For the herb water~

Start by boiling 4 cups of filtered water. Place the herb of your choice (see amount below) in a pot or heat proof container. Pour the boiling water over the herbs and allow to steep until it cools. Add 4 cups of fresh filtered water and then transfer the water and herbs to a pitcher or large mason jar and chill. Viola, that’s it! You can add a bit more water as you drink it since the first run is quite strong and you can get away with “stretching” it a bit.

You can make more or less than this amount just follow the 1/1 ratio of water and eyeball the herbs. Once the herbs have been infused and the water has cooled, you can then add some sliced organic citrus, cucumber, berries or some cubed melon for an amazing detoxifying cooler. Click on the herb to read about it’s healing properties.

• Rosemary~ 2-3 stems about 6 inches long
• Thyme~ 5-6 good size stems
• Sage~ 10-12 large leaves
• Mint~ A large handful
• Basil~ A large handful
• Ginger~ a two inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced

Cucumber or Melon Water~

Slice up 1 medium organic cucumber or a few cups of cut up melon of your choice and place in a large pitcher. Fill with filtered water and allow to “steep” in the fridge for a few hours. Drink!

This water can also be stretched by keeping the cucumbers in the pitcher and adding water to it all week.

Boy do I owe you all an apology (as does WF in my opinion). I had read the ingredients somehow missing the maltodextrin (I swear it didn’t used to say that) but had no idea what yeast extract was- until now, a form of something called glutamic acid. This is created in the way that some food manufacturers are processing certain proteins. Eating food with glutamic acid causes a build up of MSG in the system. The FDA of course only requires labeling if the product contains and “added ingredient” that is 99% pure MSG, not other forms of it (thanks for lookin’ out for us).

I will include the list of these perpetrators down below, and you should read it, even if the rest of my writing bores you to tears. Even better yet you should WATCH this video by Dr. John Douillard DC who has published over 200 health videos and articles and Director of Player Development for the New Jersey Nets NBA. Like so many other ingredients, “yeast extract” is a crafty name for MSG or monosodium glutamate.

Why do they use MSG? Simply because it makes foods taste better. I mean it goes way beyond adding a bit of salt…MSG would make poop taste good and I am not exaggerating her folks. I have been privy to them using it often in standard dishes in Thailand (if you forget to ask without) and it takes the flavor to a whole other level.

Why avoid MSG you ask? Well because it can cause~

Obesity
Diabetes
ADHD
Anxiety
Depression
Alzheimer’s
Parkinson’s
Eye damage
Headaches/migranes
Fatigue and disorientation
Joint Pain

And the list goes on but this is reason enough for me. Read more about what Dr. Josef Mercola has to say in the Huffington Post article.

Even scarier is that kids are 10x more sensitive to the effects and you will find many of the following ingredients in baby formulas and foods geared towards the little ones. They do after all have a lot of pull in the household when it comes to what the parents buy and if it tastes better than the natural brand then the companies are making more $$$.

Here is the list that Dr. Douillard includes in his article, recognize any of the names? Are any of them in your pantry? Yeah, mine too…

• Glutamic Acid (E 620)2
• Glutamate (E 620)
• Monosodium Glutamate (E 621)
• Monopotassium Glutamate (E 622)
• Calcium Glutamate (E 623)
• Monoammonium Glutamate (E 624)
• Magnesium Glutamate (E 625)
• Natrium Glutamate
• Yeast Extract
• Anything “hydrolyzed”
• Any “hydrolyzed protein”
• Broth
• Natural Flavors
• Calcium Caseinate
• Sodium Caseinate
• Yeast Food
• Yeast Nutrient
• Autolyzed Yeast
• Gelatin
• Textured Protein
• Soy Protein
• Soy Protein Concentrate
• Soy Protein Isolate
• Whey Protein
• Whey Protein Concentrate
• Whey Protein Isolate
• Anything “…protein”
• Vetsin
• Ajinomoto

But here in Miami I have been forced to have an actual “mechanism”, and let me tell you they can be a bit pricey. After much research on the internet and shopping on Craigslist for an old one no longer needed, I decided that just because I was in The States didn’t mean that I needed the fancy version…so I made my version.

Every Friday in my neighborhood they come and pick up household waste such as boxes, palm tree clippings, dressers and anything else that people do not want and are too lazy to take to the Goodwill. In all fairness however THIS particular trash can I found was cracked on two sides and was clearly more suited for the dump than the Goodwill- or for my new compost bin!

I pulled this little white one out of another pile down the road, still not sure what it will become but it looked useful for some outdoor project.

I scrubbed the inside and out...

And then under the strict supervision of Anthony- I set to work cutting out the bottom so that it can sit directly in the dirt and the worms easily can come up through to do their work. P.S. this is how many of the household projects look, but at least I am supervised!

