Bone Broth Recipe

Ingredients

• 1-2 lbs organic chicken/turkey or grass-fed beef, preferably with cartilage and feet (lamb and pork bones can also be used)
• 2-3 organic carrots, largely chopped
• 2 stalks organic celery, largely chopped
• 1 organic onion, largely chopped
• 1 organic Bay leaf
• Filtered water 
• 1 tbsp raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp organic whole peppercorns (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic (optional)

Equipment

• Crock pot
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoons (I love these – they’re magnetic so just stick to the stove top to use whenever you need it)
• Glass Mason jars
• Freezer-safe glass storage containers

Directions

1. In a medium to large crockpot, add bones, carrots, celery and onion and fill with filtered water to the top of the pot.
2. Add the vinegar to the pot, cover and cook on low for 24 hours.
3. Turn off heat and strain broth through a cheesecloth or sieve.
4. Store broth in glass Mason jars and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze to use at a later time. Can be kept in the freezer for several months.

Keep the bones (not the vegetables – toss them and use a new set of vegetable scraps) and make another batch of bone broth. Just repeat all steps in the directions. I find I can reuse chicken and turkey bones at least 2 times, while I can use beef bones about 3-4 times.

Makes about 3 pints per batch.

For more information and to learn about the benefits of bone broth, please see the original blog post here.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

 

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

A creamy pumpkin cheesecake made with healthy real-food ingredients and minimal sweetener!

Author: Wellness Mama

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• Crust
• About 1 cup of almonds, pecans or hazelnuts, finely powdered in blender or food processor
• 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil or butter
• 1 egg
• cinnamon to taste
• honey or stevia to taste
• Filling
• 12 ounces pumpkin puree (about 1.5 cups of homemade or about 1 can store bought)
• 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil
• 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese at room temperature
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spices (to taste) or 1 tsp cinnamon and a sprinkle each of nutmeg and cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla (optional)
• stevia or honey to taste (I used 2 tsp of powdered stevia leaf from the garden)
• [Note: The above recipe can be doubled to fit in a 9x13 baking dish]

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Finely powder the almonds or pecans in food processor or blender.
3. Mix with cinnamon, stevia, egg and coconut oil and use hands to press into bottom of pie pan.
4. Put in heating oven for 10-15 minutes until crust is slightly toasted.
5. In the meantime, mix the pumpkin puree, cream cheese, spices, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla, and sweetener (if using) with a mixer or immersion blender (or just throw in a blender).
6. When crust has started to toast, remove from oven and pour filling into pan.
7. Return to oven and cook for 35-45 minutes or until top doesn’t wiggle in center and starts to slightly crack on sides.
8. Remove and let cool.
9. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.

Recipe Credit: wellnessmama.com

Creamy mushroom risotto

Ingredients

1 Head Cauliflower

2 Cans Coconut Milk

1 T Arrowroot Powder, dissolved in 1 T Water

6 Cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 Onion, diced

1 lb Mushrooms, sliced thin

2 T Fresh Chives, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 t Oregano

1/4 t Basil

1/4 t Marjoram

1/4 t Thyme

Instructions

Chop the cauliflower into florets.  Place in a food processor and pulse until you have a rice-like consistency.  Set aside.

Add some butter or oil to a large saucepan or stockpot and saute the garlic and onion.  When the onions are soft, add the coconut milk, arrowroot powder, and seasoning.  Whisk constantly until slightly thickened, then add mushrooms and chives.  Stir for another minute or two so that the mushrooms soften slightly, then add the cauliflower and combine well.

Keep stirring and cooking until the cauliflower is soft but not mushy (true risotto is slightly al dente).  Serve alone or with anything you like

Recipe Credit: tgipaleo.com

Raw Coconut Chocolate Pudding

Makes 6 small servings

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups fresh coconut meat
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs
• water

Directions:

Place coconut meat, cacao powder, cashews and honey in blender and mix well, until you get the consistency of pudding.  Add water if needed to reach the consistency you like. Set aside.

Mash raspberries well and place a layer of raspberries in the bottom of the container you are using. Next, layer the pudding on top of the bed of raspberries. Sprinkle with raw cacao nibs. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to cool. 

Recipe courtesy of MindBodyGreen.  

South Indian Style Vegetable Curry

Serves 6

• 2 Tbs. olive or coconut oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (1 Tbs.)
• 1 Tbs. ground coriander
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 1 Tbs. tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• One 3-inch cinnamon stick
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small cauliflower, broken into 1-1/2-inch florets (about 4 cups)
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (about 1 cup)
• One 15-1/2-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 oz. baby spinach (about 4 lightly packed cups)
• 2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium (or medium low if necessary) and cook until the onion is richly browned, 5 to 7 minutes more. Add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, for 1 minute to blend the flavors. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne; stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices. Add the tomato paste and stir until well blended with the aromatics, about 1 minute.

Add the broth, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low or low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots. Raise the heat to medium high and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.

Stir in the chickpeas, spinach, lime juice, and zest; cook until the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes more. Season to taste with salt. Serve garnished with the cilantro.

Learning to love the skin you're in!

