Recipes for the Semi-Vegan

Learn to use more plants in your cooking. YUMMY. Click HERE for Recipes

Plant-Based Eating

Great article! Click HERE

Girls Love the Cookies!

The girls love the gingerbread! Recipe in post below.

Gluten Free Gingerbread Recipe

This recipe is Gluten Free as well as Refined Sugar Free.

This study cookie dough makes great gingerbread cut-out cookies and gingerbread houses.

To make the recipe dairy-free, replace the butter with a solid, dairy-free shortening.

Ingredients

yield: makes about one dozen 4-inch cookies, active time 1 hour 30 minutes, total time 8 hours

• 8.5 ounces (2 cups) brown rice flour
• 2 3/4 ounces (1/2 cup) sweet rice flour
• 2 ounces (1/2 cup) tapioca starch
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 5 ounces (10 tablespoons) butter, softened
• 6.3 ounces (3/4 cup packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons molasses

Procedures

1. 1

   In medium mixing bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, baking powder, salt, ground clove, and xanthan gum. Set aside. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and dark brown sugar until a thick paste forms, about 30 seconds. Add egg. Blend until combined. Stop mixer and scrape down bottom and sides of the bowl. Add dry ingredients. Blend until a thick dough forms. Add molasses. Blend until thoroughly combined.

2. 2

   Lightly flour your countertop with brown rice flour. Turn dough out onto counter and pat into a round. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill for several hours or overnight.

3. 3

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove dough from the refrigerator and allow to stand for five minutes. Divide dough round in half and roll out to 1/4-inch thickness on a generously rice floured countertop. Cut into shapes. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until edges are golden brown and aromatic. Repeat with remaining dough.

4. 4

   Cool cookies on a wire rack. Decorate as desired. Store cookies in a covered container for up to one week.

Homemade Tomato Soup - from my friend, Trina

Homemade Tomato Soup

Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello, The Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• ¾* cup extra virgin olive oil (*I use closer to ¼ cup even for a bigger batch)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with about 1/4 cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and cream, if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.*

NOTES:

*I don’t have an immersion blender so I use a normal blender or my food processor to blend everything. I leave out the heavy cream and it still tastes very rich. The recipe does not make a lot of soup so I usually triple or quadruple the amounts so that we have plenty left over for another meal.

NEW Recipes!

Just below you will see 3 new recipes posted. These recipes are from our Arbonne Healthy Cooking Class that takes place at Williams-Sonoma. My friend and Arbonne VP tests these recipes at home and then the chef at WS recreates them "live" and we all get to taste them.

What makes these recipes more healthy is that they are all gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free.

We also enjoyed pumpkin bars (recipe posted on this site), a roasted turkey and pumpkin pie!

For more information regarding Arbonne's approach to health, wellness & nutrition please contact me at jennidragon@gmail.com. The holidays are a perfect time to learn how to eat healthier but also to enjoy what you eat while being more healthy!

Williams-Sonoma #1: Beet Hummus

I know this sounds a little strange but trust me, it is delicious esp. served with cool cucumber slices for dipping!

Beet Hummus:

1 pound beets (buy them with greens still attached)

4 T tahini

1/2 cup plus 2 T lemon juice

2 T ground cumin

4 T lemon zest (4 lemons)

Cut off greens from beets and wrap the beets in foil to roast at 500 degrees for one hour. Once cool, use plastic gloves and rub off the skin of the beats (discard skin).

Blend the beets and all other ingredients in a food processor or vitamix blender. Serve with gluten free crackers, cucumbers or other veggies.

Williams-Sonoma #2: Salad

Arugula, Apple and Radish Salad with Cider Vinaigrette

Dressing:

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 shallot, minced

Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste

2 bunches arugula, thick stems removed, rinsed and dried

1/2 pound radishes, thinly sliced (using a mandolin is best)

1 granny smith apple --- peeled, cored and finely diced

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts

Directions: Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, shallot, salt and pepper. Toss arugula, radishes and apple together. Toss salad with dressing right before serving.

Williams-Sonoma #3: Double Chocolate Orange Torte

Dairy Free, Gluten Free and Refined Sugar Free

Double Chocolate Orange Torte

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3 eggs

1/2 cup agave nectar

1/2 cup grape seed oil

1 tablespoon orange zest

Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground to the texture of gravel

Pulse in almond flour, cacao powder and salt and process until well combine, about 10 seconds

Add eggs to food processor and pulse again, then add in agave, grape seed oil and orange zest

Pulse all ingredients together until smooth

Remove 'bowl' from food processor and stir in second 1/2 cup of chocolate chips using a spoon

Transfer batter into a well-oiled 10 inch spring form pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

Persian Rice Salad

Persian Rice Salad
2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth
2 cups long-grain brown rice

1 1/2 cups roasted salted cashews, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups sliced pitted dates (about 7 ounces)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Bring broth to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Mix in rice. Return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook without stirring until rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Spread out rice in large baking pan and cool.