All I had was this crazy rusted saw that my dad had given me with my first tool box about a decade and a half ago...needless to say I was a bit nervous...

But it worked like a charm and I had the bottom out in no time!

I then took a cordless drill and made holes all the way around it from about 2 inches from the bottom to about one foot from the top in long rows two inches apart. I think the drill bit could have been a bit larger but I made do with what I had, perhaps something more the size of a dime would have been good.

I then picked a shady spot and cleared away some of the dry matter on the ground and set the trash can right in the dirt. The absence of the bottom will allow the worms to enter and begin to decompose the waste into beautiful "black gold" that will feed any plant, vegetable or otherwise.

I had started a makeshift compost in a small plastic pot a few days before I found my larger bin and I added a little water and dumped the matter in.

I gathered dry leaves and such from around the yard to add. It is important to have a mixture of "green" and "brown" or "wet" and "dry" to balance the nitrogen and the carbon. This is a really good way to get rid of extra leaves, cardboard, dryer lint etc.

I then covered the bin with some stuff I found in our shed to keep out the rain until I can find a top that will fit...and voila, we now have a compost! And P.S. it was FREE!!!

This is a counter top compost that I rescued from the impending Goodwill pile at my mom's place. There is no lid (are we seeing a pattern here?) so I am using a small plate for the timebeing until I decide to spend the money on a new one, if I even need to.

So now here we are a year and a half later. The bin itself is a bit worse for the wear and ready for replacement but served us very well. We went a whole year of dumping organic veggie and fruit scraps from not only our household eating but form cooking classes and caterings…enough to fill my whole kitchen floor to ceiling not doubt. I never emptied it once and by the time I got around to using the “gold” there was only about enough to fill a kitchen size garbage can. The mountain of waste that had decomposed into that little bit was astounding. Not to mention the volunteer tomatoes and squash that I still have growing as we speak.

The moral of the story is that you can have a compost even without spending a ton of money and even if you do not use it. Mother Earth, the landfills and your garden will thank you!

www.vegweb.com

www.Journeytoforever.org
www.eartheasy.com
www.howtocompost.org

Slowly but surely we are moving into a sustainable future. The hopes are that we can do it gradually in the interest of preventing emergency status for resources and greenhouse emissions. Fortunately some cities like San Fransisco, Seattle, Nantucket have made it mandatory to compost and some cities are beginning to impose fines for putting recyclables into the trash. This may seem extreme but recycling and composting are such a simple things to do and they make such a difference. Tape a sheet of the accepted recyclables on your fridge, this will change slightly from place to place but it is easy to find on your city’s website. Check out this article from The Clean Air Counsel, pretty incredible. I am not at all trying to be preachy I just find this stuff so faciating and so important…and it is so easy to contribute to positive change. And just think of all the cash you will save on plastice garbage bags if you recycle and compost. Not to mention how many karma points you will sore for when you really need em like when you want to buy the imported wine and cheese that traveled thousands of miles to reach your palate…worth it huh?

The growing use of insecticides and pesticides for agricultural pest control has created the side effect of killing the bees necessary for maintaining our crops. Such environmental stresses have devastated honeybee populations in the United States beginning in the 1980s. This has made it necessary for farmers to rent bees from keepers in order to get their crops pollinated in order to sustain food production. In recent years commercial honeybee hives have suffered from colony collapse disorder, which has left many bee boxes empty of bees.

What can we do to help save the honey bees?

• Plant nectar plants in your gardens so your local bees have the food they need.
• Reduce the amount of pesticides you use.
• You can support companies that support bee research and breeding programs.
• Go to Save The Honey Bees for more info
• You can go to this FREE screening of The Vanishing of The Bees and learn ALL about it!

The sauce itself is divine just on a spoon!

Zucchini Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce

4 large zucchini, ends trimmed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
a few pinches of dried oregano
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Sauce~
1 ½ cups sun dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1/2 cup raw cashews
4 medium pitted dates
(Place all 3 in a jar together and soak at least 4 hours or overnight)

3 medium cloves garlic
1 ½ cup tomatoes, quartered
A good handful basil leaves
1 Tablespoon lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Makes about 4 servings

Julienne the zucchini lengthwise on a mandolin or with a julienne peeler until you get to the core. Save the core for another use or just eat raw.

Place the zucchini into a bowl with the lemon juice, oil, oregano and garlic and toss well. Set aside to marinate; do not use any salt yet.

Drain the jar of soaked items and then place into a food processor and pulse until well broken down. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce and blend well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary; may need a bit more lemon juice depending on how sweet the sun dried tomatoes are.

Lightly salt the zucchini and toss well. Pile onto a large platter or plate individually and top with the sauce. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil if desired. Be sure not to salt the zucchini too far in advance as the liquid will drain out and make the “pasta” watery.
Tips & Notes~

Add some capers or chopped green or kalamata olives to the sauce after it’s blended.

