Love These Greens!

While the bulb end of root vegetables gets most of the attention, the powerhouse of nutrition is the attached green tops. Think carrots, parsnips, radishes, beets. Traditional supermarkets carry the root ends brightly displayed in their orange and red skins, but rarely do we find them with the fresh green tops still attached. That's when a trip to the farmer's market or local produce purveyor really pays off.

It's those bright green leaves we need. The ones that are nourishing the bulb end tucked into the dirt. Those very leaves reaching up toward the sun, gathering the energy to perform the miracle of photosynthesis, storing life giving nutrients within the leafy cells and veins, the very leaves that often get chopped off and disposed of, or never make it to the market as they grow limp and die, while their root ends sit in a warehouse for months on end, waiting to be swaddled in plastic packaging and shipped thousands of miles.

Many years ago, I listened to Christiane Northrup, M.D. present some simple guidelines for eating well for health and weight loss. She advised we eat smaller portions of many colored foods. The darker the better. The foods on our plates should be jewel toned, dark greens, orange, red, brown, yellow.

Sautéed beet greens with raw corn and tomato salad.

We would do well to follow the advice from Michael Pollan in his book, In Defense of Food. "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants". The 'not too much' portion is what I'm working on. I've extended that by adding my own two additional words: mainly raw.

I have no problem avoiding processed food. It's never been an attraction for me. No canned meals, frozen entrées, or packaged 'helpers' for me. The paper goods and pet foods aisle at the supermarket are about the only inside aisles I visit. No up and down each of those vast canyons for me, with their walls of colorful packaging that house foodstuffs filled with synthetic chemicals. I make a straight bee-line for the produce department, the TP and tissues aisle, then the cat food shelves and I'm out of there.

Romaine and cuke salad, black rice with almonds, green beans & yellow zucchini

Green smoothies in the morning, lots of juicy raw veggies for lunch and often for dinner, too. Occasionally, some enticing roasted veggies or some lightly cooked greens. It doesn't really take long to get out of the meat and potato mentality and other bad habits we grew up with, lashed to the Standard American Diet (SAD). Just remember that all those charts and pyramids we were indoctrinated with in school were prepared and presented to us by the meat and dairy councils.

Fill that morning smoothie with as many green leaves as you can!

And if you're still asking, "Where do you get your protein?" Check out Dr. Leslie Van Romer's delightful, light-hearted, simple explanation in her article, Do Elephants Eat Cows For Protein?

Green Comfort Food

Raw Broccoli Salad

Blanched Green Beans with Sautéed Pearl Onions

Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)

Not everyone is into drinking just green smoothies or eating every meal raw. For those of you who would like to add more greens to your daily diet, here are some vibrant green, tasty treats that make a fine meal by themselves or provide healthy sides.

Melissa Clark's article and recipe for broccoli salad, in the current NY Times, was my inspiration for trying a different take on the broccoli salad I've made in the past.

Quick and easy with a hint of Asian flavors (garlic, cumin seeds and sesame oil) this is a much lighter and healthier version than the familiar broccoli salad made with pancetta or prosciutto and mayonnaise.

Crisp, young green beans, blanched, then tossed and quickly sautéed with tiny pearl onions that have been well-browned in olive oil, provide a wonderful light lunch or supper accompanied by sliced tomatoes and warm whole wheat pita. A glass of fruity Cabernet will add considerably to the culinary satisfaction.

Rapini or broccoli rabe, by whichever name you know it, is a new favorite for me. This was not a vegetable that ever found its way onto the table as I grew up (most of those vegetables came from cans). But once I found it, I fell in love with it. I thought it was some form of young broccoli, but found it's a member of the mustard family. Parts of it do resemble broccoli florets. It has leaves and occasionally you find it with little yellow flowers. This is another lovely green, that does well with a quick blanching and then a quick sauté in olive oil with slivered garlic.

Blanching may seem a pain in the neck, but once you master the technique, which is to bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the clean vegetables, allow the water to return to a full boil, then let the vegetables swirl around, fully submerged, for 3 - 4 minutes, bringing out their bright green color. Drain and cool down immediately under running water, then toss them into an ice bath to completely stop the cooking process. This method will become second nature when preparing most green vegetables to preserve the vibrant green colors and fresh-from-the-garden flavors.

I often blanch vegetables prior to meal preparation. After draining well from the ice bath, slip them into a plastic storage bag and refrigerate until ready to use. This makes meal time prep simple and fast.

Rapini takes on a Mediterranean demeanor if served with slow cooked cannellini beans and a glass of Chianti. It's wonderful accompanying wild or Burmese red rice or some other interesting grain, such as quinoa.