Transfer rice to large bowl. Add cashews, dates, and green onions; toss to blend. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, chopped cilantro, and ground cinnamon in small bowl. Add to rice and toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

5 Fall Foods to Help You Lose Weight

Click HERE for great article -- my "Fall Soup" Recipe below (scroll down) incorporates 2 of these foods!

Bigger Fork = Smaller Waist?

Hard to believe, right? Well, it may be true you're eating out, says a study recently published online in the Journal of Consumer Research. Because you use visual cues, such as cleaning your plate, to tell you when you're full, researchers suspect that when you eat with a smaller fork you think you're not making as much progress on your plate and are prompted to put in more mouthfuls. ~ Eating Well Magazine

Great Protein Sources

Click HERE for some great information regarding alternative protein sources.

Recipe for Arbonne Baby Wipes

Homemade Baby Wipes-great idea.
Homemade ABC (Arbonne Baby Care) Baby Wipes
Thank you new consultant Sarah Hendricks for sharing this!

1 roll of Bounty paper towels (not select a size) cut in half
2 cups of boiling water
1 tbsp Arbonne Baby Oil
1 tbsp Arbonne Baby Cleansing Gel

I use a large tupperware container to store the wipes. I can show you what I have but basically it has to big enough to store half a roll of paper towel. Mix the boiling water, oil and cleanser. Pour over the top of the roll of paper towels. Let sit for at least an hour then pull the cardboard center out of the paper towel roll. Then each time you want a wipe you just pull it out of the center. If they get dry you can just add some more water, oil and cleanser.

Skinny Crock Pot

My most favorite new resource for comfort foods that are healthy, too!

Please CLICK HERE for Skinny Crock Pot site

Secret Ingredients: Processed Food 101

Excellent Article -- please CLICK HERE

Pumpkin Bars and Macaroons

Both of these recipes were shared at our Healthy Holidays with Arbonne event last week. Having tasted these myself I can say they are delicious!

Both recipes are gluten free, dairy free, wheat free, soy free and free of refined sugars.

Yes, you can enjoy them any time and also as part of the Arbonne 30 Days to Fit Plan.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars
½ cup pumpkin (acorn, butternut or other squash) puree
½ cup agave nectar
2 eggs
1 cup blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt (I used regular sea salt)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves

• In a food processor, combine pumpkin, agave and eggs and pulse for 2 minutes
• Pulse dry ingredients into wet for a full minute, until well combined
• Pour batter into a greased 8x8 inch Pyrex baking dish
• Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes
• Serve naked or with whipped cream

Coconut Macaroons

6 egg whites

½ tsp celtic sea salt (I used sea salt)

½ cup agave nectar

1 T vanilla extract

3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

• In a mixing bowl whisk egg whites and salt until stiff.
• Fold in agave, vanilla and coconut
• Drop batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, one round T at a time.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.

Pumpkin Bread

This easy-to-make recipe fits into the Arbonne 30 Days to Fit Plan. I will be making this recipe this week and can't wait to eat it! I know my kids will love it, too.

CLICK Here for Recipe/Printer Friendly Link

Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake: YUMMY!!

Drink Your Vitamins for an extra sharp, smart start to the DAY!

NEW Shake Recipe Here, Drink Up!!

2 Scoops Arbonne Vanilla Protein Powder

4 oz. pumpkin puree

1 cup almond milk (or hemp or rice milk)

pumpkin pie spice (or add nutmeg and cinnamon)

unrefined cane sugar to taste (this is an unprocessed, natural and healthy sugar)

1 T pecans

1/2 scoop Arbonne Fiber Boost

Serve Warm: Heat Milk First before blending all ingredients

Serve Cold: Add handful of Ice Cubes before blending all ingredients

October Newsletter is Here!

Click Here for October Newsletter, thanks!

Great Arbonne Review

http://www.examiner.com/fitness-trends-in-national/product-review-arbonne-protein-supplements-review Click Here for direct path to article

Fall Soup: YUM!

Roasted Butternut Squash, Carrot, Apple & White Bean Soup (use all organic if possible)....

