How is your Heart doing?

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By Pinn Duong

February is not only the time to give out hearts to your loved ones, but also the time to take care of your own heart. February is American Heart Month, first proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 to raise awareness and urge Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle against the battle of heart diseases. As the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US and globally, American Heart Month pays tribute to health professionals, researchers and volunteers for their tireless battle in preventing and treating heart patients.

Image result for blood clot artery heart
(Image: National Institutes of Health) Blood clotting in artery

Heart diseases spare no one, not even the youth. The good news is that 80% of heart diseases are preventable. Below are some age-old critical reminders to ‘stay young at heart’, and prevent it from aging prematurely:

  • Keep a hearty diet of low-trans fat, low-saturated fat, low-sugars, and low-salt foods. 90% of Americans are consuming too much salt via pizza, pasta dishes, cold cuts, chicken and yeast breads, which are the top 5 foods that dominate American salty diet.
  • Stay active with two to three sessions of 10-15 minutes of exercises through out the day. Being active doesn’t mean toiling in the gym for hours. Something is always better than nothing; don’t give into the taking the elevator when you can take the stairs.
  • Track your numbers on weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.
  • Manage a healthy weight.
  • Screen for diabetes, which can lead to heart disease if left untreated.
  • Manage stress via mediation, exercise, and healthy relaxing techniques. Coping with stress using alcohol, smoking, or overeating is a huge no-no. You can even manage stress with proper breathing techniques for just 10-20 min /day. Laughing can increase healthy blood flow through your body by 22%.
  • Keep a high-quality sleeping pattern to restore your body and mental health. Sleep deficiency promotes weight gain, diabetes, and cause low-grade inflammation inside blood vessels that lead to heart diseases
(Image: Healthline)

Say NO to:

  • Smoking. The nicotine in smoke reduces how much oxygen your heart gets and raise the risks of blood clots.
  • Excessive alcohol use. Overdrinking alcohol causes irregular heartbeats (called atrial fibrillation), which increases your risks of stroke, heart attack or heart failure. The American Heart Association suggests no more than one drink per day for women and two for men.

FUN FACTS

  • Newborn babies have the fastest heart beats of 70-190 / min while an average adult has a resting heart rate of 60-100 beats / min. A regularly trained athlete has an even slower resting heart rate of 40-60 beats / min.
  • Before the invention of stethoscope, doctors had to press their ears into the patient’s chest to detect heart beats.
(Painting by Théobald Chartran, 1816)
(Image: Science Museum London) After the original stethoscope was invented by René Laennec.

NOT-SO-FUN FACTS ABOUT HEART

  • One person dies every 37 seconds in the US from cardiovascular disease. By the time you finish reading this blog, we might have lost another six Americans to heart disease.
  • Heart attacks happen most often on Monday mornings. A rise in stress hormones and blood pressure cause heart blockages.
  • Heart attacks peak on Christmas Day, Dec 26th and New Year’s.
  • Your heart works twice as hard as the leg muscles of a sprinter. So do take care of your heart and give it a lot of love.

Source(s): https://www.unitypoint.org/livewell/article.aspx?id=20b07ab0-e855-49c6-9ee2-91247e52d5cc

Featured image: designed by Freepik.

Mental Health on Campus

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By Dennis Austin

College marks an important period in a student’s life. As students begin to transition into adulthood, college is a playground of sorts, a place where experimentation, deep thought, and pondering on what lies ahead are all on the menu. Some students define their college experience through partying, sexual exploration, intense academic rigor, or a combination of sorts. However, for many students they are not in the least concerned with these activities as their energy is more focused on getting themselves out of bed, dealing with an anxiety attack or flirting with the idea of suicide.

Over the past few years mental health has become a hallmark on college campuses across the world. More attention and resources have now been dedicated in assisting students who struggle with their internal demons, which for many, is a case of life and death. Here at Genesee Community College, there is a noticeable sense of despair which afflicts much of the student body. I myself have seen people in my own social circle openly admit to cutting themselves, failed suicide attempts, amongst many other tragic stories. One student in particular had cut themselves multiple times in their abdomen, an event which required an overnight hospital stay.

