Michigan Day Two!

Alright, my friends! Here it is!! Day TWO of my Michigan Raw Trip! The festival was only that Saturday, but Dave and I got to spend that Sunday in the wonderful company of Carla and mark!

And what better way to get all pumped and ready for church than...

a green smoothie, of course!

This had to be one of the most fun smoothies to make - getting to dance around the kitchen with Carla as we soaked, chopped, washed, and pitted. And then got a smiling nod from BOTH men! They agreed it was one of the best tasting smoothies they had tried! (Mark and Dave said Carla and I just need to hang out more so we can continue making these lovely creations.)

And what, you may ask, was in this smoothie that our men enjoyed?

We called this our Apple Pie Smoothie

3 honeycrips apples
1 banana

2 plums

1 pear

about 1 cup almonds (that we soaked over night)

1 stick of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

a small piece of fresh ginger

as much fresh kale as we could put in without the guys groaning! (probably about 2-3 cups?)

water as needed

We first blended up the almonds and some water, as that was going to be the toughest part to make into a smooth consistencey. But her heavy duty blender had no fear! And we soon added the remaining ingredients to our breakfast drink.

Almonds are a common nut used to make crusts of raw pies, so mixing that with the apples and spices turned this into a holiday decadence! (Though it's not quite holiday season... so I imagine this baby will be making a comeback over the next few months!)

We poured the lovely smoothie into travel mugs and bolted for church. And what a beautiful place that was! Sadly, it didn't cross my mind to take my camera into the church, so I have no photos. But it was so bright and cheery, and Carla sang with the choir, making it just such a meaningful day!

Afterwards, we wanted to grab some lunch... and of course, by this time - after more than 24 hours of NOTHING BUT RAW - poor Dave was caving! My man wanted MEAT!



Dave enjoying his big ol' grease burger!

And the waiter was so flexible for us! I wish I remembered his name and could send out a giant THANK YOU to him!! I wanted to try to stick to the raw deal, as I was feeling amazingly energetic! So, looking through the recipe, there weren't too many options other than salads. So, how to spice up a salad? Just ask!

I asked him if I got the "Chicken Salad" without the chicken, could they instead add some extra vegetables to it? He said, "Sure! We have zucchini, beats, cucumbers... what would you like?"

To which I simply responded with an emphatic, "umm... YES!"

He got the idea, and in came my salad loaded with extra veggies!

I just drizzled it with a little of the honey-mushroom sauce which would have been topping the chicken. (Ok, that may not have been raw, but I didn't use much!)

We finished our meal with good food, good chats, and headed to the Apple Cider Press of the area! Ahhh, fresh apple cider... there's nothing like it!

You can see the two men standing at the apple shoot here. Somewhere else, apples are loaded into a blender of sorts, and the apple bits come tumbling down the shoot onto these cloth-covered trays. Tray after tray is stacked, then a huge machine compresses them all, squeezing out all that lucious juice! Sad to say, I asked what happened with all the left over pulp, and they said it just gets pitched. How sad!! Apparently they used to try to compost it, or do some other things with it, and it just wasn't working for them. So it became easier to trash it. (Hmmm.... perhaps there's an opportunity for some Michigan resident to get free apple pulp.....)

The juice then runs through tubes to various dispensing machines, and right there, they'll fill a half gallon jug for you to take! It doesn't get much fresher!

So we bought a half gallon, and (*gasp*) just HAD to try the fresh cinnamon-batter donuts that they sold, to go with the cider. Oh, so worth it! Soft, warm, and spicey - perfect pair for the cider!

As we enjoyed our treat, we wandered through the isles of fresh apples - so many types! It was amazing!



Dave picking out a bag of apples for us to take home

You better believe some of those apples went into a smoothie that next week! In fact, my dad had come to visit, and so I thought that the Apple Pie Smoothie had been such a hit in Michigan, that he just may like it! And he did! He had his entire 12 ounce glass! Go dad!!

And so ended our trip. It was getting on towards evening, and so it was time for us to buckle up and make the drive south to home.

What a wonderful time, wonderful memories, and new friends! Again, I cannot thank Carla and Mark enough for their loving hospitality! What beautiful people!

Have a great week, everyone :) See you back here with more doses of natural goodness soon!

~Katie

***EDIT: Thanks, Carla!!  She's got the better memory ;-)  The restaurant was Hogans.  Yum yum doodle dum!

Easy Omega-Rich Apple Snack

Good morning, lovely people! I hope your week has been going well! It has been a busy week at the homestead, continuing some spring cleaning and downsizing. It is such a liberating feeling throwing away bags and bags of junk! We’ve recycled box-loads of old paperwork, and unloaded a car full of items to Salvation Army. And I want to get rid of more! Seriously! It is addicting! Kind of like cleaning out your body of unwanted clutter and trash – feeling better and better the cleaner you get! (Oh yeah, I went there.)

