Don't Medicate! HYDRATE

You probably already know that 70% of the human body is made up of water, and it's absolutely essential to human life.  Water is a liquid shuttle bus that transports elements like nutrients, proteins, hormones and other chemicals to where they are needed the most.  The problem is most everyone is dehydrated.  How much water do we need?  A good rule of thumb is half of your body weight in ounces (140lbs= 70 ounces of water - this should the bare minimum).  Not many of us revel over the neutral flavor of plain water.  There are many ways to not only enhance the flavor but also increase the nutrient value of plain H2O.  In our household we mostly drink naturally infused water or Zinger tea (both pictured above).  Celestial Seasonings offers many different flavors of hibiscus tea, which are very high in antioxidants according to studies.  A glass of cold filtered water with a Zinger tea bag and a half pack of stevia, (if you prefer sweetened) will definitely do your body good. It is a much better alternative to sweetened flavored water drinks like Dasani, Nestle or Sparkling Ice brands which are sweetened with sucralose .  Sucralose, aspartame and saccharin is very disruptive to our gut microbiome. To learn more about how important a strong microbiome is please check out my series on Gut Health.   

When infusing your water, there is only two requirement: a glass container of filtered water and creativity!  The combination of fruits, veggies, herbs and spices are endless.  It can be tailored to your own tastes and health benefits you hope to achieve.   

*Berries and fruit- loaded with antioxidants, key vitamins and minerals they help in:

*Balancing free radicals

*Decrease inflammation

*Prevents cancer

*Prevents DNA damage

*Helps to regulate insulin levels

*Citrus- lemons ,limes, oranges and grapefruits all help with:

 *Iron absorption

*Shortens durations of colds

*Helps with detoxing the body

*Inhibits bacteria strain growth

*Ginger and Herbs-

*Helps in digestion

*Reduces inflammation

*Decreases fatigue

*Veggies- Aids in replenishing electrolytes and transferring minerals and nutrients into the water. 

  Use those that have a high water content like:

*Cucumbers

*Cantaloupe

*Celery

*Pomegranate

*Watermelon

Benefits of Drinking Water

*Increases energy & relieves fatigue

*Promotes weight loss

*Flushes out toxins

*Improves skin complexion

*Maintains regularity 

*Boosts immunity

*Natural headache remedy

*Prevents cramps and sprains

*Mood booster

*Saves you money! STOP BUYING CRAP DRINKS

Here are a few blend ideas:

*Lemon, Lime and Orange

*Raspberry and Lime

*Strawberry and Basil

*Lemon, Cucumber and Mint

*Blackberry and Ginger

*Peach, Lemon and Thyme

You will feel the difference once you're properly hydrated.

Have a great week. 

Be kind.

Judd

Homemade Salad Dressings

Hi readers, it's Kris here!  If you're a regular visitor to our blog, you're probably aware that Judd is the main contributor here and I'm his helpful little editor.  I'm also the lucky lady who gets to benefit from his knowledge and research of all things related to living a clean-eating, holistic lifestyle and am I ever grateful for that!  This week, however, I'm taking over the blog to share a few of my favorite homemade salad dressings with you.  Before I get to the recipes, I have to share a few funny anecdotes that come to mind when it comes to the topic of salads:

When I met Judd 26 years ago, he did not use salad dressing.  Not even a drop!  I remember the first time I witnessed this, I thought it most peculiar.  I'd never seen anyone eat a salad that wasn't drizzled in some sort of fabulous dressing.  To this day, when he orders a salad in a restaurant and replies to the server that he doesn't want dressing, he is met with a puzzled look and some form of the question "none at all?" or "would you like it on the side?"  Now that we make our own dressing at home, he really does enjoy it!  And honestly, on the rare occasion that we eat out these days, it is usually at some fabulous vegan restaurant that we've discovered and the last thing we want to order is a salad! Which leads me to my next thought...

Nourish Bowl from Nourish Cafe in San Francisco

If you eat solely a plant-based, vegan or vegetarian diet, you've probably encountered this scenario as well:  You're invited to lunch or dinner with a group of your friends, co-workers, family etc.  The restaurant they choose has little to no vegan friendly options.  It never fails that someone in the group says "they have salad" or "oh, you can't eat that can you?"  My first thought is "Yippee, they have salad.  Because that's all I eat."  I try not to get too offended by these comments, but sometimes it does get to me.  If you have a polite, non-snarky response that works for you, please share it with us!  And if you are one of our meat eating readers, please try to remember that even though you may find our diet unusual, we truly aren't aliens and we're really not that different than you, with the exception that we don't consume animal products.  We love stuffing our faces with delicious meals, snacks and desserts and while we adore cute little bunny rabbits, we don't necessarily eat like them.  Our appetites are just as adventurous as yours, and we sure don't want our meals to be bland and boring. With that being said, when we do eat salad we do it up right!  From a wide choice of greens and toppings, to our flavorful, homemade salad dressings made with all natural ingredients, our salads tend to be the main course and not just a puny little side dish.

