Cheddar Chicken and Rice Skillet

Super quick and easy week night meal!  Enough said

• 1/2 cup Italian Dressing (your favorite kind, just make sure its without hydrogenated oils)
• 1 Chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups instant organic brown rice (available in the bulk foods section at Mama Jeans)
• 2 1/2 cups organic chicken broth
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green or white onions
• 2-3 leaves of kale
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese to taste

Heat dressing in skillet, add chicken when hot and cook until juices run clear.  Stir in rice, broth, peppers, onions and salt.  Bring to a boil then reduce and and simmer approximately 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Stir in kale and top with cheddar cheese.  

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

1 Tbsp coconut oil   (why coconut oil?)

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper

1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups water

1 15 oz can black beans

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Feta cheese to taste

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and red pepper and saute until beginning to soften, about 3-5 minutes.  Stir in next 4 ingredients.  Add water; bring to boil.  Cover.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 14 minutes.  Add beans, cook uncovered until water is fully absorbed. about 3 minutes.  Stir in Feta cheese and cilantro if desired and serve.

Taco Salad

This is a great meal even for those people who aren't particularly a big fan of salad.  Its also a great way to incorporate raw foods into your regular meal schedule.  Super flavorful and the customization possibilities are endless!

Taco Seasoning 

(I use and adapted version of Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19 for this and I just keep a ready made jar on hand)

• 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 1 Tbsp ground Cumin
• 2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 1/2 tsp hot Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp ground Coriander
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Taco Salad Dressing

• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup organic Sugar or 1/4 cup organic sugar and 1/4 cup Stevia (the kind for baking)
• 1/3 cup organic Ketchup
• 1/4 cup Braggs Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (this stuff is super good for you)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Taco Salad

• 1/2 lb organic ground beef (or 1 lb if you want to freeze some for later) (click here for more info on beef)
• 1 can black beans
• 1 head leaf lettuce
• 2-4 leaves of kale depending on your taste (why kale?)
• A few handfuls of Spinach
• Chopped red pepper to taste
• Chopped red onion to taste
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Tortilla Chips
• Any other veggies you may have on hand that you want to throw in!  Get creative!

Begin by browning ground beef.  Drain. Add black beans to skillet then add taco seasoning to taste, sometimes at this point I will add a little water back to the skillet just to get the seasoning to mix in.  I usually use a couple tablespoons of seasoning.  You will end up with leftover seasoning for a later date!  Meanwhile chop up all your veggies, and mix your salad dressing up.  The salad dressing takes a little while to mix together, at first it looks weird and all separated but give it time and keep mixing and eventually you will have something that resembles french dressing.  You will typically have leftover dressing as well, I just refrigerate it for later use.  Bear in mid it will harden in the fridge so it needs to set out a bit before use after refrigeration.  It will keep for several weeks.  Lastly layer all your ingredients on a plate or bowl ending with the crumbled tortilla chips and drizzling with dressing.

Musings on Meat

So... if you have read my my food philosophy you already know that this post is not geared towards turning you vegetarian, while I have plenty of vegetarian days and even weeks, I enjoy meat on a regular basis! Additionally if you have read any of my other blog posts you have probably figured out by now that I am a huge advocate for choosing organic produce!  I might actually be an even bigger advocate for buying organic meat!

According to the FDA in order for food to meet organic standards the following must be true.  

1. They must be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity, which are 2 key elements of environmentally sustainable agriculture.  Environmentally sustainable refers to the practice of maintaining the integrity of the soil for future use while still yielding profitable crops from it year after year.  This is sometimes accomplished by the process of rotating crops.
2. Crops must be grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMO), petroleum-based fertilizers and sewage sludge based fertilizer.
3. Organic livestock must have access to the outdoors and be given no antibiotics or growth hormones.

If you notice, organic livestock actually has a component to it that we don't have to worry about in produce and that is precisely why I am particularly passionate about buying organic meats.  While most all the points I will make about choosing organic foods are applicable to both plant based produce as well as animal based, I am going to focus more on the animal based produce for this post.

I will discuss each point in the organic standards individually but the only thing worth saying about point number 1 is that it doesn't much pertain to meat other than to say that this should be true of the grazing land the animals feed off of before they find their ways to our tables. 

Point number 2 has several components.  The first is that pesticides are not used.  I won't spend much time on this either, other than to say that if you don't already know... pesticides are really bad for you, they are poison and you should avoid consuming them as much as possible.  Organically raised livestock should be grazing on land free of pesticides.  

