Kicking It Through Cold/Flu Season: Immunity Boosters

Teaching yoga means touching a lot of sweaty bodies. Sweaty bodies mean open pores channeling toxins and bacteria. With all these ferocious strains of the flu bug going around, I have found in my field that there is some concern for health. I would imagine it's the same in many lines of work: teachers whose students are sick, students whose friends are sick, mothers whose children are sick, and the like. With the rediculous price of health care these days, it is in everyones' best interest to begin a preventative healthcare regime. Your trip to the vitamin store/health market may put you out of pocket $100, however, it's a lot better than getting the flu, having to take work off, yet still solving problems when you can hardly move, and still having to pay those astronomical health care professional costs. Since I personally don't agree with getting vaccinations, I look towards herbs and supplements to boost my bodies natural defenses. There are many supplements and herbs available to help build your immunity, and even some simple techniques you can use from items that probably exist already in your kitchen. Without going too deep, here's some easy to follow tips and products that may aide you during cold/flu season.

HEALTH DISCLAIMER: As with any supplementation program, it is always wise to talk to a health care professional, especially if you are already taking herbs and/or perscription drugs. Your health care provider or integrated pharmacist should be able to help you determine if there is a possibility for interactions or inappropriate dosages.

Cook with more Garlic and Onions. Even consider eating a small raw clove of garlic a day. You can buy garlic at the health market in capsule form that will not produce the heavy scent that garlic is synonymous for. Garlic increases the activity of T-helper cells. These are cells central to our bodies immunity. Also, both garlic and onions contain allicin. Allicin, considered nature's antibiotic, contains strong anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. Consider eating more warming soups cooked with ample amounts of these two bulbs.

Ginger also has anti-inflammatory compounds. It has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Indian Ayurvedic Medicine to help fight cold and flus. Create fresh ginger tea by peeling and slicing a medium piece of ginger and add it to a pot of filtered water. Boil, then simmer, and strain (the longer it sits the stronger ginger flavor you'll have). Ginger is great for sore throats and helps to remedy nausea, vomiting, and indigestion.

Turmeric is a kitchen spice that is widely used in Indian/Ayurvedic Medin.  Not only is it an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory herb, it is often used to help cough, cold, sinusitus, and even put topically on skin can cease a kitchen cut from bleeding. Add more turmeric to the foods you cook.

Astragalus root stimulates our immune system. It is an adaptogenic herb, meaning that it has a balancing effect on our bodily functions. This anti-viral herb has many health uses/benefits, one of which is protecting the body against the various strains of influenza virus.

Immunity Boosting Mushrooms!! Eat or supplement with shitake, maitake and reishi mushrooms which are known for their immune boosting qualities. New Chapter makes a product called Host Defense which is a combination of those plus many other amazing medicinal mushrooms. Mushrooms are rich in minerals and B vitamins, and have been shown to help boost production of white blood cells (your fighter cells).

Wellness formula is a product i like put out my Source Naturals. It is a combination of many immune boosting herbs. You can take it preventatively or at first sign of imbalance in your body, at which point they recommend taking 3 tablets every 3 hours. In my experience this has worked for me, although i have always combined it with other herbs.

Elderberry extract is great for seasonal support. This herb has been traditionally used to support immune function and has been showing great promise in shortening duration of the flu. While it has not yet been proven to prevent the flu, i have found adding it to my regime at first onset of imbalance has immediately aided in restoring my health. There are some products available labeled Elderberry "immune support" that contain additional Vit C, Zinc, Astragulus, and Echinacea. These are the ones i'm most apt to grab for.

Multivitamin - do i even need to say this one? If you aren't taking one, most likely you realize you should be. With our Standard American Diet (appropriately acronymed "SAD" diet) and the depletion of nutrients in our soil, we are not getting nearly the amounts of minerals and vitamins we once received from our food. A daily multi is an easy way to make sure your body is getting the vital nutrients it needs to perform it's millions of everyday functions.

We all know by now the wonderful powers of Vitamin C. There are probably even more benefits than you realize!! Even heart related benefits (much research has shown that supplementation of higher dosages of vitamin C lowers incidence of cardiovascular disease)!! Vitamin C is generally safe to take in dosages much higher than you would normally consume. It is said by some holistic practitioners that you can take up to 6 grams (6,000 mg) a day. Pace yourself as you increase your dosage, and notice if your multi-vitamin or other supplements already contain some C. You may find that you feel optimal at 3 g. Above 3 g generally individuals will notice looser/quicker elimination. This however could be a benefit...if that is a health concern of yours.

