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Beverages

Orange Dream Juice

June 18, 2012
orange-dream-juice

I am taking a bit of a break this week.. a break from food, that is. Today I’m embarking on a three day juice cleanse. As today marks the first day into the program, I thought it would be fitting to share a juice recipe.

This juice tastes surprisingly like a Dreamsicle. Those frozen orange flavored ice-cream filled popsicles were a childhood favorite of mine. The juice is a better alternative because its fresh, healthy and totally delicious. Whats the secret ingredient is this juice? Sweet potato! It adds a delightful creaminess to the mixture.

This wonder elixir has many beneficial properties including detoxifying the liver and lowering inflammation. The mixture of carrot, orange, pear and sweet potato is chock full of phytonutrients, carontenoids and antioxidants, which pack a powerful punch of nutrition. Carrot juice has been demonstrated to rapidly alkalize the body and cleanse the liver and improve the quality of the blood. With 116% of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C in just one orange, oranges are a great way of boosting the immune system.

Go ahead, treat yourself to this sweet and refreshing juice.

Orange Dream

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

  • 2 carrots
  • 3-4 oranges, peeled
  • 2-3 pears
  • 1 medium sweet potato

Directions:

  1. Place everything in the juicer and juice away.

I’ll be posting more about my experiences as the cleanse goes on. Feel free to ask questions if you like. Have any of you ever done a juice feast or fast? If so, how did you feel?

(Photo Credit: my sister, Jenny Norris – jjnorris.com)

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Raw Cacao Shake

June 12, 2012
raw-cacao-shake

Chocolate: most people are used to calling it cocoa, cocoa beans, cocoa powder. But when it comes to raw food, why do people use the word cacao (ka-COW), which looks like a misspelling of the more familiar cocoa and sounds like the squawk of a large, tropical bird? Whatever you call it, cocoa or cacao, both refer to the main ingredient of chocolate, which is the seed of the cacao tree.

Not all chocolate is created equal. Many of the forms of chocolate we’ve come to love have ingredients like refined (white) sugar, milk fats, and hydrogenated oils that make the cocoa devoid of any natural health benefits. Cocoa goes through a process called “dutching” where the acidic flavor of the cocoa is neutralized, removing chocolate’s natural polyphenols. And lastly, to top it all off, it’s heated to temperatures over 100 °F, killing all of its antioxidant properties. This type of chocolate is high in calories, trans fats and contributes to a strong acidic environment in your body.

But the good news is….. chocolate CAN be good! Some consider raw cacao a miracle superfood and if you look up all the nutritional information on raw cacao, you can see why. A 2 tbsp. serving offers 9g of fiber, 4g of protein, and 0g of sugar. Raw cacao contains high amounts of antioxidants, healthy fats and magnesium – an important mineral in which many people are chronically deficient. It works to support heart health by protecting the body from cellular degeneration and it contains polyphenols which helps to lower blood pressure. It stimulates endorphin production, giving you a feeling of pleasure and raw cacao also assists in the formation of serotonin, acting as an anti-depressant.

raw-cacao

Chocolate, in most forms, is generally stimulating since it contains caffeine. Based on the serious buzz I get from consuming raw cacao, I think the concentration of caffeine must also be much higher in raw cacao than the processed variety, though perhaps I am particularly sensitive. If you aren’t used to it and then eat it in any significant quantity, it can be as if you’ve never had coffee and then had three double espressos. Though raw cacao is a superfood and very healthful to us, I don’t recommend consuming it on a daily basis.

If you’re in the market for some raw cacao, only purchase certified organic raw cacao to ensure that you are getting the most nutrition for your money. It can be found at your local health food store. Look for brands that are Fair Trade as well.

There are many ways you can begin moving away from the processed, nutrient deficient chocolate to incorporating wholesome, healthier chocolate alternatives. The recipe I’m sharing today is for a raw cacao shake. I hope you enjoy!

raw-chocolate-shake-cacao

Raw Cacao Shake

Ingredients:

  • 2 frozen bananas
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 2 heaping Tbsp. raw cacao powder
  • sweetener to taste – agave, stevia, xylitol, etc. (optional)
  • goji berries (optional)

Directions:

  1. Simply add everything together in a blender and blend until smooth. Viola!
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Heart Beet Juice

May 22, 2012
heartbeet-juice

With spring cleaning in full bloom and summer right around the corner, what better time than now to rid your body of toxins and impurities? I don’t know what it is about spring, but it makes me want to clean everything and start fresh. Then it got me thinking, shouldn’t I be detoxing my body too? That was when all of the crazy juicing started.

