Beyond refreshing: Carrot, Grapefruit, Ginger Juice

Has the lethargy set in after a month of holiday parties, cookies, and candies?  Does your body hate you for all of the crap you've fed into it?  Well, no need to wait another week to start your New Year Resolution -- start doing that body some good today. 

This refreshingly sweet juice will speed your metabolism, offers some keen carotene for your eyes and skin, and the ginger is great for your overall digestive system.

Serves 1

2    Grapefruits (peeled)
4-5 Organic Carrots
1 inch Ginger (peeled, chopped)

Process through the juicer and drink immediately.

**Tip:  When time crunched, it is fine to refrigerate/store fresh juice for up to 24 hours.

Healthy Mint Chocolate (Carob) Milkshake

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard....

Here it is - a mint chocolate milkshake that is actually healthy.

1 cup Coconut Milk
2 T  Carob Powder
2 T  Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1 T  Agave Sweetener
Leaves of 2 stalks of fresh Mint  (approx. 8 leaves)
1 cup ice

Blend.  Serves 1.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Grapes with Pecans

With the arrival of Fall, my favorite magazines have been covered with all sorts of vegetables to roast.  Inspired by the latest cover of Whole Living magazine (November 2011), I did some experimental roasting today and roasted brussel sprouts, red seedless grapes, and pecan halves.  I served it over a plate of quinoa and it was DIVINE.  So healthy and light, but the grapes added just a little bit of sweetness while the roasted pecans had that wonderful nutty meat that we all love.

16 oz. Brussel Sprouts - halved
8 oz. Red Seedless Grapes
1/2 cup of Pecan Halves
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, toss brussel sprouts, grapes, and pecans with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread on a baking sheet and roast on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes.

Homemade Energy Bars

4 cups dried organic coconut flakes
5-6 medjool dates (pitted, chopped)
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 T flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup agave syrup
1/4 tsp salt

In a high-powered blender, puree the dried coconut flakes until warmed and melted (consistency of coconut butter).  Use a spatula to scoop the coconut mutter into a mixing bowl.  Mix the remaining ingredients. 

Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper.  Pour mixture in.  Press very firmly into the loaf pan.  Refrigerate overnight.

Avocado Summer Salad

I love avocado!  This is a great healthy side dish for a summer BBQ.  It is like unmashed guacamole.

2 Avocados
Juice of 1 Lime
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Adobe Powder
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1 cup Edamame
1/2 cup Peas (frozen)
1/2 cup Corn (frozen)
1/2 cup Grape Tomatoes
1/4 cup Red Onions


Make the citrus dressing by mixing the lime juice, lemon juice, cumin, garlic powder, adobe powder, and salt.  Pour over the diced avocados.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Allow to sit in the refrigerator to marinade and chill for at least 2 hours.

Serves 6.

Skin-Glowing Green Juice

My lucky stars -- a co-worker handed down the mother of all juicers...a Breville to me.  For the past week, I have been juicing every vegetable I could get my hands on (Whole Paycheck needs to put me on a frequent shopper program).  And today, my skin is definitely glowing!  It's better than any $100 jar of face cream I could have purchased.

My go-to concoction of the week:

1 large cucumber
1 fistful of kale
2 fistfuls of spinach
1 head of romaine lettuce
3 celery stalks
3 carrots
half an apple

Makes 24-32oz.  Store in airtight containers for up to 24 hours.

Peach Almond Smoothie

Here's another smoothie recipe.  This one is a TREAT because it tastes like a nutty milkshake.  I love it for breakfast as well.  Because it is higher in calories than the Veggie Smoothie, I try to reserve it for mornings where I need an extra boost of energy.

Peach Almond Smoothie
Serves one.

1 cup almond milk
1 T almond butter
1 cup frozen peaches
1 dash cinnamon
1 T agave syrup (or as much/little to taste)
1/4 cup ice

Blend well.  Enjoy.

Green Mean Veggie Machine

Almost a year ago, I introduced Veggie Smoothies into my breakfast routine.  Yes, that's right, I said that I drink green vegetables that have been put through a blender.  Yummy!

Vegetable Smoothies are a great start to the morning.  You don't have a heavy carb sitting in your stomach to start off the day.  You also get a huge serving of raw fruits and veggies for the day (and you know you probably aren't consuming enough of that).  Because it is raw, there is less for your body to process and you actually get energized quickly as a result.  It has been a great addition to my pre-run routine -- I actually got the idea after reading "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. 

The trick to making it more palatable is to make sure there is enough fruit in your concoction.  You can always start off with more fruit and then cut back on your fruit (sugar) as you get used to the taste of your veggie smoothies.

Veggie Smoothie
Serves one.

1 cup almond milk
1 cup spinach, kale, swiss chard
1/2 cup of frozen pineapples
1/2 cup of frozen mangos
1 tsp flaxseed meal
Ice (optional)

Blend together.  As simple as that.

Enjoy!