Summer Squash Heaven

Well, spring is officially here, and in my neck of the woods it has felt like summer for the past few days.  What does that mean to me?  Time to break out my Spiralizer and prepare some delicious Summer Squash Heaven for dinner.  This simple dish takes under ten minutes to prepare and tastes like cheesy pasta.  It will leave you saying, Wow!

Ingredients:

2 medium summer squash
3 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 clove of garlic, pressed
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
A pinch of Celtic sea salt

***USE ORGANIC OR WILDCRAFTED INGREDIENTS WHEN AVAILABLE***

 How to prepare Summer Squash Heaven:

1.  To prepare the noodles, use either a Spiralizer (to make spaghetti-like noodles),  a mandolin (to make thinly-sliced rounds) or slice the summer squash as thin as you can with a knife into matchsticks.  Place the cut summer squash in a glass or ceramic bowl.

2.  Press in one clove of garlic, drizzle with olive oil (enough to coat the noodles), add the 3 Tbs of nutritional yeast and throw in a large pinch of Celtic sea salt.

3.  Stir so that all of the squash is covered with the olive oil/garlic/nutritional yeast/salt.

4.  Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.  Enjoy!!

Did you know that…

• Summer squash cannot be stored as long a winter squash?
• Summer squash is a relative of the cucumber and the melon?
• Summer squash contains manganese, vitamin C and is a very good source of magnesium, vitamin A, fiber, potassium, folate, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorus?

Well, now you do. :0)

Have an AMAZING day!

My Adventures In Cleansing

Most of my friends that know me well know that I am a big fan of cleansing. I did my first monthlong cleanse back in 1999 (I can’t believe it was such a long time ago!), which was an Arise & Shine Cleanse that entailed orally taking herbs, psyllium and hydrated bentonite clay several times a day while eating only alkalizing foods. It was very structured, which was great for me at the time. I loved following directions, and this made things simple for me.  Boy, how things have changed!  All in all, I am happy to report it was a great cleanse for my first cleansing experience and continues to be a great product to this day (in my opinion).

I had just transitioned a year earlier from eating the Standard American Diet to eating a whole-foods based vegan diet, was learning about cleansing and ready for my first one. Once I started to get more in tune to my body (after getting the processed junk and junk foods out of me), I intuitively knew it was time.  I was so enthusiastic and excited to begin!  Of course I couldn’t start slow with a weeklong cleanse — I tend to like to go for it when I commit to doing something.  I dove right in and went for the gusto, what I believed to be the Cadillac of all cleanses, a monthlong one!!  Longer cleansing had to be better, right?  After all, I had been eating an unhealthy, nutritionally-deficient diet for years, so the longer the cleanse, the healthier I would be… Well, we all learn lessons, and I am no exception to that rule.  When it comes to cleansing, I think being conservative and building up to longer cleanses is a must.  That’s how I think today, though, and not back in 1999.  With age comes wisdom, I guess, or maybe I just am fantastic at learning from my experiences.  :0)

Besides the cleansing reactions that some people experience while cleansing –headaches, nausea, skin eruptions, emotional highs and lows and some other unmentionables — and at some points wanting to give up, I was losing a pound of weight a day on this particular cleanse, which kind of freaked me out a little bit. After I went from 124 pounds to 115 pounds in nine days, I ended up having to contact the Arise & Shine cleanse representatives and find out what was going on.  I felt a bit panicked, as none of my clothing was fitting me anymore. I looked like a size 4 mannequin draped in a size 10 outfit!  The representatives I spoke with were extremely helpful, and their recommendation was that I consume more calories and good fat during the cleanse, so I ate two avocados every day for the rest of the time on the cleanse, felt better and was able to put a few pounds back on. Whew!  It was definately a learning experience for me that was very valuable.  I also learned about black walnut hull being used to kill parasites during a cleanse, about colon cleansing and coffee enemas, about using cayenne pepper to intensify the effects of the herbs I was taking, how to slow down or speed up a cleanse and, generally, what works for my body and what doesn’t.

Needless to say, although I really like the Arise & Shine products, honestly, that cleanse was tough for me because it was so long and intense. Although I felt great at the end of the month, it did take a lot out of me.  And being the stubbon girl that I can be at times, I did three more monthlong cleanses over the next couple of years (all before 2005)… Two Arise & Shines and one Ejuva Cleanse. Sometimes it can take me a bit to figure out what works for my body… luckily I eventually get it. :0)

Well, I finally got it, and I am happy to report that my days of monthlong cleansing are over (at least for now). It simply takes too much out of my body and is too taxing on my mind.  I have found that doing a weeklong (or shorter) cleanse works great for me, and my body seems to respond well to it.  I tend to only cleanse in the spring, summer and early fall, as the winter is too cold up here in the northeast.  I would much rather eat hardy and building foods, such as soups, root veggies and dark leafy greens, instead of juicing and eating 100% raw during that season.  The thought of cleansing and winter together gives me a chill even thinking about it, and it’s warm outside today!  The last weeklong product cleanse that I did was the Raw Cleanse by Garden of Life, and I really enjoyed doing it.  It was quite different than any other cleansing products I have used.  It was VERY gentle, and I felt fantastic at the end of the week after using it.

