April 2017 - Journey With Healthy Me

Madras Curried Lentils

I’m sharing my favorite plant based recipe tonight. This flavorful but not too spicy curry is the perfect make ahead meal that simmers in the crockpot all day. The tantalizing aroma makes me smile in anticipation!

Lentils, with 25 grams of protein per cup, are great for plant based diets. Inexpensive and easy to prepare, lentils have become one of my staples. This easy to prepare dish mixes in the crockpot in minutes.

From Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook.

Pair with brown rice or a green salad. Or do as I do…fill a bowl with this tasty curry and grab a spoon…nothing else needed. Enjoy!

Pick up a copy of the vegetarian cookbook by clicking link below:

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Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Cabbage

After a week of juicing, I was ready to return today to my usual plant based way of eating. I had my customary morning fare that included celery juice and a breakfast smoothie. As lunch time approached, I prepared to break my liquid fast.

I was going to eat a fruit salad. However my on hand supply of fruit was low. Taking stock of what I had available, I chose to try a simple recipe from Anthony William’s book, Life Changing Foods, that featured sweet potatoes.

I was eating lunch alone so I adapted the recipe by cutting the ingredients down. I used one sweet potato, 1/4 onion and 1/4 of a red cabbage. I made the sauce as directed.

With the smaller amounts, I simply stir fried the cabbage along with the onion and garlic, rather than braising. The red cabbage made a gorgeous stir fry!

When the sweet potato was done, I prepared the sauce while keeping the stir fry warm on the stove. I was out of lemons so I substituted a lime. The sauce was wonderful…sweet without using honey, and a bit tangy from the citrus and ginger. I garnished my meal with fresh parsley.

The sweet potato is a powerful food. It promotes productive bacteria in the stomach and gut while starving out unproductive bacteria and fungus. Sweet potatoes enhance the body’s production of B12. Rich in vitamins and minerals, this superfood helps alleviate narrowing of the intestinal tract due to chronic inflammation. In addition, sweet potatoes help protect against a multitude of cancers.

This colorful meal felt celebratory, and indeed it was, making it an excellent first meal after a week of drinking my nutrition. It was so delicious. I ate slowly, savoring each bite, and enjoying the combination of flavors.

I will be making this recipe again. Welcome back to eating, Me!

Find out the other benefts sweet potatoes provide, in Life Changing Foods by Anthony William. There are 49 other health boosting foods included in the book.

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Final Day of Juicing

I did it! Today was my final day in a week of juicing. After seven days of drinking freshly made fruit and vegetable juices, I spent time reflecting today on the experience and the benefits.

Juicing proved to be a very good experience for me. I fell into an easy routine that ensured a smooth flow to the day. Each morning began with warm lemon water, fresh celery juice and a fruit smoothie. The rest of the day I sipped on delicious juices for my meals.

I quickly developed the habit of four juices a day, including the morning celery juice. I kept the juicer set up on the kitchen counter and rinsed it well between juices so it was always ready to go. I used a medium sized glass bowl to hold my prepared fruits and veggies so that what I needed was within easy reach.

The benefits that I experienced include feeling lighter, leaner, stronger and healthier (I will weigh in the morning and update with any weight loss *update-I lost 6.4 pounds), increased energy, improved clarity, clear skin, incredible sleep each night and waking rested, hydration, and a flatter, firmer stomach. Because I wasn’t spending time cooking, I practiced yoga daily and had time for more fun activities. I wasn’t hungry between juices and gave up drinking unsweetened black tea by day 3, choosing to drink water instead.

I also enjoyed the creative aspect of trying out new juice blends and creating a couple of my own recipes. There is a sense of accomplishment too, in setting out on this journey and completing it. The level of self-care I practiced increased feelings of tenderness and compassion, toward myself and also toward others.

The only negatives during the week were frequent trips to the bathroom, due to drinking so much liquid nourishment, and several additional trips to the market to purchase more fresh fruits and veggies.

I had a repeat juice for lunch today, the Grapefruit Margarita, pictured above with the recipe. This crisp light blend was probably my all time favorite this week.

Tonight I fixed two different juices for dinner.