On the subject of GMO's or genetically modified organisms... I am just beginning to research and understand these myself but this is what I know so far.  To keep it simple, basically scientists are finding ways to isolate certain genes in one plant that are highly desirable, they then transfer these genes to another plant so that it now has the same desirable trait.  A good example of this would be a plant that is highly resistant to pests or is very tolerant of cold weather.  These are traits that all plants could benefit from so the idea would be to genetically modify all plants to have these characteristics.  When you first hear this it sounds like a fantastic idea... and one that would drastically increase the crop yields for many farmers... but then comes the bad news.  Plants, and all living organisms for that matter, are very smart.  If you have ever had a garden you know that weed control is a huge problem that must be controlled and sometimes despite your best efforts the weeds always manage to thrive even when the rest of your crops are suffering.  When you begin to talk about genetically modifying crops to be resistant to so many things you will inevitably get weeds that are also able to take on those same characteristics, thus creating super weeds that become harder and harder to control.  Not only that but when you begin to genetically modify something there are many unknowns, like how the human body will react to consuming something that is not in its original state or how it will effect the entire ecosystem of our beneficial pollenating bugs.  There have already been instances reported where GMO crops have negatively impacted the ecosystem of beneficial bugs.  This is an extremely abbreviated version of why I have chosen to not support GMO food but if you are interested in reading more on the subject, I have found a really great article that weighs the pro's and con's so you can decide for yourself.  You can find the article here.

Point number 3 is, in my opinion, is what makes eating organic meat so very important.  I touched on the use of antibiotics and growth hormones briefly in my post about dairy which you can find here.  But we will discuss them again here.  Let's start with growth hormones.  These are given to animals for obvious reasons, the farmers want the animals to grow bigger as fast as possible because that is what yields the quickest return for them.  These hormones have been known to cause health problems in some animals and they have also been found lingering in many of the conventional dairy products we consume.  These hormones are one of the major reasons why many parents are adamant about giving their children organic milk.  If the hormones are causing the animals to mature faster you can bet that they are doing the same thing to our children.  Many people believe these hormones are responsible for causing children to begin hitting puberty earlier and earlier and growing bigger than our previous ancestors.  

Moving along to the subject of antibiotics, I am going to use some of my medical background to help explain why giving animals who aren't sick antibiotics just to prevent illness (which is what conventional farmers do) is oh so bad for our population as a whole!  Now, before I get started I am going to squash a common misconception in the rear right off the bat!  Many people think the reason we don't promote the use of antibiotics in livestock is because we get traces of the medication in the meat we consume, while it is possible this could be true, there is no research I have found to support this so I can't present it to you as a valid point.  I try to make sure there is actual research supporting all the information I present.  Ok now that I got that out of the way, here is a little tid bit of information on how antibiotics work to treat bugs.  

 In the hospital setting one of the things we are constantly battling are referred to as "multi-drug resistant super bugs."  In laymen's terms that means a bacteria that has developed an immunity to so many different kids of antibiotics that we have a very limited formulary to choose from and the ones that will actually treat it are very strong and can cause liver and kidney damage among other side effects.  I mentioned earlier that all living organisms are very smart, and bacteria are absolutely no exception!  When we treat a bacteria with a certain antibiotic it is so very important that we eradicate the bacteria in its entirety and the reason for this is because bacteria are so smart that if we don't kill absolutely ALL of them the few stragglers that are left will figure out a way to morph themselves to become resistant to that particular antibiotic so that the next time we try to use it it will not work thus causing us to have to use a stronger more powerful antibiotic.  This is why it is imperative that when you are given a prescription for 10 days of antibiotics you take the FULL 10 days, don't stop when you start to feel better!!!  This is how bugs become multi-drug resistant!  Are you starting to see why giving unnecessary antibiotics to animals is such a bad thing!  They are creating the super-bugs and they are passing them on to the human population.  So... you may be thinking but I never come in contact with livestock so I'm not at risk!  NOT TRUE!!!  Just because you are not directly exposed to the animals that may be a cause of a super-bug doesn't mean that 25 people down the line you won't be exposed to that particular bug.  To continue on my soapbox it is also worth mentioning that you should only be taking antibiotics when absolutely necessary!  Don't run to your doctor for every single runny nose you or your child might have and ask for antibiotics, many times its a viral infection that will go away on its own!  

On the topic of free range.  Organically raised livestock must have access to outdoor pastures.  In my opinion it is a no-brainer why this is so important.   Livestock raised indoors is not only a breeding ground for infection because they are literally living in their own poo but it is also just inhumane, not to mention the fact they are likely being fed a GMO corn diet.  Enough said.

 I have one last point to discuss.  Red meat has found itself with an extremely bad reputation as of lately because of it's "high" saturated fat content.  Multiple studies have come out recently that prove that free-range organically raised beef is far superior in nutritional value than that of  grain fed, non-pasture raised beef.  Organic beef is not only very low in saturated fat but it also gives you 2-6 times more Omega-3 fatty acids which is the "good fat."  So if you choose organic you no longer have to feel guilty for eating red meat.  The most budget friendly organic beef that I have found is Blackgate farms.  It is almost always in stock at Mama Jeans and is 5.99/ lb.

