Sun Soup

I take the outside onion peel (respiratory benefits) and stuff it into a glass jar with water and sit it in front of a window where the sun shines through, like sun tea only inside.  Then when I use a clove of garlic I add the garlic peel cuz I figure hale if onion peel is that good for you garlic peel must really be a life saver.  Sometimes my way of thinking doesn't pay off but hey, live and learn.  When I get around to it or think about it while I'm cooking something I add some spices to it like Italian seasoning, basil (fresh if I have it), red pepper flakes, black pepper, whatever comes to mind that I learned from Dr. James Duke, Botanist, over the years, that will have a good health benefit and add to the flavor.  I may toss in some fenugreek, some fennel, whatever hits my fancy while I think about it and watch it brewing slowly in the sun for two or three days.  Add some apple cidar vinegar for safety plus it gives it that sweet and sour flavor.  Then when I'm ready to finish the soup for a meal, I add what ever I have on hand.  Noodles work well.  Maybe some carrots, celery, whatever you have that you like in soup.  I might toss some meat in if I have it.  Chicken, bacon bits, etc.  Yep, I've been whipping up my own soup broth, for years actually, but not sun soup broth.  That's recent.  Course it may become a little rare now.  I mean with less sun this time of year.  It is still an experiment.  I experiment with food quite often.  That's how I learn what works for health and weight.  I'm my own ginny pig.  There are times it doesn't turn out so wonderful though and I have to have my jogging shoes ready for a quick sprint to the thrown - better known as the toilet.

Hot Morning Salad Breakfast

     This is a good healthy breakfast for a hot morning.  I have it every so often with different variations depending on which vegetable's and fruits are in season.  Grab a handful of loaded with nutrition spinach and toss into salad bowl.  Spoon some of the giant Lula or Pollock avocado out of the shell into a bowl.  These avocado's are as big as pinapples.  I always leave my avocado in the skin unless I'm going to eat it all at once and I would have to be pretty hungry to eat one of these all at once.  I feel it keeps longer that way.  I can use it for four meals.  Had a green onion so I chopped it and threw it in the pile. I added a half of a large tomato, some Swiss  cheese, bacon bits, fresh garlic and five green olives chopped.  Then I added some dry spices.   Italian Seasoning, hot red peppers flakes and black pepper.  Fresh is always better but don't always have fresh.  Last but not least, flax seed and a squirt of mustard because mustard eats fat and gives your dish a tangy twist.

Two Dollar Dinner & Breakfast

     Nope - it ain't pizza - you single men.  Gross!  You can't get a pizza for two dollars.  I opened a can of  black beans for dinner.  Added a can of diced tomato with green chili's.  I sprinkled some basil, cumin, rosemary in and a clove of chopped garlic.  Then used my corn chips as a spoon.  Mmmmm yummy.  Couldn't eat it all in one sitting so hoped it wouldn't spoil during the night.  It didn't so w a l l a.....there was breakfast ready and waiting for me when I woke.  Not hungry when I wake but didn't want to give it time to spoil so had an early breakfast.  Rinsed well and added some left over fresh spinach that was trying to sog, to my tomato/bean concoction and ate up with my corn chip spoons.  Still yummy and not unhealthy.  The corn chips are some what fattening but have some health benefits too like omega 6 fatty acids along with some important minerals.  Limit yourself to a handful.  You have two healthy meals for less than two dollars. 

For a good healthy salsa dish see July/August issue of AARP - pg 24.

Tomatoes - Good Inside and Outside

     I love tomatoes.  I eat as many as I can as often as I can.  I prefer fresh on the vine when I can get them.  Tomatoes which contain lycopene can be crucial to your health as a cancer fighter.  Including prostate cancer.  There are 30mg of lycopene in 1 cup of tomatoes.  Tomatoes are good for your skin as well as many other benefits such as a liver enhancer, cholesterol, diabetes, asthma, the list goes on and on.  I am just reading how good tomatoes are for your hair.  Who knew?   Tomatoes being high in potassium is a much needed mineral which also helps relieve leg cramps, but is low in calories and sodium .  Tomatoes are also a healthy weight balance choice.  Although tomato juice is a good choice for a long hike or just a energetic day in the sun, too much sodium from canned or juiced tomatoes can make your body retain water causing bloating and weight gain. 

