Potato and Tomato Salad is a delicious summer salad combination using what’s on hand in the garden. Since this combination provides quality C and A vitamins, potassium, as well as lycopene, its quite nutritious. Making it a good portion of God’s goodness to strengthen our hearts.
My Flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26
I was reading in my study time this morning about grace. I’m thinking about how it has strengthened my heart over the years. I hope His Word is a source of strength for you too. I also hope you enjoy what is available in the garden to strengthen your body today, even if that garden is the produce section of your grocery store!
My prayer for you: God in heaven, your love astounds me daily and your presence is vital to my being. I am humbled by your grace and thank you intensely for your forgiveness. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever—not bound by time in a fragile human frame like mine. Please be with those seeking more out of life than their current experience. You are more satisfying than material things and guide them to the way everlasting. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I used to love tomatoes, and even though I cannot eat them very often, we still love to grow them. Are they not just spectacular to look at in this basket? For many, they will make a delicious potato and tomato salad.
Potato & Tomato Salad
6 Medium Red Potatoes
1/2 Vidalia Onion
1 Clove Garlic Minced
7 Cherry Tomatoes Chopped
1/2 Cup Spinach or Basil Pesto
2 Tablespoons Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
Boil the potatoes until tender with the clove of minced garlic. Drain the water. Pour the 2 tsp of olive oil over the potatoes with the salt and pepper and let cool. You could add 1/2 tsp garlic powder and onion powder to the potatoes or No Salt Spice Blend.
Dice the tomatoes. Set aside.
Create your own Pesto: Pulse 1 cup of spinach (or basil) in a blender with one to two tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons nuts ( I usually use walnuts, today I accidentally grabbed pecans, yummy) .Add two tablespoons of shredded Romano cheese. Pulse until almost a paste.
Add this and the tomatoes to the "mostly " cooled potatoes. Top with shredded Romano.
I hope you enjoy this summer salad as much as my family does.
Use what you have on hand. What’s in the garden is good! 🙂
You can also use your potatoes to make this really nice potato soup!
Don’t you love a special day of the year dedicated to focusing on just being Thankful!
Although, every day is an opportunity to share gratitude individually, as a nation our hearts and minds are focused on that one special day to give thanks. How do we teach the little ones in our lives thankfulness?
We can offer to load a sack of groceries into the car for someone with small children in the grocery store parking lot. We can smile at a lonely elderly person. Maybe even share some leftover turkey with our widowed neighbor.
Not only do small acts of kindness instill a sense of gratitude in our little ones, but also those we serve. The love of Jesus is sewn into the hearts at the end of every act of kindness. It is a beautiful thing to behold. Look at the following scripture on thankfulness:
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples! (Psalm 105:1)
So share a little love and thankfulness with some friends today with that leftover turkey. Here’s what you’ll need for a twist on turkey salad.
Combine all ingredients, store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Enjoy!
Sugar Fasting Benefits: Improve Your Health Today
Discover the Sugar Fasting Benefits for Your Health
Are you ready for 10 biblical and scientific reasons sugar fasting improves health? We need solid evidence to embrace a new way of thinking, don’t we? I hope to share the value of placing excess sugar in its place with these principles!
#10 We Learn Self-control
According to research from the National Institute of health we see “short-term, selective food deprivation may indeed increase food cravings, long-term energy restriction seems to decrease food cravings, suggesting that food deprivation can also facilitate extinction of conditioned food craving responses.” (The Psychology of Food Cravings: the Role of Food Deprivation – PMC)
I see this as once the original dopamine/sugar stimulation is removed, and withdrawal (which we’ll address later) is resolved, we experience sweet relief and better self-control.
Biblically, Paul tells us in Galatians “self-control” is a fruit of the spirit alongside love and joy and peace!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Food cravings never give us peace, only Jesus does. Giving in to them gives us short-term happiness but not lasting joy. The self-control we’re after is to enjoy small amounts at celebrations and holidays and not be consumed by it every day, every meal.
# 9 We Learn Submission
Christians understand submission because it gives them freedom. When we submitted our lives to Christ, we died to our old selfish ways and embraced full surrender of our lives to Christ.
