How I Won the Battle with Depression and Got off Antidepressants – and a Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie with 3000 mg of Omega 3′s

Articles and Reading, Beverage, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Food Find, Gluten Free, Gratitude, Kid Friendly, Quick and Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 9 Responses »

Apr 222013

I felt like a three ton weight was pressing on my shoulders and wanted to just lie in my darkened closet and not come out.

One of the hardest parts was that I looked normal.

Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie

It is not easy to share the details of my life in a public forum like this, in fact I’ve had this post written for a while and continued to put off posting it because I just wasn’t sure I wanted to put it out there, but I’m going to do so in the hopes that I might be able to help someone else.

My life was (and is) seemingly perfect. I have a supporting and loving family, husband and daughter, a wonderful home, a job, I have figured out my passion, I have all my limbs and hey, I live in Florida, how bad can things actually be?

I was suffering from major depression. What made it worse was that I should NOT be depressed, right? I should have felt only happiness and gratitude. And I DID, but I also had a cloud that hung over my head and no matter how much I tried to talk myself out of it, read positive books, think positive thoughts, it would still be there. It was so bad that I would cry almost every day on the way on the drive to work and many days on the way home. When I got to work I would blow my nose, put some cover-up around my eyes, slap on some powder and put my glasses on to cover it up. I was exhausted all the time, so much so that it felt like physical pain. I would tell my mom this almost daily. Mom I’m so tired it hurts.

I had an aging (and very noisy) Labrador, Madison, that would wake me at night and afterwards I wouldn’t fall back to sleep which made the exhaustion worse. One particular weekend stands out in my memory. Some friends, Matt and Stephanie, came in town and several couples were going out for dinner. My hubby was busy doing something that I can’t recall so I was going to go myself. I put on a beautiful new dress that had the colors of the ocean, blues and greens, and drove to my friend Justine’s house 45 minutes away from mine to see them. Everyone was chatting and gathering their things to head to dinner. I tried to put on my game face but I was so worn down that I was wrestling with myself. Just suck it up and go, you’ll be fine. And the next thought, I’m so tired it hurts. I just want to sit at home and wallow. The exhaustion won. I said I’m so sorry, I can’t do it. I have to go home. I’m exhausted. I envisioned everyone mentally rolling their eyes at me. Of course they weren’t, but I was so embarrassed. I’m still embarrassed about that day and sad that I missed seeing Matt and Steph. I was too young to be that tired. Anyone is too young to be that tired.

That memory always fades into another; my husband and I were staying in St Augustine to celebrate the “February Birthdays” with about five other couples, and I was so worried about even making it to dinner, never mind out afterwards for drinks and music. I was so tired that I wanted to forgo dinner at the Floridian and just stay in my hotel room at the Edgewater by myself. I drank two red energy drinks and one and a half of those little energy bottles and was still exhausted. I was so embarrassed that I would resort to drinking such chemicals when I have a food blog about eating a healthy, plant based diet.

Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie

I was on the highest dosage of Bupropion I could be on and I had tried many of the other antidepressants. Nothing seemed to work. My poor mom is a saint for listening to me through all the crying.

On a particularly dark day I said enough was enough and called my physician to see if she would increase my dosage again. I told her I just want to be a zombie. Get through the day. Go home. I don’t want to feel this weight any more. She said no. You are on the highest dosage. It can not be increased any more, Dawn. I cried about that.

My hair was falling out so I fired my hair dresser thinking that he had over-processed my hair.

Then one day I got an email from my mom’s neurology nurse practitioner, Megan. (My mom has Multiple Sclerosis.) Megan, asked me if I would do a talk on food, nutrition, recipes and my CSA (KyV Farm) for her MS group she runs and I told her of course, I would love to. She said my mom had been telling her about my food blog and she got very excited because she is vegetarian.

Things would come up and I didn’t get around to it, but we continued to talk and become friends. She became a regular follower of my blog and we would occasionally discuss recipes offline.

A while later I did a few posts about flax and chia seed. Once again she contacted me and said she saw I was eating chia seeds. I said yes, and told her how I was eating lots of organic chia and freshly ground flax daily. She asked if I had tried Mila, a raw seed blend. I said no and asked if it is organically grown and non GMO. She said yes to organic and no to GMO. She said I’d be happy to share some with you. I said as long as it’s one ingredient and is a whole, raw food, send it on over. I’d try it.

A few days later I got a large bag of seeds. Being the health nut that I am I cracked it open and began eating it. About three weeks into it I noticed better digestion, more energy and I was falling back to sleep after Madison woke me up at night. Hmm…well that was nice. The seeds I was eating before hadn’t had the same effects. I started getting low and asked her for more. About three months into eating it I noticed something about my depression. Not that I wasn’t getting upset, but that I wasn’t crying all the time. I seemed to be able to get over the hump easier.

