Asian Onion and Lentil Soup with Seaweed and Shitake Mushrooms

     You are what you eat and you eat what you are.  For whatever reason we have gotten away from eating foods that are alive.  The more foods you eat that are alive the more you will be alive.  Easier said than done right.  It is easier said than done because in our busy society everyone just picks up a burger, a bag of chips, a pastry, sandwich, taco, whatever and away you go.  You fill up for gas and want a bite of something.  There ain't no apple, carrot, fresh smoothie lying there on the counter waiting for you to pick it up.  Hell no.  But you got your chips, ice cream, candy bar, coke and microwave burrito just sitting there looking pretty.  So you grab it and away you go.  And that is why America is so unhealthy.  Over 50% of Americans will have heart disease or cancer.  And I believe the reason for this is the American diet.
     Something the majority of people do not even consider about health is the pH factor.  Your body wants to be slightly more alkaline than neutral. Your body is always working to get rid of acidic waste.  Some foods actually contain acids or alkalis (soluble salts) and other foods create acidity or alkalinity in the body when combined with juices and digestive acids.  A diet rich in alkali-forming foods is a key to ongoing good health.  These foods help with detoxification of the body.
     A huge problem right now in the USA is that more and more women are being diagnosed with osteoporosis.  The doctors give them a calcium supplement and tell them to eat more dairy products.  The problem being that dairy is acid forming and the body tries to correct this by pulling salts from the bones in an attempt to alkalinize blood that has become chronically acid.  The bones start to dissolve because the blood is already acidic and then dairy, an acid-forming food is prescribed as a treatment.  And then for the calcium to be absorbed in the bones the body must have sufficient amounts of vitamin D but a test for vitamin D is usually not ordered.  The doctors need to find the source of the problem then fix it.  So for this case it would be to test for an acidity and the first response should be a life building procedure not a life threatening treatment.
     But hey I am just a cook who reads a lot, an awful lot.  And just about everything I tell you I get from the internet or from books.  So when you do become sick, read, read, read until you find your cause and your cure.  So when you visit your health care professional you have knowledge about your own illness.  And then you can decide if their cure coincides with yours.
     One of the best ways to eliminate illness is by eating healthy.  And this delicious Warm Asian Onion and Lentil Soup I made yesterday will pump your body full of minerals and vitamins to make it just that much harder for illness to occur.  This soup is a great autumn dish that will warm your body through and through.

Why it's good for you!
Onions  They contain chemicl compounds believed to have anti-inflammatory, anticholesterol, anticancer and antioxidant properties, such as quercetin. 
Lentils  They are high in protein. If mixed with rice becomes a complete protein.  They contain vitamin B1, iron and dietary fiber.  They have enzymes as well.
Kombu  It contains dietary fiber and a good source of iodine.  Iodine is an important mineral for the thyroid gland to function properly.
Wakame  Is a high source of calcium, iodine, thiamine, niacin and Omega-3 fatty acid.  It also has a compound called fucoxanthin which helps burn fatty tissue.
Shitake Mushrooms  Contain dietary fiber, protein, vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, D and iron.

Asian Onion and Lentil Soup with Seaweed and Shitake Mushrooms

by Jeff Harter

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 2 hours

Keywords: appetizer soup/stew gluten-free low-carb sugar-free vegan vegetarian kombu wakame onions shitake

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From our garden we have tons of onions that need attention. The onions are the real star of this dish. You slowly cook them for about 45 minutes until they are just starting to turn brown.

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large onions, peeled, halved, sliced thinly
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 8 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1 cup lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 nora pepper, cut in half(dried smoked pepper of any kind)
• a bit of dried spicy pepper (how hot do you want it)
• 8 dried shitake mushrooms
• 1 piece kombu
• 1/4 cup wakame
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp miso
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place a large sauce pan over medium heat add olive oil and heat for 2 minutes while slicing the onions. When oil is hot add the onions and cook over medium heat for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes when just starting to brown. Then add tomato paste and cook another 5 minutes stirring frequently. Then add vegi stock or water, lentils, bay leaf, nora (dried pepper), spicy pepper if using and bring to a boil and let simmer for about 1 hour or until lentils are soft. When lentils are soft then add the rest of the ingredients and stir well then let stand for 1/2 hour. Take out shitake mushrooms and slice and throw back in. Take out kombu and do the same thing or omit. Reheat slightly and serve. Can be served with freshly sliced green onions.

