Garlic It Up. (Immune Booster #10)

GARLIC!
Garlic is so good when added to many meals BUT have you ever had it be the MAIN ingredient? Plus it contains an ingredient called allicin, which fights infection and bacteria according to Baseline of Health. AND as gross as it sounds (to me) eating these cloves raw has shown to decrease the chances of catching a cold.

I am a sucker for soup when I am sick - so here is yet another SOUP recipe! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon coconut oil or EVOO
30 garlic cloves, peeled
6-8 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
nutmeg, as needed
4-5 egg yolks
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
6-8 slices country bread, toasted

Directions:
Melt the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and shake over gentle heat so the garlic cooks without browning. It should just melt in the oil; letting it brown is fatal as the flavor turns bitter.
Add the chicken stock and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grate a tiny bit of nutmeg in, if desired. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, and then force through a sieve or food mill to purée the garlic.
Reheat the soup. Beat the egg yolks and stir in the olive oil. Stir some of the hot soup into the egg yolk mixture to temper them, and then stir it very gently into the soup and heat until warmed through. Do not under any circumstances let the soup come to a boil, or the yolks will curdle. Serve in large soup plates, ladling the soup over pieces of crisp toast, one to a plate.

Simple Yogurts (Immune Booster #9)

Yogurt is another go-to breakfast meal or snack and it is a natural probiotic, which means it replaces all the good bacteria in your system. According to a recent study, those who fueled their body with probiotics had 33 percent less sick days than those who didn’t!

Since Yogurt is good plain Here are some simple recipes:

YOGURT, FRUIT & ALMOND PARFAITS

Ingredients
4 ALMOND COOKIE OR MACAROONS, COARSELY CHOPPED (1/2 CUP)
2 CUPS OIKOS® GREEK 0% PLAIN OR VANILLA YOGURT
1 CUP DICED FRESH FRUIT (BERRIES, PEACHES, APRICOTS,)
2 TBSP. SLICED ALMONDS, TOASTED
2 TSP. HONEY

Directions
PLACE 2 TABLESPOON OF CRUSHED COOKIE IN THE BASE OF TWO SUNDAE OR PARFAIT STYLE GLASSES.
LAYER WITH: 1/2 CUP YOGURT, 1/2 CUP FRUIT AND 1 TBSP MORE OF THE COOKIES.
TOP WITH 1/2 CUP YOGURT, REMAINING COOKIES, TOASTED ALMONDS AND A DRIZZLE OF HONEY.

OR here is a yummy sauce recipe you can use with yogurt too:

CREAMY AVOCADO YOGURT DRESSING

Ingredients

1 RIPE HAAS AVOCADO, PITTED AND MASHED

1 CUP OIKOS® GREEK % PLAIN

1 TBSP. LIME OR LEMON JUICE

2 TBSP. MINCED CILANTRO

1/2 TSP. GROUND CUMIN

SALT AND HOT PEPPER SAUCE TO TASTE

Directions

IN A BOWL COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS AND MIX UNTIL BLENDED.

USE AS A DIP, SANDWICH SPREAD OR CONDIMENT FOR GRILLED MEATS OR VEGETABLES.

both from oikos.com

Heart warming Tea Recipes (Immune Booster #2)

TEA

I could go on and on and on about tea. It is the BEST. Especially because it fights viruses and soothes sore throats - but also according to Prevention.com, a Harvard study shows that people who drank 5 cups of black tea for 2 weeks had more of the immune boosting protein interferon in their blood than those who didn’t.

Since tea doesn't necessarily have "recipes" other than infusing it with fruit and such. Here is a list of a few tea favorites that will help with many different types of illnesses!

Raspberry Leaf Tea:

Highly nutritious and especially beneficial for women as it helps balance hormones and is good for the skin. It is often consumed during pregnancy as it can strengthen the uterus and is a good source of Magnesium, Potassium, and B-Vitamins.

This is good hot or cold - and simply with water. Add stevia or natural sugars to sweeten.

