSCd30hRsPpH_f6ZAZPTzGdPpP-R6lzssVmi8rMJ_UtWYmHMU5Az1hR4g/s1600/new+002.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-xokJmpprfVSU_ZfgaGv0su6DarUenEl6_FjnLlQhuaYmmp3Z8hezE0ZtLbIc2bBHp1hYQibPD5HrIOZvwZmSCd30hRsPpH_f6ZAZPTzGdPpP-R6lzssVmi8rMJ_UtWYmHMU5Az1hR4g/s400/new+002.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605294009511537362" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 400px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
The next addition to my month of Mexican recipes goes to the Mexican version of what we know as the smoothie. This delicious treat is perfect for warm days and will satisfy your thirst and hunger at the same time. Enjoy it as a snack, meal, or even dessert!<br />
<br />
I have come up with many varieties of delicious smoothies (which I have yet to share) but when my husband whipped up this version for me I was hooked on the first slurp. This is something his mother, Aurora Camacho, used to make for him when he was a child. I am so grateful for all our wonderful mothers who have taught us so much. Just one of the many important things I learned from my mother-in-law and husband is:<br />
the most important ingredient in any recipe is <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Love</span>-</span> and love can be found in just about any Latin recipe. I hope everyone, especially all the great moms, had a wonderful mothers day this year!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients </span><br />
<ul>
<li>1 bag of frozen strawberries (2 cups)</li>
<li>2 cups of unsweetened almond or coconut milk (add extra water in need)</li>
<li>1 pinch of cinnamon</li>
<li>2 TBS. local raw honey</li>
</ul>
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until liquado. Add more almond milk as needed. The key is to have it more liquidy than smoothie.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sorber!</span>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-54333631076278889002011-05-05T18:25:00.000-07:002014-01-15T21:17:02.334-08:00Cinco de Mayo Celebracion: GF Mango Margaritas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxbgwNVrNbgKpCp4MwuyfiH9h8PUug7E20AKkC8NMvmcBJDnYzbkiQJmlpOy5Nld8vKq3uITUpkuqeuQwB87G9E744A_DQ4-qZ49Lt8vuASfFPJB3TyFg-yEwWNpO91bSP8RvOWDcyBu2/s1600/Food+Blog+101.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxbgwNVrNbgKpCp4MwuyfiH9h8PUug7E20AKkC8NMvmcBJDnYzbkiQJmlpOy5Nld8vKq3uITUpkuqeuQwB87G9E744A_DQ4-qZ49Lt8vuASfFPJB3TyFg-yEwWNpO91bSP8RvOWDcyBu2/s400/Food+Blog+101.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603419096826428162" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<b>Cinco de Mayo</b> ("fifth of May") is a Mexican holiday that commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> The holiday has little significance in Mexico and is observed primarily in the U.S. and the state of Puebla to celebrate Mexican heritage and pride. Mexicans and Latinos living in California during the American Civil War are credited with being the first to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the United States. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence day, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.<br />
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Ever since I was a child growing up in California, Cinco de Mayo has always been a holiday that was celebrated and recognized. It is a great way to partake and enjoy the wonderful food, dance, and culture of the Mexican people. Now that I am an adult, I also love to enjoy a delicious homemade Margarita!<br />
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If you are unable to enjoy one today, make sure you get a chance soon. I will be making one for my husband and I while listening to Ana Gabriel and watching Teresa on Univision, as soon as I finish this blog.<br />
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Today I am sharing my favorite margarita recipes, don't be afraid to make up your own version. The key is using pure ingredients and a quality tequila. Tequila brands I recommend are: Hornitos and 1800 for the budget conscious, and Patron and Don Julio when you are able to bust out the big bucks.<br />
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Makes 4 servings<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mango Margarita</span><br />
<ul>
<li>4 shots puro de agave (100% from agave) tequila reposado</li>
<li>1 bag (14 ounces) of frozen mangos</li>
