Celebrate Earth Day by taking care of yourself, one healthy step at a time:

1. Super Simple Detox Naturally

To detox naturally we need to deal with poisons, heavy metals, pesticides, fungicides, cleaning solvents, smog, and many other harmful toxic substances that are leeching into our bodies via our clothing, our furniture, our food utensils, and even our carpets. Stay healthy with holistic detox by using seasonal organic fruits and vegetables. Don’t forget to avoid chemicals and pesticides, not only in foods but also in skin care products, make up, cleaning products, etc.

Super Simple Detox 101

Three Simple Detox Recipes

Video Tip: Detox Recipe: Super Simple and Healthy Turmeric Dressing

Detox Recipe: Kale with Cranberries and Sesame Seeds

2. Super Simple DeStress

Stress and nutrition are related and are a source of stress illness. If you want to be healthier, address your sleep needs, and feel better, use stress remedies and reducers to take care of your stress overload .

Super Simple Destress 101

Healthy Video Tip: How to Fall Asleep Faster and Sleep Longer

What Sex, Garlic and Swearing Have in Common

3. Cook at home

The food we put into our mouth goes into our stomach where it gets digested and eventually assimilated into the bloodstream. Our blood is what creates our cells, our tissues, our organs, our skin, our hair, our brains and our thoughts and feelings. Learn to cook high quality food for yourselves and those you love.

Healthier Holistic Recipe Substitutes

Asparagus, Beets and Chicken Salad Recipes

4. Eat the right foods

Drink One Extra Glass of Water to be Healthier

Healthy Breakfast to Feel and Look Fabulous

Healthy Pancakes

4 Reasons to Eat  Apples

11 Reasons to Eat Beets

8 Reasons to Eat Squash

Easy Detox with Cleansing Herbs

eat food that has healthy fat; you can find omega-3 fatty acids in olive oil, salmon (choose  your source of fish carefully because they can be highly contaminated with toxic chemicals like mercury and PCBs), walnuts, flax seeds;

Salmon and Avocado Recipes

4. Watch what you eat

Avoid unhealthy processed foods which are super harmful to your health.

Super Foods to Avoid in Order to Stay Healthy

Listen to Your Body and Be Crave Smart

5. Read labels

We read all labels carefully looking for ingredients we cannot pronounce or don’t know the meaning of. Avoid preservatives, chemicals, artificial colors to stay healthy.  Be even more careful with labels on meat and diary products because many of the terms used do not mean exactly what you think.

How to Read Labels to Find Hidden Sugar

6. Go USDA organic

Many of the the worst toxins we eat are put into our foods as additives and preservatives? Eat organic fruits and vegetables, organic meat, organic milk …  because they are free of synthetic growth hormones, genetically engineered organisms, antibiotics, chemical fertilizers or chemical pesticides.

Why Strawberries, Peaches and Cherries Can Be Dangerous to Your Health

Is Your Mouthwash Cancer Proof

7. Eat local and in season

If you eat and guy local and in season, your purchased food will have been stored for less time before you purchase it. Your organic fruits and vegetable will fresher and more nutritious. Did I mention, that it will be cheaper?

Go local and find Farmer’s Markets near you at www.LocalHarvest.org

And don’t forget to always breathe, smile and try to be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health Counselor and Nutrition Coach

From Earth Day to Every Day One Healthy Step at a Time

Are you trying to beat your sugar cravings?  Why not try one of these recipes; they can help you balance your hormones, boost your energy, or with weight loss and detox.

Healthy Detox Ginger Carrot Breakfast Cookies

Ginger promotes circulation, stimulates lymphatic flow, and can help detox the body.

The taste of carrots help fight your sugar cravings as well as improve your eyesight, lower cholesterol and prevent heart attack and stroke.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup oat flour
• ¼ cup brown rice or barley flour
• 2 cups cooked millet
• 1 and ½ tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
• ½ cup water

Directions:

Lightly roasted oats and flour by stirring over medium heat in skillet, until toasty smelling but not browned. Mix all ingredients and add just enough water for a moist, (not mushy). Shape into cookies on an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

adopted from the Self-healing Cookbook by Kristina Turner

Tasty Fennel and Orange Detox Salad

Fennel stimulates the liver, improves fat digestion, and contains essential oils that can help get rid of excess fluid and thus weight.

