My poor Markus is still sick. =( He's coughing and hacking and has a sore throat, so I wanted to make a juice that had lots of vitamin C in it. He doesn't really care for Grapefruit all that much (I happen to love it), but was willing to try a juice that had a grapefruit base:
1/2 large pink Grapefruit
3 Oranges
2 handfuls of purple Grapes
Poured over ice.
This drink was so beautiful...a luscious pink. And it tasted just as good. The grapefruit flavor was lightened up, and it was soothing and delicious. Definitely would make this again!
Friday, January 30, 2015
Thursday, January 29, 2015
A Big Fat FLOP!
I didn't post yesterday because I did a deja-vu from the day before. My poor sick hubby requested I make the Immune Power Fruit again, and this time I made enough for the whole family. This is truly a FAVORITE. So refreshing and GOOD!
Tonight, however, I am reminding myself of what this 30 days is all about. Its permission and encouragement to try different things...lots of different things to find out whether we like them or not. Permission to step way outside of my comfort zone and try things with a good attitude. Like beet juice, for example. I had never even purchased beets before, and now I know that I really do like them! I have learned that they have a strong, intense flavor and to be careful how much I add to a juice, but definitely something I will buy again.
So, with that in mind, I will share tonight's Big Fat Flop. I am still sick, Markus is still sick. So I was reading in the book that you can add raw onions and garlic to a juice to act as an immune booster. I tweaked a recipe to the ingredients that I had in the fridge, and came up with a juice that included:
Handful of Spinach
Lemon
Handful Parsley
Baby Cucumber
4 Celery Stalks
2 Garlic Cloves
1/4 Red Onion
1 small Beet
6 Carrots
Served over Ice.
The flavor was delicious...sweet and tangy. But after I swallowed, my throat started to burn. And my eyes started to water. And my ears turned bright red. And my stomach got very upset with me. I will spare the rest of the details.
So, big lesson learned.....some people might like onions and garlic in there juice, but I can't stomach it. =( I hated throwing it all away, but I didn't even want to look at it again.
Oh well, lesson learned. I will try something else new tomorrow!
Tonight, however, I am reminding myself of what this 30 days is all about. Its permission and encouragement to try different things...lots of different things to find out whether we like them or not. Permission to step way outside of my comfort zone and try things with a good attitude. Like beet juice, for example. I had never even purchased beets before, and now I know that I really do like them! I have learned that they have a strong, intense flavor and to be careful how much I add to a juice, but definitely something I will buy again.
So, with that in mind, I will share tonight's Big Fat Flop. I am still sick, Markus is still sick. So I was reading in the book that you can add raw onions and garlic to a juice to act as an immune booster. I tweaked a recipe to the ingredients that I had in the fridge, and came up with a juice that included:
Handful of Spinach
Lemon
Handful Parsley
Baby Cucumber
4 Celery Stalks
2 Garlic Cloves
1/4 Red Onion
1 small Beet
6 Carrots
Served over Ice.
The flavor was delicious...sweet and tangy. But after I swallowed, my throat started to burn. And my eyes started to water. And my ears turned bright red. And my stomach got very upset with me. I will spare the rest of the details.
So, big lesson learned.....some people might like onions and garlic in there juice, but I can't stomach it. =( I hated throwing it all away, but I didn't even want to look at it again.
Oh well, lesson learned. I will try something else new tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Immune Power Fruit
Today's lunch juice was inspired by the recipe for Immune Power Fruit in the book "The Complete Book of Juicing" by Michael T. Murray (p 209). I altered it a bit, and my juice ended up with:
3 Oranges
1/2 bag frozen Pineapple, thawed
1/2 Banana
Frozen Strawberries, thawed
1/2 lemon
Sliver of fresh Ginger
Served over ice.
I loved, loved, loved this combination! My cold from last week is still bothering me a bit, and this was super soothing on my throat. Mark also has a bit of a sore throat today, and he thought the juice was amazing, too. Here's to super antioxidant power!
3 Oranges
1/2 bag frozen Pineapple, thawed
1/2 Banana
Frozen Strawberries, thawed
1/2 lemon
Sliver of fresh Ginger
Served over ice.
I loved, loved, loved this combination! My cold from last week is still bothering me a bit, and this was super soothing on my throat. Mark also has a bit of a sore throat today, and he thought the juice was amazing, too. Here's to super antioxidant power!
