Strawberries and Methyl Iodide

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About six months ago the state of California approved the use of Methyl Iodide in their agriculture. California produces of 80% of the nations strawberries. Please buy organic strawberries. Methyl Iodide is used in labs to create experimental cancer cells. Next time you buy strawberries take a look at where they come from. If the box says CA make sure you buy organic and if they don't have organic buy another fruit.

What do you eat???

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I get asked this question a lot. This past Saturday I was asked if I eat bread. Of course I do! I love bread. I was searching some blogs over the weekend and came across a quote that for the life of me can't remember where it came from. "If doesn't rot, it's not food". Do you get it?

Eat REAL food. Stay away from things that come out of packages. And please keep this in mind for your kids as well. Raisins, fruits, nuts, home made granola are much healthier snack choices for kids. If it's not in your house they are forced to eat the fresh fruit and veggies you have for them.

I eat a variety of vegetables, beans, pasta, rice. And I don't each much dairy. I eat a plant based diet for the most part. And my family does as well. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. I have days I eat too much, have too many sweets or my real vice, dive into a bag of chips like it's my job. But I don't have the mentality of "oh I already blew so I might well just eat whatever". Stop thinking like this. And for those of you who are vegetarian stay away from that fake meat stuff. It's heavily processed, high in salt and most times very high in fat. It's NOT real food. I'm leaving you with a quote from one of my fav's Michael Pollan...

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Dirty Dozen

I know Organic is not cheap. And everything is not always available Organic. Here's a list of what they call the dirty dozen. This is what you should buy Organic. The least amount of exposure to pesticides they better off you and your children are. Please keep in mind that babies and small children are far more vulnerable to the effect of pesticides than adults. Their systems are less developed to excrete the chemicals. I always refer to the EWG for anything I'm not sure about. Each year The Environmental Working Group comes out with the Dirty Dozen list and Skin Deep also comes out with info on sunblock and lotions that are safer choices. Too much exposer to chemicals is not a good thing. And you know there's an app for that! EWG has a free i phone app for the Dirty Dozen. 

What you should buy Organic:

Celery 

Peaches

Strawberries

Apples

Blueberries 

Nectarines

Sweet Bell Peppers

Spinach

Kale/Collard Greens

Cherries

Potatoes

Grapes (Imported)

Ice Cream that's good for your waist line??

Say What??? Yes, it's true. We had a very early treat in our house this morning. After breakfast my 3.5 year old Carolyn said "Mommy I'm still hungry. How about some black licorice?" I replied "how about some ice cream!" And the rest was history....

2 frozen bananas
1/2 scoop GREENSuperFood (if you want to add some greens to it)
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
a little almond milk (eyeball it)

In a food processor (use S blade) pulse frozen bananas till it looks like ice cream. Warning: the food processor will sound like it's jumping off the counter.
Add cocoa powder and green superfood if using and pulse a bit. Add almond milk if needed.
And that's it! Yummy, Healthy, Easy and good for you!

If you like spinach

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You will like Swiss Chard! Try this green, it's in season and delicious and easy to cook. You could swap out any recipe that calls for spinach by using some chards. It's a beautiful green that is loaded with nutrients. 

Vitamin A, C and K

It's also rich in minerals like Copper, Calcium, Iron, Magnese and Phosphorus.

I got some in my CSA box last week. I only got one bunch and it really cooks down to nothing, a lot like spinach. Try it as a side dish sauteed with garlic and olive oil! Just remember to remove the stems. I cooked mine up with some pasta and chickpeas.

Chard and Chickpeas: 

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

salt and red pepper flakes to taste

2 bunches of chard

about a pound of cooked pasta

vegetable stock

a little splash of white wine if you like!

In a large pan over md to high heat, saute your garlic in olive oil and don't burn the garlic. Add salt and red pepper to taste. Add your chard and cook down, move your garlic to the top. Next add pasta and chickpeas a little stock and some wine. You could also add some cappers. Taste for seasoning and enjoy!

Saute your garlic, chard and seasoning.

Yum!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

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You make a body scrub! Over the holiday weekend my vanity got the best of me. Me and the fam went to a resort with pools, golf and sun and I didn't want to look like casper the ghost. I love spray tans but they are a bit pricey and not always very convenient for a stay at home Mom with two kids. I came up with  what I thought at the time was a brilliant idea of an over the counter self tanning mousse. The sales women was very convincing in telling me that it was a best seller and very "natural looking". Sold!!! I take a shower put it on before I go to bed just like she told me. What do I wake up to? A hot streaky mess! My hands, ankles and knee's, oh and a few spots on my legs were a brown color that looked a bit like dirt. No need to panic... We have google, so I found an article on how to fix a fake tan. The article said lemons or a body scrub. I don't really use body scrubs because my skin is a bit sensitive. I don't even have loofah for that matter. But I did have lemons. I pulled out a measuring cup squeezed a few lemons in there and poured in some organic cane sugar and made a paste and jumped in the shower. Scrubbed away and my final result was skin as soft as a baby's bum. No need to pay for body scrub shower products  people. This two minute concoction was amazing. It didn't irritate my skin at all and ended up being 100% organic! As for the streaks... they were still there. Good thing I bought a few maxi dresses this season.

Happy 4th!!!

I want to wish everyone a Happy and Safe 4th of July! Here's a few tips for the weekend so you don't eat too much crap.

If you get invited to a BBQ bring your own dish, even if the host tells you not to. You know your food is clean, organic and yummy! Stay away from cheap meat and hotdogs. Eat veggies, corn on the cob or even eat before you get there so you're not tempted to eat things you normally wouldn't. Don't O. D. on sugar and cupcakes and ice cream. Have a little but don't go too far. And for Pete's sake lay off the booze would ya? I know this is easier said than done. Drink lots of water. Have a drink, drink some water after that. Have another and hydrate again, you'll thank me the next day and your body will too!

Enjoy!
Nicole