Happy Autumnal Equinox

My Autumn Equinox celebration:making herb vinegar for winter.

Green Goddess Vinegar In an attempt to preserve all the herbs I can for winter, I create an herbal vinegar.  I then use 1 cup of it to 1 cup of raw, apple cider vinegar (Thank you to the Martin Family! http://martinsfarmstand.locallygrown.net/) and 2 cups of organic, extra virgin (none of that plain 'ole, simple virgin stuff!). No need to use dried herbs for my winter cabbage and root veggie slaw.  Ask me to send the fall / winter raw slaw recipe, if you do not already have it. pyoumell@gmail.com Herbs that I added, in very ample quantities, to 4 cups of Martin's vinegar and then I thoroughly blend it up in my Vitamix blender: Basil Rosemary Thyme Lemon Thyme Oregano Chives Garlic Garlic Chives Nettle tops Tarragon I would also add parsley and cilantro but, alas, they did not survive well this year. I then pour the 4 cups of green slurry back into the gallon jug of vinegar and voilá, I have herb vinegar to use all winter (well, hopefully!). It may be too late for this year, but as you sit about that glorious wood stove this winter... make plans for a fun, herb garden next spring and making herb vinegar in the fall. Be well, Paula Looking at it from an aerial view! www.HandsOnHealthHH.com Holistic Hugs & Peaceful Blessings! Paula M. Youmell, RN, MS, CHC Certified Holistic Health, Nutrition & Fitness Counselor(315) 265-0961 "Just lift the corner of the cloudsand the sun is  ALWAYS shining!" Eli Schechter

Choose to Create Wellness, Weight Loss Will Follow

When you choose to create wellness in your life, weight loss is a welcome side effect! Not to mention many other health improving affects: lower blood pressure, decrease or eliminate prescription medications, more energy, better sleep, happier moods, more positive thoughts and better memory, to name but a very few!  I intend to write a more detailed article on wellness vs. weight loss... later! LEAF LITTER MUFFINS, *Recipe compliments of Jocelyn Steggert, check out the picture, a beautiful platter of muffins, at the bottom! mix together: 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup oatmeal 1/3 cup ground flax seed 1/4 cup ground chia seeds 1 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. nutmeg 4 heaping tsp. cinnamon also whisk together: 1 egg 4 tbsp. warmed (liquefied) coconut oil (here is where I would use grass fed butter) 1 BIG heaping cup natural applesauce (unsweetened) splash of vanilla extract Add the above, moist mix, to dry mix. Also add: 1/3 cup ground dried cranberries 1 cup frozen blueberries lots of crushed nuts* Mix all together and bake 12 muffins @ 350 degrees for about 18-20 minutes. This is what I do for nuts: whisk one egg white with a splash of vanilla extract and throw in a little cinnamon.  Stir in raw, unroasted nuts: 1 cup almonds 1 cup pecans 2 cups walnuts 1/4 cup sunflower seeds Then throw in a little (just enough to sweeten a bit).. equal amounts of brown sugar and white sugar, or other sweetening agent. (I would use organic, unrefined sucanat sugar.) Stir all together and bake at 200 on a sprayed cookie sheet for about an hour.  Stir every 15 minutes. Store and use as needed in muffin recipe. These muffins freeze very well.  I would not keep them out at room temperature for more than a day. Most of all, ENJOY *The Leaf Litter Muffin Story:  they are called "Leaf Litter Muffins" because when I first started making a version of them years ago, I had my husband (nature boy... conservation biologist) taste one and he said they tasted like "leaf litter." When I asked what leaf litter was, he said "what you find on the forest floor." Do I need to add that that was the last time he ever ate one? A mutual face book friend and I have talked about writing a book entitled "Saving Lives, One Muffin at a Time!" The story... years ago I brought these muffins to his house. He went nuts over them and to this day makes them himself. We have an ongoing consultation about the recipe... trying different things, etc. He credits these muffins with turning his health around: lost a ton of weight, his medications slashed, etc. They cut his cravings for unhealthy sweets too! For the record:  Jocelyn delivered these to me the day of my book signing at the Clarkson Book Store, Summer Fest weekend.  They are absolutely Delicioso!  Tell your hubby that "Leaf Litter" taste divine and I need to know where on this planet the leaf litter taste like this.  This could improve my monthly food bill! Look at all the yummy blueberries, you can see the fiber-y goodness!

