Amazing Asparagus!

Lean, Green and Nutritionally Mean!!

Nothing quite captures the essence of spring like fresh asparagus! Asparagus is now one of the most popular of all vegetables, but it is also an extraordinary source of nourishment, especially for pregnant women.

Asparagus contains generous amounts of vitamin K, which assists with blood clotting and helps prevent cell damage; vitamin C which helps improve iron absorption and reduce cancer risk; and carotenoids, which are antioxidants that are converted to vitamin A, a natural antiviral.
But it’s the B-vitamin folate that’s the big star here, and the reason why asparagus is an indispensable part of a pregnant women’s diet. Folate has been shown to be essential for proper cellular division in the fetus; low levels of folate during pregnancy have been clearly linked to a multitude of birth defects. And folate is vital for a healthy cardiovascular system—it converts homocysteine to cysteine, thereby strengthening blood vessel walls and decreasing the risk of heart disease. It also helps prevent liver disease and ward off cervical cancer. And it doesn’t take much to provide these benefits—only one serving of asparagus provides 20 percent of your daily recommended intake of 800 mcg of folic acid.

Shop, Steam, Serve

When buying asparagus, choose stalks that are round, firm, and thin, with closed tips; of course, organic is always best. Occasionally you’ll find purple asparagus, it has the additional benefit of cancer-fighting anthocyanins.

When you get your asparagus home, rinse well, and trim off the woody bottom portion. If not using immediately, wrap a wet paper towel around the bottoms, seal in a plastic bag, and store in the back of the fridge—exposure to air, light, and heat destroys folate. Use within a day or two at the most.

Asparagus spears are wonderful steamed and served as a side dish. Slip them in pot pie, stir-fry them with lots of other colorful veggies, and heap them over organic brown rice. Or try this recipe to take advantage of the delicious, protective qualities of this tiny green nutritional plant.


Penne with Asparagus
and Sweet Onion
8 oz. organic penne pasta
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch diagonal pieces
½ large sweet onion, sliced thin
¼ cup shredded farmers cheese
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Cook pasta according to the package directions, drain, and place in large bowl. Meanwhile, heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Stir-frying asparagus and onion until just crisp, about 5 minutes. Toss pasta with asparagus - onion mix, cheese, vinegar, and red pepper flakes.

Cooking With Quinoa

Learn how to prepare and enjoy this versatile, delicious, and highly nutritious supergrain.
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) has its place in a healthful diet. Though quinoa is a relatively new grain alternative in the United States, it has existed for centuries. The ancient Incas called it “the mother of grain,” and the pre-Columbian Andean Indians ate it often because quinoa provided nutritional qualities that another main food source, the potato lacked.
Today, nutritionists praise and recommend this ancient “supergrain” for its nutritional value. Unlike other grains, quinoa boasts a complete protein because it contains eight essential amino acids. It is also higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc than wheat, barley, or corn. Additionally, quinoa, is easily digested, a rich source of fiber, and gluten free, making it a wonderful grain alternative for people with celiac disease or gluten allergies.
Once cooked, this grain has a delicate, couscous-like texture and nutty flavor that creates a perfect canvas for both sweet and savory enhancements. Start the day with a bowl of quinoa mixed with dried fruit, milk or yogurt and a bit of cinnamon, or stir a cup of it in with your favorite soup to give the dish a subtle texture. An easy lunch can be had by tossing a cup of quinoa with a mixture of veggies and a tangy vinaigrette; for dinner, try a similar mixture as a filling for a healthy wrap.
Prepare this quick-cooking grain just as you would rice by boiling in water, However, know that unlike rice, quinoa will be ready to serve in less than 20 minutes—yet another trait that adds to its appeal. Also try our quinoa pasta, quinoa flakes and quinoa flour.

A Message from Marge- April 2012

This April’s Customer Appreciation Day falls on Good Friday. We all are busy this week participating in Holy Week activities and preparations for Easter services and family gatherings. Because of this, in place of the traditional Customer Appreciation Days that entails 2 days of store specials and snacks I will be running only store specials the entire week Monday – Saturday, April 2 – 7. I hope you find this more convenient in planning for the week and it allows you to focus on priorities, fellowship, and relationships.

I am excited to announce two up-coming seminars so you can schedule them in your calendars: The first is on Monday, May 21, from 3:30 – 7:30PM with Burt Goulding. Many of you have heard Burt speak on balancing the pH of the body and how we can reach our health goals. He is Managing Director of Positive Nutrition Institute, lectures in medical schools, has training seminars (that we have been privileged to participate in on site), and holds radio interviews. This time he will be instructing on Improvements in Vision, Hearing, and Teeth.

