It’s been a long year.  I started it off with four brain surgeries.  I remember waking up from one surgery and my abdomen hurt.  My husband said that’s where my brain shunt drains. I remember thinking, “I have a what installed?!”  Crazy.  I have all my days in the hospital mixed up and have to get it in line again with P.  I had bad dreams.  I thought P was going into surgery too (luckily he didn’t).  From time to time I ask him questions about the hospital because I get confused.

I’m grateful P’s still here with me.  It’s been a long road.  “Through thick and thin” takes on a different meaning when it includes endless nights in the hospital, staying up reading medical journals on hydrocephalus, shuttling between mom and baby’s room, dealing with a wife who couldn’t talk back, and nerves, leaving you awake at night.  I didn’t know when he married me that it would include this.  He truly is my best friend and soul mate.  And by my side he’s stayed, through numerous doctor office visits, therapy sessions, surgeries, lumbar punctures and hospital stays, more than someone would expect.  For the longest time the neurosurgeon and other doctors didn’t know what was going on with me, why I didn’t get better.  I know it was hard on P.  An idiot doesn’t have to tell me that.

My friend told me her husband left her when “thick” happened.  I don’t know what I would have done, but I sure didn’t do this by myself.  I consider myself very lucky to have him with me through all this.  We had both moms shuttle in from another state, taking care of the baby, so it was a lot of work for them, too.  My sister-in-law changed jobs and moved to our home in Texas .  For someone who’s your sister-in-law, that’s love right there.

I made some unlikely friends in the hospital.  For someone who recently moved from Hawaii, I had a good support system, and wasn’t left alone in the hospital.  All of the sudden, a girlfriend of our friend in Hawaii came to visit, and she introduced us to other people.  For someone who couldn’t speak, I made a lot of friends and nowadays keep in contact with them.  They helped fill up some empty spaces in the hospital.  I had visitors that I didn’t know, coming to my room to sing, give hugs, or offer some consoling words.

And my CNAs were super friendly too.  They came to my room to talk when they didn’t have to.  They even watched the royal wedding with me when I was watching it (for the third time) with my mom.  Two of them even drove to my house after I was discharged to hang out with me and Camille.

My therapists were always upbeat and so nice.  I remember when I couldn’t talk, my speech therapist at the hospital brought on a music therapist in hopes that I would sing one word in a verse.  I couldn’t, but she was always upbeat and happy, despite what was going on.  And when we moved back home and went to outpatient therapy, my occupational therapist was like my friend, pushing me in the pool.  The pool was my favorite part of the day.  My speech therapist there also never let up on me, doing really hard exercises that would tire me out, but in a good way.  My physical therapists pushed me, making me go on a mini-trampoline and freaking me out on the red mat, something that hurt my knees the first time around but was okay afterward.

So for my one-year staying alive anniversary, I asked P the other day, “What’s your favorite dessert?”  And he said, “Hot and sour soup.”  What?!

Gross.  For those who don’t know P, he doesn’t like desserts, opting for the salty items rather than the sweets.  The first time I made hot and sour soup was in his apartment in Monterey, California.  Okay, I thought, I’ll make it again!  But I lost my Cook’s Illustrated magazine which featured the recipe.  And we planned a last-minute trip so I’ll attempt to make it when we get home. As you can see, I was able to take him to an Extraordinary Desserts with some friends.  Woohoo!

So, on this day, I will enjoy the little things.  P and I will rejoice in the day.  We’re lucky our baby is happy and healthy.  We’re lucky to have each other.  And we’re happy that we can spend another day together.

Me before the accident

Okay, I’m gonna get personal here.  I haven’t posted in over eight months, and there’s a big reason.  In November 2010, I was on the way home with my hubby.  We watched Cirque du Soleil and had dinner with my cousin, Bi.  A car hit us.

I don’t remember anything after that, but my husband tells me that I dialed 9-1-1.  I was in the hospital from November until May of this year.  A long time.  I shuttled between three hospitals.  I had a traumatic brain injury.  I had a PEG tube inserted for nutrition, so imagine tube feeding being pumped in your stomach for 6 months.  I developed hydrocephalus.  In January I had a shunt placed in my head.  I can finally eat now and had my PEG tube removed.  My head was lopsided for a bit because of the shunt.  I gave birth to a premature baby and don’t even remember it.  All I have is a scar, no pain, just fogginess of when I gave birth to her.

Because I could barely talk, I was frustrated a lot.  I learned how to write with my left hand.  I would pine for my husband to get home from work, and when 5:45 pm hit, I was so happy he would come back.  My friends from California would come visit and fill in the empty spaces.  My sister-in-law quit her job and, I think because of me, moved over to Texas to become a nurse because she had met so many bad ones.  I was in rehab in the hospital, and spent hours doing occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy.  I could barely control my drool and was embarrassed a lot.  I recently mastered it and now can walk slowly with a cane, talk clearly, and not drool.

Eight months later, I’m still in rehab but at home, thankfully.  I have rehab three times a week and can walk with a cane now, a big improvement from using a wheelchair.  I can talk now, and my double vision is gone.  My right arm isn’t where I’d like it to be, and typing this is taking forever and a day.  I can go out now, and I’m loving it.

So for those of you who have wondered, this is where I’ve been.  I made a super long story really short.  I’ll continue to post so check back once in awhile, but do understand it’s hard because I don’t have complete function in my right arm.  Talk to y’all later!

Inspired by Monica’s guest post on Pumpkin Palette Pleasers, I set out to make a few new dishes with pumpkin as the main feature.  Seeking convenience over making it from scratch, I became a little miffed that two out of two grocery stores I visited ran out of pumpkin puree (there was “pumpkin pie filling,” but I didn’t want to go down that route).

Posting my dismay on Twitter, I got called out immediately by two foodie friends, Lina and Anh, telling me I should just make the puree.  I know, I admit it: I was being lazy!  All I was going to do was make a pumpkin milkshake, friends!  That seemed like a lot of trouble to me to make my own puree just for that, but then I figured I might as well go all out on a pumpkin puree spree and make other things with it.  And if not, I could just freeze the puree until further inspiration came along.  Finally, I just bought a sugar pie pumpkin and made my own dang puree.  ;p

Sugar pie pun’kin.  Smaller than the ones you’d normally decorate.

To make the pumpkin puree, simply cut the stem and top off the pumpkin.  Scoop out the seeds and stringy parts.  Rinse the seeds a couple of times to separate them from the stringy parts, then whiz them through the salad spinner until slightly dry.  Make Iceberg to Arugula’s roasted pumpkin seeds with them.  I like to add in some tandoori spice with a little salt.  It makes for an exotic pumpkin seed snack!

Cut the pumpkin in half, and set both halves on a roasting pan, skin side up.  Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan and bake it in the oven preheated at 350°F for about 1 hour, until a fork easily pierces through the tender pumpkin flesh.

Wait about 15 minutes until the pumpkin is easier to handle, then peel and discard the skin.  Take the pumpkin flesh and run it through the food processor for a few minutes while you do a few dishes.  You want a smooth consistency with the pumpkin puree, like baby food.

On that note, if you have a baby who’s eating pureed foods already, save some for the little one!  My little sugar pie pumpkin yielded 3 cups of puree and 1 cup of pumpkin seeds.

Here’s what I did with some of the pumpkin puree…I made 1/2 of this recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Bread, cutting out 1/4 cup of the sugar and only using one egg from the halved recipe, and adding raisins and walnuts at the end instead of pecans.

And since I wasn’t yet done with my pumpkin tirade, I made pumpkin milkshakes!  Each serving contains a whopping 1/2 cup of fresh pureed pumpkin, so it’s like you’re having a serving of veggies with your dessert.  Suffice it to say, this is still not a low-calorie delight (what milkshake is?), but the substitution of light ice cream instead of premium shaves off about 80 calories and 9 grams of fat per serving.  I also used fat-free milk instead of low-fat to save a little more.  If you want a little taste, you can further reduce the serving sizes and serve four in nice champagne glasses.  I didn’t want to use fat-free ice cream because it just tastes like a bunch of artificial fillers to me.  I rarely make milkshakes, but this was a special occasion, since freshly pureed pumpkins don’t come around often throughout the year!

If you are looking for a lactose-free version of this recipe, I have one too!  It’s super easy – just sub out the ice cream and milk for lactose-free versions, which are everywhere in the supermarkets these days.

Pumpkin Milkshakes

serves 2 (picture above shows one serving)

2 cups light vanilla bean ice cream (or lactose-free ice cream)

1 cup pureed pumpkin

1/2 cup fat-free milk (or lactose-free fat-free milk)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

optional: 1 thin ginger cookie, crushed, for crumbling on top

Preparation:

1.  Blend all ingredients, except for the cookie, together.  Divide milkshake evenly among two glasses and sprinkle with ginger cookie crumbs.  Serve. 

Nutrition facts (per 1 1/3 cup serving): 287 calories, 8.4 grams fat, 44 grams carbohydrates, 9.6 grams protein, 331 mg calcium, 2 grams fiber

Clockwise from top: Pink peppercorns, turmeric, fennel seed, lemongrass

Is your cooking getting boring?  Are you rotating the same old recipes day in and day out, and feeling *eh* once you place the meal upon the dinner table?  Well, I’m here to help a sistah (or brother) out.  We all feel cooks’ fatigue from time to time, and if you’re like me, I’d rather be the one cooking for most nights, rather than behind the wheel, searching for an easy-way-out alternative.  A simple way to amp up your typical recipes is an easy addition – spice. It provides a punch of flavor and intrigues the palate.  The addition of spice can fit into a variety of healthy meals and can be a great tool to add flavor without resorting to other cooking techniques, such as frying.  You’re adding very minimally calorie-wise, but the potential to completely transform a meal with the slight of your hand is great.  Read on to learn about some spices you may not have known about and how to incorporate them into your typical meal line-up!

Turmeric: This orange-hued powder is what makes regular mustard yellow and is a principal spice in curry powder. You can sprinkle it on scrambled eggs, tofu, and marinating chicken for a warm, peppery flavor.  I often sprinkle it on whole fish with salt, pepper, and green onions before roasting in the oven.  Makes for great spring rolls!

Pink Peppercorns: Don’t be limited to using only black pepper in your meals!  They are milder than black peppercorns,  delicate and add a sweeter flavor than their savory counterparts. They are not actually a true peppercorn, since they are essentially dried berries from a rose plant., but they do have a slight bite to them!  Since these look so pretty, you can add them to a scoop of low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt for a cool kick.  Grind them on top of delicate white fish, or even on a fruit dessert.  Pink peppercorns look glamorous and are a beautiful addition to any meal.

Lemongrass: Technically a grass (duh) and used as an herb, but I’m going to talk about it here anyways. These are becoming more noticeable in grocery stores now (well, at least when I was living in Hawaii).  Lemongrass is some tough stuff, so what you do is peel off the hard outer layers near the bottom bulb of the lemongrass, and chop up the tender stalk inside.  Once minced, you can add it to some marinade for meat or tofu for a lemony, citrus-like flavor.  Or, pound the lemongrass bulb, infuse it in some hot water and refrigerate to make some cold lemongrass water for later!  If you have a patch of dirt in your backyard, cut the bottom bulb of the lemongrass and just push it into the soil.  Water it like you do your other plants, and watch it replenish your lemongrass reserves!  (I do the same thing with green onion bulbs).

Fennel seed: Licorice-like in flavor, this spice is great for your best lean turkey meatball or sausage recipe.  Just slightly pound it with a mortar and pestle and throw it into whatever you’re making – it also works great with pickled vegetables.  Fennel seed is found in the Chinese five-spice powder mix that also contains star anise, cloves, Szechuan peppercorns, and cinnamon.  I also like the fennel seed that is lightly dusted with a sugar coating at Indian markets – you can just pour them into a jar and leave it on the counter.  Instead of an after-dinner mint, pop a couple of fennel seeds in your mouth and it’s like an all-natural breath freshener!

No trip to Japan is complete without a sushi meal – after all, isn’t Japan like the sushi capital of the world?  On the last day of our Tokyo trip, P and I decided to end it with a sushi lunch before heading over to the airport.  The good thing about Japan is that there is literally food on every corner; in fact, on one block, you can find even up to four restaurants in one tall building, and if one doesn’t fit your bill, you can go downstairs to the next one!

So after a little stroll through Roppongi, we ended up at Sushizanmai, where fresh fish is brought in from Tsukiji market and served as sushi.  P and I usually like to only order nigiri sushi (you won’t find things like dynamite rolls or other cream-cheese laden sushi concoctions over here; this is real sushi), and we were ecstatic to order some new items we’d never tried before.  Some of the items we had: spot prawn, flounder’s fin, amberjack, red tuna, fatty tuna, salmon (my omega-3 staple), red snapper, and a couple hand rolls.  Everything was fresh and delicious, and the flounder’s fin was surprisingly buttery despite its clear, white fish appearance.  Yum…

On to the next course: I have always wanted to try eating at an izakaya (a Japanese bar that serves food), and one day, we just decided to hop off the train at Akasaka and find one (it wasn’t that hard).  We ended up at this cute izakaya before the post-work happy hour rush.  It was so much fun, and each little dish (think like tapas) was pretty inexpensive.

Here’s some fresh grilled squid, about $2 US, with kewpie mayonnaise on the side.  Go light on the mayo!  The squid itself was smoky, tender, and didn’t need extra accompaniment except for a squirt of lemon.

Bamboo shoots salad that was presented to the table upon sitting.  It’s like a little snack to munch on before you order.  I really liked this dish.  Perfectly savory, crunchy, and cold, with some red pepper, sesame seeds, green onion, and a light dressing of soy sauce.

Several yakitori (meat on a stick, basically) – I admit, this was some fun food!  And I love the portion sizes – it’s enough to get a taste, and not to make you overly stuffed or feel obligated to finish it all.

Soft cold tofu, topped with grated ginger, green onion, and bonito flakes.  You drizzle soy sauce on top.  I once made my version here.  Very healthy and fresh.

And before I go today (I know I’m going crazy with the picture uploads, but what the heck?), I’ll just leave you with some more noodles.    First bowl: Hot and spicy udon soup that P had as lunch one day.

Second bowl: I ate this near the beginning of the week.  Plain udon in a light soy sauce topped with grated yam, and a steaming hot soft-boiled egg.  Green onion on top.  Cost about $4 US.  Talk about cheap eats!

At many udon noodle places, you can also order a tempura on the side to eat with your soup.  Here’s a pic of shredded sweet potato tempura that was only $1 US.

Third bowl: Full of fiber, soba is a popular lunch/dinner/snack choice, we even had it on the plane coming over!  This soba was served with a fragrant dipping broth on the side.

Hope you had a good taste of some of the wonderful food finds we had on this trip.  The next (and last) post of our Tokyo trip features dessert!  Stay tuned!

I’m in Tokyo this week, so for my next couple blogs, I’m going to share with you some of my food-related experiences in this bustling, vibrant city.  P and I have planned this trip for awhile now, and there was no way we were going to miss the Tsukiji Fish Market and auction, the largest wholesale fish market in the world.  This is the hub where tuna gets delivered and auctioned to middlemen for wholesale.  We woke up this morning at 4:30am to catch the train and got there in the midst of all the action.  If I wasn’t awake during my early wake-up call, my senses were definitely jolted to attention upon arriving here.

Dress in sneakers and clothes you don’t really care for, because you’ve got to be agile and constantly on your toes.  This is an operating fish market – fish guys are quickly going about their business, and they won’t slow down if you’re in their way.  Those who dilly-dally trying to take a picture might get run over by the skirting motorized carts and men quickly pulling wheelbarrows that transport the tuna from one area to the other for processing.

Watch out for the flying fish!

I was quick, but had to jump out of the way a few times because the motorized carts seemed to come from out of nowhere, and almost got run over by a fishmonger dragging his tuna across the floor towards me (the cause of my near-collision shown below).  It was a thrilling experience, I must say.

The whole market is one serious operation inside itself.  On one end of the warehouse, you’ve got fresh frozen tuna, all lined up for inspection and auction.  Then in other stalls you see where the processing goes on.  Fishmongers expertly scale and skin the fish, and section it into pieces with surgeon-like precision.  Outside the market you’ll find dozens of stalls serving fresh sushi (breakfast, anyone?), the catch of the day.  And it’s not just tuna you can find at the wholesale market – anything goes, from shellfish, octopus, and dozens of types of glistening fish.  And the most interesting thing I found, was that in such a large warehouse, filled with seafood of all different kinds, it didn’t smell fishy. That’s right, it just smelled like sea water.

Walking back towards the train station, you’ll find a lineup of noodle stalls specializing in their own broth.  We ended up stopping at one of the stalls for breakfast.  We love to eat what the locals do, and noticed a lot of people going to this particular one.  I couldn’t tell you what it was called, because the sign of the stall was in Japanese, but the point is that wherever you go to travel, don’t be afraid if you don’t know the language and want to try something new.  Just point to whatever the other person is having, and you have successfully ordered a meal!

The soup contained chewy ramen noodles and was topped with thin, juicy, and lean slices of pork loin.  Tender bamboo shoots and green onion topped the soup, which was ladled with a steamy, hot, savory broth.

A bowl of this for 650 yen, which amounts to roughly $7 US, was not too shabby at all.  Those prices compared easily to a bowl of pho in Little Saigon, California, or Hawaii, and was just as filling.

I must say, I will never look at my sushi the same way again.

Until next time!  Arigatou gozaimaso for tuning in!

Remember this picture?  It’s not a grape (although after some of your comments, I will be at least giving you a hint on the size of the thing, because this can definitely pass as a grape!), and it’s not a passion fruit, it’s a……

*ahem*…its a…

STAR APPLE!!!! Pretty wacky huh?  Growing up, I’ve just heard of this fruit from my relatives in Vietnam, but never saw it till last week when we went fruit picking.  You see, when you cut it in half, there’s a star shape in the middle, and you eat the entire insides (except the black seeds) by scooping out the fruit with a spoon.  Tastes faintly of persimmon, and you have to wait until it’s soft on the outside until you eat it.  Delicious!

And here’s a fun tidbit: in Vietnamese, this fruit is called vu sua, which literally translates out to Breast Milk Fruit! I know, saying that makes me kind of giggle.   The reason why is – you see that white milky stuff in the fruit? – is because the more you squeeze it, the more white sap (edible) comes out.  And I’m just going to stop now before I crack myself up again!

Alright everyone, so the moment you’ve been waiting for…the winners of Round One: Guess That Food! are…..

Michelle Nguyen and

An!

Congrats ladies!  You will be entered into the drawing to win an awesome foodie cookbook from me.  I really really really really want to tell you what it is and almost wrote it down but I figure I have to work on my patience and wait till the end.  And you know what?  I’m just going to shorten this contest (not because I’m working on my patience), and next week you’ll have a few foods to guess in one quiz.  So stay tuned over the weekend for another recipe coming your way and the next quiz.

Remember, if you haven’t entered the contest yet, you can still try your hand at Guess That Food next week!

I’m having lots of fun here, aren’t you?

For the next four weeks, I’ll be posting up a picture of something that I’ve picked here in Hawaii, and I won’t tell you what it is.  Your job will be to post a comment on what you think it might be, and if you’re right, your name will be entered in to win a good foodie book from me to you – it’s one of my favorites, and all will be revealed after the final week!

I’ve had lots of fun with this blog the past year, and wanted to say thanks in a fun way.  So, get movin’ and shakin’!  Guessing is highly encouraged, and because I can’t hide my comments (I’ll just put it out there – I’m not that computer-savvy), the first 3 people who answer correctly on each post will be entered into the drawing.  Whoever first answers all four weeks’ worth of items correctly automatically wins.  If multiple players answer each week’s items correctly, I will be picking a name at random.

One entry per person, and no entries after Thursday, 9pm Pacific time please.  And no cheating!

Now tell me, what is this?

We flew to Kona on the Big Island this past weekend, and being the coffee lover that I am, could not pass up the chance of visiting one of the many coffee farms this side of the island.  So I dragged P along for the ride, ending up at Greenwell Farms, located in Kealakekua, near Kona.

Once out of the car, we were immediately greeted by Chai, the enthusiastic tour guide on the  farm and coffee maven.  She gave us an awesome tour of the coffee estate, starting with the little plot of land where Mr. Henry Nicholas Greenwell, who, back in the 1800s, planted his first set of Kona coffee trees.  The fourth generation of Greenwells owns and operates the land to this day.

Here’s Chai telling us about the history of the farm, on the plot of land Mr. Greenwell planted his first coffee trees, also known as the Kona typica variety.

Kona snow refers to the sprays of coffee cherry blossoms.  Fun fact: Kona coffee trees are related to the gardenia plant – their leaves look exactly like gardenia leaves and the flowers smell beautifully fragrant.

