I Bought a Juicer: Cave-in

Well, one solid meal out of 9 liquid ones isn't so bad, is it?  Honestly, I'm getting sick of juices and shakes.

Cypress came home a day early so I had to celebrate by making black-bean burgers, oven-roasted rainbow potatoes, and cucumber blueberry salad. At least my cheat-dinner is healthy.

This meal is super fun to make, colorful, and absolutely delicious, if not a tad time-consuming.  It typically takes me 40 mins before I get the burgers in the oven.

For the burgers you're going to need:

• 1 can black beans
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 white or yellow onion
• 1 cup cashews
• 2 large carrots
• 1 egg
• a blender or food processor

For the potatoes you'll need:

• 5-6 medium potatoes (which ever ones float your boat)
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• Cajun spices

For the salad:

• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cucumber
• 1 1/2 tbsp avocado oil 
• 2-3 tsp balsamic vinegar 

The potatoes are the easiest part.  Rinse, and quarter the potatoes and place in boiling water until soft.  Drain the water and let taters stand until dry.  Place in a glass oven-safe dish, coat with oil and sprinkle with Cajun spices.  Set aside.



Burgers:

(1) Preheat oven to 400 F






(2) Rinse your beans with cold water and set aside

 

(3) Grate carrots and place in a mixing bowl.  Blend the cashews in a blender until they resemble a fine powder.  Throw nut flour in with the carrots.




(4) No need to rinse the blender, just throw in your spinach, half the beans, and one egg and pulverize.  Scoop contents into bowl with carrots and nuts.

 

(5) Mix, mix, mix!

 

(6) Form into patties and place on a greased (or wax paper-coated) baking sheet. Throw the potatoes in with the patties.  Bake burgers for 15 minutes or until golden.  Flip and bake until brown.  Bake potatoes until golden and crispy - about 20 minutes.

(7) Whip up the salad while your potatoes and burgers are baking.  After rinsing your cuke and berries, slice up your cucumber and place in a bowl.  Add blueberries, oil and vinegar and toss.





Arrange your food all pretty-like (I use nori sushi wraps on the bottom) and enjoy!

I Bought a Juicer: Then There was Light (Wednesday)

6:22 AM.  It's hot in my room.  Sweltering actually.  For a moment I think I have a fever.  I listen.  Humming coming from the kitchen.  The fridge!  It's on!  I leap out of bed and start turning on all the lights.  I hover over my warm heater, absorbing a little more heat before running into the kitchen to blend my breakfast shake.  Two days and feeling good!

I'm currently enjoying the same fruit smoothie I prepared on Monday - raspberries, spinach, banana, almond milk, flax seeds and lemon juice.  I also added blueberries this time but omitted the peanut butter since I had so much of it yesterday.  I'm gulping it down as I type this.

Still no water, but I can't complain when my food is refreezing!

Lunch:

I spent the morning out in the field flagging new sites for Starr Ranch's Coastal Sage Scrub point count surveys and catching up on all the computer work I couldn't do yesterday.  I'm feeling really hungry today and hope that today's lunch does a decent job of filling me up.  I didn't feel like going the lawn route today so I invented my own juice.  In retrospect, I should have used kale or chard to give this drink a nicer color.



I juiced the following:

• 2 cups cabbage
• 4 carrots
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 apple
• 4 celery stalks

Then added:

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• cayenne pepper

What resulted was a brownish juice (I blame the carrots) that didn't look particularly appealing.  I know, I didn't want to drink it either.  But it actually tastes pretty good.  Cabbage and carrots are surprisingly sweet, and once you add the lemon juice and cayenne pepper it gives it a little kick.  So I'm slurpin' on my brown sludge and then it's back to work.  No crosswords today.







Dinner...

I Bought a Juicer: Tuesday

7:00 AM.  I wake to a still and quiet house.  The air is cold and I know precisely why.  My heater isn't on - because the power is still out.  

It went down to about 35 F last night and it is nippy in my little cabin today.  Luckily  the stove is propane-fed so I could make some hot tea.  I still can’t juice but I’m eating an apple with peanut butter and a few strawberries for breakfast.  

