Words to live well by – David Wolfe

Here at Leafy Greens, we’re inspired by the rhythm of the seasons, the amazing organic produce on the farm - and the rain. Especially the rain that we have had – we’re loving the new life it is bringing to all the fruit and vegetables. 

We’re also inspired by the wisdom and knowledge of some of the world’s leading thinkers on nutrition and superfoods, and living better through eating better. We really enjoy sharing what we’ve learnt on this blog. One of the most influential thought-leaders working in this field at the moment is the American David Wolfe. 

David empowers and inspires people to take charge of their health, even up against all the modern-day demands of bills, technology, environmental pollution, commuting, and inflation. By making simple, informed decisions, he demonstrates how we can all enjoy quality time for ourselves and with our family, because, as he maintains, health is wealth! 

He’s acquired the nickname David ‘Avocado’ Wolfe for his advocacy of this fantastic fruit, and the logo on his website even includes half an avo in the middle of his name. So we thought we’d start with a few of his thoughts on this wonderful pear… 

Trying to choose the perfect avocado? Pick one that has more weight for its size than most. Once you’ve got your avo’s home, don’t put them in the fridge as they will take longer to ripen. Rather keep them next to bananas in your fruit bowl – as the bananas ripen, they naturally release ethylene gas which causes the avo’s to ripen too. Try it! 

And to save half an avocado, keep the pit in it, and add a few drops of lemon juice before wrapping it tightly in plastic film and keeping it in the fridge for a day at most. 

As long as avo's are in season, you will find them on our lunch buffet - smooth guacamole or mango, avo and tomato salad (the best salad in the book!)

David’s curiosity about the world around us is really inspiring. It’s not just nutrition that he writes about – we really enjoyed one recent blog post where he mused on why we always seem to have our best ideas in the shower. Apparently it’s because showering is such a regular task that we don’t need to give it any thought. Which means that our brains can wander, and when we daydream, our brain relaxes and switches on its ‘default mode network’ freeing up neural pathways so that we can be more creative.

Exactly the kind of free-thinking – combined with first rate nutritional advice – that we enjoy at Leafy Greens… For more of David Wolfe’s eclectic and brilliant thoughts on health, nutrition, raw foods and more, check out his website: www.davidwolfe.com 

#eatwelldogood #eatclean #eatraw @antoniadeluca 

SUPERFOODS

Modern life, despite all its creature comforts, brings with it a number of harmful effects. Toxins present in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and in processed foods contribute to many health problems. 

Could it be that something as simple as food can provide a solution to these issues?

There is no such thing as a miracle food. However, current research is identifying certain fruits and vegetables that excel when it comes to nutritional value and positive effects on your body. These foods have come to be known as superfoods.  

Here at Leafy Greens we know that the health benefits are maximised when food is organic and local, ensuring that no life is drained from the harvest by chemicals and added food miles. A short journey from farm to table guarantees that everything we grow reaches you while it’s still completely fresh and bursting with goodness. 

While there isn’t an official definition of what superfoods are, a good one might be this: foods that make you feel super. 

These are nutrient-dense food powerhouses that work to boost health and immunity. They contain high levels of anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and other vital nutrients. Superfoods can also help slow down the ageing process, and protect against lifestyle conditions such as cancer and heart problems. 

While we can proudly say that we’ve never met a fruit or vegetable we didn’t love, we wanted to introduce you to a few of our favourite superfoods. Think of them as the superheroes of the food world! 

• Spirulina increases the haemoglobin content of your red blood cells, so that your blood can transport more oxygen, giving your body more fuel.
• Goji berries are one of the top competitors worldwide in terms of anti-oxidant content, and help to recharge your immune system.

GOJI BERRY BARS:

• Raw cacao, also known as the beloved chocolate, is one of nature’s most potent superfoods. With more than 5 times the anti-oxidants of goji berries, cacao is sure to get you feeling radiant.

RAW CACAO TRUFFLES:

• Maca, a root grown in the Peruvian mountains, is reported to have many benefits including hormone stability, mood improvement, and increased energy.

If you’re looking to get your daily dose of super, our Superfood Smoothie delivers all of the above ingredients in one delicious drink!

http://lgcafe.blogspot.co.za/2016/02/superfood-delicious-and-nutritious-this.html 

Superfoods are not, however, a one-stop fix-all wonder cure for bad lifestyle habits. It wouldn’t work to eat processed foods loaded with chemical additives and then expect to fix things with the occasional superfood. The best way to think of superfoods is as key ingredients in a super diet. Including these delicious and nutritious superfoods in your diet will give you the extra boost you need to be your very best self, and be a superhero in your own life. 

And it’s far easier than getting changed into tights in a phone booth! #antoniasfoodblog #eatwelldogood @antoniadeluca 

About Antonia

I was brought up a vegetarian, in an Italian household. My parents founded and operated Casalinga like machines. They worked day and night and never took a holiday together for the first 8 years of business (as one always had to stay at work). This lifestyle of late nights, too much food and drink, entertaining guests 24/7 and partying after work began to take its toll on my parents health. My father had a terrible ulcer in his stomach and cerisus on his face and head and my mother was terribly overweight. They decided to change their life. My father went to school with Mark Shearer, husband of the well-known Mary-Ann Shearer in the health world. They reconnected and the Shearer’s recommended water fasts. My father did his first 17 day water only fast and healed himself completely of his ailments, my mother followed suit with a 12 day water fast and their lives turned around. We started juicing, mainly carrots, but this is where the consciousness about what we ate was at its strongest. Being Italian, we always ate seasonal food, from our garden that we grew, we had a natural love for fruits and vegetables and we knew how to cook them. This was a great help at first with our transition to a vegetarian diet. 

 

At the same time, my mother was educating herself about health. She read whatever she could get her hands on about health, raw food, vegetarianism, colon health, cancer prevention, eating for longevity, etc. 

Our organic garden on our farm produced many bountiful crops of artichokes, spinach, black figs, tomatoes and much more. My Italian grandmother Margarita De Luca taught us how to preserve this beautiful produce by pickling and bottling. She has the most inspiring pantry full of bottled peaches, pears, beetroot, artichokes, beans, plums, jams, chilies, spreads, tomato sauces and whatever else is in season that she can save. In turn, I have developed a great love for preserving food without sugar and preservatives, using old fashioned methods of a boiling hot consol jar and preserving lids that seal. 

We have also been so blessed to have wonderful crops here on the farm at Casalinga. My grandmother passed on many of her heritage seeds to my father who has made his vegetable growing into very successful operations too. 

I was born into a family truly inspired by and in love with food, the way it grows, the seed it comes from, the soil it grows in and the way it tastes in its own right. This is the depth of what inspired me for Leafy Greens too. Is that people have forgotten what true vegetables taste like. They have forgotten the flavour of a dark red tomato that has just come off the vine, hand grown and hand picked. This is where the joy is. Knowing where your food comes from and having a hand in growing at least some of it. 

Even with having Casalinga Restaurant for over 24 years, we have always mainly focused on fruits and vegetables and how we could make proper use of what we grew here on Rocky Ridge Farm. We are in love with organic produce!

I look for ward to hosting you all at Leafy Greens Cafe