Originating from India, these sumptuous sticky and lush fruits are one of the most popular of the tropical fruits after the banana and coconut and we are lucky enough to have them raining down on us right here in Key West at the moment.  Not only that but they are packed with goodness. In India they are considered a symbol of life.

With just 135 calories per mango you are getting loads of vitamins and minerals, meaning a lot of food for its size. One mango provides a quarter of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. It contains high amounts of Iron. This is especially good because about 20% of women, 50% of pregnant women, and 3% of men do not have enough iron in their body. It also has good amounts of beta carotene, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, Vitamins K, A and E. In fact the abundant Vitamin E in mangoes helps to regulate sex hormones and boosts sex drive! They also contain powerful antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals damage our cells and can lead to premature aging, cancer and other degenerating diseases. Need any more reasons to eat your mangoes? Here’s one more. Mangoes are also said to help the skin and specifically acne by unclogging pores. Take some thin slices and lay then on your face or just rub the ripe mango pulp into your skin and leave it for about 10 minutes before washing it off with warm water; an all natural face pack!

If you don’t rub all the mangoes into your skin, why not make some refreshing mango juice or a delicious smoothie?

For the juice, simply blend some ripe mangoes with a little water, add a little sweetener such as agave nectar or honey and pour over ice. Would probably be good as a mixer for a summer evening cocktail too!

For a delicious tropical smoothie, take 1 banana, 1 mango, a handful of pineapple and blend with water. At the restaurant we add some spinach, cilantro and lime to ours to make a tropical ‘green’ smoothie. Might sound strange but try it, it’s delicious and nutritious!

Some other mango ideas: Tropical Mango salsa (goes great with fish), mango pudding, mango bread or mango muffins.

Enjoy your mangoes!

Good Morning Everyone, Happy Monday!

Today’s market will be open from Noon – 7pm and our produce list and pricing is below.

Remember if can’t make it you can call in your order for pick up or FREE delivery!

Its Monday Market Day again! This week we have some great looking lettuces and Kale from South Florida, we just finished unpacking them and putting them on ice and they are beautiful! We also have corn, melons and blueberries from Florida plus all the usual staples. AND you can now buy all your bulk dry goods from us like rice, quinoa, nuts and seeds…..

If you can’t make it down, look through the list below and just email your order to charlie@helpyourselffoods.com or call it in. We will deliver it for free!

3 Day Raw Food Detox
June 16^th, 17^th, 18th

3 Day Liquid Cleanse
June 23^rd , 24^th, 25^th

Why Detox?

To perform at their optimum best, our bodies need to be unobstructed by toxins and metabolic wastes. Modern day life full of refined sugars and flours, cocktails, fast food and pesticides all lead to toxicity in the body. While we might love our morning Starbucks latte with a freshly baked muffin full of white flour and sugar and our subway sandwich full of preservatives washed down with a large diet coke for lunch, our digestive tract is screaming at us. Doing this and worse on a daily basis begins to wear our insides out and can lead to decreased energy, allergies, headaches, bad skin, disease, and old age amongst other things.

Because our body spends so much time and energy digesting, assimilating and eliminating the food we eat, very often other areas of our body that need attention get ignored. The goal of any fast or detox is to give your digestive system a break allowing it to rest, recharge and heal from a cellular level.

Our Detox programs make it easy for you to cleanse and detox. We prepare your entire days food from fresh organic ingredients, taking the stress out of deciding what to eat – we even deliver it if you want! The meals, juices and smoothies are raw and nutrient dense. Raw foods contain all the nutrients and enzymes needed for digestion and assimilation that are often destroyed by the cooking process. Raw food means less energy is needed for digestion allowing more energy for ‘cleaning’.

What to expect

A three day commitment is all that is needed from you. That means you have to get yourself in the right mind-frame. Don’t think of this as a deprivation diet think of it as a positive, exciting experience – remember you are doing something great for yourself!

You may experience some detox symptoms depending on how toxic your diet is. You may experience a mild headache (especially if you are stopping the caffeine which we highly recommend on this detox) and you will most likely have increased bowel movements. This is great, the more bowel movements the better! It means you are eliminating old build up. You may feel slightly hungry on the first day if you are used to eating large meals. Remember this is a detox so we are reducing calories. By the second and third day you should be feeling very satisfied due to the increase in nutrients. Most people experience weight loss which could range from a couple of pounds to as much as 5 or 6lbs and most people come off the detox feeling energized, lighter and all round better about themselves.

