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

What is Inflammation, How Omega 3s Can Help, and Some All Natural Zucchini Muffins Remade with Mila

Articles and Reading, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Low Cal, Snack, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian No Responses »

May 312012

“I hurt all over but nothing is broken”, a good friend recently said to me.

What is all this talk about inflammation?

Inflammation is your body’s attempt to defend itself against bacteria and viruses and to heal damaged tissue, however; chronic inflammation is not a good thing-it is what is involved in atherosclerosis which is what can lead to clogged arteries. This can cause everything from memory loss to strokes. Info source, Harvard Medical
The food that you eat can exacerbate inflammation or calm it. Unfortunately the SAD diet, or standard American diet and lifestyle, is one that exacerbates inflammation.

Refined oils
Fried foods
Processed foods
Alcoholic beverages
Lack of exercise
Cigarette smoking

What are some foods that counteract the SAD diet? Foods that contain omega3s

How can Omega 3s help?
I’m going to be speaking a lot about Omega 3s in the upcoming months as I learn more and more about the importance.

Omega 3s are essential fatty acids that our bodies can not produce-we need to get them from food.

According to Harvard Medical, “Omega-3 fats help protect the heart from lapsing into potentially deadly erratic rhythms, ease inflammation, inhibit the formation of dangerous clots in the bloodstream, and lower levels of triglycerides, the most common type of fat-carrying particle in the blood. An excellent way to get omega-3 fats is by eating fish two or three times a week. Good plant sources of omega-3 fats include chia seeds (sold as Salvia), flaxseeds, walnuts, and oils such as flaxseed, canola, and soybean.”

Notice the FIRST plant based source of Omega 3s. Chia. Chia is the one ingredient in Mila. Notice the non plant-based suggestion is to eat fish. Mila has eight times more Omega 3s than wild farmed salmon. The reason Mila is better than standard chia is because it’s grown in specific climate conditions in super nutrient dense soil. Here is a study done on Mila vs standard Chia. In the area of Omega3s it scored MUCH higher in a study done by the Dole Institute, which is why I’m now recommending it.
Web MD states “When possible, try to get omega-3 fatty acids from foods rather than supplements.”

If you decide you must take a supplement – “The most common side effect from fish oil is indigestion and gas.”
How can you incorporate more of this anti-inflammatory? Bake them into wholesome goodies for your family. Mila paired with the super fresh zucchini from KYV farm pack a nutrient punch that can’t be beat. I guarantee that if you join a CSA/farm share, incorporating more fresh veggies, and then add the anti-inflammatory properties of Omega3s on top, you will feel better than ever.

To order Mila you can click here.
Remember those zucchini muffins I made? The all natural ones -vegan, gluten free, sugar free and 100% delicious? Well I re-made them with Mila and they came out even better, which I didn’t think was possible. These are soft, moist, sweet and HEALTHY!
p.s. Stay tuned for the next post – What is Oxidative Stress?

All Natural Zucchini Muffins with Mila

Serves 12
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp Mila + 6 tbsp water (vegan “eggs”)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 c agave (or honey for non-vegan)
1 1/4 cup shredded zucchini from KYV Farm
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon and/or pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (or whole wheat or brown rice flour would also work)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup loosely packed raisins
Rounded 1/2 tsp sea salt

Optional
Turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top (but if you do this you can’t call them “sugar free”.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the flax egg and set aside for about 5 minutes. Mix the olive oil, agave, zucchini and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt; mix until just wet and ingredients are combined; fold in raisins.

2. Pour patter into 12 muffin tins, sprayed with cooking spray (I used organic coconut oil spray). Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar, if using. Bake about 18 to 20 minutes or until browned and a knife comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts
12 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 133.4
Total Fat 9.4 g
Saturated Fat 1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.6 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 98.7 mg
Potassium 115.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 13.2 g
Dietary Fiber 1.1 g
Sugars 10.9 g
Protein 0.6 g

Vitamin A 5.0 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 1.8 %
Vitamin C 2.2 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 5.9 %
Calcium 1.5 %
Copper 2.1 %
Folate 1.1 %
Iron 2.4 %
Magnesium 1.8 %
Manganese 5.8 %
Niacin 0.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 0.3 %
Phosphorus 2.5 %
Riboflavin 1.1 %
Selenium 0.2 %
Thiamin 1.3 %
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.