<li>juice of 2 limes</li>
<li>2 cups water</li>
<li>1/2 cup sucanet</li>
</ul>
Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Before pouring, salt the rim of all margarita or cocktail glass's.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Strawberry Margarita</span><br />
<ul>
<li>4 shots of puro de agave (100% from agave) tequila blanco</li>
<li>1 to 2 bags of frozen strawberries</li>
<li>juice of 2 limes</li>
<li>2 cups water</li>
<li>1/2 cup sucanet</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Before pouring, salt the rim of all margarita or cocktail glass's.<br />
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Viva Mexico!Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-36330957753073334182011-05-01T05:04:00.000-07:002011-05-01T13:19:45.629-07:00Mexican May(hem): GF Plantain Empanadas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn72BJLAOcWhFgnB2qCYdZdEbc9S-o6zSZInz-oTOSDItjAhwFHG7SZOELP-f7C67uctjZ6b6PDNxr8r_mG_uZbP3DDVucSF00KZd8pXjJF6VGJJSMsN5R9TI1XbdDABnMBo0vNiFHpdzZ/s1600/new+014.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn72BJLAOcWhFgnB2qCYdZdEbc9S-o6zSZInz-oTOSDItjAhwFHG7SZOELP-f7C67uctjZ6b6PDNxr8r_mG_uZbP3DDVucSF00KZd8pXjJF6VGJJSMsN5R9TI1XbdDABnMBo0vNiFHpdzZ/s400/new+014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601807111946344466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It is now the month of May and I cannot tell you how excited I am for the recipes I am about to share. This month I will be focusing on all things Mexican! I have been waiting to share my favorite Mexican dishes for a while now and if you have tried mi Salsa Verde or Chilaquiles recipe than you know this white girl ain't no joke. =)</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I absolutely loved growing up in Los Angeles, not just for the great weather and ocean, but also because it exposed me to authentic Mexican culture and cuisine. Mexican food is not only my favorite food but I believe it to be the most delicious food in the world! Yeah I said it.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">My first Mexican recipe for the month of May comes from a restaurant in Mexico City and was shared by Pati's Mexican Table; a cooking show on PBS featuring authentic Mexican recipes. They called it Plantain Quesadilla's, but because of the way it is cooked, how it looks, and a few minor changes I made to the recipe, I am calling them Empanadas. Whatever you call it is not the point, what matters is the end product and how much you are going to love it!</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It was labor intensive and time consuming, but what authentic Mexican food isn't? And more importantly, what authentic Mexican food isn't worth the time and effort?</span> <h3 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Plantain Empanada stuffed with Refried beans<br /></h3> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Makes from 6 to 8 large Empanadas<br /></p> <h4 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ingredients<br /></h4> <ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li>4 large or 6 medium yellow plantains<br /></li><li>1 bag dried pinto beans</li><li>2 jalapenos</li><li>2 anaheim chilies<br /></li><li>2 hot banana peppers</li><li>1/2 white or yellow onion</li><li>1/2 bunch cilantro<br /></li><li>safflower or olive oil </li><li>kosher or sea salt</li><li>freshly ground black pepper</li><li>garlic powder<br /></li></ul> <h4 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Rebecca's Refried Beans</h4><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">There are many ways to make refried beans but I like to add a little kick to mine. To prepare: soak dried pinto beans over night in a large pot of water. Drain and refill water at least once, I like to drain twice through soaking process to remove excess acid from the beans so they are easier to digest. In the large pot filled with water, bring the beans to boil then turn heat down to low and cover and simmer for 2 hours. Do not add any salt to the beans until the end of the cooking process (your beans will turn out very hard if you add salt too early). When beans are tender, drain the water leaving a little left in the beans to keep the beans moist. Mash the beans until smooth.