This 5-Ingredient Autumn Juice Recipe Might Fix Everything

Step aside sugar-loaded pumpkin spice latte, this autumn juice recipe takes seasonal drinks to a whole new level. Unlike PSLs, this  juice is made with real food ingredients that perk up the immune system and fill your body with vital nutrients all while embodying the flavors of the season.

Juice, often best served green after a sweaty yoga or barre class, can also be filled with autumnal flavors and seasonal ingredients. Leave it to our favorite rooted and grounded fruits and vegetables to get you feeling balanced, brightened, and rejuvenated in these cool fall months.

Packed with sweet potato, apple, ginger, turmeric, and carrot, this autumn juice is filled with whole food superstars. We don’t mean to play favorites, but the sweet potato in this recipe is a total winner. More than just vegetable mash and fries, sweet potatoes are an easily juiced vegetable that deliver ample amounts of nutrients.

Sweet Potato Health Benefits

This orange-fleshed beauty is one of our favorite grounding vegetables. Along with providing nutrient support to the body, sweet potatoes are easily grown across the world and considered an environmentally stable crop.

Fun fact: NASA thinks these potatoes are pretty stellar too. The tubers were chosen as a candidate crop to be grown and incorporated into menus for astronauts on space missions due to their (crazy impressive) nutritional value.



Besides being astronaut-approved, sweet potatoes are a great source of easily digestible fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants such as beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids and anthocyanins, which contribute to the bright orange color of their skin and flesh and boast health benefits as well.

Just one cup of sweet potato provides 214 percent daily value of vitamin A, 52 percent daily value of vitamin C, 50 percent daily value manganese, as well as impressive amounts of copper, vitamin B6, B3, B1, potassium, and biotin.

With their ample nutrients plus bioactive compounds, sweet potatoes have been widely studied for their abundant health benefits. Numerous studies have shown that sweet potato consumption is linked to anti-cancer properties, reduced inflammation, antimicrobial activity, hormone-balancing abilities, and extreme free-radical-scavenging powers.

This autumn juice recipe also boats other orange-skinned superfoods such as carrots and turmeric. These whole foods deliver impressive amounts of vitamins A and C along with a wide variety of other vital nutrients. Turmeric is especially nourishing and has been shown to reduce inflammation, be protective against certain cancers, and soothe stomach issues. Just a tip, always consume your turmeric with black pepper, which makes its beneficial compounds more bioactive.

Sip the flavors of fall with this seasonal and nutrient-rich autumn juice. We know it will be your new favorite festive drink. Buh-bye, PSLs.

Autumn Juice

Serves 1-2

Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
1 crisp apple, such as fuji or honeycrisp
1-inch nub ginger
1-inch nub turmeric
4 large carrots
Pinch of black pepper

Directions
Run all ingredients through a juicer and finish with a pinch of black pepper. Drink autumn juice immediately or store in the refrigerator in a sealed glass jar for one to two days.

 

[via Organic Authority]

6 Healthy Easy-to-Make Beverages At Home

In our ever busy days, eating and drinking something nutritious may not be on our top priority. Constraint of time and energy is probably one of the top reasons why we eat so much fast food and processed/frozen food and drinks. Even an extra step of transferring food onto a plate or washing the dishes become a painful chore, let alone cooking from scratch. The food industry has caught on to this and now they offer healthier versions of packaged foods and drinks, boasting that they are healthy with labels like "zero calorie," "low fat," "no MSG," etc. Just remember that as much as you think they are healthy, they can't be as healthy as they are fresh.

If cooking food is too much hassle, try making homemade beverages. It's much simpler, requires minimal cleaning, and a step further towards healthy living. Homemade food and drinks are best because we know exactly when we make it (freshness), how they are made (think about cross contamination), and what we put in it (no funny and harmful ingredients). So let's try one of these to start with:

1. Wheatgrass Juice

Early in the morning, increase our well being and boost our immune system by getting rid of toxins from our body with fresh Wheatgrass Juice. It's rich in chlorophyll, a pigment that helps to detoxify our body, treats bad breath, and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help fight infections.

2. Coconut-Chia Energy Drink

To boost energy and keep you hydrated, try this Coconut-Chia Energy Drink that is packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants, and electrolytes.

3. Almond Milk

For those who are on gluten-free diet and allergic to cow's milk but needs an extra dose of calcium, vitamin E, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron, try making homemade Almond Milk. This can keep in the fridge for up to five days, so you can make it ahead of time on your less busy days.

