My husband I were recently discussing the fact that food has become boring, that we’re both sick of the same old stuff.

Perfect timing for me to receive a new cookbook.

Now my husband isn’t much for eating healthy, I have to trick him to get him to try new food- the last I tell him is that it’s healthy. But he loves seafood and coconut and wouldn’t you know it The Best of Clean Eating is full of recipes featuring one or the other. I’m not much for fish but I do love shrimp so there’s even recipes that both of us can enjoy. Especially the desserts.

The desserts are something hubby and I can both whole heartedly agree on - like on page 152, you get the healthy sweet snacks Power Yogurt for One and Coconut Balls- both recipes sound delicious. But it’s the real desserts that will make you crave healthy decadence. On page 232 I am seriously drooling over the Molten Lava Cakes made with cocoa powder. On page 230 I see a cake I am going to make for my chocolate and coconut loving husband- Coconut Chai Chocolate Cake. Wow it sounds so yummy my stomach is grumbling in sweet anticipation.

For those of you who love carrot cake you have to check out page 226 the recipe for Slow Cooker Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Honey Drizzle will make non carrot cake lovers drool. Then there’s Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Orange Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake…On page 214 I spy the ultimate apple pie recipe- it’s a pairing of two of my favorite things- vanilla and apples. The Vanilla Bean Spiked Autumn Apple Pie is going on my Thanksgiving menu.

After going through this cookbook you’ll never ever again think that eating healthy is eating bland.

The full color photos are enough to inspire you into exploring new culinary delights then you read through the ingredients and your mouth will start to water.

So far I’ve only spoken of sweet delights but there’s so much more in The Best of Clean Eating, for both die hard foodies and those who simply love food or are looking to try something new.

Throughout the book you’ll find a huge assortment of recipes- gingery roasted squash, roasted cauliflower leek and garlic soup, golden mashed potatoes, apple grilled cheese, yummy hummus, clean eating tortilla chips, sweet potato spread, garlic bruschetta…is your stomach growling yet? Because mine is.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts…you’ll find clean eating recipes for it in this book.

My husband and I are currently marking pages and making a shopping list for all the amazing recipes we are going to try. I can’t wait- I’m actually excited about food again.

Photo Credit: US Fish and Wildlife Service

Plastic bottles are a global environmental catastrophe! If you drink  beverages from a plastic bottle then you are directly contributing to this catastrophe.  It’s only been a few years since the first bottled water hit the market, but the damage they are causing will last for many, many years.

Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing worldwide for the past 30 years. Consumption in the world increases by an average 12% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water. With the introduction to fortified and flavored water, more and more people are drinking less soft drinks, and turning to bottled water beverages. All these new drinks come in plastic bottles; think of all the plastic waste we now produce! We have become a world of plastic. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - William Mahar

Summer is iced tea season. Think beyond green and black tea to herbal iced teas for a change of pace with many potential caffeine-free variations. Aside from tasting great, many herbal teas have health benefits. To make herbal iced tea, pour 1 cup nearly-boiling water over 3-4 tablespoons of fresh herb (about 1 tablespoon dried herb) and let steep 10 minutes before pouring over ice to serve. Vary the amount of herb to achieve the desired strength.

Infuse these individually or combine herbs that smell nice together for an interesting flavor. Sweeten to taste with honey, cane juice, agave or your sweetener of choice. A shot of fruit juice lends sweetness and another layer of flavor. Some juice and herb combinations to try include apple with chamomile and orange with lemon balm. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - DivaNir4a

Young children are particularly susceptible to heat injury. Heatstroke and heat exhaustion can set in rapidly as the temperatures climb, and, left unattended, can lead to brain or organ damage.

Water and light are two keys for preventing heat injury. As temperatures climb, think light clothes, light activity and light meals, and drink more water than you think you need. Make sure kids are getting enough to drink, too, since children’s smaller bodies dehydrate faster than adults’.

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A lot of information is available today about superfoods and specifically about wheatgrass. However, supplements can be expensive, and I know that I am not the only one who would rather feel that they are eating a food rather than swallowing a supplement. It is possible to buy trays with the wheatgrass already grown, but it is cheaper to do it yourself.

I decided that even though I was not the world’s best gardener, I would try growing my own. I was amazed how cheap and easy it is to grow. Within 10 days I had a good crop ready for the juicer. Admittedly the juice itself wasn’t particularly appetizing, but I juiced with a couple of carrots which made the juicing easier and the drink more palatable. A 500g bag of organic wheat grain cost me about the same amount as a bar of chocolate. Other grains can be used such as spelt wheat or barley; however I found these a bit harder to grow.

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©iStockphoto.com - Liliboas

Fresh juices are a safe and inexpensive form of preventive medicine. A few glasses of juice each day increase nutrient density of our diet. There are very few people who can have a pound of raw carrots a day, but anyone can squeeze in an 8-ounce glass of carrot juice, which is rich in important vitamins A and C.

Juice’s main drawback is that it removes fiber, which is essential for healthy digestion and may even help in preventing certain type of cancer. An adult needs 20-35 grams of fiber everyday. A glass of eight ounce of carrot contains only 2 grams of fiber as compared to 14 grams in a pound of carrots. Thus, it is advisable to have raw and fresh vegetables and fruits in addition to juices. Most people do not have either juice or raw vegetables and fruits. Thus, adding a few glasses of fresh juices each day can do a lot to improve the average person’s diet. (continue reading…)

ⓒiStockPhoto - BVDC

Maybe you’re looking through the plant and seed catalogs and you’re intrigued by the medicinal herbs, or maybe you’re looking for natural alternatives to costly over-the-counter medicines. Maybe you’re just tired of paying an awful lot of money for a box of twenty tea bags. Many people these days want to tap into the ancient wisdom of herbalism, but find it overwhelming. There are so many different herbs, it’s hard to know where to start and what to do first.

There are a couple of good ways to test the waters without drowning. First, start simple. Literally. Simpling is the age old procedure of using only one herb at a time. Don’t worry about mixing special tea brews or finding the elixir of life. Pick one herb, such as chamomile, and make a tea out of it. You’d be surprised how new of an experience it is just to purchase a bulk bag of chamomile flowers and brew your own loose tea. Opening the bag and smelling the first puff of scent, feeling the crushed flowers between your fingers, and straining away the spent herb will give you a familiarity with the herb that store-bought tea bags won’t. Teas are a very easy way to experiment with a single herb, and there are many herbs that lend themselves well to this use; oatstraw, nettle, peppermint. Brewing and drinking a tea made from only one herb regularly will give you a chance to see how that herb affects your body. It can be interesting, after you’ve experimented with several teas, to see when your body craves which tea. (continue reading…)