Lovely Veggie Chili and Onion Bread

Good Wednesday lunch break, my friends! How is your week? Hopefully going by quickly and happily!

It has turned cold again - yuck! It was actually SNOWING this morning when I left for work - and I see it falling now! So, that's always a good time to figure out warmer comfort foods - but still healthy! While I sometimes crave the cheesy pizza or fat-and-cream-laden soups, I have been having fun trying to find healthier ways to cope!

A few days ago, I posed the tropical salad - and as wonderful as that is, I know it's not warming! (But sure makes me smile and think back to Saipan.)

Over the weekend, I tried my hand at making a "raw" Onion Bread and Chili. And I was very happy with the results!

So first, the onion bread, which I found on at GoneRaw.com posted by Kandace here. (It's the first recipe posted on the site, over 4 years ago! I figure I'll just start there, and work my way forward to the present!) ;-)

Recipe:

Based on a recipe by Matt Amsden in RAWVolution.

Ingredients:

3 yellow onions, large

1 cup flax seeds (golden, brown or a combo), ground

1 cup raw sunflower seeds, ground in a food processor

½ cup Braggs Liquid Aminos or Nama Shoyu

¼ cup cold pressed olive oil

Preparation:

1.Peel and half the onions. Slice in a food processor (with slicing disc) or by hand

2.Place onions in large bowl and mix with rest of ingredients until thoroughly combined.

3.Spread mix over a Teflex sheet and repeat until all of mixture is used (I usually end up using 2 sheets).

4.Dehydrate at 100°F for 24 hours. Flip and return to dehydrator for 12 hours.

5.Cut into 9 equal pieces (2 cuts horizontally, 2 cuts vertically). Usually makes 18 pieces

I'm not sure if I did the recipe correctly, because I only used half the onion amount - I just couldn't get more onion to mix in! I also decreased the Braggs Aminos to 1/4 cup because that stuff is salty! Then I added a little more water to make up the fluid difference. I think I over-processed the seeds, because it was more a paste than a grainy texture. But the flavor was still good!

So that big bowl was then spread out on my dehydrator sheet, on parchment paper. Again, not sure if I did something wrong, because I only got 1 sheet out of it instead of 2. Maybe she makes hers thinner? Or perhaps that extra onion would carry it further.

And after quite a long dry time, it comes out a deep caramel brown!

The benefits of this bread: (I hope you're sitting! This is a doozie!)

Onion is not often the first food that comes to mind when I picture healthy foods. I often think of it simply as a condiment to other foods - and it does go great with many items! But it also carries many health benefits of its own. (And I loooooove the taste!) Onions can help reduce the risk of various cancers, such as colorectal, laryngeal, and ovarian cancer if eaten regularly (study showed 1-7 times weekly reduced risk). Onions also help increase bone density - something good for all of us, especially for menopausal-aged women who often have some density loss! They also have a good dose of chromium, which helps maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Flaxseeds are one of my favorite forms for getting my Omegas (I also love chia seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts! And of course, pretty much all leafy greens have some omega fats in them - just in small amounts.) But these lovely little seeds are also a rich source of fiber and manganese. They are also anti-inflammatory, help keep bones healthy, protect against cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension! And one small study found that it helped reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.

Sunflower seeds are a rich source of magnesium, which can help calm nerves and muscles, and sometimes even help with migraines! They also contain selenium - one of thsoe beautifying minerals! But it is also is a helpful component of the powerful enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which your liver uses to detoxify a range of potentially harmful molecules.

Braggs Liquid Aminos (what I used) is similar to soy sauce. It's got that same salty, savory flavor, but it contains 16 different amino acids (that make up proteins.) Plus it's organic, non-GMO. (Which I am a BIG fan of avoiding!! I try not to buy anything with non-organic soy or corn. But that topic is best left for a different post some day.)

Olive oil has been all over the news as being healthy. And it is! But it is liquid fat, so keep that in mind if you're a calorie counter! Usually 14g of fat per Tablespoon - but at least it's mostly monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) which are some of the healthier types! In limited amounts, olive oil will provide some wonderful things! When used INSTEAD OF (not IN ADDITION TO) animal fats and butters or other bad fats, olive oil has been found to help protect against degenerative diseases like atherosclerosis, diabetes, asthma, colon cancer, and arthritis, as well as protecting against heart disease. And more? It's got some good antioxidants phenolic compounds to help with other protective effects! When picking out an oilive oi, try to get Cold Pressed Virgin, as this will help maintain the flavor and health value of the oils better than the more refined forms.

