Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Juice Recipe: Beautious Beet



Today was a day to eat the rainbow;  a green-colored juice, an orange-colored juice and a gorgeous raspberry-colored juice (which I am currently enjoying).   We've had spinach, kale, ginger, apples, carrots, sweet potatoes, a pineapple, oranges, coconut and celery.  Quite varied and quite delicious (if I do say so myself).  

Tonight's juice is another creamy one; a texture that satisfies the tummy.  And the color?  Well it couldn't be prettier.  Serve in a clear glass and add a straw for maximum enjoyment.  

Ingredients: (makes ~ two 20 ounce servings)
3 medium beets (including tops)
2 oranges, peeled
2 apples
2 stalks celery
4 carrots
A nub of ginger (approx the size of your thumb)

Rinse beets and celery well.  Slice apples to fit in juicer.  Juice all ingredients.  Serve and enjoy!

xo.  

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Juice Recipe: Orange Julius



Our Orange Julius juice recipe has quickly become the family favorite.  It seems to take on whatever flavor you desire.  For me this juice tastes like, well, an orange julius.  Mr. Peculiar thinks it tastes like a peanut butter smoothie.  To each his own.

At any rate this juice has a gorgeous orange hue and a lovely creamy texture. It's chock full of vitamins (Vit A, Vit C, Calcium, Iron, Thiamine, Niacin and Postassium).

This juice tends towards the sweeter side and therefore makes a great introduction to juicing.

Makes two servings (~ 15 oz each)

Ingredients:
Two medium red garnet yams
5-6 carrots
3 medium oranges

Peel oranges.  Cut yams (leave skin intact).  Juice oranges, carrots and yams.

Serve and enjoy.

*** *** ***

Note:  If you are going to start juicing I recommend you either a) start a compost pile, b) get a worm bin or, my favorite, c) get some chickens.  You'll have lots of pulp leftovers that you won't want to waste.  My chickens are gobbling up our pulp and I can't wait to taste their vitamin enriched eggs.

xo.  

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

The long post in which I explain to you why I am subsisting on juice


For the past three days I've been on a juice fast.  That's right -- nothing but juice.  Mostly vegetables and some fruit.  I was inspired by Joe Cross and his film Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  Joe went on a sixty day fast and lost a significant amount of weight (nearly 80 pounds) But not only did he lose weight, he also weaned himself from his medication (he was taking prednisone for a rare auto-immune disease).

This struck a chord with me.   I have a poorly understood disease that may very well have an auto-immune component.   Medication is hit and miss at best.  And, honestly, I'm looking for a cure rather than something to mask my symptoms.

Then I came across another documentary -- Forks over Knives.  The creators of Forks over Knives have compelling evidence that a whole foods plant based diet can halt (and possibly reverse) a multitude of diseases from coronary artery disease and diabetes to breast and prostate cancer.

Would I?  Could I heal myself with food?

I've always known that food plays a role in health -- after all you are what you eat.  But I've been reluctant to change my diet (which was, in my mind, not particularly bad).  However I've also come to realize I like feeling good.  And if this is what it takes to feel good then so be it.

I bought my juicer from Bed, Bath and Beyond (don't forget your coupon).  There are two different kinds of juicers: centrifugal and masticating.  Masticating juices do a better job overall.  Masticating juicers are also more expensive.  I went with the less expensive centrifugal juicer (if it's good enough for Joe it's good enough for me).  I find that I can get more juice by running the pulp through once or twice after the initial juicing.  This is especially true for vegetables.

Honestly I've been enjoying the juicing thus far.  I started slow -- juicing for two meals and then eating a meal at night.  Then Monday -- full bore.  Well, not quite.  The hubby and I agreed that we'd allow ourselves coffee (cappuccino made at home with local goat's milk). For the first two days I had a small cappuccino in the morning and mid-afternoon.  Today I skipped the afternoon caffeine.  Baby steps.

Things we've noticed so far.  First and foremost my ear feels great.  I have very slight tinnitus, minimal hearing loss and no dizziness or balance issues (now this disease waxes and wanes so I can't claim any benefit here yet).  As for my husband -- today, day 3, he had no pain in his knees. He always has pain in his knees.  Yet today, while at work and going up and down stairs, no pain. Psychosomatic?  Maybe.  But he's a doubter and therefore I doubt it's psychological.

We've also both lost some weight -- him 5 pounds in three days.  Me -- 9 pounds in three weeks.  Not too shabby.  Am I hungry?  A bit.  Late afternoons/evenings are the hardest. Food smells SO GOOD!  Nonetheless the benefits are out-weighing the hunger.

I plan to juice for as long as I can (30 days?).  I'd still like to lose another 15 to 20 pounds.  When we are done juicing we plan to switch to a whole foods plant based diet -- lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes.  We'll continue to eat meat but in smaller portions.  I'm already careful to make sure our meat is from local grass fed sources (read Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food to find out why grass fed beef is better). 

I'm also going to reduce our gluten intake though not go completely gluten free (unless it becomes readily obvious we need to do so).  I'm pinning tons and tons of recipes in anticipation.

This fast will reset my weight and, I think, my taste buds.  I'm very much looking forward to seeing the end result.

Tomorrow I'll post recipes of a few of my favorite juices (thus far).

xo.