I love squash.  A lot of people underestimate it but it is versatile and soaks in flavours really well. I use Spaghetti Squash quite a bit, but I have not tried "pasta" with summer squash and looking at this, I will definitely have to. This is a wonderfully easy recipe Nida brings to us today that we can adapt to suit our taste buds. W.P 

Oh my gosh Summer is fully in season - even though we're getting all sorts of rain (??) lol but I'm seeing lots of my friends talk about their farmers market finds and goodies. One of my favorite parts of summer is the squash and zucchini and i absolutely adore squash and zucchini noodles! The marinara is something i've been wanting to try for a while because there is nothing like fresh basil and tomatoes.  If you can manage to get high quality olive oil, its well worth it in every scenario. The buttery, nutty taste of a pure olive oil really lends itself well to the sensational basil and tender tomatoes.

What you need:

2 yellow squash
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan/sea salt

Sauce
6 Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes in olive oil & Italian herbs
2 tablespoons crushed walnuts
1 tablespoon garlic flavoured extra virgin olive oil (regular is fine too)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove garlic)
1 teaspoon onion powder (or 1 tablespoon chopped red onion)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10-15 fresh basil leaves
1 pitted date
A few sprinkles ground pepper
A few sprinkles Himalayan/sea salt

How to prepare:

1. To make the Pasta: Wash the yellow squash, then use a vegetable peeler to peel layers of the squash off. You may want to experiment peeling from different angles so the “pasta strips” come out smaller sized. Otherwise, you can simply peel it, then use a knife to slice down the centre so the pasta noodles are not too wide.
   
2. Let the squash sit in a large bowl and add 1/4 teaspoon salt, covering all parts of the noodle. This way, it will drain out the water. Let it sit for about 30 minutes or longer while you prepare the other ingredients.
   
3. To make the Marinara Sauce: Chop the Roma tomatoes in four or five pieces, and put them in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients. Don’t forget to crush the walnuts with your hands if they’re in big chunks, and wash the basil.
   
4. Once everything is in the blender, give it a few pulses until everything is very well chopped. Do not put this on a high powered blender like Vitamix, because you will end up with orange sauce.
   
5. Remove all the water released from the yellow squash pasta.

At this point, you can either eat it as it is, or do what I really love:

1. Put the pasta sauce and squash separately in a dehydrator or oven (with the lowest setting) for a few hours. This way, you get the cooked flavour. Once you can smell a really fragrant aroma, it’s ready to be eaten.
   
2. Once it’s ready for you, spoon the pasta onto a plate and top it with the sauce and garnish with basil.
   

H/T: Divine Healthy Food

Nida Kazmi
Twitter: @nida84

Here's an easy way to serve up a healthy dessert and it is also perfect for the month of Ramadan. Nida goes in depth to help us understand why. Pop 1 of these at suhoor or iftar and you will have a serious jolt of energy! W.P

No bake energy bites are the best way to have fun with your kids in the kitchen and enjoy healthy treats. These no bites are packed with powerful ingredients including the superfood Maca. This will easily be the coolest "keep your kids busy for a while without electronics" activity while kids are off during the summer! The best part is how versatile they are to make. If your family doesn't care for coconut, try dusting it with cacao powder. Mix the cacao powder in stevia to make it less bitter for the kids. Use dates to make it more moist or sweet. Try it and let me know what you think!

Why I heart these ingredients:

SunFood Red Maca supplies iron and helps restore redblood cells, which aids anemia and cardiovascular diseases. It keeps your bones and teeth healthy and allows you to heal from wounds more quickly. 

Cranberries contain a powerful cocktail of protective phytonutrients such as flavonoids and phenolic acids which contain protective, disease-preventing compounds that act as antioxidants in the body. Cranberries may also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol, inhibiting LDL oxidation, lowering blood pressure and inhibiting the formation of blood clots.

Almonds are high in fat (the good kind). According to Vegetarian Times, 60 percent of the fatty acids in almonds are mono-unsaturated, a healthful fat that can reduce levels of LDL cholesterol. Almonds are also a good source of vitamin E and antioxidants. Almond skins are high in fiber, which act as a probiotic and improve digestive health and strengthen your immune system.

Coconut is a good source of iron which is crucial for the formation of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that is responsible for getting oxygen to each part of your body. Without enough iron, your cells don’t get sufficient oxygen, which can lead to weakness and fatigue.

Sea salt naturally helps you to build up a strong immune system so that you can fight off the cold virus, the fever and flu, allergies and other autoimmune disorders. It is alkalizing to the body, as it has not been exposed to high heat and stripped of its minerals, nor does it have any harmful man-made ingredients added to it.

