Juicy Cindy

"When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out - because that's what's inside. When you are squeezed, what comes out is what is inside." 

-Wayne Dyer

My new best friend, the Breville Juicer JE98XL

Certainly, embracing vegetarianism and experimenting with vegan-ism has been a learning experience for me. Although I am not seeking to lose weight, my fiance is trying to lose a few lbs on a new eating plan. Just like most Americans, no one in our family is consuming enough fruits and vegetables daily. The juicer seems like a wonderful way to provide additional vitamins and minerals or "micro-nutrients" from fruits and veggies back into our diets. After watching the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead", which chronicles one mans journey through a 60 day juice fast and over 100 lbs. of weight lost, my fiance and I decided to invest in a juicer. 

"Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" (Movie Trailer)

We consulted a very trusted (and juicy) friend who is an experienced juicer to find out how the machine held up over time and what model she should recommend. There are many models of juicers and bullet-type blenders, so it can be confusing and pricey! We chose the Breville JE98XL. It has 2 speeds, is a manageable size for our small kitchen and it's also easy to take apart and put back together for cleaning. This model runs around $150 on amazon.com and is very highly rated among previous buyers.

We also bought a copy of The Juicing Bible by Pat Crocker. This book has been a wonderful resource! My favorite feature of this juicer's manual is the section that suggests foods/herbs according to ailment or health concern. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a change in their health through diet. Even if you aren't juicing, this would be a terrific addition to any chef's library! Today's juice was pressed from a blend of about 6 large carrots, a hunk of ginger root, 2 red delicious apples and a peeled organic lemon....and it was delicious!

LOVE EVOL!

For lunch a frozen standby, Evol's Portabella Mushroom, Pesto and Goat Cheese flatbread! Light and crispy and perfect for a quick bite! Ready in 20 minutes, all natural and vegetarian too! No corn syrup.

I will buy this again, found in whole foods freezer section of Dierberg's. Approx. $5. I added some shredded provel cheese and crushed red pepper before cooking in the oven and it was just right. Probably 2 servings, but realistically enough for one person. 300 calories per serving, so watch out!

ALDI ROCKS MY SOCKS!

If you aren't shopping at Aldi, you should start today! Not only is their produce fresh and abundant, the selection of basic pantry items has now expanded to include some really awesome finds! I had heard that Aldi was linked somehow with Trader Joe's stores from a friend of mine. I researched this gossip and found out that, in fact, the same parent company, Albrecht Discounts, based in Germany does own both Aldi and Trader Joe's grocery stores. Their "no frills" business model brings the lowest prices to the consumer by eliminating decorative displays and by carrying many store-brand items at a lower cost.

This is my new favorite find from Aldi, who seems to be trying to expand their product lines, including many upscale and natural options to the old standbys. This delicious frozen vegetarian pizza rings in at under $3.00!! The price is misleading, because the pizza is tasty as well as healthy and in my opinion worth more than 3 bucks! The combination of swiss and goat cheeses is a great low-fat option that still feels cheesy and gooey. The crust is light and not greasy. The spinach and cherry tomato toppings leave you full and guilt-free! I can't even find a pizza like this at our higher-priced, fancy grocery stores around town. Shopping on a budget no longer means that your fridge will be full of high calorie, processed foods! Now we can ALL afford the good stuff! 

I also really appreciate the shopping cart and bagging systems at Aldi. You can buy plastic or paper shopping bags at Aldi, or even purchase reuseable cloth bags. This saves money because you will bag your own groceries and it helps save the environment because it encourages you to bring your own bags from home. The carts require your $0.25 deposit on the cart in order to loose it from the cart corral. So, people are more likely to bring their carts back in and sometimes you even score a free cart! Both of these systems are efficient ways to save more money and keep the parking lot safe, while promoting a cleaner planet! Not to mention another reason I feel better about buying from Aldi is because their distribution center is in Batavia, IL. So when I purchase their store brands, I know they have traveled a shorter distance to get to me and also the distribution center has created jobs in my own state. 

