Wow! I am so thankful to have such supportive and kind friends. It was also encouraging to be reminded that our most beautiful quality is our soul. And you know what else is awesome? I hear that some of you may be in the same boat, and are really interested to see how this works out. I’m excited that with my posts I’ll be able to keep you guys updated on my progress! I’ll also be incorporating some information throughout my posts. How about I start out the post with some information I stumbled upon recently that I’d like to share with you all:

“Omega 3 fatty acids, a type of unsaturated fat, lowers heart disease and stroke risk by decreasing cholesterol and triglyceride levels, slowing down the growth of artery-clogging plaques, and lowering blood pressure. Omega 3’s have also been shown to help reduce inflammation associated with arthritis, and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well. In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, fish is low in saturated fat, and is a good source of protein. Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish. Other forms of omega 3’s are available in fortified eggs, flax seed (linseed), and walnuts.“

I always heard my parents talk about omega-3′s, but I never really took anything to heart. Now I’m incorporating it into my food in ways that I find flavorful, and I can’t wait to see the benefits in the long run. It’s funny because I often hear people say that the way I eat is healthy. I guess it’s true, but I think a lot of it comes from growing up in a family and in cultures where people cook with real food. I remember when I first moved to the United States and my step-dad brought home packages of Hamburger Helper and instant mashed potato. Of course they have “instant-foods” everywhere, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a heavy reliance on them as I have here. Anyway, I’m pretty sure that’s when I became a picky-eater because I went from having mashed potatoes made from scratch to these bizarre looking flakes that were weak  tasting in comparison. Fortunately, now that I’ve ventured into the wonderful world of cooking, I’ve become far more adventurous with what I eat. And you all know I’m all about what tastes good! So now that I’m really trying to strengthen my liver I’ve become more conscious of what I should be doing right now to take care of it. And you know what? I’m actually finding it to be more of a relief than a stressor. For instance, I’ll look up different foods I have in the kitchen and how they may affect my liver. More likely than not, my liver benefits from it. Take peaches for example…

The magical floating bowl!

Peaches, golden flax, and pumpkin seed butter over some Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and oats.

“Peaches are great for those with gastrointestinal problems and liver conditions. As opposed to many fruits, they are very useful for digestion due to its alkaline content.“

The best mango from someone's backyard, the tastiest peach, and sweet cherries all in one bowl sprinkled with ground golden flax seeds over Greek yogurt and chia seeds.

On the toast I spread some pumpkin seed butter and fig preserves on one slice, then ghee and fig preserves on the other. The slice with ghee and preserves tasted so good because of the sweet and salty flavors going on!

A picture from a past post, but I wanted to show you again.

Ghee is clarified butter, and in India it’s highly regarded! I actually learned more about it in my Hinduism class, and how it’s considered a holy food. I found a source that kind of sums it up: “Ghee builds the aura, makes all the organs soft, builds up the internal juices of the body-Rasa, which are destroyed by aging and increases the most refined element of digestion-Shukra or Ojas, the underlying basis of all immunity and the ‘essence of all bodily tissues’.” Here’s a link with more information on it–very interesting stuff to read.

Breakfast drama queen shot!

This was inspired by Katie’s breakfast the other day. She had served the berries at the bottom, and it reminded me of those yogurt cups with the hidden fruit. Plus, I loved how it just felt like something special to start off the day. If you can’t tell those aren’t berries at the bottom. I’ll tell you what’s at the bottom, but promise not to think I’m weird? Okay, you can think I’m weird, but not because of this. The bottom is leftover pulp from one of my dad’s juices that has ginger, kale, beets, and carrots. There’s also some papaya and 1/3 of a sliced banana. A third? Well, I’ve been reducing my banana consumption since it can be chilling to the liver. However, I’ve also read that because of their potassium content, they are beneficial. Through my research I’ve come across many contradictions. I have to ask myself what the sources are, and how does it actually affect me? Afterall, we are all individuals and our bodies may respond differently. I could happily live with monkeys because of my love for bananas. On second thought, the monkeys might not love me because that would mean less bananas for them! I don’t really want to have monkey poo flung at me. So yes, for right now I’m just reducing how many I eat, but not eliminating. Thank goodness this is only temporary.

Made some small changes in the kitchen eating area.

Who knew a new light, seat cushions, and new place mats could make such a big difference.

Ani Phyo's recipe for sesame snap cookies

Turned into ice kream sandwiches with Ani's coconut ice kream recipe.

Quick grab one before it's gone!

I have some leftover coconut ice kream, so I want to make her spiced blueberry cobbler recipe and top it with the ice kream. I love raw vegan desserts so much because they’re incredibly flavorful! If you have never tried one, I suggest you do. The recipes in “Ani’s Raw Food Desserts” are also easy to make. That’s actually part of the reason why she put this book together. Overtime Ani noticed that she had less and less time to make elaborate meals, so she started to come up with simple recipes that don’t require a lot of work. It’s also nice and encouraging to keep exploring these recipes after you make one and it’s a hit! That’s how I felt about baking bread. I started out simple, and then next thing you know I went from Irish soda bread to making Armenian tahini bread.

Very ripe plantains cooked with freshly ground cinnamon, yellow squash, onions, and mango chutney.

Then I proceeded to drizzle coconut oil and flax seed oil on everything. Did you know that the plantain seed expels disease and toxins from the body? It’s also good for respiratory problems because of it’s high mucilage content. And if your tummy isn’t feeling well, it can help because it has anti-inflammatory properties. Actually, some apply it directly to the skin on sores.

I'm loving it with coconut oil and ghee as well.

Rainbow Swiss chard

Pan-fried with onions, garlic, raisins, and balsamic vinegar for a little bit of time (3-5 minutes) on medium heat so the nutrients don’t get lost. Salt and pepper to taste, of course!

All in a day's work.

Do you all like the little random tidbits I’m including in my posts? Or is too much like an encyclopedia? To me it’s cool to learn all of these things, and that so much of the delicious food from nature I eat really has all of these wonderful benefits; not just for the liver! Of course, I always knew that, but not the specifics. I would also like to reiterate what I mentioned earlier in this post about how we can all differ from one another. I’m going to quote an excerpt from a book I’m currently reading: “Ayurveda is universal, it can be used by all peoples. Its principles do not change from culture to culture…(and yet) the foods and herbs used in an Ayurvedic program can vary from area to area, they need to that’s fine, healthy. Ayurveda is not limited to India and Indian foods. It is a universal medicine.” And that pretty much sums up how I feel about us as individuals. Of course, feel free to try the things I’ve been trying, but don’t just take my word for it. This is the beginning of my journey, and I’m learning things everyday.

p.s. I’m hoping to do a video post soon! So keep an eye out for it.