And Charge It Please...

Maybe I'm the only blogger that dotes on Eloise...but I can't help it. Kay Thompson's character is one of the most darling and endearing personalities you could ever read about. True, she is a bit of a mischief maker, but she "absolutely adores" her life, and so makes everything she does fun.

One of my sisters even collects Eloise books, which she then reads to her nieces. They love Eloise. In fact, one of my nieces, who is three, slept with the book, telling herself her own stories of Eloise as she fell asleep. I think collecting special children's books is a great thing to do...our nieces and nephews love my sister's book collection. I've started mine own since then...the children in my life love "book time" with me and if ever I have my own family, I can give them to my own children.

One of the big things that Eloise does, is charge everything she buys with a firm statement..."and charge it please".

I don't charge anything if I can help it, lol...but one thing I am wondering about is "charging water". Apparently, when you "charge" your water, the hydrogen molecules in the water are closer together, which makes the water more polar (electrical), giving your water better quality. I've always know that water was even better for you when you squeezed fresh lemon in your water, or added some mint, but I didn't realize that that is considered as "charging the water"...and frankly, I'm not sure if I believe it. A pinch of salt or MSM crystals are said to do it too. But...it's also said that putting your water under the moonlight or thinking loving thoughts to your water does it too...which I THINK IS TOTAL BALONEY AND STUPIDNESS, but anyway...what are your thoughts about it?

Anyway, whether or not, the "charging" theory with fruit juices and salts is true, squeezing lemon or lime or a pinch of pink salt in your drinking glass are always good, fun, little ways to keep cleansing your body and help you digest better...so drink up!

Today A-M and I are doing another all-raw day (except there was some good quality yogurt in our green smoothie this morning) so we plan on our favorite chocolate, young coconut pudding tonight. My Daddy is such an angel...in one week he brought me home 4 young coconuts and where I live, they ain't cheap. I have such a sweet family.

Toast to Life

Sometimes I get so hyper about just how wonderful life truly is...my life is full of such beauty, adventure, and fulfillment. Perhaps I'm not a nurse or figure skater with a promising future, or an inventor who'll change the world, but I'm who God made me and when I "bloom where I'm planted" I'm perfectly happy. I see every day is an amazing gift from my Heavenly Father, every minute full of potential and promise.

I certainly look forward to what life will bring, but there is a special joy in just living in the here and now, trying to make each moment count for something.

My former "guest blogger", my sister Anne-Marie just had a birthday yesterday...she is such a sweet heart! A classic example of loving life with passion and gusto! Just being with her makes you want to embrace every good thing that God has given us, live life with an inner joy that manifests itself with a smile and an easy laugh...she's such a dear.

My last post was about the virtues of juicing and blending...here's a juice recipe I adapted from "The Juicing Bible", perfect for this cold, fall weather. We have heaps and heaps of apples that are starting to "go" so this is the best way to use them up (as well, as dehydrating them into leather or apple coins, mmmm).

Apple Spice Cocktail

5 apples (mine were small)

1 carrot

2 stalks celery

1-inch piece ginger root

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Juice all but the nutmeg. Stir the nutmeg in your glass and add some ice, if you like it cold. Drink up!

We have lots of apples leftover that need something done to them...so comment below and tell me some of your creative, fresh apple juice recipes. I absolute ADORE trying new recipes. :)

Juices to Smoothies

One thing I like about raw foods is their versatility. Sometimes I just wanna fresh, vibrant juice and most other times I want a succulent smoothie...and the cool thing is, for either craving you can use the same recipe.

Take this drink (above) ... I blended it...whereas Heidi from HiHoRosie's Place, she juiced it. Either way, it was superb. (here's the recipe). have an amazing book called "The Juicing Bible". It has the most delicious recipes invented and I like the fact that if I want, I can use it for blending or juicing, though both have their benefits.

Smoothies are really incredible because they contain all the fibre from the plant ingredients and sweep and clean out our systems like a good broom. Juices are amazing because they swiftly go through your body delivering a host of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals immediately, without really any bother of digestion on the body's part...it's like a healing tonic.

Often, I've looked at juicing recipes, wanting the flavor of the drink, but not wanting to waste all that good fibre, so...what to do?. The simple solution. Blend it.

Question: What's your favorite topping for your smoothies? Mine is bee pollen and cacao nibs.