The Doctor Is In #spinach #juice #recipe

Iron stores a little low? Try this iron rich juice recipe!

3 handfuls of baby spinach
2 cups blueberries
1 apple
1 pear

Start with your greens, then push your apple through. Follow with your blueberries and end with your pear. Swirl, and enjoy!

This recipe is rich in iron, so make sure that you only have it once a week. Too much iron in your system and you'll be begging for something fibre rich!

Morning Glow #juice #recipe

Get your morning glow on with this delicious, and easy to prepare, juice recipe!

 

1 apple (cored)
1 nectarine (pitted)
1/2 large navel orange (peeled)
1 1/2 cups baby carrots (rinsed)

I created this recipe when I was 7months pregnant, and it quickly became a favorite. It is sweet, has great nutrients like beta carotene and folic acid, and a lovely finish with the nectarine flavor!

I pushed my juice through in the order that the ingredients are listed above, hard fruits followed by softer ones and then ending with the baby carrots.

With softer fruits or vegetables, and leafy greens too, you want to follow with harder ones to make sure that everything gets pushed through your juicer and you are getting the most out of your produce.

Core, pit, peel and rinse. Those are the only preparation steps for this recipe, which makes it a super easy one! Enjoy the benefits of all of these beautiful ingredients, and get your morning glow!

Bold Beets #raw #juice #recipe

Lacking fiber in your diet? Did you know that beets and apples are packed with it? I used to use beets while making baby food for help with tummy troubles, and used them and apples alot throughout the second half of my pregnancy to keep my body running right!

2 apples (cored)
1 beet
1 large handful baby carrots
1 handful beet greens

First and foremost, you'll want to wash your beet and beet greens really well; they can be really gritty and have that fresh from the garden taste if you don't! Once you've washed your beet, cut off the rind. Core your apples and you're all set.

Push your beet greens through, followed by your beet, carrots and apples. This recipe will yield about 12 oz. of fresh juice.

If the taste is a little strong for you (it was for me), a squirt of fresh lemon will do the trick to brighten it up!

Green Power #raw #juice #recipe

Today we are unleashing the power of pear, spinach, carrot and lemon in a delicious, and easy to prepare, juice recipe!

2 pears
2 cups baby spinach
2 cups baby carrot
1/2 lemon (yellow rind removed, white pith left on for juicing)

Start by pushing through all of your baby spinach, followed by one pear (cut to the size of your juicer, core removed), your carrots, the rest of your pear and then finish with your lemon.

Swirl and down the hatch!

This power juice is full of iron, beta carotene, vitamin C and potassium. The pears are full of fiber, too, so this juice is great if you're doing a cleanse to calm any tummy bloat or digestive problems.

I drank this at 20weeks pregnant to help with digestion, and it worked like a charm, plus gave me all of the healthy nutrients that I was lacking, and therefore baby was lacking.

Enjoy! 

Sweet Dark Greens #juice #recipe

A week into juicing and I have to say that I  really look forward to my morning juice. They are unbelievably easy to prepare, and typically just take rinsing my fruit and veggies, maybe coring an apple or two.

It's such a healthy part of my day, and I feel really good knowing that I am giving this amazing dense nutrition to the baby. Now that I know that it is super easy, I recommend juicing to everyone who even remotely expresses interest in it.

With the exception of the gross celery based juice last week, I have really enjoyed every juice When was the last time that you got 6 servings of fruit and vegetables in one glass? Adding it once a day provides so many health benefits, and not just to you but to your baby if you're pregnant like I am!

2 pears
2 cups baby carrots
1 cup blueberries
2 cups baby spinach

To prep, rinse off your blueberries and core your pears. Before starting your juicer, pack it with your spinach, then turn on and press through. Follow with your carrots and a pear, the bluberries, then the rest of your pears. This will ensure that all of your spinach greens get processed into juice, and mix well with the rest of your fruits and vegetables.

I call this one the Sweet Dark Greens because the color is a dark mossy green, and it's nice and sweet, but mellow at the same time.

In terms of the nutrients you're going to be getting, antioxidants, beta carotene, iron, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin A, calcium...and the list goes on and on. It's kind of a super juice!

Strawberry Apple Zinger #juice #recipe

Another day, another juice! I am really digging this whole juicing thing, and it is such a great way to start my day. Today's juice recipe was super tangy, but produced a full 8oz and was delicious!

2 apples
handful of strawberries
1 lime

At first, I wasn't sure that 1 lime would be enough, but trust me...it is! Core your apples and cut to fit through the shoot of your juicer. I alternated apple halves with strawberries, then the lime, and another apple half.

