Sweet Broccoli Juice

Do you end up with a pile of broccoli stalks in your kitchen? I eat a lot of broccoli so I always manage to have a growing pile of broccoli stalks in my fridge. For years I made the mistake of composting them. Of course, that was until I realized how absolutely delicious they are. If you're not eating your broccoli stalks, let me tell you right now that you are missing out.

Once you peel the outer skin of the broccoli stalk away, the inside is crisp and sweet and they make a wonderful snack by themselves. I also love using shredded broccoli stalks raw in salads and slaws or sauteing them in a quick stir-fry. 

This week I've been experimenting with adding them to juices and I am loving this spicy and sweet combo with apple, mint, and ginger. If you are one of those people who dislike the taste of broccoli, let me just warn you now that this probably isn't for you. However, if you are a broccoli fan and are looking for a new way to  use up the stalks, this is one tasty treat!

If you are new to juicing broccoli, I would probably recommend taking it slow and starting with 1 - 2 stalks and increasing the ratio of apples. Combined with the mint and ginger, this juice is sweet, but with a nice bit of spice from the ginger. It's the perfect combo to get you in the mood for spring!

Sweet Broccoli Juice
Serves 1

2 - 3 broccoli stalks
handful fresh mint
1-inch piece ginger
1 - 2 apples, depending on desired sweetness

Juice ingredients and enjoy!

Recipe shared at Weekend Wellness

Vanilla Rooibus Tea with Cacao & Mint

Since I'm hosting the savory tea giveaway from Numi this week, I thought it would be fun to talk a little bit more about tea. 

If you ever come to Seattle, one of the places that you absolutely have to visit is Remedy Teas on Capitol Hill. I am obsessed with this tea house. They carry over 150 organic loose leaf teas in the cafe, including white, green, oolong, black, rooibus, yerba, and a variety of herbal teas. If you are a tea drinker, this place is pure heaven. 

One of my favorite combinations was a seasonal holiday tea they featured several years ago that tasted like chocolate peppermint candy. Let me tell you, I bought out the store. Literally. And over the next eleven months I drank it all. 

Then the following Christmas I anxiously awaited for this seasonal tea to return, but they never brought it back. Several months ago I found myself craving this tea again and I finally decided it was time to just make my own combination. So I did.  

Rooibus is a sweet, caffeine-free tea from South Africa. I love drinking it as an afternoon treat and this combination is perfect with a little almond milk and stevia.  

I was pleasantly surprised by how cost effective it is to make my own loose leaf blend by purchasing the ingredients separately and then mixing them together. A small tin of this blend can usually run around $15, but I found that purchasing the ingredients in bulk and making this myself cut the cost to a little less than 1/3 of the price. I found the ingredients at my local health foods store, but I also provided links below to order online if your store does not have a bulk section or does not carry these items. Since vanilla beans are quite pricey, I kept mine whole and added it to the tea blend to help infuse the tea with vanilla flavor. Storing the tea in a tea tin kept the vanilla bean fresh enough that it still has plenty of flavor to reuse in future batches of tea. 

Vanilla Rooibus Tea with Cacao & Mint

Makes about 15 cups of tea

Ingredients:

1/3 cup rooibus tea

2 tablespoons cacao nibs

2 tablespoons peppermint tea

1 vanilla bean

Instructions:

Assemble the ingredients and store in a tea tin.

The general rule of thumb when brewing loose leaf tea is 1 teaspoon of tea per cup of water, but I tend to like stronger tea so I usually add 2 - 3 teaspoons per cup of water. I am by no means a tea expert, but here are some other helpful tips I typically use for brewing rooibus tea:

• Always use fresh, cold, and preferably filtered water for boiling. (This will help your tea to taste the best.)
• The recommended temperature for making rooibus tea is 205°F, which means you can usually bring the water to a rolling boil and then steep the tea right away. (Some teas are better at a lower temperature so you have to wait a few minutes after boiling.)
• For steeping the tea, I usually opt for my trusty Bodum teapot or tea filters if I am using a travel mug on-the-go. Lately I've been using a tea infuser, which allows me to steep the tea directly in my mug. For some reason this has felt easier than using a teapot, but it's all personal preference. 
• Rooibus tea should steep for 3 - 5 minutes, and then the leaves should be removed.  It's also recommended that the cup is covered during steeping, but if you use the teapot or tea infuser, this usually has a lid of its own. 
• Finally, enjoy your tea! Add some milk of your choice and your favorite sweetener (if desired) and serve hot!

