Dog Treats and Healthy Eats

I have a funny story to share with all.  I just received a fantastic phone call from the Hubs. Lately, Chris was in receipt of coupons in the Post from McDonalds, how lovely.  He explained to me that he never gets to eat there and this little book was a treasure trove full of foods that he would like to indulge in today while he is out cutting wood for his grandmother on her farm, Rose Hill.  He decided that he would like to take our farm pup, Fally, with him on his little adventure and she loves to hang out with her daddy, ride shotgum and feel like queen for a day, as all daughters should, even fur-baby-girls.  Chris left the house asking me which sandwich had more fat, and what would be the lesser of two-evils, the Big Mac, (or Le Big Mac as we refer to it, thanks to Pulp Fiction's popularity many years ago) or the, well, I don't know, I wasn't paying much attention because I do not condone the consumption of junk food.  So I heard blah, blah, fat, blah, McDonalds, and so forth and so on.

As most of you well know, I adore food.  I love fresh vegetables of all colors of our blessed rainbow and I love them prepared in almost any fashion with loads of exotic spices, see my published works, hahah! I especially love noshing on foods with a purpose. To eat with great gusto, foods that will boost your immunity, improve your mood and mental function and give that much need uumph, when I am need of some uumph!

So, I received a phone call, a moment ago, from X (my abbreviation for Chris), which served as a complete ephiphany for him.  He had just cashed in on his coupons at McDonalds and he was giving one burger to Princess Puppy and he had one burger in his lap to enjoy as he shifted his farm truck along Number One Highway, Route 1, as he was making his way to Gran's.  Princess Puppy scarfs the sandwich down in three bites and looks at X like she is the saddest Princess Puppy that the world has ever known.  She lifts her big, brown eyes to her father, as if asking, "why would you daddy?" and falls immediately ill, losing lunch all over the interior of her chariot.  Don't worry the Lady is fine now and in full bark, but X will never be the same again.

He has informed me that he has a serious distaste for all things referred to as junk food and that he may never get over this experience.  Well, finally we are in agreement on one thing.Haha!  Fast, processed foods, packed with sugar, salt and weird, science fat are poison for your body. Whew! Thank you for this revelation! It takes a fur-baby to show my husband how toxic this stuff really is.

I am taking this opportunity to share with all of my friends and family some healing, helpful foods that are quite the opposite of  McDonalds (that ghastly place that X has sworn off of, even though he has BOGO, buy one get one free, coupons which appeal only to his frugality and nothing more.  So let us all raise our forks for today we dine on something divine!

Here's my list of veggie wonders that will help boost your immune system and polish up our bodies from the inside out, because as you know, I love all things lovely and refined, especially a little coat of gloss for our immune system during this season of colds, molds and all things that put our wondrous health on hold.

Here are the stars of the show: kale, red peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, squash and vegetables that are all beautifully colored in deep, rich reds, royal purples, thick, forest greens (like those pictured in Forks, Washington). They are living art and to eat them is like mining the most brilliant jewels for your collection which will bring your great fortune, as your health can be, for the future.  All of these vegetable beauties are wondrous to behold, then slice, steam, saute and eat with your T lymphocytes declaring war on all things foreign and immune suppressing in your lovely body.  Oh, our bodies and the food that we eat can be so amazing if you just give in to eating well. 

Here are the foods that should be shunned during times of rebuilding health: sugar, oh sugar, how you destroy and damage our immune systems, it should be well known how you disrupt our health, especially when we need it most during times of sickness.  Sugar comes in many forms and should be eliminated when we are feeling a bit frowny.  Avoid glucose, fructose (fruit sugars), sucrose (table sugar), simple carbohydrates, milk, fruit juice and alcohol.  These sugars impair white blood cells to reach their destinations and therefore suppress and depress our immunity even further.  So put down the chip, soda, Starbucks and McDonalds.  No more milk and cookies for you.  Not in time of war!

Attack back with your color wheel of vegetables!  So let's get cooking!  Grab your bag of kale and go to work.  Nosh on your carrots, cook a sweet potato and let it melt in your mouth.  Drizzle on the olive oil all over your fleshy tomatoes, basil and sea salt.  Have that buttery avocado with red onion and cilantro. 

Your health is wondrous. Enjoy it, improve it, and soothe it.  This is the only body you have so please take care.

With much love in my heart for you in this year and for always!

Jen