An Almost Guiltless Treat

By Guest Blogger: Jena Demarco

Mini loaves for the adults and mini muffins without chocolate chips for the children.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
¾ cup Oatmeal Flour
¼ cup milled Flax
1 Tablespoon Wheat Germ
1 teaspoon Baking Soda (aluminum free)
½ teaspoon Real Salt
½ cup Egg Beaters*
2 cups Mashed Bananas
½ cup Honey
¼ cup Applesauce
1 Tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
½ teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Chocolate Chips or Carob Chips(optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Combine wet ingredients together in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake mini muffins at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes or until done. For large loaves bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes or until toothpick/knife test comes out clean.

*Note: I leave out the eggs and just add a little more banana and flax seed. I have yet to notice a difference in the banana bread.

The Secret of Quinoa

By Guest Blogger: Jena Demarco



Quinoa has become a favorite food to my family. You will not find our refrigerator without a bowl of cooked quinoa. In fact my husband just ordered us about 50 pounds for our food storage! I really don’t know how we will get through it all, but I think the way we are consuming our quinoa, it’s probably a good possibility that we will.

Some of the benefits of eating quinoa, besides the fact that we love the taste of it, is that it is a complete protein. Meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids! It is also a very good source of manganese, iron, copper and phosphorus. It is also low in gluten content, so it is one of the least allergenic grains.

There are many other benefits of this simple grain, for more information go to this site. They will give you the history and some other recipe ideas.

Here are some of the things we do with this grain that are simple and tasty.

First we cook the quinoa according to package directions so that we have it on hand for making these recipes. Like I said we usually keep a bowl of cooked quinoa for lunches and quick dinner preparations.

To cook the quinoa, add one part of the grain (make sure to rinse it well before cooking) to two parts liquid in a saucepan. After the mixture is brought to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover. One cup of quinoa cooked in this method usually takes 15 minutes to prepare. We have enjoyed it warm and cold with the following recipe.

Quinoa Salad (pictured above)

We just eyeball the amounts, if you like lots of veggies do more, and if you want more grain do fewer veggies. All veggies are cut up. This is just what we had put in and found we like, so by all means add your favorite vegetables and take out what you don’t like.)

Cooked Quinoa
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Avocado
Basil or any other favorite fresh herb you have
Mung bean sprouts or Alfalfa sprouts
Juice of a Lemon (to taste)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (just enough to coat the grain)
Salt to taste

Quinoa Patties

Cooked Quinoa
Milled Flax seed
Egg
Shredded: carrots, zucchini, cucumber
Fresh cilantro and parsley
Salt and other seasonings you like

Make into patties and grill with a small amount of olive oil. We like putting avocado on the top.

Guest Blogger: Jena Demarco

Didn't you love our last guest blogger post! A huge thank you to Ashley for doing that for us.

I'm really excited to introduce our next guest blogger, Jena Demarco. If you know Jena and her family you will know that their favorite room in thier home is the kitchen! Recently, Jena and her husband changed their eating habits dramatically to be healthy and ran a half marathon together. Her husband has lost 30+ pounds and Jena has never looked and felt so great being pregnant. Way to go you two!

Jena is also my herbie partner. We are just finishing up our second herb class together and have loved it! Welcome Jena.

She will have some great recipes to share so check back!

Classic Green Salad

We had a few people wanting to know what we put in a typical family salad so here it is! We also love to put cucumbers and red pepper as well as sprouts when ever we can.

Favorite fresh Lettuces and or Spinach
Sliced Tomatoes
Sliced Avocado
Julienned sliced Zucchini
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Pine nuts

To assemble salad you can layer each ingredient starting with the lettuces similar to how the picture looks. Or, you can toss all ingredients together. Top with favorite dressing. You can also make a simple dressing with extra virgin olive oil, flax oil, or Udo's oil and lemon juice with favorite seasonings including Real Salt and freshly ground pepper.

No Bake Cookies

Now that Spring is upon us and the weather is heating up, who needs to heat up the house even more with the oven. Try this healthy version of a traditional no bake cookie.

My kids LOVE these!

