Health, Nutrition & Wellness – Page 9

Pack Power into your diet with Sprouts!

Freshly harvested mung bean sprouts

One of my most exciting discoveries recently has been learning how to grow my own Sprouts. I've always loved the texture, flavor and fantastic nutrition sprouts add to sandwiches, salads etc. However, until now, I rarely used them since they're rather expensive and go bad so quickly after purchase. Every week at the market, I'd longingly peruse their selection wishing they weren't A) already slimy & brown on the bottom or B) totally overpriced… sort of the same situation as fresh berries*… Sure, they're amazing for you, but unless you get organic, which are outrageously expensive, they're absolutely loaded with pesticides and, of course, spoil quickly.

*I've found a solution for berries too! Only buy fresh, organic berries in season when they're more afforadable. Stock up on already frozen, organic berries year round because they're REALLY well priced &, ironically, have greater nutritional value than fresh since they're fozen at their peak & not sitting around for days in transit & on store shelves. The cold hardly affects berries, leaving enzymes/antioxidants in tact – plus they last in your freezer for months without requiring you to become a 24/7 inventory spoilage manager over all your produce.

My Sprouts are growing so plentifully, they're pushing the trays of my Sprout Grower right up!

Well how times have changed! Since the addition of our 4-tier sprouter kit to our home, Jim and I are eating a variety of beautiful, fresh sprouts everyday! A great thing since the benefits of sprouts are amazing:

They're rich in so many essential nutrients I can't begin to list them all here: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, B6, and Vitamin K. Minerals such as Iron, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Potassium, Manganese, and Calcium. Plus dietary fiber, Folate & Omega-3 fatty acids. Sprouted seeds, grains and legumes are found to have higher content of their nutrients. For instance, most beans increase in Vitamin A by 8x after being sprouted.

They provide access to a powerful source of enzymes which we lose as we age
They're easy to digest (I'll write a post on digestion and enzymes shortly- an incredibly important and fascinating subject.)
They're extremely high in protein containing up to 35% protein.

Home-grown Mung Bean Sprouts

I stocked up on 7 packets of seeds (one can use the sprouter for beans as well) ranging from a variety mix to plain brocolli, radish, clover, mung and alfalfa. These should last well over a year. Our trays are nestled into a back corner of the counter, behind the big cutting board, draped with a kitchen towel as they must grow in the dark. The process couldn't be easier: Sprinkle a tablespoon of seeds into each tray. Pour two cups water into the top 2x/daily. Three days later – VOILA! Delicious. Easy. Free. Sprouts for a lifetime!

As you can imagine, the uses for sprouts are many, from the aforementioned sandwich topper or wrap to stir-fries and salads. One little lunch combo I love is stacking the sprouts up into an open face sandwich as shown here.

Open Faced Clover Sprout, Avocado & Tomato Sandwich on Toasted Millet Bread

Recipe for Open Faced Sprout, Avocado & Tomato Sandwich:

Ingredients:

2 slices sprouted millet bread, toasted
thinly sliced avocado
thinly sliced tomato
sprouts
raw saurkraut
Dijon mustard

Method:

Slather avocado over each slice of toast using the tines of a fork, if necessary to help mash it. This helps, vs. slices, to keep the sandwich shorter & more manageable
Stack ingredients on top of avocado.
Drizzle with Dijon Mustard.
Take a bite of deliciously spicy, tangy & beautifying goodness!

Please Enjoy!!

Love,

Juliane

Do you grow any indoor edibles? Share your recommendations/ideas!

Have you made any changes in your diet resulting in a major, positive impact on your life?

Coming Soon… How to grow your own Wheat Grass for daily wheat grass shots!

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Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness, Philosophy/Meditation/Spirituality

Macaccinos, Meditation & more…

Creamy Macaccino with Almond Milk!

