Recipes

Sinfully Delicious Strawberry Lemonade

Posted by Alexandra on June 28, 2010 at 12:22 pm

My son likes to get dirty. I put this characteristic to good use this year in the back yard when I received my special order from Seeds of Change : mature organic strawberry plants. We planted several pots of strawberries this spring, and have been harvesting the rewards, much to our delight.

But what to do with all those berries? Rather than spend time in my hot kitchen, I decided to whip up a chilled concoction that would serve the yummy harvest without all the sweating and baking. We’ve been drinking these strawberry lemonades for days now, and I’m happy to report that the benefits to your skin will be as good as the benefits to your taste buds! Great vitamin C, natural fruit acids, and lots of enzymes give this virgin-cocktail skin-replenishing plant power.

Here’s the basic recipe:

1 pint strawberries, stems removed
1/2 cup raw agave nectar
3 cups water
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
ice

Puree the strawberries in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pass the pureed strawberries through a fine meshed strainer or sieve to remove the seeds and set aside. Combine the agave and water in a pitcher, and stir well. Add the lemon juice and strawberry puree to the mixture and stir well to combine. Chill. Serve in ice-filled glasses.

Yield: 1 1/2 Quarts

Filed under: Recipes, Uncategorized, detox recipes, healthy summer cocktails

Herbal Iced-Tea-nis Help Squash Summer Sugar Cravings

Posted by Alexandra on June 8, 2010 at 8:55 am

Sugar is the one craving women have a hard time overcoming. We crave it because we’re human, we’re tired, overworked, and stressed. Sugar is the only taste preference humans are born with, so know that you’re not alone when chocolate and ice cream call your name late at night!

I’ve discovered a great way to indulge my sugar lovin’ taste buds this summer, that adds only a few calories, lots of taste, and refreshing hydration.

It’s the Watermelon Iced-Tea-ni! With high levels of betacarotene and lycopene, watermelon offers nutritional support for healing as well as a light, sweet flavor. 

Here’s my recipe:

1. Make 4 -6 cups boiling water and add a few herbal tea bags (peppermint, chamomile, lemon verbina, whatever floats your boat)

2. Place the brewing tea in a window or somewhere it can cool for a while, then place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.

3. While the tea is steeping and chilling, cut 2 cups of watermelon cubes, about 2 inches square. Place these cubes on a plate or in a bowl, then freeze.

4. Serve the chilled iced tea with chunks of watermelon “ice cubes” and enjoy!

Happy summer!

Alexandra

Filed under: Detox Drinks, Recipes, detox recipes

Vegan Penne A La Vodka Recipe

Posted by Alexandra on May 18, 2010 at 9:35 am

This wonderful recipe was inspired by one of my detox members. I fiddled around with it and successfully made a soy free version that tastes amazing!

1 1/2 cups cashew nut cheese

1 jar or 2 1/2 cups pasta sauce

1 1/2 cups Daiya mozzarella cheese, grated

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon of the following herbs: marjoram, thyme, oregano, thyme, basil, red pepper flakes

2 cups dry whole wheat penne pasta, cook according to package directions

- Combine the pasta sauce, cashew cheese, and Daiya cheese in a medium sauce pan over low heat. Stir regularly until everything is blended together and the cheese has melted into the sauce. If using additional herbs, add them along with the pasta sauce to stir and combine.

- Pour over cooked penne and serve.

Filed under: Recipes, Uncategorized, detox recipes

Gentle Detox Drink – Takes Minutes, Costs Pennies (and toxin free!)

Posted by Alexandra on May 4, 2010 at 8:05 am

Those store-bought containers of “fiber products” might help with constipation, but they often hide synthetic chemicals which are unnecessary and toxic.

I make this simple, inexpensive drink at home on a regular basis. It takes minutes, and costs pennies!

1 tablespoon freshly ground flax seeds (grind in a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder)

6 ounces water

2 ounces apple or pineapple juice

Simply mix all together with a whisk or in a blender and drink quickly. Because the fiber expands in your intestines, it acts as an internal brush, cleaning out any stuck matter.

Filed under: Detox Drinks, Recipes, Supplements, Weight loss, detox recipes, gentle constipation cure, laxative dangers, metamucil dangers

Salacious Salad: What’s Alex Eating?

Posted by Alexandra on April 19, 2010 at 7:52 am

I’ll admit that most people think eating salads is boring and the only way they’ll be able to force themselves to lose weight – nay, nay, I say!

Check out my killer favorite salad – fit for a king or queen (or a construction worker!):

4 cups arugula and mixed greens

1 shredded carrot

1/2 cup hummus whisked with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for a dressing-like affect

1/3 cup chopped mixed olives (the good kind, not the ones from a can)

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

chopped red bell pepper (organic of course)


Filed under: Recipes, Uncategorized, Weight loss, What's Alex eating?, detox recipes

Alex’s Snacks: Coco-Choco Truffles

Posted by Alexandra on April 13, 2010 at 10:51 am

I was craving chocolate – again! Could have been the incessant ice-cream truck jingle outside my apartment, or because I walked about 10 miles with the family this weekend. Either way, my body wanted something dark, rich and sweet!

Since I don’t handle caffeine and sugar well (let’s face it – most of us don’t) I decided that the traditional chocolate truffles weren’t going to work, but I still wanted something bite-sized, slightly gooey and dark.

