Another Birthday . . . Another Year

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Cathy Silver

Singing traditional Happy Birthday!In spite of very extreme stormy rain and near flooding conditions in many places, Saturday night a week ago was a fun-filled celebration; the nicest birthday ever. I had anticipated a small group of friends celebrating outside around my pool braving the hot humidity of south Florida mid-summer. Simple Potluck. Don’t be attached to how things are supposed to look! Right? What I got was 25 old and new friends “comfortably” in the living room with picnic tables and decorated umbrella all having a good evening. I think the angels and fairy’s made room for everyone! A wonderful energy and easiness as strangers introduced themselves. Almost the New Orleans big easy energy style. I cannot not mention the food–both homemade vegan and meat lovers lasagna, and large spinach salad provided the main fare–filled in with garlic bread, fruit salad, chicken wings and wine and of course cake! And the best part, was there was nothing to save–all had been eaten! Yes, another year has past, and my, how cliché, but where does the time go?

So Birthdays . . . a time to reflect on the past year and set intentions for the future. Was this how “make a wish” got started with the original declaration to the Universe? No matter what the approaching months bring, our ease with life depends more on our state of mind more than actual events. We all know friends who can turn mole hills into mountains. It is our perception into what is, which lies within our being and the core of who we are. Our serenity, and peace of mind are echoed in our daily life or not. We carry strength, courage and wisdom inside ourselves and it is there for the asking. My anticipation is that my year will be powerful, exciting and fulfilling. What is yours? Whatever you decide and declare you have the power to manifest–so, make it great!

Cathy's Birthday 2013

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Watermelon—Good for more than just Picnics!

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Cathy Silver
Fresh ripe and delicious

Cooling refreshing summer ripe watermelon

I am more apt to think of Watermelon at picnics or seed spitting contests at camp or a lively family reunion or used to entertain the kids.  But, watermelon is a great addition to our diet—especially as the weather gets warm and we enjoy our summer days. Their high water content makes them good refreshments on the hot days as it is considered an “cold” food and one that treats the bladder, heart and stomach meridians.

Who knew, watermelons are native to Africa, and were considered a valuable and portable source of water for desert situations and when natural water supplies were contaminated. Watermelons were cultivated in Egypt and India as far back as 2500 B.C. as evidenced in ancient hieroglyphics.

Watermelon contains Vitamins A and C, iron, and potassium.  Surprisingly, the red watery fruit has only half the sugar of an apple, but often times tastes much sweeter because sugar is its main taste-producing element—the rest of course—water!

Watermelon relieves thirst, mental depression, and edema and it induces urination.  It is a good source of lycopene and is great for one’s vision.

Add watermelons to salad, salsa or juice them. Watermelon is refreshing and nourishing any day. Try to make it a regular part of your diet, especially while in season.  Check out the Watermelon Cooler and smoothie.  But most of all indulge–and smile as you enjoy a summertime fruit that not only tastes good, but is good for you!

Watermelon Cooler

1 2-inch slice of watermelon

1/2 cup of fresh organic strawberries

1/4 fresh fennel bulb

1 lemon

mint for garnish

Using your juicer, process watermelon, strawberries, fennel and lemon.  Stir and pour into a glass.  Adjust ingredients accordingly to the number being served! This recipe serves one.

Watermelon Smoothie

1 cup watermelon chunks

1 cup organic blueberries

1 cup SO Delicious coconut yogurt

2 tbsp. raw pumpkin seeds

Put all ingredients into Vitamix and process.

Enjoy, be well and relax!

  •   Every part of the watermelon, including the seeds and the rind is edible.
  •  Watermelons are ideal for the health as they do not contain any fat or cholesterol and are high in fiber content.
  •  Over 1200 varieties of watermelon are grown in approximately 100 countries across the world.
  •   Watermelons are very fragile and cannot be harvested with the help of machines. Instead they are carefully tossed by workers on a relay that runs between the fields and the truck.

