Raw Kale and Mango Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Lacinato kale (aka dinosaur kale) is one of our favorite greens thanks to it’s mild, earthy taste and a texture that is gentler than curly kale.

This week’s featured recipe is a simple and healthy salad showcasing raw Lacinato kale paired with fresh mango, Graw Foods basil pesto seeds, and a honey lemon dressing. Light, fit, and delicious, this salad is nutritionally dense and full of bright flavors! 

Raw Kale and Mango Salad with Pesto Seeds and Honey Lemon Dressing

1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and chiffonade cut
1 mango, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tbl lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbl raw honey
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup graw foods basil pesto seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Place the prepared kale into a large bowl. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey. Whisk in the olive oil, then toss the kale with the dressing and allow to marinade for at least 15 minutes (you can also make ahead and refrigerate). Before serving, toss the kale with the mango and seeds, reserving some for garnish. Enjoy!

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Eating A Plant Based Diet

Living a long and healthy life is something that everyone strives for. When it comes to feeling well and living well, a balance in life is key. It is important to get exercise and eat healthy each day to maintain optimal health. Our bodies were designed to perform, and making sure that you challenge your body and mind regularly is important for your overall health. Eating a diet rich in vitamins and minerals is essential in maintaining your bodies ability to give 100%. Shifting your diet to a plant based, whole foods diet is one of the best ways to gain better nutrition, feel better, and maybe even live longer.

Eating a plant based diet is actually a lot easier than some people may think. By consuming mostly vegetables and fruits with each meal in addition to lean protein sources and healthy carbs, you can transform your body into an energy powerhouse. Vegetables and fruits contain essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that replenish your body and cells. By raising your intake of vegetables, you can actually reduce the amount of calories you consume but gain more nutrients. By changing your meal plate up and making sure at least ⅔ of it is vegetables, you can be on the road to a better you. With a wealth of information available through books and the internet, it is easy to find new ways to create different, healthy meals.

Nature’s Garden is an organic produce delivery service that can help you on your road to better health. Choosing organic produce is the best choice because it contains fewer pesticides and is better for the envrionment. Nature’s Garden works directly with distributors to give their customers the best quality produce available. In addition to providing top notch quality from the start, they take it the extra step by hand picking each piece of produce for every box, making sure customers get the best of the best. When you decide that you are ready to eat your very best, check out Nature’s Garden, you won’t be disappointed.

Healthy Spring Recipes from Nature's Garden Express

Did you know that strawberries contain both antioxidants and anti inflammatory nutrients? This recipe features the fresh flavors of strawberries paired with arugula, almonds, Capra Gia Chevre, and a cinnamon vinaigrette.

Strawberry Arugula Salad

2 cups arugula
1 cup strawberries, sliced
¼ cup Capra Gia Chevre, crumbled
¼ cup almonds
Cinnamon Vinaigrette dressing to taste, recipe follows

In a mixing bowl, combine the arugula, strawberries, crumbled chevre, and almonds. Pour the desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Garnish with additional strawberries, chevre, and almonds if desired.

Cinnamon Vinaigrette

⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
¼ cup olive oil

In a small bowl, add the first 5 ingredients and whisk together to dissolve the honey and mix well. Continue to whisk and add the olive oil, mixing well. Use desired amount and refrigerate leftovers for up to 7 days.

Benefits Of Olive Oil

Fat. The very word conjures up thoughts of diet pills and weight loss plans. But as part of a nutritionally diet, we need to consume healthy fats daily. In fact a standard 2,000 calorie diet’s recommended daily intake is 65 grams. These healthy can bring us fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin E and omega 3 fatty acids. One of the best fats to consume daily for better health is extra virgin olive oil.

What does extra virgin mean anyways? Olive oil is gained by mechanically pressing olives so that their oils seep out and are collected. Some oils are then refined or treated with chemicals before heading out for bottling. Extra virgin olive oil means that the oil was only pressed and remains untreated by these other sources. EVOO has a defined olive taste whereas other olive oils are more bland and “oily” tasting.

Extra virgin olive oil is often praised for it’s health benefits. One of EVOO’s finest qualities is the way it’s fats are constructed. Present in extra virgin olive oil are extremely high levels of monounsaturated fats. These are healthy fats that are far better for the body than trans fats or saturated fats. They are beneficial to the heart and circulatory system and are high in antioxidants and vitamin E. Studies intake that replacing trans fats and saturated fats with monounsaturated fats like extra virgin olive oil can reduce risk of stroke and heart disease.

Nature’s Garden, an organic produce delivery service, carries an excellent selection of extra virgin olive oil’s with a twist. Their oils, from Sweetwater Growers, offer a range of different flavors that can add a boost to any meal. These oils retain all the important health benefits that EVOO has to offer and add natural flavors for added kick. these oils can fit into food of any style. With flavors like basil, roasted garlic, cilantro, red pepper, rosemary, and habanero, these oils can fit into food of any style. For cooking or for making homemade salad dressings, Nature’s Garden brings healthy oils right to you!  

Are You Eating Enough Produce?

Let’s face it, most of us do not consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables that we need every day. While juggling the day to day routine of commuting, work, relationships, and household responsibilities, we often neglect feeding ourselves well. Skipping meals is commonplace when things get busy. It’s easy to walk out of the door without breakfast or skip lunch when your mind is computing other things and trying to stay on track. Unfortunately, this lack of nourishment often leads to sluggishness and fatigue and can make it difficult to stay focused. When hunger has been building, we are more likely to eat whatever we can, which many times isn’t the healthiest option.

