Since summer is just around the corner, I wanted to post a guacamole recipe that you could enjoy at a summer barbecue or party. I usually make a more traditional guacamole recipe with jalapeño, lemon or lime juice, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro.

Today I was in the mood for something different. I had some chipotle in adobo sauce so I decided to make guacamole simply adorned with juicy cherry tomatoes, garlic, and refreshing lime juice. This is the first time I’ve made guacamole without cilantro, onions, or jalapeño in it and the taste was absolutely amazing! My mom and I couldn’t stop eating this guacamole because it was so good!

Spicy chipotle pepper adds a wonderful smokiness and heat that blends really well with the creamy avocado and cherry tomatoes. The juicy cherry tomatoes really add sweet flavor that enhances and tones down the heat from the chipotle. Another good tomato to try in this guacamole would be a Brandywine or Cherokee purple heirloom tomato.

I only used one half of the chipotle pepper and one teaspoon of the adobo sauce to temper the heat level from the pepper but if you like it hot, feel free to use a whole chipotle pepper. Another tasty option for the chipotle pepper is to use Sriracha sauce.

If you like fruit with your guacamole you could add a ½ cup of diced pineapple, mango, or strawberries for a totally unique and tasty variation.

Avocados

I am in love with avocados! I eat them at least 3 or 4 days a week. If you read my blog regularly, you know that I have a variety of different recipes on my blog that have avocado in them. Avocados are one of my favorite healing foods. Avocados are rich in healing nutrients including high levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, folate, and fiber. Avocados contain important carotenoids including beta-carotene, lutein, alpha-carotene, and zeaxanthin that fight chronic inflammation and free radical damage which causes your body to age quickly.

Hot Chili Peppers

Hot chili peppers like the chipotle pepper are a great food to enjoy for both the flavor and the health benefits. Chili peppers contain capsaicin which is good for burning fat and stimulating your metabolism.

Try this tasty guacamole as a wonderful healing foods snack or at your next party. Do you love guacamole? What’s your favorite way to enjoy it? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Share this recipe with family and friends and let’s all get healthy and radiant together!

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I put together this smoothie recipe with some wonderful skin loving, anti-aging, healing foods that work together synergistically providing great taste and major health benefits. Healing foods that have the added bonus of slowing down the aging process are some of my favorite foods to eat on a weekly basis.

Anyone who believes that healthy foods are bland and boring needs to make this recipe. The sweet, fruity taste and creamy texture makes it hard to believe that something so delicious is also really healthy.

One of my go-to nut milks to use in smoothies is Brazil nut milk. This yummy milk adds a wonderful creaminess that makes this smoothie taste like a milkshake.  The tasty recipe for this vanilla Brazil nut milk comes from my new cookbook Deliciously Holistic: which is available for $16.87 on Amazon right now.

Pineapple

Pineapple is one of those tropical fruits that I crave. It’s sweet flavor and juicy texture is so great to enjoy on its own or in variety of different recipes. Pineapple is a wonderful fruit to eat for radiant, healthy skin due to the high amount of nutrition it contains. Pineapple is high in vitamin C and manganese which are two important nutrients that protect your skin against aging. Pineapple has a special enzyme called bromelain which helps promote healthy digestion by breaking down protein. Bromelain is also a potent anti-inflammatory along with an aid for better circulation.

Bananas

Bananas are well known for their high potassium content but they are also an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin B6 which are important vitamins for keeping your skin youthful and well moisturized. Freezing the banana before using in the smoothie helps to make the smoothie cold and creamy.

Turmeric

Turmeric is one of my top choices for fighting inflammation and cleansing the blood. Turmeric’s potent health benefits are due to the presence of the antioxidant curcumin which has been widely studied and praised for its beneficial properties. Clean blood and reduction of inflammation = ageless, beautiful, glowing skin.

Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are one of the best sources for selenium an important mineral for vibrant health. Selenium is a potent anti-inflammatory which helps protect your body from degenerative diseases that promote aging.

If you want to reap all the benefits of eating for both health and taste, try this anti-aging smoothie for your next breakfast or snack.

Important Note

If you are eating really healthy foods but still having issues with your health and chronic inflammation, you need to find out if you have sensitivities or intolerances to the foods you’re eating. The foods which we put in our body on a daily basis can either help protect against sickness, inflammation, and aging or increase it.

