The crunch of the p-nuts under our feet rings familiar of a small town dive bar.

But the decor along the walls reflect a view of quality reminiscent of those unique destination restaurants I’ve seen only on the Travel Channel.

The cheerful waitstaff has me wondering how people can be so happy while working. And the bartenders are having seemingly far too much fun launching railed bombs filled with p-nuts to tables throughout the restaurant.

And as my business partner, Greg Hartle, and I take our seat in the booth, the confusion continues with a glance of the menu. How can the prices be this insanely low? Yet, I’ve heard only but good things, so I keep the faith.

With our friend Joe Sorge (who happens to own the place) at the table, he reassures us his staff has every guest in good hands.

Joe’s philosophy: Great food, consistent taste, served quick – matched with outstanding service and a fun experience – will create a happy guest every time. And while it’s simple to write, most restauranteurs I’ve met will never come close to achieving this formula.

But will AJ Bomber’s prove me wrong?

After taking the first bite of my veggie burger topped with an egg & bomber sauce, life becomes clear… I could live here. This burger joint is amazing.

As a vegetarian, finding a good “burger” abroad is extremely difficult.

My theory for this unfortunate phenomenon is because the folks creating a burger menu consider veggie burgers an afterthought. One of those damn menu items needed to quiet us green-freaks.

However, as Joe explains to us, his wife is the yin to his yang, the ping to his pong, the peanut butter to his jelly (not sure if I’m quoting 100% accurately) and she keeps the menu earth friendly. Veggie patties, black-bean patties, and 100% grass-fed beef all make an appearance on the menu.

While I devour my veggie burger, Greg affirms that the beef burger is extremely tasty. But with my disdain for meat, you’ll have to take his word on it :)

I came… I ate… I Got Bombed!

As the waitstaff continue to happily hustle through their tasks and pnut bombs fly overhead, we leave overwhelmingly satisfied.

If you are ever passing through Southern Wisconsin and you are looking for a great burger place, AJ Bomber’s in Madison, Wisconsin (or their Milwaukee location) is a wonderful choice to get bombed.

Bonus:

After you fill your belly with tasty food, you can work off those extra calories with Madison’s ingenious bike rental stations spread throughout downtown. It’s great to see progressive, bike friendly cities.

Instead, I opt for Vibram Five Fingers, Reefs, or most usually, nothing at all.

In fact, this has been the case for at least 3 summers now.

But at this time of year – when mother nature starts to crap out buckets of cold snow on the Midwest – is when I face the unbearable reality: shoes & socks!

Not anymore!

The Solution for a Barefoot Winter

With the leaves changing colors and the temperature slowly losing its comfortable numbers, fall is clearly upon us.

As sad as I am to see summer go, I have new hope for an enjoyable cold season thanks to my buddy, Ian.

Ian introduced me to his “non-shoes” called Sanük Sidewalk Surfers.

And after a brief description of how they are barefooter sandals with a canvas upper, I was instantly intrigued.

But his Sanuks were only canvas covered with no insulation whatsoever. Which may work through fall, but unless I don’t mind losing a couple of toes, they wouldn’t be a solution for 10 degree weather.

Luckily, as I browsed through Sanuk’s product selection online, I found they have a product line called Chill designed for winter. Jackpot!

The Sanuk Vagabond Chill

For $65 I picked up these Vagabond Chill Sanuks from Moosejaw.

They have a sandal-like bottom, a canvas upper, and some sort of confortable micro-fiber insulation. And without any harm to animals, they are earth-friendly and vegan.

After about a week of wearing, my impression of them are mostly positive. I love that they have little support or noticeable “shoe-like” features while wearing them. Best yet, they are extremely light weight. Which is essential for minimalist footwear.

Moreover, the overall construction is of very high quality. The sole is extremely flexible, the canvas is durable, and they run true to size for me.

Also, with my already laid-back persona, the “non-shoes” hopefully will sneak by as business casual footwear. At least they’re more professional than my sandals :)

Unfortunately, one small negative is they have slightly more cushion in the sole than I’d prefer. But then again, I’m used to being completely barefoot. I’d imagine after a few more weeks, I’ll barely notice the slight give in my step. And actually, anyone who wears normal shoes on occasion may think the opposite of me.

Overall, I am extremely happy with their value, comfort, and styling.

Final Verdict

If you’re a fan of minimalist footwear and/or looking for a comfortable winter sandal. I highly recommend checking out the Sanuk Vagabond Chill.

What Makes It Healthy?

In one word: Assimilation.

Our teeth and digestive system are not designed to harness the extraordinary benefits of greens, fruits and seeds to the fullest. For instance, if you watch our evolutionary siblings (primates) eat, they chew and grind their food for a very long time. This crushes the greens before swallowing. Since we usually fail to thoroughly chew our food, our digestive system cannot properly assimilate the nutrients. Therefore, most greens pass right through us. By blending greens, we simulate the thorough grinding action of primate-like chewing.

Don’t believe me? Head to the nearest zoo, check out a gorilla’s diet, then challenge the gorilla to a weight lifting contest… Good Luck!

My First Green Smoothie

I perused the aisles of Whole Foods and decided to buy some romaine, frozen strawberries, mangoes and fresh bananas. Against the recommendation in the book to have a good blender, I dusted off my $20 blender and added the ingredients. About 2.3 seconds into the blending, a loud clunk followed by smoke told me I should have bought a new blender. Undaunted I ordered a Vita-Mix – now extremely determined to make a green smoothie. While waiting for my new baby to be delivered I searched the web, reading more about blending greens and the benefits of green smoothies. A week before trying my first smoothie, I felt I was an expert in the field. And I had no problem preaching this to my co-workers, promising to bring in servings for everyone.