Earlier this month at the behest of GCC President James Sunser, me and College Village Resident Assistant Randy Bumbury, visited Monroe Community College and advocated for more resources on campus to deal with this crisis. In a room filled with State legislators across various regions we plead our case as to why this issue requires urgent action. Jeanie Burdick is a fine counselor here at GCC and has performed her job well, but she is only one individual. Given that our estimated student population is well over 1,000 (more if our campus centers and distance learning students are calculated), there is simply not enough resources available to address the needs of students.

To be blunt, we need money. Monetary backing would ensure we could afford more than one full-time, qualified counselor as well as expanding our services at the Counseling Center. Thus, GCC could provide more options for students to better manage their health outside of what currently exists, such as Therapy Assist Online, a useful tool students can use, but doesn’t completely solve the problem. The issue we have is not a lack of motivation or skill. That much among faculty is present. We just don’t have the “cache” if you will, to go beyond our constraints and truly make a difference.

Dennis Austin is a graduating sophomore, majoring in Liberal Arts & Sciences. He is graduating this semester and will be attending the University of Illinois in January.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or dial 911. If you need to make an appointment with our Counseling Center, please contact Jeanie Burdick at jlburdick@genesee.edu or call (585)-343-0055 ext. 6219. The Counseling Center is open weekdays, Monday-Friday, from 9 AM to 4:30 PM.

Who Needs More Sleep?

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Sleep. Nice healthy sleep. If you’re like me, you could use more of it! According to the CDC – the Centers for Disease Control – 35% of US adults aren’t getting enough! The recommended amount of sleep per night is 7-8 hours. What happens to our bodies when we don’t get that recommended amount? I know with finals coming up, this might be good to know in the event that you find yourself awake at night, stressing over your next exam.

  1. You get sick! Losing sleep can target your body’s ability to fight off illnesses. sick
  2. Your heart pays. Getting too little sleep (less than 5 hours) and getting too much (more than 9 hours) have been shown to have a negative impact on heart health. Your chances of developing coronary heart disease or having a stroke are greatly increased with less sleep.
  3. Risk for cancer increases. Too little sleep is welcoming to different types of cancers such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and also prostate cancer.
  4. You forget stuff and can’t think properly. Even missing just one night of sleep can mess with your cognitive function. Not only can it damage your thinking, it can also make your memory impaired as well. In other words, we need adequate sleep to lock in new information and commit it to memory.
  5. You pack on the pounds! Research shows that people who don’t get enough sleep are at a larger risk for obesity.
  6. Your appearance suffers. If all of these effects don’t do it and make you want to change for the better, then perhaps this one will! Having not enough sleep can cause premature wrinkles and dark circles. It can also cause uneven skin tone.

So, with all of this information, you must be ready and willing to make a change. How – do you ask? Here is a list of things you can do to get more sleep, in case you’re having trouble.

  1. Avoid caffeine at night time and also limit yourself during the day. Caffeine is only used to help people stay awake, therefore, if consumed at night, it’ll only worsen your ability to fall asleep at a decent time.
  2. No alcohol before bed! Yes, alcohol is a downer. However, it also keeps your mind going in an opposite direction as opposed to winding down before bed.
  3. Don’t sleep in on the weekends or when you have late class. Wake up close to the same time everyday so that your body and mind get used to the schedule.
  4. Try different decaf coffees or teas to help nurture yourself into sleeping. I know that when I drink something hot or warm at night, it instantly gives me all the warm and fuzzies and makes me feel comforted and ready for bed.
  5. Try working out during the day to wear yourself out! Being tired is half the battle, after all 🙂
  6. Put books and homework away at least 30 minutes before bedtime. When you’re stuck thinking about tomorrow’s exam that’s in store, it’s probably extremely hard to get sleepy!
  7. Listen to a meditation video on Youtube! Just go to Youtube.com and type in “meditation video” in the search bar, press play, close your eyes, and do what they say. You’ll be relaxed in no time!

 

Now that you have these tools, you should be good to go and able to catch up on your z’s! Good luck!

