Raaaawwwwwktober Days 9 - 14

Wow - Where did the days go? Days 9 - 14.  Life got so busy and hectic, took me a while to post a new blog. Been so busy with studying and work. You could probably say I picked the worst time and the best time to do a 31 day raw challenge.  The best because I have so much extra energy and need less sleep on raw. I have found that the extra planning has well paid off for the extra energy and life balance I am experiencing. I am coping with stress and demands so much better "raw"! Love it! :)

Rawktober Day 9 - Sunday 9 October

It took me three days to make but was so worth it! Sunday night Raw Pizza to go with a Sunday night movie!

Breakfast

Kombucha

Green Smoothie: Spinach Bok Choy Celery Strawberries Bananas, Supergreens, Bee Pollen

Snack

Cranberry Ball

Lunch

Asian Salad with marinated mushrooms: ginger, garlic, nama shoyu, lime juice,sesame oil,  mushrooms, bok choy, snow peas, coriander

Snack
Apple

Dinner
Raw Pizza: BASE: Activated Macadamia Nuts, Chia Seeds, Garlic, Celtic Sea Salt, Nama shoyu, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, TOMATO SAUCE: Tomato, Chives, Roma Tomatoes Sundried Tomatoes Dates Red Pepper Parsley CHEEZE: Cashews Nutritional Yeast Celtic Sea Salt TOPPINGS Parsley, Green and Black Olives, Capsicum Spring Onions, Avacado, Chilli & Garlic infused oil.

Rawktober Day 10 - Monday 10 October

Breakfast

Kombucha Tea

Green Smoothie: Spinach Bok Choy Celery Strawberries Bananas, Supergreens, Bee Pollen

Snack
Strawberries and Dates

Lunch
Rawdolf Salad: macadamia nuts,garlic, parsley,lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, celtic sea salt, red apples, celery,walnuts

Dinner

Raw Pizza

Rawktober Day 11 - Tuesday 11 October

Breakfast

Kombucha Tea

Green Smoothie: Spinach Bok Choy Celery Strawberries Bananas, Supergreens, Bee Pollen

Snack
Raw Fries: Sweet potato, nama shoyu, celtic sea salt

Lunch
Raw Pizza

Dinner
Yummy Raw Bento Box at Real Foods Cafe

Rawktober Day 12 - Wednesday 12 October

Breakfast

Kombucha Tea

Green Smoothie: Spinach Bok Choy Celery Strawberries Bananas, Supergreens, Bee Pollen

Snack
  Mango and strawberries

Lunch
Sprouted Salad: Sprouted buckweat, quinoa and pearl barley, sweet potato, bok choy, snow peas,

Dinner
Raw Pizza, sprouted salad and rawdolf salad

Rawktober Day 13 - Thursday 13 October

Breakfast

Green Smoothie: mango, banana, spinach, bok choy, spirulina, bee pollen

Lunch

Sprouted Salad with mixed lettuce

Dinner

Raw Lasagne from Yongs Green Food - Brunswick St Fitzroy

Rawktober Day 14 - Friday 14 October

Breakfast

Green Smoothie: mango, banana, spinach, bok choy, spirulina, bee pollen 

Snack

Macadamia Nuts,  Orange and Dates

 Lunch 

Mex Salad: sweet corn, tomato, red capsicum, avacado, coriander, lime juice

Dinner: Mex Salad  loved this one so much I ate it for dinner too. Yum!!!!!

Love this song and this great band - James, Jo, Gus and Jeff are James McCann and The Dirty Skirts - Knowing Smile - such a classic!!!!! Yay!!!!!

 

 

Rawktober Days 6, 7 & 8

The much anticipated recipe for Raw Latte....

Rawtober Day 6 - Thursday 6 October

Breakfast
Kombucha Tea 
Green Smoothie: spinach, orange, cucumber, celery, coconut water, spirulina, bee pollen.

