Kid Friendly juices

Trying to get your kids to drink fresh juice?  I have 2 recipes that may help.

Kid Carrot
6 carrots
10 celery sticks
2 apples
3 pears

This juice is delicious.  Sweet, a little tart and I think definitely kid friendly.  It has the taste of celery, but then the sweet comes thru.

My next juice is a watermelon cooler.  I did not peel the rind off and you may want to if you are trying to get kids to dink this juice.

Watermelon Cooler
1 small watermelon
1/2 lemon

Lemony with a hint of the watermelon.

So here is a progress report.  We started this juice diet January 6, 2014.

Matt has lost 50 pounds and I have lost 30.  We have tapered off since we have started eating lunches more often.  Both of us know we need to get back on the diet.  I want to lose 20 more pounds.  He wants to lose 10 more pounds.

We have more energy and less body aches and pains.  Neither one of us has taken antacid pills and we take less naps.  Matt's blood pressure has stabilized.  I will have mine checked when I go to the doctor next time.

Here's to your health, too.

Recipes and more recipes... and lemons, too

Lemons.  What can I say about lemons?  In my backyard, I have 2 Meyer lemon trees that produced over 300 lemons last year.  Now that I know the benefits of lemons, I will never complain at how well those 2 trees produce.

Lemons are shown to inhibit and prevent the growth of cancer by protecting your cells.  They are also known to help aid in the prevention of a tumor from growing.  They have limonene - an oil known to help aid in the prevention of cancer.    Lemons are acidic to the taste, but when introduced to the body, are very alkaline.  Cancer cells can not grow in an alkaline environment.

Lemons are rich in vitamin C.  We all know the benefits of this vitamin.  A big glass of lemon water can help cleanse the liver and get it started for the day.

Lemons are also helpful in battling acne and promoting glowing skin.

I have 3 recipes that I used lemons in.

Watermelon Lemonade
1 small watermelon (personal size)
1/2 lemon (peel and all)

Simply put.  This was a delicious and refreshing juice.  I love using watermelon juice when I am tired of the green juices and the veggies.  This could easily be a summer sipper worthy of a poolside afternoon.

My next juice is a green juice.

Kale Explosion
1 bunch of kale
2 cucumbers
1/2 lemon
ginger
turmeric
2 apples
4 celery
dill
parsley
 *  I added the dill and parsley because I have it growing like mad in my backyard.  If you don't have it, don't worry about it.

Not sure where the red/orange is coming from on the bottom.  Maybe the apples?

And finally, an orange juice.  Just a note.  I did not use any oranges in this juice.

The Color Orange
1 large sweet potato
1/2 lemon
5 carrots
2 wedges pineapple
2 handfulls of power greens (baby spinach, kale and chard)

Ahhhnother week done

Technically not until tomorrow night, but I feel I accomplish something by getting to Friday.

I have a food confession.

Went to Costco on Wednesday.  Had a hot dog... and suffered for the rest of the day.  Stomach pains really bad and 2 antacid pills did not take away the pain.  Lesson learned.

Friday.  Back on track.

Nutriblast for breakfast

Made 2 juices for the day:

1/2 watermelon
pint of strawberries

The second juice was a green juice and I was getting rid of things in the fridge

3 leaves red leaf lettuce
1/2 head butter lettuce
2 red apples
3 stalks celery
handful of broccoli
cucumber
ginger and turmeric

 I have been having a NutriBlast for lunch.  These are filling and just what I need to get me thru the afternoon

2 handful greens
banana
scoop of protein powder
tablespoon golden flax
1 cup frozen blueberries
10 roasted almonds
water
Blasted.

So delicious.  I feel almost guilty drinking this.  The chocolate of the protein powder gives it a chocolatey taste, the banana makes it creamy and the frozen berries give it a chill and make it thick.  The almonds add a depth of flavor.  It's like a milk shake!

Enjoy.

Protein Smoothie and Tuesday

Somehow, overnight, I managed to lose a pound.

Went to Costco yesterday and stocked up on some frozen organic blueberries, blackberries, spinach, pears, etc.  Looking forward to juices this week.

I have amped up the protein powder.  I scoop of protein powder, 1 cup frozen berries, i tablespoon ground golden flax and water to the Max line in the Nutribullet.  So delicious and filling

The frozen berries made it thick and the chocolate powder made it chocolaty.  Delish.

Taking advantage of the berries.  Our morning smoothie is in the NutriBullet

2 cups spinach
1 banana
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup flax seed
water to Max line

I did a version of this for our lunch but used the Power greens that Costco sells.  Baby spinach, baby kale, baby arugula, etc.

For the snack juices we did 2 different ones.  I will be honest, I am having a hard time with my afternoon juice so I have been doing a lighter, sweeter juice.

Mid morning juice

Bunch of kale
5 carrots
6 celery
1 pear
1 lemon
nub ginger
in the juicer.

For the afternoon snack (and I am hoping to be here to enjoy it)

1/2 baby watermelon
pint of strawberries
1/2 lime

Oh if you could smell it.  I will have no problem drinking this juice.

Enjoy your day.

New Juice

Daily gratitude:  Hmm. Tough one today

Every start of a new week, I am more determined than the last week to make this juice diet a success.  I find that my afternoon snack is the hardest juice for me to get down.  So, today, I changed it up to give my tastebuds something they want to taste.

Watermelon juice.

Read all about watermelon and its wonderful benefits here:  Watermelon

I bought pre-cut chunks

3 cups watermelon

1 lime

2 kiwi fruit 

Through the juicer.

The smell from this juice was so fresh and light.  I can not wait to try this in the afternoon

For breakfast I did pineapple and mango with the spinach.  I bought a few mangoes on Friday and they are ripe and ready.

Our morning snack juice is a green detox juice and I got the idea from the Raw Juicing and Detox Bar in Thornton Park when we went to their Grand Opening on Friday.  Click on their name above for their Facebook page.  Click here for their website.  Raw Juicing and Detox.  

The Green Lizard

Handful dandelion stems

cucumber

6 kale leaves

half a pineapple

ginger

turmeric

All ingredients through the juicer.

The Green Lizard is on the left.  Our Mango Pineapple Smoothie is on the right.

Enjoy your day.  My goal is 10 pounds by the end of the month.  I get my Nutribullet today.  Will report on it tomorrow.  Stay tuned.