This wonder elixir has many beneficial properties including detoxifying the liver and kidneys and lowering inflammation. The mixture of beetroot, apple, pear, ginger and lemon is chock full of phytonutrients, carontenoids and antioxidants, which pack a powerful punch of nutrition.

Beets are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. They are a natural detoxifier and blood purifier. Beetroot is also rich in a variety of nutrients that are important for the immune system to work with full efficiency – as beets encourage the production of antibodies that fight against disease or infection inside our body. Beetroot is also rich in iron and that is why it boosts red blood cells with required iron and facilitates the supply of oxygen towards the cells making our body healthy and young.

Heart Beet Juice

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 beetroot
  • 2 apples
  • 1 pear
  • thin slice of ginger
  • juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients in juicer and drink immediately.
  2. You can add less or more of anything depending on your taste.

Juice your way to a happier, healthier you this spring!

If you have any questions on juicing or the like, please get in touch with me. I loving hearing from you!

(Photo Credit: Jenny Norris – jjnorris.com)

9 Comments

Homemade Nut Milk

May 8, 2012
homemade-nut-milk

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN HOMEMADE NUT MILK

Things you need:

▫ Organic nuts or seed

▫ Large mason jar or glass pitcher

▫ Blender or food processor

▫ Nut milk bag or cheesecloth

It’s as Easy as 1, 2, 3

1. Soak and rinse the nuts. Soak the nuts in water to cover overnight. Soaking de-activates the compounds that keep the nuts dormant, and activates the enzymes that make them sprout. Soaked nuts and seeds tend to be easier to digest and have better bio-availability, meaning that the nutrients have an enhanced ability to be utilized by the cells. Plus, soaking the nuts makes them tender enough to blend. Drain the water and rinse the nuts well before using.

2. Blend the soaked nuts with water. Place the soaked nuts into a blender or food processor and add about 3 cups of fresh water for each cup of presoaked nuts. If you want a thicker, richer milk, decrease the amount of water to your liking. Blend until the nuts are very fine ground and the water has turned a light milky color.

 3. Strain the pulp.  A nut milk bag is used specifically for this purpose – it’s clean and easy and also reusable. A cheesecloth folded in 3-4 layers or a large fine-meshed sieve also works well. The pulp can be used for a variety of purposes (see below).

homemade-nut-milk-organic

Care to add a bit of flavor and dimension? Here are a few ideas for additions:

▫ Dates

▫ Vanilla extract

▫ Brown rice syrup

▫ Agave

▫ Cinnamon

▫ Raw cocoa powder

 

Here are five ideas for your pulp:

1. Nut Flour. The pulp can be dehydrated or placed in a 200 degree oven until dried. Grind the dried pulp in a spice grinder or high-speed blender until fine.

2. Raw cookies. Blend the pulp with some dates, nut butter, shredded coconut and sweet spices. Roll into balls and roll in shredded coconut or raw cocoa powder.

3. Soft, raw cheese. Blend the pulp in a food processor with a little nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, fresh herbs, and salt. Serve with crackers.

4. Cereal. Combine the pulp with your fresh nut milk, dried fruits, nuts and sweet spices for a porridge-like cereal.

5. Body Scrub.

homemade-nut-milk-seed

This recipe is the simplest seed milk recipe you will find. It doesn’t even need to be strained. Make this when you are pressed for time. Pour it over your morning cereal, mix it in a smoothie or heat for a nutty latte.

Hemp Milk

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup hemp seeds (shelled)
  • 5-6 cups of purified water
  • Natural sweetener, such as agave nectar or raw honey
  • Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

  1. Combine the water and the shelled hemp seeds in a blender. Use more water to achieve a skim milk consistency and less water to produce a heavier cream consistency of the milk.
  2. Turn blender on high for 2-3 minutes, or until you reach your desired consistency.
  3. After blending you can sweeten the milk by adding: agave nectar, raw honey or vanilla. Blend again to mix sweetener. You can drink it thick or strain it through cheese cloth to remove the large seed particles.
It will stay fresh for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed glass container (I use a mason jar). Shake well before each use.
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