(Warning, along with a nice recipe, this post is pretty self-indulgent, rambling and goes where I've never gone yet always wanted to…)

Hi Guys,

There is SO much I want to talk about today; tons of amazing recipes I've been making and want to share (keeping me so busy I haven't had a chance to post about them!) an incredibly easy, practically free way to grow your own sprouts, food combining- something new I've started paying attention to, my new morning green drink recipe, etc. I will do my level best to get it all on StyleNectar as soon as I can. I'm learning so much, it's quite fun and exciting!

I have been on an amazing journey, as we all are right? That's life! And lately I've been looking at a lot of things including the concepts of identity, presence, going through life with conscious awareness (versus autopilot) and the repeated & perplexing realization that I am quite solo in my fascination by any of these ideas. Most times I bring up discussions, they're with an interest in looking beneath the surface of what's commonly accepted, leading to one of the concepts above. And generally no one wants to go there:-( Consequently I've made many fine friends through the authors of great books who DO love these philosophical discussions- but that will take me on a tangent into literature- another post for later.

For a long time I was too nervous to share these thoughts I consider most valuable & important on StyleNectar. They wouldn't appeal to a very large audience. So I kept things surface, sharing my favorite healthed-up, yet non-vegan, mainstream food so as not to turn anyone off, silencing all the stuff I really wanted to yell from the mountaintops – with the exception of my paintings- they're honest and real- yet simultaneously wide open for interpretation and, therefore, safe. I suppose that's an appeal for an artist; the viewer need go only as far as they dare in interpretation. Plus, they're from the soul, so half the time they're a mystery to me also:-) However, choosing this overall "safe" approach with the rest of my blog was getting to me. I wanted to be authentic which meant representing only a sliver of who I was wasn't enough – plus of course I've since gone completely vegan. So, a few months ago, I tiptoed a bit further and decided to start putting the rest of myself out there, and I've been truly heartened by your enthusiastic response!

Historically, I've stuffed my artistic and spiritual philosopher side. Not that I wanted to- actually I think it was rather unconscious- a product of being sort of a chameleon/socially acceptable. I can count on one hand the number of individuals I've known throughout life who love to philosophize, my Dad being one of them, thankfully:-) Otherwise, I get blank stares if I mention my daily meditation practice, being vegan (watch Our Daily Bread or Earthlings & read Diet For A New America or Eat To Live & you'll be vegan too) or my fascination with economics/politics or Buddhist/Hindu philosophy (I'll stop there, the list goes on I'm afraid.)

So it won't come as a surprise that I don't at all agree with such directives as don't discuss religion and politics! What's wrong with asking why? Why the aversion to looking beneath the surface? What's the appeal to living a life like robots on autopilot? Answer: conditioning is VERY powerful, if not virtually impossible, to go up against. And yet, the various domino affects of a world of robots are very frightening and so I do hope a few more people will have the courage to open their eyes. Personally, I find living in a state of presence/conscious awareness the most beautiful way to go through life. Though I'm not saying it's easy and it's definitely a life's work. However, autopilot has NEVER and will never be interesting to me.

As a society we're obsessed with building and maintaining an identity- as if without one, we'd cease to exist and life would somehow be meaningless without constant activity, achievement & results. In my humble opinion this clinging to an identity, essentially making an I the center of the universe, is the root cause for all the suffering in the world. Though I'll be the first to admit it's a struggle for me too, because of the tremendous pressure of conditioning.

When I was about four years old I'd ask myself, "Who am I?" I just couldn't take myself that seriously and kind of wondered why anyone else did. Didn't you often question, when you were a far less-conditioned human at that young age, all the drama with which adults seemed to be constantly engaged? As pre-conditioned children we were still in touch with our present, peaceful, inner selves. Jesus said, "We must become as little children." A return to the peaceful, spacious, silence where we can regain perspective in a moment of presence.

Meditation is the way I practice presence. It trains me to transcend identity and live in the world with conscious awareness. It's my fast-track (yes, ironic word choice) approach to putting life into perspective in addition to having a host of additional amazing benefits. And I'm committed because it works quite frankly. If I didn't see results I wouldn't be motivated to do it.