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend

9 Green Drinks for St. Patrick's Day!

I know that St. Patrick's Day isn't typically associated with green smoothies and juices, but I think maybe it's time we changed the tradition. If you are one of those people heading out to a weekend celebration with corned beef, Irish bread, cabbage, potatoes, or beer, I hope that you'll down one of these green drinks before embarking on the festivities. I promise your body will thank you later!

1. Mojito Juice
A juice packed with fresh enzymes that resembles a fancy cocktail? I'm in! This combination of cucumber, celery, mint, kale, and lemon will leave your tastebuds begging for more!

2. Green Smoothie 101
Green smoothie newbie? Perfect, you've come to the right place! This video tutorial will get you blending up smoothies correctly so your drink ends up healthy and enjoyable!

3. Green Lemonade
This fresh juice combo resembles my favorite childhood drink and is loaded with nutrients! The lemons help cut the "green" taste so this drink is perfect for those new to juicing.

4. Energizing Green Smoothie
If you are trying to replace your morning cup of joe with something healthier or just need a quick, filling breakfast on-the-go, this smoothie is your new best friend. It's perfect for boosting energy, detoxing, and helping you recover from a workout.

5. Bok Choy Green Juice
This juice is simple and refreshing. I love that it only contains two ingredients and makes me feel amazing anytime I drink it.

6. Kale Smoothie For Kids
No green smoothie round-up would be complete without this one! This smoothie is perfect for transforming "picky-eaters" -- adults included.

7. Kale Smoothie For Ladies
This green smoothie naturally boosts energy (without caffeine!), balances hormones, alleviates cramps, helps stabilize blood sugar, and tastes like chocolate. Enough said.

8. Kale Smoothie With Pear and Herbs
This smoothie is one of my favorites in fall when fresh pears are first available at the market, but I love its refreshing quality in spring. The herbs add a beautiful zest that makes me feel like winter is finally over!

9. Mean Green Juice
Don't be intimidated by its name - this juice is incredibly friendly! This post also has a great video to help you get started with the basics of juicing. Drink up!

I hope you enjoyed this green drink round-up! Have a healthy weekend!

Cheers,
Sonnet


Psst, if you enjoyed this, be sure to share it with your friends!

The Flu Buster Juice

I will always remember January as the month when I couldn't get out of bed for over a week straight. That dang flu bug took me down this year and I fell hard. I honestly haven't been that sick in over six years! 

Since I try to rely on natural remedies as opposed to drug store versions, I tried practically every home remedy I could get my hands on. The winners included gargling with salt water (to ease a sore throat), a hot bath with eucalyptus oil (to clear out the sinuses) and this Flu Buster Juice (to ease general symptoms/immune support). 

I won’t lie: this juice is intense. This juice is a powerful punch of lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper to top it off. It’s powerful enough that just two ounces will do the trick.  Bottoms up!

Depending on the desired intensity, you can adjust the ratio of garlic and ginger. And if you can't handle the thought of downing this without a little sweetness, an orange will lighten this combo up and add a Vitamin C boost!

The Flu Buster Juice

Makes about 2 ounces

Ingredients:

1 lemon, peeled

1 - 4 garlic cloves

1-inch piece fresh ginger

cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Juice lemon, garlic, and ginger and pour into shot glass (or regular glass). Top with a dash of cayenne pepper and drink.

Yerba Mate Chai

There are quite a few things that I am utterly obsessed with at the moment...

80's music. 

Soba noodles with mung bean sprouts. 

Kettlebells. (If you live in Seattle, Kettlebility's classes are awesome!)

Tim Ferris and The 4 Hour Workweek.

Chicago Fire on NBC. (a.k.a. A drama about beautiful people that rescue people. I'm in.)

Popcorn with a little coconut oil and sea salt. Pure bliss. 

Kris Carr's new cookbook. 

Danielle LaPorte and The Desire Map. 

Yoga pants. Always and forever.

And yerba mate tea. Ooh how I love mate tea.

I first began drinking mate tea in college and instantly fell in love. Later that year I completely gave up coffee for mate and have never looked back. Yerba mate tea is a South American tea that tastes sweet and grassy. To me, it has a milder taste compared to green tea. I prefer to drink mate because it gives me an energy boost without the side effects of caffeine (e.g. headache, jitters, etc) that I experience when I have black tea or coffee.  You can find mate at any health food store or online. 

I love drinking mate tea with just a little homemade vanilla almond milk, but I decided to change it up this week with a simple mate chai. If you don't like the taste of mate tea or prefer to have a caffeine-free version, simply sub rooibus tea instead. 

Yerba Mate Chai

Adapted from Simply Recipes

Makes 1 large pot of tea (6 cups)

Ingredients:

1/2 of a star anise star

10 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

6 whole white peppercorns

1 cardamon pod opened to the seeds

1-inch piece fresh ginger, mashed

3 cups water

2 heaping tablespoons of yerba mate tea (or another tea of your choice)

3 cups almond milk (or milk of your choice)

Sweetener of choice, to taste

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, add spices and water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 5 - 20 minutes, depending on how strong you want the spice flavor to be. 

Add almond milk to the water and spices. Bring the milk and spice mixture just to a boil and remove from heat. Add the tea and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes.  Add sweetener to taste, if desired.  Strain into a pot and serve warm. 

Mean Green Juice [Video]

It's time for another green juice! In January, I became addicted to juicing and it's been exciting to connect with all of you on a similar juicing journey! I've gotten several emails from folks who were inspired by the juicing posts so this is something I will continue to keep up. (If you have recipes or photos to share, please share them with me over on the Facebook page or on Twitter.)

Today I have a special juicing video to share with you that includes a special (unplanned) guest appearance from my cat. And, for anyone that's curious, you'll also get to see my Hurom Slow Juicer at work. Let's get juicing!

Mean Green Juice
Makes 1 juice

Ingredients:
1 (organic) cucumber
1/2 medium (organic) green bell pepper
2 - 3 (organic) kale leaves
1 lemon, peeled
1-inch piece ginger
1/4 (organic) apple (optional)

Instructions:
Juice ingredients and enjoy!

Recipe shared over at Weekend Wellness

No-Stress Blood Orange Spritzer (with Magnesium)

How are your magnesium levels? (I bet that's not a question you're typically asked!)

Several months ago I began reading about magnesium and how important it is to supplement since magnesium is responsible for over 325 enzyme reactions in the body! Magnesium is a mineral that you can find in sea vegetables, dark leafy greens and green vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, and cacao.  However, due to mineral depletion in our soil and cooking/heating our food, most of the magnesium in our food supply is minimal by the time it reaches our bodies. And, if you consume coffee, sugar, or high amounts of protein, this can also deplete magnesium levels in the body.

Why is this important? Well, magnesium deficiency can cause a variety of conditions, including:

• Stress, anxiety and panic attacks
• Constipation and IBS symptoms
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Heart disease
• Insomnia
• Headaches and migraines
• Musculoskeletal conditions (e.g. fibromyalgia, muscle spasms, cramps, etc)
• PMS symptoms
• and a host of others (read more here)

I don't know about you, but most people I know (myself included) have at least one of the issues mentioned above. For many people, stress is a growing problem and magnesium plays a vital role in managing blood pressure and blood sugar. If you are under stress and magnesium deficient, this can lead to hypertension, blood clots, anxiety/panic attacks, headaches, and muscle tension. Magnesium also helps ease PMS symptoms, including bloating, fluid retention, muscle tension, moodiness, irritability, and digestive issues.

Furthermore, magnesium deficiency plays a huge role in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Magnesium helps to relax smooth muscle (including the colon) so if you include lots of fresh vegetables and fiber sources in your diet and still experience constipation, you should definitely try supplementing with magnesium. And, since magnesium helps to relax muscles, it is really important for athletes to supplement in order to prevent muscle cramps and tension.


One other things that I think is important to mention here is that magnesium balances calcium. Maybe it's just my perspective, but I feel like in America we are obsessed with taking calcium supplements and preventing osteoporosis. However, what we don't often know is that we need to have a balance between calcium and magnesium. If we have too much calcium and not enough magnesium, this can actually cause symptoms of excess calcium, including: osteoporosis, heel spurs, kidney stones, gallstones, and fibromyalgia. (I won't go deep into my personal history here, but I actually developed gallstones at the age of fourteen and I definitely attribute this to excess calcium from dairy products and calcium-only supplements.)

