Saint Patrick was the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Saint Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. It is true there are no snakes in Ireland, and there probably never have been but as in many old pagan religions, serpent symbols were common and often worshipped. Driving the snakes from Ireland was probably symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice. Saint Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick's Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide.
So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink.
For a raw foodist like myself, March is a wonderful time to think about “green” food. Of course, the first green food that comes to mind is a “Green Smoothie”. Green Smoothies are a major part of my everyday diet (no matter what day or month it is). With high oxygen content in chlorophyll and high mineral content in green plants, greens are the most alkalizing food that exists on our planet. By including green smoothies into our diet we can keep our bodies Ph balanced and healthy. Green Smoothies were developed by Victoria Boutenko. Victoria and her family ate 100% raw for many years when she realized that they did not seem to be receiving optimum health by eating just fruits, nuts, seed, grains and vegetables. After many months of research she concluded that they required more chlorophyll in their diet. Chewing large amounts of various greens every day did not appeal to them. After much research and a study of the diet of chimpanzees, Victoria came up with a “complete food” that tastes good and takes less than a minute to prepare.
The ratio in green smoothies is optimal of human consumption; about 60% ripe organic fruit mixed with about 40% organic greens. Add some water and blend. It’s that simple.
Green smoothies are better than juice because they contain lots of fiber. One should think of this green smoothie as a daily natural tonic and should think of it separately from any other smoothie you might prepare and drink during the day. This green smoothie can be taken at any time. However, for this “tonic” drink, stick to the basic recipe (fruit, greens, water) and make it a daily routine. Don’t add anything else such as nuts, seeds, oils, supplements or other ingredients to this smoothie and avoid using starchy vegetables. These items could slow down the assimilation of the smoothie in your digestive tract and may cause irritation and gas.
Drink this smoothie by itself, and not as a part of a meal. Don’t consume anything, even as little as a cracker or candy with it. You may eat anything you want approximately 40 minutes before or 40 minutes after you finish your smoothie. Your goal is to get the most nutritional benefit out of your smoothie.
Drink your green smoothie mindfully. Sip it slowly, mixing it with your salvia. Savor the flavour. Think about the healthy nutrition flowing through your body.
Don’t add too many ingredients into one smoothie, such as nine different fruits and a dozen different greens. Try to keep most of your recipes simple to maximize nutritional benefits and to keep it easy on your digestive system.
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If your green smoothie tastes delicious you will always look forward to the next one.
Always rotate the green leaves that you add to your smoothies. Almost all greens in the world contain minute amounts of alkaloids. Tiny quantities of alkaloids cannot hurt you, and even strengthen the immune system. However, if you keep consuming kale or spinach for example, eventually the same type of alkaloids could accumulate in your body and cause unwanted symptoms similar to toxic poisoning.
Always choose organic produce whenever possible. The absence of pesticides and toxic chemicals is only one of many benefits of organic food. The most important reason to consume organic food is the superior nutritional value of organic fruits and vegetables in comparison to conventionally grown produce.
Buy locally grown fruits and greens whenever possible and when in season or on sale. You can freeze fruits without destroying the enzymes. Cut the fruit in blender-sized pieces and freeze in “one smoothie” portions. Don’t add any preservatives to the fruit. If it changes colour a little, that’s ok, it’ll still taste awesome in the green smoothie.
Remember the KISS principal when making your green smoothies. Have fun, invent your own favorite smoothies and enjoy the great health benefits. We hope this information helps you to embrace the true nature of wearing “green” for St. Patrick’s Day. Honestly, you can say that you are wearing your green inside and out!
Here are some fun and delicious ideas for a Green Smoothie:
The Luck O The Irish
1 ½ c water
2 granny smith apples
1/2 lime, peeled
4 stalks of celery
½ small cucumber
6 – 8 leaves of romaine lettuce
small handful of dandelion greens (optional)
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.
Kiss The Blarney Stone Sweet Smoothie
1 ½ cups water
2 oranges (peeled)
1 banana (peeled)
2 dates (pits removed)
1 stalk celery
A hand full of romaine lettuce (approx. 1 ½ c)
Assemble in blender and blend until smooth.
Shamrock Green Smoothie
1 ½ c. water
½ c. frozen or fresh pineapple pieces
1 fresh mango. sliced
1 tsp lemon juice
A hand full of spinach (approx. 1 ½ c)
Assemble in blender and blend until smooth.
Here’s another great recipe:
Irish Spring Fruit Compote
Kiwi, peeled and cubed
Green grapes (cut in half)
Honey dew melon, cut into small chunks
Blueberries
Fresh Mint, for garnish
Combine fruit and serve in a pretty bowl or martini glass with mint.
For more information contact:
Sandra Butler Raw Food Chef
250-862-1158
http://raw-food-kelowna.blogspot.com/
