Trusted Personal Care Product Brands

Trustworthy Brands:

  • 100% Pure Makeup

  • Avalon Organics

  • Desert Essence

  • Devita

  • Emerita

  • Old Man Murray's

  • Dr. O’Hhira’s producuts

  • Active Organics

  • Amrita

  • Peelu toothpaste

  • Weleda

  • Some Juice Beauty products (read the label)

Be Well. ♥

Broccoli-Carrot Slaw

Broccoli - Carrot Slaw

Lemon juice dresses one of my all-time favorite salads that I invented to get the kids to eat Broccoli! It also gets apple cider vinegar in their diet (wonderful health benefits).

Broccoli_Carrot Slaw

Recipe

  • 6 c. organic Broccoli Slaw, or 4 cups chopped up organic Broccoli and 2 c. shredded carrots

  • 1 c. organic Parsley, finely chopped

Dressing

  • 2 medium organic Garlic cloves, mashed in mortar and pestle with 1/2 tsp. Pink Sea Salt

  • 4 Tbs. Vegenaise

  • 1-1/2 Tbs. Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

  • 1 Tbs. Lemon Juice

  • 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

  • 1/2 tsp. Celery Seed (or you can add 1/2 c. fresh Celery, chopped

Combine veggies in a large bowl. 

In a small bowl whisk dressing ingredients until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour over veggies and toss to coat.

Note:  This is a light dressing, not meant to look like the thicker Slaw dressing we're used to. ~ Bon Apetit! ♥

Black Bean Salad

Black Bean Salad

  • 4 c. cooked organic Black Beans, drained

  • 1/2 c. organic sweet Onion, chopped

  • 1/2 c. organic Cilantro, chopped

  • 1/4 c. organic Mint, chopped

  • 1/2 organic Serrano Chili Pepper chopped (opt.)

  • 2 medium organic Tomatoes, chopped

  • 2 organic Green Onions, chopped

  • 4 Tbs. organic Apple Cider Vinegar (Bragg's is best)

  • 2 Tbs. Lemon Juice

  • 2 Tbs. Flax Seed Oil

  • 1 Tbs. Olive Oil

  • 1 tsp. Sea Salt

  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin or more to taste

  • Black Pepper

     

Mix everything together in a large bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.

~ Bon Apetit! ♥

Coconut Cilantro Chutney

One of my sweet 30-something nephews came over for lunch today.  We hadn't really visited for some time since he lives an hour away. We caught each other up on news over chicken tacos, chicken Thai curry, whole wheat couscous, kale salad and spinach flat bread (I like eclectic meals).

I realized that I didn't have a chutney to serve, since most are so full of sugar I rarely buy them.  I came across this recipe... It goes very well with fish too, and takes just minutes to whip up.

Coconut Cilantro Chutney Recipe

GreenCoriander chutney

  • 3/4 c. shredded unsweetened Coconut

  • 3/4 c. fresh organic Cilantro, coarsely chopped

  • 1 small seeded organic Serrano chili,  quartered

  • 1/2 c. light coconut milk (or green tea)

  • Juice of 1/2 organic Lime

  • dash of Sea Salt

Place all but Lime juice in blender, or food processor, and pulse until consistency is almost smooth.

Pour into a bowl and mix in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning.

As a variation you may add 1 clove of garlic to veggies, or a 1/2 inch slice of ginger.

Makes about 1 cup of chutney.

~ āp kā khānā svādiṣṭa ho! ♥

Zucchini Fudge Brownies

No one will ever guess these brownies are healthy! They are gooey and delicious.

black bean brownies

black bean brownies

Recipe

  • 1 c. organic Black beans, drained

  • 1 under-ripe Banana, cut into 5 pieces

  • 1/4 c. organic GF Oat or Buckwheat Flour

  • 1/4 cup organic Raw Cocoa powder

  • 1/4 c. organic Zucchini, shredded

  • 1-1/4 tsp. pure Vanilla Extract

  • 1/2 - 3/4 tsp. Cinnamon

  • 3/4 tsp. Baking Powder

  • 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

  • 3 Tbs. Birch Xylitol or 1/4 tsp. Monk Fruit powder

  • 3 Tbs. pure Maple Syrup (opt)

  • 2 Tbs. brewed Green Tea or Water

  • Toasted Pecans (opt.)

