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Coconut Ranch Dressing

1 cup olive oil
1 cup Coconut Milk (use canned to get the thicker texture)
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs prepared dijon mustard
2 tsp Dill
2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Chives
4 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1  tsp Parsley
1  tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Sea Salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)

Optional, 2 garlic cloves, 1 bunch of green onions.  You could also try using powdered mustard instead of prepared mustard. 

Combine all ingredients in a blender or magic bullet and pulse until well combined.  Chill for about an hour.  

Raw Seed And  Nut Spread

1/2 cup each, sunflower seeds, cashews, and almonds

1 Tbs. olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 Tbs chick pea miso

water to blend, about 1/2 cup

Soak the seeds and nuts overnight or for 8 hours.  Rinse and puree with the remaining ingredients in a blender until well mixed and of spread consistency.  Serve with raw veggies and crackers.  Makes about 1 3/4 cups

Here is the video:http://mountainwarrior.ning.com/video/mcminnville-mountain-warrior-...

Spicy Kale Chips

1/3 tsp ground cumin 
1/3 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne (add 1/8 tsp for spicier chips)
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ lb kale (about ¾ a bunch), large stems removed, cut into 2 to 3-inch pieces 

How to make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF. In a medium bowl, combine the spices, salt, and oil. Stir to dissolve. Add the kale and toss to coat. 
2. Spread leaves in a single layer on two baking sheets. Try to flatten any folded-over pieces for optimum crispness. Bake until the tips of leaves are slightly crispy, about 10 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the leaves over, and continue to roast until the leaves are crisp and slightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes more. Makes 4 servings.

Pizza Kale Chips: http://www.youngandraw.com/pizza-kale-chips-by-chef-amber-shea/

More Recipes For Kale Chips: 

http://blog.womenshealthmag.com/dish/kale-chips/

High Vitamin C Tea

Ingredients:  rose hips, hibiscus flowers, lemon grass, cinnamon chips

Note:  Vitamin C is a noted antioxidant with disease-fighting abilities.  

Rose Hips:  They contain more vitamin C than almost any other herb, many times the amount found in citrus fruit when measured gram by gram.  

Hibiscus:  high in vitamin C and bioflavonoids.  It has slightly astringent properties.  It is useful for treating mild colds, flus, bruising, and swelling. 

Lemon Grass:  http://planetwell.com/lemongrass-health-benefits-and-healing-proper...

Cinnamon:  Although cinnamon is considered to be simply a spice by most Westerners, herbalists have been using it for centuries as a warming digestive aid.  It is a wonderful mild stimulant and can be combined with ginger to treat circulatory and digestive problems.  It has antiviral and antiseptic activities, making it useful for fighting infections.  

High Vitamin C Tea Recipe: 

4 parts rose hips

3 parts hibiscus

2 parts lemongrass

1 part cinnamon chips 

Kale and Nut Pesto

small bunch of kale (4-6 leaves, remove the thick part of the stems*)

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted or soaked dehydrated almonds or  soaked and dehydrated pumpkin seeds.

1/2 to 1 clove of garlic

1/4 cup olive oil (or more for a smoother pesto)

juice & zest of one lemon

salt & pepper to taste

optional: grated raw cheese, or organic parmesan 

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
2. Blanch kale for about 30 seconds, remove and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking process.
3. Dry the kale a bit, squeeze out some of excess water and set on a towel for a few minutes more.
4. Blend everything together in a food processor. Pulse to create a chunky pesto, blend longer to create a smoother one. Taste and adjust, adding more salt, pepper, lemon, olive oil, as necessary.

For More Wonderful Healthy Recipes: 

http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/mountain-mama-wellness-box-ninth-week

Green Goddess Dressing 

1 garlic clove

1 cup packed avocado flesh (2 small) 

7-8 tbsp water

2 to 3  tbsp apple cider vinegar, ( *you can do 5 tbsp, if you like tangy*) 

3-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup packed fresh parsley

1/2 cup packed green onion (dark green part only, not white)

1 tsp sea salt, or to taste

Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Honey Sweeten, to taste

1.  Finley chop the garlic, basil, parsley and green onions.  Place in blender or food processor. 

2. Add in the water, oil, avocado.  Process until smooth. Now add in the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. . Finally add in the salt to taste. 

