Plump, Happy, Colorful Eggs!

For a growing family, I can’t think of a more perfect food than eggs.  Rich in fat-soluble vitamins like A and D, eggs are an economical source of complete protein.

But beware: all eggs are not created equal.  I wanted to share these pictures with you to show the comparison between the fresh eggs from our own flock of chickens on the left and the commercial imitation of an egg available at your local supermarket on the right.

Notice how the egg yolk from a hen raised on pasture is a deep orange compared to the pale yellow commercial yolk.  It is actually shocking how bright the color is when you first start eating pasture-raised eggs.

Some friends have even questioned whether something was wrong with the eggs they were served because they were so orange! Imagine their horror when they found out the diet that had produced such “unnaturally” colored eggs: bugs and vegetable trimmings destined for the compost pile.  This color is a sign of the nutrient-rich diet my hens have been enjoying and the health benefits passed on to my family when we eat these delicious eggs.

Even the egg whites are different.  Did you know that the white should actually be composed of two distinct parts?  There is a firmer inner ring surrounding the yolk and a thinner portion that spreads out at the edges.  Most people don’t know this since you can’t detect it in factory-farmed eggs, but I think the picture above illustrates it well.  Give these high-quality egg whites a try for the most fabulously textured meringues you have ever eaten!

What you can’t see in these two eggs are the vast differences in nutritional quality.  When hens are allowed to feed on grass and insects as they were designed to do, they produce eggs high in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.  Commercial feeding practices, however, lead to eggs with high omega-6 fatty acids, but little omega-3s.  The modern western diet already provides a dangerously high amount of omega-6s at the expense of omega-3s due to our high consumption of refined vegetable oils.

High omega-3 content is why Asian societies consider eggs to be a brain food.  In fact, pregnant Chinese women often eat up to a dozen eggs per day and tests reveal their breast milk to be incredibly high in DHA, a fatty acid important for the brain development of their babies.

What about cholesterol, you might ask?  Numerous studies cited in Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions have found that cholesterol levels do not rise with egg consumption.  In fact, eggs are a great source of choline, a B-vitamin that helps cholesterol stay moving in the blood stream.  The cholesterol found in eggs plays a key role in brain development and forms the building blocks for hormones.  From the age of four months on, it is actually a great idea to feed your child a cooked, mashed egg yolk a day.  Wait until your baby is at least a year old before feeding egg whites, which contain proteins that are difficult for babies to digest.

Let me share a quick way to get more of this nutritional powerhouse into your diet.  Add a raw egg yolk to your smoothies. Rest assured that eggs from pasture-raised chickens pose little threat of salmonella poisoning.  Even so, you should wash the shell with hot, soapy water before using them raw and please only use pastured-raised eggs for this purpose.  Commercial eggs are much too dangerous to eat raw because the chickens that laid them have been heavily treated with antibiotics.

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Check out my downloadable CD Secret Spoonfuls: Confessions of a Sneaky Mom to find tons more tips on getting your youngsters to eat nutritious foods that taste great.  Lots more free articles and info on my website homeopathyworks.net.

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Vitamin B12 Jackpot!

I love liver, but my family doesn’t.  I eat it for lunch, and then ensure that my family gets it via a good quality supplement.

 

For years, we’ve been taking fermented cod liver oil.  But lately, I’ve taken an interest in Radiant Life’s desiccated liver because I can add it to soups, stews and tacos without complaints from any of my liver-haters.

 

This week we have a guest post from Kathy LeMoine at Radiant Life Company.  Radiant Life is one of my favorite suppliers of supplements; they do their homework and have products that no one else has.  Check out their website at www.radiantlifecatalog.com to find many nutrient-dense super-foods like fermented cod liver oil and grass-fed ghee.

Beef livers are a virtual treasure trove of nutrients. When sourced from healthy, grass fed cows, liver is loaded with a wide spectrum of vitamins, minerals, proteins and fat.  It is particularly rich in the nutrients that help keep our brains healthy including the essential fatty acids needed by humans for proper nutrition and health like EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docasahexaenoic acid), and AA (arachidonic acid) as well as vitamin B12.