</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dice all peppers/chilies and chop onion and cilantro. In a large pan saute chilies, onion, and cilantro in olive or safflower oil on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add mashed beans, kosher or sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and garlic powder and mix together. Turn refried beans on low and cook for 10 more minutes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Plantain Masa</span> <h4 style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The key to making the masa is selecting the right plantain. There are 3 stages you can cook a plantain: green, yellow, and black. Make sure you use only yellow plantains (they may have some black spots.) Place the whole plantains, with skin on, in a large pot filled with boiling water. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, until they are thoroughly cooked. Remove from the water and let cool. Peel the plantains, slice, and mash together with your hands until very smooth.</h4> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Make round balls of about 3 inches. Press in between plastic rounds in a tortilla press or roll with a roller until you get a flat disk. Place a tablespoon of refried beans right in the center and fold like a turnover and press edges together with fingers.<br /></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In a large deep skillet, add enough oil to have an inch high. One medium heat, about 5 minutes later, when it is hot but not smoking, insert the empanadas a few at a time. Let them fry, about 4-5 minutes on each side until nice and browned. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Optional: Serve with Mexican crema and mi salsa verde (recipe found in blog archive January 2011)<br /></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">!QUE SABROSO!<br /></p><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCLj_UcaZ-ZoMcRLa41QieIoQ1SQODu7GpXVgwyQhd5666ECdioF_btabLUxnDsT1Rpqs4pgtBEKZ3k3sV29fnjvwkozUnbFnQPTiwFuOhUjZ0K4cP65bew_fIKmgCy9k-YgFLv3M_2aL/s1600/new+011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCLj_UcaZ-ZoMcRLa41QieIoQ1SQODu7GpXVgwyQhd5666ECdioF_btabLUxnDsT1Rpqs4pgtBEKZ3k3sV29fnjvwkozUnbFnQPTiwFuOhUjZ0K4cP65bew_fIKmgCy9k-YgFLv3M_2aL/s400/new+011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601807109339105458" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGDxQjfbXz4Qs0spwiCkl4DOuI_Av5SOw9YoLPXftMxbZnTqbcpTbF2_p-sibGmbSPMBAVDPBgf19SOPkW0xnyeP5y-TKLtnVSHZU8ZasJXU8v6GE31te6HdHtkRgysvgJQiA0UKthao-/s1600/new+013.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGDxQjfbXz4Qs0spwiCkl4DOuI_Av5SOw9YoLPXftMxbZnTqbcpTbF2_p-sibGmbSPMBAVDPBgf19SOPkW0xnyeP5y-TKLtnVSHZU8ZasJXU8v6GE31te6HdHtkRgysvgJQiA0UKthao-/s400/new+013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601807103173366578" border="0" /></a>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-69325770611314994642011-04-16T13:49:00.000-07:002011-04-16T15:14:12.963-07:00O GF Brunch: "Bread-with-a-hole-with-an-Egg-in-the-Middle"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzynWTsCkYnP50_wyjwJRXcPkqLYwnbKwRhNRN6ePb464htoOgSCqnxBxb0TKnKhAGUrNqmbD1lGApso-rrkPgeYdHVxjYzIuCgG-8GAAdE9kh3zVwm5ETfgQs5yUpgeDekqS_lkv7n5XO/s1600/new+012.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzynWTsCkYnP50_wyjwJRXcPkqLYwnbKwRhNRN6ePb464htoOgSCqnxBxb0TKnKhAGUrNqmbD1lGApso-rrkPgeYdHVxjYzIuCgG-8GAAdE9kh3zVwm5ETfgQs5yUpgeDekqS_lkv7n5XO/s400/new+012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596307755099998562" border="0" /></a><br />It is a chilly, windy, and rainy spring Saturday and my stomach was growling so my awesome Boobie Love (in case you don't know my husband and I call each other this <3) made me the most delectable dish ever! I love that he comes up with the most creative and wholesome meals at times when I need a break from the kitchen, and yes, even I need a break sometimes. I must give my mother-in-law credit for this because she really taught him all he knows. Aurora Camacho, the Cooking Queen, created a Breakfast King (Angel Camacho); a title no one could strip either of. They both have earned these titles by simply making meals out of whole healthy foods and plenty of love (the secret ingredient to any meal or treat).<br /><br />Sorry for all the cheese, but cheese is good sometimes =)<br /><br />So this delicious and nutritious breakfast, brunch, or even great for lunch and dinner was something my mother-in-law, Aurora, used to make for her Sun (Angel) when he was a little boy. It uses a few simple and pure foods that turns into a satisfying, healthy, and comforting meal.