And now, without further ado, please enjoy some of our favorite dressings. They can be whipped up quickly and will keep in your fridge for about 1 week, but once you taste them I have a feeling they won't last that long!

GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

1/2 cup Vegan Mayo 

(We use Vegenaise, Hampton Creek Just Mayo or Hellman's Vegan Dressing)*

2 tablespoons raw honey

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon (approximately 1/4 cup)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water

10 large basil leaves (we have a basil plant growing on our porch at all times)

2 scallions or green onions, lightly chopped

1/2 ripe avocado

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

You can also toss in a few sprigs of cilantro, Italian parsley, tarragon, and chives if you have them on hand.  I'm not a a fan of cilantro, so I leave it out, and I usually just sprinkle in a tablespoon of Italian Seasoning if I don't have fresh herbs on hand.

*If you aren't strictly vegan, you can use a plain Greek Yogurt.  I suggest Fage.

Combine all the ingredients in a powerful blender until completely pureed.

This dressing also makes a fabulous veggie dip!

Watermelon Arugula Salad w/ Apple Cider Vinaigrette

APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

3 tablespoons raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons good quality maple syrup

1/2 cup olive oil

Course sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper.

Whisk together the mustard, vinegar & maple syrup in a mixing bowl; slowly add the olive oil and continue to whisk. 

OLD BAY RANCH DRESSING

1/2 cup Vegan Mayo

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.

HONEY VINAIGRETTE

This simple yet delicious recipe is the perfect portion for a couple of salads.

  Double or triple the recipe to make enough to store in your fridge for a week:

3 teaspoons honey

3 teaspoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.

Pack up your salad and a comfy blanket, and find a lovely spot to have a picnic like we did here at Pebble Beach in beautiful Monterey, California last month.

I hope these quick and easy recipes encourage you to ditch highly processed store dressings in exchange for a much healthier, delicious salad experience!

xoxo,

Kristen

Eat More Fruits and Veggies

It should be a no-brainer that we need to fill our plates with fruits and veggies.  It doesn't matter what type of diet you choose: Plant-based, Paleo, Mediterranean, Low-Carb High Fat, Bulletproof etc., the center of it should be a large amount of fruits or veggies.  Even the USDA Food Plate and the better version from the Harvard School of Public Health recommends at least 50% of every meal from fruits and veggies.  A survey by the American Heart Association states that only 1-1.5% of American children and adults achieve a healthy eating pattern.  

For optimal health we should strive to have 10 or more servings per day. 

Researchers analyzing 95 studies of two million people found that those consuming 2.5 servings of fruits and veggies lowered their risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer and premature death by 13-15%.  Those who consumed 8-10 servings lowered it by 24-35%.

The best foods to fight heart related diseases are:

*Apples

*Pears 

*Citrus

*Leafy greens

*Broccoli

*Cabbage

*Cauliflower
*Green Beans
*Spinach

Along with those, to help combat cancer eat yellow and red veggies like:

*Carrots

*Peppers

*Beets
*Squash

EAT THE RAINBOW

Here are some easy ways to up your intake of fruits and veggies:

*Make your main dish a salad: use dark leafy greens, seeds, beans, avocados, chickpeas, raisins to add a lot of color.  Top it with a healthy dressing.

*Top a baked potato with black beans or salsa, which is full of fiber and protein.

*Have a Smoothie for breakfast.  Use frozen blueberries, bananas, hemp protein powder with kale or spinach.

*Enjoy a veggie wrap using a whole wheat tortilla or a steamed collard green and load it up with hummus, veggies and salsa.

*Snack on grapes, carrot sticks, bananas, celery with almond butter, broccoli florets.

*Make Grilled Veggie Kabobs, with bell peppers, onions, zucchini and even add fruit like pineapple, apples and peaches.

*Make up a batch of Beet/Black Bean burgers topped with romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado and Trader Joes Organic Butter Pickles.

*Have fruit for dessert, like frozen grapes or homemade Banana Raspberry "Nice" Cream.

*Cold-pressed juices can be found in many grocery stores.  Just make sure they aren't all fruit and aren't high in sugars; get the ones that have veggies in them too!  If you are lucky enough to have a "Juice Press" near you, well good for you, because I don't.  Don't rub it in!

Eating 8-10 servings of fruits and veggies a day is the best insurance against illness and obesity.  Even the most unhealthy of meals is made better when you add vegetables.  

For some delicious quick and easy recipes, checkout The Happy Pear on Youtube.  

Have a great week.

Be kind.

Judd