Author: Kimberly Roberto

Wife, Mom, Daughter, Business Owner with a Passion for Cooking and Eating Healthy Food and Helping Others to do the Same!

Why Pasture Raised Chicken

Health Benefits of Chicken

  • Good source of protein
  • Cancer-protective nutrients – niacin. Niacin deficiency can lead to DNA damage, cognitive decline
  • High in selenium- thyroid function, immune function, lowers cancer risk
  • Good source of Vitamin B6 – lack of B6 leads to higher homocysteine levels (increasing risk of heart disease)

Why Pastured Chicken?

  • Fewer toxins
  • Fed without pesticides, antibiotics, and animal by-products
  • Better living conditions
  • Less susceptible to disease
  • Conventional chicken contains arsenic!
  • Conventional chicken subject to bleaching and water incubation
  • Pastured chickens eat a natural diet including grass, seeds, and insects, results in chicken with lower fat levels, more vitamin A, and increased omega-3 fatty acids. Conventional chickens are fed grains, animal by-products, and even arsenic
  • Conventional chicken creates drug-resistant bacteria (meningitis, salmonella)

What about labels?

  • Conventional – Typically less than half a square foot of space per hen where they are not even able to spread their wings.
  • Cage Free –Hens are able to move around inside a hen house without being confined to cages. While this is a bit better, it is common for the tips of the beaks to be clipped or burned to prevent pecking at themselves and others (so many hens in a small space = distress)
  • Free Range – Can be deceiving because this is not a regulated term. All that is required is a door that gives “access” to an outdoor area but unfortunately, the hens never go outside.
  • Organic – This means the hens were fed organic feed (no pesticides) that contains no by-products.
  • Vegetarian – The hen is fed a vegetarian feed, often containing soy. While this sounds like it is good thing, chickens are actually omnivores, not vegetarians, and will naturally eat bugs, grubs, etc. This term is used to imply “healthier” but is not the case.

 

Go Local!

Chickens & Eggs: http://eastwestfarm.wordpress.com

Eggs: www.facebook.com/twobytwofarms

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Extra Sloppy Joes

This is a great alternative to something like the canned Sloppy Joe sauces.  This is super quick and tasty.  Always keep some grass fed ground beef in the freezer to throw together a recipe like this.

Serves 4-6

Advanced Plan

photo2 lbs grass fed ground beef
1 small organic green bell pepper
1 small onion
12 ounces (1 can) organic crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons worchestershire sauce (check ingredients!)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (or to taste)

Brown ground beef.  Chop the peppers and onions very fine or do a wet chop in the VitaMix.  Drain the beef and add the veggies and cook until veggies are softened.  Add tomatoes and spices and cook until done.

Serve over lettuce leaves, with Grain Free Rolls, or in a sprouted grain wrap (Core Plan)

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Sweet Barbecue Sauce

This recipe comes from Dr. Janet Early.  She has been a welcomed addition to our staff because she is a foodie like me 🙂  She is brilliant at coming up with replacements to the “favorites” people just don’t like to give up.

Try it on organic chicken wings, grilled chicken breasts, shredded chicken, grass fed brisket, grass fed beef sloppy joes, etc, etc, etc….

From Dr. Janet’s Blog

“Barbecue season will soon be upon us.  Most barbecue sauces are loaded with high fructose corn syrup and other unhealthy sweeteners.  I’ve been trying to come up with an Advanced Plan and Core Plan version that tastes as good as the sugary ones.  Give this one a try at your next barbecue. My very picky family loved it!” ~ Dr. Janet Early

  7 oz. organic tomato paste
7 oz. filtered water
2 1/2 T rice vinegar
2 T Coconut liquid aminos * or Liquid   Aminos
1/4 tsp. ground celery seed
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp. stevia (adjust to personal sweetness preference)

Heat in a small saucepan.  Brush on meat the last few minutes of baking or grilling.  Cook for a few minutes,
flip, and then brush the other side of the meat before baking for a few more minutes.  Serve with extra sauce.

*Coconut liquid aminos are available at most health-food stores, including Nature’s Corner.  It can also be ordered through Amazon.

This barbecue sauce also works well for an Advanced Plan catsup replacement

Kimberly RobertoLeave a comment

Chocolate Chip Cookies II

Advanced & Core Plan

Here is another chocolate chip cookie recipe that turns out very moist and delish.  This recipe was perfected by our wonderful patient and gym member, Linda Markham.  She made them for our recipe night and they received rave reviews!

chocolate chip cookies1 cup almond butter

3/4 teaspoon liquid stevia or 3/4 cup erythritol (like Swerve brand) (NOTE: sugar alcohols are only recommended in extreme moderation)

1 large organic egg (or 1 tablespoon flax + 3 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon aluminum free baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 oz stevia sweetened dark chocolate pieces (like Lily’s or Coco Polo)

 

Preheat oven to 350

Mix first 5 ingredients and stir, add in chocolate pieces.

Drop rounded tablespoons or smaller onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake 8 minutes and check.  They may take up to 10 minutes but can burn quickly so watch them.

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Blackbottom Strawberry Cream Pie (Vegan)

Advanced Plan

Raw/Vegan

Serves 8

Picture and Recipe Credit to Lin Hardick’s   Good Food Blog
Crust:

3/4 cup crushed raw pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut

OPTIONAL:  Chocolate “Bottom”:
3/4 cup stevia sweetened chocolate (like coco polo or lydias).
-OR- Chocolate from the chocolate bark recipe in the Maximized Living Nutrition Plans book. 
Filling:

2 cups fresh raspberries (or strawberries)
1 cup raw organic cashews , preferably soaked overnight and drained
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 to 2 droppers full of liquid stevia (to taste), or 1/8 – 1/4 tsp pure stevia or 1/2 cup erythritol (like Swerve)
1 pinch salt

1 cup coconut oil, melted

Grind crust ingredients in food processor or high speed blender and press into bottom of a 9 inch pie plate, building up the sides slightly.

Place all filling ingredients into blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Carefully pour on top of crust and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Kimberly RobertoLeave a comment

Cranberry Orange Scones

Advanced & Core Plan
2 cups blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 egg
2 tablespoons eryrithritol (like Swerve brand)
In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cranberries, and zest
In a smaller bowl, combine egg and sweetener
Mix wet ingredients into dry
Knead dough with hands if necessary to ensure proper distribution of ingredients
Form dough into 2 little circles so that each one is about ½-inch in thick
Cut each circle like a pizza, into 8 slices
Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet
Bake at 375° for 10 minutes

Kimberly RobertoLeave a comment