Dee's Tips for Staying Healthy Through the Holidays!

The holidays are a time for rejoicing, celebrating, visiting, and renewing. They are not a time to sabotage weight loss and healthy habits.


1. Anticipate slips.


2. Routine. Have a plan and follow it.


3. Think of things you are grateful for. Make a gratitude list for Thanksgiving.


4. Choose healthy foods. Bring healthy foods to parties,


5. Make healthier versions of some of your favorite holiday foods.


6. Realize that you don’t have to be perfect. Perfection can make you perfectly insane.


7. Enjoy walks by yourself, with friends and visiting family.


8. Enjoy the party, not the food. Eat healthy before going to parties so you won’t be too hungry.


9. Allow quiet time for yourself.


10. Create new memories.


11. Spend time with family and friends.


12. Buy yourself a gift, wrap it up nice and pretty, and open it at a special time.


13. Have lots of fun.


14. Take the opportunity to make it a truly spiritual time.

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Everyone knows that much of what we traditionally have for Thanksgiving is filled with white flour, white sugar and processed ingredients.

Here are some healthy alternative recipes that I created so you and your family can have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.


Flourless Herbed Croutons
Makes 3-4 cups

2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, oregano, basil, or thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried herbs)
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups Flourless bread (Ezekiel bread or similar), cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1. In a large bowl, mix together coconut oil, herbs, and sea salt; tilt the bowl to cover sides with oil mixture.

Step 2. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer on ungreased baking sheet.

Step 3. Bake for about 20 minutes. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.



Flourless Herbed Stuffing
Makes 6 cups

4 cups Flourless Herbed Croutons
1 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup onion, chopped
½ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup hot vegetable, chicken, or turkey stock
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground sage
¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
coconut oil, for greasing the pan


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish lightly oiled with coconut oil.

Step 2. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

This recipe may also be used for stuffing for turkey, chicken, or Cornish game hens.


Sugar Free Whole Cranberry Sauce
Makes 2 cups

12-oz. bag fresh or frozen cranberries (3 cups)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon agar agar flakes
1 teaspoon liquid Stevia, or to taste (use orange flavored Stevia if available)

Step 1. Add the agar agar to the water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add cranberries.
Step 2. Return to a boil until cranberries start to “pop”, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
Step 3. Remove from heat and add Stevia. Stir to mix.
Cool completely at room temperature and refrigerate.


Dairy Free Low Fat Pumpkin Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie

1 ½ packages Extra Firm Silken Tofu (Mori Nu brand preferred)
2 cups canned or cooked pumpkin
½ teaspoon liquid Stevia extract, or to taste
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or next 4 ingredients:
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 unbaked 9 inch whole wheat pastry crust


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1. Blend tofu in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Step 2. Add remaining ingredients and blend well.

Step 3. Pour into a 9-inch unbaked deep dish whole wheat pie crust.

Step 4. Bake for approximately 1 hour. Filling will be soft, but will firm up as it chills. Chill and serve. Top with Real Deal Whipped Cream.





Whole Wheat Pie Crust
Makes one 9-inch pie crust

7 Tablespoons VERY COLD organic butter
1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
2-3 tablespoons ice water
Step 1. Cut the butter into tablespoons and then each tablespoon into quarters. Put cut butter in the freezer while mixing flour and salt.
Step 2. Mix the whole wheat pastry flour with the salt in a medium bowl or a food processor.
Step 3. Add the cold butter pieces and cut in using a pastry blender or by pulsing in the food processor.
Step 4. Add ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time until dough forms into a ball. Gather up and pat into a disk. If possible, refrigerate dough for 30 minutes before rolling out.
Step 5. When ready to use, roll dough out on a lightly floured board. Gently fold into quarters using a little flour as needed to prevent sticking. Place dough in pie plate and carefully unfold, fitting loosely and then pressing into place. Trim the edges and crimp for a decorative crust.
This dough can also be frozen for later use.

Real Deal Whipped Cream
Makes 2 cups


1 pint whipping cream, preferably organic
1 teaspoon liquid Stevia, or more to taste

Step 1. Chill a large mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the freezer and pour the whipping cream into it.

Step 2. Beat with an electric mixer until the cream begins to thicken.

Step 3. Add the Stevia slowly, ensuring that it gets mixed in. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

Use immediately or chill. Remainder can be saved in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Perfection of the Pumpkin

The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health. Vitamin A plays a key role in the health of our eyes, skin, hair and teeth.

Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging. In addition to cancer and heart disease, diets rich in beta carotene also appear to offer protection against developing type 2 diabetes, with pumpkin consumption being the most effective.