In John 17:15-16 Jesus says, “ I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Although it’s a process in the case of sugar addiction and our pleasure in it, we understand the world’s pleasures do not appeal to our redeemed hearts like it used to. Materialism is not important, people are. Status, the symbol of pride, sinks well below service. Food and drink are gifts from God and are used for fuel, not overindulgence.
Well we hope, anyway.
Several science-based studies support the spiritual view of faith and health. When we submit to God, we are placing our trust in Him for all things. Therefore, it makes sense when we understand God’s heart for our well-being. According to an American Psychological Association article summarizing linkages to physical health:
In healthy participants, there is a strong, consistent, prospective, and often graded reduction in risk of mortality in church/service attenders. This reduction is approximately 25% after adjustment for confounders. (Religion and spirituality. Linkages to physical health – PubMed)
# 8 Prioritizing Power
When there is order in my life, it flows better. How about you? There is power in prioritizing the things that matter the most. It’s a principle birthed inn our value system.
Health matters–so prioritizing power starts in the grocery store. Sleep matters to health so we have the energy we need. Energy matters so we have the ability to work and earn a living
God gave Israel an order of prioritizing how they approached their enemies, how to treat survivors, and how to use the trees for food and not cut them down.
No waste, no want.
It seems Australia and the UK see the same concept in one of their prospective studies, stating.
“Promoting healthy diet behaviors should be prioritized as a cost-effective preventive action that supports productivity and performance, in comparison with the costs of remediating treatment.”
Awareness of a problem is the first step towards making a change. It’s not foolproof of sustaining the new pattern but it does make us consider new possibilities.
What does it look like when awareness happens in the bodily systems?
It usually looks different for each one of us. We’ll do one of two things:
Ignore it and hope it goes away
Run to the doctor and get 10 tests run to see what the problem is
According to research, “Self-awareness is important because it allows you to reflect on aspects of yourself. As you understand your abilities and tendencies, your self-awareness also allows you to think about how you interact with others and the world around you.
Self-aware people are able to manage their behaviors and adapt to situations. They can accurately evaluate what the situation requires and then modify their actions accordingly.” (Self-Awareness: Development, Types, and How to Improve Yours)
Biblically, it’s a matter of accurately evaluating God and his plans for our good. Psalm 19:8 “The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
Science is not so far from the Bible, is it? We become aware, we take action, we remember, we repeat. Understanding is good for both instances. After 40 days of sugar removal we’ll have more awareness.
#6 Preparation Skills
Preparing for a 40-day sugar fast takes planning, doesn’t it? It begins with awareness (not guilt) of where we consume hidden sugar each day. We’ve been deceived by sneaky manufacturers in the past, but no more!
God can and will retrain our minds and our taste buds as we reprogram both with His Word and support from one another.
1. We’ll begin by reading labels of things already in our pantry and learning about hidden sugar. 4 grams =1 teaspoon of sugar. The words we’re looking for are “Added sugar” 2. Pray this verse several times a day to renew your mind and your tongue this week as you read labels. If you want, the following verses are good to keep too. Maybe write it on a post card and place it on your favorite box of goodies.
“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:1)
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:2-3)
How do these verses speak to you today?
#5 Sharper Cues
If you’re like me, you may be connecting stiff hands and foggy brain function to eating high sugar items. What about feeling really tired after a splurge of indulgence? If you have, you’re in good company!
Many Americans are suffering alongside you, myself included. Six years ago, I woke up one morning and the middle finger of my right hand was stuck to my palm. Quickly controlling my panic, I forced the digit to its normal position with my left hand. This happened a couple of more times that week and I suspected the “Trigger finger” was due to consuming excess sugar.
So, I decided to do a little experiment and cut out sugar and dairy for a while to see if I felt better. Imagine my surprise when it went away four short weeks later. I was left thinking about how chronic inflammation may be affecting my skin, bones, muscles, and blood vessels, too.
It was enough concern to convince me to do some- thing long-term. But I needed the Lord’s help to make it happen. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it alone.
Do you feel the same way sometimes? God has a better plan for our lives and it’s not only easy, but, delicious. He provides everything we need in His gardens around the world to satisfy our sweet tooth.
Moreover, He provided His Son, Jesus, as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. We find freedom from sugar by digging deep into His Word of Truth and applying it to our lives. Which is exactly what I plan to do for the next 40 days.
Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
We’ll both have sharper cues to an underlying problem, physically and spiritually when we cut out all sugar and artificial sugar substitutes. For Christians, staying in the Bible for encouragement these next 40 days is key!
#4 Profitable
If you’re struggling to lose that last 20 pounds this is the “profitable” challenge for you! Biblically, profitable means what is spiritually giving you all you need to be content and walk in a manner worthy of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
You and I have an advantage over the cravings of our flesh when we understand there is a better way. When a Christian’s frame of mind is rewired by biblical principles, we’re not:
Bound by material things
Looking for comfort in food
Restless with confusion about what to eat and not eat
Dependent on fast food for fuel
Giving in to things that do not please God
Acting out every whim of grumbling and complaining
Tearing down someone else who is not doing what we “think” they should do
. . . And we can only understand these things fully when we read the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
With one word, what you are looking forward to most in this 40-Day Challenge?
#3 Persistence
Wins and losses teach us something important and that is persistence.
My clients have lost and gained weight so many times it does something to their mindset: They falsely believe they are failures.
They forget:
The success of raising a stable, loving family
Keeping a marriage together
Showing up with all their talent for the job they hold.
All those skills and abilities took persistnence too!
According to Psychology Today research, persistence is seen as “grit, where specific brain regions associated with perseverance and long-term goal orientation are crucial for self-regulation and motivation. Genetic studies also suggest that traits related to grit, such as resilience, are influenced by both hereditary factors and environmental experiences.”
Biblically, Jesus gives us a beautiful example of persistence in his ministry, his love for people, his prayer life, his sacrifice, and his grace.
He tells us to be:
Persistent in prayer
Persistent in pursuing Him and our loved ones
Persistent sharing how much we love the peace we have in Him.
One example I love is in Luke 11 as He talks about the neighbor knocking on the door repeatedly at night for food:
Luke 11: 8 “I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.”
God does that for me an you every single day and we don’t even realize it!
#2 Priceless Prize
The priceless prize of health is only second to knowing a peace that surpasses understanding. Isn’t it?
In his letter to the Philippian church, the apostle Paul says he forgets what lies behind and strains forward to what lies ahead.
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)
I appreciate you joining me for this momentous occasion. When you get through the next 40 days, you’ll look back and see how truly powerful prayer and fasting are to gain a priceless prize of:
1. A closer and deeper appreciation of our relationship with God
2. Freedom from being dominated by a substance
So, as we embark on this journey of freedom together my prayer for you involves sugar substitutes and alternatives.
Many of them are deceptive and can trick the dopamine receptors in the brain to think it’s getting sugar when it’s not. Does that affect other complex signals throughout the body?
You bet it does!
Addiction is still addiction, whether we substitute sugar with a sugar alternative or not.
I know there are questions that arise when we have this thing, we think we can’t live without…
And you are going to do this challenge your way, not my way.
But my prayer is you will at least give up all sugar and sugar substitutes for at least the first 10 days.
What happens in 10 days? The taste buds are replenishing themselves and the new ones are not exposed to sugar. Yes! The science says we renew our taste buds every 10 to 14 days.
Weaning off sugar is doable and we can still enjoy great food!
Thanks so much for joining, I’m in it with you!
#1 Master Cravings
Day one is here, don’t panic. If you’re not there mentally take this week to focus on a few things that matter the most:
My “why” and your “why”. It may be:
I don’t want to be a slave to any “thing”
Less pain, stiffness, inflammation, holding onto excess water.
Less cravings–yes! once removed and you get through withdrawal, cravings go away
Feeling better, more energy, less brain fog
2. How to do it:
Know where the sugar is hiding: condiments, snacks, chips, soda, energy drinks, cereal, salad dressings, protein bars, crackers, etc.
Read labels: There are over 75 names for sugar! On the ingredients look for dextrose (anything with “ose” on the end of the word, xylitol, erythritol (alcohol sugars), dextrin.
The term “added sugar” means there is refined sugar in the product. So there is a quick way.
Find substitutes: Fresh fruit, Holi’s protein juice smoothies are great! Water with lemon, lime, cucumbers, or berries–it gives you necessary minerals for hydration.
You know whole food is your best bet and God designed you to eat it!
