Articles with the avocado Tag
Hi, y’all!
I went shopping today. And not just any shopping – whole foods shopping. Can I get a hurray?!
As I mentioned in my recent confessions post, I’ve been a bad, bad girl. I’ve let processed foods slip back into my diet (aka mouth). I’ve grown away from those every day raw juices, smoothies, and Greek yogurt snacks.
But no more!
I’m taking control of my health and life and am getting back on track. I’ve gained weight since being married. But I’m not the only one, I know. Just ask The Healthy Apron!
Nah, I won’t really blame my husband. I’m the one who put the food in my mouth. LOL!
It’s just that since being married, I think I’ve let my guard down and just eaten whatever I want, whenever I want, and have lost sight of my original health goals.
Believe me, it’s easy to get caught up in how juicy or creamy something tastes and just thinking “oh, I’ll get back on the wagon tomorrow” – knowing tomorrow might never come.
I’m not saying just give up all those on-a-whim treats. Those little moments and yummy tastes are the spice of life. I’m just saying I have to reign myself back in and get with the program! My own program! 
Look at all the yummy produce!
Yep, our bicycles are parked in the kitchen. LOL! 
Whole Grain, All Natural Oats for chilly mornings!
Cashews ‘cause they’re SO yummy! 
Onions – I love ‘em raw or cooked! 
Bananas aka Nanners – for smoothies + snacks! 
Broccoli + Carrots for nibbling!
Potatoes (aka taters) – love ‘em raw or cooked!
My long lost love, Greek yogurt!
Kiwi – SO juicy and delish!
Pears – crisp and delish! 
Avocados – you won’t BELIEVE
what they’re going in! 
Lemons & Limes – for tea and salad! 
Grapefruits!
Purdy bell peppers! 
Cantaloupe – for snackin’ + smoothies!
Cucumbers – I could eat gazillions of ‘em! 
So many bright and natural colors!
I also bought some canned goods, tea, eggs, and meat (the husband loves meat and has shared the love with me – he’s a fantabulous cook and I’m spoiled!).
I’m excited to be getting back to more whole foods, my yoga practice, and living a more healthy lifestyle. As friends have called me in the past: healthatarian. LOL!
So, what about you? Do you cram as many whole foods into your meals as you can? Have you been eating whatever is available just so you can make it through the day? It’s SO easy to fall into that rut. Do you judge others for falling into food and exercise ruts? Do you judge yourself?
If you’re in a rut, just start climbing out like I am. Purpose in your heart to make tomorrow different, even if it’s baby steps. Just start.
We must love ourselves, love whole foods, and enjoy life…
Are you on board? Talk to me, people!
And don’t forget the sweet freebies. You have until the 30th before your coupon code expires!
Hi, y’all!
For those of you who celebrated, I hope you had a blessed Easter holiday – I most certainly did!
Remember a while back, when I shared the news with you about my new partnership with OpenSky? No? Okay, here’s an excerpt from that post:
Why I HEART OpenSky
I quickly fell in love with OpenSky and what they’re doing. What exactly are they doing, you ask?
OpenSky is bringing old-fashioned charm to Internet shopping. They are creating harmony for bloggers, readers, shoppers, and merchants. They are opening the door to a warm, inviting shopping experience; one that will be memorable, enjoyable — and so fun that you’ll want to do it again and again!
I am super excited to announce that I’ve teamed up with OpenSky to host a giveaway! Details are at the end of this post, but don’t skip the middle; there’s some good stuff – including a free recipe for my latest raw, vegan smoothie concoction: The Cabbage Patch! It’s smooth, clean, and delish. Perfect for a warm Spring day! 
I will share the prize with you, though: a 12-speed Oster Blender! Eeeek! If you love smoothies, raw chocolate pudding, banana soft serve, raw crackers, raw nut milks, etc., you’ll love the Oster Blender. Why Oster? Well, my Oster Blender (which happens to be 10-speed) was a gift from one of my favorite people in the whole world – one of my aunts. She passed her (very) gently used blender on to me when she found out mine had burnt up. I was elated! Seriously, I was in smoothie withdrawal!
