Papaya, Mango-Ginger Frozen Margarita's #NationalMargaritaDay

The problem you see,  if you are tolerant enough to see that it is in fact a problem, is that the weather here is so gorgeously perfect out right now that it is impossible to get anything done on time. The laundry is piling up, the dust bunnies are everywhere and my 'To Do' list has all but been forgotten. All for the gravitational pull of the warm 'Spring' Phoenix sun that quite literally drags me outdoors to soak in all of it's perfectness. Bad day. Forgotten.







The afternoons here have been perfect in every form of the word and I would be insane not to take advantage of weather most of the world is wishing for right now and not sit outside on the back patio with a cocktail in the late afternoon and enjoy every last fleeting moment of it. July will be here all to soon with it's triple scorching digits and all of you in Central Park, Maine, North Carolina and everywhere else can rub it in my face if you please.

I love papaya's subtle, floral sweetness and it's buttery texture. Make sure you choose the smaller tropical ones, not the giant ones from Mexico, in my experience those smell and taste like vomit. Sorry, just warning you. The smaller ones are as I described above just make sure you wait until they are very ripe to get the full tropical flavor experience, otherwise they are fairly tasteless. It's pretty safe to buy frozen papaya as I did for these margaritas. Paired with mango, a squeeze of lime juice and a bit of ginger and you have yourself one damn good margarita.

What could make this situation any more perfect? Two things. Shrimp and margaritas. duh.

National Margarita Day was on Saturday and just in the nick of time for most of you clinging to your coats, scarves and blankies in knee deep snow. ick. If you aren't fortunate to be able to celebrate this occasion outdoors, there is absolutely NO reason IMHO not to turn up the heat, put on a tank top and blend up a tropical margarita this afternoon! It's quite rude not to honor holidays you know. Quite rude.


Heather from GirliChef put together a little party to celebrate this worthy National party, made up or not I've yet to find out. Who cares? If I get to mix up a margarita or two (or three) and sit outside in the fabulous Sonoran sun then I'm celebrating!

Of course, I managed to somehow miss the link up in time (see disclaimer above) and didn't realize my post didn't auto load that morning because I had to work all day. On a Saturday. On National Margarita Saturday no less. Bummer. Ah well, nothing a Papaya, Mango and ginger margarita can't fix. Mood brightened!

If you too are in need of a cold frozen Margarita, head over to GirliChef for an impressive list of margaritas. If fact, their are Margaritas on the rocks, Margarita cupcakes, drunken shrimp and more!

SERVES 2
2 cups frozen papaya and mango
1 inch piece of fresh ginger
2 limes, juiced
2/3 cup blanco tequila
4 oz. triple sec or Cointreau 

Blend, enjoy, repeat.
Chile Sugar to garnish on rim

I made a big bowl of Drunken Shrimp Pasta to go with our frozen Papaya Mango Margaritas and needles to say, we were in 7th heaven that evening sitting outside in the setting Phoenix sun sipping on our drinks and slurping up the spicy sauce from fettuccine noodles. Check back in a couple of days for the recipe, It's the best shrimp pasta I've ever had if I must say so myself.

How To Make Kombucha Step by Step {Recipe Redux} #fermentation

I've been hearing about kombucha for a while now and how amazing it tastes and how good it is for you. I recently got on board the kombucha train and am thrilled to report it is every bit as yummy as I've heard! A friend of mine from work gave me a "SCOBY baby" and my first impression was "ewww" it does look a bit like a little slimy sea creature." After I got over my slight aversion to the little slime ball I set out to brew my first batch of kombucha tea and now, I have several batches going in circulation.

A quick description of what kombucha is all about:

While sugar is needed for the fermentation process, the bacteria and yeast from the SCOBY burn out most of the sugar in the tea, transforming into a  fizzy, sweet and sour fermented drink. I think it tastes quite a bit like a cross between champagne and a not too sweet apple cider. Weird huh?

"SCOBY" is an acronym for "symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast." Which is responsible for turning plain old tea into a healthy probiotic drink, Kombucha.

Probiotics are essential to basic human nutrition. Probiotics are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to the beneficial microorganisms naturally found in the human gut. These “good bacteria” are used to prevent and alleviate many different conditions, but particularly those that affect the gastrointestinal tract. 

