A Happy and Healthy NEW YEAR!

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year! With lots of great food and peaceful meals!

If you want to start the year GMO-free, I have 20! non-GMO shopping guides to give away. The non-GMO shopping guide is a little booklet with information about what kind of products contain GMO's and which companies avoid them.

I WILL SEND THEM OUT FOR FREE! 

Just email me with your mailing address and I will snail mail them to you at no cost.

Good morning...

...happy sunday morning!

I am waking my metabolism with a cup of hoter water, lemon juice and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Love, n.

Market Food

Remember, I was going to post meals I made with the produce purchased at the market? 

(see here)

So here we go....

.....and they are mostly just ideas, not exact recipes....

...sorry! 

Salad in a jar, excellent for 'on the go' so you don't have to eat your kids snacks.

Instead of salad sauce I actually dumped some hummus on top.

Give your kids some raw veggies to try, you may be in for a surprise because they might even like them. Mine are eating raw rainbow beets. They came back for more!

(she made me take a pic of that tiny little piece she had left. goof ball!)

Quickly stir fried veggies - in this case; red peppers, cauliflower, carrots and beets - with a miso sauce (super yummy) and kale chips.

And for spaghetti night we had beef-tomato-sauce with the beef coming from Four Sisters Farms (link on the side of the blog). I also cut up some broccoli and cauliflower stems nobody would normally eat and cooked them in the sauce. 

This was a hit with my 5 year old. 

Hope you enjoyed these pics! 

love, n.

Sunday Mornings

I love sunday mornings during harvest season. We get up and ready and leave the house without breakfast. Everything we need we can find at the farmers market.

Including coffee for mommy and vegan cupcakes for the little ladies.

This is how the back of my car looked like this morning.

During this week I will try to post meals I made with the vegetables and fruits we purchased. We might eat everything raw though, it just looks so good and colorful. 

Since I am not much of a planner we'll see what happens I guess.

To a healthy, happy week! Love,n.

Must READ! Seriously!

People, I know I can't ask you to take 1hour and 24 minutes out of your day to watch this video. Not everyone is as passionate about this as I am. BUT!!! It is important, it affects EVERYONE!

      You might be sick because you are eating genetically modified food, your kid may have allergies because of genetically modified foods, your husband might have diabetes due to infections because of genetically modified foods, your baby may have been born with autism because of genetically modified foods, you may have gastrointestinal problems because of genetically modified foods or you may never became a parent because of genetically modified foods. 

What I am asking you is to watch the FIRST 3 MINUTES!!! 

Jeffry Smith, the author of 'Genetic Roulette' came out with a movie and posted it full length on the website to watch for FREE until September 22nd 2012! 

http://geneticroulettemovie.com/

I saw Jeffrey Smith at a Conference in Broomfield, CO in June and he is amazing! And so is Professor Huber who is also talking in the movie. Mr. Huber is probably the age of my grandfather, he is the one I saw with tears in his eyes and all chocked up when he was talking about families who can no longer have biological children and children who will always be single kids because they were conceived via expensive and new technology. And all because of pesticides, chemicals and genetically modified foods. 

And Jeffrey Smith said something I will never forget (not quoting, it was something along this line): It only takes 5% to create the tipping point! Meaning for only 5% of all the consumers in this country to avoid GMO's to create the point where big corporations have losses in their sales so big that they have to change something and come up with a new plan. And he also said ' Imagine you give all that info to Moms groups! If you tell them that GMO's are making their kids sick you just stand back and watch!' Isn't that the truth??? (-;

(so Moms, don't let me hang here!)

IT IS A PROBLEM PEOPLE, WAKE UP!!!!! And it is no longer a matter of being passionate about nutrition and food, it is a situation about being healthy or not healthy, about saving what we have left from our beautiful mother earth and about giving our children the chance for a healthy future and the possibility to become parents themselves one day. It is a time like never before to change this world for the better! You can not change what has been planted in the past but you can change what will be planted in the future! No excuses!

And by the way, this also affects Europeans! Yes, it may be labeled, but do you READ the labels????

