Beautifying Lemonade

Oops, it's been a few days that I promised someone that I'd post this recipe..
He was begging for it and made me promise....when he saw me sipping it ever so enthusiastically the other "hot" day.

As I haven't posted anything in so long, due to a rather painful separation from the person I loved and spent my life with, a relocation to Los Angeles, a brutal car accident (which I still don't know how I survived), and my new business that kept me busy afterwards pretty much 24/7, this is a BIG deal to be back here! Yay! Hi AGAIN! :)

If you also happen to live in L.A. then you know it's been back in the high 80s to 90-ish degrees in the past 2-3 days and so refreshing drinks feel even more refreshing now AND we might as well "cheat" a bit and make them even more nutritious and healing than their commonly-known, traditional versions, right? Of course!..because if you're reading my blog, chances are, you're also into amazing foods for their health benefits, healing and beautifying qualities and the possibilities of its longevity-promoting effects.

Well, here's how I've been making "lemonade" lately....and, let me just say, it's been eye-catching. Yes, I DO take it with me often when I leave my little paradise behind and people ask me what I'm drinking. Most think it's a green juice...but nope. I blend ingredients for this one!
Great for your skin and gut health and a great detoxifier....so get in the garden and the kitchen and make this:

Beautifying Lemonade

Ingredients to be blended:

2-3 cups of the best quality water you can get

juice of 2 lemons

handful of fresh mint 

slice of fresh aloe gel (I used about a 3/4 inch thick slice)

favorite sweetener (I use raw honey* or maple syrup** usually) 

a really thin slice of ginger

pinch or two of (ground) cayenne 

*not vegan, ** not RAW

Blend all of the ingredients in a high powered blender that breaks down the mint leaves and the lemon seeds (which are best to keep in there). Grab a couple of straws and pour two servings of this wonderful treat if you have someone to share it with. If not, you will not have a problem finishing it all by yourself, I promise!

Enjoy! :)

And I'll be back soon.

♥

Dita

P.S: I'll be reviewing a TON of yummy and super healthy products in the next few weeks and some of them will involve giveaways too so stay tuned! You never know....you might get lucky and end up with a bunch of goodies delivered to your door! You can't beat that!

Need A Drink?

Maybe it's just one of those days?!
How about one that will not only give you temporary pleasure only to make you feel "blah" later but also might just...

- make you feel refreshed
- ease your aches and pains
- help digest your dinner
- help balance your blood sugar levels
- relieve nausea

Well, I've got one for you that could do all that and much more because of the incredible medicinal qualities of the ingredients...Oh, and let's not forget to mention that it's also delicious!

Ready for a refreshing summer drink?

More good news: you can make this in minutes and store a pitcherful in the fridge to have within reach on hot summer days when the numbers are around 100˚F (~38˚C) on the thermometer!

You might wanna make a double-batch to have enough around to share with others!

Better-Than-Ginger-Ale

Ingredients:

~ 0.75 L Sparkling spring water (or your favorite water)

1 lemon 

~ 2 in piece (or more, for a strong flavor) fresh ginger root

~ 1 in piece (or more, for a strong flavor) fresh turmeric root

optional: Sweetener of your choice (honey/maple syrup/agave syrup/coconut palm sugar)

To prepare:
1. Juice the lemon, the ginger, and the turmeric and strain the liquid if you wish. It may be a little foamy and if you don't strain it you can just get the foam off the top to end up with a "cleaner" drink.
2. Add your freshly juiced ingredients and the sweetener of your choice to the spring water. Chill if you prefer it cold.

Serve chilled, with or without any ice or at room temperature. It's delicious any way.

Note: being flexible is an important aspect of a healthy, balanced life. Try to experiment with recipes and rely on what you have available. Don't worry about having to substitute some of the ingredients.

For example:
1. Don't have any lemons but you desire the sour taste? Maybe you have raw apple cider vinegar at home!? If so, use a splash of that to make your drink a bit tangy AND you'll have added health benefits from the malic acid and the enzymes in the vinegar, which is also great for helping with balancing your blood sugar levels and it has wonderful cleansing qualities.

2. Don't want to add / or don't have any sweetener? Juice some fruit, a couple of oranges or apples or something else you have around, to add to your drink for a sweeter taste to help offset the bitterness of the turmeric.

