FACELIFT BEFORE 50. REALLY?

In spite of noticeable signs of aging, when I turned 62 this year, I never considered facelift surgery. The picture is of me one month after my 62nd birthday.

I decided that my end-of-the-work-week look could be enhanced, but without pain and with a lot less commitment to months of recuperation.

Get this look yourself with excellent health, wonderful eating, acupuncture & herbal formulas to handle any illness, cosmetic tatoos (eyebrows, eyeliner and lips), a bit of under eye concealer, and a light foundation. Cost: Cosmetic Tattoos lasting a lifetime: $900; Concealer: $55; foundation: $55.

Patients Under 50 Get Best Long-Term Results from Facelift Surgery

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/584241/?sc=mwhn

A FEAST FOR YOUR BODY

Nothing is IS BETTER THAN “ORGANICALLY GROWN” GREENS unless they are GROWN AT HOME GREENS…grown by someone who loves the earth, then shared with friends and baskets-full delivered to the neighborhood acupuncture clinic!

Since there are only two ways to get energy–food and air–both food and air should be the highest quality you can find to eat and to breathe.

Two dark greens, spirulina and chloryphyll,  are in our Detox Bath to calm your mind, clean your body, and nourish your brain. Order here: www.heavenlybodiesclinic.com/http://www.heavenlybodiesclinic.com/biodetox/detox_products/index.nclk

Chicken Soup

Seems like everyone I know has a cold right now, including me! One thing is for sure, I don’t want to give up my healthy eating habits when my energy plunges, so when I decide I need to make chicken soup, I always make extra to hide in the freezer for sick days. As I start to feel better, I make sure to take some time to replenish that stash. I wonder if the smell of soup simmering on the stove helps us feel better, too?

• 2 TBS light oil (olive, vegetable, coconut) (sweet)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (sweet, pungent)
• 1 TBS fresh ginger root, chopped (pungent, sweet)
• 2 carrots, chopped (sweet)
• 4 celery stalks, chopped (bitter)
• 6 cups of chicken broth (sweet)
• 3 cups of shredded, or cubed, cooked chicken (sweet)
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste (salty, bitter)
• Rosemary twig (pungent, bitter)

1. Heat the oil in a deep soup pot, then add the chopped onion and ginger with a pinch of salt. As the onion begins to soften, add carrots and celery and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Once the vegetables are bright and beginning to soften, add the broth, shredded chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Add a twig of Rosemary if you have it. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through.

If you have a “cold”, you might want to heat up this soup with hot sauce, red pepper flakes, or a little cayenne. You can add other vegetables, herbs, and spices depending on your TCM diagnosis (check in with the doctor for this). Of course, you might want to make your own chicken broth, and you can do that easily by setting aside the bones from a whole chicken (I sometimes break them up, bag them and freeze them for later) or by asking your butcher for soup bones. You might get some feet, so be prepared.   Just throw all of those in a big pot with plenty of water to cover them all, plus an inch or two, with a couple of bay leaves and an onion. Let it boil, them simmer for 45 minutes. Strain and discard everything. If you are freezing the broth, you might want to cook it a little longer so it reduces and can be stored in smaller containers. When you are ready to use it you can add water, if you like.

Any Fruit Pie

I love getting fruit boxes for the holidays, but sometimes I just can’t eat it all fast enough. Here’s a great little pie that you can make using apples, pears, plums, figs… In fact, if you have a variety of fruits, make a variety pie!

Make an Almond Flour Crust, and while its cooling, prepare your filling:

• About 4 cups of sliced of fruit (sweet)
• 1 lemon (sour)
• 2 TBS butter, melted (sweet)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (bitter, pungent)
• 2 tsp stevia powder or 20 drops of stevia liquid (sweet)
• 1 tsp arrowroot powder
• 1/4 tsp salt (salty)

1. In a small bowl, mix cinnamon, stevia, arrowroot powder, salt.
2. Cut up your fruit into 1/4 inch slices until you have about 4 cups. Place fruit into a medium sized bowl and squeeze lemon over it. Gently toss.
3. Drizzle melted butter over the fruit, then the spice mixture. Toss gently again, then pour into the pie crust and bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 – 45 minutes.

