Saturday, February 20, 2010

My favorite salad

 I was going to post this on Valentines Day for a present for everyone (if a salad recipe is considered a present, LOL!) but I didn't get it done. So, here is my favorite way to prepare a salad...have fun with it...experiment and use things you like in your salad too! :o)

 Throw a large handful of baby spinach on a plate...(then go wild!) :o)...then, I put some chopped Bell Pepper (and sometimes banana peppers), chopped Roma Tomatoes. You can add any kind of sprouts...my favorite are Sunflower Sprouts, but around here they're hard to come by and aren't in our budget right now. Most times, I will omit the sprouts and add chopped Walnuts (or the more budget friendly, Sunflower Seeds) and some Craisins (dried Cranberries). Then, I add some Feta or shredded Parmesan Cheese...yum! :o)
For the dressing, I mix about 1/2 cup of Rasberry Balsamic Vinegar, 2 T. Olive Oil (or Grapeseed Oil), and for sweetness I'll add 1-2 T. of Agave Nectar. This dressing will last for 2-4 personal salads or 1-2  family salads. Enjoy! :o)

Monday, February 15, 2010

The Fog on the Bridge

Lori and I are celebrating our 18th Wedding Anniversary today! We went to breakfast for Valentine's Day yesterday and were met with a very thick fog. As we struck out across the mile long bridge near our home we could only see about 20 yards ahead of us and it looked as though we were driving into the clouds. Life feels like that to us right now, we can only see far enough ahead to proceed slowly and trust that the bridge of God's love extends beyond what we can see. God is always God, and always good. I am so blessed by my amazing wife Lori!

Monday, February 8, 2010

How My Day Gets Started!


   I  thought I would write more specifically, about how I start my day with supplements (besides spending time with the Lord, my #1 priority in the morning)...Upon waking, the first thing I do is drink a lot of water. If I exercise first, I'll drink 24-48 oz. of water while I exercise. If I don't exercise first, I'll drink 24-48 oz. of water before I do anything else. Nancy Desjardins, of http://www.healthlady.com/ talks about the importance of hydrating your body properly when you first get up in the morning. This hasn't been easy for me...growing up, I didn't drink water first thing in the morning...I just didn't like it! Now, that I've been drinking water first thing, my body craves it, and that's a good thing!
  The other thing I do most mornings is to take a supplement of "Vitamineral Green" from http://www.healthforce.com/  I can find it in our local health food store. I used to take spirulina by itself, but I've found that "Vitamineral Green," has more vitamins and minerals. Basically, I take this supplement to get the "good stuff" in my body and it also helps to get the "bad stuff" out. "Vitamineral Green" is recommended to take with water, but I don't like it with just water, so I mix about 1 T. in a juice glass of superfood green juice, like "Bolthouse Farms," "Naked Juice" or "Odwalla." My favorite is "Naked Juice," but I usually get "Bolthouse Farms" because it is cheaper. Nancy also recommends that we get enough fiber in our diets, so I also mix in 1-2 T. of ground flax seed (I buy flax seeds in the bulk section of Sprouts Farmers Market and grind it myself in my coffee grinder...it's not used to grind coffee anymore, lol!). Flax seed does not just contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, it also contains Omega-3 essential fatty acids (the "good" fats), as well as Lignans, which have both antioxidants and plant estrogen. Remember, if you take a supplement of Flax seed, you must drink a lot of water, to make up for all the fiber...
  Since I am pregnant, I also take "Supermom" vitamins, which also contain spirulina. I like to purchase them here: http://supermomshealthandwellness.com/catalog.php?item=57&ret=catalog.php . Spirulina also gives you energy and is very good for you! :o)
  These supplements took awhile to get used to, because my body wasn't used to such "good food." Now, I am used to it and I don't like to go a day without w/out these supplements to my daily eating routine. It's also comforting, because if I have a day when I don't eat as I should, at least I got some of the "good stuff" in first thing in the morning, LOL! :o)
  Tell me what you think about these supplements, if you've tried them or if you try them in the future or if there are supplements you take in which you derive great benefit!
Blessings,
Lori

Monday, February 1, 2010

Holistic Nutrition Healthy Lifestyle Natural Health and Wellness

Please listen to Lori's audio interview on this prominent woman's heath site: Holistic Nutrition Healthy Lifestyle Natural Health and Wellness