Health for Life Cooking to Start the New Year!

Lemon Ginger Blast Green Smoothie

All of those holiday treats, even though they were quite healthy, finally took their tole on my body and I was in need of a good cleansing smoothie to help get rid of what ever was trying to take over my body and make me feel a little sickly right before Christmas. This green smoothie that I came up with really hit the spot and put be back on track. I'm excited to share it with you to start off the new year. The combination of apple, lemon, dates, (all in season) your favorite greens and a splash of ginger and cayenne pepper really rev up your immune system and increase detoxifacation. And what a blast of fresh, crisp, and sweet taste to wake you up in the morning. I love this smoothie! I think it's my new favorite for the winter.

Vegetable Bean Burritos w/home made chili sauce

This recipe is from Doctor Fuhrman (http://www.drfuhrman.com/) and is a favorite that I've made for years! It's loaded with vegetables, some pinto beans and a white cheez sauce that makes this burrito so unique and unlike any burrito you've ever tasted! Top it with a delicious home made chili sauce to add a little extra spice and extra flavor!

Black Bean Dip - I remember as a kid my dad bought bean dip in a can to go with chips and salsa. I loved anything with beans including my dad's dip. This recipes for Black Bean Dip reminds me of the dip my dad bought. It originally comes from a Dr. McDougall newsletter in 2009 (http://www.drmcdougall.com/). Both my husband and I thought it needed a little more zip so I've added a few more ingredients to spice up the flavor and make it more like the bean dip I loved as a kid. This is perfect with home made oven baked tortilla chips.

Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup - I found the recipe for this soup at http://www.myrecipes.com/. In the original recipe there wasn't enough vegetables and the soup turn out a little bland for my liking. I've turned it upside down, switched it all around, added more seasonings and vegetables and made it my own. This soup is full of flavor and nutrients and is a meal all by itself.

And there you have it! Health for Life cooking to start off the new year. Class dates are Wednesday January 5, Tuesday January 11 and Tuesday January 18 and begin at 6pm.

Hope to see you in class! For more information or to register, contact April at health4life07@yahoo.com.

Luscious Lentil Soup










Collards and Black Eyed Peas









Tortilla Soup and Mediterranean Rice Salad











I'm excited to introduce Whole Food Goodness!

Whole Food Goodness is a collection of my favorite recipes that I have modified to meet my standard of using as much whole unprocessed plant foods as possible. My recipes are unique in that they contain no extracted oils, very few processed sugars, and limited processed grains. The processed grain that I most often use is 100% whole wheat, preferably freshly ground.

Another important aspect of my recipes is the inclusion of leafy green vegetables. Leafy greens are the healthiest foods on the planet and we need to eat them every single day. According to my favorite health guru, Joel Fuhrman, MD, we need to eat a lot of them, at least a pound a day. So I put them in any time I can get away with it. And what I have discovered is that they only make the dish better; tastier and more colorful.



Along with the recipes, you will find documented research studies that will tell you why it's important to eat a plant based diet. Knowledge is power and it is my hope and prayer that this book will help you gain the strength and determination to make the changes necessary that will bring you excellent health throughout your entire life!



If you are interested in getting a copy of Whole Food Goodness, contact April at health4life07@yahoo.com.