Instant Energy Snack

Hey, if you're one of those people who starts dragging mid-morning and/or late afternoon at work, I have an instant energy snack idea for you today that beats the grease off the oily donuts, sticky candy bars, and sugary coffee or caffeine drinks you're probably using right now.

Why not substitute nasty energy snacks with a healthy energy snack that'll give you a better boost than any junk food, anyway?

Convinced?

Read on to learn one of my favorite recipes for...

Instant Energy Snack Balls

1 cup dried apricots
1 cup dried figs
1 cup dates
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup honey

Separate grind apricots, figs, dates, and raisins in a food processor. Add unsweetened coconut. Mix almond butter and honey. Combine the fruit mixture and almond butter mixture. Make into balls and chill in refrigerator.

One warning... think a bit before eating these instant energy snacks around the donut box with your colleagues.

If you do that, everyone's going to be clamoring for the recipe or, more likely, wanting to eat the ones you make when you bring them with you to work.

Finally, if you have a healthy energy snack recipe, please use the "comments" link below to share it.

Chet "Energized" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Fat Skimming Soup Tips

I have three fat skimming soup tips for you today, which were featured in my free healthy soup recipes newsletter.

Although you won't have to skim any fat off this particular blog entry, there are many instances while making soup when you'll want to do just that. So here are three useful fat skimming tips:

1. Refrigerate cooked stews and soups overnight before serving. The fat will rise to the top and you can skim it off before heating and serving.
   
   
2. If you're in a hurry to skim the fat off a soup or stew, an ice cube floated in the soup will help to congeal the fat and make it easier to remove.
   
   
3. I've yet to try this one, but a reader recently mentioned that a leaf of lettuce dropped in a pot of soup will absorb the grease from the top.

Well, that's it for today. Three short and sweet fat skimming soup tips and I'm out of here.

Chet "No Fat Floats on My Soup" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Sunflower Seed Cookies

I don't know about you, but I've loved cookies for as long as I can remember.

The problem, of course, with loving cookies is that most of them are packed with empty calories and just plain not very healthy for the human body.

Well, today I want to share a very healthy cookie recipe that I learned several years ago from Lydia, a reader of my free cookie newsletter...

Sunflower Seed Cookies

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup tahini
1 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled outs (not instant)
1/4 cup raw (not roasted) sunflower seeds
1/4 cup other nuts and/or seeds, mixed (My friend uses raisins and walnuts and then just sprinkles in some sesame seeds. I put a tablespoon each of sesame seed, pumpkin seed, millet, and pine nut.)

Preheat the oven to 350F and coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside. Place the maple syrup and tahini in a small mixing bowl, and cream them together. Then stir in the oats and sunflower seeds, and mix well.

Drop the dough by 12 rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each cookie slightly with the back of the spoon.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 full minutes. Then carefully loosen them and transfer them to a cooling rack using a metal spatula. Cool the cookies completely before storing them.

Yield: 2 dozen

Thanks to Lydia for sharing the great recipe. Be sure to give it a try!

Chet "Cookie Man" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Spinach Recipes

Since I have a recipe for spinach soup for you today, I also want to include a great one from my friend Victoria, creator of Tooth Soap. Whoa!

Even your kids will eat spinach if you serve...

Spinach for Spinach-Haters

10 ounces frozen spinach
1 clove garlic -- chopped, large clove
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream -- approximately
1 pinch thyme
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup parmesan cheese -- freshly grated, approximate
1/2 to 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Cook spinach as directed and drain for as long as your patience permits (squeezing it with towels to speed drying up) and set aside. Melt butter over moderate heat. Brown garlic in butter, throwing in thyme and pepper (to taste) just before garlic is lightly browned. Immediately throw in spinach and warm it up before adding cream and vinegar. Stir. When mixture starts to thicken up, add cheese and take off burner. The cheese will continue melting. Sprinkle a bit of nutmeg and give it a final stir or two.

Nice, eh?

And if you like that one, how about today's featured soup recipe for...

Popeye's Cream of Spinach Soup

1 bunch fresh spinach
1/4 cup medium onion, minced (about 1/2 medium onion)
1/4 cup celery (chopped, including leaves)
1 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup medium sherry
1/4 tsp nutmeg
To taste salt, white pepper

Wash spinach carefully, and discard any thick stalks. Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and saute until onion is translucent (about 3 minutes.)

Stir in flour, add salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, stirring well. Heat until it starts to boil, stirring frequently. Add spinach and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Using a food processor with steel blades, or a blender, puree the mixture in batches until it is smooth with dark green flecks. Return to a medium heat, taste and correct seasoning.

