Thursday, June 30, 2016

my hubby's lung wedge biopsy results

The lung is cancer. We don't know whether it is another primary or a metastasis from the esophagus. We will know more in a couple of days. He did have his left upper lobe removed as a precaution. If it is stage 1 lung cancer, he is done with treatment.

The esophagus looked great as did all the surrounding tissue, other lung lobes, lung area lymph nodes and stomach. There is no sign of an esophageal tumor or regrowth (please remember a month ago Shaheen slipped the tumor out with a resection endoscopy but it had a "dirty" bottom) and the Barrett's appears to be slowly shrinking; however, an esophagectomy is still recommended for Al's future whether it is stage 1 lung cancer and stage 1 esophageal cancer (within a month) or stage 4 esophageal cancer (after 6 months of chemo).

As I read my devotionals this one seemed to hit the mark.

I believe God wants you to know...

...that illness is not a sign of spiritual weakness, but of

spiritual strength.
  
When we fall ill there are some who will say, "Why
did you create that for yourself?" They might convince
you to see it as a sign of spiritual weakness or failure.
It is not. It is a sign of spiritual strength.
All challenges are a sign of spiritual strength, and of
the readiness of the Soul to move on;
to evolve even further.


Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Sprouted Mexican Quinoa Salad

My hubby is trying to eat a 40+% sprout diet. We sprouted quinoa and added cooked black beans. We served this with the Summer Squash Wraps stuffed with Raw Fajita veggies, walnut-based taco meat, salsa, nut-based sour cream and nut-based chipotle cheddar.


Ingredients:
2 cups quinoa, soaked for 6 hours, rinse, drain and sprouted for 18 hours, yielding 4 cups
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (thank you garden)
2 cups diced tomatoes (thank you garden)
1 diced red onion
1 diced poblano pepper (thank you garden)
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TBS chili powder
1 TBS cumin
3 TBS lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients and serve.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Summer Squash Wrap

My hubby tells me he can do this raw "thing" if he has wraps. He has purchased several different kinds. We read the ingredients label, added what he needs for optimum health, and tried our hand at making one. This is what we did:

Ingredients:
2 squash
1 apple
1 celery stalk
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp kelp powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup water


Blend in high speed blender. Puree the spices, fruits, and vegetable.


1/2  cup Flaxmeal

Blend in high speed blender.
Spread over 2 non-stick dehydrator sheets.
Flip onto a mesh tray to complete drying
Cut each sheet into quarters, yielding 8 wraps.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

raw dog treat from rawamazing

My hubby was looking for something to do with the leftover green juice pulp and found this recipe from rawamazing. The dogs LOVE them!


Raw Coconut Walnut Biscotti

My hubby came home from Hippocrates with raw biscotti. We looked for a raw version without fruit, dried or fresh and couldn't find one. This is what we developed. 

Ingredients:
2 cups almond pulp (leftover from making almond cream)
1/4 cup dried coconut
1/2 cup crispie walnuts, crushed
1/8 cup raw coconut butter
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp liquid stevia (this amount can vary to one's taste this is to his)
1/8 cup flax meal

Directions:
  1.  Place the walnuts in a food processor fitted with the S blade and grind well (not so well that they start turning into nut butter, but you want them to resemble flour). 
  2. Add the almond pulp, vanilla, flax, stevia, coconut butter, and coconut. Process until the mixture is totally incorporated and resembles a thick dough. 
  3.  Turn the dough out onto a silicon-lined dehydrator sheet and shape into a mini loaf. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 3 hours.
  4.  Cut the loaf into biscotti shaped cookies, and continue dehydrating till they are totally dry and crunchy (another 6-8 hours). Serve with tea or coffee :-)


Thursday, June 23, 2016

Rosemary Garlic Bread

We love this recipe for Garlic & Onion Naan Bread is from the Raw Chef. We thought it would be amazing as a Rosemary Flat bread for Italian meals. This is what we did:

Ingredients:

1st Set
  • 1 peeled courgette (squash)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
2nd Set
  • ¼ cup psyllium husk
  • ½ cup ground almonds (almond meal)
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • ½ cup cashews (cashew meal)
  • ½ cup GF flour
  • ¼ cup lucuma
Brushing Ingredients:
Rosemary Sprigs
garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup olive oil
course ground salt

