Meatless Monday: Ginger Cabbage Salad

Ingredients

Salad
Raw Cabbage (50 gr.)
Mung Bean Sprouts (30 gr.)
1 carrot
1 red onion
1/2 broccoli (50 gr.)
Grated fresh ginger (10 gr.)

Dressing
Extra virgin olive oil
Soy Sauce
Salt

Directions

1. Cut the cabbage very thin and put it aside. Slice the onion very thin and place it in pan with oil, then add the mung bean sprouts, broccoli and carrots sliced very thin (with a potato peeler is very good) and saute them for 15 min. Add a bit of soy sauce and salt to taste.
2. Separately, roast the fresh grated ginger with a tablespoon of oil till golden brown.
3. Add to the base of the sauteed vegetables, raw cabbage and ginger.

Source: saladpride.blogspot.com

DIY: Jogging in a Jug

Jogging in a Jug is an old folk remedy that you may or may not have heard of. The concoction is sold commercially, however, it is super easy to make yourself and much more economical! The key ingredient is raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar which has been touted as a miracle cure for thousands of years. It aids in digestion, acts as a detoxifier, relieves symptoms of the common cold, aids in weight loss, removes plaque from arteries, keeps soft muscle tissue flexible, relieves headaches, boosts immunity, lowers cholesterol, rids the body of carcinogens, relieves constipations, helps control blood sugar levels and reduces joint pain. Plus you receive the health benefits of both apples and grapes! People who regularly drink Jogging in the Jug report looking and feeling years younger!

Ingredients

1 quart 100% Concord Grape Juice
1 quart 100% Apple Juice
1 cup Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions

Mix together and drink at least two ounces per day.

Meatless Monday: Hawaiian-Style Sweet'N'Sour Roasted Pineapple and Bell Peppers

Ingredients

3 cups cubed fresh pineapple
1 medium red bell pepper, cubed (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges (1 1/2 cups)
1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. dark or light brown sugar (can substitute maple syrup)
1 Tbs. sweetened coconut flakes
1 Tbs. lime juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange pineapple cubes, red bell pepper cubes, and red onion wedges on ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and vegetable oil, sprinkle with brown sugar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss to coat.
2. Roast pineapple mixture on center oven rack 30 minutes, or until lightly browned, turning once. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sweetened coconut flakes, then drizzle with lime juice. Remove to serving bowl and toss well to combine. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Tip: Great served over brown jasmine rice! Cashews can be added and roasted as a protein.

Source: vegetariantimes.com

 

5 Easy Exercises You Can Do at Your Desk

Eating healthy foods and drinking water at work is great, but if you're sitting sedentary all day long at your desk, your body is going to suffer. Sitting eight or more hours a day, year after year can cause weight gain, loss of muscle tone, poor posture and aches and pains, among other issues. Experts recommend at least thirty minutes of activity, five days a week, but most of us do not get anywhere close to that. Experts also say that any activity is better than none at all.  So, we have provided a list of five easy exercises that can be done right at your desk. Doing these regularly will increase your energy, decrease your neck, back and body pain and help you stay toned and fit.

1. Side Stretches - To help whittle your waist and keep your spine aligned and supple, side stretches are excellent exercises to do at your desk. With your arms raised over your head or akimbo with your hands on your hips, lean gently over to each side as far as you can safely go. Please use caution if your chair is unstable or if it is on wheels. You can do this a few times on each side at several times throughout the day.

2. Arm Raises - In order to help protect against carpal tunnel syndrome, poor circulation, and weight gain, you should do arm raises several times a day. There are different methods of doing these simple exercises: raising your arms straight over your head, raising them to the sides, or even behind you. Each method works a different set of muscles, and all will temporarily increase your heart rate, keeping your metabolism revving.

3. Butt Squeezes - The easiest exercise that you can do at your desk is butt squeezes. You can even do them while you are on the phone or typing up a report. Simply squeeze and release your buttocks muscles several times. This is the number one exercise that will help prevent "office chair spread" of your hindquarters.

