Baby First "JUICE"

Sally Fallon NOURISHING TRADITIONS: “There is as much sugar in a small glass of orange juice as there is in a candy bar – and most of it fructose, which is more harmful than the sucrose of sugar. Consumption of apple juice has been linked to failure to thrive in infants. Excessive consumption of fruit juice upsets the acid-alkaline balance of the body. Even consumption of veggie juice can cause this imbalance. Even over consumption of fruit can cause severe mineral deficiencies.”

Baby Kai loves his "juice." No, this isn't apple juice... it is bone broth! I make a pot for him once a week to put into his bottle. When he sees this when he wakes up his legs start to kick a mile a minute! He LOVES this stuff!

Bone broths are one of the most nourishing foods. It is so medicinal that if I could bottle up into a pill, the pharmaceutical companies would be broke.

Because broth can be regarded as a liquefied form of the important components of bones, the medicinal benefits of bone broth are attributed to the exceptionally high levels of minerals and amino acids. In fact bone broth can be considered both a high quality multi-mineral and protein supplement.

1. HYDROPHILIC COLLOIDS: Stock is also awesome because it has hydrophilic colloids. Raw foods are colloidal and are hydrophilic, meaning that they attract liquids. This is important because when we eat a salad or other raw food, the hydrophilic colloids attract digestive juices for rapid and effective digestion. Colloids that have been heated are usually hydrophobic (meaning they repel liquids, making cooked foods harder to digest). However, the gelatin in meat broths has the special property of attracting liquids even after it has been heated. A good visual is Jell-O, the gelatin attracts water to form desserts, which allows it to attract digestive juices to the surface of cooked food particles.

2. CROHN'S and COLITIS: Broth contains gelatin, which aids in digestion and works amazing as a treatment of intestinal disorders, including hyperacidity, colitis and Crohn’s disease because it heals the intestinal wall. Many clients of mine have Colitis, leaky gut, diverticulitis, Crohn’s or other intestinal problems. By supplementing with broth and other key supplements (such as l-glutamine) we can strengthen the intestinal walls, which also supports our immune system. Babies had fewer digestive problems when gelatin was added to their milk. It enhances digestion by attracting digestive juices to food in the gut. It also calms and soothes the gut lining. Gelatin should be the first therapeutic food for anyone suffering from digestive conditions affecting the intestines.

3. Collagen is a protein extracted in broth through the breakdown of bone and cartilage during the cooking process and is referred to as gelatin. The quality of broth is usually determined by the amount of gelatin it contains. The gelatin in broth is also useful for the treatment of anemia and other blood disorders, like diabetes, muscular dystrophy and even cancer.

4. AMINO ACIDS: Although gelatin isn't a complete protein, (it only has the amino acids arginine and glycine in large amounts) it acts as a protein sparer, allowing the body to more fully utilize the complete proteins that are taken in. So if you are someone who can't afford large amounts of meat in your diet, gelatin-rich broths are great to help boost protein absorption.

5. MINERAL ABSORPTION: Healthy bone tissue is naturally high in minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium) which provide a healthy bone structure, nervous system as well as hormone balance. Fish stock will also provide iodine which is essential for a healthy thyroid. Broths made from fish bones will also provide iodine. The gelatin in broth strengthens digestion which helps you absorb more nutrients. Gelatin helps people digest milk and dairy products.

"Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.” Sally Fallon Morell

6. JOINT HEALTH: Since the gelatin is derived from cartilage a huge benefit of broth is that it provides an awesome source of glucosamine and chondroitin. These nutrients are essential for regaining joint health.

NOTE: When making bone broth using an acid like organic vinegar helps extract more minerals from the bones. The extracted minerals then become the alkalizing agents to neutralize the acidity of the broth. I use coconut vinegar. Click HERE to find. Coconut vinegar exceeds all other vinegars in amino acids, vitamins and mineral content. It is also a FOS (prebiotic that promotes digestive health). Don't worry, it doesn't taste like coconut!

