Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Well hello all!!  I am back!!  :)

So happy to finally say that!  Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me here at Healing Cuisine and on our Facebook page over the last few months.  I have been away while my "day job" kept me extremely tapped out.   If you remember my posts back in December/January of this year, my husband, Dr. Dave, and I opened our dream business the first week of the new year.  Our natural health clinic is called Triad Health Center and we are located in Greensboro, North Carolina.  I am happy to say I am finally at a place where I can care for our almost 2 years old Austin, manage clients and keep up with posting recipes again.  Yay!  I have a whole list of recipes to share from all the way back in December!  It's about time  :)

Hope you all have been well while I have been away.  I appreciate all the emails you have sent checking in and sharing your pictures of recipes from the archives.

I HAVE EXCITING NEWS!!!
August marks my 4th year anniversary since beginning this blog.  To celebrate, Healing Cuisine is getting a facelift!  Look forward to a BRAND NEW HealingCuisine.com in the coming weeks.  We are putting the final touches on the new design.  Some things to look forward to: simpler sleeker design, better search function, labels & categories for easy searching, easier commenting function, and more!  I hope you'll enjoy the new layout coming to Healing Cuisine in less than two weeks!

And now, on to a NEW RECIPE!  If you're growing zucchini at home this year, you've probably still got it coming out of your ears...  For me, I've made every single zucchini recipe from my archives already this summer (check them out here).  I was in need of something new.  Dr. Dave and I sure love our Advanced Plan zucchini bread, but eating it every week all summer long gets a little boring.  It was time to try making chocolate zucchini bread to fit the Advanced Plan.  Here's what we came up with, and boy is it good!  It has more of a moist cake texture than bread texture, which comes with using almond flour.  It was really good!  And it passed the toddler test!  Austin gobbled it up and asked for more!  I love it when we can take an already healthy grain-free recipe and sneak in vegetables.  Makes me feel like a supermom.  :)

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Makes 8-12 Servings

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup organic zucchini, finely grated
1 egg (room temp)
1/4 cup organic full fat plain Greek yogurt or coconut milk (room temp)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure liquid stevia
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup raw pecans, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup 73+% dark chocolate chips (optional)

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a medium loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper.  In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking soda, cacao powder, ground cinnamon and sea salt.

2.)  In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until foamy.  Whisk in Greek yogurt, coconut oil, vanilla, stevia and apple cider vinegar until well combined.

3.)  Wrap the grated zucchini in a clean tea towel or 3-4 layers of paper towel.  Over a bowl or sink, squeeze out the excess water from the zucchini.  Shake the zucchini from the towel into the bowl of liquid ingredients.  Stir to combine the grated zucchini.  Stir in the chopped pecans and chocolate chips.

4.)  Fold in the flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Spoon the batter into loaf pan and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.  Store in fridge in an airtight container.

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Guest Recipe: Hot Cereal for the Advanced Plan

Today I have another guest recipe to share.  This one comes from a great woman, Susan Dotters, who has been living the Maximized Living lifestyle for over a year, has been a longtime follower of Healing Cuisine, and has lost 45+ pounds by doing so!  Let's give Susan a round of applause!!

Susan sent me her recipe for Advanced Plan approved "Hot Cereal" this past fall.  We have been enjoying this creamy comforting porridge for breakfast.  You've really nailed it, Susan!  Thank you for letting me share your recipe here for all of us Advanced Planners to add to our arsenal.  I'm certain there are many moms saying "thank you" right now, too!  This is a whole food alternative to Cream of Wheat or oat meal.  Our 19 month old son gobbles it up!

Susan's Hot Cereal
Makes 2 servings

2 Tbsp chia seeds
4 Tbsp hemp seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened organic almond milk
1 organic Granny Smith apple, minced
about 1/2 cup filtered water
10-12 drops pure liquid stevia (more/less to taste)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp raw pecans/walnuts/cashews/almonds, chopped fine

1.)  In a bowl, soak the chia and hemp seeds in the almond milk for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes with a fork.