Preheat oven to 375º F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Place beans and banana in food processor and pulse until completely mashed.  Add the rest of the ingredients and process until combined, scraping often.

black bean brownies 4

black bean brownies 4

Pour batter into pan, spreading it evenly, and push pecan pieces into batter.

black bean brownies raw

black bean brownies raw

Place pan on middle rack of oven.

Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until edges curl away from paper. The brownies may seem a little gooey, but they harden as they cool. Place pan on a rack and wait 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

Power Breakfast Ideas

During treatment, one of the last things you feel up to doing is thinking about what to eat. You already know it's critical that you alter your diet if you haven't yet, but to call upon mental resources to focus on cooking the right things is a challenge. I am blessed that many family members live within 1 - 10 miles of us, so three of my nieces took it upon themselves to rotate weeks and cook 2 main dishes for me (compliant with my diet), which they delivered the 3rd day after each Chemo treatment...when the side effects manifested! They made enough so that I got at least 4-5 meals out of each delivery.

Breakfast was easy once I got into the habit of shopping for the groceries I would need early in the week, (either my daughter or Jon would replenish fresh produce as we ran out), and developed a few routine favorites.

Lunch and snacks depended on what I had in the fridge or the pantry, so I was sure to stock healthy, easy to prepare foods...Sardines, organic beans, hi-fiber bread or RyeVita crackers, salsa, baby carrots, spinach, lemons (for squeezing in tea and on almost anything), almond butter, organic fruit spreads, coconut milk, homemade hummus, avocados and nuts. I'll post some ideas for these two meals soon.

Remember that you are eating to both support your immune system and to boost your energy during treatment. Spice up your food to instantly add antioxidants.

To help you develop the knack of easily creating healthy breakfasts, or for someone who may prepare them for you, I put together the Power Breakfast Guide below.  Be generous with the use of spices you like in any of these breakfasts.

tea-set.jpg

~*~*~*~

Berry Oats: ¾ c. of organic oats, 1 cup blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or sliced strawberries, 1 Tbs. chopped almonds or pecans, 1 Tbs. freshly ground flax seeds, coconut or cashew milk, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and cinnamon. Add cup of Matcha* or Sencha green tea (buy in bulk on Amazon).

*Matcha is premium green tea powder from Japan used for drinking as tea or as an ingredient in recipes. Matcha is rich in nutrients, antioxidants, fiber and chlorophyll. One glass of matcha is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of nutritional value and antioxidant content

Parfait: 6oz. of organic soy or coconut yogurt, 2 Tbs. fresh ground flax meal, and 1 cup organic berries (blueberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, mulberries..), a slice of gluten free hi-fiber toast with a tsp. of Coconut Oil, and a cup of matcha or sencha green tea.

Jeanne's Special: One or two boiled organic hi-omega-3 eggs with 1/2 cup steamed spinach, kale or swiss chard and 1/2 cup rosemary-baked sweet potatoes, cup of green tea.

Tasty Lebanese Eggs: Poach 1 or 2 organic hi-omega-3 eggs. Mix 2 Tbs. tomato paste, dash of salt, and 1 Tbs. hot water and stir.  Finely chop 1-2 fresh organic garlic cloves and lightly sauté in 2 tsp. ev olive oil on medium low heat, until pale golden. Add tomato paste and stir. Top poached eggs with tomato mixture and sprinkle with black pepper. Serve with 1 hi-fiber piece of toast, 1 c. fresh spinach or a handful of watercress and a cup of green tea.

Mediterranean: Whole grain toast topped with 1 tsp. flax or hemp oil, 1 clove garlic crushed with a dash of salt and 1 tsp. nutritional yeast, cucumber, basil and fresh tomato slices, and a cup of green tea with dash of black pepper.

Oats n Apples: 3/4 c. Organic steel-cut oats with grated red apple (with skin), 1 Tbs. chopped almonds or walnuts, 5 - 6 organic raisins, 1 Tbs. flax seeds freshly ground, cinnamon and coconut milk.  Remember your tea!

Miso-Veggie soup: (miso, spinach, bok choy, mushrooms, tamari, scallions), and 1 slice of whole-grain rye-flax toast with almond butter, cup of green tea with dash of black pepper.

Breakfast Burrito: Fill a whole wheat or gluten-free high-fiber tortilla with 1/2 cup black beans, chopped romaine lettuce, chopped green onion, avocado slices, salsa, grated home-made Almond cheese and a chopped boiled egg.

smoked_salmon
smoked_salmon

New Yorker: Hi-fiber Rye bread or mutli-grain topped with tofu sour cream, smoked salmon, red onion and organic lemon slices, and 1/2 cup steamed green beans. Don’t forget your green tea with dash of pepper!

