Apples contain calcium D-glucarate, a phytochemical that protects the body against cancer by increasing liver detoxification. Aloe has been shown to soothe the inflammation of joints, thereby reducing arthritis pain. Used internally, aloe can reduce inflammation throughout the body.
INGREDIENTS:
2 organic apples, unpeeled
¼–½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup hemp seeds
1 tbsp ground flaxseeds or chia seed powder
1 cup unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat) or unsweetened non-dairy milk (hemp, almond)
½ cup apple cider or juice
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:
1 cup ice (only if you have strong digestion)
1 tbsp aloe vera gel (make sure it is recommended for internal use) or aloe vera juice (use whole leaf filtered if you want a laxative effect)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2 small shakes.
The blueberries, kale, and maca powder in this nourishing shake will provide you with an antioxidant boost, while the hemp seeds offer not only a dose of complete protein but also a rich source of plant-based omega-3s.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups frozen organic blueberries
1 cup chopped kale or chopped fresh parsley, tightly packed
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
¼ cup hemp seeds
1 tbsp raw honey
2 cups unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat) or unsweetened non-dairy milk (hemp, almond)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
OPTIONAL SUPERFOOD BOOST:
½ tsp maca powder
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2 large shakes.
When you want a “stick to your ribs” breakfast but don’t have a lot of time, try this hearty smoothie. The cinnamon and turmeric provide great anti-inflammatory benefits.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp rolled quinoa flakes
1½ tbsp hazelnut butter or almond butter
1 tbsp hemp seeds
2 Medjool dates, pitted, or 1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat) or unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond, hemp)
½ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp turmeric
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 1 shake.
This delicious and refreshing recipe can be made in a juicer or blender, although using a blender yields more nutritive benefit, as you retain all the beneficial fiber you would lose with juicing. The veggies in this ultimate juice provide vitamins A, B, C, and K; calcium; magnesium; and potassium!
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cucumber
1 cup chopped kale, loosely packed
2 cups fresh parsley or cilantro, loosely packed
½–1 lemon, peeled (depending on how sour you like it)
1 green apple
¼ tsp ground ginger
2–3 cups water
DIRECTIONS:
1. Clean and chop produce and add to blender.
2. Add water and blend, at first pulsing mixture to assist in blending process. Thin as desired by adding more water.
Makes 2 thick shakes.
This is a fantastic drink to make when you are entertaining and would like to have a party cocktail without the empty calories of sugar and alcohol. Lime juice alkalizes the body and aids digestion. You will wake up the next morning with the opposite of a hangover—feeling refreshed and hydrated.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups sparkling water
1-gram packet stevia powder or 1 tbsp coconut nectar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:
1 cup ice (only if you have strong digestion)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir. Serve over ice if desired.
Makes 2 servings.
Mint grows rampant in most parts of the world. It’s a wonderful herb that soothes the digestive system and eases muscle cramps. Cucumber is a very energetically cooling plant, which is perfect for those blistering-hot summer days. Put these two together and you have an alkalizing energy drink to cool you down when the heat has you running through the sprinkler with the kids!
INGREDIENTS:
1 unpeeled English cucumber, diced
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ lemon, freshly squeezed (approx. 1½ tbsp lemon juice)
1 cup chopped apple
2 cups water Whole mint leaves, for garnish
OPTIONAL ADDITION:
1 cup ice (only if you have strong digestion)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place cucumber, mint, lemon juice, and water into a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Garnish with mint and serve.
Makes 2 servings.
Note: Cucumber is from the melon family, and even though it is very cleansing for the kidneys, it is important to enjoy this beverage separately from other food to assure proper digestion.
This shake features six of my favorite slimming superfoods. Combined, they offer all of the anti-inflammatory benefits your body needs. I guarantee that it will make you feel awesome. Consider this before or after a workout to provide great fuel. Due to the thickening power of chia, drink this immediately after making it.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup blueberries, frozen
1–2 tsp raw cacao or carob powder
1 tbsp ground or whole chia seeds
2 tbsp hemp seeds
2 cups unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat) or other unsweetened non-dairy milk (hemp, almond)
1 tbsp raw honey or coconut nectar
OPTIONAL SUPERFOOD BOOSTER:
2 tbsp goji berries
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2 servings.
SPICY ANTI-INFLAMMATORY CARROT JUICE OR SOUP
This juice is rich in cancer-fighting phytonutrients and chelating agents that remove heavy metals from the body. Carrots also help to regulate the immune response, giving them great potential to be part of a new therapy for the treatment of autoimmune and allergic diseases. If you don’t have a juicer, you can make this recipe into a delicious blender soup.
INGREDIENTS:
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups cilantro, loosely packed, or fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
1-inch piece fresh ginger root
1 green apple, unpeeled and diced
5 carrots, unpeeled and sliced
Pinch turmeric
IF MAKING SOUP:
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
DIRECTIONS:
IF YOU ARE USING A JUICER:
1. Add celery, cilantro, lime, ginger, apple, and carrots to juicer. (Finishing with the apple and carrots will clean the machine of the ginger and herbs.)