For the past couple weeks one of my best girlfriends (who I consider my sister), Nancy, has been going on and on about the delicious juices she has been making for herself, her husband and her two-year-old son, Baby D. Nancy is an exceptional role model for other mothers when it comes to nourishing her child with healthy foods, and I consider myself blessed that she shares some of these recipes that she creates with me! She is always making her little pumpkin healthy smoothies, giving him delicious whole-food snacks and has even incorporated a daily ritual into their schedule of him helping with the preparation of some of the meals! He gets to help his mommy put the vegetables in the juicer in order to make a juice and is very enthusiastic about doing so.  While drinking the masterpieces that he helps to create, he doesn’t come up for air until the end of his cup, and then he always says, “Mmmmmmmmmm!” It’s way too cute for words to even express, and it makes me excited to hear all of her lovely stories about this little sweetheart and his adventures with loving food and healthy eating.

Over the past few weeks, Nancy has expressed to me how delicious one particular juice she has been making is that she got out of David Wolfe’s book Eating For Beauty (one of my FAVORITE books of all time!), which is sooooo good for your skin and overall health. The juice consists of apples, cucumber and celery. She told me that it was refreshing and delicious at the same time…  And since she loves healthy and delicious food as much as I do, this made me EXCITED!

I decided to give it a whirl this past Sunday morning, and it was, in fact, DELICIOUS! I am happy to say that my honey loved it, too. :0)

After being INSPIRED by Nancy and Baby D, thoroughly enjoying this sensational juice and realizing that I am wanting to cleanse (I can feel myself being pulled in that direction), I decided that it is time for me to do a spring juice feast!  (I have heard juice fasting referred to as juice feasting, and I like the term “feast”, as I associate the term “fast” with lack and “feast” with abundance!).  I love the idea of doing a mini juice feast for four days. This is definitely a managable amount of time for me to cleanse, and it makes me excited to think of how much more energy I will have in only four short days! 

Over the past few years I have been working on simplifying my life… So why wouldn’t that pertain to cleansing, too?  When I really thought about it, I came to realize that cleansing CAN be really simple (doing a juice feast or eating 100% raw) and doesn’t have to entail purchasing any “products” in order to do a cleanse, unless buying a product and following the directions works for you.  It also doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out process unless you choose for it to be.  Setting the stage for your body to go into cleansing mode and letting it do what it’s designed to do by juicing fresh, organic raw vegetables or eating lightly steamed ones, using cleansing products or not, together with rest and meditation, can make a world of difference in your overall health.  It definitely has for me.  :0)

As an added note… if you are considering doing ANY form of a cleanse, I recommend doing your research first… There are countless numbers of books to read or websites to visit on this subject.  It is best to know what might go on in your body during a cleanse BEFORE you cleanse.  If you smoke, drink excessive alcohol, eat lots of processed foods and/or the Standard American Diet, are taking prescription drugs or recreational drugs, you should consult a health care professional before you do ANY type of cleansing, as the cleansing reactions you could experience might be severe and harmful to your body.

With that said, Happy Cleansing!  :0)

Chocolate Pudding With A Twist

If you’re a chocolate lover, you’re going to do backflips when you taste this pudding. In fact, not only are you going to do backflips because it tastes so good, you’ll be doing them because it is easy to make and is extremely good for you, too!

What’s the twist in this recipe?  It contains only six ingredients that are all packed with nutrients and are exploding with flavor. You can prepare this entire dessert in under ten minutes using a blender or a food processor, so there’s minimal cleanup and more time for eating. :0)

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados

1/3 cup raw agave nectar

3 Tbs raw cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

***USE ORGANIC INGREDIENTS WHEN AVAILABLE***

Serves 2

How to Prepare:

1. Open the avocados by cutting in a circle from top to bottom of the skin, then de-pit by hitting the blade of the knife into the pit and turning. This will take the pit out with no fuss. 

2. Scoop the avocado with a spoon into your food processor or blender and add the raw agave nectar. Process until smooth.

3. Add the raw cacao powder, vanilla extract, Celtic sea salt and cinnamon. Process until mixed well with the avocado/raw agave nectar mixture.

4. Yes, it is actually that easy.  Your Chocolate Pudding With A Twist is ready… Enjoy!!

Variations:

Eat this yummy pudding plain or garnish with fresh fruit, such as, sliced banana, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi fruit, apples or pears;

If you like milk chocolate (this recipe is for dark chocolate), add 1/2 cup almond, rice, hemp or soy milk (if you do this, you need to add a little more raw agave nectar — adjust to your taste by adding a little at a time);

Chop up some nuts, such as, raw almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts or cashews and stir in for a little texture or crunch.

