Aug 6

Aug 6 Beets: Not Just Your Gramma's Vegetable

All the vegetables are so delicious now its easy to have a plant based diet!

Eating what is in season is important to not only our bodies, but our carbon foot print and our local farmers. Can’t say this enough: SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS!!

Beets are one of those vegetables that are so underrated. They just don’t get enough credit.

There are so many different varieties ranging from a run of the mill deep red beet to golden or to a pretty marbled bullseye colour, they are all tasty! And make for an interesting salad when combined together.

When they are small and in the earlier part of their season there is no reason to cook them.

When they are young and tender, eat these guys raw maintaining all of their nutrients.

Aug 6

Aug 6 Shredded Beet and Carrot Salad with Avocado and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Sarah Shoemaker

Recipes, Raw, Vegetarian, Yum

Here is a non recipe recipe!! For a fantastic raw salad of beets and carrots.

Roast your pumpkin seeds. Tip: roast more than you actually need for this dish and save in a jar in the fridge for later use. Having roasted nuts/seeds on hand ready to go will help you when time is tight and you need to throw a meal together. It’s one less step!
Depending on how many people you are feeding grate on a box grater 2-4 beets and 2-4 carrots. Yes beets can stain your fingers but it fades quickly not too worry.
In a jar add the juice and zest of a lime, season with salt and add enough good quality olive oil to make a 1:3 ratio of lime juice and oil, shake until combined. Option: add a few red pepper flakes for some added heat if you like, the sweetness of the root vegetables and the heat of the pepper flakes go well together.

Jul 7

Jul 7 Carrots: The Myth Gets Debunked

Sarah Shoemaker

Nutrition, Recipes

Carrots are probably the greatest sources in beta-carotene, which does help with eye health but eating copious amounts will unfortunately not be the way to 20/20 vision.

There are 2 forms of Vitamin A

Preformed A (retinol): found in liver, fish oils, egg yolks and milk products
Provitamin A (mainly in the form of beta-carotene) found in yellow and orange fruits/vegetables as well as leafy greens.
A few neat facts about Vitamin A
- It is fat soluble, which means you have to watch your intake because any excess is stored in your body and not excreted like water soluble vitamins
- Vitamin A is reduced by the consumption of alcohol, Vitamin E deficiency, with the use of cortisone medication, and with excess iron intake (all your high intake of red meat people),

Jul 1

Jul 1 It's Strawberry Season

Sarah Shoemaker

Recipes, Raw, Fruit, Vegetarian

Nothing is better than a fresh locally grown strawberry! The difference in taste from an imported berry pales in comparison, is it even the same fruit??

The season is short for these guys so get them while they are fresh and tasty.

Not only are these berries delicious but they are the highest in Vitamin C than any of the other berries, with good amounts of iron and some Vitamin A.

It’s interesting to note that iron needs Vitamin C in order to be absorbed, so the strawberry is a great way to fight off the effects of anemia and avoid fatigue and hair loss!! Making sure you are getting enough Vitamin C will support your immune system and your adrenal glands.