Juice Feast

Basically, these recipes were developed as I was cleaning out my fridge. They're variations on drinks I make all the time. They're freaking delicious. You should make your own!

Pink Juice
3 Grapefruit
1 large bunch grapes
handful kumquats
3 tangerines
1 lime
1 mango

Green Juice
2 apples
2 cucumber
3 celery stalks
1 lime
2 inch ginger
2 bunches kale stems

Green
1 cucumber
8 small apples
3 stalks celery
1 lime
1 bunch kale

Red
4 small beets
2lbs carrots
4 apples
6 oranges

Yellow
3 grapefruit
2 mango
8 oranges

Orange
1lb carrots
3 oranges

Blueberry Lavender Smoothie

2 c blueberries
1 T lavender
2-3 c coconut kefir or almond milk
1 big handful spinach
pinch sea salt
1/2 vanilla bean

Banana Cacao Smoothie

Smoothie
1.5 frozen banana
2 T cacao nibs
2 T cacao powder
1 t cinnamon
1 T maca powder
2 c almond milk
1 T real maple syrup
pinch sea salt

Almond Milk
3/4 c raw almonds soaked overnight
pinch sea salt
1/2 vanilla bean
dash real maple syrup

For the Almond Milk:
Soak the almonds in a bowl of water overnight. Drain. Pop the almonds out of their skin. Discard the skin, and toss the white almond centers into a blender. Add 4c water plus the remaining ingredients and blend on super high. Pour the liquid through a fine mesh sieve and discard the almond pulp. Keep the Almond milk in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Keep Juicing, Keep Loving

 Daikon Radish, Mint, Cucumber, Lime, Parsley, Celery. Apple, Cilantro,Spinach, Wheatgrass

 Apple, Yellow Beet, Orange, Ginger, Carrot

This post is to give an example of juices you'll make when you have the primary ingredients stocked in your fridge. Other produce that you happen to have on hand keeps things exciting and adds depth & nutrition to your drinks.

Here is a list of items I always keep on hand
apples
cucumbers
celery
carrots
ginger
citrus
greens
beets

More Green Smoothies make you feel so good

Mango, Blueberry, Goji, Kale, Peach, Spinach, Orange, Coconut water

Spinach, Honeydew, Blueberry, Goji, Kiwi, Kale, Coconut water

Let's Drink!

I've been off & on a juice fast for the last 2 weeks. I love juice fasting, it aint easy, but when it works it feels sooo gooood. So.. "off & on" a fast obviously means I'm struggling. I'm blaming my busy life and workouts. Hey.. I'm training for a triathlon! The date is set for Dec 1st in Key West, Fl. So this is no traditional juice fast. Ive been supplementing with Vega my protein powder of choice, and one of the loves of my life. I love you Vega. But the juice plus the powder wasn't cutting it. So, I have added in green smoothies and for today... I'm happy.

Amazingly Delicious Green Smoothie
9oz coconut water
1/2 a lime, juiced
pinch sea salt
1 mango
and a handful of each of the following:
Kale
Spinach
fresh blueberries
frozen goji berries

Green Juice du Jour
1 apple
1 lime
3/4 c honeydew
sprig mint
3stalks celery
1 cucumber
2 handfuls spinach
stems from 1 bunch kale

Green Drinks

 Green Drinks! Do it! I do. All the time. Yum.
 I always have staples like greens, celery and cucumber on hand to make drinks like these. In case of a Green Emergency I also have powders like Vega and Amazing Grass for a quick fix. Here are a few examples of variations you can make once you've got a juicer and a stocked fridge. hmmm.. I wonder what kind of green drink I'll have today?!
I've been adding Rejuvelac to many of my drinks lately. You can read about my homemade Rejuvelac here. Basically its a probiotic fermented beverage made from whole grain sprouts. It adds loads of living enzymes and will also keep your green drink from oxidizing. Fabulous. 

Romaine
Spinach
Parsley
Celery
Kiwi
Pineapple scraps
Tumeric & Ginger scraps









 Spinach
Romanine

Fenugreek sprouts
 Parsley
Cilantro
Mint
Pear
Celery
Cucumber









Rejuvelac
Collard Greens
Spinach
Romaine
Celery
Cucumber
Apple
Yellow Beet
Carrots







Dulse
Rejuvelac
Sunflower microgreens
Buckwheat microgreens
Quinoa sprouts
Fenugreek sprouts
Avocado
Apple
Kale

Home Remedy -Sore Throat

Sore or scratchy throat? Lost your voice?
Try this home remedy. Not only will it ease  your throat, but its very relaxing as well. This recipe if from Marlene, a classmate of mine, who grew up in Jamaica. She made this drink for Lynn this weekend, who lost her voice. I had her make me one too because its sounded delicious. It is!