Creamy Cupcakes and SKIM MILK FACTS

In my book, Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism, I have a chapter called "Milk: Does it really “Do a Body Good?” The truth is that low-fat dairy is overrated. You are in the grocery store and two jugs of mi

lk sit side by side, one skim and one whole milk. Now, without any other information about the ingredients, which one has been scientifically proven to cause weight gain and heart disease, and which has been proven to support weight loss and coronary health? If you’re like most Americans you’ll pick the skim milk as the healthier choice. And despite the fact that your answer would be marketed and advertised as the right choice, you’d be wrong.

In 2007, this false advertisement of dairy’s “three-a-day” weight-loss campaign was stopped after a lawsuit by the Physicians Concerned with Responsible Medicine. They charged that 24 of the 27 studies behind the claim had not only failed to prove a connection between dairy and weight loss, but they had all been studied by a single researcher and funded by the Dairy Council. The Federal Trade Commission ruled that the advertisements were false, and the Dairy Council was mandated to stop them.

So here’s the problem, during the same period that the consumption of low-fat fare rose in the United States, our rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease multiplied exponentially! Health experts are attributing this to our replacing natural whole foods rich in nutrients, including naturally occurring fats, with nutrient-poor, processed foods filled with sugar, refined carbohydrates and man-made oils. This trend and a number of recent studies are finding that fats from whole foods, including saturated, are not the enemy we’ve been led to believe; and that low-fat dairy isn’t the weight-loss ally it has been pushed as.

The Harvard School of Public Health have always insisted that evidence tying dietary fat and cholesterol to blood cholesterol and arterial damage are not the bad guys. The body produces cholesterol to heal inflammation and internal injuries; elevated cholesterol levels are in response to coronary damage not a cause of it. Harvard points out that a low-fat dietary approach can have a number of negative health effects, some of which are tied to reduced absorption of essential nutrients that can only be absorbed in the body when consumed with fats. People are at risk for deficiencies of the important fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients when they consume low-fat foods.

The Harvard study goes on to state that the popularity of a low-fat diets have caused “unintended health consequences” by encouraging increased consumption of refined carbohydrates and trans-fats. The bad press about naturally occurring saturated fats played a key role in encouraging people to embrace processed-food products like “I Can’t Believe It’s not Butter,” powdered coffee creamers, and fake fat-free cool-whip. These items are filled with trans-fats and carbohydrates; which were once praised as healthful replacements for foods containing saturated fats, but recent studies have proven them to be the true culprit to increasing obesity, diabetes and heart-disease.

An endocrinologist at Harvard, David Ludwig, MD, PhD, leads the distinguished OWL Program (Optimal Weight for Life) for childhood obesity at Boston University Hospital. He has had overwhelming success using a low-glycemic approach to weight loss rather than a low-fat one. Ludwig finds that too much insulin caused by high-glycemic foods are far more prone to cause weight gain than consumption of saturated fats; including those in full-fat dairy products. Ludwig proves that fat helps restrain insulin levels and appetite.

No- or low-fat dairy actually functions as a hindrance to weight loss for people. When the fat is removed from milk, what remains are a significant amount of un-absorbable fat-soluble vitamins and a surplus of lactose, or milk sugar, with some protein but no fat to slow its entrance into the bloodstream; which causes a spike in insulin levels, the fat-storing hormone! This doesn’t even account for the plentiful amounts of sugar often added to low- and no-fat dairy products to make them taste palatable and improve their flavor in the absence of naturally satisfying fat I get so frustrated when I hear marketing “experts” recommend chocolate milk as a post-exercise recovery drink; yeah, if you are trying to put on weight!