And in Switzerland where there are NO GMO's, do you ever buy food in Germany? Do you travel to France or Holland? hehe, got you! Read the labels there or you might eat it! Thank me later. Try to watch the Movie first, not sure if it shows in Europe. Let me know if you tried!

http://geneticroulettemovie.com/

And by the way. It took me 5 minutes to explain GMO's to my 5 year old daughter. How come that grown-ups tend to look at me like I am ready for the shrink when I tell them about the problem???

And if you watched it, please leave a comment here or even better, leave one at the genetic roulette website, those guys work hard and deserve to know that people care!

My GMO free Princess! 

with love, the crazy Mamma!  n.

Pop Up Picnic flyer

Join us for a Pop Up Picnic in Thornton Colorado. 

September 16th at 11.30

124th and Fillmore Street, playground behind tennis courts!

It's all about eating real food, slowing down and building community.

GMO information sheet!

GMO = genetically modified organism

Genes of one species are put into genes of another species.

Facts:

- GMO’s were introduced into our food supply in the 90ties without the general public being informed.

- GMO’s are not tested enough for their safety (and what does it say about 'food' if it has to be tested on animals first?)

- The third generation of hamsters and mice fed GMO feed lost the ability to have babies

- Buffalo, goats and sheep died after grazing on Bt cotton plants.

- Bt is a toxin inserted into the DNA of crops so insects that feed on them die.

- 93% of human umbilical cord blood tested in Canada still contained the Bt toxins.

- Allergies, Asthma, ADD, ADHD and Autism are more common since GMO crops are circulating in our food supplies.

- Animal tests have shown that when animals are fed a GMO diet the number of stomach cells proliferate uncontrollably causing severe inflammation in the digestive tract.

- When animals are taken off a GMO diet their behavior changes into normal animal behavior and they are no longer lethargic. 

- GMO crops can cross with non-GMO crops and nobody knows what comes out of it.

- GMO’s promote monoculture and use more pesticides, chemicals and water to grow.

Not all is lost. Yet.

!!!Help me in the fight to get rid of GMO’s!!!

- Buy organic and local as much as you can.

- Avoid non-organic Corn, Soy, Canola oil, Cotton Seeds and Sugar Beets as over 90% of them are genetically modified. And also in almost every processed product you take out of the shelves in grocery stores. READ INGREDIENTS; products made from above mentioned gmo crops have MANY different names. 

- Fight for labeling. Join me on facebook (Holistic Family Nutrition) for updates and links to sign petitions to get GMO foods labeled. The more people know about it the better and the less power corporations and chemical companies will have. Vote with your wallet! Give your kids the future they deserve and help the environment!

http://holisticnutritionstuff.blogspot.com/2012/09/pop-up-picnic.html

Pop Up Picnic

Let's sit together for a nice meal, real food for real people, building community and awareness!

I am turning this into a GMO awareness picnic. I will have information about GMO's and how to avoid them. If you have questions/concerns about them then this will be the picnic for you to attend. So come and hang out!

Here are the details for the Pop Up Picnic!

September 16th 2012

11.30 am

Thornton. 
Playground/Park on the corner of 124th and Filmore Street. (Eastlake Reservoir)

Bring a dish to share! Home-cooked, farm-fresh, non-gmo.

Here are the details from the founders of this cool project!

https://www.facebook.com/notes/pop-up-picnic-denver/details/134275640046578



Let me know if you can make it! 

I'll bring my famous home made bread to share! (-;

Update 9/8/2012
Follow me on facebook 'Holistic Family Nutrition' to find updates on the picnic and what it means to eat non-gmo! 
See right column on this blog for the link to fb.

Shine Your Light

At the beginning of this year my husband and I attended a parenting class. It was about preventing sexual abuse in children. I do not have the words to describe how awesome this class was but that is not the point right now.

The women teaching the class was standing there, passionate about what she teaches, what she believes in and what she wants to achieve in her lifetime. 

It was so inspiring! 

I remember sitting there and watching her as she said " I do this because in my lifetime I want to see the number of sexually abused children decline, the cycle of sexual abuse has to be broken - that is what I work for for the rest of my life". 

I was wowed! 

