Summer Berry Vitality Smoothie

One of my favourite things to eat in summer are fresh berries! They are packed with nutrition, especially if bought locally and infuse your body with all the energy it needs to get through the day. Not to mention, they are also high in fibre, which helps to push through toxic waste matter in the colon and free room for better nutrient absorption!

If you want to enjoy pure refreshment at a whole other galactic level of awesomeness, do not miss your chance to try this smoothie this summer! If you want, you can also exchange some berries in exchange for berries that are more suited for your palate! For instance, I may switch the blueberries with saskatoon berries or blackberries!

Ingredients:
- 2 cups organic blueberries
- 1 cup organic raspberries
- 1 organic apple, cored
- 2 oranges, juiced
- 1 cup water or young thai coconut water

Blend the above ingredients in a blender such as the Vitamix & enjoy immediately to prevent oxidation!

Raw, Vegan, Root Beer "Ice Cream" Float

One of my childhood favourites was indulging in root beer floats. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of the consequences of consuming bone-erroding sodas and mucus-forming dairy products. Alas, I have found the perfect way to mock the traditional "Root Beer Float" with this 100% RAW, vegan, gluten-free root beer float! You won't be disappointed. 

The incredible benefits of bananas can be read HERE. 

Ingredients:

Root Beer:
- 10 pitted medjool dates, soaked for 2-3 hours (discard soak water, or use towards water below)
- 3 cups water, or young thai coconut water
*Blend the above ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth

Ice Cream:
- 2 ripe, spotty bananas, peeled and frozen
*You can blend these frozen bananas in a blender like a Vitamix, OR you can have the pleasure of making more soft-serve ice cream with a juicer like an Omega or Champion juicer!

Pour the root beer into a tall, chilled glass, and scoop the ice cream into the root beer. Voila! You now have your own raw, 100% guilt-free root beer float! Chill with ice cubes & enjoy immediately :)

Apple, Carrot, Orange Ginger Juice For Instant Energy

New to juicing? This simple recipe is a great way to get started! It's an easy transition and a very enjoyable juice. In this recipe I jazz up plain old carrot juice with oranges, ginger, apples and lemon! The combination is to die for and will leave you feeling energized and ready to take on whatever project might lay ahead! 

The benefits of this juice are endless. It is truly a healer of all kinds! Some perks of drinking this juice include:

- Instant energy 

- Skin health, for a warm, healthy glow

- Eye health (vitamin A)

- Facilitates digestion

- Fights anemia (high in iron)

- Fights asthma

- Fights off pre-cancerous cells (high anti-oxidant load)

- Reduces congestion and stuffy sinuses

- Regulates blood sugar

- Anti-aging

- Anti-inflammatory

- Controls blood pressure

- Supports the health of our nails and hair

Ingredients:
- 8 large carrots
- 4 oranges, peeled
- 4 pink lady apples (or other favourite apple - pink lady is just my personal favourite)
- 4 inch knob ginger
- 2 lemons, peeled

Juice the above ingredients in a juicer such as the Omega, and enjoy immediately to prevent oxidation!

3 Easy Summer Berry Smoothies

Stay cool and healthy this summer with these 3 easy raw, vegan, gluten-free smoothies that will leave you satisfied and revitalized! These refreshing summer smoothies are loaded with immune system strengthening antioxidants which help fight off free radicals and reduce oxidative stress in the body (which is mostly linked with disease and illnesses like cancer and heart disease). 

Don't be scared of tossing greens into either of these smoothies too! They will help your body alkalize and will also pack in extra fibre, flavour and antioxidants!

Ingredients:

Blueberry Bliss:
- 1.5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 2 ripe spotty bananas
- pinch cinnamon
- 1 cup water or young thai coconut water
- 3 pitted medjool dates

Blackberry Charger:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1 cup mango
- 1 cup water or young thai coconut water
- 1 cup leafy greens such as spinach or arugula

Tropical Raspberry:
- 1.5 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1 cup ripe pineapple
- 1 cup water or young thai coconut water
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Blend either of these smoothies in a high speed blender & enjoy!

Dairy-Free Banana Milk For Cereal & More!

Who needs cows milk when you can drink banana milk!? This recipe is a great substitution for those of you who are avid cereal munchers! Why would you want to substitute banana milk for regular cows milk? 

Bananas help:

- Overcome depression due to high tryptophan levels which are converted to serotonin (the happy chemical) in the brain

- Regulate blood sugar levels

- Protect against muscle cramps thanks to high potassium levels

- Counteract calcium loss during urination & therefore build stronger bones

- Improve your mood & PMS symptoms

- Reduce swelling, protect against type II diabetes and aid in weight loss

- Strengthen the blood and relieve anemia due to high iron levels

- Lower blood pressure and protect against heart attack and stroke

- Aid digestion & chelate toxins and heavy metals from the body

- Stimulate growth of friendly bacteria in the gut & produce digestive enzymes to assist in nutrient absorption

- Normalize bowel movements (especially for those who are constipated)

- Relieve heartburn and acid reflux

- Relieve stomach ulcers

Cows milk kind of does the opposite...