6 Tbs Soy or Almond milk
2/3 cup Sucanat or 6 Tbs honey
2 heaping Tbs Cocoa or Carob powder
3 tsp Vanilla or Almond Extract
2/3 cup Natural Peanut or Almond Butter
1/4 cup Ground Flax Seed
2 heaping Tbs wheat germ (optional)
2 Cups Oats

Mix the last three ingredients in a mixing bowl. If you do not use the wheat germ replace it with a little more flax or oats. In a sauce pan mix together the first five ingredients. Heat just enough to make it smooth. Add the peanut butter mixture to your dry mixture and blend together. Let your now cookie dough cool down a little, then place small spoon fulls onto wax paper. Let your cookies sit at room temp or in the frig to firm up a bit.

Makes 20-22 cookies. Enjoy!

Safe, Effective & Afforable Cleaning

By Guest Blogger: Ashley Cole



When I brought my new baby home from the hospital I wanted everything to be perfect for him. Near the top of the list was a clean germ-free environment at home. When it came time to clean I would do so while he was sleeping so keep him away from the strong smells. Pulling out the Pine Sol, Clorox and 409 always gave me mixed feelings. I knew this stuff was very toxic. When he would wake up from his nap I would have tried very hard to air out the smells and my hands would always keep the Clorox stench. I soon found my new mother instinct to be right on. These toxic cleaners are not safe and are absorbed through breathing and the skin.

I knew there were safer alternatives at the health food store. My first concern was how effective are they? My second concern after purchasing many - they are not cheap! This took me to further research and I was so please with what I found. I had everything I need to clean safe and even more effectively in my home and I didn’t even know it. I started experimenting and had great results.

Items, such as vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, salt, and lemon juice can get the job done just as well, and even better, than the toxic alternative.




All-purpose cleaner: Also works great on glass, ¼ cup of white or apple cider vinegar to 1 quart of water and a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle.

Disinfectant: Keep two separate spray bottles one with white or apple cider vinegar the other with hydrogen peroxide (3% solution, same that is sold at drug stores). Spray one then the other then wipe down. This method in tests ran at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, pairing the two mists killed virtually all Salmonella, Shigella, or E. coli bacteria on heavily contaminated food and surfaces when used this way. This makes this spray combination more effective at killing these potentially lethal bacteria than chlorine bleach or any commercial kitchen cleaner.

This spray method is great for cleaning your fruits and vegetables. Just spray one after another and rinse with water.




Air Freshener: To add scent to your cleaners add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (I love lavender, lemon and tea tree oils) You can also fill a mister with water and add a few drops of an essential oil for a safe natural air freshener. Fragrance oils are not the same as essential oils.

Baking Soda: There are so many uses for baking soda. I keep a jar of it by my sink for scrubbing pots and pans – let it sit with a little water then scrub. I keep it by the washing machine and add a half cup to a load to soften the water. Here are many other effective uses for baking soda:

-To clean your oven, simply sprinkle a cup or more of baking soda over the bottom of the oven, then cover the baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste. Let the mixture set overnight. The next morning the grease will be easy to wipe up because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven.

-To unclog a drain, pour 1/2 - 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour 1/2 - 1 cup of vinegar in after it. Cover the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes. If it bubbles like a volcano, it means it's working as planned. Flush with a gallon of boiling water.

-Deodorize dry carpets by sprinkling liberally with baking soda. Wait at least 15 minutes, then vacuum.

-To rid your garbage disposal of foul smells, add vinegar to water for ice cubes, then let a few of them get chopped by your disposal.

-To clean your silver, boil 2-3 inches of water in a shallow pan with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and a sheet of aluminum foil. Totally submerge silver and boil for 2-3 minutes more. Remove silver from the pan and wipe away the tarnish with a clean cotton cloth.

There are so many other natural cleaning possibilities with the items listed above along with salt, lemon, borax and more. I highly recommend giving safe cleaning methods a try and researching further to fit all your needs.

Half Baked Pizza

This is a great recipe to bake up and freeze for later. Also, we love to use the same recipe to make a traditionally baked pizza. Enjoy!

