Kind of a somber title…
But this title does have meaning… so bear with me!
People think that just because you are vegetarian or vegan, you’re automatically a health nut. Actually, Vegan cuisine can still be just as unhealthy and processed as conventional junk food. As the vegetarian demand grows, more and more “healthy” foods surface everyday! Many of the organic companies are just a front for large corporations to profit from the rise in demand for vegetarian substitutes. I bet you wouldn’t guess that Morningstar frozen foods is actually owned by Kellogg or that Naked Juice is actually a child company of PepsiCo. Not that I’m hating on those companies… just stating a fact…. that’s all.
But we’re straying away from the whole theme of the post…. Juicing.
It’s no secret that I am a juicing freak.
A few months back, we bought a Breville Ikon juicer and my-oh-my what a life changer that was!
- My other baby…
In my opinion, Juicing is somewhat of an untapped life source. I’m not saying that juicing is the cure for all ailments, but it sure helps prevent different forms of sickness and sometimes cures different disorders. I should actually be more specific because the word “cure” is often taken in a very mechanical form. The juicing itself does not cure sicknesses. What the juicing does to the body is give it the raw nutrients to help it regenerate and heal itself. If you’re constantly eating junk food, your body has to work extra hard to digest that food. The way I see it since the body is working on another “project”, it leaves your immune system vulnerable for harmful bacteria and diseases to enter.
More yummy juices.. Small glass is pear apple and the big one is another green juice consisiting of radish, chard, ginger, spinach and apple 🙂 (instagram:veganchef)
When going to a local juice bar, just take a look at your juice when you first get it. It almost looks alive! It’s common to ask yourself, “Well, why can’t I just buy a bottle of green drink at the store?” These juices, while still good for you, contain nowhere near the amount of live enzymes a freshly pressed juice would contain. Enzymes usually only live about 2 hours before it’s potency starts to fade. There are even veggies that lose enzymes even faster. We juice red organic cabbage once a week which apparently loses it’s live enzymes within 45 seconds. (Yes… we down cabbage juice in 30 seconds… after a while, you get an acquired taste for it… hahaha) It has been said that juiced cabbage has properties that can cure cancer… proven.. no…. but even if this proves to be a myth, drinking cabbage juice can’t be bad for you right?
Pure Purple Power
So, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead…. An INCREDIBLY inspiration documentary about the healing powers of juicing… and I’m not just talking about physical healing powers, but mental healing powers as well. It’s really amazing to see the changes in someone when they commit to a juice fast. You can see it not just in the skin and eyes, but there’s a whole new rejuvenated aura that shines through.
If you have Netflix, you can watch it for free! And I just found out that you can watch the entire movie on Hulu too! (just click on Hulu and it’ll redirect you to the site!)
Be prepared to be totally inspired and probably wanting to buy your own juicer…
One of my favorite juice recipes is a medley of dark leafy greens, ginger, apple and cucumber.
DLF Elixer (Dark Leafy Greens) (You’re going to want to try and get organic if possible) 1 large bunch of Kale 1/2 bunch of spinach 1 small knob of ginger 1 medium cucumber (peeled if not organic although most of the nutrients are located near the peel) 1 medium beet (you can include the greens too! They’re even better for you than the actual beet!) 1 apple (peeled if not organic although most of the nutrients are located near the peel)
Seriously, when would you ever eat this many raw veggies at once?
After drinking this, I always feel so amazing! I try and drink this concoction (if not something very similar) everyday! The dark leafy greens are (of course) full of all sorts of good things. The ginger is great for your digestion. The cucumber does amazing things for your skin and mellows out the “green” in the drink. And the apple and beets puts everything together by adding some sweetness.
I did want to add a little note to all the mamas-to-be out there! Juiced beets are extremely high in folic acid which would be an excellent supplement for your little bun in the oven! Not to mention beet juice is actually pretty yummy! 🙂
Happy Juicing!!!
Hi Christine,,
you make me want a juicer! with all those veggies, it seems like it would be filling..
how many servings does the DLF make?
love from obx!
yea!! my first comment!
Buying a juicer will change your life!! It’s so cool! We use it every morning to make OJ! I’ll do a post on some great breakfast drinks in the next couple of days! You are right, having a huge juice like that can be filling… but I usually use it as an afternoon boost or even a lunch replacement if I’m not feeling like eating heavy.
With the amount of veggies I stated, it should make about 16 oz of juice.. just enough for two. You could always adjust the ingredients if you’re just juicing for yourself. Also, sometimes I add some carrots to give it an even sweeter taste. Jeff says whenever I mix carrots apples,and beets, it ends up sort of tasting like banana… hahaha!
Let me know if you have any other questions!
p.s. if you’re thinking of buying a juicer, buy a Breville! They are a bit pricey, but they are the absolute best! Keep an eye out on Amazon, you might find a refurbished one for around 100 bucks!