Recipes – Page 5

Lovely Green Goodness, A Green Smoothie

August 31, 2012 by Betty

Hmmm… Doesn’t that look good? Our green smoothie today, Lovely Green Goodness was delicious. It’s found in Victoria Boutenko’s book, Green Smoothie Revolution. Her book is available at amazon.com or the Raw Family websit.The original recipe asked for Gala apple and Bosc pear, but all I had were a green apple and Bartlett pear and it tasted yummy!

Recipe:

2 bananas

1 Royal Gala apple

1 Bosc pear

1 cup kale ( I used Lacinato variety)

¼ cup water ( I used 1 cup)

If you are new to green smoothies, read how I started with green smoothies.

Filed Under: Healthy Drinks

Delicious Green Smoothies

August 30, 2012 by Betty

As a mom of three young kids, I’m always looking for delicious and healthy ways to pack in those green veggies. About a year and a half ago, I decided to give green smoothies a try after my friend, Heidi, raved about her green smoothies and her VitaMix. After a few combos, I was surprised that they tasted pretty good. Since then, we love our green smoothies and here are some of the reasons:

Blending breaks down the veggies so your body could absorb the nutrients faster than eating veggies whole cooked or raw.
Not very many of us eat the recommended 6-8 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day. Blending veggies in smoothies allows your body to intake greater quantity of veggies more efficiently.
Many of us tend to eat the same vegetables in our salads. In smoothies, on the other hand, it’s easy to put in a variety of veggies, especially vegetables that you wouldn’t normally eat.
Blending raw fruits and vegetables provides your body with live enzymes and all kinds of needed nutrients for optimal health.

Our whole family, including my five, four and three-year-old love green smoothies. It’s a great way to sneak in some fruits and vegetables into their diet.

Look for my post on the VitaMix and why you should own one vs. other blenders.

Filed Under: Healthy News Tagged With: Health Benefits of Green Smoothies

Produce Guide Part 1: Buying Local

August 29, 2012 by admin

I’ve never thought of buying locally grown fruits and vegetables until three years ago.My views changed when I learned the benefits of foods that are grown locally vs. foods that are flown in from other countries. I am thankful for the invention of our modern transportation system, you and I can enjoy foods that don’t thrive in our climate, like papayas, coconuts, and Goji berries just to name a few. But there’s a cost. You’ve probably guessed it; the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables is comprised. A lot of fruits are picked before they are fully ripe so they don’t go bad when they reach the stores. These “green” fruits are ripened in the transportation process and in the distribution centers. What’s more, fresh fruits and vegetables don’t normally keep that long unless chemicals are applied to help them stay and appear fresh.

So what are your options? Like me, I choose local farmers. A lot of farmer’s markets have popped up in recent years. In the area where I live, there are three farmer’s market all within a few miles. I would advice you to visit and ask them about their farming practices. Some farmers use pesticides while some choose to grow their produce free of chemicals. I mainly choose to buy from the organic farmers.

As a result of buying local, you will enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables that are naturally ripened which contain great flavors at their optimal nutritional values.

Filed Under: Healthy News

Produce Guide Part 1: Buying Local

August 29, 2012 by Betty

I’ve never thought of buying locally grown fruits and vegetables until three years ago. My views changed when I learned the benefits of foods that are grown locally vs. foods that are flown in from other countries. I am thankful for the invention of our modern transportation system, you and I can enjoy foods that don’t thrive in our climate, like papayas, coconuts, and Goji berries just to name a few. But there’s a cost. You’ve probably guessed it; the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables is comprised. A lot of fruits are picked before they are fully ripe so they don’t go bad when they reach the stores. These “green” fruits are ripened in the transportation process and in the distribution centers. What’s more, fresh fruits and vegetables don’t normally keep that long unless chemicals are applied to help them stay and appear fresh.

As a result of buying local, you will enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables that are naturally ripened which contain great flavors at their optimal nutritional values.

Filed Under: Healthy News Tagged With: buy from local farmers, buy local, where to get fresh fruits and vegetables, Where to get fresh produce

The Healthy Taco Boat

August 24, 2012 by Betty

What comes to mind when you think of tacos? Most likely salsa, meat, some form of wrap or crunchy tortilla chips. As a mom who wanted to instill in her kids healthy eating habits, I am always on the lookout for nutritious alternatives. So this week I served up the Healthy Taco Boat made with baby Romaine lettuce leaves. In the boat were some shredded chicken and cheese topped with creamy avocados and home-made salsa. For those of you who are dairy free, just skip the cheese. BTW… the only place I found these cute baby Romaine lettuce hearts is at Costco. If the lettuce is limp, soak it in water for about 5-10 minutes to give it a little crunch.