3 Ways Trees Are Related To Your Health

To live well you need oxygen, water and nutrient dense foods.

Trees are our breathing buddies. We are mutually benefited by the others actions. Trees remove the carbon out of the air from our exhales and from pollutants in the air. Trees need carbon in the photosynthesis process. Trees then release oxygen into the air through this process.

Trees drink up large amounts of water and help keep a balance of moisture and dryness in your lawn, and land in general when there is not an access of rain. On the flip side when there is not enough water the lands become too dry and can not be farmed or the soil blows away. They help keep some of the water in the ground with their shade keeping the hot sun from directly scorching the earth.

When the temperatures outside are very high trees shade us, animals and insects and provide cooling relief from the high, sometimes scorching temperatures. This puts less of a strain on air conditioning your interior spaces and the power grid.

Trees are their own ecosystems for moss and lichen, insects and animals. Where you and I allow fear of large storms or being pushed by insurances companies to cut them down or else, you loose a very important part of the balance in your life and community. The air quality goes down. When DOT cuts trees down along highways it's harder to breathe from all of the exhaust filled with carbon and more, compared to a drive in the country with numerous trees. This goes for your neighborhood and community too. Trees with interior rot are one thing. Healthy trees are not. They can be trimmed, anchored down and saved. When planted as young trees this needs consideration so they are not too close to a building and are trimmed continuously and kept healthy.  Of  late, too many trees are being chopped down due to fear. It's a little over the top in my opinion. Safety is important. It's just over used with a big dose of fear. What do you think?

So let's take care of our trees too. They will take care of us, our lands, our waters and our air, which is healthier, and makes for a healthier, happier you.

A Convenient Life.

Convenience.  Is it good for you?

This topic came to me in a funny and an unusual way.  I locked my car keys in my car at the library.  I picked up my house keys by mistake.  The police station in my town is conveniently next door to the library so a short walk solved my problem easily.  This is a positive experience related to convenience.

However, with this experience it got me to thinking, to think about the words convenience and convenient.   How often are they a good thing in my life and in yours?

We live a convenient life.  What does this mean?  In a nut shell it boils down to saving you time.  But does it really accomplish much for you? What ends up in this saved time?

There are convenience stores, convenience foods, texting, cell phones, ipads all of which are convenient.  I'm sure you can come up with a much longer list as to what is convenient in your life.

The other side of convenience is loss of quality.  The top two conveniences on my mind with significant loss of quality are relationships, all types: to self, others, the Divine, the planet, our neighbors.  The second is food.

For an enlightening exercise take a piece of paper, yes, please not on the computer, draw a line down the center of the paper.  Next, title the left side CONVENIENCE and on the right side title it LOSS of QUALITY.

Go as deeply as you can with this, take some time.  The purpose is to gain insight on how you are truly not living a life of quality, which is only one part of living YOUR life, the life of your dreams.  Because with out quality, their is lack.  With quality their is life.  If you have an example of where your quality has improved, do write that in.

The last part of this exercise is to write up a sentence or paragraph or two, or if you are more artistic, draw what you wish to do, that will counter each of the of loss of quality that you have listed.

An example:

The convenience:   Purchase and eat convenience store and fast food.

Loss of quality: (use I, not you, of course)

Many:  You have no idea what is in your "food", you have lost the connection to lovingly prepare and connect to delicious food and it's source for your self and/or others, fast food tends to be scoffed down running from here or there, not properly chewing the food, no down time, where is the enjoyment and nurturing, loss of new flavors and foods, added chemicals, taste enhancers etc. that keep you hooked.  The big loss is not sharing the love of creativity and healthy food preparation with children if you have them, which is great bonding time and they feel empowered by helping and learning, doing something fun and with mom or dad.

New quality:  Starting today I will visit the grocery/health food store and explore the whole food section.  I will look for color and items I would like to try.  I may ask someone to tell me about an item I know nothing about.  I may explore organic humanely raised meat as well, if I eat meat today or in the future.

If today I decide to purchase new organic vegetables and fruit I will start with simple new ways to prepare them or just wash and eat them.  I will look for simple recipes online, in a cookbook, ask a friend or my health coach if I have one, for some new recipes using my new found foods. Otherwise I will decide when I would like to do this. 

I will set the time I previously used to drive to the convenience store or fast food restaurant to slow down, take a deep breath and simply cut, chop or slice food and steam, saute or eat raw my new found foods.  The world of delicious fresh juices and smoothies I have heard about will eventually be added to my daily routine.  I can't wait to invite my spouse and children to be my assistant chefs.

