When used topically, aloe vera is known for its incredible healing powers, but did you know that you can also eat aloe vera? It’s a potent superfood that heals you from the inside out! The benefits are remarkable: Studies show that regularly consuming the inner gel of the aloe plant can result in all sorts of health improvements, including:

• Clearer skin
• Improved digestion

Relief of

• heartburn
• An increase in antioxidants to fight cancer-causing free radicals
• Balanced gut flora Improved

liver function Aloe vera isn’t just for relieving sunburn! There are so many ingenious ways to use this fascinating plant.

Can aloe vera be used in cooking?

Yes! But it is important to properly clean and prepare aloe vera gel to achieve the best taste and prevent possible stomach pain. Use a sharp knife to cut the aloe leaves lengthwise, then carve slices of the inner gel. The gel has a yellow coating called “latex”, which you will need to remove. Latex has a bitter taste and is not healthy if consumed in large quantities, so try to trim any excess latex and rinse it in the sink, being careful not to drop the slippery gel.

Once you’ve prepared your rinse-off, latex-free aloe gel, you’re ready to add it to some healthy, ultra-fresh recipes! Here are three delicious dishes that will help hydrate, nourish and repair your body.

Aloe vera

popsicles

An aloe vera popsicle on a hot day will refresh you and quench your thirst instantly. Beat the heat of Fort Lauderdale with these icy treats!

Ingredients

: 1

• /2 cup rinsed aloe vera gel

1

• kiwi, peeled and sliced

Juice of a lime

• Zest

of a

• lime

1

• cup coconut water
• 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a blender, mix until smooth, then pour it into popsicle molds! Freeze it, then pass the plastic base under warm water to release the icy popsicles from their molds.

Vegan chocolate

and

aloe

ice cream

This dairy-free ice cream has a mild sweetness and plenty of cocoa to satisfy your dessert cravings, but it’s packed with antioxidants, nutrients, fiber, and plant-based protein. Ice cream Shopped in store can’t say the same!

Ingredients

: 1 cup raw

• cashews

1 cup water 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 1

• tablespoon raw cocoa nibs

1

• /4 cup pure maple syrup 4
• tablespoons rinsed aloe vera gel

Directions: Add all ingredients in a blender and mix for

• 1-2

minutes until soft and foamy. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container, cover with plastic, and then freeze for 4+ hours. When you are ready to serve, remove it from the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes, so that it softens a little.

Thai shrimp salad with mango and aloe vera

This exotic salad is anything but tasteless: it has a lot of flavor and will help energize you, effectively preventing the dreaded brain fog after lunch.

Ingredients:

• The gel of a large aloe vera leaf, rinsed and cut into toothpick-sized noodles

1

• /2 of a cucumber, spiral

1

• carrot, julienned

1

• green mango, thinly cut 8-10
• large cooked shrimp

1 handful basil, chopped 1 handful

• cilantro,

chopped 2 tablespoons

• chopped peanuts

1 lime

• 1

tablespoon salt Dressing: 1 tablespoon sesame oil

2

• garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon

• chili flakes

2 tablespoons

• fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar

Directions:

Place the aloe vera “noodles” and 1 tablespoon of salt in a bowl. Gently mix the noodles with your hands, so that they are salty, then rinse the noodles under the tap to remove any viscous layers.

Next, fill a container with ice and cold water. Squeeze the juice of a lime into the ice bath and mix the remaining crust there as well. Boil a pot of salted water, blanch the aloe noodles for two minutes and immediately transfer them to the lime ice bath.

Mix all the dressing ingredients, then add the shrimp, mango, carrot, aloe and cucumber. Mix gently to cover and let stand for five minutes to absorb the flavor. Next, add basil and cilantro. Sprinkle the crushed peanuts on top and you’re ready to serve!

Do you want to grow some aloe vera at home to take advantage of its incredible healing powers? Living Color Garden Center has an excellent selection of aloe vera in Fort Lauderdale, plus many other amazing edible plants to grow in your garden.

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