After checking out some raw-food recipes, I decided to dive in with my own take on a truffle. The carob in this recipe is mild and chocolate-like, while adding a whopping dose of iron. The cashews are creamy and provide minerals and protein, which I love:

1 cup cashews (soaked overnight in water), drained

4 tablespoons raw carob powder

5 large Medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

I simply threw this all in a food processor, and blended the mixture until it was smooth. I scraped down the sides a few times as well. Then I rolled tablespoons sized scoops in coconut to create nice truffles. Delicious and healthy! My 3 year old really likes them too – and I don’t mind him having a few since they’re a good source of protein and iron.

Filed under: Fast Healthy Cooking, Recipes, Uncategorized, What's Alex eating?, detox recipes

Raw Soup? Awesome taste and detox in a bowl!

Posted by Alexandra on March 2, 2010 at 8:56 am

Drinking your vegetables is a convenient and energizing way to eat while cleansing your body from the Standard American Diet. Blending a bunch of veggies together means you’ll eat more heal-giving ingredients in a sitting, and your body will digest them easier. Why is that?

Your teeth have to do a lot of work to chew vegetables well enough to get all the available nutrition out of raw vegetables. By blending the ingredients first, your body will be able to access all those lovely vitamins and minerals more easily.

I love this recipe because the avocado is high in essential fatty acids and you can easily change the flavor by mixing up the herbs and spices mentioned or by alternating between lemon and lime. This also makes a great breakfast! Just trust me – starting your day with raw vegetables instead of a sugary refined carbohydrate will change your energy in a major way.

Ingredients:

1 ripe Haas avocado, pitted and scooped

2 scallions, diced green and white parts

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

1 cucumber, peeled if waxy

2 handfuls of spinach

1 small clove garlic

1 teaspoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Juice of 1 lemon or lime

Optional: fresh parsley, basil leaves, cilantro, cayenne powder, almonds soaked overnight in water and drained, etc.

Blend all the ingredients together until creamy – enjoy!

Filed under: Recipes, Special Diets, detox recipes

Cashew Cheese for Lazy Dairy Lovers

Posted by Alexandra on February 16, 2010 at 10:09 am

I often hear clients say that giving up cheese is the hardest step towards living a dairy-free life. Creamy and savory, with a whopping dose of fat, cheese causes many people digestive problems. Along with constipation, gas, and diarrhea, dairy also delivers fat-soluble toxins, massive amounts of cholesterol and lactose. So many women have reported incredible benefits from avoiding dairy that I’m always on the search for new ways to include a cheesy substitute easily to the modern diet.

Try this simple, satisfying cashew cheese recipe and vive la difference!

1 cup cashews, soaked overnight and drained

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)

juice from 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, minced

Put all in a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides down again and blend until smooth and creamy. **Tastes great with gluten free Mary’s Gone Crackers!

Filed under: Recipes, Uncategorized, detox recipes

Chocolate can reduce my acne? Here’s how…

Posted by Alexandra on February 9, 2010 at 9:39 am

Well, I’ll be honest. I used to be a choco-holic. I had to end that craziness when I realized that the amount and quality of chocolate I was eating was contributing to my headaches, weight gain and sensitive skin.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I still enjoy chocolate, I just eat the best quality kind. Raw! That’s right, raw cacao is a different animal when it comes to chocolate treats. Without being exposed to high-heat, processing chemicals or unhealthy preservatives raw cacao is much easier for the body to digest. There are some well-documented benefits to choosing raw cacao over the processed stuff that you find in chocolate bars, candy and ice cream:

Antioxidants: Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea.

Neurotransmitters: By increasing the levels of specific neurotransmitters in our brains, cacao promotes positive outlook, facilitates rejuvenation and simply helps us feel good.

Essential Minerals: Cacao beans are rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

The benefits of raw cacao are impressive, and I’ve noticed that when I eat it my skin doesn’t react like a teenager’s and my energy is only slightly elevated, compared to the acne and sugar highs I used to experience.

Here’s how I like to eat it:

2 TB raw cacao powder

3 TB raw almond butter

1 TB brown rice syrup

Combine all in a bowl and smooth together into an even paste. Use as a dip with apple slices – yum! Easy!

Filed under: Natural Energy Tips, Recipes, Uncategorized
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Skin-tastic Juice for health and beauty

Posted by Alexandra on February 1, 2010 at 7:47 pm

I love vegetables in all forms. Steamed, raw, baked, naked and smothered in vegan mushroom gravy. I also love a huge heaping glass of fresh vegetable juice. Nothing makes my body light up with energy like the easy healing from concentrated vitamins, enzymes and phytonutrients!

While having a juicer is necessary to make this recipe, you might consider finally buying one! I’ve had my Juiceman Jr.($85) for 8 years and it shows no signs of slowing. We make fresh “green juices” at least a few times a week. I often make a double batch and stir in a teaspoon of vitamin C powder to the half I won’t drink fresh. The vitamin C protects the stored juice (kept in an air-tight glass container, of course) from losing it’s potency. This way I can have fresh, powerful juice for a couple of days and save time.

Here’s my current favorite juice recipe:

5 big leaves of kale

2 stalks celery

1 small or 1/2 of a large cucumber (peeled if you can’t find it unwaxed)

1-2 apples (Honeycrisp are my absolute favorite)

1 lemon, yellow rind cut away, but as much as the white pith still in tact, as this is where the majority of the bioflavonoids hang out

1/2 organic red bell pepper

Just wait – you will love this!

Filed under: Reboot Detox Program, Recipes, Uncategorized, detox recipes, healthy vegan pregnancy
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