1. Nut Butters

Peanut, cashew, almond, sunflower seed…you name it.  Nut butters are so simple to make, are half the cost and you know exactly what’s in it.  My friend, Jennifer, tells everything you need to know about nut butters.

2. Mayonnaise

Homemade mayo is delicious!  It is easy to make and tastes way better than the store bought stuff.  In addition, you can name all the ingredients on one hand plus a thumb and none of them have scary names.

The basic recipe I use is from Everyday Paleo.  I use the “light” tasting olive oil.  It is yummy in chicken, tuna and egg salad.

Enjoy!

~Becky

Step One: Simplify

Simplify your goals when it comes to taking on a fitness program and getting into shape.  I have often started with lofty goals only to fail soon after.  Your goal concerning fitness should be simple.  GET HEALTHY!  Running a marathon, or some other competitive event should come later after you have formed consistent habits.

Step Two: Get “Healthy”

There are many interpretations of “healthy” these days, but this is really an objective thing.

For Men:

18% Body fat or less
Triglycerides / LDL proteins / Blood pressure under control without medication
Not being Type II Diabetic
Able to sustain 30 minutes of intense cardiovascular activity (running instead of jogging for instance)

For Women:

25% body fat or less
Triglycerides / LDL proteins / Blood pressure under control without medication
Not being Type II Diabetic
Able to sustain 30 minutes of intense cardiovascular activity (running instead of jogging for instance)

***I understand there are genetic factors in play here such as Type I diabetes and hereditary hypertension.  These conditions however are greatly improved by making good choices and being HEALTHY!***

Step Three: Bust the Myths

In order to lose weight, you must eat less and move more…and not all calories are created equally.  We will cover this more later but let’s start here.  Simple / low glycemic carbs and sugars spike your insulin and are stored as fat.  Your body on the cellular level can’t tell the difference between a piece of white bread and a candy bar!  Let’s read that again – Your body can’t tell the difference between bread and a candy bar.  This is big.
Building muscle mass is necessary!  Ladies don’t be afraid of resistance training.  You will not bulk up like some professional wrestler overnight!  That takes a lot of hours in the gym with minimal cardio and gulping down protein shakes.  Shaping your body involves weights.  Period.

Step Four: Partner Up

Getting involved in a fitness program, becoming disciplined and consistent takes accountability.  Find a friend or family member who is willing to take this journey with you.  GET INTO A PROGRAM THAT TAILORS TO BEGINNERS!  Signing up at your typical gym normally does not work.  Crossfit is a great example of a fitness program that WORKS!!  There are other programs such as boot camps, etc but the important thing is that you go to a class, with a coach who is encouraging you and driving you to succeed.

Good luck, and here’s to your health!

~Becky

I was recently inspired to start juicing after watching the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead.  I had no idea that juicing could be so good for you and I was excited about the prospect of having more energy.  So I enthusiastically juiced everyday for a couple weeks before Thanksgiving and even did a short juice fast.  Then the holidays hit in full force and I quit juicing!  Now with the start of a new year I’m ready to get back to juicing and nourishing my body with the vitamins it needs to work optimally.

Here are some reasons I remind myself why juicing is worth the hassle and hopefully it will encourage you to get juicing, too.

• It’s an easy way to help you get in all the servings of fruits & vegetables you need a day.
• You get a wider variety of fruits & vegetables in your diet.  There are vegetables I don’t personally care for, but thrown in the juicer with a carrot and an apple, they taste pretty good.
• Your body is able to quickly and easily absorb the vitamins because they don’t have to go all the way through your digestive system.
• Raw food is full of enzymes that are severely missing from our overly cooked and processed diets.
• All these benefits add up to you strengthening your immune system. This is probably my number 1 reason.

If you’re like me and tend to start new things with great enthusiasm but let them fizzle out after a couple of weeks, having a few pointers to keep this a part of your normal routine might be helpful.  Here are a few tips I came up with.

Make it a special treat

Take a little break from your hectic day.  Pour some frothy juice into your favorite glass and enjoy.  Fresh juice can be a great pick me up since it is quickly absorbed.

Make it educational

Educate yourself and your family on the nutritional benefits of the different fruits and vegetables.

Make it easy

Wash all your fruits and vegetables when you get home from the store before putting them away so they’ll be ready to use whether it’s time to juice, make a salad or chop vegetables for dinner.

Make it fun

Experiment with different combinations of fruits and vegetables.  Go ahead and buy some vegetables that you’ve never even tasted.  Try something new!

