DAY 4 - GSC

If you normally have orange juice for breakfast, here is an alternative for you to try! Tune in tomorrow for the final wrap up to this Green Smoothie Challenge!

MORNING GS - Jump start my day!

Double Orange GS

Double Orange GS
2 cups purified water
2 Oranges, peeled and seeded
1 Banana, peeled
1/2" chunk Ginger, peeled if not organic
1 cup Arugula, washed
1 cup Spinach, washed
1-1/2 Tbsp Chia seeds

• Note:  If you are new to GS you may want to try using 1 cup of Spinach,  the 2nd cup can easily be added after tasting
• Place oranges and water in blender first, adding the remaining ingredients on top
• Blend until thick and smooth
• Raw Tip:  Anytime a smoothie separates add some soluble fibre:  pear, banana, blueberries, mango, papaya, etc

Guess I'm looking forward to eating again, since I really enjoyed the crisp crunch of apple for an afternoon snack today!

And although I am not hungry, I do delight in the feeling of chewing food.

DINNER GS - Pudding!

Peppery Blue GS Pudding

Peppery Blue GS Pudding

1-1/2 cups water
2 cups Arugula greens
1/2 Avocado, peeled and seeded
1 pear
1 cup blueberries (I used frozen)

• Place water, pear, blueberries in blender first, then top with greens and 1/2 Avocado
• Blending will make a very thick pudding because of the Avocado
• Arugula has a slightly peppery taste and is my favourite
• Thin out with more water if you prefer to drink from a glass
• Otherwise all you need is a bowl and spoon to enjoy!

DAY 3 - GSC

Possibly my favourite GS so far and a very good way to start your day! Not too green - not too sweet! 

OOPS - In my original post of the recipe for the Blackberry Medley GS, I forgot to include a pear, an important ingredient for taste and texture - have added it now for you.

Blackberry Medley

MORNING GS - Fuel after morning exercises!
Blackberry Medley GS
2 cups Coconut Water
1 cup mixed Sprouts
1 cup mixed Greens
1 cup Blackberries (I used frozen)
1 pear
1 banana, peeled

• This coconut gave me 2 cups of water
• Opening a coconut over a dish, catches the water without wasting any of the precious liquid 
• If the coconut you use has less water, simply add enough purified water to make 2 cups
• Mix all together in a blender
• Pour into a lovely glass and enjoy!

This is how I open a coconut over a bowl to catch all the water.

This is my 3rd day of drinking 2 blenders full of green smoothie per day and water only.

So today I opted for a bowl of pink grapefruit slices for my midday snack!

Kale Fruit Salad

DINNER GS - Last one for today!

Kale Fruit Salad GS

2-1/2 cups Purified Water

1 or 2 cups Red Russian Kale

1 Ataulfo Mango, pitted and peeled

1 Gala Apple, cut in chunks

1 banana, peeled

• Mix all together in a blender, until smooth and creamy
• Just use 1 cup of kale if you are not used to the taste
• Kale is harder to break up in a regular blender, try letting the blender run longer

DAY 2 - GSC

This new GS combination was a good one! Both banana and Mango have soluble fibre to keep your GS from separating (like 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.
  

Cool Collards GS

BREAKFAST GS - to start my day!
Cool Collards GS
2 cups purified water
1 Ataulfo Mango, peeled and pitted
1 Kiwi Fruit, peeled
1 Banana, peeled and chopped
1 cup Collard greens
squeeze of Lime

• Blending is easier if you add fruit and water to the blender first with the greens added last
• Blend together until smooth and creamy
• If your GS tastes too green, adding a squeeze of lemon or lime will help to balance out the taste

What have I noticed so far?  I feel good, energized, clearer - finished my income tax, cleaned house, enjoyed being outside, and am not missing cable TV at all! My digestive system is doing its job and bowels are cleaning house. Yesterday I did not feel deprived at all - perhaps because the two blenders full of GS I had kept me full right up until bedtime. I really do enjoy my GS at dinner time, not because I am hungry, but because it is my time to relax and fully appreciate my food. 

What can you expect? If you are not used to consuming large quantities of raw organic fruit and greens, it is possible you may feel worse to begin with. This is a sign that your body recognizes, and is taking advantage of, this time to do some house cleaning. Stored toxins are being released into your bloodstream and bowels and can, sometimes but not always, create headaches, rashes, nausea, runny noses, night sweats etc as they are flushed out of your body. If this happens, make sure you drink plenty of pure water, 2-3 litres a day. These cleansing reactions usually only last for 1-4 days and are cause to celebrate that you are on the road to better health!

Strawberry Delight GS

DINNER GS - to end my day!
Strawberry Delight GS
2 cups purified water
1 cup Strawberries, with green leaves
1 Kiwi Fruit, peeled
1 Banana, peeled and chopped
1/2 Romaine lettuce, 2-3 cups 

• Place fruit and water in the blender first with the greens added last
• Blend together until smooth and creamy
• I used extra large fresh organic strawberries, but frozen would work
• For extra flavour, try adding a small piece of ginger,or 1/2 stalk of celery

DAY 1 - GSC

Welcome to Day 1 of this GSC! 

