Umbrella Drink for You (and your fussy kid!)

It is beyond beautiful here today in NJ!  We are now into Summer for at least a day or two!  Instant happy mood for me!

Anyway I have one really fussy kid as far as getting in "real" food with colors, fiber ... pretty much everything I tell you to eat.  She's also got seasonal allergies right now (who doesn't?) and is milk sensitive.  I just wanted to share a great smoothie with you if you have one of those kids ... and honestly if you threw an umbrella and some rum into it, I'm sure the resorts would be charging $12 for a single serving!

Ok, have to throw this in ... this has a lot of natural sugar in it.  Way more than I would drink on a regular basis ... but for those young athletes it is a good idea ... they need some fiber, natural sugars, a little fat ...  great to drink after practices.  

Pineapple-Mango-Coconut-Banana Smoothie
aka Umbrella Drink

1 ripe banana
1/2 fresh mango (or frozen if you don't have fresh)
1/2 cup pineapple
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk or rice milk
I also added some coconut flakes ... Roasted Coconut chips that are sooo good!

(I never measure when I make these so you can just use what you have!)

Blend.
Enjoy!

Here's to more glorious Sunshine!
Krista

Yummy Skincare You Have in Your Cabinets!

Happy Friday My Healthy Peeps!

I have had a great week off with my kids and their friends this week ... no homework and crazy schedules lead to one happy Momma!  I cannot believe it's Friday already!  Soon enough it will go back to insane after school and weekend schedules - between my two girls we have 4 soccer team schedules, 2 lacrosse schedules and 1 track and field schedule ... yep, enjoying the bliss right now of peace!

One thing I wanted to pass on to you was a very simple recipe for great skin care.  If you've been reading any of the stories recently about the chemicals in all your household products, you know that everything out there contains yucky unpronouncable (is that even a word?) ingredients that have serious health risks.  I've been using some all-natural skin care products now for the last 9 months and I have to say I love them and cannot go back to using the other stuff.  I threw out all the soaps, cleaning products and skin care as I cannot stand the smell of fake stuff anymore and because they are downright bad for us and the environment.  And ... my bloodwork that I update every year actually improved in my levels of hormones ... yep, at my age the numbers actually got better :)

So here's a fantastic scrub for you to try:

Homemade Face and Body Scrub

2 teaspoons of honey (raw, organic or local if you have it)

2 teaspoons of granulated sugar (organic brown sugar works best ... the regular kind is too soft) 

1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil 

optional:  2 drops of lavender essential oil  (please contact me for ordering details)

Mix together in a bowl ... gently apply to face in circular motion and rinse!  I also get in the shower with this as to apply as an exfoliant to the rest of me!  Just make sure you don't leave any residue behind for your famiiy!

Chemical free and so much cheaper than expensive spa treatments!!

Enjoy!

xo,

Krista

 

Eggs ... which one?

Which egg is "Organic?" 

So it's Easter time and all the little eggs are out ... chocolate, marshmallow, Cadbury, etc.  I happen to love eggs ... they are such a great source of protein as we all know.  If I do eggs in the morning ... or even lunch as I just made an awesome spinach, tomato, feta cheese omelet ... I feel very happy!  Personally those breakfasts that are just carbs ... not protein, do absolutely nothing for me as I burn carbs up and feel horrible.  My blood sugar is way too unhappy :(

Anyway, I just had to share this photo I took of these two eggs.  I only buy organic eggs that say their chickens are "cage free."  If you've ever seen what goes on in a factory full of chickens, it will gross you out big time and you'll never eat a chicken or an egg from there again!  And you shouldn't!  They are sickly and full of antibiotics, fed garbage and then you're supposed to feel good from eating them or their eggs?  Not happening.  So I ran out of eggs and happened to be at our local hardware store.  He raises chickens ... yes, here in Northern NJ where it's pretty unusual to have anything other than domestic pets (and the uninvited furry folks like the bears who come out to see if you have anything good in your garbage cans, and the families of foxes and turkeys).  His eggs are gorgeous ... all different colors and sizes.  The yolks above are different colors and sizes.  You guessed it ... the bottom one is from 1/2 mile from my house.  Why is it so orange and big compared to the Lancaster County "organic" store bought one?  Because he feeds it real food, they scratch on the real dirt, ingesting minerals found in the soil and it hasn't been sitting on a shelf for long at all!  Good stuff.