I made a simple boiled, garlic infused mashed potato with smoked paprika to accompany the luscious greens, then used leftovers the next day to fill a quesadilla, adding cheese and a dash of hot sauce.

The quesadilla was made with a split whole wheat pita instead of the conventional tortilla, as that's what was on hand.

Improvising was once again inspirational . This was a mouth-watering meal that could easily become addictive.

I used thinly sliced Monterrey/Jack cheese layered over the mashed potatoes, then added a layer of rapini with a bit more cheese and drops of hot sauce before adding the top layer of pita and warming through over medium heat in a dry skillet.

There you have it, a few ideas for ways to add more greens. Don't miss out on the nutritional boost of fresh greens daily. While you're at it, you'll find some marvelous taste treats in the bargain.

It's an Old Tune

But a refreshing taste treat that's lovely to play again and again!

Papaya and Spinach

The smooth, rich, mild taste of fresh-from-the-tree papaya (one of the advantages of living in Florida) with organic, baby spinach is a green smoothie that anyone will like. My friend, Helen, appeared at my door on her way to work this morning with the two pictured papayas.
Peel and remove the seeds from the papaya and purée it, thin it down with a bit of water and add a banana, either fresh or frozen, to boost the nutrition while adding the barest hint of sweet banana flavoring. Then add half a bag of well washed spinach, preferably organic, approximately 5 oz. Blend until smooth.

It's easy to have breakfast on the go when you make up a big batch of green smoothie and store it in a convenient nalgene bottle. The lovely container above is available from The Raw Divas. Check it out. A plain thermos or nalgene jug will do nicely to carry your food supply to work or play. No excuse for not staying green on any day but particularly during the three day challenge.

Time For Another Green Smoothie Challenge

Seen one, seen them all, right? How green is my smoothie?

This one is chock full of spinach and parsley blended with two whole navel oranges without peel or pith, and two bananas, one of which was frozen.

The Divas, Amy and Tera, are hosting another Green Smoothie Queen Challenge. This little three-day exercise is a great way to become familiar with green smoothies while giving the old digestive system a little rest from all the hard work we put it through as we indulge plate by plate; meal by meal.

On the whole, folks I speak with and the majority of my blog readers are whole food eaters, many vegetarians, some vegans, but very few have dipped into the raw food lifestyle. Adding a green smoothie or two into the daily meal plan is an easy and pleasant way to incorporate living foods into our diet.

I switched to a fruit smoothie for breakfast about a year ago, eliminating all those popular, standard American diet breakfast foods: bacon and eggs, pancakes, waffles, cold cereal with fruit and milk, etc.


I started adding hands full of fresh greens to my smoothies last July after I participated in The Raw Divas 7-Day Raw Food Detox. And I've never looked back. Starting the day with a tall glass of living foods is not only delicious, but gives me a big jump start each day, filled with energy ready to take on the world.



Go wild and drink a big green smoothie three times a day for the next three days! Or be a little more conservative in your trial, add one for breakfast and one for lunch with a big salad for dinner.

At least try one as a standard breakfast replacement. All you need is a blender and some fresh produce. The combinations are endless. Start with a simple combo of juice, banana, frozen fruit and a big handful of greens. Spinach, kale, chard, romaine, all work well and are yummy.

Take the challenge!

Pumpkin-Chia Seed Muffin

Adapted from Mom-A-Licious by Domenica Catelli

From Dr. Oz Reveals the Ultimate Checklist for Great Aging

The other day, my friend, Helen, called to tell me she watched the Oprah Winfrey Show and one of the guests was the popular Dr. Mehmet Oz. As Helen was telling me about the anti-aging, anti-inflammatory episode, it triggered memories of Dr. Perricone's anti-aging suggestions, as well as bringing to mind the list of fourteen SuperFoods Rx that may be very beneficial to health, well-being and longevity.

For anyone just starting out on the road to taking charge of his own health through diet and exercise, the multitude of programs, suggestions, books, and websites with their attendant gurus, can be very confusing. So many different plans, so many different points of view, so many authorities.

On my daily walk the other day, I listened to a podcast of an interview with noted author, Michael Pollan. I encourage everyone to read his books, The Omnivore's Dilemma and certainly his brief and clearly to the point, newest volume, In Defense of Food, An Eater's Manifesto. In seven clear, concise words, the author gives us simple, common sense direction for how to eat. Not only to survive, but to be slim, trim and well.

"Eat food, not too much, mainly plants."

Good advice that sounds so simple. I would add two more words so it reads: mainly plants, mostly raw. That certainly sounds a simple formula, doesn't it?

