I recently posted a video on my AC Art Of Food Facebook page regarding a woman's testimony on how she beat cancer.  She explained how not only was she diagnosed with breast cancer, but she beat it, and then it came back in another part of her body.  This woman endured chemo and radiation, and after all that was given only 21 months to live.  Fast forward TWELVE YEARS LATER, this miracle of a woman is sharing how she beat this beast of a disease with a positive outlook and eating not only healthy, but a specific type of healthy foods.  These specific foods are known as alkaline foods.  

There is a scale in our bodies on the ph spectrum that balances acid and alkaline in the body.  You want your body on the alkaline side.  'Why' you ask?  Cancer cells CANNOT live in an alkaline environment.  For this reason, prevention is paramount.  

This champion of a woman beat the odds by focusing her diet on alkaline rich foods.  Just think, if we all incorporated alkaline rich foods into our diets the monumental changes we can make to our lives.  Please be clear, I am not stating, nor am I in a position to state, that this is a cure for cancer.  However, I am expressing that alkaline foods are a large contributor in the fight against cancer.

I became so pumped by this story that my mind immediately started buzzing with ideas on how to create delicious recipes rich in alkaline.  There are plenty of these types of foods to choose from, check out a few of my favs below:

• spinach
• kale
• swiss chard
• leeks
• mushrooms
• cucumber
• citrus
• tomatoes
• avocado
• broccoli
• onions
• garlic
• ginger
• cabbage
• watermelon
• figs
• alfalfa, barley, and wheat grass
• sweet potato
•  celery
• carrots
• kiwi
• cauliflower

I didn't have to look any further than my own backyard garden for one of the stars of my recipe where I'm growing gorgeous swiss chard!  The recipe you ask?  Here it is!  My colorful Alkaline Rich Black Bean & Leek Salad.  ​This amazing salad was a huge hit at our cookout!  But this is just the beginning!  I can't wait to develop more of my new 'F@#$ Cancer' recipes!

Just in case you didn't know, I am the queen of re-purposing!  Another name for re-using left overs, lol.  Earlier this week I prepared my delicious slow cooker pot of Slow Cooker Vegetarian White Bean & Kale Stew. Using Abstract Spice and an onion as the only means of seasoning (with just a few dashes of sea salt to taste), this delicious bowl of comfort was perfectly scrumptious amongst the rainy days we've had this week here in Atlanta.  

Buuuuuut, the sun has come out for the weekend!  Now my family is well aware that Mommie does not cook over the weekend.  It's pretty much a go-for-yourself type of meal situation on Saturdays.  So we decided on nachos.  Not just any nachos, my purposeful 'Quick Repurposed Vegetarian White Bean Nachos', yummers!   Have fresh spinach, red onion, tomatoes, and avocado, we will nachos make!  For my boys, I seasoned up some fresh ground turkey, but for me, I reheated my white bean stew, and what a genius move that was!!  My son even added it to his taco seasoned ground turkey and it blew his mind!  With some additional toppings such as chopped black olives, cheese, and sour cream, nacho night was on and poppin', and packed full of protein!

*ACAOF Tip*: Never begrudge leftovers!  

​When the weekend comes, check the inventory in your fridge (you have to anyway to know what to pick up from the grocery store!), and you'd be surprised with what you can come up with when you add a little imagination!  Salads, wraps, tacos, and of course, NACHOS!
...Quick Repurposed Vegetarian White Bean Nachos that is.

Check out my creation below!

What do you like to create on the weekend for good eats?  Let me know in the comments below!

~Pre-heat oven to 350~

Layer a foil-lined sheet pan with the following:

• Nacho chips (*tip: heat nachos alone for about 6 minutes to crisp them)  
• Slow Cooker Vegetarian White Bean & Kale Stew (click here for the recipe) *Canned or prepared white beans can be used if necessary*
• Additional meat-less protein if desired
• Fresh spinach
• Diced onion
• Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack and Cojita are my favs)

Do This:

1. Place loaded pan in oven for 5-10 until cheese is melted
2. Take pan out and top with your choice of:

• Fresh spinach
• Chopped avocado and/or guacamole 
• More cheese
• Diced tomatoes
• Sour cream
• Olives
• Jalepenos  
• And yes, sriracha, and whatever else your heart desires!!

​Enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms that make this world go 'round!  

This past Sunday was an amazing time as we shared in celebrating my mom by showering her with love, gifts, laughter, and of course, GREAT food.  My dad like most, tended the grill, while my sisters and I dwelled inside sipping wine.  Now I pretty much have one of those moms that is truly blessed not to necessarily need anything.  However, her wants are a completely different thing.  So when her sole request from me was to make her '...you know, those good ol' peanut butter cookies that you whip up so quick', how could I say no?  She was referring to my deliciously rich 11 Minute Best Peanut Butter Cookie recipe.

Now the story behind this cookie is literally 30 years old!  It derives from my very first structured cooking class at the age of 12.  You know, essentially everyones first cooking class....Home Economics 101, lol!  I'll never forget the day our teachers, Mrs. Pugh and Mrs. Bowen, told us we were going to learn the best and easiest recipe for the most perfect peanut butter cookies.  I was far more interested in class this week than the previous week when we were sewing together polka dot short-sets, ha!   It was pretty hard to believe that I could literally count the ingredients on one hand and that they would be done baking after only a few minutes.  I mean think about it, our classes lasted only 40 minutes.  Within  that time we calmed down after the last class bell, got in our groups, gathered the ingredients, made the dough, placed dough balls on the cookie sheet, baked them, let them cool while we cleaned up our stations, and finally took a few minutes to devour the fruits of our labor before class ended, all within our 40 minute class period!  And they were DELISH!