 

Most animal foods contain some amount of vitamin B12, but liver is by far the best source of this nutrient.  Because it is so nutritionally valuable, liver should be eaten at least once a week. Many disorders of the nervous system and a myriad of other illnesses and behaviors result from vitamin B12 deficiency.  So if you are experiencing vague symptoms (related to a less than optimal functioning brain and nervous system) such as difficulty in thinking and remembering, panic attacks, weakness, loss of balance, numbness in the hands and feet, or agitated depression, make sure that your source of vitamin B12 is from healthy animal products.  It must be from a premium source of liver.

 

Vitamin B12 is only well absorbed from animal sources. Liver is the highest source of vitamin B12, followed by sardines, mackerel, herring, salmon, lamb, Swiss cheese, eggs, haddock, beef, blue cheese, halibut, scallops, cottage cheese, chicken, and milk.
If you cannot bring yourself to consume liver, then raw desiccated liver from grass-fed cows is a great alternative. Desiccated liver capsules provide the easiest and most convenient option for those who would rather not taste liver. Try adding desiccated liver powder to soups, gravies, stews, smoothies, or broths to introduce this nutritional powerhouse into the diets of those who don’t care for the taste and texture of liver!

 

Quite simply, desiccated liver contains more nutrients, gram for gram, than any other food!

 

I love that.

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Joette Calabrese, HMC,CCH,RSHom is a homeopath and mom who has depended solely on homeopathy and nutrition in raising her family without a single drug….ever! If you find this kind of information valuable, consider joining Joette’s 12 month system, How to Raise a Drug Free Family by visiting www.homeopathyworks.net/offers/drugfree.html, or contact her office at 716.941.1045.  Lots more free tips like these at www.Homeopathyworks.net. 

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True Soup

“Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup.”

Leave it to the great Beethoven to mix morality with soup. (A tall order for his distressed servants, no doubt!)

Allow me to be “pure-hearted” here and share a recipe that represents a key nutritional foundation with a symphony of possibilities. This soup base is the foundation of every well prepared soup imaginable. Plus, it is free of MSG and preservatives that flavor many store-bought broths and soups.

I start with roasted bones and end with a gorgeous stock.  I find that the most delicious and nourishing stocks are those made from a variety of bones, so plan to save your roast chicken, roast beef, pork, lamb, buffalo and rabbit.

Here’s what else you’ll need:

4 lbs (approximately) of bones (carcass, head, feet, cartilage, antlers, etc)

4 or more quarts cold, filtered water

½ cup vinegar, distilled or raw

2 apples, halved

3 onions, halved

3 celery stalks, halved

3 carrots, halved

Several sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tsp dried green peppercorns, crushed (optional)

1 bunch parsley (optional)

Once your roast has been served, add approximately 4 quarts of water to the roasting pan and scrape the bottom to infuse the drippings into the mix. Toss in any additional bones, heads, feet, etc. and add the remaining ingredients. Be sure that the bones are covered. If not, add more water.

I like to include apples and onions because they impart a sweeter aroma to a stock that might smell gamey otherwise. Vinegar is necessary to draw out the calcium, magnesium and zinc from the bones and render the bone stock more nutritious.

Then, set the pot to simmer for 12-72 hours. Skim off the scum and discard. The pot can remain on the flames for an entire 72 hours or turned off nightly, left at room temperature and reignited in the morning. Once strained, the stock can be frozen.

While it’s still on the stove, this stock can be used as a base for a myriad of soups.  You might find that the stock doesn’t have a particularly appealing aroma but it will taste delicious after it’s strained and used to cook with.

With this base, you can offer “medicine in a bowl” in tandem with the other, family-pleasing meals you serve day after day.

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Make Your Valentine Candy, Then Relax…It’s Good Stuff

For Valentine’s Day, why not give your loved ones a truly delicious and wholesome candy; one with ingredients that you love and can feel good about? Here’s what I make for my family on Valentine’s Day.

