Purple Protective Power Punch! Or something...

Happy Easter!! A wonderful time of miracles and renewal!

I hope it's been a relaxing, blessed weekend for you all :)

I had an amazing weekend of stress-relieving fun - starting with a brisk walk to a cross-training class at Body Boutique, where my instructor kicked encouraged me through several rounds of push-ups, walking lunges, jumping rope, and trying to lift my toes to my hands as I hung from a bar! (My toes never made it anywhere near my hands, just to let you know!) ;-)

Then I did a quick half mile jog to my weekly free yoga class at LuluLemon Athletica! What a great class it was! The first half was some good leg strengthening poses (no more!! I was so tired after the cross training!) but thankfully the second half was just a lot of deep stretching, deep breathing, and calming.

Ahhhh, peaceful :)

After that, I made a few shopping stops to get some last minute food items, then home to my dear Dave to spend a chunk of time in the kitchen! We popped in some Artemis Fowl audio books, and whipped up a health storm!

I tried my first GREEN JUICE! Wow, what a shock to the system! Instead of blending a bunch of greens with fruit, I basically just put the greens through my juicer, sans fruit. An entire head of red-leaf lettuce, handful of spinach, one whole cucumber, two stalks of celery, and half a lemon. Talk about a power kick! While I normally love the health benefits of fiber from the whole food, now and then, juice is great! This fiber-free juice goes quickly through your digestive system, the minerals and nutrients being easily absorbed into your blood stream. A quick kick of tons of nutrition! The flavor took some getting used to, but I was on such a health-high from the morning workout, that I was loving replenishing my system with minerals and health!

We are also trying our hand at making home-made sauerkraut! Rich in beautifying minerals and digestive probiotics, it's a great food to have on hand - if you can find it without being pasteurized. So, I have NO idea how our batch will turn out, but I'll let you know Friday when it's done!!

We also made up some salads, sprouted some sunflower seeds and quinoa grains, and Dave made raw vegan chili all on his own!! I was so proud :) He had enjoyed it so much when I made it last time, that he wanted to learn the recipe so he could make it on his own!

And another success? I made vegan burgers - that he liked!!! Amaranth, millet, onions, carrot, celery, spinach and seasoning... they didn't taste like burgers, but they were good! And once we loaded them up with tomato, onion rings, a dab of ketchup, and he used some A1 sauce... we wrapped it in a collard leaf rather than a bun, and went to town! We were both shocked at how much we liked them! It was an easy recipe from a book, and it's another one he hopes to learn!

So that was my Saturday. What a day! We relaxed in the evening, just basking in the glow of nutritious food.

And tonight, I had fun playing with a new food: açaí berry!

Probably many of you have heard of this new "superfood" berry - the media loves to promote the latest "cure all." And I won't go that far! But it's yet another tool for your belt of beauty, your weapons of wonder! Like most berries, açaí berries are rich in age-fighting antioxidants, and carry a lot of health benefits. So, this weekend, I bought some frozen açaí puree, and tonight I tried my first smoothie with it!

I should play with the recipe some more, and come up with some clever name... but for tonight, I just went with Purple Protective Power Punch, or Protective Purple Paradise! (Protective to your health and beauty because of the antioxidants, fibers, and healthy fats!)

2 scoops chia seeds (about 2 Tbs)

2 cups Coconut milk (I used So Delicious Original flavor)

1- 3.5oz packet Açaí berry puree

2 Tbs organic cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbs local honey (or sweetener of your choice, to taste)

Soak the chia in the milk for about 10 minutes, so they can plump up. Then add all to your blender, and blend away to smoothness!

This lovely smoothie packs over 10 grams of fiber, healthy omega fats from the chia, healthy medium-chain fats from the coconut milk, and great antioxidants from the cacao and the acai! Happy health and happy skin, here we come!

Alright, and happy studying - here I come! Time to continue reading my current nutrition book: What to Eat by Marion Nestle. Awesome book about the politics behind food labels and recommendations. Things aren't always what they seem ;-)

Have a good night, and for my Polish friends and family: "Wesołego Alleluja!!!"

"Hallelujah, He is Risen!"

Peace and Prosperity <3

~Katie

Green Smoothie Tips

Happy Monday, all! (Yes, I know... those two words don't normally go together. "Looks like someone's got a case of the Mondays!")

But perhaps if you started your morning off with a nutritionally jam-packed drink of green smoothie, your morning is going better than other mornings! ;-)

And I just wanted to share a few tips that I learned recently about getting the best blend for your buck.

