Barbara Christensen I The Paleo Vegetarian - Paleo Vegeo I Holistic Coaching I Multipassionista

If you opened up your Facebook to find everywhere... everyone is posting that YOUR PUMPKIN IS A LIE... you maybe crumbled a little inside for a minute. Am I right? Because if you are like me you have been living for the first day of Fall so that you could be everything pumpkin from now until the end of November when you put up the Christmas Tree. It's the longest, most beautiful time of the year. I am a Libra, so I may be a little bias, but I love Fall and everything pumpkin about it.

So the big posts are that your pumpkin really isn't pumpkin at all. So let's discuss that. What is a pumpkin? There are more than 30 varieties of pumpkins, and they range from small, intermediate, large all the way up to jumbo. And you may not realize that not all pumpkins are even orange. Get out of town!!

Dickinson Pumpkins are an heirloom pumpkin. They grow to be about 40 pounds, and they have a sweet, fleshy consistency. This is the variety that Libbey's uses in its pumpkin pie filling, and what you've probably used in those pumpkin cookies you love to make with a box of gluten-free cake mix every year. ... you know the ones with those little Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips in them?

So why does this tan little pumpkin get the shaft as being any less pumpkin than any other pumpkin out there? Most likely because it's not bright orange, and it gives bloggers something to freak out about. Just like you may have a desire to eat cherry tomatoes over grape tomatoes, or english cucumbers over persian cucumbers. There are a lot of pumpkins in the world. So in order for me to keep it simple let me just say that pumpkin is one type of squash. So finding out that your pumpkin puree is actually squash is sort of laughable to me. So is your canned or boxed pumpkin puree made out of squash... why yes it is because pumpkin is squash. So don't get me all sad and bogged down in the idea that I have to go out, gather, cook, and puree my own box of pumpkin just to enjoy the season.

If you've always enjoyed your Dickinson or other variety of Pumpkin Puree, then please keep enjoying it. Add your pumpkin spices, because I know you will, and is it then any different than using any other squash out there? Probably not. So I say go for it. Stop picking at things that aren't really needing to be picked at. Want to get serious, get serious over the BPA in cans. Get serious over the pesticides used on your crops. Get serious about something bigger than the fact that one squash is more orange then the next. Grab your hot apple cider, your little mini gluten-free donuts and pull on those waders to go out to the fields and gather a pumpkin to paint with your kids. That to me is where the type of Pumpkin really matters most.

This fantastic soup is sure to be a hit with everyone at the table! And I wanted to share it for my UK Paleo friends. The UK has adopted curry as a "national dish", with more than 9,000 Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi restaurants where about 23 million people eat curry regularly. That's a lot of curry.

Eating curry just might hold the key to helping heal what ails you they say, and I bet those Brexit folks would agree. We use spices in cooking because they naturally enhance our digestion. As well they also help remove accumulated ama (which is Sanskrit for undigested or uncooked). Coriander also enhances our metabolism. So this recipe really is a win win in the spice department. Unlike your average curry, this recipe is more of a Thai recipe as it uses a red curry paste. Having a spicy curry infused soup for lunch will help boost your body which we could all use in this season of fighting off colds.

What I love about using butternut squash is it delivers an ample dose of that ever so needed dietary fiber. As well for me with my lack of a lot of foods rich in potassium, this gives me a natural shot, as well as some B6. Our B vitamins impact our brain function, mental sharpness and mood. And with the darkness fast approaching in both Seattle and London, I know a lot of folks that will be looking to increase their B vitamins to help boost the mid-day emotions. And I have been talking about the trifecta brains, and B6 helps support those neural transmissions from gut to brain. So eat up!

Another great option for squash is to make some morning or afternoon snack muffins. I have to admit to my guilty pleasure lately of watching TOWIE (The Only Way Is Essex) and Arg and his sweet tooth are close to my heart. I feel his pain.

Sweet Paleo Butternut Squash Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups tigernut flour

1 tbsp coconut flour

2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce

1 flax eggs (1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil+ 3 tablespoons water...Stir the flaxseed mixture well and allow it to thicken for a few minutes.)

