Life-Enhancing Mineral-Rich Green Juice

Siri... can you make me a green juice?

If only.

"A healthy outside starts from the inside." —Robert Urich

Around this time of year I begin juicing and then inevitably stop when autumn starts to slip into winter. I just can't maintain the enthusiasm to juice through the cold months, but when the sun starts to rise early, and the birds begin chirping before dawn, my yearning for green juice returns once more.
   "Mmmmmm, fresh mowed grass," my husband says as a repetitive quip when I hand him a glass of freshly juiced greens. Jay's sarcasm is not entirely unwarranted. Green juice does indeed taste like summer in a glass. For Jay, drinking green juice is a bit like taking a dose of medicine. Being a former Marine, Jay doesn't need to enjoy the green juice to consume it. He just drinks it like a man. #truegrit
   I don't mind the flavor of this slightly spicy tasting green juice. Some over-the-counter green juices are actually high in sugar. To avoid spiking insulin levels I opt to eliminate sweet fruit from the ingredients mix. No apples for moi. If you must add a sweet fruit or vegetable, keep the addition to one serving. Full disclosure, I usually add a small to medium sized carrot.

These are all the veggies that go into a 16-ounce serving. 

My obstacle to juicing is not the flavor, but is related to actually doing the work to make the juice. When I'm organized it takes about twenty minutes to produce 32 ounces, which for us is two servings but for others this amount could comfortably serve a family of four. When I'm not organized it takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and another 5 minutes to clean the juicer's parts.
   A heavy duty Champion masticating juicer has a permanent home on my kitchen counter, whether I juice regularly or not. The appliance weighs 23 pounds so lugging it around to store it between uses doesn't make sense for me. The beast of an appliance stands as a steadfast reminder of what I should be doing when I'm not. Similarly the weight bench in the garage is a constant visual prompt that I should be exercising when I'm not. I always get back around to using both but staying with a routine is clearly a challenge for me.
   The masticating juicer produces more nutritious juice because it does a better job of breaking down the fiber of the vegetables. The Champion both cuts and grinds. The juice produced by a masticating juicer has a longer shelf life of up to 48 hours because the Champion does not build up heat while it does its job. With that being said, I tend not to store the juice. My goal is to consume it within 30 minutes of making it. And, I don't simply drink my juice, I chew it, and swoosh it around in my mouth because many of the enzymes present in the juice are activated by saliva. To learn more, check out this Tedx Talk, Chew Your Juice.

All set-up and ready to juice. 

Finally, you'll want to drink green juice on an empty stomach for maximum benefit and easy digestion (code for not blowing a bunch of gas). I prefer mine as a first meal of the day after enjoying my morning coffee. I add collagen protein and a little half and half to my coffee, which sustains me for awhile. If that doesn't quite work for you and your schedule, the next best thing is waiting a minimum of two hours after a meal to drink a glass of green juice. I find the juice filling but if that's not the case for you, drink your juice then wait twenty minutes before eating whatever's next on the daily menu.

I'm just dropping this image here 'cause the butterfly is pretty and it matches the color theme.

Life-Enhancing Mineral-Rich Green Juice

Linda's Kale and Mustard Greens Chips

by Linda

 
   With kale chips being all the rage these days, and being that they are very expensive for a tiny little package, I thought it would be fun to try my hand at making them at home. Further impetus was that I just happen to have an Excalibur dehydrator that doesn't get very much use these days which was purchased for my brief flirtation being a raw foodist a number of years ago.

 
   When I went to select my kale in the produce department of the Whole Foods Market where I work, not only did the kale look amazing, but the mustard greens were even more beautiful. I thought to myself, "Hmmm... mildly spicy and peppery tasting. Why wouldn't they make great veggie chips as well?" I decided upon purchasing kale and the mustard greens as an experiment, and I am so glad that I did. Mustard greens may be hard to find, but if they happen to be in season, I recommend giving them a try along with the kale.

   
   I decided to take these to a party that my friend's were throwing. Since I had a busy week ahead, I knew that I would not have time to make something the day of the party. I made a big batch the week before, and then placed them in a large acrylic cambro with a tight fitting lid. I saved the silica packets from my empty vitamin jars to throw in the bottom of the cambro to keep the chips nice and dry.
   The chips were a favorite at the party. Not only did they make a nice presentation on the table, but they were easy to transport, and there was nothing to do but set them on the table at the party. I set the cambro lid below the container on the bottom as a base (so I wouldn't lose track of the lid) and at the end of the evening when leaving the party, all I had to do was pick up my empty container. Easy peasy! Every last crumb was devoured by both the children and the adults.