Without my blender or juicer I just feel like I'm starving myself.  One of the questions I asked before starting this detox was 'why juice when you can just eat all the fruits and veg?'.  Well, I have discovered that it's a lot faster and easier to drink your produce rather than eat it.  Plus, everything tastes better as a medley, especially spinach.  

My office was dark and my desktop obviously wouldn't turn on so I did what work I could using on my laptop.  We received word that the power would be back on by three, but we needed internet in order to respond to emails so my co-worker, Beard, and I headed to Starbucks for a few hours.

We spent a few hours sipping tea and coffee and clicking away on our keyboards.  I had a meeting at 1 so we left a little before so Beard could grab lunch.  It was only slightly excruciating as we walked into Los Primos Mexican Grill, and I tried not to drool as he ordered two bean and cheese burritos.  "Aren't you getting anything?" Beard asked.  I shrugged and told him about my juice detox.  "Good luck with that", he laughed.  "I'm gonna enjoy my tox diet."

Back at the ranch I downed a handful of cashews, a banana, and an apple for lunch before my meeting.  The power was back on in half of the ranch buildings so I spent the rest of the day in the main office.  

Around 5 we received new word that the power would be back on by 10 PM "south of the bridge" - that meant me.  

The sun sets around 5:30 these days and it gets dark quickly down here in Bell Canyon.  I was chopping and slicing by lantern light before 6.  I had to eat quickly so it was 3 carrots and a banana slathered in peanut butter for dinner, followed by a glass of almond milk.  I was getting bored of this and wanted to incorporate more veggies but I was in a rush.  I was attending a lecture on the San Joaquin Marsh Tree Swallow Nest Box Breeding Program at the Sea and Sage Audubon chapter up in Irvine at 7.  I'm helping train banding volunteers this Sunday so thought I should get caught-up on the history and summary of the project.

9:47 PM we arrive back in the canyon but the road is blocked by Edison Power Co. vehicles and we can't pass.  One of the workers, Brian, approaches yielding a flashlight and tells us we can't go any further.  I tell him I need to get home so he escorts me the rest of the way while my ride turns around.  

Brian doesn't "do" nature, as he put it.  I tell him it's easy, "but just don't run when you're out in the wilds of Southern California.  Mountain Lions love to chase things that run."  I make it back to my cabin, which is still dark.  I let out a defeated sigh, thanked Brian for walking with me, and went inside.

I decided to hit the sheets rather than stay up in the dark.  But, when I went to wash my face, the tap sputtered and the pipes shuttered. The water had been turned off.  

Perfect. 

Thanks to my clever boyfriend there were three jugs of water in the closet - in case of an emergency.  When he first bought them I figured we'd never use them.  Boy was I a silly.  I lit up my stove and boiled some of the reserve water so I could at least wash my face before bed...

I haven't experienced any of the negative side-effects since beginning this crazy detox plan - dizziness, nausea, not even the diarrhea!  Actually I'm noticing a lot more perks with this detox.  My face is looking better these days.  My skin tone is even and my skin is glowing despite the fact that I haven't changed my cleansing routine.  I'm feeling upbeat, energetic and positively chipper, even though C is away for work, the water is out, and my precious food is rotting away in the refrigerator.


 

I Bought a Juicer: Dinner Mishap!

It’s a funny thing when the power goes out.  At first you just sit there, wondering what happened.  Then it clicks.  The power is out.  Ah-ha!  Well, what do I do now?  Read? I definitely couldn't juice or blend.  So typical, I was just beginning my three-day juice detox that requires precious electricity to power my blender, juicer, and my refrigerator to keep all those perishables fresh!

Around 3:30 this afternoon everything went silent.  I went to the gym with a friend for two hours and cycled, rowed, elliptical-d(?) and lifted weights .  I came home, starving, and hoping that we would see lights as we drove down into the canyon.  But all was still, and dark.