Tofu scramble: cook silken tofu with grated carrots and zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, garlic and a dash of cumin, or do the same with scrambled hi omega-3 eggs, and 1 slice whole grain toast topped with "better butter" (mix equal parts organic grass-fed butter/flax oil).

CheeseyToast: Toast 2 slices hi-fiber Flax Seed bread (like Udi's) topped with sliced cassein-free Almond cheese, tomato slices and a sprinkle of organic thyme. Serve with 1/2 c. steamed Spinach drizzled with olive or flax oil and a dash of salt and cinnamon. Cup of Matcha tea.

~*~*~*~*

~ Be Well! ♥

The Sweet Potato Story

1. Did you know that a medium-sized sweet potato contains more than your daily requirement of vitamin A, nearly a third the vitamin C you need, almost 15 percent of your daily dietary fiber intake and 10 percent of the necessary potassium?

2. Did you know that orange-fleshed sweet potatoes may be one of nature's unsurpassed sources of beta-carotene?  And that the beta-carotene and vitamin C in these tubers work together to rid the body of cancer-friendly free radicals?

3. Well did you know diabetics can eat sweet potatoeswithout worry as they have a low glycemic index?

4. How about the fact that they contain Vitamin D which is critical for immune system and overall health, especially for women.

It's important to have some fat in your sweet potato-containing meals if you want to enjoy the full beta-carotene benefits of this root vegetable. Recent research has shown that a minimum of 3-5 grams of fat per meal significantly increases our uptake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. This can be 1 Tbs. of virgin olive oil (also recommended for breast cancer suppression) per serving for 4.

Organically grown sweet potatoes are free from the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and inorganic sprays. They cook relatively quickly and are rather versatile, lending themselves both to sweet or savory dishes.
Below is a recipe I adapted from Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi , so it fits in with our Anti-Cancer Diet.  Instead of pan frying, we're going to bake these patties, and instead of dairy yogurt we're using soy or coconut yogurt.

SWEET POTATO CAKES (Vegetarian and Gluten Free)

  • 1 3/4 lbs peeled organic Sweet Potatoes, cut in large chunks
  • 2 tsp. organic Butter or Coconut oil, plus more for cooking
  • 2 Tbs. organic Green Onions, thinly sliced
  • 1-1/2 tsp. Tamari sauce
  • 1 clove Garlic, minced
  • 3/4 tsp. Sea Salt
  • pinch of Red Pepper flakes
  • Scant 1/2 c. organic Oat flour (gluten-free)
  • 1 Omega-3 Egg, well whisked

Sauce

  • 1/2 c. Soy or Coconut Yogurt
  • 2 Tbs. Lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbs. chopped organic Dill
  • 2" section of organic Cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbs. organic Red Onion, thinly sliced (opt.)
  • pinch of Sea Salt and Black pepper

Steam the potatoes until tender throughout. Set aside in a colander to drain and cool.

While the potatoes cook, warm the butter or oil in a cast iron pan. Sauté the green onions in 1 Tbs. coconut oil over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, blend all of the yogurt sauce ingredients, besides the dill, together in a mini blender or food processor. Lastly, add the dill and give it one or two more whirls just to blend. Set aside.

When the potatoes have released most of their moisture, transfer them to a bowl and mix them with the tamari sauce, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and flour to combine. You want the mix to be tacky not wet, add more flour if it seems too moist to hold shape. Add the green onions and egg and mix to combine.

Add enough coconut oil to baking sheet to coat lightly.

Drop potatoes by 2 Tablespoonfuls onto sheet, and flatten into patties. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes, flipping after 6 minutes. Add another 2 -3 minutes if not quite browned on top.

Remove to a plate. Serve with some lightly dressed greens and a generous portion of the sauce. Garnish with a dill stem.

These would be so wonderful with a poached egg and a few leaves of watercress on top.

~ Enjoy! ♥

Dreaming of Minty Kabobs

On June 6th I had surgery to complete a cosmetic need after my surgery in May 2011. This to me is the culmination, the period at the end of the two-year cancer experience process I have lived. With God's grace, I can mark that day as the end of a transformation and the beginning of living what I learned in those two years...of giving back in any way I am able.

