Night Calmer

1/2 Head Lettuce, 1 Large Zucchini, Fresh Parsley 

So usually at night before heading off to Dreamtown, I make some herbal tea as a "Night Calmer". But tonight I was feeling adventurous and I had read somewhere that Lettuce and Zucchini are good sources of calming or stress busting types of vegetables (folate). And I just happen to have some leftover iceberg lettuce (it was a beautiful head of FRESH iceberg lettuce mind you - using the word "leftover" sounds like it might be old which is not the case) and a large Zucchini that I peeled and chopped up.  However, I didn't have FRESH parsley soooo, I took dried parsley and added some water to it and created a little paste, as at this point I'm just looking for the flavor that the parsley will add.   I then spooned the parsley paste into the lettuce leafs and wrapped the leaf around the chopped Zucchini and pushed it through the juicer. 

Very Interesting Flavor, yet clean and crisp.   I drank mine at without ice, but Mr. B wanted ice (as he initially did NOT like the taste AT ALL).  After a few sips it grew on both of us.  I guess it's a taste that you "Develop" - It's not bad but it is different from anything I've juiced before.  1/2 head lettuce, 1 large Zucchini (about 11" long and a couple inches in diameter) and a handful of fresh parsley yields about 14 ounces.  

Night Calmer - Lettuce, Zucchini, Parsley

Beautiful Food

Breakfast and Lunch at Debbie Mae's

"Beautiful Food" It takes all of this - Fresh Blueberries, Strawberries, Banana, Grapefruit, Bell Pepper, Carrots, Beet, Orange, Ginger, Apple, Cucumber, Spinach and Celery.  If I were to try to EAT all of this in one sitting I don't think I'd be able to.

Bowl of Berries, Super C, Mean Green At Debbie Mae's

But Juicing most of it, makes it easier to consume.  The Blueberries, Strawberries and Banana I'll have in a bowl, the Grapefruit, Bell, Carrots, Beet and Orange I'll drink with the fresh fruit, and the Apple, Ginger,Spinach, Cucumber and Celery I'll juice for lunch!  Beautious!  Just Beautious!  

This is the best Health Insurance investment I can make!

Update August 17th, i just read an interesting post that talks about how certain foods are labeled "Superfoods" and how powders, oils, extracts and juices are being marketed and labeled and the confusion that is created by it all.  My feeling is Eat a Plant Strong Diet and you don't have to worry about it.  In my case, drinking Fresh Vegetable and Fresh Fruit Juice or Smoothies combined with eating whole foods, is one sure fire way eliminate the confusion because I know I'm getting good nutrients.  (that post by the way can be found here: http://www.forksoverknives.com/powders-extracts-oils-and-juices/?fb_action_ids=10151787621897118&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_ref=.UhCym9W8FTA.like

Sometimes We Make Mistakes

Everybody has made a mistake cooking food and had to throw out something that burned. (well at least I have).  Today I made a Juicing mistake.  A mistake that actually occurred at the grocery store and I didn't notice it until I took a big swallow of my morning Juice.

I buy beets either as a bunch with greens or individually (which ever is available, I do juice the beet greens). When I buy them individually, they are usually in the grocers bin all by themselves, so I just pick out ones that are about the size of a tennis ball. They are ugly as heck, but I'm learning to like them (JUICED, still not a fan of eating them).  Anyway, this morning I reached in my fridge for my morning Beet to add to my Red Bell Pepper, Carrots and Orange and when I cut the beet in half it was white -  I just thought it was a white beet (I've juiced golden beets, but I had no idea what white beets looked like).   When I finished juicing it looked like it normally does (because with all the orange and red, the color is pretty much orange), but there was a strange scent to the juice I had not experienced before.   WHOA, what was that? When I took my first big swallow, I almost wanted to spit it out I was so taken aback by this strange  twinge, needle pricking taste that completely overwhelmed the bell pepper, carrots and orange.  I quickly added another orange to tone down that Bazaar taste.
 I new immediately it was that White Beet!  What the heck was that.  How did it get into my fridge? Did I buy that?   I had also given Bruce a glass and he had a slight reaction to it but down the hatch, he drank his faster than I'd seen him drink a morning juice before (I think he hated it so much but didn't want to throw it out).  I followed right behind and drank mine down.

It was after all  just fruit and vegetables.  But it was definitely a different flavor and ONE THAT I DON'T PLAN TO RECREATE.  I guess the point I'm trying to make is that - even when you make a mistake Juicing, it's really not a mistake and you still want to drink it because after all it's fresh vegetables and fruit, it's not going to kill you right.

I am still not sure what it was that I got mixed up with my red beets at the store. I thought it might be a Turnip, or a Rutabaga, but I'm not sure - and aren't they all really just beets?-  Any one know what this is (the 3 uncut ones below are definitely beets, the halved one is the culprit, also pictured above).

Tomorrow I WILL NOT USE THE WHITE BEET!  Ha!