* * * * * * * * * *

So back to the meal... Once the bread is done, I put in on the side with some chili from my Live Food Cuisine book. The base is a delectable blend of sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, spices - and avocado to make it nice and creamy! Then it's got some good chunky veggie bits in it for good hardy noms! Then I let it sit in the dehydrator for a little to warm it up some (but not so hot as to cook out all my lovely nutrients and enzymes!)

The "sour cream" is a blend of macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, and some lemon and salt. I wouldn't say it tasted much like sour cream (and I should have added extra water to get the consistency different) but it was good! And it helped complement and tame the extra cayenne I'd accidentally put in the chili!

So with the spicy chili and the zesty onion bread crackers, a nice side of cool cucumber was the perfect companion to this dinner!

My new dishes!! I had to buy this set because it was so colorful and just made me happy!

I am sad that my chili is now gone, since I can look outside and see snow still falling. Plus, even Dave liked this one! (Ok, so, the first time he tried it, he was actually spreading it on a slice of cheese pizza... but I suppose that's better than nothing!) Now he wants to learn how to make this on his own, so he can have it more often!

I hope you all have a warm and hearty day! Stay warm, stay dry, stay smiley ^.^

Warm Wishes!

~Katie

That is one hearty bread I think I'll be making in bigger batches in the future! They also made good crackers when I cut them smaller and let them dehydrate a little longer :) (Plus, onions, flax, and sunflower seeds are all pretty cheap! It's just the Braggs that gets a little pricier - but perhaps I can find some substitute of just using water and my Celtic sea salt.)

Green "Swamp" Wafers

Top o' the Morning, to Ye!  I hope you have a wonderfully happy gorgeous green day!

I had fun this week making another new recipe from Dr. Gabriel Cousens' Rainbow Green Living Cuisine book!

Since it's St. Patrick's Day, I figured something green would be fun!

With a dough made from almonds, spirulina, oil, and salt, these savory little treats are health-packed and unique!  I used about half the spirulina called for because I'm not a fan of that flavor, so I was being careful :)

These are odd little flaky crisps, and they seem like a versatile base!  Plain and simple, or maybe add stuff!

Here's a picture of the different things I tired:

From top left:

Raisins, organic cocoa, drops of agave

Cinnamon, maca powder, onion and garlic powder

Hazelnuts, chia seeds, and plain

I figure this lets me play around with sweet and savory!  So, I spread it out, and then put it in the dehydrator!  I don't know if my dehydrator just doesn't work that well, but it took a lot longer to dehydrate than the recipe called for.  But in the end, they had this great wafer texture, crumbly yet crisp!

All dried out!

And now I have these wonderfully healthy treats to sample for my run this weekend!

Almonds, I have discussed before - good healthy fats, calcium, proteins, antioxidants.

Salt is great for post-run replenishing sodium.

And spirulina, a blue-green algea (yeah, sounds gross, I know) but, as University of Maryland Medical Center states, "Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids (a type of antioxidant that can help protect cells from damage). It contains nutrients, including B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and gamma linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid)." This complete potein - containing all amino acids - help improve the immune system, fight cancer, protect against allergic reactions, help with growth of your body's good bacteria, and protect yout liver!  Of course, this is a newer item to the world of research, so they say more studies are needed to know for sure what wonderful benefits this gorgeous green goodie will provide!

And to go with this savory treat, I did have some processed green drink... but no beer here!  I know it's not as good as fresh-made green smoothie, but I was short on time.  So Dave and I just enjoyed this lovely sweet drink:

Green Goodness drink for Bolthouse Farms

Happy Green Day, my friends!  I hope you enjoyed whatever you did (though, of course, I hope you took some care for your liver!)

~Katie

Christmas Salad!

Kalloo-kallay! It's Saturday!!!

And I got to go spend the day with loving family-in-laws :)

I was very excited to go over and share some nutritional tidbits with my sister-in-law, as she is the predominant cooker for the home. She's been trying to learn nutrition, and navigate the chaotic, conflicting waves that health information runs.

