A Salad a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!

by Kathi Carter Rodriguez

We’re almost a year into COVID and who hasn’t gained a few pounds while sheltering in place?  Well I have.  I’ve put on about 10 pounds and that’s why my two posts reflect a consistent theme…..recipes designed to help lose weight. 

I was excited to receive this week’s bounty because I was anticipating all the colorful veggies I’d add to my daily salad. Ah…. mesclun, carrots, beets, Jerusalem artichoke and onions…what a treat!

Before chopping and dicing starts, I clean everything with my ubiquitous spray bottle of white vinegar.  As my grandmother would say, “I went to town” cleaning and scrubbing my veggies.   

While sautéing the onions, I chop mesclun, carrots, beets and Jerusalem artichokes. I combine everything into a serving bowl and add protein.  Today, its leftover roasted chicken, but on other days, it might be turkey, boiled eggs, tuna, salmon, mackerel, chickpeas or lentils).  Then comes the fun stuff:  avocados, golden toasted flaxseeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, tomatoes and pitted Kalamata olives (I absolutely love them). 

Lastly, I dress my salad with Braggs apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Voila!  A guilt-free meal that’s satisfying enough to get me through till dinnertime.  

If Popeye Owned a Vitamix….

by Kathi Carter Rodriguez

My Dad turned 77 last week and credits his good health (no aches and pains whatsoever) to his juice fasts once a week.  So my Dad, Popeye, and this week’s goodies have inspired my second post about juicing.  Juicing is super easy; gives you a natural source of energy; and removes toxins from vital organs (liver, kidney, intestines, etc.).  What’s not to love about juicing? 

This is one of my favorite juice recipes because it’s simple and contains 4 powerful antioxidants------spinach, carrots, beets and apples (all items in this week’s share). 

Here’s the nutritional rundown:

• Spinach is an extremely nutrient-rich vegetable. It packs high amounts of carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium.

• Beets are a superfood that’s packed with potassium, iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin B9 (folate), manganese and fiber.

• Carrots are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, especially biotin, potassium, and Vitamins A (from beta carotene), K1, and B6.

• Apples are fraught with Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C and folate (folic acid)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• A handful of spinach 

• 2 carrots

• 1 beet

• 1 apple 

Clean, peel, and place the items in your Vitamix or juicer.  Juice for about 15-30 seconds and drink immediately to reap the most nutrients.  If you need to store in the fridge, add about ¼ teaspoon of Vitamin C Crystals to preserve freshness. 

This recipe reaps about a cup or two. 

I’m sure my Dad and Popeye would give this recipe a thumb up. ☺