Day 2 - June 2013 GSC

Who has Chickweed growing in their yard? Have you gone outside and checked? 

You may not recognize it, but if you have a look at the weeds in your backyard, perhaps you'll find some Chickweed already growing there. If not, you can create your own wild edibles garden bed  -  that's what I did - and now have Stinging Nettles, Miner's Lettuce, and Chickweed growing in their own garden bed (separated away from the veggies). 

Another option is to 'harvest for free' Chickweed that is growing as weeds in lawns, open sunny areas, and partially shaded spots in fields or hillsides nearby where you live.

Minty Chick GS

Yield: 1 quart

2 cups water

1 apple, chopped

1 mango, fresh or frozen

1 banana, peeled
2 cups chickweed, tightly packed
1 cup mint leaves

• Add fruits to a blender first and blend together
• Next add chickweed, mint leaves and blend again until smooth
• This would be lovely with a pear, but since I didn't have one, I substituted a banana

Nutri-Tip:

• Chickweed is a nutritional powerhouse that provides plenty of vitamins including C, D, and beta-carotene.
• It’s an excellent source of minerals magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, sodium, copper and silicon.
• And contains steroidal saponins responsible for its ability to increase the absorptive ability of all membranes, and to eliminate congestion.

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Finally harvesting some beet greens from my garden. The beets are still in the ground and more greens will grow where I clipped off  the leaves for this Green Smoothie.

Beet Greens Fruit Medley GS

Yield: 1 quart

2 cups water

2 organic pears, stem removed
2 cups organic green grapes
1 organic banana, peeled

2 cups beet greens, from the garden

• Add all ingredients to a blender, in the order above, and blend together until smooth

Nutri-Tip:

• Did you know that the green tops on the beets are the most nutrient dense part of the entire beet.
• Beet roots (actual beets) have significantly more sugar and water.
• Calcium in beet tops is 7 times higher than in the beets.
• Vitamin A is 192 times higher in the tops than in the roots.
• Beet tops have 2 times more potassium than the roots, and 3 times more iron than that found in the roots.

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ONE FINAL STEP

If you participated in this GSC, please send an email to Clive of RawBC so he can keep track of the numbers of participants. Send email to info@rawbc.org with the words "I DID IT - FIRST NAME - CITY" in the subject line.

We thank you for your participation and assistance!

Day 1 - June 2013 GSC

Welcome to our Monthly Green Smoothie Challenge!

Next month the Two-Day GSC will be on July 15 and 16 - mark your calendar!
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Light and refreshing, this GS is one I make a lot! Both banana and mango have soluble fibre to keep your GS from separating (like it does when you add citrus or apple).
 

Insoluble fibre passes through our intestines largely intact - while soluble fibre prolongs stomach emptying time, and may affect blood sugar levels, as sugar is released and absorbed more slowly.

Collard Greens GS

Yield: 1 quart

2 cups purified water

1 pink grapefruit, peeled and seeded

1 orange, peeled and seeded

1 banana, peeled
1 mango, peeled and seeded
4 large leaves Collard greens

• In a blender, mix together until thick and creamy

Nutri-Tip:

• Collard greens are packed with nutrition and provide anticancer properties.
• An excellent source of vitamins B6 and C, carotenes, chlorophyll, and manganese, one cup of collard greens provides more than 70 percent of the RDA for vitamin C.
• They are also a very good source of fibre, and several minerals, including iron, copper and calcium, with vitamins B1, B2, and E.

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Coconut Mylk GS

Yield: 1 quart

1 large young Thai coconut, water and meat

1 cup Red Russian kale

2 cups frozen strawberries

• First make coconut mylk by blending together the water and meat from a young Thai coconut. If you have less than 2 cups of coconut water, add enough purified water to make 2 cups.
• To the blender with the coconut mylk, add kale and strawberries
• Blend all together until smooth and creamy

Top 10 GMO Foods to Boycott

Let's talk about GMOs (genetically modified organisms) . . . also called Frankenfoods (as in Frankenstein monster) because they are created by scientists in a laboratory. Does the name Monsanto sound familiar? 

