Summer Grilling getting Safer!

I found this QUITE interesting from Real Age Newsletter......

Cooking meat at high temperatures -- a la flame grilling -- can create cancer-causing substances. But here's a spice that counters it: rosemary.

Yep, mixing some rosemary into your burgers may make them not only tastier but safer and healthier, too. In a study, adding rosemary extract to beef patties before grilling slashed the production of harmful high-heat compounds by up to 90 percent.

Spice It Up
The cancer-causing substances created by high-heat grilling are called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). They form when amino acids and creatine react together under high temps -- and research suggests these compounds could up the risk of certain cancers, such as stomach cancer. In addition to adding rosemary to grilled meats, you can dial down the HCAs by cooking at lower temperatures and frequently turning meats on the grill. (Check out the YOU Docs' blog for five great ways to cut down on HCA production.)

Antioxidant Defense
How does rosemary extract beat back HCAs? It's high in antioxidants that may neutralize precursor compounds before they can turn into HCAs. Not a rosemary fan? Studies show that mixing ground meat with thyme, sage, or garlic or even chopped apples, pineapple, or cherries may do the trick as well. Follow these other tips for a healthier cookout:
http://www.realage.com/tips/healthy-up-your-burger-with-this-spice?eid=6141&memberid=29917674

Quick tidbit....

Steam your veggies or eat them raw!!!
According to the new book Your Skin, Younger, eating veggies cooked at high tempts like roasting, grilling or frying can cause inflammation, increasing the rate of aging in the body!

June 2010 Health.com

21 Days

Superb job to my husband. He survived....allllll 21 days. Here is his comment to my brother when questioned about it:
" I did the food portion without the supplements with the exception of the shake powder. You might be grouchy for the first couple days, but will start feeling better thereafter. I didn't eat less, I just ate different things. Yesterday was 1st day post-detox...we stopped at McD's last night because it was the only place to we could eat and be home in time for Jill to watch Lost...I was able to eat about half of my value meal. I also ordered a dr pepper...was only able to taste about 3 of the 23 flavors, none of which were very good...didn't finish it. I quit drinking pop for 13 months while in Bloomington and craved it nearly everyday throughout. I did this for 3 weeks, and it doesn't even sound real appealing.

Jill did it and went from (literal) menopause (medically verified) to pregnant.
I did it and lost 15 lbs in 21 days and lost a craving for pop."

To check out the program we followed visit:
http://www.standardprocess.com/display/psppurification.spi
and click on Patient Guide PDF

OH!....and I would like to add....Adam also sleeps better, more sound, doesn't toss and turn as much, and does NOT snore anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY! We're all winners on this one! ;)
Jill

It time to think ahead!

So after deciding what to do with our weed infested landscaping (buying a house in December gives off an unpredictable illusion of the "outside"!) we decided to work hard this year on the front and hit up the back next year. Soooooo, until next year what to do, what to do....
.....plant tomatoes!

After pulling and digging, the weeds seem to be under control. I used our shovel to "till" the ground up and actually found some nice dirt underneath all the previous two years of neglect! Emma has had planted (from seed) tomatoes and pepper plants inside over the past few weeks. She has LOVED watching them grow, but it is time to get them out...out of the dining room!

After digging the holes, we put in some natural fertilizer that consisted of chopped up banana peels, egg shells, mango peels, and strawberry tops. After in the ground, we put newspaper very thick around the plants and mulch on top to hold the papers down. Hopefully this will keep weeds away - without chemicals. We have a deck that will serve as our "cages" that we can tie the plants to as they get bigger and heavy with tomatoes. Can't wait for the neighbors to see our "creative" landscaping! :) Soon to come - a zucchini plant by the spruce tree....hello baby food!

So have you got your plants out? Do you have creative landscaping, a garden, or just a simple large pot at your back door? One plant will reap many! These tomatoes will make good for salsa, spaghetti sauce, soups, and much much more throughout the winter months. I will definitely share recipes when time comes! (also share how freezing your harvest is easy and canning is easy even if you don't have a pressure cooker)

Now, if only the dog will keep out. :)
Good stuff for even the tomato haters out there,
Jill

10 Down

Check out my husband....10 days down on the purification program, 10 pounds down.
No exercise, no vitamins, just good 'ol fresh eating with no preservatives/chemicals.