Snack
By day 6 I was so happy to make a latte which is great for anyone transitioning from coffee. :)

Raw Latte: I used Eridu Velvet Splash, which is a mixture of raw cacao powder, lucuma, mesquite, maca and himalayan salt - if you have these separate ingredients you could make this mix yourself, with coconut butter, raw honey ( if you are vegan you can use agave) and raw steeped chai tea.

Lunch
Avacado and Olive Dip with broccoli (Avacados, green olives, garlic, chilli, lime juice, eztra virgin olive oil, celtic sea salt, broccoli.

Snack
Coconut Yoghurt and strawberries

Dinner
Really Yummy!!! Stuffed Mushrooms ( mushrooms, garlic, rice wine vinegar, celtic sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, sundried tomatoes, activated pine nuts, basil)

Rawktober Day 7 - Fri 7 October


Breakfast
Kombucha Tea
Green Smoothie:spinach, orange, cucumber, celery, coconut water, spirulina, bee pollen.

Snack
Strawberries, kiwi fruit

Lunch 
Rainbow Pasta: beetroot, zuccini. carrot, mushrooms, activated pine nuts, basil sundried tomatoes, olives, celtic sea salt

Dinner
Avacado and Olive Dip with Vegie crudites, cucumber, celery, snow peas, capsicum


Rawktober Day 8 - Sat 8 October


Breakfast
Kombucha Tea
Green smoothie: spinach, orange, cucumber, celery, coconut water, spirulina, bee pollen.

Lunch 
Apples, bananas, dates

Dinner
Asian Salad with marinated mushrooms:  ginger, garlic, nama shoyu, lime juice, coconut sugar, cold pressed sesame oil, mushrooms, bok choy, snow peas, bean shoots, coriander, sesame seeds.

Coming up in the next few days - Sunday night raw pizza and Rawdolf Salad


Hope you rockin' out and enjoying Rawtober - my good friend Heath reminded me of this classic song recently - an oldie but a goodie - Husker- Du Don't Wanna Know If You Are Lonely:

Rawwwwwwwkkktober - Days 3, 4 & 5

Wow spring is well and truly in the air. It takes a bit of planning and some imagination and creative flair, but here I am at day 5 of my Rawktober Challenge and I'm feeling fantastic! I have heaps of energy and can't wait to share more of my rawkin' food ideas with you.

Here's what I have been eating in the last few days:

Day 3 - Monday 3 Rawktober

Very busy day today - was at work all day and also worked at an Industry Launch of an amazing new venue The GH Hotel (previously The Greyhound), so not home until very late which means I was well prepared the day before and just stuck to simple meals.

BREAKFAST

Kombucha Tea

Green Smoothie: Spinach, Celery, Kiwi Fruit, Bananas, Supegreens, Bee Pollen

SNACK:

Store bought SuperOrb - Cranberry: Cranberries, Raw Cacao Powder, Cononut Butter, Shredded Coconut, Raw Almonds, Cacao Butter, Agave, Chia Seeds, Tahini

LUNCH:

Flax/Chia Crackers, Sprouted Hommus, Snow Peas, Carrots, Celery

SNACK

Watermelon, White Wine

LATE DINNER

Green Smoothie: Spinach, Celery, Kiwi Fruit, Bananas, Supegreens, Bee Pollen

Day 4 - Tuesday 4 Rawktober

BREAKFAST

Kombucha Tea

Green Smoothie: Spinach, Celery, Kiwi Fruit, Bananas, Supegreens, Bee Pollen

SNACK

Nudie coconyt water with Pineapple Orange and Passionfruit

LUNCH

Flax/Chia Crackers with Sprouted Hommus, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber

SNACK

Dates

DINNER

Lettuce Cups with Lemon Basil Gremolata: Lettuce cups, green capsicum, red capsicum, cucumber, garlic, chilli, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, celtic sea salt, activated pine nuts

Day 5 Wednesday 5 Rawtober

BREAKFAST

Kombucha Tea

Green Smoothie: spinach, oranges, cucumber, celery, coconut water, super greens, bee pollen