So you want to try to brew some Kombucha on your own? Awesome! Here's a simple step by step list to get you going. I must say, I was a bit nervous I would mess it up and it would taste awful, I've heard some people say it tasted like vinegar, but it was one of the easiest things I've ever done and tasted wonderfully refreshing!

1. Get your hands on a SCOBY. I asked around and was surprise when a friend of mine from work had been making Kombucha for years and brought me one of her "babies".  I recently saw a brewing kit sold on Williams Sonoma from a company called  Brooklyn Kombucha.  Cultures of Health sells Kombucha starter kits although their SCOBY's are dehydrated which is sketchy in my opinion and some people, including my uncle who has been brewing Kombucha for years had trouble getting them to activate.  SCOBYS are fairly sensitive so I recommend asking around to find a friend who has one. Just be sure to have them send the SCOBY home in a glass jar, covered in at least a half cup of Kombucha tea. (It’s important the SCOBY does not dry out and the tea is useful for making your first batch.)

2. Brew a batch of tea with 2 tea bags or 1 1/2 teaspoons loose, preferably black or green tea with 2 1/2 cups filtered water. Do not bring water to a full boil. Remove water from heat, pour into a sterilized quart sized glass jar. Add 1/4 cup sugar, stir to dissolve. Add tea bags. Place a clean washcloth or cheese cloth. Avoid teas that contain oils, like earl grey or flavored teas. Let the tea cool to room temperature! You can remove the tea bags/leaves after 10 minutes or when it comes to room temperature about 4 hours later. The heat can destroy the live organisms in the SCOBY.  

3.  Pour the starter tea that came with your SCOBY into your freshly brewed tea and stir with a wooden or plastic spoon, NO METAL. Using a wooden or plastic spoon, or your hands clean and rinsed with vinegar, add SCOBY to the glass jar. Cover with cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.  

4.  Store the jar in a safe place, preferably between 70F-80F (your pantry should be fine, keep it out of direct sunlight) with good air circulation and not near any other fermenting foods or drinks. 

5. Let it sit unbothered for 7-10 days. On day 7 taste the Kombucha and see if it is sweet enough. It should be sweet and fizzy. 

6. To keep the cycle going (that's a good thing!) Make 2 new batches of tea following above directions.  

7. With clean hands, also rinsed in vinegar to remove any bacteria place the new SCOBY onto a plate rinsed in vinegar. During the fermentation period, the baby SCOBY grows and creates another thin layer, the new baby. Usually they stay together, floating at the top of the jar and you need to gently peel them apart. Sometimes the baby will float to the bottom, that's o.k. too. It depends on the type of tea, container and conditions it's in. 

8. Measure 1/2 cup from your brewed Kombucha and stir in into your freshly brewed, cooled tea. Separate your new tea into 2, quart size glass jars. Place the 2 SCOBYS, mother and baby one into each of the 2 containers of cooled tea. 

 9. Either drink the remainder of the finished Kombucha or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator which will stop the fermentation process. If you want to add berries, fresh fruit or fresh ginger {ginger ale!} do so now and either place in the fridge or if you want it to get fizzier keep in the pantry. Just remember if you add anything to the Kombucha and keep it in the pantry you will need to add a few more tablespoons of sugar or it will become vinegary.

photo source

Day 7. Can you see the mother and baby starting to separate? 

Important Tips:

No metal! My friend and mom even suggest removing your rings when you handle the SCOBY.

Rinse your hands in vinegar before handling. Any germs on your skin will multiply like crazy during the fermentation process. 

You can make bigger batches if you want, one SCOBY will ferment any size container. 

Finished Kobucha will keep in the refrigerator for around a month. 

SCOBY's will last a very long time if handled with care. If it becomes dark and discolored or looks icky, toss it.

An InLinkz Link-up

Perfectly Pink Sparkling Cocktails for Valentines Day: National Grapefruit Month

Did you know it's National Grapefruit month? I think its pretty funny how just about every food or beverage has a National day, week or month honoring it. Grapefruits have long been one of my absolute favorite healthy snacks and so I'm not feeling too goofy honoring the mouth puckering citrus.

