Spirulina

I first learned about Spirulina from Sara Snow on her show, Get Fresh. I purchased the powdered form of the algae at the grocery store after learning about the health benefits. I mix it with a glass of water or incorporate it into my smoothies and granola. Although it looks green and scary, you can't taste it at all when its mixed in smoothies or granola. When I drink it with water, I wouldn’t say it tastes good but it doesn’t taste bad (fish oil pills are WAY worse) and the health benefits are worth it. I resorted to an online article in The Guardian to help explain the benefits.

Spirulina are blue-green filamentous algae. It has been shown to be a complete protein, high in essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, photosynthetic pigments including chlorophyll and beta-carotene. It enhances the body's cellular communication process and also has the ability to read and repair DNA, like a kind of cellular tune up. Spirulina is high in protein and has high concentration of beta carotene, vitamin B-12 and iron. Spirulina is rich in natural carotenoid antioxidants that pomotes cellular health and has cleansing chlorophyll which helps detoxify bodies that are always prone to present pollution.

You can read the full article here

Mama's Got a Brand New Blog

Okay, well my name's not mama but I seem to have a compulsion to make blog titles as witty as possible. Whether I’m successful at that or not, you be the judge.

So, who am I? Well I'm me and, after its new makeover, so is my blog. Let me elaborate. Many people in my life including my mom, my sister, my friends, my soon-to-be mother-in-law and co-workers have a phrase they use when describing my accessories, clothes or other possessions. They say, “that is very you”. Someone must have sent a memo out because everyone has come up with the same phrase. I’m assuming it means different or artsy but I’m not entirely sure. However, I take it as a compliment that no other adjective can describe my stuff better than just “me”.

So, the blog got a makeover. I was tired of the standard template and would cringe every time I saw another blog with the same template, which was often considering there are tons of bloggers and few templates. So, I spent a few hours in Photoshop last night to create the banner. I’m very pleased with it and hope all my fellow floggers (friend bloggers) are jealous. =P So, here’s to the new and improved blog design. I hope you think it’s very ME!

Leafy Greens are in Season

Leafy greens are in season. I got some fresh spinach from the farmers market and decided to make a spinach salad. It was so good! I plan on making it a staple for the spring and summer months.

Recipe:

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4-5 drops of Stevia**

5 ounce spinach
Fresh Strawberries (sliced)
Sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS
For vinaigrette, stir together mustard, garlic, stevia, lemon juice and vinegar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil until mixture is smooth and glossy. To assemble salad, place spinach, almonds and strawberries in a large bowl. Toss lightly with dressing and serve immediately.

**Stevia is the extract of a naturally sweet herb. It is a great alternative to sugar. Refined sugar is virtually devoid of nutritional benefits and, at best, represents empty calories in the diet. At worst, it has been implicated in numerous degenerative diseases. Stevia is much sweeter than sugar and has none of sugar's unhealthy drawbacks. Find out more about Stevia at: http://www.stevia.com/SteviaArticle.asp?Id=2269

Picture obtained at: http://www.vegalicious.org/2008/03/05/strawberry-and-spinach-salad/

Cutting an Avocado

Since I shared the ALT recipe in the last blog, I decided to post this video that demonstrates the simple technique for cutting and de-seeding an avocado. Click here

Quick and Healthy

The A.L.T (avocado, lettuce and tomato) is one of my all time favorite sandwiches and it is easy to make! Jazz it up or eat it simple – either way it is delicious!

Recipe:
Whole wheat bread
Lettuce
Avocado
Tomato

Toast, slice, put it together and enjoy! To jazz it up a bit, try adding whole grain mustard and sprouts.

Hey, It's Me - Just Looking on the Bright Side

So I decided to stray from my original intent of the The Hungy Root but I think that this story is worthy of a blog...

Sunday afternoon my apartment flooded due to a busted kitchen sink valve. Water soaked my kitchen floors as well as bled onto other carpeted areas. Water restoration guys came immediately to alleviate the damage which entailed pulling up my carpet, ripping out the padding and then placing 9 big fans and two even bigger dehumidifiers throughout my 800 square foot apartment. It has been an interesting experience however I’m looking on the “bright side”. Here is a list of my “bright sides”:

1. The motor of the dehumidifier backs up into the toilet and warms the porcelain toilet seat for a more comforting bathroom experience.

2. At certain spots in the condo, you feel like a supermodel on a fabulous photo shoot because your hair is blown by a fan to create drama. Really gives me a chance to work on my "VOGUE" and fierce eyes.