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Teenagers that consume skim milk are twice as likely to suffer severe acne than teens that consume whole milk!
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Not only does an extra dose of lactose potentially lead to insulin problems, many experts argue that most of us aren’t genetically inclined to digest it well in the first place. Studies prove that about 70 percent of people are somewhat intolerant to dairy and lactose as adults. In fact, we stop producing lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose in the intestines, shortly after infancy, when we officially no longer need it. Consuming dairy may not make us instantly ill, but undigested lactose in the intestine can cause all kinds of undesirable issues, such as painful bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, acne and ear aches. Think about it…we are the only mammals that continue to drink milk after infancy and the only species that drinks milk from another mother.

And for people who can’t tolerate dairy, there’s no reason to be worried about lack of dairy leading to nutritional deficiencies; American’s have the highest calcium intake, yet we have the highest rate of hip fractures. AND Almond milk has twice as much calcium as dairy milk!

Fat-Soluble Vitamins: 2 percent, 1 percent and skim milk, are required to be fortified with vitamins, but not whole milk, especially when it comes to vitamin A. That’s because about 1,400 to 1,600 International Units (I.U.) are already in it. Skim milk has a slightly higher percentage of fortified vitamins D, E and K than whole milk, but it doesn’t serve much purpose: All these vitamins are fat-soluble, so without fat, they pass out of the small intestine undigested.

Strong Immune System: Butterfat contains glycosphingolipids, which have been proven to have infection and disease fighting properties. Butterfat is an amazing fat; it has properties that maintain gut flora, it has nutrients that support your immune system, and it helps fight cancer.

Fertility and Sex Drive: The hormones that make us able to reproduce, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone, are created from the cholesterol produced by our bodies and is found in full-fat dietary sources such as milk and other animal fats. That’s why statin medications used to lower cholesterol levels can also notably reduce sex drive. Eating full-fat dairy might also help women get pregnant; according to the Harvard School of Public Health, women who consumed at least one serving a day of full-fat dairy were 27 percent less likely to experience ovulation-related fertility issues.

So remember this:

1. Butter-fat is in milk for a reason: without it, cannot absorb the vitamins and minerals (Vitamins A, D, E and K are FAT SOLUBLE!)

2. Synthetic vitamin D, is added to replace the natural vitamin D; which is ridiculous and a waste of money because you can't absorb vitamin D without fat).

3. Non-fat dried milk is added to Skim, 1% and 2% milk: dried milk is produced by forcing skim milk through tiny holes at high temperatures and pressures which damages its nutrients.

4. Unlike the cholesterol in fresh milk, the cholesterol in non-fat dried milk is oxidized and this rancid cholesterol promotes heart disease.

5. All spray dried products (non-fat dried milk) has a high nitrite content

6. Precious enzymes are destroyed in the pasteurization process: without them, milk is very difficult to digest

7. The pancreas can’t produce these enzymes; stress of the pancreas = diabetes and other diseases.



So depending on you how much you enjoy dairy, if you can tolerate lactose, and it works with your biochemistry and metabolism are all things to consider if you chose to consume dairy or not; all of which are very individualized. The important thing is to recognize dairy’s strengths and downsides. Choosing “Pasture-Fed” or “Grass-Fed” milk is a good first step. Pasture-fed cows have significantly more omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains a dietary compound called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), shown to help reduce body fat and increase lean tissue (see CLA chapter). The key to the production of CLA appears to be in the fresh grass cows eat, so grain-fed dairy products won’t have the same benefits. Pasture feeding is also the most humane method of keeping livestock, and the low-stress conditions keep stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline out of the cow’s milk. Also look for “USDA Organic,” which guarantees that cows are getting organic-certified feed and aren’t given antibiotics or bovine growth hormone (rBGH), which means the milk has fewer toxic byproducts. This is important for full-fat dairy, since toxins concentrate in fat.

Changing your mentality that we have a duty to chug 3 glasses of hormone filled milk a day and be free to discover different forms of dairy as a joy is step one. Step two is to understand that enjoying a creamy tasteful “umami” filled dollop of real cream is what life is all about.