It is also worth noting that it is nearly impossible to find "organic" chicken here in Springfield MO.  That being said, there are some things to be aware of when shopping for chicken.  Always make sure that the chicken says it is free range or pasture raised and antibiotic and hormone free.  These are usually advertised on the package.  Also make sure you are buying from a reputable source that knows where their produce comes from.  Buy directly from your farmer at the farmers market or at a local store that knows their farmers personally.  I buy mine from Mama Jeans or the farmer's markets, whichever is easier that week.  

I will admit that one of the biggest expenses in changing to a mostly organic diet is the cost of organic meat.  Chicken especially can be more pricey, but my suggestion would be to evaluate the amount and frequency of your meat consumption.  Could you decrease the amount of meat in a certain dish and make up for it by adding more veggies?  This has become a very common practice for my husband and I, as well as finding vegetarian recipes to throw into the mix.  I think you will find many of the recipes on my blog are heavy on the veggies and light on the meat!  

Dairy: the Good, the Bad and the... Cultured?

There is much controversy in the world of nutrition as to whether or not dairy is nutritionally beneficial.  While I am no means an expert, I like to consider myself an educated consumer, so here is some of the research I have found to be helpful on the topic.

For starters there is the debate over organic vs conventional when it comes to milk.  In order to make an educated decision you must first understand the difference.  

The biggest difference is that conventional milk comes from cows that are given the synthetic hormones rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) and rBST (recombinant bovine somatotropin).  These hormones help to increase the milk production of the cows, but not without side effects.  In cows these hormones often cause mastitis, but it's not just cows that are getting sick.  In humans these hormones have been linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer.  The use of these hormones has already been banned in several countries including Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Austria, and the entire European Nation.  

Hormones aren't the only thing found in conventional milk that is questionable.  The use of antibiotics is rampant among conventional dairy farmers, they give them to their cows routinely for infections.  The feed given to conventional dairy cows is also full of pesticides, and USDA reports show that low levels of pesticides are found in conventional dairy milk.  

As for organic dairy milk, the USDA prohibits the use of hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides as well as makes it mandatory that organic dairy cows have access to pastures.  So far, organic milk has my vote!  There is one thing that I found concerning however, when some organic dairy milk is pasteurized it is heated to around 260 degrees, this is known as ultra-pasteurization, which gives the milk a shelf life of about 2 months.  Conventional milk is typically only heated to about 145 degrees.  This is a bit of a sore spot for me because while we know that pasteurization is designed to kill off bad bacteria it also kills tons of good bacteria!  The only benefit to heating milk to 260 degrees is that it increases the shelf life PRIOR to opening it, once the milk is exposed to air it spoils just as quick as the milk only heated to only 145 degrees but the trade-off is that much more of the good stuff was killed in the process.  The good news is that you can buy non "ultra-pasteruized"milk if you are careful about reading labels.  Just look for milk that does NOT say "ultra-pasteurized" but be sure to look closely because sometimes they make the word hard to find!

Now lets talk about pasteurized vs non-pasteurized or raw milk.  Pasteurization can kill harmful bacteria and pathogens present in commercially produced milk.  However, it also destroys many nutrients and naturally valuable enzymes like lactase and galactase which help the human body better digest the lactose and calcium in milk and milk products such as cheese and even yogurt.  Pasteurization destroys the beneficial probiotic cultures that naturally help us to break down the milk and extract the minerals.  So, many of the problems people have tolerating and digesting milk are often due to the fact that it's pasteurized.  

Many people are uncomfortable consuming products that are unpasteurized due to the risk of potential harmful bacteria but the fact of the matter is that modern sanitation standards, sterile stainless steel holding tanks, and milking technology have made pasteurization largely unnecessary today.  Plus, in my opinion the risk of buying contaminated produce at the grocery store these days is probably just as high as getting a bottle of contaminated raw milk.  If you are still uncomfortable consuming raw milk though there are some other good options.  Yogurt and kefir both contain probiotic cultures making them easier to digest and coating you digestive tract with thousands of beneficial organisms.  Greek yogurt is a great option as it is much higher in protein than regular yogurt.  If you are unfamiliar with kefir it is a cultured milk product very similar to yogurt but in a thick liquid form that also contains beneficial yeast.  While it may sound weird kefir is VERY good for you, and I would recommend finding ways to incorporate it into your diet.  It comes in a variety flavors and I find when I put it in smoothies I can't even taste it!

