13 Bean Soup with Garden Chard

The chard in the food garden is
making gigantic leaves right now. They are so big I am tempted to preserve
them and use them as shoe leather, or a hand fan, or something practical.
Since those wild ideas are probably ultimately not as practical as one would
hope, I opted to put together this 13 bean soup, and just enjoy the chard in
its glorious, minimally processed form. That’s actually my favorite way to
enjoy nutrient dense greens! My partner Ricky bought a bag of 13 bean soup
mix a while ago, and has been nudging me to make soup out of it. So here is
one more hearty soup to get into your belly before the seasons completely
change over. Or enjoy it all spring and summer using a variety of different
seasonal greens and fresh vegetables. The key is to put the greens in at the
end, so they are super fresh, vibrantly colored and retain as much of their
living nutrition as possible.

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Rainbow Spring Rolls with Almond Sauce

I love it whenever I can take a
yummy favorite and reveal how easily it fits into what may be considered a
stricter, more sober health regimen. Take this variation on the spring roll,
for example. Well, it may not really need pointing out, but this delightful
dish is…(drumroll)…raw!! Tah-dah!! This crowd pleaser, starring a handful
of raw plants, works well for your weekend Saturday lunch, an afternoon tea
party, or as an hors d’oeuvre for your evening get together.

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Buckwheat Ramen with Shiitake Mushrooms & Vegetables

I’ll be frank: I love
buckwheat!!! I have always had a fond place in my heart for buckwheat. I
honestly can’t remember where in my childhood buckwheat took its place, I
think an aunt used it, or maybe my mom. I just remember it being there somewhere.
When I started pursuing this healthier cooking thing, I was delighted to
discover the nutritional benefits that buckwheat has to offer. Buckwheat is
not actually wheat at all. It is a seed that comes from a sorrel-like flower.
This makes it, in my view, a superfood, not to mention gluten free, plant
based, and other great qualities many are looking for
today.

Unfortunately, buckwheat flour doesn’t behave quite the same
as wheat flour, so its uses tend to be more limited, but you can find some
good products that use pure buckwheat in simple and nutritious ways. You can
also use it in recipes here and there, in baking, and always be confident
that you are adding amino acids, fiber, and other essential nutrition to the
dish. Here is a fantastic and quick way to enjoy ramen without the toxic
craziness of the ubiquitous instant ramen. And, it is great on a detox!
This recipe can be ready to eat in 20-30 minutes from start to finish.
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(better than) Bieler’s Broth

Bieler’s Broth is a traditional healing, cleansing broth that is very popular among holistic and alternative medical professionals. The only bummer thing about Bieler’s Broth is that it doesn’t have much to offer from a culinary perspective. It’s just pretty freakin’ blah as far as I can tell. Since I’m all about making healthy eating not only simple, but also delicious– so that you can enjoy healthful foods the way nature intended– I came up with this modified version.

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Pea & Avocado Dip with Pepitas & Cilantro

Fresh peas are in season! And I’m going to show you a way to enjoy them while making your healthy snacking easier with this pea & avocado dip recipe. Sometimes it can be a challenge finding a healthful dip that is not loaded with empty calories from refined oils, sugars, fillers, or commercial dairy products. This dip is a great solution to this challenge, and it seriously only takes about 10 minutes to make. Due to the lemon juice in the ingredients, it keeps for several days and has a lot of versatility in how it can be used. And, if enjoyed with fresh vegetables, this dip proves to be a very nutrient-dense snack—my favorite kind!

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