Clean Eating | Raw Juice Guru

December 30, 2016

Our Super Tomatoe Basil Soup

Looks tasty, right?! I actually like to call this Superfood Soup because the health benefits of this soup are HUGE!! First, it is completely raw, meaning it has not been cooked. Thus preserving the enzymes.

“Enzymes are substances that make life possible. They are needed for every chemical reaction that takes place in the human body. No mineral, vitamin, or horomone can do any work without enzymes. Our bodies, all organs, tissues, and cells are run by metabolic enzymes.” – Dr. Howell, Enzyme Nutrition

Second, it is bursting with lycopene (from the tomatoes), an antioxidant highly effective in scavenging cancer causing free radicals. The lycopene in tomato fights against cancer and has been shown to be particularly effective in fighting prostate cancer, cervical cancer, cancer of the stomach and rectum as well as pharynx and oesophageal cancers. It also protects against breast cancer and cancer of mouth according to studies published by Harvard School of Public Health. Tomatoes are also excellent in supporting the health of the eyes, skin, urinary tract and supports healthy cholesterol and blood pressure.

Third, we’ve got celery which is rich in vitamin C, helps to lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, reduce high blood pressure, and promote overall health. Because of it’s high calcium content, celery can help calm the nerves. Celery is also good for people suffering from arthritis, rheumatism and gout since its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce swelling and pain around the joints.

Fourth, the Mighty Avocado! The monosaturated fats in avocados not only help in reducing LDL cholesterol but are also good for the heart, skin, eyes, weight control, anti-aging, digestion, and regulating blood sugar. Did you know avocados contain 30% more potassium than banana? The high potassium content helps in regulating blood pressure and prevents circulatory diseases. Avocados have numerous phytonutrients which not only prevent prostate cancer and breast cancer but also can help repair damaged cells. Avocados are also a powerhouse of vitamin E which protects our skin from free radicals.

With all those incredible health benefits who wouldn’t want to try this soup?! It’s delicious, PACKED with AMAZING nutrition.

December 30, 2016

Improve your Digestion

15 Ways to Improve Your Digestion

The health of your gut is directly related to your overall well-being. I
like to think of your gut as your second brain – it’s that important to keep it healthy! It seems more of my clients are coming to me with complaints related to their digestive systems including constipation, gas, bloating, diarrhea and heartburn. Luckily, your digestive health can be easily kept healthy and even improved with a few simple lifestyle adjustments.

If you’re experiencing digestive troubles, implement some of these simple ways to improve your overall digestive health. It will make a huge difference to the way you look and feel. When you’re experiencing sluggish digestion, this can have an impact on other areas of your health like your skin as well.

1. Increase the amount of fruit and vegetables you consume: Eating a range of fruit and veg will provide your system with heaps of soluble fibre to keep your digestive system moving the way it should. Juicing is a great way to get all those nutrients and minerals your body needs.

2. Increase the amount of whole foods in your diet and decrease the amount of processed foods you consume: Processed foods are difficult for the body to digest and can cause blockages within your digestive tract. The more real food you eat, the more your gut will love you.

3. Start your day with a tonic of freshly squeezed lemons with a tablespoon of ACV (Apple cider vinegar) in spring or filtered water: This is alkalizing and helps to clean the stomach of any residual debris, while also kick-starting your digestive system first thing in the morning.

4. Listen to your body and what it needs. Your body is always talking to you, so if you’re having a difficult time “knowing” what works for you, consider doing a short cleanse.

5. Eat more fibre (fruit and vegetables are a great source of this!) as this helps your bowel movements to happen regularly: You should poop at least once a day, ideally up to three times a day.

6. Skip non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs if possible: As regular use of these can cause peptic ulcers in the digestive tract. Great for inflammation is ginger, turmeric and green vegetables.

7. Be careful of use of other drugs that also create digestive problems: Especially including antibiotics which strip your gut of all the good bacteria that your body needs to maintain good immunity.

8. Don’t overeat, but always eat when you feel hungry: This all comes down to listening to your body’s needs.

9. Use herbs which aid digestion: Such as peppermint, fennel, and ginger. Also consume ginger to help settle an upset tummy.

10. Drink liquids before and after meals, not during: This is the best way to avoid diluting your digestive juices.

11. Take your time and really chew your food: It might seem silly, but most people don’t chew their food enough! Your body can use energy for other things if you chew your food instead of relying on acid and enzymes. Aim to chew at least 30 times per mouthful.

