Orange Mango Smoothie

Orange Mango Smoothie

This smoothie is a delight!

Ingredients:

4 oranges (juiced)

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 ripe mango

1 Tbs coconut oil

1 Tbs brown rice syrup (or 2 pitted dates, or other sweetener)

1 cup frozen banana slices

2 large Fuji apples cut up in chunks

Place the first five ingredients into a high-powered blender (like Vita-Mix).
Blend well. Add the banana and apple pieces and using the tamper, blend well. 
Pour and enjoy!

It's Detox Time! 3-Berry Smoothie

It's Detox Time!

For the past month I've made fresh vegetable/fruit juice just about every day. My husband and I have been trying to replace at least one meal a day with juicing. It's been a precursor to the detox diet that we started 5 days ago, and it's going great!

I liken our detox diet to the Hallelujah Diet of which I am familiar, but without the BarleyMax (I use my own powders/supplements). They promote an 85% raw, 15% cooked diet, made up of vegan choices. And glance at their testimonials and you'll see what a blessing it is to eat this way—for life!

But I'm not espousing a particular diet really, just whole "vegan and gluten-free" foods, mostly raw, and with no meat products for this time of detoxifying. And of course, fresh juicing to maximize our daily nutrient content and give the body something to enable us to heal.

What our detox includes:
Drinking a variety of fresh juiced vegetables and fruits
Healthy fruit and green smoothies
Raw fruits, vegetables and dehydrates
Big green salads
Steamed vegetables (been eating a lot of Brussel sprouts)
Homemade vegetable soups
Herbal tea
Fresh lemon/limeade
Nuts (no more than a handful)
Coconut oil

You're not ready, until you're ready!

Hubby and I both are beyond middle age. We're still young-at-heart, and so it's not fun when health issues interfere with life's enjoyment and our abilities. I feel like if I don't get serious now about true healthy living I might as well give up. I know we'll be making sacrifices—albeit good ones, as we change to better eating habits. I'm determined to—once and for all! I'm ready already.

I'd like to eventually proceed forward and make it a juice only detox, so I'm really preparing myself for when I feel the time is right. I'm inspired by documentaries like Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead and Hungry for Change. I find that a big part of making a lifestyle change or going on any diet for that matter, it takes the right timing, the right mental focus, and the right environment to make it a successful journey. I knew that now was the right time to begin. And having hubby on board makes it much more doable.

Our very first juice on day 1 was:  

Apple-Broccoli Juice

4 Granny Smith apples
1 lime
4 celery ribs
Bunch of cilantro
1 head of broccoli

I had never juiced broccoli before, but since I had plenty in the fridge I wanted to make good use of it, and I saw a recipe for Green Apple Pie Juice that stirred my interest. My Apple-Broccoli juice was so GOOD! I'm getting used to the taste of cilantro and it's useful to draw out heavy metals in the body.

This week I made another awesome smoothie recipe using blueberries (since we got such a great deal on frozen blueberries):

3-Berry Antioxidant Smoothie

This was a great tasting and so-good-for-you breakfast smoothie that utilizes three different berries: blueberries, blackberries and cranberries. One of the best sources of antioxidants, berries help to fight against aging and the chronic disease processes that many of us know about first hand. Even the American Institute for Cancer Research admits that blueberries are “. . .  substances that can slow the aging process and reduce cell damage that can lead to cancer.” Here are 7 Berries You Should Eat Everyday.

Not included in that list of 7 are cranberries, which when consumed in their raw form or juiced, have huge health benefits warding off urinary tract and yeast infections, dental plaque, and helps with blood sugar issues such as insulin resistance. See Cranberry juice benefits made simple.

3-Berry Antioxidant Smoothie

by Kathy's Kitchen

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: juicing raw gluten-free raw vegan

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A so-good-for-you antioxidant fruit smoothie that utilizes blueberries, blackberries and cranberries.

