Pumpkin Smoothie

Pumpkin Smoothie

Click on the links for nutritional information

Add in blender

2 cups water

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup dried cranberries, (low or no sugar)

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3 cups (packed) spinach

1 scoop protein powder

Stevia to taste

Add ice, a few pieces at a time, and blend.  Add as much ice as you wish for the consistency you want.  I usually add a total of about two cups of ice.

Jambalaya Mild Favorite Recipe

See Jambalaya Spicy Recipe for nutritional information.

Soak overnight (in 9 cups of water) 3 cups mixed wild rice and/or brown rice

Bring rice to a boil.

Continue on medium heat

Add

2 cans of tomato sauce

Add 2 cans of water using the emptied tomato sauce cans

4 large cloves garlic, chopped into small pieces

1/2 tablespoon red peppers

2 large stalks of celery, chopped into small pieces

2 lbs. (uncooked) turkey sausage, cut into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/8 cup garlic, sliced into small pieces

Stir and allow to continue to lightly boil for 15 minutes.

Jambalaya - Spicy Hot (Check out the many health benefits)

Click on links for nutritional information



Soak overnight, 2 cups brown rice in 4 cups of water.

The next day/evening bring rice to a boil and turn off as soon as it comes to a boil.  Stir and do not allow the rice to burn.
Add
16 ounces of mackerel (cut into small pieces) or 16 ounces tuna, or 16 oz of salmon, 16 ounces of another healthy fish (without bones and cut into small pieces).  Or 1 lb. of uncooked turkey sausage.
Add
3 cloves garlic (cut into small pieces)
1 large bell pepper (cut into small pieces)
2 large stalks of celery (cut into small pieces)
1/4 to 1/2 cup butter (not margarine)
16 ounces tomato sauce
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon turmeric or cumin
1 tablespoon to 1/4 cup red pepper

Bring to a boil
Allow to simmer on medium low for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

My favorite is with the turkey sausage, turmeric and just one tablespoon of red pepper.  I also like to mix wild rice with brown rice about half and half.

Rice and Bean Smoothie: Insanely healthy with a kick - please share

Click on the links for nutritional information.
This one takes a little prep time but is still pretty quick and easy.
Start with a half a cup of white beans and a half a cup of brown rice.  Add to a pot with three cups of water and allow to soak over night.  Bring to a rolling boil for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Make sure all the water doesn't boil off.  If you need to, add a little more water.  You don't want the beans and rice to burn.  After a rolling boil of about 15 minutes, let cool and pour off the excess water.  You may want to use a fine strainer.
Add to a blender the cooked brown rice and white beans.
Add:
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup powdered milk.  (or morning moo)
1 large apple
3 packed cups spinach
2 cups water
Blend
Gradually add about 3 cups ice blending after adding a few, then blending and adding a few more.
Add stevia to taste
Blend

Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothie with Turmeric

In a blender mix
2 cups water
1 large banana
1 scoop protein powder
2 large carrots
1/2 cup powdered milk or morning moo
1 cup rolled oats
2 large stalk of rhubarb
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
Stevia to taste

Blend well.  Depending on the quality of your blender, you may want to put a few strawberries in at a time to blend.  You may drink this all at once or drink some and leave some until later.

Click on links for nutritional information

Avocado Spinach Smoothie - amazingly delicious and nutritious - try and share

Click on the links for nutritional information

In a blender

1 1/2 to 2 cups water

2 to 4 cups (packed) fresh (raw) spinach

1 ripe avocado (seed and peeling removed)

1 large (cored) apple (do not remove the peel, there is important nutrition there).  I typically do not like Granny Smith Apples, but in this recipe, they are WONDERFUL!

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 scoop protein powder

1 teaspoon rosemary

Add stevia to taste

Blend well

Add ice, a little at a time, blend.  Continue to add ice until you have the desired consistency.

Diabetes, please read if you have diabetes

There is a great deal of information on the relationship between diabetes and certain types of foods at a sister site at:

http://diabetesanddiabetesprevention.blogspot.com/
In addition, as you try these foods and meals, monitor your blood sugar levels closely and start these meals in small portions first to see how you personally react.  Also consult your dietician and/or physician.

Stevia

Stevia is a natural sweetener.  You can find caloric and nutritional information about stevia by clicking here.
The most economical stevia I have found has been Great Value Stevia from Walmart, which you can find by clicking here.

Do I need a special blender to make the smoothies on this site?

I have used a pretty cheap blender, an Oster Blender and a Ninja Blender.
While you need to be especially careful with a really cheap blender, it can be done.
One of the things I have liked about the Oster is how smooth the smoothie is.  One of the things I like about the Ninja is how much I can put in all at once, including ice.

For smaller blenders and cheaper blenders, put in just a few of the ingredients at a time, starting with the water.  Blend and then add more.  Once all of the ingredients have been added and blended, pour half into another container and put in the refrigerator.  Add ice, just a little at a time to the half still in the blender until it is cold, smooth, and the desired consistency.  When you have finished eating/drinking what has been blended and you are hungry again, after cleaning the blender, you can add the other half of the mixture and repeat what you had previously done with the ice.

For a large Ninja you can put everything in at once if you wish.  I generally put in all the ingredients, then blend, then add a little ice, then add the rest of the ice.

