Smoothie? Yes please!

Have I told you how much I love smoothies? Well I do! Smoothies are awesome because 1) they taste incredible! 2) they are a great way to get a lot of fruit down that I wouldn't normally be able to chew and eat (does that make sense? hehe! Its easier to drink a bunch of fruit than it is to eat it) and 3) They are full of nutrients, as well as a great way to get your daily dose lauric acid by adding coconut oil.

All you need for a smoothie is: fruit (fresh/frozen or both), yogurt, juice, and coconut oil. You can do any combinations really, but here are a few of my favorites...


PURPLE SMOOTHIE

handful of blueberrys (I use frozen)
4-5 strawberrys (I use frozen)
half an apple
juice and zest of one orange
2 tbsp coconut oil
4-7 tbsp plain yogurt

ORANGE SMOOTHIE

4-5 strawberrys (I use frozen)
4-5 chunks mango (I use frozen)
half an apple
juice and zest of one orange
2 tbsp coconut oil
4-7 tbsp plain yogurt
2-3 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes


UPDATE: After I posted this I was notified by my dear husband that my smoothie names weren't that creative- obvious, I know. Anyway, why don't you try these recipes and let me know what you think they should be called. Give me some ideas, people! :-) Ready! Set! Go!

Food Inc.

I know I have brought this film up a lot, but not all of you have watched it yet, so Im gonna keep talking about it! One of the blogs I frequently read stated this about Food Inc.

Food, Inc. is a 94 minute documentary that forces you to think, really think about what the food industry is producing, what you are eating, and all of the social, economic, agricultural, moral, energy, political, legislative, environmental, and public health consequences intricately tied to these issues. If you eat food, you should care and you should watch this film.

by:http://userealbutter.com/

love.
jess

My 100th post!

Hi all! I just realized that this is my 100th post! I can't believe it! I know that there is nothing too exciting here on my little blog of this and that, but thanks to those of you who pop in every now and then to check in. While I realize I do not receive a mass of readers as some other blogs I am totally okay with that. My goal is this: to spread a passion for Jesus Christ, to raise awareness about our failing yet thriving industrial food system, and share my journey/transition into eating real/whole/nourishing/traditional foods. I'm not perfect at any of those, but I want this blog to be a place where I can write about those things, and if maybe one person is blessed/encouraged/inspired then, mission accomplished! Thanks for reading my random rambles! Heres to many more!


On another note: I wanted to share my meal plan for the next few weeks with you. Maybe you can find something on here that gives you a dinner idea :-) I hope so!

MENU PLAN
-Veggie Stir fry with rice and quinoa
-leftovers
-chicken rice and quinoa soup w/ homemade stock, brown braised pearl onions, and homemade whole wheat bread
-tacos w/ homemade whole wheat tortillas and salad
- zuppa tuscan soup with salad and homemade whole wheat bread
-eggs, bacon, homemade whole wheat bread
- cheeseburgers with salad and potatoes
- quesadillas with raw carrots
- leftovers
- panko chicken legs w/ raw carrots and steamed
-veggie & meat pizza w/ homemade whole wheat crust and salad
- taco soup and salad
- eggs, bacon, potatoes

P.S.
I just realized that I was EXTRA naughty with this menu plan- we are not eating fish once! Usually we try to eat it at least once a week! Oh well, we'll have to make up for it next time and have it twice a week! :-)

P.P.S.
Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE butter and raw milk?! I haven't?! OK, well I really love it! haha!

A True Miracle

This is a true story from my friends Stephan and Janna about the miracle life of their son Dylan. Read this story and tell others about it so that they may also know the goodness of the LORD, and praise HIS name!
*The following is written by Stephan

Whenever a baby is born, I often hear the word “miracle” used to describe the baby. In most cases, I think people are using this as a way of saying that they are amazed at how a new little life came into this world, as opposed to saying that something seemingly impossible happened when the baby was born. However, in the case of my son, I believe that his birth was a true miracle.

To add context to this, we need to go back to last summer. In August, Janna and I had our first ultrasound appointment to see our baby. The purpose of the appointment was so that the ultrasound technician could examine the baby to make sure that everything was on track and that he was developing as he should be. We got to watch as the ultrasound technician showed us where his head, arms, and legs were. During the appointment, all seemed to be going well.

Several hours after the appointment, we received a call from the hospital with the results of the scan. The nurse started the call by saying that she had bad news for us: the ultrasound revealed that our baby had a large, fluid-filled sac called a cystic hygroma at the base of his neck and all down his spine.