Fast food is convenience king. When hunger strikes on the go, the temptation of a drive-thru quick fix can be overwhelming. Calories add up quick at the drive thru, and by the time we eat enough to feel satisfied, we are often at our daily recommended calorie amount. The bad thing is that if it’s only breakfast and there’s still the rest of the day to go, we are setting ourselves up for an over-the-calorie-mark day from the start. Some breakfast sandwiches alone come in at close to 1000 calories, without even adding on the hashbrowns and sweet coffee beverage. When lunchtime rolls in, chips, sodas, candy and other salty, sugary snacks provide a quick fix and not much else, except maybe a tummy ache. If you make it past the 3pm food crash coma, you’ll probably start thinking about dinner...sound familiar?

Getting off to a good start is important, but maintaining momentum is even more crucial. By making healthy food choices at work, we can cut out all the empty calories and provide ourselves with real nourishment. Also, it makes getting those extra 2 or 3 servings of fruits and vegetables that much easier. By snacking on raw produce or making a healthy salad for lunch (not a fried chicken salad with ranch), we can gain hydration and mood-boosting vitamins and minerals. By simply having produce available to us, it is much easier to make good decisions when it comes to what we put into our bodies. Nature’s Garden makes eating produce at work a no-brainer. Let them know the size box and type of produce desired and they bring it right to the office. They fit right in to corporate wellness programs by providing employees with healthy options for the work day. Check out Nature’s Garden for fresh, local, and organic produce delivered right to your door.

Eating Less Processed Food

Its no surprise that many employers across the country are beginning to notice the benefits of corporate and workplace wellness programs. There are many ways that companies can begin these programs. One of the best starting places is switching away from heavily processed foods and shifting towards whole and natural foods like fruits and vegetables. We know that vegetables are great for our bodies and minds, and many of us aren’t getting enough. Gaining more servings of fruits and vegetables is possible by having them available at work.

Most of the time, when employees reach for a quick snack on the job, they go for quick and easy processed foods. However, what we gain in convenience, we sacrifice in health. Processed foods contain genetically modified ingredients, empty calories, and many have high levels of sodium or sugars. In addition, there are undisclosed “natural” and “artificial” flavorings. The truth is, most don’t really know what these foods are made of and don’t think about or question the source. The shiny, attractive package lures us in and those familiar tastes are what we expect.

At work, it can be even more of a challenge to eat well. We are often times pressed with deadlines and stresses that leave us chowing down quickly on whatever is available. This often comes from a vending machine or break room pantry and is a nearly nuclear, shelf stable, processed food. These foods are quick but they quickly lead to dragging, fatigue, and the dreaded mid day crash. Even worse, many employees wash it down with a soda for added caffeine boost and fizzy refreshment. Unfortunately, most commercial sodas are made with GMO high fructose corn syrup and are loaded with calories, sugar, and sodium.

Employers can change these habits, and help their employees get back on track with a healthy lifestyle. Most people spend more time at work than home so by making healthy choices available and educating employees on the benefits of eating real foods, employers can create a health conscious staff. Having salads for lunch or snacking on raw fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and hydration. Produce can boost our energy, metabolism, and mood naturally. Taking it one step farther by making the produce organic gives everyone the maximum health benefits without the harmful chemicals and pesticides.

Nature’s Garden makes it easy for employers to help their employees get on the path to better health. By bringing fresh organic produce right to the office, Nature’s Garden takes the time and guesswork out of how to provide natural food options. With a wide range of local and organic foods, Nature’s Garden helps us eat the with the seasons. Employers can choose fruit or vegetable only boxes or an assortment of both. There are several sizes available to suit the needs of any sized staff. Nature’s Garden has helped many companies provide healthy options for their employees and is there to answer questions about how they can help. The most important step in gaining a healthier workplace is the first one. By providing healthy food options to employees, companies can get a start in the right direction.

Benefits Of A Plant Based Diet

Living a long and healthy life is something that everyone strives for. When it comes to feeling well and living well, a balance in life is key. It is important to get exercise and eat healthy each day to maintain optimal health. Our bodies were designed to perform, and making sure that you challenge your body and mind regularly is important for your overall health. Eating a diet rich in vitamins and minerals is essential in maintaining your bodies ability to give 100%. Shifting your diet to a plant based, whole foods diet is one of the best ways to gain better nutrition, feel better, and maybe even live longer.

Eating a plant based diet is actually a lot easier than some people may think. By consuming mostly vegetables and fruits with each meal in addition to lean protein sources and healthy carbs, you can transform your body into an energy powerhouse. Vegetables and fruits contain essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that replenish your body and cells. By raising your intake of vegetables, you can actually reduce the amount of calories you consume but gain more nutrients. By changing your meal plate up and making sure at least ⅔ of it is vegetables, you can be on the road to a better you. With a wealth of information available through books and the internet, it is easy to find new ways to create different, healthy meals.

Nature’s Garden is an organic produce delivery service that can help you on your road to better health. Choosing organic produce is the best choice because it contains fewer pesticides and is better for the envrionment. Nature’s Garden works directly with distributors to give their customers the best quality produce available. In addition to providing top notch quality from the start, they take it the extra step by hand picking each piece of produce for every box, making sure customers get the best of the best. When you decide that you are ready to eat your very best, check out Nature’s Garden, you won’t be disappointed.