Easy Green Juice

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This week, I needed some vitamins and a little detox. I've been having some weird muscle inflammation around my jaw, so I am hoping some good old fashioned nutrients will solve the problem.

Fingers crossed.

Juicing has become one of my favorite rituals when I can tell my body is in need of some nutrients. It's definitely a process - rinse and wash the vegetables, put them through the juicer, can the juice, and wash the juicer (ugh. my least favorite part of anything ever). 

If you don't have a juicer, don't fret. You can make this in a high powered blender. Blend all of the ingredients together, using a tamper to push things down. Add a bit of water if you need to, but it will slightly dilute the flavor. Once you're done, either drink it as a smoothie (if you're doing it this way, be sure to remove the apple cores) or filter through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer.

Easy Green Juice
Servings: 2
Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber
• 2 green apples
• 2 handfulls kale
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1 head romaine
• 1 tbsp ginger

Directions:

1. Rinse and juice all ingredients. If you are using a blender, blend well and then strain pulp.

Orange Juice (Romaine, Carrot, Ginger, Apple)

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The first winter holiday has come and gone, and you might find yourself in serious need of rejuvenation. Between stuffing, pie, and wine, your body gets a little confused about what the heck is going on. After you've 'over-celebrated,' juicing some nutrient-rich veggies can be a quick way to get your body back on track.

This juice might be orange, but there are no oranges in it. Instead, it's filled with some hard-to-beat ingredients that will give you energy and help you fight cancer.

Other benefits it offers...

• ENERGY! Carrots contain a significant amount of B vitamins (B1 and B6 to be exact) which increase your energy levels in a steady, no-2:30-crash kind of way.
  
• ANTIOXIDANTS! Carotenes, the famous ingredient after which carrots take their name, are a powerful antioxidant that combats a laundry list of diseases (acne, anemia, cancer, congestion, constipation, fertility, ulcers, and so on - see the list here). Apples also offer a host of antioxidants.
  
• ANTI-INFLAMMATORY! Ginger is known to reduce inflammation, which is common after the holiday binge cycle (especially if you are unknowingly gluten sensitive).
  
• DETOX! Apples and carrots are both natural diuretics which will help your body rid itself from those nasty toxins brought in by holiday pie and that extra glass of wine.
  
• ANTI-ALLERGY! Romaine lettuce's high folate content helps combat allergies.
  
• FIGHT YOUR COLD! That's right. Everything in this juice is packed with immune support and cold-fighting ninjas.
  
• DIGESTIVE SUPPORT! Ginger is the king of gut support, and thus a natural way to combat stomach and intestinal issues you may be experiencing.

Orange Juice (Romaine, Carrot, Ginger, Apple)
Servings: 1 large glass
Ingredients:

• 1 head romaine
• 2 long carrots
• 1 tbsp ginger or approximately 1 inch of natural ginger
• 2 apples

Directions:

1. Rinse/wash everything. Do not skip this unless you're interested in drinking a glass full of chemicals and pesticides.
2. Throw em all in a juicer and go, baby, go! (NOTE: If you do not have a juicer, you can blend everything very well and then strain using a cheese cloth or fine mesh strainer)

Sources:
Health Benefits of Carrots, Juicing-For-Health.Com
15 Health Benefits of Eating Apples, BestHealthMag.Ca
5 Health Benefits of Romaine, HealWithFood.Com
10 Health Benefits of Ginger, FoodMatters.tv

Basil, Ginger, and Cinnamon Cranberry Jam

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Happy Monday, friends! Or, for those of you who are stumbling upon this recipe on a different day of the week, Happy ______day! I hope you're having a wonderful day and week. 