While there are expensive, high-end blenders that I dream of one day owning, since they can cost $400+, for now I make due with what I have. I now have a decent Cuisine Art blender, and did pay a pretty penny for it - but I figured it was worth the investment. After burning through three $20-$40 blenders within a year, I figured I might as well get something sturdier.

But, if you just have a simple blender, here are a few tips to try to keep your green smoothies nice and SMOOOOOTH, instead of chunky-monkey applesaucey.

Dave offered to make one the other day, since I was running behind. So he just took the greens, the apple, the fruit... and piled it all in at once before trying to blend it. The result? Well, it didn't blend too nicely since we don't have an expensive, fancy blender. The greens at the bottom got all compacted around the blades, and the blades whirred in a big air pocket without getting much work done! So he tried to pack in more, stir it up, and add some water. Eventually, he got the blades hitting the food, and the smoothie was made with some effort. But it was done! And it still tasted good since he added extra fruits. But the texture was definitely different!

Here are a few things I've learned along the way, to work with a blender that's not an Uber Blender :) I also asked a crew of smoothie-addicted friends for some of their tricks!

• START WITH GREENS. Just use a small handful of greens, torn a little bit if needed, and just enough water to blend (1/2 cup maybe?) Start at a slower blending speed, then work your way up. While it's running, gradually add more torn greens. Let that run for 30 seconds or so, to try to break down all those tough cell walls. Then begin to add other items gradually.
• ADD ANTIOXIDANTS. If using lemon juice, add it just after the greens. Not only will the extra liquid help things blend, but the antioxidant power of the vitamin C will help maintain the nutritional benefits of the smoothie and slow the browning process some. We want green!!
• DON'T STOP! Sometimes it helps to let the blades keep a'whirring while you add in items, instead of turning it off, adding, then turning it back on. This lets the velocity of the blending just suck down those chunks of fruit and blend them into oblivion!
• PROPER STORING. While it's best to drink fresh, you can store it for later. Try to use a container that is airtight, and just big enough so there's as little extra air as possible. This can store in the fridge for 24 hours; or you can freeze it for later. But again, try to use ASAP.
• TIME IT! Jasmine, author of the blogsite The Convenient Vegan, laughs and says, "I just blend for a really...long... time." And that is a huge help! Don't short-change your blend time, as this will help with that smooth consistency. Just try to let it run only as long as absolutely needed. You want it smooth, but the longer it runs, the more oxygen in pulls in, causing more oxidation and browning. So find your happy medium!
• AND MORE! Check out this wonderful blog by Evelyn, From Sprout to Supper, where she shares her journey of food from ground up! She suggests:

• To help make it smooth I add a banana. When I run out it makes a big difference.
• You can also use cashews, avocados and coconut oil to thicken your smoothie.
• Instead of water I use 1 cup Kombucha. The flavored ones are really good with the smoothie. I like the cranberry and mango ones the best. Mango, cacao and coconut oil make a great smoothie.

So I hope that helps, if you've been having some bad experiences! It's amazing the difference texture makes to the palatability of a smoothie, even if the flavor is exactly the same! I don't know if it has been a taste I have acquired, or the fact my blender is better at getting that great smooth texture - but I am now able to add half a head of Romaine in a smoothie, plus usually 1-2 cups of some other green, and still love it! Even Dave likes it, with only an apple, pear, and banana!

Give it another go if you have had trouble! Start light on the greens if needed, but either way...

Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!

~Katie

Beautiful Berry Smoothie

That was my green smoothie today.  Lovely berry rich!

I started with a basic green base:

Romaine (I use almost half a head, but you may want to start smaller!)

1 apple

1 banana

juice of 1/2 lemon

Then decided to give it a kick:

1 cup spinach

1 to 1 1/2 cups frozen berry medley

Yum! 

Romaine is one of the top sources of the lovely mineral chromium, which is important for keeping healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels.  I have also read before that chromium is important for healthy color in your hair.  And I've had friends tell me after a while doing green smoothies every morning that their hair was losing some of the gray and getting back to their natural colors!  Hmmm.... ;-)  Sometime to chew on!  Er, uh, to sip on!  I'm hoping to research that more...

Spinach has all sorts of wonderful benefits - hooray Popeye!  Spinach is kickin' it in with TONS of Vitamin K, an abundance of Vitamin A, mega amounts of manganese, friendly folate, and so many other wonderful vitamins and minerals!  Spinach really is one kickin' health food! 