Florian enjoying fresh summer watermelon!

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A look “behind the scenes” – Juicings’ magical phytonutrients

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Cathy Silver

Firing up my juicer once again, I have begun to explore new recipes. This is a delicious apple-beet juice with lemon, pear and ginger that comes out of a juicing book by Pat Crocker. I was giving a “Sugar Blues” talk at the Hollywood Healing Center and wanted the refreshments to reflect and represent alternatives to the usual fare of snacks. I share one today and give you a few behind the scenes look at the ingredients and what they offer our cells, tissues and well-being.  For those unfamiliar with the benefits of juicing it is certainly worth exploration. 

Beet Juice Cocktail

Hippocrates: “Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

2 apples
1 pear
3 beets
1/2 lemon
1 – 1/2″ piece gingerroot

Put all ingredients through your juicer. Stir and pour into glasses and enjoy!

Did you know???  This is partial and abbreviated–just to give you an idea what a fresh-organic produce offers . . . who knew!

Beets: are antibacterial, antioxidant, cleansing. They strengthen and nourish the liver and gallbladder. They are an excellent source of potassium and are cleansing for the liver, kidneys and gallbladder.
Apples:  are a tonic, digestive, diuretic, detoxifying, cholesterol lowering, anti rheumatic, and liver stimulant. Fresh apples help to cleanse the system, lower blood cholesterol levels. They help to eliminate toxins and are a good source of vitamin A, B, C riboflavin as well as the phytochemicals pectin and boron.
Lemon: this small yellow fruit is amazing. To name a few benefits consider they aid in digestion, act as a laxative and diuretic. They have both antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. Lemons support liver function improve the absorption of minerals, cleanse the blood and are useful in treating high blood pressure.
Ginger: contained in half of all Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines, they were listed as a taxable commodity by the Romans in 200 A.D. How can you begin to incorporate ginger into your modern lifestyle? Ginger is great for nausea. It relieves headaches and arthritis as it is an anti-inflammatory and circulatory stimulant. By increasing circulation, it helps effect a systemic cleansing through the skin, bowels, and kidneys. It also destroys many internal parasites and helps to normalize blood pressure.
Pears: used to energize the stomach, spleen and lungs. The pear is used in the treatment of diabetes, hot cough, gallbladder obstruction and constipation. The pectin in pears reduces serum cholesterol and cleanses the body of environmental and radioactive toxins.

Just as this recipe and these fruits and veggies contain many micro-nutrients that the causal observer  fails to notice on first glance,and that I might add are not contained in a particular supplement, whole food nutrition will bring benefits beyond what we think we know about eating healthy.  Each recipe and fruit delivers nutritional benefits in the way nothing else can. Our body and its innate wisdom together with Mother Natures innate wisdom provide a much higher vibration for our body than the man-made manufactured “educated” guess that selectively segments one or two nutrients and calls it the next great miracle.  Isn’t time we get back to basics? To me they work in such a way to create the symphony and composition of total health and wellness; one that we cannot possible out guess! There seems to be no short-cuts and no magic pill!  See if you can begin to open your mind to the possibility of fresh juicing and take your health to the next level!

Be well!

Cathy Silver

http://www.cathysilverjuiceplus.com

http://www.thepowerofph.com

http://www.cathysilverhealth.com

Filed under: 2013, Alternative Medicine, Energies of Healing, Energy Healing, FOOD, Good Eats, Healthy Living, Self-help, Superfoods, Weight Loss | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Turkish Tacos

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Cathy Silver
Falafel with salad--dinner!

Falafel with salad–dinner!

Travel around the world without leaving home tonight for dinner. I prepare this at least once a month and am surprised when it is a new experience for my guests. It is satisfying for meat eaters and pleases the vegetarians alike.
It’s sort of like eating a taco from Turkey, only instead of ground beef or shredded chicken as the major ingredient, it is chickpeas, a.k.a. garbanzo beans. (I know falafel is certainly something odd sounding and foreign, probably where guacamole was 30+ years ago.) Isn’t it nice to grow and discover new cuisines and dishes!