That’s why it’s important for everyone to make food and lifestyle choices that enhance your health. The Alcat test that we offer is a very reliable way to find out exactly what foods, food additives, medicinal herbs, functional foods, food colorings, molds, and chemicals you have sensitivities to so you can eliminate them from your life and start to heal. Feel free to contact us if you want to learn more about this fantastic test.

I hope that you enjoy my recipe and make it often so you can protect your body against aging. What’s your favorite  smoothie blend? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Share this recipe with family and friends and let’s all get healthy and radiant together!

Join our holistic community by signing up for our email updates, like us on Facebook,  follow us on Twitter , and pin with us on Pinterest to get all the latest healthy recipes, health tips, event notifications, and information on increasing your energy, strength, and immunity with healing whole foods and holistic lifestyle solutions.

Today’s tasty recipe is a delectable combination of smoky grilled asparagus, sweet caramelized onions, creamy avocado, peppery watercress, juicy tomatoes, spicy radishes, refreshing lime, and nutty quinoa. All of these ingredients meld together to create a harmonious balance of textures and flavors that will have you going back for seconds!

This recipe is packed with healing superfoods but if I had to choose one standout superstar ingredient in this recipe, I would choose the quinoa. Quinoa is an amazing superfood that is like the little black dress, perfect for every occasion and always in style. If you have never tried quinoa you are going to adore its nutty flavor and fluffy texture. Here are some of its wonderful benefits.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a tiny seed that has been cultivated for over 3000 years and it contains an impressive array of key nutrients for healing and nourishment of the body. Quinoa is a protein-rich seed that is eaten like a grain. ½ cup of quinoa contains 11 grams of healthy plant protein along with all eight essential amino acids. Quinoa is a good source of B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, fiber, and zinc.

Since quinoa is a seed, it does contain anti-nutrients that protect it from sprouting until the right conditions are met. Soaking the quinoa before cooking removes these anti-nutrients. I also like to toast it for a few minutes to enhance the nutty flavor and remove some of the moisture from the soaking process. If you don’t have time to soak your quinoa, you need to rinse it thoroughly before cooking to remove the bitter saponin coating.

Asparagus

Asparagus is one of the most adored spring vegetables. Grilling the asparagus adds a wonderful smoky flavor that blends well with all the other ingredients in this recipe. I used a cast iron grill on the stove but if you don’t have a grill pan you cook it in a cast iron skillet or roast in the oven.

Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K which is important for helping the body absorb calcium. Asparagus also contains beta-carotene, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, inulin, selenium, fiber, and zinc. Asparagus is rich in glutathione a super antioxidant that removes and protects the body from toxins.

Onions

Caramelized onions are a tasty addition to this recipe and offer tremendous health benefits. Onions are an aid to the liver’s detoxification process because they contain flavonoids that stimulate the production of glutathione an antioxidant that the liver uses for detoxification. Onions are also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, calcium, quercetin, sulfur, iron, and fiber.

Avocados

Avocado adds a lush creaminess to this recipe that is so good! Avocados are rich in healthy fats and important nutrients that protect your body from inflammation, free radical damage, and aging. Avocados are rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin K, beta-carotene, folate, potassium, lutein, glutathione, and fiber that all work together to heal and rejuvenate the body.

I hope that you enjoy my recipe and make it often so you can experience all the health benefits that come with eating healing foods on a regular basis. What’s your favorite  spring vegetables and fruits? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Share this recipe with family and friends and let’s all get healthy and radiant together!

Join our holistic community by signing up for our email updates, like us on Facebook,  follow us on Twitter , and pin with us on Pinterest to get all the latest healthy recipes, health tips, event notifications, and information on increasing your energy, strength, and immunity with healing whole foods and holistic lifestyle solutions.

I’m so excited to share my book with all of you! My cookbook and holistic lifestyle guide is truly a tangible expression of the joy, peace, and satisfaction that I have experienced from eating healing foods and following holistic lifestyle principles.

When I decided to write my book several years ago, I wanted to make sure that it would be a book that I would love to buy, read, and use over and over again. My cookbook needed to have lots of delicious and healthy recipes for more energy and better immunity.

I also wanted to write a book where I could share the valuable holistic health information and cooking knowledge I have learned from working as a chef and certified healing foods specialist for many years.

I poured my heart and soul into my book project spending many long days and nights creating and testing recipes, photographing them, and researching the most useful holistic lifestyle information to include.