Of course you then build on this until you wean yourself off of the junk and less nutritious foods as you will have filled your meals with such nutritious and healthy foods, there won't be much, if any, room for them. It may also mean cutting back some activities to allow for optimal health. 

Why is this so important?  Lack of quality of life, especially related to food, can set the stage for illness and dis-ease such as diabetes, cancer, coronary heart dis-ease, auto immune arthritis and obesity, ADHD, increase stress, create binging and so much more.

The actual qualities behind these are connection/relationship, better quality for this example food, which equates to better quality of life and health, respect for yourself and more...   As you go deeper still, with each deeper connection that comes to light, you will find they lead you to a deeper connection to the Divine.

So tell me, is convenience really good for you?  Or does it steal from you? (for every gain, what are the losses if any?)  Please let me know below.

One more example of loss of quality, not gone into detail here, is the use of electronic and mobile devices for example cell phones, TV, video games.  They kill the connection component of relationship.  This is a whole separate article coming your way in the future.

These topics and more tie in nicely to my upcoming work shop, "Why Manage Life? Live It"!®  Discover how to turn you Health and Lifestyle challenges into a life of Wellness and Happiness, rescheduled for Tuesday evening, October 30th from 7-9 pm.  Healthy and organic nutrient based refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the workshop.

There is limited space, so please rsvp sooner rather than later so you will be able to attend. Pre-registration is required by Friday October 26th.  I am looking forward to seeing you on the 30th.

Please sign up using www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com:

1. Click the Connect tab

2. Click the Free Consultation tab

3. Input your name etc.

4. Input your yes or no rsvp in the comment field.

5. Mail your $20 check to:

Refresh Your Life Now

c/o Barbara Greenhouse

35 Maple Drive

Monroe, CT 06468

In Health and Joy,

Barbara

203-216-6889
www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods
Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow
http://RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com


This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following in tact:  

Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of  Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, Ahimsa, the Nutrition Health Connection and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world .  She teaches, guides and supports her clients along their journey to achieve their goals one step at a time, to live their dreams simply, holistically and with compassion.  

By recommending some delicious live raw whole foods their progess to a healthier and happier life begins with reduced stress, less pain, weight loss, optimal health.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

July's Herb of the Month

It's hard to believe that we are in the second half of 2012. Summer is a wonderful time for you to relax, have more fun, and rejuvenate; to refresh your body and soul.  July's herb of the month aligns perfectly with the summer season.

Derived from the Greek word Mintha.

Mint is another fine example of the thorough knowledge the earliest civilizations had about natural remedies and healing.  We are slowly returning to the natural wisdom nature has provided us for millennia.

This versatile herb was brought over by the colonists on the Mayflower.  It is steeped in history and had and still has a variety of uses. The Egyptians, once again, used this herb over 3,000 years ago.  Other earlier civilizations are documented for their use of mint too.  There are 40 varieties of mint, the most common are spearmint, peppermint and penny royal.

Mint makes you feel good through your sense of smell, it can be both uplifting and calming and healing with it's cooling properties throughout your body and for the stomach.  It aides in digestion, motion sickness, colds, the flu, fevers, is used in chest rubs and cools skin irritations.  It is antispasmodic, diaphoretic and a stimulant.  If you have GERD or take certain medications check with your health practitioner before using or eating peppermint. The jury is still out with regards to it's use with homeopathic medicines due to new studies and inconclusive findings.

Mint on the Rocks

Mint goes wonderfully in recipes with fruits, vegetables and or meat.  Since mint has a cooling effect it's use is very welcome during the hot summer. Some cooling uses of mint are mint iced water, mint sun tea, mint ices or sherbet and in dairy or non dairy ice cream where homemade is supreme sans all the chemicals.  I love chocolate and mint together. My favorite summer cool down treat is anything frozen and partially thawed that is chocolate and mint. Then there is the delicious southern drink the Mint Julep, for those inclined to something fancy.

Mint is also used to flavor yogurt, dressings, soups, for dental health in toothpaste and chewing gum and adds a nice cooling effect in liqueurs.

This is a salad recipe I concocted with ingredients on hand that would be cooling on a hot summer day.  Feel free to use any ingredients you like.  I have a new found favorite salad ingredient that I just love, fresh peaches. 