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate  Layer

• 1 Cup Green Pasture’s coconut oil (One of the best brands)
• ¼ cup organic raw cocoa powder (Found at health food stores)
• Big pinch of Celtic salt
• 1 tsp of vanilla (I make my own, but any organic one will do)
• ¼ cup raw honey
• 1 cup organic almond flour

In a food processor, mix all ingredients except peanut butter. Scrape out ½ of it and make a  smooth layer of the mixture  on a cookie sheet lined in parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Put the other half aside  and keep at room temperature. While the first mixture is cooling begin the peanut butter layer.

Peanut Butter Layer

• 1/2 cup  organic peanut butter
• ¼ cup truly raw honey (the kind that is cloudy and crystallizes when it’s cold)
• parchment or waxed paper

Add peanut butter and  honey in a clean food processor. Smear the peanut butter topping in a  uniform layer on top of the refrigerated chocolate.

Refrigerate.  Once cooled, smear the last chocolate mixture on the top of the peanut butter layer.  Place back in the refrigerator.  When cooled, break up into individual bit-sized pieces and place in paper  crinkle cups or fashion on a doily.  They may remain at room temperature but a distance from the fireplace.(Yes, there’s a story behind this caution.) Usually, I keep them in a glass covered container in the fridge.

 Minty Valentine Candy

Using the above recipe, omit the peanut butter layer and instead, add 10 drops of essential oil of mint.  Oh heavenly day!

 Orange Valentine Candy

Using the above recipe, omit the peanut butter layer and instead, add 10 drops of essential oil of orange. A little twist of orange peel on top is a lovely addition and denotes which candy is the orange one, if you decide to make a variety.

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Saturated Fats Are Where it’s At

I love good food.  Even my favorite movies attest to this: Big Night, Chocolat, Julie and Julia. And when it comes to foodstuff, I have

Photo Courtesy of http://www.trendforfashion.com

a difficult time getting past the low-fat paradigm.

As far as I’m concerned: fat is where it’s at.

Now, not all fats are the same.  Think of the distinction between a Dunkin’ Donut doughnut and my Sunday, homemade, buttermilk pancakes, blissfully fried in cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, and then drenched in raw spring butter and a splash of local maple syrup from my farmer.   If we only examine one aspect, it becomes apparent which is the superior choice.  Look at the oils. The former choice is fried in months-old soybean or canola oil; the latter is in concert with delectable coconut oil, which has the distinct fragrance of fresh coconuts.  Can there be any comparison?

So how do I rationalize the abundance of saturated fats for my family and me?  I did my homework and this is what I learned.

The notion that saturated fats cause heart disease is not only facile but just plain wrong.  Do you remember the Framingham Heart Study?  Well, if not, you ought to know that it’s the mainstay for the low-fat paradigm advocates. Yet, its hypothesis has been turned on its head.

In hindsight, some 40 years after the study became public, the director of the study confessed that “the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower the person’s serum cholesterol… we found that the people who ate the most cholesterol, ate the most saturated fat [and] ate the most calories, weighed the least and were the most physically active.”

Can we deduce that arterial sclerosis has little to do with cholesterol and fat consumption? It certainly appears that we can when we consider those telling words from the director of the lipid theorist’s flagship study.

Interestingly, clogged arteries are not choked with saturated fats, but with calcium deposits akin to lime.  This is not what we have imagined all these years.

Instead, we’ve visualized the fats from a fresh, free range, pastured egg fried in extra virgin coconut oil traveling directly from the mouth into the stomach and then straight for the arteries.  It simply isn’t so and there’s plenty of evidence to substantiate this.

Irrespective of the repetitive conventional medical mantra and unsound pop culture advice, we can reconsider the last 40 years of fat phobia to be a wash.

If butter, organic, extra virgin coconut oil, cod liver oil, whole milk, tropical and other saturated fats don’t cause heart disease, then what does?  We know that deficiencies of vitamins A, E and D are one cause.  Where are these vitamins found?  Why, in butter, lard, tropical oils and animal fats…the very same foods we’re advised to eschew!

