Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon curry powder (more for experienced palates)
• 1/3 cup raisins1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Coca-Cola®
• 3 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup coffee cream or undiluted evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• Celery tops
• Hot cooked rice

• Rinse chicken and cook in boiling salted water with a few celery tops. 
• Cover and simmer about 1 hour or until fork-tender. 
• Drain, saving strained broth. Remove chicken from bones and cut into 1/2-inch pieces to measure about 2 1/2 cups. 
• Melt butter in skillet. Add peeled and diced apple, thinly sliced onion and curry powder,
  and sauté for 5 minutes, blending well. 
• Stir in raisins, 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth and Coca-Cola. Mix flour with the cream, stirring until smooth. 
• Add this mixture with the salt and pepper to the onion-apple mixture. 
• Stir and cook over low heat until thick and creamy. Taste for seasonings. 
• Add chicken and turn into a covered container to chill overnight. 
• Reheat in top of double boiler over hot water and serve
  on hot cooked rice with a selection of condiments.
  Makes 6 servings. 

This spicy and exotic main dish is best when made the day before
to allow the rich flavors to ripen. Serve with mixed green salad and a fruit dessert.
Provide a sampling of the following condiments for sprinkling on top of each serving:
grated coconut, chopped peanuts, chopped raw onion, raisins, sweet pickle relish,
chutney, chow chow or lime wedges.

by Lisa Kilgour, RHN

You are 90% bacteria!

Let that sink in for a second... Just think: for every cell in your body, you have 9 cells of bacteria living in and on your body. It can be a little creepy if you think about it too much.

Most of this bacteria is living inside your intestinal tract, otherwise known as your “gut”. The health of this organism is paramount to the health of your body. Why?

80% of your immune system spends most of its time around your gut. The health of your gut bacteria and the health of your immune system are vitally linked. When your gut bacteria is balanced, your immune system is also balanced. But when it’s out of balance, so is your immune system. Signs that your immune system is out of balance are: food and seasonal allergies, chronic inflammation, chronic sinusitis, and colds and flus that linger for weeks.

The highest concentration of brain cells (neurons) outside of your brain is around your gut. Have you ever felt a “gut feeling” about something? Frequently referred to as the “lower brain”, how the neurons surrounding you gut interact with your gut bacteria is becoming more and more apparent in many health issues. The “Gut/Brain Connection” is a major part of mainstream research. Scientists are discovering connections between your gut bacteria and seemingly unrelated neurological issues such as anxiety and autism.

Our North American way of eating hasn’t helped to keep our gut bacteria balanced. Most traditional cultures regularly consume fermented foods like natural yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi, which feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut. In North America, however, we tend to do the opposite. Processed food, refined sugar, chlorine, and antibiotics are major causes of a gut bacteria imbalance.

When your digestive system has 75% beneficial bacteria, your body (digestion, immunity, brain) is able to create balance. But when the prevalent bacteria in your gut is “bad” bacteria (bacteria that doesn’t assist us), they allow for an overgrowth of yeast, molds, and fungus in our gut - as well as many digestive symptoms, like bloating, gas, distention, pain, constipation, and diarrhea.

How to Keep Your Gut Bacteria Balanced:

1.     Eat whole, unrefined foods. Remove all refined sugars and grains which feed the “bad” bacteria
2.     Eat naturally fermented foods daily, and take a probiotic supplement. Probiotic supplements contain high amounts of beneficial bacteria - an important part of finding balance.
3.     Understand the causes of your digestive symptoms, and re-balance them. All digestive symptoms are signs that food isn’t being properly broken down and can feed the “bad” bacteria.

Keep your digestive system, immune system, and brain working optimally by keeping your gut bacteria healthy and happy!

Source:  http://eatmorerealfood.blogspot.com/2011/05/go-with-your-gut-feeling.html

Recipe by Sandra's Easy Cooking

It is light, delicious and will give you satisfaction for your eyes and belly. I hope you don't mind because I will not write much today. Enjoy this easy pasta dish, and try it yourself soon!!!!


Serves 6- 8
Prep time: 5 min.
Cooking time 5-7 min.

Ingredients:

• 2 pk. Spinach Fettuccine, handmade and packed(or you can make any Fettuccine that you have in your pantry) 
• 3 Tbs. Olive oil
• 6 Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Tbs. Dry Italian Herbs,
• ½ tsp. Basil
• 4 Garlic cloves
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Garnish: Parmigiano Cheese and Fresh Basil

Directions:

• Boil water with salt (1Tbs.), and drop pasta/ for handmade pasta you will need about 3-5 minutes until it's done, so while you wait for water to boil start on a sauteing mushroom slices, tomatoes, garlic and other ingredients (of course with a olive oil).
• Saute for 2-3 minutes, just to get it heated..you don't want to lose all the nutritional value of the mushrooms and garlic. 
• As soon as fettuccine is done, drain and drop them in the pan.
• Stir and combine everything together, this should not take more than 1 min. 
• Sprinkle with Parmigiano Cheese and garnish with fresh basil.

Serve immediately!

*Note: If you going to use pasta that is not handmade your cooking time will increase. 

If you have less people around your table use less pasta, and other ingredients. 

P.S.

I am linking this dish to a wonderful group that is called "Blog Hop" and this month of May is any pasta recipe click on the "blog hop" and join the event. The twitter hashtag is #pastalove  Follow me on the Twitter @SECooking and give me some #PastaLove

Now that I gave you lunch or dinner idea, go and make your love happy by making him/her some pasta!!!!!!

Source: http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/5537152-spinach-fettuccine-with-baby-bella-mushrooms-and-cherry-tomatoes