Nutritional Addiction Mitigation Eating and Drinking

Review Article

ISSN: 2471 7371

Keith D. Kantor^*
CEO & Founder of NAMED Program, Greater Atlanta Area, USA

Corresponding author: Keith D. Kantor, CEO & Founder of NAMED Program, Greater Atlanta Area, USA. Tel: +6783132956, E-mail: keith@drkeithkantor.com

Citation: Keith D. Kantor (2015), Nutritional Addiction Mitigation Eating and Drinking. Int J Nutr Sci & Food Tech. 1:1, 12-25. DOI: 10.25141/2471-7371-2015-1.0012

Copyright: ©2015 Keith D. Kantor. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Received Date: November 30, 2015; Accepted Date: December 02, 2015; Published Date: December 9, 2015

Introduction:

Nutrition and its effects on the body are often overlooked, underestimating the powerful effect that being properly nourished has on the overall metabolism, organ function and mental health. Those who are overcoming addiction will benefi t from a precise nutrition plan that will keep the body functioning at its optimal level reducing symptoms and complications of addiction recovery. A common problem in addiction recovery is the substance that one was addicted to is often replaced with food, typically junk foods, this is also known as “transfer addiction.” This leads to increased risk for obesity related diseases like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The surges and drops in blood sugars as a result of poor diet resemble the highs and lows of the actual substance that was once used^[1]^[2]. When overcoming addictions addressing the root causes of the addiction with a therapist while converting nutrition into a sound program that will allow the body to function will make a small but statistically signifi cant impact on the overall success of the addiction and recovery program. Channeling the addictive behaviors into healthy lifestyle strategies like cooking, exercise, meditation, and healthy hobbies with the guidance of your therapist will generate long term success.

Recovery from substance abuse also affects the body in other ways, including metabolism (processing energy), organ function, and mental well-being. Proper nutrition will help the healing process, repairing damaged tissue. Nutrients supply the body with energy. They provide substances to build and maintain healthy organs and fi ght off infection. Nutrition also plays an important role in mood. Research suggests that changes in your diet can alter brain structure both chemically and physiologically, and infl uence your behavior. Furthermore, the consumption of certain foods has been tied to increased production of key neurotransmitters like serotonin, which improves mood ^[3]. Keeping mood stable will decrease the risk for cravings and relapse in addiction recovery.

Substances and nutritional complications:

There are a variety of substances that individuals abuse and develop addictions to. It is important to understand how each type of drug effects the body, so areas of concern can be addressed specifi cally when it comes to nutrition. Opiates (including codeine, OxyContin, heroin, and morphine) affect the gastrointestinal system. Constipation is a very common symptom of substance use. Symptoms that are common during withdrawal include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting^[4].These symptoms may lead to a lack of nutrients and an imbalance of electrolytes (such as sodium, potassium, and chloride). By drinking high quality electrolyte drinks like coconut water and or coconut milk can help replenish electrolytes without increasing sugar consumption, while eating balanced meals will have a small but statistically signifi cant effect, helping patients withdrawal from addiction and will make these symptoms less severe (however, eating can be diffi cult, due to nausea). A high fi ber diet with plenty of complex carbohydrates (such as whole grains, vegetables, peas, and beans) is also recommended.

Alcoholism is one of the major causes of nutritional defi ciency in the United States. Research has shown that at the height of their drinking, alcoholics often derive as much as 50 percent of their daily calorie allowance from alcohol itself, resulting in serious malnourishment. The most common defi ciencies are B-vitamins, thiamine, and folic acid. A lack of these nutrients causes iron de- fi ciency and neurological problems. Korsakoff’s syndrome (“wet brain”) occurs when heavy alcohol use causes a lack of enough thiamine^{[4, 5]}. Alcohol use also damages two major organs involved in metabolism and nutrition: the liver and the pancreas. The liver removes toxins and other harmful substances. The pancreas regulates blood sugar and the absorption of fat. Damage to these two organs results in an imbalance of fl uids, calories, protein, and electrolytes. Other complications include:

● Diabetes
● High blood pressure
● Permanent liver damage (or cirrhosis)
● Inability to process thoughts due to complications from cirrhosis
● Seizures
● Severe malnutrition
● Shortened life expectancy
Laboratory tests for protein, iron, and electrolytes may be needed to determine if there is liver disease in addition to the alcohol problem. Women who drink heavily are at high risk of osteoporosis and need to take calcium and vitamin D supplements. Following a diet rich in antioxidants, fi berand low in sugar, in addition to the recommended supplementation will have a small but statistically signifi cant effect on helping patient’s withdrawal from addiction while reducing symptoms.

Stimulant use (such as crack, cocaine, and methamphetamine) reduces appetite, and leads to weight loss and poor nutrition. Users of these drugs may stay up for days at a time. They may be dehydrated and have electrolyte imbalances during these episodes along with long term damage to organs and metabolism. Returning to a normal diet can be hard if a person has lost a lot of weight. Memory problems, which may be permanent, are a complication of long-term stimulant use. Increasing nutrient and calorically dense food consumption slowly will improve nutrition status without excessive volume that could make patient uncomfortable in recovery. Nutrient and calorie dense foods include nuts, avocados, full fat dairy, nut butters, and oils. Marijuana can increase appetite. Some long-term users may be overweight and need to cut back on fat, sugar, and total calories.

Body pH balance and its effects on our body’s ability to overcome addiction:

The typical American diet is packed with sugar and processed foods, which throws off your body’s ability to optimize your pH. Although your body naturally has its own mechanisms to buffer your pH, many of us are likely living in a state of low-grade acidosis from eating too many low-quality processed, depleted foods^{[6, 7]}. Eating a diet rich in low nutrient processed foods puts the body in a state of mild, moderate or even severe infl ammation, infl ammation can affect our body’s ability to regulate insulin levels resulting in increased cravings for sugary foods. In recovery, sugary food cravings can often be misread as a craving for the once abused substance due to similar hormonal responses of serotonin and opiate receptors. Optimizing our pH through a balanced and pure nutrition and hydration plan will reduce in- fl ammation and help avoid cravings, hormonal imbalances and chances for relapses. Consuming at least 9-11 servings of fruits and vegetables, heart healthy fats, and high quality moderate sized protein servings along with hydration strategies in the form of high quality stable alkaline water resources will have a small but statistically signifi cant effect on helping patients withdrawal from addiction while reducing symptoms.

