Front Door Organics

I heard about Front Door Organics a couple years back when they were just starting up. It seemed like an excellent way to 1) get produce delivered right to your door, and 2) try things that I normally wouldn't usually try. It's not overly priced either, (just $37 for a box).

Well for the past couple years since hearing about them, I've been meaning to check them out, but keep procrastinating. Recently we were at The Green Living Show and saw their booth. It peaked my curiosity once again, and I just signed up today for a weekly delivery.

I'll keep you updated on how this service pans out, but I'm looking forward to trying new produce and fruit that I've never tasted before.

In the meantime you can check out their site at http://www.frontdoororganics.com

Sweet Vision

A juice that keeps the eye doctor happy (or unhappy since you won't be going as often).

Carrots are full of Vitamin A, which among other things is great for your vision. Carrots are also full of antioxidants, fibre and minerals. Add apple, orange and ginger and you get a full complement of vitamins, as well as a great digestive aid with the ginger.

This is an excellent morning drink to replace your morning orange juice.

• 4 to 6 organic carrots (tops off)
• 1 organic apple
• 1 organic orange
• 1 slice of organic ginger (optional, if you like a little spice)

Juice it all up in your juicer, starting with the orange and ending with the carrots to flush out the juicer. (Always finish with the juiciest vegetables/fruit to flush out the remaining juice and pulp from the collector.)

Greens+ Multi

If you are in the market for a good multi-vitamin, you should look at Greens+ Multi by Genuine Health. This is a great multi that includes all your daily greens rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants, plus a high-potency multi-vitamin/mineral supplement.

Greens+ Multi is a powder that you mix into a glass of water so you get instant absorption of the nutrients instead of waiting for a pill to dissolve. It really does give you an energy boost!

A lot of multis give me a nauseous feeling, however, I don't experience that with this brand, which is a good thing since that is the single factor that causes me to quit taking a multi. 

It's on the more expensive end of multis and will cost you about $60 a month, but for the quality I think it's worth it.

Mixed Bean Kale Salad

You don't need to get your protein from meat. Beans and chickpeas have tons of protein and none of the negative effects of red meat. Plus, they taste great!

• Dried black beans
• Dried chickpeas
• Dried lentils
• Organic kale
• Organic parsley
• Organic cilantro
• Organic celery
• Organic carrots
• Organic cherry tomatoes 
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• White balsamic vinegar

Pre-soak then cook the beans and chickpeas as directed (avoid using canned beans as they turn to mush when you mix them into the salad). Dice and chop all the other vegetables. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Add some olive oil and white balsamic vinegar to taste.

ENJOY!

Bay Days Sale

Bay Days are on and they currently have 25% off small kitchen electronics. This includes the Breville juicers. They only have the 2-speed Juice Fountain Plus online but I would imagine that in-stores they have others. Even so, the 2-speed is a great juicer and for $134.99 on sale you can't go wrong!

http://www.thebay.com/eng/home-baydays25offsmallkitchenelectrics-Juice_Fountain_Plus-thebay/158232

Mean Green Juice

Now that you've seen the trailer for Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, it's time to get on the green juice kick.

Here's my recipe (there are many variations online):

• 3 to 4 stalks of organic green kale
• 2 stalks of organic celery
• 1 bunch of organic spinach
• 1 organic green apple
• 1/2 organic lemon, peeled
• Slice of ginger
• A few sprigs of organic parsley and/or cilantro (optional, for chlorophyll)

Fat Sick and Nearly Dead

Okay, I can't believe that I forgot about this movie. It's one of the best documentaries I've every seen. It's what got me started on juicing.

Check out the trailer, check out the site (http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/) and check out the film.

Pink Lady Chia Juice

I created a great-tasting morning juice yesterday so thought I would share it with you. I call it Pink Lady Chia Juice and it's super easy to make with your juicer.

Chia seeds are a superfood and they're easy to include in almost anything, I've quoted Food Matters below with more information on them:

"Chia literally means strength in Mayan and can be traced back over 3,000 years to Central America where the Aztecs utilized it as one of their primary plant sources of food. Chia seeds are rich in plant based omega-3s containing 64 percent alpha linolenic acid (ALA). Flax, another popular source of ALA, contains 55 percent. The omega-3 to omega-6 ratio is also highly auspicious in chia, representing a healthy balance of 3:2. Chia seeds are also naturally high in calcium, a nutrient necessary for healthy bones (among other functions in the body). This is plant-based calcium, too, not the calcium carbonate you might see in lower-cost vitamins." -Food Matters

Anyway, here's the juice recipe!

• 3 Pink Lady organic oranges, peeled
• 2 organic lemons, peeled
• 1 large organic apple

Pour into 2 glasses or 1 large glass if you're enjoying it for yourself. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons of sprouted chia seeds (I use an organic chia/flax mix) into each glass.

Stir well and enjoy.

Documentaries to Watch

The following are some excellent documentaries that you should watch to get you going in the right direction.

Food Matters


Hungry for a Change


Food Inc.

Juicing

I juice vegetables every day. It's the easiest way to get more than enough veggies into your diet. A lot of people just don't eat any vegetables, while others don't eat enough. The nutrients in vegetables are a powerful source of anti-aging, anti-disease and extra energy. They help with digestion, detoxification, mood and sleep – the list goes on. I have found juicing to be extremely easy and, for the most part, flavourful.

I found that the Breville Ikon Multi-Speed Juice Fountain is the best juicer for your money. There are better juicers on the market (screw-type juicers), but they are expensive. The Ikon is a 5-speed juicer and can juice pretty much anything except wheat grass. The leftover pulp is very dry, which means that it's extracting most of the juice and only leaving pulp behind. Some cheaper juicers will spit out wet pulp that you can almost juice again.

Do your research before you buy a cheaper juicer. In this case, you do get what you pay for.

Stuffed Ancient Grain Pepper

Ingredients:

• Precooked organic quinoa
• Raisins or cranberries or both
• Diced organic apple
• Diced organic green onion

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and combine with a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. Cut the tops off some peppers (your choice on colour), hollow them and then stuff the peppers with the mixture.

Bake in the oven at 350F for about 10 minutes or until the peppers start to wrinkle.

Organic Green Kale Pasta Salad

This is a super easy recipe and will make enough to last at least two days. Great for a snack or a meal.

Precook a bag of gluten-free brown rice pasta to al dente, cool and rinse under cold water. (Note: If you cook the pasta beyond al dente it will break into pieces when you mix it with the other ingredients, so watch the pasta carefully while it cooks – it only takes minutes after the water starts to boil.)

Add into a large bowl with the pasta:

• 1 to 2 cans of sustainable tuna
• 3 organic carrots, chopped
• 3 organic celery stalks, chopped
• 1 bunch of organic parsley, chopped
• 1 bunch of organic cilantro, chopped
• 3 to 4 stalks of organic kale, chopped
• Enough organic mayo to coat the pasta evenly

Store covered in the fridge and it will last for days. ENJOY!

Gluten-Free Kale Pizza

A favourite of ours is Udi's gluten-free pizza crust, which is carried at Whole Foods and most major or specialty grocery stores.

• Organic pizza sauce or tomato sauce
• Organic green pepper, chopped
• Organic mushroom, chopped
• Organic kale, chopped
• A protein source, if you wish (organic chicken, ground beef, tofu – all work well)
• Top it off with shredded cheese

Put into the oven at 425F for about 8 minutes or until the crust edges get golden.

Enjoy.