Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes"

Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”

Yield: 3-4 servings

1 head cauliflower, broken into florets

2-3 tablespoons unsweetened, plain soymilk

3 tablespoons vegan margarine (Earth Balance)

1-2 teaspoons white or chickpea miso paste

freshly ground black pepper

freshly minced chives, garnish

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Steam cauliflower for 10-12 minutes, until fork tender.
  3. Lightly oil a 9 inch baking dish and set aside.
  4. Transfer steamed cauliflower to a food processor or blender.
  5. Add soymilk, margarine, miso and pepper and puree until smooth.
  6. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake, uncovered, about 6-8 minutes, until slightly bubbling. Sprinkle chives and fold in, serve hot.

Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”

Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”

Yield: 3-4 servings

1 head cauliflower, broken into florets

2-3 tablespoons unsweetened, plain soymilk

3 tablespoons vegan margarine (Earth Balance)

1-2 teaspoons white or chickpea miso paste

freshly ground black pepper

freshly minced chives, garnish

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Steam cauliflower for 10-12 minutes, until fork tender.
  3. Lightly oil a 9 inch baking dish and set aside.
  4. Transfer steamed cauliflower to a food processor or blender.
  5. Add soymilk, margarine, miso and pepper and puree until smooth.
  6. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake, uncovered, about 6-8 minutes, until slightly bubbling. Sprinkle chives and fold in, serve hot.

Macrobiotics Saved My Finger!

I cook a lot. Sometimes my son cooks with me, and sometimes my son plays under my feet while I cook. Both of these scenarios are sweet and create wonderful memories, but sometimes kitchen work is dangerous.

I was distracted this morning by a little person playing with magnets by my knees at the dish washer, and I slipped and cut my pinkie finger with my very sharp and very useful kitchen scissors. Blood started gushing from the deep laceration, and my first thought was:
“This does not look good.”

It was so deep I briefly considered heading up to the emergency room to ask about stitches. But then I remembered and old macrobiotic trick that can help your body heal from a deep cut quickly and painlessly. It only requires 2 ingredients that you can find pretty easily online or in a health food store:

Dentie Powder: A black powder made from ground sea salt and charred eggplant, this traditional tooth and gum cleaner can be dusted directly on a clean cut.

Nori Paper: Yes, that lovely sea vegetable paper that we know and love to wrap our sushi with can also help heal your cuts! Nature’s band-aid can help hold a cut together well.

Here’s how I wrapped my cut:

1. Clean and dry the cut.

2. Dust the cut with dentie powder:

3. Wrap the cut with a small piece of nori



4. Wrap the nori-covered cut with a clean bandage:


Rock on! This really works well, and after an hour, the throbbing has stopped and I’m back to typing away.

Just goes to show that food can heal your insides and your outsides!
Be well,
Alexandra

Order Osteo-Sun Vegan Vitamin D from Dr. Fuhrman! Comment here:

Click here to order your Osteo-Sun, my favorite, high quality, bone-saving supplement!

Dr. Fuhrman, a giant in the natural health field, has just launched a new supplement that I’m thrilled with. A quality vegan, Vitamin D that will help protect your bones? Fantastic!

Read about this high-quality product below and get yourself some bone strengthening goodness!

Vitamin D, the Right Stuff

It does not seem that vegetarians or vegans are more likely to become Vitamin D deficient than non-vegans, but much of the general population is simply not getting enough! Read on to learn why Vitamin D is so vital to your health and well being and how to get the highest quality VEGAN Vitamin D supplement from a trusted physician.

It is extremely important for individuals with limited sun exposure to ingest supplemental vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is made in your body after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Scientists have found that Vitamin D has biological actions in almost every cell and tissue in the human body.  What is troublesome is that vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic, affecting 30-50% of the population.1 The amount of vitamin D contained in most multivitamins (400 IU) is simply not enough to fuel all of vitamin D’s vital processes in the body.

Research suggests that vitamin D is important to maintain a healthy immune system, regulate cell growth, and prevent osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Vitamin D has been shown to protect against the development of autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.1-2

Food sources of vitamin D are scarce – exposure to sunlight provides most humans with their vitamin D requirement. The further you live from the equator, the longer exposure you need to the sun in order to generate vitamin D. Season, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen affect UV ray exposure and vitamin D synthesis. For example, sunlight exposure from November through February in Boston is insufficient to produce significant vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its color. The high melanin content in darker skin reduces the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight. It is very important for African Americans and other populations with dark-pigmented skin to consume recommended amounts of vitamin D. Some studies suggest that older adults, especially women, in these groups are at extremely high risk of vitamin D deficiency. There is also considerable evidence to suggest that the epidemic vitamin D deficiency in black men contributes to their high prevalence of prostate cancer.

Vitamin D and Bone Health

Vitamin D sends signals to the intestines to increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. By promoting calcium absorption, vitamin D helps to form and maintain strong bones. Vitamin D also works in concert with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones to promote bone mineralization.  Recent medical studies document that vitamin D is more effective than calcium for protecting and building bone. In fact, too much calcium can interfere with the conversion of vitamin D into its biologically active form.3 Therefore, high dose calcium, (especially without a corresponding increase in vitamin D) consumed by so many women, is not the most effective way to increase bone density and may even increase cancer risk as a result of lower vitamin D function. The modern world has an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency and most often a multivitamin containing the RDA for D is simply insufficient to bring blood levels up to the ideal range, especially as we age.

Vitamin D and Cancer
Vitamin D regulates several genes and cellular processes related to cancer progression.  Epidemiologic evidence indicates that vitamin D is protective against several common cancers including cancers of the breast, prostate, pancreas, lung, colon, and endometrium.4

Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo–Sun vegan formula

Features:

  • Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) a fat–soluble vitamin which stimulates the intestines to increase absorption of calcium and phosphorus.
  • Balanced calcium and magnesium for optimal absorption.
  • Necessary for bone–making and bone–maintenance.
  • Added silica, a trace mineral also a major constituent of collagen.

Benefits:

  • Essential for bone growth and maintenance of bone density.
  • Increases calcium absorption to maximize bone health.
  • Promotes strong bones, hair, and nails.
  • Formulated to reduce the risk of, and for the treatment of, osteoporosis.
  • Vital for maintaining a healthy immune system, regulating cell growth, & preventing cancer.

Osteo–Sun vegan formulation is a nutritional supplement designed by Dr. Fuhrman, not only for protection and therapy for osteoporosis, but also for both men and women who desire optimal health. It has been specifically formulated to be higher in vitamin D and lower in calcium and magnesium compared to most other supplements designed for bone health to meet the needs of individuals who work indoors and are not exposed to adequate sunlight to produce optimal levels of vitamin D. Silica has been added to further promote bone mineral density and stronger hair and nails.5

Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo–Sun vegan formulation gives you the extra vitamin D you need, silica for stronger bones, hair and nails, and just the right dose of calcium and magnesium to bring your intake to the best level to maximize bone health.

Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo–Sun vegan formulation is designed with each capsule supplying 600 IUs of vitamin D2 so that two to six capsules per day can be utilized depending on each person’s individual needs. Osteo-Sun vegan formulation utilizes vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), a form of the vitamin which is obtained only from plant sources. Some forms of Vitamin D are not vegan. The most common form found in supplements is cholecalciferol, or Vitamin D3, which is derived from sheeps’ wool. The higher levels of vitamin D2 used in Osteo-sun vegan are sufficient to adjust for its lower vitamin activity.

Suggested Use: 2 – 4 capsules daily.
Serving Size: 3 Capsules
Servings Per Container: 60
Supplement Facts: Amount per Serving %DV
Vitamin D (as ergocalciferol) 1800 IU 450%
Calcium (as calcium citrate and calcium amino acid chelate) 375 mg 38%
Magnesium (as magnesium oxide, magnesium aspartate, and magnesium glychinate) 150 mg 38%
** Daily Value (DV) not established
Other ingredients: Cellulose, magnesium stearate and silica.
Osteo-Sun is gluten free.
Contains corn or corn derivatives.

References:

1. American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2009 Update. Dallas; AHA:2009. Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Circulation. 2008 Dec 15.

Lee JH et al. Vitamin D deficiency an important, common, and easily treatable cardiovascular risk factor? J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008 Dec 9;52(24):1949-56.

2. Holick MF. Sunlight and vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80(suppl):1678S- 88S

3. Giovannucci E Cancer Causes Control 1998 Dec;9(6):567-82 Dietary influences of 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D in relation to prostate cancer: a hypothesis.

4. Peterlik M et al. Calcium, vitamin D and cancer. Anticancer Res. 2009 Sep;29(9):3687-98.

5. Lassus A. Colloidal silicic acid for oral and topical treatment of aged skin, fragile hair and brittle nails in females. J Int Med Res. 1993 Jul-Aug;21(4):209-15. Jugdaohsingh R, Tucker KL, Qiao N, Cupples LA, Kiel DP, Powell JJ. Dietary silicon intake is positively associated with bone mineral density in men and premenopausal women of the Framingham Offspring cohort. J Bone Miner Res. 2004 Feb;19(2):297-307. Carlisle EM. Silicon as a trace nutrient. Sci Total Environ. 1988 Jul 1;73(1-2):95-106. Rico H, Gallego-Lago JL, Hernandez ER, et al. Effect of silicon supplement on osteopenia induced by ovariectomy in rats. Calcif Tissue Int. 2000;66:53-55.

Cashew Cheese for Lazy Dairy Lovers

I often hear clients say that giving up cheese is the hardest step towards living a dairy-free life. Creamy and savory, with a whopping dose of fat, cheese causes many people digestive problems. Along with constipation, gas, and diarrhea, dairy also delivers fat-soluble toxins, massive amounts of cholesterol and lactose. So many women have reported incredible benefits from avoiding dairy that I’m always on the search for new ways to include a cheesy substitute easily to the modern diet.

Try this simple, satisfying cashew cheese recipe and vive la difference!