Opiate receptors:

Simple carbohydrates/sugar and opiate receptors.Research on mice has shown that their body reacts to sugar through opiate receptor binding. The opiate receptors react to sugar just like it does to addicting substances like both drugs and alcohol which also increase the opiate receptor binding activity. Those who are regularly exposed to sugar tend to consume 30% more calories daily then those who eat a balanced diet that is not particularly high in sugar, this is measured specifi cally through opiate receptor binding^[8]. Food sources of sugar are not limited to candy and desserts, simple carbohydrates like white breads, crackers, pastas, rice, and white potatoes are all fast acting carbohydrates that metabolize in the body similarly to sugary candies and desserts. Aim for more complex carbohydrate sources like quinoa, steel cut oats, sweet potatoes, wild or long cooking brown rice, sprouted grain breads, beans, fl ax seed, to name a few. Due to the higher fi ber content of these complex carbohydrates the body breaks them down more slowly, resulting in more steady insulin levels and decreased cravings and opiate response. By not stimulating the opiate receptors, withdrawal is easier and the success rate is higher. Keeping this strategy, also lowers the chance of the addiction reoccurring.

Artifi cial sweeteners and opiate receptors.Also avoid chemically based non-calorie sugar substitutes, these include, saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose. Non-calories sugar substitutes are typically found in drinks, and diet marketed foods like yogurts, nutrition bars, frozen meals and desserts. Although these sweeteners are not full of calories our brain still recognizes that there is something sweet inside of our body and it instinctively sends a signal to the pancreas to secrete insulin. There may not be as much of a dramatic secretion of insulin but there is still a fl uctuation. This fl uctuation will result in cravings once the insulin level drops from the initial spike. For recovery, reducing all cravings is the best strategy to keeping the metabolism and overall mental state stable. Studies have shown that artifi cial sweeteners can result in weight gain just as bad if not worse than regular sugar. In fact, the consumption of saccharin and aspartame regularly both cause greater weight gain than sugar, even when the total caloric intake remains similar^[9]. Regular consumption of artifi cial sweeteners has also been linked to the development of Type 2 Diabetes, increased BMI (body mass index) in both children and adults and the neurological effects of increased hunger overall^[10]. Again by not stimulating the opiate receptors, withdrawal is easier and the success rate is higher.

Gluten and opiate receptor activity. Gluten has become a common intolerance both mild and more severe with those who suffer from Celiac Disease. Experts believe that the low nutrient over processed broken down wheat in our mainstream cooking fl our has caused us to become intolerant to gluten resulting from compromised gut function. The gut and gastrointestinal system is the body’s dashboard for good health containing healthy bacteria that help keep unhealthy bacteria levels at bay. When the gut becomes compromised due to over exposure to antibiotics, food intolerances and other common toxins the physical lining of the gut becomes worn lowering healthy bacteria levels reducing our body’s ability to absorb key nutrients resulting in malnourishment and a compromised immune system with a constant state of infl ammation.

In reference to addiction, research has also revealed that gluten like sugar has a similar increased opiate receptor activity. The brain tissue in mice revealed an increase in opiate response specifi cally when gluten was consumed^[11]. Even gluten free pro cessed carbohydrates can stimulate the opiate receptor response, corn tortillas, gluten free cookies, breads, etc. Some gluten free substitutions are loaded with simple carbohydrates and syrups to offset the different taste compared to its gluten containing common food, but provides some of the negative metabolic effects. Strive to consume grains from naturally gluten free sources like long grain wild rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, steel cut oats, etc. Eliminating processed sugar, and processed fl ours and preservatives that contain gluten will have a small but statistically signifi cant effect on helping patients withdrawal from addiction while reducing symptoms and effects of their addiction. Not stimulating the opiate receptors is one of the keys to successful withdrawal and also lowers the relapse rate.

Milk protein and opiate response.Some research also has shown that the consumption of milk and milk containing products will stimulate opioid response. Some have severe milk intolerances yet they consume multiple servings daily due to the opiate response and sacrifi ce by dealing with the uncomfortable side effects. Stimulating the opiate receptors increases the desire to consume the substance one is addicted to. This must be avoided for successful withdrawal.

Caffeine and coffee with opiate response.Consuming coffee has been shown to cause opiate receptor binding^[12]. This further explains why most people who drink coffee drink it daily and if they consume more than 24 ounces daily they will have withdrawal symptoms from it. Coffee and caffeine can cause anxiety, auto immune pain disorders, infl ammation, and sleep disturbances. Eliminating coffee and other caffeinated substances from the diet will help reduce the opiate response. Again, everything possible must be done to avoid stimulating the opiate receptors for successful withdrawal.

Suppressing the opiate response.Consuming a diet rich in nutrient dense palatable foods is the key to offsetting the negative effects of opiate receptors^[13]. Feeling satisfi ed after consuming a meal that both appeared and tasted pleasant will offset the urge to “want more.” Unfortunately with all of the preservatives and unhealthy additives we think of palatable as unhealthy foods, reforming this mindset will allow foods to both increase the success of your recovery whiling allowing you to be healthy and have an optimal functioning metabolism. It is common among anyone who is trying to eat healthy, that the food at fi rst will taste and appear bland due to the reduction in sodium, fat, and sugar and in most cases calories. Using fresh herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats will improve the overall enjoyment of the foods leaving one feeling rewarded and satisfi ed not craving anything else. Suppressing the opiate response is a valuable key to successfully beating the addiction and maintaining this will lower the relapse rate.
Also in addition to amino acids therapy administration, consuming foods that are rich in amino acids like fi sh, meat, and poultry will not only help repair and regenerate damaged tissue, it will keep cravings down and help maintain lean muscle mass and proper organ function. Each meal should have an amino acids rich food like fi sh, meat, or poultry, and if needed a protein supplement.

Opiate conclusion. Due to the overwhelming impact the opiate receptors have on overall mental health, and addiction behaviors, it can be concluded that consuming a diet that will reduce the opiate receptor response will increase the ease of withdrawal, increase the long term success rate in those in recovery for overcoming addiction and lower the relapse rate.

Nutrition plan guidelines/ overview:

● Develop a meal and snack schedule and adhere to the routine daily. This will reduce cravings while keeping the body in a state of balance.
● Aim to eat 9-11 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Preferably a ratio of one fruit to three vegetables. This keeps fi ber intake at optimal levels, and provides vitamins and minerals in their most raw form.
● Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of stable alakaline water daily. This will promote optimal organ function, electrolyte balance, and reduce cravings.
● Include a high quality source of protein, a heart healthy fat and fi brous carbohydrate at each meal. This is the most absorbable form of amino acids which have been shown to be critical in addiction and recovery.
● Vitamin and mineral supplements may be helpful during recovery. A high quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement, B-complex, vitamin D, omega 3 fi sh oil, and a probiotic are all recommended to take daily with meals for optimal absorption ^[14]. More specifi c supplements and herbs can be recommended individually based on assessment and laboratory values.
● Get regular exercise, at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
● Aim to get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night.
● Reduce caffeine and stop smoking.
Seek help from counselors, therapist and/or support groups on a regular basis.

