A prep day with fresh-milled grains makes my life easier and more enjoyable. It also helps me stay on track with eating healthier. Last September I began watching Annette Reeder, the Biblical Nutritionist interview Sue Becker from Bread Becker’s. They were discussing the benefits of using fresh-milled grain in bread making.

I soon found myself watching more videos about the process and benefits. Sue’s video on The Bread of Life, a biblical and science-based class on the wheat kernel convinced me I needed to try the process. I soon ordered a refurbished grain mill from Nutrimill and my first pails of hard red and hard white wheat.

Needless to say, it has been an adventure and learning curve for me! But one I’ve enjoyed immensely.

Here’s what I Learned About Using Fresh-milled Grains:

1. Fresh-milled whole grain soaks up water slowly, be patient and don’t add too much too soon.
2. I have more luck with hard white and hard red for all baking, rather than soft White wheat. Soft white just did not work for my cookies or muffins, I’m not sure why.
3. My hair is thicker and healthier.
4. My husband’s cholesterol is now perfect, and his fingers no longer break out in the winter.
5. I did not get bronchitis last fall or this spring from seasonal allergies, like I usually do. In fact, after two months, I did not even get a sinus headache.
6. I am a meat eater, so I don’t have to worry about the phytic acid in grains depleting my ability to absorb minerals, and neither do you! The release phytates combine to cadmium and lead in the body and remove them. Plus, they play a role in lowering blood sugar. Another advantage to preparing all your goodies with fresh-milled grains.
7. Gluten free grains are also available and can be incorporated into recipes with some extra work, I try to share as many as I can because, several of my friends and family are gluten sensitive.

There is more, but I really want to talk about preparation day. I start with cooking a cup of quinoa then milling the grain and getting all my supplies ready.

Since my favorite thing in the kitchen to make is tortilla shells, I had to get that recipe right. I also use the Zojirushi recipe as a guide to make my weekly loaves of regular sandwich bread and adjust it for my breakfast bread. It’s very versatile and I can add what I like and remove what I don’t like.

I’ve noticed the sunflower lecithin does make a nice fluffy loaf, but it caused my friend, who has lupus, a lot of muscle discomfort. So, I no longer use it in my basic recipes, although I use eggs (which contains lecithin) but eggs don’t bother her…go figure.

Benefits of Fresh-Milled Grain

There are so many benefits to fresh-milled grain! I made a list on a pdf if you’re interested in checking out. The best way to maximize those benefits is to make a multi-grain loaf for yourself and your family. For instance, hard red wheat is highest in selenium (136 mcg per cup). Oats are highest in pantothenic acid (B5) and calcium. Soft white is highest in iron, while hard white is just a smidge higher than oats in zinc. Quinoa (the seed) is the powerhouse because it’s highest in protein, B6, folate, Vitamin E, choline, betaine, magnesium, and potassium.

God’s design and plan for our provision is always uplifting and exciting to me, and you’ll see my joy in the attached video of my bread making day below. I love how Deuteronomy 8:6-10 set up the promise of bounty for the nation of Israel as they are getting ready to enter the promised land. It will go well for them if they obey God’s commandments, just like it goes well for us physically, mentally, and spiritually when we obey.

So, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey,  a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper.  And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land as given you.

Deuteronomy 8:6-10 ESV – So you shall keep the commandments of – Bible Gateway

I read about Israel’s promises and can’t help but think about our own country’s foundation and Christian principles. We are beyond blessed to be given such good land here in the USA too! A land in which we have eaten without scarcity! It is so exciting to me to see God’s plan for all of His children continually unfolding. He is worthy of praise!

Here are my two favorite fresh-milled grain recipes to snack on as I prepare for my week of worship to our worthy Creator. I pray you find them enjoyable as well! Contact me if you want a workshop in person, at your church, social club, or on zoom! It’s one of my favorite things to do!

Are you ready for some hope today? I know I am! Spiritually and physically, we need hope to feel in control of our body again! Especially to survive the trials we face in this world that make us feel like everything is out of control.

But you know what? The more I work with people of all ages in the doctor’s office and through my coaching programs, the more I see how our areas of suffering build character!

Many of my clients (and me) are walking miracles of endurance who just want to feel in control of our bodies!

Loss of our control began long before we were born, too! I explain all of this in my “Beating Insulin Resistance Class” you receive when you subscribe to Mysty Pfeffer Wellness Coaching.

We now know, the science behind our current options in the grocery store are clearly pointing to “ultra-processed” food as a enemy #1 for our metabolism, insulin resistance, prediabetes, and poor heart health.

But we don’t’ have to be stuck there! Getting our minds wrapped around a better way of eating is where a RN coach like me can help. The good news is there is hope for us and our children, who have grown up in this subpar environment. 

The sad part is our bodies have to undergo a little suffering in order to become aware of the slow poison we’ve been consuming, and feeding our families, for the last two generations. This takes place for us emotionally because our gut microbiome is compromised with this way of living.

As I’ve said many times before, studies prove over 90% of our serotonin (our happy hormone stimulator) is produced in the gut by our gut microbes! A large part of our suffering with anxiety, depression, and turmoil mentally is in part because we lack essential nutrients.

It wasn’t like this before the industrial revolution and the interference of Big Food companies changing the things God created “good” into substances. Fake products disguised as food that evoke pleasure receptors in our brains to consume more products and contain minimal fiber, synthetic nutrients, and just the right amount of sugar, salt, and what I like to call “Franken fat” to get us addicted. 

It’s at the peak of this product driven era, through two generations, where the feeling of being “in control” began to fade!

