Monthly Archives: December 2013

Raw Chocolate Extraordinaire!

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piecechocolates

I’ve been promising a lot of people to share my favorite raw chocolate recipe in a blog. I thought this might make a great Christmas gift for everyone who reads – especially those too far away to receive a warm hug.  One of my challenges in writing this blog and sharing this recipe, is that I don’t always measure precisely and I don’t always make the chocolate the same way every time!  So, to insure that I give you a good rendition, I made the best chocolate ever – then I wrote down what I did (more or less), then I made it again, following the recipe I had written down.  There really is no need to measure, you can just eyeball the quantities.  I hate to waste any ingredients in a measuring cup, and you can’t really go wrong with these ingredients!  This truly is the best chocolate ever!

There are two options:  make the chocolate base and put it into molds (pictured on left) or a dish and eat it just like that.  For an amazing addition, add a layer of  raw chocolate icing courtesy of rawtarian.com to the bottom layer in the glass dish (pictured on right).  I’ve included a simple version of the raw chocolate icing below.

I’ve made chocolate in my Vitamix and I’ve made it by combining the ingredients in a bowl.  Use whatever you have.  You can’t really go wrong when you mix this combination of ingredients! For truly raw chocolate, the ingredients should only be heated enough to melt in order to best preserver the antioxidant benefits.

Best Ever Raw Chocolate

  • 2/3 C melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 C melted cocoa butter
  • 1/3 C melted honey (can use a bit less)
  • 1/2 C raw cacao powder (adding slightly more will make it darker)
  • 1/2 C or so whole dates (finely chopped if not using a blender)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • Dash salt

Blend in Vitamix or bowl until very smooth. Once blended, add nuts.  If added to blender, just blend to desired consistency.  If mixing in a bowl, chop them first.

  • 1 cup pecans

Pour some into chocolate molds if you have them and pour the rest into the bottom of glass dish(es) about 1/2 inch thick. Put into the freezer to harden. After hard, the chocolate molds can be popped out and kept in a container in the refrigerator.

For the mixture in the glass dish, to make it even more incredibly delicious, top it with raw chocolate icing made by combining in a blender or food processor:

  • 1 C dates
  • 1/4 C raw cacao powder
  • 1/4 C coconut oil
  • 3/4 C water

Let the contents sit for 10+ minutes or so to soften the dates. Blend on high. Stop and scrape down the sides and blend on high again.

This is now awesome deliciousness. Pour or spread on top of the chocolate base. Put in the refrigerator, or freezer if you need it to harden faster.  Store raw chocolate in the refrigerator.  You can cut it into any size pieces you desire!

Share with those you love A LOT!

Please let me know how this recipe works for you!

ingredients

 

Quick Easy Chicken Butternut Curry

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IMG_0488For those of you who don’t always plan in advance as well as you would like (my hand is up), I thought I might share a very easy last-minute recipe you can make which will surprise you by how fast it is ready and how good it tastes.

It does depend on having a few things in your refrigerator on stand-by, which is a good habit to get into, especially if you try to figure out last-minute healthy meals like I do.  These quantities serve about 4, but you can add a bit of everything to serve more. Preciseness is not that important in most of my cooking, much to the dismay of some of my family members!  Prep time is about 10-15 minutes, depending on your chopping speed.  Cooking time is about 10-15 minutes too!  You can hardly go out and get fast food for under 30 minutes!  And this is WAY more delicious and healthy!

Ingredients & Method all mixed together:

  • 2 Chicken breasts (organic, if possible.  They can be frozen, so don’t worry if you didn’t thaw it out!).  If you are able and want to cut them into pieces, you can, but for a faster result, just use them whole.  If they are still frozen solid, then use them whole, and you can break them into smaller pieces somewhere along the cooking process!
  • Coconut Oil, 1-2 Tablespoons (depending on your budget and how much you have on hand, more is always good!)
  • Onions, chopped.  Either ½ onion leftover in the fridge, or a whole one, your choice.
  • Garlic, couple of cloves, chopped or pressed (I’m still chopping, though I am hoping for a Pampered Chef garlic press for Christmas!).

