Strawberries-n-Cream Bundt Cake

It's kind of fun when our birthdays come around.  Mine is January 29th and Dave's on the 31st, so we are just two days apart.  This means duo celebration every year!  For the last few years, there has been a Maximized Living seminar on our birthdays since we fall on the weekend.  Usually this means a January birthday trip to Orlando, FL on our birthdays for training in chiropractic and nutrition, and hope we can sneak outside a little thru the weekend to enjoy the sun!  Thankfully this year we live right here in Orlando and the seminar is just a short drive away from our house!

So this year we can truly celebrate our birthdays.  I made this birthday cake, my own version of the popular boxed strawberry cake.  I remember asking for this flavor of cake mix many birthdays ago in my single digit years.  My mom will be the first to tell you she lacked the skill of baking from scratch, and thus she resorted the the box cake variety for all of our birthdays growing up.  I wanted to re-create this cake Healing Cuisine style this year!  And you'll be happy to know, this is Advanced Plan and EASY to make! :)

This recipe works best in a bundt pan in order to get the batter to cook thru the middle without burning.  You could probably get away with making two 8" or 9" round cake layers, but I haven't tried it yet.  Bake until a clean knife inserted comes out clean.

Strawberries-n-Cream Bundt Cake
Serves 12
1-2 tsp coconut oil (to grease the pan)
1/3 cup coconut flour, sifted twice
3 cups fine ground almond flour, sifted
3 Tbsp coconut oil, room temperature
1 16oz package frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed
1/2 cup unsalted raw butter, room temperature
1 cup xylitol (organic, from birch trees)
3-4 tsp spoonable stevia (to taste)
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 large eggs
1/2 cup organic full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp natural almond extract
1 tsp lemon juice

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 12 cup bundt pan with coconut oil and sprinkle with fine ground almond flour to flour the pan.  Invert pan and tap lightly to remove excess almond flour. Set aside.

2.)  Puree thawed strawberries in a food processor or blender.  Since I only had a 16 oz pack of strawberries, bear with me on these reservations:  Reserve 3/4 cup of blended strawberries and refrigerate for another use (don't need this portion for the recipe, would be great in smoothies or other dessert).  Also reserve 2 tablespoons puree, pour into a mesh strainer and place over a small bowl.  This portion is for the strawberry cream frosting and we want to remove the seeds.  Occasionally scrape thru the strawberry puree pushing the juice thru and leaving the seeds in the strainer.  The remaining about 1 cup of puree is for your cake!

3.)  Place butter, coconut oil, xylitol, and stevia in mixer bowl.  Cream together on Medium speed for about 5-6 minutes, scrapping down beaters and bowl with rubber spatula as needed (I had to twice with my Kitchen Aid).  You're looking for a light fluffy mixture.

4.)  In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut flour, almond flour, sea salt, and baking powder.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, 1 cup of strawberry puree, almond extract, vanilla extract and lemon juice.

5.)  Add half of the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl with xylitol/butter mixture and mix on Low speed for 30 seconds or until moistened.  Scrape down bowl. Add half of the wet ingredients and mix on Low speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds.  Scrape down bowl.  Repeat with remaining dry and wet ingredients, scraping down bowl after each addition.  Finally, mix on Medium-High speed for 1 1/2 minutes, then scrape down bowl and beater.

6.)  Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake in oven for 45-55 minutes, until a clean knife inserted in center comes out clean.

7.)  Cool cake in pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove from pan to further cool.  (Run a knife along the edges to ensure a clean removal, then invert onto a cake plate.)

Strawberries-n-Cream Frosting
2 cups xylitol, pulverized into powder
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
8 oz organic cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp raw butter, softened
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp organic vanilla extract
2 Tbsp pureed strawberries, strained to remove seeds

1.)  Make "powdered xylitol" to use in place of powdered sugar/confectioners sugar in this frosting.  Here's a great trick.  In small batches, pulverize your xylitol by dropping thru the lid of your blender (on High speed) to create a fine powder.  Do this to the entire 2 cups and transfer the powdered xylitol to a medium bowl.  Whisk in the arrowroot powder.  You now have powdered xylitol!  I usually make a double batch and store in an airtight container in the pantry for future use.

