Reset Your Post Holiday Body and Tastebuds

It was the day after Christmas and I started my day off with a cup of organic coffee with just a wee bit of whipping cream (which is usually not part of the equation but was left over from making creamed corn :-)) and a rice cake with almond butter.  Now, this usually hits the spot, but I noticed this morning, that my mouth was not quite happy.  It wanted something sweeter and was rebelling a bit.  Could be that I had indulged in just a few extras over the holidays?  No over the top indulging but enough to feel a few pounds heavier, puffier, and a slowed down digestive system as well.  I needed a Reset!

When we eat or drink sugar and processed foods, there is a trigger in our brains that gets turned on to make us want more of these things.  The sugar, bad fats and anything with white flour and artificial flavorings, act like a powerful drug, turning on our dopamine and serotonin receptors sites which are our pleasure centers in the brain.  When this gets out of hand, a Reset Day or Days is/are needed.

 A Reset Day  is basically eating simply and cleanly for an entire day or more wherein mostly vegetables, lean protein and good fats are eaten, all organic, if possible.  I teach this reset day in my 5 week class to Transforming Your Body and Mind click here to find out more ». Some people become more addicted than others to sugars and they will need to eat from The Reset Menu longer than others to let their brains and mouths settle back down and be tamed again.

Once you get back on track from the Holidays, I strongly recommend incorporating a Reset Day every Monday to help recover from weekend social eating.   If you are one of those who tends to get a bit more addicted to sugar, salt, bread, and processed foods, or if you've indulged while on a vacation, you may need to incorporate the Reset Menu for 3-7 days, in order to get things back on track..

 Below is a sample Reset Day Menu to help you get started.  

Don't forget to get your body moving again, as well.  Yoga and exercise are both so important in keeping your dopamine, serotonin, and endorphin levels balanced and you feeling happy.

Your Sample Reset Day Menu

Breakfast Options:

                        2 egg omlette with ½-1 oz goat cheese, 1/3 avocado, chopped tomatoes and 1 chopped basil leaf and micro-greens

                                        *

                                                         Energy Shake

                                               8-10 oz-Water or coconut water

1 Tbsp Almond butter

1 Tbsp Chia seeds

Handful of spinach

¼ cup frozen berries

1 Tbsp ground flax

1 scoop high quality protein shake (optional)

Ice

Lunch Options

2 -3 cups field greens, ¼ cup almonds or chopped walnuts, 2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds, with 4 oz cooked shrimp or salmon (optional) (dressing

      *

2 cups butternut squash or tomato soup, with 1 cup frozen green beans, topped with 1/4 cup goat’s milk greek yogurt

     *

Gazpacho and 1 oz either sheep/goat cheese or vegan cheese, and 10 red grapes

      *

Cerviche and a small tangerine or orange
    *

Energy Shake

Dinner Options:

Sautéed or Grilled vegetables (1/2 red onion, 1-2  Zucchini, 1 cup mushrooms, etc) top with Manchego cheese  or vegan nut cheese or 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast or 4-6 oz grass fed steak-(similar to a fajita without the tortilla)

      *

6-8 oz of wild caught fish grilled or baked, steamed broccoli, or mashed cauliflower*,  and spinach salad with balsamic and olive oil

Snacks:

Detox Green drink * *You may either juice this or blend. 
Skinny Vanilla Dessert** 

Allowed beverages:

Water-at least 64 oz

Green tea

Organic coffee

Sparkling water

Water with dash of cayenne pepper, stevia and lemon-(this is a great kidney flush and digestion flush)

Only sweetener allowed is Stevia

**Recipe is available on this blog.

Half Day Restorative Retreat-Friday, January 24th

Relax, Receive and Be Pampered

Let yourself be pampered with gentle yoga with Susan Rubio and a restorative meal with me and Katherine Ware (aka the Soup Witch)
Contact me @ 949-370-9843 
Blue Heron Portal Studio, 3337 Laguna Canyon Rd. A., Laguna Beach, CA 92651

To reserve your spot, please mail payment by January 17th to Susan Rubio, 2083 Golf links Drive, Prescott, AZ 86301

Savory Gluten Free Quinoa Stuffing

Well, I experimented with going gluten free this Thanksgiving and it turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.  I have since made a few minor adjustments to my pumpkin pie recipe but the quinoa stuffing was fabulous.  In previous years,  I've always done a traditional turkey sausage and cornbread stuffing. (No, I am not vegan/vegetarian. I hope that I have not just disappointed anyone).  Having said that,  I am trying to stay away from gluten, corn and dairy more and more as I seem to feel better with less and for other reasons, as well.  I am also trying to show those who just can not tolerate gluten or dairy, that there are so many wonderful ways to still enjoy your favorite foods! The biggest part of being gluten free and dairy free a success is using plenty of seasoning and enough fat for flavor.  

I tend to not measure things when I am creating ,which is why I'm not a very good baker, so what I have written down here for the quinoa stuffing may need a little bit of tweaking with the amounts, but I think, I've been able to duplicate it pretty well here. 
 Please use as many organic ingredients as possible.

Serves 10

2 cups uncooked Red Quinoa-rinsed
4 cups chicken stock or Vegetable stock
1 tsp Real salt

2 cups chopped celery
2 chopped yellow onions
3 tsp freshly minced Rosemary
3 tsp freshly minced thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/3 cup currents
3-4 Tbsp orange juice
Additional Real Salt if needed
1/2 cup Clarified Butter * or olive or safflower oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

* clarified butter is what is left after the milk fat and water are removed and usually is fine for people with dairy allergies.  It has a much higher smoke point than regular butter.  You can make your own or purchase it at TJ's.