So while you’re trying to simplify a diet with a return to whole foods, return to a simpler home life! GET RID OF CLUTTER! (I don’t have a whole lot of room to talk… my hubby is a pack-rat. But we’re working on it!) Plus, it’s always nice to give up some nice things to others who may appreciate it.

So anyways! Today is another easy spin on a classic childhood favorite: apple with peanut butter. Only, this time, it’s getting a crunchy addition.

I used to enjoy dipping my apple wedge in the peanut butter, then in Grape Nuts cereal – that extra crunch made it more enjoyable for me.

But, I now use almond butter, and don’t have any Grape Nuts hanging around the place right now, so I went for a different crunch – seeds! Chia and flax, specifically. (Yes – chia as in “Ch-ch-ch-CHIA!” Chia Pets. But I wouldn’t go buy a chia pet and steal the seeds… who knows if they’re treated or fertilized or something! Just check out your natural health store to see if they carry them)

Chia has become lovingly nicknamed “Alien Pods” at our place because of their look when they’re soaked and swollen. Toss some chia in a bit of water or milk, and they expand almost 3 times their size (great for helping you feel full as they expand!) – and they look like a little black dot in a clear egg shell :)

That's not water surrounding the pod - that's a gel formed on the seed! Alien pods!!!

But these little guys are little wonders. A single ounce of chia seed will provide 11 grams of fiber – helping you feel nice and full while pushing things through, cleansing as it goes. They are a complete protein, providing all of the 9 essential amino acids, as well as being a good source of Calcium, Manganese, and Phosphorus. These little guys are also a great source of Omega oils! …Which, you may have guessed based on the title of this post :) That 1 ounce serving contains almost 5 GRAMS of omega-3 fatty acids, and 1.6 grams of Omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega’s are being touted for so many benefits – for the heart, the mind, the hair, the skin, the joints. They help with bone health, inflammation, disease prevention…

Chia seeds are not always financially viable, though. I don’t mind paying for them now and then, because they add some fun variety. I like to sprinkle them on salads, in cereal, or soak them and add them to smoothies. They really don’t have much flavor – more just for texture!

Another good Omega source that works for this apple snack is flax seeds, the emblem of Northern Ireland! While not a complete protein, it’s darn close! Flax is a good source of Manganese and Phosphorus, but also give you a good dose of Copper, Magnesium, and Thiamin as well as a bit of Calcium, Iron, Zinc, and Selenium. Flax offers 6.4 grams of Omega-3 and 1.7 grams of Omega-6 per ounce!

And flax is pretty cheap! At my Kroger, I can get it at $1.99 per pound. And they’re light little buggers! You can get them golden yellow or a richer brown – I don’t notice a taste difference. Both have a slightly earthy, nutty flavor.

So enjoy either chia or flax seeds. Or, as I do, enjoy both!


Whichever seed, you’re getting a serving of goodness and a much healthier snack than something like potato chips or Nutter Butters!

Omega-away!

~Katie

Sunny Apple Trail Mix Cereal

Happy Wednesday, friends! You're halfway through your week! I know I’m excited about that :) And I have an evening planned of yoga, apple fun in the kitchen, and relaxing!This morning I tried another apple recipe – basically a hodge-podge of stuff tossed together to make a cereal. It reminded me of trail mix, with so much variety and simplicity! But healthy and so filling! A great combination. And I love when recipes are flexible – who wants to strictly follow a recipe, then find out their missing an ingredient? Or take the time to measure everything out? Not with this! Simple guesstimations, my friend – and it all worked out!

Sunny Apple Trail Mix Cereal:

½ apple, diced

¼ cup oatmeal (I prefer using soaked steel-cut oat groats, but I was out :( I’ll post on that later – why I think they are healthier for you!)

Small handful of sunflower seeds - 2 Tbs? (These are amazing sources of the anti-inflammatory antioxidant vitamin E as well as Magnesium for nerves and muscles, Selenium for healthy cell integrity and cancer prevention, and the B vitamin Thiamin for heart function and efficiency of energy supplies. Of commonly eaten nuts and seeds, sunflower seeds have the highest concentration of phytosterols, which may help lower cholesterol.)

Small handful of almonds - 2 Tbs? (Almonds help control the rate the sugars enter your blood stream – nice and easy, baby! Like sunflower seeds, they are a good source of Vitamin E and magnesium; but these guys also contain a good dose of manganese, tryptophan, copper, B2 riboflavin, and phosphorus – all important to balance health.)

Small handful of organic raisins -1/4 cup? (A sugary food, so use in moderation. But they have their place. Raisins contain some of the trace mineral, Boron, which is needed for healthy bone formation. Some studies are finding boron to protect postmenopausal woman from osteoporosis.)

A drizzle of agave - 2 tsp?

