Green Smoothie

I just came from an open house that was held at a local pilates studio. A new acquaintance of mine, Darlene of Simple Raw Health, was speaking about nutrition and the importance of incorporating green smoothies into our daily diet. Demetrye and I had previously started making green smoothies, but slowly strayed away from it and consumed a lot of veggies by eating salads. Darlene reminded me of the importance of making green smoothies as well. I could tell you many reasons why you should, but since Darlene had already done all of the work for me, I am just going to quote her here.

Benefits of green smoothies will:
● add minerals and nutrients at amount you cannot get from eating salads;
● blending greens will give you much needed fiber, which is important to bind up waste and toxins to take them out of your body;
● help regulate stomach acid to the needed level for proper food digestion (poor stomach acid levels walk hand-in-hand with food allergies, immunological disorders, and more);
● alkaline balance can be achieved (too much acid is bad for our bodies—many types of diseases cannot exist in an alkaline environment).

There are many different ways to makes green smoothies. You can use your favorite greens to make whatever you like: collard greens, kale, spinach, etc. Add in a bit of your favorite fresh fruit or dates for sweetness and your have yourself a green smoothie.

Here is what I made for myself right after Darlene’s presentation. Darlene, thank you for kicking me into the next gear!!!

Collard Greens Smoothie

Ingredients
● 2 large leafs collard greens, washed and torn to smaller pieces
● ¼ large cucumber
● ½ banana, peeled
● ½ orange, peeled and seeded
● ½ avocado
● 2 teaspoons freshly ground flax seed*
● 4 oz. water

Preparation
● Place all ingredients into a blender.
● Mix until all junks are gone and mixture is smooth.

Makes 1 large or 2 small servings.

*I use a coffee bean grinder to grind flax seed. I bought a small Mr. Coffee grinder just for this purpose.

EAT HEALTHY!!! BE HAPPY!!!

Pasta Salad

Once in a while we all look for quick, yet nutritious meals to make. This salad can be served as a main or as a side dish, it is up to you and how hungry you are; and it takes less than 20 minutes to make it. You will enjoy the taste of whole wheat pasta, mixed with fresh vegetables (something most people don’t get enough of) and beans. I used a vegan substitute mayo in this salad. However, I would like to caution you. If you use substitutes do so sparingly. Do not overindulge! It won’t be useful to have changed your diet to become a vegan junk-food eater. Your goal is to consume a whole foods diet, meaning that your foods should be as close to their natural state as possible. That is the reason that if I do cook any of my vegetables I do so at very low temperatures and for very short periods of time.

Enjoy!!!

PASTA AND BEAN SALAD

Ingredients
● 8 oz. organic wheat pasta, cooked
● 1 red bell pepper, chopped
● 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
● 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
● ¼ medium red onion, diced
● 1 medium carrot thinly sliced
● 3 tablespoons organic Veganaise mayo
● Sea salt to taste

Preparation
● Combine all ingredients together.
● Add mayo and salt. Mix well.
● Serve chilled.

GOOD EATINGS!!!

Why Vegan?

There are many reasons as to why we all should be switching to a whole foods vegan lifestyle. Dr. T. Colin Campbell's research (author of The China Study) showed clearly that animal protein was a powerful cancer promoter. His lab rats did not develop cancer, even when injected with substantial amounts of a cancer-causing agent, until they were fed a diet with 20% animal protein. When the animal protein was reduced, the lesions started to regress, showing that cancer could, literally, be switched on and off by manipulating the amount of animal protein in the diet.

In addition to this problem, most of livestock that is being raised for human consumption is constantly injected with growth hormones and antibiotics, which, when consumed, infiltrate our bodies and make them weaker and more prone to illnesses. Growth hormones (steroids) cause our children to develop prematurely physically and cause an array of health issues. I am sure that most of us, knowingly, would never inject our kids or ourselves with steroids. It is unfortunate, however, that unknowingly it is done on daily basis.

To add to the list of above-mentioned reasons, please take a moment and watch this video. You can see a few more of similar informative videos at GoVeg.com.

EAT HEALTHY!!! LIVE HAPPY!!!

