YUMMY NUTRITIOUS CAKE

Chocolaty Beety Cake

This is my rendition of a recipe from Robyn Openshaw's, "12 Steps to Whole Foods".  I recommend her book to all.  I should have an affiliate link or something. :) 

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar of choice, I use coconut sugar

3/4 coconut oil, you can do half applesauce and half coconut oil if desired

2 cups peeled and chopped beets

1/4 cup cocoa or raw cacao powder

2 C whole-wheat flour, this particular time I used hard white wheat

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt 

Get your coconut oil softening in warm to hot water. 

 Peel and chop beets

I had more than 2 cups of chopped beets so I peeled and cut a few more beets and measured 2 cups and froze them for next cake.  Next time just take it from the freezer and plop it into the steamer.  Easy, easy! 

 Steam beets for about 12 mins- until soft and breaks apart easily when poked with a fork

Place in blender.

Blend until a fine puree, you may need to stop a few times and scrape the beets down from the side.  In my Vitamix it has a tamper stick which makes it very easy to blend things with no liquid.  If blending is hard, put the coconut oil (or half coconut oil and half apple sauce) in and the coconut oil will melt by the hot beets and then it will be easy to blend.  

 Add sugar of choice, coconut oil, and eggs.

 Have a blast blending!  

 Add flour, baking soda, chocolate powder, and salt.

 Place into a greased, with coconut oil, 9x13'' pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins. 

YUM! YUM! YUM!  This is our favorite cake ever.  It is the birthday cake of choice for my children.

Green smoothie template for basic 5 cup blender :)

ELYSHA'S 
GREEN SMOOTHIE 
TEMPLATE

This recipe was designed for a basic 5 cup blender. 

Makes 3 pints of smoothie!

**I would start with 1 pint to 1 quart of smoothie at least 3 times per week.  Smoothies can be made the night before and last up to 48 hours.  Make sure to shake well before drinking if you don't drink them right after making.  I use pint and quart mason jars to store.  If done at night they are the fastest and most powerful nutrition you can have in your day.  Not to mention how to get great nutrition into your family's diet. Have anyone hurrying out the door grab their smoothie out of the fridge and be on their joyous way.  The easiest way to eat 7-12 servings of raw greens and fruit full of enzymes and nutrition!!!!!!

Rock out ingredients:-

*2 cups water

*2 handfuls of greens--start out with spinach

then can add: a leaf of kale, half a stalk of chard, mixed greens, any variety of cabbage (bok choy, raddichio, etc)

or add a little of: mustard greens, arugula, beet greens-

There are so MANY greens!!  See what's available in the greens produce section at your local grocery store.

HELPFUL HINT: You can freeze greens!!!  There is no need for greens to go bad in your fridge before they are used.  This is also helpful during harvest time from your garden.  Put greens into a freezer bag and throw them in the freezer. Viola! Handy greens for anytime:)

BLEND until greens are well mixed

*Choose about 1, 2 or 3 from the following choices

       Heroic household counter fruit-

       -orange

       -ripe banana

       HELPFUL HINT: Buy reduced priced bananas that are red taped at the store and are "over-ripe" then freeze them in gallon freezer bags!  I ALWAYS use bananas in our   smoothies, they are a great sweetener. I at least use 1 frozen and if I have an unfrozen one I use both.

       -apple

       -you name it!- use your imagination!

*Outstanding Options:

1 T of flax meal (buy flax seed and grind your own in a coffee/spice grinder)

1 T honey

BLEND

*1- 1 1/2 Cups of frozen fruit

Choose from "mixed fruit" blends (Costco or Sam's Club)

Any frozen berry (raspberry, blueberry, blackberry...)

Frozen berry blend (also found at Costco or Sam's Club)

HELPFUL HINT: If you are nervous about your children's reaction to a "green" smoothie, make sure to put in some frozen berry blend.  They change it into a perfect purple shaded smoothie!

BLEND -

Enjoy your SPECTACULAR GREEN SMOOTHIE

How to Make Coconut Curry Cauliflower Soup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9muKOdZZkYk&feature=youtu.be

I love this lady! What a quick and wholesome meal!

Love you all!  Have the best Tuesday ever!!

BEAMING LOVE AND MENTAL HUGS

What are you thinking when you look at others?                                   
          What emotions are you feeling?  
What energy are you sending their way?  


