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

Juicing 101 [Video]

If you are looking to change your health, juicing is one of the best things you can do for yourself. I will readily admit that I am a juicing addict and I'm super excited to get you juicing as well! In today's video I'll show you how to make a basic juice at home, but first, let's talk about some important benefits:

• Drinking fresh vegetable juice allows you to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables, which we all know are full of good things like vitamins, minerals, and (since you are consuming them raw) beneficial enzymes. Fresh juice is also loaded with antioxidants that bind to toxins and help remove them from the body.
• Fresh vegetable juice is very alkalizing, meaning that it helps to restore the body to its proper pH and  assist the body in detoxing. 
• Most of the foods in the Standard American Diet cause the body to be too acidic (e.g. animal products, sugar, fried foods, bread, alcohol, etc) and this acidity builds up over time causing inflammation and creating stress for our organs and tissues. 
• On the other hand, eating fresh, alkaline-forming foods like vegetables, vegetable juice, nuts, seeds, most legumes, water and some fruits, helps to strengthen the body and keep it healthy. 
• Since the juicer extracts the insoluable fiber from the fruits and veggies, fresh juice is very easy on the digestive track (making it perfect for anyone with digestive issues) and it makes the nutrients easy to absorb. Plus, since your digestive system doesn't have to expend as much energy to break down juice, your body can spend that energy on healing your cells. 

Drinking fresh vegetable juice is one of the best ways to increase your energy and detox your system! 

I know from personal experience that I feel more energized when I drink fresh juice on a regular basis. It's basically like a supercharged liquid vitamin for your cells! I have also found that drinking fresh vegetable juice helps to curb sugar cravings!

Cantaloupe and Beet Juice

Ginger Orange Carrot Juice

Green Lemonade

So, what should you juice?  For daily juicing, I recommend drinking 100% vegetable juice or including low-sugar fruits in your juice, such as green apples, lemon, lime, berries, and grapefruit. Since juicing extracts the insoluable fiber, this makes the natural sugars in fruit absorb more quickly causing your blood sugar to spike. And since juice is easy to drink (compared to eating the fruit or vegetable), it's very easy to consume more sugar than you realize by drinking fruit juice. 

Of course, if you are new to juicing or are drinking juice as a treat, it's really fun to add fruit to mix it up a bit.  When you are just getting started, you might want to try adding half of a sweet fruit (like pears or red apples), then switching to low-sugar fruits as you get used to the taste. You can also "sweeten" your juice by including naturally-sweet vegetables like beets and carrots. You'll find a variety of juice recipes throughout this post for some healthy inspiration!

For more information about juicing, you can also check out my Vegetable Juice 101 post.

Rainbow Carrot Immune Booster

Beet Detox Juice

Bok Choy Green Juice

If you are ready to get juicing, check out my Juicing 101 video above and leave me a comment below telling me what you're going to juice!

Green Smoothie 101 [Video]

I'm a big fan of drinking green smoothies and if there is one thing I could get you to start doing today to change your health, it would be loading up on these healthy green drinks. Today I'm doing something a bit different and sharing a video with you to help inspire you to jump start your health with a green smoothie!

Green smoothies have a ton of benefits, such as:

• Green smoothies are perfect for enhancing the immune system, purifying the blood, and rejuvenating the body. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients. Since you are consuming the greens raw, you are also getting the full nutritional value of the greens as well as their digestive enzymes.  
• Green smoothies are really easy to digest.  Since the greens are blended up, your body doesn’t have to work as hard in order to extract the nutrients and it is much easier on your digestive system. So, if you are someone that has digestive issues, this is a perfect way to add more fruits and veggies into your diet. 
• Green smoothies are fabulous for kids! If you have children or teenagers, I highly encourage you to make a green smoothie with them.  The key is to get them involved and let them help make the smoothie so they feel like they are part of the process (rather than being pressured into drinking something unfamiliar). I have honestly make this smoothie with well over 300 children over the last two years and it always amazes parents what kids will drink when they get to be involved in the process.
• Green smoothies reduce your cravings! When I work with clients in my health coaching practice one of the first things I will get them to do is start drinking green smoothies.  Most of them will immediately notice a decrease in sugar cravings because they are crowding out those less-healthy foods and their body will naturally start to crave fresh foods.  

If you are ready to have more energy and change your health, start with a green smoothie.  