Directions:
  1. Blend the first set of ingredients in a high-speed blender.
  2. Grind cashews in a coffee grinder until the cashews are ground to flour.
  3. Mix the second set of ingredients in the food processor, 
  4. Pour both sets of ingredients in the food processor to combine both thoroughly.
  5. Transfer to a bowl and leave to stand for a few minutes, so that it thickens up.
  6. You’re now ready to spread into 3 to 4 individual naan breads on a nonstick dehydrator sheet, around 1cm (⅓”) thick. I like to make the outside edge a little thicker than that.
  7. Dehydrate at 115 degrees F for around 3 to 4 hours, until you can turn them over, removing the nonstick sheet to complete dehydration for another 3 to 4 hours.
  8. Brush rosemary, garlic, and olive oil mixture on the bread after flipping it and grind salt over each slice.
  9. There’s a real sweet spot for dehydration here, where they’re still slightly moist inside, making them more spongy. You can always make one really small piece when spreading them out, so you can use to test how dry they’re getting.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Summer Garden Salad

Our garden is in full bloom. We have squash, green onions, herbs, and tomatoes ready for harvest.
We made this side dish.

Ingredients:
Salad
1 summer squash, sliced
1 large bell pepper, diced, ours are small so we used 2
1 green onion, diced
2 TBS basil, sliced
2 TBS oregano, minced
2 TBS thyme, minced
1 cup tomatoes, diced

Place in a bowl

Dressing:
1 summer squash
1 cup tomato
2 TBS basil
2 cloves garlic
2 TBS white balsamic vinegar or lemon juice could be used
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Directions, blend dressing in a high speed blender and pour over veggies

Allow to marinade at least 2 hours.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Week 2 menu while my Hubby is at Hippocrates

This is our second week of raw meals, and yes my hubby is still at Hippocrates (we had some doubts if he would stay)

Our breakfast will be basically the same each day.
Fruit (1-1.5 pounds) plus a couple of raw cinnamon raisin bagels with almond butter (for our son). Some of us need more calories.
My smoothie consist of 2 cups leafy greens (spinach or kale), 1 cup frozen berries, 1 TBS flax, 1 cup liquid of choice (almond milk, keifer, kombucha, water...), 1 TBS green powder (we use green superfood from Amazing Grass)  or 2 oz of liquid wheat grass, 1 probiotic pill or powder.

Our mid-day meal will also be basically the same each day
A large salad weighing ~1 pound. For those needing more calories like our son, a couple of buckwheat pizza with marinated mushrooms or sprouted curry salad with either naan or onion bread or if there are leftovers, he will eat them.

Our evening meals will change daily, again pictures will come as the meals are prepared.

Sunday: Vegan krab cakes from Raw Foods for Dummies. Due to a severe total seafood allergy our son reacts to seaweed, so we omitted the kelp. We used the recipe for the Creamy Dill Tartar Sauce from the same book.






Horseradish from the garden












Monday: Manicotti are summer squash thinly sliced and stuffed with a mock ricotta cheeze drizzled with a raw marinara sauce. We use the same recipes as from the Living Lasagna recipe. The Rawguru sauce and Fully Raw Kristina's ricotta.

Tuesday: Green Burrito from Raw Foods for Dummies with a Summer Garden Salad


Wednesday: BBQ from Raw Foods for Dummies


Thursday: Spinach and Mushroom Quiche from Rawvolution


Friday: Walnut Mushroom Burger from The Complete Book of Raw Food with a Raw Sweet and Sour Broccoli Salad


Saturday: Tostada from Rawvolution . We used the "refried beans" from the green burrito and the chipotle cheddar cheese and sour cream from  Ani's Raw Food Essential.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Oil-free Seed Mayo

We prefer to use seeds over cashews, so we thought we would give a sunflower/pumpkin seed mayo a try,

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 2-4 hours, drained, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked 2-4 hours, drained, rinsed and drained
6 TBS lemon juice or the juice of 2 lemons
2 TBS agave
1 tsp onion powder
1 clove garlic
3/4 tsp salt
a couple of grinds of pepper
1 cup water


Pulp Salad


We try to use all of our food wastes, what we don't use the chickens LOVE. On Wednesdays I have a liquid diet. I start with a juice in the morning, smoothie mid-day and soup in the evening. We use the pulp from the carrots to make a "chickenless" or "tunaless" or "salmonless" salad.

