Veggie Rolls

*Casie Here*

 I made some veggie rolls the other night. I baked them instead of fried. They turned out pretty good. 

 I used onions, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli sprouts, clean bean noodles, ginger, green onions, yellow & peppers 

Yumm

CORNEAL NEOVASCULARIZATION

How can you tell that this contact lens wearer is not getting enough oxygen to their cornea?

Answer:  The above eye looks slightly red and irritated, but that can be just as much from an irritating environment as it is from the contacts.  To find out if enough oxygen is getting to the cornea, we need to look at this eye under a bit more magnification.  Pictured below is the same eye as above in a magnified view and with a narrow light beam to show the corneal neovascularization.   The slit lamp biomicroscope picture (below) shows blood vessels moving (right to left) from the white conjunctiva into the clear cornea (the clear cornea is in front of the aqua colored iris).  This cornea is starving for oxygen so much that it is recruiting new ("neo") blood vessels ("vascular") from the white conjunctiva because not enough oxygen is getting through the contact lens that this patient has been wearing.

 

The healthy cornea is clear because of numerous reasons and one reason is that it is an avascular tissue, meaning that in it's normal state it does not have blood vessels going through it so the cornea does not have a direct oxygen supply from the body in its normal state.  To acquire oxygen, the cornea relies on receiving oxygen from the environment and when we sleep, the eyelid does a good enough job limiting the amount of oxygen to the cornea.  That is why it is extremely important for contact lens wearers to get as much oxygen to their corneas during their time wearing contacts.



 

Check out one of my next posts that will talk about how contact lens wearers can reduce their risk

for developing corneal neovascularization.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE CHINA STUDY LECTURE

So you viewed my prior video about the ophthalmologist who talked about "The China Study" but you aren't interested in reading, here is a video lecture about "The China Study"

by it's author,  T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. :

 

 

 

 

Quinoa Mix-In

*Casie Here*

We are low on fresh food currently, so I really had to scrape for this little meal. I found some Quinoa in the cupboard and followed the directions on the box. 

While that was cooking, I chopped up a peeled cucumber, 1/4 of an onion (I didn't saute these, so they were pretty potent), some sun dried tomatoes, a can of artichokes, lots of Kalamata olives (I love these), some pine nuts that were in the freezer and a little bit of fresh basil. I used the juice of 1 lemon, some pepper, no salt because the olives have plenty & some garlic powder, added the quinoa when it was done cooking and mixed it all together. 

 I really, really liked this quick and refreshing salad for dinner. 

Veggie Pasta

*Casie Here*

I don't really know what to name this dish. We make it quite often (or a version of it) because my kids LOVE pasta with sauce. Seriously, LOVE it...like they will eat 3 bowls of it (even the little one). We just load it up with vegetables and protein though! Hee hee hee

 I started this one with chopped onion, zuchini and mushrooms. I sauteed it all with a tiny bit of olive oil and threw in some Italian seasoning and garlic powder. I added in some tempeh with flax (below) and warmed that through.

 I added the noodles once they were cooked and put it all together with some spaghetti sauce and a little bit of pesto sauce. I had some fresh basil, so I chopped it up and threw that on top too! It was delicious!!!

Homemade Granola Bars

  Soph and I made these granola bars this week. We used the recipe HERE, but made some changes. I wrote them in below).

They were really easy and delicious. 

Ingredients:

(I doubled this recipe. I had the ingredients out anyway, so I just made twice as much.)

• 4 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (I only had sweetened)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chocolate chips* (I only had dairy free one, they are so good. I get them at Target)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I only had Sea Salt)
• 1/2 cup canola oil (I used Coconut oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey (I used a mix of honey, agave and brown rice syrup to make 1 cup worth ~ just cause)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

4. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir to combine.

5. Place granola mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a rectangle, about 13 x 9 x 1 inch thick. (I did 2 cookie sheets so they were thinner)

6. Bake for 40 minutes. (only took 20 mins since they were thinner)

7. Allow to cool completely then cut into 3 x 1 inch bars. 

*BIG TIP* I cut the bars shortly after they came out of the oven, when they were still warm. It was so much easier that when they harden up.