Regardless of the benefits of a green smoothie, if you think that green smoothies are going to taste like liquid barnyard, I’m sure you are not very psyched to get blending.  Today, I’m here to dispel the gross green smoothie myth and show you how to make a delicious smoothie that won’t traumatize you for life!

Helpful tips for beginners:

• It's okay to start slow. If you have never had dark, leafy greens before or are nervous about adding them to the smoothie, start with a small amount.  You can always add more later and there is no reason to overload your drink in the beginning and then gross yourself out! For beginners, I recommend starting with a 3:1 ratio of fruit to greens. 
• The key to making the smoothie delicious (besides the ratio of ingredients) is having the right texture. It's definitely easier to make a green smoothie properly if you have a high-speed blender with a powerful motor (I use a Vitamix 5200), but if you don't have a high-speed blender, start by blending your greens and liquid completely before adding any fruit.  This will ensure that your greens are completely liquefied and there are no green chunks left in the smoothie!
• Use frozen fruit instead of ice to make it cold and creamy! Frozen bananas, frozen mango, frozen berries, and other frozen fruit make the texture smoother than using non-frozen fruit and adding ice. 

Basic Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of raw greens (kale, chard, collards, spinach, etc)
• 1.5 cups liquid (non-dairy milk, fresh juice, coconut water, green tea, or water)
• 1 frozen banana (remove the peel, cut into 1-inch slices, and freeze overnight)
• 1 cup of frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries)

Directions: 

Remove any tough stems from the greens. Blend greens and liquid for 15 seconds - 1 minute (depending on your blender) on high. Add fruits and blend for 15 - 30 seconds, or longer as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Drink up!

You can also try my advanced Green Smoothie 2.0 recipe and my Kale Smoothie for Kids. 

In the comments below, tell me what your favorite green smoothie recipe is or, if you've never made a green smoothie before, let me know when you'll be trying it!  

(And don't forget about our 2013 Health Revolution! I'd love for you to share your smoothie photos with me via Twitter and Facebook!)

Cranberry Rosemary Refresher

I have been told by numerous people that the life of a food blogger seems really glamorous. I think sometimes when we see a picture of a beautiful dish, we imagine the chef/photographer standing in their kitchen, leisurely making a delicious meal about to be served to their family, while casually stopping to snap a photograph or two. As a food blogger, I can tell you that this is rarely how it happens. At least, not in my house.

Instead, here's the scene: a rainy Saturday morning.  At home, alone, with two crazy cats. The best light in my house is in my living room, with giant windows that face a main road. There I am, still in my pajamas, standing on a stool above a table to get the best angle as people walk by and shoot me puzzled looks.

Randomly a rogue cranberry falls from the table, inspiring one of my cats to bat it around the living room with all his might. As I'm trying to balance on a stool, ignore the passerbys, and get a decent shot, I knock over the martini glass and spill cranberry juice across my living room.  By now both of my cats are engaged in a cranberry-chasing battle and all of this running has managed to make one of them lose his lunch. Clean-up on aisle five, please?

Nevertheless, I managed to get a decent photograph of an amazing drink that you need to try this holiday season. Whether you leisurely enjoy this at a beautiful dinner with your loved ones, or simply use it as a reward for cat clean-up duty, I promise that it will energize your taste buds while flooding your body with nutrients.

Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants and Vitamin C, making this refresher the perfect winter immune booster. This was my first time juicing cranberries and I was pleasantly surprised by the intensely-tart flavor of fresh cranberry juice. Pairing it with fresh apple juice mellows the flavor and sweetens it up a bit without the use of refined sugars.

If you don't have access to a juicer, simply substitute 2 cups of unsweetened 100% cranberry juice and 2 cups of 100% apple juice. Fresh cranberry juice has a more intense flavor so even though my cranberries only yielded 1 cup of juice, if you are using bottled juice, you will probably want 2 cups.

Cranberry Rosemary Refresher
Makes 4 drinks

Ingredients:
2 cups water
3 fresh sprigs rosemary (more for garnish, if desired)
1 pound fresh cranberries (makes about 1 cup of juice)
4 apples (makes about 2 cups of juice)
Ice

Directions:
Add water to a covered saucepan or small pot and bring to a boil.  Add the rosemary, and lower heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for one hour. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Juice the cranberries and apples. Mix with the chilled rosemary water. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and serve over ice.