Yep, we left the trans-fat era and jumped right into what Dr. Kate Shannahan calls the “hateful eight” (highly processed seed oils that create hydroxynoneal byproducts in the blood that are recognized as a marker for CVD, stroke, type 2 diabetes, PCOS, and fatty liver). 

Look, I know this is highly debated and gurus all over the web are touting, “Seed oils reduce inflammation”. . .yada yada….I say, “Follow the money! Who benefits from the massive dollars in their campaigns and government programs from Big Agriculture when they endorse seed oils?

Not only that, investigate the ginormous amounts of seed oils consumed in the food supply! We want our essential omega 6 coming from nuts and seeds. . . NOT oils in processed food, fast food, and school lunch programs. 

God Has A Better Plan to Help Us Feel In Control of our Bodies

Getting back to basics is key. You and I want to be in control of our bodies again, and I have a few ideas to give us a head start today!

1. Awareness! Yes, you see and you know what’s happening, and you can make small changes for a huge impact down the road!

2. Start with Some Simple swaps:
***Fresh fruit with fiber in place of sugar (My Sugar Fasting Challenge is here)
***Clean Protein sources for breakfast instead of refined carbs and sugar (think: eggs, clean sausage (Jones chicken sausage links are the best!) protein-rich muffins (Check out my banana muffin recipe!)
Zero sugar yogurts with stevia (not sucralose it’s 600 times sweeter than sugar, spikes insulin production, and has been shown in studies to kill good gut bacteria)- like Chobani 20 gram or Oikos 15-20 grams
***Cut out eating after dinner and between meals–it stimulates insulin and sugar spikes
***Drink plenty of water–which means 40 to 80 or 90 ounces a day with fresh lemon juice and a few drops of stevia instead of soda and sweet tea–It provides vitamin C and helps detox the liver (which means better removal of wastes products when those stubborn fat cells release their toxins!)

3. Pray for open eyes and give thanks for what is available to help feel in control of your body.

There so much more available to help us feel in control of our bodies and I teach you all this in my MetS Busters 12-week program! You can check it out anytime and see if it’s right for you and your family!

In the meantime, please feel free to download the graphic above for a quick reference and share it with your friends!

Call to action:

What do you tell yourself when you feel like your body is out of control?

Where is your focus and how can that be changed into a different mindset?

What is ONE thing from the list above that stands out to you, today?

All of it matters in order to feel in control of your body again. When we begin to renew our frame of mind, we embrace more of God’s goodness. We believe He has the best plan for our wellness, our weight health journey, and our lives. I believe the key is surrendering our mindset to God. Because when we do all the world’s appeal begins to fade and He moves in a powerful way.

That’s why I’m always learning about His Divine nature in the things He made and share them with you!

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.“

Romans 5:3-5

Have a blessed day! I have so many resources here for you so look around!

The Paleo and Pilates 30 Day Challenge starts today. It is a way of eating and exercising that supports hormone balance and gut healing, while also reducing inflammation, and increasing strength. Sign me up for those results!

Another interesting quality of this plan is the restoration of specific balance. Basically, our GLP-1, GIP, PYY, and CCK housed in our gut lining have more nutrients present to help facilitate their production. This production impacts our metabolism in a big way. We’re essentially feeding the gut microbes a large variety of fruits and vegetables to feast on as we eliminate triggers that harm the gut lining.

Why Paleo and Pilates?

Increased amounts of clean protein in the Paleo plan alongside numerous vegetable choices give us the vitamins and nutrients we need to thrive. Now I know you and I are bread lovers at heart and there are multiple fresh-milled grain recipes on this site.

But the reality is our grain, as organic and filling as it is, can cause inflammation for some of us when we consume it in consistent amounts. A few of the organic grains in my bins are hard red and hard white which have hundreds of proteins from hybridization over the years you and I can react to. As evidenced by gas, bloating, inflammation, and holding onto excess water in our hands, upper arms, and lower body.

Yes, the bread, the legumes, and the beans God made in their original form provide necessary nutrients, but man has a way of altering what God designs and not in a good way. When this challenge is over, my plan is to reintroduce only the ancient grains back into my diet, like Einkorn, Spelt, Quinoa, Kamut, Millet and others. But in much smaller amounts and not every day.

Simply because women (and men) over 40 don’t’ need excess starchy carbohydrates like younger people do because of the aging process and decrease in natural metabolic hormones (like DHEA and growth hormone). Depending on what activity we do and how much muscle mass we intentionally generate over 40 . . . will determine how many starchy carbohydrates from bread we can manage in order to maintain blood sugar balance, and weight.

In general, the 8-hours or more of sedentary sitting each day most of us practice, decreases the need, not the elimination of, our carbohydrate load for better health.

It’s so important to move, strengthen and tone our bodies to do the work God has called us to do! That is where Pilates comes in. It is a proven system of exercise that strengthens and tones.

So, I invite you to take the Paleo and Pilates plunge with me for 30 days and see if we can change a few things in our metabolic health without feeling deprived.

The Science Behind Paleo and Pilates

The science articles I will be sharing with you today are reliable PubMed sources. Hold on. . .it’s going to be eye opening!

