Why Grass-Fed Meat?

In my quest to share the passion I have for wellness and healthy living, I have talked with several women who are looking to make positive changes, but don’t know where to start. I agree. It can oftentimes seem incredibly daunting with the wealth of information out there. While I am not saying that much of the information is invalid, I do believe that we can quickly become quite overwhelmed when we try to do all at once. Moms especially face an overwhelming amount of information as they seek to keep their children healthy and well; it can be downright exhausting. Yet, the truth is, there is grace, and the most important thing to remember is that “baby steps” toward healthy living are to be celebrated. So when it comes to diet, where is a positive place to start?

 

As I mentioned, several people whom I have spoken with ask me, “Where do I start making healthy changes?”.  My answer is simple: start eating high quality, grass-fed meat, and avoid gluten as best as possible. I am going to take some time in a future post to share my convictions on why gluten should be avoided by all people, not just those with diagnosed celiac disease, Crohn’s, colitis, and a host of other conditions irritated by consuming gluten containing products. So, why grass-fed? First of all, I can attest to the fact that, hands down, the taste is superior. The flavor is richer and the product is far less greasy. I love that I don’t have to drain so much fat from my meat as I am preparing my family’s meal. I have had the opportunity to buy our meat from Northstar Bison, which is owned by people whom I have the privilege of knowing, and is sold nationwide.  Their meat is both grass-fed and organic; in my mind, it is the best of the best! 🙂  Yet, suppose I did not have the option to choose both grass-fed and organic. Which is better and why?  Aren’t they the same? In her article, “Beyond Organic,” New York Times bestselling writer, Jo Robinson of Eat Wild, explains the reason behind going grass-fed and takes time to decipher between the characteristics of pasture raised meat and grain-fed meat. Even organic, grain-fed meat is far less nutrient packed than non-organic, grass-fed meat. I’d encourage you to take some time to read her short article as you consider the meat your family consumes. Check out her article here. I think you will find it very informative and helpful. Happy grocery shopping! 🙂

Nutrient Packed Banana Bread with Maple Frosting

Every mommy has at least one recipe that she uses so frequently that she could make it in her sleep. (Wouldn’t that actually be great if we could do that?! Breakfast ready to go before we even entered the kitchen in the morning…Whala!) In all seriousness, though, I don’t know what I would do without this one. I love it because it is incredibly easy (the kids can help too!), and it is so good for bellies, young and old. 🙂 It is packed with fiber and protein, and it is sweetened naturally. No sugar, no junk. Nothing but sheer goodness. Enjoy, and make it often!

Nutrient Packed Banana Bread with Maple Frosting

4 very ripe bananas, mashed

4 organic eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup melted coconut oil (I love this brand) or organic, grass-fed butter (I use Kerrygold I have found this at Costco or Trader Joe’s for a good price.)

1 tablespoon vanilla (gluten and alcohol free)

1 heaping teaspoon 100% baking soda (aluminum free)

1/4 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum free, gluten-free)

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup coconut flour (I use this brand)*

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Optional: 1/3 cup add ins: Enjoy Life chocolate chips, dates, raisins, raw walnuts, etc.

Directions:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a bread pan with unbleached parchment paper. With a spatula, mix all ingredients together, except for the coconut flour and optional add-ins, in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the coconut flour and stir until combined. (Sometimes the mixture looks more wet, sometimes it looks more dry. DO NOT ADD ANY MORE COCONUT FLOUR. Coconut flour is unique. 🙂 You will have very dry bread if you try to play with the ratio on this. ) Fold in the add-ins if using. Pour into your prepared bread pan and spread it out evenly in the pan. Bake for 45 minutes. *Note: This recipe also makes 12 muffins if you would rather do that! 🙂  When the bread is cooled completely, frost liberally. 🙂

Maple Frosting (Recipe from Civilized Caveman Cooking

½ cup organic palm shortening
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
2 teaspoons coconut flour
1 tablespoons chilled, coconut milk fat (thick part from the top of can)

Directions:Mix everything, except for the coconut milk fat, until smooth. Add the coconut fat and mix until combined. Do not over mix as your frosting could start to separate. Frost your cooled bread or muffins. 🙂

*Fun fact: 2 tablespoons of this coconut flour contain 6 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein! 🙂

 

Chicken Sausage and Kale Chip Pizza (with Cauliflower Crust)

Gluten-free, paleo, low carb, healthy, stinkin’ amazing…Yep, you have all of that lip smackin’ goodness with this recipe. I have wanted to try making a cauliflower crust pizza for quite some time, and today I finally put this together. Wow. I was amazed at not only how tasty it turned out, but also how easy it was to put together. This is definitely one for the books, and I most certainly want to share it with you! Enjoy every bite, and have seconds too! 🙂

 

 

Chicken Sausage and Kale Chip Pizza (with Cauliflower Crust)

2 cups roasted, riced cauliflower (To roast, take one medium/large head of cauliflower, and toss it with a tablespoon of organic, expeller pressed coconut oil. I like to use the Wilderness Family Naturals brand. Roast at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.) If you don’t have a ricer for the roasted cauliflower, you can use a food processor, which is what I did for this recipe. 🙂

2 eggs

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (for the crust)

6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (for the topping)

1/2 lb. organic Italian chicken sausage

Kale Chips: I love the Brad’s Raw Crunchy Kale chips! I found them cheapest at my local health food store.

-Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large pizza stone with unbleached parchment paper, and grease really well.  Mix the first three ingredients together in a large bow,l and spread it out in an even layer on the stone. Place in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. I did place some aluminum foil on a rack under the stone to prevent any oil from dropping to the bottom of the oven. Top with mozzarella cheese and chicken sausage. Place under the broiler on high for approximately 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Remove from the oven, and top with kale chips. Serve up, and enjoy! 🙂

Recipe Adapted From: Hugs and Cookies XOXO

Paleo Chocolate Frosting (or Topping)

Oooh…this is good, and it is just in time for summer. Who doesn’t love a little chocolate sauce on top of her ice cream? The great thing about this sauce is that it is tasty (No kidding!), but also, it only contains 2 ingredients–good quality chocolate (I prefer Enjoy Life chocolate chips or chunks) and full fat coconut milk. That’s it! It’s tasty, and actually, it is a super healthy dessert choice for topping, frosting cakes, or eating right off of the spoon.

If you know me, you know that I passionately research ingredients. Why? I want to know that what we eat is recognized by the body as natural and is supporting a lifelong lifestyle of wellness and health. I also want to find healthy food that tastes good! Every one of us has had an experience with “health food” that we want to forget forever, and I can say, I have definitely had my fair share of those times as I have continued on this journey of wellness. When it comes to this recipe, as well as others I post, you can know that I have researched it, made it, tasted it, and have approved it! 🙂

So why use Enjoy Life chocolate and full fat coconut milk? This brand of chocolate is a frequent choice of mine since it is gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, peanut free, tree nut free, egg free, soy free, fish free, shellfish free. It is an allergy friendly chocolate, and this reputable company is knowledgeable when it comes to the ingredients they put into their products. They quote the following in their mission : “At Enjoy Life, our whole business is making smile-good foods that keep people’s insides happy. We are focused on providing foods that are not only safe, but taste great too. That’s why all of our foods are specially made to be gluten-free and free of the 8 most common allergens.” When it comes to the coconut milk, I most often will use the full fat option because it is a great source of medium chain fatty acids and lauric acid. Check out the benefits of coconut as well as a recipe for homemade coconut milk from the Wellness Mama. I have not personally made the homemade version yet, but am excited to try it. For now, I use the Native Forest brand of coconut milk as I know that their cans are BPA free.

So, without further ado, here is the recipe! Enjoy, knowing that you have created a healthy version of a delectable treat!

Paleo Chocolate Frosting/Topping

3/4 Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

6 Tablespoons of full fat coconut milk

Directions: In a double boiler, gently heat the coconut milk and chocolate together. Stir frequently until smooth. Remove from heat and enjoy! Store any leftovers (if there are any) in the fridge. 🙂

Recipe from: Living Healthy With Chocolate