1 Butternut Squash

1 Medium Onion (I used a sweeter yellow onion)

4 Large Carrots

2 Apples (I used Honeycrisp)

1 Can White Beans (aka Cannelini Beans)

Olive Oil (or consider Coconut Oil or Grapeseed Oil), Salt & Pepper

Chicken Broth (or Veggie Broth)

Dash of cinnamon

Dash of Cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425

Peel and cut the squash, apples, onion and carrots into small chunky pieces. You can leave the apple skin on if you prefer (I did).

Place all the veggies/apples in a large roasting dish or glass pan and drizzle with oil, salt and pepper.

Roast in oven at 425 for 25 minutes -- and turn the veggies a few times during roasting.

Once done with the roasting take the veggies and add to a soup pot.

Add 4 cups of chicken broth (or veggie broth) -- or enough broth to cover all the veggies in the soup pot. 4 cups should do it.

Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 15 minutes (I left the soup pot uncovered bc the smell filled the entire house!).

Use a masher or immersion blender (I used our Vitamix... just poured the soup into the Vitamix and blended until thick... made 2 batches using the soup contents) to break down/puree the veggies.

Once you reach your desired favorite soup consistency you are done! This can freeze well but you will probably want to eat it all up in a couple of days! Even my kids and hubbie loved it!

Self Control

Mental Attitude: Attention & Self-Control.
You're trying to decide what to eat for dinner. Should it be the chicken and broccoli or the super-sized fast-food burger? Making that choice is a complex neurological exercise that can be influenced by a simple shifting of attention toward the healthy side of life. When you decide what to eat, not only does your brain need to figure out how it feels about a food's taste versus its health benefits versus its size or even its packaging, but it needs to decide the importance of each of those attributes relative to the others... and it needs to do all of this more-or-less instantaneously. When thinking about healthiness, people were less likely to eat unhealthy foods, whether or not they deemed them to be tasty, and more likely to eat healthy-untasty foods. Being asked to think about healthiness led subjects to say "no" to foods more often than they did when asked to make decisions naturally.
Journal of Neuroscience, July 2011

Wellness/Prevention

Wellness/Prevention: Watch This!
People who watch TV for 2 hours a day have a 20% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a 15% higher risk of developing fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular disease, and a 13% greater risk of dying early from any cause. Watching TV alters energy expenditure by displacing time spent on physical activities, and is associated with unhealthy eating (more fried foods, processed meats, sugary drinks and less fruits, vegetables, whole grains). On average, Americans watch TV 5 hours a day.
Journal of the American Medical Association, 2011

Brownies: Williams-Sonoma Class

Brownies
1/3 c coconut oil (this comes in a jar in solid form) ½ c cocoa powder 6 large eggs or egg substitute 1 c sucanat (dried sugar cane) or xylitol ½ teas vanilla ½ c organic coconut flour, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan over low heat, blend butter and cocoa powder. Remove from heat & let cool….with coconut oil this barely has to get warm to melt.

In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, sugar of choice & vanilla. Blend cocoa mixture into this. Stir in the sifted coconut flour until the batter is no longer lumpy. Bake in a pre-greased 8x8 pan for 35-40 minutes or toothpick comes out clean.

Lemon-Sorbetto: Williams-Sonoma Class

Lemon Sorbetto Ingredients:
 3 cups water

 2/3 cup sugar or substitute xylitol (or refined cane sugar -- NO white table sugar!)

 1 tsp. grated lemon zest

 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, strained

Directions: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of the water and the sugar and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. (If using xylitol, it is not necessary to heat to dissolve).

Pour the sugar syrup into a bowl and let cool. Stir in the remaining 2 cups water, the lemon zest and lemon juice; cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or for up to 24 hours. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

The sorbetto can be served immediately, directly from the ice cream maker, when it is still soft and very fruity tasting. Or, you can transfer the sorbetto to a freezer-safe container, cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or for up to 2 days, before serving. Let soften slightly before serving. Makes about 1 quart; serves 6.


Sorbetto can also be poured into the Zoku Maker for individual pops or made up in the vitamix.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Italian by Michele Scicolone (Oxmoor House, 2007).

Eggplant-Garbanzo Dip: Williams-Sonoma Class

Eggplant-Garbanzo Bean Dip Makes about 3 1/2 cups

Combine the flavors of two popular Middle Eastern dips (baba ghanouj and hummus) in this tasty puree. Serve with raw veggies or spread on whole grain crackers.