There are centuries of evidence and myriad scientific studies linking the affects of meditation to everything from increasing the peaceful centers of the brain to improving one's ability to concentrate, make decisions and cultivate awareness practice. I'll go into awareness practice in another post. Generally, it's learning to become conscious of the patterns of habitual thought in one's mind in order to ultimately let them go and harness the power of the mind rather than live unconsciously according to it's unhelpful, incessant chatter.

During meditation I watch my thoughts go from fast forward to slow motion- a general tape loop of the same 4 or 5 subjects repeating over and over! Letting go of my own "self/identity" follows suit. And soon, I feel as I did when I was four, at one with my surroundings. Bathed in love. Completely at peace.

I don't feel like working on a good segway here so I won't bother. But doesn't all that correspond nicely with not wanting to eat animals or needing to drink coffee in order to be happy?

Jim and I don't drink caffeinated bevvies any longer. We don't miss them. At all. We actually have more energy than when we used to drink them. And I'm afraid that, yes, we are sleeeping better too. If I had to say we have a substitute for coffee, I'd say the rocket-fuel-like energy we get from our green drinks far surpasses (chlorophyll baby). We also imbibe in a spirulina shake almost daily which is seriously amaze. And these Macaccinos pack a nice punch too. They're my late morning snack- Jim heads to work with his in a travel cup.

Maca is an ancient root prized by the South American tribes for centuries for its ability to energize and take warriors into battle with great stamina. It's an adaptogen, meaning it creates a state of balance or normalization in the body which restores its natural homeostasis creating affects such as balancing hormones. Do read up on Maca and start with a very small amount, listen to your body and proceed gently as such ancient herbs are powerful medicine.

Love,

Juliane

Un macaccino pour madame s'il vous plait?

Macaccino Recipe (Serves 1)

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon Maca Powder
1 teaspoon Cacao Powder
sprinkle of cinnamon
stevia to taste
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (for a lighter, yet still delish drink use 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water)

Method

Heat the milk over a low heat until teeny-tiny bubbles start forming around the edge.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl til incorporated.
Pour the warmed almond milk into the bowl, whisking until the dry ingredients are thoroughly combined into the milk.
Pour into your favorite mug, kick back and enjoy!

"To commune daily with God in deep meditation, and to carry His love and guidance with you into all your dutiful activities, is the way that leads to permanent peace and happiness."

~ Paramahansa Yogananda

In grace, light and presence

Love 💕

~Jayashrii

Live Beautifully

Be well

Jayashrii (Juliane) 💫

(Jayashrii is my Sanskrit Yogic name given by my teacher in India)

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You may also enjoy: "Water Night"

Japanese Seaweed Salad

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Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness, Style

Get a killer body without killing yourself

My story of finding a life-changing program of fitness & nutrition I can sustain for life.

A couple of weeks ago I promised to share the 30 minute interval training workouts I do 3 times a week to achieve full body toning, strengthening and cardiovascular endurance. Taken from the book, The Gold Coast Cure's Fitter, Firmer, Faster Program, by Andrew Larson, M.D. & Ivy Larson, the workouts are "a prime example that you absolutely do not need to jog or do any kind of high-impact cardio exercise to burn fat and stay lean"1. – a point crucial to my own story.

Finding a series of light workouts that deliver and can be done anywhere was beyond awesome. However, for me, it's just one part of the equation. Discovering a nutritional program that fuels my body without leaving cravings behind is the other important element to a sustainable lifestyle of fitness and nutrition I can maintain easily for the rest of my life.

My experience is the two components work together beautifully. I don't count calories. I don't dread or struggle to find time & energy for fitness. Neither do I spend 2 hours a day working out (a la Gwyneth Paltrow) to maintain my ideal weight/shape. It feels like a dream come true. Plus it's delicious and fun.