Deliciously Holistic is the result of all this hard yet rewarding work. As a holistic chef, certified healing foods specialist and ardent food lover, I truly believe good nutrition never has to be at the cost of great taste. Deliciously Holistic cookbook will show you, step-by-step, how to get more energy and better immunity with 154 vibrant, nutrient-rich, healing foods recipes and 50 pages of holistic lifestyle tips and solutions.

Whether your dietary preference is omnivore, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gaps, or macrobiotic, eating more healing whole foods and doing the lifestyle tips in this cookbook will help you experience the joy that comes with feeling and looking your best!

To preview some of the delectable recipes in Deliciously Holistic, check out these blog post links:

Banana Coconut Chia Pudding

Acai Berry Cranberry Tea Sherbet

Cultured Apple Goji Berry Compote

Pumpkin Seed Spread

Pumpkin Hazelnut Chai Soup

To celebrate the launch of Deliciously Holistic, I have teamed up with some of my absolute favorite companies and they will be generously providing some awesome gifts for me to give away for free! Sign up for my email newsletter, like my Facebook page, and follow me on Pinterest to receive notification of the latest giveaway and to get an opportunity to win these wonderful gifts.

I hope that Deliciously Holistic will be a book that you cherish and use constantly to enjoy a life full of radiant health and wellness! Please share the gift of health with your family, friends, and coworkers by spreading the word about my book and or buying them a copy as a gift.

Love, light, and radiant health from my holistic kitchen to yours,

Slowing down aging in your body starts with what you eat and drink on a daily basis. If you eat lots of processed low-nutrient foods, and sugar-filled or artificially sweetened beverages, your skin, hair, and nails will reflect these choices. My favorite anti-aging foods will provide you with the all good nutrition you need to slow down the aging process.

When you eat healing foods with key anti-aging nutrients, you become healthy on the inside which is reflected on the outside by an outer glow of vibrant health that is truly beautiful! Organic healing foods which contain the following key nutrients are the best choices for fighting the aging process.

Top vitamins for anti-aging are: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and B vitamins.

Top minerals for anti-aging are: sulfur, silicon, zinc, iron, selenium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.

Top phytochemicals for anti-aging are: Chlorophyll, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, quercetin, lutein, and squalene.

The following list has my seven favorite anti-aging foods. These healing foods are rich in key vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, healthy fats, water, enzymes, and fiber that provide you with everything you need to slow down aging and get the glow!

1. Leafy Green Vegetables

Kale, spinach, collard greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, arugula, watercress, red and green oak leaf lettuce, and romaine lettuce are excellent leafy greens to eat on a daily basis to age proof your body. These leafy greens are packed with water, amino acids, phytochemicals, enzymes, chlorophyll, antioxidants, and fiber which detoxify, alkalinize, and nourish the entire body. Leafy greens contain high levels of chlorophyll which builds up blood and increase the levels of oxygen in the body. A clean body=radiant skin, hair, and nails.

2. Berries

Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, goji berries, cranberries, raspberries, mulberries, acai berries, and camu camu berries help cleanse our body of toxins and fights chronic inflammation resulting in beautiful, healthy skin, hair, and nails.  Berries protect against the oxidative stress which causes aging due to the high levels of vitamin C, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that they contain.

3. Avocados

Avocados contain essential omega-3 fatty acids that moisturize your skin from the inside out. Avocados are rich in anti-aging nutrients including high levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, folate, and fiber. Avocados contain important carotenoids including beta-carotene, lutein, alpha-carotene, and zeaxanthin that fight chronic inflammation and free radical damage which causes your body to age quickly.

4. Allium Vegetables

Onions, garlic, leeks, chives, and shallots are all members of the allium family. These wonderful vegetables contain high amounts of sulfur an important mineral that helps rebuild keratin and collagen, along with purifying the liver. Onions are also rich in quercetin an antioxidant that fights free radical damage.

5. Sprouted or Raw Nuts and Seeds

The best nuts and seeds to fight against aging include: almonds, walnuts, coconuts, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, and flax seeds. All of these nuts and seeds contain healthy fats, protein, amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber that help neutralize free radicals; fight inflammation; and repair cellular damage. Nuts and seeds contain fatty acids like GLA that are potent anti-inflammatory fats and also important for keeping your skin moisturized.

