A Year in the Life of A CSA Host

As many of you know, I've been hosting a CSA at my home for the past year. I wanted to pass on some things that have been really meaningful for me, and some reflections on the experience. 

Some of you may not know what a CSA is, or what it actually means to host one. Community Supported Agriculture allows us to buy direct from the farmer, which ultimately means cheaper produce, a deeper connection to those growing our food, and also more sustainable practices (since the food is primarily local). In addition, our CSA is organic or eco-grown, which means that we ditch the pesticides and herbicides that come with conventional produce, and in the end, we end up contributing to "greening" the earth. Every little step counts. In addition, everything is seasonal, grown in the tri-state area (for 99% of the produce). This means that you get what you get when nature delivers it. An abundance of fruit in the summer, an abundance of roots and greens in the winter. 

As a host, I would receive boxes of produce that would be in season, and I'd divide it into shares for people to pick up. So for example, today (December 5th) we received:  apples, pears, potatoes, celeriac, carrots, kale, lettuces, bananas (these were not local), tomatoes, oranges, broccoli, and a few other things. I'd divide them all by weight or number in individual share boxes (we had 15 shares total), put extras in a grab/exchange basket (those items not divisible by 15), and put out a sign up sheet where people leave their payment for the next share, and check off that they've received today's share.  

There were many unexpected things that I learned from this experience. The first thing that was very evident to me was the seasons changing, and what was available. To be honest, many of us are used to buying what we want, when we want it. Even in December, you can find strawberries. But everything comes with a price. Getting "what we want, when we want it" means that someone has to drive it from the region that it grows (and pineapples don't grow in NJ), and that means gas, travel, time, fumes, paying the driver, and many other facets of the food industry that we don't see. Eating food that is seasonal and local makes sense for these reasons alone, but I also found that it makes sense in other ways:  in the summer, my body wants to cool down with fresh berries and lettuce. In the winter time, I want to warm up with a sweet potato, some amazingly sweet apples, and boost my immunity with broccoli and kale. It just makes sense that I crave these things, and never has this been more evident than when I hosted this CSA.

The second thing I noticed is that organic produce isn't always pretty and perfect. And I loved that. I love the spots on the apples (but when you taste them, the flavor is nothing like what you'd buy at a supermarket). I love the non-waxy oranges and the incredible juice inside. I love how the lettuce comes in crazy colors like deep purple, red, brown even, and vibrant greens. I also found that the tomatoes with the little extra give also had the extra flavor in them, especially when made into a sauce. Some people turned their nose up when they saw spots here and there, but I knew the secret (the same secret when my mother cut into the gnarly crab apples from the tree) - they were the most delicious ones! So when they were left behind in the grab basket, I gladly gave them a home. Nature isn't perfect. Heirlooms come with knobs and colors and features not common, and that's what I was after. That's where the nutrition, flavor, and authenticity was. 

I also gained a huge appreciation for the farmers. I typically would say a prayer of appreciation before I ate, appreciating the earth for the food, the bees for the pollination, the farmers for the picking, the drivers for bringing us the food, the ones who pumped gas, who bagged it all, the store clerks, everyone involved in getting us the produce. But ever since I started the CSA, this appreciation deepened. The connection for me became closer to those that provided the food that we ate. I became the one who dispersed the food, very early in the morning, on cold days, and I have to admit, sometimes when I'd rather sleep in. One of the deliveries took place during the 2 week outage from Sandy, so had to make due with gloves, a hat and some serious bundling up. But it was all wonderful and fun and creative. I warmed up by the action and exercise of opening boxes, stooping down to pour out beautiful potatoes in the shares. I saw the sunrise, I greeted the truck guy who told me stories about how he met his fiance, and have a beautiful plant-based Thanksgiving. I connected with the workers who talked with the farmers, and to be pleasantly surprised by how quickly they replaced items and often sent extras because the harvest was plentyful. I also connected with the pod members who sometimes didn't know what they were getting but appreciated the opportunity to better feed their families. This was beyond gold to me. I couldn't pay for this. I couldn't even ask for this experience. It was just given to me.

