organic produce

Pears, like apples, are also great for losing weight

Pears, like apples, are also great for losing weight

Full of flavor and packed with phytochemicals, trace minerals and amino acids, pears are one of the world's healthiest foods that you can eat for weight loss

Pears suppress our appetite and prevent overeating

A close kin to the apple, pears are another must-have food to include in your diet.  Pears are known to be high in dietary fiber, offering us that feeling of being full and satisfied with hunger levels to the point that we don't overeat during meals or in between meals either (similar to eating bananas for losing weight).  The sweet flavor that a pear brings satisfies our hunger (and/or suppresses our appetite) and their electrolyte makeup serves to stabilize our blood sugar, giving us natural boosts in energy without the crash afterward.

Yellow watermelon fruit bowl

Yellow watermelon fruit bowl

Fruit bowl made out of watermelon shell and filled with organic yellow watermelon pieces

The Basics

  • Prep time 5 minutes 
  • Servings 3-4

Ingredients

1 whole yellow watermelon (organic if available)

Purple, Gold and Green Miso Dish

Purple, Gold and Green Miso Dish

Simple Plant Based Meal with Purple Carrots, Gold Beets, Celery, Collard Greens and Miso

The Basics

  • Preparation Time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes
  • Servings: 1-2 servings

Ingredients

1 purple carrot (sliced)
1/4 cup carrot greens (chopped)
1/2 cup collard greens (chopped)
1 golden beet (diced)
2 celery stalks (sliced)
1 tablespoon miso
1/2 tablespoon turmeric
1/4 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 cup natural spring water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Peppery Pear Salad

Peppery Pear Salad

Wild Arugula Salad with Pear, Avocado and Tomato

The Basics

  • Preparation Time: 5 minutes
  • Servings: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 pear
1 round tomato
1 avocado
1/2 lemon
1/2 lime
1/2 cup diced organic arugula
1/4 tablespoon turmeric
1/4 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Crockpot Cooked Jambalaya

Crockpot Cooked Jambalaya

Slow Cooked, Cajun Style Jambalaya with Plant Based Ingredients

The Basics

  • Preparation Time: 15 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 90-120 minutes
  • Servings: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red miso
1/2 tablespoon turmeric
1/2 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 red tomatoes (diced)
7-8 pieces of okra (sliced)
1 cup sliced butternut squash
1 orange bell pepper (sliced and diced)
2 celery stalks (finely diced)
2 leaves of collard greens (diced)
1/4 cup red lentils
1 cup long grain brown rice
3 1/4 cups natural spring water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Finding Organic Produce in New Orleans, LA

Finding Organic Produce in New Orleans, LA

Going Organic in a Town Flooded with Blue Runner Billboards and Popeye's Fried Chicken Commercials

Whether you're a New Orleans resident or just a patron traveling through, finding organic fruits and vegetables at the local grocery stores may deem somewhat problematic in the Big Easy. What the popular Nola groceries (like Rouse's, Zuppardo's and Winn Dixie) do try and carry is next to impossible to find, with organic labeled fruits and vegetables spread out sporadically in random baskets and shelf spaces.  Without an actual map to get you through the produce puzzle at these groceries, you might find yourself leaving said grocery store(s) with a lot more confusion and frustration in your cart than actual organic produce.  Nonetheless, there is some light at the end of the levee down south, with a few (Whole Foods Market) grocery stores in New Orleans carrying organic fruits and vegetables.