Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Empire State Juice :-)

Thanksgiving’s just around the corner, and this year I’m hosting the biggest gathering ever.  Eighteen are confirmed, maybe a few more, and it would be but a dream to say that every one of them would be down for a non-traditional, raw vegan Thanksgiving.

Yet the guests are well aware they won’t expect to find a turkey on the table, and I’m thankful for that open-mindedness.  I respect that they are still willing to compromise a carnivorous tradition to spend the holiday here in our home, in the spirit of togetherness.  Thanksgiving will be as it always has been, as is our everyday kitchen, vegetarian.

The menu’s almost finalized, and the spread will be magnificent and plenty! So in anticipation of that, I’ve decided to “rev down” my appetite, rather than the other way around. While we can all use a daily tall green juice, I’m revving it UP to keep my eyes no bigger than my stomach next week. Indulgence is synonymous with the holidays, but I don’t think it has to be.  I’ve made a conscious decision to preserve my energy to serve my guests, and the very busy schedule before me that will continue on through the New Year.

Typically I’m not big into juice cleanses or “feasts”.  Just the mental anticipation alone of setting up for all-juice-or-nothing, for any period of time, doesn’t resonate with my comfort zone.  This isn’t to be confused with me not being all for supplemental juicing, I am absolutely.  If juicing is to go on for any length, I prefer the graduation method (such as 1 to 2 large servings of green juice per day making up 2/3 of the day’s food intake). It gives my body a chance to adjust with greater success of 100% juice thereafter (again, only for a short time for me!).

I started the week by filling these lovely Smeraldina glass water bottles I’ve recycled with some high-octane green juice. Each bottle holds a perfect 32 ounces.  Yesterday I had one, today I’ve had two. If I’m feeling up to it, I might have three of them tomorrow. I think I’m just as excited about putting this case of water bottles to use.

I haven’t changed up the juice recipe much.  This particular blend, which I’ve called “Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink (cause it’s pretty loaded) Empire State Juice” (cause it’s in this nice tall pretty bottle) is a great balance of lightly sweet, tart, and aromatic.  As long as it’s yummy and doesn’t make me nauseous as green juice sometimes tends to do, I won’t change a thing.

3 Granny Smith Apples
1 big bunch green curly kale
1 English cucumber
1 fennel bulb
4 large celery stalks
1/2 head romaine lettuce
1 lemon
1 inch ginger knob
handful of mint
2 tbs primrose-flax oil (or oil of choice)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

<3, JMK

{ One of the many juice bars at the historic Marcat de la Boqueria in Barcelona, Spain }

Here on day two, I’m not feeling any different.  I’ve had no big “releases”, and my body has already adjusted well to the all-liquid intake.  It’s good to give the digestive system a break, and I find that once you get over the initial discomfort of not having a solid meal to chew on, your body welcomes the break.

So today I began with a 14 ounce delicious, creamy, easy green piña colada.  Just take about 3/4 cup fresh pineapple, a big handful of spinach, 2 heaping spoonfuls of coconut butter (I LOVE Artisana brand),  8 to 10 ounces of cashew or vanilla milk, 1 vanilla bean, a squirt of agave, and a pinch of sea salt and throw it all into your Vita-Mix or blender and blend well. Soooo good!

Next up for lunch, 14 ounces of apple, baby beet, spinach, ginger, and flax seed oil, plus a few ounces extra for snacking on later.  Later in the afternoon, I had a 2 ounce shot of E3Live followed by a 10 ounce coconut water chaser.

By the time 7:00 pm rolled around, I was a tad hungry, but not too ravenous.  All I had consumed during the day seemed to stick around a good while.  That’s a very good thing when your family members have been in the kitchen cooking, and all those smells dance under your nose!

I came up with a green Tom Kha soup concoction, which was pretty darn good – very rich and filling!  I blended until warm coconut meat, a fennel bulb, one small leek, coconut oil, olive oil, kaffir lime leaves, lime juice, garlic, ginger, water, and a pinch of cayenne and sea salt.

I had a little craving for something sweet around 10:00, so I made a warm “hot chocolate” from cashew milk and cocoa powder.

Not to forget plenty of water between all the liquid meals!  And then I fell asleep easily and content….

<3, JMK

{ How did my apple, baby beet, spinach, and flax seed oil juice turn out looking like green beer? The head was so thick it was like beaten egg whites. Maybe I've just got a mean wrist when using a whisk...}

Ok, so day one had some minor challenges.  I’m not complaining or beating myself up, though.  My decision to cleanse was rather spontaneous and I didn’t lay out a hard-core outline or juicing menu.  In fact I praise myself for getting better and better at just being present.  Whatever strikes me in the moment…have at it!

I’m quite used to having juice for breakfast, even for lunch.  But once the late afternoon into evening rolls around, I begin to get ravenous.  I decided it would be wise to lay off heavy cardio for these few days so I don’t go into carb-craving madness.  A very wise decision, indeed.