2 cups Wheat Flour, unbleached (you could also use a combination of whole wheat or spelt with the wheat flour)
½-1 tsp Real Salt or Himalayan Salt (depending on how salty you'd like it)
2 tsp non-aluminum Baking Powder
2/3 cup Water
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and thoroughly mix together until fully incorporated. Pour the wet ingredients in and with a spoon or hands mix wet and dry together until it becomes a nice dough. Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll dough out in desired shape; make even thinner by hand tossing it if you'd like.

Place rolled out dough on pizza stone or jelly roll and bake for about 25-30 minutes until lightly browned on edges. Now it is ready for your favorite toppings!

For this pizza my girls and I had for lunch we topped it off with our Pesto Sauce, fresh sliced tomatoes, red peppers, and an overly ripe avocado I was needing to use up. You could also top it off with rice cheese or goat cheese. Yum!

Our Very First Guest Blogger: Ashley Cole

I am so ecstatic to introduce to you our very first guest blogger! Ashley Cole is a good friend of my sister Darleen and any friend of my sister's is a friend of mine. Ashley has a great post to share with us tomorrow so tune in!

Here is a little about Ashley and who she is:

"Often while growing up all nine of us kids would be dishing up huge plates of pasta and would here our mom snickering across the table. "I put lentils in the sauce," she'd say with a grin. It didn't matter to us because it still tasted great. Her tricks didn't stop there. Barley was added to Sloppy Joes. A piece a seaweed was always found in the cooked rice. Substituting applesauce for oil in baking was the norm. My mothers deep desire for good health for her family wore off on me and now I have trick of my own.

Although my dream of living on a good size property with an orchard, large vegetable garden, chickens to lay eggs and a bee hive is in the distant future, there are things I can do to give my family a healthy lifestyle now. It is amazing to me how easy it actually is do make daily changes. Growing what food we can, not buying every packaged convenience from the grocery store, eating organic when possible, and keeping toxins out of our home have been gradual changes that were simple and natural. I truly believe it is more about learning and changing habits than about time or difficulty."

Ashley, you're in good company. Welcome!

Spring Cleaning - Part I

Every year I do an extensive spring cleaning. I work when I want, as a professional organizer, and so I have decided to do several posts on spring cleaning. When your personal space is put together you have more time, energy, and you can put your focus into things that matter to you. This is about maximizing your efficiency. Spring cleaning is more than just giving the house a good cleaning. It’s about cleaning out all of that extra stuff.

Benefits of Spring Cleaning:

• You can save money. If you are taking the time to get organized then you are going to find out how much you already are stocked up on, and don’t need to buy. This includes clothing, food, office supplies, toys etc.


• You can make money. As I clean things out, I have boxes that I put things in by category and I pre-price these items to sell in a garage sale. That way the day of the sale I don’t have to be stressed about the pricing. (look for more info about selling your used items in another post)


• You can give to others. If a garage sale or online sales are too stressful or time consuming, then I would share your extras.


• You can improve your home environment. Just think of the before and after shots that you see on TV about shows that clean out people’s houses. You can do that for yourself!


• You can start a good habit. Having this pattern of cleaning stuff out, can only help you stay on top of all that you have to do in a day.

So take inventory, look around, and decide what project you might have in store for yourself. There will be a series of posts to help you through the spring cleaning process.

Solay Giveaway Winner

We have a winner! This number was randomly given to us by Random.org

Joni!!! who said,"I have been wanting one of these so badly! I hope I win!"

We hope you love your new lamp Joni! Go a head and send us your address info and we will forward it to Solay.

A huge thank you to Solay for putting on a great giveaway! For those who want to still benefit from this Solay Wellness Inc. giveaway, on your next purchase with them be sure to enter the code: Thanks, to recieve 10% off your order.

Energy Oat Bars

These are great for camping, hiking or snacking on the go.

2 cups oats
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 Tbs ground flax seed
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon real salt
4 medium bananas, about 1 1/2 cups mashed
1/2 cup natural peanut butter or almond butter
2 tsp natural vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey or agave (more if you like it sweeter)

Add in ideas -
sunflower seed
grounded or sliced almonds

cashew pieces
flax seeds

sesame seeds
dark chocolate chips or carob chips
dried cranberries, blueberries or cherries
coconut

chopped dates
chopped figs

dark or golden raisins

Preheat over to 350*

Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a sauce pan warm up the mashed bananas and add the peanut butter and vanilla. Mix in till peanut butter is melted. Add the peanut butter mixture to the dry ingredients. You may need to use you hands to knead these together. Now mix in your sweetener of chose and any add ins. (For the bars above I used honey, sunflower seeds and mini dark chocolate chips)

Spray a 9x13 baking dish. Spread out your dough nice and smooth in the dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into bars.