Poland has become the eighth EU member state to ban the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops. You can read more at these two sites:  

• http://www.infowars.com/poland-becomes-the-8th-eu-nation-to-ban-monsanto-maize/ 
• http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/features/germany-bans-monsanto-s-maize/

My choice has always been to stay away from GMO foods - especially the ones in this picture! Here are some tips:

• Canola Oil - Using first cold pressed, ORGANIC extra virgin olive oil eliminates the GMO worry about oils. So what if other oils are cheaper - what is your health worth?
• Soy - Miso and Tamari contain probiotics and are both fermented and cultured foods. ORGANIC unpasteurized Miso and ORGANIC gluten-free Tamari, are the only soy products in my kitchen.
• Corn is one of the most GMO contaminated foods in the world, it is something I haven't eaten for a few years now. If you check labels on food boxes and packages, you will be surprised how corn has found its way into most of the food chain.
• Rice - Instead of rice, you can easily make your own veggie rice in a food processor using root veggies. And be aware that when rice is labelled enriched it means it has been sprayed with nutrients which may contain wheat (meaning gluten).
• Tomatoes - Do your own taste test. In the summer when local tomatoes are ripe, compare an ORGANIC tomato to a conventionally grown tomato. I have done this and until my own tomatoes are grown and ripened, I buy tomatoes labelled ORGANIC only.
• Potatoes have been off my menu ever since I began my raw food journey. Since raw potatoes are not a good fit, I have never had to deal with the GMO problem. But when eating sweet potatoes or yams (which go well in soups and pates) they are always ORGANIC.
• Papayas fall under the GMO umbrella and are even labelled as such in some stores. Labels with 5 digits starting with an 8 indicate that the food is genetically engineered/modified.
• Peas - ORGANIC peas are simply bursting with flavour and therefore a natural choice. During the summer they are readily available at farmers markets.
• Dairy products have been off my table for many years, and I no longer suffer from  sinus infections. Dairy can raise our cholesterol, deplete our calcium, and place a strain on our heart. Allergic responses in the body as well as swelling that makes us feel and look bloated, inflammation and mucous are finally being linked to dairy. You'd be surprised at the variety of mylks, ice cream, and dairy-like foods that can be easily made by substituting nuts, seeds, and even coconut for dairy.

Recipe - Asian Sprouted Quinoa Salad

This is my tasty dinner today - a combination of protein-rich sprouted quinoa and a rainbow of nutritional veggies in a simple Asian dressing!

How to sprout quinoa:

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa = 1-1/2 cups sprouted quinoa
• Soak 1/2 cup quinoa in 1/2 cup water for 3-4 hours
• Drain and rinse really well
• Leave quinoa to sprout in a strainer and cover with a towel
• Rinse twice a day for 2 days until you see long tails

Asian Sprouted Quinoa Salad

Yield:  3-4 servings

Salad:
1 cup sprouted quinoa
1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage, cut in 1" long pieces
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup snap peas or snow peas, cut in 1" chunks
1/4 cup sliced green onion
Optional:  1 bunch chopped Bok Choy blends nicely into this salad

Dressing:
2 Tbsp Sesame oil (or 2 tsp raw Tahini)
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp gluten-free Tamari
2 Tbsp Agave or Honey
1/4 cup slivered raw nuts that have been soaked (almonds or cashews)

• Combine sprouted quinoa, cabbage, carrots, pepper, peas, and green onion in a bowl
• Whisk together the oil, vinegar, Tamari, Agave, and set aside
• Toss the dressing with the salad, sprinkle with the nuts, and serve in a bowl 
• OR fill a cabbage leaf with the tossed salad and serve with raw rye bread spread with coconut oil

 

 

Day 2 - May 2013 GSC

Victoria Boutenko's book 'Green Smoothie Revolution'  has many recipes, here's one that I decided to try today.

My friend Karen renamed it Citrus Nettle GS, and the Stinging Nettle was clipped from plants growing in my yard (just be sure to wear gloves)!

