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NATURAL FOOD... EAT WELL, LIVE BETTER

by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Editor of NaturalNews.com
 
(NaturalNews) It's time to review two of the industry's most popular superfood products: Raw Meal from Garden of Life (www.GardenofLife.com) and Boku Superfood from the Boku Superfood company (www.BokuSuperfood.com). I'll also mention some other notable and important superfood products at the conclusion of this article.

Boku Superfood was launched in early 2008 and has since grown to be a highly respected and quite popular superfood product. It is not available in retail stores, however: The high cost of its authentic ingredients (see below) leaves no room for typical retail margins, so Boku Superfood is only available online.

The Boku formulation emphasizes premium superfood ingredients and includes a potent blend of nutrient-rich mushrooms, microalgae, greens, fruits and enzymes. Nearly everything in Boku Superfood is certified organic. The formula contains no sugars, no soy, no grains, no dairy, no chemical sweeteners, etc. It's gluten free, Kosher and USDA certified organic (that's the standard that actually means it's really organic).

Because of its formulation, Boku Superfood lends itself extremely well to chocolate superfood drinks. In fact, one of my favorite instant recipes is to fill a Blender Bottle (a shaker bottle) with raw almond milk, add a large scoop of Boku Superfood, some Boku brown rice protein and a scoop of X-Balance (another chocolate-rich superfood) then shake it up for a delicious superfood beverage. (This is a terrific pre-workout beverage, too, by the way.)

Boku Superfood also works very well in avocado smoothie recipes: Blend a fresh, raw avocado with almond milk, Boku Superfood, some chocolate powder and your sweetener of choice (I like to use a fresh pear). Blend it up and enjoy the rich chocolate taste of this delicious superfood recipe!

I've been a faithful consumer of Boku Superfood since its launch, and to this day, I drink probably fix or six Boku Superfood shakes each week. It's no exaggeration to say Boku Superfood is a premium superfood formula offering high-end ingredients in potencies that you normally don't find in most superfood products. (No cheap fillers here...)

Where to get Boku Superfood

You can pick up some Boku Superfood from only two places: The Boku store (www.BokuSuperfood.com) or the NaturalNews Store where we carry the Boku Superfood product for the same price: http://store.naturalnews.com/index....

At our store, you can also pick up some other amazing discounts and specials such as our Tocotrienols superfood which blends nicely with Boku Superfood or any other superfood product.

Boku Superfood Ingredients

Here's the ingredients list on Boku Superfood:

BoKU Super Greens (3,000mg)
Organic Young Barley Grass Juice, Organic Spirulina, Organic Nettle Leaf, Organic Kelp, Organic Nopal Cactus, Organic Chlorella [Cracked Cell Wall], Organic Broccoli Juice, Organic Spinach Juice, Organic Kale Juice, Organic Cabbage Juice, Organic Parsley Juice, Organic Klamath Lake Blue-Green Algae.

BoKU Superstar Maca and Mushrooms (3,000mg)
Organic, Fresh-Pressed, Maca Root Juice, Organic Reishi, Organic Cordyceps, Organic Maitake, Organic Chaga, Organic Mesima, Organic Lion's Mane, Organic Turkey Tail, Organic Shitake, Organic Blazei, Organic Poria, Organic Suehirotake, Organic Hiratake, Organic Agarikon, Organic True Tinder Polypore

BoKU Low Glycemic Fruit, Berries and Vanilla (3,000mg)
Organic Goji Berry Juice, Organic Hawthorn Berry

BoKU Additional ingredients:
Organic Cacao [organic raw chocolate], Organic Fine Vanilla Bean, Organic Strawberry Juice, Amylase, Protease [3 different potencies], Bromelain, Cellulase, Lipase, Alpha-galactosidase, Papain, Organic Lucuma Fruit, Organic Sweet Mesquite Pod, Organic Sprouted Flax, L. Sporogenes (true non-dairy probiotics), Himalayan Pink Crystal Salt

See a full explanation of Boku Superfood ingredients here:
http://www.bokusuperfood.com/boku/i...