5. Olives and Olive Oil

Olives and olive oil are rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, and amino acids which repairs connective tissue and reduces the appearance of fine lines. Olives contain squalene an unsaturated fat, antioxidant, and oxygen carrier that helps smooth and protect your skin. Olives and olive oil are high in monounsaturated fats that have anti-inflammatory properties. The heart healthy fats in olives and olive oil are also important for keeping your skin, scalp, and hair moisturized.

6. Red and Black Radishes

These tiny root vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals that keep your skin, hair, and nails in top condition. Radishes contain silicon, sulfur, and vitamin C. Silicon also known as silica, strengthens connective tissues and keeps your skin smooth and glowing. Silicon also helps make your hair thick and strong.

7. Turmeric

Turmeric is an amazing root vegetable with anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric is rich in antioxidants that purify the blood and support the liver. Having clean blood helps to keep your skin smooth and soft.

If you include these healing foods into your daily diet you will reap all the anti-aging benefits they provide and start enjoying the glow of radiant health.

Are any of your favorite foods on this list? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment.

Join our holistic community by signing up for our email updates, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter , and pin with us on Pinterest to get all the latest healthy recipes, health tips, event notifications, and information on increasing your energy, strength, and immunity with healing whole foods and holistic lifestyle solutions.

Cookies that are made with pure ingredients and free of foods that are health depleting are the best treats to indulge in. These simple cookies have whole foods that your body can recognize and digest easily. My cookie recipe is free of refined white flour, white sugar, grains, and gluten.

I love to make desserts that don’t weigh me down or make me feel tired after eating them. I usually stick to eating lots of fresh fruits, chia seed puddings, and homemade ice creams and sorbets for dessert.

On the occasion that I want to make baked goods like cookies, pies, cakes, or cupcakes, I make them with almond; coconut; oat; buckwheat; or millet flours because these flours are nutrient-rich and gluten-free. Once you learn how to bake with these fantastic flours, you will never want to use bleached all purpose flour ever again.

Almond flour is one of my favorite flours for baking cookies because it creates a light cookie with a texture that is a cross between chewy and crispy. This texture is my ideal of the perfect cookie.

Today’s recipe uses almond flour, dark chocolate chunks, cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and organic pastured butter which adds amazing flavor to this cookie without the need for eggs or leavening agents like baking powder.

Finely ground blanched almond flour is used in this recipe as a replacement for white all purpose flour. Blanched almond flour is made by soaking raw almonds in hot water to remove the skins.

The almonds are ground into fine almond flour that is a wonderful gluten-and-grain-free option for baking. Please don’t substitute coarse almond meal for blanched almond flour because it won’t yield the right texture in this recipe. Almond meal is usually coarse ground almonds that are ground with the skins still on them.

ALMONDS

Almonds are a fantastic source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, potassium, antioxidants, and heart healthy monounsaturated fat. Even though almonds are considered a nut, they are really not a true nut because they are the seed of the fruit that grows on almond trees. Technically it’s a drupe.

COCONUT SUGAR

Coconut sugar is a wonderful caramel flavored sugar that comes from the crystallized sap nectar that flows from the coconut blossom when coconut trees are tapped. Coconut sugar has 17 amino acids, key vitamins, minerals, and a glycemic index of 35. Coconut sugar is a great replacement for refined white sugar. I used Wholesome Sweeteners organic coconut sugar in this recipe.

PASTURED BUTTER

Organic pastured butter is a healthy fat that you should not be afraid to eat or use in your recipes. Pastured butter comes from cow’s that eat a natural diet of grass. This natural diet produces a delicious, golden butter that is rich in vitamin A, vitamin D, omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, and selenium.

For more information on the benefits of butter check out these two articles. If you don’t eat dairy you can try these cookies with virgin raw coconut oil. I have not tested the recipe with coconut oil so I can’t guarantee that it will turn out as good as it does with butter.

DARK CHOCOLATE

Dark chocolate is high in enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidants, and soluble fiber. It’s particularly high in magnesium, iron, and chromium which are important nutrients for vibrant health.

Do you like cookies? What’s your favorite cookie? Are you eating gluten-free or grain-free? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment.

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I have received numerous requests to post a smoothie recipe that helps you recover after working out. I created this alkalizing green smoothie recipe to help your body heal quickly after exercising.

This delicious smoothie features a specific combination of ingredients to help repair your muscles, clear lactic acid from your blood, and reduce inflammation. This smoothie also delivers key nutrients for hydrating your body and replenishing electrolytes.