Vegan Papaya Smoothie

     When our bodies age we have a more difficult time fighting free radicals.  Especially now when the majority of us are taking some kind of prescription medication.  And not to mention all the toxins that are in our bodies due to the toxic environment in which we live today.  Whether it be from that coffee you had this morning or that glass of wine last night.  Or that burger and fries with a coke.  Or what about that nice clean starched shirt from the cleaners.  Toxins are everywhere we turn.  That waxed apple you ate on your way to work.  Unfortunately, that apple has been sprayed then waxed so all that washing you do won't take those pesticides away.
     But how do we fight those free radicals?  We fight them with antioxidants.  And where is the best place to get antioxidants?  From fresh fruits and vegetable.  Only one problem.  The majority of fruits and vegetable we by at the supermarket are from huge mega farmers that plant in soils that have been taxed for all there minerals and nutrients years ago.  That means that the vegetables we eat today only contain a small portion of those antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.  The meat and fish we eat today
do not eat what they should be eating.  Cows should be eating grass and then we would get sufficient omega-3 from them but they aren't, so we don't.  The farmed fish eat corn and whatever else and they also do not contain the important omega-3.  Instead when we eat these farmed animals we obtain omega-6 instead of omega-3
     So the most important step you can do to solve this dilemma is to grow your own fruits and vegetables and raise your own farm animals or buy organic and local if possible.  And eat as much as you can according to the seasons.
     Do you know that most Americans will experience some symptoms of chronic disease in their lifetime.  These are the diseases that cost so many so much suffering and money.  For these chronic aliments and there symptoms, modern medicine has little to offer.  Sure they will cut you open and repair it for now.  Sure they will offer you a little wonder drug that you take the rest of your life.  But when they do those things they will not talk about the long term effects that these remedies have on your health.
     They fix the problem ( for now) but they don't fix the why.  The body has the natural ability to repair and heal itself.  And when if can't then there is a problem.  So when the body can't do this then the cells are not functioning properly or the chemical reaction needed is not occurring or the body lacks ingredients for this process to occur.
     Over time our bodies accumulate toxins and allows our bodies to produce more free radicals.  Because of our toxic bodies and consuming fewer antioxidants it is know wonder more and more people are becoming ill.
     Another factor to consider is a the bodies alkaline level.  A healthy human body prefers to have a higher PH level than acidic lever.  A more acidic body in unhealthy and makes it easier to become ill. But a lot of things we put in our bodies makes our bodies more acidic.  For example; alcohol, coffee, meat, chicken, processed foods, etc...  Fresh fruits and vegetables on the other hand helps balance that out.
      One of the best ways to start the day and to make sure my body is getting a sufficient amount of antioxidants to fight off free radicals is by having a fresh homemade smoothie every morning for breakfast.  This morning I made a papaya smoothy with the papaya seed included.  The seeds are good for fighting off intestinal parasites.  Try it you'll like it.

Lemons from our tree

Papaya Smoothie

by Jeff Harter

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: blender beverage breakfast dessert snack

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Pump up your antioxidants with this outrageous smoothie. Papaya seed are good for cleaning out parasites in the intestines.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• Juice of 2 medium oranges
• 1 cup papaya peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp papaya seeds
• 1 sliced banana
• 1 sliced peach
• 1 carrot peeled and chopped
• 4 ice cubes

Instructions

• Throw it all in your blender and blend 2-3 minutes.
• Enjoy!

    

Enzyme Rich Foods

     I am reading very informative book on nutrition titled, "Prescription for Nutritional Healing, The A-Z Guide to Supplements" by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC.  In the book she talks about the importance of Enzymes and how important they are for the human body.  And even though we naturally produce enzymes, we can get them from raw food as well.  Some great sources of enzymes are avocados, papayas, pineapple, bananas and mangos.  But one of the richest source of enzymes are sprouts.
     Enzymes need the help of coenzymes to become fully active.  Some of the most important coenzymes are the B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, Vitamin E and zinc.  These vitamins can be found in the following; whole wheat products, brown rice, legumes, raw nuts, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, carrots, broccoli.  Of the B-complex vitamins, B12 is hard to find in vegetables but can be found in sea vegetables such as dulse, kelp, kombu and nori.  B12 is also found in soybeans and soy products.
     Now we have a list of enzyme and coenzyme foods.  So now we can create dishes by using these ingredients.  Below are the listed ingredients.

Enzymes                      Coenzymes               Sprouts                          Herbs
avocados                      whole wheat               soybean sprouts             parsley
papayas                        brown rice                  alfalfa sprouts                sage
pineapple                     legumes                      clover                             alfalfa
bananas                        raw nuts                      pea                                 peppermint
mangos                         potatoes                      sunflower                       fennel seed
broccoli                        tomatoes                     mustard                          cayenne
kale                               spinach                       watercress                      fenugreek
brussels sprouts            carrots                        cabbage                          paprika
cabbage                        broccoli                      quinoa                            thyme
                                     oranges                                                              rosemary
                                     seaweeds                       
                                     berries
                                     citrus fruit
                                     asparragus

Here are some examples of enzyme packed dish;

Spinach and avocado salad - almonds  - watercress sprouts - orange lentil dressing
Chilled asparagus - grapefruit - pea shoots - curried lemon mango dressing
Cabbage, broccoli and carrot stir fry - brown rice - pineapple - cashews
Chilled avocado and papaya soup - watercress oil - mustard sprouts
Stuffed spicy cabbage rolls - black beans - brown rice - tomatoes - spinach - walnuts
Steamed Brussels sprouts - rosemary potatoes - shaved carrots - fennel seed - pine nuts
Mango, papaya, pineapple, banana and avocado smoothie
Warm lentil soup - tomatoes - potatoes - carrots - kale - thyme
Shaved carrot and seaweed salad - soy walnut dressing
Chilled orange and carrot soup - shaved asparagus - quinoa sprouts - almond oil

Climbing Mallorcan Style