Ingredients:
1 pound of carrots, juiced. Drink the juice and use the pulp.
2 celery stalks
1 shallot, diced
1/4 cup vegan mayo, we use a nut or seed based mayo
2 TBS minced fresh dill
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
For a fishy taste add 1 tsp seaweed powder

Sunday, June 12, 2016

nutrient deficiencies


Subclinical Signs of Nutrient Deficiencies

There are often subtle signs indicating that our patients are deficient in a particular nutrient. Often these signs manifest in the skin, hair, nails and eyes, but can show up in other areas of the body as well. The fact is that we can tell a lot about our patients' nutritional needs simply by being aware of external signs of deficiencies.   

In this article, I will discuss the specific ways in which our patients' bodies give us clues as to what nutrients need to be supplemented for optimal health.

Bumps on the Back of the Arms

I have found that bumps on the back of the arms are caused by an essential fatty acid imbalance. I have noticed that when patients who have this problem begin taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements, the problem resolves.

Bumps on the back of the arms also can be caused by keratosis pilaris, a skin disorder caused when keratin hardens around the hair follicles. Researchers now think this disorder is caused by a coiled hair shaft, which ruptures the follicular epithelium leading to inflammation and abnormal follicular keratinization.

Perhaps the reason why omega-3 fatty acids resolve bumps on the back of the arms is because omega-3s are known to be anti-inflammatory and would therefore decrease the inflammation associated with keratosis pilaris, although there is no research to support this theory.

Nutrient Deficiencies and the Fingernails

I have noted that white spots on the nails (leukonychia) resolve after zinc supplementation. Within 12 to 16 weeks after supplementation, the white spots go away completely.

Other changes to fingernails also may indicate specific nutrient deficiencies. Beau's lines may be associated with a zinc or protein deficiency. Koilonychias - otherwise known as "spooning" of the fingernails - is associated with a deficiency in iron, copper, zinc and protein. Pale nail beds have been linked to iron deficiency and Muehrcke's lines with protein deficiency. Splinter hemorrhages are linked to a need for vitamin C, onycholysis with a need for iron and niacin and chronic paronychia may indicate a need for zinc.2-3

Weak nails may signify a biotin deficiency. Brittle nail syndrome resolves with supplementation of 2.5 mg of biotin daily.4
Silicon also plays an important role in nail health. Silicon is the third most abundant trace element in the human body.5 It is present in 1-10 parts-per-million (ppm) in nails. Silicon is naturally found in some foods - mostly plant foods such as cereals, oats, barley, white wheat flour and polished rice, although researchers have questioned its bioavailability from these foods.It's also present in drinking water, mineral water and beer, as well as supplement form.5
In an open study, women with fragile or thin hair, or brittle nails who were treated orally with 10 mL colloidal silicic acid once daily for 90 days experienced statistically significant improvement in the condition of the hair and nails.6 Brittle nail syndrome also was successfully treated with a 10 mg dose of silicon daily.4
Large Clots During Menstruation
If during menstruation a woman's clots are particularly large - the size of a dime- this could be a sign she needs more omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers have linked omega-3s to platelet aggregation in some studies. However, some research indicates omega-3's anti-clotting benefits are sex-specific, so even though it's important for women to supplement with both types of omega-3s - EPA  and DHA - it's especially important that women are getting enough DHA.
In a double-blind, randomized, placebocontrolled trial of 94 healthy men and women, researchers studied the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on platelet aggregation. The subjects receiving the omega-3s took either an EPA-rich capsule that contained 1,000 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA or a DHA-rich capsule that contained 200 mg EPA and 1,000 mg DHA. After the subjects took the supplements for four weeks, the researchers compared the effects between the males and females. 

The study authors found that, in regards to platelet aggregation and thrombotic disease risk, men were more likely to benefit from supplementation with EPA, whereas women were more responsive to DHA.7

Acne 

Presuming acne in a particular patient isn’t linked to polycystic ovary syndrome, it may very well be caused by a zinc deficiency. Zinc levels are low in subjects with severe and very severe acne.8

Zinc also has antibacterial and antiinflammatory effects, but perhaps its most surprising role in clear skin is its potential ability to decrease sebum production. It does this by inhibiting corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH). In humans, keratinocytes, immune cells and human mast cells synthesize CRH after exposure to stress. CRH also may be involved in regulating keratinocytes' proliferation and differentiation, which is an important step in the early stages of acne development and could explain the connection between stress and acne.