Woke up today looking forward to 4 days of nourishing bliss, and started by drinking my usual 2 glasses of purified water as soon as I got up.

Breakfast GS - first one of the day!

For this smoothie, you will want Coconut Water, the clear liquid inside the coconut. Start out by removing the top of a young Thai coconut with the heel of a large knife. You'll find that an average size coconut has 1-2 cups of water. Pour the coconut water through a strainer to remove bits of shell and add to the blender. The remaining coconut meat is scooped out of the coconut with a sturdy spoon, and frozen for later use in recipes. And if you don't have coconut water you can always use purified water.

Coconut Papaya GS

2 cups coconut water (or use purified water)

1 Papaya peeled, seeded and cubed

1 Kiwi fruit, peeled

1 Banana, peeled

1/2" piece Ginger, peeled if not organic

1 cup Spinach, washed

1/2 bunch Italian Parsley, washed

• Place coconut water and fruit in bottom of blender with greens on top
• Blend until smooth and creamy 

Coconut Papaya GS

Here are some Green Smoothie Benefits: Quickly alkalizes the body; is a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre; and helps build hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

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 & eliminated as soon as possible.

Coconut Water / with 5 electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, sodium, calcium
Ginger / for digestion, circulation, and the immune system
Kiwi Fruit / rich in Vitamin C (more than oranges), and as much potassium as bananas
Papaya / helps digestive system, breaks down the proteins, supports production of digestive enzymes
Parsley / excellent kidney support for diabetics
Spinach / dark leafy green high in alkaline minerals, protein, and chlorophyll 

Dinner GS - my second blender full of Green Smoothie today!
Sprouts n' Berries GS

Sprouts n' Berries

2 cups purified water
1 pear, sliced
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 banana, peeled
1-1/2 cups mixed sprouts

• Add all ingredients to blender
• Blend until smooth and creamy

Blueberries / good for inflammation with sky high levels of antioxidants
Pear / antioxidants and pectin, a soluble fibre
Banana / potassium which may help promote bone health
Sprouts / alkalizing with many times more nutrients than fully developed plants 

4-Day Green Smoothie Challenge Feb 26 to Feb 29

Once again, it feels like time to do another Green Smoothie Challenge! 
Instead of detoxing or fasting, I prefer to refuel my body and refresh my senses by taking a few days off from food and just drinking blender drinks containing an abundance of organic nutrient-dense dark leafy greens, fruits, and water. During these 4 days, I am ONLY drinking Green Smoothies and eating fruit! YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN ME!

4-DAY GSC - Sun Feb 26 thru Wed Feb 29:

• Regenerate, Reactivate, and Restore the body, mind, and spirit NOW!
• Allow yourself this time to disconnect from cable TV, newspapers, radio, outside opinions, and material things
• Connect with nature, feel the movement of energy, the Universe within, and what is truly important to you
• Get rid of brain fog and discover clarity. (By the way, my current tools of inspiration are Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself - Dr Joe Dispenza, and Music for the Mozart Effect - Don Campbell.)
• Allow the digestive system to receive a well deserved rest. Since drinking a blended drink requires much less energy, more energy is now available for regeneration!

4-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE HOW TO: 

• A basic Green Smoothie is usually 60% organic fruit, 40% organic dark leafy greens (no starchy vegetables or additives), and 2 cups water (or young Thai coconut water) mixed together in a blender. You will find recipes on this blog to get you started.
• Be aware that combining starchy vegetables with fruits can cause gas in the intestines
• Dark leafy greens are the only food group that helps digest other foods through stimulating the secretion of digestive enzymes - so greens can be combined with any other foods - from Victoria Boutenko
• And if you are not used to consuming large quantities of raw organic fruit and dark leafy greens, it is possible you may feel worse to begin with - which is a good sign that your body is doing some house cleaning!
• During the last 4 days of February, drink as many blenders full of Green Smoothie as you want, and supplement by eating fresh fruit only, that is if you feel the need
• Each day I will post my Green Smoothie recipes, let you know how I am feeling, and share new awarenesses as they come
• Final note to consider:  Instead of relying on the words of others (myself included), why not have your own personal experience of Green Smoothies with this Challenge? Join me starting Sunday Feb 26 - pay close attention to how your body responds - and discover if drinking Green Smoothies is the right fit for you!
• Questions?  Need support?  Want to share your recipes or experiences? Email  ezrawliving@earthanimals.ca  to contact me

Are Green Smoothies Good or Bad?

This is a direct quote from Victoria Boutenko of the Raw Family. I felt it was important to share with you what she had to say about Green Smoothies - and equally represent both sides of the debate!

"Recently several people have sent me the link to a blog post at http://www.happyherbivore.com, asking me to comment. I was very surprised to read the post, as I am so used to seeing and hearing nothing but positive results from green smoothie drinkers. I took several days to research where this information came from.