If you aren't ready for a 100% raw lifestyle, if you like a bit of meat and dairy in your menu planning, if juice feasting isn't calling your name, yet, but you are concerned about doing something good for yourself, then eating whole, organic foods, avoiding all processed foodstuffs, exercising portion control and limiting the number of servings of meat and dairy, will go a long way toward achieving good health and in doing so, contribute mightily to the anti-aging process.

Making a few small dietary changes is the first step toward gaining control. Drastic lifestyle changes are hard to maintain and can be demoralizing. Take small first steps. The Raw Divas seven day detox is a great example of 'trying out' a system to rid your body of accumulated toxic build-up, it gives the whole digestive system a much needed rest, and it may even result in a few pounds of quick weight-loss.

If seven days seems a daunting block of time, try a weekend. Pamper yourself with a good book, a few old movies on DVD's, long naps, plenty of filtered drinking water, and some mono fruit meals for a couple of days. In this hectic world we live in, a couple of quiet days is a wonderful gift to give ourselves.

Digesting food is the biggest energy drain we impose on our systems. If you want more energy, eat foods that provide their own enzymes for digestion, leaving your energy stores available for other tasks. Learn more about how your body operates. In general, most people know more about how their cars operate than how their bodies operate. The car gets traded in at regular intervals, the body has to keep on running over a lifetime. How long that lifetime is and the quality of the service, depends on the care and upkeep — much like the car.

Dr Norman Walker made this astute observation, "If it is too much trouble to learn how to attain and maintain health, and to put such knowledge into practice, then the easier way out is to follow the line of least resistance, and hope fervently that the grave is not too far away."

Take an easy step toward health,

make a pumpkin/chia seed muffin!

Wasn't this a neat surprise?

Thanks for the vote of confidence. When I received the award notification, I realized how proud I was to be counted along with a growing number of people, world-wide, who've heard their own private alarm, and are taking control and assuming responsibility for their health and well-being.

As I posted earlier, this month is all about moderation. I start each day with a green smoothie, using a variety of fruit from day to day and including a generous helping of spinach, kale or romaine. I'm drinking about a quart of veggie juice each day - using it as a meal replacement (large glass - 12 oz) or in conjunction with some raw veggies such as a salad or veggie plate (smaller glass - 6 oz). If I have a cooked food meal it has been a vegan combination.

Here are the ingredients for today's jar of juice

I used 5 carrots, 1 stalk of celery, 2 Kirby cucumbers, 2 red apples, 1/3 bunch of flat leaf parsley, 1 beet, half a lemon and, not shown as they were an afterthought, 4 big strawberries.

et VOILÀ

Using beets sparingly along with other root vegetables is very palatable, especially with a little fruit to smooth out the earthy flavor. Carrots have a high sugar content, too. The greens give it an interesting herbal undertone and the celery, with its high sodium, brings out all the flavors just as adding a bit of sea salt does for cooked foods. The apple and lemon add a touch of sweetness and a bit of tang.

I'm experimenting with various vegetable combinations. Not only to vary the taste but to ensure a wide variety of nutrients. What an adventure!

My Body Needs A Break

Karen Knowler's* Robust Red Juice

It's been a little over six months since I embarked on The Raw Divas 7-Day raw food detox program. This blog is a record of the gradual inching away from green smoothies, mono-fruit meals, simple veggie snacks to big mixed salads, steamed vegetables, added grains, spicy salsas and sauces gracing pasta . . . on and on and on.

Not only does the scale show the results - UP, UP, UP. It's registering 4 - 5 lbs more than a month ago. But my energy level lags and I know, not just intellectually, but in every fiber of my being, that I'm sliding down the slippery slope — and if I keep on this path, the next thing will be burgers and fries!

I took the first step in that direction last evening. I dined out at a vegan spot, but had a "Philly-Dilly" on a big white French Hoagie roll! Yikes. The sandwich was laden with tasty, sautéed seitan (mock steak), peppers, onions, soy cheese and veganaise. As opposed to other things, it was relatively healthy, I guess. But I thought I was past that kind of eating!

As good as it all tasted going down, it rested in my stomach like the proverbial lead balloon. And I still felt a bit queasy when I awoke this morning.

It was a great wake-up call.

Coincidentally, if you believe in coincidence, providentially, if that's your bent, earlier in the week Heidi at Raw Food Right Now posted about her decision to embark on a juice feasting agenda. This is a big undertaking as the program runs 92 days. I read about her decision with interest and even spent some time investigating David Rainoshek's website, Juice Feasting, and watched the short introductory video. Right on the heels of looking into that site, Karen Knowler's weekly e-zine, Successfully Raw, arrived. And lo and behold, Karen's recipe of the week turned out to be a fantastic juice combination. The signs were all there! I knew I had to make some changes.