Eager to get off any pharmaceuticals, I decided to cut out one day a week of taking them, after a week or two I cut out two days. And so on and so forth.

After a few months I was completely off pharmaceutical antidepressants, and for some reason I didn’t put two and two together. But I finally thought about it and the ONLY thing I had changed was this food.

I did some research. I found many studies about high amounts of Omega 3’s helping the symptoms of depression. The blend I was eating has 3000mg per serving, I know other brands do as well, but for some reason the organic kind I was eating before didn’t touch the depression.

The fact that I had no idea this was one of the “side effects” of eating this whole, raw food until after I was off the meds was what really moved me.

My hair started growing back in. I didn’t realize that many people experience hair loss on high dosages of antidepressants, so now that I was off them, my hair started growing back. Now, over a year later, I don’t even take one medication, my weight is lower and I have more energy. I can’t remember the last time I drank a disgusting red energy drink or took those little energy bottles. I have a cup or two of coffee in the morning because I enjoy it, and that’s all I need. I get up between 4:15 and 4:40 am and typically get to bed around 9 or 10 pm.

I’m so thankful that Megan sent me that purple bag of seeds that was so different than everything I had tried before that I think of her daily with gratitude.

The best part is that the three ton weight is gone. And I’m happy to say I finally did do that talk for the MS group and had a great time.

This is my story. I’m not embellishing or exaggerating. I still absolutely do get upset about things but am able to deal with them a bit better and find my moods much more even. I did join the business with Megan in order to share information about my story and the food that helped me so much and I’m so proud to represent it. I tell people about it like a good movie or good restaurant. If they want to try some, great and if not, that is fine too. I am NOT by any means saying that what I found will cure anything whatsoever, and I’m NOT giving any advice on how to get off antidepressants, all I know is my own experience and how it helped me. Everyone’s bodies are different and react differently to foods. Please also notice that I said it took THREE months. If I had been expecting the effects of this food I probably would have gotten impatient. Because I didn’t know this was a benefit of this food, it was like an added bonus. And what a bonus!

All I ask is that you treat yourself with love and consider the side effects of taking any sort of pharmaceutical BEFORE you start. Your doctor will most likely NOT try to treat any ailment through food and nutrition before going to pharmaceuticals. There are a very few like Megan and if you have found one, hold on to them like gold.

I have no idea what other ailments my body was suffering from those high dosages of antidepressants, not to mention the energy drinks but I am so thankful, every day, that I found this food.

If you have questions about my experience please contact me at chefdawn (at) hotmail.com.

“If you’re concerned about your health, you should probably avoid products that make health claims. Why? Because a health claim on a food product is a strong indication it’s not really food, and food is what you want to eat.”
― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie

Sunny Mila Dreamsicle Smoothie

Serves 1
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup vanilla almond milk
2 mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned
1/2 frozen banana, chopped
1 scoop (2 Tbsp) Mila
**If using unsweet vanilla almond milk, you can add a bit of agave, honey or sweetener of choice

Directions

1. Blend everything together and enjoy!

“While it is true that many people simply can’t afford to pay more for food, either in money or time or both, many more of us can. After all, just in the last decade or two we’ve somehow found the time in the day to spend several hours on the internet and the money in the budget not only to pay for broadband service, but to cover a second phone bill and a new monthly bill for television, formerly free. For the majority of Americans, spending more for better food is less a matter of ability than priority. p.187”

― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving

Calories 252.4
Total Fat 6.8 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 184.5 mg
Potassium 460.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 43.9 g
Dietary Fiber 11.2 g
Sugars 28.2 g
Protein 6.5 g

Vitamin A 10.8 %
Vitamin B-6 14.6 %
Vitamin C 7.7 %
Vitamin D 25.0 %
Vitamin E 50.7 %
Calcium 53.3 %
Copper 4.6 %
Folate 2.4 %
Iron 10.9 %
Magnesium 7.7 %
Manganese 20.9 %
Niacin 1.4 %
Pantothenic Acid 1.3 %
Phosphorus 14.0 %
Riboflavin 5.0 %
Selenium 0.8 %
Thiamin 1.5 %
Zinc 0.6 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Tofu Xpress Giveaway and an Easy Saucy Kale and Tofu Sandwich

Dairy Free, Dressing, Egg Free, Food Find, Gratitude, High Protein, Lighter Fare, Main Meal, Native Sun Recipe, Quick and Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Vegan, Vegetarian 37 Responses »

Feb 042013

For my Kale and Tofu Sandwich scroll down!

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And the winner of the giveaway is #13 Anna Rabhan! Please check out her article at her website the Organic Adventurer on Palm Oil and Orangutans.

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The long ago day when I overheard people talking about the book the China Study was the day that changed my life. I had already been leaning towards a plant based diet, but the facts about the proteins in animals and dairy scared me enough to finally make that change. The authors studied the instances of cancer, diabetes and heart disease in populations of rural China that ate little to no animal foods. They then took these findings back and performed laboratory studies where they found they could turn on and turn off cancer cells with the addition of the protein found in milk.

