Sauteed Kale

Kale is one of nature's most nutritious foods. It is packed with iron, Vitamins K, A, and C and powerful antioxidants to help fight against cancer and disease! Also, did you know that it has more calcium than milk? Crazy, huh? My favorite thing about Kale is that is is an anti-inflammatory food filled with omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help fight against arthritis, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and inflammation within our bodies. Kale is also a great detox food because it is filled with fiber and sulfur, which aid in keeping your liver healthy. Now, get your Kale on!

You can add kale to your smoothies, protein shakes, and salads. I love making sauteed kale as a side dish because we cannot have enough greens!

Sauteed Kale

4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea salt & pepper

Wash kale with water in a colander and pat dry.

In a medium saute pan, heat about 2 tablespoons EVOO on medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add kale, stir, and cover. Cook until the kale begins to wilt, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for about 2 more minutes until the liquid evaporates.

Mighty Meatloaf

If you asked me what my favorite dish from childhood was I would say, "meatloaf." There's nothing better than warm meatloaf beside mashed potatoes and peas. While I'm sure that my mom's meatloaf was not particularly healthy, I've tried to recreate it in a more healthier way. These days, I pair it with peas and occasionally some mashed cauliflower.

Mighty Meatloaf

1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1 egg
1 cup whole oats
1/2 cup organic ketchup
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon each salt, pepper, thyme, basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl with both hand...get dirty! Form into a loaf shape and place in greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Top with ketchup and enjoy!

Sunflower Seed Pesto

True story, I've never made pesto before! I bought a bunch of fresh pesto from Trader Joe's and really didn't know what to do with it. I quickly figured it out....Sunflower Seed Pesto. It will change your life. I made it into a pasta (not Paleo, but so good), but you can also use it as a spread on wraps, sandwiches, pizza, you name it!

Sunflower Seed Pesto

4 cups chopped fresh basil leaves 

1 cup hulled raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Place basil, sunflower seeds, EVOO, Parmesan, butter, and garlic in the food processor and process to a puree (pulse for 30 seconds, then scrape sides, repeat). 

Store pesto in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. 

To use pesto in pasta: Cook 1 pound of pasta in salted water. When pasta is cooked, combine 3/4 cup pesto with 2/3 cup hot pasta water in a large bowl. Drain pasta and add to the bowl. Toss to combine. Add salt, pepper, and other spices to taste (I added lots of red pepper and extra garlic). 

Curried Avocado Egg Salad

Egg salad is great to throw on a wrap, on crackers, or a top a salad. Yesterday, I was working from home and feeling those lunch time hunger pains when I looked in my fridge and found only a few things that were worth eating for lunch. Eggs and avocados stood out. So, I threw together this Curried Avocado Egg Salad. I ate it straight with a fork and a few gluten-free crackers, but you can eat it however you like!

Curried Avocado Egg Salad

Makes 2 servings

4 hard-boiled eggs

1 large avocado, cubed 

2 tablespoons organic REAL mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon curry 

Dash of red pepper (optional...I like mine a little spicy) 

Pinch of salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and mash with a fork until well combined. Put it on a wrap, salad, or gluten-free crackers! 

Baked Banana

Both Hank and I have a huge sweet tooth each night after dinner. It isn't uncommon for us to search the fridge, freezer, or pantry in a panic to find "something sweet" for dessert. We usually end up going out to find ice cream. The other night I decided to try something new and came up with this Baked Banana dessert. It's so sweet, but made with all clean ingredients. 

Baked Banana

1 Banana

Cinnamon

Honey

Dark chocolate chips

Raw butter

Directions: 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 

Slice the peel of the banana lengthwise and pull apart so that it is somewhat cradling the banana. Now, slice the banana lengthwise so that it opens up. Place a couple pats of butter and a few dark chocolate chips inside the banana, sprinkle with cinnamon, and drizzle with honey. Wrap in aluminum foil and place in the oven. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes and remove from the oven. 