Light Soup

While we were vacationing at the beach, my Mother and I had a taste for something scrumptious, yet light. The soup that I created pleased us both. Try and see :)

POTATO & COUSCOUS SOUP
Ingredients
● 8 cups water
● 2 large potatoes, sliced (3 cups)
● Sea salt to taste
● 3 tablespoons olive oil
● ½ large thinly sliced onion
● 1 teaspoon favorite seasoning (or Mrs. Dash)
● ¾ cup couscous
● Dill or green onions for garnish.

Preparation
● Bring to water to boil.
● Add potatoes and salt.
● When water starts boiling again, cover and reduce heat to medium or medium-low.
● Cook for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
● Meanwhile, sauté onions mixed with olive oil and seasoning for 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat.
● When potatoes are cooked, add onion mixture and couscous.
● Boil for 1 minute. Cover and remove from heat.
● Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
● Garnish with dill or green onions.

EAT HEALTHY!!! BE HAPPY!!!

Summer Salad

I cannot believe that I had not posted in 10 days... We had taken a few days off and went to the beach. It was great. We came back home re-energized and ready to tackle life again... and I brought back a few new recipes. Enjoy!

TOMATO & CUCUMBER SALAD
Ingredients
● 2 large tomatoes
● 1 English cucumber
● 1-2 tablespoons dill
● 3 tablespoons olive oil
● 1 table spoon vinegar
● ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
● Sea salt to taste

Preparation
● Slice tomatoes and English cucumbers.
● Mix with remaining ingredients.
● Serve chilled.

It is that easy.

ENJOY!!!

Borsch

This is one of my favorite soups. Every time I make it I take a trip down the memory lane. I remember and treasure the memory of my Mom making it for us when we were growing up. To this day I find that no one can make this soup as well as she can. Please enjoy a bite of our family and cultural tradition. After all, who better to teach you how to make real borsch than a Ukrainian?

BORSCH

Ingredients
● 7 cups water
● 4 medium size potatoes, sliced (3 cups)**
● 2 cups shredded cabbage
● 2-3 bay leaves
● 1 tablespoon sea salt
● 6 tablespoons olive oil
● ½ large onion, sliced
● 2 medium carrots, chopped
● 1 small bell pepper, sliced (you can use red, green or yellow)
● ½ cups grated beets*
● 1 (one) 8 oz. can tomato sauce
● Mrs. Dash or favorite seasoning to taste
● 2-3 tablespoons chopped green onion
● 2-3 tablespoons chopped dill
*optional
**if you are not using organic potatoes, make sure to peel them before cooking

Preparation
● Combine water, potatoes, cabbage, bay leaves and salt; bring to boil.
● Reduce heat to medium and boil for 20 minutes.
● Meanwhile prepare remaining ingredients.
● Combine olive oil, onion, carrots and bell pepper and sauté for 7-10 minutes on medium heat.
● Add beets, tomato sauce and seasoning and sauté for additional 5 minutes on medium heat.
● Transfer vegetable mixture into soup; bring to boil.
● Cover, reduce heat to low-medium and cook for additional 15-20 minutes.
● Add dill and green onions before serving.
● Serve hot with your favorite bread.
● Try adding a spoonful of Toffuti sour cream for taste.
● Borsch tastes great even on the second and third day, reheated.

GOOD EATINGS!!!

Zesty Carrots

This dish is perfect as a side-dish for mashed potatoes or any other of your favorite meals. Also great as a snack. It can be served hot or cold.

ZESTY CARROTS

Ingredients
● 4-5 cups baby carrots
● 1/3 cup olive oil
● 1 tablespoon vinegar
● Favorite seasoning to taste (I used Kirkland Organic seasoning)
● 2 garlic cloves, crushed
● Sea salt to taste

Preparation
● Preheat oven to 375° F.
● Mix all ingredients in a glass bowl that can be placed in an oven.
● Bake for 20-25 minutes.
● Let cool for several minutes before serving.

EAT HEALTHY!!! BE HAPPY!!!

Mango Smoothie

TROPICAL MANGO SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
● ¼ pineapple, peeled
● 1 banana, peeled
● 1 mango, peeled and sliced
● 2 oranges, peeled and seeded
● 1/3 cup of water or orange juice
● Ice, as desired

Preparation
● Blend all ingredients in a blender.
● Serve immediately.

EAT HEALTHY!!! BE HAPPY!!!

