EASY COOKIN’ DEVILED STEAKS

1 envelope (3/4-oz) brown gravy mix
2 tbsp prepared horseradish
1 can (4-oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
4 (5-oz each) beef tenderloin steaks
1/4 cup beef broth or red wine

Prepare gravy according the the package instructions. Add the horseradish and mushrooms to the gravy and mix well. Keep warm.

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side (or longer for well done). Remove steaks from the skillet and keep warm.

Add the broth or wine to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly for a minute to deglaze the pan. Pour the juices into the gravy and mix well. Serve the gravy with the steaks.

GREEN BEAN POTATO SALAD

1 lb small red skin potatoes
1 lb fresh green beans
1/4 large red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp paprika, for garnish

Wash and quarter the potatoes; cook in a large pot of salted water until tender. Drain potatoes and cool to room temperature.

Blanche the green beans in boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes until crisp tender. Place in a colander and run cold water over beans to stop the cooking and preserve the dark green color. Set aside to drain well.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, red onion, green onion and green beans. In a separate bowl, blend together the sour cream, mustard, mayonnaise, and vinegar; season with the salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the vegetable mixture and toss gently to combine. Place salad in a bowl and garnish with paprika.

Enjoy!

Health  foods are often more affordable than you think and contain an unbelievably amount of nutrition for your money. For example, a canister of powdered wheatgrass for a smoothie can cost less than $20. However, you are getting nearly all of your daily nutrition requirements in one serving. Algae powder is similar too, and you truly get your money worth when eating this way. 

Spirulina for example, is one of the most potent foods out there for anyone wishing to be healthier. This blue-green algae is packed with b-12, iron, and other crucial vitamins. It can also be added into protein smoothies to create a delicious snack. Spirulina comes in pill form, powders, natural raw forms, and many others. It is sometimes easiest to take it as a pill or powder, since it is virtually flavourless. There is even a protein powder line that uses Spirulina and flavourful combinations. 

Wheatgrass sounds gross, but it is packed with an immense amount of nutrients for the health conscious individual. This green food is necessary for a diet that provides you with all of your nutrient needs. It has minimal impact on the environment, and tastes great in food.

Spinach and leafy greens are no doubt considered green foods. They can be used to make green smoothies and pack tons of vitamins and minerals. Adding spinach or kale to smoothies can be undetectable, while you still get your necessary and vital nutrition from the concoction. Of course, used in salads and meals is also a great way to get your daily dose of green powered foods. If you want to be healthier, lose weight, and purify your body, eating green food products is the way to go. You will minimize your carbon footprint and give your body what it needs to thrive. You will also be absorbing more of those nutrients when you eat green products instead of processed ones. 
Consuming meat in high quantities is harmful for your body and the  environment. Making changes for an environmentally friendly health food diet is a surprisingly excellent way to get on the right track to health. Overall, if you aren’t eating enough green products now, start doing so. You will feel better and more energized each day. You will notice a number of improvements in your health and your appearance, and you won’t regret the dietary changes.

CLASSIC COUNTRY SWISS STEAK

2 large carrots

2 tbsp cooking oil, divided

1 lb boneless round steak

1 can (14 1/2-oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8-oz) tomato sauce

1 tsp Splenda (or sugar)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 can (4-oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

Cooked and buttered no-yolk egg noodles, if desired

In a large skillet, saute carrots in 1 tbsp of the oil unti the carrots are crisp-tender; remove and set aside.  Cut meat into four pieces.  Add meat and remaining oil to skillet; cook over medium-high heat until browned on both sides.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, Splenda, and oregano.  Cover skillet and simmer for one hour.  Add the onion, celery, mushrooms, and carrots.  Cover again and simmer for 45 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender.  Thicken with a little flour or cornstarch, if desired..  Serve over the egg noodles.

GREEN BEANS AND GARLIC

2 lb fresh green beans

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/8 tsp black pepper

Rinse beans, but do not drain and dry.  Snap beans into 2-inch lengths; set aside.  Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the minced garlic to the oil and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until aromatic.  Be careful not to let the garlic burn.  Add beans, soy sauce and enough water to wet the beans for steaming.  Cover the pan and allow beans to steam cook until crisp tender and bright green.  Stir often and add more water if necessary.  Sprinkle with the pepper before serving.

1 cup = 92 calories, 11 g carbs, 3 g protein

Enjoy!

Many health food stores often make the grandiose statement that 1 ounce of wheat grass is nutritionally equivalent to 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of green vegetables. That’s a 1:35 ratio! No wonder I had so much gas!! The actually numbers from the USDA when comparing wheat grass with broccoli and spinach demonstrate that ounce for ounce there is nothing substantially different from the 3, (see table 1). Looks like Popeye was right! Just eat your spinach kids.

