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The Wonderful World of Watermelon

July 30, 2014 by Meg Sullivan Leave a Comment

Oh, thank you Ina Garten, I LOVE you! You made me a superstar and you didn’t even know it. I knew salads could be easy, but not THIS easy, beautiful, healthy and delicious. Before we get to the salad, let start with a few fun facts about watermelon.

WFL Watermelon

  • July is National Watermelon month! Try this amazing salad before the watermelons go out of season!
  • A Watermelon is actually a VEGETABLE – part of the gourd family. It is more closely related to a cucumber than a cantaloupe. I wish I knew this as a kid – I would have had NO problem getting my veggies down.
  • Although a watermelon is deliciously sweet, it contains only half the amount of sugar of an apple. The “sweet” taste is the strongest, because the rest is pretty much…water.
  • CAUTION Mama Wannas – Watermelon can inhibit semen production. You learn something new everyday…

So without further ado…on to the good stuff…   The Easiest Way to Cut a Watermelon   I haven’t mastered this technique just yet, but it’s still pretty easy, quick, and not nearly as messy as other ways I have used in the past. The pieces are also the perfect size for the salad.

The Freshest Salad of Summer – Arugula, Watermelon, Mint & Feta Summer Salad

Adapted from Food Network’s Ina Garten

 

WFL Watermelon Arugula Salad

 

For the vinaigrette:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

1/4 cup minced shallots (1 large)

1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

 

For the Salad:

6 cups baby arugula,washed and spun dry

1/8 th seedless watermelon, rind removed, and cut in 1-inch cubes

12 ounces good feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (purchase block – not crumbles)

1 cup (4 ounces) whole fresh mint leaves, julienned

 

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly.

Place the arugula, watermelon, feta, and mint in a bowl. Pour vinaigrette to coat the greens lightly and toss well. Enjoy!

Click here for the inspiration

Tell us what your family thinks of this salad!  Until next Wednesday,

Live your WHOLE life!

Meg + Shannon

 

 

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Evading the Time Bandit

July 23, 2014 by Meg Sullivan 1 Comment

This week has been so incredibly hectic! There’s so much change in progress that it makes my head spin just thinking about it. Two sisters are moving – one out of the country and one just a few blocks from their old digs. My little man is getting bigger by the hour and I have been married for 9 years, today!?!?   Where does the time go?

 “Time – when pursued like a bandit – will behave like one.”   – Elizabeth Gilbert  Eat, Pray, Love

This week, there have been such huge amounts of change, that I needed to (at least try to) cling to something constant. For me, this is my Meal Planning Process.

This ritual allows me to make sure that I am eating healthy, buzz in and out of the grocery store, try new recipes, have little to no food wasted, and enjoy the process. When I prepare and eat energizing foods, I am at the top of my game, can be most present, and appreciate time rather than treating it like a bandit.

WFL Week Meal Planning Program

 

Despite all of my best planning efforts, there are still days where I just can’t get it all in or we are celebrating and decide to head out to dinner or dig into our Multi Meal Stash (Example Recipe Here). It doesn’t happen too often, but when it does, I try to choose the best and healthiest option. With all of the moves going on + the first Whole Food Love professional photo shoot, my kitchen was a bit out of sorts and the thought of cooking even a quick meal was exhausting.  There is no secret, except to choose the BEST + HEALTHIEST OPTION.

If you find that you heave a hectic period coming up or are looking to begin a routine, I challenge you to try the Weekly Meal Planning Process for 2 weeks and see how freeing routine can be. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment.

Until next week…

Live your WHOLE life!

Meg + Shannon

 

 

 

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To Soy or not to Soy?

July 16, 2014 by Meg Sullivan 2 Comments

En route home from an awesome weekend in sunny San Francisco, I passed the standard airport Starbucks. I stopped in to grab a bottle of water before my flight and couldn’t help but overhear the conversation in front of me. A woman ordered a Cafe Mocha, she smiled at the barista and said “Soy milk please, gotta stay healthy.” Less than 2 minutes later in the newsstand across the aisle, I glanced at a headline from Shape magazine: 20 Soy-Free Recipes to Keep You Healthy!

