The Juicing/Smoothie COLOR CHALLENGE - ORANGE

Hi Folks! The juicing/smoothie group on Facebook is off to another adventure!!! Eating and drinking the rainbow is a good way to ensure you are getting a variety of nutrients. So that's just what we're going to do! The first color of the challenge is orange. The goal is to make at least ONE orange colored fresh juice or smoothie this week and post it on the group page (recipe and picture). Click here to check out the group page.

Here's a recipe that I've posted before that may get your creative orange juices flowing!

There are many orange ingredients available in most markets that will provide a delicious, nutritious, power packed beverage.  Note - all ingredient do not have to be orange...but the final beverage should be.

Here are a few orange ingredients:
oranges
clementines
persimmons
pumpkin
butternut squash
carrots
orange cauliflower
golden beets
sweet potatoes

Join us on this week's color challenge! :)


Peace and love!!

Slamming Smoothie Contest - IT'S TIME TO VOTE!

It's been quite a week! I want to say another HUGE THANK YOU to all of the contest participants! I love the variety of the smoothies we've seen this week.  There is something for everyone in this mix! The unique nature of each recipe was also impressive. Hmmmmm....... I wonder if you can tell a lot about a person by the type of smoothies they create. My guess is YES! :)

Here is a recap (click on the name of each smoothie for the recipe):

Jackpot by Kenya Carl

Incredible Hulk 2 by Rona Daniel

Chocolate Breeze by Marrea Thomas

Green Delight by Danike Etufugh

Cherry Berry Heaven by Chansi Coleman

The taste test will be TOUGH all of the smoothies look and sound AMAZING!!

Stay tuned for the recipe and photo winners!

Peace and Love!

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 - Incredible Hulk 2

Hi Folks! The next submission is called the Incredible Hulk 2 by Rona Daniel! Mmmmm.....looks mean and VERY GREEN! Grrrrrrrrrr RRRAH! I see  it has you all growling! I can hear ya from here!  :)

Incredible Hulk 2:
Mango
Kale
Spinach
Avocado
Banana
Cinnamon
1/3 cup oats
Almond milk
(Garnish with mango/apricot Greek yogurt and cinnamon/nutmeg)

This smoothie contains the following allergens: dairy, tree nuts (almond)

Thanks Rona! I love the beautiful green color! This smoothie is filled with two powerful greens: kale and spinach, with such alkalizing properties, vitamins and minerals you can't go wrong!

Incredible Hulk 2 Smoothie by Rona Daniel

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

REPOST: More Watermelon Please!

Hi Folks this is an archived article from last summer with added watermelon juice or smoothie recipes.  If you love watermelon, you'll enjoy this article!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Summer time has hit with a vengeance and my favorite fruit to eat, and what I yearn for every summer, is WATERMELON!

I love watermelon.  It's the most refreshing, filling, enjoyable fruit that has come into my life. Nice, cold, sweet, watermelon! Does anyone else drink the leftover juice in the bowl??? That's my favorite part! Although I do not use a "method" to pick my watermelons (thumping, smelling, etc.), 90% of the time I get a pretty good one.  I love the kind that has slightly mealy pulp, sweet flavor,  good color and less than a 1/4 inch of rind.

A few years ago we tried to grow some in our garden.  Watching them grow was like going to a theme park for me! It was amazing to see the growth process (see below).

Watermelon emerging from the vine

Baby melon

Starting to take shape. mmmm good!

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 it's 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 loose weight.  It fills you up and satisfies cravings for something sweet.

Here are some links to juices and smoothies that contain watermelon:
1. Summer Hydration juice
2. Watermelon Plum smoothie
3. Watermelon Cilantro juice

So, eat up  and drink up this summer season......I know I will!  Most melons in the US are grown in the Southern states and are a watermelon lover's DREAM! Watermelon is Caleb approved and a good way for him to hydrate, especially the days where he refuses to drink pure water.

May I have more watermelon please??

What is your favorite summer fruit?

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 Smoothie Journey: 10 Smoothie making tips for Newbies

Since I started the Juicing/Smoothie group I have been a smoothie and juice making monster!  I've created tons of new recipes most of which send me into a satisfying blissful state! I don't like to toot my own horn...but TOOT! TOOT!