A person with substance abuse is more likely to relapse when they are malnourished. This is why regular meals are important. Some research suggest drug and alcohol addiction causes a person to forget what it is like to be hungry and they may crave drugs instead of true hunger. The person should be encouraged therapeutically to think that they may be hungry when cravings become strong. During recovery from substance use, dehydration is also common. It is important to get enough fl uids during and in between meals. Appetite usually returns during recovery. A person in recovery is often more likely to overeat, particularly if they were taking stimulants. It is important to eat healthy meals and snacks and avoid high calorie junk foods with low nutrition, such as sweets.In some cases if weight gain has occurred, eating foods that are nutrient dense not calorically dense is a strategy that can be used to avoid further weight gain, promote weight loss and most importantly prevent health related issues to increased levels of adipose tissue (body fat). By following these guidelines through the recovery process it will have a small but statistically signifi cant effect on helping a patient withdrawal from addiction while reducing symptoms of their addiction^[15].

Amino acid nutrition therapy:

Another important area in the use of nutrition in recovery and relapse prevention is the addition of appropriate amino acids that serve as the building blocks for powerful chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters, including epinephrine and norepinephrine, GABA, serotonin and dopamine, are closely tied to addiction behavior. With the use of various amino acids, brain chemistry can be changed to help normalize and restore defi ciencies in the neurotransmitters that spur cravings that can lead to addiction and relapse. Amino Acid injections are the most potent and effective, and optimal to use during recovery. Oral supplementation is good for long term use after neurotransmitters have initially been changed. This is also known to suppress the opiate receptors which greatly aids in recovery

Note: To assist in amino-acid nutritional therapy, the use of a multi-vitamin/mineral formula is recommended. Many vitamins and minerals serve as co-factors in neurotransmitter synthesis. They also serve to restore general balance, vitality and well-being to the Reward Defi ciency Syndrome (RSD) patient who typically is in a state of poor nutritional health (see paragraph above chart for explanation of RSD).

* This chart was originally published in the following article. Blum K, Ross J, Reuben C, Gastelu D, Miller DK. “Nutritional Gene Therapy: Natural Healing in Recovery. Counselor Magazine, January/February, 2001

See recipes/ aim to consume at least half of your body weight in ounces of stable alkaline water throughout the day.

Recipes:

Quinoa “oatmeal”
1 c cooked quinoa, ¼ c blueberries and 1 tbs. non-dairy protein, and unsweet almond or coconut milk.
Veggie Egg Scramble
2 eggs, 1 c veggies of your choice (peppers, onion, tomato, mushrooms, etc.), soy and dairy free cheese optional.

Warm Banana Nut Breakfast Cereal
Ingredients: 1/2 cup water, ½ cup almond milk, 2.5 tbsp. quinoa, 1 small banana, sliced, 1 tbsp. ground fl ax seed, 1 pinch ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp. chopped walnuts, ¼ tsp. vanilla extract.
Directions: Stir the water, milk, and quinoa together in a saucepan; bring to a gentle boil.Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, or until the quinoa begins to soften. Stir in the banana, fl ax and cinnamon.Cook, stirring frequently over low heat for 2 to 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts and vanilla.

Chili Squash Boats
Ingredients: 2 Cups Favorite chili, 2 medium Yellow Squash.
Directions: Preheat Oven to 400 F. Cut the Squash in half. Steam the squash halves for a few minutes or microwave for 60 seconds until just a little soft.Once cool enough to handle, use a spoon or small ice cream scoop and scoop a small amount of squash out of the center hole.Fill the squash hole with a ½ cup of chili.Place Squash halves on an oiled or lined baking sheet.Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until chili are hot and cheese is melted.

Jalapeno Burgers
Ingredients: 1 lb. ground turkey, 2 cloves of fresh garlic (minced), 1 egg, 2 jalapenos (sliced), ¼ cup plain gluten free bread crumbs, Pinch of paprika, Pepper to taste.
Directions: Combine all ingredients together in large bowl and mold mixture into 4 burgers. Serve bun less or on bun with lettuce, red onion, avocado, tomato, pickle, and mayo alongside salad.

Chopped Salad
Ingredients: 1 green apple, cored and diced ½ c pomegranate seeds 2 c fi nely chopped kale 4 c mixed greens ½ c chopped raw walnuts 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced ¼ extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar ½ tsp. cumin 1 garlic clove (minced), 1 avocado, diced
Directions: In a large bowl, combine apple, pomegranate seeds, kale, mixed greens, walnuts, and cucumber.In a small bowl, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, and cumin, garlic. Whisk until well blended.Combine with salad mixture and toss well.Top with avocado.

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken
Ingredients: 10 pieces of your favorite chicken (bone in) we used chicken thighs, 1 lbs. red potatoes, 1 white onion, 2 lemons (1 sliced, 1 juiced) ½ c olive oil, 2 garlic cloves (minced) 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, ½ tsp. red pepper fl akes, ½ tsp. black pepper.
Directions: Spray roasting pan with cooking spray, place chicken, potatoes, and large chunks of onion and lemon slices in pan. Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper fl akes, salt and pepper in small bowl.Drizzle liquid over chicken and bake at 350 for approximately 1-hour.

Cool Broccoli Salad
Ingredients: 2 strips turkey bacon, ½ cup ice cubes, ½ medium red onions (thinly sliced), ½ cup coconut milk, 1/3 cup plain coconut yogurt, ¼ tsp. fi nely grated lemon zest, 1tbsp. fresh lemon juice, Black pepper, 6 ½ cups/ 16oz. Broccoli fl orets (about 1 pound) cut into bite-size pieces, 1/3 c raisins, 2 tbsps.slivered almonds.
Directions: Cook the bacon in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until crispy, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a papertowel-lined plate to drain, and reserve 1teaspoon drippings for the dressing. Finely chop the bacon strips and reserve.Combine 1-cup water, the ice cubes and onions in a small bowl. Let the onions soak for 10 minutes while preparing the rest of the salad, and then drain and pat dry.Whisk the coconut milk, sour cream, lemon zest and juice, reserved bacon drippings, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper taste in a large bowl. Add the broccoli, onions and golden raisins to the dressing. Toss well, cover and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.Before serving, toss well and season with additional salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and top with the chopped bacon and slivered almonds.