But. . .. If you are really busy and need a list of go-to items; use a Chat gpt prompt like: Create for me a 40-day meal plan with no sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners. Or tell me what packaged food items they are in so I can avoid them.
Support! I am here for you to encourage you several times a week with science and scripture!
Don’t’ get overwhelmed, Scarlett, tomorrow is another day! But so is noon, and dinner if you forgot at breakfast and slipped!
It’s okay! The awareness of not wanting to be dominated by anything is powerful and so is the Bible in giving us real comfort.
We learn how to let go of the things of this world like sugar, status, and money.
Mathew 6:24 says we can’t serve two masters and the verses leading up to it remind us to not store up for ourselves treasures here on earth but in heaven:
“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. ” Mathew 6:21
3 Step Jumpstart to Hormone Balance & God’s Design
Achieve Hormone Balance with God’s Design Guide
Do you ever wonder why hormone replacement therapy is not fixing your problems the way you thought it would? Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and the GLP-1 that works for everyone else is not working for you and it’s frustrating. It’s also a sign all of your hormones need a little tweaking instead of just the most popular buzzword hormones.
The 3-step jumpstart to hormone balance described below will help you think beyond those confident, concrete claims of marketers, social media influencers, and even your friends.
It is designed to give you the “A-ha” moment of what could be blocking your hormone balance. But don’t get upset, it is possible to heal hormone imbalance with a few tweaks and some consistent new habits.
Now, I understand, a lot of people don’t have time to enter a program and see it through like they want to. That is why I design programs to take you step by step through the process in videos and a workbook you can do it at your own pace.
You and I don’t want eating healthier, or our lifestyle patterns to be more complicated. It has to be delicious, healthy, and easy, right?
Learning how to handle social situations with tons of delicacies and dainties that make our mouths water is part of a new phenomenon called “food noise”. It’s the continual worrying about what to eat, thoughts of how pleasurable and irresistible an item will be, and feeling guilty for not having “will power” to resist.
In these programs we’ll tackle strengths, the power of addictive substances in food, and develop solid tools that help. In the meantime, let’s get a better understanding of how to get a jumpstart and a solid first step in place to balance hormones.
 1. We Need a Healthy Gut to Balance HormonesÂ
Yes, you know this already. But do you live it out? Do you understand that what we do each day affects how our hormones work, or don’t work? The gut lining is exposed to thousands of chemicals over our lifetimes. That includes antibiotics, birth control, food preservatives, artificial sweeteners, pesticides, fertilizers, etc.Â
Basically, it’s pretty damaged and limited in how it can help us process our hormones. So, step one includes awareness of how this happens and understanding the marketing buzzwords (like GLP-1, Prebiotics, Glutamine, Probiotics) touted to be the solution to our problem, may not work for us.
It takes time and a dedicated process to heal the gut wall and restore hormone balance. Those things do play a role but what if you and I learn to do it with God’s perfect design of them?
When the pathways are open, the irritants removed, and strategic steps are taken with the right timing, healing begins. Just the way He designed it to heal.Â
Why? Because God designed those hormones for you for a purpose. He also designed the food to make them work optimally. The problem is we’ve been fooled into thinking what man makes is better.Â
2. We Need to Be Able to Metabolize the Hormones We HaveÂ
Ok, if our gut lining is not working properly, the enzymes needed for breaking down nutrients and taking them where they need to go to give us energy, stamina, and appetite control, etc. . . don’t work either!
 When my client tells me, “Oh, I can’t eat salads, they go right through me.” DING DING DING, the bell is ringing! They don’t have the digestive enzymes they need to process their food!
What other areas of gut mechanisms are affected? Vitamin D, B vitamins, fatty acids, and serotonin production, to name a few. All of which are HUGE for our mood, immune function, mental clarity, and overall health!
Do you see why this is such a big deal and why I want to help people feel better?
 3. We Have to Excrete the Oxidized Hormones We Don’t Need, to Be in Hormone Balance
Now, I am not trying to sound condescending and irritated when I say this, so please hear my heart on this:
Women amaze me with their resistance to bioidentical hormone replacement and fear of them to aggravate breast cancer but don’t think twice about their alcohol consumption, sugar consumption, and processed food consumption when it comes to increasing cancer risks.Â
It’s frustrating to me as a continual researcher, educator, and nurse. You and I cannot metabolize our “oxidized” hormones if we are continually challenging the gut, the liver, the pancreas, and the kidneys with toxic food and chemicals in those items.
