Healthy Goddesses

Inspriational Radio Broadcast - Didi Emmons and Eva's Garden

2011-10-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

http://radioboston.wbur.org/2011/10/28/edible-weeds-evas-garden
Edible Weeds And Uncommon Herbs From Eva’s Garden By Meghna Chakrabarti

HealthyDiningFinder.com

2011-07-13T05:41:00.000-07:00

Learned about this site today on the news, during an interview with a rep from the National Restaurant Association:

HealthyDiningFinder.com

They are working to get healthier dining options in restaurants for kids.

Organic vs. Non-Organic Produce Purchasing Guidelines

2011-06-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

Great information! The new dirty dozen list of produce by Sarah B Weir(d) (just kidding)

Top 12 Dirtiest (Most Pesticides)
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens

Top 15 Cleanest (Least Pesticides)
1. Onions
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplants
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

DesertJul's Fave Salad Dressing

2011-04-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Cinda for posting about the Famous Gypsy Cab salad dressing recipe! Here is my current favorite salad dressing, this is for 2-3 servings:

Juice of 1/2 lemon
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Squirt of organic mustard
Optional splash of olive oil
Spoonful of honey
Dash of Celtic Sea Salt and dash of pepper

This is a flexible recipe and you can adjust the amounts based on your palate and the type of salad. This is very tasty on any salad but especially a salad with mangoes and avocados.

~julz

The Famous Gypsy Cab Dressing - I am getting close!

2011-04-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

My former employer, Gypsy Cab Co, in Saint Augustine, Florida, makes this scrumptous and healthy nutritional yeast dressing. The recipe is a very well guarded secret. Many have tried to figure out the formula, and that includes me! I think I am getting close. Here's my recent effort:

In a stand mixer, blend the floowing ingredients on low:

1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups nutritional yeast flakes
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Next, on medium speed, very slowly blend in 1 cup of olive/canola oil mixed.

That's it! It's not perfect yet. Gypsy's version is lighter and thicker. Not sure how to get there from here...

Cuban Food

2011-01-25T06:35:00.001-08:00

Fun site recommended by my friend Marilyn, who recently visited Cuba on an outreach program from Florida : http://www.tasteofcuba.com/. There are lots of healty choices in Cuban food, and the Caribbean as a whole.

Got land now, building a raised garden bed

2011-01-22T07:02:00.000-08:00

Now that I have a home and some actual land, I think I'm going to build a raised vegetable garden bed. I've got this old Hungairan neighbor, Colman, who has this AMAZING garden on a vacant lot. It has inspired me. SO, now I am collecting info on growing veggies in Zone 9. Here's the post I am leaning on alot to help me plan for planting:

http://centralfloridagarden.blogspot.com/2011/01/garden-planning.html

Menu - January 16-22

2011-01-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

Chicken with Artischoke, Ham, Peas in a White Wine, Onion, Garlic Sherry Chcken Cream (Touch of) Sauce with Linguine
Pork Schnitzel with Red Cabbage and Potatoes
Rigatoni Cubana (Spicy ketchup-based sauce with Sambala Oelek and Cream, Ham, Peas, Penne)
Mushroom Risotto

New year...thinking about eating better, as always!

2011-01-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

I am always thinking about it, but it doesn't often happen. I want to eat healthier! I think I might keep track of my weekly menus on the blog. Some weeks, my meal planning is stellar, most weeks it is not. Now that we've finally gotten settled into the new house, I have managed to spend the week eating homecooked food (alas, some of it was prepared by Publix, but I heated it up!). And it has been great! here's this week menu:

Chicken and Apple Sausage Jambalaya with yellow rice, black beans, onion, green pepper, corn, tomator with green chile. Serve with a dollop of light sour cream.

Marinated salad mix with chopped hearts of palm, black olives, feta, kidney beans, chick peas, peas, herbs, spices and olive oil/white balsamic. Serve over chopped romaine with garlic bread croutons.

Turkey with gravy, mashed sweet potatoes, corn, cauliflower with melted American cheese, cranberry sauce.

Chicken pot pie with blueberry muffins.

Multigrain bagels with hummus and cream cheese.

Raw Julz- Day 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, & 18

2010-08-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

For Tuesday's dessert, I blended some mango and banana, it was a fruity pudding and was tasty. I didn't eat it all and used what was left in Wednesday's Green Smoothie.

Wednesday, Day 13 Report

Vitamins.

32 oz. Green Smoothie.

Hot Flow Yoga.

Big Dinner Salad with Raw Julz Fave Dressing, Flaxie cracker and raw goat cheese.

I'm sure I had a banana cacao desert shake.

Thursday, Day 14 Report

Vitamins.

2-bar package of Wai Lana Raw Fruit & Nut bar.

Some fruit at our RETA meeting for Szq's birthday.

Honey smoked salmon salad at Lorenzo's, obviously not completely raw choice, but it sure was awesome. At least I skipped the bread which is major.

Big Dinner Salad with Raw Julz Fave Dressing, Flaxie cracker and raw goat cheese.

I'm sure I had a banana cacao desert shake.

Friday, Day 15 Report

Vitamins.

Breakfast and Lunch Green Smoothies.

Raw Confessions! I went to mom's to visit as my step-sister was moving to Denver the next day and I fell right of the Raw bandwagon with a couple pieces of pizza. Being in a pizza fog, I can't remember if I had dessert.

Saturday, Day 16 Report

Hot yoga.

Green Smoothie.

Big Dinner Salad with Raw Julz Fave Dressing, Flaxie cracker and raw goat cheese.

Banana cacao dessert shake.

Sunday, Day 17 Report

Green Smoothie.

Another Lorenzo's Honey Smoked Salmon salad but no bread.

Chia pudding with cacao, honey, cinnamon, nuts.

Monday, Day 18 Report

Vitamins.

About 26 oz Green Smoothie.

I was at a work retreat and had a salad with some kind of spicy mustard dressing. I also had a Raw Confessions moment with a piece of lasagna. BUT, I didn't have any dessert and boy they looked yummy.

Big Dinner Salad with Raw Julz Fave Dressing, Flaxie cracker and not raw goat cheese.

I'm sure I'll have a dessert shake and I have coconut to add tonight :)

Whew! That's a wrap.

:)
~julz

Raw Julz - Day 11 & 12

2010-08-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

Monday, Day 11 Report

Vitamins.

32 oz Green Smoothie.

Hot Yoga.