I find milk substitutes as welcomed treat. Some milk substitutes do have quite a bit of sugar. In my family we use unsweetened Almond Milk and Coconut Milk.



CUPCAKES:
1/2 cup Just Like Brown Sugar OR Swerve (or erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
3/4 cup coconut oil or butter
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp vanilla extract
FROSTING:
3 cups chilled whipping cream or coconut cream
1/2 cup NATURE'S HOLLOW xylitol syrup


CUPCAKES: Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, stir the butter and Just Like Brown Sugar together. Stir in the almond milk, eggs, vanilla, and spices. Sift in the almond, coconut flour and baking soda. Mix into the butter mixture until well combined. Taste the dough and add more Just Like Sugar if desired.

FROSTING: Beat cream and maple syrup in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Makes 16 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Cupcakes = 369 calories, 27 carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Cupcakes = 275 calories, 6.4 carbs, 4.4 g fiber (2 effective carbs)

Dairy Free Eggnog Frozen Yogurt

When I was a teenager, I mistakenly ate fat free frozen yogurt for a dessert thinking it was a safe "diet" food. NOPE, it isn't. One of the most famous frozen yogurt chains ingredients for vanilla yogurt powder is: Pure Crystalline Fructose, Dextrose, Maltodextrin, Non-fat Milk, Yogurt Powder, Micro-encapsulated Probiotic (Lactobacillus Sporogenes)

Not good! The first 3 ingredients = sugar, followed by processed cow's milk. Maltodextrin, in particular, has a glycemic index of 110 (sugar is only 57).  Not only is it made from GMO corn, it also increases blood sugar. The scary thing is, since it technically isn't a sugar (in the chemical world), it doesn't have to be listed as a sugar. SO things like Ensure or Pedia-Sure will claim 0 grams of sugar...sure, but the maltodexterin will increase blood sugar even higher than sugar would. To read more on this, check out the chapter on Alternative Sweeteners in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism. 

I get A LOT of questions about yogurt…even the plain Greek yogurt has too much sugar for me. I know I am extreme, but my clients are usually desperate to get healthy or lose weight, so here are the facts:

Naturally fermented (homemade) yogurt that doesn't contain gelatin (yes, many store brands have gelatin) has a carbohydrate called lactose that is converted to lactic acid. This is what makes yogurt sour tasting and causes the protein to curdle which makes the liquid into a solid. Eating lactate as opposed to lactose doesn't raise insulin or interfere with ketosis. 1/2 cup of homemade naturally fermented yogurt has about 5 to 11 grams of carbs. Always avoid naturally fermented yogurts made from fat free or low fat milk (which will increase the carb count and create a larger spike in insulin due to no insulin-lowering response that fat creates). Non fermented cottage and ricotta cheeses should be used in moderation.

This is a photo of PLAIN yogurt, no sweetness added at all and it has 17 grams of carbohydrates, which turns into 4.25 tsp of sugar in your blood! A "normal" blood sugar is 1 tsp of sugar!

If you want to learn more on how to make baby steps to health and why you may not be losing weight on "low carb", check out my Metabolism Class Video. It is only $25. Email Craig at craigmaria@gmail.com to get access to it!

Instead of yogurt for your protein smoothie or an addition to the “Healthified” Granola…try Coconut Milk Kefir. It has less calories than yogurt or skim milk, and only 3 grams of sugar (versus 9 for plain yogurt...yogurt is high in lactose, which we slowly lose the enzyme after childhood to break this down..."lactose intolerance"). It also has 10 live and active cultures for good bacteria. Feeding your body delicious fermented foods and drinks is a great way to boost your brain-body connection. Did you know that the health of your intestines affects your moods, behavior and brain health?

Our moods are directly correlated to the intestinal flora of our gut...the nervous system actually come from the gut to the brain (in the pasted they thought it was the other way). The first thing I recommend for my clients who are dealing with depression or low moods is a quality bifido bacteria. To read more on how to beat depression without the side effects of prescription drugs, check out Secrets to Controlling Your Weight Cravings and Mood.