Ingredients 2 large eggplants (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers 3 tablespoons sesame tahini 4 teaspoons lemon juice 1 clove garlic

Method Preheat oven to 450°F. Place eggplants cut-side down on a baking sheet. Prick all over with a fork and bake until soft and collapsed, 40 to 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop eggplant pulp into the bowl of a food processor; discard skin. Add garbanzo beans, parsley, red peppers, tahini, lemon juice and garlic. Process until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.

Nutrition Per serving (based on 1/2 cup serving): 110 calories (35 from fat), 4g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 60mg sodium, 16g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 5g protein

Adapted from a recipe on the Whole Foods website.

White Chicken Chili: Williams-Sonoma Class

White Chicken Chili Makes: 4 servings

2 T olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 poblano chiles, seeded & chopped 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 teas ground cumin 1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite size pieces (about 3 cups) ¼ cup lime juice (approx 2 limes) ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro salt & pepper

1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion, poblanos & jalapenos until soft, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beans and broth.

2. Remove 2 cups of bean mixture from pot and puree in blender until smooth. (An immersion blender could also be used). Stir pureed bean mixture back into pot and bring to simmer. Cook over medium heat until flavors meld and chiles are tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in chicken, lime juice and cilantro and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Per Serving: Cal 300; Fat10 g; Sat fat 1.5 g; Chol 65 mg; Carb 21 g; Protein 31 g; Fiber 7 g; Sodium 590 mg.
Adapted from a recipe in the Healthy Kitchen Magazine, Summer 2011.

Eggplant & Chickpea Stew

Eggplant & Chickpea Stew

"Top Desk" feature with Arbonne CEO, Kay Napier

Please Click Here to read the feature

The 2 healthiest oils to cook with, 2 to skip

The 2 healthiest oils to cook with, 2 to skip

September Newsletter is Here!

Lots of fun information regarding the "Art of Holiday Giving" collection from Arbonne. Click HERE for an interactive catalog, fun video and more!

Muscle for Health

Muscle Mass and Type 2 Diabetes Risk.
Higher muscle mass, relative to one's body size, is closely linked to superior insulin sensitivity and a lower risk of developing pre-diabetes or full diabetes type 2.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, July 2011

OK to be Human

Psychology Today Link (click)

Muffins!!

I baked these muffins today for Clara's preschool class (and extras for us!). They are FREE of junk and FULL of healthy ingredients. The brand is Namaste Foods. The girls just did a taste-test and they LOVE these. It is possible to bake and have treats that are healthy and free of tons of artificial gunk...without sacrificing yummy-ness!

Exercise For The Brain

Aerobic exercise and strength training plays a vital role in maintaining brain and cognitive health throughout life. A review of 111 recent articles suggests aerobic exercise is important for getting a head start during childhood on cognitive abilities. Physical inactivity is associated with poorer academic performance and results on standard neuropsychological tests, while exercise programs appear to improve memory, attention, and decision-making. These effects also extend to young and elderly adults, with solid evidence for aerobic training benefiting executive functions, including multi-tasking, planning, and inhibition, and increasing the volume of brain structures important for memory.
Journal of Applied Physiology, July 2011

Pancakes and Brownies

Healthy Brownies and Pancakes? YEP! Tonite I made the brownies you see here and they are FREE OF: Gluten/Soy/Whey/Wheat/Preservatives/Refined Sugar. They taste AMAZING! Tomorrow we are testing out this brand of pancake mix which also has a healthy ingredient philosophy.

Great Review of Arbonne Detox Tea

www.365tea.blogspot.com

Olive Oil

Olive Oil!
Consuming olive oil may help prevent strokes in older people. After considering diet, physical activity, body mass index and other risk factors for stroke, the study found those who regularly used olive oil for both cooking and as a salad dressing had a 41 percent lower risk of stroke. Olive oil has been associated with protective effects against many cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.
American Academy of Neurology, June 2011

Health for our Children!

Food and Behaviour Research: Welcome to FAB Research

Liquid Calories

Beverages account for 50% of the calories consumed through snacking. Most people don't equate beverages with calorie intake and are less likely to offset or take these calories into account.
Institute of Food Technologists, June 2011

The Happiness Project

CLICK HERE ... isn't Psychology cool?

Bad Foods Do Good

YES! I said it. "Bad Foods." Click here to see why we are talking about Bad Foods on a Healthy blog site.

Quality Matters Most

An average adult gains one pound per year. Small changes in diet, consumption of beverages, physical activity, watching TV, and sleep duration were most strongly linked to long-term weight gain. The idea of 'eat less and exercise more' may be too simplistic a weight-loss strategy, as it is the quality of food that matters most and making a handful of small, targeted changes is likely to be most effective.
New England Journal of Medicine, June 2011

Why Drink Water?

