Green Juice - the right way to start your day!

My Saturday morning went a little something like this. I slept in much later than normal – 8:30! Some of you may think this is late and others may be laughing because this is the point when you look at the clock and think, “it’s only 8:30,” and then rollover and go back to sleep. While I felt wide-awake, I was still hesitant to climb out of bed because I just knew it was chilly outside of my covers. I finally went for it! I quickly jumped out and added layers. I slid my feet into my slippers and wandered out in the living room to look at the thermostat – 59 degrees in my house! For Southern California this is cold! I continued making my way into the kitchen, with my puppy biting at my legs, to make myself a hot, whole-grain breakfast. Don’t worry I’ll share this recipe later in the week – it is a favorite of mine!

After breakfast, a great friend of mine convinced me to warm up with some heated Vinyasa yoga at a local studio, Indie Yoga. I walked into the warm room and was immediately grateful for heated yoga. No stiff, cold muscles for me! Instead, my muscles started to melt into my mat and I could feel them (my muscles) become more flexible, malleable, and open with each asana. As much as I loved the flow, what I loved most about this class was the AMAZING Savasana adjustment that I received at the end of class. Thank you Carolina Moreira. For those of you who practice yoga, I’m sure you understand what I’m talking about - to receive this “special” adjustment at the end of class is always a treat! This Savasana adjustment was so awesome that it sent goose bumps up my arms. It was heavenly!

A great breakfast, wonderful yoga session…oh yes, the puppy needs exercise. Sage (my puppy) and I headed to the dog park for some socialization, running, and of course plenty of fetch. However, we didn’t stay as long as usual because after watching three dogs roll in a GIANT mud puddle, I decided to end our trip early while I still had a clean dog. On our way home I could hear my body asking for replenishment after the hot yoga class. So many options for great replenishment: water, coconut water, or green juice! Green juice was the winner today!

There are so many ways to make green juice but I typically try to make a “green juice” that is packed full of…you got it, “greens”! Be somewhat cautious of the green juices you will more commonly find at the market because they are loaded with fruit. While fruit is of course very good for us, it is also high in fructose (aka, fruit sugar). Some bottled green juices may contain up to 5 or 6 pieces of whole fruit. Holy fruitamoly! Today, we’ll try to keep our focus on the veggies and only add one piece of fruit (for taste purposes).

Ingredients:

1/3 bunch of kale, thick stem removed

1/2 head of romaine

2 handfuls of spinach

1/4 cup of broccoli sprouts

1 stalk of celery

1 cucumber

1 green apple

Directions:

Send all ingredients through your juicer, pour into a glass, and enjoy!