Mung Bean Pasta

In my quest for food that is good, vibrant, healthy and tastes good, I have come across one that I will have to call one of my top 10!! Mung bean pasta. Sounds crazy....Right?? But wait till you try it, I am convinced that you will love it as much as I do.

Up until last week the only thing that I ever did with mung beans was to sprout them and put them on my salads. But O what a difference a week makes!!
Mung beans have some great nutritional value and benefits. They are rich in vitamin B and C, proteins, and magnesium. They help in digestion and control the amount of cholesterol content in our body. Because they contain calcium and potassium they help strengthen our bones and teeth.
Mung beans are low in calories and rich in proteins and fiber and can also help in weight loss.
They are rich in protein inhibitors which are helpful in reducing the manipulation of tumor cells including those of breast cancer. They are also a diabetic friendly food

And if that isn't enough, they are high in fiber and help improve intestinal mobility.
The mung bean contains phytoestrogens and help in the secretion of collagen and elastin which help in enhancing the skin tone.
And it is gluten free!  All that in one little bean!!

I bought my fist bag of organic mung bean pasta last week and I cannot stop eating it!!

I ordered mine from Amazon- You get 6 bags for around $20.00.

If you are a raw food eater you just dump some pasta in a bowl and pour water over it and put it in the refrigerator for about 36 hours. Drain the water and put what ever raw sauce or topping you want on it. Otherwise, boil them for about 5-6 min and put your favorite marinara sauce or pesto on top. You will be shocked at how good this is. High in fiber and Protein, and no gluten.

Last night I had my friend Abby White of http://blissholistichealth.com/ over for dinner and served her the mung bean pasta with basil pesto. She loved it!!

Check it out and give it a try!! I don't think you will be disappointed. And for all of you moms out there looking for a gluten free pasta that your kids would love, try it!!

Until next time,
Jan
www.realrawbeauty.com

Olives...not just for martini's!

My first tasting of an olive came at a very young age. Both of my parents loved dry martini's! So I would sit at the kitchen table and patiently wait for my dad to pour the vodka, add a little vermouth to his bright and shinny martini shaker, and then last, but not least, was the skewering of the olives on the toothpick to drop into the glass. He always put 3 olives on a toothpick for me almost as a bribe. Because the next words out of his mouth were "I will give you these olives but you have to give your mom and I at least 15 minutes of complete alone time;" I grabbed the olives and ran!!

Now as an adult I know the value and benefits of the olive. But not all olives are the same. Olives are difficult to harvest and distribute in their natural state. But it can be done. Green olives, (like the ones you buy in the grocery store) are unripe olives, picked early from a tree. At this stage the fruit has not reached it's full potential for oil and mineral content. When they are picked this way they are high in tannic acids, and because of this they are treated with lye, ( a harsh alkaline chemical). They will naturally ripen after they have fallen to the ground, but  you have to be a real expert to be able to select properly ripened olives.

In most cases, the best way to be able to distribute them and ensure quality is either by water cured, salted and or/ altered in some other way. Vinegar-pickled are fine. Canned black olives have been pasteurized and are soaked in ferrous gluconate, (an iron compound that darkens them) and these should probably  be avoided.

Here are just a few benefits of the Olive:
1. High in magnesium
2. The highest fruit in minerals.
3. The highest fruit in calcium. Twice as much calcium as oranges by weight.
4. High in amino acids.
5. An alkaline fat source.
6. Loaded with Omega-3 and 6
7. High in vitamin A and E
8. High in Antioxidants.
9. Able to dissolve mucus and cooked food residue in the body.

There is also an extraordinary beauty-enhancing substance found in olives and olive oil, squalene.
Squalene keeps the skin smooth and stimulates the immune system.

I mean these little green babies are completely awesome!

I searched today to find the olives that I wanted to order, and the best ones that I have found are from David Wolfe's Longevity Warehouse. They are organic and properly ripened. You can check them out here, http://www.longevitywarehouse.com/David-Wolfe-Foods-Raw-Green-Botija-Olives-3-Pack-p/dwgreenbotijaolives3pk.htm

So, like I said, olives aren't just for martini's anymore. I can't wait to get my order and start taking advantage of the great benefits they offer!!!

Until next time,
Jan
www.realrawbeauty.com

Just a walk in the park!

Last week I went to see my good friend Nancy for some girl time. While I was there she took me to this trail that she hikes on. I had trouble hiking because it was so lush and beautiful and green, all I wanted to do was take pictures. Here are a few!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such a wonderful time, enjoying friendship and God's Creation!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What's for Dinner?

Wakame Seaweed and Cucumber salad.

I started making this salad about a week ago and I think I have had it for lunch or dinner everyday.

After I started reading about the benefits of the Wakame seaweed, it made me love it even more!

Here is a little information on the benefits of Wakame Seaweed.

It is an edible brown seaweed, mostly common in Japan, Korea and China.
Wakame provides a good source of the following vitamins and minerals

Vitamin D. Helps promote the absorption of calcium and enhances the nerve, muscle and immune systems.

Iron. Is essential for the production of red blood cells and prevention of anemia.

Folate. This helps the body make new cells.

Vitamins K, C, A, and E. These vitamins are essential for healthy skin.

Magnesium. This mineral is crucial for the contraction and relaxation of muscles. Also for the function of certain enzymes in your body and production and movement of energy. Also is needed for the production of protein.

Calcium. Each 100 grams of raw wakame contains 150 milligrams of calcium.

The salty taste of Wakame is not just salt but a balanced chelated combination of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and trace minerals.

 

 

I add cucumber to mine because the benefits of cucumber are endless and it tastes great together!

Cucumbers are:
Good source of B vitamins
They are 95% water, so they help in keeping the body hydrated.
They contain Lignans which have a strong history of and connection to helping reduce the risk of several types of cancers, including breast, ovarian, uterine and prostate.
Promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues.
When mixed with carrot juice they can help relieve arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels.

If you like sushi, you will immediately like Wakame seaweed. I have been buying my seaweed from
Whole Foods. Emerald Cove Pacific Wakame.

The seaweed is sun dried, so all you have to do is put some in a bowel and pour water over it and it will begin to swell. After about 10 min pour off the water, and it is ready to eat.
I keep cucumbers sliced in the refrigerator with the marinate/dressing. The marinate/dressing is made from Organic rice vinegar, Shoyu and a little agave. I don't have a definite recipe. I just start mixing until I come up with the taste I like. I will say that I don' t use a lot of agave.
Marinate your cucumbers for about an hour, then put them on top of your seaweed. Add a little more dressing to taste. You can put anything else in here you want. Sesame seeds, avocados or nuts, whatever sounds good. Give it a try, low in calories and high in nutrition!

Until next time,
Jan