Welcome To Jade Healing Gardens......

Baba Ganoush

2011-08-19T12:13:00.002-05:00

So if you haven't had or heard of Baba Ganoush before, you're probably just thinking "what a weird name"... So for today, I'll just call it "Eggplant Dip". It's great with Pita bread, crackers, a vegetable platter, or whatever you want. Try it with your favorite flat-bread and diced tomatoes... ( I've come up with a new recipe for flat-bread which I'll post soon.)

1 large eggplant, about 1 1/2 pounds
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 cloves garlic (or to taste)1/4 cup lemon juice (or to taste)
3 tablespoons tahini (or to taste)
ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 F. With a fork, punch a bunch of holes in the eggplant and place it on a baking dish or sheet. Cook for about 45 minutes, until the eggplant is all sunken in. Remove from the heat and let it cool until you can peel it without burning yourself. Peel and put it in a food processor. Add the salt, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini, and process until it’s smooth. Sprinkle with cumin, and serve.

Fruit Tart

2011-08-18T17:06:00.001-05:00

Summer's almost over, but it's still pretty warm outside, so it's nice to have a cool and fun dessert with some of your favorite fruits...

I decided to do a little experimentation in the kitchen today and came up with this recipe. Use your favorite pastry dough recipe, roll it out, bake it, top with yogurt, whipped cream, and fruits of your choice.

I made a coconut-lime cream:

1 cup coconut milk (refrigerated first)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
a pinch of stevia powder or to taste
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 - 2 teaspoons instant clear jel

Blend until creamy and thick. Add some fresh or frozen strawberries for fun. :)

Top with your favorite fresh fruits. I used pear, peach, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, kiwi. I ate this with watermelon fresh picked from our garden...and i gotta say, it was yummy. :)

My family requested me to make it again, so I the next time, I added fresh strawberries to the cream, and topped it with more strawberries, pears, nectarine, mango, and blueberries.

buon appetit :)

Vegan Sushi:

2010-10-28T17:29:00.000-05:00

Sushi:
You will need:
Nori Seaweed Sheets
Jasmine or Sticky Rice, cooked (Or you can use brown jasmine or short grain brown rice)
1 package of tofu, cut into thin strips, fried, and marinated in soy sauce.
Avocado, sliced into thin strips
Cucumber, sliced into thin strips
Red Bell Pepper, sliced into thin strips
Carrot, sliced into thin strips
Any other vegetables of your choice.
Nutritional Yeast Flakes
Soy Sauce (for dipping sushi)

Directions:

Place 1 sheet of nori on a board, spread about 1/4 inch thick of rice all over the seaweed. Sprinkle about 1 Tbsp. of Nutritional Yeast Flakes on the rice. Then on one end of the rice, put desired amount of tofu and vegetables on your rice...But not too much, or you won't be able to roll your sushi correctly. You may also sprinkle a small amount of soy sauce on the rice. Firmly, yet gently, roll your sushi starting from the end with your tofu and vegetables and working toward the other end. Once you've rolled your sushi, you may slice it, put your sushi onto a plate, and enjoy. Don't forget to dip them in soy sauce for added flavor. :)

Below is a step-by-step photo how to roll sushi if you've never done it before:

Udon Noodle Miso Soup

2010-10-27T18:11:00.003-05:00

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
chopped ginger to taste (very important for flavor)
2 carrots, diagonally sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 package of tofu, cut into cubes and fried in small amount of oil
2 bunches of scallions, chopped
1 bunch of spinach
Shitake mushrooms to taste OR what I used was shitake mushroom seasoning (you can find it in an oriental market)
soy sauce to taste
vegetarian chicken style seasoning to taste or favorite seasoning for broth
enough water (amount depends on if you want a thick or brothy soup)
Udon noodles, precooked. (add as much as you want)
Fresh Cilantro for garnish

Saute onions, garlic, ginger, shitake mushrooms, and celery in a large saucepan with olive oil until tender. Then add tofu, then carrots. Add enough water, seasonings, scallions and pre-cooked udon noodles. Adjust seasonings (chicken style seasoning and soy sauce) according to taste. Add remaining ingredients like spinach or your favorite green vegetable. For example; bok choy, kale, cabbage, green beans, etc. You can also add other of your favorite vegetables. Once everything is cooked, Garnish with Fresh Cilantro. I don't usually follow recipes exactly, So be creative. :)

These are the ingredients you will need.

How YOU can become Acne Free:

2010-09-12T19:31:00.005-05:00

So a lot of my friends struggle with this problem of getting those "ugly spots" on their faces commonly know as acne.. How can you get rid of them?? Well...what I want to ask you is...., "Do you know why you are getting acne?" It could be for a number of reasons depending on your age, hormones, skin type, your lifestyle, your diet, what you use on your skin, and more. I am going to share with you how to get rid of this problem that affects so many people. You may be surprised..Most of my friends are surprised when I tell them that acne is NOT from the surface of your skin. It's a symptom of something that is going wrong deep inside within the body. And in order to heal most conditions in the body, we must take care of it properly! We take care of our bodies by keeping them clean, eating properly, exercising, getting enough rest, drinking water, etc.. Our bodies are God's temple. We are a living sacrifice. So let's take care of ourselves and get rid of impurities on our skin! Our skin is the largest organ on our whole body. It's a living, breathing organism. It has the ability to repair and cleanse itself just like any other organ in our body...but sometimes we are causing our skin more harm and damage rather than good and not allowing it to repair and cleanse itself because of our unhealthy habits. As I've learned about health and made changes in my lifestyle, I can honestly say that I haven't suffered from any skin problem since! My skin has been completely clear. And you can have clear skin too. :)

People frequently ask, "What foods cause acne? What things should I eat and what things should I stay away from?"

1: Stop eating processed foods. Don't eat anything that comes from a box or a bag and "fast foods." Eliminate Sugar from your diet as well as saturated and hydrogenated fats. Although we do need *healthy fats* in our diet to help produce hormones and other important components of a healthy body. We must balance our omega 3 and omega 6 ratio. By decreasing our intake of omega 6 (get rid of the commercial snack products, meat, etc) and increasing our intake of omega 3. Examples of healthy fats containing Omega 3's that we need to take daily; They are found in: Flax Seeds, walnuts, avocados, and EFA (essential fatty acids) supplements (I personally take an Evening Primrose supplement). Borage herb is good too.

Eat more vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Eat more raw fruits and vegetables more than anything. Salads. Preferably more raw foods than cooked. There is nothing wrong with cooked food, but you need to eat more foods that are "alive". They will give you so much benefit. :) They cleanse your body.

DRINK WATER. At least 8 cups daily. If you don't like water, then add some lemon or lime to it. Stop drinking soda and things with sugar and artificial colorings and flavorings. You can read my article on water. "Click Here."

Follow the 8 natural laws of health! I wrote an article about this before. Here is the page: "Click Here."

Make sure that you don't have a nutritional deficiency. Some nutritional deficiencies that lead to acne problems may be a lack of some of these things:

Chromium:

chromium helps to balance blood sugar levels and several studies have found a link between low chromium levels and acne outbreaks. Onions, romaine lettuce and tomatoes are good sources of chromium.

Selenium:

When selenium is taken along with vitamins A and E, it can help reduce the severity of acne and the scarring that can occur afterwards. Selenium is also found in Brazil nuts, button mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms.

Vitamin A and B2:

Vitamin A is responsible for the conversion of fatty acids into the oil in skin and can help to balance hormones but it is toxic when taken directly by itself. Vitamin B2 converts the toxic forms of vitamin A into the forms our body needs and uses. Natural sources of vitamin A include carrots, cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens and yellow-orange fruits. Good sources of vitamin B2 are asparagus, broccoli, chard, collard greens, mushrooms, Romaine, spinach and turnip greens.

Zinc:

Zinc is known to increase the production of male hormones and is also needed to renew skin cells on a daily basis. Zinc has brought “dramatic improvement” to acne sufferers, says author of The "Encyclopedia of Natural Healing" by Mark Pritkin.