I assembled the ingredients called for in Karen's recipe and made about a quart of rosy red juice, which will be my mainstay for today's lunch. This is juice not a smoothie. Made in the juicer not the blender.

I'm posting the ingredients as Karen's newsletter is free to the public when you sign up for her free e-zine, and I certainly encourage you to sign up. Her experience, advice and inspiration provide a wealth of detailed guidance as we travel along the highway to health.
And believe me, every bit of help makes each step easier and more successful.

Karen's Tip-Top Cocktail*

1 beet (bulb only)

4 medium carrots

3 oranges

6 apples

1 small bunch of parsley

4 strawberries

Courtesy of: © Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach 2008, www.therawfoodcoach.com

I've often wondered how the wine enthusiasts can actually discern the various flavors in a sip of wine. Now I know! As I sipped my Tip-Top cocktail, I could taste the sweetness of the apple, the fresh, crisp herbal flavor of the flat leaf parsley, the robust, earthy flavor of the beet , the underlying richness from the carrots, and the light fresh flavor of the citrus. Karen reminds us not to omit the strawberries—and it's easy to see why, the bright, sweet finish they leave on the palate is unmistakable. This juice is a great example of "the whole being greater than the sum of its parts." It's a dynamite combination of fruit and vegetables offering a healthy dose of nutrients with a palate pleasing smooth finish. A nice way to give the digestive system a rest, maintain your energy, and enjoy nature's bounty.

I plan to follow a light eating pattern of juicing, raw fruits and veggies, green smoothies, raw nuts, seeds, lots of filtered water and only occasionally adding vegan soups or whole grain dishes over the next 30 days. I'll see how my system reacts and perhaps renegotiate my choices going forward but I feel certain they will lean toward more juicing, more raw food. I feel so good when I follow this eating lifestyle, but the years of habit, addictions, peer pressure, convenience, and poor time management, make it easy for us to slip back into old habits and eating patterns.

All we need to do is one good thing at a time, taking baby steps as we explore the options. Develop an eating plan that is right for ourselves based on our age, health, weight, lifestyle. And keep in mind that each right thing we do for ourselves brings us one step closer to realizing optimum health. Makes sense to me to at least try.

SPROUTS STEAL THE SHOW

I've always thought of Brussels sprouts as little cabbages, but I read that these little green heads are members of the mustard family. Though given the faint cabbage odor they impart during cooking makes me suspect they are at least kissin' cousins.

Last March, I reported that many of us have been enjoying this vegetable sliced and sautéed with shallots, then finished off with a dab of spicy brown mustard. But recently, I ran across another clever rendition that has the core cut out and the leaves separated before sautéeing them quickly in olive oil with sliced shallots and pistachios, then finished with a generous drizzle of lemon juice, salt and pepper.


The evening I decided to put in the extra effort to separate the leaves from a few sprouts, I started a half cup of Lundberg Farms Japonica rice. That's the combination of black and mahogany rice that I find so full flavored and perfect to combine with vegetables to make a full meal. My local Publix carries a selection of various Lundberg rices. Unfortunately, they don't carry this one. I pick it up at Whole Foods or Chamberlin's and try to always have an extra package tucked away as it makes a great meat substitute for stuffing veggies as well as a good base for a variety of rice bowls.



I gave the rice a little boost by starting it as I would for risotto. After rinsing the rice well in cold water, I heated a small sauce pan with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and added half a medium sweet onion, finely chopped. Once the onions had begun to sweat, but not browned, I added the rice and sautéed for a moment or two, stirring to coat each grain with oil, then I added a generous splash of dry vermouth and let that cook down before adding the water and salt, bringing it to a boil, then covering and turning down to a gentle simmer. This hardy rice takes about 40 minutes to cook. I use a pot with a glass lid so I can keep an eye on the evaporation process after the first 30 minutes. Once it appears dry — I leave it covered and move it off heat while I proceed with the rest of the meal preparations.




I have to plead guilty to having no pistachios in the house, but I did have walnuts, almonds, cashews and hazelnuts. Any one of them would have served well to replace the pistachios, but I chose the hazelnuts. I thought the rich, full-bodied flavor, skins and all, would stand up well to the sprouts.



The combination of meaty black rice, sprouts and nuts made a delicious rice bowl once seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. The addition of fresh lemon juice, before serving, gave the bowl a fresh, lively kick. The amazing feature is the bottom line. . . I used a half cup of rice, two shallots, 8 sprouts, a quarter cup of chopped hazelnuts and the juice from half a lemon.

You do the math based on where you live and where you shop — how little does this cost?

Not only is this inexpensive, but how easy it is to prepare a delicious meal simply and quickly with just a handful of ingredients. And the hidden benefit? It's super nutritious!