According to Epicurious, grapefruit pairs perfectly with avocado which just so happens to be another favorite food of mine, even though I have a teensy weensy allergy to it. I've been trying to build up a tolerance to avocado for years by adding it to my salads, tacos or straight into my mouth via a big salty chip. This, to me is perfectly sane reasoning. Agreed? Good.

Like I was saying, grapefruit and avocado are perfectly palatable partners and it just so happens that lobster, cheese and salami also pair extremely well with the bright pink, tart citrus.

  Lobster, avocado and grapefruit salad anyone?!! 

To go with your lobster salad I'm thinking a pretty pink cocktail is in order. It's not to late to throw one (or 3) of these super simple refreshers together for Valentines Day. I've been seeing these Ice Beverage bottles all over the super markets lately and seeing as that they are zero calorie sparkling flavored waters I jumped in head first. 

Pink Grapefruit Sparkler

Ingredients:2 oz. Pink Grapefruit Sparkling ICE3 oz. white wine, preferably MoscatoMint leaves for garnish Directions: Pour white wine over ice.Top with Pink Grapefruit Sparkling ICE. Garnish with mint leaves.

A little kick of heat from jalapeños are perfect zip with sweet and tangy grapefruit.

 I love. love. love the combination of spicy and sweet. 

Jalapeño Grapefruit Martini

Ingredients: 
3 oz.  Pink Grapefruit Sparkling ICE
1 ½ oz.  Vodka
1 oz. lime juice
Lime wedge
Sliced fresh jalapeño
Chili salt for rim of glass (Kosher salt mixed with chili powder)
 
Directions: 
Use a lime wedge to rub the entire rim of a chilled martini glass, and dip into chili salt mixture. 
Combine vodka and jalapeno slices with ice in a shaker.
Strain and pour into the chilled martini glass.
Top with Pink Grapefruit Sparkling ICE. 
Garnish with a few Jalapeno slices. 

Happy Valentines Day! 

Un-Fried Green Tomatoes, Seedless Watermelon, In Shell Pistachios and a Bold Bloody Mary to Sip on

This is Southern comfort food with zero guilt. No oil, nothing fried yet plenty of spices and tart, sweet juices from green tomatoes and watermelon to get you going. Salty, earthy and light pistachios round out this pre-dinner treat and a very bold and amazing Bloody Mary to sip while you snack.  

“I received free pistachio samples from the Pistachio Health Institute mentioned in this post. By posting this pairing I am entering a contest sponsored by Pistachio Health Institute and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”






This is going to be a quicky. Nothing wrong with that right? We have ribs on the BBQ and hungry tummies growling. I have to say, this was a really fun and unusually treat to snack on this afternoon while looking forward to dinner and writing this post. I was a bit skeptical about a healthy version of fried green tomatoes and was relieved when they turned out pretty damn amazing. I never did care for deep fried anything however so I don't have that to miss.

Cornmeal is a bit dry on it's own as a coating but these triple dipped tomatoes held up beautifully and were juicy with the right amount of crunch. Dunking them first in almond flour with plenty of salt then in Greek Yogurt and once again lightly in cornmeal spiked with plenty of Old Bay seasoning made them plump, juicy and perfectly crisp.

 Oh, did I mention totally healthy?!

Choose green tomatoes that are firm to the touch and use immediately. 

As part of the Recipe Redux Team we were asked to come up with a pairing of foods that went well and complimented Pistachios, In shell specifically. So many possibilities, I love pistachios for their taste and for their health benefits. I'll bet you don't know just how good they are for you! Check out all of the   ways pistachios can help you lead a healthy lifestyle at The Pistachio Health Institute now.

The {Healthy} Pairing: Southern Style

Un-Fried Green Tomatoes

In Shell Salted Pistachios

Seedless Watermelon

Bold and Spicy Bloody Mary Garnished with a Celery Stick

Do you like Pistachios? Do you eat them by themselves or with other healthy treats? I always have some on hand, in my car and in my locker at work! 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

Reliving Old Holiday Traditions and Starting a Few New Ones: Peppermint Hot Cocoa

Traditions are what makes the Holidays so special and coming up with new traditions to celebrate with your family is even better. Every year when we were little we would have a cup of  hot  warm  cocoa with mini marsh mellows while we decorated the tree. I remember feeling so special while holding that cup of creamy sweet chocolate and watching with my brother and sisters as the tree slowly came to life. We were always in our footsy jamies, the red "Annie" ones were my favorite and we always put out a small plate of cookies for Santa by our fire place, a rarity in Phoenix to be enjoyed only once a year on Christmas Eve.