(and on a side note, just found out at the doctor's this week, my vonWillabrands factor is now 131 which a few years ago was below the range at 27. The normal range is 25-134! For those of you wondering vonWillabrands is a blood disorder that can cause you to bleed excessively if below range - very dangerous for delivery, but I'm clear now. AND my thyroid which was underactive just a mere 10 months ago is now above average range. According to my doctor that is difficult for pregnant women to achieve, regardless if there have been issues in the the past. I have taken no meds for either of these causes...just livin' off the good food God gave us. -ahhh- )

In season May - August!

Good for You
Avocados have the heart-healthy fats called mono-and polyunsaturated fats, which, when eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can actually help lower LDL (so-called "bad" cholesterol) levels and shrink your waistline!

Get the Best
Chef Daniel Humm advises choosing avocados that are slightly soft to the touch, but not too mushy. "After two days at room temperature, they'll ripen and be perfect," he says. Hass avocados, one of the most common varieties, have pebbly skin that turns from green to purplish-black when ripe and have a creamy taste. If you don't use ripe avocados right away, store them in the refrigerator to keep from spoiling.

Kitchen Simple
Guacamole is an easy way to enjoy avocado, says Humm. Mash two avocados and stir in two tablespoons diced red onion, a half cup diced tomato, half a minced jalepeno, two minced garlic cloves, a half cup chopped cilantro, three tablespoons lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with chips and veggies, or spread on sandwiches.

A couple EASY summer switch-ups

Summer time is grillin' time! There was a chef on Dr. Oz a few days ago sharing how we can still enjoy our summer favorites but in a healthier way. Here are two examples:

Grilling out hamburgers - swap out half the beef and replace with ground turkey breast. (Make sure it is turkey breast and not thighs....thighs have a much higher fat count) The guest out of the audience wasn't told about the swap until after she tasted the burger - she said it tasted normal and in fact the beef flavor actually tasted like it was enhanced more. So all in all the turkey cuts the fat in half and adds much more protein, nutrition, and flavor. Perfect!

Coleslaw - gotta have this if you're grilling out! My family's weakness ingredient in cooking...mayo. MMmmmmMmmmm we love this stuff. But she suggested swapping half out with Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt is extra creamy and won't kill the taste of the mayo already added. Add some fresh lemon zest and who-la, half the fat. Dr. Oz also suggested for an even bigger punch of nutrition use broccoli slaw instead of cabbage.

There you have it....two easy and simple swaps that can make big differences in our favorite summer dishes. I love tips like this!
Now if it would just quit raining so we fire up that grill!
Jill

Simple Tip...

When shopping for frozen veggies, make sure the veggies haven't got a "frozen lump" in the bag - this is a sign they have been thawed and refrozen. This means they retain fewer vitimins.
-Sarah Krieger,registered dietitian and spokemsman for the American Dietetic Association

A Happy Mother's Day and a Purple Shirt

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mom's that read from this blog. Hope your day was as splended as mine.

It started off last night when my beautiful daughter got very giggly about the present she got for me for Mother's Day. She is very good at keeping secrets...never peeped, even when I offered her a dollar. (In fact she said "how about I don't tell you AND you give me the dollar!) She was so excited, that after tucking her in bed she told me to tell Daddy that she might sleep in and not to give mommy her present until she woke up. The fact that she was about to jump out of her princess jammies with excitement was enough present for me right there.

So Sunday morning I was awaken to this very joyous four year old jumping on my bed with a hot pink bag. Inside the best homemade card saying "Happy Mother's Day" across it with a picture of our family...I absolutely melt at all her drawings. And there it was at the bottom of the bag - a beautiful purple necklace picked out by the blond bombshell herself. Love it. Love it more that my husband took the time to share a shopping experience with his daughter. Precious.

