Homemade Apple Chips

These apple chips are made by simply slicing apples very thinly on a mandoline, dusting with a little brown sugar and cinnamon and baking very slowly in a low oven for two hours, flipped the slices once after an hour.   They end up becoming these nicely dehydrated, crispy sweet apple chips that delicious to eat.  You will love them.

Make these healthy apple chip treats:  http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2012/1/2/homemade-apple-chips.html

CREAMY AVOCADO CITRUS SALAD DRESSING

This salad dressing is so easy to make, totally healthy and delicious! 

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ripe avocado
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼. cup honey
- 3 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup cilantro
- ½ small jalapeno (or your preference)
- ¼ cup water or more, to thin to preference
Salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD:
Add all to food processor or blender and whiz up about a minute or until smooth and creamy. Add a drizzle of water if you’d like it thinner.

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Straight Up Banana Pancakes

Easy as pie peeling a banana.  

A few steps and your into some easy banana pancakes without the flour.  

Ingredients 
1 Bananas 
2 Egg

- Just mix together in a bowl and make sure the banana is all mashed. Then spray your pan with butter or coconut oil. On a low to medium heat, scoop some of the batter into the pan & give it about 20-30 sec, flip, and done! Serve and eat!

Awesome Avocados

Oh avocado.  How many ties have I spent money on you only to find you brown and bruised when I am ready to use you?  Or so hard as a rock that your pit is impossible to remove?  When you actually get to eat a perfectly ripe avocado...it is like a dream.  slightly firm yet melts in your mouth, cuts into perfect little slices, yet can be spread onto a piece of toast.  mmm...I love avocado.   

Sigh....such is my life.  

So how do you tell if an avocado is actually ready?  Here is a really easy way to find out!  Enjoy!

What is your take on eggs?

There is some controversy surrounding how good an egg is for you.  I have always been skeptical since they actually have tv commercials about how good eggs are for you and I sort of thought that they were pushing eggs like they do milk (which I have mostly taken out of my diet when possible).  But good healthy eggs from good healthy hens, that is the ticket.  yes they are more expensive, but they have all the good stuff in them that your body needs. 

John Berardi, Ph.D. Founder, Precision Nutrition, www.precisionnutrition.com, explains more of the scientific details behind why an egg is good for you:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-berardi-phd/egss-and-health_b_3499583.html

 I love a good hard boiled egg sprinkled with sea salt and it helps curb food cravings I get if I need something a little salty.  I usually also go for a poached egg with some raw spinach and a thick cut tomato under it...so satisfying:)  How do you get your eggs in?

What is that Komucha Stuff Anyways?

I love this stuff.  Ever since one of my besties introduced it to me I have been hooked.  It is an acquired taste, but so were many other things that I now have a taste for (like beer for instance!).   I have yet to try to make my own.  I promise to write a post when I do.  First you have to get a piece of the "mother"...which i have been kindly offered.  So soon I guess!  

This fizzy delicious drink comes i so many flavours now.  My favourite is the Multi-Green By GT's.  It gives me an extra dose of chlorella, spirulina, and blue-green algae.

  Read More about how good this stuff is for you: http://healthycrush.com/what-is-kombucha/

30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge

Over at Young and Raw they have this awesome page for a 30 day green smoothie challenge.  This is a great tool for those of you that want some ideas as to what to put into your green smoothies (which again i usually just put what ever i have on hand and make it work...sometimes you win and sometimes well...you just chug it back!  it's still really good for you no matter what!).

This page also includes a SHOPPING LIST!  which is extra awesome so you can really streamline the whole process of adding these wonderful energy boosting drinks into your life.  If you get to day 30, I can bet you will not stop there.  WARNING:  sometimes it is so easy to just quit after the first few days:  you crave having that food to chew and you may have some detoxing symptoms such as headaches.  but keep at it!  you can do it!  the health benefits absolutely out weigh any of that.   and don't forget to drink loads of filtered water!

Get the Full 30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge

Pumpkin Spice Latte (AKA PSL)...but better for you!

Okay so I know we are actually into Eggnog Latte season here in Canada...but for my friends to the south who are celebrating Thanksgiving today here is an easy recipe for a yummy alternative to your Starbucks (or other coffee shop) favorite:)

Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Creamer

2 cans of organic coconut milk

5 tablespoons organic pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons maple syrup or raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

extra cinnamon for dusting


See the Full Recipe

Fat Free? Sugar Free? No Thank you!

It has been a long time since I have grabbed anything off the grocery shelf with the label "fat-free" or "sugar-free". I myself am trying to lose about 30lbs (i will be sharing my story here one day soon when i can get the guts to post some before pictures!), but I refuse to grab it.  I'll eat the real deal over the fake stuff any day and I feel healthier for it.  I crave less food late at night because I am truly giving my body satisfaction.  Unlike the lower calorie counterpart, I am actually needing to eat less to feel full.  Your body needs good fats too...so don;t think by going low fat that your doing your body any favors!  that olive oil you just swapped for some other chemically heated something or other in that fat-free dressing isn't going to give you the same nutrients your body needs.(actually it will give you nothing really!).