Unwrap foil and remove the banana from the peel. Enjoy!!

The Power of Sunflower!

When you think of sunflower seeds, you may go back to your childhood days of popping them in your mouth, cracking the shell, chewing the kernal and then spitting out the empty shell. Would you ever think that those little snacks, usually consumed in the dug-out or in the stands of a baseball game, would be SO good for you?

Tiny sunflower seeds contain a world of nutrients. Fiber, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B9, Vitamin E, potassium, manganese, magnesium, iron, selenium, phosphorus and, unsaturated fat ("good fat") are all found in one little seed. I should note, I'm talking about RAW sunflower seeds, not the ones in the slim packages that are flavored with salt and other fake ingredients.

Sunflower seed products are popping up everywhere these days. My favorite product is sunflower seed butter. The common question that most people ask me is why I chose sunflower seed butter over peanut butter. Peanuts are a large genetically modified crop and most of these GMO peanuts show up in commercial peanut butter. Also, commercial peanut butter usually contains large amounts of added sugar. Then the question would arise, "what about organic peanut butter?" It's a safer bet and I would recommend it if you are stuck on peanut butter. But, why not try something new? Sunflower seed butter is filled with all of the nutrients listed above and is not a product of a GMO crop. Oh, and don't forget about nut allergies....sunflower seed butter is a great alternative for those that suffer from nut allergies.
You can find sunflower seed butter at your local health food store, even Target is carrying it now. I get mine from EarthFare or Trader Joe's.

Check out this sunbutter & crackers snack I found at Target for $3.99! It's a nutritious meal! 

Another way I love to use sunflower seeds is on top of stir-frys, salads, or in trail-mixes. Sunflower seed butter can be used exactly like peanut butter and used as a replacement for peanut butter in recipes. Stock up on raw sunflower seeds from your local health food store. They usually run about $3-$4 per pound and you can get a LOT of sunflower seeds for that!

Quinoa Pizza Bites

Soon after getting married I was excited to host a "game night" at our house just so I could use my new dishes and gadgets. I wanted to make some healthy appetizers instead of the normal chips and dip. I love (with a strong passion) quinoa. It tastes amazing and it's gluten-free so I don't feel super bloated after eating it. These Quinoa Pizza Bites are great for any crowd! You can create these depending on your liking by taking out any of the veggies and subbing for pepperoni or ground beef. If I made it again, I would want to try using a meat :)


1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 large eggs
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons minced garlic or garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried basil
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pizza sauce for dipping (I use Muir Glen Organic found at Target)

In a sauce pan, place the quinoa and two cups of water and cover. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients (with the exception of the pizza sauce).

Grease a mini muffin tin with coconut oil and fill each cup to the top with the quinoa mixture. I used a cookie scoop to scoop out the portions then pressed down to compact.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve warm with the pizza sauce.

Big Ol' Meatballs

When you think of meatballs, I'm sure you think of them on top of a heap of pasta. These aren't! These paleo style meatballs have a different taste that are hard to explain unless you just try em yourself! You can use any ground meat that you have in the house, but I chose to use a combo of ground pork and ground beef. The key ingredient in this recipe is the apple cider vinegar - it adds a tangy flavor to the sauce!

Big Ol' Meat Balls

1 lb lean ground pork

0.5 lb lean ground beef 

1.5 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes (look for a BPA free can) 

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon of thyme, oregano, chili powder

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 bag frozen green beens

1-2 tablespoons coconut oil 

Optional Toppings for Garnish: 

Scallions

Goat Cheese

In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat, 1/2 of the onion, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of cumin until well combined. Make meatballs like you would make a hamburger, but make them rounded. You want to make them about the size of a tennis ball. Set these on a large plate, so you're ready to drop them into the oil. (Side note: Don't use this plate for later because you've set uncooked meat on it)

Heat the coconut oil in a pan on medium to high heat, drop the meatballs into the pan. Brown each meatball on each side (they do not have to be fully cooked). Remove the balls and set aside on a large plate. 