And berries.  Ah, beautiful berries!  Berries are an antioxidant explosion of goodness!  Good for vision, good for the brain, and full of minerals.

So mix up something fun :)  Have a great weekend!

~Katie

HAPPY NATURAL NEW YEAR!!

It's time for a fresh new start! (pic)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!


Welcome to 2011, my friends!! And what a wild ride 2010 has been! (And my New Years Eve was spent, among other things, making sock puppets... but that's it's own story! Haha!)

ADDN is now 1 year old (awww, happy birthday, little blog!) It was a great chance for me to work on some of my new years goals last year - to be healthier, to get back into writing, and to get more research done on food and nutrition. (Though, admittedly, I did slack more as the year progressed and work got busier.)

But what did 2010 have for you? What good things did you do that you want to build on? (Isn't that a more positive spin on the whole "I've been bad, and NOW I'll be good for the new year"?) Hopefully we've all made strides towards growth of one kind or another. Taken time to learn ourselves, to focus our lives, and hopefully love ourselves and those around us.

I know I have many non-food related goals for this upcoming year, but in the spirit of this blog, we'll still be sticking with natural health related topics, and aiming for a more natural, plant-based diet.

Rev those engines, it's time to GO! (pic)

So what's your reason for wanting to continue a wild ride on the health roller-coaster?

To age gracefully: be healthy enough to stick around for grandchildren, decrease risk of any numerous diseases or painful conditions, maybe even turn gray hairs back to their natural color?? (More about that in a future post!)

To be healthier now: to not be huffing and puffing after a simple flight of stairs? (Hey! I used to have that problem!), run a 5K, fit into a new pair of pants, have more mental and physical energy?

To help take care of the earth: promote agricultural animal care, support local farmers, cut out processed poisons, cut down on your pesticide intake, fight for a cause you believe in?)

To have more self confidence: improve the health of your hair and skin, drop some burdensome fat, smooth cellulite, be able to say "I DID IT!"?


(pic)



And what are the things that make that difficult to stick to your goal? Time? Convenience? Taste? Not knowing how to make new recipes? Lack of family support? Share your struggles - here or wherever you can! You have my constant support! (And understanding - In this fast-paced, Food Toxic society, it can be difficult to make the effort to change your eating and exercise habits. BUT IT'S WORTH IT!!)


What direction are your first steps taking you?

(pic)



Make a plan:
What do you want and by when?
What are the first three steps you can take on your journey?
What are the three biggest barriers to you meeting your goal?
What can you do to overcome those hurdles?
And if you trip, what are three ways to pull yourself back up quickly without getting completely trounced before so?

Think about it, write it down - maybe it's a s simple "First Step" goal such as walking daily, adding a green smoothie to your morning ritual; or more general (to be tweaked later) such as losing weight, running a 5K, deepening your self understanding - and share it! With us or whomever you are comfortable. Sharing your goals makes them more real to you (instead of a passing thought to be tossed aside at the first cookie!) PLUS, hopefully you'll start to gain support from your friends, and maybe someone who can help pull you up when you fall!

What future do you hold?

Make it happen! (pic)

And well, hey, if you're indecisive about a resolution, jump over to
http://moninavelarde.com/newyears/ and have fun playing with their pre-made resolutions ;-)

(pic)

Blessed renewals, and joyous journeys!

Sending love and prayers to everyone reading this :)

~Katie


P.S: all pics have a "pic" link to the original site where I found them

Michigan Day Two!

Alright, my friends! Here it is!! Day TWO of my Michigan Raw Trip! The festival was only that Saturday, but Dave and I got to spend that Sunday in the wonderful company of Carla and mark!

And what better way to get all pumped and ready for church than...

a green smoothie, of course!

This had to be one of the most fun smoothies to make - getting to dance around the kitchen with Carla as we soaked, chopped, washed, and pitted. And then got a smiling nod from BOTH men! They agreed it was one of the best tasting smoothies they had tried! (Mark and Dave said Carla and I just need to hang out more so we can continue making these lovely creations.)

And what, you may ask, was in this smoothie that our men enjoyed?