Once in the cabin I lit every single candle I could find.  They were all pine-scented and made the place smell lovely and helped in heating it some.  There was still hot water left over so I took a quick shower.  Clean and sufficiently hungry I began preparing my dinner detox meal.   Okay, this is the point where my willpower started to crumble.  After a two-hour workout all I wanted to eat was a cheesy pizza slathered in ranch dressing. But no.  I stuck to my guns.  And even though I was unable to make my original dinner shake consisting of the following:

• 1 cup carrot juice

• 1 cup blueberries

• 1 cup spinach

• 1 tbs lemon juice

• 1/4 avocado

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tbsp flax seed

I improvised instead.  I couldn't recall the recipe and with no internet I was unable to look it up online.  So I just ended up slicing one mango, two zucchinis, half an apple, five strawberries and ate those with a tablespoon of peanut butter and one cup of almond milk. It was no Domino's but dinner was tasty and satiating.  I'm definitely feeling on the lighter side but I haven't experienced any of the nasty side-effects.  Around 8 PM I had friends over to watch Fantastic Mr. Fox.  It was a good idea to have company.  Not only did I feed them chocolaty bundt cakes so I wouldn’t eat them, but their presence ensured I wouldn’t creep into the kitchen to snack.

Around 10 PM, the movie ended and the power still out, my company hit the road and I was left all alone with my bad habits.  I didn’t sneak into the kitchen, though.  I typed a little in bed then blew out the flames. 

What bad luck.  But I suppose it’s good for us to see what life is like when the lights go out.  People come over, you go to bed early, you eat raw food.  That’s not so bad.  I just hope my refrigerator keeps things cold enough until the power kicks-in.

I Bought a Juicer: Lunch

Okay, five hours is a long freaking time not to eat anything so I drank my leftover tropical papaya juice blend from yesterday as a snack to hold me over.  Homemade juice stores really well but only for a day or so.  I use my leftover juice or milk containers to keep them.  Yesterday's juice was a blend of papaya, freshly picked oranges and lemons (we have a grove outside, don't hate me), and pineapple.

I must admit, I'm feeling a tad woozy but I'm not starving, I don't feel deprived, and I'm definitely not craving anything ridiculous.  I haven't once been tempted to mow down those remaining chocolate bundt cakes with their moist, scrumptious insides drenched in rich, velvety chocolate... Ahem.  So lunch!

I'm really curious about this recipe.  It's on the neon green side of the color scale and a little off-putting based on the wheat grass and cucumber.  I've never drank a cucumber before, or even tried wheat grass.  But suppose there's a first time for everything, so here we go!

Lunch:

• 4 celery stalks
• 1/2 cup wheat grass (I got mine in the produce section of Albertson's)
• 1 cucumber
• 1/2 green apple
• 1/2 squeezed lime
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 cup pineapple

I juiced all of the above but added added the lime juice after I poured the concoction into a frosted pint glass.  The coconut oil hardens when you add it to the mix so I just took a spoon and ate some from the jar - a little weird but strangely satisfying eating pure coconut fat!  This smoothie isn't as sweet as the one I had this morning but super fresh.  Basically, it tastes like a freshly cut lawn.  But, OH the health benefits!!!




 

I Bought a Juicer: Monday

Today is the day I do the impossible.  My oven will not be used to cook food for three days and I will ingest nothing solid.  I am entering the realm of kicks, fads, and crazes.  Oh yes, the juice detox.

Now, I'm a pretty healthy girl.  I eat a lot of fruit and veggies, and I limit my intake of meat and dairy.  I'm active, I hike and hit up the gym on a regular basis.  I'm happy with the way I look.  So, why the detox?  Well, for the same reason we go on vacations.  Okay, a detox is not exactly a day at the beach, but it IS a great escape for your body.  I eat a lot of things during the week that definitely wouldn't count as 'healthy' (...like those mini chocolate bundt cakes from Trader Joe's).  I want to accomplish something, educate and test myself.  I want to flush all the crud lurking inside me, and after the three days are up I want to start from scratch.  I want to change my relationship with food and have a more intimate understanding of how food makes me feel and helps me function. 

I'm going to take the same approach I used before getting my tattoo.  I knew for a long time that I wanted a tattoo, but I waited a year before actually going through with it.  I took time getting used to the idea that I would have permanent ink on my body and I spent many hours developing the perfect design.  I eventually felt really good about my decision and went for it and I've never had any regrets.