Although the pumpkin is botanically classified as a fruit (the ripened ovary of a flowering plant), it is widely regarded as a vegetable. The pumpkin's insides are commonly eaten, cooked and served in dishes such as pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin soup; the seeds may also be roasted for consumption. Pumpkin seeds have also been shown to be helpful in reducing symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP).

Nutritional Highlights

Pumpkin, like other richly colored vegetables, is an excellent source of carotenes—the richer the color, the richer the concentration. They are also a very good source of vitamin C and B1, folic acid, pantothenic acid, potassium, and dietary fiber. In addition, pumpkin is a good source of vitamin B6 and niacin.

Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe

Great for winter mornings!

½ cup coconut milk

½ cup water

½ cup canned cooked pumpkin, preferably organic

1 tablespoon of vanilla flavored protein powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3-4 drops of liquid Stevia, or to taste

1 Tablespoon flaxseed oil

1 Tablespoon ground flaxseeds

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. This is a great way to get a daily dose of pumpkin and its many nutritional powers! Drink immediately.

Pumpkin Nutrition Facts

(1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)

Calories 49
Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg
Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg
Potassium 564 mg
Zinc 1 mg
Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg
Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg
Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg

The Case for Fenugreek Seed

Once again, modern science is showing how a traditional folk remedy has merit.

In recent studies, an herb called Fenugreek Seed has shown to lower blood glucose levels for Type-2 diabetes sufferers, and some insulin-dependent diabetics in one study in India, who were on low doses of insulin, took Fenugreek, and it reduced blood sugar and other harmful fats like triglycerides. Furthermore, an amino acid in Fenugreek (hydroxyisoleucine) is said to stimulate the pancreas to secret insulin, another way the herb may help diabetics.

Fenugreek is a tall annual herb native to the Mediterranean, Ukraine, India and China. The plant bears pods filled with numerous light brown, diamond-shaped seeds which possess a sweet maple aroma.

3500 years ago it was used in cookery and flavoring, but also has a long history of folk use throughout Asia and the Middle east as an anti-diabetic, to soothe stomach ulcers, to eliminate built up mucus in the upper respiratory tract, to promote lactation, and as a poultice for treating various skin conditions.

Much science on fenugreek has focused on the cholesterol-lowering, blood lipid-lowering and anti-diabetic activities of the seed. These activities appear directly linked to the presence of soluble fibers, most notably galactomannans. The galactomannans have additionally been shown to possess fat-sequestering properties, thereby binding directly to dietary fat and reducing its absorption into the body. Furthermore, anti-diabetic properties of fenugreek seed are linked to the presence of a novel free amino acid, 4 hydroxyisoleucine.

4-hydroxyisoleucine is an amino acid derivative that assists the pancreas in production of insulin. Studies have shown that adding fenugreek to your diet reduces fasting blood sugars and improves after-meal glucose tolerance significantly. 4-hydroxyisoleucine works by two separate mechanisms: It has a direct, stimulating effect on insulin production for those who wish to increase their glucose metabolism and helps to reduce glucose resistance and the uptake of glucose, thereby reducing overall blood glucose levels. Several studies with animals and with human cell cultures demonstrate this extract’s positive effect on reducing postmeal glucose levels—with little or no increase in blood insulin concentrations— a clear indictor of improved insulin sensitivity.

Several studies show that the free amino acid 4-hydroxyisoleucine plays a valuable role in insulin-promotion and glucose regulation. 4-hydroxyisoleucine stimulates insulin secretion, thereby limiting the extent to which blood glucose (the glycemic index) is elevated. Elevated blood glucose after meals leads to increased production of body fat. 4 hydroxyisoleucine promotes insulin secretion and inhibits the rise of blood glucose, thus helping to reduce body fat production. 4 -hydroxyisoleucine exhibits a specific effect on the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. These cells are directly responsible for insulin production. Most significantly, the effect of 4-hydroxyisoleucine is glucose dependent. The higher the level of blood glucose, the greater the insulin-promoting response elicited by 4 hydroxyisoleucine. Thus 4-hydroxyisoleucine exhibits a significant regulating effect, which corresponds with the insulin needs of the body at any given time. This makes this compound “adaptogenic,” responding to the particular needs of the body at any given time.

Today Fenugreek can be purchased at a natural food market in the spice or herb section, or as a supplement in capsule form.

A normal dose for non-diabetic people is 50mg of 4-hydroxy-isoleucine daily. In insulin-dependent diabetics, take 2.75 grams of 4-hydroxy-isoleucine daily for lowering insulin needs.

Research from NIH on Fenugreek:

Supplementation of fenugreek leaves lower lipid profile in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Annida B, Stanely Mainzen Prince P. Department of Biochemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608 002, Tamil Nadu, India, 2004.

