Stuffed Yellow & Red Peppers

Even if you don't like stuffed green peppers, you'll probably like these.

4 ea. yellow & red peppers cut in half, stems and seeds removed.
1 1/2 pd very lean ground beef (at least 90% lean)
1 cup whole grain instant brown rice
1 egg
1 cup Veggie Shreds Mozzarella
1/2 cup red onion - diced
3 cloves garlic - minced
Oregano, basil, parsley, and cheyenne pepper to taste
1 lg. can Red Pack Tomato Puree
1 can tomato paste - low sodium

Fill each half of peppers with ground beef mixture. Top with a spoonful of Red Pack tomato puree that has been whisked with the paste. Cover with foil, cook for 40 min at 375 degrees.

Cranberry Orange Pork Tenderloin

Cranberry Orange Pork Tenderloin

1 1/2 pd pork tenderloin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Mix spices, oil, garlic, and apple vinegar together. Rub the pork all over with it and let it sit for 30 min. Roast it in the oven at 400 degrees until in reaches 155 degrees.



Cranberry Orange Glaze
3 cups whole fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 apple cider
2/3 organic cane sugar
zest and juice of 1 orange

Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 10 min.

When the pork is done, let it rest. Place it in a freezer bag and top with cranberry sauce. Let it cool completely before freezing.

Citrus Pork -n- Noodles

Citrus Pork - N - Noodles
1 pd. pork tenderloin cut up into 1 inch chunks
2 carrots - sliced - mostly done (steamed)
1/2 cup green onion - sliced

Marinade
1 tsp cumin
1/2 black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 cup organic vegetable or chicken broth
Zest and juice from 1 orange
2 tbsp apple cidar vinegar
1 tbsp molasses

Marnade the pork for at least 30 min. Add the pork, marinade, pre-cooked until mostly done carrots, and green onion to a skillet and saute until pork is done. Serve over egg noodles

Pork Tenderloin with Apples & Red Onion

1 1/2 pd pork tenderloin - cut in to 1 inch chunks
2-3 apples - chopped, skins on
1/2 lg. red onion chopped the same size as the apples

Marinade
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp molasses
Zest and juice from 1 orange
3 cloves garlic - minced

Marniade the pork for 30 min. Saute apples and red onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the pork and marinade. Cook through until pork is done. Serve over whole grain rice.

Chicken & Broccolli - Italian Style

Chicken & Broccoli

2 1/2 chicken breasts - cubed
2 1/2 cup broccoli - fresh or frozen
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 can drained diced tomatoes - no salt added
1/2 - 1 cup Kraft Tuscan Italian dressing

Saute chicken, broccoli, onion, and garlic in olive oil until just about done. Add tomatoes and dressing, cook until chicken is cooked through. Serve over whole wheat pasta. Top with alittle mozzarella or parmesan.

Chicken Parmesan

2 1/2 large breasts cut in half then halved width wise again - rinse
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
season the panko with oregano, basil, parsley, garlic & onion powder, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Coat the chicken in the bread crumbs. Place on a prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Cook for 40 min. at 375 degrees.

Allow to rest on the baking sheet for at least 10 min. Cool completely before freezing in a single layer. When your ready to prepare them just through them in a baking dish with sauce (Red Pack) and cheese(Veggie Shreds Mozzarella). Cook until heated through, serve over whole wheat pasta.

Pineapple Mango Chicken

We love the freezer meals that you basically thaw and serve over whole wheat rice or pasta.

Pineapple Mango Chicken

2 lg. breasts cut up into 1 inch cubes
olive oil
Red & Yellow Pepper
1 cut up pineapple
1 cut up mango
1/2 onion - chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp. molasses
ginger, celery seed, black pepper to taste

Saute the chicken, peppers, onion, & garlic in the olive oil until just about done. Add fruit and cook through. Serve over rice.

Stromboli with hummus, red pepper, and tomato

Here's something new for your lunch box!

Stromboli with hummus, red pepper, & tomato

Bread Dough
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp yeast
1/2 cup very warm milk
1/2 cup very warm water
2 egg whites

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in the milk and water. slowly stir in the yeast. Let set for 5 minutes. When it starts to "foam" you know it's working. Add the eggs and oil. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of flour and flax seed. Use the rest of the flour while kneading. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes. Place in an lightly oiled bowl and cover until it doubles in size. Roll out like a pizza dough to assemble the stromboli.

Spread any all natural hummus (I used original) over the whole surface of the dough. Arrange sliced red peppers and tomatoes over the hummus. Carefully roll up the dough and turn the ends under so the the toppings do not come out. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown - about 25 minutes. Serve cold

Fruit & Veggie Parfait

Don't knock it til you try it!

Fruit & Veggie Parfait
1 cup organic or all natural french vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup all natural peanut butter, melted
1 apple - chopped, skin on
1 banana - sliced
1/2 cup celery - sliced
1/8 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds..)
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Melt the peanut butter in a small bowl. Mix with yogurt. Layer the fruit, veggies, and yogurt mixture. Top with nuts and cranberries. You got your fruit, veggie, dairy, & lean protein all in one bowl deliciously yummy bowl!

Got Apples? Peanut Butter & Yogurt Dip

Peanut Butter & Yogurt Fruit Dip

1 cup all natural peanut butter - slightly melted
1 cup organic vanilla yogurt
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix well and refrigerate. Delicious with apple slices or celery!

Healthy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes?? Yep!

The healthiness of a dish is determined by the ingredients you choose to use!

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

5-6 medium red potatoes - skins on and sliced thin
1/4 Smart Balance butter
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups skim milk
1/4 black pepper
1/2 cup green onion
2 cups Veggie Shreds Cheddar - we LUV veggie shreds, soy based cheese!

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Add in milk all at once. Stir constantly until slightly thickened. Add cheese and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted. Pour 1/2 the cheese sauce in the bottom of a shallow casserole dish, layer sliced potatoes and onions, pour on the rest of the sauce. Bake at 350 degrees until potatoes are tender. 45 min-1 hour.

All Natural, Low Sodium Chili

This was one of the best freezer meals! It takes "chili is better the next day" to a new level! Chili is better after 3 weeks!

