More fiber can improve your health

Fiber is a major key to good health.  Recent studies show the value of this rough around the edges food.  Most people don’t even think about it.  If they get enough they would not even know.  Some research states that our ancestors were eating about 100 grams of this value commodity but today most research says we only get about 8 grams.  Wow now that is what you call a drop in the bucket. 

 

The FDA has tried to convince us all it has value by increasing the fruits, vegetables and grains in our diet through the food pyramid.  However their guidelines seem to have everyone more confused.   The FDA says five servings of this and 4 servings of that however that broadness leaves a lot of room for interpretation.  I think the biggest area of confusion is what constitutes grains.  We have all been brainwashed that white flavorless, colorless and tasteless bread is a grain.  However, when every bit of nutrient is pulled from something it basically becomes nothing. 

 

Recently at a farmers market a young boy and his mother were shopping.  They came along the different booths, looked over the produce and walked by.  Tasted a couple of healthy baked products and continued on down the line.  As they were walking off in their hands were no fruits or vegetables only white bread.  This mentality is only going to lead to more obesity, heart disease and colon cancers.  As Americans we need to take a stand for healthy food.  David Letterman just recently wrote that as Americans we have so much to be thankful for, so many opportunities and the best of everything in the world why we spend so much time complaining and not enough time appreciating. 

 

Take a stand for your health.  Commit to eating only whole grain products.  This commitment is not a difficult one it will not break the bank, however you will be committing to a healthier lifestyle and potential years added on your life.  Take a stand today.

 

Meaningful Family Activity

Spring is in the air. Here is an activity to do with your kids. I found this years ago but Easter is so packed with church and family activities I usually do it a few weeks later.  It allows time for the kids to think about Easter and what it stands for and then I make a bigger impact about how Jesus suffered and his followers realized His life purpose.

You need: 1 cup whole pecans, 1 t. vinegar, 3 egg whites (room temp), pinch of salt, 1 cup granulated sugar, ziplock bag, wooden spoon, table and the Bible.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place pecans in ziplock bag and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.  Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.  Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar.  Eggs represent life.  Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.  Read John: 10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand.  Let them taste it and brush the rest into brush the rest into the bowl.  Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.  Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.  Add 1 cup sugar.  Explain that the sweetness part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us.  He wants us to know and belong to Him.  Read Ps 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.  Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.  Read Isa 1:19 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts.  Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookies sheet.  Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus body laid.  Read Matt 27:57-6.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven close the door and Turn the oven off.  Give each child a piece of tape and let them seal the oven door.  Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.  Read Matt 27:65-66.

Go to bed!  Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in toe oven overnight.  Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed, Read John  16:20 and 22.

The next morning, open the oven door and give everyone a cookie.  Notice the cracked surface and take a bite.  The cookies are hollow just like the tomb.  Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.  Read Matt 28 1-9.  He has risen. 

Oatmeal Based Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 egg, mixed

1 cup skim milk

2 cup oatmeal flour

1 T. baking powder

1 T. poppy seed

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

1/3 cup cane juice sugar – raw sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare muffin pan – I use Demarle At Home silicone and glass muffin pans.  If you want to order these you can online at demarleathome.com code 2608.  No oil, spray or anything to get these wonderful treats out of the pan.

Mix all the wet ingredients together in one bowl and all the dry ingredients in a large measuring cup, mix well.

Add the dry to the wet and “just” mix them together.  Spoon batter into muffin cups, fill 3/4 full.  Baker 20-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes, remove and serve warm.

How to make oatmeal flour.  Place rolled oatmeal into a coffee grinder or food processor and grind to flour consistence.

Buying Local is a give and take!

Buying Local

I sure feel sorry for organizations and groups that tell you to buy local, support local companies.  In the last few days it seems that I have ran into the worst customer service on the face of the earth and guess what it was all local.  Our local economy is struggling, people are out of jobs, there are people who need to work and I assume want to work, so how do we have people working for us that just can not do their job.  I really don’t know.

First of all I have had two doctors’ offices that really ticked me off.  The first one told me before Christmas that they had dropped me from there case load because I had not paid a bill.  Well I had paid them and OOPS they just made a mistake.  Okay forgive and forget is my motto, well I called again today and guess what they had not fixed the problem.  OOPS!  I asked to speak to the office manager and I decided they were using the tactic if we leave her on hold long enough she will just get tired of it.  Well guess what I did.  I wrote a letter to the doctor because I can almost guess that she has no idea of the incompetence of her staff.  But the sad part of it is that she will probably never see the letter because her office manager probably opens the mail.