Add onions and carrots to your pan. You shouldn't need more oil because there should be plenty after cooking the meat. While these are cooking, add 1 tablespoon of the apple cider vinegar. Add in the rest of the spices. Feel free to add more spices depending on your liking...I always add more and even throw in some garlic powder :) 

Put your meatballs back into the pan with the sauce, cover, and let cook for 30 minutes on low. At the 20 minute mark, throw in the green beans. This way, they won't be mushy. 

Top with chopped scallions and some crumbled goat cheese.......enjoy!!

Earth Month...Why Non-Toxic Cleaners?

Earth Day is Monday, so I feel like it's appropriate to touch on non-toxic cleaners. Going green isn't just the cool thing to do these days, it's the only logical way to go when it comes to what you're cleaning your house with. Having a clean home is a great feeling, but you may not realize that what you cleaned it with may have just made it dirtier.

If you have kids, I hope this doesn't offend you, but it is what it is. You wouldn't let your kids drink the cleaners under the sink because they are labeled as toxic, so why would you let your baby roll around on the floor that just been cleaned with them or eat off the counter that has been sprayed down with them? So many kids (and adults) suffer from Asthma from an early age. Toxic cleaners/chemicals have been linked to Asthma and other breathing problems and not to mention cancer and other problems with major organs for years now, but still people aren't switching over? Why? The main excuse I hear...the cost. Medical bills will always trump the couple extra bucks a month.

So how dangerous are the toxic cleaners? Here are a few facts:

• 90% of all poison exposure occur at home.
• 1 in 13 school aged children have asthma. Asthma rates in children increased more than 160% from 1988-1994.
• EPA reports that air pollution is up to 5x higher inside than outside. We spend 90% of our time indoors.
• EPA studies indicate that elevated concentration of household chemicals persist in the air. Long term exposure to chemicals inside our homes is extremely harmful.
• Children are highly vulnerable to chemical toxins. Pound for pound of body weight, children drink more water, eat more food and breathe more air than adults. This is why children will have substantially heavier exposures than adults to toxins that are present in water, food, and air.
• The average US home generates more than 20 pounds of household hazardous waste per year (toilet cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, oven cleaners, and bleach). That's HUGE.

Let's talk specifics...

• Chlorine Bleach is the chemical most frequently involved in household poisonings in the U.S.
• Degreasers may contain petroleum distillates, which can damage lung tissues and dissolve fatty tissue around nerve cells.
• Glass Cleaners may contain ammonia. Ammonia fumes can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory system.
• Oven Cleaners can be among the most dangerous cleaning products and can cause severe damage to eyes, skin, mouth, and throat.
• Toilet Bowl Cleaners can be extremely dangerous cleaning products and can be harmful if inhaled—and fatal if swallowed. 

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All I know is...

All of this is scary. My husband has respiratory issues and since switching to non-toxic cleaners, he has NOT had one episode. I've tried several brands and have found 2 brands that I love. Method and Shaklee. I trust Shaklee more than I trust Method. I know Shaklee is 100% natural, safe, and organic. I'm addicted to the Basic H Super Cleaning Concentrate. It's around $10 and one bottle equals the cleaning uses of 5, 824 bottles of Windex All-Purpose Cleaner. With the Basic H, I clean my kitchen, bathroom, windows, mirrors, stove, and even my wood and laminate floors. It's the only green cleaner that I've tried that actually works. I also love the Dish Washing Powder. It seriously does a better job than the little pouches that I used to use and is less than $10 for 2lbs and you only use 1 tsp per load. 

Dr.Oz and Oprah endorse these products and they are also the cleaning products used in the White House. 

If you're interested in any of these, you can check them out for yourself at bdickens.myshaklee.com. All products are 100% money back guarantee...no questions asked! Use half the bottle and hate it...send it back....but I promise you'll love it!