Slamming Smoothie Contest - Green Delight

 

Hi Folks! We're on to round number 4 in The Slamming Smoothie Contest! Our next contender is Danike Etufugh and her smoothie is called Green Delight. 

 

Green Delight Smoothie:

Spinach (frozen) 

Green d'anjou pear

Pineapple (frozen) 

Watermelon (chilled

1 tsp super food blend powder (hemp, cacao and maca)

 Almond milk

Chia seeds

 

This smoothie contains the following allergen: tree nuts (almond)

 

Green Delight by Danike Etufugh

Superfood blend - ingredient in the Green Delight smoothie

 

Thanks again Danike! This is a power packed smoothie with vibrant color! I love pineapple and watermelon together.  Add in some greens and maca root and you're truly in for a delightful treat!

 

Stay tuned for more!

 

Peace and love!

Slamming Smoothie Contest - Jackpot!

Hi Folks!  The SLAMMING SMOOTHIE Contest is here!! 

Three months ago a friend of mine wanted to go on a juice fast for 2 weeks.  I told her I would join her and decided to ask other friends, family and co-workers if they wanted to join.  It's always easier (and more fun) to complete a challenge when you have a support group.  So off we went to make juice for two weeks.  I decided to start a group on face book to have a forum for sharing our recipes and progress.  It was named “The Two Week Juice/Smoothie Challenge” with a goal to simply increase your intake of fruits and veggies by consuming at least one fresh juice or smoothie per day for two weeks.  It started with juice and then included smoothies, because most of the participants didn’t have juicers.  So off we went to increase our fruit and veggie intake.  After the two weeks was over, the group wanted to keep going.  We’ve been going strong for over three months now and in that time membership has increased from 15 to 125 members.  Wow! An unexpected turn of events, but I’m so excited for all the fruit and veggie love roaming around the world (yep…the world….we have people from England in the group – shout out to Carol!!).

The group is full of people sharing their juice and smoothie recipes, success stories on weight loss, improved digestion and hormone balance.   Members are exploring new ingredients (like bee pollen, chia, hemp, and spirulina), learning about various techniques and delicious fruit and veggie combinations.  Most of all it’s fun to see so many great recipes come alive in people’s homes!  So much so, we decided to have a SLAMMING SMOOTHIE Contest where members can showcase their best smoothie recipes.  The prize is a natural beauty care package.

This week you will have a chance to vote on the best picture, and I will be the judge on the best tasting smoothie.  So here are the rules:

1.       Recipe has to be original

2.      Picture has be to original

3.      One submission per person

4.      Once all the submissions are posted a voting poll will be opened up on the blog.  There you will vote for the best picture.

Let’s get started!!!!

The first submission is from Kenya Carl.  She is calling her smoothie: The Jackpot!

The Jackpot Smoothie Recipe:

1/2 cored pineapple (Kroger size container, will need more if using smaller size)
1 container strawberries (16 oz )
1 banana
1 carrot, cut the long way to prevent lumps
1 celery , cut the long way to prevent lumps
1 handful of sweet basil with the stems attached
1-2 handfuls of cilantro with the stems attached

The Jackpot Smoothie by Kenya Carl

Awesome! Thanks Kenya!  I love the way you have involved your children! Clearly someone is enjoying it! 

Stay tuned for more!!!

Peace and Love

The Parasite Cleanse - Part 2

Hi Folks – I cannot begin to tell you how tumultuous these last two weeks have been.  I need a wooo sah moment or just a simple vacation!!!!

I started theparasite cleanse two weeks ago with Well Diva Lifestyle (formerly known as Soul Food Therapy).  On day 2 of the cleanse, I broke rank and had ice cream (it was my birthday after all)!  The following week I had to travel for work.  Traveling has always been tricky because you never know what the food selection is going to be in the airports or at your final destination. Last year I wrote a series of articles that about diet and travel (Airplane Food parts 1 - 5). The difference in last year's saga was that I was not limited to foods parasites hat (FPH).   Most locations I visit are not metropolitan areas with a wide array of health food options.  Plus, I always use traveling as a means to get the naughty treats I normally refrain from (during a stress free week!). 

So here I go on a week long journey out of town, away from my kitchen stocked with foods parasites hate (FPH) and into the realm of foods parasites love (FPL).  I never really paid attention to the food choices (healthy or otherwise) in regards to what parasites hate.  It’s sad to say but MOST of the food available in the marketplace (restaurants and grocery stores) is a  parasite’s dream!  I wouldn’t be surprised if the general population was riddled with parasites based on the components of the standard American diet (SAD) that we consume. 

