Their antioxidant nutrients protect the body’s tissue from oxygen-related damage. 

Raspberries are a good source of Vitamin K and Magnesium. They are also very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium that make them an excellent dietary inclusion for weight loss programs.

They may contain anti-cancer agents. 

Raspberry leaves make delicious herbal teas also good to be effective in regulating the menstrual cycle.

Cucumber is low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium.

The nutritional value of the cucumber makes it ideal for maintaining optimum health and to loose weight.

Cucumber juice is a good diuretic, can provide relief from heartburn, acid stomach, gastritis and even ulcer. When carrot, lettuce and spinach are added, promotes hair growth, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and stabilizes the work of the heart and yields good results at the presence of rheumatic diseases.

Cucumber Carrot Juice

Ingredients:

8 Carrots

2 Cucumbers

Preparation:

Wash and rinse both cucumbers.  Trim the skin off and set them aside. Wash and rinse the carrots. Feed the vegetables into the juicer one by one. Stir to make sure both juices are evenly mixed.

Negative calorie foods are the ones that when you eat them raw or in some cases slightly cooked with nothing on them, your body burns more calories digesting and processing them than what is in the actual food itself since the body has to work hard in order to extract calories from these foods.. For a healthy weight loss and a little boost add some of these foods to your diet each day. Most are full of nutrients and won’t weigh you down. And remember,  the more “negative calorie effect” foods you eat, the more you may lose!  

Here is a list of the fruit and vegetables of this group that we carry:

VEGETABLES:

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Red Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Winter Squash
• Zucchini

FRUITS:

• Raspberries
• Apples
• Strawberries

The winter squash group includes pumpkin, acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash.  The richer the color, the richer the concentration.   They provide excellent sources of carotenes.

Winter squash offer a very good source of vitamins B1, B6, and C.  It may be able to reduce the severity of conditions of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition to its ability to lower high cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of heart disease, Winter squash exert a protective effect against many cancers, particularly lung cancer, colon cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Also pumpkin seeds are helpful in reducing symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Heirloom tomatoes are not only flavorful, juicy, and rich, they are also high in a wide range of nutrients, packed full of vitamins (including vitamin A, vitamin C), and antioxidants like lycopene (one of the most potent antioxidants).  They provide a great source of fiber, and are naturally low in calories.

Chocolate Chip Beet Muffins

1 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 C. bittersweet chocolate chips

1/2 C. chopped pecans or walnuts

1/4 C. butter
2/3 C. bittersweet chocolate chips

3/4 C. brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C. beet puree*
2/3 C. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper cups; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients until well combined.  Stir in the half cup chocolate chips and nuts; set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the other 2/3 cup chocolate chips and butter over very low heat.  Stir to combine and set aside to cool until lukewarm.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, beet puree, buttermilk, vanilla and melted chocolate.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.  Don’t over mix.

Immediately spoon batter into 12 well-greased or paper-lined muffin cups.  Batter should completely fill the cups.

Place muffin pan in a preheated 375 oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Muffins are done when they spring back when touched lightly in the center (or when a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean). Don’t over bake!

Cool muffins for 10 minutes in pan then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

*To prepare beets: Cut off the greens leaving about one inch attached. Don’t cut anything off the root end. Gently scrub the beets being careful not to cut the skin. In a medium saucepan, cover beets with water, bring to a gentle boil and cook, covered, 30-45 minutes until tender. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. The tops should pull off easily or they can be cut off. The skins will slip right off. Puree beets with a little bit of the cooking liquid in a food processor until they are the consistency of applesauce.

According to Hippocrates, the father of medicine, beets and their leaves are considered useful in healing and as an aphrodisiac. 

Beets contain compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and colon cancer. They are high in fiber and have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, yet are very low in calories.

Beets are particularly rich in vitamin B, folate, which is especially important during pregnancy.

If you are looking to encourage seedling growth, making a mini greenhouse from a recycled gallon bottle is a quick and easy solution. Doing this, not only you are “thinking green”, but you are saving money.

You’ll need:

1 empty gallon bottle

sharp knife

scissors

potting soil

seeds (tomatoes, peppers, herbs, flowers, etc.)

a plate to hold the “greenhouse”

Soak the bottle in warm soapy water to loosen the label. Remove the bottle from the water and peel off the paper label so they do not block sunlight. Rinse and dry the bottle.
Using the knife or scissors, cut the bottle in half so that the bottom piece is deep enough to hold soil and plants. Poke a few holes into the bottom of the container for drainage.

Fill the container with soil and plant seeds. Water lightly.

Put the top half of the bottle back on, tucking inside the edges of the container and place a waterproof plate under.

Set your “greenhouse” in a sunny window. The lid retains moisture and heat, so your seeds should sprout quickly. As the plants heat up, moisture will collect on the inside the “greenhouse” and return to the plant when temperatures drop. Because the plastic is clear, you’ll be able to see the roots beneath the surface of the soil. If the greenhouse gets too steamy, you can remove the lid once in a while.  Removing the cap from the bottle prevents the plants from over heating and allows for the exchange of fresh air.  When your seedlings get big enough, transplant to the garden, and plant a new crop!