A word from one of my clients…
I’ve been a beef-lover all of my life. Steaks, meatloaf, pot roasts or hamburgers, it didn’t matter I loved them all. In 2017, I had my first heart attack. I’ve been waiting for this time in my life since I was 19. An empty nest. No one to be responsible for but myself and after years of caregiving my body needed the attention desperately. I’m also not good with change, but I knew I’d have to do it to be able to enjoy the life I’ve been dreaming about. It wasn’t until I was reading Jenny’s How To Transition To A Plant-Based Diet that things seemed to click for me. Small changes over time contribute to huge successes down the road. My husband and I made a game of grocery shopping (one of her many secrets) and began to not only eat healthier but to really enjoy what we were making. Last Monday, I had a checkup with my family doctor and I was floored to find out that I had lost 24 lbs in the last three months AND I was finally able to go off all of my blood pressure medicine for the first time in years!
Rena McDaniel
Former caregiver, current wife, mom & grandmaThe Latest From The Blog
A Better Tomato Pie
I am always looking for ways to make the food I prepare at home a little more healthy. A while back I posted a blog about a tomato pie that I like to make when homegrown tomatoes are plentiful in my garden. Well, it’s that time of year again, so I pulled out my recipe.…
Dilly Beans
My garden veggies have really ramped up and I was looking for something new to do with my plentiful supply of green beans. I liked my pickled beets so much at that decided to try pickled dilly beans. They were easy and tasty. Why should you eat green beans? Let me tell you a few…
Pickled Beets — Oh So Healthy
Beets. It seems that most people love ’em or hate ’em — kind of like kale, lol. I have fond memories as young adult going to a restaurant when I would come home to visit my parents. I would always choose to go to a local restaurant that served a delicious salad with beets on…
It’s Time to Think Deeper About Our Food Choices
I love all things food — growing it, preparing it, and, of course, eating it. I also love to share what I have learned about food to help people eat better and to start them on a road to better health. I truly believe that the food we eat leads to health or disease. The…
Continue Reading It’s Time to Think Deeper About Our Food Choices
Oven Kale Chips
It’s time to promote glorious kale again because it is so plentiful this time of year. It makes me very sad to think how many people give kale a bad rap because they may have eaten kale that was not properly prepared. I still have memories of the smell coming from the school cafeteria when…
Toxin Free Soap
Have you ever looked at the back of a hand soap container? I know that many people are probably used to reading food labels (you should if you’re not), but most people don’t look at ingredients in non-food items. However, the things we use that we use ON our body should be scrutinized as much…
Cream of Spinach Sauce
At this time of year, I have a plethora of greens — mainly lettuce and spinach. I have eaten many, many salads and am a little tired of them right now. So, I decided to try something different with my spinach. I had heard of spinach gravy and was planning to make that, but ended…
Pulled “Pork” with Jackfruit
I am not kidding when I tell you that I think you can fool your friends with this “pulled” pork made from a fruit! Jackfruit, that is. I had never heard of jackfruit until a few years ago. In the grocery store they can be found fresh in the produce aisle. It looks like this…
Here’s a Sneak Peak
You wouldn’t buy a house or car without looking inside would you? Of course not! So, I wanted to take this time to show you what I currently have to offer through my Meet Your Energy Body program. Inside my program you will find: Major Course — Meet Your Energy Body which contains 8 classes,…
Meet Your Energy Body is Here
A few years back I learned about energy work. Have you ever heard of energy work? Energy work is moving your body in a whole new way to improve wellness. For me, this started when I got into Reiki, which is a form of energy work that helps move bad energy out of the body…
Mushroom Stroganoff
It’s been a while since I posted a recipe, so I thought it was about time. This time I chose Mushroom Stroganoff and I am so glad I did. It was quite delicious and filling. Plus it was a quick meal ready in about 30-40 minutes. Back when I used to eat beef stroganoff I…
Informed Consent is a Must
Everyday we are inundated with information. Some people are information junkies. I love information because it leads to learning. As a teacher, I have a natural love of learning. I feel I was put on this Earth to teach. So I felt compelled to share this information to help you learn more about the COVID…
Can Cleaning Be Dangerous?
Have you ever noticed how our lives are filled with chemicals? They surround us and it’s sometimes hard to break free of them. Sometimes you don’t realize you are even smelling chemicals. For example, we are heading into the Christmas season and stores will have near their entrances bags of pine cones which scent (or…
October Ghoulash
I have come to realize that pretty much any recipe can be transformed into a healthy plant-based version. This is just one example. Many years ago I watched Martha Stewart all the time and loved her techniques for making delicious food. Of course, she is not a plant-based eater, so pretty much every dish had…
Must Have Dogs!
I can’t remember a time when I did not have a dog in my life. Ever since I was about 4 or 5 my family had at least one dog, sometimes two. I am so happy that my mom and dad allowed us to have a dog and, as a result, instilled in me a…
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
The garden is not as plentiful this year as last year, but we did manage to get some green beans and I even canned 11 pints. All these green beans made me hungry for a green bean casserole. But this is a healthier plant based version which is almost oil free. It is pretty easy…
Jerk Cauliflower Poppers
During the lockdown I stumbled upon Tik Toc and have learned so much. There are many recipes on this social media platform. I found this one and decided to try it. It is so easy and delicious and I simply reduced the oil to keep it more healthy. As I have mentioned before, cauliflower is…
Keeping an open mind
COVID — If I never hear that word again I would bend down and kiss the ground and thank the universe. COVID, and primarily our reaction to it, has caused untold stresses for millions of people in this country. People have lost jobs, businesses, and livelihoods due to the shut downs and social distancing measures. …