Lately I've been a bit obsessed with greens! I crave them all day long, which has inspired me get a little more creative beyond my usual morning green smoothies.

The fresh mint and kale at the market today was so beautiful, on my drive home I started dreaming of how yummy a mint shake would be and how the kale could not only punch-up the green coloring, but enhance the nutrient content as well.

Fortunately I already had some fresh almond milk in the refrigerator ready to go for this DELICIOUS concoction:

Krazy Kale Mint Shake:

1.5 cups chilled almond milk
4 kale leaves
2 soft dates
1 small frozen banana
1 small bunch of mint - about 20 large leaves.

Blend in a high speed blender - I use a Vita-Mix.

For a chocolate version add 1.5 T of raw cocao.

With Sunchokes still in season and Asparagus getting into full swing, these two lovelies caught my eye and the imagination of my taste buds today to the Alemany Farmer's Market.

This creamy, raw soup takes 5 minutes to make:

Asparagus Sunchoke Soup

1 bunch of asparagus (ends cut off). Chopped it measures 2 cups.
1.5 cups chopped sunchokes
1 small avocado for extra creaminess (but this is optional)
3 cups hot water
1 clove garlic
juice of one lemon
1/3 cup raw pine nuts
1 T light miso
3/4 tsp salt

Blend everything oh high in a powerful blender (I use a Vita-Mix) until creamy-smooth and warmed.

Add-Ons: These toppings made it prettier: Cracked black pepper, sliced asparagus tip and drizzle of truffle oil. 12-15 basil leaves added and nice light basil complexity.

I love Broccoli! In fact, I eat this creamy raw broccoli soup at least once a week.

Protein, fat, cholesterol, methionine (a sulfur-containing amino acid), and dietary acids, which are all superabundant in animal foods, are poisoning nearly everyone following the standard Western diet. Most people cannot fathom this, because it takes four or more decades of consumption before disability, disfigurement, and death become common from these endogenous toxins. This long latent period fools the public into thinking there is no harm done by choosing an animal-food-based diet. If the case were one of instantaneous feedback—one plate of fried eggs caused excruciating chest pains, paralysis from a stroke followed a prime rib dinner, or a hard cancerous lump appeared within a week of a grilled cheese sandwich—then eating animal foods would be widely recognized as an exceedingly unwise choice. Similar failures to appreciate slow poisonings from our lifestyle choices are seen with tobacco and alcohol use. If one package of cigarettes were followed by a week on a respirator or a bottle or two of gin caused hepatic (liver) coma then no one would indulge in these instruments of long-drawn-out death either. The difference defining the failure to take long overdue actions is that the dangers from tobacco and alcohol use are universally known and accepted, whereas almost everyone considers red meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products necessary parts of a healthy diet.

To read the rest, click here.

Thank you Dr. McDougall for this article!

What a treat to get this lovely whole food delivered by Albert and Eve each week!

Many of LeijaTurunen's videos are passionate about raw food and she knows here stuff!

Go Leija!

A warming winter soup packed full of living whole food nutritious goodness! Today this soup really satisfied, as it was both comforting and energizing!...And when I say "creamy", you need to know that it's also dairy-free!

Creamy and Spicy Kale Soup

Ingredients:

1 head kale, just the leaves, stems removed - about  4 cups
1 pint cherry tomatoes (12 oz)
1/3 cup of fresh basil
1/4 cup raw pine nuts
1/4 cup red onion
1/4 cup carrots
1/4 -1/2 jalapeno pepper - spice as hot as you prefer
1/2 lime or lemon juiced
2 T light miso
1-2 clove garlic, depending on your taste for garlic - I always opt for more when it comes to garlic
1/4 tsp salt - I used smoked salt.
2 cups hot water

Blend in a high-speed bender like a Vita-Mix until creamy-smooth and heated.

This makes enough for 2 very large bowls!

When I skip my morning green smoothie on cold winter days because a chia breakfast pudding or warmed apple spiced cookie seems more appealing, I still crave the greens!

This soup and is a way to get in the greens for lunch or dinner!....um, and it's YUMMY!

Not in my neighborhood, but I had to post!

Thanks to Marnie Northrop for sending me this pic to go with my Crazy Bicycle collection!

Chocolate Green Smoothie - For Breakfast or an afternoon snack when you need a chocolate fix!

You can make it in the morning and take it to the office in a glass mason jar. It will last 3 days refrigerated.

• Two big handfuls of kale (any kind)
• One large frozen banana
• Two big pitted dates (or 1 T of Agave Syrup)
• Two tablespoons of Raw Cacao Powder or Cocoa Nibs
• Dash of cinnamon
• Water

For a Chocolate Mint Version - add 10-12 mint leaves

I hesitated to try this because I follow the green smoothie guidelines set forth by the author of Greens for Life, Victoria Boutenko. I never usually add anything but fruit to my greens. However, I'm happy to report that I did not have any digestion problems by adding the dates and cocao, so I hope you don't either if you try this recipe. It's a great starter smoothie for those resistant to greens for breakfast!

Monday, March 8th 6:30 - 9:30pm

The Raw Food Diet - Making it real...easy!

Learn an easy way to start eating a 75% raw food diet by learning delicious breakfasts and portable lunches. Simple meals for the busy person that won't strap you for time or cash! The evening's instruction also includes a delicious raw dinner with wine and dessert.

Date:               Monday, March 8th
Time:               6:30 - 9:30 pm
Location:         San Francisco
Sign up:          email bycenter@gmail.com
Co-Host:         Marnie Northrop of Becoming Health

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Why Breakfast and lunch?
Between the time you wake up until the time you have dinner, you will usually have eaten about 75% of your food intake with your breakfast, lunch and snacks. This offers you a great opportunity to dip your big toe onto the raw-food waters without stress or much planning because breakfast and lunch are the easiest meals to prepare raw!

You will learn how to make green smoothies so tasty, even the pickiest kid will ask for more! Other breakfast items we’ll cover are: Granola, Warm Chia Porridge, Nuts Milks (Almond and Hazelnut), Hazelnut Latte and more. The lunches you will learn are 5 minutes soups (which travel well) and wraps (the raw foods world's version of a sandwich).

I’ve had profound health benefits from adding raw “living” food to my day: In only 12 months I’ve lost 27 pounds, cured my chronic back pain and I have much more energy that I’ve EVER had (on much less sleep!) My hair is shinier, my nails are stronger and my skin feels and looks better… just to name a few great benefits.

Oh yeah, and I’m having FUN!!... which is the part I want to share with you the most!
I do not eat a 100% raw food diet, 100% of the time. I have learned how to find the right percentage of raw food for my lifestyle, so that I can live easily in the “real world” with a busy work schedule and robust social life.