And remember, use organic fruits and vegetables for great taste, better health, and to support your local small farms and markets.

Ingredients:

Salad greens, baby spinach, rainbow chard, kale any or all of your favorite greens

1 large cucumber

1 large fresh peach

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

2 large pinches of a variety of your favorite sprouts

1 mango cut into pieces optional - not local of course

6 - 8 mint leaves

Dressing:

Your favorite 2 oils, non-hydrogenated

White wine vinegar

1-2 Fresh squeezed sweet valencia or sweet blood orange

1/8 small red onion

1/2 medium sized clove garlic

Mango juice

Peach Juice

Basil

Mint

Red chili pepper seeds, to your hotness level, optional

Method:

Wash the greens and tear into pieces place in a large bowl

Cut cucumber in small chunky pieces place in the bowl

Cut peach into chunky pieces, if juicy cut over a small bowl

to reserve the juice, place fruit in the bowl

Cut mango into pieces reserve the juice, place fruit in the bowl, optional

Wash blueberries place in the bowl

Wash and add sprouts

Chop garlic

Rinse, chop or tear the mint and basil leaves

Drizzle the oils on the salad to your liking, toss

Combine the vinegar, orange juice, reserved juices in a separate bowl, whisk

Chop red onion add to this bowl

Add chopped garlic

Add some of the basil and mint, whisk

Add some stevia or your favorite sweetener if needed, optional, whisk

Add dressing to the salad tossing well to incorporate

The amount of dressing you make is equal to the size,

number of servings, of the salad you make or make plenty and store

in the refrigerator

Add the remaining basil and mint

Dressing works well as a marinade for tempeh, tofu, fish or meat.

Tip: Oils can be seed, nut, or vegetable oils for example hemp, flax, sunflower, pumpkin, grapeseed, sesame, almond, hazelnut, or olive.

What are some of your favorite summer salads?  Let us also know if you like to be creative, reach out to different/unusual  salad ingredients and use what you have on hand in the refrigerator in the comment section below.

Homemade Raw ice cream:

Ingredients:

2 Frozen organic bananas

3 Heaping TB of raw cacao powder, more if you like

2-3 TB  organic peanut butter

20 -24 Drops peppermint spirits extract or a non-alcohol extract

2 oz Coconut water 

Sweetener to your taste, optional - raw coconut sap, raw green stevia, raw honey, 

maple syrup (not raw), xylitol (not raw - from the Birch tree is best, most now from corn)

Tip: double, triple recipe etc. for the number of servings you want.

These amounts make 1 serving.

Method: 

Add coconut water to your blender or food processor

Cut frozen bananas into slices 1 inch thick

Add bananas couple at a time to the blender/processor

Pulse slowly

Add a drop of water to cacao, mix

Add cacao slowly into blender/processor, mix, then add more

Add peanut butter slowly, a little at a time until everything is

incorporated

Scrape down sides and blend again

Add peppermint, blend

Place in glass bowl(s)

Tip: For a creamier ice cream you may add one of the following:

fresh coconut meat of 1 Thai coconut

1 medium unfrozen ripe banana, it should smell sweet

1 -2 TB  Lucama powder (also a thickener)

Irish Moss powder this affects the taste some (also a thickener)

1- 3 TB Arrowroot powder  (also a thickener)

For the last 3 put one in a little at a time and stir or blend. Let ice cream sit 20 minutes or so in the refrigerator to see how well it thickens. Add more if you like it creamier and thicker.  Stir  or whisk to make it creamier. Place in freezer.

For more of an ice do not make it creamier or thicker.

June's Herb of the Month

Cinnamon

Cinnamon Sticks

Did you know that cinnamon is tree bark?  Until recently I didn't know that two kinds of cinnamon existed. Where have I been!  Cinnamon commonly sold in the US is from the Cassia tree.  Our second choice for cinnamon is Ceylon cinnamon hailing from Sri Lanka by way of an evergreen tree of the laurel family.  While it is not as sweet as Cassia cinnamon it does provide a more delicate flavor for your favorite recipes.

Cinnamon is also medicinal and has been used since ancient Egyptian times for a variety of illnesses and dis-eases.  It can help insulin resistance and weight loss.

In one study reported by the Diabetes Care Journal, cinnamon reduced blood sugar levels and increased the natural production of insulin, while it lowered their blood cholesterol also.  Specifically, their blood cholesterol levels were lowered in the range of 10 to 26 percent, affecting overall cholesterol levels and reducing the LDL (known as the bad cholesterol) but not reducing levels of HDL, the good cholesterol. For more information and the data source - Thyroid-info.com.   