4. Leg Lifts - Of course, these are not the type of leg lifts that have you lying down on the floor and swinging your legs around. At your desk, you can easily straighten your knees and lift your legs out in front of you. You can also march with your feet in place. This will exercise the large muscles in your legs. For easy calf exercises, you can raise your feet up on the toes and lower them. Be sure to use your muscles when you do these exercises for maximum effect.

5. Stress Relievers - Many of the exercises already described here will really help to relieve stress of your desk job. However, there are some other great stress relief exercises you can do at your desk. Gently stretching your neck, or rolling your head around, will reduce neck and upper back stress. Lifting your arms in front of you and bending your hands up and down at the wrist will help to relieve the stress of typing and help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.

Source: associatedcontent.com

Longevity Weekend: 2 Days, A Lifetime of Health!

You won't want to miss this fantastic event with some of Charlotte's best health and wellness practitioners! With ten lectures covering a broad array of topics and food and drinks included for an incredibly low price, this promises to be one of our best events ever! Spread the word to family, friends and coworkers! Please call Carly Childs at 704.522.8123 to reserve your spot today!

Meatless Monday: Heart Shaped Veggie Pizza

Ingredients

For the Dough:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Honey

¼ teaspoon Salt

4 cups all purpose whole wheat flour

For the Sauce:
15 oz cans diced tomatos (drained)
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Oregano (dried)
½ teaspoon Basil
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to *425. Mix the yeast and water together in a small bowl, cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Mix together the oil, honey, salt, and yeast mixture in a large mixing bowl.  Then, 1 cup at a time, add flour into yeast mixture, mixing well between each addition, up to 3 cups of flour. If the dough is still sticky add more flour 1/4 cup at a time till the dough becomes, soft. Next, lay the dough onto a floured surface and knead dough till it becomes moderately stiff, and somewhat firm to the touch. (about 5-7 minutes). Lightly grease the pan you will be cooking the pizza on and then roll the pizza dough into heart shape and desired size. (You should have enough dough to make one 16-inch pizza, 2 12-inch pizzas, or 4 8-inch pizzas.)
2. Drain Diced tomato's and place them in a sifter and sift out all of the liquids with a spoon. Then place them in a food processor or blender and blend till smooth. Then mix in remaining ingredients. Spoon sauce onto pizza dough and smooth out to the edges. Place 1 1/2-2 cups grated mozzarella cheese over pizza and top with desired veggies. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Source: Foodista.com

Valentine's Day Recipes, Green Gift Ideas + Wine and Cheese Tasting This Saturday at South End!

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, have you made any plans yet? Have you gotten your loved one(s) a little something to show you care (awww)? Whether you are celebrating the night with your significant other, as a family or even alone, a sumptuous meal prepared at home with love is the healthiest, cheapest and most intimate way to go. This month we have Wild Caught Shrimp, All Natural Black Forest Ham, Surf N' Turf kits, Gluten Free Tagliatelle Pasta, Organic Late July Crackers, Boursin Cheese, Organic Raspberries, Organic Russet Potatoes, Organic Yellow Onions, Organic Cashew Pieces and Organic Black Mission Figs on sale. Try out the following recipes using our sale items. With the money you save, there will be enough left over for some wine and tokens of affection!

Figs, Walnuts and Boursin Cheese on Crackers

Grilled Surf N' Turf with Herbed Butter

Tagliatelle with Zucchini and Shrimp

Potato Hash with Black Forest Ham

Raspberry Cashew Ice Cream

And now for those tokens of affection, we have a few ideas that are not only green, but won't break the bank! Crystal Journey Candles available in Romance four packs and Love and Seduction reiki charged pillars, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries prepared fresh by our Deli department, Clothing or accessories from Andes Gifts and Gypsy Rose (South End just got a fresh shipment), Paper Lanterns, Tapestries, Handcrafted Artisan Wooden Pens from local Cooper's Pens and Things, Mixed Nuts (they're on sale this month), Jewelery or Hair Pins from local SkyeTurtle Designs and of course we always have HHM gift cards!