SNACK

Kiwi Fruit

LUNCH

Salad: Lettuce, green capsicum, red capsicum, cucumber, garlic, chilli, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, celtic sea salt, activated pine nuts

DINNER

Thai Chilli Peanut Salad: Spring Onion, Organic Raw Coconut Sugar, Rice Wine Vinegar, Chilli, Garlic, Coriander, Nut Butter, Green Beans, Cucumber, Bean Shoots, Celtic Sea Salt

I'm still hatching up a plan to make a "raw latte" to replace my morning soy latte coffee - I promise I will do this very soon when I have a leisurely morning at hand. Have been rushing to work in the mornings and green smoothies have been my morning rush hero - they only take 5 mins to make and I can drink them on the run.

My music clip for this blog is inspired by Monday nights Industry launch of the amazing new venue the GH Hotel where Steve Kilbey (The Church) performed a wicked Version of "Under The Milky Way", whereby he stuck it to the music industry. This isn't it but still a great live performance of a classic Aussie song sung by a brilliant shining Aussie star:

Rawktober Day 1 & 2

Welcome to Raaaaawwwwktober. I am taking up the challenge to be vegan, organic and raw for 31 days this month and I expect by the end of it I will be Rawkin!!! :)


I will try and document as much as I can on this journey and include details of what I eat with the odd photos and videos. I did attempt to make my first video today, making banana passionfruit yoghurt but sadly it didn't work out. All part of the learning process I'm sure I will get a video up here very soon.

So far so good at day two I have found that things aren't quite so different from my normal eating habits which confirms for me that I was almost raw anyway. The only thing I have found challenging is my morning soy latte but I think I have found a great substitiute for that today. As soon as I test it our I will share the secret with you.

If you have any questions or want recipes let me know. All foods are Organic.

Here's what I have been eating so far:

Day One - Sat 1st Rawktober

Breakfast

Kombucha Tea 

 

Green Smoothie (spinach, celery, kiwifruit, banana, supergreens, bee pollen)

 

Dates 

 

Snack

Lemon Ginger Steeped Tea

Raw Chocolate Brownie (walnuts, dates, raw cacao, avacado, honey, vanilla sea salt, cinnamon)

 

 

 

Lunch

Flax/Chia Crackers

Sprouted Raw Hummus (sprouted chick peas, garlic, lemon juice, raw unhulled tahini, sea salt)

Vegetable Crudites (celery, carrot, snow peas, cucumber)

 

Dinner

Salad (lettuce, sweet corn, cabbage, broccoli, cucumber, carrots, spring onion, olive oil, lemon juice, celtic sea salt)

Raw fruit and nuts

Day Two Sun 2nd Rawtober

Breakfast:

Kombucha Tea

Green Smoothie (spinach, celery, kiwifruit, banana, supergreens, bee pollen)

Dates 

 

Snack

Flax/Chia Crackers

Sprouted Raw Hummus (sprouted chick peas, garlic, lemon juice, raw unhulled tahini, sea salt)

Vegetable Crudites (celery, carrot, snow peas, cucumber)

 

Lunch

Strawberries

Yoghurt (coconut water and flesh, vanilla pod, banana, passionfruit, probiotics)

Dinner

Salad (asparagus, broccoli, snow peas, nama shoyu, garlic, chilli, sesame oil, celtic sea salt, garlic chives, basil, sesame seeds)

Raw fruit and nuts

Hope you are inspired by some of my raw ideas and add some to your daily plan! Before we go rock out to my best friend Kes O'Hara - she'll be playing gigs around Melbourne so if you wanna come and check her out let me know and I'll hook you up :)

Alaklising Explained - The Dynamite Beauty Secret that keeps me rockin'

The ultimate secret to health, beauty and youthfulness and fortunately the best effect of a raw vegan diet is the alkalisation of the body. Raw Greens are the TNT that make the body more alkaline (also see Green Smoothie Previous Blog)

I will attempt to explain simply why alkalising the body is the best beauty gift you could ever give yourself. Stop torturing yourself, throw away the scales lose weight, become youthful and beautiful and rid your body of cancerous environments.