My Second Green Smoothie

Success! Vitamix blenders are amazing! In the same time it took my old blender to break, I had blended 40 oz of frozen & fresh ingredients. And it was surprisingly tasty. Who would think a bunch of spinach and frozen peaches would taste so good!?!

Your First Green Smoothie

When I began to do research for this article I came across this video from Tim VanOrden I had originally watched about a year back. This video is excellent for introducing the concepts behind a green smoothie. (He uses a Blend-Tec blender which is basically the same as a Vita-Mix.) Tim has been a huge advisor in the raw foodist community and with out further ado:

My Additions To This Video

I have made complex smoothies like Tim’s in the past, however, greens and other fresh ingredients only last so long. I tend to keep my smoothies more simplistic and use frozen fruits as much as possible. Also, I usually use more greens. For instance, a head of romaine is virtually flavorless when mixed with berries. However, greens such as kale, parsley, carrot tops and watercress have a much stronger flavor, so be cautious when experimenting with ingredients. The author of the Green For Life book, Victoria Boutenko, offers a bunch of green smoothie recipes on her site.

My Two Favorite Recipes

Strawberry-Banana-Mango-Romaine

My personal favorite, very flavorful which makes it perfect for beginners and anyone not yet fully sold on the taste of a green smoothie:

•    1 Cup Strawberries
•    1 Cup Mangoes
•    2 Bananas
•    1 Romaine Heart
•    2 Cups Cold Water

Blend the water, romaine, and bananas with a high-speed blender for 20 seconds add the strawberries and mangoes for another 20 seconds of blending. Enjoy!

Produces 40 oz of delicious smoothie!

Peaches-Spinach

A wonderful green smoothie perfect for a warm summer’s day:

•    16 oz Peaches
•    1/2 Bunch of Spinach
•    2 Cups Cold Water

Blend the water, peaches, and spinach with a high-speed blender for 30 seconds. Enjoy!

Produces 40 oz of delicious green smoothie!

Good Luck! And I look forward to hearing about your Green Smoothie experiences!

Resources For Getting Started

• Raw Family – The main website of for the author of Green For Life
• Green Smoothies Facts – A great lens on Squidoo
• List of Alkaline and Acidic Foods
• Running Raw – Tim VanOrden’s site
• Vita-Mix Blenders
• Blend-Tec Blenders

“Vegetarian – that’s an old Indian word meaning ‘lousy hunter.’”

- Andy Rooney

Living healthy is an important variable in an entrepreneurial lifestyle. I try to eat as much fresh, raw and organic produce as possible. However, this is not cheap. By utilizing these ten tips you will not only save your health, you will save your wallet:

1. Buy flash-frozen fruits and vegetables

When it comes to buying fresh vs. frozen fruits and veggies the only consideration is the nutrient content. However, the small loss of nutrients in a flash-frozen fruit or green is insignificant and thus makes a great alternative for buying fruits, especially varieties that are out of season. Also, frozen fruits are ideal for smoothies.

2. Not everything needs to be organic

(prelude: while the fact that organic is always better for the environment, it’s just not always better for the wallet) There is a common misconception that all produce needs to be organic, while in fact there are many options in which non-organic will suffice if cash flow is tight. One such example is a banana in that the peeling helps protect the inner fruit from any pesticides or other harmful chemicals used in the growing and distribution process. Conversely, keep your items such as leafy greens, berries, and other produce that would have direct contact with the outside world should stay as organic as your budget allows.

3. Farmer’s markets

If you shop at your local farmer’s market, not only will you help save the environment and support your community, you can find extremely good prices. A tip to keep in mind is the later in the day you attend the market, the cheaper you can negotiate the price as the farmer would rather give a discount than have to bring back their crop.

4. Sales on older produce

Depending on your supermarket, you can find great deals on produce that may be approaching or exceeding its recommended life span. These products may limit you to eating them that day but when saving 50% of more, it’s usually worth the concession.

5. Buy in bulk

Bulk warehouse stores can often hold amazing buys for produce. While initially you may wonder what you are going to do with 5 lbs. of oranges, a little creativity can go a long way. One tip we use is shopping with a friend or small group and split the products and the costs.

6. Grow your own

Whether you live on 80 acres out in the country or in a studio apartment in the city, everyone has the ability to grow some produce. For example, tomatoes not only look beautiful when growing, they taste amazing right off the vine.

7. Stick with in season produce

Long distance transportation of produce not only puts a strain on the environment, it adds additional justifications for a higher price. For example, if you live in an area that has growing seasons, stick with produce such as squash in the wintertime.

8. Substitutions

Do you truly need that $5 head of boston lettuce when the $2 romaine will do? Can that heirloom tomato be replaced with a regular tomato? While a majority of salads and other meals are very dependent on the exact ingredients, recipes such as green smoothies can alternate ingredients while maintaining their nutrient content and taste, ultimately saving you money.

9. Wash the produce yourself

Prewashed and bagged greens may be a time saver but they cost much more than unwrapped, unwashed alternatives. A 4-ounce bag of prewashed and precut salad mix may cost $4 while cutting and washing 4-ounces of salad ingredients may cost you under a dollar. (besides, many reports have been released stating that prewashed produce should still be washed before consuming)

10. Correctly store your produce

Once you spend money on fruits and greens make sure that you can keep it long enough for you to also enjoy the produce. Keep the fruits out of the sun and preferably in fruit-saving green bags. Additionally, store the refrigerated produce in correctly calibrated crispers or purchase containers designed for produce.

With these ten tips, you can rest assured that you will save your wallet while ensuring excellent health. If you have any further tips that may help other readers feel free to mention it in the comment section below. Good luck shopping and have a healthy day!