Health Bent Blog Review

Check them out-  http://www.health-bent.com/


OMG When I first saw this blog I was amazed a the red velvet woppie pies, egg nog cookies and banana bread- all claiming to be Paleo!!! Oh but it was too good to be true. Truly, they are mostly Paleo- gluten free and dairy free but they include sugar in their recipes. I think you could substitute honey most of the time. I am not sure why they didn't use honey in the first place.
And then their is the Red Velevet Woppies Pies. Oh my. This is definitely something I would have over-indulged in the past. My biggest issue with these is the recommendation for red food color!! Talk about Un-Paleo! They do note that the hippie types can use beet juice (which really works- I guess I am the hippie type.) But come on! Why not just make chocolate whoopie pies. That would be indulgent enough right?!

Now I don't want you to think I just wrote this entry to talk about how bad this blog is- to the contrary.  I actually love it! It has it's flaws- don't we all?? I just wanted to confirm your suspicions about those certain things that don't match up with a true Paleo plan. Their recipes are inspiring and exciting. In those moments when you are like- "I may kill someone if I don't get to eat something that is like bread!!" There Banana Bread recipe would definitely fit the bill. For me personally I have to be careful about the desserts and the things that look so much like that old food I was eating a lot. Weight loss is my goal right now so desserts and treats need to be in rare category.
Please Let me know what you think of their blog! It has food porn photos at the least!

Pesto Chicken on Spaghetti Squash Recipe

I love this dish. It was so good. Pesto Spaghetti is one of my son's favorites. I can be assured if I ask him what he wants for dinner it will  always be Pesto Chicken Pasta! He would prefer Spaghetti with red sauce but he gets a skin reaction from tomatoes so we stick to the pesto options. I understand Pesto has a tiny amount of cheese and a true Paleo plan does not include cheese but this is where I digress. Pesto is good enough Paleo for me! Look at that healthy dinner and tell its not excellently healthy!
Pesto Chicken Spaghetti
2 lbs Chicken cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1/2 cup Store bought Pesto (check for short ingredient list- Basil, Olive Oil, Pine Nuts, Parmesan- no preservatives)
1 large Spaghetti Squash for Paleo Eaters
Spaghetti Pasta for Non Paleos
  Saute chicken in a little bit of coconut oil until cook through. Pre-heat oven to 375. Cut Spaghetti squash in half. Put a couple of tablespoons of butter in a half of squash. Wrap the top of the squash with foil and put in a 9x11 baking pan and cook for about 45min to One hour. Check for soft but not mushy squash. Use a fork to score the strands of squash from the shell. Follow the grain for long pieces of squash strings. Cook pasta according to directions. Once both "spaghetti's" are cooked then add the pesto to the chicken. Create two dishes- one with wheat pasta and the other with Spaghetti squash. Dollop the chicken pesto on top and serve.

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Wow. Can I just say wow. We have had the book, Nourishing Traditions,  at Radiance forever (http://www.radianceherbs.com/). And I have had numerous people recommend it. But I just hadn't gotten around to reading it. And frankly I don't think I was ready for it. I have seen this book recommended a lot on Paleo sights as well andI thought- It's about time I settle into this book and find out what makes it so great.

Sally is a great writer doing an amazing job of breaking nutrition myths. She challenges many of our deeply held beliefs about what can damage our health and what makes us healthy. From fermentation to bone broths she covers many of the healthy eating theories that I have just recently learned about. She talks about our crazy aversion to fats- in particular saturated fats.

I have just started the book so I am not going to run through everything here but I will say- it is a great read so far. I highly recommend it to whoever is considering a change in the way they eat and live. I'll post another blog once Ihave finished the book. So excited to try some of her fermented veggies recipes.

Holy Basil Tea

reprinted from Your Organic Gardening Blog (http://yourorganicgardeningblog.com/start-your-mornings-with-holy-basil-tea-to-slow-aging-process/
Holy basil (Tulsi) tea is the beverage originated in India thousands of years ago. It is known for its rich antioxidant properties that promote wellness and longevity.

This means that it has the ability to slow oxidation in the body. The process of oxidation damages cells in the body and may contribute to the worsening of pre-existing conditions, as well as effects caused by aging.

As Tulsi is rich source of antioxidants, it neutralizes harmful radicals present in body to damage the cells and tissues. It enables the immune system to function properly and mitigates the joint pain.