Even if it isn’t true the more I ask questions and facts I learn about the treatment of animals, especially dairy cows in most of the commercial farming industry, the happier I am that I found this book and the more I celebrate plant proteins like tofu, tempeh and legumes! Do you ever wonder…..What happens when it is time to retire that dairy cow? What happens to the male goats? What about male chicks in the egg industry? How do we harvest down and foie gras?

Ultimately each person is free to make their own decisions absolutely free of judgement. I encourage all of us to simply make informed decisions. Just like in all areas of life, it is so important to edcuate ourselves on the facts as best we can and then select what is right for us.

For those of you that are thinking about adding more plant based foods into your diet but don’t know what to do with tofu, the first thing you need to know is that you have to press the water out of it to get a firm texture that is reminiscent of animal protein. You can do this by putting a bunch of paper towels under the tofu and placing two plates, one on top and one on bottom, and topping with some weight (usually heavy books work well) for an hour up to overnight. OR you can get this super easy tofu press! My tofu press I bought from TofuXpress years ago is one of my all time favorite kitchen gadgets that gets used at least weekly. I can’t tell you how much I love this thing! No more plates and messy towels – this press will not only press the water out, you can marinate right in it!

TofuXpress Giveaway from FCC!

I am so excited to bring you a giveaway of a TofuXpress!

This press is a $40 value and I will ship to anywhere is the continental US.

To enter for THREE chances to win – tell all your friends!

Leave one comment: Entry #1 What is your favorite kitchen gadget? (Please share the love and share this giveaway with your friends!)

Leave a second comment: Entry #2 Like Florida Coastal Cooking on facebook AND share about the giveaway (If you are already a follower, thank you! Please simply share the giveaway and leave the comment you did so.)

Leave a third comment: Entry #3 Follow Florida Coastal Cooking on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway (If you are already a follower, thank you! Please simply share the giveaway and leave the comment you did so.)

The giveaway will end in one week on Monday, February 11th, 2013 5:30AM EST

Good luck!

Saucy Kale and Tofu Sandwich

This is one of my favorite ways to eat pressed tofu – SIMPLE, with kale, seasonings and a great dressing. Lately a kale, tofu and Annie’s Light Goddess dressing salad is all I bring for lunch. The great thing is that the hearty kale can stand up to being dressed that morning so I don’t have to worry about it turning to mush and at the same time it can marinate to the tofu. Yesterday for lunch I decided to try it as a sandwich and it was really good. The toasted bun gives it a nice crunch and the flavor of the Annie’s dressing is a soy/tahini/cider vinegar base which gives it a nutty and slightly salty flavor.

It is important to season firm, pressed and uncooked tofu because, just like any animal protein, it needs some flavor. Have you ever tried an unseasoned piece of chicken? I remember what it tastes like – bleck!

If you are not sure about leaving the tofu uncooked – you can marinate it in the dressing and then roast, grill or pan sear it.

Saucy Kale and Tofu Sandwich

Easy Saucy Kale and Tofu Sandwich

Serves 1
Vegan
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 bagel thin, I used Rudis Whole Wheat Flatz
2 curly kale leaves
1/4 block pressed organic tofu
Coarse sea salt, fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp Annie’s Light Goddess Dressing

Directions

1. Toast bagel thin; top with 1 kale leaf; top with tofu; sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder and dressing; top with remaining kale leaf.

Full Nutrition info not available for this recipe
Estimated
225 cals
12.8 grams protein
1/2 your daily calcium
Enjoy my Easy Saucy Kale and Tofu Sandwich!

Outrageously Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna (Healthy and Naturally Vegan and Gluten Free)

Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Food Find, Gluten Free, Main Meal, Native Sun Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian 10 Responses »

Jan 212013

This recipe is gonna blow your mind.

Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Oh so cheesy and creamy and SUPER decadent.

Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Not only is this dish easy – using the short cut of Victoria Vegan Alfredo sauce with a base of cashews instead of cream – it is healthy with zero cholesterol, vegan and gluten free.

For anyone who says meatless is tasteless, make this up and bring it to them. I guarantee they will be eating their words!

I confess that when I made this recipe and tasted it, I felt so guilty – here I am trying to eat lighter and enjoying a large slab of creamy, cheesy, mouth watering lasagna! Then I calculated the calories and fat….under 250 calories and only 2.5 grams saturated fat and poof! No more guilt.

This basic recipe can have any veggie subbed for the mushrooms and spinach that you have on hand so feel free to get a little crazy!