2. Pour into 2 large glasses and sprinkle with turmeric.
IF YOU ARE MAKING A SOUP:
1. In a large pot, add evenly sliced carrots, apples, parsley, celery, ginger and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and cool slightly before pouring into blender. Alternatively, you can blend using an immersion blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
Makes 2 large glasses of juice or 4 servings of soup.
Note: If using organic produce, the skin contains high amounts of nutrients and does not need to be peeled.
THE G8
The G8, otherwise known as the Group of 8, normally refers to the world’s eight wealthiest countries. Here, though, G8 stands for eight of the nutrition world’s richest sources of anti-inflammatory goodness! Make this instead of buying a sodium-filled eight-vegetable concoction from the store.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup chopped cucumber, unpeeled
1 tsp spirulina or chlorella powder (or other green powder)
1½ cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped apple, unpeeled
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1½ cups water
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp turmeric
OPTIONAL SUPERFOOD BOOSTER:
1 tbsp sustainable fish oil
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2 large drinks.
The hemp hearts, dates, and cinnamon in this shake are warming and soothing—especially welcome on cold winter mornings. Maca is a reproductive tonic, protecting against stress-induced imbalances in sex hormones that can have an impact on fertility. This shake gets its creaminess from sterol-rich tahini, a wonderful immune booster.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat) or other unsweetened non-dairy milk (hemp, almond)
1 large apple, chopped
2 large Medjool dates, pitted
2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp maca powder or aswagandha powder
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp hemp hearts
Pinch pink rock salt or gray sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2 large shakes.
If you like key lime pie, you are going to love this shake. It will provide your body with electrolyte minerals like potassium and magnesium, which help to regulate many functions in the body—from the amount of water you retain to the acidity (pH) of your blood. Electrolyte minerals also help to keep your muscles working properly, making this a great shake to enjoy before or after a workout!
INGREDIENTS:
½ ripe avocado (about ⅓ cup)
3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach or 1½ cups loosely packed frozen, unthawed
¼ cup fresh lime juice (use lemon juice if unavailable)
2 cups unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat) or other unsweetened non-dairy milk (hemp, almond)
2–3 tbsp raw honey (to taste)
OPTIONAL SUPERFOOD BOOSTERS:
1 tbsp hemp protein powder or hemp seeds
1 tsp sustainable fish oil
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Adjust sweetness to taste.
Makes 2 shakes.
Hemp seeds are rich in magnesium, zinc, and iron, making this a very healthy milk substitute. Hemp provides a special protein called edestin that is very easy to digest. Raw honey nourishes the nervous system and stimulates immune function. The milk will last in the refrigerator for three to five days.
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup hemp seeds
4 cups water
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1–2 tbsp raw honey or coconut nectar
OPTIONAL ADDITION
Pinch pink rock salt or gray sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a mason jar and store in the fridge. Shake before serving.
Makes 4 cups.
This shake really does taste like those famous After Eight chocolate mints of our childhood! Raw cacao powder possesses potent antioxidants and therefore has great potential for protecting us from a long list of chronic degenerative diseases—from heart disease and diabetes to stroke and cancer.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat)
2 tbsp nut or seed butter
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
1½ tbsp raw honey
1½ tsp peppermint extract
1–2 tbsp hemp protein powder or hemp seeds
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:
1 cup ice (only if you have strong digestion)
1 tsp spirulina powder
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2 shakes.
Make sure you know the differences among coconut-based liquids available.
Coconut milk: Canned coconut milk is as thick as table cream, with 18 to 24% fat. Use it to add creaminess to soups or give gourmet flair to main dishes.
Coconut beverage: This delicious beverage goes great on cereal, in smoothies or in any recipe that calls for milk. If you can’t find coconut beverage, you can thin down canned coconut milk by mixing 4 parts water to 1 part coconut milk in the blender.
Coconut water: Coconut water is the clear, low-fat, nutrient-rich liquid inside a green young coconut.
This tea will make you want to plant a white pine tree in your backyard. Look at the end of the tree branch for new white pine needles that are light green in color. Did you know that pine needles have five times more vitamin C than a lemon? A well-known antioxidant and immune system booster, vitamin C improves cardiovascular system functions as well as skin and eye health. Pine needles also contain proanthocyanidins—antioxidants that protect the cardiovascular system, fight cancer, modulate the immune system, provide antibacterial and antiviral protection, and fight inflammation! The fresh tea’s flavor is sweet and tangy. If your tea turns a bit bitter, you can sweeten with local raw honey or maple syrup. For more wonderful tea ideas, please have a look at my first book, Meals That Heal Inflammation.
INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup new white pine needles, loosely packed
3 cups water
DIRECTIONS:
IF USING AS A HEALING EXPECTORANT:
1. Chop new white pine needles into small pieces. Put needles into an enamel, glass, or stainless steel pan (do not use aluminum). Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and transfer tea and needles to a Thermos or mason jar. Let steep for 20 minutes to overnight. Strain to remove needles.
FOR A PLEASANT-TASTING TEA:
1. Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add white pine needles. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then strain into a cup.
Makes 2 cups.