4. Water Kefir and Milk Kefir

A healthy gut is one of the cornerstones for a healthy body. Our body needs more probiotics (good bacteria) more than ever before because of all the processed food and drinks we consume and the overuse of antibiotics. This easy to make Water Kefir and Milk Kefir are natural probiotic beverages that can help you balance your gut flora and improve your digestion. It takes only a few minutes to put together, let them ferment for a day or two, and you can enjoy this probiotic-rich drinks anytime at home. Make one big batch and you are set for the week.

5. Fruits and Herbs-Infused Flavored Water

Throughout the day, keep a big bottle of Fruits and Herbs-Infused Flavored Water to keep you motivated to drink and your body hydrated, while reaping the benefits of the vitamins and minerals that are infused into your water from the fresh fruits and herbs.

6. Lemon, Garlic, Ginger, and Honey Tea

When you don't feel well or down with a flu, warm your body with homemade Lemon, Garlic, Ginger, and Honey Tea. Each ingredient provides unique power to fight off infections, balances the body's pH and, speeds up circulation, and boosts our immune system.

[via Pasture Living]

10 Foods That A Nutritionist Always Has In Her Freezer

People often think that eating healthy takes way too much planning and preparation. Either they hate grocery shopping every week or don’t feel as though they have the time to do so. Luckily, the freezer can make your life much easier.

Here is a list of what nutritionist, Kristy Rao, always has in her freezer to ensure that she's eating healthy even when she doesn't have enough time to go to the farmers' market:

Frozen fruits and vegetables

This is key for always being prepared to make a smoothie, even when you haven't been to the grocery store in a while. One great thing about having frozen fruits and veggies on hand is that you often won't even be able to find the same organic fruits or vegetables unfrozen. I freeze ripe bananas myself and buy bags of raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, spinach and kale. In the summertime, I tend to have leftover watermelon, which I also freeze in chunks.

Ezekiel bread and muffins

Since I dont eat bread often, I keep it frozen. I take out a couple of slices or muffins at a time depending on how much I feel like having, so that the rest remains fresh. I choose Ezekiel bread because it's made with sprouted grains and beans and is fully organic. Although there's still gluten in this bread, it's still easier to digest than traditional bread.

Homemade popsicles

All you have to do is purchase BPA-free popsicle molds, blend up your favorite smoothie, and pour it into the mold to freeze. I recommend sweetening with honey or organic agave syrup.

Juice or coconut water ice cubes

I will fill my ice cube trays up with organic coconut water and freshly squeezed orange or apple juice to throw into my smoothies for sweetness. The orange cubes are also great to put into a glass of water for taste.

Organic, gluten-free waffles

I typically make my own and freeze for a rainy day, but you can also purchase these. They're one of my favorite treats for breakfast.

Oat and spelt flour

I never use white flour. These are great alternatives, and are best kept in the freezer to keep fresh.

Acai

I love making smoothies with unsweetened acai berry packs, and usually use half a pack for a smoothie.

Coconut ice cream

This is one of my favorite not-so-guilty pleasures, because you can get organic, non-dairy and low glycemic coconut ice cream. It's perfect for a treat that won't make you feel terrible!

Blue-green algae

I know it sounds scary, but blue-green algae is extremely good for you, and you won’t even taste it in your smoothie!

Dark chocolate

How could I possibly risk running out? I always buy an organic bar with 70% or more cacao content.

[via Mind Body Green]

Detox Juices and Smothies

Aloe Vera Splash Smoothie
A secret ingredient that I use in many of my green smoothies is Aloe Vera gel. Why? Because of its abundant health benefits, of course.

Apple Blueberry Fruit Smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to obtain instant vitamins and health benefits. Here is a great recipe that contains sweet blueberries, tart granny smiths and light blueberry yogurt.

Blueberry Red Cabbage Power Smoothie
Sweet, simple, and superpowered – that’s what this smoothie is all about. With just 3 ingredients, this vibrant drink boosts your brain and immune system and fills you up!

Green Energy Drink
A potent mix of spinach, ginger and cucumber make the perfect natural energizing drink. Make this recipe whenever you need an energy boost.

Ginger Smoothie
Is your immune system ready for this? Ginger, orange, lemon, and carrot. This potent combination is a delicious way to kickstart your body’s metabolism and energize you from the inside out. Don’t fear the ginger! Though it adds a slight heat, the other flavors keep this juice on the mild side.

Glowing Green Juice
Perfect and easy way to detoxify your body specially after the holidays! This Juice will only take 5 minutes to make!

Green Tea Shake
Green Tea shake has many nutritional properties. Perfect when you are on the go.

[via simple dish]