"Mommy, you are going to wear this church aren't you?" OF COURSE! How could I not wear this gift hand picked for me by the sole person that actually MADE me a mom! Oh, but wait....In the back of my head, I was thinking....purple??? With a belly full of Baby, what do I have that will fit...and is purple??? (Not to mention the weather is c.h.c.h.c.h.i.l.l.y.) Desperately digging in the closet, I was down to the last few hangers. There it was. A purple shirt. A purple shirt I wore over a year and half ago. It was fitted through the mid drift and I thought to myself, is this even worth a shot? But I had to wear that necklace, so on the purple shirt went. Holy Cow. It worked, it fit, YES! The necklace matched perfect. Perfect.

As I continue to get ready it dawns on me that this purple shirt is just that. A purple shirt I wore to church a year ago. It had been hanging in my closest unworn do to the weight I had lost. Here I am wearing it 29 weeks pregnant. Pregnant? Holy Cow. First off, it always is blessing to remember I am pregnant given the odds form the doctors. But second, how crazy is it that I can wear the normal (not maternity!) clothes that I wore just a mere year and half ago. In one way I am ashamed to have let things go back then, but on the other hand I can not be more excited that I can wear it now as a 29 week pregnant lady.
Wow...God is good, all the time.

Happy Mother's Day, my friends.....from Emma, Baby, and the lady in the purple shirt.

Results

Repeat of yesterday: If the majority of you answers are "yes", then it is likely that you diet/lifestyle contributes significantly to your toxic load. Beyond diet, many external toxins, such as perfumes, cleaners, and pollution add to your load.

Soooooo....whats this all mean? It means we are contaminating the very body that God gave us.

Our bodies are uniquely design to internally produce waste byproducts designed to rid itself these toxins BUT as you can see many of us have our bodies on "toxin overload"! This can contribute to a wide range of health issues including:
Stuffy head
Fatigue or difficulty sleeping
Digestion and other gastrointestinal problems
Food craving and weight gain
Reduced mental clarity
Low libido
Disruption in our immune, endocrine, nervous and reproductive systems

Folks, I believe every word of this whole-hardily. My husband and I have seen first hand the above list of conditions do a complete 180 in my own body. How? I decided to do a 21 day purification program. It was a.w.e.s.o.m.e. results. It cleaned my body out, but more importantly made me open my eyes to how "messed up inside" we make ourselves and kids. Through this I heave learned how to make simple everyday changes for myself and family.

AND....proud to say, my husband has started his 21 purification program last Sunday. We are using the same Standard Process program I used minus the nutritional vitiamins. (In other words he is simply eating off the recommended list of foods.) In four days he lost FIVE pounds. I am so excited for him and the changes he is making towards his future health.

To see more (and site the source of my information) go to: http://www.standardprocess.com/display/displayFile.aspx?docid=369&filename=/Public/Lit/Miscellaneous/purificationguideL2605.pdf

Takin' life by the goodness God gave us,
Jill

Take this 30 Second test....

How do I determine my toxic load?
Your toxic load is the amount of toxins that your body has to process. By answering the following question, you may gain some insight as to your current toxic load.

Y/N Do you or have you eaten processed foods?
Y/N Do you eat non-organic fruits and vegetables?
Y/N Do you eat meat and poultry that are not free-range?
Y/N Do you consume genetically altered food?
Y/N Do you or have you ever used artificial sweeteners?
Y/N Do you drink soda or diet soda?
Y/N Do the foods you eat have preservatives, additives, dyes, or sweeteners added?
Y/N Do you eat fast foods and/or eat out regularly?
Y/N Do you charbroil or grill foods?
Y/N Do you drink coffee regularly?
Y/N Do you drink alcohol?
Y/N Do you drink tap water?

If the majority of you answers are "yes", then it is likely that you diet/lifestyle contributes significantly to your toxic load. Beyond diet, many external toxins, such as perfumes, cleaners, and pollution add to your load.

After your whole family has taken the test, hang on to the results for tomorrow's blog!
Jill

Braggin' Rights.

Everyone read Monday's (today, May 3) post at http://www.blessedtreehouse.com/!
Just another reason I dearly miss OH. (Don't tell my anti-buckeye husband I miss OH. wink wink)

CONGRATS ALI - YOU ARE AWESOME.
I remember posting on November 21 that you had started running...and now look at it just a mere 5 months later - WOW A HALF MARATHON!

Making Monday morning rock so hard that it makes me want to dance,
Jill

Another confirmation regarding pesticides..

Your food is covered with pesticides
Canadian researchers report that dieters with the most organochlorines (pollutants from pesticides, which are stored in fat cells) experience a greater than normal dip in metabolism as they lose weight, perhaps because the toxins interfere with the energy-burning process. Other research hints that pesticides can trigger weight gain. Always choose organic when buying peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, and pears; non-organic versions tend to have the highest levels of pesticides.
http://online.prevention.com/boostmetabolism/list/5.shtml

Spent two hours this past Saturday at Whole Foods. A great experience...I will be blogging about it throughout the week. But just a quick side note - the produce is EXCELLENT. It looks better, seems more fresh, and last night the whole family confirmed it even taste better - full of flavor.
Pesticides piss me off. ;)
Jill

Turkey Con Chili

I have a new love in my life - Jamie Oliver. ;) Seriously, he is doing great things with food and nutrition, not to mention has great tips, ideas, money saving suggestions and recipes - all with the center theory of basing our meals around natural foods! Love it. Tried one of his recipe's last night. I had to make a few adjustments due to the ingredients we had on hand so i will give it to you as I made it, but also give you the link to his original.

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. Heat a few "lugs" of olive oil in a skillet on stove top at a medium heat.
Add:
2 peeled onions - roughly cut
1-2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 peppers (we had an orange and green), deseeded and roughly chopped
1 green chili pepper, deseeded and chopped - It made this chili B.I.L.M.S. for us (Brother in Law Marcus Style) which is spicy hot for Adam liking, hot enough for me as long as served with milk, but had to crack open an emergency can of chicken noodle soup for Emma! :) So use this ingredient to your family likin'!
Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add:
diced celery (around two stalks)
1 tsp. Cumin
1 heaping tsp of Paprika
Let it cook another 10 minutes until soft and delicious. Jamie also says, "Sometimes I like to add some honey and white wine vinegar at this point and let it cook for a couple of minutes. I find this adds a wonderful sheen and enhances the natural sweetness of the vegetables." So I did... add 1 heaping tsp of "runny" honey and 3 TBSP white wine vinegar (well, I used apple cider because that is all we had)

4. Take this awesome veggie mixture and put in deep casserole/cooking dish along with:
600 grams (according to google 400 grams is 14 oz.) of shredded turkey, roughly chopped
Good pinch of Sea Salt and fresh cracked peppercorns
3 cans (14 oz) chopped tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) butter beans or chickpeas, drained - we had neither so I used black beans

5. Stir it baby. Admire the colors. Smell the goodness.

6. Pop it in the hot oven to blip away for 2 hours. Check on it after an hour, and add a splash of water if it looks a bit dry. (Which I did....used the tomato can, so about 14 oz)

This was SOOO GOOD! Even Adam, the worlds biggest chili lover was totally satisfied.

Here are some more save money and time tips to make this dish -
- Make it ahead of time and crock pot it all day.
- Instead of canned tomatoes, use those chopped fresh tomatoes you gather last summer and have in the freezer (don't forget to plant your tomato plant this summer!)
- Use that left over Thanksgiving turkey you put in a ziplock in the freezer
- We actually used 1 lb. ground turkey I had got on sale a while back - worked perfect!
- Instead of canned beans, use the long soaking beans that you made up awhile back and froze
- Use this recipe as a just a base...to quote Jamie, "Try to think of this recipe as a principle, rather than something you have to follow really strictly. I want you to embrace your own leftovers so adjust the recipe accordingly. If you need to swap out some of the vegetables that’s fine, and different tinned or jarred beans will all work well too. I’ve given you a weight of turkey here, but you can use whatever you’ve got left over. It’s all about building up layers of flavour with the sweet vegetable base then turning whatever you add to it into a beautiful meal with great spice and attitude. It’s brilliant with steamed rice, or rolled up in warmed tortillas."
To see his actuall recipe go to: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/turkey-recipes/turkey-con-chilli

Orange Chicken with Bulgur Pilaf

I have no idea what Bulgur Pilaf is, but this is a good healthy recipe, plus the leftover (if any) can make for a fun lunch the next day....keep reading - heck, print it out!