Throw all of that into a largish pan on a medium low heat (it can go in stages, whatever works!).  Cover and simmer on a low heat, turning the chicken occasionally to brown.  If frozen, this stage will take a little bit longer.  You can also use a firm wooden spoon to break the chicken breast into pieces whenever you are able to do so.  Wait until it’s cooked a bit, so that it is not a difficult thing to do). I never use metal on metal when cooking, just saying.

  • Curry Powder, 1-2 Tablespoons.  Add curry powder to the pan after the chicken has mostly changed color on all sides and stir everything around so it gets impacted by the curry powder.  The chicken does not have to be cooked through the middle. The curry powder likes to sauté with the other ingredients to share its flavor. I have been enjoying Simply Organic Curry Powder, which I think I buy from Kroger.  It is a staple in my cupboard. I will also experiment with different curry powders.  It’s great to get one with Turmeric, since it has so many beneficial qualities.
  • Butternut, chopped.  I chopped about ¾ of a butternut into small pieces (while the chicken mixture was browning).  I actually left most of the skin on, but it was cut small.  It was fine with the skin on, and it is a lot faster than having to peel it!  (I took the seeds out and put them in a glass dish (see picture) with coconut oil and salt to roast in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes – makes a wonderful snack for later! Once I figured this out, I was amazed about how I had been wasting butternut seeds for years!  Don’t worry about cleaning them, just dump all the insides in!)  If you don’t have any butternut, you could use carrots or any combination of vegetables that you have on hand, and change the name!IMG_0487
  • 1-2 Cups Chicken Stock.  This is a great thing to find in your fridge or freezer!  If I didn’t have any homemade chicken stock, I would have just added one cup of water
  • Ground Salt, Himalayan Crystal.  A few turns.
  • Ground Pepper, a few turns.

Allow to simmer on low for about 15 minutes.  Put some Quinoa or rice on to cook and it will be ready at the same time.

Optional:  cashews.  If you are a bit short on the meat, add cashews, or if you have an abundance of cashews, just add them for the taste!

While simmering, make a quick salad and Voila, a wonderful dish to delight the family – and they didn’t even guess I wasn’t prepared!  I promise I didn’t use any recipe for this, except what was stored in my head.  That doesn’t mean no one else gets any credit, I just can’t remember who I need to acknowledge for how I’ve learned to make curry.  I used to have no idea how to make a nice curry and asked a lot of people along the way.  It turns out, it isn’t really all that hard!  And it gets easier and better with a bit of practice!

I don’t think this curry was spicy at all.  If you want it a bit more spicy, add a chili pepper with the onions during the sautéing process.

 

Shopping in the USA

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I feel vulnerable at the very core of my existence in the USA. Spending 30 years living in a foreign country and coming back has given me a different perspective than the average person.

I see an older couple shopping at Kroger.  They look sweet, loving, normal.  They put two huge boxes of Diet Coke into their shopping cart and take them to their car.  I want so badly to ask them if they’ve ever heard of the dangers of aspartame.  They are not energetic looking, but they also aren’t sickly – not riding in the wheelchair carts like so many I see.  They just look like people who grow older and think that life is all about aches, pains, medication and doing the best you can because we all know growing old brings health challenges.  I don’t know if the Diet Coke is for them or maybe for someone else, who knows?  Maybe they are trying to bless someone else.

They trust the FDA, Kroger and the US “system” to keep them safe and healthy.  They don’t know that their trust has been violated.

I just walk past rows and rows of food.  I don’t stop.  I already know that nearly 100% of it contains ingredients that have been proven to be harmful.  Hydrogenated fats, colorings, flavorings, aspartame, HFCS, and on and on.  It does not promote or sustain life in any way.  It is all marketing ploys to get the unsuspecting public to purchase their products.  I walk down an aisle containing incalculable varieties of products sold to help us keep our clothes clean and fresh.  It is a maze trying to decipher.  Are all these claims real?  Is there any negative impact on the environment from any of the products? What are these things doing to my skin?  Our water supplies?  Does it matter?  Is it all about the cheapest one to do the job, or is the traditional brand, or the one most advertised better?  I’m overwhelmed by just one product decision.