And so I am confined to the house, and mostly my room, for a week.  No bending, lifting, driving, jumping on the bed or doing the Macarena! Also, as a test of my willpower, no cooking!

Today is my son's last day of school, and so I have solicited the aid of J and my daughter to stock our dining room table with a whole wheat pizza, fresh veggies, and some type of dessert.  He's bringing a few friends over, but I will be hiding in my room with my apple slices, cinnamon and almond cheese snack!

I can type however!  At least for a few minutes...

And so of course, since thinking of food and reading and watching videos are all I can do (oh, and I colored a cartoon scene I drew a few months ago), I figure why not contemplate what I want to make the instant I have the ok to resume my activities!

Well, these Kabobs came to mind. Lamb seemed the right protein, and middle eastern spices the right compliment.

Minty Lamb Kabobs

This recipe makes about 4 servings.

  • 1 Tbs. whole wheat Bulgur, rinsed (use bran flakes or quinoa for Gluten Free version)
  • 2 tsp. Coriander
  • 2 tsp. Cumin seeds
  • 3 whole Cloves
  • 3 green Cardamom pods
  • 6 black Peppercorns
  • 1/2 inch piece of fresh Ginger
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • 2 Tbs. chopped fresh Mint
  • 1 small organic Onion, chopped
  • 14 oz. ground organic grass-fed Lamb
  • 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

Dip

  • 1/2 c. plain Soy or Coconut Yogurt
  • 1 tsp. Lemon juice
  • 2 Tbs. chopped fresh Mint
  • 3-inch piece of organic Cucumber, grated
  • 1 tsp. Mango Chutney

Soak bulgur wheat in 1/4 c. of warm water for 5 minutes. Drain.

Preheat oven on Broil.

Heat skillet over medium heat, and dry-fry the coriander, cumin, cardamom pods, cloves and peppercorns, until they turn a shade darker and release a roasted aroma. Watch and stir often to avoid burning.

Grind the spices in coffee grinder, spice mill or with mortar and pestle.

Put ginger and garlic in food processor or blender and process to a puree.  Add the spices, bulgur, mint, onion, lamb, and salt and process until finely chopped. You may alternately do this by hand, chopping garlic and ginger.

Mold kabobs into small sausage shapes or  4 metal or pre-soaked wood skewers. Cook under broiler for 10 - 15 minutes, turning skewers occasionally.

To make dip, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Serve kabobs with lime slices and the cucumber - yogurt dip. Garnish with mint leaves.

~ To Your Health! ♥

Turnover a New Leaf? Make it Swiss!

Savory pastries are quite popular in many European, South American and Mediterranean countries. 

Pierogi (Polish), Kulebyaka (Russian), Steak and kidney pie (British), Zwiebelkuchen (German), Tourtière (French Canadian), Banitza (Bulgarian), Kreatopita (Greek), Fatayir (Lebanese). Click on titles for recipes!

My favorite Lebanese turnovers or pies are:  Spinach, Swiss Chard, Chickpea, and of course Zaatar (Thyme) Pies.

Make 1 recipe Basic Dough and let it rise for 90 minutes, or until about doubled.

dough rising

dough rising

In the meantime prepare Filling:

  • 1 bunch organic Swiss Chard, washed and 1 inch trimmed from stem

  • 2 c. organic Spinach, cleaned and chopped

  • 2 medium organic Onions, chopped

  • 2 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

  • 2 Tbs. organic Lemon Juice

  • 2 Tbs. Sumac (found at Mediterranean markets)

  • 1 c. organic Walnuts, chopped

  • 1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Stack 3 leaves of Chard and slice lengthwise into 3 - 4 pieces depending on width.

Chard1

Chard1

Chop and repeat with rest of leaves.

Chard2

Chard2

Place in a large bowl.  Add Spinach. Chop onions and add to greens.

Sprinkle Salt over mixture and using your hands mash all together squeezing the greens and onions until slightly wilted.

swiss chard mix

swiss chard mix

Add lemon juice, sumac, walnuts and olive oil, and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Tilt bowl so liquid will drain taway from filling by propping with a cloth under one end.

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil.