This juice was Greg’s favorite this week. He much preferred fruit juice blends over veggie ones. The lemon gives this one a nice citrus punch. I left out the ginger for him, as he doesn’t care for the taste.

The juice I prepared for myself was my own creation, born of necessity. In the refrigerator I had half a cucumber, a small amount of kale, and a bit of ginger that I needed to use. I also had one pear remaining. I decided to create a juice using the leftovers I had, hence the playful name. I included carrots and a sweet potato as well.

The orange colored juice was full of flavor and not too sweet, with a pleasant kick of ginger.

I intend to incorporate juicing into my plant based lifestyle. I desire to juice one day a week, and occasionally replace a meal or snack with a juice during the week.

I am very grateful for this weeklong experience. Juicing not only provided nutrients at a cellular level, it connected me more deeply with my body and its needs. I learned to listen better and respond.

My body is currently letting me know that a week of juice is enough. Since yesterday I have been thinking about some of my favotite plant based recipes. I look forward to easing back into eating fruits, nuts, brown rice and cooked and fresh vegetables over the next couple of days. There is a pot of lentil curry calling my name!

You can purchase a juicer by clicking on the link below, and begin your own juicing adventure!

I am an Amazon Affiliate and may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for considering making a purchase of this product, or any other items, through my Amazon link!

Earth Day Brown Juice

I am entering the home stretch as I complete day 6 of my week long cleanse. Tomorrow will be my final day of juicing, for this experience anyway. Before the day was barely even underway, I marveled at how great I felt and how deeply and soundly I slept.

This was Earth Day, and although we had unseasonably cool temps today and intermittent rain, it was a great morning to get out and visit the local farmer’s market with my mom and sister. We had fun visiting all the vendors and purchased a variety of winter and early spring veggies.

I’m very proud of my mom, who has been plant based for almost as long as I have, and my sister Linda, who is completing her 28 day cleanse Monday. (You can read about the 28 day cleanse HERE) Both are eating healthier by eliminating sugar, dairy, gmo produce, gluten, meat and eggs and consuming lots of fruits, veggies, nuts and rice. It is totally up to them whether they embrace this lifestyle long term. However, both can attest to feeling better.

On the way back to Mom’s, we stopped by Aldi’s Market to complete our shopping. Look at that cart, full of fresh vegetables and fruit! Who could think that a plant based lifestyle is boring?

At home, it was time for my second juice of the day. In honor of Earth Day I chose to try a juice full of colorful produce. Unexpectedly, the resulting juice was brown, but how perfect for this day!

The juice was delicious with a somewhat earthy taste that was very satisfying. It was really called Flat Belly Juice, but honestly, all the juices this week have contributed to creating a flat belly for me. I prefer calling the blend Brown Juice.

My dinner juice was an interesting mix of cucumbers, grapes, apples and kale with a kick of fresh ginger. I thought it might come out brown as well but the juice was a lovely light green color. I enjoyed this slightly sweet and refreshing blend. It was my favorite today.

Earth Day is about raising our awareness about the health of this planet we call home. It encourages us to take actions to care for the earth, the environment, the flora and fauna, and the animal kingdom, as well as humankind.

These actions are all crucial to ensure that we continue to have a place to live. It is crucial that we care for ourselves too, nurturing our bodies, feeding them well for optimal health, eliminating the foods and products that are making us so sick. Because our bodies are where our shining selves reside. A healthy body equals somewhere to live. It’s home.

Happy Earth Day.

Juice…It Does a Body Good

Storms have continually moved through my area today, bringing lightning, thunder and periods of heavy rain. It has been a good day to stay indoors, sipping juice, reading, journaling and watching a movie. There was also time for yoga and a bit of coloring and contemplation.

As I wrote in my journal I thought about how empowering this week has been. Switching to a plant based lifestyle last July was crucial to me taking back responsibility for my health and well being. The desire to be healthier and free from pain and disorders enabled me to make choices for myself, no matter what anyone else thought or did.

Juicing has been another choice I made, born partly out of curiosity and partly out of the desire to take nutition and healing to a whole new level. I like how juicing has made me feel this week…fit, healthy, lean, creative and oh so strong. I feel empowered by my raised awareness. I feel in tune with my body and its needs.