A dusting of Cinnamon -1 tbs? (You may know by now that I love this spice! A good blood sugar regulator; and oh so yummy in my book!)

Toss it all together, and top with your choice of milk! Remember – if you pick to drink dairy or soy, PLEASE go organic! I used coconut milk today.

I got about halfway through my bowl (enjoying every bite) when I realized that trail mix usually has chocolate chips in it. Well, I didn’t want to go tainting my organic and natural breakfast with chemicals and sugar, so I instead grabbed my bag of organic cacao powder, and sprinkled some of that on top! Yum! Just a slight hint of chocolate to balance the nuts and fruit, and another little ninja kick of antioxidant power! Hiya!

Another addition I threw in as I went: chopped up a banana. Hooray for extra potassium!

So enjoy mixing and matching fruits and nuts; try different spices or milk types. Loads of simple breakfasts here!

So see what you can do – try to break away from all that processed, sugary stuff that's harsh on your body and health: pop tarts, sugary cereals, pastries… get yourself some good, natural energy to start off your day!! (The green smoothies are great, too! But… without my blender, I’m looking to other power-packed foods to get me going.)

Have fun!
~Katie

Apple Week!

I am a woman of themes. I don't know why - but I always have theme parties in the back of my head. Sadly, most of these theme dreams are never realized (though I did get to do a little Harry Potter themed party once!) but it has still stuck with me.

So I thought - why not have a theme for new recipes? What's on sale at the store - and what can I make from that?

This week: the simple apple!

I already discussed many of the benefits of this little guy in an earlier post with the Winter Salad; but it's been a while, so I thought I'd refresh a few points and share a few ideas!

The apple - a good source of vitamin C, antioxidants, insoluble and soluble fiber, and flavonoids - if you eat that skin!

The University of Illinois has a page on some fun facts about apple. My favorites:

*The crabapple is the only apple native to North America (yay crabapple! These grow near my apartment, and every spring, people make sure to avoid the one parking spot under that tree as those mushy apples topple down, leaving your car looking like a poor, helpless victim!)

*2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States (And yet, I feel like I only see 4 or 5 different types in my store...)

*The pilgrims planted the first United States apple trees in the Massachusetts Bay Colony

*In colonial time, apples were called winter banana or melt-in-the-mouth

Hmmm... I saw no mention of Johnny Appleseed....

Ah well - on to the recipes!

The first recipe I found was for an apple-carrot "cake" (though I would describe it more as a dough; I should try dehydrating it!) It called for carrot and apple pulp which meant it was time to pull out the juicer!!

So, I guess, technically, the first recipe we made from the apple was fresh apple juice (yum, yum, yum, and YUM! SO much better than store-bough processed stuff!!) And then we had to juice the carrot to get the pulp, so that added an interesting tang of apple-carrot juice. Still delicious! Dave has asked to make fresh juice a bigger part of our diet. Sure thing! So I just need to find some more recipes that use the pulp - I hate the idea of just throwing that away! (...unless I started composting at some point.)

So, the next recipe was apple and carrot pulp mixed with blended raisins, walnuts, and cinnamon. The recipe also called for shredded coconut, but the store was out :( I think it could add a good texture to the "cake." Instead, I topped it with more raisins and walnuts. Some oats may have been good too!

It will need some tweaking, but all in all, not bad! The taste is good - just want to work on the texture to make it a little drier, and hold together better.

Veggies, fruit, and nuts; dairy free, gluten free... All natural, all health! So I ate some for breakfast this morning :) Cake for breakfast - what a good life!

~Katie

Other recipes planned this week: Sauteed apples; apple cabbage slaw, and baked apples!

Winter Salad

Boy, it sure can be hard to find good fresh produce during the winter months! I tried some watermelon the other day, and yechk!!! I knew it was a gamble, being out of season, but goodness!

And not only that - prices are higher!

So, I wanted to find a cheaper alternative. And, voila! Winter salad!

1 c spinach

1 c romaine

1 gala apple, diced (organic, with the skin!)

1 Tbs agave nectar, or to taste (or you can use honey, or pure maple syrup)

sprinkle with organic raisins

cinnamon, to taste

1/4 lemon juiced (you can probably omit this if you're eating your salad right away - I put it on because it helps prevent the apple from being oxidized and thus turning brown as it sits at work waiting for lunch time!)

Ahhh, winter produce, with my favorite winter spice: cinnamon!

And the oh-so-humble apple. Such a common fruit, so overlooked. While it may not have a grandiose list of exotic sounding benefits like my friend the kale leaf, apple has its place in the health food hall of fame -- as long as you're getting that skin! Which is why it's important to get organically grown apples, and still wash it off.

An apple has its fair share of antioxidants, insoluble and soluble fiber, and flavonoids - all focused on heart health!

So enjoy that apple a day! (Or other health fruits!)

Have an awesome weekend!!

~Katie