Chili
1 pd. ground turkey
1 pd. %96 lean, all natural ground beef
3 cups of beans
1 28oz can low sodium tomatoes
15 oz can low sodium tomato sauce
4 cups of organic beef or vegetable broth
1 cup diced peppers
1 diced onion
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
chili powder, celery seed, cumin, oregano, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, coriander to taste

Brown meat with onions and garlic in a large pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes. Let cool and place in freezer bags. This will make 2 freezer meals for 4 people. To serve just thaw and heat.

Homemade Whole Wheat Rolls
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 canola oil
1 TBSP yeast
1/2 very warm water
1/2 very warm milk
1 egg white

Mix 2 cups of flour, the sugar, oil, and yeast in a medium bowl. Add warm water, milk, and egg white. Beat with a mixer on low. Add the rest of the flour, mix until it's easier to handle. Put on your bonnet. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Add flour as needed if it becomes sticky, up to another 1/2 cup. Return to the bowl. Coat slightly with canola oil and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise to double it's size. Spray a muffin pan with canola spray. Punch down the dough and form 1 inch balls. Place 3 balls per muffin cup. Cover again with plastic wrap and let rise again to double their size. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes
Enjoy!!!!

Dark Choclate Clusters

I'm waiting for the dry beans to finish cooking. That's why I have time to list some new recipes. :) I am determined to conquer the dry bean! No salt added beans are $2 a can and up! I can get a 2 pd. bag of dry bean for $1.29. Anyways, my daughter has a huge sweet tooth. Not just for any sweets but for chocolate. I must admit, I can sympathize! My goal was to come up the healthiest chocolate treat I could.

Dark Chocolate Clusters

2 bars of all natural dark chocolate. This was not as easy to find as I'd hoped. I finally found it at Giant Eagle in the baking isle. Each bar costs about $2.50! I know! It's worth it thought!
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped almonds - raw, not salted
1/2 dried golden raisins - or other dried fruit like cherries
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 flax seed

Melt the chocolate in the microwave on medium. When melted smooth add the rest of the ingredients. Mix until everything is nice and coated. The chocolate should JUST coat the dry ingredients. You can add more nuts, fruit, or grains if it's to runny. Drop by small spoonfuls on to a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and refrigerate. After they have set up, I just throw them into a ziplock bag. They make nice little treats in lunch boxes. See, who says you can't make healthy sweet tooth choices!

Continued...meals for the freezer

Like chili, that is better the next day, most meals are more flavorful if it is made ahead so that the ingredients can mingle together. So far, we haven't had any mishaps with dinner from the freezer. It's working really well actually. So well that I wish I would have started it along time ago! It's nice to know that we don't have to worry about dinner for the next 3 weeks. With dinner taken care of, on Sundays, I just have to make up things for breakfast and lunch for the week. That is taking alittle longer then expected :( Probably because I'm dragging my feet around the kitchen! I'm really tired after work, school, studying, and grocery shopping! The ease for the rest of the week makes it worth it though. I'll post more dinners eventually but today I want to add some of the breakfasts that have gone over very well.

Crispy French Toast with Blueberry Syrup
8 egg whites
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 Tbsp cinnamon - Cinnamon is on the "Healthiest Spices in the World" list :)
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 ground flax seed
1/2 oats
10 slices of an all natural, whole wheat bread

Whisk together the first 5 ingredients. In another bowl, mix the wheat germ, flax, and oats. Prepare a griddle with cooking spray (all natural canola or safflower) and heat to 300. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture then into the wheat mixture, coating both sides. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

Blueberry Syrup

Heat over low - medium heat
1 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Heat until the berries begin to burst and the syrup takes on the blueberry color. The combo of blueberries and the zest from the orange in the french toast are super yummy together! All those whole grains, lean proteins from the egg whites and skim milk, and benefits of cinnamon, what a great way to start the day!

Pumpkin Pancakes with yeast - no sodium

1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 TBSP organic cane sugar
1 TBSP yeast
1 cup pure pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
(Or 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice)
1 egg white
1/4 canola oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed

In a large bowl, mix WARM milk, sugar, and yeast. When the yeast begins to react (it gets foamy), add the rest of the ingredients and beat on low with a mixer. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. Prepare a griddle with cooking spray and heat to 300. Give the batter a quick stir and drop by 1/4 cup fulls of batter onto the griddle and cook until golden brown. Yummy! Makes about a dozen pancakes.

Between the french toast and the pancakes, we"ll have deliciously warm, homemade, super nutritious breakfast to get us going in the morning. At least for this week :)

30 all natural, low sodium meals for the freezer

When I decided to go back to school, while working, my husband and I discussed the importance of keeping up with our all natural, low sodium diet. It's been 6 months since we made the change. We've experienced to many health benefits to stop now! Our plan - He's going to become a super, duper Mr. Mom while I work, go to school, and take care of the food. I finally sat down the other day to find where the hours are going to come from. I considered 22 hours of homework every week, work during the day, school 5 days a week, grocery shopping, and cooking. There's time, just barely. I have been researching freezer cooking for a while. I've read about tons of people who cook for the whole month in one day. I want to avoid the "Ahh whats for dinner, I don't know, run to McDonald's" conversation. I think freezer cooking will help us do that! After spending an undisclosed amount at 5 different grocery stores getting the best prices on everything I could. I began cooking. After 11 hours, here is some of what I have.



Pork & Pineapple

1 - 1 1/2 pds. pork tenderloin cut into 1 inch chunks
1 can pineapple chunks with 100% juice
1/4 molasses
1/4 olive oil
1 tbsp ginger


Combine all ingredients in a vacuum bag. Freeze.


Serving Day

Thaw and saute pork and pineapple in skillet until pork is done. Do not over cook! Pork tenderloin is so lean it drys out very quickly. About 10min. Transfer to a serving dish and wrap tightly with foil to let rest for about 5 minutes. Serve with instant brown rice.


Chicken & Beans
8 chicken breast tenderloins
2 cups of beans (they have to be soaked over night but not cooked)
2 cups organic vegetable or chicken broth
1 onion diced
2 garlic gloves
1 Tbsp fennel seed
1 Tbsp parsley


Combine all ingredients in vacuum bag. Freeze


Serving Day
Thaw and dump in crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours



Beef Roast
1-2 pd. English roast
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 olive oil
1/2 cup onion - finely diced
2 garlic cloves - minced
black pepper


In 8x8 pan, place roast and cut slits in the top with knife. Pour marinade over top, leaving the onions in a even layer on top of the roast. Cover tightly with foil. Cook in 350 degree oven for 2 hours. Remove from oven and let rest for 20 min. Place roast and dripping in the vacuum bag. Allow to cool completely before freezing.



