The Beauty and Benefits of Using Cast Iron Cookware

Cast iron ware to me was just something that my grandparents used back in the day and that now we have evolved to using better ware.  I couldn't have been more wrong.

Cast iron ware is iron that has been heated and casted into cookware.  People who love to cook and chefs love to use them because they will last you a life time.  The cookware cooks your food so wonderfully because it distributes heat evenly though out the pan and retains the heat.  It is also non stick and oven safe.

To have a non stick cast iron pan you must season it before you use it for the first time.  You can do this by rubbing a thin layer of oil (use the of your choice) evenly throughout the pan using a paper towel.  I prefer to use coconut oil.  This should leave a light layer of shimmering oil though out the whole pan.  Do not leave any excess oil in the skillet.  Pre-heat your oven to 250 degrees and bake the skillet for an hour.  After baking it for an hour take it out of the oven and let it cool for a while.  When your skillet is cool enough to touch rub another thin layer of oil on the pan and bake it for another hour.  You can repeat this as many times as you like, but two to four times should be enough depending on how raw the iron pan is.

Another reason cast iron ware is loved by many is because it is actually healthier.  The act of cooking takes away vital nutrients and minerals from our food.  Cooking with cast iron ware does the opposite of this.  Cast iron released iron into your food, especially acidic foods, which increased the amount of iron in the food that you are cooking.  This is beneficial to everyone especially women.  Women are more likely to be iron deficient.

Some of the ways you can use cast iron is on the grill to saute veggies, making deep dish or pan pizza, to bake dishes like peach cobbler and to bake biscuits.  You can bake corn bread, pasta dishes, a roast, or fry chicken.  You can use the cook ware for cooking just about anything.

Please keep in mind that cooking with cast iron eliminates the need for Teflon and other non stick pans which has fluorocarbons  in it (PFC's).  PFC's is a chemical that has been linked to cancer. So, using cast iron is one of the safest and healthiest things you can do for you and your family and the best thing about them is that they last a life time so you can pass it down to the next generation.

My Love For My Local Farmer's Market

My Farmer's Market Goodies For Today

I just love going to the farmer's market with my friends on Fridays.  It's a good way to have some me time and catch up with my fiends to find out what good things they have been up to through the week.  

It also is a great way to purchase fresh local foods and natural skin products.  They have a tea/herb/oil stand where I love to purchase my tea.  Other stands includes produce, fresh bead, honey stand, sea food stand, and even a homemade dog food stand.  

One of my favorite stand to visit weekly is the Amish stand.  All of their meats, deli meats, and dairy foods are antibiotic, steroid, and preservative free. You can also purchase raw milk there.   I love to get their homemade Amish butter and their cheese which taste so different than the processed cheese you buy at the grocery store.  I can spend all day there browsing and shopping.  

So, if you have a farmer's market near you I urge you to go and see what goodies you may have been missing out on.  Have a wonderful and blessed day!

Not All Fast Food Is Bad

Fast Food Surprise

Fast food restaurants are known to be fun and inviting places to dine where the flavor filled food is served in a timely matter.  These experiences are always fun and it will give you a break from cooking at home and they serves as a quick meal for you when you are already out on the go.

The problem with most fast food restaurants comes with the health quality of the fast food.  The food is filled with  unhealthy fats, preservatives, sugar, calories, sodium, and carbohydrates.  Even though fast food provides great flavors and is filling it gives very little real nutrition to the body.

There is a light at the end of this long fast food tunnel.  I have fantastic news to share with all my viewers in or around the Maryland area!  I have found that there are great fast food places out there that serve fresh healthy food.  This past weekend I was in Baltimore taking care of some business with my family.  After quite  a few hours out around town my kids started complaining about how hungry they were.  My husband and I started to feel the hunger pains also but with trying to eat healthy we were struggling to think of the best place to eat.  We decided to check out Owings Mills Mall and see if there were some new places open since we had not been there in a while.

When we went inside I spotted a lovely place called "The Big Bean Theory" that caught my eye.  What  first got my attention was the display case of vegetables and then the awesome name .  With excitement I then realized this is no ordinary fast food place.  I thought to myself, wow, no burgers, fries, subs, pizza, or fried chicken here.  Finally something different to eat!  The employees were very informative and friendly.