I treasure these feelings!

Today I tried a juice recipe from Jonny Juicer, my inspiration on Instagram, which was perfect for this chilly, gray day.

This recipe made 32 ounces of yummy juice. I shared it with Greg, who is doing a modified week of juicing (plenty of juice plus some cooked veggies and cashews), and he declared it his favorite thus far.

I loved it too. Using oranges instead of apples made for a slightly less sweet juice, which I appreciated. And I’ve come to enjoy the fresh ginger in my juices. This one had a bit of extra zip with the turmeric. I didn’t have fresh so I used a dash of ground.

I wanted a green juice for dinner and decided to create my own. I’ve been following recipes all week and felt like I had a handle on what makes a great juice! It was fun to combine the goodness of celery, cucumber, green pepper and kale. I opted for a pear over an apple. And the lemon gave the juice a nice zing. My creation was very tasty and I feel encouraged to try more juice combos on my own.

As much as I enjoyed my own juice blend, I’m still going to name the Sunshine Juice as the day’s favorite.

Juice…it truly does do a body good. It is so much more beneficial than that other drink that uses the slogan I borrowed from. At least, I can verify that it is doing my body good!

Deeper Mind, Body, Spirit Connections

Day 4 of my week long juicing experience brought a couple of ahas…deeper realizations and a greater awareness about my body, and another what is this feeling? moment.

The awareness of experiencing a new feeling occurred in the shower, where I do some of my best contemplating. I woke up feeling energetic and lighter in my body. There is actually a scientific reason for both. The body uses up to 50% of its energy each day, digesting food. Since I am only drinking liquids, which move rapidly through the digestive system, I am freeing up energy.

And I am not carrying partially disgested food in my intestinal tract, hence the feeling of being lighter, and leaner. It is possible I’ve lost a bit of weight too this week. I’ll verify that this Monday.

As I showered I noticed that the energetic feeling I was experiencing was actually extending beyond my body about 8 inches. My hands tingled with energy as I experimentally passed them through my energetic field, or aura.

I am very familiar with energy work and the aura and I have felt similar surges in my energy after doing meditation. So far I have not located an account of anyone else feeling this heightened sense of enegy beyond her body during juicing. However, I will do further research on the phenomenon. It would seem that as my body cleanses and grows healthier my energy field is doing the same.

Besides my morning celery juice, I only drank two other juices today.

This recipe made 32 ounces of refreshing green juice! I sipped on it all afternoon, which is why I skipped a mid-afternoon juice. I didn’t need one. This light crisp juice was my favorite today.

I was curious about this recipe that includes a jalapeño in the ingredients. I expected a spicy juice and although it had a great flavor it really didn’t have much of a kick. There was a bit of heat in my mouth after I drank it and that was it. Perhaps if I’d left the seeds in…

The other realization I had today began during a conversation I had with my friend Cate. We discussed health, among other topics, and chatted about how important it is to listen to what our bodies need, as identified through cravings and the sense of being drawn or repulsed by certain foods.

I was drawn to more vegetables today, and less fruit, for example. I honored that craving, as my body let me know what nutrients it required, by drinking juices that were primary made from veggies.

Sadly, until very recently, I have not paid attention to what my body was asking for. I chose instead to eat a poor, if very common, diet full of sugar, dairy, gluten and processed “food”. I did so, even though my body reacted negatively to those foods.

Talking to Cate, I realized that all my life I’ve shown an intolerance toward dairy, wheat and sugar that resulted in digestive issues that began in childhood. By the time I was an adult I suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, gall bladder problems, reoccurring stomach pain and acid reflux. I kept anti acids with me at all times…and continued eating what I had always eaten.

I am so grateful that I finally started listening and changed my diet. Going plant based isn’t for everyone. But it is absolutely right for me. How do I know? Because my body is responding so positively to this new way of eating.

Juicing this week is nourishing my body at a deep level. And surprisingly, it is nourishing my mind and spirit as well, allowing new thoughts to arise, freeing up time to include yoga in my daily routine, and raising my awareness about how incredible my body is as it responds with health and wellness.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made indeed. I’m glad I have remembered that, and now choose to honor who I am.

