Anyone seen all the new juice lines that are invading the grocery stores lately? The other day I was in Whole Foods and a woman was passing out samples of this new line of juices. Awesome! There were about ten different flavors to try and I, of course, ended up trying every single one. I tried to approach the free samples as though I was curiously trying juice for the very first time - wink, wink. After trying basically every combination known to man, I settled for one and delicately asked how much the bottle was...$15.95. Whaaaatttttt! Are they smokin' dope?! Don't answer that...

Needless to say, I did not end up buying the liquid gold. However, I did get some inspiration on a few ingredients to add to my green smoothies!

Ever heard of the lemon-cayenne cleanse? Yeah, well this is most definitely not it. I've never tried the cleanse, but I can't fathom I ever would. I love lemon and I love cayenne...but living on that in liquid form for a few days? Eh, I'll pass. I will, however, add those ingredients to my smoothie!

So here you go, this recipe really isn't rocket science or anything new. Just a little something I enjoyed and thought I'd share. This takes on the ingredients of any ol' traditional green smoothie, but with a little added tang and kick! It's a smoothie that will add a little spice to your life (literally) and give you an extra pep in your step!

Lemon Cayenne Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 pear
1 apple
2-3 cups of romaine, kale, spinach or chard
1-2 stalks of celery
2 cups water
1 tbsp ginger (approx. 1 inch knob of ginger, peeled)
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
Add all the ingredients to your blender and pulse away!

Drink immediately. Leftovers can be saved for up to a day in the fridge.

zesty white bean salad

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning is to get up early, strap on my running shoes and take a run to the farmer's market up the street. That is, if I a manage to wake up early enough...that's a whole different story.

Anyway, there is something about getting up early on a non-work day and having the entire day ahead of you. Your very own blank canvas. No limits.




The cool, crisp air of dawn filling your lungs. The delicate noises of the morning starting to fill the air. Mornings have a special magic to them. Or maybe that's the effect of still being half asleep before your coffee has started kicking in...either way, morning runs to the farmers market are awesome and invigorating.

What's even more awesome is making it to the market, beating the crowds, and being greeted by tables after tables filled with fresh, vibrant fruits and vegetables just waiting to be eaten or turned into an amazing creation.

That's what brings me to this Zesty White Bean Salad.

Coming back from my run and trip to the market, after hauling my bags of fresh produce all the way back, I wanted something light, filling and bursting with flavor. This salad did the trick! A great way to incorporate all of the fresh veggies I just picked up and get a healthy, balance meal that would nourish my body. Yummmm. It's sooo good!

Zesty White Bean Salad

Ingredients:
1 19oz can of cannellini beans / white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
handful of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
half of a red or orange pepper, cubed
2 small green onions, sliced
1/4 red onion, diced

dressing -
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp wortcheshire
1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
juice from 1/2 lemon
juice from 1/4 lime
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
drizzle of olive oil (about 1 tbsp)
handful of cilantro, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
salt and pepper

Directions:

Mix together the beans, tomatoes, pepper, green and red onion in a medium size bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk together the garlic, wortcheshire, dijon, lemon and lime juices, red wine vinegar, cilantro and salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Continue to whisk to combine all of the ingredients.

Pour the dressing over the bowl of veggies and beans. Carefully toss together to combine.

Serve cold or at room temperature. Or like me, eat it right then and there out of the bowl! This can keep for 2-3 days refrigerated.

Enjoy!!