Ingredients:
1 acorn squash
2 to 3 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2cup brown sugar
1 tsp butter
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of salt

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Add 1/2 inch of water into a casserole pan and place the two halves face down. Bake in the oven for about 10 – 15 minutes.

In the meantime, place the apple slices in a bowl and add the brown sugar. Take the acorn squash out of the oven, turn the halves around and fill with the apple/sugar mixture. Top with a bit of butter and sprinkle with nutmeg. Cover with foil and put back into the oven until the squash and apples are cooked. This should take about another Ω hour.

Serve the stuffed acorn squash as a side dish.

Ingredients:
2 cups canned butter beans
2 cups canned kidney beans
2 cups canned green beans
2 cups yellow beans
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup red onions, chopped
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp celery seeds

Method:
Add all drained cans of beans to a large serving bowl. Add chopped celery, pepper and onion and gently stir.

In a saucepan, combine vinegar, olive oil, celery seeds and sugar and bring to a quick boil. Pour the mixture over the beans and gently toss.

Cover and marinate for 24 to 48 hours.

This is a great salad to take to a potluck BBQ. Enjoy!

So the summer is here, and entertaining friends is among one of my favorite things to do in tthe summer.

This recipe is great and really easy to do, goes well with a glass of chilled wine or lemonade!

You can also add ricotta cheese to the mix and it becomes a delicious light summer dip.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
2 tbsp water
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp soy sauce

Method:
In a little bowl combine the tahini and the water. At first, the mixture might look like it is curdling because the natural oils in the tahini wonít blend easily with the water. Keep blending and youíll find that eventually it will make a nice smooth cream.

Add the lemon juice, olice oil and soy sauce, taste and season if necessary.

This dip is delicious and can be served as an appetizer with crunchy raw vegetables and crackers.

Ingredients:
1 bunch spring onions
1 lb peas (either fresh and shelled or frozen)
1/2cup water
1/3 cup butter
2.5 cups milk (or cream if preferred)
1-2 tsp fresh mint or tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Clean the bunch of spring onions and chop them finely. Set some of the green pieces aside for later.

In a medium-sized saucepan melt the butter on a low heat and add the peas, water and spring onions. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the peas are tender (but not mushy). Take the saucepan off the heat, let it cool down a bit and then add the milk and the herbs. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.

Put the soup in a blender and blend until smooth. Return it to a saucepan and reheat the soup gently.

Serve this delicious creamy pea soup with the reserved chopped spring onion sprinkled on top and nice crusty bread.

image from: http://www.rachelraydiet.com/images/fruits.jpg

Now That you know what Juice Diets are, here are a few pointers in how to make the perfect menu for your diet:

Some ingredients which can be used in juice fasts are:

Vegetables: celery, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes.

Greens: parsley, beet greens, chard, kale, dandelion leaf and spinach.

Herbs: fennel, spearmint, yucca root, basil, ginger, peppermint, green onion, chili pepper.

Fruits: grapes, apples, citrus, Açaí berry.

Extras: wheat grass juice, spirulina, complete vitamin & mineral supplement, psyllium husks.

Some side effects of a juice fast need mentioning here. Some common but temporary side effects include headaches, hypoglycemia, acne, tiredness, bad breath and an increase in body odor. Others could include dizziness or fainting, low blood pressure, weight loss, hunger, heart palpitations, vomiting and kidney problems. If you experience any of these side effects or any situation worsens contact a medical professional immediately.

During a juice fast the stomach shrinks to its original size, about the size of your fist. After only three days of simply ingesting raw organic and fresh juices and water, you will lose those cravings for solid foods.

Your mind might try to tell you differently; however, your body doesn’t need more at this time. While just drinking your food, your stomach is able to get some well-deserved rest, allowing your colon to shed old compacted material which could be waiting there to cause future disease.

If you are considering a diet which is more than just counting calories, this extreme detox diet could be the one for you. Using juices in this diet beneficially provides the antioxidants and vitamins required to keep you healthy for the duration.

Among the various diets found in today’s world of searching for better health, you can find what is known as a juice fast or detoxification diet. This type of fast diet involves the consumption of only water, raw vegetable and fruit juices for a certain period of time. The reason behind this diet is for the beneficial antioxidants and vitamins contained in fresh juices. This diet is considered one of extreme detox as there is no solid food consumed for the duration.

There are many reasons people may choose a juice fast diet over another type. Juice fasts can be used for losing weight, religious reasons, or to assist in weaning oneself from possible unhealthy habits. These could include overeating, caffeine addiction or smoking – to name a few. Then there are fasters who are a little more serious about their routines with juice fasting. They use it as an alternative healing technique to many conventional treatments. It may be used as a healing method for pain management, arthritis, infections resistant to antibiotics and other ailments as well.