My first liquid meal of the day was a 12 ounce apple, carrot, spinach, lemon, ginger, and flax seed oil juice.  For lunch, 10 ounces of fennel, cucumber, parsley, lemon, and cayenne. And then things weren’t sticking to my ribs so well.  By 3:00 pm I was starving, so I chugged 8 ounces of coconut water. Contrary to what it seems, coconut “water” is actually substantial and will hold over a growling stomach.

I waited until 4:30 to prepare 12 ounces of a very rich strawberry shake made with almond butter and coconut to fill me up before the family headed out to pick up my daughter from the airport.  I’d anticipated we’d be dining out in celebration of her return home from a month of summer vacation.  And sure enough, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza – there we went!

The smell of pizza was enough to make me start gnawing on my wrist, but thankfully I was still somewhat full from the strawberry shake.  Since it’s not fun watching and listening to everyone else praise their amazing pizza, I indulged in a modest portion of salad and one giant plate of broccoli rabe (sans the sausage).

Oh, and water.  Water, water, water…all in between juices and beyond.  I probably had about 32 to 48 ounces cumulatively.

All in all, even though it wasn’t a 100% juice day, it was definitely a 110% immensely nourishing day!  I think having a bit of fiber there at the end could be more of an assist than an obstacle.

And tomorrow’s another day….

<3, JMK

{ raw vegan, gluten-free }

It’s only mid-May, but I’m already tasting summer.  Surely it’s evident in Central Florida’s recent days of sweltering heat.  However, I’m talking about the seasonal treats making their debuts in the marketplaces around here.  Like crisp, cool watermelon; juicy heirloom tomatoes in all their glorious shapes and vibrant color spectrum (whomever coined them “ugly” was a fool); and last but certainly not least – sweet, succulent CHERRIES.

They have a pretty short growing season, so they need to be celebrated while they’re with us.  And cherries have MUCH to be celebrated! Gobble ‘em down while you can, from now until about late August (in North America).

Cherries are chocked full of a very important pigment called anthocyanin.  Anthocyanin gives them their rich, red color, indicating that they’re oozing with antioxidants.  Interestingly enough, it’s this antioxidant benefit produced by the anthocyanin that not only counters those icky free-radicals, it’s like eating your sunscreen and protects against ultraviolet radiation.  Just like it gaurds the flesh of these little gems, eating them will help protect yours, too.

If the whole antioxidant thing weren’t neat enough, anthocyanins also contain melatonin, a horomone typically produced from our brain’s pineal gland that helps regulate our sleep cycle.  They are also natural pain relievers, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and load a big gun for aiding with weight loss.  Because of anthocyanins’  anti-inflammatory properties, loading up on some cherries can help shrink fat cells and lower cholesterol levels (provided you aren’t washing them down with a quarter-pounder with cheese).

As an added bonus, cherries are high in vitamin C, fiber, beta-carotene (nearly 20 times more than blueberries or strawberries, in fact), potassium, magnesium, iron, and folate.  Bottom line…cherries ROCK.

And by the way, in no remote stretch does anything I just said pertain to those syrupy, overly-processed maraschino cherries in the jar that you use to make your Shirley Temple.  Those should be totally avoided like the plague, unless you want to replace all the aforementioned nutritional fabulosities with sulphur dioxide brine (a bleaching agent), calcium or lime by-products, artificial dyes, flavorings, and high-fructose corn syrup.  Eeu.

Simple Cherry Chocolate Shake

1 1/2 cups fresh-frozen pitted cherries
1 1/4 cups almond milk
1 vanilla bean
1 tbs agave
pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients into Vita-Mix or blender until smooth.  Add less almond milk for a thicker shake.  Spoon over desired amount of chocolate sauce.

Chocolate sauce:

1/2 cup cacao nibs
1/2 cup agave
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until very smooth.

<3, JMK

(raw vegan, gluten free)

There’s nothing like the taste and refreshment of a sweet summer watermelon, except maybe freezing and blending it up!  Luscious watermelons are literally all over the place right now – in the grocery stores, at farmer’s markets, on the side of the road.  We’ve been buying more and more nearly every time we go out for anything, so I’ve been chopping ‘em up and storing them in the freezer.

This cooler concoction came out even better than I’d hoped. While lending their enormous nutrient and antioxidant power, chia seeds and their gel help to keep it thick as the watermelon melts (which it does fast after it’s been slushed).  The little seeds freeze up and create a subtle, crunchy, beady texture.  This would also make a great daquiri or cocktail base!

Serves 2-4.

1 1/2 lbs frozen watermelon cut into chunks
1/4 cup chia seeds with gel (soaked for 3-4 hours)
2 tbs chopped fresh mint
1 tbs coconut butter
1 vanilla bean, scraped
2 tbs agave nectar
juice of one lime
pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix or blender until slushy. Serve immediately.

<3, JMK