I went into ATTACK mode!

On Friday he said, "I feel kind of lousy. Scratchy throat and a headache." Oh no! That is what everyone has been saying lately, and then they are sick for 7 - 10 days! . . . . . . No, we aren't playing that game!

So, it was time to open up my arsenal of remedies, and attack this "bug" before it took any kind of a hold on my sweet husband.

In October of 2011 I got sick (so click that link!). My good friend Kat Conrad showed up at my door at 9:00 at night with a little brown bag of goodies to make me well. And it worked. We haven't needed this cure since that time, but it was time to pull it out again and nip this bug in the bud.

Juicing is key to the cure. Into the juice - in the little 2 ounce container - drops of black elderberry, echinacea goldenseal, and an oregano oil blend - and swig it down like a shot. (Thanks for that tip, Denise!) Whoa, the cayenne in the oregano is enough to kill anything! I did it too. Preventive maintenance! We upped our vitamin C and D, added several doses of oil of oregano to the day, breathed steam filled with eucalyptus, drank lots of water, tea, and he stayed home and rested Saturday and Sunday.

And in my nurturing mode, I found delight by setting up camp in the kitchen. Beside the smoothies and juices, a few good meals were in order.

A quinoa concoction with a citrus salad was my favorite on Saturday. I liked the salad the best. Assorted lettuces with avocado, oranges and kiwi. The dressing was made from orange juice, avocado and agave whisked together.  Refreshing and full of vitamin C!

From this month's issue of Vegetarian Magazine, the Moroccan Potato, Carrot, and Chickpea Stew was a change of pace for us. We do not often have potatoes and these were quite tasty in this recipe. And those spices and raisins, oh my! (I love trying new recipes!)

And he wanted his favorite, Red Lentil and Squash Curry Stew.  This is a standard in our house. It is a recipe by Angela Liddon, of Oh She Glows. You really must check out her website! She has amazing recipes.

This blog could not be complete without a picture of the wonderful ingredients of one of our juices. I love pictures of fruits and vegetables. Natures beauties!

Here's the spinach, oranges, grapefruit and lemon that made one of our healing juices. A mega blast of vitamin C (attack!!!). And it tasted so good!

Here is what it all looked like on the way into the juicer! And this is what it looked like afterwards.

Of course a dessert was in order too. Some comfort food! I tried a new recipe for Chocolate Pudding. It has hemp seeds and cacao in it which are amazing super foods! This is a recipe, Chocolate Avocado Pudding, that was on Jason Wrobel's show, How to live to 100. I usually make Raw Intentions' Chocolate Avocado Pudding -  it's in her latest eBook by the way - but out of curiosity decided to try Jason's. I am not sure which one I like the best. Jason's is more like a milk chocolate pudding, whereas, Raw Intention's is definitely in the rich dark chocolate category. I wouldn't turn either one of them down!

Well, I think this is a sweet way to end this blog. 

Oh, and that bug . . . the attack is paying off. We are winning that battle.

(P.S It feels good to do a blog again!) 

Hungry for Change

There is a new documentary coming out called Hungry For Change. You can watch it for free from March 21st to March 31st. It has some incredible people in it, and after watching the trailer I am really anxious to see it.  I really do think people are hungry for change. The problem is they don't know where or how to begin to make those important changes, especially when it comes to food and health. It is a pretty confusing and conflicting place out there!

I personally think the first step is awareness and education. Only you can be responsible for you. It is that person you see in the mirror each day that is in charge of you! So take some time and educate yourself. Watch documentaries like this one, and make a change, or if you disagree with what this documentary stands for, research it some more. Make an educated decision on how you want your life to be. To watch the trailer, Hungry for Change, and to sign up for the free viewing of the full version please, really please, click here!

I still find it amazing what food has done to change my life. One year, seven months and thirteen days ago I was hungry for a change. I did some research, did my homework so to speak, and changed. Out with the processed food, meat and dairy, refined sugars and in with whole plant based food: vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds. Out with drugs. The produce department became my pharmacy. By simply changing the way I eat, I have lost weight, I have regained my life and health, sleep through the night, feel good, and I have had the pleasure of discovering energy that I thought was forever lost. Life really is so good!