The expectations and anticipations of Christmas come flooding back to me now that I have 4 children of my own. I relish in living vicariously through their utter thrill of all of the magic of the Holidays. Keeping up with most of the traditions that mine and my husbands families enjoyed so much and cherishing the new ones our own little family have started.

Going to Cost Plus World Market every year and letting all of the kids and ourselves pick out one special ornament to hang on the tree is a tradition that we started many years ago with our children. This has proven to be such a treat as the kids bounce out of their slippers every year as we drag out the Christmas boxes and let them rifle through the ornaments finding the ones with their initials and the year marked on them that they chose them and then hanging them perfectly on the tree. I know that we will cherish those ornaments forever and ever.



Making the hot cocoa that literally defines Christmas in my humble opinion is another tradition we have stuck with. I however prefer to make it with a good quality cocoa powder and sucanat or turbinado (organic) sugar  instead of the boxed/packaged/overly processed variety and then adding a bit of pure peppermint extract and using a peppermint candy stick to stir up the chocolate that settles at the bottom of the cup. Mini marsh mellow are of course Absolutely, Positively  still  Required. After all a little bit of marsh mellowy goodness never hurt anybody.

Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to start a very recent tradition and go sit out in our new bubbly hot jacuzzi. I love living here in the Arizona desert, 58F is the perfect temperature.

What are your Holiday traditions?

Peace, love and peppermint wishes from Simply Healthy Family.

My Secret Weapon to Beat the Heat. Strawberry-Coconut Smoothies P.S. Dear Monsoon: Please hurry.

Rain would be a true God send right now here in Phoenix. It always looks like even the cacti are going to give up and die during the endlessly long summer's here. I guess too much of anything can wear on one's nerves. Come July, after most people get tired of mindlessly commenting or joking about the stifling dry heat, all one can do is wipe off the continual beads of sweat rolling down their necks and pray for the monsoon.

Monsoon season is nothing short of a true miracle. Natures wrath at her finest. After months and months without a single drop of rain the sky darkens without notice and beautiful violent rains pour from the wakened sky and hit the hard, cracked desert floor. There is no drier dust than that found in the Arizona desert in July. Just when the cacti start to wilt and the weary desert animals are ready to call it quits, God sends them relief. And He doesn't skimp on the job. 

The smell is my favorite part of the monsoons. It's no ordinary rain. The layers of dust and sand that have accumulated on the streets and in my nose can only be washed away by the heavy rains of August. I wait anxiously starting mid July for the chance to sit outside amidst the sheets of rain and furious winds that wash every trace of dust from the startled desert. It lasts only for a few minutes but is enough to quench the deserts thirst for many more months. It is energizing   refreshing   uplifting invigorating and restores even the most lifeless soul.


During these long, hot months in the desert it is difficult to want to eat, let along cook anything. We need to save every single ounce of energy that we have so that the heat doesn't drag us down and reduce us to ashes. Water is our best friend but my secret weapon is coconut water which instantly rejuvenates me and gives me the energy to make it through the entire days obstacles which includes getting the mail while the sun is still out.

You think I'm joking?

Coconut Water + Frozen Berries =  Extreme Heat Blaster

When I'm feeling like I want a sweet treat and need some extra refreshing, I always go for these Strawberry-Coconut smoothies. They take all of 3 minutes to make and are a gazillion times healthier (and tastier IMO) than milk shakes or fast food smoothies. I think it important to note that even the drinks labeled "Real Fruit Smoothies" are not in fact good for you. At all. Period. And that includes popular Juice Joints. Sorry.