When looking at a lifestyle change to become healthier, I think it is important to ask yourself a few questions.  The first few questions I would ask myself would be the questions below in this picture: 

When it comes to your heart this is what it needs: 

Love

Play

Adventure

Community

Healthy Fats

Good clean source of protein ( the heart, is a muscular organ and can re-build itself) 

Lots of veggies, 9 cups a day

Cut your caffeine intake down

Get outside more

Limit your use of TV, Movies, Cell Phone, Texting, Screen Time 

Exercise 

Heart Chakra: 

The Heart chakra is associated with the heart, thymus gland, lower lung and circulatory system.

The heart chakra acts as the balance point for all the chakras. It governs our relationships and how we interact with other people. A balanced heart chakra is expressed in acceptance of self and others, personal values and ethics, following one's unique direction in life.

Emotional issues affecting the Heart Chakra: Love, joy, inner peace.

Some signs that the Heart Chakra is out of balance are:

Lack of self discipline

Difficulty in relationships

An attempt to live vicariously through another

Dependence on someone else for your happiness

Exercise is a must.  It is important to create lifestyle habits of exercise for you and your family.   You kids need to see you being active this will make a better future for them.  Exercise is just something you do like brushing your teeth.   

The hardest part for most people is finding something that they like and will stick to.  I believe most of the time people like it they just have bad habits of sticking to their routine.  Remember exercise is like brushing your teeth.  Here are some suggestions to keep you going while you are trying to make it a lifestyle habit. 

You need to find a activity or a couple of activities that you would like to do.  There are lots of activities out there and here is just a few. 

1.  Mountain Warrior Kung Fu Academy or any other form of martial arts that you might be

interested in. 

2.  Gym memberships

3.  Yoga 

4.  Running 

5.  Race Walking

6.  Dance 

7.  Rock Climbing 

8.  Skating

9.  Bicycle 

10. Hiking

11.  Skiing 

12.  Personal Training

13    Private Classes, kung fu, yoga, etc... 

Keep your body moving though a week.  

There's nothing like the feeling you get after a good, adrenaline-fueled workout -- your endorphins are high, your body is tingling and you feel way better than you did before, even if it was a total pain to motivate. 

But remember, while you are enjoying your fitness routine, falling into a rut can be a drag -- especially if it starts taking a toll on your waistline. Sure, there are tons of incentives to join a new activity at the beginning of each year, but what is important is to catch the drag before it happens by finding ways to keep you motivated.  If you are creating habits of quitting when you are in a rut and then not exercising for a few months (or more) this is not good for your health and chances are you will l probably get into a rut again and keep repeating this vicious cycle   Finding your motivation to create an exercise lifestyle, (like brushing your teeth), will keep you healthier and fit.  

Here are some suggestions to keep you from getting into a rut

Setting Goals:  Belt Levels, Races, Hard hikes that you want to accomplish etc... 

Have a buddy system

Hire a person trainer

Take private classes 

Transition Nutrition

Where To Start:

 First you have to truly want to make changes ……

 This is not a diet, it is about changing your life style habits through taking baby steps.  You are not going on a diet and then when you are done going off.

 Once you are on the road to your new healthy life style, in my opinion, there is no stopping, there is only different routes and pathways.   .  If you are slowing down and yielding, then stay at that step longer to integrate that  new healthy habit into your life style. 

You are not counting calories and restricting them and then adding exercise.  You are going to change unhealthy habits by slowly transitioning them.   Some examples of transitions are.  You eat potato chips quite often, you transition to eating baked potatoes instead and at the same time you are adding just one more day of exercise.  Further transition of this would be to go from baked potato to heirloom potato, to sweet potato, to adding, nutrients like veggie toppings to that sweet potato or heirloom potato.   Through this transition you would have added one more day of exercise. 

Example:  Potato chips to baked potatoes, add one day of exercise…Then heirloom potato and one more day of exercise– Then sweet potato or heirloom potato topped with veggies and one more day of exercise.

