Green Kiwi Strawberry Twist Smoothie

Let food be thy medicine with this ultra-stellar green kiwi strawberry twist smoothie! It might not LOOK appealing, but it tastes amazing! The sweetness of the kiwi and strawberry mixed with the cooling sensation of greens and citrus blast of orange will have your tastebuds screaming for more!

This smoothie will help alkalize, re-mineralize and energize your body and make you feel incredible. It contains a healthy serving of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, calcium, and a handful of phytonutrients. It will not only help boost your immune system and make your skin shine, but it will protect your heart and clean out your digestive tract for optimal nutrient absorption.

Ingredients:
- 5 peeled, ripe kiwis (they will be soft to touch)
- 1 pint organic strawberries
- 2 cups leafy greens (I used arugula and spinach, you can use whichever green you please)
- 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
- love

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

Nectarine Passion Smoothie For Stress, Skin & Eye Health

If you want to help improve the look and feel of your skin, drink this smoothie (everyday!). Nectarines are one of the best foods to help nourish and improve the look of your skin! And what a better time to eat them than NOW - nectarines are in full-season and loaded with vitamins, minerals and crucial phytonutrients. Be sure to buy nectarines organic, though, as they are on the "dirty" list of pesticide-laden fruits. 

Nectarines are loaded with anti-oxidant vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin E and flavonoids lutein, zea-xanthin, and Beta-cryptoxanthin. Vitamin A is converted to beta-carotene in the body, which is required for proper night vision and prevention of age-related macular degeneration. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and protecting against lung and oral cavity cancers. 

Vitamin E is another important vitamin that you must consume via foods since your body cannot produce it itself. Vitamin E from fruits and vegetables helps protect your skin from UVB radiation and helps prevent premature aging of the skin and damage to your DNA. 

Not only that, but nectarines also contain B-complex vitamins which nourish our nerves and keep our brain healthy and mind clear and stress-free. 

Ingredients:
- 5 ripe nectarines (preferably organic, as nectarines are on the "dirty" list)
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 cup organic strawberries
- 1 cup young thai coconut water (or regular water)
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean powder

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

Raw Vegan Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Chip

Who doesn't love mint chocolate chip ice cream? As one of my favourite flavours growing up as a kid, it slightly disappointed me when I came to the realization that I could no longer indulge in this masterful flavour combination. That realization quickly halted after about 30 seconds, because I realized that recreating this ice cream in raw vegan form, really wasn't that hard.

In fact, this recipe is probably THE BEST mint chocolate chip ice cream I have ever had the chance of experiencing. The hint of banana and revitalizing punch of the fresh mint leaves brings this ice cream to a whole other level! Plus it has the added benefit of real, raw, living enzymes available in every single ingredient! Energize, and get rid of crabby moods with tryptophans and B vitamins in the banana, mineralize with the medjool dates, and deodorize your body with mint!

You can create this recipe with a blender, and if you want to take to the next level (soft-serve like ice cream texture), run the mixture through a juicer! 

Ingredients:
- 3 ripe spotty bananas
- 1/4 cup mint juice (I took 2 cups of mint and juiced it - otherwise, if you don't have a juicer, you can just blend in the mint leaves with the bananas in the blender)
- 5 pitted medjool dates
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean powder
- 2 tbsp. carob powder
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs

Instructions (if you do NOT have a masticating juicer such as the Omega or Champion Juicer):
1. Freeze your spotty bananas overnight (or use frozen bananas if you already have)
2. Blend frozen bananas, mint juice or mint leaves, medjool dates, vanilla bean powder and carob powder on high speed, or until fully blended
3. Stir in cacao nibs & enjoy!

Instructions (if you DO have a masticating juicer like the Omega or Champion Juicer):
1. In a high speed blender, blend the bananas, mint leaves or mint juice, dates, vanilla powder, and carob powder. 
2. Take this mixture and freeze in a baggie overnight
3. Take frozen banana-mint mix and run through the juicer to create a soft-serve type ice cream
4. Stir in cacao nibs & enjoy!

Hormone Balancing Booster Juice

Who knew that ingestion of sweet potatoes and turmeric could actually help balance our hormones! When I came across this statement I was thrilled, mainly because my hormones have been a bit off ever since I went off birth control (which I was on for 7 years). It was also a surprise to me that sweet potatoes can be consumed raw, and provide an even broader array of nutrients to our body than when cooked (as with most vegetables). 

Sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamins A, B6, C and E and are loaded with minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium. Recent studies have shown that sweet potatoes contain a protein hormone called adiponectin, which is a critical component when it comes to modifying insulin metabolism. 

Turmeric is also a great way to help increase the body's progesterone levels, which is particularly useful for women going through menopause or those who have gone off birth control pills. 

Ingredients:
- 1 medium sweet potato (about 2 cups worth)
- 2 inches turmeric root
- 3 large carrots
- 1 medium cucumber
- 4 celery stalks
- 1 lemon (peel if not organic)

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