What gives??? There is a ton of confusion out there about whether or not soy is good for you- so much in fact that a few years ago I stopped eating soy altogether. Complete avoidance seemed easier than digging through the maddening maze of information. When I really started looking for it, I found that soy (or soy protein isolate) is used in a LOT of “foods”:

–       soy milk (duh)

–       most protein bars

–       salad dressings

–       frozen desserts

–       prep-packaged dinners

–       meat substitutes (tofurkey, soyrizo, etc.)

WFL Garlic Parmesan Roasted Soy Nuts

Nutrition experts refer to this processed, packaged, unrecognizable, concentrated soy supplement food as Frankensoy. I’ve seen a ton of contradictory claims out there about the dangers versus benefits of soy products. Everyone from Dr. Oz to Dr. Weil has an opinion and, lately, every health and fitness magazine has featured an article on this controversial little bean.

So what is the reason for such opposing views, you ask? The answer is the KIND of soy!   The leading authorities in nutrition and health agree:

you have to choose the right kind of soy to reap soy’s true benefits

Like most foods, the real health advantages come from the WHOLE food. Asian cultures, including some of the longest living people in the world, have been eating whole soy foods (in reasonable amounts) on a regular basis for centuries. Since soy is one of the most genetically engineered crop on the planet, make sure you choose whole soy foods including organic AND non-GMO

–       Edamame

–       Tofu

–       Soy nuts

–       Tempeh

–       Miso

–       Soy milk (without carrageenan, a thickening agent)

 

These whole forms of unrefined soy are the ones providing the amazing health benefits. Several hundred studies have linked phytochemicals present in whole soy foods to prevent heart disease and several forms of cancer. Soy is also a complete protein, which means our body can readily use it. This magic bean has been shown to reduce menopausal symptoms and is associated with increased longevity. The experts recommend eating soy in moderation and avoid the overly-processed “Frankensoy” products.

The bottom line: Don’t believe everything you hear + when choosing soy products make sure you go for:

1)   Organic

2)   Non-GMO

3)   WHOLE soy (avoid soy protein isolate)

4)   Moderation (3 servings/week or less)

Let us know how your body responds! Note that breastfeeding mothers, adolescent boys, or those with thyroid disease should consult a doctor before increasing their intake of soy.

Try our simple Parmesan Garlic Roasted Soy Nut recipe below (and if you have a sensitivity, just swap soy beans for chickpeas) to reap all the benefits of a WHOLE soy food.

WFL Organic black soy beans

Live your WHOLE Life,

Shannon and Meg

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Soy Nuts or Chickpeas

Ingredients:

1 can Organic black soy beans or Chickpeas

2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. EVOO (use sparingly)

2 tsp. Garlic powder (adjust quantity to your desired taste)

Sea salt to taste

 

STEP 1:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If using chickpeas, preheat oven to 400 degrees.)

STEP 2:  Rinse & drain the soybeans and dry thoroughly with a towel.

STEP 3:  Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spread the soy beans out. Drizzle with olive oil, freshly grated parmesan, and garlic powder as desired. Season with sea salt and pop in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

STEP 4:  Every 5 minutes, be sure to check on the beans and stir as necessary to prevent burning

STEP 5:  After about 25 minutes, or when they look crunchy, take out, let cool and enjoy!

WFL Garlic Parmesan Chickpea Poppers

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Whole Food Love’s Raw Spinach Hummus as Featured Recipe!

July 10, 2014 by Meg Sullivan 2 Comments

Thank You Ladies!  Whole Food Love is incredibly PROUD + EXCITED to have our Raw Spinach Hummus recipe featured on the “Ways to Use Fresh Produce” Link Up!  The ladies of What’s Cooking With Ruthie, Bakerette, My Kitchen Escapades, and Made From Pinterest scoured over hundreds of recipes to find the healthiest and most delicious ways to keep nature close at the dining table.  We are so grateful to be amongst such great company.

