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.

But the Box Says it is Healthy!

Photo Credit

"Catelli “Smart” pasta sounds healthy, but maybe its “Healthy Harvest” with flax omega-3 pasta is a better option for health-conscious shoppers looking for a carbs fix.

YoPRO’s “probiotic” chocolate frozen yogurt bar sounds like a good dessert option, but if a salty choice is a must, maybe “multi-grain” Pringles are the way.

Washing the chips down with “vitaminwater” looks like a no-brainer, but perhaps a “100% pure and natural” drink would be better." (canada.com)

Confused?

Most people are. Especially those of us looking for healthier options at the grocery store. There are no specific regulations to what advertisers can put on the front of a box, so basically, anything goes.

We have became processed people. Not only is the majority of food consumed in this county processed but our information is also processed for us. From the news, media and commercials to health care and healthy eating we often blindly trust the recommendations and "expertise" of others. We are so often told what to do and think that we forget we have the amazing power to think and analyze information for ourselves.

Here at be the change we want you to be able to decide what food is nutritious and healthy ON YOUR OWN. You don't need point scores or fancy words to help you make decisions, but a foundation, a principle on which you can make all decisions. With a basic foundation you can evaluate any food or "food looking thing" and decide if it is a nutritious choice.

The Basic Idea

There are foods that were specifically created for our bodies to use. These are foods that grow and exist in nature. They have everything that is necessary, in just the right amounts, and in the perfect balance for proper digestion, distribution, and elimination of nutrients. These whole, real, living foods are packed with living vitamins, minerals, water, fiber, and enzymes. They contain dozens of elements we know about—and countless numbers of elements only the Creator/Designer knows about (but science "just uncovered" Like...blueberries are a super food!).  

The farther any food gets from its natural state the less nutritious it becomes. And the more we manipulate, modify, process, and change the food the more harmful it can become to our bodies. When we alter or take away those elements needed for digestion, distribution and elimination we are left with nutrient-less food, empty calories, that our bodies can't sufficiently run on. These "foreigners" cause back up in digestion or get wrapped in a membrane and stored (aka body fat).   

Whole, real, living foods that grow and exist in nature generally don't come with an ingredient list and if they do there is only one ingredient! But reading ingredient labels is very important. We should know what is in our food before we consume it. 

NutraGrain Bar

Read the Ingredients

1. Turn the box, package or can around, locate the ingredient list 

2. Look at the number of ingredients (fewer ingredients=better). 

3. Read the ingredients. Do you know what those things are? Can you conceivably use them in your own kitchen? Can you pronounce it?

Now you have a choice to make based on what you read. Do you put it in your cart? or back on the shelf and walk away?

Additional Resources

Nutrition Basis for Life Long Health

Crazy Food Labeling Tricks...

Stop Reading Labels and Start Reading Ingredients

Reading the Ingredient Label

Top 10 Reasons to Avoid Sugar and Refined Grains

Taken From: Maximized Living Nutrition Plans

Photo Credit

1. Sugar is the primary dietary cause of the obesity epidemic. Fat doesn't make you fat. But the sugar that turns into fat will.

2. Sugar causes hormonal and metabolic imbalance. Swinging insulin and cortisol levels in the body, which decrease then increase blood sugar, not only cause your system to crash but set up a cascade of abnormal hormone functions that lead to premature aging and illness.

3. Sugar is your fast track to diabetes. On the Standard North American Diet, it is only a matter of time before insulin receptors burn out, unable to handle the onslaught of sugar.

4. Sugar increases the acidity of the body. All disease thrives in acidic environments.

5. Sugar causes inflammation. Inflammatory enzymens are elevated on higher-sugar diets. Inflammation is at the heart of 98% of disease.

6. Sugar is the primary reason for high cholesterol. Your body's innate healing system, which uses cholesterol, goes into high gear when the body is traumatized at the cellular level by high sugar, insulin, and inflammation.

7. Sugar leads to heart disease. Elevated inflammation in the arteries increases the risk of high blood pressure, hemorrhage, stroke, and heart attacks.