 

So how did I manage?  Did I give up?  Well…yes…and no.  Let me explain.

1 – I searched for food and snacks that parasites would hate in the airport.  It was quite disappointing and frustrating.  I found some snacks…..but they WERE NOT TASTY! I’m always talking about how healthy food should taste good but I was very disappointed and not eager to continue to torture myself.

 

2 - I stuck to my standard late night supermarket trip to pick up healthy snacks. This time, I included smoothie ingredients and a very small blender ($20).  I had a smoothie EVERY morning for breakfast but it went downhill from there. I did drink ample water and had no elimination issues.  

Late night grocery haul - berries, pineapples, nuts, basil, mint, coconut water, unsweetened peanut butter, celery, blender, water bottles, straws, crushed red pepper, lemons, small knife

 

I'm done.....EXHAUSTED........

3 – I compromised and ate foods parasites LOVE (FPL).  Examples: cheese on my salad with ranch dressing. Yeast rolls for lunch. Veggie nachos for dinner (with grilled veggies, beans, avocado, cheese and corn chips).  I had a stress episode on the last day and ate lasagna…………………and potato chips…..and a donut!

Lunch - salad with ranch and cheese - I added the nuts and pumpkin seeds

Lunch - salad, cole slaw and the forbidden potato salad

Dinner - veggie nachos (forbidden cheese and corn chips)

So I was on the edge and actually jumped in the water.  I felt slightly guilty…and even more disappointed because I did not stick to the program. I’ve rebelled during a cleanse before, but this time it just felt so hard.  Here’s what I learned:

1.       It’s really hard to remain faithful to a cleansing program while away from home.  When your comfort zone (the home kitchen) is stripped away and you are left to protect the cleanse in a “hostile” environment it can get rough.  I had difficulty and temptation even in the grocery store! I was so hungry in that grocery store a box of Nutty Bars was screaming my name!

 



Late night TEMPTATION
 



 

2.      Life happens.  You do the best you can, pick up the pieces and start again. There is no need to feel guilty or beat myself up.

3.      I’ve been exposed to another wellness activity and feel empowered that I can repeat it…..and actually complete the program.

4.      My advice to others is plan to do a cleanse when you don’t have anything else to do…no birthday celebrations, travelling, or visitors.  It can be done, but takes a lot more effort, and when you are away from home, you can never predict what type of food will be available. Granted I could have eliminated the cheese.........

 

Peanut butter and jelly smoothie ingredients (blackberries, strawberries, peanut butter, coconut water)

Pineapple, strawberry and mint with chia and coconut water

 

Infused water (lemon, mint and strawberries)

Next steps:

1.       Continue to pay attention to the foods I eat so that I can have a balance between foods parasites hate and love.

2.      Continue to eat pineapples and pepper along with the other yummy recipes I created while on the cleanse.

3.      Try the parasite cleanse again when there is less excitement in my life.

I'll leave you with key messages that have helped me:  just do your best.  Life is a journey.  Things are not always going to go as planned, but having a measure of self-control still goes a long way.  Will power is key in completing any challenge.  External forces can pressure your resolve.  It’s up to you to manage it, but don’t beat yourself up about falling short.  Just get back up and try it again. 

Even though the parasite cleanse was rocky, I’ve been enlightened on what parasitic symptoms are, how bad the standard American diet is, and how to manage my diet better.

Whew!

Peace and love!

The Parasite Cleanse!

Hi folks I have been super busy working on some new things!! Since we last spoke I started a PARASITE cleanse.  As you know I’m always looking for ways to improve my body.  Over the last 18 months I’ve participated in the following wellness activities:

·         Dry brush challenge

·         30 Day raw food challenge

·         Liver flush

·         The Daniel fast

Well Diva Lifestyle formerly known as Soul Food Therapy with Renee Simpson RD (registered dietician) is sponsoring this parasite cleanse.  We are on day #3 and I’ve already broken rank.  Today is my birthday (Whooo hooooo!!) and I had a hankering for some Ice cream….so I jumped in and had my fill! It's  my birthday after all!  Give a girl a break! Please no judgment! J

Why is ice cream bad to have during a parasite cleanse?

1.       Parasites love sweet things! The purpose of the cleanse is to expel the parasites from your system…not continue to feed them.