Let pie cool. Serve with freshly whipped cream (add 1/4 tsp of vanilla or almond extract for a nice flavor surprise).

Cinnamon and Cardamom Scones

These scones are nice on a chilly morning with a cup of tea. The yogurt chips are a sweet surprise, but they would be equally delicious without them if you are trying to cut down on sugars. Enjoy!

• 1 cup GWF Baking Mix (sweet, salty)
• 1 cup rolled oats (generous) (sweet)
• 6 TBS chilled salted butter, cut into squares (sweet)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (pungent, bitter)
• 1/2 tsp cardamom (pungent, bitter, sour)
• 1 TBS grated orange rind (bitter, sour)
• 1/2 cup white yogurt chips (sweet)
• 1 beaten egg (sweet)
• 1/3 cup cream, buttermilk or soy milk (sweet)
• About 1/8 cup oat flour for kneading (sweet)

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Mix the GWF baking mix and oats in a large bowl.  Cut in 6 TBS butter (an electric mixer makes it easy, but a fork works fine as well).  The lumps should be about pea-sized. Add dried spices.
3. Combine the milk and the beaten egg, and then add to the flour mixture along with the yogurt chips.  Mix until combined.
4. Turn out onto a floured board and knead gently until the dough is a bit stiff, but not crumbly.  Cut dough into 4 sections and form into 4 balls.  Cut those into 4 pieces, and retain shape (a little wedge).  Place onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes.
5. Transfer to a cooling rack, but do enjoy them warm with a dab of butter or Greek yogurt.  Yummy!

GWF Baking Mix is available at the Heavenly Bodies Clinic and through our online store.

Sage Muffins… instead of bread stuffing

If you are having trouble with gluten, but can’t bear the thought of NOT eating the herb-filled stuffing at your holiday dinners, I have an idea for you: make these muffins! GWF Baking Mix is wheat-free, gluten-free, sugar-free but makes the most delicious breads, muffins, cookies, and cakes. Promise!

• 2 eggs (sweet)
• 1 cup chicken broth (sweet)
• 4 TBS butter, melted & cooled (sweet)
• 2 TBS olive oil (sweet)
• 1 cup chopped onion (pungent, sweet)
• 1 cup chopped celery (salty, bitter)
• 1 TBS fresh thyme leaves (bitter, pungent)
• 1 TBS fresh sage, chopped (bitter, pungent)
• 2 cups of baking mix (sweet, salty)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute onions and celery in 2 TBS olive oil until soft, approximately 8 minutes. Stir in chopped sage and thyme and let sit to cool.
3. Beat eggs gently in large bowl. Add chicken broth and cooled onion mixture. While stirring, slowly add melted butter. Mix well.
4. Add baking mix, stirring just until combined.
5. Fill lightly oiled loaf pan (smaller size is better) or mini loaf pans.  Place in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the center of a muffin springs back when touched lightly.
6. Cool in tins for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.

Cranberry Sauce-y

Enjoying traditional foods during the holidays can sometimes interfere with your new healthy eating plan because of all the sugar involved. Here’s a really easy recipe for cranberry sauce that you can make a few days ahead of time.

• 1 bag of fresh cranberries (about 4 cups) (sour, sweet)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 20 drops of liquid stevia (sweet)

1. Place cranberries, water, and stevia in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until cranberries burst into a thick sauce.
2. Remove the cranberry sauce from the heat and if desired add the ingredients from one of the options below.
3. Let cool, then move to a container with top. Refrigerate until well chilled, overnight if possible. Can be made up to a week in advance.

COSMO Cranberry:

• 1/3 cup vodka
• 3 TBS Grand Marnier (or other orange liquor)
• 1 TBS honey (sweet)

BOURBON Cranberry:

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (bitter, pungent)
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1 TBS honey (sweet)

For the kids, eliminate the alcohol, zest a whole orange, then squeeze the juice from it. Add with 1 TBS of honey to the cooked cranberries.