Ways to Use Fresh Produce - Whole Food Love

With much gratitude,

Shannon and Meg

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Sugar Shakes Feelin’ like Earthquakes? The Power of Protein

July 9, 2014 by Meg Sullivan 1 Comment

WFL Easy Power Protein Muffins2

I vividly remember the first time that I felt an earthquake in San Diego. I was working in one of the top floors of a downtown high rise. I got up to bring a file to a colleague and thought I was about to faint!

It was not until I saw that “I’m Still Standing” (thank you Sir Elton John) + everybody else’s surprise + the overhead lights shaking that I realized what had just happened. A real earthquake! Growing up in Chicago, we had practiced tornado drills, but NEVER drills for earthquakes!

Whenever I felt that shaky feeling after that experience, I always checked the lights above to see if it was me or another earthquake. Thankfully, with the exception of a few times, it has been me and it was because of the breakfast I chose.

What do you usually have for breakfast? Coffee + donuts? Yogurt? An all fruit smoothie? Cereal?

Have you ever felt those jitters an hour or two after eating breakfast? They used to hit me between 9:00AM and 9:30AM and would have me reaching for just about anything that I could find.

The effect that carbohydrates and more specifically sugars (a type of carbohydrate) have on the body is that they are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream. Brain cells need glucose for energy, but in response to this sudden increase in sugar, the pancreas begins to release insulin.   Insulin allows cells to use and store the glucose, which results in a rapid drop in glucose. The brain cells no longer have their energy source as it as been absorbed into the cells and this leaves you feeling light-headed, shaky, and weak.

Eating simple sugars in the absence of protein and fiber is a recipe for Type II diabetes! There are easy measures that we can take to prevent these sensations and have you leaving the tremors to Mother Earth.

1.)   Eat more protein! Protein takes longer for the body to breakdown. 30g of protein should keep you feeling satiated and full for 3 – 4 hours.

NO sugar high = NO Jitters

2.)   How much protein? A few years back, I worked with an amazing and knowledgeable trainer that completely redeveloped my food plan. At 5’9 and 149 pounds, I should be eating 110gram – 150grams of protein each day.   I always felt satiated and NEVER felt hungry when I followed this rule. This also kept away the light-headed and weak feelings. (My current intake has increased slightly since having my little guy, continuing to breastfeed, and weighing a few pounds more during my post-baby slim down.)

3.)   But I LOVE Carbs… If you choose to have sugars (yes, even fruit!) make sure that you pair it with fiber or protein. This means avoid the juice and eat the whole fruit and consider a scoop of almond butter as your paired protein. We want to slow down the absorption of the sugar to a speed that the body can handle.   We don’t want a sugar shot into the bloodstream and insulin backlash!

4.)   What should I eat instead? Try our EASY Power Protein Breakfast Muffins or try adding a scoop of protein powder to your morning smoothie. Who needs a power nap when you have a power breakfast

WFL Easy Power Protein Breakfast Muffins Collage

We love the Jarrow French Vanilla protein available at Whole Foods or All Star Health.

Let us know how you stave off those sugar lows and stay tuned for our upcoming blog on some additional ways to incorporate protein into lunch and dinner.

Live your WHOLE life!
Meg and Shannon

 

EASY Power Protein Breakfast Muffins

Serving size = 1 muffin, recipe makes 4

1 cup whole oats

5 large egg whites

1 large whole egg

½ scoop vanilla protein powder (or flavor of your choice)

½ tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. almond butter (optional “frosting”)

12 dark chocolate chips (optional)

 

STEP 1:   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

STEP 2:  Blend first 5 ingredients together for 30 seconds (through vanilla extract).

STEP 3:  Spray a muffin pan with PAM and divvy up the batter into 4 muffins.

STEP 4:  Place in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

STEP 5:  Remove from oven and “frost” with almond butter or melted chocolate chips.  Let cool and serve!

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Ho-Hum Hummus? Try this Spinach Twist

July 1, 2014 by Meg Sullivan 9 Comments

Whole Food Love Raw Spinach Hummus 5

Thanks so much for joining us for our first video blog!  We are excited to bring you one of the quickest, easiest, and HEALTHIEST recipes for homemade spinach hummus.

One of the reasons that I LOVE this recipe is that I can literally make it in less than 5 minutes. I have made it a few minutes before running out the door for a girls night in and have also made it moments before we had friends over for dinner.

