Edible Wedding Bouquets

Yesterday was Farmer's Market day. Upon looking over a variety of scrumptious-looking fresh produce, one vendor had some remarkable broccoli for sale.

Store-bought broccoli has nothing over this organic, local farm grown jewel. The bunch was asymmetrical. It was a beautiful shade of dark green. There were no blemishes or discolorations. The stalk was very fresh and HUGE. All in all, it was quite a pleasant sight to see. There was no smell of chemicals.

While checking out the broccoli, I picked up one bunch and was amazed at its natural beauty. “This needs to be a wedding bouquet”, was my comment to another veggie-lovin' customer. Wouldn't that be cool? An edible wedding bouquet. Instead of throwing away the typical flowers, you could take a picture of the bouquet. Then, steam it up for your dinner. That's what I call recycling.


Find interesting? Kindly share...

Green Tea is More Than A Beverage

There are a variety of ways to use green tea. Green tea has been used in holistic remedies for centuries. The high level of antioxidants can benefit your immune system, your eyes, your skin and your overall health.

In addition to drinking iced or hot green tea, try using it in your cooking. Here's an easy way to get extra nourishment into your diet: Steam with it. How's that?

Put some water into a cook pot, as if you were steaming. It usually only takes about an inch or two of water. Add a tablespoon of green tea leaves to the water. Place your steamer device in place. You can buy a cheap metal steamer for around $5. It's not only cheap, but long-lasting. :)

Place some fish onto the steamer. This recipe works especially well with trout, mackerel, mahi mahi (dolphin fish), or other white fishes. Cover the pan.

Turn on your stove top to medium high. Steam your fish for about 10 minutes, til tender. Poke with a fork to test for doneness. Your fish should easily flake when it is done. Turn heat off and remove pan from burner.

Remove your fish and enjoy!

Find interesting? Kindly share...

What's the Deal About Antioxidants?

We all hear about the benefits of getting antioxidants into our bodies. Do you know why, though? The antioxidants really are phenomenal. I'm talking about vitamins A, C, and E in this article. After doing tons of research and sharing information with others, here is a summary list I have come up with...

Your appearance can improve. If signs of aging skin is a concern to you, getting more antioxidants can help your skin look more vibrant and younger. Your skin tone (coloring) will appear more bright. They will nourish your skin. Antioxidants also assist in disease prevention. Increased circulation also helps your body function at its optimum level.

Vitamin A contains retinol, an ingredient known for lessening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The Mayo Clinic states that retinol was the first anti-aging ingredient found in original wrinkle creams.

Since antioxidants help increase blood circulation by fighting free radicals (harmful antibodies), they can increase the growth of your hair.

More later...

Heart Healthy Fruity Oatmeal

Instead of simply eating a bowl of hot oatmeal with brown sugar (or other refined sugars) for breakfast, try this variation. It is all natural, adds extra sweetness and fiber.

Serves 1.

1/2 cup whole oats (oatmeal, quick or regular cooking variety)
1 cup water
1/4 small apple, peeled and diced
1-2 Tablespoons raisins or chopped dried prunes
sprinkling of cinnamon
low fat soy milk

Place water into saucepan on stove top. Cook over medium heat until water starts to boil. Add in oats, apple and dried fruit. Stir frequently. Bring to boil. Lower heat and cook until apples are tender.

Add more water as needed.

Pour into serving bowl. Sprinkle on cinnamon. Pour milk over oatmeal.

If you don't have apple, add fresh blueberries.

Enjoy!

Find interesting? Kindly share....

Heart Healthy Minestrone Soup

Heart healthy is the term given to foods that are known to help your cardiovascular system. The term was coined by the American Heart Association. Here's a soup that is rich in fiber and antioxidants, both essential in a heart healthy diet. Plus, the broth base is much lower in calories than any creamed soup.

As a way to get more nutrients and less calories, I developed this recipe. This soup is easy to make, quick and nutritious. It can be made in either a crockpot or dutch oven style pan. If cooked on the stovetop, the cooking process is much quicker.

Minestrone Soup

2- 15 ounce cans, tomatoes (one stewed and one plain)
1 cup V-8 juice (low sodium)
2 cups water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup green beans, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup kidney beans, cooked
1/2 cup zucchini, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
3 tablespoons Italian seasoning (or combo of thyme, rosemary and oregano)
1/4 macaroni, uncooked

Place all ingredients, except for macaroni,into dutch oven or crockpot. If in dutch oven, cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

If using crock pot, cook on high heat for 5 hours. Stir occasionally.

In both uses, add macaroni during last 1/4 of cooking time.

Serve with whole grain crackers or bread. The addition of a green salad with make a complete meal.

Enjoy!

Fresh Nutrient Rich Fruits

A health promoting dessert can be easily enjoyed by making a quick and simple fresh fruit salad. The USDA and American Heart Association have a list of 10 fruits that are known to be superfoods. Include them in one of your salads. All of the fruits are high in antioxidants and fiber.

If you have a farmer's market nearby, I recommend buying your fresh produce there. It'll give you a chance to meet the grower and learn new ways to enjoy the foods. Plus, you'll know exactly where your food is coming from. It can't get much better than that, in my opinion. Local farmers deserve all the support we can give them. When you get accustomed to the way food is supposed to taste, fresh from the unadulterated ground, you won't go back to supermarket foods.

Here's the fruit list, in no particular order:
* raspberries
* cherries (have you ever had a Rainier cherry?! OOOHH!)
* wild blueberries
* cranberries
* granny smith apples
* strawberries
* red delicious apples
* plums
* prunes
* blackberries

Enjoy this? Kindly share...

Red Raspberries & Health Benefits

When I was a kid, my family grew red raspberries in our backyard. Getting a bowlful and enjoying throughout the season was a special treat. Then, when I got out on my own and saw the exorbitant prices....YIKES!! Down went my consumption...

My local organic market is having a sale on red raspberries...so I treated myself. Mmm...

In addition to their wonderful taste...red raspberries carry with them a variety of nutritional benefits. For instance....

Red raspberries are very high in Vitamin C, fiber, vitamins B2 and B3, magnesium, plus folate. They also are high in antioxidants. There is talk about them containing strong anti-cancer agents, but I haven't read enough information to convince me of this yet. I'll keep looking.

It's great knowing that not only am I giving my taste buds a treat, but my body is enjoying these nutritional delights also. :)

Red raspberries are great eaten as is, or with some lowfat milk, or added to plain yogurt.