I came to learn that the owner, Chef Eula, has spent years of perfecting her healthy and quite delicious creations and now is able to serve them to her community at her place, "The Big Bean Theory" inside Owings Mills Mall.

I had the Salmon sandwich with a amazing white tea.  My meal is pictured below.  The Big Bean Theory also offers vegan and vegetarian dishes that is all made with fresh (local when possible) ingredients at a great price.

This is a great grab and go HEALTHY and DELICIOUS fast food restaurant that I felt I had to share with you.  So if you are in the area stop by and later let me know what you thought.

What's The Hype about Commercial Deodorants

There had been a lot of talking about how antiperspirants and deodorants are doing harm to our bodies and now some are finding ways to to avoid any dangers that could be coming from their deodorant.  Some wonder how much truth is there to this.  The talk about danger in using commercial deodorant started after some research findings came out and since then people have been very cautious. 

Parabens and aluminum which are found in some antiperspirants and deodorants have been suggested to be linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease.  Parabens are preservative that is found in some products in the cosmetic industry.  According to Steven Chang, M.D, in the 1960s some studies where done and the studies suggested that the levels of aluminum seemed to he higher in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.  The research also suggests that breast cancer cells may grow due to aluminum and parabens being applied to underarm skin.  Parabens have been found in large amounts of breast cancer tissue.

The good news is that the National Cancer Institute and Alzheimer's Association suggest  that beyond the lab there is no direct link to cancer and Alzheimer's due to the use of personal care products.  Many see these findings as no solid proof of any danger in deodorants.  But some people still take heed to the study and want to play it safe  by carefully reading the labels and avoiding antiperspirants and deodorants with parabens and aluminum.  Some are also choosing to make their own deodorant.  I am one of the people who has decided to take heed and has made my very own homemade natural deodorant.  Below I will share with you the recipe.  

Ingredients:

8 Tablespoons of coconut oil (in it's solid state)

1/4 cup of baking soda

1/4 cup of cornstarch (use arrowroot powder if you have sensitive skin)

Tea Tree oil (10 drops)

vanilla oil (10 drops)

**you can use any oil that you like for the sent you want to in your deodorant.  I chose tea tree oil because it act as a anti fungal, antibacterial, antiseptic agent**

Directions:

1.  Combine baking soda and cornstarch or arrowroot powder.

2.  Slowly add coconut oil and mix.

3.  Add the oils and mix until firm like the texture of commercial deodorant.  If it is too wet you can add               a little cornstarch or arrowroot powder.

4.  You can scoop the deodorant into an old deodorant dispenser or into a small container with a lid and apply the deodorant with your fingers.

A Trip To The Health Food Store

The goodies we found at our local health food store!

                      

This past weekend the hubby and I visited a local health food store.  We went there to pick up some fresh juice and produce but came back home with what we hope will make a significant difference in our health.  As you may know, I am looking to lower my blood pressure naturally and for my husband, he is looking for more energy.

I picked up some information on Diatomaceous Earth (food grade).  DE is a natural source of silica which is necessary for calcium absorption.  It is also known to regulate bowel movement, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, help stabilize blood-sugar levels, increases energy, nourishes skin, hair and nails, calms nerves, improves sleep, helps with weight loss and joint issues, cleanses digestive tract of parasites and detoxifies heavy metal while not interfering with  medications.   DE can be used for numerous things while still safe for human and animal consumption.

A couple of employees at the store said that they are currently taking DE and are very happy with the results.  I started to wonder why DE and it's benefits are not well known if it's suppose to be so good.  I found out that, like so many other things I'm learning about, it can not be patented for profit so mainstream companies have kept quiet about it.

After quite a bit of research, I have decided to try it for about a month to see if reap any of the benefits.       I will keep you all posted as the month goes on.  If you are interested in DE, I will provide a link below that will give you a lot more information about it.

