Fabulous Kale Salad

1 Bunch of Organic Kale (Red or Green)

1 Head of Broccoli

1/4 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds

1/4 Cup Chopped Dates

Newman’s Own Raspberry Walnut Dressing

Wonton Strips – Salad Toppers

Rinse kale and remove leaves from stems. Discard the stems. Rinse broccoli and cut flowerettes from head. Chop kale and broccoli into bite size pieces,  Place in a large bowl. Add Sunflower Seeds and Dates. Add enough dressing to moisten the greens. Toss with salad tongs. Place in salad bowls/or plates and sprinkle wonton strips on top.

Note: If you are not eating it right away, do not add the dressing until you are ready to serve. This keeps kale from getting soggy. 

These wonderful “Fidget Mats” are in high demand. I made some and took them to the local Nursing Homes and the patients are loving them! I sent a community email out to announce that I have them available and was inundated with requests for the mats for their loved ones. Who knew we had such a need for an “Activity mat for dementia patients”? They are also great for Alzheimer’s, Stroke and Heart Attack Patients. 

The objects on my mats are durable, with no sharp edges, and they have soft fabric to touch. Each mat has a zipper, snaps or buttons to give hand-eye coordination, and a Cross to help remind them of their faith.  I attach custom labels so the care-givers can easily contact me for more. Feel free to copy my idea and share them in your community. I do not charge for these mats. They are my personal  outreach to dementia patients. 

Fidget Mats for Dementia Patients (Instructions)

(Also good for stroke patients and children with disabilities)

I encourage you to copy my ideas and make these mats for dementia patients. There is a great need for them and it’s not about making money, it’s about changing lives. I never charge for these mats.

Use plain colored cloth placemats. Busy prints can be confusing.

Select mats thin enough to sew through. Use a sewing machine for everything you attach. (Buttons can be hand sewn). Tacking by hand may not be strong enough for continuous pulling and tugging.

Zippers, Keychains, Tiny Socks, Patches, Buttons, Small Cloth Dolls and Baby Shirts work well on these mats.

Flat Cloth “Shoe laces” make great cording for attaching items.

Attach a “Cross” to each mat to remind them of their faith.

Don’t put “keys” on the mats….it makes them want to go home.

Be careful not to use anything that may break and injure the patient.

You can take fabric and make a “pocket” to sew on the mat and place a keychain in the pocket for fun. Be sure to attach the keychain so it doesn’t   get lost.

You can also make a tent from fabric and sew the zipper on top of the tent to appear to open the tent. Zipper will work freely too.

These layered brownies are grain free, low in sugar and delicious.

Bottom layer:

1 Cup Cooked and Mashed Sweet Potato

1/2 Cup Nut Butter (Almond, Peanut, Cashew) whatever you have

4 Tbs. Maple Syrup or Organic Sugar

1/4 Cup – Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 egg. (optional for Vegan’s)

Mix all ingredients and press into a 9×9 square baking dish.

Top Layer:

1 Cup Peanut Butter (Crunchy is ok too)

1/3 Cup Coconut Sugar (Find at Kroger, HEB or Supermarket)

1 Egg

Handful of Chocolate Morsels for baking or candy making

Mix together: PB, Egg and Sugar. Spread evenly over the brownie mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Place chocolate morsels on top while brownies are cooling. Wait 30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy

Wow – I am quickly putting pieces of this puzzle together and they all point to Genetically Modified Wheat, Soy and Corn as the culprits! Every week someone I know tells me about their complications of “Autoimmune disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s disease and Diverticulitis.” The common factor in all of them, it’s destroying the intestines. My husband had Ulcerative Colitis for several months and Doctors could not help him. He finally figured out it must be his diet and he made drastic adjustments. It’s a shame that more Medial Doctors don’t consider or inquire about Diet. The most important thing you can do when you have stomach or intestinal issues, is to keep a food diary!

Ulcerative Colitis is a chronic disorder in which the mucous membranes lining the colon become inflamed and develop ulcers, causing bloody diarrhea, pain, gas, bloating and at times, hard stools. This causes the colon wall to bulge out into small pouch like projections called “diverticula”. With all the diarrhea and bleeding you lose much needed nutrients. You may experience bloating and weight gain, or weight loss depending on your body. There is currently no “known cause for this disease” however all signs point to GMO’s. 

Crohn’s Disease is similar with a blockage of the intestine caused by scar tissue that narrows the passageway. It normally causes severe pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, loss of appetite and weight-loss. It can happen anywhere from the mouth to the anus. The onset of Crohn’s can be dramatic with sudden weight loss, high fever and significant bleeding. 

These diseases all have many of the same symptoms. My Chiropractor told me to “Give up grain for a month” to see if I feel better. He also said the GMO wheat, corn and soy are the reasons for much of the health issues we are facing. I am in full agreement, because the first week I gave up all grain, I lost 8 pounds and my intestines healed up. I made a smoothie with Almond Milk, Yogurt, Ginger and 1/4 Cup of Aloe Vera Juice. It really soothed and healed my intestines within just a few days.