12-Speed Oster Blender
At first, I thought the Oster Blender might not be a very good one. Honestly, I had my doubts regarding its ability to whip up thick, creamy smoothies – or whatever else I concocted.
I was wrong to doubt!
My Oster Blender does a fantabulous job of chomping ice until it’s smooth and blending ingredients beautifully. I’ve yet to be disappointed – and I use it a lot. It’s super easy to clean, fun to use, and I highly recommend it – especially if you love smoothies and raw creations as much as I do! 
Some things I’ve made in my Oster include:
Raw Flax Crackers
Chocolate-Banana Avocado Pudding
Pearadise Smoothie
Chocolate-Covered (Tart) Cherry Smoothie
Happy Hemp Smoothie
Raw Cashew Milk (!!!)
Voila: Raw Cashew Milk
What’d I do with my fresh cashew milk? Make a smoothie, of course!
Banana + cabbage, anyone?
Enter: The Cabbage Patch
See the hint of green color??
Cabbage Patch Smoothie
Cabbage Patch Smoothie Recipe
Serves one
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashew milk (1/2 cup cashews + 1 cup water, blended – and not strained)
1 cup cabbage, chopped
1 banana, frozen chunks
4 ice cubes
Directions:
Add ingredients to your blender and process until well blended. Enjoy!
Note:
My cashew milk was freshly made so it wasn’t cold enough for my preferences. Although the frozen banana did cool off the smoothie, I felt it needed to be colder, so I added the ice cubes.
OpenSky Oster Blender Giveaway Rules!!
This giveaway is different than any I’ve ever hosted – and I’m SO excited!!! You don’t have to leave a gazillion comments or flood social media to qualify for this contest (although I won’t complain if you do! )
There’s only one required entry. It’s super easy to enter and you’ll be on your way. When you enter, you’ll automatically receive a….
10% discount coupon code!!
The coupon code can be used for anything in my shop – but remember to use it quickly as it EXPIRES FRIDAY!!!
ONE winner will be selected randomly within 48 hours and notified (via email) immediately. You can enter for your 10% coupon code until Wednesday, April 14th.
CLICK HERE for a chance to win your own 12-Speed Oster Blender (valued at $35!!!) and get your 10% discount coupon. Have fun!
And look at the fancy schmancy page OpenSky created for us!!!
Don’t forget to have a look around my OpenSky shop once you’re entered. New products are in the works, so check back often to see if your favorite product has been added. If you don’t see it, let me know and I’ll work with OpenSky to try and get it for you!
And a HUGE thank you to OpenSky + Oster for this RAWsome opportunity!!!!
Do you have an Oster Blender? What do you use it most for? Smoothies? Banana soft serve? Chocolate-avocado pudding? Have you ever used cabbage in your smoothie? Did you like it? I love it myself. Of course, I love cabbage (raw or cooked) – and it’s so good for us! Now, go get yourself entered for that FREE Oster Blender!!!
I admitted in my last post that I’ve never really been a huge fan of hummus. I mean, it’s okay, I can eat it, it’s good, but it’s never been something I couldn’t live without – but now I’m on a hummus kick! I’ve crossed over to the other side. LOL
If you’re new to Healing With (Raw) Juices, or are behind on your blog reading, be sure to catch up on my latest posts:
Caught up yet? Good!
You all loved my Jalapeño Hummus Recipe so much, I just had to share my sun-dried tomato hummus recipe with you. It was nice to know I’m not the only one who hasn’t always been madly in love with hummus. But I’m so glad I made this yesterday! Each bite has such a burst of flavor: I taste the sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and garlic in every. single. bite. It tastes so fresh and delicious. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m just proud of myself for making such yummy hummus!!
And I promise review and contest posts are coming next….
Into the food processor
Results after processing
Into containers
Up close
With veggies: red bell pepper, carrots, avocado
Wanna bite?
Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus Recipe
Yields 2 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 can garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas) rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- juice from 1 lemon
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 (and a half) tablespoons olive oil (from the sun-dried tomato jar)
- 1 tablespoon parsley (I added an extra teaspoon after a taste test.)
Directions:
- Toss all ingredients into the food processor and let ‘er rip ‘till it’s the consistency you like.
