Healthier Shepherd's Pie

Happy St. Patty's Day!  Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
 1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 1/2 cups diced onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 pounds ground lamb (or lean turkey or organic beef or bison)
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 pound button or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
3 cups cooked carrots and turnips (chop & simmer in skillet with water filled half way until tender)
1 large egg
4 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes,
1/4 cup grated Daiya vegan cheddar

Directions Grease a 3-quart 2- to 3-inch-deep gratin dish or casserole with a 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute more. Add the meat, break it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until the meat loses its red color, about 5 minutes. Add the 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more. Add the crushed tomatoes and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and spoon off any excess fat if needed. Stir in the parsley and add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the meat mixture over the bottom of the casserole, top with the mushrooms, and then the carrots and turnips. Beat the egg into the potatoes and spread them completely over the vegetables to finish the pie. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until heated through.
If desired, sprinkle on the cheese on top and broil the pie under a preheated broiler. Serve immediately.

*recipe modified from food network

New Year - New You- Improve Your Resoultions

Happy Healthy New Year

Let’s not resolve to do something, Let’s look forward to it.

We all only need one main goal for this coming year 

 To Focus on What we Want….

I frequently help my clients set goals and they are usually very negative.   LOSE weight, NOT get heart disease, LESS back pain, etc.  Lose, Not, Less - all evoke negative feelings.  We are focused on what we don’t want, whereas we need to focus on what we DO want.  Instead we can set goals of MORE energy, INCREASED muscle strength, moving EASILY, having HEALTHY blood sugar, etc.

Life is life and we all experience ups and downs and some of our ups and downs are steeper and deeper than others, but we all are on this roller coaster and the best thing we can do about it first and foremost is thinking and focusing on what we want, how do we want to feel.   

If we focus on what we want all the other things will fall into place.  Here is my example.

I want to feel energized and light, what steps do I need to take in order to get there?

-          Eat only food that fuels my body

-          Exercise my heart and lungs daily, i.e. cardio

-          Work my muscles a couple times per week

-          Stretch

-          REST- Get enough sleep so my body can heal and repair and strengthen like it’s supposed to.

Focusing on what I want and how I want to feel, feels good, is motivating and makes the steps I need to take a little easier.

Let’s get out of our negative spiral and Look Forward to 2013 and the healthy changes we can make!

Set your goal to keep focusing on what you want!! 

Now, I didn't say this is easy, so keep practicing and if you need help with any of the above, I am always happy to help e-mail me for appointment times. cheri@bewellbalanced.org

 Chad & Nina - Thank you for the inspiration

 

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie ( Gluten & Dairy Free)

Filling 1 can pumpkin (or bake your own) 2/3 cup egg whites ½ cup coconut sugar** ¼ cup agave nectar** 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon 1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Crust 1-1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour** 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 cup Coconut oil – slightly softened ½ cup milled flax seeds with mixed w/ 2 Tbsp warm water 4 Tbsp Cold coconut milk Topping Healthy Top Whipped Topping**

 

Directions Mix Filing ingredients together, Bake Crust then add filling and bake for 40 minutes or until firm.  Top with Healthy Top Whipped topping! Crust Directions Combine flour and salt, then cut in coconut oil and flax mixture using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle milk, one tablespoon at a time, while blending, until all ingredients are moist. Using wax paper, place dough onto one sheet, flatten with palm, place another sheet on top and pat out to desired size. Remove the top sheet and invert into pie pan. To bake the pie crust alone; Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. With pie filling; Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F for an additional 40 minutes. This makes a single pie crust that can fit 8-inch to 10-inch pie pans

 

Holiday Baking Gluten & Dairy Free

Cookies Cookies Cookies

 Starter Dough

2 cups Bob’s Red Mills Gluten Free Flour
½ cup Bob’s Red Mills Coconut Flour
1.5 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup coconut oil (softened)
½ cup olive oil
½ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup agave nectar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients in small bowl.  In a larger bowl beat oils and sweeteners for about one minute, add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Add dry mixture one cup at a time mixing briefly.  Form into a ball.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Starter dough
1 cup powdered peanut butter (or chocolate powdered peanut butter!)
 Mix well

Form into small balls and press gently with a fork on greased or non-stick cookie sheet. 

