Summer is on the way, and – let’s be honest – it already feels like summer in Dallas!  Here are our Top 5 Refreshing Beverages for you and your family to enjoy this summer season!

1. Iced Enfusia. We all love a hot, steaming cup of Enfusia, but have you tried it ICED?  Mmmmm.  Just brew it as usual in your coffeepot or French press.  Then pour it over ice, and add a slew of fresh lemon, orange, and lime slices.  Sweeten with agave, honey, or stevia, and you have one refreshing summer beverage!
2. Kombucha. This is an organic raw fermented tea. It might sound a little crazy, but it’s delicious, with a taste like sparkling fruit juice.  Our favorite brands of kombucha are GT’s Synergy and High Country, both of which you can get at your local Whole Foods, and even Newflower Farmer’s Market. Why is it so great?  With flavors like Guava, Ginger, and Mango, it also contains billions of probiotic flora, which are extremely beneficial for your immune and digestive systems.
3. Lime Spritzer. We don’t miss the yucky stuff in soft drinks, but we DO sometimes miss the fizz.  But that’s easy to fix!  Just get some sparkling mineral water and squeeze some fresh lime and lemon juice into it, and add a few cubes of ice.  It’ll satisfy your desire for the fizz of soft drinks, without all the high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors!
4. Carrot-Apple-Ginger Juice. If you have access to a juicer, this is a great refreshing drink.   Run several carrots, apples with the skin, and about a 1-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger root through your juicer.  The juice should be a bright orange color and a little frothy at the top.  Delicious!  Sara Snow’s website has another great juicing recipe.  If you’re interested in a juice fast, check out this previous post.
5. Homemade Lemonade. What is summer without fresh lemonade?  All you need is agave or honey, water, and fresh lemons.  You can even add some crushed mint leaves or fresh ginger for a little zing.  Check out the lemonade recipes on this site…but for the “green tea” variation, use Enfusia!

photo courtesy of body+soul magazine

Do YOU have some refreshing beverage suggestions?  Leave a comment!

This is probably one of our favorite Top 5’s so far.  Why?  Because WE LOVE FAT!  Once you understand why fat is so crucial for your diet, then you’ll want to know where to get the very best.  Enjoy this list.

courtesy of Tropical Traditions

1.  Coconut – Hands down, this is our #1.  We love cooking our eggs in coconut oil in a frying pan.  Coconut milk is an amazing substitute for cream & milk in all types of recipes, and it is also a perfect addition to make our Enfusia (or any hot beverage!) extra creamy.  Shredded coconut is perfect in recipes like Raw Chocolate Macaroons, our Top 5 Kid Snacks, or mixed in with raw nuts as a snack.

2.  Raw Butter – It’s the perfect time of the year for fresh, raw butter, and Full Quiver Farms supplies us with a tub of butter that is so rich in taste and color that it makes our tongues do a little dance.  Raw butter is perfect for adding flavor and good fat to steamed veggies or a warm bowl of sprouted oats.  OK, our mouths are watering…

3.  Avocados – One word.  Guac.  Enough said.

4.  Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This is a staple in all of our kitchens.  And this time of year, as we eat more and more salads, it’s worth spending a little extra money to get a high-quality extra virgin olive oil.  It only takes a little to make the very best dressings.  As a general rule, use a 3-to-1 ratio of olive oil to acid to make a perfect salad dressing (example: 3 tbs olive oil mixed with 1 tbs vinegar).

5.  Lard – If you’ve ever wondered how to make perfectly-browned and crisped roasted potatoes and/or veggies, then look no further.  Heat up some lard so it liquifies, and pour over sliced potatoes and/or veggies with sea salt, cracked pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.  Toss together so everything is coated.  Roast at 425 for about 30 minutes.  MMM!  Now that’s something to write home about!

Enjoy your fats, and let us know what you think!

For more info on fats, check out our article “Does Fat Make You Fat?” by Tommy Dyer.

We’ve been working on the perfect list of Top 5 Kid Snacks for all of the parents and babysitters out there!  This will make your lives easier as the warmer weather approaches.  Your kids will love these snacks, and they’re healthy too!

