The Value of Detox for Energy (Day 1)

While juicing today it occurred to to me to write this blog because so many of us take our energy for granted, until there are days when the supply seems exhausted.  Unfortunately, if we don't heed this signal, more and more days begin to show up where energy is depleted.  As children there is an unlimited amount of energy, yet as we grow older, that storehouse gets depleted.

Intuitively, when I get a day or two like this, I know that my body is giving me a signal to detox. I could rationalize and make excuses by telling myself that I've been working too much and too hard, or that life at this time is too stressful.  We all have spurts of varying indicators that gives us messages to slow down and relax, but we don't always listen.  If we take the time to listen to our bodies, it is our best guide to a healthy quality of life.

I'm convinced that learning to nurture ourselves is one of the hardest lessons that many of us are in the process of learning.  I find that when I do a detox, I am nurturing myself.  My goal is to take the best possible care of myself and ward off sickness or disease.  I would rather make my OWN car payments instead of helping to make car payments for the doctor.

I went shopping today at Farmer's Market in Santa Monica (I have the farmer pick out the watermelons and guarantee that they are sweet or they will replace them for me) and bought 4 beautiful, very large watermelons for a juice fast for the next few days.  I cut up the watermelon and put sections of the melon in the Vitamix blender.  (You do not need to have a special kind of blender)   Whenever I get hungry, I'll cut a section of the watermelon and blend it and drink it.

I've also prepared for when I break the juice fast.  I may prepare other fruit juices afterwards, or if the spirit moves me, I'll gradually start back eating fruits.  The important thing about fasting is that when the fast is over, there should be a gradual starting of solid foods, such as fruits for 1-2 days and then vegetables and slowly introduce simple foods back into the diet.

I know from my past experiences with watermelon fasting, that after a few days a relaxed and steady energy is back with me, and my body is thanking me!

I'll keep you posted about how I am feeling on this detox.

Unlabeled GMO products! Become a conscious shopper!

The fight is not over until we win "our right to know" what's in our food!

It has become a real challenge to know what products to buy since GMO's are not labeled.  Yes, we CAN look for USDA organic labels and also non-GMO certified icons (images below) on packages or products.

What is safe these days is to shop at a Farmer's Market where organic is lush, reasonable and plentiful. Or order from an organic farm that delivers.  It also helps to have a relationship with the farmer you trust.  Most farmers are happy to answer any of your questions about their growing methods. When you have a relationship with your farmer, if something you purchase doesn't taste right or spoils quickly, and you are not happy, they will do their best to keep a good customer relationship by gladly replacing your purchase.

I find that although I'm a chef, it is best nowadays to prepare simpler, healthier meals.  For instance there are staple products I know are vegan and organic, so I don't prepare the processed dishes any longer because they are not marked organic.  I rather choose good health over gourmet dishes.

Not everyone may be a "stickler" like me, but this non-labeling of products, I am taking seriously. Knowing that all organic produce is still plentiful (although I notice that Whole Foods has plenty of conventional produce, as well as a lot of organic produce from Mexico.  Why can't the store buy locally and support independent, local farmers?

So rather than mess up my health with GMO ingredients, I would rather simplify my meals. Besides, I don't want to give any business to the manufacturers that don't support our health.

How To Make Collard Wraps

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!"

Isn't Life Sweet?

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

I LOVE SALADS!

I can remember the time, when I was a child, that my mother gave me a blue lucite bowl filled with salad to eat for my meal.  I must have been around 6 years old.  I told my mom "I'm done".  She said, where is the bowl?  Red faced, I then had to take her to the closet where I was foolish enough to think I could get away with hiding my bowl underneath a stack of blankets. I never had a clue my mother would discover my dirty deed! I can remember that I had to then finish eating my salad before I would be allowed to go out and play!!

Too many mothers give their power away by asking the child what they want to eat.  How does a child know the difference between what's healthy and what's unhealthy?  I believe that parents have the responsibility to teach good health to their children so that they grow up with a strong, healthy foundation.  First the parents have to learn about good health themselves.

I don't know quite remember when my love and appreciation for salads began, but I believe that it is because I was trained as a child to eat what was healthy for me, or I had to come back to the table (to eat the same food) when I was REALLY hungry.  Salads are one of my very favorite meals! I generally eat a variety of two salads a day with whatever else I fix. 

I love making up varieties of salads.  Watercress salad, Cabbage Salad, Escarole Salad, Dandelion Salad, Seaweed Salads, and so on.

Below is a picture of today's lunch: Dandelion-Cilantro Salad, Sliced Tomatoes, olives and Daiya Cheese (non-dairy) with Thousand Island Dressing and crackers.  For the dressing I just mixed together  Vegenaise, ketchup and lemon juice.