One of the best parts of the CSA was being forced to try something new. We're so "old" in our practices sometimes, when we just buy what we know. Suddenly, I was trying acorn squash, celeriac, green tomatoes, even mini kiwis - they all tasted fantastic and really required me to up my game on my repertoire. No more boring dinners of the same old things. It was during this period of time when I feel I really became a chef. 

It was a life-changing experience. I worked through the seasons, smiling at whatever mother nature had to give us, meeting new people, appreciating what it really means to bring food to the table, in a nutritious, organic, clean, whole way. 

If you are ever interested in finding a CSA near you, you can visit any of these sites. Get ready to be inspired. 

http://www.purpledragon.com/

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

An Organized Whole-Foods Pantry

More so in recent times, it's come to my attention that the state of the kitchen (or should I say, the center of the home, where we usually congregate, eat, talk, dream, prepare, settle down with a cup of tea at night) should be as clean and organized as possible - for heaven's sake! 

There are many reasons for this, the biggest being that I'm a busy person and simply put, I need to know what I have. That's it. We've all bought several bags of beans only to realize that we've bought too much - and that for the next 6 months we must succumb to eating the beans, otherwise, we'd risk them becoming extra gassy, old, stale, hard to digest and well, just plain stinky. It's good to know what you have and use it in a timely manner. 

The second reason is efficiency. When I'm hungry and I want to make something to eat, I can't spend time rummaging through what I have. Like a child, "I need to eat, and I need to eat now!" I'm very visual and I need to see what I have instantly, so that I can whip something up in a jiffy and impress everyone on the block (actually, not really, that never happens....it's just about whipping something up fast and enjoy the pleasure that comes with filling a hungry belly). This is also very helpful when it comes to shopping. Since everything is in glass jars, I can see when we're running out of oats, raisins, and cannelini. There's no rummaging through bags (brown, plastic, or otherwise), and things are neat and in order. 

The last reason is that we're all hoping to eat better, so we should really set ourselves up for success in every way possible. If you have nothing in the house that's healthy or good to eat, then we're more apt to go out, order in, or just buy something in a hungry frenzy. Keeping yourself stocked with good things enables you to eat well, simply put. It's a no-brainer.

So, for these reasons, I wanted to show you what's in my pantry, and to encourage you to keep things in the kitchen organized, neat, clean, but fun and creative also. Use this as an opportunity to create a fun space for yourself! Get back to the "old way" of living where we ditch the boxes of prepackaged goods (actually, un-goods), and go for whole, recognizable foods!

Here's the scoop for what you should include:  

1.  Grains (and please whenever opt for beautifying non-gluten grains, as gluten makes oh not so beautiful):  teff, millet, quinoa, buckwheat and oats. Also include flours if you're a baker, but if you're not, best to store them in your freezer. I go through spells - I'll make some scones, and then I won't bake for another 2 months. Therefore, the freezer is my best friend.

2.  Beans:  I love beans to sprout (aduki and mung) and beans to eat (black, cannelini, chickpeas). Having them in glass containers makes it super easy for me to soak them over night and then cook them in a pressure cooker with some kombu. I make big batches and use what I need and freeze the rest. Doing this enables us to ditch the cans (bpa, no way!) and the extra money they cost by making the beans yourself. 

3. Seaweeds: I just mentioned kombu which is super important to have - anything that requires water should get about 1 or 2 inches of this baby in it (think stews, soups, rice, grains, beans, anything that requires water to cook). It's one super simple step to make sure your food is more digestible and infused with the minerals from seaweed. In addition to kombu, we have a big basket of:  hijiki, nori, dulse, and a myriad of other seaweeds. I love just clipping them into salads, or having them in shakers to be used as a salt alternative. Just make sure they're not from the waters of Asia but more from Maine like from this site, so that you're not getting a dose of pollutants in with your seaweed. 

