Game 7: Packers @ Falcons Creamy Apple Dip

Game 7

Packers @ Falcons

Creamy Apple Dip

Pregame

This will should be an exciting high scoring game with the Atlanta offense 2nd best and the Packer's offense putting it together lately.  Late scratches for the Packers include Clay Matthews, Randall Cobb, and Ty Montgomery.  This will really hamper their passing and running attack, but now it looks a good decision the GM kept so many receivers on the roster.

We have some our family that lives in the Atlanta area attending the game today to hopefully bring them good luck!  Pictured are my mom, sister, nephew, and Uncle John.  It's John's 60th birthday and the 1st time to see them in person.

Recipe

Creamy Apple Dip

From Dr. Michael Greger

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cashews(raw/unsalted/organic if possible)

1 cup of dates, remove the pits

3/4-1 cup of water

1 Tablespoon of cinnamon

1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Apple slices ( we used Granny Smith & Honeycrisp organic apples)

1.  In a high speed blender, combine the cashews, dates, water, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Blend until smooth.

2.  Wash and slice the apples.

3.  Enjoy!  Makes enough dip for 8 people.

Health Tip

Dr. Michael Greger is one the leading experts in the plant-based nutrition and wellness movement.  His website www.nutritionfacts.org is the go to resource for almost any health topic you could want to research.  Over 2,100 different health topics covered in mostly in 3-5 minute videos.  His site works by donation alone.  No money from outside influences just the facts!

His recent book was a New York Times best seller How Not To Die.  He also has an app that reminds you on a daily basis to consume his Daily Dozen, 12 things you should do every day for optimal health.

Game Recap

Packers lose 33-32!

Well it was an exciting high scoring game but the Pack didn't take advantage of several opportunities in the 2nd half that could've put them on top.  2 missed interceptions late in the 4th qtr, missing downing a punt near the goal line, not making key 3rd downs and missing a few big plays.  Overall you can't complain with the amount of guys hurt and some key guys stepping up like Geronimo Allison(is that a great name or what), Trevor Davis, Jeff Janis, Davante Adams, and The Ripper(Aaron Ripkowski).  

Next week is back at home against the Colts.  Hopefully we can get some guys healthy to make a strong push for the 2nd half.

Be well, 

David

Game 2: Packers @ Vikings Ultimate Nachos

Game 2:  Packers @ Vikings 

Ultimate Nachos

Pregame News

This is Minnesota's home opener at the new $1.13 Billion US Bank Stadium.  It's notable feature is the partially clear roof(instead of a retractable roof) and it's opening doors on either end.  To the Packer's disadvantage, the angle of the angle of the roof slants towards their sideline making the crowd noise louder on that side of the field.

Sam Shields will not play due to the concussion(his 5th of his career) suffered in the Jacksonville game last week. I am very concerned for his future health and would not be surprised if he retired after this season.  Quinten Rollins and LeDarius Gunter will need to step up to take place.  Neither had a great game last week.  Also, rookie receiver Trevor Davis should be active for his 1st NFL game.

Game Recap

1st Qtr

I have to hand it to Minnesota, the stadium appears to be pretty awesome.  Some scares include Clay Matthews limping off the field(appears to be okay) and two fumbles by Rodgers and Adams that were thankfully recovered.  On the plus side Daniels sacked Bradford, Montgomery blocked a punt, and Peterson was held to 1 yard.  Adams draws an interferance call resulting in short TD pass from Rodger to Nelson.  7-0 Packers

2nd Qtr

Burnett gives up an 8yd TD pass.  Bradford's left hand appears really swollen and gets it checked out in the locker room.  Diggs gets a 42yd pass to set up a Walsh 46yd field goal. 10-7 Vikings

3rd Qtr

A Matthew's sack ends the Vikings's 1st drive near midfield.  Packers stall on a missed 4th & 1 on the Vikings 8.  Peterson and Hyde both go out within a minute of each other with ankle injuries.  Diggs 25 yd TD pass.  17-7 Vikings

4th Qtr

Rodgers sacked to open the qtr but completes 39yd pass to Jordy to the Minnesota 4 and the runs in 10yds for a TD.  Tretter gets a 15yd penalty after the play for defending a late hit on Rodgers which the refs don't call.  Rodger fumbles on their next drive on the Minnesota 39.  Packers hold the Vikings with a sack on 3rd & 11.  Packers start on their 9, Rodgers picked by Waynes with 1:50 to go.  Vikes get an interference call on 3rd & 6 to seal the game.  

Conclusion

Vikings win 17-14.  Sam Bradford looked like a Pro Bowl QB in his first start after looking horrible in the 1st qtr, totally outplayed Aaron Rodgers.  Packers failed to make the big plays they needed on offense.  Demarious Randall was burned repeatedly by Stefon Diggs.

Game 2 Recipe

Ultimate Nachos by Debra Byczek

Whether you are a Nacho Purist (straight up queso and peppers) or a Nacho Extremist (throw whatever you can find on top) this week's recipe is for you!

1. Grab a bag a minimally processed corn tortillas.  We like to use the brand El Milagro.  Cut the tortillas into fourths and lightly spray them with water.  Next, shake on whatever spices you desire.  I used chili powder.  Throw them in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake them about 20-25 minutes.  They should come out crispy and crunchy.  Now you've got your first layer.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. It's Queso time!  There are a lot of great non -dairy recipes out there, but our favorite comes from our good friend Mrs. Plant.  This queso is not only easy, but also full of great healthy ingredients.  The base is cashews, nutritional yeast, and almond milk.  We've attached the link so you can check out this as well as other great recipes from Mrs. Plant.
    
3. Get out your cutting board because it's time to chop up your garnishes.  We chose to cut up:  jalapenos, red onion, green onions, cilantro, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados.  Feel free to add as much or as little as you like.
   
