Kitchen Goodness

It's probably no surprise from a blogger, but one of the main ways I get inspiration for my meals is from....blogs! Of course, food blogs are great, but I also love looking through health and wellness blogs. One of my favourites from the latter category is JSHealth by Jessica Sepel. I've been following Jessica's work on and off for the last few years and during a recent weekend, after reading one of her new posts, I decided to click through the entire recipe section for some inspiration.

Right away, I found plenty of ideas that I liked, and started making a mental list of the ones I wanted to try out soon. Once I got to a 5- or 6-point mental list, I remembered that I rarely follow through on these things, so I figured I'd share my favourites here too, both to keep myself accountable and to perhaps help anyone else who might be in need of a bit of (healthy) cooking inspiration.

Photos via JSHealth: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

Miso Eggplant 

Most times, I eat eggplants roasted and mixed into a dip/spread similar to baba ganoush, so I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate them into my meals

Cauliflower Arancini Balls 

I'm thinking that these balls could easily be formed into patties instead and served as a great veggie burger option

Brussels Sprouts & Grain Bowl 

I only started cooking with brussels sprouts regularly this past fall and winter, and this bowl seems like a lighter, springier option for this otherwise hearty vegetable - I'd love to try it out with quinoa

Cumin, Cauliflower and Carrot Mash 

The colour of this mash is incredible, and I've been loving the flavour of cumin lately

Fig & Pistachio Chocolate Bark 

Most of my dessert cravings involve chocolate or cacao, and making a chocolate bark (and getting creative with the toppings!) has been on my list forever

Healthy Vegetable Bread 

I usually love a savoury breakfast and I'm partial to breads, so this one looks like a perfect fit for me

Of course, there weren't only 6 recipes that caught my eye, so here are a few "honourable mentions" that I'd love to try as soon as I've had a taste of the ones above:

Banana & Dark Chocolate Blender Muffins
Healthy French Toast
Coconut & Banana Quinoa Porridge
Carrot Cake Muffins
Baked Sweet Potato with Spinach, Chickpeas and Lemon Tahini Drizzle
Cumin-Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea and Mint Tabouli
Tomato Onion Brussels
Creamy Thyme Mushrooms
Cauliflower Rice
Cumin Spiced Asparagus
Healthy Nutella Mousse
Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut, and Sea Salt Teff Cookies

Please tell me, would you try any of these recipes out? Where else do you find cooking inspiration?

On My Plate

Part of feeling better over the last few weeks has meant that I've been back in the kitchen, cooking and trying out lots of new recipes from my favourite food blogs and cookbooks. I wanted to share here a few of the things I really enjoyed making - and of course, eating too.

We found some beautiful (almost) local peaches towards the end of the summer, so buying a box of them every week and making this peach oat smoothie every weekend became the norm for several weeks in a row. I don't think I've used oats in my smoothies before, but somehow, paired with all the other ingredients in the recipe, they made the creamiest smoothie I've ever had. This will definitely be in regular rotation next year, as soon as peaches are in season.

Chia pudding is easily one of my favourite treats, and though I usually make it with cacao, coconut water, and a bit of stevia, I've been eager to try other combinations as well. This newest favourite of mine came together last week, when I was craving a sweet treat but couldn't be bothered to prepare much of anything, so I thought that mixing some of the homemade apple sauce I had in the fridge with chia seeds would be the easiest option. After trying out a small portion in a bowl and loving it, I just added chia seeds to the rest of the applesauce jar, and had a yummy treat to grab any time I felt like it for the following few days.

These double chocolate chip cookies always satisfy my cravings for cookies - they remind me of the store-bought chocolate chip cookies I used to eat almost every day in my teens, but without the guilt of having something that's not healthy. I dreamt of these for several weeks before I got a chance to actually make them, and once I did, I made a big mistake - doubled everything but the sugar! - yet they were still deliciously crumbly and completely satisfying, especially when paired with a matcha latte as a mid-morning snack.

I love mac and cheese, but I'm no longer crazy about the ingredients that usually go in the recipe. Over the last couple of years, I've gathered several gluten-free, dairy-free alternatives to try, but had yet to make any of them. Once I saw the Creamy Butternut Squash and Shells version in Candice Kumai's Clean Green Eats* cookbook (currently one of my favourites), I couldn't resist anymore. Not only was it one of my favourite things to eat, but while I was cooking the squash, I couldn't help thinking that it was also one of the prettiest things I've ever cooked too. I skipped the bread-crumb topping and, since I grew up eating mac and cheese as a dessert, poured a little bit of honey on top of it on my plate, and it was honestly so good.