My husband spoke to one of the personnel that I spoke to about the DE.  He was looking for something to give him energy during his long travel for work.  He currently is taking an energy aid but wants something that is more natural and healthy.  The lady that was helping us swore by Bee Pollen!  Yes, bee pollen.  Of course it wouldn't be wise to try this if you have a bee allergen.  It looks like very tiny pellets and it needs to be kept refrigerated.  Apparently bee pollen is the most complete whole super food available to humans and contains over 185 nutritive substances.  It is extremely high in protein, contains a host of amino acids, and contains most every vitamin.  Bee pollen also contains 5,000 enzymes an co enzymes.  It is documented that bee pollen supports healthy red blood cells, healthy skin, give you max energy, sexual stamina, mental capacity, supports thymus gland, positive mood, and longevity.  Here is a link that will give you more information if you are interested:  www.mercola.com

YOU SHOULD  ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TRYING ANY OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED.

The basics on the Soupsop Fruit and it's affects of Cancer

The Soursop Fruit

The Graviola Tree, which is what the Brazilian call it, grows deep in the Amazon rain forest.  The English word for the fruit is Soursop.  The fruit on the tree is very large, prickly, and green.  the sweet white pulp can be eaten by hand or used to make a fruit drink.

Very extensive research has shown that Soursop kills cancer cells up to 10,000 times more effectively than strong chemotherapy drugs.  Soursop treat 12 types of cancer.  Some of these are breast, colon, prostate, and pancreatic cancer.  The fruit is also an antimicrobial agent for bacterial and fungal infections.  It also fights internal parasites, worms, lowers blood pressure, treats depression, stress, and nervous conditions.  For cancer the fruit was shown to attack cancer with making the patient ill, it protects the patient immune system and boosts their energy.

The surprising fact about the Graviola tree and it's fruit is that America's largest drug manufactures is where this new finding is coming from.  This fruit was tested in the 1970s and the drug industry kept quiet about it because they wanted to isolate and produce a man made clone of the tree and patent it.  They wanted to do this so that they could recoup the millions of dollars they put into the research.  This failed and so they dropped and shelved the project.  They also decided to not publish their findings.

The good news is that now more and more people are finding out about this fruit.  You can purchase it in your local health food store or online.  Please be sure to research the company you are considering purchasing your juice from.  Check their reputability and extraction methods before ordering.  Here are some sites to look at:  www.alibaba.com and/or www.amazon.com

One of my favorite soups to make. A nice healthy winter soup with lots of protein and fiber.

Mushroom and White Bean Soup

1 med onion chopped

1 large pealed and chopped carrot 

1lb portobello mushroom (or your favorite mushrooms) Quartered

2 Tbsp or more extra-virgin olive oil

4 to 6 large fresh tomatoes diced and slightly pureed in blender or one 28 oz can of wholes tomatoes pureed in a blender

1 sprig of fresh rosemary 

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup of water

1 diced celery stalk

2 cups white beans drained (one 16 oz can)

salt, pepper, or your favorite seasonings (Experiment with what you like.  You can even make it spicey) 

In a medium saucepan, heat your oil.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until tender.  Next, add the mushrooms and cook until softened.  Add the white and make sure to scrape up any brown bits that may form with a spoon.  Mix in your beans, tomatoes, rosemary, and the 1/2 cup of water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and other wanted spices to taste.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

If you fix it let me know how you like it and if you spiced it up with some different ingredients!  Enjoy!!

Helpful info to add to the Juicing and GMO posts:

I found some charts that will aid you with your juicing and your quest to avoid GMO foods!  I hope this helps.  (I personally would avoid the Agave Nectar; I will explain why on a future post.)

Hot News Of The Day BVO and Some Healthy Alternatives

About BVO (Brominated Vegetable Oil)

It's been found that Pepsico, Inc. has been using a flame retardant (BVO) in their Gatorade and other beverages.  BVO is patented as a flame retardant. 

 This was brought to light when a 15 year girl started a petition for Pepsico to remove the BVO  from Gatorade.  The company said that it will remove it from the Gatorade but not their other beverages like Fanta orange, Squirt, Sunkist Peach and Pineapple, and Fresca.