In 1931 (Over 80 years ago!!!) Otto Warburg was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery that cancer is caused be weakened cell respiration due to a lack of oxygen at the cellular level. Damaged cell respiration causes fermentation, resulting in low pH (acidity) at the cellular level.

A normal healthy cell undergoes an adverse change when it can no longer take in oxygen to convert glucose into energy. In the absence of oxygen, the cell reverts to a primal nutritional program to nourish itself by converting glucose through the process of fermentation. The lactic acid produced by the fermentation lowers the cell pH (acid/alkaline balance) and destroys the ability of DNA and RNA to control cell division. The lactic acid simultaneously causes severe local pain as it destroys cell enzymes, Cancer appears as a rapidly growing external cell covering, with a core of dead cells.

Dr Otto Warburg finished one of his most famous speeches with the following statement: "...nobody today can say that one does not know what cancer and its prime cause is. On the contrary, there is no disease whose prime cause is better known so that today ignorance is no longer an excuse that one cannot do more about prevention."

Otto Warburg won the  Nobel Prize for showing that cancer thrives in anaerobic ( without oxygen), or acidic conditions. In other words, the main cause for cancer is the acidity of the human body.


So why doesn'y everybody know what pH is?

I don't remember a doctor ever measuring my pH!

It makes great sense to me that we should be conscious of the pH levels of foods and that all foods sold to the public should include, by law,  pH levels on labelling, together with kilojules and nutritional information.

For eg Parmesan cheese should have a big red warning label with a pH sign saying it is extremely acid forming -34! While spinach may have a gold medal sign with a gorgeous alkalising pH level of +13. Some foods are suprisingly alkaline or acidic, for example, most people are amazed to learn that lemons are one of the most alkalising fruits while pistachio nuts are heavily acidifying. Many people's health could be instantly improved by consuming alkalising foods, below is a sample list.

Healthy Alkaline Foods - Eat lots of them! Vegetables Alfalfa Grass +29.3 Asparagus +1.3 Barley Grass +28.1 Brussels Sprouts +0.5 Cabbage Lettuce, Fresh +14.1 Cauliflower +3.1 Cayenne Pepper +18.8 Celery +13.3 Chives +8.3 Comfrey +1.5 Cucumber, Fresh +31.5 Dandelion +22.7 Dog Grass +22.6 Endive, Fresh +14.5 French Cut Green Beans +11.2 Garlic +13.2 Green Cabbage +4.0 Kamut Grass +27.6 Lamb's Lettuce +4.8 Leeks (Bulbs) +7.2 Lettuce +2.2 Onion +3.0 Peas, Fresh +5.1 Peas, Ripe +0.5 Red Cabbage +6.3 Rhubarb Stalks +6.3 Savoy Cabbage +4.5 Shave Grass +21.7 Sorrel +11.5 Soy Sprouts +29.5 Spinach  +13.1 Sprouted Chia Seeds +28.5 Sprouted Radish Seeds +28.4 Straw Grass +21.4 Watercress +7.7 Wheat Grass +33.8 White Cabbage +3.3 Zucchini +5.7 Root Vegetables Beet +11.3 Carrot +9.5 Horseradish +6.8 Kohlrabi +5.1 Potatoes +2.0 Red Radish +16.7 Rutabaga +3.1 Summer Black Radish +39.4 Turnip +8.0 White Radish (Spring) +3.1 Fruits Avocado (Protein) +15.6 Fresh Lemon +9.9 Limes +8.2 Tomato +13.6 Non-Stored Organic Grains And Legumes Buckwheat Groats +0.5 Granulated Soy (Cooked Ground Soy Beans) +12.8 Lentils +0.6 Lima Beans +12.0 Soy Flour +2.5 Soy Lecithin (Pure) +38.0 Soy Nuts (soaked Soy Beans, Then Air Dried) +26.5 Soybeans, Fresh +12.0 Spelt +0.5 Tofu +3.2 White Beans (Navy Beans) +12.1 Nuts Almonds +3.6 Brazil Nuts +0.5 Seeds Caraway Seeds +2.3 Cumin Seeds +1.1 Fennel Seeds +1.3 Flax Seeds +1.3 Pumpkin Seeds +5.6 Sesame Seeds +0.5 Sunflower Seeds +5.4 Wheat Kernel +11.4 Fats (Fresh, Cold-Pressed Oils) Borage Oil +3.2 Evening Primrose Oil +4.1 Flax Seed Oil +3.5 Marine Lipids +4.7 Olive Oil +1.0