This beautiful women is so passionate about what she is doing and she just does it without being afraid of what other's might think of her and she gets the point across. Knowledge is power and I did feel the power. I left that class not with just great information about the subject but with a feeling that we all should shine our light. 

Be passionate about what you believe in. 

Teach others. 

Get the message across. 

Shine your light.

I always looked up at people who dedicated their lives to a single cause and gave it their all. Honestly, I didn't always understand, it seemed like so much work. 

I understand now. 

I guess that is something motherhood does to you. Or the life you are living. Or the situation you are in.

Whatever it is, if you found your passion you will know and it would be a waste not to share it. 

I found my passion. And as that wonderful lady said that she wants to see the numbers of sexually abused children decline, I will be doing everything I can to educate people on food, food safety, healthy food choices for children, the environmental impact our food choices have and I will not stop until the day everyone knows or I die. Which ever comes first.

 Changing the world - one meal at a time. 

I may have a small impact but I have one, that is all that matters. Imagine if we all do a little...

I will no longer give a crap if anybody thinks I am crazy or extreme or a tree hugger. 

And being called a tree hugger is a compliment by the way.

And yes, sometimes it is all so overwhelming that I want to roll up in a ball, lay in a corner and cry. But who are we to just want to give up??? We owe it to our children and future generations, to the environment, to mother earth, and everybody else who can not stand up for themselves.

With that said; be prepared I will be in your face!

love, n.

And this is Feather's website, the impressive lady mentioned above. She is amazing. Check it out, because we all want our children to be safe. Right???

http://www.parentingsafechildren.com/

School Starts - Support Your Kid's Immune System with these 6 simple tips

Last week we went to 'back to school night' at our daughters new school. 

As all the Kindergartner's sat around the table drawing something with the teacher my hubby says; 'look, first that kid took the marker in her mouth thinking about what to draw, after making a few marks on the paper the pen was put back into the basket, the next kid (our daughter) took it out and same scene different child; Marker in mouth, drawing, marker back in mouth and then back into basket ready for the next kid put his germs on it. 

I couldn't help but laugh! I wonder when they ever stop chewing on stuff. (-;

So, our kiddos will be exposed to a lot of more new germs and viruses now that school started and here are a few ideas on how we as parents can help strengthen their immune system:

1. A diet low in processed sugar: Sugar has a lot of negative effects on the immune system. 

2. Lot's of fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic. Conventionally grown produce lacks up to 60% of nutrients due to poor soil quality and pesticides sprayed on them. Offer a variety to have a lot of different nutrients. 

3. Zinc. Supplementation of Zinc for kids up to 30mg per day.  No longer than 3 months at a time and never on an empty stomach. Do not ever exceed 60mg from all vitamins containing zinc combined.

4. Vitamin C. Supplementation up to 1000mg per day. Vitamin C is water soluble and can not be overdosed. When the kid gets diarrhea it was too much.

5. Limit dairy. At the first sign of a cold or flu, limit or cut out dairy completely. Dairy is mucus producing and does not help with fighting viruses. 

6. Warm liquids: Herbal teas with raw honey.

love, n.

Smoke was/is In The Air

I am always one step behind... I started writing this when we had all those crazy fires going on but never got a chance to edit it and publish. Well, according to some people in the fire business, it will burn again. So here it is... a few weeks late but you will be ready when you need it.

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Air quality in Colorado's front range is really bad right now due to all the fires around us.

Little people, older folks and individuals with existing lung conditions such as asthma may be having a really hard time right now.

Here is how you can support your respiratory system through nutrition:

Eat clean foods.

Know what is in your food.

Sugar should be avoided.

Avoid processed white flour products.

Choose whole grains.

Read the ingredients in your packaged items.

Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins such as chicken, tuna, eggs and lower your carbohydrate intake.

