Creamy Coconut Milk Chickpeas with Spinach

It's been a while since I have posted a recipe but I've been inspired lately to create new dishes. I have switched from a 90% raw food diet to about 65-75%. Unfortunately this is partly due to my budget, but also my curiosity to experiment with more cooked foods. I cannot wait to grow my own food and get back to more raw food eating and organic fresh foods. I am still preparing healthy meals, some organic and some non organic - again, due to budget. I refer to the dirty dozen list so I can avoid buying toxic non-organic foods. I am going to be preparing more vegetarian meals that focus on different nutrients and vitamins that we need in or order to stay healthy. For this recipe, my focus is Iron and Vitamin C. Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so it should be taken into consideration when preparing iron rich foods. Spinach, Chick Peas and other Leafy Green vegetables are a good source of iron. Tomatoes along with Citrus and Leafy Green vegetables are a good source of Vitamin C. There are other foods that contain both iron and Vitamin C, however I am focusing on the foods I just mentioned because they are the main ingredients of my recipe. Chickpeas also contain protein, fiber and other nutrients. Turmeric heals wounds, balances blood sugar, encourages normal lipid levels, supports the stomach lining and more! Check out my delicious recipe below for good health...

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Avocado and Cabbage Soup

Turmeric is one of the best spices to have for multiple health benefits. It is commonly used in India as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat a wide variety of conditions such as flatulence, jaundice, bloody urine, hemorrhage, toothache, bruises, chest pain, inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis. It's anti-oxidant properties has been shown to inhibit growth of colon 'cancer' cells and the phytonutrients helps prevent prostate 'cancer'. Its properties aids in digestion and can ease the pain of osteoarthritis. The antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties strengthens your immune system - perfect for the winter season (colds and flu season). Aside from all the health benefits it provides, Turmeric can be used in a variety of dishes such as curry and it tastes great! I decided to make a soup out of some ingredients I had lying around that I wanted to use up before heading out for my grocery shopping. I put together an avocado, some cabbage (1 cup shredded) that I fried with garlic in coconut oil. I then created a broth by adding 1 1/2 cups of water to fried cabbage. I blended it all together with a small piece of cucumber I had left, seasoned it and topped it off with some healthy turmeric powder! Very tasty and wholesome soup - give it a try!

information sources:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78
http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/the-amazing-health-benefits-of-turmeric
http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/the-amazing-health-benefits-of-turmeric/

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/1821027/4b2736dd64/TEST/TEST/

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Cucumber Noodles With Spinach Pesto

"I'm strong to the finish, 'cause I eats me Spinach, I'm Popeye the sailor man" (from theme song). Spinach is rich in minerals and vitamins including vitamin K which is found in plant foods. It is concentrated in phytonutrients such as carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) and flavonoids which provide us with powerful antioxidants. Spinach also helps us maintain bone health since it is an excellent source of calcium and magnesium. Eat your organic spinach!
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=43
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=112
More info on the benefits of avocado available here:
http://www.well-beingsecrets.com/health-benefits-of-avocado/

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Leafy Greens With Avocado

Broccoli is great for the kidneys and provides anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detoxification benefits. It contains calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and more! It is rich in vitamin C and repairs skin damage. Since our skin is known as the third kidney, having skin issues such as dark circles under our eyes and pimples, is a clear sign that we are having problems filtering our kidneys and it would be wise to detox and eat fruits and vegetables that can benefit them. Such foods include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bell peppers, grapes, strawberries and blueberries. Enjoy!
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=9
http://www.yourkidneys.com/kidney-education/Diet-and-nutrition/15-super-foods-for-kidney-health/2924
http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/5-health-benefits-of-broccoli/
http://www.kidneyservicechina.com/diet/1469.html

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Cucumber Noodles with Pesto

Cucumbers are fruit vegetables that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. They are 95 percent water so they help hydrate the body, as well as aid in digestion and in getting rid of toxins! They also contain Vitamins B, C and K. If you love zucchini noodles as an alternative to pasta, you should give cucumber noodles a try. They go great with pesto and tomato sauces. Top them off with some lemon, mushrooms and avocados and it makes for a wholesome meal. Be sure to include the skin because it contains a high source of vitamin C. Learn more about the health benefits of cucumbers in the links below. Enjoy!
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=42
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/cucumber.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/036769_cucumbers_health_benefits_rehydration.html

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Zucchini Spaghetti With Veggie "Meatballs" (rice)

I've been slowly implementing more cooked foods into my diet to test things out. I definitely feel the difference in digestion time. Raw is best! But if you want to keep cooked foods in your diet, there are still healthy ways to do it. When cooking rice, use organic brown rice that has been pre-soaked for at least 8 hours (overnight). When frying foods, always use coconut oil and cook at lower heat temperature. Although coconut oil can stand high temperatures, it's a matter of not cooking every bit of nutrition out of the food. Also, when making tomato sauces, keep it raw because tomatoes become acidic when cooked and will have no nutritional value for you. I came up with another simple recipe for veggie 'meatballs' using rice as the main component. I topped it off with Homemade tomato sauce. I'll be posting the recipe soon... Click Here for an older recipe of veggie meatballs made with eggplant and lentils.

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Mushroom, Cabbage and Red Lentils - Meal of the day

Our bodies have a 'clock' in which each organ is most active, having high and low energy levels. From 7-9 am, our body focuses on the stomach. It is important to have our biggest meal of the day by this time. I would recommend fruits (such as freshly squeezed orange juice) when you first wake up and then make sure that by 9am (no later than 11am if necessary), you've had your big meal of the day. It's not very often that I have cooked meals, especially with legumes, but I decided to give it a try after some time. The main ingredient for this meal is raw green cabbage (effective for cleaning the kidneys - purple is best). I prepared this delicious and simple meal using only 1/4 cup or so of red lentils (per person). Lentils are good for your heart due to the amount of fiber, folate and magnesium it supplies. Check out the recipe and give it a try for your big meal of the day!
http://www.foreverconscious.com/traditional-chinese-organ-body-clock
http://guardianlv.com/2013/07/times-of-day-influences-digestion-heart-health-and-more/
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-folate-vitamin-B9.php
http://www.byronbaydetoxretreats.com.au/natural-rhythm-meridianorgan-clock/

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Dehydrated Green Dairy-free Pizza

We are frequently referring to 'The Detox Miracle SourceBook' by Robert Morse, N.D., to guide us in the foods we choose to eat. The energy from (raw) Green foods heals us, affect the pituitary glands, activates the cells, cleanses the body and builds muscles and tissues in the body. They are also alkalizing foods that help the body get rid of acids.
We decided to purchase a dehydrator so we can start to create a variety of dishes that consist of the usual healthy ingredients that can still be eaten raw. On Monday, we had a 'Pizza Night' and made a couple of delicious healthy thin crust pizzas that we topped off with a variety of organic ingredients. On one of our pizzas, we added black olives (raw), garlic, red onions (raw and dehydrated), parsley (raw), spinach (raw) and tomatoes (raw). On the other, we had yummy cooked yams, basil (raw), shiitake mushrooms and green peppers (raw). The results were amazing! Our raw (dehydrated) pizza crusts were made of green pepper, green kale, pre-soaked sesame seeds, chia seeds, shredded coconut and hemp seeds. Both our pizzas were gluten free, dairy free and nut free. We also used a small amount of seeds, since we felt most raw pizza crust recipes used more than necessary. Check out our pics below! Recipe coming soon.

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