Blended Salads

Did you know that blending raw vegetables with fruit is an efficient way to increase your nutrient absorption? Normally, when we eat a salad, the majority of the micronutrients do not get absorbed because the cell walls are not adequately crushed. In contrast, when you make creamy-tasting, high-nutrient fruit and vegetable smoothies, or blended salads, the absorption of beneficial phytochemicals is increased over 500 percent! That is so amazing, and they supply you with a dynamite nutrient punch that is incredibly satisfying. 

These pictures show a few diffenent kinds of my blended salads. 

   

Food For My Tomatoes

I have a sliding glass door that goes out onto a patio in my backyard from my bedroom. My computer is in my bedroom, so I do a lot of work from this room, and I often keep the sliding glass door open.

Recently, I decided that I wanted to start composting. I love to grow dirt…it’s almost more fun than growing vegetables! This is the first time that I have tried composting in an enclosed structure…a round black plastic garbage can with a fitted lid. My husband drilled holes in it so the organic matter could “breathe”.  The can sits outside on the patio.

This where the word “breathe” takes on new meaning. I am sitting here breathing right now, and I feel like I am out on the farm! Wow…I didn’t know that compost could take on such an aroma! If I didn’t know better, I would say we had cows living out on the patio!

But the truth is, this smell reminds me of my childhood….milking cows and bottle feeding calves.

So while I am working, I am breathing, and while I am breathing I am taken back to fond memories that comfort my soul. And soon, my tomato plants will be comforted as well, with the rich aromatic compost that is almost ready :)

 

Pita Party!! :)

Arent these beautiful? It's so much fun and so easy to make them! It reminds me of when we were in Israel, shopping in the open market where this one bakery had a pita shoot that was spitting out pita's faster than the guys at the other end could bag them up! The smells were amazing.....but I have to say, as far as taste goes..well, everyone knows that homemade always tastes better!! :)

This time I used 100% whole wheat flour entirely, and the taste is far superior to my first batch. I was following the recipe the first time and it called for 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 unbleached. I may experiment by adding sprouted wheat berries the next time.

This morning I felt a bit lethargic after being up a little while, and I was so tempted to have a cup of coffee....which is not part of my usual routine right now. So I was considering, should I give in and have coffee, or should I resist and drink a glass of water? My conclusion was this: as long as it is a controled decision, either way is ok. If I decide that today it is ok to have coffee, and tomorrow it is not ok...no matter how I feel....then it's fine. When we are being controled by this, that, or the other, then we are left without any choices, and the decision making process is taken away. Then we are in trouble. So, today, I chose to drink .....a glass of water :) I will save the coffee for Saturday!

Green, green, green!!

What is your favorite color? Green? Well, if it isn't green, it should be! Why? Because green is the healthiest color on the planet. Of course, unless you compare it with deep rich dark smooth chocolate brown. In that case, brown is the healthiest color. But for now, we are talking green.

This morning, I made our ritual morning smoothie. I am enjoying the variety and combinations of fruits and flavors I can come up with. Take a look at today's health drink. This is enough to get anybody up and running...including you, mom!!

In this amazing concoction, I have blended together 1 mango, 1 cup fresh pineapple, 2 cups mixed greens (collard, mustard, turnip and spinach) 1/4 cup almonds, 2 T sunflower seeds, 4 dates and a few drops of stevia. It is so delicious and a refreshing way to begin the day!

Productivity

Weeellllll....let me think for a minute. Wheather we realize it or not, I think we can salvage something from every day, even if we think it has been in vain, and dont feel much was accomplished. I woke up with a head-ache this morning, but thought that I could out last it. In the end, around 3 pm I had to take some excedriene and lie down for an hour. My emotional status is a little fragile as well for some reason. Nevertheless, Jesse the trainer...Mr. Hardcore, insisted that I go out and jump for 13 minutes and then come in and do crunches. 

So, I was able to overcome the head-ache, I exercised, and I ate healthy. Sometimes our accomplishments are simply the basic things, and sometimes the most basic things are the ones that, in the long run, really make the difference.

Sprouts and more sprouts

Today is short and sweet. A picture of my last bunch of alfalfa sprouts and of the bread I baked this morning, which contains sprouted wheatberries. This bread also contains rye and spelt flours, as well as whole wheat, and about 3/4 cup of gluten flour. 

I am exhausted today. I started a new exercise regime and today was day 4. It rained yesterday, so there was no jumping on the trampoline, however today, in spite of the rain, the trainer said out to trampoline for 13 minutes! Jess has suddenly become a tight disciplined and hard driver. Where did that come from? I think the power has gone to his head. Not really. I need to be pushed right now, and he is taking the job very seriously. Planking and crunches included. Za ohh.

Power-packed wheatberry sprouts!

Benefits
There is an amazing increase in nutrients in sprouted foods when compared to their dried embryo. In the process of sprouting, the vitamins, minerals and protein increase substantially with corresponding decrease in calories and carbohydrate content. These comparisons are based on an equivalent water content in the foods measured. Analysis of dried seeds, grains and legumes shows a very low water content. But this increases upto tenfold when the same food is converted into sprouts. 

I sprouted wheatberries and alpha over the last few days. Here is a picture of my wheatberries, and tomorrow you will see the alfalfa sprouts. These berries are going into my bread, fresh baked for tomorrow morning.

Homemade and Healthy

In addition to Jess being my personal trainer, he is also now my personal assistant in the kitchen J Today we made: kidney bean humus and flaxseed mayonnaise. Both turned out to be the yummiest ever. Yesterday I made whole wheat pita bread. That was my first time to make pita, and it was actually fun. We had a 5 year old visitor over, and he ate two whole pitas on the spot…of course with honey and peanut butter. I am not sure if that says how good they were or how hungry he was, but either way, we had a blast in the kitchen. They are cooked on top of the stove, instead of baking in the oven.