       I am currently reading "Love for No Reason" by Marci Shimoff.  If you want to read a book to help you create the best life ever, I tell you, this is one of them.  There are nuggets of gold basically on every page, but I wanted  to highlight one today that has touched my life.

This story is taken from page 167 written by a lady named Carol who helped Marci write the book.

          My morning bike ride always takes me past a stream of walkers, runners, and other bicyclists.  I'm naturally a friendly person, and I like to smile and say good morning to everyone I pass.  But sometimes I feel quiet or don't want to interrupt someone else's reverie, so I also make a point to "beam love" at the people I meet, whether I greet them physically or not.  Some people smile and others don't respond at all.
         One day, after having just read the research about the health benefits of hugging, I decided to turn it up a notch.  Instead of just beaming love, I have each person I passed a "mental hug."  I imagined taking each person , old, young, man or woman, in my arms and giving them a warm, sincere embrace.  The experience was amazing.  I could feel the energy in my body become stronger, brighter, and more loving each time I did it. 


              So let's break this down here.  There is some phenomenal life-changing stuff is this story.

 "Studies show that if you hug someone for six seconds or more, your body produces mood-lifting chemicals that promote bonding with others--oxytocin and serotonin....So you can imagine why Carol is as high as a kite by the time she finished her morning rides. Hugging lowers blood pressure, gives your immune system a boost, and can diminish your experience of physical pain". (Love for No Reason)

          When we "imagine" hugging someone it gives you many, if not all, of the same benefits as actually physically doing it.  Based on HeartMath research we know that sending mental hugs is good for the huggers as well as the huggees too!!"  That definitely takes on a whole new dimension to the service that we can provide others, even those whom you have never met!

So ask yourself, "Have I HUGGED someone, and hopefully multiple someones, today?"

         Here is my little story.  After reading this information of beaming love and imagining hugging, I thought that I should definitely give it a try.  My husband came home from work and said that he needed to go and buy some work pants.  When we arrived I viewed my first victims... I mean candidates. :)  I imaginde my heart being warm, large, open, and very close to my outer chest, not cold, closed and tucked away.  After imagining that, I was beaming love and "hugging" sweet people right and left.  I saw a young mom  who looked tired holding her small baby.  I imagined hugging her and told her that she is MORE than enough and she was being a phenomenal mom.  I saw others who I just embraced with all the openness of my heart and told them that they were a beloved child of God and that they were special.  WOW!! Can you say that I was literally on cloud nine?  I was filled with a feeling of bonding and connection to everyone around with an intensity and deepness that was absolutely astounding. 

            We then left the store and were driving home my soon to be four year-old declared that he was hungry so we decided to splurge and get him a bean burrito at Cafe Rio.  While standing in the line my husband caught me silently looking at people.  "Are you hugging them?"  ha ha.  He definitely caught me.  That is not what I am normally doing while we wait in a line, but it will be from now on.  

          So here's the challenge!  

How many meaningful hugs, physical and imagined, can you give today?   
At the grocery store? In the mall? Right at home?

Will you try the mental hugging and beaming love method to those who you've never even met?  

If you have experiences I would LOVE to hear about them.  Comment below.  

Sure love you all!  Have the best hugging and beaming love experience ever!!!  Until next time!  

Potato Asparagus Coconut Soup

I am stoked to post this crazy-awesome coconut soup recipe.  When I first saw a soup recipe that used a can of coconut milk as a base to make a creamy "cream of...." soup, I thought that it was pure genius.  Props to her.  This recipe is an adaption from hers.  That lady is Robyn Openshaw (Green Smoothie Girl) from her "12 Steps to Whole Foods".  I am a HUGE advocate for her and the work she is doing against the SAD (Standard American Diet).  SADly a quite appropriate acronym- pun intended. :)  

If you don't have a tastiness for asparagus, substitute broccoli.  Don't like broccoli?--Substitute cauliflower.   Can't do potatoes?- Do an all veggie soup.  Be creative with what vegetables you use.  This soup is very versatile and very delicious and satisfying.  ENJOY!!

Potato Asparagus Coconut Soup

4 cups water (3 cups water if you want a more coconutty soup and just add a little less veggies)

1 can coconut milk

8-10 medium red potatoes; or add more veggies :):):)

1 bunch asparagus or veggie of choice

1 tsp non-refined salt

1 tsp dried basil 

Couple shakes of dehydrated/dried onion flakes

                         

Bring water to a boil in large sauce-pan.  This is when I put a few shakes of dried onion. 