Making the Change to Clean Eating

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clean eatingEveryone wants to feel good; that’s no surprise. What if your fatigue and sub-par moods are being caused by the food you’re eating? Have you ever thought of the grease and fats from fast food being the cause of your discomfort? If so, I’m here to help.

Clean eating is defined as eating whole foods or “real foods” – those that are un- or minimally processed, refined, and handled, making them as close to their natural form as possible. This is important to know so that you can base your diet around clean foods. For example, instead of going to Subway to get a turkey sub with turkey that’s been processed with salt and other unnatural flavors, consider making your own sub at home from a turkey you made in the oven. It costs sway less and its super good for you!

turkey

Other ways you can make the transition are as follows; when you’re grocery shopping, stock up on fruits and vegetables! When it comes to eating them, most of us aren’t getting enough. fruits and veggies

Another way to eat clean is to eat whole grains. The cleanest whole grains are those that have been touched the least by processing. Think whole grains that look most like their just-harvested state- quinoa, wild rice, oats,… just to name a few. If you opt for cereal, look at the ingredients list! Whole grains should be the first on the list. When you swap out refined carbs (like white pasta, sugar, and white bread) for whole grains, you’ll get more fiber, anti-oxidants, and anti inflammatory phytonutrients.

whole grains

Eating less meat can help your diet as well! Al the fat that’s in meat is NOT good for you and can really take a toll on your heart. Instead of getting your protein from meat, try beans, yogurt, and plant based proteins instead.

Watch out for processed foods! I’ll be the first to admit that my happiness can be found in a box of au-gratin potatoes, but I feel so guilty afterwards! All the sodium and powders they use to make it sustainable for storing for long periods of time just make it not worth putting into my body.

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So there you have it folks! IF you’re concerned about how your next 50 years are going to go, take this advice, bite the bullet, and change your habits! I’ll be doing it right along with you, so this will be exciting. Good luck!

Come one, come all! Housing Survey!

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housing batavia

Hey y’all! It’s time to participate in something. Let your voice be heard in this online survey. Basically, it’s a survey given by Genesee County and they’re trying to decide what type of housing and additions to add to Batavia!

If you or someone you know would like to participate in helping the town of Batavia develop and grow, please fill out this short 11 answer questionnaire given in the link below. It has to be in by the 17th of November.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XZBVSXP

Thanks and have a great day!

How to Travel on a Budget

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Everyone wants to get out and about every now and then. There’s nothing wrong with that! Somehow, getting out of your humble home to travel and experience new things makes you feel more at home when you finally get back. Stronger social skills, feeling more at peace, and becoming more creative are all linked to people who travel. With that being said, if you have the time, do it! Go see some stuff and come back feeling fresh and rejuvenated.

If money is an issue, take my blog as a survival guide to traveling on a budget. Lodging, food, and transportation can all be calculated to make an affordable trip.

First – Place to stay…

Try www.airbnb.com to find someone who is renting out their home for the duration of your trip! It’s definitely better than staying in a hotel and cheaper too! Since it’s someone’s home, you’ll be able to use their kitchen! – which goes into my next topic.

airbnb

Food – what to eat and how

Since you’re getting to live in a home you found on Airbnb, try cooking most nights! To learn how to cook like the people of the place you’re visiting, consider taking a local cooking class to buff up your skills.

Silverado-Cooking-School-cooking-classes_3

 

Transportation

This is a little tricky. If you’re in the US, try either renting a car, bringing your own, or taking the public transit! When I lived in Vegas, I didn’t have a car, so I used the bus. It was only $5 to ride all day! Many cities have this option, you just have to do a little research.

public transit

Shopping

When you’re out on the town shopping, I suggest buying goods from stores that you don’t have back home. The point of traveling is to see new places, so the material you accumulate should reflect the uniqueness of the place you visited.

shopping

If you’re ready to get out and about, you should! There’s no reason you can’t do something like travel. Our planet is home to all of us, so we should feel like we can visit it whenever we want!