1. Turkey & Carrot Roll-Ups with Raw Cheese. Take a piece of deli turkey (make sure it’s hormone-free and sulfite-free) and place a thin slice of raw cheese from Full Quiver Farms on top.  Put a carrot stick in the middle and roll it up! It’s a great high-protein snack with a slight sweetness from the carrots.  Your kids will love it.
   

   courtesy of HappyFoody.com

2. Apple Butterfly. Cut up some apple slices and arrange them on a plate like in the photo.  Then slice up some dates and put them in the center for the body/antennae.  In place of the dates, you could also make a nut butter “body” for the butterfly by creating this fun mixture: a couple tablespoon-fulls of peanut butter (or other raw nut butter) with shredded coconut, cinnamon, a drizzle of raw honey or raw agave nectar, and some raisins.  Mix together until it forms a paste.   Scoop it in the center of the apple slices for your kids to dip!
3. Toothpick “Dumbbells.” These are fast and fun little treats.  Ingredients:  toothpick, chicken sausage, raw cheese, grapes, cherry tomatoes, and any other meat, veggie, or fruit you can cut into cubes or stick on either end of a toothpick.  Try chicken sausage meatball on one side and raw cheese on another.  Or put grapes on both sides and freeze it.
4. Red Beet Hummus. Wondering what to do with the beets from your Co-Op?  It’s sweet and colorful, which will attract your kids to try it!

   Ingredients:
   3-4 beets, cooked with skin removed
   2/3 cup unsweetened yogurt
   1 tbsp tahini
   1 tsp cumin
   1 tsp garlic powder
   1 tsp onion powder
   3 tsp lemon juice
   Pinch of sea salt

   To cook beets, slice off the greens and put them in a saucepan.  Fill saucepan with water just until the beets are covered.  Boil for 30 minutes or so, until the beets are softened and a fork can pierce them easily.  Remove the pot from the stove, and drain the water out.  Let the beets cool for a few minutes, and the skin will slide right off.

   Once the beets are cooled, put all of the above ingredients into a food processor and mix until creamy!  Serve with sprouted crackers, or carrot or celery slices.

5. Blueberry Popsicles. These are so good, you might want to steal one for yourself!

   Ingredients:
   Fresh organic blueberries (frozen if needed)
   Plain organic yogurt or coconut milk
   A few tbs. raw honey or raw agave nectar

   Mix together in blender or food processor until thick.  Pour into ice trays with a toothpick in the middle of each, or popsicle molds if you have them, and put into freezer.  Your kids will love this sweet treat, and it provides them with a snack rich in antioxidants.  Great treat as the weather will continue to get warmer!

There are so many uses for the delicious, fresh raw cream from Full Quiver Farms in Kemp, TX!  Here are our Top 5 Reasons to Use Cream, plain and simple…

1.  Health Benefits:

• Great source of Vitamins A, D , E and K
• Cream fats have potent anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties
• Amazing antioxidant properties and immune boosting power
• Its cholesterol is essential to nervous system development
• A great supply of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) which is a great fat-reducer, especially for the mid-section! Hello cream, bye-bye belly!

2. Homemade Butter: This is one of our favorites! Using the raw cream, you can make your very own homemade butter in a matter of minutes!  Wake up to enjoy this creamy butter on your morning toast with a hot cup of Enfusia!

3. The 3-Minute Milkshake: In only 3 minutes, you can have a delicious milkshake with barely any clean-up!   Here’s how to make it.

4. New, Smaller Size: Instead of having to order an entire quart size of the cream, we now have pint size (16 oz.) jars available!

5. Happy Cows on Happy Farms: The raw cream from Full Quiver Farms in Kemp, TX not only supports the local food movement, but also helps Mike & Debbie Sams provide for their family!

And if these five reasons to use cream are not enough, here is a sixth…it tastes darn good!

According to the National Restaurant Association, an average of one out of five meals consumed by Americans is in a commercial setting…which means we eat out a lot!   Where on earth can you get healthy food in Dallas?  It’s difficult to eat out when you’re trying to consume non-processed food, and you’re unsure of where to start.  So we’ve done the research for you! In this month’s “Top 5”, we’d like to introduce you to our Top 5 Dallas restaurants that provide quality food for you and your family!