Change IS Good!

Photo:  www.Diettogo.com, used with permission

Change is good Change, well, creates change;  change in our health, our outlook on life, our quality of life. All change requires work and the resultant benefits are worth it.  It is all about taking the first step, over that line into your discomfort zone and creating a new pattern in your life. The way we live our daily lives is all a matter of habits and patterns.  All of which can be changed simply by creating new habits.  New habits, practiced consistently, become old habits in a matter of two weeks. Below are the steps we all take to make change.  I encourage you to contemplate them whether you prefer to make sweeping changes, right now!, or slower, simpler changes, one by one. Change is good, change is liberating.  Be the change you wish to see in yourself and the world! Pre-contemplation:  No intentions to change, no awareness of the need to change or that there is even a "problem".  I might call this the stage of denial! Contemplation:  We think about what it is we need to change, for a specific purpose, and how we might make that change happen.  No commitment made.  "Uh-uh, no way, not me; I'm not changing anything!" Example:  I need to lose weight, to feel healthier and heal my diabetes (or whatever health issue), and I can do this by eating a whole food diet, moving every day and living more naturally. Preparation: The commitment has been made to oneself:  "I am going to get my butt in gear and make myself feel and look better..." Work is done to educate oneself on matters of health and healing and to gather support people about oneself.  Community and support, people that think along the same healing path as you now do, are a helpful energy for us to take along for the health and healing ride! Action:  Time and energy are put into the process of making life healthier.  One gets their butt into gear and does what they know is best for their overall health and well being! Maintenance:  Energy and work are put into making the change permanent, to consolidate the gains made by living healthier, and realizing you just feel damn good!  You have adopted a new way of thinking and living and you see the vibrant health benefits in your daily life:  sleep better, wake up refreshed, energy to last the whole day, slimmer body, clearer skin, better mood and attitude that attracts positive, upbeat people and events into your life.... life just does not get better! What can you do to make healing changes in your life?   PS  Speaking of change, ever notice how fast the position of the sun in the sky changes this time of year?  It is September 11th, and I just took what might be my last dip in my spring fed swimming hole.  As I looked at the sun, in the mid afternoon sky, I was amazed at how it is setting more in the southern sky instead of how far west it is over my swimming hole in mid August. Where does the summer go? A recipe for eggplant non-meatballs, courtesy of a reader.  Thanks Linda! There are many eggplants at Martin's Farm Stand... Get your eggplants and get cooking up these yummy "plant" balls! http://martinsfarmstand.locallygrown.net/

Talking, Listening

www.HandsOnHealthHH.com   Holistic Hugs & Peaceful Blessings!   Paula M. Youmell, RN, MS, CHC   Certified Holistic Health, Nutrition & Fitness Counselor   (315) 265-0961     “Just lift the corner of the clouds and the sun is  ALWAYS shining!” Eli Schechter Picture courtesy of Whatculture.com