What are some of your favorite drink, and food recipes that you make using cinnamon? Head on down to the comments section below and please let us know. 

In Health and Joy,

Barbara

203-216-6889
www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods
Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow
http://RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com


This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following in tact:  

Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, the Nutrition Health Connection and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world .  She teaches, guides and supports her clients along their journey to achieve their goals one step at a time, to live their dreams simply, holistically and with compassion. By recommending some delicious live raw whole foods their process to a healthier and happier life begins.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

Inflammation, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Is there really something good about inflammation?  Yes, surprisingly there is because we only hear the bad press.  Well, we will cover all of it here in this post.

Pure Water, Hydration  Natural Stress Reduction

Inflammation is your body's first line of defense against infections and injuries, wounds, falls, toxic food, pesticides, pollution and the like.  The emergency response team in you body responds immediately.  A little science here, this team receives distress signals of the bio chemical nature from damaged tissues and cells.  For knee scrapes or puncture wounds the injured area is sealed off, incoming bacteria get their death sentence and certificate and the damaged tissues are destroyed.

What we perhaps see as redness, swelling, feel as heat or pain and perceive to be bad,   are actually signs that the body's emergency response team is in action, your inflammatory response. 

Inflammatory response is the start of the healing process.  Like everything else, this response needs to keep a balance between heating up inflammation and cooling it down.  As we know, when there is excessive inflammation, heat, and the ph is too acidic our immune system is compromised and we become ill.  When it is severe and chronic our body is way out of balance.  The body and all of our body's systems immune, circulatory, respiratory to name a few are in distress, break down and serious dis-ease takes hold.  

For example, internally, when veins, arteries, our system organs, tissues and joints are taxed or injured they become inflamed because the automatic response system kicks in to start the healing process. At this stage however serious symptoms arise and the response team can become overwhelmed when the conditions are chronic due what the body perceives as an overload of toxins. What toxins?  Excessive sugar, toxic food (wax, petroleum products unpronounceable chemical foods), pesticides,cosmetics, body care products etc., over a long space of time.  The immune system can not handle the situation well.  The body tries to send us messages but we are too busy to listen until the damage is done and comes forth as a debilitating dis-ease and perhaps unrelenting pain depending on the dis-ease.  

Tips to avoid or clear up inflammation:

1. Drink plenty of fresh spring water, or filter your own.  Checkout findaspring.com.

2. Eat and drink more dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables and other alkaline or 

     alkaline forming foods

3. Eat organic for at least the annual dirty dozen fruits and vegetables. Organic tastes better  

    irregardless of what mainstream reports and biased testing show. It tastes good, you will 

    eat more fruits and vegetables which tames inflammation and then eliminates it or

    keeps it in balance. Organic is less costly in the long run with your time and money, it is

     non-GMO, no animal genes in your fruits and vegetables, no built-in pesticides and lastly 

    the soil is nutrient dense with numerous minerals and life teaming organisms with in the   

    soil, verses deficient soil, your typical conventional industrialized farm soil.

4. When you cook meat if you do, choose rare, medium rare. Grilling burnt/crispy is deadly.

5. What ever you wouldn't eat don't serve to your body to cleanse your skin, face or body
     with, nor use as moisturizers, perfumes, makeup or hair products. Anything not easily

     pronounced is a good indication that it is toxic, not health and you don't want it on your 

     skin where it then transits into your body.

6.  Manage your stress. As the # 1 killer in the us today because it's damage hidden for so 

     long. It causes inflammation which in turn creates an acidic ph and when chronic, causes

     debilitating dis-eases, most often deadly dis-ease, for example Cancer, Diabetes, CHD,
     Lung dis-eases, Autoimmune dis-eases Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Alzheimer's, 

     Adrenal Failure and more.

7.  Cut back on the whites - sugar, flour, salt, unless you have low blood pressure; the brain

     requires salt for development. Use Celtic or Pink Himalayan salt, not iodized salt.

8.  Cut back on caffine, alcohol, prescription meds, antibiotics. Use pro and prebiotics.

     While cacao and dark chocolate is good for you for much of the chocolate on the market

      has quite a bit of caffine.  For some health conditions caffine needs to be avoided entirely.

Do you suffer from a debilitating dis-ease?  How's your stress life?  Please share with us in the comments below. 

