People ask me from time to time, “Does your family eat the same foods you do? If not, how do you handle the cooking?”
Answer: Yes and no. Yes, I always make plenty of the healthy choices, so that they can dig into these–and most of the time, they do. However, several family members still want the old “family favorites” that are filled with processed carbohydrates, milk and cheese, unhealthy fats, and lots of sugar. I don’t feel like it’s my place to force my husband, my children, or my aunt to eat the way I do, so I still prepare these dishes for them.
Does fixing the old family favorites present a temptation for me to leave my alkaline diet? Not any more. Here’s my secret: I pretend that I’m cooking with play dough! Remember when you were little and made all sorts of food from Play-Doh–skinny green beans, little round green peas, brown hamburgers, and the like? We’d put them up to our mouths and pretend to eat them, but of course, no one would really eat them because Play-Doh isn’t real food! It wouldn’t be nourishing at all. Well, that’s how I look at chocolate cheese cake and cheddar cheese soup. For me, they “look” like food, but they wouldn’t be nourishing for my body. Instead, I know they would acidify my blood and create digestive problems and a toxic colon. I certainly don’t want that to happen!
So, when I’m cooking the old family favorites, I simply treat the preparations like play dough. I don’t eat a bite. I don’t even take any “taste tests” along the way!
But I also offer healthy, delicious alternatives at the same meal. Slowly, but surely, these healthier dishes are becoming new family favorites! Check out my “Recipes” and “Desserts” sections for tasty dishes that you can offer your family, and watch to find one they enjoy. Serve that dish again and then gradually add others. Before you know it, you’ll be cooking mostly healthy foods for everyone, with only a few occasional “play dough” dishes to prepare. 
Tags: alkaline diet, osteoporosis
Boogie boarding has got to be one of the most enjoyable ways to get exercise and build bone density. It gets you out in the sun, which promotes the production of Vitamin D for stronger bones. It also gets you out in the surf where negative ions abound, which helps the red blood cells to circulate freely. Boogie boarding is safer than surfing, too, because the board is light and won’t injure you if it hits you in the head. Besides, you ride in on your belly with a boogie board, rather than standing up, so there’s no chance of falling.
Surfers often have to wait in line for a good waves, but not boogie boarders! Just about every wave is a good wave to boogie. All you need is a boogie board–make sure it’s big enough to keep you afloat–and a wet suit for cold weather. If you’re looking for a fun way to get more exercise for your bones, why not give boogie boarding a try?
This recipe is based on a recipe I picked up at Publix, entitled “Tuscan Chicken and Beans with Bread Bows.” The bread bows would not be bone-friendly, however, so I just stuck with the Chicken and Bean recipe and tweaked it a bit. The original recipe is available on-line at http://publix.com/aprons.
3/4 tsp dried rosemary (or 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely snipped)
1 pound of frozen chicken tenderloins, thawed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (19-ounce) can of cannellini beans, undrained
1 cup of Swanson’s no MSG chicken broth
1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, julienne-cut
2 tblsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water (or 1/4 of broth from the pan)
Preheat a large non-stick skillet on medium high for 2-3 minutes. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken, sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cook 2 minutes, cooking occasionally. (Note: I cooked the chicken ahead of time for quicker prep time in the evening.)
Stir in beans, broth, and tomatoes. Stir cornstarch and water together in a small bowl and slowly add to pan, stirring continuously. Heat to boiling, reduce to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Serve.
I served this with brown rice, fresh tomato slices, sliced strawberries, millet dinner rolls, and Pumpkin Pie for dessert!
Tags: bone health, cannellini beans, osteoporosis, Recipes
For a while my favorite bone-healthy breakfast was Kamut Pancakes with applesauce topping.
Then, it was a Fruity Protein Shake with a Greens Shake chaser.
Now, as of last week, I have a new favorite!
Combine in a cereal bowl:
1 cup of Nature’s Path Organic Millet Rice Oat Bran Cereal (available at Publix)
1 ripe peach, cut into bite-size pieces
10-12 Raw almonds
Pour over this some Blue Diamond Natural Almond Breeze almond milk (unsweetened vanilla flavor).
Unsweetened almond milk is available at DeLand Bakery and Natural Market.
What a delicious way to start the day!
Tags: almond milk, bone health, breakfast, Menus, millet rice cereal, osteoporosis
What a lovely beach day it was with blue skies and a high of 82!
Breakfast: Fruity Protein Shake, 2 pieces of Applesauce Coffee Cake (See Recipes)
Exercise: At the beach – Boogie Boarding!
Snack: Banana, water
Lunch: 2 pieces of Applesauce Coffee Cake, tuna salad, celery & almond butter
Snack: 1 piece of Applesauce Coffee Cake
Supper: 1 cup Amy’s brand Vegetable Soup, small burger made from lean Maverick beef (4% fat), millet bun, green beans, water
Bedtime: Supplements, Bone Cocktail
2 tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tbsp Xylosweet
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1-1/2 cups LiveActive cereal or Great Grains cereal
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup almond milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1. Stir together nuts, Xylosweet, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon; set aside for topping.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon; set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, mix together cereal, applesauce, oil, almond milk, egg, and vanilla. Add flour mixture, stirring until thoroughly combined.
4. Spread batter in lightly greased 8″ x 8″ x 2″ baking pan. Sprinkle with topping.
5. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 28 minutes or knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm with Earth Balance buttery spread… and perhaps a cup of cinnamon apple tea!
Tags: Bob's Red Mill, Desserts, osteoporosis, Recipes, Xylosweet
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34
It’s been a while since I’ve written, but not because I haven’t wanted to. I’ve been tied up with school work, as our state tests are approaching. Also, my dear aunt moved in with us, and we’ve been making some improvements and changes to the house.
What has surprised me in all the busyness is how easy it has been to keep up with the diet and exercise regimen. I’m still doing the weight training, running, stretching, and belly dancing. Last Saturday I ran in a 5K race and made my best time yet. Somehow what seemed so hard a year ago has become a wonderful, welcome way of life!
I don’t ever want to go back to the way I used to eat or to the overstressed, overworked lifestyle that ate away at my body and left no time for exercise, recreation, and relaxation. I might have been dragged kicking and screaming into this way of life, but now I love it!
Here was today’s regimen in a nutshell:
Breakfast: Fruity Protein Shake, water
Snack: Oatmeal and banana
Snack: Two slices of oat bran bread and margarine
Lunch: Cup of Amy’s 3 Bean and Pasta Soup, water
Exercise: 1 hour weight training using Margaret Richard’s Beauty to the Bone DVD
1 mile run/walk
1/2 hour gardening
Snack: Sunflower seeds
Supper: Tossed salad, boiled egg, water, supplements, Bone Cocktail
It’s about 8:00 pm now and I’m heading off to bed, peaceful and healthy–and ready for a good night’s sleep!
Thank you, God, for your everlasting love and care.