It’s also great for dipping veggies and using as a spread on sandwiches and wraps.  We will keep this post short and sweet so that you can enjoy the video below!

Whole Food Love Raw Spinach Hummus

RAW SPINACH HUMMUS

2 (15.5 oz) cans of no-salt-added chickpeas (garbazo beans), drained and rinsed

2 Garlic cloves, crushed and minced

½ Cup water

1 – 2 Heaping Tablespoons Tahini (sesame seed paste)

3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 Tablespoons EVOO

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 Cups Spinach

 

STEP 1: Crush garlic cloves and let sit.

STEP 2: Place beans in food processor or blender , pulse 8 times.

STEP 3: Add ½ Cup water, garlic, Tahini, lemon juice, EVOO, salt, and pepper; blend until smooth.

STEP 4: Add spinach and blend until desired consistency reached.

STEP5: Enjoy!

 

 

WFL Raw Spinach Hummus 6

 

Let us know how this compares to your store bought hummus and leave a comment.

Live your WHOLE life!

Meg & Shannon

 

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2 Steps to a Dish Free Life!

June 25, 2014 by Meg Sullivan 2 Comments

 

WFL Chipotle Black Bean Burgers

As anyone who has ever lived with me can tell you, I HATE DOING DISHES. Sign me up to clean counters, take out the trash, vacuum, clean the bathroom or even scrub the toilet. But dishes: blah!

Years ago when I made the commitment to my own health, I went from Subway lunches and frozen Lean Cuisine dinners to homemade quinoa veggie bowls and green protein smoothies. The first week I prepared every lunch at home and cooked each single-serving dinner…and because I was working MORE than full time I ended up with a full belly and a sink full of dishes. I got excited to cook, thoroughly enjoyed my meal and then had no energy (or motivation) to do the dirty work. Have you ever left dirty dishes in the sink for a week? Probably not- because that’s absolutely disgusting (I know from experience)! Well sometimes I hid my disgust for dishes under the premise of “letting them soak” or waiting for a full dishwasher. Whatever the excuse I used, the idea of spending precious “after-work” time cleaning pots and pans every day was a real obstacle in my new healthy lifestyle.

I know that preparing my own meals with all the best ingredients is one of the best choices I can make for my long-term health and wellness. So I found myself in a dilemma: opt for the prepackaged convenient and highly processed frozen meal (with no cleanup) or bust out the pots and pans, make them very dirty and make my own meal? I knew the healthiest decision was the latter.

So to avoid the shivers I get at the thought of doing dishes EVERYDAY, I developed a Golden Rule for my kitchen. Cook ONCE, Eat TWICE (or 8 times as you’ll see below). I solved my problem of eating healthy and avoiding the daily dish wash. Here’s how it works:

 

WFL Chipotle BB Veggie Burgers

#1: Choose a meal that you can make to have for dinner, leftovers for lunch, or even freeze and come back to in a month or two!

#2: Make the meal in bulk and then divide into single servings (great example is with soup- I freeze it in mason jars as individual portions)

#3: Enjoy the extra free time you have !

Now while I still don’t have the funds to hire a human dishwasher, I only have to worry about dishes once or twice a week AND am still putting the best quality food into my body.

I’ve been able to use this mantra for making veggie burgers, homemade soups, egg frittatas, desserts and more. Now I spend less time in the kitchen and have more time to spend with my family, friends, and pup!

Have a meal that you can cook once and eat twice? Share it with us in the comments.

Live your WHOLE life!

 

Shannon & Meg

 

HAPPY COW CHIPOTLE BLACK BEAN VEGGIE BURGERS W/ ADOBO SAUCE 

2 (15 oz.) cans low-sodium black beans, rinsed & drained

4 Tbsp. EVOO

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 large bell pepper, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped plus 1 tsp. sauce

½ cup finely crumbled feta cheese

1 whole egg

1 slice sprouted bread (toasted and very finely chopped, to resemble bread crumbs)

Toppings as desired: avocado, fried egg, tomato, hummus (great topper)

 

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spread with beans. Place in oven and roast until beans are mostly split (about 20 minutes).

