Hulk Juice Recipe High in Vita C

This week my kids have been a bit sick so I've wanted to supplement them with Vita C (absorbic acid).

Here's a great smoothie high in antioxidants and vita c and packed full of vitamins and minerals which is especially important when you are sick.

2 handfuls spinach
2 handfuls lettuce/salad mix (i get it at costco)
4 kale or chard leaves (red chard is extremely high in magnesium which helps in Vita A absorption)
1 tsp powdered alfalfa
1 tsp spirulina
1 Tablespoon Absorbic Acid (powder)*available in the bulk herbs at health food stores** really inexpensive
3 cups Fresh Orange Juice
2 handfuls frozen apricots (can use canned and then ice)
Blend until chunks are gone (my blender takes 3-4 min)

This is a QUICK way to get your kids nutrients. My kids love this drink.  I adjusted the basic hulk juice recipe to help pick up the needed Vita C.  I've also blended other herbs into this recipe and the kids can't tell.  Other herbs/vitamins I've used: Cod Liver Oil, acidophilus, echinacea, etc.  If you've got a kid that can't swallow herbs and won't take the tinctures just disguise it in a smoothie. 

It's always best fresh right after blending but if you need to leave you can store it in stainless steel water bottles in the coolest part of the fridge. 

If your blender doesn't blend these drinks finely enough then strain it after blending.  Instead of discarding the chunks I eat them.  It tastes like salad.

Chocolate Dessert Recipes--sugarfree, gluten free

Raw Chocolate Recipes--SOOOOOOOO GOOD.  I've been making raw chocolate desserts and have shared them with friends and family.  The vote is unanimous for deliciousness.



1. Dipping Chocolate (for fruit or you can also put in molds and freeze it) Love it with strawberries

½ cup raw organic cacao powder

½ cup unrefined coconut oil

½ cup agave nectar



Blend and dip!

2. Chocolate Cups

2 bananas

1 avocado

1/3 cup raw organic cacao powder

1/3 cup agave nectar

Pinch of salt



Spoon in mini cupcake tins. Top with gogi berries, macadamia nuts, almond butter, etc.



3. Chocolate Coconut Mousse Cake

Cake Layer

3 cups shredded coconut

1 cup chopped dates

2 Tbs vanilla

Pinch of salt

2/3 cup water

Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor.


Mousse Layer

½ oz. irish moss (get at Omar’s Raw Living Cuisine Restaurant)

2 ¼ cup raw nut milk

1/3 cup chopped dates

1/3 cup agave

½ cup cacao

2 Tbs vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

1 Tbs soy lecithin

1/3 cup coconut oil

Blend irish moss and nut milk until smooth. Add dates, agave, vanilla, cacao, vanilla and salt. Blend. Add soy lecithin, coconut oil. Blend until creamy.



Whipped Cream Layer

1 ½ cups raw cashews soaked 30 minutes

2 cups coconut milk

1/3 cup agave

1 Tbs vanilla

Pinch of salt

2 Tbs soy lecithin

½ cup coconut oil

Blend all ingredients except soy lecithin and coconut oil. When mixture is smooth and creamy add lecithin and coconut oil and blend again.



Layering the cake:

Spread half of the shredded coconut mixture on the bottom of a glass pan 9x13”. Pour chocolate mousse over top. Let set in freezer approx. 30 minutes until firm. Spread remaining coconut mixture over chocolate mousse and pour whipped cream layer on top. Let set in freezer another 30 minutes. Sprinkle the top with raw cacao powder if you’d like. Serve and enjoy.


Recipes courtesy of my friend Linda. 
Check out her website here.http://www.rawrecipebox.blogspot.com/

kids are funny!

A few days ago, I was getting ready for work.  Pat had to work til 5 am so he was sleeping in.  I kissed the kids good bye after waking Pat up.  Bubbles thought there wasn't going to be anyone at the house to babysit he and Tallyoop.  I heard him say to Tally, "It's okay Tallyoop.  I'll take good care of you.  I'll make you green drinks and feed you lunch and turn a movie on for you."  How cute is my 4-yr-old boy!!!  I love how he included green drinks into how he'd take good care of her.  Precious!!!! 

My shopping deals

Well, I told several of my sisters I'd let them know what stores I shop at for specific things so here goes.
It might seem a bit overwhelming to shop at more than one place.  It's worth it though to find the best foods at the best prices especially since budgeting is so essential now days.

Costco

     Eggs (they have brown eggs without antibiotics or hormones)
     Tillamook Cheese
     Organic Salad Mix and spinach  (best price--they are washed and ready for the blender for green drinks)
     Vegetables and fruit
     Rice Milk
     Organic Quinoa
     Organic Peanut Butter
     Kids Cliff Z Bars (I get these for my purse when we are out)
     Organic Raisin Bran
     Organic Raisins
     Organic Butter or tillamook butter
     Noodles.
    