8. Sugar is an anti-ntrient. Your body's expenditure to manage sugar is greater than the energy it gains from it. It robs your body of precious nutrient stores

9. Sugar is a known toxin. Like all toxins, your body us constantly trying to eliminate it from the bloodstream.

10. Sugar promotes cancer. Feeding cancer cells their primary fuel is like pouring gas on a fire.

Fact: Refined Grains, such as flour, bread, cereal and rice, turn into sugar almost immediately after putting them in you mouth and your saliva start breaking them down.

Other reasons to refined carbohydrates

• Promotes yeast growth
• Lowers the immune system
• Promotes addiction
• Take 40-100 hours to move through the system, opening up the door for constipation and fermentation, which create unhealthy waste in the system. 

Real "Kid Food"

Raising Healthy Children

I love the question "How can I get my child to eat healthier?" However the answer is not as simple as what some parents want. It takes a little work, diligence, consistency, a positive attitude and a good example.  

To begin the transition, start ADDING in nutritious foods. You can also begin making lateral shifts to healthier ingredients/ products. Like using 100% whole wheat pasta noodles instead of white pasta, natural organic pasta sauce (free of hydrogenated oils, sugars and preservatives), and brown rice instead of white. 

Here are some of the ways we make "kid food" more nutritious and delicious in our home! 

Chicken Nuggets: Use free range, organic chicken thighs or breasts, bread them in almond flour and fry them in coconut oil or bake them. Also see this recipe and a honey mustard recipe. 

Pizza: We love Ezekiel Sprouted Tortillas and use them to make an easy lunch pizza. We usually top them with tomato sauce, vegetables and cheese. Or (like this one) black bean dip, spinach, red peppers, olive oil and raw cheese. Just bake until cheese is melted and pizza is warm.  For a family size pizza, make homemade whole wheat crust and load up with veggies, meat and cheese.

Hot Dogs: If you take the time to look you can find Natural Beef or Turkey Hot Dogs free of nitrates and chemical preservatives. They taste GREAT! Food for Life makes great Hot Dog Bun. 

Tacos: Put anything in a taco shell and call it a taco! I found organic corn taco shells at Trader Joe's with 3 ingredients. We mash up an avocado, mix in broccoli slaw, add leftover ground beef or black beans, salsa and cheese. 

Mac and Cheese: Choose a store bought organic whole wheat pasta mac and cheese (please check ingredients) and add in chopped broccoli, spinach, or peas after cooked. Mac and Cheese is also very easy to make yourself. 

PB & J: For a twist on this sandwich we use Ezekiel Tortillas, top with natural peanut butter (Ingredients: peanuts only) and diced apples. Roll and EAT!

Smoothie: A perfect breakfast before you send our kids of to school. Get creative with different kinds of fruits. Here is a basic recipe. No one will taste the spinach but your cells will love it! Some times kids are resistant to weird colored drinks... so give them fun names! My boys like the names- Hulk Drink (spinach and banana),  Superman's Power Source (strawberries),  and Blue Power Ranger (blueberries).

French Fries: Cut white, red, or sweet potatoes into long "fries" stripes. Coat lightly with olive oil and sea salt. Bake at 400 degrees until desired crispiness. Rainbow Fries are also fun! Cut a variety of colored vegetables into "fries." Like: peppers, broccoli stems, carrots, beets, potatoes, squash, or other root vegetables.

Sub Sandwiches: Deli meat is one of the most toxic foods and organic preservative free deli meat (a great replacement) is rather costly. Instead slice up cooked turkey or chicken breast, put it on a natural bread with Vegenaise (mayo substitute), mustard, spinach, and sliced cucumbers. Also add avocado or hummus for a twist.

Hamburgers: Make mini burgers from grass feed ground beef, free range ground turkey, canned wild salmon, or beans and veggies. Use a small round cookie cutter to cut out little buns from whole wheat bread or Food for Life makes a great hamburger bun.

What are your kids favorite "kid foods" aka unhealthy junk food? I would love to help you make them over!!