Phytonutrient Salad

Kale and bok choy belong to the Cruciferae family of vegetables along with broccoli, collard greens and Brussels sprouts. These vegetables, when eaten raw, provide our bodies with powerful antioxidants called phytonutrients. We’ve known for a couple of decades that phytonutrients work as antioxidants to disarm free radicals before they can damage DNA, cell membranes and fat-containing molecules such as cholesterol. Now, new research shows that phytonutrients in crucifers work at a much deeper level. These compounds actually signal our genes to increase production of enzymes involved in detoxification, the cleansing process through which our bodies eliminate harmful compounds. Recent studies show that those eating the most cruciferous vegetables have a significantly lower risk of prostate, colorectal and lung cancer even when compared to those who regularly eat other vegetables.

So, this is kale. Beautiful isn’t it? So dark, so leafy, so green. Just my type. Kale is one of the few “superfoods” out there. It really is a powerhouse of nutrients and phytonutrients with anti-aging, anti-cancer, pro-super-duper-health properties. Its a bit harder to chew than other greens like spinach or romaine, so you might think that you’ll boil it up and serve it with garlicky potatoes or spaghetti....well thats all fine and dandy, but today, we’re going to talk about how to get the most out of your kale by eating it RAW!

In April, Walter and I ate a large kale salad in place of one meal everyday. Our energy soared and our skin glowed. So what did we include in the kale salad....and what about the tough chewing?The trick is in the dressing.

For Excellent Kale Salad #1
you will need...

4 large leaves kale
3 stems bok choy
1 handful alfalfa sprouts
1 handful goji berries
1 handful walnuts or pecans
3 TBS flax oil
2 TBS nama shoyu
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 TBS raw agave or raw honey (or try stevia to taste)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional)

Directions:
Rinse kale thoroughly with cool water. Shake off excess water, but don’t worry about getting it dry as the water will help to soften the kale. Next peel the leafy part away from the stem in bite size pieces and add to salad bowl. Rinse two or three stems of bok choy. Slice the bok choy from the white bottom all the way up to the leafy green tips and put in salad bowl. Next, add a large handful of rinsed alfalfa sprouts to the bowl. With salad utensils, mix the salad very well to make sure that the sprouts are well incorporated. Okay, now for the dressing: Mix flax oil, nama shoyu, lemon, agave/honey, ginger if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and pour over dressing. Then, massage...yeah...thats right...massage the salad for one minute or so with salad utensils or even your hands! This will greatly soften up that kale for you. Next, add your favorite salad accompaniments. I like to add a handful of walnuts or pecans and goji berries (sometimes I add a big beautiful tomato and some sunflower seeds...yum!) . This recipe serves two. Thats right! TWO. Welcome to the world of larger salads!...and trust me, you won’t need anything but this salad to satisfy you. I happily eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, served with a small glass of my favorite juice.

A tip with the dressing: Change it up! If you’re not feeling in the mood for a asian style dressing, just hold the nama shoyu and replace with 1 TBS dijon mustard. Or hold the nama shoyu, puree a handful of your favorite berries, and add a dash of balsamic vinegar. AMAZING. Making your own dressing is easy and you get to control what goes in it. Explore!

A little note on nama shoyu: It’s a living soy sauce!! It has those probiotics in them...you know...that bacteria that makes yogurt so healthy. You can definitely look forward to a health boost when you invite raw nama shoyu into your life!)

Hello and Health!

Walter and I are finally going to buckle down and blog it all out. There is so much to share about this lifestyle: health journals and studies, environmental issues, economical concerns, and countless recipes for yummy food. It's hard to know where to begin!

But, this is probably a good one:

HEALTH!

The China Study is THE MOST comprehensive study on human diet and disease to date! The findings? People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic diseases while people who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease. The Author, Colin Campbell, PhD, initially began his health career as a researcher with MIT and Virginia Tech. He worked to promote better health by eating more meat, milk and eggs with high quality animal protein. Afterall, he grew up on a nice family farm and was happy to believe that the American diet was the best in the world.

Campbell later conducted a project in the Philippines working with malnourished children. The primary goal of the project was to ensure that the children were getting as much (animal) protein as possible. Much to his surprise (and dismay) he discovered that the children who ate the highest (animal) protein diets were the ones most likely to get cancer.

Campbell went on to a 20-year partnership with Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, to further research diet and disease in a project culminated in a survey of diseases and lifestyle factors in rural China and Taiwan. This project became The China Study.

I encourage everyone to pick up a copy of this book. You can find it at any Whole Foods (most likely on display!).

You can also visit the website: http://www.thechinastudy.com/

Here is a presentation by Dr. T. Colin Campbell at a nutrition conference where he touches on the findings of The China Study:

Another great....or maybe I should say AMAZING presentation is the following by Dr. Neal Barnard:

Chocolate, Cheese, Meat, and Sugar -- Physically Addictive Foods

Dr. Barnard is a big name in the nutrition world. He's had much success with his patients including reversing diabetes, lowering cholesterol, weight loss, and more. His presentation is very entertaining as he's quite the character. A MUST WATCH!

To my friends and family, please make time to watch these videos. Thanks for all your support! Until next time...

Mack