Simple Yet Sensational

A bright, light salad starts this luncheon menu. Hearts of Romaine, sweet Texas onion, Kirby cuke, half a Haas avocado, hunks of fresh pineapple, snack sprouts, sunflower seeds, raisins and a smidgen of blue cheese crumbles, tossed with a little extra virgin olive oil and a generous splash of Bragg's apple cider vinegar provides a big bowl of flavor along with a healthy helping of nutrients.

The entree features two bright, vibrant veggies that have been lightly coated with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted off in a 425° oven for about 20 - 25 minutes. The asparagus cooks much more quickly than the sweet potato, so I sliced the tuber in 1/4" pieces and gave it a quick 5 minute blanching in a small pot of boiling water. Then I drained the potatoes well before brushing the slices lightly with olive oil.

Roasting tip: Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and brush it lightly with olive oil before adding the vegetables. Then just brush the olive oil over the top or spray with a misto-o bottle. Generously dust with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Turn the veggies after the first 10 - 12 minutes then continue roasting until they are tender crisp when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. Plate attractively and sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.

The salad and roasted veggies make a great vegetarian lunch or light supper but could serve equally well accompanying a meat or fish entrée. Uncomplicated preparations of fresh garden vegetables, some raw, some quickly roasted until crisp tender — simply sensational.

Rapini and Pine Nuts

Eager to use a fresh bunch of crisp, green rapini , I washed, chopped and sautéed it in olive oil, minced garlic and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper. Meanwhile, I toasted a couple of tablespoons of pine nuts, added them to the rapini, and put a large pot of water on to boil for pasta.

Once the water boiled, I added two cups of mini penne, and tossed in 4 sun-dried tomatoes. When the tomatoes had softened up I removed them with a slotted spoon and set them aside allowing the penne to finish cooking just to the al dente stage, about 8 - 9 minutes. When the softened tomatoes were cool enough to handle I sliced them up and added them to the pan of rapini along with the drained penne and mixed well with a little of the reserved cooking water.

A little thinly shaved Parmesan Regianno tops off this easy dish of pasta, rapini and pine nuts. The sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and the hint of crushed red pepper gives the whole dish a depth of flavor that belies the quick prep time. Leftovers heated up nicely the next day. Once again proving that good meals don't have to be complicated, expensive or time consuming to prepare.

Ready to Roll

Here's a twist on an old favorite, the BLT. This one could well be called an ALT. Avocado replaces the bacon providing a rich, creamy, unctuous mouth feel along with great flavor and a good dose of vitamins and minerals, including some healthy fat.

A whole wheat wrap with a little almonaise, slivered Romaine leaves, diced tomato and Haas avocado sprinkled with a light dusting of Sea Seasonings — Triple Blend Flakes of Dulse, Laver and Sea Lettuce— provides a tasty, healthy, lunch.

Don't be put off by the high calorie count of an avocado. This little wonder is a dynamite, heart healthy food. An avocado provides an extremely high amount of potassium as well as a healthy blend of calcium and magnesium, Vitamins A and C, zinc, phosphorous and iron, to name a few of the nutrients available from this little green oval. Whether you choose the California or the Florida avocado, adding a bit to sandwiches, salads and salsas is certain to kick up the flavor a notch, but will also provide the body with essentials to help stay healthy. To learn more about the nutritional value of foods, check out this informative site, The World's Healthiest Foods.

Pocket Filler

Broccoli florets, shallots and sweet red bell peppers*, tossed with a little olive oil, dusted with an Italian herb blend from Penzey's, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, roasted off in a 400° oven for 20 minutes, is a mouth-watering combination sure to please even the 'meat and potato' skeptic.

Eaten as a main course, served as a side dish, or used to fill a whole wheat pita pocket, these oven roasted veggies offer such great flavor that it easily puts to rest the mistaken notion that healthy food is blah food.

* Oven roasted red peppers from a jar work just fine with this combination.

Filling meal time with fresh fruit and vegetables is quick, easy and healthy. Try a few meals without meat or dairy. It will help save the planet, while doing wonders for your health.

Green Beans and Almond Salad

Nothing like a little inspiration from one of my favorite cooks and food writers.

Recently, Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks posted a lovely soba noodle and asparagus recipe with peanut dressing. It was the inspiration for this dish. Which is really nothing more than a copy-cat effort with substitutions. But it reaffirms my constant comment that making substitutions and performing variations on a theme is a good talent to have in the kitchen.

As long as it's not while you're baking. Then, adhering to the written directions and specified amounts is paramount to a successful outcome.

I like to include almonds or walnuts in dishes, adding the nutritional lift of protein along with the flavor and crunch these tasty guys provide. Peanuts aren't actually nuts they are legumes, which means, while tasty, they don't pack the nutritional wallop of a true nut. I've been using raw almonds and almond butter in place of peanuts and peanut butter and this is a good example of how to substitute one for the other.