Coconut Oil
There is a misconception spread among many people that coconut oil is not good for heart health. This is because it contains a large quantity of saturated fats. In reality, coconut oil is beneficial for the heart. It contains about 50% lauric acid, which helps in actively preventing various heart problems like high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

Ingredients:

2 cups Cranberries
2 cups almonds
2 cups coconut flakes
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp organic coconut oil
Vanilla Extract
red/white maca powder

Mix and form into balls, dusk with coconut flakes for presentation.

Hat Tip: Eating with Sole

Nida Kazmi
Twitter: @Nida84

I know that the meaty, chewy texture is something a lot of people love about beef ribs, but I have never been too fond of them personally. I find them too tough and the meat gets stuck in my teeth and I just don’t end up enjoying the actual flavour. But, I recently discovered a way I do like ribs. And it starts with the cut. We asked our butcher for ribs and I talked to him about my concern that we would end up with tough short ribs so he said let me worry about that and cut the ribs really, really thin so they absorb the marinade and also cook super fast, compared to slow cooking thicker cuts. He did this by cutting them the opposite way you normally would, right through the bone! Brilliant! We made 3 different recipes with the ribs. Root Beer Marinated Sweet Ribs, Korean BBQ Pan Fried Ribs, and Spicy/Tangy Masala Ribs. The latter were my personal favourite. Try them out, they will melt in your mouth! Mmm MmmMmm!

W.P.

Who wants to drink some Algae? No, it's not a dare - if we can down smoothies made of all sorts of funky veggies and use Algae face masks, why not learn more about what other benefits it has to offer?  Check out what Nida has for us today! 

W.P

I had promised some more detoxes or smoothies and here we are - Today I bring you a smoothie with the single ingredient that is 1,000 more powerful than fruits and veggies. You might be saying what the wha..?! If you're hoping its chocolate, sadly its not (believe me I would be a champion in that category if it were haha!) Its Klamath Blue-green algae. I'm going to give you some detail on the benefits and its source, since its not a commonly heard of ingredient. I also want to stress on the fact that LESS is MORE here. 

It comes from the Klamath Lake - home to a particular type of blue green algae called Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, which is similar to spirulina and chlorella, but just a wee bit different.

Aphanizomenon flos-aquae is a type of cyano-bacteria that biologically is quite similar to spirulina. It’s actually toxic in most places where it’s grown, but Klamath Lake is remarkably pure and free of toxins so the blue-green algae there can be ingested by humans. 

It is the ultimate brain food and a powerful PINEAL GLAND ACTIVATOR! It contains more protein, B12 and chlorophyll than any other food on the planet. It is rich in neuropeptide precursors which are vital for neurotransmission which allows brain neurons (neurotransmitters) to communicate with each other in learning and memory. 

“The greatest value of A.F.A. is not only its nutrient concentration, but its effect on the nervous system, specifically the pituitary, pineal, and hypothalamus. People taking A.F.A. have reported an overall increase in mental alertness, mental stamina, short and long term memory, problem solving, creativity, dream recall, a greater sense of well being and centeredness.” – Dr Gabriel Cousens, health guru

Not only is Klamath Blue Green Algae a powerful brain food for the pineal,pituitary and hypothalamus, it is the most nutrient dense food on the planet!  In addition to its high potency, the body only has to use a small amount of energy to metabolize it.  This makes it easy for the body to absorb and assimilate its nutrients, which it is full of. Klamath Blue Green Algae is full of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, chlorophyll, simple carbohydrates, fatty acids, neuropeptide precursors, lipids, glyco-proteins and enzymes.

Additional Klamath Blue Green Algae Benefits:

• contains arginine, for muscle building and toning
  
• complete source of protein
  
• great for cell regeneration
  
• richest source of nucleic acids than any other commercialized food
  
• improved overall well-being
  
• helps with weight loss
  
• mental clarity
  
• increased creativity
  
• energy booster
  
• anti-aging effect on skin, organs and hair
  
• great for detoxing and cleansing
  
• improves digestion
  
• superfood
  

Klamath Green Algae Smoothie

Ingredients (all organic preferred)

• 1 large stalk kale (leaves only)
• 1 large romaine lettuce leaf
• 1 large leaf Swiss chard (including stem)
• 1 banana (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1/2 lemon, peeled
• 1 tsp. Klamath blue-green algae 
• 1 – 2 dates or stevia for additional sweetness (optional) 

Instructions

1. Place everything in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

H/T: Well and Awake

Nida Kazmi
Twitter: @Nida84