Romaine with lots of veggies salad. I did try a new dressing recipe, a Ranch dressing with cashews, basil, dill, lemon juice, and salt. It was ok, but not my fave. I tried a new flax seed cracker with some raw goat cheese. I like the Santa Fe Flaxies better. A bit more expensive though...

I made a frozen banana, cacao, honey, pumpkin pie spice, and almond milk desert shake, mmm.

I tried to snack on a macaroon snack that I bought at Mountain View, blech! Had an awful lemonny soap flavor, left awful aftertaste that I had to kill with a piece of licorice.

Tuesday, Day 12 Report

Vitamins.

Veggie juice with chia seeds from Mountain View.

1 bar from a 2-bar package of Wai Lana Raw Fruit & Nut bar, really hit the spot as I was finishing final grades.

Romaine salad with 1/2 avocado, sunflower and mung bean sprouts, carrot strips, homegrown tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, and Raw Julz Fave Dressing (I added some nutritional yeast with no change in flavor).

What to have for my evening snack/dessert? I'll let you know what I decide tomorrow.

And now, I'm caught up! I should post from my phone with a picture of something tomorrow and not be so boring!

So much love from me to you :)
~julz

Raw Julz - Day 7, 8, 9, & 10

2010-08-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

Thursday, Day 7 Report

Vitamins, of course, with a glass of water and mango aloe (herbalife).

I made a green smoothie - 45 oz kept me going all day.

Wanted to go to Skye's yoga class but just didn't make it. Fortunately, Holly grabbed me and helped me make it to Colleen's hot yoga class. Yay, 4 days in a row, felt great!

Dinner was Romaine salad with veggies and Raw Julz Fave Dressing.

I probably had some chia pudding. I really need to not wait 5 days before updating!

Friday, Day 8 Report

Vitamins.

Green Smoothie.

Veggie juice from Mountain View.

I had a pedicure with Raven, AWESOME!

I think I must've had a salad and some snackie stuff like licorice, nuts, craisins. I'm getting old, my memory is shot!

I put some almonds in water to soak overnight. I think I did some shopping after my pedicure and got a jar with lid and cheesecloth to make almond milk.

Saturday, Day 9 Report

Bite of banana before hot yoga.

16 oz Green Smoothie with some homemade almond milk. The almond milk is ridiculously easy to make and tastes much better than the store bought stuff.

Raw Confessions! We had a couples date and we took Lorenzo's apple spinach salad and pizza to our friends' house. I will just say, I had a lovely evening.

Sunday, Day 10 Report

Vitamins.

Frozen banana, almond milk, cacoa, and honey breakfast shake, yum.

Tried some spirulina in water, bleck, but I got some of it down.

I walked about 30 minutes to mom's house for a family pool party. Didn't feel like torturing myself with a run in this heat.

Raw Confessions! My step-sister makes amazing jalapeno peppers. Nuff said.

I ate lots of fruit and had a big salad and made my own dressing. Though I did cheat, it could have been worse, believe me!

I'm sure I snacked on snackie foods.

That's a wrap for this update. FYI, I feel fine. No energy problems. I think I had a mild headache one evening but it wasn't a big deal. I had a great week with yoga and actually gained some strength.

Raw Love & Virtual Hugs,
:)
~julz

Raw Julz - Days 5 & 6

2010-08-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, Day 5 Report

Vitamins, of course with big glass of water with lemon or lime

40 oz of Green Smoothie with 1/2 banana, pineapple, orange, chard, spinach & sprouts

handful of sunflower seeds

banana

Yoga with Skye

I tried Jenna Norwoods Raw Fried Rice, didn't love it, ate a bit and then just picked at some cashews and dates. About an hour before bed, I made a Chia pudding concoction. I soaked about 1 tbsp of chia in water for an hour then added a spoon of cacao, spoon of raw honey, spoon of raw almond butter, and a little chopped banana. That hit the spot and I went to bed happy.

Wednesday Report

Vitamins of course with big class of water and lime

16 oz Green Smoothie with with 1/2 banana, pineapple, orange, chard, spinach & sprouts

Veggie juice from Caitlin at Mountain View with chia supplement

Hot yoga with Jane

I seem to visit the co-op everyday now. I picked up some raw Flaxie crackers, raw garlic oil feta cheese, raw almond butter, and Tom's toothpaste.

Salad w/ Romaine, spinach, sprouts, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado and Raw Julz Fave Dressing. I added a couple of the raw crackers and feta that I picked up, nice addition, though very garlicky! I ate a piece of licorice to clear the heavy garlic breath.

I snacked a bit on cashews and dried cranberries.

Made a little chia pudding for my evening snack. I wonder if one can overdo the chia? At least I'm not late night/early morning snacking like I was before my raw adventures.

And how do I feel? I feel fine. I had been cleaning up my diet for the past year so I don't expect any major problems. I do think my lips are gonna peel, I feel the edges getting a little rough.

And that's a wrap for Tuesday & Wednesday.

Hope ya'll are feeling fabulous!
;)
~julz

Raw Julz - Day 4

2010-08-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

Monday, Day 4, Raw Julz Report

I weighed myself this morning - 158.6.

I did my normal vitamin B and omega routine.

I visited Caitlin at Mountain View and got my veggie and fruit juice with added vegetable protein and my favorite Chia seeds. I sipped on that for a while.

Early afternoon, I ate a yellow tomato with salt which reminded me that I needed to get some sea salt for work.

A bit later I ate a banana so I would have energy for hot yoga at 4:15.

I picked up some things at Albertsons and Mountain View:

Veggies - cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, a couple of jalapenos, cucumbers, celery, green onions (don't like onions but there are a couple of soups I want to try)
Raw Nuts & Seeds - sunflower, almonds, walnuts, pine, cashews
Dates & Raw almond butter
Flavorings - vanilla, nutritional yeast, Tamari or Shoya (can't remember what I chose), dill weed, mustard, pumpkin spice
cacao

For dinner, I attempted some broccoli cream soup, um yeah, ugh. I took a few bites and threw it away.

I ate a few kalamata olives to clear the palette. Then had my yummy Romaine salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, mung bean sprouts, and Raw Julz Fave Dressing.

I snacked on some cashews and licorice.

That's a wrap for Monday.

Raw Julz - Day 3

2010-08-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Sunday, Day 3, Raw Julz Report

I did 1/2 my B vitamins and Omegas. I forget the second set.

