Veggierific

I'm noticing more and more how much my body and soul crave vegetables. When I eat a meal solely comprised of whole and unprocessed foods, I can feel my body healing itself. It's an amazing thing to experience after spending so much of my life eating fast and highly processed foods from a box.

Even though I know the benefits of healthy eating, it's easy to fall back into a habit of frozen pizzas and macaroni and cheese. It's convenient, familiar, and inexpensive.

It's not surprising that my ratio of healthy food to junk food has teeter-tottered into an unhealthy balance. It's time to reexamine and reset my behavior.

I'm declaring today: Veggierific Friday. I will be eating all of my vegetables, and then some. To round out my diet, I'll throw in some organic beans, eggs from a local farm, cold-pressed olive oil, and soy milk.

This next part is a lot to take in. But let's break down each meal and examine the health benefits of some of the ingredients in today's menu.

Breakfast
Omellette:

• Egg
  
• Dandelion Greens—Has a rich source of nutrients that could improve liver function, promote weight loss, and improve blood-sugar control. It is a lean protein and has a rich source of medicinal compounds that have a "toning" effect on the body (I definitely need some of that).
  
• Chard
  
• Spinach
  
• Sundried Tomatoes

Lunch
Butternut Squash Chili:

• EVOO
  
• Onion
  
• Garlic
  
• Ginger—Has natural healing properties. Is used to help with nausea and problems with digestion. Ginger promotes lower cholesterol, stops diarrhea, and naturally freshens bad breath. That fact that it relieves gas and bloating makes it a great ingredient to compliment the black beans in this chili recipe.
  
• Carrot
  
• Red Pepper
  
• Green Pepper
  
• Org. Black Beans—Has cholesterol-lowering fiber. High fiber prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal. They are a source of fat-free high quality protein. Helps detoxify preservatives in the body. Black beans are loaded with antioxidants. Can possibly reduce pre-cancerous cells. Helps lower heart attack risks. And gives you energy to burn while stabilizing your blood sugar.
  
• Butternut Squash
  
• Org. Veg. Broth
  
• Soy Milk
  
• Sucanat
  
• Curry
  
• Sea Salt
  
• Parsley—is packed with nutrients including vits K, C, A and Iron. Helps neutralize carcinogens and helps prevent oxygen-based damage to cells. Increases antioxidant capacity of the blood. Promotes a healthy heart and provides protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis. 
  

Dinner

Stir Fry:

• Yam
  
• Broccoli—Protects against cancer. Boosts body's detoxifying enzymes. Supports stomach health. Contributes to a significant reduction in heart disease risk. Helps prevent cataracts. Builds stronger bones. Boosts the immune system. A birth-defect fighter. . . . Broccoli is really, really good for you.
  
• Onion
  
• Spinach
  

Snack

• Oven Roasted Radish—Is good for the liver, stomach, and helps detoxify blood. It helps reduce jaundice. Aids in digestion and reduces bloating and constipation. It brings down the body's temperature and helps reduce inflammation due to fever. The radish is a natural breath freshener. Regulates metabolism, improves blood circulation, is a treatment for headache, nausea, sore throat, and gastric problems.
  

It feels great to know that I've done so much to help improve my health today just from eating some really yummy food.