A Brief Introduction to the Goji Berry
Maybe you’ve already been drinking the juice already. Tibetan or Himalayan Goji Berry juice that you find at markets like Whole Foods, Wild Oats, Trader Joe’s. In fact, Goji berries do possess everything that marketers have been claiming they possess, especially during their recent commercialization; however, though the subject is not without lingering questions.
For example: Does my Tibetan Goji Berry juice really come from Tibet? How many other cash crops are you currently aware of, that flow freely from this region of the world? Exactly how much of this 21st century marketing campaign should you trust? If you’re interested in simple truths, by all means, read on.
The Name Goji and Goji Berries
Goji Berries even sound like magical fruit, something straight out of Willy Wonka. But how would you feel to learn that it’s made up? In truth, no one is certain as to where the name Goji came from in Western society. The most common name of the berry is the Wolfberry. It is widely supposed that the name Goji has been derived from the Mandarin pronunciation, “Gouqi,” where the berries first gained exceptional popularity. The Wolfberry has also been known for hundreds of years by different names, including Duke of Argyll’s Tea Tree in England. [Read more →]
Healthy Recipes: Daikon, Broccoli and Fennel Soup
For soup lovers, vegetarian soup recipes are like food gold. This is a perfect soup recipe, as it’s ideal for all weathers — hearty enough for cold, winter meals and just light enough for warmer weather, too. Using organic produce from your local farmer’s market, you can put together a meal that is super healthy, extremely tasty and one that can be prepared in right around half an hour.
For a recipe yield of about 4 complete servings, follow these instructions. [Read more →]
Matt Amsden is considered by those in the know to be one of the premier raw food chefs in southern California (and globally). Amsden owns RAWvolution a company that delivers gourmet raw food meals throughout the United States. He is also the author of RAWvolution, a raw foods cookbook which has been called by critics as an “indispensable, all-inclusive guide to the many powerful benefits of raw food.”
Author David Wolfe has written the bestselling books Eating for Beauty, The Sunfood Diet Success System and Naked Chocolate. Wolfe co-founded and is “the leading voice on the continuously evolving online magazine www.thebestdayever.com where subscribers are motivated and brought up to speed on all the leading insights and strategies available in many fields including health, success, beauty, fitness, maximum joy, sensuality, wealth generation and peak performance.”
How Is Tempeh Different from Tofu, and Which Is Healthier?
Both closely related and derived from the soybean plant, Tempeh and Tofu were then separated, raised and formed for purposes in two different eating environments. Let’s take a look at how Tempeh and Tofu came to be, and see which of the two is actually the healthier option.
Let’s get right down to it: a primer on the soybean. [Read more →]
Saturday Morning Shopping at the Farmer’s Market: June 15, 2008
Decided to take a little break from the Saturday morning fun on Pico and Cloverfield in Santa Monica, and return to my original neighborhood Farmer’s market off Venice Blvd. on the few blocks south down Grand View. It’s a bit small feeling, but the booths have been growing consistently over the last 6 months, and they have lots of prepared foods and a dj, which makes it kinda’ fun.
Stocked up on some serious fruit this time, trying to take advantage of as many peaches and nectarines as one human can. Picked up some red butter lettuce, Queen Anne’s cherries before they’re gone (obviously I love those), some purple potatoes, an avocado and a red onion. Zucchini squash, garlic and a couple of apricots finished up the list.
Healthy Recipes: Spicy Fish Tacos With Organic Garnish
If you’ve grown up or spent any kind of time on the west coast of California, and you have a taste for Mexican food, then you know all about fish tacos.
Here is a delicious, nutritiously smart alternative that uses organic vegetables for a garnish to the classic, fresh white fish tacos. The fish is cooked in a light, healthy way, we swap out regular cheese with soy cheese and lastly use all organic vegetables like cabbage, avocados and cilantro to achieve the perfect taco creation. As much a work of art as a great, quick and healthy meal.
For a recipe yield of about 2 complete servings of Spicy Fish Tacos with organic garnish (two tacos each), follow these instructions. [Read more →]
It can’t be said enough, and anyone who is a fan will surely sound off for the benefits of them — avocados are a deliciously healthy element that should be included in everyone’s diet. The mono-unsaturated fat found in avocados is healthy for the heart, as it helps to raise levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL), thus protecting arteries. At the same time, avocados also help to lower levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL). It is the plant-based fat known as beta-sitosterol found in avocados that puts the cholesterol punch in them. This type of fat lowers blood serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, without substantial modifications to one’s exercise program or diet.
For a recipe yield of about 1 serving of High Essential Fat Salad, follow these instructions. [Read more →]
Saturday Morning Shopping at the Farmer’s Market: May 31, 2008
Oh how I wish I could actually be the mixed greens you see in that plastic bag. So ridiculously full of flavor, I’ll say it every week — you barely need any salad dressing at all. A few organic lemons, when combined with some dried mint and olive oil, salt and pepper — a perfect salad topping for something simple at lunch or with dinner.
Also picked up some sweet, white organic corn to reminisce about the good old days. I’m going to boil it for a little bit on the stove, and then mow it down one row at a time. No butter, no salt — it’s also good enough to eat on its own. You can see some organic heirloom cherry tomatoes, yellow. Some organic fingerling potatoes, which are perfect roasted with olive oil, garlic and fresh rosemary. Some Italian striped beats, which are gorgeous inside, can also be thrown in the roasting dish with the potatoes.
Organic cherries, white peaches and nectarines round out the fruit selection this week. A couple of white zucchinis, a pair of avocadoes, some extra garlic and a handful of bok choy.
Vegetarian Recipes: Vietnamese Pho for Two
Perfect as any hearty soup in cold weather, this Vietnamese-style Pho soup is also light enough to stand in for a perfect warm weather meal. Made with fresh organic vegetables and vegetable broth, it’s simple to put together, and can work in a pinch when you are entertaining guests or after work when you want to throw together a quick, complete meal in less than a half hour.
For a recipe yield of about 2-3 complete servings of Vietnamese Pho (fairly large bowls), follow these instructions. [Read more →]
Mrs. Meyer’s Aromatherapeutic Household Cleaners Mrs. Meyer’s Lavender Dish Soap (16 oz, 473 ml is around $4.99) made its way into my kitchen several weeks ago, and suddenly it’s practically a pleasure to wash the pots and pans after dinner. Literally. The company advertises the lavender dish soap as “rich, thick and makes grease disappear like nobody’s business,” and that’s pretty much spot on. Given the added Soap Bark Extract, one of nature’s best degreasers, the soap not only cuts through oil and grease but smells divine the whole time.
It’s also fairly concentrated soap, so it doesn’t take a whole lot to get the job done. The essential oils (in this case, lavender, but there are others available like geranium and lemon verbena) make dish washing a meditative experience, while the cleaning agents are fairly gentle and made from natural sources. The Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day line of products has not been tested on animals and contain biodegradable ingredients packaged in recyclable materials.
Beyond the dish soap, you will also find excellent hand soap, cleaners for counters, windows and shower doors, carpet cleaner and stainless steel cleaner, fabric softener and laundry detergent, bath scrub, room spray and more. The best part? You don’t pay a premium for being kind to the environment. All of these products are priced roughly comparable to their non-eco-friendly counterparts. I am nearing the end of my first bottle, which lasted a LONG time, and just picked up the Lemon Verbana scent, which I will address in a later post.
It can’t be said enough, and anyone who is a fan will surely sound off for the benefits of them — avocados are a deliciously healthy element that should be included in everyone’s diet. The mono-unsaturated fat found in avocados is healthy for the heart, as it helps to raise levels of “good” cholesterol (