These keep well covered on the counter but to keep longer store in the frig and you can also freeze these for later use.

This recipe is very versatile. Play with it and experiment with new add ins. See what you can come up with. And don't forget to share your ideas with us!

I Totally Forgot . . .

Ahhh, I am so sorry. For our Solay giveaway this week I was given a 10% off code for all Simply Healthful readers. When you make a purchase at Solay make sure and type in the code: Thanks, to receive 10% off your order.

Also, this is your reminder to enter into our Himalayan Salt Lamp giveaway. You have until Thursday at midnight PST to post a comment. Click here to enter.

Lemon "Curd" or Syrup

Depending on how much coconut cream concentrate you add to this recipe you could make either syrup or a curd like dessert. Add more concentrate to make thicker. If used as a syrup it could serve 2-4 people. If used as "curd" it would serve more like 1 person. You can always double or triple this recipe.

¼ cup fresh Lemon Juice
1-4 Tb Coconut Cream Concentrate
2-4 Tb Agave Nectar
1-2 tsp Vanilla Flavoring
1 tsp fresh Lemon Zest (optional)

Combine all ingredients into a Vitamix Blender or a good high speed blender. Start blending the lemon mixture on medium speed and gradually work up to a high speed for about a minute. Scrape sides of blender if needed and check consistency. It should be a nice smooth mixture. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner

This was one yummy dinner! Take note that the cabbage still has body to it. In other words, don't over cook the cabbage!

In my adult years I have lessened the amount of animal meat I eat for health purposes and such. I usually will only eat meat around the holidays and even then in small amounts (if you want to know some of the health reasons why I do that, go here).

It's a must for me to have corn beef once a year right around St. Patrick's Day though. I'm sure it's a must for many. It may not be the healthiest choice yet I do it out of festive tradition. But, I wanted to share another option that could fall underneath healthy, for those who cannot or will not eat red meat for St. Patrick's Day. I'd suggest for our veagans and strict vegetarians to omit the fish and start the meal with some fresh fruit salad using kiwi or other green fruit, it being festive. The roasted veggies can definitely stand on their own. Enjoy!

Seasoned Cod Fillets

When seasoned right these fillets will have a slight buttery taste.

4 Wild caught frozen or fresh Cod Fillets, if frozen, thaw them completely
1 Tb Fresh Thyme
A few sprigs for each fillet of Fresh Rosemary
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Take thawed cod fillets and combine all spices and oil in a medium sized bowl. Use enough oil to coat fish completely.

Place fillets on a medium high heated skillet taking excess herbs and placing them on top of each fillet. Cover fillets and cook fish until done, about 7-10 minutes. The fish will flake easily when it is done. Serve immediately.


Best Ever Cabbage

This recipe was given to me by this wonderful women and contributor on Simply Healthful. I also used a Meyer lemon that was locally grown. To achieve Best Ever Cabbage I would suggest doing the same!

1 head of Cabbage, sliced and washed
1 tsp fresh Thyme
1/2 tsp Marjoram
1/2 tsp Rosemary, fresh or dried
1 clove of Garlic, minced (optional)
Juice from 1/2 Lemon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In a large skillet put 1 tsp oil and turn heat to medium. Add cabbage and all other ingredients except for the lemon juice; sauté for about 3 minutes until cabbage is just barely beginning to wilt. Turn off heat and sprikle lemon juice on top of cabbage. Season with pepper and Real Salt or Himalayan salt to taste.


Roasted Veggies

I will list the veggies I used this time but you can always put in your own favorite veggies. We often use cherry tomatoes too.

