HealME Journeys

Growing up in the windswept prairie-town of Cheyenne, Wyoming, I decided at some point that green was my favorite color. It just looked so nice against the dirt brown, sagebrush-sculpted landscape. An early hero was Robin Hood and the forest- hued attire of he and his band of Merry Men, with the exception of Friar Tuck, seemed about right to represent my favorite color -- I'll save my comments on Little John in tights for another post. Along with the color, I developed a fondness for many green foods as well. Favorite vegetable? Green Beans. Favorite fruit? Green Apples. Favorite food to give me imaginary super powers? Popeye's Spinach, of course. Favorite Candy? Green lifesavers. I loved running barefoot in green grass, catching green grasshoppers, and counting stacks of green toy currency. I still like getting green paper presents, the kind that can be folded and are best stored in a wallet. Any denomination will do. Dad loved to garden and Mom kept the house w

I love to eat! And flavor matters from beginning to end of every meal. Eating nutritious, plant-based meals let's my inner food freak fly his big flavor flag. Today, I've got two recipes for you: GOLDEN GALA APPLE DRESSING FOR SALAD 1/4 cup raw cashews 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup filtered, cold water 1 small gala apple, cored and chopped 3/4 inch ginger root, peeled 1 clove garlic 1 tsp onion powder 1 tbsp all-purpose, no-salt seasoning (I like Trader Joe's 21 Spice Salute) 1/2 tsp tumeric Blend all in Vitamix until smooth. Chill 20-minutes and serve over fresh green salad. Makes approximately 2 cups dressing. CHOCOLATE PERFECTION DESSERT 1/2 cup raw cashews 4 pitted medjool dates 1 frozen medium banana 1/2 cup frozen cherries 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup vanilla, almond milk Blend until smooth in Vitamix, chill one hour. Serve in dessert bowls. Serves 4.

I love green salads. One of my daily healing projects is to eat a pound of dark, leafy greens. Add some chopped vegetables, beans, seeds, berries, and sauteed mushrooms and you've got a nutrition powerhouse working around the clock at the cellular level just for you.  Here's the dressing: In a high-speed blender combine: 1 peeled orange 1/4 cup raw cashews 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup filtered water 1 garlic clove 1 tbsp. yellow mustard 1 inch piece of peeled, fresh ginger Blend thoroughly. Chill before serving. You can substitute tangerine or 3 little cuties ( in season now) for the orange. Just peel and use the whole fruit. 

I loves me some wraps. Any meal of the day the colorful, compact ease of stuffing a leafy green or whole grain flatbread with a variety of health-promoting tasty foods brings a smile to the table. Here's today's lunch, Catch a Collard, not a cold. 1 bunch finely chopped collard greens, uncooked. 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage 2 shredded carrots 1 diced mango 1 finely chopped jalapeno, seeds removed 2 tbsp organic peanut butter 2 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp fresh orange juice 2 tbsp chopped cilantro 1 tbsp chili powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder Mix all in a medium bowl. Put 1/2 cup in your choice of whole grain tortilla or wrap, or roll in green lettuce or romaine leaves. 4 servings.