Creamy and Cheesy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

5oz Brown Rice Pasta Lasagna Noodles, Tinkyada
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ pkgs (15oz) frozen organic mushrooms
½ pkg (5oz) frozen organic spinach
1 Tbsp wheat free Tamari
1 jar Victoria Vegan Roasted Pepper Alfredo Sauce
½ cup non-dairy cheese, Daiya

Directions

1. Preheat oven 350F. Cook noodles to package directions and set aside.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in pot pasta was cooked in; add onion, cook 5 minutes; add mushrooms, spinach and tamari; cook until softened and well combined; about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Layer in a 9×9 baking dish, ¼ cup sauce, row of lasagna noodles, ½ mushroom mixture; repeat. Top with a third row of noodles, the last of the Alfredo sauce and ½ cup cheese. Cover and bake 45 minutes or until warm and bubbly.

Step by Step Lasagna Layering

Estimated Nutrition Info
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 243
Total Fat 10 g
Saturated Fat 2.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.7 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 739 mg
Potassium 354.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 30 g
Dietary Fiber 4.5 g
Sugars 3.9 g
Protein 7.9 g

Vitamin A 28.5 %
Vitamin B-12 0.5 %
Vitamin B-6 6.8 %
Vitamin C 8.6 %
Vitamin D 13.5 %
Vitamin E 1.9 %
Calcium 3.3 %
Copper 13.3 %
Folate 8.8 %
Iron 5.9 %
Magnesium 5.5 %
Manganese 12.3 %
Niacin 21.1 %
Pantothenic Acid 11.1 %
Phosphorus 7.9 %
Riboflavin 19.6 %
Selenium 9.6 %
Thiamin 12.0 %

Zinc 3.6 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy my Outrageously Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna (Healthy and Naturally Vegan and Gluten Free)!

Are you reading your ingredients? Check out Garlic Unleashed!

Food Find 2 Responses »

Nov 142012

How many times have you grabbed a seasoning mix to save time and looked at the ingredients and wondered what the heck some of the ingredients were?

If you haven’t done this, I encourage you to do so. Start reading your labels. More important than just fat, calories and carbs, we should be looking at what the item’s ingredients are.

Take a look at this McCormick potato seasoning.

BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, TOASTED ONION, SALT, SUGAR, GARLIC, MALTODEXTRIN, WHEY (MILK), BUTTER [CREAM, SALT], SPICE (INCLUDING BLACK PEPPER), CARAMEL COLOR, NONFAT DRY MILK, GREEN ONION, YEAST, AND NATURAL FLAVOR.

Notice there is bleached wheat, sugar, maltodextrin and whey. The wheat is most certainly genetically modified and we get so much wheat in our diets that it is the most likely reason for all the gluten sensitivities. We are not meant to eat that much wheat – period – and it’s in EVERYTHING.

Secondly, malodextrin is a food additive. Wikepedia has this definition: Maltodextrin is an oligosaccharide that is used as a food additive. It is produced from starch by partial hydrolysis and is usually found as a whitehygroscopic spray-dried powder.^[1] Maltodextrin is easily digestible, being absorbed as rapidly as glucose, and might be either moderately sweet or almost flavorless. It is commonly used for the production of sodas and candy. It can also be found as an ingredient in a variety of other processed foods.

Sure it may be ok in a minuscule amount but think about the amount of processed foods that most Americans eat.

If this seems a bit overwhelming just keep it simple. Get back to basics and start reading the ingredients.

Now let’s take a look at this hand blended seasoning mix from All Spiced Up. The ingredients are clearly labeled on the front and we can read and understand each one without having to google it.

Garlic Unleashed

And the taste? It can’t be compared!

This seasoning would normally be used on roasted potatoes but I tried it here in soup and the garlic flavor really shines. What a great alternative to simple salt and pepper and it’s something you can feel great about feeding your family.

Is there someone on your gift list that loves cooking? This would be a great gift!

Kicking off the New CSA Season with a Purple Kale and Sun Dried Tomato Salad and a How-To Video on Storage and Prep

Dairy Free, Dressing, Egg Free, Food Find, Gluten Free, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Raw, Salad, Side Dish, Soy Free, Tips, Vegan, Vegetarian 1 Response »

Nov 102012

Yesterday was our FIRST delivery of the CSA season and what a great start!

In our bags we got squash, onions, broccoli, broccoli rabe, spinach, bok choy, peppers, radishes, beans, lettuce, purple kale and more.

Kohlrabi, Broccoli Rabe, Radishes

To celebrate – by popular request, I am posting my very first video on how to store and prep kale and lettuce! Please keep in mind I was at work at 6:30AM, worked through lunch, got my daughter, ran straight to the farm to grab my veggies, got home, took photos and then started dinner and made this video. Since this is my normal life, I decided the videos are going to be really spontaneous. Real life! My hair and makeup won’t be perfect and these won’t be scripted or edited.

Store those wrapped greens in the fridge and simply remove the amount you want for each dish!