We called this our Apple Pie Smoothie

3 honeycrips apples
1 banana

2 plums

1 pear

about 1 cup almonds (that we soaked over night)

1 stick of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

a small piece of fresh ginger

as much fresh kale as we could put in without the guys groaning! (probably about 2-3 cups?)

water as needed

We first blended up the almonds and some water, as that was going to be the toughest part to make into a smooth consistencey. But her heavy duty blender had no fear! And we soon added the remaining ingredients to our breakfast drink.

Almonds are a common nut used to make crusts of raw pies, so mixing that with the apples and spices turned this into a holiday decadence! (Though it's not quite holiday season... so I imagine this baby will be making a comeback over the next few months!)

We poured the lovely smoothie into travel mugs and bolted for church. And what a beautiful place that was! Sadly, it didn't cross my mind to take my camera into the church, so I have no photos. But it was so bright and cheery, and Carla sang with the choir, making it just such a meaningful day!

Afterwards, we wanted to grab some lunch... and of course, by this time - after more than 24 hours of NOTHING BUT RAW - poor Dave was caving! My man wanted MEAT!



Dave enjoying his big ol' grease burger!

And the waiter was so flexible for us! I wish I remembered his name and could send out a giant THANK YOU to him!! I wanted to try to stick to the raw deal, as I was feeling amazingly energetic! So, looking through the recipe, there weren't too many options other than salads. So, how to spice up a salad? Just ask!

I asked him if I got the "Chicken Salad" without the chicken, could they instead add some extra vegetables to it? He said, "Sure! We have zucchini, beats, cucumbers... what would you like?"

To which I simply responded with an emphatic, "umm... YES!"

He got the idea, and in came my salad loaded with extra veggies!

I just drizzled it with a little of the honey-mushroom sauce which would have been topping the chicken. (Ok, that may not have been raw, but I didn't use much!)

We finished our meal with good food, good chats, and headed to the Apple Cider Press of the area! Ahhh, fresh apple cider... there's nothing like it!

You can see the two men standing at the apple shoot here. Somewhere else, apples are loaded into a blender of sorts, and the apple bits come tumbling down the shoot onto these cloth-covered trays. Tray after tray is stacked, then a huge machine compresses them all, squeezing out all that lucious juice! Sad to say, I asked what happened with all the left over pulp, and they said it just gets pitched. How sad!! Apparently they used to try to compost it, or do some other things with it, and it just wasn't working for them. So it became easier to trash it. (Hmmm.... perhaps there's an opportunity for some Michigan resident to get free apple pulp.....)

The juice then runs through tubes to various dispensing machines, and right there, they'll fill a half gallon jug for you to take! It doesn't get much fresher!

So we bought a half gallon, and (*gasp*) just HAD to try the fresh cinnamon-batter donuts that they sold, to go with the cider. Oh, so worth it! Soft, warm, and spicey - perfect pair for the cider!

As we enjoyed our treat, we wandered through the isles of fresh apples - so many types! It was amazing!



Dave picking out a bag of apples for us to take home

You better believe some of those apples went into a smoothie that next week! In fact, my dad had come to visit, and so I thought that the Apple Pie Smoothie had been such a hit in Michigan, that he just may like it! And he did! He had his entire 12 ounce glass! Go dad!!

And so ended our trip. It was getting on towards evening, and so it was time for us to buckle up and make the drive south to home.

What a wonderful time, wonderful memories, and new friends! Again, I cannot thank Carla and Mark enough for their loving hospitality! What beautiful people!

Have a great week, everyone :) See you back here with more doses of natural goodness soon!

~Katie

***EDIT: Thanks, Carla!!  She's got the better memory ;-)  The restaurant was Hogans.  Yum yum doodle dum!

Passion For Peaches!

Happy Summer Time!! Guess what fruit is now in season?

PEACHES!!!

And when you get a good peach, it is Oh-So-Good! An okay peach is still pretty tasty, but a great ripe peach is just beyond words!

And I am so thankful that my parents had a ginormous crate of peaches that they were willing to share! We made a drive by the homestead, and swiped about twenty peaches, since they are verging on ripeness! So, this week - it's peach recipes!

And a simple start...

Peach Summer Smoothie:

1 apple

2 large, beautiful peaches

2 c spinach

1 sprig parsley

1/2 c frozen mango

water to thin

Blend, and enjoy the summer sensation!

Parsley's not just for garnishing anymore! A mere two tablespoons will provide you with over 100% of your daily need for Vitamin K! Because of some of its volatile oils, parsley has been labeled a "chemoprotective" food - meaning it can help inhibit tumor growth from various dangerous carcinogens (like benzopyrenes in cigarette smoke or that summer favorite charcoal grill smoke.) It is also rich in various flavonoids (specifically apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin) which make it a rich source of antioxidants! It can actually increase the antioxidant capacity of your blood!

