Container Herb Garden Salad--Needing the Greens Today and Wheatgrass

Monday morning I woke up feeling the need for greens!! Upon awakening I had a cup of wheat grass and a little while later my Klamath Blue Green Algae. The wheat grass I drank was a powder from http://www.bestorganicwheatgrass.com/.
I signed up for free samples on their website. It is a great product. The taste is fine. It is not bad or good, it just IS. I get more of a grain taste from it than a grassy one. It is just unexplainable, but it is not bad at all. I drink it right down in about 5 seconds. No after taste at all! It is best to always take it on an empty stomach for proper absorption. It is assimilated into the bloodstream in about 20 minutes.

The company states ten reasons why they love wheatgrass.
Ten Reasons Why We Love Wheatgrass

1. A Complete Food. Easy Pha-max wheatgrass is the ONLY wheatgrass that includes the roots containing anti-cancer agents. One serving provides 17 kinds of amino acids, 13 vitamins, 10 minerals, fiber, chlorophyll and over 100 types of enzymes.
2. An easy way to eat vegetables, good source of fiber. Dr. Schnabel estimated that 15 pounds of wheatgrass is equal to 350 pounds of garden vegetables in nutritional value.
3. The king of alkaline food, helps maintain pH balance of the body. The human body, except for the stomach, maintains a slightly alkaline pH. If this is altered and acid wastes are constantly produced, various health problems arise. Most of us have an acidic body due to acid forming foods, negative emotions and a stressful lifestyle. Too much acid waste hinders absorption of nutrients, slows down the body's natural healing capacity, and stimulates abnormal cells to grow. Wheatgrass can neutralize acids better than most other fruits and vegetables.
4. The "Green Blood", Supports blood production and circulation. Wheatgrass contains 70% chlorophyll. Chlorophyll carries oxygen, nutrients and energy from the sun. Studies have shown that chlorophyll, which has a similar molecular structure with hemoglobin, intensifies blood production, improves it's quality and prevents anemia. Being oxygen rich, chlorophyll also promotes proper oxygenation of cells and better blood circulation.
5. Provides "Green Power", energizes and detoxifies the body. There are many active compounds in wheatgrass that help cleanse the blood, neutralize toxins and eliminate fats, mineral deposits and proteins that are clogging our system.
6. Rich in powerful enzymes. Every chemical reaction inside the body and every action that we make requires 1000's of enzymes. With age the amount of enzymes the body can produce on its own diminishes. Supplementing our body with enzyme-rich food enhances our cellular activity. More than 100 types of enzymes have been identified in wheatgrass. Two of the most important enzymes recognized are SOD (Super Oxide Dimustase), a potent antioxidant and P4D1, first known substance to actually stimulate repair of the DNA molecule. Both of these enzymes have anti-aging propertities.
7. Helps prevent cancer. In a study done in Texas, Dr. Chui-nan demonstrated that wheatgrass inhibits the activity of cancer causing agents, thus preventing the initiation of tumors. A plant hormone Abscissic Acid is found in wheagrass. It is a phyto-hormone that makes cancer cells vulnerable to the immune system of the body. The enzyme p4D1 strips the cancer of its protective covering and encourages cellular death. Wheatgrass has always been one of the mainstays of anti-cancer programs popular in the Hippocrates Institute of Dr. Ann Wigmore.
8. Enhances wound healing, good for the skin too! During WWII, wounded solders used chlorophyll derivatives topically and noticed loss of odor and foul-smelling wounds, faster healing and drying effect of pus and abscesses. Some legs were even saved from amputation. Dr. Carol Wright of Philadelphia also used chlorophyll in different types of skin diseases and found it to be especially useful in addressing chronic ulcers and impetigo. Other than healing diseases, wheatgrass juice is also good in energizing the skin.
9. Great internal deodorant. Dr. Howard Westcott discovered that chlorophyll extracts can neutralize offensive odors in food, alcohol and tobacco. Also, in patients and volunteers, it effectively neutralized bad breath, body odor from perspiration, menstrual odors and foul smelling urine and stools.
10. Good for intestinal problems and inflammatory conditions. Wheatgrass is rich in fiber that helps clear out toxins and garbage in the digestive tract. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and is great for addressing ulcers, colitis, sigmoiditis, pancreatitis and other inflammatory conditions.

WOW...doesn't that get you excited about wheatgras?? It does me! One of my raw goals is to grow my own wheatgrass and juice it with a manual juicer. When we get back from summer vacation, I am taking the plunge. I am going to start sprouting and growing wheatgrass. I have three family members that need its anti-inflammatory properties in particular and I want us all to get the full benefits that wheatgrass offers. But I am very glad that I found this powdered wheatgrass product as well, because it is perfect for traveling or when you are in a hurry and still want to get your wheatgrass into your daily routine. I will always keep some of the packets in the house for those two reasons.
After I had my wheatgrass and blue green algae it was time to think of my morning meal. I was thinking more green and this is what became of those green thoughts.
I have a small container garden on our upper deck. I posted about it back in June. I am growing a few different herbs, micro greens, tomatoes, a cucumber, and two peppers. So far I have only harvested tomatoes, one cucumber, micro greens, and several herbs. I pick herbs almost daily.
Well, I was really in an herbal mood and wanted to add something to these amazingly simple yet delicious marinated vegetables that I made. I went out on the porch and just started cutting. My daughter held out her hands for me and I piled them high with micro greens and herbs. Then I just started assembling this amazing salad along with my marinated vegetables. I loved how it turned out. It was one of those special salads that you hope you can recreate when you're craving it again. Let's start with my marinated vegetable recipe:

Marinated Zucchini and Carrots

1 zucchini cut into rounds
1 large carrot thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 of a sweet onion thinly sliced
3 Tbsp First cold pressed EVOO
3 Tbsp Rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Tamari
1 clove garlic, pressed
Whisk together the oil, vinegar, tamari and garlic. Pour over vegetables and let marinate overnight.

Now we can assemble the salad. I took a bed of sunflower sprouts and topped it with the marinated vegetables. Then I began topping it with the following:
parsley
basil
lemon thyme
lemon basil
boxwood basil
micro greens

There you have it. I am amazed at the amount of food I get from this tiny container garden. I can hardly wait for Fall to plant my two, square foot gardens. I just hope I am successful at it. I am counting on having kale and collards and tons of other veggies growing in my own backyard. The rest of you are probably enjoying your gardens already, all of us down here in SW Florida have to wait till the Fall. Peace and Eat More Greens! Grow some wheatgrass too!!

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for the time I spent with my parents. They came over to give Eric Jr. his birthday gifts and we had a fun time chatting about raw and living foods. I think I filled their heads with way too much information. They looked dazed and confused. Or maybe they were just thinking that their daughter has gone nuts. :)