Must haves for your first aid kit :-O

Whether you have children in the house or not (but especially if you do), you need a first aid kit. Here is a helpful list (in no particular order):

• Colloidal Silver- cuts, insect bites, burns, sore throat, burning  eyes and a whole slew of other reasons
• Hydrogen peroxide (3%)- ear aches, hardened ear wax and topical infections
• Elderberry syrup or berries- first sign of illness 
• Oregano- tough to get the kids to take but it is wonderful for sinus infections and colds. Also wonderful for fungal infections!
• Nettles- any and all histamine responses (allergy season, food allergies, pet allergies etc.)
• Garlic oil- ear aches and infections.

• Calendula ointment (or any combinations with it)- burns, lacerations and irrittaions.

This is not an exhaustive list but it is a base from which to build. When a loved one is feeling under the weather it is best to start with the basics and then "throw the kitchen sink" at it when necessary. If you have a first aid kit already built into your home it makes it much easier to buy additional supplements and products on an "as need" basis. Stay healthy out there!!

Veggie Sushi rolls with your produce boxes :)

Alright! This will be the easiest thing you have made yet!
You will need : Toasted Nori sheet
                       Purple Jasmine Sticky Rice
                       Your choice of veggies from you box (sliced like skinny french fries)
                       Brown Rice Vinegar
                       Brown Rice Syrup
                       *Optional: Sesame Seeds, Tamari, Ginger and Wasabi
                        **All Ingredients available at Clear Conscience Natural Market

Start by Boiling 2cups of water with a pinch of sea salt
Add 1 cup Purple Jasmine Rice to boiling water
Rice is done when water has evaporated and rice is soft (about 20 minutes)
Add 2 tbsp of both Brown Rice Vinegar and Brown Rice Syrup to your rice and stir well
Let the rice cool to room temperature and begin on your veggies
Take your sliced veggies and place them into pan with coconut oil and sea salt, splash a little Vinaigrette   over the veggies (We have several to choose from)....Veggies are done when they are softened slightly
Place your Nori roll on counter top or bamboo roll and moisten hands with cold water so rice does not stick to them. Put 2 tbsp of rice on Nori sheet and press out to the corners evenly and thin.
Place veggies on rice horizontally
Before beginning  to roll your nori moisten the far edge of it so that the roll sticks together at the end
After rolling it up slice to your desired thickness and enjoy with your optional items

Stay tuned for the option to buy these (already prepared) at Clear Conscience Natural Market

Closed for July 4th weekend

We will be closed starting Saturday July 2nd through Monday July 4th and reopening Tuesday July 5th. We hope that everyone takes this opportunity to spend with their family . Remember to take time to breathe :) I'll post a killer veggie recipe before the weekend begins, to get it all jump started.

Curried Garbanzos with Roasted Potatoes

*Soak the Garbanzos or cook for double the time (always soak or cook the beans with Kombu to break down the phytic acid)
Place 8oz of tomato sauce and 16 oz of purified water into a pot to boil
Add 2 tsp salt, Curry and Cumin
Add the Garbanzos once the water is boiling. If you are pressure cooking then cook on high for 14 minutes and use natural release method
Preheat toaster oven or full size oven for 450 degrees
Once Grabanzos are in their pot slice your potatos in quarters or slice your fingerlings in half and toss with olive oil, curry. garlic and seasoning salt (the best is from right here at Clear Conscience) Add in some onion slices for added pizazz
Bake Potatoes for 20 minutes
Cook some millet along side it on the stove top for 20 minutes (do not disturb the millet while it is cooking or it will become millet mash...let it simmer for 20 minutes undisturbed)
Once everything is done serve with steamed kale and you have a beautiful vegetarian meal that is balanced and delicious!!

please avoid spray on sunscreen!!