Additionally, CRH is involved in the inflammation response and acts on sebum production by promoting lipogenesis in human sebocytes. CRH could therefore be a main player in the development of acne and zinc's anti-acne effects may stem from its CRH-inhibiting abilities.9-17

Incidentally, Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium linked to acne, increases CRH expression by keratinocytes.18 

Muscle Cramps 

The scientific evidence has handed down an inconsistent verdict when it comes to whether magnesium and calcium supplementation can relieve muscle cramps. Many studies have shown no improvement with supplementation in subjects  with muscle cramps, although some studies in pregnant women have yielded positive results.19-21
However, most of the studies showing magnesium had no effect on muscle cramps failed to supplement the subjects with both magnesium and a B complex vitamin containing vitamin B6, or to look at B vitamin levels in the subjects studied. B vitamins, especially vitamin B6, are necessary for the absorption of magnesium by the cells.22Giving a B-vitamin-deficient person magnesium alone will not produce optimal results.
Additionally, the connection between magnesium deficiency and muscle cramps is well known. People taking proton pump inhibitors whose magnesium levels dropped because of the drugs experienced muscle cramps as one of the clinical presentations of the magnesium deficiency.23-24
Low serum magnesium levels in people not taking PPIs also manifests as muscle cramps as does low serum calcium levels.25-26
Poor Night Vision
The two nutrients most closely associated with poor night vision are vitamin A and zinc.
During a placebo-controlled trial in Nepal, weekly vitamin A or beta-carotene supplementation of women reduced but didn’t eliminate the incidence of night blindness during pregnancy. So researchers decided to try adding zinc into the mix, to see if that improved results. In the double-blind study, researchers randomly assigned 202 women who were reported to be night blind during pregnancy to one of six groups:
  1. Beta-carotene + 25 mg zinc
  2. Beta-carotene alone
  3. Vitamin A + 25 mg zinc
  4. Vitamin A + placebo
  5. Zinc + placebo or
  6. Two placebos (one for the vitamin A or beta-carotene study and one for the zinc study)
When supplemented alone, zinc failed to restore night vision or to improve dark adaptation. However, women given both vitamin A and zinc who had baseline serum zinc concentrations less than 9.9 micromol/L were four times more likely to have their night vision restored than were women in the placebo group. The vitamin A + zinc group also was more likely to have a small improvement in pupillary threshold scores.27
The researchers concluded, "These data suggest that zinc potentiated the effect of vitamin A in restoring night vision among night-blind pregnant women with low initial serum zinc concentrations."
Dry Hair
Dry hair may be a result of either biotin deficiency or a need for silica. As noted earlier, supplementation with 10 mL colloidal silicic acid once daily for 90 days results in statistically significant improvement in the condition of the hair and nails.
Another study investigated biotin in a family affected to the fourth generation by uncombable hair syndrome, characterized by unruly, dry, blond hair with a tangled appearance. Two of the young family members who were given oral biotin 5 mg/day experienced excellent improvement in hair appearance.28
Alopecia
Hair loss can be linked to a variety of nutrient deficiencies. Hair follicle cells have a high turnover. Therefore, nutrient deficiencies such as proteins, minerals, essential fatty acids and vitamins, caused by genetic errors or reduced uptake of nutrients, can result in structural abnormalities, pigmentation changes or hair loss.
Zinc and copper deficiencies have been linked to hair loss in patients following bariatric surgery.29 Inadequate vitamin A intake and biotin deficiency also cause hair loss.30-31
Furthermore, 80 females with hair loss had lower serum ferritin levels compared to 40 women who did not suffer from hair loss. Vitamin D levels also were lower in the women with hair loss.32
Pale Skin
Iron deficiency anemia is often to blame for skin that is excessively pale (pallor). In patients who look excessively pale, begin with a ferritin test and, if indicated, start them on an iron supplementation regimen. The best type of iron to use is iron bisglycinate chelate, a clinically researched, less-oxidizing form of iron with greater bioavailability. It is gentler on the stomach, less constipating and absorption is significantly higher than typical iron supplements (e.g., ferrous sulfate).33-34
Also, rule out Celiac disease because the malabsorption that occurs in these patients can cause iron deficiency anemia.35
Additionally, a deficiency in folic acid and vitamin B12 can also cause pale skin and supplementing with these two nutrients can be helpful.3
Excessive Ear Wax
It's widely agreed upon in alternative medicine that one cause of excessive ear wax build-up is an essential fatty acid deficiency. I have noticed in my practice that an ear wax problem goes away when patients start supplementing with either krill oil or fish oil and eating more omega-3-rich foods such as wild salmon. You can also investigate other potential causes including allergies, local irritation and dust.
Unable to Taste Food
Researchers have found that in breast cancer patients, nutrient deficiencies for vitamin B12, thiamin, folate, iron and riboflavin corresponded to the extent to which the patients lost their sense of taste.36