Raw Meal from Garden of Life

The Raw Meal superfood meal product from Garden of Life is positioned differently from Boku Superfood. Raw Meal is designed to be a whole meal product, and it's based on sprouted grains as its predominant ingredients (see complete list below).

Green foods and fruits take a back seat to the organic raw sprout blend, made with brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, millet, buckwheat and other sprouts. This makes Raw Meal more of a complete vegan meal than merely a superfood supplement. It's also certified USDA Organic, which means it's truly organic.

What makes Raw Meal stand out in the superfood industry is, of course, its "raw" designation. I recently spoke with Jordan Rubin, the founder of Garden of Life, who explained how his company now offers a complete line of raw supplements and meal products. The idea, of course, is that raw foods deliver more nutrients than their cooked counterparts, since heat destroys many fragile nutrients (including the phytochemicals responsible for many of the health supporting benefits offered by raw, living foods).

Because of its nutritional profile, Raw Meal makes a great travel item. Just by adding water or the milk of your choice, you can have an instant raw meal almost anywhere!

Raw Meal at a healthy discount

Raw Meal is available at retail stores such as Whole Foods. You can also get it online from various stores. We've put together the best pricing we're allowed to publicly announce at the NaturalNews Store, where Raw Meal is available at a healthy discount: http://store.naturalnews.com/index....

We've also put together a combination of Raw Meal + Boku Superfood for one low price (again, the lowest they would let us advertise). Check it out on our specials page: http://store.naturalnews.com/index....

I really like Raw Meal. It's a balanced taste that works just fine with water or your favorite milk (almond milk, rice milk, etc.). It's not very sweet, so I prefer to sweeten it up a bit. My favorite recipe blends Raw Meal with vanilla almond milk and either stevia or organic palm sugar.

Garden of Life Raw Meal Ingredients

Organic Raw Sprout Blend (Organic Sprouted Brown Rice, Organic Sprouted Brown Rice Sweetener (from Organic Sprouted Brown Rice)), Organic Amaranth Sprout, Organic Quinoa Sprout, Organic Millet Sprout, Organic Buckwheat Sprout, Organic Garbanzo Bean Sprout, Organic Kidney Bean Sprout, Organic Lentil Sprout, Organic Adzuki Bean Sprout, Organic Flax Seed Sprout, Organic Sunflower Seed Sprout, Organic Pumpkin Seed Sprout, Organic Chai Seed Sprout, Organic Sesame Seed Sprout), Organic RAW Flax and Coconut Blend (Organic Flax flour, Organic Coconut flour), RAW Green Food and Fruit Blend (Organic Oat Grass juice, Spirulina, High Protein Chlorella, Organic Alfalfa Grass Juice, Organic Barley Grass Juice, Organic Wheat Grass Juice, Organic Strawberry, Organic Cherry, Organic Blackberry, Organic Blueberry, Organic Raspberry), RAW Enzyme and Probiotic Blend (Bacillus coagulans, Proteases, Amylase, Lactase, Glucoamylase, alpha-Galactosidase, Lipase, Pectinase, Peptidase, Bromelain, Phytase, Hemicellulase, beta-Glucanase, Papain, Cellulase, Xylanase, Diastase, Invertase), Organic RAW Vanilla Extract, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus bulgaricus.

Learn more about Raw Meal from the Garden of Life page: http://www.gardenoflife.com/Product...

Description from Garden of Life

The following text is from the Garden of Life website: (I basically concur with this description. It's very accurate and contains no misleading text.)

Containing 26 superfoods from RAW organic seeds, sprouts and greens, RAW Meal provides 33 grams of protein, 14 grams of fiber and a healthy 4 grams of fat making it an excellent choice for "weight conscious" individuals. RAW Meal also offers 20 Vitamin Code vitamins and minerals providing at least 100% of the Daily Value of 16 key nutrients.

Just as important is what's NOT included in RAW Meal. It is gluten-free, dairy-free and lactose-free. It has no soy allergens, no fillers, no isolates, no synthetic nutrients, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives.

What are the Key Benefits of RAW Meal?

A convenient meal-on-the-go, RAW Meal is suitable for almost anyone including those on vegetarian or vegan diets, those on low carbohydrate diets or those with gastrointestinal sensitivities to milk, whey, soy or other protein sources. RAW Meal offers the following:

• Provides the nutrition of a well-balanced, healthy meal

• Naturally filling, satisfies hunger, provides energy

• Excellent source of RAW organic, plant-based protein (33g) – including all essential amino acids

• Excellent source of 20 Vitamin Code vitamins and minerals – RAW Food-Created Nutrients and RAW Food-Chelated Minerals that enable targeted delivery and natural recognition by your body

• Excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber (14g)

• Provides live probiotics and enzymes for healthy digestion

• Made exclusively from RAW natural, plant-based, whole foods – uncooked, untreated, unadulterated

• Contains 14 RAW organic sprouts, 4 RAW organic cereal grass juices, 5 RAW organic fruits, spirulina and chlorella

• No Trans Fats

RAW Meal naturally satisfies hunger and increases energy, making it great for those looking to manage their diet and looking for a convenient alternative to the pre-packaged or fast-food meals that dominate our on-the-go lifestyles.


Other superfood products

No superfood article would be complete if it didn't mention some of the other amazing superfood products on the market today.

One of my favorites remains Living Fuel which you can only get from the www.LivingFuel.com website. I really like the Super Berry flavor and use it regularly. It's great for traveling, too!

I also really love X-Balance, a chocolate superfood powder that tastes so great, even kids love it! I frequently blend this with other superfoods to make them taste better. We've got this on special at the NaturalNews Store: http://store.naturalnews.com/index....

I'm also a huge fan of Rejuvenate! Berries and Herbs, which I often blend into my fruit-based smoothies. It goes great with frozen organic strawberries, bananas and blueberries. We carry it at the store, too: http://store.naturalnews.com/index....

There are some other great superfood products on the market, too, like Delicious Greens. Dr. Gary Null offers some high-end superfood formulas of his own, and Whole Foods now carries quite a selection of other superfood products. So you have a lot to choose from. My personal favorites, which I use every single day, currently include Boku Superfood, Rejuvenate, Living Fuel and X-Balance.

I encourage you to try several different high-end superfood products and see how you feel after staying on them for a few weeks. If you enjoy the taste and it helps you feel healthy and vibrant then stick with it! High-end superfood products consistently deliver high-end nutrition that you just won't find anywhere else.

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Baladi's Mediterranean Cafe, Pleasures of the Palestinian Persuasion

Just as one would find strolling through an outdoor market place such as in Ramallah's hisbeh, the aromas and essences of fresh vibrant spices and  ingredients authentic to the Middle East can be experienced right here in Hampton Road's Virginia Beach. The traditional and 'mama' inspired dishes at Baladi's Mediterranean Cafe excite and fill the senses. The rich and savory, earthy and robust melodies of coriander, cumin, nutmeg and other exotic yet familiar spices entice and invite. The anticipation of a gourmand's delight swells the appetite and wets the palate upon nearing the quaint cafe and catching the fragrant piquant of citrus and sumac.

TogetherVa.com's friend, Chef and owner, Khaled Jebrain,  has made it his mission to create a menu that was a departure from the mundane. With flavourful, exciting and exotic, but not so much so as to intimidate, recipes that are every bit as nutritious as they are delicious, Khaled has triumphed. 'Baladi' foods, refers to natural and organic ingredients, and as reflected in the restaurant's name, so too are the superior ingredients that make the cuisine at Baladi's Mediterranean Cafe in Virginia Beach's Hilltop Shoppes. 

A distinctive and healthy alternative to standard American and European inspired fare, recipes are alive with flavour, nutritionally balanced and portion responsible. Baladi's menu is extensive, offering a variety of selections sure to appeal to any taste. Ranging from the vegan and vegetarian to traditional meat dishes of lamb and chicken, as well as a variety of  homemade sweets and specialty beverages, the cafe's menu offers diners an assortment of tasty morsels perfect for lunch, dinner, a quick snack or a decadent treat while shopping Virginia Beach's Hilltop Plaza. Wraps and mezze, Mediterranean appetizers, salads and traditional turnovers, soups and sweets are served throughout the day. Traditional pan-Mediterranean foods are recognizable to any one who enjoys Greek or Israeli foods, and Middle Eastern/Mediterranean standards of humus , olive & pickle plates and fallafel round out the menu. Some exclusively Palestinian treats such as Khaled's mother's khalta, an herbal tea that perfumes the senses with sage, mint and chamomile, fragrant with anise, rose petals and other exotic herbs that waft through your senses like dreams... are a must have with one of the homemade traditional desserts...

Khaled's hopes that Baladi's would be an environment where every guest would feel welcome and comfortable most definitely has been realized. A charming niche in an upscale shopping plaza, modestly decorated with simple traditional accents, may be sparsely appointed but none-the-less inviting. The warm reception by the staff and often times Khaled himself, as soon as one walks in the door, instantly makes the tiny bistro style locale cozy and comfortable. The friendly disposition and hospitality of the Palestinian people is renowned and Khaled's no exception, his bright friendly smile and cheerful demeanor an invitation for repartee and repose.       
 
Working aside Khaled, Pastry chef and creator of delicious homemade treats such as the honey sweet baklava and nutty Barazek, Alan Hamman, makes dinning at Baladi's as pleasant as it is delicious. Genuinely friendly and personable, the two gentlemen get to know many customers by name. Conversation while one's order is prepared fresh in front of them is the norm and after a couple of visits Khaled and Alan are as familiar as long time friends.

A native of Palestine, Khaled had come west to the States, settling in New York, where he pursued a career in the technology field while in his 20's.  Khaled's time in New York afforded him opportunity to meet and know vast array of people from a multitude of cultures and backgrounds that has since endeared him to the American way. He holds no prejudices and invites no dispersions to be cast his way with his practical approach of accepting everyone just as they are and inviting others to know him as an individual.
 
After leaving the IT career he had in NY, Khaled found his calling to be the kitchen.  A complete departure from his previous career proved to be the right move but not an easy transition. He began the journey from IT guy in NY to restaurateur in Virginia Beach in 2002 when he and a friend moved to the area to open a rather grand establishment with full scale dinning and catering service. Khaled in the kitchen and his friend the dinning room was not the ideal situation one hoped it would be. Nor was the business arrangement destined to last for very long. With his friend's departure Khaled was now left to manage the kitchen and the dinning room and a small disorganized though well intentioned crew. Realizing that he must reorganize or resign his dreams to remembrances he made a bold choice. Putting all his efforts into making his dream come true Khaled managed with sheer determination, courage and conviction to open his own place. He opened Baladi, Mediterranean Cafe several months ahead of schedule and on his own terms. From the day he opened in May 2009 Khaled's business has steadily prospered and his success has been that much sweeter having ventured on despite any obstacles to realize his dream.
 
 
 
 "I've been dreaming about starting a cafe like Baladi for many years and the fact that destiny brought me to Virginia Beach worked out great..because many people are looking for this kind of food and there are also many vegetarian and vegan people like yourself who really like our food." remarked Khaled when asked to what he attributes his success.
 
Baladi's is doing great shared Khaled. "I feel that one of the reasons for our success is that not only do we provide good authentic Middle Eastern food but we also have very hospitable and friendly environment..." 
 
and they do. Baladi's is our first profiled restaurant because it is one of my favourites, I recommend Khaled's establishment to anyone and to everyone I meet. Baladi Mediterranean Cafe is located at 640 Hilltop West Shopping Center Virginia Beach, VA 23451 and can be found on the web at www.baladicafe.com Baladi's Mediterranean Cafe is open for Lunch and Dinner Monday through Saturday from 11am until 8pm.



TogtherVA.com subscribers only need mention hearing about Khaled Jebrain's Baladi Mediterranean Cafe here to receive a complimentary homemade authentic Middle Eastern treat with their order of 10$ or more!


Visit Baladi, Khaled, Alan and the shoppes at Hilltop in Virginia Beach today!

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