4.  Nuts/seeds:  we love seeds and nuts (I love seeds more than nuts, but it's all individual preference). Since we don't use much oil, we tend to use the whole food variety and add in sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds to our cereals, to much on as a snack, and what have you. We keep overstock in the freezer and keep what we need on hand (they go rancid quickly, so take out and put in mason jars what you'd use for the week). 

5.  Spices:  I LOVE LOVE LOVE spices. It's so easy to make something taste absolutely gourmet and spectacular with a pinch of this and a pinch of that - and not to mention that many of them are medicinal (like ginger and cayenne boosts metabolism, clove boosts immunity, garlic just makes everything taste good, etc.) I keep my spices fresh in an Indian spice box, and add them to nut milks to create chai or even to plain rice for a little kick.  You're also more apt to use them if they look nice. The remainder of the spices that don't fit in the spice trays, I just labeled them and put them in a basket for easy grabbing.

6.  Aliums and roots: we keep our potatoes and onions in big open glass jars or baskets, so that we can see when we're short (or see when they're spoiling - since onions are water rich, their shelf life isn't as long as one might wish. You can also keep these in your garage if it's cold enough, or your fridge, but I've found that I'd rather use my fridge for greens than onions. Also, when kept in glass jars, I can see them better and use them up faster). We're not big on white potatoes, but sweet potatoes/yams and 3 kinds of onions (red, yellow and sweet) are always in our pantry.

7. Fruit: I happen to like room temperature fruit. I also like to see it so I can eat it - again, opening the fridge is too hard for me sometimes and in the cold of winter, I don't really want to eat a cold orange. All of our fruit is out in easy to grab baskets. This also helps greatly when it comes time to shop for food.

8. Herbs: one of the things we've done this year is really get proactive about making our own teas, growing our own herbs, and drying them. We have lemon balm, different kinds of peppermints, and nettles (which make an amazing mineral-rich infusion). I also have a huge bin of my herbs for making tinctures, infusions, medicinals, and keep them neatly placed in a wicker basket for easy grabs. At night, it's easy for me to remember to make a raspberry leaf infusion on the stove and drink it up the next morning. 

This is pretty much it in a nutshell. As you can see, when everything has a place and a creative order to it, it's actually MUCH easier to eat healthy. No more rummaging through cabinets when you're starving (or if you only have cabinets, just designate one for herbs, one for beans, one for grains, and then all you need to do is open the door and everything is at your disposal). 

Easy Peasy Chocolate Turtles

I typically make this with raw cacao but I was cleaning out my pantry and found some leftover boxes of baking chocolate. Not thoroughly raw, but they'll do. Also, this recipe is strictly based upon your likes - add more maple syrup if you like it sweeter, try mixing up your dried fruit, or make it like a trail mix turtle. There's no way you can mess it up. Add up the solid ingredients to the liquid so that it maintains a batter consistency and then you're done. 

1 package baking chocolate 
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 Tablespoon vanilla 

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate, oil and maple syrup.  

Taste it so that it's as sweet as you want it, then add vanilla. 

Add ins (the ones I used, but you can choose your own):
Cashews, hemp seeds, raisins, sliced almonds. 

Also, shredded coconut would be amazing.

Add your "add in's" to the pot and just stir to mix. Pour into silicone food-safe molds and refrigerate. You can also put the batter in an 8x8 and cut like fudge, or use cupcake liners. Enjoy! 

Easy Morning Detox Lime-ade

Everyone knows about lemon water in the morning, but sometimes I need something a little more spiffy - like lime water, or lime-ade.  Try this and I bet you'll drink a whole mason jar worth of it, like I do, on an empty stomach. Nourishing, cleansing, filling, and energizing!

2 limes, juiced (I just use the glass juicer shown in the photo)
1 tall mason jar filled with water (about the size of a jar of marinara)
liquid stevia, to taste

Combine all ingredients together and enjoy throughout your morning, first thing, prior to breakfast. 

