Crazy Cake – Friday Food

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fridayfood2.jpgThis is a very moist – no frosting needed – Good for You-Naturally!™ cake that can be made for a quick dessert or snack. It has many variations (see Good for You-Naturally!™ Simply Snacks recipe book). Today I’m sharing the one we had this week.

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Lisa’s Good for You-Naturally!™ Oatmeal Spice Crazy Cake

  • 1 c. fresh ground, organic whole wheat pastry flour (you can use regular whole wheat – and sift out the bran, if you want, or leave it in)
  • 1 c. organic rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder (non-aluminum, such as Rumford’s)
  • 1 tsp. organic ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. organic ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. organic ground allspice

Mix together well in an 8-9″ square or round stainless steel or glass cake pan.

Make a depression in the center of these dry ingredients, and pour in:

  • 1 cup hot purified water
  • 1/3 cup raw, organic coconut oil (melt it in the hot water first)
  • 1/3 cup raw honey
  • 1 tsp. raw organic apple cider vinegar

Mix these liquid ingredients all together well (in the depression you made) before combining with the dry ingredients. (Of course, you can dirty up a mixing bowl instead if you want.)

Mix liquid and dry ingredients together well. Be sure to get all dry ingredients from sides and bottom of pan, and consistency is even throughout.

Bake at 350° for approx. 25-30 minutes.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good.”

Blessing of Babies

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Great post from Kelly on hearing enough – from Christians – against babies as blessings. Read the whole article here.  Hath God said:

“Children are a gift from Me…well, for the next 6,000 years or so.  But after that, you brilliant people will come up with a way to stop them from coming.  The easiest way will be with a pill that often causes mood disorders, weight gain, nausea, abdominal pain, cancer and sometimes even abortion. But don’t worry about those, this is my will for you, I just forgot to mention it when the Bible was written.  And when people make rude comments about your sex lives (which I created), you should be ashamed.  I mean, anyone with a brain should be on birth control.”

– Generation Cedar


Good for You

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Now that my newsletter is out, I can make the announcement here. It’s time for the Annual Freedom & Simplicity™ of Good for You-Naturally!™ LIVE Seminar! In this full-day, hands-on seminar you’ll learn 8 Keys to Health from a Biblical perspective. We will focus on a Good for You-Naturally!™ lifestyle of eating for health.

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NO “WEIRD” FOODS!

NO CARB OR CALORIE RESTRICTIONS!

NO EXPENSIVE “NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT” PILLS TO POP!

Just BIBLICAL WISDOM for the Freedom & Simplicity™ of eating
Good for You-Naturally!™ LIVING and WHOLE FOODS

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We’ve purposely moved this Seminar to the fall to equip you to face for the holidays and “sickness” season ahead – and come out victorious! Come join us!

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You’ll learn:

  • How to make truly healthy eating choices – that taste good!
  • Why the Standard American Diet is so S.A.D.
  • Simple food preparation! — Hate to cook?  Have we got a deal for YOU!
  • Transitional Steps toward lifelong changes for a Good for You-Naturally!™ Lifestyle of Eating

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Plan today to attend this life and health changing Seminar!

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Freedom & Simplicity™ of Good for You-Naturally!™ LIVE Seminar
November 7th, 2009 – 9:30-5:30
5th & Walnut, North Platte, NE

Pre-registration required by October 31st.
Registration includes syllabus, lunch, and many Good for You-Naturally!™ foods throughout the day. Register Today!

Sharpen Up!

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I may not be the sharpest knife in the block. But my block on my shoulders now is sharp about good knives and my block on the counter now holds quality knives – sharp and able to get the job done easily and effectively. I found this post buried in my unposted drafts – from Jan. 07! It’s about time I get this info out!

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Knives are far from my area of expertise. But a chef will tell you they are the most important kitchen tool. Perhaps they are right. As I note at the beginning of our Modern Maidservants page, to eat completely natural we wouldn’t need any tools but a knife.