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Specific nutrients:

Omega-3 fatty acids, to protect cells and for their proper function and reduce tissue inflammation

Vitamin C, supports respiratory health with shortening the length of upper respiratory viral infections, promotes phagocyte cell functions, supports healthy T-cell function, antioxidant support at inflammation sites

beta-cryptoxanthin, a carotenoid, acts as an antioxidant

Zinc, helps Immune System keep viruses away, may help with stopping or reducing the length of an asthma attack

B-Complex, anti-stress vitamin and reduces homocysteine which can narrow blood vessels and therefore the oxygen supply to the cells

Dimethylglycine (DMG), improves oxygenation in lung tissue

L-cysteine, an amino acid, repairs lung tissue and also reduces inflammation

Calcium, has a dilating effect on bronchial muscles. (take with Vit. D for better absorption)

-----------------------------------

          Menu Plan for an asthmatic person.

Notes: Asthma in an individual may be caused due to a food allergy, environmental toxins, vaccinations, pesticides, chemicals and others. Some asthmatics may suffer from yeast/fungus overgrowth (candida albicans) due their diet and medications. (steroids given to asthmatic patients feeds the fungus). Sometimes individuals do not just have asthma but are sick frequently and bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics which further mess with the immune system and kill the beneficial bacteria in their GI tract.

Eliminating a possible food allergens will help the individual. 

Also eliminating foods that promote mucus production such as dairy and gluten is recommended.

Taking actions to reduce the mucus with warm drinks such as water with lemon juice can be very beneficial.

Individuals with asthma should stay away from food additives often found in processed foods or restaurants, food dyes, white flour products and sugar.

The diet in general should consist of whole foods, be low on carbohydrates, high on protein and no sugar.

Breakfast:
Day 1 and Day 2
Warm water with lemon juice.   (mucus reducing)

Day 1
Gluten Free Oats with Almond Milk (unsweetened) and organic blueberries
(oats are a whole grain, almond milk can not have any sugar and blueberries for their antioxidant properties)
Day 2
different seasonal fruits, chopped and dipped in almond butter
(fruits for their vitamin contents and fiber, almond butter for essential fats and protein)

Lunch:
Day 1
leafy green salad with grilled or baked salmon, walnuts and garbanzo beans
(leafy greens reduce tissue inflammation, salmon contains Omega-3’s to reduce tissue inflammation and the garbanzo beans as additional protein)
Day 2
Vegetable soup (vegan broth with carrots, broccoli, leeks, onions, garlic, tofu)
(tofu is the protein, carrots have beta-carotene, onions and garlic to reduce inflammation, Broccoli is a particularly rich source of a flavonoid called kaempferol which may lessen the impact of allergy-related substances on the body)

Dinner:
Day 1
Brown rice with steamed vegetables such as carrots, green beans, Brussels sprouts and a baked chicken breast
(brown rice because its a complex carbohydrate, the vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals and the chicken is a low fat protein)
Day 2
Tomato/Avocado/Onion/Tuna/Cucumber salad tossed with veganaise and enjoyed with organic sprouted corn tortillas.
(vegetables for all their vitamins and minerals, avocado for their healthy fats, tuna for their essential fatty acids and protein, cucumbers are blood cleansing, corn tortilla instead of wheat if gluten is a problem and corn is a whole grain)

Snacks:
Oranges
(high in Vitamin C which protects lung tissues)
Raw nuts
(essential fatty acids)
Hummus with raw carrots, bell peppers
(hummus is healthy, lean protein, vegetables for their vitamins and minerals to fight inflammation)

If you would like this as a pdf, let me know, I will email it to you. I am still trying to figure out a new platform form my pdf's as apple discontinued mobile me. 

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P.S.: this is an essay I had to write for an assignment for school. The sources for this information are NTI, study books, trustworthy online resources and personal experience. Test sources may be given upon request.

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Disclaimer: Nutrition Therapy is a form of alternative medicine and is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose a disease. Nutritional counseling does not replace regular check ups with a primary physician. Nutritional counseling may be sought as a support for better well being, better immune function and for educational purposes.

love, n.

Open Sandwiches Kids Style

My mom is here and she always cooks with the kids. It is great!!!
And since its too hot to even think about the stove or a warm meal, they made these little breads today. The girls were very creative and crafted little kitty faces on the sliced bread using carrots, tomatos, cucumbers, strawberries, yellow peppers and hard boiled eggs. As a spread on the bread to make the condiments stick they used avocado and different kinds of hummus. And by the way this activity keeps them busy for a while and a more picky eater might try something new because she made it herself.
Stay cool!