* You can substitute raisins or other dried fruit for the chocolate chips.

** Individually wrapped, the bars will remain fresh for several weeks. (Ours didn't last that long)

Quote

 

Interesting...

Casie found this video online today.  Where else have you heard this information before?

 

2013 Goals

What if one of your 2013 goals was to motivate one person to: quit smoking, to lose 50 lbs, to lose 100 lbs, talk someone with sleep apnea into taking a sleep study/use CPAP machine or get someone to stop drinking soda (diet or leaded)?

Healthy Snacks for Kids (and adults too)!

Check out this LINK to these awesome healthy snacks for kids! I can't wait to make these, there are SOOOOOOO many! My kids will love them!!!

 Carrot Pineapple Muffins

 Banana Dog Bites

 Cinnamon Honey Wheat Thins

 Green Ice Pops

 Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

 Homemade Fig Bars

Peach Fruit Leather

Brushetta

*Casie Here*

Usually our summer-time favorite, but we had it recently and boy did it hit the spot! 

 Mini heirloom tomatoes chopped with roasted garlic, chopped katamala olives and some fresh basil, drizzled with olive oil and a little salt and pepper! Some times we add a splash of balsamic vinegar. Yummm!

Serve it over french bread that is toasted in the oven. Delicious

Best Soup EVER!!!

I make this type of soup often, but for some reason tonight was really, REALLY good. We really loved it!!! 

 I wanted to write it down before I forgot what I did. 

I started by roasting in a 350 oven a butternut squash halved, seeds scooped out, drizzled with little olive oil, placed flesh side down. Along with 2 sweet potatoes and about 10 mini finger potatoes, chopped. 

I also roasted 2 whole garlic cloves with tops chopped off and olive oil drizzled over them in foil in the oven along with the squash and potatoes. 

 I sauteed in 1/2 stick of butter (Earth Balance) 1 big onion, chopped until translucent. At this point I added thyme, oregano, turmeric, celery salt, basil, cumin, salt & pepper to warm the spices and bring out the full flavor. I added chopped portabella mushrooms, 4 stalks celery, 2 carrots, 2 little yellow squash, 1 big zucchini, 1 big parsnip, 2 cups kale, 1 cup fresh parsley. 1 box vegetable broth, 1 lime, juiced, 1 cup red lentils, 1 can coconut milk, 1 can white cannelloni beans, 1 can of kidney beans both drained and rinsed. I added the things from the oven after they were gently roasted (about 35 mins). I added about 4 cups of water since it was a little thick.

It was so, so good. I am glad we have LOTS left over for the rest of the week!!! : )

Earthy Wheat Bread

*Casie Here*

This morning for New Years breakfast, I made this bread that I have been wanting to make for a while. I was given the recipe by a friend. I made a couple changes and will tell you what I did (In purple).

Overall this is pretty healthy.

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1 cup whole-wheat flour

(My flour is mixed with both, so I just did 2 1/2 cups of my own flour)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup old fashion oats, plus extra for the top

(I think I used just a little more ~ I love oats)

1/4 cup flax seed, plus extra for the top

(I didn't use this much flax, it seemed like a lot ~ I used just a little less)

3 TBS. baking powder

(I didn't use this much baking powder, it seemed like WAY TOO MUCH ~ I used 2 TBS.)

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into 1/2 in. pieces

(I had Earth Balance sticks)

1/2 cup grated carrots 

(2 good sized carrots is what I used)

1/2 cup chopped dates

(I think I used 6, remember to remove the pits)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

(I used Walnuts instead ~ all I had)

1 cup half and half, plus 1 tablespoon for top of bread

(I used 1 cup of vanilla almond milk)

Heat oven to 375, grease 8x8 baking dish. In bowl mix everything up until the butter. 

Add the butter & cut it into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse sand.

I put my carrots and dates in my food processor (my walnuts were already chopped). Toss all together. Add milk and blend until everything is moist. Press dough into pan. Brush top with extra milk, sprinkle extra oats and seeds on top. Bake 35-40 mins. until toothpick comes out clean. Cool & cut. Best to have day of!

Tofu Scramble

*Casie Here*

On Christmas morning I made a Tofu Scramble, basically Scrambled *Eggs*. It was quick, easy and only needed a few ingredients.