Eat more raw and lightly cooked fruits and veggies. Produce that is raw is full of nutrients and enzymatic qualitites. Add in more produce that's rich in Vitamin C like oranges, kiwi, grapefruit, pineapples, lemons, bell peppers, and broccoli. As well as nutrient and vitamin rich spinach, swiss chard, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Choosing produce with a colorful depth is a reflection of the amount of carotenoids and antioxidants that will continue to support health as they scavenge the damaging/oxidizing free radicals that wreck havoc on our bodies.

and simplest of all....WASH YOUR HANDS MORE! Our hands transfer germs into our mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) where the body absorbs the bacterias. So...do your best not to touch your face and keep your hands nice and clean!

A Versatile Hearty Breakfast: Home-made G*raw*nola

Ever soaked or sprouted your grains, nuts, or seeds? Here's a great morning cereal that is bursting with life energy, enzymes, protein, and complex carbs. The process of soaking releases enzyme inhibitors in the nuts, while allowing the seeds and grains to begin the germination process, reawakening it's vital life energy force. Soaking also makes your seeds/nuts/grains more easily digestible. At least once a week allow this cereal to replace your oatmeal, quinoa, boxed cereal flakes, or whatever it is you're already eating. You'll probably love it and it's vital energy so much that you will have it more than that, but it takes 30 days to break/make a habit...so we'll start slow.

It will take a small amount of prep work...ah ah ah, now don't go bypassing the rest of this entry just cuz i said 'it'll take prep work' - it's easy. Plus the recipe provides you with days worth of nourishment, so you don't have to do much later. You can start now, will only take you a couple minutes...and then finish tomorrow. The prep work is what makes it so healthy, alive, and brimming with life energy.

Here's what you'll need (this recipe makes a large glass container of g*raw*nola):

Organic raw buckwheat oat groats (2 cups)
Organic raw whole almonds (1 cup)
Organic raw hulled sunflower seeds (no shell) 1/2 cup
1 medium peeled, cored, apple (any sweet variety will do)
heaping 1/2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice
15 plus dashes of cinnamon - go to your liking
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (find an organic brand without sugars/corn syrup)
purified water

you'll also need a few glass jars or bowls/containers, a mixing bowl, a mesh screen or cheesecloth with a rubber band if sprouting, a food processor, and a dehydrator.

OPTIONAL STEP 1: IF you are going to sprout your buckwheat (and you don't have to) for additional life energy, you should soak it now for 8 hours, then rinse it well (cover with about twice as much water, as it will expand as it drinks the soak water). Buckwheat has a slimy film so to get your buckwheat to sprout you'll need to get the film completely off which means many, many, many rinses after it's soaked 8 hours. Once you de-slime your buckwheat put it in a large sprouting jar (2 quart, or 2 one quart glass mason jar(s) with a mesh screen or cheese cloth rubber banded over the top) or a tray and leave it in a place out of direct sunlight to let drain and germinate (if you are using a jar leave at a 45 degree angle mesh side down to drain). Rinse and drain it after about 8 hours, and return it to it's home to drain and sprout. Continue to rinse/drain twice a day for 2 days (or if you are sprouting in a tray you may just choose to spray them with a water bottle to keep them hydrated). In two days you should have visible curly tails starting on your groats, these are your sprouts. They are ready to go. Your sprouted grains have more protein, more enzymes, are more easily digestible, and are brimming with life energy! After your first day of sprouting continue with the directions below for the next step. (If you decide not to make the g*raw*ola, yet you'd like to start sprouting your grains for more protein and life energy, please note that grains do not have a long shelf life even in the fridge. So try to sprout only the amount you are going to consume in a couple days. This recipe calls for much more than that. Make sure your sprouts are totally dry before you store them in a glass jar in your fridge. You can sprout many grains, seeds, and legumes, however they must be raw: quinoa, sunflower seeds, buckwheat groats, oats, pumpkin seeds, wheat, sesame, millet, amaranth, and mung beans all will sprout.)