Chamomile Tea:

Chamomile tea is one of the most consumed teas in the world behind regular black tea. Chamomile flowers have a naturally sweet taste with a hint of an apple flavor. Chamomile is a good herbal source of  Magnesium, and is known as a soothing and relaxing herb.

It makes an excellent in the evening or in times of stress because of its mildly sedative and soothing properties. It is an excellent herb for children and can even be an effective remedy for pink eye.

Another one perfect simply with hot water.

Mint Tea:

My husband LOVES mint tea when he is sick. Peppermint tea soothes the digestive track and is helpful for heartburn, nausea and indigestion. Useful in early pregnancy to help alleviate nausea.

A lot of people like this with hot water - I am one who usually can only drink this is it is infused with fruit.

While it is especially helpful during illness, Peppermint is a delicious tea anytime and can be consumed alone or with other herbs to help increase their effectiveness.

Jasmine Green Tea: Can be used to treat depression and other health issues. Plus it can also be used for Aromatherapy, Stroke Prevention, Antioxidants & Cancer, and Lower cholesterol. On top of that - it is AMAZING. Yum. Perfect simple and with hot water

Chai Tea: 

Chai tea is an ultimate favorite for me and can be good with Raspberry Leaf tea instead of black tea and with coconut milk instead of regular milk. There are many variations of chai tea recipes and with a little experimenting, you can find the one that you like best. Here is a basic recipe to give you some ideas.

Crock Pot Chai Tea Latte

An easy Chai Tea that can be pre-made in the crock pot for a warm drink on the go.

4 cups water

4 cups coconut milk (store bought or well-filtered homemade)

8 tea bags OR ½ cup loose leaf black tea or herbal tea

1-2 tsp stevia leaf

8 thin slices of fresh ginger root OR ½ tsp dried ginger root (optional)

6 cinnamon sticks

8-10 whole cloves or ¼-1/2 tsp clove powder

2 cardamon pods (optional but really good)

1 teaspoon of real vanilla extract

Optional: 1 Tablespoon chamomile flowers and ½ tsp dried fennel seeds

Instructions

Put water in crock pot and add herbs and spices (I really suggest using a cloth bag or reusable tea bag)

Cook on high for 2-2.5 hours or on low for up to 6 (I’ve kept on low overnight). Add milk or coconut milk and stir until heated.

Serve plain or topped with real whipped cream or the cream from a can of coconut milk. Can also be chilled and blended with ice and 2 TBSP coconut oil for an iced version!

Enjoy!

A Little Bit of Awesome

I love taking the time to research a little bit every now and then, the ingredients that are in Shakeology.

Today, for one of my groups, I chose to research the Goji Berry.

Man superfoods are amazing!

GOJI BERRY

"Scientists have found the goji berry to be one of the most nutritionally dense fruits on earth. Here are the main nutrients found in the goji berry that makes it such a potent wellness agent.

Goji berries contain special polysaccharides which fortify your immune system and are responsible for controlling your body’s most important defense systems. Scientists atrribute most of goji’s amazing health properties to these special polysaccharides.

Goji berries contain 19 amino acids–the building blocks of protein–including all eight essential for life, Goji berries are a better source of Vitamin C than oranges.

Goji berries contain complete spectrum of antioxidant carotenoids, including beta-carotene and zeaxanthin (supports the eyes). Goji berries are the best source of carotenoids of known foods.

Goji berries also include:

B-complex Vitamins

Vitamin E

Essential fatty acids

Betaine"

Other special things about the Goji berry are:

• To treat: diabetes, high blood pressure, fever, and age-related eye problems
• Have also shown to have benefits in mental well-being and calmness, athletic performance, happiness, quality of sleep, and feelings of good health.
• They have one of the highest Antioxidant Powers of any fruit
• They have close to 20 different vitamins and minerals, which makes it one of the most nutritionally beneficial foods available

And the list goes on and on.

And just think that this is only ONE of SEVENTY amazing ingredients in Shakeology.