I sauteed a small chopped onion in a tiny bit of olive oil. I added chopped mushrooms, yellow pepper, broccoli and 1 container of firm tofu squeezed out and crumbled. I added salt & pepper, turmeric, garlic powder, nutritional yeast and some (like 1 tbs.) Dijon mustard. Heated all till warm and it was done!

Everyone loved it. You really can't tell it's not eggs! 

What Is There to Eat?

 

Here is what our refrigerator looks like with some amazing food options:

Blueberries, Blackberries, Grapes, Dates, Spinach, Cauliflower, Homemade Hummus, Kale, Red Cabbage, Green Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Squash and Almond Milk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

....Cucumbers, Zucchini, Celery, Carrots and Green Onions.

 

 

 

....More Green Kale, Cilantro, Parsley and Red Kale.

 

 

...Apples, Oranges, Lemons, Tomatoes, Potatoes and Onions.

 

 

....Bananas, Avocados, More Lemons, Limes, Garlic, Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash!!!!

 

"Hungry For Change"

Tonight, I watched a very motivating documentary on Netflix called, "Hungry For Change".  I highly recommend you watch this film and I promise you will find it worth your time.  Watch the trailer below:

CAN MONEY BUY HAPPINESS? INTERESTING VIDEO:

My Thoughts This Morning:

So as I was shovelling this morning, here were my thoughts: 

 

1) How many people who are unaware that they have a heart condition will put much stress on their vascular system while shovelling today and may be at risk for a heart attack,

 

2) How many great acts of kindness will be shared between neighbors, friends and strangers on a snow day like this,

 

3) How many small business owners are stressed out by this storm affecting sales,

 

4) How many elderly people are concerned about how they are going to clear off their sidewalks/driveway, get mail, run errands or get to medical appointments,

 

5) How nice it would be to own a business that generates income even I am not here at work so that I could take a sick day and spend time with the family, 

 

6) Wondering how busy Chiropractor's offices are going to be today and tomorrow,

 

7) Thinking about how one fall on this ice for an elderly person would be the worst event for their health and

 

8) How nice it would have been to have a 2 inch nut and bolt to repair the auger on my snow blower early this morning....I probably had one.....somewhere, but not enough time to find it.

I saw this on Facebook and thought I would share

Smoothie Recipe

I have been wanting to make a video on how I make my smoothies in the morning, but limited time in the morning with three kids inhibits the creation of said video.  So, here is the text version of the ever evolving smoothie that I make.  I make two blended smoothies in the morning, one for the kids and another for Casie and I.  This is the recipe for the smoothie I made the family this morning.  I will post more smoothie recipes soon.  As always, I do not have any benefit, financial or other, for any of the products mentioned.  Well, there is the nutritional benefit, of course.  : )

For the kids:

1 scoop per child of Amazing Grass' Berry, Chocolate or mixture of both.  CLICK HERE to find out    more about this product.
1/2 cup per child frozen blueberries (organic preferred)
1/2 banana per child
1 cup per child raw spinach and/or kale (organic preferred)
1/2 cup per child Original Flavor Almond Milk
1 teaspoon per child Chia seeds
1 teaspoon per child ground Flax seed
1 scoop vegan protein powder(non-soy based) per child (optional) NOTE: We use protein powder for our children as they are Vegan, and thus, do not acquire protein from animal sources.  They receive protein from plant sources but this protein powder is just to supplement what they are acquiring in their plant based diet.  If your children consume meat and dairy, I would not suggest you use a protein powder for children.

Add water to mixture to create consistency you prefer.

Blend and serve.

----------

For Adults:













1 scoop per adult of Vega One Nutritional Shake mix.  I prefer the Chocolate, Vanilla and Chai flavors.  The mixtures between two or three of these is good, as well.  I'm not a huge fan of their berry or original flavor, though, as it tastes a bit artificial.  CLICK HERE to find out more about this product.
1/2 cup per adult frozen blueberries (organic preferred)
1 banana per adult
1 - 2 cup(s) per adult raw spinach and/or kale (organic preferred)
1/2 cup per adult Original Flavor Almond Milk
1 teaspoon per adult Chia seeds (optional, as the Vega One has Omega 3 Fatty Acids in it)
1 teaspoon per adult ground Flaxseed (optional, as the Vega One has Omega 3 Fatty Acids in it)

Add water to mixture to create consistancy you prefer.