2.)  While the seeds soak, mince a Granny Smith apple.  Add apple bits to a small sauce pan and add just enough water to cover.  Bring the pot to a simmer and cook until apples are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

3.)  Remove from heat.  Stir in stevia, cinnamon, chopped nuts, and chia/hemp seed mixture.  Warm the cereal over Low heat until warmed through.  To keep the nuts and seeds as raw as possible, do not bring it to a boil.  Top with anything you'd like (keeping it Advanced Plan of course) and serve!

This is a fabulous breakfast full of healthy fat and protein from the chia and hemp seeds.  I like to switch the flavors up by using thawed organic peaches from the freezer, fresh strawberries or blueberries, or leaving the apple out and just having the cinnamon.  Dave likes to top his with coconut milk for a creamy richness.

I have also done this as more of a porridge by heating the almond milk on the stove top first until almost boiling.  Then add everything to the blender (chia seeds, hemp seeds, stevia, cinnamon, nuts, and hot almond milk).  Blend until smooth and serve.  The chia seeds will thicken the mixture as it sits.  This blended version is even more creamy like Cream of Wheat.

Enjoy adding this to your weekly breakfast rotation!

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Heal Canker Sores Naturally

Most of us have experienced one of these in our lifetime.  A canker sore is a little ulcer inside your mouth or on your tongue.  It can be very annoying while you have one.  A canker sore can result from a few different things: stress, accidentally biting your mouth, braces rubbing your mouth, spicy or citrus food (or another food trigger), abrasive foods (chips, popcorn, nuts, etc), vitamin or nutrient deficiency, gastrointestinal issues, or a weak immune system.  One or more of these could be causing your canker sores to appear, last longer, and hurt more.

Canker sores can be extremely painful, especially if you eat spicy or citrus foods.  They also last for 1-2 weeks before finally healing up.  It's not fun to have one! 

The reason I'm posting on this topic is because my husband experiences canker sores often from nicking his mouth with his teeth while chewing food.  He's always had the problem since he was young.  Over the years we have developed a game plan to help prevent the pain and suffering that comes with a canker sore and to boost the healing time so he doesn't suffer for the full 2 weeks.  Here are our tips to healing canker sores faster naturally.

Heal Canker Sores Naturally

1.) GET ADJUSTED  Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself.  That power starts in the brain and travels down through the spinal cord out 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. Each adjustment has been shown to boost immunity anywhere from 200-400%.  When a canker sore is present, it's time to boost your immune system, and I know no better way to do that than a chiropractic adjustment from my Maximized Living chiropractor.  If you are looking for a Maximized Living chiropractor near you, visit MaximizedLiving.com and search your zip code or address.

2.) ELIMINATE TRIGGER FOODS  These are most commonly anything spicy or citrus, but you may notice your canker sores come on after eating a certain food or ingredient.  Once you narrow down on your trigger, eliminate it as much as possible from you diet.  This will help your canker sores heal faster, and will help prevent future canker sores from developing.

3.) CUT OUT ALL SUGAR  You should hop on the Advanced Plan strictly while experiencing a canker sore.  The Advanced Plan will help you cut out all sugar which causes inflammation in the body.  The less inflammation present in the body, the faster your body can heal.

4.)  L-LYSINE  Lysine is one of the 9 essential amino acids (your body cannot make it on its own) and is one your body needs for tissue repair and growth.  You may also see relief by supplementing Lysine for cold sores or shingles sores.  1,000 mg 3 times daily until the canker sore heals.

5.) BRUSH AND RINSE OFTEN  This helps to keep your mouth clean and limits the canker sore's exposure to bacteria which can make the canker sore last longer and more painful.  Use a natural (or homemade!) toothpaste without SLS or other chemical ingredients that are shown to further irritate or even cause canker sores.  Follow brushing your teeth with a mouth rinse of hydrogen peroxide.  This helps to clean out the canker sore and actually eases the inflammation and pain.

6.) B-COMPLEX VITAMIN + ZINC  Look for a B-complex that has B-6 and B-12.  Canker sores can be caused by a B-6/12 deficiency or they can stick around longer if you're low in either of these.  Likewise, a deficiency in zinc can both cause or worsen a canker sore.