Ideas for potato toppings:   http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/roasted-veggies-for-toppings

Beginning Your Nutrtional Journey—First Transitions Steps

Transition time is one to two months per step

1. Take out fast food  and  frozen food.  You can allow yourself to eat out once a month at a restaurant that serves local fresh food and pasture raised meat and eggs.  No sugar, no sugary drinks and no fried food.

2. Remove all foods that have hydrogenated oil

3. Remove all foods that have artificial colors and flavors

4. Take a food allergy test:   Skip this step if you can not afford the test yet. I only recommend the Vega Testing.  It is very accurate.  For more information on vega testing:  http://www.wholisticresearch.com/info/artshow.php3?artid=80

5. Remove fruit juice. 

6. Remove canola oil and vegetable oil

7. Remove all soy, the only exception is fermented soy

8. Remove all items that have different forms of corn in them.  You can have organic corn on the cob, organic corn meal, organic sprouted corn tortillas.  That is it.  Here is the list of names that belong to over processed corn that you need to avoid.  I warn you this list is big… Stay calm and relax: http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php

9. Food labels, if there are scientific words avoid that food completely, always.

10. Remove all non-organic dairy

11. Limit dairy use to two times a week and go for raw when you can, like raw cheese

12. Remove white sugar, non-organic sugar and no corn syrup.   This is very important to do especially during fall, winter and spring.  Learn to make goodies with other sweetners.  Like maple sugar, honey, fruit etc…

13. Remove all foods that have nitrates and nitrites

 During your transition steps here your add ins:

1. Veggies, Veggies, Veggies…………..

2. Serving Sizes

3. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

4. Get a water filter

5. Get outside. Out in nature daily…...Yes daily!   AND ...Add at least once a month one small nature hike.  Sports do not count for getting outside.

 Mindful Eating Practices  Seven Mindful Tips:

 When you go to eat your snacks and meals turn the TV off, the computer off, and the cell phone off . 

1. Honor your food, where does it come from? 

2. Engage your senses, the taste, the beauty, the aroma, the touch, texture and sound .  What is on your mind, how many colors are in your meal

3. Mindful portions, use child size plates and stick to serving sizes

4. Chew your food it helps digestion.  Chew at least 20 times per bite

5. Eat slowly, enjoy your food

6. NO Skipping meals

7. Eat lots of green veggies, colorful veggies.  Focus, just try to eat veggies with every meal. 

Here’s the deal with transition nutrition:

You are working on changing unhealthy eating habits.  Some of these habits were formed many years ago and because of this you might have a hard time giving up certain things.  This is why transition nutrition will work.  First of all you are taking very small baby steps for change.  Second of all you are taking unhealthy habits and taking them to the next level of change.  This is what you are going to do, remember think transition not quit cold turkey.

Examples of transitioning unhealthy food habits:

Instead of cutting unhealthy habits out of your life,  you are going to make rules on allowing them.  Here are the rules.  There are NO breaking the rules!

Habits of sweetened coffee drinks—don’t buy them.  You have to learn to make them all the way homemade at home. 

Donuts—can’t buy them, you have to learn to make them from scratch at home.

French fries— can’t buy them, you have to cut them up and make them at home, use organic coconut oil or sunflower oil to cook them

Pizza—you can not buy it, frozen, cooked or pre-made, you have to make the dough from scratch, top with veggies , raw cheese and pasture raised meats

Cinnamon Rolls—you can’t buy them in any form, you have to make them, from scratch, learn to use yeast to make bread dough, season with spices, add fresh fruit

Soda—can not purchase, you can make fermented sodas, it is easy and healthy

Cookies—can not purchase from a bakery or from a box, you have to get the butter, the sweetener, the flour etc.  Eventually add organic dried fruits and nuts

Those food items above will be made into healthier versions, you start applying your mindful eating tips, more veggies, healthier versions of sweeteners, organic dried fruits and nuts  and your transition steps.  Because the rule is you have to make it homemade at home you end up eating those things less. 

Your world of food and your palate will be awakened as you get back in touch with what is truly real food. In time your body will rejuvenate, you will have less illnesses, less colds, flu's, strep  throat, stop diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and different forms of arthritis.  

Congratulations, you have now taken charge of your health you are learning the art of healthy cooking, of sneaky cooking by incorporating nutrient dense foods into every meal, this brings up the food values and gives you more zip,zest, and zingo in your life.