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend and Vegetarian Mamma

Beet Detox Juice

If you live in the United States like me, yesterday was Thanksgiving; a time when most people eat their weight in stuffing and gravy. After all that heavy holiday food, I'm guessing that some of you might need a break. At the very least, maybe your digestive system does? I have just the thing: my favorite beet detox juice.

I'm a big fan of fresh vegetable juices and I always notice a huge difference in my body when I juice regularly.  (If you're new to juicing, check out my vegetable juice tutorial.)  I'm not one of those people who advocate extreme juice fasts, but I think there are a lot of benefits to adding juice to a healthy diet.  

This detox juice is one of my favorites because it's naturally sweet, even without adding fruits to the juice.  If I've had a big dinner the night before, I like to start my day with a glass of water and then drink this juice before my morning smoothie.  Beets are loaded with iron, antioxidants, and a cancer-fighting agent called betacyanin (the pigment that is responsible for its purple-red color), making this juice a powerful blood cleanser.  Drink up!

When making fresh juices, I recommend using fresh, organic produce to ensure that you are getting the most nutrients in your juice and that you are not ingesting chemicals. The ingredients are listed below in the order that I run them through my juicer. Depending on the size of your juicer spout, you might need to chop some of the vegetables in half.  If you are new to juicing, you might want to add more carrots or an apple to help balance out the stronger flavors (e.g. garlic and beets) in the juice.

Beet Detox Juice
Serves 1 -2

1 small clove garlic
1-inch piece fresh ginger
5 kale leaves
1 lemon, peeled
3 medium beets and beet greens
2 medium carrots, tops removed

Chia Agua Fresca

I am not one of those gals that enjoys clothes shopping.  In fact, it downright stresses me out.  What basics do you need in your closet?  How do you figure out your size?  What is the heck is the difference between flared and boot cut jeans?  Do shoes that look nice, don't hurt your feet, and are waterproof even exist?  

The nice thing about summer is that I tend to do well with bright colored tops, capris, and sandals.  This is a winning combination in my book.  And if I lived somewhere where these things could be worn year-round I would probably be a much more fashionable person.

My talent lies in the kitchen.  I can stock a kitchen pantry like nobody's business.  I can take random bits from your fridge and create a meal any day.  And I can always take some produce just-past-its-prime and turn it into something incredible.

The inspiration behind this week's chia agua fresca is that I just needed a way to use up half a watermelon.  Done and done. And delicious.

This recipe is a fun twist on the traditional agua fresca, a fruit-flavored water cooler.  My version involves the addition of chia seeds, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as full of fiber and antioxidants. Once the seeds have absorbed liquid, they will be soft and float in the drink. It's definitely a fashionable drink for any picnic or party and a great way to cool off in summer. 

Chia Agua Fresca
Serves 2.

4 cups watermelon, skinned, seeded, and roughly chopped
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon lime juice

Blend watermelon and water together on high.  Strain watermelon pulp.  Add the chia seeds and lime juice and thoroughly mix.  Refrigerate for several hours (or overnight) and serve cold.

Recipe submitted to Weekend Wellness

Simple Sun Tea

In our neighborhood we have seven different cats that roam around being adorable and causing trouble.  Lucky for me, my desk sits right next to our kitchen window where 24/7 I have a live show of sleeping cats and feline mischief happening in the neighbor's yard.  Today, that mischief involved a squirrel.

This crazy little squirrel kept jumping from rooftop to rooftop, and made his way to the roof where our neighbor throws old loaves of bread for the birds.  And as he sat, happily munching away, one of the neighboring cats, snuck up right behind him.  I had already seen a close-call chase go down this morning  and was horrified because the squirrel wasn't turning around to notice the feline behind him.

In a situation like this, you have a couple of options.  You can keep watching and hope for the best.  Or, you can look away if you expect the worst.  Well, unless, you are me, that is...  because if you are me, your solution would be to open your window and begin yelling for the squirrel to run. Yes, at 10 am on a Sunday, I opened my kitchen window and yelled at a squirrel like a crazy person.  (And, yes, this really happened.  Who would make this up?)

Sure enough, the cat quickly made its move and that badass squirrel made a break for it -- bread and all.  Impressive little guy.  I guess when it comes to wild animals, they really don't need anyone looking out for them.

Luckily the rest of my day was not as eventful.  I stuck some fresh herbs in a pitcher of water, let it sit out in the sunlight, and then stayed away from my window.  I think my neighbors appreciated it.

