Best Ever Pumpkin Cookies

Cream together:

1 ½ cups oil

2 cups honey (or sugar)

3 Tbs applesauce or (3 eggs)

Add:

1 Tbs vanilla

1 Tbs baking soda

1 Tbs baking powder

1 ½ tsp salt

1 Tbs cloves

1 Tbs cinnamon

1 30 oz can pumpkin

7 ½ cups flour (I use whole wheat flour)

12 oz chocolate chips

Mix all together and bake at 400 degrees. Makes about 6 dozen cookies! But I freeze some if we don’t eat them first. You can always ½ the recipe and freeze the leftover canned pumpkin.

10 essential foods :)

Hello everyone!

This will probably be a very long post.

One thing that I really feel about eating nutritiously and using herbs is that it has to be accessible! I also think that each person has to go on their journey step by step. So, here as a guide, I will start you with some great foods. I have borrowed these foods from the book "10 Essential Foods" by Lalitha Thomas. Her book is out of print now. However, her books are fantastic for beginners.

Here is her list of foods, so feel free to start including some of these foods into your daily diets! You don't have to include all 10 everyday, but you certainly can include a couple of them each day and you will have improved your health and your family's health! At least that has been MY experience!

1. Almonds--these are a complete protein. If you can get them raw, they are even better for you, but even slightly roasted or pasturized, they still carry many nutrients. IF you can get your hands on raw ones, they can be sprouted and that even adds a lot of nutrition! They help improve prostate health. Alternatives to almonds might be sunflower seeds, pumppkin seeds, sesame seeds and Brazil nuts. Each of these have their redeeming qualities as well!

2. Broccoli--This is high in cloropohyll. This is something that is great for your body. This is an easy veggie to get your hands on. It is known for cancer prevention if eaten lightly steamed or raw. It of course has many good minerals and has a lot of other great qualities. Alternatives can be any member of the cruciferous (cabbage) family. Kale, cabbage, cauliflower and chard are some other ideas. Frozen broccoli is better than no broccoli.

3. Brown Rice--This is fantastic! First of all, most people enjoy rice and this has a lot of protein and phyto-chemicals. There are many types of brown rices, so feel free to experiment! Brown rices have 9-12% protein and contain MANY trace minerals and vitamins. It also contains selenium which helps with anxiety, depression, mental sluggishness and fatigue. Alternatives might be: millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, barley, rye, wheat and corn. Additions to it that make it tasty and more nutritious are dried beans/legmes such as anazazi beans, adzuki beans, pinto beans, lentils, split peas, corn, soy beans and black trutle beans.

4. Carrots--These are really great at fighting disease. Their color (being bright) means that there are a lot of phytochemicals and being orang etehy contain carotinoids. The darker the carrot the more healthy. They are good at helping in healing from allergies, ulcers, colds, diaarrhea or sore throats. It is great for glands and your liver. They are also great for dry skin! Believe it or not they are high in an easy to assimilate calcium. They have also been shown to lower cholesterol. They have also been shown to fight cancer. Alternatives can be: Any deep-orange to red root vegetables, such as red or yellow beets. Red chard, purple cabbage, rhubarb or red radish are also good options.

5. Dulse--This is a less common vegetable, but I have been pleased to see that awareness of it has been on the rise! Dulse is great as a source of B-12 and can help with protection against radioactive pollution in the system. It is a great source of the following: B12, Iron (4 times higher than spinach), calcium, potassium, chromium, alginate (phytochemcial), live enzymes, major AND trace minerals, iodine, vitamin K, vitamin e and beta carotene. It has been shown to help protect against cancer (specifically breast cancer). Alternative sea vegetables: arame, nori and hiziki. Other mineral rich veggies (not sea) would be figs, kale, broccoli, chard and all cruciferous vegetables.

