A recent study, as listed in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, concluded that Omega-3 fatty acids can stimulate muscle protein synthesis in older adults and may be useful for the prevention and treatment of muscle loss as a part of the aging process.

Also, since we know that Omega-3′s are better utilized within the body when saturated fats are consumed, there is all the more reason to focus on healthy consumption of fats. The study found no protein synthesis when the recipients were given corn oil as opposed to Omega-3′s.

Go get your coconut oil and butter. Go get your Omega-3′s.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 pound of frozen pitted tart cherries
2 medium organic Granny Smith apples
¼ cup sucanat, rapadura, or turbinado sugar
¬Ω teaspoon almond extract
2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
¬Ω cup unsweetened cherry juice
1/8 cup stevia mixed with 3 Tablespoons cinnamon
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup walnuts
2 Tablespoons spelt flour
3 Tablespoons coconut oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the cherries, apples, stevia and cinnamon and the almond extract. Set aside. In a small cup, mix the arrowroot powder with the unsweetened cherry juice and add to the fruit mixture. Stir well. Pour this mixture into a non-stick 8-inch square baking dish. Mix together the remaining ingredients and crumble the mixture on top of the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove and serve warm.

Banana Peach Smoothie

Yield: two 8 oz. servings
Ingredients:

10 oz. of yogurt, kefir, or coconut milk/cream
1–2 raw omega–3 eggs (optional)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil or hemp seed oil
1–2 tablespoons unheated honey
1 tablespoon of goat’s milk protein powder (optional)
1⁄2–1 cup fresh or frozen peaches
1 fresh or frozen banana
1‚ÅÑ2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

Combine the following ingredients in a high–speed blender

Creamsicle Smoothie

Yield: two 8 oz. servings
Ingredients:

6 ozs. of yogurt or kefir
4 ozs. freshly squeezed orange juice
1–2 raw omega–3 eggs (optional)
1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil or hemp seed oil
1–2 tablespoons unheated honey
1 tablespoon of goat’s milk protein powder (optional)
1–2 fresh or frozen bananas
vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

Combine the following ingredients in a high–speed blender.

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1‚ÅÑ4 cups freshly ground or soaked spelt, kamut or whole wheat flour
3‚ÅÑ4 cup water mixed with 1 tablespoon of yogurt
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 egg, lightly beaten
1‚ÅÑ4 teaspoon fine Celtic sea salt
1‚ÅÑ2 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1‚ÅÑ3 cup honey
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Mix flour with water and yogurt and let stand overnight. Mix in remaining ingredients. Pour into well–buttered muffin tin about three quarters full. Place 5–7 blueberries on each muffin. Berries will fall partway into the muffins. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 15–20 minutes. Note: 1 cup buckwheat flour or cornmeal may be used in place of 1 cup spelt, kamut or wheat flour.

Homemade Marinara

2 T coconut oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced (Approx 1 ¬Ω cups)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 T Italian Seasoning

1 ¬Ω t sea salt

1 t ground pepper

¬Ω t fennel seeds, crushed

1 T real maple syrup (cut back to 2t if your not a sweet person…)

2 t unfiltered apple cider vinegar (Apple Cider Vinegar balances your body’s pH)

1 cup chicken broth (Homemade best! Quality store-bought just fine…)

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 28 oz can tomato puree

In a large saucepan, sauté onions over medium heat in 2 T coconut oil. After 3-4 minutes, add garlic and continue to sauté until onions are softened. Add Italian Seasoning, sea salt, pepper and fennel. Saute for an additional 1 minute to release the flavors in the dried spices. Add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer for 50 minutes. Re-season with sea salt & pepper if necessary, and serve.

Chicken Parmesan

butter, to grease pan

1 cup breadcrumbs (see homemade Ezekiel Breadcrumb recipe below)

¬Ω cup grated Parmesan

2 free range eggs, lightly beaten

sea salt

pepper

4 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 batch of homemade marinara (see recipe above)

4 thin slices of raw Gruyere Swiss cheese (any Swiss will do…)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter a 9×13 glass pan. Clean and pat your chicken dry. Place breadcrumbs, Parmesan and a pinch of sea salt & pepper on a plate. Mix with your hands. Place eggs in a bowl next to the breadcrumb mixture (your setting up a breading station.) Add a pinch of sea salt & pepper to the eggs. Lightly sea salt & pepper your chicken breasts on both sides. Dredge each breast through the eggs mixture, then the bread mixture and press the breading into the chicken to coat thoroughly. Place each breast into the glass pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly firm to the touch and cooked through when tested with a knife (no pink.) Remove the pan from the oven. Put a generous scoop of marinara on top of each breast. Then place a slice of cheese on top (I like to cut the cheese into strips and place across diagonally for fancy’s sake.) Return to the oven only to melt the cheese. Serve over pasta or spaghetti squash, if you‚Äôd like, or I just skip the pasta and serve it with a green salad tossed in a lemon vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Homemade Ezekiel Bread Crumbs

4 pieces of Ezekiel Bread, toasted and cooled (Try Millet or Rice Bread, if you are Gluten Free!)

pinch sea salt

pinch of pepper

Break your bread into big chunks. Grind everything up in the food processor until bread crumb size. That’s it!