Color Me Raw!  Getting Back to Organic Food

Growing up in Florida (Riviera Beach), my grandmother had an organic vegetable garden in her back yard.  She also had a variety of fruit trees; mango, orange, grapefruit, fig, lime and avocado.  I always looked forward to going  over grandma and grandpa’s house to get vegetables and fruit from their back yard and to see them of course. 

I remember during the fall, we had fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juice.  If my grandmother and grandfather wanted sugar cane or corn (organic), they would drive about 80 miles to Belle Glade to pick or purchase it; and I looked forward to the ride.  I must tell you, the soil in Belle Glade was black (literally) and rich in minerals!  The corn was soooo sweet; we ate it raw!  My mouth is watering right now thinking about it.  I can’t say that about the food in the grocery store.  What has happened to the food?

I don’t think it’s anyone fault in particular, it’s a consequence of lifestyle change, supply and demand dynamics.  But it is our cooperative chance to take action and support our local organic farmers.  It is unfortunate that organic farmers have been shoved to the side for a commerce only system.

Buying organic food promotes a less toxic environment for all living things. With only 0.5 percent of crop and pasture land is organically prepared, according to USDA that leaves 99.5 percent of farm acres in the U.S. at risk of exposure to noxious agricultural chemicals.   Scientists now know what we eaters have known all along: organic food often tastes better. It makes sense that strawberries taste yummier when raised in harmony with nature, but researchers at Washington State University just proved this as fact in lab taste trials where the organic berries were consistently judged as sweeter.

People are rediscovering the benefits of buying food from local organic farmers.  It is fresher than anything in the supermarket and it tastes better and more nutritious. Buying directly from organic farmers helps them stay in business.  So let’s get back to our organic roots by supporting our local organic farmers.  It will truly make your soul rejoice!

Color Me Raw! Oh How Sweet It Is!

As a child and even now, I always enjoyed cooking.  Wow, I have so many fond memories of family gatherings during the holidays or just because.

During the holidays I found myself in the kitchen helping my momma, Aunt Betty and my grandmother’s prepare the food.  I looked forward to yams (will discuss in a few), sweet potato soufflé and sweet potato pies because I wanted to lick the bowl.  Back then (the 70”s), the sweet potatoes were deep orange and so sweet, you can eat them raw; sometimes I still do.  However, they still are deep orange and very sweet if you purchase the organic ones.

Health Benefits of Chlorella and Spirulina - Astounding!

GET YOUR GREEN ON!

Spring is in the air and summer is right around the corner;  if you are like me, I do not like eating heavy foods during the summer; it’s just too hot and I feel miserable!  Okay, what can you consume and still get the overall health benefits?  Chlorella and spirulina!  In fact, both chlorella and spirulina have been described as "the perfect and complete food."  

Kale Wrap!

NOW THAT’S A WRAP!

Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables around!  Whenever I mention kale, the majority of people look at me with raised eyebrows and ask "What's that?"  That’s when I let them know the health benefits of kale are endless.  It is an incredibly healthy vegetable!  Kale is rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, Vitamins A, C, and K.  Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli, ten times more lutein; and the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. 

Carrots!  Colorful and Healthy!

Did you know five hundred years ago most carrots were white?  That’s what I said; white!  It was said that carrots were first cultivated in Afghanistan in the 7th century, and they started with yellow flesh and a purple exterior.  Purple, red, black, yellow and white; these were the colors that carrots started out with; not orange

Color Me Raw - What is Canola Anyway?

Today's blog was written by guest blogger . . . Dr. Pamela Howard

My friends and I used to wonder where canola oil actually comes from. No one I’d spoken with had ever heard of this particular vegetable from which we derive the oil. We were positive it was some synthetic hoax to get you to think you were doing something “healthy” by choosing this “vegetable” oil.

Whatta Melon!  Where Did The Watermelon Originate?

Can you guess where the watermelon originated? Watermelon originated in the Kalahari Desert in Africa. The first watermelon was in Egypt 5,000 years ago. The harvests are depicted in hieroglyphics on ancient Egyptian walls. Watermelon seeds were recovered from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen. The watermelon spread along the Mediterranean basin countries by way of merchant trading ships.  Watermelon is also mentioned in the bible as a food eaten by the ancient Israelites while they were in bondage in Egypt.

Color Me Raw!  Please Pass the Peaches!

Let’s see if you can say the title (fast) ten times.  I can’t say it fast enough and I just can’t get enough of delicious peaches!   Summer time is great for eating peaches and I spend a lot of time at the Forest Park Farmer’s Market buying them (and other fruits and vegetables too) because I can purchase 5-6 medium size peaches for $2.00 and no taxes; much cheaper than the grocery store and they taste just as good—better!