4 6oz organic boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tsp. finely grater orange zest - right off the orange itself! (I used a cheese grater) :)
1/4 cup FRESH orange juice (took me around three oranges?)
6 scallions (or one diced onion)
3 TBSP chopped fresh oregano
3 TBSP plus 1 tsp olive oil
Sea Salt and ground black peppercorn
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pitted olives, halved (we didn't have any so ours was oliveless - still good though!)
1 cup bulgur wheat....ok so no idea what this is, so I used my brown rice in place of! :) (which was already made and taken out of freezer to unthaw in micro in matter of minutes!)

In large bowl toss chicken with the zest , half the scallions, 2 TBSP of the oregano, 1 TBSP of the oil and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Can marinate up to 1 day in advance.

In another bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, 2 TBSP of oil, remaining scallions, remaining 1 TBSP of oregano, 1/2 salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper. This too can be made 1 day in advance.

Heat remaining olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, 8-10 minutes per side, adding orange juice during LAST minute.

Meanwhile, cook bulgur (or rice) as directed...toss with tomatoes mixure serve with chicken.

YUM!

Ok so here is how it really went down for the Phipps family. I didn't read allllll the instructions first and combined everything in the chicken marinade including the orange juice. So when it came time to cook, I just had Adam grill it. Still good! However would really like to do the stove top way sometime again...think the orange flavor would come out more.
We also did not have the pint of tomatoes, so I used some frozen tomatoes that i had diced from last years garden tomatoes. See where that tomato plant comes in handy!!! Still good.

For a left over idea:
Take ground turkey and brown. Drain and put back in skillet....add "rice" mixtures along with diced peppers. Warm flavors. Open up whole grain wraps and sprinkle with torn up green lettuce pieces, add some scoops of the turkey/rice mixture, top with a TAD of cheese if your husband is Adam and can't live without, wrap it up, pin with toothpick and bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. VERY fulfilling!!!!

We only had a 1/2 chicken breast left over from the top recipe, so Emma and I diced it up the next day, added some halved grapes, diced celery, cut up fresh oranges, tad of mayo, and pinch of cinnamon for a great tasting chicken salad....served on our green leafy lettuce and whole grain wrap.

Good recipe - its a keeper for us, hope you enjoy too. Love simple things....especially if they can be made ahead of time for those evenings you need to pull out something quick and easy!

Concerning what our kids drink.

If anyone caught the last half of Jamie Oliver's show last Friday, you heard him go bananas over the posters in one school cafeteria. They were advertising and promoting chocolate and flavored milks. His comment was that chocolate and flavored milks (such as strawberry) have just as much sugar in them as soda, so why not put up posters promoting to our youth to drink up the soda! Good point, and in the end the cafeteria ladies took down the signs....they didn't think about the sugar content or put two and two together. See what education can do?!

Anyhow, on that note I am sitting here looking at the ingredients in McDonald's chocolate milk, there are in order: lowfat milk, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, cocoa, PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, skim milk, CARRAGEENAN, SALT, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, Vit A PALMITATE, vitamin D3.

YAK! That is some nasty stuff going into our kids!
I have to brag on my water drinking daughter. When at McDonalds, she even request it with her meal. How cool. So the question is, did we beat her? Of course not, we just never gave her the option when she was younger. We don't encourage it, or give it as an option to pick from. She doesn't care. She doesn't even ask for it. I love that. She is so awesome.
Read your ingredients my friends because we ARE what we eat,
Jill

Same info, different source....educate.

Today's Small Change: Get to know your ingredients.
Be Smart About What Goes In Your Cart

When you shop for groceries, you may consider health claims on the packages, like "fat free" or "sugar free." You may even look at the Nutrition Facts panel to see how many calories are in a serving. But most of the time, we tend to overlook a critical question about a particular food: What's in it? This week, make a small change in your grocery-shopping routine and read the ingredients lists on food labels to help yourself make educated decisions about what goes in your cart.