Make it economical

Use produce that is in season and that is on sale.  I only buy what is on sale for that week.

Make it your medicine

Instead of going to the medicine cabinet at the first sign of illness, go to the fridge.  Do the research and tailor the juices to your specific health needs.

I bet most of you have a juicer somewhere stashed in the back of your cupboards that you either received as a gift or enthusiastically ordered after watching an infomercial.  So whether you’ve never used your machine or only used it a few times I hope this encourages you to pull it out and start having fun with it.  You have at your fingertips a great tool to nourish, strengthen, hydrate and rejuvenate your body.  So let’s get juicing!  Here are a couple recipes I use at home.

Kid Pleaser

2-3 carrots

2 yellow squash or 1 cucumber

1 apple

Makes about 2 cups

Spicy Tomato

2 tomatoes

2 celery stalks (leaves and all)

1 zucchini

2 jalapeños (deseeded)

Stir in freshly cracked black pepper

Makes about 2 cups

~Faith

Four Simple Steps to Healthy Living and Better Moods

When Summer asked me to be a part of Simply 4, I was thrilled!  I’ve wanted to write about food for a few years, but it was Summer’s request that gave me the direction and outlet and, if we’re being honest here, a swift kick in the pants to just start writing.  Thanks, Summer!

I want to begin by sharing four simple steps I took to improve my mood through better eating.  I’ve implemented and adhered to them while sticking to a fairly restricted budget. (Turns out, moving 2,000 miles across the country is ALMOST as expensive as going to school in Seattle…while living in Portland.)  These simple steps revolutionized my moods, my energy level, and my immune system.  It also drastically changed my husband’s mood for the better.  Oh, I almost forgot to mention: we both lost weight.  Over the last two years, we’ve lost well over 100 lbs between us.  These are the first steps we took, and I’m so happy to share them with you.

Step One:  Purge the processed foods from your pantry.

A staggering amount of buzz is out there about how awful processed food is.  Most of it is true.  The main reason why processed and pre-packaged foods are potentially harmful isn’t because of GMOs or artificial ingredients, it’s because they bypass our natural digestive processes.  When all of our food has been bleached and processed, enriched and refined, our bodies do very little of the break down.  This eventually robs our bodies of important enzymes, nutrients, and minerals and leads to malnutrition.   I know it’s crazy, but it’s true.  I also know many of you are thinking of all that lovely food in your pantry that will just be wasted if you throw it out.  I know it seems like an indulgent and extravagant move to toss it.  It’s not.  Consider those dollars-spent-and-never-eaten as a charitable contribution to your family’s health and well-being.  They probably won’t thank you immediately.  Sorry.

Step Two:  Water is life, so drink deep.

As a country, we are dehydrated.  We drink coffee (I’m so guilty of this), sodas, tea, milk, whatever.  But really, we need water.  Water is essential for our bodies, and specifically for healthy kidney function.  Our kidneys are like the Britta water filters for our whole bodies.  They pass the good nutrition to our blood stream and cells, and eliminate harmful toxins.  Have you ever had a dehydration headache?  They’re sneaky and you usually don’t see them coming until it’s too late.  Those toxins have built up and you need to push them out!  Water is essential for delivering good nutrients and flushing out the junk.  It is also essential for mood stability, memory, and focus because it gives your brain a boost.  So drink up!

Step Three: Sugar is Kryptonite so cut it out, Superman!

It’s true.  Sugar is evil.  It’s sticky-sweet handprints are all over your broken immune system causing chronic inflammation, mental weakness, yeast overgrowth, excess mucus, infection, lung congestion, diabetes, high blood pressure, hormone imbalance, and decreased liver function.  And if sugar is evil, High Frutcose Corn Syrup is the devil himself.  It also spikes estrogen in the body, and can cause mild to severe mood swings.  Don’t believe me?  Cut it out entirely for a couple of weeks, then eat a candy bar and observe what happens.  Do you get a hot flash?  Do you become irritable, overly energetic, depressed, exhausted, or anxious?  Do you feel your blood pressure rising and your ability to deal with stress declining?  Sugar wrecks your whole body.  Cane sugar, corn sugar, beet sugar, processed agave and honey are all the same to your body. The same goes for white flour, white rice, and white potatoes since these foods spike your blood sugar just the way regular sugar does.  Sugar substitutes like Splenda (sucralose) and Equal (aspartame) are even worse for you, so cut those out, too!  Try liquid Stevia or Erythritol, which are both excellent sources of natural sweetness that will help you kick your Kryptonite sugar habit.  For real.