A Decrease in Breast Cancer

1. A study of over 65,000 women in France who filled out dietary surveys and adhered to the Paleo diet for more than twenty years showed a 17% decrease in breast cancer. The vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols found in the wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean meats, while limiting alcohol, sugar, and refined grains are thought to be the reason for this decline. (1)

   An Improvement in Thyroid Hormones and Antibodies

2. The Paleo plan is often studied for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Graves disease and specifically looking at its effects on thyroid hormones, thyroid antibodies (thyroglobulin, thyroid peroxidase (PTO), or eliminating autoimmune thyroid disease altogether! All studies showed significant improvement in thyroid parameters! (2)

   Improvement in Incretin Hormones (GLP-1, GIP, PYY)

3. Faculty of the Imperial College of London assessed the Paleo plan and incretin hormones in a randomized cross over trial design. The peptide hormones GLP-1, GIP, and PYY concentrations were measured over 180 minutes. Satiation was also assessed. GlP-1 and PYY concentrations and satiety were significantly increased in these Paleo eating plans. (3)

   Improvements in Cholesterol and Triglycerides

4. The department of medicine University of California San Francisco School of Medicine reports did a short study on nine nonobese, sedentary individuals were given the classic Paleo diet of lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts for 10 days. Compared with their baseline, they experienced significant reductions in blood pressure, plasma insulin, and large reductions in total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides. All of this occurred without weight loss! (4)

   Significant Decrease in ApoB, HOMA-IR

5. Combined with stress relief, intermittent fasting, good supplements, the Paleo plan was helpful in significantly reducing ApoA1 and ApoB cholesterol that are closely related to heart disease. Plus, it reduced HOMA-IR related to insulin resistance and fatigue. (5)

   A Decrease in Iodine (Watch for Deficiencies)

6. A two-year randomized trial show iodine deficiency in 24 post-menopausal women consuming a Paleo plan. However, there are no specifications of dietary iodine intake of these women listed. So, as a precaution be sure to incorporate cod, haddock, eggs, lobster, shrimp, seaweed, or kelp granules routinely in your plan this month. (6)

   Specific Glucocorticoid Metabolism in Post Menopausal Weight Loss

7. The main glucocorticoid our bodies produce is cortisol which is well known to inhibit weight control in stressed out people. This study of 49 post-menopausal women used the Paleo plan for 24 months and saw significant and sustained weight loss alongside the liver’s ability to convert cortisol. (7)

   Pilates Improves Core Muscle in Chronic Low Back Pain

8. A research Collaborative in Health in Australia looked at systematic reviews and meta-analyses methods to determine Pilates is “not inferior to equivalently dosed exercise” like physical therapy and shows improved core muscle strength. It is found to help low back pain as well. (8)

   Pilates Improves Flexibility and Quality of Life in Lumbar Disc Herniation

9. In a group of 27 individuals with lumbar disc herniation, Pilates exercises used for 6 weeks, three times a week helped reduce their pain level and functional disability. (9)

   Effectiveness of Reformer Pilates in Individuals with Fibromyalgia

10. Fibromyalgia can be described as widespread pain throughout the muscles in the body accompanied by fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. A study of 28 women divided into two groups A: Reformer Pilates (uses a machine) and B: Pilates at home with a mat. The reformer group has improvements in strength while the at home group reports decreased painful regions, improved quality of life. (10)

What Does Trying Paleo and Pilates Look Like?

Paleo eating is basically vegetables (minus the nightshades of potatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes–don’t worry you can modify to your tastes), clean meats, fruit, quinoa, nuts and seeds. (No legumes/beans/dairy/grains). Go to the grocery store and stock up on as many vegetables and fruits that you can cook in a meal prepping session for at least 3 days.

Paleo Benefits

• Detox from sugar/fast food/ chemicals
• Restore good gut microbes with fruits and vegetable balance
• Remove possible gluten sensitivity
• Firm up loose skin
• Build strength and flexibility
• It’s FREE and FUN!

Pilates

Pilates are concentrated movements combined with proper breathing techniques to increase core strength and stamina. It works on pelvic muscles too! Which is so powerful for our genitourinary system!

Pilates Benefits:

• Possible Decreased Lower Back Pain
• Increased strength and endurance
• Stronger Core and Pelvic Muscle Floor
• Better Balance
• More lean muscle

Whatever you decide to do this month with Paleo and Pilates, have fun with it! Modify as you see fit for your healing and health! I am here for you! and have so many ideas for good recipes and steady frame of mind.

I look forward to hearing all about your results, too! So let me know!

Mysty

Simplifying Health Faithfully

References:

1. Shah S, Mahamat-Saleh Y, Hajji-Louati M, Correia E, Oulhote Y, Boutron-Ruault MC, Laouali N. Palaeolithic diet score and risk of breast cancer among postmenopausal women overall and by hormone receptor and histologic subtypes. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2023 May;77(5):596-602. doi: 10.1038/s41430-023-01267-x. Epub 2023 Feb 1. PMID: 36726032.
2. Hollywood JB, Hutchinson D, Feehery-Alpuerto N, Whitfield M, Davis K, Johnson LM. The Effects of the Paleo Diet on Autoimmune Thyroid Disease: A Mixed Methods Review. J Am Nutr Assoc. 2023 Nov-Dec;42(8):727-736. doi: 10.1080/27697061.2022.2159570. Epub 2023 Jan 4. PMID: 36598468.
3. Bligh HF, Godsland IF, Frost G, Hunter KJ, Murray P, MacAulay K, Hyliands D, Talbot DC, Casey J, Mulder TP, Berry MJ. Plant-rich mixed meals based on Palaeolithic diet principles have a dramatic impact on incretin, peptide YY and satiety response, but show little effect on glucose and insulin homeostasis: an acute-effects randomised study. Br J Nutr. 2015 Feb 28;113(4):574-84. doi: 10.1017/S0007114514004012. Epub 2015 Feb 9. PMID: 25661189.
4. Frassetto LA, Schloetter M, Mietus-Synder M, Morris RC Jr, Sebastian A. Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Aug;63(8):947-55. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2009.4. Epub 2009 Feb 11. Erratum in: Eur J Clin Nutr. 2015 Dec;69(12):1376. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2015.193. PMID: 19209185.
5. Martinez AS, Bastian AJ, Shemirani F, Titcomb TJ, Bisht B, Darling WG, Ramanathan M, Shittu M, Gill CM, Snetselaar LG, Wahls TL. Effects of a Multimodal Lifestyle Intervention on Cardiometabolic Markers in People with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: A Secondary Analysis of a Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2025 Mar 27;17(7):1163. doi: 10.3390/nu17071163. PMID: 40218921; PMCID: PMC11990591.
6. September 2017 European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 72(1) DOI:10.1038/ejcn.2017.134 Researchgate.net
7. Stomby A, Simonyte K, Mellberg C, Ryberg M, Stimson RH, Larsson C, Lindahl B, Andrew R, Walker BR, Olsson T. Diet-induced weight loss has chronic tissue-specific effects on glucocorticoid metabolism in overweight postmenopausal women. Int J Obes (Lond). 2015 May;39(5):814-9. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2014.188. Epub 2014 Oct 28. PMID: 25349058.
8. *Franks J, Thwaites C, Morris ME. Pilates to Improve Core Muscle Activation in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 May 12;11(10):1404. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11101404. PMID: 37239690; PMCID: PMC10218154.
9. Taşpınar G, Angın E, Oksüz S. The effects of Pilates on pain, functionality, quality of life, flexibility and endurance in lumbar disc herniation. J Comp Eff Res. 2023 Jan;12(1):e220144. doi: 10.2217/cer-2022-0144. Epub 2022 Dec 1. PMID: 36453667; PMCID: PMC10288967.
10. Caglayan BC, Basakci Calik B, Gur Kabul E, Karasu U. Investigation of effectiveness of reformer pilates in individuals with fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial. Reumatol Clin (Engl Ed). 2023 Jan;19(1):18-25. doi: 10.1016/j.reumae.2022.01.003. PMID: 36603963.

I cannot think of a better challenge the week of (and after) Thanksgiving than to diversify our daily colorful plant intake! 

Can you?

Seriously, awesome metabolic health, underlying inflammation in autoimmune responses, and reversing insulin resistance couldn’t happen in a better way! God’s garden is full of all the healing vegetables we need, and I am so thankful!

It’s so much fun to see what He has in store for us when we partake of His goodness, isn’t it? 

I mean just think about the variety of colors we will be consuming at our upcoming feast! I’m so excited! Especially since a few ladies and myself are finishing up a 4 Week Pre-Holiday Challenge and are fasting from sugar and grains. 

I lost 5 pounds, by the way, and the other ladies lost weight, too! Imagine what this will look like over the next few months for these women if they continue! 

The challenge ends soon, so we’ll be ready to enter the holiday season with renewed understanding of how our bodies respond to food as we slowly reintroduce those items in small quantities.

Something I noticed really quickly as we were in week 3 of the challenge is the stiffness in my hands got better.

The one day I went out for lunch and ate bread gave me some clear cues I should stay away from it altogether. By 3:00 pm that day, my hands were hurting and by 6pm that night I couldn’t even hold an iron skillet while cooking. 

Now granted, the bread at Longhorn was most likely a bread made with bleached flour, and bromine and not Fresh-Milled like Sue Becker taught me to make through her Little Red Book!

None of the organic spelt berries I’ve purchased and made bread with affected me that way!

Can you believe something you and I eat can affect our hand grip so significantly? Have you ever paid close attention to any symptoms like that?

I was blown away! It makes me not want the items back in my regular routine. 

This new challenge, on the other hand, sounds like fun. It’s making a point to incorporate different colored vegetables each day.

Diversifying plants not only helps our gut health it also:
Reduces inflammation
Helps restores hormone balance
Gives us renewed energy
Reduces constipation
Improves blood pressure
Lowers cholesterol
Maintains blood vessels and heart health
Plays a HUGE role in helping our mental health (by restoring the gut/brain axis)
 

So, lets dive in and see how we can Eat a Variety of Plants for the next 5 days!  

10 Easy Thanksgiving Vegetables and Fruits to Diversify with This Week!

1. Green Plants!

Green Peppers, spinach, kale, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, and cabbage are delicious and so versatile, you and I can pair them with just about anything. What are some of your favorite ways to use them?

What about with green herbs like rosemary, parsley, sage, and oregano?

Oh, Yum!

Don’t forget, green fruits like grapes, avocados, pairs, kiwi, and limes are fun, too. 

2.  Yellow Plants

Yellow squash, yellow peppers, tomatoes, spaghetti squash, are some of my favorite vegetables. 

Fruits like lemons are wonderful for liver and kidney support as well as detox as we indulge in our sweets. Bananas and mangos are good too, just high in natural sugars so we can be wise with portions. 

Herbs that are yellow an offer flavor and more antioxidants are ginger, moonshine yarrow, dandelion and marigold petals.

3. White Plants

  Potatoes are right up our alley on Thanksgiving, alongside some cauliflower. But do you ever think about leeks, parsnips, turnips, kohlrabi, fennel, and rutabaga for your feast? 

White fruits include Asian pears, and coconut. 

We can also enjoy herbs like garlic and onion that go really good with some white beans and brown rice. Is your mouth watering yet?

4. Red Plants

Red cabbage, tomatoes, beets, rhubarb, radishes, red beans are scrumptious for fix and go meals during a busy week. 

Red grapes, dragon fruit, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and red apples make for some delicious snacks and pies, too!

5. Orange Plants

Lastly, our variety of orange vegetables for this festive week can be butternut squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrot, or acorn squash. 

Oh, boy! Lots of good items with fiber, nutrients and natural sugar. We have so many options.  This isn’t a challenge, at all! For more ways to use these delicious plants check out the Derailing to Detox post!

God created such a tasty variety of plants to heal us, sustain us, and make us whole it’s utterly awe-inspiring!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
    I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
 I will be glad and exult in you;
    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

I am Statements of Jesus and Who God’s Word Says We Are

God gave us these wonderful plants for our physical healing and His Son for our ultimate Spiritual healing. We definitely need both for our health journey!

So, I am listing the “I AM” statements of Jesus here alongside the “I Am” statements written about Christians in the Bible to remind us we are loved by our Creator and have a purpose!

Mental, physical, and spiritual health begin there! At the same time, what we fill our bodies with what matters too!

Jesus’ “I Am” Statements

1. I am the Bread of Life  (John 6:35)
2. I am the Light of the World  (John 8:12)
3. I am the Door  (John 10:9)
4. I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
5. I am the Resurrection and the Life  (John 14:6)
6. I am the True Vine  (John 15:1)
7. I am the Way, Truth, and The Life (John 14:6)

Don’t forget your strengths! You and I use many of them each and every day to care for others, participate in relationships, and function in life!

If you have to, use your fingers to count them down as you say each one, “I am Faithful, I am loved, I am HIS and He is mine!

What is God pressing on your heart today about who He says you are and what He made to make you whole, again?

My prayer is that you find the answers you are looking for and practice using a variety of plants in your daily habits! What’s in the garden and in His Word are so good!

Be blessed,

Mysty

Simplifying Health Faithfully

The zucchini is on! And this 3 step zucchini breakfast casserole is the dish you and I need to use up some of that abundant squash! You know how it is, one after another come on this plant over night! Before the season is over you and I’ve dehydrated, pickled, sauteed, froze, or baked enough bread to feed a family of ten!

It’s exciting, but also a little overwhelming.

My purpose with this blog is to explore God’s garden and His Word with you to create recipe devotions for spiritual and physical growth. There are so many good things at our fingertips for health and wellbeing!

Whether it’s curling up with some encouraging scripture passages or growing some vegetables in our own backyard, the connection with our Creator and the outdoors is hard to match with anything else.

At the same time, gardening in the yard gives us an opportunity to soak in some much-needed sunshine to develop vitamin D!

This dish brings the backyard to the table in an easy and simple way. Here are the 3 steps:

1. Prepare and Shred the Zucchini with your favorite spices (I use the same amount for the vegetable as I do my sausage below.)
2. Grab your favorite spices and nitrate free sausage (I like to buy three pounds of ground turkey and add minced onions, lots of oregano, a moderate amount of coriander, pepper, and a small amount of salt to make ground sausage.

   So, just add 1/2 cup onions, 2 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp coriander, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp salt.

   I prepare this weekly for the two of us while I’m in the kitchen cooking something else, then let it cool and store it in the fridge until it’s ready to use for a meal.

3. Get a 9x 13 Casserole dish ready with a tablespoon of butter. Add the spiced zucchini, sausage, and 9 eggs, top it with cheese and we’re ready to bake!

Benefits of 3 Step Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

When this casserole is baked in a 9 x 13 dish and divided into 12 servings you will receive a whopping 17 grams of protein per serving. Plus, you’ll only be consuming 3 carbohydrates per serving, which leaves us some wiggle room for some multigrain muffins to tag along and give us more fiber. That’s a great start to a healthier day.

Zucchini is also rich in antioxidants, zeaxanthin, and lutein, which are known for their role in helping to prevent macular degeneration, and cataracts. (1) Both of these carotenoids are thought to improve bone density as well. A study of Korean men and women found improved bone density in the femoral neck, total hip, and overall body with consistent intake of these antioxidants. (2)

You may also be happy to learn, a study in Brazil investigated the nutritional value of zucchini raw verses steamed. They found an increase in the antioxidant availability when the items were steamed. (3) Maybe even more interesting in this study, was how microwaved steaming increased potassium and sodium concentrations. (3)

Recipe Devotion

I love reading studies about how whole food heals and sustains us! God’s plan for our health and thriving never fails. Even when we face health challenges or chronic disease that seem too hard.

The metabolic challenges facing us and our children will partly be overcome when we learn how to manage stress, prioritize our sleep, and focus on fueling our bodies before enjoying our treats! As we see in the news frequently, the metabolic health crisis is serious. The American waist circumference is growing, cholesterol and triglycerides are out of range, while blood pressure and blood sugars are rising, too.

It’s like being surrounded by an enemy. Culturally acceptable overeating and depending on convenient food is deceptive and inescapable. Jesus reminds us in the Bible we are to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves in all things faith related, and gospel related.

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Matthew 10 ESV – The Twelve Apostles – And he called to – Bible Gateway

But I think it also applies to how we navigate this deceptive world. There are many food and environmental devices designed to distract us, while at the same time luring us to complacency and illness. Leaning into God’s inspired Word, in the Bible, is steadfast support for us spiritually.

We are called to share our hope and our testimony, with authority, just as the twelve were called to share the gospel to their brothers and sisters. The great news Jesus shares in Mathew chapter 10 is that no matter what we face, the Holy Spirit will give us the words. Even during the severest persecution, we will have the wisdom and the strength to remain faithful.

