Beeeeeets! I just love this purple root vegetable. 😉 I’m sure by now you know that beets are good for you. They’re definitely having a moment in the food world right now. Which is fine by me, I love to put them on everything. I like to grate them or spirilize them and eat them raw on salads or in rice bowls. I also enjoy roasting them in the oven and putting them in salads with goat cheese and other veggies. I have used them to make beet, celery and carrot juice on my juice cleanse. I even made a beet root hummus recently….It was divine. 😉

 There are many reasons to include this vegetable in your diet. They contain a unique source of phytonutrients that help provide antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support! Beets have also been found in studies to offer protection against coronary artery disease and stroke; lower cholesterol levels within the body, and have anti-aging effects. They also contain vitamin-c, potassium, iron, manganese and copper. Last but not least they are high in fibre, and low in calories. Here are a few recipes including beets: beet and goat cheese salad and  my macrobiotic buddha bowl.

I think most people like bananas. They’re such a sweet and simple food. My son could eat bananas every day! 🙂 The funny thing about bananas is that a lot of people don’t actually know that they are best eaten when they are fully ripe. A few years ago, I didn’t know that yellow bananas are not ripe. I thought green bananas were unripe….. The truth is your bananas need to be covered in brown spots to be fully ripe and easily digested.   If you eat unripe bananas they can cause gas, bloating, upset stomach and even constipation. So make sure your bananas are nice and spotty so you can reap all of the health benefits and avoid the stomach upset. 😉

One of the main reasons I love banana is that they add a natural sweetness to my baking and smoothies. They’re also a great snack that you can grab and eat on the go. Food Matters has a list of 25 reasons why you should eat this wonderful fruit. Here are my favourite health reasons to include this tropical fruit in your diet. If you suffer from PMS, eating a banana can improve your mood and reduce symptoms by regulating your blood sugar. They are also rich in pectin which aids in digestion and helps to gently chelate toxins and heavy metals from the body! If you suffer from heartburn, acid reflux or GERD eat a banana as they can neutralize the acids in your stomach. You can also use bananas for eliminating skin issues like warts,  by placing the inside of a piece of banana peel against the wart and taping it in place. If you are prone to muscle cramps eating bananas can help due to their high potassium content.  Bananas are also full of iron, which is great everyone but especially for folks with anemia. So what are you going to make with bananas? Here are a few recipes that include ripe bananas: banana and raspberry ice cream, gluten free carrot and arisen muffins and buckwheat banana pancakes.

xx Malika

Happy Easter Weekend Peeps! 😉 It has turned into a beautiful day outside after the all the rain showers. I can’t believe I have waited this long to choose sprouts as my eat of the week! 😉 My blog is dedicated to them after all….. Everything’s better sprouted. I have always loved sprouts, even as a kid. My favourite kind is alfalfa. Some people grow their own sprouts at home. I believe you need to have a bit of a green thumb for that…..which I definitely don’t have. I will just have to keep buying them from my local health food store, and I’m ok with that. I put sprouts on almost anything and everything. I love them on salads, in sandwiches or just placed on top of any of my rice buddha bowls. They add a nice little extra nutrient boost to any meal. 🙂

It is estimated that sprouts have 100 times more enzymes than uncooked fruits and vegetables. Enzymes are types of proteins that act as catalysts for all your body’s functions. They help extract vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids from the foods you eat to ensure that your body has the nutritional building blocks of life. When a food is sprouted it increases its nutritional value dramatically. When you sprout beans, nuts, seeds, or grains you increase the quality of the protein, the fibre content and the vitamin content. During the sprouting process, minerals bind to protein in the seed, grain, nut, or bean, making them more useable in the body.  This is true of alkaline minerals like calcium and magnesium. When you buy sprouts you are also supporting local business’s!  There are many reasons to include sprouts in your diet but maybe the most important one is that they are alkalizing to your body, and having an acidic environment in your body leads to all kinds of health issues and disease. So get some sprouts and put them on everything. 😉

xx Malika

I thought it was time to include nuts into my healthy Eat of The Week! I love nuts, my favourite nuts are almonds. That being said, most nuts are super healthy and should be included in your diet. I do want to mention that the quality of the nuts you consume is important. Look for nuts that are organic and raw, you don’t want to buy nuts that have been: irradiated, pasteurized, or coated in salt!

Walnuts have so many health benefits that I thought I should share them with you. They contain a number of neuroprotective compounds, including vitamin E, folate, melatonin, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants. Study’s show that walnut consumption may support brain health. One quarter cup of walnuts provides more than 100 percent of the daily recommended value of plant-based omega-3 fats, along with high amounts of copper and manganese! Amazing.  Studies show that walnuts may also help reduce the risk of prostate cancer and breast cancer. In one study, mice that ate the human equivalent of 2.4 ounces of whole walnuts for 18 weeks had significantly smaller and slower-growing prostate tumours. Walnuts also contain the amino acid l-arginine, which offers multiple vascular benefits to people with heart disease. Walnuts contain several powerful antioxidants that are found in very few foods. They also are a good source of protein and fibre.

 I know that walnuts have sort of a bitter aftertaste, but if you include them in a healthy homemade trail mix you can reap the healthy benefits and help disguise the taste. I have found them much more enjoyable when I toss them into my favourite salad with a nice dressing. So what are you waiting for…..give them a try. 😉

xx Malika