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Guest Post: Strawberry Doughnuts!

Look at these...Advanced Plan Strawberries-n-Cream Doughnuts from Tall Girl (Jessica) over at Tall World After All!

Jessica took the original recipe for Strawberries-n-Cream Cake and, voila!, turned it into doughnuts!  Can you say GENIUS?!

Prepare the recipe as normal, but increase the baking powder by 1 teaspoon.  Spoon the batter out into the doughnut pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.  Test with a toothpick for doneness.

Great on their own, or make a simple and lovely glaze by melting down some coconut butter.  You could stir in vanilla, stevia or a little almond milk to thin.

Be sure to check out Tall Girl's blog.  She is a world traveler, currently living in Madrid.  She always has interesting experiences and stories to share, and some new recipes along the way.  Thanks for this new spin on a recipe, Jessica!  :)

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Bunny Tails

I have been absent from blogging new recipes for you recently as I've been drawn in to some events and projects going on at Triad Health Center.  All good things and many fun projects are in the works!  I just wish I had more time to be here sharing some of the yummy creations that are coming out of my kitchen with you!  I have a quick one for you today.

Easter is almost here, and I wanted to share a new recipe that I made for our Easter party at the clinic on Wednesday.  They are called "bunny tails" and are a very simple dessert to make in advance to serve for your Easter celebrations.  These were one of the favorite items served at our Easter party this week!  Our patients couldn't believe they were sugar free!  I simply used vanilla to flavor, but you could use any extract and I think they'd taste just as great.  Mint is one that I would like to try next time.  And maybe orange or lemon.

Bunny Tails
Makes 30 Servings

5 cups ground xylitol (use a spice grinder or blender)
5 tsp arrowroot powder
8 ounces organic cream cheese, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (other flavors of natural extract can be used)
3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

1.)  Make "powdered xylitol," which I use as a powdered sugar substitute in many recipes.  In a large bowl, mix the ground xylitol with the arrowroot using a whisk until well combined.

2.)  In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and vanilla extract until fluffy.  Add in powdered xylitol 1 cup at a time until smooth.  It'll get thick, like a thick dough, and shouldn't be sticky if you run the back of a spoon through it.

3.)  Pour coconut flakes into a flat dish (I used a pie dish).  Spoon out a 1 inch spoonful of the cream cheese dough.  Roll it into a ball in your hands then roll the ball in the coconut flakes.  Place on plate.  Repeat with remaining cream cheese dough.  Serve immediately or place in fridge until ready to serve.

Hope you all have a blessed Easter weekend!  He is risen!  Alleluia!

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How To: Homemade Baby Formula

The science is out.  Nothing comes close to true breast milk, because there is an innate connection between baby and mother.  When baby latches onto mom's breast, baby's saliva tells mom's body what baby needs (more water, protein, fat, nutrients, etc).  Our bodies were amazingly designed!

BUT, that doesn't mean everyone is blessed with an easy time breastfeeding or the ability.  I do recommend trying everything you can to keep your natural milk supply going first before jumping into supplementing milk for your baby.  Explore all avenues before settling on formula.  You can try many things...supplements like fenugreek and nettle, extended naked chest time and "kangaroo care" with your baby, extra pumping time to increase your flow are a few common methods.  (Email me if you would like other methods, or contact your local Le Leche League.)  But sometimes no matter how hard you try you cannot keep your milk supply going, or the nursing experience does not go well for mom or baby (extreme pain, inverted nipples with a struggle to keep baby latched).  Or perhaps you are adopting a child and do not have access to donor breast milk.  After you have weighed out all your options, these are the cases where proceeding with a homemade whole food breast milk formula is a good decision.

Today I would like to share my whole food formula recipe that when used as supplement will be closer to a woman's breast milk than one with synthetic vitamins and nutrients found at the store. I will write next week about why I recommend making your formula at home using whole food ingredients versus buying a store bought formula.  There are many many many reasons why making your own is important for the better health of your baby.  For time's sake, I will save that conversation for another day. (I will come back to link it when I post it!)

