Super charged protein shake

With my history of personal training and being a former gym rat, I have consumed quite a bit of "protein powder meals" As my education, and consequently career,evolved into nutrition over the past 10 years-I became aware of how incredibly toxic these protein powders are and how damaging they can be in the body (in the form of isolates).

I have clients who will inevitably ask- which protein powder do I suggest. My answer is NONE! Pure, clean, WHOLE food and "Primitive" nutrition is ALWAYS best. 

Manufacturers advertise protein powders as a convenient way to get extra protein to boost fitness gains. These products are marketed to everyone from moms to body builders. But recent clinical research has raised some serious questions about the safety of getting extra protein in isolated form.

Most people get enough protein from their diets and an "over consumption" of protein that has been taken away from it's other nutritional counterparts can create imbalance  in the body. Consequently, stressing eliminatory organs (kidney, liver, etc...) There are many other side effects of consuming synthetic processed forms of protein. One of the more dangerous with long term issues is  an increased osteoporosis risk. Due to calcium leached from bones to offset the acidic PH due to over consumption with no other phytonutrients available in synergy to balance.

So, I wanted to take a moment to point out the obvious......a pretty common, moderately priced whey isolate protein supplement on the market has 32 ingredients (of which half are synthetic chemicals, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, and milk isolates - like soy and whey. While it boasts 26 grams of protein, it's not really FOOD! 

Let's compare that 26 grams of protein to my GREEN smoothie this morning:

2 Cups Raw Goats Milk( you can substitute Almond or Coconut) -- 17grams

4 Cups Raw Organic Spinach --2 grams

1 TBSP Chia Seeds--3 grams

1/4 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds--7 grams

1/4 Cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds--9 grams

1/4 Cup Raw Almonds--6 grams

1 Cup Raw Organic Blueberries--1.1 grams

1 Raw Frozen Banana--2.5 gram

 

So my grand total is 47.6 grams of protein that was delivered with all the synergistic nutrients, fats and enzymes that my body needs to assimilate and digest the protein. No sugars, synthetics or toxic ingredients! 

So, next time you want a "protein boost" or a meal replacement choose REAL food. Want to boost your smoothie further......add super foods like an egg yolk, turmeric, maca, kefir, etc...

Ready to blend.......

Green Magic........

What is a Froodle......?

Apple Fig Fruit Leather Roll Ups

Over the weekend, I had the chance to visit my dear friend, Health Educator/Nutritionist  and author of "The Pantry Principles", Mira Dessy . We had a wonderful time chatting while we toured her beautiful Lakeside home. She has the most amazing orchard guild on her property with several Fig Trees that were loaded with fruit.

We decided to do our own little "Food Swap" ......she shared her delicious figs, fresh basil, blackberry bushes and many seeds from her garden FOR my fermented habanero kraut, kefir, kale chips and my herbed goat cheese.

Fresh Figs and Basil warm from the sun

I had so many ideas of how I wanted to use these beautiful figs. Like the fig and goat cheese tart, that I am making tonight, and a savory jam. But first, in honor of Mira and her "Ingredient Guru" status, I wanted to REcreate something that is a common store bought snack item. One that claims to be a healthy alternative..... Fruit roll ups! (YUCK: loaded with petroleum dyed high fructose corn syrup)

 So, I combined some of the figs with a few organic apples and made a VERY tasty treat. When I was wrapping the roll ups, I decided to play a bit and cut them (with a pizza cutter) into Froodle. This was a snack that I used to make my kids about 5 or 6 years ago. This is a great way to not only preserve seasonal fruit, but to get those picky eaters(Children AND adults)to consume some extra nutrient dense fruits and veggies. Another favorite combination is a banana and spinach leather.....add lemon juice to create a sour patch flavor. Have leftover green smoothies? Mix with an apple or banana,pour and spread onto teflex/nonstick screen, dehydrate at 105 degrees overnight and slice into fruit noodles, using a pizza cutter AKA "Froodle" and enjoy. will keep for a month or more in an air tight container. I have and LOVE my Excalibur 9 Tray Dehydrator- Its 10 years old and still going strong!

This is "Froodle"......!



Hello Monday......!

I hope everyone enjoyed  their long holiday weekend. We stayed so busy working on farm projects for the NEW house, we did not have time to celebrate with the fourth with our friends, family and fireworks. However, we did manage to get away for an evening sunset swim on Saturday. We were invited to enjoy our friends pool while they were away. We enjoyed relaxation and a beautiful bottle of Cab Franc. We went to a movie, on Friday night-- ("Tammy"), it was a total DIVA thumbs up for some silly laughter (best medicine ever for stress). I snuck some garlic pepper cashews and Kombucha soda into the movie, shhhhh......don't tell.  Real foodist deserve to have snacks at the movies too, right?