Linda's Kale and Mustard Greens Chips

Gluten-Free New Year ~ Creamy and Delicious Gluten-Free Broccoli and Kale Soup

by Linda

   It is still winter here in Northern California, but as we approach the Vernal Equinox I am seeing signs of Spring. The brilliant yellow of the mustard blossoms in the vineyard rows and the vibrant canary-colored flowers of the abundant acacia trees are always a welcome sign that presages warmer weather and longer days are just ahead. Even so, the days are still mostly damp and chilly and perfect for making soup.

   We sisters are fast approaching the second birthday of our blog. Our reader's stats tell us that there are several thousand of you that take time to peruse our virtual pages each month, and we are humbly grateful that you continue to be interested in our recipes and musings, and we would love to know who more of you are. We also recognize that the Blogger format does not make it easy to leave comments. It is quite a change for me to know that now when I sit at my computer to write, real people are going to be reading my words, instead of the imaginary audience that we were writing to when we began our adventure two years ago.

   Since Michelle and her family are off to the gorgeous mountains of Colorado for a ski vacation for a few days, I am in charge of writing this week's post. I have decided that it is time for me to share a big change in my life. A month ago I began a drastic (but actually easier than I thought it was going to be) alteration of my diet. I have joined the millions in this country who are going gluten-free. I have also cut out all refined sugars. When I admitted my change in diet on my Facebook page, one of my friends commented with, "Oh, no! What about Salvation Sisters?" Good question... what about Salvation Sisters? 

Winter garden with lots of kale at Lynmar Estate winery in Sebastopol.

   Here is the lovely part of our blog not having ties to advertisers from whom we earn money. We are free to experiment, and write about anything at all that strikes our fancy. Michelle who has gone gluten-free along with me still has a family to cook for who are all very skeptical and resistant to the change and challenge of being gluten-free. She will most likely still be cooking with wheat at times even if she isn't eating it herself right now. We will see, although she has recently purchased a few gluten-free baking books, and we are both excited about trying new recipes. I on the other hand, am fully committed to the change. For the first time in my entire life, I am living in a house devoid of wheat flour, and all sugary items are gone with the exception of white sugar to make hummingbird nectar and some very dark chocolate (a must have for sweet craving emergencies). For the record, I am not counting calories (or points) and I am eating healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil, butter and heavy cream. I cut processed vegetable oils (canola, sunflower, safflower, corn, peanut and the like) out of my diet quite some time ago. There has already been a payoff. In one month's time, I am wearing jeans that I have not worn for a year. 

   I will be writing more about my journey sans wheat and sugar in the days to come. I am already having success at finding new ways to make old favorites, and the broccoli and kale soup recipe that I am sharing in this post is a good example. Cream of broccoli soup is one of my all time favorites. The revision of my standard recipe now includes kale (which is a nutritional powerhouse as I have written previously) and some coconut oil. The soup is still thick and delicious, and I have been taking it regularly in a Thermos to work. I do not miss the wheat roux or potato that I previously used to thicken the soup one bit. 

   In my future posts, I will share the compelling evidence that finally convinced me to make this change, and tell you more about my mentor, Misty, who has held my hand and given me lots of moral support during my transition to being gluten and sugar free. Being one jeans size smaller in only a month, I am very encouraged. I also joined a health club a week ago, and come summer (however short its duration), I hope to be wearing dresses, skirts and shorts which I have not done in more summers than I care to admit. One thing hasn't changed... we sisters still love great food, and so please count on us to bring you recipes that you will want to make even if they do happen to be gluten-free.

Yummy Kombucha and Kale Smoothies

Adventures in Herbalism by Linda

Red kale, blueberries and cherries blend to make a purple smoothie.

   Today we take a step back from the indulgence of the past three weeks. Yes, it's true, even for the Salvation Sisters, three cocktail recipes in a row is bordering on excess at the end of our Sistercation adventure. This week we will journey back to the land of healthy and sensible eating. You may even consider my Kombucha and Kale Smoothie innovative... a revelation if you will. What cannot be disputed, is that it provides a nutritional power punch. Give it a try, and you may find the results are just what you are in search of, as Michelle and I did recently.