Orange is rich in vitamin C and can help boost your immune system.  You can also lift your mood by using the zest of the oranges.

Onions can cleanse and detox your liver and skin; they also have antiseptic properties.

Ingredients:

• 2 oranges, sliced
• 1 bulb fennel, sliced
• 1 red onion sliced into rings
• juice of 1 orange
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• zest of 1 orange
• mint or parsley to garnish

Directions:

Place a layer of oranges, then a layer of fennel and then a layer of onions. Mix orange juice with apple cider vinegar and drizzle over the salad. Add orange zest and mint or parsley to garnish.

Beet and Apple Juice Detox Recipe

Try this delicious detox juice recipe to feel and look fabulous.

Beets stimulate the liver and can help to detox and cleanse the digestive system and blood.

Apple adds sweetness and fiber which can helps to detox your body.

Spinach contains antioxidants that can fight free radicals to helps boost your immune system.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium beet
• 1 large apple
• 1 carrot
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in the juicer or blender and process. If you wish, you can dilute with filtered water to taste.

Bon Appetit!

Breathe, smile and be happy.

©Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Coach and Relationship Expert

3 Weight Loss Detox Recipes to Feel and Look Fabulous

How are you feeling right now? Feel overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, emotional?  You might suffer from seasonal depression – sometimes called the winter blues.

To boost the levels of serotonin necessary for dealing with seasonal depression you may need more tryptophan. The legumes: peas, beans, and lentils are some foods rich in tryptophan.

So, to feel better and overcome depression and the winter blues, you may want to try one of these three lentil recipes.

French Lentil Soup for Fighting the Winter Blues

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 cups green lentils
• 8 cups bouillon
• 1 potato, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch cayenne, to taste
• 1 pound swiss chard, chopped
• Juice of one lemon
• pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

Bring the onion, garlic, celery, lentils and bouillon to a boil in a large pot. Add the potato and spices, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the swiss chard and cook 15 minutes more, or until the lentils are just tender, not mushy. Stir in the lemon juice and Immunity Boosting Spices. Serve with ground pepper to taste.

Healthy Lentil Pate Recipe for Seasonal Depression

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry green or red lentils,
• 2 medium carrots chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 2 tbsp/olive oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp tomato pasta
• black pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

To cook lentils, cover them with water and boil for 1-2 min. and then simmer for 15-20 min. (until tender). While cooking lentils, saute onion and carrots in olive oil for 7-10 min., add garlic, tomato pasta, lentils and ghee. Mix thoroughly, season with black pepper and salt. Don’t forget to add Immunity Boosting Spices. Serve warm. You can also use food processor if you want it smooth.

Tasty Pomegranate Lentil Soup to Help Overcome Depression

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup lentils, picked over
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups (2 quarts) water
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup pomegranate juice or 1/4 cup grenadine syrup
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 2 teaspoons crushed dried leaf mint
• 2 Tablespoons raisins

Directions:

Add water, drained lentils, rice, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer on low about 45 minutes, until lentils and rice are tender. Add basil, green onions and pomegranate juice to the soup. Simmer an additional 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet, add mint and saute until butter turns golden. Divide soup into serving bowls. Drizzle each with the mint brown butter and sprinkle with a few raisins to serve.

Bon Appetit!

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach and Counselor

NaturalCounselorBlog.com

Lentil Recipes to Overcome Depression and the Winter Blues

So, how healthy are your cooking and baking habits these days?

Sooner or later you may start looking for healthier ingredients for you recipes.

