ORANGE you so sweet!?

What a beautiful ORANGE sunrise! Couldn't you just take a bite out of that sun? :-) Photo by: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Do you know that knock knock joke? Oh my gosh. It's like literally my favorite joke of all time. If I was ever trying to be cool and sophisticated...my corny sense of humor is a dead give away!

Ah well. I'm cool with that. :-)

Fresh pressed orange juice! Yummo! Photo by: www.foodrenegade.com

So I don't know anyone who doesn't like oranges. I myself enjoy a fresh pressed orange juice with my cheapo beginner juicer (gifted my a great friend and accomplice) and I must say...once you've had "fresh pressed" orange juice...it's REALLY HARD TO GO BACK.

Easy snack for grown-ups and kids alike! Photo by: eatsfoodhatesyou.blogspot.com

We all know and love oranges and they are just one of the many lovely citrus fruits one can enjoy.

Let's look at some of the benefits here:

Now, when it comes to food combining we must be vewy vewy careful to do it right, otherwise you may end up with a tummy ache.

Simple fruit combining chart. Bookmark! Very useful for understanding why kids get so many tummy aches. Photo by: www.30bananasaday.com (check out this website for good tips!)

Oranges are high in acidity and therefore should only be combined with other citrus fruits (grapefruits, lemons, kiwi, lime, pineapple, pomegranate, strawberry, tomato...) OR with sub-acidic fruits like grapes, apple, apricot, berries, cherries, pears, mango, nectarine, peach, or plums). Whew! That's a lovely long list of options. :-)


Long list of yummy fruits! Tasty for the eating! Photo by: thecitrusfruits.blogspot.com (good blog about benefits of citrus fruits - show them some love!)

Oranges are very high in Vitamin C, Fiber and Folate, Herperidin (which means strong anti-inflammatory and is found in the white pith of the skin), and Cryptoxanthin (which is a Carotenoid). They also help to decrease risk for calcium oxalate stones (kidney stones), lower cholesterol and high blood pressure, and are very low in calories. One medium size orange is about 60 calories!

Photo by: http://www.wakingtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Flickr-Orange-Peel-fdecomite.jpg



A fun trick: Save your orange peels, they can double as natural potpourri! Let them dry out and place in the bathroom, kitchen or living room.


As a transitioning raw vegan I LOVE LOVE foods that require no packaging, no fuss (except a maybe some wet wipes) and are healthy and delicious! Try adding some fresh oranges or orange juice to your diet today!

Love. Live. Well.

~h

Avocado me now!

Shout out to all my AVOCADO LOVERS! Photo by: pinterst.com

On to a topic I thoroughly enjoy...the loving super food of AVOCADOS! (also known as the alligator pear...what a funny name lol) They have been enjoyed by millions over the past thousands of years all over the living world!

I love avocados the most because they are tasty and fit the bill when it comes to simple livin'. A splash of lemon, dash of garlic and you're good to go! Some like it with a squeeze of lime juice and a bit of evoo, mash it up and eat up! Or just eat it plain straight from the gourd! Others even make simple guacamole...there are so many uses and it's such an easy way to eat. Let's talk a bit about the benefits other than how tasty avocados are and how easy they are to prepare.

Oh man! When I tell you I have a new avocado smoothie-on-the-go/ice cream/popsicle recipe you will LOVE! You've just got to believe me...and better yet you've JUST GOT TO TRY IT!

Here we go:
1 medium sized avocado (peel and pit it)
1 cup "milk" (coconut milk or almond is my go to but I'm sure you can experiment with others)
4 ice cubes
4 tsp of sugar (this is optional, some like it sweeter others less so, if you add a little bit you can always add more)

Directions:
add milk, ice cubes and sugar to blender, blend well. Then add the avocado and blend until smooth. If it's too think add some water if too thin add some more ice (or avocado depending on how much you want to make) but be sure to TASTE IT before straying too far from the recipe. MMMMMMM YUM!

How to make ice cream out of it...throw it in a tupper ware and let it get a little more solid. How to make popsicles...get some popsicle molds, spoon the mixture in and freeze according to the directions. This is a GREAT WAY to get kids (and stubborn hubbies and lovers) to eat "green" popsicles and get lots of vitamin E, Omega-23 fatty acids, folate and beta-sitosterol in their sweet little bodies!

Yay for the wonderfulness and versatility of lovely avocados!

A great tasty recipe above! Photo by: OasisAdvancedWellness

Why women are like artichokes

Good Morning all!

I have been on a recent artichoke binge of sorts...at 4 for $1.99 (shout out to Trader Joe's) you really cant beat it. Each one is like a meal in my life so it works well for both my budget and my health.

This has been a part of my "1-bowl meals" experiment which hypothesizes that digestion is made easier on the body by sticking to one food per meal. Some say it is an extreme personification of food combining by over simplified eating. I like to keep things simple...so to avoid toying with all the nuances of alkalinity and acidity for my meal prep, I simply eat one food (or group of foods) at each meal. This way of life makes me feel better after eating, keeps me light on my feet and allows my body a chance to worker smarter, not harder.

Purchase Fresh Artichokes at your local Trader Joe's store! Photo by www.flickr.com

SO on to the artichokes...

I love this quote from Kris Wetherbee of www.vegetablegardener.com:

"The artichoke is a gold mine of rich, earthy, hearty flavor, a vegetable with a taste and texture like no other."

I realize many people do not know much about artichokes nor have any particular interest in eating them, which I find curious. Below I will outline why I have grown to love them so very much.

As someone experimenting and transitioning through the various ways of eating and living (from paleo to pescatarian to wholistic faster to vegetarian to vegan to raw foodie and back again) I have settled on the life of what I call "simple eating." Is it a mixture of pieces of the above lifestyles combined to provide what I deem to be best for my body and lifestyle. More on that later!

As a result of my mostly raw vegan lifestyle I thoroughly enjoy getting unsuspecting vitamins and minerals from fruits and veggies and that many have forgotten about! I believe the artichoke is one of the secret gems.

ONE ARTICHOKE CONTAINS:

Nutrition Facts

ArtichokesArtichokes, boiledArtichokes

Amount Per 100 grams1 artichoke, medium (128 g)1 artichoke, large (162 g)1 artichoke, medium (128 g)

Calories 60

% Daily Value*

Total fat 0.2 g	0%
Saturated fat 0 g	0%
Polyunsaturated fat 0.1 g
Monounsaturated fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0%
Sodium 120 mg	5%
Potassium 474 mg	13%
Total Carbohydrate 13 g	4%
Dietary fiber 7 g	28%
Sugar 1.3 g
Protein 4.2 g	8%
Caffeine

Vitamin A	0%	Vitamin C	25%
Calcium	5%	Iron	8%
Vitamin B-6	5%	Vitamin B-12	0%
Magnesium	19%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. That's not bad for one vegetable. I love when I can get Iron and Magnesium, Calcium, Fiber and Protein all in one deal. Especially as a woman it is very important to stay up on my calcium and iron and magnesium. Many of the aches and pains we experience are due to low levels of these minerals. Yummo! Photo by happyhealthybelly.blogspot.com So now that you see how awesome artichokes are ...maybe you will test them out in your kitchen soon! As a vegan this is one of my favorite things to cook for the week and munch on for a late dinner or lunch meal! Why women are like artichokes...the answer: if you have ever had to prep one you'll know why; a bit tough and prickly on the outside, sometimes a lot of work, but if you have patience you will reach our heart...and it will be oh so worth it! Live. Love. Well. ~h