Zinc is present in Brazil nuts, mushrooms, pumpkin seeds, spinach and whole grains.

Magnesium:

Magnesium is vital for the release of insulin, the creation of glucose receptors and the production of enzymes and proteins necessary for skin cells.

Good sources of magnesium are broccoli, mustard greens, blackstrap molasses, peppermint, pumpkin seeds, squashes and turnip greens. Celery, cucumbers, green beans and kale, along with other seeds are also good sources of magnesium.

*(I got some of these resources from www.draxe.com) :)

CHEMICALS...

Also, I would strongly suggest you stop washing your face with all these horrible soaps and putting all kinds of creams, makeups and stuff on your face. They are toxic and only make your skin worse and cause premature aging! LET YOUR SKIN BREATHE! It's suffocating underneath all that makeup you're wearing, girls! And those harsh chemicals in the soaps and lotions are irritating your skin by drying it out and stripping it from it's own natural oils. When you're constantly washing your face with these "soaps" that you see on commercials or wherever, you are really drying out your skin and stripping it of it's natural oils. Therefore, by drying your skin out, your skin's oil glands are forced to produce more oil, thus causing your skin to be oilier than it was before, leading to breakouts! Let your skin balance itself. Only use natural soaps that DO NOT CONTAIN harsh chemicals like "sodium laureth sulfate or sodium laurel sulfate", etc. Don't give up. Eventually after about a week or so, you will see changes. Your skin will eventually balance itself and you will notice a change if you keep your body healthy. It is best to choose some other type of soap - herbal, natural or organic. They don't contain harmful chemicals. If you would like to know what soap I use, just ask me. :)

Another very important thing I would like to mention is GETTING ENOUGH REST and having a regular sleeping routine. Believe it or not, your body has it's own biological clock. It's called "circadian rhythm". Your body is set for a 24 hour cycle. It's a daily cycle of biological activity based on a 24-hour period and influenced by regular variations in the environment, such as the alternation of night and day. Circadian rhythms include sleeping and waking, and eating. There are clear patterns of brain wave activity, hormone production, cell regeneration and other biological activities linked to this 24 hour cycle. Pretty amazing, right? :) Your body knows exactly when it needs to rest, wake up, etc. That's why we must go to bed on time. Preferably before 10 p.m. and getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep for adults. Children getting at least 10 hours, and developing adolescents (up to 21) need even more sleep! If you are not getting enough sleep at the PROPER time, you are going against your body's circadian rhythm, thus confusing it and wearing it out. It's not just about how much sleep you get, it's about WHEN you get it. Don't be an owl. :-/ Get some sleep. :)

I would also strongly recommend taking a whole body cleanse at least once or twice a year. I personally have taken the "Renew Life - Organic Total Body Cleanse". You can search it on Google. Or if you eat a lot of raw food, your body naturally will detox itself! That's why I say that it's very important to include as much raw vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds in your daily diet.

Now, nothing goes away overnight, so don't expect changes in your skin's appearance immediately. It's a process. Your body needs to detoxify itself and get used to this new lifestyle. If you haven't taken good care of your health previously, then you may feel a little strange at first because your body is cleansing all of it's impurities out of your system! Don't give up though, you will be sure to see amazing results in proper timing.

Most of all, be regular with EVERY habit! Eat at the same time each day, and don't eat too close to bedtime. Do not eat between mealtimes. Your body will not be able to digest properly, Thus causing the food to go rancid in your body and it will become toxic.

Alright...Basically, this is the whole health message in a nutshell! And remember to keep God number one in your life. Pray and ask Him to help you make these changes..and you will be on your way to a happier and healthier you! Bye for now. :) - Jade

Better Health!

2010-06-12T18:27:00.001-05:00

I'm going to share with you some tips that have totally helped me and changed my health for the better! God understands the challenges we go through. That's why he's given us simple guidelines. Some of you refer it as the acronym "NEWSTART" and others simply call it the 8 natural health doctors. And it will really give you a new start. Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperance, Air, Rest, & Trust in Divine Power. All of these simple guidelines, if you put them to use. We are told by the prophet Ellen White that the people who follow these simple rules, 9 out of 10 will recover from whatever illness they have.

First, I'd like for you to take a look at your diet and food choices. You are what you eat. Your diet should be balanced. You should practice temperance and AVOID processed, oily, sugary foods. Instead, go for the foods that God has provided straight from nature. Unrefined fruits, vegetables, whole grains,, nuts, seeds, legumes, etc. Try to eat a lot of raw. And whenever you get a craving; STOP, pray, and choose a healthier alternative like a fruit, or vegetable platter. I would strongly recommend to AVOID eating in between meals. Snacking is not good for you at all. It slows down your digestion by interrupting it every time you eat. You should space your meals at least 4 or 5 hours apart and giving your body some time to digest food before bed time.

Secondly; I'd also like to cover exercise. EXERCISE to chase away the pain! Regular bodily exercise can help reduce the symptoms of PMS. Now, what i want to emphasize here is REGULARITY. All these tips I'm giving you is not only for you to do only when your symptoms are present, but rather to practice these tips on a daily basis. IT'S NOT JUST A REMEDY, IT'S A LIFESTYLE. It's what you do everyday that gives you the maximum and enjoyable health benefits.

THIRDLY:
Stay hydrated! That in itself is a no-brainer. We all need water to survive. It cleanses the system from all the toxins and impurities. There is a section on my blog about drinking water, just search WATER on the search tab on the side of my blog. So drink up!

Fourth. SUNSHINE. Getting Sunlight is another important key to health. Too many people have a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is produced by your skin in response to the sunlight. By going out in the sun for a few minutes daily can help prevent numerous diseases!

5th: TEMPERANCE. It's defined as; Everything in MODERATION.

Sixth Tip: Get Fresh Air as much as possible. Take some deep breaths. Concentrate on breathing sometimes...put one hand on your chest, and your other hand on your tummy. take a deep breath. Slowly inhale, you should feel your hand on your tummy go up as you inhale. Exhale, you should feel your hand go down. Too many of us breathe the wrong way! Make sure your stomach expands as you inhale, and contract as your exhale. Breathing fresh air gives you better circulation, helps you relax, reduces the risk of cancer due to free flowing oxygen, lowers body temperature, and many more amazing health benefits.

Seventh Tip: REST: We must sleep to survive. Sleep is just as important as food for surviving. It's best to go to bed regularly at the same time every night and wake up the same time in the morning. Your body needs at least 8 hours of sleep per night, and even more for children and teens. Lack of sleep impairs your coordination, judgement, and immune system. Remember to be sure not to eat too close to bedtime. So just make sure to get your ZZZ's :)

Eighth Tip: Last but NOT LEAST...Trust in Divine Power! The Lord is who gives us life and these simple guidelines. He created us. He knew we would need a "user's manual" for life. That's why He's given us His Holy Word to guide us in our lives. We must pray and let Him speak to us through His Word. He will be sure to help you! By lowering your stress levels, increasing your energy, give you peace, and ultimate happiness!

Vegan Hummingbird Cake

2010-05-20T09:25:00.004-05:00

So I've gotten a couple of requests for this recipe. It's called Hummingbird Cake...and no, it's not made from hummingbirds, but rather I'd call it a "Banana-Pineapple Cake" with a slight "tropical" flavor. The picture to the side isn't a picture that I took, and I personally, never add icing to this cake because it's really sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. I almost hesitated posting this recipe on here because of that. You may cut back on the sugar like I would. So I'd only recommend this ONLY if you MUST have something sweeeeeet and do not eat it often. Also, I cut back the amount of oil from the original recipe:

2 cups plain, unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup Florida Crystals
1 cup Sucanat
1 teaspooon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup canola oil (or 1/2 to 1 cup applesauce if you choose not to use oil)
3 Ener-G Egg Replacers (you can find that in a health food store or the health section in some grocery stores)
6 Tablespoons soymilk
One 8 ounce can, crushed pinapple, with juice
3 medium, ripe bananas mashed
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice (optional)
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon or coriander

Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Add liquid ingredients and stir till mixed thoroughly. Pour into prepared cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. until done. Cake will pull away from edge of pan. Test the center with a toothpick. Let it cool and ice it if desired.