When dough is ready, roll into balls the size of walnuts, dipping the bottoms in flour and putting aside.

dough balls

dough balls

Sprinkle flour on your board or countertop, and roll each ball into a 3.5” thin round using a little flour if sticky.

flat dough

flat dough

Place 2 Tbs. of filling in center of round. Make sure liquid is squeezed out.

chard turnover1

Have a small bowl of water nearby.  Dip your finger into water and rub around perimeter of dough round to wet. Fold 1/3 dough over filling, sealing top tip securely by pressing.

chard turnover2

Fold other 1/3 overlapping the first and press to seal all along overlapped edge.

chard turnover3

Bring bottom 1/3 up and press along seams and tips to seal well.

chard turnover4

chard turnovers

chard turnovers

Place on baking sheet, repeating until all dough it used up. 

P.S. If you are left with any dough balls, allow to rise for 10 more minutes, and pop in the oven to make into Pita bread!

Bake turnovers for 15 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.

chard turnovers baked

Cool to room temperature.  Enjoy warm or cold.

~ Sahtein (double health!) ♥

5 Things You Can Do Now to Improve Your Health

Many illnesses, including many cancers, cannot thrive in an alkaline environment. The American diet is extremely acidic...commercially raised red meat, coffee, sugar, fried foods and simple carbs... those make up the overwhelming majority of what we eat.

The components of what you put in your mouth and on your skin has to processed by your liver. This much abused organ is already working overtime to rid your body of toxins that you breathe and get on your skin ...household cleaners, register tape, etc..

FYI - 40 percent of cash register receipts printed on heat-activated paper have been found to contain the dangerous chemical Bisphenol A (BPA)!

I'm going to take just one from a very long list of dubious ingredients that we are commonly used in lotions, deodorants and makeup, namely: castor oil.

Castor oil and its derivatives are used in the manufacturing of soaps, lubricants, hydraulic and brake fluids, paints, dyes, coatings, inks, cold resistant plastics, waxes and polishes, nylon, pharmaceuticals and perfumes.

The castor seed contains ricin, a toxic protein.  Allergenic compounds found on the plant surface can cause permanent nerve damage, making the harvest of castor beans a human health risk. India, Brazil, and China are the major crop producers, and the workers suffer harmful side effects from working with these plants.

This is ONE of many, many ingredients we don't take the time to research, trusting that no company would manufacture and sell a product that contained toxins.  I wish that were so.

Parabens are another ugly story.  Parabens are a group of compounds widely used as antimicrobial preservatives in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, including deodorants. Parabens are absorbed through intact skin and from the gastrointestinal tract and blood.

"Measurable concentrations of six different parabens have been identified in biopsy samples from breast tumors (Darbre, 2004). The particular parabens were found in relative concentrations that closely parallel their use in the synthesis of cosmetic products. They increase the expression of many genes that are usually regulated by estradiol and cause human breast tumor cells to grow and proliferate in vitro."

  • Has anyone blown the whistle on cosmetic manufacturers?
  • Do you still believe some government agency is really looking out for our health?

So on top of the hundreds of chemical substances our liver has to deal with, we pile on sugar (a toxin itself) and artificial sweeteners and hormone-filled animal protein, and preservatives.

We neglect the care this vital organ needs until it causes us pain or gets sluggish enough to cause alarming symptoms. Please don't wait that long.

Here are the 5 things you can do today to improve your health;

1) Eat Organic

2) Cut out sugar and white flour

3) Refuse to use products with ingredients you can't pronounce or don't recognize

4) Squeeze lemon juice in every glass of water you drink (lemons alkaline our bodies, making them inhospitable to most disease

5) Choose wild-caught, cold water fish (never farm raised) or organic free-range chicken as your animal protein of choice.

~ Be Well. ♥

A Delicious Fruit Salsa

I was looking for a tasty but out of the ordinary appetizer to serve at a function and stumbled on this recipe.  It was a big hit and fit with my diet beautifully so I want to share it with you. If you are not partial to spicy foods, omit the jalapeno.

This makes about 4 cups, and since it doesn't store very well, you may halve the recipe.

Spicy Strawberry Kiwi Peach Salsa

  • 2-1/2 ripe organic Peach - peeled, pitted, and diced
  • 2-1/2 organic Kiwi, peeled and diced
  • 10 fresh organic Strawberries, diced
  • 1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 Tbs. and 1-1/2 tsp. Lime juice
  • 2-3 organic Green onions, chopped
  • 1/4 c. and 1 Tbs. chopped fresh organic Cilantro
  • 2-1/2 pinches Sea Salt

Combine the peach, kiwi, strawberries, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, green onion, cilantro, and salt in a bowl; gently stir to combine.

Very tasty on whole grain crackers or as a salsa with a mild fish, or roasted chicken.

~ Enjoy! ♥