For those who enjoy history, these ancient legumes date back from Turkey to somewhere around 7,000 B.C. They are a nutrient-dense food and are high in protein, fiber and other nutrients without offering a lot of calories.

This dinner makes a great alternative to the regular fare, and I find it also fun. We’re allowed fun for dinner–right? You can serve this in pita or flat bread and garnish with diced cucumber, tomatoes, chopped parsley or cilantro, hummus and/or tahini. A green salad or quinoa salad makes a fine accompaniment. Or as in the photo, make a great dinner salad and include the falalfel in any capacity you choose. Be creative –drizzle tahini and fresh lemon for dressing. (Or dip them in the tahine, the traditional sesame-seed topping.) The most important ingredient is love. I buy the falafel mix–easy, quick and fresh tasting. Please do remember to fry them in grape seed oil as it is able to withstand the heat without damaging your health. Another time saver is to use a small cookie size scoop with the squeeze-action handles!!

falafel

Be well,

Cathy

http://www.cathysilverhealth.com

Filed under: Energies of Healing, Energy Healing, FOOD, Good Eats, Healthy Living, Weight Loss | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Spring cleaning; How does that look for you?

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Cathy Silver

Beginning signs of springtime--

On March 20th the sun shines directly on the equator and the night and day are nearly exactly the same in length–12 hours–all over the world; the spring equinox. For us another season.  Spring or springtime is known as a time of renewal, rejuvenation and rebirth.

For some it may mean melting snow and softer breezes or noticing the beauty of the first spring flowers;  crocuses, daffodils or tulips as they merge from their hibernation. Each culture and region have their own customs and their own reminders.

For me it is the inspiration of opening up my home and shaking out the dust–maybe a bit metaphorically now since South Florida is where I live, but a shift is definitely in the air and certainly can be felt on many levels.

Today, I am starting to think about new recipes and new tastes reflected in my choices to eat–about my yearning and desire for new seasonal foods.  I have begun juicing and detoxing rituals. As the cooler weather waves good-bye, I find myself anxious to fire up my Vitamix and begin to make my trade-mark green shakes which I graciously offer to share with all who walk through my kitchen door. Somehow, my body’s innate intelligence seems to know this as I begin to think about foods that I have not really had a desire for in months.

Our ancestors ate seasonally because they had no other options. Newly sprouted greens came up in the spring, fruit ripened in summer, root vegetables sustained them in the fall and animal sources got them through the winter. Alkaline food makes the body detox. How wonderful that nature provides this naturally–leafy greens, berries, cherries, grapefruits, asparagus, spinach, and dandelion greens or wheatgrass come to mind, to cleanse the body from the heavier foods we have enjoyed throughout the colder winter months and that were needed for our survival.

What is your ritual? Are you craving something new? Is it time to begin to detox our systems–flooding our cells with fresh green juices? How can we begin to live in harmony with the natural cycles? Is it a great excuse to try a new way of doing something–perhaps buying local produce from a farmers market once a week?  Maybe it is a “Food upgrade”? Choosing less chemicalized, processed, packaged or drive-through meals?  Whatever you chose, think of the rebirth and renewal of yourself–your cells.  Honor yourself and live in harmony with your body and Mother Earth–treat yourself to the best food you can afford because in the end as Jim Rohn says, “It’s the only place you have to live.”

Maybe a Kitchen Herb Garden would fit you?

Be Well,

In Love and Light,

Cathy

http://www.cathysilverjuiceplus.com

http://www.energiesofhealing.com

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Superfoods; Great for Mind and Body; Health and Vitality

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Cathy Silver
Increase the vital force and energy of one's body.

Increase the vital force and energy of one’s body.

Busy life, busy day–I’m going to do a short post on three more SUPERFOODS that I enjoy everyday!  They are just one of the additions that keep me vitalized and energetic each day!