All Better. :)

2010-05-17T13:24:00.002-05:00

Hey all. :) Can't stay on long here, but I just wanted to say...THE OREGANO GARLIC TEA totally worked...Honestly I only drank like 2 cups of it, but really I believe that if I would have taken more, it would have totally knocked the cold that day. So yep, Moms know what they're doing. :) It's usually the grossest natural remedies that work the best. :)

P.S. I also just wanted to say; Thanks "Emily Rose" for your comment on my last post:

"Hi. I enjoy your blog. I agree, our mothers can come up with the most, ummm, uh, Unusual (in italics) herbal concoctions. Fortunately, none I have tried have killed me yet. They just taste very strange. :) I am thankful for my Mother, though, because she knows what to do to help me feel better when I am sick, without using drugs/pharmacuetical (spelling?) stuff.
Keep Writing!" - Emily Rose

I totally agree with that..because those things like antibiotics and Tylenol, etc that most people take when they are sick don't really help and also give us some pretty bad side effects...and I can definitely say that from my own bad experiences! That's why it's best to eat healthy and take care of our bodies and take healthful herbs is the best medicine. Good food is our true medicine. They not only help us get better with whatever sickness we have, but also give us other wonderful health benefits with no harmful side effects!

It's been a while...again!

2010-05-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

I thought I was getting better yesterday...So I went to bed hoping that I'd wake up feeling better in the morning...But I could not sleep! I felt so congested...Then woke up at 3 a.m feeling like an elephant was sitting on my chest... Anyway, I got up, drank 2 cups of charcoal slurry...then went back to bed. HAD THE WORST NIGHTMARE and woke up at 5:30 and jumped into the shower...So..basically i've been up since then. Mom is a good mom...supposedly..'cept for the fact that she gave me the most horrible horrifying tea I've ever tasted. Oregano and Garlic Honey Tea. And I've been taking Goldenseal and Echinachea. OMG...no comment. enough said...but wait...

My QUESTION IS:...What the heck is oregano good for? I've always hated that stuff.

Well I did my "research" and basically Oregano has quite a few amazing health benefits. One of them happens to be that it's very helpful with respiritory health, and helps in the treatment of sinus or lung congestion...and that's just what i need..hope it works.

***

So maybe my mom isn't as mean as i thought she was :)

AppleJack Pancakes

2009-02-25T13:29:00.003-06:00

So far, pancake week is going great! My sister has been doing most of the cooking. lol..after all, this was her idea!

3/4 C. apples grated
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 C. flour
1 TBSP sugar
3 TBSP raisins (optional)

Place the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl, and stir them together. Pour the milk and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients, and stir them together. Stir in the grated apple, then stir in the raisins, if using. Mist a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place it over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, spoon in the batter. Spread out each pancake using the back of a spoon. You will need to cook the pancakes in several batches depending on the size of you skillet. Cook the pancakes until the bottoms are brown, adjusting the hear as necessary. Carefully loosen the pancakes, and turn them over. Cook the second side briefly, just until golden.

Banana Pancakes

2009-02-25T13:12:00.004-06:00

Banana Pancakes:

( We needed to make a few batches since we have a big family. lol)

3/4 C. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 C. mashed banana
1/2 C. milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBSP sugar

In a mixing bowl, mix together flour baking powder, and sugar . In a separate bowl, mix together mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla. Stir liquid mixture into flour mixture, mixing until ingredients are moistened. Heat griddle over medium heat and lightly coat with oil. Add batter about 1/4 cup at a time, but do not crowd. Cook until bubbles form, and edges are lightly browned, then turn and cook the other side until the bottom side is lightly brown. Yummy!

Blueberry Pancakes

2009-02-22T11:20:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone..Some of you might know that my sis wanted us to celebrate National Pancake Week, . Keep checking back every day! LOL. Ok so here's the recipe for today:

1 1/4 cups flour

2 TBSP sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup milk

2 egg substitute

2 TBSP oil

1 cup fresh blueberries or thawed frozen blueberries, rinsed and stems removed.

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, milk,and oil. Stir liquid mixture into flour mixture, mixing until ingredients are moistened. Fold in blueberries. Heat griddle over medium heat and lightly coat with oil. Add batter about 1/3 cup at a time, but do not crowd. Cook until bubbles form, and edges are lightly browned, then turn and cook the other side until the bottom side is lightly brown.

Gardening

2008-06-16T16:29:00.028-05:00

I don't really like to garden, but I should learn to! I guess I just like to cook the things from our garden, and of course, eat them! For more updates on our garden, go to my sister's blog @ http://www.simplycountryliving.blogspot.com/ !

Fresh Veggies & Overgrown Zucchinni!

2008-06-16T16:29:00.027-05:00

Here are some pictures of what we picked today. We picked some Swiss Chard, Zucchinni, Collard, Yellow Squash, Bok Choy, and Broccoli.

^ Here is an OVERGROWN zucchini! Huge, isn't it? ^ For more info about our zucchini, go to my sis' blog :) @ www.SimplyCountryLiving.blogspot.com
<Bok Choy>(below

Zucchini Bread

2008-06-16T16:29:00.018-05:00

Have you ever tried zucchini bread? We grew lots of zucchinis in our garden and we've been looking for some interesting recipe ideas. My mom remembered that her mom used to make zucchini bread when she was a kid. So I thought I'd make it. It sounds like a savory bread, but its a dessert bread similar to carrot cake, except we used zucchini instead of carrots. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did. You can cut down or replace some of these spices and sugar, and use applesauce instead of the oil.

Ingredients:
3 egg replacers
1 cup oil or applesauce
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a mixer, beat eggs. Add oil, sugar, and vanilla; continue beating mixture until thick and foamy. with a spoon, stir in the zucchini and pineapple.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg, A third at a time, add dry ingredients into wet and gently stir (by hand) after each addition. Add the walnuts and raisins, blend gently.

3. Divide the batter equally between 2 greased and flour-dusted 5 by 9 inch loaf fans. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in to the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool thoroughly.

Makes 2 loaves.

Are Cell Phones Worse Than Smoking?

2008-04-29T16:52:00.004-05:00

Have you ever heard that cell phones could be harmful, but you don't know why? Here is a really interesting article that my mom found and I read on Mercola.com. Mom says I really need to cut down on my cell phone usage...and she's right! I hope this will be helpful to you!

Here is a link to the article since it would take up too much room on my blog.............. "Click Here"

Cran-Apple Granola

2008-04-24T12:55:00.005-05:00

This is another recipe I make in my business. I even took this pic when I baked some this morning. :)

Ingredients:

7 cups quick oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup chopped dried apples
1 cup dried cranberries
1 banana
1 cup pitted dates
1/3 cup sucanat or turbinado sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Place dry ingredients (oats and nuts) in a large bowl.
2. Blend banana, dates, sugar, oil, vanilla, water, and salt in a blender until smooth and pour over dry ingredients.
3. Mix both mixtures together. Fold in the chopped dried apples and cranberries. When thoroughly mixed, spread out on two cookie sheets sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Bake at 125, with the oven setting on "warm", overnight or for two hours at 225, stirring every 30 minutes. Store in airtight container. Makes 24 servings. Serve with soymilk, and your favorite fruits.

For my favorite "Tropical" Granola, add: chopped apples, apricots, pineapple and dried coconut. after baking. Leave out the cranberries. Mmmm!