Peaches are a wonderful source of natural sugars, for some good natural energy - but they are also chalk full of nutrients! One peach has 3 grams of healthful fiber, 2 grams of protein, and is a good source of niacin - useful for cholesterol levels, and it's also good for a healthy nervous system, digestive system, and good for healthy skin, hair and eyes! Peaches also pack some good potassium, and has vitamins A and C!

Nothing beats a seasonally ripe peach! But go organic - they're part of that Dirty Dozen highly pesticided fruits. So enjoy some peaches while they're here - and let's see what recipes we can find for peaches (or just enjoy plain!) I have eaten so many peaches already that I may just start to grow some fuzz....

~Katie

Blackberry Base Smoothie

Good morning, sunshines! :D I hope you're beaming bright and beautiful light to all those around you!! (...since some days I give off more than my share of gray rain clouds to those around me...)

Today I was less in the mood for a deep green smoothie, but I still wanted all that wonderful alkalinizing health from my leafy greens! So, I decided to use FRESH blackberries instead of frozen. It is AMAZING how much extra flavor they have that way! So today, this was my smoothie:

Blackberry Base Smoothie

2 c spinach
2 c romaine
1/2 cucumber
1 tbs flax oil
1.5 c red grapes
6oz blackberries
ice

Antioxidant PACKED! Along with the wonderful, cool hydrating effects of the cucumber, the skin-healing properties of red grapes, and the omega-rich benefits of flax oil (granted, oil will lack some of the other perks of the flax seed, but I was just going for omegas today!)

The blackberries actually turned this green smoothie into a beautiful burgundy! I tried to take a few pictures, but the lighting was no good, so I have nothing to share. Sorry!

So, if you have still been hesitant to try a smoothie, I recommend using blackberries or pineapple as a base - they have potent sweetness that helps to overcome greeness. And just start with some spinach, as it is less flavor-bursting green than Romaine and other leafies!

Have fun and give a smoothie a try!

~Katie

Drink the Summer Rainbow

Good morning, everyone! I hope you've had a good week, and that your weekend is off to a great start! I know one way to get a good kick to your energy... c'mon you know what I'm gonna say... Smoothie!! :) (Do I sound like a broken record yet?)

I love Saturdays because they are Farmers' Market days here in my town! We have a humble little market with only about 8 farmers, and a few other entrepreneurs. You can also find soaps, lotions, baked goods, and crafts.

But before I restock my fridge with new produce from the market and the grocery store, I needed to make some room! So it was time to use up left over produce. I was surprised how much variety I still had! And it all looked so pretty! So this morning I did a rainbow smoothie. In produce, each color food carries its own health benefits - so get that variety!



So here's what I put in my smoothie:
Red: goji berries
Orange: peach
Yellow: pineapple and frozen mango
Green: kale and Romaine
Purple: strawberries and blackberries

Then I sprinkled in a few Tablespoons of flax seeds for some extra protein and omega oils.

Blend and enjoy!

This is a power-packed drink of fiber, vitamins and minerals, very alkaline and antioxidant rich... and a lot of great natural sugars to kick start the morning! It made a nice, thick, heavy smoothie - keeps me full for hours! (And keeps me skipping along as I browse the produce section at the store while being crowded among all the other Saturday morning shoppers.)

David Heber, MD, PhD wrote a book called What Color Is Your Diet? In it, he goes over the different colors and benefits.

White: Usually it is agreed that there is also the white color category - that would include things like onion, garlic, chives, and mushroom. Yeah... I didn't feel like putting that into my smoothie! I'm not that adventurous! Other white/green foods that I could have included, though, are celery and pears. These foods all contain flavonoids that protect your cell membranes.

Red: I talked about benefits a little bit in an earlier post during Valentine's Day. But, to refresh, bold red foods include tomatoes, watermelon, etc. Think bold bright, leaning more towards pink than purple. These foods are rich in lycopene, which helps fight cancer.

Darker Orange: carrots, sweet potato, and squash are great for the eyes! All the carotenoids help with night vision and are also great disease fighters.

Yellow-Orange: brighter colored oranges such as the orange fruit, nectarines, and papaya are phenomenal sources of Vitamin C - great for the immune system! Since Vitamin C is water-soluble, your body doesn't like to store it too much. So it's important to get vitamin C from food on a daily basis!

