Nettle (Tea and Benefits)

After recently reading about one of my long lost herbs on Raw Epicurean blog, I reintroduced it into my diet. I drink it now at least once a day. I prepare it by pouring cold or lukewarm water over a couple of teaspoons of nettle and letting it sit anywhere between 30 minutes to overnight. Click on the link to read about all of Nettle’s benefits.

I drink it without any additives—the taste is very mild. However, if you are a beginner and want to cover up this new (to you) taste, then you can drop a spoonful of honey or brown rice syrup or a few drops of vanilla.

(The color on the image is not the best, as it was taken with my cell. It looks much better in real life.)

Enjoy! And drink to your health!

Home Made Face Packs To Make Your Skin Glow In Just Few Minutes For Summer.

I believe that what makes you look youthful is the quality of your skin. Our skin acts as a musketeer and guards us against the harsh environment we all are living in. But, we no longer have to suffer from extreme climate,dust and pollution that surrounds us. Here are some face packs straight from the kitchen to protect your skin from these elements especially in summer.
For Normal Skin:
Banana works wonders for oily skin. It  nourishes and moisturizes your skin.Make a paste of banana with fresh cream. Apply it all over your face for half an hour and then rinse it with normal water. It brings a natural glow on your face and also protects your skin.

For Oily Skin:
Apply egg white over your face, leave it for about 20 min and wash it off with normal water. As oily skin is prone to open pores, the egg white tightens the pores and protects the skin from dust and pollution.

For Dry Skin:
Oatmeal is the best for dry skin. Prepare a mask by mixing raw oatmeal, egg yolk and honey in equal proportions. Apply it on the face and leave it for 30 minutes. Then, wash it off with normal water. It makes the skin soft, shiny and healthy.


Apply the above mentioned packs as per your skin type and maintain your charming look.

Vegan Recipes: Veggies Pasta with Green Salad

Good mornings, loves!  I hope you are following me and our Back to Eden bunch {vegan forum} on our 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge.  Today is the end of our first week and I am glad to report that we have some pretty awesome testimonies coming in already: improved skin condition, weight loss, improvement with arrhythmia, mental clarity, etc.   There was one person, so far, that experienced some detox symptoms, but that is expected and we are moving ahead strong and excited. 

To help everyone along this wonderful Green Journey toward better health, through whole foods vegan diet, I am going to share a couple of easy vegan recipes you can make for yourself and your family. 

Vegan Veggie Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 bag of 16 oz whole wheat organic pasta, cooked until desired tenderness
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, cut into match-stick sizes, or shredded on a mandolin slicer
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 jar organic, preservative free spaghetti sauce
• 1 zucchini, cut in the same manner as carrots
• 1 cup chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish
• 3 tbs Veganise [optional, and only if you are not allergic to soy]

Preparation

• Saute onion and carrots with olive oil on medium heat for 5 minutes
• Add sauce, heat up and cover
• When ready to serve, add zucchini to the sauce mixture
• Place pasta in your favorite bowl, pour sauce over it
• Add 2 tsp Veganaise and garnish with parsley
• Mix and enjoy!

If you have been following my blog long enough you know that I don't eat any of my meals without greens--we have to have food that is alive and with enzymes to accompany any foods that have been cooked for easier digestion.  There is no food that does it better than fresh organic greens.  This meal is no exception.   So, here is another delicious vegan recipe for you to add to your recipe book.

Green Salad with Raisins

Serves 4 with pasta, or 2 by itself

Ingredients

• 1 large head of dark leaf lettuce of your choice, chopped or torn into edible size pieces
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced, spread on top of lettuce
• 1-1 1/2 zucchini cut into match-stick size or on a mandolin slicer, spread over onions
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds, sprinkled on top
• 1/2 raisins, on top of the salad

for DRESSING

• 4 tbs Hemp seed or extra virgin olive oil
• your favorite seasoning [I use Kirkland organic]
• sea or Himalayan salt to taste

or try it with Honey Mustard dressing-oh so delicious!

I hope you enjoy this meal as my husband and I did.  

If you are following us on our Green Smoothie Challenge, drop a note and let me know how you are doing. 

Until next time: Eat Greens, Stay Well!

Your friendly Longview, WA vegan :)

Goji Delight Salad [get ready to lick your bowls!] {Vegan Recipes}

Are you looking for more Vegan Recipes?  Well, get ready to lick your bowls and forks.  My absolute new favorite salad--I can't stop eating it! 

I sprouted some seeds recently [read all about How to Sprout and Benefits of Sprouting here].  After getting my greens picked up at the farm I was ready to eat them [greens] any which way possible--I have been craving fresh greens for a long time. The salad was nothing more but my attempt at a quick, scrumptious lunch.  It was a success!