Although many foods you eat contain antioxidants, today’s poor diets likely don’t provide you with all the free radical scavengers you need. This is one area where tea can come in handy as several types of tea have been shown to contain healthy antioxidants, including green tea and black tea. And,

The tulsi plant is referred to as the “queen of herbs” for its healing powers. The use of tulsi leaves have been documented since around 5000 BC.

Today holy basil is a common house plant grown in the home and garden of families in India. The plant achieved its recognition from the West as well and you can easily find it in many home gardens in the US.

It has a very pleasant smell that is known to help prevent the gathering of mosquitoes. Holy basil is a popular patio plant and makes a great addition to any herb garden.

Tulsi has a kind of spicy flavor, comparable to cloves. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as “hot basil” or “pepper basil”. It is different from sweet or Thai basil, whose flavor is more like licorice.

Holy basil is one of my favorite plants or bushes in my garden. It grows as a bush, so we do not pinch it out. We let it flower and it has lots of leaves. It has long purple flowers and smooth green foliage with a spicy fragrance.

Usually I try to harvest young shoots in early morning for maximum flavor and scent. Small stake helps me to grow it as a lovely bush.

The bees in your garden will love it. I prune it back hard after the seeds have formed. Save the seeds and you will be able to grow hundreds of plants.

The leaves of the holy basil plant are used to make a delicious tea that promotes health and well-being

Consuming the warm brew of holy basil herbal tea can promote a more balanced metabolism, build stamina, as well as increase mental clarity.

Holy basil is traditionally made into remedies for headaches, heart disease, colds,asthma and bronchitis, gastrointestinal disorders, and inflammatory illnesses.

Even though holy basil is known for its antibacterial, and antiviral properties, it is most known for its role in reducing cortisol or stress levels in the body.

Personally, I frequently drink tea instead of coffee, as I never acquired a taste for it.

Considering the questionable benefits of starting your day off with a cup of coffee, I highly recommend you try switching to Tulsi tea instead for a far healthier wakeup call.

Drink holy basil tea to calm the mind. Rich in essential oils, holy basil tea is as much a pleasure to drink for its fragrance as its taste.

Dinner at the Neighbors!

Sonja makes amazing Turkey Meatballs. I will ask her to share the recipe so I can post it here! Also LOVE the Mashed Sweet Potatoes! Yum. So good. Thank you sweet neighbor for cooking Paleo!

Paleo Coconut Chicken Curry

Paleo Coconut Chicken Curry

1 can Coconut Milk

2 lbs Chicken Breasts

3 TBsp Curry Powder

1 chopped onion

4 Large Carrots, Thickly Sliced

Directions: Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes. Saute onions until translucent. Add Chicken saute until cooked through. Add coconut milk. Cut carrots into think slices and add to coconut milk.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the carrots are tender.  Serve over parboiled broccoli. If you have family that is not Paleo then make a batch of brown rice for them. Enjoy!

I was really craving curry- I think it was the coconut milk that was calling my name. I cook for anywhere from 5 to 8 people for dinner 5 nights a week. We eat with our neighbors or invite friends over, but always we have a full table. I love to cook for everyone. And cooking Paleo has been a simple switch in many cases. I like to cook from scratch and we often eat lots of veggies with our meat dishes. I have just cut out the rice and pasta for me. I still cook  brown and white rice for whoever else is joining us. And lots of veggies with butter for me. I will be sure to share my Paleo Spaghetti Recipe with you.

For this curry I would normally add potatoes to the carrots but instead I made the carrots large and chunky to take the place of the potatoes. And it totally worked! My non-Paleo eaters really enjoyed it with rice and I really enjoyed it with broccoli! It was a fabulous left-over for lunch too!

My Favorite Salad Dressing Recipe

Simple Citrus Balsamic Dressing
I love this salad dressing because it changes. I make it fresh every couple of days so I can always add something different or keep a favorite going for a while.
The main ingredients:
1/4c Olive Oil
1/4c Balsamic Vinegar
1/4c Lemon Juice

 I use about equal parts of each. But you an change this as well. I always have organic lemon juice in the fridge. It's a great cleanser and natural diuretic.

Additions- now put a "Fresh" in front of each of these (live food is always better.) You can add one of these or combinations. Do not store in fridge, the olive oil will solidify, store on the kitchen counter top for no more than 5 days:
Crushed garlic cloves- great during cold season- it build s a strong immune system
Honey
Basil
Orange Juice
Sesame Seeds

Once you have eaten up this fabulous dressing then wash out your glass bottle and start again! I brought this basic recipe with the addition of honey to our big family Christmas dinner ( I was in charge of the salad!) and it was a total hit! Enjoy!