12. Eat slower so your body has time to digest everything: Eating slowly means you won’t have too much air coming into your body when you swallow.

13. Avoid using laxatives: Your body becomes reliant on them and they are habit forming. Instead, try these 7 Ways to Heal Constipation Naturally.

14. Stop smoking a& drinking alcohol: These habits cause ulcers & heartburn.

15. Don’t be afraid to enlist the help of a specialist (gastroenterologist): You may want to get a referral from a friend or relative. Remember that they are there to diagnose and treat, prevention lies in your hands.

December 13, 2016

Vegan Avocado Chocolate Muffins

The healthy fats in the avocado make these cupcakes as healthy as a bowl of kale and bean soup! OK, maybe not that healthy, but healthy enough to feel good about reaching for more. Each cupcake offers almost five grams of fiber and is just 230 calories. A regulat chocolate cupcake is 600++ calories! So you can indulge and have a second one.

Ingredients:
6 tbsp cacao powder
1 &1/2 cups gluten free whole wheat flour or you can use coconut flour
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup mashed avocado
1 & 1/2 coconut or almond milk
2 tbsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp cacao nibs
2 tsp baking powder

Instruction:

1- Preheat the oven to 180c 350f
2- scoop out the inside of the avocados and mash or puree in a blender. Add the water, vanilla extract sugar and mix.
3- sift in the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and
4- Salt then stir then add the cacao nibs and fold in.
5- fold into muffin wrappers and bake for 20 minutes. Check with a skewer and if it comes out clean they are done

December 13, 2016

Ten Reasons To Eat Banana Daily

Bananas are one of the most widely eaten fruits in the planet. They are dense in potassium and pectin, a form of fiber, and are also an excellent way to get vitamins C and B6 as well as magnesium. Bananas are packed with antioxidants, which give protection against free radicals. They have several benefits for weight loss, heart health and digestion, and contain many essential nutrients. Besides being extremely nutritious, they are also a convenient snack to bring around.

1. Boost your mood

The next time you feel low, try eating a couple of bananas to boost your mood. The banana contains tryptophan, which the body uses to make niacin and serotonin. Serotonin is responsible for produce healthy sleep and a happy, stable mood. Not only this, but bananas also contain Vitamin B-6 and fiber.

2. For High Blood Pressure

Suffering from High blood pressure? Eating bananas will help you controlling it as they are a rich source of potassium. They are low in sodium but high in potassium, making them a great food for your blood pressure and heart health! Harvard Medical School has good advice on it.

3. Constipation. Promotes Regularity

Treat irregular bowel irritation and constipation problem by adding bananas to your everyday diet. They are the excellent source of fiber and minerals and help in improving the digestion.

Just one banana a day can help in keeping you regular. A typical 6-inch banana contains around 2.5 grams of total fiber, half of which are insoluble.

When insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract, it helps push out waste and ensures that bowel movements are easy to pass.

Keeping your bowels healthy by consuming a minimum of 14 grams fiber per 1,000 calories consumed is recommended by the Colorady State University Extension. So for a standard 1,800-calorie diet, consumption of at least 25 grams of total fiber is recommended.

4. For High Energy

Have you seen athletes, your favorite tennis players gobbling bananas before and during play? It’s because bananas are the best source of energy. They contain 3 types of sugar– Glucose, fructose, and sucrose! The first two gives a burst of energy quickly, whereas, the sucrose absorbs slowly and provide constant energy.

5. Get Help in Restless Leg Syndrome

If RLS giving you or someone you know restless leg syndrome– It’s time to eat bananas. Potassium rich food helps in RLS and bananas are a rich source of it.

6. Bananas for Weight Loss

Bananas are relatively low in calories, containing just under 90, but it is also quite filling and nutritious. Due to their rich fiber content, consumption of more fruits and vegetables has been associated with weight loss as well as a lower body weight.

It is also such an ideal snack due to the convenience at which you can eat them.

A popular myth on the Internet is that bananas improve mood because of their serotonin content. Logically, it makes sense that the dopamine found in bananas was believed to have a positive effect on mood and disposition, but since it does not cross the blood-brain barrier, it simply functions as an antioxidant.

