Simple Alkaline Salad

Simple pH Balancing Alkaline Salad

 

An acidic diet can cause emotional distress in the body and toxic overload, leading to myriad health problems. It should be of no surprise that the typical Western diet is high in acid and low in alkaline. To restore health, a proper diet should hover around 80 percent alkalinity and 20 percent acidity.

This salad is rich in alkaline foods that help promote the restoration of the body’s pH balance. Not to mention, it’s also easy to make and tastes delicious!

Ingredients

• 5 stalks asparagus
• 1 cup chopped arugula
• 5 red radish
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 cup chopped snow pea sprouts
• 1/2 cup chopped alfalfa sprouts
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander
• 1 Tbsp. diced spring onion
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds

Dressing

• 1 tsp. mustard powder
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. Celtic sea salt
• Add pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl combine the dressing ingredients and mix well.

With a vegetable peeler, peel the asparagus stalks just below the leaves and place into a small saucepan. Pour water into the sauce pan to just barely cover the asparagus and simmer on medium heat for about 3 minutes until just barely tender. Remove from heat and drain.

Slice the asparagus stalks into diagonal 1-inch pieces. Then chop the radish into thin slices, and chop and finely dice the snow pea sprouts, coriander and spring onion. The alfalfa sprouts can be pulled apart by hand, but just be sure it’s not one big clumpy piece.

Add the chopped ingredients into the bowl and toss well with the dressing.

Lastly, you have the option to either chop up the avocado and gently fold it into the salad, or serve the half in tact by placing it on top. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and garnish with balsamic vinegar to taste.

-MindBodyGreen-

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

 

This smoothie makes a yummy dessert or an afternoon snack!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Yield: 2 -10 oz smoothies
1 cup steamed pumpkin or organic canned pumpkin, bpa free tin
1 cup thick organic coconut milk, bpa free tin
1/4 cup almond milk + a little more (preferably home made)
1/2 avocado
1-2 tbsp hemp seeds
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp all spice
pinch nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla
6-10 drops liquid stevia to taste

Method
Place all ingredients into blender and combine until well until smooth.  Adjust thickness if needed to your liking with additional almond milk if needed.  Pour into glasses and garnish with additional cinnamon.
Alkaline Sisters

 

Pumpkin nutrition facts and benefits:

Pumpkin fruit is one of the widely grown vegetables that is incredibly rich in vital antioxidants, and vitamins. While this humble backyard vegetable is less in calories but contains vitamin A, and flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as leutin, xanthin, and carotenes in abundance.

It is one of the very low calorie vegetables. 100 g fruit provides just 26 calories and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol; however, it is rich in dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals, vitamins. The vegetable is one of the food items recommended by dieticians in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.

• Pumpkin is a storehouse of many anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin-A, vitamin-C and vitamin-E.
• With 7384 mg per 100 g, it is one of the vegetables in the Cucurbitaceae family featuring highest levels of vitamin-A, providing about 246% of RDA. Vitamin A is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and is required by the body for maintaining the integrity of skin and mucus membranes. It is also an essential vitamin for good visual sight. Research studies suggest that natural foods rich in vitamin A help a body protects against lung and oral cavity cancers.
• It is also an excellent source of many natural poly-phenolic flavonoid compounds such as α, ß carotenes, cryptoxanthin, lutein and zea-xanthin. Carotenes convert into vitamin A inside the body.
• Zea-xanthin is a natural anti-oxidant which has UV (ultra-violet) rays filtering actions in the macula lutea in retina of the eyes. Thus, it helps protect from “age-related macular disease” (ARMD) in the elderly.
• The fruit is a good source of B-complex group of vitamins like folates, niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin and pantothenic acid.
• It is also rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.
• Pumpkin seeds indeed are an excellent source of dietary fiber and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, which are good for heart health. In addition, the seeds are concentrated sources of protein, minerals and health-benefiting vitamins. For instance, 100 g of pumpkin seeds provide 559 calories, 30 g of protein, 110% RDA of iron, 4987 mg of niacin (31% RDA), selenium (17% of RDA), zinc (71%) etc., but no cholesterol. Further, the seeds are an excellent source of health promoting amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is converted to GABA in the brain.

Nutrition and you