Collards are very rich in calcium and a good source of vitamin A and C.  Collards are good for the respiratory system, the digestive system, the skeletal system, the lymphatic system the eliminative and urinary system, and the nervous system.  This vegetable is invaluable to nearly every part of the body.
- Foods That Heal by Dr. Bernard Jensen

Dr. Jensen was my family doctor, and we worked together professionally later in life.  He gave me an endorsement for my book, Vegan Bite By Bite, "I believe that Marilyn Peterson's work should be taken to heart, and that one should think about shat she says.  Marilyn is touching on things that are worth investigating and worth living.  Everyone she serves will receive a blessing and the knowledge to make their family and their bodies healthier. Marilyn has a sincere desire to produce the best there is in nutrition.  I feel that her work is the finest I have come across.  She's a master at what she does"

Collards are also very high in calcium. These collard wraps make up a raw, delicious and healthy meal.

Wash collards, and remove the main spine on the leaf.  This will give you two leaves to work with. Line the inside of the leaf (the shiny part of the leaf facing down) with a large green lettuce leaf.

You can choose about 1-2 tablespoons of  any filling to be placed inside, like a hummus or pate. Roll the filled leaf into a wrap.  See picture below:

Collard Spines:
Cut the spines of the collards finely, and store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
The next time you make a stir fry, or steam any vegetables, add the left-overs so that you have no waste of this super healthy vegetable.


Most everyone thinks of wealth, but remember "health is wealth!"
A friend of mine recently asked me "what inspires you in the kitchen?" After giving it some thought, I realized that my answer to that question could be that I feel I have a special relationship with plants and  food.  I love nature, and the abundant bounty of lush fruits and vegetables that I find at Farmer's Market's inspires me to want to create magical dishes.  For me, being in the kitchen is like a form of therapy.  It  quiets my mind, and allows me to trust my intuition while preparing some awesome dishes.

It all started this morning when my husband asked me to make another cheesecake. This morning turned out to be a dessert morning, creating a Banana-Strawberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Mint Mousse and an Apple Fruitcake.

I can only include the pictures, since I still have to document the recipes.  Check my blog "Simple, Healthy Recipes" at a future date to see postings of the recipes. For those of you that have my book Vegan Bite By Bite  www.veganbitebybite.com Click on purple link "Recipe blogs" and then click on the yellow link "In the Kitchen with Marilyn".
 I have a Chocolate Mint Mousse recipe in my book on page 194. Check it out.

                                                       
Apple Fruitcake
Chocolate Mint Mousse
                                                             


         

Banana-Strawberry Cheesecake