Pumpkin Seed Sprout Salad

Good Morning!

I'm fixing my salads for lunch and dinner today quite early because I have to go directly to class from school. Here is what I will be eating later on. The pumpkin seeds are the most important ingredient in my salad today. They are nutrition powerhouses! There are too many benefits to list here because I have to make kid's lunches too.

The natives were the first ones to know the benefits (and if you know me, you know I love trying to eat what the natives eat.) Eaten raw, they have 12 g of protein!!! I am getting more protein by sprinkling pumpkin seeds on my salads throughout the day than eating a steak. I found out from healthlearning.org that pumpkin seeds have been used by other cultures to cure depression, kidney, bladder, and parasite problems. Pumpkin seed oil is one of the only known cures for a very rare parasite in China. I LOVE raw pumpkin seeds.

1 c of spring mix (Earthfarm Organic from Costco)

1/2 c of alfalfa sprouts

(You want to eat more sprouts! They are only 8 calories per serving but filled with the fiber you need. )

2 big basil leaves off of a basil plant that you should grow in your kitchen

1/4 cup of RAW pumpkin seeds (not roasted)

1/4 cup of RAW sunflower seeds

2 tbsp of SPROUTED wheat berries (Here is a picture of some that I have sprouting right now. More on sprouting later and why you need to do it.)

I'm choosing vidalia onion dressing today

Spring Artichoke Salad

This salad is dedicated to my fellow Soy Allergy girls! Here's what you're having for lunch today, ladies.
Shopping List:
Cara Mia Arichokes
Earth Farm Organic Spring Mix
THAT'S IT! You don't need dressing because the artichokes are marinated in canola oil and vinegar. They coat the salad nicely. Add some feta cheese if you'd like!

This salad is perfect for several reasons.
1) It takes 1 minute to make from start to finish
2) Spring Mix has the most nutrition of any salad products

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 3 cups (85.0 g)

Amount Per Serving
Calories 15
% Daily Value*
Sodium 40mg2%
Total Carbohydrates 3.0g1%
Dietary Fiber 2.0g8%
Sugars 1.0g
Protein 1.0g

Vitamin A 80% • Vitamin C 25%
Calcium 4% • Iron 8%



3) You want to eat artichokes and here's why (from http://www.oceanmist.com/health/antioxidant.aspx)

Artichokes contain phytonutrients (“fight-o-nutrients”), or plant compounds that have antioxidant properties and promote human health. Some of the most powerful, polyphenol-type antioxidants are found in Artichokes, a few of which are highlighted below:


Quercetin
A flavonoid that works as an anti-carcinogen and antioxidant to protect against cancer and heart disease.

Rutin
A flavonoid that promotes vascular health, helps prevent cell proliferation associated with cancer, and has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties.

Anthocyanins
Color pigments in Artichokes that are associated with a lower risk of certain cancers, urinary tract health, memory function and healthy aging.

Gallic Acid
An antioxidant also found in red wine and black tea. It has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation in prostate cancer cells.

Luteolin and Cynarin
Polyphenol antioxidants that may lower cholesterol levels. Artichokes contain cyanarin, which may also help in regeneration of liver tissue.

Caffeic Acid and Chlorogenic Acid
Contain anti-cancer, antimicrobial, anti-LDL (bad cholesterol) and antiviral properties.

Silymarin
This antioxidant may aid the liver in regenerative tissue growth.
SEE! Even my three-year-old loves it. He eats this salad every day and hasn't gotten a cold or flu since he was a baby.

Dopiaza Over Quinoa

In response to my many friends who continually ask me for my recipes, I am trying this Blog thing. (Thanks, Mary for the inspiration.) One friend calls my experiments, "Becky Food" and that really is a perfect title. I began a mostly raw foods diet last year after having digestive problems my whole life. I met a special neighbor named Leon, who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. With lots of prayer and a specific nutriative diet, his cancer was completely gone in 3 months. Right after that I met a woman with polycystic ovarian syndrome who stopped eating our fried, preservative-filled, prepackaged American food and has never had a problem since. Those two were enough to inspire me to give it a try. I am completely healed now.

This first recipe is perfect for lunch. I make a huge batch to throw into tupperware containers. I pull one out each day to take to work. The kids don't like too much cumin so I add it after they are dished up. You can read about the quinoa down below. This recipe is a cooked one but I have a raw version as well.

SAUCE

Dopiaza means "Two Onions" in Hindi. It is a curry recipe that is supposed to be medium hot, but I make it mild for the children.

4 medium onions--2 diced and 2 sliced
1 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste (see below)
oil for the pan
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala (Available in a lot of spice aisles--it's a curry mix like Chinese 5 Spice powder.)
1 tbsp ground coriander (my favorite--I actually put more in).
4 tbsp of cream (or plain yogurt)
2.5 cups of water
2 of diced tomatoes
2 tsp salt

Fry the sliced onions in the oil and remove once brown and crispy. Let them drain on a paper towel.
In that pan, add the water, spices (except of coriander), tomato, and the chopped onions. Simmer for about 20 minutes and then add the cream, fried onions, and coriander. Turn off the heat and let the sauce sit.

GRAIN

Meanwhile, rinse your quinoa (available for best price in your bulk grain section of healthy stores) to get the bitter outside coating off. Cook it exactly like you would rice--about 1.5-2 cups of water per 1 cup of quinoa.

Quinoa has more protein than any grain. It has 20% of your protein for one serving! It is a complete protein with essential balanced amino acids. It is one of the most digestable grains you can eat. It's so light and fluffy that it makes a perfect summer salad on its own or under a heavy sauce like this curry.

GINGER/GARLIC PASTE

I made HUGE batches of fresh ginger and garlic paste for all sorts of cooking and medicinal uses. Just throw in like 5 cloves and an inch of ginger root. Cover with some olive oil and the blender will make a paste. (Don't store garlic in oil at room temperature or botulism can form!)