1 cup cashews, soaked overnight and drained

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)

juice from 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, minced

Put all in a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides down again and blend until smooth and creamy. **Tastes great with gluten free Mary’s Gone Crackers!

My book launch party! Check out the video!

Your Right to Buy Vitamins is At Risk! Read and Sign Today!

Senator John McCain Introduces Bill Attacking Consumer Access to Supplements

This bill would repeal key sections of the Dietary Supplement Healthand Education Act, which guarantees consumers the right to purchase dietary supplements.

Please contact your senators now to tell them not to so-sponsor this Anti-Consumer, Anti-Health Freedom Bill:

http://www.anh-usa.org/new_site/?p=2326

McCain’s so-called Dietary Supplement Safety Act (DSSA) would repeal key sections of the popular Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). It would give the FDA unilateral power, with little or no scientific justification, to ban vitamin supplements except for those produced by Big Pharma corporations.

If McCain’s bill passes, we can look to Europe for a snapshot of what we may be in for: EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, has sharply reduced the list of available supplements and is in process of reducing potencies to ridiculous levels, such as less beta carotene than can be found in half of a large carrot. Europeans already look to the US to obtain their dietary supplements. If this bill passes, where will we obtain ours?

Please take action immediately. Tell your senators NOT to co-sponsor the McCain’s anti-consumer legislation and to do everything in their power to defeat it:

http://www.anh-usa.org/new_site/?p=2326

Chocolate can reduce my acne? Here's how…

Well, I’ll be honest. I used to be a choco-holic. I had to end that craziness when I realized that the amount and quality of chocolate I was eating was contributing to my headaches, weight gain and sensitive skin.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I still enjoy chocolate, I just eat the best quality kind. Raw! That’s right, raw cacao is a different animal when it comes to chocolate treats. Without being exposed to high-heat, processing chemicals or unhealthy preservatives raw cacao is much easier for the body to digest. There are some well-documented benefits to choosing raw cacao over the processed stuff that you find in chocolate bars, candy and ice cream:

Antioxidants: Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea.

Neurotransmitters: By increasing the levels of specific neurotransmitters in our brains, cacao promotes positive outlook, facilitates rejuvenation and simply helps us feel good.

Essential Minerals: Cacao beans are rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

The benefits of raw cacao are impressive, and I’ve noticed that when I eat it my skin doesn’t react like a teenager’s and my energy is only slightly elevated, compared to the acne and sugar highs I used to experience.

Here’s how I like to eat it:

2 TB raw cacao powder

3 TB raw almond butter

1 TB brown rice syrup

Combine all in a bowl and smooth together into an even paste. Use as a dip with apple slices – yum! Easy!

Chocolate can reduce my acne? Here’s how…

Well, I’ll be honest. I used to be a choco-holic. I had to end that craziness when I realized that the amount and quality of chocolate I was eating was contributing to my headaches, weight gain and sensitive skin.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I still enjoy chocolate, I just eat the best quality kind. Raw! That’s right, raw cacao is a different animal when it comes to chocolate treats. Without being exposed to high-heat, processing chemicals or unhealthy preservatives raw cacao is much easier for the body to digest. There are some well-documented benefits to choosing raw cacao over the processed stuff that you find in chocolate bars, candy and ice cream:

Antioxidants: Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea.

Neurotransmitters: By increasing the levels of specific neurotransmitters in our brains, cacao promotes positive outlook, facilitates rejuvenation and simply helps us feel good.

Essential Minerals: Cacao beans are rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

The benefits of raw cacao are impressive, and I’ve noticed that when I eat it my skin doesn’t react like a teenager’s and my energy is only slightly elevated, compared to the acne and sugar highs I used to experience.

Here’s how I like to eat it:

2 TB raw cacao powder

3 TB raw almond butter

1 TB brown rice syrup

Combine all in a bowl and smooth together into an even paste. Use as a dip with apple slices – yum! Easy!

Lube Up Your Love Life, Naturally! Win Some Good Clean Love Goodies…

Valentine’s Day is a good excuse to try something new, dirty and clean in the boudoir. Exploring your sexual and sensual side is one of the best ways to feel good in your body now - a great night in the sheets is better then ice cream, right?

Sex toys and products are fun and spark the imagination wether your single, married or just playing the field. The only problem is that many of those products contain ingredients that should never be used in your most sensitive, sacred area. Call it your noni, vag, hoo-ha, or the old-school vulva, our female privates are porous places and shouldn’t be exposed to toxic ingredients like petrochemicals.

According to Good Clean Love’s founder Wendy Strgar “over 90% of the OTC [over the counter] lubes available are made with chemicals designed first for cars or oven cleaner.” Yikes! Don’t put that THERE!

Wendy is a sexual health expert and has been creating and promoting safer sex products from her base in Eugene, OR for years. As a special Valentine’s Day gift to my readers, Wendy has given 2 of her fabulous gift-sets to my blog readers! Leave your comment here about sexual health, exploration or what you plan on using these goodies for on Valentine’s, and you could win 1 of the 2 gift sets!

To see what the Cupid’s Travel Kit contains go here:  http://www.goodcleanlove.com/Cupids-Travel-Kit.html