Monday, January 26, 2015
Ginger...oh my!
I have never been a big fan of ginger. I prefer fake ginger ales to the kinds that taste like the real deal. Candied ginger? No thanks!!! However, I do love a fine piece of gingerbread any day of the week.
So tonight, I was inspired to try adding ginger to a juice. I chose a plain apple and carrot juice to start with, thinking it would pair nicely. Afterwards, I added some cinnamon and some chia seeds. The rest of the family agreed...SKIP the chia seeds next time! But the spiciness of this juice was perfect.
The first two slivers of ginger I cut were too small, and zipped right into the waste container. I cut a slightly larger piece and it was a perfect amount. It yielded maybe 3-4 drops of juice into the container. I would definitely make this juice again!
2 Granny Smith Apples
4 Carrots
1/8th" Ginger
Dash Cinnamon
(4 Tablespoons of Chia seeds to be omitted next time ;) )
Served over ice
This recipe was a combination of my own ideas with inspiration from "The Complete Book of Juicing" by Michael T. Murray.
So tonight, I was inspired to try adding ginger to a juice. I chose a plain apple and carrot juice to start with, thinking it would pair nicely. Afterwards, I added some cinnamon and some chia seeds. The rest of the family agreed...SKIP the chia seeds next time! But the spiciness of this juice was perfect.
The first two slivers of ginger I cut were too small, and zipped right into the waste container. I cut a slightly larger piece and it was a perfect amount. It yielded maybe 3-4 drops of juice into the container. I would definitely make this juice again!
2 Granny Smith Apples
4 Carrots
1/8th" Ginger
Dash Cinnamon
(4 Tablespoons of Chia seeds to be omitted next time ;) )
Served over ice
This recipe was a combination of my own ideas with inspiration from "The Complete Book of Juicing" by Michael T. Murray.
 |
| 20 Ounces of Apple-Carrot-Ginger-Cinnamon-Chia goodness! |
Sunday, January 25, 2015
A-B-C, 1-2-3
This was an A-B-C juice tonight. I wanted something light and fruity, so chose a mixture of:
2 Granny Smith Apples
1/2 package of frozen Berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries)
3 large Carrots
Served over ice.
The juice ended up delicious, but had a very intense flavor. It definitely needed something to lighten it up...maybe some lemon or lime? Maybe more apple and less berries? But seriously, the flavor was DELICIOUS, and I want to try experimenting a little bit.
For exercise today, we took the kids to a nearby park. They have a small playground, and a walking loop that stays within eye-sight at all times. So the kids played on the playground, and we alternated walking and running for 35 minutes (20 loops). This is the first time ever that Mark and I have run together and it was super fun! I'm loving getting my old groove back.
I went to Trader Joe's this afternoon...I know, I know two weeks in a row that I hit Joe's on the weekend. And their fresh veggie supply was sadly extremely lacking. No fresh spinach or kale. I snatched the very last package of cucumbers. And so forth. But I did get quite a few things, including some fresh ginger. So I am excited to try that at some point this week.
I'm hoping to read this new library book I got, and maybe do some Pinterest hopping to find some new inspiration for this coming week.
Tomorrow's Monday....make it a good one! xoxo
2 Granny Smith Apples
1/2 package of frozen Berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries)
3 large Carrots
Served over ice.
The juice ended up delicious, but had a very intense flavor. It definitely needed something to lighten it up...maybe some lemon or lime? Maybe more apple and less berries? But seriously, the flavor was DELICIOUS, and I want to try experimenting a little bit.
For exercise today, we took the kids to a nearby park. They have a small playground, and a walking loop that stays within eye-sight at all times. So the kids played on the playground, and we alternated walking and running for 35 minutes (20 loops). This is the first time ever that Mark and I have run together and it was super fun! I'm loving getting my old groove back.
I went to Trader Joe's this afternoon...I know, I know two weeks in a row that I hit Joe's on the weekend. And their fresh veggie supply was sadly extremely lacking. No fresh spinach or kale. I snatched the very last package of cucumbers. And so forth. But I did get quite a few things, including some fresh ginger. So I am excited to try that at some point this week.
I'm hoping to read this new library book I got, and maybe do some Pinterest hopping to find some new inspiration for this coming week.