Goji Delight Salad

Ingredients

• 5-6 leaves of Romaine or Dark Leaf lettuce, cut or torn in chunks
• 1/2 cup or more sprouts
• 2 tbs hemp seeds
• 1 tsp favorite seasoning [I use Kirkland Organic]
• 2 tbs hemp or extra virgin olive oil
• Himalayan or Sea salt to taste
• 1/3 cup goji berries

Preparation

• Place greens in a bowl
• Add sprouts, seeds, seasoning
• Sprinkle with oil and salt
• Top with goji berries

I guarantee you will be addicted.  I eat mine with a slice of home-made bread.

If you don't have sprouts handy, don't worry, still make the salad and enjoy it. 

I will add a couple more scrumptious vegan recipes tomorrow.   You all stay Green!

Sprouting Health: Sprout Wellness Skincare Review and Green Smoothie Challenge Update

Good morning, loves! Hope your week is going well and you are loading up on your greens.

I am VERY excited! I received an e-mail from my farmer yesterday letting me know that he has greens and radishes—ALREADY! I could not tell you how exciting it is. With the 30-Day green smoothie challenge my green intake has gone up tremendously—I inhaled 40 oz of green smoothies yesterday. It made me shutter thinking how much I have to spend on organic greens at the local grocery store [although it is still not as much as average American spends on meat and dairy products and processed foods per week]. Well, no more fears or tears for me! No, sir!

Yesterday I got 3 full grocery bags of greens:

• Spinach

• Mustard greens [very mild kind]

• Lambsquarters

• Radishes and radish green

• 2 different varieties of lettuce

Bok choy

All for $10!!! Can you believe this? Just look at all the goodness [I was washing, drying and bagging; some greens, because there was so much, went directly into the freezer, so they would not spoil or oxidize too much].

Here are a couple of Green Smoothie Recipes I made with these greens already:

Lambquarters Delight

Makes 32 oz.

• 2 cups water

• 1 banana

• 4-5 plums

• 2 handfuls [about 5-6 oz] lambsquarters

• 1 tbs wheat grass powder**

Very light to taste. Refreshing.

Bock Choy Plums

Makes 64 oz.

• 3 cups water

• 2 oranges

• 1 banana

• 4 plums

• 6-8 oz bock choy

• 3 tbs hemp seeds

• 3 tbs goji barries*

• 1/4 cup dulse flakes*

• 4 dates for sweetness, if needed

To my individual drink Added

• 1 tbs wheat grass powder**

• 1 tbs maca powder*

*designates SUPERFOODS and is optional, although highly encouraged

**breastfeeding mothers are encouraged to avoid wheat grass as it might decrease lactation

As you can imagine with greens coming into my body, opening it up for healing, my whole body and my skin is just glowing: more energy, less skin dryness. However, being that it is still cold outside, the air is dry, and we simply don’t live in a perfect world, I still need a little help to keep my skin, especially my face, pampered and moisturized. Sprout Wellness to the rescue!

About 3 weeks back, wonderful folks at Sprout Wellness, makers of the most natural skin care products that I know so far, had mailed me a little sample pack to try out their goodies.

I tried them out and I am in L-O-V-E! Their all-Over Cream is my favorite—very moisturizing and nourishing, and… has only 3 ingredients in it!

• shea butter

• organic extra-virgin coconut oil

• organic extra-virgin olive oil

Yes, you read it right—ORGANIC and RAW!!! You can actually eat this stuff, that is how good AND safe it is. [Don’t forget that skin is the largest body organ—whatever goes ON it, ends up on the INSIDE of us, so BEWARE what you slather your skin with!]

The cream feels light and nourishing on the skin. The amazing part is—you need very LITTLE of it to cover your whole face—I use only about the size of a green pea for my entire face, so it lasts you a long time.

I am almost out of my cream, and as much as I enjoyed using coconut oil ONLY on my body, I am HOOKED! I am getting ready to place an order to get MORE of their good stuff! I have not heard of any other company offering RAW, VEGAN, ORGANIC skin care, not yet.

I also enjoyed the facial cleanser and toner—good stuff! I gave my lip balm away to my nephew to enjoy.

So, folks, ladies and gents alike, if you are looking for good, nourishing, safe, healing skincare, look no further. Go to Sprout Wellness and place your order—take my word for it—you will like it!

DISCLAIMER: Sprout Wellness did not pay me to do a review, neither did they ask for it when I requested a sample from them. If any of my readers purchase Sprout Wellness products I get NO kickbacks or rewards—just happy people :).

Questions of the day:

1. How is your GREEN intake coming along? Did you up it this week?

2. What skin care products did you find that are good, safe, nourishing AND edible?

Green Smoothie Smooches