Studies show that when BVO is used in drinks it prevents the oil form separating from the ingredients in the drink.  The side effects are numerous.  They range from acute irritability, memory loss, depression, to the loss of peripheral vision and many more health issues when consumed over time.   BVO is banned in Japan and the European Union but the US uses it  in 10% of our drinks.

So, I would like to share some healthy alternatives if you are interested in avoiding these drinks.  Water of course is the best for you and it should be what you consume the most through the day.  But if you want a little flavor from time to time try making your own ice tea.  You can put it in a bottle if you're on the go or don't want to buy that soda at work.  There are so many herbal teas to choose from.  You can also make some freshly squeezed orange juice or make apple juice if you have a juicer.  About three to four apples is enough for one glass.  

I love to blend some berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and even a little raspberries)  with pineapple or apple juice with a little ice for a fruit smoothie.  You can also add yogurt to it to make a traditional smoothie.  Here is a recipe you can try.

Multi Fruit Smoothie

2 cups of Greek vanilla yogurt 

1 cup of berries of your choice

1 cup frozen peach slices

1 can unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained and frozen

1/2 cup of pineapple juice

Place all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.  ENJOY

Please feel free to share your drink recipes!

A Bit Of GMO Knowledge

GMOs

Genetically modified organism (GMO) is the genetic material of an organism that has been altered by genetic engineering techniques.  Micro-organisms are the organisms that has been modified such as bacteria/yeast, insects, plants, fish, and mammals.  This involves the insertion or deletion of genes.  When the technique of insertion is used, a different species in being placed into another.  For example, in 2011 Chinese scientists genetically engineered some dairy cows with genes for human beings.  This was done so that the cows would produce milk that would be the same as human milk.  These cow even looked like the regular dairy cows.

Well, it is becoming well know now that this is happening to a lot of our food.  This includes selective plant and animal breeding.  The transgenic plant products are soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil.  There is currently a debate on weather or not all GM foods should be labeled.  What are your thoughts about the labeling?

There are a lot of foods that have been modified over the years and I know it would be very hard to avoid them all.  But I believe that the point is to at least be educated and aware of what is going on.  Here is a link to which lists actual products that are GM.  shiftfrequency.com/comprehensive-list-of-gmo-products/

This message is so powerful.  I had to share it with you.  I am so excited that so many people are becoming more aware and are making better food and living choices.  My hopes are that this will be the way of life for the next generation.

The Benefits of Juicing

The Benefits of Juicing

I have owned a juicer for awhile. It use to belong to my dad. I am now deciding to put it to great use. Yea me!!  Let me start by giving you some information that I have learned about juicing.  

Apparently, there are so many fantastic benefits to juicing.  I will list them below:

1. Helps one think more clearly and be in a cheerful, positive mental state
2. Aids in weight loss
3. Leaves you full of energy 
4.  You wake  up sharp and clear
5. Your body will be full of nutrients
6. Heighten sense of taste and smell
7. Glowing skin and promotes hair and nail growth
8. Your immune system functions at it's peak
9. It's a good way to consume the fruits and vegetables that you may not typically eat

There are some things to keep in mind.  The juice is not pasteurized so be sure to wash your hands and all produce before juicing.  If you're not going to drink it right away please drink it within a five day period.  But it's best to drink it the day of.  Don't forget to wash your juicer after every use with hot soapy water.  

If you are going to juice solely to loose weight, and you're going to only consume juice for a certain amount of days please keep in mind that you may slow down your metabolism.  This is because you're cutting calories.  So when you start eating solid foods again you may pick up some weight in the form of fat cells.  

Also, if you're on medication you may want to consult your nutritionist, holistic doctor, or physician.  This is to prevent drug and nutrient interactions.  Apparently, dark leafy greens contain a high quantity of vitamin A which could interfere with certain blood thinners.

This being said, I'm choosing to incorporate my juicing with healthy meals and I have also talked to my doctor about juicing.  I am currently on hypertension meds and my goal is to let my food be my medicine.  So, I have found a juice recipe that I have made that is great for lowering blood pressure.  (I added an apple for a taste)