Read More About Why You Should Skip The Fat-Free and Sugar-Free too

No-Knead Multi-Grain Peasant Bread

NO KNEADING??  Seriously??  Yes seriously.  This is my favorite bread to make.  It takes minutes to whip up the batch and it keeps in the fridge so you can just pinch off some dough when you want to make a fresh loaf.  I love this version of the bread with the steal cut oats and rye flour.  You could of course just use white flour, but I prefer the delicious, nutty grains.  Just try to wait for the loaf to cool before you cut off a piece...I bet you can't:)

Make this bread:  http://www.thekitchn.com/noknead-bread-recipe-multigrai-107657

Eat Right...Skip the Chemicals

Theres a pill for that.  But there is also a whole food for that.  Eating a healthy diet full of natural organic foods and staying hydrated gives your body the fighting chance it needs to get rid of the sickness and disease that poor nutrition will cause.  Your body is a self healing machine!  But you have to give it the proper food to fuel the healing:)  So next time you have a headache, think about what the cause of it is (or what your body is lacking) and correct it instead of taking a pain killer to cover the problem.

Check out Green Med Info to read more

The Best Shredded Kale Salad with Pecan Parmesan and Cranberries

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free

I love this webpage.  Her story is inspirational and she just makes eating healthy seem so easy and fun.  the images are amazing and the food is always so good!  I love kale salads, but you have to first figure out the tricks to soften the kale like with lemon or a salt massage:)

"The key to this salad is finely chopping (or shredding) the kale. The lemon garlic dressing will coat each and every tiny piece of kale, working its magical softening powers and infusing it with so much flavour. Instead of cheese, I topped the salad with my homemade toasted pecan "Parmesan" topping and a handful of dried sweetened cranberries. The result is one of the BEST ever kale salads I've tried to date."

How to make this amazing salad:

R.E.A.L Food (Restorative, Energetic, Authentic, Living.)

Principals for Eating R.E.A.L. Food (Restorative, Energetic, Authentic, Living.)

Solid advice for anyone seeking good health, incredible energy, better sleep, less stress:)

Visit Young and Raw

Natural Remedies for Flu

Natural Remedies for Flu (flyer download to share with family and friends)

It is flu season again!  Pump up that immune system by eating healthy and immune system supporting whole foods.  You might be surprised that you actually don't need a flu shot!

Since influenza is caused by a virus, antibiotics have no effect on the infection.

How to Support the Body To Heal: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/natural-remedies-for-flu

THE "BACK ON TRACK" GREEN SMOOTHIE

Everyone knows I love green smoothies.  Green smoothies, green juice, green just about anything.  I don't normally follow a recipe, I like to just whip something up from what is on hand in my fridge or fruit bowl.  But for most people when they start to make smoothies they feel more comfortable following one.  This one is definitely a keeper from one of my favorite raw food/vegan blogs Oh She Glows.

 BACK ON TRACK GREEN SMOOTHIE 

A GUIDE TO ROASTING VEGETABLES

Roasting vegetables in a hot oven brings their natural sugars to the surface while maintaining nutrients. For those who aren’t keen on steamed or raw veggies in the winter, you may find that roasting might spark some interest.

LEARN HOW TO ROAST EVERY VEGETABLE FROM ASPARAGUS TO ZUCCHINI: http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/everyday-meals/roasted-vegetable-dishes/roasted-vegetables-an-asparagus-to-zucchini-guide/

MAKE YOUR OWN TORTILLAS FROM SCRATCH

Most of us purchase tortillas from the store out of convenience.  But once you taste these I swear you will never go back.  soft, fresh, fantastic!  

YOU CAN DO THIS:  MAKE TORTILLAS FROM SCRATCH

Peel an Entire Head of Garlic in 10 Seconds…WHAAA????

I know what you’re thinking: I already know the trick involving smashing a garlic clove with a knife to quickly remove its skin. Well this is a new, and rather incredible trick. And you don’t even need a knife!

We all know how healthy garlic is for this time of year when colds and sniffles seem to creep up on us.  Boost your immune system…and now boost it even faster with this really cool trick:)

Find Out How: PEEL AN ENTIRE HAED OF GARLIC IN 10 SECONDS

CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST

i crave pizza all the time.  there is just something about the smell, the savoury taste...who am i kidding...the oodles of cheese...that makes me crazy.  this might help me feel better for indulging on pizza fridays!
oh my…this pizza looks delish! make the crust and add toppings of your liking, i am going to try pesto and roasted veggies!

MAKE IT NOW: CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST