Addictively Divine Raw Sushi

This is one of my most favorite raw foods dishes, and best of all, it's easy to make! I will be showcasing this recipe and many more in my raw foods workshops that I will be starting here on Guam very soon! Stay tuned! =)

Love To All,
Morgan Marie

Homemade Coconut Yogurt

For me, breakfast is usually the same as lunch or dinner. But I just discovered a new raw recipe for homemade coconut yogurt from Jenny, a woman who loves the bounty that Guam has to offer. Now I can have fruit parfaits, smoothies, etc. It's easy, delicious, raw, and so good for you!

Ingredients:

Probiotic powder (from probiotic capsule)
Manha (young coconut meat)
coconut water (buko juice)

1. Blend manha till smooth.  Add coconut water till desired consistency.
2. Add probiotic powder; for every four cups of blended manna it takes two probiotic capsules. Lightly blend.
3. Place in a glass container and incubate in room temperature for 5 hours. 

"And wallla, you get smooth tangy dairy less yogurt! I really like in my morning smoothies!"
-Jenny Chargualaf Coffman

Thanks Jenny, for this great recipe!


Photo credits

Chipotle Black Bean Quinoa Wrap

My new friend Wendy makes these really amazing quinoa dishes for her family. Not only are the recipes healthy and easy, they are delicious! 

Chipotle Black Bean & Quinoa Wrap

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 ½ cups black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup diced red onions
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• ½ cup alfalfa sprouts
• 1/2 recipe chipotle sauce (recipe below)
• 4 large whole wheat or brown rice tortillas

Instructions

1. Mix quinoa and black beans together in a medium bowl. Lay tortilla flat and top with a tablespoon of chipotle sauce. Place quinoa mixture on tortilla and top with onions, tomato, lettuce and sprouts. Drizzle with additional sauce if desired. Roll tortilla and cut in half to serve.

Notes

Nutritional Information excluding chipotle sauce (so you can adjust for the type of mayo you use): Calories 255, Fate 1.9g, Carbohydrates 47.7g, Protein 12.1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 253 mg, Fiber 11.2g, Sugars 3.1g

Total Calories Per serving with Fat Free Nayonaise used in Chipotle Sauce: 275

If you are using gluten free wraps be sure to get your wrap warm first. Do this by heating a dry skillet to medium heat. Add your wrap and cook for 2 to 3 minutes a side. Wrap immediately.

Chipotle Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ cup tofu mayo or mayo of choice
• 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

Notes

Calories 20, Fat .9g, Carbohydrates 2.5g, Protein 1.1g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 218 mg (Using fat free Nayonaise - 80 calories total mayo in recipe)

Click here to see Wendy's recipe at CookingQuinoa.net.

Click here for more recipes from Wendy at CookingQuinoa.net.

Apple Cider Vinegar

The healthiest type of vinegar is raw, unfiltered, organic apple cider vinegar, also known as ACV.  Bragg's ACV is found at Payless, Healthy Hearts, Simply Foods, and other health food places on Guam. The reason ACV is healthier than other types of vinegar is because it is alkalizing to the body, making the body non-acidic and more basic, which is an environment that inhibits cancer and other illnesses. All vinegars expect for apple cider vinegar makes the body more acidic, and prone to illnesses and cancer-causing environment.

Use Apple Cider Vinegar Instead!

Many local dishes on Guam use white vinegar, but it can easily be replaced with apple cider vinegar. ACV is a bit stronger or more acidic in taste than white vinegar, so use a little less and add water, if necessary. In most recipes, replacing white vinegar with ACV will not change the taste. However, I have had some friends who missed the taste of white vinegar, but quickly grew to prefer ACV.

Citrus Fruits vs. Apple Cider Vinegar

Lemons, limes, and calamansi (small local limes on Guam) are also a good substitues for ACV in recipes. Lemons and limes are pH balancing to the body, which means your body will be neutral, neither acidic, nor alkaline. This is healthy, and it adds vitamin C to your diet.

Avoid Processed Foods like Lemon Juice Powder

Lemon juice powder is not as healthy as fresh lemon or lime juice. Lemon powders, while convenient and commonly used in Guam, may not be made from real lemons or limes (citirc acid), high fructose corn syrup (not healthy), and chemical stabilizers and fillers.

ACV can also be used in place of lemon or lime when a recipe calls for it. Use a little less than the recipe states and add water to make up the difference in liquid. Try using ACV in finadene (soy sauce, ACV, boonie peppers), a Guam's favorite condiment!