With green beans currently in the markets at bargain prices, using them as the veggie for this salad was a no-brainer but the asparagus that Heidi used would do equally well. I whipped up the following luncheon dish in under 30 minutes. But, be advised: the green beans had already been washed, trimmed and blanched the day before.

I keep organic soba noodles, purchased at the local Asian market, on hand. As I'm usually cooking for one or two, I buy a neat little package that has the noodles divided into perfect portions of 3.1 oz little bundles. These are authentic Japanese buckwheat noodles and are simply made of organic wheat, organic buckwheat and water. Other than waiting for water to boil, they are virtually instant. Once added to the boiling water (much care should be taken as they boil over easily) they cook in 3 - 4 minutes. Drain and rinse and they're ready to go. You can add them to stir-fries, soup stock or eat them hot or cold with a dipping sauce or in a salad as above.

Green Beans and Soba Noodles with Almond Dressing

2 " piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 cup creamy, almond butter

5 TBS mirin

1/4 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar

2 TBS tamari

1 tsp kosher salt (I like the large flakes) but sea salt is fine, too.

1 pound of trimmed, washed green beans

1/2 cup sliced almonds, dry toasted

2 sliced shallots or fresh green onions

soba noodles 3- 4 oz (one stack)

Preparation requires 4 simple steps:

1. make the dressing;

2. blanch the green beans;

3. boil the noodles;

4. assemble.

1. Make the dressing: Using a small holed grater, grate the fresh ginger over a medium bowl catching all the juice and the pulp. You should have about a heaping teaspoon. To the same bowl add the almond butter, mirin, vinegar, tamari and salt. Use a whisk or fork to combine well.

2. If not already blanched, add the green beans to a large pot of lightly salted boiling water. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. If beans are being prepared at time of salad preparation, carefully remove the beans from the boiling water with a large skimmer, reserving the pot of hot water. Return the water to a boil and proceed with soba noodle directions.

3. Bring a medium pot of cold water to a boil, add soba noodles (watch for overboil - lift pan from burner momentarily and turn down the temperature, maintaining a full boil.) Boil for 3 -4 minutes, drain in colander and rinse under cold water.

4. In a large bowl, toss the green beans, noodles and sliced shallots with as much dressing as desired. Add it slowly, napping all the ingredients. Scatter almond slices over the top to serve.

This is delicious at room temperature. Refrigerate if not eating immediately.

Freeze the Fruit!

When the supermarket or produce stands offer outstanding bargains on fresh fruit, don't hesitate to stock up. Freezing the fruit is simple. Our local Plant City strawberries are here, abundant, red, ripe and ready. They are easy to prepare for freezing. I wash the berries, carefully remove the green stem and layer them on paper towels on a cookie sheet and slide into the freezer to allow them to freeze individually. Once frozen, I pop them into a plastic storage bag. This simple method is not intended for long term storage, but it's a way to take advantage of good prices without waste. The fruit I've prepared this way has been fine for 3 to 4 weeks.

With the abundance of producing papaya trees in the area, I've been inundated with more fruit than I can immediately eat. I follow the same routine with papaya, peel it and cut it into cubes and lay the cubes out on a lined cookie sheet or cake pan and place in the freezer.

This week, I indulged in two beautiful canteloupes (granted they weren't local).These two big beauties provided more melon than I could manage before fermentation set in. I peeled, seeded and cut one into cubes—placed the pieces on paper towels in a couple of 9" cake pans and popped them into the freezer, when the pieces were frozen, I just transferred them to a couple of quart plastic bags and found they make a terrific smoothie addition.

The cantaloupe puréed with a couple of room temperature bananas and a good handful of chard gives this light green smoothie a mild pleasant taste similar to a creamsicle.

Swiss chard has a much milder flavor mixed into smoothies than one would guess. Alternating the greens in my morning smoothie helps to provide a wider variety of nutrients and eliminates the boredom of having the same old — same old.

Try chard or kale in place of spinach for a pleasant surprise and a great taste treat.

More Great Greens

I've been a creature of habit when it comes to the morning green smoothie. Day in and day out, I plunge huge amounts of little spinach leaves into different fruit and banana combinations and purée away. While I eat a wide variety of other greens at other meals, I've been really in a rut mornings. I decided to make a concerted effort to change that.

Here's a wonderful glass filled with super satisfying tastes and loaded with nutrients and guess what? It's really green. . .chock full of the chard pictured above and you have this pretty pink potable. Frozen banana, a cup of frozen blackberries, filtered water and Swiss chard. Amazing, isn't it?