Being Adaptable

Day 3 of my 7 day juice cleanse presented a unique and unforeseeable challenge. The water was shut off at my house most of the day, due to new water lines being installed and connected in my neighborhood by the City.

I saved water in a variety of containers and made my morning lemon water, celery juice and breakfast smoothie before the 9:00 am shut-off. And I knew I could rinse off fruits and veggies in a big bowl of water I had for that purpose. However, cleaning the juicer between uses became more difficult without running water. And most crucial of all perhaps, I didn’t have a working bathroom!

I decided to leave the house for the day. I then had two choices: 1) scrap Day 3 of juicing and add on an extra day at the end of the week or 2) go with the flow and adapt.

I chose the latter.

I had had my morning nutrition, after all. For lunch, I stopped by Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on my way to a movie matinee. I learned from experience last year that I can purchase a smoothie from this awesome cafe, and request fruit only with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. I got a cold and delicious Blueberry Bliss Smoothie, containing blueberries, strawberries and a banana. It was perfect.

I returned home late afternoon, having missed a mid-afternoon juice. Although I didn’t feel hungry, I didn’t want to go too long without nourishing my body. As I was cutting up fruit and trimming carrots for a simple juice, the water came back on. Just in time!

This juice was so quick and easy to make and very tasty. I could have drank two of them, as this recipe barely makes 16 ounces of juice. However, instead I made my dinner juice a short time later.

I was excited to try this juice combo because of the inclusion of a sweet potato. Who knew you could juice a potato? This was a gorgeous juice, with its red-orange color, and sumptuous to sip on. I loved it, and perhaps coincidentally, or perhaps not, the juice with beets in it was my favorite blend today.

This juice was aptly named as well. I carried my mason jar full of juice into the backyard garden. The sun was indeed setting, and the fresh wind ruffled my hair and caressed my face. I felt such deep peace, sitting there surrounded by beauty and putting beautiful nutrients into my body.

I looked up the origins of the word adapt. It comes from the Latin words ad – to and aptus – fit, literally meaning to fit. That is exactly how my day was. I made do. I rolled with what was happening. I adapted. I made my plans for juicing fit into the day I was given.

I am so glad that I did. Day 3 is completed.

Here is another great mid-priced juicer to try out:

And turn your own mason jars into drinking glasses with lids and straws:

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Hooked on Juicing

Day 2 of my 7 day juice cleanse is complete, and what a great day it was. I’ve got the juicing process down to a smooth routine. And I woke up feeling energized and full of anticipation for the day.

I tried three new juice combinations today, at lunch, mid-afternoon and dinner. My morning routine of warm lemon water, celery juice and a fruit smoothie is unchanged.

Here are today’s juice recipes:

If you don’t like beets, this is not the recipe for you! I like beets, and this was my absolute favorite juice today! The carrots and apples balanced the earthy flavor of the beets and the ginger and lemon provide a delightful zing. Plus, the ruby red color just made me feel happy.

This light and refreshing juice was a perfect to-go drink as I headed out this afternoon. The pineapple was wonderful, combined with the cucumber. I have already come to appreciate adding fresh ginger to my juices. Ginger is very anti-inflammatory and great for the digestive system.

I chose this juice for dinner because it was full of vegetables. The flavor was excellent, although the carrots and apple sweetened the juice a bit too much for me. I like my vegetable juices to be less sweet.

I took my lunch outside, and sat on the front deck. Sipping on my Red Roar Juice, the wind stirring my hair and my heart, I felt that sense of euphoria rise within me. I’ve come to recognize what that feeling is. It is good health. This is what being healthy feels like. My energy and vibrational frequency are both so high.

I am loving this week of drinking my fruits and vegetables. I am hooked on juicing!

First Day of Juicing

Today I kicked off a week of juicing, with my first full day of drinking my meals and snacks. Setting up the juicer this morning and keeping it rinsed and ready to go between creating juices made the day go smoothly. I discovered that prepping the fruits and veggies for each recipe and having them in a bowl next to the juicer helped too.