STEP 2 or STEP 1: Now all you are going to do is put your almonds & sunflower seeds each in a separate jar, covering them completely with purified water. Cover them with a lid and leave them out on the counter away from direct sunlight to soak for 8 hours or overnight. IF you did not do optional step 1 (which i rarely seem to have the patience to do) then also soak your buckwheat groats now, making sure to cover them with an ample amount of water as they expand greatly. They'll also soak for 8 hours along with your nuts and seeds. The prep work can be just that easy...10 minutes max if you are just soaking and not sprouting.

STEP 2 or STEP 3: Now you've soaked your nuts and your grains for about 8 hours (or you have sprouted grains and soaked nuts). Strain and rinse your buckwheat groats well through a colander or mesh strainer. Again, it may take many rinses to completely de-slime your buckwheat if you only soaked them. Once rinsed, place groats in a large mixing bowl. Drain and rinse your nuts and sunflower seeds as well. Place just the almonds and sunflower seeds into a food processor along with the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Process it down so it's combined well but still has some chunkiness. You don't want it to turn into dough. Add this to the mixing bowl of buckwheat groats. Peel, core, and slice your apple. Process in the food processor until it turns into apple sauce (you will need to scrap the apple down the walls of the processor often). Add this to the cereal and mix it well. Add 1/4 cup of agave nectar and stir well to combine (alternately you could use more applesauce/more apples, less agave). Taste and add any additional dashes of spices to suit your palette.

We're ready to make G*raw*nola...you can even enjoy a bowl of it as porridge now!! I would suggest topping it with a milk alternative such as Sweet Coco Cream, recipe below, and some dried or fresh fruits or berries. Moist nuts and grains tend not to have a long shelf life, so i always dehydrate the remainder and make it into g*raw*nola. Follow the directions below and you'll be able to enjoy it tomorrow and many days to come.

For the g*raw*nola you'll need your dehydrator. (I suppose you could use an oven on the lowest setting, though you'd have to leave your oven on for quite some time.) Line the trays of the dehydrator with teflex sheets and spread your cereal onto the trays in thin layers. Set the temp to 110 and dehydrate overnight or as long as needed until dry. You can flip the granola half way through drying time to speed the process, but keep it on the liners if your trays don't have thin enough screens to hold the granola. Once dry you can store in a glass jar, but leave it OUT of the fridge, we want to keep moisture out. Serve with raisins, gojis, your favorite fresh berries and the sweet coco cream suggested below, or enjoy it over yogurt or anyway that suits your fancy.

To make your diiiii-vine Sweet Coco Cream:

To a high speed blender:

Add a handful (1/4 cup) of raw cashews (optionally soaked for 2 hours)
2 heaping tbsp of dried coconut
2 large medjool dates (pitted)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 dash of pumpkin pie spice, optional
1 cup of filtered water

Blend well. You can have as is, or sieve through a mesh nut bag to remove the pulp and thin down.

Pour over your granola or porridge and enjoy!!

MMMMMMMmmmmMMMMMMmmmmmmMMMMMMMMmmmmMMMMMMmmmmm

Petite Pleasures: Chilly Chocolate Banana Bites

I remember in grade school learning how to differentiate the spelling of dessert from desert. "Dessert has 2 S's cuz you always want seconds!" And you know what...Teach' was right! I have a hard time not wanting to keep sticking my hand back in the cookie jar, cake pan, pie plate, etc. Here's a super simple recipe for an easy frozen treat that all will love. Kids love making them, mom's love that they're healthy, and if you have seconds, it's not going to kill you or pack on the pounds. Here's what you'll need:

A Ripe Medium Banana
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder (choose raw unprocessed if possible)
2 Tbsp Agave
1/4 tsp of (cold pressed organic) Coconut Oil
1/4 cup of Shredded Coconut
A small pinch of sea salt

Make your chocolate sauce by mixing the cocoa powder, agave, and coconut oil into a small bowl. Use a fork to mix well until it becomes wet...it will take some stirring but it will turn into chocolate sauce. Add a tiny pinch or crank of sea salt to your sauce. Mix in, set aside
Place your shredded coconut in a shallow bowl and set aside.
Slice your banana into 1 inch slices.

Makin' Magic:

Dip the top of your banana into the chocolate sauce, allowing the sauce to come up the sides just a little bit.
Dip the chocolate end of the banana into the coconut flakes. Place the banana bites (coconut side up) onto a plate and place in your freezer.
Allow to freeze for at least an hour.
To serve, remove from the freezer and let thaw for only 10 min.
Enjoy your chilly chocolate banana bites...eat em' up!