Fitness has been integrated into my life for as long as I can remember- with the exception of my college days which were FAR from exemplary:-) My childhood consisted of years of gymnastics, dancing and an overall extremely active lifestyle. Post college, my fitness routine was generally 3o minutes of cardio (running courses) 4 times a week, plus strength training, rotating through 4 primary muscle groups.

The post-college program sounds pretty good and far from excessive, right? And, yes, it was effective for a while. However, it fell short in two crucial ways:

A) The program wasn't designed for longevity, which I learned 5 years ago when I suddenly began experiencing hip pains, knee pains, pains in the balls of my feet and in the little joints of my toes. As sensible as my fitness program seemed, it had clearly stopped working for me.

B) It didn't incorporate the 3 key fitness & nutritional secrets which eliminate insatiable post-workout hunger that easily offsets any workout.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I now realize these two ideas work hand-in-hand. However, it was the former, the pain, that first got my attention.

It was very confusing! I wasn't lacking determination or commitment, yet my body was suddenly trying to tell me something. Once your cartiledge is gone you can't get it back, so I wasn't going to ignore the messages. I began experimenting… feel free to read the details of my journey below, or just skip to my solution:-)

First, I visited a foot doctor to be sure the issues didn't stem from my stride. After purchasing a set of custom inserts for my running shoes, no relief. Next I switched things up, signing up for a slew of group classes including kickboxing at a local gym, but being so fast paced, the ability to stay conscious of proper alignment to protect my joints was virtually non-existent. I started yoga, at which I excelled easily due to my gymnastics background, however it exacerbated my hip issues and caused a new set of neck and shoulder problems. I began to feel at a dead end. We purchased an eliptical, but still, the same hip issues. Then a bike. And finally, I found a decent reduction in pain by rotating between the bike, eliptical and treadmill (eliminating running altogether) so as not to overexert any one part of my body. I continued with the strength training. While this plan worked quite well for alleviating the joint issues, I still hadn't figured out how to deal with the post-workout, seemingly insatiatable appetite response. Was I working out too hard? It turns out, for me, yes, that was part of it. I reduced to only twice weekly workouts- my appetite plummeted along with an extra five pounds! However, I wasn't sure that I was conditioning my body as thoroughly I wanted- then I stumbled across the Fitter, Firmer, Faster workout (& Dr. Fuhrman's Nutritarian lifestyle) and lived happily ever after:-) It's truly a great workout, but sometimes I'll do ballet or pilates or just catch up on a TV show while riding the bike- the key is, I keep it light and fun, rotating between activities so as not to overstress any part of my body. And…

5 years of experimentation later I'd learned 3 valuable keys to staying lean, fit and healthy for life.

1) Less can be more. Working out excessively can put unecessary, irreparable wear and tear on the body over time while fueling an unsustainable "Eat-to-Workout" cycle.

A light, full-body workout 3 times a week does the trick for me. Sometimes I don't get to all 3 workouts and it's still ok! Keeping the workouts efficient and gentle means I'm not fueling the "Eat-to-Workout" cycle to which so many of us fall prey… A killer workout results in an insatiable appetite ~> requiring even more hours of fitness to offset ~> the accompanying time/energy committment become impossible to sustain resulting in burnout ~> or leading to injury/wear & tear on one's body ~> which inevitably catches up with us (as happened in my case).

Again, I highly recommend the 30 minute workouts in the book, Fitter, Firmer, Faster, by Andrew Larson, M.D. & Ivy Larson. Ivy's story is incredibly inspirational- check it out here. No matter one's level of fitness, the workouts in this book are a fantastic way to start getting back in shape or to refine one's routine to a more sustainable level. Today I look back with gratitude at the 'hints' my body provided to get me to adjust my lifestyle. And, I'm SO much happier having taken it's advice. My workouts are fun, not grueling. I work out less and I love my weight and shape.

