A High Vibrational Salad

March 6, 2015 by Barbara Dolan 2 Comments

Food has energy. Some food more than others. The more energy or Life Force that a food has, the more our body will absorb this energy and help us feel more vitality than before.

Read more about the concept of food and energy at The Tapping Choice where I wrote a guest post.

Foods that have a high vibration are:

Organic foods-develop very high vibrations. Pesticides have a very low life force energy.
Freshly picked ripe fruits and vegetables-learn to grow your own food
Sprouts-learn to make simple sprouts here-mung bean, alfalfa, radish, broccoli, clover
Edible flowers and weeds
Sea vegetables and algae
Plant sprouts-buckwheat, sunflower, pea shoots, wheatgrass

So I decided to prepare a salad that could help raise your vibration and leave you feeling energized. Ready?Continue Reading

Cacao; Friend or Foe?

February 19, 2015 by Barbara Dolan 1 Comment

I had planned to write this article earlier in the week about the difference between cacao and cocoa but after doing a little research to ensure that I did indeed have my facts straight, I came across a few articles that made me stop and think.

These articles were quite clear in their proclamation that cacao, raw or not, is toxic to our body; that we are being misled about it’s health benefits.

I felt uncomfortable reading this information. I have always believed that raw cacao is extremely beneficial to our body. I was not sure if I could talk about cacao and it’s ‘dangers’.Continue Reading

5 Great Ways to Turn Your Salad into a Delicious Meal

February 12, 2015 by Barbara Dolan 2 Comments

I love to eat salad. I really do.

When I make a basic salad, I think about including different types of vegetables; root vegetables (carrots, onions), round vegetables(broccoli, cauliflower) and leafy vegetables(lettuce, parlsey). I also consider different colours of the rainbow. Having a variety of types and colours of vegetables ensures that I will ingest a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Many people tell me that eating a salad is just not enough for them. It doesn’t fill them up. I think that it would help by making the salad the main thing, rather than the ‘side’, if you know what I mean. Get a large dinner plate and pile it high with your favourite things.

I am also told that in the winter time (which is now in my part of the world) they don’t ‘feel’ like having salad. I have a suggestion for that.Continue Reading

Cheer Me Up Green Juice

January 22, 2015 by Barbara Dolan 2 Comments

Cheer Me Up Green Juice

So yesterday I shared with you that I had some fresh turmeric and I made a yummy sauce/dip/dressing with it.

Today, I made fresh green juice.

Before I tell you about that, I would like to give a warning on the staining ability of fresh turmeric. Avoid making things in a plastic vessel; use glass or stainless steel and ensure that you are using a cutting board and try not to get any on your counter tops. My sink is enamel and unfortunately it was a bit stained. But I used oxygen bleach and let it soak overnight and now it is good as new. I recommend using gloves when handling the root if you want to avoid the smoker’s look. I munched on several pieces while I was making that sauce yesterday. I was trying to figure out how to describe the flavour. Well, my teeth were an attractive yellow. Really. My toothbrush is now yellow too. The price of good health. 🙂

The juice I made today was really delicious and fresh-tasting.

I used the following veggies:

parsley (a whole bunch)
celery
cucumber
lemon
carrot
fresh turmeric

The whole thing became a bit frothy with that much parsley but that didn’t bother me. I simply gave it a stir and loosen it all up.

This juice has many, many benefits among which are

digestive tonic
immune system booster
brain food
anti-aging drink
effective anti-depressant; hence the name of the juice

I really liked the flavour of this juice. It was light and fresh and easy to drink. My husband found it a little strong but I did not. He prefers it sweeter. Likely adding an apple or two or more carrots would have pleased him. I prefer to use less or no fruit in my juices. We definitely all have different palates, so experiment with other vegetable combinations and decide what you like best. A friend mentioned that she juiced the turmeric with carrot and orange and really enjoyed it.