I had a totally relaxed weekend that consisted almost exclusively of "dating" my fiance. Instead of making plans with other friends and couples (which I have a tendency to fill up our calendar with), we spent the weekend together. And, instead of bumming around in sweats during the entire weekend, we made it a point to go on meaningful dates and explore a bit more of our wonderful city. We kicked off the weekend with our "old favorites," stopping by a local pub for dinner on Friday and going to our neighborhood "Breakfast Club" for breakfast on Saturday. After a relaxing day, we then tried out West Town Tavern (seriously to die for) for dinner on Saturday, and Meli for brunch on Sunday. 

In the middle of all of this relaxing, I have to admit I got sucked into wedding planning. Sometimes, when you've got something exciting on the books, it's hard to not revolve around it. It's like everything I see reminds me of it. Cool candles on our dinner tables at West Town Tavern? Sends my mind to wedding mode.

You may not be planning a wedding (if you are, let me know!), but there's probably something you're obsessing over lately. Just admit it. Your mind is spending too much time running on that wheel.

Sometimes, we just need a welcome distraction. Something we can put our effort into that will have more short term rewards, to remind us that we are creative and inspired and competent in this moment. Something to snag our mind off of the obsessing-over-this-or-that path.

That's where this recipe comes in. It's a fairly quick recipe, so it won't eat up your entire day or leave you feeling guilty for spending too much time on a jar of jam. But, it is homemade, and it will give you a break from your stressful or monotonous day.

Not to mention how darn proud you'll feel as you share with friends or take a bite yourself!

I made this jam to give as part of a Christmas gift for my soon-to-be in-laws. But, it was so delicious, that I made some for my own fridge as well.

Basil, Ginger, and Cinnamon Cranberry Jam
Ingredients:

• 1 bag whole/fresh Cranberries (A 4 cup, 12-oz package. Do not use dried cranberries)
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 2/3 cup Stevia Powder
• 1 tablespoon Basil, finely chopped (fresh or dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh Ginger, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Honey

Directions:

1. Rinse the cranberries and place in a medium to large sauce pot with water, sugar, and stevia powder. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. 
2. Once the water reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for approximately 10-14 minutes, or until all the cranberries seem to have burst.
3. Stir in basil, ginger, cinnamon, and honey and stir well. On the lowest heat, continue to stir very frequently for an additional 2-4 minutes.
4. Test for sweetness and drizzle additional honey (or add sugar) to increase sweetness level.
5. If you'd like to can your jam so that it will last longer, follow these directions: Be sure that your glass jar and top are all clean (I boiled everything in a separate pot to ensure they were all clean). Then, place jam in a jar, filling almost all the way to the top but leaving about 1/4-1/2 an inch of air. Seal well and place in a pot filled with enough boiling water to cover the top of the jam jar. Boil the jam in the water for about 10 minutes (I did 15 to be safe). Remove and let cool.

Notes:

• If you "can" it properly, it will stay good for a full year before being opened... but once you open it, it is just like any other jar of jam and will need to be refrigerated.
• This is a low sugar recipe. I didn't cut out sugar entirely, but I did replace some of it with stevia powder, so that it's not too high sugar (which is a common culprit when it comes to jams). If this swap isn't your thing, feel free to replace stevia powder with sugar.

"Rumon Ale" Ginger and Rum Cocktail

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In my taste tester's words, this cocktail is "de rishus." A combination of sharp gingerale, dark aromatic rum, citrus and coconut.

Happy Friday! Are you excited for your obligatory Friday drink recipe? To be honest, after totally binging out at the Fat Tire Memorial tour (14 beers in 14 hours), I thought I was ready for a break from beer. I just don't want to see it for a while. Or smell it. Or hear the word beer, really.

So, instead of beer, which generally is higher calorie anyway (plus, unless I start brewing, I sure can't give you any beer recipes), here's a cocktail! Yay :)

Just because fall is upon us doesn't mean we have to give up on the beach. Rum and gingerale combine to getcha excited for some real beach loving! ...even though it's already cold.