As the holidays near, many people find themselves focusing on thankfulness and gratitude. While it's easy to focus on what we are thankful for all around us, it's more difficult to thank our bodies for all it does to keep us healthy and happy. It's easy to complain about feeling sore, achy, tired, and sick. It's also easy to point out those beautiful lines on our faces, or the sagging parts that are no longer where they used to be! I looked in a full length mirror some months back and realized my thighs were falling around my knees...I was horrified at first! After some thought, I was thankful that those knees are still able to hold my body up, even if they don't look magazine ready. So how do we shift our thinking to appreciate the skin we're in? It seems almost natural to notice our flaws before we notice the good in ourselves. 

I once read a book called, "Change Your Brain, Change Your Thinking" that was all about the power we hold within ourselves to change our inner dialogue. Here are some ways to change your stinking thinking.

1. Affirmations-as weird as it may seem to talk to yourself, it can actually help! Write down a positive thought and tape it to your bathroom mirror or the visor in your car. Every time you see it, read it aloud and focus on its meaning. 

2. Meditation-take some time everyday to sit in silence and think about the inner workings of your body. Appreciate how it is a finely tuned machine that can heal itself and perform the tasks you need it to.

3. Stop comparing yourself to others-seriously, just stop! Everyone is imperfect! We need to learn to embrace our imperfections, because they truly make us who we are!

4. Pamper yourself-treat yourself to something..something that is just for you. Tell yourself you deserve whatever it is!

5. Learn to live in the now-constantly thinking about the future only leads to anxiety and worry. If you can focus on the present..you will enjoy it so much more. 

6. Remind yourself that you are loved-it may not be the guy/girl you had your heart set on, but you are loved by people who can see the wonder in you! People who can take you at your best and your worst and love you throughout it all. 

7. Be yourself- that means not aiming to please others by putting on a happy face or acting a way they would want. Learn to embrace your quirks, your humor, your intelligence..and don't ever compromise your true meaning for another person!

8. Laugh!!! Laugh a lot! Life is too short to be serious all the time! Whether it be a friend, a partner, a coworker, or a movie..if you are having a bad day, find the funny! It can change your stinking thinking faster than you know!

9. Learn to be alone-A dear friend has made me realize the importance of being able to be comfortable in our own skin all on our own. Nothing in life is permanent. Therefore, it is so important to know that you have the ability to make yourself happy.

10. Realize that our bodies are temples-treat them as such. Harming yourself in any way at all is only going to destroy that temple. This does not only mean to eat well, exercise, and rest..it means to learn to love yourself so that your positive thoughts can perpetuate the power our bodies hold. 

11. Every time you say something negative about yourself, immediately follow it up with something positive. This forces us to find the good in ourselves and it takes your thoughts away from the negative. 

Big hugs! 

Paleo popsicle

1 6 oz can of pineapple juice
1 banana
1 can of coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a blender. Pour into popsicle shells, freeze, and enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl with OMG Sauce

Prep time:  10 mins Cook time:  15 mins Total time:  25 mins

Serves: 3-4

 

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• salt, to taste
• 3-4 cups spinach
• 2 cups broccoli, cut into florets

For the OMG sauce

• 2 tablespoons sunbutter (or almond butter or tahini)
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1.5 tablespoons coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons  Sriracha
• ½ tablespoon raw honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half and place cut side down on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes until spaghetti squash gives when you poke the outside skin.
4. Remove the seeds and use a fork to remove the threads and place in a large bowl.
5. In a large pan or dutch oven, add ground pork along with 1 tablespoons sriracha and 1 tablespoon coconut aminos and cook over medium-high heat. Break up pork into small pieces and cook until completely cooked through. Place ground pork in the bowl with the spaghetti squash.
6. In the same pan with some of the fat rendered from the ground pork, add broccoli with a bit of salt.
7. Cook broccoli until slightly browned, then cover with a lid to help steam. Once broccoli has steamed, add spinach and a bit more salt on top of broccoli and cover to help steam until spinach is cooked through and soft.
8. Add pork and spaghetti squash to pan, mix it all together and keep on low to keep warm.
9. Whisk all ingredients for the sauce together.
10. Pour sauce onto spaghetti squash mixture and mix together until completely coated.
11. Serve!

Recipe credit: paleomg.com

Is your relationship making you sick?

We talk so much about how diet and exercise play such a large role in our health. What we often don't hear about is the importance of healthy interactions with those closest to us. There have been numerous studies done on how negative relationships take a physical toll on our health. Please realize that this does not just include spouses or partners. We can have negative relationships with friends and family as well. Even in a relationship where there is no physical abuse, the affects of negativity are far reaching and dangerous. Here are some examples of behavior that is toxic. 

• Try to control or manipulate the other
• Make the other feel bad about her/himself
• Ridicule or call names
• Dictate how the other dresses
• Do not make time for each other
• Criticize the other's friends
• Are afraid of the other's temper
• Discourage the other from being close with anyone else
• Ignore each other when one is speaking
• Are overly possessive or get jealous about ordinary behavior
• Criticize or support others in criticizing people with your gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or other personal attribute
• Control the other's money or other resources (e.g., car)
• Harm or threaten to harm children, family, pets, or objects of personal value
• Push, grab, hit, punch, or throw objects
• Use physical force or threats to prevent the other from leaving

The body responds to the stress of a bad relationship by releasing stress hormones. These hormones make blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels go up. Long-term stress can help cause a variety of health problems, including:

• Adrenal fatigue
• Obesity
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Abnormal heart beats
• Menstrual problems
• Acne and other skin problems

For the sake of your health, if you are in a relationship with anyone that causes you a great amount of stress, please consider either help to rectify the problems or remove that person from your life as much as possible. Your life truly does depend on it!