What came of this spontaneous video was one of the most delicious salads I’ve had in a long time. I have fallen in love with the new line of dressings that KyV Farm is carrying and the one I tried last night was Tomato Basil.

Vidalia Valley Dressings

Think of the best homemade tomato sauce you ever had and turn that into a dressing. A perfect balance of sweet, acid, tart and aromatic basil. I remember enjoying Outback Steakhouse’s tangy tomato – and it doesn’t hold a candle to this organic blend. I’ve had three servings since yesterday.

Hiding underneath that dressing is the tart sun dried tomatoes, red onions with a bite, crunchy nuts, and even Mila, nature’s healthiest whole raw food, decides to join the party on top of this blend of purple kale and lettuce.

Purple Kale and Sun dried Tomato Salad

Raw kale?

Yes! This tender kale can be eaten raw! And isn’t that almost always the best way to eat a vegetable?

Purple Kale and Sun dried Tomato Salad

Purple Kale and Sun Dried Tomato Salad

Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 cups chopped purple kale, KyV Farm
4 cups chopped lettuce, KyV Farm
4 Tbsp Mila
4 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
4 plum tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup mixed whole nuts
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 green onion, chopped
8 Tbsp Vidalia Valley Tomato Basil Dressing (Buy some right at KyV!)

Directions

1. Place 1 cup kale, 1 cup lettuce, 1 Tbsp Mila, 1 Tbsp sun dried tomato and one tomato on each of four plates; add the nuts, red onion and green onion over evenly. Top each with 2 Tbsp dressing.

Nutrition Facts (not including dressing)
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 149.0
Total Fat 8.0
Saturated Fat 0.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.3 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 106.3 mg
Potassium 680.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 15.6 g
Dietary Fiber 7.4 g
Sugars 2.9 g
Protein 7.1 g

Vitamin A 383.9 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 12.4 %
Vitamin C 113.5 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 9.8 %
Calcium 16.5 %
Copper 20.1 %
Folate 25.1 %
Iron 16.7 %
Magnesium 14.1 %
Manganese 63.4 %
Niacin 8.6 %
Pantothenic Acid 3.5 %
Phosphorus 17.3 %
Riboflavin 10.8 %
Selenium 2.1 %
Thiamin 10.9 %
Zinc 6.1 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Oct 212012

Are you a Mila lover and need some recipes? This post is for you!

For those of you that are asking – what is Mila? I am 1000% passionate about this food and the company. Scroll down below this delicious gallery of recipes to find out….

Breakfast Oatmeal Cupcakes

Country Apples & Walnuts

Nutrient Packed Mila Cereal

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal with Mila

All Natural Zucchini Muffins with Mila

Mila Almond No-Blender Smoothie

Peanut Butter, Apple, Barley and Raisin Salad

Rustic Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup

Falafel-Stuffed Eggplant withTahini Sauce

Vegan Seven Layer Dip with Mila

Eggplant Leek Soup

Easy Mexican Tortilla Bake with Mila

Garlicky Bean Dip

Pear Apple Salad

Tropical Mila Crumble

There are two kinds of people in the world.

Those that want to treat their ailments with pills and pharmaceuticals that are ineffective or have serious side effects, and those that want to eat real, whole FOODS.

If you, a friend or family member is struggling with any of these issues, I have found something that may be able to help!

sleep problems
lack of energy
constipation and digestion problems
depression
excess weight
joint problems
skin issues
neurological disorders and a host of other ailments…

Even better, it’s not a mix of herbs, pill or potion, shake or powder. It’s simply a whole, raw food like apples, sweet potatoes or quinoa. It works with vegan, raw and gluten free diets.

[Tip: Go to google, type in the issue you are struggling with and Omega3's and Medical Studies - see what you can find!]

Please, please, please don’t be fooled by those folks that are representing supplements and calling them food. When have you ever pulled a leafy plant out of nutrient dense soil and seen a bunch of pills hanging off the roots?

Mila

How did I come across it? My mom has Multiple Sclerosis and it was her nurse practitioner, Megan, at her neurologist that sent me a sample – she loves to treat disease through whole foods instead of pills. After a few questions and some research, I became so impressed with the nutrition of this food that I agreed to try it out and fell in love. My mom is now eating Mila daily and the difference has been phenomenal. She can go for walks when she used to have to lay down and her energy lasts much longer throughout the day. This is the BIGGEST reason I’m now personally backing it and have even started a business that revolves around it. As for me – the first things I noticed were increased energy, even better digestion and, after three months, I was able to get off my antidepressants. Little did I know that the high dosages of these pharmaceuticals was causing my hair to fall out, so it is now growing back in crazy amounts.

Ok great, so what is Mila?

It’s a special blend of raw seeds that are cleaned and sliced to make them super easy for your body to suck up all the nutrients.

Gram per gram comparison.