Since we've started these challenges we've had 65 people join the group! It's awesome! Some of the folks are dusting off their blenders and juicers and other are buying new ones and embarking on a new journey to better health.

I decided to put together a quick list of tips for those that are just starting out.  Making juices and smoothies can be a daunting task in the beginning.  From the feedback I've gotten, people are afraid of wasting money on blends that taste horrible and mixing together the wrong ingredients.

If you find yourself in either category hopefully this list will help!

10 Smoothie Making Tips for Newbies:

1. Start with your favorite fruits/veggies, herbs and liquids.

2. Make simple blends with 3 or 4 ingredients. Don't try to be fancy in the beginning, you could end up wasting ingredients.  You cant go wrong with the classic strawberry banana smoothie.

3. Fresh fruit is more juicy...but frozen fruit is good too.

4. If possible add something green to every smoothie. Spinach is a powerhouse that is relatively bland. The flavor can be masked easily.

 

5. Choose your favorite protein soruces

6. Always adjust the blend before giving up and throwing it away (add more ice, water, fruits, etc.)

7. Use a good balance of sweet and sour ingredients. If the smoothie is too sweet, add a tart cherry or plum.

8. Keep dates and lemons on hand.  Dates add sweetness and lemons can balance the flavor profile or brighten it up.

9. Make sure you blend to the consistency you like the most.  Too lumpy can be gross, too thin can be tasteless and too thick can be hard to get down.

10. If you are replacing a meal with a smoothie make sure to add enough protein (hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, yogurt, almond milk, protein powder of your choice, etc.).

Here is one of my favorites: Blueberry Peach!

frozen peaches, fresh blueberries, 1 banana, chia seeds, hemp seeds, ice, lemon juice

Smoothie on the go!

Can you think of any other tips for the smoothie newbies?

Peace and love!

The Juice Journey: More Mint Please!

Hey Folks!  I'm back with another juice recipe that contains mint.  I'm calling it the Cooling Nectar!  The recipe came about when the almost summer heat started pumping and Caleb broke out in a heat rash.  The ingredients are simple and it tastes oh so good! 

Ever heard of the saying: "cool as a cucumber"? I'm sure it came about because cucumbers are full of water, minerals and vitamins that can fuel your system better than an artificial sports drink.  Apples are added to give sweetness and mint has a great cooling capacity.  Lemon balm is in the mint family and is used for insomnia, headaches, nervous indigestion, and curing melancholy or depression.  In the wintertime we drank hot lemon balm tea with honey and hemp seed milk.  It was delicious and had a "sleepy time" effect on Caleb the night owl.  Lemon balm also has a wonderful aroma. Burning lemon balm essential oil can give your home a pleasant boost.  Not only will the juice cool you down it will relax your body and ease digestion...and it tastes great - did I say that already?   Here is the recipe.

Cooling Nectar:
2 large Cucumbers
4 Granny Smith apples
10 stalks of mint
4 stalks of lemon balm

Mint

Lemon balm

Granny Smith apples

Cucumbers

Fruit ready for the juicer!

Apple cucumber juice

For a bigger hit of mint, I juiced the apples and cucumbers first, then blended it with the mint and lemon balm

Add caption

Blended juice

Blended juice - look at all that chlorophyll! Yum!

Also, both the mint and lemon balm cam directly from our back yard which I LOVE!


Ready to cool down? What is your favorite juicing ingredient?

Peace and love,
Zee

The Juice Journey: Mint the Undercover Aphrodisiac

Mint is a common herb.  You find mint flavored toothpaste, candy, floss, gum, tea, and mouth wash in almost every home across the globe.  But there is more to this herb than just being a breath freshener.