Okay, a juice detox is nothing like getting a tattoo - but they are both extreme and you should take the same steps before beginning.  I have wanted to try a detox for a long time but I lacked the information, the tools, and the willpower - three things you need before messing with your daily food-routine.

Today, I possess two out of the three essential things needed to begin.  I have done a lot of research on the subject of detoxing.  The more I read the more I wanted to do one.  So a few days ago I went ahead and dished out $150 on a top of the line Breville juicer.  Yes it's expensive, but I don't want a machine that's going to make my life a living hell.  The thing about juicing is you need time and discipline in order to do it.  It takes long enough to actually make your juice and I don't want to spend all day cleaning up a big juicy mess.  Enter Breville!  I read all the user reviews for dozens of models and it turns out this is one of the best juicers out there.  Plus, it was on sale.

I spent the better part of last week scouring the internet for some good detox plans and recipes.  I found a few but rather than strictly follow only one, I'm going to combine a few of my favorites while maintaining the popular suggestion of the 70:30 vegetable to fruit ratio.  I especially liked what this website had to say and 4outof7 food, gardening, housing and thriving's Facebook page has been my biggest inspiration.

Many plans have you only juicing but I like the idea of incorporating the fiber from those fruits and veggies so will also use my trusty Hamilton-Beach blender.  The types of fruit and veggies you use should have special detoxifying properties.  You're going to want to incorporate fruits like mangoes, bananas, green apples, melons, berries, cucumbers, tomatoes, lemons and limes; veggies like celery, carrots, chard, kale and other greens; roots like beets, celeriac, ginger and turmeric; coconut, olive and avocado oils, and nuts and seeds like almonds and flax.  All of these foods exhibit other benefits in addition to helping expel toxins from your body.  For example, cantaloupe, cucumber, berries and avocado have fantastic anti-aging properties.  Kale, tomatoes, avocado and zucchini help fight diabetes.  Citrus fruits, garlic, onion, soybeans, berries, and cabbage are excellent anti-cancer foods.  Coconut and olive oil, nuts and flax seeds provide excellent sources of fat and fiber while on your detox kick.  

Now, you can expect a few negative things whilst participating in your detox.  Basically, a detox is just that - removing the toxins in your body.  Typically you give up coffee, alcohol, refined sugars, and any processed foods.  You may experience headaches and dizziness (from the lack of caffeine), nausea (perhaps due to changing up your routine and probably depends on your general diet), and diarrhea (from the lack of solid food).  Fun!  If you're overweight or have any health conditions you should consult a doctor (who's down with the homeopathy) before starting.

Okay, the good news is that after day-1 you should experience increased energy, mental clarity and an overall feeling of wellness.

Alright, juicing machines - check!  Background reading and detox plan - check!  Willpower?  Alright, I'm realistic and I know that this is going to be really hard.  Especially because I'm a monster when it comes to late-night nibbling.  Where I lack willpower I hope to gain strength by writing about this experience.  Actually, going out and shopping for all the ingredients got me really excited.  Filling my cart with fruits and veggies all the colors of the rainbow was thrilling!  By the end I had spent around $80 which will definitely last me the week.  That's not just fruits and veggies, but includes other foods I'll need later this week when I start eating normally again.

Well, I'm starving so I'm going to begin blending my first smoothie.  Start your engines!


Monday

Breakfast:  1 cup of tea prior to juice (I'm doing Yerba Mate!) with 2 tsp lemon juice.  Drink this followed by a glass of water prior to downing your shake:

• 1 cup almond milk (I used Almond Breeze)
• 1 cup raspberries (I used TJ's organic frozen)
• 1 ripe banana (organic!)
• 1 cup spinach (fresh TJ's organic)
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 tbsp nut butter (...TJ's crunchy peanut butter)

Blend! 

Here are a few tips before you start.  (1) Keep it as organic as possible; (2) flax seeds can be a bit of a pain so if you have a mortar and pestle you can grind them up and add them to your shake.  Smashing them with a rolling pin on a cutting board works too, it's just a tad messy; and (3) give yourself enough time in the morning while doing a detox.  I have today off so thought it was a good time to begin.  This way I can work out all the kinks and determine how much time I actually need to prepare my meals.  Minus the writing time, the actual time it took to whip up my tea and shake was only ten minutes.  The time needed to enjoy your shakes and juices is up to you.  You can pack them up and bring 'em with you to work, or spend the morning reading or catching up on current events while sipping your shake.