B vitamin and mineral deficiencies are also contributors to heart disease.  These occur as a result of eating foods of commerce, such as soda, preservatives, additives and enhancers, instead of whole, homemade fare.  Vitamin B happens to be abundant in red meat and in organ meats.

Butter, lard and tropical fats, such as virgin coconut oil,  thanks to their antioxidants, protect us against free radicals and are therefore, preventative against diseases such as cancer, heart disease, depression, infections and reproductive disorders.

Get happy!  Ward off hot flashes, heart pathology, allergies, fatigue, memory loss and winter respiratory infections.  Eat like a true gourmet; include plentiful amounts of butter, organic virgin coconut oil and fresh milk.  Then go outside and take a walk.  Your brain, heart, lungs and even your arteries will thank you for a radiant life.

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A Tribute to Chico…..No, Not a Guy, But a Whole Town of Got-Their-Act-Together-People

I’ve just returned to Buffalo after having spent a fantastic weekend in Chico, California. There was a great turnout for my two-day, intensive seminar on homeopathy and I couldn’t have asked for a more lively, warm and welcoming bunch! There were mothers, grandmothers, chiropractors, nurses, farmers, a truck driver, teachers, and herbalists.  The vendors were interesting and  informed, and the food was out-of-this-world delicious.

My mouth is watering just remembering the beautiful cheesecake and acorn squash soup. All the foods were locally sourced, organically grown and true to Weston A. Price principles. I’d like to send a heartfelt “Thank You!” to Carol Chaffin Albrecht, the chapter leader for the WAPF chapter of Chico-Butte and all the wonderful folks who made my family and me feel welcom and appreciated.

And because I loved  the meal so much, I thought I’d share a recipe I’ve found for the delicious cream of acorn squash soup.  I can’t say that it will be as good as what the talented volunteers prepared, but it’s likely to come in a close second!

You’ll need:

• 2 acorn squashes, halved and seeded •   1 medium onion,  cut in half •  6 tbsp. unsalted butter • 1/4 c. flour (which can be coconut flour or gluten free,  if necessary)  • 5 c. bone stock • 1 c.raw heavy cream • Celtic Sea Salt to taste • Freshly ground black pepper to taste •

Here’s what you do:   On a buttered surface of a Dutch oven , bake the squash and onion until soft. Scoop out the meat from the squash and discard the skin. Put the squash back in  the Dutch oven, add  the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add raw cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue stirring until just heated through.

Man, oh man…….Chico I’m coming back!

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Cavities? Try Homeopathy

Cell salts are integrated into the building my sons used to construct. As they grew older, I'd leave it up to them to take their 4 pills while playing with Lego's.

I’d like to thank The Healthy Home Economist for first sharing the following post with her readers. Now, I’m glad to share it with you, too.

 

The quality of the teeth represents the status of the bone structure of the body.

Therefore, it’s important that the teeth be sound. If they are, the bones will be reliable, too.

Sometimes, parents are concerned when their child’s teeth show frequent and large cavities in spite of a  nutrient dense diet.

This is rare when children are raised on raw milk, saturated fats and bone stocks but it indeed can occur in children who have certain predisposing DNA.

In this case,  working with a credentialed homeopath would be in order; however, if the caries are not of a particularly worrisome level, much can be done to remedy the problem at home.

It generally takes a good amount of time, however Calc phos 6x and Calc fluor 12x taken thrice daily, for many months has been shown to strengthen and aid in the growth and integrity children’s teeth.

These two remedies make a great combination since Calc phos “is concerned with formation of bone and teeth and [is] an important remedy for children”; Calc fluor “is found in the surface of bones and in the enamel of teeth.”[1]

But that’s not all.  They’re specific for growth in general and it’s not uncommon to see children who have problems with their teeth display other growth issues.

Lovely!  That means that with these two remedies, we can address the entire child.

Isn’t that what homeopathy is about?

