Monday, February 25, 2013

Natural Products

Juicing has enhanced and refocused my interest in all types of natural and healthy living ideas.  I have been a LONG time voyeur of herbal remedies and have actually used them from time to time.  I love herbal teas and aroma therapies.  I found this website today and I am planning to try one of these recipes soon.  Natural Hair Recipes


I also found some interesting information about making and using laundry soap that, while not totally natural, is wonderfully cheap - and that is always good! Soaps Gone buy sells many of the products in the recipe, but I think you can buy much of it in the drug store or grocery.  I think that adding some natural fragrance to these basic recipes could be very interesting.



I have also wanted for a long time to make my own soap.  Some of my favorite soap is handmade in small batches.  It is finding the TIME to do such things!  :-)  Kids keep you busy.


Sunday, February 24, 2013

Interesting recipe - for lunch

I just felt like using some stuff left over from my breakfast juice, so for lunch I tried:

1 apple
1 pear
2 handfuls of pineapple
2 stalks of celery
1 carrot
1 cucumber

It was amazingly delicious.  Sweet, with a hint of vegetable.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Juicing

Juicing is now my mode of life. It is what sustains me, aside from the love of family. Living raw is living. All else is existence. I am not speaking for all people, just for myself. I feel so alive and vital. I feel half my chronological age. This is truly a new leaf. Spring has sprung in my life. My eyes are clearer, my body is revitalized. Truly amazing. I went shopping today with my family and I was so proud of our buggy full to overflowing with all raw veggies and fruits.

I shop wholesale so I can afford to juice. There is a great little place called the Tomato Vine and I buy boxes of apples and other fruits and veggies for much less. I also joined Costco and that saves money too. Costco also had organic carrots cheap. Heaven.



Happiness is...

A well stocked fridge.  We have a second one outside which we use for non-juicing foods.


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

I tried a new recipe this morning - one that I just thought up.  I call it "Better Red than Dead".  It was a beautiful ruby red color (I forgot to take a pic).  Here are the ingredients:

1 medium beet
4 carrots
2 stalks of celery

It was incredibly delicious! 

I also tried a new method of making juice in the Vitamix blender - not a success!  :-(  I tried to add oranges, mangos and strawberries to the blender and blending until smooth.  Then, I thought I would strain the juice out.  I used my mesh strainer that I have been using for the greens.  Failure!  I think I might have done ok with a nutmilk bag but I don't have those.  It was a smoothie.

I really like my Breville Juicer for roots, apples, other firm fruits and veggies.  And the Vitamix is doing well with the greens.  I think I need a third option for softer fruits.  I hate wet pulp!  It seems like such a waste!  Well, my garden thinks it is pretty awesome but I don't like throwing away all that juice!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

The setup

My arsenal for good health. I call this survivalism.  These tools are making my life healthier every day.  I have a juicer, a Vitamix blender, a Magic Bullet, and some odd and end hand tools.  I really don't use the stove or oven any more except to cook for the kids.  


Well, after more than a week of juicing I  have learned a few things.
1)  You can mix almost anything together...there are no real rules.  But apples make everything taste good.
2)  The juicer we bought (Breville Juice Fountain) is great for most things but not leafy greens.  I have a way to increase the amount of nutrient-rich green juice you get from Kale and other leafys.  I put them in the Vitamix with some water (not a lot of water-about half way up the pitcher full of greens) and blend until smooth.  Then I filter them through a mesh strainer and voila!  Much more product than from the juicer and fantastic taste. 
3)  I can go a LONG time on juice without feeling hungry.  Much longer than on food.  Amazing.


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Day 5 of the Reboot - the switch to pure juicing is tomorrow.  I am ready.  I had a kickin salad last night and some fresh-made tomato soup for lunch.  I feel a little hungry but not too bad.  Even with a short sleep last night, I feel alert and energetic.  I love juicing and making fresh food in my Vitamix. 

You can learn more at the website Reboot with Joe - I am not affiliated with him at all. 

Juice on!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

My adventure in "Rebooting"

For the past 4 days, I have been doing a "reboot" - I watched the movie "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" with Joe Cross and I was inspired to spend the next 15 days juicing and eating only "micronutrient rich" foods like fruits, vegetables and nuts/seeds.  Day 4 is almost over and I am feeling so energetic and healthy.  It is really worth a try.  Juicing and preparing fresh food is soul enriching and body enhancing. 

Check out these websites:
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (Movie web page)

Juicing the Rainbow