Personally, I'm enjoying mine while doing a NY Times crossword puzzle!


See you at lunch...

Tomatoe Tomahto

I was wandering around the produce section of Trader Joes the other night when I came across a tantalizing box of organic sugar plum tomatoes.  Now, I'm not typically a huge fan of tomatoes but these plump red little orbs were begging to be purchased.  I had no idea what I was going to do with them, all I knew is that I wanted these adorable tomatoes to come home with me.

Of course a few days passed and I forgot all about my impulse-purchase sugar plums.  Today they're firm but starting to exhibit a few squishy spots. I need to find a recipe and fast.  A lot of people would just pop these tots in their mouths but the mucousy innards of tomatoes gross me out.  Hence, the recipe.

I found a simple one that promises to cook the tomatoes so thoroughly that I might be able to eat the entire batch.  You might want to make these on a lazy night where you have a lot of time to hang out around the house.

Oven-roasted Tomatoes

All you need:

• Sugar plum or Roma tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Basil (fresh or dried)
• Salt and pepper
• Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Slice your tomatoes in half and place in a mixing bowl.  Pour just enough oil to coat tomatoes and a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and basil.  Mix and place tomatoes skin side down on a baking sheet.  Bake for an hour and a half.

When those are done you can do whatever you like with them.  I made a batch of gluten-free angel hair pasta and topped it off with these sweet treats.  I also suggest putting them on pizza or pairing with sharp cheddar and a glass of red.

Bon appetit!

Those Magic Mangos!

The clouds are low and menacing and NOAA is predicting 80% chance of thundershowers all day.  Typical for the rainy season here in California.  We have a string of warm, sunny days followed by a string of cool wet ones. On these chilly, damp mornings I especially like to indulge in certain foods that make me feel like I live somewhere else - somewhere warm where I can hear the ocean and taste the salt in the air...

When I lived in Australia the mango was one of the easiest fruits to come by.  As a matter of fact, Bowen QLD has proclaimed itself the mango capital of Australia!  On our drive home from Cairns we'd pass numerous mango orchards, mango wineries, and people selling them on the side of the road.  We'd buy a box, sit on the beach, slice 'em up and slurp them down.  They were so ripe the juice would run down your chin.

Argh!

Dreaming about them is enough to drive you mad.  So, during my weekly foraging trip I added a few of these gorgeous suckers to my grocery basket.  I must confess that mangos are not in season here in California.  We should always strive to buy local so I have no excuse for my irresponsible actions. I just really miss eating mangos for breakfast! These mangos in particular came from Peru and embarked on a 5000 mile journey just to get here, but I did choose the organic ones (they cost a little more but I think it's worth it to know that I'm not ingesting harmful pesticides).

Not only are mangos capable of magically transporting you to exotic destinations, but they contain tons of essential vitamins (A, C, E, K, B6, alpha and beta carotine, folate, niacin, etc.) and minerals, 12%  of your daily fiber, and of course, that sweet delicious mango juice!  If you're a lazy morning person like me, you'll be happy to know that one fruit does an amazing job of filling up your growling dog of a belly.

Oh, and how'd I get them looking so pretty?  Easy peasy - check out this quick instructional video!

Well, I better get to work.  Enjoy your mango-trips!

Me with the "Bowen Mango" in Bowen, QLD

A Chocolate-y Appeal

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

-Hippocrates

Our bodies are temples and should be treated with respect.  If we want to live long healthy lives we should eat accordingly.  I've been trying to change my eating habits so I can lead by example.  I've amped up my intake of organic leafy greens, ripe fruit, root vegetables, and whole grains; I've cut out a lot of meat and dairy, and eliminated all refined sugars and processed foods (basically any packaged food that promises to be good for you and has "health checks" and "added vitamins".  Phooey!)

The benefits of eating whole and clean are indisputable, and there are a few reasons why I've reduced the amount of meat in my diet.  First, animals are treated horrendously in factory farms and I simply can't support that kind of cruelty; and second, eating too much meat and dairy have been linked to heart disease and certain types of cancer.

