3 Keys to a Vibrantly Healthy Valentine’s Day

Valentines Day is the LOVE holiday…the day when we express our love to the special people in our lives.

The tradition of Valentine’s Day is believed to have originated from the pagan customs of the Third or Fourth Century B.C., when the Festivals of Purification were celebrated in Ancient Rome.   With the advent of Christianity, priests attempted to replace all ancient heathen practices, and in the fifth century A.D., they created its own holiday around the same date,  and selected a saint who to honor for his devotion to love.

Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is a day when health takes a  backseat as most people embellish their loved ones with chocolates, little candy hearts with sayings on them and all sorts of sweet, heart shaped treats and lavishly rich dinners.

What would it be like to enjoy the magic of your  Valentine’s Day love connections without compromising your health and your waistline?

Here are 3 key strategies that you can use to create new and memorable health promoting Valentine’s Day rituals.

1- Celebrate and thank the one person you can count on to be there every moment in your life, through thick and thin, good times and challenging ones and until you take your last breath…YOU. Do something special for yourself. Self love and care is health care. One of the best ways to improve the quality of your health and increase your energy and longevity is to consistently make time to reward and acknowledge yourself.

Take a minute right now to stroke and massage your shoulders, arms and hands. Doesn’t that feel great? Plan a time for a candle-lit hot bath, or an evening in bed to read, write or meditate. What’s your favorite pass time? What do you love to do? Reward yourself by scheduling time to do it. Schedule it right NOW.

Jot me a note in the comments box and let me know how you plan to show self love.

2- Create special treats for your loved ones using whole, fresh, organic and living foods.

As a special Valentine’s Day gift from me to you, I created a recipe sampler you can use and enjoy.

http://www.drritamarie.com/candy.htm

3- Make aphrodisiac foods a part of the celebration, to spark some passion into your love life.  These  traditionally include:

• Almond – aroma is supposed to induce passion in a female.
• Arugula – has been documented as an aphrodisiac since the first century A.D.
• Avocado – The Aztecs called the tree the “testicle tree”.
• Basil – Is supposed to stimulate the sex drive and boost fertility.
• Chocolate – contains PEA, a neurotransmitter that stimulates a feeling of love and connection.
• Fennel – a source of natural plant estrogen, fennel was used in the early Egyptian times as “libido enhancement”.
• Figs – An open fig is said to resemble the female sex organs and traditionally thought of as sexual stimulant.
• Garlic – is said to stir sexual desires.
• Mustard – is believed to stimulate the sex glands and increase desire.
• Pine Nuts – have been used to stimulate the libido as far back as Medieval times.
• Raspberries and Strawberries – are described in erotic literature as fruit nipples
• Vanilla – The scent and flavor is believed to increase lust.

Do you have any favorite aphrodisiac foods?  Submit your recipes and a description of the aphrodisiac properties of the food here:

http://www.drritamarie.com/newsletter/contributions/

I’ll be choosing one to publish in this month’s newsletter, which will be sent on Thursday February 18.

Please comment below… what are your valentines day plans?

Happy Valentines Day!

Remember to download your Valentines Day Recipe Sampler HERE and have fun!

With Love, Roses and Raw Chocolate Kisses,

Dr. Ritamarie

Holiday Health Gifts

Christmas is just 2 days away and that’s the day I’m drawing the winners names for my big raffle. Will your name be amongst the winners?

Here’s the scoop.  I’ll be giving away the following prizes:

1- An e-book of your choice (value up to $29.95)

2- Eat Your Way Out of Pain Home Study Course (Value $67)

3- Lifetime Membership in Dr. Ritamarie’s Green Cleanse Program (Value $97)

4- A 20 minute private consultation (Value $150)

5- A complimentary membership in my new “Balancing Nutrition Self Assessment Program” (Value $397)

As you can see, these are valuable prizes!  And I’ll post the winners names(and website if you’d like) on the Monday after Christmas.

SO how do you enter the raffle?

There are 2 ways

1- Make any purchase between now and December 24th at midnight and you’ll be automatically entered into the raffle. Each separate purchase counts as a separate entry.

Use Coupon Code 15ebook and receive 15% off any item on this page:

http://drritamarie.com/EBookOrderForm.htm

2- Purchase a raffle ticket for only $7.
http://www.drritamarie.com/go/raffle

***I’ll donate 25% of all raffle ticket purchases to Safe Space, a local charity that protects battered women and children.

http://www.drritamarie.com/go/raffle

I wish you a peaceful, joyful and very healthy Holiday Season.