To prep your lime, peel the rind but try and keep as much of the white pith on it. The best way I found to do this was to slice away the green rind with a sharp knife.

Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Be prepared for a little pucker to your morning! This juice is definitely tangy, but it's super yummy and a great way to get some vitamins into your day!

Recipe is packed with...

Vitamin C
Antioxidants
Folate
Fiber
Potassium

Morning Refresher #Juicing #recipe

Well, folks...I've taken the plunge into juicing. After watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, rating juicers and considering our options, I knew that juicing would be an excellent addition to our healthy habits.

I have to say, I am really impressed with my first juice. My son loved his taste of mine so much that he asked for his own! It's such a great way to get extra nutrients into a picky eater, so here's my recipe for a nice, light juice. I wanted to start with something fruity and light, not knowing what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised. 

1 pear
1 apple
handful of strawberries (the ones I had were HUGE!)
1 cup fresh blueberries

(ahem...that's 4 servings of fruit right there!)

There is very little prep needed for this juice recipe. I rinsed everything, cored my apple, and cut around the core of my pear (not necessary according to Joe Cross' prep guide, but I wasn't sure if my juicer could handle the core, so to be on the safe side I cut the flesh away from the core)

I wasn't sure just how much juice to expect, but this recipe made about 6oz. of fresh juice. The texture was smooth, and the taste was nice and light; the perfect way to start the day.

The juicer that we have is the Cuisinart CJE-500 Compact Juice Extractor

It bit through the fruit with ease and I never felt as though I was really forcing anything through. In terms of cleanup, I had the entire machine taken apart, scrubbed and sitting to dry within 5 minutes.

The aftermath in the pulp basket?

For two 6oz juices, there was about 2 and a half cups of pump and skins. 


I am really excited to be adding in a juice every morning, knowing that I do not get near enough fruits and vegetables in my diet.

Stay tuned for more recipes!

Denny's $4 Breakfast Sandwiches, Fit and Fare! #healthy #Dennys

 
This weekend on our long drive home from Florida to Ontario, we started our second day of driving with a hearty and healthy breakfast at Denny's in Lexington, KY.

We were really excited to try the new $4 breakfast sandwiches, which come with hashbrowns, and were so pleased to see a variety of options on the new $2 $4 $6 $8 menu - great for when you are traveling and need some quick options.

The standard $4 breakfast sandwich at Denny's is an egg cooked to order, two strips of bacon, shaved ham and American cheese on a toasted english muffin.

We opted for the Fit Fare Breakfast Sandwich, which was loaded with baby spinach, egg whites, turkey bacon, tomato and pepper jack cheese, and came with a side of yogurt and berries, and a cup of fresh fruit. An awesome protein packed and healthy way to start your day!

To say this Fit Fare meal at Denny's was filling was an understatement. The flavours were great, and ever last bite was finished. It was satisfying, and a meal that you won't feel bad about going out for. The best part was the value. A healthy breakfast under $7!

In terms of the $2 $4 $6 $8 Menu, I was really pleased to see a large variety of options; really there is something for everyone. Not super hungry? Opt for the $2 pancakes! Stopping for lunch and want a great option? Get the Southwest Turkey Sandwich and cup of soup for $6! There are options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which suited us perfectly for a quick no fuss breakfast while traveling.

If you are looking for a great breakfast, with loads of value, when you are on the run, check out the new $4 Breakfast Sandwiches at a Denny's near you!

Disclaimer: I was provided a gift card by Denny's to purchase our meal and write this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

New Year New Me, Lateral Pull Downs and Alternating Jabs

Almost the last segment in the upper boy resistance training series! I'm getting really excited about how my upper body is looking, and that next week will be our last tutorial {a segment on a neutral row with a transition into a torso twist}.


Doing these upper body exercises has really improved my balance, strength and stability. I look in the mirror and see a confident woman who is strong and sure of herself.

However....

I have really been focusing on bicep, back and chest strength without really even trying. I didn't realize that I had been neglecting my triceps, so that is something that I'll be focusing on over the next few weeks, along with leg strength and toning.

Another element that I'll be adding...jogging. Heck...maybe even running! We have a fantastic jogging stroller, complete with pedometer and iPod dock, but it seems to have seized when you try to unfold it. I'm not overly sure what happened what happened, but it's an issue I am determined to figure out. Stay tuned for pics of me on the go, Bear in tow!