The second seminar will be Monday, July 23 at 6:30 pm. The speaker is Terry Lemerond, from Green Bay, Wisconsin. We are honored to have him here in our community. He is passionate about health and nutrition. In addition to being knowledgeable he is an informative and inspirational speaker. I for one, can sit under his instruction for hours and it seems like only minutes. He formulated Curamin which allows the body to balance its natural inflammatory response and is the number one selling product in our industry.

A new end cap display has been brought in where you will find a greater assortment of LEANIN’ TREE greeting cards. Leanin’ Tree has been ranked the Best-Selling Cards— Six Years in a Row!! There are a lot of greeting card companies to select from; some expensive, some not so, but Leanin’ Tree offers a great variety at an exceptional value. For you, our extended family, none of this computer generated assortment for our store. I hand pick each card selection with you in mind as to what you would want to say to another. I realize in this age of e-mail, instant messaging, tweeting, and Face Book, we can communicate instantly but there is nothing like getting a beautiful hand written addressed envelope in the mail. I send a card once a month to each of my grandchildren. Each anticipates a card arriving and are excited to open the envelope. Shut-ins also immensely enjoy that someone thought enough of them to send a card their way. An unexpected card in the mail for no reason at all is an extraordinary gift and a pick-me-up for the soul.

As we prepare for Holy Week and the activities associated with Easter celebration let us take time to find that quiet place in our homes to reflect and focus where we have been and where we are going. Seldom does anything happen if it has not been planned. I hope our week of specials aid you in planning for the holiday. Plan to let another know by a hand written note or a card that you appreciate and thought of them this Easter Season.

Blessings,

Marge

Homeopathic Cell Salts For Superior Health From the Inside Out

History of Cell Salts: Dr. Wilhelm Schuessler, a German doctor, established the theory of Biochemic medicine in 1873. Dr. Schuessler combined the principles of biochemistry with homeopathy to give us the 12 safe & natural Cell Salts – each derived from one of the 12 inorganic mineral compounds most important to our cellular health.
The Importance of Cell Salts: Cell Salts stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms to satisfy mineral deficiencies and imbalances. In his biochemic theory, Dr. Schuessler states that deficiencies in theses minerals are the source of most common health problems and that the Cell Salts derived from these minerals give the body what it needs to prevent and treat illness.
With today’s reliance on highly processed foods, keeping a healthy balance of minerals in the body is a major challenge. Cell Salts can be part of a healthy daily regimen.
Ideal for Self-Care and Safe for the Whole Family: Cell Salts give families the flexibility and assurance of safety to treat minor health issues quickly and effectively. As they will not react with other medications, Cell Salts complement any health plan. More and more healthcare practitioners are embracing Cell Salts for natural, self-care options for their patients.
Parents can rely on Cell Salts to help solve their children’s minor health issues before they may become serious. They are perfect for children because they taste good, are easy to use, work very well with children’s very responsive health systems, and are perfectly safe by themselves or in combination with other therapies.
Effective in stimulating fast healing responses, Cell Salts relieve and speed recovery to resolve common problems such as colds, flu, earaches, and other ailments. Kids love their faintly sweet taste and how quickly the tablets dissolve on the tongue as well. Try them with your children and you will agree!

Cell Salts:

#1 CALC FLUOR: Restores flexibility and supports bone strength. Symptoms include lower backache, muscle strain and weakness, arthritic or injured joints, hemorrhoid symptoms.

#2 CALC PHOS: Aids proper growth and development of bones & teeth formation. Symptoms include iron deficiency, afflictions of the bones, issues with teeth, growing pains.

#3 CALC SULPH: Skin Conditions. Symptoms include wounds, acne(puberty), eczema

#4 FERRUM PHOS: Oxygen Carrier, Anti-Inflammatory. Symptoms includefecer, colds, congestion, fatigue, ear pain, sinus headaches.

#5 KALI MUR: Aids digestion, Reduces congestion. Symptoms include colds, sinus issues, ear congestion, slow digestion.

#6 KALI PHOS: Nerve Nutrient. Symptoms include nervous or stress headaches, backaches, neuralgic pain, sciatica.

#7 KALI SULPH: Supports perspiration & respiration balance, Maintains healthy hair. Symptoms include skin and scalp conditions, stiffness in joints.

#8 MAG PHOS: Relaxes spasms of the nerves & muscles, Relieves radiating neuralgic pains. Symptoms include muscles spasms, backache, headache, menstrual cramps.