4. "Meat" layer.  I used a bag of Beyond Beef pea protein crumbles, a can of organic pinto beans, and a package of Trader Joe's taco seasoning.  Dump all of these in a skillet with a little water and heat until warmed through.
5. Now the fun begins!  It's time for everyone to jump in and build their own plate of nachos.  I'm a Nacho Extremist so here's a picture of mine.  This makes a great, healthy football watching snack.  Enjoy!
   
   

Health/Food Tips of the Week

Healthier Food Substitutions

Eating healthier can be as easy as substituting ingredients in the dishes that you love.  These Nachos use the following healthier choices:

Beyond Meat Beefy Crumble



This is a great transition or replacement for ground beef!  No cholesterol, saturated fat, or GMO's.   This or any of their other products are pretty easier to find now. Use their store locator to find a location near you. If you sign up for their newsletter you can get $1 off coupons occasionally.  The average price is usually around $4.50.


El Milagro Corn Tortillas

These Corn Tortillas are found in the frozen section at Central Market grocery stores grocery stores(owned by HEB).  The ingredients are just non-gmo stone ground corn, water, and lime. You can't get any more minimally processed than this.  No oil, no salt, and nothing artificial. If you aren't lucky enough to find this brand, try to find some with similar ingredients.







Quick Cashew Queso

This is great substitution for Velveeta or other cheese sauces. It uses raw cashews as the main ingredient instead of cow's milk or milk by-products.  Raw cashew are best.  Unprocessed, plain raw cashews.  By avoiding the roasting process, added oils, salts, etc will be avoided and the maximum amount of nutrients preserved. Health Benefits of Cashews

If you use Velveeta have you ever looked at the ingredients or nutritional profile?
Here's a good synopsis about it:  http://www.organicauthority.com/what%27s-in-velveeta  

Spread the Word

We appreciate your feedback to help improve this blog as we are very new to this.  Inform us if there are any recipes you want us make as well. 

Please share these recipes and books with your family and friends.  Our main goal is to get every person healthier and then have them share as well.

Next week is the home opener at Lambeau Field against Detroit!


Be well,

David Byczek

Game 1: Packers @ Jaguars Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

Game 1:  Packers @ Jaguars Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

The Season is Finally Here!

The Pack is back!  Every offseason seems longer than the previous. 

The biggest news of the offseason(to me) was that Aaron Rodgers has cut dairy out of his diet and he says he is eating "a near vegan diet."  Quite controversial since Wisconsin is known for it's dairy production nationally.

Game 1 did not disappoint the fans as the Packers didn't have more than a touchdown lead the entire game. The Jaguars even lead 2 different times by 3 points!  We also had a few relatives at the game: Aunt Jean, Uncle Jim and Nate from Madison, WI.

It was a nail biter all the way down to the end in the 4th qtr.  Before that we thought the game was over on a Clinton-Dix interception at 1:49 that was called back because of a penalty on Burnett.  The Jags had an opportunity to win the game with :23 seconds left with a 4th and 1 at the Packer 14 yard line.   Fortunately the Packers D held and shut down Hurns(88) after getting a pass from Bortles.  

Packers win 27-23!

As a bonus we also got a new State Farm commercial with Clay Matthews and Aaron Rodgers.

Who we are

David(me) is a life long Packer fan born in Chicago. My dad's side of the family from Illinois(and also Bear fans, yuck!) and my mom's side Packer fans from Wisconsin.  My mom's family always kept me well supplied with Packers gear growing up.  

Debra is a born and raised Texan.  We met late in 1997 and she watched the the Packers 2nd Favre Superbowl run that ended with a defeat with me and has been a Packer fan ever since.

We are Packers owners and live outside Ft. Worth, TX married for 18 years with our 11 year old son Grayson.

I've eaten a whole food plant based(wfpb) diet for 2 1/2 years now and Debra and Grayson started this year.

We choose this type eating for our health, the environment, and (of course)the animals.

Our mission is to inform as many people as we can about healthy eating and living.  

Recipe

Every week we will provide a new whole food plant based recipe that will be a hit for gameday, parties or anytime.  They will not include SOS(Salt Oil Sugar).

This week is Cauliflower Buffalo Wings.  These are just like Buffalo Chicken Wings but so much healthier!  Low fat, oil, cholesterol and gluten free...what's not to like.  We did not make this Ranch Dressing but have made a similar one and it was delicious!

We doubled the recipe because it is always easier to eat healthy when you have food pre-made that will prevent you from making poor choices when you don't feel like or have time to cook.  
We found we needed to cook these about 10 minutes longer.  Let them cook untill they start to brown.  You can also use different flours.  we used half chickpea(garbanzo) flour and half almond flour.  Brown rice or tapioca flour could also be used.  Also, we added most of the hot sauce to the batter and then just drizzled a small amount over them.

Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr.

This recipe is inspired by Dr. Esselstyn's work reversing heart disease by using a whole food plant based diet. His approach also embraces using no oils and low fat approach.  You can find out more about him and his work in his book:  http://amzn.to/2coVd5P

Also in this documentary:  http://amzn.to/2cCZGE9

Here's a link to the Dr. Esselstyn's wife's cookbook where you find this recipe and many more: http://amzn.to/2cp6czi

The Benefits of Cauliflower

Cauliflower like all vegetables have a wide variety of benefits.  It's easier to read all of them here:  https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-cauliflower.html

Spread the Word

We appreciate your feedback to help improve this blog as we are very new to this.  Inform us if there are any recipes you want us make as well. 

Please share these recipes and books with your family and friends.  Our main goal is to get every person healthier and then have them share as well.

Next week, it's at Minnesota Sunday night on national tv.

Be well,

David Byczek