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But I have spent my life with cheap knives that don’t hold an edge and are usually super dull. It wasn’t that long ago that I told my daughter I really didn’t see any need for expensive knives. But then I began looking at the reason I hated using mine so much. The edges were not only dull, but horribly knicked up, and the serrated blades were bent over. The proof came as I sliced a loaf a bread and ended up with a big pile of crumbs, and my daughter tried to dice chicken and ended up with shredded. Yes, it’d been too long since they’d been sharpened, but it hadn’t been that long, and they were losing an edge way too quickly. I knew it was time to do something.

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That began my research into knives. I found out that generally forged knives are higher quality than stamped, that high carbon stainless steel weds the best of carbon – great edge, with steel – no rust. I learned that Wustof and J.A. Henckels were the names to have, if you can afford them. I also learned that it is far better to buy 1 or 2 good quality knives, than have a “set” of poor quality ones. And that a good chef’s knife can easily cost double what I paid for the highest priced set I’d ever bought, but is worth it. Wusthof Classic – J.A. Henckels Twin Pro

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I learned that Chicago Cutlery, whose cheap versions I’ve had in the past, makes a forged set that gets favorable reviews for the money. They are called Walnut Forged. That there is a line of stamped knives that ranks very well, and a 3-piece starter set costs about what I paid for my big so-so set. They are Forschener/Victorinox, the company that makes the Swiss Army Knife.

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I learned that my recommendations for which knives are most necessary, are pretty much the same as the expert chefs say, though I probably use my utility and paring more, and they all say the chef’s knife is the most used. Those 3 along with a serrated bread knife and a shorter serrated utility knife should be all you need, at least to get started. The only other knife you may prefer to have is a currently popular Santoku, Asian knife great for cutting vegetables.  If you prepare a lot of meat, you may want along the way to add a boning, fillet, and/or carving knife also. But I’d say, get an electric knife for carving. You can use it on bread too if you like.

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Update: After about 2 years of use, I highly recommend the Wusthof Classic line of knives. I’ve been totally pleased with them. They are worth the money to have a great kitchen tool that you use day in and day out. If you can’t afford Classics, the Wusthof Gourmet line would be good starter knives. I recommend them over the other recommendations here. Just get a couple to get started, and purchase Classics to fill in, and then upgrade as you’re able.

Tea Time

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teatimeYes, it’s not only soup weather. We’ve also hit tea weather. The hot tea started here when a couple dc had scratchy throats and wanted to nip it in the bud before it got worse. Throat Coat did the trick – along with some EOs.

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But with the chilly, rainy, dreary weather, the tea spree was on. I decided to pull out my new tea pot with warming base I got from Let’s Do Tea this summer. (Cool, ain’t it?)

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Chamomile tea is a favorite around here – Sweet Apple Chamomile, Sleepy Time, and plain ol’ straight Chamomile. Nice that it’s a relaxing herb, but it also relaxes enough to make you sleepy. Not something we needed to drink all day! English Toffee is a new blend I got from Celestial Seasonings. It is an herbal coffee-sub, made with chicory root and such. I also like Teeccino. But our tea is usually just my own herbal combinations or Celestial.

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Never “real” tea. Many reasons I’ll get into on another day. But good enough reasons you should consider. For today, just go have a cup – or pot – of herb tea instead of one of the caffeine containing alternatives. It will be helpful instead of harmful to your health – and will taste GREAT! See my pregnancy herb blends here. Watch for more herb tea recipes for the whole family in Good for You-Naturally!™~ Simply Beverages.

Water to go

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pura1For the last few years I’ve been toting my purified water in plastic bottles, – BPA-free, but none the less plastic, generally Tupperware – or purchasing Aquafina, RO purified water. At home I rarely even drink out of plastic because the taste has always bothered me. I use glass. But glass didn’t seem a safe choice for travel. And aluminum bottles are not an option, bringing their own dangers – perhaps worse than BPA plastic. So what’s a girl to do?

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A couple weeks ago I found some new stainless steel water bottles – on clearance at Shopko. I decided to give them a try. The plastic cap was less than ideal, but at least wouldn’t touch your drink unless you laid the bottle on its side. I came home and began to do some research. Nowhere could I find the quality of stainless steel of the brand that I bought.