Serving Day
Thaw and Heat


Stuffed Peppers
16 medium hot peppers - tops cut off, seeds removed, blanched
1 pd. lean all natural ground beef
1 onion - diced
4 garlic gloves - minced
1 16oz container of part skim ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
2 cups spinach - frozen or blanched for freezing
2 slices of whole wheat toast - diced small for crumbs
Oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary to taste

Brown beef with onions and garlic. Take off heat and and rest of ingredients. Stuff peppers and place in vacuum bag. Allow to cool before freezing.

Serving day
Grill, bake, or crock pot until peppers and tender. Serve with instant brown rice

Ravioli Soup
1 Onion & garlic diced - I'm seeing a pattern :)
1 28oz can of low sodium diced tomatoes
8 cups organic vegetable broth (2 cartons)
1 bag ricotta cheese ravioli
1/2 bag baby spinach - stems removed, chopped

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil
Add tomatoes and broth, bring to a boil. Add ravioli and cook per package instructions (boil for 8 minutes) add spinach the last 3 min. of cooking. Done! Delicious! Vacuum bag, cool before freezing, this will make 2 separate dinners.

This is it for today! Off to my first night of school! I'll add more tomorrow!

What else can you do to a veggie?

Roasted Carrots

When 3/4 of your dinner plate is veggies every night, you need to have lots of different variations of the same vegetables. You can't very well serve steamed carrots over and over again! Take Bubba to heart - "you can bbq it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it....." So how many ways can you serve a carrot?? Here's one way. It was a big hit with the family!

5-6 unpeeled, washed carrots - Most of the nutrition is in or right below the peel. No other vegetable or fruit contains as much carotene as carrots, which the body converts to vitamin A. Chop chunks too roughly all the same size.
1/4 Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Olive Oil
1/4 organic broth - can be beef or chicken depending on the main dish
Thyme, Rosemary, & Black Pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat carrots with marinade and cook until carrots are browned and tender, 45min. to an hour. When you remove the carrots from the oven, pour alittle broth in the dish. While scraping the bottom, toss with the carrots. This loosens all of the yummy goodness from the bottom of the pan. Enjoy!

Good health never came out of a pill.

New favorite snacks - frozen grapes and blueberries!

It all started when I was freezing a TON of fresh fruit that I had gotten at a great price for the winter. Pints of blueberries for .99, peaches for .88 lb, strawberries for 1.79, red grapes .79 lb, You can't beat the end of summer prices. My daughter came into the kitchen as I was getting a cookie sheet of the blueberries from the freezer. She popped one in her mouth, her eyes got big, and she said it tasted like candy! Well, frozen blueberry stock for winter is now dwindling daily:). My husband loves the frozen red seedless grapes. I might add that they are delicious. This is the website I used to learn about freezing fruit - It's great!
http://www.pickyourown.org/allaboutcanning.htm#freezing. Many berries and some fruit can be frozen in a single layer on a cookie sheet. They freeze individually and can then be put in a freezer bag. It's that easy!

Nutrition Packed No Bake Cookies!

As I looked at my old recipe for no bake cookies, I realized that the ingredients are pretty much all natural. With a few tweaks, I was able to boost nutrition & cut down the sugar and butter. They turned out delicious and sated the need for CHOCOLATE!

1 cup organic cane sugar - While different sugars are metabolized by the body the same way. Some natural sugars, like cane sugar, have much less of an impact on your blood glucose levels.
1/2 skim milk
1/2 pure baking cocoa
3 tbsp unsalted butter

Combine in a pan a heat until boiling. Continue to boil, stirring constantly for 3 min. Remove from heat and add

1/2 cup all natural peanut butter (I used smart balance - chunky)
1 tea. pure vanilla (not imitation)
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 ground flax seed
1 tbsp cinnamon - one of the healthiest spices in the world!

Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper or spread in prepared 8x8 pan. Refrigerate until firm. I cut the amount of sugar in half. This causes the cookies to set up more like a fudge. I increased the cocoa from 3 tbsp and that gave it more of a dark chocolate flavor. I always loved cinnamon in my hot chocolate so I figured I'd give it a try in the cookies - YUMMY. Aside from the butter, which I cut from 4 tbsp. this version is packed with nutrition!

Finally, the perfect base for a mixed fruit smoothie!

With the right ingredients a smoothie for breakfast is nutritious & delicious!

Mixed Fruit Smoothies
1/2 cup skim milk (or all natural juice)
1 cup Stonyfield's Organic French Vanilla yogurt
2 whole pieces of fruit or 1 cup of fruit like berries - skins on if possible, cut up (fruit with a rind like oranges & lemons, use the zest for added nutrition)

Blend together on high. Makes great Popsicles!

Combination ideas:
Strawberry/banana
Mango/peach
Pumpkin/cranberry
Pomegranate/mango
Blueberry/orange
Cherry/lemon

I've been freezing fruit for the winter. I think I'm going to freeze up the amount of fruit needed for a batch in individual "smoothie combos" for easy breakfasts during the school year.
This is great site that's tells you how to can or freeze just about anything.
http://www.pickyourown.org/allaboutcanning.htm

Cathy's Shopping Guide

It's hard to remember what you should look out for on food labels while your at the grocery store. I came up with a list that has helped me.

Food Additives to avoid - prepackaged food with these ingredients in them - I do not buy