I kept to my usual morning routine which included hot lemon water, 16 ounces of fresh celery juice and a fruit smoothie. I like my morning smoothies…today I enjoyed a banana, mango, wild blueberry blend with hemp seeds…and I want to continue with those this week. They are liquid drinks after all, just blended rather than juiced.

From there, however, the day shifted. I didn’t feel a need for a mid-morning juice, so I tried out my first new juice recipe at lunchtime, with the Mean Green blend.

This green juice with a kick from fresh ginger was wonderful! I learned creating this first juice to have all the fruits and veggies washed, trimmed or peeled, and ready to go. I didn’t peel most of the vegetables or fruits that I used today. For this drink, only the piece of ginger was peeled. I left the rind on the lemon.

The mid-afternoon juice, Grapefruit Margarita, was my favorite today, and no, it didn’t really have alcohol in it. Light and refreshing, the grapefruit, pear, apple blend was perfect.

Dinner juice was an interesting and robust mix of flavors, including parsley and onion, with a whole lime thrown in.

This recipe makes 32 ounces of delicious juice. I’m still sipping on it, which means I will probably skip the last planned juice this evening. It featured a sweet potato, which is intriguing to me! I’ll include the Sunset Juice tomorrow. Instead, I’ll finish my day with a cup of hot nettle tea.

I feel pleased with this first day of juicing. I have not experienced hunger or any feelings of weakness or tiredness. Perhaps because my body is used to a diet of fruits and vegetables, I have not felt ill or suffered from headaches or withdrawal symptoms, which can sometimes happen initially during a cleanse.

Rather, I feel light, energized, centered and excited to see how the rest of the week goes. The only downside I have experienced today is that drinking so much liquid nourishment means I am visiting the bathroom more frequently. But that’s how a cleanse works…you pee a lot. The upside of drinking juices today is that I haven’t felt thirsty at all. My body is getting enough fluids along with a flood of nutrients.

I love practicing this level of self care. I am continuing to heal my body with nourishment, and raising my awareness and my vibrational frequency at the same time. And tomorrow, I get to do it all again.

You can order a very nice, mid priced juicer below, along with your own cute 32 oz mason jar drinking glasses, from Pioneer Woman.

I am an Amazon Affiliate, and may make a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for considering making a purchase of these products, or any other items, through my Amazon link!

Prepping for a Week of Juicing

Since I began a plant based lifestyle 9 1/2 months ago, I’ve been interested in experiencing a juice cleanse. Inspired by Jonny Juicer on Instagram, I’ve followed his journey and saved some of his recipes, eager to take my own healing journey to a new level.

With spring well underway, and an international trip about a month away, this feels like the right time to initiate a seven day juice cleanse. I stocked up this afternoon on fresh fruits and veggies and cleared out the fridge, symbolizing a fresh, clean start.

There are many benefits to juicing for a short time, or even extended period of time.

Faster and more efficient way to get nutrients into the body
Gives the digestive system a break
Floods the body with micronutrients
Easy way to consume fresh produce
Promotes healthy eating habits
Removes insoluble fiber allowing for increased absorption of enzymes and phytonutrients
Feeds the body at a cellular level

And for me, I might add, this will be a creative way to experience something new and have fun trying out different veggie and fruit combinations as I create a variety of juices.

Part of today’s purchases. I have more veggies in the fridge.

Being plant based for a while, I am already familiar with juicing. Celery juice has been an important part of my health regime. My plan is to start the day with a cup of warm lemon water, followed by 16 ounces of fresh celery juice with a spoonful of barley grass juice powder added.

Breakfast will continue to be a fruit smoothie, with hemp and chia seeds added. During the rest of the day…lunch, dinner and at least two “snack” times…I’ll drink juices freshly prepared from my stash of veggies and fruits. I’ll finish the day with a cup of hot herbal tea. And I will take my daily supplements as well.

I’m excited about the week ahead. My body has been healing so beautifully and juicing feels like a vital next step. How do I know this is right for me? My body is letting me know. I am craving juice.

I’ll be sharing my experiences and a recipe each day, via this blog. And I will post a follow up next Sunday to give an honest opinion on juicing, including benefits and any challenges I encountered along the way.

Here’s to good health and vibrancy and a tall glass of juice!