0
  • No products in the cart.
View Cart Proceed to Checkout

Category: Food Preparations

Menu
Planning

By on April 26, 2016in Food Preparations, Health and Wellness Blog, Meal Planning

Now you now know how to eat healthy, what to eat, and what to avoid… And hopefully you have gone shopping, and have rotated all the foods in your fridges and cupboards… you are all ready for a fresh clean start!  What types of foods can you create with all this in mind? This week we’re giving you the 411 on menu planning:

Menu planning can be tricky, particularly now that meals are not always composed of a meat, a starch, and a vegetable. If you are entertaining, then you want the meal to flow, present well, and be satisfying for your guests. Here’s a checklist to help you:

  • Check with your guests to see if they have any special dietary requirements.
  • How much time do you have?
  • Ask yourself what is in season and what the weather is like. Have your guests been active (for example, skiing all day)? Is it the middle of summer? Perhaps everyone will  want  to be sitting outside on your dec Do you want a culinary theme (Asian-inspired or Italian- inspired, for example)?
  • From a health perspective, two thirds of your menu should be composed of low-starch vegetables and leafy greens, and the remaining third should be a protein dish. You can incorporate one dish that is a starchy vegetable, a legume, or a gluten-free grain like quinoa or lentils.  Add a healthy dose of fat to help your body absorb all those wonderful vegetables!
  • Now choose your main dish.
  • If you have chosen a meat dish, pair it with two or three lighter vegetable dishes or salads. If the meal is dark in color with richer flavors, like a vegetable curry or a chicken stew, pair it with a green salad and an acidic dressing.
  • Now, think balance in textures and colours: don’t start with a soup and serve a stew as your main course. Don’t serve a quiche as your main course and serve pie for dessert! Pick different colors and textures of dishes to compliment and balance your main dish.
  • Don’t use the same cooking method for all of your courses, or you will over-commit oven or stovetop space.
  • Make sure one or two of your dishes can be made ahead.
  • It’s probably not a good idea to experiment with a new recipe when you are hosting guests.
  • Serve the meal family-style if kids are involved, so they can pick and choose what they would like to eat.  Reward them for trying new foods.
  • When in doubt, pair your main dish with a simple green salad.

For more detailed information on Menu Planning, pick up your copy of the Recipes for Life Boxed Set here.

Access your complementary recipe here.

 

Health Coach Rita Thomas and Chef Erin Holm hope to inspire families, friends and communities to live happier, healthier and more delicious lives. Sign up for their weekly health and recipe blog to start your journey to good health.

Sample
Menus

By on April 26, 2016in Choosing Healthy Foods, Food Preparations, Health and Wellness Blog, Healthy Eating Habits, Meal Planning

Hello!   Here is a sneak peak at the type of Menus you will be able to create using our Recipes:

 

New Year’s Eve Dinner

  • Winter Salad with Pomegranate and Fennel
  • Seafood Chowder
  • Mocha Pudding Cake

Vegan Supper

  • Portobello Mushroom Pizzas
  • Asian Beet and Avocado Salad
  • Zucchini Spaghetti “Zoodles”
  • Banana Gelato

Picnic Party

  • Southwestern Quinoa Salad
  • E’s Crunch Salad with Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Coconut Slaw
  • Comfort Cookies

Spring Celebration

  • Steamed Artichoke
  • Coconut Lime Beurre Blanc on Wild Salmon
  • Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce
  • Açai Cheesecake with Fresh Berries

Italian Night

  • Watermelon Gazpacho
  • Butter Lettuce with Shaved Asparagus and Truffle Vinaigrette
  • Rustic Tomato Sauce on Quinoa Pasta
  • Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Burger Night

  • Bountiful Burgers
  • Coconut Coleslaw
  • Sweet Potato Salad

Low-Carb Night

  • Kale Caesar Salad
  • Lasagna-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
  • Frozen Fruit Platter

Deck Dining

  • Grape and Watercress Gazpacho
  • Seafood Louie with Guacamole
  • Apple and Pear Crisp

Brunch Buffet

  • Great Green Juice
  • Watercress and Blueberry Salad
  • Powerhouse Frittata
  • Hummingbird Breakfast Muffins

Big Winter Warm-Up

  • Vitamin A Soup
  • Classic Roast Chicken
  • Cauliflower Rice
  • Sauté of Super Greens
  • Holiday Pumpkin Pie

 

Health Coach Rita Thomas and Chef Erin Holm hope to inspire families, friends and communities to live happier, healthier and more delicious lives. Sign up for their weekly health and recipe blog to start your journey to good health.

