"EAT YOUR VEGGIES"! 

You know you should. We are supposed to eat 5 serving daily! But less than 1% of us are really  "eating right" and consuming all the veggies we should...

So why should you eat your vegetables? 

Green, leafy vegetables are really the "perfect" food. These veggies contain water, fiber, low carbs and are packed with nutrients & micro-nutrients deliver energy! Lots of energy!! 

In a perfect world, growing your own vegetable garden would be the ultimate best. Next best is certified organic. But we're not in a perfect world. Organic can be pricey and most folks are pressed for time...So when we do buy our veggies, organic or not, they lay at the bottom of the fridge, losing nutrients or worse, rotting. (in our society most households throw away 25% of the food they buy! YIKES!)

Easy ways to get your veggies: 

1. Wash and cut up your veggies the night before and put in containers or bags to quickly stash in your bag as you leave the house. Beware the longer cut veggies sit, the more nutrients are depleted!

I use a DIY (do it yourself) veggie cleaner to clean all  my fruits and veggies. (see recipe below)

2. Start your morning with a lean green smoothie...you can use a blender or a professional version - vita-mix (which I LOVE) There are many versions of smoothies. Put in what you like...

I personally love something like this:

A cup or more Almond milk (unsweetened, plain) 

2 handfuls of spinach or kale

A peeled piece of fresh ginger

A 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or kefer (lots of good bacteria & protein in either)

1/2 apple or 1/2 frozen banana (gives a milkshake consistency) or both

Coconut oil - about 1 tbls (anti viral properties, great for so many things, including skin!)
(and / or half an avocado. Makes it creamy, keeps you full and soooo good for you! Great for the liver! - I try to eat 3 small avocados a week)

Most important: 1 tsp or 2 tsps of Complete Greens Vegetable powder (50 organic whole food greens) - one serving has the nutrients of 7 salads!

Just remember the "Greener the Leaner" the smoothie is!

Maybe a little sweetener like stevia, agave or coconut sugar - all of which are low glycemic

Whirl and drink - delicious! And packed full of fiber and nutrients that will get your engine revving.

Or if you don't have time for all that, just put almond milk, yogurt or kefer/ 1 tsp or 2 of  Complete Greens Vegetable powder. This smoothie is also great mid afternoon, in place of coffee!

3. A good vegetable powder, is organic, made with a low temperature drying process, that has whole foods and is micronized for mazimum absorption. Vegetable powder is a "secret weapon" you can slip into smoothies, marinara sauces and juices. Be aware, it is GREEN and you want it to be! That's the energy glowing from it!

Most powders are about $30 for 30 servings. However the one I use is $43 for 60 servings! Great value! You have a choice with Complete Greens - Tablet or micronized powder.  I select "powder" as it will absorb better than the tablets. But if you just can't "drink your greens" then by all means take the tablet to help you get your veggies daily.

4. Steam your veggies ever so slightly. If you don't cook your green vegetables "to death" you will retain more of the vitamins and nutrients!

5. Many green leafy veggies benefit from being pared with foods that contain vitamin C. It works as a co-factor or catalyst to enhance the nutrients of the green veggies. So spinach with mandarin oranges, tomatoes, or pomegranate seeds are a terrific way to get more "bang for your veggie buck"! 

Helping you to Select The Best Health,

Sherry Hubbard

www.selectthebesthealth.com

Recipe for DIY veggie wash:

1 TB  Lemon Juice (fresh or bottled)

2 TB Baking Soda

3/4 cup White Vinegar

8 oz. water

10 drops of liquid Grapefruit Seed extract (can get it at most health food stores - multiple health benefits - great anti-microbial efficacy)

Now this will be like a "science experiment" - as the "chemical reaction" combining soda and vinegar can make it really bubble over. So,  make it in a large pitcher or gallon jug - sit it down in your kitchen sink and - slowly add in the white vinegar. I mean slowly! Add maybe a couple of tablespoons at a time, so it will not "react" too much at once and bubble all over.

Once it is combined, I put it into a spray bottle and keep it at my sink. Spraying vegetables and fruit all over and let them sit for a couple minutes and run cool, filtered water over them to rinse. (see my previous blog on the color of urine for info on water filters)