1 c hot purified water
1 oz rum
2 T honey
juice of 1 lime
1-2 cloves minced garlic

Blending Herbal Teas at Home -Headache Relief

Herbalism is a big passion of mine. This is the next subject that I plan to dedicate myself. It exhausts me that our society is so dependent on prescriptions and pharmacies. I think that many prescriptions mask the real problem and add a ton of harmful side effects. Most people don't know that along with a healthy diet and exercise.. the answers are literally growing in your own backyard!

 I'm designing a headache relief herbal tea for a friend of mine. Headaches can happen for a huge variety of reasons. Sometimes, its your body letting you know that you need to drink more water, as headaches are often a sign of dehydration. So when your head starts to pound, always reach for some H20 and start chuggin.
Recent studies have also shown that many people who experience migraines on a regular basis suffer from a food intolerance; a more subtle version of a food allergy. This is a topic many people need to look into. Finding out you have a food intolerance can make your life sooo much easier. You'll have more energy, your skin & hair will look better, you'll have an easier time sleeping and losing weight, and your mood and digestion will improve greatly. Something to think about.

I'm making 2 teas. One for the evening and one for daytime. The big difference is the yerba mate and the valerian root. The former speeds you up and the latter will slow you down, in a significant way!
You should be able to find most of these ingredients in the bulk department of your local health food store. If you're lucky like me, you may have a local store totally dedicated to Herbs!! I bought many of these at Austin's the Herb Bar.

The following plants have many medicinal properties. Ill give a short explanation of their use in today's teas.

Cinnamon Chips yum. Im a cinnamon-aholic. This bark has germicidal properties and can aid in abdominal discomfort. I'm adding it to this blend because it also improves circulation annnd its delicious. 

Dandelion Root- this is one of my favorites, so I add it to almost all of my blends. It has a long list of uses and is a good source of Vitamin A. Some of its uses are to treat skin issues, liver disease, bladder infections, hangovers and high blood pressure. Its also one of the best herbs for relief from bloating and water retention.

Feverfew- Studies have shown that feverfew has benefits for treating people who suffer from migraine headaches. Other uses include arthritis, endometriosis, hay fever, menstrual  problems and sinus infections. 

Lavender mmmm what a luxury. I'm adding lavender today because it relieves stress and anxiety and promotes relaxation.

Licorice Root - another favorite. It has lots of medicinal properties, can treat anxiety, and it adds a lingering sweetness that you can taste in the back of your throat. A welcome ingredient to any tea, especially if you don't want to add any sugar/sweetener... just add some licorice root!

Rose Hips-  I'm adding these for their tangy fruity flavor, theyre rich in vitamin C and they have anti inflammatory properties.

Skullcap - use of this herb is somewhat new to me, so I'm excited! People have been using it for centuries to treat muscle spasms, tension and headaches. It may even help to lower blood pressure.

Spearmint - I usually don't enjoy food or drink that are mainly flavored with mint. I do however like it as a subtle addition. I'm using this herb today for depth of flavor, but its uses include a digestive aid and relief from nausea.

Valerian Root - this is a staple in my home. I usually keep it in tincture form (like an extract), so that I can just take a dropper before bedtime, and I keep the dry roots on hand for tea making. Valerian is a strong sedative and relaxant. Oh, how i love valerian after a long day when I need to unwind.

Yerba Mate I'm currently off the caffeine and have been going strong for a few months now.. but if I was for some reason going to drink some.. I would choose Yerba Mate. Caffeine tends to give me anxiety and jitters. Yerba Mate does not. It can be used as an appetite suppressant, allergy relief and to improve sleep patterns.

Rejuvelac - Rye

Soaking Rye Sprouts Day 1

Close up Day 1

 Soaking Rye Sprouts Day 2

Soaking Rye Sprouts Day 3

First of all... What is Rejuvelac? A fermented probiotic drink made from sprouted grains.

It tastes fresh, crisp and tangy. I made mine from Rye berries, but you can also make this drink from wheat, kamut and quinoa. 