Total phenolics and antioxidant activities of fenugreek, green tea, black tea, grape seed, ginger, rosemary, gotu kola, and ginkgo extracts, vitamin E, and tert-butylhydroquinone. Rababah TM, Hettiarachchy NS, Horax R. Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas, 2650 North Young Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Aug 2004.

Role of selected Indian plants in management of type 2 diabetes: a review. Saxena A, Vikram NK. Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Apr 2004.

Supplementation of fenugreek leaves to diabetic rats. Effect on carbohydrate metabolic enzymes in diabetic liver and kidney. Devi BA, Kamalakkannan N, Prince PS. Department of Biochemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608002, Tamil Nadu, India. Dec 2003.

Herbs for serum cholesterol reduction: a systematic view. Thompson Coon JS, Ernst E. Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, 25 Victoria Park Road, Exeter EX2 4NT, United Kingdom, Jun 2003.

The Pros of Probiotics

The bacterial cultures that are traditionally used to make yogurt are called probiotics, meaning "for life." Although they may have funny sounding names--Lactobacillus bulgarius, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Streptcoccus thermophilus--it is these "good bacteria" that are also responsible for many of yogurt's health benefits.

Probiotics are necessary for the body to function at its best. The following are some of the health benefits of "live and active" cultures:

Improved Intestinal Health - Yogurt containing "live and active" cultures helps maintain the balance of good bacteria vs. bad bacteria in the intestine. Yogurt can aid in the treatment and prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, traveler's diarrhea, and diarrhea in children. Lactobacillus acidophilus has been shown to protect against stomach ulcers by suppressing the growth of ulcer-causing bacterium.

Lowering Cholesterol - In a study of older adults, intake of about 1 cup of yogurt with live cultures per day for one year prevented an increase in total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL - the bad cholesterol) levels.

Cancer Prevention and Immune-Enhancing Effects - Several studies show that the consumption of high levels yogurt may reduce the risk of colon cancer. Probiotics also enhance the immune system by increasing white blood cell count and prevent the formation of tumors.

Selecting the Best Yogurt

When buying yogurt, the more natural the product is, the more beneficial it will be to your health. Plain Organic yogurt is best, as it will have the lowest amount of naturally occurring sugars (from lactose) and the highest amount of live and active cultures.

Yogurt-lovers should take notice: there are products in the marketplace that can take advantage of yogurt's healthful image. Beware of yogurts containing artificial colors, flavorings, or sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose (Splenda), modified food starch, gelatins, and added sugars such as high fructose corn syrup.

Vanilla or other flavored yogurts and yogurts with fruit pre-mixed in are usually inferior yogurts in terms of nutritional value and levels of live and active cultures.

Some yogurt manufacturers pasteurize their milk before the culturing process, while others pasteurize after the yogurt is made. Although the aim of pasteurization is to kill any harmful bacteria, any pasteurizing done after the culturing process can kill the active live cultures and keep you from reaping their benefits.

To dispel consumer confusion about yogurts, the National Yogurt Association (NYA) developed the Live and Active Cultures seal to help consumers readily identify those yogurts containing significant levels of live and active cultures.

Look for this seal on your yogurt container

In order to meet the NYA criteria, live and active culture yogurt must satisfy these requirements:

• The product must be fermented with both L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus.
• For refrigerated yogurt, the total viable count must be at least 100 million (10⁸) CFU (colony forming units) per gram at the time of manufacture. In the case of frozen yogurt, the total viable count at the time of manufacture must be 10 million (10⁷) CFU per gram.
• The cultures must still be active at the end of the stated shelf life.

Since the seal program is voluntary, some yogurt products may contain live cultures but not carry the Live & Active Cultures seal. Consumers should check the label for indications that the yogurt contains live cultures. But without the seal, there is no unbiased validation of the level of live cultures present in the product.

Eat Yogurt Every Day

Yogurt can be incorporated into your diet in a variety of ways. By adding cut up fruit, berries, granola, wheat germ, oat bran, nuts, or freshly ground flaxseeds to your yogurt, you can turn it into a delicious replacement for your usual dessert. You can also substitute yogurt for milk in many recipes for foods like pancakes, waffles, and even pumpkin pie. Here's my favorite recipe for turning plain organic yogurt into a yummy sugar-free treat!

Easy Vanilla Yogurt

If plain yogurt is too sour for your palate, try this lightly sweet variety. Using plain organic yogurt ensures that it will not contain added sweeteners or chemical additives.

Makes 1 serving

1-cup plain fat-free organic yogurt

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract*

3 drops liquid Stevia or to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir until vanilla extract has been thoroughly mixed in and you no longer see its color. Enjoy immediately!

*All vanilla extracts are not created equal. Beware of vanilla extracts that contain sugar or corn syrup.