And as always, if you would like full support in your life to be healthier and happier take that first step for yourself, sign up for a free 50 minute health consultation on my website by clicking here.

  

In Love and Light,

Barbara

203-216-6889
www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods
Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow
http://RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com


This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following in tact:  

Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, the Nutrition Health Connection and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world .  She teaches, guides and supports her clients through their journey to achieve their goals and live their dreams simply, holistically and with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

May's Herb of the Month

 

Garlic Odiferous and Delicious

Garlic is definitely a friend to our bodies yet gets a bum rap due to it's reputation for bad breath and body odor.  Roasted garlic is sweeter and the breath isn't as much of an issue. Now let's see why this member of the Lilley family which was treasured during Egyptian times is good for us.

1.  We live in a world of parasites. They make their way into our digestive tract by the food we eat, from pets and unsanitary conditions.  These little guys and gals just hate garlic. Garlic, over here!

2.  Simplified, our  blood delivers nutrients, proteins, electrolytes and hormones throughout the body.  It also feeds the neurons in the brain the oxygen and the nutrients they need to stay healthy, requiring a constant blood flow to the brain.

The body makes its own supply of hydrogen sulfide, which acts as an antioxidant and transmits cellular signals that relax blood vessels and increase the blood flow. Garlic also increases hydrogen sulfide in the body.  You can read the rest of this article here. Again, this ensures  an even free flow of blood throughout the body, except to the lungs where the blood takes and delivers oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.  Very important tasks. 

While garlic enhances many recipes with it's flavor we also know it is very beneficial for heart and cancer health for these reasons.  

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Well just maybe having garlic each day will keep the cardiologist and oncologist away. We can wish right! Wishes and thoughts do come true.

A few of the ways that I love to use garlic in recipes ( there are many)  are in my chunky guacamole/salsa, my green salads, raw crackers and in my salad smoothie.  

What are some of your favorite recipes that you make using  garlic? Head on down to the comments section below and please let us know.  Would love to have you also share with us on  Facebook.com/refreshyourlifenow.

Barbara

203-216-6889
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com

Follow us on Twitter using @bgsuperfoods 

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/refreshyourlifenow

 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

Wearing the Healthy Nutrtion Hat

My dad came home after "residing" in the hospital and rehab for the last 3 plus months swapping between the two three times.  Was he happy to hear he was finally going home!

I can't imagine the long lonely days and nights.  At times he was happy, he has a sense of humor when he remembers and a flirt.  I would visit and he wished I could've stayed longer sometimes.

I wore the meal planner hat to help him regain his strength and to encourage him to eat more again once he was back on solid food.  Makes me thankful to be able to eat and to eat what I want to eat even more.

Now home I was able to speak with the head of the dining room where he lives to plan healthy meals with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables (salads), dark green vegetables and sweet potatos. We are better able to keep him off of the white foods, bread, pasta and sugar now.  The director was very agreeable to it all.  He knew what quinoa is and says they do serve it at times, as some of the residents like it. Many however are not familiar with it and therefore won't eat it.  He'll make sure my dad has some and buckwheat and tabouleh too when they are on the menu.

The point of my dad's tale?   It was not always easy to provide healthy meals for my dad in these two institutions. Trays came up wrong or the doctor made changes I did not agree with (Ensure instead of real protein, Colace instead of prunes.) I won the battle for each. The Colace didn't work, boy did the prunes!  As someones healthcare advocate this is an area to really focus on because if you do not stand up for your loved ones nutritional needs while receiving institutional care, they only go so far, and at times as in my dads case, they give the standard food tray filled with all my dad is not supposed to eat due to his unique health issues.  

On a wonderful note the hospital dining services had a survey which I filled out very honestly and in a long detailed manner. Suggestions flowed and I added them.  The second hospitalization the menu had changes WHOLE MULTI GRAIN bread was added, more salad choices and more drink choices. More heart healthy choices. My dad needed these.

It pays to speak up and to also fill out surveys and be heard.  They took mine to "heart" and I was pleasantly surprised.  Every baby step leads to change. The ripple has started at the hospital and the rehab facility.

It's amazing as life normalizes in someone elses' life how your own becomes more normal too.  While I did make some green juices and smoothies, I did not every day. My body was ready for good food.  So I whipped up a naturally sweet sundried tomato red pepper sauce.  Taking my vegetable peeler in hand I made large ribbons of zucchini fettucini noodles, cut up a whole creamy avocado and generously spooned on the sauce.  My taste buds rejoiced.  

