Creative Wine Corks - Keychains

Look at the pictures to see the keychains I made this week for an order!  I love the ones with the bling the best.  I need to remember to post pictures from all of my Etsy orders. 

Until then.....cheers!

Juice Fast - 4th and Final Day

As for my dinner juice last night that my husband made, he put burdock root, garlic, oranges and tomatoes in it! Tomatoes!   I have a love/hate relationship with tomatoes.  I don't like to eat them, but I love to buy them and cook with them and I love the way they look in dishes, however, I usually pick them out.  Anyway, I really hate tomato juice, but I didn't taste it at all in the juice.  Probably because the garlic was so strong.  Very sneaky husband I have!

Today, I started to get a headache around 5:00 a.m.  I got up and drank about 20 ounces of water and it totally went away.

My morning and afternoon  juices included carrots, celery, beets, an apple, ginger, spinach, cucumber, parsley, kale and tomatoes.  It was really good!  I probably could have skipped the ginger and then it would have been awesome, but ginger has so many health benefits so I put it in.

During the afternoon, I started making dinner because I knew that I was not going to continue with the fast beyond dinner.  I made lentil soup with a ton of veggies.  It was weird to cook without tasting.  I also made a sweet treat - mashed bananas, homemade applesauce, a dash of vanilla, cinnamon and oats.  Mix it all together and bake!   They made the house smell awesome and made me hungry!

I had about 80 ounces of water, seven cups of decaf tea and three and a half glasses of juice (~46 ounces).  I was also down another pound. 

Mitch and I had a last juice, about 5 ounces, a little before dinner. 

Breaking fast - we had some cucumber slices, blueberries, dates and homemade applesauce.  So great!

The lentil soup was AMAZING!  I was really happy with it and I will definitely make it again.  Sweet treat was also yummy!

Some of my take aways from this fast:
I didn't enjoy fasting and it took daily motivation to keep me on track.  It was definitely easier since Mitch did it with me.  When you detox, you always have to keep your eye on the prize.  My prize is I have a new outlook on eating.  I definitely got away from healthy eating during my pregnancy last year.  Now, I am more focused moving forward. 

I plan to do this again in the Spring and urge you all to try it too!  Cheers!

The Art of Juicing

PARSLEY juice helps stop hay fever attacks and has more than three times the vitamin C of oranges. A safe, therapeutic dose is one half to 1 c. parsley juice per day. Parsley juice can be toxic in overdose and should be avoided by pregnant women. Parsley juice is also good in treating anemia and multiple sclerosis; it serves as a diuretic that helps decrease inflammation and irritation in the bladder and urethra; it contains beta carotene, magnesium, zinc, B6 and bioflavonoids; and helps produce an overall sense of well-being.

CELERY juice raises blood alkalinity, which helps reduce allergic reactions. Also good in treating insomnia, has a calming effect; contains silicone, strengthens nerve and heart tissue.

DANDELION greens are commonly used in treating anemia. They are a good source of iron, folic acid, calcium, potassium and trace minerals. Also a traditional remedy for osteoarthritis. Recommended a half-cup morning and evening. Dandelion is also a traditional remedy for healing rheumatoid arthritis and tendonitis; contains phytochemicals believed to deactivate the TB bacteria. Fights water retention.

FENNEL calms the mind. Is used as a traditional tonic and found to help release endophins into the bloodstream. These feel-good chemicals create a mood of euphoria and dampen anxiety and fear. Also aids digestion, relieves gas and serves as a uterine tonic.

ASPARAGUS is a good diuretic and traditional remedy for kidney and bladder problems.

GINGER serves as an anti-inflammatory and lowers cholesterol levels.

CARROT reduces cholesterol levels; helpful with fatigue.

GARLIC contains substances that help stop stiffening of the aorta, the body's main artery. Decreases cholesterol and triglycerides; lowers blood sugar levels. Strongly antimicrobal, effective against bacteria, viruses and parasites.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE is rich in inulin, a substance that increases immune defense mechanisms; helps stabilize blood sugar levels, and helps support the liver and pancreas.

PARSNIPS along with JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES are traditional remedies that help curb cravings for sweets and junk food. Sip the juice slowly when you have a craving for high fat or high sugar food.

WHEATGRASS is a powerful immune builder. Also good for blood purification, liver detoxification and colon cleansing.

APPLE has antiviral properties. Use tart apples such as Granny Smiths or Pippins to avoid consuming too much fruit sugar.

CABBAGE juice has been documented to heal ulcers; also helpful with diabetes.