Rice Ploff

PLOFF
Ingredients
● ¼ cup olive oil
● 5 large carrots, grated
● 9 medium size cloves of garlic, minced (2 tablespoons)
● 3 cups Jasmine or Basmati rice
● 4.5 cups water
● 1 tablespoon sea salt
● 1 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation
● Preheat oil; reduce to medium heat.
● Add minced garlic and carrots; sauté for 5 minutes.
● Add rice and water. Cover. Bring to boil.
● Reduce heat to medium heat and boil for 5 minutes.
● Reduce heat to medium-low and boil, stirring occasionally, until water is nearly absorbed.
● Reduce heat to low and let cook for 10 minutes or until rice is cooked through.
● Serve hot.
● It is great served with TOMATO salad.

EAT HEALTHY!!! BE HAPPY!!!

Tomato Salad

TOMATO SALAD
Ingredients
● 5 medium size tomatoes, sliced
● 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
● ¼ large red onion, diced
● 3 tablespoons olive oil
● 1 tablespoon vinegar
● Sea salt to taste

Preparation
● Mix all ingredients.
● Chill before serving.

GOOD EATINGS!!!

Why Weight Training is Important

There are numerous benefits to strength/weight training:
● Muscles burn more than 50% more calories than fat (a pound of fat burn 2 calories a day, whereas a pound of muscles burns 6).
● Weight Training strengthens bones and connective tissue along with muscles. Post-menopausal women can lose 1-2% of their bone mass annually. Results from a study conducted at Tufts University, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1994, showed that strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70.
● Strength/weight training reduces the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic conditions, among them: arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity , back pain, depression.

Many women I speak with develop somewhat of a phobia of weight training. They are afraid that they will look too masculine. Let me clear something up for you, ladies, you're not going to wake up huge from weight training—your body simply does not produce enough testosterones to become as big and as quickly as man can. A woman would have to train a lot harder and longer to achieve same results as an average weight-training male.

So, now I might have convinced a few of you, and you might have become interested in weight training, but you are curious on how fast you will be able to gain the coveted muscle mass. According to Dr. Cedric Bryant, Chief Exercise Physiologist at ACE, the average person usually gains about 3-5 pounds of muscle mass every 3-4 months, if he/she is following a weight training program.

Here are a few tips for starters (taken from Georgia State University site):
1. Remember to warm up. Warming up gives the body a chance to deliver plenty of nutrient rich blood to areas about to be exercised, to actually warm the muscles and lubricate the joints.
2. Stretch - Increases or maintains muscle flexibility.
3. During the first week of starting an exercise program keep it light. Work on technique-good body mechanics and slowly work up to heavier weights.
4. Quick tips to maintain good body mechanics: go through the complete range of motion, move slowly and with control, breathe, and maintain a neutral spine. Never sacrifice form just to add more weight or repetitions.
5. The intensity of your workout depends on a number of factors, including the number of sets and repetitions, the overall weight lifted, and the rest between sets. You can vary the intensity of your workout to fit your activity level and goals.
6. Listen to your body. Heart rate is not a good way to determine your intensity when lifting weights, it is important to listen to your body based on an overall sense of feeling of exertion.
7. The MINIMUM amount of strength training recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine is eight to twelve repetitions of eight to ten exercises, at a moderate intensity, two days a week. You will get more overall gains with more days per week, sets and resistance, but the progression is one in which you must listen to your body.
8. Strength training sessions are recommended to last one hour or less.
9. As a general rule, each muscle that you train should be rested one to two days before being exercised further in order for the fatigued muscles to rebuild. 10. "No pain, no gain." This statement is not only false, but can be dangerous. Your body will adapt to strength training, and will reduce in body soreness each time you workout.

Strength Training Principles:
1. Overload: To see gains in strength you must always stimulate the muscle more than it is accustomed to.
2. Progression: The active muscle must continue to work against a gradually increasing resistance in order to meet overload.
3. Specificity: Gains you receive are dependent on the muscle group used, and movement pattern performed.
● Strength (maximal force): If you are interested in strength gains you want to train with higher weights.