- Do a taste test to make sure you don’t want to add anything else.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge.
- Enjoy!
Note:
You can absolutely leave the garlic out of this recipe. I heart garlic, but many of you do not.
Let’s Talk Revolution
How do you feel about Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution? Are you following his show? Do you know who he even is? I’ve known about him for a few years, and always enjoyed his food shows that I’ve seen. Since I first saw him on TV, I loved that he promotes fresh produce and real food. (You can read his food philosophy here.) He isn’t promoting anything outrageous – just sensible meals and snacks created from real food.
Here’s a quote from him (from his site) to better help you understand his Food Revolution Mission – in case you haven’t heard about it yet:
“I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It’s time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!
You live in an amazing country full of inspirational people and you have the power to change things. With your help, we can get better food into homes, schools and communities all over America and give your kids a better future.”—Jamie Oliver
Changing my habits to eating real food is how I lost over 100 pounds. So I absolutely believe in Jamie’s mission. I personally admire his courage, passion, and believe he has a genuine, soft heart. And I can’t believe how much resistance he’s been up against for this whole thing. Isn’t it amazing how so many people fight healthy eating/living?
And as I write this, there are almost 80,000 signatures on the petition Jamie plans on presenting to the White House. Would you consider signing? I’m going to I did!
Let me know your thoughts on Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution – and the sun-dried tomato hummus….
Coming Soon
In no particular order…
- Review of the Paderno World Cuisine Plastic Spiral Vegetable Slicer
- Review of Aurorae Sport Sweat Towel
- Review of Aurorae Slip Free Rosin Bag
- Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses – And Why I Drink It
- Tart Cherry Concentrate Health Benefits – And Why I Drink It
- More recipes
- More reviews and giveaways – lots of surprises!
Contest Alert
My Tropical Traditions giveaway is still open. Win a jar of creamy, delicious, healthy organic, raw, wild honey!!
Hi, y’all!
So glad you’ve enjoyed my story about Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis + Fibromyalgia – your comments and emails have truly blessed my heart!!
And yay for Strawberry Serenity Kombucha. Thanks for your rave reviews of my review.
Don’t worry, the agave post is coming. I just HAD to share my fantabulous lunch with you – it was THAT good!
I had oatmeal for (a late) breakfast and so I wasn’t the least bit hungry ‘till around 2 p.m. or so. What to do? Make a smoothie and have an apple slathered with Nuttzo!
There were some leftover berries in the fridge and I was craving hemp protein, too. (Recipe follows!!)
I threw in some other goodies and created this beauty:
Berry Blackstrap Smoothie
Inspired by my Blueberry-Blackstrap Bomb
In my new tumbler!
In the blender
Plus an apple slathered in Nuttzo = YUM!!!
Enjoyed ever so much…
While I write that AGAVE post!!!
Berry Blackstrap Smoothie Recipe
Inspired by my Blueberry-Blackstrap Bomb
- 1/2 cup herbal tea (whatever you like; I used a nettle/mullein/peace blend)
- 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses water (2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses + 1 cup of water = blackstrap water)
- about a cup of leftover berries
- 1 whole avocado (see avocado’s health benefits here)
- 3 tablespoons hemp powder
- 1 tablespoon tart cherry concentrate
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground flax seeds
- teeny amount of stevia to taste
- 4 ice cubes
Directions: Toss everything into your blender and blend away. Pour in a glass and enjoy! This made enough to fill the tumbler twice – but I only drank one tumbler full. I shared the rest with a family member who was eye-balling it. LOL
Do you have days when all you want is a yummy smoothie and fruit slathered in nut butter? Is your appetite always ravenous or non-existent – or does it vary from day-to-day? What’s your favorite smoothie recipe or ingredient? What’s your favorite fruit to slather nut butter on? And have you tried Nuttzo? A full review is coming soon but the ingredients in this stuff is amazing: Valencia Peanuts, Cashews, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Brazil Nuts, Sunflower Seeds, and Flax Seeds – and it’s crunchy and SUPER DELISH! It’s also now available in my OpenSky Shop!!!! Eeeeekkk!