Having a gastrectomy has been associated with a vitamin B12 deficiency and a complete loss of the senses of taste and smell. This problem disappeared after liberal intake of vitamin B12.37
Lack of taste also is common in the elderly. The nutrients that have the biggest influence on taste - vitamins A, B6, B12 and thiamin, folate, zinc and copper - are often deficient in the elderly.38 It becomes a vicious circle: The elderly lose their taste for food due to low intake of those vitamins and therefore get less and less of the nutrients they need to enhance their sense of taste.
Vitamin E is another nutrient that influences the sense of taste and smell. In a study published in Nutrition in 2003, researchers measured vitamin E intake in 250 patients with taste and smell dysfunctions. They found that the vitamin E intake in these subjects was significantly below what is considered adequate. The patients had a low intake of vitamin E, even though they had a normal intake of total calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and several vitamins including thiamin, niacin and pyridoxine as well as the minerals zinc, copper and iron.39
The study authors concluded, "Although specific relations between vitamin E intake and smell and taste dysfunctions are unclear, the non-antioxidant roles of vitamin E indicate that it is a factor in apoptosis, cellular signaling and growth of various cell lines, suggesting that this vitamin may play a role in growth and development of stem cells in taste buds and olfactory epithelium."
Cracks Around the Side of Mouth
Angular stomatitis - cracks around the side of the mouth - is linked to a deficiency in iron, riboflavin and possibly other B vitamins. When it is caused by riboflavin deficiency, it's usually accompanied by a purplish-red or magenta tongue and cheilosis (vertical fissuring of the lips).40
A bacterial or fungal infection could also contribute to the problem, so ruling out those two factors is prudent.
Cradle Cap
A biotin deficiency may play a role in cradle cap, which is caused by seborrheic dermatitis. Intravenous administration of biotin has proven more effective than oral supplementation. However, this may be because in many of the oral supplementation studies, infants were given biotin alone and not the rest of the B complex supplements. In one study, 25 infants with seborrheic dermatitis were divided into four groups:
  1. Vitamin B complex plus biotin given slowly intravenously over 24 hours.
  2. Only biotin intravenously over two to three hours.
  3. Only biotin over one to two minutes.
  4. Biotin plus antibiotics for confirmed or suspected superimposed bacterial infection.
All groups experienced significant improvement. Skin lesions improved within four to eight days and cleared completely within 15 to 30 days.41 Topically applied borage oil also has yielded excellent results.42
Dandruff and Other Manifestations of Seborrheic Dermatitis
As much as half of the population suffers from dandruff at some time during life.43
Dandruff can be characterized not only by the presence of flakes on the scalp and in the hair but also by itching. Yeasts of the Malassezia genus play a role in this disorder as well as genetic, environmental and general health factors.44
Common reasons for worsening of symptoms include changes in humidity, scratching, seasonal changes and emotional stress.44
Selenium is often used effectively as a topical agent in shampoos for dandruff. Although to my knowledge selenium has never been studied orally as an antidandruff agent, supplementing with selenium may be worth a try to see if it results in an improvement of the condition.
Crusty skin around the sides of the nose also can be caused by seborrheic dermatitis. B vitamins - and focusing specifically on higher dose biotin - may help resolve the condition.
Floaters
Floaters occur when pieces of the gellike vitreous detach from the back portion of the eye. The vitreous humor, a clear gel that fills the gap between the retina and the lens, is made up of about 99 percent water and 1 percent other substances, mostly hyaluronic acid and collagen.
HA retains water molecules until, with age, the network of HA and collagen begins to slowly disintegrate. The water molecules are then released, which forms a watery core in the vitreous body. As time goes on, pieces of the gel-like collagen/ hyaluronic acid network continue to split off and float around in the watery center. Floaters are caused when light shines through this area, creating a shadow on the retina.
Replenishing the body's HA supply may therefore strengthen the vitreous humor and perhaps reduce its tendency to break down and result in floaters, although no studies exist on oral supplementation for this purpose as far as I'm aware. However, cross-linked biopolymers of hyaluronic acid have been used as an artificial vitreous substitute.45
Skin Elasticity
A decline in skin elasticity is due in part to the reduced hyaluronic acid levels that occur with age. HA plays an important role in collagen health and is critical in upholding the moisture content of the skin.
HA-based creams result in a significant improvement in skin hydration and overall elasticity compared to placebo. Measurements of wrinkle depth using mean roughness and maximum roughness values revealed significant improvement in women using HA creams after 60 days of treatment compared to the placebo-treated area.46
Conclusion
We can tell a lot about what nutrients our patients need by keeping an observant eye on external signs. Supplementing with specific nutrients can result in significant improvement in a number of conditions from skin and hair disorders to vision problems and beyond.
http://www.cpmedical.net/newsletter/subclinical-signs-of-nutrient-deficiencies