2.)  In a mixer bowl on Medium speed, cream together the butter and cream cheese.  Add the 2 tablespoons of strained strawberry puree, lemon juice and vanilla extract.  Wait about 30 seconds.  Add in the powdered xylitol mixture 1/2 cup at a time until your frosting forms and is nice, fluffy, and pink!  This should take maybe 2-3 minutes.

3.)  Once cake is cooled, you can frost away.  Extra frosting can be covered and saved in the fridge for later. (I think this frosting would be great over these Advanced Plan fluffy pancakes!)  ENJOY! :)  This cake is heaven!

Kale Chips

This recipe comes by request from Nicole in Washington who wrote in on the Healing Cuisine Facebook page.  I am happy to share one of my most favorite and super easy snacks with you -- Kale Chips.  Great on their own as a snack or along side lunch.  They'll leave you wanting more!!  A truly healthy alternative to potato chips, kale chips (when left in their raw state) are a healthy carb rich in vitamins A, B, C, K and fiber.  Now, you will find other recipes out there suggesting that you bake your kale at 350 degrees or other high temperature.  What I urge you to realize is heating the kale at such high temps denatures the antioxidants and nutrients in the kale.  Also, if you're baking your kale until it's brown or black, those patches are carcinogenic and have been linked to causing disease in the body, namely cancer.

Kale chips gained their buzz first in the Raw community.  Research is further backing the benefits of eating a raw diet.  To keep a food truly raw, it should not be heated at more than 118 degrees F.  This preserves the enzymes in the food.  To achieve Raw Kale Chips (heated no higher than 118 degrees) you can use a dehydrator.  Unfortunately we don't yet own one...they're pricey little things, but I've got my eye on an Excalibur when we do have the funds.  Same with a VitaMix... haha.. well anyway, back to making kale chips.

I've had the pleasure of enjoying raw, dehydrated kale chips from a friend and it really takes them to a whole new level.  But if you don't have a dehydrator, I will also give you directions for your oven (at a low temperature to save some of the nutrients!).

Kale Chips
Makes About 6 Servings

2 bunches of kale, rinsed, shaken dry, destemmed and torn
1 Tbsp olive oil
Sea salt to taste
(This is my recipe for basic salted kale chips.  You can add any other flavorings you'd like!  Chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, vinegar, lemon juice...)

1.)  In a large bowl, add kale pieces and olive oil.  Get in it with your hands and massage the olive oil into every little nook and cranny of each leaf.  There should be barely enough oil to coat the leaves. They should not be soaked/dripping with oil.  If so, this is too much and you'll get soggy kale chips.

2.)  Spread your kale pieces evenly onto two dehydrator trays (or two baking sheets if using oven).  Sprinkle with sea salt and any other seasonings.

3.)  DEHYDRATOR:  Place trays into dehyrator and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 6 hours.  Remove and enjoy!

4.)  OVEN:  Preheat oven to lowest possible temperature (most ovens this will be 200 degrees F).  Place baking sheets in oven and bake for about 2 hours then check for crispness. You may prefer to bake them a bit longer, but I like mine removed after 2 hours.

Dehydrated kale chips will stay crispy for about 3 to 4 days when stored in air tight container.  Oven kale chips should be consumed within a few hours as they'll get soggy in less than one day.  Hope you enjoy this easy and tasty snack!

Green Herbed Hummus

Dave and I are huge hummus fans.  We eat a quart of hummus just about every week.  Our top favorites are this recipe for Green Herbed Hummus, Roasted Garlic Hummus, and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (the classics, right?).  We also rotate in Beet Hummus, Zucchini Hummus, and Broccoli Hummus when we need a break from the chickpeas.

Hummus is a great snack or component to a fabulous lunch!  Full of protein, good fats, antioxidants, it provides you with fuel! :)  We'll eat with zucchini and celery sticks or served over a bed of spinach.  Mmm mmm good!

Green Herbed Hummus
Makes About 2 cups

2 cups of organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp raw almond butter
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
6 fresh basil leaves
1 organic scallion, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh dill
1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil

In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients except olive oil.  Pulse until slightly combined.  Run on High speed and stream in olive oil until combined.  Refrigerate 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to mix.