2.       There are other things that one should refrain from while on a parasite cleanse.  Like most detox or cleanses, a diet of clean unprocessed food should be consumed.

3.       Grains like white rice and wheat should be avoided.  Sweet fruits like peaches, bananas, apples, and plums should be benched.

4.       A laxative or colon cleanser is a must to help get those parasite out!

5.       Green leafy veggies, pineapple, papaya, pumpkins seeds, garlic, ginger and hot spices should be widely consumed (among other parasite cleansing foods).

Here is what the cleanse consists of:

1.       The cleanse is for 14 days.

2.       Omit foods parasites love (FPL) and consume foods parasites hate (FPH).

3.       Drink cleansing tea (clove, wormwood, and black walnut hull are a must)

4.       Take a laxative or colon cleanser

5.       Balance gut flora with probiotics

Not so bad right?  Well the summer is my prime time for consumer my all time favorite fruit: WATERMELON.  It’s been hard to refrain from eating it, but there are quite a few options for what you can eat while on this cleanse…and the tea is wickedly bitter!!!

What can you gain by doing a parasite cleanse (besides removing them)?

1.       Decreased bloating

2.       Decreased excessive gas

3.       Increased energy

4.       Better sleep

5.       Better digestion

6.     An end to anal itching

If you consume meat or sushi…..or any other raw food (even fruits and vegetables) – you probably have parasites in your body. 

So far I’ve tweaked my smoothies and juices to meet the FPH criteria, and I’ve created some yummy salads like this spicy black bean salad shown below (IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!!).  Check out more of the foods parasite hate!

Amazing Spicy Black Bean Salad (black beans, tomatoes, peas, garlic, olive oil, onions, cumin, salt, lemon juice, dill, sage, cilantro, parsley)

Grilled vegetable kabobs (pineapple, onions, squash, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers)

Gazpacho (tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, basil, red pepper)

Parasite tea! YUCK!

Purple Dawn smoothie (blue berries, pineapple, papaya, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut water)

Golden Tango smoothie: papaya, pineapple, banana, peaches, hemp seeds, chia seeds, turmeric powder - I was suppose to omit the banana and peaches......



The Juice Journey: Summer Hydration Juice

Hi folks!  I’m back with another amazing juice recipe.  My juicer has slowed down just a wee bit, as I have been trying to rest up after weeks of all night eczema parties (I’ll fill you in later).  I came up with this recipe last week and it was delicious!  It’s great for the summer time, and can even be made into an icee! 

I’m calling it: Summer Hydration Juice.  I used three ingredients – watermelon, cucumber and pineapple.

 

Juice ingredients: watermelon, cucumber, and pineapple

 

Watermelon and cucumber contain more than 96% water.  Both aslo contain tons of minerals and vitamins that feed your cells and keep you hydrated.  Of course, nothing can replace pure water, but I guarantee your body will feel more refreshed after drinking this juice over the chemical laden energy/hydration beverages. 

Melons in general have an excellent cleansing effect.  They alkalize the body and will hydrate you after a long run or day in the sun better than a sports drink.  My mother always raves about how much energy she received from eating watermelon after a long day working on their farm (in the Dirty South). 

Here are some other facts about watermelon:

1.  It can remove toxins from the blood.

2.  It should be eaten between meals - not right after because the water content can affect digestion.

3.  It can be tolerated well by diabetics due to its low sugar content (but it tastes so sweet!).

4.  It can help fight urinary conditions such as kidney stones.

5.  Eating watermelon is a good way to lose weight.  It fills you up and satisfies cravings for sweets.

 
Here are some key facts about the cucumber:

1. Relieves Joint pain (due to the silica content which helps strengthen connective tissue)

2. Reduces baggy eyes

3. Relives arthritic pain (due to its vitamin and mineral content)

4. Stimulates hair growth (due to the sulphur and silica content)

5. Keeps you cool (due to the high water content)

And last but not least the succulent pineapple! Here’s why it has become a staple in my home:  

1 - Prevalent vitamins are C, B1, B6 and folates

2 - Weight loss aide – if you consumer it before eating it will help to reduce your appetite

3 - Can fight sterility due to its high manganese content that helps form reproductive cells (in males and females)

4 – Contains bromelin (an enzyme that loves protein).


Here is the recipe:


 
You can go wrong with this juice!!! Juice up!!!

 

What is your  favorite way to stay hydrated in the summer time?