Table 1. Nutrient comparison of 1 oz (28.35 g)[dubious - discuss]of wheatgrass juice, broccoli and spinach.

NutrientWheatgrass JuiceBroccoliSpinach
Protein860 mg800 mg810 mg
Beta carotene120 IU177 IU2658 IU
Vitamin E880 mcg220 mcg580 mcg
Vitamin C1 mg25.3 mg8 mg
Vitamin B120.30 mcg0 mcg0 mcg
Phosphorus21 mg19 mg14 mg
Magnesium8 mg6 mg22 mg
Calcium7.2 mg13 mg28 mg
Iron0.66 mg0.21 mg0.77 mg
Potassium42 mg90 mg158 mg

Data on broccoli and spinach from USDA database.[3]Data on Wheatgrass juice from indoor grown wheatgrass.[2]

Proponents claim improvement in energy, digestion (opposite for me) and a purifying and detoxifying effect on the blood. Maybe that’s why my tongue was green for the rest of the day? No studies have been performed to warrant these claims.

• Blue-Green/Algae/Spirulina: organisms containing blue pigment and chlorophyll that habitant seas and lakes. They provide a major source of nutrients for fish and amphibians. Did you ever notice how perfectly divided the earth’s resources are between man and animal? My guess is unless you have gills there is no reason to think there are any benefits from eating algae. These substances contain toxins called microcystins that can be harmful to pregnant women and children, gee I wonder why?

• Chlorella: More algae goop. Chlorella has the highest chlorophyll levels of all the super greenies already mentioned. The Chlorophyll molecule is very similar to human hemoglobin. This in theory (a lot of theory here) will aid in blood flow and help detoxify the body. Sorry but the broken record is about to play again: THIS IS NOT SUBSTANTIATED BY RESEARCH.

Exercise has been proven to be one of the things that actually increases plasma volume. More volume means the blood is more dilute and less likely to cause platelet (disc shape cells that form blood clots) stickiness. Sedentary people have thicker platelets which through time can form blood clots in blood vessels and cause heart attacks or strokes.

Translation: active people have a lower risk of heart disease and strokes. One of the reasons for this is because they have less sticky blood, and it’s not because they drink Chlorella. Your best bet is to go for a brisk walk right past that long line at the health food store and keep going for about 30 min. There are so many different kinds of healthy, edible, vegetables; you have no reason to spend additional money on these on items. Just go to the local grocery store and enjoy!

RED AND GREEN PEPPER STEAK

1 1/2 lbs London broil, 1 1/2-inches thick

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1/4 cup canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 1/4 cups beef broth

1 cup chopped onion

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

6 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp Splenda granular

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 cups hot cooked brown rice or whole-wheat fettuccine

Cut steak into strips.  Heat oil in large skillet over high heat.  Add steak and saute until browned, approximately 5 minutes.  Add garlic, tomatoes, and 1 cup of the beef broth to skillet; reduce heat to simmer.  Cover and simmer about 25 minutes or until tender.  While beef simmers, cut bell peppers into thin strips.  When beef is tender, add onion and peppers to skillet.  Cook, covered, an additional 10 minutes.  In a small mixing bowl, mix cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup beef broth together until smooth.  Stir into the steak mixture.  Add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ginger, black pepper and Splenda to skillet.  Mix well.  Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.  Serve over hot rice or fettuccine. 

Remember to eat all things within reason.  Do not load your plate with rice or pasta and a little bit of steak!  That’s cheating.

Enjoy!

The Entire Metabolic Process Depends On An Alkaline Environment

As a matter of fact, the entire metabolic process depends on a balanced internal alkaline environment. A chronically over-acidic pH corrodes body tissue, slowly eating into the 60,000 miles of veins and arteries like acid eating into marble. If left unchecked, it will interrupt all cellular activities and functions, from the beating of the heart to the neural firing of the brain. 

Above all, the acid-alkaline balance is a well known theory of the cause of overweight. It has shown that fat is actually an over-acidification problem. Why? Because the body creates fat cells to carry acids away from vital organs, so these acids literally don’t choke the organs to death. Fat is saving life! Fat is actually a response from the body to an alarming over-acidic condition. 

The 4 Rules Of New Levels Of Health, Wellness And Energy

The solution is to alkalize and energize the body and its cell system. Changing to an alkaline lifestyle can result in a lean, trim body, while experiencing a new level of wellness, energy and fitness. These rules guide on how to become healthy, well balanced and fit again.  