Product Review: The Organic Whey

A few weeks ago, I was a happy recipient of a container of The Organic Whey certified organic, "thoughtfully raw," 100% grass fed, hormone-free and gluten-free protein powder.  The company was kind enough to ship it to me so I could sample.  Happy to say I am so pleased with everything about this protein powder, and especially the company!

The Organic Whey was founded under a fabulous philosophy, which I and I'm sure many of you fall right in line with.  After they looked at dozens of protein powders on the market (which I'm sure most of them claimed to be natural), they found none to be truly natural.  And think about the slew of ingredients in most commercial whey proteins...food colorings, preservatives, denatured non-organic whey...etc.  This is what drove the founders of The Organic Whey to create this wonderful pure product.  I encourage you to read their philosophy and mission statement here.

What is unique about The Organic Whey is the specific way they process their whey (haha, sorry, couldn't help but laugh).  In order for any food to remain raw thru processing, meaning all nutritional value is left fully intact, it cannot be heated over 118 degrees F.  If raw fruits/vegetables/dairy/meat/nuts/anything is heated past that, the food is chemically altered to create carcinogens and an acidic food vs. alkaline food.  This is why I am SO excited about The Organic Whey!  Their protein powder is completely raw!  This means our bodies can thrive from it.

It is also great that the ONLY ingredient in this whey protein powder is whey!  No added fillers, preservatives, colorings or flavorings.  Since this is a "plain" flavored powder, it is very versatile.  When we mixed with cold water, I personally thought it had a sweet almost light vanilla taste, but Dave thought it to be just a plain flavor.  It mixes well and isn't gritty.  I do love that there isn't that overpowering vanilla or chocolate flavor to the mix, which most commercial proteins take on.  This means YOU control the ingredients in your smoothies.  If you want vanilla, add some organic extract.  You want chocolate?  Add some organic cocoa powder and a little stevia.  Simple as that.

So, if you can't tell, I am very satisfied with The Organic Whey protein powder.  Here is a new smoothie we created using the powder.  It would also be great in any of my smoothies already on Healing Cuisine!

Green Tea Spinach Smoothie
Makes 1 Serving

12 organic frozen raspberries
2 heaping Tbsp The Organic Whey protein powder
1/2 cup strong brewed organic green tea, cooled/cold
1 big handful organic fresh spinach, rinsed
1/2 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup organic full-fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp ground flax seeds (optional)

Add frozen raspberries and spinach to blender and puree to a pulp (may need to add a little of the almond milk).  Add all remaining ingredients to and blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

Visit The Organic Whey:  http://theorganicwhey.com/.  I recommend signing up for their weekly newsletter, it's great!  Deals, organic recipes and more!  Give their protein powder a try and you will not be disappointed!  I love it!

How To: Beat a Cold Naturally

So, here I am, finally over this cruddy, mucus-ridden, sinus infection, cold....thing.  Can I just say P.T.L.!?!  (that's Praise The Lord, y'all.)  While I don't get sick very often, thanks to the miraculous discovery of chiropractic and the 5 Essentials of Maximized Living, when I do get sick it allows me to appreciate my health and being well SO much more!  This week has been no fun, really knocked me out.  Sinus headaches, 4 boxes of tissue, never enough sleep, raspy chest, and inability to get the stuff done that mattered!

I want to provide you the steps I take to beat a cold (or ANY sickness for that matter).  Beyond developing recipes, my next biggest passion is helping people get well naturally.  Whether it's thru detoxification, nutrition or supplementation, my goal is to help support the body with whatever it needs to get the body working optimally again.  My husband, Dave, plays the chiropractic card.  After all, he is the chiropractor.  Nervous system alignment always comes first.  It's #1 in achieving health.  Without a full functioning nervous system, nutrition, detox, and supplements will not be a powerful addition.

I support what Dave does for people.  He turns their power on and I help to feed it; to feed YOU!  Your body deserves to thrive.  Here are my steps to beat an illness naturally.  I swear by these steps.  They will help you heal quickly (possibly faster than you ever have with a drug?).