There are certain people for whom juice diets aren’t recommended. This group of people includes pregnant or nursing women, children, diabetics, or people with anemia. Anyone with an impaired immune system, low blood pressure, terminal illness or epilepsy should also stay clear. People with any chronic illness or condition should steer clear of a juice fast unless they doing so under strict medical supervision. Never try a juice fast before or after surgery.

When considering how long your juice fast is going to last, there is an easy rule of thumb to follow. Continue with the juice fast until you have two days without any symptoms of detoxification. If you wish, you can also stick to a juice fast three or four days a week while eating a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables the other days. Along with sipping your juice during the day, it is recommended you also consume approximately six glasses of water at room temperature.

Shrimp Pizza

Ingredients:
2 small ready-made pizza bases

8 thin slices mozzarella

8 to 10 prawns, peeled and clean but with tales intact

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp capers

4 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)

12 small black olives

1 garlic clove, finely slices

1 pickled jalapeno chilli, finely chopped (optional)

1 small red onion, finely sliced

1 small red bed pepper, finely sliced

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Splash of olive oil

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400º F.

Put the pizza bases on a large baking tray and spread with the tomato paste. Place the mozzarella slices on top and add the remaining ingredients to the two pizzas. Drizzle with a splash of olive oil, then cover with the grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the prawns are tender and heated through.

Sprinkle the chopped basil leaves on top and serve immediately.

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

2 blocks firm tofu (16 oz)
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange peel

Fresh parsley or fresh coriander, chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cut tofu into large bite-sized pieces and place into a dish. Combine all other ingredients and pour over the tofu pieces. Marinate for one hour.

Remove tofu and place into a small baking dish with 1/2 cup of the marinade. Bake in oven for about one hour, occasionally stirring and basting with the remaining marinade.

Sprinkle finished tofu with chopped parsley or coriander and enjoy with brown rice and a tossed salad. .

A great vegan dish!

People have discovered what their ancestors knew a long time ago:  the earth can be used to heal the people who live on it.   Some remedies for cuts, scrapes, cold, fever and internal ailments are as close as the kitchen in your home.  Two of those cures are found in honey and garlic.

Bees have known since the beginning of time that they were special.  They spend their entire lives gathering pollen to create nectar and turn it into honey.  You enjoy the sweet-tasting fruit of their labors in your tea and desserts, but what about when you are sick?  Honey has a wide range of applications for curing what ails you.

Honey has properties to fight infections in the body.  When you cut yourself, apply a little honey to the wound to kill any bacteria in the vicinity.  It is sticky and dries quickly to form a seal over whatever it is resting on.  If it happens to be your scrape or cut, honey can be just as good if not better than a bandage for keeping dirt and bugs out of a healing wound.

Honey has been added to tea to soothe tired vocal cords and reduce the irritation of a sore throat.  Forget the tea and eat a spoonful of honey every day to induce a restful night of sleep and keep your immune system operating at optimal levels.  That same spoonful of honey can turn that irritating cough into a productive one by loosening mucous secretions.  Mix it with vinegar and apple juice for a stomach soother.

What about garlic?  It is not a desirable smell on your breath, but it does wonders for your body.  Garlic and onions are from the same family of plants that contain a substance called allicin.  This substance has been found to lower blood cholesterol, blood pressure and cut the symptoms of a cold.  Those who ingest garlic regularly are doing a good thing for their heart and vascular systems.

The best way to get garlic is to include it in your diet.  Pills are a second choice, but the garlic tastes so much better sprinkled on a baked potato or baked into a steak.  Garlic is activated when it is cut; that is when the smell of the allicin is given off.

Garlic is known to be an anti-microbial agent, fighting bacteria, fungus and viral infections.  It strengthens the immune system to fight colds and their symptoms.  Eating hot soup infused with garlic keeps the body strong against colds, flu and sinus issues.   You can use garlic in a paste or poultice directly on the body to aid in healing of cuts.

Garlic has a strong odor but it also does a mighty job.  Add a little garlic to your daily menu to keep the body healthy proactively.  As for honey, just ask a bee how helpful it is.

Ingredients:
1 lb dried black beans (or other beans your choice)
8 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp pepper
2 cups onions, chopped
2 cups red potatoes, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrot, sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1.12oz can stewed tomatoes

Method:

Place black beans into a bowl, cover completely with water to about 2 inches above the beans and leave overnight. Then drain.

Add beans to large crock pot, add 8 cups of water and remaining ingredients. Cover with lid and simmer for about 2 1/2 hours on very low temperature or until vegetables are tender.

Serve hot with a crusty French bread.