Ingredients

• 1 cup blueberries (raw, frozen or partially thawed)
• 1 cup blackberries (raw, frozen or partially thawed)
• 1 cup cranberries (raw, frozen or partially thawed)
• 1 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 Tbs. lime or lemon juice
• 1 tsp. spirulina powder (optional)
• 2 Tbs. green powder supplement (optional)
• 2 tsp. coconut sugar, maple syrup, or other sweetener

Instructions

• Add all ingredients into a high powered blender (like VItaMix) and using the tamper, blend until well combined. Pour and serve.

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Right now I've got naked kale chips in the dehydrator and when I get some more sunflower seeds I'll make some red hot snackers crackers, but I won't indulge, and now at day five I'm feeling past the terrible late afternoon cravings (thanks to the wonderful nutrients I'm giving my body and cells). I'm not having the sugar and chocolate cravings but hubby is still dealing with it, and at 270 lbs. he requires more food than I do so he eats a tad more. (I don't scold, I'm very glad and proud of him and he's losing weight faster than I am!)

So today, I look forward to feeling good, staying active, and slimming down. How about you?

Linking up with Gluten-Free Cat and  Raw Foods Thursdays 

Blue-Green Smoothie

This Blue-Green Smoothie

tastes WONDERFUL!

I LOVE blueberries, and I love adding greens into smoothies where it doesn't change the taste! For this treat, the greens used were raw spinach and spirulina powder—an antioxidant delight!

We had an excellent buy on large packages of frozen blueberries, so I eagerly threw some into my Vita-Mix and made this delicious blue-green drink. Actually, I spooned each mouthful, relishing the taste like I would an ice cream sundae!

Blue-Green Smoothie

by Kathy's Kitchen

Keywords: gluten-free raw

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A raw smoothie to enjoy like a blueberry sundae, but disguised with healthy greens.

Ingredients

• 2 cups organic apple juice (fresh juice preferred)
• 2 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 Tbs coconut sugar or preferred sweetener (optional)
• 2 Tbs hemp seed (optional)
• 1 tsp spirulina powder
• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 3 cups frozen blueberries (thawed or partly thawed)
• 2 large handfuls of washed raw spinach leaves

Instructions

• Combine the first six ingredients into a high speed blender like a Vita-Mix and blend well.
• Add the blueberries and use the tamper to mix together.
• Add the spinach and use the tamper to mix while blending.
• Pour and enjoy!

Not familiar with spirulina powder? Dr. Mercola explains what this ancient plant is—a form of blue-green algae with "miracle" benefits: 

• detoxifying
• protein rich
• immune boosting
• allergy relief
• normalizes blood pressure and cholesterol
• reduces cancer risk

Caution: You may need to be careful with spirulina powder and work your way upward, starting with a small amount (like in this smoothie). Spirulina is safe to consume, but some people may have a reaction to it depending on their state of health.

Pom-Blueberry-Apple Cider

Pom-Blueberry-Apple Cider

We had some lovely frugal finds over the holidays recently. $2.00 for a gallon-size bag of frozen blueberries was almost a steal, so we stuffed five in our freezer. At the same discount store they offered apple cider for $2.50 a gallon. At Aldi's, the pomegranates were getting a bit too ripe so my hubby asked for a price reduction and picked up a boxload full for 25 cents each! It was a no-brainer to mix up a delightful pom-blueberry-apple cider concoction and BOY it was DELICIOUS!

How I did it:
In the Vita-Mix blender I put two cups of the apple cider and mixed in half a bag of the blueberries that I had thawed. (Leaving them frozen makes it taste like a yummy smoothie but my hubby is sensitive to cold right now.) I broke apart and seeded six pomegranates using the wooden spoon whacking method, I juiced the arils (using a few carrots also), and added this juice to the blueberry mixture, mixing everything together utilizing a half gallon of the apple cider.

Knowing the nutrient-filled, antioxidant rich benefits of pomegranates and blueberries I think we did alright! 

What else can you do with pomegranates? You may want to check some recipes online like those at Simply Recipes. 

A few of my sons love to eat the pomegranate seeds by themselves, but take a peek at the Chocolate Pomegranate Clusters at Lexie's Kitchen!



What are some of your best frugal finds and deals, and what did you make?

Juice Your Soup!

