Clean 15 for 2020

Right now we are doing our best to shop for food for our households. As the stay at home orders started, I personally witnessed fights in the grocery stores and people purchasing in excess and leaving nothing for the next person. Many store shelves remain empty as supply cannot meet the demand

We need to follow stay at home orders and limit our trips to busy places like the grocery store. As you are making your shopping list, consider the nutritional value of your food. We are what we eat. We need to eat healthy foods (as well as get some exercise) to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

If you have not had a change to read the updated Clean 15 list by the Environmental Working Group, take time to do so before your next trip to the store or before you place your next online order.

The Clean 15 this year include:

1. Avocado
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Onion
5. Papaya
6. Sweet Frozen Peas
7. Eggplant
8. Asparagus
9. Cauliflower
10. Cantaloupe
11. Broccoli
12. Mushrooms
13. Cabbage
14. Honeydew Melon
15. Kiwi

Gluten Free BANANA BARS by Natti Bar

At the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo at the Del Mar Fair in San Diego I was introduced to a wonderful new product, Natti Bar. The bar is made from dehydrated bananas; that's it! It has a chewy texture and is similar to dried banana slices. It was a great post work out snack today!

The product is new to the market. Go on the company website to find where it is sold in your area!

Apple Sauce ... With Options

I like to have apple sauce in the house. I use it in recipes and enjoy eating it as it is. Over the years I have come to appreciate HOMEMADE applesauce more than mass produced varieties. Not only is this much better for the environment as it cuts down on packaging, but it is also better for your health. The apple sauce you make you control the ingredients. You can use organic apples if you wish to follow the Environmental Working Group's advice and avoid the DIRTY DOZEN foods that contain the most pesticides. Apples are high on the list each year.

Apple sauce can be made from beautiful apples as well as apples with bruises. This could be a way to use your apples if you or someone you know has a bumper crop.

The recipe is basic and can be modified to fit your tastes.

Base Recipe Ingredients:
Apples
Butter (I use unsalted)
Water

Step 1:
Wash and chop the apples. Remove the stems, seeds, and core (throw away or compost).
Step 2:
Prepare the pot so the apples do not stick and burn:
Depending on the amount of apple you have, use a small sauce pan or a soup pot.
Add 2-4 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the pot (depends on size).
Add a sliver of butter to the pan (1/8 to 1/4 TSP depending on size of pot)
Cover and simmer. Stir from time to time. The more apples you have the longer it will take. The apples are done when they are soft and have, for the most part, turned into liquid.

OPTIONS:
You can remove the apple skin from step 1 if you so desire
You can leave the apple sauce chunky if you prefer or put it in a food processor/Vitamix and blend
You can add cinnamon (to taste)

PICTURED ABOVE...chunky with cinnamon

TIPS: IN Ayurveda cinnamon is known to help would healing, lower creatinine levels Wonder what creatinine is? Follow this link.), relieve skin itching, and ease indigestion. Cinnamon is know to have weight loss benefits as well.

Variations:
Use other fruits...Pears, Guava, Stone Fruits!

Pictured above...Guava Sauce and Apple Sauce...the Guava is pureed (personal preference) so the seeds are not as prominent.

A close-up image of the Guava Sauce. The seeds are still evident. If you do not wish ANY seeds: remove before putting them in pot (you will lose valuable fruit) or strain through cheesecloth from pot to blender/food processor/Vitamix.

HINT: Let cool before using Vitamix so the Vitamix engine does not overheat.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freeze in small batches.