I keep a big bag of frozen berries from Costco in my freezer and plenty of coconut water around to make these smoothies throughout the summer months. They taste even better when sitting in the pool oddly enough. :)



This post is linked to

Fresh Food Friday

Mother's Day Give Away and Coconut-Strawberry Smoothies

I'm feeling very crafty lately. Which would seem pretty odd if you knew me in real life. I've become, in the words of my MIL 'domesticated'. Crafts weren't what she was referring to when she told me that, but I always found the term... annoying  interesting for some reason. Alas, it's true. I spend my 'free' time flipping happily through cookbooks and magazines, I like to bake now for crying out loud and I've started doing crafts which I swore I'd never do, who has the time for that? Oh, and to top it off,  I even purchased my very own sewing machine recently! shhhhhh  You'll ruin my rep. Oh who am I kidding, the kids put a screeching halt to any dignified or interesting style that I had long ago. Totally worth it, the darlings. ;)

Which brings me to Mother's Day, the most important day of the year. ;)  Does anyone actually read the preface of a blog post titled 'Give Away'? I saw some yarn wreaths on the web a month or so ago and thought, 'Hey, I could totally do that!' They are super cute and add a touch of 'domesticed flair' to your front door. So I made one for me (of course) you know, just to see if they were cute enough to give as gifts. I also made one for my MIL and step-mom; another annoying term, I always associate it with the negative for some reason. My mom lives with us so she doesn't get one ;) We usually go out for lunch by ourselves on Mother's Day.

They turned out really cute and I love how soft and pretty they are. The felt flowers are just adorable don't you think? They are just perfect on a front door for Spring time. They'd also be cute in a laundry/sewing room which is were my step mom, Brenda is putting hers. You can doll them up by adding little birds & eggs or some empty thread spindles (is that what they're called?) or whatever you'd like. There are great tutorials like this one here if you'd like to make your own. She used a straw type wreath to wrap the yarn around. I used a cheap-o Styrofoam one on sale at the craft store. Did I mention that these sell on etsy for $40-$60?!!
It cost me about $12 to make 2 of them! I did get everything on sale, but stuff like this is usually always on sale.


I'm giving away one yellow yarn wreath to a  lucky reader in honor of Mother's Day. I wish I had posted this sooner for those of you who would have liked to give it as a gift but I honestly thought Mother's Day was towards the end of May. {where did I put my 'mommy brain' disclaimer stamp?....} 

The wreath itself  I'm giving away will be yellow but the winner can choose any combination of the following colors of felt in up to 5 flowers arranged how you like:  Teal, Burgundy, Cream, Petal Pink, Grey and Tan.

To Enter: Leave me a comment telling me what you'd like for Mother's Day.

sorry, this one's open to U.S. residents only.
You must be a follower of this blog. The follow button is on the right hand side. Leave me a comment telling me you follow.

+1 more entry: Follow by RSS or email and leave a separate comment.

+1 more entry: Follow Simply Healthy Family on Twitter and leave  a separate comment.

+1 more entry: Add me as a friend on FaceBook and leave a separate comment.

+2 more entries: Tweet or post about this giveaway on facebook and leave me a comment. Share buttons are right below this post.

Give Away Ends Friday, May 6th!

For those of you who are still with me I really wanted to share this fabulously refreshing drink with you!
Honestly, it's my favorite pick me up drink and is so yummy. Coconut water is the key to this instant feel good drink. Coconut water is loaded with minerals and electrolytes that work instantly to refresh your tired body and mind. I don't know how I ever lived without it. The thought of a cold Pomigranate-Coconut drink pulls me out of bed in the morning because I know I will feel instantly energized and ready to tackle get 4 kids up and fed and ready for the day. Most days I just don't have time to sit and sip on the 3 cups of coffee that used to get me slowly moving.

My kids love this smoothie made with coconut water. My teenager is the only one who won't drink coconut water by itself because he stubbornly insists that Gatorade is where it's at. I won't buy Gatorade so he'll come around eventually! I wish he would drink it, Coconut water is is a million times better as a 'sports drink' IMHO. The electrolytes are derived right from nature and it's what your body wants needs.


For the Coconut-Strawberry Smoothie:

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
3 cups chilled coconut water (Trader Joe's and Costco are cheapest)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
if using fresh strawberries, throw in a cup of crushed ice.

Optional: 1/2 a banana, 1-2,  1" pieces frozen orange peel, 1 tablespoon flax meal


Blend all ingredients together on high speed until completely blended. Enjoy!

