Steak with Raspberries, Dates and Blue Cheese

This was a big hit in our family!  An early Father's Day dinner gave me a good opportunity to test it out!  Give it a try this weekend and I'm sure you will be the rockstar of your family!

I suggest finding the best cuts of natural meat you can ... try to find as close to organic, grass-fed beef.  Besides being much healthier for you, the difference in taste is substantial.  Totally worth the money.

Enjoy!

Steak with Raspberries, Dates, and Blue Cheese

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 cup red raspberries
3 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
8 dried dates, chopped
2 ounces ham, chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon garam masala
freshly ground black pepper
8 boneless beef tenderloin or rib-eye steaks (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
Salt
6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat your grill on high or preheat your broiler.  Lightly oil the rack or pan.
2. Combine raspberries, sugar, and vinegar in a small saucepan.  Simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half.  Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft.  Add the dates, ham, rosemary, garam masala, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until the dates are very soft.  Set aside and keep warm.
4. Generously season the steaks with salt and pepper.
5. Grill or broil the steaks for about 12 minutes, turning once or until a thermometer reaches 145 degrees if you would like your steak medium rare.
6. Place each steak on a plate.  Top with equal amounts of cheese and cover with some of the date mixture.  Drizzle a few tablespoons of the raspberry sauce over everything.  Serve remaining fig mixture as a side.

Happy Father's Day to all of you amazing dads!  Have a fantastic day!

My Daddy and Me!

 

Brain Tumor Awareness Month

 Yes, it's brain tumor awareness month.

As much as I'd like to forget that life event, I feel like there are so many people struggling with the fears of that diagnosis that it's worth mentioning here on my blog.

Meningiomas are a poorly understudied and under researched brain tumor.  Click here to read about the research that is happening and some projects that are underway to help understand some more about why certain individuals may develop them.

If you'd like to read more about my journey, this is my post from last May.  Click here to read it (fyi there are some scary photos)  I don't like to draw attention to myself,  but most of you have no idea the number of people who are diagnosed with this.  Please, please, please if you know anyone who is going through this, let them know I am here to vent to, support or lend a hand to anyone in need.  Most people think that this kind of brain tumor is easy to deal with as most of them are benign.  However, many patients have other things to heal from after diagnosis.  Many have lost senses such as smell, sight (mom calls me eagle eye),  are paralyzed with nerve damage, deafness, paralysis, cognitive changes, severe mood changes, depression, seizures and more.  Too many lives have been claimed.  It needs to be studied!  Personally, I just don't know what to tell my kids or their doctors.  Could it be radiation from dental x-rays?  Is it hormonal?  Don't talk on your cell phones!  We just don't know.

If you'd like to contribute to the ongoing research, the ever expanding support group of "Meningioma Mommas" has a fund set up to donate to research. 

Click here for the link that you can donate to ... it is tax deductible and is appreciated greatly!

I've also posted some possible risks factors at the bottom of this page ... clearly we don't know enough about why we get them.  I just wish we could stop these tumors!

This is a photo I found on Meningioma Mommas facebook page ... Thank you to the inspiring photographer ... whoever you are!   Many hands needed in conquering this disease!

In Grace,
Krista

Meningioma Risk Factors

Meningiomas are most common in people between the ages of 40 and 70. They are more common in women than in men (74% meningioma patients are female). Among middle-aged patients, there is a marked female bias, with a female to male ratio of almost 3:1 in the brain and 6:1 in the spinal cord. Meningiomas are very rare in children, with pediatric cases accounting for only 2.5% of the total cases.

Currently, the two predisposing factors associated with meningiomas for which the strongest evidence exists are exposure to ionizing radiation and hormones. However, these factors remain largely unexplored and a large-scale examination on a population-based data set is needed to help clarify the roles of these risk factors in the development of meningioma tumors.

