Thirsty Thursday: Juice Recipe of the Week

I thought that it would be fun to post a juice recipe every Thursday since I am enjoying this juicing process so much. I have been making several of the juices from my raw cleanse book but this morning I decided to experiment on my own.

I will call this juice:

"Soothing Glow"

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups of green or red grapes
1 Granny Smith Apple
½ cucumber
2 stalks of celery
1 large handful of Spinach
1 small handful of mint

Run all the ingredients through your juicer. I topped the juice off with a squeeze of lemon juice and a wedge of lemon. Enjoy!

This juice is full of antioxidants; its ingredients fight certain cancers such as lung cancer, colon, skin, lung and breast cancer. It also contains ingredients that fight heart problems and Alzheimer’s Disease. This juice is loaded with polyphenols such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and resveratrol. It is a source of silica which improves the complexion and health of the skin. In addition, its high water content makes it naturally hydrating which is good for glowing skin. It is also rich in vitamin C. It contains compounds called coumarins. This helps prevent free radicals from damaging cells. Spinach,one of the key ingredients, has anti-inflammatory properties and is a good source of iron. The juice also contains mint which is soothing to the stomach.

Garden Progress- Week 1

We started last weekend constructing and planning our raised bed garden. My husband purchased the untreated Douglas Fir wood at Dixieland Lumber. He was able to construct the large bed and split it into two 12 x 5 foot planting areas in less than 20 minutes. Purchasing your own wood vs buying a pre-constructed raised bed saves a lot of money. The purchase amount for the wood and other materials was only $60. You can see his handiwork in the photos shown below. He is also planning on placing supports along the front of the beds to keep it stable after we put the dirt inside. We have ordered the dirt and it will be delivered on Thursday. We will then purchase an organic topsoil to mix in. We purchased a compost bin from Sam’s Club for $38 and plan to start composting in the next few days. My husband is also planning on making another bed or two this weekend. We have a large hill (pictured) in which we will plant our corn, pumpkins and melons such as cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew. Also you will see my oldest daughter’s, Audriana, mini greenhouse seed starter. She has planted green onions and multi-colored peppers. Some of her seeds began sprouting today. Yesterday, I went outside with my two youngest girls and they started seeds with their Sesame Street gardening kits that we purchased at Lowe’s. They planted pumpkins and tomatoes and should sprout within the next 7-10. The timing should be perfect. The plants should be good and ready to plant in the ground once the soil is prepared.

This was before the dividers were put in.

After the dividers were put in. The small area will be a work space.

A view of one of the corners from inside the bed.

The connection between the two boards in the front/center.

This is where we stand till tomorrow when the dirt is delivered.

We will plant corn, pumpkins and melons on the hill.

Fiona and Mia's pumpkin and tomato seeds

Audriana's mini greenhouse with onions and multi colored peppers.

Goal Assessment

Like most people, I set goals for myself for 2010. Being the beginning of March, I have decided to perform a self assessment to see where I am at two months into the New Year.

My goals were to inspire others, plant an organic garden, make a large dent in my degree program and become a certified group fitness instructor. After performing a quick self assessment, I have done extremely well!

As far as inspiring others, I have been helping some friends with weight loss and fitness goals. I am constantly answering phone calls, text messages and emails with questions in regards to health and fitness. I have been a “scorekeeper” for a weight loss competition in which women compete to lose the highest percentage of weight. I have also been more active with my blog and from the feedback I receive, have helped motivate people that I wasn’t even aware of. Inspiring others to be the best they can be is a fulfilling experience and in turn motivates me to stay accountable for my actions.

My husband and I began planning our organic garden (post and pics to come later this week). We have picked a spot and my husband began building the raised beds. My oldest daughter started 72 seeds and my youngest two girls have started a total of 12seeds. Between the three girls, we have onions, multi-colored peppers, pumpkins and tomatoes. The other plants we will put into our garden will be baby plants that we will purchase in a few weeks. I purchased a compost bin. Dirt is being delivered in a few days to fill our beds. We have been doing our research and have been shopping around for ideas. This is a goal that is definitely in the works.

In regards to my degree, I had a phone appointment with my advisor. He was able to reduce the amount of classes that I have left. He also lined me up with a full schedule of classes that were in the correct order. I should be finished by fall 2011. Perfect!

Last but definitely not least, I signed up for my group fitness instructor certification on April 3. I should be receiving my study materials and text book soon and will attend an eight hour workshop. I will then take a test and will officially be a certified group fitness instructor. I also signed up for my CPR/AED certification which is a requirement for the certification. I began teaching yoga to my playgroup moms in the park just to gain a little experience.

Come back in a few days for my garden update and pictures.

I Bought a Juicer!

I am so excited to have found a steal of a deal on craigslist. I found a Tefal Juice Master Juicer for $10. It's certainly not a high end juicer, but I just wanted something to get me started while saving a few dollars. After making my purchase, I went straight to the store and bought a little bit of fresh produce to add to what I already had at home. No sooner than I had entered my home did I have my fruit cut up and the juicer plugged in. I used 1/2 of a pineapple, a handful of cilantro, a few stalks of celery, 1 lime, and 2 apples. I pushed all of it through the juicer and enjoyed a nice glass of juice.