Tomorrow's Monday....make it a good one! xoxo
Saturday, January 24, 2015
This Tastes....ummm...Healthy!
Yes, that's the response I got at dinner tonight when serving up a veggie juice to my family. Don't feel too bad for them, though...we served it up beside take-out pizza. Lydia said hers was "okay" and finished it up. Kate gave it a solid thumbs down, and only drank about 4 or 5 sips before saying she had ENOUGH. That's okay though...nothing forced, just tried with a good attitude. That's all I ask.
Tonight, I did a 5K on the treadmill for exercise. Ran 2 miles before knee pain, so the last mile was alternating walking and running.
Tonight's juice included what was left in the refrigerator:
8 pearl Tomatoes
6 Carrots
5 Celery
1 Cucumber
Handful Parsley
3/4 Lemon
Dash Worcestershire Sauce
I loved it, but that's no surprise. ;)
As for yesterday, I finally succumbed to the big yuck. I was soo sick in bed, all day so no juicing or exercise got done. It feels GREAT to be back in the land of the living and sunshine today!
There will be no juice tomorrow unless I hit the grocery store. ;)
Tonight, I did a 5K on the treadmill for exercise. Ran 2 miles before knee pain, so the last mile was alternating walking and running.
Tonight's juice included what was left in the refrigerator:
8 pearl Tomatoes
6 Carrots
5 Celery
1 Cucumber
Handful Parsley
3/4 Lemon
Dash Worcestershire Sauce
I loved it, but that's no surprise. ;)
As for yesterday, I finally succumbed to the big yuck. I was soo sick in bed, all day so no juicing or exercise got done. It feels GREAT to be back in the land of the living and sunshine today!
There will be no juice tomorrow unless I hit the grocery store. ;)
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Oh The Irony....
As I was making a juice for lunch, today, I was struck with amusement that I, of ALL PEOPLE, have a juicer in the house....and maybe a twinge of guilt at being a hypocrite. 'Why?', you might well ask. Because I was the biggest juice hater on the planet. My kids never walked around the house with a bottle full of apple or orange juice. Orange juice is bought for the rare sore throat....apple juice is bought for the rare case of constipation. I hate the thought of my kids getting all that sugar, filling up on empty-ish calories. My kids drink water or milk only, and oh how I would preach on the evils of juice, (and soda and hot chocolate).
But this juice machine, on the other hand makes juice of goodness. I feel like the sugar content of the juice (apple and orange) is being cut down by the added vegetable juice (spinach, kale, cucumbers, carrots,celery). Also, I feel like the vitamin content of fresh made juicers are likely to be much higher than the pre-made juices that sat on the grocery shelves with expiration dates that last for weeks.
Today's lunch juice was a quest to use up what I had in the refrigerator. The celery and spinach are gone, so it was a combination of:
Cilantro
Kale
Cucumber
Carrots
Apple
Lemon
Beet
Poured over Ice
Sweet and tangy and refreshing.
On another note, today is day #7. This last week has flown by, and I haven't yet made a concoction that was undrinkable. I am still inspired, and looking forward to another week. I have some ideas on different vegetables/fruits to buy to keep things interesting. Like chia seeds. And fresh ginger. And concord grapes. This journey certainly has been fun so far!
But this juice machine, on the other hand makes juice of goodness. I feel like the sugar content of the juice (apple and orange) is being cut down by the added vegetable juice (spinach, kale, cucumbers, carrots,celery). Also, I feel like the vitamin content of fresh made juicers are likely to be much higher than the pre-made juices that sat on the grocery shelves with expiration dates that last for weeks.
Today's lunch juice was a quest to use up what I had in the refrigerator. The celery and spinach are gone, so it was a combination of:
Cilantro
Kale
Cucumber
Carrots
Apple
Lemon
Beet
Poured over Ice
Sweet and tangy and refreshing.
On another note, today is day #7. This last week has flown by, and I haven't yet made a concoction that was undrinkable. I am still inspired, and looking forward to another week. I have some ideas on different vegetables/fruits to buy to keep things interesting. Like chia seeds. And fresh ginger. And concord grapes. This journey certainly has been fun so far!
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Dessert Juice
We had scrambled eggs for dinner (thanks for making them, Markus!) tonight and I decided to make a dessert juice to go alongside of them. Wow, it was sooo good.