Talking vs. Listening   Every Monday and Friday, I do inspire emails to friends, family, and clients who want to be inspired.  Recently I wrote one on our ears / mouth genetically created situation.     Nature makes no mistakes.       We have 1 mouth and 2 ears.       The proportion speaks; hear what it has to say.       Be well, have fun, listen and you will hear.       This inspire email, well, it inspired me to write this.  I figured this would be too long for a Monday / Friday inspire as inspires are supposed to be "quickies".     I use this thought process when I think about the internal ears and mouth of our soul.  We listen and speak to the collective soul of the world with the same proportion: 1 mouth, 2 ears.     The soul's mouth gets over run by our mind's constant chatter:"I am not good enough, my thighs are too big, I need to lose weight, I need to do more, I need to do less, I do not have enough, how can I take this stress, my neighbor's house is nicer"... on and on, blocking us from hearing what we really need to focus on.     Try this: stop when you notice this mind chatter. Then, add 1 quick positive mind chatter affirmation:"I am fabulous, I do wonderful things for ____________, I take care of myself, I am beautiful, I am loved, I love me, I have enough and I am grateful"... whatever works for you.     When we use the soul's ears to hear, in the present moment, we inherently know what life has to offer us.  We can read the signs that keep us in the flow of life.  We easily can carry out our life's purpose, our destiny, as we are synchronized with the life force energy.Be well.  Listen and ride the flow of life with grace and peace, Paula           Herbal Healing Hint     Stinging nettle in your yard or nearby?     Now is the time to harvest the seeds, before the Autumn winds and rains whip them off their stalks.     Snip them, while hanging onto them with the other hand.  Drop the snipped off strands of seeds into a large, paper grocery bag and keep snipping.     Hang the bag up somewhere warm and dry.  Leave the bag wide open.     Everyday check them, reach down into the bag and toss the seeds like you were hand tossing a salad.     When dry, carefully put them into a quart canning jar (a canning funnel helps with this process).   Eat 10-20 seeds daily over the winter for the thyroid benefits and the many nutrients and minerals nettles will add to your diet.  Green food, wild green food, is deeply nourishing to mind, body, and soul.

I LOVE Fast Food!

Yes, you read that correctly:  I LOVE fast food!

Those who know me are saying, "no way, can't be!"  Let me warn you, it is not the type of fast food you can pick up at a drive thru.

I like whole food meals I can whip up quickly.  Some days I need to with 2 kids, 4 cats, 1 dog, and my busy health promoting lifestyle.

Last eve I decided I wanted pizza.  Getting healthy pizza out is not an easy task, better handled at home.  Generally, I plan for this and have the dough rising several hours before dinner prep time.

This conundrum has entered my life before:  want pizza now!  This is why I created the following whole food, easy pizza.  I made last eve's, pictured above, with fresh ground amaranth, millet, and quinoa flour.  This made for a grainy textured crust.  Very yummy, in my eyes (or should I say mouth?).  Any whole grain flours will work.  If you are looking for a more traditionally textured crust use 1/2 spelt flour and 1/2 oat flour, whole grain, of course.

The dough is like quick bread.  I let it sit for 5 minutes and then decide if I need to add a bit more flour to thicken it up.  It needs to be a sturdier dough than say, banana quick bread batter.  I then drop it on a floured pizza stone and roll it out with my pie crust rolling pin, dressed in it's 100% cotton tee (purchased locally through Evan's and White Hardware:  http://www.evanswhite.com/).  The messy dough rolls out easier with a well dressed rolling pin, floured as well.

Easy Pizza Crust

1 cup warm water or organic milk, not hot 2 tbsp. melted butter, preferably from grass fed cows (like the milk mentioned above) 1/2 tsp. unrefined sea salt 2-3 tsp. baking powder 2 1/2 to 3 cups whole grain flour*

-preheat oven to 350F -warm the milk and melt the butter in the milk -add 1/2 the flour amount, sea salt and baking powder -mix well -add more flour until you have a somewhat non-sticky dough

-place the dough into the center of a pizza pan that you have buttered or sprinkled with corn flour (or both) -press dough down and shape into a flat circle -using a rolling pin that is very well floured (I use a cotton sleeve on mine), roll out dough to the edges like a pie crust.  Keep pressing the edges into a nice, neat circle to prevent the cracked edges that you see in the above pizza picture! -pre-bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until it is starting to look crispy but not quite cooked, on the stone it does take 20 minutes -remove and add the below sauce, toppings of choice, cheese and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking and melt the cheese.

Avoiding grains? *Dough can be made with bean and/or nut flours, the texture will be different, obviously, but you will get used to it.  Be grateful you have created an alternative you can enjoy!

Avoiding Gluten? Skip the spelt flour. Use only gluten free grains. Make certain your oats are certified gluten free, organic too. Glyphosate pesticides used in non-organic farming practices are very destructive to gut health, immune health, whole body-whole earth health.