Contest Alerts
- Averie, over at Love Veggies & Yoga, is having a raw food book giveaway.
- I’m giving away a jar of Tropical Traditions raw honey.
Coming Next
- Agave: Why I Was Hesitant to Use It, And Won’t Be Using It Anymore
- Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses – And Why I Drink It
- More reviews and giveaways!
Hi, y’all! Hope your day was fantabulous! Mine was: I made chocolate avocado pudding today!
I’m going to share the recipe, but first I wanted to play catch-up …
So glad you’re loving my Rainbow Chard + Butter Bean Soup. Let me tell you, it was even more delicious than it looks in the photos!
And I’m excited over all the buzz about my post on the health benefits of flax seeds – and why I love ‘em!
And I love that you’re all so excited over Glass Dharma’s eco-friendly straws. I really enjoyed reviewing them and hosting a giveaway, too!
I know, I know, you want to get to the chocolate avocado pudding!
Last time I made it (read all about it here), I used agave as an ingredient, but as I mentioned before, I’ve cut agave from my diet (I’m almost finished with the explanation post, promise!). 
And ended up with this…
A Twitter follower inspired today’s recipe when she asked for a chocolate avocado recipe and I sent her to my version – then had to tell her I don’t use agave anymore. “What would you use now?” She asked.
Enter: Tropical Traditions Canadian, Raw, Wild, Unprocessed Honey!
You’ll be seeing an in-depth review of this SWEET, raw honey in just a day or so – plus something special for y’all!!!
Do you know that avocado is chock-full of nutrition and health benefits?
Check it out:
- vitamin K
- dietary fiber
- potassium
- folate
- vitamin B6
- vitamin C
- copper
Health benefits:
- promotes heart health
- promotes overall health
- increases absorption of carotenoids from vegetables
- combats oral cancer
- and more!
Wow.
And did you know I used to detest avocado? I wouldn’t eat it for YEARS. Never ate it as a kid. Didn’t eat it most of my adult life. I’d say I never tasted an avocado until about 5 or so years ago. Seriously! Can you believe it? And now I could eat ‘em every single day. Yum!
I love how when we start incorporating healthier foods into our diets, our body literally CRAVES them – LOVE it!
Fun Fact!
“The avocado is colloquially known as the Alligator Pear, reflecting its shape and the leather-like appearance of its skin. Avocado is derived from the Aztec word “ahuacatl”.”—WH Foods
Forgot to snap a photo of the frozen nanner that was in the blender but this is what it looks like all blended up…
And it comes out looking like this:
My goodness gracious, it was DELISH!!! I was SO happy with this!
And now, what you’ve wanted since the beginning of this post – the recipe!
Chocolate Banana Avocado Pudding with Raw Honey
(serves one)
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon raw honey, melted (I used Tropical Traditions)
- 1 banana, frozen
- 1/2 avocado (it was a big one)
- 1 tablespoon certified organic cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
Directions:
Toss all ingredients in to your blender or food processer and blend all the ingredients together ‘till they’re creamy and smooth. Enjoy immediately!
Your Turn
Have you tried experimenting with avocado chocolate pudding yet? How does your version differ from mine? Does avocado gross you out? Or do you live for its creamy, decadent texture? And can you believe how many nutrients can be packed into chocolate pudding – when you make a healthier version?! What’s your favorite way to eat avocado? What’s your go-to chocolate dessert recipe?
Oh, and be sure to stop back by soon – I also got happy with hemp in the kitchen and whipped up something off the top of my head! And it was GOOD.
OpenSky Alert!
I love freshly ground flax SO much, I’m selling whole flax seeds so you can grind your own. That’s right: You can buy organic flax seed in my OpenSky shop – for only $7.49 per pound!!!
Shipping info:
“We will ship orders anywhere within the United States and Canada. At this time, we do not ship to other locations. When your order ships, you will receive a shipment notification via email that will include your tracking number.” – OpenSky
Reference:
WH Foods: Avocado
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. And you simply HAVE to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM!
Hope you had a fantabulous holiday! I sure did.
I know a lot of you are curious about what I ate for Thanksgiving. A part of me feels proud of my choices because I didn’t eat meat and I didn’t eat dressing (aka stuffing).