Blend and Serve

From the Vega One Website:

What Makes Vega One Awesome?

15 g Protein
Vega One features our signature, broad-spectrum, plant-based protein blend, with all essential amino acids in ideal balance. Vega One’s Complete Protein Blend includes:

• Pea protein
• SaviSeed™ (sacha inchi) protein
• Hemp seed protein
• Sprouted whole grain brown rice protein

6 g Fiber
Boasting 24% of your recommended daily intake of fiber per serving, Vega One is a delicious way to work both soluble and insoluble fiber into your day. Fiber intake has been shown to help:

• Maintain normal blood sugar levels¹
• Normalize elimination and maintain bowel health¹
• Promote a feeling of fullness, reduce feelings of hunger and thereby support healthy weight management when combined with exercise and a reduced calorie diet.¹

Fiber in Vega One is primarily sourced from flax, inulin (fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS)), and pea.
Low GI Carbohydrates
Low glycemic—with an impressively low GI of 19.2²—one serving of Vega One is comprised of 26% naturally-occurring complex carbohydrates. Sweetened only with stevia extract, Vega One has no sugar, maltodextrin or sugar-derivatives added.
1.5 g Omega-3
Giving you as much Omega-3 per scoop as 6 oz. of wild chum salmon, Vega One sources its plant-based Omega profile from white chia, whole flax seed (not flax meal) and hemp.
Antioxidants
Blueberries are jealous—that’s because a serving of Vega One has as many antioxidants³ as 2.7 cups of them. Plus, each scoop of Vega One showcases 200mg of Vega’s custom 1000 ORAC⁴ Antioxidant Blend, sourced from some of the most antioxidant-rich fruit in the world, including:

• Maqui, goji and Açaí berries
• Pomegranate seed
• Mangosteen
• Grape seed extract

Greens
A single, one-scoop serving of Vega One delivers the equivalent of 3 servings of vegetables—mainly from our Green Blend, which features:

• Chlorella (cracked cell, high CGF)
• Alfalfa grass
• Spinach leaf
• Broccoli
• Kale

Vitamins & Minerals
Helping you cover your key nutrient bases, a serving of Vega One give you 50% of your daily intake of vitamins and minerals. Premium vitamin and mineral forms such as mineral citrates were chosen to help you get more out of Vega One through better absorption.
Probiotics
With 1 billion CFU dairy-free probiotics (lactobacillus acidopholus and Bifidobacterium bifidum), Vega One helps maintain healthy intestinal flora—without a visit to the yogurt aisle.
Digestive Enzymes
We want you to get everything you can from a serving of Vega One. That’s why Vega’s Digestive Enzyme blend is added to facilitate the breakdown of nutrients in Vega One during digestion, so more nutrients are available to be absorbed by your body for higher net-gain nutrition.
Maca
Rich in amino acids, alkaloids, sterols, vitamins and minerals, 1000 mg of pure, organic, gelatinized maca are included in every serving of Vega One, to help you balance, invigorate, energize and maintain good health.
Chlorella
Part of the Green Blend in Vega One, chlorella is a nutritious, green micro-algae that delivers Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF), chlorophyll, protein, vitamins and minerals to help support immune function⁵.

Interesting Video on Salt

Salt OK if Blood Pressure is OK? | NutritionFacts.org

#1 Anticancer Vegetable

Here is an interesting video discussing the best anticancer vegetable.  Can you guess what it is?  I was surprised. 

CLICK HERE to watch the video from NutritionFacts.org

How Do You See The World?

 

It really boils down to how you perceive the world.

 

 

 

Kale Recipes

I love kale, as it is a nutritional powerhouse. 

We have kale chips, kale drinks/smoothies and kale salads.

CLICK HERE for 20 healthy kale recipes.

 

Selflessness Defined:

Amazing video of sportsmanship and selflessness. 