• Ionizing Radiation
• Hormones
• Other Predisposing Conditions

Ionizing radiation is the radiation used in medicine that creates ions by knocking electrons out of atoms. Ions penetrate and interfere with living tissue, causing tumor cells to die as they attempt to reproduce. Exposure to ionizing radiation has been found to be associated with a higher incidence of intracranial tumors and particularly meningiomas. Data from atomic bomb survivors exposed to high doses show a greatly increased risk for meningioma. There is also evidence indicating an association with meningioma from lower dose levels. A well-known example of ionizing radiation and meningioma comes from children in Israel who were given radiation for scale ringworm between 1948 and 1960. These children were observed to have a relative risk for meningioma of almost 10. The dose given to these children was approximately the amount used in dental radiographs prior to 1948. Within the Unites States, this is the most common form of exposure to ionizing radiation. A number of studies have linked the number of full mouth dental radiographs to risk of meningioma.
Radiation therapy for intracranial tumors has also been linked to meningioma risk, and animal studies support the notion that ionizing radiation can induce intracranial tumors, including meningiomas, by damaging DNA. No recent large-scale studies of meningioma risk relative to ionizing radiation have been conducted since the time that new radiographic procedures for delivering radiation have been developed. These methods use focus beams to help limit unnecessary exposure to areas outside of the target. A population-based study with a large sample size will help to provide a better estimate of the current association. Patients who have undergone broad radiation treatments in the past should take care to watch for symptoms (see Symptoms section) and monitor themselves for meningiomas. Evidence for meningiomas caused by radiation exposure may be multiple and are generally more aggressive.

One Grande Caramel Frappucino = 6 Krispy Kreme Donuts

Cool Drinks ...

Got your attention?

Ok, I love, love, love iced coffee right around this time of year!  Apparently it is the trend of the season with all ages, especially highschoolers (is that a word?)  who carry around their Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts cups as an accessory lately!

I remember that age well.  You didn't have to worry about too much as far as what you were eating until you realized you were starting to stay poofy ... not a skinny little kid like you used to be.  Right?  Fast forward to the nineties and everything went to fat free.  Remember Snack Well cookies?  OMG.  Loved them.  Thought I could eat them and not get fat because, you know, they're fat free right?  Lol!  Anyway, I digress.  I do have a point to this post ... hang on.

So these blended drinks are big sellers now.   Just wanted to share a secret they're not telling you unless you look up the nutritional info (which is available if you look).  If you buy a Grande Caramel Frappucino (that's only 16 oz) topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce you would be taking in the equivalent of 6 Krispy Kreme donuts!  Six donuts in one 16 oz drink!

That is actually 64 grams of sugar!  Click here for details!

That is equivalent to 16 teaspoons of sugar!

Dunkin' Donuts also has info available on all their drinks.  Click here for  the 16 oz Vanilla Bean Coolatta.  Unfortunately it has 87 grams of sugar! 

Which is over the daily recommended amount of sugar we should be taking in by 40 - 50 grams!
 Again, don't hate me.  I say have your treat every once in awhile.  Just remember you could easily cut the sugar by going plain jane ... get a plain iced coffee and add your own sugar.  One teaspoon is equal to 4 grams.  The syrups they are using to flavor these blended drinks are filled with ingredients you cannot even pronounce.  My rule is:  if you cannot pronounce it, don't eat it.  
*See list at bottom

If you had one of those fancy drinks every day for a week, you would be consuming 448 grams of sugar over 7 days.  That is 112 teaspoons of sugar in a week or 1792 calories just in sugar alone!

If you're trying to stay healthy, trying to keep yourself from being a slave to sugar, do your body a favor and make your own.  It's easy, much more affordable.  I'm not getting into the "light" versions available but you can check out the list below.  That scares me.  Eat and drink real food that you can pronounce.  Simple. 

Light Coffee Frappuccino Syrup (US version): Water, sugar, Erythritol (E968), Natural Flavors, Salt, Carageenan (E407), Xanthan Gum (E415), Maltodextrin, Preservative: Potassium Sorbate (E202), Citric Acid (E330), Reb A, Color: Caramel (E150d, E150b) Contains Milk & Gluten!