Did you know in the areas of the world with the greatest numbers of centenarians, the populations don't "work out" at all? However, they do incorporate light, natural exercise into their daily lives via living on hills, walking daily and staying active throughout their elder years: "It’s interesting to note that the communities
that live the longest in the world (average age is over 100yrs), don’t exercise
like the way we think of exercise, they don’t get anti-aging procedures and
they aren’t alcohol free. Counter intuitively, they are still sexually active into
their later years, are quite mobile and live with a sense of purpose and vigor. When they pass away, the research shows that it’s not due to
a chronic disease like heart disease, cancer or diabetes. Rather, they
pass quickly and naturally usually in their sleep. In this article we take lessons from the centurion
communities of the world to gain priceless insight into how we too can live the
longest. The solutions are much simpler than one may think…" -Dr. Isaac Jones (Click link for full article)

2) Eat clean and eliminate foods which contribute to cravings. Consumption of grains and sugar, or high-glycemic foods, create cravings. It also happens they do a lot of other unhealthy things in the body too (check out www.DiseaseProof.com.) Consumption of nutrient dense G-BOMBS (Greens, Berries, Onions, Mushrooms, Beans & Seeds) satisfy the body and decrease cravings. I'll continue to post my favorite Nutritarian recipes, using G-BOMBS, here on StyleNectar. Look forward to my delicious Roasted Quinoa stuffed Peppers with melted 'Pepper-Jack' in the next day or so!

"If we turned the American diet upside down so that 90% of calories come from produce, we would put an end to dieting, resolve our health-care crisis, win the war against breast cancer, and save millions of lives from heart disease and diabetes. See an example of my food pyramid, which starts with foods high in micro-nutrients as the base." -Dr. Joel Fuhrman, from www.DoctorOz.com

3) Meditation. I'll write a post on this shortly. This daily practice is immeasurably beneficial in my life.

Please let me know if you have any questions on any part of my journey. Each person is different so the key is to learn what works for you. I wanted to share some of what has worked so well in my experience so that any of you sharing similar challenges might benefit. The greatest gift we can give to the world is our own happiness and well being.

Much love,

~Juliane

References:

1. Ivy Larson. “Clean Cuisine & More” Newsletter. 2012 Oct 24;(3).

I am not a healthcare practitioner or provider. To the extent that any information is provided through this website, it is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute or substitute for medical advice or counseling, the practice of medicine including but not limited to psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy or the provision of health care diagnosis or treatment, the creation of a physician-patient or clinical relationship, or an endorsement, a recommendation or a sponsorship of any third party, product or service by me. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements available on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness

Being a Nutritarian

I promised, a few weeks back, to update you on how I'm tweaking my mostly raw, vegan lifestyle to a nutritarian point of view. First, let me preface that I think the whole process should be fun and the best approach to be open minded. This is a work in progress, and rather than holding myself to the strictest standards I will always feel reasonably comfortable compromising here and there. That said, my primary interest is taking the best possible care of myself, in a SUSTAINABLE manner, so that I can feel great, look my best and enjoy life to the max!

I've always been fascinated by how nutrition affects the way our bodies operate and ultimately, the way we feel and function as a result. Through my research, I came across the highly regarded, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, auther of the excellent book, "Eat to Live," among others, and creator of the Nutrient Density-based food pyramid below. Dr. Fuhrman explains the scientific evidence and first rate studies behind the very latest findings for how a "high-nutrient, vegetable-based diet style is the key to optimal health, increased longevity and disease prevention." In fact, he states, "high-nutrient eating, as a therapeutic intervention, is most often MORE effective than drugs and surgery at restoring health from chronic diseases."

Fuhrman isn't shy about exposing the myriad myths and total misinformation propulgated by industries with a vested interest in consumers buying their products (dairy, animal products, grains to name a few). Neither is he shy to point out the current recommendations/food pyramid guidelines offered by the FDA are totally off base, "listing protective foods as 'side dishes,' and allowing the vast majority of calories to be obtained from nutrient poor foods." The bottom line is that it's important for each one of us to become experts on our own bodies and how to support them, rather than blindly following the advice of industry-biased experts, the government, or even doctors (most of whom don't receive training in nutrition).