4 Oranges
8 Carrots
1 cup frozen Strawberries, thawed
1/2 Banana
It was the perfect amount of banana to add a hint of flavor without it being overpowering. The whole family LOVED this juice!
As far as my energy level goes, my nights are still crappy. However, I still have not napped even once this week. This is soo unusual...I still laid down and read a book for an hour; but I never get overcome with that must-sleep-right-now feeling. I missed working out yesterday (was too sicky) but went right back to it today for 40 minutes.
I got another juicing book from the library today...Hopefully tonight I will have time to sit and peruse, and get inspired!
4 Oranges
8 Carrots
1 cup frozen Strawberries, thawed
1/2 Banana
It was the perfect amount of banana to add a hint of flavor without it being overpowering. The whole family LOVED this juice!
As far as my energy level goes, my nights are still crappy. However, I still have not napped even once this week. This is soo unusual...I still laid down and read a book for an hour; but I never get overcome with that must-sleep-right-now feeling. I missed working out yesterday (was too sicky) but went right back to it today for 40 minutes.
I got another juicing book from the library today...Hopefully tonight I will have time to sit and peruse, and get inspired!
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Today's Juice is Brought to You by the Color.....
GREEN!
My juice this afternoon was inspired from the book "Organic Avenue, Recipes for Life, Made with Love" by Denise Mari. On page 134, she gives a recipe for Super Green Juice and encouraged free expression to substitute, mix and match as one might wish. So that is what I did.
I used:
1/2 Lime
Handful Kale
Handful Spinach
4 Celery stalks
Handful Parsley
Handful Cilantro
1 baby Cucumber
and a Green Apple
Poured over Ice.
I guess I'm too chicken to go completely green, so at the last minute I added in the apple....which made it much more palatable. I didn't think I was going to enjoy this combination, but it actually turned out quite tasty. Kate even gave her thumb's up of four-year-old approval.
We hope you have a great day! Make it a GREEN one!
Monday, January 19, 2015
Energy Levels...
So, remember I posted a few days ago that my sleep lately has been crappy at best? Last night was the worst. I was feeling quite sicky, and kept waking up coughing and hacking. I woke up for the day at 4:30, and never fell back asleep.
Usually after a night like that, I would have felt slumpy and tired and unable to get out of my own way. I probably would have fallen asleep around 9 for 10-15 minutes, and again at 1:30 for an hour for my daily dose of sleep awesomeness in the middle of the day. I don't drink caffeinated coffee, ever, because my body has zero tolerance for it.
Now, I still feel yucky...my throat is sore-ish, my chest is tight, and it feels like my body is fighting its hardest to keep the crud away. (Kate has been sick and coughing for a few days, so its not really surprising) This morning, I worked very hard, cleaning the house, doing dishes, laundry, taking both kids to the grocery store, giving Kate a shower, etc.
And at naptime, I did not feel like sleeping. I'm very confused by this. Is this the juice doing its magic or am I imagining that I feel better than I should? I think its too early to tell, but I thought it was too much of a coincidence not to make note of it. Anyway, I'm feeling optimistic that I might just be starting to feel better (like I mentioned in my long term goals)
Cheers!
Usually after a night like that, I would have felt slumpy and tired and unable to get out of my own way. I probably would have fallen asleep around 9 for 10-15 minutes, and again at 1:30 for an hour for my daily dose of sleep awesomeness in the middle of the day. I don't drink caffeinated coffee, ever, because my body has zero tolerance for it.
Now, I still feel yucky...my throat is sore-ish, my chest is tight, and it feels like my body is fighting its hardest to keep the crud away. (Kate has been sick and coughing for a few days, so its not really surprising) This morning, I worked very hard, cleaning the house, doing dishes, laundry, taking both kids to the grocery store, giving Kate a shower, etc.
And at naptime, I did not feel like sleeping. I'm very confused by this. Is this the juice doing its magic or am I imagining that I feel better than I should? I think its too early to tell, but I thought it was too much of a coincidence not to make note of it. Anyway, I'm feeling optimistic that I might just be starting to feel better (like I mentioned in my long term goals)
Cheers!
Could-a Had a V8!
Today's lunch inspiration comes from the popular V8 juice that you get in the grocery store. I loooove an icy cold V8, but how cool would it be to re-create it? I started by googling what ingredients were in the store-bought version, followed by several Pinterest recipes. I found a bunch of great tips (from stewing the tomatoes first)....to adding lots of different things (green peppers, onions) etc. In the end, I decided to combine a few different recipes, and come up with my own.