No animals were harmed for my dinner.
But…
A part of me is disappointed with myself (make sense?) because my Thanksgiving dinner wasn’t 100% raw AND vegan. 
Night Before Turkey Day
On Thanksgiving Eve, my mom had leftover batter from the pineapple upside down cake (she makes hers in a cast iron skillet) and so she made cupcakes.
I wasn’t going to eat one, then I just did – it was the smallest one, though!
That was the first time I’d had any (real) cake since my birthday (in mid-August).
Choices, Choices
Aren’t we are own worst critics? Are you hard on yourself, too? Sometimes I think I’m too hard on myself. Most ALL of the time, other people think I’m too hard on myself.
I’ve been really torn about the direction my eating habits have been going and in an upcoming post, I’m going to share my feelings and plans for 2010. Since I lost my cousins (at such young ages) this year, I’ve really battled emotional eating. I’m going to address emotional eating and my food choices soon…
My Thanksgiving Dinner
I filled my plate with mostly salad: baby spinach leaves, kale, broccoli, carrots, avocado, pink sea salt, drizzle of olive oil, pecans.
Then I decided to have a couple spoonfuls of my mom’s sweet potato casserole, real mashed potatoes, baked pasta, and green bean casserole. And the cranberry sauce isn’t raw either – it’s fresh from the can.
Sounds like a lot – but it really wasn’t that much. I suppose some would say I went overboard; others would say I didn’t eat enough. I am proud that my plate is filled with mostly raw veggies. I ended up not have a vegan Thanksgiving because there’s butter in the mashed potatoes and cheese (+ butter) in the pasta. I don’t think I did that badly, though: I didn’t eat turkey, dressing, or the other stuff available.
Iced tea with stevia
Most importantly on Thanksgiving, though, I enjoyed the company. Good family and friends are hard to come by!
How did your Thanksgiving turn out? Did you get to see family and friends and have a good time? Did you eat all raw or high raw vegetarian/vegan? Did you worry about it? Did you splurge and have cooked foods and maybe even turkey? Did you go all out and work hard on mock raw or vegan options? Tell me all about it!
Before you scroll down to find out what takes the place of tuna in tuna (fish-less) salad, be sure to check out what I think about reversing diabetes in 30 days, plus my latest contest (over a $200 value!) and my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. You might also enjoy some naturopathic teaching in Zeenat’s guest post about the healing properties of onion.
Gone raw – or want to – but don’t want to give up your beloved tuna salad? No problem! Just check out my raw tuna fish-less salad below. YUM! Pretty close to the real thing, don’t ya think?
This is an especially nice meal or snack for someone who can’t stand the fish smell/taste. You get the benefits of tuna salad (protein, omegas,vitamins, minerals, etc.) but not the fishy aroma or flavor. And you’re even getting zinc from the sunflower seeds! (Oops! I spilled the beans!)
Raw Juice Girl’s Tuna Fish-Less Himala Salad Recipe:
1 1/2 cups finely ground sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped (I used about 3/4 of that small onion)
17 (soaked) cashews, roughly chopped
small handful raw sunflower seeds (I didn’t take time to soak these)
avocado (half in the mix, half sliced for serving)
freshly ground Himala pink sea salt (to taste)
Himala organic garlic salt (to taste)
freshly ground Himala black peppercorns (to taste)
Just enough water to make the consistency of tuna salad
(I had a cereal-sized bowl of leftovers.)
Note for next time I make this: It needs more onion and some pickles. If you like pickles in your tuna salad and aren’t worried about being 100% raw, you could add canned pickles. If you are worried about staying purely raw, you could make some “fridge pickles” as my friend, Beth, pointed out.
Mix it Together
Serve with your favorite, sliced veggies – or dehydrated flax seed crackers (those are coming up soon!). Of course, you could also smear it on bread and have a sandwich but I try to avoid the bread-like stuff. If I don’t, I look like dough.
And there you have it. What do you think? Does it look like the real thing to you? Have you ever made mock tuna salad? Are you a vegetarian, vegan, or do you try to cut back on your meat intake (some people consider fish to be meat)? This is a great recipe for you, too – even if you aren’t a high-raw foodie.