Check out the nutritional analysis compared to regular yogurt! WOW!

Yoplait Yogurt = 175 calories, 35 carbs, 28 sugar, 0 fiber (more sugar than a KIT KAT!)
Plain Greek Yogurt = 120 calories, 17 carbs, 10 sugar, 1 fiber
Coconut Milk KEFIR = 70 calories, 6 carbs, 3 sugar, 3 fiber

Click HERE to find the website.

"HEALTHIFIED" EGGNOG FROZEN YOGURT
3 cups coconut milk kefir (unsweetened)
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
7 large egg yolks
3/4 cup Just Like Sugar (to keep it soft)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
3 TBS dark rum (optional) or 1 tsp rum extract
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Bring kefir and salt to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Remove from heat. Whisk together yolks and Just Like Sugar in a bowl, then gradually add 1/4 cup hot kefir, whisking. Add yolk mixture to milk remaining in pan in a slow stream, whisking, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is slightly thickened, coats back of spoon, and registers 175°F on thermometer, 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve set into a clean bowl and stir in rum, vanilla, and nutmeg. Chill custard, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours. Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours. Soften slightly in refrigerator before serving, about 20 minutes. Can be chilled up to 1 day. Can be made 1 week ahead. Makes 7 servings.


 NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1/2 cup serving)
Traditional Eggnog Ice Cream = 250 calories, 13g fat, 5g protein, 31 carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Eggnog Frozen Yogurt = 105 calories, 5g fat, 6g protein, 1.7g carbs, trace fiber

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Cookie Cut Outs and Magnesium Facts

For every molecule of sugar we ingest, our bodies uses 54 molecules of magnesium to process it! No matter where the carbohydrates come from; 4 grams of carbohydrates equal one teaspoon of sugar in our body. Let me say that again…4 grams of carbohydrates equal 1 teaspoon of sugar in our body. So with that thought, a small Blizzard has 530 calories and 83 grams of carbohydrates; which equals 21 teaspoons of sugar. A nine ounce bag of potato chips equals 32 teaspoons of sugar…add a soda, that’s another 16 teaspoons of sugar.

Are your kids having a hard time falling asleep? Most people are deficient in magnesium, including children. A magnesium deficiency can have serious consequences, including low serotonin. Magnesium and serotonin don’t just help to regulate your mood, they also can affect your physiology in many ways. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that sends signals of satiety, satisfaction and relaxation. It also regulates our appetite and influences sleep cycles; if serotonin is low, melatonin will be low. So low magnesium can lead to over-eating, depression, insomnia and other serious issues including migraine headaches. Find more fun facts like this in my kids color cookbook. Click HERE to find.

Insulin stores magnesium, but if your insulin receptors are blunted and your cells grow resistant to insulin, you can’t store magnesium so it passes out of your body through urination. Magnesium in your cells relaxes muscles. If your magnesium level is too low, your muscles will constrict rather than relax, which will increase pain (including migraines/headaches/fibro). To fix this problem, eat a low carb diet and consume magnesium glycinate (click HERE to find).

"HEALTHIFIED" CHRISTMAS COOKIES
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioners Swerve (or powdered erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp extract (orange/lemon/vanilla/almond)
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 cups blanched almond flour
FROSTING:
2 cups confectioners' Swerve (or powdered erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
2-4 TBS unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp extract (orange/lemon/vanilla/almond/strawberry)
Natural Food Coloring

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream the butter and the cream cheese for 1 minute. Add the natural sweetener, baking powder, extract and salt and continue mixing until creamy. Stir in the flour and chill.

Place the chilled dough out onto a greased piece of parchment and top with another piece of greased parchment  Roll the dough out to 1 centimeter thick. Uncover the top parchment and use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out cookies. Place cookies on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for 12-15 minutes.