I hope it fills you with enduring hope and perseverance today as much as it does me. We are well provided for physically and spiritually, if we just slow down long enough to let taste and see the Lord is good!

Recipe for 3 Step Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

The recipe is below!

Check out my other recipes for Zucchini Veggie Burgers & Relish on the Strengthen Your Heart Blog!

You have a wonderful day! I hope you enjoy this 3 step zucchini breakfast casserole and change it up with your favorite spices and vegetable additions! I’m always here if you’re looking for a RN Health and Wellness coach or need a speaker for your church ladies’ retreat!

References:

Abdel-Aal el-SM, Akhtar H, Zaheer K, Ali R. Dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids and their role in eye health. Nutrients. 2013 Apr 9;5(4):1169-85. doi: 10.3390/nu5041169. PMID: 23571649; PMCID: PMC3705341.

Regu GM, Kim H, Kim YJ, Paek JE, Lee G, Chang N, Kwon O. Association between Dietary Carotenoid Intake and Bone Mineral Density in Korean Adults Aged 30-75 Years Using Data from the Fourth and Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2008-2011). Nutrients. 2017 Sep 16;9(9):1025. doi: 10.3390/nu9091025. PMID: 28926945; PMCID: PMC5622785.

de Castro NT, de Alencar ER, Zandonadi RP, Han H, Raposo A, Ariza-Montes A, Araya-Castillo L, Botelho RBA. Influence of Cooking Method on the Nutritional Quality of Organic and Conventional Brazilian Vegetables: A Study on Sodium, Potassium, and Carotenoids. Foods. 2021 Jul 31;10(8):1782. doi: 10.3390/foods10081782. PMID: 34441559; PMCID: PMC8391696.

I am always looking for easy and healthy treats my kids will love! So, these easy 4th of July treats fit the bill. Plus, summer makes it so irresistible with all the fresh berries in season. God provides all the beautiful antioxidants we need and combines it with a sweetness we love.

There is no reason my family and yours can’t maintain our healthier eating habits around this boisterous freedom holiday. When we focus on combining fresh, fiber-filled fruit with whole grain and healthy protein we can easily stay the course.

It’s a win-win for everyone, adults and children alike.

I like to keep it simple and use what I have on hand. Since stocking up on or growing fresh fruit is a part of my weekly routine, these easy 4th of July treats are a no-brainer.

Of course, staying the healthy eating course means these treats are going to top off the lean ground meat portions we choose. . .without nitrates or nitrites. Fresh veggie salads are also on the menu with our very own salad dressing mixes, and maybe even a bun or two we’ve made ourselves!

Yep, easy whole food never tasted so good!

So Let’s Get Started with those Easy 4th of July Treats!

I am a big fan of the protein craze and using what we have to meet our bodies needs and the nutritional needs of our children, while still having fun and enjoying life. Trust me, when the family’s taste buds are weaned off high sugar items laced with chemicals, they learn to love the simplicity of fresh items much more. That is why these Yogurt & Fruit Parfaits with triple zero yogurt from Oikos works in these treats. It’s low in sugar and provides a decent amount of protein, while tasting delicious with fresh fruit and our favorite granola.

2. Mini Fruit Pizzas!

Fruit pizza has been around for decades! The base is usually made with hydrogenated oils and lots of sugar on top of bleached white flour cookies or the famous store-bought brand with the same ingredients. Let’s make it healthier with some gluten-free nuts, some delicious triple zero (stevia only sweetened) Oikos yogurt, and fresh fruit!

3. Watermelon Bowl

Who loves an easy throw away item to take to a party that doesn’t risk food poisoning? ME! I learned this years ago in some Woman’s Day magazine, I’m sure! But the idea is perfect. I slice my watermelon down the middle. Set aside a large bowl and begin to carefully slice and remove the chunks. I then wash my blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, and kiwi and chop them, too.

Once the watermelon is empty and smooth, I start taking small cuts around the edges and remove them to create a nice design. On the bottom I make a fine little slice removing the curve but not puncturing the “bowl”, so it sits flat. I fill it with all the chopped fruit, cover it with plastic (I know, ick! But what other options do I have? Let me know what you would use in it’s place!)

Easy. Simple. Delicious. We’re off to the party.

I hope your 4th of July is wonderful. We can celebrate our freedom in this very unique country founded on the principles of openly practicing our faith. A faith not hindered by governing bodies who fear the ONE authority who is truly in control of our freedom.

Even with all its flaws, it is still a joy, an honor, and a privilege to live in such a beautiful place that allows you and I to honor God and worship Him.

Today, as we celebrate our country’s freedom from oppression, may we never forget who died for our eternal freedom!

 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:36

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17

BibleGateway – Keyword Search: freedom

May God bless you and our country today and every day!

Healthier Eating is a difficult start for families who have never embraced fruits and vegetables as daily nourishment. Imagine growing up in schools, homes, daycares, and churches where everything is in a plastic bag or taken out of a box. Culturally, it’s not our fault, it is exactly what you and I have experience day after day, and year after year.

The beautiful and glorious plan of God the first week in the garden is shattered as we replace natural whole ingredients for fake imitations. Food manufacturers come along enticing us with high-priced marketing techniques and flashy packaging to purchase their slow poisons just like the serpent enticed our first parents, Adam and Eve, to sin.

We miss out on the juicy goodness of fresh fruit running down our chins and the crunchiness of fresh vegetables. But we don’t have to! It can be easy and delicious when we retrain our taste buds to God’s original plan in the garden. We can embrace the challenge, live an intentional way and make life for ourselves and our little ones much happier.