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Have a happy Day!

Kefir vs. Yogurt. Put This On Your Grocery List Today!

Kefir is a fermented milk drink. The word kefir is said to have originated from the Turkish word "Keif" which means "good feeling". Kefir dates back many centuries to the shepherds of the Caucasus Mountains who carried kefir grains in milk stored in leather pouches where it would ferment into fizzy sour yogurt. Doesn't sound appetizing? Well actually it is! A diet of kefir grains is what's been attributed the long and healthy life of the people of the Caucasus Mountains.


What makes kefir so good for you? Inside the kefir grains are billions and billions of live beneficial bacteria.
When ingested, these bacteria literally cleans your body of bad bacteria and other harmful things that shouldn't be there. Immediately after drinking kefir you feel fresh and relaxed.

In addition to beneficial bacteria and yeast, kefir contains many vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Particularly calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, B2 and B12, vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin D. Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in kefir, is well known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system.

So, how is Kefir different than the yogurt that we all know and love?

Click 'read more'  below to find out!

Well, when comparing probiotics, kefir has about 5 times more friendly bacteria than yogurt. And the diversity of those beneficial bacteria are much wider than those in yogurt. Think of it as really, really smart yogurt!

Most yogurts that people buy contain a ton of sugar or artificial sweeteners, even the ones labeled 'healthy'.
Kefir is absolutely positively wonderful tasting and contains no added sugars or artificial additives.
Instead of buying those flavored yogurts or yogurt smoothies, buy some kefir next time instead!

Also, the abundance of enzymes in kefir brings more health benefits than yogurt, especially to lactose intolerant people, many of whom can tolerate kefir without difficulty, as long as the kefir is raw and not cooked (cooking destroys the enzymes). How is this possible? Kefir's beneficial yeast and bacteria provide alctase, an enzyme whic consumes most of the lactose left after the culturing process.


Unlike yogurt, kefir can help protect and repair your gut after you've taken antibiotics! I drink kefir daily as do my kiddos. I attribute this along with a diet rich if fruits and veggies to the fact that none of us get sick nearly as much as we used to, and when we do it's much less severe and short lived.

 My Kefir Parfait 

Some of the ways we enjoy tart, creamy and delicious kefir:

• Kefir Parfait's with fresh berries and home made granola
• In a banana-strawberry smoothie
• I switch out my babies cow milk bottle for a bottle of kefir every day.
• Straight out of the bottle for a mid-morning pick me up, Yum!

picture from Lifeway Kefir

For those of you who want to lose weight,  having kefir as part of your diet could make you shave unwanted weight faster. Because kefir has probiotics, it speeds up the your body’s metabolism letting your body burn more fats and calories even if you’re only spending your normal workout time.





Amazing Health Benefits of Kefir You'll Feel Right Away:

1.Strongest natural remedy against any allergy


2.Strongest natural antibiotic without side effects

3.Treats liver disease

4.Treats gallbladder, dissolves gall bladder stones

5.Clears the body of salts, heavy metals, radionuclides, and alcoholic products

6.Cleans the body of chemical antibiotics

7.Treats kidney stones

8.Good bacteria in kefir are able to fight off pathogenic microorganisms

9.Lowers level of LDL cholesterol

10.Cleans the gastrointestinal tract

11.Irritable Bowel Syndrome

12.Treats gastritis

13.Treats pancreatitis

14.Treats ulcers

15.Prevents and treats colon cancer

16.Improves digestion

17.Improves the body functions

18.Improves the human immune system

19.Cures Candida yeast infections

20.Cures hypertension

21.Stops growth of cancer cells

22.Speeds up healing process

23.Treats psoriasis

24.Treats eczema

25.Treats inflammatory diseases

26.Reduces size of tumors

27.Treats heart disease

28.Reverses calcination of blood vessels

29.Clears the blood vessels

30.Boosts the bodies energy

31.Natural “feel good” food

32.Treats lung infections

33.Normalizes metabolism thereby can be used as for weight loss

34.Cures acne

35.Has anti-oxidants and anti-aging properties

36.Nourishes hair

37.Treats the gum disease parodontosis

38.Lessens effects of medicines

39.Replenishes body of good bacteria after antibiotic

40.Balances the microflora of the body’s digestive system

41.Regulates blood pressure

42.Lowers blood sugar

43.Lowers blood lipid levels or cholesterol and fatty acids

44.Treats diarrhea

45.Treats constipation

46.Promotes bowel movement

47.Anti-stress properties

48.Treats sleeping disorders

49.Treats depression

50.Treats attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

51.Improves the brains neuro functions like reflexes, memory retention, attention, the five senses

52.Reduces flatulence

53.Lactic acid fermentation enhances the digestibility of milk based foods. People who cannot otherwise digest milk, can enjoy the vital calcium rich Kefir.