Hubby made a home made corned beef from a grass fed brisket.....so I did indulge a bit on Sunday with a Gluten Free Rueben, our Three Goats Farm Sauerkraut , raw Swiss cheese, horseradish, olive oil potato chips and a delicious peach vanilla frozen kefir(honey sweetened). And yes, more amazing wine (oops, SUGAR!)

This was a delicious Reuben On GF toasted GF bread (thanks UDI's)

Peach, Vanilla bean and Honey Frozen Kefir (sorry for the poor lighting) trust me that it looked way more beautiful during the few seconds before it was gobbled up.

So, hello Monday and back to my program. I am excited for my workout today-my workout buddy can't make it. So hubby will join me (evil grin). Ya know if you love your Monday, it will love you back!

Breakfast was a very nourishing "balanced breakfast  bowl" ...with high protein Quinoa, egg, spinach, peppers, turmeric,garlic and olive oil! Remember : protein+carb+fat= vitality energy and hormonal harmony!

I will be back later to share some supplement and beauty tips

nourished and ready to rock my week!

In health and happiness,

Melissa The Primitive DIVA

Anti Inflammatory Tea...AKA, Magic!

My workouts this week had left some residual aches and pains....yes, getting old (errrr I mean "older") just takes a bit more magic to recover. I brewed a soothing Ginger, Tumeric, Vanilla Bean and Stevia Leaf Tea. Amazing health benefits of each of these SUPERFOODS! 

In Health and Happiness,

Melissa ~ The Primitive DIVA

Oh, by the way, I found a few benefit summary visuals on Pinterest. I love Pinterest, don't you?  Each has it's source credits listed for you to research further. Thanks for sharing.......LifeHack and Think Healthy Diet! 

MACA Munch Granola

2 cups soaked and rinsed raw almonds

2 cups of finely shredded unsweetened coconut

1 cup soaked (softened) medjool dates

1/2 cup cacao nibs

2 Tsp Himalayan salt

1/4 cup MACA (I used Navita brand* found in my amazon store on right)

Blend all ingredients in food processor by pulsing until chunky but not forming solid "dough". Place on dehydrator tray (screen) and dehydrate at 105 degrees for 12 hours. Place in an airtight container for storing. I enjoyed mine for breakfast with raw kefir and organic blueberries. Munch straight or add your favorite milk and fruit!

ENJOY!

Good Morning Sunshine

2 Egg Yolks (fresh free range)

6 ounces of raw Kefir (mine was goat milk obviously)

1 Tbsp grass fed Butter

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

2 Tsp Tumeric

2 Tsp Cinnamon

2 Tsp Ginger

2 Tsp Cardamom

1 heaping Tbsp of MACA

What a beautiful way to NOURISH your body! This smoothie is loaded with healthy fats, whole protein, adaptogenic foods, antioxidants, anti inflammatory foods, beneficial bacteria (probiotic), enzymes, endocrine hormone balancing compounds, liver support and MORE!......Let Food Be Thy Medicine

A new twist on one of my favorites!

You guys know how much I love my kale chips. I have been so busy lately, I have only made a batch or two. I did try a few bags of premade ($7-$10, Gulp!)and they were awful. So,while shopping last night, i grabbed a few bags of kale and a .79 bag of TJ's Taco Seasoning. I have discovered an amazing combination that makes the most delicious kale chips ever AND they are so easy. All the ingredients came from my FAVORITE store~Trader Joes! Have I said Thank YOU to the TJ'S decision to build a store in the Woodlands, Texas. I mean, its still 45-60 minutes from me at the farm in Montgomery BUT their selection of organics, beautiful produce, raw cheeses, my kids favorite sourdough, natural cleaning products, organic wines....and of course their prices are GREAT! 

Two bags of TJ's Organic Tuscan Kale

1 package of TJ's Taco Seasoning mix (no MSG-woo hoo!)

1/2 cup Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 to 1 Tbsp Sea or Himalayan Salt

1 cup of Nutritional Yeast

A few cloves of crushed Garlic

Mix all together in a large bowl, spread onto dehydrator screen and dehydrate at 105-110 for several hours until crispy OR spread onto cookie sheet and place in a 170-200 degree (or lowest setting) oven until crispy.

 I kept a bowl of the seasoned kale to enjoy as a salad at lunch topped with pico, avocados and some of my goat cheese. 

I hope you try these.....they are very delicious!