Chipotle Chicken Nachos
Ingredients: 1 bag Organic Tortilla Chips (you can eat over leafy greens to avoid salt or get unsalted chips), 16 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 bottle Chipotle Marinade (gluten free MSG free), ½ cup fresh salsa, ½ cup corn kernels, ½ cup black beans, 1 cup shredded Lettuce, *Shredded Mexican Cheese (for family not you �), Fresh lime juice to taste.
Directions: Marinate chicken breast in Chipotle Marinade.Cut chicken into strips and pan sear chicken till done.Lay chips out on large platter, top with chicken, corn, beans, cheese*.Bake nachos in oven till cheese melts and top nachos with lettuce, and salsa.

Chicken with Peach Glaze and Grilled Peaches
Ingredients: 1 cup peach preserves or jam (organic), 1 ½ tbsps. olive oil (plus more for brushing), 1 tbsps. tamari (gluten free soy sauce), ½ tbsp. Dijon mustard, ½ tbsp. minced garlic, 1 small jalapeno (fi nely chopped), Ground pepper to taste, 1 lb. or 16 oz. chicken breast, 2 cups fresh or frozen sliced peaches, Broccoli or green beans as side (fresh or frozen)
Directions: Combine the peach preserves, olive oil, tamari, mustard, garlic and jalapeno in a medium bowl and season with pepper. Reserve ½ cup.Preheat the grill. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken skin-side down and cook until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking for 5 to 6 minutes. Brush both sides with the peach glaze and continue cooking until done, an additional 4 to 5 minutes.Place the peaches in aluminum foil and on the grill and grill for 2 minutes. Turn over, brush with the reserved ½ cup of peach glaze and grill until the peaches are soft, 3 to 4 more minutes.Serve alongside a green grilled vegetable like green beans or broccoli.

Caveman Cupcakes
Ingredients: 1 lb Ground turkey, 1 Egg, 3/4 cup almond or coconut milk, 1 c cooked quinoa, 2 tsp Garlic Powder, 2 tsp Onion Powder, 2 tsp no MSG Worcheshire sauce, 2/3 cup no MSG Ketchup, 1/8 c honey, 2 tsp Mustard, 2 cup Mashed Potatoes.
Directions: Preheat Oven to 350.Place mashed potatoes in a zippered bag or piping bag and set aside for later.Combine Ketchup, Mustard and brown sugar and mix well. Set aside.Combine remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.Press meat mixture into muffi n tin. Bake 30-45 min. depends on oven. Cool for 5 minutes and pipe on potatoes as “frosting”

Cranberry nut crunch cereal
Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, 2 tbsp. squash seeds (or more pumpkin seeds), 1/2 cup almond meal/almond fl our, 1 1/3 cup shredded coconut, 1 cup almonds (chopped), 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 3 Tbsp. coconut oil, 1/4 cup raw honey, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup raisins (added after cereal is baked)
Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients (except raisins).Warm coconut oil and honey slightly so they are easily incorporated. Pour oil, honey and vanilla over dry ingredients. Mix well. Spread cereal mixture over a large baking pan (15 x 10 or bigger) and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Take out of the oven, stir mixture and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Cool. Add raisins and serve with coconut or almond milk. Store in an airtight container.

Siracha Lime chicken
Ingredients: 12-16oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, 2 tsp. olive oil, 2 tbsp. lime juice, 1 tsp. minced garlic, ½ tsp. black pepper, 2 tbsp. lime juice, 2 tbspsiracha, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tbs. honey, 2 tbsp. cilantro, roughly chopped
Directions: Whisk together all marinade ingredients and place in bag with chicken for at least 1 hour or overnight.Remove chicken and pan fry in olive oil for 7 min. on each side.Boil the remainder of the marinade in saucepan. After chicken is cooked, drizzle the remainder of the marinade over fi sh and serve alongside a green vegetable.

Coconut Flour Pancakes
Ingredients: 5 eggs, 1 cup unsweetened applesauce or pear sauce, 1/2 cup sifted coconut fl our, 1 tsp. Bakingsoda, cinnamon to taste (I do a pinch), 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil(melted), 1 tsp. Vanilla, 2 Tbsp. honey (optional), add-ins such as berries or dark chocolate chips.
Directions: Heat large skillet or pancake griddle. (I heat a griddle to 325 degrees.) Mix all ingredients together except add-ins. Mix with electric mixer or immersion blender. Let batter sit for 5 minutes so that it will thicken.Carefully fold in berries or chocolate chips or other add-ins. Grease griddle or skillet with butter or coconut oil. Use 1/4 cup measuring cup to ladle pancake batter onto hot griddle or skillet.Cook 3-4 minutes per side (if set at 325) or until it bubbles and is easy to fl ip. Flip pancakes and cook for another 3-4 minutes. *Serve with, very small amount of pure maple syrup and/or fresh fruit.

Pumpkin-Apple Pie Muffi ns
Ingredients: 1 cup chopped apples (about 1 apple), 1 cup pumpkin puree, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup unsweet applesauce, 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla, 1/3 cup honey, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. cloves, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 cup coconut fl our (sifted), 1/3 cup walnuts (chopped, sprinkle on top)
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line regular-sized muf- fi n pan with liners.Combine chopped apple, pumpkin puree, eggs, applesauce, vanilla and honey. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Divide batter among 12 muffi n cups. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Almond crusted sea bass
Ingredients: 1 lbs. sea bass, ½-3/4 c almond fl our, 1 tbs. paprika, ½ c Dijon mustard, Black pepper to taste
Directions: Mix almond fl our and paprika thoroughly, pepper sea bass, coat with Dijon mustard, coat with almond fl our paprika mixture and pan fry in coconut oil 3 min. each side.

Loaded sweet potato
Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, Avocado, Black beans, Toasted pumpkin seeds, Plain coconut yogurt + lime + Chile powder, Chives.
Directions: Slice baked sweet potatoes in half, load with topping and heat or bake for 6-10 min.

