Friday, December 18, 2009

What to Give for Christmas??

How about the Spirooli!!! It is my FAV!!!!! You can do most any Veggie or Fruit ( harder fruits like APPLES) I love them, hubby loves them and the Kids love them! You can make 'apple sticks' just a new spin on an old treat but better yet- you can make noodles out of squash- zucchini, butternut, carrots, potatoes - you name it! They tatste really good- raw noodles with a little spaghetti sauce or pesto and Voila- tons of veggies for dinner that you and your kids LOVE!!! Really they think they are awesome and even better when they help make them! I think you would be surprised at how far a presentation change and helping make the meal will get you in helping teach your kids to eat healthy!!! Or make a bunch up and leave them in the fridge and they will snack on them all day- much better than sugar loaded fruit snacks that are made from things you would probably rather not know about- :) I will divulge but not in this post :)

The spirooli is about 38$ and I think well worth it!! You can check it out here http://www.discountjuicers.com/spirooli.html or here http://www.rawguru.com/store/raw-food/spirooli-spiral-3-in-1-slicer.html or anywhere else really just google :)

Wishing Everyone HAPPY and HEALTHY Holidays!!!

OHH... I will be having a healthy you class in Jan to help you all out with those resolutions!!! - I will post it soon- I have also decided to keep the group smaller so I am thinking about 12 per class. If there is a ton of interest I may possibly do two classes in Jan....


Yummy!!!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

THieVes?

I thought I would do a little diddy on Essential Oils. I am finding that not many people are familiar with how incredible oils are and really what they even are.. So here is a little background - I could talk forever about this so this is just a smattering :)
Essential oils were the first medicine. From hieroglyphics and Chinese manuscripts this is documented. There are various references to Essential oils in the bible such as frankincense, myrrh, rosemary and spikenard. Essential oils are volatile liquids distilled from plants, roots, stems, leaves fruit etc. You must always use 100% pure therapeutic grade oils. They may be more costly but there is no substitute and you will not get the desired affect with others. Essential oils are regenerating, oxygenating and the immune defense of the plant. They are so small molecularly that they can quickly penetrate the skin. When applied to the body by rubbing on the feet, essential oils will travel throughout the body and affect every cell, including the hair, within 20 minutes. The oils do not build up and store in the body because they are very subtle and volatile and have a high evaporation rate. Because of their chemical structure, they are metabolized like other nutrients in the cells.
Essential oils are recognized as being the greatest substances for increasing cellular oxygen through their normal function because they contain oxygen molecules. Disease begins when the cells lack oxygen for proper nutrition metabolism. they are also powerful antioxidants preventing mutations and free radicals. They are also anti bacterial, anticancerous, antifungal, anti infectious, antimicrobial, anti tumoral, anti parasitic, anti viral and atiseptic. They have been shown to destroy all tested bacteria and viruses while restoring balance to the body.


Essential oils aid greatly in promoting emotional, physical and spiritual healing. They have a bio-electrical frequency that is several times greater than the frequency of herbs, food or our body's. research has shown that oils can quickly raise the frequency of the human body restoring it to a normal healthy level.
Essential oils contain between 200-800 chemical constituents. Of the possible 800 only 200 have been identified and most of those chemicals are isolated for medicinal drugs. However because they are isolated they cause symptoms. Most of the time essential oils will not cause symptoms because they are whole and balanced and do not stay in the body tissues for long periods of time, they are metabolized like nutrients. If you get too much of an oil it can cause an increased detoxifying and cause symptoms that go along with that, at times people may have a small allergic reaction- itching etc. With essential oils- less is more- one drop is very powerful. You can get toxic levels of oils if you are putting on excess amount of drops.
The essential oil has the ability in its chemical structure to penetrate the cell wall and transport oxygen and nutrients inside the cell, thus increasing cellular oxygen and giving more support to the immune system. Research has shown that with their immune-stimulating properties, essential oils enhance and support the building of the immune system, whether they are inhaled or rubbed on the body topically. Even those who contract a cold or the flu recover 70 percent faster using essential oils.
In my opinion I consider most all oils to be safe ( there are some that are known to be to powerful and should not be used ever) . In general an oil that is unsafe is one that has been contaminated, impure or used improperly. Be responsible, have knowledge in what you are doing and make sure your oil is pure.
There has been much research and personal experiences using oils that show the fantastic effects you get from them. Here is a pretty cool story...
As the bubonic plague decimated Europe in the year 1413, four thieves were captured and charged with robbing the dead and dying victims. When the thieves were tried, the magistrate offered leniency if they would reveal how they resisted contracting the infection as they performed their gruesome acts. They explained that they were perfumers and spice traders and told of a special concoction of aromatic herbs that they rubbed on their hands, ears, and temples.
There is some debate on the actual thieves recipe. This is one I got from one of my teachers who studied oils with Shirly Price in London. Based on what grew in that area at that time -the thieves mixture is thought to have been- Lavender, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme- all of which have very powerful properties. I mix my own thieves putting equal drops of each into the bottel. I use it for lots of things- from slivers to illnesses and it is great!!
Oils are so great. I feel much more proactive in the health care of my family- I don't have to sit back and "hope" we don't get something- I can actually do something about it- and if we do get something ( usually minor thanks to use of oils in the first place) well I can do something about that too! Definately something you would want in your first aid kits, food storage and preparedness kits!!! I will probably do an oil class in the next few months- I will let you know!!
Thanks to all who came to the grains class it was so fun!! Sorry we went a little over time there is just so much fun info and yummy things to taste! I still owe you all some MOOKIES and I promise you will get them! :) I am doing a Healthy You ( the in depth one) class in Jan sometime- I will post it soon but if you are on the email list you will find out first! :)


You know the average person eats 3000 calories at Thanksgiving!!! Yikes!! Eat a small bowl of veggies or grains or mix them together in a wholewheat wrap or spinach romaine kale salad before you go and you will cut that in half at least and still be able to eat what you want!!!


Be Grateful for your health and Grateful to know it can always get Better~


Happy Thanksgiving!



Monday, November 9, 2009

KaLe ChiPs


KALE CHIPS.....
Have a craving for something salty and crunchy? Try KALE chips!! They are easy and yummy and SO healthy! WHo knew SuPeR FOod could taste so good!

1 bunch kale, rinsed and dried well- cut the cener stalk out
A lttle bit of olive oil OR sesame Oil OR nonstick cooking spray
sea salt to taste ( remember sea salt is about 10 timeas as flavorfull as table salt)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. From kale, remove and discard thick stems, and tear leaves into large pieces. Spread leaves in single layer on 2 large cookie sheets. Spray leaves with nonstick cooking spray to coat lightly; sprinkle with salt. Bake kale 12 to 15 minutes or just until kale chips are crisp but not browned. Cool on cookie sheets on wire racks.
Eat the whole sheet because these are Great for you!!!
ENJOY!!!!
People have signed up the the grains class- if you want to come I need to know by MOn Nov 16. Thanks!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

GrAinS ClaSS..


The Grains Class..
This class is everything and anything you wanted to know about Grains... and psuedocereals... What? Most of these are actually pseudocereals which means they are not a true grain which means they are HEALTHIER.
We will get into wheat, spelt, quinoa, buckwheat , millet, amaranth, oats, rice and barley.
I will teach you everthing I can about them!! Nutritional content, how to prepare, grind, and as ALWAYS I treat you to yummy dishes made with them! I think you may be a little surprised what you can do with all of these and how yummy they can be!!
Class will be WED Nov 18th
5- 6 pm
15$ registration
You need to pay in advance. I need to have a full count by Monday the 16th so I can get all the food etc.. There needs to be at least 6 people in the class or it will be rescheduled. Class is taught in my home so space is limited t0 20-25 people.
address-1665 Farr west drive, Farr west Ut 84404
any questions email me- camwatson@comcast.net
COme HUnGry!!!
As always when you order oils at a class you get 25% off total order!!! :)
Thanks!

Monday, November 2, 2009

GaRLic!