● Endurance (sub-maximal force that is repeated): If you are interested in gains in endurance, you should concentrate on lifting lower weights and higher repetitions.
4. Arrangement:
● Warm-up - the warm-up should be "sport specific". In other words, if you are performing the bench press, begin your warm-up with a light intensity and perform 8-10 reps.
● Stretch - it is important to stretch to promote increased blood flow to the muscles, and to increase flexibility, range of motion and decrease the risk of injury.
● Workout - work larger muscle groups first, then smaller muscle groups.
● Cool-down - keeps the body active and prevents pooling of blood in the extremities. The cool-down is done at a lower intensity.
5. Breathing: When lifting weight or working muscles against resistance, exhale through the mouth as you are performing the work. Caution: Failure to breathe correctly during heavy weight lifting may cause drastic increases in blood pressure that may be harmful.

BE HEALTHY!!!

How to Calculate Target Heart Rate

To maximize your cardio work out make sure that you are excersizing at your target heart rate (THR) for 20 minutes at a time, at least three times a week. To find out your THR, take 220, which is the maximum heart rate, subrtract your age, then multiply it by 0.80. It is that easy!

Here is an example. If you are 30 years old, your THR should be:

(220-30)x0.80=152

Zesty Salad

ZESTY SALAD
Ingredients
● 4 cups chopped Napa cabbage
● ½ 16 oz. can black bean, rinsed and drained
● ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
● 1 mango or 2 oranges, peeled and sliced
● 4 tablespoons olive oil
● 3 tablespoons maple syrup
● Dash of favorite seasoning*

*I used Kirkland Signature organic no-salt seasoning

Preparation
● Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
● Toss to make sure all ingredients are coated with dressing.

EAT HEALTHY!!! BE HAPPY!!!

Chickpea Soup

CHIKPEA AND SPINACH SOUP
Ingredients
● 4 tablespoons olive oil
● 4 garlic cloves, crashed
● 1 onion, chopped
● 2 teaspoons ground cumin
● 2 teaspoons ground coriander
● 5 cups water or vegetable stock
● 2 ½ cups finely chopped potatoes
● 1 16 oz. can chickpeas, drained
● 1 tablespoon cornstarch
● 2/3 cup soy cream or soy milk
● 2 tablespoons tahini
● 3 ½ cups shredded spinach
● Sea salt
● Favorite seasoning or Mrs. Dash
*Tahini is sesame seed paste and can be found in the ethnic section of your local supermarket, a specialty or a nutrition store.

Preparation
● Heat oil in a large pan.
● Add garlic and onion and sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring.
● Add cumin and coriander and cook for about 1 minute.
● Add water/stock and potatoes. Season with salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes.
● Add rinsed chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
● Blend together cornstarch, soy cream/milk, tahini and seasoning.
● Stir mixture into the soup.
● Add spinach and bring to boil, stirring.
● Lower the heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
● Add more seasoning if necessary. If you have a favorite herb (like cilantro) throw in a couple of tablespoon.

GOOD EATINGS!!!

Why NOT Plastic Bottles?

Yes, yet another post for today that has to do with what we put into our bodies. I had been planning to add this one for a while now, since I myself am currently trying to improve this part of our life.

Have you ever wondered if your water is safe? Maybe you are one of those people that buys bottled water to stay hydrated at all times, or to avoid drinking nasty tap water... In any case, there are millions of us spending billions of dollars on bottled water that is not even being regulated for the most part. It is not a shocker, I am sure.

It is not that I am trying to scare you, but the truth has to be told. There are thousands of chemicals being introduced every year and are being used without an FDA or any other approval.

So, what do you need to know? First of all, let's get educated...

Take a few minutes and watch a video on Martha Stewart site. You will find it a bit scary, but very educational and worth your time.

One more video worth watching is from the TODAY show. One thing to keep in mind: whenever you hear phrases such as "might be harmful", consider it harmful, because it is!!!



Other Facts

In March 2008, the Associated Press released the results of a five-month inquiry. Pharmaceuticals were detected in the drinking-water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas, from Southern California to northern New Jersey to Detroit to Louisville, affecting more than 41 million Americans. The New York State Health Department and the U.S. Geological Survey have tested the source of the New York City's water and found trace concentrations of heart medicine, infection fighters, estrogen, anticonvulsants, mood stabilizers, and tranquilizers. A sex hormone was detected in San Francisco's drinking water. Antiepileptic and antianxiety medications were detected in a portion of the treated drinking water for 18.5 million people in Southern California. High levels of caffeine were found in Seattle drinking water.