Foods you should only consume moderately Fruits (In Season, For Cleansing Only Or With Moderation) Apricot -9.5 Bananna, Ripe -10.1 Bananna, Unripe +4.8 Black Currant -6.1 Blueberry -5.3 Cantaloupe -2.5 Cherry, Sour +3.5 Cherry, Sweet -3.6 Coconut, Fresh +0.5 Cranberry -7.0 Currant -8.2 Date -4.7 Fig Juice Powder -2.4 Gooseberry, Ripe -7.7 Grape, Ripe -7.6 Grapefruit -1.7 Italian Plum -4.9 Mandarin Orange -11.5 Mango -8.7 Orange -9.2 Papaya -9.4 Peach -9.7 Pear -9.9 Pineapple -12.6 Rasberry -5.1 Red Currant -2.4 Rose Hips -15.5 Strawberry -5.4 Tangerine -8.5 Watermelon -1.0 Yellow Plum -4.9 Non-Stored Grains Brown Rice -12.5 Wheat -10.1 Nuts Hazelnuts -2.0 Macadamia Nuts -3.2 Walnuts -8.0 Fish Fresh Water Fish -11.8 Fats Coconut Milk -1.5 Sunflower Oil -6.7

Unhealthy Acidic Foods - Try to avoid them! Meat, Poultry, And Fish Beef -34.5 Chicken (to -22) -18.0 Eggs (to -22) Liver -3.0 Ocean Fish -20.0 Organ Meats -3.0 Oysters -5.0 Pork -38.0 Veal -35.0 Milk And Milk Products Buttermilk +1.3 Cream -3.9 Hard Cheese -18.1 Homogenized Milk -1.0 Quark -17.3 Bread, Biscuits (Stored Grains/Risen Dough) Rye Bread -2.5 White Biscuit -6.5 White Bread -10.0 Whole-Grain Bread -4.5 Whole-Meal Bread -6.5 Nuts Cashews -9.3 Peanuts -12.8 Pistachios -16.6 Fats Butter -3.9 Corn Oil -6.5 Margarine -7.5 Sweets Artificial Sweetners -26.5 Barley Malt Syrup -9.3 Beet Sugar -15.1 Brown Rice Syrup -8.7 Chocolate -24.6 Dr. Bronner's Barley Dried Sugar Cane Juice -18.0 Fructose -9.5 Honey -7.6 Malt Sweetner -9.8 Milk Sugar -9.4 Molasses -14.6 Turbinado Sugar -9.5 White Sugar -17.6 Condiments Ketchup -12.4 Mayonaise -12.5 Mustard -19.2 Soy Sauce -36.2 Vinegar -39.4 Beverages Beer -26.8 Coffee -25.1 Fruit Juice Sweetened Fruit Juice, Packaged, Natural -8.7 Liquor -38.7 Tea (Black) -27.1 Wine -16.4 Miscellaneous Canned Foods Microwaved Foods Processed Foods

 Fats as the main contributor to weight gain is a popular delusion amongst dieters. The misconception leads to massive confusion and explains why so many overweight people are not succeeding in losing weight.

News alert - you will gain weight from eating, say, cheese not only because it's rich in fat, but mostly due to its high acidity level. This is because the body has to create fat cells to store the acid.

For eg almonds have 70% fat and pork has only 58%. However pork has one of the highest acidity values, -38, while almonds are alkaline +3.6.