Veggie Juice Soup

I'm not a fan of cold V8 juice and similar juices, but I love tomatoes and use them in salads and as an ingredient quite often. For this soup, I thought, why not make the base of the soup a juiced veggie concoction and just warm it (no lengthy process or boiling allowed). 

It was pretty darn good, as well as a healthy replacement for us who are attempting to add in more fresh juices to our daily diet. 

The second time I made this juice soup, I decided to add in a few sautéed vegetables which made it more soup-like and satisfying to us.

Veggie Juice Soup

Keywords: raw juicing soup/stew raw gluten-free low-sodium vegan

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Juice your soup!

Ingredients (serves two)

Juice the following Ingredients:

• 11 large carrots
• 3 large tomatoes
• 3 celery ribs
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 3 mushrooms
• sprigs of parsley

Instructions

Saute the following in coconut oil (low—med heat)

• 1/4 purple onion cut up
• 2 mushrooms sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper cut (or red/orange)

Add sautéed veggies to juice with seasonings to your taste. I like: sea salt, pepper, basil, rosemarry, real onion powder, and a dash of hot pepper flakes.Variation: Juice fresh cut corn and or a handful of spinach to add to the juiced items. (This will turn your soup to an olive green color.)Eat at room temperature if you like or just warm and serve! 

Try it sometime and see how you like it!

For more info about our life of juicing and a list of many other juicing and smoothie recipes check out the post: A Juicing Lifestyle

Linking up Wellness Weekends, and with Gluten-Free Cat and Raw Foods Thursdays

Josh's Jacuzzi Green Smoothie

Josh's Jacuzzi

Green Smoothie

One habit Hubby and I enjoy most every weekend is our Jacuzzi bath in the fabulously remodeled bathroom he did for us last year (thanks again Hun). But someone else usually joins us on this semi-romantic, de-stressing interlude—Josh Groban (in song, of course)!

So, it's in honor of my love for Josh's magical voice that I've named this smoothie, specially prepared for one almost-heaven Jacuzzi morn.

Josh's Jacuzzi Green Smoothie 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup apple juice 
3 oranges, peeled, cut and seeded
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. coconut oil
Stevia to taste (about 1/4th a packet)
1 pear sliced and cored
1 banana sliced (frozen if preferred)
Bunch of organic spinach

Add the first 5 ingredients into a high-powered blender (like VitaMix) and blend until smooth. Next, add the pear and banana slices and blend again. Lastly, add the spinach while using the tamper to push it down while blending. 

Don't let stress bog you down. It's not enough to just "eat right." Enjoy this great tasting, nutritious treat, and find time to relax and take joy in the simple pleasures of life! 

To Where You Are—Josh—You Raise Me Up!

For more info about our life of juicing and a list of many other juicing and smoothie recipes check out the post: A Juicing Lifestyle

 Linking up with Gluten-Free Cat and Raw Foods Thursdays

Happy Day Juice

Starting today with a SMILE!

Happy Day Juice

It's gorgeous outside right now on this pretty spring day, so I stepped outdoors to take in the glorious morning. I took my Happy Day Juice with me!

It's easy to get caught up in the horrific happenings that we are facing in this country and personally, my Hubby fills me in on all the gory details on a daily basis . . . but I just can't live my life with the weight of all that on my shoulders. Yeah, there's a time and a place and someone has to be on the front lines, but let me persuade you to think about your health and I don't mean just the physical.

Do something that makes you smile. Go somewhere that you enjoy. Be with those you love. Help someone today. And don't wait to do it tomorrow!

Start the day out right.

Fix up this feisty juice in a flash, like I did this morning. I've talked about fennel before in my post Let's Get Juiced, and it's becoming a favorite juicing ingredient. I only had one apple left this morning so I decided to use the tangelos in this recipe. We loved this one! I hope you do too.

Ingredients:

1/4 fennel bulb

10 carrots

1 Fuji apple

2 tangelos peeled (or oranges)

ginger (small piece peeled)

1/4 cup lemon juice

Cut or slice all ingredients to fit your juicer. Juice all ingredients together but pour in the lemon juice last. Serve in your happiest cup or container and enjoy!

