Turmeric ~ A Powerful Little Root!

Recently a wonderful little root by the name of Turmeric has grabbed my attention. Because I wanted to know more about it, I have done a bit of research on it’s possible Health benefits. What I have found is listed below:
Turmeric is an Antioxidant, it may help the body in the healing process for the following conditions:
• Inflammation
• Heart Health
• Alzheimer’s
• Natural Painkiller
• Skin Health
• Cancer

Primally Inspired’s link: http://www.primallyinspired.com/turmeric-tea-liver-detox/ has the most wonderful home made Turmeric Tea recipe that you must check out!

Ways that you can incorporate Turmeric into your diet:

• Can be grated and added to smoothies or Home made Juice
• Can be added to your Soups, stews or chili
• Sprinkle it on your veggies as you sauté
• Add it to your Casseroles
• Sprinkle it on your salads
• Mix with other spices and sprinkle on homemade Kale chips or any other veggie chip

There are so many creative ways to add this wonderful spice into your diet!!

Interactions – Be cautious with the following combined with Turmeric (Thank you Web MD):
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with turmeric.

Turmeric might slow blood clotting. Taking turmeric along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.

Further interactions ~Thank you University of Maryland Medical Center for the following information:
Drugs that reduce stomach acid — Turmeric may interfere with the action of these drugs, increasing the production of stomach acid:
• Cimetidine (Tagamet)
• Famotidine (Pepcid)
• Ranitidine (Zantac)
• Esomeprazole (Nexium)
• Omeprazole
• Lansoprazole (Prevacid)

Drugs for diabetes (that lower blood sugar) — Turmeric may make the effects of these drugs stronger, increasing the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

What does Turmeric taste like??

In my opinion ground/powdered Turmeric is a bitter tasting spice. I would advise you to start with a very small amount and then continue to add more until it reaches your own personal taste!

The grated root has a less bitter taste. I would advise that you always start with a small amount of any new herb or spice…it is much easier to add more in then to take some out if you have added too much!!

How much to take?? Thank you Living Strong for the following information
http://www.livestrong.com/article/385952-how-much-turmeric-to-take/:

I hope you will try Turmeric as a part of your healthy eating routine!!

Until next post Love, Health and Serenity…
Roxanne

Raw Cheesy Kale Chips ~ *WARNING* VERY Addicting!

Last week I visited my sister Theresa. She always makes the most wonderful treats, whether they are sweet or savory they are ALWAYS wonderful! She had made Cheesy Kale Chips, and let me tell you they are beyond amazing! She sent me on my way with many treasures, one being a baggie filled with chips to share with Rich. When I got home I asked him to try 1….he liked it and tried another…… I closed up the baggie and put it on the kitchen counter. The next day when I went to eat a few, I couldn’t find the baggie so I asked him if he knew where they went…he answered…”Yeah, I ate them.” I am very happy that he likes them because I’ll be switching them in for his regular Tater Chips 🙂 However, I am now craving more Yummy Cheesy Kale Chips!!

I am so excited that I will have my very own Excalibur Dehydrator in the next couple of weeks…I love tax time 🙂 My home will then be overflowing with all kinds of raw treats…both savory and sweet!

This recipe is brought to you by my sister Theresa Hinckley, of Theresa Rose’s Garden. Her Facebook Page is amazing and jam packed with all kinds of fun and interesting information, recipes and quotes. Please take a minute to stop by and visit her! If you find her page to be a Happy little space filled with wisdom love and grace, please press ‘Like’

Raw Cheesy Kale Chips

2 packages Kale
4 red peppers
2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 tbsp pink salt
juice of three limes or one big lemon
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tb soy sauce or coconut aminos
1 tsp tobasco smoked chipotle sauce

Rip the kale into pieces..while taking off the stem. I use a huge stainless steel bowl. Put the pepper in the bottom of the blender first with the lime or lemon juice, salt, soy sauce, chipotle and then the nuts and seeds and nutritional yeast. Blend on high until a nice smooth paste. Taste it and think about eating the whole thing straight…this is where I think OMG I could eat this like a soup, or a dip for veggies. Now pour it over the kale leaves in the big bowl and massage it in…this helps break up the fibers. Spread on dehydrator sheets…use teflex. Turn on to 110 degrees, usually for 24 hours. I start in the afternoon and then next morning turn the chips over..you have to taste them as they dry..chewy warm cheesy goodness. You will want to eat them all then too!

I hope you will put these on your list of things to try…not only are they good, but they are good for you!

*WARNING* Once you make these Cheesy Kale Chips…it’s all over….you will definitely become ADDICTED!!

Until next post Love, Health and Peace
Roxanne

Black Bean “Spaghetti”

This will be a very short and quick post. Something I wanted to share with anyone who is Gluten Free. I have discovered another Gluten Free alternative for pasta!! It is amazing and tastes so good!! It is Organic Black Bean Spaghetti by Explore Asian. The only ingredients in this product are Black Beans and water.