Simple and Quick Organic/Raw Red Sundried Tomato and Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 C + 1TB warm water

6-8 sundried tomatoes (unsalted variety)

1/2 1 large red pepper

1/4 C pine nuts

1 large clove garlic (smaller's ok)

1/4 C olive oil (may drizzle in) 

 2 large zucchini

Method:

Pour the water into the blender and add the sundried tomatos.

Let them soak in the warm water for 10  minutes

Create the zucchini fettucini noodles over a big bowl

Add a 1/4  tsp salt (or less) to the noodles

After the noodles sweat, drain out the water

Wash, cut and de-seed the red pepper

Peel the garlic

Peel and cut up a ripe avocado

Pulse and then blend the tomatos and water

Add some of the olive oil, blend by drizzling it in

Add the red pepper, blend

Add the garlic, blend

Add more olive oil, blend

Add pinenuts, blend

Add in more olive oil if desired

Optional a pinch of salt after you taste it

This sauce makes a delicious spread. I used it on a hummus and sprout sandwich and a sprouted tofu vegetable burger with spinach and sprouts on top. Both on Ezekiel Sesame Bread.   

Let me know how the recipe turns out for you and other ways you use it in the comments below. 

Barbara

203-216-6889
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com
www.BarbaraGreenhouse.com

Follow us on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods 

Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow

 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

4 Elements to a Great Meal

What a beautiful Spring day to stroll from the train down to 12 Park Avenue in New York City the home of Franchia Vegan Cafe and Tea Room.   I met my friend Sarah for lunch.

Indulge Your Taste Buds

We started out with tea, I with juiced Carrot, Apple, and Ginger with Green tea, Sarah had iced Pomegranate tea.

So many delectable items on the menu we took our time to decide.  We began with Noodle soup with vegetables and Ramen Noodles in Soup with "lobster balls".

Our salads were ordered to arrive with the soups.  "Duck" in spicy sauce with chopped vegetables, more like a slaw, very good. The sauce had depth.  I savored every bite.

The pumpkin noodle salad with vegetables and large bits of beets was good, however the  pumpkin noodles themselves were a bit disappointing.

Mind you the soup and salad were very filling with large portions satisfying to the healthiest of appetites.  We really didn't need an entree, but the selections made it impossible to pass on so we decided on a rather interesting one.

We split the Tofu and Roasted Kabocha Pumpkin in sesame soy sauce for the entree. The pumpkin was very tender, it melted in your mouth and the sauce very flavorful.

If you are looking for " 'Teas and elegant light food', New York Times," take a stroll to 12 Park Avenue, sit beneath the beautifully tiled ceiling and become full on many levels.

If you've been to Franchia Vegan Cafe, let us know about your experiences in the comments below.

Next stop?  I'll share about this in another blog post soon. One hint, it's another fabulous place in NYC and mostly raw.

Barbara

203-216-6889
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com

Follow us on Twitter using @bgsuperfoods 

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/refreshyourlifenow

 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

Delicious Anytime Smoothie

Hit the books and notes last night studying into the wee hours.  I wanted a snack.  So happy I had all these ingredients to make the following smoothie:

9 oz Thai coconut juice

1/2 pound fresh organic strawberries

1 large ripe organic banana

3 TB raw organic coconut oil

2 TB Vega EFA oil

2 TB cinnamon

1/4 cup raw organic cacao powder

2 C organic baby spinach

Method:

· first add coconut juice and strawberries to blender

· next add in the following order:

· the oils

· cinnamon (slowly)

· cacao (slowly)

· pulse in the banana

· scrape sides of the blender

· pulse in spinach 1/2 or all at a time

Very Young Coconut

Options:

1.  cut back the fruits by 1/2. Increase the spinach to 3 C or more.

2.  add in a sweet apple or another 1/2 banana if the smoothie isn't sweet enough for you.    

However, late at night or in my case really very early in the morning, you don't want a

sugar rush.  

3.  use dandelion or other dark greens with or instead of spinach.

4. add real dehydrated organic wheat grass juice powder

If you are diabetic substitute an apple for the banana, the fiber in the apple and the fiber and protein in the spinach helps to keep the blood sugar more stable. The more greens you use the better.


Always flavor to your tastes and experimentation is good.  It's an adventure. 

So I'd love to have you tell me about your favorite smoothie or favorite late night (or into the wee hours of the morning) snack in the comments below.