If you’re ready to create the best possible health in 2010, check this out

http://www.drritamarie.com/go/Health

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah,Kwanzaa, Solstice, Yule or whatever you celebrate this time of year!

Love, Health and Gratitude,

Dr. Ritamarie

Peppermint Patties Go Raw: Gluten Free Raw Food Recipe for Superfood Candy Made with Hemp Seeds and Green Powder

My latest Yummy treat – I just made this as a variation of my Peppermint Patty Recipe from Healthy Halloween Treats , a complete guide to raw and living foods, gluten-free recipes for Halloween.

This 100% raw foods recipe is also gluten free and sugar free.  Much better for you than the peppermint patties you may have eaten before.  It’s high in omega 3 fats from the hemp seed, selenium from the brazil nuts, copper from the macadamia nuts, chlorophyll from the greens and antiviral lauric acid from the coocnut.  They are very low glycemic, as they contain no  sweeteners.  If you prefer the filling a little bit sweeter, you can add  1/4 cup pitted dates.

Super Food Peppermint Patties

by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

Ingredients

Filling

• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup brazil nuts
• 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
• 1 1/2 cup dried coconut shreds
• 1/8 teaspoon green stevia
• 1 Tablespoon each chlorella and blue green algae powder (or your favorite green powder)
• 3 drops peppermint essential oil

Chocolate Coating

• 1/4 cup  cacao paste, softened in the dehydrator for 15 minutes at 115 degrees  or in a double boiler
• 1/8 cup cacao butter, melted as for the cacao paste.
• 1/8 teaspoon stevia
• 2 drops mint essential oil

Directions:

1. Process the filling in food processor until almost smooth.
2. Press the filling into silicone molds, disposable mini cupcake papers, or any other shapes desired.  If you prefer, you can spread it on a piece of wax paper and score into desired sizes.
3. Freeze the filling for at least half an hour.
4. Stir all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl or blend in blender.
5. Pop the filling from the molds or cut into desired sizes.
6. Dip the filling pieces into the chocolate sauce (you may need to re-soften it unless you made it right before dipping.)
7. Place carefully on a piece of wax paper to harden.  Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Chocolate topping variation

• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• 1/8 cup melted cacao butter
• 2 drops mint essential oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder

Other Variations

You can add a couple of drops of mint essential oil to your favorite  chocolate sauce or any of the chocolate sauce recipes in  my books Healthy Halloween Treats and Healthy Holiday Traditions:  Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations. Both of these books are filled with gluten free raw and living foods recipes for holiday treats using health promoting ingredients.

Enjoy this recipe.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.drritamarie.com

http://www.GreenFoodMagic.com

Hanukkah in the Raw: Living Foods Version of Traditional Latkes

When I first met my husband I had no idea what a latke was, nor did I know very much about Hanukkah.  Having grown up Catholic the only thing I’d learned was that Hanukkah was like Christmas, only they got presents for 8 days instead of 1!

I’ve come a long way since then.   Now I know quite a bit more about the holiday, and the meaning behind it.  I’ve also taught myself to make healthier versions of the traditional foods.  My favorite is  latkes.  Latles are potato pancakes and are traditionally served on the first and last nights of Hanukkah, at least in my husband’s family.  Traditional latkes are made from potatoes, onions, flour and egg, and are deep fried in vegetable oil.  They come out crispy and very greasy.  Quite frankly, all that grease just never appealed to me.

So my first experiments were created by simply using  non-gluten flour in place of the unbleached white, flax or psyllium seed in place of the egg and a bit of olive oil, brushed on before baking instead of frying.  They were a bit hit with my family and friends.

Next I experimented with substituting some or all of the potatoes with shredded broccoli stems, daikon radish or zucchini.  I got to the point where I could make them without any potatoes, and my kids still loved them.  I was happy because they were eating lots of veggies!

Finally I took it to the next level and created a recipe that I could “low temperature bake”  in the dehydrator.  These are uncooked and maintain the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes of the raw ingredients.  I served  them side by side with the cooked potato version and most of  my friends preferred the raw ones.

I put all of the variations of the recipe in my new e-book  Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations.

I’m sharing the Living Latkes recipe here.  The book has recipes for raw dairy free versions of applesauce and sour cream too.