NOTE: You can reduce the amount of alcohol if you just want a hint of the flavor. Also, always cook with alcohol you would drink. It makes the end result so much better!

Pumpkin Pie with Almond Flour Crust

Did you know that if you eat according to the colors of the season, you will probably get a good dose of the nutrition your body needs? As the leaves start to change color in the fall, we think about golds, oranges, reds. Corresponding foods include pomegranates, squashes, beets, and carrots. Think about incorporating some of those into your meal plan this fall. And of course, don’t forget the pumpkin! Here is a grain-free and sugar-free pie.

Make an Almond Flour Crust, and while its cooling, make your filling:

• 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
• 1 TBS of Stevia powder or 15 drops of Stevia liquid
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2 eggs
• 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
• 12 oz can of evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk–too much sugar)

1. Stir together dry ingredients and set aside.
2. Beat eggs, then add pumpkin puree (and liquid stevia if using) and mix well. Add dry ingredients and combine.
3. Transfer to pie crust and bake in 415 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350, and bake for another 40 – 50 minutes until a knife inserted into the pie comes out clean.
4. Cool in a wire rack for 2 hours, then serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

This pie is yummy as is, but you can add freshly whipped cream, sweetened with a little vanilla, as a perfect topper for this delicious fall desert!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Chocolate decadence. Chocolate overdose. Chocolate chocolate. This recipe is my new favorite. I made it yesterday as muffins, but you could also bake it like a cake in a 9 x 9 pan. I topped mine with fresh whipped cream, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries and served it for dessert. It could have been serve all by itself, and I think the crowd still would have cheered. Yum yum yum.

• 2 cups of baking mix (sweet, salty)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (bitter)
• 2 TBS stevia powder (sweet)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (sweet)
• 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips (bitter, sweet)
• 1 cup yogurt (sweet, sour)
• 1/2 to 1 cup cream (or soy milk, half and half, or water) (sweet)
• 2 eggs (sweet)
• 1/4 cup of oil (sweet)
• 2 tsp vanilla (sweet)

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. Gently beat eggs in a medium bowl. Add yogurt, oil, vanilla and 1/2 cup of cream and combine.
4. Add to dry ingredients and mix. Add more milk if it seems too thick (it shouldn’t be runny like most cake mixes, but it should flow).
5. Fill lightly oiled or papered cupcake tins with batter.  Place in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the center of a muffin springs back when touched lightly.
6. Cool in tins for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.
7. Enjoy with whipped cream sweetened with a few drops of stevia and vanilla.

GWF Baking Mix is available at the Heavenly Bodies Clinic and through our online store.

Blueberry Lavender Scones

• 1 cup GWF Baking Mix (sweet, salty)
• 1 cup rolled oats (generous) (sweet)
• 6 TBS chilled salted butter, cut into squares (sweet)
• 1 beaten egg (sweet)
• 1/3 cup cream, buttermilk or soy milk (sweet)
• 3/4 cup dried blueberris (sweet, sour)
• 1 TBS edible lavender flowers (pungent, bitter)
• About 1/8 cup oat flour for kneading (sweet)
• Greek yogurt (optional) (sour)

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Mix the GWF baking mix and oats in a large bowl.  Cut in 6 TBS butter (an electric mixer makes it easy, but a fork works fine as well).  The lumps should be about pea-sized.
3. Combine the milk and the beaten egg, and then add to the flour mixture along with the blueberries and lavender flowers.  Mix until combined.
4. Turn out onto a floured board and knead gently until the dough is a bit stiff, but not crumbly.  Cut dough into 4 sections and form into 4 balls.  Cut those into 4 pieces, and retain shape (a little wedge).  Place onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes.
5. Transfer to a cooling rack, but do enjoy them warm with a dab of butter or Greek yogurt.  Yummy!

GWF Baking Mix is available at the Heavenly Bodies Clinic and through our online store.