Healing Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is one of the easiest but tastiest soups ever, and I'm hooked! Not only do you use shitakes, which are known for their immune boosting properties, but it's comfort food at its best (with only a handful of ingredients). 

Cashew milk:  combine 3/4 cup raw cashews with about 5 cups water and blend in a high speed blender. If you are weirded out about the white specs, you can strain it, but I don't bother.  Set aside. 

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium vidalia or yellow onion, chopped
1 medium package baby bellas, sliced
2 small packages shitakes, sliced
rubbed sage, about 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp

Combine the coconut oil and onion in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and saute until translucent, adding in a pinch of salt so that the onions sweat and release juices.  Add in the mushrooms and stir well.  Add in the rubbed sage and saute for another minute. The total saute process should take no longer than 5 minutes. Add in the cashew milk (the entire batch, or less if you want it more thick) and bring to a simmer. Simmer, half covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and let the soup sit, covered, off the heat for about 5 minutes. Enjoy! 

Raw Peach Cobbler with Chocolate Genache

Chocolate is one of my main obsessions. And since it's actually GOOD for your heart, and filled with antioxidants, why now? Now, let's make a distinction between cacao and cocoa. Cocoa is heated, and processed, and not what they mean when they say chocolate is good for you (although it's an upgrade from a chocolate bar). In a pinch, you can make this with simple cocoa and follow the rest of the ingredients and you're good to go. However, if you really want to reap the benefits of all that chocolate has in store, you definitely want to go with cacao, which is unheated, unprocessed, the raw, real deal. Cacao is one of the highest antioxidants fruits on this planet, especially if left alone (unheated and raw). So you can rest assured that this dessert is not only delicious but good for your glorious bod!

1 peach, sliced
1/4 cup walnuts, or amount that suits you

chocolate genache:

It's best if you make big batches of this in a blender and just have it in the fridge for later use (since it will be smoother) but if you're like me and just need something in a pinch, this smaller recipe can suit you just fine. You might just have to blend it really well with a spoon to let go of the lumps.  Or if you're ok with the lumps, then all the better. Otherwise, I'd probably quadruple the ingredients and blend it up in a strong blender and have enough for the week.

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1-2 tablespoon cacao
some vanilla extract, optional

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. What's great about this recipe is that you can make it thicker or thinner, just by adding more or less cacao...if you want a really thick mousse, add one more tablespoon of cacao. If you like it thin, just enjoy it as is.  Stir it really well with a spoon and drizzle a little over the peaches and walnuts.  This recipe would be good enough for two servings.  

Beet & Avocado Detox Salad

I love beets, primarily for the reason that they're so GOOD for you and super sweet when you take them right out of the garden. We've been lucky this year - all of our beets that we planted have blossomed into some amazing deliciousness. You can certainly eat them raw, but one night I decided simply to boil them and slice them up for this easy salad.  

Most importantly, beets are great for the liver. They are a blood purifier and regenerator, and do a great job supporting the liver in all of its processes. It basically takes care of your whole body, so when you eat beets and other liver-supporting foods, you know that you're taking care of it right back. Win-win. 

2 cups beets, boiled, and sliced thin

1/2 vidalia onion, sliced thin

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon flax seed oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 avocado, cubed

The amounts here are really estimated - use what you have on hand. If you only have 1 cup of beets, that's also fine. But I love the creamy avocado with the spicy onion, sour vinegar, smooth flax seed oil, and sweetness of the beets. In a pinch, you have so many different tastes in one dish! 

Combine everything except the avocado and give it a good stir. Place the avocado on top, give it one quick stir, and enjoy!

Heirloom Tomato & Corn Salsa Fresca

I'm loving this time of year....the garden is in full bloom with crazy looking heirloom tomatoes, corn, scallions, kale, collards, peppers, jallapenos, and so many greens! 

One of the things I'm passionate about is non-gmos, and I'm happy to say that we've successfully grown organic non-gmo corn! Of course, they're a little smaller than your average ear of corn, but they are delicious raw, juicy, and absolutely sweet.  They pair very well with this salsa fresca, and uses the bounty of the garden for a delicious meal! 

