For your sweet tooth...

Sometimes, when you are "cleansing" and clearing your diet of refined sugar, there could be some potential cravings, freak outs, crashes, etc.  I have been really enjoying a delicious combination of fresh fruit and nut butters.  Its simple, healthy, and absolutely satisfying when you want something rich and sweet.  Below are two of my favorite combos:

Pomegranete seeds and Coconut Butter (find at Vitamin Cottage)

Fresh ground Almond Butter (it has a little crunch) with peaches or nectarines and a drizzle of honey doesn't hurt ;) You can get the Almond Butter at Vitamin Cottage (pre ground) or grind it yourself at Whole Foods.

Favorite Staple : Cinnamon Spice Granola

This recipe is so easy, and its great to have on hand when you first start your cleanse, because it is breakfast food AND snack food, 2 essentials to starting off on the right foot. I have brought this snack to many family and friend gatherings, and there is no trace of it upon leaving...scrumptious!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats (Gluten Free if you can)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup coarsely chopped almonds
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional Additions:

• chopped dried apple
• raisins
• unsweetened cherries, cranberries or other fruit
• shreded coconut
• sunflower seeds
• pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F Place rolled oats, chopped nuts and spices in toa medium sized bowl. MIx well.
2. Add the maple syrup, melted coconut oil and vanilla to the oat mixture. Toss together using two spoons. Add shreded coconut and any seeds if desired, and toss. 
3. Spread mixture onto a large cookie sheet and place in the oven.  Bake for 35-45 minutes, turning occasionally with a spatula. Be careful not to burn.  Mixture will get crispy when out of the oven.
4. Remove from the oven and stir in any dried fruit if desired.  Let cool completely before transferring to a large class jar.

ENJOY!

Root Rejuvenation Week 2 - Begin your Cleanse!

So we began our 3 week path to clean and happy eating yesterday...and we have some tips for transforming your kitchen, fridge and panrty.  Without taking some simple steps to have the basics on hand, you may run in to challenges. We went to Vitamin Cottage to get the lay of the land for staple items as well as supplements to support our systems further. First and foremost, follow your packets and plan meals based on your favorite recipes out of the cookbook. Some of the staple items you will want to get are:

• Virgin Coconut Oil (in a glass jar)
• Virgin Olive Oil
• Unsweetened Alternative Milk (Rice, Almond, Hemp)
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Bulk Grains - Quinoa, Gluten Free Oats, Brown Rice
• Bulk Beans - Black, White, Garbanzo, Pinto, Kidney, Red Lentils
• Nuts - Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews
• Seeds - Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds
• Spices - Cumin, Chili Powder, Black Mustard Seeds
• Nut butters - almond butter, coconut butter (for desert!)
• Raisins and unsweetened dried fruits, to mix with nuts for snacks

Other Tips: Great things to have in your kitchen - You can buy these things slowly, but in the long term, they will suppot you in cooking.  Once you use these things once, you will see how wonderful they are and how much easier and fun it is to be in the kitchen and cook from your cookbook.

• Glass Jars for keeping your grains, nuts and beans - Ball or Kerr Jars are the least expensive and can be found in the kitchen section at most grocery stores or you can get different shaped jars at Cost Plus World Market
• Small coffee grinder for grinding nuts, seeds & spices - you can get these at Target or any kitchen store
• Good blender - a must!
• Food Processor - a good Cuisinart food processor can open up the possibilities of what you can cook big time!...make your own almond milk, hummus, dips, nut flours, soups, etc...
• Juicer - You can get one at Walmart for as low as $80 - Jack Lalane, or you can get a high end Vitamix for about $250
• Dehydrator - these range as well but you can get them for as low as $75 at Bed Bath and Beyond

Get cookin! :)

Root Rejuvenation Week 1 - Prepare

Root Rejuvenation is a nutrition program, although we call it a cleanse, for the sake of embracing the idea that we will be eating clean, whole foods. We focus on foods that our great grandmothers would know about, and eliminate foods that we don't understand the names of or are commonly known to cause allergic reactions or disturb the digestive system. Its pretty simple!  However, being simple doesn't mean its not a challenge or scary to dramatically shift the way we eat.  For some people its not a huge shift, because they are already eating a clean diet rich in whole foods.  For others, it could be eliminating coffee or alcohol.  The idea is to have a support system so we can all do something together towards the greater good of our health, inspire others to eat healthy detoxify their lifestyle and change the way we all think and feel about food.

What we are eliminating:

• Alcohol
• Artificial sweeteners
• Caffine/Coffee (green tea is allowed)
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Food Coloring
• Gluten
• Soda
• Fried Foods
• Preservatives
• Refined carbohydrates
• Sugar
• Trans-fats
• Unfermented soy

What we are minimizing (but can enjoy in moderation):

• Anything in a box, can or bag
• Corn
• Fish(wild, fresh-caught, not smoked)
• Meat (organic, pasture raised)
• Peanut
• Maple Syrup & Honey

What we are eating every day:

• Fruits & Vegetables of all kinds
• Fresh Herbs & Spices
• Nuts & Seeds
• Beans
• Whole Grains (except gluten containing grains)
• Broths & Juices
• Any recipe out of our awesome cookbook!

What else are we doing in the program?

• Focusing on our detox organs: Colon, Skin, Lungs, Liver & Kidneys; supporting them through various methods of cleansing and detoxification (which you learn about in the classes and handouts)
• Cleansing our home spaces, minimizing distractions and emotional toxins, being gentle and nurturing with ourselves EVERY DAY.
• PRACTICING LOTS OF YOGA!

Good luck to the Rejuvenators and to everyone else, get inspired! We will post some of our favorite recipes and snacks as we go...

P.S. Have you had enough water today? Drink up :)

Exciting addition to Root Rejuvenation...

Family Wellness Counselor Marie Krueger, MS, MA, will be joining the Root Rejuvenation Nutrition program:  Change your relationship with food, and you will transform yourself!

As the days become shorter and the breeze crisper, our human psyche is naturally drawn to prepare our bodies for transition and change. Committing to a seasonal cleansing process is a powerful tool to help us rediscover our relationship with our bodies and explore what nourishes our sense of happiness. As we cleanse our bodies we begin a process that will ultimately shift both our physical and emotional bodies, bringing to surface emotions that feed our reactions and habits. By increasing awareness, we have an opportunity to go deeper and make lasting changes towards improved health. Marie will provide both individual and group opportunities for exploring the emotional and mental changes that can transpire within the cleansing process. She will also provide tools for awakening and understanding the change process.

Community Session on November 15th 6:00 - 7:30pm

You Don't Have to Believe Everything You Think...a group share on what is working well and what is challenging within the cleansing process. Marie will also teach a method to help connect with the subtle signs that your body is shifting and changing.

Oct. 25-Nov. 22: Two individual 50 minute consultations that are customized to meet individual goals for participants.

About Marie:
Marie is passionate about integrating traditional psychotherapy with innovative interventions, including mindfulness-based practices, animal-assisted therapy and wilderness therapy. Marie has over twelve years of experience working with individuals, adolescents and families in a variety of settings including residential treatment, therapeutic wilderness programs, equine-assisted therapy, schools and mentoring organizations. In 2001, she earned her MS in Applied Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a concentration in Health Psychology. Marie holds her MA in Counseling Psychology from Prescott College. Marie lives in Denver and continues to work with a holistic wilderness therapy program to balance her desire for both urban and natural world experiences. When not working, Marie spends her time exploring canyons and mountains, riding her bike, cooking and maintaining her yoga and meditation practices.