Virgin Bloody mary mocktail
Garden in a Glass!
If you’re looking for a refreshing way to enjoy your veggies or trying to change some habits, try this garden in a glass. The ingredients in a Virgin Bloody Mary are the same as regular Blood Mary without the Vodka. Last month’s guest blogger, Val shared her recipe with us and we think it’s awesome--zesty and refreshing!
Note: If you have a food processor or mixer that pulverizes, you may enjoy better results.
Recipe for Mix:
- Toss in a couple stalks of organic celery (Yes organic, because celery on the Dirty Dozen List for pesticides)
- Add a cup of cucumber (if you want less bitterness, peel the cucumbers)
- Jalapenos are tricky. Some have a lot of fresh flavor, but very little heat. Others can be killers, especially mixed with acidic tomatoes. Cut one. Remove the seeds and membrane and give it a test. (Tip: Have a slice of avocado ready if it is too hot!)
- Toss in jalapenos to your liking, aka “heat level”
- Blend mixture
- Add (vegan) Worcester sauce, horseradish and black pepper to taste. The Worcester adds that umami flavor
- Fill 2 pint glasses ⅔’s way up with low sodium V8. This is the perfect non-measurement for the final drink when adding ice. Toss both in to the blender
- Blend and salt to taste, then blend again
- Pour over ice. Garnish with lots of lemon/lime, a celery stalk, pickled green beans, asparagus spears, a pickle, or whatever you find tasty to the glass. Hmmm...maybe green olives, just because. Whalah, it’s a salad in a glass
- Serves: 2 - Enjoy!
enjoy your cup of tea
Garden in a Glass!
Many of us turn to tea on these colder days for comfort as well as the health benefits. Last year we featured the benefits and some interesting facts about several types of tea in our Kits & Classes offerings. Well, we were so excited to hear that our Humble Warrior Retreat Alumna and Army veteran Shelley took her love of tea to a new level and began a tea company.
Shelley shared with us, "I had my share of drinking tea growing up. Mom would hang a dozen Lipton tea bags in a gallon jar of water we normally used to get milk from the local dairy. Sun tea over ice was the best on a hot summer day! Then, there was a hot cup of tea with honey and lemon for medicinal purposes. The aromatic elixir warmed a sore throat and calmed a winter cough. My brother introduced me to loose tea. He used a small stainless steel barrel to steep it in. I can close my eyes and still smell and taste the chamomile and rosehips. That cup of tea smelled like heaven and tasted like home." Shelley also reminded us, "It's not just the tea, it's the time spent enjoying it."
When we tip the apple cart over, we see more benefits of apples:
~ Antioxidants may help cancer prevention
~ Packable snack
~ Satisfying taste
~ Supports digestion
~ Supportive of a healthy immune system (everydayhealth.com)
Check out some of these resources for more information about the benefits of apples and for fun and delicious ways to use them!
