Root Cellar article

Root cellars and food preservation | How to Save Money, and Save Vegetables, by Creating a Simple Root Cellar | Rodale News

You can preserve some of this summer's and fall’s tastiest harvest by creating a root cellar in your yard—or even under your bed.

Dog Food Recall - possible Aspergillis contamination

Yes, it's another brand. Same problem!

Advanced Animal Nutrition Recalls Dog Power Dry Dog Food

Advanced Animal Nutrition today announced a voluntary recall of its dry Dog Power Dog Food- due to aflatoxin levels that were detected above the acceptable limit. The affected products were manufactur...

Monday Exercises!

I was in a bit of a rush this morning, so didn't write this down until now. But, I read another chapter of Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) while riding my exercycle:
15.6 mph
5.4 miles
20.18 minutes
259 calories burned
That was a good ride! Now, I'm going to do my other exercises that I didn't get done this morning! Nice to spread them out sometimes. I also did quite a bit of walking in the stores I serviced this morning!

Sunday Exercises!

This morning I did quite a bit of exercising. It's nice having everything in one room! I even doubled up on the reps I usually do & it felt pretty good. I read another chapter of Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) while riding the exercycle. I may need to start reading 2 chapters at a time. These seem pretty short.
17.7 mph
2.1 miles
7.11 minutes
105 calories burned

Exercise Room!

I finally moved all the exercise equipment out of my room & into the doves' room! So, the exercycle & abdoer have been joined by the mini-trampoline, exercise ball, resistance rings, dumbbells, & exercise pedal ...
So, I did all my exercises & then read a chapter of Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) while riding my exercycle:
17mph
2.4 miles
8.19 minutes
119 calories burned.
Better than yesterday & slowly working back up to where I was last week.
Now, I need to cut up the butternut squash for tonight's soup.

Cilantro Recall - possible Salmonella

Pacific International Marketing Voluntary Recalls Product Because of Possible Health Risk

Pacific International Marketing (“Pacific”) is working with the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and California Department of Public Health to coordinate a recall of Cilantro for potential contami...

Rice & Squash With Coconut-Almond Trout recipe

My mom & I teamed up for dinner tonight. We're using up the last of our white rice (will only buy brown in the future) & my mom was just going to make buttered white rice to go with the fish. But, I wanted to use up my small organic green squash, so I came up with this:

For rice:
1 cup baby carrots, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon organic pasture butter
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup organic green squash, chopped

For fish:
Trout (or freshwater fish of choice)
1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
1/2 cup organic shredded coconut

Saute carrots and onions in butter until tender in cast iron skillet. Add the rest of the ingredients, except squash. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Add squash and cook for 10 more minutes, covered.

For the trout, lay out butterflied fish on a cookie sheet (or pizza pan) skin-side down. Layer almond meal and organic coconut flakes on the meat of the fish (the fish 'juice' helps to bind it somewhat as it cooks.) Bake in 350F oven for about 15 minutes.

 Rice ingredients.

 Fish is ready for the oven.

 This turned out GREAT!

Nothing wasted. The kids got a treat. Ezra got the skull & Nikky got the skin. Nikky wanted the skull, too, so Ezra ended up taking it under the Christmas tree to eat it all! They did start in the kitchen, but brought it into the living room! (Will have to clean the carpet, now!)

Tea Recall - glass fragments

Voluntarily Recall of Limited Quantity of 12 oz Tejava® Premium Iced Tea

As a precautionary measure, certain production lots of Tejava® Premium Iced Tea in 12 oz glass bottles are being recalled nationwide due to the possible presence of glass fragments which could be harm...

Ginger Smoothie recipe

This smoothie was so easy and the results are really yummy! I got the recipe from +Tracy Russell of IncredibleSmoothies.com on G+. I adapted it slightly.

2 frozen organic bananas
1 cup raw almond milk
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(I was out of molasses, so I substituted organic dark maple syrup.)

Blend. Garnish with pinch of cinnamon.