While all cystic hygromas are bad, our son’s case was very severe. In 80% of cases that are this severe, the babies die in the womb. In the other 20% that survive until birth, the babies are born with extreme deformities and most die from complete organ failure. (I debated about whether or not to link to a picture of a fetal cystic hygroma. For those that are interested, here is a link to a picture - WARNING - the image is incredibly disturbing- http://www.humpath.com/IMG/jpg/cystic_hygroma.jpg) The nurse said that a very small number of cystic hygromas resolve themselves over the course of a few months if they are minor cases, but our baby’s case appeared to be too extreme for that possibility. She recommended that we book an appointment with a genetic specialist who could do a more in-depth scan of our baby and give us more information about what we should expect.

Obviously, Janna and I were devastated at the news. The nurse had all but diagnosed our son with a death sentence. The best-case scenario was that he would be born with severe deformities and disabilities. We spent the rest of that day in prayer. We prayed that God would heal our son if that were His will. We prayed that if it was not God’s will to heal him, that He would give us the strength and peace to endure whatever happened. We leaned on the following verses from the Bible for comfort:

- Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

- Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

- Psalm 50:16 - Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me.

Although, we were still shell-shocked by the news, we went into the appointment the next morning with the genetic specialist trusting that God would do what was best, regardless of whether or not we understood why it was happening.

At the appointment, another ultrasound technician scanned Janna with advanced ultrasound equipment. She spent over an hour taking pictures and measurements in silence and then asked us to excuse her. A few minutes later, the doctor on-call came into the room and started scanning Janna again. After another 30 minutes she turned to us and said, “Well, I don’t know what to say…both the technician and I reviewed the pictures your primary doctor sent over and we were shocked by how extreme the case was. However, we’ve both been scanning and taking measurements of your baby for the last hour-and-a-half and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with your baby. He looks perfectly normal.”

Janna and I were overwhelmed with relief and joy at the news. Although we believed the initial report, we wanted to do our due diligence to make sure everything was truly clear. We had a follow up appointment with the genetic counselor the next week to scan again and the report came back perfectly normal a second time.

When we went to the next appointment with Janna’s primary doctor, we talked to her at length about what had happened. She brought up the original ultrasound pictures on her computer. We were able to see the cystic hygroma on the base of the neck and all down the spine. There was definitely something on those original pictures that was not on the latest pictures. The original pictures had Janna’s name and the time-stamp on every single frame, so there was no way that the wrong pictures of another baby had been switched with ours. The doctor was baffled and said that she had never seen anything like it before. She said that minor cystic hygromas could resolve themselves over months in very rare occasions, however, that never happens for the extreme case that our son had and not in a span of 24 hours.

I truly believe that God performed a miracle in healing my son, Dylan. When he was born at the end of February and the doctor pronounced him 100% healthy, I can safely say that was one of the happiest moments of my life. As I write this, he’s now 2 weeks old and I’m still completely overwhelmed with thanksgiving to God for saving my son’s life.

Chicken Broth

Chicken Stock
Recipe By: Sally Fallon

1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
gizzards from one chicken (optional)
2-4 chicken feet (optional)
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley

*Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.
If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. (If you are using a whole chicken, remove the neck and wings and cut them into several pieces.) Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.
Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches or curries. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer.

For a detailed essay about the benefits of broth go here:
http://www.westonaprice.org/Broth-is-Beautiful.html

Is the FDA really on our side and looking out for us? What are GMO's and are they safe? Who is Monsanto? Are you curious about your food? The food you eat, and feed your children? I highly recommend these 3 movies watched in the order I have presented them. I guarantee that you will never look at your food the same way again... and most likely you will be changing your eating habits. Educate yourself- you won't regret it!!!!!

Food Democracy Now!

ACT TODAY! Or Kiss Your Organics Goodbye!

After years of bureaucratic wrangling, a recent USDA environmental review may finally approve Monsanto’s GMO alfalfa. If approved, GMO alfalfa will fundamentally undermine the entire organic industry overnight. In addition, the USDA says Americans consumers don't care about the contamination of organics. ACT TODAY: comments are due by close of business Wednesday, March 3rd.

Please join us in calling on Secretary Vilsack to stand up for organic family farmers and reject approval of Monsanto's GMO alfalfa by signing this petition.

Here is the link to sign the petition;
http://fdn.actionkit.com/cms/sign/make_a_stand_for_organics/?referring_akid=.111219._JIQe5&source=taf


Not sure why its important that we do not have GMO alfalfa/fruit/veg? Here are some of the harmful effects of GMO foods;
-food allergy
-increased toxicity
-decreased nutritional value
-antibiotic resistance

If you're still not convinced, then do some googling/research! Don't be ignorant and chose to ignore it! Ignorance is only bliss when you're not effected by it. Trust me, people WILL be effected by it eventually. Maybe they will finally get it when there kid is sick, and will not get better because they have a resistance to antibiotics. Lets stand up to Monsanto and let the government know that we don't want GMO food! Many countries have already ban GMO foods- that gives us hope!

In all this, we trust that God's Will, will be accomplished either way!

Christ be lifted high!