7. Bananas are Good for Heart

Take a high fiber diet that is rich in potassium and low in sodium and it’ll help you in maintaining blood pressure, prevent stroke and heart attack. Bananas contain all that. Also, they are a great source of potassium, and Vitamin B6 and it’s proven that B vitamins help break down homocysteine, an amino acid that at high levels is related to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

8. Bananas support cardiovascular health

Potassium, an essential mineral for cardiovascular health and blood pressure control, is abundant in bananas, making it an ideal dietary source. Potassium-rich diets can help decrease blood pressure, and individuals who consume lots of potassium may lower their risk of developing heart disease.

9. Bananas Enhance Immunity and Combat Cancerous Cell Changes

In an experiment that looked into different ripe fruit such as persimmon, pear, pineapple, watermelon, apple, grape and banana and their effects on immunity on the body, results showed that banana increased showed the best results in increasing the number of white blood cells and producing Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), which is an anti-cancer substance.

TNF is a cytokine, or a substance secreted by cells of the ummune system which helps in fighting abnormal tumor cells. In another study, fuctose-binding lectin was isolated from Del Monte bananas which inhibited the proliferation of leukemia cells and hepatoma cells. It is possible that the lectin isolated from banana in this particular study can be developed into a useful antitumor agent, among other things.

10. Bananas Contain Nutrients That Control Blood Sugar Levels

Bananas are contain fiber known as pectin. Young bananas have resistant starch, which functions akin to soluble fiber and evades digestion. Resistant starch and pectin may control blood sugar levels after meal consumption, and lessen cravings by delaying gastric emptying. Bananas also figure moderately on the glycemic index. The glycemix index is a measure of how swiftly foods raise blood sugar levels (0-100). Bananas therefore should not trigger spikes in blood sugar levels in normal individuals.

February 22, 2016

Lacuma Health Benefits

lacuma Lucuma is sweet, but low on the glycemic scale, so it is perfect for anyone looking to decrease their sugar consumption. The flavor is similar to caramel or maple, so it lends itself to a wide variety of sweets. For breakfast, add a tablespoon of lucuma powder to smoothies, yogurt, and oatmeal. You can of course use it in desserts as well by blending it into pudding, cakes, cookies, candies, and bars.

Lucuma contains antioxidants, good amounts of fiber, healthy carbohydrates, and minerals such as zinc, calcium and iron. Judging the by the bright, yellow-orange hued flesh, we know that it is packed with beta-carotene, a powerful anti-carcinogenic compound.

Given it’s fruity flavour, Lucuma can be used as a natural low GI sweetener. This makes it safe for diabetics, and great for the rest of us to help stabilise blood sugar (critical for all bodily cell function), and even out energy levels. It can be substituted for regular sugar in a 2:1 ratio (2 Tablespoons Lucuma for every 1 Tablespoon sugar).

Lucuma’s rich antioxidant content means it helps to fight and prevent disease, and slow the aging process. The fruit is used as a natural healing medicine in South America, due to its antibiotic, antimicrobial and antifungal properties.

As a fruit, Lucuma is full of healthy carbs. That’s right, Healthy + Carbs (you haven’t heard those two in a sentence for a while right). Whole food carbohydrates are essential for the body, providing energy and fuel, and helping our brain to function. Ever wondered why you can’t concentrate after a carb-restrictive day? Precisely. Paleo-peeps you especially need to increase your whole food carbohydrate intake given your lack of grains. Lucuma is a perfect way to do that.

Lucuma has the same amount of calcium as a glass of cow’s milk, as well as plentiful amounts of beta-carotene (an anti-carcinogen), zinc, iron, vitamin C, niacin (B3), and fiber. It also contains 14 essential trace minerals.

Smoothie for you to try with Lacuma, experiment and have fun.

Chia, Lucuma, Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients

1 Cup almond milk
1 Cup water
½ Cup coconut milk (or 3 frozen coconut milk cubes are even better)
½ very ripe banana
1 t cinnamon
2 t lucuma powder
1 T chia seeds
½ t stevia or 1 t agave

Preparation

Blend.
Drink.
Love.

October 27, 2015

HOW TO MAKE FRESH VEGAN MOZZARELLA CHEESE PIZZA

11219619_843199265787221_4645949295925907202_n HOW TO MAKE FRESH VEGAN MOZZARELLA CHEESE PIZZA

THIS RECIPE IS :
Dairy Free Kid-Friendly Vegan
from One Green Planet

INGREDIENTS
1/4 C. raw cashews (soaked in water for several hours and then drained IF you don’t have a high powered blender)
1 C. hot water
2 T. + 1 t. tapioca starch
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (optional)
1 small garlic clove, minced
3/4 t. sea salt
1 t. fresh lemon juice
For the dough

This crust contains gluten, but you can use gluten-free ingredients.

