The Joy of Juicing!

Carrot Juice--Yum!!!

      I love watching health documentaries, it is one of my many strange quarks.  I have seen quite a few documentaries that recommend eating mostly plant based, raw foods (Food Matters is an awesome one!). So over the past 2 years I have been weening myself off of all things meat, soda, and fast food, and eating mostly all natural foods, tons of whole grains, and lots of fresh fruits and veggies as well.  Even so, my diet overall, is still not where it should be.  I eat way too many carbohydrates, I mean talk about starchy and sugary foods.  I am looking to be a lot healthier, and of course a bit slimmer too.

      So I made a plan.  I decided after watching Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead that it was time to take drastic measures.  First I bought a power juicer and Vitamineral Green (an extremely good-for-you green powder) online, then I bought just about the whole produce section of the grocery store.  I juiced everything I bought, and created three different juices; one for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I am going on a month long juice fast, to see where it takes me.

   Juicing is a great way to add in lots of nutrients to the body, with minimal effort. It is so incredibly healthy that everyone should make it apart of their daily routine.  Moreover, it is an excellent way to make your whole family healthier.

      I am not suggesting that everyone do what I am planning. I am taking juicing to the extreme, and fasting is definitely not for everyone. But adding even one fresh juice a day will do nothing but good for the body.  I hope to make it through the thirty days of fasting, and I also hope the cravings for bread wont be too bad...wish me luck, I am going to need it!     

Sun Sweet Berries

     One of the best things about the summer season is the produce!  It is so much less expensive than it is in the winter months, and it tastes so much better too!  Especially when it comes to the fruit, and in particular, when it comes to the berries.  As my best friend likes to say: "It's like you can actually taste the sun in them!"  And I totally agree with her, but "sun" is a very difficult taste to describe.  Maybe it's the slight bit of warmth the fruit has when you pick it strait from the bush, vine, or what-have-you, to eat it; that gives it the flavor of sunshine.  Maybe it's that extra bit of ripeness, and sweetness the fruit contains during the summer.  Whatever it is, it's delicious, and I love it.

     I also love to "pick-your-own" produce.  It keeps the cost of the food even lower; plus it feels so much more natural to harvest your own food, than to buy it all the time.  Fruit picking is such a treat, even though it can be hard work, which is why the more helping hands you have, the better.  Produce picking could be done as a family outing, or trip.  Getting out together in the fresh air is great, and showing the young ones where some of our food comes from, is wonderful as well. During Autumn, many orchards offer apple picking, and of course I can't forget to mention pumpkin patches; which are a blast!  But for now, it is off to the blueberry, strawberry, and blackberry bushes I go, before the season is over, and it is too late!

Believing

     Remember how easy it used to be to believe when you were young?  Why not try to let go a little, and trust in what you cannot prove.  Make a wish, and believe with all your might it will come true, and just maybe there will be a better chance it will.  Positive thinking and optimism can go a long way in life. :)   

     On a side note, I used to think, (and still sometimes do) that little fairies lived atop the individual dandelion tufts, that float through the air.  When you made a wish the fairies could hear it, even if you only said it in your head, and each one of them would try desperately to get to the wish factory. If the wind carried them all the way to the factory, there was no doubt your wish would come true. 

Take To The Skies!

     Something I have always wanted to do is sail the skies in a hot air balloon--and surely some day I shall. I recently ran across a few videos about the spectacular flying giants, and boy did the ballooning look beautiful.  It made my craving for the activity even worse .  During October every year in Albuquerque, New Mexico there is a Balloon Fiesta, where hundreds of the balloons take off to form a floating, beautifully colorful, moving picture across the autumn sky.  Not only do spectators get to watch the balloons paint the winds in the morning, but the night before launching, they get to see all the balloon burners blaze at once, gleaming bright through the darkness.  To top it all off there is a ballooning themed festival that takes place on the ground below, as well.  I live pretty far away from this celebration, but it definitely looks road-trip worthy!

What's For Supper? How About Summer Squash!

As many fresh from the garden, organic, or farmer's market veggies that can be used, the better, and more flavorful your
dish will turn out!

 

Ingredients: 

• Pesto (see recipe)
• 2 lbs(about 4) summer squash, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped
• 2-3 medium tomatoes (I like Roma) cut into wedges
• 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese - jack or cheddar 
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

For Pesto:

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves (or just more basil leaves)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup of walnuts
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

***Put into food processor and combine very well.

 

Directions:

Put blended pesto, squash, bell pepper, and onion, into a large saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water or olive oil if needed. Put on high heat and brown slightly (about 5 minutes or so). When vegetables are just browned and have softened a bit, remove from heat, add the cheese, and cover the pan with a lid (for about 5 more minutes). Let it sit until the cheese is melted. In a separate bowl put the cut tomatoes, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper, stir.  Then add them to the saucepan and mix them in with the rest of the dish.  Serve as a side dish or with garlic bread as a yummy entrée. Enjoy!