Chicken Soup With Leeks and Lemon

I feel like I owe my friend Missy a bunch of recipes to help her out during this 28 to Great challenge, and I have not done a very good job at posting here. Truth is, I've been busy with birthday celebrations this weekend and haven't cooked a thing for the whole weekend! So tonight I will steal a recipe from someone else and post it here. I made this soup last week, and the recipe was from the "Farm Fresh To You" box that I get every other week.
My kids are not crazy about leeks, but this was a success! You can make it Paleo friendly by omitting the grains, or you can, like I did, replace the rice with quinoa. It's rich in protein, and if you  use my broth recipe for the stock, it will be perfect for cold and flu season!

I know we are back in the 80's here in California, but there's rain in the forecast, so a soup might be just what the doctor ordered by the time it's Sunday night. The picture doesn't look like much, but trust me, it was yumi!

Ingredients:

2 quarts chicken or turkey stock, preferably homemade
1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced thin
2/3 cup rice or coarse bulgur, or quinoa (to taste)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Fresh juice of 2 lemons, strained, or about 6 to 8 tbsp, to taste
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh parsley or dill for garnish

Combine the stock and leeks; bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add the rice or bulgur and continue to simmer until the grain is cooked through, 15 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.

Beat together the eggs and lemon juice until frothy in a medium bowl

Just before serving, making sure that the broth isn't boiling, gradually add 2 cups to the eggs and lemon mixture while beating vigorously with a whisk to prevent the eggs from curdling. Turn of the heat under the soup, pour the egg-lemon mixture into the soup, stir well and serve, adding a bit of pepper to each bowl and garnishing with chopped fresh parsley or dill. Serves 6.

Recipes for the 28 to Great girls out there

 Hi fellow "challengees",

If you are reading this, you have probably been reading my dear friend Missy's blog and are feeling super inspired, challenged and amused by her stories. Right? So Missy and I have been "talking" (on Facebook) about needing some more recipes for the challenge, and I have offered to try and create some.

I'm a busy mom and therapist, so I won't be able to blog daily during the challenge, like she does (not that she has more time than me, with 3 kids, geesh! How does she do it???), so I thought I would start by labeling all of the recipes on my blog that I think are challenge friendly.

If you look in the right margin, under labels, you will see a 28toGreatBarre3 label. If you click on it, it will magically take you to all the recipes on my blog that you can cook while on the challenge. Sadie, if you are reading this, and there is anything that is not "Kosher" in my recipes, please let me know, so I can make adjustments :)

A word of caution though: a lot of my salads include fruits, and not all of them include a full protein. It is easy to put less fruits in them, or omit the fruit and replace it with grilled chicken, salmon, tuna, shrimp....
Also, a lot of my salad dressings include agave syrup or maple syrup. I have now started to veer away from agave syrup, as I am not sure how much of a real food it is (how unprocessed it really is). You might want to avoid it and add some salt instead, or just put half the amount of it, or of maple syrup or honey. You can also replace it with one Sadie's dressings or your own. Remember the proportions and try to stay true to the challenge's principles about portion prescription.

I have also just posted a soup recipe that is challenge friendly, for those of you who are freezing and craving some winter comfort food.

Happy Challenge everyone, and thanks to Sadie and Missy and everyone else out there who is challenging and motivating others to be a healthier, stronger you :)

White Bean and Beet Greens Tomato Soup, in the crockpot

I know it feels a bit whiny to say that from sunny California, where the sun shines 345 days of the year and the temperatures rarely drop below the forties, but it has been COLD!
Even though I haven't posted a whole lot of warm meal recipes on here, I have been making a ton of soups during fall and winter. They are nothing exceptional, which is probably why I haven't really posted them, but we love them in my family, and that's one sure way I can feed my kids vegetables, as long as it is blended.
As I said in my last post, I am doing this 28 day challenge of eating only real whole foods, in the right quantities and proportions, and the friend who inspired me to do it asked me for recipes of warm foods. There are a ton of recipes on this blog that are 28toGreat friendly, but very few that are winter comfort foods.
I wrote this one about 8 months ago, but it was spring then, and I didn't think people would crave a bowl of hot soup in the California 80 degrees weather.