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sslidBut I did find a couple other stainless steel water bottles that also had stainless steel caps (interior). After a lot of research and reviewing the brands, I went with Pura. I bought a .8L, for everyday carrying around, and a 1.2L for trips. I am very happy with them. They seal well. They look nice. They are a nice shape for handling. But most of all they are #304 (18/10) grade stainless steel (even the cap interior) – rust resistant, unbreakable, non-polluting, and especially non-leaching, non-toxic to our bodies. I love it! Now I can carry pure water with me, without using a container that adds its own impurities/ chemical toxins.

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Want to get your own? Want to read more about Pura Stainless? Want to read more about pure water?

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Quenched by the Living Water of Life – Y’shua (Jesus the Christ),

Lisa @ Me and My House

Soup Weather is HERE!

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Dd has been longing for Soup Weather. I think – make that know – she meant Indian Summer, cool sunshine-y days and cooler nights, not very chilly, rainy, dreary days and nights. But happy or not about the way it came, Soup Weather is here.

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You can try 3 of our family favorite soups from our forthcoming recipe book, Good for You-Naturally!™ Simply Soups. Their recipes are posted here on this blog. And actually, we’ve had all 3 this week.

 

Why Raw? Part 1

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Me and My House recommends eating a large percentage of your foods raw, for Good for You-Naturally!™ health through nutrition. Why? 2 key ideas begin the discovery – enzymes and acid/alkaline ash. Today we’ll look at enzymes.

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“Every breath you take, every move you make, every thought you think and every action you take requires enzymes. Enzymes are the work force of the body. No vitamin, mineral, protein or hormone can do work without enzymes.” “Enzymes are what make all the other pieces work. Enzymes are not tangible, physical substances. Enzymes are the very life force that activates vitamins, minerals, protein, and other physical components in our body.  Enzymes are the key to understanding the difference between life and death and between sickness and health.” ~ Rob Vaughan

Enzymes cannot be produced in the lab. Only God can make Life, including the life force/energy of enzymes. We were all born with limited enzyme potential. When we’ve depleted them, they’re gone.

So how do we get more? Only Life produces Life. Living foods are our source. Life/enzymes are killed at temperatures of 120° (actually beginning at about 105° or so,) so cooked food does not provide enzymes, only raw food does.

Raw foods are the key component in health through nutrition. They provide your body with the living energy of enzymes, needed for every bodily function, found in the food God has provided for our sustanance. Raw fruits, raw vegetables, raw nuts and raw seeds.

Stay tuned for Part 2 – another great reason to eat raw, living foods!

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For Rab Chai – Abundant Life,
most importantly spiritually,
but also in health through nutrition,

Lisa @ Me and My House

Cleansing Fast

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Last Sunday I was just tired of the usual “going out to Sunday dinner” – tired of restaurant choices that are less than healthy. So I told the children we were going home for peanut butter and jelly – in our home that is whole wheat bread, peanuts only peanut butter, and fruit only jam, no sugar or other junk ingredients. I bought them a few extra special treats to go with it – organic applesauce in individual containers, organic baby carrots, and “fancy” 100%  juice (no sugar or other additives – something other than usual apple or orange) in individual bottles. By night, I was still tired of “less than healthy” fare, so I grabbed what Good for You-Naturally!™ food was available where I was, which was a few bites of cantaloupe. I called the sandwich, carrots, and cantaloupe good for the day.

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When I woke up Monday, I decided it was time for a cleansing fast. Time to get the junk out, that had crept in over the last few months. Summertime is always our challenge for not allowing little bits of junk to creep in, with ball schedules, vacations and such. A few fries here. A burger there. Chips. Pizza drive through. And it begins adding up. I’d had enough. Sunday was the turning point, and Monday the day to begin a cleanse. Since this was only a cleanse from a few summer junk lapses – not a lifetime build up – it didn’t have to be drastic, but it had to be done.

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Having been pregnant and/or nursing for most of the last 32 years, my “extended fasts” have always included fresh, raw fruit and vegetable juices. So although I’ve helped many others through more strenuous fasts, I had never been able to do one myself. (I’ve never done a full 40 days either.) This one was a bit different (and still not a strict water-only fast.)

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A couple weeks ago a family friend called and in the course of the conversation asked if I knew anything about the Lemonade Cleanse and what I thought of it. A couple months ago our maple syrup producer came through on his annual trip and told me he’s selling a lot of syrup to people using it for the Lemonade Cleanse.