The best thing about this tuna fish-less recipe is that it’s free of soy, gluten, dairy, and harsh chemicals/preservatives.
Himala Samples
And a ginormous thank you to Melissa Kushi from Himala Salt for sending me these beautiful, delicious samples! A full review of each product (and the extremely eco-friendly company is coming in the near future!)
Breaking a juice fast is pretty easy to do–if you focus on the actual process and don’t go crazy over the fact that it’s time for you to eat again. You don’t want to undo all your hard work, dedication, and cleansing you’ve just accomplished from your juice fast, do you? So, keep that in mind when the aroma of a cheeseburger or pizza slaps you in the face, okay? Okay, good.
First, I want to address an issue some of you may have when you’re actually in the middle of your juice fast. You may feel like it’s all happening too fast, like your body is on toxic overload and can’t rid itself of the toxins as fast as your cleanse is making it happen. Maybe you travel a lot or work a lot of hours and you just don’t have time to feel those detox symptoms as strongly as you are.
Here’s a tip…
Two foods that gently slow the effects of detox while juice fasting:
Avocado
Banana
So, while you may not want to completely end a fast, you can eat a small portion of banana or avocado to slow down the detox process and allow you to have a little rest from the detox symptoms. Yes, you will “wake up” your digestive system a little by nibbling on a banana or avocado but this is a mild way to find relief from, say a headache or achy flu-like feelings that often come with a juice fast cleanse (for some people).
Remember, I’m not telling you to eat 10 bananas or avocados in some crazed oh-my-gosh-my-mouth-met-food-again frame of mind. Be cautious, be mindful, be respectful of your decision to adhere to your juice fasting goals.
Breaking the Fast
This part of the fast is a personal preference, I believe, but let’s see if I can give you some ideas.
A great way, I’ve learned, to break a juice fast is by eating some fresh fruit. A small portion will be enough. I can’t stress enough that you need to think with your tummy and not your brain when breaking a juice fast. Here’s where your preference comes in: Maybe your favorite fruit is banana or apple or a peach. Whatever it is, have that. Pineapple is another great choice. (Raw) fruit is loaded with enzymes that’ll really help your system start to get used to real food again.
I’ve heard of people sipping hot veggie broth during (and to break) a fast. Honestly, I tried both of those and really don’t prefer broth at all during or breaking a juice fast.
Some other ways to break a juice fast:
- a smoothie
- raw veggies (if you must, but they’re harder on the digestive system than enzyme-rich fruits)
You can also eat pulp (with or without the juice).
I’ve found that the simpler I make it coming off a fast, the easier it is. For example, instead of going wild and making a fruit salad from every fruit you can find, just stick with one (or two, if you must).
Add more veggies, and then raw nuts, seeds, and if you eat dairy or meat, etc., be sure to add those (in moderation and hopefully organic, of course) after at least a few days of enjoying fresh, raw, living foods.
Enjoy the Process
This is the most important tip of all, I think! If you enjoy the process of breaking your fast in a healthy way, you’ll probably end up wanting to embark on another juice fast in the future. Take time to savor each taste of fresh fruits and veggies on those first few days after the fast has ended–and forever! Your body–and your taste buds–will thank you.
Upcoming Contests Sponsored by These Fabulous Companies
- 2 Food Matters DVDs (Haven’t had a chance to watch this one yet, but do check out their site–they have a RAWsome message to share!!)
- Detox 4 Women by Natalia Rose (I read this book last night and it’s awesome; it really helps you understand water retention, etc!)
- Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
- E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
- 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing
and Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing
by Dr. Bruce Fife
- and MORE!
You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!
So… be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. 
Photo Credit(s):
http://www.sxc.hu
Wow, do I ever wish I could hit the rewind button and go back to yesterday morning!
Last night was simply atrocious. My arm kept swelling and throbbing and hurting and I didn’t get ANY sleep. None. Zilch. Zero. That makes for a VERY exhausted raw juice girl!
I finally gave in and got up at 5 a.m. That’s early for me, but there was absolutely no way I was going to be sleeping any time soon with all that pain.
