Green Spring Cleaning

Green Spring Cleaning!

Spring is a few weeks away. Brilliant yellow daffodils are trumpeting their spring call to begin releasing the winter piles of dust, clutter and personal weight to start fresh.

My personal Spring Cleaning practice begins with eating more sprouts and fresh salads. It makes sense to me; I am starting seeds for the garden and seeds for the kitchen table. Yes, of course I have sprouted seeds and legumes for the past few months, but they predominantly have become soups or bean dishes. Now I am intentionally thinking of creating fresh sprout salads and adding more sprouts in my smoothies. Think sunflower, radish, broccoli, clover, buckwheat......yum!

I believe sprouted foods nourish the soul as well as the body with the energy of their vital forces... and love. Think of it; hundreds of phytonutrients, chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, proteins and oh so much more is alive in sprouts and ready to give us their cleansing and purifying potential. Lightening up the winter diet with sprouts releases the weight of the heavier meals we so desired last winter.

Green cleaning extends to your home too. The Environmental Working Group posts their Healthy Home Tips to help you get rid of toxins from your home. Please check out how to detoxify your home from plastics, dusts and undesirable chemicals. The link is on my facebook page, check it out and become a fan!

Many Blessings.

Quinoa Salad

Quinao is an ancient grain that is gluten free and probably the least allergenic grain one could eat. It is a good source of protein, containing all the essential amino acids needed to build and maintain your body. Quinoa provides an excellent source of magnesium, calcium, and manganese. It also provides vitamin B2 and vitamin E as well as dietary, fiber, iron, phosphorous, copper and zinc. Soak the quinoa over night before using it. Soaking removes the saponins and allows for better digestion of the grain. Gojiberries and quinoa in the same recipe pack a powerful nutritional value.

Preparation time: 35 minutes
Serves 6

1 cup Quinoa, soaked overnight, rinsed and sprouted for 1-2 days.
1/2 cups Vegetable broth or Chicken broth

¼ cup Goji berries, soaked if you prefer
1/8 cup Arame, soaked in water for 30 minutes

2 Green onions, chopped
½ cup Carrots, chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup Sweet Red Pepper, Chopped into small squares
1/3 cup Celery, chopped fine
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp Fresh Mint, chopped
3 Tbsp Roasted Pumpkin and Sunflower seeds

Dressing:
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 ½ Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Salt to taste

Warm the broth and add the quinoa. Cover and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. The quinoa should be soft and clear looking.
Meanwhile chop all the vegetables and set aside in a bowl.
Prepare the dressing.
After the grain is cooked, rinse in cold water and then add the vegetables, Arame and goji berries.
Dress with the dressing.
Quinoa Salad can be eaten warm or cool. It can be refrigerated for about five days.