Every month or so for many years now, a group of my friends and I get together for an evening of laughter, fun and feasting that has included my friend Tiffany’s Vietnamese Spring Rolls (absolutely divine!), Nima’s Turkey Meatball Curry (out of this world delicious!) or most recently Vani’s Sprouted Moong Bean Salad, which was not only refreshing and super healthy, but tasted amazing.

Today I am sharing with you the Sprouted Moong Bean Salad recipe, compliments of Vani. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups sprouted moong beans
• 1 medium size pickle style cucumber, cut into cubes
• 2 medium tomatoes cut into cubes
• ½ yellow pepper cut into pieces
• ½ cup shredded carrot
• ½ cup shredded cabbage

Dressing

• 1 table spoon lime juice
• 1 tea spoon ginger juice
• 1 table spoon yogurt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp roasted grounded cumin seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cilantro to garnish

Whisk all ingredients for dressing together, pour over the beans and let it sit together for about 10 minutes. Add all the vegetables in a bowl and layer the beans on top and gently toss it all together.. Garnish with cilantro.

Picture source: Photobucket (exmanforever)

The Acai berry also contains anthocyanins and flavonoids, powerful in helping the body fight oxidative stress and disease. According to experts, these substances play a significant role in the body’s cell protection system and a diet rich in antioxidants help counteract the aging process by neutralizing the free radicals in our bodies that destroy our cells.

Anthocyanins create the red, purple and deep blue tone in many fruits, flowers and vegetables such as red grapes, blueberries, blackberries and the acai fruit pulp according to some studies, indicate higher antioxidant properties than cranberries, strawberries or even blueberries.

Acai oil is also an antioxidant powerhouse as an ingredient in cosmetics as the processed oil appears to have a longer shelf life and the antioxidant levels continue to remain high.

So why am I writing these posts about these superfruits? Because I am exploring a “vitamin stick” product high in anti-oxidants from these superfruits, including the means to absorb them into our cells effectively so the body can function at its optimum for a longer, healthier life. I certainly don’t believe these superfruits are the cure all for everything and there are a lot of scams out there, however if they contribute to a healthier mind and body then I am definitely interested in finding out the best way to utilize them. After all, research has indicated that living past 100, in fact up to 120 years of age is not pie in the sky any longer, and although some of it can be attributed to out genes, how we live contributes significantly to this longevity. Therefore I am of the opinion that if we take care of ourselves holistically, coupled with advances in technology and medicine, we can become vibrant, active, and healthy super-centenarians.

And why not? What do you think?

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Picture source: patagoniamaqui.com

The first super fruit I am starting with is the Maqui Berry. Did you know that the Maqui berry is one of the most powerful known botanical antioxidants?

Antioxidants are critical in fighting free radicals that contribute to our aging process. Fro example, they help protect our blood vessels from the oxidative damage of these free radicals, they provide anti-inflammatory benefits, help our nervous system and generally help us stay healthy. Although we cannot stop our bodies from growing older we can definitely take steps to improve our health as we age by paying attention to the nutrients we put into our bodies.

There has been some significant research on this purple fruit known as the Maqui berry found in the Patagonian region of South America, with findings that indicate its potential to improve our immune system and protect our bodies from a variety of health conditions.

The maqui berry is packed with anthocyanins and polyphenols, which have the ability to neutralize free radicals and help fight disease in our bodies, according to scientific studies. It also has the highest ORAC value per serving. So what is an orac value? Well, it stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbsion Capacity and it is the scale which measures the amount of antioxidants that food contains and its ability to absorb free radicals.

Keep in mind though that just because a food product has a high amount of antioxidants does not necessarily mean your body will actually use them all as the ORAC ratings do not calculate the actual absorption rates of the body. So you still need a mechanism to ensure that your body maximizes the benefits of these high antioxidant rich foods. I will talk more about this in future posts.

In my next post later this week, I will discuss the Acai berry and how it compares to the Maqui berry.

On March 11, I had the pleasure of meeting Pete Carcione, president of the Golden Gate Produce Terminal and owner of Carcione’s Fresh Produce, and experienced a wonderful visit and glimpse into the busy activities of the wholesale produce warehouses at the Golden Gate Produce Terminal.

Pete’s family has been in the produce business for over 90 years, starting with his grandfather who came to America as a teenager and opened a small produce store in San Francisco.  You may also remember Pete’s father Joe Carcione, who hosted snippets of advice and tips for fruits and vegetables on television in the 1980′s. Joe also wrote a newspaper column, published two books, and was syndicated on about 80 television stations nationwide for his television and radio spots.