This raw nectarine cake came together quicker than any other one I've made before. It was almost 5pm when I realized that I had to make something with the few nectarines we had left over before they went bad, so I looked through a few of my cookbooks and settled on this recipe right away: the Peach Perfection Pie from Fresh*.  I made a few substitutions - I used dates instead of raisins for the crust, and nectarines and bananas instead of peaches for the cream - so I could use what I already had in my pantry. Although we had to let the cream gel for a while and couldn't dive in that evening, it was so worth the wait - the light, refreshing cream was the perfect complement to the sweeter and heavier crust. My only note about this is to make a larger amount of cream than called for in the recipe. I made almost double and still didn't completely fill the thick crust.

I love roasted sweet potatoes - fresh out of the oven are best, and I can never help myself from eating a bunch of them straight out of the pan - but when I want something different, I make this mix instead: celery root, butternut squash, and apple chopped to about the same size - the apple pieces can be a bit larger since they're softer and cook up quicker. Even though it all adds up to a big, full-to-the-brim pan by the time it's ready to go in the oven, somehow it never seems to be quite enough and disappears in the blink of an eye (seriously! I had no more than a spoonful of leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day).

I've been wanting to make some energy balls for a long while, but this was again one of those cravings that went unsatisfied for weeks (maybe months?). Once I found Jamie Oliver's recipe for these cacao pumpkin energy balls and realized I had just enough puffed millet to substitute the puffed brown rice/quinoa called for in the recipe, I had to try it. It was so delicious that all four of us had to restrain ourselves from finishing the entire plate of them the same day. I definitely need to make more soon, but after reading Olivia's post about puffed cereal, I'm not sure I want to use this ingredient again. Instead, I'm thinking that roasting some buckwheat and using it as a crunchier alternative could be a nice replacement.

I keep trying more and more healthy and delicious recipes that I'll be sure to share again here (I also shared past ones here and here), but in the meantime, I'd love to know, what have you been cooking and eating lately?


*Disclaimer: The book links used in this post are affiliate links.

Reading, Listening, & Learning: May 2016

A couple of hours after publishing my previous post, I realized that it was the day that my blog turned 6 years old. At first, I couldn't believe that I had forgotten about it, and felt a little sad and guilty for not publishing something special to celebrate it, as I've done almost every year so far.

Truth be told, I'm currently in a place where I'd rather focus on more doing and less talking about doing, so I think the best way to celebrate this blog birthday is to just keep blogging. Besides, I've already talked and written time and time again (in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2015) about how much blogging and this little piece of the world wide web means to me, so I can think of no better way to prove that - to myself and everyone who has been reading over the years - than if I just keep going.

So, with that, I'll turn my attention to what I had planned on writing about today. I wanted to share a few of the articles, podcasts, and videos that I have read, listened to, or watched last month - the ones that made me think and influenced me in a positive way. I mentioned a few weeks ago about how I wanted to write more about the things I find in addition to the things I do or think about, because they fuel me, help me keep moving forward, and show me new perspectives on life.

Below are a few of the wonderful pieces of content that I enjoyed in May:

Connie Chapman's Awaken Radio podcast: Although I've been following Connie's blog on and off for a few years now, back in April I listened to one of her podcast episodes that really made me think, so last month I wanted to try out a few more. The one that really stuck with me was episode 31, Manifest with Less Hustle and More Flow with Erin Stutland. I loved Erin's story and what really stuck with me until now is her way of turning negative thoughts into mantras and affirmations to help her transform, turn weaknesses into assets, and go after her goals. It's something that I want to include in my own life as well, whenever I'm having a bad day or find myself in a negative mindset, because I can already imagine how powerful it could be.

If Plan A Fails, Remember That You Have 25 Letters Left by Chris Guillebeau: I just recently bought Chris' now famous book, The $100 Startup*, but a few months ago, I added his blog to my reading list as well, and this post in particular served as a great lesson and reminder. As a new entrepreneur who is trying to get her business(es) off the ground, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that everything I do has to be perfect and bring results (or else it's not worth doing), and get paralyzed about my next step in the process. It was really comforting to realize that if something doesn't work out one way, there are so many other options that I can try out instead of giving up. Reading about Vanessa's thought process was inspiring, and served both as a wake-up call to the way I approach doing business, and a much-needed reminder that backup plans are important.