Way to go Aldi!! I will be back again and again!

CHECK OUT ALDI'S WEBPAGE HERE

BEANS in my Brownie??

That's right, folks...BLACK BEAN BROWNIES! And boy are they delicious!

My friend Catherine made these for a pot luck recently and stole the spotlight. She has two daughters with various and severe food allergies so this was a great recipe that worked for their diets and was still mouth-watering and delectable!

These brownies are chock full of protein thanks to the entire of can of black beans that are hiding inside this batch. What a great idea! The beans are almost undetectable, blending in perfectly to the fudgy, moist treats with a little extra nutrition!

Try the recipe here:

http://www.skinnytaste.com

Two thumbs up!!

Food is your medicine!

Let's talk about Ayurveda for a moment.... What is Ayurveda, anyway?

Ayurveda means “knowledge of life” and is the ancient study and science of digestion.  Ayurveda considers food to be your medicine. Everything that you put into your body, or digest, whether it is food, air, water, environment, or thought-- all of these things affect the wholeness of your being, or your health. Ayurveda accounts for your dosha (body type) when determining what types of foods and activities are best for you. 

In Ayurveda, the idea is that the easier it is to digest your food, the more energy you may have to heal your own body. Almost 60% of your energy goes to the digestion of your meals each day. Ayurveda recommends consuming foods and liquids that are easy to digest and refraining from putting a lot of toxins into the body like caffeine and nicotine which are difficult to process.What if you could use less energy processing food and eliminating toxins...leaving more energy for your body to use for healing? 

Makes sense to me!

Eat Taste Heal is the new cookbook I have just ordered that is bursting with Ayurveda recipes and information on how to heal yourself through your food. I am so excited to add this book to my culinary library and try out some new recipes! Don't worry I'll give you the scoop!

Until we meet again....happy eating!

What is your DOSHA? Wait...what IS a dosha?

I, like most people, love to take quizzes to find out more about myself. I have taken every quiz I can find, personality tests, IQ tests, numerology, astrology.....you name it! So, when my yoga instructor for the teacher training program I am in told us we were going to take a dosha test I was super excited....even though I had no earthly idea what a dosha was. There are 3 types of doshas, or body types, according to Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Every individual has a little of each of the three doshas, but there is often one (or sometimes 2) that is more dominant than the others. I happen to be a Vata dosha....bigtime! Like, my middle name should be Vata.

Vata types are typically very thin with prominent joints and have trouble gaining weight. The elements represented in the Vata dosha are air and space, very movement oriented. When out of balance, a Vata dosha will have anxiety and nervousness. The air and space elements keep the Vata continually in motion, so it is important that Vata types do things to ground themselves.....like eating earthy foods and doing restorative yoga.  There are even lists of foods that will help balance out the Vata dosha and foods to avoid eating. 

If you are interested in what type of dosha you are, find out by clicking the link below and taking the short quiz:

http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/

Kitchari-didgeridoo

Kitchari is the first vegan food that I have ever cooked. It is a rice and bean dish, like a stew, and is very easily digestible. The base is split yellow mung dal (split peas) and basmati rice. You can add any vegetables to the rice, the suggested vegetables for your dosha type are listed on Ayurveda Institute recipe, which you can access by clicking on the link below.

KITCHARI RECIPE

This dish is particularly nourishing and will not make you feel heavy or bloated. It gives you lots of energy and can help regulate your digestion. (Careful not to consume it for every meal or constipation can result.) The mung dal is one of the most easily digested foods and will leave you feeling great!

I like to add a few shakes of Dr. Braggs Amino Acids (soy sauce substitute) and lots of fresh cilantro on top! The aromas of the spices cooking always fills my house with the most beautiful scents. My family has surprisingly taken to the kitchari very fast and now we usually have some on hand for work and school lunches. It's easy to reheat and doesn't lose any flavor in the fridge!

Kitchari is fun to eat and fun to make and even fun to say.....we can't help but embellish this one at our house, singing, "Kitchari-didgeridoo!!"