To make the frosting, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl (start with 2 TBS almond milk and add more to get desired thickness). Add desired extract and color. Place the frosting into Ziploc bags and cut a small corner out. Squirt onto cookies. Makes 24 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Cookies = 159 calories, 10g fat, 2.8g protein, 23.6g carbs, 0.6g fiber (23 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Cookies = 91 calories, 9.2g fat, 2.9g protein, 2.1g carbs, 1g fiber (1.1 effective carbs)

Cornish Game Hens

I'm not a huge fan of turkey... OK, I despise it! I eat it at Thanksgiving because I love tradition. Instead of turkey for this Christmas, how about a special dinner of Game Hens?

"HEALTHIFIED" GAME HENS
4 Cornish game hens
Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, quartered
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 TBS coconut/macadamia oil or butter (or more if desired)
24 cloves garlic
2/3 cup organic chicken broth (or dry white wine)
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnish

 Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together chicken broth and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes. Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFO (per serving) = 218 calories, 17g fat, 14g protein, 0 carbs

The Best Brussels Sprouts and HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE

If you have read any of Suzanne Somers’ books, you already have read about the amazing properties of human growth hormone. She is a huge advocate increasing this hormone and injects it into her body every night. I also believe that we need to increase this awesome hormone, but unlike Susan, I have tips and tricks on how to boost it through diet and exercise; which come with no scary side effects.

Human growth hormone, also known as hGH, is an amazing hormone that is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. This hormone stimulates cell production and is responsible for increasing height, building muscle mass, keeping bones healthy, controlling sugar and insulin levels, absorption of calcium, reducing fat as well as helping numerous other functions that are fundamental for growth.

The human growth hormone is produced at full-speed when we are young but the pituitary gland slows down the production as the body ages; usually around age 30 it really starts to decline. The level of hGH peaks during puberty when there is a growth spurt. The levels continue to decline throughout our adult life. This decrease in the levels of HGH is what causes elasticity in our skin, wrinkles, increase issues with diabetes, depression, loss of energy, and loss of muscle mass. Increasing the levels of human growth hormone can make you look young and feel healthy.

Foods play a huge role in the secretion of HGH, as well as WHEN you eat and types of exercise, sleep and hydration. To read more on this awesome hormone, check out my chapter on Hormones in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism, which you can now also get in audio form! Thank you for your support!

"Healthified" Brussels Sprouts
1 TBS butter or macadamia nut oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed, larger spouts halved
Celtic sea salt and pepper, to your taste
1 cup chicken or veggie broth
3 slices bacon, chopped (optional)

Blanch the Brussels sprouts in boiling salted water for about 15 seconds. This accomplishes 2 things: 
1. It keeps their bright color. 
2. It cuts down cooking time to retain more nutrients and keep the fresh flavor.

Quickly drain and rinse the Brussels sprouts in cold water. Cut the large sprouts in half lengthwise.

Brown bacon in a medium skillet. Remove bacon, chop into small pieces and set aside. Add butter or oil to the pan and add shallots to saute for about 2 minutes. Add Brussels spouts and coat in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook Brussels sprouts about 3 minutes or until they begin to soften, then add the broth and continue to cook for 7-10 minutes or until crisp tender. Transfer to a serving dish with a slotted spoon and top with cooked bacon bits. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per serving)

"Healthified" Brussels Sprouts = 124 calories, 6.5g fat, 8.2g protein, 10.4 carbs, 4.3g fiber

Creamy Artichoke Lasagna and Crohn's

I see many clients with a variety of problems. One issue on the rise is Crohn’s and Colitis. If Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are caught before serious damage has been done, both conditions can be treated simply by restricting carbohydrates. This chart clearly shows that when carbohydrates are limited, both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis respond very quickly. Carbohydrates, sugar and vegetable oils are extremely inflammatory and terrible for our intestinal health. Could the increase in carbohydrates and sugar be the cause of all these problems??? In 1840 the average person consumed 2 tsp of sugar a day and in 2009 a typical person consumed over 63 tsp every day!!!