One thing you might learn from this recipe is that there are foods out there you didn't even know where foods. Such as... beet greens! Did you know that when you buy that bunch of beets at the farmer's market or at Whole Foods or Sprouts, you don't need to toss the stems out or feed them to your pet rabbit?   They are perfectly edible if you cook them (don't try them raw in your smoothie, they will tast bitter!) and taste delicious simply sauteed in olive or coconut oil, garlic and salt. Or in a soup. Such as this one:

This soup is easy to make, whether you stir it in a pot on your stove, or let it simmer in your crockpot. I love my crockpot, it's a lifesaver for those work days when I don't come home until 9 or 10pm and I need my family to have a hot meal for dinner, or for the weekend, when we are out and about all day.


2 cups of dry white beans, soaked all night (or a can of cannellini beans)
1 onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced

6 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 parsnips, peeled and cubed
1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 big can (16oz) of organic diced tomatoes, or the equivalent of freshed diced tomatoes
1 liter of chicken broth
a bunch of beet greens (from 3 beets) or other leafy greens, such as kale or swiss chard, washed and chopped
dried oregano, rosemary, parsley, basil, whatever you want to play with. You can also add these herbs fresh if you have them in your garden or fridge. I love fresh basil and parsley and I add them one hour before serving.
Salt and pepper to taste

Put everything in the crockpot, with the beans, then onions and garlic, then crunchy veggies, tomatoes, cover with broth, and greens on top. Sprinkle with herbs. Cook on slow for 8 hours or on fast for 5-6 hours.

Serve with brown rice and sprinkle with parmesan cheese (optional) for a complete meal.

Sauerkraut and the benefits of fermented foods

Happy New Year everyone! Have you made those New Year's resolutions yet? Do they involve eating healthier? I sure hope so, and to help you with that, I decided to post a few entries in a row on fermented foods. As mentioned in a previous post, I have been playing a lot with fermented foods in my kitchen. Sauerkraut, raw yogurt, pickled beets, beet kvaas, kombucha... It's been fun, and delicious!

But why ferment? you may ask... 

Well, if you think of our ancestors, before they had fridges and freezers, and ask yourself how they preserved foods, you will find the answer not only in canning and preserving, but also in fermenting. The lactic acid in the fermented food "is a natural preservative that inhibits putrefying bacteria. Starches and sugars in vegetables and fruits are converted into lactic acid by the many species of lactic-acid-producing bacteria. These lactobacilli are ubiquitous, present on the surface of all living things and especially numerous on leaves and roots of plants growing in or near the ground. Man needs only to learn the techniques for controlling and encouraging their proliferation to put them to his own use, just as he has learned to put certain yeasts to use in converting the sugars in grape juice to alcohol of wine" (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions).
What are the advantages and benefits of fermentation? You must have heard of probiotics... You know that when you take a dose of antibiotics, it is like dropping a bomb in your gut and destroying the flora in there. And you have been told to either eat a lot of yogurt or take probiotics in the form of pills. Well,  there is A LOT of lactobacilli (a probiotic) in fermented vegetables. These lactobacilli enhance the vegetables' digestibility and increase their vitamin levels. They also produce helpful enzymes, antibiotic and anticarcinogenic (anti-cancer) substances, and help restore the flora in your gut.

Sauerkraut is one of the easiest fermented vegetables to make. As a kid, my mom would buy it from the store and cook it for hours on low, with bacon and sausages in it. It took me a while to learn to appreciate it, but now I absolutely love it! However, this was the first time I ate raw and cold sauerkraut, after I attended a workshop at the real food symposium.

I immediately made my own and it turned out delicious.

So, are you ready to try? Here we go! You will need:

A head of cabbage, preferably organic
2 tbsp sea salt
a pounder and/or your hands
mason jars










Shred the cabbage thinly (I use my food processor) and place it in a glass bowl. Spread the salt on top, and start pounding the cabbage, to release the juices. I don't have a pounder, so I use the bottom of a jar. After 30 seconds to 1 minute of pounding, start kneading the cabbage between your fingers, as you would when making bread. 