Chicken Cabbage Salad
Ingredients: 3-4 chicken breasts, pepper/paprika, coconut oil, 1 head cabbage(sliced super-thin), green onions (optional) 1 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (unsalted), 1 cup slivered almonds, 1 tbsp. coconut oil.
Dressing Ingredients*: 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3-4 tbsp. orange juice concentrate, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 2-3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar.
Directions: Rub chicken with coconut oil and sprinkle with pepper, and paprika. Bake until cooked through. Cut chicken into strips or bite sized pieces.Core and thinly slice the cabbage. Put pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds and 1 Tbsp. coconut oil in a sauté or fry pan over medium heat. Stir frequently (to prevent burning) until lightly toasted. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a container that can be shaken or stirred well. Start with the lesser amounts of the orange juice concentrate and apple cider vinegar and adjust to your taste and liking. Shake well, so that it becomes well combined. Mix together sliced cabbage, chicken, seeds and nuts in a large bowl. Pour dressing over it and mix until salad is well coated in the dressing.

Quinoa Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients: 1⁄2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. baking powder, 2/3 c cooked quinoa, 1⁄2 c pumpkin, 1 whole egg, 1 Tbsp. almond or coconut fl our, 1 Tbsp. protein powder (vanilla), 1 tsp. stevia or honey, 1⁄2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Directions: Pre-heat oven 350, mix all ingredients, line cupcake pan with liners or grease, bake for 15 minutes or toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 25-30 minutes in fridge. Chicken, Pepper and Onion Pasta Ingredients: 1 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 box gluten free pasta of your choice, 16 oz. jar of favorite all natural tomato sauce, 1 ½ large red onions(sliced), 1 ½ large red, orange or yellow peppers (sliced), 2 tbsps.of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 teaspoon red pepper fl akes, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 2 ½ teaspoons of pepper, 3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning (no salt), 3 tbsps.of fresh chopped parsley.
Directions: Begin by poking the chicken with a fork and adding pepper on both sides, and then cut the breasts into large bite sized pieces.In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over high heat and add chicken.Cook chicken until lightly brown on both sides (it’s okay if it is not completely cooked through). Remove chicken from skillet, reduce heat to medium and in the same skillet, add the onion, peppers, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper fl akes, and dried Italian seasoning. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.In a separate pot, begin to boil water, lightly salted, for the pasta. Add the tomato sauce to the skillet with the vegetables and add the chicken back in. Let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.Once water is boiling, add pasta, after 11 minutes, or desired tenderness, drain the pasta.Add pasta to skillet with sauce.

Serve and garnish with the chopped parsley. Black Bean Salad
Ingredients: 2 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained, 16oz. cut corn(drained), 8 green onions (chopped), 2 jalapeno peppers (seeded and minced), 1 green bell pepper, chopped, 1 avocado (peeled, pitted, and diced), ½ cup pimentos, 3 tomatoes (seeded and chopped), 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1 lime(juiced), 1 tbsp. olive oil, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or granulated.
Directions: In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, green onions, jalapeno peppers, bell pepper, avocado, pimentos, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil. Season with garlic.Toss, and chill until serving.

Egg Casserole
Ingredients: 6 egg whites, 6 whole eggs, 4 oz. cooked chicken or turkey sausage (nitrate free), 1 c fresh spinach, ¼ c mushrooms, 4oz. chopped onions, 4oz. chopped peppers, 2 oz. dry mustard, 4 oz. shredded cheese (optional for family or use non-dairy vegan option), 1 bag pre-sliced red potatoes.
Directions: Scramble eggs; add meat, potatoes, veggies, and ½ of the shredded cheese. Pour mixture into a sprayed casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake in over for 45 minutes or until no longer runny. This can be re-heated daily or frozen for later use.

Berry Quinoa Salad
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked quinoa, ½ tbsp. coconut oil, 2 cups water, 3 cups organic berries, ½ head kale, 1 cup lima beans, rinsed and drained, ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts, Salt to taste, ½ cup Raspberry Vinaigrette.
Directions: Add oil and dry quinoa to pot, toast quinoa in oil for a minute, add water and bring to boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add a tight lid and let sit till water is absorbed, for approximately 15 min. Then remove from heat and let sit covered 5-10 min. Combine kale, lima beans, ½ of the dressing and berries in bowl. Let sit and then toss in quinoa and walnuts and remainder of the dressing. Store in fridge. Asian Sesame Roasted Chicken and Broccoli Ingredients: 4 thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 c fresh broccoli, ½ c fresh ginger(grated), 1/8 c + 1 Tbs. raw honey, 1 c all natural roasted vegetable stock, ¾ c low sodium tamari sauce (gluten free soy sauce), ¾ c rice vinegar, 1½ Tbs. toasted sesame oil
Directions: Heat saucepot with olive oil.Add ginger, honey with a little veg. stock to soften ginger.Stir in remaining ingredients. Strain and set aside.Put 4 thawed chicken breasts and broccoli in glass dish or bowl, pour marinade over chicken and let sit for at least 1 hour in refrigerator.Roast at 350 for approximately 10 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked all of the way through.Serve on or beside a bed of quinoa or brown rice.

Gluten Free Shrimp Pasta Salad
Ingredients: 1 16-ounce bottle dairy-free Ranch dressing, 1 ripe avocado(pitted and peeled), 1 bunch cilantro (tough stems, removed, divided), 1 medium poblanochile, 1 medium white onion(cut into ½ -inch slices), 12 oz corn on the cob, 16 oz large uncooked shrimp, Olive oil for grilling (about ¼ cup), 1 cup diced jicama (about ¼ inch pieces), 1 pint small cherry or grape tomatoes, ½ pound gluten free corkscrew or penne pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions, grounded black pepper.
Directions: In a blender or food processor, combine dressing, avocado and 2 tbsps cold water. Roughly chop cilantro, reserving 1/4 cup for garnish. Add remainder to blender or processor. Process until smooth. Refrigerate dressing, tightly covered, until ready to use.Light charcoal and let burn until charcoal is covered with gray ash but still very hot. Or, if using a gas grill or grill pan, set to medium-high heat. When grill is quite hot, brush corn, poblano pepper and onion slices with oil; sprinkle corn and onion with pepper. Thread shrimp onto skewers, brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.Grill vegetables and shrimp, turning regularly to ensure even cooking: 10 to 15 minutes for poblano (sear over hottest part of fi re until evenly blackened and blistered all over), about 10 minutes for onions, about 5 minutes for corn and about 4 minutes for shrimp.Cover poblano with towel to rest. When cool enough to handle, wipe off charred skin and remove seed pod and seeds. Rinse briefl y, chop into small pieces and place in large bowl. When corn is cool enough to handle, cut kernels off cob and add to bowl with poblano.Chop onion into small pieces and add to bowl, along with whole grilled shrimp, jicama, tomatoes, cooked pasta, 1 to 1 ½ cups of prepared dressing and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Salad is best if covered and refrigerated for an hour or so.Serve sprinkled with reserved ¼ cup cilantro.

