GREATEST SUMMER DRINK

Ruth Sandra Sperling
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I live in a high desert in southern California - the Antelope Valley. In Spring, Summer and Fall, the temperatures can get quite high - I believe that this year we already had some days in the 100's - it has gotten up into the 90's this week.

So with the heat -- and it being dry as deserts usually are -- your summer drinks are important.

Some recommend filtered waters -- which are a good idea, but I prefer drinks that have some kinds of supplements in them - like teas and juices.

But I have found that the greatest summer drink is green veggie juice -- the best is freshly juiced by yourself in your own juicer. Yes - I said green veggie!!

I particularly stress the green veggies, because they really are refreshing and they have minerals, phytochemicals and chlorophyll in them -- which really help out on those hot days.

I have a juicer - an Omega, which I have had and kept in good condition for a number of years.

So, I can make a fresh batch whenever I feel like it -- and include whichever fresh veggies I have on hand.

For instance, I made some yesterday and included the following veggies:

celery
radishes
cucumber
jalapeno
green bell pepper
red bell pepper
parsley
broccoli stalks (as in not the florets - the stalk part)

Oh, a couple of the veggies are red (radishes and red bell pepper), but they are in the same "family" -- and I have read up about the different veggies and they are good for vegetable juices.

I really like the "bite" that radishes and jalapenos give the juice!!

I still have some in the fridge -- I have been drinking it on and off ever since I made it yesterday afternoon.

I really recommend trying some on a hot day -- you might find it really refreshing. It is a bit bitter, but I like it!!

If you don't have your own juicer -- or you are running around in the heat -- try one of the juicing places and ask for green juice or celery juice or wheat grass juice (Jamba Juice has some).

Or if you have a Trader Joe's in your neighborhood -- or wherever you are -- look in their produce section for their "Essential Greens Veggie Cold Pressed 100% Juice Blend". I have grabbed one when I was shopping there - it s great!!

It is also a good way to drink your salad -- and get the vitamins, minerals, etc. -- for whatever reason you'd rather drink your salad than eat one.

I eat salads, too, as I love them especially with fresh herbs from my container garden -- my green veggie juice is in addition to salads for me!! Had one for lunch today - with fresh tomatoes-on-the-vine, fresh garlic, various fresh greens including parsley -- and fresh rosemary, fresh thyme and fresh basil from my container garden -- with just a little bit of salt and pepper -- and the green veggie juice for my drink - YUM!!!

Ruth

HOME GROWN CHERRY TOMATOES - YUMMY!! - IN MY OWN CONTAINER GARDEN!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
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My garden is quite small, but a couple of years back I found that the best way to get tasty fresh tomatoes was to grow your own!!

I don't eat too many of them -- only in salads some -- because of my diet and how I combine foods.

So, I decided to get some cherry tomato plants - and have my own fresh cherry tomatoes that I can just pick off the plant as they ripen!!

Bo-o-oy, do they taste good that way!!!

I have six cherry tomato plants in containers (yes - you can grow them in containers!) on the east side of my unit, so they get the full morning sun. My plants have blooms and little green tomatoes on them already - so I am just waiting for them to ripen.

If I take good care of them (which I plan to with watering every day), I figure that I should have fresh cherry tomatoes into the early fall before it gets cold. Our warm weather lasts well into September and sometimes into early October, so that will be quite a while!!

And I had some tomato seeds that sprouted -- now I have to see how they develop into adult plants. I am curious -- this is the first time I have ever tried tomato plants from seeds and I will see how they turn out!!

And getting my tomatoes from my own plants is great for doing a Low Carbon Diet!! No packaging, no transportation - all organic (the soil I use is organic!!) -- and on top of all that, they taste much better than anything from any grocery store -- at least they did in previous years!!

My spring-summer-fall container garden is developing and I just love it!!

I'll have some pictures later!!

Ruth

SPRING HAS SPRUNG - WARMER DAYS - TIME FOR A REFRESHING SALAD!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
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A constant part of all of our lives is what we eat.

For a variety of reasons, I have watched my diet and what I eat most of my life - I have keen memories of this part of my life going back to when I was 8 years old.

For some reason, I eat differently at different times of the year. In the colder months, I eat a lot of warmer foods - especially soups and stews - made with fresh ingredients.

But in the warmer months, it is salads.

Not your normal everyday lettuce and tomato salad - oh that is way too boring for me - and besides it is not the best for me.

What I do in the warmer months is to try an keep a dish of some kind of chopped up salad in the refrigerator.

It varies - sometimes it is hotter, like a salsa, with mainly onions, tomatos, hot peppers (usually either jalapenos or serranos) and fresh garlic. But very often I have a dish of just the greener/non-fruit/non-carb vegetables chopped up - it is great to grab a few spoonfuls in a hurry for a snack or it goes great with just about anything - chicken, fish, a dish of organic brown rice and veggies, a rice cracker - but what ever it is with, it is refreshing.

For me the basic ingredients that are always in it are:

• fresh garlic
• fresh onion (either red or yellow or white or scalllions - what ever I have/prefer)
• fresh hot pepper (either jalapenos or serranos - but if I use serranos, I use less as they are HOT in anything even in small amounts)

But with these three ingredients (which are also very often the basis for a fresh salsa), you need other green veggies to offset their strong flavors (and, oh, keep the toothpaste and toothbrush close by!). Since I am making a green/non-carb veggie salad, the other ingredients, which vary depending on what I have and what I feel like, are:

• cucumber
• celery
• fresh broccoli
• fresh red, green, orange or yellow peppers (not the hot ones - the so-called "sweet" ones)
• tomatillos (rarely, but occasionally)
• cabbage (either red or green)
• radishes

Then come the fresh herbs - again depending on what I am growing (I grow fresh herbs in containers in my yard) - which really add some great flavor to the veggies:

• rosemary
• basil
• tarragon
• chives
• dill
• mint
• oregano

Then mix it all up (sometimes with some black pepper, too) - and put in the refrigerator, covered (I use covered glass dishes that I have collected over the years - I think it tastes better in a glass dish) - for a while -- and then you have a tasty snack/side dish availabe at any time -- until it is all gone.

I usually make a pretty good sized dish, so it lasts me at least a couple of days!!

And, if it is all gone - and I want a veggie to grab, there is always a stalk of celery or a few radishes or some slices of cucumber or pieces of fresh broccoli.

And sometimes, it all tastes the greatest when I mash up a rather ripe avocado and mix in some of the veggies with some red or black pepper and sea salt (small amount).

Maybe you would like to try it!!

I am going out all day tomorrow, so I am chopping up some of my favorite fresh veggies to make one of these chopped salads to take with me - and some stalks of celery, some radishes - and a fresh orange or two - along with some meat I cooked up today. Easy to take along and much better than just anything I could grab while I am going around.

EAT FRESH FOODS!! AND THESE SALADS ARE REALLY REFRESHING!!

KEEPING A BOWL OF CHOPPED UP SALAD IN YOUR FRIDGE, IT WILL BE EASY TO GRAB!!!

IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT, FOR SOME NATURAL SWEETNESS, YOU CAN TAKE A FEW SPOONFULS AND CHOP UP SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE FRUITS (MINE TO EAT WITH SALADS ARE WATERMELON OR STRAWBERRIES OR APPLES OR ORANGE OR GRAPEFRUIT - OR A VARIETY OF BERRIES!!).

DIG IN!!

Ruth