1 cup butternut squash (hopefully left from your soup haul)

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or date paste (recipe coming soon)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut and peel your squash into 2 inch cubes and boil for about ten minutes in a large pot until tender enough for mashing, then drain and let cool.
Add remaining ingredients a food processor adding in the coconut oil last, melted. Mix thoroughly.
Add in the squash and blend into your mix.
Fill your tins with batter, and bake for 15 - 20 minutes

These muffins are so tasty, you may even want to add some apple chunks or carrots in to get some extra nutrition into your family because they will LOVE them! They are quick for on the go morning, with your protein shake or green smoothie. I just can't seem to get enough of them... perhaps because my family keeps stealing them right from under my own nose.

The great part about soup is that it works well with the T30 program as it's healthy, lower calorie but helps keep you feeling full for many hours. Just don't grab for that buttered roll to go with it. When I saw this recipe was spicy, I knew it was right up my alley and I had to try it and share.

Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup (paleo, vegan)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 pounds’ butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into small ½-inch cubes (hint: a 3-pound squash yields about 4 cups of cubes)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
2–3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
4 cups organic vegetable broth
1 cup full fat coconut milk
2–3 drops Coriander essential oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

Heat coconut oil in large pot over medium heat. Once oil is heated, add squash, onion, garlic, curry paste, Coriander essential oil, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes to skillet. Stir to combine.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent.
Add vegetable broth. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until squash is soft.
Remove from heat and let cool. Working in batches, transfer contents from pan to blender. Securely fasten the lid and puree mixture until it is smooth.
Transfer your soup to serving bowl and repeat until contents are smooth.
Stir in the lime juice, and then the coconut milk. Blend into soup and serve.

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Let's look at what's in the Isagenix Athlete's Pak and the Jeunesse Global Zen Bodi Challenge Pack

If you are like me, your fitness is very important to who you are, and is a big part of your lifestyle. Supplementation as well as whole foods are also a big part of my lifestyle and I have to be sure any supplementation is going to naturally support my body in a healthy manner with as many real whole food sources as possible. So, I wanted to check out the difference between two of the leading companies packages for athletes because fitness is a large part of my business. So I looked into one company that a lot of people have talked about, Isagenix, to compare with Jeunesse Global.

The components of the Athlete's Pak is

The IsaPro seem to be just whey product, with stevia and more "natural flavors" and ionic alfalfa (some sort of aloe vera apparently). I could see using just plain protein before your workout if you were bulking, but for myself I think that aminos are more inportant as so many of us can't even process our proteins correctly to get those aminos, and if needed micronized creatine. If you really wanted a plain undenatured protein then my big recommendation is the Action Whey.

The IsaLean Shake, which is also using an undenatured whey and flaxseed, has a LOT of added vitamins in the mix. I don't get that unless they were trying to be the cheaper Shakeology. The IsaLean is sweetened with yucca root, honey, vanilla bean and about 14 grams of sugar. Wow... they come from the sugar post workout group. There is no added sugar in the Zen Pro shake as it's sweetened with stevia leaf extract and lo han guo extract. the vitamins are not methylated, and you know I'm big on that for those of you with MTHFR or other methylation issues.

With Zen Pro, you get not only amazing bioactive whey, but you get the high ORAC {antioxidant} value without the extra vitamin fillers. ZEN Pro contains a premium protein blend of whey, rice, pea, and chia seed powder that keeps you feeling fuller longer. The ZEN Pro formula also incorporates a probiotic blend of healthy bacteria to optimize digestion and help you stay lean. So if you use the Zen Fit you get the sugar before, and with Zen Pro no sugar after. Important from the standing of lean muscle creation. If you are doing a short workout, like I recommend, then you get enough sugar to feed your glycogen stores with the ZenFit. If you do not listen to me I would recommend something clean like Raw Boost for your natural sugar feed post lift.

The I Want More Energy is full of more vitamins, which your body can only process so many vitamins and minerals at one time, and 7 grams of sugar. The Zen Shape contains contain a patented form of African Mango seed extract, which is clinically shown to stimulate weight loss and metabolic wellness. Bolstered by an infusion of raspberry ketones and high-quality green tea extract, ZEN Shape controls appetite and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Achieve perfect balance with ZEN Shape. My husband loves that he can take it at night without interrupting his sleep, because it gives him some focused energy without the jitters you usual get from this kind of product.