I'll cut to the point of my story as I am on my way out to pick up kids from school to begin the long awaited Spring Break!  Yes, you should buy organic ... I truly believe we need to know where our food comes from and what it has been fed, what if any pesticides have been used, and honestly how far it had to travel to get here!  Your body is your temple ... after learning all that I have about toxins and how it can harm your body, believe me, you don't need more of that stuff to harm you or your family.  Here's the good thing about our Spring and Summer season approaching:  There will be many farm stands popping up around us!  Go and talk to the farmers and growers.  Ask them about their food.  Most of them cannot afford to apply for the official "organic" label but do not use chemicals or pesticides because they know how to do it without big business watching over them.  NO GMO's!  You need to know what you are eating to keep your body "clean" and functioning at a high level.  So now that the weather is changing, get out there and enjoy the weather and try to eat locally.  Your kids will love the visits to the farms ... and start thinking about what you are planting this season!

Aren't they pretty?  I love the blue ones!

Happy Easter if you are celebrating!  Here's to rebirth and new beginnings!
Be Well,
Krista

Happy Healthy Dog!!

Happy Monday All!  With sunshine and the start of a new week, I wanted to get my greens in right away this morning ... but my fridge drawer had other things in it besides the usual overabundance of greens!  I guess I've been slipping in checking out inventory so I decided to use what I had to juice instead.  I love juicing for that reason ... just use what you have and presto - there is a glass full of vitamins and good stuff waiting for you!

This is what landed in my glass:  2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 head of romaine lettuce, 1 lemon.  Nice and sour with a bit of sweetness.

When I juice, my dog Karma is always waiting for a handout.  I guess not all carnivorous dogs turn their noses up to veggies and fruits ... maybe she knows what I'm about by now!  Anyway, I crack up when I see her getting excited for her veggie treats!  Btw, if you don't have a juicer, you are left with the "pulp" of the fruits and veggies and I always think it is a shame to throw it out so I hand it to her.

Just wanted to pass that along to you dog owners with juicers!  Of course you don't want to overload them with too much and remember no grapes or onions for our furry friends!

Be Well!!!  Only 16 days until Spring ... the Vernal Equinox!  Yippee!!!
Krista

How Do You Eat?

I've just been to the mall ... yes, on a Saturday.
A few observations ... first it was like Christmas shopping by the time my daughter and I left the mall!  Is it always like this on a day in March?

As I approached my car, I noticed a paper note stuck into my side view mirror ... this vehicle next to the driver's side was soooo close to me I could barely get into my car. I had parked far away from everyone!  I opened the note and this is what it said:

Ummm, I didn't make you park that close to me did I?
Thank God, with all my sensors and back up gadgets I made it out without a scratch!  But, what do you make of that note?  I guess I'm glad they wrote it but seriously, did you have to pick that spot?

Anyway, I digress ... at the mall - this was the Short Hills Mall where it is full of upscale, ridiculously expensive shoes (but oh did Jimmy Choo's pink sandals look yummy!), Range Rover Epoque in the center of the mall and the list goes on, I noticed people eating.  Not so much sitting down and eating, but walking and eating, eating while reading,  and eating while on their laptops (you know those men who bring their wives there to shop and they sit in the center court).

Did you ever notice when you eat in this manner that you tend to be hungry an hour later?  Do our bodies even notice we ate a meal or a snack even though our bellies are full?  Sometimes I am guilty of this ... inhaling a meal while I'm alone.  It's like our digestion didn't even know what hit it!  Anyway I've started trying to consciously really enjoy my food!  Try it if you're doing the "eat and read", "eat and play your ipad", "eat and watch tv" method ... chew your food!  Count the bites.  Each bite counts and helps your digestion function properly.  Start with 20 bites and work up to 50.  It will help you feel good and enjoy what you're eating!!

In Wellness,
Krista

PS ... If you wrote the above note please know I did not even touch your Lexus with my fingertip!  Hope the next car in didn't either!

A Dinner to Enjoy ... sunshine, palm trees and a little reggae to boost!