Sun tea is for days when you want to keep it simple.  Maybe your kitchen is too hot to boil a cup of tea or maybe you just feel too lazy.  That's okay.  All sun tea requires is some herbs and, of course, sun. After brewing, keep this in a pitcher in your fridge and enjoy over ice.  You can use any combination of herbs you like, but this is one of my favorites.  If you aren't able to drink all the tea, you can also freeze it in ice cube trays to add a nice flavor to plain water. 

Simple Sun Tea
Inspired by Simply Recipes

2 quarts of water
3 cups fresh peppermint leaves
1 cup lemon balm
1/2 cup chamomile flowers

Add herbs to pitcher of water and let sit in direct sunlight for 3 - 5 hours.  Refrigerate after brewing and consume within 2-3 days.

Super Antioxidant Smoothie

I think it's time we talked about the good, the bad, and the super awkward.

First, the good:  I am learning how to swim. After conquering a lifelong fear of water, drowning, and most certain death, I recently signed up for adult swim lessons. And I'm loving it! I'm loving it so much that I've been trying to practice in between lessons so I can keep improving... which leads me to the bad.

A bad idea, that is. It is a bad idea to go to the community pool for public swimming time on a Friday night. I was expecting to find the pool empty with maybe myself and a couple of adults getting in some late-night cardio. No such luck. Instead, the pool was packed with children of all ages and every single floaty device ever created. I could instantly tell I was going to be the oldest person there by over a decade, but I stuck with my (bad) decision and stayed to practice my kicks. And then it happened.

The super awkward. After 45 minutes I grew tired of getting kicked in the face by tiny feet and hit over the head with floaty things so I retreated to the hot tub to take a breather. Note to self: the next time I hear a prepubescent male voice say "Hey, what school do you go to?" get up, and leave. No explanation needed. Because things only get super awkward from here.

But my former naive self, who didn't want to seem rude and had no idea what was coming, politely responded, "I don't go to school." To which my young male friend asked, "Well what college do you go to?" Me: "Uh, I am sorta... post-college." I was met with widened eyes and an "Ohhh."

Ladies, you should know that what follows this will be the following three questions: "So, are you here with your friends?" then, "Do you come here often?"  and finally, "What are you doing next Friday night?"

It's awkward enough to get hit on by junior high boys in junior high... but in your late twenties, it's just a sign that you should stay away from public swim night.
The only way to recover after an awkward (although humorous) swimming experience?  An antioxidant smoothie.  This smoothie is packed full of nutrient-rich goodness.  I used dried goji berries and a mix of frozen berries (cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries).  Goji and other berries are high in antioxidants, which work to protect our cells from aging.  Antioxidants are also thought to help boost immunity and reduce the risk of some diseases.

I blended filtered water with cashews to make a creamy base with some healthy fats for the smoothie, but you could also sub any nut milk of your choosing.  If you have spinach or other greens on hand, this recipe is a wonderful green smoothie as well.  Blend with a frozen banana and enjoy your super antioxidant treat!

Super Antioxidant Smoothie
Serves 1

1.5 cups water
2 Tablespoons cashews
2 Tablespoons goji berries
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana, peeled and frozen

Blend water and cashews until creamy.  Add goji berries, frozen berries, and banana and blend.  Enjoy!

Energizing Green Smoothie

Hey dude that works the gym front desk every morning at 5 am.  I know I look like a crazy person.  I know that you see me stroll in here, half asleep, most likely still in my pj's.  I know that you notice me sometimes glaring at you from my one-awake-eye, wondering how you can be so perky at this time of the morning.  Don't get me wrong;  I'm not a grumpy person.  In fact, I'm pretty nice.  But until I've had my morning smoothie, don't mess with me... k?

The scary thing is that the dude that works the front desk every morning at 5 am knows what I really look like. The me without the shower, without my makeup, and without my kale.  It's horrifying, believe me. Green smoothie to the rescue!

Let's start with some basics!  This smoothie gets an energy boost with a base of your favorite green tea (I like Yogi brand).  If you don't drink caffeine, you always sub decaffeinated green tea, nondairy milk, or water. Next we add in our amazing greens.  Kale is one of the most nutritious (and delicious) green foods. Did you know that in addition to being full of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, fiber, folate, and calcium, kale also contains protein and omega-3 fats?  Unbelievable!