Why Drink Water? How Water and Health are Connected

Snack Attack? Try These!

These are super easy and super delicious. You can use any seasoning you like (or none at all!).
Click here for Toasted Chickpea Recipe To add an extra boost of health you can use Organic canned beans or even better yet would be to purchase dry beans and soak them first.

Spirulina 101

http://www.icontact-archive.com/PlyyUDEFsOIlqtfmh5u48mIBNuaSMOSs?w=2#.TjGMRgzvtDs.blogger

Arbonne Protein Fits the Bill

Wellness/Prevention: Better Workout Results In a Cup.
One way to enhance the effects of your workout and the integrity of your muscle physiology is by consuming a protein drink (containing as little as 20g of protein) after each workout.
American Societies for Experimental Biology, June 2011
**The Arbonne Protein Shake products (both protein powder and ready-to-drink) contain 20 grams of Vegan protein in addition to many essential vitamins and minerals**

Today's Smoothie Experiment

Today I made this delicious smoothie you see in the picture. It is a hodge-podge of ingredients. Here they are: 1/2 of a fresh Peach, 1/4 cup of frozen Butternut Squash, 1/2 fresh Zucchini, 1 Kale leaf, handful of fresh Parsley, 1/4 of a raw Beet, 1/2 Cup Organic Frozen Berry Medley (Blackberries/Raspberries/Blueberries), 8 oz. Hemp Milk and 2 scoops of Arbonne Vanilla Protein Powder. CHEERS to your health!

YUM! from a friend...

Cannellini Bean Salad Tuna (Insalata di Fagioli)

Ingredients:3 cups canned cannellini beans (drained and rinsed and warmed over medium low heat with a drizzle of olive oil)2 plus Tbs. olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 1 cup chopped celery, including some leaves 1/2 small red onion, chopped Pinch of dried oregano 1 to 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1 can (7 oz.) olive oil-packed tuna, drained and separated into chunks One bag of organic greens (baby romaine, arugula or spring mix)

Directions:.
Place warmed beans in a medium size bowl. Add the celery, onion, oregano, the 2 Tbs. olive oil and 1 Tbs. of the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasonings with more lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Arrange mixed greens on a platter. Spoon the beans in the center and top with the tuna. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6."

Carrot Seed Oil

Arbonne's Deborah Hicks is featured in this article which is on the Tyra Banks website. Great information provided by a great lady who works for a great company! Isn't this GREAT?! :)
Click here for article, please.

Start Eating More Fruit

79 million people in the US have prediabetes, defined as blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. We would fare better by eating more fruit while reducing grains, breads and refined carbohydrates. Lumping fruit into the category of carbohydrates is confusing. Fruits are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and filled with water that allows better absorption of their natural properties. Glycemic index is significantly altered by the type of food, its ripeness, processing, the length of storage, cooking methods and its' variety. Watermelon has a glycemic score of 100-which is identical to heavily processed and nutrient poor white bread. Since fruit is very high in water and naturally occurring fiber, the digestion time of any naturally contained sugars is slowed significantly. The natural water and fiber content of fruit actually causes a slow release of sugar into the bloodstream, unlike the instant sugar impact of no-fiber, high-chemical, heavily processed white bread.
CDC

Ratatouille in Slow Cooker

Another Recipe from Arbonne Healthy Living Cooking Class held at Williams-Sonoma!

Makes 4 Servings, Prep Time: 15 Minutes, Cook Time: 32 Minutes

2 T plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 red onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 zucchini, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 T fresh Thyme (about 4 sprigs) chopped
1 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1. Heat T of oil in slow cooker. Add the onion, cook 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook 2 minutes. Add the eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers; cook 5 minutes. Add thyme, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to medium low, simmer 20 minutes.
2. Spoon onto plates and garnish with mint and almonds (if desired) and serve.

Blackberry Sorbet

Here is another recipe we created and tasted last night at our Arbonne Healthy Living Cooking Class which took place at Williams-Sonoma. This recipe is dairy/gluten/refined sugar free. Where the recipe calls for sugar you can replace that with Xylitol (available at Whole Foods) or with unrefined Cane Sugar. Delicious! Click Here for Recipe

Zucchini "Pasta" with Fresh Tomato Sauce

We saw this recipe created and then had the pleasure of trying it at a Williams-Sonoma cooking class last night. This recipe falls into the "Arbonne 30 Days to Fit" program and is dairy/gluten/sugar free. It is delicious! Click Here for Recipe

Green Tea for the Greater Good!