This seed blend has 2x the potassium of bananas
6x more calcium than milk
More antioxidants then blueberries
2x the fiber of bran flakes
15x more magnesium than broccoli
4x more selenium than flax seed
6x more protein than kidney beans
9x more phosphorous than whole milk
8x more omega 3s than salmon
3x more iron than spinach

The FIBER in Mila is what helps with weight loss. AND, it absorbs tons of water to help you feel full and regulate blood sugar. As for the other ailments – it has 3000 mg of plant based Omega3′s and that is the key!

Talk about a PERFECT food to get tons of nutrition into our kids. Especially for busy moms like myself.

It is the best fuel for workouts. Do me a favor, next time you go to eat a protein bar, mix up a shake, eat something with a name like “goo”, read the ingredients. How many ingredients are there? Do you know what each ingredient is? No? Then why are you putting that in your body?!

Ask my fellow yogi, ultra-runner and friend Jen Vogel who just finished a 508 mile bike race a few weekends ago! No that is not a typo. Yes 508 miles. She rocks. You go Jen!

Mila is also amazing for pets!

According to Dr Guy Arad, Veterinarian “I am a passionate Veterinary Practitioner with special interest in orthopedic surgery, critical care and cardiology who nurtures the human-pet bond. I love using Mila in my patients, as I see a dramatic improvement in cases of arthritis, recovery from orthopedic surgery, weight loss, skin diseases, diabetes, GI diseases and more. Mila is the healthiest whole raw food and best vehicle of Omega 3s. It is easy to introduce to our companions’ diets, as it has no taste or odor.”

It’s got lots of backing from the medical world.

Dr. Bob Arnot, Dr. Gutierrez, Dr. Clement, Dr. Ford, Dr. Lamm are all behind this little seed.

In comparison to standard organic bulk bin chia, Mila wins out, hands down, every time. See this new research showing that this open blend is better than whole seed. I did a bunch of research to convince me of this but the reason I’m so confident is that I used myself as the guinea pig. In fact, I had been eating both flax and bulk bin chia daily and never noticed a difference until I began eating this seed blend.

Want to try some for yourself? Click here.

Supporting the small farmer is what it’s all about. REAL FOOD is what it’s all about. As you may already know, I’m all about promoting health and nutrition – hence all the CSA/farm share events I do. I volunteer to do that because I LOVE it and I want to make not only my family, but your family healthier too. This company gives back to the farmers that grow this seed along the equator. “The long-term World Vision consists of a program, called Farmer In A Box™, that will educate families and villages to sustain themselves by teaching them to grow the healthiest whole, raw food for themselves. Our access to this extraordinary seed gives us the opportunity to affect the well-being of those all around the world. Our goal is to not only change their health but also create an economical infrastructure for the benefit of their future generations.”

Find out even more reasons I have fallen in LOVE <3 with the company. Click here to watch a short movie.

I’ll admit, at first I was skeptical, but from what I’ve learned since I started this business in May, never have I met a more genuine and supportive leadership group and corporate support/customer service group. This movie was actually filmed to be part of another video and the emotional parts were to be edited out – but when the owners watched all the footage they changed their mind. The stories are what it’s all about, so they decided to bear their hearts and just let it all hang out.
My own experience. I have had to call in to customer service several times – once for an event I had WAY overpaid on accidentally. A real person answered the phone and they refunded my money on the spot – no questions asked. Why can’t all companies be like that?

For so many years I have wanted to start my own business so I can eventually work for myself. Should I open a food truck? Have a farmers market store front? You name it, I thought of it. When I found this food and the business behind it, I jumped at the chance. It may not be for you, but it could be huge. Do you want the next three years to look like the last three?

I am 1000% passionate about this food and the company. Questions? Contact me at chefdawn@hotmail.com

Crisp Cabbage and Creamy Avocado Salad with Falafel “Croutons” and Annie’s Goddess Dressing

Dairy Free, Dressing, Egg Free, Food Find, Gluten Free, Main Meal, Native Sun Recipe, Quick and Easy, Salad, Six Ingredients or Less, Vegan, Vegetarian No Responses »

Sep 282012

You know when you come across something that is so good you just want to eat it all the time? For me it is still that salad I told you about a few posts ago- the simple purple cabbage and creamy avocado. But last night I was looking for a bit more protein, so I came up with this super satisfying salad that has all the great textures; the crunch of the cabbage, creaminess of avocado and light crisp cucumbers, but also has some heartiness from the falafel burger. This salad will really stick with ya.

Falafel Salad

If you are like me, your life is super busy; between my day job, running a business, writing recipes, working out, camping and having fun with my family and friends, there isn’t much time left for elaborate dinners – especially during the week – so I love to use time saving shortcuts like these Sunshine Burger pre-made falafel burgers. Not only are they DELICOUS, but you can actually pronounce each and every ingredient; such as, sunflower seeds, brown rice etc.

