Mother Nature is Medicine

Mother Nature is Medicine
MOTHER NATURE IS MEDICINE. The Creator has given us everything that we need. It is all here on this Earth and in the Universe. It can be found in the Earth, in the Sky, in the Waters, in the Air. Often times, we, as humans, tend to view nature as something that is "apart" from ourselves. We talk of spending time "in nature." We, in a sense, distance ourselves. In reality, we ARE "a - part" as well. The Great Spirit put us here and blessed us and our ancestors with this beautiful earth. Embracing the Creator and the natural blessings is food & nourishment for the body, mind, and soul. Nature is medicine. ~Peace and Blessings~

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Colorful Fruit for Ramadan


 It’s good to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables during Ramadan, and all year long in fact. As one friend told me, “to keep up your sugar and energy levels”. And remember, the darker fruits and vegetables are the most healthiest and have great antioxidants. I make sure to eat enough during sahoor. When you break your fast during Ramadan, that does not mean that you can now gorge yourself. No, God doesn't want us to be gluttons. Eating lots of fried, heavy foods will only make you feel worse during fasting. I think Ramadan is a good way to get back on track and make a fresh start eating the way God intended us to eat.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

One Moroccan Indian Inspired Ramadan





I wish I could say that I made this from scratch, but I didn’t.
It was all from the store (chicken dishes from Sam's Club), and it was actually very tasty, flavorful, and spicy.

Chicken with Moroccan seasonings and finger potatoes with carrots and pearl onions.
Indian Chicken Tikka Masala over white rice.
Stir-fry vegetables, seasoned.

My family and I ate this for one of our Ramadan iftars. We already enjoy eating seasoned, spicy food from various places around the globe, even if they are just inspired, so of course we’d have to have this during Ramadan :)

Simply Potatoes Spicy Latkes



These latkes were fun to make and it tasted soo good. Hot and spicy, how I like them. I added chopped, cooked onions.

Mix the pack with an egg so it will form together and fry in vegetable oil or olive oil. 






Sunday, June 30, 2013

A Way of Living

Living in health, eating what is healthy and good for your body and working your bones and muscles is a natural, human way of living. It does not have to be a diet, or considered as a "diet". Over a few years, I have learned a lot about nature's ways in terms of natural food and in turn, I've changed a lot of my eating practices, but I don't see it as a "diet". I'm not dieting, I'm living a better lifestyle, or at least trying my best to live better, live healthier, and I enjoy it. My food creations and produce I like to eat might seem strange to some or different or maybe to some it might seem that I'm depriving myself of certain foods, but I like the foods that I eat and yes, I still eat ice cream and cake, so no, I don't think I'm missing out on anything.  I love to try out new foods and when I travel, I plan to try out different cuisines that I have never tried before - which I think is one of the best parts of travelling. I like making foods from all over the world and making up my own little recipes. It's so much fun.

There are so many diets available and I know that some of these diets have helped people, so I guess for some it works, but there are stories of people backtracking after a diet because it's too difficult to keep up with, too difficult to follow after a time and can seem only temporary. And so that is one of the reasons why, in terms of healthy eating, I believe so much in changing habits for a better lifestyle. And lifestyle is, well, part of life, sometimes it is for your whole life. It starts with seeing nature and the world in a new perspective that, when you think about it, isn't really that new at all. One change of thought and seeing the world, nature, life, and yourself in a new perspective will lead to a change in acts, works, and ultimately life itself.

Your Fruit to Your Yogurt



Fruit-flavored yogurt does not always taste the best to me. Sometimes, for example, the “Strawberry yogurt”, tastes too artificial, which I think is a shame since yogurt contains health benefits and is one of those foods that is light, tasty, and quick to eat and/or make. Mind you, eating “quick” is not very good for your health, but yogurt is quick in the sense that you can easily grab it to eat and is great to add to a light meal, or to eat as a small, healthy meal, or snack.
I like to add my own fruit to my yogurt, including real strawberries, which, in my opinion, tastes better and fresher than the slimy-like strawberries found in some yogurt.

Chobani Plain Low-fat yogurt
Diced Pineapple
Grapes, sliced in half
Strawberries, chopped
A couple teaspoons of pineapple juice
A magical sprinkle of my favorite Cinnamon

No need to add sugar, the pineapple juice gives a nice, tart replacement.
Fresh, not too sweet, with a nice crunch.