Sodium nitrite is commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef to stabilize the red color and add flavor. The preservative prevents growth of bacteria, but studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.
Artificial Colors are chemical compounds made from coal-tar derivatives to enhance color. They are linked to allergic reactions, fatigue, asthma, skin rashes, hyperactivity, and headaches. Blue 1&2 has caused brain tumors in mice. Red 3 caused thyroid tumors in rats. Yellow 6 has caused adrenal gland & kidney tumors, and contains small amounts of many carcinogens.
Artificial Flavorings are cheap chemical mixtures that mimic natural flavors. The are linked to allergic reactions, dermatitis, eczema, hyperactivity, and asthma. They also affect enzymes, RNA, and thyroid.
Artificial Sweeteners (Acesulfame-K, Aspar-tame, Equal, NutraSweet, Saccharin, Sweet’n Low, Su-cralose, Splenda, & Sorbitol) are highly-processed, chemically derived, zero calorie sweeteners found in diet foods and diet products to reduce calories per serving. They can negatively impact metabolism. Some have been linked to cancer, dizziness, hallucinations, and headaches.
High Fructose Corn Syrup is a cheap alternative to cane and beet sugar. It helps preserve baked goods and maintain sweetness in beverages. It isn’t easily metabolized by the liver. It increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer.
MSG is a flavor enhancer in restaurant food, salad dressing, chips, frozen entrees, soups, and other foods. It may stimulate appetite and cause headaches, nausea, weakness, wheezing, edema, change in heart rate, burning sensations and difficulty breathing.
Olestra is an indigestible fat substitute primarily used in foods that are fried or baked. It inhibits the absorption of some nutrients. It is linked to gastrointestinal disease, diarrhea, gas, cramps, bleeding, and incontinence.
Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenate Oil are industrially created fats used in more than 40,000 food products in the U.S. They contain high levels of trans fats which raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, contributing to the risk of heart disease.
Potassium Bromate is rare, but still legal in the U.S., and used as an additive to increase volume in white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals—and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans. California requires a cancer warning on the product label if potassium bromate is an ingredient.
Sulfites destroy vitamin B1; small amounts may cause asthma, anaphylactic shock; dangerous for asthma, allergy sufferers; has caused deaths; banned on fresh fruits and vegetables, except potatoes.
Brominated Vegetable Oil is a chemical that boosts flavor in many citric-based fruit and soft drinks. It increases triglycerides and cholesterol. It can damage the liver, testicles, thyroid, heart, and kidneys.
Benzoate Preservatives (BHT, BHA, TBHQ) are compounds that preserve fats and prevent them from be-coming rancid. They can affect estrogen balance and levels. They may result in hyperactivity, angiodema, asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis, tumors, and urticaria.


40 of the World’s healthiest foods - these foods have become staples in my kitchen

Beans
Oranges
Blueberries
Turkey
Walnuts
Yogurt
Sweet potatoes
Citrus fruit
Butter nut squash
Skim or 1% milk
Apples
Avocados
Dark chocolate
Honey
Kiwi
Onions
Pomegranates
Apricots
Watermelon
Eggs
Pumpkin
Pomegranates
Broccoli
Apricots
Oats
Raspberries
Oranges
Cantaloupe
Pumpkin
Cranberries
Salmon
Raisins
Soy
Prunes
Spinach or
Kale
Cabbage
Tea
(green or black)
Tomatoes
Red Grapes
Strawberries

Healthiest herbs and spices - Herbs and Spices have replaced salt in our house. I try to use these especially in my cooking.
Black Pepper
Pepper is one of the world's healthiest spices because it is known for its positive effect on the digestive tract. It also has antibacterial and antioxidant benefits. Pepper also provides Vitamin A, Calcium, Copper, Vitamin K, Iron, Manganese, Magnesium and Potassium.

Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is derived from hot chili peppers. Cayenne pepper is great at fighting inflammation. Cayenne pepper is rich in Vitamin A, and also provides Iron, Manganese, Niacin, Niacin, Magnesium and Potassium, Riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K and Vitamin B6, making it one of the world's healthiest spices.

Cinnamon
Ground Cinnamon is not only very low in cholesterol, and in sodium, it is low in saturated fat. Cinnamon also boosts your vitamin intake with its Vitamin C , Iron, Manganese, and
Vitamin K.

Cloves
Cloves add Beta Cryptoxanthin, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium Vitamin A and Vitamin C to your food. Cloves can be used to treat digestive tract cancers. Cloves are also offer anesthetic and anti-bacterial qualities and is used in oral care products, as well as in substances used by dentists.

Oregano
Oregano is one of the most antioxidant dense foods in the world! It also has strong antibacterial properties.

Ginger
Ginger, like most spices, is low in cholesterol, low in saturated fat, and low in sodium. Ginger provides Copper, Manganese, Magnesium, Potassium, and Vitamin C. Ginger, even when used in Ginger Ale, is known for its positive effects on an upset stomach, or medically, on gastrointestinal distress. Ginger is a great way to quell motion sickness. It also has some anti-inflammatory benefits.

Mustard Seed
Mustard seeds are one of the world's healthiest spices because they are a good sources of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and protein, as well as Lutein and Zeaxanthin. They also boast omega 3 fatty acids. Mustard seeds are also a great source of selenium. Selenium is considered to have cancer-prevention qualities, anti-inflammatory qualities, and can even lessen the severity of asthma

Turmeric
Turmeric is low in cholesterol and low in sodium. The yellow turmeric also provides dietary fiber, Iron, Manganese, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and Potassium. Turmeric is considered one of the world's healthiest spices because of its anti-inflammatory qualities, it aids in digestion and it can help heal wounds.

Garlic
Regular consumption of garlic can decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It also aids digestion and prevents flatulence. Recent research shows garlic to be beneficial in the treatment of diabetes.

Alkaline Forming Foods - Just remember - funky stuff grows when your pH balance is more acidic

Leafy greens
Carrots
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Celery
Cabbage
Broccoli
Beets
Sprouts
Peaches
Citrus fruits
Bananas
Melons
Strawberries
Apples
Apricots
Plums
Pears
Cucumber
Almonds
Olive oil
Avocados
Stevia natural sweetener
Pure maple syrup
Honey
Lemons
Asparagus
Onions
Spinach
Garlic
Parsley
Mushrooms
Peas
Olives
Sweet potato
Green Beans
Fresh corn
Green Tea

Fats to choose - Your body needs the good fats!

When choosing fats, your best options are unsaturated fats:
monounsaturated - olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts & seeds
polyunsaturated - vegetable oils such as safflower, corn, sunflower, soy, cottonseed, nuts & seeds

These fats, if used in place of others, can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in your blood.
One type of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 fatty
acids, may be especially beneficial to your heart. Omega-3s appear to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. They may also protect against irregular heartbeats and help lower blood pressure
levels.

Omega 3 - fatty, cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring, flaxseeds, flax oil, and walnuts

Whole Grains - NOTHING WHITE

Barley
Brown Rice
Buckwheat
Corn
Oats
Quinoa
Rye
Whole Wheat
Wheat Germ
Make sure all your grains are WHOLE!
Whole grains are some of the best sources for nutritional support, providing long-lasting energy (as a result of the body absorbing them slowly unlike simple carbs).