People are oblivious.  They know what they like. They know what their momma used. They know what tastes good.  After all, taste is the supreme indicator for goodness.  Once the bagger at the grocery store asked me if organic bananas tasted better than the others.  As if I am choosing them all because of taste!

What do I do with this great burden I carry?  The burden of living healthy.  The burden of the knowledge of what people are doing to their bodies – yet most are oblivious.

Not all big business is bad.  But big business is in the business of making a profit – for their shareholders.  Along the way something has gone very wrong.  I don’t know how to fix it.  What do I, one individual, have power to accomplish in the face of this onslaught by big business that impacts me at the core of my existence?

I can….

  • Choose to buy organic and local only (or as much as possible – but I can raise the bar higher than is comfortable).
  • Choose to cook healthy food in my kitchen with the organic ingredients I buy.
  • Help others understand whenever I have the smallest opportunity.
  • I can learn the facts so that I can share the cold hard facts and not just vague feelings.
  • Lean hard into Jesus when I feel overcome with fear or anxiety.
  • Meditate on God’s word.
  • Use the passion for health I have been given as a gift to share in a winsome way.

Am I crazy?  Am I delusional?  Is it all safe and I’m just over-reacting?

Or am I on the right track, but missing other important things I can do?  What else can one person do to buck the system, live with health amongst so much plenty?

What thoughts and feelings impact you during your regular grocery store expeditions?

Life Coaching

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Joined HandsWe rarely remember the famous people who rose to stardom, but we rarely forget the people who impacted us personally.  That is the essence of coaching.

As a life coach, I would like to partner with you so you can

  •  better navigate your journey;
  • identify and overcome obstacles in difficult times;
  • discover what is worthwhile;
  • feel appreciated;
  • find complete acceptance.

A life coach will…   partner with you to create a more satisfying and fulfilling life.

Help you…

  • explore what you desire in your life and work,
  • achieve your goals,
  • discover and remove obstacles and
  • create visions and plans.

To help people find vision and enable them to sustain that vision, is the noble work of a coach.

I am excited to begin my journey of more formally coaching clients – of helping them discovering and achieving their life goals.

 

I can…

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I Can...

 

There are many things in my life that I have no control over.

For instance, I can’t change other people.  But I decided to make a list of things I can do; things God can help me do.

  • I can walk with integrity;
  • I can be an example of health, vitality and enthusiasm;
  • I can share winsomely with whoever God brings across my path; whomever God gives ears to hear;
  • I can have compassion – especially for those suffering damage from iatrogenic  causes;
  • I can help train others with similar passions to be sensitive spokespeople for health;
  • I can campaign;
  • I can educate myself;
  • I can make information clear and available;
  • I can share truth about God with fellow travelers – gradually with sensitivity;
  • I can write to impact;
  • I can seek to be a difference maker, continuously exploring ways of effectively making a difference with others.

Those are some of the things I can do.  I am sure I can think of some more.   Even if your current situation is not optimal, what are the things you can do?

Thanksgiving 2015Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counsellor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies. As a member of a Vaccine Safety Education Coalition, Becky writes and speaks on the topic of vaccine safety.

16 Vaccine Objections

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needleHere are some of the basic reasons I have chosen to reject the popularly recommended concept of injecting myself and my loved ones with vaccines. This is not full of scientific links and support.  It is just my reasons and my conclusions.  Each parent and each medical professional has to make their own conclusions and live with their own conscience.

1.  No liability.  No doctor, no drug company, no government agency is liable for any damages incurred if the injection causes any damage.

2.  Vaccine Damage is a reality. The fact that compensation of nearly $4B has been paid out for victims in the USA alone, proves that damage is a reality, but is a hard and long battle to receive anything back.  Only 25% of claims filed have been paid.  Many more claims have not even been filed.

