Our Wellness Blog

This is Dr. Ann's favorite nailpolish, healthy for your nails with no toxic ingredients and lasts for weeks!!

It is really easy to make a quick navy bean soup or any other type of white bean! I recommend if you are not soaking your dried beans to purchase Eden brand canned beans since they are easy to digest, organic, and do not contain a BPA liner.
- 2 cans of navy beans, drained
- 5 cups of organic broth of choice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 2 pieces naturally cured pastured bacon
- 1 leek, peeled and diced
- 2 new or red potatoes, diced
- 3 celery stalk, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
- 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. Sea salt or to taste
- Black pepper (to taste)
Bring beans to a boil in broth and skim off any foam that rises. Add bay leaves, cover and lower heat to simmer. Fry the bacon and chop into small pieces. In the bacon fat, saute the leeks, celery and carrots. Add vegetables to the soup. Add 1 tsp. sea salt and potatoes and continue cooking 25-30 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste if needed.

LENTIL CHILI
Here is a lighter version of traditional chili that will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. Nice to come home after a hard days work, heat it up, and top with some diced avocado and Greek Yogurt for a complete meal!
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 (16 oz.) bag of brown lentils RINSED well
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 (32 oz.) cartons organic vegetable stock or chicken stock
⅓ cup fresh chopped cilantro
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, zucchini and red bell pepper; saute the vegetables for 8 minutes or until onion is soft and lightly browned.
2. Stir in garlic, cumin and chili powder; cook for 1 minute.
3. Add lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf and stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
4. Stir in cilantro and serve.

TAHINI COOKIES
Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds that is very common in middle eastern recipes. (If you have had store bought hummus, you have had tahini!) Here are 10 reasons why you should be using it. Very versatile and can be used to make creamy salad dressings, hummus, and even cookies!
1. It's rich in minerals such as phosphorus, lecithin, magnesium, potassium and iron.
2. It's a good source of Methionine, which aids in liver detoxification.
3. It’s one of the best sources of calcium out there.
4. It’s high in vitamin E and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15.
5. Helps to promote healthy cell growth.
6. Prevent anemia.
7. Helps to maintain healthy skin and muscle tone.
8. It has 20% complete protein, making it a higher protein source than most nuts.
9. It's easy for your body to digest because of its high alkaline mineral content, which is great for assisting in weight loss.
10. It is high in unsaturated fat
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine 6 tablespoons tahini with 1/2 cup raw honey or real maple syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cup walnuts, 1 1/2 cups gluten free oats, and 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips OR raisins. Mix well and drop on parchment paper lined cookie sheets (about the size of a tablespoon per cookie) and bake at 350 for abot 12 minutes or until done. They will be still soft in the center. Do not overbake.

The ingredients in Naturopathica skincare products are unsurpassed. The plant stem cell serum has been rated #1 out of all of the serums tested out there. One woman said, "It feels like a facelift in a bottle". We carry the entire skincare line so you can either purchase a whole "kit" or just individual bottles!

Did you know that one avocado has the same amount of fiber as four bowls of oatmeal? They are also loaded with healthy fats (the kind that lowers cholesterol) as well as some very important vitamins and minerals. An avocado a day keeps the doctor away~! Here is a great recipe for a Mexican style chicken salad. ENJOY!
2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked, cooled, and chopped
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped into small cubes
2 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 roasted (jarred is fine) red pepper, chopped finely
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except for the avocado and season to taste. Gently fold in the avocado. Chill and serve with crackers or use for a sandwich.

Here is a simple delicious smoothie recipe to add to your day which will provide you with a good dose of healthy ingredients and calm those sugar cravings! When the kids are eating ice cream, make this for your self. Tastes like a chocolate shake!
Blend ½ very ripe avocado, 2 tablespoons raw cacoa powder, 1 small frozen extra-ripe banana, ⅓ cup almond milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla together until smooth.
ENJOY!

Bok Choy Healthy Recipe: Stir-Fried Sesame Bok Choy
Ingredients:
1 tsp. sesame oil (dark)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 1/2 lbs. baby bok choy, carefully cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup organic chicken or veggie broth
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
1 tsp. raw honey
1/2 tsp. arrowroot powder
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
Procedure:
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok to med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Add oil to the skillet and swirl to coat the pan.
2. Add in the garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper; stir-fry until fragrant - about 30 seconds.
3. Add in the bok choy; cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, aminos, honey, and arrowroot; bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until thickened.
4. Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
ENJOY!

Banana Protein Bread
Ingredients: -1 egg
-3 ripe bananas
-1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt
-2/3 cup of real maple syrup
-2 tablespoons ghee or pasture butter
-1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1/2 cup oat flour
-2 scoops of plant-based protein powder (I use pea protein) about 1/2 cup
-1 teaspoon of baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease a loaf pan, and in a medium sized bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add the yogurt, maple syrup, ghee, vanilla, and mix until combined. Add egg and mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, protein powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir that into the banana yogurt mixture.
Pour into the greased pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry.

If you love Fettuccini Alfredo, here is a great alternative way to make the sauce that is loaded wit extra health benefits!
Ingredients:
-6 large cloves of garlic, minced
-2 tablespoons of pasture butter
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
-5-6 cups of cauliflower florets
-6 cups of organic vegetable broth
-1 teaspoon sea salt (more to taste)
-1/2 teaspoon of pepper (more to taste)
Instructions:
1. Garlic: Saute the minced garlic with the butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Cook for a minute or so or until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned.
2. Cauliflower: Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the cauliflower and cook, covered, for 7-10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. DRAIN but save the liquid.
3. Puree: Add 1 cup of vegetable broth (reserved liquid) to the cauliflower and using immersion blender, blend well. Add the sautéed garlic butter, salt, pepper and half and half, blend or puree for several minutes until the sauce is very smooth, adding more broth depending on how thick you want the sauce.
ENJOY!