Many food products sold today are full of additives that can contribute to poor nutrition. For example, refined sugar is packed into many "healthy" foods, like cereals and flavored yogurts, providing empty calories with no nutritional benefits. So do yourself a favor and watch out for it on the ingredients list, where ingredients are listed in order of quantity, from most to least. Avoid products in which added sugar (also called high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, glucose, cane sugar, and corn syrup) is one of the first ingredients. Also watch out for artificial sweeteners, which are not necessarily safe in excessive amounts.

Many processed foods on the market today also contain way too much added salt, which can lead to high blood pressure and other health problems. So read labels before you buy canned, frozen, and packaged goods, and look for lower-sodium varieties.
Another ingredient to watch out for is "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" oil, which signifies the presence of trans fat, the worst type of fat for your heart. Look for products with zero grams of trans fat on the Nutrition Facts panel.

In fact, when shopping, a good rule of thumb is to go for the food products with the fewest ingredients — and ideally, only ingredients that you recognize and can pronounce!

From today's newletter at Healthy Living with Elli Krieger - Sign up for helpful tips at: http://www.healthylivingwithellie.com/online-program/customized-plan.aspx

It only takes 30 Seconds - PLEASE.

http://abc.go.com/shows/jamie-olivers-food-revolution/take-action

Click. Go. Add your name. That simple.

Also check out the full episodes, recipes, facts, and how you can make a difference.
It's a revolution, baby.

Now what are you waiting for?

Fun Fact Friday already?!

Where did the week go?

1. Next week will be recipe week - keep posted for some good ones I've been collecting!

2. Trader Joe Organic Frozen Super Sweet Cut Corn update - LOVE IT! Seriously, this is the BEST corn we have ever had next to getting it straight out of the garden. Even my husband announced at supper it was way better than any can of corn. It is super sweet just as if it came right off the cob.....but with no added sugar or anything. We love it. Reminds me of the corn we ate during the winter time growing up (my mom and grandma spent their summers cutting off the garden sweet corn into baggies and freezing - but they added sugar and butter!)

3. Feeling sluggish? Did you know that can be a sign you need more water. Good 'ol water. So go grab a glass and fuel up!

4. And the fabulous Friday fact.....I have hit the third trimester with the baby. WOO-HOO! Amazing. Totally amazing.

Congrats to Robert, Carrie and big brother Jackson in CA on the arrival of Katelynn Rose....all are healthy and doing well. Safe travels to proud grandparents, Kaye and George!!

Congrats and Thanks Dr. Moore

A big congrats to Dr. Moore of Amerihealth Chiropractic in Polaris Center, OH - He ran the BOSTON MARATHON yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://www.bostonmarathon.org/2010/cf/public/ResultsSearch.cfm?mode=results to see his finishing time!

Dr. Moore has been such a big inspiration for me the past year. I was truly blessed to have called his office "to see if the accepted our insurance". With the wonderful plans God has for us, they did. Only going there was I able to get the encouragement and tools I needed to be were I am today. Thank you so much Dr. Moore for giving me hope.

Check out http://www.dr4health.com/bio.php to get a glimpse of his beliefs. This is not your typical "back cracker idea" that most have of chiropractic care. So much more. I wish so bad he would move his office to Zionsville, IN!!!!! :) If you live in Ohio, I HIGHLY recommend you get a free consult with him to talk health vision. He is a wonderful resource and encourager....and a runner. Wow. He is also a man that serves his Lord first and foremost....how can you beat that resume?

Congrats again, Dr. Moore.....and to all your office - you ARE changing the lives of people.
Jill

Save some money and try something new....

No secret my feelings on organic milk....I have made a vow to my family to not let conventional milk in our fridge as long as I can prevent it. Also no secret organic milk is quite a bit more expensive. This is where as a family we have made the choice to give up other processed food items and rather use the money towards something we strongly believe will help our health.