Media response3.  Combined Impact.  No studies have ever been done on the impact of combined vaccines EVER.  So young babies are routinely scheduled to get multiple injections at one visit and all the professionals assume it is safe.  That is not science. http://www.jpands.org/vol21no2/miller.pdf

4.  Given too young.  The blood brain barrier is not fully developed until around the age of 2, yet we are told we need to inject highly toxic substances into babies in the first days and months of life.  It just doesn’t sit right with me.  The toxic ingredients impact the brain. Not all kids get autism, but what are we doing to our children? When vaccines were first introduced they would never give them to babies or pregnant women.  Now they are recommended.  Did anyone ever do some studies to support such a drastic policy change?

Recomended Vaccines 83-20155.  Too many vaccines.  The recommended schedule has ballooned over the years – especially since liability was removed.  Isn’t that interesting?  Many parents today received vaccines so they think it is safe to give vaccines, but babies today will receive nearly three times as many injections as their parents!

6.  Safety studies often do not compare new vaccine products to placebo but against old vaccines or aluminum adjuncts. As a minimal there should be placebo controlled safety trials!

7.  Conflicts of interest among those who set the schedules, make recommendations and gain financially.

8.  Control of medical education and media by major pharmaceutical interests results in Intense Propaganda.

9.  If vaccines were good and beneficial there would be no need to force, pressure or coerce parents.

10.  Effectiveness. Vaccines have not been proven to be effective in providing protection.

11.  Use of aborted fetal cells as a foundation for some vaccines.

12.  Use of monkey kidneys cells and other foreign proteins as a foundation for some vaccines and the lack of study on the impact such foreign proteins can have on the undeveloped immune system.

13.  Use of GMO ingredients in the manufacture of vaccines – with completely unknown results on the body.

14.  New understanding of the immune system, molecular biology and the human genome which should cause every scientist to re-think the foundation of vaccine science.

15.  Chronic illness and general health of our population.  Vaccines are not the only reason, but since our health care costs are among the highest in the world and since our vaccination rate is among the highest in the world, wouldn’t you expect that health rates for both children and adults should be among the highest in the world?

16.  Health does not come through a needle, but through adequate diet and a strong immune system.

I think I could go on an on. About known toxic chemicals added to vaccines such as aluminum which have a detrimental impact on the developing brain and Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) states it is not safe in any MINIMUM amount; formaldehyde that is added to most vaccines is also used for preserving tissue samples and embalming dead bodies, yet it has never been tested for injection into a live human, causes deranged DNA and  cancers; MSG, a flavor enhancer, is a known neurological excitotoxin which causes brain cells to continuously fire until cell death; Polysorbate 80 (Tween 80) which is known to cause sterility, open the blood brain barrier, and prevents the body from detoxing.

Vaccines seem like a great idea.  Just have this little prick and you will avoid being sick! That is the hope they offer to fearful parents.  But I don’t think they deliver on their promises.  You might have formed different opinions.  These are sixteen of the reasons that forced me to spend hours exploring the topic and looking for answers.  The answers I found did not satisfy me that vaccines were a safe or effective option.

I’m not a doctor, I’m just a mom and a grandmother dedicated to the health of my family. My heart aches for those who have suffered vaccine damage and I want to help others find true health. I’ve spent over thirty years researching this topic and these big points just keep standing out for me.

If you tell me it’s not fair if my unvaccinated child gets a disease that harms someone else, I’ll tell you that it is not my responsibility to do anything other than keep my children healthy. If they get sick, I’ll keep them home and they’ll be better in no time because we are building a strong innate immune system. If vaccines worked you’d have no reason to fear.  In my opinion, herd immunity is a myth.  I have no obligation to expose my child to harm for a supposed (but unproven) slight benefit to others.

Have you got any additional reasons to add to this list?
Thanksgiving 2015Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counsellor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies. As a member of a Vaccine Safety Education Coalition, Becky writes and speaks on the topic of vaccine safety.

Healthy Snacks/Quick Meals

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Fruit FaceWe all need to eat.

We enjoy our food.

