Jill Nussinow, also known as the Veggie Queen has just published her third book, Nutrition CHAMPS. You'll want to keep this piece of inspiration nearby, as it's loaded with plant-based recipes that take you through each food group. Her knowlege and vast experience with vegitarian cuisine is helpful not only when deciding what to cook, but how to make healthy, nutritous eating simple and enjoyable. 

I had the honor of contributing four spice blends to the book, one for each season. Below is the 'Summer Seasoning Blend.'  I highly recommend cooking with fresh herbs and experimenting with your own blends. It makes all the difference to enhance each meal with the tastes you love. Especially, with the bounty of fresh garden herbs this season. You can purchase Jill's book here in print or as an e-book. Happy cooking! xo

Nothing beats a refreshing drink to combat hot summer days. I had the pleasure of visiting an old friend and her kiddos in Bellingham, Washington a couple weeks back.  After a day of exploring the farmer's market and soaking up the sun we decided to go home, eat some watermelon and chillll out. Wait, better yet, let's drink some watermelon. Oh wait, even better, let's add aloe and mint and make a snazzy watermelon mock-tail! 

From an Ayurvedic perspective, this is a perfect summer drink. It's cooling, pitta pacifying, and hydrating. Melon's high water content helps bring fluids into the body. This is why it's recommended that melons are eaten on their own, at least one hour away from other foods to avoid bloating and heaviness. Aloe Vera is a wonderful plant that's revered for decreasing inflammation, purifying the blood, healing the skin, and supporting the liver - all of which can get aggravated during the hot pitta season. Adding mint gives an extra cooling, and calming effect. Here is our simple recipe and pics from the endeavor:

INGREDIENTS:
One small watermelon
1 cup of Inner Fillet Aloe Vera Juice (Whole Leaf can be too bitter)
About 2 Tbsp. fresh mint
Blend together and garish with a mint for extra snazze!