Step 2: While the beans are in the oven, heat 2 Tbsp. EVOO in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add in onion and bell pepper, stirring until softened (about 5 mins). Add garlic and stir (about 2 mins). Add chipotle chili and sauce and stir (about 30 seconds). Transfer to large mixing bowl.

Step 3: Combine the feta cheese and black beans in a food processor and pulse until beans are roughly chopped (about 1/3 of the full bean in size). NOTE: If you don’t have a food processor you can use a fork or potato masher to work the beans and feta cheese together. Add the bean & cheese mixture to the bowl with onions and peppers. Add egg and sprouted breadcrumbs to bowl and season with salt and pepper. Fold together gently but thoroughly with hands.

Step 4: Form bean mixture into 6-8 patties. Heat 1 Tbsp. of EVOO in a pan over medium heat. Add patties (as many as you want for dinner tonight) and cook, swirling the oil in the pan occasionally. Flip after 5 minutes, until each side is browned.

Step 5: Enjoy! Add your favorite toppings to the delicious Happy Cow Black Bean Burger. You can use lightly toasted sprouted bread as a bun, spread with hummus, avocado, fried egg or the standard lettuce, tomato and onion.

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: Arrange patties on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and place in freezer until fully frozen (about 1 hour). Take baking sheet out of freezer, and stack frozen burgers, with parchment paper in between. Place in freezer Ziploc bag and return to freezer. Voila!

 

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Organic, Baby?

June 18, 2014 by Meg Sullivan 2 Comments

I am truly at a crossroads… Crossroads of this importance have been few and far between in my life. Up until this point, my major life decisions have been where to go to college, is it the right time to get married to the love of my life, and are we open to trying for a baby?

Well, I loved my time at Villanova University, the love of my life and I are still going strong 9 years later, and you guessed it …the little guy finally came in December!   So where are the crossroads you ask?

Well we just hit the six-month mark and have been cleared to begin incorporating “solid foods” into the little guy’s diet. I had already decided that I would try to prep as much as I could at home with the exceptions being the rice cereal that all babies seem to start on and the times that we travel and don’t have access to all of our baby food making supplies. But the true question is how important is organic, especially when it comes to a baby?

I never explored the idea of “organic” until 2009. Up until then, I was barely able to prepare my own meals from scratch let alone worry whether the actual ingredients were organic or not. To be honest, I didn’t even know what “organic” technically meant. Sure it sounds healthier, but is it really worth the additional cost?

After quite a bit of research I found, the USDA defines organic food to be produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

Without getting into specifics and in order keep things simple, I think that we can all agree that the closer we get to nature, the better. If you could choose between an apple the HAS been treated with pesticides vs. an apple that has NOT, you likely would choose that apple that has not been treated.

WFL Apple Organic

However, the apple that has not been treated is probably a bit more expensive. Is the absence of these chemicals worth the additional cost?

The EPA reports that pesticides can interfere with the nervous, hormone and endocrine systems, and act as carcinogens in the body. Produce that is grown organically has less fungicide, herbicide, and insecticide residue (more expensive to monitor). Rinsing our fruits & veggies will reduce but not eliminate pesticides. So in an ideal world, we would all buy local, organic produce all the time, but for many of us, organic produce may not be available or may not be within our budget.

 

I like to use the DIRTY DOZEN and the CLEAN 15 as my rule of thumb.

 

The DIRTY DOZEN is list of produce has also been tested and contains the HIGHEST amounts of harmful pesticide residue that penetrates the skin and is not easily scrubbed away. If possible, aim to buy the following organic:

  1. Apples
  2. Celery
  3. Strawberries
  4. Peaches
  5. Spinach
  6. Nectarines
  7. Grapes
  8. Sweet Bell Peppers
  9. Potatoes
  10. Blueberries
  11. Lettuce
  12. Kale/Collard Green

The produce listed in the CLEAN 15 can be purchased conventionally (not organic) because it has been tested to have the LEAST amount of pesticide residue.