Eat this up with a big spoon as is (almost like a gazpacho) or sop it up with some toasted crunchy sprouted organic corn chips, like you see here.  Either way, it's sure to be a late summer staple in your home!

corn, taken from 2 ears of corn with a sharp knife, raw

1 heirloom Red tomato diced small

1 heirloom Yellow tomato diced small

1 small chocolate pepper, diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup Vidalia onion, minced

1/2 cup Cilantro, minced

1/2 Lime juiced

Cumin, red pepper, salt to taste

Optional:  1/2 mango, diced small

Combine all ingredients together well and enjoy!

Happy Hormone Infusions

Raspberry leaf and Nettle Infusions

I've been dabbling in herbalism lately (love my Herbals class).  Raspberry and Nettle infusions have been my "thing" for a little while now and I just had to share them with you.  Nettle and Rasperry leaf are extremely healing and tonifying for the female reproductive system, and I use them to maintain balance in my hormones. So for those of you experiencing irregular period, or the fluctuations of PMS, cramps, mood, and even mild depression due to hormonal imbalances, be sure to make some of these infusions. Another good one is lemon balm (Melissa), although not pictured.

I make mine in pots and in the morning, I transfer them to ball jars and keep in the fridge. You can sweeten them if you like, but I really enjoy them as they are. 

4-5 cups boiling water

1 handful raspberry leaves or nettles (or you can even mix them) in dry form

Heat the water until boiling and add the herbs in.  Turn the heat off, cover, and let steep overnight.  Strain in the morning and drink throughout the day. This infusion will last about 3 days in the fridge.  

Zesty Lean & Mean Watermelon Juice

We served a variation of this at one of our recent raw foods potluck, but I decided to kick it up a notch.  

Typically we get an organic watermelon, obliterate the inside of it, and then juice the rind. Last year, we grew our own watermelons, and the juice was this fantastic, light pink color. This year, we did a few things differently with our garden, and didn't plant watermelons, and it's tricky to find organic watermelons in these parts.  We had to make due with a conventional one, and therefore opted not to juice the rind. 

If you have an organic one, definitely juice the rind and proceed with the recipe. If you don't have an organic watermelon, ditch the rind and just juice the middle. 

Watermelon is very detoxifying and although it is high in sugar, for a limited period of time in the summer, we do indulge. If you add in the cayenne, it will be a natural fat burner (thermogenic food) and the lime will also add to alkanalize the juice even more.  

Enough watermelon to produce two glasses of juice (about 4-5 cups)

1 lime, juiced

pinch of cayenne

Juice the watermelon and divide into two glasses.  Juice the lime and add to the glasses, sharing equal quantities.  Add the cayenne to each glass, stir and drink up!

Happy National Farmers Market Week!

I love this week! What's better than fresh organic fruits and vegetables, hot from the sun and hand-picked by people you know, mixed arrangements of beautiful flowers, organic juices, coconut water, and even hearth-baked breads? 

Not sure anything is better! I love the smells, the eclectic variety of people walking about, the dogs, babies, strollers, and random watermelons decorating the pavement.  You can buy anything from jade jewery to raw local honey, to a decadent vegan donut, and to the most beautiful yellow heirlooom tomatoes in one shopping experience! 

My favorite market is the one in Red Bank, and my favorite stand is the organic produce stand...

I head straight for it.

This past Sunday, they had purple and white potatoes, kale, cucumbers, basil, garlic, oodles of colorful, heirloom tomatoes, and beets! 

I love these guys (thanks, Nicole, Lisa and Laura!) and the fact that they work hard, bring us quality nutrition, and even share some of their favorite ways to make the food is a steal at these prices.  

You can eat like a king and queen for under $10.

I also really love Herbertsville Honey, since they are local, raw, and know that they are good to their bees.  

They also make the most wonderful honey and can even share with you how to have your own beehive in a sustainable, kind way in your own backyard! 