1. GET ADJUSTED  Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself.  That power starts in the brain and travels thru the spinal cord to every organ and cell of your body.  Chiropractic looks for any interference in the spine which prevents the healing power from traveling to the places it needs to.  For example, when I had this sinus crud, my neck had interference at the nerves going to my sinuses.  Coincidence?  I think not.  My Maximized Living chiropractor, Dr. Dave ;), adjusted my neck every day thru the week and I know this greatly accelerated the healing of my sinuses.  Visit MaximizedLiving.com to find a corrective care chiropractor near you.
2. GARLIC  Raw garlic is a natural antibiotic, antihistamine and holds many immune boosting capabilities.  If you can handle eating it raw, pop a couple cloves in your mouth throughout the day, chew and swallow.  Most likely you won't be able to handle this.  Instead, find raw garlic capsules and supplement that way.  2,000-6,000mg daily is a healthy high dose to boost your immune system.  I'll usually do 2,000mg in the morning and 2,000mg before bed when I'm sick.
3. OIL OF OREGANO  Oil of oregano contains natural compounds that combat viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections.  It is a powerful oil and a few drops can go a long way!  One of the most important things to look for when buying Oil of Oregano is the amount of Carvacrol and Thymol. Most of the health benefits of Oil of Oregano are due to these two active ingredients.   Oil of Oregano can come in different strengths.  The higher the carvacrol concentration, the stronger it's antimicrobial effects.  Also, be sure it is organic.  Two ways to dose Oil of Oregano for a cold/sinus infection/flu:  1) Place 4-6 drop sublingually (beneath your tongue) and hold for 30 seconds before swallowing.  Repeat up to 10 times daily.  2)  In a shot glass of filtered water, float 15 drops on the surface.  Take the shot and let the oil coat your throat.  You'll feel it in your chest (great for bronchitis!).  Repeat up to 10 times daily.
4. VITAMIN C  Up to 10,000mg daily is a safe high dose for Vitamin C.  Be sure you are using a high quality and safe brand that meets food-grade standards.  If you're not sure, ask your Maximized Living doctor!
5. VITAMIN D  Vitamin D is a HUGE immune booster, believe it or not.  And we often wonder why we get sick in the fall and winter months more than summer.  Well, it mostly has to do with our lack of vitamin D during those 6 months.  Not only are we not getting outside as much with less skin exposed, but we are farther away from the sun as well so the precious healing rays can't reach us as effectively even if we were outside!  Up to 20,000mg daily is a safe high dose for Vitamin D while sick.  On a daily basis in the fall/winter, I take 10,000mg daily to make up for lack of sunlight (5,000mg daily in the summer months).  Be sure you are using a high quality and safe brand that meets food-grade standards.  If you're not sure, ask your Maximized Living doctor!
6. HEALING CUISINE TINCTURE  I also call this my "Special-Tea", hehe.  I SWEAR by this!  This is an immune boosting tea that is sure to kick you back toward health!  In a large mug, add about 1 cup boiling water, 1 green or Echinacea tea bag, 1 Tbsp fresh chopped ginger root, 1/4 cup organic raw apple cider vinegar (I prefer Bragg brand), a spoonful of raw honey, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and 2 garlic cloves.  Stir to combine and let steep for 5-6 minutes.  Sip down and repeat thru the day as often as you can.  I promise you'll see results!
7. COLLOIDAL SILVER  Make sure you have 10ppm colloidal silver (proven to kill bacteria in 6 minutes or less on contact) and place about 30 drops under your tongue.  Hold for 30 seconds then swallow.  Repeat 3-7 times daily.
8. NETI POT w/ COLLOIDAL SILVER  I am new to using the neti pot, but after this last bout of illness and sinus pain, I am a firm believer in the neti pot.  However, I strongly deter you from using the "saline solution" or little crystal packets that come with your neti pot.  I read the ingredients, and sure there's salt in the list, but there are also about 3 other chemicals that don't belong in your sinus cavities.  Also, you don't want to use the type of salt they include in the packets.  It is iodized table salt essentially, man-made.  What you do want to use is natural sea salt -- Himalayan is best or Celtic sea salt.  My recipe for an antibacterial cleanse for your sinuses:  Add 1/4 teaspoon pure sea salt, 3/4 cup warm filtered water, and 30 drops (2 droppers full) colloidal silver to neti pot.  Stir to combine.  Flow thru nasal passages, alternating nostrils as needed.  The right proportions between sea salt and water will help to break up the mucus.  The colloidal silver coats the sinuses to kill off anything bad that's dwelling.  Repeat 3-5 times daily as needed.
9. WATER  Drink PLENTY of pure, filtered water each day.  Normally you want to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily.  When you're sick, you need to drink even more!  This does not include tea, almond milk, or protein shakes, etc.  It needs to be pure water to hydrate your cells and help to flush out toxins.
10. PLAIN TISSUE  This might seem like an odd addition to beating your cold, but I feel it's a very important step to take.  By "plain tissue," I mean just tissue, not the kind that's got "lotion added."  Did you ever think about how they get lotion onto a tissue?  It's definitely NOT natural.  It's actually chemicals, toxic chemicals that have been studied and shown to make you more sick!  Instead, you should use only plain, uncoated tissue sheets or a handkerchief (wash often;).  Unbleached tissue is best, as we all know the dangers of chlorine to our health.  We like to limit chemicals (like chlorine) as often as we can possibly control in our daily lives.  And guess what?!  Natural, uncoated tissue is actually less expensive than the more commercial 'lotion added' tissues!