Step Four:  Protein is your best friend, so learn to love it.

Does your morning coffee and Starbucks scone just not cut it?  You need some protein.  Put down that muffin or bowl of cereal, and pick up an egg.  While you’re at it, give an egg to your kids and/or significant other.  Eat some Ezekiel bread with almond butter.  Don’t have much time?  Get a scoop of your favorite organic whey protein shake and mix it with some unsweetened almond milk and feed your muscle tissue and grey matter. Protein gives you brain power, stabilizes blood sugar, boosts  your metabolism, and evens out your mood.  Instead of reaching for a handful of convenient crackers for a snack, grab a handful of raw nuts.  You’ll feel loads better, and you’ll be nicer to everyone.  I promise.

~Carrie

On the one hand, I was incredibly relieved that we at last had an answer to the questions that had plagued us over the past 13 months as to our son’s slow growth, dry skin and eczema, unwillingness to eat more than a bite or two of food and the recent, dramatic mood swings that had begun to make each day a trial.  On the other hand, I don’t know when I have felt so overwhelmed as at that moment, as I tried to comprehend the enormous task of immediately trying to feed myself and my 13 month old child while avoiding most of the ingredients that made up the majority of our meals.

My son is now five and a half.  Since that time, we have added soy, beef, peanuts, tree nuts, rice, garlic, onion and artificial food dyes to his list of allergies, as well as a sensitivity to gluten.  While it is not something that I would ever call “easy”, it has become more manageable.  Thanks to a combination of research skills developed in graduate school and while coordinating pharmaceutical trials, a love of cooking, and sheer tenacity (or stubbornness…just depends who you ask!) I have accumulated a great deal of information regarding living with food allergies. From less common allergy symptoms to new research findings regarding potential treatments, adapted recipes to “safe” items available on the market, I will be sharing what I have found with the rest of you.

I love the idea of my posts here fulfilling the sentiment behind this quote by Charles Dickens, “No one is useless in the world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.”

I hear it all day, from most everyone I know ” how do you cook everyday?  I don’t know what to cook or how to cook healthy.  I just cook the same things, and I hate cooking.”  So, here is my attempt to bring some joy back into your kitchen.  We are all busy.   That’s just how life is.  But we can choose to make dinner a priority.  Today I will just cover a few things that help make my cooking time fun, stress free, and well, sometimes my favorite part of the day . . . yes, I am being serious.  But first, my reason why you should cook:  you eliminate over 75% of processed chemicals, salts and sugars from your diet by skipping the drive through line and not buying prepared foods.     The drive through window and microwave-able  dinners have increased in sales, while our health has been declining.  We are promising the next generation (our children) a shorter life expectancy than our own by saving a few minutes of our day.

Ok, so back to the joy.  A few steps to becoming a happy cook.

1.  Music.  Get it on, turn it up.  No kids music.  Turn on a radio station, your iPod, or Spotify and get into a groove.  Every kitchen needs music.  Music can change any mood.

2.  Get rid of stressors.  Barking dog, crying kids, whining kids, phone . . . I say, “if you aren’t helping GET OUT. “  I know, I know . . . we are always bombarded with people who tell you to get your kids involved in the kitchen, and I DO agree with that.  That is why I make one meal  a week that my kids are involved with. They choose it, shop for it, and cook it.  One meal.  Not 7.  So the other 5-6 nights, “If you’re not helping, GET OUT. ” My kids usually are helpful and gravitate to the kitchen as I cook.  They must enjoy watching me dance and cook.

3.  SMILE, you’re about to make delicious food!! I mean it, smile and act like you are having fun, even if you think you might not be.  Your smile will eventually spread to your brain.

4.  Go buy, download or check out a new cook book.  Try something new.  And most importantly TASTE your food as you cook.  Don’t serve something that you have no idea what it tastes like.

5.  Arrange your workspace.  I could write 5 pages on a good kitchen workspace, but for today I will just give you a good starting place.  Get a good wood chopping block (I like mine thick because thinner ones crack easily), keep it close to your knives and sink/composter.  This one change alone will save you 10 minutes of cooking time.  You should be able pull out a knife, slice, slide extras off into the sink, and flip your cutting board over from veggies to meats without washing or using several cutting boards.  I’m laughing as I write this picturing several of my friends saying, “but what will I be cutting?” Warning: To eat whole foods, you will have to do some chopping!  Wow, maybe I will start a cutting board revolution.

