B7DRC February 2014: Day 1 - A Blueberry Green Tea Juice to start your challenge off right with tons of energy!

Welcome to Day of Brad’s 7 Day Raw Challenge for February 2014! Another month almost gone right before my eyes! Whew!

This week I won’t be completing the challenge 100%. My dad’s birthday is this Friday and we’re celebrating at his favorite Korean BBQ restaurant where vegan, let alone raw food, is minimal. Since it’s my dad’s birthday I decided to let this one slide. J

For this month’s challenge I’m focusing on two things: morning juices or juice like drinks and dill. I’ve learned over the past few months that my body loves a good awakening via a yummy juice as opposed to something heavier like a smoothie, raw cereal or even fruit. However, juicing right now is a bit hard to do with the lack of cheap, available produce as well as time. So I have reduced my juicing to the two days a week I work from home…for now. So what do I use instead? That’s where the juice-like drinks come in! Drinks that are similar to juice in caloric content, nutrition and satisfaction. Yumm!

And dill. I am a huge dill fan! Ask me why and I honestly wouldn’t know. There’s just something about the aroma and flavor that’s comforting. It’s very springy, earthy and outdoorsy. Get it? Yeah me neither. Anyways I bought a bunch – a HUGE bunch – and figured to ensure it doesn’t go to waste, why not have dill as my featured ingredient for lunch this week! Sounds fun!

So let’s get started! Here’s Monday’s eats!

Upon Waking

Warm water, fresh lemon juice and some sweet raw honey! Hello Monday!

Juice

Today’s green juice recipe comes from The Grounded Nutrition. Every few months they hold a 10-Day Vibrant Living Cleanse that I absolutely love! The recipes are clean, vegan, mostly raw and oh so nourishing. Definitely check them out!

This juice came from the very first cleanse I participated in. I remembered it very well and went back to look for the recipe so I could use it in this week’s challenge. It’s super easy to whip together in the morning when you’re in need of a quick energy boost right before you head out the door! It’s slightly sweet, light and refreshing!

WARNING: You may encounter blue teeth specked with blueberry bits so check the mirror often. Also, beware of pits in your dates! I swore I checked them but then blended a bit right into my drink. I spent the morning sipping pit pieces…yuck!

Blueberry Green Tea

By The Grounded Nutrition

Makes 16 ounces

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 2 cups green tea or 1 tsp of matcha green powder to 2 cups of water
• ¼ cup pitted dates, soaked overnight
• ¼ cup ice cubes
• 1 cup greens (spinach)

1. In a high-speed blender at the dates, green tea and greens. Blend til smooth.
2. Add the blueberries and ice and blend till the ice has broken down and your juice is a bit frosty.
3. Serve immediately.

I think this could use a little lemon punch next time J

Smoothie time!!

Me love smoothies! They seriously need to make a smoothie monster. Just sayin’. I’m currently in love with this amazing tropical blend my FullyRaw Kristina! Using only the juice from the oranges, this yummy smoothie packs a powerful, citrus punch that’s also juicy sweet and a bit earthy thanks to the greens and cilantro. If you’re not a cilantro fan then no worries. Leave it out! This smoothie is just as great without it!

Tropical Breeze Smoothie

Adapted from FullyRaw Kristina

Makes 16 ounces

• 2 large leaves of red leaf lettuce or preferred greens (like kale!)
• 1 large juicy naval orange, peeled
• ½ heaping cup frozen pineapple (or fresh!)
• ½ scant cup, mango
• 1 small handful of cilantro

1. In a high speed blender add all of the ingredients and blend on high until smooth.
2. Serve with a few sprinkles of shredded coconut on top!

Lunch

Since this week is ALL about dill, the very first meal that came to mind was chicken salad! I know, not very veg OR raw is it!? Don’t kill me yet! I can explain. My very first job was at a café that made almost on a daily basis, fresh chicken salad with loads of dried dill. You could smell it in the back when it was being made and up front as we used it to prepare salads or sandwiches with it. Dill was never really a part of my life until then, so you can see why when I think dill I think chicken salad. Whew.

So in honor of my very first job, I decided to make a “No-Chicken” Kale Salad. I used all the ingredients and flavors found in your typical chicken salad and turned it into this amazing raw, massaged kale salad. It’s flavorful, fresh and super filling! Let me know if it fits the bill!

“No-Chicken” kale Salad

By Beth Mickens

Serves 1 

• 3-4 cups of shredded kale
• 2 small stalks of celery, chopped
• ½ cup red grapes, sliced in half
• 1 green onion, sliced
• ½  ripe avocado
• 1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• ½ lemon, juiced
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pepper

1. In a large bowl add the kale, set aside. Feel free to pre-massage your kale with a pinch of EVOO and salt or you can use the avocado dressing as a massager. Whatever works for you J I do both!
2. In a small bowl add the avocado, lemon juice and dill. Mash til well combined and you have a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add your avocado sauce to your kale and massage well til wilted and/or toss to coat.  
4. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine.
5. Serve with a sprinkle of hearty hemp seeds!

Dessert

I made these raw cake batter truffles which I mixed with cacao nibs. They’re okay but not my cup of tea...I'm a chocolate gal. So I'm making some yummy chocolate treat tonight!

“Dinner”

I nibbled my way, as usual, through dinner and finished it with a warm herbal, detox tea.

CHALLENGERS RECIPES

Energy Juice

By Ang Roberts

• Beets
• Carrots
• Apple
• Orange
• Lemon

Green Smoothie

By Ang Roberts

• 2 cups kale
• 1 cup water
• 1 frozen banana
• 3 mandarins, peeled
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds

Joel's Green Juice

By Lucia Morrison

• 1 cucumber
• 4 celery stalks
• 2 Granny Smith apples
• 1/2 inch ginger root
• 8 leaves of kale
• 1/2 lemon

Pineapple Mint Sorbet

By Nick Lassonde

1. Simple blend in a high speed blender frozen pineapple with mint extract or fresh mint leaves! Yumm!

Sprouted Buckwheat

By Kristin Lassonde





1. Rinse buckwheat several times until water is clear.
2. Soak rinsed buckwheat covered for about an hour.
3. Drain and set in a colander covered in a dark area to sprout.
4. Set an alarm to rinse and drain once every 4-8 hours.
5. After a few dats or when desired length is achieved, eat your sprouts!
6. Can be dehydrated as well!