Pizza Sauce:

1 quart jar of canned tomatoes 1 can tomato paste, I like Muir Glen Organic paste.  It is an intensely tomato-y tasting paste Italian herbs: rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil and parsley  - local if possible local onions and garlic

-saute' the onion in butter until gently but well cooked -add canned tomatoes, I put tomatoes and paste in the blender and puree as I can my tomatoes with the skins on -pour a generous pile, say 1 tbsp. or so, of each herb into your hand, one at a time.  Over the pot, rub your palms together and 'grind' the herbs into the pot of sauce. -slow cook the sauce for an hour or two -peel garlic cloves to your taste, chop or press into the sauce, at this point the heat is off so garlic is gently 'cooked' by the heat of the sauce only -use as much as needed to slather the above pizza crust -use the leftover sauce over your favorite pasta adding meat, cheese, beans, whatever you please

Need a quicker sauce choice? Try Muir Glen Pizza Sauce in the can.  It is very yummy right out of the can; meaning it needs zero "doctoring" with spices!

Please check out the article about my book, written by a Central NY journalist - Samantha House.  Every step forward with my book is one step closer to finding a publisher interested in publishing the entire series:  The Whole Food Kitchen Series! http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/everything-in-its-natural-state-longtime-cny-nurse-shares-health/article_87363e8b-2f26-5af5-8da6-adabb55846c9.html

Enjoy!  Paula

Bone Up

Photo courtesy of Mike CorseDeep Roots Farm, Bonno Road, Canton

Bone Up!  Health and Healing Hint

Seems we will never hear the end of "take your calcium pills everyday" advice.  Despite evidence to the contrary; taking single constituent calcium pills does not in fact build healthy, strong bones, health experts still tell clients to take 1000 mg daily.

Long term observation of calcium takers shows that this pill popping habit does not build stronger bones or stave off fractures.

Calcium cannot function on its own.  Foods were meant to be eaten in their whole state (hear this one, from me, before?); the nutrients work together, in synergy, to create healthy cells. Calcium, on its own from a pill, cannot function to create any health benefits.  Calcium works when it is contained in a whole food.  The whole food contains many different minerals and nutrients that all work together to create healthy body cells and strong, flexible bones.  You cannot get that in any pill, period.

What you need to build strong bones, strong cells, and a strong body is a whole food diet. When we eat food in the whole state; health of every organ and organ system is a natural consequence.  Eat whole foods that are high in all minerals and get plenty of good quality protein for your bodily needs.  Your bones are made of more than just calcium.

Eating foods high in Vitamin D (actually a hormone but that is another story) helps those bones by assisting the mineral uptake needed to keep bones strong. Your body needs a healthy supply of magnesium to use the Vitamin D. Ask me about magnesium in your diet... it is low in top soil where our food is grown.

To get your Vitamin D locally, I recommend eating 2 whole eggs daily (from a local farmer who lets the chickens run about free, eating what they want to eat and getting plenty of sunlight year round).  Keep the yolks soft, barely cooked, to preserve the nutrients.  I blend them, raw, into my cold chai coffee or in whole food chocolate milk. If you want to try these tasty beverages, email me for the recipes, pyoumell@gmail.com

Another good source of Vitamin D is mushrooms and we have a local farmer growing them. (see below)  In order of highest to lowest level of Vitamin D:  morel, chanterelle, maitake, shitake, oyster, white button, crimini, and portabellas.  If they are exposed to UV light during growth, they contain significantly higher amounts of Vitamin D.  I find the fact that morels are highest a fine sign that nature does know what she is doing.  Morels come to us in the spring, when our Vitamin D levels are lowest after a long winter.  What better way to up the Vitamin D factor than enjoying some gently sauteéd Morels.  Saute' them in grass fed butter; you ingest even more Vitamin D.

Deep Root CSA, Mike and Maria Corse, Bonno Road, Canton: http://deeprootfarm.wordpress.com/  Mike will be selling at the Canton Farmer's Market when the crop comes in... keep checking!