A salad with yummy sprouts!

The following article is by my dear friend Denise Holden. I’ve been meaning to post about sprouts for a while now, as they are a prominent part of my diet. They’re such a great way to eat fresh, live, nutrient rich food. Here’s what Denise has to say about them:

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During the winter season, sprouts are an excellent source of fresh vegetables.

Sprouts represent the point of greatest vitality in the life cycle of a plant. During sprouting, vitamin and enzyme content increases dramatically. The sprouting process predigests the nutrients of the seed, making it easier to assimilate and metabolize: starches are converted into simple sugars, proteins into free amino acids, and fats into free fatty acids. This explains why grains and legumes, many of which are common allergens, often do not cause allergies when sprouted. Read more…

Green smoothies are one of the very best choices you can make for a healthy diet. They’re growing in popularity faster than people can tweet about them, and I wouldn’t miss my morning green smoothie because of how much my body loves it.

“You want me to drink kale?” This is what goes through some people’s mind the first time they’re introduced to green smoothies. You know the face children make when they don’t want to eat something? I’ve watched that look come across the faces of people before they try it.

But then they give it a shot, and lo and behold, it tastes good! Better yet, it FEELS great! Your body says, “Oh yeah, that’s what I want.”

Why is that? Well, green leafy veggies are one of the most healing foods nature provides. They lower the acidity in the body and help your system restore balance with that all powerful substance: chlorophyll.

Plus they’re loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and more. Read more…

Okay, I’ve got a new favorite.

This morning’s green smoothie developed from whatever I could find to put in the Vita Mix. Since I’m visiting my parents at the moment, and my dad brought home some kiwis, I thought I’d throw one in.

At some point this summer I ate my first kiwi with the skin on. I know, if you haven’t done it this seems very strange, but it doesn’t taste bad at all, and gives you more fiber and other goodness. So for my smoothie this morning all I did was cut the very tips of the kiwi off (the hard bits) and toss the rest in.

Kiwi is very low on the glycemic index (meaning it’s less likely to spike your blood sugar and insulin levels). It also is high in potassium and vitamin C, as well as other minerals and vitamins. Read more…

At first glance a green smoothie might not look apetizing. I mean, it’s green! This generally evokes a child-like face with a scrunched up nose as a reaction.

But then you taste it. And very soon after that you FEEL it.

And lo and behold, it’s really good!

Green smoothies are one of the very best ways to get a whole lot of nutrients, anti-oxidants, and healing green leafy veggies into your system. When you do this, your body responds with energy and vitality. Read more…

I never thought I’d be a raw foodie. Honestly. I’ve always valued the direct connection between food and health and have eaten vegetarian most of my life, but I also didn’t like the idea of giving up cooked foods. I’m not into being hungry, and, let’s face it, I really like bread!

However, in the last few months I’ve found myself craving more raw food, and the more I eat raw the more I want to eat raw.

I’ve been eating maybe 50 – 70% raw for the last month. The biggest difference I notice is that I am more consistently happy now than ever. I feel good. I have more energy. My relationship with my body has increased in awareness. I naturally want to work out and be more active.

It all started with green smoothies. Read more…

How much food do you eat in its natural state?

Fresh fruits, salads, and cut up veggies for snacks are the most common raw foods for the majority of people. This is a great start, especially if you include them in your diet regularly.

However, there is a whole world of culinary delights most of us have never even considered.

The raw food movement has been growing at an exponential rate. Some of the reasons people choose to eat raw food include: Read more…