Browsing Tag

celery

Farmers’ Market Gazpacho

August 12, 2013
farmers-market-gazpacho

When fresh markets, farm stands and gardens are overrun with ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and onions, I could eat gazpacho every day. I love to make runs downtown to the Union Square Farmers’ Market to check out the fabulous local produce. I look for the juiciest tomatoes I can find to make this refreshing and zesty gazpacho. There are no hard-and-fast rules in making this recipe. You can adjust the amounts and types of vegetables to your liking.

This soup is a celebration of freshness – in the body and in the season.  

What are some of your favorite ways to use your farmers’ market bounty?

farmers-market-tomatoes

Farmers’ Market Gazpacho

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

  • 5 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup tomato juice
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup celery, diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
  • 4-5 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (more whole leaves for garnish)
  • fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Place the tomatoes and tomato juice in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Add the chopped bell pepper, celery, red onion, garlic, cucumber, basil and black pepper to the soup and stir well. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight. This allows for the flavors to meld. 
  3. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with whole basil leaves. Enjoy. 

 

Celery, Cucumber & Mint Juice

April 7, 2013
celery-cucumber-and-mint-juice

As the seasons make their transition outside, it feels so right to make one inside. This year I have made it a personal goal of mine to sip on more green juices. Enjoying green juices daily is the best way to alkalize the body with extremely vital nutrients that nature provides for us, in turn supporting a healthy immune system that will protect us from disease. Juicing these greens allows for the vital nutrients to be assimilated easily and immediately, giving you an immediate energy boost.

I drink this juice almost daily, and with good reason. The base is cucumber, which is a little known nutritional powerhouse. Its loaded with potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and folate while being very low in calories. It is a perfect choice for before or after exercise since its loaded with electrolytes. After adding cucumber, I throw in celery, apple, spinach and mint -creating an extremely potent, detoxifying cocktail.

Freshly squeezed juice is a wonderful drink all year round. You can easily vary it and use all sorts of vegetables and fruits. A rule of thumb is to use 80% vegetables and 20% fruit in order to get a perfectly balanced sweetness and avoid too much fructose (natural sugar from the fruit). Lemon, lime, ginger and fennel are some of the taste boosters you can add to any juice.

An important tip: always buy organic fruits and vegetables to use for your juice making. This way you can avoid peeling your fruit and vegetables and instead use all of their tasty parts and get all those lovely vitamins and nutrients.

Grab your organic wonders and follow me…

cucumber-celery-mint-juice

Celery, Cucumber & Mint Juice

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium cucumber
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 apple
  • 1 handful spinach (or other greens)
  • 2-3 sprigs mint

Directions:

  1. Rinse all ingredients.
  2. Add ingredients through juicer.
  3. Serve and enjoy!

How are you enjoying spring? Would any of you be interested in joining me for a juice cleanse or raw food detox the first week of May? This is a good time of year to do a cleanse or detox because the weather is warming up so our bodies can take more raw foods plus more fruits and veggies are coming into season. Let me know your thoughts below!

Grapefruit, Lime & Ginger Juice

January 3, 2013
grapefruit-lime-and-ginger-juice

Happy New Year, dear readers! I hope you all had a delightful holiday filled with love and tummies filled with delicious food! Mine was slow and relaxing, with plenty of time for cooking, playing and reflections. Over the break, I came up with some new year’s goals and I thought it might be fun to share them with you. I hope that this inspires you create your own list!

  1. Consume more fresh pressed juices.
  2. Eat a greater variety of fruits and vegetables.
  3. Compete in a triathlon.
  4. Volunteer in the community.
  5. Live every day fully.

If one of your resolutions is eating healthier in the new year, this juice is a good tasty place to start. Kick things off with this beauty – a lovely pink, citrus-centric Grapefruit, Lime & Ginger Juice. This detoxifying and immunity-boosting juice recipe is easy to embrace post-holiday! It packs such a fresh punch of citrus and ginger flavor that you won’t feel you’re missing out on a thing. And by providing your immune system with a strong dose of vitamin C you’ll be putting yourself in the right frame of mind to embrace the new year in health.

grapefruit-lime-ginger-juice

Grapefruit, Lime & Ginger Juice

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 grapefruit, peeled (I used ruby red)
  • 2 apples
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 1/2 lime, peeled
  • 1/4 inch knob of ginger
  • fresh mint (optional)
  • sparkling water (optional)

Directions:

  1. Place grapefruit, apple, celery, lime, and ginger through juicer.
  2. Pour fresh juice into a glass and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. Enjoy.

This juice is quite strong – but invigorating! And if you like, you could even add a splash of sparkling water.

I wish everyone the best for 2013. Thanks for continuing to discover the beauty of becoming the healthiest, most vibrant self through figgy & sprout! What are your resolutions? Leave a comment below, start a conversation, make a friend, inspire one another.

Stay connected with me in 2013 through twitter, facebook, pinterest, instagram and my newsletter!