 

 

I started using mint in my fresh juices because I liked the flavor it added to my nutritious nectars of love. In my quest to understand and learn more about my nectar ingredients this is what I found out about mint:

1.       There are over 50 species of mint

2.       Menthol (an alcohol) is an active component which contributes to the essence or aroma of mint

3.       In high does mint can act as an aphrodisiac (not sure how high is high...to proceed with caution)

4.       It can eliminate intestinal gas

5.       Can behave as an antiseptic

6.       Can be used in  steam treatment for unclogging nasal passageways

7.       Mint can invigorate your body

8.       Can relieve headaches, migraines and alleviate rheumatic and muscular aches.

Here is a great recipe (one of my favorites – Family approved) using this mighty herb:

Orange Mint Juice:

 8 oranges

1/3 bunch of kale

2 inches of ginger

2 cucumbers

½ cup of pineapple

10 - 12 sprigs of mint

The preparation was a bit different from other juices I’ve made.  In order to get more of a minty punch I juice all the other ingredients and blended the mint in afterwards (see below). 

Juiced ingredients: oranges, pineapple, kale, ginger, cucumbers

 

Adding mint to the blender with juice

 

Mint and juice in blender

 

Orange Mint Juice (YUM - MY!!!)

OOOO WEEE! This was some great juice! One of my favorites!  Try it and tell me what you think!

Peace and love!

Caleb's Corner - Soup for Days!

Hi Folk’s it’s been awhile since I’ve shared a bit of fun from Caleb’s life.  Since the last update he has turned three years old.  He is a wonderful soul that keeps us laughing and amazed!

Ever since he was around one and a half years old he’s been eating soup.  Yes…you heard right……..SOUP!  Needless to say I have become quite the soup maker over the last two years. 

I’ve stated before that he has many food allergies (diary, eggs, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, barley, wheat, rye, oats) and soup is an allergy friendly way of giving him protein, grains, vegetables and an overall hearty meal.  Legumes are a staple in our home and I’ve come to love Carribean root vegetables like cassava and yucca.  

Here is a soup that Caleb loves to eat with rice.  He’ll eat anything with rice.  He’ll even eat rice all by itself!

It’s a simple vegan red lentil soup.  Lentils are high in fiber, iron and can combat high cholesterol, constipation and anemia.  Because the red lentils are so small they don't take long to cook at all. When you are pressed for time, red lentils are a good choice.

 

 

Red Lentil Soup:

soaked red lentils

water

sea salt

garlic powder

chopped onions

anise seed

turmeric

fresh chopped cilantro

coconut oil
 

Preparation:

1.       Soak lentils overnight

2.       Boil lentils on high for 15 minutues in water

3.       Add seasonings: salt, anise seed, turmeric, chopped onions, garlic powder (all to taste)

4.       Let cook until smooth

5.       Add coconut oil and cilantro to finish

That’s it! Total time:  20 – 25 minutes.  You can also add kale, carrots, potatoes and anything else that suits your fancy!

Red lentil soup with brown rice

Caleb! Ready to eat!

Peace and love!

The Juice Journey: Kale Pear Juice

Hi Folks! Do you like kale? What about pears?  Well if you do, this juice is right up your alley! 

 

Here’s the recipe: Lacinto Kale (1/2 bunch) Celery ribs (6) Oranges (6) Pears (3).  Simple!

kale, celery, oranges and pears

oranges and pears

kale and celery....and a pear

kale, celery pear and an orange

 

This recipe made about 4 cups of juice.

I was surprised at how much of the pears I could taste.  I honestly thought the flavors of the kale and celery would overcome the delicate pear juice…..but boy was I wrong.  This was a perfectly blended juice that stimulated my taste buds and filled me up until lunch time.

Pears are becoming my favorite fruit to juice and as I learn more about this delicate fruit, I want even more! Here are some cool facts about pears.

1.       Pears do not contain sodium but do contain substantial amount of potassium, which can help lower blood pressure.

2.       Other minerals pears contain include:  magnesium, iron, copper and manganese.

3.       Good source of fiber which can behave as a laxative.

4.       Pears can alkalize the blood, which is good for those who eat a lot of meat.  Meat is acidic and your body loves to be in the neutral zone. It operates best while in “neutral” Alkalizing foods provide balance.

5.       Pears are not as acidic as apples (less organic acid), but high in tannins which provide anti-inflammatory action.  This makes pears a good alternative to apples for those who can’t handle the acidity.

Kale Pear Juice

 Are you a pear fan??

Peace and love!