Sunflower Market:  ( my go to store)

     Organic milk (best price $3.89/ gallon)
      Yogurt (either horizon or mountain high whichever is on sale)
      Green leafy vegetables (best price for organic)
      Meats (all of the meat they sell is from a local farm without the use of antibiotics or hormones and the
                 prices are great, look for ads.  Wed is double add day.)  Family Chicken breasts (skinless,
                  boneless)  $1.77/pound  Ground beef  on sale $1.99/pound
     Fresh herbs
     Organic Mac and Cheese (best price on the sunflower brand)
     Coconut Milk
      I get all the vegetables and fruit at Sunflower.  They also have great prices on cooking oil, agave nectar,
       and cereal.  I spend 70% of my food budget at Sunflower.

Good Earth

       Sprouted Wheat Tortillas
       Organic Tortilla Chips
       Almond Milk
       Cold Cereal
       Organic Apple Juice (unfiltered)
       Bulk herbs section:  1)  can get spirulina for green drinks and other herbs like comfrey, beet powder,
                                     absorbic acid, kelp, etc
                                     2) I buy spices in the bulk herbs section.  Great prices and then I refill my spice jars
                                          at home. Ex. Curry, Chili powder, etc.
Hope this helps.  I know it probably seems extreme.  I go to Sunflower every week and Costco 2 times a month and Good Earth 2 times a month. It's worth it to get the right foods for the right prices.   Stock up on items when they are on-sale.  Azure Standard has the best prices for grains and beans.  go to www.azurestandard.com

I also buy a lot of coconut oil from a local coop.  If anyone is interested, you can buy a 5 gal bucket of coconut oil (you'll see that just about every recipe has it in it).  The price is $160.  

You noticed that I don't have a lot of processed foods on my lists.  It's because I seldom buy them.  If there's a sale sometimes I'll get the kids some fun snacks or licorice or something.  Processed food is expensive.  By not buying expensive processed foods, I can afford splurging on organic milk or good tortillas.

Recipe for Eating a light dinner your kids will love!

My kids are big fans of a "light dinner".  We love doing this after eating a late lunch or if we get home late from being out and the kids need something to eat before bed.  Try muffins and smoothies.

Yogurt, Date, and Oat Muffin Recipe

1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey or raw organic sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup sunflower oil
mix well
1 T flax seed meal
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup chopped dates (nice to soften in hot water first)
1 cup spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix for 2 min.

Spray muffin tins and fill 3/4 full.
 Bake at 350 for 12-15 min

Try this "Hulk Juice" smoothie with it.

2 quarts grape juice
1/2 cup pineapple
1 banana (frozen or fresh)
5 frozen apricots (or canned)
5 kale leaves
3 comfrey leaves or comfrey leaf powder
3 red chard leaves
1 tsp spirulina
large handful of spinach leaves
handful of frozen blueberries

 Blend thoroughly.  Serve with a straw.




This light dinner is full of vitamins and minerals.  The muffins are a perfect fiber source along with Omega Fatty Acids.  The hulk juice is high in antioxidants, magnesium, calcium, vita C, B vitamins, iron, protein, and more.

Muffins are my go-to-food.  If I'm craving a treat or if we need something light to eat, muffins are perfect.

Birthday cake-no dairy, no sugar, low gluten recipe

My daughter ,Tallyoop turned 3. I experimented with some recipes for her cake.  She really wanted something with  strawberries.  So I made an applesauce cake, cut up strawberries and drizzled with cashew nut cream. 
I liked it.  My kids liked it.  My husband didn't like it.  I guess you can't win them all but if you need to cut out dairy because of allergies, cashew cream is a great option and if you don't want to use sugar, applesauce cakes are always a good option.

Applesauce Cake

1 quart of unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup agave nectar (don't need if you use sweetened applesauce)**can use honey or organic sugar.
3 eggs
1/2 c oil (I used coconut oil)
t tsp vanilla
mix together well

Add 2 cups spelt flour (or whole wheat, can use oat flour for 1/2)
1 T baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Mix together

Put in pans and bake at 350 for about 20 min (depending on pan size)

Cashew Nut cream

soak 1 cup of cashew pieces for a couple hours in enough water to cover the nuts
blend in blender
add 1 T of agave (I added too much and it wasn't as good)
add 1/2 tsp vanilla (if desired, I like it better without)

Cut up strawberries.

Voila!!! My baby's birthday cake.

Use FRESH HERBS

I use fresh herbs in my cooking.  It just makes food taste so much better.  I love using tarragon, sage, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, peppermint, etc.  Of course, I love summertime when fresh herbs are accessible in my garden.  This year I clipped herbs and put them in zip lock bags.  I've stored them in the freezer.  They are easy to get to.  I also buy the little plastic boxes of fresh herbs and keep them in the freezer.  I think it's hard to always have fresh herbs because they don't last very long in the fridge.  (If you do store parsley in the fridge, clip the ends and put in a cup of water and then cover it with a plastic bag.)

Try storing fresh herbs and using them next time you make a meal.