So be sure to go out and visit a market this week and see all the glorious food that abounds! And enjoy the pics of some of my favorite market produce! 

Goji Berry Tea

One of my favorite summer treats is cool tea! I love spearmint most of all (super cooling) but when I'm in the mood for a sweet treat, goji is the way to go! Simply steeping dried goji berries in boiling water and let cool gives you a naturally sweetened cooled drink that gives you energy (from nutrients, not stimulants) and revs you up. 

Goji berries are amazing, through and through. They offer a huge dose of vitamin C, are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, are a great source of iron and a true powerhouse of antioxidants. They also have more carotenoids than any other food! For more info, please visit this site HERE. 

Handful Goji berries

5 or 6 cups boiling water

Boil the water in a pot and add in the goji berries.  For some added "umph", throw in a few slices of lemon. Turn the heat off, cover, and let steep overnight.  Drink throughout the day as a cooling beverage and enjoy - you don't need to strain it!

Wild Raspberries

If you haven't been out this month to pick wild raspberries, you're missing out. More tart than your store-bought variety, they are small, juicy, a bit sticky (which is fun) and delicious.  

Most especially, wild raspberries are just that - WILD. Meaning, unchanged by man, not sprayed, modified in any way, so they contain so much more nutrition than what you can find boxed up in your local favorite store.  Raspberries are huge in anti-oxidant and are especially helpful for:  (1) female health and (2) weight loss.  You can find out more fun info HERE.

I also know that raspberry leaf (infusions, teas, etc.) are especially helpful with supporting women in their hormonal health.  I often heat up a big pot of water until boiling, then take a handful of raspberry leaves and mix it in, cover and let steep over night.  The next morning, I strain the tea and add it to smoothies or just drink it as is.  For an extra antioxidant boost, you can even add a little lemon peel and goji berries when it's steeping. I love the flavor combo that results. You can buy some great organic raspberry leaf tea HERE. 

We went for a hike this past weekend and the woods were absolutely filled with them.  We ate until we were happy, and left the rest for whoever else might want some after us.  I love doing that - taking just enough for us, and leaving some behind. 

I hope this encourages you to get out of the house for a bit of hiking and noshing on these amazing fruit. 

Ode to Coconut Water

I love my coconut water! Fresh is certainly best (and I will upload a video soon on how to crack open a coconut) but for those of you who may not have a machete or a cleaver, you might want to opt for some bottled beverage. Nice 2nd best choice.

I have a couple of priorities when I look for packaged goods, which is not often...
1.  It has to be clean (nothing added)
2. It has to be in glass.

The first priority is obvious.  I'm not interested in anything but coconut water - not added water, sugar, flavorings, colors, or preservatives.

The second priority has to do with the fact that anything fatty (such as nut milks, nut butter, coconut products, oils, etc.) tend to leach impurities from the plastic into your food. So even if you're buying organic coconut water, guess what...if it's in a plastic bottle, then it's pretty much a done deal. 

I love this particular brand, Taste Nirvana. Its in a glass bottle and what's great is that after we're done drinking it, I use the large bottles to create a bottle edge around my garden beds (have you heard about this!?!?) and the small bottles to hold my new herbs (I'm taking an herbalism class and need to get organized).  I know it's not organic, but I can sleep better at night knowing it's contained in glass.  All in all, a sweet deal.  

It's a complete protein, high in electrolytes and has more potassium than bananas. It's excellent for hydration and truth be told, when I want a little something sweet, this is my new favorite dessert.  Notice I said dessert - it IS sweet and I don't over do it.  But it does hit the spot. I drink a small glass, savor the taste, and I'm good to go.

Hope you enjoy your coconut water as much as I do! 

My fave SUPER-food Cereal

This is MY breakfast of choice! So many people ask me what I eat and I have to say "keep it simple and delicious" and you're good to go. This recipe could NOT get any simpler.

Change up the seeds based on what you like and the fruit that's in season (I love berries, for their low-glycemic quality). 

