Day 2 - March 2013 GSC

When the next blueberry season comes around, plan to get out in the fields and hand pick these little gems. Berry picking is a great way to have fun with your family while enjoying Mother Earth's bounty. A good stock of berries in the freezer will last throughout the winter. I still have a few bags from last year's picking of Organic Blueberries in my freezer!

Blueberry Blast GS

Yield: 1 quart

2 cups water

1 handful spinach
1 cup fresh pineapple

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 orange, peeled and seeded

1 Tbsp Hemp seeds

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

Nutri-Tip:

• Blueberries have sky-high levels of antioxidants, which combat the damage done by inflammation. Anthocyanins, the natural plant compounds that give blueberries their deep colour, may have antidiabetic effects as well. And new research suggests blueberries may protect the heart muscle from damage.
• Pineapple contains the powerful enzyme bromelain which can ease inflammation, relieve pain and stimulate digestion.

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Herbal teas can be an ideal way to get the healing power of herbs into your everyday diet. If you enjoy drinking your daily cup of fresh herbal tea like I do, then adding nettle tea to a Green Smoothie may be the next logical step!

Stinging Nettle Tea GS

Yield: 1 quart

2 cups cold Nettle Tea

1 cup Spinach

1 mango, peeled and seeded

1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped

1" chunk of fresh ginger
1 Tbsp Hemp seeds
Optional:  Unpasteurized honey

• Make 2cups of Nettle Tea:  Fresh nettles (1 cup nettles in pot with 1 cup boiling water); Dried nettles (1 tsp dried nettles to 1 cup boiling water is a moderate dose) 
• Let the nettle tea steep a minimum of 10 minutes, then cool overnight
• Blend all ingredients together until smooth
• For a sweeter taste, simply add more pineapple or optional honey to taste

Nutri-Tip:

• Stinging Nettle has a well-earned reputation because of its high alkaline-mineral content (silicon and iron) and blood-building properties.
• Silicon is present in blood vessels, bones, cartilage, connective tissue, hair, ligaments, lungs, lymph nodes, muscles, nails, skin, teeth, tendons - nettles contain one of the highest levels of silicon found in any food.
• By neutralizing and flushing out acidic waste, nettles can help with weight management, and being high in iodine they can benefit the thyroid gland.
• Fresh nettles can be added to a blender drink, or boiled in a pot of water and poured through a strainer for tea. Putting fresh nettles through a juicer is another way of accessing the high-quality minerals and oils without being stung.
• Nettle leaves are usually collected, eaten and/or dried in May and June, just before coming into flower.