 Sprouting grains is super easy. It is a little intimidating at first, but once you get into it, there are no problems. 

The basic rules to sprouting are as follows

1.Soak the grain/seeds overnight

2.Drain and rinse well

3. Let the grains/seeds sit in a sprouter or tilted (well draining, so they don't mold) mason jar until they sprout.

4. Rinse them 2-3 times a day, to prevent them from drying out, until they sprout. 

5. Once they sprout you can store them in the fridge and they'll last for at least 1 week. 

Some nuts, beans, seeds, grains have longer/shorter soaking/sprouting times than others. So, if your sprouting something you've never tried before, do a couple minutes of research beforehand.

Making Rye Rejuvelac

Start by following the basic rules to sprouting, posted above, and once the sprouts are about as long as the grain, you are ready to soak them in water. 

Soak the sprouts in a mason jar filled with clean water for up to 3 days. You can drain this initial batch off, store it int he fridge, and fill the jar w sprouts back up for another batch. This 1 batch of sprouts will make 3 batches of rejuvelac, although each new batch will probably be a little less strong than the one before. 

You let the jar sit, with a mesh top, on your counter in a cool spot for three days. Over the 3 days, you'll notice that the water will get cloudy, a light foam will form at the top, and when you nudge the jar lots of tiny bubbles will shoot up. This is great! The drink is fermenting and lots of beneficial enzymes are building in there.

Juice Fast

3 Days into the Juice Fast portion of my Spring Cleanse.. and I feel amazing.
Heres the scoop: For 9 days I did the Master Cleanse (see previous post.)
Then I transitioned that immediately into a Juice Fast. Which technically should be called a JUICE FEAST. Check out all these fruits and veggies I'm getting!!
I haven't eaten any food in 11 days.
This is awesome. I felt absolutely stellar at work today, like there is a light at my core, just bursting forth into everything. Like ecstasy. I was a ball of happy energy all day, and since Ive got home, Ive just been bouncing around my apartment.
Its probably not for everybody, but I think I really needed this. Making this commitment has arose a wave of physical, emotional, and spiritual rejuvenation in my life.

Shelly's Kitchen Sink
1/4 head Romaine
Big Handful Spinach
1/4 bunch Parsley
1 Cucumber
2 stalks Celery
4 Orange Carrots + 1 Purple Carrot
1 Pear
1 Apple
1 inch or 2 Ginger
1/4 of a Beet


This is my GO-TO feel GREAT drink any-day, but especialllly when I'm juice fasting. During a juice fast, I can get by on 3 of these a day and feel MARVELOUS.

This is a variation of my favorite juice ever, Main Squeeze's Ring of Fire. The juice that started it all.. my first :) And when I brought my juicer home for the first time, you better believe that I made a huge pitcher of Ring of Fire & drank that whole thing.

Shelly's Light my Fire
3 Jazz apples
1 Valencia orange
1 Navel orange
1 blood mandarin
1 purple carrot
1/4 large beet
ginger
handful of spinach

Master Cleanse

I recently "master cleansed" for 9 days. For those of you who aren't familiar with the concept.. for 9 days, I didn't eat any food. I only drank mineral water and water that had been mixed with lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

On day 9 I began incorporating vegetable juice, whatgrass shots and miso broth.

Today is day 10. I'm still juicing, I haven't eaten anything yet, and I feel amazing. I plan to continue for a few more days, then break my fast with a raw salad.

During the fast, I have managed to keep a 40hour work week, volunteer 4 mornings on a farm, and dog-sit an 80lb Weimaraner.

I've been getting 8-9hours of sleep, have only needed 1 mid-day nap and managed to keep good energy all day.

On day 9, in the afternoon, I began to get irritable, and decided to transition from the Master Cleanse to the Juice Fast.
Within an hour I felt completely euphoric. I had a ton of energy all day and even had a hard time falling asleep. In the late evening, when I began to really wind down, I was hit by an intense stream of focused and creative thoughts, which I spent hours cultivating and recording.

I often cleanse with the change of the seasons, but nothing this intense. Usually, on a cleanse I will eat very small and nutrient dense meals. I really enjoyed my experience this time and in the future I plan to do more juice and liquid fasting.
Initially, this experience was meant to make me feel better. At work, I eat a huge variety of foods.. its my job. All I do there is learn, teach and share food knowledge. I eat a lot.
And since we just got through the holiday season, Ive been a little off my healthy game, and maaaaybe drinking a little too frequently. 
This cleanse is a way to reset my body and mind to begin this new season. By only in-taking these liquids I was able to release a lot of toxins from my body and take in a ton of nutrients. Not to mention, my skin and hair look great, I'm much more energetic, happier and I've dropped at least 12lbs.