As if we haven't read enough bout the dangers of sunscreen there are still numerous people who aren't paying attention. When you are out in the sun your body temp heats up and the pores open. When our pores are open things are more readily absorbed into our largest organ (OUR SKIN). If you use sunscreen you are willingly accepting whatever chemicals straight into the bloodstream. Furthermore it has been proven that sun burns and cancer are more likely caused by rancid oil on ,or beneath, the skin as well as the chemicals that we ingest or place on the skin just prior to sun exposure. You heard it right...skin cancer is not caused by the sun! When we are exposed to the sun our body's natural defense is the natural oil that we have within the epidermis. If we consume bad fats or place petroleum byproducts on our skin they will go rancid under the sun's rays and cause us to burn and contribute to cancerous cells. This brings up the bane of my existence...spray on sunscreens :( They not only expose you and your loved ones but also me and mine when we are nearby. I've seen the mothers spraying indiscriminately and it's all I can do to keep from yelling at them to keep their chemicals in their own air space.  The harm that the spray sun screens can do to the lungs are enumerable and don't get me started on the hormone disruption in children. My answer for your conundrum is to go with an "all natural" sunscreen or just use coconut oil. I have tested this on myself myself and coconut oil prevents burns and leaves your skin silky smooth. Use common sense. Don't stay in direct sun for prolonged periods and keep yourself moisturized inside and out. JUST SAY NO TO SPRAY SUNSCREENS!

For some light reading from a third party source:  http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/sunscreens-exposed/sunscreens-exposed-9-surprising-truths/ . Do your own research. There is much to learn. Please pass this on and help me eradicate the spray sunscreens at our local pools.

Turnip Fries

preheat oven to 425 degrees
skin your turnips
slice into long, thin strips (like fries)
throw into a bowl with olive oil, garlic, sea salt and basil ( probably about a tbsp of everything except the sea salt) and toss to coat :)
spread on cookie sheet and place in oven for 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy
*Enjoy with our previously mentioned black bean burger*

Mango/Peach cobbler! Oh my!!

Slice the peaches and mangoes (enough to fit a 9x9 pan)
Place sliced fruit onto greased pan
Mix together:
1 cup flour
1cup sugar
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp salt
1tsp vanilla
4 tbsp butter
Once mixed well, place over fruit and bake at 375 for 35 minutes
**Serve with fresh coconut ice cream (a recipe and discussion for another time)

Creamy Coconut/Carrot/Ginger Soup

1md onion (diced and placed in the pot with oil and a pinch of salt)
3tsp dried ginger
2 1/2 cups of broth (or water with 2 tsp seal salt)
4 cups chopped carrots (chopped into 1 inch pieces)
*Boil the top listed ingredients for roughly 30 minutes or until carrots are tender
*Blend or food process with 1 cup of coconut millk
Simmer with added nutmeg :)
Serve and enjoy!

The "bloom"!!

With the winds blowing and the temps moving up and down radically there has been a large number of folks coming through with bronchitis and the "crud" :( I call these afflictions "blooms". When you feel like your whole head and bronchial area has been overcome by heaviness and sometimes this is accompanied by drooping of the sinuses. At the first signs start the cayenne powder (a pinch or more) over any beverage (especially good over lemon water). Grab your oregano oil and place 5 drops into a glass of water and drink as often as needed or grab your capsules and take them as often as needed one at  a time. Cayenne binds to mucous and increases body temperature. Oregano aids in opening, clearing and killing bacteria :) After the one two punch start your fenugreek for the congestion ( best done in liquid but can be done in capsule). Fenugreek can be taken liberally and will work quickly. If the lungs are the main concern then add in mullein or our wonderful combo Wild Indian Cherry Bark Syrup by Planetary Formulas. Create yourself a medicine cabinet with these items...it will only benefit you in the future. As back-ups buy yourself the CB from Liddell Laboratories and ScH from the same company. These products are homeopathic and are easy to travel with and are very fast effective. When you ask what I do for my family this is it. When it comes to the bloom it is best to throw down the offensive! Stay well out there and arm yourself.