Berry Pomegranate Smoothie
Ingredients: 8 oz. chopped spinach, 2 oz.Pure pomegranate juice, 6oz plain almond or coconut milk, 1/2 c frozen blueberries, 1/4 avocado, 1 scoop protein powder (non dairy).
Directions: Place all ingredients in a powerful blender and blend till smooth and serve! Cherry Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich Ingredients: 1 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1/3 cup plain coconut yogurt, 1/3 cup vegannaise mayonnaise (no vegetable oil), 1 tbsp. honey mustard, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery, 1/2 cup pecans(chopped), 1/2 cup dried tart cherries (chopped).
Directions: Place chicken in a medium saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Meanwhile, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, and pepper in a bowl.When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken, celery, pecans and cherries to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine. Serve to wrap, bread or in lettuce cups.

Grilled Peanut Chicken
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. natural peanut, 1 tbsp. lime juice, 2 tsp. tamari sauce (gluten free), 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1/3 tsp. curry powder, 1 dash cayenne pepper, 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Directions: Preheat grill to high heat.In a bowl, combine the nut butter, lime juice, tamari sauce, curry powder and cayenne pepper. Place chicken on the grill and brush with the sauce mixture. Grill for 6-8 minutes. Turn chicken, and brush on remaining sauce. Grill an additional 6-8 minutes or until there is no visible pink. Serve alongside grilled carrots, broccoli. Onions and peppers.

Chai Pumpkin Protein Shake
Ingredients: 1 ½ c unsweetened almond milk, 1 tbs. chai tea powder, 1 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder, 1-2 tbsp. pumpkin puree, 5 ice cubes.
Directions: Blend all ingredients together till smooth.

strawberry Pork Chops
Ingredients: ¼ cup no sugar added strawberry preserves “all fruit”, 1-½ tbsp. minced garlic, 1 tbsp. Tamari sauce (gluten free), 1 tbsp. horseradish, 4 Pork Chops, ¼ Tbsp. olive oil, 1 pinch cayenne pepper,
Directions: In a small saucepan combine the strawberry preserves, minced garlic, Tamari sauce and horseradish. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through.Coat a medium skillet with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle both sides of each pork chop with cayenne pepper. Cook the chops until browned on each side, and then continue to cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Serve chops with sauce poured over the top, alongside salad and baked potato.

Citrus Cod or chicken
Ingredients: 4 Cod fi llets (or you could use chicken if you are not a fi sh person), Season combo (garlic powder, and pepper), 1-2 c Almond fl our, Orange juice (not from concentrate!), Juice from one lemon, 1-2 Tbs. coconut oil.
Directions: Heat olive oil in large cast iron skillet. Pat fi sh dry, Season with garlic and pepper. Drudge fi sh in almond fl our. Place in skillet and brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Add coconut oil to pan and de-glaze.Oncethe coconut oilmelts, add orange juice and lemon juice. Add the fi sh back to pan and cook till fi sh is done through. Can serve alongside quinoa, sweet potato, roasted vegetables or tossed salad.

Southwest Salad with Cilantro Dressing
Ingredients: 12 oz. Boneless, skinless chicken breast, 4 c chopped romaine lettuce, 1 c chopped fi nely red cabbage, 1 avocado, sliced, ½ c shredded carrots, ¼ c red onion slivers, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. paprika, 1 large bunch fresh cilantro, Juice of 1 lemon or lime, ¼ c olive oil
Directions: Chop lettuce, carrots, cabbage, onion, and avocado. Pan grill chicken and sprinkle chili powder, cumin, and paprika on meat.Once meat is cooked arrange salads individually or in a large bowl.For Dressing- in powerful blender or food processor, add cilantro, juice of lemon or lime and olive oil combine thoroughly and serve over salad as a dressing.

Gluten Free Breakfast Bars
Ingredients: 1 cup brown rice fl our, 1 cup hazelnut fl our (packed), 1 cup Quinoa Flakes, 2 tsps. baking powder, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 3 organic eggs, ¼-1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup organic coconut oil, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. almond extract, 3 tbsps.almond milk, 1/2 cup dried cherries, 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips.
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.Whisk together the dry ingredients: brown rice fl our, hazelnut fl our, quinoa fl akes, baking powder, & cinnamon.Add in the eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and almond extracts, and beat to combine. The batter will be thick. Add in the almond milk one tbsp at a time, until the batter becomes smooth.Add in the dried cherries and dark chocolate chips. Stir to combine.Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the surface evenly. Place the pan into the center of a preheated oven and bake until golden and set, about 20 minutes.Cool on a wire rack and then cut into squares.

Zucchini Pasta with Fire Roasted Tomato Basil Meat Sauce
Ingredients: 1 lbs. ground turkey, 4 whole zucchini (peeled), 2, 14.5 oz. of fi re roasted tomatoes, 1/2 c fresh basil, (roughly chopped), Balsamic vinegar to taste, Pepper to taste.
Directions: Place your zucchini in your spiral slicer to make pasta. If you don’t have one you can use a julienne peeler or vegetable peeler and make thicker noodles. Place your zucchini noodles in a colander in the sink and lightly salt them, they need to sit for 20 minutes and drain all the water. Heat skillet and brown ground turkey till no longer pink. Add zucchini noodles and lightly sauté in beef for 2 min.Add your can of fi re-roasted tomatoes. Add chopped basil. Add balsamic vinegar. Cover pan and let simmer till hot. Plate your noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with pepper to your liking and enjoy.

Banana Chocolate Muffi ns
Ingredients: 2 c gluten free fl our (all purpose is great, but you can use coconut, almond, amaranth, etc.) If your fl our does not contain Xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon to recipe, 2 tsp. baking powder (preferably aluminum free), 2 tsp. baking soda, Pinch of sea salt, 2 ripe bananas, ½ c extra virgin olive oil or none vegan option would be ½ c melted organic butter, 1/2 c pure maple syrup or local honey, 2/3 c unsweet almond milk, 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract, 1/3 c dark chocolate chips work well too!
Directions: Preheat oven to 400 (if you have a “hot” oven pre-heat to 350 degrees) Line muffi n tin with 12 liners.Mix dry ingredients (fl our, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in the spate bowl, mix wet ingredients, vanilla, bananas, syrup/honey, oil and almond milk. Combine both dry and wet ingredients and after combined, fold in raisins.Bake until muffi ns are browned and a toothpick comes out clean- 20-25 min.