Squeeze the kraut in your hands, until it starts getting wilted and juicy. You want it to release as much juice as possible, so keep squeezing for about 5-10 minutes. 

Then place the kraut in your jars, squeezing tight, and adding the juice to cover the cabbage. You want the cabbage to be immersed in its own juice. The saying is "below the brine is fine". 

I usually add a cabbage leaf to cover the top, then close the lid tight. Place your jar of sauerkraut in a cool dark place for at least two weeks, before opening and eating it. Once open, keep it in the fridge.

Some recipes call for 4 tbsp of whey, which is the liquid you see in your yogurt after you have taken a few tbsp and placed it back in the fridge. But be mindful that not all whey is equal. Do not put whey from your strawberry yogurt that was sweetened with high fructose corn syrup! Don't even eat that yogurt to begin with. But if you are making your own yogurt, you can use some of that whey to add to your cultured vegetables. You will only need 1 tbsp of salt if you use whey. I personally prefer to make sauerkraut without whey.

You can also add peppercorns, caraway seeds, garlic, herbs, shredded carrots and other herbs. The possibilities are endless and you can be creative and adventurous. It's fun! And it's OK if a batch doesn't taste good. Not a big loss. 
You can keep your sauerkraut in the jar for months before opening it. As you open it, it might make a fizzy sound. It's normal! It's the fermentation gases being released, and I personally love it! It tells me my food is alive :)

 I eat sauerkraut as a condiment, to accompany salads or other dishes. We're talking a few tablespoons here, not a whole plate!

So go ahead, try it, and let me know how it turns out! And stay tuned for some kombucha stories pretty soon!

Winter pomegranate salad

Are you ready for the holidays? This year, I have to say I've been surprisingly prepared. I managed to make a calendar for the kids, ON TIME (unlike previous years where I would start a few days into December), we got our tree the first weekend of December, and I have been making jams and granola for the last two weeks for gifts. The kids have been cutting snow flakes out of paper and making paper garlands all month, and Christmas music has been playing almost every night off of Pandora in our house.

In the midst of all this frenzy, I have somehow managed to enjoy all this, and have gotten much joy out of watching the kids enjoy new and old Christmas traditions. Watching them grow in their understanding of what Christmas is really all about has also been very sweet. 

In our family, we celebrate the birth of Jesus as the biggest gift ever given to us. Understanding what happened that night, what it means to us, who God and Jesus are, are really magical and sweet to witness through the eyes of a child. They of course are more excited about gifts, Santa and the elf than anything else, which we do and talk about as well.

As for me, Christmas away from family means I want to fill my house with friends, light the lights on the tree, listen to Christmas hymns and cook a good meal. I haven't decided yet on the salad, but I will, of course, make a salad, before the main dish (which will be a pomegranate lamb on quinoa with sauteed leeks and portobello mushrooms). I thought I would share this one, which I made a few weeks ago, as it lends itself well to a Christmas menu.

I absolutely love pomegranate, and I'm not alone. The kids always ask me to peal them one (which I don't love doing as much) and I like to put the bursty juicy little seeds everywhere, including in my salad.
Shrimp is a common food for the holidays, usually served as an appetizer. The flavor of raw fennel brings a fresh twist to the whole thing, and avocado, with its smooth texture, completes the recipe perfectly.

For a big bowl of salad, here is what I used:



3 romaine lettuce, chopped finely
1/2 red onion chopped finely
1 pink grapefruit, pealed and cut in small pieces
1 orange, pealed and cut in small pieces
2 avocados, chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely sliced
dill (from the fennel branches)
1/2 pomegranate (or more), seeds
2 dozen shrimps
1 tbsp coconut oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper

Dressing:
juice of 2 oranges
3tbsp mustard
2tbsp apple cider vinegar
3tbsp olive oil
1tbps mapple syrup, honey or agave
Salt and pepper to taste



Melt 1tbsp coconut oil in a frying pan. Add the shrimps, stir fry them until cooked through, adding lemon juice, salt, pepper and dill while cooking. 