I started Sunday with some Chia Porridge. I soaked about 1/4 Chia seeds in some almond milk (store bought, haven't made my own yet) and I added 1/2 banana, some raw honey, and some cinnamon. Couldn't quite eat it all, ate the rest about an hour before bed.

In the afternoon, I drank a 16 oz. green drink with buckwheat sprouts, spinach, couple leaves of chard, 1/2 banana, and 2 apples.

For dinner, I had a big salad with Romaine, 1/2 yellow tomato, a couple small red tomatoes, radish sprouts, and Raw Julz Fave Dressing.

In the evening, we watched movies and I drank some Kombuch in a wine glass and ate some black licorice. I recognize that black licorice isn't raw, but I needed the treat.

And that's a wrap for Sunday.

Raw Julz - Day 2

2010-08-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Day 2, Raw Julz Report

My vitamins for the day included - 2 Coenzyme B-Complex, 2 Complete Omega 3-6-9, and 1 serving of Organic Life Vitamins. I split the B and Omega into 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.

At 8am, I went to Hot Yoga. Even though I couldn't go to sleep the night before, got 5 hours sleep, I felt great and had a wonderful practice.

I went to the Farmer's market and picked up some sunflower, radish, buckweet, and mung bean sprouts. I also picked up a container of Chia seeds.

I made a yummy green smoothie with a couple apples, 1/2 banana, spinach, sprouts, my homegrown mint, and chia. I shared it with a friend, so I drank 16 oz.

Around noon, I had an apple with raw almond butter.

Around 3pm, I had a Romaine lettuce wrap with avocado, cucumber strips, yellow tomato, and radish sprouts. I made a wonderful dipping sauce with lemon juice, olive oil, apple cider vineger, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. This dressing is going to be a staple, we'll call it Raw Julz Fave Dressing ;)

So this whole thing is new and I find myself hungry every couple of hours. I found myself completely unprepared for a reception that I went to and I had to eat. I fell off the Raw Wagon here a little bit. I had - a few tostadas with salsa and a little queso, a spring mix salad with a little ranch dressing, a bunch of steamed cauliflower, and some cooked red potatos.

That's a wrap for Saturday.

:)
~not so raw today julz

Julz goes raw!

2010-07-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

So if you know me, you know that I've been researching and flirting with raw food concepts over the past year. I started with Green Smoothies and suddenly over the last couple of days my frustration with my weight has pushed me over the edge. Today without completely realizing it, I just did it. I went raw. And this evening I went raw shopping so I can hopefully get through the next few days and then who knows. I'm starting to think this is doable for at least a month.

I know I'm not alone on this journey. I had the opportunity to talk with Melissa Mango herself yesterday and am so grateful for that conversation. I think in addition to my personal frustration, Melissa's confidence and supportive attitude made it possible for me to finally just do this. I'm looking forward to reading her ebook, Melissa Mango's Green Cuisine Live Food Recipes. I also ordered Get Naked Fast! A Guide to Stripping Away the Foods That Weigh You Down, suggested as a great resource by Melissa.

I also visited Jenna Norwood's site last night and watched some of her videos. And yes, I'm a bit of a shopaholic so I've ordered her video, Supercharge Me! 30 Days Raw.

So let's do a report.

I just turned 41, and I'm about 5'3.5" tall. My weight this morning was 160.2 lbs.

My vitamins for the day included - 2 Coenzyme B-Complex, 2 Complete Omega 3-6-9, and 1 serving of Organic Life Vitamins. I split the B and Omega into 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.

Throughout the day, I drank an Herbalife tea with mango aloe.

At about 10:30am I stopped at Mountain View Co-Op, visited with Caitlin and she made me a fabulous 16 oz. juice with apples, beet, cucumber, celery, lemon, ginger, and chia seeds.

At about 1:30pm I made 32 ounces of green smoothie with kale, spinach, banana, frozen mango chunks, some goji berries, and coconut water. It took about 2 hours to finish it.

Here we have a cheating moment to confess. I shared a Dagoba Milk Chocolate with Cherries bar with my writing team. I ate 1/4 to 1/3 of it.

At 4:30 - 5:30, I went to Downtown Desert Yoga for some fabulous Flow Fusion Yoga with Sky.

Then I did a little raw shopping. What did I get?

Chard, Spinach, Romaine, Basil
4 heads of garlic and some ginger
3 Yellow Tomatoes and a package of vine ripened red tomatoes
6 avocados
shiitake mushrooms
2 oranges and 2 pears
a bag of apples
3 lemons and 3 limes
celtic and himalayan sea salt
extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
coconut oil
raw honey
3 bottles of some local kombucha
a treat - black licorice

Finally, for dinner, I'm having a raw soup that I wanted to try with 6 small tomatoes, an avocado, a lemon, 4 cloves garlic, a little ginger, about a teaspoon of coconut oil, and himalayan sea salt. I blended it in my Vitamix. I still love my Vitamix and will probably order another one because I've been taking mine back and forth from home and work and that's just a pain. Honestly, the soup is a little bitter, maybe the ginger and the white part of the lemon? But it's satisfying and I'm enjoying that I'm doing this! I don't even think I'll be able to eat all of it, it's very filling.

So that's it for today. Wish me luck, I NEED it!

Good luck on your journey whatever it may be...
:)
~julz

Great grocery salsa for those who are salsa-prep-impaired

2010-07-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

I just discovered this salsa and I love it! I tried the Thick and Chunky style in medium and it's perfect. Not authentic NM salsa style, but the flavor is close. Lots of fresh tomato, onion, jals, and cilantro, and little acidity taste that makes similar brands not so good.

Garden Fresh Salsas

Gonna revist low-carb!

2010-06-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I've gotta do something to lost some weight. I've increased my exercise, but that's just not enough. I am already in trouble with my doc for cholesterol, so I know I am cutting back in that area. I am always trying to reduce sugar, but that one's tough. I did low-carb a while back and I am going to give that a shot again. I'll try to come up with some recipes and I'll post what I find/do here and tag it low-carb. Wish me luck!!! :)

Oh, and a friend in Germany had great luck quitting smoking with help from a homeopathic doctor. I don't need to worry about the smoking, but I am wondering if they can do anything about a sweet tooth! I'll see what I can find out.

Very Interesting Reading...

2010-06-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

It was a bit fortuitous. I saw Sex and the City 2 and this book was prominently featured which just made me laugh a bit. Then, I was having dinner with a friend and we were talking about how weird and not quite right we've been since about our mid-30s and she noted this book that someone told her she needed to read. And it was the same book. So now I'm reading it. It's really just confirming what I was already thinking and learning about just in way more depth and compiled very nicely. The hard part is finding the right doctor to get going...

