Prisoner Hit #1

So excited about our FREE for the first time promo for The Prisoner of Carrot Castle. We reached #1 for iPad book apps. So many little ones hearing and interacting with a fun and imaginative story to help them like veggies.

The promo is still on. So get to the App Store and download your copy FREE.

Sale ends at the end of the day Sunday, May 19th.

Unveiling The Prisoner of Carrot Castle Book at A Day on the Farm

THIS IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT

A Day on the Farm
Learn, Eat & Celebrate!
Sunday • May 19 • 10am - 3pm • $5 per person
American River Ranch • Next to Hagan Park • Rancho Cordova

$5 per person kids & adults
(2 yrs and under free)
pay at the gate (cash only)

proceeds benefit  

The Day's Events Include:
Farm Stand
Purchase fresh, local, organic vegetables & fruit

Cooking Classes & Workshops
Farm Tours & Nature Walks
Kid's Garden Activities
Face Painting & Photo Booth
Community Education Tables
Local Arts & Crafts
Live Music: Mind X Quartet & More!
Morning Food, Snacks & Lunch
Learn About:
American River's Native Plants
Gardening • Composting
Raising Chickens
Beekeeping • Cooking
Native Edibles • More

Mark your calendars! I will be at A Day on the Farm at Soil Born Farm in Rancho Cordova. Buy a copy of The Prisoner of Carrot Castle and get it signed. Buy carrots and broccoli. Enjoy a salad toss. Juggle veggies. Lots of fun things to see and do.

To celebrate the launch of the book in print, the iPad version is FREE for the first time ever! Hurry! FREE offer is good from May 16-19!

 Download The Prisoner of Carrot Castle on your iPad FREE

(May 16-19)

KISS Chili Recipe

Okay, it's high time you learn about the way I really cook. In hopes that you can learn to do the same.

When my friend Joanne Kraft began to prod, beg and coerce me to set up a blog so I could help people navigate the road to wellness plus provide delicious, healthy recipes, I protested loudly. I typically don't use recipes. I open my cabinets and refrigerator and make up meals. The simpler the better. You know... the KISS method(—Keep It Simple Stupid/Silly/(fill-in your own word that starts with an S).

What's the Scoop on Probiotics and Prebiotics?

In a recent post about bacteria and the role it plays in our health, I mentioned probiotics and prebiotics. There was a lot to digest (ahem!) there. So I feel the need to help you along with some practical information.

I believe that Americans in general are bacteria-starved. They have upset their body's ecological balance and, as a result, get hit regularly with illness (minor and serious).

The Solution

Potato-Less Potato Salad

I love potato salad. My mom made the best and I've always tried to duplicate it. But now I generally avoid potatoes except for a few recipes—like this Hearty Vegetable Stew. Why? Well they're starchy and quickly turn to sugar in your body. They're inflammatory as opposed to their beta-carotene cousin, the sweet potato or yam, which is anti-inflammatory.

So I decided to duplicate my mother's recipe, as best I knew how, with a healthier substitute. I've got to give my sis-in-law, Marion, credit. She gave me the idea when she served a mock-potato salad at Easter.

Wisdom Wednesday

Tip
Stay away from GMO corn. Unless it's organic or carries the Non-GMO seal, don't eat it. Tests show GMO corn contains 13 ppm of glyphosate (poison in Roundup®) plus high levels of formaldehyde. The EPA standard for glyphosate in American water supplies is 0.7 ppm, and organ damage in animals has occurred at levels as low as 0.1 ppm. Plus a 2012 nutritional analysis shows GMO corn severely nutrient deficient.

What's Bugging You?

Photo by Jayanta Behera

Last December I had a run-in with a few bugs. You know. Those nasty bacteria that can send you into a feverish episode requiring you to step back, rest and get your body back on track. Might also involve taking an antibiotic to kill off the bad guys. Of course there's always some collateral damage and good guys succumb to the process.

The Inside Story
Science is just beginning to learn which bugs inhabit our bodies and how vitally important they are to being healthy.

In a healthy, balanced gut (aka gastrointestinal tract) you'll find:

• 100 trillion microbes
• 85% good bacteria and 15% bad
• 10,000 different kinds of bacteria