Posts Tagged ‘carrots’

Eh! What’s Up Doc?

Monday, November 23rd, 2009 by admin

carrotsCarrots aren’t just good for Bugs Bunny to munch on! Or just for giving your smoothies an orange color! They are also an excellent vegetable, having both nutritional and medicinal values which are essential for our optimum health.

They contain a very complete nutrition to provide our body with essential enzymes, vitamins and minerals. A single carrot will supply all your vitamin A needs for the whole day. In fact, Chinese medical practitioners recommend eating carrots to give your liver more energy!

Carrot Juice is an excellent source of pro-vitamin A, vitamins C, D, E, K, B1 and B6.  Carrots are also rich in biotin, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. They also offer an excellent source of beta-carotene which is an anti-oxidant that has health benefits that has been reported to positively affect a variety of conditions and diseases, including:

•    Balancing blood acidity and blood sugar.
•    Detoxifying the liver and reducing toxicity in the body
•    Reducing the risk of heart diseases and stroke by cleansing deposits in the arteries
•    Providing protection from infection for the respiratory system
•    Reducing the risk of cancer
•    Lowering cholesterol levels
•    Easing nasal congestion
•    Regulating problems with chronic constipation
•    Keeping the optic system in good condition – we’ve all heard that carrots help you see in the dark!
•    Reducing inflammation and easing arthritis and rheumatism
•    Building the immune system
•    Nourishing the skin and helping to prevent psoriasis and acne
Chinese practitioners have said that carrots taste sweet, and are good for the health of spleen and stomach.

The best thing about carrots is that they are easily assimilated by our body, especially when blended or juiced, to break down the cell walls.

So try adding carrots to your juices and smoothies, enjoy their colour and taste, and relish the fact that you are nourishing your body optimally at the same time!

Lisa Simpson of Raw Liberty

Missing the summer heat? Warm yourself with…

Monday, November 23rd, 2009 by admin

A Sunshine Smoothie!!!

I’m just loving playing around with my juicer and blender at the moment, creating fabulously delicious smoothies from my juices, which makes them more filling and sustaining at a time of year when our bodies need more nourishment. This morning I was woken by howling winds and rain pounding on the windows – not a good start to the day! I’m seriously craving sunshine; not just for its warmth, but also its colour. This provided the inspiration for today’s juice/smoothie recipes.

Warming Sunshine Juice

4 carrots

2 oranges

2cm of fresh ginger (or more if you’re craving extra warmth!)

Juice all ingredients and savour – a beautiful orange colour with warmth provided by the ginger!

Warming Sunshine Smoothie

Take the juice above and blend with

lisawarmingsmoothie

2 bananas

2 sharon fruit

Eat with a spoon from your favourite glass, and dream of sunshine!

Warming Green Sunshine Smoothie

Take the smoothie above and blend with a large handful of your favourite greens – I used spinach.

Top with some of the leftover juice for a fancier appearance, and to retain some of that summer glow! Reminds me of summer sun over green fields!

Curl up and enjoy! Mmmmm!

Lisa Simpson of Raw Liberty

Warming Carrot Soup (Blended Greens - Carrots, Ginger, Kelp Powder, Spinach, Avocado)

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 by Aran

raw carrot soup

This warming carrot soup makes approximately three cups.

  • 2 medium carrots - grated
  • fresh ginger - 1″x 1″ x 1/2″ finely grated (I used a nutmeg grater)
  • small clove garlic
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp kelp powder
  • 1 small avocado
  • juice of small lemon
  • large handful baby English spinach
  • 2 cups water

green carrot soupPut it all into your blender and blend away! The spinach changes the soup from orange to green, and gives you a great greens boost: no green flavour!

Kelp powder is much better for you than salt, as it contains iodine and so helps in supporting your thyroid. *** Note: If you are on thyroid medication, then make sure you consult your doctor regarding iodine in your diet. ***

Turmeric, garlic, and ginger have many wonderful benefits and are particularly good when you’re doing a deep tissue detox.

Lemon juice contains vitamin C, and is a good aid to digestion. Avocado contains healthy fats and adds a creaminess to the soup. For an extra creamy soup, use a large avocado or two small ones.

It is a cold day here Down Under, so this is just what I needed for lunch. I hope you enjoy trying this delicious green soup.

Blessings,
Veronica

Stop Sugar Cravings in Their Tracks Green Smoothie (Kale, Carrots and Sweet Potatoes)

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009 by stacey

stop sugar cravingsHave you ever had a craving for something sweet and fought tooth and nail not to bite into a decadent, mouth watering dessert? Well here is a green smoothie recipe made with carrots and sweet potatoes, both of which will help to reduce those cravings for sweets. carrots - sugar cravingsI personally think moderation is key to a healthy relationship with food and both the sweet potatoes, a night shade and root vegetable, and carrots, a root vegetable, will help to nourish your body. These vegetables are grounding and provide a complete balance of stabilizing energy.

Both provide the body with beta-carotene, one of the most important and abundant of the carotenes, a portion of which the liver converts to vitamin A. Beta-carotene keeps harmful LDL cholesterol from damaging the heart and coronary arteries and also boosts the immune system.

sweet potatoes - sugar cravingsSweet Potato and Carrot Smoothie Recipe

  • 1 handful kale
  • 5 carrots (juiced)*
    *Juice carrots and add juice to the blender
  • 1 medium sweet potato (cubed, peeled)
  • Several dashes of pumpkin pie spice
    1 cup water (optional)


Blend and enjoy!

Tracy