3 medium sized Beets, reserve beet greens and stems for another time
1 yellow Onion, sliced
3-4 Zuchinnis, sliced thick
3-4 medium sized Carrots, peeled and sliced lengthwise
6 small Red Potatoes, quartered and sliced
2-4 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 cloves Garlic, minced (optional)
1-2 Tb of your Favorite seasoning, I used an Herb de Province combination
Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Chop and slice all veggies to be thick but bite size. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly making sure all veggies are coated in oil and seasoning.

Dump veggie mix onto a cookie or jelly roll pan and spread them out, creating one layer of prepared veggies. Put pan in preheated oven and cook for 2o minutes or until lightly browned on edges.

Solay Giveaway

Solay Wellness Inc. is sponsoring our "illuminating" giveaway this week. They are giving away one Himalayan Salt Lamp (5-7lbs) to one lucky winner.

Have you ever taken note of the way you feel when you have been on the computer for long periods of time? For me, I usually end up with a headache and my eyes feel like they're going to bug out. It is especially bad when I'm on my laptop. Well, there is a great solution for that and many other wellness issues. . . Himalayan Salt Lamps.

I recently bought a lamp to try out and have loved the results from it! If ever I feel any discomfort while working on the computer or watching the television I just light it and the feeling goes away. Am I sounding a little hokey? Possibly. When I first heard about them my first reaction was, yeah right. Over time though I caved in, more so because I like the look of them. Now, I'm saving up to buy more! Wow, I didn't expect to write a testimonial.

Here is a little about how they work from Solay:

Our beautiful salt lamps, from the foothills of Himalayan Mountains are more than just pretty to look at - they're good for you. Salt crystal lamps generate healthy negative ions that cleanse the air. Ever experienced the change in the air after a good rain? That's from negative ions, and that's what these lamps do, and they don't lose their power over time.

If you'd like further information on how the salt lamps work, go here.

So, draw on the luck of the Irish and make a comment!

Okay, here are the Giveaway Guidelines:
-To enter just leave a comment
-You'll have until midnight PST on Thursday the 19th to enter your comment
-The winner will be announced Friday the 20th in the morning

Happy Weekend

A typical salad we eat in our family. MMM!

Hello all,

Marleen here . . . I won't be able to post something fabulously healthy today but check back Sunday evening for an illuminating giveaway.

Now go have yourself a big salad and enjoy your weekend!

Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

This was inspired by a Simply Healthful reader! You could call this a wannabe "Nutella" recipe. If you are not fond of the amount of coconut oil in this recipe you could use your favorite cold pressed oil instead. Many people use sunflower seed oil.

¾ cup Dates, soaked in 3 Tb hot water or ¾-1 cup raw Agave Nectar
¼ cup raw Almond butter or raw Hazelnut butter (if using Agave up the amount, making it more than the Agave Nectar)
3 Tb raw Cacao powder or raw Carob powder
4 Tb+ cold pressed Coconut Oil
1 tsp Vanilla extract or Vanilla flavoring
¼ tsp Real Salt

In a food processor combine all ingredients. I usually like to do the coconut oil last, adding tablespoon by tablespoon until it is the consistency that I like. To avoid heating you could also fold in the oil after processing all other ingredients.

If stored in the refrigerator this recipe will harden into a nice fudge! Enjoy!

Feeding Your Family Healthy and Toxic-Free Fish

Growing up my family ate fish a least once a week. Sometimes it was Salmon steaks, sometimes it was Salmon on a nice big salad or some nights we cooked up some yummy, fresh Tilapia. These were my favorite dinner nights. I have always loved fish.

As I started my family I wanted to carry on this tradition of eating fish at least once a week because I feel like it is one of the healthiest choices when it comes to nutrition. Especially for my children's growing bodies. Fish is a great source of omega-3 essential fatty acids and protein so that makes it the perfect brain food.

My one resistance towards fish these days is that a lot of fish and seafood is contaminated with stuff like mercury and other toxins. Did you know that? Unfortunately our oceans, lakes and rivers aren't what they used to be. They are contaminated with different toxins which is of course contaminating the living life with in them. So you see eating fish really can be a complicated thing. Yes fish is a healthy choice, but not ALL fish is healthy for you. It really depends on it's contamination levels, weather it was wild caught of farm raised, what part of the world it came from, and so on. For example Wild Alaskan Salmon has been tested with very low levels of toxins, however Farmed or Atlantic Salmon has been tested with high levels of mercury. Also fresh Tilapia from the US and Central America is a healthy choice however most, not all, but most frozen Tilapia is farmed in China and is high in toxins. Make sure you are asking were it's from or reading labels.