After you finish working out, your body needs to have a balance of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, electrolytes, antioxidants, fiber, essential fatty acids, and phytochemicals. These important nutrients speed recovery, repair and build muscle, provide energy, replace muscle glycogen stores, and decrease inflammation.

Blended smoothies are the perfect choice to help you accomplish this goal because you can combine all these important nutrients into an easy to make drink. Smoothies digest quickly which frees up energy for your body to repair itself after your workout.

Today’s smoothie recipe combines a tasty blend of cherry chia kombucha tea, coconut water, juicy strawberries, creamy avocado, turmeric, kale, spicy ginger, raw honey, chia seeds, and hemp protein for a power-packed smoothie that will help heal your body and keep you energized for your next workout! It’s important to drink this smoothie within 30 minutes to one hour after working out to reap the most benefits.

Kombucha Tea

Kombucha tea is made with a colony of beneficial yeast, good bacteria, and tea. This cultured drink is healthy promoting and provides key probiotics, enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants, polyphenols, and glucuronic acids that strengthen and help heal your digestive system and immune system.

I used cherry chia kombucha tea in this recipe. This organic, raw kombucha tea is an energizing blend of kombucha culture, tea, chia seeds, and cherry juice.

Sixteen ounces of cherry chia kombucha tea has 4 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, 4200 mg of omega-3 essential fatty acids, and 100 mg of EGCG. This kombucha tea also contains both bacillus coagulans and S. Boulardii probiotics. If you have a favorite brand of kombucha tea or if you make your own homemade kombucha feel free to use it in this recipe.

Strawberries

Sweet Strawberries are in season right now and they are the perfect addition to this smoothie both for the taste and the nutritional content. Fruit is fantastic for eating after a workout because it helps replenish depleted glycogen stores in your muscles.

Strawberries are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, iron, biotin, and fiber. Antioxidants and vitamin C protect our cells from free radical damage and inflammation that comes from working out. Antioxidants are also important for helping to cleanse your blood of the lactic acid that is created. Iron helps deliver oxygen to your body and builds up your blood. Strawberries are high in water which will help rehydrate you after sweating during exercise. One cup of strawberries contains around 4½ ounces of water.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a rhizome that is a member of the ginger family. Turmeric contains the active ingredient curcumin, which is a potent antioxidant, liver detoxifier, and anti-inflammatory. Turmeric is a great addition to a post workout smoothie because it helps cleanse your blood of lactic acid and reduces inflammation.

Ginger

Ginger is a potassium-rich rhizome which is excellent for stimulating digestion and bile flow along with removing inflammation.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are an excellent plant-based source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids (ALA), calcium, iron, and fiber. Calcium is important for the contraction and function of your muscles. Omega-3 fatty acids are excellent at protecting the body from the damaging effects of chronic inflammation. Chia seeds can also help stabilize your blood sugar by slowing down the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar.

Chia seeds can absorb up to 12 times their weight in liquid which makes them very hydrating which is important after a strenuous workout. Two tablespoons of chia seeds have 4 grams of protein, 205 grams of calcium, 5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids, and 8 grams of fiber. To find out more benefits of this superfood seed check out my post.

Avocado

Avocado is a great choice for a post exercise recovery smoothie because avocados are a good source of healthy fats plus nutrients that help repair and heal your body. Eating a healthy source of fat after working out helps reduce inflammation and repair the damage done to muscle cell membranes. Avocados healthy fats include monounsaturated fat and alpha-linolenic acid an omega-3 fatty acid.

Avocados are also rich in nutrients including high levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, folate, and fiber. Avocados contain important carotenoids including beta-carotene, lutein, alpha-carotene, and zeaxanthin that function as key antioxidants to fight inflammation and free radical damage.

Coconut Water

Coconut water is a fantastic beverage for hydrating your body. Coconut water provides key electrolytes including potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium that are depleted from sweating during your workout. Coconut water also contains B vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, and antioxidants which all work together to help your body recover after exercising. Electrolytes help your muscles recover and are important for regulating muscle function.

I hope that drinking my smoothie will help keep your body strong and filled with energy. What’s your favorite smoothie blends? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Share this recipe with family and friends and let’s all get healthy and radiant together!