Detox Options

3 Day Raw Food Detox – June 16^th, 17^th, 18th

72 hours is enough time to give your body a break without causing too much obstruction in your daily lives. This program is also just a great opportunity to try something different and introduce healthier meals into your lifestyle. This Detox includes:

· Spicy Lemonade

· Fresh Pressed Juice

· Lunch (usually soup and salad)

· Dinner ( usually something more substantial)

· Snack

Price – $126.00 for the 3 days

Sample Menu Items

Soups

Spiced Avocado
Gazpacho
Carrot and Ginger
Thai Coconut

Salads

Ultimate
Marinated Kale
Chopped Asian Salad
Mexican

Dinners

Lasagne
Thai Collard Wraps
Zucchini noodles with a bolgnese sauce (meaty marinara) and pine nut parmesan
Buckwheat Pizza with cashew cheese, pesto, marinara

3 Day Liquid Cleanse – June 23rd , 24^th, 25^th

This is a more intense detox as your entire days nutrition comes in the form of a liquid. Because the food is juiced or blended it means it is practically ready for absorption so even less energy is needed for digestion allowing more energy for ‘cleaning’. 72 hours is enough time to give your body a break without causing too much obstruction in your daily lives. This cleanse includes:

· Spicy Lemonade – 16oz

· GingerAide – 16 oz

· Fresh Pressed Green Juice – 16 oz

· Fresh Pressed Vegetable Juice – 16 oz

· Green Smoothie – 16 oz

· Creamy Nut Milk – 16 oz

Price – $126.00 for the 3 days

There are 20 places on the Raw Food Detox and 10 places on the liquid cleanse, and they fill up fast. Advance registration required. To register you can:

1. Call the cafe on 305 296 7766
   
2. Stop by in person – 829 Fleming Street
3. Email charlie@helpyourselffoods.com

“I often observe in the fasting participants that concentration seems to improve, creative thinking expands, depression lifts, insomnia stops, anxieties fade, the mind becomes more tranquil and a natural joy begins to appear. It is my hypothesis that when the physical toxins are cleared from the brain cells, mind-brain function automatically and significantly improves and spiritual capacities expands.”
Gabriel Cousins, M.D.

“Fasting can help reverse the ageing process, and if we use it correctly, we will live longer, happier lives.”
Dr. James Balch, MD

For those of you that missed our market on Monday due to the holiday we are running it again today (Tuesday). It will be open from 10am till we run out! Below is a list of what is still available. There’s some great Florida Kale left, just a couple of the cantaloupe melons (delicious, I had one for breakfast yesterday!), some Florida blueberries, Florida corn, and even some great Key West grown sprouts amongst other things!

Remember, if you can’t make it, take advantage of our home delivery service and either email (charlie@helpyourselffoods.com) or call in your order (305 296 7766) and get a free delivery.

There is no organic produce left at Waterfront so this may be your only chance to get fresh organics!! The truck just came in, we have quite a few local items this week; the red leaf lettuce and kale look amazing, both from Florida farms. We also have local roma tomatoes, some local corn and even Spaghetti Squash all from Florida. And don’t forget our local eggs and amazing Un-homogenized milk (the old fashioned milk in the glass bottle where the cream rises to the top!).

If you can’t make it take advantage of our home delivery service and either email (charlie@helpyourselffoods.com) or call in your order (305 296 7766) and get a free delivery.

This week we’re changing things up a bit! Seeing as we get our delivery of fresh organic produce early on a Monday morning we figured why wait till 5pm to make it available! So today’s fresh market produce will be available from Noon onwards at the restaurant. Below is the list and prices of everything that is available.

Can’t make the market but still want your organic produce, look through the list and email charlie@helpyourselffoods.com with your order. We will pack it up for you and either save it for pick up or deliver it – how’s that for convenience!!

Fuel Up!

Calling all Paddle Board Racers! The race is only a few days away and the most important thing you can do now is fuel your body with the right nutrition.

Remember carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of fuel. In the next two days you want to stock up on the complex carbs. These are things like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oats, quinoa and vegetables. Complex whole-food carbs provide the most sustaining long-term energy. Refined carbohydrates are a big no if you want to give yourself the best chance; they are empty calories with minimal nutrition that spike your insulin levels. That means stay away from the white sugar, white flour and white pasta!

To assist you in your race preparations Help Yourself is offering all race participants a 10% discount at the café for the next three days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday). And because everything is organic and we don’t use any refined carbohydrates in the restaurant you can rest assured all the food will be the right fuel for the race! Check out our website for the menu – www.helpyourselfcafe.com. Just give your race registration number to receive your discount.

Race Day Breakfast – It is important to fuel up with proper nutrition several hours before the race allowing your body time to digest the food. Pre-order your race day breakfast at Help Yourself on Friday so it’s ready for an early morning pick-up on Saturday.

We recommend the Power Bowl or The Super Food Smoothie (specially designed for the race) as a great pre-race breakfast.