Well it may be a complicated thing but don't let it overwhelm you. I still feed my family fish once a week and I have found a resource that has helped me to feel confident about buying and feeding my family the healthiest fish. It is a website called Kid Safe Seafood. You can read here about why we should be worried about the toxins in our fish.

Kid Safe Seafood also says the healthiest choices when it comes to seafood are...
~ Wild Alaskan Salmon
~ Tilapia (US/Central America)
~ Farmed Blue Mussels
~ Northern US and Canadian Shrimp
~ Farmed Crayfish
~ Farmed Bay Scallops

If you would like to look up the toxin levels in seafood your family may be eating look here.

For another great site and resource go here. They even have a pocket guide you can carry with you when your doing your shopping or eating out.

I hope this will be helpful to you and just remember that if you are educated about the fish you eat and buy it will not be so overwhelming and the next time your at the store buying a fresh, yummy salmon to grill up, just make sure he's from the wild Alaskan oceans and not from a fish farm in the Atlantic's.

And if your looking for a really yummy seafood marinate go here.

The Benefits of Drinking Water

Water is so important for our health and well-being that I felt there should be a post about it. A great resource to find out about water and frequently asked questions is, The Water Cure. My doctor has advised me that I should drink about 2.5 liters a day because of my health problems, but each person is different. Below is a guideline of how much to drink.This reference was taken from The Water Cure

“To better determine how much water you need each day, divide your body weight in half. The answer is the approximate number of water ounces you should drink daily. You should drink half of your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 200 pounds, you should drink 100 ounces water (3.13 quarts, 2.98 liters or about 10-12 cups of water a day). If you weigh closer to 100 pounds you will need only about 50 ounces of water or about four 12-ounce glasses daily. Individuals who are physically active or live in hot climates may need to drink more.”

There are so many benefits of drinking water. Here are just some of them:

• It has been known to decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%.
• It slashes the risk of breast cancer by 75%.
• It will reduce the chance of catching a cold or flu.
• It helps prevent constipation.
• It will prevent the risk of kidney stones.
• It maintains blood volume, therefore reduces the risk of cardiovascular or heart diseases.
• It will prevent urinary tract infection.
• It maintains blood volume which maintains your energy; prevents blood thickening that leads to high blood pressure and other heart diseases. Your blood should consist of 92% water.
• It improves your concentration and reaction time, which is important for our daily activities.
• It helps with the skin and wrinkles.
• It will flush out the toxins in our bodies through urination and sweat.
• It will help you lose weight.

When I was sick as a child, I remember my mom always advising us to drink every hour. We would have our glasses out on the kitchen counter and we would take some sips every hour. As an adult, every morning I get my pitcher out and fill it up with water, so I make sure I drink 2.5 liters a day. I know now at the stores they have big water bottles that you can fill up and take with you when you are away from home.

There is a lot of information about the benefits of drinking water.It is clear that in order to have our bodies working at its optimal level drinking water is vital. Keep water with you at all times and drink throughout the day. You will notice that your overall health will be better.

Fruit for Life

That picture is mouth watering, isn't it?

Fruit is an amazing food! It is where the 'sweets' world meets the healthy. They are usually vibrant in color and smell fabulous (with the exception of papaya, those who have had it know what I mean). I think many of us have made the statement, "well if it is really good, it must be bad for me." Yet, fruit (and of course all our wonderful recipes, right), proves us wrong.

There are some great fruit guidelines I have appreciated in my life that I'd like to share with you.

First off, fruit is best to eat on an empty stomach or before your meal. Fruit is easily digested in the body and when you have other foods in your intestines beforehand, it makes it harder for your fruit to digest and could cause fermentation and indigestion in the body. When eaten alone or before your meal, fruit will easily digest and be used for energy. This is great for those of us who feel bloated or have digestive upset after eating fruit for dessert or during a meal.

