I have always enjoyed the aesthetic appeal of endive salads. They look so elegant on the plate and make any luncheon or dinner party table look amazing without a lot of effort. The hostess gets the credit for a fabulous spread, but it's simply due to the shape and beauty of the endive. Belgian endive , also known [...]
I have come to the realization that I am just not a morning person, however, the show must go on. There's lots of work to be done and a full day ahead to steam through. I stopped relying on coffee to perk me up years ago--thank goodness! Now green tea is my caffeine source of choice. But whenever [...]
It's summertime and we want to look extra lean and lovely, don't we? It doesn't help that the cover models on all of the health, fitness and fashion magazines I subscribe to, look especially fit and fabulous in their swimsuits and revealing summer shorts. Plus, the reflection in the mirror is just not measuring up to my [...]
I have always loved the taste of chocolate, but until recently I never bothered to explore the addition of cacao powder to my daily smoothies and puddings. However, once I bought the ingredients needed to make a chocolate chia pudding-- which turned out great--I had more cacao powder left over, so I decided to use it in a [...]
As passionate as most people are about chocolate, I have never been one to really care that much about it. Sure, I love to enjoy a dark chocolate bar from time to time, but I had never experimented with raw cacao powder in my kitchen at all. Until recently. While browsing the shelves at a well-respected [...]
Quick to make and easy to carry, collard green wraps have recently become my latest lunch obsession. When I decided to limit my consumption of sandwiches and wraps made with whole wheat flour--from sliced bread to pitas to wraps--I began to explore other ways to make light and healthy wraps. I experimented with romaine lettuce but I [...]
When I crave something rich, creamy, savory and satisfying, I immediately think of an avocado. It's distinct, creamy texture and rich, nutty flavor make it a popular ingredient in many dishes. Although it is probably most well known as a key ingredient in the Mexican dip "guacamole", avocado adds an amazing texture to mouthwatering wraps, sandwiches and salads due to its high-fat content. But [...]
When I crave something creamy, yet healthy, I love to whip up a quick raw soup using a variety of vegetables blended with avocado to provide a creamy consistency. This light, savory and slightly spicy raw soup is perfect for lunch or dinner. I like to serve it with a fresh, crispy salad and raw, dehydrated flax crackers. The [...]
We all know that a daily diet rich in fruits and vegetables can maximize your health and well-being, so I'm kicking off this month with a special giveaway prize that you'll love to use in your healthy, natural kitchens! I'm giving away a deluxe Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Spiral Vegetable Slicer. The Paderno World Cuisine Vegetable Slicer creates spiral cuts and [...]
Raw, homemade cashew milk is a versatile and nutritious base for lots of delicious drinks and delicious. Once you have made a quart of of fresh cashew milk the sky is the limit. You can create all kinds of delicious smoothies by choosing from a variety of fresh fruits and spices. One of my favorite drinks [...]
Whenever I crave something rich and creamy, yet healthy, the first natural ingredient I think about is cashews. Cashews are used to create amazing creamy raw milks, sauces, yogurts, desserts, soups, spreads, dips and more. Thought cashews were originally native to northeastern Brazil, the cashew tree is now widely grown in tropical regions. Nigeria and Vietnam, [...]
A meal of quinoa and green vegetables like kale andcollard greens provides significant amounts of calcium. Are you getting enough? Calcium, that is. As a vegan, I am constantly asked what I eat and where I get key nutrients such as protein and calcium. We all know that calcium is essential for key bodily [...]
While on a tour in Honduras, local herbal medicine men demonstrated some of the medicinal plants that were commonly grown there and used for natural healing. We tasted a variety of brown, bitter brews, tonics and teas. One of them was moringa tea--a plant I was not familiar with at the time. Photo: Moringa Tree. [...]
I am the kind of salad lover who makes a huge salad full of my favorite vegetables in a large serving bowl and eats the whole thing! My life has been quite busy so I haven't shopped for fresh, organic produce in a few days. When my stomach started grumbling, I rummaged through my refrigerator and [...]
I love the taste of pomegranate juice and appreciate it's powerful health nutritional benefits, but I have always been a little overwhelmed by the prospect of opening a pomegranate myself. So I decided to learn how to open a pomegranate properly in order to use fresh seasonal pomegranates to make juices, smoothies and other delicious recipes. A little research [...]
Each year when fall rolls around, I mysteriously develop a particular passion for pumpkin recipes. From pumpkin seed milk to roasted pumpkin, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie to pumpkin pudding, pumpkin granola and pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin is quite likely to be on the menu in some way, shape or form--whether raw, steamed, baked, sauteed or pureed. Sure, jack-o-lanterns [...]
This time of the year, my local farmer's market feels like pumpkin heaven. Pumpkins of all colors, shapes and sizes dot the market everywhere I look. So of course I have to lug one or two home with me to make some pumkin seed milk and other goodies! On your next trip to the farmer's market, [...]
Now you can avoid carrageenan and make your own organic hemp milk. For many years, I have replaced cow's milk with nondairy, plant-based milks. Of course, I am not alone. There are growing concerns about the benefits and safety of cow's milk, and many people are looking for alternatives. Also, lactose intolerance and allergies [...]
Have you had your hemp smoothie today? Try some of these healthy hemp smoothie recipes. For thousands of years, man has been using hemp for fiber, paper, clothing, beauty aids, food, milk , medicinals and more--making it a valuable and versatile natural resource. Hemp seeds--which are technically a fruit--taste a bit like pine nuts, but [...]
When I was growing up, "Eat your beets" was the oft-repeated mantra of caring moms and dads--including mine. Back then beets weren't my favorite, but I managed to force them down, under pressure. Since I was very anemic, beets were the blood-building "tonic du jour". Nowadays, as an enlighted veggie lover, I happily embrace the nutritional [...]
There are few foods that I like better than chewy, chunky mushrooms. So when I found some fresh, organic shitake mushrooms at my local farmer's market, I couldn't wait to get them home. Besides being delectable, shitake mushrooms are noted for their healing and medicinal properties. Next, I scooped up bunches of farm fresh, organic watercress [...]
Now you can easily locate organic pressed juice! As a health-conscious gal who loves to go places and do things, whether I am headed to another state or another county, one of my major concerns usually is: "How will I be able to find healthy, organic food and drink where I am going?" This [...]
Energize and cleanse with a Dandelion, Strawberry, Mango Detox Smoothie. Though slightly bitter with a distinctive, strong 'green' taste, dandelion greens have become my new healthy smoothie must-have! Dandelion greens are said to help cleanse the liver and many detox recipes call for them. So, if your objective is detoxification and cleansing, then dandelion [...]
Super-nourishing Dandelion, Goji Berry and Coconut Green Smoothie You've probably seen them growing wild on your lawn for years and never realized what a rich nutrient source they were. We're talking about dandelions, the leaves of those common weed flowers many consider a lawn maintenance nuisance. But they're clearly misunderstood! Dandelion Greens Dandelion [...]