This is my recipe for homemade whole food infant formula.  It is based off of Sally Fallon's recipe in her book Nourishing Traditions.  (Every home should have this book on the shelf!  It's a go-to wellness resource!  Thank you Allison for the best wedding present ever!)  I have edited Sally Fallon's recipe to make it allergen-free as most of my clients and their children have an array of milk/nut/grain allergies.  I have listed alternative options in parentheses.

Homemade Whole Food Infant Formula
Based on Sally Fallon's original recipe found in Nourishing Traditions
Makes about 36 ounces

LIQUID
2 cups of rice milk (make your own via this link) (you can also use raw cow's milk or raw goat's milk)
2 cups pure water (reverse osmosis + remineralized is best)
2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk (or organic 100% grass fed heavy cream)
2 Tbsp organic unrefined coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp fermented cod liver oil
1 tsp  extra virgin olive oil

DRY
1 Tbsp organic pea protein (or 1/4 cup organic 100% grass fed whey protein)
2 tsp gelatin from 100% grass fed cows
1/4 tsp Acerola powder
break open 3 capsules of colostrum

2 tsp nutritional yeast

break open 1 capsule of Kirkman Labs allergen-free Bifido probiotics 

Add the rice milk to the blender with all of the dry ingredients.  Blend on Low-Medium until blended smooth.  Add remaining liquid ingredients to the blender and blend on Low-Medium until smooth.  Pour into bottles and store in fridge with airtight caps up to 5 days.  Warm each bottle in a container of warm water on the counter before feeding, and shake well.

You may notice the cold formula will be chunky from the fridge -- that's just the coconut oil and other oils solidifying from the cold.  It will thin out once it is warmed.  Do not heat the formula on the stove top.

Disclaimer: Before using any infant or toddler formula with your child, please consult with your pediatrician or main family practitioner. No parents should use this information without first seeking advice from their pediatrician or primary care physician before starting a nutritional program with their children.

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Natural Pink Eye Remedy

This last week, both Austin and I had been a bit run down with a chest cold and pink eye.  We're both feeling a lot better now, after taking a week or so to rest and boost our immune systems.  I've been noticing on our Facebook page that a few folks have been battling eye infections lately, too.  I wanted to share my tips for helping your eyes and body heal naturally.

I don't like to admit this, but I am somewhat of an expert on pink eye and eye sickness.  It is something I have battled frequently for my entire life.  I was born without functioning bottom tear ducts in both of my eyes, so my tears don't drain after being produced.  The constant tear production and pooling process creates the same affect as a stagnant pond in nature.  Without drainage and circulation, bacteria accumulates and thrives.  Growing up, I was in and out of the medical doctor at least once a month for conjunctivitis or some other form of an eye infection.  This was a constant battle for me all the way through my college years.  No one ever explained WHY my eyes were so susceptible to getting sick.

That was until I met my now husband, Dr. Dave.  He was the one person to explain the nervous system to me and its role on allowing my eyes to heal.  I began getting regular chiropractic adjustments in 2007.  For me, that meant 3-4 adjustments per week based on the damage in my neck.  The nerves going to my eyes were literally being pinched off by the bones in my neck due to ligament damage that I had never known about until then.  It took a few months of consistent chiropractic care, but soon I noticed I wasn't getting sick anymore.  For the first time in my life, I had gone 4 months without an eye infection!  And I noticed something else..  My eyes were draining better on their own!  I used to have to wipe my eyes with tissue multiple times in an hour -- often friends or classmates would ask me if I was okay, thinking I was crying.  I realized that not only were my eyes healthier and warding off sickness better, but I was able to wait 2-3 hours without having to wipe my eyes!

Now fast forward six years, after getting my spine corrected, and fully incorporating the 5 Essentials of Health into my life, my eyes have been doing even better!  This recent bout with pink eye is one of maybe 4 times I've had it in the last six years.  Who can complain about that looking back from where I have come from?

