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In June my family and I moved back to the Quad Cities, the Illinois side this time! We are opening up a Maximized Living Health Center, Great River Fmaily Chiropractic in Moline. In our office we teach the 5 Essentials of Health.

You can continue to follow me and my family for more recipes, nutrition and health information on our Facebook page, website and blog!

The 5 Essentials
The 5 Essentials are the core foundation of Maximized Living. Without any of these Essentials, you are unable to live a long, healthy and fulfilled life that you are meant to live. Each of these Essentials work together to keep your cells in optimal shape and your body functioning at its highest levels. If you only focus on one of these essentials, such as exercise, you are leaving out other core elements that keep your body healthy.

While each of the 5 Essentials may make sense to you at a high level, there are many things that you may not know. Get to know each of the following Essentials and understand how they all work together and need to be practiced from the moment you wake up until the time you go to sleep each night.

Essential 1: Maximized Mind

Helping you create the discipline and the mindset about health to stick with a quality health and fitness program. Additionally, lack of sleep, poor self image and too much stress are at an all time high right now. They all cause neurotransmitter burnout, increase in stress hormones, chronic fatigue, and destructive, self-loathing thoughts.

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Essential 2: Maximized Nerve Supply

Utilizing the latest research behind techniques designed to correct spinal curves and misalignments in order to optimize nerve function, health, and healing.

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Essential 3: Maximized Quality Nutrition

Offering two levels of diets, Core and Advanced, along with supplement information necessary to obtain your ideal weight, avoid nutritionally related disease, and provide for maximum cellular nutrition.

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Essential 4: Maximized Oxygen and Lean Muscle

Providing the most efficient way to exercise and become a muscle builder and a fat burner while creating cardiovascular health. Workouts occur in as little as 3 minutes/day and 12 minutes/week but give you greater, longer lasting results than those that last hours.

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Essential 5: Minimized Toxins

Toxic exposure is at an all time high and has become a factor related to many of today's common conditions and diseases. Care and education related to avoiding and safely and effectively removing cellular toxins is becoming more and more vital in this millennium.

Wrap it Up... with Romaine Lettuce

Over the last couple of years we have really phased bread and grains out of our diets. Sometimes that ment skipping our favorite foods. But recently we began a really fun and delicious way to eat foods that usually are surrounded in bread or a tortilla.

Romaine Lettuce Hearts!

After separating and washing the leaves here are some things that we have filled and wrapped inside our leaves...

Tacos
Turkey "sandwiches" (Nitrate free, preservative free organic sliced turkey, cheese, gucamole, tomato)
Chicken Salad
Not Tuna Salad
Apple Cashew Salad
Fajitas
Tuna Salad
Brushetta
7 Layer Taco Dip

The crunch of the Romaine Lettuce has added a great component to the dish. Romaine Hearts, even organic, are really easy to find and affordable.

The last time I made tacos, I made organic corn shells for Taydem (6) and Creighton (3) to eat while Alex and I were going to have the Romaine Hearts. All four of us ate the Romaine... the shells are still in the cupboard.

Black Bean Soup

Recipe Adapted from Cruise Ship or Nursing Home

This a simple, light, nutritious, spring time soup. Enjoy!

Black Bean Soup

2 cans black beans

1 cup chicken/vegetable stock

1/2 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed/minced

1 tsp coconut oil

1/4 cup chopped green onion

3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

cumin 

sea salt

chili powder 

1/4 cup chopped green onion

3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

In a sauce pan heat the oil and saute the onion and garlic. Add 1 can of drained beans and chicken broth. Puree or blend the second can of beans, including the liquid, then add to sauce pan. Gently heat. Add salt, cumin and chili powder to taste. Simmer 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro and green onions just before serving. 

toppings: fresh salsa, grated cheese, jalapenos 

Black Bean Soup

Kale Chips

Kale is a an extremely nutritious green leafy veggie. It is full of fiber, carotenoids (that protect your eyes), phytonutrients and tons of vitamin A, C and K. It also produces sulforaphane which produce cancer fighting enzymes. 

...vegetable... chips??????

So you may be thinking yeah right. kale...chips... But seriously they are delicious! Kale chips are a great replacement for potato chips or popcorn (if you cutting out processed foods/ grains) or just a tasty, crunchy way to boost your nutrient intake. 

Our family really loves the "cheesy" chips! However, a spicy chipotle and a barbecue flavor are coming to our kitchen soon! 

Kale chips can be made in the dehydrator, to keep them raw, or in the oven. Both directions are listed below!

Basic Kale Chips

1 Bunch organic kale (kale is on the dirty dozen)

3 TBSP olive oil or melted coconut oil (we prefer coconut oil)

1 tsp sea salt

(optional) spices- garlics powder, fresh garlic, thyme, onion powder, cumin, chili powder- the possibilities are endless

[Directions below]

"Cheesy" Kale Chips

1 Bunch organic kale (kale is on the dirty dozen)

2 TBSP olive oil or melted coconut oil (we prefer coconut oil)

2 TBSP Liquid Aminos

1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast

Directions:

Wash kale and spin or pat dry.

Pull the green leaves away from the tough spine (pictured below). I like to leave mine in long strips but you may also tear into bite sized pieces. Note- If dehydrating they do shrink up quite a bit.

Put kale pieces in a large bowl and add other ingredients. Gently massage the oil (spices, nutritional yeast or liquid aminos) into the kale with your hands until coated.

Spread kale in a single layer on mesh dehydrating sheets or baking sheets.

Raw Kale Chips- Dehydrator:
Place sheets in the dehydrator at 115 degrees for 4-6 hours.

Baked Kale Chips- Oven: (2 ways)
1. For "raw-ish" chips. Preheat oven to the lowest temperature it has. Place sheet in the oven and leave the door cracked. Bake until crispy about 2-3 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Bake kale chips for about 10 minutes or until crispy.

Storage- Store in a paper bag or a glass container... if they even get that far!

My Favorite Way to Exercise

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