Long time no see. =) Because I have neglected this blog for so long, I decided I should treat you with something special. Green smoothie, anyone? I would argue that this smoothie is more of an introductory one: -- the flavor is pleasant and sweet, which is perfect for a child being introduced to this for the first time. The baby spinach does not assert its own flavor, so the banana is dominant. Diabetics will probably want to cut back on the amount of fruit that is in here.  The Verdict: Delightfully mild and gently sweet. Easily assimilated and digested. (To assimilate  is "to take in; to absorb and integrate".) Spinach Banana Cradle  (Makes 5 twelve-ounce glasses) 1 cup of baby spinach 1 large carrot ( at least half of a cup when chopped) 1.5 bananas (they were frozen -- they could be fresh or both) 1 small apple (about half of a cup when chopped) 1 six-ounce container of soy yogurt (we used WholeSoy's Mixed Berry Yogurt) 1/4 pumpkin ...

This is a smoothie from a few days ago, featuring prized ingredients: I do not know very much about the health benefits of figs; but I love them! I enjoy black mission figs fresh, while I prefer Turkish figs dried. Either way, they are spectacular. I am aware that they contain substantial amounts of calcium (considering that they are fruits). Three dried mission figs provides approximately eighty milligrams (80 mg) of calcium. That's pretty good! Recipe 6 - makes 5.5 cups 2 cups of beet greens, stems, and beets 2 cups of carrots 1/2 of a lemon with some skin and all seeds 1 cup of figs Personal Take:  Pretty good smoothie. It definitely tasted like vegetables, though the figs gave a slight sweetness. The carrots impacted the color again, but it did not bother anyone. I left more of the zest this time, and you could taste it. Again, not bothersome to me or anyone else (I think). My mom did mention the thickness; I am going to have to use more water. =)

Each day brings more and more benefits. Do it for yourself, and you will see. ;) Here is the smoothie we had today: Recipe 5 - makes 7.5 cups  (why I made so much, I am not certain...) 2.5 cups of spinach with stems 1/2 lemon with some skin 2 large  carrots (about two cups worth) 1 apple 1 cup of mango Lots of water Personal Take:  This smoothie tasted more like fruits -- it would be a great introduction to the realm of vegetable smoothies. However, I've already been introduced. Also, we have been on a nearly-no-sugar diet, so this tasted rather sweet to us (it is amazing how one's taste buds adjust). Other than that, it was a great smoothie. The color was different because there were more carrots in this batch (it is usually only one cup). I still thought that it looked pretty though. This required more blending (hence the suggestion for "lots of water"). I was able to manage though, because  I used part frozen mango; and that kept the smoo...

These smoothies are amazing! They really rejuvenate you and give you a good clean out. Just make sure to drink lots  of water throughout the day -- at least five cup for children, and at least eight to nine for adults. Recipe 4 - makes 6 cups 1 1/2 cups of turnip greens / stems 1 1/2 cups of spinach  / stems 1 cup of purple carrots 1 avocado 1 banana 1/2 lemon, with some skin 1/4 cup of leftover cereal about 4-5 cups of water (whatever it takes to blend it smoothly) Personal Take: Pretty good. Turnip greens are pretty strong, but their taste was in the background. I think that it is the avocado that neutralizes it. The taste was mild -- it did not pull in any particular direction. It was thick, but not of a consistency that would choke you. =) I should have blended it a little  longer, but it was relatively smooth. My favorite part was the green color! It is just a beautiful shade of green. It definitely looks appetizing.

My family has been eating a lot of hot cereals lately. Barley, oats, kamut, rye, millet, amaranth -- you name it, we had it. When you top a bowl with molasses and homemade hazelnut-maple cream, hot cereals make a delicious and nutritious breakfast! The trouble comes when there are leftovers. It is never enough for the whole family again; and no one person remembers (or wants) to eat it.  Sometimes, we use  leftovers  to make creamy grain milk for smoothies; one time, I  even  put the  leftovers  in the blender with some milk, and made pancakes! Today, I tried a new thing: cake . It actually came out really well. I took the leftover nut cream from breakfast (this time, it was almond sweetened with agave), and I added to it a dash of cardamon, a dash or so of pumpkin spice, and a few anise seeds. I also added some more  agave  for sweetness.  We no longer use a lot of cinnamon ...

I am starting a new series on my blog entitled "Health!". Catchy, right? This particular entry is... Water: The Fountain of Life Most people know and understand that we need water to live. We know that our bodies are made of sixty to seventy percent water. Doctors tell us to drink a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Some health professionals even suggest that any  beverage counts so long as it is not high in fat. I am going to give a new spin on the subject. A multi-functional view . What if, in drinking the right amount of liquids, you could skip the colonoscopy? Or ward off that annoying cough? Or kiss flu season goodbye? What if using water was easy because you were doing it to help YOU , and not simply on "doctor's orders"? I am going to present a number of ways water can be an active member of your life and living. Squeaky Clean - Inside and Out Back...

Based on Luke 8:27-34; Mark 5:15-20; John 4           "And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.            "(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)            "And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the ...