I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s newsletter which highlighted 3 very easy and delicious ways to incorporate super nutritious Kale into your healthy eating plan (even for those non-veggie lovers).
If you missed it, you can read it again here:
Easy and Delicious Kale recipes – for the entire family. Today, we’re going to get away from the vegetable category a bit and talk about 1 food that has been called a “miracle cure for all” for centuries. Now, I wouldn’t go as far as to call any food a miracle, but if there was ever one that comes close it’s definitely….
Super Healthy Food #2: Apple Cider Vinegar Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is made by fermenting apples in a wood barrel. It is not the clear vinegar you may see in your grocery store simply labeled “Apple Cider Vinegar”. The kind you are looking for has a brownish tinge to it and floating stuff inside. The floating “stuff” is called “mother” and is formed from the pectin and apple residue. Please be careful when purchasing and be sure to get:
Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother Several ingredients found in Apple Cider Vinegar give it its “magical powers”. It contains hefty amounts of calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, malic acid (very helpful in fighting infections from harmful bacteria and fungus) and pectin (which has been found to regulate high blood pressure).
Apple Cider Vinegar has also been found to greatly improve digestion and eliminate heart burn, clear skin irritations (like acne and contact dermatitis), assist in chronic fatigue conditions, help relieve constipation and assist in weight control by breaking down unwanted fat in the body.
WOW, that’s quite the list. With a track record like that, this food should be at the top of your “must have” list on a daily basis.
Here are 3 easy ways I ensure I drink a minimum of 1 TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar into my meal plans every single day (yes, every day!)
Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing If you’re pressed for time, a little olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and pepper is a delicious way to dress any salad, but if you have a little time you can quickly prepare this tasty salad dressing and enjoy the benefits of ACV at the same time.
Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients · 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
· 1 teaspoon dry mustard
· 1/4 teaspoon dry granulated garlic
· 1/4 cup raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar
· 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (more or less depending on how thick you make the vinaigrette)
· sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions Put the shallot, mustard, salt, pepper and vinegar in a small mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly. Add olive oil and whisk until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasonings as you like. This is best when made fresh, but it can be made up to one day in advance, and kept in the fridge in a small airtight container. Let it sit at room temp for one hour if it has been in the fridge.
If you’re not having a salad on a particular day, you can consume your ACV in the form of a tasty cocktail (sorry, no alcohol included).
Apple Cider Vinegar Cocktail * Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (with mother)
* 1 to 2 teaspoons of Raw Honey
* 8 ounces of filtered water
Drink this cocktail 1-3 times a day, preferably before or with each meal.
I suggest you start out with 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and honey to see if your stomach can tolerate the mixture at first. If you see you are having no stomach problems then increase to 2 teaspoons of each.
Alternatively, if you would like a cocktail with a bit less sugar, use stevia or xylitol to sweeten (although, raw honey has a long list of powerful healing properties all in itself, making the “cocktail” one of the healthiest drinks you can have each day).
Green Smoothie w/ vinegar For those who really don’t enjoy the strong taste of vinegar, making a healthy fruit and vegetable smoothie is a great option. The different flavors of the fruits and veggies will help mask the vinegar taste.
There really is no need to have an exact “recipe” for your smoothie and I would recommend varying the ingredients every time so you are always getting in a variety of vitamins and minerals.
Here is one of my favorites (you can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste).
Isabel’s Green Machine Makes 4 cups
· 1 cup filtered water or coconut water
· 1/2 - 3/4 box of organic baby spinach (or 1/2 - 3/4 lb)
· 2-3 leaves of kale (stems removed)
· 1/2 inch slice of organic lemon (peel, pith, and all)
· 1 ripe banana
· Large handful of strawberries (about 6 large ones)
· 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
· 1/2 avocado (optional)
· 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
As I mentioned yesterday, if you are pressed for time, you could substitute the kale and spinach with Athletic Greens to make the green machine a little quicker to create.
Isabel’s favorite Green Drink – Athletic Greens The benefits and the ways to use apple cider vinegar are truly endless. I highly recommend making sure you get your minimum 1 tablespoon of ACV into your meal plans every single day and see the dramatic effects for yourself.
I’ll be back in a few days with our last
Super Healthy Food #3!
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