Tomato Chicken Skillet

Here is a quick fix dinner that I make in a cast iron skillet and bring from stove top to table to serve.  Greek inspired, you can top with chopped black olives and fresh snipped basil or marjoram.  Eat as is or spoon over cooked quinoa (CORE Plan) or spiralized zucchini/yellow squash (ADVANCED Plan).

Tomato Chicken Skillet
Makes 4 Servings

4 free-range organic chicken breast halves (boneless, skinless)
Sea salt and fresh black pepper (to taste)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2  cups zucchini, sliced (can use frozen)
3/4 cup green pepper, sliced
1 white onion, sliced and separated into rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup filtered water
14 oz organic crushed tomatoes (homemade or jarred is best)
1/2 cup organic feta cheese, crumbled

1.) Sprinkle chicken with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.  Heat a large skillet over Medium-High heat.  Add coconut oil and chicken to skillet and cook until cooked completely thru (6-8 minutes per side). Remove chicken from skillet.

2.) Add zucchini, green pepper, onion, garlic, and black pepper to skillet.  Add water and reduce heat to Low/Simmer.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once.

3.)  Stir in crushed tomatoes.  Bring to a boil then cover and lower heat to simmer for 5 minutes.  Add chicken breasts back to skillet and stir to combine.  Remove from heat.  Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve immediately.

Ringing in 2011...

Happy 2011!  Wahoo!  Hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Eve!

Dave and I were driving from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (duh U.P., eh?) down to Orlando, Florida.  Orlando is our new home for the next 6 months.  We are down here training with Maximized Living to open our own Maximized Living Health Center.  The city we have chosen to open in and live in is Greensboro, North Carolina.  Stay tuned for more details on our clinic grand opening, coming this summer 2011!

The reason I'm telling you all of this is because I realize I don't really tell you much about my life.  I have been getting some very interesting, personal questions from you guys, and I love it.  But it's made me realize that I can fill you in a little more on my life and what I'm up to both in and out of the kitchen.  :)

To kick of 2011, here is a bit of Blogger Insider to get to know me better.  Hope it's as fun for you to read!