DAIKON RADISH is used in traditional Oriental medicine to help dissolve hardened accumulations in the intestines; also helps eliminate excess fat from the body.

TOMATO juice contains licopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against digestive tract cancers.

DARK GREEN juices rich in chlorophyll are helpful for depression; help relieve excess menstrual flow.

BEET juice is a good liver cleanser.

TURNIP is a traditional remedy for lung diseases.

SPINACH/CARROT juice helps with blood sugar regulation and liver cleansing.

BEET/CUCUMBER juice helps cleanse the liver and gallbladder.

SPINACH/APPLE juice cleanses and rejuvenates the intestinal tract.

Here is the source of the information in this blog:
http://www.intuitart.com/page/juicing.html

Juice Fast - Day 3

I woke up with a RAGING headache! I was surprised because it felt like a caffeine withdrawal headache. I used to get those when I was addicted to caffeine and tried to give it up. I am surprised because I am not addicted to caffeine any more.  The headache did not go away until I had a cup of tea and my first glass of juice. I don't want to feel that again!

My first juice consisted of carrots, an orange, beets, celery, kale, spinach, lettuce, an apple, ginger, burdock root, parsley and a cucumber. It was really good and hit the spot.

This morning, I was super energized! Jumped on the scale this morning and I am down 4.2 pounds. Again, I am not doing this for weight loss, but a lower number on the scale is always good in my opinion :)

By dinner, I had had two and a half juices (~16 oz), five cups of tea and 70 ounces of water.

I am not sure what was in the dinner juice.  My husband made it and I wasn't watching and I didn't ask.  There was definitely garlic and an orange though.

It is before bedtime and I have been sluggish all afternoon.

I am excited for this fast to conclude tomorrow night.   More because I have had time to reflect on my eating habits moving forward.  I feel like I have more clarity about that and even if that is all I take from, then I will call this fast a success.

Juice Fast - Day 2

My head is in a much better place today.  I am not thinking about food as much (staying away from TV helps with that) and I have a more clear picture of why I am doing this in the first place. 

My first juices were made with spinach, kale, asparagus, an orange, pear, apple, wheatgrass, celery, carrots, beets, cucumber, burdock root and rhubarb.  It made about 39 ounces of juice.  I drank that juice all day along with an insane amount of water and some decaf tea. 

It is 7:30 p.m. and I have had 5 or 6 cups of tea and about 70 ounces of water.

Dinner juice was kale, spinach, asparagus, celery, carrots, beets, ginger, cucumber, an apple and burdock root.  I have been so full today that I could only drink about 4 ounces. 

So far, I have not had much of the detox symptoms.  The only thing I have been feeling is coldness.  Some hot tea helps so much!

I wanted to do a small dessert juice of carrot and orange juice, but I am way too full.  Maybe tomorrow....

Juice Fast - Day 1

Today, my husband and I are started a 4 day juice fast.  This is my very first one and his third.  Up until now,  I have been so excited about it.  I am still excited, but now it is 3:30 p.m. and now the mental game starts (long distance runners - you know what I am talking about!!).

This morning, I started on the scale because I am curious how much I will lose during this fast.  However, this is not a weight loss attempt.  It is a body detox which I need - everyone needs it!

This was breakfast:

Spinach, kale, green chards, apple, orange, asparagus, parsley, brussel sprouts, celery rhubarb and carrots - Cheers!

The next (and last) juice of the day was similar except there was not an orange and I added a pear, beets, burdock root, garlic and ginger.  I think that sounds like it would taste awful, but I thought it was pretty good.  

I have had a ton of water and a lot of decaf tea today.  I have to say that it is nice to have a nice, hot cup of tea!  

Tomorrow, I will have to drink more juice.  I have read that you should have four to six 12-16 oz juices per day.  I had two and a half 16 oz juices (40 oz total).  I had 75 ounces of water and I didn't count how much tea I had, but I think it was about 6 cups.   

Toward the end of the day all I was thinking about was food    I think that's normal though.  Not that I am hungry - I am not hungry at all.   It is just natural to think about what you are going to eat next.  

Anyway, until tomorrow - Cheers!!!

Chicken "Fried Rice" Made With Quinoa

A great alternative to the popular dish, chicken fried rice, is what I made for dinner tonight. 

I took a large pan and mixed 3/4 cup of quinoa, 1 and 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon olive oil.  Once the quinoa is cooked, add 1 chopped onion, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder (or use 2 cloves of garlic), 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 cup chopped cooked chicken and let cook. 

In a separate pan, scramble 3 eggs and mix it in with quinoa mixture and voila!  Dinner is served!  This dish is easy to make and so delicious!