We've made it easy for you to choose the perfect bottle of wine or bubbly. This Saturday at the South End location, we are holding our annual Wine and Cheese Tasting from 1 pm - 4 pm. And for the first time, our tasting will include beers! Plus, several types of Prosecco and coffee! You can expect to sample twenty to twenty-five different spirits from the following vendors.

Tryon Distributing, Empire Distributors, Millennium Beverage, World Premier Wines, Freedom Beverage Co., Country Vintner, WoodMill Winery, and Dionysis Wine Distributors. And don't forget to grab a tree-free wine bag made from stone by Earth Balance!

We will also have all local vendors sampling out various cheeses, Greenfield Farms Organic Meats, KW Collards, Bushelle Seasonings, Sadie's Carribean Fish Cakes, Pink Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes, The Sweetie Pie and Hearth Strings Foods. Plus, we will have various other samples throughout the store, fabric art from Ty Sherrer and live music by our friend Jeff Brown. See all of you lovers on Saturday!

Please also be sure to read this article on the importance of purchasing organic flowers only: Send an Organic Bouquet this Valentine's Day!

Note: Our stores do not all carry the same products. Please call ahead to make sure that your preferred location carries the item or items that you are looking for. If not, please ask about having your item(s) transferred.

Meatless Monday: Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 small potato
1/4 large onion
3 large cloves garlic
Salt and Pepper
2 eggs
1/4 red bell pepper
1/4 green bell pepper
1 flour tortilla
1/4 cup mozzarella or cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Salsa
Sour Cream
Small tomatoes, diced in large chunks
Hot Sauce to taste (may be omitted)

Directions

1. Wash the vegetables and peel the onion. Dice the onion. Crush garlic cloves and dice. Leave the skins on the potato and dice it into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Heat a skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat (medium for a gas range), with a good coating of olive oil. Combine the diced potato, diced onion, and crushed garlic in the pan and stir frequently. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Dice the bell peppers.
4. The potatoes are done when they are soft in the center. Turn the heat down to medium. Pour the beaten eggs over the potatoes and stir rapidly, scrambling. They should start to thicken quickly. Push the potatoes and eggs over to one side of the pan (continuing to scramble), and add the green and red bell peppers to the other half, letting them cook lightly.
5. Warm the flour tortilla.
6. When the eggs are done, remove from heat. Scoop the potatoes and eggs into the flour tortilla, and add the diced bell peppers over top. Sprinkle lightly with grated cheese. Top with salsa, sour cream, diced tomatoes, cilantro and hot sauce.
7. Wrap the flour tortilla around the contents, tucking in one end, and serve. Enjoy!

A Healthy Super Bowl Party? Touchdown!

The countdown to Super Bowl XLV has begun! Will it be the Packers or the Steelers? Either way, we've got you covered when it comes to the party! It's not too late to order wings, BBQ or meat/cheese platters from our deli. If you prefer to make your own platters, we have Thumann's Black Forest Ham and American Cheese on sale this month. Plus, Wild Caught Shrimp, Boursin Cheese and Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. Super Bowl parties are traditionally laden with high fat, high calorie processed foods, but yours doesn't have to be. Best of all, you can still serve traditional game day foods that are healthy and full of flavor! These recipes are sure to score big!

Green Chili

Baked Buffalo Wings

Avocado and Yogurt Deviled Eggs

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Spicy Peel and Eat Shrimp

Creamy Spinach Dip

Garlic and Herb Pita Chips

Baked Kale Chips

Party eco-responsibly and go local! Try these beers, all brewed in North Carolina!

Catawba Valley Brewing Company

Highland Brewing Company

Craggie Brewing Company

Boone Brewing

Carolina Beer Company

Mother Earth Brewing

The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Bigg Boss Brewing Company

Thomas Creek Brewery

French Broad Brewery

Kind Beers

For more tips on making your party healthy not only for your guests, but also for the environment, please check out this past blog Game Day Done the Green Way.