About a month ago I began including Natural Vitality's Natural Calm magnesium supplement in my diet and have already noticed a huge difference. I am sleeping better, feeling less stressed overall (even while moving!), and saw a huge decrease in PMS symptoms. This is the only magnesium supplement I have tried so I can't personally recommend others, but I love how easy it is to add this powder to water. It's vegan, gluten-free and sweetened with organic stevia so when mixed with water, it makes a bubbly, sweet drink. It comes in several flavors (including one plain without stevia) and the raspberry-lemon is definitely my favorite.

If you are interested in learning more about magnesium, I definitely recommend reading The Magnesium Miracle by Dr. Carolyn Dean. And, please keep in mind that while I am a certified holistic health coach, I am not a medical doctor and this post is not intended as medical advice. This is simply my own research and my personal experience so please consult your naturopath or doctor before adding any supplements or making dietary changes.

I typically drink Natural Calm mixed with plain, filtered water, but I thought it would be fun to experiment with with some seasonal citrus fruits so I created this special Blood Orange Spritzer. The magnesium powder mixes best with warm or room-temperature liquids so be sure to mix the juice and powder together before adding any ice.

Disclosure: Natural Vitality provided me with complimentary samples of their products, but I was under no obligation to write a positive review or create a recipe. I was so shocked by my findings on magnesium deficiency and the difference that this supplement made for me that I wanted to share it with you. I would never recommend a product here that I do not personally use and believe in. 

No-Stress Blood Orange Spritzer
Makes two 16 ounce drinks

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh blood orange juice (about 6 medium oranges)
1 - 2 teaspoons Natural Calm Raspberry-Lemon Flavor magnesium supplement
16 ounces sparkling water
Ice
Fresh mint for garnish (optional)

Instructions:
Juice oranges and mix with magnesium powder. Add sparkling water, ice, and garnish with fresh mint (optional). Serve and enjoy!

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend

Mojito Juice

I've learned that I am a very indecisive person when it comes to buying produce.  It usually takes me three rounds in the produce section or at the farmers market before I feel ready to make some commitments.  And apparently, my indecisiveness is even worse when I'm buying produce online.

Picking out my SPUD juicing box each week has been the most excruciating process because I love them all!  Do I try something new?  Do I stick with an old favorite?  The options! In the end I went with my favorite Organic Dynamic Beauty Juicing Box for this week and I'm definitely glad I did because I discovered a brand new green juice combination that I adore.

I know that many of you have been excited and getting into juicing on your own so I wanted to remind you about this special offer from SPUD that ends in a few days.  SPUD has two juicing promotions going on until the end of January so if you've been looking for an affordable way to start juicing, this is your chance!

1. If you sign up to buy a juicer (with weekly installment payments) and 6 months of juicing boxes, you'll receive a $140 SPUD gift certificate! (This is a great option if you're looking to do a long-term juicing program for yourself.)
2. Or, if you do a one-time payment on a juicer, you'll get 4 weeks of organic produce free ($140 value)!

Onto the juice! This Mojito Juice is one of my absolute favorite green drinks. I love the combination of cucumber, mint, and lemon in the juice because it makes me feel like I'm sipping a fancy cocktail, which also happens to be fabulous for my health! If you want a sweeter version of this juice, simply sub out the celery for an apple of your choosing.

Mojito Juice
Makes one 12 - 16 oz juice

1 cucumber
3 stalks celery
handful fresh mint
2 kale leaves
1 lemon, peeled

Carrot and Cilantro Juice

I am surrounded by germs at the moment. Between my office and home, almost everyone is sick. I felt a little under the weather for several days, but so far I've been able to ward it off.  I'm definitely convinced that my strengthened immunity is due to all the fresh juices I've been drinking!

For this week's SPUD juicing box I opted for the Organic Dynamic Beauty Juicing Box, which is a beautiful combination of apples, beets, carrots, celery, chard, cilantro, cucumber, ginger, kale, lemons, green bell peppers, and spearmint. This was the first box that I tried from SPUD and I love all the different flavor combinations you can make with these juices. 

This week I've been playing around with lots of carrot-based juices. If you are new to juicing, I definitely recommend starting with a carrot-based juice because it will be incredibly sweet, even without the addition of fruit! Some of my favorite combinations from this week's produce box include: 

• 5 carrots, 3 kale leaves, and 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger
• 3 carrots, 2 beets, 1/4 apple, and 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger
• 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks, 3 chard leaves, and small handful of mint
• 3 carrots, 1/2 cucumber, and small handful of mint

And, of course, this carrot cilantro juice.

