Nifty Mixes

I've been experimenting with various mixes of fruits and veggies, so whether you're thinking in terms of a juice fast or just making yourself some super healthy juice I'm passing along some of my personal favorites

Apple - Carrot - Ginger

2 Apples

3 Carrots

a nice chunk of ginger

I never understood putting a measurement on ginger, it's a root that grows with varying thickness so 1/4 inch of ginger from one part could be totally different from 1/4 inch elsewhere. Ultimately one just has to remember that ginger has a super strong flavor so some people will like more gingery, others less. Go with your taste buds and unless you're a big ol' ginger freak please don't throw in the whole root at once.

Pineapple - Ginger

about 1/2 of a pineapple

a nice chunk of ginger

(I did this with about 3/4 inch piece that was about the same size in width, but I like ginger)

I had this for desert the other night and because I simply couldn't stand the thought of that lovely pineapple getting all shrively in the fridge I took the other half and juiced it with a grapefruit the next morning, also yummy, I'd really like to try it with an orange and a lemon instead though.

Orange - Mint

2 oranges

handful of fresh mint

I have this super clear memory of a street fair when I was little that sold oranges that had been sliced in half and had a peppermint stick straw. Granted this isn't the same sugary experience but it still is pretty yummy

Beat - Carrot - Celery

1/2 beat with the leafy top (that's good for you)

2 -3 carrots

2 stalks celery

Beats can be a bit overpowering if you do them alone, the carrots and celery make a nice counter balance and I actually like throwing in a few radishes with this as well, they add a nice sort of zippy flavor. I have found that my fondness for radishes of late is not one that is necessarily shared, except by Fraggles, and the mix works well enough without... I do suggest giving it a try though. Oh, and remember to cut up your celery a bit before sticking it in the juicer. You know those long stringy fibers that are so annoying to get stuck between your teeth? well they apparently can clog up your juicer something awful, I've never had it happen personally but I was warned.

Apple - Spinach

a small handful of spinach per apple

I made this in an attempt to get my son to ingest spinach a few days ago, I only juiced one apple so hopefully this works in larger quantities. He didn't drink it but I did, maybe it was meant for a slightly more adult palate.

I'm sure I'll post more juice ideas later but honestly I think some of the best mixes are the ones you make up yourself, I always end up wanting to add or subtract something from the recipes I find in books and online. De gustibus non disputandum and all that.

Juicey Foods

Today is day 5 on my 7 day juice fast. I have heard at least five people say "I could never do that!" usually citing some food that they simply COULDN'T live without. The question that always pops into my head is "do you actually eat that every week?" I don't know about other people but my diet is pretty varied, just because I had granola for breakfast today doesn't mean I will every day. It's as though the thought of starting on a juice fast has no finishing point, no end date. To clarify, I LOVE FOOD, I love trying foods, I love mixing spices and savoring all sorts of different flavors. I go on liquid fasts because they're awesome for cleaning out the body and make me feel super energized, they also get me back on track when I get so into experiencing food that I forget to watch my diet, health related diets being the sort that you don't want to fudge so often as the weight related kind, it's a nice way to reset my internal dial so to speak. I also rarely fast for more than 7 or 10 days at a time, so once I've eased my body back into eating I am perfectly capable of a joyous reunion with my mother's home made mac & cheese.

That being said, my son has been traumatized by my juicer. I never really thought that seeing where juice comes from would be such a moving experience but apparently it is, at least for 2 year old little boys with a fondness for apple juice.

Post nap-time yesterday my little man came into the living room asking about juice, unfortunately in my enthusiasm for juicing I forgot to restock the juice supplies, I told him we didn't have any but when he continued to ask I offered to make him some apple juice. One hopeful sounding "appoo joos?" was all it took, I bounced my way over to the kitchen and sliced up an apple, a stoic little man in tow. He was fine when I sliced the apple, he was fine when I turned on the juicer, but the moment I dropped those apple slices into the tube he began to scream! it was in this state that he ran into the living-room, curled himself over a small table and refused to have anything to do with the juice. After a hug and a short while he calmed down enough to go into the kitchen and eat himself an apple. I'm still a little stunned by this instance of extreme apple empathy...

Juice Day 1

Day one of the Juice Fast has arrived and with it, no juice. Honestly, I plugged in my previously functional Juiceman juicer, flipped the switch and the silence was quite pronounced. I turned it off, checked the plug, and with greater ceremony than I'd previously considered necessary flipped the switch... No response. I must've sat there fiddling with the switch and trying different plugs for a while but to no avail, the damn thing won't start.

The special thing about juice fasts is that a nice percentage is in the mental preparation, you get yourself all psyched for 7 days without solid foods and come intended start time the thought of eating more than a small hunk of cheese or a little bit of yogurt is a bit unpleasant, much like ending before your intended end date and without preparation can make you feel a little on the yucky side. I am still liquid fasting. Tea and water are my friends. After this morning's experimentation I can say with great assurance that carrots acquire a texture I can't really groove with when put into a blender, cheating I know but I was hungry. If I'm lucky I'll be able to find the paperwork to have Juiceman fix it's malfunctioning brood, which may of course take longer than my fast.

"Now what on earth will I do with all of these veggies?"

Yet, as with most things one must always account for the possibility of user error.... this user's error was glaring her in the face the entire time, hello... the machine won't start unless the safety lock is engaged. almost 10 hours of idiocy... over a safety lock.

bah! I'm gunna go juice a radish

Cleanse

Well the world has wonderful timing, tonight I feel toxic. I feel toxic in that horrible disembodied way that comes with being dumped on, saturated in the issues and negativity of a foreign body I feel this strange compulsion to take a long, scalding hot, shower. The problem with feeling toxic is that one can hardly help but pass it on. "Hello, I'm infected with someone's need to verbally purge, those shoes make you look a little more like a llama than usual, enjoy your coffee."

Luckily I am already primed and ready for a physical detox, a week to 10 days of the liquid life, juices (fresh), tea and water... though I may get creative with molasses if I have the courage. While I'm at it pass this new bile, clear my thoughts with my liver and pass these poisons like the dead air in my lungs to let me breathe easy. Tomorrow promises to be unpleasant, as most detoxes begin, but with some small patience and a whole lot of carrots this too shall pass.

Lord and Lady but I am tired.

My Masculine Conceit

It was once presented to me that writing with any intention of being read was a masculine act, not in the sense of gender roles but within the frame of procreation. That I, in writing, send out the seed of my thoughts through words, scattering them with little aim (and probably less finesse) to be taken up by friends and strangers alike, the reader taking the feminine role of accepting the gift or curse of my conscious scribblings, adding to it their perspective, interpretation and personal associations to create something new. Each person conceiving a unique thought, as beautiful/horrific as it's components will allow.

This thought was conveyed via a partially epistolary relationship, followed by a phone call to ask what the hell he was talking about.

I have always felt the need to write. I haven't been writing all that much lately, so much so that I begin to suspect myself of avoidance. So here I sit, nimble fingers twitching for the proper adjective to verb it's way onto my screen, experimenting with the Blog.

I intend to write daily but given that personal discipline has never been my forte I suppose we'll see what we get.