The Messiah - Prophecy Fulfilled

As Palm Sunday approaches, this is a wonderful & fantastic movie that we highly recommended!

The Messiah - Prophecy Fulfilled is a dramatic and entertaining Gospel movie about the birth of Christianity, showing how a first century Pharisee becomes a follower of Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, in the midst of much opposition and persecutions, Rabbi Judah zealously embarks on a journey to share the Good News with the people of Israel. On the Feast of Unleavened Bread, precisely one year after the crucifixion, the burial and the resurrection of the Messiah, Rabbi Judah arrives to his hometown near Jerusalem. Now his greatest challenge is to convince his loved ones that the long awaited salvation through the Messiah Son of David has finally come.

The full version of this movie is below (after pressing play, there are about 9 seconds of black before the movie starts).

Please take the time to watch this with your family this season. We hope when watching this movie you will be touched by the Holy Spirit with an awakening of a hunger and thirst for the Word of God, just as we have!!

Our Favorite Granola

Our favorite granola recipe; easy to make & super delicious!

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 cup chopped walnuts (or slivered almonds)

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/8 cup brown sugar (I have omitted this before & it is still just as tasty)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup water

One (6-ounce) package dried cranberries or other dried fruit such as raisins, cherries, blueberries.

Directions

Heat oven to 300.

In a large bowl, stir together oats, wheat germ, nuts, sesame seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the oil, honey and water. Toss the mixture until it is well combined, then spread evenly on a cookie sheet.

Bake the granola until lightly browned, about 40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes to keep the mixture from sticking. Let it cool completely, then stir in the cranberries or other dried fruit.

Makes about 7 cups.

Shopping Advice: Knowing What's in Your Food

How do you protect strawberries from an early frost? Some scientists choose to insert a gene from an arctic flounder so the strawberries tolerate the cold, just like the fish. That may sound a big strange to you, and mounting evidence indicates that tinkering with nature like this might even prove harmful.

It's not just about strawberries either. The "flounderberry" is still lab research, but there are quite a few genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that are already out on the market, on shelves, and in our homes. According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association, more than three quarters of all processed foods on American grocery store shelves contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients. That means that these ingredients were created through processes that combine the genetic building blocks of different species to produce new foods. In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) added GM sugar beets, a new form of GM corn and GM alfalfa to the list of GM crops that can be grown and used in food nationwide.

For shoppers, it can be hard to identify foods with GM ingredients since manufacturers aren't required to label GM foods. This isn't the case in Japan, Australia and Europe, where GM labeling is mandatory.

But why all the fuss over a label? Recent research indicates that GM ingredients can correspond to a host of potentially worrisome health concerns, like food allergies and gastrointestinal, reproductive and immune problems. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has even gone so far as to encourage all physicians to prescribe non-GM diets to their patients.

While GM food labeling in the U.S. isn't required, there are some ways consumers can currently identify non-GM foods. For example, you can look for the USDA Organic Seal. By definition, USDA-certified organic foods can't contain GM ingredients. You can also find an abundance of non-GM options in the produce isle since GM ingredients appear most frequently in processed foods. Currently, only corn and some varieties of squash, papaya, sugar beets and potatoes may come in GM varieties.

In the rest of the grocery store, identifying GM foods can prove more difficult, however. That's where the Non-GMO Project, a non-profit organization that supports non-GM products and helps educate consumers about them, comes in. The Non-GMO Project has a Product Verification Program through which products can become verified as non-GMO, and earn a seal on packaging that lets shoppers know the food doesn't contain GM ingredients.

-Excerpt from March 21 & 22, 2012 issue of Dining Out: Bee Publications, Inc.

Grilled Pizza: Roasted Red Pepper with Arugula

~ Grilled Pizza: Roasted Red Pepper with Arugula ~

Ingredients - Pizza Dough

(Makes 1 pound dough, or four 10-inch pizzas)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 packet (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl & brushing

coarse salt and ground pepper

2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour, plus more for work surface

Pour 1 cup warm water into a bowl; add sugar and sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Whisk oil and 1 teaspoons salt into yeast mixture. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until liquid is incorporated (dough will appear dry). Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead until dough comes together in an elastic ball, 2 minutes. Transfer to an oiled bowl; brush lightly with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; set in a warm, draft-free place until dough has doubled in bulk, 45 minutes. Punch down dough and cover; let rise another 30 minutes.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Let rest 15 minutes before using.

Grilled Dough - Directions

Set grill to medium high heat. Clean and lightly oil hot grill.

On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll 1 piece of dough into a 10-inch long oval or other desired shape. Brush one side lightly with olive oil and season with salt & pepper, or brush with an herb infused olive oil.