                                        

   love,n.

Brussel Sprouts Super Easy

Cut brussel sprouts in half and toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Transfer them to an oven safe dish and roast in the oven at 400degrees Fahrenheit for about 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy! (-:

                              

    Happy sunday,n.

A Few Words on Meat...

There are a lot of video's and articles going around right now about the 'pink slime'.

It got me inspired to write about meat again and what to look for when you buy meat. I am sorry if I offend certain people but I am not going to sugar coat this issue. These are facts and I use my own words to explain it.

'Pink slime'

Pink Slime is animal trimmings that used to go to dog food (their stomach's can handle way more) but now got back into the human food supply.

The USDA has allowed 'pink slime' to be used in school lunches.

'Pink slime' contains fat trimmings, the outsides from digestive organs that are full of bacterias and salmonella and other parts of the cow that are not intended to be consumed by humans because they are contaminated.

But, hey, some smarty pants came up with a way to process all that 'shit' and turn it into burgers, taco meat,  sauces, stews... you name it. 

The cow trimmings go into a meat centrifuge to process it into small pieces, then it gets washed with ammonia and pushed through a meat processor to make it look like ground beef.

If you watch the video from the ABC News Investigation (find link below) you will see a lady totally defending this method. It is sad that processing factors and chemicals used to process any food really don't have to be labeled.

The talk is about beef right now, but just so you are aware, the same happens to chickens. Chicken heads, feet, trimming from the guts, they all turn into 'pink slime' and then they bread it and call it chicken nuggets.

You think that can happen to you since you cook at home and don't go to fast food restaurants?

Well, I am sorry to inform you that also grocery stores sell 'pink slime' known as ground beef or finished products like burgers. And the USDA does not require company's to label it. It just says 'ground beef' or 'beef'. It doesn't tell you that it has nothing to do with good meat and that is was washed with ammonia and whatever else they use for it, because you know, after it was washed with ammonia it must stink like hell. So they have to add flavors again. And maybe some coloring, because really, it might not look like beef at all.

11 reasons to consume organic animal products only!

Even though I am not a big meat eater, I don't necessarily tell people to become vegans. That is a personal choice.

But please, if you and your family choose to eat meat/animal products, go organic. Eat a little less, spend a little more on good quality, the animal was treated like an animal and your health will thank you too!

1. Grass fed beef is leaner than grain fed beef

2. Cows are meant to eat grass, not corn (evolution made them that way!)

3. Corn is genetically modified, so basically the environment gets screwed twice when you consume corn fed cows. Genetically modified corn is injected with pesticides and needs to be sprayed with pesticides, the poor cow gets to eat that 'shit' and we don't know yet what really happens over time to our animals genes when they eat only GM food. (Even though there are reports of cows suffering from miscarriages in high numbers after only consuming GM corn all their life's)

4. If a package of beef doesn't say 'grass fed' it is most likely from a corn fed cow.

5. Everything the animal eats, goes into its body and gets either digested or stored in fat cells. So, everything the animal eats, the consumer of that animal gets to eat it in one way or the other as well.

6. To prevent large groups of animal to get infections, antibiotics are administered on a daily basis. Those antibiotics end up in our food supply as well and create 'super bugs'.  Bacterias are smart and they mutate fast to become resistant to antibiotics they were most exposed to. A person might get infected with a bacteria like that and because that person consumed a lot of antibiotic treated meat in the past the bacteria is already resistant to it. (has resulted in death in the past and will for sure again in the future)

7. Bovine Growth Hormone. or BGH, is injected into cows after they had a baby to produce more milk and to produce the milk over a longer period of time. And they even came up with the genetically altered version of BGH 'rBGH'. (recombinant bovine growth hormone) Fun, isn't it? 

Those poor Mamma Cows produce so much milk that they get a mastitis. Mastitis is an inflammatory reaction of udder tissue. And guess what, they have to treat that mastitis with antibiotics. So pretty much, if you drink non-organic milk you get the whole cocktail. 