The girls and I took off for Harris Teeter for a couple of things including Watercress. Many moons ago, I worked in a grocery store and had the PLU for watercress memorized, but that is the extent of my knowledge of this vegetable. And apparently, that is even more than the guy who was stocking the produce shelves at HT! He looked at me like I was looking for a green alien when I asked him about it, and told me he had never heard of it, and was fairly sure they didn't stock it there. Okay, scratch the watercress.....for today.
My homemade V8 concoction:
1/2 Small Beet (the flavor is so powerful, it really only takes a little)
2 Stalks of Celery
2 large Carrots
Handful fresh Parsley
Handful of Spinach
3 medium Tomatoes
1/2 Lemon
I added a dash of Worcestershire sauce and poured over ice.
It was delicious!! Not quite the same as the store bought....not even really similar. BUT, I loved it, and would definitely try this again. I would just cut down the beet to 1/4 or less.
The girls and I took off for Harris Teeter for a couple of things including Watercress. Many moons ago, I worked in a grocery store and had the PLU for watercress memorized, but that is the extent of my knowledge of this vegetable. And apparently, that is even more than the guy who was stocking the produce shelves at HT! He looked at me like I was looking for a green alien when I asked him about it, and told me he had never heard of it, and was fairly sure they didn't stock it there. Okay, scratch the watercress.....for today.
My homemade V8 concoction:
1/2 Small Beet (the flavor is so powerful, it really only takes a little)
2 Stalks of Celery
2 large Carrots
Handful fresh Parsley
Handful of Spinach
3 medium Tomatoes
1/2 Lemon
I added a dash of Worcestershire sauce and poured over ice.
It was delicious!! Not quite the same as the store bought....not even really similar. BUT, I loved it, and would definitely try this again. I would just cut down the beet to 1/4 or less.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
100% Fresh Orange Juice....
All day today, I had a nagging ache in the back of my throat, and mid-afternoon my 100% awesome hubby went to the store to buy me some oranges. I refrigerated them for a few hours, and then juiced them. They were just regular navel oranges, and there were about 8 or 9 of them in the bag. I juiced all of them and got about 17 ounces of 100% awesomeness. Store bought orange juice does not compare! The whole family enjoyed this juice (yes, I shared!)
8 Oranges
Poured over Ice.
My throat says THANK YOU!!
On another note, I did a 50 minute hard trail on the treadmill tonight. 2.9 miles, and lots of incline. My muscles are starting to remember what exercise is like!
8 Oranges
Poured over Ice.
My throat says THANK YOU!!
On another note, I did a 50 minute hard trail on the treadmill tonight. 2.9 miles, and lots of incline. My muscles are starting to remember what exercise is like!
Just Say Mmmmmmm!
I was a little late coming in for lunch because the neighbor came over to talk to me for a little while. Markus had already started lunch for the girls, and I had to make the decision whether to make a juice or skip until later. I decided to go ahead and concoct something on the spot because I didn't have a recipe ready. I opened the refrigerator and chose out:
1 Lime
2 Celery stalks
Handful of Cilantro
Handful of Spinach
4 Carrots
1 Cucumber
1 Apple
Poured over Ice
It was so.good. So, so, so GOOD. I couldn't believe the refreshing flavors...sweet, tangy, zippy, and smooth. Just so good.
I need to figuer out how to better peel a lime next time. Lime juice on dry skin is so very uncomfortable. Just sayin'.
Yesterday, I got 30 minutes in on the treadmill. I am hoping to get out on this gorgeous 60 degree day and take a brisk walk around the neighborhood.
I'm loving this juicing challenge!
1 Lime
2 Celery stalks
Handful of Cilantro
Handful of Spinach
4 Carrots
1 Cucumber
1 Apple
Poured over Ice
It was so.good. So, so, so GOOD. I couldn't believe the refreshing flavors...sweet, tangy, zippy, and smooth. Just so good.
I need to figuer out how to better peel a lime next time. Lime juice on dry skin is so very uncomfortable. Just sayin'.
Yesterday, I got 30 minutes in on the treadmill. I am hoping to get out on this gorgeous 60 degree day and take a brisk walk around the neighborhood.
I'm loving this juicing challenge!