"Rumon Ale" Ginger and Rum Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1.5 Shops Dark Aromatic Rum
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• Diet Gingerale or Gingerale
• Optional: 1/2 tsp Coconut Extract
• Lime Wedges

Directions:

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Add 1.5 shots rum.
3. Add approximately 1 tbsp Lemon Juice.
4. Fill to the top with Diet Gingerale or Gingerale.
5. Add Coconut Extract, if desired.
6. Garnish with a lime. Squeeze lime juice and mix before drinking.

Fruit Infused Water... Chug it, baby, chug it!

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According to the Mayo Clinic, we need between 2.2-3 Liters of water per day (2.2 for women, 3 for men). On your average, regular day. Once you've factored in the summer heat (which is in the 90s lately), that goes up. If you work out every day, it also goes up. So I'm guessing I should be drinking around 2.5 Liters, as a ball park estimate.

That's a tough feat for me. I generally start my day with a delicious cup of coffee (and, in this heat, perhaps a cold brew... try it out!), then try to keep filling up my fabulous chevron cup from Holland. I draw myself 8 water drops on a piece of paper and try to color them in after every cup of water I consume. But sometimes... okay, a lot of times... I still miss the mark.

And when you're going on a two hour bike ride on a hot summer day, you sure as hell are gonna need to be hydrated.

But this summer, I've finally found my water drink of choice :) By adding some fruit to my water, I can very lightly flavor it. Somehow, this very light flavor manages to keep me coming back for more. I've been hitting the water mark every time.

Lemon & Berry Flavored Water

Calories: <5 per glass
Add To Large Water Pitcher:

• 1/2 lemon, sliced and squeezed
• 5 frozen raspberries
• 3 frozen blackberries
• 1 sliced fresh strawberry
• Ice!

Berry & Ginger Flavored Water

Calories: <5 per glass

Add To Large Water Pitcher:

• 1/2 lemon, sliced and squeezed
• 3 frozen raspberries
• 3 frozen blackberries
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
• (Optional: 1 tbsp Truvia or Sugar)
• Ice!

Lightly Flavored Strawberry Lemonade

Calories: <5 per flass

Add To Large Water Pitcher:

• 1/2 lemon, sliced and squeezed
• Juice from 1/2 lemon (the other half)
• 1/2 lime, sliced and squeezed
• 3 strawberries, sliced
• 1 tablespoon Truvia or Sugar
• Ice!

Notes:

• Frozen berries work better! Unlike most dishes, when fresh has more flavor, when it comes to dropping things in water, the frozen berries share their flavor more quickly than the fresh ones. I expect it's because they've already been squished, frozen, melted, etc so many times during their journey from their home to my home.
• These lightly flavored fruit drinks are delicious alongside summer fruits like berries and watermelon! They are also paired wonderfully with cheese.

Skinny Strawberry Ginger Margarita

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This drink is... happy. Summertime. Sunny. Fun. The tequila offsets the sweet, sugary goodness of the fruit, leaving you with a very balanced palate (and able to drink more than one!). Perfectly refreshing for an afternoon in the sun!

Chicago weather is fairly dismal today. What happened to SUMMER?! A rain dance might bring rain, but this Strawberry Ginger Margarita brings sunshine. Guaranteed to work 60% of the time, all the time ;-)

Ingredients:

• 2 Strawberries (3 if you want one for garnishing)
• 1 tsp Ginger, grated
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Lime Juice
• 1/2 tsp Truvia (or other Sugar/Sugar Substitute)
• 1.5 oz Tequila
• 1 sprig Cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. Grate ginger. Use a peeler to peel the outside and then a cheese grater to grate about 1 tsp of fresh ginger. (1 Min Video on How To Prepare/Use Fresh Ginger)
2. Combine Strawberries, Ginger, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, and Truvia (or sugar substitute) in a glass. Muddle well (a.k.a. mash that stuff up until it looks more like pulp than strawberries)
3. Add Tequila and mix well. Add ice cubes and stir.