Green Smoothie Ripples from Mexico that Change the World

- by Alejandra Hernando

- Alejandra Hernando is an inspiring Green Smoothie Challenge participant and a Ripple Maker Award winner.  You can read how she spread the word about raw food and improved the lives and diets of children here.  And we’re delighted that she wrote to us to share how she’s been doing (her experience led her to create her own website in Mexico!!), and we’re thrilled to feature Come Frutas y Verduras (Eat Fruits and Veggies) today.  We hope you’ll share it with someone you know!  And stay tuned for our next Ripple Maker Award and free Blendtec blender contest coming up for International Green Smoothie Day! How will you change the world in your own green way?

Hi Tera,

It´s been a year since the ripple maker award and I just wanted to tell you how things are going around here.

I needed to tell you that being a ripple maker has been wonderful! It makes me feel alive and my daughter is so happy. She tells me that she was meant to do what we are doing. It gives me goosebumps but in a good way. She is so connected with her source in a way that amazes me and I know that our lifestyle helps her be in touch with herself. I know that being a raw vegan helps me be more in touch with my body, my mind and my soul. Read more »

Natural Sun Protection for Summer: An Interview with Nadine Artemis

Temperatures are rising and worried mothers everywhere are dousing their little ones with sunscreen by the bucket-load! Pharmacy windows are stacked with the latest strawberry-scented, SPF-900 waterproof goop and this is all a sure sign that we are gearing up for summer, folks.

I’m always surprised by the number of people that are flat-out afraid of sun exposure, and yet, without it our health and well-being are seriously compromised.

On an interesting personal note:

My daughter, Mika, has been going through a really tough bout of psoriasis recently and we’ve been anxiously waiting for the sun to arrive and help clear things up. We do green juices and green smoothies and gluten-free foods. We do therapy and piano lessons and all the other things that help a little person feel strong and empowered and confident in the world. But we know that nothing helps Mika more with her psoriasis than sun, sweet sun!

It’s been years since I’ve put sun screen on myself or on my kids. There are other ways to soak up the sun without smothering the skin in toxic creams, lotions and potions.

Before you start smothering yourself or your loved ones with SPFs, maybe you should take the time to listen to this teleseminar with natural beauty expert, Nadine Artemis. Nadine is the co-founder of Living Libations–a project dedicated to helping others rediscover nature’s bounty for beauty. Nadine and her partner, Ron, make amazing natural body care products, perfumes and more and this month we’ve asked her to come and answer your questions about how to protect sensitive skin in the heat of the summer sun!

We’ll also talk about:

• tips and tricks to reduce wrinkling and signs of aging
• the best thing to do for your skin to keep you looking young and healthy
• non-toxic ways to protect your skin and the skin of your little ones
• naturally intoxicating ways to handle the sweaty season, so you keep your glow and smell delicious!

You can send in your questions for Nadine here! Just click this link and enter your questions in the box on the screen.

You can have fun in the sun and this call is going to help you do it with confidence!

*** Mark Your Calendars***

This call is happening at 2pm Eastern on Thursday, May 27th!

Speak to you there!

Tera

Raw Raspberry Pudding – A Summer Surprise!

- by Veronica

This delectable dish was an accidental discovery on my behalf. I had made up too much raspberry smoothie and so I put the last 1.5 cups into the fridge overnight. When I was feeling a bit peckish this afternoon I remembered it was there. YUM!!!

I’m going to do this more often, and especially when it’s summer (it’s winter in Australia, but this will be a great summer treat for many of you!). This is also a great way to get lots of greens in when you aren’t used to them because you can’t even taste the greens in this raw food recipe. If you don’t tell your friends or family that you added spinach, then there’s no way they will know it is in there. Read more »

Raw Coconut Gazpacho – Refreshingly Delicious

By Carissa

We always hear about Tomato Gazpacho.  What about Ajo Blanco?   The Andalusian Ajo Blanco is a white gazpacho that is traditionally prepared with bread, almonds, garlic, water, olive oil, salt and vinegar. In my raw Coconut Gazpacho recipe, I substitute the bread with ground flax seeds and the water with raw coconut milk.

Aside from being the highest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, flax seeds are an excellent laxative and anti-carcinogen.  They remove toxins from the blood and intestines.  Coconut is a cooling diuretic.  It soothes and protects internal membranes and the skin.  It is also anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.  The benefits are numerous.  This soup is more filling than its Tomato counterpart, but just as refreshing.  This was a success at our house!  We all enjoyed it very much.  We hope you do too! Read more »

Post Workout Green Smoothie Nutrition to Keep You Going and Going!

- by Tami Groth

This morning after my workout I knew I would need something to keep me going for awhile without stopping to eat, so in addition to lots of good carbs to help my muscle recovery I wanted to add some protein and healthy fats. In the process I came up with a recipe that is not only versatile and nutritious, but also yummy.

The green smoothie recipe, with optional ingredients included, is a powerhouse of nutrition as well. I have been working on ways to get more nuts and seeds into my family’s diet due to all of the nutritional advantages of them — from healthy brains to healthy hearts! However, my family does not actually enjoy eating nuts the way I do so blending them into sauces and smoothies is a great way to add them to their diet. Read more »