I probably should have just laid in bed because not long after I got up, it started….
My tummy was turned inside-out! I started throwing up and couldn’t stop. Now, I’m no medical doctor, but guessing from how my body normally works, I’d say that my system must have been overloaded from all those red wasp stings and it made me sick, overall (I’ve never thrown up on a juice fast before, and I’ve done a 52-day juice fast!).
I can’t count how many times I threw up.
My Mom urged me to eat a couple of crackers to try to calm my tummy.
“But, Mom, this is day 29! Day 29!!! I only have the rest of today and tomorrow to complete my 30-day juice fast!!”
I was horrified by the thought of breaking my fast–and not the way I had planned on breaking it, at that!
Since I was way too sick to handle my daily warm lemon water, I tried sipping on a glass if ice-cold herbal tea. That helped a little. But, still, I kept throwing up.
I was really weak and in a LOT of pain from the swelling/throbbing of my arm where so many wasps stung in one area.
I hated to do it, folks, but I know my body. I know how far I can push myself. And I had reached my limit.
Broken
Breaking a juice fast is a very special event. When I decided to share this juice fast with you all, I had visions of sharing photos and details of my first raw meal after the fast. I planned on telling you why I chose raw fruit (because of all the enzymes that aid digestion) and why I didn’t choose vegetables (because they’re harder to digest when coming off a fast).
The fast wasn’t the only thing that was broken here: My heart and spirit were as well.
Cowboy girl Up
So, as my neighbor says: It was time to cowboy girl up and realize I’d reached my limits and that more importantly than stopping at the end of day 30, I should love my health enough to do what’s best for me at the time–and not worry about what the world would think of me for breaking the fast just a tad early.
So, I sucked up my pride (cowgirled up) and listened to mom: I nibbled on a couple of salty crackers. They were organic, but still….
I also nibbled on a piece of ginger.
“You look like death.” Mom said (thanks for the compliment, Mom! LOL). I took that as a cue to lay back down. My tummy finally settled down enough for me to get in a decent nap.
I knew I needed something but I didn’t really have the strength to drag out the juicer. Since I’d already nibbled on a couple of salty crackers (I’m still upset that I did this!!! ) I decided to make a green monster. Next best thing, right?
Amazing Green Monster
1/3 cup fresh blueberries
1 scoop berry flavored Amazing Grass SuperFood powder
1 big handful spinach
4 ice cubes
1/2 cup herbal tea
(This needed “something” so I added a tiny drizzle of raw honey–then it was perfect!
And it wasn’t as thick as I normally make my smoothies, so it was almost juice-like! )
A Monster Alright!
I had all my ingredients in the blender–and it wouldn’t start. Can you believe it?! Ugh. I was really tired and sick and not in the mood for a dead blender at all! I’m not one to waste, so I dumped the contents of the blender into the food processor and started it up. (Where there’s a will, eh?)
Red Wasp Stings
This photo doesn’t do my arm justice. Several stings were on the other side of my arm (not visible in this photo) and my arm was swollen double its normal size (or more!). Very painful. It felt like burning, heavy concrete that was about to explode and worse.
Since I didn’t get to share a raw meal that broke my fast, I’ll be writing a post with tips for breaking a juice fast, possible foods you could eat, and also share ideas for meals in the coming days after a fast.
What really gets me about this, is that I wasn’t hungry! I wasn’t even craving food and didn’t NEED to break the fast–even on day 30. I could have kept going.
I blame that yoga mat! LOL
Until tomorrow… happy juicing!
Don’t forget to catch up on my 30-day juice fast…
Day 1 of a 30-Day Juice Fast and Juicer Mishaps
Day 2 of a 30-Day Juice Fast–and AMAZING GRASS!!
Day 4 + Wheat Grass Galore + a Juicer!!
Day 8, Let’s Talk About Weight!
Day 11, Grapefruit Juice Heaven!
Day 15 + Living Tree Community Contest Winner!
Day 16 + Books by Dr. Bruce Fife
Day 17 + Green Pineapple Juice
Day 19 + July 4th Celebrations!!
Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies
- 2 books by Nomi Shannon, The Raw Gourmet (These two books have GORGEOUS photos and the recipes are amazing!
- 2 Food Matters DVDs (Haven’t had a chance to watch this one yet, but do check out their site–they have a RAWsome message to share!!)
- Detox 4 Women by Natalia Rose (I read this book last night and it’s awesome; it really helps you understand water retention, etc!)
- Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
- E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
- 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing
- and MORE!
You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!
So… be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. 
By
Making Up Your Mind to Juice Fast
Okay, so you’ve decided to go on a juice fast. Maybe it’s just because you want to get healthier, or perhaps you’re looking to get a jump-start on weight loss. Let’s hope you’ve decided to sacrifice your favorite foods and survive a few days on raw juices because you want to focus on cleaning your body and helping it get rid of years – maybe even decades – of all the bad stuff that’s caked up inside. Let’s also hope it’s because you’ve truly searched your heart and wholeheartedly decided to lead a lifestyle that promotes life instead of one that promotes sickness, premature death, and obesity.
If you’re only planning on juice fasting to lose weight, you may as well not do it. Yes, most people lose several pounds juice fasting – I have. But weight loss is about so much more than lost pounds. Weight loss is about changing your entire lifestyle – mind, body, and soul. Weight loss is about targeting why you gained weight in the first place and what you’re going to do to prevent yourself from gaining weight again once you’ve lost it. So, although you probably will lose weight during your juice fast, it’s best to think of those lost pounds as just part of the process and not your sole reason for juicing fasting. Trust me; I do know what I’m talking about. I’ve lost over 100 pounds – and kept it off.
Made up your mind yet? Fantabulous! Let’s get started!
A few ideas for that pre-juice fast menu:
Organic Greek yogurt with raw walnuts, and fresh or frozen blueberries
This is a yummy treat you can enjoy any time. I prefer Oikos organic Greek yogurt myself, but you may like another brand. (Nope, I didn’t get paid for saying I love Oikos – it’s delish, filling, and most importantly, healthy!) Besides the protein in the yogurt, you’re getting protein from the heart-healthy walnuts, and loading up on antioxidants in those juicy blueberries.
Chopped avocado, tomato, red onion, juice from a real lemon
This is yum-o!! Simply cut up a fresh tomato and avocado and toss in a bowl. You can add a homemade vinaigrette if you want to. I don’t. I do squeeze the juice of about a half of a lemon over the avocado. (I wouldn’t use the lemon juice that comes in a bottle.)
Salad: raw spinach, Napa cabbage, carrots, blueberries, raw walnuts, salmon
This is one of my favorite salads ever. You can throw in whatever your favorite veggies are. The blueberries are optional but they are divine on salad! If you’re a big meat eater, adding salmon or tuna to your salad is a wonderful way to still feed your body a protein that will satisfy you while staying away from red meat. I normally don’t eat salmon or tuna within a few days of a juice fast, simply because it’s a little bit difficult for our bodies to adjust to an all liquid diet after consuming a lot of protein each day.
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
I’ve mentioned this before but it really is crucial to prepare your body and your mind before setting out on this amazing journey with raw juices.
I’m so used to juice fasting it’s pretty much become second nature for me. I listen to my body – and mind – and I know when both are craving a raw juice fast. You’ll learn to do this too as you become more experienced with juice fasting.
I never, ever recommend that you start a long juice fast right off the bat. Like anything else, you want to ease your body into juice fasting. Think about it. You wouldn’t wake up one day and decide you want to be a runner, hop out of bed, and run the longest marathon there is. No, you’d go buy yourself some running shoes, maybe pick out an area to start running, jump online and study the stretches you need to do to prepare your muscles for a run. You might start jogging and/or doing some other exercises.
The most important message I want to share is that juice fasting is a marvelous way to nourish your body and mind. It’s a beautiful journey between the person who is fasting and the raw food our bodies were made to consume. It’s a great way to slow yourself down and find the calm that lies within you, but is drowned out by all the world’s chaotic noises.
Have you ever juice fasted? Are you just venturing out to try it? What are your thoughts on juice fasting? I’d love to hear them!
Be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health.