Peaches are juicy, they're sweet and they're nutritious.  But more than that, peaches are good for your body's overall health and can act as a home remedy for many ailments.   Eating peaches also contributes to the health of your skin.  The vitamins and minerals in peaches benefit your skin in various ways as well as protecting it from diseases.   The facts will amaze you and send you running to your nearest farmer’s market.  

Did you know that peaches can help you lose weight?  Yes, these little orange/reddish colored jewels are high in fiber and produce a full feeling for those looking for tasty snacks.  Additionally, they're made up of 80% water which helps flush your system out.   Instead of popping a pill the next time you need digestive help, try eating a peach or two or three—you'll be glad you did.  The increased water content in peaches allows for ease of bowel movements and reduces the need to strain. They also help for those who need an increased diuretic effect. The powerful peach may also rid your intestinal tract of worms.

Peaches are a good source of many different vitamins and minerals, but one mineral that particularly stand out is potassium. Peaches provide a high source for this mineral. If you have a shortage of potassium, you're likely to have fatigue, anxiety, muscle weakness, skin problems, poor memory, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, congestive heart failure or heart deterioration and vibration in your ears. The laundry list of possible diseases low potassium has has more potential to develop if you're on diuretics, have abdominal problems or diarrhea or simply sweat profusely.

Eating peaches also helps to increase your selenium (a mineral) intake—1 cup of peaches contains 0.2 mg of selenium; your meal plan should include 55 mcg of this mineral each day.  The National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements website reveals that people who get less selenium may have an increased risk of some forms of skin cancer.  Eat a handful of Brazil nuts and sunflower seeds (when eating peaches), a food high in selenium, to boost your daily intake.

Peaches are best eaten raw. When they are cooked or boiled, they lose up to 80% of their nutrients, especially Vitamin C.  People do cook, freeze and can them since in their raw state they rot fairly quickly after picking.  But they are often canned with sugar syrup, which increase the caloric levels.  Peaches can be skinned then boiled with cloves for a pickled treat. Dried peaches should be avoided, especially from China, many of them contain sulfur.

Buying peaches (or any fruit) in season will save you money.  In season, produce is always the cheapest. One more added benefit to buying fruit in season is that the fruit will have the best flavor when in peak season.  Eating in season keeps us in alignment with Mother Nature.  Seasonal food is fresher, tastier, and more nutritious than out-of-season food. Out-of-season food may be forced-grown in artificial conditions, which may affect the food's nutritional composition and flavor.  Now is the time to buy peaches; the season will be ending soon.

I read that, during the dry season, fruit is much sweeter and the flavor is more concentrated.   It’s the fruit trees’ way of coping with heat and sometimes lack of rain.  So let’s model our own coping strategies after the fruit trees, so that when faced with adversity, we would become a sweeter and more concentrated version of ourselves and live a peachy life…please pass the peaches! 

Color Me Raw!  Fall Into a New You!

Fall is a season for change; a time to refocus, regroup and re-energize. Now that fall is here, I challenge all of you (including myself) to make changes. 

 Fall also brings subtle changes to the human psyche and a chance to unearth more of the mysteries of living within. Spiritual awareness comes slowly, accompanied by regular meditation practices. Understanding how the seasons relate to inner well being is essential to spiritual health.  With some people, there may be a sense of sadness when the leaves begin to turn and fall. Just as fruit ripens then releases and falls to the ground, a feeling of ripeness and sadness may descend on the spirit.  A remembrance of that fruit is important. It did not just fall off the tree and decay, it spread seeds that lay still through the winter, take root in the spring, and grow and offer new fruits in the summer…life is continual.   Read more ...

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.   In the garden and in our lives there will always be seasons of change. 

Fall signals our year is fast coming to a close and we scurry to gather in the projects and ideas for the balance of the year and bring them to a comfortable resolution so we don’t feel as if we’re falling behind.

Fall is a welcomed relief…it definitely is. It's that time of the year to sit back, relax and think about your life, where it's going and how you feel about it. Are there things you feel need to be changed? Do you need to reevaluate some things? Or, do you feel like things are great?

Change is inevitable. And, like the saying goes, the only thing constant in this world is change.

So, now that fall has arrived and everything is changing, what has changed in your life that you're dealing with? And how are you dealing with it?  Or, are there changes you feel you really need to make, regarding business or your personal life? 

