A Day For Pumpkin...and Muffin Creations!

I know we've past the height of holiday season and cooking but, I had one last can of pumpkin puree in my pantry and an itch to make something different for breakfast -break the monotony of normal... so, I settled in on muffins. Using a coconut flour base as my canvas, I created two muffins -one sweet and one savory...one for breakfast and one to sop up that line of giblet gravy left on your plate!

The coconut flour muffin base is simple and always the same no matter what the ingredients. Because coconut flour is pure fiber and has no natural leavening you use quite a bit of eggs...with this base you have the tool to concocted your own amazing and healthful muffin creations!

Coconut Flour Muffin Base 
(this is universal- seems to be the same in most every recipe I come across using coconut flour for baking)

1/4 c. sifted coconut flour
1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt (sometimes a bit more is needed to balance flavor)
3 organic eggs
2 1/2 tbsp. organic butter OR grapeseed oil

1/3 c. coconut palm crystals OR xylitol (for sweet muffins) OR 2 tbsp. (for savory applications)

The first 5 ingredients are primary -the sweetener amount can fluctuate according to taste and the other ingredients you are adding...but you will need some sweetener either way.

I found that 350 degrees is a great baking temperature and 16-20 minutes- filling the lined muffin tins halfway works out great every time (firm but springy is the texture you are looking for in a perfectly done muffin).



Pumpkin Cherry Muffins
From Kristi's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/4 c. sifted coconut flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice
1/3 c. coconut palm crystals OR xylitol
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1 tsp. sugar-free vanilla
3 organic eggs
2 1/2 tbsp. organic unsalted butter, melted OR grapeseed oil
1/3 c. diced fresh or frozen cherries

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 10 muffin tins with paper liners
-Combine wet and dry ingredients separately
-Pour wet into dry and whisk until smooth
-Fold in cherries
-Fill each lined tin 1/2 full
-Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes - until golden and springy to touch


Savory Sage & Pumpkin Muffins
From Kristi's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/4 c. sifted coconut flour
3/4 tsp. sea salt (may need a bit more in the end to balance the batters flavor)
1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
2 tbsp. xylitol OR coconut palm crystals
1 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. garlic
1/16 tsp. cayenne
1/16 tsp. allspice
1/16 tsp. nutmeg
1/16 tsp. cloves
Pinch of cinnamon
3 organic eggs
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
2 1/2 tbsp. organic unsalted butter, melted OR grapeseed oil
2 1/2 tbsp. seasoned organic chicken stock (I use sea salt and garlic powder to season to taste)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 8 muffin tins with paper liners
-Combine wet and dry ingredients separately
-Pour wet into dry and whisk until smooth
-Fill each lined tin 1/2 full
-Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes - until golden and springy to touch

As an option you could fold in 1/4 c. chopped walnuts or even try some dried cranberries...or both!


If you aren't plagued with egg allergies, coconut flour is really easy to work with and is a great alternative to whole grain flours in baking. It it very filling -one to 2 muffins is all you need to fill you up and keep you full. Savory and sweet applications work out equally as nice and the fiber it provides is fabulous for your health. And on top of that - it satisfies the desire for something "grainish" and  fills the "hole" if you are avoiding or moderating them as you should!

Kale Crisps...OH MY GOODNESS!!!

I recently was able to purchase a dehydrator(excited!) so yesterday, I decided to take it on it's maiden voyage...KALE CRISPS!!!! I must say I am over-the-top-in-luv with kale chips! They were easy-peasy to prep and the end product tastes fabulous -so crispy and delicious and to top it off - the nutrition kale packs is unmatched! Needless to say - I'm hooked and kale is in season right now -less than $1 a bunch...healthy and affordable! WHOOHOO!

Here are a couple of good jumpin' off recipes but, as with the smoothies -the sky is the limit!

Tangy Kale Crisps

From Kristi Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale (organic is absolute best)

1/2 c. raw organic apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. organic herbamare seasoning

1 tbsp. raw organic honey

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

-Wash and dry kale

-Separate kale leaves from the spin in big pieces

-Combine vinegar, honey, seasoning and oil in a separate bowl

-Pour over kale pieces and gently massage into the kale for several minutes

-Place coated pieces into dehydrator

-Close up the dehydrator

-Set temperature to 105 degrees and let it run for 6-8 hours (length of dehydrating depends on humidity levels in your area- mine were crisp and ready in 6 1/2 hours)

You will have marinade left over -it makes a fabulous salad dressing!

Sweet & Spicy Kale Chips

From Kristi's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale (organic is best if you can find it - growing it yourself would be highly recommended)

1 1/2 tbsp. coconut oil

2 tbsp. coconut butter

3 tbsp. coconut nectar

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

Directions:

-Wash and dry kale

-Separate kale leaves from the spin in big pieces

-Combine oil, butter, nectar and spices in a separate bowl

-Pour over kale pieces and gently massage into the kale

-Place coated pieces into dehydrator

-Close up the dehydrator

-Set temperature to 105 degrees and let it run for 6-8 hours (length of dehydrating depends on humidity levels in your area- mine were crisp and ready in 6 1/2 hours)

You won't ever go back -they are so good!

Happy dehydrating!

The True Source of Health & Wellness...