We all know how we are eating too much sugar ... and how type 2 diabetes is growing at about 8% partially due to obesity.  Let's do ourselves a favor and get the added sugar out of our diets now before it ends up costing more than that $4.00 a cup. 

Off to take advantage of the sunlight and get some of the vitamin D out there!
Have a beautiful day!
Krista

Pain Relief Please

Sore Muscles?  Joint Pain?  Bruising?

Got some kids in the house with sports injuries? 

How about your overdone back from getting the yard cleaned up?

I'm always on the look out for good pain relief gels, ointments, creams!  Yes, for me as my previous life as a gymnast has given me frequent lower back pain,  but my kids get hurt on the field and although the ibuprofen bottle is easily accessible in the kitchen cabinet, I try to use alternative treatments too.

I write this as my daughter is being adjusted at the chiropractor (a once a week ritual now).

Her sports medicine doctor recommended this cream that I think is worth sharing:

Belle had to get her face in the blog this time.

Traumeel is a homeopathic ointment available in health food stores and online.  All kinds of good stuff like echinacea, chamomilla, calendula, belladonna, and arnica.

Have a great weekend everyone!!
Hope you have lots of good games to watch and good food to share!
Krista

When she started playing as a lil toddler I really had no clue we'd be watching this years later. 

Clean Eating!

Do You Know What You're Feeding Your Family?

Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen 2014 Guide

So, if you're like me you know you're supposed to stay away from pesticides right?  You wouldn't want to give any kind of poison to your family if you could help it.  Sometimes you have to pick your battles.  I am always questioning EVERYTHING I buy for my family as I just have a tough time accepting what big companies put out there.  I just want to know what we're eating!

Here is a great list to keep with you if you are interested in keeping your tribe free from pesticides.   The Environmental Working Group has released its 2014 edition of the "Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen" guides to pesticides on produce.

Unfortunately apples still top the list of pesticide heavy produce.  They've been at the top since 2011.  Find a place to get your apples organic.  My favorite place is BJ's as the cost is low and they actually are in great condition.  The cleanest produce on the list is avocados with the least pesticide residue.  Yay!  Love avocados!!

EWG tests conventional produce to let consumers know what we aren't being told by the Environmental Protection Agency ... pesticides are a risky thing to eat!

"Every sample of imported nectarines and 99 percent of apple samples tested positive for at least one pesticide residue,"  EWG notes in their report.  And potatoes contained more pesticides by weight than any other food tested.  "A single grape sample contained 15 pesticides.  Simple sample of celery, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece."

Dirty Dozen                                               

1.  Apples
2.  Strawberries
3.  Grapes
4.  Celery
5.  Peaches
6.  Spinach
7.  Sweet Bell Peppers
8.  Nectarines (imported)
9.  Cucumbers
10.  Cherry Tomatoes
11.  Snap Peas (imported)
12.  Potatoes
(Kale and Collards and Hot Peppers are included on this list as well although they aren't official as they don't meet traditional EWG list criteria, they are frequently high risk for contamination)

Clean Fifteen

1.   Asparagus
2.  Avocados
3.  Cabbage
4.  Cantaloupe
5.  Cauliflower
6.  Eggplant
7.  Grapefruit
8.  Kiwi
9.  Mangoes
10.  Onions
11.  Papayas
12.  Pineapples
13.  Sweet Corn
14.  Sweet Peas
15.  Sweet Potatoes

A general rule to keep in mind when figuring out what is higher risk for contamination is to look at the outside of the produce.  If it has a tough covering, it's usually safer (mango, pineapple, eggplant).  If you eat the skin it usually has a good chance of having more pesticides (strawberries, apples, blueberries, leafy greens).

Hope this helps you next time you are wondering if it's worth buying organic!

Krista

Cookie Dough Part II

So, this is what's trending in my house these days ... no bake cookie dough.

I know, not what you expect from a serious veggie fan but everyone needs their dose of the sweet stuff, especially good when you make it yourself and you know what's in it!  Even better when you feel like the sweet tooth is satisfied but you haven't over-indulged!