It may be difficult at first. Healthier eating is a challenge for littles or grown-ups who are not used to eating the bitter flavor of vegetables and have a taste for sweet and salty. This is where perseverance and effort play a role.

Because better health for our family and ourselves, is worth giving vegetables at least 3 bites and 3 separate tries so we acquire the taste adjustment necessary to make a change. Some experts say it takes as many as 20 tries to like a vegetable! Let’s at least try 3.

Another drawback is getting used to the texture of vegetables! Chewing slowly and thoroughly allows our palate to get used to the new food.

Don’t’ give up! Our health is worth the extra effort!

There is also a misunderstanding of what is good or what is real food. Myths abound!

The first myth is thinking ultra-processed products are food. The reality is packaged food is a sad comparison to the real thing.

Not only that, but it also has additives, preservatives, flavorings, and dyes that are known to make us sick. The original food is lost deep in the manufacturer’s pit.

However, when we begin to branch out and eat fresh fruits and vegetables, we learn to change our taste buds and the taste buds of our children.

Whole food, in its natural form comes to life in us and feeds us well. Giving us the energy and stamina to get through the day.

We’ll also find our kids, calmer, less hyperactive (without all the processed sugar and dyes) and more manageable.

The other myth is that “eating healthier is too expensive.”

When you and I measure our items and count the true cost we see that fake food is more expensive.

Take a look at this grocery comparison chart for some basic breakfast items to get an idea of what I mean:

I get it. Everything is expensive right now!

But even though this chart is from last year and eggs are much more expensive at this time, there is a way to calculate the true cost.

Ounce for ounce eating healthier is much cheaper and saves us money because we are not prone to every virus out there!

Staying healthy and not going to the doctor saves us money. We are saving money building our immune systems and the immune system of our children.

The next question is usually well what do we eat? Where do we start?

Start small!

Add some fruits and vegetables to your diet each week.

Buy some fun looking salad mixes and serve them with each meal.

Buy root vegetables and others (squash, sweet potatoes, zucchini, beets, Brussel sprouts, etc.) and roast them in the oven at 375 with olive oil, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper for 25 to 30 minutes.

Season cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, spinach, kale and others with your favorite spices, or just plain salt and butter and sauté until lightly cooked about 5 to 10 minutes. It’s delicious.

There are 12 ounce bags of frozen vegetables in the grocery store. Just empty them into a glass bowl with some salt and butter and microwave them for 3 minutes, stir and microwave one more minute.

Never cook the food in plastic, it leaches plastic particles into the food and damages our health.

Some people don’t trust microwaves, if you are one of those people, just place them in a skillet and cook over medium heat. Add salt and butter and cook covered 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Thin sliced meats, like chicken tenders, salmon, cod fish, turkey patties, beef patties, cook 5 minutes each side and are done in 10 minutes.

Think healthy, simple, variety of color, and on the table in less than 30 minutes.

That is my go-to method for cooking family meals.

The average family, man, woman, and child needs approximately 0.8 to 1 gram of protein/lb. of body weight. But that varies with the resources we follow. The USDA Daily Recommended Amounts can be calculated here:
DRI Calculator for Healthcare Professionals | National Agricultural Library

Too much sugar is hard on our teeth, skin, hair, bones, brain, blood vessels, and liver.

We need all those organs to keep us up right and functioning. Our kids need those organs working well so they can learn and grow without being in the doctor’s office every week or picking up the latest virus!

Yep, our immune systems love much healthier food.

A Simple Healthier Eating Tool I Use from My 1st Coaching Program with Dr. Sears Wellness Insitute is Traffic Light Eating.
It looks like this:

**Note: Sedentary children & adults with Insulin Resistance -Prediabetes- or Diabetes will have to limit fruit to one serving to avoid sugar spikes**

Taking the time to learn about green go foods for better skin, less illness, better behavior, is a benefit for the entire family!

Learning that children need healthy, fiber rich carbohydrates like whole grains will help their tummies! They have smoother, easier bowel movements, feed their good gut bacteria, and get more nutrients!

Check out these recipes for fiber rich breakfast ideas for your family!

Raspberry Millet Breakfast Bars (You can substitute Oats for Millet)
Energy Boosting Breakfast Brownies
10 Sugar Free and Hearty Meals for Breakfast
Peanut Chocolate Chip Muffins
Sweet Potato and Pecan Pancakes

I Have So Many Ideas for Getting Started with Healthier Eating!
Here is a Shopping List:

The ground turkey can be split in half and used for two recipes:

1. Ground sausage: 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp coriander or cumin, 1/4 cup avocado oil. Mix all the spices and oil well with the ground turkey and sauté until browned. Use it for omelets, scrambled eggs, or add 3 tbsp of flour and 2 cups of mild stirring often to make sausage gravy!
2. Use the other half of the ground turkey to make meatballs (you can easily freeze these for another meal for another day once they are baked) add 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 tsp garlic, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tbsl parsley flakes, roll into 1 inch balls and bake on a cookie sheet 20 minutes at 350.

How About Some EASY Fresh Baked Bread?

This is not your ordinary bread loaf!

It doesn’t have cancer causing bromide or other preservatives (less than 2% per package labels) or bleached flour that is in white bread and lasts years on the shelf!

Nope! This bread is fresh and delicious and will MOLD in 2-3 days AS IT SHOULD, if it’s not eaten right away.

I will usually wait until it’s cool, slice it and freeze any leftovers for the family to eat later in the week for toast or thawed 30 seconds in the microwave for a grilled cheese or grilled sandwich.

Easy No Knead Bread Recipe and Video is here!