Here are some unripe coffee cherries

The red coffee cherry looks like a cranberry; all the dried coffee beans that are grayish near the bottom have yet to be roasted

The coffee cherries bear fruit for about 4-5 months starting in February (we came at the right time!).  After they’re harvested, their outer skin gets peeled, revealing a slimy bean inside.  It has a slightly sweet flavor at this point.

After the outside skin is removed, the beans dry out underneath the sun.  Here’s a coffee worker raking out the beans.

A machine removes the “parchment,” the next two layers of skin, and then the beans get roasted for their different uses.  The difference between regular roasted beans versus beans like espresso, I learned, was not in the bean itself, buy the varying degrees of temperatures and duration that the beans are roasted.  Pretty cool beans if you ask me.

The farm itself is pretty neat.  It’s overflowing with orange, avocado, banana, papaya, mango, and macadamia nut trees.  And at the end of the tour, you’re led to a little store filled with 100% Kona coffee goodies (watch out for the chocolate-covered espresso beans, they are mighty delicious!), as well as other specialties like Big Island Bees honey.  I couldn’t leave without getting a bag of 100% Kona coffee (Greenwell’s doesn’t sell in stores, just through their farm or online) and some Big Island Bees Honey made from macadamia nut tree flowers.  Chai told me their honey is also organic.  I sampled the honey varieties from the Lehua, macadamia nut, and Wililaiki blossoms.  Delicious.

Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I loved my coffee and honey; wishing you a wonderful week!

What cool food finds are unique to your region?

**disclaimer: I’m just writing this because I visited the farm and it’s what I do when I visit new places.  And no, I was not paid to review it or the honey.  Just sayin’.

What choices do you make when you’re in the grocery store?  Do you mainly shop the perimeter, to avoid the junk and snack food aisles in the middle?  Do you look at the labels to make sure a product is free from hydrogenated oils?  High fructose corn syrup?  Artificial sweeteners?  Or do you make sure you only buy bread that has 100% whole wheat as the first ingredient?  Most of us have a train of thoughts going through our minds as we make decisions on what to bring to our tables, myself included.

In regards to produce, I try to buy locally (I love my farmer’s markets!).  My grocery store has a picture profile of a local farmer for certain items like corn, tomatoes, mushrooms, and lettuce, so it feels good supporting the community.   And sometimes, I’ll pick up a few organic items.  Organic foods go through a certification process through the USDA, and among the criteria, do not use chemical non-organic fertilizers or pesticides, artificial additives, chemical ripeners, or undergo food irradiation.  In terms of organic meats, eggs, and dairy products, animals are not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones.

The choice is really a personal one.  You may choose to go organic because of environmental reasons, lower your exposure and ingestion of pesticide residues, or they just taste better to you.  In terms of nutrition, the debate is still out on whether organic produce is significantly more nutritious than non-organic.  Organic foods are grown in smaller crops and are more labor-intensive than conventional methods of farming, so you’d also have to consider the increased price tag for organics.  I once saw a 1/2 pint of fresh, organic raspberries going for close to $7.  That doesn’t make sense to me; instead, I’d rather buy frozen organic berries (cheaper) or head out to my local farmer’s market, where I know those berries didn’t travel thousands of miles to get to my store.  No need to compromise my carbon footprint on a 1/2 pint of berries!

The Environmental Working Group released a list of 47 produce items that range from containing the most pesticides to the least.  If you’re thinking about buying a few organic produce items in your weekly grocery trips but don’t want to increase your weekly food budget too much, you might choose to consider buying the items that are in the Dirty Dozen (produce that has the highest amount of pesticides compared to their conventionally-grown counterparts) rather than the Clean 15.  Remember to wash your produce thoroughly too, regardless of organic or not.

The Dirty Dozen:

1.  Peaches

2.  Apples

3.  Sweet bell peppers

4.  Celery

5.  Nectarines

6.  Strawberries

7.  Cherries

8.  Kale

9.  Lettuce

10.  Grapes – imported

11.  Carrots

12.  Pears

The Clean 15:

The “Clean 15″ are fruits and vegetables that are ranked lowest in pesticides from the Environmental Working Group.

1.  Onion

2.  Avocado

3.  Sweet corn

4.  Pineapple

5.  Mango

6.  Asparagus

7.  Sweet peas

8.  Kiwi

9.  Cabbage

10.  Eggplant

11.  Papaya

12.  Watermelon

13.  Broccoli

14.  Tomato

15.  Sweet potato