<br /><br />Angel has always wanted to make this for me and I am so lucky he was finally able to after I found a healthy gluten-free sandwich bread that is also dairy, soy, and nut free too.<br />The brand is Udi's and it is the Whole Grain Bread made from whole grain brown rice flour. You can find it at Whole Foods market, Pea Pod in Chicago, or online at:<br />www.udisglutenfree.com<br /><br />The rest of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span> are just as simple:<br />- Eggs (from cage free, hormone and anti-biotic free, vegetarian fed chickens, aka: organic)<br />- Unrefined extra-virgin olive oil<br />- Kosher or sea salt<br />- Freshly ground black pepper<br /><br />From my Boobie Love, here is how you make it:<br />- Use a pan that is wide enough to fit at least 2 slices of bread in at the same time.<br />- Fill pan with olive oil, just enough to thinly cover the bottom, and heat slowly on medium heat.<br />- Use a round cookie cutter (or a small rimmed glass) to cut out a hole in the middle of the bread; hence the name of the dish ;-)<br />- In the pan cook the bread slightly, for about 1 - 2 minutes on each side.<br />- Don't forget to cook the cut out bread circles too.<br />- After bread is slightly cooked add one egg in each hole of each slice of bread.<br />- Cook egg in the bread slowly on no more than medium heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper.<br />- When the white of the egg is cooked, flip over and finish cooking on the other side.<br />- Add more salt and pepper on the other side and bread circles.<br />- The middle yolk should be cooked over easy when finished.<br />- Plate and serve<br /><br />Use the toasted bread circles to slurp up the yummy egg yolk as you eat through this dish.<br /><br />I wish this meal never ended! MmmmmmmmmRebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-87595111090344473022011-04-07T10:15:00.000-07:002011-04-08T09:40:49.356-07:00O GF Mushroom Rissoto<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxGBBgJ4zO9IcCU6_5jvb9BA8vyDUA2AEuIdeWimL03AwOZpZ6xoJuF9KkCb_ReUhCbC79dJmJqK6uo_RSxAUSUyJ4YrJ026uOh5vOTS41aJffnZsfrzODly_rS_PJ83y6oj1B22T66s_/s1600/new+016.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxGBBgJ4zO9IcCU6_5jvb9BA8vyDUA2AEuIdeWimL03AwOZpZ6xoJuF9KkCb_ReUhCbC79dJmJqK6uo_RSxAUSUyJ4YrJ026uOh5vOTS41aJffnZsfrzODly_rS_PJ83y6oj1B22T66s_/s400/new+016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593032749797735922" border="0"></a><br /><br /><div>This savory and satisfying meal is perfect for spring when the weather is still trying to warm up and you need a filling yet light meal that is great for maintaining a healthy body. Brown rice is a powerful healing food that is great for the prevention and treatment of many healths conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. All the taste and nutrients in brown rice are lost when processed into white rice. White rice or refined rice (like minute rice) only contributes to chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity.<br />Don't miss out on the many health benefits of brown rice, here are just a few:<br /><br />Slows the aging process<br />Boosts respiratory function (for asthma)<br />Detoxifies the body<br />Protects from cancer and most diseases<br />Enhances brain function and improves memory<br />Converts fat to lean body mass (muscle)<br /><br />Whole grain brown rice takes about an hour to cook so plan ahead. If you do not have enough time to prepare the same night then make it the night before. <br /><br /><strong>Ingredients<br />organic, gluten-free, vegan, allergy free</strong><br />- 3 cups cooked brown rice<br />- 1 container (8 oz.) white mushrooms<br />- 1/2 oz. dried or 2 oz. fresh porcini mushrooms<br />- 1/2 oz dried or 2 oz. fresh shitaki mushrooms<br />I like to use Melissa's dried porcini and shitaki mushrooms<br />- 3 to 4 carrots<br />- 1 purple onion<br />- 6 garlic cloves<br />- fresh parsley<br />- 1/4 cup whole flax seeds<br />- unrefined extra-virgin olive oil<br />- white wine or sherry wine vinegar<br />- kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper<br />- dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, and garlic powder<br /><br />Chop and slice mushrooms, carrots, onion, cloves, and parsley.<br />In a large pan heat olive oil on medium high heat and add all chopped veggies and flax seed. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.