Back to Exercises

I haven't been able to exercise since Monday morning due to car trouble that caused me to have to walk to the store in the bad winds we had at that time. I was in a bit of pain in my legs after that, but much better now.
Anyway, I started another book today, Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) and read a short chapter while riding the exercycle.
14.7 mph
2 miles
8.04 minutes
98 calories burned
Not the best, but I need to work back up. I did all of my other exercises, too (trampoline, dumbbells, etc.)

Canned Soup article

canned soup | The Truth About Canned Soup | Rodale News

Your soup could be canned up in a chemical stew.

Saturated Fat article

Health Benefits of a Low-Carbohydrate, High-Saturated-Fat Diet by Donald W. Miller, Jr., MD

A hundred years ago, before Americans changed their diet and the calamitous events of the 20th century began, heart disease was far less common that it is now. Few Americans were overweight, and coron...

Candy Recall - Peanut Allergen

See’s Candies, Inc. Issues Allergy Alert on 8 ounce Almond Clusters, Code SF 088/12

See’s Candies, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif., is recalling one code of 8 ounce Almond Clusters, because they may contain peanuts. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the ri...

Cheese Recall - possible Listeria

Product Recall: Fair Oaks Dairy Products Issues Voluntary Recall For Fair Oaks Farms Fine Cheeses Half Pound Packages Because Of Possible Health Risk Due to Listeria Monoctyogenes Contamination

Fair Oaks Dairy Products, LLC, Fair Oaks, Indiana today issued a voluntary recall of certain one half pound retail packaged cheeses and cheese gift boxes produced under the Fair Oaks Farms Fine Cheese...

GMO Products article

What is GMO? | The Non-GMO Project

Agricultural Crops That Have a Risk of Being GMO For consumers, it can be difficult to stay up-to-date on food ingredients that are at-risk of being

Dog Food Recall - possible Aspergillis contamination (another brand)

Cargill Animal Nutrition Recalls River Run and Marksman Dry Dog Food

Cargill Animal Nutrition today announced a voluntary recall of two regional brands of its dry dog food – River Run and Marksman – due to aflatoxin levels that were detected above the acceptable limit....

Boxed Rice Recall - Undeclared Milk Allergen

Mars Food US Recalls Two Date Codes of UNCLE BEN’S Whole Grain White Rice Garden Vegetable Due to Undeclared Milk

Mars Food US today issued a voluntary recall of two date codes of UNCLE BEN’s Whole Grain White Rice Garden Vegetable due to an undeclared milk allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensit...

Dog Food Recall - possible Aspergillis contamination

P&G Voluntarily Recalls One Production Lot of Dry Dog Food

he Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) has voluntarily retrieved a single production lot of dry dog food due to aflatoxin levels that were detected above the acceptable limit. This product has alre...

Water Tips article & video

Celestial Healing Wellness Center originally shared this post:

Why drink water? 7 health shockers that will make you grab your water bottle

By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D. As a runner, I’ve always been an avid water drinker. And because I’m a dietitian and nutrition editor, I typically choose to hydrate with water (it’s calorie-...

4 Natural Antibiotics article

4 Natural Antibiotics

Four of the best antibacterials natural medicine offers--article by best-selling author of The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan, Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD.

Thursday Lack of Exercise & Lunch!

Well, I only jumped on my mini trampoline this morning & it was slightly painful. I stressed the ligaments behind one knee yesterday while working. It's minor, but I don't want to make it worse as I can't stop working because of it. I have to get up and down from my little footstool that I sit on & that is how I stressed it, I think. I must have stood up at a bad angle or something. Anyway ... it should be back to normal in a couple of days. In the mean time, I'll continue working with my dumbbells & other tools to exercise the rest of me. Just can't ride my exercycle. Booo.
I skimmed the fat off of the top of the bone broth I made the other day & used it to fry up a couple of eggs for lunch when I got home today. I did cook it a bit more after this pic was taken. I like my eggs a bit golden. Yum!!

Tomato Recall - possible Salmonella

Front Row Produce Recalls Grape Tomatoes Because Of Possible Health Risk

Front Row Produce of St. Louis MO is recalling its 10oz pint and 10lb bulk grape tomatoes supplied by Rio Queen Citrus, Mission TX, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, ...