#9 NAT MUR: Maintains a proper degree of moisture throughout the system, Aids nutrition. Symptoms include water distribution problems, dry skin, chafing, headaches, constipation.

#10 NAT PHOS: Acid neutralizer, Aids in the proper functioning of the digestive organs, Reduces uric acid build-up in the joints. Symptoms include stuff muscles and joints, colic, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, heartburn, diarrhea.

#11 NAT SULPH: Aids in water distribution/elimination, Supports liver and kidney function, Supports respiratory system. Symptoms include sluggish digestion, nausea, gas, diarrhea, heartburn, indigestion, influenza, shortness of breath.

#12 SILICA: Skin cleanser, Perspiration balancer. Chronic skin conditions, scars, acne, weak nails, excessive perspiration.

BIOPLASMA: Brings balance to muscle tissue and overall cell function. Thia formula combines all 12 Cell Salts and gives the proper daily supply of each. This formula can be taken daily to support cell health.

Energize, Alkalize and Cleanse with Green Superfoods!

Did you eat your vegetables today? Everyone agrees that they’re vital to good health, especially the dark green, leafy ones. They provide antioxidants, folate, potassium, fiber, lutein, flavonoids, and other important nutrients. The darker the leaves, the more nutritious these veggies are.
But it takes time and effort to prepare and consume large amounts of these greens each day. That’s one reason a growing number of supplements contain alfalfa, barley grass, chlorella, green tea, kelp, spirulina, or wheat grass - all of which are considered green superfoods because they contain nutrient-dense, energizing, nourishing, and pH-balancing substances.

A Variety of Greens: Alfalfa contains calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus along with vitamin A, C, B-1, B-2 and niacin. Green tea is a powerful antioxidant that contains catechins, which may help prevent cancer and tumors. Like other sea vegetables, kelp is a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including iodine, which helps correct an underactive thyroid. Spirulina is high in protein and may help improve immunity, lower cholesterol, and stabilize blood sugar levels. Chlorella, another nutritional powerhouse, nourishes the body and helps protect it from damaging chemicals. Wheat grass and barley grass have similar properties. Dr. Ted Morter teaches that barley green is the most alkalizing food on earth. And remember that cancer cells cannot grow in an alkaline environment.

What Makes Greens Super: Enzymes, the biological catalysts essential to life, and chlorophyll, the pigment that makes plants green, may be the heroes in green superfoods. Chlorophyll appears to help the growth and repair of tissues, mitigate the effects of pollution, deliver magnesium, oxygenate the blood, neutralize free radicals, deodorize the breath and body, interfere with the action of carcinogens, and treat infected wounds.

In Prescription for Natural Cures, James F. Balch, MD, recommends green superfoods for antiaging, cancer prevention, detoxification, muscle aches and cramps, hemorrhoids, and psoriasis.

Consider chlorella, the unicellular green algae that has been a popular food supplement in Japan for decades. Rich in protein, chlorophyll, and carotenoids, chlorella extracts have been found to protect against gamma radiation as well as the adverse effects of several drugs and toxic chemicals. In a recent clinical trial, some patients with moderately severe symptoms of fibromyalgia improved significantly on 10g daily of chlorella tablets.

Additional research suggests that chlorella reduces dioxin levels in breast milk, improves overall health, supports detoxification, improves digestion, and helps treat hypertension. In another, Korean researchers suggest that lutein and zeaxanthin (best known for their vision benefits) in chlorella have a powerful antitumor effect, particularly in colon cancer.

Ever since the late Ann Wigmore made wheat grass a household name, enthusiasts around the world have been taking powdered wheat grass supplements. Thanks to Wigmore’s prolific writing and teaching, many consider wheat grass useful for cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome as well as a treatment for detoxifying the liver, purifying the blood, neutralizing pollutants, improving energy and circulation, and slowing aging.

Most of us simply don’t get enough raw green foods in our daily diet. Green superfoods are an important part of my daily regimen. I believe they work from the inside out. They are the fuel that energizes me and keeps me on the run. They also contribute to younger-looking skin and sharper eyesight.

No-Bake Energy Bites and Apple Pie Breakfast Recipes!

NO-BAKE ENERGY BITES RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
1 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1″ in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Makes about 20-25 balls.

Tip:

Substitution ideas can abound for just about any of these ingredients! Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter. And you could also add in some wheat germ in place of some or all of the flaxseed. I would caution, though, against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey’s thickness helps hold things together.