Per 1/2 cup: Calories 202, Protein 5 g, Carbohydrates 33.6 g, Fiber 3.9 g, Fat 6.3 g, Sodium 151 mg

Today's Trip to the Oral Surgeon

2008-04-22T12:15:00.004-05:00

Today (like I said yesterday) I went to the oral surgeon for an exam..they took another x-ray..and said that I definitely will need oral surgery and now is the best time, since the roots are not fully developed and they would be easier to take out. They explained the whole procedure..and of course I asked about the IV sedation, and a couple other things.... Now it doesn't sound so bad, although it sounds scary!! If you want to see and example of what the doctor will do, check out Animated Teeth! This is really cool! Check it out. It's an animation of how of how the doctor is going to take the wisdom tooth out piece by piece. Now I also thought that it would be interesting for you to see how it will be for me after the surgery as well. The doctor gave me a brochure about the surgery, as well as these instructions on a sheet of paper. Here's a summary of what the sheet of paper said..I just typed up what would apply to me since I don't smoke, drink, and will not be taking any narcotics. And of course I won't be driving home after the procedure! My mom will have to. I thought that this would be great to learn, and educational..As you can tell, I am very interested in medical stuff..lol.

BEFORE SURGERY:

You mush come for your surgery with a completely empty stomach. This means taking NO FOOD OR FLUID (not even water) :( for eight (8) hours before your appointment.

Clothing should be loose and short-sleeved. ( I guess so that way the can put the IV in easier, do my blood pressure, and put on the EKG Electrodes)

AFTER SURGERY:

In order to promptly with a minimum amount of discomfort and decreased chances of infection, it is necessary to devote detailed care to your body.

Diet: Cold and mushy..and cool food that doesn't require chewing is appropriate. Most any foods are OK, but if it hurts to eat a certain food, don't do it!

Activity: The patient should spend the rest of the day after the surgery propped up and quiet, wearing an ice pack on the jaw. An ideal setting would be in a recliner watching videos and DVDs and eating ("SOY!") ice cream..What a life! Talking moves the very thing that had surgery, and it should be avoided to prevent a return of bleeding. Use a notepad.

Oral Hygiene: It is important to maintain a clean mouth during the healing period. Begin gently brushing your teeth and rinse the surgical wounds with warm water after every meal.

Pain: Take ibuprofen with a full glass of water.

Swelling: This can be minimized with the application of cold packs immediately after surgery for 24 hours.

Bleeding: If bleeding occurs, it is best controlled by pressure. Use a moist gauze, and press on the surgical site to stop bleeding.

Trip To the Dentist's Office

2008-04-21T17:04:00.003-05:00

Sorry I haven't been on for so long..life just gets busier and busier every day! Well a few weeks ago I told you that I was going to go to the Dentist's Office. I have been having a lot of pain on all sides of my mouth. It couldn't have been a cavity because I don't really eat much candy and sugary things, and I always brush at least 3 times a day. So we went, and the dentist said gave me an X-ray, and it showed that my wisdom teeth are still under the gum, and not completely developed..they are trying to grow but there is not room in my mouth for them..haha..she said that they could grow to my ears!!..lol..! So she told me that I will have to go see an Oral Surgeon ASAP..depending on how much pain I am going through ( which is a lot!!). So we scheduled an exam in May..Well they just called us this morning and said that someone had a cancellation and we can just come tomorrow morning at 8:45! I'll keep you updated and see what the Oral Surgeon says!! The picture to the right is an example of what my X-ray showed on all 4 sides! OUCH IT HURTS MORE JUST LOOKING AT IT!!! :( :( :( :( My actual x-ray didn't show too well on my computer.

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

2008-03-20T12:58:00.015-05:00

This is one of the recipes that I make for my home baking buisness.
Its really easy!

1/4 cup margarine(soy or regular)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup soymilk
2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line muffin cups with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray. 3. Mix all ingredients together until moistened.
4. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Each should be filled 3/4 full.
5. Bake 35 minutes or until the tops are firm.
6. Cool on a wire rack.

7. Eat!

Natural, Healthy Cleaning Products

2008-02-26T13:44:00.002-06:00

Did you know that the cleaning products we use at home, can be very damaging to your health?
Watch this video I found on YouTube, and see all the great natural cleaning products that don't harm your health, or your family's health!

More Sweets...

2008-02-22T10:17:00.006-06:00

Yes! I looove sweet desserts! As I've told you before, I've been experimenting with different flavors of ice cream. Today I made "Coffee Ice Cream" with Kaffree Roma as a Caffiene free coffee substitute..

Hummingbird Cake!

2008-02-21T09:55:00.004-06:00

Today I made "Hummingbird Cake". It was really good! You're probably like; What!??...No it's not made of mashed hummingbirds; its more like a Banana-Pineapple Cake..thats all! Really yummy with "Cinnamon Apples" on the side...

3abn Cooking Shows Online!

2008-02-13T10:08:00.003-06:00

Have you ever seen a 3abn cooking show, and wanted to see it again? Or maybe you missed an episode. Now you can watch them online, whenever you want! I found this site called "VegCafe'"

you can watch 3abn Today Cooking Shows, Let's Cook Together, Food for Thought, and Abundant Living Cooking Shows!

Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream

2008-02-03T18:10:00.000-06:00

Lately, I've been experimenting with different flavors..I've made butter pecan, peach, and carob. Now I've finally made strawberry. It was SO good.. I got this recipe from "A Vegan Ice Cream Paradise".

Here's how it came out:

Sorry for such a crumby picture, I forgot we were going to take a pic. :)

Animals are my FRIENDS, NOT my FOOD!

2008-02-01T09:06:00.001-06:00

Obesity

2008-02-01T09:06:00.000-06:00

Diet is probably one of the most important part of our health! Did you know, that Americans ate eight million more orders of french fries and almost six million more hamburgers this year compared to last? I wouldn't be surprised, look at all the illness people have today....It's true-"You are what you eat!" and like my Grandma said " It's not Burger King's fault..YOU came to Burger King, Burger King didn't come to you!....

Here is some info I've found online:

In our looks-obsessed society, lots of people think that being overweight is an appearance issue. But being overweight is actually a medical concern because it can seriously affect a person's health.

Here are a the health problems of being overweight:

Blount's disease. Excess weight on growing bones can lead to this bone deformity of the lower legs.
Arthritis. Wear and tear on the joints from carrying extra weight can cause this painful joint problem at a young age.
Slipped capital femoral epiphyses (SCFE). Obese children and teens are at greater risk for this painful hip problem. SCFE requires immediate attention and surgery to prevent further damage to the joint.
Asthma. Obesity is associated with breathing problems that can make it harder to keep up with friends, play sports, or just walk from class to class.
Sleep apnea. This condition (where a person temporarily stops breathing during sleep) is a serious problem for many overweight kids and adults. Not only does it interrupt sleep, sleep apnea can leave people feeling tired and affect their ability to concentrate and learn. It also may lead to heart problems.
High blood pressure. When blood pressure is high, the heart must pump harder and the arteries must carry blood that's moving under greater pressure. If the problem continues for a long time, the heart and arteries may no longer work as well as they should. Although rare in most teens, high blood pressure, or hypertension, is more common in overweight or obese teens. High cholesterol. Long before getting sick, obese teens may have abnormal blood lipid levels, including high cholesterol, low HDL ("good") cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels. These increase the risk of heart attack and stroke when a person gets older.
Gallstones. An accumulation of bile that hardens in the gallbladder forms gallstones. These may be painful and require surgery.
Fatty liver. When fat accumulates in the liver, it can cause inflammation, scarring, and permanent liver damage.
Pseudotumor cerebri. This is a rare cause of severe headaches in obese teens and adults. There is no tumor, but pressure builds in the brain. In addition to headaches, symptoms may include vomiting, an unsteady way of walking, and vision problems that may become permanent if not treated.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Girls who are overweight may miss periods — or not get their periods at all — and may have elevated testosterone (the male hormone) levels in the blood. Although it is normal for girls to have some testosterone in their blood, too much can interfere with normal
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ovulation and may cause excess hair growth, worsening acne, and male-type baldness. PCOS is associated with insulin resistance, a precursor to developing type 2 diabetes. Women who are overweight also might have fertility problems.
Insulin resistance and diabetes. When there is excess body fat, insulin is less effective at getting glucose, the body's main source of energy, into cells. More insulin becomes needed to maintain a normal blood sugar. For some overweight teens, insulin resistance may progress to diabetes (high blood sugar).
Depression. People who are obese are more likely to be depressed and have lower self-esteem.