54.Treats yeast infection

55.Eliminates vaginal odors

56.Cures wrinkles

57.Treats arthritis

58.Treats colitis

59.Treats gout

60.Cures migraines

61.Treats rheumatism

62.Treats other stomach disorders

63.Detoxifies the body

64.Improves protein quality of milk, and enhances absorption and digestion

65.Good bacteria manufacture B vitamins such as B3, B6 and folic acid.

66.Aids in treating tuberculosis

67.Treats stomach cramps

68.Treats chronic intestine infections

69.Treats liver infections

70.Treats asthma

71.Treats bronchitis

72.Treats sclerosis

73.Treats anemia

74.Treats hepatitis

75.Healing effects on catarrh, digestive nodes, astral nodes, bilious complaints

76.Treats leaky gut syndrome

77.Prevents metastasis

78.Cures bad morning breath

 
 

Think it's to good to be true?

Don't take my word for it, start drinking kefir regularly and you'll quickly see the many benefits for yourself.

 
 

So put Kefir on your grocery list right away and get feeling better!

 

 
 
 
 
 

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This post is linked to

La Bella Vita's 'Seasonal Saturday's'
Paisly Passion 'Fun with Food Friday'
 
 
Resources
 
Seeds of Health
Your Kefir source
Be Well Buzz

Detox Day 2: Breakfast In a Glass, Start Your Day Off on a Good Note!

Smoothies are one of my favorite healthy breakfasts. They are delicious obviously but also because if you put a few healthy ingredients in them they are also the perfect breakfast IMO. Pick up a bag of toasted flaxmeal which is pretty easy to find these days at most well-stocked markets. Flax adds fiber and essential Omega fatty acids and it has a wonderful mild nutty flavour perfect in smoothies as well as oatmeal, muffins etc.
Flax is very high in lignans, which have anti-tumor properties—lignans act as antioxidants that could mirror the results of Tamoxifen, the anti-cancer drug for breast cancer.

Check out these 25 Healthy Smoothies from Whole Living.
Also, don't forget to click my smoothie link on my right side bar for easy, healthy and quick ideas!

Apple Carrot Ginger Smoothie

Carrot-Mango-Herb Smoothie

Kiwi Smoothie

Banana-Oat Smoothie

Mona Claire loving her Berry-Tofu Smoothie with Flax

Mix it up a bit! We have a breakfast Gazpacho 3-4 times a week too. Yup, my kids love them!

Keeping a daily journal holds you accountable and keeps you on track!
I carry a small note book to jot down what I eat and my thoughts.
I also just downloaded the 'LivingStrong' App for my IPad which is an excellent calorie counter, nutritional data base, excersise tracker and more!
Also, it will be nice ( I hope ) to look back and see my progress!

BTW, this is what we had for dinner. 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili, slightly adapted from
Whole Living. I added kidney beans and more veggie juice.

Simple Chilled Gazpacho! "Give a Kid a Straw!"

This is part of a 'new' series I've been thinking about ever since I wrote the post about "Bok Choy Stir Fry with Asian Marinated Tofu" and got my kids to eat it by giving them cute hand painted chop sticks ~

" Give a Kid Some Chop Sticks"

All I have to do is give my kids a straw and they will drink anything! If your kids are new to veggie juices/monster smoothies etc. try putting it in a solid color cup with a straw. Maybe even a Starbucks cup or something they think is cool!