Great Post on That's Fit

2010-04-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

Great Post on That's Fit: Recipe Rehab: Chocolate Chip Cookies

meat alternatives

2010-04-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

For various reasons (health, *ecology, personal tastes), I've been on a kick to reduce my meat consumption. Of course, since Gary would miss something meat-like in his diet, my biggest challenge was finding a good meat substitute. Fortunately, I found something! Gardein creates a number of tasty alternatives made with soy and grains (amaranth, quinoa, kamut, etc.) plus some vegetable stuffs thrown in for good measure. I've tried almost every one of their fresh and frozen products and I've been satisfied with the flavor and texture of all of them. Yummy.

*I was especially happy to find alternatives after I saw a report that said that several of our top ecological problems were caused by feedlots (carbon emissions, contaminated water run-off, etc.). For one report, see Meat is Murder on the Environment.

A new type of protein powder...

2010-04-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

...is getting some press and it's brown rice protein powder. I'm excited to try it out! Read all about it at in the following article:

Review of new brown rice protein products: Boku Super Protein, SunWarrior, Jay Robb, Growing Naturals

Great Post on That's Fit

2010-03-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

Great Post on That's Fit

The Poor Misunderstood Egg
Posted on Mar 22nd 2010 2:00PM by Jonny Bowden

Excerpt...

Let me (Jonny) be perfectly clear: Eggs are one of the most perfect foods on the planet.And -- wait for it -- that includes the yolk.Yup, the yolk -- that poor, misunderstood, but essential component of the egg that too often gets thrown out in a misguided attempt to avoid cholesterol and fat. So let's clear a few things up about eggs, cholesterol, fat and health.

Number One: The cholesterol in eggs has virtually no effect on the cholesterol in your blood.

Number Two: The fat in the egg yolk is mostly monounsaturated fat, the same kind found in olive oil. Yes, you heard that right. Of the 5.3 grams of total fat in one large egg, only 1.6 grams are saturated.

Read on at the link above!

Epicurious' Healthy Eating for 2010 Website

2010-01-12T10:18:00.000-08:00

Lots of good ideas here: Epicurious Healthy Recipes and Tips

Cinda

Healthy Cookies - Know of any?

2009-10-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

I am searching for healthy, but yummy cookie and other dessert recipes. They don't have to be perfectly healthy, but close. Know of any? Thanks!

white bean soup

2009-09-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

I love beans! In particular, I love my dad's bean soup, but since he's not giving up his recipe any time soon I needed to come up with one of my own.

8 oz vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 can canallini beans (rinsed)
1 can navy beans (rinsed)
1 can crushed tomatoes (basil & garlic flavored)
2 cloves garlic (cooked lightly in olive oil)
1/4 cup vidalia onion (diced, cooked lightly in olive oil with garlic)
2 cups small red potatoes (1 inch chunks, microwaved with olive oil, oregano, salt/pepper to taste, )
2 cups baby carrots (microwaved with potatos and olive oil mixture)

Put all ingredients in kettle and simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Delicious.

10 Foods That Sound Healthy (but Aren't)

2009-09-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

10 Foods That Sound Healthy (but Aren't) from Cooking Light...eating healthy just got a little more challenging! Always good to know this kind of thing, though...

Crazy Cycling and Roasted Veggies!

2009-09-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

Still detoxing... eating plenty of all that stuff that is supposed to help - including more veggies and grains plus things like garlic, etc.

Saturday, I went crazy on the bicycle. Normally, I ride 12-14 miles or so at a fairly decent pace - some hills, but not much to speak of (sorta). LOL. Yesterday, I upped the ride to 20 miles and it turns out that extra 8 miles was all hills. What was I thinking??? To top it off, at mile 14, Gary challenged me to a race and we sprinted for 3 miles at about 35-40mph. The last 3 miles were a bit less crazy but I was totally beat and famished afterward. So, fixed a yummy meal of steamed veggies with chicken and rice and then did nothing for the rest of afternoon.

Sunday, we did a recovery ride for 50 minutes - just gentle riding to work out the kinks. For a reward, I cooked some roasted veggies with a 7 grain concoction. It turned out pretty good.

Marinade Mix

5 tablespoons (more or less) of olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
3 cloves mashed garlic (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds (or, get fennel bulbs, slice and put in veggie combo in you prefer)
salt/pepper to taste

Veggie Combo

2 Zuchini - sliced lengthwise
2 Yellow squash - sliced lengthwise
3 bell peppers (I used orange, yellow, and red) - seeded and sliced in nice thick chunks
5 baby red potatoes (dice into 1 inch pieces and microwave for 5 minutes)
3 shallots - whole
3 tomatoes - halve and scoop out seeds

(also as options - eggplant!! sweet potato!)

Marinate veggies in marinade for 15-30 minutes. Put all veggies EXCEPT tomatoes and yellow squash in a roaster pan (spread out). Roast for 25 minutes and flip the veggies. Add the tomatoes and yellow squash and roast 15 more minutes. Eat and enjoy. Serves 3-4. I plan to use my leftovers in a nice roasted veggie soup mix I'll be doing later this week.

starting 4-week detox program (sorta)

2009-09-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

I ran across a detox book on sale and it looked helpful so I picked it up. One thing I really liked about it was that it provided practical tips as well as general information about detoxing / de-stressing. In particular, I was happy to see a four-week menu plan with recipes. I'll be amending some of the menu items and recipes to fit my needs and food preferences (hence the "sorta" note in the subject line), but it was very helpful overall to at least start my game plan.

Today, for instance, I had a fruit mueseli for breakfast:

1 cup diced fresh organic apples (helps eliminate heavy metals)
1/2 cup dried organic cranberries (helps cleans kidneys)
1/2 cup dried organic Turkish apricots (good mineral source plus iron)
1/2 cup oats, seeds, and some nuts (fiber and protein)

For lunch, I went with flax crackers with hummus, mixed greens, and tomatos (protein, antioxidants, lycopene...)

Dinner was a tasty affair as well:

1 cup lightly steamed asparagus (cleanses liver/kidneys)
2 cups yellow and red tomatos (antioxidants)
2 oz of smoked salmon (omega 3s)
a sprinkling of goat cheese (less cholesterol, more calcium, protein, vitamin A, phosphorus, vitamin K, thiamin, and niacin - plus it's tasty!)