Using your hands, place dough, oiled side down, directly over heat source. Brush dough with oil and cook until underside is lightly charred and bubbles form all over top, about 1-2 minutes. With tongs, flip dough and cook until lightly charred, 1-2 minutes. Slide dough to cooler side of grill.

Top with desired toppings; cover grill. Cook until cheese melts or toppings are heated thorough, 2-5 minutes.

Ingredients - Roasted Red Pepper & Arugula Pizza

6 ounces roasted red peppers, roughly chopped (I charred mine on the grill until soft)

coarse salt and pepper

flour, for work surface

fresh mozzarella (if cheese is desired), thinly sliced or shredded by hand

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 ounces arugula (about 4-cups)

1 small bunch basil, leaves torn

Directions - Roasted Red Pepper & Arugula Pizza

In a blender or food processor, puree peppers until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. On pre-grilled pizza dough, spread each with 3 tablespoons red-pepper puree and small amount of cheese (if cheese is desired). Leave a 1-inch border. Drizzle each pizza with 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove from grill. In a medium bowl, toss arugula with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Dive basil among pizzas and top with arugula. Serve.

Grilled Black Bean Tortillas

~ Grilled Black Bean Tortillas ~

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz) black beans

corn tortillas

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

lettuce

1 avocado, thinly sliced

fresh salsa

Directions

Warm black beans in sauce pan over medium heat. After warmed, crush beans with a fork. Mix 1-cup fresh salsa into beans.

Heat grill. Grease grill grate. Place corn tortillas on grill, add spoonful of black bean mixture and a small handful of cheese to one half of each tortillas... only enough cheese so the tortilla halves "stick" together.

As cheese melts, fold tortilla in half, pressing down so the halves "stick together". Grill until cheese has melted and tortillas are golden brown.

Serve under shredded lettuce and sliced avocado.

After I made these, I thought about adding 1-cup of warmed corn to the black bean mixture... next time!!

Banana Bread (Dairy-free & Sugar-Free)

I made this Monday evening, and Oh My! - this is some really good banana bread!! Plus, it's dairy-free and sugar-free!

Ingredients - Bread

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoon rolled oats

7 pitted dates, chopped

5 ripe bananas

2 eggs

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Ingredients - Crumb Topping

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon rolled oats

Directions

350 degree oven.

Grease loaf pan with some coconut oil. Mix crumb topping & set aside.

In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together. In a food processor, pulse dates. Then add banana, eggs and coconut oil. Pulse until smooth.

Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until smooth. Fold in pecans.

Pour into loaf pan. Sprinkle with crumb topping.

Bake 50-55 minutes. Cool before serving.

Baked Crunchy Chicken Fingers (Life In The Nest)

I'm sharing this recipe from my friend Jen over at Life In The Nest.

I made these Chicken Fingers the other day, and then froze them (once they cooled after baking) so I could have them on hand for something to quick to heat up for lunch for our son. I made them with all organic ingredients and I know exactly what is in them (two thumbs up for me!!) and they were a big hit with our 3-year old! A win-win for everyone! :)

I followed Jen's recipe (below), but I omitted the cayenne & the melted butter, and they still turned out great!

Baked Crunchy Chicken Fingers via Life In The Nest

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or breast tenders
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with foil and lightly spraying with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl or shallow dish, season the flour with salt and black pepper, and lightly beat the eggs in another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs with oregano, garlic, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

If using breasts, slice them into strips.

Dredge tenders in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Dip the floured chicken tenders into the egg and then coat the chicken tenders with the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strips. Drizzle melted butter over the tenders.

Bake chicken tenders for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping once part way through the cook time.

Baked Kale Chips

Baked Kale Chips

An easy, tasty & super healthy snack!

Ingredients

1 bunch organic Kale; washed, stems cut off & leaves cut (or torn) into bite-size pieces

olive oil

coarse salt

Directions

Place kale into large bowl, drizzle with olive oil. Leaves should be glistening, but not soggy.

Lay in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 5-7 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Watch closely so chips don't burn. Leaves should be crunchy.

In A Nut Shell...

I'm started something new on Fridays: a lot of people read the Eating Eden Blog, but they are not connected with Eating Eden on facebook. Unfortunately, those people miss out on the links, studies and food updates that I post on facebook through-out the week.

So, on Fridays I will post a summary of the miscellaneous information, which I have posted on facebook through-out the week.

Now, I'm just trying to think of a clever name... how about Facebook Friday Re-Cap? Nah... Facebook Friday Findings? Ehh...

