Doin' Some Cookin'... Green Ale

This Green Ale juice is tart from the lime and granny smith apple but it's worth the pucker face because it's filled with a plethora of nutrients.

Green Ale

Adapted From: Juicing Recipes on Instagram

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 1 lime, peeled
• 1 granny smith apple
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 cucumber

And Action:

Run all ingredients through the juicer and stir to combine. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Sweet Citrus Avocado Green Smoothie

I'm kinda in a detox mode right now after hitting a four week plateau. Self-inflicted since I let working out and healthy eating go by the wayside. It's time for me to trade in dairy, soy, legumes, carbs, sugar, and alcohol for whole foods. So I decided to start my second round of Whole30 yesterday and it feels good to be back in the swing of things.

It's time focus on healthy habits and green smoothies make it effortless to do so.

This smoothie packs some of my favorite items from the produce section, especially avocado. Avocado makes this smoothie creamy while the clementines give it a bright citrusy flavor.

Sweet Citrus Avocado Green Smoothie

Adapted From: HealthyHealthyLife.com

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 2 clementines, peeled and segmented
• 1 cup baby kale
• pinch of fresh parsley
• 1/2 of an avocado
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup coconut water, chilled
• ice, to taste
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• dash of cayenne

And Action:

Pulse all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Lime and Coconut Green Smoothie

The weather here is Texas has done a 180. We went from Summer temps to a cold and windy day. The warmer temperature had me dreaming of a beach vacation laying out sipping mojitos in the sun and this dreary day was not going to stop my plans of making this Lime and Coconut Green Smoothie for breakfast to get a taste of the tropics.

A green smoothie is the perfect way to sneak veggies in your diet giving a boost of energy and nutritional goodness. The lime and banana are the perfect disguise for the spinach.

Lime and Coconut Green Smoothie

Adapted From: So... Let's Hang Out

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 1 banana, fresh or frozen
• 2 cups spinach
• ice, to taste

And Action:

Pulse all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Coconut Mango Smoothie with Banana and Lime

I know, I know... "don't drink your calories."

But... this smoothie is a meal. I forced myself to suck it all down and went hours before I was hungry again. I made my smoothie for breakfast but you can enjoy this anytime of the day.

This is one of my favorite smoothies I have made to date. Tropical flavors excite me!

Coconut Mango Smoothie with Banana and Lime

Adapted From: Kitchen Meets Girl

Makes 1 Smoothie

Stars of the Show:

• 1 cup mango, chopped
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1/4 cup water
• ice cubes, to your liking
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1/4 tsp unsweetened coconut flakes

And Action:

Combine all ingredients in the blender and pulse until smooth. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Avocado Cilantro Lime Rice

I am not a Mexican/Spanish rice fan, however, the fact that this recipe has avocado in it was worth giving it a try and it sounded like something Little Man would really enjoy since he loves avocados and rice.

This tastes like guacamole but with rice in it and I'm not really a fan of my avocado being heated, room temp is fine though. Surprisingly this was perfect for Taco Tuesday and provided a nice filler for our chicken burritos.

... and this is super simple to make outside of waiting for the brown rice to cook which takes about 45 minutes. To be honest, this isn't one I'll be jumping to making again.

Avocado Cilantro Lime Rice

Adapted From: Cooking Classy

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 4 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• dried coriander, to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• garlic powder, to taste
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

And Action:

Mash avocados in a large mixing bowl. Stir in lime juice, coriander, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in the warm cooked brown rice. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Pineapple, Apple, Mint, and Lime Juice

After watching numerous food documentaries, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead in particular I always think I'd be able to stick with a juice cleanse, "rebooters" attempt 30+ days, but I have never made it past day 2. This Italian loves her carbs and can't give up food, especially the act of chewing. These juice cleanses boast that you could potentially lose a pound a day when exercise is incorporated.

While that seems like an easy fix it's not a lifestyle I could continue. I'm okay with counting calories and fitting in working out with juicing on occasion as a meal substitute.

During my weekly grocery trip to Whole Foods I will grab one bottle each of whatever fresh pressed veggie based juice they have available and substitute one or two meals a day with juice. I have a Breville Juice Fountain but like the convenience of grabbing premade bottles. Who likes doing dishes anyway?

The only time I bust out the juicer is when I come across a new recipe that I have to try.

From the 21 Day Flat Belly Challenge comes this recipe, P.A.M. Juice, for use in a mojito. Mojitos! My happy hour weakness. I never buy liquor for home and didn't have white rum on hand so I left it out. It's just not the same but still tasty in it's own right. It's refreshing, light, and fruity.

While the addition of alcohol would have made this for a tasty cocktail it's not worth the bloat. This juice is a natural de-bloater due to the natural properties of pineapple helping with water retention. All women suffering from PMS symptoms could benefit from this one. AND! If you are PMSing do your loved ones a favor and add that shot of white rum.

Pineapple, Apple, Mint, and Lime Juice

Adapted From: Popsugar Fitness

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 2 granny smith apples, cored and seeded
• 1/3 pineapple, chunks
• mint, to taste
• 1 lime, peel removed

And Action:

Run all ingredients through the juicer making sure to add the mint with the pineapple chunks. Feel free to add the white rum if you please. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cooking... Spice Rubbed Lime Salmon

I've got some exciting news to share. I've stuck to the 30-Day Meal Plan for 14 days now and have dropped 3.5 lbs with diet alone. If you know me then you know I am not one for taking any shortcuts and how much more satisfying I find the reward when done with hard work.

Granted, eating isn't hard work but not giving into temptation and holding myself accountable is. I'll be adding workouts into my daily routine soon. What works for me is making one change and getting a handle on that before doing anything else. Right now, it's eating healthy and staying hydrated.

I need variety when following a meal plan. If you follow this meal plan exactly as outlined you better like eggs and grapefruit, however, I've adapted it slightly without deterring from the core ingredients. For example: I've already made their Miso Salmon. Delicious and repeat worthy but rather than having that again another night I found a recipe for Spice Rubbed Lime Salmon which has ingredients that are all approved on the meal plan.

My plan was to make this for dinner since my son loves salmon but after having to deal with a stressful situation that took me away from work and needing a mental health day I decided to do something nice for myself and set the table for one, lit candles, had a restaurant worthy lunch, and a nap for dessert.

Another if you know me fact... I love lime. It excites me and reminds me of Summer... I can't let go and accept it's Fall, especially when the temps here in Texas are still in the upper 80s.

The salmon is slathered in a sweetened spice rub and brightened with a squeeze of lime juice served over a bed of Caribbean style rice with cilantro and lime (I cheated and used pre-made rice from the brand, Seeds of Change, bought at Whole Foods, and tossed it with a handful of cilantro and squeeze of lime). A healthy meal from start to finish that takes less than 20 minutes.

Spice Rubbed Lime Salmon

From: Cookin' Canuck

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 4 (4 oz) salmon fillets
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp agave nectar or honey
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 lime

And Action:

Preheat the broiler. Set the rack 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. 

Place the salmon fillets on the baking sheet skin side down (if it has skin). 

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, agave nectar, coriander, cumin, and salt until combined.

Brush the olive oil mixture over the salmon.

Place under the broiler until the salmon is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon. 

Squeeze the lime over each fillet. Enjoy!