Falafel Salad

For the dressing, I used my favorite Annie’s dressing, totally vegan and another one of those amazing all natural products that you can feel good about eating. The goddess dressing has tahini, lemon, garlic and a bit of soy which makes for the perfect compliment to the falafel burger.

Falafel Salad

Crisp Cabbage and Creamy Avocado Salad with Falafel “Croutons” and Annie’s Goddess Dressing

Serves 1
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup sliced red cabbage
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 avocado, chopped
1 slice red onion, chopped
1 falafel burger, I used Sunshine Burger
1 Tbsp Annie’s Goddess Dressing
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional – 4 Slices Bell Pepper or Mild Pepper of Choice

Directions

1. Heat burger in toaster oven until just warmed through.

2. Layer cabbage, cucumber, avocado and onion in a large bowl; tear heated falafel burger gently and add to salad; top with Goddess dressing, salt and pepper, to taste and bell pepper if using.

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving

Calories 416.4
Total Fat 25.5 g
Saturated Fat 3.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0
Monounsaturated Fat 4.3 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 421.8 mg
Potassium 602.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 39.2 g
Dietary Fiber 15.0 g
Sugars 2.1 g
Protein 9.5 g

Vitamin A 58.1 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 13.2 %
Vitamin C 64.2 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 3.8 %
Calcium 8.4 %
Copper 6.7 %
Folate 23.0 %
Iron 8.0 %
Magnesium 9.6 %
Manganese 14.9 %
Niacin 6.7 %
Pantothenic Acid 9.5 %
Phosphorus 6.8 %
Riboflavin 7.2 %
Selenium 1.5 %
Thiamin 7.0 %
Zinc 4.5 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

My New Business Adventure and Nutrient Packed Mila Cereal

Breakfast, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Food Find, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Quick and Easy, Raw, Six Ingredients or Less, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian No Responses »

May 162012

I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

Let’s start with the good news.

If you have sleep problems, lack of energy, elimination and digestion problems, depression, excess weight, joint problems, skin issues and a host of other ailments, I have found something that can help!

Even better, it’s not some pill or potion, shake or powder. It’s simply a whole raw food.

The bad news is you’re going to be mad that I kept this to myself for over a month. I waited to tell you guys because after I tried it and loved it within the first week, I researched more and wanted to test it out on my skeptical self to see if eating it really did anything.

I was already eating seeds – ground flax and chia – every morning and never really noticed anything. I just ate it because I knew it was good for me.

After a month of eating this food, I am so excited. I know this is going to help so many people in so many different ways. As you may already know, I’m all about promoting health and nutrition – hence all the CSA/farm share events I do. I volunteer to do that because I LOVE it and I want to make not only my family, but your family healthier too.

Supporting the small farmer is what it’s all about. REAL FOOD is what it’s all about.

Have you heard of Mila?

It’s mymost favorite food find yet. I came across it through Megan, my mom’s nurse practitioner at her neurologist. (My mom has Multiple Sclerosis and is now eating Mila daily!) After talking back and forth about some recipes involving chia, she sent me a sample. After the first week , I liked it so much that I asked her for more info on it and she sent it over to me. I’m now backing it and have even started a business that revolves around it!

Mila and Weight loss

So what is Mila?

It’s a special blend of raw seeds that are sliced to make them super easy for your body to suck up all the nutrients.

This seed blend has 2x the potassium of bananas

6x more calcium than milk

More antioxidants then blueberries

2x the fiber of bran flakes

15x more magnesium than broccoli

4x more selenium than flax seed

6x more protein than kidney beans

9x more phosphorous than whole milk

8x more omega 3s than salmon

3x more iron than spinach

Mila is Heart Healthy

Talk about a PERFECT food to get tons of nutrition into our kids. Especially for busy moms like myself.

Mila has perfect nutrition for kids.

I’ve been eating it every morning now for a month and feel amazing – I have better sleep and way better digestion (and all aspects of digestion and elimination). It also awesome for weight loss, is an anti-inflammatory and is the perfect fuel for workouts.Two of my friends, Sarah and Sandra, sampled it for me this past week had a dramatic increase in energy.

It’s got lots of backing from the medical world -
Dr. Bob Arnot, Dr. Gutierrez, Dr. Clement, Dr. Ford, Dr. Lamm are all behind this seed.

In comparison to other grains and the standard chia it wins out, hands down, every time. I did a bunch of research to convince me of this but the reason I’m so confident is that I used myself as the guinea pig. In fact, I had been eating both flax and bulk bin chia daily and never noticed a difference until I began eating this seed blend.

Want to try some for yourself?
Click here.

I am looking for positive people with an entreprenurial spirit to join my team. If this is something you feel you embody, please get in touch with me to dicuss this opportunity.

For more info on these amazing seeds and the business opportunity, please contact me at chefdawn@hotmail.com.

