Green Drink

Between doing work and studying, I've been reading my very own Raw Gourmet recipe book (the one Michelle thoughtfully gave to me) by Nomi Shannon. The most common question people ask someone who largely subsists on raw vegan food is, "What the hell do you eat?!"

Well, in her book of raw foods and nori wraps and yam pies and liquid aminos, Shannon provides some answers! (...while raising questions in my mind about my desire to make raw meals, hah. I prefer to prepare simple foods for myself that require at most a peel or a wash. Guacamole is gourmet for me. To my credit, I suppose I've made some of the salads in her book, by accident, on my own. And the recipes do look easy enough. Okay, I'm excited again.) Anyway, her sample meal plan features the famous Green Drink that is an integral part of daily life at the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida -- and green drinks, I can do.

Typical Daily Meal Plan:
Breakfast - Watermelon or Green Drink
Mid-AM - Green Drink
Lunch - Some sort of dark leafy green salad or other recipe in her book
Mid-PM - Green Drink
Dinner - Dark Leafy Green Salad (with dulse, hemp seeds, whatever veggies you like) or other recipe

The Green Drink Recipe: Really, anything goes. Make sure you throw in some dark leafy greens (the essential ingredient).

If you like, you may add some cored apples or peeled lemon and lime to sweeten the taste. This recipe calls for a juicer (to make juice), but if you have a vita-mix or high-powered and a bit of water, the result is sufficiently liquified.

1 tray of soil-grown sprouts (sunflower, buckwheat, broccoli, etc.)
Celery, cucumber
Kale, spinach, cabbage, carrot tops, mizuna, parsley, edible weeds or any other dark leafy green

Right. So, my smoothie of choice is the standard spinach smoothie -- a banana, some berries, optional other fruit I have in the house, water and lots of baby spinach (baby spinach purportedly contains lower levels of oxalic acid -- the stuff that combines with nutrients like calcium to form salts called oxalates that make your teeth feel clean/funny and which can prevent your body from absorbing iron and calcium. To improve iron absorption, spinach should be eaten with foods that contain vitamin C (fresh lemon))... it works for me.

Here are some comments I've been thinking about from an Oprah-related site (re: Dr. Oz's green drink episode). [It's a heartwarming message. Unless you read only the first comment.]:

Maureen Eastwood Says:
November 6th, 2007 at 11:00 am

At 73 I am so unhappy with my life. Fat, alone, and just miserable. I try to walk but it hurts when I am so fat. I used to use my above gr. pool. Too fat now. I saw this green drink and I want to live and be healthy so I will try it if NO MATTER WHAT IT TASTES LIKE. I have all the ing. here now so with Gods help…. I will get back with you in a week and let you know how I am doing. I am the only one in my family ALMOST healthy,,, just fat. Sister and Bro. have had heart surgeries, one has pulminary fibrosis, daughter trying to get into Mayo Clinic with serious healthy problems. Wish Me luck God Bless

Ally Says:
November 8th, 2007 at 2:51 pm

Maureen,

DON”T GIVE UP! There are a TON of us out here who support you 100%. For what its worth, I recently met a 67 year old man who told me the most amazing story.

Apparently at 61, he was fat and balding and getting old (well, that had been happening for a while, but I guess he suddenly woke up and realized it). He had just had a grandson and could barely play with him, because he lacked the energy. So one day, he just started walking. The first day, he walked to the house next door. Then to three houses down. Then to the end of the block. In a year, he was running a mile. By the second year, he had lost 100 lbs and ran his first marathon. When I met him, he had run 17 marathons and now he focuses just on swimming (since its easier on his knees) and yoga. What he told me was that firstly, you need determination and a goal, and you need to go SLOW. Don’t push yourself too hard and don’t get down on yourself.

I took his advice. At that time, I had injured myself horribly, and I’ve been swimming/walking regularly since then. Its true. You CAN do it. Just believe in yourself, start slow and do something that feels good and right everyday.