This sauce also works well over whole wheat or quinoa pasta or as a pizza sauce.

 Chocolate Coconut Bliss Balls

1/2 cup of raw cashews
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 cup of desiccated coconut, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup pitted dates (soaked in water to cover for at least 4 hours & drained)
2 Tablespoons chia or ground flax seed (optional)
1/4 cup raw cacao powder, or more if desired
a small pinch Himalayan Salt

Makes about 20 medium balls

Place the nuts in a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add half of coconut and remaining ingredients and pulse until well blended. With your hands roll the mixture into small balls. Roll in remaining coconut and place the balls on a plate and refrigerate until hard. Store for up to a week in the refrigerator or a month in the freezer.

Tips & Notes~

Instead of the coconut, roll the balls in some finely chopped up nuts or some more cocoa powder. For a bright festive green; use pistachios.

You can trade any of the nut portion for other nuts such as walnut, pecans, pistachios, sunflower seeds or macadamia nuts.

Add some wheatgrass or spirulina powder to pack in the nutrients.

You can also add some finely chopped dried cherries or cranberries to add a sweet tang.

Fridge~

~ Organic Plain Almond Milk
~ Soda Stream Bubbly Water
~ Pure Pomegranate Juice
~ Parmesean & Manchego cheese
~ Organic Miso Paste (mellow white and red)
~ Organic Sun Dried Tomatoes packed in oil (save the oil for salad dressing)
~ Organic Jarred Roasted Peppers
~ Kalamata & Green Olives
~ Homemade Vegetable Stock
~ Dijon Mustard
~ Red & Green Thai Curry Paste
~ Peeled garlic- Whole and some that has been chopped in a food processor and stored   in olive oil (NOT the chopped garlic from the store PLEASE!)
~ Organic Sprouted Lentils & Mung Beans
~ Organic Apples
~ Organic Kale
~ Organic Carrots
~ Organic Lemons
~ Organic Fresh Ginger
~ Always Always Fresh Organic Herbs such as Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, Dill
~ Sriracha Hot Sauce
~ Wonton Wrappers
~ Ezekial Sesame Bread

Freezer~

~ Organic Peas
~ A Nice Loaf of Whole Grain Bread
~ Leftover Chocolate Cherry Bombs for evening snacking
~ Frozen Bananas & Other Fruit for VitaMix “Ice Cream”

Dry Goods~

~ Raw Cashews for recipes such as Creamy Vegan Pesto
~ Hazelnuts for One of my Favorite Salads
~TONS of other Nuts & Seeds~ sunflower, almonds, peanuts, mac nuts, pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds
~ Things I Keep Toasted for quick sprinkling~ sliced almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, dry flaked coconut
~ Organic Flax & Chia Seeds
~ Large Jars of My Almost Famous Coconut Flax Nut Butter
~ Organic Raisins
~ Whole Dates
~ Organic Nori for these Raw Nori Rolls and more
~ Organic Tahini
~ Organic Nutritional Yeast
~ Organic Dried Lentils, Garbanzos, Black Beans, etc
~ Organic Canned Black Beans & Garbanzos
~ Organic Coconut Milk (full fat) for THIS easy pantry meal
~ Organic Canned Tomatoes
~ Jarred Tomato Sauce from my parents garden…yummy!
~ Yellow & Red Onions
~ Organic Quinoa
~ Organic Millet
~ Organic Whole Grain  & Quinoa Pasta
~ Organic Brown Rice
~ Organic Popcorn
~ Organic Brown Rice Cakes

For Baking Etc~

~ Organic Whole Rolled Oats
~ Organic Garbanzo Flour
~ Organic Coconut Flour
~ Organic Whole Wheat Flour
~ Whole Grain Bread Crumbs
~ Organic Coconut Sugar
~ Maple Syrup
~ Raw Cacao Powder
~ Aluminum Free Baking Powder
~ Baking Soda
~ Organic Stevia Powder
~ Organic Fair Trade Coffee
~ Organic Wheat Grass Powder
~ Organic Spirulina Powder

Oils, Vinegars & Spices

~ Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
~ Organic Olive Oil
~ Lucini Estate Select Olive Oil, Lemon, Basil & Chili Oils
~ Lucini Balsamic Vinegar
~ Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
~ Red Wine Vinegar
~ Sherry Vinegar
~ Rice Wine Vinegar
~ Braggs Liquid Amino Acids
~ Organic Nama Shoyu Soy Sauce
~ Himalayan Pink Salt
~ Different Finishing Salts such as Maldon, Smoked & Vanilla Salts
~ Madras Style Curry Powder
~ Smoked Paprika for yummy dishes such as this Moroccan Carrot Salad
~ Cayenne Pepper
~ Chili Flakes
~ Cumin
~ Chili Powder
~ Cinnamon
~ Dulse Flakes
~ Garam Masala
~ Local Honey

I am sure that I have a few things tucked away that have been forgotten about but you get the idea. Organize your pantry a bit and make some room, make a list and go shopping. There are some great recipes to start with on this site and they will keep coming!