Aquafaba: The Magical Vegan Ingredient You've Probably Been Throwing Out by Mind Body Green: Coming across this article was a real case of serendipity for me! The day before, I had soaked and cooked a big pot of chickpeas and, just as I was getting ready for bed that night, I remembered reading about the miraculous properties of the cooking liquid from the chickpeas (and other beans) a few months before, but could not, for the life of me, remember what it was called. The next day, I had completely forgotten about it but, as I was browsing my Twitter feed, my eye stopped on a link to this article. Needless to day, I won't be forgetting the name again anytime soon. I didn't get a chance to use the liquid from this batch before it went bad, but now that I know exactly where to find more information (and recipe ideas!), I'm looking forward to experimenting with the next one.

What I Eat In A Day by Mimi Ikonn: I've been watching and finding inspiration in Mimi's videos for quite a few years now, and this particular video was a great reminder that healthy and delicious food doesn't have to be complicated. I love reading food blogs and getting recipe ideas from them, but the often long ingredient lists sometimes intimidate me and make me think twice about whether they're worth the time and effort that they require. Throughout this video, Mimi did so well to show plenty of healthy meal ideas that are not only tasty but can be put together quickly, on days when you haven't had time to think about, research, or plan what you'll have for your next meal. I'm still thinking about her sweet potato puree almost every day.

I'd love to know, have you found anything new or interesting through these links? Also, what articles/videos/podcasts have you come across recently that influenced you in a positive way?

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*Disclaimer: The book link used in this post is an affiliate link through the Amazon Associates program. This means that I may receive a small commission if you purchase something through it. I only use affiliate links for things that I love and have bought myself, but if you are not comfortable with this and would still like to take a look at the book, you can always go directly to the Amazon website and type the name of the book or author in the search box at the top.

Spring Memories

Summer is finally here, and I'm absolutely thrilled; it is my favourite season after all. The beginning part of the season always feels even more special, because it is filled with so much excitement and anticipation for the months ahead that make up my favourite part of the year.

There's always so much to look forward to in the summer, but before I do that, I want to take a look back and acknowledge all the sweet moments from the past few months. After reflecting on it for a few days, I've come to realize how special this spring has actually been. It's been the time when I've gradually started once again to come out of my shell, to share more of myself, and to be a part of something, after a long while of feeling a strong need to keep to myself, to do inner work, and to find my own individual rhythm.

As a result of this outward shift, I've also started to notice and enjoy the little things around me again, and looking back on the ones I've documented helped paint a much clearer picture of just how sweet and special this spring has been.

Everybody needs a little afternoon nap sometimes. Seeing the ways in which she sleeps is always entertaining, but on this particular afternoon, I really liked how she laid on the couch with just her head on the pillow, like a little person.

These beautiful flowers in our front yard. Every year I post pictures of them, and it's because every year I can't believe how much joy I get from seeing them pop out of the ground after so many months of mainly white and grey all around.

Our Easter eggs. For the past few years, we've used only natural materials to colour them, which can be quite unpredictable. So, every year I tell myself that I will test out different materials beforehand, and every year I fail to do it. Luckily, we still got some beautiful colours, though not necessarily the ones we were expecting: the grey, although beautiful, was supposed to come out as red by using black cherries (that is what the article said, but thinking about it, it does make sense that black cherries would produce a black-ish colour); the vivid yellow came from turmeric, and the gorgeous blue that I can't get enough of from purple cabbage; the slightly darker yellow was supposed to be green (although in real life, it did have a sort of chartreuse tint to it) by combining the yellow and blue liquids, but it seems like the turmeric was too powerful.

Superfood oatmeal inspired by Drea - not the most photogenic breakfast, but I had it for a week straight and absolutely loved it, so I thought it was worth mentioning. Every morning, I added an assortment of nourishing extras to the basic oatmeal to make it even better: ground walnuts for added protein, rosehip powder for extra vitamin C, spirulina powder for all over super-goodness, cinnamon for its blood sugar balancing properties (and great taste!), and vanilla bean powder for even more flavour.