I could have made this 10 steps, but for those of you new to this enjoying cooking thing,  I will keep it short.  But having a meal plan helps and a groceries bought ahead of time help too.  Now, go cook.  Not convinced?  Ok, you could add wine to #1.  That may help.  Either way, go cook!!!!

~Summer

Here are some great new cook books to try out!

 

It’s January and that means you have probably made a few New Year’s resolutions (or at least thought about making some.)  I think I can safely assume several of you have made a resolution related to fitness or losing weight, right?  Here at Simply4 we are all about simplifying.  So, let’s talk about reaching those goals the simpler way.

Here are 3 key things to help you reach those fitness goals:

1.  Maximum workout, less time.   I am a mom of two young boys; busy, dirty, loud boys.  I can deadlift 195 pounds, do double unders, pull-ups and run a 27 minute 5k. I do not spend hours at the gym.  I do Crossfit, about 30 minutes 5-6 times a week.

2.  Focus on a workout that imitates things you do all day. My Crossfit workouts utilize functional movements.  I “deadlift” many, many times everyday, when I pick up my youngest son, carry the laundry basket, pick up the box of diapers from the bottom of the cart, etc.  It is important to strengthen your body doing these functional movements, not movements you would not use otherwise, just to get a workout (i.e. step aerobics.)

3.  Choose a workout that is inclusive.  I chose a workout routine that I can do in all stages of my life.  Every crossfit workout can be scaled for the elderly, injured or pregnant.

There is no doubt in my mind Crossfit is worth every penny and minute.  I do not own a box and make no money by telling you about my workouts.  Crossfit is the workout that I have been looking for my whole life, and  now that I have found it, I have to share it. I really want to tell you to go put on your shoes, drive to your nearest Crossfit box and sign up, but I am not going to do that…yet.

So, think about your goals this week.  Write them down and I will be back soon to help you reach those goals.  This year I am going to write about getting the most out of your workouts and improving your diet to properly fuel your body.   If you have any questions or need help on the journey, I would be happy to be there.

Simply4 would also like to connect you with a local Crossfit Box.  If you are part of a Crossfit box, leave the name, city and state and how people can find you! Share your Crossfit love!

~Becky

I would like to introduce to you my new contributing editors!

Carrie Dickson:  Carrie’s passion for whole eating and living stems naturally from both her personal and professional experiences. She is a trained paramedic and specialized in international disaster relief.  While traveling to several developing nations and working in the non-profit healthcare field, Carrie witnessed first hand how nutrition can have a profound impact on the overall health of an individual.  She’s also felt the significant effects of making more conscious and wholesome nutrition choices.  She has experienced a weight loss of over 70 lbs, and has learned how to balance hormones and mood swings.  This deep desire to learn how to heal naturally through nutrition and gentle methods have led her to pursue  Ayurvedic medicine in the Pacific Northwest.  Her love of cooking creatively fuels her passion for making tasty, nutritious meals that fuel the body and fortify the soul.  Carrie and her husband, Lance, live in Portland, Oregon.

Becky Dipiero:  Becky is passionate about exercise and nutrition.  As a busy mom of two small boys she has managed to be in the best shape of her life (yes,  she can dead lift 195 lbs).    Becky’s creative kids snack ideas and workout tips are priceless.  Her focus on how certain foods affect your body and mind is her specialty.   Becky  is married with two little boys and lives in a small town outside of Tulsa Ok.

  Fatih Tate:  Faith is one of those few people that can take a few meager food items and make a delicious meal that people talk about for years.  Faith has been cooking for as long as she can remember, learning all the basics from her mother, who always made it a priority to have homemade family meals around the table. She took everything she learned a step further by preparing meals from scratch, chopping and dicing fresh herbs and vegetables to create a variety of colorful dishes to share with family and friends. Her knowledge of food and her love of cooking is contagious. Faith is married with three exuberant boys who all eat their vegetables (usually).   Faith lives in a small west texas town.

Karrie Atwell:  Karrie is a medical researcher at a well known hospital in Colorado.  Her extensive knowledge of food and nutrition came in handy when she was blessed four years ago with a precious little boy with  severe food allergies.  Having to extensively change the way her family ate, and having to hand make the handful of foods that her son could eat, was a necessary life change.  Karrie imparts wisdom and life experience to people dealing with food allergies.  Karrie’s heart for people, love for food, and her knowledge of how foods affect our health is priceless. Karrie is married and has two little  boys.