This recipe makes about 2 cups.

For more info about our life of juicing and a list of many other juicing and smoothie recipes check out the post: A Juicing Lifestyle

Linking up with Wellness Weekend

A Juicing Lifestyle

Ten Days—
A Juicing Fast or Feast?

Almost two weeks ago, I announced to the world (you out there) that I was going on a juice fast. A fast where all I "ate" was fruit and vegetable juice—like in the film Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. At the time that's sort of what I had in mind.

Well, on day two, my mind was flip flopping on what was really the healthy thing to do, and I thought about the fact that what I was honestly after, was a lifestyle change, not a quick fix, nor a deprivation disaster, that when I went off of it and started eating again, that I'd gain all the weight back that I had just lost. (Weight is secondary to health, but I've been there—done that). 

We actually  "juice fasted" for many meals over a ten day period—just not for 24 hours straight. And it was FUN searching for ideas and recipes and making up a lot of my own juice (and a few smoothie) recipes. You'll see, as I'm listing many of them at the end of this post, and I have plans to compile them all into a PDF for quick reference here at some point. I do not want to lose these recipes, and I'd love to share them with you too!

We hadn't really prepared to fast!

It's agreed that eating whole foods (we do that), and a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, contribute to a healthy way of eating. Our family has been involved in getting our act together for a long time as we've made healthier choices every year. With wisdom should come change! And juicing those fresh veggies and fruits makes a lot of keep-out-of-the-doctor's-office sense. So we've been doing that—just not so frequently. 

Hubby was eager to be on this journey with me. We (especially him) had not prepared ourselves to jump into a full-fledged fast—I mean, the day after Easter? That awesome (non-raw) pineapple-walnut carrot cake I made, and nontraditional shrimp and steak kabobs on the grill? I wanted us to be successful, but my will power is only so willing. 

So let me explain that after those first few days of juicing, I decided that what I desired was to claim a juicing lifestyle—one that included juicing every day (if possible) and basically continuing on with what I had already been doing—adding in those wonderful raw dishes, snacks, and desserts (in moderation). That's it! That's what most made sense to me.

I wasn't hungry!

I did find that the nutrition from the juices I drank was satisfying and I wasn't hungry. But I still wanted to feel my teeth bite into something. Raw nuts and some dehydrated fruit were fill-ins. Habits are hard to change.

While these past two weeks have been loaded with a variety of raw juices and soups, we've kind of hit upon what seems to work for us, and I suppose after a period of time, we might make some further changes, but . . . 

 Here's what our eating pattern looks like:

I made two different juices each day, often with some left over for later in the day. We ate one meal that included a hearty amount of a steamed vegetable, or a juice soup with some sauteed veggies added, or a big salad.  We've eaten so many brussel sprouts that I almost feel like we're on the brussel sprout diet (great prices right now). We ate fresh fruit and raw nuts here and there also. And Hubby ate a little extra on his own—he did really good (only one Little Debby Nutty Bar on day 12)!

After one week, I added in a smoothie here and there (I missed those green smoothies) and we designated Sundays to be our treat day (to relax and eat what we want within reason). Hubby had BBQ beef and cheese with his salad on Sunday. And Sunday is the day our older son visits so I will make a nice meal with meat included then, and perhaps a fancy raw dessert. So, we're juicing and eating lots of raw all week, and indulging on Sunday. 

Curb the cravings.

I also wanted to get to the point where the cravings disappeared. I so hate the feeling that food is controlling me! I needed to get to the place where I am in control. Am I there? Much better, but not quite yet. As an emotional eater in the past, it's something I've struggled with. Though the physical desire and cravings to eat were diminished, the emotional craving found it's way there on a few days, especially when I wasn't feeling well. The hardest day so far was day 10, and I didn't feel well for 3 out of 10 days. 

Was it a typical detoxifying reaction that I experienced? Spring-time allergies? Or just my usual self? I had two bad headaches, a runny nose most every day, and a very low BP (for me) a few of those days. The days I felt good though were great! I had a lot of energy and my mood was soaring. Kind of typical for me though—I'm like that song "Moody Woman" sometimes. What could I expect anyway in just 10 days?