We wanted to try a green smoothie, but time got away from us. We started with a new salad, and just never made it to the smoothie! But that's okay, because the salad was a new experience for me, as well! And so good!

A Borders Bookstore near us recently began its Going Out Of Business sale (sadness!), and so I snagged this lovely book at a discount:

It is filled to overflowing with recipes packed with vegetables, nuts, seeds, healthy oils, spices, herbs, and some fruits. All natural goodness! I had picked it up at the library, and when I began looking through the recipes, there were just too many that sounded sooo good! So, I knew I had to buy it. Hooray!!

And, with no real plan to sort through the many recipes, I just figured - start at the beginning and work my way through! (With some modifications for available ingredients and some personal preferences, of course.)

The first recipe to try was Bok Choy Paneer, which had a sauce that was flavored with Garam Masala, a blend of spices commonly used in Indian dishes. I found a lovely blend at Whole Foods, and am in love! While it seems the exact ingredient list varies, it looks like they all tend to be a blend of savory and spicy items. Some of the common spices (according to Wikipedia) are black and white peppers, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise, coriander, and other exotic flavors I hadn't heard of, like malabar leaves and pappali. And I think the blend I bought must have had a little cayenne or chili powder or something, because there was just a slight heat kick to it!

I wasn't sure about sharing the recipe, but since it can also be found online here, I'll post what they have since it's public access.

Bok Choy Paneer

3 C Bok Choy, Shredded

1/2 C Red Bell Pepper

2 T fresh basil, finely chopped

1/2 C pine nuts

1 C walnuts, soaked (1-2 hrs)

1 1/2 T lemon juice

1 T Ginger juice (I just used a chunk of ginger)

1 T Garam Masala

1/2 T Celtic sea salt

1/2 T garlic, minced

1/4 T fresh ground pepper

Combine bok choy, bell pepper, and basil. Set aside. In food processor or blender, blend the rest until smooth (add water if needed, to desired consistency) Combine with bok choy mix, and marinate 1-2 hours. Serves 4-6.

(Or two to three when we just keep picking at it!!)

Bok Choy is part of the cabbage family, so shares the wonderful health benefits, including a high concentration of beta-carotene and vitamin A. It also has amazing amounts of bone-strengthening, cancer-fighting Vitamin K! Bok is also an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant rich fiber food.

The dish has an interesting flavor, as I have always associated spices like cinnamon and clove with sweet dishes like pumpkin pie and cookies! But there is no sweetener in the sauce, so it was a savory cinnamon! Very unique, and my sister-in-law made the comment that she felt like she was tasting Christmas!

And with those pretty colors, it even looks like a good holiday dish! I shall have to save this one to share with family around the holidays (and enjoy on occasion before then, too!)

Even Dave, who had just indulged in several pieces of pizza, grabbed my salad plate out of my hand and kept eating it, commenting that it was such a unique flavor.

So, good reviews all around tonight! And I'll have to see what else I can do with the sauce. The recipe calls for marinating the salad for an hour with the sauce, but I also made extra and kept some separate to use it like a dressing whenever I had another salad. I also think it could make a good spread on a sandwich or lettuce wrap. I wonder if it could be dehydrated into a cracker of some sort... hmmm.... I'll have to experiment and let you know!

Have a wonderful day, and don't let the relaxation of the weekend let you falter too badly from healthy lifestyles!! Go for a walk, have some lemon water, have a salad, but mostly - have a huge smile and enjoy! Take care!

xoxox

~Katie

Easy Omega-Rich Apple Snack

Good morning, lovely people! I hope your week has been going well! It has been a busy week at the homestead, continuing some spring cleaning and downsizing. It is such a liberating feeling throwing away bags and bags of junk! We’ve recycled box-loads of old paperwork, and unloaded a car full of items to Salvation Army. And I want to get rid of more! Seriously! It is addicting! Kind of like cleaning out your body of unwanted clutter and trash – feeling better and better the cleaner you get! (Oh yeah, I went there.)

So while you’re trying to simplify a diet with a return to whole foods, return to a simpler home life! GET RID OF CLUTTER! (I don’t have a whole lot of room to talk… my hubby is a pack-rat. But we’re working on it!) Plus, it’s always nice to give up some nice things to others who may appreciate it.