This was my first time adding fresh nettles - usually I use the dried version. And I am happy to report that Karen and I did not get stung!

Citrus Nettle GS

Yield: 1 quart

2 cups water

Handful stinging nettle leaves

1 mango, peeled and seeded

Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Add all ingredients to a blender and blend together until smooth

Nutri-Tips:

• Be aware that because Stinging Nettle may affect the blood's ability to clot, it could interfere with blood thinning drugs.
• Stinging nettles is more nutritious than most greens in the store. “Compared to spinach, it has 29x the amount of calcium, 14x the amount of iron, 8x the amount of magnesium, and 4x the amount of potassium. Courtesy of Victoria Boutenko
  

  Serving Size: 1 cup (89g or 3.1 ounce)
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  	Amount	RDI%
  Protein	2.4119g	5%
  Calcium	428.09 mg	43%
  Iron	1.4596 mg	8%
  Magnesium	50.73 mg	13%
  Phosphorus	63.19 mg	6%
  Potassium	297.26 mg	6%
  Zinc	0.3026 mg	2%
  Copper	0.06764 mg	3%
  Manganese	0.69331 mg	35%

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I have made this Green Smoothie many times before, but it was a good one to finish off this two-day challenge. If you joined us for this GSC, remember to contact Clive of RawBC so he can add you to the growing list of participants. Simply send an email to info@rawbc.org  with the caption "I DID IT" and your Name and City.

Sweet Power GS

Yield:  4 cups

2 cups purified water

1 cup mild tasting greens (like spinach)

1/3 of a whole pineapple

1 banana

1 apple (or 1 cup strawberries) 

• Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth
• Always taste test for balance of flavours
• A slice of lemon (peeled) will counter too green a flavour

Nutri-Tips: 

• A GS quickly alkalizes the body; helps build hydrochloric acid in the stomach and is a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre.
• Low stomach acidity (hypochlorhydria) is a condition that occurs when the human body is unable to produce adequate quantities of stomach acid.
• Low stomach acidity dramatically impacts digestion and absorption of most nutrients necessary for health.
• Hydrochloric acid is the only acid that our body produces.
• All other acids are by-products of metabolism that are eliminated as soon as possible.

Day 1 - May 2013 GSC

If you are a fan of that yummy coconut flavour, then this Green Smoothie is one worth trying!

Chickweed Party GS

Yield: 1 quart

2 cups Young Thai coconut water

Meat from 1 Young Thai coconut
1 handful Chickweed
1 handful mixed greens

1 mango, peeled and seeded

1 banana, peeled
Handful fresh strawberries

• Add all ingredients to a blender and blend together until smooth

Nutri-Tip:

• Use that coconut meat! With a heavy spoon, remove the white meat from the inside of the coconut and either use it right away, or store in a bag in the freezer for future use.
• The fat from coconut is considered saturated, but it is actually called Lauric Acid, a type of fat which is easily absorbed by the human body and used instantly as energy.

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For those times when you just want to enjoy a drink that is thick and creamy, adding an avocado will do the trick!

 

Blue Avocado GS

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 banana, peeled

1 large peach, peeled and seeded

2 cups water

1 avocado, peeled and seeded

• Substitute frozen peaches when fresh peaches are not in season
• Blend fruit and water together first
• Add avocado to blender and blend all together
• Add more water as needed for desired consistency 

Nutri-tip:

• Avocados contain oleic acid which lowers cholesterol, potassium to regulate blood pressure, and folate for heart health.
• Avocados also help absorption of carotenoids from vegetables, and contain vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.

 

Recipe - Mango Lime Sorbet

Here is a guiltless pleasure that you will definitely want to try!
 

Mango Lime Sorbet

Serves 3

2 cups frozen mango chunks

1/4 cup agave

1/8 cup fresh lime juice
Lime zest

• Remove zest from skin of a lime and set aside
• Place mango chunks in a blender or food processor and puree together with agave and lime juice
• Pour the sorbet into a shallow glass dish and place in freezer for half an hour
• Stir the puree every 15 minutes until ready to serve
• Sprinkle with lime zest