Hello again!  Last month we talked about the importance of keeping wholesome food choices as staples in your pantry to help make it easier to prepare more nourishing meals for you and your family.  If you’ll just think of eating as nature meant us to eat, you’ll find that much of it is just good old fashioned common sense.  However, beyond that comes making choices for items like the best sweeteners to use, the healthiest grains, whether it’s important to use local produce, etc.  It can be confusing at first and that’s why a bit of self educating through books and classes is very helpful.  We are only beginning to find out some of the grave affects our modern processes are having on our health.  There are actually studies that are years old with results that haven’t made it to our mainstream media, primarily because of the huge gap between science, doctors and mass media.  Many studies that could have helped stop the ignorant use of ‘food’ items and the replacement of much more healthful ingredients have literally been squelched, covered up or discredited by companies whose profits are at stake.  The more we educate ourselves the less duped we can be.

Another helpful tip:  I encourage you to get creative with your food prep skills.  We’ve become very dependent upon quick and packaged food and somehow think we’re cooking because we boiled the macaroni that came in the box.  And mixing Campbell’s soup up to make a sauce doesn’t count either!  You may even have to deprogram yourself from always cooking everything like your mom did or how you learned in that fancy chef school or (goodness!) from watching Paula Deane!  Think about making raw sauces to pour over a piece of cooked meat.  Try beginning each dinner with not just a good salad, but a raw soup.  The nutrients and enzymes you get from raw food is extremely important, yet can be difficult to incorporate into your meals simply because we’re so programmed to ‘cook’!   Being more mindful of the importance of what you put in your body makes it much easier to adapt a ‘semi-raw’ and ‘whole food’ lifestyle.  Don’t be afraid to try something different!   You have the power to make other choices!   Learn to take a recipe and replace 1, 2 or 3 ingredients with what you know to be more healthful.  For instance, the Peanut Butter Cookie recipe I gave you last month could be made with honey and a little almond flour to replace the evaporated cane juice (less processed, but still sugar).  This makes an equally delicious cookie!

You can do it, find that confidence and have fun!  Please try to use organic and free range ingredients whenever possible because they contain many more of the nutrients meant for our bodies.  Use cold-pressed, virgin oils and try to remember to soak nuts and seeds before using them.  This will germinate them and release their enzymes so you can better digest them and benefit from all their nutrients!

RECIPES…

Ever since watching the movie Lady and the Tramp it has seemed to me that Spaghetti and Meatballs is a most romantic meal!  Here’s a delicious and healthy way to prepare it:

To avoid gluten I recommend using brown rice pasta.  I mentioned Trader Joe’s brand last month, but I also love Pasta Joy by Tinkyada.  Boil it in water with sea salt according to the package directions, making sure you stir it so it doesn’t stick together.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Make the Meatballs:

Pulse together in your blender:  1 Tomato, 3 Eggs, 1 small chopped Onion, 1 or 2 Garlic Cloves, 1 T Olive Oil, 1 t Sea Salt, 1 t Black Pepper, 1 t Marjoram, ½ C Oats, ½ C Quinoa Flakes (in the hot cereal dept. of the natural foods store, ½ C grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional).

Pour this mixture over 1 lb free range ground beef and 1 lb ground turkey (have the butcher grind it on the spot for you so you know its basic source).  Add 2/3 C Chopped Italian Parsley (flatleaf) and 1/3 C coarsely chopped pine nuts (preferably soaked in water for 5-6 hrs.) or ground Hemp Seed.

Mix together with your hands (I know, yuck! Wear vinyl gloves if you want!) and scoop out with a spring-handle ice cream scooper onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

While the meatballs bake…Make the Sauce:

Soak 5 or 6 sundried tomatoes in warm water until soft

About 15 fresh tomatoes or 2 26 oz. cartons of Pomi tomatoes or other organic tomatoes  (I’m trying to avoid using so many canned items so we can stop inundating ourselves with BPA [Bisphenol A].  And we thought it was just the plastic we had to worry about!)  Organicgrace.com is a helpful sight for options.

6-8 Anchovy filets (Yes!  It’s delicious, no one will suspect AND you’re getting a little dose of Omega 3 we need so desperately)

1-2 Carrots

1-2 Celery Stalks with leaves

1/3 Red Onion, more if it’s mild

1-2 Garlic Cloves

2 t Oregano

1 t each Rosemary and Basil

1 t fresh ground Black Pepper

Sea Salt to taste (about a teaspoon)

1 T each Parsley and Red Wine Vinegar (both are optional)

Blend all the ingredients in your blender until semi-smooth, pour into a sauce pan, warm it up and let the flavors meld for a bit.  If it’s a little watery from fresh tomatoes just add your noodles which will thicken it up.  Or add the meatballs when they’re done baking and simmer them with the sauce for a few minutes.  Your choice.  Also, if you’re able to use fresh herbs use 2-3 times the amount.

What Valentines meal would be complete without a chocolate finish?

Chocolate Ganache Pudding or Mousse

2 Medium smooth skinned avocados (yes, avocados!)

½ C Walnut Butter or 1 C soaked Walnuts (about 4 hrs)

½ C Maple Syrup

2/3 C Raw Agave Nectar

2 t Vanilla

½ t Sea Salt

1 C Cocoa Powder

1 t Powdered Coffee

Pinch of Cinnamon (optional)

Blend all til smooth in your food processor or blender…I use my VitaMix which makes a beautiful, smooth consistency.  Should you need added sweetness, try a few drops of Stevia.  Divide into individual glasses and serve with sweetened whipped cream or you may fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture which makes it mousse-like.  It’s very rich and a little goes a long way…and who needs to know your secret ingredients?

Happy Valentine’s Day!