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Good Morning, Sunshine
Ugh! I slept dreadfully last night, and moved out to the couch around 2 in the morning. I slept in until 9 and woke up with a sore throat. Blah! I definitely was in the mood to try a breakfast juice, so I got right to work. I didn't have an actual recipe to go from so decided to just wing it:
1 Orange
1/2 Cucumber
1 Cup of frozen strawberries, thawed
Kale
Spinach
Fresh Cranberries
Poured over crushed ice.
The color of the juice was anything but appealing, but the flavor was okay. I think the Cranberries kind of took over the flavor, so maybe less of them next time.
For today, I want to go to Trader Joe's to pick up some more fruits and vegetables. I always say that "True love doesn't allow one's spouse to shop at Trader Joe's on the weekends"....but I might just make an exception to that for today. I also want to be sure and get my 30 minutes of exercise in since it didn't happen on day #1.
Happy Saturday, peoples!!
xoxo
1 Orange
1/2 Cucumber
1 Cup of frozen strawberries, thawed
Kale
Spinach
Fresh Cranberries
Poured over crushed ice.
The color of the juice was anything but appealing, but the flavor was okay. I think the Cranberries kind of took over the flavor, so maybe less of them next time.
For today, I want to go to Trader Joe's to pick up some more fruits and vegetables. I always say that "True love doesn't allow one's spouse to shop at Trader Joe's on the weekends"....but I might just make an exception to that for today. I also want to be sure and get my 30 minutes of exercise in since it didn't happen on day #1.
Happy Saturday, peoples!!
xoxo
Friday, January 16, 2015
Day Number ONE!
Well, hello there! My name is Anna....I'm 38 years old.....wife to one, mother to two. Last week, I was struck with sudden inspiration to order a juicer from Amazon....and the kind Fedex guy delivered it today. I am starting this blog in the hopes that it will help hold me accountable to actually use this new toy and try lots of different recipes out.
My long term goal is to start feeling better. The last few months, I have just been fighting constant fatigue and sleepiness. I am not sleeping well at night, and it leaves me feeling dragged during the day time. There seldom goes a day where I don't take a nap....which, I think, feeds into another poor night's sleep. I am hopeful that by starting with nutrition, I will have a bit more energy to feel motivated to get some exercise in, and then start sleeping better at night. That's my end goal.
For the short term goal, my hope is to start establishing a new habit. I think they say it takes like 21 days to cement a new pattern, so I have a goal to juice every single day for 30 days, at least once per day. Twice, if its a good day. ;) For the rest of my nutrition, I want to keep with my usual habits of healthy, non-processed foods, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. And for exercise, rain or shine, I want to do 30 minutes every.single.day. Up until about a year ago, I was a runner....and then knee pain started to kick in, nagging me at every turn. And then I had a horrible run....And I lost motivation. So, I'm hoping to get into a habit of walking and slowly ease into running, a little at a time.
My starting weight this morning was 136.6. I would be happy to eventually lose maybe 3-4 pounds, but mostly I am hoping to just get a bit more toned from starting to exercise. I will be keeping track of my weight, just because I am interested in seeing if replacing a meal or two every day will make any kind of difference.
So, today was DAY #1! At 4:00 this afternoon, I opened the big box that the kind Fedex guy dropped off at our front door, and slowly took out each piece. The juicer that I ordered was the Breville JE98XL Bundle Juice Fountain Plus Juicer with DVD for around $140. I liked the reviews on it. There are a lot of pieces to clean, though, so hopefully I don't get weary of washing all the parts. That's my biggest concern, actually. haha
From the library, today, I took out a book called, "Organic Avenue, Recipes for Life Made with Love" by Leda Scheintaub. This book is geared towards turning people Vegan, but let me be clear from the start...going Vegan is SO NOT my intention. I love milk. And eggs. And Chicken. And I believe that there is wholesome goodness in all of those. In limited quantity, and from a good source. But a Vegan I am NOT. Anyway, I was drawn to this book because it has bunches of good juicing recipes that seemed attainable, do-able and yummy.
I quickly scanned through the book, and jumped ahead to the recipes section. Dinner was quickly approaching and I really wanted to try one right off the bat. The recipe I chose was on page #129 called Perfect LOVE Green Juice. I ran to the local grocery store and picked up some organic spinach, beets, celery, cilantro, etc. A huge sack of organic vegetables, enough to make at least 4 juices was only $10!! I was stoked!