1. More Green and Yellow Vegetables and Grasses: Fresh vegetables and grasses are an excellent source of the alkaline salts that are anti-yeast, anti-fungal, and anti-mycotoxic. The chlorophyll (or “blood of the plant”) contained in plants and grasses is identical to the blood of humans, except for one atom. Green foods such as wheat grass and barley grass are some of the lowest-calorie, lowest-sugar, and most nutrient-rich foods on the planet. Also juiced, green vegetables are very cleansing. Vegetables and grasses are also loaded with fiber.   

2. More Healthy (and NOT animal) Proteins:  Broccoli, spinach, sprouts, garbanzo beans, tofu or fresh fish with scales and fins carry the sub-cellular units and the amino acids to make proteins in amounts that are congruent with the body’s needs. Also, all green vegetables are high in calcium. Animal protein foods are unhealthy and provide more protein than is required by the human body. Our bodies are only 7 % protein. Animal protein foods often contribute factors to the body that are unneeded and then represent a challenge to dispose of (e.g., saturated fats).   

3. More Alkaline Green Food Supplements: In case one shouldn’t be able to completely change the diet to green and alkaline food, taking powdered alkaline supplements sprouted for maximum cell absorption is an option, like, for instance, Supergreens. With powdered greens the need to constantly eat healthy vegetables and greens disappears. Taking alkalizing, pH balancing and highly energizing SuperGreens is an easy way of adding 49 different grasses, vegetables, sprouted grains and leaves, as well as 125 vitamins, minerals and amino acids to your diet. If taken daily, they even allow to not changing eating habits, although it is recommended, of course. 

4. More Alkali-forming Foods: Good alkali forming foods include fresh sprouts, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, avocados, lemons, limes, cucumbers, celery, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans, eggplant, broccoli, fresh tomatoes, zucchini, green/red/yellow peppers, onions, okra, garlic, parsley, watercress, cabbage, squashes, soy beans (tofu), garbanzo beans, raw almonds, Brazil nuts, hazel nuts, sesame seeds, flax seed, sprouted grains and legumes. Green juices from all green vegetables and their tops are highly alkaline. Also, vegetable broths are extremely alkalizing to the body. These need to be yeast-free and preservative-free.

Changing to an alkaline, healthy diet low on calories and the increased intake of alkaline food and alkaline supplements supports vital cellular activities and functions and will create new levels of healthiness, energy, wellness and fitness.

Shopping Tips for a Greener Kitchen Buy local when you can. It means less fuel was used to transport your food, and less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Shop at farmers’ markets. You know you’re buying locally, and contributing to the local economy as well. Keeping local farmers in business is good for everyone. Skip “serving size packs” of food and buy in bulk. It reduces the amount of trash going into the landfills. Bring your own bags. Every plastic bag you don’t use is one less bag in the trash. For an added bonus, many stores will take 5-10 cents off your grocery bill for every bag you bring. Look for the recycle symbol on products that you buy in plastic bottles to make sure you’re buying containers that can be recycled. Green Cooking Tips Raw foods use no energy at all in preparation. Serve fruits and vegetables au naturel as snacks and desserts. Use the right size burner for your pots and pans. Don’t put a small pan on a large burner – it wastes up to 40% of the energy used to heat the burner. Think small. Use the smallest cooking appliance possible when cooking. A full-size oven wastes a lot of energy heating empty space. Try a counter top oven or slow cooker to use less energy when cooking. Skip the food processor and electric mixer for small jobs. Some of the best kitchen appliances use no energy at all – an old-fashioned egg beater, for instance, can whip cream or egg whites with just a little elbow grease. Don’t preheat your oven. Most modern ovens heat quickly enough that preheating is redundant. Serve It Green If you must use disposable dishes and serving ware, use paper which can go into your compost, or look for post-consumer recycled materials. Using fewer dishes means washing fewer dishes – less energy needed for cleanup. There’s no need to dump vegetables from the cooking pot into a serving dish. Garnish food with edible fresh flowers and herbs from your own garden. Gardening is one way to reduce your carbon footprint by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Serve food when it’s ready to avoid having to keep food warm. Green Kitchen Cleanup Tips If you only have a couple of plates and cups, wash them by hand instead of running the dishwasher. When hand-washing, fill the sink instead of washing and rinsing under running water. Compost fruit and vegetable peels and leftovers. Good for your garden, good for the planet. It’s actually kinder to the environment to run the dishwasher for a full load of dishes than to wash them by hand. Recycle as much as possible – glass, cans and cardboard are all recyclable. The more you recycle, the less goes into the landfills to clog up our earth.