I like adding frozen bananas to smoothies because they add a creamy consistency and help to bulk the smoothie up.  Frozen berries also add a bit of tart sweetness while adding more vitamin C and antioxidants. Feel the power! 

A lot of smoothies use solely fruit for their base, but since I eat this one for breakfast, I like to add regular rolled oats in as well since the extra fiber helps me to feel full longer.  I also added in some almonds for healthy fats and extra hunger-fighting power.  

By itself, this smoothie has a tart sweetness from the banana and berries.  If you like your smoothies on the sweeter side, I recommend adding two pitted Medjool dates.  If you're really going the extra mile, I also recommend adding in a tablespoon of wheatgrass powder.  (I don't have a wheatgrass juicer so I love adding this wheatgrass powder to smoothies.)  Wheatgrass is full of chlorophyll, amino acids, and enzymes.  This will definitely give your day a boost and start you off on the right foot!

Energizing Green Smoothie
Serves 1

1 bag of green tea
12 ounces of hot water
4 large pieces of kale
1 banana, peeled and frozen
1 cup berries, frozen
1/4 cup regular rolled oats (or gluten-free if needed)
small handful of almonds (about 2 Tablespoons)
1 cup ice
1 Tablespoon wheatgrass powder (optional)
2 Medjool dates, pitted (optional)

Brew your green tea in 12 ounces of hot water.  Brew ahead of time and let sit in the refrigerator to cool.

Blend (cooled) green tea with kale, banana, berries, oats, almonds, ice, wheatgrass powder (if using), and dates (if using). Blend until smooth and drink up!

Note: if you do not have a Vitamix or high-powered blender, you can blend the green tea and kale first to ensure that the kale is thoroughly blended.  Then add your other ingredients and blend more.

Rainbow Carrot Immune Booster

Right now I've got a mega-cold, a cat with severe skin allergies, and a cat that's just plain crazy waiting for me at home.  Life is a bit complicated. 

Let's uncomplicate things a bit, shall we?  I think it's time for a fresh juice.  This one is an intense immune-booster.  This healing concoction involves rainbow carrots, garlic, and ginger for a powerful punch.  It's a cure for the common cold, vampires, and crazy cats.  Okay, maybe just the cold.

For my juice base I used some fresh, local rainbow carrots.  Aren't these gorgeous?  I love using rainbow carrots because they turn the juice a pretty orange-red-purple color, but you can use any carrots of your choosing.  Carrots contain vitamin C, vitamin B complex, iron, potassium, and sodium which is great for boosting immunity, alkalizing the blood, and improving liver function. 

The next ingredient is raw garlic.  I'm a big garlic fan and love adding it to juices and recipes because it is a natural antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and powerful immune system booster.  Using garlic raw ensures that you are getting the most benefits.  If you've never juiced with garlic before, it can be a bit intense the first time.  I recommend starting with one clove of garlic and then working your way up to 2 - 3 cloves. 

I added ginger to this juice because it is a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.  It is also great for aiding the digestive system and is especially helpful for nausea and cramping. 

It is best to juice the garlic and ginger first.  Since they do not yield much juice, juicing the carrots afterward will make sure that you get the most juice from these items and it will also help to flush the garlic/ginger flavor  out of the juicer.  (This helps to prevent future juices from tasting like garlic.)

Rainbow Carrot Immune Booster

Yield: 8 ounces

1 - 3 cloves garlic

1-inch piece of fresh ginger

1 bunch of rainbow carrots (or any carrots), tops removed

Juice garlic, ginger, and rainbow carrots (in that order) and serve immediately.

Coconut Ginger Smoothie

I can't tell you how many times that I have made this smoothie in the past couple of weeks.  I also can't tell you how many times I have made this smoothie while dancing around to the piña colada song.  Too many times.  That song is now burned into my brain.

Consider this the after-work or weekend drink for those that don't drink cocktails. This smoothie is like a healthy piña colada without the heavy coconut cream or pinapple.  It's sweet with a bit of spiciness from the ginger.  (If you are not a fan of ginger, then you can easily decrease the amount or leave it out entirely.)

This smoothie is wonderful at a mocktail party, for post-workout hydration, or for any time you are in need of a fancy, but-not-so-fancy refreshment.  If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain, this one is for you.

And thank you to everyone who entered my NuNaturals Stevia Giveaway!  The winners are The Fam, Amanda, Lauren, and Dani!  I'll be in touch via email to get you your stevia treats!