This is what we eat. We feel great, blood pressure is down, weight is down, good cholesterol is excellent, bad cholesterol and triglycerides are very low :) I really feel that focusing on overall health is the key to losing weight the right way! Please feel free too copy and paste into a word document and take this shopping with you!

Iced Fruity Green Tea

Most bottles of flavored tea contain artificial colors, preservatives, and high fructose corn syrup. Tea is supposed to be good for you...right? Google "super foods" and Green Tea is at the top of any list you come across. Cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular disease, infection, impaired immune function are just some of the conditions that green tea has been proven to be helpful. So why cancel out the benefits of green tea by adding ingredients that cause health issues? WHO KNOWS! I decided to add green tea to our everyday by making up a big pitcher at home. I bought the economy size box of green tea bags. I received a box of Celestial Seasoning Fruit Tea Sampler as a gift. It contains 3 bags each of raspberry, peach, wild berry, blueberry, and black cherry. I decided to mix the two one day and came up with our new favorite beverage!

Iced Fruity Green Tea - the kind that's good for you!
1 gallon pitcher
5 green tea bags
3 fruit tea bags
3/4 to 1 cup organic cane sugar

Heat 3 cups of water and the cane sugar on the stove until the sugar dissolves. Pour into the pitcher and add the tea bags. Let steep. Fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water and refrigerate. Super yummy!

All natural, Low sodium BBQ Burritos

One of our favorites is a recipe I got from a friend of mine many years ago. I think she said it was their version of a Chi Chi's dish. MMMMMM, Chi Chi's. Anyways, I came up with a recipe that fits into our new lifestyle and is just as yummy!



BBQ Burritos

Low sodium tortillas - yes, these are kind of hard to find. Most flour tortillas contain up to 500mg! Giant Eagle has a 6 pk. of brown rice flour tortillas in their all natural, organic freezer section for $3 that has 160mg of sodium. Marc's carries a 10pk of flour tortillas for $4.50 that has 85mg. These are the ones I usually buy but they don't always have them. I'm still trying to master my own recipe :)

1 cup Instant whole grain brown rice

1 jar all natural low sodium salsa - Newman's Own, mild, is the lowest I've found in sodium.

1 cup beans - either a no salt added canned bean - any kind, or prepared dry beans

2 cups roasted chicken

Shredded cheese



BBQ Sauce - I've posted this already but here it is again

1 cup No salt added, All natural Ketchup

1/4 Mustard

1/4 Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 Molasses

1 tea. crushed red pepper



Mix the rice, salsa, and beans together. Coat the chicken with BBQ sauce. To assemble - On tortilla, layer rice mixture, then chicken, and top with cheese. Wrap up and place on a sprayed cookie sheet. Cook for about 10 min. at 425 degrees. Enjoy!

Finally! My search is over!

I have spent 4 months trying to find or make my kids favorite, mac-n-cheese. My attempt at the homemade all natural, whole wheat version was not good :( We've tried several different organic, all natural store bought brands. Blah! Finally, I found it! Annie's Homegrown Shells and White Cheddar Mac-n-Cheese. All natural made it organic pasta. I wish the sodium content was lower. It's got 530mg per 1 cup serving. That is still lower then leading brands so we'll compromise. At $1.79 a box at Marc's, it a great deal. The kids scarfed it up and asked for more!

Something besides ceral please!

If there's no cereal in the house, no matter how stocked the cabinets are, the kids think there's nothing to eat! Dave and I love Kashi cereal but the kids are not huge fans. Mom's Best makes "kid friendly" all natural cereal but there are only about 8 varieties to choose from at Marc's. I'm constantly trying to come up with a breakfast food that will top cereal as the kids favorite.

English Egg Muffins
Thomas's Hearty Grain Whole Wheat English Muffins - Not all natural, but nothing from the AVOID LIST!
Eggs (you can use just the whites or if making a bigger batch, just use the yolks of half the eggs, this will help cut down the cholesterol content)
paprika, pepper, oregano, flax seed & basil to taste
Skim milk
Shredded Swiss (Shredded Swiss is very low in sodium! Only about 60 mg per serving!)

Mix the egg, milk, and herbs. Lightly spray a pan with canola or olive oil. Make a foil ring the size of the English Muffin and spray the inside with non stick spray. Place the ring in the skillet a slowly pour egg mixture into it. Cover skillet and cook until the egg is cooked most of the way through. Flip, and top with alittle shredded Swiss. Place the egg on a Toasted English Muffin. The eggs stay nicely in the fridge in a tightly sealed container so make extra for quick breakfast through the week!

Sauteed Green Beans

I just discovered my new favorite way to have green beans fresh from the garden. In the past, bacon or ham would always accompany my garden beans and they would cook forever in a crock pot. The long cook time removes just about anything healthy a green bean has going for it. Add the ham or bacon and it should no longer be considered a vegetable!

Sauteed Green Beans
1 lb fresh green beans
1 Tbsp olive oil
Garlic powder & onion powder to taste

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add beans and boil for 3 minutes. Drain. Add beans to olive oil and seasoning in skillet. Saute until they start to turn golden brown.

YuMmY! Green beans are very low in calories and super high in many nutrients and minerals. This short cook time keeps them intact. They turn out tender crisp and delicious!

Recycle that expensive 100% pure maple syrup glass bottle!

Ravioli Soup

I love making soup! Really , any one pot meal is right up my ally. Who says "you can't have soup in the summer"? Turn on the a/c and enjoy!

Ravioli Soup

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large green onion - chopped
5 cloves of garlic - minced
1 cup Baby Bella mushrooms - sliced
1 28oz can All natural Red Pack tomatoes with Oregano, Basil, and Garlic (low in sodium with only 90 mg per 1/4 cup serving)
1 32oz carton organic chicken broth
Cheyenne pepper, oregano, basil, and rosemary to taste (these 4 spices are in the top ten of healthiest spices and herbs. I am using them in everything these days!
1 bag ricotta filled ravioli (part skim ricotta cheese is very low in sodium at about 65mg per serving)
3 cups chopped fresh spinach

Saute onion, garlic, and mushrooms in olive oil until almost done. Add tomatoes, broth and spices. Bring to a boil, add ravioli and cook for 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 3 minutes.

I love this soup because it's super easy. You wouldn't know it but the end sodium content is only at about 300mg per bowl if the pot is divided in 8 servings!