Chickpea and Potato Curry *with your produce box*

2 1/2 cups of water with 2 tsp of sea salt
14 oz of stewed tomatoes or tomato sauce
16oz chickpeas (soaked for 8 hrs or canned)
3 Russet potatoes (sliced and quartered)
1 md vidalia onion
1tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp curry
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

Place in pot and simmer for 35 minutes or until tender :) Simple Simple! Place over steamed green beans (from your produce box) and Red jasmine rice!

Fat Metabolism and the waist line

With summer right around the corner and spring break behind us it's time to get serious about the extra cells around the waist line. Besides summer we have to be aware of the increased risk of heart disease with extra weight around the heart. There are several methods and foods that can be consumed and avoided to help our progress. We know that a diet rich in whole grains, plant beased proteins and fat metabolising fruits and veggies can be a big and enjoyable help. There is also a lot of buzz going around about the HCG Diet and supplement. I have seen rapid results with this and we have the product for under $40. For those of you not too keen on the restrictions to the diet and or the use of hormones to facilitate weight loss, here is another option. Fat is utilized for energy when we consume the right kinds and amounts. When we work out if we maintain an aerobic heartrate and are not breathless then we are burning fat :) If we become breathless we are burning glucose (simple enough?). I am currently using a product called Fat Metabolism Factors (FMF )by Michael's Naturopathic Formulas and love how it has helped me spur my burning forward. FMF has a blend of herbs and amino acids specific to lipid metabolism and emulsification. If you have a sluggish liver or gall bladder, have high cholesterol or have some extra weight around the mid section, you have choices! Enjoy yourself a grapefruit or some lemon in your water! Enjoy a brisk walk or slow jog around your block! After your Aerobic cardio do some strength training to firm up and build muscle that will burn fat while you rest :) Definitely come by Clear Conscience Natural Market and we can help you out!

What's for dinner??!

How about cooking up some organic quinoa (takes 20 minutes and we use a 2-1 water to grain ratio) pressure cooking some pinto beans (soak them for 8 hours or slightly less with Kombu then cook on high for 14 minutes) and while those two items are cooking themselves steam some tempeh for ten minutes and then throw it in a pan with coconut oil, tamari and some Snap Dragon venaigarette! This is one of the simplest and tastiest dinners you could provide for your family. They'll love it and you'll be shocked at how quickly it throws together. If you don't have a pressure cooker and the beans sound too complicated then use the tempeh as your primary protein. Tempeh is fermented soybeans, easy to digest and will take on any flavor you want it to. We added the Java Ginger Sesame venaigarette and the flavor was divine!! You only need to cook the tempeh for 2-3 minutes on either side and we cubed it to soak up more of the flavor. Come by Clear Conscience Natural Market and we can help you gather all of the ingredients!!

Sprouts: Grow 'em Eat 'em Love 'em

Those of you who frequent the store know that we love our sprouts. We sell the jars and an abundance of seeds to sprout. Do you realize how easy it is to do?? You start with a simple bean or seed. Soak the chosen one overnight. Keep the sprouts in a dark, warm place (you can keep them in the kitchen under a small towel if you need to). The next morning rinse. Rinse again in the evening. Rinse them twice a day for two to three days. On the third day (for most items) place them in the sun and let the chlorophyll rise to the top :) Even for someone without a green thumb, sprouts are easy and fulfilling. For an added benefit try soaking the beans or seeds with kombu. Kombu helps in breaking down the enzyme inhibitors naturally occurring in beans, seeds, nuts and grains. Enjoy your sprouts on, or with, everything. They are nutrient dense and easy to assimilate!

http://www.sprouts-as-medicine.com/   Quick read :)

Beaming with Gratitude!!

Today we we're apprised that our awesome customer base had voted us as Reader's Choice by Around Canton magazine :) What an amazing, unexpected surprise. Our Clear Conscience family is so grateful to all of our customers, Thank you! With all of the ups and downs you have stuck with us. When we had issues with our AC you still came! When our computer died you were patient! When we moved our location you dealt with the chaos! From our standpoint you all deserve this award just as well :) It is our pleasure to continue offering you the best customer service available in Canton and Cherokee county!!! We look forward to many more years of serving you the best products and education here at Clear Conscience.  Thanks go out to all of you!!