Make your own tortillas! You can have the entire family join you for the fun!

Once cooled, they store easy in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.

My favorite tortilla recipes are here!

Don’t let the process intimidate you, once you begin to make your own and let the kids help, you’ll have fun and love them so much no other tortillas will compare!

If you need classes in your community and want me to come and help, I will!

When you want to change up the easy no knead bread recipe yet keep it simple, add a banana and some cinnamon. Oh, and also add a cup of chopped walnuts.

It’s very filling and has a decent amount of protein to get us started on our day. There is no sugar and no oil either, so it’s just whole grain unbleached organic flour, yeast, salt, banana, cinnamon, walnuts, and water.

Benefits of No Knead Banana Bread

The benefit of adding banana to this bread is, of course, is the added fiber, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins. I’m also fond of the cinnamon with its cinnamaldehyde component to ward off infections, help balance blood sugar, and provides a boost for the metabolism of those carbs in the bread.

Cinnamon is also rich in polyphenols and increases antioxidants in the blood which helps lower inflammation. I’ll take that prize spice with my bread any day! The walnuts add crunchiness, healthy omega 3 fat, more polyphenols, and vitamin E. They are beneficial for lowering inflammation, cardiac risk, and cholesterol.

Overall, the banana version of the Easy No Knead Bread is pretty healthy!

Devotion

God’s beautiful gardens all over the world never fail to give us what we need! He is worthy of thanks and praise!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100:4-5

I hope you enjoy making your very own No Knead Banana Bread! Let me know how it turns out! Don’t forget to subscribe to the site for recipes, health tips, and encouragement!

I look forward to serving you!

A rough week of allergies calls for some healthy comfort food! Yep! Sourdough, spelt & hard red wheat muffins with chocolate and walnuts are healthy! They are also very comforting!

I’m curious what creations you make with your sourdough starters, too! With curious bakers like you and me around, the possibilities are endless.

All I did to make these extra-large muffins was use my Peanut Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe and adapt it to include the sourdough starter. It was a total guess as to what to do here and there, so don’t be disappointed if it’s not foolproof. I am, what you might call, an experimental baker not an expert.

But boy! Do they taste good!

The next time I make these, I might change the water to half water and half nutmilk or coconut milk, but really, water worked well. The house smelled like fresh doughnuts and the moisture of the muffins was spot on.

Benefits of Sourdough Spelt & Hard Red Chocolate Walnut Muffins

I used a cup of organic fresh-milled hard red wheat and a cup of organic spelt for this recipe. I like the nutty flavor of the hard red wheat, plus it has 136mcg of selenium per cup. That’s ten times more selenium than other grains! It also packs 10.5 mg niacin, 73mcg of folate, 1152 mg omega 6, 51.8mg of omega 3, and 23.4grams of fiber!

Partnered with spelt, which is loaded with 113mg omega 3, 6.3mcg of vitamin K, 11.9mg of niacin, 7.7 mg of iron, 68.9mcg of folate, and we are talking about a decadent treat without the guilt! We’ll enjoy a combined duo of over 400mg magnesium, and 1500mg potassium with modest amounts (12mg) of zinc per cup!

I love what God puts in the garden for our good and his glory! There is no better way to overcome seasonal allergies! After all his testimony is true and faithful in the things that he made. . .

 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.

Acts 14:16-18 NIV – In the past, he let all nations go – Bible Gateway

Do you know him today? Is there an emptiness in your life you cannot describe? Perhaps the sense of missing a vital piece of joy and contentment is something you can’t quite shake. Spiritual health as well as physical health is withing reach! Knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior fills that mysterious and unnamable void and can be yours today!

I will pray it consumes you, in a good way, as you seek him in his word!

You won’t regret surrendering your life to him, I promise you. In the meantime, check out the recipe for these delicious muffins to tantalize your pallet and fill your belly.

I cannot wait to try this with my thawed pumpkin puree or with blueberries and lemons! I’ll have to change the liquid portion a bit, but they will be so good! If you get a chance to try these sourdough, spelt and hard red wheat muffins with chocolate and walnuts, I hope you enjoy them, too!

Check out the site for more recipes using fresh-milled grain, there are plenty!

Have a great day and God bless!

I love making these naturally colored crackers with vegetables and olive oil. Beets, broccoli, and cheddar are divided into three parts to make these colorful and tasty crackers.

It’s an easy way to avoid dyes in my food, too!

The concerns for dyes and preservatives in the food supply are climbing as children and young adults have more difficulty concentrating at school and at work. The History of Dyes In Food, Why it Matters, & a List of Safe Foods quotes some research articles related to dyes and behavioral problems.

Benefits of Naturally Colored Crackers

Although fresh-milled whole wheat is the star of this crunchy snack, a good unbleached organic flour is acceptable, too. The fresh-milled grains provide the original B vitamins, plenty of fiber and protein, and necessary valuable minerals.

I thought a cup of beets would be nice for making them red. It will add a few antioxidants. A cup of broccoli is pretty cool too for making them green, and bringing in some sulforaphane, calcium, potassium, and iron. (1)

Cheddar is set aside to flavor the rest.

God provides what we need in the garden, and we can use the items in our baked goods to make ordinary crackers even better.

I hope you enjoy the crackers and the rest of the recipes on this blog!

It’s my pleasure to bring them to you!

Refernces:

Hwang JH, Lim SB. Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Broccoli Florets in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 Cells. Prev Nutr Food Sci. 2014 Jun;19(2):89-97. doi: 10.3746/pnf.2014.19.2.089. PMID: 25054107; PMCID: PMC4103733.