Green machine

This is today's green machine juice, just fresh from the juicer, ready to go!

1 large organic golden beet, leaves and all
4 cups of organic carrots
3 handful of organic spinach
4 sticks of organic celery
2 large leaves of organic kale
2 large organic oranges
1 inch fresh ginger
1 juice of 1 lemon
3 leaves of basil
1 handful of parsley


Press all through the juicer, enjoy!
Makes enough for three or four, depending on serving size.
I mention the organic, but I usually choose only this option. Seldom I take conventionally raised vegetables. Especially in juicing. Keeps fresh in the fridge for 1 day!

In the picture also my latest acquisition, Gwyneth Paltrow's latest cook book: It's All Good! Indeed! Check it out, it's fabulous....



Picture by V.Zlotkowski

Most refreshing drink

When days get warmer or when I need a nice refreshing drink during a long walk, I bring not water but a home made mix of distilled water, Bragg's organic apple cider vinegar, a bit of ginger powder and some green juice. (For easy access I use Knudsen Green juice) The sugar I consume from the ready made juice is minimal but the taste in the drink is so improved. 

I make a little more then a 1 quart.

3 - 4 cups of distilled water
1 - 2 cups of Knudsen's Mega Green
1/8 - 1/4 cup  of Bragg's apple cider vinegar , read more about the benefits here.
2 pinch of ginger powder (one can use fresh one as well, try out amounts, but ginger is rather powerful as powder, I guess you can use a little more of the grated one.

Make it to taste. Add a little more green juice to make it less spicy. Or add more water.

Of course, now I will begin to experiment more: with fresh juiced vegetables, added Chlorella powder or spirulina....think about the possibilities.





Image by V.Zlotkowski

Sunday morning sweetness

Our Sunday mornings are usually slow. The one day we love to sleep in, hang out in PJ's, chat on the phone with family and are generally late.
But we get up to create a light breakfast, served at bedside and enjoyed by all. My husband gets up to make a cup of coffee for each of us and I whip up a quick smoothie for all.
Today it was sweet, but light and fully nutritious.

1 English cucumber
1lb  carrots
3 celery stalks
3 apples
4 handfuls of red grapes
2 tbsp Udi's 3-6-9 omega oil


Enough for 4! But 2 can drink it all as well.... ; )))

Happy Sunday!

Image by V.Zlotkowski

Flu shot in a bottle

If you feel under the weather and like to give your immune system a real kick, you should not hesitate and follow this recipe, which I have tried many times and every time succeed in getting over the low down quickly. 

You will need:

Juice from 6 organic lemons
3 cups pineapple juice (Knudsen f.e.)
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 whole bulb of garlic, peeled (at least 8 large sections)
2 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp cayenne powder


Mix all in a blender and drink within 24 hours, makes about 4 - 5 cups. Add a little more pineapple juice if you feel it's to spicy. But I love it the way it comes, I feel it surges through me, warms me and makes me feel better soon.
Fill up into a glass bottle and keep in the refrigerator.
To your health!





Image by V.Zlotkowski

Pumpkin soup

For Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I re-post today this entry, which I originally wrote in October 2009, it's still as good as then, I tweaked the recipe to accommodate vegetarians as well. 

Everywhere in my blog neighborhoods appear dishes and recipes. See here and here... The season invites for home cooked meals, friends around the table and the splendors of autumn to be enjoyed. Last Saturday's market stroll yielded many fruits and vegetables, among them a sumptuous heirloom pumpkin, which begged to be made into a lovely soup for Sunday nights family dinner, book club guests snack later and follow up lunch on Monday.



My youngest stood by when I carved the top off and deep into the orange flesh to reveal a wonderful terrine for the soup later on.
It smelled delicious and we first roasted the pumpkin seeds as a snack.



Recipe for heirloom pumpkin soup:

1 medium size pumpkin
2 apples
1 medium size onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
5 carrots
1 quart of vegetable or chicken broth
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1/4 stick butter or 3 tbs olive oil, thyme, parsley, ginger, chopped raw spouted almonds, pepper and sea salt.
1/2 cup half and half

To sprout almonds: soak raw almonds for about three hours, rinse, drain and put in a glass jar to sprout for a few hours, small tips will appear on the small end of almonds, use as usual or dry in dehydrator until dry. If you want them raw, do not roast them.

Carve the pumpkin carefully, let there be enough flesh be around to keep the pumpkin as a serving bowl.
Set aside.
Cut flesh in to smaller pieces, take out some of the stringy pumpkin fibers, sort out seeds for roasting.
Spread seeds - washed and dried - on to a baking sheet, bake @ 350 degree for about 15 min, until crispy.
Cut apples, onion, garlic and carrots in smaller pieces and roast in butter or oil for a couple of minutes. Do not burn the garlic and onions. Empty chicken or vegetable broth in large stockpot, add pumpkin pieces and all the gently roasted vegetables and bring to a boil, add thyme, gently cook for about 30 minutes, until all is soft.
In Blender blend small batches of soup and return to pot. Add fresh ginger, pepper and salt and keep warm. Reduce to a comfortable thickness. Take off the heat.
Add half and half. (Or leave that out) Serve with chopped almonds and a good measure of parsley!
For added drama serve in your pumpkin!

Bon appetite!






It lasted until today, when the last soup was finally eaten for another lunch!
All what's left now is a pumpkin waiting to get a happy face!

xx
Victoria




All images by V.Zlotkowski

Mother Earth drink

I call this one Mother Earth for its lovely mild and earthy taste. I freshly squeezed two apples, two handful of mixed greens (left over from my salad greens) one medium beet, 1/2 lbs of carrots and one tsp Udi's oil.

It's yummy and so good for you! 

I took this picture, when I was already more then half way done....it's of course much larger a drink to begin with...

xoxo

Image by V.Zlotkowski

Julius Kefir...

This is another really lovely drink. Kefir based and deliciously refreshing.

Take 2 cups (lactose free) kefir, 2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice, add two frozen bananas and 1tsp vanilla powder extract, mix in blender and serve immediately.

These recipe comes from Diane Stobo's wonderful book 

'Get Naked Fast'...

The easiest way to freeze bananas: 

First peel ripe bananas, cut into 1 inch pieces and lay open on top of a paper towel or thin plastic sheet in freezer. After they are frozen transfer into freezer bag, remove air and store in freezer until use.

They come in handy in every smoothie, which needs a little added frozen coolness. Better then ice cubes.

Enjoy!

Image by V.Zlotkowski