GAPS Nutritional Program

Anybody that has a child with ADHD, ADD or Autism should probably consider reading “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by  Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride uses GAPS Nutritional Program to help or even cure these children. It is equally beneficial that the future mothers use this guide in helping them prevent these conditions in their children.

If you do not have time to read or the money to buy the book, you could listen to a little talk here: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/07/31/dr-natasha-campbell-mcbride-on-gaps-nutritional-program.aspx 

St. Demetrios, The Great Martyr, The Myrrh-Flowing of Thessaloniki commemorated on October 26th.

 

 

Fresco of St. Demetrios by Manuel Panselinos the Great Iconographer, in the Church of Protaton on Mount Athos (circa 1290AD) (icon from http://www.eikastikon.gr/afieromata/agios_dimitrios_2.html)

 

"THE FEAST DAY of Aghios Demetrios is a great feast for all of Orthodoxy, but especially Thessalonica (Greece). His church is a building dating from the ancient Christian era, built one hundred years after his holy martyrdom which was in 296 A.D. But after 300 years it burned, and was rebuilt in the days of Leo the Wise."

 

AGHIOS DEMETRIOS, the Great Martyr and Myrovletes (myrrh-emitting), was born in Thessalonica in 260 A.D. His parents were illustrious people and along with the transitory glory which Demetrios had from his family, he was adorned with imperishable virtues, with prudence, with sweetness, with humility, with justice, and with every noble comeliness of the soul. All these were like precious stones which shone on the crown which he wore, and this crown was the faith in Christ."

Below you can read the amazing life that The Saint had- an example of true faith:

http://fr-d-serfes.org/lives/stdemetrios.htm
 

And since it is important to never forget about our kids on this feast day, I can recommend to you this beautifully illustrated children’s book from Potamitis Publishing-St. Demetrios the Myrrh-Flowing Book & Audio CD:
 

 

 

Oil - free Vegan Menu

Breakfast: Hemp Seed - Banana Smoothie

Lunch: Quinoa Salad

Dinner: Romaine lettuce Salad, Kiwi and Homemade Pear Juice.

 

Hemp Seed, Banana Smoothie

For breakfast I like to make something simple, like a smoothie: ½ cup hemp seeds, 1 cup water, 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon/lime juice, 1 banana +/- one of these ingredients: ½ cup (parsley, basil, oregano, cilantro, spinach, raspberries or strawberries etc).

 

Quinoa Salad

4 cups cooked quinoa- (any color you like)- I used white quinoa.

An assortement of vegetables of your choice (celery, orange, grean and yellow peppers, steamed broccoli, onion etc) and raisins.

Served with your choice of oil-free vinagrette (today made from 1 garlic clove, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp tahini, salt, pepper, 1 tsp mustard, oregano , ¼ cup OJ – I put it all in a small chopper to mix it well). It also goes well if adding some sunflower seeds.

 

Romaine Lettuce Salad, Kiwi and Homemade Pear Juice

Just as in the picture: over romaine lettuce I added yellow, red and orange peppers along with tomatoes. The vinagrette was oil-free (see recipe above). For dessert I had kiwi and freshly made pear juice. YUMM!

Thank God for Fasting!

 

The Tale of the Prayer and the Little Fox

This is a great story worth reading to little ones. The story is from the much well known book called: “Everyday Saints and Other Stories.” by Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov).

 

The Tale of the Prayer and the Little Fox

 

“In Egypt, in whose ancient Christian past there had once been many grand monasteries, there once lived a monk who befriended an uneducated and simple peasant farmer. One day this peasant said to the monk, “I too respect God who created this world! Every evening I pour out a bowl of goat’s milk and leave it out under a palm tree. In the evening God comes and drinks up my milk! He is very fond of it! There’s never once been a time when even a drop of milk is left in the bowl.” http://everyday-saints.com/fox.htm

 

Saint Luke - The First Iconographer

Saint Luke (Commemorated on October 18) was an apostle, evangelist, physician, and artist. St. Luke (whose emblem is the calf, the third symbolical beast mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), which is a symbol of Christ's sacrificial and priestly office, as Saint Irenaeus says) is one of the four evangelists along with: St. Matthew (the man), St. Mark (the lion) and St. John (the eagle). He wrote the Gospel that bears his name and the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and became the first iconographer. He was a disciple of St. Paul who called him the “glorious physician”.
The icon bellows show how St Luke was painting the icons. The holy tradition tells us that Archangel Gabriel gave to St Luke the boards on which the icons were painted. The Holy Virgin held and blessed these icons when she said, “The grace of the One born of me be with them through me.” Thus, the sacred art of iconography by which our Orthodox Churches are adorned had its beginning with St. Luke. St. Luke's interest in iconography, again, according to Holy Tradition was aroused by the miraculous not-made-by-hand image of Christ.

Here is one of the holy icons painted by the Holy Apostle and Evagelist Luke, that can found in Cyprus:

(Panagia of Kykkos Holy Icon)

The Virgin of compassion-Panayia Eleousa-the icon of Kykkos, was taken to Egypt by Saint Luke after the death of the Virgin. He had painted it just seven years after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ.

A great children’s book about this icon is: “The Holy Virgin Comes to Cyprus”, by Chrissi Hart:

The Holy Martyrs and UnMercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Arabia

The Holy Martyrs and UnMercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Arabia (Commemorated on October 17) walked through the cities and the villages, preaching Christ and healing the sick by the power of Christ. The saints would not take any sort of payment for the help they rendered. In Cilicia pagans seized hold of the holy physicians and led them before the governor named Lysias. For their refusal to renounce the Christian faith, the governor gave orders for the saints to be brutally beaten, and then to drown them in the sea. But an Angel of God conveyed them from the deeps to shore. The governor asked if he could be instructed in this sorcery. Cosmas and Damian said that they possessed the power of Christ and that others could call on Him as well. They were thrown into fire, but remained unharmed. They were suspended and stoned, but instead the stones struck their tormentors. Arrows were shot at them, but they returned to strike those who shot them. The pagans then beheaded the saints. Together with the holy physicians were martyred also their brothers Leontios, Anthimus and Eutropius. (The UnMercenary Saints Cosmas and Damian of Arabia ought not to be confused with UnMercenary Saints Cosmas and Damian of Asia Minor – Comm. 1 November, or the Unmercenary Saints Cosmas and Damian of Rome – Comm. 1 July).

(2014 Daily Lives, Miracles and Wisdom of the Saints & Fasting Calendar)

Carrot-Cauliflower Soup

 

A great vegan, oil free soup.

 

Ingredients:
1 cauliflower head, chopped
4 large carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp dried tarragon (3 tbsp if fresh)
1 celery stick, chopped
2 garlic cloves
½ tsp cumin
Pepper and salt to taste

Directions:
You do not need to finely chop all the veggies, since you will puree them. Start by boiling 4-5 cups of water in a kettle- this will help speed up the cooking process. In a soup pot add 1 cup of boiling water along with tarragon and onion. Cook until translucent. Add the carrots, celery, cauliflower and cover with more boiling water. Lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Remove from stove and add the garlic. Puree the soup with an immersion blender and serve.

Note: You may add ghee, butter or oil when possible. In that case, cook the onion in oil/butter, then follow all the instructions as above.