- Increases risk of developing osteoporosis later in life (due to high protein/acid levels - results in leaching of calcium & magnesium from bones to help buffer high acid level and make body more alkaline)

- Many dairy products contain bovine growth hormone (rBGH/rBST), which has been linked to breast, colon and prostate cancer

- Milk contains over 135 million pus cells (yes, pus, that gross stuff that comes out of infected wounds. 100% FDA approved)

- Dairy products are loaded with antibiotics

- Incredibly high in cholesterol (over 51 milligrams per cup)

- High in fat

- Results in bodily inflammation and thus causes a host of diseases and illnesses

- Mucus-causing, and results in lots of phlegm production. Mucus also coats fine cilia in our intestinal tract and prevents us from absorbing nutrients from the foods we eat

Ingredients:
- 3 ripe spotty bananas
- 2-3 cups filtered water or young thai coconut water (for a little extra flavour and electrolyte boost)
- Optional: pinch of vanilla

Blend the above ingredients in a blender such as the Vitamix until smooth. You may add more or less water depending on the consistency you want your banana milk to be.

You can use this milk in substitution of cow's milk in almost any cereal, or you can drink it as you would a regular glass of milk. Enjoy!

Creamy Mango Turmeric Smoothie

This detoxifying, anti-inflammatory mango smoothie includes turmeric, ginger, almond milk and a few other goodies. It contains some of the most powerful antioxidants around, and no - you won't be crinkling your nose in disgust after every swallow, because this smoothie has the perfect balance of sweet, earthy, and spicy notes.  

Turmeric has been widely used in ancient healing systems, and it is renowned for its inflammation-curing and cancer-preventative properties. It has also been used in Chinese and Indian medicine for centuries in order to treat jaundice, menstrual discomfort, chest pain, colic and more. It can help treat inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, cystic fibrosis, and cancer. Turmeric also aids in digestion, boosts your immune system, lowers your cholesterol and cleanses the liver. 

Adding in some coconut, flax or chia seeds also helps create a fine balance of fibre, natural sugars, vitamins, minerals, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. 

Let's get to it!

Ingredients:

- 2 cups chopped mango

- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (or 1-2 inches fresh turmeric root)

- 1 1/2 cups fresh almond milk

- 1 tbsp. shredded (preservative-free) coconut, chia or flax seeds

- 1 tsp. fresh vanilla bean extract (or powder..if using extract, try to get alcohol-free)

- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon powder

- 1-2 inches fresh ginger root (or 1-2 tsp. ginger powder)

Blend the above ingredients in a high-speed blender such as the Vitamix, and enjoy immediately!

Recipe Contributor: 

Salomé is a healer born in Ecuador. She helps busy people make time and space for themselves and specializes on healing before, and after surgery. Her healing allows her clients to pause for a moment, let go, and re-connect with mind, body and spirit. Her method helps decrease physical pain after surgery and helps clients recover faster. Learn more about Salomé at www.salometorres.com.

Coconut Water Fruit Popsicles!

What better way to celebrate the magic of summer than with these fresh coconut water fruit popsicles! They are beautiful and pleasing to look at, and rather fun to eat. Aside from being amazing pieces of art, they are also incredibly healthier than your conventional popsicle loaded with refined sugar, unnatural colourings, preservatives and other weird chemical additives. 

Instead, these popsicles help strengthen your immune system and infuse your body with beneficial antioxidants, which help protect you from the stronger mid-day UVA & UVB rays from the sun.

Summer only comes once a year, so be sure to make the best of it!

Ingredients:
- Fruit of your choice, cut into pieces (i.e., strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, mango, pineapple)
- Coconut water (from fresh young thai coconuts - can be bought in-store (the white coconuts) or can be bought in bottles at health food stores on in your regular grocer if they carry it)

Instructions:
Fill popsicle moulds with coconut water, and add different fruit pieces of each (see image above). Let freeze over night and enjoy the next day!

4 Refreshing Smoothies To Kickstart Your Morning

The warm weather is here, which means that it is time to get creative and FRESH with your morning breakfast routine. Smoothies are a great way to start the day (if constructed properly), especially because they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and crucial phytonutrients. 

These blended beverages will offer you tons of plant-based protein, fibre and carbohydrates to help keep you full until your next meal. Drinking smoothies in the morning will also rev up your metabolism so that you can burn fat throughout the day. 

Fill a to-go cup of either of these smoothies and sip your energizing breakfast while you head out the door! 

1. Morning Zinger:

- 4 oranges, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups ripe pineapple
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 inch ginger root
- 1 cup of your favourite berries (raspberries are my favourite with pineapple!)
- 1 cup water or young thai coconut water

Blend the above ingredients in a blender & enjoy immediately!

2. Ginger Berry:

- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup strawberries
- 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 inches ginger root
- 1/4 cup packed basil leaves
- 1 cup water or young thai coconut water

Blend the above ingredients in a blender & enjoy immediately!

3. Tropical Sunrise:

- 1 cup mango, cubed
- 1 cup pineapple, cubed
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup packed coconut meat
- 1 cup water or young thai coconut water

Blend the above ingredients in a blender & enjoy immediately!

4. Soothing Alkalizer:

- 2 cups dark leafy greens (spinach, arugula, kale, etc.)
- 2 ripe spotty bananas
- 2 medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup mango, cubed
- 1/2 cup cucumber, cubed
- 1 cup water or young thai coconut water

Blend the above ingredients in a blender & enjoy immediately!

Raw Vegan Green Grape Slushy

Aside from creating the world's finest wine, grapes themselves are a wonder cure against heart attacks, according to new research. In fact, grapes have the ability to lower blood pressure by up to 5% and cholesterol by 14% (in human volunteers with higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease). 

This green (or red if you like) grape slushy is the perfect thing for the warm summer months up ahead. Due to their blood-pressure lowering ability, grapes are a wonderful way to cool down. When your blood pressure is lower, you will feel cooler!

One cup of red or green grapes contains up to 1.09 grams of protein, 0.24 grams of fat, 1.4 grams of fiber, 4.8 milligrams of vitamin C, 10 micrograms of vitamin A, 288 milligrams of potassium, 0.54 milligrams of iron and 3 micrograms of folate. They are truly a superfood of nature! 

Grapes also contain powerful antioxidants called polyphenols which may slow or prevent many cancer types. They help with allergies (due to the active compound called quercetin, a natural anti-inflammatory), and also help reduce disorders of the digestive tract. 

Ingredients:
- 2 cups green or red grapes, frozen (stick in the freezer for about 3 hours for a solid freeze)
- 1 cup young thai coconut water
- Juice from 1 lime
- Garnish: mint leaves

Instructions:
Blend the above ingredients in a blender such as the Vitamix, and enjoy! Garnish with mint.

Homemade Classic Caesar Mocktail

I remember when I used to be obsessed with Caesars, loaded with vodka and clam-tomato juice, aka. Clamato juice (umm..gross?). This recipe is pretty much the exact same as your classic caesar, except that it doesn't contain inflammation-triggering alcohol and makes you feel alive & vibrant! 

The base ingredient in this recipe is tomatoes, which contain a hearty amount of cancer-protective lycopene. Tomatoes are also great for protecting the delicate vessels of the heart and those scattered around the body. In addition, this recipe also features blood-purifying beets, kidney and lung cleansing celery as well as mucus-clearing radishes! 

Next time you are having people over for "drinks", make this satisfying recipe and get "drunk" off the wonders and joys of LIFE! Get energized, and heal your body! There is no need for alcohol when you feel this good.  

Ingredients:
- V8 Juice Recipe (found HERE: also, be sure to include 1/2 jalapeño to this recipe)
- 2 tsp. mustard powder
- 1 medjool date, pitted
- 1 lime, juiced
- Sprinkle of kelp granules
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Garnish: basil leaves, ice & celery stalk

Instructions:
Put the V8 juice recipe into a high speed blender such as the Vitamix and blend V8 juice, mustard powder, date, lime juice, kelp & black pepper. Serve in glasses with ice cubes and garnish with basil and a celery stalk or two. Enjoy!

Anti-Aging, Antioxidant Rich Strawberry Smoothie

Blast away those nasty aging effects by incorporating antioxidant-rich foods in your diet like strawberries! Just one cup of strawberries delivers about 150% of your daily recommended amount of vitamin C!

Oxygen-derived free radicals are responsible for the age-related damage we see today (or at least a large majority of it). Excess generation of free radicals, whether it be from stress, the foods we eat, the products we put on our skin, chemicals used to clean the house, or pollutants in the environment, may overwhelm natural cellular antioxidant defences leading to oxidation and further contributing to cellular impairment. 

When we eat antioxidant rich foods, including the amazing strawberry (loaded with anthocyanins, flavonols, terpenoids, ellagitannins, and phenolic acids), we help combat these free radicals and reduce the amount of cellular aging occurring in the body. It is also important to note that studies have shown that strawberries and other berries must be eaten at least 3-5 times per week (at least 1 cup a day), in order for their effects to take place (on top of fruit that you already eat regularly). 

If that isn't enough motivation to get blending, I don't know what is! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
- 2 cups organic strawberries, stems left on
- 3 cups freshly pressed orange juice
- 1/4 cup young coconut meat
- 1/4 cup packed basil leaves (or mint leaves)
- 1 cup young coconut water

Blend the above ingredients in a high-speed blender such as the Vitamix, and enjoy immediately! This smoothie recipe serves ONE.