Healthy Snacks

      Very slowly the Jernigan household has removed "sugar" snacks from our cupboards.  My children are not always thrilled with the change, but I realize as a mother that this is the best thing for all of our health.  I believe that there is no magic "diet" we should all be on.  We should focus on eating all natural foods (remember what God made) and occasionally have a "treat".  Our choices for snacks have changed from processed to health.  What can we do as parents (as well as for ourselves) to make snacking more convenient as well as healthy?

     Fresh fruit is always in a bowl in the Jernigan household.  Grapes, bananas, apples, and oranges are some of our favorites.  In the summer there are endless choices.  Apples are anti-inflammatory and have been shown to keep liver, breast, and colon cancer cells at bay.  Bananas are full of pectin, which soothes the stomach, and have natural fiber which lowers the risk of colon cancer.  Blueberries RULE!!!  They are one of the best cancer-fighting fruits around.  Oranges are anti-inflammatory and help against many types of cancer including mouth, throat, and stomach cancers.  Grab some health for a snack!

     My family loves nuts, and in moderation are an excellent snack option.  Cashews provide copper which is important in fighting colon cancer.  Walnuts are anti-inflammatory and contain ellagic acid (also in berries) which caused cancer cells to self-destruct in the lab.  Walnuts also limit estrogen's growth potential regarding breast cancer cells and may help the liver to remove cancer-causing elements in the blood.  Almonds are also anti-inflammatory and are a great source of fiber which helps prevent colon cancer.  They are also great blood sugar regulators.  As you can see nuts are not only tasty but good for you.  Just remember they are also high in calories and fat (the healthy kind) so keep your portions small.

     Raisins and dates are also naturally sweet and great for a "sweet tooth"!  Some of the sugars found in Libyan dates were shown to have potent antitumor properties.  Another sugar found in dates regulates cholesterol and blood-sugar levels by slowing down gut absorption of glucose.  Raisins are phenomenal when in comes to controlling some cancers in animals.  Cornell researchers found that mice that were fed a phenol-rich diet (found in raisins) had a 70% reduction in intestinal tumors.

     Dr. Oz recently shared on his television show that eating NINE gin-soaked raisins a day would aid in helping with inflamation.  Inflammation is the leading cause of arthritis, heart disease, and even cancer.  Soak raisins in Gin for one week.  Drain and store in an air tight container.  I eat my nine every day!  Join me!

     I am also sharing more "healthy" snacks.  Try them for yourselves!

ANYTIME BARS

1 cup raw pecan halves

1 cup whole raw almonds

2 TB. spelt flour (www.bobsredmill.com)

2 TB. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 TB. finely ground flaxseeds

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup pitted dates, quartered

1 cup dried apricots, cut in half

1 egg

5 TB. maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly oil a 9-inch square pan.

     Spread the pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and toast for 7 to 10 minutes until slightly browned.  Watch them carefully so they do not burn.  Repeat this process for the almonds.  Turn down the oven to 325 degrees.

     Combine the spelt flour, all-purpose flour, flaxseeds, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a food processor and process for 5 seconds to combine.  Add the pecans and almonds and pulse 5 times to chop the nuts.  Add the oats, dates and apricots and pulse 5 to 10 times, until the mixture is chopped but still coarse.

     In a large bowl, whisk the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla.  Add the fruit and nut mixture and use your hands to mix together.  Spread the mixture in the oiled baking pan in an even layer and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until set and brown.  Do not overbake or the bars will be too dry!  Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then cut into 25 squares.  Leave the bars in the pan until completely cool or they will fall apart when you remove them!  120 calories per bar and ALL NATURAL!!!!

Maple Glazed Walnuts -

1/2 cup raw walnuts

2 tsp. maple syrup

pinch of salt

pinch of cayenne

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  

     Toss the walnuts with the maple syrup, salt, and cayenne until evenly coated, then spread them evenly on the sheet pan.  Bake for 7 to 10 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature.

     Almonds and pecans may be substituted!  These are my FAVORITES!!

BLESSINGS - 

Emmie

Gone too long!

     I am so sorry that I have not written!  I have been gone too long!  We went back to Houston for a checkup and are thrilled that Yancey's tumor continued to shrink by 10%.  We are so lucky that we had great friends by our side (thanks Chip and Ann) and were able to see an old friend as well!  We are surrounded by blessings and have many to share this Thanksgiving!
     I have a great story to tell you tonight!  My youngest son Blake asked for an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas!  Needless to say I was shocked!  His idea of fun is baseball, football, soccer, basketball, and driving me crazy:)  I asked him "Why would you like an Easy Baked Oven"?  He very quickly answered "If you won't bake me a cake then I will bake one myself"!  I love this!  Aren't children great about reminding us about balance?  It is important to have occasional treats.  Blake was reminding me of that!
     I am in the process of looking into "healthy" dessert options.  I would love your imput!!  My friend Janet Peterman puts one can of black beans into her brownie mix in order to add more fiber.  When the brownies are cooked they look like chocolate chips and no one realizes that they are not.  Isn't that great?  Do you have any great ideas or recipes?  I would love to hear!
     We must have balance in our lives.  A balance between work and play.  A balance between exercise and rest.  A balance between friends and family.  A balance in our diet might mean that we grant ourselves an occasional treat.  Remember to exercise more that day or keep the portions small.  Incorporating balance may indeed be the key in cutting our cravings and binge eating.
     As we prepare for the holiday season, remember to keep balance in your life.  Thanks to Blake for that important reminder!  Share your ideas or recipes!  We would love to hear!

