Introducing Deal of the Week!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
So, starting today, I'm aiming to post a new Deal of the Week that will run from Thursday-Wednesday. My plan is to crunch numbers, buy higher quantities, and generally do all I can to offer you deeper discounts than are usually possible. We'll try it for a few weeks and see how it goes. I'd love to get your feedback on how you are liking the deeper discounts, and what products you'd like to see coming up at bigger and better sale prices.
Enjoy!
Healthy Irish Soda Bread
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Healthified Irish Soda Bread
Makes 1 larger loaf or two smaller ones
1 cup honey
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder (without aluminum)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups dark raisins (optional--and you could substitute cranberries, nuts, or other dried fruits quite easily)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cast iron pan or use a cookie sheet. (or, I used one cast iron pan and one 9 inch round glass cake pan)
In your mixer bowl, combine honey, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Cut in diced bits of butter and mix periodically until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins.
In a small bowl, beat eggs. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the egg, pour the rest of it in with the dry ingredients. Add buttermilk and mix for about a minute. Dough will be sticky.
Place your dough in the skillet or split into two skillets or into two blobs on a cookie sheet. Brush dough with reserved egg.
Bake 30-40 minutes until golden brown and tester comes out clean. You can serve it warm or cold, with butter or some nice all-fruit jam, or even maple syrup. It is gently sweet and quite filling. It was a big hit with my family. Enjoy! :)
Blueberry Baked Oatmeal--YUMMY!
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Well, I'm always on the lookout for good recipes that are healthy, filling, and budget-friendly, and today I tweaked one (from a friend who has a blog that many of you would enjoy. Click here to visit her.) and it turned out really great! It's a baked oatmeal, which I did not expect to like...but I love it! Probably because it's more like cake. :)
Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
* 3 c oats--quick or old fashioned, doesn't matter
* 2 T cinnamon--or more :)
* 2 t. baking powder
* 1 t. sea salt
* ½ c. organic maple syrup
* ½ c. honey
* 1 ½ c.buttermilk, or if you're doing this on the fly, just use milk with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar in it and let it sit for a few minutes to get nice and curdle-ish. You could make this with a milk alternative as well. (rice milk, almond milk, etc.) I don't know if the alternative milks would curdle, but I'm guessing that it really isn't going to matter if it doesn't.
* 2 eggs
* ¼ c. coconut oil (or butter), melted
* 2 t. vanilla
* 1½ c. frozen blueberries
Mix up everything except for the berries. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Fold in the berries. Then pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until it has a cake-like texture and it lightly browned. Nice to eat warm or cold. You could add butter and more maple syrup to it if you wanted to. For us, it was sweet and yummy just as it was.
*Options: You could add more or different fruits to it. Fresh, frozen, or dried apples, banana, raisins, cranberries, etc. would be awesome. Also, chopped nuts would be good too! Very easy to do, you could definitely mix it up the night before and bake in the morning.
BIG hit at our house. Even from the girl who used to not like oatmeal. I like this!
Weight Loss Question
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Hello,
I, like many moms, would really like to have a healthier lifestyle, but get overwhelmed to think about getting started. I have appreciated the practical baby-step approach you take in your book. I am not all the way through the book yet, but am already anxious to do some shopping for some items to get us started!
One question I do have for you; I read about drinking while eating. Recently I decided to lose about 10 lbs, and one thing I did to help is to drink a large glass of water before/during eating, which filled me up to make it easier to eat less. I am afraid I won't feel full if I stop this. When do you suggest to drink? How long should I wait after eating to drink? What are some tips to eat less without drinking the water while eating?
I would appreciate a reply when you have a minute. Thank you so much,
Kelli
Hi Kelli!
Great question. For best digestion, you should not drink while eating. When the digestive juices are diluted it makes your food take a lot longer to digest, and then the rotting food is sitting in your system, making gas, cramps, etc. Not good!
I would suggest that you eat a salad at the start of your meal. Don't use fattening and chemical-filled dressings like Ranch or whatever. Use low-calorie, natural dressings such as the ones I recommend in my Super Salads book. The calories in a salad are super, super low, even if you eat a ton of it, and it is so beneficial for your health and digestion. Eat as much of a salad as you can for starters, then follow up with whatever else is for dinner, eating only to the point that you are satisfied. Most people find that they need far less cooked food, and in many cases your salad will have filled you up and satisfied you.
If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it works for you. :)
~Erica
Ways to Use Sweet Leaf Stevia
Monday, January 17, 2011
First: Why I recommend Sweet Leaf Brand over all the others. Clickety click!
Ways to use it:
*Soda alternative: Add your favorite SweetLeaf flavor to low sodium club soda or seltzer water for an instantly flavored and sweetened beverage with fizz! Root Beer, Grape, Valencia Orange, and Vanilla Creme are some of the favorites for this. (Here's my most successful way to make root beer!)