I have a rough time with those gourmet jelly beans this time of year!  It seriously brings me back to my days as a sugar junkie ... but this time I enjoyed just a few and put them away.  And I haven't gone back.  They're in my line of vision ... and I am ok with that :)  Bring on the Peeps!  I could care less about them but my family ... they would inhale them if I kept them around! 

Ok, so this recipe is super easy and will keep you happy without too much in the empty calorie department.  I swear no one in my house even thought there were garbanzo beans in these!

No-Bake Chickpea Cookie Dough

prep time:  10 mins
servings:  20

Ingredients:
 1 cup of canned garbanzo beans/chick peas
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Blend chickpeas, peanut butter, agave nectar and vanilla in a blender.  Empty into a bowl and fold in chocolate chips.  Roll into desired size.  Keep covered in refrigerator or freezer to keep fresh.

note:  if you are using natural peanut butter ... you may want to thin the dough with about a tablespoon of warm water.  It will be much drier than if you use a conventional peanut butter with added oil.  If you use a peanut butter such as Skippy Natural it will be easier to combine.

*recipe from allrecipes.com


Enjoy!
Krista

Nutrition Facts
Servings 20.0
Amount Per Serving
Calories 88
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5 g	7 %
Saturated Fat 2 g	8 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 g	0 %
Sodium 29 mg	1 %
Potassium 24 mg	1 %
Total Carbohydrate 9 g	3 %
Dietary Fiber 1 g	4 %
Sugars 6 g
Protein 3 g	5 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	0 %
Iron	7 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Old Grain for the New Season

 Seasonal Salad 

This is a grain most people know nothing about ... farro!  I love it because of it's health benefits (see bottom*), but also because it holds flavor well and there are so many things you can do with it.  I happened to have broccoli and pineapple in the fridge and love that combo but needed to dress it up with some flavor so I added lots of ginger, soy and sesame oil - the crushed pepper is just enough to kick it up and throw in some beans or even some almonds, pumpkin seeds and you have a well balanced carb/protein salad.  Great for athletes and moms of athletes!!

Have fun!  Let me hear back if you make some different combinations that work for you!

 

Pineapple Broccoli Farro Salad

• 0.5 cup, uncooked farro
• 1.0 cup, Vegetable Broth
• 1.0 cup, Pineapple - Raw, all varieties
• 1.0 cup, Broccoli - Raw
• 0.5 cup, Garbanzo Beans (Drained and Rinsed)
• 1.0 tbsp, fresh grated ginger 
• 2.0 Tbsp, Tamari Premium Soy Sauce - Reduced Sodium
• 1.0 tbsp, Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1.0 tbsp, Organic Raw Blue Agave Sweetener
• 0.25 tsp, Crushed Red Peppers

Directions:

1. Combine 1/2 cup farro and 1 cup of vegetable broth in a sauce pan with a lid.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to low, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. 
2. Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes.  Fluff with fork.
3. Combine ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, agave and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
4. Add broccoli, garbanzo beans and pineapple to cooked farro.
5. Mix dressing over the mixture.  Combine well.

 

*Health Notes on Farro:

Fiber Fix
A cup of faro has about 8 grams of cholesterol-lowering fiber. That's four times as much as white rice; brown rice weighs in at around 5 grams.
Chill Pill
Whole grains like farro are full of minerals, including magnesium, which may relieve tension and menstrual cramps.
Smart Carb
Farro's complex carbs break down slowly, keeping your energy level stable. The grain also has cyanogenic glucosides, a type of carb that may boost the immune system.


Have a fun filled, beautiful weekend!
Krista

 

Nutrition Facts
Servings 6.0
Amount Per Serving
Calories 116
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 1 g	1 %
Saturated Fat 0 g	0 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 g	0 %
Sodium 418 mg	17 %
Potassium 118 mg	3 %
Total Carbohydrate 28 g	9 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g	16 %
Sugars 6 g
Protein 5 g	9 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	62 %
Calcium	0 %
Iron	20 %

* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.