Fall is the time we start to reflect inward.  Now that the summer has faded, we look back at the events that transpired in our lives during the year.  It is a time where we begin to reap the harvest we had started in the spring and put away for the winter.  This is true in our personal and professional life.

May you experience this season as a time to comfortably bring to a close certain goals, ideas and projects and include planning for what you would like to see come next.  And may you experience that you are gently “Falling Into A New You,” falling forward,  and not behind, as your heart embraces the beauty of this changing season.

COLOR ME RAW! Pass the Arugula!

PASS THE WHO?

ARUGULA

Arugula has a long history of use dating back to biblical times.  In India, arugula is not cultivated primarily as a green, but rather for the oil that can be extracted from its seed.  In America, it’s been used since the days of the colonists, but only in the 90’s did it reach its current popularity, gracing high-end restaurant menus everywhere.  Arugula’s strong flavor turns out to be perfect for many ingredients including beets, goat cheese, blue cheese, nuts, citrus, and olives.  The possible salad combinations are endless!

Arugula -- a spicy, flavorsome herb with dark green, elongated leaves that resemble those of romaine -- is often mistaken for lettuce.  It is actually a cruciferous vegetable, in the same family as such health-enhancing foods as broccoli and cauliflower.  Its flavor has a peppery tang similar to that of watercress. Use arugula to add zest to salads or to garnish sandwiches; you can also served it steamed.  No matter how it's served, arugula is a healthy dietary choice.

Arugula is packed with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.   It is an excellent source of vitamin A, offering up 475 IU per cup.  Vitamin A, a fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin is needed for vision, bone growth, the division and differentiation of cells and proper immune function.  A cup of arugula also provides 285 mcg of beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor that turns to retinol --a natural form of vitamin A in your body.  Researchers believe that these antioxidant plant pigments can help prevent macular degeneration, an age-related eye disease.  Finally, a cup of arugula contains 21.7 mg of vitamin K, essential for the proper clotting of blood and maintenance of bone density.  Nutrition and You reports that vitamin K limits neuronal damage in the brain, and is currently being studied for potential applications treating Alzheimer's disease.

Because the human body can't make folate, you have to obtain the required amounts of folate from foods or vitamin supplements.  Because overcooking can easily wipe out folate, you must avoid overcooking arugula leaves.  It is also helpful in preventing skin disorders, colds, the flu, viruses and chronic infections because it boosts your body's immunity, which helps to protect it from harmful toxins.  Also, it protects people from cancer.  Arugula contains an abundance of lutein, which is a potent antioxidant.  As an antioxidant, lutein combats free radicals in the system.

Always buy arugula with the roots still attached.  It will lose its zip and flavor fast enough with them on-and even faster with them off.  Look for bright, tender, fresh-looking leaves with no signs of yellowing or dark spots. They should not be at all limp.

Toasted Turkey Cranberry Arugula Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices whole grain or sprouted bread, lightly toasted (Ezekiel bread) 

• 1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard or spicy mustard

• Few slices of red onions

• Several slices of cooked free range turkey breast

• 2 Tbsp cranberry sauce

• 1 handful of baby arugula leaves (washed)

Method

Toast 2 slices of whole grain or sprouted bread. Spread mustard on one slice, mayo on the other. To the slice with mustard, add the turkey breast, then the cranberry sauce, onions, then the arugula leaves. Top with the other slice of bread. Cut in half.

If you really want to get creative with this sandwich, you can grill it.  I use my countertop George Forman grill to make a penne sandwich.  My friends love it!

Color Me Raw! 

with Angela Burrs

Angela A. Burrs  is our new organic living blogger for Silver Lining Villages!  She has been an Holistic Practitioner for several years and also has her Patient Care Technician Certification.  Angela is also enrolled at the University of Sedona obtaining a degree as a Wellness and Life Coaching.  After being healed from sarcoidosis in 2000 and getting off a bag full of medications in 2001, Angela now speaks to individuals, organizations and churches on the importance of nutrition in conjunction with healing the body, mind and spirit.  Let's welcome her!  Toni

Hi, my name is Angela Burrs and the purpose of this and future blogs are to inform you about the importance of eating healthy, incorporating raw and cooked organic fruits and vegetables in your daily meal plan, foods that are good for your organs (liver, gallbladder, eyes, kidneys, etc.), reading food labels and how to avoid preservatives, pesticides and chemicals that are in and on our foods. We are a living organism that need living foods so let's take charge of our life by eating organic foods.
Please visit me at http://angelascolormeraw.tumblr.com/