Second scenario, my husband went to an appointment at a different office.  He waited 15 minutes and finally went to the desk to see what the hold up was the secretary told him he was late.  He said no I have been waiting right here.  She told him to sit back down, he asked if he would be seen today and she said his guess was as good as hers because they go to lunch at noon no matter what.  He discovered that they had not even pulled his file from the basement so he just left because he had another appointment.   Maybe we should send them a bill for the time he wasted waiting.

Third problem of the day, I purchased a sofa and chair from another local store.  I want to support these businesses I thought.  I have had the chair for less than 2 months and the along the top of the chair the fabric is fraying.  I called to have it taken care of 2 weeks ago and did not hear anything back, and then today I called again.  I was told that they would cover the cost of the fabric but I would have to pay for the upholstery which would be over $100.  I paid almost $1500 dollars for the chair and couch, are they crazy?  If I had bought it at that so often time bashed stored called “SAMS CLUB”.  They would have given me my money back or given me a different one. 

I am a business owner myself and I understand the value of customer service.  I bend over backwards to make my customers happy.  I want my local neighbors to support my business but I will not treat them like crap just because they are local.

Business owners you need to hire secret shoppers and see what your customer service staff is really doing.  Are they driving your customers away?

I will leave this on a good note though we have a local hardware store and there service is fabulous.  They know the meaning of customer service.  They charge more than the chains but they go out of their way to help their customers find the right product and can even explain how to use it if needed.  That is CUSTOMER SERVICE.

NO WHITE FLOUR REVOLUTION

There are articles, news reports and comedians that put there “two cents” in on what should be this years New Year’s Resolution.  So I decided to join them and suggest to the world to eliminate white flour.  There are many supporting facts on why we should do this but we are a Wonder Bread Society and habits are hard to break. 

White flour came onto the scene around the time of the Industrial Revolution.  We started milling wheat and removing the beneficial germ to increase the bread self life.  Naturalist would say that they removed the life of the grain which is what makes it so beneficial to the body.  I think this is a valid point but the thing that scares me the most is the use of chemicals in the process.  The most common used in the production of white flour is called alloxan.  This chemical is used to make white flour look so beautifully clean and this same chemical has the power to destroy the beta cells of the pancreas.  What does that mean to our bodies in the long term, the risk of diabetes?  Scientists have known the risk for years and even use it to induce diabetes in lab animals by injecting alloxan directly into the animals.  How does alloxan cause diabetes?  The alloxan makes beta cells fail to operate normally and they eventually do not produce insulin which causes one variety of adult-onset type 2 diabetes.  The white flour industry argues if alloxan was the primary cause of diabetes more Americans would be diabetic.  Even though that is a valid point we also know that not just one thing usually causes a single health issue.

If you are diabetic or have a family history of diabetics one of the first steps in prevention is the elimination of white flour. 

The baker’s at Bizzy Lizzy Bakery have come up with a wonderful solution.  They have created a  breakfast “Hearty” cookie that is packed with fiber and protein.  These soft and delicious cookies have 4 grams of fiber and NO FLOUR.  Most high fiber products have wheat flours, which many are trying to avoid. 

http://www.tiffanyblitz.com/blog/archives/226

Old Movies and the Holiday Spirit

Thanksgiving would not be complete with out Miracle on 34th Street. I love old movies my daughter says she hates black and white movies. I kinda force it on her because I want her to appreciate the past. My son loves to watch old movies with me he always has.

We are gearing up for the biggest shopping day of the year. I wonder if people will spend like they have in the past. Michigan (where I live) is struggling, so I wonder if people will be more careful. I plan on not going overboard this year. I have tried to be more realistic since I had kids. I want them to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas and not that it is a time to get what ever you wish for.

We spend more time appreciating each other and spending time together. I think I will make more Christmas presents this year. I am going to make hot packs, scented oils and homemade goodies. Everyone loves my baking and I love to bake. My favorite things to make people for the holidays is my Pepper Peanut Brittle in beautiful shapes. I Michigan I have met people who pull the brittle and I think that is fun so I will do some of that. I will also make cookies and fudge for some people. My neighbor loves peanut brittle and I put him off all year because he should not have the sugar but I break down at the holiday and give him some as a treat.