Place the lettuce, onion, fennel, pomegranate seeds, grapefruit and oranges in the salad bowl. Mix together and serve on plates. Add avocado cubes and shrimps and drizzle some of the dressing on top. 

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas!

Refreshing mint and lemon verbena tea

It's still really hot and though I should have posted this recipe a while ago, in the middle of summer, I think this is the perfect time to use your little herb garden if you have one and make this thirst quencher drink.

My mom used to make it in this big stock pot when we were kids and it is ridiculously delicious. I don't make it enough, but when we came back from our trip, it was so hot here in SoCal, and our herb garden had grown out of control, so I plucked a few sprigs of mint and lemon verbena,  boiled some water, threw the sprigs in there with a couple lemons, turned the stove off and waited for it to cool off before placing it in the fridge, and voila!
Here is what you will need:

1-2 gallons of water
6 sprigs of mint
6 sprigs of lemon verbena or lemon balm
3-4 fresh stevia sprigs, or stevia powder, or raw honey to sweeten
2 lemons, cut in wedges



Bring water to a boil in a big stock pot or any big pot you have, then throw the herbs and the lemon wedges in it and turn off the stove. Let it sit for several hours, until your tea has cooled down. You can squeeze the lemons into the tea before removing lemon peals and herbs. Sweeten to your taste and transfer into a pitcher, then place in the fridge for several hours. Drink cold.

You will love the lemony taste of the verbena mixed with the mint. This is much healthier than any powder iced tea and has no caffeine, so it is totally kid friendly :)

You can also just boil water, pour in a cup, and throw a sprig of lemon verbena or lemon balm, add mint leaves (or not) and drink it hot, with or without lemon. Delicious!

summery gluten-free "couscous" salad

Summer is almost over, although it certainly doesn't feel like it in this part of the world. There is still time for barbecues and summer salads. When I don't know what to make for dinner, I often resort to quinoa. Many people have told me they don't like the taste of it, yet it is such a super food and it can be so versatile! You just have to dress it up :)

Quinoa is gluten-free, rich in fiber, and not only is it rich in protein, but it is a complete protein. This means you don't have to combine it with beans, like you would with rice, to obtain and consume all the amino-acids of a full protein. It has them all!
For a more complete article about quinoa, with a bonus breakfast recipe, click here

Here is one example of a "couscous" salad, which is dressed with plenty of crunch and zest and spice:


3 cups cooked quinoa (if you have time, soak your quinoa in water for 12 hours before cooking it. Then add 1 cup water for 2 cups quinoa. It will cook super quickly and will be much more digestible)
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup shredded celeri
2 cups sliced cucumber
1 cup sliced green olives
1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped herbs, such as basil, parsley, mint, lemon thyme

Mix all the ingredients and toss with your favorite salad dressing. My favorite with this salad is something citrusy, like lemon juice, mustard, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, garlic and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

turkey-veggie burgers and why meat could still be important in your diet

I realize I have been posting mostly vegetarian/vegan recipes, so this post might surprise you a little. Like I have said in my first post, I do not consider myself rigid about food, and I am constantly searching to find out what is the best diet for our family. Lately, I have been hearing more and more about the Weston Price Foundation and about the benefits of animal protein and animal fat, providing it comes from an organic, pasture raised, grass fed animal. I am also learning that different health issues require different diets. I definitely believe that for someone suffering from cancer or at high risk of cancer, meat and dairy should be avoided or kept to a minimum. If the body and the immune system are weak, they are not able to process things the same way, and these two foods can increase inflammation if the immune system is not strong enough, or so I was told at the Real Food Symposium.

However, meat is rich not only in protein but also in minerals and essential fatty acids.
Red meats in particular, are rich in minerals, especially iron, zinc and magnesium, and are a great source of Vitamin B12. The fat from the meat of grazing animals contains both omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids, in small but balanced amounts. And it contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is an anti-carcinogenic fatty acid. Two good reasons to go for grass-fed meats.

