Green Juice

My friend Kelli introduced me to a new way of making green juice this spring and I am completely hooked. This method is super easy. I also love that I only use a fraction of the food I would use to make a green juice in my juicer.  I love juices and swear that is how our family managed to stay so healthy last winter despite entering the school world and being exposed to so many germs.

I make this in a vitamix so I don't know how well it would do in an average blender or food processor but if anyone tries that out please leave a comment as to how it turned out.

The juice is a simple as this:
1)  Add a handful of greens (kale, spinach, beet greens, cilantro, parsley, mint (or any combo) ,...),  2 stalks of celery, 1 cucumber, 1/2 peeled lemon to a blender.  Fill the rest of the blender with water.  A couple drops of liquid stevia is a nice addition. Blend for around 1 minute.

2) Once the mixture is blended well poor it into jars. There is a foam that forms on top so as I poor the juice into the jars I use a spoon at the blender spout to prevent the foam entering the jars.  I end up with 2 quart jars and a pint jar of green juice. That is a ton of juice!!

 I LOVE this juice,  It is my "go-to" on those sluggish afternoons when I just don't know how I will possibly make it the rest of the day.  I always feel so much better and vibrant after drinking this juice. It is also fairly filling.  My husband recently remarked how much "fuller" he felt after drinking this vs. our normal juices. Yes! Yes! The fiber of the produce stays in the juice so there is more of a satiety factor. It is also super cost effective. Juicing can be so expensive because of all the produce that goes into one little glass of juice.  This is just simply fantastic all the way around.

Cheers to good juice and good health!!

Summery Sugar Free Ice Tea

It feels like summer is in full swing around here the past few days.  Temperatures jumping into the 80's.  I love it. I often tell my husband I think the stork dropped me in the wrong state.  I am a warm weather girl.  I love the heat.  I don't mind that we have no A.C. in the peak of the summer.  Bring it on!  

I realize this isn't everyone's consitution. My girls love being outdoors but even today as the temperature soared into the high 80's, they wanted to play inside more than outside.  They wanted out of the sun and the heat.  Even though the temperature in our house was 86 at one point, it certainly felt a little cooler than on our very sunny deck. 

As the heat comes on full force I continute to try to find ways to keep my girls cool and hydrated.  Now my first choice in hydration is always water.  I think it's so crucial to get kiddos used to drinking water when they are little.  Its interesting that so many adults "hate" drinking water.  Instead they rely on juice, coffee, pop, and flavored waters.  Things that over time will dehydrate the body and can cause a list of ailments, including constipation.  If kiddos become used to carrying a water bottle when they are little the habit will most likely roll over into adult-hood.  I encourage parents to keep the juice boxes and glasses of milk to a minimum and really up the water intake. One of the best ways to do this? Be a role model for your kiddos.  Let them see mom and dad drinking water. 

One of our favorite ways to add some hydration to a hot summer afternoon is by making Sun Tea.  When I was little my mom made the best sun tea, or at least that was my opinion.  It was a sign of summer.  I still love the nostalgia of a glass jar sitting on the deck preparing one of my favorite beverages.  Now my mom's tea was loaded with lots of sugar, which is surely why I loved it so much.  But good news. I have found ways to make a dynamite Sun Tea with out the heaps of sugar. And the even better news? My girls love it. 

 When making Sun Tea, I choose to stick to herbal teas.  This way they are naturally caffeine free.  I don't know about you, but my girls certainly don't need an extra caffeine boost.  They have endless energy reserves the way it is. 

Herbal teas contain a whole array of nutrients, antixoidants, and minerals.  Not only is Sun Tea so tasty to drink but it's really nourishing for the body.  Teas can be incredibly healing for the body.  Peppermint tea can aid in digestion.  Ginger tea can help if feeling nauseated. Herbal teas come in variety of flavors and offer a wide range of  health benefits.  I prefer to buy loose leaf teas in bulk.  It is a great way to experiment with a variety of tastes and even mix and match flavors.  Tea bags will work as well, and you can even mix and match with different flavors of your favorite tea bags.  The fun is in the experimenting.  And really you can't go to wrong with a cold, refreshing glass of sun tea on a hot summer afternoon.

To make Sun Tea, simply add loose leaf tea to a large tea ball and place in a glass gallon jar.  If using tea bags, add 4-5 bags.  Let sit in the sun for several hours until it is dark and looks like a delicous tea.   The sun does the work for you!  Next step is to simply refridgerate until cold.  I like to start brewing my Sun Tea in the morning because when the intense heat kicks in I am prepared with a refreshing glass of tea.  I like to use flavored teas because it creates amazing tastes and decreases the need for sugar.  Lemon. Blueberry. Mango. Orange. The flavors are potent and create a delicous glass of tea.

Another trick is to add fresh mint or stevia to the gallon jar.  Another option is to add sliced lemons or other fresh fruit. This helps create extra deliciousness in your cup!