A friend of mine has Ulcerative Colitis and she said she is on a Gluten Free Diet (No Wheat, Barley or Rye). That would be very similar to my No Grain Diet. With a Gluten Free Diet some ancient grains like quinoa, amaranth and rice are allowed. Most of the Wheat, Soy and Corn grown in America is raised with Round-up Ready seed from Monsanto. It is Genetically Modified and Toxic for human consumption. However, since the FDA and Monsanto want to FEED THE WORLD, they continue to poison us with their GMO Feed. 

I urge you to give up Grain for a month. That includes pizza, bread, cereal, pasta, baked goods, etc. It’s not easy, but it can heal your body and help you lose weight at the same time. Going Gluten-Free is not a Fad, it’s a lifestyle and it does not guarantee weight-loss. 

My favorite meal to donate to a friend or neighbor in need is my Famous Chicken Salad and a Loaf of Bakery Bread. It’s also my husband’s favorite!

Here is the recipe:

2 cups Cooked diced chicken

1/2 cup Chopped organic celery

1/4 cup Dried cranberries

2 tsp  Tarragon

2/3 cup Mayo, or olive oil mayo

¼ cup Chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and serve on a multi-grain bread.

If you have food allergies or just want to enjoy a brownie without the guilt, this is for you. They are vegan, gluten free and dairy free. My husband would NOT want a brownie made from Sweet Potato & Almond Butter, but loves these. They are chewy and moist, like a brownie should be.

Here is the recipe:

1 cup of cooked-mashed Sweet Potato

1/2 cup Almond Butter

1/4 cup sugar (or 3 Tbs. Stevia, or Maple Syrup)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup chopped Walnuts

Mix all ingredients (except nuts) until creamy and stiff. Add nuts and stir. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake 15 to 18 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and cut into squares. Refrigerate any leftovers.

“Your Healthy Pantry” Cookbook is now available. Order today and it ships tomorrow. 

This wonderful cookbook is full of delicious recipes that take the All American Diet and kick it up to a Healthier Cuisine. It bridges the gap between Betty Crocker and Tofu. Each recipe is simple to make and has been tried and approved by picky eaters, with thumbs up! Here are a few of my favorites: Shepherd’s Pie with Chicken, Crock Pot Beef Burgundy, Hungarian Chicken and Rice, Aunt Li’s Guacamole, Li’s Chicken Salad and my fabulous Shrimp Creole. If your mouth is watering….order yours today. They also make great gifts. 

You can pay with credit/debit card,  PayPal or send me a message and I will give you my address for sending a check.

Price is $10 each with $2 Shipping  ($12) Total

I have several recipes for Shrimp Etouffe, but most of them call for canned soup and I prefer to use all Fresh Ingredients and no pre-packaged items. Some recipes start with a good Cajun Roux. Mine starts with butter and veggies. (A lot healthier) Here is the recipe:

1 to 2 Lbs Fresh Raw Shrimp 

2 C. Brown Rice – (cooked makes 4 cups)

1 Stick of Butter

1 C. Chopped Onion 

1 C. Chopped Celery

1 C. Chopped red and yellow peppers

1 sm. Jar pimento

1 Clove Garlic – minced

1 C Chicken Broth

1/4 tsp. Oregano, Thyme, Paprika, Cayenne, Sea Salt (cayenne is optional)

1 Sm. Tomato Sauce

2 T Corn Starch w/ 1/4 C Water (for thickening)

Peel and devein shrimp. Place in a bowl and set in fridge. Cook Rice according to directions on package (or see my Easy Brown Rice Recipe)

Place butter and chicken broth in a large pot on the stove. Heat on med. high to melt butter. Add all veggies to pot. Add all spices and simmer until veggies are tender (about 20 minutes). Add tomato sauce and mix corn starch with water in a small dish. Add to pot and stir to thicken. Add shrimp and cook about 5 minutes (until shrimp are no longer translucent.) Serve over rice.

I love brown rice, but hate the mess it makes on my stovetop. It always boils over, because of the new energy efficient stoves. If you try to cook on medium heat, it never boils and medium high will burn it up. Ugh! My remedy…..Place 2 cups of brown rice and 4 cups of water in a crock pot. (I use a small one) Add a few shakes of sea salt. Turn on Hi for 3 hours. Stir twice during this time. Turn off and let it stay warm in crock pot until dinner. A bag of rice is so much cheaper than buying minute rice or boil-n-bags. This recipe is fool proof too.

I always make extra and freeze it in pint size zipper bags for another meal. Just thaw in the fridge for a day and dump into a microwave dish for heating.

Eat more fiber…..I am so sick of hearing this. Much of my life, I went to the bathroom about twice a week and was miserable. Every doctor I went to said “Eat more Fiber”. Even after a colonoscopy……”eat more fiber.” I would eat a bran muffin and prune juice for breakfast and you know what? I got “Bloating and Gas” and still couldn’t go! Medical Doctors are not trained in Nutritional Health. All these years I suffered, and my allergies were also worse while constipated. Your gut stores bacteria and illness and you stay sick.

The truth be told…..I was vitamin deficient! That’s all!  My body needed Magnesium! Has your mom ever given you Milk of Magnesia when you were constipated? It worked didn’t it? I find that Liquid Calcium Magnesium & D (or Zinc) has healed my gut and made me regular. My allergies, are just a sniffle and my gut is no longer bloated or gassy. I highly recommend this Supplement. Find it at your local health food store.