Now there are so many studies out there, saying so many contradictory things, it is really confusing. The vegans say that meat and dairy will cause cancer, the meat and dairy eaters say that  veganism depletes your body of too many things and that you end up with food allergies, joint problems, gut issues, asthma, etc, etc... Since despite all my research, I can't quite find one approach that clicks with me and they all make a little bit of sense, I am trying to eat a balanced diet and notice what causes irritation. Our consumption of meat has definitely been reduced significantly over the past two years and we all feel much better since then. But my boys jump for joy when I cook beef or chicken, and could by-pass all the veggies if it was up to them. So I have developed little tricks to get them to still eat vegetables, and it ends up making my burger taste better. 

This recipe works with any kind of ground meat, and you can vary the quantities of vegetables you mix in, as well as what kind of vegetables and herbs you put in. Use your imagination, this is just an example :)

For a great source of grass fed beef and organic chicken, visit your local farmer's market and look for Dey Dey's truck. I know he is at the Pasadena Saturday farmer's market, and other LA markets. To find out his schedule and/or how to order from him, visit his website here.


1 pound of ground turkey or beef
1 cup of  shredded carrots or zucchini or both
1 cup of shredded onion
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup of chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl, form into patties, heat a little bit of olive oil in a pan on medium to low heat and throw the patties in, flipping sides after 3-4 minutes, and continuing to do so until fully cooked.

My mom's zucchini and tomato gratin

It's tomatoes and zucchinis harvest time in So Cal gardens, and whether you grow them in your own backyard or get them in your CSA box or at the Farmer's Market, you might end up with so many of them you don't know what to do with them anymore.

Last week, I went to the Farmer's market and bought a bunch or heirloom tomatoes that were very very ripe, for a discounted price. That night, I made my favorite zucchini/tomato gratin, which my mom used to make (and still makes) when I was a kid. I made it again for friends this weekend and it was a success!

It is so simple, yet so delicious. If you are not a cook, don't shy away from this very simple recipe. You could suddenly become very popular in the kitchen ;)

5-6 medium zucchinis, sliced
1 onion, cut in two, then sliced
3 large tomatoes, sliced
salt and pepper
3-4 tbsp of grated parmesan or gruyere (leave out if you are doing the 28toGreatBarre3 Challenge)
olive oil, drizzled.

grease the bottom of a baking dish (9x15) with olive oil, then spread a layer of zucchini slices at the bottom. Cover with a layer of tomatoes, sprinkle some salt and pepper on it, then add a layer of onion slices. Repeat until you have used all of the vegetables. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil in the middle or on top, then sprinkle the parmesan on top and place in the oven at 380 for 40-50 minutes, or until the zucchinis are tender and translucent.  Serve with quinoa, rice or potatoes, and/or a fish or meat dish.

spa popsicles

Have you ever heard of spa water? It's that deliciously refreshing  calorie free drink composed of cool water in which mint sprigs and cucumber slices have been soaking. It is the perfect drink for hot summer days and I have often served it at parties instead of sodas. Well, the last two weeks have been exceptionally hot and last Sunday was the first day I had some time to be in the kitchen since we came back, and I had all the ingredients for  a marvelously refreshing popsicle blend. Inspired by a recent post from www.nourishingmeals.com,  I gathered the following ingredients in my blender:



5 or 6 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves only
1/2 green cantaloupe
1 whole english cucumber (they are the long ones), pealed
juice of 4 limes
a sprinkle of stevia

2 kiwis, sliced

Blend all the ingredients, until you obtain a smooth liquid. Peal and slice two kiwis and place two slices in each popsicle mold. Pour mixture on top, cover with lid and freeze for 6-8 hours. Enjoy on a hot summer day :)

Verdict: my kids love them, even though they are green, and they even love the fact that they can see the kiwi slice hiding inside. I am absolutely addicted to them, and they are completely guilt-free, which is a plus!