If an adolescent is overweight he or she has 70% chance of being an obese adult. Also, if your parent is obese you have an 80% chance of being obese as an adult. Forty-three percent of adolescent watch two hours, or more, of television each day.

Obesity has been rising in the United States for the last 20 years. The obesity level in the United States is as follows: 20 states have 15-19 percent of obese people, 29 states have 20-24 percent of obese people, and 1 state has 25 percent of obese people. An estimated 97 million adults in United States are obese. Adults now average eight pounds more than 15 years ago. One child in five is obese between the ages of 6 and 17. The rate of overweight children has more than doubled in the last 30 years.

The Solution:

Kids need to get off the couch and go outside and play sports or go to the gym and play sports. They also need to eat right to stay healthy. Eat more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and drink plenty of water. That way obesity will stop being a problem.

Exercise is one way to prevent obesity. It helps to get outside and exercise, not just sit around and watch television. Television is one of the main reason that kids are obese. A long time ago, when there wasn't a lot of technology, there were less obese people because they didn't play video games to have fun. They had to walk to school instead of riding the bus. Also, they had to do more physically active chores than now.

* I didn't really get a lot of time to write an article, so I got some info from Kid's Health and Kid's Making Healthy Choices.

Homemade Vegan Ice Cream

2008-01-31T13:50:00.000-06:00

I'm back again with more news from my kitchen! Me and mum were making homemade soymilk today with our Soya Joy Soymilk Maker. And I wanted to try something different..hmm.... Then I remembered that we used to make soy ice cream; and now that we make our own soymilk, why not give it a try? I actually motivated myself to go down into our "spooky" basement and get that Rival ice cream maker that only used a few times but, haven't used for YEARS!! And yep, I'm sure glad I did, because I made my own favorite flavor "Butter Pecan"..mmm.. I recommend you check out Vivacious Vegan and A Vegan Ice Cream Paradise for some recipes for Vegan Ice Cream ! Bye 4 now? Oh, and wait, I'm also working on a CD with all my cooking demo's. Wish me God's Blessings!

Cooking Video "Blooper"!

2008-01-28T14:54:00.002-06:00

When I'm filming videos, not everything goes how we expect, so I though I should tape a clip of Gerilyn when she messed up the whole video..lol..I guess it was my fault, because I started laughing at her, which I shouldn't have....

Tofu recipe

2008-01-28T14:54:00.001-06:00

Here it is! The actual steps for making your own tofu at home. I hope you are up to the challenge! The recipe we shared yields 1 1/2 lbs. of tofu. Don't forget to watch the video below.

Here is what you will need :

First, of course you start out with soybeans. We purchase high quality soybeans which are non GMO. You can find your soybeans at this link: http://www.tosteds.com/laura%20beans.htm (this is where we buy ours) or at your local health food store.

blender

large heavy pot

another large pot or bowl

large spoon for stirring and for pressing pulp to extract milk (we also use a tongs)

cheese cloth (however we used thicker cotton cloth because cheese cloth may not be strong enough. We bought "flour sacks" at Walmart which are just large pieces of cotton cloth)

a colander (we used a small one for pressing curd to make into tofu, but you can buy a tofu pressing box here: http://soymilkmaker.com/tofukit.html)

a ladle

a heavy jug filled with water (we used a gallon jug filled with water). You may use anything heavy to squeeze the excess water from your curd such as a clean large rock or brick

coagulant: we used Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate), but you may also use nigari or food grade calcium sulfate available here: http://soymilkmaker.com/coagulantor.html

Wash 2 cups of dry soy beans. Soak them in cold water overnight or at least 4-5 hours in the summer and 7-8 hours in the winter. The beans will double in size and and be free of wrinkles.

Rinse the beans well. Then liquefy beans in blender until very smooth and no gritty feeling about one minute. For every 1 cup of soaked soybeans add 3 cups of water to the blender.

Pour slurry into a large heavy pot and bring to a low boil and cook for 15 minutes stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

Set a colander over a large bowl or pot and line it with your cloth. Pour the cooked soybean milk into the cloth lined colander. Gather up the corners and squeeze out as much soymilk as you can. You may save the soybean pulp in the freezer for recipes that I will share with you at another time. So now you have made your own homemade soymilk.

Now return your fresh soymilk to the stove and heat it. It needs to be at least 185 degrees F (that means it needs to be hot!)

While your soymilk is getting hot, you need to prepare your coagulant. Use 2 heaping Tbsp. of Epsom salt dissolved in 1/2 warm water.

Stir your soymilk in a circular motion as demonstrated on our video below. Stop the spoon upright to create a turbulence and immediately add 1/4 cup of your coagulant mixture to the soymilk. Cover and let it sit undisturbed for 10-15 minutes. The soymilk will start to form large white curds with a clear yellow liquid called whey. If after the 15 minutes there is still soymilk present, poke gently to activate curding and gently stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of your coagulant. The curds are complete when they are surrounded by whey.

Line your colander or your pressing box with your cloth and set it in a bowl or a clean sink. Get your strainer and set it in the pot and fill it with whey, keeping the curds out as shown in the video. Ladle out as much whey as you can out of the pot.

Then ladle the curds into the cloth lined colander or pressing box. Once you get all your curds in, fold the cloth tightly around curds and top with something flat like a plate or flat plastic lid (if you have a pressing box it comes with something flat to put on the top).

Next apply your weight. You can see in the video we used a gallon jug filled with water inside a pot. You can use a clean large rock or brick. Press with your weight for 2-3 hours +/- depending on how soft or firm you want your tofu.

When your tofu is the desired firmness, you may store it in the refrigerator. To store it you will need to cover the tofu in water in a container. You will need to change the water daily to preserve freshness. It should keep this way for up to one week.

Foods Are Great Pictures!

2008-01-28T14:54:00.000-06:00

This is very cool - God gave us pictures to help us eat healthy!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and science shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? .... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.

Grapefruits, Oranges , and other citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

"The news isn't that fruits and vegetables are good for you, it's that they are so good for you, they can save your life." David Bjerklie, TIME Magazine, Oct. 2003

How I Make Tofu At Home:

2008-01-24T19:03:00.000-06:00

I just made homemade tofu today.This is how I make Tofu at home. Watch this neat video I just recorded today! I will give you the recipe later...its coming soon!!! <333!!*My little sister was watching me, so you might hear her in the backround saying "let me mix it!"...in case you were wondering what that was!

You voted: Now here's the recipe for Tofu Spinach Calzones:

2008-01-23T15:20:00.001-06:00

The following recipes for your Calzones are taken from the cook book 7 Secrets Cookbook by Neva and Jim Brackett. I made a few changes because, the bread recipe is by me. It may seem like alot of steps, but IT'S REALLY EASY and worth it in the end..and of course, they are absolutely delicious! Oh, and did I tell you, There's even a cool video that I made, it will definitely make you want to make it!!! Happy Cooking!

Tofu Spinach Calzones:

One loaf bread recipe (below)
2 cups Tofu Spinach Filling
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese (to sprinkle on top)
1 tsp. honey dissolved in 2 Tbsp. Water.

First you will need to make a one loaf bread recipe:

For the 1 Loaf Bread you will need:

3 cups flour ( I did 2 1/2 cups whole wheat and 1 cup unbleached white)
2 Tbsp. Bread Yeast
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 1/3 cup warm water

Mix together well, and knead for 3-5 minutes. Let rise until double.

Now you will need to make the Cashew Cream:

For the Cashew Cream you will need:

1 cup cashews
1 cup water

Blend until smooth and creamy and now its ready to use..