The Ionix Supreme has what they call their proprietary blend of fruit extracts, and blackstrap molasses. You can google about all of the benefits of blackstrap molasses, but you are here on this site because you are living a different life, a paleo vegetarian life. It goes through three boilings of the sugar syrup and the majority of sucrose from the original juice has been crystallized. The blackstrap molasses is still mostly sugar by calories. Blackstrap molasses goes through extensive boiling and probably destroys the integrity of the product. If you feel like you need a good antioxidant boost beyond the Zen Bodi program, RESERVE is amazing. I actually like to make a healthy salad dressing with it and wow, talk about health and nutrition in just one bite. there is no need to sweeten RESERVE because it has Dark Sweet Cherry Juice Concentrate (Prunus Campanulata), Blueberry Juice Concentrate (Vaccinium), Concord Grape Juice Concentrate (Vitis Labrusca), Pomegranate Juice Concentrate (Punica Granatum), Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller), Resveratrol, Grapeseed Extract (Vitis Vinifera) and Açai Extract (Euterpe Oleracea) in it.

Add that into the Zen Fit where you get a payload of key amino acids like L’leucine, L’isoleucine, L’valine, L’lysine, L’phenylalanine, L’threonine, L’methionine, L’tryptophan, L’tyrosine, L’cystine,. It's exactly what any athlete is looking for in order to enhance the workout, or keep the system going naturally. Designed to minimize calories and maximize nutrition, ZEN Fit™ also packs over 20 grams of protein per 6 calories in each serving. I don't even want to get into the IsaLean Bars because I am not going to promote that you eat a bar that you have made at home, out of your own natural ingredients. I like a no bake protein ball made with organic greens... oh my yum!!

So let's talk about the Jeunesse Global Zen Bodi program. It's the Zen Pro, Zen Fit and Zen Shape. You drink one protein shake a day. It's 140 calories and I love it with just water, but you can add in whatever you want depending on your calorie needs. The Zen Fit aminos you drink twice a day. I like to do it before my workout, and midday. Cravings dashed with this and it keeps me going. You can do the Zen Shape before your meals for lunch and dinner. The Zen Bodi system works in unison to decrease the production of the c-reactive protein, which allows leptin to enter the brain so that you can regulate your appetite properly.

Zen Bodi also decreases an enzyme called G3PD, which converts blood sugar into fat; by slowing down the production of G3PD, ZEN BODI helps keep you leaner. It targets the three essential aspects of getting fit: curbing appetite, losing inches, and getting toned. This methodical approach to weight loss isn’t the only revolutionary thing about ZEN BODI —what’s truly
revolutionary are the results!!Both Zen Pro and Zen Fit come in a convenient pouches that you can take anywhere for any family member; for use as a mid-day or late night snack or as a pre-workout or post-workout replenishment program.

So what do you want to use, you elite athletes, aging marathoners and moms looking for more energy that want to get more out of their workout. I'm a believer in the less is more approach to whole foods, and so it doesn't seem like a hard decision to make. Go with the more natural and science based solution. Of course both of these are not vegan, and so you may want to look at other options for your pegan lifestyle.

DISCLAIMER: Barbara Christensen, the owner of this email address, is not a medical doctor. The author of this email is not engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader.

The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained within this work are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. I shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestions within this email. You, as someone that has reached out to me as a life coach, are totally and completely responsible for your own health and healthcare. Barbara Christensen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. She also has a partnership with a variety of wellness companies and clicking on any links and making a purchase could result in her making money.

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The Legal Note

DISCLAIMER: the author of this website is not a medical doctor. The author of this site is not engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader
The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained within this work are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. No product offers on this website should be considered a cure. I, Barbara Christensen, the author of the blog Paleo Vegeo, shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestions within this page. You, as a reader of this website, are totally and completely responsible for your own health and healthcare.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product nor anything written about on this blog is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This blog is a purely entertainment practice. ')

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