I appreciate this article, and I, too, try to find a use for everything. My stems of parsley, kale and brocoli make their way to the juicer, where they combine with carrot and apple to make a delicuos and nutritious drink. The pulp ends up in the dogs’ meals, as I raw feed them and they appreciate the sweet veggie treats. Also, carrot pulp is a wonderful addition to muffins and pancake batter!

I love having greens with eggs (Actually, I love having greens with everything!)
I make this recipe without the cheese since I don’t eat dairy products, and serve open-faced over toasted slices of grainy, sprouted bread. Very tasty and a bit more healthy!
Diane
http://www.womensnutritionmatters.com

Oh, I love a simple bean and tomato salad. I make this even simpler-- I double up on the tomatoes, use the canned organic beans and good quality tuna, and just add a sprinkling of red wine vinegar and a drizzle of good olive oil---mmmmmm. I haveplenty of basil and parsley in the garden, so it is a real treat and it uses up some of the harvest!

I made these muffins using fresh mulberries that I picked from a tree near my office. I made a dozen of these little gems and took off for Block Island wwith my husband and believe me when I tell you, they were GONE in no time! Wow! These are superb. Fruity, lemony and crunchy with the cornmeal (I like a courser grind so they have some crunch.)
Highly recommended!
Diane

I feel your pain trying to fill up on salads. I, too, had this problem until I learned how to make a good salad! Trista, I eat a huge salad every day for lunch, too. Sometimes I get hungry later on, sometimes I am too busy to notice. But I do have a very large salad, usually mixed greens like romaine, spinach, arugula. I add shaved onion, cucumber, sprouts. Always either leftover fish or a half can of chick peas. The occasional avocado for good fats. MAybe some seeds. And I try to make my own dressing out of EVOO, pear vinegar and Dijon mustard--delish. Greens are your best friend, they are sorely deficient inour diets, and are really the key to keeping our bodies clean. I say go for the BIG salad and enjoy! Have a cookie later if you need it. OR a piece of dark organic chocolate is even better. Go GREEN!

As a vegetarian who used to work in the meat room as a meat wrapper for 3 years, I had to giggle at the notion of people really not thinking about or knowing how meat really looks! Back in the 80’s, we still had “hanging meat” and the butchers deboned and actually butchered meat! People nowadays don’t know what meat looks like before it is all cut up, cleaned up, and cryvacked and packaged. Maybe if more people really saw that meat was, well, animals! they might choose to eat more vegetables! WOnderful article. Thank you!

What a wonderful piece! It is a true bit of wisdom to know that being alone doesn’t equal being lonely- to be confident enough in yourself and comfortable in your own skin... to be able to draw from all your memories is a treasure. Simple acts draw us back and lift us up just when we need it most- a simple cold remedy or maybe a hot cup of tea or a warm bath can all conjure up comfort and company enough for one! Thank you for sharing!

How nicely put! I am constantly amazed how little thought people give to the food they eat. As a health counselor, I try to bring my clients back again and again to the question, “where does your food come from and how much do you know about it?” I try to conjure up a feeling of community with our local farmers, I swap recipes with them and chat about different varieties of tomatoes. I have always envied the farmers! Then that tomato sauce we have for dinner takes on a whole new meaning, as we talk at the dinner table about farmer Ken and his children, and what’s new in their garden. Thank you for a lovely article!

I certainly can relate to Cindy’s creativity in adding veggies to our daily meals. I have been blessed with a healthy body and healthy lifestyle (we won’t mention the 70’s) and I have always considered myself as a healthy eater. I have noticed that as I work my way through my 40’s that i crave more veggies and less meat...it’s an interesting transition, and a healthy one. I, too, shop for the freshest produce available-- thank God it’s spring!--and find all kinds of ways to eat them. I love roasting and grilling veggies the best. I also love veggies added to my smoothies in my Vitamix. In fact, I am drinking one right now as I type. I add a handful of kale, chard, spinach, whatever looks good- to my fruit and yogurt concoctions. Yum! As an herbalist and holistic health counselor, I also love to forage in the woods-- my husband says I eat weeds. Well, I do! SPring is a wonderful time to pick chickweed, young dandelion greens, and lambs lettuce, all good additions to salads and the Vitamix. So I say to the vegetables, bring them on !!
Diane Lassen, RN, HHC