*Flavored water: Why pay over a dollar for a bottled of flavored water that has chemical sweeteners in it when you can make your own for pennies PLUS enjoy a better, healthier alternative? You just need about one drop of stevia per 2 ounces of water!
*Jazz up your pancake or waffle batter or French toast mixture by adding Vanilla Creme, English Toffee, or Cinnamon flavors to the mix. Easy and delicious!
*Chocolate milk without the chocolate? Just use Chocolate or Chocolate Raspberry stevia to your milk for a yummy, healthy flavor boost!
*Make flavored ice cubes!
*Stevia is perfect for sweetening coffee or tea. My husband’s favorites for coffee are Vanilla Creme, English Toffee, Hazelnut, and Chocolate. The most popular flavors for tea are Peppermint, Cinnamon, Vanilla Creme, English Toffee, and Apricot Nectar. Yum!
*Use Stevia flavors in plain yogurt or cottage cheese. Kids love it! The Berry flavor is a nice addition to these.
*Stevia works great as an addition to whipped toppings, icing, or frosting.
See all of our stevia products here.
Day 2 of The 12 Days of Christmas!
Thursday, December 02, 2010
12 Days of Christmas: Day 1
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Are you getting into the Christmas spirit? We sure are! The falling snow today certainly helps. :)
Here's what I've been up to while pulling an all-nighter....
Monday, November 22, 2010
Supermom News: More Nuts, and some new products!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Christmas Sales and Specials
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
What I do want to do for the rest of this year is offer you good deals as I am able to, to provide fast and friendly service, and to be fair and treat each of you as I would want to be treated.
There isn't a huge profit margin with most of what we sell, so our sales may not be as flashy as some, but they are honest and we can offer them while also being able to stay in business. :)
If there is a product you wish you could buy from Supermom's Health and Wellness, or an item that you are hoping to see on sale, please share your ideas in the comments section. I'll see what I can do to make your Christmas wishes come true. :)
Chocolate Almonds
2 cups raw almonds
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
1 Tbsp. raw chocolate powder (or nonalkalized unsweetened cocoa powder)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Soak your raw almonds in water overnight, then drain and allow them to air dry (an hour or two). Make sure coconut oil (warm it in hot water if necessary) is liquid, and mix all remaining ingredients well. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly on dehydrator tray and dry until no longer wet/sticky, about 14-18 hours, below 116 degrees. Enjoy!
I use and recommend the Excalibur dehydrator:
Teriyaki Almonds
10 cups raw almonds, soaked and dehydrated at 105 degrees (or less) approx. 12 hours
½ cup chopped dates, soaked and drained
½ cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup nama shoyu (or if you don't have this, just use Bragg's instead)
2 Tbsp. raw agave nectar (or honey, if you prefer)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne or red pepper flakes
Blend all ingredients except almonds in your food processor, blender, vita-mix, BlendTec, or whatever you've got, on high until smooth. Pour into a very large bowl, add almonds and stir well. Let mixture sit for an hour to allow nuts to absorb liquid, and then stir again. Spread nuts on teflex sheets in dehydrator. Dry at 105 degrees for about 16 hours. Place nuts on mesh sheets and dry again until crunchy (about 10 hours).
Yes, it takes a few days in the planning and process, but it is extremely easy and worth it!
I recommend the Excalibur dehydrator. I love mine!
Special thanks to Green Smoothie girl who gave me this recipe.
Candied Raw Almonds
2/3 cup chopped dates, soaked and drained
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. sea salt
optional: ½ tsp. butter or rum flavoring
Blend all ingredients except almonds in your food processor, vita-mix, or blender until smooth. Pour in bowl, and stir nuts in, stirring to coat. Let nuts sit for 20 mins. to absorb liquid, and stir again. Spread nuts on teflex sheets in dehydrator. Dry at 105 degrees for about 16 hours. Place nuts on mesh sheets and dry again until crunchy (about 10 hours).
Variations: You could also use soaked pecans or other nuts or combinations of nuts!
I use the Excalibur dehydrator. It is the best!
Special thanks to Green Smoothie Girl for this recipe!
Raw Almond Information and FAQs
Are the almonds in their shell?
No way! Wouldn't that be a nightmare?! (sitting around the kitchen table shelling and shelling and shelling til 2011.....) These almonds are out of the shell and ready to eat when you get them.
Do raw almonds look or taste different from regular almonds?
Raw almonds look just like other untoasted, unsalted almonds you could find in a store. Since these are fresh, they taste better than the nuts sitting on the shelves at the store. :)
How do I use raw almonds?