A beneficial compound found in green tea, a polyphenol called EGCG, has a powerful ability to increase the number of 'regulatory T cells' that play a key role in immune function and suppression of autoimmune disease. This compound has shown to help control inflammation, improve immune function and prevent cancer. Pharmaceutical drugs perform similar roles but they have problems with toxicity. Natural food products may provide a long-term, sustainable way to accomplish this same goal, but without toxicity.
Immunology Letters, May 2011

How healthy is the County where you live?

This is a really neat site! www.countyhealthrankings.org

Arbonne Protein Pancakes

Famous Arbonne Protein Pancakes

1 Cup Almond Milk (or Coconut Milk)
3 Eggs (or egg whites)
2 Tablespoons Flax Meal
1/3 Cups Cottage Cheese (can sub Coconut Milk)
2 Scoops Arbonne Vanilla Protein
1 Cup Gluten Free Pancake Mix (Bobs Red Mill makes a good one)

Mix all the wet ingredients, then blend the dry. Cook on skillet with Coconut Oil.
VARIATIONS:
Lemon and orange rind and their juice for a more citrus taste."

New Quinoa Recipe from a Friend

Strawberry Quinoa salad
1cup dried quinoa
3 cups whole organic strawberries, washed and quartered (if sensitive to strawberries try another berry)
1 large organic cucumber, washed, peeled, and chopped
1 5oz package baby arugula
½ cup (or more to taste) of a sesame ginger vinegrette (I uses Annie’s Organics because it does not contain any wheat/gluten)
Cook the quinoa and set in the fridge to cool.
Mix the cooled quinoa with the strawberries and cucumbers and1/2 of the dressing.
Mix the other ½ of the dressing with the arugula. Blend all of it together in one large happy salad bowl and serve!

Big Belly Syndrome

"Did you know that a large belly carries a risk for coronary artery disease comparable to smoking a pack of cigarettes daily or having high cholesterol? People with coronary artery disease and expanded waistlines are at more than twice the risk of dying, including those with a Body Mass Index in the normal range. Even more dangerous is the visceral fat that surrounds the internal organs. This internal fat actually makes up a large proportion of the waist measurement. Visceral fat is more metabolically active and can produce hormones and other substances that have a negative impact on your health, including increasing the risk of heart disease; high blood pressure; stroke; type 2 diabetes; metabolic syndrome; some types of cancer; and sleep apnea. "
Mayo Clinic, May 2011

The Happiness Quiz

Try out this quiz and see how happy you really are! Click Here for Happiness Quiz

The Happiest People

"The happiest people in America socialize about seven hours a day... each new friend will boost your happiness about 10%." www.npr.org

Interesting Comparison

Skipping Exercise? You Might As Well Smoke!
'Failure to exercise a minimum of 3 times per week for at least 30 minutes in duration each time is the equivalent of smoking one pack of cigarettes each day. What this means is that exercise is no longer just good for you, it is bad for you if you don't exercise.'
Surgeon General's Report

This looks like a yummy dish!

Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard

Sugar Cane Benefits

Arbonne protein contains sugar cane which is an unrefined simple carbohydrate that has a low glycemic index, many minerals and nutrients and is alkalizing. To lose weight and detoxify correctly, your body must be in a state of alkaline vs acidic. Refined sugar is acidic and is NOT in our products. Sugar cane is a preferred sweetener in natural foods.

Are you as healthy as you think?

Listen in as Dr. Barbara Beaty (PhD Nutritionist and Arbonne Exec. National VP) and Dr. Tanda Cook and Dr. Sarah Marshall (both Naturopathic Physicians and Arbonne Consultants) teach you about regaining / improving your health via smarter decisions about what goes into your mouth (and onto your body)! Excellent information. Get ready to take notes! Click Here to Listen (and please give the call a few seconds to load)

Whole-Grain Snack Recipes

Whole-Grain Snack Recipes

Age-Defying Carbs - Fabulous Info!

Click Here for a Great Slideshow that Will Teach You So Much!

The Bottom Line

"For fat and weight loss, what matters most is the difference between the number of calories you expend and the number of calories you consume. Fat and weight loss is about burning lots of calories and cutting back on the number of calories consumed. For the purpose of losing weight, it matters little whether the calories burned during exercise come from fat or carbohydrates." Jason Karp, PhD

June Newsletter is Here!

Please click here to view the newsletter

Divide (your plate) and Conquer

When putting food on your plate, fill half of it with veggies or salad (but watch out for fatty dressings). One-quarter of the plate should have lean protein, such as fish, chicken or beef that's been grilled, baked or poached. The last quarter of the plate should be a healthy starch -- but don't load it up with butter or oil.
Family Features, April 2011

How True!

"'Doctors practice medicine. If we want to spend less time and money in their offices, it is up to us to practice health.' ~ Robyn O'Brien

Arbonne Wins BIG!!

Arbonne Takes Home Three Hermes Creative Awards For Essentials Launch
Congratulations to Arbonne for winning three Hermes Creative Awards! The team won a Platinum Award (Product Branding) for the Essentials Product Launch, a Gold Award (Design/Packaging) for the Essentials Nutrition Line, and an Honorable Mention (Video/Marketing) for the Essentials Launch Video! The Hermes Creative Awards are an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media. This year, more than 4,400 entries were submitted. Congratulations Arbonne!

Gluten-Free IS Yummy, too!

Great article in NYTimes (click)

Quinoa Recipe You Have to Try!

I made this for dinner tonight. I was astounded at the utter deliciousness and blend of flavors. Thanks to my friend, Stephanie, for sharing her favorite quinoa recipe with me.

Black Bean & Tomato Quinoa
3 limes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 tblsp olive oil
2 tsp sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
2 cups quinoa
2 14oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 med. tomatoes, diced
3 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
1. Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.
2.Cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling, salted water (1 tblsp. of salt for 2 quarts of water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in seive, then set seive in same pot w/ 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of seive). Cover quinoa with folded kitchen towel, then cover sid with a lid (don't worry if cover doesn't sit tightly) and steam over medium heat until quinoa is tender, fluffy & dry, about 10 minutes. Remove seive from heat, remove the lid and let stand (still covered with towel, for 5 minutes.
-While quinoa is boiling whisk together zest and juice from limes, olive oil, sugar, salt & pepper in a bowl.
-in seperate pan heat beans, tomatoes, cumin and garlic powder on low heat (just warm thru)
3. Add quinoa, cilantro and onion to large bowl and toss until dressing is absorbed, stir in bean mixture."

Thankful

Flying our flag today. Happy Memorial Day!

A Big Fat Mistake : Great Article

A Big Fat Mistake : Experience Life Magazine

Arbonne is #1 !!

Arbonne is ranked the #1 brand and look at all the retail name brands we beat out! Arbonne's products are incredible and for 31 years have been Pure, Safe and Beneficial -- and we are of Swiss heritage AND we don't sell retail so we don't mark-up prices to pay advertisers. Top that!
Click here for press

I love Seth Godin!

I think you will, too: click here

Healthnut Foodie: The McDonald's Experiment

Healthnut Foodie: The McDonald's Experiment: "It seems as though every time I’ve opened up my email lately, there has been a new study revealing just how dangerous our food has truly be..."

My Sister Made This Up!

I cannot wait to make this. My sister shared this photo and recipe with me this evening. YUM!
1/2 Avocado , 4 Campari Tomatoes , 1/2 Cup Black Beans
3 Scallions, Juice of 1/2 Lime, 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Combine all & serve over brown rice. Serves One.

Warm Fuzzy

Literally a warm fuzzy! This is a sweet baby bunny that we saw today at the Art Barn. What a fun day. Hope this makes you smile!

Mood Food

Mental Attitude: Exercise Your Mood.
Regular exercise reduces symptoms of moderate depression and enhances psychological fitness. During exercise, plasma levels of endorphins increases in the body, which can have an effect on the psychological state. Endorphins are hormones in the brain associated with a happy, positive feeling. A low level of endorphins is associated with depression. A recent National Health and Nutrition survey found physically active people were half as likely to be depressed. Exercise also boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that send specific messages from one brain cell to another. Though only a small percentage of all serotonin is located in the brain, this neurotransmitter is thought to play a key role in keeping your mood calm.
WebMD.com

7 Cheers for Exercise!

7 Benefits of Regular Exercise.
1) Exercise improves mood. 2) Exercise combats chronic disease. 3) Exercise helps you manage your weight. 4) Exercise boosts your energy level. 5) Exercise promotes better sleep. 6) Exercise can put the spark back in your love life. 7) Exercise can be fun!
Mayo Clinic

Diabetes Alert

Health Alert: Diabetes Out Of Control!
8.3% of Americans of all ages are affected by diabetes! 11.3% of Americans over 20 years old have diabetes. 27% of Americans who have diabetes do not know and 35% of individuals over 20 years old in the US have pre-diabetes. How do you prevent it? Try a healthy diet and regular exercise.
CDC, 2011

You are what you eat!

Mental Attitude: Poor Eating Habits Can Cause Depression.
The ingestion of trans-fats and saturated fats increase the risk of suffering depression, while ingesting olive oil appears to protect against depression. Participants with an elevated consumption of trans-fats (fats present in artificial form in industrially-produced pastries and fast food, and naturally present in certain whole milk products) showed a 48% increase in the risk of depression. Also, the more trans-fats consumed, the greater the harmful effect they produced.
Public Library of Science, February 2011

Today I am making...

.... a Quinoa and French Green Lentil Salad. Yum!

My May Newsletter is here!

Click here, please!

The #1 Spring Veggie to Eat!

Healthy Recipes for Rhubarb

Lean Machine

Most people know exercise keeps muscles strong. Did you know strong muscles burn more calories? Muscle mass is metabolically active tissue. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn even when you're not working out! For each pound of muscle you add, you will burn an additional 35-50 calories per day. So, an extra 5 pounds of muscle will burn about 175-250 calories a day or an extra pound of fat every 14-20 days.
Mayo Clinic

Dr. Deanna Osborn Talks Hormones

Dr. Deanna Osborn is an Executive National Vice President with Arbonne and on this call she talks about how hormones play a crucial role in our health. Click Here for Call Replay

The Sweet Gene

The substance ghrelin plays an important role in binge-eating and sugar consumption. Ghrelin is a neuropeptide that activates the brain's reward system and increases appetite. People with certain changes in the ghrelin gene consume more sugar than their peers. Researchers also found, when ghrelin was blocked, rats reduced their consumption of sugar and were less motivated to hunt for sugar.
Plos One, April 2011

Sugar Is Bad!!

I am about to read "Suicide by Sugar" written by Nancy Appleton. Check out Nancy Appleton's blog and learn more about her crusade: click here .

Fresh vs. Frozen

Click here for interesting info!
Fresh vs. Frozen Vegetables: Are we giving up nutrition for convenience? Eating Well

My Special Arbonne Gift

I won this beautiful necklace in our Arbonne team raffle. My wonderful friend and Arbonne National VP sent this to me along with a note that included a lovely quote: "The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground."

Man Eating Sugar

This is hilarious but sadly true! Click Here to View Video

The Skinny on Exercise

Exercise boosts blood circulation and the delivery of nutrients to your skin, helping to detoxify the body by removing toxins. As exercise boosts oxygen to the skin, it helps increase the production of collagen, the connective tissue that keeps your skin elastic.
Mayo Clinic, Feb 2011

Plant a Seed

(Click on image to see it in a larger view.)

Tattoo

I read a great quote today in my Experience Life magazine (a publication of Lifetime Fitness). I think it can apply to most anything in life: "I'll repeat something you might consider tattooing on your forehead: What we fear most is usually what we most need to do." Find something "scary" to do and don't let fear get you down!

Archive of Healthy Living Call Series

I am so excited to have recently discovered this resource and wanted to share it! Arbonne Independent Consultants have been hosting a Healthy Living Call Series since the start of 2011. Every week there are Health & Wellness professionals featured on these calls. These guest speakers (who are also Arbonne Independent Consultants) talk about their specific areas of expertise and how Arbonne's products can be a great benefit in promoting optimal health. Click here for the Archive of calls with topics included! Enjoy!

Water Snob

We love our new water! Every week we fill up recyclable water jugs at Whole Foods -- with reverse osmosis, amazingly clean water -- and then place the water jugs inside this puppy & we get both instant hot & cold water. Pure, clean, yummy water. I wish they made a travel size! :)

Walk it Off

Because exercise helps use up oxygen, it causes your body to burn stored fat. If you walk 4 miles a day, 4 times a week, you can burn 1,600 calories a week. If you don't change your diet at all and walk that same distance for six months, you'll lose about 12 pounds. Walk that same distance for a year and you'll drop about 24 pounds! Mayo Clinic

Foods for Beautiful Skin

This is a fantastic resource from Eating Well magazine (one of my favorite magazines, by the way): Click Here to Learn about Foods for Beautiful Skin

Smoky Eye

I have always wanted to try this out and now I have quite a few color options to work with. This is fun! If I am brave enough perhaps I will post a photo of my first attempt at this look. Perhaps.... Click Here

Today I am making....

... a Leek, Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup with White Bean Puree. Here is a photo of the ingredients. I can't wait to have this soup!