  1. Onions
  2. Corn
  3. Pineapple
  4. Avocado
  5. Asparagus
  6. Sweet Peas
  7. Mango
  8. Eggplant
  9. Cantaloupe
  10. Kiwis
  11. Cabbage
  12. Watermelon
  13. Sweet Potatoes
  14. Grapefruit
  15. Mushrooms

Save money on the Clean 15 produce so that you can splurge with organic produce from the Dirty Dozen.

Although not exact, another rule of thumb you can use, is that if the produce has a peel such as an orange or a banana, you can consider getting these items conventionally (not organic) as you can “peel off” much of the pesticide residue.

As Robyn O’Brien mentioned in her piece for the Prevention and The Food Revolution Network:

Admittedly, the high price of organic food can irritate anyone.  But the scrutiny that these foods undergo is enormous and expensive, driving prices at the cash register and for those producing them on the farm. Why the costs?  Because the cost structure on our food supply offers taxpayer-funded resources called subsidies to the farmers using genetically engineered seeds and saturating crops in insecticides and weed killers, while charging the organic farmers fees to prove that their crops are safe.”

So now that you know the rule of thumb that I do for myself, what about prepping food for baby?

Up until now the only food that has touched his lips is Mama’s milk.   There is a pristine little digestive system that has been untouched by modern food processing methods, pesticides, and GMO’s and I would like to keep it that way. For now, it is organic all the way for this little guy.

 

Don't worry!  We're not eating kale yet.  Just feeling different textures and exploring colors.

Don’t worry! We’re not eating organic kale yet. Just feeling different textures and exploring colors.

Stay tuned for our money saving ways to stretch your dollar the farthest when it comes to buying organics.   Until then…

Live your WHOLE life!

 

Meg & Shannon

 

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What does your salad dressing have in common with Janet Jackson?

June 11, 2014 by Meg Sullivan 2 Comments

I’ll admit it, I’m a control freak and I have been since I was a little kid. I have always like things done a very specific way. I’ve been doing my own laundry, in my own particular way, since second grade! Some people bring their laundry home to mom or have a pickup service, but the idea gives me the heebie-jeebies! What if they do it wrong?!

While this need for control has caused a set back or two in some parts of my life, it works great when it comes to my health regime. Like Janet’s hit 1986 album, I am in CONTROL of my health and one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to do this is when I monitor what I put into my body….at EVERY meal!

Screen Shot 2014-06-11 at 12.20.28 AM

When I eat a whole food, I know exactly what the ingredients are…the actual food! When I eat processed foods, it’s a guessing game. There are a lot of hidden ingredients, ones that we would NEVER expect to be in food. (I actually think of most processed foods as “non foods”.)

Take salad dressing for example: check out the ingredients in your favorite store bought salad dressing. Does it contain high fructose corn syrup? MSG? Trans fats? Titanium dioxide? How about Propylene Glycol Alginate (a chemical which is also used in pesticides and antifreeze)? When ingested, PGA inhibits our body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Simply put, using a salad dressing with PGA can negate all the nutrients in the salad greens and veggies!

Screen Shot 2014-06-11 at 12.28.48 AM

The good news is that you have the ability to CONTROL what you eat. Instead of getting frustrated about all the miscellaneous and potentially hazardous materials (that I can’t pronounce) in my food, I choose to take matters into my own “control freak” hands and make the foods myself, from whole foods, in my own clean kitchen (well except for all those dishes).

At Whole Food Love, we give you simple tools that empower you to make easy, healthier swaps! If you’ve ever stirred noodles, whisked an egg, or shaken orange juice you can make your own salad dressing! Your homemade salad dressing will be much tastier and contain ONLY the ingredients you decide.

If you like a light vinaigrette stick with olive oil and your favorite balsamic vinegar. When I’m craving a creamy ranch or thousand island dressing, here is one of my favorite and quick go to recipes for the best homemade salad dressing recipe –  a healthy 5 ingredient honey mustard:

WFL Healthy Honey Mustard

HHM (Healthy Honey Mustard)

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp. honey

½ Tbsp. water

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and drizzle over salad.  Enjoy!

 

To get what you want, bust a beat like Janet, and get back in Control. Remember when it has to do with your life, you want be the one in control! Stay tuned for my favorite “go to” salads that I pair it with HHM.