<br />Add dried herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and drizzle over wine or sherry vinegar.<br />Stir and let wine or vinegar evaporate (a couple of minutes).<br />Add cooked brown rice and stir until well incorporated and hot.<br />Serve and garnish with fresh parsley<br /><br />Savor every bite! </div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IkxabHADSS6plZDJ505iPepyM_wOioiM_4QAKF2Y5vL-rhdoyk2BEXacwjWdNsfs7JYV6PJ7BOYkupRcw5aLB-w0TJt1PQJ6Lp_cNplw84k68gRcII-9NC1TjA3wy2qSwzoNnr6LLI3j/s1600/new+014.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IkxabHADSS6plZDJ505iPepyM_wOioiM_4QAKF2Y5vL-rhdoyk2BEXacwjWdNsfs7JYV6PJ7BOYkupRcw5aLB-w0TJt1PQJ6Lp_cNplw84k68gRcII-9NC1TjA3wy2qSwzoNnr6LLI3j/s400/new+014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593032194531360882" border="0"></a>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3591967998550394866.post-11028453474977402882011-03-28T19:11:00.001-07:002011-04-01T10:08:57.445-07:00Spicy Friday Fish Tacos!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfriTbN-lSl1RV4qIiuuC01dt5IAZuxR5ZXYDanzeIdyba7nis9cQElWPMBFhNnt8_XpOzV5K4LLjUZB3nmxo-Myoi3-anGa83JizMj1sLzmCvQEVYBaVOGmDmrhN9jDizYVMwfg_uukQd/s1600/new+005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px; float: left; height: 300px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589319078118886466" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfriTbN-lSl1RV4qIiuuC01dt5IAZuxR5ZXYDanzeIdyba7nis9cQElWPMBFhNnt8_XpOzV5K4LLjUZB3nmxo-Myoi3-anGa83JizMj1sLzmCvQEVYBaVOGmDmrhN9jDizYVMwfg_uukQd/s400/new+005.JPG" border="0"></a>One of my all time favorite foods goes to the famous fish taco. Instead of waiting for a trip to California, Mexico, or Hawaii (where the best fish taco's are made and eaten) I decided to master it right now in my own kitchen. It is so easy anyone can do it and look and feel like a gourmet chef. I love great fish recipes because they are so rich in healthy omega-3 fats and lean protein. This recipe also provides plenty of vegetables and whole grain corn. It is just a light and delightful meal that is perfect for any health conscious eater and food lover!<br /><p><font style="font-weight: bold;"></font></p><br /><p><font style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</font><font style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></font></p><p><font style="font-weight: bold;">Organic & Gluten-free (O GF)<br /></font></p><font style="font-weight: bold;"></font><p> </p>- 1/4 head of cabbage<br />- 1/2 bunch of cilantro<br />- 1 avocado<br />- Rebecca's salsa verde (see recipe in January 2011 blog archive)<br />- Mexican crema, sour cream, or favorite shredded cheese (optional)<br /><br />Prepare taco toppings:<br />- chop cabbage and cilantro, dice avocado, and prepare homemade salsa.<br /><br />Gluten-Free Corn Tortillas:<br />- Make your own by using Maseca (masa harina flour), lime juice, salt, and water.<br />- Knead and roll dough into balls, then flatten with a tortilla presser.<br />- Cook on a comal (flat pan) for about 2 minutes on each side.<br />- If you cannot make your own find a healthy whole grain and gluten-free brand.<br />- My favorite brand that uses organic sprouted whole grain corn: Food Life<br />- Food Life tortillas can be found at Whole Foods.<br />- If you have a corn allergy / intolerance, Whole Foods also has a delicious brown rice tortillas.<br /><br />Prepare spicy fish:<br />- 4 fillets of either mahi mahi, halibut, or talapia fish<br />- 1 cup brown rice flour<br />- 1 tablespoon chili powder<br />- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper<br />- 2 tablespoons oregano<br />- 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt<br />- juice of 1 freshly squeezed lime<br />- 1/2 cup unrefined extra-virgin olive oil<br /><br />In a large pan heat olive oil on medium-high heat.<br />In a bowl mix together flour, chili powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and salt.<br />In a separate bowl squeeze juice of one lime.<br />Dip fish fillets in lime juice and then cover with spicy flour batter.<br />Cook fish in pan with heated olive oil until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes on each side.<br /><br />Finalmente: Create your Spicy Fish Taco!<br />- On each tortilla add: fish, cabbage, cilantro, salsa verde, avocado, crema (optional), and a squeeze of lime.<br /><br />Es muy delicioso!Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060122974209991014noreply@blogger.com0