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I get so excited when I go to the market and start seeing all the lovely vegetables and fruits that become available as the weather turns warmer. Buying seasonal foods is truly the best way to eat for optimum health. Ripe seasonal foods don’t need a lot of manipulation or culinary tricks to make them taste delicious. For some fantastic reasons why it’s important to buy seasonal foods please check out my post.

My two vibrant spring energy salads are a tasty way to welcome spring with a bang! The first salad features some of the best produce of the season including tender baby spinach, crisp asparagus, juicy baby tomatoes, and fragrant red onion all topped with refreshing meyer lemon basil vinaigrette.

The second salad is a simple persian cucumber salad marinated in fresh lemon juice and sprinkled with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Both of these fabulous salads are easy to digest and will give you lots of energy and important nutrients for healing your body. I really enjoy eating colorful salads on a regular basis because it’s such an easy way to make sure you’re getting lots of alkaline-rich vegetables, leafy greens, and fruits into your daily diet.

If you usually cook asparagus before using, you’re in for a pleasant surprise with my first salad. I like using thin stalks of raw asparagus because it’s so sweet and tender right now. If you can’t find pencil or thin asparagus in your local markets, feel free to use the larger asparagus spears and either blanch or steam them before using in this salad.

Asparagus

Asparagus contains many great nutrients that promote vibrant health. Asparagus is rich in beta-carotene, B vitamins, inulin, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and fiber. Asparagus is a potent anti-inflammatory and cancer fighter due to the presence of the saponins asparanin A, diosgenin, sarsasapogenin, and protodioscin.  Asparagus is also rich in glutathione a super antioxidant that protects and removes toxins from our body.

Spinach

Spinach is one of my absolute favorite health-promoting vegetables! Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, beta-carotene, folate, lutein, and fiber which all contribute to maintaining vibrant health and which protect our bodies from degenerative diseases.

Basil

Basil is a delicious herb that adds great flavor to any recipes you add it to. Basil is an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamin A.

Red Onions

Red onions are rich in anthocyanins, quercetin, and sulfur which all work together to prevent inflammation and oxidation of fatty acids in our body.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are water-rich which keeps you hydrated and promotes better energy. Their high water content also supports healthy kidneys. The skin of the cucumber is loaded with chlorophyll and silicon which builds the blood and promotes smooth, supple skin.

Silicon is very important for improving the condition of aging skin, hair, and nails. Silicon increases the strength and thickness of the skin. Cucumbers are also a great source of vitamin C, and B vitamins.

I hope that eating my two spring energy salads will help renew and heal your body.

What’s your favorite fruits or vegetables to eat in the spring? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Share this article with family and friends and let’s all get healthy and radiant together!

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The changing of the seasons provides us with the unique opportunity to buy a variety of fantastic foods that are only available during that season. Seasonal foods offer a natural diversity that we should take advantage of when eating holistically for both our health and the health of our planet. There is nothing better than eating a juicy organic summer peach, vine-ripe heirloom tomato, or sweet strawberry grown by a local farmer that you know by name.

When you go shopping at any supermarket you will find fruits and vegetables available year round which are not in season.  Grocery stores provide convenience by having exactly the same foods available year-round so that we are able to buy whatever we want whether it’s in or out of season.

Have you ever gone into your grocery store in the winter and looked at the huge displays of tomatoes in stock? This is a prime example of being able to buy foods out of season. Many of these out of season non-organic foods depend on waxes, chemicals, and preservatives to make them look fresh and tastier than they are. These foods are produced for long shelf life and looks rather than flavor.

When you buy foods that are not in season you are giving up all the wonderful benefits associated with purchasing seasonal foods.

I make a conscious effort to buy seasonal foods and to support my local farmers which makes me feel connected to the food that I put on my plate as well as providing me with a bounty of delicious foods to enjoy.

Here are four of the amazing benefits of purchasing organic foods in season and from local farmers whenever possible.

1. Health Benefits

Seasonal foods are picked at the peak of freshness and offer higher nutritional content than out of season unripe fruits and vegetables. When you eat with the seasons you can enjoy a rainbow of colorful and diverse foods in your diet as well as providing your body with a wide variety of important vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that you need to maintain vibrant health.

Eating seasonal foods helps to support our bodies natural cleansing and healing abilities. For example spring weather offers many tasty leafy greens and vegetables like dandelion greens, spring onions, and spring garlic which are great healing foods for helping detoxify your liver and cleanse your blood.