When my children were growing, I had them take Calc phos and Calc fluor on a daily basis in spite of the fact that they were raised on raw milk bone stocks and saturated fats.

During these years, it appeared that two of our boys’ teeth were growing in a crooked fashion.  In fact, I’m sure that if we hadn’t chosen our holistic dentist, we  might have been pressured to consider dental  braces.

Instead, I believed that as they grew, their teeth would grow and straighten accordingly.

That’s exactly what happened.

A simple technique for administering these remedies is to add them directly to jugs of milk.  In one gallon of milk, add 10 or so  pills of each, stir and the job is complete. As your children ingest their milk throughout the day, they’ll get these two remedies in each sip.

Now, our boys have fine, strong and straight teeth without the “aid” of orthodontia.

We saved ourselves not only thousands of dollars, but more importantly,  allowed their bodies to complete the work of bone alignment on their own….with a little help from nutrient dense foods and our beloved homeopathic remedies.

[1] Chapman, J.B. The Biochemic Handbook. St. Louis, Missouri: Formur, Inc. Publishers. 1994.12-13

This is an excerpt from my upcoming system, “How to Raise a Drug Free Family”, which I’ll be using to teach my first year-long webinar course for mothers and others. Stay tuned for the latest updates!

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The Only Eggnog Recipe You’ll Ever Need. Period.

Leave those tacky cartons at the grocery store. Wait ‘till you taste this rich and nutrient dense version of eggnog! This drink will offset any other holiday beverages, which by the way, are not as health supporting.

What you and your family deserve this Christmas is rich, thick eggnog that’s loaded with live enzymes, nutrient dense vitamins and of course, deliciously good cheer.

The quality of the ingredients add a superb benefit, but are not necessary.  Go with the highest quality you can find such as raw, organic milk and cream and free range egg yolks. If the eggs are not free-range, try to have at least organic.  Eggs eaten raw should not be conventionally produced.

Here’s what you’ll need:

12 free range eggs

6 cups raw milk

2 cups heavy, raw cream

1/2 cup raw honey (my 1^st choice, because of the accompanying raw enzymes, but maple syrup will do, too.)

1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg, plus more for dusting

 

Here’s what you do:

Submerge the eggs (still in the shell) in a large bowl of very hot water plus a few drops of dish soap. As the water cools; wash and rinse, then wipe the eggs dry.

Separate the egg yolks and place them in a mixer together with the honey and beat for 10 minutes. Refrigerate the egg whites (you’ll need them later). Allow the egg yolk mixture to cool in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

30 minutes before you plan to serve, mix the milk into the chilled yolk mixture. If you plan to add brandy, this is the time to stir it in. Along with this, add in 1 -1/2 tsp nutmeg.

On high-speed, in a separate bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form.

In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites until you have stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then fold the cream into the egg mixture.

Ladle into frosted glasses and sprinkle with the remainder of nutmeg.   Serves 8 cups.

Oh, yum.

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Ho-Ho-Ho! Munch. Munch.

Wouldn’t you love to give a great gift this Christmas? I have three suggestions this year. They’re homemade and delicious, but don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you’ll be slaving over a hot stove!

These are easy, but beware.

You’ll want to make a couple extra batches for yourself.

• Chutney…Kick it up a notch when you add a little spark to an otherwise docile fruit preserve. Fruit chutneys look beautiful and taste festive, too.  Use apples, and try seasoning with cumin or coriander.

Or how about oranges with chili peppers? There are countless variations. Pour your finished product into clean, glass canning jars and for a personalized touch, make your own labels. Here’s a basic recipe for Cherry Chutney from Sally Fallon’s book, Nourishing Traditions:

4 cups ripe cherries, pitted and quartered

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon whole cloves

Grated rind and juice of 1 orange

1/8 cup Sucanat

¼ cup whey

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ cup filtered water

Mix cherries with spices and orange rind, place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar and press down lightly. Mix remaining ingredients and pour into jar, adding more water if necessary to cover the cherries. The top of the chutney should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to refrigerator. This should be eaten within 2 months.

