♥Hi Friends!

First off, I started an Instagram account.  Actually, I really started it almost a year ago but haven’t done anything with it until this week.  I wasn’t really sure what to do with it acutally.  (I’m in that generation where some of us know technology and are comfortable with it, and some of us don’t know technology and aren’t comfortable with it.)  Well, I’m trying to get out of my comfort zone and figure it out so I don’t have to ask my IT Honey or my children what to do all the time!  And, guess what?  I love it!  There are so many wonderful things to share with you that don’t really need a whole blog post devoted to them.  And my Rachel friend who helped me set it up last year told me I’d know what to post when I needed to and she was right!  For whatever reason, this week was the right time.  It’s awesome!  Anyway, if you’re interested it’s “organickatie”.  And, along with that I made a Facebook page “organickatie.com”.  Lots of good articles to share on FB!  So many wonderful things to learn about together!  I haven’t really figured out how to link them with my blog.  I will have to ask my Honey about that!

Now to my post.  It’s starts like this, “Protein, protein!  Get your protein!  Beef.  It’s what’s for dinner.  The incredible edible egg!  Pork, the other white meat.  Low fat, lean protein is the best source of protein!”  These messages and others like them are everywhere huh?!?  And I bought in to them.  I heard them loud and clear and thought that if my family consumed lots of animal protein every day we would be HEALTHY, smarter and our muscles would grow bigger!  Right?  So I would send them out the door every morning with a breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs piled high with shredded cheese.  And because we were really eating HEALTHY, orange juice!  I just knew I was arming them with all the right foods they needed to think smarter, have more energy and carry themselves through the long school/work day.  After all, nothing like some animal protein to start your morning off right!

And then I learned about eating whole foods and so we added more fruits, vegetables and whole grains to our diets and started cutting out all the processed foods and sugar we ate (along with still eating our animal protein of course).  Better for sure, but we weren’t finished yet!

Next stop, a “strict-high-nutrient-dense-plant-based” diet.  It all made sense and I was hooked!  Here was a way, with all the studies to back it up, to HEAL and reverse disease, increase energy and feel better SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY and EMOTIONALLY.  Very little fat and no more animal protein for my family!

Fast forward a few years and as I’ve read, studied, learned, and prayed, I am comfortable with where we have finally landed.  And where is that?  Not so much a “strict-high-nutrient-dense-plant-based” diet, but a “mostly-strict-high-nutrient-dense-plant-based” diet.  And what does that mean to me?  First and foremost, ♥high nutrient dense eating full of lots of HEALING and detoxifying greens (we love our ‘SMOOTHIES’) and other awesome vegetables (including sea vegetables) and fruits!  ♥An amazing variety of whole grains!  ♥Beans and legumes galore!  ♥Unafraid of HEALTHY fats that are essential for good brain HEALTH, we eat raw nuts and seeds, HEALTHY oils and other wonderful things like chia, hemp and flax seed!  ♠It also means minimal animal protein from a humanely raised and quality fed source (I think Heavenly Father wants us to have a reverence and compassion for all living things) without all the added hormones, antibiotics and GMO’s that are causing so many problems in our SAD diets.  (Click here for another article with some interesting charts on SAD.)  ♠We throw in some goat’s milk products and raw, grass-fed cow cheeses.  ♦And because we live in the world we do, a little UNHEALTHY here and there!  (After all, who doesn’t love an occasional ‘Maple Bacon’ doughnut!)

One thing I do know.  We are all different.  We are different SPIRITUALLY, PHSYCIALLY and EMOTIONALLY.  We were created in our Father’s image and our very SPIRITUAL, PHYSCIAL and EMOTIONAL DNA is completely different from anyone else.  And Father knows each of us individually and what each one of us needs.  With that knowledge, we should head down the HEALING path, and begin to listen to what our SPIRITS, BODIES and MINDS are telling us.  And as we learn and HEAL the answers will change as we change, even from season to season.  Honor the answers you receive when you ask yourself about what’s best for you and your family.  (Literally ask yourself a question and without “thinking” the answer in to your head, listen to what the first thing your BODY tells your SPIRIT and MIND that it needs.  You’ll get really good at it.  I promise!)  And each person will have different needs as there is no “one-size-fits-all”.

But most of all, listen to the whisperings from the Spirit where Father’s answers come from.  A variety of all the wonderful greens, fruits, nuts, beans and grains are the answer.  It’s what Father has left for us here on our Earthly home.  And sometimes it may even mean a little animal protein.  But beyond that, how much, how little, and exactly what that looks like, well, you will figure it out!  Because you are His child.

♥Love you!

PS:  Here’s a short little video about God’s love for us, how we are His children, and just how awesome we really are, SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY and EMOTIONALLY!

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This is one of our favorites from long ago, when I use to sauté a bag of GMO frozen veggies (although you can find some great organic frozen veggies in a pinch) in canola oil and use excess amounts of poor quality kielbasa.  And we certainly can’t forget about that good old staple “minute rice”, that somehow passed itself off for rice!?!  Well, my Emily got me on to a healthier version of keilbasa and reminded me of this recipe I use to make often.  She likes to sauté onions and peppers.  My honey is not a pepper lover, and we quite like the combination of carrots, cauliflower and broccoli that we use to have.  But you can be creative and adjust it to what veggies your family likes.

VEGGIE KIELBASA STIR FRY

• 1  12 oz kielbasa
• 1 yellow onion
• 6 large carrots (about 4 cups chopped)
• 2 broccoli stems (about 4 cups florets)
• 1 head of cauliflower (about 4 cups prepared)
• avocado oil
• 2 Tbsp ‘Bragg’s Liquid Aminos’ or ‘Tamari’
• ‘Real Salt’
• rice of choice prepared (We love basmati’s nutty flavor!)

Get rice cooking in rice cooker (or stovetop).  Chop onion, peel and disk slice carrots, and separate and chop broccoli and cauliflower in to pieces.   In large frying pan, starting with about 1/4 cup avocado oil, sauté onion and carrots on medium heat for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add ‘Bragg’s’, broccoli and cauliflower and cook for 20 more minutes, adding more avocado oil and reducing temperature as needed.  While veggies are cooking slice kielbasa in disks, peel outer skin off with knife taking care not to take the meat with the skin, and then cut each disk in to quarters.  Add kielbasa to veggies and cook for 10 more minutes.  Salt if needed before serving, or after it’s on the plate.  Adding the onions and carrots first gets them browning and brings out the natural sugars. By the time the dish is done they add an amazing sweet to go along with the savory of the other ingredients.  Yum!  Serve over rice.

 

I found this one at ‘NATURAL GROCERS’.  But you can find other brands at ‘WHOLE FOODS’ or other grocery stores where they carry healthier options.

 

Here’s what ‘Bragg’s Liquid Aminos’ looks like.  It’s a HEALTHIER version of soy sauce.

 

A picture of this delicious dish will be here as soon I can find it on my computer!!!!!