So how are these medications getting into our water supply? Anything you put into your body is going to be released when you go to the bathroom. Basically, when you flush it down, it comes back around. And it doesn't just impact us; it also impacts wildlife. Last year, male fish started hatching eggs in the Potomac River, a water source for the Washington, D.C., area. Scientists have yet to determine how these trace amounts of pharmaceuticals affect humans.

Medication is found in bottled water, too. Why? Because 40 percent of bottled water comes from municipal sources, which means it is basically tap water, and most companies don't test for these trace substances.

[Invest] in a good water filter - [such as] Doulton Countertop Ceramic Filter. You can also use a jug like PUR or Brita, with a carbon filter, but remember that it will not filter out everything. Nothing will. (1)

What Should YOU Do?

~Use a reusable water bottle to help keep other toxins from ending up in our water. But stay away from hard plastic bottles; studies show they contain polycarbonate, a known endocrine disruptor. When plastic breaks down, it photodegrades into smaller pieces, which never go away, and it absorbs other toxins like PCBs when it breaks down. Also, most plastics are made from petroleum -- a finite resource. Look for stainless steel or lined aluminum containers for water.

~Get rid of any "topperware" you are using and replace it with glass containers.

~DO NOT MICROWAVE anything that you are planning to consume in a plastic container!!!

~Try to reduce usage of plastic containers, bags, etc.

~Recycle plastic that you do use!!!

(1) Martha Stewart Show

STAY HEALTHY!!!

Fruits and Vegetables Cleaner Spray

If you can't buy organic produce, you need to make sure you wash it thoroughly. I got a "recipe" for this spray from Oprah's show that she hosted on the Earth Day. Her guest, Sophie Uliano suggested to do following:

INGREDIENTS
● 1 cup water .
● 1 cup distilled white vinegar
● 1 Tbsp. baking soda
● 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract*

Combine all ingredients in a large container. Then, transfer to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray mixture on produce, and rinse thoroughly after 5 to 10 minutes.

*Grapefruit seed extract is available at your local health food store.

Why Organic?

There are many reasons for us to choose organic foods over non-organic, but I am going to list only a few. Again, since the information that I would like to share is abundant on the web, I will add my reasons mixed in with other opinions that I agree with. Full credit is given to the authors.

Before I start, however, I would like to define what ORGANIC means.

What does "Organic" Mean?

Organic agriculture is a production method that emphasizes the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality. Organic food products are produced using:

• Agricultural management practices that promote healthy eco-systems and prohibit the use of genetically engineered seeds or crops, sewage sludge, long-lasting pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.
• Livestock management practices that promote healthy, humanely treated animals by providing organically-grown feed, fresh air and outdoor access while using no antibiotics or added growth hormones.
• Food processing practices that protect the integrity of the organic product and disallow irradiation, genetically modified ingredients (GMOs) or synthetic preservatives. (2)

One thing that you must keep in mind, however, that not everything that has an organic label on it is truly 100% organic. I cannot stress the importance of reading and understanding labels enough. There are several labeling options you might see on store shelves:

● 100% Organic
● Organic
● Made with Organic Ingredients

For complete definition, please click on this link!

Things You Should Know:

● Natural is not the same as organic.
● Free range does not mean organic.
● Cage free also does not mean organic.
● Kosher does not mean organic.

Now, let's get to Why we should buy Organic.

1. The body has to process everything you put into it and eliminate what it cannot digest. If your food contains toxins in the form of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, your body has to figure out a way to get rid of the toxins. When the body cannot get rid of toxins fast enough, it stores them until it has time to eliminate them. This can lead to many health problems. Many of the pesticides used in farming have been found to be carcinogenic. Reducing your exposure to these toxins can improve your health. True, some people eliminate toxins well. Still, the body needs to expend energy to eliminate toxins when it could be doing other things such as healing damaged cells, fighting off viruses and bacteria, or patrolling the body for cancer cells. (1)

2. Organic produce has more vitamins than its conventionally grown cousins. Look at this comparison chart.

3. Organic food does taste better!!!

4. Not everyone has the determination to become Vegan. If you choose to continue consuming animal products, you must make sure to consume ONLY organic animal products (organic eggs, meat, chicken, etc). YOU CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO!!!

Farm animals in the U.S. are injected with hormones, steroids and antibiotics to prevent disease and promote rapid growth. In fact, most of the antibiotics manufactured worldwide are injected into farm animals. The residue of all of these chemicals remains in the food, which is one of the reasons why there has been an increase in antibiotic resistant bacterial infections, particularly in the U.S.