Oh no, that wasn't me...I'm a lady!

Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fiber......Oh my! My research has turned up a few ways to naturally conquer the gas problem that comes along with eating lots of fresh produce and fiber. My favorite so far is Sleepy Time Tea by Celestial Seasonings. It contains 2 herbs that help prevent gas, chamomile and spearmint. I have learned that carminative herbs are herbs that soothe the stomach wall and reduce the production of gas in the digestive tract. Caraway, cardamon, celery seed, chamomile, cinnamon, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, parsley, peppermint, sage, and thyme are some examples of carminative herbs. I've since started useing alot of these types of herbs in my cooking. I do think that gas production is down:)

Forget deli lunchmeat, roast a chicken!

Food prep has become a huge part of my life. Sure, they have "convenient, pre-made" all natural low sodium food out there but our budget doesn't allow for that kind of easy! Therefor, just about everything is made from scratch. Put my in a bonnet and I'd fit right in back in the old'n days. :) For us, the only way to make this work is to have a variety of things prepared and ready to go for the week. I'm an Educational Assistant for my kids school district. While it's easier now that I have the summer off, during the school year was a different story. I would spend a good chunk of Sunday just preparing food for the week. Most of it was for lunches since we all pack for school and work. Here are some yummy tips & ideas!


One of the first things I did was change bread. I have been buying wheat for years but since most bread has high fructose corn syrup in it we switched to Nature's Pride. It is one of the few bread brands I have found that is all natural. They also make hamburger and hot dog buns. It goes on sale for 3 for $5 at Marc's quite often. Acme only carries the hamburger buns and they are over by the deli case.

Juice boxes for the kids - We switched from Capri Sun to Apple & Eve Fruitables fruit & vegetable juice. This is an all natural brand that contains less sugar then Capri Sun's. We can get a case of 36 at Sam's Club for about $9. That's very comparable to Capri's Sun.

Iced Green Tea - (another one of those things that have endless health benefits!) For a 1 gallon pitcher, I use 8 tea bags & 6-8 packets of Stevia (Stevia is a plant that tribes in Paraguay have been using for centuries as a sweetener. It has no impact on blood sugar levels, can help lower blood pressure, and helps promote gum health by acting as an antibacterial that kills the germs that causes gum disease.) Both Green Tea and Stevia break down to an alkaline end product in your body. Google "your bodies pH balance" for more info on alkaline vs acidic.

Mid morning snacks - Even with a nice bowl of oats for breakfast, by 10am I'm starving. I found this mix to be SOOOOOO filling that I packed it everyday. Raw almonds, lightly salted sunflower kernels, & dries cranberries.

Harb boil a whole dozen eggs for snacking or to add to a salad

Chicken & Fruit Salad
4 cups roasted chicken
1 cup red seedless graped - cut in half
1 cup chopped apples - skin on
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 chopped almonds
1/2 ground flax seed
oregano, basil, pepper, & paprika to taste
2 Tbsp mustard
Just enough Hellman's all natural mayo to lightly coat everything

Preheat oven to 375degrees. Place 4 split all natural chicken breasts on a rack in a roasting pan. Lightly coat with olive oil. Season with oregano, basil, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, and rosemary. Roast uncovered for 45 minutes or until internal temp is 170degrees. If the breasts are not the same size, check the smaller ones sooner to prevent them from drying out. Let cool, remove skin, & chop. Mix with remaining ingredients and refrigerate. Serve cold.

Ants on a log - A favorite because I am a peanut butter-aholic. I'm not going to lie...I eat peanut butter right out of the jar. Sadly, before we switched to Smart Balance, my daily intake of hydrogenated oils from Peter Pan was through the roof. Ants on a log can be made up and stored in a sealed container for easy snacking.
Spread peanut butter evenly on a stalk of celery, cover with raisins. Flax seed and or wheat germ can be mixed with the peanut butter for added nutrition.

Add some fresh fruit and veggies with alittle Kraft Tuscan House Italian for dipping and call it a wholesome day's worth of food! I have found that the all natural foods we now eat are so much higher in fiber and protein that I am not eating nearly as much. Did I mention I've now lost 20 pounds!

A1 makes me a happy girl :)

I was so relieved when I read the label for AI steak sauce and realized it was one of the few things in my fridge door that we could still have! We were always to ones who people asked "Hey, do you want alittle steak to go with that A1". No, it's not all natural and the sodium is a bit on the high side at 280mg per 1Tbsp serving but it is still doable! I was messing around with some beef and came up with a yummy recipe.

Marinated Beef with Peppers and Onions
1 pd. beef- cubed (I bought a couple of all natural roasts on sale. I like to chop some of it up into 1 inch cubes before I freeze it.)
1/4 A1 sauce
1/4 Red Wine Vinegar (The health benefits of Red Wine Vinegar are endless!!!)
Pepper to taste
1 whole Yellow Pepper - chopped
1 whole Onion - chopped
1 Tbsp
1 cup instant whole grain brown rice

Marinate the beef in the vinegar, A1, and pepper mixture for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Saute the beef, peppers, and onion in the olive oil until beef is done and veggies tender (about 20 min). Cook the rice according to the directions and add to beef and veggies at the end.

This was really easy to put together & everyone loved it! When we first started eating this way, I basically had to relearn how to cook. Frustrating......OMG, worth it.......absolutely! I never realized how many different flavors you can taste in a dish when it doesn't have much salt in it. I'm have really loved experimenting with different herbs, spices, juices, & vinegars! It has forced me to think outside of my cooking box and try new things. Over the last 3 1/2 months, I have tried MANY new recipes and cooking techniques. I think it's because of this that the kids are now more willing to try something new. That by itself makes me a happy mommy!

The reason pure maple syrup is expensive....

I have been paying about $6 a bottle for 100% pure maple syrup. I was rinsing out the glass bottle we just finished for recycling and realized why they are so expensive! The syrup comes in the cutest little glass bottles. Most brands have different shaped and sized glass bottles. They would be super cute for crafts! I have some glass paint upstairs...I'll post what I come up with :)

Nutrition all the rage.

We started this new label reading lifestyle back in March. I've noticed recently that eating all natural & low sodium is getting alot of tv coverage . I'm like, OMG, did I start a nation wide movement?? Probably not, but it is fun to think so!