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Our meals while my hubby is at the Hippocrates Institute

As my hubby left for Hippocrates Institute Saturday, we realize that we must transition to 100% raw. He will also be fasting/cleansing every Wednesday, as will I.
To make ourselves accountable, we will be posting our weekly menu at least the two weeks he is gone. We will be adding photos as we prepare our evening meals.

Our breakfast will be basically the same each day.
Fruit (1-1.5 pounds) plus a couple of raw cinnamon raisin bagels with almond butter (for our son). Some of us need more calories.
My smoothie consist of 2 cups leafy greens (spinach or kale), 1 cup frozen berries, 1 TBS flax, 1 cup liquid of choice (almond milk, keifer, kombucha, water...), 1 TBS green powder (we use green superfood from Amazing Grass)  or 2 oz of liquid wheat grass, 1 probiotic pill or powder.

Our mid-day will also be basically the same each day
A large salad weighing ~1 pound. For those needing more calories like our son, a couple of buckwheat pizza with marinated mushrooms or sprouted curry salad with either naan or onion bread or if there are leftovers, he will eat them.

Our evening meals will change daily
Sunday: Pad Thai, we are using the recipes from The Complete Book of Raw Food. We didn't add the oil or the peppers (too spicy for our son) to the Pad Thai Sauce. We used the sun-dried tomato soaking water instead of water. We also used the Hijiki seaweed, 1 TBS soaked in 2 TBS water for 30 minutes.


Monday: Sun garden burgers and a Roasted Bell Pepper Cheese and Mushroom Risotto, again from The Complete Book of Raw Food.  We only used 1 tsp of ground Chipotle peppers and it was still too spicy for our son. The next time we make it we will use 1 tsp of smoked paprika. We also only used 1 tsp of salt instead of 4. We also served a beet and apple slaw



Tuesday: Beet Ravioli with a salad, from Raw Organic Goodness
Wednesday: For my cleanse I will be juicing grapefruit, carrots and ginger for breakfast, a smoothie for lunch and raw tomato soup for dinner.

The carrot pulp is used to make a pulp salad for our son's dinner with some of the tomato soup.
Thursday: Middle Eastern Feast, from Raw Organic Goodness

Friday: Raw Stroganoff from  The Complete Book of Raw Food. The pinenut sour cream is amazing.


Saturday: Living Lasagna from a combination of recipes. The sauce, mushrooms, and onion and peppers from RawGuru. The cheese from Fully Raw Kristina. This is where we compared the lasagnas and selected what we liked best.


Friday, June 10, 2016

Taco Salad

We have used this week to transition my Hubby to eating raw, so we have incorporated raw meals for him this week.

He fell in love with the Taco Salad. He said he could eat this a couple of times a week.

Taco nut meat 
Ingredients
1 cup crispie walnuts
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS cumin powder
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp coconut aminos  (or Braggs liquid aminos)
1/4 tsp salt
processed in a food processor until mixed well.

We used a chipotle cheddar from Ani's Raw Food Essential.

Marinated peppers and onions (other vegetables can be added such as mushrooms, celery, corn ... but we didn't want to push our luck with him eating it, if you add more veggies double the marinade)
Ingredients:
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 sweet (red or yellow) onion, diced
1/2 zucchini, diced
1 carrot, diced

Marinade
2 TBS coconut aminos (or Braggs liquid aminos)
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp lemon juice.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes

To assemble we plated a bed of leafy greens, topped with the peppers and onions, topped with the walnut taco meat, and topped with the chipotle cheddar.


Thursday, June 9, 2016

A Taste of Vitality

A Taste of Vitality is a comprehensive  free vegan recipe e-book. Check it out!