8. Organic cows are not allowed to get antibiotic shots (or if they do, the meat can not be consumed, or there is a certain time they have to wait until the cow gets slaughtered) 

9. Organic animals do not eat GMO's

10. Organic animals do not get hormone shots ever!

11. Your health will thank you! What you safe on cheap food now, you will pay in medical costs (multiplied by thousands) later!

Tips on the side:
Try Buffalo! Buffalo meat is leaner than beef . And Buffalo's are by law protected from getting antibiotic  and hormone shots! Lucky them!
Always remember: the USDA and the FDA is failing the people. They no longer (well, since a while) have the best interested of their people and their health in mind. They are the 1% who make money off of 'cheap' food and our declining health. So if the USDA says something is safe. Don't believe it, do your own research!

If YOU don't protect your families health 

nobody else will!

Resources and more info:

If you are in Colorado consider buying meat at Four Sisters Farm
If you are nowhere close to here, find out if there is an animal farm closer to where you live that is doing the right thing! Support them!


Jamie Oliver's stunt cow
Food Safety Network on the Science on Antibiotic Resistance
ABC News Investigation 

much love, n.

GMO-NO Music Video

great song!

http://youtu.be/HnN6FFjZBZQ

dance on, n.

Polenta Pizza

This is a personal favorite!

It is a 'left over vegetable user' for sure. 

Polenta Pizza can be totally personalized to your taste and garnished with your choice of vegetables/fish/meats.

What you need:

Polenta 

(it is corn or maize and it has the cooking instruction in the back, it is also available in the bulk section of health food stores)

Vegan broth cubes

(to cook in the water with the polenta)

Daiya Cheese 

(non-soy, non-dairy cheese alternative) 

or organic Goat Cheese

Tomato Sauce 

(or Pizza Sauce)

Vegetables of your choice 

(Zucchini, Spinach, Eggplant, Bell Peppers, Onions, dried Tomatoes, Leeks...)

Italian Herbs/Other Spices

How you do it:

Cook polenta according to package directions. 

CAREFUL! cooking polenta is dangerous, I am not kidding, it bubbles and splashes all over the place and can burn your skin. 

(yes, I once had a blister on my hand after cooking polenta)

Pour the cooked polenta on to a backing sheet covered with a parchment paper. 

Let sit for a little while, so the polenta gets 'stiffer' and doesn't sink in when you add the condiments.

(that might take about 30minutes. But here is an idea: you can also cook the polenta in the morning or even days before you are planning to make this dish, it safes you some time on the day you server this yummi meal!)

With a spoon add tomato sauce all over the polenta evenly and in a thin layer.

Chop your veggies in to small bite size pieces or however you like them. 

(I like my onions to stay in circles and my bell peppers in stripes, but that is just me. hihi)  

Distribute them all over the tomato sauce covered polenta.

Tip: you can also roast or stir fry some of the vegetables first. I like eggplants better when they were stir fried or roasted first. Roasting, stir frying or steaming gives some vegetables a different flavor!

Add herbs, pepper and salt to taste.

Last but not least add some cheese of your choice all over the vegetables. 

You can also skip the cheese and just drizzle some olive oil over everything.

(or really, add both, the cheese and the olive oil)

Bake in preheated oven at about 375degrees Fahrenheit for about 40minutes.

NOTES:

this dish is vegan and gluten free

this dish can also be for meat or fish lovers though! just please remember to use organic animal products for the sake of your health and our environments well being

for those of you who are watching the carbs, make the polenta layer really thin and add a lot of vegetables on top, the vegetable layer can be so much thicker than the polenta! (-:

Yum!

If you feel like it, add a picture of your version to the facebook page of Holistic Family Nutrition. 

(the link for the fb page is on the right hand side of the blog)

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!

happy cooking! love, n.

Cabbage Wraps!

Recipe for Cabbage Wraps!

fast - easy - vegan - almost raw

First up I have to mention that I am not a recipe user and writing down messurements when I cook is hard for me because I change my mind and add things as I go. (-;

So, don't take the amounts too seriously or exact and add as much of the different ingredients as you please.

You need:

Big Cabbage Leaves

1 Beet

1/2 small Onion

1 medium Carrot

Handfull of Raisins

Lemon

1-2 tablespoons Olive oil

How it's done:

Gently 'peel' off the big Cabbage leaves without tearing them apart. Steam them in a pot full of water until they get kind of translucent. Maybe about 5-10 minutes.