(**alternately you can cut the banana into thirds, place a popsicle stick through the end, and dip the entire banana in chocolate and dust on coconut.)

Wha'la Magic Made!!
Pass me another, pleazzzzze....

When You're Feelin' The Chill, Fall For This: Warming Sweet Potato Bisque

As the days and nights chill down i find myself craving the flavors of Fall. The mulling spices, pumpkin treats, the warmth of cinnamon and vanilla bean, and comforting fall soups. So while i was at the co-op the other day i picked up a sweet potato, knowing that on a night soon to come i'd be craving the warmth that this beauty could offer. Sweet Potatoes not only are sweet enough to be used in desserts, they are power packed with nourishment and filling heart healthy fiber. Rich in Vitamins A and C, sweet potatoes are antioxidant rich and contain an impressive amount of manganese and potassium.

Now on a normal night, i would peel my sweet, cut it into fries, coat them with olive oil and a dash of salt, and lay them on a baking sheet to roast away. However, on this chilly eve, after i baked my fries i decided to take it to another level. What transpired was this warming fall bisque...

Get your kitchen prepped with a cutting board, sharp knife, baking sheet, spatula, blender, garlic press, and possibly a pot

You'll also need...

A large hannah sweet potato (or whatever variety you find will do), about 1 lb and a half
1/4 of a small to med sweet yellow onion
1 tbsp, plus 1-2 tsps of a quality oil (i used olive oil)
1/2-1 tsp of garam masala (a warming indian spice blend)
1/2 tsp of sea salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups of low sodium veggie stock/broth
1 tbsp of almond butter
1 to 1 1/2 inch piece of ginger

Start by making the fries...and see if you have any left to make the soup!

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
Peel and cut your sweet potato into fry shapes. Peel the yellow onion and slice thin.
Cover your baking sheet with foil or oil. Toss the potatoes and onions together with the olive oil to coat well.
Sprinkle with the garam masala and salt and toss again to coat. Lay potatoes and onions onto your baking sheet, put in the oven and cook for about 25 minues at 400 degrees. Half way through baking use your spatula to flip the fries. Cook until soft.
Transfer your cooked fry medly into a blender....or cool and eat as they are, cuz they are YUMMA!!
Add the almond butter.
Press the ginger (through your garlic press) into the blender. Use the juice and the pulp that is extracted.
Add approximately 3 1/2 cups of veggie stock. You may need more or less depending on amount of sweet fries you have left :).
Blend away. You may add more veggie stock for a slightly thinner bisque, or additional garam masala, or a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of curry for a warmer spiced flavor. However, as you eat the soup the spice flavor really starts to come out...so make sure not to over-spice...you can always add a little to the bowl if you need.
You may need to transfer the soup to a pot to heat up on your stove top.

This will make about 5 cups of soup. Enough for a couple big bowls of warmth, or even better a handful of yummy cups to share and serve as a starter.

Wok This Way: Stir no-Fry for dinner tonight (A RAW'kin Recipe)

Stir fries always taste great, but they literally cook the life out of the veggies and are slathered with so much oil and seasoning packets (sodium overload) that you can feel the greasy layer on your lips. So here's a great recipe if you:

a. don't have power (none necessary for this dish)
b. haven't eaten your veggies (you can add a ton of your faves here)
c. don't want to cook (leave the wok in the cupboard)
d. and want something uber healthy, full of antioxidants and nutrients, and deeee-licious

What you'll need for your Stir no-Fry:

a knife, a mixing bowl, a garlic press, and a mandoline (mandolines are very helpful to cut veggies VERY paper thin)

Stir no Fry Sauce:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 1/2 tsp of shoyu (or soy sauce/shoyu is just unpasteurized soy sauce)
1/2 small or medium lemon - juiced/squeezed
1 small clove of garlic- pressed through garlic press (use juice and pulp)
1/2 to 1 inch nub of ginger, pressed through garlic press (use juice and pulp)
1/2 tsp of agave nectar

Gettin' Saucey:

place above ingredients in a blender and whip up. Alternately place in a small bowl and use a hand frother/cocktail mixer to blend.