Cheers! : )

xo

Dita

The "Pretty Complexion Citrus Blend"

As simple as it is, I must share with you the most recent thing I'm hooked on!  It is just so delicious and refreshing. I know most, if not all, followers of the 80/10/10 diet would approve too! : )

This "Vitamin C Citrus Blend Evolution" started when I realized that it was too early to try to eat tangerines a few weeks (!!!) after oral surgery.  Yep, I knew that it was not just hurting to try to chew but I was not chewing properly and a lot of the fruit was swallowed in large chunks, especially the pith. Obviously NOT ideal!
So, what's a health-conscious girl to do? I wanted to keep eating citrus but to get all the benefits too and that includes all the bioflavanoids (aka vitamin P), and calcium that's included in the white parts not only the vitamin-C-rich, juicy part. Bioflavanoids work together with vitamin C so they're best taken at the same time.
Have you ever had capillaries (tiny little red lines near the surface of your skin) showing? One way to maintain the healthy structure of those blood capillaries and support their thin walls is by consuming lots of citrus! While bioflavanoids or vitamin C are present in a myriad of foods, citrus has them both. What a great way to take in nutrients that support circulation and brighten your complexion!

….And this is such a simple method to ensure the assimilation of these nutrients. I really started with just blending up peeled citrus, which was amazingly yummy by itself, but then I started adding a thing or two because, you know, I always try to get the most out of everything….use whatever I can as a delivery system for other nutrients. Why not?! So, I'll give you the variations I've been really enjoying. If you can find tangerines (I love Satsumas, but others will work), use them, and if not, try to combine different types of oranges or even pomelos.

Pretty Complexion Citrus Blend 

(Makes 1 pint, fills a mason jar)

Basic Version

6-7 tangerines + 1-2 orange OR 4-5 oranges

Enhanced Delivery*

6-7 tangerines + 1-2 orange OR 4-5 oranges

pinch or two ground cayenne pepper

Anti-inflammatory Boost

6-7 tangerines + 1-2 orange OR 4-5 oranges

pinch or two ground cayenne pepper

small slice of ginger

Spiced Up 

6-7 tangerines + 1-2 orange OR 4-5 oranges

pinch or two ground cayenne pepper

small slice of ginger

couple of dashes of ground cinnamon

Superfood Brightness

6-7 tangerines + 1-2 orange OR 4-5 oranges

pinch or two ground cayenne pepper

small slice of ginger

couple of dashes of ground cinnamon

small handful of goji berries

*you can read about the health benefits of cayenne pepper here

Peel the tangerines by hand and leave all the white stringy parts attached. Peel the oranges using a knife and leave as much of the white part attached as you can, simply removing a thin layer with all the zest.
Leave all the seeds in as well. The point is to keep the fruits as close to whole as possible. Eating whole foods is what's always best. The pith (the white parts in citrus) contains the bioflavanoids and is the part of the fruit that is high in calcium. This helps balance any acidity and having all the fiber in there slows the absorption of sugar. You will end up with a pulpy blend for sure if you use tangerines and practically a mush if you use a lot of/only oranges with all the pith.

Blend all ingredients you chose to use and drink slowly or take it with you in a mason jar or bottle.
It travels well so it's great to take along with you to nourish your body while on the go but if you're using mainly oranges you might want to take a spoon with you. These concoctions can become very thick over time and the longer they sit, the more of the juice is absorbed by the pith so they will get even thicker. Taking a long-stemmed spoon along with you wherever your raw lifestyle takes you is a very good idea anyway and it might just come handy!

…And just watch, your skin will thank you for this!

Have a bright and juicy day!

♥

Thirst Quencher Of The Season

Enjoying the hot summer days? I sure am! Unlimited sunshine and a farmers market so abundant...more fruit than what I could do with, sometimes.
This time, I had a half a watermelon left over. Couldn't finish the "ten-pounder" so I had to figure out how to take the rest to work...

It was either going to cut it all up and take it with me in a huge bowl so I can sit and eat it for an hour....not ideal...OR, make a drink out of it...excellent idea! Easy to transport, easy to carry around and consume throughout the day. Here's what I combined:


Watermelon Slushy
(Makes ~2 quarts / liters)
The red part of 5 pounds of watermelon
2 cups ice cubes
1 lime without the peel (or use ony the juice, if you wish)
Leaves of 8 sprigs of peppermint

Of course, you could add sweetener, if you'd like. The lime and mint will add a sort of bitterness to it but I like it that way. This melon was also particularly sweet.

Blend the ingredients for just a few seconds and serve it in chilled glasses with a sprig of mint or a slice of lime, or pour it into a large mason jar if you're taking it with you, like I did, or keep it in a pitcher chilled, to have within reach if you're lucky to be hanging out at home.

Nutrition
Watermelon is very cleansing and it's very rich in lycopene (good for your eyes), high in vitamin C, and even has a notable amount of magnesium (an important mineral for maintaining strong bones).

Hydrating, sweet, and so refreshing...enjoy!