What has become lost in the bombardment of messaging & advertising all skewed to sell products, is the simple fact that our genetics have only a 10% impact on how healthy we are– the rest is very much in our hands! But that sort of information doesn't support a dependence on pharmaceuticals/insurance/products being sold by billion dollar industries. Therefore, the majority of the population get brainwashed into thinking osteoporosis, obesity, heart disease and breast cancer are a matter of either time or fate.

The truth is the foods we choose to put into our bodies have the power to heal, protect and nourish us in incredibly powerful ways! For example, Dr. Fuhrman points out, the very battle on breast cancer is being approached from the absolute wrong angle. There are tons of proven studies that show how specific nutritional application can kill/reverse/prevent breast cancer cells.

He states, "Mammograms for 'early detection' are not the only defense and do not even offer significant benefits. The scientific evidence shows that women do have the power to protect themselves against breast cancer with powerful preventive lifestyle measures." "[There are] foods that help to prevent the cancerous transformation of normal cells, and keep the body armed and ready to attack any pre-cancerous or cancerous cells that may arise."

But do many people know about this? Why not? Aren't these simple, preventative measures a huge part of the message to be spreading?

Once you've equipped yourself with just some the amazing knowledge behind how nutrition works, (check out www.diseaseproof.com) there will be no stopping you on your own quest to benenfit from the power it can have on your life. It's a little shocking at first, to realize most of what we've been taught is good for us, isn't in fact good for us at all. However, read up on the impact of dairy, animal products, excessive protein and processed food consumption and it won't be hard to start phasing them out. Read up on the amazing benefits of eating greens, berries, mushrooms, seeds and beans and you'll be running to the grocery store to fill up on everything you've been missing! The great part is that you'll begin seeing the benefits almost immediately.

Later this week I'll be presenting a wonderful Nutritarian lunch option both adults and kiddos will love! (In fact Jim and I have it for lunch quite often.) I'll also share a resource for an awesome 1/2 hour full-body workout I've been doing 3 times a week which is excellent for toning, strengthening and cardiovascular training in one quick, fun workout. One of the best kept secrets out there may be that you don't have to kill yourself to have a killer body! My personal approach to nutrition and fitness has been to find a SUSTAINABLE way of eating healthy and staying fit. I want to be happy and active until I'm at least 120 years old! Combining a nutritarian diet (with my own personalized modifications) and a consistent yet light approach to exercise removes cravings and keeps me energized.

Dr. Fuhrman's Nutritarian Food Pyramid.

Are you thinking about becoming a Nutritarian?

Have you ever experimented with a Vegan or Vegetarian Lifestyle?

You may also enjoy: Sweet & Tangy Power Green Juice!

Cozy Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup!

**I am not a healthcare practitioner or provider. To the extent that any information is provided through this website, it is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute or substitute for medical advice or counseling, the practice of medicine including but not limited to psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy or the provision of health care diagnosis or treatment, the creation of a physician-patient or clinical relationship, or an endorsement, a recommendation or a sponsorship of any third party, product or service by me. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements available on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness

The Happy Shake

The Happy Shake, recipe created by Stacy Stowers

I don't know about you, but I definitely have a sweet tooth. I love (raw) chocolate… and (vegan) ice-cream… and all the sorts of things that make one energized, happy and feeling fabulous in body, mind and spirit. Wait! You say. That sounds too good to be true! Does something with all that actually exist? In fact it does. It's called…

The Happy Shake!