The seeds keep you full and offer some heart and brain-healthy eats, and the berries and cinnamon are a really good choice for diabetics or those watching their sugar intake.  Since cinnamon keeps your blood sugars level (without the yoyo high/low dips), you'll be good all morning! 

One superfood you might not have heard of is the hefty and magnificent goldenberry...It's tart, sweet, delicious and if I could (which I sometimes do), I'd eat them like popcorn.  But that's about $6 gone in one fell swoop, so I just sprinkle it here and there whenever I can. Here is a reputable source of high quality goldenberries, but you can also find them in other parts.  

3/4 cup favorite berries (I used blueberries)

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon goldenberries

almond milk, to taste

pinch cinnamon

Combine everything together and savor. 

Cooling & Tart Green Juice

I go through phases...always alternating between smoothies and juices, but for some reason during the summer, I really opt for the juice...it's cooling, not as sweet, and really helps me gain energy when the days are hot and lazy.  It's my preferred way to break the fast after sleeping.  Make sure you chew (swish) your juice and take your time with it...I like to sip it over 20 minutes, but not longer, to retain the nutrients. 

This juice is pretty lemony, but that's how we like it...not too sweet and super tart.  Adjust the greens (bitters) and lemon/limes (tart) and apples (sweet) to your taste to create the perfect balance for you.

We also use whatever we have on hand - whatever is abundant in the garden, leftover in the fridge, and little remnants of pieces of veggies here and there. We love broccoli stems, leftover cauliflower, half pieces of carrot.  Anything goes.  

Lastly, we love to get every bit of juice out, so we actually take out the pulp and juice that all over again.  You'd be surprised how much you get (for us, almost about a whole cup!).

Also, see if you can get most of these things organic, since when you juice, you want as many nutrients as possible in the juice.  Most of these nutrients are found in the peel, which you want to keep, but for some non-organic produce you really have to peel it (which means less nutrients for you). 

2 broccoli stems

1 cucumber (peel if not organic)

2 stalks celery

2-3 carrots (long, not baby)

2-3 green apples

chunk ginger

1 turmeric root

4-5 kale leaves

2 lemons (skin on)

1 lime (skin on)

1 clove garlic (optional)

Juice everything, and rejuice the pulp.  This makes a lot, enough for two people with some leftovers (for later in the day if we need it).  But we love our green juice, and we can't get enough of it.  

Orange Maca Truffles

There are so so so many recipes for truffles, and this is just one in the ocean of possibilities.  Play it up as you'd like.  Make them into balls and roll them in coconut or cacao or cacao nibs. Another option is to sprinkle coconut on the bottom of a dish (as you would flour, to keep mixture from sticking) and press in the mixture to form bars.  Refrigerate, cut and wrap...these are even better than the fruit/date bars you'd buy at a store...and so much healthier too. 

We made these for our Whole Foods demo last week on raw foods, and everyone loved them. Now, granted, these are dense - not for lounging around and enjoying while watching TV but rather to be used as fuel while on a hike, running, vigorous exercise, that type of thing.  

2 cups walnuts

 1 to 1.5 -cup dried unsulfured apricots (diced small)

¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (plus ½ cup set aside)

grated zest of one organic orange

1/4 cup orange juice, as needed

1 tablespoon maca powder

2 T vanilla extract

few pinches salt

Process the walnuts and salt in a food processor until it resembles rice, but not more.  Add in the apricots, salt, vanilla and maca and process until it starts to stick together between your fingers.  If needed, add a little of the orange juice as it mixes, until it really starts to stick together.   Timing is critical since over processing lets out the oils in the nuts (making a nut butter).

Remove the blade and scoop out about 1 tablespoon worth (I use the smallest cookie scooper utensil) and roll it between your hands to make a small ball.  Roll it in the coconut and set aside in a container.  Keep going until you’ve used all of the dough.  Sprinkle the remaining coconut around the truffles so that they don’t stick together, and refrigerate at least 2 hours to set.  Again, you can also make these into bars.  They keep well and taste delicious.  Enjoy!