All of this said, I want to share my tips for helping your eyes heal naturally without the use of antibiotics.  Something to remember about antibiotics is that they kill both the bad bacteria AND the good.  A man-made antibiotic knows no difference.  Our body needs its good bacteria as it is the foundation for our immune system.  Also, an eye infection is not always bacterial.  My doctors growing up told me "there's a 50/50 chance it could be bacterial or viral," so they would give me an antibiotic eye drop plus some pill for viral infection.  I don't remember the names of the medications, but I do remember thinking how come I needed pills and drops that really didn't help and why couldn't my body heal on its own.  It wasn't until much later in life that I learned that my body CAN HEAL if I just give it the best opportunity to do so.

Here is what I do to fight an eye infection naturally.  It's all about addressing your immune system.  The only time you will get an eye infection is when your immune system is weakened.  Here are my tips to boost you:

1. GET ADJUSTED  Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself.  That power starts in the brain and travels through 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.  Each adjustment to your nervous system boosts your immunity anywhere from 200-400%!  Do yourself the favor and get your neck checked by your Maximized Living doctor.  Getting corrective care adjustments can greatly accelerate your healing when you are sick.  Visit MaximizedLiving.com to find a corrective care chiropractor near you.
2. COLLOIDAL SILVER  This is what I use in place of an antibacterial eye drop medication.  There are two ways you can use this.  You can drop 2-3 drops directly into each eye 3-5 times per day.  Or you can fill an eye wash cup with colloidal silver and wash your eye that way 3-5 times per day.  Make sure you have 10ppm colloidal silver (proven to kill the bad bacteria in 6 minutes or less on contact).  It's best to treat both eyes with colloidal silver in case there is bacteria cross contamination.  Often just as your one eye is healing, the other will get sick.  That's never fun.
   (You can alternatively use a few drops of fresh breast milk directly into each eye to naturally kill any bad bacteria in the eye.  The breast milk will also soothe the irritation.)
   
3. 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 (I know I can't!).  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.
   
4. 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.  There are two ways to dose Oil of Oregano for an eye infection:  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.  Repeat up to 10 times daily.
5. 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!
6. VITAMIN D3  Vitamin D3 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 20,000 IUs daily is a safe high dose for Vitamin D 3 while sick.  On a daily basis in the fall/winter, I take 10,000 IUs daily to make up for lack of sunlight (5,000 IUs 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!
7. 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.
8. PLAIN TISSUE  When dealing with an eye infection, this is a very important step to take.  By "plain tissue," I mean just tissue, not the kind that's got "vitamins or lotion added."  Did you ever think about how they get lotion onto a tissue?  It's definitely NOT natural.  It's actually toxic chemicals that have been studied and shown to make you more sick (so the can sell more tissue?)!  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.  And guess what?  Natural uncoated tissue is actually less expensive than the more commercial 'lotion added' tissues!
9. COLD EYE COMPRESS  I know, I know.  When your eyes are sick with crusty gunk and swollen, we want to use a hot washcloth to soften the gunk away.  What's actually better is using a cold washcloth and actually holding it over your eyes for some time.  A hot compress will actually create more inflammation to your eyes, worsening your symptoms.  Instead run a clean wash cloth under freezing cold water, wring it out well, and hold it on your eyes for 10-20 minutes at a time as many times a day as you can.  I like to do this right before putting the colloidal silver drops into my eyes.  And I usually do the cold compress for 15 minutes 5-6 times per day (about every 2 hours if I'm able to).  It really, really helps you get through the day.
10. EAT FOODS HIGH IN VITAMIN A  Vitamin A is one of the main vitamins your eyes utilize to keep healthy and strong.  Eat plenty of spinach, sweet potato, kale, and more foods found here.

Hazelnut Latte

I have another Starbucks recipe hack for you!  Sara commented on my Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe looking for a natural and whole food alternative for her hazelnut lattes.  Here's what we do when we feel like hazelnut.  We don't use any of those flavor syrups, which are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, food dyes, and chemical flavorings.  Even the "sugar-free" options use chemically made artificial sweeteners.  Sure, there are some out there that use agave syrup, but did you know agave isn't a whole food and is processed the same way as HFCS? 