Yellow-Green: corn, spinach, avocado, and peas are part of this group. They are rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. These components are now being linked with eye health and protection from macular degeneration!

Green: And the darker greens - kale, broccoli, sprouts, cabbage... these are such an important part of health. I've talked about it a little before, but these are rich in sulforaphane and help stimulate the liver, enhancing your body's natural detoxing and cleansing processes. They also contain isothicyanate and indoles, which help your body break down cancer-causing checmicals.

Purple: now you move into foods that are a darker red, such as grapes, berries, and eggplant. This color comes from anthocyanins that protect the heart.

So do like Skittles and taste (or drink!) the rainbow; but go for the natural, healthy rainbow instead of the sugary nutritionally-empty rainbow! ;-) You'll find that pot o' health in the end!

~Katie

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!

So... can ya guess what I'm going to encourage on such a holiday?

Not green beer...

Green smoothies!!!

Seriously, they are a wonderful way to kick start your day! Especially if you're planning a foam-filled evening of partying ;-)

Or maybe commit to one smoothie in the morning after your night out. The vitamins and minerals, as well as the high percentage of water may just help even things out! There's not really a "cure" for a hang-over, but you can take steps to rebalance your health after too much indulgence.

Treat your liver by getting organics. Since you're liver is already going to be busy detoxing the alcohol (yes, alcohol is considered a TOXIC component in your body!) so don't add to its job load with making it have to detoxify pesticides and chemicals. Maybe toss in some of those liver-promoting cruciferous veggies like kale, collard greens, or cabbage. Or snack on broccoli, cauliflower, or Brussle sprouts. Add sulfur-containing onions and garlic to a salad to help boost liver function.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a festive and fun day!
Sláinte! (Cheers!)

~Katie

(Now THERE'S a green drink!) ;-)

"Swamp Juice? For me?! Really!?"

Yes, that is the kind, supportive way Dave responded when I handed him his share of the green smoothie yesterday morning. The shocked expression, the faked gratitude for taking care of his health, the pretend exhuberance for indulging in the drink... ;-) To try make it better for him, I did pour it in a little Spiderman cup. I mean, c'mon! Who could turn down a drink held by Spidey?!

Well, what can I say... it wasn't one of my better Greenie Meanies. But hey! We keep on trying, right?! My pears weren't ripe, so I just used an extra apple - but that pear just helps with a nice mellow sweetness. And the spinach was a little old, so we went with fresh kale and Romaine instead... which was a little bit greener than the mild spinach green!

And really, all in all, still a rock-solid healthy way to start the morning! And I am running high on natural energy from it :) So, even if you try a recipe that flubs a little, keep at it! Experiement with variety, seasonings, temperatures, nuts... There are yummy healthy foods out there!

~Katie

This morning I made a smoothie that has some great benefits for your skin!

Skin So Smoothie
3 c. grapes (organic red grapes with seeds are best)
½ lemon
2 collard green leaves
1 c. spinach
1 Tbs flax oil

Throw it all in a blender, and blend it all! I added ice to chill mine.

Grapes: So many benefits in that red skin! And I could probably do an entire post about the health properties. But for today, I’m looking at the grape seeds. The oil in grape seeds is commonly found in facial products because of its beautifying benefits. I talked with a woman who makes her own soaps, trained by her Cherokee grandmother who was a medicine woman for her tribe. She says “You are right about the grapeseed oil. It is VERY good for your skin, hair, nails. It is one of the 11 oils that go into my lotions for its healing properties.” So can you get these benefits by ingesting rather than applying topically? Sure! Beauty really does start from the inside, and can be compounded by the products you use on the outside. Grape seeds and skins also are anti-microbial, helping you’re your pores and cells stay healthy! Additionally, grapes are rich in antioxidants which will help protect your skin from aging oxidative damage to the cells (fine lines, wrinkles, and less firmly toned skin). They are also rich in manganese, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and promotes optimal functioning of your thyroid gland.

Lemons: rich in enzymes, also help stimulate your liver function; and your liver is one of your main organs to rid your body of waste and toxins, and burns fat. They are also packed with the powerful antioxidant Vitamin C. And the Mayo Clinic states that research now suggests a diet rich in vitamin C may promote younger looking skin.

