Juicing More Everyday

Blessed Uprising to all Fari and readers!

I know that going Ital seems difficult when you lovelovelove to eat and drink certain foods. But in doing your research you realize that what you love can kill you - and if you truly love JAH or yourself, then why the bodily abuse? These toxic chemicals added to food these days not only mess with your weight and immune system, but with your mental clarity and moods.
Getting healthy or going back to Eden isn't so hard once you have the commitment. It requires a replanning of family meals and what will be purchased in the market.
For starters, one way to gain fast healing is to juice everyday. Instead of buying bottled, boxed or canned juices, buy the actual raw ingredients they are made from - you also need a good supply of water (and also sugar but be easy on it - not every juice needs sugar either). Buy yourself enough citrus, other fruits and beetroot to last until the next trip - not everything needs to be in the fridge, and the aim is to make a jug or two of fresh juice everyday.
Furthermore, most of us who live in the Caribbean or live in a place where there is a lot of garden space have fruit trees growing at home! It baffles me how Trinidadians leave their oranges and other fruits to rot on the tree instead of making their own fresh juices and saving money in the grocery. I cherish the time my trees are laden with fruits - right now I have pommecythere or what Bajans call golden apple in my yard. It makes the best juice it's just a little difficult to break apart before blending. I pick them when they are big and green and it makes a juice more refreshing than any other for this horrible heat we've been having.
Here is a long list of foods that make the best juices tha family will love. I'm sure you have at least one in your grasp!

oranges
limes
lemons
pineapple
papaya
banana
strawberries
beetroot
pommecythere/golden apple
guava
carambola/five finger
mango
cherry
prunes/dates
carrot
celery
spinach
tomato
apple
pear
portugal/mandarine
coconut


This morning I had papaya and banana blended for breakfast. I'm on the last of it now. Take 1 banana, half a small to medium size papaya, 1 cup of cold water and liquefy in the blender. I added in 2 cubes of ice also. This made one tall glass:

Usually before that in the earlier hours I have water and herbal tea - ginger and garlic, or a medley of basil, lemongrass, rosemary and small-leaf thyme.

After this kind of breakfast I usually have a brunch type snack after 10 or 11 - bread and soya cheese with lettuce or patchoy leaves, tomato and cucumber. Avocado is the other ingredient when I can have it. Without the bread and cheese this also makes a great lunch with cous cous, freshly chopped beetroot and pigeon peas.
 I also recommend almonds, peanuts, cashew and whatever type of nuts you like to eat - remember to eat as little salt with these foods.

Since it's in season now, here's the way to make the pommecythere/golden apple juice - you won't regret it!

ingredients:
 6-8 green or semi ripe apples - med to lg size
8 cups water
sugar
strainer
 2 pint jug
 blender or juicer
sharp knife

If you have a juicer I guess all you need to do is put the apple in and let it do the rest. But if you have a blender like me, you will need to follow some steps.

Peel the fruit and cut a tictactoe type of pattern all across the flesh. then take the knife and dig out the pieces until you get down to the seed.

Put half of this in the blender with 4 cups of water and liquefy. strain into the juice mug, use a spoon to press out the juice.

Repeat this again with the other half of the fruit and with 4 more cups of water and strain.

I usually strain this all over to get out the rest of the pulp that comes through as you press down.
Add a little sugar to give it a slight taste or you can even add some ripe pineapple or some very ripe papaya which dont need sugar because they are sooo sweet.
If you have some sweet basil - let it soak for a spell!

Serve chilled and enjoy!

Overall Sistren, you can take 20 minutes each day to prepare some fresh juice that will do good for you and your family - it's the way of Eden, the way of the First People of Afrika who dwelled in rainforests and caves, and picked their food daily. "Left overs" are not as Ital as we would like them to be - natural and fresh is best!

I've recently joined the mailing list of Back-2-Live and that Sistah has already given me some tips I needed. I find it very helpful when Sistren can strenghten one another with tips and by even inviting each other over for meals or by exchanging recipes so that those who are more advanced can inspire others with great recipes. I have benefited from a variety of dear Sistren who eat totally raw foods, or who use plants and other things in ways I had not known. I and I culture is to be shared and full-joyed! So if you have Sistrens who go online please send them the link to my blog! ;p

Have a blessed, fresh and natural day Empress and King!

Ila