Don't Fry These:

*These can be any veggies of your choice....listed below are the veggies i used (as pictured above)

3 cups of an herb variety green mix
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin with the mandoline
a small amount of purple cabbage (maybe an 1/8 of a head), sliced thin with mandoline
a small amount of red onion (only use a little as it's very potent taste can take over the dish quickly, alternately you could chop green onion), again use mandoline for red onion
2 shitake mushrooms (fresh), sliced thin with your knife (include stem)
1/4 lb of sugar snap peas, remove the peas and add to the veggies. Take the remaining shells, pick out the nicest looking ones, tear in half and add half of them to the veggie mix.

Stir'in not fryin' :

Coat the veggies with the sauce. Roll up your sleeves, take off your rings, and gets your hands in the bowl. Massage the sauce into the veggies well until they wilt a bit and are completely covered.

To serve:

You could place the veggies right onto a plate and gobble up all by yourself. Alternately, consider making a couple servings of brown rice or quinoa and share your 'no fry' with your favorite person.

Whow G - Check out THESE Gojis! My Current Favorite Decadence: Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries

I fell in love today. No, not with a human, an animal, a pair of shoes, or a handbag...rather the most fabulous blissful decadance to pass my lips in the recent: ORGANIC Dark Chocolate Goji Berries. Okay, i know they have been on the market for a while...and yes, i have had them before..BUT none like these. I don't know what they did to make them so good. That's about all i'm going to say about these bad boys....I'll let them do the talking for themselves. When you are in need of that dark chocolate fix, but don't want to buy a big chocolate bar, here is a wonderful solution. If you are a fan of chocolate covered raisins you will surely love these...they are like 10 steps above those (however that's what they look like). I stumbled upon this brand at Jimbos Market today: Essential Living Foods. Checked their website and they seem to be an eco-conscious brand/company (www.essentiallivingfoods.com). One small box of these little devils might set you back near 4 bux, however there are two servings in there. Each serving only 110 calories and 4g of fat. Not bad for a rainy day when you need to turn that frown upside down. At the beginning of the day i was thinking i'd be able to enjoy the box over the entire week....well...that could still happen if i don't throw away an empty box (though looking at the outside of the box is not nearly as enjoyable as eating it's contents). For those of you who have had chocolate covered gojis already - i'm telling you - these are out of this world. I've had others before and never fell in love like i am right now. I seriously think they sprinkled magic love powder into the box. Try them when you're about to have your next chocolate tantrum, and you too will get hit by cupids chocolate arrow.

"How Do You Feed Your Soil?" A Farmer's Market Experience: La Milpa Organica Farm Teaches Us How To Select The Finest Seasonal Produce

Who doesn't like a trip to the farmer's market? Besides the feeling of community, the vivacious musicians and performers, and the impressive crafts, nearly each and every stall is filled with seasonal, fresh, and AMAZING foods. Here in San Diego, my favorite Farmer's Market stop is in Hillcrest every Sunday. Why is it my favorite? Because there are soooo many samples. Everyone wants you to try their peaches, their pears, their nuts, their avocados, their greens....and you know what? i do! i walk up to each and every one and i sample and savor every bit of divinity that passes my lips, of course ONLY after asking, "are these organic?" (being the mindful consumer i pride myself to be). The responses always vary from 'yes', 'no', 'no spray', 'no pesticide', or 'in the process of getting our certification', or 'it's too expensive for us to get our certification'...So what does all this mean to the consumer? Who do we buy from and what are we really getting/eating? What questions should we ask to know we are getting the best and freshest holistically grown produce at the market? I spoke to Beth from La Milpa Organica Farms, to uncover these and a few other questions. If you've never stopped by their booth, it's a must! They offer the most beautiful and abundant amounts of greens - varieties you never knew existed, but once you try you will never forget! Read the interview below...and do visit them next time you are at the market. Everyone at their booth is friendly and knowledgeable, and will leave you walking away with a big warm smile and goody bag filled with vibrant green energy!

How long has your farm been in business?

We’ve been here in Escondido for 6 years.

What Farmer's Markets are you currently selling at? Where else can we find/dine on/buy your produce?

We can be found in Oceanside, Vista, La Mesa and Hillcrest, currently. We also provide [limited] CSA boxes to a couple of San Diego neighborhoods. The Linkery, Starlite, Prep Kitchen, Whisk ‘n’ Ladle, Nine-Ten, Stone Brewery, and The Lodge at Torrey Pines are some of the restaurants that serve our food.