For those turned off by green drinks, unless it's brews on March 17th, using lots of deep red berries with the greens provides a lovely rosy red drink while still delivering the many benefits of fresh greens.

On the other hand, sometimes it's fun to make a true green cocktail for an afternoon pick me up. Here's a mock Margarita. Cucumber, apple and romaine run through the juicer not the blender!

Greens are plentiful, flavorful, nutrient-dense, affordable and easy to prepare.

This Pastel Palette of Spring is

Sure to Please the Palate

Isn't the English language amazing? Look how many spellings and meanings of a simple word there are: palate/pallet/pallette/palette - how confusing for the beginner and it often trips up an old timer, too.

Using the bright, soft colors of spring vegetables in a lightly dressed salad is pure pleasure. Served alone as above, or mixed with a big bowl of greens, the fresh flavors are surprisingly bold when the flavor is boosted with a little diced jalepeño and some minced sweet onion and fresh cilantro.

The dressing is simply juice of a lime with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

This combination is fresh from the garden bright red radishes, a crisp light green cubanella pepper, kernels from two ears of freshly picked Florida corn, one jalepeño, finely minced and half of Vidalia onion.

Greens 'n Beans

Turnip greens, onions, carrots and great northern beans

Add more broth and you've a super soup, less broth and it's a wonderful side. Much like Goldilocks, I found this amount to be JUST RIGHT for a quick, easy supper.

Simple peasant fare has more appeal to me, particularly as I grow older, than fussing about with complicated steps involving a myriad of ingredients. I'm really into the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) mentality. When planning meals around 50 - 75% raw food, one quickly becomes enamored with the simplicity of washing, peeling, chopping, plating and eating.

I don't like all the gimmicky raw foods. Synthesizing cooked foods with seeds, nuts, dates, etc. has no appeal to me. Though I marvel at the fabulous combinations creative raw foodists come up with. If I were committed to eating 100% raw, I might be singing a different song. But, for now at least, eating organic, whole foods, mostly plants, mainly raw is my lifestyle. And it's great.

Omnivore's could easily add some interesting sausage to the greens and beans and have a quick take on a casoulet. Or use the greens and beans as a side dish with pork or chicken. As a vegetarian dish it works well as the main course, but could just as easily be a starter or a side dish.

This broth is made for dunking. Hunks of hearty whole wheat bread or dark, chewy pumpernickel are perfect for sopping up the 'bottom of the bowl'. Served with a crisp, green salad and a glass of mellow red, it's simple, yet truly satisfying, while being especially kind to the pocketbook.

Try it with canned beans and pre-washed, chopped greens, some simple good broth or bouillon, like Rapunzel, and it becomes a 30 minute deal.

If you choose to pre-soak and then cook the beans ahead of time, it's tastier and more economical. Using a good homemade chicken or vegetable broth boosts the flavor. The following makes approximately six cups of greens and beans.

Beans 'N Greens

Note: The choice of greens is certainly variable. Choose collards, kale, spinach or turnip greens. And use a bean that you have on hand or one you prefer.

4 TBS extra-virgin olive oil; 3 cloves garlic,minced; 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper; one pound dark greens, washed, sliced in strips; 1 cup* of vegetable broth or chicken broth; 2 cups great northern or other white beans. If using canned beans, a 15 ounce can is fine.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper, stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add the wet, washed greens by hand fulls and allow them to wilt a bit before adding more. Toss them a bit in the oil and garlic. When all the greens have been added, add the broth, cover and cook until greens are just tender. Be careful not to overcook the greens. Add the beans and simmer gently until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste drizzling with balsamic or sherry vinegar when serving.
*for soup increase broth to a total of 4 cups.

Enjoy!

Keep It Simple

A salad plate comprised of a few simple components constitutes a tasty meal!


A little of this with a bit of that makes a delicious salad plate.

Slices of roasted beets and English cucumber accompany hearts of Boston Bibb lettuce sprinkled with diced tomato, pan roasted walnuts and itsy-bitsy pieces of Feta cheese ,all lightly dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.

It doesn't take a large quantity of flavorful ingredients to boost a simple dish into a satisfying low calorie meal. For one serving, I used half a red, ripe tomato, a scant tablespoon of Feta cheese, minced, a few pieces of pan roasted walnuts and a couple of roughly chopped Calamata olives to top two quarters of a fresh sweet, crisp head of Boston lettuce. A few slices of roasted beets tossed with a little sherry vinegar, and some sliced cucumber amounted to a delicious, light supper. A perfect example of Michael Pollan's mantra: Eat food, not too much, mostly plants, with my added two cents worth: mainly raw. Fast, easy and delicious.

I added a warm slice of whole wheat pita and a lively glass of crisp, cold Riesling. A nutritious, satisfying, low calorie meal made in minutes, eye appealing and palate pleasing.

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.