Happy Juicing!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Cheer Me Up Green Juice

Author: Barbara Dolan

Recipe type: Juice

Cuisine: Vegan

Prep time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 20 ounces approximately

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh parsley
4 stalks celery
1 cucumber
2 carrots
1 lemon
5 pieces of fresh turmeric (a couple of inches long)

Instructions

Wash all vegetables.
Cut cucumber and carrots into narrower pieces to fit your juicer.
Cut lemon in pieces.
Alternate all vegetables through your juicer. .
The parsley will cause some froth so divide it up as evenly as you can. Avoid putting it through all at once.
Serve immediately.

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My First Time Using Fresh Turmeric

January 21, 2015 by Barbara Dolan 2 Comments

Yesterday was Produce Day at my house. What a great day it was. I love it when my fridge is full of beautiful organic produce.

I ordered fresh turmeric root for the first time. The picture above is what it looks like. It looks very similar to ginger but has a bright orange flesh inside. The taste is difficult to describe. It is not spicy like ginger but it has quite a strong flavour. But not as strong as dried turmeric and not as bitter. I like it and I encourage you to try it.

Turmeric is most known for its’ anti-inflammatory properties. It is so powerful that it matches and often surpasses the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs….without side-effects.

Some other benefits of turmeric are:Continue Reading

Homemade Vegan Cheese; Who Knew?!

January 8, 2015 by Barbara Dolan Leave a Comment

This post has affiliate links.

Remember we talked about the importance of healthy gut flora and how to improve your digestion a while ago?

I gave you several tips on how to do this and encouraged you to be diligent about caring for your digestive system.

Well, my good friend, Steph Jackson, shared some wonderful recipes with me on how to make your own vegan cheese. It is more of a cream cheese, but cheese none-the-less.Continue Reading

The Miracle of Vitamin C Part I

December 11, 2014 by Barbara Dolan 4 Comments

Vitamin C has long been known to be beneficial to our body.

Vitamin C is

A powerful antioxidant.
It prevents free-radical damage that contributes to aging and degenerative and age-related disease, including cancer and cardiovascular disorders.
Vitamin C keeps other antioxidants (such as Vitamin E and A) potent by preventing them from being oxidized.

Tasty Eastern Dippers

December 3, 2014 by Barbara Dolan 2 Comments

We had guests for dinner on Saturday and I wanted to try something different for an appetizer but not too different. I tend to try out recipes, that I have not made before, at a dinner party. Do you do that too? It must be a faux pas but I figure this way you are under a little pressure to do it right and usually it works out quite well.

I was thinking along the lines of a falafel but I wanted to keep it raw. Our guests are not raw foodies or even vegans but they do enjoy plant-based foods and I knew that they would be open to something new.

I do not like raw chickpeas, so I thought that I would use soaked sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. These are super easy on the digestion. I basically took a general falafel recipe and switched it up a little. This is something that you could bring to an upcoming cocktail party.

12 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays, Cold & Flu-Free

November 26, 2014 by Barbara Dolan 4 Comments

I know that many of us have a lot to be thankful for as we prepare to celebrate the holidays with our friends and family.

During this special time together, we want to reflect the best of our health and well-being. We can do this by enhancing our immune system to make it very difficult for viruses and bacteria to stay in our bodies.

3 Reasons Why I Eat A Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet

November 22, 2014 by Barbara Dolan Leave a Comment

There are many reasons to move towards eating a Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet. But before I share my main reasons, let me remind you what this diet is about.

What is a Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet (WFPB)?

A whole-food, plant-based diet is centered on whole, unrefined, or minimally refined plants. This diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, tubers, whole grains, and legumes; and it excludes or minimizes meat (including chicken and fish), dairy products, and eggs. It also excludes highly refined foods like bleached flour, refined sugar, oil and trans fats.

I choose to exclude meat, dairy, eggs and refined foods from my diet. I also choose to eat foods in their freshest state, preparing food from scratch and eating mostly raw foods. I also include sprouts and fresh juices. Another important thing for me is avoiding Genetically Modified Foods (GMO).Continue Reading