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Yes, I told our friend (and the syrup man,) as we discussed it, I’ve heard of it and think it sounds good, but hadn’t tried it yet. I planned to give it a 3 day trial “sometime”, but didn’t know when. Monday became the “when.”

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The Lemonade Cleanse (aka Master Cleanse) is a 10 day near-fast utilizing a homemade “Lemonade” (recipe below) to help with the cleansing and detoxifying. I drink fresh lemon juice in purified water many mornings, which helps as a daily detox/ cleanser, but this was a new experience that I decided to take on last week. I went into it not knowing if I’d do 1 day, 2 days, 3 days – thinking 3 would be nice, but not knowing if I’d stick with the Lemonade, or switch to fresh fruit and vegetable juices.

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Monday came and went well – with just The Lemonade. I had just enough organic lemons to get through the day. The recipe was really good, easy to drink, and I felt great. Tuesday came, along with my Azure Standard food order – and more organic lemons – and went great. But by night I wasn’t sure if I’d continue. Decided to wait until morning to make decision. Wednesday awoke ready to tackle another day. Went great. Felt great. But out of Lemons! I came home from evening church, ate a couple slices of homemade whole wheat bread and a  natural turkey strip.

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Woke up Thursday ready to go for another day. Walmart – no organic lemons. Health food store – no organic lemons. Back to Walmart to try organic limes. They taste great in the Lemon, make that LIMEade. Thursday went great. Friday planned to go off again. Had a Brandi salad for lunch. Dh said he’d do dinner, since I was busy getting ready for company – but he forgot to make what he said he would for me – grilled veggies and salad. So back to Limeade. Saturday brought an outing day – at Railfest – pancake breakfast and burger picnic lunch. So I planned ahead and took my Limeade. I wasn’t going to break a cleansing fast with white flour and sugar nor burger. Saturday went well – except the poisonous sting I got. (See FB status.) Ended Saturday with homemade whole wheat crust veggie pizza. (Out of limes.)

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All in all a great cleanse. I will no doubt utilize the Lemonade Cleanse again in the future. I went longer than my 3 expected days. Not a full 10 days for a “Master Cleanse” – nor even a full week. But 6 days with only 3 Good for You-Naturally!™ “meals” – and 4 1/2 full cleansing days with no food. I feel more vibrant. I’m well pleased!

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Lemonade Cleanse Recipe

fresh-squeezed juice of 1/2 organic lemon (or 1 organic lime, if you can’t find organic lemons) (approx. 2 Tbl.) (Many times we note in our recipes to use organic ingredients if at all possible. For this cleanse it is very important that you use the organic ingredients listed.)

2 Tbl. organic Grade B REAL maple syrup (Don’t even think that “Pancake Syrup” would do you any good for a cleanse.)

large dash or so of cayenne pepper (ground red pepper) (1/10 tsp.) – non-irradiated/organic (Grocery store spices are irradiated. Find a good source, such as Frontier Herbs, or such at your health food store, for all your spices and seasonings.)

8-10 oz. purified water (reverse osmosis or distilled, we highly recommend that you not buy pre-bottled water in plastic containers, but if that’s all you can get…)

Mix together well. Drink immediately.

Make and drink this recipe 6 times per day. (Don’t make up all 6 glasses at once, but you can do 1 double batch for the morning, 1 double batch for the afternoon, and 1 double batch for late afternoon/evening, if you put it in an insulated container or refrigerate and drink within a couple hours.)

Also drink approx. the same amount of plain purified water or more. (When fasting, it is recommended that you drink your weight in ounces of water per day – i.e. if you weigh 128# you should drink 128 ounces of water – 1 gallon. The Lemonade would make up about 60 oz. of that.)

The Master Cleanse also recommends drinking an herbal laxative tea, such a Smooth Move, (or unrefined salt water) to help remove toxins as you are detoxing during your fast – so they aren’t reabsorbed into your system. You could also use, as I do, Fiber Cleanse.

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Perhaps you’re ready to de-junk with a Cleansing Fast – or venture into our 7-Step Transition to a Good for You-Naturally!™ Lifestyle of Eating. Bottoms Up!

Lisa @ Me and My House