FitSugar

2009-09-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

As many of my friends know, I'm a big fan of not only the content but the concept of the Sugar network. Of course they have a fitness and health site and I wanted to share because I was rediscovering it today. Hope you enjoy Sugar (the online kind not that awful white stuff ;)

http://www.fitsugar.com/

Health & Happiness, Love & Light!
:)
~julz

mad scientist in the kitchen

2009-09-04T08:12:00.000-07:00

Some days, I just feel like playing the mad scientist. Today's crazy experiment was my smoothie. I make smoothies every day, but usually I go for more 'traditional blends.' Not so, today. Today was one of those "hmmm, I wonder what happens when I mix x, y, and z together?" days. It turned out pretty good - loved it actually. So, here's what I can piece together from the recipe:

1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup apple juice
juice of one lime
2 bananas
1 cup strawberries
1.5 cups blueberries
1 cup raspberries

YUMMY. I encourage all of you to go be mad scientists!

playing with my food

2009-09-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

A mid-day snack of flax crackers, baba ghannouj, yellow & orange bell peppers, broccoli, and purple cabbage with a hint of a smile of tomotoes! It's a great pick-me-up, healthy, and low in calories!

Plus, it makes me smile. :)

On a side note, yesterday I had the most delicious artichoke, tomato, broccoli, and carrot salad with just a spritz of olive oil & vinegar. YUM. Sorry - no pictures! I wolfed it down too quickly. LOL

adding more exercise

2009-08-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer, after a discussion with Julia about the benefits raw foods, I began changing my diet. Now, 3 months later, I can say that I have definitely increased my fruit and veggie intake while also decreasing process and cooked foods. I also began focusing on eating more seasonal and local foods in order to 'green' my diet. The experiment is going well and I am noticing some positive changes. I like the changes so much - healthier skin, more normal (for me) sleep cycles, a more positive attitude - that I decided to embark on a new exercise routine.

I've always like bicycling, so doing more of that seemed like a natural option. I even began adding photos to my flickr account to help encourage me to do more. Plus, I've been walking twice a day, every day: short walks (about 3/4 mile) on the weekdays before work and before bed and longer walks (2.5 miles) on the weekends. Aside from the obvious health benefits, the bonus of all this exercise is more quality time spent with my husband!

I expect that, between diet and exercise, I'll not only feel better but also have better quality of life! Much thanks to my dear friend Julia for setting me on this path - it has been a blessing.

Green Smoothies and More

2009-08-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit remiss in posting but I've been working very hard on diet and exercise. Here's the downlow.

I've been semi-vegetarian now for about 4 months meaning no meat except fish every now and then. I also eat eggs, cheese, goat milk kefir, and I'm probably missing something here.
I've been drinking my green smoothies at least 5 days a week; I'll post some of my recent recipes below.

I started watching my calories again yesterday at my favorite calorie watching site - livestrong (I'm desertjul there if you are a livestrong user).

Since May I've been taking a fun boot camp class on Monday and Wednesday, 6:30-7:30pm and Saturday 10:30 - 11:30am, and a fun Zumba class on Thursdays, 7:30-8:30pm.

About 6 weeks ago I started having a peeling issue with my lips which I thought I had sunburn but then I started cracking in the corner of my mouth. A friend, who is a vegetarian, has had this problem for a long time so I did some research. One name for this condition is cheilitis, and I found that it could be a vitamin B deficiency [B-2 (riboflavin), vitamin B-3 (niacin), vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), or vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin)]. Sooo, I've been taking a coenzyme B-complex vitamin, and voila, after a week, my lips are almost completely healed! Whew, that was NOT fun.

Something that I learned as I was researching vegetarianism and vitamin/mineral deficiency is that to make sure I'm absorbing all the iron I can, I need to not drink tea (tannins), caffeinated drinks, or calcium rich foods with non-heme iron rich meals like the following bean and rice recipe.

A favorite quick recipe of mine at this time is 4 servings of brown rice, a can of organic black beans, can of organic pinto beans, a can of diced tomatoes without salt added, some chopped up chipotle peppers, sea salt, and because I like it HOT, I add some Sriracha Hot Chile Sauce. I throw this into a bowl and three containers for several quick, high iron, high protein, yummy meals.

Yay! I just got my Green Smoothie book by Victoria Boutenko so I'll be trying some of the many recipes there, but in the meantime, I've been loving my own concoctions. Here's a few. I usually make a full blender of smoothie and drink at least half a day. Half a blender fills my Green Smoothie Queen's 32 ounce Green Jug.

The Day After Tomorrow's Smoothie
1 Cucumber
1 bag of Watercress
1/2 Cantaloupe
1/2 Lemon juice
Maybe some frozen mango or frozen blueberries

Tomorrow's Green Smoothie
3 large handfuls spinach
1 handful kale
small banana
1/4 pineapple
pint of strawberries
a couple of squeezes of agave nectar
1 11.2 oz container vita coco coconut water
refilled the vita coco container with water and added it

Today's Green Smoothie
3 large handfuls spinach
1 handful kale
2 peaches
half a bag of O Organics Frozen Mangos
1 11.2 oz container vita coco coconut water
refilled the vita coco container with water and added it

Yesterday's Green Smoothie
3 large handfuls spinach
1 handful kale
1/4 pineapple
half a bag of O Organics Frozen Mangos
1 11.2 oz container vita coco coconut water
refilled the vita coco container with water and added it

A Fave Green Smoothie
3 large handfuls spinach
1 handful kale
6 peeled clementines
half a bag of O Organics Frozen Mangos
1 11.2 oz container vita coco coconut water
refilled the vita coco container with water and added it

Shawn's Fave Green Smoothie is Purple!
3 large handfuls spinach
1 handful kale
a pint of fresh or half a bag of O Organics Frozen Blueberries
half a pint of fresh or half a bag of O Organics Frozen Strawberries
1 11.2 oz container vita coco coconut water
refilled the vita coco container with water and added it

That's it for now. I hope you are all having fabulous health and nutrition adventures!

Wishing you all healthy gorgeous green glowing light and love!
I know, I'm a sap!
;)
~julz

Why is Chinese food such a pain to make????