Now it's time to make the filling:

1 cup firm tofu, crumbled
1/2 cup cashew cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. basil
1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup drained chopped spinach

Combine and mix well in a small bowl.

And last of all, the Non-dairy Parmesan Cheese:

1/2 cup yeast flakes
1/2 cup ground sesame seeds
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. Vegan Chicken Style Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Mix together all ingredients and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator

Now that you have everything you need, Its time to make the Calzones!

1. Roll dough into a 15" x 10" rectangle. Cut rectangle into six 5-inch squares..use a ruler to do this. Don't try to guess.

2. Divide filling among squares and brush the edges with water. Lift one corner and stretch dough over to the opposite corner. Press edges of the dough with a fork to seal.

3. Arrange calzones on a greased baking sheet. Prick tops with fork. Brush tops lightly with honey-water mixture, using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with Nondairy Parmesan Cheese.

4. Bake at 425 degree oven about 10 minutes or till golden brown. Yum!

2008-01-21T09:28:00.000-06:00

It's very important to eat a good breakfast EVERY morning, it helps me to focus more in school, and not be as grumpy! You wanna know why? Here are some reasons:

Here is some info I've found:

1. Better behavior: Children who skip breakfast are more tired, irritable, or restless by late morning. These symptoms lead to aggressive behavior that causes children to get in trouble in school. Children who regularly eat a morning meal have more energy, are less likely to exhibit aggressive behavior, and have a better attitude toward school.

2. Higher test scores: A study published in 1998 in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine showed significantly higher math test scores after children ate breakfast. This and other research has clearly shown that children who consistently eat breakfast test higher in most academic areas.

3. More nutritious intake: Breakfast eaters generally meet vitamin and mineral requirements for prevention of deficiencies. They consume more fiber, vitamin C, calcium and folic acid. Unfortunately, children who miss breakfast do not make up for lost nutrients later in the day.

4. Weight control: Eating breakfast helps to establish a normal eating pattern. Eating regular meals and snacks is a key to maintaining a healthy weight throughout life. Increasing childhood obesity is in part attributed to the disappearance of normal eating patterns in many of today's households.

I got this info from:

http://www.thedietchannel.com/5-Important-Reasons-Your-Child-Should-Eat-Breakfast.htm

I've decided to post this favorite:

Tropical Rice:

This is made in a crock pot, I got this recipe from Fast Cooking in a Slow Cooker Every Day Of The Year by, Joann Rachor.

Stir the following ingredients into the slow cooker and cook 8 1/2 hours on low (I did this before bed):

2 3/4 cups water
1 (20 oz. can) unsweetened crushed pineapple (i blended it up fine)
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice ( i used 1/2 cup pineapple juice concentrate)
1 cup Short Grain Brown Rice
1/2 cup raw, chopped almonds
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Vanilla

Wake up in the morning, and enjoy! Your whole family will love it because they know its good for them! And say goodbye to the grumps!

Orange Jubille

2008-01-19T19:11:00.000-06:00

I first tried this smoothie and learned how to make it at a vegan cooking school. Everyone loved it, including me. And I'm sure you will too!

Blend together on high until smooth:

8 oz. Orange Juice Concentrate

2 c. soymilk

1 Tbsp. Vanilla

2 Tbsp. Honey

12 ice cubes

*You may need to divide this in half to blend*

Eggplant Parmesan

2008-01-16T17:00:00.000-06:00

This is my sister Gerilyn's favorite. If you ask her what she wants to eat, you already know what the answer is: Eggplant!!

Here's what you will need:

2 large eggplants (sliced thin, soak them in water so they don't turn brown!) you will need to dip them in water, so the eggplant will be evenly coated in the breading mix:

Breading:

1 c. flour (preferably whole wheat)

1 c. bread crumbs

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. Vegetarian Chicken Style Seasoning( I recommend "Bill's Best")

1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning

Garlic & Herb Sauce:

2 Cans of "Hunt's Garlic and Herb" Sauce

1/2 of a medium onion chopped fine

2 cloves garlic diced fine

2 tsp dried basil leaves

2 tsp vegetarian chicken style seasoning

1 tsp onion powder

salt to taste (optional)

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil till tender, add seasonings and spaghetti sauce, let simmer for 15 minutes.

Dip the eggplant that has been soaking in water into the breading until evenly coated. Heat a frying pan with canola oil, and fry them until golden brown. Or bake in the oven until golden brown. On the bottom of a casserole pan, cover with a little "Garlic and Herb Sauce", and layer eggplant on top, keep layering (like lasagna) until all of the eggplant is used, making sure that you cover the last layer of eggplant with the sauce. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly. When the eggplant is nearly done baking, sprinkle with your favorite veggie cheese. Yum..

Natural Remedies From Jade's Kitchen:

2008-01-09T17:09:00.001-06:00

Here are a few natural remedies you can try at home:

As the "Cold"(achoo!) season comes and goes, a lot of times you get a cough, here's a great remedy:

Cough Syrup: Put 1 lemon in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, let cool completely. Squeeze out all of the juice, then put an equal amount of pineapple juice, add a little honey to taste. Done! One of the best thing about this is that it tastes great, brings easy instant relief even if you've been coughing for days! Try it out and tell me what you think!

If you have a cold, and as I always say; "Garlic will kill anything, so chew on fresh garlic if you're brave enough" My mom was giving a lecture on natural remedies at church, and she told everyone that I just chew on garlic when I'm sick, it definately works for me, and I know it'll work for you too. You can also buy garlic capsules at a health food store (just make sure you read the label and it says cellulose capsule, not gelatin which is made from animal products).

Earache!!

So you're moaning in your bed cuz you've got an earache, well heres what I do naturally and it provides great relief for me:

Put half an onion in the oven or microwave just to warm it up; then hold it on your ear, tie it on. Lay down underneath a light( like a reading lamp) Onions,like garlic, have an antibiotic effect and may help when the earache is caused by bacteria (as with "external otitis," or "swimmer's ear"). Another awesome one is to soak garlic in mullein oil,or olive oil for a few days or up to a week, I personally prefer mullein oil, it seems to be more effective. Apply 3 - 4 drops to affected ear as needed and cover with a warm cloth. And last but not least, if possible get off the dairy! Many people had suffered from earaches, they tried everything, but the earaches wouldn't go away. Then they tried getting off the dairy, and they haven't had an earache ever since. See how diet affects your health in so many different ways!

So what about minor burns? Ouch they hurt!

These are tried and true, I've used them myself: When i was about 10, and was cooking, i decided to smell the food in the HOT pot( which was dum, but remember i was 10!). Instead of smelling the food; I burned my face on the pot! It left a big burn with a scorch mark. Since my mom wasn't home yet, I didn't do anything about it for hours( you're supposed to work right away)! When she came home, we rubbed fresh aloe vera on it, and put ice. Within a few days: You couldn't tell a trace! I definately praise the Lord for that...and what about putting tofu:
Tofu?huh?why tofu?? I was cooking again, and happened to get burned by a hot stove burner. It was a deep red burn, I put aloe vera, tried ice cold water, but it didn't seem to help. Then i remembered a tape i was listening to, and it said to try tofu, i was like what? And now i have a bad burn; it won't hurt to try, so i put tofu on it, and in a few hours it was like gone, i mean no sign or trace at all!! Another one that works wonders is Potato, get a raw fresh potato, slice very thin or grate it, and apply it to the burn, it provides great relief and miraculous healing!

And what about scars? Yes Shanelle! Here is an answer to a question you had asked me before about acne scars. First before anything else, I would definately put Aloe Vera on it. My whole family is crazy about Aloe, and this is one of the reasons why we use it: Scars! Here are some other things you can try for scars and stretch marks : Use Cocoa Butter on scars, sctretch marks, etc. It's supposed to soften and eliminate scar tissue. Lemon juice is a natural bleach and help in lightening the scars and blemishes of the skin. Apply essential oil of lavender on the scars with a cotton ball twice a day. The most effective home remedy for scars is application of honey several times a day. It will give a natural glow to the skin and remove all scars. Cucumber juice and leave on for 15 minutes and rinse with cold water. Try Vitamin E oil. .Thanks for reading and checking out my blog! TTYL!