Coconut Ginger Smoothie
Serves 1

1/4 cup dried (unsweetened) coconut flakes
1 frozen banana (remove peel before freezing)
1 cup coconut water
3 ice cubes
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately.

Green Lemonade

I drink fresh vegetable juice almost daily, but I tend to filter the juices I show here. See, I have a feeling that if I posted a juice recipe that said "juice 1 giant bunch of kale and a peeled lemon" some of you might actually drink it.  And, if you aren't a hard-core juice fanatic, you'd take one sip of that and never come back here. 

But this green juice?  This one is actually doable.  Let's talk about it.

This juice gets some tart-sweetness from green apples, which have less sugar than other apple varieties, but still help to liven up the juice a bit. I also added in some cucumber because it is very hydrating and I love cucumber juice for its mellow taste. Combine these goodies with some celery, ginger, a peeled lemon, and a bit of kale and you have yourself a powerful, nutrient-packed green juice that tastes like a healthy version of lemonade.  I've found that the tartness from lemons really help cut the "green" taste from a lot of juices so this is a great juice to try if you are nervous about green vegetables juices.  And if you are a true juice beginner, you can sub out the green apples for red to make the juice a bit sweeter.

Green Lemonade
Yield: 1 large juice or 2 medium juices

2 small green apples

1 lemon, peeled

1/2 cucumber

6 stalks celery

6 large pieces of kale

1-inch piece of ginger

Juice ingredients and enjoy immediately.

Ginger Orange Carrot Juice

Sometimes, when I am really on top of things in my life, I monitor where web traffic comes from. Most people stumble here through Foodgawker, Pinterest, Finding Vegan, or Google searches. If you do any Google searches for kale smoothies, roasted beets, or kale chips, apparently I'm your gal.

And, as I learned the other day, if you search for "images of nasty looking but good food," you will find your way here as well.  Or more specifically, you will find your way to a very old post where I once made a rather gross-looking, but amazing split pea and yam soup (aka Sexy Ugly Stew) and told some jokes about how Mick Jagger is "sexy ugly." Oh how your internet past will haunt you.

Lucky for me I refuse to make sexy ugly food anymore. Just sexy food. Food that is beautiful and will make you feel beautiful from the inside out.  Hello ginger-carrot-orange goodness...

Today is the two-year anniversary of this blog. Here we are... a year older, wiser, and (hopefully!) healthier. Thank you to each and every one of my readers for your continued support, comments, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and for joining me in this journey to a healthier, happier life.  My life wouldn't be the same without you. 

And back to this gorgeous number.  This juice is simple, delicious, and oddly filling.  Plus, who doesn't love that vibrant orange color?  The ginger adds a bit of spice which I found refreshing in combination with the sweetness from the carrots and orange.  I always add lemon to my juices becuase lemons help to alkalize the body and restore proper pH balance (since our bodies tend to be too acidic in this modern world).  Removing the peel will help keep the lemon from tasting too bitter in the juice.  Enjoy!

Ginger Orange Carrot Juice

Serves 1

1 pound of carrots (organic if possible)

1-inch piece of fresh ginger

1 orange, peeled

1 lemon, peeled

Juice ingredients and enjoy immediately!

(Non-alcoholic) Ginger Spritzer

Here are some places that you should take this spritzer:

• Family gatherings
• New Year's Eve parties
• Any place you are in need of refreshment

Here is one place that you should not take this spritzer:

• Your partner's basketball game at the local community center

Apparently if you sit on the bleachers reading cookbooks and sipping this from a glass jar, it appears that you are sneaking in an alcoholic beverage.  (Believe me, I wish I had... but I totally didn't.)  But, should you find yourself in a situation where you are confronted by community center staff about the beverage in question, simply explain that it is a non-alcoholic ginger spritzer and tell them how you made it. If they're decent folk, instead of kicking you out they'll just ask for the recipe.

This spritzer is totally easy to make, but with a few lemon peel spirals it becomes uber-fancy and party-ready.  All you need is some fresh ginger root, (filtered) tap water, sparkling water, and lemon and ice, if desired.  You'll start by boiling the ginger and tap water to make a concentrated ginger tea.

If you wanted, you could even stop after this step and just enjoy the tea.  Ginger is wonderful for aiding digestion, nausea, and abdominal cramping.  This tea is a bit spicy, but it is one of my favorite treats to have after dinner while eating dark chocolate.