Inspired by supremely talented raw food chef, Stacy Stowers, this superfoods-galore smoothie, disguised as creamy, chocolate, soft-serve ice-cream, is so unbelievable it's become a staple at "Blissed Out", the Organic Juice & Smoothie Bar on Martha's Vineyard. So, next time you're visiting the Vineyard, make sure you stop in to try it out… just kidding, of course I have shared my version of the recipe below:-)

Jim and I enjoy The Happy Shake as a decadent morning kickstart. Be prepared to experience exuberant energy, an outstanding mood and satiation likely to take you well beyond lunchtime. When you wake up the next day, don't be suprised if you feel extraordinarily well rested. Perhaps you may even notice a new glow to your complexion…

then you'll know how this recipe got it's name 😉

The Happy Shake

The Happy Shake (Serves 1)

INGREDIENTS & METHOD: Make sure you follow the method exactly! You will need a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix.

1. Liquid Base.

Start with 1/2 cup water
Add 4 cups loosely packed spinach
Add a Good FAT. You need the good fat for metabolizing the spinach and keeping you satisfied for hours. You may choose from: 1 Tbs. Hemp or Chia Seed or 1/4 Avocado

2. The Happy Part…

1/2 Tbs. Maca Powder for stamina, endurance and mental clarity.
1 Tbs. Raw Cacao Powder for that HAPPY BLISS feeling.
A great option for some additional alkalizing GREENS… add 1/2 Tbs. Vitamineral Green Powder or Spirulina (I always add it)
Liquid Stevia to taste

3. DO NOT add fruit yet… Blend preceding ingredients into a green concoction FIRST!

4. Finally, add 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries & 1 frozen banana to your green concoction & blend into a chocolate, soft-serve ice-cream. BLUEberries + GREEN = Chocolate BROWN!

5. Optional: top with a teaspoon of cacao nibs.

Now go out and have the BEST Day Ever!

* Superfood Note: Super Foods like Maca and Cacao are very powerful foods bordering on medicine. This is a good time to do your own research on these two amazing foods. Start in small doses and listen to your body.

You may also enjoy: Poached Egg Topped Quinoa Cakes

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness

Japanese Seaweed Salad

Wakame, Agar, Sugnori, Tsunomata & Mafunori Seaweed freshly rehydrated

One of my favorite, must-order dishes whenever we eat at Japanese restaurants is seaweed salad. The exotic textures, colors and flavors are an irressitable treat for me, not to mention a bona fide cocktail of minerals & vitamins, including B12. Ocean sea vegetables are macroalgaes that possess an impressive profile of protein, minerals and trace minerals. It is said that a piece of raw, unwashed seaweed will retain every single mineral held by the ocean. Seaweed can purify the blood because its chemical compositions are very similar to blood plasma in human beings. Not only are these gorgeous sea vegetables a powerhouse of macrobiotic nutrition, they're anti-inflammatory and possess cholesterol lowering, anti-cancer & anti-viral properties as well… oh, they also make your hair lustrous & healthy too!

You can imagine my excitement when I realized I could make this beautiful salad at home. It's a delicious, light summer meal which takes only minutes to assemble. I often use SeaSnax SeaVegi seaweed salad mix, by a great company with strict sourcing from only the purest ocean waters.

Please enjoy this magical and exotic salad!

Japanese Seaweed Salad

Makes 4 side course servings or 2 main course servings if you're like Jim and me:-)

Ingredients:

1 oz package dehydrated Seaweed Salad Mix (or equivalent of mixed seaweeds such as Wakame, Agar, Sugnori, Tsunomata & Mafunori Seaweed)
1 fuji apple, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion thinly slivered
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp raw honey or agave

Method:

Place seaweed in a large bowl and cover with cold, filtered water. Set aside to rehydrate for 7 minutes, then drain into a collander.
While the seaweed is rehydrating, assemble the dressing by whisking together the vinegar, tamari, sesame oil and honey. Stir in the minced ginger and garlic.
Lastly place the rehydrated seaweed, sliced apple, sliced onion in a large serving bowl and toss with the dressing until coated.
Serve with chopsticks and enjoy!