2009-08-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I know why - it's all the prep. I wanted Chinese and felt guilty about getting it to-go, since we all know just how unhealthy that is! So i made my own...sesame chicken with:

carrots
onions
spinach
chicken cooked in flour and sesame seeds
sesame sauce
chicken broth
red paper flakes
served over rice

Yum! Except that I managed to fling sauce all over me as I went to shake the bottle and the lid was loose. I seem to do that alot. Well, I had sesame sauce all over my face, hair and kitchen. Yuck! That makes cooking Chinese difficult. :)

More exercise

2009-08-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

I've also been increasing my exercise to counteract all the time I spend on my butt in front of a computer. For starters, I've increased my biking trips. Sunday I went out on a 3-hour ride but kept to a nice easy pace. My legs felt fine afterward, but my "sit bones" are a bit sore.

According to a few web sites I've read, exercising can lead to:

raises basal metabolism and increases energy levels
decreases stress and increases endorphins (more 'happies' LOL)
increases immunity and builds stronger bones

To encourage me to ride more, I got an little 2.5oz video camera to hook onto my helmet and take a few snips of video while I ride. And, bonus - it's waterproof so when I go kayaking I can use it for that. My general goal for now is to ride at least a 3-hour weekend trip (perhaps slightly picking up pace). Also looking into packing a kayak along with me (inflatable) so when I get to the Tennessee River (my turn around place) I can put in the river and kayak a while prior to heading back on the bike.

Travel and Good, Healthy Restaurants

2009-07-27T07:49:00.001-07:00

I try to eat local, seasonal foods. But, I like to eat out, too... and it's quite challenging to find restaurants that use local produce - especially if you're traveling. Fortunately, people do post about these things. I just ran across Chef's Collaborative - an online datase that includes restaurants that serve local food!! Next time I travel, I'll be eating good.

High Cholesterol - UGGH!

2009-07-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Hi, Well just found out my cholesterol is high (176) and I have three months to bring it down, so I expect I'll be posting here alot!!!

Cinda

Salad and a Smoothie - A good one this time!

2009-07-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

Salad: Spring greens, feta, tomatoes, walnuts, cranberries, onions and a tamari dressing courtesy of StirItUp in St. Augustine Beach

Now, this is a great smoothie, albeit not the healthiest, but a good starter: No Sugar Added Orange Sherbert, Coconut Pineapple Ice Cream (shhh, just one small scoop), Banana, DanActive Yogurt Drink - Strawberry, Bananas, Fresh Orange Juice.

Nutritional Data site is Awesome

2009-07-10T08:16:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've been eating a lot of blueberries because they are in season right now (from what I've been reading, seasonal eating is more sustainable and is often healthier because the nutritional value of the food is better)... Anyway, I was curious about nutritional value of raw v. frozen blueberries and stumbled on this nutritional data site that I LOVE. It has great data displayed in an organized and beautiful way. I'm telling you - the site is addictive and fun.

Yesterday I had a smoothie with organic green tea (1 c), lime juice (1/4 c) and organic raw blueberries (1.5 c). The nutritional value of my smoothie is pretty good, all things considered. I got many of my necessary minerals (notably potassium, magnesium, and manganese), all of my vitamin C reqs, some significant vitamin K, decent fiber, some omega 3s, quite a few antioxidants, no fat. :) Overall, I'm feeling pretty happy about it.

I can definitely say that in the past month of dietary changes, I'm feeling better physically and mentally. I still need to add more exercise to my overall regimen - but I'm quite happy about my progress...

My First HG Smoothie

2009-07-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

It takes a whole holiday weekend for me to manage to have time to prepare for and fix a smoothie! This is the essence of the issue at hand wehen it comes to being healthy...takes time and $$$...but I am determined to get better at it. :) This weekend I visited Earth Fare supermarket in Boone, NC and stocked up on fruit and got some Energy Drink shake/smoothie mix. I used bananas, blueberries, cherries, mango and strawberries. Well, I think I'll do without the drink mix next time - was a little like how I imagine wallpaper paste must "feel" like if you actually ate some.

From Healthy_Goddess_Blog

Overflowing with interesting info

2009-07-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

These past few days have been quite educational.
-- First, I watched a live interview with Michael Pollan and got a nice blast of info regarding food and food politics.
-- Then, I picked up The Big Picture: Reflections on Science, Humanit, and a Quickly Changing Planet and read some interesting thoughts on sustainable foods for the future.
-- Finally, this morning, I ran across Finding Happiness the Natural Way. The article is densely packed with information and really gives a great overview of all the myriad ways you can improve your mental and physical well-being.

Enjoy.

lovin' lime

2009-07-05T18:14:00.000-07:00

I have decided that lime goes with just about anything - especially in the summer. Earlier today, I made a green tea, lime, and raspberry smoothie (with a hint of coconut water). Very, very refreshing in the mildly hot/sticky day that we were experiencing here in Huntsville. According to Dr. Decuypere's nutrition chart, limes have the following healthy benefits so not only can I feel refreshed, but I can feel healthier too!

Lime

One lime without peel contains .4 grams of protein and 1.8 grams of dietary fiber.

Potassium - 68 mg
Calcium - 22 mg
Phosphorus - 12 mg
Magnesium - 4 mg
Iron - .4 mg
Also contains trace amounts of selenium, zinc,manganese and copper.

Vitamin A - 6.7 IU
Vitamin C - 19 mg
Folate (important during pregnancy) - 5.5 mcg

My First Post - Cinda

2009-07-01T18:07:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to join this adventure...must eat good stuff to keep up with my posting! It's been a very long day, week, and month, and it's times like these when you really need the healthy stuff. Tonight I managed a Publix salad with field greens, walnuts, raisins, blueberries and strawberries. Publix is a Florida supermarket, and they've gotten really creative with their salads, thankfully!

Anyways, headed to the mountains this weekend (Banner Elk, NC) and I am actually taking my blender to try some of the Healthy Goddesses' recipes. Off to pack the blender!!!

From Blogger Pictures

A fruity snack

2009-06-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

B, I just got back from Mountain View where I picked up some organic greens like kale and Swiss chard for my smoothies and Albertsons where I get organic frozen fruit also for smoothies. But I was really drawn to all the great fruit that Albertsons had and I bought more fresh fruit than ever before. So I sat at the computer with my fruity meal and smiled when I saw your post about fresh fruit.

-- Post From My iPhone

Eating Seasonally

2009-06-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

Both for health reasons and for "green" reasons, I would like to try to eat more fruits and vegetables that are in season. I'm not that savvy when it comes to crops and such but I ran across Fresh Tools for Eating Seasonally at The Green Life which gave me some tools to help.

