Mean Green Juice [Video]

It's time for another green juice! In January, I became addicted to juicing and it's been exciting to connect with all of you on a similar juicing journey! I've gotten several emails from folks who were inspired by the juicing posts so this is something I will continue to keep up. (If you have recipes or photos to share, please share them with me over on the Facebook page or on Twitter.)

Today I have a special juicing video to share with you that includes a special (unplanned) guest appearance from my cat. And, for anyone that's curious, you'll also get to see my Hurom Slow Juicer at work. Let's get juicing!

Read more »

Mojito Juice

I've learned that I am a very indecisive person when it comes to buying produce.  It usually takes me three rounds in the produce section or at the farmers market before I feel ready to make some commitments.  And apparently, my indecisiveness is even worse when I'm buying produce online.

Picking out my SPUD juicing box each week has been the most excruciating process because I love them all!  Do I try something new?  Do I stick with an old favorite?  The options! In the end I went with my favorite Organic Dynamic Beauty Juicing Box for this week and I'm definitely glad I did because I discovered a brand new green juice combination that I adore.


Read more »

Green Goddess Juice

If it wasn't for SPUD's Juicing at Home Program, there is a very good chance I would be sitting here eating a cupcake right now. We've finally got all of our boxes and furniture moved into our new place and things are getting a bit settled, but after hauling heavy boxes up and down stairs for three hours my body is craving less-than-healthy things. Luckily, instead of reaching for something sweet, I made a glass of this tasty green goodness. I think my cells are grateful.

If you read my post last week, you know that I'm testing out SPUD's new produce boxes specifically for juicing and they are absolutely fabulous! This week I ordered their Organic All Vegetable Juicing Box, which included beets, carrots, celery, chard, cilantro, cucumbers, kale, parsley, a red bell pepper, and tomatoes. 

With the moving craziness this week it was too hard to make it to the grocery store and having this produce box was a lifesaver! Being part of the juicing program has made it so easy for me to drink more fresh juice, even with my busy schedule the last couple of weeks. I can't say enough good things about SPUD as a company (especially their commitment to sustainability) and the incredible convenience of having local, organic produce delivered. (I mentioned this last week, but if you are curious about trying out SPUD's juicing program, now is the time because they have a couple of awesome juicing promotions going on this month!)

Read more »

Cucumber Peach Salad

I am an ugly crier.  No really.  Remember in Bridesmaids when Rose Byrne is crying and Kristin Wiig says that she is an ugly crier?  She doesn't even know what ugly crying is.

I suppose this wouldn't be too much of a problem except that I tend to cry during movies... a lot.  The Vow?  Yep.  Hunger Games?  Check.  Brave?  Definitely.  And don't even ask me about the Finding Nemo incident of 2006.  That was a legendary ugly crying moment.

Here's the important thing that you need to know as an ugly crier:  how to hide the signs.  No one wants to go out in the world with red, puffy eyes.  No one. So you quickly learn tricks like using chamomile tea bags and (my personal favorite) cucumber slices to calm the eyes.

If you're an ugly crier, I advise you to keep cucumber on hand at all times.  And, if you happen to have a cucumber and a peach handy,  you might want to consider making yourself this salad.  After all, you probably need a snack after all that crying.

Read more »

Raw Cucumber Wasabi Soup

Here are five things that you should never do.  Ready?  Take notes.

#1: Never ride 50 miles on your bike while your brakes are messed up and the brake pads are clamping down on your wheel.  It's not great for your bike, but more importantly... it just plain sucks.

#2: Never hang one of those gross sticky fly strips if you have a cat.  Never.  Because you should always assume that your cat will be the first thing stuck to it. True story.

#3: Never have a glass of wine when you have a very light lunch, a light dinner, and have work to do in the garden.  Well, actually, I suppose that you could do that... Just make sure to pay attention to where your feet are in relation to the garden hose.  Otherwise the next thing you know you'll be tripping over your own feet and find yourself lying on the ground crushing a kale plant.  Safety first people!

#4: Never open your container of roasted broccoli at work and begin eating it at 9:30 am. Who does that anyway?! Apparently I do. Since this is not typical human behavior, your co-workers will not be expecting the smell of roasted cruciferous vegetables first thing in the morning. Naturally, it will lead them to think that there is a gas leak in the building. Then you will have to explain that it's just you and your odd eating behavior. No joke. But, should you find yourself in this situation, you just have to own it.  Otherwise they'll call the fire department.

#5: You should never operate your Vitamix blender without the pad thingy on the base. Come on now, you should know this one! It even says right on there: "Never place blade assembly on base unless assembled to container." Why would you do that?  Now you have to buy a replacement blender part. Lesson learned.

I'm hoping that you didn't damage your blender like I did this week because you really need to make this soup.  Raw soups are one of my favorite things to make because they're delicious, healthy, and super quick to prepare.  And since this only requires a blender, you can spend more time searching for replacement blender parts and less time cleaning dishes.

I've found that a lot of cold cucumber soups can taste a little watery or bland at times.  The green onions and wasabi powder in this version give it a little kick of flavor and some heat which balances out nicely with the cooling properties of the cucumber.  Serve this with some raw flax seed crackers or some raw zucchini "sushi" rolls.

Raw Cucumber Wasabi Soup
Serves 2

2 cucumbers
1 avocado, skinned and pitted
1 cup water
2 green onions
1 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder
1/4 cup cilantro
freshly-ground sea salt and black pepper to taste

Add the cucumbers, avocado, water, and green onions to your blender.  (You might have to chop these items ahead of time depending on the strength of your blender and blades.)  Blend thoroughly, adding a little more water if necessary.  Add the dill, wasabi powder, cilantro, and sea salt to taste.  Blend thoroughly until smooth.  Chill in the refridgerator until serving and top with a little black pepper if desired.

Raw Radish and Cucumber Salad

If there is one thing that I have grown to appreciate this spring it has to be radishes.  Radishes tend to get a bad rap, but there is a huge difference between fresh radishes and the big, tough radishes that have been siting at the grocery store for a week. 

I was writing an article about radishes for work and became inspired to grow some of my own after learning how easy they are to grow.  They usually sprout in as little as 4 days and they are ready to pick within 3 - 4 weeks.  I started by growing red radishes and a few purple, but now I'm hooked and am filling up my garden with other varieties as well.  Radishes are a great source of Vitamin C, fiber, and minerals such as iron, potassium, magnesium, copper, and folate.  They are best picked when they are young and tender because they tend to become too strong in flavor as they age. 

 
If even fresh radishes are too much for your taste buds, then you can always cook them, but I recommend eating them shredded and raw.  This salad is sweet and tangy and the sweetness of the agave complements the radish flavor perfectly.  You could easily add in some summer vegetables, like zucchini or fresh corn, or substitute basil for the cilantro. 

Also, don't throw out your radish greens!  Toss a few in salads, green smoothies, or cook them in a stir fry with other vegetables. 

Raw Radish and Cucumber Salad

Serves 2

1 cucumber, seeded and sliced into matchsticks

1 medium carrots, shredded

6 medium radishes, shredded

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon agave

3 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Add the cucumber, carrot, and radishes to a medium bowl.  Mix with the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, agave, and cilantro. Top with salt and pepper to taste and serve.