Friday night I went to another class at Whole Foods, my most favorite store ever! Raw Intentions had a full house and made two great dishes: Italian Salsa and Coconut Walnut Pudding. It is gatherings like this that I learn so much. There are folks that come that have amazing personal stories to share about their health, to the newbies who want to soak up all they can learn because they are hungry for change. I love the networking that results, and some of these people have become very close friends. Take a look at what she made at this class.

Now take a look at something I made today. 

Some pineapple, carrots, a beet, some cucumber and a piece of ginger . . .

and what do you get?

Amazing juice!

This is a recipe from Kristina, a New Yorker, whom I met as she was traveling across the country researching the lives  of those who have graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Kat Conrad, a graduate of the institute and my friend, lives here in Tulsa and is a classmate of Kristina's, thus Kristina's visit. Kristina, a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach, is one of my Facebook friends, and often posts her juices. I love her juice recipes. I am always hungry for juice!

So what are you hungry for? 

Are you hungry for change?

I do hope you find a way to satisfy your appetite!

Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't . . .

I came home from work really dragging. I am not sure where my energy is going, but the last few days I have really had that afternoon slump.

The cure . . . juice!

 

Apple, broccoli stems, parsley, lemon, cucumber and celery, 

all run through the juicer,

and out comes green energizing juice.

This is what really works. 

Instant energy.

A wonderful green happy hour.

Now, for what doesn't work . . .

This is an avocado sauce:

garlic, lemon juice and avocado made in the food processor. 

This is spelt spaghetti. 

Put the two together, 

add some fresh ground pepper and grated lemon,

and this is what you get...

This is a recipe from Oh She Glows, and I have to admit it is the first one of her recipes that I didn't like. It wasn't awful. We did eat it. However, I won't be making it again.

So, sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn't. 

15 minute Creamy Avocado Pasta, sorry Angela, it doesn't.

I got juiced!

So, tonight I got juiced, and I loved it. Mean green pure pulp free juice.

This was my first glass of juice from my new Breville Dual Disc Processor Juicer.

It was superb! Here is what went into it:

Kale: a super-green vegetable, perfect for supporting weight loss. It is a rich source of glucosinolates, which are powerful detoxifiers, and is also packed with full potent anti-cancer phytochemicals, including the sulfur sulforaphane.

Spinach: is packed with iron, vitamin C and folic acid for healthy blood cells, making it a perfect fatigue fighter. It is also rich in chlorophyll, a substance that, together with the fiber in this juice acts as an effective cleanser and detoxifier.

Cucumber: contains sulfur and silicon - minerals that support kidney and liver function to aid elimination and tackle fluid retention. It is also rich in potassium, which helps maintain a healthy fluid balance.

Celery: is a strongly alkaline and is a great detoxifying food and is calming for the digestion. A well-known diuretic, celery's potassium-sodium electrolyte balance helps to avoid water retention and to reduce blood pressure. Celery is also rich in B-vitamins and vitamin C.

Apples: contain soluble fiber known as pectin, which binds to toxins and helps eliminate them from the body. Fiber can also encourage the proliferation of healthy bacteria in the bowel, stabilize blood-sugar levels and lower cholesterol. Freshly pressed apple juice provides malic acid, which your cells use for energy production.

Pear: contain high levels of dietry fiber to help keep the bowels in good health, and may help reduce the risk of colon cancer. They are also rich in immunity-boosting vitamin C and in mineral copper, which has an antioxidant effect on the body.

Ginger: is a well known digestive aid, and can help relieve indigestion and nausea. Its powerful gingerols possess anti-inflammatory  properties know to help reduce pain and inflammation and alleviate asthma.

Now with all those ingredients, and their health benefits, it is no wonder I am juiced!!!

And this is the wonderful machine, in it's new home, that makes it all happen:

This is the Breville in action:

Notice the huge pulp bin. It has a wonderful pitcher with a cover that allows the juice to pour out, but skims the foam off and leaves it in the pitcher. I really like that feature.

Tomorrow I plan to feed beets to the Breville, along with oranges and carrots. 

The color will be spectacular.

 

Look at the incredible color in this vegetable.

From the green, to the red, oh my, it is just beet-a-ful!

I can't wait to get juiced again tomorrow!!!

P.S. Hello blog, I have missed you. I will do better in 2012!