Here is the recipe for Perfect LOVE Green Juice:
1/2 lemon, peeled
1/2 cup Cilantro, leaves and stems
1 handful Kale
Handful of baby Spinach
1 Carrot, scrubbed***
1/2 large Beet***
3 Celery stalks
1/2 unpeeled Cucumber
Served on Ice.
***We ALWAYS have carrots in the house. Like, always. Except today. I opened the fridge to find that it was carrotless. So, I used one whole beet, and then at the last minute added in one Gala Apple.
It was super easy to prepare the veggies, and 10 minutes later, I had 15 ounces of the rubiest red, delightful juice. And it was *delicious*. The girls didn't care for it too much (no surprise there). I would *definitely* make this again sometime. I added a handful of wheat crackers with peanut butter to complete the meal. Completely satisfied.
Stay tuned for Day #2 tomorrow!
xoxo
My long term goal is to start feeling better. The last few months, I have just been fighting constant fatigue and sleepiness. I am not sleeping well at night, and it leaves me feeling dragged during the day time. There seldom goes a day where I don't take a nap....which, I think, feeds into another poor night's sleep. I am hopeful that by starting with nutrition, I will have a bit more energy to feel motivated to get some exercise in, and then start sleeping better at night. That's my end goal.
For the short term goal, my hope is to start establishing a new habit. I think they say it takes like 21 days to cement a new pattern, so I have a goal to juice every single day for 30 days, at least once per day. Twice, if its a good day. ;) For the rest of my nutrition, I want to keep with my usual habits of healthy, non-processed foods, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. And for exercise, rain or shine, I want to do 30 minutes every.single.day. Up until about a year ago, I was a runner....and then knee pain started to kick in, nagging me at every turn. And then I had a horrible run....And I lost motivation. So, I'm hoping to get into a habit of walking and slowly ease into running, a little at a time.
My starting weight this morning was 136.6. I would be happy to eventually lose maybe 3-4 pounds, but mostly I am hoping to just get a bit more toned from starting to exercise. I will be keeping track of my weight, just because I am interested in seeing if replacing a meal or two every day will make any kind of difference.
So, today was DAY #1! At 4:00 this afternoon, I opened the big box that the kind Fedex guy dropped off at our front door, and slowly took out each piece. The juicer that I ordered was the Breville JE98XL Bundle Juice Fountain Plus Juicer with DVD for around $140. I liked the reviews on it. There are a lot of pieces to clean, though, so hopefully I don't get weary of washing all the parts. That's my biggest concern, actually. haha
From the library, today, I took out a book called, "Organic Avenue, Recipes for Life Made with Love" by Leda Scheintaub. This book is geared towards turning people Vegan, but let me be clear from the start...going Vegan is SO NOT my intention. I love milk. And eggs. And Chicken. And I believe that there is wholesome goodness in all of those. In limited quantity, and from a good source. But a Vegan I am NOT. Anyway, I was drawn to this book because it has bunches of good juicing recipes that seemed attainable, do-able and yummy.
I quickly scanned through the book, and jumped ahead to the recipes section. Dinner was quickly approaching and I really wanted to try one right off the bat. The recipe I chose was on page #129 called Perfect LOVE Green Juice. I ran to the local grocery store and picked up some organic spinach, beets, celery, cilantro, etc. A huge sack of organic vegetables, enough to make at least 4 juices was only $10!! I was stoked!
Here is the recipe for Perfect LOVE Green Juice:
1/2 lemon, peeled
1/2 cup Cilantro, leaves and stems
1 handful Kale
Handful of baby Spinach
1 Carrot, scrubbed***
1/2 large Beet***
3 Celery stalks
1/2 unpeeled Cucumber
Served on Ice.
***We ALWAYS have carrots in the house. Like, always. Except today. I opened the fridge to find that it was carrotless. So, I used one whole beet, and then at the last minute added in one Gala Apple.
It was super easy to prepare the veggies, and 10 minutes later, I had 15 ounces of the rubiest red, delightful juice. And it was *delicious*. The girls didn't care for it too much (no surprise there). I would *definitely* make this again sometime. I added a handful of wheat crackers with peanut butter to complete the meal. Completely satisfied.
Stay tuned for Day #2 tomorrow!
xoxo
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