Fun Facts About The Ingredients

Raw cacao is considered a superfood and is packed full of nutrition. Raw cacao is rich in magnesium (balances brain chemisty and helps build strong bones), phenylethylamine (a chemical that is released by our brains when we are in love), anandamide (a chemical that is produced by our brains when we are happy), tryptophan (helps promote better sleep) and is loaded with antioxidants.

Most people know that blueberries are an amazing food for you… Well, raw cacao outperforms blueberries when it comes to the O.R.A.C. (Oxygen Radical Absorption Content) value, which is a method of measuring the antioxidant capacities in foods. Blueberries have an O.R.A.C. value of 2400, while raw cacao powder’s value is 13,140. That’s incredible!!

If you are going to have a chocolate bar, it is best to eat one containing at least 70% dark chocolate to receive health benefits.

Avocados contain healthy fats that our body needs to function normally. Not only do avocados contain healthy fats, they are high in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins A, C and K. Wow!

Raw agave nectar is a sweetener that is sweeter than sugar, can be substitued for cooking, baking, preparing raw foods and as a sweetener in teas, drinks or smoothies.

Vanilla extract contains small amounts of calcium, magnesium and potassium.

Cinnamon has been found to be extremely helpful in the treatment of Type II diabetes and also contains vitamin A, calcium, iron and magnesium.

Extra tip about cinnamon: I keep a little bit of cinnamon in an tiny container in my purse and use it as a breath freshener. It works really well, and it tastes great, too!

No Kale Left Behind Salad

Have you ever tried kale?  Eaten raw, it can be tough and a litte bit bitter.  If you learn how to prepare it correctly, surprisingly, it is super delicious and is unbelievably good for you!  I’ve made this recipe a couple of times (when I have time constraints) for my raw food Meetup group.  You can quickly prepare it in the morning, and when you come home from work at the end of the day, it’s ready.  I’m happy to report, I rarely bring home a bowl with any No Kale Left Behind Salad in it from my Meetup group… :0)

This salad is easy, healthy and packed full of taste and nutrition. It can be prepared in under 10 minutes.  :0)

Delicious Ingredients:

2 head of curly kale

1 cup of green onion

2 tomatoes

½ medium red onion

3″ piece of daikon radish

1 avocado

2 cloves of garlic

Slightly over ½ cup of olive oil

1/3 cup of nama shoyu or tamari

1 pinch of Celtic sea salt

Handful of raw pumpkin seeds

***USE ORGANIC INGREDIENTS WHEN AVAILABLE***

Easy preparation:

1. Take the hard stalks off of the leafy part of the kale. You can do this by hand and do not need a knife. Save the stalks for juicing, add them to smoothies, use them in soups or cut them up in little pieces and add to a salad for extra nutrition and crunch.

2. Tear the kale (by hand) into little pieces and place in a large bowl (glass is best).

3. Dice the green onion, tomatoes, red onion and avocado.  Shred the daikon radish.   Place in bowl with the kale.

4. Add the olive oil, nama shoyu and Celtic sea salt.  You can add more olive oil if, in Step 5, you find that it is not coating all of the kale.

5. Now it’s time to get very up close and personal with your salad… Get your hands in there and mix the ingredients together, making sure that the kale is coated with the olive oil/nama shoyu mixture. This is what will break down the kale, which makes it taste so delicious!

6. Leave the salad to marinate for a minimum of three hours. The longer you let it marinate, the softer the kale will be.  If you are home, you can stir the salad periodically to ensure that the leaves are covered with the olive oil/nama shoyu mixture.

7. When it has reached its desired tenderness (taste it and see if it agrees with your palate), garnish with raw pumpkin seeds, and ENJOY!!

Be creative and try new vegetables, nuts or seeds as substitutes for the ones that I have chosen. For example, besides being extremely high in calcium, raw sesame seeds would probably be delicious on this salad or you may want to substitute a red pepper for the daikon radish. The possibilities are endless!! Get your creative juices flowing and experiment… You may invent a masterpiece!!

A few fun facts about the delicious ingredients:

Kale is high in Vitamin K, which regulates normal blood clotting and improves the health of your bones;

Green onions contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium and fiber;

Tomatoes are actually fruit that are a good source of calcium and iron;

Red onions are a good source of quercetin, which is a power antioxidant, is a natural anti-histamine and is anti-inflammatory;

Daikon radish is low in calories, contains Vitamin C and is milder in taste than its red radish cousins;

Avocados contain 20 essential nutrients; for example, fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B vitamins and folic acid;

Garlic was used by the Egyptians to treat infections, tumors and intestinal parasites;

Raw pumpkin seeds are very high in magnesium, B vitamins and folic acid;

Nama shoyu is raw unpasteurized soy sauce that contains enzymes and lactobacillus.  If you are allergic to wheat or have a gluten intolerance, you can use wheat-free tamari as a substitute for the nama shoyu.  You can find both of these in the natural section of your grocery store or at your local health food market;

Celtic sea salt contains 80 minerals, tastes and looks the same as its toxic counterpart  (regular table salt), yet, is actually good for you. This is the only salt that I use in preparing any foods. You can get Celtic sea salt online or at your local health food market.