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Creamy Raw Onion Poppy Dressing

We only made a 1/3 of this recipe making ~ 1 1/2 cups. It is very creamy, but not like the "typical" sweet poppy seed dressing. We added 2 tsp of stevia in the raw plus 2 tsp of dijon mustard to the 1/3 recipe. We used 1/4 cup lemon juice and 2/3 cup water to thin it a bit.

Creamy Raw Onion Poppy Dressing

HHI Web Administrator April 13, 2016  Recipes
Using hemp from its fiber for clothing to its oil for recipes is a great way to support the environment. Hemp can grow quickly in a variety of soils and climates and is a naturally resilient plant (no need for pesticides)!

Yield: About 5 cups.

Technique:

Combine the following ingredients in a blender.

Enough lemon juice to cover the blades of the blender (1/2-3/4 cup)

-3 Garlic Cloves

-1/4 of a White Onion

-1 ½ Tbsp. Kelp Powder

-1 Pinch of Cayenne

-3 Cups Hemp Seed

Add water to blend till smooth (1/2 -3/4 cup)

After initial blend add 3 Tbsp. of poppy seed and do one final quick blend.

Saturday, June 4, 2016

June 2016 Potluck

This month's theme is fruits and veggies. The dishes didn't have to contain both but both needed to be brought to the potluck. Everything was wonderful!!! Next month is living lasagna.

Balsamic Salad
cut mushroom, sweet peppers, strawberries and marinade overnight in balsamic and a little maple syrup. The next day added green peppers, sweet peppers, cranberries, and broccoli






Cream of Cucumber Soup
Ingredients:
1 cucumber, peeled and rough chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped
1 TBS lemon juice
1/2-3/4 cup water
2 tsp chickpea miso
1 clove garlic, chopped
dash cayenne
1/2 avocado, chopped
1/2 tsp dried dill weed or 2 tsp minced fresh dill

Directions: add all but the water, avocado and dill to blend. After blended add the avocado and dill. Thin with water.

Curried Sprout Salad with Onion Bread. September Morn Mix Sprouts were used, containing alfalfa, mung and broccoli certified organic sprouts.









Mango Miso Salad The tofu was omitted from the recipes peaches and mango were added.




Beet and Apple Salad













Butternut Squash Soup
1/2 small butternut squash (2 cups) peeled and diced
1 apple, peeled, diced and cored
1 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup cashews soaked for 2-4 hours and drained
2 TBS olive oil
1 chipotle chile, seed removed
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
Directions: place all ingredients in a high speed blender

Tossed Salad with blueberries with a pumpkin pesto dressing





watermelon slices


Chocomole using avocado, prunes, maple syrup and cocoa powder

Friday, June 3, 2016

Transitioning

Our garden is transitioning from spring produce to summer, leafy greens and snow peas to sweet, mild, and hot peppers. Although each is different, all nourish our bodies, allowing us to grow. Like the garden, our lives transition as well waking from our sleepy, dreamy nourishing winter, to have our senses awakened to some sweet, some mild and some hot life experiences which also nourish and grow our soul and spirit.

My hubby had his esophagus re-sectioned Tuesday. The tumor "slipped" out easily giving us a glimmer of hope that the turmeric, ginger, wheat grass and strawberries may be "working". We were also told that the Barrett's long dysplasia appears to be smaller. My hubby had no pain from this procedure, other than a slight sore throat from the endoscopy.

We received the biopsy results from Tuesday's re-sectioning: the bottom was "dirty" suggesting that the cancer is in the layer of the esophagus where the lymph and blood supply are located.
This just gave us a little more information. The April 25th biopsy result was minimally in the layer where the lymph and blood feeds into the tissue, as did the May 6th ultrasound, now we know it is there. Stage 3 would be in the lymph nodes, again we won't know until the lymph node biopsy because the PET was clean. The options are the same as before, lung and lymph biopsy, remove what needs to be removed and go from there. My hubby still wants to hold off on the esophagectomy. He knows there is a strong possibility it is in his future, but wants to wait until he has the biopsy reports back from the lung and lymph nodes. He doesn't want his esophagus removed to find out 3 days later it wasn't necessary because he needed chemo and radiation.

My hubby's plan is to go and stay at a cancer treatment center in Florida on the 12th, returning on the 25th and hopes to schedule the biopsies the week he returns. He feels the LORD telling him to take one step at a time, so he is. We stand together with this decision.