My girls were so excited and ran to the fridge and grabbed a few apples and pears that I juiced for them. They drank it down fast!

Now the possibilities are endless!

Here's to health!

The fruits and veggies I used.

The juice looked really pretty before I stirred it.

Bon Appetit!

Raw Food Cleanse Journal

Day 1

I had mentioned before that I was concerned that I would lose weight during the cleanse which is something I did not need to do. I checked my weight upon waking and I was 126.4. I started my day off without coffee for the first time in quite a while. I drank 32 ounces of water with lemon instead. For breakfast, I had a green smoothie. In my smoothie was a new ingredient for me: chia seeds which are loaded with essentials such as protein, calcium and omega 3’s and 6’s. Around 10:00/10:30, I became very hungry and tired. I also had a touch of a headache. I think I was hungry because I would typically have a banana or a piece of fruit at that time. Being tired with a headache was mostly likely caused from the lack of coffee. I typically only have a 6-8 oz cup in the morning. I was really shocked to see that I was having slight withdrawal effects. The girls wanted their morning snack and I struggled a bit while making their snack. It took a lot to not eat a spoonful of the natural peanut butter that I was spreading on their crackers. I read through a bit of the raw cleanse book to keep myself focused. It was 11:00 and I was still very hungry, but the headache had subsided after drinking some water. I decided to make the fresh tomato and corn salad I was going to have for lunch and let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so. I had a bite of it while preparing it and it was so good. I was truly looking forward to that 12:00 hour. I ate my salad at 12:15 and it was fantastic! It left me feeling very satisfied but not stuffed even though it was very large. I had never eaten corn raw before and I was quite pleased. I never liked it overcooked anyway. At 1:00, I became tired again, so I took a 30 minute cat nap. It looks, to my surprise, like I am experiencing some detoxification symptoms. The slight headache comes and goes and I am having cravings. The funny thing is that I am craving just extra healthy food like bananas and apples. I think my mind is telling my body that I am hungry. The only thing in my diet that I would be having a withdrawal from is the coffee. I was truly looking forward to my evening yoga practice to clear my head and refocus my intentions. I had a cup of herbal tea. For dinner, I was supposed to start my dinner with fruit such as berries and finish off with a salad. Since my yoga class was at 6:30 and I don’t like to eat a large amount before yoga, I decided to have the fruit before yoga and the salad afterwards. This worked out well. Yoga was good. I was a bit off and kind of touchy but made it through. I was in bed by 10pm.

Day 2

I woke up feeling rejuvenated and consumed my 32 ounces of lemon water. I had lost a little weight. I had a lot of energy and made by green juice. Honestly, at first taste, it was awful. I drink green smoothies quite often but I typically add fruit in with the greens. This one was just straight greens and only lemon as a fruit. After a few sips, I acquired a taste for it and drank the whole thing. I went to boot camp which is a very intense workout. I was concerned I wouldn’t have the energy to make it through, but, to my surprise, I had a lot of energy and excelled during that workout. I went through the rest of the morning with a ton of energy. At lunch time, I had a tomato and cucumber salad, but was unable to finish it. I prepared the balancing broth that I was going to have with my dinner. I then took a 20 minute nap. Upon waking, I had a cup of rooibos tea. I performed a dry skin brushing and took a shower. After the shower, I sat in a massage chair. The book recommended either a deep tissue massage or a sauna. I thought this was close enough. For dinner, I had a large bowl of the balancing broth and a large mixed green “fiesta” salad with lime cilantro dressing. Again, I was unable to finish the large salad. I was in bed by 10:45 which was a little late than the recommended time but I would still be able to get 8 hrs in. Overall, day 2 was a success. I had a very busy day with the girls and the food I consumed gave me plenty of energy to do all that I needed to accomplish. No coffee cravings or headache all day long!

Day 3

I woke up and consumed my 32 ounces of lemon water and had a green smoothie for breakfast. I welcomed it since it had a banana in it and bananas are a favorite of mine. I proceeded throughout my busy morning and waited too long to have lunch. I didn’t eat lunch till 2:30 pm. My lunch consisted of a bowl of yesterday’s balancing broth and a spinach and orange salad with orange tahini dressing. This salad was fabulous! I made a smaller serving because the other salads seemed so large, I was afraid I wouldn’t have been able to finish. Now I wish I would have made it. I was planning on going to pilates, so I had another green smoothie before. When I came home, I had a mixed green salad with purple cabbage and grated carrot, a bowl of steamed broccoli and onions with liquid aminos and an ecstatic elixir which consisted of kombucha, freshly squeezed juice, lemon juice and topped off with sparkling mineral water. This was a satisfying dinner. No headaches, body aches, fatigue or anything out of the ordinary today. I didn’t feel the need to nap as I did the first two days.

I weighed myself the morning after the cleanse and I had lost 2.7 lbs....weighing in at 123.7. I need to gain a little over a pound back. I like to keep it at 125. I'll try to gain it back in muscle weight.