Barbara

203-216-6889
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com

Follow us on Twitter using @bgsuperfoods 

Like our page on Facebook:  Refresh Your Life Now

 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

A Refreshing Beet Juice for Breakfast

This morning I went down to the kitchen and saw the 3 large beautiful organic beets I purchased yesterday.  Without hesitation I knew I was making a fresh juice for breakfast of the non-green variety.

2 large organic beets

1 large organic Valencia orange

1 1/2 inch chunk of fresh organic ginger root

Wash, cut and juice the beets.

Quarter, peel, and juice the orange and ginger together.

If you like you can surely use two oranges.  Talk about

heaven.  This is a simple juice to make too!

This juice is packed with Vitamin C from the beets and the orange.  The beets also provide Iron and Magnesium, are a good source of Dietary Fiber, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.   

Please note, if you monitor your sugar levels, beets are very high in sugar and are now an 80% GMO product if not organically farmed. 

Beets have been proven in clinical studies to lower blood pressure which also equates to better blood flow bringing much needed oxygen to your brain.

Ginger is soothing to the stomach any time of day. It is a good source of Vitamin C, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

The color of this juice is beautiful. The ginger creates the very creamy top pictured below looking down into the glass jar and the image to the right looking directly at the glass jar where both layers are visible.

I lightly steamed the beet greens with a bit of fresh squeezed lemon and was pleasantly surprised.  They were buttery and delicious.  The few times I have steamed them before I got mouthfuls of unpalatable bitter greens that ended up in the garbage. I like nice surprises.

Have you juiced beets before? Please share your juicing experiences in the comments below.

Barbara

203-216-6889
BarbaraGreenhouse.com
RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com

Follow us on Twitter, @bgsuperfoods 

www.Facebook.com/RefreshYourLifeNow
www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com 

 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

Hunger for Change Movie Premiere

Quite and eye opener.  Packed with information. A must see film for everyone to understand why the nation is sicker and obesity, diabetes and cancer is so prevalent these days.

Some peeks...

1. Most people are starving on a cellular level.

2. Sugar is a drug just like alcohol. Has an opiate affect you become habituated to it. You look 

     to comfort foods which release sugar, a virtual delivery system of sugar right into body fat.

     It isn't the fat that's making you fat. It's the sugar and it's cheaper to produce.

3. If you drink diet soda, within a year you will have gained weight.

4. The marketers are telling you this, and you're getting this. 

5. Walk down the grocery store aisle for kids breakfast foods, you may as well

     roll up their sleeves and inject sugar.

6. Read all food labels, chemicals that clean out automotive parts are in food as are a host of 

     other unapproved chemicals hidden under other names and under spices and/or 

     flavorings.

7.  When you are very ill and diagnosed with cancer you must look back on your life and

     figure out with your own research which foods and lifestyle components caused this, then 

     heal yourself.

http://www.hungryforchange.tv/online-premiere

Want to learn more?  Please contact me and we'll  schedule a time to talk about you, your dreams and explore how you want to start Refreshing Your Life Now, one simple step at a time.  To you.

Barbara

203-216-6889

RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com

www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com
 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She teaches and supports  her clients through their journey to live their dreams easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw whole foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2012 Connecticut, USA

Me Time

Awaken, Align, Transform, Refresh

Flower petals, running water, beautiful music, meditation garden, seeing a favorite movie, time at the park, walking 
along the beach, yoga, sleeping in without regret, 
a getaway
weekend... what ever this is for you. Did you schedule me time in your planner?

The only other question is, did you keep your promise to indulge in yourself by taking your me time?

To me.


Want to learn more?  Please contact me and we'll  schedule a time to talk about you, your dreams and explore how you want to start Refreshing Your Life Now, one simple step at a time.  To you.

Barbara

203-216-6889

RefreshYourLifeNow@gmail.com

www.RefreshYourLifeNow@blogspot.com
 
This post may be reprinted on your blog, website or in your e-zine with my blessing as long as you include the following:  Barbara Greenhouse shares her passions of Food, "Cooking", Cruelty-Free, and the Sharing of Unbiased Information for a healthy and informed world.  She guides her clients through their journey to live their dreams, easily and holistically, with compassion and by incorporating some delicious live raw foods.  She is currently authoring her first book, "Sacred You, The Delicious Journey"®    © copyright refreshyourlifenow, - 2011 Connecticut, USA