   A few weeks ago we had an event at my Whole Foods Market called "The Vitamix Roadshow". Watching the Vitamix Man whip up smoothie after smoothie which he sampled out to customers, gave me a renewed interest in getting my own Vitamix out of semi-retirement, and using it on a daily basis. Raise your hand if your are someone who is not getting your daily servings of things like kale and fresh spinach. How about your whole fresh fruit (not juice)? According to an article by Roxanne Webber published in the blog CHOW, over 90% of us do not get our recommended 2.5 cups of vegetables or our 2 cups of fresh fruit per day. Embarrassingly, I was in that majority, and I resolved to change my ways.
   In planning out my smoothie recipe, I knew that I wanted to include fresh fruit, kale and spinach, but I was hesitant about what liquid to add to the mix to aid the blending of the ingredients. The Vitamix Man just added water. I thought I could do better. I wanted to keep my smoothie dairy free and I did not want to add fruit juice because of the high sugar content. In the end I chose to add Kombucha, and I will explain why in a bit.

Prepping the kale.

   The benefits of fresh fruits are widely known, and they are in a word delicious, and yet the research shows we still fail to get our recommended daily servings. But as for the tough and chewy, slightly bitter and hyper-green kale... why should we eat it? The simple answer is that kale is considered to be, ounce for ounce, the most nutritious vegetable on the planet. Not only is it a treasure trove of Vitamins A, B, C and K, but it also provides a plentiful profile of trace minerals like calcium and iron. It also contains powerful antioxidant compounds such as lutein and zeaxanthin. As an added bonus, the high fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels. There is mounting evidence that eating cruciferous vegetables with their high Vitamin K content and powerful antioxidant profile helps reduce our risk of dying from cancer. These same benefits, in my opinion, cannot be gained by swallowing a multitvitamin pill daily. Getting our nutrients from food is what our bodies are designed to do. This is why I use herbal supplements. They come from plants...they are food. Which brings us to Kombucha.
   Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that has centuries of history behind its consumption all over the world. The fermenting process combines tea (an herbal drink) with Kombucha cultures, which are a combination of different strains of yeast. The fermentation process creates beneficial enzymes and bacteria (probiotics) and a whole host of beneficial compounds. It is also low calorie and low in natural sugars. There has been a "kombucha craze" of sorts over the past few years. It has been a renaissance of epic proportions, and at Whole Foods Market we sell cases upon cases of the beverage on a daily basis.


Michelle's favorite flavor is Pomegranate.

   An added benefit to the Kombucha and Kale Smoothie, is that it provides a completely raw meal. This means that along with the minerals, vitamins and plentiful antioxidants being consumed, this shake provides raw enzymes. Our bodies and our immune systems all function based on a complicated series of processes that involve using enzymes as catalysts. Cooking our food harms most of the enzyme activity in foods. Thus, millions of dollars are spent on acid reflux products, which only treat the symptoms of the problem, they do not cure it. Starting off your day with a drink packed full of raw enzymes contributes to your body's healthy functioning for the rest of the day. You feel more alert and have more energy, as a result of your body functioning better. The smoothie is replenishing fuel, literally concentrated with sunshine, which is what plants convert and store into their cells.

   The Kombucha and Kale Smoothie is now my breakfast and afternoon snack five days per week. I take five minutes in the morning (really, that is all of the time required), and I drink half while I am getting ready for work, and the other half I pack with me to work in a thermos to have mid-afternoon.
   Michelle became an advocate almost immediately when I suggested it to her after I began drinking it for a few weeks. She was delighted with the great taste, because it is actually delicious and refreshing, and much to her amazement, according to Weight Watchers Point System, the smoothie equals only one point! Having the smoothie for breakfast has allowed her extra points for things like a glass of wine with dinner, which made her really, really happy.
   As for me, I no longer have to listen to that naggy little voice in my head. The one that reminds me that the lettuce on my sandwich does not qualify as a serving of dark leafy greens, and that those four grapes I snagged from the sample bag in the produce department earlier in the day, does not equal my two cup requirement of fresh fruit. Give this refreshing smoothie a try and see what you think.