Prepare Quinoa by bringing 4 cups of liquid to a boil, add salt and quinoa and reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.  

Preheat oven to 425F

While the Quinoa is cooking, chop your celery and onions and then saute in 2-3 Tbsp of clarified butter or oil over low to medium heat until the onions are translucent.  Add more butter or oil if needed.  Add the herbs, currents and OJ, cooked quinoa and pecans, if you are using them.  Mix all ingredients well together and then place into a glass or ceramic baking dish or you can stuff your turkey with the mixture.  If using a ceramic dish, drizzle the top with some melted butter and place into a preheated oven of 425 F.  Bake for 20 minutes, then stir and bake for another 20 minutes.  The top layer of the stuffing will get a bit crispy which adds some extra crunch and texture, which I love!

Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie.

Makes a 9 Inch Pie

For The Crust:

•  1 cup GF certified rolled oats, processed into a fine flour OR 1 cup GF oat flour
• 2 cups raw pecans
• 2 tbsp Sucanat or Raw sugar
• 3 tbsp ground flax
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup brown rice syrup (acts as the binder, honey may work if you prefer that)
• 2 tbsp Organic Butter or Earth Balance-soy free, melted

For the Filling:

• 2 & 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup sucanat or raw cane sugar
• 1/4 cup full-fat coconut cream
• 1 Tbsp butter or Earth Balance-soy free
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp arrowroot powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves

Instructions:

Crust:

• Grease a 9-inch pie dish very well and preheat the oven to 350 F. 
• In a food processor, add 2 cups pecans and process until it starts to clump and oils start to release (about 35 secs), but don’t make pecan butter either. 
• Melt Earth Balance or butter with brown rice syrup in small saucepan.. Transfer clumpy pecan mixture into a large bowl and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Using your hands, squeeze the dough over and over to combine very well. You should be able to form a ball with it. If it's too dry add a bit more oil.
• Spoon the pecan dough onto pie dish and smooth out evenly. Press down firmly with fingers to form a crust, bringing it up along the sides. Press as firmly as you can. Prick base with fork 12-13 times. Prebake at 350F for 9-12 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn. Remove and cool for 10 mins.

Filling:

• In large bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and arrowroot powder.  Then add all ingredients and whisk together, adjusting spices to taste,  Add more sweetener if desired, if you know your audience needs it.
• Scoop the filling into crust and smooth.  Cover the edges of the crust with tin foil or a crust shield and bake for 50-55 minutes at 350F.  Place on cooling rack for 1 hour.  Transfer to fridge to set for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight. 

Dairy Free Whipped Cream: Whip 2 cups of Coconut Cream in a well chilled bowl with well chilled beaters until stiff.  Add 2 Tbsp sucanat or raw cane sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract, if desired.

This recipe is adapted from a great blog by Angela Liddon @  http://ohsheglows.com.  I recommend visiting this site for some more wonderful recipes that are gluten and diary free.
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Get stubborn pounds off for good, boost your energy levels and libido, stop mood swings

What if every day you woke up and:
   ... liked what you saw in the mirror?
   ... felt no aches and pains?
   ... had a digestive tract that worked?
   ... felt energized?
   ... felt purposeful, focused and joyful?
   ... felt restful?
   ... were disease free?

What would your life be like? What things would you be doing right now that you are not, because you do not have the energy or focus or self confidence?  

I want to help you find your way to being the best you can be by showing you the keys to getting your body back. There are 7 basic keys to keeping your body full of life, energy, looking and feeling good, no matter what age you are. I want to give you these keys to unlock your body's wisdom so I am inviting you to a free Webinar that I will be giving on December 11th. 

 Once you understand these keys, you will be on your way to becoming disease free and feeling and looking wonderful.  Now, how is that for health care reform?  The insurance and pharmaceutical companies would not know what hit them if we all knew and really believed that our bodies were designed to heal themselves and not be riddled with cancer, diabetes, digestive problems, obesity, heart disease, depression, anxiety, ED, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc.

To find out what these 7 Keys are, please join me for this free Webinar on December 11th, 5:30-6:30 PST.  These keys will unlock the mystery of how to heal your body, lose stubborn weight, get rid of heartburn, food sensitivities, depression, migraines and feel and look ten years younger.    For many of you, these 7 keys will be life changing.  They will be the beginning of the way back to feeling well enough again to live life with energy, excitement and joy.  This is more than just looking and feeling younger, although that is always nice, it's about getting your life back again.

If you can not make the designated time of the airing, no worries.  A recording of the Webinar will be available for you to listen to for one week after airing but in order to have access to the recording, you will need to sign up for the Webinar.  And again, this is free.  I would like for everyone to know, that there is no need to be overweight, sick and/or tired. You do have the innate power change your body.  You just need the right tools and that is what I will give you.
Reserving your spot is easy. Just click on the link below.   https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/528720312224755202

Please pass this on to anyone you know who may be interested in taking charge of their health and well-being and staying or becoming disease free.  The more people I can reach and empower, the better the world will be.  And I know that that may sound a bit overstated but if people feel good and whole then what they put out into the world can be wonderful!  I have been privileged to watch this happen many times over with my clients from West to East coast.  

This webinar is the first step to a renewed life.  And you men, out there...this is for you too :-).