Blessings -

Emmie

What if they rebel?

     The Yancey Plan is still going strong at the Jernigan house despite a "candy and soda" Halloween!  We enjoyed a house full of teenagers last weekend and had a few spend the night.  I cooked some fabulous homemade sloppy joes and served them with - what else - wheat buns.  Later that evening I heard the boys still up in the kitchen inhaling the leftovers.  As I went down the hall to tell them to head to bed (yes it was 3:00 in the morning) I overheard the boys talking about how it was the best sloppy joe EVER - except for the bread!!!!  FUNNY!!!!  Complaints - but they ate it!!!!
     My husband has been complaining LOUDLY that he misses bunny bread!  Complaints - but they are eating the wheat bread.  My children are complaining that we do not have soda in the house  LOUDLY - but they are drinking milk and orange juice.  See a pattern here?  I am holding firm - and they are eating what we have.  Chips?  They are eating banana's and grapes.  We are not buying chips.  If it is not there they will not have it to choose from.  Is it hard?  Yes!  Are they starving?  No!
     My husband said that today I should write about my family rebelling against The Yancey Plan.  I am writing about standing firm and teaching our children healthy habits.  We will still have fast food, candy, sugar, pancakes, and sodas.  These foods are in moderation and special TREATS!!!!  On a day-to-day basis I want my family to enjoy healthy and nutritious foods that will enhance their ability to succeed!  I'll take the complaints and continue to serve them what is best.  After all.......isn't that what mother's do best?

Blessings -

Emmie

P.S.  The sloppy joe was too good not to share.  I substituted ground turkey for the beef!

Makes 12 servings

11/4 sweet Italian link sausage, casings removed
1 lb ground chuck
4 Tbsp Olive oil
2 cups diced onion
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 can tomato puree (28 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes in juice (28 oz)
4 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup dry red wine (If you won't drink it - you shouldn't cook with it)
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown sausage and chuck in 2 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over medium high heat, breaking up any large chunks with a spoon, 10 - 15 minutes.  Transfer meat to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside.  Discard drippings.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in same pot over medium high heat.  Saute onion until just beginning to brown, 5 - 10 minutes.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute.  Stir in bell pepper, carrot, celery, and tomato paste; cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.

Stir in tomato puree, diced tomatoes, oregano, pepper flakes, nutmeg, Italian seasoning, and browned meat; simmer 10 minutes

Add wine, vinegar, and brown sugar, then bring mixture to a boil.  Simmer until thick, 10 - 15 minutes, stirring often.  Season with salt and pepper.

Naturally Sweet!

     Now that Halloween is over and we are in the beautiful month of November I feel that fall is truly in the air.  After the "sugar coma" from last weekend, once again I have taken out excess sugar from my diet.  HOW??  WHY???  NEVER TO EAT AGAIN?  NO!  I have heard so many people say "I can't do that".  I'm not saying to remove sugar completely from our diets.  I do think we should try to eliminate the "processed" sugars and begin to eat naturally.
     Everyone craves sweets.  When we begin to eliminate processed sugars from our diet we can "add back" naturally sweet flavors.  Certain vegetables have a natural sweet flavor when cooked and are an excellent way to add some "sweet" back into our lives.   Some of these are corn, carrots, beets, winter squash (butternut, buttercup) sweet potatoes, yams, and rutabagas.
     Experiment with these vegetables and watch your family begin to love a "naturally sweet" food.  Raw carrots and yogurt dip are an excellent snack.  My family loves baked sweet potato fries.  Place some of these vegetables into your next soup or onto a salad.  Many cookbooks have recipe's but I will share a few of my own.
     I love to peel rutabaga's and boil them until soft.  Then I mash them with a little cream, butter, and parmesean cheese.  I serve them like mashed potato's and people love them.  Spaghetti squash is fabulous when cut in half and baked in a pan filled with enough water to cover.  Bake on 350 degrees until soft.  Use a fork to "scoop out the strings".  It looks like spaghetti and I use it for my sauce instead of noodles.  My children do not like this so I mix wheat noodles and squash together.  Covered in sauce they do not even notice it is healthy.
    The Cancer Fighting Kitchen also has some excellent recipe's.  I have included one that we enjoy!

Mashed Cinnamon Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tb. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
Sea salt
1/4 tsp. maple syrup
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Toss the squash with the olive oil, cinnamon, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt until the squash is well coated.  Spread it in a single layer on the prepared pan.  Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until soft and tender.

Transfer the squash to a food processor, add the maple syrup, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt.  Process until smooth and creamy.  For extra flavor try adding one tsp. of fresh lemon juice!  Yummy!!

     Have fun trying something new.  Fall is in the air and offers a beautiful bounty of root vegetables.  Enjoy!

Blessings -

Emmie