So anyways! Today is another easy spin on a classic childhood favorite: apple with peanut butter. Only, this time, it’s getting a crunchy addition.

I used to enjoy dipping my apple wedge in the peanut butter, then in Grape Nuts cereal – that extra crunch made it more enjoyable for me.

But, I now use almond butter, and don’t have any Grape Nuts hanging around the place right now, so I went for a different crunch – seeds! Chia and flax, specifically. (Yes – chia as in “Ch-ch-ch-CHIA!” Chia Pets. But I wouldn’t go buy a chia pet and steal the seeds… who knows if they’re treated or fertilized or something! Just check out your natural health store to see if they carry them)

Chia has become lovingly nicknamed “Alien Pods” at our place because of their look when they’re soaked and swollen. Toss some chia in a bit of water or milk, and they expand almost 3 times their size (great for helping you feel full as they expand!) – and they look like a little black dot in a clear egg shell :)

That's not water surrounding the pod - that's a gel formed on the seed! Alien pods!!!

But these little guys are little wonders. A single ounce of chia seed will provide 11 grams of fiber – helping you feel nice and full while pushing things through, cleansing as it goes. They are a complete protein, providing all of the 9 essential amino acids, as well as being a good source of Calcium, Manganese, and Phosphorus. These little guys are also a great source of Omega oils! …Which, you may have guessed based on the title of this post :) That 1 ounce serving contains almost 5 GRAMS of omega-3 fatty acids, and 1.6 grams of Omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega’s are being touted for so many benefits – for the heart, the mind, the hair, the skin, the joints. They help with bone health, inflammation, disease prevention…

Chia seeds are not always financially viable, though. I don’t mind paying for them now and then, because they add some fun variety. I like to sprinkle them on salads, in cereal, or soak them and add them to smoothies. They really don’t have much flavor – more just for texture!

Another good Omega source that works for this apple snack is flax seeds, the emblem of Northern Ireland! While not a complete protein, it’s darn close! Flax is a good source of Manganese and Phosphorus, but also give you a good dose of Copper, Magnesium, and Thiamin as well as a bit of Calcium, Iron, Zinc, and Selenium. Flax offers 6.4 grams of Omega-3 and 1.7 grams of Omega-6 per ounce!

And flax is pretty cheap! At my Kroger, I can get it at $1.99 per pound. And they’re light little buggers! You can get them golden yellow or a richer brown – I don’t notice a taste difference. Both have a slightly earthy, nutty flavor.

So enjoy either chia or flax seeds. Or, as I do, enjoy both!


Whichever seed, you’re getting a serving of goodness and a much healthier snack than something like potato chips or Nutter Butters!

Omega-away!

~Katie

Sunny Apple Trail Mix Cereal

Happy Wednesday, friends! You're halfway through your week! I know I’m excited about that :) And I have an evening planned of yoga, apple fun in the kitchen, and relaxing!This morning I tried another apple recipe – basically a hodge-podge of stuff tossed together to make a cereal. It reminded me of trail mix, with so much variety and simplicity! But healthy and so filling! A great combination. And I love when recipes are flexible – who wants to strictly follow a recipe, then find out their missing an ingredient? Or take the time to measure everything out? Not with this! Simple guesstimations, my friend – and it all worked out!

Sunny Apple Trail Mix Cereal:

½ apple, diced

¼ cup oatmeal (I prefer using soaked steel-cut oat groats, but I was out :( I’ll post on that later – why I think they are healthier for you!)

Small handful of sunflower seeds - 2 Tbs? (These are amazing sources of the anti-inflammatory antioxidant vitamin E as well as Magnesium for nerves and muscles, Selenium for healthy cell integrity and cancer prevention, and the B vitamin Thiamin for heart function and efficiency of energy supplies. Of commonly eaten nuts and seeds, sunflower seeds have the highest concentration of phytosterols, which may help lower cholesterol.)

Small handful of almonds - 2 Tbs? (Almonds help control the rate the sugars enter your blood stream – nice and easy, baby! Like sunflower seeds, they are a good source of Vitamin E and magnesium; but these guys also contain a good dose of manganese, tryptophan, copper, B2 riboflavin, and phosphorus – all important to balance health.)