6. Figs--Lalitha calls this the MIRACLE fruit :) They are higher in calcium than milk and a lot of major minerals. They are great for digestion and they are also very tasty and can help alleviate a sweet-tooth :) Figs have the highest dietary fiber of any fruit, nut or vegetable, they are extremely high in calcium, they are 50% higher in potassium than bananas, they have twice the plant protein as other dried fruits, they contain easily digestable sugars, lower calorie count per gram of dietary fiber, they have been shown to help prevent colon cancer and aid in the following: constipation, lowering cholesterol, shrink hemorrhoids and colon polyps. Also, pesticides are not used on them because they don't need it! Some alternatives might be: unsulfured papaya, pineapple and mango fresh or dried.

7. Flax Oil--This oil has proven itself to be a wonderful addition to our diets. It has essential fatty acids and a lot of omega 3's. These are gerat for the body's immune system and for helping with the manufacturing of hormones. It has been shown that it can help with high blood pressure, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, immuno-suppression, psoriasis and eczema. It helps with teh prevention of strokes, heart attacks and cancer and is often used in cancer treatments as well. Because Lalitha considers this a supplemental oil that has many things our body needs, she does not offer really an alternative, however these oils are also very nutritious and are good options: Extra virgin olive oil (unrefined), sesame oil (unrefined), almond oil, sunflower seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, avaocado oil and safflower oil. When buying, you might like to look for these qualities: cold-pressed or expeller-pressed, packaged in opaque packages (light resistant), unrefined and organic. Personally, I use olive oil and coconut oil almost exclusively. For stir fry, I have been known to use peanut oil as it has a high heat resistance.

8. Grapefruit--Yum Yum! Need I say more? Okay, I will. These are really high in vitamin C and bioflavonoids. It has a lower acidity than some citrus and it also contains strong phytochemicals...quercitin being a great one! It is known for lowering holesterol, anti-cancer acticvity (especially stomach and pancreatic), enhancing the immune system, building alkaline mineral reserves, anti-viral activity, anti-bacterial activity, proteting arteries, enhancing cardiovascular system and stimulating digestion. The pulp is great for you, while the juice is good for you, remember the flesh adds a lot. If you feel adventurous enough (and I do) to chew a seed or two each time you consume one, you are taking in the wonderful grapefruit seed oil that has been known to help with so many things. Here is a list of what grapefruit extract has been known to help with (it was a bio-technical process as opposed to out of diet) gram-positive bacteria such as Stphylococcus, streptococcus and listeria, gram-negative bacteria such as E.coli, klebsiella, legionella, salmonella, shigella, cholera and pseudomonas, Fungi and Yeasts such as candida (I have had personal success with this), aspergillus and trichophyton, Viruses such as herpes simplex 1, influenza A3 and some animal viruses, parasites such as giardia lamblia, entamoeba, histolytica and chlamydia. Of course, she goes into the scientific detail in her book about this, but honestly, it is an easy thing to incorporate. If you can't eat one, then juicing one would also be very beneficial. Alternatives could be: lemons and oranges (whole).

9. Spinach--Hurray for spinach! It is so great for us and easy to consume. The leaves are sweet and are easily blended, they are mild and enjoyable as salads, on sandwiches or my favorite in a smoothie! It is high in chlorophyll which is a great blood builder and will then help increase your energy. It is high in folic acid which is known for the following: helps breakdown and utilize protein, helps form hemoglobin for healthy red blood cells, is essential for growna dn reproduction of all body cells, helps balance appetite and prodcution of hydrochloric acid, aids in liver performance, prevents some birth defects, and protects against many types of canceer especially lung, cervical and pancreatic. Some alternatives are: parsley, chard and kale.

10. Sprouts--These are great and full of many nutrients. Alfalfa are probably the most familiar and one of Lalitha's favorites. I love lentil sprouts because they are buttery and many people will eat them lightly sauteed, but not actually completely cooked.

So, there you have it. I did not quote any of the sources that Lalitha used, but there are many studies readily available to look at. I didn't want this to be overwhelming, but if you feel like you need to do more research then I highly recommend it. I am constantly working toward learning more about natural health. I feel like for our family that we have a responsibility to our family members and to ourselves to be empowered by knowing what to do to improve our health. What a blessing it is to have our Heavenly Father provide so many ways for us to use what he has given us to be healthy!