While we do not drink much milk we do consume many other types on dairy.  After hours of research we have personally decided to take the approach of buying things with as little processing as possible.    When buying cheese we always look for RAW unpasteurized cheese, there is a great selection of these at... you guessed it... Mama Jeans!  Are you starting to see a trend in where we buy groceries?  I love shopping local!  They also have a good selection of kefir, as does Price Cutter.  As far as buying raw milk the only place I have found it is at the farmer's market in the Battlefield Mall parking lot available from Lorenae Dairy.  They sell raw milk for 6.00 per gallon and they will even make a low-fat gallon for you if you call and request it ahead of time.  Their milk has a shelf life of 21 days. We can't always use a gallon of milk in 21 days so I sometimes opt for buying 1/2 gallons of organic pasteurized milk.  

I hope this information has made you a more educated consumer!  It is SO important to know what is in your food and where it is coming from!  Remember, you are what you eat!  

Pesto Pasta with Kale and Chicken Sausage

This is a super easy weeknight meal, cooks in about 20 minutes, 30 minutes tops depending on how quick you can prep your ingredients.  I love using kale in this dish because of the amazing health benefits it provides.  If you don't know much about kale you should read my post about it here.  If you have never eaten kale before this is a great recipe to get acquainted with it!

• 1 lb pasta- pick your favorite- I used the veggie spirals in the bulk foods section at Mama Jeans
• 1/2 cup pesto- make sure to read your labels if buying pre-made, they have a great all-natural option at Mama Jeans
• 2-4 chicken sausage links- chopped into bite size pieces,  I use 2 because I prefer less meat - I recommend Applegate Farms Andouille, or any other Applegate Farms variety.
• 5 cloves garlic- coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil- (why coconut oil?)
• 1 bunch of kale - chopped, about 2 cups
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat.  Add garlic and sausage and cook just until browned.  Add kale, salt and pepper, and cook for just a minute until incorporated into sausage mixture.  Add pasta and pesto, toss to coat.  Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.  

Kale is King When it Comes to Greens

Kale is positively one of the most nutrient dense vegetables around!  We all know that leafy greens should be a plentiful part of our diet and if there is one green that you definitely don't want to leave out it's Kale!

• Kale is a powerful source of antioxidants which we know can be a major player in the fight against the development of cancerous cells, heart disease, and some age related chronic illnesses. 

• Kale also aides in detoxification of our bodies with it's high sulfur content which is essential in keeping our organs running smoothly.

• Kale is very anti-inflammitory with its 100mg of omega-3 fatty acids per cup and with the added mega-dose of vitamin K it can help with inflammatory related problems such as asthma, arthritis, auto-immune disorder, allergies, acne, colitis and more.

• Kale is rich in fiber which binds with bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels especially when eaten cooked instead of raw.

• One cup of Kale contains 206% of your daily value of vitamin A which is essential for maintaining your vision, skin and cellular health and immune function.

• One cup of Kale also provides 134% of your daily value of vitamin C which we know is a powerful antioxidant that helps to support our immune system as well as aide in the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body which helps keep your skin from wrinkling as you age.

• That same cup of Kale also gives you 684% of you daily value of Vitamin K which can strengthen your bones and help prevent calcium build-up in your tissues that lead to heart disease and stroke.

That's a lot of goodness in one cup!  You would have to eat the equivalent of 102 bananas to equal the same amount of vitamin A and 384 baby carrots to get the same dose of vitamin K.  I don't know about you, but I think I'll go for the cup of kale!  I would consider it a superfood, meaning, it's too good for you to not eat it!  The best part is that it's quite delicious!  

Kale blends well with a variety of different cuisines.  Eat it raw in a salad, add it to a stir-fry, blend it up in a smoothie (one of my favorites), it's even hearty enough to add to soups or stews!  However you choose to eat it, it's sure to be a great addition to diet.  Happy kale eating!

Cheesy Quinoa Casserole

This is quite simply guilt free comfort food!  A great alternative to baked mac n cheese or broccoli rice and cheese casserole.  Simple to make and sure to be kid friendly!  If you are new to quinoa you can read about it's awesomeness in my previous post here.

Here's what you will need...

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 2 broccoli crowns chopped 
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 large eggs (read about health benefits of eggs here)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or about 4 ounces (I used raw smoked cheddar)
• 4 slices turkey bacon crumbled
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• Panko bread crumbs for topping (organic variety available in the bulk food section of Mama Jeans)

To Prepare...

Begin by cooking quinoa according to package directions adding 1 tsp salt.  Mine was 3 cups water to 1 1/2 cups quinoa.  If you are new to quinoa it cooks just like rice.  Bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, reduce heat to low and cover.  Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until all water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.  

Once the quinoa is cooking pre-heat your oven to 350.  Turkey bacon typically comes pre-cooked so there is no need to cook prior to adding it to this recipe, however, I like mine a little crispy so I like to throw it in the toaster oven to broil for a bit, but you can skip this step if you want.  Meanwhile chop the broccoli and garlic and shred the cheese if you did not buy pre-shredded.  