Stir in cream, sherry, and nutmeg. Do not allow to boil. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

And if you have a spinach recipe you'd like to share, use the "comments" link below and then start typing.

Chet "I Never Missed a Popeye Cartoon Show As a Kid" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Cole Slaw

Hey, if "Pass the cole slaw" isn't part of your gustatory vocabulary, today's the day to correct that omission.

Why?

Duh.

Because eating raw, cooked, or even fermented cabbage (sauerkraut) as few times as once a week may significantly cut your chances of colon cancer.

I bet you didn't know this, but in 70% of 94 scientific studies, cabbage consumption was associated with a lower risk of cancer, especially of the lung, stomach, and colon.

Even if the taste of cabbage doesn't make your stomach growl with eager anticipation, you can protect yourself from cancer because the studies reveal that three to five servings of one cup each (less than one serving a day) lower your risk of getting cancer.

The easiest and tastiest way I know to eat cabbage is to whip up a good batch of healthy cole slaw and here's one of my favorite recipes...

Firecracker Cole Slaw

Combine in large bowl:

4-5 cups sliced cabbage
1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped bell pepper (green, red, yellow, orange or combo of any colors)
1/2-1 seeded chopped cucumber

For dressing combine:

1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbs honey
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and allow to marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Then pull that healthy cole slaw out of the fridge and dig in. Thanks to Laura C. for teaching me this recipe many years ago.

Man, that's good.

In closing, as usual, if you have a healthy cole slaw recipe you'd like to share, do just that by clicking on the "comments" link below.

Chet "Cole Slaw" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Chili Recipe

The creator of Popeye may well be in his grave, but I bet he'd jump out of it if he could for a bowl of today's healthy chili recipe using beans and veggies.

Bluto's Healthy Beans and Veggie Chili

3 cups dried kidney beans
2 Tbs olive oil (optional)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced well
1 green pepper (or red or yellow), chopped coarsely
1/2 cup diced red unpeeled potatoes
1 can (10 oz) tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
5 cups water or vegetable broth
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Grated cheese for garnish, if desired

Cover and soak beans overnight in cold water. Drain. Put beans in slow cooker. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil or a small amount of liquid; saute onion and garlic until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, potatoes, tomatoes, chili powder, and the cumin.

Continue cooking, stirring frequently for about three minutes; transfer to crockpot.

Add rice and water or broth; cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or until chili is thick and rice and beans are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with cheese if desired. This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

I guarantee this healthy chili recipe will be a hit at your house.

Hey, speaking of healthy chili, if you have a favorite recipe that you'd like to share with others, just use the comment link below and start typing.

Chet "Chili Eating" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Healthy Energy Drink

If you're low on energy, forget the nasty-tasting and unhealthy "energy drinks" that make your wallet groan while jacking your blood pressure through the ceiling.

Instead, the next time you need a boost, try this fantastic spinach smoothie that I learned about several years ago from a raw foodist named Scott Stollwerk.

Believe me, once you try it, it's a healthy energy drink that you'll make several times a week thereafter.

There's an interesting story behind this fabulous concoction, and I'll let Scott tell it in his own words:

On Manhattan's Upper East Side (62nd Street between 1st and York), there is an organic market run by a former cook of His Holiness, The Dalai Llama. He is about 60 years old, but doesn't look a day over 40 (no doubt due in part to about a gallon of wheatgrass juice a day). His name is Tenzin, and about three years ago I tried one of his delicious creations that he calls a breakfast shake. Instantly, I was hooked. And now my wife and I have adopted it as a staple in our diets, though with all respect due to Tenzin, we call it our Spinach Smoothie.

Here's the recipe...

Energizing Spinach Smoothie

Fresh spinach
1/2 large papaya
1 handful of parsley
1 handful of dandelion root
1 or 1 1/2 bananas
Freshly squeezed juice of 4 oranges

To make it, fill your blender about halfway with fresh spinach. Add one half of a large papaya, and a handful each of parsley and dandelion root. Add at least one banana (we prefer one and a half). Pour in fresh-squeezed orange juice about three fingers high on the blender. This is about the juice of four oranges, although admittedly, we sometimes cheat and use the "fresh frozen" type. Then blend until smooth.

If you love it, as I am sure you will, stop in and thank Tenzin Llama the next time you find yourself raw in the Big Apple.

Thanks to Scott for sharing this truly healthy energy drink. If you have a recipe for something along the same line, use the comment link below to share it with the tens of thousands of Natural Health Circus readers around the world!