The main thing to avoid is Long Chained Triglycerides. Long-chain triglyceride impairs the healing time in active Crohn’s disease. These fatty acids are substrates for inflammatory eicosanoid production. Polyunsaturated oils: Red meat has long been wrongly blamed for IBS. A study published in December 2009 shows that linoleic acid harms the gut but news reports and health websites mislead by blaming ‘red meat’ — which contains the least linoleic acid. It’s the polyunsaturated fats and oils, derived from seeds such as sunflower, safflower, soy and corn, which are the major dietary sources of linoleic acid; they are the most harmful oils for those with intestinal problems because they increase inflammation.

When it is absorbed in the intestinal lining, linoleic acid is transformed to arachidonic acid, which is a component of the cell membranes in the bowel. Arachidonic acid can then be converted into various inflammatory chemicals. High levels of these chemicals have been found in the intestinal tissue of people suffering from intestinal disorders.

Long chained triglycerides come from VEGETABLE OILS...this means anything that is pre-packaged; salad dressings, roasted nuts, "baked" chips, popcorn, crackers, cereal...you name it! We have been wrongly pushed to replace healthy saturated fats like coconut oil with harmful fats such as canola!

Coconut oil is a medium-chained fatty acid. MCFA are broken down almost immediately by enzymes in the saliva and gastric juices so that pancreatic fat-digesting enzymes are not even essential. Therefore, there is less strain on the pancreas and digestive system. This has important implications for patients who suffer from digestive and metabolic problems. Since it is easily absorbed in the digestive tract it also helps other essential healing nutrients become absorbed as well. Ulcerative colitis often begins with a virus or a bacterial infection and that the body’s immune system malfunctions and stays active after the infection has cleared. Coconut has antimicrobial properties that affects intestinal health by killing troublesome microorganisms that may cause chronic inflammation. Coconut oil resembles breast milk more than any other food...breast milk helps keep babies healthy!

People with the highest intake of omega 3 fatty acid also known as docosahexanoic acid reduced the complications of crohn's and colitis by 77%. Omega 3 fatty acid is found in oily fish such as salmon and sardines.

I prepared this one Sunday afternoon and froze it before baking it. The other day, I knew I was going to be too busy to prepare a meal when I got home, so I took the frozen lasagna out of the freezer and placed it in my oven on a "delay timer." I had the lasagna finish baking about 60 minutes before dinner so it could "set"...most people cut lasagna and such too early, which will make it runny.

"HEALTHIFIED" Dairy Free Lasagna
1 (14 oz) jar artichoke hearts, quartered
1 lb thinly shaved chicken breast (Protein Noodles)
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup snipped fresh basil
1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce (no sugar or soybean oil)
"CHEESE SAUCE:"
1 cup organic beef or chicken broth
4 oz soft goat cheese
4 cups hard goat cheese, shredded
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse and drain the artichokes.

In a saucepan, heat the broth and soft goat cheese, whisk until well combined. Add in the shredded hard goat cheese and mix well. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Slowly whisk in the eggs (not too fast or you will get scrambled eggs).

To assemble, spread about half the marinara sauce over the bottom of an un-greased 3-quart shallow baking dish. Layer the Protein noodles in the dish. Spread with one-half of the artichokes and one-half of the goat cheese sauce, then a layer of chopped basil and pine nuts. Repeat layering Protein noodles, artichokes, and goat cheese sauce. Top with basil leaves and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes until edges are bubbly and top is lightly browned. Let stand for 30 to 60 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Lasagna = 337 calories, 20g fat, 1g protein, 25g carbs, 2g fiber (23 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Lasagna = 305 calories, 14.4g fat, 24.5g protein, 8g carbs, 3.5g protein (5.5 effective carbs)