Food is not the only factor to effect our pH balance - stress can leave acidic residues in our body. I have noticed how much calmer and peaceful I am since I have become a vegan. I truly believe that when you consume animal flesh you are consuming all the stress and lactic acid produced from fear of the animal at slaughter. As I have alkalised my body and lost weight I have not only released the stored acids but also past stresses and traumas, negative emotions such as anxiety and depression. A Maori healer recently told me that when you heal your body you also heal your ancestors.

Paying bills, having a mortgage, arguing, driving like a maniac, not getting enough sleep and other negative stressful environments can make our body more acidic. Walking in nature, listening to music, talking with loved ones, spending time with animals, swimming in a lake or the ocean are activities that make our bodies more alkaline.

I got most of my information for this blog from a great book called Green For Life - let me know if you want to read it. Enjoy the green smoothies and cheers to a alkalising for a better world.

Great News - Coconuts are back

What a great day in Melbourne! The sun is shining and Coconuts are back in town! I have been looking out for my little darlings for weeks there has been no supply but they are back I missed them so much. As soon as I got home my backpack full of coconuts I made a yummy raw coconut chocolate smoothie - coconut water and flesh, raw organic cacao powder, macca,  blueberries. Now i feel all shiny and sparkling just like the gorgeous sun. Best hangover cure you will ever find because coconut water is  the ultimate in hydration. Forget about those sports drinks full of nasties. I can't wait to spend all day tommorrow making decadent coconut icecream - sugar free, dairy fee icecream rocks my world.

The ones I get are from Thailand and they cost about $3 in the supermarket - wouldn't it be great if we could get Australian ones sent down form the North - I hear the councils treat them as rubbish and dump then in landfill which is horrific. Another way that our governemts continue to support the dairy industry. The best coconuts I ever had was in Mexico - a little cart on every beach - perfect hydration in the hot Mexican sun.

Contrary to popular opinion Coconut Water can help in weight loss and also has endless other health benefits, check out the list below! Is there anything a coconut can't do? A coconut a day will keep the doctor away. I love sexy coconuts and I can't tell you how happy I am that they are back in town - get your nut on!

• Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses.
• Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
• Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.
• Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
• Provides a nutritional source of quick energy.
• Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.
• Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
• Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
• Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
• Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
• Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
• Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
• Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.
• Helps protect against osteoporosis.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
• Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.
• Improves digestion and bowel function.
• Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
• Reduces inflammation.
• Supports tissue healing and repair.
• Supports and aids immune system function.
• Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
• Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.
• Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.
• Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
• Functions as a protective antioxidant.
• Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.
• Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
• Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).
• Reduces epileptic seizures.
• Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
• Dissolves kidney stones.
• Helps prevent liver disease.
• Is lower in calories than all other fats.
• Supports thyroid function.
• Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
• Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.
• Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.
• Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.
• Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
• Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.
• Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
• Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
• Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.
• Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
• Helps control dandruff.
• Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.
• Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.
• Is completely non-toxic to humans.

Keep On Rockin with Green Smoothies

Most of us don't manage to get enough leafy greens in our diet. Can you imagine trying to eat a whole bunch of spinach in one salad! Green smoothies are fast becoming the hero of my diet and keep me rockin.

More than half of all the food I’ve had in last few weeks have been green smoothies. I have so much more energy and clarity and less cravings for starchy foods, alcohol and other nasties. In fact I am suddenly not drinking coffee - which is such a suprise and a blessing. I am now craving more fresh greens and when I went out on the bike with Jack yesterday I was salivating looking at all the beautiful green grass - crazy huh?

What do I mean by green smoothie? Here is one of my favorite recipes: 1 bunch spinach, Carrot Tops, Celery, Beetroot Leaves, 1 banana, handful blueberries, 1 apple or pear and water, spirulina Macca Powder and bee pollen. Blended well - high speed blender like a Vitamix is best. This smoothie looks very green, but it tastes sweet and delicious like fruit.

You can use any leafy green vegetable - silverbeet, parsley and any fruits mango, berries, - I always find banana is the best for adding sweetness to the greens - I try and have a ratio 0f 80% green to 20% fruits.