How about... In a Nut Shell ?

Hmm! In a Nut Shell

Yeah, I like it. It speaks "food" and it means to summarize. Perfect ;)

Now that we have the name out of the way...

Here are the facebook posts for the week, In A Nut Shell...

See, the name works nicely! Yeah?

‎Margarine: A new study has found that a chemical found in large quantities in margarine causes aggression - and researchers say it should not be fed to school pupils.

Read the study HERE.

Deal find at Growing Up Natural: Natural Health Magazine subscription for $3.76!

Grab the details HERE.

A bacteria found in soil called Mycobacterium has been found to effect the same neurons as Prozac, offering people a natural lift in mood. This is just one more great reason to get out in the garden and grow your own foods!

Read the article HERE.

Be An Informed Consumer: Know what's in your food! Watch for **potassium bromate** on labels.

Watch the newscast HERE.

A 10-minute video that is worth watching, especially if you think you don't have "enough room" to grow your own food. This family produces ** 6,000 POUNDS ** of food per year on only ONE-TENTH of an acre of land in the city of Pasadena! Very inspiring video!

Watch it HERE.

Illnesses tied to dog treats from China.

Read the info HERE.

Be An Informed Consumer: Know what's in your food & where it comes from! Buy local when possible, and thoroughly read product labels and ingredients. USDA certified products made in China?!

Watch the video HERE.

GMO crops in the U.S. and their subsequent use in our national food supply: 93% of soy, 86% of corn, 93% of cotton, and 93% of canola seed planted in the U.S. in 2010 were genetically engineered. These crops are commonly present in a wide variety of foods.

List of soy-derived ingredients HERE.

Read about corn-derived ingredients HERE.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is purchasing 7 million pounds of "pink slime” for school lunches.

Read more HERE.

What is Quinoa? How to use it and how to cook it?

Check out this website HERE.

Unbeknownst to most consumers, many steaks sold in America are mechanically tenderized, a process that makes meat more tender but can transfer bacteria into the center of the steak.

Read the article HERE.

Gerber voluntarily recalled one lot of Gerber Good Start Gentle Powdered Infant Formula, 23.2 ounce plastic package, because the affected product might have an off-odor noticeable to some consumers. In some cases, spit-up and other gastrointestinal complaints have been reported. The recall applies to batch GXP1684, expiration date of March 5, 2013.

Recall press release HERE.

This chart explains what vegetables to plant near each other in your garden.

See it HERE.

A Very Teachable Moment

In the Spring of 2007, our dog, Yukon {4 years old at the time} was diagnosed with Addison's Disease.

Occurring in both humans and dogs, Addison's Disease is a rare endocrine disorder resulting in the adrenal glands not producing sufficient steroid hormones. The adrenal glands [also called the stress glands] are responsible for the production of epinephrine [adrenalin] and norepinephrine that help regulate the nervous system, heart rate, respiration as well as the "fight or flight" response.

Adrenal glands also produce glucocorticoids and mineral corticoids that help to control blood sugar levels and regulate the passage of minerals.

If left untreated, Addison's Disease can progress into Addisonian crisis, which can result in very low blood pressure, coma and death.

Along with our dog's diagnosis came a life-long prescription of medication to control his steroid hormones.

Until recently, we didn't really understand that God could use our dog's diagnosis for His Glory. However, we now see that it has been a very teachable moment for us and was just one more step in our "food journey" with Him - through our research of the disorder, we learned intricate functions of the body's organs and the effects of nutrients, minerals, vitamins and a good whole-food diet on illnesses and diseases.

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Proverbs 18:15

The medication Yukon has to take on a daily basis is quite costly, so after his initial diagnosis we began to research Addison's Disease and "alternative" therapies that could help with the disorder. We started giving Yukon vitamins to support immune function and reduce stress, herbal remedies to support adrenal function, and a whole-food, human-grade, high-protein diet free of preservatives, chemicals and added fillers (as with all foods {whether human or dog}- many preservatives, chemicals & fillers have been known to cause cancer; kidney, liver & thyroid disfunction; and more!).

Because Addison's disease is a life-threatening condition, Yukon will always need to take medication, but through the use of good nutrition and vitamins, his medication rate was able to be lowered and he has been otherwise healthy, happy and Addisonian crisis free for five years...

praise God!

Homemade Pizza Dough

Not only is making your own pizza dough easy, but you'll know exactly what's going into your dough!

This homemade pizza dough takes about 10-minutes to make & needs about an hour to rise before working with it.

After rising time, you can store the dough in the fridge (in the oiled bowl), covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 hours before using.