It is great to eat fruit as a snack after exercising. Instead of drinking that protein shake or eating yogurt, fruit will give you added hydration and needed energy from the natural sugars.

Fruit is actually alkaline-forming in the body. Even citrus fruits too! Lemons are my personal favorite. I could probably do a whole post just on lemons.

It is best to eat your fruit whole, unprocessed, and fresh. When heated, the digestive enzymes and nutrients are cooked out. When you eat your fruit with the skin or pulp, unprocessed and fresh you are getting fiber, nutrients and vitamins that the body can utilize and use.

So, eat up and use wisely. I'm going to go eat that fruit right now! Yum.

Tropical Traditions Giveaway Winner

We have our winner! This number was generated from random.org.






Julie! who said, "Sounds delicious. I've been wanting to try your recipes!" You are our lucky winner.

Go ahead Julie, and send us an email letting us know your address information and we'll forward that to Tropical Traditions.

A huge thank you to Tropical Traditions for putting on such a great giveaway for us.

Giveaway Reminder

If you haven't already, remember to enter into the Tropical Traditions' giveaway here. You have until midnight PST tonight!

Lime Cilantro Black Beans and More

Many things in life are ironic and beans are one of those things. Here you have beans that are suppose to cause you flatulence (such a horrible word, I really tried not to use it but the other words were even worse sounding), yet we learn that by eating more beans or legumes in our diet on a regular basis could possibly prevent colon cancer!

Legumes are one of the best and cheapest foods to consume to become more healthy. They are one of the best sources of soluble fiber. Because of this, legumes help lower levels of damaging LDL Cholesterol in the blood. In other words, beans can lower the risk of having heart disease.

Beans are high in protein.

A helpful conversion to use when cooking: one-fourth cup of any legume is equivalent in protein to an ounce of meat.

They are not only high in protein but also in calcium and folic acid. Some of the best legumes high in these areas are soy, lima beans and white navy beans.

The cheapest way to have this food is by buying it dry and in bulk. The following recipe is made from dry beans and is so easy with little time on your part. Enjoy!


Lime Cilantro Black Beans


I love this in a "Mexican" salad similar to Cafe Rio's salads without the cheese and corn tortilla chips.

2 cups dry Black Beans, rinsed and sorted
1 yellow or white Onion, diced
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tb Real Salt or Himilayan Salt
1 Tb fresh Lime Juice
2 Tb freshly chopped Cilantro

In a slow cooker cover rinsed beans with 6 cups water and cook on low setting for 8 or 9 hours. After they have cooked for 8 hours check beans by tasting to see if they are soft and done. If done, turn slow cooker to warm and cover beans with lid. If beans look cooked but dry, add more water.

In a skillet on medium heat cook onions with oil for 2 minutes. Add onions, salt, lim juice and cilantro to beans and stir. Serve immediately if you'd like it warm.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

We love, love, love, LOVE these!

2 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Ground Flax Seed
1/2 tsp Real Salt
1 tsp aluminum free Baking Powder
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1 cup hot water

Start by mixing all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the Olive Oil and mix well with your hands. The mixture will start to form into little pea shape balls. Then add the hot water slowly and start to knead until smooth. You may need less or more water so be careful and just add it slowly. You want your dough to be moist and soft but not sticky.

Next form your dough into golf ball sized balls. This recipe makes about 17 tortillas.

Before rolling out your tortilla, it makes it easier if you take a dough ball and flatten it a little in your hand to make a 3 inch circle.

Then flour up the surface you will be using and roll out your tortilla. You can make them as thick or as thin as you like. After you have one rolled out place it in a warm pan and brown on both sides. No oil in necessary in your pan because of the oil in the tortilla. These can also be frozen.

I make these all the time. They are surprisingly quick and easy to make. Try them out and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Herbal Spotlight: Red Raspberry Infusion

This is an herb that has been used for generations upon generations of women and children, and is well worth knowing of. Red Raspberry, where mothers and babies are concerned, has been called an herb made in heaven. It is definately one of my most used and most favorite of herbs, and currently a daily must have in my day because I love how I feel when I use it.