 

 

 

 

I Thought This Was Funny:

This Child Is Right On!

Gift Cards

From a post I made on Facebook earlier this year:

 

So, there is something I have done occasionally and I thought it would be great to get some people on board to adopt this activity and pass it on. This is something cool and is rewarding to yourself and others. You can use any type of gift cards you want, but I always keep a couple of $5 coffee shop gift cards(Starbucks works good or we have Scooters Coffee here and that is what I use) in your billfold/purse. Don't use them for yourself, unless in case of emergency : )......but if you see someone performing a random act of kindness or if you see someone is having a really bad day, give them a card. Make sure to tell them why they are receiving the card and thank them for doing what they did or wish them that the rest of their day goes better if you gave them the card because they were having a bad/stressful day. Reinforce their positive behavior. If they decline it or they say that they don't drink coffee or go to where the gift card is for, then ask that they keep the card in their billfold/purse and look for someone in need or deserving of it for them to give it to. I promise it will be the best $20 you can find spending. Just think if just one of those 4 people adopt this activity and pass it on. It is also great to give these to coworkers, family members, babysitters, lawn care workers, etc. Maybe you see a mother by herself with multiple children and she is overwhelmed. Tell her to go out and take some time out for herself. Sometimes, you may want to even give yourself a card if you do something that impresses yourself and yet no one was there to give you a card. Try it! I promise you will find it rewarding beyond description. I ensure you you will make their day.

Quote from Ann Landers

Lunch - Pasta with Sauce

 

I am frequently asked what we eat for meals and so I am going to try and document as many recipes as I can.  I didn't have time to photograph the processing or the end result of this meal, so my apologies in advance.  Many times, our meals are a concoction of ingredients we have on hand as opposed to following a set recipe.  Each time we make our recipes, they seem to evolve anyway.  What is nice about cooking with vegetables is that most of them mix well together. 

 

Last week, I needed to make a meal for the boys and I wanted it to be nutrient rich.  I wanted to make some pasta with sauce for them but my first thought was that the only major nutrient was the tomatoes in the sauce, so I felt the need to boost the nutrient value of this meal a bit. 

 

First of all, think of the pasta as just the carrier for the nutrient dense sauce.  I make all different types of sauces but for this one I mixed in the blender the combination of 1/2 cup original flavored almond milk, 1/3 jar of store bought marinara(I used 1/3 jar of Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce (found at Walmart), 1/4 raw onion, one cup watercress(optional), two cups of spinach,  3 olives (I used kalamata), 1/2 portabella mushroom and a heaping tablespoon of previously made hummus(optional - may substitute 1 clove of garlic, but there will be improved taste if the garlic has been roasted, which it is in the hummus).   After blending this together, I put it into a saucepan with 1/2 cup of cut up tempeh on low heat until the pasta was finished, stirring occasionally.  Once the pasta was drained, I mixed the pasta and sauce and let it cool down before serving.  As the sauce cools down, more of it sticks to the pasta.  For nutrient dense sauces like this, I use pasta shapes that are going to scoop or hold as much of the sauce as possible, so the kids fill up on sauce and not just on pasta.  I have the kids use spoons for this instead of forks, again to scoop up as much of the sauce as possible.

 

Ingredients:
Pasta - whole wheat, shapes that hold or scoop the sauce
Almond Milk - Original Flavor (NOT Vanilla Flavored)
Marinara
Onion
Watercress and/or Spinach and/or Kale
Olives - I used kalamata
Mushroom - any type
Hummus - (optional), if not hummus, then substitute 1 clove of garlic, preferably already roasted
Tempeh(or Seitan) - for protein

Yes, the sauce looks green (like pesto sauce, as one of my patients reminded me) and it tastes really good.  Don't just think of the ingredients as flavors but also as nutrients.  Each vegetable you add add nutrients to the mix so don't be shy to add a diversity of vegetables.  If I would have had them on hand, I would have added squash or zucchini to the blended mix. 

 

Okay, if this all seems too overwhelming for you, start out blending some spinach with your marinara and serve over pasta, Or squash.  Or zucchini. Start out simple if you like, but adding the onion, mushrooms, garlic, olives, etc. will give it much more flavor and nutrition.