Pecan, Berry and Arugula Salad
Ingredients: 2 c fresh arugula, 5 oz. raspberries, 2 oz. (Approx. 1/4 c) pecans, 2-3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar.
Directions: Roast pecans in oven on 350 for 8-10 min. or until fragrant. Add raspberries, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in large bowl. Toss with arugula and serve.

Cranberry Coconut Chicken Tossed Salad
Ingredients: 2 cups salad greens, 1/2 tbsp. all natural Poppy Seed Dressing, 1 tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut, 1 tbsp. dried cranberries (try to get them without sulfi tes), 4-6 oz.Boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast, cut into cubes.
Directions: Grill chicken breast (if not pre-cooked). Blend all other ingredients together to make tossed salad.

Asian Meatballs
Ingredients:1 lbs. ground turkey, ½ tsp. black pepper, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp. fresh ginger (if you only have dry ginger that can work too), 1 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari, 2 tsp. 100% maple syrup or local honey, 2 Tbs. canola, grape seed or saf- fl ower oil, Your favorite Asian dipping sauce (peanut, hoisin, etc.)
Directions: Combine all ingredients and roll into balls, bake, grill or pan-fry till they are cooked all of the way through. Serve alongside sautéed veggies and your favorite Asian dipping sauce. Serve on top of rice noodles and steamed broccoli, add sauce to noodle mixture.

Quinoa Porridge
Ingredients: 1 c cooked quinoa, 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1 tbsp. pumpkin, 1 tbsp. chopped pecans or walnuts, ½ cunsweet almond or coconut milk.
Directions: Mix all ingredients together and serve hot.

Wilted Arugula and Portobello Mushrooms
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 4 oz. chopped onions, 1 tbsp. minced garlic, 1/8 tsp. red pepper fl akes, 1 Portobello mushroom cap, 1/4 cup organic low sodium chicken broth, 4 C arugula leaves, 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper.
Directions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper fl akes and chopped mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are coated with oil and begin to soften. Pour in chicken broth and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add arugula and cook until wilted, about one minute. Season with black pepper. Serve immediately.

Brussels sprouts with Balsamic Glazed Pecans
Ingredients: 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 lbs.brussels sprouts cut in ½, 1 medium yellow onions(fi nely chopped), 1 medium apples, (fi nely chopped), 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, pepper to taste (sea salt for family), 2 Tbs. chopped pecans, 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, ½ tsp. dried rosemary, ½ tsp. dried sage, ½ tsp. dried parsley.
Directions: Preheat oven to 400 F.Add olive oil, brussels sprouts, onions, apples, vinegar, salt and pepper to a bowl and stir well. Pour mixture into a baking dish.Bake at 400 for 12-18 minutes. While brussels are roasting, mix pecans, vinegar and herbs in a small bowl.Remove brussels from oven and add pecans to baking dish. Stir well.Return to oven for an additional 6-10 minutes.

Cherry Pan Fried Chicken
Ingredients: 2 tbsp. tart cherry concentrate, ¾ cup water, 6 chicken tenders (about 1 lb.), 2 tbsp. dried thyme, Dash of pepper, 3 tbsp. coconut oil, 1 tbsp. dried parsley, ¼ cup dried cherries.
Directions: Mix cherry juice and water in a large bowl or in a freezer bag.Add chicken tenders, thyme, salt and pepper to bowl or bag with cherry juice. Let marinate in refrigerator for at least eight hours.When ready to cook, remove chicken tenders from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.Once the oil is just beginning to sizzle, add chicken tenders to skillet. Cook for three minutes per side. A gold crispy crust should form on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet and place on a paper towel covered plate. Garnish with parsley and dried cherries.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Ingredients: 1 8-ounce can reduced-sodium organic tomato sauce,1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies(drained), 3 tbsps.cider vinegar, 2 tbsps. honey, 1 tbsp. paprika, 1 tbsp. organic tomato paste, 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, ½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile, 2 packages chicken thighs boneless 1 lb., 1 chopped onions-8 oz., 1 clove garlic(minced).
Directions: Add tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and ground chipotle in a slow cooker and stir to blend all ingredients together. Add chicken, onion and garlic; stir to combine.Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5 hours. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve.

Orange Glazed Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Hash
Ingredients: 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil(divided), 2- 6oz boneless skinless pork chops (about 1/3 lb. each), ½ c 100% orange juice, 2 tbsp. black strap molasses, 1 tbsp. dried or fresh basil, 1 large sweet potato (cubed), 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. allspice, Drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup, Salt and pepper (to taste), ½ white onion (sliced).
Directions: Preheat oven to 350F.Place pork chops in a freezer bag with 1/2 of the orange juice, molasses, basil and a dash of salt and pepper. Shake well to evenly coat pork chops. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least three hours. Heat 1/2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.While the skillet is heating, toss the sweet potatoes in a large bowl with remaining orange juice, olive oil, cinnamon, garlic, allspice, honey and a dash of salt and pepper.When skillet is hot, throw in onions and sweet potatoes.Cook, stirring often, for 10-12 minutes, until softened. Push sweet potatoes and onions to the outer edge of the skillet and place the pork chops in the middle of the skillet. Sear the pork chops for about four minutes, fl ipping after two minutes, reserving the marinating juices in the bag. Add the marinating juices to the skillet and carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender and pork chops are cooked through. YUM!

Spinach Stuffed Pork Chops
Ingredients: 4 garlic cloves(minced and divided), ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper(divided), 5 sun-dried tomatoes, (packed without oil, diced), 1 package frozen chopped spinach(thawed, drained, and squeezed dry), ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (this should be okay per allergy list), 3 tbsps.plain coconut yogurt, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, 4 large Pork boneless chops, 2 tbsps. fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano.
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 garlic cloves; sauté 1 minute. Add 1/8 teaspoon pepper, tomatoes, and spinach; sauté until moisture evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in feta, yogurt and lemon zest.Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each pork chop to form a pocket. Stuff about 1/4 cup spinach mixture into each pork chop. Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper over pork.Place chops in shallow baking pan.Combine remaining 2 garlic cloves, lemon juice, mustard, and oregano in a bowl and stir to combine. Brush half of mustard mixture over pork.Bake for 25 minutes; turn pork. Brush remaining mixture over pork; bake an additional 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145-160 degrees.