Collard Greens and Spinach: These are rich in vitamin A, which is very important to skin health. It helps with tissue repair, and the formation of skin-tightening collagen and elastin, fibers that help support skin structure. And collards, being from the same family as kale, have strong properties that help your liver detoxify your body.

Flax Oil: Rich in omega-3s and omeg-6s in a healthy balance, these essential fatty acids (EFAs) are beneficial for many parts of your body! One of those benefits being healthy skin. EFAs help with healthy cell membranes, which helps the cells no only work as a barrier for harmful things, but to allow nutrients to cross, and let waste out of the cells. It also will help hold the healthy waters in, keeping cells hydrated and firm.

And of course, the whole beverage is water-rich produce, so that adds extra hydration to your body, keeping joints, eyes, cell, and everything supple and lubricated! The healthier you are inside, the more it will show outside! But it does take time. You won’t notice huge changes overnight, as your body is going to be more concerned with healing your inner cells first. But over time, you will notice your outward appearance picking up the healthy glow!

Drink up :) And keep that hydration going here in these cold, dry days!

~Katie

A New Twist

Good morning, sleepy heads!! (Ok, honestly, I have no idea how tired you are - but with the pace life seems to move, it's probably a fair guess. That, and it's early.)

So today I decided to do my juice a little differently.

Most people buy their orange juice from the store. But, have you ever had fresh squeezed orange juice?! Oh so yum! But, when you juice a fruit, you leave out so much! You're getting mostly water and natural sugars with some vitmains - but you leave out the fiber and some of the great phytochemicals with it!

So today, rather than juice my oranges, I just blended them! (Can you tell I love my blender? Yeah, I probably use it 3-5 times a week.) Leave on some of the white pithy parts - that's good fiber! And you get all the lovely pulp blended up nice and smooth. It's actually almost a creamy juice with all of that :)

And to chill it, you can either pour it over ice, and ice and make it more of a slushy, or - my fun twist for the day - I used frozen mango! So simple, so good, so healthy.

Oranges are extremely rich in that wonderful antioxidant, vitamin C, packing over 100% of the RDA recommendations in one fruit! (Varies by size, of course. But that’s your average fruit.) Another compontent in oranges, the molecule herperidin, is now being studied for it's ability to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as work as an anti-inflammatory agent. But herperidin is found more in that white pith and the peel, so try to keep what you can of that white goodness! Don’t worry, once you blend it all up, you don’t notice any bitter traces.

Mango has that lovely beauty combo: vitamin A and vitamin C, good for tissue health and bone health. And the beta carotene is also great for healthy vision. And the extra 3g of fiber in mangos never hurts, either!

Orange Juice With a Twist
1 orange, peeled and quartered (get out what seeds you can)
1/2 c frozen, chopped mango
water to blend

Drink up! This is a great variation on a weekend morning juice :)

~Katie

Garbage Greenie!

Happy Friday!!

It's a cold, wet one here, but maybe the sun is shining more for you :)

As the week rolled to an end, my poor little fridge was looking pretty shabby, and my produce a little bit old. Still edible! But definitely Circling The Drain. What's a gal to do??

Dump it all into a blender!!

Mostly, I had fruit that - oddly enough - hadn't gotten eaten during the week, and a little bit of left over salad greens. So in it all went! What a great, easy way to make sure all those leftovers get eaten and not wasted! Garbage Greenie!

An apple; lightly browned bananas; cut out the heavily browned parts of two pears and added the rest; an orange that would probably go bad soon; a soft kale leaf; and the last few leaves of Romaine lettuce. (Then chilled it with some ice cubes and frozen mango.) Nothing fancy, nothing exotic, but full of nutrients none the less!

When you're mixing fruits, it's hard to go wrong. See what's around, and make your own Garbage Greenie! (Or just a fruit smoothie if you're still leary about adding veggies to a smoothie) ;-)

So give it a whirl, and have a great weekend!

~Katie

Tuesday Smoozie!

So, after enjoying yesterday's prurple-green smoothie/Smoozie, Dave and I enjoyed another one for breakfast today! Sadly, this one didn't seem quite as filling though - perhaps because I did a pretty good workout at the gym before breakfast. (Which is why I always keep a supply of healthy snacks at work!)