As a consumer what questions should we be asking the farmers/vendors in order to get the best seasonal produce selections farmed in a holistic manner?

I think a good foundation for knowing how to shop at a farmer’s market or health food co-op is to spend just a few minutes getting to know the produce that is prevalent in each season, especially in a climate such as ours. As far as holistic farming techniques, you have to ask a handful of questions, but I think the most important one would be, “how do you feed your soil?” If we are what we eat, this applies for what our food is eating, too.

What is the difference between "organic" produce and "no-spray", as many vendors are constantly promoting no spray as being just as safe as organic?

The labels of things just aren’t enough to determine whether you should buy them or not. Not spraying is a good thing, we encourage that, but, similarly, when we tell our customers that we are “beyond organic,” it means that there is more to it than just doing enough to pass the certification test. It means feeding the soil, finding the best ways to nurture it and to allow it to continue to carry life in it for years to come. Soil is key.

From a physical health perspective, anything without chemicals is far superior to something that has been brought to life through petroleum products. But in order to be considered truly sustainable, our work as farmers is to do more than the bare minimum—it means we need to give back to our Earth as much as we can in the process of growing food.

How rigorous was the process to become certified organic?

It involves jumping through hoops, paying money and meeting their requirements. I wouldn’t call it rigorous, but there is so much more to it than those standards, as I’ve said before, so it can feel limiting, like being placed in a box.

What varieties of greens are in your mixed salad greens and your 'greens for cooking'?

Oh man, our salad has about 30 different types of lettuce in it. Our braising mix, which is comprised of the darker, heftier greens has beauties like kale, chard, orach, things like that.

What are some of the unique veggies/herbs you grow? What are they good for? What would we use them in/how would we prepare them?

Barry is really good about cycling in new and interesting seeds into the orders. One of my favorite funky things are the Japanese Baby Doll turnips, which are white and are often mistaken for radishes. They are wonderfully spunky eaten raw with a dab of oil and tamari.

Edible flowers are also fun, and many of the herbs we sell are amazing, if I may say so myself- I’m always inspired to make new, fun recipes with them.

The red tropea onions are another favorite of mine, as well as the collard greens. It’s true what they say about greens, of course, that they work magic. The collards are popular around here for wraps stuffed with quinoa and veggies, and I love them steamed with eggs on the side for breakfast. Yum.

All of our farmers and farmer’s market workers cook with and love La Milpa food, and they are always happy to share recipes and ideas.

Can you please provide an easy wholesome recipe made from your produce that would require only simple, healthy, and whole ingredients?

The arugula makes a tasty, spicy salad. I like to make a simple dressing with agave, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and nutritional yeast, and pour it over the fresh arugula and let it sit and soften the arugula up a bit.

It’s wonderful how a recipe can be simple, but everyone around the table oohs and aahs at their first bite- it’s all about the ingredients. Fresh veggies thrown on a grill, or with a simple marinade; the eggplants make an out-of-this world eggplant parmesan, and the squash, rolled in a simple arrowroot batter and lightly fried in coconut oil- my god.

The beauty of the diversity of leaves in the salad mix makes it super easy to whip up a fantastic salad with your favorite dressing in only a minute.

Thank you so much Beth for answering our questions!

Please do stop by their booth - you surely will not be let down!

For those of you interested in taking a more active role with your new found knowledge, volunteers are always welcome at the farm. Those who come out and pull some weeds or help out wherever get to go home with some veggies...a more than fair and fabulous trade. Not only a great way to get further educated, but it may just inspire your green thumb to get your home garden up to snuff.

Additionally, La Milpa is hosting a fundraiser event on November 7^th and anyone is welcome to attend. Barry has become known for his woodfired pizza parties on their outdoor pizza stove. Dine outdoors, with friends, under the stars, slices will be only a buck. Many other events are posted on their website as well, www.milpaorganica.com.