I'd love to know, what moments or things stood out to you this spring and made the season special?

Growing More

This is our sixth year planting a vegetable garden here in our backyard, and each year we've learned more about the process, and grown our garden a little big bigger and wider than the last. Of course, this year is no different. In fact, my brother and my dad spent a big chunk of this past long weekend building three more raised beds for our veggies.

This week, the new beds are getting filled with soil, and by the weekend we should be able to add the plants that we started inside and the seeds that we'll be sowing directly there - if, fingers crossed, the weather cooperates. We already have quite a few eggplant and pepper plants started (we've never had much success with any of them in the past, so this is new and exciting territory!) and, if it's even possible, even more tomato plants than last year, so the additional space will be very welcome.

Another new thing that we're doing with our garden this year, besides adding more raised beds, is trying out both spring crops (seeds and starts went in the ground mid-April) and fall crops (that we'll be planting mid- to late summer). These are all those veggies that don't do very well in the high heat of summer, things like lettuce and all sorts of greens, spinach, kale, beets, radishes, and cabbage.

Speaking of spring gardens, last night we picked our first harvest of spring crops from the garden: a small batch of Ovation Greens that we mixed into a salad with some sliced red onion, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil - it was delicious!

I'd love to know, are you growing any of your own food this year?

On My Plate

Over the last few weeks, I snapped a few pictures of the food I made and really enjoyed: some new recipes I tried and some quick meals I put together with leftovers from the fridge. I thought it would be a good idea to record them here as inspiration (for both you and me!) for the future, especially those times when I am hungry and need to eat or make something quickly, but don't know what.

I found this recipe for roasted leeks on Instagram. It's so quick to prepare - wash, cut, season, and pop in the oven - and the whole family loves it. Best of all, I finally know what to do with leeks!

A successful night in the kitchen: my first try at both kale chips and roasted chickpeas, and they both came out very tasty - maybe surprisingly so, since I looked at a few different recipes online, but ended up making my own by combining a little of each.

One afternoon I was craving a quick and healthy treat and out of nowhere remembered this apple almond porridge I used to make a couple of years ago, after seeing the recipe on the Reluctantly Healthy show.

A while ago, I had some very ripe pears that I realized would be perfect to use in a crumble before they went bad. I used this recipe almost exactly, only swapping the berries for pears.

We grew pumpkins in our garden this year, and when it was time to use up the pumpkin puree I made out of them, a pumpkin smoothie bowl topped with a little bee pollen seemed like a good idea. I used this recipe from The Chalkboard as inspiration, but made several adjustments. Although not the best-looking treat, it was certainly yummy; I had it three days in a row and now, several weeks later, I'm still dreaming of it.

For my oatmeal this week, I decided to change things up a bit. First, I made it with hemp milk instead of coconut milk and, after I mixed in all my usual additions (freshly ground walnuts, maple syrup, and cinnamon), I added some pomegranate seeds ('tis the season!) and the sweetest red pear.

One of my favourite guilt-free sweet treats is chia pudding. I make mine with raw cacao powder, liquid stevia, and coconut water instead of milk. On this particular day, I added a sprinkle of goji berries and bee pollen for some extra goodness.

This quick and easy veggie mix got me back on the healthy eating bandwagon a few weeks ago, when I was maybe eating a few too many good-but-no-so-good meals. There are few things easier (or tastier) than roughly chopping some veggies - I have cucumber, bell pepper, avocado and cherry tomatoes here, but the possible combinations really are endless - and sprinkling some salt, nutritional yeast, and an Italian herb mix on top.

Leftover roasted sweet potatoes and scrambled eggs make a complete lunch when mixed in with some greens, bell peppers, cucumber, and olives. Note to self: this is a great example that leftovers can be turned into something more exciting with very little time and effort - perfect for those "hangry" situations when you can't wait long enough to make something from scratch. 

I'd love to know, what are your favourite meals to put together when you're hungry and looking for something quick and easy?

Repeat Lunch

I had this exact lunch two days in a row on my week off from work last month. I practically never eat the exact same lunch two days in a row - I like variety so at least part of the meal changes. I would have had this lunch a third day in a row (and fourth, and fifth) if I hadn't run out of brown rice (and if I hadn't been too lazy that day to make more).