Then sit back and sip your Sun Tea while reading a book and enjoy the warmth of the sun!

Cheers to Ice Tea!

Homemade Coconut Milk

Changing to a more whole foods way of eating can initially feel incredibly overwhelming.  This is especially true when buying groceries and watching the numbers on the cash register quickly climb higher and higher and higher.   It can leave one asking "is this worth it?" 
The answer YES.  The trick to eating a well balanced, whole foods lifestyle is stocking up a well rounded pantry and learning to make things from scratch. Who needs to spend over $3 for 64 ounces of coconut, almond, and/or rice milk when it's incredibly easy to make at home for a fraction of the cost.  When I first started making my own milks I was shocked at how easy it was.  Not to mention the shock I felt at how much money I'd spent over the years buying non-dairy milks at the store.  So this is your warning....you may be a little shocked at how easy it is to make your own homemade coconut milk.  Sorry about that. But now you know.


Coconut Milk


1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2-3 cups water (adjust to taste) (less water=thicker coconut milk)

Add coconut and water to blender.  Blend for 1 minute.  Strain the milk through cheesecloth or a specific nut milk bag.  It takes a little bit of gentle squeezing to strain the milk. Squeeze until all liquid is released and your left with just a bit of pulp.  There are lots of ways to use the leftover pulp.  Baked goods are a good way to use it up.  Store milk in air tight container (mason jars are great). Or pour a big glass of milk.   Drink. Love. Smile. Enjoy.



This is also a great milk for toddlers who are done nursing and you want to introduce another milk.  Most doctors will push for cow's milk but this is a great alternative if your kiddo has a sensitivity to dairy or you don't want to introduce animal products.  Keep in conversation with a health care provider to make sure your little one is getting a balanced diet but don't be afraid to suggest to the Dr. that you don't want to do traditional milk.  There are plenty of other ways to get the fats and proteins and vitamins into a toddler's diet.  I would even argue you always want a toddler's (unless nursing) main source of liquid to be water not milk.  The milks are an extra.  But that's just my opinion.

I use this milk even more than almond or rice milk.  I love the taste. I use it for baking (on the rare occasion that I do get around to baking anything).  It's also my first choice if I'm making a hot cocoa.  Great in smoothies and desserts.  I've also been playing with it in my homemade vegan ice creams.  The less water used in the recipe the thicker the milk is.  Lots of versatility with this lovely coconut milk.  

My girls love drinking this coconut milk as is.  I just made them their first chocolate milk last week using this milk.  I added dates, dark baking cocoa, splash vanilla, and a bit of raw honey.  I ended up making more for myself and my husband. Divine.


I find unsweetened, organic shredded coconut at my local health food store in the bulk section. This bag cost under $4 and I can make several batches of coconut milk from it.

I did buy a specific nut milk bag and it has made making homemade milks even easier and the milk even smoother. There are lots of varieties of nut milk bags out there but this is the one I purchased and love.  It is absolutely worth the $9 if you plan to make milk on a consistent basis.  Just think, that $9 couldn't even buy 3 boxes of coconut milk beverage at the store.  Puts things into perspective, right?

It is sometimes more convenient to buy store bought milks and have them on hand.  It is easy.  No one can argue that convenience is a fabulous thing.  And really it's not realistic, at least in my world, to make everything from scratch.  BUT if your on a tight budget and trying to figure out how to eat well and at the same time lower grocery expenses this is one way to do it my friend. 

The other perk to making homemade milks is that they aren't processed.  Something to remember is the stuff in the store is great because yes it's dairy-free, gluten-free goodness but it's still a processed food product.  A healthier processed food than most but still processed none the less.  By making your own versions at home you know exactly what goes into the product you are creating. There are no extras. There is no heating process to keep it shelf stable.  No need for extra packaging and shipping, which becomes friendlier to our sweet environment.  If you add sweeteners you can adjust them to taste and keep them to a minimal. You simply blend a few organic ingredients up and viola', the best, freshest tasting milk you'll ever have.

Happy Milk Making! 

Almond & Rice Milk

If you've chosen to not consume dairy milk for whatever reason you've likely noticed that some of the the non-dairy milks can be pretty pricey.  I've been on a kick of making my own  milks and we are loving them. They are simple, easy, and I would argue much more cost effective.  Not to mention that the boxed milks are still pretty processed.  Now don't get me wrong I still usually have a box or two of coconut milk on hand to use when I don't have any homemade milks ready and don't have time to make them, but  I really do prefer using the homemade ones.  I like the idea that they are more pure and natural and really they just taste better in my opinion.  I would argue once you've had homemade almond milk you'll never want to go back to the boxed stuff!!  My 3 year old LOVES the homemade almond milk.  She gets very excited to help make it and then drink a big yummy cup of fresh, frothy almond milk.  