• Vanilla extract…This universal favorite makes a great, long lasting gift. And, to top that, it’s easy to do. Check out my recipe here! Every time your loved ones add a teaspoon into their latest batch of cookies, they’ll think of you.

• Slow Roasted Holiday Nuts…Choose your favorite nut or a selection of only raw nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, etc.) and soak them overnight and for up to 24 hours. Drain and spread the nuts on cookie sheets and sprinkle with Celtic sea salt. You can season them with a variety of herbs or spices, such as cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin, chili powder, nutmeg, cloves, etc. Slow roast them in an oven preheated to 150° F, for 6-8 hours or until crispy. Place in little paper bags and tie with colorful ribbons.

Enjoy!

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Good-Bye Summer, Hello Cod Liver Oil!

Uh oh, the sun is gone.

With autumn’s arrival, many of us have to say goodbye to sunny skies for what will be many dreary months.

Whenever I sit in the sun, like my cell phone juice, I can feel the bars filling up again.

But without our free source of vitamin D, we’re left to fend for ourselves to keep vitamin D levels adequate.

No one wants the winter blues and it’s well established that they result from a deficiency of vitamin D, present in soluble fats.

How can we be certain that our families are getting enough vitamin D in their diet without relying on the so-called “fortified” cereals, milks and synthetic vitamins?

As a homeopath who teaches mothers and others how to maintain and restore heath, I often suggest using lard in baking (like our grandmother’s pies!) and in sautéing.  I also teach folks how to employ homeopathic remedies, such as Calc phos 6x, to help promote the proper absorption of nutrients.

All good stuff.

But truly, the easiest way to sustain vitamin D in the winter is to take fermented cod liver oil daily.

Yet, I’ll share a secret.  I teach my clients that cod liver oil is essential even in the warmer months.   Why? Because no matter how often our children are outside, getting vitamin D from the sun, another priceless characteristic of cod liver oil is in fact, the liver itself. Quite simply, liver contains more nutrients, gram for gram, than any other food!

It took me years to learn the importance of the consistent habit of eating liver, particularly that from a clean source.  Yet, when I was raising my children, it was nearly impossible to get liver into them.  After years of pâté, liver smothered in bacon and onions and many turned up noses, I simply had to find a simple solution. Desiccated beef liver, available from Radiant Life in both powder and capsules, provides a convenient way to obtain all the legendary health and nutritional benefits of liver.

It can even be sprinkled into soups and stews and served to unsuspecting recipients of this sacred food!

Getting back to the importance of fermented cod liver oil…

Fermented cod liver oil is a time-tested method for consuming these most precious nutrients. Our ancestors instinctively understood the importance of daily cod liver oil long before the studies substantiated the findings.

My Italian grandmothers raised their large and robust families on such fare. When there was barely enough money for milk during the depression, they made certain that their children at least had cod liver oil. Fermented cod liver oil wasn’t available to them, but at least plain cod liver oil was.

Fermented cod liver oil is packed with fat-soluble vitamin D, which helps promote bone and teeth growth, as well as building immunity. Additionally, it supports healthy body weight and encourages brain development and lung function.

The high quality fermented fare   wasn’t available in capsules when my children were young.  So,  I incorporated a nightly ritual of taking cod liver oil with a tall glass of fresh milk.  My boys affectionately dubbed it the “spoon of doom”.

It made it more fun.

Things are different today. Now, my sons are young men and they take their fermented cod liver oil daily on their own.  In fact, while in college, they often doubled up on their dose while studying for exams.  The results were always high grades.

Radiant Life makes these age-old products available, and I make the recommendation to all my students/clients and anyone who asks, to take advantage of this near perfect food. For those who wish to avoid the cod liver oil’s taste, fermented cod liver oil capsules are the answer to skipping over the “spoon of doom”.

No need to let those clouds keep you and your family down this season. Instead, make Fermented Cod Liver Oil part of your daily routine and you’ll keep your brain sharp and a sunny smile, too.

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