Over all I think this cleanse was a success. Throughout the cleanse, I didn’t feel bogged down and truly had a lot of energy. I did have the mental alertness to do the work in my current advanced composition class that I am taking. This class requires quite a bit of work, so this was a huge bonus for me. I didn’t have any stomach issues or churning like I might have after having some cheese or dairy. I learned how to exhibit a great amount of self control because on two of the three days, I was in social situations with food as the center. I was able to not have a bite. Each day, I consumed over 66 ounces of water.

I would recommend this cleanse to anyone. Especially those who feel their system is sluggish, have a lack of energy or need to release a few pounds.

Now, all I want right now is a nice bowl of warm oatmeal. :)

My Exercise Routine

Many of you have asked what kinds of work outs I do. Here they are. My weekly exercise routine consists of a variety of activities. I mange to keep the same basic weekly routine while changing one activity every few months and still keeping all the important factors of an exercise plan. I also switch up my strength training exercises every few months. This is my current weekly routine.

Cardiovascular activity: 30-60 minutes 4-5 days per week

Strength training: 20-30 minutes 3-4 days per week

Stretching and flexibility training: 30-60 minutes 4-5 days per week

My daily routine breaks down like this:

Monday
Rest day. I may do a 30 minute yoga practice mid-day at home.

Tuesday
60 minutes of yoga mid-day (self practice) and 60 minutes of yoga in the evening (group practice).

Wednesday
60 minutes of boot camp training. This is a combination of cardiovascular and muscle endurance exercises.
45 minutes of yoga (self-practice)

Thursday
30-40 min of yoga and either 60 minutes of pilates or a 60 minute step and sculpt class.
45 minutes of yoga (self-practice)

Friday
30 minutes of cardio machines.

I usually split it up as follows:
Bike- 10 minutes at level 10
Eliptical- 10 minutes at level 15
Treadmill- 10 starting at 6.5 mph. I gradually increase my speed until I hit 9 mph. I run this speed for 1-2 minutes at the end of the session.
Strength training: When I do weights, I typically do 3 sets of 8. On some days, however, I increase the weight and do only 3 sets of 3-4. All exercises are free weight unless otherwise indicated.
Legs and shoulders
Squats (120 lbs)
Front raises (15 lbs)
Leg press (240 lbs)
Dumbbell shoulder press (15 lbs)
Jump lunges or squat hold (no weight)- 3 sets of 15 or squat hold 3 sets @ 30 seconds.
45 minutes of yoga (self-practice)

Saturday
30 minutes of cardio

Strength Training
Biceps, triceps and abs
Bicep curls (25 lbs)
Tricep extension (30 lbs)
Wide grip bicep curls (30 lbs bar)
Tricep kick backs (15 pounds) or tricep push-ups- 3 sets of 15
Hanging leg raises (abs) 3 sets of 15

Sunday
30 minutes of cardio

Strength Training
Back and Chest
Bench press (80 lbs)
One arm row (35 lbs)
Chest Flies (20 lbs)
Reverse Flies (15 lbs)
Low back extension (3 sets of 15)
Reverse fly machine (60 lbs)
Push up (3 sets of 10)
Lat pull down (65 lbs)

Coming tomorrow....raw food update, day 1 journal of my 3 day raw food cleanse. Yes, I finally took the plunge!

Raw Update

I haven’t been able to start a raw cleanse yet. My window of opportunity is from Monday to Wednesday and I haven’t sat down to make a shopping list yet of everything I need. I have most everything but am lacking a few items. However, I have been truly paying attention to foods and how they make me feel. I have eaten a very high raw diet this week. My days have ranged from 70%-90% raw. Eating raw foods gives me a lot of energy and the ability to stay focused and complete tasks I need to complete. Here are a few easy recipes that I have used this week. They are high raw and vegan.

High raw veggie wraps



I was hungry and trying to stay high raw so made I made this up as I went along. Amounts are approximate.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• 2 large romaine lettuce leaves
• Bragg’s liquid aminos

Dice the following veggies:

· ½ tomato
· 1 celery stalk
· ½ zucchini
· ½ bell pepper
· 1 tbsp leeks
· 1 green onion
· ½ yellow squash
· A few leaves of dandelion greens
· 2-3 baby bella mushrooms
1/4 cucumber

Put all veggies in a bowl and sprinkle on liquid aminos to taste. Lay out romaine; place a ¼ cup quinoa on top of each leave. Top with diced veggies. Wrap and eat. Serves 1


Zucchini “Pasta” with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

For this recipe, I used the raw spaghetti recipe as a guide, but customized it and used a pesto instead of marinara.

Ingredients:

For the Pasta

1 zucchini

For the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

2 TBSP olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
A few leaves of fresh basil
5-6 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked
Dried oregano
1 TBSP water

Toppings

2 tsp capers
A few black olives
½ tomato – diced
A few pine nuts
Sea salt to taste

Grate or thin julienne cut a whole zucchini to make the “pasta.” I julienned mine with a mandolin but have also made this type of “pasta” with a cheese grater. There is a special tool available to make this kind of pasta but I do not have one yet. See photo below for guidance.

Put all pesto ingredients in a food processor. Pour over pasta. Top with toppings. Eat and enjoy. Serves 1.