Spring Rolls

2008-01-09T17:09:00.000-06:00

I went to a Vegan/Vegetarian restaurant in Orlando FL. and they had really good spring rolls, but now that I live in Tennessee, It's hard to find vegetarian restaurants, so of course I have to make my own spring rolls! This recipe is really great, because you know what's in it and it's healthy and yummy! *I would only recommend eating this occasionally since this is fried.*

Here is what you will need:

1 c. bean sprouts
1/2 head cabbage -cut into very thin strips
2 tbsp. peanut oil
1 large carrot - peeled and cut into very thin, short strips
2 ribs celery - very thinly sliced
1 tbsp. cornstarch
24 egg roll wrappers
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. mushroom soy sauce
4 scallions - thinly sliced
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
4 shiitake mushrooms- sliced into thin strips
1 tsp. soy sauce ( I recommend Braggs Liquid Aminos found at health food stores, or if you want real soy sauce use "La-choy" because it's unfermented)

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. When the wok is hot, add 2 tbsp. canola oil.
Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the cabbage and carrots and stir-fry until the cabbage is slightly wilted.
Add the scallions, celery and bean sprouts and stir-fry until the bean sprouts are slightly softened. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, five-spice powder and oyster sauce.
Stir in enough cornstarch to thicken the sauce to the consistency of honey. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Mix the flour with 2 tbsp. water in a bowl.
Place a wrapper, smooth side down, at a diagonal to you on a cutting board. Place 2 or 3 large tbsp. of filling just above the bottom corner of the wrapper.
Bring the bottom corner tightly over the filling once. Fold in the side corners, then make one more roll over the filling.
In the space left between the roll and the top corner, smear a little of the flour and water mixture, then seal the corner to the roll.
Place the roll on a plate lined with paper towels with the sealed edge facing down. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
Heat the remaining canola oil in a high-sided saucepan over medium-high to high heat. Use tongs to grab each roll, keeping the sealed edge held shut by one of the prongs (this will prevent the egg roll from opening during frying). Holding the tongs steady, dip the egg roll into the hot oil and fry it until golden brown.
Once the roll starts to take on some color, release it fully into the oil. The wrapper will have become firm enough to stay closed on its own.
Remove the egg roll to a plate lined with paper towels and keep it warm. Repeat the process with the remaining egg rolls. Serve with sweet and sour sauce. Yum.!

*This recipe has been revised to a healthier version from http://www.ehow.com/.*

Acne (Acne Roseaca)

2008-01-04T13:28:00.002-06:00

I've posted before on how Aloe Vera can treat and prevent acne. But a lot of you guys told me that you cant find it, or it doesn't grow where you live. And if growing it indoors isn't an option, here are other great natural ways to get rid of it, Personally, I've never had acne( yeah lucky me), but my friends have tried this, and proved that it works..

First, here's how to prevent it:

Cleanliness: Keep the skin washed and clean. Keep the infected area free from dirt, and oils. Shampoo your hair frequently. Wash your pillowcase regularly, in chemical free( no added colors or fragrances) detergents.
Hands off!!: Don't squeeze, dig, or pick, your fingernails aren't clean (bacteria!) your "reward" is scars for life. Avoid Stress: It causes hormonal changes. Avoid Makeup. Don't put oil on your face.

IF you already have acne, here are some natural remedies:

Tea Tree oil, leave it on all day, don't rinse

Lemon juice, put it on at night, and wash it out in the morning.

Tomato juice is a natural astringent

Facial Clay (like bentonite clay) 3 times daily to bring to a head, then use once a week.

Lemon

I've heard toothpaste works good too. My friend told me about it, and she said it works well.

Also try Hot and Cold steam baths

I've heard rubbing garlic works too

Charcoal

Drink at least 6 glasses of water daily, how could you wash out all those impurities in your skin without water? Acne on your face is really your body crying out:" I need water! Lay off the junk food, I've had all I can stand!" Eat a well balanced diet. Eliminate refined sugars from the diet. Follow the 8 natural health rules. Avoid fatty foods, saturated fats, junk food, caffeine, alcohol, increase raw food intake. GET enough sleep at night ( at least 8 hours)..

Why Water?

2008-01-04T13:28:00.001-06:00

You are not sick- You are thirsty!

I remember we did a poll on water, nobody drinks enough water, the average amount of water you all drink was 1-3 cups of water a day, that's less than half of what you body needs to function, I hope you wake up after you read this, its sure to make you thirsty, I know it does for me!

How very important it is that you drink enough water each day! Your kidneys alone filter about 50 gallons of fluid a day. In a 24-hour period, more than 8 quarts of digestive juices flow into the digestive tract. Much of this water is RECYCLED over and OVER again by your kidneys!! Just thinking about it grosses me out, think of sink water being used over and over again after washing dirty dishes!! But about 2 to 4 quarts of water a day are lost through the urine, lungs, or perspiration. For this reason, if you do not keep drinking water, your kidneys cannot perform their function well, and kidney disease results. Yuck...
It has been found that water intake can increase physical endurance and ability to work by as much as 80%. When you do not drink enough water, your blood thickens and flows with greater difficulty. This can cause trouble not only in your body tissues and organs, but also to your heart that must pump that sludged blood.!
So many people eat far too much salt, sugar, and protein, yet each of these substances requires additional water to process.
In late 1986, the World Health Organization officially stated that the incidence of illness around the globe would fall by 80% if people in the developing nations had access to pure drinking water.
Lack of water not only affects health; it affects work production as well. Athletes, in particular, find that a slight decrease in fluid will greatly affect performance.
It is generally recommended that we drink 8 glasses of water a day. But it is best if you not drink it with your meals, but between them. The very best times for water drinking is first thing upon arising in the morning, and then 30 minutes or so before each meal. One or two glasses of water about a half hour before breakfast will help cleanse the stomach and sharpen the appetite. Small amounts drunk from time to time throughout the remainder of the day are also helpful.
Some people drink hot water or cold water drinks with their meal, but this hinders the digestion of the food even more than drinking lukewarm water at mealtime.
The drinking water should be pure, but this is becoming more difficult to obtain. This is unfortunate. One solution is to purchase a reliable water distiller for your home. This will clean the water. Distilled water will not hurt you; only help you, if you are eating a good diet so that you are obtaining your proper amounts of calcium and other minerals from your food. In contrast, regular water often contains an excess of inorganic sodium, chlorine, sulfur, fluorine, iron, chromium, lead, and other undesirable minerals-and in far greater amounts than the body could possible use. We can be thankful that small, inexpensive home distillers are now easily available. In health and in sickness, pure water is one of heaven’s choicest blessings. Its proper use promotes health. (The Ministry of Healing, Page 237)

*This info has been obtained from http://www.kyongcw.com/ ( I hope you check this great website out!)

The Bittersweet Truth About White Sugar

2008-01-04T13:28:00.000-06:00

Half of the white table sugar manufactured in the United States is cane sugar and the other half is beet sugar. Consumers cannot discern any differences between beet sugar and cane sugar in taste, appearance, and use. The primary distinction between cane sugar and beet sugar is filtered through activated carbon (charcoal_ which my be of animal , vegetable, or mineral origin. This step is unnecessary for beet sugar and therefore is never done. Over half of the cane refineries in the United States use bone char (charcoal made from animal bones ) as their activated carbon source. The bone char used in this filtering process is so far removed from its animal source that cane sugar processed in this method is deemed kosher, according to Jewish dietary laws, and parve- having no meat of milk in any form is an ingredient. Strict vegans disagree with this perspective and prefer to avoid whit table sugar altogether rather than chance using a product that was filtered thought bone char. Although some alternative sweetener contain a measure of complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, there is no significant nutritional advantage to one sweetener over another. Sugar and its variants, regardless of their form, are still basically empty calories.