Small handful of organic raisins -1/4 cup? (A sugary food, so use in moderation. But they have their place. Raisins contain some of the trace mineral, Boron, which is needed for healthy bone formation. Some studies are finding boron to protect postmenopausal woman from osteoporosis.)

A drizzle of agave - 2 tsp?

A dusting of Cinnamon -1 tbs? (You may know by now that I love this spice! A good blood sugar regulator; and oh so yummy in my book!)

Toss it all together, and top with your choice of milk! Remember – if you pick to drink dairy or soy, PLEASE go organic! I used coconut milk today.

I got about halfway through my bowl (enjoying every bite) when I realized that trail mix usually has chocolate chips in it. Well, I didn’t want to go tainting my organic and natural breakfast with chemicals and sugar, so I instead grabbed my bag of organic cacao powder, and sprinkled some of that on top! Yum! Just a slight hint of chocolate to balance the nuts and fruit, and another little ninja kick of antioxidant power! Hiya!

Another addition I threw in as I went: chopped up a banana. Hooray for extra potassium!

So enjoy mixing and matching fruits and nuts; try different spices or milk types. Loads of simple breakfasts here!

So see what you can do – try to break away from all that processed, sugary stuff that's harsh on your body and health: pop tarts, sugary cereals, pastries… get yourself some good, natural energy to start off your day!! (The green smoothies are great, too! But… without my blender, I’m looking to other power-packed foods to get me going.)

Have fun!
~Katie

Sweet Squash Dish

Don't run!!!

I know most people cringe at the thought of squash, but it can be really good! (Sadly, I can't guarantee you'll like this recipe... but I like it!) If you like fall harvests and pumpkin, this may be up your ally!

Technically, butternut squash is a winter squash. But I had one sitting around (I guess they went on sale near the end of winter) and that hardy little sucker was still good! But, more than just a long-lasting product, squash of all sorts have many health benefits!

Squash is an amazing source of vitamin A - over 100% of your needs in a cup! It is also a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese. Plus is contains some folate, omega-3 fatty acids, thiamin, copper, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, niacin and copper! Power packed! So, as always - that wonderful vitamin A + Vitamin C combo is great for healthy, supple skin!

In addition to its long list of health-promoting nutrients, squash - like basically all produce - is also a disease fighting fiend! It has good antioxidant power, helps with inflammation, may help with a healthy prostate, helps prevent lung cancer, decreases risk of colon cancer, and may help prevent the progression of atherosclerosis!

Most people think of squash as a food that needs to be cooked - but it can be enjoyed raw, too! I was quite skeptical at first, but have found this little dish to be quite good!

Sweet Squash Dish

(Experiment with what ratio you like of squash to dried fruit to walnuts!)

-1 butternut squash

-1 cup dried cranberries

-1/2 cup walnut pieces

-agave or maple syrup to taste

-spices to taste (I like pumpkin pie spices, with extra cinnamon!)

-dash of sea salt

1. Peel the squash (yup - just like a potato! Grab that peeler, and go to town!) and cut off ends. Cube into roughly 1" chunks.

2. Put squash in food processor and process into rice-sized pieces (You may want to do 2 batches if this is hard on your processor)

3. Dump squash bits into a bowl. Add cranberries, walnuts, syrup, and spices. Mix well!

Simple, quick, easy, and healthy! You can warm the mix if you prefer. Sometimes in the fall, I like it warmed just a bit - maybe 90-100 degrees! But with the warmer weather we've been having, I enjoy a cool spiced bowl of this instead!

Happy Squashing!

~Katie

PINEAPPLE!!!!

...Can you tell I'm excited about pineapple? :) I confess - it's one of my faaavorites!

I love pineapple, so I am super anxious to have one tonight :) Typically pineapples come in to season around March, so I am looking forward to many more pineapple delights in future months! But, Whole Foods had a delicious looking pineapple, so snag it earlie, I did. And I’m glad I did!

I could just sit down and devour a whole pineapple by itself for a meal!