PLUS, we don’t’ understand why we’re having so much trouble with our new hormone regimen, be it estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, GLP-1, GIP, or thyroid replacements.Â
 If we haven’t made the effort to remove harmful substances that the body sends through the detoxifying pathways and CANNOT eliminate due to an overload on those organs, they become “oxidized”.Â
It’s a scientific term which basically means they are now rancid and no good. Think: high cholesterol, low metabolism, dysfunctional thyroid, night sweats, hot flashes, and on and on!
Call to Action: What are 3 things you’ve learned today and why does it matter to you, your health, and your family? Take one of the three points above and pray for God to lead you to a solution.
Next month I will have my 3-step process put into a program for all of you to participate in whenever you are ready.
The thing I realized the most when doing the research for my GLP-1 Optimization Certification is that the MetS Busters program is a phase 1 approach to making all the hormones work together better.
It’s a good program to get started and it breaks down to $11.46 per week. Cheaper than weekly coffee drinks!
As always, I am here for you if you need a health coach to walk you through optimizing hormones and becoming who God created you to be physically and spiritually!
Mysty
Heart Facts/Risk Factors/Signs and Symptoms
Articles to support your learning and give you more tools!
What are you thoughts about heart health this week? Please share them in the comments below!
Healthy & Easy 4th of July Treats Kids Love
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.
May God bless you and our country today and every day!
Healthier Eating: Where to Start?
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
Fruit & Protein Delight
Are you experimenting with all the cottage cheese recipes online? The Protein Delight ideas in this post are inspired by the combinations of fruit and cottage cheese that are all the craze today!
We have the best of both worlds! Fresh or frozen fruit combined with a good quality protein source! Therefore, we have the fiber, the water, and the amnio acids present to keep us full until our next meal or as a small, sweet topper to our lunch.
Protein Delight # 1 Pineapple
If you can find a really sweet pineapple you won’t need to add maple syrup or a non-artificial sweetener of your choice. Although if the pineapple is a little on the sour side, do your taste test and add the small amount of sweetener as needed.
A cup of cottage cheese has 26 grams of protein. So if you’re skipping the ice cream and want a sweet treat, this one satisfies.
Protein Delight # 2 —Cherry!
Fresh picked or frozen at the peak of ripeness, cherries make a delicious little treat. They have wonderful anti-inflammatory properties too! Another plus? They have nutrients to help me sleep, which is really nice! I have several cherry recipes here on the blog so you and I can improve sleep even more. Check out my Low Sugar Cherry Tarts or the Cherry and Broccoli Salad!
This cherry blend can be topped with some dark chocolate so you can make your own cherry cordial. My sister told be about this one and I had to try it—without the chocolate. As much as I like chocolate, I don’t like chunks of it in my creamy treats.
Protein Delight # 3–Almond or Peanut Butter
Creamy nut butter blended with cottage cheese is another way to get our protein in while making it taste like a decadent treat. The combinations are just limitless! What are some of your favorites?
I’m thinking of Brazil nuts, Cashews, Pecans. . . Oh my! I can see the little ones coming with mouths open when they see the joy on our faces eating these healthy creations. Don’t you just love finding ways to get them healthy, while also pleasing their palates?
God’s mighty garden of goodness continues to delight the tastes and senses for our continued physical health. His powerful Words in the Bible are present to calm our hearts and renew our spirits each day, too. I pray you rest in that knowledge and hope today.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practicesand have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Oh, are all of the possible combinations are just rolling through your mind like they are mine?
What if we tried blueberries and topped with pecans, peaches with walnuts, or banana with hemp seed hearts? We can start our day with a protein packed breakfast or divide the items into smaller bite size containers for an after meal treat.
Whatever you do, have fun with it and enjoy!
Take care and remember to simply your health faithfully and renewed practices and habits will happen!
I am here for you!
One Pot Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato and Broccoli
One pot meals on a lazy day is a must have in my arsenal for eating clean whole food! This one pot chicken thighs with sweet potato and broccoli dish fits the bill today! Eating healthy can be simple, and fairly economical, when you and I put our minds to it!