Now my mother is diabetic and one of the reasons why I do what I do with AC Art Of Food, and like most 'sweets' I make, I decrease the sugar wherever I can without sacrificing flavor.  For this reason, I usually use only 1/2 cup of sugar.  Over the past 3 decades I have altered the recipe a bit more here and there, adding a little of this, taking away a little of that, but nothing beats this original recipe!  So please enjoy this 11 Minute BEST Peanut Butter Cookie recipe, they are SOOOOOOO good!

Be sure to leave a comment below if you'd like to try this recipe for yourself!  Or if you have a 'Best' cookie recipe with a great story to back it up!

Easy.  Quick.  Little clean up.  Convenient.  Delicious!  These are pretty much the requirements for a suitable dinner rather you're a family of 1 or 11.  Obviously the larger the family, the more of a hassle it is in trying to satisfy everyone.  But what if I told you there was a way to cook one main item for dinner, pretty much in your sleep (or while you're away working), and delight your whole family?  Impossible you say?  I say MORE than POSSIBLE!  

I mean really, there is nothing more satisfying than throwing an item into the slow cooker, walking away for hours without giving it a second look, only to return to a wonderfully smelling home, and your slow cooked gem, seasoned just right, tender, and ready to be devoured!  But then what?!?  After the 1st day of leftovers, it's time to remix and re-purpose!  And for this reason, I have listed below some delicious quick ideas to do just that!   

Check out AC Art Of Food's Super Simple Abstract Slow Cooker Chicken recipe and its 11 Delicious Uses for Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken.  Do you have some tasty pulled chicken ideas of our own?  Let me know in the comments section below- thanks in advance! 

First the chicken:

• 2 lbs chicken breast
• 2 tbsp Abstract Spice
• 3 cups water
• Sea salt

Instructions:

1. To your slow cooker, add water and Abstract Spice
2. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with sea salt
3. Add chicken to slow cooker
4. Turn slow cooker on 'LOW', and get lost for about 8 hours
5. When done, pull chicken apart into shreds with 2 forks

Enjoy!

So here's the thing, we all know how trends come and trends go.  Living for what's hot right now.  The hottest shoe, hair cut, nail art, car, vacation spot...for right now.  And yes, there are the ever-changing food trends.  But food trends you'd think it'd be simple, right?  Veggies and fruit don't change, you know they're good for you.   But now in the news they have too much sugar that can increase your insulin and contribute to diabetes and weight gain.  And now your vegetable consumption is even scrutinized because of how long you cook them, ultimately cooking all the benefits right on out of them!  And don't even get me started on animal protein...sheesh!

With all of this, wouldn't you like just a simple list of 'rules of thumb' that are pretty common sense, that actually make sense?  Well look no further!  AC Art Of Food has compiled the ACAOF's  10 Healthy Living Tips that will ensure you at least have the basics down as a foundation for what ever eating lifestyle you choose to indulge in.  

Here are a couple bonuses to the list pertaining to the aforementioned:

• Everything in moderation
• Prepare and eat veggies at their natural color (example: broccoli and green beans are just that, green- if they start looking brown, you've gone TOO FAR!

Now remember, DO YOU!  No labels necessary.  Your reasonings, choices, preferences, likes and dislikes, are exactly that, YOURS.  Don't attempt to fit in anybody else's category but your own.  After all, who's better of an expert on you than you?  

Are there other healthy tips you use or think that would be great to add to ACAOF's 10 Health Living Tips list?  Be sure to comment below to let me know, and watch this list grow...for good health!

                             

1. Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of lemon water daily💧.
2. Eat clean most of the time- 🚫Avoid processed foods🚫.
3. Incorporate a raw or lightly cooked veggie at every meal🥗.
4. Eat all carbs before sunset 🌄.
5. Eat IN more than you eat OUT.
6. Drink a glass of water before each meal.
7. Stock your fridge with good things for your body and plan for every meal🍽. 
8. If you must *dessert*, incorporate fruit🍏
9. Drink green tea.
10. Eat all plants at least 1 day a week🌱 (Meatless Monday😋)

Make it a Healthy Living Great Tasting Day!

The trend to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle is seemingly becoming more of a permanent way of life for many.  And why not?  Like exercise, it's a process that ultimately improves hour life and makes you feel good.  And with a world of full of culinary creations like the trend of healthy 'bowls', the possibilities are endless!  Enter: my Soul Bowl!  

Usually the typical breakfast bowls are made up of a thicker smoothie base topped with chia, hemp, flax, nuts, fruit, etc.  The more savory bowls for say lunch and/or dinner, generally involve a grain base such as rice, pasta, quinoa, etc., topped with veggies and protein.  With that in mind, I present to you the AC Art Of Food, Soooooouuuuul Bowwwwwwwwl! lol!!  Yep, it's all in the name!  I simply took a few Sunday dinner favorites and remixed them into something current and trendy...oh, and deliciously healthy!  With a simple brown rice blend base, topped with hearty soul food fixins', how do you go wrong?  You don't!  This Soul Bowl is super easy to assemble, quick, filing, delicious, and healthy! 

Want to create our own Soul Bowl?  What are your favorite soul comfort food dishes that you'd like to see in a bowl?  Do me a favor and let me know below in the comments and I'll be sure to re-invent your bowl and post it!

• Cooked brown and black rice
• Air fried Abstract Sweet potatoes (regular oven roasted works fine as well)
• Saute'ed collard greens sautéed in garlic, olive oil, and shallots
• Prepared black eyed peas

​

1. Line the bottom base of your bowl with rice blend.
2. Assemble sweet potatoes topping the rice blend and covering 1/3 of the bowl .
3. Assemble 1/3 of the remaining vegetables atop the rice blend.
4. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and dig in!

And that's it- enjoy!