Happy Holidays to All

Kids in the Kitchen

My 14 year old son can not be more excited about cooking the Thanksgiving Turkey.  He did it last year and babied the bird the whole time.  He has watch Alton Brown for tips and thinks he has it all figured out.  He loves to cook in the first place and I glad he does.  Thanksgiving is about family and the whole idea of “thanks”.  I am so thankful to have such a wonderful child.  He is not alone though he has a great sister who is in charge of pies this year.  I am not sure what kind she will make but I am sure it will be fabulous.  She practiced the other evening and made a delicious apple pie.  She used the apples that her grandmother canned for her and a bought pie crust.  She has made it from scratch but feels more confident with the prepared version.  I notice a difference but not enough to worry about it.  She understands the process of making the homemade crust and when she is ready to take on the task by herself, I am confident she will do fine. 

My job has also been defined.  I am to make the sides.  They want scalloped corn, mashed potatoes, gravy and creamed green beans.  That certainly will not take me long.  Here are the recipes if you would like to make them for your family.  They come out of my cookbook, Cooking Simple with Sheila Rae which you can find at www.bizzylizzybakery.com or www.bravisa.com if you are interested. 

 Make For Later Mashed Potato’s – if you don’t have enough space in your kitchen these can be made tonight and warmed tomorrow.  Absolutely Fabulous.

9 #’s of potato, 1(6 oz) cream cheese, 1/2 cup American Cheese-shredded, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 t. onion salt, 1 t. garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 2 T. butter

Peel and cut potatoes into cubes.  Put in large stock pot and cover with with water and 1 T. salt.  Boil potatoes until soft, drain.  In a large mixing bowl place all the ingredients and mix until smooth.  Place in a 3-quart baking dish.  Cover and refrigerate until needed.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 50 minutes.

Creamed Green Beans

2 (15 ounce) cans of green beans – drained, 1 cup cream, 1 t. salt, 2 T flour and 3 T. Milk

In a saucepan place the beans, cream and salt.  Over low heat cook beans for 20 minutes.  Combine the flour and milk and add to green beans stirring constantly.  Simmer until thick.

Scalloped Corn

2 (15 ounce) cans of cream style corn, 3/4 cup milk, 1 cup soda crackers, 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper, 2 eggs-beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a 2 quart baking dish mix all the ingredients and bake for 1 hour. 

If you have not discovered Demarle Products consider investigation this product further.  It is a non-stick product that wows the most amazing cooks.  It did me and I am truly in love with this product.

Have a great THANKSGIVING!

Sheila Rae and Family

White Flour the Glue of the Gut

White Flour – The Glue of  the Gut

Have you ever thought of it before quite like that?  Most of us have not but think about what we did as children, we would take flour and water and make paste.  In today’s world, so much food is made from these two basic components.  It is in breakfast food, snacks, pasta, bread, cereal and the list just continues.  Why do so many manufactures prefer bleached white flour to any other flour?  The answer is so simple CHEAP!  When wheat is processed it can be broke down into many components, and the more components the more possibility of making money.  The last thing left is the debris of the grain of wheat and that is our every popular white flour.

Most of us know we should be eating Whole Grains but that is even confusing. The process of using the whole grain means that it is ground up and used in a product.  The biggest problem with that is our body may have problems processing it. 

If you keep up on health issues, you are seeing a lot about Gluten Fre Diets and individuals who feel eating white flour is causing unexplained behavior in children and adults.  Some people feel that this product can cause hyperactivity and even autism.  Personally, I feel the first one is possible however the second I think someone is grabbing for some explanation and this just fell in his or her laps.

I will say though that I am not a big fan of the white stuff because I do know that it causes digestive problems.   In fact, researches say that somewhere between 60-80% of women and teens experience these types of problems.   That is scary because when the system is not working right neither does the brain or anything else in your body. 

  

Best Wishes,

Sheila Rae

www.hireamom.com

www.bizzylizzybakery.com

Hello world!

Mother of two and a person concerned with the overall health and well being of the general public.  As a former teacher I saw kids struggling and kids who were so successful.  Some came from the same families.  So what sets people apart and makes them strive for success while others can seem to do everything right and never get ahead.  Most people would say the luck of the draw.  I am not sure I agree.  This blog is filled with observations and interesting topics of the day.