Thankfully, pineapples are also chalk-full of good health benefits! Not only is it a super source of Vitamin C (awesome antioxidant and immune-system supporter) but 1 cup will provide over 100% of the recommended manganese for your day! Manganese is another antioxidant, and also helps with enzymes used in energy production. Pineapple also contains bromelain, which is being studied for its anti-inflammatory and digestive aide properties. And pineapples are on the "safe list" if you can't find organic! They aren't usually too heavy in the pesticide department.

Enjoy pineapple plain, in a smoothie, in a fruit salad, or diced onto a green salad to add some tart sweet juiciness, or puree it with some frozen banana for an icy treat! I’m sure there are many good recipes for pineapple, just try to get more fresh fruit and veggies somewhere!

(Ok, somewhat shameful plug - I love the silly TV show PSYCH and for whatever reason, they always have a pineapple somewhere in it! Ok, but my point here - they apprently are doing a Pineapple Recipe contest! If you come up with something, post it! Or check back and they'll post the submitted recipes. Click on the pic to go to their site)

So enjoy your pineapples and other fruits! Wanna split a pineapple? ;-)

~Katie

Heart Healthy Treat

Happy Friday!

Here's a quick little recipe that's heart healthy and yummy as you may be looking forward to a lovey-dovey Valentine's Day soon ;-)

Spiced Walnut Truffles

2 c walnuts
1 c raisins (or chopped dates)
1/4 c agave (or honey or maple syrup)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla
Pinch of sea salt
cacao powder for dusting

The happy truffle couple!

In a food processor, process walnuts into a flour-like powder. Then add the remaining items. Blend it all up until you have a crumbly dough that will stick together when smooshed. I like to leave it unprocessed enough that there are little raisin bits in it. If you over process it, you may need to chill or lightly freeze the dough to make it more workable.

Form into little balls (makes about 30) and then roll in the cacao powder. - though Dave enjoyed popping them plain! Or you can roll in other items you may prefer - hemp seeds, shredded coconut, dust of spices, cacao nibs... Or for a bigger splurge, melt some organic chocolate bars (70% of higher cacao, please!) and dip them for the chocolate indulgence. Ahhhh, heaven!

These will freeze well for several months, or even keep in the fridge for a while. Pull 3-4 out of the freezer and let them thaw a little in the fridge (frozen raisin bits are not pleasant on the teeth!) Don't thaw too many, or you just may eat them all at once! ;-)

In addition to their fiber, protein, B vitamins, magnesium, and vitamin E, walnuts have more omega-3 fatty acids than other nuts, and a good source of monounsaturated fats (MUFAs)! Omegas and MUFAs are heart healthy, providing protective benefits against cardiovascular problems, help with blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. They are also an anti-inflammatory that may help asthma, arthritis, eczema, and psoriasis. These little guys also contain ellagic acid which may help the immune system and be a cancer fighter.

And what do walnuts look like? Little brains! And guess what? Walnuts are good for brain functioning! Your brain has a high amount of structural fats in it, and omega-3 fats are very important in helping keep neurons firing efficiently.

Another cool perk of walnuts is they’re a natural source of melatonin. This hormone may help with a better night’s rest. Ahhh, sleep.

Good little walnut soldiers, all in rows! :)

Ok, I digress – I wanted to focus on hearth health benefits of walnuts for the holiday; but walnuts just have so much goodness! So, keep enjoying those omega-rich nuts in moderation! Roll out some truffles, toss a batch in the freezer to keep on hand for later, and enjoy a cozy weekend!

~Katie

A New Twist

Good morning, sleepy heads!! (Ok, honestly, I have no idea how tired you are - but with the pace life seems to move, it's probably a fair guess. That, and it's early.)

So today I decided to do my juice a little differently.

Most people buy their orange juice from the store. But, have you ever had fresh squeezed orange juice?! Oh so yum! But, when you juice a fruit, you leave out so much! You're getting mostly water and natural sugars with some vitmains - but you leave out the fiber and some of the great phytochemicals with it!

So today, rather than juice my oranges, I just blended them! (Can you tell I love my blender? Yeah, I probably use it 3-5 times a week.) Leave on some of the white pithy parts - that's good fiber! And you get all the lovely pulp blended up nice and smooth. It's actually almost a creamy juice with all of that :)

And to chill it, you can either pour it over ice, and ice and make it more of a slushy, or - my fun twist for the day - I used frozen mango! So simple, so good, so healthy.