So, if flavoring syrups are out, what's a girl to do?  I'll tell you, read on!

Hazelnut Latte
Makes 1-2 Servings

10 oz fresh brewed hot organic coffee
1/3 cup raw hazelnuts (about 10-12nut)
10-30 drops of pure liquid stevia (to taste)*
Splash or two of almond milk or coconut milk (optional)**

Blend on high for 1-2 minutes. You can strain it if you want to remove the hazelnut pulp, but I don’t bother. The few small pieces of nut will sink to the bottom of your cup.
1.)  Add all ingredients to the blender and start on Low speed, gradually working up to High speed.  Blend on High for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth.  Strain if you wish, but I just drink the little bit of hazelnut pulp at the bottom of the cup. 

*You may wish to wait to add the stevia the end, once you can taste the sweetness.  Add 2-3 drops at a time and mix thoroughly, tasting between additions, if you're unsure the sweetness level of stevia.

**We don't usually add any nut milks to our hazelnut lattes, as the hazelnuts get nice and creamy when blended.  But, you may prefer it!  That is why I listed it.  We do foam some almond milk on the stove top to pour over the mug for the foam effect.

Gingered Pear Upside-down Cake

I'm back to blogging.. again.  :)  We lost Internet last week and finally got it fixed today.  If you're like me, that is a crisis that severely limits daily functionality!  I totally went through an Internet detox!!  LOL  Not proud of it, but I'll be the first to admit I depend on the Internet, email, Facebook, and social media connection on a daily basis.  [A quick disclaimer, that I do this all in the right balance to make sure my little man is well taken care of and he always gets my first attention and time every single day.  :)  We are an Attachment Parenting family and our child always comes first!]  But any free time I have during the day goes to the computer.  I learned this because last week my house got REALLY clean with all that don't-know-what-to-do-with-myself time.

I'm happy to be wired up again and have another dessert recipe for you that we enjoyed over the holidays.  It's another remake of a traditional, the pear upside-down cake.  Hope you enjoy it!  It's perfect with a cup of tea or coffee!

Gingered Pear Upside-down Cake
Makes 8 Servings

2 organic ripe pears (any kind is fine, I like Riesling the best)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp raw local honey
1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup coconut oil, room temp
1 Tbsp Spoonable Stevita stevia
1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
5 free range eggs
1/2 cup organic unsulfered molasses
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp sea salt

1.)  Preheat your oven to 350ºF.  Grease a 9 inch cake pan with coconut oil and set aside.  Cut the pears in half, then quarters, then core each quarter. Remove the stems and butts, then cut each quarter into 2 or 3 wedges (depending on thickness of your pear).  In a small bowl, toss together pear slices with lemon juice, raw honey, and cinnamon.  Let sit while you prepare the cake batter.

2.) In a stand mixer, cream together the coconut oil and stevia.  Add eggs one at a time with mixer on low speed, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Finally, add the molasses.

3.)  With the mixer on low speed, add in remaining dry ingredients/spices one at a time.

4.)  Place the pear wedges in a starburst pattern around the bottom of your greased 9 inch cake pan.  Pour the batter over the pears and pat down with a spatula or your fingers to fill in all the holes and distribute evenly.  (the batter is thick!)

5.)  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean.  To serve cake right side up, let the cake cool in pan until completely room temperature.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan. Place a plate over the top of the pan, and holding the plate with your fingers and the cake pan with your thumbs, flip the cake pan over, and remove gently (you may need to give it a little shake to release).

Back from Break and Ready to Cook!!

I'm baaaaack!!!  And so happy to be!  Thank you to all of you for sticking with me during my extended vacation.  I thought I would come back to crickets, but you have been wonderful participating on the facebook page, twitter feed, and commenting on past blog posts.  Thank you!  I loved staying connected with you!

Well, we officially got our new Maximized Living health center up and running in early January and have had a successful first month of business!  We are Triad Health Center, located in Greensboro, North Carolina.  We are already helping so many people in need of natural health care!  But we would love to help more.  If you know anyone in the Piedmont Triad area, we would love to get connected with them and see how we can help them or see who they know that may be looking for a resource like ours.  Email me if you'd like to introduce us to your friends, family, church, or business in the area.