Wednesday Exercise

I didn't have my usual breakfast this morning. My mom actually asked if I wanted cream of wheat. So, don't know how much energy I'll have today after that! We'll see. Have to go back to work today.
So, I did my usual exercises. And, finished reading Chaz Bono's Transition! That was a good book. I like his casual way of writing, almost like he's having a conversation.
Rode my exercycle at about 17mph for 5.8 miles and 21.18 minutes, burning 276 calories.

Bone Broth Results

I just finished straining the bone broth I started in the crock pot yesterday. (See yesterday's posts for the recipe.)
Here is the finished broth before straining:

And, after:

It made a total of 7 cups of broth.
Make your own bone broth from leftover bones of any kind. Bone broth is an excellent source of minerals for your own bone health, as well as the components for healthy tendons, ligaments and cartilage. You are what you eat.

Smoothie Lunch

As usual, I got sick around Thanksgiving. This is nothing new for me. But, the type of illness and the duration is different. I didn't get pneumonia & wasn't nearly bedridden for a week as in the past - happened nearly every year for about ten years. The past couple of years since I have been eating better & exercising, I have not gotten pneumonia at all. Last year I had a bad cough & lung congestion, but it went away on its own. This year, I got a bad migraine (which is also something I had chronically for over ten years until very recently) which may, in fact, be a sinus infection. I've had it for about 3 days & it seems to be fading as I write this.
Anyway, today's lunch is a raw smoothie made of 1 cup herbal tea (your choice), 1 organic banana, about 1 cup frozen golden raspberries, 1 teaspoon hemp seeds & 1 teaspoon maca powder. It's a pretty golden color, which being in an amber mug, you can't really see! And, it tastes great! I was worried about the maca, as it can be so bitter to me, but the fruit covers that very well.

Tuesday Exercises

I'm still dealing with the remnants of a migraine I've had since Sunday night. I think it may actually be a sinus infection behind my eye ... anyway, just finished all of my exercises. Felt good riding the exercycle & reading another chapter of Chaz Bono's Transition; I concentrated on something other than my head! One more chapter to go.
14.7mph
6.3 miles
24.39 minutes
302 calories burned

Sunflower Sprouts!

I started these about 3 days ago. It is just a small batch to see how they'd do. At first I had them divided into two trays, but I just transferred them into one. I've already eaten quite a few! I have not cleaned out the broken pieces that did not sprout or the skins shed by the seeds that did sprout.

Bone Broth recipe

I got the idea to make bone broth the other day when I was listening to a bunch of Daniel Vitalis interviews on One Radio Network.
So, here is a rough recipe of it that I have made up.
Various turkey bones or bones you have available (make sure to have some long bones containing plenty of marrow) (save up bones in your freezer for future use)
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
6-10 garlic cloves
2 slices of ginger (1/4 inch thickness, chopped)
red onion to taste (chopped)
5 fingerling potatoes, chopped
5 whole baby carrots
1 bay leaf
Juice of 1 lemon
Water to cover all ingredients

Put all ingredients in crockpot. Let steep for one hour, then plug in crockpot and cook on low for 24 hours. Add the following ingredients about 1 hour before end of cooking time:
salt to taste
pepper to taste
3 dehydrated sweet basil leaves
lavender to taste
At the end of cooking time, strain the broth out and store in glass containers. Use to make soups or other dishes, or drink broth by itself!

This picture is taken about 3 hours after starting cooking - the last 4 ingredients have not been added.

Approved Foods article

Vitals - A second chance for faulty food? FDA calls it 'reconditioning'

When a school lunch supplier repackaged moldy applesauce into canned goods and fruit cups, it drew a sharp warning from federal health regulators last month -- and general disgust from almost everyon...

Salmon Recall - possible Listeria

Trans-Ocean Products Recalls "transOCEAN Wild Alaska Sockeye Smoked Salmon" Lot No 1280W & 1293W Because of Possible Health Risks

Trans-Ocean Products, Inc. of Bellingham, Washington is recalling its 4 ounce “transOCEAN Wild Alaska Sockeye Smoked Salmon” with lot numbers 1280W & 1293W because it has the potential to be conta...

