DEEP BEET SMOOTHIE

 1 beetroot, grated

1 pomegranate, scoop seeds out to blend

1/2 cup of blackberries

1/2 inch of ginger root

1 large glass of water

Blend for 20 seconds

Fresh is Best

* Tatsoi

I am one of those fabulously lucky women who has a green guru to whom I can bounce off questions and get awesome answers pretty quickly.

I know fresh is best, but is freezing really a huge no-no?

I asked the question:

"With regard to green smoothies & stand-alone smoothies, is freezing partial ingredients a no-no? As in freezing leafy greens and parsley."

The reply:

"Hi Danuta,

The secret of really medicinal green smoothies is absolute freshness of all
ingredients.  However, I would say that if something like freezing is easier
then go for it but it is not something that I would do or would recommend
but I think we all have such difficult and busy lives it is better to have
frozen than not at all."

We do all lead busy lives, where fast is good, but not necessarily best.

During the summer months, it is easy to buy fresh produce at the local market on a more frequent basis.  However, don't keep greens in the fridge for too long. The maximum number of days should be three.

During the winter months, when produce is far more difficult to obtain, and freezing is the only most viable option, then it is better doing that and drinking green smoothies, than not.

This summer, I have a garden bed full of kale and chard plants which are growing large and giving out lots of leaves at quite an impressive rate. One or two of these leaves, together with cucumber and celery and I have my green smoothie pretty fresh from the garden.

My plan is to plant more winter greens for the winter months.  Winter greens are full of nutrients and are a valuable addition to your winter table. Winter greens include kale, chard, cress, turnip greens and spinach.

I am learning about tatsoi which is an Asian green similar to bok choy. It grows in a pretty rosette shape and is easy to grow. I'll look for it as a seedling, plant it and try it out in my smoothies.

* Tatsoi - photo from ngb.org

The easy way to shake

I find the hardest part of getting onto the cleanse meal plan is getting myself sorted. Once I have all my ingredients for the week, it's easy to wash, spin dry, and package for freezing.

I usually do enough for one week as fresh freeze is best and consumed within the week is best too.

Here are most of the ingredients on my kitchen counter for 3 meals.

The veggies and fruit that freeze well are sorted together for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Packaged in plastic bags and ready for freezing. Make sure they're air tight and well sealed.

I grind a week's worth of flax seed and store in a glass jar in the freezer. As needed, I add to my Vitamix jug for blending. Cucumbers don't freeze well so they get chopped and added fresh.

Almond butter, chlorella tablets, coconut oil, green apple, pre-soaked chia and cayenne all get added as needed and are not frozen.  

If I don't have an item as for instance, raspberries, it's not a tragedy!

The frozen veggies give the smoothie a crisp, smooth, icy flavour - you may feel that ice does not need to be added.

Courage and determination will get you through the week long cleanse. Once you're into it, it really is easy and you will find the benefits far outweigh the hassle of not eating regular food.

The Stand-Alone smoothies are very important to consume twice a day, in addition to the smoothies above, because they are a 100% veggie mix. You'll find them on the index to your right.

Turmeric Smoothie

From Reboot with Joe

Turmeric Smoothie

• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple or mango chunks
• 1 fresh banana
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 or 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon maca (optional)
• 1 cup coconut milk

Process ingredients in a blender until smooth.

The main ingredient of turmeric is curcumin which boosts the immune system. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Give it a try!

Here's more information from Reboot with Joe who I have recently discovered from my guru nutritionist Nadia (on my links bar)

http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/benefits-of-turmeric/

The Power of Kiwi

From the Sundance Family

Fun Smoothies

Be Love Restaurant, Victoria, BC

Be Love is a busy and thriving vegan restaurant in Victoria, BC. There is a huge choice on the menu from raw to cooked, thus a good fit for a crowd who eat diversely. It's a culinary adventure to say the least. Here is the blurb from their menu.

About be love restaurant

be love opened in October, 2013 and is the collaborative vision of siblings Heather and Joe Cunliffe and their dad, Ayrie. A full service, modern restaurant serving organic, local, plant based cuisine that is as delicious as it is nourishing and energizing. Our high vibrational food is complimented by an all organic and natural wine list, super-food cocktails, fresh juices, smoothies, and elixirs. Our food is wheat, dairy, gluten, and processed sugar free, and we source almost completely organic ingredients.

be love is an offering of sustainable organic cuisine to nourish and heal the body, mind & soul. Here to honour our earth community and one another, we mindfully source our ingredients, fostering change to provide a future of health, love & respect for all.