Here are a few pictures of our new space.  We're still getting completely moved in and settled, but it's starting to feel like our second home away from home.  :)

Our welcome desk.  We have filled it in and made it a little more cheery since this was taken!

Sitting area and kids' corner

Grand Opening sign

Exercise area and adjustment rooms along the back.

One of the adjusting rooms.  Where the healing happens!

The start of our product center.

And now, I MUST begin getting through this list of recipes that has built up since Thanksgiving  These are all recipes that you NEED TO TRY!!!  Topping that list is the Mint Creme Fudge Brownie.   To.  Die.  For.  Tastes just like (if not better than) Betty Crocker's!  We enjoyed these on Christmas night with a large mug of homemade hot chocolate.

Mint Creme Fudge Brownie
Makes 25 Bars

FUDGE BROWNIE LAYER
1 baked Healing Cuisine Signature Brownies

MINT CREME LAYER
2 Tbsp organic unsalted butter, room temp (or solid coconut oil)
1 cup powdered xylitol
1-2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
5 drops pure peppermint oil
8-15 drops liquid chlorophyll for green color (optional)

CHOCOLATE LAYER
3 ounces bakers chocolate
15 drops liquid stevia
1 Tbsp coconut oil

1.)  FUDGE BROWNIE LAYER  Prepare and bake my Healing Cuisine Signature Brownies.  Cool completely before proceeding.

2.)  MINT CREME LAYER  In a stand mixer, beat the butter, powdered xylitol, peppermint oil, and 1 Tablespoon of almond milk until smooth.  If mixture needs to be thinned, add the second Tablespoon of almond milk.  Add chlorophyll one drop at a time while blending until the desired green color is achieved.  Spread the mint creme over the brownies and place in fridge for 15-20 minutes while you prepare chocolate layer.

3.)  CHOCOLATE LAYER  In a small pot, over Low heat, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in stevia liquid until smooth.  Taste and sweeten to desired sweetness with stevia.  Place in fridge for 15 minutes to cool. 

4.)  Once chocolate is cooled, pour it over the mint cream layer and spread evenly to cover all of the mint creme.  Return to fridge to cool completely 2 hours before slicing and serving.

I hope you enjoy these!  They are so easy to prepare and a great accompaniment to coffee or hot chocolate.

Extended Vacation from Healing Cuisine

 Hi guys,

Okay, so first piece of exciting news going on in my life right now is we, Dave and I, are opening our new holistic health center TODAY!!  Wahoo!  We are bringing Maximized Living care to the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina.  We are called Triad Health Center and we are located in Greensboro off of W Cone and Battleground (in case you are near by!).  We have been working literally day and night on our office space for the past month getting it ready for tomorrow's official opening.  I can't believe our dreams and visions are finally happening!

The services we will offer include all of the 5 Essentials of health: specialized corrective chiropractic care for all ages, nutrition and detoxification consultations, fitness training, and mindset building sessions.  We are also hosting health seminars in a wide range of topics throughout the year.  We have a lot to offer to our new hometown and we cannot wait to get started helping and serving.  We want everyone to live to their fullest God-given potential!

If you live in or near the Triad area, we would love to hear from you!  Or maybe you have family here?  Send them my way!  I am looking for friends!!!  Dinner party anyone?  : )

Now, on to the second piece of news from my life right now...  I've learned quickly as we get Triad Health Center launched that my time is spread pretty thin already between the business and being a good mommy to my little man.  I've decided that I need to take an extended break from posting to Healing Cuisine.  I'm thinking the rest of this month should be a good time away, and I plan to come back in February with all of those promised recipes we made over the holiday months.

I am thankful for each one of you for your support.  Without you, I wouldn't keep Healing Cuisine going.  Thank you for sticking with me over the years and growing with me through this journey.  Your support and the community we have created mean so much to me.   I'll be back soon!  Love to each of you!


-- Elise