Alot of people have said "but your not counting calories or watching fat?" Here are my two cense about that. Your body tells you when your hungry and when it needs more or it's had enough. You have a built in calorie counter. When the only thing you put in your body is wholesome, vitamin & mineral packed, all natural foods, you are giving your body everything it needs. The fats in these foods are the super heart healthy monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, & omega 3 fatty acids. Though the weight loss is a nice side effect but our initial reason for changing the way we ate was for heart health. I've been looking at the labels of some "health" food and I've come to the conclusion that you'll trade the weight for diabetes & high blood pressure. They contained a surprising amount of sodium and artificial sweeteners! I don't get it!

BBQ sauce

I grill ALL year round. My favorite BBQ sauce has always been Sweet Baby Ray's. I love it for it's sweet, stickiness. Sadly, as with almost all of our past favorites, high fructose corn syrup is the first ingredient. I have since found that making your own BBQ sauce is super easy! If you sort through all of the crap on the ingredient list of Sweet Baby Rays you come up with -
Tomato paste, vinegar, pineapple juice, molasses, & garlic. Those ingredients alone seem like they would make quite a tasty sauce. Why add all the other crap??? Here is one of the sauces I've come up with. The whole family loves it!


All natural Chicken Legs w/ BBQ sauce
Start by rinsing the legs. Marinate them in alittle olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and spices to taste ( I like thyme, rosemary, oregano, and curry) for at least a 1/2 hour. The trick with legs is that they need to cook for a LLOOOONNNNNGGGGG time over low heat. Place the legs on the grill, over low heat with the lid down for 45 min! Turn once mid way through. This melts all of the fat off the leg leaving a much tastier result! Baste the legs with the sauce in the last 5 -10 minutes of cooking.

Sauce
1 cup Hunt's All natural no salt added ketchup
1/4 apple cider vinegar (Search apple cider vinegar health benefits and you'll find that many sites state that apple cider vinegar's health benefits aid in diabetes, high cholesterol, blood pressure & heart health, cancer, and weight loss.)
1/4 molasses
1/4 mustard
1 Tsp red crushed pepper

Combine all ingredients and chill for 1/2 hour for flavors to mesh!

Blueberry crumble

When life gives you blueberries......

Do a search on "super foods" and blueberries are at the top! Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them a top choice for doctors and nutritionists!

Blueberry Orange Crumble
6-8 cups Fresh Blueberries
2 Tbsp whole wheat or oat flour
Zest and juice from 1 whole orange
3/4 cup whole wheat or oat flour
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp cinnamon
4 Tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375. In a 9x13 prepared (cooking spray) pan combine blueberries, orange zest and juice, and 2 tbsp flour. For topping, melt butter and combine with rest of ingredients. Spread evenly on top of fruit. Bake for 30 minutes. YUMMY. Goes great with Breyer's all natural vanilla!

Spicy rice and veggies

I put this recipe together using bits and pieces of 3 others. It's sooooo good!

Spicy rice and veggies

1 onion - diced
3-4 garlic cloves - minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
Red, yellow, green pepper - 1/2 of each - chopped
1 cup broccoli crowns - cut in to smaller pieces
1 cup baby bella mushrooms - sliced
parsley, basil, marjoram, cumin, turmeric, & cayenne pepper - to taste
(I don't usually measure spices, but I'd say about 1/2 - 1 tsp each
1 cup instant whole grain brown rice
2 cups organic broth - chicken or beef - divided

Saute onions & garlic in olive oil until almost done. Add 1 cup of broth, veggies, and spices. Cook until vegetables are tender crisp. Cook the rice in 1 cup of broth covered in the microwave for 8 minutes. Add the rice to vegetables, stir and serve.

You can add different veggies. I added a 1/2 can of no sodium added garbanzo beans the last time I made it. I really like how versatile it is!

Your bodies PH balance

You know..It's all just science. We are one giant science project. I heard about this a couple of years ago and thought it was really interesting. We all have a PH balance. Just like the our swimming our pools. If the PH balance is off..funk stuff can grow. The truth is, disease, viruses, cancer, all flourish in an acidic enviroment. Your bodies PH balance is determined by the food you eat. Check out naturalhealthschool.com/pH-balance.

Healthy dessert

One of our favorites is the frozen banana. I cut them in half and stick a popsicle stick through the bottom. Dunk them in Stonyfield organic strawberry yogurt. Coat them with Kashi lean crunch cereal. Freeze them. They heal a sweet tooth and the kids can have them for breakfast!

All natural, low sodium tip on salad dressing

Veggies have taken over 75% of our plates! I have looked at the ingredients and nutritional facts of just about every bottle of salad dressing. Even the ones with names like Balsamic Olive Oil & Herb have high fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient! So far, the best tasting I've found is Kraft Tuscan House Italian. Although not all natural, the sodium content is doable without the crap content of so many others. It has satisfied the dressing needs of our family!

All natural, low sodium tips

Before we started our allnatloso adventure, canned tomatoes and beans were a staple in my kitchen. While they don't have the crap content, the sodium in out the roof. I found one canned tomato that has proven to be delicious and versatile. RedPack's 100% natural diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, & oregano in thick puree. I can buy a 28oz can at Marc's for $1!!!
It only has 90mg of sodium per 1/4 serving.

I use this as our sauce for whole grain pasta. There is no need to add anything else. The way it's seasoned it can be used for Italian & Mexican dishes.

Beans....beans were not so easy. I started with dried beans. I still haven't found my niche with the dry bean. I've opted to hunt down no sodium added canned beans and pay for convenience.

All natural, low sodium tips

Since lunch meat was no longer an option with it's super high sodium and "crap"(this is what I've come to call all of the bad additives) content. Lunch needed a makeover. I've since started roasting a turkey breast to use for lunch meat. Not just any turkey breast, it has to be all natural with NO added solution.

Roasted Turkey Breast

Preheat over to 350*
Rinse breast and place in roasting pan
Top (liberally) with oregano, basil, paprika, rosemary, garlic & onion powder
Roast uncovered for 1-1 1/2 hours
I use a meat thermometer so that the breast doesn't become overcooked and dry, 180 degrees!

Remove from oven and cover the breast tightly with foil and let rest for 20 minutes. This helps keep all the yummy juices inside. Discard skin and carve up for sandwiches. Place in a air tight container in the fridge.

A full price turkey breast costs between $8 and $10. I think that's pretty comparable to the price of lunch meat when you buy a pound of this and a pound of that and you get just as much meat.