Loving Persimmon Season! This Morning's Muslei: Persimmon Muslei With Banana Nut Milk

To me, the best part about fall is the persimmon. How i've long awaited it's sweet return! Appropriately called 'fruit of the gods' by ancient Greeks, these little fruits are rich in antioxidants like catechins and gallocatechins (which you always hear about when reading about health benefits of green tea) and betulinic acid (an anti-tumor compound). They also have a good amount of the antioxidants lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which is a carotenoid known to help prevent age related macular degeneration, as well as the minerals potassium and manganese. The American variety of this fruit is only edible once it's ripe...which means holding out until fall each year, and then basking in the goodness of these fabulous little orange delights for as long as you can. The shorter squat ones (shaped more like a tomato) are called Fuyu. They tend to have less of an astringent quality so can be eaten while still firm. It will have the crunch and texture of an apple. You can also wait for softer fuyus which will be juicy like a nectarine. Persimmons are great eaten alone, or can be added to salads, entrees, desserts, and breads. If you've never had a persimmon, i would encourage you to scout some out at your local farmers market, and make sure to pick the fuyus which you can bite right into. I've had some not so hot experiences with the hachiya's (a larger acorn shaped persimmon) which are so astringent when under ripe that your mouth drys up and shrivels around the fruit. Hachiyas can only be eaten when very soft and ripe. You'll want to remove the outer tannic skin, remove the seeds, and scoop the fruit out of the flesh.

This Morning's Muslei: Persimmon Muslei with Banana Nut Milk

You'll need a Blender, Cutting Board, a Knife, and a Hammer :)

1 medium to hard fuyu persimmon
1 ripe banana (divided in half)
about 10 raw whole almonds
1 tbsp raisins
3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, or cashews) for the nut milk or you can use 1/4 uncooked oats and make oat milk if you prefer
a medjool date (or sweetener of choice; a packet of stevia or agave would suffice)
cinnamin
(coconut flakes optional)

(Makes one hearty serving)


Muslei Makin' :

Wash your persimmon and trim a circle at the top to remove stem. Cut in half, lay each half flesh side down and cut into small chunks. Place into your cereal bowl.
Take 1/2 the banana, cut into slices, and add to your bowl
Add the raisins to the bowl.
Place your almonds on a towel, cover and strike gently several times with the hammer to crush.
Top your muslei with the crushed almonds

Milk Makin':

To a blender add the almond milk, the 1/4 cup of nuts (or alternatively oats if you've chosen), 1/2 a banana, a few dashes of cinnamin, and a small date or the sweetener of your choice (date/agave/etc). Blend Away.

To serve:

Muslei is already in the bowl. If you've chosen to use the coconut flakes, put them in a small serving bowl as well. Place the milk in a small milk pitcher so that your guests/family members can serve themselves. Pour the banana nut/oat milk over your muslei, optionally topping with some coconut flakes. Eat up, savoring and enjoying the nuances in each bite.

Confessions Of A Sushi Addict: Lose The Mercury & Roll With This

My name is Meredith and I'm a sushi addict.

It's easy to get stuck in the thinking that eating sushi means eating healthy. While it very well can be healthy fare, not many of us realize that you may be consuming a lot more calories, carbs, sugars, and toxins than expected. Most of our sushi restaurants are catered to the American palate. This means adding mirin (which is a sweetner often containing corn syrup) to seaweed salads and rice. Also many sushi spots put about a cup of rice into each roll....and how many rolls are you ordering??? And what about that heaping load of mercury in the fish?? That's not even getting into all the unmentionables of tempura'ed this and spicy mayo'ed that.

So...here i am to the rescue again, with a recipe for raw nori pate (that can be stuffed in anything, doesn't have to be sushi) to please the palate of the sushi conossoir who wants their sushi but knows their limits. Be wise and choose raw fish on occasion, but enjoy veggie sushi without rice on a regular basis.

You'll need a juicer and a food processor.

ingredients for the pate:

5 carrots juiced - we'll use the entire pulp that juicer extracts and 4 1/2 Tbsp of the juice
1/2 c. raw walnuts
1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil (not considered a raw product)
1 tsp agave nectar
1 1/2 tsp nama shoyu
1 inch slice red pepper chopped
1 thinly chopped green onion
Cayenne optional (for spicy version)

Making the vegan pate for the nori rolls:

Juice the 5 carrots. Set juice and pulp aside.
Put the walnuts into a food processor fitted with an S blade and process down to the size of a pebble to a piece of sand
Into the walnuts in the food processor place the pulp of the juiced carrots plus 4 1/2 Tbsp of the carrot juice
Continue to add the remaining ingredients. Process and scrape sides down as you do. If you choose to make your nori spicy add cayenne pepper to you liking.