Alkalizing Apple Cider Vinegar Drink

For an alkalizing drink, add a little ACV in a glass of water and sweeten with honey, if necessary. I have read that drinking it up to 3 times a day may improve your health by keeping the body alkaline and giving the skin a healthy glow. Drinking it 30 minutes before a meal is ideal, and it is also known to reduces appetite for those looking to loose a little weight.

The drink tastes a little like an apple flavored lemonade!

Soursopsicles

Have you tried local soursop on Guam? It is one of my favorite fruits here. Sweet, sour, creamy, and delicious chilled. Also delicious in popsicle form.






First, skin and seed the soursop. This can be quite messy. Make sure you catch every seed!





Place seeded soursop in blender and add fresh young coconut water to dilute it. If you don't have coconut water, chilled green tea is a nice alternative.





Pour soursop-coconut water mixture in non-plastic Onyx popsicle molds.






Place popsicle sticks in molds. (Does anyone have a suggestion for a reusable non-plastic alternative to wooden popsicle sticks?)







Enjoy a soursopsicle after a nice boonie stomp!

Breakfast of Champs: Slow-cooker oatmeal

If you are short on time in the morning and end up eating your cold breakfast at work, slow-cooker oatmeal is the answer! It’s whole grain, natural, filling, and lends itself to culinary creativity.


To make a single serving, combine the following in a slow-cooker the night before:

¼ cup oatmeal

Pinch of sea salt

1 cup water


Cover and set slow-cooker to LOW. Sleep. In the morning, spoon hot oatmeal into short thermos. Add your favorite fruit, nuts, seeds, milk, and flavorings - bon appétit!


Pictured below are ingredients for oatmeal with vanilla, cacao, and pecans.


Tips:

1. Use Bob’s Red Mill Organic Steel Cut Oats for the best texture. Rolled oatmeal becomes mushy. Instant oatmeal is a no-go. You can also use Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal or other grains.
2. Do not add fruit the night before. It loses its flavor.
3. Do not add milk the night before. It spoils.
4. Every slow-cooker is different. Amount of water may vary.
5. Thermos makes a great product for oatmeal, complete with a telescoping spoon.
6. Easy clean-up: soak slow-cooker in soapy water and clean when you get home.


My other favorites:

Banana, pecan, vanilla, & flaxseed

Dates, cloves, agave, & chia seed

Goji berries, blueberries, & walnut

Figs, pistachio, & salba seed

Banana and almond butter

Apples, cinnamon, & hemp seed

Local Lettuce

As of December 10, select Payless stores, including Micronesia Mall, started selling a variety of locally-grown lettuce: Red butter, Lollo bionda, Red oak leaf, Green oak leaf, Lollo rossa, Green butter, Green butter incised leaf, and Red butter incised leaf, each for $3.99/lb. "Tri-head" (Green Oak, Lollo rossa, Lollo bionda) lettuce sells for $4.79. The lettuce is grown hydroponically, or without soil, and comes with the root system intact to supply the lettuce with nutrients after harvest. It is pesticide-free and insecticide-free. I sampled each variety and they were deliciously flavorful and fresh. A representative from the distributor told me all Payless stores would eventually start carrying the lettuce.

Try dressing the lettuce up with Thyme-Mustard Vinaigrette. Whisk the following ingredients until smooth and emulsified:
1 tbls. olive oil
2 tbls. cider vinegar
1 tsp. whole-grain mustard
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
pinch of sea salt
fresh ground pepper, as desired

Healthy Gift Baskets

How to make your own Healthy Gift Sets & Gift Baskets:

You can find these gift sets at Healthy Hearts in Dededo or you can make your own!  You can personalize it to the person or family you are giving it to, and they don't have to be vegan to enjoy it! Here are some ideas:

• Organic sparkling juices with vegan chocolates
• Aubrey body lotion, soaps, fragrance 
•  Healthy snacks like raw tamari nuts, healthy cashew butter, and fruit 

You can buy a used basket from Salvation Army, Hafa Books, or a freshly made basket from Chamorro Village. You can also ask your friends of family if they have any extra baskets they don't mind parting with. Fill the bottom of the basket with a filler like shredded paper or extra gift wrapping paper. Then add your items into the basket. Add a bow, and viola! you are finished!

Not only is your gift basket eco-friendly and reusable, but the healthy vegan products and foods will be enjoyed by your family and friends!

Happy Holidays!

A Vegan Thanksgiving

To all the Guam Vegans who celebrate, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I definitely echo Lisa's thanks to the many places on Guam that make it easier to be vegan every day and to the people, like her, who do the same. Over where I usually blog, I wrote about some of the non-food aspects of Thanksgiving, but I thought I would share a bit here about the food. While it was certainly healthier than the standard American Thanksgiving, it was by no means as healthy as could be. During the holidays, I enjoy proving to others that you can both be vegan and enjoy some of the delicious, special dishes that many Americans associate with certain celebrations. I consider it my own, quiet kind of activism - changing the way people look at vegan food. I'll also admit that I have something of a sweet tooth. I should change that, but I haven't yet. 

The staple of my Thanksgiving every year is the Tofurky Roast. I look forward to it all year long. This year it was stocked at both Payless (Micronesia Mall) and Simply Food. Here's what ours looked like when it was finished cooking.

I have vowed to make my own stuffing from scratch next year, but this year, I used Arrowhead Mills organic stuffing, purchased at Simply Food, with the addition of some diced celery and onions. I did, however, make fresh whole wheat rolls from scratch. I am by no means one who writes recipes. I just make food. I can tell you how I cook things, but precisely what amount I use of what is something I'll never be able to figure out. Sorry. 

The ingredients:

1 packet active dry yeast 

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon salt

+/- 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Enough water to make a good, pliable dough

The process: Knead the dough for about ten minutes, cover and let rise in an oiled bowl for two hours. Next, shape the dough into balls, place well apart on a greased baking sheet, and let proof for 30 minutes to an hour. Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes, and here's what you get:

Next on our table was sweet potato casserole, or candied yams if you prefer. This is really not a healthy dish, but it's delicious, and we only eat it once a year. Last year, I made it sans marshmallows, which is certainly one way to make it healthier. This year, I ordered vegan marshmallows from Food Fight Vegan Grocery, based in Portland, OR and almost immediately felt guilty for the waste of a box and for the fuel that would be used to bring it to me. Can you tell that I have an internal conflict with this dish? I'll quit going on and just tell you how it's made.

The ingredients:

4 large, or 6 small sweet potatoes (or yams, depending on who you talk to - the kind with the orange flesh)

Vegan marshmallows (or not)

+/-1/4 c. vegan margarine (I use Organic Smart Balance. Note that the non-organic is not vegan)

1/2-1/3 cup chopped pecans

Cinnamon - a lot

Nutmeg - not quite as much

Cloves - even less

The process: Preheat oven to 350. Peel and cube sweet potatoes, rinse, and place in a baking dish. Place dollops of vegan margarine over the top and sprinkle with spices, freshly ground is best. Place in the oven and bake until the potatoes are nice and soft, approximately 30 minutes, stirring once or twice to distribute the spices. Use a hand blender or a fork to mash the potatoes, add pecans, mix well, and top with marshmallows. Bake another ten minutes or so, until marshmallows are golden brown. The result:

It doesn't look very impressive from the top, but it was my omnivorous husband's favorite dish of the evening. It really is delicious.

My favorite every year is green bean casserole, now that I have finally devised a way to veganize it. 

The ingredients:

About 1lb fresh or frozen green beans (for those with base access, the Andersen commissary carries frozen organic green beans)

1-2 cups mushroom gravy - make your own, or use the Road's End Organic mix available at Payless

2/3 cup Toffuti Better Than Sour Cream (also available at Payless - note that their Sour Supreme contains 

hydrogenated oils, but the Better Than Sour Cream does not, so it's your best bet)

1/4 c. slivered almonds

2 cups french fried onions

The process: Place everything but the onions in a bowl and mix until beans are well coated. Place all in a baking dish and cover with onions. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until top begins to brown. The result:

Another that doesn't look gorgeous from the top, but tastes delicious.

Now, on to my favorite thing about Thansgiving: the pies. Each year, I make pumpkin following this recipe for the filling, and whole wheat pastry flour, a touch of oil, and a bit of cold water for the crust. I also used a paring knife to cut leaf shapes out of the crust. The result:

I use the same crust for our pecan pie, along with this recipe for the filling, but I add a teaspoon of agar agar powder with the sugars to help the filling set a bit better. Believe it or not, I'm on a constant quest to make my Thanksgiving a touch healthier without compromising the tastiness. This year, I opted to make raw cashew "whipped cream" instead of buying the spray can of soy whipped cream that Simply Food carries. It was delicious, but definitely could never pass for dairy, which is quite alright with me.

Tell us: what are your favorite special occasion dishes?

The Gourmet Peanut Butter Sandwich

Ingredients:
Sprouted grain bread, toasted
Peanut butter or any nut butter
Sunflower seeds
Chocolate covered cocoa nibs, or mini chocolate chips, or flaked dark chocolate

1. Mix sunflower seeds into the nut butter. If you would like it sweeter, add a drop or two of stevia or a bit of agave/honey.
2. Spread butter on toast. Top with chocolate.
3. Enjoy!

Optional for a truly gourmet experience:

fresh sliced tomatoes
fresh basil
salt
chili powder

3. Add sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of chili powder.
4. Enjoy! (picture above)

Optional for Kids:
Sliced bananas
Vegan Corn Flakes or Granola
Jelly

Cheese Alternatives

I can't tell you how many times I've heard the phrase, "I could never be vegan, I love cheese too much!"  I have to admit, it was probably one of the hardest things for me to give up when I made the decision to "go vegan," too. There's just something about cheese, I guess. 

I have long been frustrated by the deficit of good, vegan, cheese-like products, but the options seem to get better and better all the time. I was thrilled recently when I discovered that Payless in Dededo is now carrying Daiya Cheese - a vegan, soy free alternative to the gooey deliciousness we love to hate. Daiya Cheese comes in shreds, both mozzarella and cheddar style, and Payless sells it for $5.59 per two cup bag. 

Nutritionally, it is essentially empty calories, so it's not something I would use liberally, or often at all. It is soy free, which is a big plus for those of us who try not to rely too heavily on soy, but that means that it doesn't have much to offer in the way of vitamins and minerals, since it is essentially comprised of starches and oils (unfortunately, the label is rather vague about the oils used, but one of them appears to be canola oil, which is quite disappointing if you're familiar with the controversy surrounding it). One serving is 90 calories and contains one gram of protein and six grams of fat. What is so unique and wonderful about Daiya cheese, however, is that it actually melts, and does so quite easily.  Once melted, it also has that familiar stretchy quality. Again, nutritionally, this doesn't really matter, but it is nice to be able to enjoy an otherwise nutrient packed, homemade pizza or some nachos every once in a great while and actually have something to hold all of the toppings together. On a recent visit to the states, I discovered a couple of pizza places that started offering vegan pizza using Daiya cheese. So far, I have used it on pizza, nachos, and in lasagna, all with good results. 

When you're just looking for a cheesy flavor, however, there are much more nutritious options that you can make at home.  I love this recipe over at food.com for vegan cashew cheese sauce (the sauce is made by omitting the agar agar) for a variety of different things. I use it most often in enchiladas and it works wonderfully. Personally, I prefer to cut the oil in the recipe by about half, but it works well either way.

When I need a quick and easy, yet nutritious meal that doesn't require a lot of advance preparation, I often make a different cheesy sauce for use on pasta, changing the recipe depending on what I have on hand. My pasta of choice is Eden Foods' organic veggie shells, which are available at Payless for $4.39 per box. As a nursing mom, I'm always looking for ways to boost my protein intake and this pasta contains 9 grams per serving. I like to add peas or broccoli to the pasta, too. For the sauce, I use:

About half of a small onion, diced

1 clove garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil, or vegan margarine

1 cup white beans, pureed (see notes below for alternative)

1/4 cup water or broth

2 Tbsp. prepared mustard, or 1 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 - 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions and garlic in the oil until the onions are clear. Add pureed white beans* and liquid, mustard, salt, and pepper. You can add additional spices to tweak the flavor for a more complex sauce. My favorite version involves a bit of cayenne pepper, a tiny dash of nutmeg, and a dash of Bragg's liquid aminos. Heat throughout.  Remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast, using more or less depending on taste and desired thickness. 

*I prefer to use white beans in this recipe, as they are a more nutritious alternative, but if you do not have them on hand you can increase the oil and add 2 Tbsp. flour just after the onions have cooked.  Increase the liquid to 1/2 cup and in place of water, use broth or your favorite unsweetened non-dairy milk. Be sure to add the flour first, mixing it with the oil before adding any other liquid to avoid clumps. Then, add the liquid and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately five minutes, then follow the recipe normally.

Do you have a favorite non-dairy cheese? Have you tried homemade alternatives yourself? Tell us about them in the comments!

Quick Vegan Pancakes

The Raw Version...
Ingredients:
1 C ground nuts (1/2 c flax, 1/2 c nut mixture of any nuts like cashews & sunflower seeds)
2 TB sweetener  (agave, maple, coconut sugar, etc.)
pinch salt
pinch cinnamon
1 C warm water

1. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
2.  Add 1/2 C warm water and mix. Keep adding water until the consistency is like thick pasty oatmeal.
3. Form into pancakes and eat, or put into a dehydrator until dry on the outside, moist on the inside.
4. Top with raw sour cream (see recipe below), fruit, maple, etc.

The Cooked Version...
Ingredients:
1 C    flour         (whole wheat, almond, etc.)
2 TB sweetener (agave, maple, coconut sugar, etc.)
1/8 ts salt
1/4 ts baking soda
pinch cinnamon
1 C   mylk         (soy, almond, etc; water is ok too)
2 TB oil             (virgin coconut, olive, flax, etc.)
1/8 ts apple cider vinegar

1. Warm a pan at med-low heat.
2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Add the mylk and oil. Mix well. Add vinegar, mix well.
4. If using teflon pan, no oil is necessary when cooking pancakes. Otherwise, use oil to cook. Spoon or pour pancake batter onto hot pan. When pancakes bubble and the edges on top are stiffened, flip them over.
5. Top with vegan sour cream, maple, fruit, etc.


Vegan Raw Sour Cream
1.5 C raw cashews
3.4 C raw sunflower seeds
2.5 C water

1. Put ingredients in blender and blend well.
2. Pour into a glass jar and cover with hemp or cotton cheese cloth.
3. Let it ferment at room temperature 1-3 hours. Taste it occasionally. As soon as cream is slightly sour, refrigerate it. Consume within 2 days.

tip: I like my sour cream very sour, so I added a few drops of calamansi/lemon/lime/vinegar to a small portion of it.

Indian Spices and Rosewater

Where do I find Cardamom and Rose Water on Guam?

You can buy cardamom and rose water at an Indian clothing store called Meena's. The Indian groceries are located in the back of the store. From Marine Drive you turn onto the road that leads you to GPO. Go past GPO, past Cost-u-Less, look for a clothing store on the left called Meena's. Park, enter the clothing store, walk through to the grocery in the back. They have everything from spices, tea, canned goods, frozen naan, etc. Many Indians are vegetarians, so be sure you read the ingredients to see if there are any eggs, dairy, ghee (yak butter), or even meat.

(http://www.kitchenheadquarters.org/scripts/herbs/herbs_07_cardamom.html)

Cardamom is a spice from the ginger family that can be found in Indian sweets and Chai tea. If you buy cardamom, look for green pods. The cardamom seeds are inside and will remain fresh within the pods. Cheaper cardamom is ground and not as fresh or fragrant.

In Ayurveda medicine cardamom is known for it's spicy unique flavor, and medicinally is reported to treat infections of the mouth, throat, eyelids, digestive issues, and relieves congestion of the lungs. It has also been reported to break up kidney stones and gall stones, and some have used it as an antidote for snake and scorpion bites. All that in a cup of chai!
 
An easy cup of chai tea can be made by brewing Indian black tea (or any black tea) with a half a pod of cardamom (squash the pod and seeds). Add soy or nut mylk and your choice of sweetener for a real tea time treat!

(http://go2.wordpress.com)

At Meena's, they will try to sell you everything, if you look like you are just browsing, because the owners are really good at selling! Rest assured, I was very happy with the extra items that I bought, and all the interesting things I saw. It's an interesting culinary adventure and a little slice of India on Guam.

Tomato, Basil, "Mozarella" Stacks

This is an easy appetizer, salad, snack, or whenever meal for a vegan on-the-go.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Seasoned Firm Tofu or Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative
Olive Oil
Salt

1. Slice tomatoes and tofu/cheese 1cm thick.
      If you are using tofu, you can season the tofu with salt, mushroom seasoning/nutritional yeast/vegenaise
2. Stack tomato, tofu/cheese, and basil. Drizzle olive oil and salt.
3. Enjoy!

For a truly gourmet flair, try drizzling chili oil and topping the stacks with a bit of sweet potato and tomato paste, as seen in the picture.

Food Shopping for Guam Vegans

We have several options for stores on island that you can buy dry, fresh, and frozen organic goods.

If you are coming from off island, you already know the prices are higher for organics, but you should expect to pay a little more than usual, because the organics have to be flown here as refrigerated or frozen cargo.

Payless Supermarket at Micronesian Mall in Dededo has a good selection for non-perishables (soups, grains, etc), toiletries, fresh organic salads, frozen organic prepackaged food, frozen organic vegetables. Occasionally, they carry fresh organic produce such as carrots, apples, oranges, and lemons. Payless is the main grocery store on island with many smaller supermarkets elsewhere. They all carry some amount of organic or vegan options, but the one at Micronesian Mall seems to specialize in healthier foods. You can also request they bring in items at the Micronesian Mall branch.

Of course you will not find everything at Payless, so I usually shop at these smaller but great groceries:

Healthy Hearts in Dededo has unique organic items that you won't find elsewhere. Most of the selection is organic dry goods, weekly fresh organic groceries such as kale, salad, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, apples, etc, toiletries, vitamins. They even have an organic cafe (macrobiotic diet) where you can order fresh juices, sandwiches, meals, fresh organic baked goods etc. You can sign up for their weekly specials or news online. The owners are a local family that are committed to a healthier Guam, and it shows in their store and cafe.

Simply Foods in Agana Heights is run by the SDA church, though they do not preach to the Simply Foods customers. They have a well-run cafeteria/cafe with assorted vegetarian/vegan food with daily specials and fresh wheatgrass. The store in the back has a variety of non-perishables, frozen vegetarian/vegan meals, refrigerated items, toiletries, vitamins. They do not specialize in organics, but do carry organic items. Their grocery prices are pretty reasonable and you can order things in bulk from them with a discount, and request items be brought in. Of course they do not carry meats.

Nuts & Grains is located behind Oka Payless near the hospital and has a small selection of non-perishables and a cafe, but I would not recommend this place, because their non-perishables were not fresh (expired items, which is common for Guam, so check labels before buying!), and the cafe did not serve vegan items. That was a few years ago, so you are welcome to check it out and let me know if things have changed.

Farmer's Markets can be found at Chamorro Village in Agana, Saturday mornings in front of Yigo Payless, everyday in Harmon next to Iglesia Ni Christo Church, once in a while outside of the Barrigada Post Office selling sweet island corn, vegetables, tuba, etc. According to the Department of Agriculture, most farmers on Guam do not use too much in terms of herbicides and pesticides, as compared to farmers in the states who are heavily marketed to. Use a good vegetable wash and find the freshest produce on island!

Any other suggestions for where to shop? Please email me!

Oatmeal Mask

Organic oatmeal is a gentle exfoliant, reduces inflammation and absorbs excess oil. The oatmeal can be ground in a coffee grinder or used whole. It can be used daily by itself with a little warm water or with some soap.

Leave the oatmeal mask on for 10 or more minutes and rinse with water. My face feels refreshed, matte, and oily pores minimized.

Add some of these ingredients for to tailor the mask to your skin care needs:
tea tree oil - acne or rosacea
probiotics -  acne or rosacea
  (empty a capsule into the mixture)
avocado - moisture
soy or nut milks - soften

An ayurvedic cosmetologist once told me to only products on my skin that you can eat. Our skin is porous and what we use on our skin will be absorbed into our bodies.

I hope you enjoy this mask. I use it a few times a week. It is so great, especially in the tropics with our warm moist air which can increase oil production on the skin.

 (image borrowed from www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306673_2,00.html)

Healthy Hearts

Don't forget to stop by Healthy Hearts before they close for a week!

Finding Fresh Local Produce

Local produce on Guam can be purchased at grocery stores, farmers' markets, roadside stands or trucks. Many grocery stores, both big and small, carry a small variety of local produce. Depending on the season or availability, tomatoes, okra, green onions, calamansi (local small limes, very fragrant), eggplant (small, purple, and long), chaote (chayote or pear squash), pumpkin, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, white radish (daigo, daikon), and kang kong (morning glory or Chinese spinach) can be found.

The Dededo Flea Market brings together many farmers and sellers of local produce on Saturday mornings for the weekly event. It is located in the parking lot near Dededo Payless. You can browse many items and people-watch on Saturday mornings.

Chamorro Village in Hagatna has farmers' markets open daily, according to the signs posted. Located across from TGIF or Bank of Guam, farmers also sell their produce on Wednesday nights for Chamorro Village Night Market (near the Fisherman's Co-op). I have found boonie peppers, bananas, sweet potatoes, fresh buko (young coconut), and calamansi at this farmers' market.

You can find sweet local corn in Barrigada across from the main Post Office. The farmer has a truck parked outside of the beige National Guard complex. His corn is very sweet and delicious. I usually make a raw corn salad or salsa, and then boil the rest to serve with dinner. Sometimes other vendors show up to sell their tomatoes, sweet tuba (local coconut alcohol, "local beer"), or seafood.

One of my favorite farmers' market is in Harmon next to the Iglesia Ni Christo Church (beautiful, white, grand church with steeple, you can't miss it), east past the Micronesian Mall. There are two vendors, one on each side of the church. The vendor on the west is a local Korean family of farmers. Their produce comes from local farms including their own, and the prices are very good for those watching their budgets. The vegetables are so fresh that they last longer in the refrigerator than produce from grocery stores. Typical vegetables you can find here include tomatoes, watermelon, kang kong, and bananas, to name a few.

On the east side of the church, you will find local Filipino vendors selling different varieties of vegetables that are not from local farms. However, you will find a few seasonal local produce like mangoes or avocados once in awhile.

My favorite thing to get from this vendor is freshly grated mature coconut. It makes me feel like I'm in Southeast Asia, where the vendor cracks open the coconut and grates it on the grinder, right there while you wait, packages it in a plastic bag, and it costs only a few dollars! You can ask the vendor to save the coconut water for you, but there isn't very much, because the coconut is mature. The grated coconut is so fresh and sweet, if you've never had freshly grated coconut, it is unlike any other coconut item you've ever had! I ate it fresh by itself. Amazing! You can also make a fresh coconut crust by dehydrating or baking it in a pan, and then adding a filling of your choice.

Although fresh local produce is not organic, most of it is grown with very little pesticides and herbicides when compared to produce flown in from the States. Some local produce is not grown with pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, but lacks the certified organic label. However, please be warned, produce should always be washed, local or not, with either a homemade or commercially-made vegetable and fruit cleaner to remove pesticides and herbicides.

So whether you want to save a buck, get the freshest produce, or support local agriculture, buying local produce is the way to go!

For more information of how to pick local vegetables, please see this article.
(Since I am currently off island and unable to take my own pictures, the image above borrowed from www.pdn.com)

Kelp Noodles as Pasta, Rice Noodles, and Chow Mein

Kelp Noodles are a great substitute for pasta and noodles in any dish. They are extremely low in calories, high in minerals, and have a great filling factor for your stomach, especially if you are trying to loose weight.  They cost about $5 per bag at Payless at Micronesian Mall in the refrigerated section of the healthy food aisle, where you can find tofu and soymilk behind the fruit and vegetable section.

They are raw and taste crunchy when you eat them right out of the bag. I add them to salads or top them on other dishes where a stringy noodle crunch is desired.

Since they are a raw food item, I try not to cook them so they can retain their best nutritional value. I warm them up by adding them last to a sauce that I heated up on the stove. Once heated, they become soft in texture like rice noodles, chow mein, ramen, and angel hair pasta. They are great to add to miso soup, pasta sauce, stir fried vegetables, and curries.

When you are eating on-the-go or entertaining, you can use it to add volume to a dish for sharing with others.

Shampoo Recipe

There is a wall of shampoo at Kmart, but not one of them contains natural ingredients without added chemicals.  Shampoo ingredients should be very simple, and safe for the skin. Here's one simple recipe you can do at home:

45% water
45% aloe
10% Dr. Bonner's castile peppermint soap

This shampoo feels slightly viscous like gel, and my hair feels very clean. Dr. Bonner's is concentrated and should be diluted before using it in your hair.

What is castile soap? It is made simply by adding lye (sodium hydroxide, a strong base) to fats such as olive, palm, or coconut oils. The chemical reaction results in soap that binds to particles (dirt) and is washed away with water. Then aromatic oils are added such as lavender, peppermint, etc.


Of course there are commercial brands of hair care that are organic and vegan. I use Aubrey Organics, which can be found at Healthy Hearts in Dededo and JP Superstore in Tumon. However, don't forget to read the labels, because some brands may market themselves as healthy, but contain just as many chemicals as any other brand. You shouldn't pay more for a well-marketed product that contains unhealthy products for your skin and hair!