Bunless BLT Burgers
Ingredients: ¼ cup ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup or MSG), ¼ cup olive oil based mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. yellow mustard, 1 ½ pounds (6) lean ground turkey patties, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 12 slices bacon, Lettuce, tomato and/or onion (for garnish).
Directions: Preheat grill to medium-high (or preheat your broiler), Stir ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard in a bowl until blended; set aside.Sprinkle burger patties with pepper. Wrap each burger with 2 strips of bacon, crossing each other at right angles.Place patties on the hot grill rack (or broiler pan) and cook about 10 to 12 minutes, or until they reach your desired doneness, turning once.Serve burgers on large Romaine lettuce leaves (or eat with fork) with tomato, onion and ketchup sauce.

Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients: 1/2cup quinoa, 1 1/2 cups water, 3 small acorn squash, halved and seeded, ground pepper, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1/2cup chopped sweet or yellow onion, 2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed, 1/4cup dried cranberries, 4 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained), 1 tbsp. cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 lb. ground turkey breast, 4 heaping teaspoons fi ne gluten-free breadcrumbs, 4 heaping teaspoons extra virgin olive oil.
Directions: Combine the quinoa and water in a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, till water absorbs approx. 10-15 min. Stir every few minutes. You want it to cook up like rice.Meanwhile, coat insides of the acorn squash halve lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place face down on a large microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook for 16 minutes, or until the squash is tender. While squash is cooking, brown ground turkey in a large, heavy pan over medium heat with olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cranberries and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. While the quinoa is cooking, preheat the broiler on high.Once the quinoa is cooked, fl uff it lightly with a fork. Combine 1 cup of the quinoa with the spinach mixture and toss.Put the squash halves cut side up in a broiler-safe pan or on a rimmed baking tray. Divide the fi lling evenly among the squash halves, mounding it slightly. Top each squash half with 1 heaping teaspoon bread crumbs and dot each with 1 heaping teaspoon buttery spread. Broil 8 inches from the heat source for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned.Serves 6

Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 package chopped onions 8 oz., 2 cloves garlic(minced), 2 ½ pounds butternut, (squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes), 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, and 2tbsps. honey, 3 tbsps. plain coconut yogurt.
Directions: Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes.Add garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.Add squash, broth, curry powder, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until squash is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.Remove from heat, stir in honey and yogurt and puree with a mixer or blender until smooth.

Broiled Grouper Parmesan
Ingredients: 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp. coconut oil, 1 tbsp. mayonnaise (olive oil based), 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon onion powder, 2 pounds grouper fi llets.
Directions: Preheat your oven’s broiler. Line pan with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, melted coconut oil, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, and onion powder. Mix well and set aside. Arrange fi llets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fi llets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fi llets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fi sh fl akes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook the fi sh. Squash Pancakes
Ingredients: 1 cup cooked pureed squash, 4 eggs, 2 Tbs. coconut fl our or 4 Tbs. almond fl our, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ¼ tsp. cloves, ¼ tsp. ginger, ¼ tsp. nutmeg, 1 tbsp. maple syrup, 1 tsp. vanilla.
Directions: In a bowl combine all ingredients.Cook slowly on a griddle at 300-350 degrees, fl ipping once or twice.

Egg Muffi ns
Ingredients: 18 free-range eggs, 1 cup chopped veggies of your choice (ex: jalapenos, mushrooms, green onions, spinach, etc), 1/2 cup organic shredded cheese, 1 lbs. nitrate free bacon, sausage or ham.
Directions: Brown the bacon, sausage or ham in skillet or in oven. Chop veggies of choice.Crack free-range eggs into a large pitcher with a spout.Whisk eggs until there is froth.Pour into muffi n nonstick tin.Drop cooked bacon, sausage, ham and/or veggies into egg mixture.Top with a sprinkle of organic cheese.Bake on 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Lime Chicken Skewers
Ingredients: 3/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup raw honey, 2 tbsp. olive oil, Juice of 2 limes, 4 cloves garlic, 4 tbsp. Sriracha sauce (can be found in grocery store near the Thai sauces and spices), Red pepper fl akes (optional for extra heat), 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (and extra for garnishing), 2 lbs. cubed boneless skinless chicken breast.
Directions: Combine all ingredients and whisk in bowl, add cubed chicken and marinade in fridge for at least one hour. Skewer chicken cubes and boil the remainder of the marinade for 15 minutes. Grill on medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until juices run clear. Baste chicken skewers with marinade and brush.
Berry, Feta, Spinach and Chicken Salad
Ingredients: 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast cooked and sliced thin,1 bag or tub of baby spinach leaves or spring mix if you prefer,Fresh strawberries and blue berries or any berry of your choice! Feta cheese. Homemade vinaigrette dressing: ½ c olive oil, ¼ c balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbs. honey, Salt and pepper to taste.
Directions: Toss all ingredients together in bowl and serve, Dressing can be served on side or tossed into salad.

Turkey Tacos with Honey cilantro slaw Honey cilantro slaw
Ingredients: 3 cups shredded cole slaw, 1 cup fresh cilantro (chopped), 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 tbsps.honey, and pepper, to taste.
Directions: Combine the slaw and cilantro in a large bowl.Add the remaining ingredients to another large bowl and mix well using a whisk.Pour dressing over slaw and toss well.

Turkey Tacos
Ingredients: 1 lb. ground turkey, Corn tortillas, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. paprika, ¼ c water.
Directions: Cook turkey till done, add spices and water and serve with slaw on corn tortillas.

Egg Salad
Ingredients: 6 hardboiled eggs, 1 tbsp. dill, 1/4 c plain coconut yogurt, 1 tbsp. olive oil based mayonnaise, ¼ c diced celery.
Directions: Mix all ingredients together and store in fridge.

Southwest Egg scramble
Ingredients: 8 eggs, 2 soft red potatoes (chopped), 3 oz. chicken or turkey sausage, ¼ c cheese (none dairy or leave off your portion), 1/2 red onion (minced), 1/2 ripe avocado chopped, salsa to taste for topping, 5 baby bella mushrooms (chopped), black pepper to taste.
Directions: In a cast iron skillet – cook sausage, add vegetables & cilantro (not avocado or salsa), add chopped red potatoes (you can cheat and soften them in the microwave), sprinkle with black pepper, after vegetables have cooked and sausage is cooked all the way through, add eggs until cooked, remove from heat and top with cheese, bake skillet in the oven for 5-10 minutes (or until cheese is melted). Plate up and top with avocado and 1-2 tbs of fresh salsa, this scramble is great beside fresh fruit.