The Benefits of Taking Walks

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If you’ve ever felt cramped from being inside too long, I feel your pain. Going outside is so relaxing and it’s a good way to take a break from everyday duties of studying and taking care of our responsibilities. I mean, lets face it! We all need to get out more instead of being under the same old fluorescent lighting we find ourselves in everyday. Although going on walks outside is a good way to stretch our bodies and minds, there are also a ton of other benefits to it!

walking

Just walking for 30 minutes everyday can strengthen the cardiovascular system and prevent diseases. Walking greatly reduces the risk of stroke, as well. This exercise is ideal for lowering blood pressure, it improves blood circulation (so no more pesky cold feet), it reduces bad cholesterol, and helps increase good cholesterol.

walking1

Don’t just dismiss this as health mumbo jumbo! There are real benefits to going on walks everyday. Another good benefit is that your mood will improve. Research shows that regular walking modifies your nervous system so much that you’ll experience a decrease in anger and hostility.

Anyone worried about losing weight? This may seem obvious, but doing a little cardio (something like WALKING 🙂 or running) can help those jeans to fit a little better!

I know it seems a little redundant, however, it’s time go get some walking shoes and start taking care of the only body you have. Why don’t you go do it in our new gym? That place is AWESOME! They have treadmills that look out over the campus and state of the art equipment ready for you to get some use out of. Best thing is that it’s free!

How to Take Control of Your Busy Life

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Being a college student, working, staying involved on campus, amongst other things sounds great; and you probably came into this semester thinking it would be great. But 3 weeks in you’re probably feeling super overwhelmed, and realizing it’s easier said than done. With the millions of opportunities in and out of school, it’s actually quite normal to have a busy lifestyle. I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks along the way that have allowed me to enjoy my crazy life a bit more, and I thought I’d share them with you!

Prioritize

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At this point in my life, I never thought I’d have such a massive list of to-do’s every single day, but the reality is that I do. And the even bigger reality is that most likely half of it won’t get done in 1 day. The key is to figure out what is most important, for example homework and work, then go from there. Do whatever must be done first, and try to figure out what can wait.

 

Note: I love writing assignment due dates in my agenda and highlighting it, so I can take a quick glance and see what’s coming up and what can wait.

 

Plan Your Day

 

You most likely read this tip and thought “well, duh”, but I don’t mean just write a long list of everything going on throughout your day, I mean sit down and thoroughly plan it out. What you have going on, and when you’re going to do. It’s like a class schedule but instead of times blocked off for classes, it’s blocked off for your tasks. It doesn’t have to be exact, just a guess-timate in order to formulate some sort of plan.

 

Take a Break

 

Learn when to relax. Yes it is important to take care of your homework, go to work, and do your daily tasks; however, you and your sanity should come first. Know when you’ve reached your limit, and take some time to relax or do something you enjoy.

 

alarm block

Another tip is to use the site Tomato Timer, which sets a 25 minute timer in which you work on your homework or a task, when time is up you get 5-10 minutes to relax and do whatever you want. Then back to 25 minutes of your task, and so on. You repeat the loop until you’re done!

 

I also like that Tomato Timer gives you the option of a short (5 minutes) or long break (10 minutes).

 

Most Importantly: Take Care of Yourself

 

When life gets crazy, we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves, and begin to skip out on basic necessities. Unhealthy eating and a lack of sleep will sooner than later, catch up to you. A night or two of staying up late is normal in college, but it is important to not let it become a habit. Unhealthy eating is another thing that can easily become a habit, but you have to fight the urge. It can be easy to pick up fast food at first, but you’ll regret it when you tack on the ‘freshman 15’, which will take much longer to lose than it would have for you to make a home cooked meal.

 

Your mental and physical health conquers everything else. Take care of yourself, love yourself, and never let anything distract you either of those tasks.

 

If you take these tips and use them, I know you’ll rock out this semester, and hopefully with a little less stress.

 

“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs…one step at a time.”

-Joe Girard

-Danielle

Nutrition 101: Fruit smoothies

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It’s no secret that fruits and veggies are good for your overall health. Packed with nutrients and flavor, they add a bold freshness to our lives that is a feeling that is hard to mimic. Since we oftentimes look past the abundance of variety, we are stuck eating the same Granny Smith apples or naval oranges all the time! Just like we enjoy different types of music, our bodies enjoy different types of food. To make this a tad bit simple, I’ve constructed this blog to be about smoothies to get you through Summer break.

Smoothies are delicious, colorful, and easy to make. You’d be surprised about the enormous variation of different foods that can go into a smoothie. Yogurt, seeds and nuts are just a few of the optional ingredients to mix in with some fresh or frozen fruits and/or veggies.fruit-veg-rainbow

When making a smoothie, it’s a good idea to pack it full of nutritious ingredients. To make your smoothies, you’ll need a blender. Hamilton Beach makes a good one! It’s just the right size; not too big, and small enough to keep out on your counter for impromptu smoothie nights!blender

When choosing your ingredients, do it in parts. Juice, thickener, fruit, extras. Choosing your juice shouldn’t be too difficult. Just choose one you like and buy a bottle of it to keep in the fridge. I like pomegranate juice because I like the antioxidants. Plus, it gives a nice flavor to the smoothie…almost like cranberry juice. Another juice I like a lot is aloe vera juice. It aids your digestive system… which is good for this because fruit has pulp that is hard for your body to break down. I feel like I’m doing my body a favor. Coconut milk or water is good to as well as orange, apple and pineapple.

greek-yogurt-should-you-be-eating-full-fat-yogurtA thickener is important to have in your smoothie too. It adds a heavier texture than would be if you had not used it. Greek yogurt is my favorite. It also provides a good amount of protein to make you feel full. If you don’t like the flavor of yogurt, you really won’t even be able to tell it’s in there. The fruit masks the flavor. If you’re still reluctant, try ricotta cheese! Bananas are also really good, as well as peanut butter.

Fruit is the star when it comes to making a great smoothie. Choose what you like and don’t be afraid to get creative! Whatever is in season is perfect. Peaches, mangos, blueberries and strawberries are all good… you name it! Get colorful and see what tastes good together.

980xNuts and seeds are considered to be extras. As well as different oils and powders. Even supplements! Sunflower and pumpkin seeds grind up nicely when mixed with everything else and the texture is nice too. A little crunchy, so just add a small handful. Chia seeds are packed with nutrients and don’t really have a taste. They expand in liquid though… So your small handful will turn into a bigger handful when added to the smoothie. Try putting some oils into your smoothies as well. Coconut and avocado oils are great. So are flax seeds or just the oil!

Below are some recipes to get you started:

Strawberry Banana Smoothiestrawberry banana

½ C strawberries

1 Banana

½ C Pomegranate juice

½ C Aloe juice

1 C Greek yogurt, plain or vanilla

1 Tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

Blend until smooth.

 

Mango Blueberry smoothieblueberries-and-mangoes

1 mango

½ C blueberries

½ C Orange juice

½ C coconut water

1 C Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp avocado/coconut oil

 

 

Pineapple Strawberry Grapefruit smoothie

1 C pineapple

½ C strawberries

½ of a grapefruit

½ C pineapple juice

½ C coconut milk

Small handful of unsalted sunflower seeds

Directions:

Blend until smooth.

 

So everybody, stay on track this Summer and cool down with a fruit smoothie! You ‘ll wish you had started this sooner, but that’s okay. Better late than never! J

How to Use Different Types of Flour While Cooking

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One of my favorite things to do is cook. I find that it helps me exercise my creative side and allows me to try new things. I like the fact that I reap all the benefits of what I sew and can also share if I feel like it. Since I’ve been on this journey for a while now, I have gotten much more adventurous in my efforts to provide something delicious and nourishing to eat.

In this blog, I am going to incorporate recipes that use varieties of flour that you may not have heard of. Since people who are allergic to gluten can’t eat wheat, alternative types of flour are necessary so they can still have the foods they enjoy.

Almond Flouralmond flour

The first flour I am going to introduce is almond flour. Since it’s highly nutritious, easy to use, and readily available, almond flour is a good alternative choice to all purpose… especially if you’re health conscious. Also, if you’re on a budget, avoid purchasing it in store and buy online instead. The brands I recommend are Honeyville, JK Gourmet, Lucy’s Kitchen Shop, and nuts.com. Note: Stay away from Bob’s Red Mill. This flour tends to leave food runny and messy.

Chocolate chip almond flour cookies

Ingredients:

¼ Cup brown sugar, light or dark

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

2 tbsp butter at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 cups almond flour

½ cup chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment
  2. Combine brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and butter and mix until smooth.
  3. Mix vanilla, egg, and almond flour, stirring to combine. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then mix for 1 minute at max speed.
  4. Stir in chocolate chips
  5. Scoop the dough one level teaspoon at a time onto the prepared baking sheet. A tbsp. cookie scoop works well too.
  6. Gently flatten cookies to about ½ inch thick
  7. Bake cookies for 9-12 minutes until they are golden brown.
  8. Remove the cookies from the oven. Allow them to cool on the pan.

 

Pecan Flourpecan_flour

Another nut flour that’s good to use is pecan flour. Since pecans are less expensive than almonds, it’s a good competitor. I’m going to give 2 recipes that you may find interesting.

Pecan Crust

This first pecan flour recipe is a pecan crust recipe that you can use with pies. Blueberry, pumpkin, and cheesecake are delicious with this crust.

Ingredients

2 ½ C pecan flour

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 c white sugar

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions

  1. Stir together ground nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix in melted butter.
  2. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch deep dish style pie pan. Chill the unbaked crust in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.
  3. Place crust on a cookie sheet and position on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Note: Watch carefully! Nut crusts burn easily; they don’t have to turn black to taste burnt. Cool completely before filling.

 

Carrot Cakecarrot cake

This recipe takes a spin on a good classic.

Ingredients

3 c pecan flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

5 large eggs

½ c honey or agave nectar

¼ c coconut oil, melted

3 c carrots, grated

1 c raisins

1 c walnuts

Cream cheese icing

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  2. In separate bowl, mix together eggs, agave/honey, oil.
  3. Stir carrots, raisins and walnuts into wet ingredients.
  4. Stir wet ingredients into dry.
  5. Transfer batter to 2 well-greased 9 inch cake pans
  6. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes.
  7. Cool cake for 3 hours then remove from pan.
  8. Ice with cream cheese icing and serve.

 

Vegetable flours are used in a variety of foods… for humans and our pets! The next recipe I am going to talk about is one that I absolutely love to make for Clark, my cat. He loves it too!

Dry cat foodcat

This recipe calls for pea flour. You can buy it online or make it yourself from dried peas. All you have to do is grind the dried peas in a food processor until it’s a soft, fine substance. That’s all!

Ingredients

1 c cornmeal

2 c pea flour

3 c whole wheat flour

1 c wheat germ

1 can salmon with no bones

5 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp cod liver oil

1 c fat free milk powder

½ C Brewers yeast

2 C water

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, take the fish, oil, and water and mash it all together. Then, in a large bowl, mix all the other ingredients together. Next, mix both bowls together evenly. Make the dough by mixing it by hand and roll it to a thickness of about ¼ inch diameter. Use a knife to cut small ¼ inch pieces. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and put the bits onto a greased baking sheet; put into oven. Bak for 20-25 minutes while tossing around the bits so they brown evenly from all sides. Let the bits cool completely before removing from the oven. Refrigerate the kibble by transferring them to an airtight container. It won’t spoil for a long period of time.

 

Coconut flourcoconut flour

Coconut flour is surely growing in popularity as more people are using it for it’s many health benefits. It’s delicious, gluten free, and a healthy alternative to other flours. Try using it in this next recipe I have typed for you below.

Coconut Flour Brownies

Ingredients

½ C plus 2 tbsp coconut oil

¼ C cocoa powder

3 large eggs

½ C plus 2 tbsp honey or agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ C minus 1 tbsp coconut flour

½ tsp salt

1/3 C chopped walnuts (optional)

1/3 C mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 inch glass baking pan.
  2. Melt coconut oil. In large bowl, combine cocoa powder, and melted coconut oil, and eggs with an electric mixer until combined. Add in honey (or agave) and vanilla extract. Mix again. Add in coconut flour and salt and mix again until batter is combined.
  3. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
  5. Cool and serve.

 

I hope this motivates you to get a little creative in the kitchen. We are not all made the same way, therefore we should try varieties of foods to find what we truly enjoy. Good luck!