2. Sustainable Benefits

Organic seasonal foods are grown in a sustainable manner by farmers who really care about protecting our planet. Organic farmers rotate crops to increase soil fertility, use integrated pest management to control pests using beneficial insects instead of toxic pesticides, and use sustainable composting methods for disposing of organic waste.

By not using toxic chemicals, poisonous pesticides, herbicides, and genetically modified seeds, these farmers provide us with healthier foods along with protecting both our planet and the farm workers health. These sustainable methods of raising foods yields a superior product that offers better taste, quality, and nutrition over conventionally raised foods.

3. Environmental Benefits

Eating with the seasons and purchasing local foods helps to protect our planet because it reduces the number of miles your food has to travel before it reaches your plate. This helps cut back on the amount of fuel used which reduces pollution. Buying organic, seasonal, locally grown foods protect our environment for all the reasons I mentioned under sustainable benefits. By making a conscious choice to purchase organic, seasonal, and local foods we help protect our water, air, and land.

4. Economic Benefits

When you buy organic, seasonal, locally grown foods you help provide financial support to the farmers in your area which helps to grow your local economy. Seasonal foods are priced much more economically than out of season foods which will save you money on your grocery bills.

Some of my favorite spring foods include:

Dandelion greens, mâche, kohlrabi, pea shoots, sweet peas, sorrel, ramps, asparagus, green shallots, chanterelle and porcini mushrooms, blueberries, strawberries, artichokes, leeks, nettles, fava beans, spring onions, and spring garlic. All of these spring foods help to lighten, cleanse, and renew our bodies and get them ready for the warm summer months. I will be posting some spring recipes over the next weeks so stop back by to check them out.

I hope that my article will convince you to shop with the seasons, support your local farmers, and purchase as many organic foods as you can afford. Here are some websites you can check out to help you purchase seasonal, local, and sustainable foods.

http://eatlocalgrown.com/

www.localharvest.org

www.eatwellguide.org

www.sustainabletable.org

What’s your favorite fruits or vegetables to eat in the spring? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment below.

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Shared on Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday.

This delicious soup combines some of my favorite vegetables which nourish and energize your body. I eat soups every week and never tire of them. Soups are so easy to make and they are fantastic for a satisfying lunch or simple dinner.

Growing up I always loved my mom’s homemade soups. My favorite soups were cream of mushroom, tomato basil, kale potato, chicken rice, and seafood chowder. These soups were so delectable and I really enjoyed eating them.

If you’re a big fan of one pot meals, you should really like this vibrant soup. Butternut squash, carrots, garlic, and white onions are sautéed and slowly simmered with kale, lentils, and gelatin-rich chicken stock for a sensational soup that comforts and warms you.

The root vegetables add a wonderful sweetness to this soup which balances out the earthiness of the kale and lentils. Add a leafy green salad and you have a nutrient-rich dinner that is truly satisfying! I used homemade chicken stock in this recipe but feel free to substitute vegetable stock if you want to make a vegan version of the recipe.

Red Lentils

Red lentils provide body and texture to this soup along with protein and both soluble and insoluble fiber. Lentils contain excellent amounts of magnesium, folate, iron, manganese, potassium, copper, molybdenum, and thiamin.

Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is a fabulous winter squash that is so versatile. I like steaming, sautéing, roasting, and braising butternut squash in a variety of different recipes. Butternut squash looks like a big pear with cream-colored skin and beautiful orange flesh. This squash has a tough exterior that can be hard to cut into but the extra effort is worth it to get the sweet goodness that lies inside!

Butternut squash is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin K, manganese, potassium, and fiber. This squash also contains large amounts of the carotenoids including beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin.

Kale

Kale and I have been having a passionate love affair for many years. I have adored kale’s earthy flavor since I was a little girl. Kale is a superfood with potent anti-inflammatory and cancer fighting nutrients. Kale is rich in vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and fiber. Kale also contains impressive amounts of carotenoids and flavonoids that are powerful antioxidants which protect our bodies from oxidative stress and disease. To find out more about kale’s fantastic health benefits, check out my post.

What’s your favorite soup recipe? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Share this recipe with family and friends and let’s all get healthy and radiant together!

Join our holistic community by signing up for our email updates, like us on Facebook,  follow us on Twitter , and pin with us on Pinterest to get all the latest healthy recipes, health tips, event notifications, and information on increasing your energy, strength, and immunity with healing whole foods and holistic lifestyle solutions.