Bake for about 15 minutes.  Let cool. 

 Ginger Spice Cookies

Pre-heat over to 350 degrees
Starter dough
1 teaspoon ground ginger – double for extra spice!
2 Tablespoons blackstrap molasses
*Option*  Add ½ cup pumpkin puree for Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Spoon out onto greased or non-stick cookie sheet.  Bake for about 20 minutes.

Flaked Coconut Cookies

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Starter dough
½ cup unsweet Bob’s Red Mills Coconut Flakes
Mix well.  Roll into small balls and press onto greased or non-stick cookie sheet.  Bake for about 20 minutes. 

Holiday Baking Ingredients

**Pick up your coupon  * On Sale  at Team Fitness

Bob’s Red Mills Gluten Free Baking Flour **

-         Gluten (the protein found in wheat) is over consumed and causes many digestive issues and inflammation.  Bob’s GF baking flour is whole grain and high protein.

Bob’s Red Mills Coconut Flour*

-         Coconut four is low carb, high fiber and high protein.  Substitute ¼ cup in any recipe.

Xanthan Gum

-         holds flour together for gluten free baking

Coconut Sugar

-         Tastes just like brown sugar with less fructose, lower glycemic index and more nutrients.

Agave Nectar

-         Sweeter than sugar with lower glycemic index.  Can use less in recipes for same sweetness. 

Flax Seeds

-         Acts as a binder when mixed with a little warm water.  Adds fiber, protein and essential omega 3’s.

Coconut Oil*

-          MCT oil which is burned quickly for energy and less likely stored as fat.  Can substitute half the butter or oil.

Olive Oil

-        An anti-inflammatory oil good for heart health.

Healthy Top Whipped  Topping

-         Dairy and soy free YUMMY whipped cream.

Holiday Nog Coconut Milk & Chocolate Mint Coconut Milk

-         Milk is inflammatory Coconut is a great alternative because of the healthy MCT’s.

Functional Nutrition Testing

I have always been passionate for learning how the body works and functions... optimally!

Over the last few years I have been studying Functional Medicine, this is an ongoing long process as there are so many precise functions with in our amazing body.

I now am offering Functional Nutrition Testing as part of my toolbox to help you feel and look your best.

Food allergy antibody tests are becoming more routine as our immune systems are reacting unknowingly to many different foods we sometimes wouldn't expect causing a plethora of symptoms including: weight gain, fatigue, digestive complains, etc.

The metabolic profile is my favorite (although most expensive) because it can uncover blocks or imbalances in our metabolism, detoxification and digestion. This test is perfect for those who are stuck in their weight loss and energy even after detoxing and increasing their activity level.

Please let me know if you would like more information on testing!

Gas & Bloating

Female Age 29- Gas & Bloating continually, sinus infections, loss of smell.

GI Effects Digestion Panel we found yeast and unfriendly bacteria.

Plan: Elimination of food allergies & 4 weeks of therapeutic nutrition.

Results:

Day two of program- NO GAS!

Day 7- smell returned

Day 21 - Still no gas!

Trying to be Healthy...

What is health really? Is it merely the absence of disease… are we either healthy or diseased? Is there not a very large GREY area…

I don’t want to just be healthy I want to be vibrant, fantastic, energized!

Where are you on the health scale?

Disease………………………………………………………………Vibrant

Wherever we are, we can move towards vibrant one step at a time, the challenge in this crazy life is HOW .

I have found that intentions are key. I intend to be healthy daily, I make choices and decisions and began this practice long ago. I live in balance and truly enjoy yummy indulgences and also truly enjoy the plethora of veggies I eat too!

Health is a journey.. there is no end. We have to enjoy the process if we are to progress.

Learn to let go of struggle, let go of fear, release the need for perfection and surrender to the unfolding of your body’s natural desire for wellness. Make little choices daily, set your intention towards feeling optimal.