This turned out to be a very rewarding journey for me. I'm able to reflect more clearly on the role that food plays in my life. I've gained spiritual, mental, emotional and physical reward from making the effort to abstain from food for this long, and I believe, that for the long term, this will be a very impacting experience on my life.

Master Cleanse Drink
2.5 quarts water
1.5 c lemon juice
3/4 c grade B maple syrup
1t cayenne

I made this drink fresh every morning in a big glass jug and brought it to work, and to the farm, with me. This recipe should make 10 8oz servings, which was perfect for me. Some days I drank all of it, other days I had a little leftover.

The lemon juice helps release toxins. People worry about the acidity of the lemon, but in reality lemon juice becomes alkaline inside the body, which means tremendous benefits.
The calories in lemon are 95%carbs and 5% protein.
Lemon contains Vitamins C, A, E, Folate and Choline, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and other trace vitamins and minerals.

The grade B Maple syrup is where I was getting my calories. In 3/4 c maple syrup there is about 630 calories, 159 g of carbs and 159 g of sugar. Its also loaded with the minerals manganese and zinc. It contains vitamins A, B2, B5, B6, Folic acid, niacin and biotin.

Cayenne Pepper coats your throat, giving you a "just finished eating" feeling. It contains vitamins A, E, C, B6, K and manganese.

Fresh Almond Milk

Soak Almonds overnight. In the morning, pop them out of their skins.
Its easy! And fun : ) 

Then put them in a Blender. You should blend 1 part almonds with 3-5 parts water. Blend it good.

Here, I'm using my nut milk bag to squeeze the milk from the almond pulp. There will be quite a bit of pulp left behind, once you've finished squeezing the milk out of the bag.

Alternatively, you can push the milk through a fine mesh sieve.

Reserve your milk in a jar and store it in the fridge. Use it in smoothies, soups, sauces, breakfast, just drink it, do whaaatever you would normally do with store bought milks. And enjoy :)

Stay tuned for recipes using the reserved pulp. I often will blend it with mustard, herbs, tamari etc and use it as a spread. You could dehydrate it and use it as almond flour. You could ferment it and eat it like a funky cheese.. You could sweeten it up serve with breakfast or dessert.. oh the possibilities..

Cashew Milk

 Ain't it pretty?! I'm in love. This is my luxury product that I allow myself to always have on hand. I keep raw cashews in my freezer and make this milk a couple times a week. You can make it as thin or as thick as you like.
I use this milk for anything that you would normally use cow, soy, rice, almond, hemp.. etc. I especially love it in my morning VEGA smoothie!!

1 part cashews, soaked 3 hours

After you soak the cashews, drain and rinse them.
Then blend them with 3-5 parts water, depending on how rich and creamy you want your milk to be.
You may want to push it through a fine mesh sieve or invest in a nut milk bag to remove any cashew pulp that may be leftover from the blending process.

I save my cashew pulp, season it, and use it as a spread. I may season it with lemon, garlic and herbs or mustard, or soy sauce...

Heres a TIP! Instead of blending with water, blend with a flavorful broth and add your creamy cashew broth to a delicious soup. 

ALSO you could blend 1 part cashew- 1 part water and make a super thick, rich and decadent cream that you can season with vanilla & maple syrup... you could add a banana and orange juice and serve it with berries.. or on breakfast.. YUM!!

Smoothie Time! Thank You Vitamix

Honeydew Grape Blueberry Kiwi Kale Spinach Smoothie!!
Mango Parsley Strawberry Sprout Kale Peach Smoothie!!

Beat the Heat

Part of my new resolution, using all the food that I buy & making sure none goes to waste, has involved a lot of juicing.

Yesterday we juiced watermelon. Then I poured the juice into my ice cream maker, made a slushy and added Malibu Rum. That way, it will stay slushy consistency in the freezer.

Tonight, the Bartender..Anna.. made us some delicious mixed drinks with the slush.. and I'm a little buzzed.

4parts Watermelon Malibu Slush
1 part gin
1 part tonic
1 part sprite

I like mine with a pinch of sugar and salt. Bottoms up!

Next is Cantelope.. then pineapple... then peaches.