Crunchy Quinoa and Kale Salad with Tarragon dressing

A couple weeks ago, my son had a celebratory event at his school, which happens twice a year. Our ritual, over the past two years, has been to go eat out afterwards, to celebrate him, his learning and his progress. This year, we ended there late and were running out of time, so we decided to go to Whole Foods. I love their salad bar and always browse it, even if I don't buy anything, just to get inspired. And sure enough, there was this salad that I HAD to replicate. It was crunchy, which I love, fresh, and had two of my favorite ingredients: kale and quinoa!
I made it at home a few days later, and it didn't quite taste the same, so I tried to make a fancy dressing to go with it and the result was pretty nice. Tarragon is not an herb that I have used much, but I LOVE it. It has a unique, refreshing taste and I love it in salads. 
When I made the salad again for a friend, I took pictures of it, brought it to her house, added some avocado on top and sprouted beans on the side for added protein, only to realize the next day, as I opened my fridge, that I had totally forgotten to put one of the main ingredients in the salad: celery. So the picture doesn't reflect exactly what the salad looks like, but just use your imagination and add celery to that mental picture :)

The good news about this salad is that you can find all the ingredients at Trader Joe's, which now sells ORGANIC dino kale, one of my favorites! So get in the kitchen and try it, it's so easy!

Salad:

1 bunch of dinosaur (lacinato) kale, chopped finely
3-4 cups cooked quinoa
10 stems celery, chopped finely
3 apples, chopped in cubes
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans

Mix all the ingredients in a big salad bowl

Dressing:
1/3 cup cashews
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh tarragon
1/3 cup water
1 shallot
1/2 tsp herbamare or sea salt
1 tbsp agave or maple syrup

Put all the ingredients in a small blender and blend until you obtain a creamy texture.





Pour the dressing onto the salad ingredients and mix thoroughly. Let it sit for an hour before serving (preferably) so the kale can soften with the dressing. This salads keeps well in a closed container in the fridge for about 3 days.

Beet and raspberry "Grink" smoothie

Still struggling with the color of your green smoothie? Yet trying to increase you or your kids' s vegetable intake? I've got the perfect combination smoothie for you!

Try this:
1 raw beet, peeled and sliced
1 nectarine or peach
1 cup frozen raspberries
3-4 cups kale, swiss chard or spinach
juice of 1/2 lemon
2tbsp chia seeds
2-3 cups water
sweeten to taste with stevia powder or any other natural sweetener (except sugar)

Blend until you obtain a creamy smooth texture. Your smoothie will look something like this:

So even though you have lots of greens in there, the beet and the raspberry definitely win and give it a beautiful bright pink color.

If you think beets have an earthy taste and you usually avoid them like pest, now is the time to try this recipe. The fruits and stevia counterbalance the earthy taste and the lemon juice gives it a nice tangy twist. You can also add more fruits to your smoothie if you are extra sensitive to that taste. Beets are an excellent source of iron, magnesium, calcium, and phosperous! They are also considered a fiber food and contain vitamins A and C as well as niacin! 

Beets contain folic acid which is necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells. This is especially important for pregnant women or anyone undergoing physical healing. And lastly, they are an excellent immunity booster, detoxifier and a cancer fighting food.

And did you know that you can also eat the beet leaves? They are excellent, sauteed in the pan with a little bit of olive oil, garlic and salt. Not bitter at all. 

So no excuse, go and buy yourself some beets and try that smoothie. Look at what happened to ours:

A little heads up though: if you have a regular blender, like my Ninja Master Prep, or an Oster or something like that, it might be hard to get a really smooth texture, because the beet is a really hard vegetable. Make sure you blend long enough and add more liquid or a little bit of orange juice if you like.

For a perfectly sweet smoothie, check out the 3hp Omni V blender, by clicking on the logo in the right margin of this page. This will blend as well as a Vitamix or Blendtec for about half the price. I'm saving up for one and will do video demos once I have it in my kitchen!

sneaky veggie fruity popsicles

I'm always looking for creative ways to get more fruits and vegetables into my kids' diet. With summer approaching, and actually in full bloom on this side of the world, I am shifting from soups to smoothies and frozen treats. My kids love homemade popsicles, and I love them too because it's an easy way for me to sneak in stuff that they would never otherwise eat. I bought the molds at rite aid or target, you can find them online I'm sure, and I'm sure there is also a BPA free version of those, somewhere. I've just had those for several years and they have served me well.