This juice is a sweet and zesty mix between the carrots, bell pepper, and cilantro.  I also love adding a lemon for a nice tartness and even more alkalizing power.  For an additional immune boost (and to ward off vampires), try sneaking in a garlic clove or two!

I looove cilantro so I actually added quite a big handful to my juice. If cilantro's not your thing, you can either leave it out or substitute with a different fresh herb like parsley. Drink up!

Carrot Cilantro Juice
Makes one 12 - 16 oz juice

5 medium carrots
small handful cilantro
1/2 green bell pepper
1 lemon, peeled

Juice ingredients and enjoy!

Love Your Liver Juice & SPUD Juicing Program

I'm really excited to share something fun with you today.  I was recently contacted by SPUD (Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery) and asked if I would be willing to try out their new juicing produce boxes and share them with you. An excuse to juice more fresh, local produce? Of course I was up for the challenge!

I've seen SPUD's delivery trucks around Seattle, but didn't know too much about their company until recently. The more I learn about them, the more I love their mission. SPUD was founded in 1997 as a sustainable way to directly connect local farmers with customers. 100% of their produce is either certified organic or locally and sustainable produced and over 50% of their products are sourced locally.

One of the things I love most about SPUD is that it's incredibly convenient to order produce online and since the deliveries are consolidated into specific routes, one of their vans leaves with their warehouse with over 100 orders, reducing both pollution and traffic. Pretty cool, huh? SPUD currently serves 6 urban areas in North America: Seattle and the Eastern Puget Sound, the San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles and Orange County, Vancouver, Victoria and Vancouver Island to Nanaimo, and Calgary (see their full delivery map here).

SPUD recently started a new Juicing at Home program and now offers Organic Juicing Boxes for people who are looking to boost their health by juicing and want a convenient way to save time and money. They have five different produce boxes to choose from and, if you need a juicer, you can even purchase one through their weekly payment program and start using it right away. (I love this idea!)

I was really excited to try out SPUD because it's hard to get local produce here in Seattle during the winter and a lot of produce in the grocery store just isn't as fresh as I'd like it to be. I couldn't wait to check out my box when it arrived! (Although Inspector Kitty beat me to it!)

I opted to try out the Organic Dynamic Beauty Juicing Box, which includes apples, beets, carrots, celery, chard, cilantro, cucumber, ginger, kale, lemons, green bell peppers, and spearmint. I honestly haven't seen local chard and mint this beautiful since summer! All of the produce arrived colorful, crisp, and fresh. I couldn't wait to get juicing!

SPUD even let me test out the Hurom Slow Juicer, which is one of the juicers they offer in their juicing program. I've always heard such wonderful things about this slow juicer so I was really excited to try it out for myself!

I have to say that one of the things I loved most about SPUD's organic juicing boxes is that is is so convenient compared to grocery shopping! I work downtown so I usually end up shopping at the Whole Foods nearby my office and then carting home groceries on the bus. This isn't always easy since juicing tends to use up a lot of produce! I love that this box of beautiful, fresh local produce was delivered right to me - and all I had to do was complete a simple online order!

Having all this beautiful produce already at home has also made it incredibly easy to indulge myself in daily juices and I feel great knowing that I'm taking the time to do something really important for my health on a daily basis. 

SPUD also has two juicing promotions going on for the month of January so if you've been looking for an affordable way to start juicing, this is your chance!

1. If you sign up to buy a juicer (with weekly installment payments) and 6 months of juicing boxes, you'll receive a $140 SPUD gift certificate! (This is a great option if you're looking to do a long-term juicing program for yourself.)
2. Or, if you do a one-time payment on a juicer, you'll get 4 weeks of organic produce free ($140 value)!

The first juice I made was a liver detoxification juice, based on a recipe included in my produce box. This juice promotes the flow of bile and fat to and from the liver. The liver is the most important organ for metabolism and detoxification so if you are looking to lose weight and clean up your system, this juice is for you!

Love Your Liver Juice
Makes one 8 - 12 oz juice

2 medium beets
1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 lemon, peeled
small handful cilantro
1 chard leaf
1/2 red apple (optional)

Recipe shared over at Wellness Weekend, Healthy Vegan Fridays Gluten Free Fridays, and Whole Food Fridays