This is another habit I've gotten from my health nut mom. One of those things I wrinkled my nose at initially, but now can't live without.  I've never been a big breakfast eater, which I'm sure you've all heard is not good for you. So I used to drag around here in the morning for a couple of hours before I really woke up and felt like I had any energy. Four cups of coffee later I would start to wake up but still felt blah! Now, I wake up, have a glass of cold water which kicks your metabolism into gear and yes,  I still have a cup of coffee while I get the kids fed and ready for the day but then I whip up a glass of gazpacho for my breakfast! Chilled gazpacho in the morning gets ya movin and groovin!

This is a powerhouse of vitamins and protein! So many good things for you in this zesty little glass of juice. Some of you may still be thinking, 'Gazpacho for breakfast, I don't think so.' and that's o.k. I was stubborn too once, you'll come around if you know what's good for you! I started having this for an early lunch then once I realized how yummy it was and how good it made me feel I started drinking it for breakfast, not first thing but after my coffee... first things first.

Why in the morning you ask?  After sleeping all night your metabolism and GI system are in sleeping mode and you are essentially starting fresh. The worst thing you can do is wake up and have something that is going to raise your glycimic index quickly. Most cereal's are culprits as are muffins, breakfast sandwiches, juices and some fruits. It's best to eat something Raw before every single meal do help with digestion and stabilize the glycimic index, which really helps with weight loss.

Really, you could throw any veggies you like into this. The base should be a Low-Sodium, preferably organic veggie juice. I love R.W. Knudsen brand, 'Very Veggie'  It has wonderful ingredients and no additives!

      
MAKES  6 CUPS (48 OZ. )   ABOUT 4 SERVINGS

At the very least, this is what I throw into the blender:

2 tablespoons Hemp Seeds ( put in first to keep them from flying all over the blender and sticking to sides)

1/2 small head of cabbage, cut into chunks

celery

1 clove garlic, smashed and cut into small pieces

2 cups ( 16 oz.) Veggie Juice ~ low-sodium! preferably organic and in a glass jar ( not plastic or a can)

* other ideas: purple onion ( this is when my 5 year old won't drink it, but I like it)
spinach, kale etc. carrots or beets to make it sweeter, flax seeds etc.

Shelled Hemp seeds are an excellent source of protein at 11 grams per serving,

Omega 3's, and all 10 essential Amino Acids!

Did you know garlic lowers blood pressure and bad cholesterol, has cardiovascular and respiratory benefits? Garlic also aids in digestion, is an antioxidant, anti-viral and anti-bacterial super hero?

I Love my new Ninja blender! Blends up the smoothest gazpacho I've ever had! *booo Cuisinart...

I didn't think you'd believe me so here's the proof,  my kids really L.O.V.E Gazpacho!
This is also part of a new series I've been thinking about " Give a kid some [chopsticks] ". Basically, tips, tricks and games to get your kids excited about eating new and healthy foods.
So this would be, " Give a Kid a Straw"  and they'll even drink gazpacho!

 Going, going.....

Gone! 

 Seriously, she didn't even take her mouth off of the straw and sucked down the whole glass!

Nolan gives his thumbs up of approval!

Jack (not pictured) who is 5 years old and my 'picky eater' is hit or miss with gazpacho. Some days he'll drink it, other days he won't.

I am submitting this to Kahakai Kitchen for her 'Souper Sunday's event! Stop by for the love of soup!

Tofu-Berry Morning Smoothie

If your anything like me, you get completely bored with breakfast every once and a while. I don't like to give the kids cold cereal very often because most all of them are laden with sugar and processed flour. Also, if you could see how much these 3 boys eat you would know that they easily scarf down a big box of cereal and well, boxed cereal is like $4 ea. That adds up fast. So that leaves the old reliable oatmeal. Even though we doll it up with pecans, flax, honey and dried fruit you can only eat so much oatmeal. That goes for eggs too.
Smoothies are always a fun treat and perfectly nutritious when made with healthy ingredients. You can always use plain, non-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt as a base, then add fruit of choice.

This time I used some soft Organic Tofu instead of yogurt for the protein. I freeze fresh blueberries when they are in season and chopped up frozen banana so the smoothies are nice and cold. That's it, blend it all up, add a tablespoon of flax meal for added Omega's and you have a super power breakfast smoothie!
These will wake you up and keep you energized much longer than cold cereal. Perfect breakfast for kids going to school!

Baby Mona gives her smile of approval!