You can get real creative with these, and throw a number of combinations into the mix. Some days, my kids aren't too crazy about their green smoothie. So rather than forcing them or tossing it away, I pour it into a popsicle mold for a later treat. Last year, I started adding leafy greens and chia seeds to the mix and this year, I added some green powder, and believe it or not, my kids didn't budge. They loved it! I even served it to 3 of my kids' friends yesterday, who were here on a playdate, and they all gulped it down.

So here is an example of a pretty green and good for you popsicle. The barley powder doesn't taste great, and it's pretty strong, so use it sparingly, and feel free to add more banana or other sweet fruit to cover the taste. 

1 banana

1nectarine

1/2 cup blackberries

3/4 cup blueberries

3/4 cup raspberries

2 cups packed kale leaves

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

1/4 cup walnuts

1tbsp barley or spirulina powder

1/4 tsp stevia

A little note on Barley Powder and why it might be good to include it in your diet:

NUTRITIONAL VALUE - A concentrated source of nearly three dozen vitamins and minerals, barley grass is particularly rich in vitamins A, C, B1, B2, folic acid, and B12; calcium; iron; potassium; and chlorophyll. Unlike most plants, barley grass provides all nine essential amino acids (those which your body can't produce).

HEALING CLAIMS - Barley grass is a powerful antioxidant that is believed to help the body kill cancer cells and overcome a variety of ailments, including acne and ulcers.

Put everything in the blender, add 2 cups of water and mix. Add more water if you want a smoother consistency. Once the mixture is well blended and smooth, pour into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for several hours.

En Francais:

Melanger dans le mixer:

1 banane

1 nectarine

1/2 tasse de mures

3/4 tasse de myrtilles

3/4 tasse de framboises

2 tasses de feuilles de chou kale, ou cottes de bettes ou epinards

2cs de graines de lin moulues

1/4 tasse de noix

1cs de poudre d'algue, spirulina ou d'orge (c'est sous forme de poudre verte)

1/4 cc de stevia ou autre adoucissant naturel

2 tasses d'eau

Verser le tout dans des moules a glace et mettre au congelateur.

Herbs and lemon chickpea salad

It's almost the weekend, time for barbecues and potlucks and summer meals. I am totally in the mood for cold soups, salads of all sorts and fresh picked fruits. This week, I have cooked mostly salads for dinner, so I've had to find vegetable sources of protein to supplement the leafy greens.

I have memories as a child, of my mom soaking dried garbanzo beans and making them into a salad with red bell peppers and lots of parsley. This week, I had a craving for that salad, so I took those dry beans out of my pantry, soaked them in water for 8 hours, and at night, threw them in the crock pot on low with water, salt, and a slice of kombu (you can also use bay leaves and cloves, to help increase digestibility and reduce acidity. They were ready to use by morning. I drained them and let them cool in the fridge, and at night, put together this delicious salad, with whatever I had on hand. The citrus flavor mixed with the herbs, which we grow in our garden,  was absolutely delicious and refreshing! Enjoy :)

Salad:

4 cups cooked chickpea
2 tomatoes, chopped
6 scallions, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, cubed

Dressing:
2 lemons, juiced
2tbsp hemp oil or olive oil
1tbsp agave syrup
1/2 tsp salt

En Francais:
4 tasses de pois chiches cuits
2 tomates coupees en cubes
6 oignons the printemps, coupes en lamelles
1 tasse de persil frais hache
1 tasse de coriandre frais hache
1/4 tasse de menthe fraiche hachee
1/2 oignon rouge, coupes en lamelles fines
1 avocat, coupe en cubes

Sauce:
le jus de deux citrons
2 cs d'huile de chanvre ou olive
1cs de sirop d'agave ou sucre integral
1/2 cc de sel