Spring Break is only the beginning of the season

I hear it more than once per day: "I need to lose a few pounds to wear my bathing suit this year!" . This is a loaded statement. To lose those stubborn pounds you need some radical changes. These changes are best done slowly to minimize stress on the body and your mind. Here's where you start: eliminate some key ingredients from the food you eat, exercise more and take supplements that will compliment the changes you are making. Ingredients that should be avoided are typically the ones found in packaged goods (the ones you've all be warned about). High fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, white sugar, white flour, aspartame, acefulmae K, sucralose (splenda) and artificial colors (they'll wire your mind and then drop you hard!). Exercising a minimum of 30 minutes 4 days per week. Supplementation should match your dietary changes and exercising. Take a good multi vitamin/mineral, geared for your gender. Take your fatty acids (fish oil, flax or a combo). Pick an antioxidant (like astaxanthan) to offset the oxidative stress from increased activity.

After you have made the commitment to change,  make sure you stay motivated. Remember you goal! Set your intention and keep it! If you get distraught don't hesitate to ask for support. Jessie , here at Clear Conscience, has helped numerous people get to where they want to be. She's not a pusher of diet products but knows the ones that could give you the edge.

Now... get started!!   :)

Making friends with the pollen ;-)

Here at Clear Conscience we like to use food as our medicine whenever possible! With pollen at high levels there are herbs that can be taken safely to help you cope with the predicament.  Our favorite is Stinging Nettle. Nettles are natural anti-histamines and can be bought in liquid, capsule or tea. You can also get nettles with natural bioflavanoids like quercetin. Our favorite is Nettles/Quercetin by Eclectic Institute. It helps with the histamine effect (the drainage and sneezing and itching :( ) and the inflammation that swells within the nasal cavity and behind the eyes. We also have Dr. Hana's Nasopure which is a convenient neti pot alternative that can even be used with children. She has packets of salt combined with baking soda to not only flush the nasal cavity but also reduce inflammation. Come by today and ask Jessie or Shawn what they have seen work for others :)

Gluten Free Black Bean Burgers

2 cups black beans (soaked and cooked)
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tbsp cumin and paprika
2 eggs
1 cup of gluten free bread crumbs or 1/2 cup quinoa and 1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs
2 tsp sea salt

Mash the beans by hand and then add in the eggs and seasonings (already hand mixed). Add in the bread crumbs (add more if it isn't sticky enough...you want it to be sticky and not too runny). Form into patties and place on skillet or in hot pan. Serve with sprouts, Goat feta and organic mustard (I'll have a good recipe for that later).

P.S. All seasonings are available at Clear Conscience Natural Market :) Not to mention the organic dried beans ( and most of the other fine ingredients)!

Gluten free! Yogurt and Honey "alternative" bread

2 cups of gluten free flour mix (combo at bottom)
1 1/2 tsp- xantham gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp- egg replacer (or 1 egg white)
2 tsp- baking powder
1/2 tsp- baking soda
1 tsp lemon peel
3 tbsp- cane sugar
2 eggs plus one white
3 tbsp- ghee
2 tbsp- brown rice syrup
3/4 cup- coconut milk
1/4 cup- water

Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes :)

* Flour mix-For 9 cups of flour- 6 cups rice flour, 2 cups potato starch, 1 cup tapioca flour

We have moved :)

After enjoying four years in our location at 920 Reinhardt College Pkwy, we have moved! We are thrilled to announce that we have moved around the corner to 147 Reinhardt College Pkwy Suite 5, on the right side of Sidelines Bar and Grill. The move has been challenging and fulfilling. We will now have a full service Smoothie and Juice bar with sandwiches, soups and salads. We will also be offering fresh sprouts and a whole slew of baked goods once we get settled in. We are thrilled to have such supportive customers. We wouldn't have been able to make this move without you! Keep up to date by checking in here or going to our Facebook page   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Clear-Conscience-Natural-Market/282746731408e  :) Our phone number is the same 678-493-6840.