When quinoa is done mix all ingredients except bread crumbs together until well blended and add to square baking dish.  Top with breadcrumbs and place in the oven for about 30 min or until top is golden brown.

Sweet Ginger Chili Stir-Fry

This is one of my husbands favorite dishes, he describes it as sweet and sour chicken with a kick!  We made this recipe up as a healthy alternative to chinese take-out.  We love chinese food but often don't eat it because of how unhealthy it tends to be, with the breaded and fried chicken and loads of MSG and high fructose corn syrup it often contains!  This dish is super easy to make and sure to curb your chinese take-out cravings!  

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
• 2-3 Tbsp coconut oil (why coconut oil?)
• 1 green pepper diced
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1 large carrot or a large handful of baby carrots chopped
• 1 small can pineapple chunks in 100% juice
• 1 cup brown rice cooked according to package directions
• 1 jar sweet chili ginger sauce (made by the ginger people, pictured below)

To prepare

Cook rice according to package directions.  You can get organic quick cooking brown rice in the bulk foods section of Mama Jeans which is what I like to use because it cooks much quicker than regular rice.  2 cups water to 1 cup rice.  Once you have your rice cooking chop up all your chicken and veggies.

Next, heat coconut oil in a large skillet on medium to high heat.  You want to get it piping hot because since we aren't breading the chicken you want it to sizzle and brown.  Once oil is hot, add chicken.  Cook until it starts to brown and get a little crispy, it should look something like this.

Next add all of your chopped veggies, don't add the pineapple yet.  Cook veggies just until tender, I cook mine 2-3 minutes because I like them to stay slightly crunchy but you could cook them longer if you like them more tender.  Once your veggies are cooked to your liking add in the pineapple and cook for just a minute or 2.  Last pour half of the bottle of sweet ginger chili sauce over stir fry mixture, you could use more if you prefer a little more sauce.  Here is what the bottle of sauce looks like.

Available at Mama Jeans.

You should end up with something that looks like this...

Serve on a bed of brown rice!

Quiche

We love eggs at our house!  What's not to love about a food that is not only delicious but also contains all of the known nutrients except for vitamin C!  Read more about this awesome phenomenon in my educational post about eggs...Egg-stremely Deceiving.  One of our favorite things to do is have breakfast for dinner, we have cleverly named this "Brinner."  One of our favorite brinner meals is Quiche!

For the Crust

*Preheat oven to 350

• 1 1/4 cup whole grain all-purpose flour (recipe here) or regular flour, but this stuff is way better!
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil (one of the few times I use olive oil over coconut oil ... see why here)
• Enough water to make a dough (I go to my fridge spout and count to 2, you don't need much)

Mix all ingredients just until dough is formed, avoid overmixing as it will make the crust less flakey.  Place the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap (this makes it easier to transfer the dough to the pie plate) and roll it out into a circle a few inches wider than your pie plate.  Transfer the dough to the pie plate with the plastic wrap side up, once you have it evenly positioned over the plate press the dough into the plate then remove the plastic wrap .  Roll the excess dough around the edge of the pie plate to make the crust and use the end of a utensil to "flute" the edges.

For the Filling

• 5 or 6 large eggs
• 1 cup of organic milk
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 package frozen chopped spinach (I use Cascadian Farms organic)
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 ounces cheese, shredded (I use raw smoked cheddar, available at Mama Jeans)
• 1/2 package of Turkey bacon or your favorite breakfast meat (I use Applegate Farms because it my opinion it is hands down the best!)
• Salt to taste (I use about 1 tsp)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and then pour into your crust.  Place in the oven at 350 for approximately 1 hour or until the top is golden brown.  Serve with a side of fresh fruit!

Egg-stremely Deceiving

In my opinion eggs are one of nature's perfect foods!  They are a simple food, well liked by most people and yet grossly overlooked as a "health" food because of the bad reputation they have obtained for being high in cholesterol.  Want to know the truth?  Well, the truth is that this "high cholesterol" business is hogwash!  The coolest thing about eggs is that they contain all known nutrients, except for vitamin C!  What other food can say that?!?!  They are good sources of fat-soluable vitamins A and D as well as certain carotenoids that guard against free-radical damage to the body.  They also contain lutein, which has been shown to prevent age-related macular degeneration.

So... you may be asking yourself, how did they get such a bad reputation?  Good question!  The answer is, it's all in where your eggs come from!  From time to time you will hear me get on my "soap box" and tell you that you should absolutely know where all your food comes from... and this is one of those times.  Just as with many other foods, all eggs are not created equally!  There is significant research that shows eggs from chickens that roam in pastures, notice I did not say chickens that have "access" to pastures, but ones that are actually raised outside have a vastly different nutritional profile.  If you test an egg from a carton off the shelf of Walmart and an egg from a local farmer who raises chickens outside, one of the most significant differences you will find is the omega-3 content of the egg. The pasture raised chicken has a much higher omega-3 fatty acid content, as well having a much lower total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and omega-6 content!  And what do we know about omega-3's?  They play a huge role in heart health and can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer!  So... now you may be thinking that the next time you go to buy a carton of eggs you will just look for the label that says "free-range" or better yet "organic" because they will be better right?  Wrong... unfortunately big companies have been extremely deceiving about the use of the words placed on egg cartons.  I am just learning some of this information myself and am astounded at what I am learning about some companies who market their eggs as "organic" because technically they are fed an organic diet but are by no means pasture raised.  This is the type of farm you want your eggs to come from...

This is good!  Ample access to the outdoors while still having a henhouse for nesting.

This is bad!  There are approximately 16,000 "organic" hens in this henhouse.  This company markets them as free range and organic because they have "access" to the outdoors and are fed an organic diet.

Here is a sample view of the inside of the henhouse.  Does it look like these hens have access to the outdoors?

So... you do the math?  Which eggs from these 2 henhouses do you think will be more nutrient dense?  Not only do the hens in the overcrowded henhouse not have the ability to diversify their diet outside,  but have you thought about where all their poop goes?  Ummmm.... yuck!  Going back to  my food philosophy; you are what you eat, and there is no possible way a hen raised in this environment could produce nutrient dense eggs.  And thus the mystery is solved as to why eggs got such a bad reputation!  If you are wondering about specific brands of eggs and their farming practices here is fairly comprehensive report.  Organic-Egg Scorecard

So... where do you go from here?  My advice would be to find a local farmer who raises chickens, or go to your local farmers market or health food store and inquire about the farming practices of the places they receive their eggs.  This is one situation where I would say buying local, even if it's not organic, is far better than buying from a major organic brand off the shelf of a grocery store.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

This is arguably the best BBQ pizza you will ever eat!  My husband would be the one who would argue this!  We made this with some friends the other night and per her request I am posting the recipe! Here you go Melissa... :o)

Pizza Crust Dough

• 2 cups water at 80 degrees.  (To achieve this I usually microwave tap water for 15 sec)
• 4 Tbsp Coconut Oil (Why Coconut Oil?)
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Whole Grain All-purpose flour (Recipe Found Here)
• 3 cups Whole Wheat Bread Flour (if you do not wish to make whole grain all-purpose flour you may substitute 2 extra cups of whole wheat bread flour or another flour of your choice)
• 3 tsp Bread Machine Yeast

Place all these ingredients in your bread machine and program it for the DOUGH setting.  In my bread machine this process takes about 5 min to throw in the machine and then the machine takes 1 hour and 20 min to make the dough.  The recipe makes 2 regular pizza crusts or if you would prefer thin crust you can cut the recipe in half.  When the dough is ready preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Roll dough into 2 pizza crusts and use a fork to poke lots of holes throughout each crust (this will prevent bubbles in your pizza's).  Next, partially bake each crust for about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and your ready for toppings...

For the Topping

• 3/4 pound chicken breast
• 1 Tbsp of your favorite grill seasoning (I use mesquite)
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dried cayenne pepper
• 8 oz Cheddar Cheese (my favorite is raw smoked cheddar from Mama Jeans)
• 2 small tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 small jalapeno pepper
• 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves (I usually use much more, but I really like cilantro)
• 2 Tbsp thyme leaves
• 1-2 cloves of garlic minced
• Coarse Salt
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• Your favorite BBQ sauce

Combine grill seasoning, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper and use to season chicken breasts. You can either grill the chicken (my preference) or heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a screamin hot skillet and cook chicken about 2 min on each side.  When chicken is fully cooked dice it up.  Combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and thyme.  Make a garlic paste by adding a generous pinch of course salt to the minced garlic and mash it with the flat of a knife or spoon.  Add paste and juice of lime to the salsa and mix thoroughly.  Spread your favorite BBQ sauce over each pizza crust then scatter chicken, salsa, and cheese evenly over each pizza.  Bake 12-15 minutes more until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.

Good Grains

Let me just start this post off by saying I do my best to get the majority of my carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables, but sometimes, well, more like a lot of the time, I just get this overwhelming desire to bake something!  It is because of this that I have developed what I believe to be the healthiest form of whole grain "all-purpose" flour.  I have been using this concoction for a couple years now and have found it to work in nearly every recipe that calls for all-purpose flour, whether it be cookies, muffins, breads certain types of cakes, and even pizza dough.

Now, for those of you who are used to using enriched bleached white flour, you might find the taste and texture of this to be a bit more grainy, however, if you are used to using whole wheat flour you will likely find this mixture to be less grainy but packed with a whole lot more nutrients!  Speaking of bleached enriched flour, if you are using this you should stop!  Its terrible for you, and what's worse is that it is the first ingredient on almost every store bought bakery item.  The short version of how it is made is they take whole wheat and process it so heavily that every ounce of anything nutritious is completely removed, then they add chlorine to it to make it white so it looks prettier, and then they take man made versions of a few of the things they processed out of the wheat and add it back in... thus making it "enriched."  So the next time your at the grocery store shopping for bread, crackers, pasta, whatever it may be, check the label, even if it is advertised as a whole wheat or whole grain item, more often than not enriched flour is still the first ingredient!  Sometimes they will leave out the bleaching process but you will likely have to read 5-10 ingredients down the list to find the whole wheat or whole grain flour in it that is being advertised!  Not cool!  

While whole wheat flour is certainly not bad for you, it's not quite as nutritious as the media makes it out be.  There are many other grains available in the form of flour that should be incorporated into our diets, each with different nutrients to offer.  After doing much research on which would be the best one to use for everyday cooking and baking and getting absolutely nowhere I got the novel idea to get several different varieties, mix them all together in a big jar, and Voila, my whole grain all-purpse flour was born!

So... where do you begin?  Well, the great thing about this process is it is totally customizable to each persons taste or nutrition preferences.   I don't think I have ever made the exact same batch twice.  But, just as an example, these are some of the leftover bags I have sitting in my pantry at the moment.

You can typically find a variety of flours in the bulk foods section at your local health food store.  I like the selection at "Mama Jeans" but many grocery stores carry a brand called "Bob's Red Mill" which also has several varieties to choose from.  I am a huge fan of sprouted grains so I buy as many of those as I can each time.  If you are unfamiliar with sprouted grains it is a natural process that allows the seed grains to germinate which initiates a chemical transformation in the phytates on the exterior of the seed that makes the nutrition within the seed available for digestion.  Here is a list of the most common flours I tend to use in no particular order.  I always buy organic and sprouted when possible.

• Oat Flour - Has a very mild flavor so I tend to use more of this than other more grainy varieties because I'm not a huge fan of grainy texture.  This is a popular gluten free option.  High in fiber and thiamin.  
• Spelt Flour- A non-wheat flour but still in the wheat family so it is not gluten free.  Has a light slightly nutty flavor, also one that I use more heavily in my mixture due to it's lack of grainy texture.  Good source of vitamin B12, manganese, niacin, copper, phosphorus, protein, and fiber.
• Kamut Flour- A high protein flour in the wheat family but is commonly tolerated by people with wheat sensitivities.  A great source of selenium, an antioxidant known for helping maintain a healthy immune system and guard against cancer.
• Barley Flour- A non-wheat flour very high in fiber and one of the lowest on the glycemic index.
• Millet Flour- A gluten free flour that is high in iron, B vitamins, potassium, and magnesium
• Rye Flour- A whole grain, high fiber flour abounding in nutrients such as manganese, fiber, tryptophan, phosphorus, and magnesium.  
• Buckwheat Flour- A high protein, gluten free flour.  Also high in fiber, amino acids, niacin, copper, magnesium and flavenoids which are phytonutrients that protect against disease by acting as antioxidants.

So there you have it!  I typically use equal parts of each of the different flours with the exception of a few of the less grainy ones.  When I'm finished it looks something like this...

Questions about Quinoa?

Quinoa is all the rage right now in the health food world, and for good reason!  It is what I like to call a superfood, meaning it's too good for you to not eat it!  Quinoa is actually a seed, however, when cooking it behaves more like a grain such as rice.  Pre-cooked it looks like this... 

After cooking it puffs up much like rice to look something like this...

Why love quinoa?

• It is packed with 9 amino acids which makes it a complete protein!  So it tastes like a grain but without the carbs!  Could it get any better??
• It is rich in fiber with 6 grams per 1/4 cup... that's more than an apple!
• It's packed with vitamins and minerals such as iron, riboflavin, magnesium, and vitamin B2.
• Its wheat and gluten free for those of you with special diet considerations.
• It is very low on the glycemic index meaning your blood sugar doesn't spike, it is digested slowly which will make you feel fuller longer.
• It cooks quicker than rice taking only 10-15 minutes.
• It has a mild nutty flavor that mixes well with many different cuisines similar to rice.

Following is one of my favorite quinoa recipes, it has become a staple in our home, but I use quinoa as a substitute for rice in many other recipes as well.  

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

1 Tbsp coconut oil   (why coconut oil?)

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups water

1 15 oz can black beans

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Feta cheese to taste

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and red pepper and saute until beginning to soften, about 3-5 minutes.  Stir in next 4 ingredients.  Add water; bring to boil.  Cover.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 14 minutes.  Add beans and cilantro, cook uncovered until water is fully absorbed. about 3 minutes.  Stir in Feta cheese if desired and serve.

Cooking Oil Conundrum

Before I dive into posting about all of my favorite healthy foods and meals I felt it appropriate to discuss an ingredient found more often than not in recipes.  There are essentially 3 types of fat categories that oils fall into, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated.  Based on what we often hear in the media one would likely feel reasonably confident that the oils in the saturated fat category would be the least healthy.  Well friends, I am here to tell you that couldn't be farther from the truth!  Let's take a look at each of these a little closer.  Keep in mind that when talking about these types of fats for cooking we are discussing them in terms of consuming them after heat is applied (because that's generally what happens when you cook), some but not all of the oils listed are much better for you if consumed unheated.  

• Polyunsaturated- this is the most highly reactive type of fat, which leaves them most prone to oxidation and free-radical production when exposed to heat and light.  Most of the oils in this category are already highly processed and refined before they ever make it to the shelves of the grocery store and then we take them home and heat them some more which makes them the most inflammatory inside our body due to their high reactivity to heat and light.  This inflammation is what causes many degenerative diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.  The oils that typically fall into this category are your "vegetable" or soybean oils, cottonseed oil, safflour oil, and corn oil to name a few.

• Monounsaturated- this type of fat is somewhat reactive to heat.  It is known as a heart healthy fat, but when speaking in terms of cooking oil it literally falls somewhere in between the saturated and polyunsaturated fats, meaning that when heat is applied you lose many of the health benefits the oil is said to provide.  This category is where you will find the most popular cooking oil known as extra virgin olive oil.  While EVOO is known as a great source of phytochemicals (known for drastically reducing the risk of cancer) it is best consumed at room temperature.

• Saturated- these are much more stable and less inflammatory than unsaturated and much less reactive to heat and light inside and outside the body, which makes these the best oils for cooking because they can withstand incredibly high amounts of heat without compromising benefits  Coconut oil and real butter fall into this category.  Coconut oil has been linked to lowering cholesterol, promoting weight loss and a healthy digestive tract, as well as having many many other health benefits!

Surprised??  It helps so much to know the science behind the foods we consume.  Who would have thought that a saturated fat would be the best kind of oil to use for cooking or baking?  So, if it isn't obvious already my go to cooking oil is hands down coconut oil.  I could easily write an entire post about the benefits of coconut oil in general but the fact that it can withstand very high heat just makes it that much more perfect.  Saturated fats derived from animal sources have such a bad reputation right now so it is so easy to assume the same to be true for saturated fats from plant derived sources, but you have just learned that it is actually quite the opposite!  Why the difference?  I'll save that for a later post...

I have used many different coconut oils over the years but this is currently what is in my pantry because it was the best value at Mama Jeans last week.

My Food Philosophy

I am by no means a food or nutrition expert, nor do I claim to be, but for some reason I have become incredibly interested and passionate about the subject and have since spent countless hours researching all things food related.  After years of people asking me question after question about a particular food I am eating or preparing, and me racking my brain to remember why exactly I began eating the food in the first place, I decided to start this blog to keep track of it all in one place.  That being said, here are a few of my philosophies on food...

• You are what you eat... literally!  
• Every 35 days your skin replaces itself and your body makes new cells from the food you eat!  That's crazy cool right?  Or scary... depending on what you eat!  There are so many more examples I could give of this... like the fact that this is true for the plant an animal products we consume as well,  but the bottom line is, you should care about what you put in your body!

• I don't eat anything that doesn't taste good!
• If I discover a new food that is worth eating, I will find a way to make it taste good!  Period.

• Everything in moderation... even dessert!
• I don't believe in adhering to any special diet.  I'm not a vegan but I believe the majority of your diet should be focused on fruits and vegetables.  I do not stick to a raw food diet but I believe you should eat raw foods with every meal.  I believe in a high protein diet but you won't hear me preaching low carbohydrates, in fact, carbs can be one of the most nutritious parts of your diet.  Anyways, you get the point, everything in moderation.  

• I don't count calories... or fat... or carbs... or anything else for that matter.
• I believe if you are filling your diet with fresh, unprocessed, non genetically modified (GMO), whole foods then there is no need to  pay much attention to the numbers because your nutritional density will more than compensate for it.

• Organic is always best when available!
• I could go on forever about my feelings on this subject but in short I believe there is sufficient evidence to support eating an organic diet.  I do however realize that cost can be a huge factor in ones ability to switch to a completely organic diet so below you will find a diagram of the food most necessary to buy organic as well as the least.