They are great just like any almonds you would ever use. For those of us that like to keep our almonds raw, for the greatest health benefit, it is ideal to soak them in pure water overnight, and then dehydrate at a low temp (90-100 degrees) until dry. I typically soak most of our almonds before eating them, because the soaking releases more of the plant enzymes within the almond. (you know how sometimes when gardening there will be seeds that need to soak overnight before planting? This is the same idea! You get the germination process going, and that's extra good for your body, plus makes nuts easier to digest.)
Some people like to make their own almond milk. (recipe coming soon) Others turn them into crunchy snack mixes and delicious treats. There are a lot of possibilities, and with the high amount of protein and low amount of fat, almonds are a nut worth getting comfortable with!
I will be posting some of my favorite raw almond recipes soon. They are all very yummy, even for people that are not typically into healthy food. :)
So how many almonds is it if I order 10 pounds?
I have found that 5 pounds of almonds generally fills a gallon zip-loc bag. So, two big bags of almonds equals ten pounds. Yum!
Can I order less than 10 pounds?
Sorry, not from me. I try to keep things simple, and working with 10-pound increments is what seems will work best for this year. See if you can find a friend to split a 10-pound order with you. :)
How long do I have to order?
I'm placing an initial order during the first week of November. It is possible that I may place another order later in the month. The sooner you get your order in, the better.
How do I order?
Clickety click right here! You can pay with credit or debit card or paypal.
How much is shipping?
Shipping is $6.95 within the USA, for any amount of almonds you order!
How soon will I get my almonds?
You should have them within a month of placing your order, but hopefully even sooner than that.
How do you ship the almonds?
I'll be shipping them through the US Postal Service. I will line the box with a plastic bag and the almonds will be inside. This method allows us to fit ten pounds of almonds inside flat rate boxes, which make it much more economical to mail.
Do you have any other questions about raw almonds? Leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer quickly!
Off the wagon
Friday, October 01, 2010
In 2009 I lost 30 pounds, thanks to cutting sugar out of my diet, regular exercise, and eating a lot more raw foods. I got through the holiday season without eating sugar, but somewhere after that I made an exception for myself. I can't remember what or why. But after that, there were more exceptions. And a few more. And now here I am. My jeans are getting a little tight. (they had been getting a little loose) I can see that the pounds are creeping back in.
(real life moment: the battery in the scale died, and we have yet to replace it. I hate to think how many of those 30 pounds I may have gotten back.....)
Honestly, I am struggling with the exercise aspect as well, because my life is so busy, it is hard to take or find the time to do it.
Getting up early to go walking seemed like a good solution, except that I was so stinkin' tired every day, plus every night when I had stuff I wanted to do I had it hanging over my head that I was going to have to get up extra early.
With homeschooling in full swing, I don't really have time during the day.
My walking partner and I fell off of that wagon maybe two months ago. :(
I have a part time job caring for a handicapped gal, so that takes a significant amount of my time as well.
And then there is the fact that exercise has never felt like my friend. Yes, I was doing it. And yes, I was losing weight. But....so many articles promise that exercise will make you have More Energy! and a Better State of Mind! Yeah, well, not me. Exercise makes me tired. And hungry. and sapped.
Is it worth it to be closer to your ideal weight if you are also more tired?
I guess the answer is no. and yes.
Recently I did some reading in relation to adrenal fatigue (which I have struggled with for ages), and it pointed out that strenuous exercise and cardio can just make adrenal fatigue worse. Which makes perfect sense to me. No wonder I always felt like junk even though I was exercising 3-5 times a week.
The article recommended gentler forms of exercise, like pilates or yoga. I don't know how to do either, don't have any classes near me, and our TV died and we haven't replaced it yet, so DVDs won't help much at this point. (well, I guess I could set up a DVD on a computer....)
So, today I'm uncomfortable in my jeans. I've had some nagging health issues that I'm sure eating a less-healthy diet isn't helping. Something's got to give. I'm not sure how I'm going to approach this yet. I may just suck it up and be more tired and at least start reversing the encroaching fat. Maybe I will rig up a way to learn pilates in front of my laptop....
I will say that one saving grace (in addition to having an ever-supportive and loving husband) is that my baby step habits for living healthy truly do help in cases like this. Yes, I'm falling short of my personal wishes for how to eat and for being closer to where I'd like my weight to be, but there is still a lot in place that helps hold some of the lines. Smoothies are still happening. There are no sugary snacks in the house. Healthy meals are still happening.
The Challenge: Increase raw foods. Re-eliminate sugar. Find exercise that works for me, and find time to make it happen.
We fall down. We get back up. This is not about perfection. This is about keeping on and moving forward even though we are imperfect.
How do you handle it when you fall of the wagon?