In a food processor add the peeled and chopped beet, onion and carrot and shred it.

Pour the mixture into a bowl add some lemon juice, olive oil and the raisins. 

Add other herbs and spices if you desire. Mix.

Gently add some salad mixture on a cabbage leave and roll it up, securing the package with toothpicks.

                                     

                                       

Eat right away or store in fridge for lunch the next day.

The possibilities of this dish are endless, you can wrap up pretty much anything into a cabbage leave and don't we like certain things just better when they are wrapped?

love, n.

A Saturday Morning In Winter...

... what's better than going to buy veggies on a farm in the middle of winter???

For a foodie like me, not much. haha.

We are very lucky to have the Berry Patch Farms in Brighton, Colorado. The owner managed to pull off unheated green houses and grows various vegetables also in winter.

This is what we came home with:

Cannelini Beans

Pop Corn Kernels

Kale

Spinach

Turnips

Carrots

5lbs of frozen tomatoes

1lbs frozen Raspberries

Leeks

Italian Heirloom Onions

Spaghetti squash

And the total was 47$ and some cents. It will last us at least a whole week. YUM!

Buying from your local organic farm is sustainable, you invest in a small business and it keeps your community going! Now check with your local farm if they have a few things they still sell even though it is winter! You might be surprised!

love, n.

No-fish Sushi Recipe

Hi there! 

Our family love, love, loves sushi! But the other night we didn't feel like going out and spending a ton of money in a restaurant, so we decided to make some at home.

We made no-fish sushi, I don't like handling raw fish... I don't like handeling anything raw that used to live, really.

What you need:
Nori leaves (Seeweed)
You get them at Asian Markets or even Whole Foods. Maybe even other grocery stores have them. 
Sushi rice
the bulk section at Whole Foods has organic sushi rice for like 1.50$ a pound
Rice Vinegar
Veggies of your choice
Sesame seeds (optional)

How I made them:
Per 1 cup rice use 1-1 1/2 cup water. Add a broth cube if you want and bring to a broil in a big pan. When it cooks stir once(!) with a wooden spatula, cover with lid and let simmer on low for about 20 minutes.
After the rice cooled down a little add a couple of tablespoons rice vinegar and stir it in.

Cut some veggies of your choice into thin slices. We used avocado, cucumbers and carrots.

The instructions on how to roll the sushi is on the back of the Nori leaves (YAY).

But I can explain it really fast:
We couldn't find our sushi matts, so we just used a towel then put a clearwrap on the towel, on top of that the Nori leave. Spread the rice thinnly all over the Nori leaving about an 3/4 inch free on the top. Drip a little bit of water on that part of the leave. (I used my fingers to wet it a little)
Add the thinnly sliced veggies in the lower third onto the rice and start rolling it up with some pressure.
At the end the slightly wet part of the leave will stick to the roll and keep the whole thing together. Slice it up and its ready to eat.
The first couple rolls may look a little funny but you will get the hang of it. (-:
It's really fun and actually really fast too. I will defenitely make these again soon and take them for lunch or a snack on the go!

In some of the rolls I added black and white sesame seeds onto the rice before rolling and some got decorated with the sesame seeds after I cut them.
The possibilities are endless. I think next time I wanna add Mango to them. My mouth is watering again already!

For the kiddos:

Some kids do not enjoy the seaweed on sushi, so I made them their own special 'sushi' in a bowl. 

(Picture on Holistic Family Nutrition facebook page) 

I put some sushi rice in a little bowl, cut carrots and cucumbers in thin sticks, avocado in little dices and added them all to the rice. Looks really apeeling and fun to them. 

I gave them some soy sauce (tamari sauce actually) in a little dish and they dipped the veggies and the rice in it.

For the Gluten Free sushi fan:

Regular Soy sauce has wheat in it, so it is NOT Gluten Free! 

Use Tamari sauce, they are also widely available and were not brewed with wheat. 

Anything else???

I would love to hear about your home made sushi adventures! 

love, n.