Shopping List II

By on April 19, 2016in Choosing Healthy Foods, Dieting, Food Preparations, Health and Wellness Blog

Last week you got the first half of the shopping list, here’s the rest:

Nut Butters: Almond butter (raw, sprouted), Coconut butter (raw), Hazelnut butter (raw, sprouted), Sesame tahini

Oils: Choose cold-pressed, extra-virgin varieties of: Avocado oil, Bulletproof Brain oil, Coconut oil, Hazelnut oil, Hemp oil, MCT oil, Olive oil, Red palm oil, Sesame oil, Udo’s oil

Fresh Fruit: Apples, Avocado, Banana, Berries (blackberries,  blueberries,  cranberries, raspberries, strawberries), Cantaloupe, Cherries, Coconut (fresh, young), Dragon fruit, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Lemon, Lime, Mango, Melon, Oranges, Papaya, Peach, Pears, Persimmons, Pineapple, Plum, Tomato, Watermelon, Any other fruit that is in season

Fresh Vegetables: Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Celery root, Chiles, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Endive, Fennel, Herbs, Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Ginger, Mint, Parsley, Rosemary, Tarragon, Jicama, Leafy greens, Arugula, Bok choy, Collards, Dandelion, Kale, Lettuce (all varieties), Spinach, Sunflower greens, Radish leaves, Mushrooms, Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Scallions, Shallots, Spring onions, Peas, Peppers red, Pea shoots, Pumpkin, Radish, Rutabaga, Sunflower shoots, Squash, Sweet potato, Zucchini

Refrigerated Foods: Butter (raw or grass fed), Coconut water (fermented), Cheese (Parmesan block, Pecorino (from sheep’s milk), Feta (from goat’s milk)), Eggs, Ghee, Kelp noodles, Miracle noodles, Miso paste (unpasteurized), Sauerkraut, Tempeh

Seasonings: Bragg’s liquid amino acids, Coconut aminos, Fish sauce, Hot sauce, Mustard, Nama shoyu, Tamari sauce (gluten-free), Seeds

Seeds and Legumes for Sprouting: Alfalfa, Bean mix, Broccoli, Fenugreek, Peas, Mung beans, Radish, Lentils, chick peas

Other Seeds: Chia seeds (sprouted and non-sprouted), Hemp seeds, Popcorn, Pumpkin seeds (sprouted), Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds (sprouted)

Spices: Basil, Bay leaves, Caraway seed, Cardamom, Cayenne pepper, Celery seed, Chervil, Chile flakes, Chile pepper, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Cumin, Curry powder, Dill, Dulse seasoning, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Kelp seasoning, Lemon grass, Marjoram, Mint, Mustard, Nutmeg, Onion, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley, Pepper, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Sea salt (Himalayan or Celtic), Tarragon, Thyme, Turmeric

Sweeteners: Erythritol, Honey (raw), Lakanto, Lucuma, Stevia, Xylitol, Yacón syrup

Treats: Chocolate covered cacao beans from Longevity Warehouse, Power Organics Cacao Berry Clarity Chocolate, Whey Chocolate Protein Bar from Mercola, Bulletproof Vanilla Collagen Bar from Bulletproof

Vinegars: Apple cider vinegar, Balsamic vinegar (white and regular), Coconut vinegar, Superfood cider vinegar from Longevity Warehouse, Umeboshi plum vinegar, Wine vinegars (red, white, champagne, sherry)

Yeast: Nutritional yeast

Health Coach Rita Thomas and Chef Erin Holm hope to inspire families, friends and communities to live happier, healthier and more delicious lives. Sign up for their weekly health and recipe blog to start your journey to good health.

Shopping List I

By on April 12, 2016in Choosing Healthy Foods, Food Preparations, Health and Wellness Blog, Healthy Eating Habits

Ok, so still no recipes quite yet! That’s because you need to set up a healthy pantry first! Here is a Shopping List that will fill your fridge and your cupboards with all the ingredients and nutritious foods you will need to make our recipes.

Baked Goods: Ezekiel bread, Manna bread, Coconut meat paleo wraps

Baking Ingredients: Baking powder (aluminum-free), Baking soda (aluminum-free), Cream of tartar, Flour, Almond, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Chestnut, Coconut, Hemp, Millet, Oats, Quinoa

Beverages: Coconut water (raw, fresh), A variety of teas (Chaga Mushroom, Dandy Blend Dandelion Tea, Green tea, Horsetail, Matcha tea, Nettle, Reishi, Ron Teeguarden teas)

Boxed Goods: Vegetable broth (organic), Meat broth (organic, low sodium chicken, turkey, or beef)

Canned Goods: Unsweetened applesauce, Artichokes in water, Beans (Kidney, Garbanzo, Black), Coconut cream, Hearts of palm, Pumpkin, Wild sockeye salmon with no salt added, Sardines

Cereal and Breakfast: Sprouted buckwheat groats, Ezekiel granola with cinnamon and raisins, Holy Crap, Jules’ Fuel, Quinoa flakes, Steel-cut oats (gluten-free)

Crackers: Mary’s Gone Crackers, Vegetable crackers (raw)

Dried Fruit: Apricots, Cherries, Cranberries, Dates, Figs, Goji Berries, Incan Berries, Mulberries, Prunes, Raisins

Dry Goods: Açai powder, Bee pollen, Blue green algae, Camu camu, Cacao nibs raw, Cacao powder raw, Chlorella/spirulina powder, Coconut raw shredded unsweetened, Maca, Marine phytoplankton, Mushroom powders, Noni, Phycocyanin blue pigment from Longevity Warehouse, Physillum flakes, Protein powders, Royal jelly, SeaSnax seaweed, Seaweed (nori, dulse, wakame, kelp), Seaweed soup by Truth Calkins from Longevity Warehouse, Sundried tomatoes, Vanilla powder

Frozen Beverages: Raw coconut water

Frozen Fruits: Açai Sambazon, Berries mixed, Blueberries, Coconut meat, Cranberries, Goji berries, Mixed berries, Raspberries, Strawberries

Frozen Vegetables: Corn, Peas, Spinach

Frozen Treats: Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss ice cream – great non-dairy frozen dessert!

Grains, Beans, Noodles and Rice: Amaranth, Beans all varieties, Buckwheat groats, Noodles, Bean noodles, Quinoa noodles, Rice noodles, Soba noodles, Quinoa sprouted and non-sprouted, Mung beans sprouted, Rice (black rice, sprouted brown rice, wild rice

Jarred Goods: Aloe Vera Gel, Anchovies, Unsweetened Applesauce, Artichokes, Organic Capers, Fish Sauce, Horseradish, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, Olives, Tomatoes

Nuts: Choose organic,  non-roasted,  and  non-salted (sprouted if possible): Almonds, Brazil nuts, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Macadamia nuts, Pecans, Pine nuts, Pistachios, Sacha inchi, Walnuts

Stay tuned!  The rest of  your shopping list is coming next week!

Health Coach Rita Thomas and Chef Erin Holm hope to inspire families, friends and communities to live happier, healthier and more delicious lives.

Sign up for their weekly health and recipe blog to start your journey to good health.

Best Practice Recipe Tips

By on March 29, 2016in Food Preparations, Health and Wellness Blog, Healthy Eating Habits

There’s no complementary recipe quite yet, as first we want to give you some tips and tricks to prepare for successful recipe making!

Here are some Recipe Tips to consider when starting any cooking process or when you are approaching a new recipe.  Try incorporating these 15 tips into your cooking routines, and you will be on a path to a happier, healthier, and more delicious life right away.

  1. Realistically determine how much time you have and whether you have enough time to cook a specific recipe.  Otherwise it’s stress not cooking.
  2. Start with fresh produce, and think about what’s available locally and seasonally.
  3. Be mindful of how you are feeling. Your body might be craving a type of vegetable or a soup, for example. You will feel much more nourished if you eat a dish that satisfies your craving.
  4. Check to make sure that you have all the right kitchen equipment for the recipe.
  5. Read through the entire recipe to make sure that you have all the ingredients on hand and know how long it will take you to prepare the recipe.
  6. Shop economically.  Here are a few examples.  Try saving money by going to the bulk section and just buying the small amount of an ingredient you need for a recipe rather than a whole package of that ingredient.  Split a large wholesale package up between friends.   The least processed and packaged a food is, the cheaper it will be. Compare the price of frozen vegetables to fresh vegetables when shopping out of season. Vegetables that are frozen are always frozen at their peak of freshness which means they are very nutritious.
  7. Save yourself a trip to the grocery store.  Innovate, be adventuresome, that’s what good cooks do!  If you can’t find the right herb or ingredient think about what else you have on hand that you could substitute.
  8. You can substitute dried herbs for fresh herbs.  Please note that if you are using dried herbs, you only need 1/3 of the amount of fresh herbs called for in the recipe.
  9.  Consider making a double recipe and freezing any leftovers.  This works when cooking savory foods like soups and casseroles (as long as you have a big enough pot!) but do not do this when you are baking.  Baking is more of a science, and measurements need to be precise for your recipe to turn out properly.
  10. Taste the dish as you cook, to make sure you like the way it is seasoned, you can add more salt, pepper or spice to it if you like.
  11. If a recipe calls for gluten-free flour, you can choose buckwheat, quinoa, or any gluten-free baking mix you like.  The baking mixes mimic the texture of wheat flour in baking nicely, but check the ingredients as they are often filled with garbage ingredients, high in carbs and high in calories.
  12. For sweeteners, yacón syrup can sometimes be hard to find and is expensive, but is a great substitute for maple syrup or honey. I like using organic raw honey and organic maple syrup occasionally , as they each have their own nutritional properties, but beware they will affect your blood sugar.  Lakanto is also awesome because it is just like granulated sugar, it substitutes well in baking, and won’t affect your blood sugar. Stevia is a good option too, but be careful with proportions, you only need to use a tiny bit, or it can be overly sweet and have a funny after taste.  Avoid artifical sweeteners.  
  13. Olive oil is a personal favorite for cooking.  When oil is heated it loses it’s nutritional properties, so when you can, try sautéing your vegetables or proteins in a little vegetable or chicken broth, and add the olive oil at the end of the cooking process to add flavor and fat to your recipe.
  14. Engage your families and friends in the cooking or cleaning- up process – have fun with it. Put on some music, sip some wine.
  15. Lastly, remember to take the time to sit down and enjoy what you’ve made! Chew slowly, be present, enjoy your company and be thankful for the food that is nourishing your body.

Health Coach Rita Thomas and Chef Erin Holm hope to inspire families, friends and communities to live happier, healthier and more delicious lives.

Sign up for their weekly health and recipe blog to start your journey to good health.