All Natural Zucchini Muffins – Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free and 100% Delicious

Breakfast, Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Low Cal, Quick and Easy, Snack, Soy Free, Vegan 18 Responses »

May 132012

Happy Mother’s Day to all those Moms out there.

All Natural Zucchini Muffins – Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free

With the recent abundance of zucchini from the farm I had one thing in mind-zucchini bread.

And then I started searching recipes and everything had about TWO CUPS of sugar. What? Is that really necessary?

After one taste of these – absolutely not!

These are super moist and light like they are made with tons of butter. They are about as sweet as a cornbread, so they would be perfect to set at the table for dinner, eat as breakfast, enjoy as dessert or thrown in a lunch bag for a healthy snack. Nuts would be delicious in this, but since my daughter is allergic we left those out and added the raisins.

I’m embarrassed to admit we polished them off in about two days. Between desserts and breakfast we were fighting over these. I think next time I’ll be making a double batch – one with walnuts or pecans for me.

Hands off my muffins!

Zucchini Muffins

Inspired by Iowa Farmers Wife

Serves 12

Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp ground flax seed + 6 tbsp water (vegan “eggs”)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 c agave
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon and/or pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (or whole wheat or brown rice flour would also work)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup loosely packed raisins
1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the flax egg and set aside for about 5 minutes. Mix the olive oil, agave, zucchini and vanilla in a medium bowl, stir in the flax egg. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt; mix until just wet and ingredients are combined; fold in raisins.

2. Pour patter into 12 muffin tins, sprayed with cooking spray (I used organic coconut oil spray). Bake about 18 minutes or until browned and a knife comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts
12 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 182.5
Total Fat 9.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.7 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 98.6 mg
Potassium 102.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 23.9 g
Dietary Fiber 2.3 g
Sugars 11.4 g
Protein 2.1 g

Vitamin A 4.2 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 1.6 %
Vitamin C 1.8 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 5.9 %
Calcium 1.8 %
Copper 1.9 %
Folate 0.9 %
Iron 4.8 %
Magnesium 1.6 %
Manganese 3.0 %
Niacin 0.7 %
Pantothenic Acid 0.3 %
Phosphorus 1.4 %
Riboflavin 1.0 %
Selenium 0.2 %
Thiamin 1.1 %
Zinc 0.5 %

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

Banana Raisin Muffins: Gluten, Dairy, Nut and Egg Free

Breakfast, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian No Responses »

Jan 192010

For school I have been packing my daughter lunches since finding out she’s allergic to everything but martian dust. If they could test for that I’m sure she’d be allergic to that too. Today, all the other kids are having yummy blueberry muffins as a snack so in replacement I made her favorite flavor mixture, banana and golden raisin.

She helped me make the entire recipe! I fill the measuring cup and she would pour it in. I think it’s great to involve kids in cooking. When I got to college I couldn’t boil water and my hubby isn’t afraid to tell me what a terrible cook I was. I guess he didn’t marry me for my cooking skills. It must have been for my winning personality. At least that’s what I tell myself.

***Please note that when I state “allergy free” this is my attempt at gluten, egg, dairy, soy, peanut and cod fish free which are the allergies my daughter has. I am not a doctor or registered dietitian.

Banana Raisin Muffins:
Gluten, Dairy, Nut and Egg Free

Ingredients

1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp Egg Replacer (I used Bob’s Red Mill which I later found out is not soy free)
6 Tbsp Water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Place 16 muffin papers in muffin tins.

3. Cream together oil, sugar, egg replacer, water and vanilla in large mixing bowl.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients; flour, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder and cinnamon then slowly add to the egg mixture, alternating with bananas.

5. Beat until just smooth.

6. Fold in raisins.

7. Using a spoon drop evenly into lined muffin tins.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Banana Nut Muffin

Uncategorized No Responses »

Nov 182009

Could this be the easiest dessert ever? AND as a bonus it might be one of the lightest. Last night I wanted dessert, something cakey and nutty. This fit the bill perfectly.

Peanut Butter Banana Nut Muffin

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 banana nut Vitamuffin

2 Tbsp PB2

1 Tbsp black coffee

3 Tbsp whipped topping of choice

Directions

1. Warm the Vitamuffin in the microwave for 20 seconds.

2. Mix the PB2 and coffee. Top Vitamuffin with PB2 mixture.

3. Top with whipped topping.