GLOW Green Juice

Juicing is a quick and effective way to help alkalize the body and infuse the cells with a high dose of phytonutrients, helping your skin to 'glow'! 

Nutritional Bites

Did you know your skin is the largest organ of the body and cleanses over a pound of toxins per day! All the GLOW Green Juice ingredients support beautiful skin, i.e., dandelion leaves help with liver detoxification which directly impacts the skin health, whilst celery contains silica, a trace mineral that strengthens the body's connective tissues.  

Ingredients

1 apple or pear
¼ of a cucumber
½ organic lemon (including the rind)
Thumb-size piece of ginger
3 Lacinato (dinosaur) kale leaves
Small fist full of dandelion stalks
4 sticks of celery (no leaves as have a very bitter taste!)

Let's Juice!

1. Juice the apple, cucumber, lemon and ginger first, then follow up with the other veggies. I like leaving the celery till last as I find it cleans out any remaining veggie pieces that may be stuck in the tube.

2. Drink up and get ready to 'glow'!

Quinoa & Kale Super Salad

COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES    SERVES: 6 AS A SIDE DISH 

I love making this salad a day ahead so that the delicious flavours can deepen with a little extra time in the fridge. I bring it out about 1 hour before serving so it comes  to room temperature - too cold and it can be tasteless!

NUTRITIONAL BITES

Quinoa (pronounced 'keen-no-wah') and kale are both fabulous antioxidant foods that help reduce inflammation and combat cancer.  Not to mention that quinoa is gluten free which is really helpful when you have gluten free guests popping over for a quIck bite.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoons organic coconut oil , divided (I would avoid using extra virgin olive oil as it is too delicate for heating)
1 small onion, minced
2 cups white quinoa, rinsed
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups chopped kale (about 12 ounces)
1 cup of chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
1 tablespoon of carrots, slivered (I use a potato peeler) 
1/2 cup of raisins 
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese - omit if going dairy free 

DRESSING
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons of olive oil 
Celtic sea salt and black pepper

LET'S COOK!

1. In a medium saucepan, heat just 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 5 minutes

2. Add the quinoa and sauté, stirring, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the water and the kale, bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and pop a lid on

3. Cook until all the water has been absorbed which I find usually takes 15 to 18 minutes - you can see the little quinoa 'tails' appear

4. Meanwhile it's time to make the dressing and, to keep it simple, I like to use a small mason jar. Pour the lemon juice and mustard in first, pop the lid on and shake. Next add in salt and pepper and the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and shake enthusiastically to emulsify the dressing - I enjoy this 'lymphatic' workout!

5. Add in the chickpeas, raisins and pine nuts, drizzle the dressing over the cooled quinoa and ideally, cover and chill completely for 2 or 3 hours.

6. Before serving, use a fork to fluff up the salad and break up any clumps and then arrange on a large platter or serving dish. f you are not going dairy free, shave some parmesan cheese over the top and you are ready to serve

The Green Goddess Detox Juice

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES   SERVES: 1 (6/8 ounces)

Every morning, before I get into the minutia of my day, I open up the fridge and start grabbing greens and carrying them over to my juicer. Just 15 minutes of light labour produces an alkaline, antioxidant delight that starts my day off right.  Get into the habit of juicing every morning and your body will reward you with energy, vitality and a sense of wellbeing.  If you are new to juicing, this combination of the earth's bounty has a lovely clean, light taste. 

NUTRITIONAL BITES

Juicing is a quick and effective way to help alkalize the body & infuse the cells with a high dose of phytonutrients. However since juicing removes all fibre,  it is important to eat two to three cups of raw vegetables daily to ensure your body gets the fibre it needs and deserves! If you can use organic produce when you juice, you will be shielding your body from a slew of chemicals and that has to feel good. 

Ingredients

4 sticks of celery
1/4 of a cucumber
3 Lacinato (dinosaur)  kale leaves
1 apple
1/2 lemon (including the rind)

Let's Juice!

Simply blend all raw veggies together and drink immediately! If you can put your mouth under the spout as the juice comes out, even better. :)

Sweet Maple Cashew Cream

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES   BLEND TIME: 3 MINUTES   SERVES 6 as a side 

Nutritional Bites

Cashews are a wonderful choice for our heart health as they are low in unsaturated fat.

Although maple syrup is a natural sweetener and should only be eaten sparingly, it is high in the minerals zinc and manganese that support our immune system, so there are minor health benefits to cheer about!

Ingredients

I cup soaked organic raw cashews (soak for about 4 hrs or overnight, drain and rinse before using)
1 - 2 tablespoons of water or almond milk
2 teaspoons maple syrup or to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Celtic grey sea salt
Cinnamon to sprinkle like fairy dust on top!

Let's Blend

1. Drain and rinse the cashews and pop them into a blender or food processor.

2. Add just 1 tablespoon of water (or almond milk), plus all the other ingredients and blend together.

3. If you find the mixture is too stiff, add more water (or almond milk) - a tiny bit at a time until you reach the right consistency - you don't want to end up with a soup. It should be like double cream – sorry, that’s English cream – I mean, Canadian whipped cream! Taste it and see if it is sweet enough for you - maybe a tad more maple syrup? If not, you have just created your own sweet cashew cream! Sprinkle a little cinnamon on the top and then you’d better give yourself a helping before you hand it around, as there won’t be any left.

Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup

PREP TIME: 20 minutes     COOK TIME: 35 minutes     SERVES: 4 

As soon as Autumn comes knocking, out comes my Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup. It always hits the spot with its satisfying and earthy flavors. If you are a mushroom fan but not a dairy fan, this soup is for you; the brown rice adds a thickness and smoothness that easily replaces the cream and makes the soup more alkaline and nourishing. Also there's no need to spend too much time dicing and slicing as everything is going into the blender  = more time for you! 

Nutritional Bites

Selenium, a key mineral found in crimini mushrooms plays a vital role in the health of our thyroid gland (small gland at the base of our neck). Thyroid hormone production affects many area of our lives, to name a few - weight, sleep, sex drive and how fast our heart beats.  Making sure our daily selenium requirement is met is especially important right after pregnancy and after menopause when thyroid issues tend to be more prevalent. 

ingredients

1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) OR coconut oil
4 shallots, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
All the stalks of a bunch of parsley/cilantro, roughly chopped
10 ounces crimini mushrooms, roughly sliced
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, rough stalk ends removed, roughly sliced
1/3 cup short grain brown rice
5 cups vegetable, chicken stock or water (filtered) 
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Celtic sea salt and black pepper to taste
Parsley for garnish

Let's Cook!

1. Melt the ghee or coconut oil in a medium size saucepan, then add the shallots and saute for 5 minutes, until they are soft

2. Next, add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, then increase the heat and add the parsley/cilantro stalks, the crimini and shiitake mushrooms, stirring frequently

3. When the mushrooms start to soften, add the stock or water, brown rice, sea salt and pepper

4. Bring to the boil, and reduce the heat, simmering for 34-40 minutes or until the rice is tender

5. Take the soup off the heat and let it cool down before blending. I like to keep a 1/2 cup to the side so that once everything is blended up, I add it back in to give the soup some texture and a few juicy mushrooms pieces.

6. Just before serving, squeeze some lemon juice into the soup and this will really brighten it up. You can garnish with parsley at this point.

Note: If you want to serve this soup (which I do, often) as a dinner party starter, forget the lemon and drizzle some truffle oil over the top. It's a beautiful flavour combination and offers a sophisticated touch. (Dairy lovers may also like to sprinkle over some parmesan cheese.)