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Miso

1-1/2 pounds of carrots, shredded
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2+ teaspoons smoked paprika
A good pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
2 Tablespoons sweet white miso paste*
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup raisins, chopped
1 medium bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Salt if needed

Serves 6 to 8

Coarsely shred the carrots in a food processor or with a cheese grater, place in a large bowl and set aside.

In a small pan heat the oil, cumin, paprika, and cayenne over low heat, stirring occasionally until spices darken and the whole thing turns fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in miso and apple cider vinegar and pour over the carrots.

Add the raisins and parsley and stir until the carrots are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, it may need a touch more salt or vinegar depending on the sweetness of the carrots.

Tips & Notes~

Some toasted nuts or sunflower seeds make a nice addition to this salad.

Get creative and change up the parsley for some mint, basil or dill.

Substituting some of the carrots for raw broccoli that has been chopped finely in a food processor would be dee-lish!

If you do not have miso not to worry, salt and a touch of honey will do just fine.

Millet Breakfast Porridge

1 cup uncooked millet
2-3 cups almond milk or water**
2 cups of cut fruit of your choice (apples or bananas work well)
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
A pinch of nutmeg
A pinch of salt
A few drops of liquid stevia or in the powder form

For the top~
coconut oil
maple syrup or honey to taste (if not using stevia)
toasted pecans, walnuts or almonds
Dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins or chopped dates

Makes about 4 servings

Combine all the ingredients for the porridge together in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Let cook for 25 minutes until millet is cooked and tender. Stir and check occasionally while cooking, adding extra water as needed if you want it to be loose.

Remove from heat and serve with top with about 2 teaspoons coconut oil per serving, a drizzle of maple syrup and with any other desired topping.

Tips & Notes~

**You can cook millet light and fluffy just like rice (basically 1/2 ~ millet/liquid ratio). If you would like it to be a bit more moist and creamy you can increase the liquid accordingly. For a thicker consistency use 2 1/2 cups liquid for the above recipe, for a looser creamier texture use 3 cups liquid.

Millet makes fabulous polenta. Cook with sautéed onions and vegetable stock until thick and creamy, then finish with a strong cheese such as Roquefort or Parmesan to make it extra creamy. Millet polenta can be served hot, or pressed into a pan, cut when cool, then grilled or sautéed.

My sweet tooth is my weakness. I do not use refined sugar in the house much anymore and I try not to imbibe out in the world either (I do cave sometimes of course…naughty). One must find a substitute. Avoiding these little blue, pink or yellow packets, a while back I started using organic stevia from Trader Joe’s. It is an acquired taste but I am used to it now and I love it. It also has many healing properties beyond a sugar substitute, read on!

It works well in some baking applications and especially well in this millet porridge, puddings, shakes etc. I add a bit to my green juice so it doesn’t taste so grassy. You can also use half and half so in Anthony’s coffee I sneak in a bit in place of the sugar he will not give up. When we lived in Peru we used to buy it in the leaf form but I had never seen it here….until now.

Enter Teena’s Pride a sustainable and impressive farming operation in the Redlands. This family farm produces some of the most beautiful and delicious vegetables and herbs that we have the pleasure of eating in South Florida….and they now grow STEVIA! I highly recommend checking them out and joining their CSA (community supported agriculture) program and get a weekly box of the most beautiful produce for your cooking pleasure.

Please read below for the article that Teena’s sent out this week announcing this new wonder herb. So excited to be able to get it fresh, thank you Teena!

Stevia is a species of shrub and herb native to the rain forests of Paraguay. It is in the sunflower family and is related to lettuce and marigolds.

Also known as sweet leaf and sugar leaf and is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar!

Stevia is used as a dietary supplement and sugar substitute. It has no calories, no carbohydrates, and a zero glycemic index which makes it a great natural alternative to sugar and chemical sweeteners. It also has many medicinal properties such as aiding digestion and lowering blood sugar levels.

The best way to get the most out of stevia is to dry the leaves and make your own powder. A home dehydrator can also be used, although sun drying in about 12 hours is the preferred method.

You can crush the dried leaves by hand using a mortar and pestle or using a coffee grinder. You can use the stevia in this powdered form, adjusting the amount you use to achieve the desired degree of sweetness

You can also make your own stevia simple syrup by adding a cup of warm water to 1/4 cup of fresh, finely-crushed stevia leaves. This mixture should set for 24 hours and then be refrigerated. It works perfectly for sweetening beverages.