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Sunday mid-day meal is often an indulgence of cooked food. While whole and unprocessed, it does have a tendency to be a bit high in the carb department, often with a generous helping of dairy in the form of cheese or sour cream.

Today's treat is a version of the popular peasant food reputed to have originated in Naples, pasta with puttanesca sauce. Roughly translated: "in the style of the whore". The Italian word for whore being puttana.

Legend has it that it was a quick, easy meal for the 'ladies of the evening' to prepare in between customers. Another school of thought suggests the name was derived from the Latin word, putida "stinking", as the strong aroma of the sauce would attract men from the street.

The original version includes anchovies. I often skip the anchovies, relying solely on good quality olive oil, flavorful tomatoes, with kalamata olives and capers ensuring a depth of flavor that is rich and pleasing even without the signature ingredient.

This is a very simple sauce, made quickly while the pasta cooks, using pantry ingredients.

Make it a few times and you'll come to rely on it for a quick meal served over pasta or as a full flavored accompaniment for a mild fish fillet or chicken breast. It will be equally impressive in the dining room for company.

The sauce is a thoughtful gift item, too. Bottled up in a quart canning jar, tied with a big ribbon, nestled in an attractive little basket along with a loaf of crunchy, peasant bread or a bottle of red wine, it makes a unique birthday, thank you or hostess gift.

Sauce

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes in puree with basil (or fire-roasted crushed tomatoes)

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved and pitted

3 anchovy fillets (if using)

1-1/2 TBS drained capers

1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 pound thin spaghetti

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about one minute. Add tomatoes, olives, anchovies(if using), capers, oregano and crushed red pepper. Simmer sauce over medium heat until thickened, breaking up the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While sauce cooks, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al denté. Drain and return to pot, add sauce, toss to coat. Serve with grated cheese.

Let's Make A Mango Tango

This is a delightful tropical taste treat loaded with vitamins, minerals, and trace elements providing synergistic wellness.

Sure beats popping pills!

Mango Tango
8 oz freshly squeezed orange juice

one frozen banana

one banana (very ripe)at room temperature

one cup frozen mango cubes

torn leaves from 3- 4 kale stems (or more)

Blend fruit and juice

then add washed, torn kale leaves and pureé until smooth.

Drink up and Enjoy!

The Mango Tango

Raspberry Romaine Royale

When is green not green?

Here's a green smoothie that's like a leopard hiding its spots. The vibrant red of the raspberries overpowered the pale green of the Romaine leaves.

Every now and then I run out of dark green leafy produce. This was one of those days. With a trip to the produce market planned for later in the day, the best I could come up with this morning for breakfast was a crisp heart of Romaine, not quite as light as iceberg lettuce, but definitely on the pale side when compared to my favorites, kale and spinach.

But what a taste treat this combo produced, thick, rich and creamy. Sweet with just a tingle of tartness from the raspberries. This could easily pass for a frozen dessert.

Raspberry/Romaine Royale

1 cup apple juice

1 fresh banana

1 frozen banana

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 heart of Romaine

Blend well and enjoy - a spoon may be required!

The Green Smoothie Queen Challenge

Here it is, the first day of the three day green smoothie challenge. The Raw Divas have put together some great, encouraging information, along with a grocery shopping list, some suggestions for wholesome, tasty combinations of fresh fruits and vegetables to help us all along as we pursue our own particular goal.


Some of us have chosen the raw food path as a means to weight loss. Others are looking for a better way to stay healthy, to prevent debilitating diseases and to build a strong immune system. Those of us who are ill, are looking for a more natural, holistic approach of treatment. And still others are eager to have baby-soft skin again with a glowing complexion free of blemishes. Isn't it amazing that what we eat or don't eat can play such a major role in all the scenarios above?


I first met up with The Raw Divas and their Seven Day Raw Food Detox in July. Since then, I've had a green smoothie EVERY morning. And my other two meals are usually raw. Big salads or for dinner, a light, cooked veggie assortment.

I have gone from a size 14 to a size 10.

I have superb energy, look good for my age (68), have soft skin and feel super. I will add that I'm a breast cancer survivor, twice. Once in 1983 and most recently, just this past month, November 2007. Eating well and carefully is very high on my priority list. I attribute eating well to the long 24 year span between episodes. But I could have done better. I ate no processed foods, avoided deadly whites, ate primarily vegetarian, but I certainly did fall prey to a sugar addiction as well as many rich, gourmet foods that while whole not processed, still were not the healthiest nutrient choices I could have made.