Chet "Energy Drink" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Nut Milk Recipes

I recently shared these nut milk recipes with readers of my healthy crockpot recipe newsletter, and the recipes are so good and healthy I'd want to share them with Natural Health Circus readers too. Apologies to those who get to read it twice. :)

This first nut milk recipe comes from EC...

Thanks for the Vita-Mix almond milk recipe. Almond milk is excellent.

You can do the same thing with peanuts and sunflower seeds for peanut or sunflower milk.

If you make peanut milk, try adding banana and honey, which is incredibly d'licious!

Personally, I've never tried peanut milk, but you can be sure that'll happen in the near future. My thought is to add a frozen banana (frozen without skin, of course) to the mix and end up with a banana shake. Whoa!

Now let me share the original almond milk recipe, eh?

This recipe could also be created in a good blender. It was contributed by Kathy J, and here it is...

Chet,

Take raw almonds (must be raw) and soak them in water for 1-12 hours. I put some in a little container, cover with water, and leave them in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, drain the almonds, put them in your Vita-Mix (or blender) with a little fresh water, and blend. By adjusting the amount of water, you can make it as thin or thick as you desire. You can use this "milk" in any recipe that calls for cow milk.

If you use a blender or want the almond milk quite thin, pour through several layers of cheese cloth. You can use the discarded almond pulp in cookies or whatever.

If you've never tried nut milks, I urge you to get off your duff and put an end to that omission because the stuff is simply delicious. And very, very healthy.

Oh, do me a favor. If you have a favorite nut milk recipe, share it with others by clicking on the comment link below. The good karma you'll generate by this act of kindness will be well worth your time and effort.

Chet "Nut Milk" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Inner Peace Technique

Today I'd like to share an easy and effective technique you can use to achieve inner peace whenever you want.

First, move to a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed and where you feel safe and relatively relaxed.

Now, take a long, deep breath, inhaling slowly and feeling the air flow into your lungs. Hold your breath for a second and then exhale gently and fully. Repeat several times and note how your thinking slows and your body relaxes.

To move into your center, the place of inner peace, gently focus on your legs. Imagine your legs extending down into the earth like large roots, the roots of an ancient white oak tree. See your legs extending down through your feet and into the earth, burrowing deep.

Now, visually secure your roots to the center of the earth in a place that feels right to you.

Gently say to yourself, either aloud or silently, depending on where you are:

"I am grounded to the earth. I feel vital and strong."

Repeat the phrase and feel the healing earth energy moving up into your roots and flowing up into your entire body, filling every part of your being with inner peace, warmth, and vitality.

Breathe deeply into this healing place and enjoy the waves of inner peace as they flow through your chest and heart.

When you feel absolutely wonderful, take a few quick breaths and return to normal consciousness.

This is a very effective technique, and you can use it whenever you want to turn a lousy day into a beautiful one!

Hey, if you like this technique, I invite you to sign up for my free EarthRain Meditation newsletter where I reveal everything I've learned the past 27 years during my on-going search for harmony and serenity.

Chet "Digging Inner Peace" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Sweet Potato Burritos

A lady named Karena sent me this fabulous burrito recipe many years ago, and I predict you and your family will enjoy it as much as we do.

Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos

Once you've had one - you'll want another. The recipe is a little different from most burrito recipes, but I've had many, many requests for it. Serve these with sour cream, chopped green onions, and salsa.

For vegan burritos, omit the cheese and sour cream. These may be made ahead of time, individually frozen, then heated. For an interesting variation, try deep frying these tasty burritos.

3 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups canned kidney beans, drained
2 cups water
3 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 Tbs soy sauce
4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
12 (10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic in until soft. Stir in beans and mash. Gradually stir in water and heat until warm. Remove from heat and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.

Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style.

Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven and serve.

Sounds good, eh?

If you have a favorite burrito recipe you'd like to share, use the comment link below right now.

Chet "Burrito" Day
Editor, Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Raw Apple Raisin Cookies

Let's start 2007 off properly with a delicious, healthy raw cookie recipe, shall we?

Raw Apple Raisin Cookies

2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked 4 hours and rinsed
2 Fuji apples, grated
2 large bananas
1/2 cup dates
1 cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbs flax oil
1 cup walnuts, soaked 2 hours, chopped.

Process sunflower seeds and bananas through a Champion juicer with no plate (grate) or use a food processor. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon dough on a dehydrator tray with a teflex sheet and form into small round cookie. Place cookies close together on the sheets. Dehydrate at 105F degrees for 4 hours, turn cookies over and remove teflex sheet. Continue dehydrating until desired moisture is obtained, approximately 3-5 hours.

Happy New Year!

Chet Day
Editor, Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com