Living Latkes

by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

Equipment Needed: Dehydrator and Blender

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds of a combination of shredded daikon radish and broccoli stems
• 1 medium onion
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup water

Directions

1. Shred daikon and broccoli stems and place in a large bowl.
2. Shred or thinly slice the onion and add to bowl with the daikon and broccoli.
3. Blend the tahini, pepper and salt and add to bowl with vegetables. Mix well with your hands.
4. Brush with a thin film of olive oil, if desired.
5. Form into patties and place on the mesh tray of your dehydrator. Dehydrate overnight, up to 12 hours.

Serve with apple sauce or  nut sour “cream”

Shared with love from Dr. Ritamarie’s Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations.

Enjoy, and have a happy healthy holiday.

Love, Health and Joy

Dr. Ritamarie

P.S.  Even if you’re not Jewish, the latkes are worth making.  Everyone loves them.

http://www.DrRitamarie.com/WinterHolidays

Healthy for the Holidays: Nourishing Foods for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years Celebrations

By

Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

I can’t believe that it’s almost Christmas? I’m really not ready at all!  I haven’t started shopping, writing cards or even finished putting up my tree.   My family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, bringing together the best of my husband’s family traditions and mine.  And  Hanukkah is just a few days away.

I used to bake a lot for the holidays, but since I no longer eat sugar, flour, butter and all the ingredients of my old favorite recipes, and I prefer to eat raw and living foods,  I had to develop new recipes.  My favorites were for cookies, especially gingerbread, cranberry bread and pecan pie.  My new recipes taste as good or even  BETTER than my old favorites.

The foods that used to fill my  holiday plate did nothing to enhance my health and did everything to clog my arteries, raise my blood sugar, expand my waistline and left me feeling sluggish, bloated, and foggy headed.

When I eat the foods I make using my new recipes,  I feel great! I no longer feel bloated or exhausted after eating my favorite Christmas cookies and pies.

Even if you’ve been dedicated to vibrant health for a long time, staying strong and true to your health commitment is a challenge when you’re surrounded by the smells and tastes that remind you of past holidays and connect you with family and friends. You may have even learned to equate these foods with love.

The pressure from friends and family to eat the old favorites can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve only recently adopted healthy eating habits. Add to that the magnitude of the long holiday to-do list (shopping for, wrapping, and exchanging gifts; sending cards; decorating; and making food) and it’s only natural for you to become overly stressed or anxious.

You may have grown up using food to comfort and soothe you.

Certain aromas may remind you of the comfort of grandma’s house on a special holiday, or a special person or feeling that you became connected to early on in your life.

Rather than giving in to temptation, or depriving yourself of tasty foods and feeling angry and resentful about it, you can learn to recreate your favorite holiday meals in ways that are delicious, nutritious and fun and easy to make.

http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays

Since I’ve been married to Scott, I’ve learned to make Hanukkah foods, too, like latkes with homemade applesauce and dairy free sour cream.

I’ve been working on putting all of these recipes together and finally have them ready in the form of a book. By the time I finished putting in all the recipes and tips for creating low stress holiday celebrations, the book ended up being over 160 pages!  And the recipes are all gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free, and made with whole, fresh, plant-based, raw and living foods.

http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays

I’ve put together a couple of very special packages that include my new book, “Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations”and I’m ready to share them with you!

So go on over to

http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays

and reserve your copy. The book is in e-book format, so you can download it instantly. I’m working on getting a printed version available too, and those who purchase the e-book during the next couple of weeks will be offered the print book at for a nominal upgrade fee.

I’m so excited about this.

I’ve added some juicy new bonuses, for a limited time only, and a very special “Deluxe Holiday Toolkit”. When you order the e-book, one of the bonuses you’ll receive is access to an online video of me making some of the recipes.

Here’s a comment from someone who watched the Holiday Video when I offered it with the Thanksgiving Feast book:

I just watched the Holiday recipe video…OMG, it was WONDERFUL!!!! And so helpful! I bought the e-book, but it makes such a difference to actually see you putting the elements together!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CREATING THIS VIDEO!!!!

I look forward to hearing from you.  The message I’d like to hear is how you stayed healthy throughout the holidays, had lots of energy and enjoyed the connection with your loved ones while eating delicious foods and having a blast.

Please comment below and let me know what your favorite holiday foods are.  If health enhancing versions of them  are not already in the book, rest assured they’ll be in version 2.  And if you contribute a recipe or idea that makes it into the second edition next year, I’ll be sure to send you a free copy.

Go ahead and let me know what foods you really love  and have a healthy and happy holiday season.

Love, Health and Gratitude,

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays