Pulp Recipes

Juicing is the gift that keeps on giving. Once you've made your green juice, here are two ways to utilize the leftover pulp. If you do not have time to cook immediately after juicing, freeze the pulp to preserve the nutrients. 

Green Smoothie Instructions:

1. Blend 1 cup of veggie pulp, 2 cups of rice milk (or any non-dairy liquid of your choice), 1 chopped banana, 4-5 strawberries, and 1 heaping scoop of vanilla protein powder. For a sweeter taste add more strawberries/dark berries. 

Green Soup Instructions:

1. Boil 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of pulp you have. Once water is heated, add pulp, salt, chopped garlic, and a tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. If you prefer your soup on the saltier side, you can add chicken broth or chunks of meat. Cover pot and let boil for 15 minutes.

2.  Empty pot into blender and blend completely. For intense flavor, add a chunk of ginger before blending.

Green Juice

I've replaced my morning coffee with fresh green juice and the benefits have been life changing. To start my day, I drink 8 oz. before work. Around 11:30, I drink the remainder so I'm not starving before lunch. Try juicing 1 broccoli head, 2 carrots, 1 fourth of a sweet apple, 1 half of a green pepper, 1 cucumber, a handful of spinach, and a handful of kale. Within days you'll notice increased energy, clearer skin, and mental clarity. Bottoms up!  

All photos taken by me.

My Health Journey

A year ago, I started experiencing a series of health problems that I couldn’t quite diagnose. They varied from severe abdominal pains, migraines, brain fogginess, to stubborn acne. My doctor ran tests and determined I had a major hormonal imbalance, typically treated with a range of pills. The thought of depending medication to feel  "normal" made me pretty uncomfortable. Additionally, hormonal imbalances can lead to diabetes and infertility…yikes!

A few months later, my good friend Lauren, from Sprinkled with Love, suggested I try a gluten and dairy free diet.  It seemed impossible, considering my go-to foods were pasta and bread! With no other leads at the moment, I gave it a try and the results were tremendous. Within weeks, I lost almost 10 pounds and my weight has stabilized since (for the first time in years!). My skin cleared up dramatically and my energy is sky high (Went from 3 to 1 cup of coffee a day). As it turns out, my doctor confirmed that I am intolerant to both lactase and gluten! 

Excited about my results, I started doing more research and found The Hormone Cure, in which Dr.Sara Gottfried gives holistic solutions to female of hormone imbalances. This book is extremely thorough and suggested I practice yoga (in addition to my diet changes). I started taking Vinyasa classes, to supplement to my weekly cardio, and fell in love. My constant anxiety and mood swings subsided immediately.

For my final change, I increased my daily servings of fruits, veggies, and water.  Juicing made this really simple and tasty. I even use the pulp for cooking!

These major alterations made me feel in touch with my body for the first time in my life and eradicated most of my symptoms and cravings. The “Health” section on my blog will be dedicated to sharing my experiences, recipes, and advice for those going through similar experiences. Enjoy!

 

 All photos taken on my iPhone.