Once you have your ginger tea ready, chill it until serving. Then mix your tea with sparkling water, add ice and lemon, and serve!  I don't typically sweeten mine, but you could easily add some agave syrup or stevia in if desired.  If you are serving this for a crowd, then double or triple this recipe as neccessary. You can also adjust how strong you want the spritzer by adding more or less ginger.  This spritzer is the perfect non-alcoholic refreshment for New Year's and is a healthy, tasty treat that your body will enjoy as much as your taste buds.  Cheers!

Ginger Spritzer
Serves 2

one two-inch piece of fresh ginger root, chopped
1.5 cups of plain (filtered) water
16 oz sparkling water
Ice
Lemon for garnish

Bring water to a boil, add ginger, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes - 1 hour.  Drain tea and chill in the refrigerator until serving.  Mix tea with sparkling water, add ice and garnish with lemon wedge or spiral.

Kale and Pear Smoothie with Herbs

Hello dear partner, and love of my life.

I am sorry.  I am sorry that while you were out running errands I did nothing that I said that I would do.  I did not clean the kitchen.  I did not prepare your dinner.  I also forgot about the laundry.  My sincerest apologies.

Instead I accomplished many, many important, but totally non-important things, such as:

1. I updated our Netflix queue.  I put all of my most favorite romantic comedies (i.e. your least favorite movies ever) at the top.  They will be here on Friday.
2. I rated 46 movies on Netflix so that it would provide the best suggestions for us whenever we log in. Of course, since I rated them, I gave 5 stars to movies that I love, like Eat Pray Love, 13 Going on 30, Julie and Julia, and My Best Friend's Wedding.  I am sorry that Netflix will now recommend items like Sweet November and Something Borrowed, instead of movies that you like.  I am also sorry that I will most likely add these new recommendations to the top of the queue and delay your movies even longer.
3. I was really dehydrated from all of that Netflix work so I drank some water.  I found that I still felt a bit dehydrated so I made some fresh juice.  I left all of the pulp sitting out on the counter and now the kitchen is attracting fruit flies.  Whoops. 
4. I spent exactly 12 minutes petting a cat.  I know this because that is how much time was left on the timer that was supposed to remind me to grab the laundy from the dryer.  Instead, I turned off the timer and continued to pet the cat.
5. I went on Etsy and found an awesome merchant that sells adorable puppy blazers and fancy white collars for cats.  It looks like this cat is wearing a suit!  So cute.  I know that you hate the idea of dressing pets in clothes so I am hesitant to tell you that I ordered two for the cat's Christmas gifts. Don't hate me. 
6. I also read a bunch of articles about superfoods aiding in cancer prevention that were mentioned on Twitter.  Even though I am certain that you don't want to hear about this, I plan to tell you about all of it when you return home.  Get ready. 
7. I oiled the wooden cutting board.  It's pretty now.  So pretty that I would like you to refrain from using it.  It is now reserved for blog photos only.  Thanks.

But after all that, I made you this smoothie.  I filled it with nutritious and tasty things like ripe pears, fresh kale, and zesty parsley.  You're gonna like it.  Promise.

P.S. I love you. :)

I've been experimenting with different herbs in my smoothies recently and I really love the sweet pear and parsley combination in this one.  (If you are new to green smoothies, check out some of my other recipes: Green Smoothie 101, Green Smoothie 2.0, and Kale Smoothie for Kids.)  Nondairy milk or fresh juice can also be substituted for the water if you want to add a bit more flavor or sweetness.  This is my favorite breakfast smoothie at the moment and the addition of flax seeds, protein powder (I use Omega pumpkin seed protein powder), and avocado make it more filling as well as delicious.

Kale and Pear Smoothie with Herbs
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water

2 cups greens (I used kale)
1/4 cup herbs (parsley and cilantro both work great)

2 ripe pears, cored
1 frozen banana (remove the peel, cut into 1-inch slices, and freeze in a plastic bag overnight)
1 cup ice
1 Tablespoon flax seeds (optional)
Protein powder (optional)
1/4 avocado (optional)

Instructions:
Blend water, greens, and herbs for 15 seconds - 1 minute (depending on your blender) on high. Then add the pear, banana, ice, flax seeds (if using), protein powder (if using), and avocado (if using) and blend for an additional 30 seconds - 1 minute.