Nutrient Packed Mila Cereal

Serves 1

Vegan, Gluten Free

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup kamut puffs, I use Natures Path

1 scoop Mila (2 Tbsp)

2 Tbsp chopped walnuts

2 Tbsp raisins

1 cup unsweet vanilla almond milk

Optional
Fresh berries

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients in bowl.

Nutrition Information
1 bowl
Amount Per Serving

Calories	274.6
Total Fat	12.3 g
Saturated Fat	0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	6.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat	0.7 g
Cholesterol	0.0 mg
Sodium	181.2 mg
Potassium	522.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate	34.4 g
Dietary Fiber	12.6 g
Sugars	5.6 g
Protein	8.0 g

Vitamin A	12.50%
Vitamin B-12	0.00%
Vitamin B-6	5.20%
Vitamin C	33.90%
Vitamin D	25.00%
Vitamin E	53.90%
Calcium	23.50%
Copper	12.40%
Folate	8.00%
Iron	14.50%
Magnesium	22.30%
Manganese	60.70%
Niacin	2.60%
Pantothenic Acid	2.20%
Phosphorus	20.00%
Riboflavin	2.80%
Selenium	1.20%
Thiamin	4.10%
Zinc	3.00%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

A Giveaway! Bob’s Red Mill Rolled Oats, Justin’s Chocolate Almond Butter, Harvest Bay Coconut Water and Red Star Nutritional Yeast.

Food Find, Vegan 5 Responses »

May 052012

A Giveaway!

5-12-2012 – The giveaway is now closed. Thanks so much to all who participated.

I have been working on my logo for weeks and finally came up with this grouping of photos of veggies from “my” farm (KYV Farm) and some fresh carrots behind it. I think it really embodies the essence of my website. I promote healthy, plant based food and CSA (community supported agriculture).

I’ve put together a little survival pack of four of my favorite items just to say thanks to everyone who visits and supports me.

Thank you!

Bob’s Red Mill Rolled Oats

For breakfast Try Baked Monkey Oats

____________________________________________________

Justin’s Nut Butter

Chocolate Almond Nut Butter

for when a chocolate craving hits.

Try Peanut Butter Cup Toast

____________________________________________________

Red Star Nutritional Yeast

DELICIOUS source of B vitamins, protein and fiber. We put it on everything from popcorn to pasta. Try it in Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Pumpkin “Cream” Sauce.

____________________________________________________

Harvest Bay Coconut Water

Simply drink it out of the fridge on a hot day. Really refreshing.

____________________________________________________

The Rules – The winner will be drawn on
May 12th, 2012

For one entry – Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite products are.

For a second entry – Like Florida Coastal Cooking on facebook and share with your friends about the giveaway. Leave a separate comment here telling me that you did so.

For a third entry – Follow Florida Coastal Cooking on twitter and tweet about the giveaway. Leave a separate comment here telling me you did so.

Good Luck!!!

**I am not affiliated with any of these companies.
***Sorry, no shipping outside US

Pizza Party!

Dairy Free, Egg Free, Food Find, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Main Meal, Quick and Easy, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 1 Response »

Mar 222012

Even kids with lots of food allergies want a pizza part every now and then, so last night we had one! This made my daughter very happy.

We used brown rice tortillas and some AMAZING garlic marinara we picked up at the farmers market, Joy’s Gourmet, Garlic Joy. I don’t even think all caps can convey how good this stuff is. Fresh like I just made it, a bit chunky and the perfect amount of garlic. This made momma very happy, and in fact, I even had to make a dressing out of it by simply adding a touch of agave. To top it off we used Daiya shredded mozzarella. It’s vegan, dairy and soy free and made with a mixture of rice. We don’t use too much because we like to stay towards whole foods, but every now and then it’s ok.

To munch on we made a fresh salad of bok choy from KYV Farm and then we took it all out to the back porch for a picnic. While we were out there we saw a small brown bunny munching on clover! This made it much easier to get my daughter to eat bok choy. We pretended we were bunnies.

Tortilla Pizza

Serves 2

Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 Brown Rice Tortillas, we used Food For Life

Enough gluten free sauce to cover the base of each pizza, we used Joy’s Gourmet

Non-dairy cheese, we used Daiya mozzarella shreds, to cover

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray one side of tortilla with cooking spray, flip and spray the second side. Place on baking sheet and top with sauce and cheese. Bake for about five minutes or until cooked through.

Nutrition Facts

2 Servings
Amount Per Pizza

Calories 244.0
Total Fat 9.6 g
Saturated Fat 2.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 2.5 mg
Sodium 668.0 mg
Potassium 95.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 33.2 g
Dietary Fiber 4.1 g
Sugars 2.5 g
Protein 4.1 g

Marinara Dressing

Serves 2

Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

About 1/2 cup sauce

1 Tbsp agave

Directions

1. Mix ingredients together and top fresh bok choy or salad of choice.

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