3. I no longer can hear my neighbor's weird music.

4. It has been age-defying....having access to just a bedroom and bathroom brings me back to my college dormitory days.

5. My fiancé and I have had a lesson in communication. We no longer can yell information or favor asking from room to room. Communication has resorted to face to face interaction due to the loud fans. That or you just get your butt up and do it yourself.

6. My fiancé acknowledged that we can now fulfill one of the many duties of Spring cleaning - reaching all the back surfaces of the furniture for dusting since all it has been rearranged in the apt.

7. Once the fans get out of here, I will have a new appreciation for peace and quiet even if it is peace and quiet plus any surrounding neighbor noise.

8. Upon exiting the shower you can send yourself through "auto-dry" just like a car wash.

9. Its really helped with my agility - maneuvering through the condo is sort of like an obstacle course therefore it pretty much takes care of my work out for the day.

and lastly,

10. The experience has really helped me cut calories, the big fan that you have to move to get into the fridge makes you think twice about a little snack.

A Must Try for Salmon Lovers

Last night I cooked Southwestern Salmon & Black Beans, a recipe that I pulled from World’s Healthiest Foods website (http://www.whfoods.com/). It was delicious and easy to make! The picture on their website doesn't do the dish justice. The colors were absolutely vibrant. This morning I used the left over black bean, onion and red pepper concoction to make an omelet and added some fresh salsa on top. Needless to say, it was delicious. Anyway, here is the recipe for Southwestern Salmon & Black Beans:

Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes Ingredients:
- 1½ lb salmon cut into 4 pieces
- 1 small sized onion minced
- 1 small sized red bell pepper diced 1/4 inch
- 4 medium cloves garlic pressed
- ½ cup + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
- 15oz can black beans, drained
- 1½ TBS red chili powder
- About 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 1 medium avocado cut into cubes

Sauce:
- 2 TBS fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 TBS fresh mint chopped
- 1 TBS fresh basil chopped
- 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 1 TBS chopped pumpkin seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Season salmon with a little salt and pepper. Set aside while you chop and sauté vegetables. Mince onions and press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to enhance their hidden health benefits. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-12 inch stainless steel skillet. When broth begins to steam add onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute on medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add ½ cup broth, drained beans, and red chili powder. Cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. While beans are cooking preheat broiler on high. Place a stainless steel or cast iron skillet large enough for salmon under the heat to get hot. This takes about 10 minutes. In a bowl mix together cilantro, mint, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, salt and pepper. Place salmon in the hot pan and return to broiler about 5 inches from the heat source for best results. Broil salmon for about 3-4 minutes for medium doneness. Serve salmon, beans, lettuce and avocado together on a plate. Top salmon and lettuce with cilantro topping.

Find this recipe and its nutrients here: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=recipe&dbid=83

Farm Fresh

I am so excited for Spring and I’m starting it off right. I have just joined a CSA, “Community Supported Agriculture” and have officially become a “locavore” as Harry Leblanc at Beausol Gardens would say. For $300, I will receive a share of his crops every week from the beginning of May to the end of September (give or take depending on the season and weather conditions). The list of his local crops includes some of my favorites and kitchen staples including basil, garlic, cantaloupe, strawberries, onions and broccoli. The CSA even encourages you to be adventurous and introduces new foods to your kitchen (or at least mine) such as pac choi, daikon radishes, turnips and parsnips.

Beausol Gardens also grows a number of flowers and for $160 you can receive weekly fresh flowers. My fiancé got me the fresh flowers share as an early Easter present. Isn’t that sweet or maybe just a good way to stay out of “trouble”? Either way, I am ecstatic and think that fresh flowers will help brighten my home and the sprits of all around.

Leblanc sends out weekly e-mail updates about his farm and the crops. I just got my first e-mail today and was shocked to see the level of detail that was included. I was excited and enthusiastic to learn about the baby veggies, soil, natural pest deterrents and their honey bees. In addition, Leblanc invites people to come out and visit the farm without feeling like a disturbance.

I absolutely love shopping my local farmers market and I’m excited to add CSA as another way that I help to support local farmers. It’s a breath of fresh air to have a clear understanding of where my food is coming from. Shopping locally establishes a sense of community and pride. I encourage everyone to help support their local farmers. Look up your CSA at http://www.localharvest.org/ or make a trip to your local farmers market. As Leblanc says, the local food movement “seeks to restore direct contact between farmers and consumers, putting a human face on agriculture and trust in the food supply.”