Cyd Notter

Nutrition Educator/ Author/ Coach

Two Quick Fruit-Based Desserts

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If you have a few extra pears or apples in your fruit basket, these quick desserts will be right up your alley. I’ve made both of them this week!

 Raw Apple Crumble – a recipe by Cathy Fisher with the McDougall Program – is so delicious and has just the right combo of “tart and sweet.” It’s one of my hubby’s favorites! There are no questionable ingredients and the only sweetener used is whole dates.  Do yourself a favor and give this one a try.  Then let me know how you like it!

 

Baked Pears were an easy experiment and very tasty indeed.  Simply cut two pears in half, scoop out the center seeds, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  I topped with a drizzle of honey (you could use maple syrup), walnuts, currants (or raisins) and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  The riper the bears, the better.  After these cooled, they were easy to just pick up and devour!  (Note: slice a little off the bottoms to make them sit upright if they’re wobbly).  Do you have any other suggestions for the topping?

 

Good news, our monthly newsletter will be reinstated in 2018! The newsletter is a deeper form of communication with our friends who want to keep apprised of articles, classes and sneak peeks at my book in progress tentatively titled The ‘Plan A’ Diet: Enjoy the Starches You Were Designed to Eat. Giving you updates not only encourages me to make progress, but it’s a great way for our group to engage in conversation as well. I truly welcome your feedback! Please sign up here, but take note there are two separate sign-ups, one for the blog and one for the newsletter (we would love to have you sign up for both!)

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Earthly fruit promotes health in our bodies, but Jesus told his followers
in John 15 about fruit with far greater benefits!

You did not choose Me. I chose you, and I orchestrated all of this so that you would be sent out and bear great and perpetual fruit. As you do this, anything you ask the Father in My name will be done.  (John 15:16, VOICE)

The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this. (Gal. 5:22-23, VOICE)

Heavenly wisdom centers on purity, peace, gentleness, deference, mercy, and other good fruits untainted by hypocrisy.  (James 3:17, VOICE)

Time to Make Your Game Plan

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The sixty-three days from Halloween to New Year’s Day marks the season of dread for those trying to watch their weight.  Studies vary on the amount of weight gained during this period of time – anywhere from five to ten pounds seems to be the average.

That may not seem like much until considering the fact that the weight gained over the holidays is generally never taken off.  Even if someone gained just one pound a year, by the time they attend their 40th class reunion they’ve easily put on 40 pounds or more.

If you’d like to enjoy the holidays without compromising your health, the answer is to make your game plan right now.

Here are some helpful tips to get the ball rolling.

 Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out. 

(Proverbs 16:3, GNT)

Breast Cancer PREVENTION Awareness

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October is commonly known as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month”, a campaign that was founded 30 years ago as a team effort between the American Cancer Society and a pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca. The campaign has since evolved to include major charities who strive to increase breast cancer awareness and raise funds for research.  Here are some important questions to ponder:

How much progress is the campaign making?  Has the risk of developing breast cancer decreased over the years?

Why has the campaign come under some heat?

And where does the money from the “Think Pink” Campaigns actually go?

Read the article here.

We are already aware of breast cancer – after all, cancer is the second leading killer of women following heart disease.  Where more awareness is needed in the area of prevention, since breast cancer is largely a lifestyle-related disease.  Rather than raising funds which are primarily geared toward medical equipment, treatments and drugs, why not spend more of those funds educating women and young girls how their diets are impacting their risk factors?

Our lifestyle choices matter more than genetics, toxins, or environmental chemicals. Oh that more funding would be dedicated to preventing disease by informing people about the powerful benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet.

Ladies, please, please look at the independent research regarding dairy, meats and high fat foods.  Do all you can to prevent not only breast cancer, but the dozens of other conditions associated with the Standard American Diet (SAD).  I’m at your service if you need more information on how to get started!

Whatever you do—whether you eat or drink or not—

do it all to the glory of God! 

(1 Cor. 10:31, VOICE)

 

 

Easy Tostadas are Muy Bien!

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Are you craving a crunchy taco?  I sure was, but I had given up searching for crispy taco shells years ago since most store-bought shells contain lots of oils.  And I although I could bake my own shells using the small corn tortillas, I decided to once again peruse the grocery shelves to see what’s out there.

Then I stumbled upon these Charras oil-free, baked corn tostadas in the ethnic section of the grocery store.  Oh. My. Goodness.

These baked corn tostadas are incredibly yummy and so versatile!  You can top with your own mixture of rice/beans; or sautéed burrito spiced veggies; or make incredible nachos with Mexican Cheese Sauce; or break into chips for use with your favorite guacamole or salsa recipes.

One of our new personal favorites is to top a crispy tostada with: 

  • Fat free refried beans (any variety, just be sure they’re oil-free).  Spread as thick as you wish.
  • Add 1-2 TBSP of Taco Meat  (see note)
  • Drizzle a bit of Fat-free Mexican Cheese Sauce
  • Add chopped tomatoes, green onions, shredded lettuce.  Oh, and jalapeno if you like the heat.
  • Your favorite taco sauce (optional)

(Note:  For the taco meat, I used 3 cups of “riced cauliflower” that I purchased in the frozen section of Walmart, 4 oz. mushrooms, and 1 cup of walnuts, along with the spices as shown in the link).

So far I’ve seen the Charras Baked Tostadas at Fresh Thyme and at certain Walmart stores; they’re reasonably priced between $2.20 – $2.70 a package.

I’d love to hear some of your ideas or see a photo of what you create!

 

 

Making a Few Changes to Your Diet?

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Making Small Changes and Expecting Big Results?

While many people are comfortable making only gradual dietary changes toward plant based eating, there are others who choose to make a total dietary conversion once they’re convinced of the health benefits.  Still others may fall somewhere in between – making a series of small dietary changes with a firm goal toward total conversion.

For those who wade into the waters more slowly, every small change toward a whole-food, plant-based diet without added fats/oils is definitely a step in the right direction.  While I never want to discourage even small, positive changes, it should be noted that the overall dietary pattern is what matters greatly; just removing or adding a few different foods to the Standard American Diet is not likely to result in any noticeable health improvement.  For example, adding flax seed to a dairy based smoothie, including some broccoli in a steak stir fry, or topping a high-fat cheesecake with a few blueberries is not likely to produce much change in one’s health.  Often when those small changes don’t result in any lasting health improvement, some people assume the “diet” isn’t working and end up throwing in the towel.  The mantra goes something like this:  “I’m making ALL these changes, but it isn’t working.  I haven’t lost a pound and my cholesterol hasn’t budged.  Might as well eat whatever I want.”  Enter Big Disconnect  # 4:  Making small dietary changes and expecting big weight loss or big health improvement.

Committing to making small changes is commendable, and if that’s your personality, then by all means go for it!  The more changes that are made on the spectrum of healthy eating, the more health improvements will be seen.  But please know that making small changes should not be the end goal; it should be the catalyst for continued change until the overall dietary pattern is one that promotes optimal health.  It’s imperative to continue moving forward with those changes on a regular basis – using a specified time frame – with the goal to get that dairy, that meat, and those high-fat desserts out of the diet all together.  Keep moving forward until God’s “Plan A” Diet™ – the way you are designed to eat – is your pattern of eating every day.  The resulting health improvement will be a true motivator to stay the course!

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You say, “I am allowed to do anything” – but not everything is good for you.  You say, “I am allowed to do anything” – but not everything is beneficial.”  (1 Cor. 10:23, NLT)

 

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