For example, I bought this package of organic chicken thighs at a reduced price due to their close expiration date. They were around $6. I also buy the 2 lb. bags of organic broccoli when they are on sale. Do you have to buy organic to be healthy? Not necessarily. Any change from processed ultra-refined food to quick cooking frozen or fresh whole food is a plus!
A great way to start is to download your digital coupons, and keep in mind everything you buy goes towards gas points! Once the store recognizes your identifying number you will continue to get coupons for those items!
Sweet potatoes grown in the garden are also very nice on the budget. They can be grown in patio pots, or backyard raised beds. When they are harvested in September, they are kept in a cool dry place all winter at around 50 degrees. I used the last of our stored sweet potato crop for this dish and it’s April!
Benefits of One Pot Chicken Thighs
A serving of this meal has 31 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. It’s also loaded with cancer fighting antioxidants like glucosinolates, sulforaphane, and indole-3-carbinol. The anti-inflammatory effects of these antioxidants also help control blood pressure, and lower heart disease risks. (1)
Minerals in Broccoli include calcium, potassium, and iron. It’s a powerhouse vegetable with many benefits and adds a delicious flare to this one pot chicken thigh meal! Paired with another powerhouse vegetable like sweet potatoes and you and I can double our efforts for fighting inflammation and disease. (2)
God’s glorious nature is revealed in the things He created!
Devotion
I never get tired of reading the benefits of plants that are for our good and God’s glory! You and I will never fully understand how things in this world work the way they do. But we can be sure of this, God is thoughtful, considerate, and forward thinking we He put these properties in our food.
All we have to do is eat it and get away from the ultra-processed chemicals that are destroying ourselves, friends, and family! The sad part is most people I come into contact with are oblivious to the world’s deception. Big food manufacturers take a vegetable or a grain and remove all the base nutrients. Then they add a few synthetic vitamins, a handful of preservatives, additives, flavorings, and colorings and call the product, food.
It’s downright sinful when you think about the catastrophic consequences to the pregnant moms and growing children of our nation. If you’re like me, being the brunt of jokes, snide remarks, and ribbing due to eating whole food is a part of our culture. I think it’s because when you and I do resist the system and turn away from the items wrecking our health, we get teased or made fun of for going against the grain.
It’s a defense mechanism people use when they are challenged in how they behave. I get it. Generally, people don’t like to question their own habits and behavior.
Over the years I’ve learned to ignore the onslaught of laughter, eye-rolling defensiveness and self-guilt of others, and embrace what I know is good and pleasing to my cells and the God who made me.
You and I will find, our hope is not in this world or the things of this world, but only in Him. When we understand how to protect the body (the tent that houses His Holy Spirit) He gave us, we feel better physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
And that, my fine reader, is what we want to rub off on those making fun of us. A considerate appraisal of what makes you and I different. A curious wondering of how we are at peace and not anxious.
 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
One Pot Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato & Broccoli
One Pot Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato and Broccoli
1 Package Chicken Thighs ((6 in a package))
2 Cups Broccoli (Frozen or Fresh)
1 Cup Sweet Potato (Frozen or Fresh)
1 Cup Quinoa (Precooked or Wild Rice Precooked)
2 Tsp Avocado Oil
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Oregano
Heat a stainless steel skillet to high. Once hot reduce the heat and add your oil. Season the chicken with the spices and add it to the pan.
Cook 3 minutes each side on medium heat.
Add the chopped sweet potato and cover with a lid cooking another 6-10 minutes.
Then add the broccoli and precooked quinoa the last 5 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
I hope you find the recipe and the devotion helpful as you make your way towards healthier eating habits! There are many more broccoli and sweet potato recipes here on the blog, so please check them out!
If you like the recipe, don’t forget to give it a rating! Thanks for stopping by!
References:
Syed RU, Moni SS, Break MKB, Khojali WMA, Jafar M, Alshammari MD, Abdelsalam K, Taymour S, Alreshidi KSM, Elhassan Taha MM, Mohan S. Broccoli: A Multi-Faceted Vegetable for Health: An In-Depth Review of Its Nutritional Attributes, Antimicrobial Abilities, and Anti-inflammatory Properties. Antibiotics (Basel). 2023 Jul 7;12(7):1157. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12071157. PMID: 37508253; PMCID: PMC10376324.