As always, remember, I am not a doctor or anyone who is giving medical advice. Here I shared from something I have read from and shared personal stories. Always do your own research and if necessary talk to your medical provider.

Slow cooker veggie curry

No Hurry Vegetable Curry

1 TBS peanut oil
2 large carrots, sliced
1 medium size yellow onion, chopped (I always use a little more)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBS curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced (I usually don't peel mine)
8 ounces green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces (sometimes I use frozen green beans)
1 ½ cups slow cooked or one 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed One 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups vegetable stock
½ cup frozen green peas, thawed (I never have these…I always forget)
½ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk (optional—but man does it make it
tasty!)

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots
and onion, cover and cook until softened. (around 5 minutes?) Add the garlic, curry powder, coriander and cayenne, stirring to coat.

2. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a 3 1/2 -4 quart slow cooker.
(mine is at least 5 quarts) Add the potatoes, green beans, chickpeas, tomatoes and stock; cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
3. Just before serving, stir in the peas and coconut milk and season
with salt. Taste to adjust the seasonings.

Personally I would put more curry in it, but the kids liked it the way it was. It definitely needed the salt and I would maybe add red pepper flakes (not for my kids though). This was absolutely delicious served over long grain brown rice.

Sweet Easy Pie Crust :)

I also love this pie crust recipe. It is also a press it into the pan recipe!

2 cups flour (white or whole wheat)

1 cup brown sugar, packed (I have used successfully 2/3 cup honey and 2 TBS blackstrap molasses)

3/4 cup butter/coconut oil/olive oil etc

1/2 cup quick-cooking oat (I don't own quick-cooking oats, if you are really worried you can blend it in the blender for a few seconds)

You can use part of it as a topping or make more pie crusts. You just mix them together (I use a pastry cutter) and press it in!

Yum yum and easy peasy!

Easy Pie Crust

I do not like to roll things out, it's a mess and I am not great at it. So, I use this press in the pan recipe and love it!

1 stick butter (I have used coconut oil, but it doesn't work quite the same)
1 cup flour (white or whole wheat works great)
2 TBS sugar (honey, sucanut, agave and xylitol all work fantastically!)

Work with hands until dough almost holds together (I use a pastry cutter). Press into pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees about 15 minutes. I have added extra sweetner before, cocoa powder and spices at different times for different things with great success. I never change the butter/flour ratio though.

Pasta e Fagioli

It's soup time! This recipe is similar to Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli. I serve it with some sort of bread and a salad. It takes about 1 hour. I do not add the beef so to round off the flavor I add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Enjoy!

Pasta e Fagioli

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 large carrot, julienned

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes

1 15 oz can red kidney beans (with liquid)

1 15 oz can great northern beans (with liquid)

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

2 12 cans vegetable juice (like V-8 juice)

1 tbs white vinegar (optional)

1½ tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp thyme

1 handful small shell pasta

dash of cayenne pepper

1. Brown the ground beef and drain off most of the fat.

2. Add onion, carrot celery and garlic and saute’ for 10 minute

3. Add remaining ingredients except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.

4. About 50 minutes into simmer time, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Serve.

I like this soupier so I add a 46 oz can of V-8 and double the seasonings.

Favorite Salsa Recipe

I have tested this on the teenagers in the neighborhood. They love it! I taste it until it seems hot enough. Sometimes I add more jalepenos.

4 cups tomatoes

2 cups green peppers

½ cup jalapeños(deseeded)

1 anaheim pepper

¾ cup chopped onions

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cilantro

1 ½ tsp salt

2 cloves garlic

5 tbps vinegar

Quarter whole tomatoes and coarsely blend in blender 4 cups at a time. Add to pan. Blend onions, peppers, green pepper add to pan. Simmer for 10 minutes. Water bath can 40 minutes for pints. I do not worry too much about how many peppers I have or what kinds, as long as it tastes right before I process it.