Another byproduct of consuming these growth promoters is early sexual maturation in children. This is a problem for many reasons. First, the longer an individual's exposure to sex hormones (estrogen for women and testosterone for men), the higher the rate of certain forms of cancer. Girls in the U.S. begin their menstrual periods at an average of age of 11, while in rural China, the average age is 17, resulting in a much longer exposure time to estrogen for American women as opposed to Chinese women. There is a corresponding higher rate of breast cancer in American women as compared to Chinese women. Another problem associated with early sexual maturation is increased opportunity for pregnancy in children. I see many instances of 12-year old children living in 17-year old bodies, a recipe for disaster due to lack of maturity. (3)

Other Reasons to Consume Organic Foods:

● Organic farming meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations.
● Growing organically supports a biologically diverse, healthy environment.
● Organic farming practices help protect our water resources.
● Organic agriculture increases the land's productivity.
● Organic production limits toxic and long-lasting chemicals in our environment.
● Buying organic supports small, independent family farms.
● Organic farmers are less reliant on non-renewable fossil fuels.
● Organic products meet stringent USDA standards.
● Buying organic is a direct investment in the long-term future of our planet.
● Organic farmers preserve diversity of plant species.

One more thing I would like to say in conclusion: No matter what you do in your life, always do it with tomorrow in your mind, and by that I mean that we need to think about future generations and their well-being and not only ourselves.

For additional information about the Organic Rule, contact the USDA's National Organic Program at 202-720-3252 or visit www.ams.usda.gov/nop

(1) Organic Food site

(2) Whole Food Market

(3) Wellness Forum

EAT HEALTHY!!!

Alfredo Pasta

BROCCOLI ALFREDO PASTA
Ingredients
● 16 oz. bag of whole wheat pasta
● 4 tablespoons olive oil
● 1 large onion
● 4 cloves garlic
● 2 heads (4 cups) broccoli
● 8 oz. container Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
● 1 cup soy milk
● White ground pepper to taste
● Sea salt to taste

Preparation
● Prepare past as directed on the package, or until desired tenderness. Make sure to add salt when boiling.
● Preheat olive oil on medium heat.
● Dice onion into small squares and add to frying pan.
● Add chopped garlic.
● Sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat.
● Add cream cheese and mix in until smooth texture is achieved, slowly adding soy milk.
● Add chopped broccoli.
● Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
● Once broccoli has been added in, turn off the heat.
● Add pasta and blend until sauce has been thoroughly incorporated.
● Serve immediately.
EAT HEALTHY!!! BE HAPPY!!!

Stuffed Peppers

STUFFED BELL PEPPERSIngredients
● 6 red bell peppers
● 1 cup cooked rice (your favorite kind), salted
● ¼ cup olive oil
● 6 medium-large carrots, grated
● 1 large onion, cubed
● 4 cups shredded cabbage
● 2 zucchinis, cubed
● 1 14-16 oz. can tomato sauce
● Sea salt to taste
● Mrs. Dash or favorite seasoning to taste
● 4 cups water

Preparation
● Clean bell peppers thoroughly. Carefully cut off tops and remove the part that holds seeds.
● Pour olive oil into a large sauce pan; add 4 of 6 shredded carrots, onion, cabbage, and zucchini.
● Salt to taste and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash or favorite seasoning to taste.
● Sauté for 10 minutes on medium heat; add tomato sauce and sauté for 2 more minutes.
● While vegetables are sautéing, combine rice with 2 shredded carrots and season with Mrs. Dash to taste. Make sure to salt rice when cooking.
● Stuff rice into bell peppers and cover with cut off tops.
● Add water to vegetables; salt to taste and cook for 3-5 minutes.
● Split sauce into 2 parts. Keep one part in a large sauce pan.
● Add in stuffed bell peppers; cover; bring to boil.
● Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 35 minutes.
● Serve in a bowl, as seen on the photo. Use second part of sauce to serve with remaining peppers as needed.
● The tops are eatable, and make for a beautiful presentation, but if you choose not to eat them, chop them into small cubes and add to sauce.
● You can add a dollop of Toffuti vegan sour cream if desired.

GOOD EATINGS!!!