My kitchen is a happening place lately.  More than the usual meals that are quite honestly starting to bore me ... and maybe it's a little bit of winter doldrums setting in ... but the family has been busy with  taste testing each night!  Last night was a big hit with the first time ever, "JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN!"  (Have you seen that new VW commercial for the Super Bowl yet?  Makes me happy!)  Anyway I'm experimenting with some new recipes because I'm rolling out a new program for the month of March that will be full of fun stuff!  Stay tuned for the details in the next week ... but here's the recipe from last night ... yes, it is a slow cooker recipe but on days that are yucky out, it's a really nice smell to come home to.  And seriously, put some Bob Marley on and everyone will be in a good mood even if you are rushing out the door to a game!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

prep time ~ 25 minutes

slow cook time ~ 5-5 1/2 hours low

                              2 1/2 - 2 3/4 high

Ingredients:

1 20 ounce can of pineapple chunks (fyi I used frozen pineapple with some added water)

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 small jalepeno pepper (I cut mine in large chunks so my kids could pull them out)

2 T red wine vinegar

1 T dijon style mustard

4-6 t jerk style seasoning (see seasoning mix below if you don't have jerk seasoning)

1/2 t salt

1/4 t ground fresh pepper

1 orange, peeled and sectioned

2 cups of hot rice or couscous 

green onions for garnish (optional)

1.  Drain pineapple, reserving liquid.  

2.  In a large slow cooker, add the following:  pineapple, chicken, beans, and jalapeno pepper.

3.  In small bowl, combine pineapple juice, vinegar, mustard, jerk seasoning, salt and black pepper.  

     Pour into slow cooker.  

4.  Cover and cook on low for 5 to 5 1/2 hours or high for around 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  Serve warm over

   hot rice or other grain your family loves! Add orange slices and green onions if desired.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving:  378 cal, 6 grams total fat, 110 mg of cholesterol, 621 mg sodium, 50 grams of carb, 7 gram fiber, 35 grams of protein.

jerk seasoning recipe

1  1/2 teaspoons ground  allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/4 t.  ground cloves

1 1/2  teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

I didn't use this entire recipe ... I did a dry rub on the chicken and saved the rest for next time!  Do not use more salt and pepper than this recipe (above lists salt and pepper separately if you use pre-made jerk seasoning from the store).

UP! by JAWBONE A cool little accessory!

UP by JAWBONE
I absolutely love this product!!

I've only been wearing this for a week but I am amazed at how it really changes your thinking and awareness on so many levels!

What does it do?  Well, keeps track of everything for you.  What you do with that info is up to you!

Here goes:

• Sleep tracking (tells you how long it took you to fall asleep, hours of deep sleep, hours of light sleep, if you woke during night...add in a smart alarm and a power nap feature and you are covered.
• 24/7 activity tracking ... you set a goal for how many steps you want to take a day and it counts them up for you giving you bar graphs during the day ... and calories burned, distance covered along with a stopwatch mode and an idle alert.
• Food and drink tracking ... helps you keep track of what you ingest ... you can either type it in, use their library, or scan the barcode in for nutritional info. (See my photo below)
• Insightful information and trends you have demonstrated in neat little graphs.

You can get this product online (I think mine came from Amazon for $129.99) and use it with IOS5.1 or greater, iPhone 3GS or later, iPod Touch 3Gen or later or the iPad.

Personally I am fascinated by the sleep features ... I had no idea what my night consisted of while asleep!  It breaks it down to see when you are in deep sleep, light sleep, etc.  I feel much better when my light sleep is less and my deep sleep is longer.  I'm also on a mission to reach my steps for the day goal of 10,000 as I've been barely moving in my usual speed with being under the weather ... but it makes me want to move and walk the dog even if the weather is cold and damp!  

Ok, I could go on on about features but I thought maybe some of you who have heard about them might be happy to hear they are very cool.  Go buy one and start tracking yourself!! 

www.jawbone.com/up

Enjoy,

Krista

Here is a shot of today's nutritional breakdown ... my sugar is high!  I think that's because my green smoothie had a nice batch of fruit and veggies that do count as a sugar ... even though it is a natural source of sugar.  Just something to watch and be aware of as we all tend to over do it with sugar of some sort.