How to Prepare Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
To make a tea, or more appropriately called, an infusion, simply purchase a few ounces of Red Raspberry Leaf from your local health food store or reliable online herb co., (look HERE). If you like you can also purchase a tea ball, or a muslin bag to place your herb in while steeping it, or you can simply strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer when it is finished. To make, I usually make at least a quart a day, so I use a 1 quart canning jar with a lid. I place a generous handful of the dried herb in the jar and pour boiling water over the top. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes, with the lid on, although I leave mine as long as overnight depending on preference for strength. Strain or remove tea ball, add honey if you like and enjoy.

Interesting Facts about Red Raspberry
According to the Little Herb Encyclopedia, Red Raspberry,
"builds tissue to the extent that it prevents tearing of the cervix of the uterus during birth. During childbirth, hemorrhaging is prevented, the contraction of the uterine muscles are regulated during delivery and it also reduces false labor pains prior to birth...it enriches colostrom found in mother's milk, it also cleanses and prepares breasts for a pure milk supply...it has been used as an aid in morning sickness, and to ease many menstrual problems...Raspbery strengthens the walls of the uterus and the entire female reproductive system...(and finally but not least of all)...Raspberry leaf is an excellent herb for children for cleansing colds, slowing diarrhea, easing colic and fevers."

I feel great when I drink this tea, and I know countless others who have also enjoyed it's benefits!

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intented to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any disease.

Our Family of Six is Now Seven!

We are so excited to announce that we now have a new contributor on Simply Healthful. Our new contributor is not only a wonderful person but also an Herbalist. Please welcome her posts with lots of love by leaving her tons of comments.

I personally am an herbie enthusiast and was so excited to "meet" (of course I met her through blogging), Emily Yates. It has been so fun corresponding with her through emails. I already have a lot of love for this lady and I haven't even met her in person!

Her first post will be up tomorrow so pop in and introduce yourself to her.

Also, have you entered into our newest giveaway? Scroll down to check it out. Yum!

Tropical Traditions GIVEAWAY!

Coconut is some of the healthiest food and water you can consume!

I am really excited about this giveaway (okay, so I'm really excited about every giveaway), because I have been asked many times, "what is coconut cream concentrate and where do I get it?" Two of my favorite recipes I have shared with you, Dark Silk Fudge and Creamy Broccoli Soup, have this Coconut Cream Concentrate in it, made by Tropical Traditions.

There may be those people that scream, "fat!", when they hear about coconut oil and coconut food products but there are so many health benefits from this wonderful food.

Yes, the fats from coconuts are saturated, but surprisingly saturated fats from plant sources, like coconuts, will break down in the body and be used for energy. The fats found in coconuts are very similar to what appears in human breast milk, which doctors have found to be the best food our babies can eat! In those fats you will find Lauric acid, a nutrient that supports the bodies immune system.

So basically, all you people trying to lose weight (me included), this would be a great fat to eat that won't, in the end, put on the weight. It may actually help you lose it!

My new favorite place to get coconut products is Tropical Traditions. Ever since I tried their Coconut Cream Concentrate, I have been amazed at what other great finds they have on their website. They also have some great information on coconut oil and health benefits from eating it.

Are you ready to hear about the giveaway now?!

Tropical Traditions is going to give one lucky Simply Healthful reader a FREE quart sized jar of their wonderfully yummy Coconut Cream Concentrate. That's the large bottle (32 oz) people! If you're not eating it by the spoonful (which I do sometimes), this will last you a very long time.




















All you have to do is leave a comment!

Also, in addition, any Simply Healthful reader who makes a purchase can enter in this code: 82, into the referral section (click on "how did you hear about us?" In the drop down menu, you will choose "Referred by a friend." Underneath this will be a place that says: "Referred by (User ID)" and that's where you type in 82), and receive with your purchase a FREE copy of Tropical Traditions' book on Virgin Coconut Oil. That is a retail value of $25! This is a special number just for our readers! Don't you feel loved?

Tropical Traditions has a wonderful referral program and a great bulk discounts site too, check it out.


Okay, here are the Giveaway Guidelines:

-To enter just leave a comment

-You'll have until midnight PST on Thursday the 5th to enter your comment

-The winner will be announced Friday the 6th in the morning