Eat

“Sopa de Pollo” translates to Chicken Soup in Spanish. With autumn on the way, I can’t help but think about my Abuelita’s homemade sopa de pollo.

I can’t ever make it quite like hers but I think she would be pretty proud of mine just the same. Occasionally I will tweak this recipe here or there – for example, sometimes I add less rice and more potato while other times I eliminate the potato and use something like a turnip.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

3-4 Pounds of Chicken Thighs & Legs

3 Sliced Carrots

Walking into the markets here in Barcelona, Spain, I am welcomed to find an array of seasonal fruit, from three kinds of watermelon to cantaloupe and late-harvest cherries. Strawberries were on the shelves in late June, but as August rolls into September the last of the summer stone fruits make their appearance, getting ready for autumn’s harvest.

A world food staple, lentils or dal are great for the health and the palate too!

Activated charcoal, also known as activated carbon, is charcoal that usually comes from a burnt piece of tree or plant. It is then heated up to activate its adsorptive power of toxins, heavy metals and chemicals. It has had many purposes over the centuries, but among all, one of activated charcoal’s best purposes is for drinking water. Learn 5 reasons as to why you should be using activated charcoal for your drinking water.

Reason 1:

Purifies water naturally.

As a snacker, I graze all day. While veggies and hummus are usually my go to, every now and then I get a craving for something salty. It's tempting to grab a bag of potato chips overloaded in salt and full of carbohydrates. When I get that urge, I opt for kale chips instead. Gluten-free and vegan, kale chips are slightly salty and crisp in texture. They are a healthy treat that takes the guilt out of snacking and allows you to indulge. It's hard not to eat the whole bunch.

Make the most of apple season this fall with my easy homemade applesauce! You can enjoy this recipe on its own, with pancakes or in other main dishes. If you like baking, applesauce can also be used as a healthy vegan alternative to eggs, butter or oil. I’m a big fan of cinnamon, but feel free to get playful with different spice combinations or leave them out altogether to experience the pure apple flavor.

*Makes about 2.5 cups*

Ingredients

As a country, we’re becoming increasingly more aware of what we eat, and how what we eat makes us feel. The past few years have seen a rise in the popularity of many diets advocating a return to real, whole foods, and prompting us to listen to our bodies. Dietary choices such as Paleo, vegan, raw, and the hormone diet mark a turn away from processed foods and towards a more natural way of eating.

American beautyberry is also known as French mulberry, sour-bush, bunch-berry, and purple beautyberry. The berries grow all throughout the Southeastern USA. Funny enough, it’s actually the leaves and stems that have the most power in warding of bugs in this DIY spray.

Organic garlic and organic onion are valuable herbs that benefit the body, add flavor to foods and are well known for their healing qualities. They are both members of the allium family, among chives, shallots, and leeks. They are one of the oldest and easiest plants to grow and have been cultivated for millennia. It is said that both garlic and onions originated in Asia but onions and garlic grew wild in the Americas and were popular long before Europeans arrived. Onions were regarded as a god in ancient Egypt – because of an onion’s many layers, it symbolized life.

Want homemade pizza without the hassle? Try my vegan quick dough recipe! With no overnight waiting times, you can be sitting down to eat within the hour. Get as creative as you like with the toppings – your options are endless! Some of my favorites are the classic marinara and (non-dairy) cheese, roasted vegetables with garlic, or pineapple with spicy tofu and mushrooms. Whatever toppings you choose, you are sure to impress with this quick and easy pizza dough!

Special Supplies

Rolling pin

Pizza pan (or cookie sheet)