So, cocoa?  Yes! Unrefined, straight cocoa powder is actually really good for you.  Great news if you're trying to eat better but also like to indulge.  But don't be confused.  I said "cocoa" is good for you.  Not Chocolate.  Chocolate bars are loaded with unhealthy sugar, fats, and dairy.  The recipes I'm about to share are made with whole ingredients and pure, unrefined (and preferably organic) cocoa powder.  Mixed together they become a tasty dream with great health benefits.

"I-slept-through-my-alarm-Chocolate-shake-shake-shake!"

What you'll need:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 1/2 cups hazelnut milk (almond and oat milks work, too!)
• 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
• a blender

Toss all above ingredients into the blender.  Pour the mix into a to-go tumbler and be on your way!

***

"I want something sweet and chocolatey after dinner but I don't want to hate myself after..."

I have just the thing!  I found this recipe here but modified it some.  I didn't have hazelnuts or maple syrup so I used walnuts and honey instead.  The icing is the truly amazing part.  The entire desert has no refined sugars or flours, and is actually good for you!  And don't worry about over-eating - this little cake is very rich - a few bites and you'll be satisfied.

No-bake Chocolate Hazelnut Cake-bites

What you'll need:

• 2 cups hazelnuts (or walnuts)
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder, divided
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey), divided
• 1-2 ripe avocado (you'll see...)

In a food processor (or blender) chop nuts until they resemble a fine powder.  Add the dates, 1/4 cup of honey, and half the cocoa powder.  Blend.  Roll dough into a ball and place on parchment/wax paper.  Cover with another sheet and roll out dough until 1 inch thick.  Using a knife or cookie cutter slice out shapes and place them on a pan or plate.  Chill in refrigerator.

Okay, here's where it gets really interesting.  Scoop the meat out of your ripe avocado and place in a blender.  Add the rest of the honey and cocoa powder.  Blend until smooth.  Ice your little cakes and enjoy!

appeal |əˈpēl|

Photo courtesy of www.freebestwallpapers.info

appeal |əˈpēl|

verb [ no obj. ]
1. make a serious or urgent request, typically to the public.
2. be attractive or interesting.

Green.  What does it mean to you?  Do you see color?  A snake?  Apples?  Or, do you see a movement?  Believe it or not, being green is not a new concept.  Back in the 18th century, Thomas Malthus (14 February, 1766 – 29 December, 1834) sounded the alarm with An Essay on the Principle of Population where he basically stated that when the population exhausts the earth's resources it will eventually crash.  Hippies have been around even longer. Transcendentalists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau knew the immense value of our forests and oceans, not only for civilization but for balance.

I started this blog as an appeal to the public of the 21st Century.  So many of us are unknowingly making ourselves sick with the food we eat, the beauty products we buy, and the chemicals we clean our houses with.  Moreover, we're destroying the earth's balance. 

Now, I don't know about you, but when I hear the word "green" I imagine it implies some compromise on our part.  But, I don't think that caring about the planet should mean boring food, greasy hair, and smelly armpits for us.  Nor should it mean spending a lot of money on environmentally conscious products.  I believe that we can become better, more beautiful and healthy versions of ourselves by reducing our impact on the planet - and save money at the same time.

So. I've been busy educating myself by reading books and scientific articles, and watching documentaries all on the subject of health, food, and the environment.  It's been very enlightening to say the least.  I was shocked to discover that my life needed an serious tune-up.  So, I've done just that.  I kind of started all at once.  I began composting and reducing the amount of trash I produce.  I've switched-up all of my beauty products and household cleaning supplies. I've even stopped eating meat and started buying organic produce (my boyfriend is only a little annoyed).

It's definitely a huge undertaking, and honestly, I'm wondering how long it will last.  I'm kind of the queen of half-baked efforts.  But!  I'm hoping that I can stay on track with these changes and prove to you all that going green can be fun and easy with this blog (is the title making sense yet?).  So, stay tuned.  Just because I jumped into the deep end doesn't mean you all have to.  We'll take it nice and easy. 

I'm very fond of food and cooking it, so let's start there!