I immediately downloaded the iPhone app and WOW. Very cool. I was able to select my region and get nice pics with descriptions of some great fruits and vegetables in season. My shopping is going to be helped by this.

the bell pepper

2009-06-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

I love bell peppers and, lately, I've been eating a lot of them. So, I decided to do a little research. As it turns out, they are quite good for your health! But, first, a little background:

Bell peppers are in same family as chile pepper, potato, tomato, and eggplant - all in the nightshade family. They come in a variety of colors including green, red, orange, yellow, white, blue, purple, brown, and black. Green is the unripened color while the other colors are the ripe versions of different cultivars of the pepper.

While many cultures around the world use peppers in their cuisines, the bell pepper originated in the Americas. Apparently in a stroke of marketing genius, good 'ole C. Columbus decided to call them peppers to capitalize on the then very popular black peppercorn. Regardless of the veracity of that story, the bell pepper became quite popular throughout the world.

The beautiful bell pepper has some great health benefits for us. The red, yellow, and orange versions have more vitamin C than citrus and the red peppers contain Lycopene (thought to aid in fight against cancer). They also, of course, have Vitamin A, beta carotene, and fiber.

I love the taste of the yellow and orange peppers, but also enjoy the red and green. I put all of them on my salads several times a week. The crunchy sweetness of the yellow and orange is especially enticing. Plus, they make my salads look positively festive! My most recent salad was red-leaf lettuce and arugula with purple cabbage, and red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. It was beatiful and tasty.

I can haz green smoothie!

2009-06-17T20:01:00.001-07:00

And it's the smoothest smoothie ever now that I have my Vita-Mix!

-- Post From My iPhone

multigrain goodness w/ fruit

2009-06-12T13:26:00.001-07:00

On my quest to determine what "healthy" means, I'll be experimenting with quite a few things. Most recently checked out an organic multigrain pasta. Of course, whole grains are supported by Dietary Guidelines and since I don't know much about this, I feel I need to pay attention to what these experts have to say. Anyway, the pasta was YUMMY and had such whole grain goodness in spelt, oats, barley, flaxseed, lentil, and chickpeas. I made a sauce of organic tomatoes and the usual Italian seasonings. The salad and wine (a smooth, not-to-dry shiraz) were nice additions. Afterward, I had an excellent fruit salad with pineapple, blueberries, and bananas. The blueberry/pineapple combo was actually quite tasty.

Darn... after writing down the wine it occurs to me that I need to go research into the health benefits/drawbacks of wine in moderation. :)

Smoothie Report

2009-06-10T13:46:00.001-07:00

Today, I had a bit of leftover smoothie from yesterday so started with that. Then I added:

Another banana
a cup of water
a couple of handfuls of frozen strawberries
1 apple (reddish color, jeez, I have no idea what kind...)
a big handful of baby carrots
spinach stuffed to the top of the blender

Just finished it and a little trick I figured out is to add some water and swish to get all the last drops of yummy green goodness.

Yesterday I ordered some coconut water yesterday from Amazon:

Vita Coco Coconut Water Variety Pack, 11.1 Ounce Tetra Packs (Pack of 12)

Many recipes have coconut water and Kimberly Snyder had good things to say about the VitaCoco folks. I like that it's considered a cool replacement for energy drinks.

Healthy Healing Thoughts from Me to You!
:)
~julz

fruits and greens

2009-06-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

Golden kiwis, pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, apples, oranges, nectarines, bananas... Those are the fruits I've been eating recently (about 4 cups a day). My most exotic combo has been golden kiwi with blueberries and apples (liked it a lot) but, I think my favorite combination so far is raspberries with apples. Ok... Let me be honest - if it is fruit, I'm gonna love pretty much any combination.

I've been eating more greens too. One recent delectable concoction:

red-leaf lettuce
spinach
arugula
chard
radicchio
frisee
raspberries
apples
pinon nuts
very light raspberry vinaigrette

Who knew salads could be so fun! A handful of this, a sprinkle of that... and no cooking! LOL

Can you believe it?

2009-06-08T20:53:00.000-07:00

I sure can't. I am totally craving my green smoothies and even salads! If you knew me, you'd know how crazy it is that my grocery buying tonight included:
Celery
Romaine
Spinach
Parsley
Mushrooms
Carrots
Tomatoes
Apples
Bananas
Blueberries
Frozen strawberries
Kiwis
Limes
Lemons
Jalapenos
Avocados
Cucumber

Seriously, this much fruit and veggies is UNHEARD of for me.

Today for my smoothie, it's old news, I had the rest of yesterday's yummy goodness which I forgot to note that I added carrots to it.

Here's my salad:

I have to admit that I am snacking on Kettle chips. I did go to boot camp so I don't feel terrible about the chips.

Oh, and can anyone say iPhone 3GS?

Love and Light,
~julz
-- Post From My iPhone

Fridge make-over

2009-06-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

In preparation for move to more raw foods and green smoothies, my fridge needed a bit of a make-over. In other words, I needed to go grocery shopping. I think one thing in my favor for this switch is that we're into the summer months and I love eating lighter (salads, fresh fruit) meals. I missed the farmer's market on Saturday so I went to the local fresh foods market and stocked up. All organic yummy goodness.

I'm starting slowly - I know that if I try to do too much at once my body and my mind will get very cranky. So step one is to just start eating salads and fresh fruit every day and to throw in an occasional green smoothie. Then, after a few weeks of that, more green smoothies! By the end of the summer, I should have transitioned enough that at least 50% of my diet is raw. That's my goal anyway.

Saturday Blueberry Purple Passion and Sunday Mango Strawberry

2009-06-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I modified Friday's recipe as follows:

1 cup water
1 cup crushed ice
2 leaves kale
2 big handfuls spinach
1 small handful parsley
2 bananas
Half bag frozen dark red cherries
The rest of the frozen blueberries (bag of frozen blueberries minus one handful)

Another yummy smoothie!

I must report that I did not ride my bike on Friday, but on Saturday Boot Camp was a killer.

I'm six days in with green smoothies and I know I have lots to learn. On Saturday, I felt kinda yucky. I had a sore throat but it's like a glandular sore throat if that makes sense. I did have a couple of drinks with friends Friday night, maybe that did it.

It's Sunday and I still have this sore throat but it's a bit better. Today's smoothie is really awesome:

1 cup water
2 bananas
half small bag thawed mangos
1 cupish frozen strawberries
4 big handfuls of spinach
1 handful of parsley
a bit of ginger

This is an awesome smoothie!

Happy Green Smoothie Goodness!