We like to satisfy our sweet tooth and hunger with good things. But when we are trying to make a move away from processed foods, AND we don’t have all the time or money in the world, what do we eat?

  1. Apple, banana or date with or without organic fresh ground peanut butter
  2. Celery stalk with peanut butter, hemp, cacao nibs, sprouts (or any combination)
  3. Sliced carrots, cucumbers, avocado, broccoli, or other vegetables, with or without dip
  4. Raw chocolate loaded with coconut oil and nuts – a great source of minerals, energy and satisfaction!
  5. Leftovers from the night before
  6. Hardboiled eggs
  7. Sliced meat roll ups
  8. Cabbage leaf roll up (fillings could be peanut butter and sprouts, or cottage cheese)
  9. Organic cheese slices
  10. Organic plain yogurt with berries, cacao nibs, hemp seeds, chia seeds and honey
  11. Smoothie (more about the possibilities later)
  12. Homemade trail mix with raw organic coconut flakes, cacao nibs, raw nuts, organic raisins, seeds, etc.
  13. For a treat: organic corn chips with organic salsa!
  14. For special treats: organic fair trade dark chocolate
  15. Arden’s Garden (or other healthy ethical option) juice
  16. Baked sweet potato

There are many options, but I find it is key to plan in advance and be prepared for when the snack attack hits you.  What are your best healthy snack options?

Deviant Chocolate Mousse Cake

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Minolta DSC

Raw cacao powder – packed full of nutrition

deviant |ˈdēvēənt|, adjective, departing from usual or accepted standards, esp. in social or sexual behavior: deviant behavior | a deviant ideology.

Ingredients:

  • ½ Cup cacao butter
  • 1/3 Cup cacao powder
  • 4 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 eggs (organic)
  • zest and juice from one lime (organic)
  • pinch salt
  • almonds (raw, organic)

Method:

Add desired amount of almonds to a food processor, process until they are the consistency you desire. Dump all the rest of the ingredients except the cacao butter and process to blend.

Melt the cacao butter over low heat, or in a double boiler. Remove from the heat and add to the food processor and blend with the rest of the ingredients.

Oil a glass dish or pie pan with coconut oil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  When it is done the top should be slightly cracked but the middle will still be soft and wiggly.   Allow to cool and then refrigerate overnight.  If you are very aware of presentation, you can decorate with sliced or chopped almonds and cacao powder on top before serving.

Commentary:

I doubled the recipe when I made this for Thanksgiving Eve 2013.  The cacao butter was REALLY REALLY hard, so I didn’t manage to use the full amount required. I added some coconut oil to make up for the lack of cacao butter. Of course, I didn’t measure anything (except the can of coconut milk, because that was really easy), so the results are only approximate! I doubled the recipe and processed it in a food processor half at a time.  I cooked it for longer at a lower temperature. After cooking, I put it outside to cool because it was about at freezing temperature where we were.  It didn’t have time to set overnight in the fridge, so when it was time for serving, it wasn’t at its peak.  The overall response was tolerable, but I enjoyed it.  It looked more promising than it tasted. A bit more honey (not sure I used the full amount) would have made it better for some of the less whole, natural food enthusiasts amongst us.  After tasting the batter, I must confess that I added some cream cheese, about 5 Tablespoons, to the double batch, because it seemed as if that might give the taste an umpph. Since there was some leftover, I enjoyed eating it the next day after it had set in the fridge. There weren’t too many takers for my Deviant Mousse Cake the following day, but it was also Thanksgiving with a lot of sweet treats around to choose from!

I would definitely make this again and may experiment with quantities.  I might also try to make a nut/date crust for the bottom.

I named this cake because I loosely based it on a recipe I found at http://spirithealers.blogspot.com/2013/11/gluten-free-chocolate-mousse-cake-with.html

but I deviated significantly from it.  It was also a big deviation from the rather mainstream types of mousse or cheese cakes which my audience was more familiar with.  The benefits of raw cacao, cacao butter and coconut are certainly deviant thinking for many of us!

What is your favorite healthy treat?