How my family went all natural, organic, low sodium

The first thing I did was google "top ten healthiest foods" & "food additives to avoid". Most sites had the same opinion with a few differences. I then researched the WHY's of the good and bad. Now it was time to look in our cabinets and refrigerator. I've always prided myself on the fact that we have a responsible, functional method of building our family. I only bought prepackaged junk food occasionally. Always opted for the 100% juice instead of the cheaper "red" or "blue" drink. We never put pop in our 1 year old's bottle (seen it happen). We've always thought we leaned more to the health side of things with our choices. I was shocked to see how many items from the "food additives to avoid" list were in MOST of our food! Two of the top contenders, high fructose corn syrup & partially hydrogenated oil, were in almost EVERYTHING! I've discovered to many health risks linked to both to list them all here. That was really scary and overwhelming! Sad thing was, we had just gone to Sam's club and stocked up. Cases of green beans, corn, Bisquick mix, tomato soup, and so on and so on....All super high in sodium. Most had enough items from the bad list to concern us. What could we do? We couldn't get rid of the stuff and buy new. We took all natural, low sodium baby steps.

All natural, low sodium pizza

I have found plenty of all natural recipes online. The problem is that sodium is a natural ingredient! Our all natural, organic, low sodium adventure started 3 months ago with a call from my husbands dental surgeon. His blood pressure had been up for the last few years. Hovering at about 150/90. Right at the beginning of needing medication. We thought that if we stopped adding salt to our meals at the dinner table we would be ok. Back in March, my husband had to have a wisdom tooth surgically removed. That night the ACTUAL DENTAL SURGEON called. He said he was concerned about Dave's blood pressure. That really got my attention. Apparently not adding salt from the shaker was not enough. That got me looking at labels. That got me noticing all of the other crap that was in there with the sodium. Then, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution aired on t.v. This all happened in the span of a couple of days. Things just happened to line up in a way that lit a fire under my butt!


All Natural, Low Sodium Pizza

Start with my recipe for crust
For the toppings
Sauce - RedPack 100% natural crushed tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano. These crushed tomatoes have the least sodium with BEST taste I have found. 90mg per 1/4 serving. I use this on our pasta as well, straight from the can with nothing else added. DELICIOUS!
Chopped FRESH veggies (nothing from a can, we do kinda miss pepper rings and black olives) - tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, red onion...
Low fat mozzarella - at about 180mg sodium per serving, it's not to bad. I just noticed that shredded swiss has alot less, 60mg per serving. The next time I make anything with shredded cheese I'm going to try to add half swiss to cut down on the sodium and see how it tastes.

Bake at 425 until cheese is nice a golden.

My son had 5 pieces when I made this! Did I mention that he is probably going to grow 9 inches this summer the way he has been eating!

Yeast, all natural, low sodium pizza crust

Finding an all natural, low sodium pizza crust was proving impossible! I had to make my own. Using yeast for the first time is alittle bit overwhelming. It seemed like there were to many steps. It's so easy to kill those little suckers and you end up with a very dense, pizza sized flat biscuit. After chopping them all up they made really good "homemade croutons". So the 6Th. time was a charm! The dough was rising now hopefully it tasted good! When you do get it right it makes all the steps worth it!

Pizza Crust
1 1/3 cup luke warm water
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 tsp. honey
1/4 oats
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for coating the dough
garlic powder, onion, powder, oregano (did you know that oregano is the most antioxidant dense food?? I now add it to everything!), basil, rosemary to taste
1/4 cup ground flax seed (the health benefits of flax are endless and you can add it to just about anything!)
3 1/2 whole wheat flour

Pour the water into a large bowl and sprinkle in yeast. Stir in the honey and oats, let set for 5 minutes. Stir in the oil and seasoning. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix well, let set for 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour gradually mixing well. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. Place the dough in an oiled bowl covered in plastic wrap and let double in size. Punch the dough down and turn it out kneading it briefly. Let set for 5 minutes. Roll it out and place on a oiled (I use canola spray) pizza pan and add toppings.

All natural low sodium recipes that WORK!

It's been 3 months since my family has gone all natural, organic, low sodium. My husbands blood pressure is down! I've lost 17 Pd's.! We have a ton more energy! Quite a few people have asked about recipes. I'll try to pass on what I've learned these past months. There has been alot of trial and error. It's very frustrating when you have a recipe box full of your families favorites that have to be tweaked to fit in with your new life style. Some did not work so well. Like our FAVORITE Ravioli Soup with spinach and tomatoes. Sounds very healthy right. Not when you looked at the sodium content. I substituted with low sodium organic chicken broth, no sodium added canned tomatoes, skipped the Campbell's cream of chicken & poultry seasoning and basically ended up with ravioli, spinach, & tomato water! I've since learned that compromising on a few ingredients is ok, like the organic chicken broth that's not low sodium, and the sodium content will still be way down.

Stuffed Pepper Soup
1 pd. 96% lean ground beef or turkey
1 diced onion
4 gloves minced garlic

Brown meat with onions & garlic. Mix in all other ingredients and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Yellow, red, green pepper - diced
1 28oz. can crushed low sodium all natural tomatoes (RedPack has a 100% natural crushed tomatoes with basil, garlic, & oregano that has 90 mg of sodium per 1/4 cup serving. It's DELICIOUS!)
2 cups organic beef broth (not the low sodium..I know, I know, but it still has far less than non organic)
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp organic cane sugar
1 Tbsp molasses
pepper, red pepper seed, ground celery salt to taste

Make robots with the kids!

Recycled soup, tuna, and vegatable cans make the cutest robots when you add magnets and the stuff in the bottom of your junk drawer. I got this idea from familyfun.com and knew the kids would love it. Hot glue magnets to the non magnitized items. Have Fun!

Here is a sample of some of the costumes I've made for the dance company. My daughters class were the Rag Dolls in the December performance of The Christmas Angel.

Seamstress in Akron Ohio for sale!

I am a new blogger. Forgive me while I get the hang of it. I've been sewing for years and it never crossed my mind to take pictures of my work. I do have a picture of my first sewing adventure. A Halloween costume I made for my daughter about 7 1/2 years ago. I've sewn costumes for my kids ever since. For the past 3 years, I have made the costumes for my daughters dance company. Close to 100 pieces total. I'll get pictures up soon.