The blog post criticizing green smoothies referred to the words of Dr. T. Colin Campbell. I was not able to find similar statements anywhere in Dr. Campbell’s books or articles. On the contrary, I found a soymilk/fruit smoothie recommended by Dr. Campbell in a sample diet on his homepage. You may find it in the last paragraph in the grey box here: http://www.tcolincampbell.org/courses-resources/article/a-guide-to-healthy-weight-loss Also on another page of Dr. Campbell’s website, there is a wonderful article by Brendan Brazier, recommending smoothies as easy and convenient and packed with nutrition, especially when "green foods" are added. http://www.tcolincampbell.org/courses-resources/article/continual-cleansing-for-optimal-health-and-vitality/

The blog post criticizing green smoothies also referred to the comments of Dr. Esselstyn. I read the entire article by Dr. Esselstyn, from which it is clear that Dr. Esselstyn did not refer to green smoothies. He was asked about smoothies right after he talked about fruit juice. He definitely referred to fruit smoothies and didn’t say a word about green smoothies. In one statement Dr. Esselstyn said, referring to fruit smoothies, "the fiber is so finely pureed that its helpful properties are destroyed."

There are several scientific articles studying finely vs. coarsely ground fiber. One such article compared bran particles of 2 mm to less than .7 mm. This study found that both fine and coarse fiber have only 2% difference in performance. Moreover, the researchers stated "Fine bran causes less disturbance of gastric physiology than coarse bran" ¹ and discussed how finely ground fiber increases nutrient absorption, and reduces bloating, heartburn, and constipation.

In other articles I found similar statements: "particle size of the fiber source did not affect performance." ² As you can see, both doctors didn’t state that green smoothies were bad and their words were used out of context. I invite you to try drinking green smoothies for a week and see for yourself if you feel better. To observe is our birthright. If we utilize our ability to observe, we can free ourselves from the labyrinth of confusions. I believe that our own conscious observations are a thousand times more important than any rigid scientific claim. When people remove green smoothie from their diet, I wonder what they replace it with? Are they going to eat more salads, which will inevitably include oil and salt? Are they going to increase the consumption of cooked food? More grains and soy? It is not easy to replace green smoothie with anything equally beneficial.

I know some people, including my daughter, who can eat a large bag of romaine or arugula without anything on it. But even Valya cannot consume a bunch of dandelions, or lambsquarters. or stinging nettles on their own. One of the top benefits of green smoothies is that I can see with my own eyes what I put in my blender. Green smoothies are a food I can trust."     Victoria Boutenko

Health - Book Suggestions

Here are a couple of books that will make wonderful additions to your Health Library - my library already includes Cure for Diabetes, just need to order Stomach Acid!

"Why Stomach Acid is Good for You, Natural Relief from Heartburn, Indigestion, Reflux and GERD" by Jonathan V. Wright and Lane Lenard is a book well worth reading.

The theory in this book is that most people have too little stomach acid and that antacids not only do not help, but they make the problem much worse.

You can pick up a copy at www.chapters.indigo.ca for $13.64 - or at www.amazon.ca for $12.96. (Reading the reviews at amazon.com is an eye opener!)

"There is a Cure for Diabetes" by Gabriel Cousens with David Rainoshek reveals options for those with diabetes.

This book by Cousens lays out a three-week plan for reversing the negative genetic expression of diabetes to a physiology of health and well-being.

You can pick up a copy at www.chapters.indigo.ca for $17.44 - or at www.amazon.ca for $16.57.

Recipe - Kimchee Slaw

Kimchee Slaw

One of my favourite Chefs is Jamie Oliver who creates great home-cooked meals from scratch - adding his own unique twist to each element. And although he is not a Raw Chef, his food is so hearty and appetizing that I would give it a try - that is if I ever decided to cook again!

Kimchi is a spicy Korean dish that is prepared by fermenting Chinese cabbage and vegetables with ginger, hot chili peppers, and other ingredients. Kimchi is similar to, but generally ferments faster than, sauerkraut. This one-meal version is one of Jamie's recipes - a perfect fit for the raw foodist in you!

Kimchee Slaw   Yield:  4 cups
Small bunch of radishes                                     1 Fresh green chili
1 small red onion                                               Piece of fresh ginger (thumb size)
1/2 a Chinese cabbage                                      2 Fresh Limes
Small bunch of fresh cilantro (coriander)           Himalayan salt
1 Fresh red chili                                                 Sesame oil

• Wash the radishes and their greens well
• Peel and cut the red onion in half so it is easier to add to food processor
• Add the shredding disc to a food processor
• Shred the radishes with their greens, red onion, and Chinese cabbage by pushing through the feed tube on food processor
• Empty contents of food processor into a glass serving bowl
• Remove the shredding disc and replace it with the S-blade in food processor
• Add the bunch of cilantro and the chillies (stalks removed and seeded for less heat if desired) to the food processor and process
• Peel and crush or grate the ginger, then add into the bowl
• Into the bowl, squeeze the juice from both limes, add a pinch of Himalayan salt, and a splash of sesame oil
• Really scrunch or massage ingredients together with your hands to mix well and release juices
• Best served right away, but first taste to check the balance of flavours
• Kimchee Slaw is wonderful either as a main meal or as a side dish. Try it with raw vegan Nori rolls!