Ingredients

2 packets (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast

2 tablespoons sugar (I have used brown sugar with no problem and cut to 1 tablespoon successfully)

1/4 c. olive oil + more for bowl

2 teaspoons coarse salt

4 cups all-purpose flour + more for work surface (I normally use white whole wheat flour)

Directions

Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Whisk sugar, oil and salt into yeast mixture. Add flour and stir until a sticky dough forms. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 1 or 2 times before using.

WEEK THREE: 4-Weeks of Wholesome Dinners

Sorry for posting these recipes one week later than I should have [it has been a busy couple of weeks around here - starting seeds, pruning fruit trees, and working the soil in our gardens!] .

As part of our 'series' entitled 4-Weeks of Wholesome Dinners, we are posting six recipes per week...

Week Three:

Spring-Vegetable Couscous

Fish Tacos with Cabbage and Lime

Baked Eggs in Tomatoes

Red Curry Chicken

Cuban Red Beans and Rice

Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa, Walnuts & Provolone

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Spring-Vegetable Couscous ~

Ingredients

3 tablespoons coconut oil (or unsalted butter)

4 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced crosswise

2 wide strips lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup couscous

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

large handful of baby spinach

Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt coconut oil (or butter) over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add lemon zest and 1 1/4 cups water and season with salt and pepper. Cover pan and bring liquid to a boil, then add asparagus and peas. Return to a boil and stir in couscous and spinach.

Remove pan from heat; cover and let sit 7 minutes.

Add lemon juice and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Fluff couscous with a fork and serve.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Fish Tacos with Cabbage and Lime ~

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

course salt and ground pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

1 lime, half finely zested and juiced, half cut into wedges

hot sauce, such as Tabasco

12 corn tortillas

1/2 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh cilantro

1 small white onion, finely chopped

Directions

Heat broiler with rack in highest position. Pat dry fish with paper towels and gently coat with oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Broil until fish is browned on top and flesh is opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, lime zest and juice, and a few dashes hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Toast corn tortillas over a kitchen burner using tongs or wrap in parchment-lined foiled and heat in oven, 5 minutes.

Divide fish evenly among tortillas and top with cabbage, cilantro and onion. Serve with lime sour cream and lime wedges.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Baked Eggs in Tomatoes ~

Ingredients

4 large beefsteak tomatoes

course salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernals

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives

1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9-inch baking dish or pie pan with parchment.

With a serrated knife, cut off the top 1/2-inch from each tomato. With a spoon or melon baller, gently remove seeds and inner membrane, being careful not to break through flesh of tomato. Place tomatoes in dish and season with salt and pepper.

Divide corn among tomatoes. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and chives and season with salt and pepper. Divide egg mixture amount tomatoes and lightly top with cheese.

Bake until egg mixture is set, about 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Red Curry Chicken ~

Ingredients

8 small chicken cutlets, about 1 1/2 pounds total

olive oil

coarse salt

2 sliced bell peppers

2 tablespoons Thai Red Curry paste

15 ounces coconut milk

Hot cooked brown (or white) rice

Fresh basil or cilantro, for serving

Directions

Season chicken cutlets with salt. In batches, cook in olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until golden, 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and slice chicken into strips.

Add sliced peppers and 1/4 cup water to skillet; cook until tender. Add thai red curry paste and coconut milk and simmer 4 minutes. Add the chicken and stir to coat.

Serve over rice. Sprinkle with cilantro or basil, if desired.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Cuban Red Beans & Rice ~

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 white onion, diced small (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 green pepper, diced small (about 1/2 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

coarse salt and ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1 cup long-grain brown rice

1 can (15.5 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until oil is soft, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add cumin, oregano and rice. Stir and cook 1 minute.

Add beans and broth, stir then season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover.

Reduce to a medium simmer and cook until liquid is absorbed into rice and rice is tender, approximately 45-50 minutes (depending on your long-grain rice directions).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Stuffed Red Peppers with Quinoa, Walnuts & Provolone ~

Ingredients

4 red bell peppers

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1/2 cup parsley, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup (4 oz) provolone cheese, coarsely grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 with rack in upper third. Slice a very thin layer from the base of each pepper so it sits upright. Slice off top, just below stem and remove ribs and seeds from each pepper. Discard stems, chop tops and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, coriander and chopped tops; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until onion is soft, 4-5 minutes.

Add quinoa, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cook and cover until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, 11-13 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, walnuts and 1/2 cup provolone, season with salt and pepper.

Dividing evenly, stuff peppers with quinoa mixture. Place in a 2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until peppers are tender, about 1 hour. Uncover and top with remaining provolone and bake until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.