Well, I did lose 8 pounds in 10 days! Just water weight maybe? Not sure. I'm losing, and that's icing on my raw cake! Though the last two days I added in some rice and two pounds came back! 

I'm exercising about every other day with either T-Tapp Basic Plus, Tempo Arms, or Jazzercise. I'm convinced that I don't lose an ounce unless I keep moving and exercise. (That's Teresa Tapp on the right.)

So, what about those healthy changes since January?

The biggest change for me has been to cut out the wheat (I do make an occasional dish using small amounts of spelt flour and I'm intrigued in using almond flour). And starting last year I ditched cheese and cow's milk (plain yogurt still allowed, though I haven't added it back in yet on my juice fast), and I consume many less eggs and meat, as well as I cut out many processed foods (of course). For me, it comes down to eliminating the foods that I know I don't agree with or harm me in some way, and sticking to a basic mostly raw, anti-inflammatory diet.

If you have kids or family that live with you, an adjustment would be in order I'm sure. Our youngest son still lives at home but his job takes him on the road and we really don't see him much. When he was here for a few days recently, he ate what we did, but I fixed him a little something else to go with it. To suddenly make huge habit changes in your family won't work, you need to make them gradually.

We miss going out to eat!

We were in the habit of going out to eat  at least twice a week, but my usual fare was a healthy salad anyway. I can still maintain that if we decide to enjoy a restaurant meal. Two of our favorite places have the best salads anyway! I've already conquered this problem but Hubby would have a hard time if we went to a restaurant and he wasn't committed to eating healthy foods. He has switched to the salad, instead of the sandwich at our favorite spot (pictured here) but he likes to get dessert there too. If we go on Sunday, he can have it! (BTW, after two weeks of eating this way, he's lost 15 pounds.)

My list of yummy juices and recipes:

These are just a few of those I've made and many I've posted online. Check back to see when I've completed the PDF that will include recipes for those not yet available plus a few more.

• Pineapple-Fennel Surprise 
• Pear Pineapple Juice
• Don't Skip a Beet—Juice
• Tropical Sunshine Smoothie
• Veggie Juice Soup 
• Banana Berry Frozen Dessert
• Cinnamon Pears (dehydrated)  
• D & D Juice
• Co-Co for Oranges
• Pretty Pink, Fennel Fusion Juice 
• Green Goddess Juice 
• Bunny Booster
• Ginger Spiced Delight
• Josh's Jacuzzi Green Smoothie  

And how many of you noticed our new look and the fact that I changed our name? The blog was named Kathy's Kitchen & Raw Nutrition and now it is what it is! The changes you may find here are slight, but I may throw in a paleo recipe or two, a cooked food dish or dessert that is otherwise healthy too, and perhaps a little more commenting on health concerns and issues.

Thanks for visiting and sticking to the end of this long post! I'd love to hear your comments. Maybe what worked for you, or what you might relate to, or even to share your blog or recipe with me!

Linking up with Wellness Wednesday,
Raw Foods Thursdays, and Thank Your Body Thursday

Pineapple-Fennel Surprise!

Pineapple-Fennel Surprise

—Juice—

Here is another great tasting concoction that my hubby said to be sure I write down the recipe of. I agreed, and I did!

I think that adding pineapple and lemon to this juice is what makes it so flavorful, and actually that's what I started out with, and then I went looking in the fridge for what to add to it. To my surprise, it tasted sweet and delicious!

You know, you can add celery and cucumber to most juice recipes and their mild flavor isn't noticed. Carrots are kind of a standard as they help keep the juicer running well when alternated with adding softer fruits like pineapple and cucumber. Fresh spinach, when used moderately will change the color of your juice (usually to a shade of brown) but the taste is not overwhelming. If you want a pretty juice to serve company you might want to leave the spinach out.

Pineapple-Fennel Surprise

Ingredients:
1/2 fresh pineapple
2 Granny Smith apples   
1/4 fennel bulb
7 large carrots
3 celery ribs
1 large cucumber
Big handful of spinach
1/4 cup lemon juice

Cut all ingredients into pieces to fit your juicer. Juice them, and add the lemon juice. Enjoy! 