Peel them spuds.  

Sing a tune and do a little dance while you do.  We only live once! 

Cut the potatoes into pieces of your desired size.

 Bring out that awesome asparagus and also chop it into desired pieces.

It may look like you put the potatoes and veggie of choice in to boil together but that isn't quite the story.  Potatoes need about 8-10 mins of boiling time.  So put the potatoes in first and let boil for about 7 mins before putting in the other veggies, depending on your choice.  Asparagus needs about 3-4 mins in the boiling water.  A vegetable like broccoli I put into the pan, stir, turn off the burner and put the lid on.  We like it broken down,and still have "some" enzymes in our beautiful broccoli.  Both the asparagus and broccoli will turn a bright green, versus a deeper green, when it is not too hot, not too cold, but juuust right. :)

 Open the coconut milk and put in the blender.  Add the salt and dried basil.  Blend for about 10-20 secs.  After the vegetables are all cooked in the boiling water, add the coconut milk blend into your saucepan with the rest of the soup.  Stir and feel the satisfaction of cooking your very own whole-food soup!

Dun-dun, duh, lun, duh, duh, duuuuuunnnnn!!  Yay!  A delicious soup that is sure to please.  Let me know what you think!  

Have the best dinner ever! Much love! 

Italian Lemon Dressing and Vegetable Marinade

This is a BOOST YOUR DAILY ENZYME INTAKE recipe.  This is a way to have "raw" vegetables  that are broken down. without cooking them, hence more enzymes. A super bonus I am going to show you today is a two-in-one 1) a delicious salad dressing as well as a 2) marinade that breaks down vegetables for easier assimilation and digestion.  Who doesn't want that, right? :)  Here is the recipe and a step-by-step.  Enjoy!! 

Italian Lemon Dressing 

I always double or triple the batch to have some for salad dressing and some for vegetable marinade. 

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

juice from half a lemon

1 tsp. non-refined sea salt 

1 tsp. Italian seasonings

1 tsp onion powder

1 small clove of garlic

2 tsp. honey (optional- but I sure like it ;)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend till smooth.  The main culprit that doesn't get blended is the garlic, so keep an eye on him and make sure he is blended completely.  You could also use a garlic press to solve that potential issue. 

Vegetable Marinade

Chopped veggies of choice with enough "Italian Lemon Dressing", recipe above, to lightly mix and cover all of the vegetables. Can eat right away, but for best digestion and breaking down of the vegetables, let sit a couple of hours in the fridge or over night.  Cheers! 

 Chopped vegetables of your choice.  You can choose a variety including, but not restricting you to: cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, red onion, zucchini, yellow squash and peppers.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Sea Salt, Italian Seasonings, Onion Powder 

Optional: Honey

 Combine all in blender of choice.

 Blend till smooth-baby-smooth.

 Drizzle amount of choice over veggies, enough to lightly cover.

 Stir that beautiful creation.

Wahoooo!  You successfully have made a salad dressing and easier to digest vegetables with all of their nutrition and enzymes intact.  

Repeat as many times as desired. :):) Have the best life ever!!

Veggie Wash

This was taken from unconventionalkitchen.com.  I am excited to try it!

Veggie Wash


1 cup water

1 cup vinegar

2 T baking soda

2 T lemon juice

Mix ingredients in a large bowl.  Some fizzing will occur.  Pour into a
clean spray bottle.  Use this mixture by spraying your produce and
allow them to sit for five minutes before rinsing well.

Homemade Household Cleaner

This is the most amazing smelling, non-chemical cleaner ever!!  I was so excited when I smelled the aroma of the finished product.  How do you do it?  It is amazing how easy it is.  All you need is the peels of your citrus of choice, white vinegar, and a little bit of time to top it off.  I really never used orange peels.  I just threw them away after peeling my orange.  Now I never let those little jewels go to waste.  Simply put your peels in a mason jar, as many as you want to pack in.  Then pour white vinegar to cover the peels.  Twist on the lid and let sit on your counter for 2-3 weeks.  You will be able to see the vinegar change from white to the color of the peels.  That is one sign that it is approaching readiness.  During the saturation 2-3 weeks the jar is a beautiful center piece and is a wonderful accent in your kitchen.  ENJOY!!!

           Gorgeous lemon and orange peels in vinegar

                                                      Finished Product- mmmmm smells divine