The Sweet Solution

Pure vegetarian sweeteners abound, so the choice of what to use should be determined by your preference for particular flavors and textures. The following are excellent choices to use as granulated sweetenters. they may replace white table sugar measure-for-measure in most recipes. New products are frequently appearing on the market, so this may be only a partial list of what is available to you.

Date Sugar

Maple Sugar

Turbinado Sugar

Unbleached Cane Sugar

Barley Malt

Brown Rice Syrup

Concentrated Fruit Juice Syrups

Frozen Fruit Juice Concentrates

Maple Syrup

Sorghum Syrup

Agave Nectar

Stevia

Honey

Lemon Cake

2008-01-01T18:29:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone! I had a great b-day!! I promised you all that I'd give you the recipe for the Lemon cake, so here it is, and you better try it! Oh, I forgot to take a pic of it!! The guests "tore it up"!!!

Lemon Cake

3 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups Florida Crystals unbleached cane sugar
1 T. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup safflower oil
3 T. vanilla
1/2 t. lemon flavoring
2 T. cider or white vinegar

Lightly oil a 9x13-inch pan and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, place the water, lemon juice, oil, vanilla, and lemon oil (if using), and whisk well to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk well to combine. Drizzle the vinegar over the top of the batter and whisk quickly to thoroughly incorporate. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Frost with "Fluffy Lemon Frosting"!
Yield: One 9x13-inch cake

Fluffy Lemon Frosting

1/2 cup soy margarine, softened
3 oz. tofu cream cheese, softened
2 T. soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice
4 cups Veganized Powdered Sugar
1 T. lemon juice2 t. lemon zest1 t. vanilla

Using an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand held mixer, place the soy margarine, tofu cream cheese, and soy milk, and cream them together. Add half of the sugar, and beat well to combine. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat the mixture until light and fluffy.
Yield: 3 Cups or enough for two 9-inch layers or a 9x13-inch cake

Veganized Powdered Sugar

2 cups unbleached cane sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch

In a blender or food processor, blend sugar and cornstarch for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and blend an additional 30 seconds. Store in an airtight container.

Happy New Year!!!!

2008-01-01T18:29:00.001-06:00

I Just wanted to wish you all a Very Happy New Year!!!

It's tomorrow!!!!!

2007-12-22T22:20:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm getting a little excited, I cant wait!!! The family from FL will be here for the next week or so..and were going on a trip!

Countdown: 2 dayz!!

2007-12-20T13:13:00.003-06:00

2 days till my birthday, I'm not excited at all..We'll see what happens then...but 4 now I'm enjoying the last 2 days of my 15th year..All I can say is that it was one of the best years of my life..thats all thats left of it..:( ( I'm really Rofl!)

Hey guys!!!

2007-12-20T13:13:00.001-06:00

Oh yeah, we're counting down the days! Well you know my b-day is coming up in 3 days countdown (My sister is watching me type and she said she didn't know that, shame on her.lol) and in case you think i only post dessert recipes here, I don't. I'm just going to post my famous Lemon Cake Recipe and pic! Coming up on the 23rd!

2 Sisters in the Kitchen! And Vegan Pizza...

2007-12-20T13:13:00.000-06:00

Well as you know, when I cook: Little sis wants 2 take over. So I let her, we took a picture together in the kitchen. And made Pizza. I'll post the recipe here later. I just wanted you to see how it turned out..Here's a pic of it..yum.

This recipe takes some time, but it's way too good, and you better try it!

Crust Dough:

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. yeast

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup honey

1 1/3 cups water

Oil-Herb Mixture

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp. basil

1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder

1/2 Tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt

Mix flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl, then add oil, honey, and water and mix well. Knead for about 3 minutes. Pour oil-herb mixture on top and knead in, don't knead too much or it will become tough. Let it rise until double in size. On a sprayed pizza pan, roll it out flat, you don't have to use all the dough. Whether you want a thin or thick crust, you can freeze the rest and use it later! Bake at 350 degrees until slightly golden brown on the edges. Turn it over and top with your favorite pizza sauce, and toppings!

Here are some ideas:

Olives

Mushrooms

Spinach

Onion

Red Bell Pepper

Green Bell Pepper

Tomato

Tofu?

And of course your favorite vegan cheese or my very own recipe for Macadamia Nut Cheese which I will be posting soon, it melts like real cheese!!!! And I just had to post this picture of the vegan pizza my friend Shanelle made, doesn't it look great? Way to go gurl, I'll definately give you 5 stars..keep up the great work, and keep cooking everyone!

"It's Snowing!"

2007-12-16T12:38:00.002-06:00

Hey everyone, this is my first time to see "real" snow, not just "flurries", but the weather channel said we're getting at least 2-3 inches today, but we'll see about that because it's about 1 inch right now...I just thought it would be worth it to put this on my website, it was very light snow..

"I'm back!!"

2007-12-16T12:38:00.000-06:00

Hey guys, I'm back. I've been so busy all week, so i haven't got a chance to even update anything on my blog, so if any of you have requests or just wanna inspire me,: EMAIL ME!! Its Jcrealin@gmail.com! I'd be glad to hear from you!

DEEEEEEEEP! Conditioner......

2007-12-11T11:31:00.000-06:00

Another un-edible recipe! AGAIN? Here's something you can also do with the aloe vera!

A hair mask; yes, you're probably like, eww gross!!!!! But this really works for damaged hair, and it'll be like new again.. Heres what you'll need:

A blender.

Blend these two ingredients together, massage it in your hair and scalp. Leave it on for overnight. Wash it out in the morning. And GO!

Olive oil.

Fresh Aloe gel.

Recipe of the week: Carob Chip Cookies

2007-12-10T07:54:00.001-06:00

Here's a recipe that everyone will love.

1 c Whole-wheat flour

1 c Unbleached White flour

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking soda or 1 tsp. Baking powder

8 oz Smart Balance "Light"( non hydrogenated Spread

1 c Light brown sugar, packed

1/2 c Mori-Nu Tofu, firm

2 tsp Vanilla extract

1 c Walnuts, chopped (optional)

2/3 c Carob chips

Combine flours, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat Smart Balance, sugar, tofu and vanilla with hand mixer till smooth and creamy. Lower speed and gradually beat in flour mixture. Resume high speed and beat 1 minute more. Stir in walnuts and carob chips. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet prepared with cooking spray. Allow 1 inch betwwen cookies. Bake in a pre-heated oven on the conter oven rack at 375 F. for 14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes. Usng a spatula, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before storing. Yummy!

Aloe Vera

2007-12-09T13:30:00.000-06:00

Aloe-vera has been used for years, and is also known as A. Vulgaris Lam, or A. Barbadensis Mill.
It provides many benefits, I use it at home all the time. I am going to show you how you can use this powerful healing plant for a while,as I am doing research.
But here are a few benefits that I know of:
It is very healing to the skin, including: burns,wounds,sores,blisters,scars,lesions,and other skin disorders. It's juice is a natural Anti-inflammatory. Good for the hair; Hair loss, and a good gel,or conditioner. It provides a number of benefits to the person by improving their health! I will be showing you how to do many different things with it!! So check back soon!!! ,JadeHealingGardens.

Aloe Vera Facial

2007-12-09T11:30:00.000-06:00

This great for preventing, and treating acne(acne rosacea)and scars. Just do one of these facials whenever you need it.

Step one: Remove the gel by scraping it out into a bowl, and mashing it up.

Step Two: Wash your face with a mild, gentle soap ( I use Johnsons baby soap,or Olay Shea Butter bar.)Rinse with warm water to open the pores.

Step Three: Massage it on your face for a few minutes( in upward-outward direction)all over the place! It doesn't burn your eyes so don't worry...Relax for a while till dry and tight. Now Rinse with COLD water; and enjoy your CLEAN & FRESH face!!