Tomatoes are also beneficial as a topical antiseptic, a cleanser, aides in the survival of plants and is useful as an insect repellent.

Banana - Walnut Breakfast

     This morning I had a quick, filling, breakfast which consisted of one banana, a handful of walnuts, a bite size snicker bar chopped because I like the combination of chocolate, banana and nuts.  Tossed in a few raisins for energy.  Then sprinkled some uncooked oatmeal and flax seed.  Healthy and Delicious!

This post was as quick, easy and beneficial  to all as the breakfast.

Raw Salmon Brunch

     I made a raw salmon brunch this morning.  It was delicious!  I bought some fresh wild Alaska Salmon this morning at Winn Dixie . Very fresh and very inexpensive for five or six ounces of this omega-3 rich salmon. Before eating my favorite raw brain food pieces of salmon, I always soak it in fresh squeezed lime  juice only about an hour.  I then drained most of the lime juice off and added a clove of fresh garlic chopped.  Tossed in some fresh spring mix, just a handful so not to overpower the salmon.  Poured in about two tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce and dropped several pieces of pickled ginger in and a large pinch of fresh basil.  Couldn't find any fresh wasabi or would have tossed some of that in too.  Didn't need a whole jar of horseradish, but could have used that in place of wasabi.  Stir and eat up.  Absolutely delicious!  I could eat this for breakfast every day.  It's very healthy and low calorie.  I actually learned a large portion of my healthy eating habits from the "Duke" around 15 years ago.  He's a genious.

Beans, beans, the more you eat the better you feel

     This meal is only un-fat depending on how much you consume.  On a tight budget so as we all know we have to make amends, especially when you have no utilities.  This morning my breakfast consisted of canned black beans, a can of diced tomatoes with green chili's, chopped colby/jack cheese, avacado chopped and black pepper.  I used hard corn taco shells to fill with the mixture.  It is very good and will make 3 meals.  I Will add garlic before the dinner meal.  Course with a meal like this you have to find a spot away from people to spend your day because as we know you may be playing a familiar tune and could be encircled with an "aura" that nobody wants to participate in.  Of course if you feel the need to get even with someone who has purposely made fun or mocked you or mentally abused you in some way, you could always sit close to that person as often as possible during the day.  Even better after the second sitting of this fine meal.    

     This meal is filled with many natural nutritional benefits.  Black beans are high in fiber, folate, protein and low in calories.  Here is a good site to check out the many benefits of black beans.  Health Diaries .  Tomatoes are good inside and out as they help enrich the skin as well as the liver.  Low in calories and high in potassium and vitamin A with many other health benefits including vitamin K for energy.  Dr Granny .  Green chili's have no fat, are high in vitamin C and has capsaicin which helps with the pain of arthritis among many other benefits.  E-how .  Avacado is the reason for feeling full after just a few bites.  Avacados, another fruit good inside and out helping your skin and appearence.  juicing-for-health  Avacados are rich in E and B vitamins and folic acid.  Avacados are good for the heart and the filling effect can help to keep you from eating too much since they are high in fat but thankfully - good fat.  avocado Cheese - well I couldn't find anything incredibly healthy about cheese but I really like it so I eat it.  I know it has calcium.  I would suggest eating cheese with no fat and none calorie items and not frequently if you have a weight problem.  Cady Cheese  A diabetic I know eats a piece of cheese when he feels diabetically unbalanced and can't get food ready in time so checking on benefits of diabetes and cheese... diabetes .  Black pepper speeds up your metabolism.  Wow!  Black pepper has a lot medicinal benefits I wasn't aware of.  Go here - herbs .  I always keep in mind that overindulging is never good.  Corn taco shells livestrong . Except for the sodium intake (about 800) of most of the ingredients I would say it is a good healthy meal but not to eat frequently.  The only other thing I saw that I really try to avoid was the hydrogenated oil in the corn taco shells.  High rate of heart disease in my family so I try to avoid hydrogenated oils.  treelight and here wikipedia .  I try to eat as natural as possible even when I have utilities.