2. Nguyen HC, Chen CC, Lin KH, Chao PY, Lin HH, Huang MY. Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, and Health Benefits of Sweet Potato Leaves. Molecules. 2021 Mar 24;26(7):1820. doi: 10.3390/molecules26071820. PMID: 33804903; PMCID: PMC8038024.
Super Easy Potato Peel Hash
I love to use every part of the potato when cooking! When they are fresh out of the ground, and cleaned, I peel them to make this super easy potato peel hash.
This way, we keep the majority of minerals and vitamins found in the peel of the potato for all of our body’s needs. Waste not, want not, right?
The surprise spice that gives this dish a different spin is the ranch seasoning and chicken apple sausage. Yum!
Potato Peel Hash Benefits
Combined with spices from the herb garden, alongside some onions and peppers, this tasty dish stacks up as a nutrient dense main course. According to a PubMed article, a serving of baked potato can provide 18% of our daily requirement of potassium, 6% of our copper, magnesium, phosphorous, and 2% of our calcium and zinc. (1)
For you and me the mineral composition of plants is important because we need them for every muscle contraction, all nerve impulses, maintaining water balance, and so much more!
Even more impressive, is when we look a little deeper, we find there are over 200 potato genotypes! Colleges studying the mineral content of various potatoes find red potatoes have the highest mineral content, and russet potatoes the lowest.
Of course, the various colors and types of potatoes will provide a variety of different minerals for us to enjoy at our leisure. In general, they are a better nutrient dense option over French fries, any day!
My hubby and I have enjoyed growing them at home since early 2000. If it’s not raining, we plant them the weekend after St. Patrick’s Day. Although each year holds its challenges, we’ve learned they like cold weather, lots of rain and rich deep soil. More importantly, it’s well worth the care and effort of growing these special plants so we know how our food is produced.
It makes it hard to waste any part of this fruit of the earth, too!
Sure, we could place the peels in the compost pile and reuse for fertilizer. But who wants to do that when we can make a delicious meal like this potato peel hash?
Devotion
God has been good to provide! He always is! When I think about how hard things were for ancient people it makes me respect gardening work so much more.
Can you just imagine the amount of water we use each day compared to them? It seems unreal, picturing them lugging water from a well or river source to their homes. I’m sure they took many trips to those places and providing for the animals and plants first would take most of their day.
It makes me appreciate the availability and convenience of our water source each time I turn on the faucet for a drink or to boil water for tea! God is always faithful and giving of his wonderful gifts. We see His divine nature in the things He made all the time!
Even though I cannot outgive God, I can be consistently thankful for each tender shoot of plant that appears each spring. Loving Him and giving Him praise for the ability to tend the plants, enjoy their growth, and anticipate digging into their earthy goodness at harvest is something we look forward to each year.
Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout triumphantly to him in song.
For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.
The depts of the earth are in His hand, and the mountain peaks are His.
The sea is His; He made it. His hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
The Psalmist goes on to say we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under his care. Today if you hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts! (8a) Whew! To know and appreciate His tender loving care is a special feeling, my friend. Rest in it as you enjoy this recipe!
Clean and chop all your potato peels to make 1 cup –any leftover can be combined and frozen for later use.
In a skillet melt a tsp of avocado or coconut oil. Add the onion, and peppers and cook 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken apple sausage, then the potato peels.
Season with the ranch dressing, stir well, and cook another 8-10 minutes or until the potato peels are tender.
I hope you enjoy this very simple potato peel hash! If you’re new to the site please subscribe to receive health tips and recipes in your inbox a couple of times a month. While you’re here check out other potato recipes like this Potato and Tomato Salad-– Fun fact! Cooled potatoes become a resistant starch, meaning it’s structure changes from a sugary fat storing molecule to a gut feeding microbiota nourishing fiber! How cool is the potato?
Have fun trying the recipes! If you need a health coach for workplace wellness, individual, or family, I’m here for you! Check out the services page here!
God Bless!
Mysty
Simplifying Health Faithfully
References:
Pandey J, Gautam S, Scheuring DC, Koym JW, Vales MI. Variation and genetic basis of mineral content in potato tubers and prospects for genomic selection. Front Plant Sci. 2023 Dec 22;14:1301297. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1301297. PMID: 38186596; PMCID: PMC10766833.
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