What food would you like to stop buying in the store and prepare yourself? Leave us a comment and sign up for our future blogs to see how we can make your recipe, quick and easy using whole ingredients.

Live your WHOLE life!

Shannon & Meg

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The BEST Low-Cal Drink I Ever Had!

June 4, 2014 by Meg Sullivan Leave a Comment

Thank you so much for joining us here!  We are so incredibly excited to have you with us to launch our site!  Whole Food Love is the dream of two sisters who have always had a passion for health, but took a few detours, before ultimately finding the right path, which allowed us to pursue health education, cooking, research, and counseling full time.

What will I find in this blog and why should I read it? 

We look forward to sharing our triumphs and struggles with trying to prepare and eat healthy delicious food (Oh yes – and also getting our family to eat this way.)  We also look forward to bringing you amazing recipes for dinners (and of course desserts will be included), juicing, smoothies, cooking tips, health education, money saving tips at the grocery store and even some organizing and scheduling ideas.

Eating clean healthy food takes time, but with the right amount of planning and prep, it can become fun instead of daunting – when you start BASIC.  In honor of this being our first blog post, we wanted to start with THE MOST BASIC of the basic…WATER.

So how is water the best low-cal drink I ever had?  Well, after adding a few things to my glass, it is ultimately a pitcher of homemade Lemon Mint Spa Water that changed the entire trajectory of my life.

We all know that water is good for us, that we should drink more and that H2O contributes to

  • Better Skin
  • Better Hydration of the cells and myofascial tissue
  • Increased efficiency of our organs

But what are some other reasons, how much should we drink, and what can we do when do when it is difficult to drink as much water as we need, Oh and HOW did this low cal drink of water change my life?

Well, let me take you back to the day that the idea of Whole Food Love began…

My sister Shannon and I had just recently been introduced to Masuru Emoto’s Hidden Messages in Water.  A book with beautiful pictures that documents how water exposed to loving and kind thoughts crystallize completely differently than water exposed to a hateful or negative atmosphere.  The water exposed to the caring environments crystallizes in beautiful and symmetrical snowflakes – truly beautiful to see. The water that is exposed to negativity crystallizes into shapeless and irregular forms.

Emoto HMW  Emoto Snowflakes

All of this talk of water got us a little bit thirsty and instead of turning to plain  water, we decided to make a pitcher of Lemon Mint Spa Water.  (See recipe below).

An interesting fact about water and how much your body needs it – Human embryos are 95% water, newborns are 75% water, and most elderly people are 50% water!  So please, try to get your daily intake.  A good rule of thumb is to try drinking at least as many ounces of water as ½ your body weight in lbs.

Example:  If you are 150 lbs. you should make it a goal to drink at least 75 oz of water per day.

Maybe it was all the good vibes coming from the Lemon Mint Spa Water, but, WOW did we get inspired!   We both had passions for fitness, food, and the link between nutrition and health.   (We also both have a passion for saving money but we will save that for another post!)

We had both previously worked in hectic high stress jobs – the life of CPA’s – that did not leave a lot of time for preparing food at home and knew that it was time for a change.  We decided that the combination of Shannon’s nutritional training and food preparation expertise + my ability to organize and plan could be developed into a streamlined program and thus the idea of WHOLE FOOD LOVE was born.

After research, seminars, kitchen experiments, we have discovered, tweaked, and created the most delicious, healthy, and nutrient dense meals (and did I mention desserts) that can be prepared for you and your family.

So make yourself a pitcher of Lemon Mint Spa Water, curl up with a good book or visit with a close friend, and make a positive decision that will change the trajectory of YOUR life!

Share your decision with us in the comment section below!

 

Live your WHOLE life!

Meg & Shannon

 

LEMON MINT SPA WATER

6 Cups of chilled mineral/spring water

8 slices of thinly sliced cucumber

4 thin slices of lemon

4 thin slices of lime

4 sprigs of fresh mint (crushed)

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (crushed)

 

Combine all ingredients and chill for at least 2 hours.   Pour over ice and enjoy!

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