This powder mix is not your average kind of powder mix.  I have tried many vitamins on the market and could not stomach how potent the horse pills were.  Often the vitamins would make me sick in one way or another.  

Then I found powder mixes.  I tried a few at the health food stores and were either way expensive and not worth it, or cheaper and tasted like dirt.  I am so glad I didn't give up.  I finally came across Amazing Grass, Amazing Meal drink mixes and have found the holy grail so to speak.

Amazing Grass features a few different products, all of which give you your daily dose of recommended vitamins.  They don't stop there though, they also include organic, non-GMO, gluten free ingredients like chlorella, wheat grass, acai, and much much more.  And to top it all off, the product is raw, meaning that the ingredients still retain their natural enzymes because they were not over heated during processing.

Ingredients:
2 very ripe avocados
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 tbsp yellow onion, diced
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp fresh lime juice
6-8 large lettuce leaves
*Click on any of these ingredients for health benefits.

Directions:
Mash avocados and then add remaining ingredients.  Spread into lettuce leaves and wrap like a burrito or taco.
Enjoy!

The benefits of eating raw ingredients is that the nutrients and enzymes are not cooked out of the food.  Many of us live in a highly toxic society and our systems are overloaded with heavy metals and other harmful chemicals from household products and city pollution.  Eating a fresh, organic, raw diet helps detox the body of these harmful pollutants and helps you maintain health both mentally and physically.
Cilantro and garlic have been proven to be natural chelation for heavy metals.  
Many people have a tough time switching to a raw food diet or vegan/vegetarianism.  However, making up a diet that works best for you and your health is the main idea.  So don't worry about what everyone else is doing.  Start listening to your own body and find out what it needs or doesn't need.  My diet happens to be a mix of a few different diets with some occasional junk food at times. 

• 1-2 organic bananas
• 7 ice cubes
• 1/4 cup of Hemp Milk
• Ceylon Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp of flax seed

Play around with the ingredients to fit your taste.  I use Pacific brand Hemp milk and usually buy Vanilla.  Its already sweetened so your smoothie does not need any extra sugar, unless you're having a sweet tooth.

Smoothies are great for nutrition.  They are better than frozen yogurt and ice cream, so if you can use these as replacers to your naughty diet.  I often will add a powder or flour such as whey protein or spelt flour to thicken it up.  Sometimes I add powdered cacao (healthier than chocolate) and on a really bad day I might add chocolate chips!  Enjoy.

Making your own pizza can save you tons of money while also giving you control over the ingredients and not to mention cleanliness of your meal.  Many people are allergic to wheat, gluten and even yeast in pizza.  Putting foods into your body that are unhealthy is like putting cement in your sink pipes.  It clogs up your body causing everything to run slower and harder.  Eventually, over time this results in disease and constant fatigue as well as weight gain.  Even simply switching your pizza dough to wheat free can help you greatly and its cheaper than eating out.  If you are able to, buying in bulk can also save money.  Here is a basic recipe for spelt pizza crust:

• 2 cups spelt flour
• 1 1/2 tsp quick-rising yeast
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp healthiest oil you can afford (olive, peanut, etc)
• 1 tsp honey
• 2/3 cups warm water

Directions:

1. Stir first 3 ingredients together
2. add remaining ingredients. Stir well.
3. Knead until smooth
4. Stretch to fit greased 10" or 12" pizza pan

The point of living healthier is to start heading in the right direction.  Just in this recipe alone there are many variations we could change to make it healthier, cheaper and  more environmentally friendly.  Having "minimalist eyes" helps you looks for these changes and slowly implement them as you are able.  Perhaps using a cloth sack for your bulk flour instead of plastic bags, or researching healthy oils that come in glass containers instead of toxic plastic ones.  This also helps you support the right corporations with your money.  Corporations that  truly care about your health and the quality product they sell.  Using our money helps us keep ourselves accountable, as well as the corporations.  If enough people stopped buying products that use plastic containers by going bulk or to companies that use glass, we can eventually make a change in our environment.  So please do not feel like your voice and actions do not count.  There are many of us doing this all across the world and the BEST way you can help is by having more ethical practices right in your own home.  Thank you!

    I recently learned a lot about roasting coffee.  I am sure there is much more I can learn.  However, I learned enough for now that I realized the taste, quality and nutrition in coffee beans is a no contest to anything bought at a store or corporation.  I could go on and on about the huge levels of antioxidants or the fact that it tastes so fresh and good that I don't need sugar or creamer, or I can just urge you to buy it, and/or try roasting it yourself.  Here is the first company I bought green coffee beans from:  Coffee Bean Corral. I started with 4 sample bags, which cost me between $20-$25 at about $4.50 (ish) a bag.  You have to remember with quality nutrition, you will pay a little more initially, but the disease and dr's it keeps you from in the long run is totally worth it.  The basic idea of roasting coffee is similar to roasting almonds.  Here are some basic instructions on what to do once you get your coffee beans, however, please visit this webpage for more in depth information, CBC:

• Set oven to 400 degrees and plan on roasting for about 15-20 minutes.  There are variations of this but I believe slow cooking is better quality and taste. 
• Start off with a cup or so of green coffee beans and put them in a metal pan big enough they can rest in one layer on the bottom of the pan.  Something like a cake pan will do.  For toxin-free, do not use non-stick or teflon pans.  Find stainless steel pans.
• Stir beans every 2 minutes for up to 20 minutes depending on desired color.
• Watch for desired color.  Lighter beans will have more antioxidants and caffeine, whereas darker roasts will have less caffeine and less antioxidants.
• Cool beans off right away but do not put in fridge or freezer.  I used two metal bowls, dumping them back and forth, blowing off the chaff. (Outside).

To keep your beans the healthiest, try to avoid utensils, pans, etc., that have plastic, aluminum, non-stick coatings, teflon or other man-made materials that can be toxic when heated.  Stainless steel, wood, and pyrex glass are some toxic free alternatives.

Obviously, there are better ways of roasting coffee that involve better roasters and methods, however if you just want better tasting, more nutritious coffee, this is a great way to start out.  Please share these ideas with others so we start building healthier communities with healthier minds.