Author: gracefulliving365

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread

1 avocado

lettuce

pea sprouts

Directions:  Place avocado first to cover each slice of bread.  Place lettuce on top of avocado on one side and sprouts on top of the other slice of bread (on top of avocado).  Then put the lettuce slice on top of the sprout slice of bread and cut in half for easier handling.

Nutrient content:

Bread:

You can use any kind of bread.  I like Dave’s Killer Bread  because it is organic, non-GMO, and contains no animal products, artificial preservatives or ingredients.  They also add flax seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and poppy seeds for extra fiber; plus include whole grains such as quinoa, millet, gamut, and barley.  Each slice of bread has a whopping 5 g of fiber and 260 mg of omega-3s!

Avocado:

Avocados are a great source of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium and potassium. They also provide lutein, beta-carotene and omega-3s.  Avocados are full of healthy fats that help to keep you full and satiated.  Healthy fats make your skin glow, increase vitamin and mineral absorption and help boost your immune system.

Lettuce:

Lettuce leaves are low calorie vegetables which possess health promoting and disease prevention properties. Lettuce contains Vitamin A, C, K, folate, and beta carotene.  It also contains minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which are very essential for body metabolism.

Sprouts

I used pea sprouts that I got at Nalolicious farms (in Waimanalo), but you can use any kind of sprouts that you like.  Sprouts refer to a number of different vegetable or plant beans in the period of time after they begin to grow.  Sprouts represent a much more significant amount of vitamins and nutrients than they do in an un-sprouted form.   Health benefits of sprouts include the ability to improve the digestive process, boost the metabolism, increase enzyme activity throughout the body, prevent anemia, help with weight loss, lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, protect against cancer, boost skin health, improve vision, and support the immune system.

I posted this because I have a lot of people ask me about the contents of my sandwich when I go to work.  It is also something easy that you can make and take anywhere (see video)… Enjoy!

What are Omega-3’s?

Omega-3’s are essential fatty acids because our body does not make them.

What is the Omega 6:3 ratio?

Human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids of approximately 1 whereas in Western diets the ratio is much higher. Western diets are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and have excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids compared with the diet on which human beings evolved. Excessive amounts of omega-6  fatty acids and a very high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, as is found in today’s Western diets, promote many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

How can I get my Omega-3’s?

Omega-3’s are found in some fatty fish because they eat micro algae that contain them.  Vegans may be deficient in Omega-3’s because micro algae and other sea vegetables generally do not contain enough to satisfy requirements.  Foods high in omega-3’s include flaxseed, green-leafy veggies, and chia seeds.  Therefore, I have an green omega 3 smoothie every morning!

Recipe:

Ingredients (with omega 6:3 ratio):

1 papaya (1:4)

1 banana (1.7:1)

1 handful of :

kale (1:1)

chard (9:1)

spinach (1:5)

2-3 tablespoons of flaxseed (1:4)

*The banana and chard can be omitted if you would like to tip the scales more in favor of the omega 3’s!  I just like the sweetness of the banana in my shake!

Directions;  Place ingredients and fill with about 20 ounces of water (plus or minus depending on how thick you like your smoothie) and blend in a high power blender.  I use a vitamix, but you can use any other high power blender.  Enjoy!