Here's the beginning of this morning's smoothie. I had half the finished rich, green smoothie for breakfast and the other half for lunch. This was a great tasting combo that consisted of the juice from two oranges, a frozen banana, a large chunk of fresh pineapple (about the equivalent of 4-5 rings), a handful of frozen mixed berries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries and 1/2 a 10oz bag of spinach.

I had a big glass full (12 ounces) for breakfast and the remaining big glass full for lunch. I just had a crisp, juicy organic Braeburn apple for my mid-afternoon snack. I plan on preparing another big green smoothie for dinner — soon. This one will have more veggies and less fruit. After all, it's dinner not breakfast now!

For those who are just embarking on the raw food lifestyle adventure, this may seem strange and contrary to the long established habit of eating cooked foods. But if you give it a shot with an eager open mind, it won't take long to see the results, feel the difference and have it become second nature to reach for the blender instead of the sauté pan when meal time rolls around.

BLEND 'EM UP!

The Kitchen Aid 5 Speed Blender

I recently treated myself to a new blender. Making a vibrant, green smoothie at least once a day, if not twice, increased my wish for a more powerful machine than the old Krups blender that has served me well for at least 15 years. The challenge with the Krups involved constantly stopping the machine and rearranging the frozen fruit, or pushing down the greens to get everything smooth and creamy.

I've been researching blenders. The Vita-Mix and/or the Breville are great machines if price isn't an issue. But if finding a reasonable, heavy-duty blender is your goal, This Kitchen Aid machine is great for a machine in the $100 range. Check out the details.

The first time I used it, it blew my mind, how quickly and thoroughly everything was pureed without any effort on my part except for pushing the button! Way to go.

If you're planning on joining The Raw Divas for the 3-day Green Smoothie Queen Challenge, having a blender is about the only piece of equipment you'll need along with a supply of fresh greens.

Diva Keely, has posted information, along with a great image of green smoothies charmingly held in a special green smoothie container imprinted with words that offer uplifting encouragement , as we consume these great drinks filled with live foods providing vibrant health and super energy.

It's not too late to sign up to join us for what promises to be a fun-filled experience starting December 17th.

Go Green!

What's Dreamy, Creamy and Green?

This may look like any other green smoothie, but let me tell you, it's not!

My neighbor brought me half of a beautifully ripe papaya from a local tree - no pesticides or fertilizers used. I blended it with a little water to move things along, added a frozen banana and two big hands full of spinach. This is absolutely scrum-delicious.

Check out the nutritional facts of the humble papaya. This is a delicious fruit that rates up in the top three of top nutritional fruits. Great as a digestion aid and particularly helpful to folks trying to lose weight.

The Raw Divas are hosting a 3-day green smoothie challenge beginning December 17th. Consider joining us. This would certainly qualify for a very green smoothie. Mildly sweet, rich and creamy, packed with unadulterated whole foods nutrition — without a taste hint of its healthy properties — just a mouth-pleasing, tummy soothing treat.

If you can find a fresh papaya, try this, it's fabulous. I'm going to check the freezer cases for fresh, frozen papaya chunks to use when local papayas aren't available. And I'm going to boldly ask my neighbor if there are any more where this papaya came from!

The Easier Way to Cleanse and Get Your Dream Body - Kevin Gianni

Check out this informative article by Kevin in the latest issue of News Target. Kevin is the author of The Busy Person's Fitness Solution, check out his site for some great guidance and while there, sign-up for his newsletter.

I really enjoyed Kevin's analogy, comparing our fastidiousness with daily showers while completely ignoring the sludge/gunk /filthy build-up inside our bodies. It's our insides that allow us to function. What's up with that? Most of us completely ignore the important parts, the ones that don't show, while lavishing time and products on the parts that do. As if eye shadow and mascara will allow us to live longer and better.

Loved, too, the quote of the title of Jane Pentz's book, If You Don't Take Care of Your Body Where Will You Live?" Great food for thought, isn't it?

Check out Kevin's article. After reading it this morning, I donned the walking shoes and headed out with a new spring in my step. This was the first cleansing, BEFORE the shower and shampoo!

* * * * * * *

Book Nook

I managed to find quite a few 'good reads' over the past two months. Besides those listed, I started quite a few others, but gave them the Nancy Pearl treatment. To paraphrase:

Give a book 50 pages, if you can't get interested at that point, move on to another book. BUT if you're over 50 years of age, deduct your age from 100. The remainder is the number of pages you can afford to give a book that doesn't grab you from the first paragraph or at least the first page.