The idea for this combination came from a mix of laziness - trying to put together a decent lunch without having to cook anything - and cravings. I knew there was brown rice in the fridge cooked the day before. I wanted a raw vegetable along with it for added vitamins and I remembered reading about raw carrots being great for balancing hormones - something that I'm all about these days - just a couple of days before. I also remembered the kimchi in the fridge, which usually comes to mind only when I finish eating. A few sprinkles of basil from the herb pots on our balcony felt like an obligatory finishing touch. So there it is, brown rice with raw carrot rounds, fresh basil and kimchi was served for lunch. My mom even joined me for the same meal both days - and if I'm being honest, the addition of the basil was her idea.

This is the kind of dish that brings back my enthusiasm for healthy eating when I'm struggling with the occasional unhealthy craving; because whole grains + raw veggies + fermented foods + fresh herbs = not only a nutritious but also a delicious (and quick!) meal.

Happy Easter, Healthy Easter

For the second year in a row, this Easter we painted our eggs with all-natural plant-based colours. This simply means that we used plants and other kitchen ingredients in either boiling or very hot water, mixed with some vinegar and/or salt, instead of the traditional chemical-filled dyes.

Even though this is our second go at it, we are still very much in the experimenting phase. The process isn't nearly as simple and reliable as those Internet articles that we've been reading make it seem. There were times when we were seriously worried that we would be left with completely colourless eggs and frantically added similar coloured items into the mix in the hopes of getting even a hint of colour, and we have yet to find the right ingredient for a true red, but in the end it is so much fun to see the results.

This year we ended up with four colours: yellow from turmeric and yellow onion peels (by far the most reliable ingredients and the most intense colour), blue from purple cabbage, green from a mix of wheatgrass and liquid chlorophyll, and purple - that was actually meant to be red - from a combination of cranberries and sour cherries. I couldn't even believe how pretty they turned out. I honestly like them so much more than the colours we get from the chemical dyes. I find that the colours are - unsurprisingly! - so much more natural, and I like the little details like the lack in uniformity of the colour and the generally lighter, more pastel shades.

Now I can't wait to try out new colours and I'm thinking we should conduct a few egg painting experiments throughout the year to avoid those Easter Eve nerves of potentially colourless eggs.

Weekend Glory

On Saturday night, I watched the movie 'Morning Glory' with my family, and I really truly loved it. I've been going over it in my head so many times since because something about it really struck a chord in me. These lighter, "chick flick" movies are my favourite and I always find that they give me the most to think about afterwards.

Besides the storyline, something that caught our attention was watching Harrison Ford cook frittata (twice!). So on Sunday morning, we cooked our own frittata; our first frittata, with broccoli, red pepper and mushrooms. And as this picture bears witness, it was so good that more than half of it was gone before I even got a chance to take out my camera. So I feel pretty confident to say that, though we will likely never make it - or pronounce it! - as dramatically as Mr. Ford, the frittata is bound to be one of our go-to weekend dishes from now on - a more interesting take on our usual scrambled eggs.

First Harvest

We had high hopes for this year's garden. We started many seeds inside, built a dedicated space for them in front of a window that gets lots of light throughout the day and even bought grow lights to compensate for the not-quite-enough sunlight of early spring days up here in the northern hemisphere.

The seeds responded well to our efforts and care and grew very well - and very quickly! But, just like best laid plans often do, things started to go array soon after, when the weather decided to misbehave: first there was the unusually long (even for Canada!) winter, and then the unusually cool spring days stayed until late in the season. In short, it has been a difficult year weather wise which, when combined with the little spare time that our full-time jobs and long commutes allow us, meant that our garden was planted outdoors only a few short weeks ago.

• photo taken by my mom •

Now, even though they are still small, our plants are finally starting to show more signs of growth - thanks in part to our Agrogreen fertilizer that we picked up during our roadtrip, and to plenty of rain - and last week, we picked our first veggies, two good portions of green beans that amounted to almost 1 kilo in total.

If history (read: last year's garden) is any indication, pretty soon we'll have more green beans than we'll know what to do with. Better start researching recipes now!

I'd love to know, what's you favourite (preferably healthy) green bean recipe?

Cake Adventures

Sunday evening, when we got home from our roadtrip, my mom was finishing up this sweet treat: a yummy raw chocolate raspberry cake. I don't know the exact recipe, but I know it involves, among other things, lots of raw cacao, walnuts, maple syrup and dates for sweetness, and of course, raspberries. Just like my own triple chocolate blueberry cake, this one has a very rich chocolate flavour that satisfies my sweet tooth with even a little slice.