Japanese Seaweed Salad

Food, Health, Nutrition & Wellness, Philosophy/Meditation/Spirituality

Sweet & Tangy Power Green Juice & My Raw Journey

Sweet & Tangy Power Green Juice

I've begun my Raw journey!

Several years ago I began experimenting as a vegetarian purely out of love for animals. One need only adore a pet of their own for that to turn into compassion for all animals. That's what happened for me. I became unable to hold dually in my conscience, that it's ok to eat one animal so long as I never knew it personally/it came from XYZ species, while simultaneously loving another animal as a member of my family.

I hold no judgement against meat eaters as it's woven into the fabric of our conditioning. We're raised eating, wearing & using animal products in more ways than we probably realize. Even despite my own internal conflicts over the issue, I've waffled back and forth between vegetarian/flexetarian over the years, rationalizing, since my husband was a carnivore, preparing a couple of meat dishes a week, though I'd use only humanely raised/organic products religiously.

Recently, however, after reading several fascinating nutrition books, I learned the amazing benefits of a raw foods vegetarian diet. What we've been conditioned to believe our bodies require nutritionally in order to thrive is quite upside down. A vegetarian/raw foods diet has been linked to a whole host of benefits including greater energy, radiant skin, reduced risk of disease and better digestion. Research and real life experiences have also shown that a person can prevent a body's healthy cells from turning into malignant cancererous cells by consuming mostly a vegetarian, raw food diet of whole, organic foods!

When I shared what I'd learned with Jim, I was thrilled when he decided he too wanted transition to a vegetarian, mostly Raw Vegan food diet. The timing was perfect! After just 2 weeks of phasing ourselves into this new lifestyle, we're already feeling and seeing the results. Jim, for example, is experiencing a much higher level of performance during his boxing workouts!

Uncooking, or eating Raw involves a lot of new techniques and some new tools- though the investment is negligible compared to health related expenses down the road. We'd already been making a delicious green smoothie daily for the past year (yes, we love it that much!) in our Vitamix, so we were off to a fab start. My 1st two equipment investments so far on our Raw journey are my spiralizer, for making vegetable pasta, and a Juicer. Love them both!

Originally, I'd planned to share my Raw Vegan recipe for Pasta Alfredo today, but I've received so many requests for this Power Green Juice that I decided to share it first. Again, this is NOT the same recipe as the green smoothie I've shared previously. Juicing is very different from blending as it immediately delivers a degree of enzymes/nutrition/benefits we'd never actually be able to consume in even one day. Jim and I noticed after our first Power Green Juice we experienced an awesome sustained rush of energy, not unlike what follows a cup of coffee, just without the jitters and subsequent crash.

Please enjoy Sweet & Tangy Power Green Juice. I am thrilled about it, as until now, I've never been able to drink more than a few sips of green juice, from even the best juicing companies. Sweet & Tangy Green Drink has a wonderful tang of ginger and lemon, sweetness from apples & zip from the fennel… and there's something about that fabulous sustained energy rush… it becomes addictive! It's already one of our daily staples.

Sweet & Tangy Power Green Juice

Recipe for Sweet & Tangy Power Green Juice (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 collard or kale leaves
3 romaine lettuce leaves
2 handfuls parsley, about 1/2 bunch (or use spinach)
1 cucumber
1/2 fennel bulb (or 1/2 of top portion, ie. the fronds/stems. I get four batches out of 1 fennel this way.)
3 stalks celery
2 green apples, cored
1 lemon, peeled (yellow skin removed)
1 lime
1 1/2" piece of fresh ginger root (I like a lot of ginger, you may want to try w/ a 1" piece first)
A couple squirts of Stevia to sweeten if necessary

Method:

Juice and enjoy!

Sweet & Tangy Power Green Juice

You may also enjoy: Until Next Time Nantucket Part I or Grapefruit, Avocado & Kalamata Salad