October 2007

Sweet Revenge Diane Mott Davidson

Flesh and Blood Michael Cunningham

Pontoon Garrison Keillor

Resurrection Row Anne Perry

The Bone Garden Tess Gerristen

Shoot Him If He Runs Stuart Woods

The Food Revolution John Robbins

Almost Moon Alice Seybold

World Without End Ken Follett

November 2007

Book of the Dead Patricia Cornwell

The Lottery Patricia Wood

Paris Trout Pete Dexter

The Way Life Should Be Christina Baker Kline

Montana Sky Nora Roberts

Bridge of Sighs Richard Russo

The Golden Notebook Doris Lessing

Now and Then Robert Parker

New England White Stephen L. Carter

Read - it's a great exercise for the mind, a relaxing escape, and it provides a wealth of enrichment.

It's a Dicey Business

Israeli Salad

Kristen Makuch's latest newsletter has some great, easy-to-make, raw salad dressings, as well as instructions for making chopped salad to have on hand in the fridge. Reading it prodded me to make up a batch of Israeli salad — an old favorite, long neglected.

Check out Kristen's website and while there, sign up for her newsletter. It's a wonderful resource, filled with great ideas to give us some nice diversity on our raw food journey.

I first made an Israeli salad following Mollie Katzen's instructions in her fabulous cookbook, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. It was my first vegetarian cookbook, a Christmas gift in 1985 from my son, Bill. Many more of Ms Katzen's volumes have found there way into my collection over the years, but the first one is perhaps the most memorable . It was certainly the most used.

Mollie's version includes minced dill pickle, sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives as well as sliced radishes. Most versions you find on the Internet are pretty straight forward with a simple dice of tomato, cucumber, scallions, parsley (or an assortment of fresh herbs such as dill and/or mint). The salad is dressed with a little olive oil and the juice from a large lemon. For the sake of 'raw', I made mine without the added olives and pickles and no radishes, but only because I had no radishes in the house.

Basic Israeli Salad

3 Kirby cukes, unpeeled, diced

3 plum tomatoes, diced

3 sliced green onions - white and green part

1 medium red pepper, diced

1/2 - 1 cup finely-minced fresh parsley

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice from 1 large lemon

salt and freshly ground pepper

Toss all ingredients together gently and chill. It keeps well in the refrigerator for several days and is great served on its own, but I like to incorporate it with fresh, crisp lettuce.

This big bowl of juicy, crunchy greens with the vibrant, flavorful diced vegetables makes a super lunch or quick supper. With the Israeli salad ready in the fridge, washing and spinning some hearts of Romaine makes for an instant meal.

For those of you who are pursuing a whole foods diet, but not necessarily 100% raw, here's a nice little finishing touch:

Ciabatta with fresh ricotta and organic fig spread.

The bread, organic white whole wheat, is sliced super thin, then lightly smeared with a teaspoon of fresh ricotta cheese and a half teaspoon of fig spread. Low on calories, big on flavor — a wonderful way to finish off a light veggie meal and the perfect mate for a mellow Merlot.

Whole fresh foods — fabulous flavors, nifty nutrition — give it a try.

Champagne Omelette

Enough of the holiday leftovers, I said. Yet, when I opened the fridge to get out the eggs, I found another leftover — a forlorn, opened, bottle of bubbly with a decent amount left, sans bubbles, to be sure, but with a lovely, dry, fruity, lasting reminder that there's still some life left after the mimosas have been consumed.

I planned on sautéing some minced sweet onion, and red pepper with a small diced Yukon Gold spud. After the mix began to sauté in a little olive oil, I gave the vegetable medley a pinch of kosher salt, a few grinds of spicy peppercorns, and then a generous splash of the flat sparkling wine. I popped on a lid, for a few moments, to let the flavors marry, and give the veggies a little steambath in the fruity haze. Then with the lid removed, I turned up the heat a bit to let the liquid evaporate and to finish up the peppers, potatoes and onions as they turned a lovely golden brown, before adding two well beaten eggs whisked with a little half and half, a touch of salt, a few grinds of fresh pepper and a scattering of basil chiffonade.

Following my grandmother's frequent admonishment to "waste not; want not", I poured the remainder of the flat bubbly into a flute to enjoy with the plated omelette, a sliced tomato and a bit of sweet roll.

Among the many gifts and surprises my sons bestowed on me over the holiday weekend was a little individual panettone which turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to my hastily improvised champagne omelette.

Another simple, quick kitchen adventure.

Dressing with a Twist

Shortly before Turkey Day, I ran across Mark Bittman's take on a simple, crunchy dressing. One that's cooked outside of the bird, without eggs or stock. A light bready side accompaniment that turned out to be the prize winner of the assortment of food platters presented.

We've decided this is a must for the repertoire as it could easily be used with other animal offerings, how about as a side with pork chops?

But it will be a big hit with vegetarians as a great alternative filling for stuffed peppers, stuffed zucchini, perhaps wrapped in grape or cabbage leaves? Or as an interesting crunchy side with steamed veggies.