The family legacy continues through Pete Carcione, whose wholesale produce business has been supplying fresh, high quality fruits and vegetables for 35 years to over 400 stores and restaurants throughout northern California.

Pete is currently in the process of re-publishing one of his father’s books,  The Greengrocer Cookbook which is currently out of print but appears to still be in popular demand,  and I am so honored that some of the recipes from my book The Deity Diet are going to be featured in the upcoming release of The Greengrocer Cookbook.

As I drove through the gates of the Golden Gate Produce Terminal, I was absolutely amazed at the size of it – multiple wholesale produce distributors in huge warehouses spread out over 17 acres and 200,000 square feet – filled with farm fresh produce of fruits and vegetables, literally from floor to ceiling, spread out into the street – boxes and boxes of delicious, colorful oranges, apples, Swiss chard, rhubarb, crates of beans, avocados, pineapples, and mangoes from local farms and countries as far away as France and Chile.

It was an art just dodging the forklifts beeping and moving about while they load the shipments on trucks destined for local grocery stores and restaurants. By 9:30 AM most of the activity had slowed down as trucks took off for their deliveries.

I tasted succulent, crunchy baby cucumbers, and sampled fragrant, juicy Mandarin oranges that were dripping with sweetness. I learned about the Name,  (pronounced “Nami”) a tuber which looks like an oversized potato but filled with antioxidants and vitamins, and how to pick the best mangoes (but that is another blog post).

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the produce terminal is not just for business customers but is open to the general public as well. It is located near the San Francisco International airport at  131 Terminal Ct, South San Francisco, CA.

So the next time you are out and about you may want to drop in – maybe you will be lucky enough to pick up a fresh box of sweet, juicy Mandarin oranges for a lot less than what you will pay at your local grocery chain.

Until next time, here’s to your abundant living!

Connie Umbenhower

In addition to wholesome carrots, apples and nuts, one serving of this salad contains nutrient rich Kale and Swiss Chard loaded with minerals and Vitamins A, C and K (one cup of Kale provides over 300% of Vitamin A and 80% of your Vitamin C daily needs, while Swiss Chard provides 374% of your Vitamin K daily needs).

Red, Yellow and Green Bell Peppers are high in antioxidants, phytochemicals and lycopene, and known to fight heart disease, stroke and cancer; while Cilantro is powerful cleansing agent, good for the digestion and full of antibacterial qualities.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Red Swiss Chard, chopped
• 2 cups Kale, chopped
• 2 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup red apple, chopped
• 1 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup yellow pepper, chopped
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup slivered almonds (sprinkle over finished salad)

Directions

1. Wash vegetables and apples thoroughly, prepare and drain using a salad spinner so salad is nice and dry. Mix thoroughly in a large bowl.
2. Sprinkle slivered almonds over the top of the salad and serve with your favourite dressing.

Serves 6-8

Turmeric is a plant in the ginger family with an earthy, bitter flavor and a mustard-like smell. It is a root that is boiled, then dried, and finally ground into a yellow-orange powder to be used as a spice. Turmeric is the ingredient that gives curry dishes their yellow color.

On of the main components in Turmeric is Curcumin. This component has been found to have amazing healing properties. I have consolidated some highlights of Turmeric below from my upcoming book The Deity Diet. Stay tuned for the release date.

Turmeric as a healing spice has been found to do the following:
•    Produce bile that helps break down fats.
•    Detoxify the liver, and assist in blood circulation and purification.
•    Because of its antibacterial properties, used as an antiseptic for cuts and bruises.
•    Has anti-inflammatory properties and known to be effective as a pain reliever.
•    Assists in digestion and fights off intestinal parasites
•    Works as an anti-oxidant, and helps reduce cholesterol and fight arteriosclerosis.
•    Fluoride in turmeric is highly effective to strengthen teeth & prevent cavities.
•    Used as a beauty treatment by brides in India, known to enhance the complexion.
•    Turmeric’s distinct aroma and taste adds color to, & enhances the flavor of curries.
•    Turmeric is also used in eggs and in salads.

One of the significant benefits of turmeric is its potential for preventing Alzheimer’s disease. According to a UCLA study, India has one of the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s disease in the world. The incidence of Alzheimer’s among Indian adults aged seventy to seventy-nine is 4.4 times less than that of the United States. Research indicates that curcumin, the main component of turmeric, inhibits accumulation of destructive beta amyloids that form the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Further studies are being conducted.

The next time you cook with Turmeric, think about the positive impact you are contributing to the health and well being of your body.

To your Longevity and Abundant Living!

Connie