After the gym, I enjoyed a glass of water with half a lemon squeezed in. And why is that lemon so good? Vitamin C, alkaline, and healthy enzymes, that's why! Then, after getting cleaned up, I whipped up this bad boy:

Today still had the same green base:

2-3 c spinach

4 kale leaves

Then I added some fruits:

1 apple

1 pear

1/2 lemon

1 orange

1 c blueberries

Quite the antioxidant kick yet again! And all those wonderful detoxing enzymes from the kale. Plus loads of Vitamin C to help the immune system this blustery winter day. Brrr!

Tonight, I just may curl up and study with some warmed vegan hot chocolate - free from all the high acidity and inflamming properties of processed sugars and chocolates, and acidic, mucus-forming dairy. It's a simple recipe if you have the ingredients on hand:

1 c unsweetened almond milk

1 Tbs agave nectar (or to taste)

1 Tbs cacao powder (or to taste)

Warm and enjoy!

~Katie

Oh, and in case you were curious - those 4 cookies from my coworker yesterday ARE STILL SITTING there! Go will power! I'll enjoy them later this week. But honestly, for now, I'm okay as long as I don't see them!

Monday Smoozie

And the morning is off to a great start, kicking butt of lethargy and disease! Since it’s my late day at work, I got up, did a rather intense 45 minutes on the elliptical machine, and Dave and I shared a giant green smoothie for breakfast!

2 apples, 1 pear, 1 lemon, 1 cup mixed berries
1-2 cup spinach, 3 leaves dinosaur kale
Water to thin and smooth

Even Dave said he didn’t find it to be too “green” a green smoothie (and really, all those berries made it look more like a purple smoothie! Kind of reminiscent of the Smooze from my childhood…. Ahhh, My Little Ponies!)

And, with that wonderful arsenal of antioxidants, fiber, and health, I head to work where (akk! Oh no!) my wonderful co-worker hands me a bag of home made chocolate chip cookies!!

Nooooo!!!

Oddly enough, I didn’t really want them! I was able to tuck them away (definitely an “out of sight, out of mind” thing) and hope to save them for the weekend :)

Work was so busy I ended up missing lunch (*sigh!*) but I’ll munch on my snack veggies as I head home. Broccoli and celery – nothing exciting, but when you’re hungry, it’s mmm, mmm, good! (And as always, mmm, mmm, healthy!)

Got home and dove head first into Fire Ants! And, ok, honestly, sometimes I'm too lazy to make them this pretty every time. Some days, I just dump goji's and raisins in a pile, scoop the almond butter with the celery piece, and just roll that in the berry pile. Either way, yum-tastic health!

Have a great evening!

Hugs and all that good stuff :)

~Katie

Call on Kale

I wanted to introduce you to one of my favorite leafy green: KALE!

("this is my faaaavorite!" -Denise Austin, when referring to about 50% of her exercises or stretches)

Look at that beautiful stuff :) Ahhh, like looking a the Garden of Eden (or Jurassic Park - whichever you prefer!) So dark, lush, and earthy looking!

Well, this is just one version of it - that's Dinosaur Kale.

There's also Curly Kale and Red Kale:

You can see the curled edges - these little nooks and crannies are great for holding pockets of flavor, if you use dressing, toss with some extra virgin olive oil, or other seasonings. You can tear the leaves off, toss with a little flavoring, then dehydrate (or bake at 350 for 15 minutes) to make kale chips! Of course, you may lose some of the nutrients with that high heat, but it's better than potato chips!

Kale is super rich in vitamins K, A, and C, (remember - that A and C combination is great for healthy skin!) It also has good manganese. Manganese is a component of many enzymes and antioxidants; it also helps with protein and carbohydrate metabolism.

Kale will deliver a wollop of cancer-fighting phytonutrients. Hoorah! It has glucosinolates and cystein sulfoxides that help activate detoxifying enzymes of the liver - which is your main fat-burning, cleansing organ.

In one way or another, make sure the kale is really well crushed - chew it well or add it to a green smoothie where the blender will really break down those cell walls and release the health benefits lurking in the cell! As the kale is chopped or chewed, sulforaphane forms, and then triggers the liver to produce even more detoxifying enzymes to help kill those cancer-causing chemicals! In animal studies, it essentially caused colon cancer cells to "commit suicide." Wow!

Let's give our liver all the help we can in clearing our bodies of years of built-up pollutants and toxins!

A word of caution - kale has a rather deep "green" taste, so start lightly. I like to add a leaf or two to a green smoothie, or a few leaves to salad. I hope to work up to being able to use the kale as my salad base, rather than the lighter Romaine!

So give Kale a try! Your body will thank you :)

~Katie