4.) Hemp Products (eaten in their RAW form) The seeds are packed with 33% pure digestible protein, and are rich in iron, amino acids and vitamin E as well as omega 3’s and GLA.* Hemp is a perfect food for growing children and adults to increase protein intake.

5.) Camu Berry–Highest Vitamin C source on planet. Great for rebuilding tissue, purifying blood, and enhancing immunity and energy. Camu berry is one of the best anti-depressants, immune building, and eye-nourishing superfoods in the world.

6.) Bee Products (honey, pollen, and propolis) –Bee pollen is the most complete food found in nature containing nearly all B vitamins especially vitamin B-9 (folate) and all 21 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Honey, in its organic/wild, raw unfiltered states is rich in minerals, antioxidants, probiotics and enzymes, and is one of the highest vibrational foods on the planet.  If your metabolism can handle sweeteners, honey is the best. Russian research indicates that honey is a longevity superfood.

Remember health is a journey not a destination.  Excellent health is about more than just feeling good.  Vitality and strength allow us to be active in our families, our communities and our world giving us the ability to achieve much more than when we are “sick & tired.” It is a gift you give you yourself and others.

*GLA (gamma linoleic acid) Is an essential omega-6 fatty acid.  We become deficient in GLA when large amounts of sugar, trans fatty acids (margarine, hydrogenated oils), and red meats and dairy products are consumed.

Be Well–in love and light,

Cathy

http://www.cathysilverhealth.com

 

Filed under: 2013, Alternative Medicine, Breakfast Ideas, Energies of Healing, FOOD, Good Eats, Healthy Living, Superfoods, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Can Real Whole-Food Nutrition Taste This Good?

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Cathy Silver

Organic farm fresh ingredients

After listening to a wonderful talk given by Sally Fallon Morell, Nutrition researcher and bestselling author, speaking on one of her favorite topics: “Investigating the USDA Controversies,” I was inspired to make one of my old favorites–a French classic; Quiche Lorraine.

I had shied away from this dish the last few years because of its richness: cheese, meat, cream, eggs. ALL the culprits deemed dangerous and risky today by many?  But it seemed, I assessed, artificial, processed, hormone injected, antibiotic raised; Genetically Engineered, trans-fats and high sugary foods are far more dangerous than a good old traditional time-honored dish.

I sought out a small local organic market and used fresh raw cream, farm fresh organic eggs and cheese. Whether you make the recipe as given below, my suggestion is to use the higher vibrating organic ingredients. The bacon and ham were organic as well. The completed dish received rave reviews by my taste testers Debbie and Randy. My own personal evaluation rated it A+.  The finished fare yielded a deliciously light, fluffy, rich, and flavorful;

Delicious homemade whole food nutrition

one I will continue to repeat. I think the old White House Chef, René Verdon would be quite pleased. As a personal preference and time saver, I did not choose to put a crust with it. I buttered the dish instead. Everything else was by the book. If you are a vegetarian, broccoli, or asparagus could easily be substituted for the ham and bacon. I will include the crust, if you are so inclined to make it from scratch, which I did years ago.
I enjoyed preparing and serving–and eating this wonderful dish. The coolness of the weather and shorter days seems to lend itself to this soul-satisfying classic cuisine, and something Sally would deem a “nourishing traditional diet.”  I share the recipe with you below:

Quiche Lorraine (6 servings per 9-inch pie shell)

CRUST (for 3 pastry shells)

4 cups flour                                           2 eggs

1 ¼ cups butter                                      ½ cup cold water

1 teaspoon salt

  1. Place flour, butter and salt into large bowl and work together with hands until smooth. Add eggs and water and work with hands until of rolling consistency.
  2. Divide dough into 3 equal portions and refrigerate 2 portions for future use. Roll remaining pastry out on floured pastry board to about ¼ to 1/8 inch thick. Place pastry in a 9-inch pie tin and crimp edges. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

FILLING

8 strips bacon
1/2 cup diced Swiss cheese
1/4 cup diced ham
1 1/2 cups light cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. white pepper
4 eggs
1. Fry bacon until crisp, and drain. Crush bacon over the bottom of the pie shell.

2. Sprinkle Swiss cheese and ham over bacon in pie shell.

3. Place cream, spices and eggs in blender container; cover and run on high speed until thoroughly mixed.  Pour over bacon, cheese and ham in pie shell.  Bake in preheated oven at 350˚ F. for about 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and mixture is set. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Be Well,

Cathy

http://www.cathysilverhealth.com

http://www.energiesofhealing.com

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Good Vibrations

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Cathy Silver

Fresh and delicious baby spinach salad adorned with red raspberries

“Everything you eat becomes your fingernails, your eyelashes, your hair, your skin cells, your organs and your awareness. You want your body to vibrate at the same level as the essential Universe–not the grocery store. The vibrant life frequencies and Earth nutrients provided by a delicate fresh-picked lettuce or fresh-squeezed orange are exactly what your subtle senses need for their nourishment, ” so writes Elia Wise in her book, Letter to Earth Vibration, frequencies and subtle energies are all around us and influence our well-being. Sometimes we don’t realize the impact until we run into someone who exudes anger, impatience or rudeness as noted by my dear sweet friend Sarah during dinner conversation. The opposite can be felt when we experience a sincere smile, thank you or simple courtesy. These “vibes” in life also apply to the food we eat. Whether acknowledged or not, affects our cells, the way we see life and our navigation through it; we are what we eat on every level.

Last night, good, good, good vibrations at Seasons 52 was the underlying melody, even though the Beach Boys were missing. The entire experience emulated this feeling. The selections available were beautiful, fresh and organic. Sarah, our server was a delight–and her smile was infectious. Presentations were colorful and artfully displayed.

Cathy, Sarah and Charlene having dinner at Seasons 52!

Our wonderful energetic smiling Sarah!

You don’t always have to eat out to experience the organic goodness. In fact enrolling your family can be just as meaningful and fun. Organic food more closely resonates to the true being and nature of who we are as energetic beings. See if you can begin to make choices that allow your true balance to shine!

I highly recommend the culinary experience of Seasons 52. Their menu changes with the seasons and is inspired from the fresh appeal of a farmers market. For locations visit http://www.seasons52.com.

Be well,

Cathy

www.energiesofhealing.com

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Fighting the Urge

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Cathy Silver
Healthy Lunch at Caffe Martier, Delray Beach

Enjoy the Goodness!

And Finding a Good Alternative! Driving along I-95 I resisted the urge to succumb to the posted fast food eateries: McDonalds, Burger King, Cracker Barrel, Taco Bell.  You know the big blue highway signs.  How easy they make the temptation to fill our stomachs in a moment of convenience lured by price and speed.  Today, however, I persisted (which I admit took some courage) to navigate an unfamiliar town, parking and weather uncertainty. The reward was a discovery of a small Cafe with a selection of beautiful healthy salads and a moment to myself.  Sitting at a small round table on the sidewalk outside the cafe, enjoying my lunch thinking that it is the simple things in life that are the things we so often forget to celebrate.  I invite you to do the same! Take a moment to stop and taste the goodness.

GOOD EATS:
Caffe Martier, 411 E. Atlantic Ave. Delray Beach, Florida 33483
Turkey, Avocado & Brie Salad: Off the bone turkey breast, fresh cut tomatoes, grilled red onions on a bed of mixed greens topped with avocado, Brie, and drizzled balsamic vinaigrette. Served with fresh toasted baguette.
A healthy choice because:
     *Fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains are the healthiest foods you can consume.
      * Raw foods are hydrating & detoxifying.
       *Fruits cleanse cells and greens build cells.
       * Turkey was used like a seasoning and falls within the 80/20 rule.
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