This summer I'm falling in love with raw cakes: they're quick and easy to make (and don't require a hot oven!), not to mention guilt-free and absolutely delicious. These two successful attempts are encouraging me to experiment with even more recipes, and who knows, maybe next time I'll show one on here, there will be some recipe directions to go along with it too.

Here and There

I am a little out of words today, but I felt a strong need to blog, so after a few failed attempts, I'm turning to my camera and the good moments it recorded over the last few weeks.

1, 2 & 3. An unexpected bouquet made up of things I found around the backyard: grass seed heads and clover flowers.

4. Trying out new recipes, this time Miso Mushrooms from the raw food cookbook Fresh*.

5. Afternoon kitty naps in one of her favourite spots, my bed; I love it when she stretches all her paws and brings them together in front of her.

6. Some more backyard blooms.

7. A raw triple chocolate belated birthday cake that I made up on my own without a recipe or precise measurements and yet turned out incredibly tasty and rich in chocolate flavour.


*Disclaimer: The book link used in this post is part of the Amazon Associates program.

Raw For Real

I first came across the concept of raw food a few years back, while I was browsing through the book section on Amazon (one of my favourite ways to kill some time!). I was able to read the first few pages of a raw food book, and I was quite fascinated. I had never heard of this approach to eating, and it seemed extreme but interesting. Now, a few years later, I'm still thankful that this was the way I was introduced to it, rather than through one of the many articles that criticize it as being just another fad diet. In fact, since then I've learned so much more about the principles behind it by reading a few books on the subject; one of them was Raw Food for Real People by Rod Rotondi.

I found this book to be a great introduction to raw food. It covers all the basics in a simple, understandable way, and it includes quite a few recipes, some of which are raw (& healthy!) alternatives to traditional recipes like onion rings, Caesar salad and even pizza and apple pie. Though for the time being I'm not looking to eat only raw food, I do want to include more of it into my meals, and this book helped me feel more comfortable with - and less overwhelmed by - all the different processes and approaches to food that are required, like soaking, sprouting, and dehydrating.

In a few words, I'd recommend this book for anyone who is curious about raw food without knowing much about it, and would like to be introduced to it in a gentle, inclusive and understanding way.

A few of my favourite words from the book:

"My grandfather fed his family of thirteen children largely out of the garden his family tended and with the animals they raised."

"[...] when the gods get together for dinner, I don't think they do drive-through burgers. It is a cornucopia of vibrant, colorful and life-filled fresh foods that I see the gods eating [...]"

"Whom we eat with and what we eat are major determinants in who and what we are."

Disclaimer: The book link used in this post is part of the Amazon Associates program.

Juice Enthusiast

Last summer I learned about the wonderful benefits of green juices, made from lots of veggies and some fruits. I tried a few recipes at the time but, once the excitement of my discovery dwindled, I fell off the juice wagon. As I'm working to transform my eating habits into even healthier ones, I decided that it's time to bring back the juice.

• Juice made from carrots (a great source of beta-carotene, vitamins and minerals that contribute to great vision), pineapple cores (very rich in the anti-inflamatory bromelain enzyme that digests protein) and orange (a vitamin C powerhouse) •

Two weeks ago, I made my first juice of 2013, a variation of my favourite carrot and apple combination in which I swapped the apple for a mix of orange and pineapple (tip: the tough-to-eat core of the pineapple works great for this!). When drinking it, I loved that I could taste each of the ingredients as well as their delicious combination, and it brought back my excitement for green juices.

• Juice made from apples (rich in pectin that removes cholesterol and toxins), carrots, romaine lettuce, parsley (blood cleanser), kale (high in fiber and antioxidants to help with digestion and protect against cancer), and pineapple cores •

To gather even more inspiration, I unearthed pictures of my favourite green juice of 2012. I made this one morning on a whim and kept adding ingredients as I found them in the fridge (and remembered their impressive benefits), and I was really surprised at how tasty it was in the end. I hope that all the juices I'll be making this year will come together just as effortlessly and I'm looking forward to developing an even greater love and appreciation of them.

I'd love to know, do you take advantage of the wonderful benefits of green juices? If yes, what are your favourite combinations?