Super Food Smoothie – Strawberry , Banana , Oats, Hemp seed, Spirulina, Goji berries, Acai powder, Maca Powder blended with house made coconut milk- $12.00

This is a thick carbohydrate rich 16 oz smoothie with plenty of calories and packed full of nutrition. Because it is blended it is already pre-digested, therefore requires less work on our digestive system so the nutrients can be easily assimilated.

Power Bowl – Whole oat groats, Flax Seeds, Chia Seeds, Goji Berries, Hemp Seeds – $7.00

This is a warm oatmeal bowl made from whole oat groats. Oats are a complex carbohydrate, with a low glycemic index and provide a slow release of energy.

Fresh Local Coconut Water – $4.50 – Natures best energy drink packed full of minerals and electrolytes and great for staying hydrated.

On April 22^nd millions of people around the world unite to celebrate, appreciate and inspire awareness for the Earths unique place in the Universe.

Realizing that widespread environmental destruction was happening Gaylord Nelson, a United States Senator from Wisconsin, founded the Earth Day celebration hoping to demonstrate popular political support for an environmental agenda. On April 22, 1970, over 20 million people joined together to participate in the first ever Earth Day. Earth Day is now observed on April 22 each year by over a billion people in 190 countries.

That first year saw massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.

This year, the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. Individuals and organizations the world over are taking environmental action to a new level. The core of this anniversary year is the Billion Acts of Green campaign. “The goal of the campaign is to aggregate the millions of environmental service commitments that individuals and organizations around the world make each year – thereby sending a powerful message that people from all walks of life are committed to solving climate change.” You can go onto their website www.earthday.org and add your act of green to be part of the change.

Earth Day reminds us we all share the same planet. Our Key West philosophy of One Human Family is crucial here. Sharing the Earth means taking responsibility for what we use and how we use it. It doesn’t take much to change something in your life that will make the earth a better place.

On Earth Day we are giving away FREE organic coffee to anyone that brings their own reusable coffee mug. We will also be donating 5% of our sales to Eco Week.

After Earth Day we will continue to reward customers that bring their own coffee mugs by giving back 15 cents from each coffee as a start to our ‘pre-cycle’ program.

We should all make a concerted effort to make Earth Day part of our every day lifestyle.

Now there’s no need to worry if you missed any of Charlie’s 3-Course Valentine’s Meal demo at our Farmers’ Market yesterday! … Here’s your chance to watch whenever you like.

It’s a great How-To for a quick, easy and delicious meal:

• A Sweet & Simple Salad
• Chickpea Croquettes with Chard and Carrots
• Raspberry Champagne Float

Sweet and Simple Salad

This is a simple salad, using ingredients from the farmers market. The great thing about this is the flavors are so fresh, you know everything was picked yesterday or a couple of days ago and it’s so simple to throw together last minute. You can use whatever your favorite farmer’s market greens and veggies are to build your own version.

• Lettuce
• Radish, sliced
• Avocado, sliced
• Candied Walnuts

Honey Vinaigrette

• 6Tbl Olive Oil
• 2Tbl Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Good Pinch salt and pepper

Place the arugula in a bowl and toss with the dressing.

Place onto a serving plate and top with radish, walnuts and avocado

Chickpea Croquettes

• 2 cups cooked Chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
• 1 cup Wholewheat Flour
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
• 1 bunch Garlic Chives
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons Parsley leaves
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive Oil

In a large bowl, mash the Chickpeas with a fork. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Season and taste! Form the Chickpea mixture into patties, about 1/2 inch thick (add a little water if needed).

In a large saucepan, heat some Olive Oil over a medium heat. Place 4 patties in the pan, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the bottoms begin to brown. Flip the patties over, with a spatula, and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side, until that side begins to brown, too.

Transfer to a plate, and repeat with the remaining 4 patties.

Serve with Homemade Ketchup or Chutney (we recommend Sylvie’s from the market – they work together perfectly!)

Sauteed Swiss Chard

Simply wash and roughly chop a bunch of Chard (including the stalks). Mince a clove, or two, of Garlic. Heat some Olive Oil in a pan, sautee the Garlic with the chard. Add a pinch of Salt. Done!

Roasted Heirloom Carrots

In a bowl, toss the carrots with Olive Oil and Sea Salt. Place into a foil parcel, with 4 cloves of Garlic. Cover and bake at 375 degrees, for 30 minutes.

Raspberry Champagne Float

This doubles as a dessert and an after dinner drink, and will be sure to win your loved one over. It’s a dessert to share!

• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• ½ cup Agave
• Vanilla Ice Cream (from Help Yourself of course!)
• Champagne (or other sparkling white wine)

Blend the Raspberries with the Agave to make a syrup.

Pour a good swirl of the Raspberry syrup into a glass. Fill up with Champagne and add a spoon full of Vanilla Ice Cream.

Q: What was your favorite thing you ate on Valentine’s Day?