Oranges are extremely rich in that wonderful antioxidant, vitamin C, packing over 100% of the RDA recommendations in one fruit! (Varies by size, of course. But that’s your average fruit.) Another compontent in oranges, the molecule herperidin, is now being studied for it's ability to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as work as an anti-inflammatory agent. But herperidin is found more in that white pith and the peel, so try to keep what you can of that white goodness! Don’t worry, once you blend it all up, you don’t notice any bitter traces.

Mango has that lovely beauty combo: vitamin A and vitamin C, good for tissue health and bone health. And the beta carotene is also great for healthy vision. And the extra 3g of fiber in mangos never hurts, either!

Orange Juice With a Twist
1 orange, peeled and quartered (get out what seeds you can)
1/2 c frozen, chopped mango
water to blend

Drink up! This is a great variation on a weekend morning juice :)

~Katie

Tuesday Smoozie!

So, after enjoying yesterday's prurple-green smoothie/Smoozie, Dave and I enjoyed another one for breakfast today! Sadly, this one didn't seem quite as filling though - perhaps because I did a pretty good workout at the gym before breakfast. (Which is why I always keep a supply of healthy snacks at work!)

After the gym, I enjoyed a glass of water with half a lemon squeezed in. And why is that lemon so good? Vitamin C, alkaline, and healthy enzymes, that's why! Then, after getting cleaned up, I whipped up this bad boy:

Today still had the same green base:

2-3 c spinach

4 kale leaves

Then I added some fruits:

1 apple

1 pear

1/2 lemon

1 orange

1 c blueberries

Quite the antioxidant kick yet again! And all those wonderful detoxing enzymes from the kale. Plus loads of Vitamin C to help the immune system this blustery winter day. Brrr!

Tonight, I just may curl up and study with some warmed vegan hot chocolate - free from all the high acidity and inflamming properties of processed sugars and chocolates, and acidic, mucus-forming dairy. It's a simple recipe if you have the ingredients on hand:

1 c unsweetened almond milk

1 Tbs agave nectar (or to taste)

1 Tbs cacao powder (or to taste)

Warm and enjoy!

~Katie

Oh, and in case you were curious - those 4 cookies from my coworker yesterday ARE STILL SITTING there! Go will power! I'll enjoy them later this week. But honestly, for now, I'm okay as long as I don't see them!

Acidic Joints

This post is dedicated to my younger sister :) She has been struggling with joint pain in her fingers for several years, and she is finally starting to explore the diet-health connection. (She likes to joke that she does not have blood running through her veins, but cola.)

The doctor recommended to my mom that she push alkaline foods for Carolyn, as an acidic body can exacerbate joint inflammation and pain. There are a lot of health problems that are beginning to be linked to an overly-acidic diet, and sadly, the standard American diet is very acid producing! However backwards as it may sound, an acidic body is NOT caused by eating acidic foods, like lemons and pineapple. Oddly enough, fruits are very alkaline-forming in the body as your body digests it. On the contrary, an acidic body is the result of a high meat, high refined carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, sugars, pop, etc), high dairy diet! I know it can sound somewhat confusing, but a food's acid or alkaline-forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. There is a difference between a food being acidic, and being acid-forming.

So, whether you're trying to battle arthritis, bone weakening, or fatigue (all of which may be linked to an overly acidic body!) we could all use a little more alkaline foods.

And what are the best alkaline foods? Yep, you guessed it – fresh fruits and veggies!

Some of the most alkaline-forming vegetables include asparagus, spinach (raw), broccoli, parsley, celery, zucchini, beets, carrots, and tomatoes. Some of the fruits include all citrus, watermelon, cherries, papaya, grapes, kiwi, pears, blueberries, and peaches. (This list could go on.... I can post a more extensive version if you prefer.)

Start your morning off with a glass of water and squeeze in some lemon - cool, or warmed is fine, but don't have boiling water! :) Remember, too much heat will begin to degrade the nutrition of your lemon! Start small, if you like. I now enjoy a half of a lemon squeezed into about 8-12 ounces, but even just a small wedge can provide benefits. It's a wonderful enzyme-full, vitamin C-rich way to kick off the day! (ESPECIALLY with this cold weather! Keep that immune system rolling!)