Annnnnyhow, as I checked out of Kroger the other week, I was checking out the printed out coupons that came with my receipt. There was a FREE 1/2 gallon of Almond Milk. Cool. I love free. So I tried it. Here is what I found out.....

Two kinds, regular and vanilla. I got vanilla. Taste was very sweet, somewhat different than milk, so would not just want to drink it alone in a glass - BUT we LOVE LOVE it on our cereal or in our smoothies! It is very low in calories, just as much calcium and vit. D as milk, plus it has NO saturated fat, NO cholesterol and NO lactose or soy. It really agrees with my body!

So in the end the price of this Pure Almond Milk (which by the way is loaded with antioxidants) is cheaper than organic regular milk....so my thought - buy this to use on cereal and smoothies, and just buy the organic milk to use as drinking. Every little cut in change makes a difference in our monthly envelopes - hope this can help you.
Plus it sounds pretty nutritious!
Jill

CA Baby girl arrived yesterday evening!!!! No name yet, but all sounds healthy - praise God!

Keep it up!

Kudos to Adam's cousin Julie here in Zionsville. I just saw her toady and we were chatting about the joys of eating healthy. She has become a fan of eating healthy, more natural, no preservatives, and gave up soda.....in return she looks fab! Since Jan, 17 pounds GONE, sleeping better, more energy, and other health issues G-O-N-E. I love hearing these testimonies! She is introducing her new life to her family too, wonderful!

Way to go Julie - thanks for being my inspiration and encouragement today (and thanks for watching Emma this morning too)!

Who's next with a wonderful story like this????
:)
PS - Our Wienbach Girl, Carrie is officially in labor in CA - water broke earlier this morning....awaiting the news! YEAH!

Fun Fact Friday

Environmental toxins are often bad news for your liver. But you could safeguard your health by eating spinach. Chlorophyll and chlorophyllin, two substances found in spinach and other leafy greens, may help reduce the body's absorption of aflatoxin, a common but potentially harmful type of environmental toxin.
http://www.realage.com/tips/use-this-veggie-to-safeguard-your-liver

Studies have shown organic produce to be higher in anti-oxidants; vitamins and minerals (thank you to The Organic Center for your vigilant scientific research) and organic diary, meat and eggs have fewer hormones, antibiotics and pesticide residues (yes, pesticides are found in meat because cattle are eating feed laden with them).

Eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive...check out "Healthy Cooking on the Cheap: Springtime Split Pea Soup, Egg Salad With Carrot Fries, and Health(ier) Brownies
Grocery lists and easy weeknight recipes from a culinary pro" http://eating.health.com/2010/04/14/split-pea-soup-with-egg/

And Friday's most Fantastic Fact MANGOES....did you know mangoes are the world's number one consumed fruit and are gaining popularity in the USA? Oh yes! There are over 41 species and 1,100 varieties - so eat up my friends - these things are G-O-O-D and an excellent source of vitamins A & C!

Aren't Friday's Fabulous?
Jill

Yoga...

...don't know much about it, but learning the great value it has. And who doesn't have ten minutes before bed for a few poses that could make life so much better?!!?
Check out:
http://living.health.com/tag/sara-ivanhoe/

Thanks Mel for this link!
Jill

Trader Joe findings...

Ok, friends. I did some more research and have a few new finding to share.
Sunday I was able to spend over an hour at our Trader Joe grocery and then the next two hours at Kroger - comparing prices, checking out selection, etc. Here is what I found hope it can help you.

1. Yogurt. This is something I now like to buy organic knowing what I know about dairy products. Trader Joes has a MUCH bigger selection/flavors (and by flavor, i mean real fruit, not the kid's Dora explorer add dye/sugar and call it cotton candy). When it came to price Trader Joes small individual cups were 80-90cents each, keep in mind they were organic. Kroger's regular ones cost less than 40 cents. However, when it came to the 32 oz. tub, TJ had more variety and price was $2.99. Kroger has two flavors of organic in a tub and it is $3.99. I go with TJ tubs, and when home put them in individual serving size containers - easy for Adam to grab for lunch, and Emma and I to grab for a snack.