For more info about our life of juicing and a list of many other juicing and smoothie recipes check out the post: A Juicing Lifestyle   

Pear Pineapple Juice

Pear Pineapple Juice

We believe in taking advantage of those produce sales! $1.19 for a big lovely pineapple? You betcha! And when juicing fresh fruits and veggies, it's helpful to keep an eye out for those on the "Clean 15" list where you might be fairly safe buying the non-organic varieties (see list below).

This recipe started simple enough and then I threw in a lone kiwi and mandarin orange, then a couple carrots just because (they also help keep the juicer functioning well).

I'm not a cucumber fan, but I'm getting to like it lately. A nice large cuke is often in my juice and soup recipes, and though you can't actually taste it, it's so good for you. Same thing with the celery (though I do like celery a lot); you don't really taste it in the juice, but it packs in more nutrition.

Juice the following ingredients in your juicer for a delicious Pear Pineapple drink . . .

Ingredients:

2 pears

1/4 pineapple

2 apples

2 celery ribs

1 lg. cucumber

Juice from one lemon

1 kiwi

1 mandarin orange

2 carrots

 You may also like the Tropical Sunshine Smoothie.

The Clean 15:

• onions
• sweet corn
• pineapples
• avocado
• cabbage
• sweet Peas
• asparagus
• mangoes
• eggplant
• kiwi
• domestic cantaloupe
• sweet potatoes
• grapefruit
• watermelon
• mushrooms

 Have you been juicing lately? Gotten any great buys on any of the Clean 15? Besides pineapples, we've gotten good buys on mangoes, grapefruit, cabbage and mushrooms.

Don't Skip a Beet—Juice

Don't Skip a Beet—Juice

Perk yourself up with this great tasting heart-healthy mix of beets, mandarin oranges, and ginger. I didn't know what kind of juice I wanted to make tonight and suddenly I remembered the beets sitting in the fridge.I seemed to keep forgetting them.

Cooked beets lose a lot of their nutritional value while raw juiced beets pack an antioxidant powerhouse of vitamins and minerals and are useful for detoxification. I like that they are anti-inflammatory and high in Vitamin A, Potassium, B6, Vitamin C, Magnesium and Calcium. Important for me and for you too!

Adding raw beets to your juicing ingredients aids the body to heal from anemia, bladder, and cardiovascular disease, and they encourage liver cleansing and lymphatic circulation. Beets are also known as a cancer preventative.

Ingredients: 

3 medium beets, peeled and diced

6 mandarin oranges (Cuties)

5 large carrots

1/2" fresh ginger peeled

Big handful of spinach 

Put all ingredients through your juicer. Drink up!

According to  Love to Know Vegetarian  you should:

 "Never drink juice from beets alone or in great quantities. While rare, reported side effects include hives, chills, fever and stomach upset. Always dilute it with other natural, freshly juiced fruits or vegetables."

I didn't know that!

Also, watch for red pigment in your urine and stool—no, it's not blood you are seeing!

Linking up with Raw Foods Thursdays!

Topical Sunshine Smoothie

It appears that I've been indulging us a little! 

After a week of making many mostly vegetable juice recipes for healing purposes, I allowed us the pleasure of this awesome tasting breakfast smoothie!

Beware, you don't want to indulge in drinking strictly fruit juices, but natural fruits are a part of a healthy diet. Moderation and balance are key, pertaining to your personal health journey.

Ingredients:

1 pineapple
8 oranges
1 Tbs coconut butter (optional)

Cut pineapple into chunks and place them in a high-powered blender (like a Vita-Mix) along with your juiced oranges and coconut butter.

Blend, pour into cups, and enjoy!

Super delicious.

For those that are interested in finding out What's the Difference Between a Juice Cleanse and a Smoothie Cleanse and the benefits of each, check out the answer by  Dr Ritamarie Loscalzo at Tera Warner's web site.

Linking up with Intoxicated on Life and  Wellness Wednesdays