1. Kozy Kitchen. If you are looking for a warm neighborhood atmosphere, delightful service, and seasonal cuisine, Kozy Kitchen is the place to go!  Some of the things we love about Kozy are their delicious grass-fed beef, seasonal organic produce, and tasty gluten-free desserts!  Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Kozy provides lots of options using the finest real food ingredients!  Their new  “Winer Wednesdays” is an opportunity for wine lovers to experiment with five different wines through the evening.
2. Villa-O. Looking for a casual Italian dining experience?  Look no further!  Villa-O provides Dallas with an original organic pastaria, featuring seasonal flavors, free-range meats, and fresh seafood.  Along with the main dining room experience, Villa-O offers a mahogany crafted bar area for those feeling a bit more social, along with a spacious patio with a full menu to enjoy the upcoming spring weather!  One of Dallas’s only restaurants to provide its customers with a choice of still and sparkling water purified in-house with a Natura system also puts Villa-O above the rest.  The menu offers a variety of options including Wild Alaskan Salmon, All Natural Turkey Burger, and fresh wood fire pizzas… something for everyone!
3. Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill. We’ll be honest – the Movement staff alone could keep Fadi’s in business!  We love this place!  We know we can always find a variety of quick, fresh food – either for sit-down or takeout, in a great atmosphere.  They offer a variety of raw salads, to tasty hummus, to roasted veggies, to delicious meats (try the beef or chicken shawerma!)  OK, we’re salivating.
4. Chipotle Mexican Grill. Need a real “fast-food” option?  Chipotle is your answer.  Chipotle operates with an underlying motto of “Food With Integrity (F.W.I.)”.  This motto includes a philosophy to provide its clients with unprocessed, seasonal, family-farmed, sustainable, nutritious, naturally raised, hormone free, and organic food of the highest quality!  Did you know that their food contains NO artificial colors or artificial flavorings?  And it’s more than burritos…try the salad bowl or burrito bowl!  Yum!
5. Spiral Diner. Though we at The Movement Dallas believe in meat (grass-fed or pastured, from a good source) as a staple in your diet, Spiral Diner provides a unique dining experience that allows you to try something out of the ordinary!  Spiral Diner is a 100% vegan, organic restaurant located in Oak Cliff.  They offer an assortment of vegan foods with an urban diner feel.  Begin with a fresh bowl of homemade hummus while you are deciding between Ramsey’s Perfect Protein Platter or a McNut Burger.  NOTE: We do not endorse processed soy/tofu, which is in many of the dishes at Spiral Diner.  We do believe in the health benefits of fermented soy, such as in soy sauce, miso, or tempeh.  Be aware when ordering at Spiral Diner to steer clear of soy products.

We hope you enjoy this new section that we will bring to you on a regular basis called “The Movement’s Top 5″. This issue will be about our Top 5 favorite websites to get healthy foods and holistic products.

VitaCost (natural home and personal products). This is a great website to get all-natural body care products, cleaning products for your home, and more, at a greatly discounted price.  The other thing we love is that shipping is only $4.99, no matter what you order!  Some of the items we purchase regularly from this site include all-natural deodorant, dishwashing soap, shampoo/conditioner, and Sweet Leaf Liquid Stevia.  Please note that we do not support any of the vitamins, supplements, or diet products on this site.

Mountain Rose Herbs (organic spices). If you love to cook, then you know it can be hard to find great spices.  It’s even harder to find a place that does not use MSG.  We love Mountain Rose Herbs because they are all certified organic and there’s no hidden MSG.  They also do not irradiate any of their products.  Try the All-Purpose Blend and the Mexican Seasoning.  Great stuff!

NutriHarmony (real food supplements). Hands down, this is the very best place to get supplements.  Because everything is Real Food, there is not a trace of anything synthetic in the products.  There are no fillers or vitamins made synthetically in a lab.  Its simply raw, real food in capsule form.  The best supplements on the market today are utilized in the body at 25%.  How would you like to use over 98% of your vitamins and supplements?  That is what NutriHarmony gives you!

Tropical Traditions (coconut products). This site is always running a deal so be on the look out.  We love their Coconut Cream Concentrate to eat with fruit.  It’s also a great place to get Coconut Flour for all those wonderful baking recipes!

Natura Pet Foods (all natural pet food). Our pets are all loving the food that Natura Pet has to offer, like EVO, Innova, and California Natural.  At The Movement Dallas, we have a relatioship with Natura and are able to get discounted all-natural pet food for our clients.  So if you’d like to save money while helping your pets live a longer, happier life, contact us so we can give you information on ordering from Natura.

Bob’s Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour
Coconut Flour is a delicious, healthy alternative to wheat and other grain flours. It is very high in fiber, low in digestible carbohydrates, a good source of protein and gluten free. It lends baked goods an incomparably rich texture and a unique, natural sweetness. You can replace up to 20% of the flour called for in a recipe with Coconut Flour, adding an equivalent amount of additional liquid to the recipe.

Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour
Almond Meal/Flour is simply raw blanched whole almonds that have been ground into a fine powder. Use almond meal in cakes, cookies, sweet breads, and a host of other desserts. Store in your freezer to extend its shelf life.

Madhava Agave Nectar

This pure, unrefined sweetener is a great-tasting, economical alternative to all other sweeteners, granular or liquid, perfect for all around use. It has approx 1.4 x the sweetening power of white sugar. And, Agave Nectar’s mild flavor doesn’t vary widely which will lend a real consistency to recipes. Learn more at madhavahone.com.

Find them online or at your local Whole Foods