       When thinking about health and wellness, most of us assume that if we feel great or if we're skinny then, we must be healthy...and while there is a small measure of truth in that thought (feeling great CAN be a result of great health and a trim body DOES naturally occur as a result of health)...the reality is that it is not an adequate plum line for health - you can feel great and have failing health- you can be skinny as a rail and completely unhealthy. 

       The genuine measure of health is found in two very important systems within the human body - the Central Nervous System and the Digestive System. These systems get little air time in the doctors offices and hospitals in general and especially where regulating overall health is concerned...

       I am not conventional medicine bashing here...I am just saying that in my own personal experience I have never had a medical doctor ask about the health of my spine or link my over health and wellness to my gut or nutritional habits.

       Truth be told- if you have physical, chemical or emotional interference in your central nervous system and toxic build up in your gut then, your body is in a state of dis-ease which will ultimately lead to disease. In this state, your body CANNOT function at its full, God-given potential and you WILL NOT experience the ultimate health and abundant life intended for you!

      The brain- through the central nervous system- regulates the function of every single cell in your body. If there is interference of any kind in your spine, then this interrupts the nerve's ability to communicate effectively and results in malfunction and disease in the organs being interfered with... on the same level, the flora (good bacteria) in your gut keep your immune system strong and help to regulate all the sub-systems that work in conjunction with the immune system to fight foreign agents that attack the body...so, if there is a steady stream of toxins being dumped into the system then it is rendered defenseless! 

      These two systems work in concert to produce the harmony of health orchestrated by God and intended for every living creature! It is of utmost importance -if your goal/desire is amazing health - that you proactively protect and maintain these two systems. True health lies in their wellness!

Make investing in your health a priority! 

     We all pay for our health in one form or another...you will either invest in order to maintain health and prevent disease on the front end (with chiropractic wellness care and sound nutrition that maintain the good flora) or you will pay on the backside to salvage what little is left...

      I don't know about you, but I would rather make the investment in time, energy and resources now to establish health and reap the reward than, to neglect my health and reap the burden that ultimately comes...

Wishing you revolutionary health, joy & healing so that you may experience the full, abundant life God intends for you! You don't have to settle!

*Check out the "Links of Interest" to the right for more information on this topic...

My New Found Way of Life...16 Months in the Making & BEYOND!

My name is Kristi Bush, I am the proprietress of The Owl Tree and my journey into complete health and total wellness began just over 16 months ago. My husband was involved in an auto accident and went to a chiropractic clinic for pain. It was with great scepticism and little enthusiasm, I attended the first patient/spouse orientation night -we almost left! But by the end of that meeting, the Spirit said for such a time as this, pay attention -this is what you need to do! 
For months previous to this point and time, I had been diagnosed with colitis and was experiencing constant upper and lower back pain, as well as several abdominal pain episodes that the doctors had no explanation for. The pain in my lower back was so excruciating that I could not sit for longer than 30-40 minute intervals without having to stand up. Along with that, I was 5’2” and weighed almost 180 lbs. - I was not a healthy person! 
My family had come through the worst year of sickness ever...countless doctor visits and rounds of antibiotics -the standard way that most folks pursue relief from symptoms and what we would call “health care”- not realizing then that our veiled eyes were soon to be opened to the truth. That very night, my husband and I signed the remaining 4 of us up for initial evaluations for spinal health and our adventure into this new world of true health and healing began.

Very quickly, we knew we had made the right choice! We were all in and I began pursuing a new road...NUTRITION

I am a cajun girl -born and bred and if you know anything about the cajun culture -you know that it’s food is the center piece of it’s way of life and my family was no exception! Needless to say the thought of organic foods and alternative flours weren’t even on my radar and to be honest the thought terrified me!

Determined to be successful, I began diligently and persistently learning what healthy nutrition looked like and how amazing it could taste, too! I replaced all of the old tools in my proverbial toolbox with all the new healthful ones and begin to create - I love to cook as much as I love to eat so, I knew my families success depended on being able to turn out fabulous food that was yummy and good for us! With a strong dose of encouragement from my husband, children and new friends, I took the plunge and began creating amazing food - so much so, that I was constantly wowed and floored as to why this wasn’t the mainstream way of doing things...if folks just knew how delicious healthy food really is and that in reality we weren’t giving up anything we loved just making it in a healthful way and that in doing so we were reprogramming our bodies to function how God intended for them to function- fighting disease, sickness and producing health and wellness without sacrificing taste, flavor and satisfaction...

This thought consumed me and sparked a revolution! It has become my mission - to educate and train others in how to feed their families healthfully! If this cajun girl can do it -anyone can!

Today we are the healthiest we have ever been and it is only going to get better from here! Our bodies are being retrained to function how God intended them to function. Through chiropractic corrective and wellness care, healthy nutrition, exercise and eliminating toxins as well as the continual process of renewing our minds we have revolutionized our life and impacted our family tree for generations to come! Through this journey and as a result of these things working in concert with each other...I have personally lost over 50 lbs and no longer have any pain or colitis. I feel great! I have also seen an amazing difference in how our bodies respond to potential sickness - because we are freeing it to function how God intended it to-we are rarely sick and when we do experience symptoms our bodies fight, restore and recover much more quickly than ever before. This has truly changed our life dynamic forever and we are so thankful for it! We plan to be cruising at 89 and 100...

Look for recipes, tips and meal planning options to come in the near future...You can revolutionize your families way of life and health too!