The easy instructions lend themselves nicely to alternative renditions. Changing the nuts, using different herbs, including other additions. I added sliced chestnuts to our Thanksgiving version. Dried cherries or even bits of dried apricots would be a lovely alternative with perhaps toasted hazelnuts in place of the walnuts.

I've noticed that the simple, yet very flavorful preparations that Mark Bittman offers, lend themselves very nicely to experimenting with variations or to using what's on hand.

Here's the New York Times video presentation of Mark making this tasty dressing:

http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=8c6651319434f112dd72115973275b55f3125309

I used multi-grain, many seeded baguettes from Whole Foods Bakery along with sliced chestnuts, walnuts and the recommended tarragon. We've been eating the leftovers with a little gravy for breakfast, lunch and snacks. Two baguettes makes a lot of dressing!

Add this one to your files. It's a keeper!

Tropical Delight

Pineapples are flooding the market at reasonable prices. Take advantage. The combination of freshly squeezed orange juice, banana and fresh pineapple is a lovely light combo that makes a fine base for adding any dark leafy green. Romaine, kale, spinach are good choices.

This smoothie incorporates young spinach leaves, producing a very mild mix with no hint of bitter greens.

I used juice from 2 oranges, 1 cup of filtered water, 1 frozen banana, 1 fresh banana, approximately 1/4 of a fresh pineapple and once that was completely blended, added two big handfuls of spinach leaves.

Blend away and start your day! Delicious.

Fried Pie? Oh, Yeah!

This week one of my favorite cooks, food writers and New York Times columnist, featured a fried pizza. Leave it to Mark Bittman to tweak my curiosity yet again with a new twist on an old favorite. But it seems it's not truly a new twist.

My friend, Helen, tells me her aunt in Italy, fries dough all the time, and often it's served with just a coating of herbs and garlic. Nice accompaniment to soup or salad and a fine light bite to nosh with wine.

In addition to being intrigued with this novel method of cooking a pizza, I was pleased with the added benefit of not running the oven at 500° for an hour to get it as hot as possible, then another 25 - 30 minutes to bake the pizza. Not only because it narrows the gap between cooking and eating, but it also doesn't waste kilowatts. Going green is a good goal!

Here's Mark Bittman's pie professionally

photographed by Evan Sung of the NY Times.

Notice it has meat, tomatoes, cheese and fresh basil. The basic premise is simple: fried dough with a few fresh toppings. The fewer toppings the faster it cooks. With more toppings, adding a lid or running it under the broiler is suggested.

While I'd like to eat 100% raw, I'm not there yet. But I do curb the servings of cooked foods I eat. Additionally, I limit them to non-processed, whole, vegetarian foods. This quick stove top version of pizza filled the bill and provided a very satisfying Saturday night quick supper.

I had a jump start on the prep work as I had whole wheat pizza dough snuggled in the freezer. Early in the day, I took out a ball to defrost in the fridge and then let it rest at room temperature for a half hour before I started cooking.

A batch of pizza dough makes four 8 -10" pizzas. I use a very basic recipe and have had great success using King Arthur Organic White Whole Wheat flour.

Dough: 1 pkg yeast (2 1/4 tsp); 1 cup warm water (105° - 115°); 3 1/2 - 4 cups whole wheat flour; 4 TBS olive oil; 1 tsp salt.Mix dough ingredients, knead until smooth, let rise in oiled bowl. Once fully risen, punch down and form into four balls. Proceed with recipe or wrap well and freeze.

I used a very simple topping of one sliced vine-ripened tomato; 6 pitted and chopped Calamata olives, a handful of grated mozzarella cheese and a little dried herb mix of basil, oregano, dried red chili and sea salt.

Process: Prepare topping ingredients of your choice. Roll out dough to a 10" round. Heat 10" or 12" skillet over medium heat, add a thin layer of olive oil and when it shimmers, arrange dough in pan and continue cooking until bottom browns. Turn dough over in pan, arrange toppings on browned crust and continue cooking until bottom side is browned, toppings are warm, and cheese is melted. Add a lid to help warm toppings or alternatively, place under broiler to finish. With light toppings, as pictured above, adding a lid for a few minutes melted the cheese quickly and the whole process from start to finish didn't take but 5 - 6 minutes.

I'm eager to experiment with other toppings to produce some interesting flat bread snacks.

• Arugula, fig and goat cheese with tarragon • Spinach, roasted garlic and feta with oregano • Caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes and smoked mozzarella with basil.

Combinations are limitless and will be fun to play around with. Drizzles of flavored oil when serving can add another interesting dimension. Bring on the wine and let the party begin!