I told you big changes were ahead.  So follow us and keep reading this week for some amazing stuff!!

~Summer

Whether you have a garden or not, canning is a great way to get those summer loves into your kitchen during those dreary winter months and can really save you some money!  Canning is not as scary as it sounds.  When most people think of canning they picture their grandmothers laboring all day (or several days) and putting away 50-60 jars at a time.  I don’t have 20 pounds of anything to can at once, and frankly who does?  If you have your grandmothers old canning and preserving books, put them at the top of your shelf and go find a new updated one.  Most preserving books are now made with small batches and small amounts of time in mind.   Some jellies can even just be frozen and don’t have to be canned.
This is when I can :

1.  When I have 30 minutes to spare

2.  When something is on sale

3.  When I have overage in my garden

Here are some things that I would suggest you take advantage of and start canning this summer:

*cucumbers:  Make dill or sweet pickles

*fruit jellies, jams and preserves:  Fruit is crazy cheap right now so take advantage and spend an hour making some fresh jellies to enjoy in the winter when peaches are back to $4 a lb.  and berries are $5 a lb.  (Jellies do use sugar, but keep in mind the small amounts of it you use and by making your own jelly there is usually only 2-3 ingredients.  You are in control of how much sugar you use, it is not necessary to use the specified amounts if you like a semi-sweet jelly.  I usually cut the sugar down 1/4 to 1/2 of what the recipe calls for.   )

*Tomato sauce:  If you have a garden with tomatoes, you know how priceless those fresh tomatoes are and you NEVER want to waste one.  So make small batches of tomato sauce with all your extras.  You can even make your own ketchup.  I have found it almost impossible to find a ketchup for my kids that is not full of crap.  Homemade ketchup is actually really easy to make, despite the thousands of ingredients on your ketchup label in the store.

Even if you have never canned before, I promise you can do this!  Here are a few things you need:

a large pot and a plastic canning basket ( I got mine at United made by Bell Mason jars. This basket allows you to lower and lift out your hot jars from the hot water).  Your pot needs to be large enough to cover a pint jar fully in water.

Mason jars (any size)

lids

vinegar

sugar

You do NOT have to have a pressure canner for jellies, pickles or sauces.  A hot water bath will work fine.  Here are some books that I like :

Preserve It.

Canning for a New Generation

Small-Batch Preserving

Here are a few of my favorite canning recipes that are so easy for beginners!

Blueberry and Raspberry Freezer Jam

takes 15 minutes and lasts 6 months in the freezer (2 weeks in fridge)

1/2lb blueberries

1/2lb raspberries

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 packet pectin

mash berries and lemon juice with a potato masher  into a pulp.  Pour 1 cup of water, pectin, and sugar into pot and boil for 5-8 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Pour the hot syrup over fruit in bowl  and stir.  Pour into freezer safe containers and cool completely before freezing.

Strawberry Conserve

2lb strawberries hulled

41/2 cups sugar

juice of one lemon and one lime

layers strawberries and sugar in a bowl and leave for several hours.  Put strawberries and sugar mixture in a pot with citrus and boil until 5-10 minutes (until jelly is thick).  Ladel into sterilized jars and seal.  Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

*  2 days before surgery double up on your water intake.  I was drinking 10-12 glasses to get my body really hydrated for surgery

* stock your house with fruits and veggies before surgery.  Buy things that don’t have to be cooked and can be snacked on all day.  Research has shown Cherries to help with muscle soreness and bananas help with muscle cramping.

* After surgery keep drinking at least 8-10 glasses a day.  This really kept my swelling and pain under control after the first 72 hours.

*  Do your own research on food and drug interactions with any meds you take.  Do not depend on doctors and nurses to do this for you.

* Continue to keep eating 5-8 servings of fruit and veggies, your body is healing and has been through trauma and needs those vitamins to recover.

* I increased my protein servings post surgery.  This increased my energy and I think  (this is my own opinion) that eating high protein meals really helped me when I was feeling depressed.   But so did Ben & Jerry :)

Recovery is still slow and different for everyone.  I found that there are pages of info of how to prepare for surgery, from what to wear to how to bathe, but nothing on nutrition, which seems like a really big part of recovery to me.  What are your thoughts?  If you have had surgery let us know what nutritional info helped you most.