Some other fun substitutions for the chocolate chips (or an addition to them) could include:

chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.)
dried berries (cranberries, cherries, etc.)
chopped almonds, pecans, or sunflower seeds
other chips (butterscotch, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, etc.)

The joy of these bites being “no bakes” is that this recipe is super flexible. If you end up needing to omit one of the dry ingredients (such as coconut or flax), just add in some extra of whatever other dry ingredient is remaining (for example, the oats). If you feel like your energy bites are too dry, just add in extra honey or peanut butter.


APPLE PIE BREAKFAST RECIPE:

Ingredients
- 1 cup of steel cut oats*
- 3 diced apples
- 1 cup apple juice
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Directions - Slow Cooker

For Best Results: Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low until it reaches the consistency that you like. Be sure to stir every hour or so.

You can also cook longer without stirring, but you have to add more liquid and it does come out a bit mushier. Add an extra cup of liquid for 7-8 hours in the slow cooker.

* It must be steel cut oats when cooked in the slow cooker, as regular oats get very soggy when cooked this way. You can find steel cut oats in your local grocery store (sometimes they are called "irish oats" or "pinhead oats"). If you would really rather use rolled oats, be sure to use the stovetop method below and adjust your liquid/cooking time accordingly.


Directions - Stovetop Method

A few people have asked me about a stovetop method since not everybody has a slow cooker, and let's face it, sometimes we don't know what we want for breakfast until the morning of. Below is a stove top method and it tastes similar, but I still prefer the slow cooker version better (the oats become softer the longer they cook).

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until it reaches the consistency that you like.

Hope you enjoy these recipes!!

Message from Marge- March 2012

March 2nd and 3rd will be this months Customer Appreciation Days. I am always excited to know that the month of March is arriving as I consider it the transitional month of the first quarter of the year. It is the month that changes from winter to spring and the earth comes back to life as it basks in the sun’s rays. We, too benefit from the newness and freshness of the new season in that we transition our diets from winter dense foods to lighter, more cleansing foods of spring. Just as we “spring clean” our homes we can benefit from cleansing our bodies of toxins. We carry two products in our store that assist in gently cleansing the body. Our Whole Body Cleanse is a 10-day cleanse that restores balance to regularity and digestive health. We also have a whole food Probiotic Cleanse that combines superfoods, herbs, and live probiotics, promoting optimal digestive health. In our society we are all exposed to an array of toxic chemicals whether it is work related, cleaning products, foods, or lifestyle. There are numerous ways to enhance our body’s elimination of toxins that will improve our overall health, energy level, and vitality.
You will continue to see a greater selection of gluten-free products as we increase our selection as the need arises. One out of every 133 people in the U.S. has to make the fundamental lifestyle change to be gluten-free due to the painful side effects associated with eating gluten. Our shelves are stocked with gluten-free breads, crackers, cereals, pasta, granola bars, cookies, chocolate chips, soups and additional selections. Some gluten-free products are not located in the gluten-free section such as rice, taro chips and protein shakes. We also carry a gluten-free all purpose flour as well as quinoa, amaranth, rice, millet, coconut and almond flours. Gluten Defense capsules are also available to help the body digest wheat and dairy. There are also many products in the freezer section such as muffins, breads, pizza and pizza crusts, hamburger and hot dog buns, bagels and cinnamon rolls. We also have buffalo, beef, chicken and turkey hot dogs as well as fish sticks and chicken nuggets. Some of our older companies have always offered gluten-free products but never marketed them as such. As knowledge of gluten-free lifestyles surface, there will continue to be more of a selection of great tasting choices. The reason I mention great tasting is that in the past gluten-free has not always been pleasing to the palate, that is not the case today. The products are great in taste and are equal or superior to foods containing gluten.
We are also offering grass feed beef in the freezer. The product is locally grown by my son Todd. Todd takes great pride in growing and managing vegetable produce, livestock, and crops that are compatible to the philosophy of Schlarman’s Health Center. I am always looking and researching to find the best quality products to offer you. I am grateful to Todd and Kari for undertaking this endeavor in order to increase our selection of high quality products we offer. There is something here for everybody to improve and enhance your health. Whatever your need is we are here to assist you in acquiring the knowledge concerning the discomfort, finding solutions, and enabling the body to heal. If we can be proactive with our health instead of reactive our bodies will often correct the situation before it becomes a crisis situation.
Just as the earth is continually changing we too change to adjust according to our needs. It is easier if we are able to make changes in small, consistent increments. Our bodies are grateful if we are able to make choices that have far-reaching health benefits. We are here to help you with those choices and enjoy the opportunity to do so! Blessings,
Marge