GARLIC

That garlic has health benefits is nothing new. Since at least 1500 BC, healers in China and India have used the odiferous bulb as a blood thinner. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used it to treat cervical cancer. Louis Pasteur reported on garlic's antibacterial and antifungal powers, which inspired Albert Schweitzer to use it against dysentery in Africa.
* A bulb of garlic, Allium Sativum L., has from four to 16 or more cloves, depending on variety. In each of these cloves are cells containing the main compound of garlic, an amino acid called Allicin. Allicin from crushed raw garlic is a very strong antibiotic that kills MRSA staph on contact and staph cannot become immune to it because it kills bacteria by causing their cells to swell and burst rather than blocking chemical receptors like pharmaceutical antibiotics do. One study (Walton, Herbold&Lendegren 1936-1938 - Journal of Food Science) even showed that the vapors alone from nearby crushed raw garlic could kill bacteria up to eight inches away in four hours.
* Garlic that has been irradiated has no fat-soluble healthy compounds. Unfortunately, most garlic in American supermarkets comes from China and some of it has been irradiated and will have little benefits- so buy LOCAL....
* Cut a little bit of the clove ( really small piece is strong enough) and put it in your water and sip on it all day long- it will help kill anuy virus or bacteria in your body
* Another way to use garlic on a stuffy nose, sore throat and infection that has gone into the lungs is to crush the small end of a clove and use it like a Vick's inhaler so you breathe the fumes through your nostrils. This will help clear the passages as well as fight the germs. Eating garlic is not enough, it has to get to the site of the infection as directly as possible and breathing it in takes it all the way into the lungs. Another way to do the same thing is to crush the garlic and wrap gauze, cheesecloth or thin fabric around it and breathe through the gauze to get the vapors into the lungs.
* a drop of garlic oil in the ear ( make sure it is not perforated) will help tremendously with ear infections ( I recommend Dr. christophers brand)
* Garlic can interfere with prescription medications, particularly anti-clotting agents, resulting in increased dosages, so if you have special precautions talk to your Dr. first...
With all this sickness and flu going around I thought I would start out with a Doozy! Garlic is awesome and works so well!!! it is also great for the heart, digestive system, blood sugar, removes metal from body the list could go on and on. Here is a link to some one who knows ALOT about garlic http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/. check it out
if you don't have time to look at it all- it is alot of info- look at the uses in emergency cases- very good to know!!!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Healthy You!!!

I am finally starting my blog for Healthy cooking classes!
I know, I know ...
What about those Cupcakes you make? Well my sis and I do make wonderfully scrumptious cupcakes that are not healthy in any way for you ( well some do have carrot ribbons)- but that is not how me or my family eat 99% of the time- so I feel ok about the 1% especially if we munch on a leaf of KALE afterwards!! :) I am trying to create a super healthy cupcake that tastes great and I am getting closer- it is the frosting that is tricky! So hopefully a healthy choice will be on the menu at Whimsy soon!
As for the Healthy classes this is why....
My oldest daughter was born with a very rare heart condition and had open heart when she was one, my second daughter was thought to have a very serious medical problem at the age of one and it took a horrid and miserable month to find out it was milk allergies. During all of these trials I spent a lot of time trying to find ways I could help my family. I came across The China Study by Dr. Campbell and Original fast Foods by James Simmons- they changed my perspective on what I thought was "healthy food" and I immediately changed my familys diet
( which would be considered really healthy to most people). I instantly saw my second daughter gain weight back, have energy and be healthy! My oldest daughter continues to amaze the doctors that she is doing so great and on NO medications and never has been. A lot of things play into these outcomes but diet is certainly one of them. It is amazing to me that so many people underestimate how their diet effects their own health.
I am a Nurse - RN BSN ( I work at the U) and a
Certified Foot Zonologist ( I zone peoples feet!)
and so being I have a lot of medical background. I am teaching healthy cooking classes with a BIG emphasis on nutrition. My in depth class is about General nutrition, acid/ base balance, vitamins and minerals -how your body absorbs them and what they do for us and the most bioavailable form, nutrient density etc... A long with all this information I MAKE you a TON of Healthy Dishes using the methods and knowledge I just taught you. So you don't feel so overwhelmed and know that healthy food can still taste great!!! The in depth Healthy You class was last week and it was so fun!
There was a lot of interest and I plan on doing it again- maybe as soon as november- I will let you know. I am also doing monthly classes that are shorter and more specific- this month I am doing GRAINS- an hour class on all different types of Grains- quinoa, millet, amaranth, buckwheat, wheat, spelt etc.. I will teach all about them, how to use and prepare them and then treat you to some dishes made from them!
I will also leave tips, recipes, oil recipes etc here so check back often.
HEALTHY YOU CLASSES:
Healthy You cooking and nutrition class- 35$
In depth nutrition- lots of handouts and lots of recipes to taste- come hungry!!!
Specific Classes- depends on class from 25-35$ . We go in depth on specific things ie- grains, oils, sprouts, wheat grass, kids meals, desserts etc.. If you have an idea please share!
I will post dates and tips soon so check back! If you want to get on my email list I will let you know about the classes before I post them here so you can sign up first. Class size is limited!
watsonkalani@yahoo.com
Thanks!