:)
~julz

Purple passion smoothie

2009-06-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

I really taxed the blender on this one! But this is my best smoothie yet.

1 cup water
2 leaves kale
2 big handfuls spinach
1 small handful parsley
3 bananas
1 peach
Half bag frozen dark red cherries
Handful frozen blueberries
Handful frozen mango
Big handful frozen strawberries
Juice of one lemon

-- Post From My iPhone

A Green Goodness Day :)

2009-06-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

Today, I had my weigh in (I joined a weight loss challenge with some friends) and I actually met my goal of losing 1.5 lbs this week (153.5 lbs), even after I had eaten several big restaurant meals with mi amiga, Bethany, who visited from Alabama. I miss you already B! I had my Herbalife aloe, tea, and shake for breakfast today and took my green smoothie to work with me.

So yesterday, I made a whole blenderful of green smoothie and drank half. I put the rest in the fridge in the blender container. Today, I added a handful of vine-ripened cherry tomatoes that I didn't want to go bad and two handfuls of frozen peaches and pineapple. This filled a 32 ounce container I had and I sipped on my green smoothie from mid-morning until early afternoon. It was so refreshing and yummy.

My dinner for the last few days has been over-medium eggs, mashed black beans, red chile, and either a few potatoes or a tortilla. Yum! I told you I'm a "Foodie."

Today's exercise was a fun Zumba class with a bunch of the girls who go to The Spot and do Boot Camp. I also convinced one of my friends that she should try green smoothies, so I'm taking her one in the morning. I had to go to the store and restock a bit. I picked up some parsley, bananas, yellow peaches, frozen mangoes, frozen blueberries, and frozen cherries. It's kinda odd, but I am really excited to make and enjoy a new concoction tomorrow.

I also ordered my Vitamix today!

I called and ordered a refurbished machine on the 3-payment plan. The customer service lady was pretty cool and she noted that I was the second person who had read Kristen's post and called this week.

I also ordered Green Smoothie Jugs from Green Smoothie Queen's site.

Obviously, when I'm in, I'm in and I'm totally in on green smoothie goodness.

My goal tomorrow, is to ride my bike to my appointments in town tomorrow. I'm a bit scared of the drivers in this town but since I've written about it, now I have to do it!

I expect a fabulous healthy goddess day tomorrow for me and for you.

A virtual hug to you all,
~julz

My first Green Smoothie - Thanks to Julia!

2009-06-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Julia, I had my first green smoothie - and I loved it. Of course, I had to snap a pic of Julz creating the wonderful concoction. So, I'm pretty excited about trying this at my house... but, first I have to go grocery shopping. I just checked the fridge and, while there are some greens, I definitely need to get some fruit.

Vitamix vs. Blendtec, I've Made a Decision...

2009-06-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how much healthier I really am on only my 4th day of green smoothie goodness, but psychologically, I feel awesome doing something that I truly believe is so good for me.

And so, today, I'm pondering the return of my $50 Walmart 800 watt blender and going for the new Vitamix 5200. I think I should go for it as I'm just not completely happy with my 800 watt blender.

I am choosing to go with the Vitamix after much reading and agonizing (these things are an arm and a leg!) and two things did it for me - 1) their 3-payment plan and 2) Kristen's Raw: I'm Cheating on My Blendtec...Oh My! post.

Today's green smoothie recipe:

1.5 cups water (might have been too much water)
2 full handfuls of spinach
1 leaf of kale
3 green apples
2 cups frozen grapes
1/3 banana (that's all I had, I need more bananas, I think this greatly improves smoothie texture)
1 lemon (just the juice)
1 tbsp agave nector

I loved the flavor of this smoothie but the texture could have been better. I was definitely "chewing" my smoothie a bit today.

I also had an Herbalife shake today and now I'm getting ready to head to Boot Camp with my friends from The Spot.

I hope everyone has had an opportunity to do something good for your health and nutrition today.

Love and Light,
:)
~julz

Yes, I am a "Foodie"

2009-06-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

I should add some important initial information. I consider myself a "Foodie." I love food experiences, social eating, stress/emotional eating, etc. I am definitely overweight at this time. I could go into the excuses but bottom line, I need to change my life in this area. So, as I like to say, I'm throwing everything and the kitchen sink at my weight, health, and nutrition issues.

I recently read Betheny Frankel's book Naturally Thin and I really appreciated the concepts in this book. One concept that I have my friends using now is "cancel your membership to the clean food plate club!" Don't you love it?

Anyways, I currently weigh about 158 lbs. Something that shocked me today was Green Smoothie Girl's page about ideal weight. According to the chart on her page, I should weigh between 104 - 108 lbs. Holy weight discrepancy Batman! I'm still pondering this and wonder if this is achievable for me. I was thinking I'd be happy to get back down to the 130 lbs. I used to be at pretty consistently in my 20's. Oh yeah, I'll be 40 this year.

I sort of don't want to be a "Foodie" anymore but you know, the thought of not being a "Foodie" is weird. It's such an integral part of who I am...
:)
~julz

Green Smoothies & More

2009-06-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing (Oprah & Dr. Oz) and reading about green smoothies (see side links and resources) and I'm sold! I intend to add a green smoothie to my daily diet.

I've also been reading a lot about raw food diets and it just seems so extreme, though reading about the Boutenko family's experiences, I have to wonder...

I feel that adding green smoothies is a good compromise for this time in my life.

Additional health related things I'm doing - herbalife meal replacement shakes, really thinking more about the calories and foods I put in my body, Boot Camp exercise classes, hanging out with people who are like-minded about improving health and nutrition, and starting this blog with my friend Bethany.

On Sunday (May 31, 2009), Bethany was visiting from Alabama and agreed to join me on my first green smoothie adventure.

First Green Smoothie Recipe
4-5 Kale leaves
2-3 handfuls of spinach
1 cored organic pineapple
2 handfuls strawberries
2 bananas
4 slices of ginger root

This filled the blender container which seems to hold about 2.5 quarts (10 cups). We each had a large glass of green smoothie. I felt that I should have done more fruit and less greens because it was a bit "green." However, it wasn't bad. I put the remainder in the refrigerator and drank a large glass on Monday and a smaller glass on Tuesday (today). I have gathered a bunch of recipes so I'll post each one as I make them.

B took some pics maybe we'll post those later.

That's it for now. Happy healthy and nutritional adventures to you all!
:)
~julz

We start a health adventure!

2009-06-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

Bethany and I are starting some health and nutrition adventures! We will capture the fun here.

:)
~julz