All you do is bring your pan of water to a boil, drop the pasta in and once it starts to boil again let it cook for 6 minutes and it comes out *P*E*R*F*E*C*T*…You can mix in veggies like mushrooms, lightly steamed broccoli, raw onion or any other veggie that you like and Enjoy!! OR you can add tomato sauce!! So good! This pasta has a texture that is unexplainable and addicting!! I hope you give it a try….it is sooooo worth it 🙂

Until next post…Love, Health and Peace
Roxanne

Adzuki Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

I have been experimenting with Adzuki beans recently, trying to make my own Veggie burgers instead of buying the frozen packaged ones. The first batch I made tasted awesome, however, they turned into a flat mass in my fry pan. Tonight I did it! They came out amazing and kept their shape! This recipe can be easily transitioned to Vegan simply by leaving out the cheese.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked adzuki beans cooled
1/2 cup boiled, mashed and cooled sweet potatoes or yams
1 cup sautéed sliced Mushrooms-cooled (about 2 cups raw will cook down to
1 cup)
1 medium onion diced
4 oz. organic cheddar cheese shredded
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. horseradish
4 turns of black pepper
4 shakes sea salt
3/4 cup homemade Ezekiel bread crumbs (***easy to make directions listed below )
3/4 cup **brown rice flour
** you can substitute any type of gluten free or regular flour.

Directions:
Mix adzuki beans, sweet potatoes, curry, garlic, horseradish, black pepper and salt together. Once well mixed (I used a fork to start with and then dug in with my hands!) add onions and cheese and mix. Last add the bread crumbs and flour and mix with hands. Once everything is well mixed form into burgers. This recipe makes 9 burgers medium to large in size. They freeze very well and I usually fry half and freeze the rest.
***For Ezekiel bread crumbs I just put the crusts that I have saved from 4 loaves of bread onto a cookie sheet and put in the oven @ 200 degrees for about 2 hours. Then I put them into my Blendtech for about 30 to 40 seconds and voila homemade organic sprouted breadcrumbs!!
Until next time…
Peace, Love and Health…
Roxanne

Favorite Vegetable Soup :)

I will definitely insert a picture soon! Warm soup is such a hearty, wonderful comfort food especially during the cold winter months, however this soup is also good cold…I love it this way in the warmer months. I do think it is a matter of taste and choice. For me I love this soup warm or cold. This recipe is not only delicious and filling, it is also nutritious, and we all know that nutrition is a very important part of everyone’s diet. Here I have to stop for a moment and explain the word DIET as I use it. In my Blog diet means a way of life..an eating style that is healthy, nutritious and filling. Not a strict way of eating that leaves you hungry, miserable and wanting to binge! I will be posting a variety of recipes that you can tweak to fit your life style and taste. I would like to share one of my favorite recipes that was introduced to me by my sister Cindy while visiting her in NH. At that time I devoured many many bowls of this delicious soup and brought the recipe home with me. I wish I could say that this Soup was my idea but it is Cindy’s creative genius that developed it…I usually make this soup up in a big stock pot and freeze all but 2 servings (that I gobble up within a day) in glass jars for future (very close future) meals. It freezes well and tastes just as good if not better when it’s thawed!
I use as much organic as possible. I really don’t measure my veggies out but will approximate what I use…..

“Favorite” Vegetable Soup

3 large carrots cubed (I use my chopper large cubes)
2 stalks celery diced
1 large onion diced
1 small red bell pepper diced
1/2 small head of green cabbage (chopped or you can use 1/2 to 3/4 bag of coleslaw mix)
4 large handfuls of baby spinach
16 oz of your favorite mushrooms sliced
4 cups of vegetable stock
2 medium tomatoes diced
2 Tablespoons of jalapenos chopped (you can substitute a can of diced chile tomatoes for the above two ingredients)
1 can of stewed tomatoes
2 minced garlic cloves or 2 to 3 cubes Dorots frozen chopped garlic
2 teaspoons dried Basil or 2 to 3 cubes Dorots frozen chopped basil
2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence
Several grinds of black pepper
1 teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive, Coconut or oil of your choice

Dice onions, celery and red bell peppers
Chop carrots
Slice mushrooms and cabbage

Add oil to stock pot and heat. Saute onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms and red bell peppers over low heat for about 8 minutes. Add broth, cabbage, spinach all tomatoes, garlic, basil, Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper. Be a little wild and crazy add a big pinch or two of cayenne! Bring everything to a boil and then turn it down to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes and voila you have a wonderful delicious nutritious meal. I hope you will try this soup and enjoy it as much as I do.
Until next time…
Love, Peace and Health!
Roxanne

Vegan Texas Hot Sauce

I would call this Vegan fast food because it only takes about 15 minutes to make. I use it on veggie burgers or put it over noodles or rice. Sometimes I just make it up and eat it all by itself! I have fed this to my carnivorous husband and son and they had no idea it was Vegan 🙂 In fact they both loved it so much they had seconds! I did end up telling my husband that he ate non-meat meat and he was really good about it. Said he’d eat it again, which I have to tell you is a VERY BIG step for him. I will, however, NEVER tell my son 🙂

Ingredients:

1/2 bag of Quorn burger
1/2 – 3/4 jar of Muir Glenn tomato sauce (any style)
1 small onion diced (Set 1/4 of the onions aside)
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 Tbs. Hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 Tbs. Oil of your choice…I use Olive oil or coconut oil depending on my mood.

Directions:
Fry up the Quorn burger in 1/2 Tbs. of oil for about 8 to 10 minutes on medium. Add the tomato sauce, hot sauce and cloves. Heat for another 4 minutes stirring often.Turn off the heat, add 3/4 of the onions and mix them into the sauce and burger. The other 1/4 of the onions is to sprinkle over the top of the Texas Hot Sauce.

Until Next time…
Love, Peace and Health