1. Do you have any siblings?  Yes, 3 brothers.
2. Which networking websites do you use? Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, FoodBuzz
3. Which month were you born in?  January
4. What is your favorite color? red
5. Which stores do you regularly shop at? Whole Foods, local co-op, Target...that's about it.  We're poor since we're saving up for starting our business, thus we only buy the essentials.
6. Do you play an instrument? If so, which one(s)?  A bit of piano, and I've always said I consider my voice my instrument.  Acting and singing since age 4. :) 
7. When's the last time you ran?  A few weeks ago, for an aerobic burst training workout. 
8. Do your jeans have rips, tears, and holes in them?  Only one of the four pairs I own does.  They're my "stylish" pair.  Ha. 
9. What are you dreading right now?  Having to move again in June, the sixth time in a year. 
10. Do you get the full 8 hours of sleep a night?  I try to, if not more, otherwise I'm off for the whole day. 
11. If anyone came to your house on your "lazy days" what would ya'll do?  Create a new recipe in the kitchen while watching a RedBox rental. 
12. Don't you hate it when the radio ruins good songs by playing them over and over?  Yes, like Natasha Beddingfield's These Words.  Last summer, right?  They played it every half hour and I had an hour drive to and from work every day.  Used to love it, now I cringe. 
13. Have you ever stayed online for a very long time waiting for someone? Yes, waiting for Dave numerous nights on MSN or Skype while we were apart for a year before we were married (2008). 
14. Could you live without a computer?  No.  Absolutely not.
    
15. Do you wear your shoes in the house? No, but I've got to have socks on.  Thinking of getting a nice pair of slippers, too.  You know, the kind that are pretty much shoes but uber comfortable. 
16. Who or what sleeps with you? Just Dave. 
17. At what age did you find out that Santa wasn't real?  I don't remember really.  I do, however, remember setting up "traps" for Santa with my brothers.  String across the foot of every door so he'd trip when he entered the house.  Set my karaoke machine up near the tree to record any sounds of Santa and his sleigh.   Things like that.  Fun times. 
18. How many house phones and cell phones are in your house?  Zero.  Believe it or not, we are without phones and have been since August, in effort to save money for our business.  We use the free Google Calling app from our gmail accounts. 
19. Who would you call first if you won the lottery?  Dave.  And then his student loan companies.  ;)
20. Do you watch Grey's Anatomy?  I do not.  We've also been without cable for about a year, to cut costs.  I do, however, watch Glee and The Office online each week! 
21. How do most people spell your name?  Haha, great question!  It's more of a mispronunciation of my name.  Alice or Elsie are the most common misspellings and misspeaks.  And for the record, I prefer my name pronounced "L-eese". 
22. Where do you work? Nowhere at the moment.  Dedicating the next 6 months to planning and opening our chiropractic health center. 
23. Do you return your cart?  Every time.  We always say, "Have you gotten your incidental exercise today?" 
24. Do you have a dishwasher?  Yes, but we try not to use it as much as we can.  We're a pretty all-natural family, and usually just wipe and rinse our dishes clean for a few uses before a trip to the dishwasher. 
25. What noise do you hear at the moment? Traffic outside and Chris Tomlin on iTunes. 
26. What's the last thing you purchased?  A dozen eggs.  Haha, we go thru a couple dozen a week just between us two. 
27. What brand is your digital camera?  Just using a simple Kodak digital right now.  Hoping to upgrade to a Canon with a lens this year to deliver higher quality shots to my website :) 
28. Do you own expensive perfume/cologne?  No, too toxic for my body.  I can't handle the chemicals.  I use essential oils in place of perfume, and I love the natural scent options! 
29. Are you taking college classes right now? Notta. Have my B.S. in Management & Marketing, but within the next year will be pursuing my Holistic Nutritionist degree (after we get on our feet in Greensboro).
30. Do you like sushi?  Love it.  No raw fish for me, though! 
31. Do you get your hair cut every month?  Nope.  I'm cheap.   Every 3-4 months usually, always with a coupon in hand.
32. Will you pass this survey on to 5 people?  Definitely!
    

And now I challenge 5 of my favorite and highly recommended bloggers to do the same and pass it on in honor of the New Year.  Who knows, your lives could have changed a lot in a year, too!:

Allison - Goofy Mama
Susan - Rawmazing
Michelle & Lori - Pure 2 Raw
Tiffany - Nature Moms
Kristen - Food Renegade

Cannot wait to hear what they say!

And this concludes this brief exercise in sharing intimate and random details about Elise.  Surprised by my answers?  Not surprised?  Want me to stop talking and show you some new food recipes already?  Well fear not.  Tomorrow is a new day, my friends.  :)