You can add anything else you want. I add spirulina for an extra boost of cholorophyll, berries for anti oxidants, Macca a great hormonal balancer for women and bee pollen is a great source of protein and a natural antibiotic. Chia seeds are also great for an extra protein/fibre boost.

Why are Green Smoothies so good?

FIBRE
Green smoothies are easy to digest. When blended well, most of the cells in the greens and fruits are ruptured, making the valuable nutrients easy for the body to assimilate. Green smoothies literally start to get absorbed in your mouth.
Green smoothies, as opposed to juices, are a complete food because they still have fiber. Consuming fiber is important for our elimination system. If the sewer ain't working to get rid of all the dead cells and toxins then the body can get clogged up with all the shit. Fibre is the magic sponge raft that absorbs and carries all the crap away - literally. If it hasn't moved through me within 12 hours - I start to worry!


HOMEOSTASIS
The extraordinary ability for the human body to repair itself. Homeostasis is the physiological process that keeps all substances in the body at the level necessary for optimal health. Optimal Homeostasis depends upon the performance of the endocrine system. The glands of the endocrine system and the hormones they secrete influence every cell, organ and function in our body. These hormones regulate mood, growth and development, tissue function, metabolism, sexual function and reproduction.  If the glands do not secrete the proper amounts of hormones, homeostatic balance in the body can shift and disease can start.  Greens provide all the essential nutrients, including vitamins, amino acids, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, minerals and trace elements critical for good health and Voila! - If the endocrine system is secreting the correct hormones to provide homeostasis then the body can heal itself of any ailments. Goodbye Period Pain!



ALKALISE

Do you ever get foggy thinking during the day, have aches pains, are noticing the signs of accelerated ageing? Lacking energy, craving sugars or carbohydrates and caffeine stimulants and generally running on empty.
Being over acidic leads to increased discomfort in the body and eventually to nasty diseases like cancer :(

The body’s natural metabolic processes produce acidic waste. This cellular waste needs to be neutralized in order to be safely eliminated without damaging tissues of the glands and organs responsible for detoxifying the body. Acidity encourages decomposition, decay, disease and energy loss. Most of us maintain high acidity because of “acid-causing” lifestyle characteristics that include, but are not limited to, diet, stress and a toxic environment. Prolonged pH imbalance decreases the body’s ability to absorb protein, minerals and other nutrients, decreases energy production in the cells, decreases the body’s ability to repair damaged cells and detoxify heavy metals.

Foods that contribute to an acidic level are meats, white rice, cheese, coffee, alcohol, pasta, breads, sugar and chocolate. Foods that help reduce acid levels are vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. You need about 70% diet of alkaline foods to maintain your ph balance. 

CHLOROPHYLL

Liquid sunshine! A molecule of chlorophyll closely resembles a molecule of human blood. Chlorophyll is a miraculous healer it works hard to cleanse all our organs and destroy internal enemies, like pathogenic bacteria, fungus and cancer cells and many others


I could bang on forever about green smoothies and I would advise anybody for any reason to give it a go to prevent, heal and make life happier.

Green smoothies are easy to make, and quick to clean up after. To prepare a green smoothie takes less than 5 minutes, including cleaning. Green smoothies have proven to be loved by children of all ages, including babies of six or more months old. Of course you have to be careful and slowly increase the amount of smoothies to avoid food allergies.

When you consume your greens in the form of green smoothies, you can greatly reduce the consumption of oils and salt in your diet and lose weight.

 Regular consumption of green smoothies forms a good habit of eating greens. After a few weeks of drinking green smoothies, most people start to crave and enjoy eating more greens. Eating enough greens is often a problem with many people, especially children.

While fresh is always best, green smoothies will keep in cool temperatures for up to three days, which can be handy at work and while traveling.

Start playing with green smoothies, send me your recipes. I was playing this fantastic new album from Electric Mary  Long Time Coming with bonus DVD Live at The Gaelic Club Sydney -  rockin out while I made my smoothie today.

I got most of my info and you may find many more amazing facts about green smoothies in Victoria Boutenko’s book, Green for Life.