This makes approximately a cup and a 1/2 of pate - enough to make a good deal of sushi, plus have left overs to stuff into a collard wrap or put on a salad.

What you'll need for your rolls:

nori pate (above recipe)
nori sheets
any additional veggies you want inside, I used avocado and a mixture of sprouts (clover, radish, sunflower, broccoli, peas, lentils: which is sold as "sprout salad by sun grown")
Shallow bowl of water and Sharp knife

Let's Get Rolling!

Place your nori sheet out in front of you on a clean surface. Place a thin row of sprouts, a thin row of pate, and a few slices of avocado on your nori at the end closest to you. Wet your hands with your water bowl. Start to roll the end closest to you away from you. Continue to wet hands and tighten the roll up as you go. Seal the end additionally with water. Let dry a moment. Wet your knife so that the blade has water on it. Carefully slice your nori roll holding the knife at an angle. Should take two cuts - point knife down and slice, pull knife back with handle down and slice. Continue to wet knife with each slice.

Once completed, serve on your favorite asian inspired dish with nama shoyu (or soy sauce).

Get Blissed On This!: Breaking the Rules, A Healthy Chocolate Shake

It's now officially fall, however that doesn't seem to stop my sweet tooth from wanting ice cream treats and chocolate shakes. Since we occasionally still have those crazy hot fall nights or afternoons, an ice cream or shake can be a refreshing and decadent treat for the entire family. So what are you to do? Abandon all your hard work getting in bikini shape to suck down a Baskin Robbins, only to leave your belly swollen and frustration welling up at your lack of willpower. And what is that teaching our children? Remember, their habits are a reflection of our own. In an effort to find a balance between experiencing and enjoying the decadent side of life, while still keeping your health as a top priority, I've created a wonderful alternative to your chocolate shake craving that will not only fill you up, but also fuel you with some wonderful sources of protein, omega 3's, healthy fiber, and is safe to consume if you are vegan or raw. Remember - this is a chocolate shake recipe! While it's made from wholesome sources, it's still a chocolate shake. Treat it as such, and teach your friends and family how to treat themselves good too. This means if you are using it as a treat watch portion size and consume only half, sharing the rest with your kids or friends. Otherwise choose to have it as a meal replacement. It has sufficient carbs and protein, will hold you over, and gives me amazing energy! Let's look at the nutrition stats:

Baskin Robbins 24oz chocolate shake:

Calories: 990
Fat: 40g
Carbs: 149g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 142g
Protein: 20g

(OUCH!!! For most of us that's at least half of our daily intake in calories and fat with limited nutrient density. Check out the sugars and carbs! Remember, we should only be consuming 40 grams of sugar a day!!!)

Chocolate Hemp Dream Shake (16-18 oz):

Calories: 412
Fat: 12g
Carbs: 68g
Fiber: 30g
Sugar: 22g
Protein: 21g

(That's nearly your entire recommended fiber consumption for the entire day, AND you're getting hemp protein which is a rich source of Omega 3's and offers you all 21 amino acids including the 8 essentials! The sugar and 40g of the carbs are coming from the bananas, so feel free to lessen these by only using one frozen banana.)

So let's get blending! Pull out your high speed blender. You'll need these ingredients (i've specified the brands i used, however use what you have or choose from what's available):

1 cup almond milk (I used pacific unsweetened low fat vanilla)
2 tbsp Raw Chocolate Powder (by Nature's First Law)
4tbsp (one serving) Hemp Protein Powder with Fiber from Nutiva
1 medium (approx 7 inches) plus 1/2 frozen ripe bananas
1/4 tsp cold pressed, extra virgin coconut oil (also by Nutiva)
1/2 single serving packet of stevia (approximately 1/2 gram of stevia)
4 ice cubes

Blend away, pour into your favorite tall glass, drop in a fancy schmansy straw, and serve or sip away.

For an even lighter shake, use only half the amount of hemp powder and half the chocolate. While this drops your fiber and protein by almost half, you still get a great chocolatey shake for 312 calories, 9 g fat, 45 carbs, 18g fiber, 21g sugar, and 12g of protein.

Ahhhhh, how sweet it is to have some Chocolatey Bliss that won't weigh you down or make you feel bad about your giving into that sweet tooth!