2. Frozen fruit. My main find was blueberries. I prefer the organic wild berries (smaller size berry and packed with more nutritional punch). They are $2.99 at TJ for a pound. Per ounce this has been the cheapest i have found in any grocery store including Meijers, Marsh and Giant Eagle. The other frozen fruits seemed to nickle and dime it against Krogers, however there was a bigger selection of organic at TJ.

3. Frozen veggies. Didn't spend a whole lot of time in this section just because it wasn't on my list of needs this time around. but i did pick up a couple bags of organic corn at TJ $1.69....Kroger had it on sale for a dine cheaper. Some veggies I don't go organic on do to the pesticides usage such as broccoli, so definitely cheaper at Kroger when the 10 for $10 sale comes around.

4. Fresh fruit/veggies. This was a toughie. Being my first time to really check out TJ, I was a little confused on the way their signs were marked. They do carry conventional produce as well as organic. A bigger selection of organic when it comes to comparison to Kroger (unless you live in Powell OH - that Kroger rocks the world on organic produce!) TJ did have organic carrots for 89 cents/lb...i liked the idea of that and red bell peppers 2 pack for $2.99. I did pick up a bag of organic pears at TJ for $2.29 for 2 lbs....Kroger regular pears were $3.38 for 2 lbs! I got a pineapple at TJ for $3.99, Krogers was $4.19.
Overall observation - TJ has more organic selections and the organic prices seem comparable if not cheaper than regular grocery. However when it comes to regular conventional produce SOME of Kroger seemed to win on price.....I'll keep my broccoli buying there. :)

5. Milk. You know my feeling on organic milk! I know those signs they have now in the grocery say the FDA has no found evidence that the hormone added makes a difference, but the FDA hasn't meet me, now have they! ;) Anyhow, a big encourager of ALL organic dairy, this is what I found. TJ's gallons are $6, which is exactly what Kroger will run sales for. Kroger will also put their 1/2 gallons down to $2.50 many times as well. I also have found myself finding coupons for the brands that Kroger carries. TJ is their own brand so no coupon madness there.

6. BRAWK! Chicken time. Well kids, I must admit, I find nothing but disappointment here after living in OH. Kroger in OH carries its own brand of locally grown chicken and many times would put it on manager's special near exp. date for $3.50 lb. That is when I would buy it ALL and freeze. I can not find that here - ANYWHERE. i have been to two Marsh's, three different Krogers, and Meijers. All have the wimpest (if any) selection of organic chicken and it is all expensive - like $6-7 lb. TJ did have a nice selection....$7 lb which didn't float my boat, but it just means I must manage my other purchases better to compensate. TJ did have "natural" chick breast indivual wrapped for $5.49 lb. Now, still learning, but I am not a fan of "natural" chicken. The packaging claims no MSGs or hormones added to the animals. That is good, but it still doesn't take out the bad estrogen and hormones in grain given to the chickens. However TJ's "natural" chicken did say it was vegetarian feed - so that made me feel better and I bought it. I will not buy the Perdue/Tyson all natural in regular stores. Personal opinion, I guess. Just a HUGE advocate of organic....totally worth the price for my family.

7. Misc. Overall, TJ seemed like a small store, but was packed with selection. I picked up some brown rice spaghetti ($1.99) just out of curiosity and a switch from our Kroger Whole grain spaghetti ($1.45). TJ has a very wide variety of organics and all natural items where Kroger is limited.....but then again, it would depend how much organic you buy to make the $$ worth it.

Overall price - I think there are definite items I will stop at TJ to buy, however it is conveniently located next to my Kroger. If it is out of your way, you may want to consider the worth/value of driving there. Prices did seem cheaper at TJ's, however I am a HUGE coupon fan of Kroger and you just can't beat that many times on conventional items. (not to mention Kroger send you free coupons quarterly for regular purchased items - they are the only store that tracks what you buy)

Hope this can help some of you busy moms (or dads) and give you an insight. Please comment any additional info that we can all share!
Whole foods is my next investigation - CAN'T WAIT!!! They are huge!!!! I will take full notes and report back - let me know if there is a specific item you want me to check out - I'll do it!
Jill