Be ingredient and health smart during the cold and flu season as well as holiday time you will be spending in the kitchen; that is why I  want to remind you about some healthier alternatives and healthier substitutes to the ingredients you normally use in your kitchen:

• 1 whole egg can be substituted with 2 egg whites
• white flour can be substituted with whole grain flour (rice, barley,millet, buckwheat – basically you can grind any whole grain)
• sour cream can be substituted with low fat plain yogurt or low  fat sour cream
• milk can be substitute with skim, 1% milk or powdered milk
• ice cream can be substitute with frozen yogurt
• heavy cream (not for whipping) – 1:1 ratio of flour whisked into non fat milk (eg. 1 cup of flour + 1 cup of non fat milk)
• whipped cream can be substituted with chilled evaporated skim milk or other low fat whipped products
• cheese can be substituted with low-fat cheese (please note: non-fat cheese does not melt well if use in cooking or baking)
• margarine can be substituted with butter
• butter can be substituted with light butter, vegetable oil or ghee
• sugar ( brown or white) can be substituted with date sugar, barley  malt, blackstrap molasses, pure raw honey; don’t forget that 1 tsp = 4 grams.
• table salt can be substituted with sea salt

Happy and Healthy Cooking and Baking !!!

Breathe, smile and be happy,

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Coach and Counselor

NaturalCounselorBlog.com

Healthier Substitutes for Your Holiday Cooking and Baking Ingredients

Halloweeen and the holidays are a good time to remember that we should try to do our best to protect our children from diabetes, obesity and heart disease when we can.

So, I would like to share with you a healthy Spiced Pumpkin Cookie Recipe.

Why is it healthy?

Just in case you don’t know, spices, like cinnamon and ginger can be used as an immune booster to help fight colds and flu.

Dark molasses is a great substitute for sugar, as well as a good source of iron and B vitamins.

As for raisins, they can be beneficial if you have constipation or anemia.

Imunity Boositing Spiced Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

• 2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 3 baking sheets with cooking spray.

Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg in a large bowl.

Whisk pumpkin, brown sugar, oil and molasses in a second bowl until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients and raisins into the dry ingredients until no traces of dry ingredients remain. Drop the batter by level tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies until firm to the touch and lightly golden on top, 10 to 12 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Bon Appetit!

Don’t forget to breathe, smile and be happy.

Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health Counselor HHC

For Halloween and the Holidays – a Healthy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe – Yummm

Are you ready for three homemade recipes made with cooling, fat-dissolving and green leafy vegetables. 

You can use these fantastic recipes to improve your kidney functions, for weight loss, detox your intestines and circulatory system, lower blood cholesterol and high blood pressure, and glowing skin.

Watercress with Almonds and Grapefruit Salad Recipe

• 2 cups watercress
• 1 cup radishes, sliced
• ½ silvered almonds or pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
• 1 cup red grapefruit membrane discarded
• ½ avocado sliced
• 1/2 cup Detox Turmeric Dressing

Mix watercress with radishes, grapefruit and avocado in large bowl. Add Detox Turmeric Dressing and toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper I f needed.

Swiss Chard with Zucchini and Shitake Mushrooms Salad Recipe

• 1 bunch of Swiss Chard chopped
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 1/2 cup green onions chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup shitake mushrooms
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Sauté mushrooms in olive oil for 5 minutes, add garlic, Swiss Chard, zucchini and saute covered for 5 more minutes. Add onions and serve.

Arugula, Summer Squash and Blackberry Salad Recipe

• 2 cups Arugula
• 1 summer squash sliced 2 tomatoes sliced
• 1 red onion sliced
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ½ tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup blue cheese or goat cheese sliced
• 2 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil (you can use Detox Turmeric Dressing instead of apple cider vinegar and olive oil)

Mix all ingredients, top with blue cheese (or goat cheese), season with salt and pepper and serve.

Bon Appetit!

P.S. For more recipes listen to the Celebrity Chef Maria Liberati on Healthy Summer Recipes, click to listen.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

©Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Coach and Counselor

Three Fantastic Fat Dissolving Recipes for Weight Loss and Glowing Skin