avocado: the incredible hulk

the way i see it the diet i try to follow is more about adding certain foods rather than taking away. if i add tons of good foods to my daily meals there won't be room for the bad foods. so these newly added foods need to be superfoods. they need to bring some big benefits to my autoimmune disease-fighting table.

one of the foods you will see in many of my recipes will be avocado. i love this little green hunk and it's not just because he's so creamy and yummy.  the avocado is packed with tons of vitamins, fiber and potassium, which makes for strong hair, skin and nails. it's good for the heart and for lowering cholesterol. avocado is said to fight cancer of the prostate, skin, and mouth. also i saw on a vegan tv show that it was good for the libido...wink, wink.

the reason i choose avocado is because of the fat. that's right...i said fat. F-A-T! these fats are the monounsaturated fats. they're good for you! oleic acid is one of these fats in the avocado. it's job is to create fat transporting molecules in the digestive tract, and this process increases our absorption of fat soluble nutrients like carotenoids. so add avocados to salads and other dishes. the combination ensures maximum absorption of nutrients!

other fats contained in avocados include phytosterols and poly hydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs). both have been proven to provide anti-inflammatory properties. since autoimmune diseases cause and wreak havoc with inflammation, avocados are a big superfood for me. when that little green hunk is ingested it's like he turns into the incredible hulk and just goes nuts and takes care of business! grrrr!

i buy avocados like 4 or 5 at a time. i get the firm ones and leave them on the counter with the bananas until they give with a squeeze then they are off to the fridge. a serving size is 1/5 of a medium sized avocado. seriously? what am i supposed to do with the rest of it, let it get all brown and gross? i eat the thing whole. if i do only go for a half, i stick the other half in a plastic baggie and suck the air out. and be sure to eat it the next day!

avocados are great in:

• salads with lots of colorful veggies.
• smoothies - sounds strange but is delish and creamy!
• sandwiches and wraps - see below.

grilled avocado sandwich

• 2 slices whole grain bread
• vegan buttery spread
• 1/2 avocado sliced
• cheddar vegan cheese shreds
• s+p

1. first toast the bread slices in a toaster. this gets the bread toasted on the side going against the avocado too:)
2. spread vegan buttery spread on outside of bread slices. add avocado slices, cheddar shreds, and s+p.
3. grill on a sandwich press or however else you make grilled cheeses. i went old school and used the George Forman!
4. slice and eat. if you so choose, try Sriracha hot sauce for dipping!

enjoy! - j

reason for my lil lemon zest blog

so the reason i'm here blogging is mainly due to two things: i love veggie food and i've been stricken with not one but two autoimmune diseases that i must now thwart with drugs and hospital stays. these two seemingly unrelated topics have led me to seek knowledge about healthier foods and healthier life options.

veggie food - over the past two years i have been a vegetarian and the more i read/learn/know about dairy the more i strive to be vegan. for me it's time to take that stand. so let's consider any recipes here completely "plant-based". no milk, cheese, or eggs. i find it fun to learn about new ingredients and techniques. cooking vegan food has become a whole new adventure and i love to document it with fab pics :)

autoimmune diseases - i have two. good grief. bet you didn't even know that could happen. actually if you have one autoimmune disease it's quite common that you will find yourself with another. i started off with lupus over 15 years ago. for me lupus was minor and i often forgot i had an issue at all. over the past 3 months however, multiple sclerosis has taken over my life. i have lesions in my brain and spine. the subsequent pain is unbearable. chemo has been my only option for treatment. mwa, mwah...

i assure you this topic will not be the subject of many future blogs. this platform is not where i lay my sorrow about how terrible life is for me. my amazing kids and gorgeous hubby make my life incredible to say the least. rather, this platform is where you will find me standing up to MS and lupus and giving them a bit of a run for their money. i refuse to go down without a fight! therefore, i've decided to try and take my health back into my own hands. i will control how i treat my body and see if i can create the healing environment it needs. and so i begin my journey.

as stated, this is a journey of self-induced healing! how I do that exactly remains mysterious i guess. one does not know where one will go during a journey, what will be discovered, and where it ends. but we take the journey anyway. i will tell you that this journey will include to start with: whole, plant-based foods (recipes and pics!), yoga poses and topics, happy things (like cupcakes!), and perhaps some intuitive or alternative health and wellness ideas that may or may not pan out. 

if you have an autoimmune disease or ailment of any sort you should join me! if not, please check in on my journey anyway. you might discover something new!

looking forward to spring! - j