Avocado, Hummus and Tangerine

 

Avocado, Hummus and Tangerine

Why Eat Whole Foods?

Whole foods are foods that have not had any of their elements removed by processing and do not contain foreign ingredients.  The typical western diet is monopolized my large multinational food conglomerates that make you believe that their highly processed foods, loaded with additives, preservatives and colorings is healthy for you to eat.  The majority of these colorfully packaged foods did not even exist 50 years ago.  They have replaced the wholesome grains and vegetables that sustained life for centuries. 

One of the most important components missing in refined or processed food is fiber.

Because most people eating a typical western diet eat large amounts of meat and refined flour products, so this means that they consume small amounts of fruits, vegetables and legumes, which contain the necessary amounts of dietary fiber needed for a healthy diet.

Fiber is the indigestible port of the plant, which is present in all plant tissues but is totally missing in foods of animal origin.  Most of the fiber is removed from refined grain products and the highly nutritious bran and germ are removed as well.  Fiber goes through the intestines, cleansing the colon and helps prevent colon cancer, bowel problems, polyps and hemorrhoids.  Fiber also binds with toxins by absorbing them and carry them out of the body.  Fiber also binds with cholesterol and moves it out of the body. 

When we consume complex carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, legumes, fruit, and vegetables, the fiber that is naturally in these foods ties up some of the sugars, releasing them slowly into the blood stream.

Besides fiber, other important elements such as vitamins and minerals are removed from refined and processed foods.  The average salt found in supermarkets today is highly processed and most of the minerals are removed.  The majority of grains today have their germ and bran removed so that the fiber will be gone plus all the vitamins and minerals, such as, chromium, zinc, and manganese plus vitamins E and B and important essential fatty acids.

Then there is what they add to the processed foods, which can be just as harmful.  Additives, preservatives and food coloring so that the food lasts longer, looks prettier, taste like the real thing, won’t separate, will stay nice and fluffy, and on and on.  Over thirty different additives, which were once regarded safe, are now banned. A lot of these additives used today are poorly tested.  And to help sell their products they “enrich” the products with vitamins and minerals.  But the human body does not process it the same as if it where found naturally in the foods.

Nature has designed whole foods to have just what we need for proper utilization of all the nutrients present in the food.  So what you want to look for is nutrient dense food with low calories.

Avocado with Hummus and Tangerin

by Jeff Harter

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: raw appetizer salad snack gluten-free low-carb nut-free soy-free sugar-free vegan vegetarian

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This plate is eloquent and a very easy raw dish to prepare that will blow away your guests or family.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Hummus

• 1 jar garbanzo beans, rinsed
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp Tahini
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seed oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Avocado

• Half avocado
• olive oil
• lemon
• salt and pepper

Tangerine

• 2 tangerines
• a sprinkle of chili powder

Spinach Salad

• 1 cup washed Baby Spinach
• 1 tomato diced
• 1 avocado cubed
• squeeze of lemon
• drizzle of olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Hummus

• Place all ingredients in a blender for 2-3 minutes until very smooth.
• Scrap out with spatula into bowl and put aside.

Avocado

• Sprinkle each halved avocado with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.
• Then fill generously with hummus. On top of hummus add whatever you want, green onion, chives, parsley, paprika.

Tangerine

• Cut segments of tangerine and place in a bowl.

Spinach Salad

• Put all ingredients in a bowl and toss well.

Platting

• Place avocado with hummus in middle of plate.
• Place tangerine segments in front of avocado.
• Place spinach salad behind avocado and serve.