Coconut Oil and Butter - Please Read

If you are morbidly obese (according to BMI) or you have difficulty concentrating when you eat less, you may want to include some organic virgin coconut oil and/or butter in your diet as you reduce calories to lose weight.  To learn how to calculate your BMI click here.  If you are obese and have difficulty concentrating when you eat less, you may want to include these two fats but in less amounts.  If you are just overweight and you do not have difficulty concentrating when you are reducing your calories, you may want to eliminate these two fats. 
As I was starting to lose weight, and had difficulty concentrating when I age less, the coconut oil seemed to help a great deal.  I also sometimes used butter (not margarine) when I would do stir fry.
There is some preliminary research that indicates that both of these fats can help with cognition while reducing overall calories.
As you click on the links, you will find contradictory information.  Read and determine for yourself.

Beet Blueberry Smoothie

Start with en entire beet.  Root and greens.  Wash thoroughly.
Cut off the very bottom of the root and the very top.  Cut off the very bottom of the greens.
Cut the root (raw) into halves or quarters.  Cut up the greens.  Put in blender.
Add 2 cups water
Add:

1 scoop protein

3 large carrots

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup morning moo or dry powdered milk

blend well

Add:

2 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

blend well

Add:

Stevia to taste

add a little ice and blend well

Blackberry Banana Smoothie

Click on the links for nutritional information

2 cups water

1 banana

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup powdered milk or morning moo

2 LARGE carrots

1 scoop protein powder

2 1/2 cups frozen blackberries

blend well

add stevia to taste

blend well

delicious

My Weight Loss: The "not so" Incredible Shrinking Man

Tomato Sandwhich

Pretty basic and to me, delicious.

Two pieces whole grain bread

1 tablespoon miracle whip or mayonnaise ... spread evenly on one side of both pieces of bread

1 tomato sliced and placed on the miracle ship or mayonnaise and between the two slices of bread.

Quick, easy, and basically quite healthy...especially if you choose a healthier mayonnaise or miracle whip.

Strawberry Lemon Smoothie

Click on the highlighted ingredients for nutritional information.

2 cups water

1 lemon (peeled)

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

2 LARGE carrots

1 scoop protein powder

1/2 cup powdered milk or morning moo

2 1/2 cups frozen strawberries

Add stevia to taste

Blend well.  Note: you may need to add a few frozen strawberries and blend and then a few more until everything is blended.  That may frozen strawberries all at once may be too much for some blenders.

alternate Spinach Smoothie

1 cup water

4 cups cleaned, chopped, spinach

1/2 powdered milk or morning moo

1/3 cup unsweetened dried cranberries

1/4 cup walnuts

1 washed and cored large sweet apple

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

stevia to taste

blend well

add ice, a few pieces at a time blending each time until you have the desired consistency

I like this but it is not my favorite.  It is incredibly nutritious.  Click on the foods for nutritional information.

wilted Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges

In a large bowl add:

1/2 cup stevia (not concentrated)

6 cups loosely packed washed baby spinach

In a frying pan (cast iron if possible) cook 5 pieces bacon until almost crisp but not burnt.  Remove the bacon and place on a paper towel to remove excess fat.  Cut bacon up into small pieces. (I pour off as much excess fat as possible, periodically, while I'm cooking the bacon.)

In a clean frying pan (cast iron if possible) spray with butter flavored spray oil.  Turn frying pan to medium.

Add three thinly sliced large onions.  Sauté onions until soft but not well done.

Add 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar to the onions and continue to stir.

Add bacon pieces to the onions and apple cider vinegar and continue to stir for another 4 to 5 minutes.

While still hot, pour the onions, vinegar and bacon over the spinach and stir until well mixed.  The hot ingredients will slightly wilt the spinach.

Add 1 can drained and rinsed mandarin oranges.

Mix

Slice 3 large thinly sliced hard boiled eggs and place them on the top of the salad so they cover much of the salad.  Do not mix.

Add one cup shredded mozzarella cheese and spread on top of the salad.  Do not mix.

Ready to serve.  Delicious and nutritious.

Alternate Strawberry Rhubarb Shake

In a blender, add:

1 large banana

2 cups water

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 scoop protein

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup powdered milk

2 LARGE carrots

1 stalk rhubarb

1/2 cup stevia (not concentrated) or to taste

blend well

2 1/2 cups frozen strawberries

blend well

Alternate Miracle Shake

In a blender add:

1 large banana

2 cups water

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 scoop protein powder

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup dry powdered milk

2 LARGE carrots

stevia to taste

ice to desired consistency

blend well until smooth

Brown Rice Pea and Lentil Soup

Soak overnight

2 cups Brown Rice

1 cup hard dry peas

1 cup lentils


Pour off excess water.

Add:

One can vegetable broth

Two cups water

Bring to a boil

Add

One can corn or one can green beans (including the liquid)

2 large onions (chopped)

1 small red cabbage (chopped)

Bring to a boil.

Blend all ingredients in a blender.

(Unless you have a really big blender you'll need to blend some of the ingredients and pour that into another pot then add more and blend until it has all been blended)

Once all the ingredients have been blended, put everything back in a pot and on the stove on medium low.  If you want to thin it a little you can add another cup or two of water.

Add to taste:

Cumin

Salt

Cayenne Pepper