Almond Milk

1 cup whole almonds (not roasted or salted)

4 cups water

1/4 cup sweetener of choice (raw honey, pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave, dates)

Vanilla (optional)

I prefer to soak my almonds prior to making the milk. Typically I will soak them overnight and make the milk in the morning.  I put the almonds in a glass quart jar and fill with water.  In the morning I drain and rinse them.  Then place almonds, 4 cups water, sweetener (if using), and vanilla (if using) into blender and blend until creamy and frothy.  Strain through a nut milk bag, fine sieve, or cheesecloth.  Viola' wholesome almond milk that is straight from your kitchen with no processing!

 Extra Tips:  The leftover pulp can be saved and used in baking and homemade crackers (recipes including this pulp will come soon!).  If you don't have time to soak the almonds, no worries.  The milk will still turn out great and tasty.  There are lots of extra health benefits to soaking almonds, including higher amounts of nutrients that are more easily available for the body to absorb.  However, even in it's un-soaked state it's still much more pure and wholesome than the boxed alternative. 

Rice milk is just as easy.

 Rice Milk 

1 cup cooked organic brown rice

4 cups water

1/4 cup sweetener of choice (optional)

vanilla (optional)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend away.  Strain and serve.  No soaking required. Great way to use up leftover rice that's just sitting in the fridge.

Store the milks in glass containers in fridge.  The milks will last for 4-5 days.  Both of these make a tasty treat when blended with a little raw cacao! I don't need my kiddos to have that extra energy boost but you better believe some days I need it! 

Happy milk making friends!!

Juice

Juice. It seems to be the new drink of choice for toddlers. Some where along the way there has been some serious marketing happening to parents, convincing us that this is the healthiest drink to give our little ones. It is marketed as though it is fresh juice, from fresh fruits that will nourish our little ones.

The truth is most juices that are store bought contain higher levels of concentrated sugars and high-fructose corn syrup than that of actual juice from a fruit. These concentrated sugars found in juices will affect blood sugar levels, which will impact energy levels and overall mood. High-fructose corn syrup has been directly linked to increased levels of obesity. Most of these store bought juices are just slightly better than soda. So why play with this? Perhaps it could be the occasional treat instead of a daily beverage.

Soda. I see younger and younger kiddos being offered soda. This is big business in our country and there is a lot of marketing at play attempting to win kiddos loyalty to a certain brand. Soda is even worse than juice. Did you realize in one 20 ounce bottle of soda there is 17 teaspoons of refined white sugar? That is a TON!! Not to mention natural and artificial flavors, high-fructose corn syrup, and in some varieties caffeine. They have no hydrating affect on the body and typically end up causing one to crave more food.

My suggestion? Start your kiddos off on water. If they aren't offered other options they won't know any different. If they start off drinking water as little ones it will be come a habit. Some suggestions if your trying to transition them into drinking more water. Drink lots of water yourself....be an example. Kids are so in tune with what we do. If mom and dad are drinking lots of water it might become more appealing. Allow them to pick out a fun, new water bottle, and keep it just for water. Tell them the benefits of drinking water on their little body. My daughter picks up on this stuff quickly and will often repeat it to me when I least expect it.

So now back to juice. While I'm a big advocate of kiddos main drink through out the day to be water, I do have fun making fresh, homemade juices with my girls. My 2 year old loves being able to make her own juice. My role is to wash and prepare the veggies and fruits and then she puts them through the juicer, creating her own freshly made juice. She loves it! This is a great way for her to understand how juice is made and how it tastes without all the added sugar.

Our juice we've been doing lately is carrot, celery, apple. We usually do about 10 carrots and 1 apple, and a few stalks of celery (which actually has quite a bit of water content to it so it does well in juicing). I then dilute it with some water, toss in a couple ice cubes, and it makes enough for my girls and I to each have a small glass. It tastes quite yummy and is a very healthy, delish treat. If you or your kiddos are used to the sugar laden juices it does require a change to the palate. You could always add more fruit to sweeten it up until you slowly get used to the more vegetable juice taste.

Another favorite I like to do is beets, celery, and a couple pieces of whatever fruit I have on hand. Sometimes my girls like the beet juice and sometimes they don't. It's strong for sure. But I love it. You can also throw a stalk or two of kale in but you don't get much juice from it and it gives the juice a funky color, which could turn some kiddos off. Citrus fruits are great but only if your kiddos are used to eating them with no side effects. Neither of my girls do citrus well so we avoid the citrus juices.

I have found that I have a lot of waste (pulp) with my juicer. It's an older juicer and works fine but it just leaves a lot of leftover pulp, which had been part of my struggle with juicing. I hated throwing away all that nutritious goodness. Well I just started making homemade crackers out of it! You have to clean and peel everything really well but then you can use the pulp to make a yummy little homemade cracker. My girls gobble these up. So know I don't feel bad about juicing and I'm excited for all my leftover pulp because I know it is yielding a tasty little snack. More on that recipe later....

For now drink lots of water and if you have access to a juicer experiment with making your family some fresh, nutritionally dense, homemade juice.