Health Benefits of Cinnamon article

Benefits of cinnamon - surprising health facts

Benefits of cinnamon - surprising health facts

Statin Drugs Linked to Diabetes article

I think everyone should listen to the video in this article. It's long, but very informative about a number of important topics.

Are Statin Drugs Linked to Diabetes and Muscle Damage?

Find out why statin drugs may potentially cause diabetes and lead to muscle damage.

Monday Exercise

So, I started getting a migraine yesterday & it hit before I went to bed. So, didn't sleep much & can't drive today. So, not working. But, I forced myself to do all my exercises & ride my exercycle:
16.1 mph
4.5 miles
17.48 minutes
214 calories burned while reading another chapter of Chaz Bono's Transition.

Thanksgiving Detox video

This video from Dr. Akilah El has some great tips for detoxing from the stressful holiday:

Sunday Exercise

Good exercise today. I hope I keep up during the week, since I go back to work tomorrow after 10 days off.
Exercycle ride:
15.3 mph
4.2 miles
17.23 minutes
203 calories burned while reading a chapter of Chaz Bono's Transition.

Cranberry Recall - Metal Fragments

Ocean Spray Voluntarily Recalls Limited Quantity of Original Flavor Craisins® Dried Cranberries and Bulk Dried Cranberries Sales

Ocean Spray today announced it has taken the precautionary measure of voluntarily recalling certain production lots of its Original Flavor Craisins® Dried Cranberries product in 5-ounce, 10-ounce a...

Hot Exercise!

Gah! Remind me to check if my mom has turned on the heater before I start exercising! I am burning up now. Did my trampoline, push-up, etc. exercises & then rode the exercycle. Good ride today, but feel like I'm going to drop because of the darn heater! I started getting uncomfortable about half-way through, but wanted to finish today's chapter of Chaz Bono's Transition. A few more to go on that.
15.1 mph
6 miles
25.28 minutes
286 calories burned!
Time to clean the doves' cage and let them fly around for a while.

Cake Recall - Undeclared Milk Allergen

Maxipan Bakery Corp Issues Allergy Alert On Undeclared Milk Allergens In "Semita De Pina" (Sweet Pineapple Cake)

Maxipan Bakery Corp, of West Hempstead, NY, is recalling its 8 ounce packages of “Semita De Pina� because they may contain undeclared milk allergens. Consumers who are allergic to milk allergens

Black Friday Exercise!

OK. I'm not the type that goes shopping crazy, so I won't be getting any exercise that way today! So, I've done my regular exercises on my mini trampoline, lifting dumbbells & doing modified push-ups. And, rode my exercycle!
15.1 mph
4.4 miles
18.35 minutes
211 calories burned while reading another chapter of Chaz Bono's Transition.
Now to get all the winnings packaged for my Listia winners and go to the post office!

Thanksgiving Feast!

I sent the 'before' picture earlier. Here is the result. My cousin Curtis bought the 'turkey kit' from the local BelAir market. It had an 11-pound turkey, real mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, cranberry/apple sauce, broccoli/cheese/rice casserole, dinner rolls & a pumpkin pie. Along with what my mom & I made for snacking yesterday. And, I opened a can of natural olives. Gotta have my olives! I wish I could say everything was natural or organic, but only the stuff my mom & I made was for sure. Oh, and the organic pasture butter I added to the potatoes and we put on the rolls.

Thanksgiving Exercise!

We've got the table all ready for the feast later:

But, before we start cooking, I got some exercycling in:
14.9 mph
3.7 miles
15.23 minutes
180 calories burned
1 chapter of Chaz Bono's Transition read.
Time to get the oven turned on now!

Thanksgiving Treats

My mom and I made some things today for Thanksgiving so we wouldn't have to do them tomorrow. I made my spiced nuts and my stuffed dates.

My mom made deviled eggs and a few stuffed olives.

Then, I made fresh whipped cream (16oz. organic cream & 1/4 cup sugar). First time I've ever made it. Sooooo good!

And, my mom made ambrosia. This was from a recipe her sister got from her own mother-in-law's sister. So, my aunt's aunt-in-law? Haha! I hope we remembered the ingredients; I don't think she put enough whipped cream, myself ...