2 C. organic all purpose flour
1 C. organic whole wheat flour
2 1/4 t. active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 cup warm water
2 t. sea salt
1 t. agave
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (optional)
For the pizza sauce

one 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried basil
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (optional)
1 t. agave
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

PREPARATION
Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
Pour into a small saucepan and cook, stirring constantly over medium high heat. After a couple of minutes the mixture will start to look weird, like it’s curdling or separating. This is totally normal, reduce heat to medium and KEEP stirring so you don’t burn the cheese to the bottom of the pot.
Keep cooking and stirring til really thick (about 2-3 more minutes) and the mixture becomes like a cohesive mass of melted dairy cheese and stretches like in the photo below.
Remove from heat and let cool a bit while you assemble the pizzas.

For the dough

Combine all ingredients and knead for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 60 minutes until doubled. While the dough is rising, make the pizza sauce and the fresh mozzarella cheese.
For the pizza sauce and to assemble the pizza

Saute the garlic in a little vegetable broth or the olive oil in a small saucepan for a minute or two on medium heat. Add all the other ingredients. Reduce heat to low and let simmer while you make the Mozzarella Cheese.

Assembly: Your dough should be nearly ready now, so when it hits 60 minutes or is doubled, punch it down and divide it into four pieces. Preheat the oven to 500°. Roll out the dough on a floured surface as thin or thick as you like. We opted for thicker pizzas this round. Spread each pizza with 1/4 of the pizza sauce. Top with fresh tomato slices, dollops of the fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves like shown in the photo below

Bake individual pizzas for 10-12 minutes on a baking sheet until cheese and the crusts are nicely browned. Note: there is a very fine line between nicely browned and burnt here, so please, watch your pizzas carefully. Sprinkle pizzas with a bit of additional chopped fresh basil once out of the oven if desired.

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October 20, 2015

Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe

images The BEST Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This pumpkin pie, is FOR SURE, the BEST pumpkin pie I have ever had the chance of experiencing. The crust is incredibly tasty, and the filling is to die for! So much better than a plain dough crust and refined-sugar infused filling (with who knows what other chemicals are hidden in there!). It is 100% raw, gluten-free, nut & seed free, low-fat and AMAZING!

Pumpkin is one of my favorite fall treats because it is loaded with so many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients (especially when eaten raw, such as in this recipe!). Pumpkins are packed with muscle-building protein, contain lutein for eye health, help support a healthy prostate, bladder and kidneys, help lower cholesterol, rich in B-complex group of vitamins, and they contain vitamin C, E, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, & alpha and beta carotenoids, which help prevent cellular damage!

Ingredients:
Crust:
– 1 mature coconut
– 1-1.5 cups raisins
– pinch of cinnamon

1. Take the coconut and cut open – take out meat and shred it into flakes (I used my juicer, and just processed the coconut – the pulp that comes out resembles fresh coconut flakes!)
2. Put coconut flakes & 1 cup of raisins into food processor. Blend for awhile, until it starts to clump and turn into “dough” – you can add more raisins if you like, just make sure the mixture is not too sticky, so somewhat dry.
3. Form this into a pie dish to resemble the crust.

Filling:
– 1 sugar pumpkin
– 7-10 dates, pitted
– 1/2 tsp. cloves
– 1 tsp. cinnamon
– 1 inch piece fresh ginger root (or 1-2 tsp. dried ginger powder)

1. Peel sugar pumpkin, and take out seeds.
2. Cut into little pieces and put into a high-speed blender like the Vitamix.
3. Put in dates, and spices and ginger.
4. Put in a little bit of water to get the mixture started.
5. Blend until smooth (the Vitamix is a great blender for blending pumpkin!)

Put filling into pie crust, and voila! You can put it in the freezer to set it a bit if you please, but I just put mine in the fridge and kept it overnight. Enjoy! Leave a comment below and tell me how it went!

September 24, 2015

Ready To Feel Better?

Do you want to feel better and look great? Are you ready to get back to a healthier you and adopt a healthier lifestyle? If you are serious about a healthy lifestyle, you can start by giving your body the time, energy and nutrients to heal and detox itself. Whether as routine maintenance or a kick start to a new you, a tailored juice cleanse will help you achieve a better, cleaner body and a younger, brighter appearance. Imagine a juice cleanse program that’s designed just for your health and body.
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