I was hoping to bring you a video today, but I finally gave up after the 10th thwarted take. My goal for today was to express to you the importance and benefits of staying hydrated.....and I'm not just talking about drinking water. During our last 11 Week Initiative at Raw Food Rehab, we talked about all of the elements of hydration, so I would like to share those links with you, in case you missed them:
In addition to drinking plenty of good quality water, staying hydrated with freshly pressed organic fruit and vegetable juices, herbal teas, and the water of young thai coconuts are just as beneficial to your health. Whenever I talk about hydration, I have to include chia seeds into the the discussion because they are so amazing. If you haven't read about the impressive nutritional profiles of Thai coconuts or chia seeds, here are two very informative articles for you to absorb:
I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite recipes for hydration.....I hope you'll try these and enjoy!
Chia Chai Smoothie (Revealing Your Inner Rawk Star - pg 11)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 chai tea bag, steeped in 1 cup water (cooled)
1/2 + cup sweet vanilla almond milk
1 frozen banana
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger
1/2 cup crushed ice
Make the chai tea and allow it to come to room temperature. ut the chia seeds int the tea, allowing them to soak up the tea....usually 15 - 20 minutes....forming a chia chai gel. Easily done at night, this gel will keep well in the refrigerator until your ready to use it. Add the chia chai gel, almond milk, banana, spices and crushed ice to a blender and process until you have a frothy, creamy shake.
Goji Gingerade (Falling Into Raw - page 9)
1/3 cup organic goji berries
32 oz. pure water
1/4 cup raw honey, agave nectar or other sweetener of your choice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Soak the goji berries in the water for at least 2 hours or overnight. Strain the water into a blender and add the other ingredients, blending only until well combined. You can keep the soaked goji berries in a covered container in your refrigerator to use in smoothies or another recipe. Use them within 24 hours.
Chia Coconut Custard Shake (Raw Food Cleanse - page 56)
1 thai coconut, meat & water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 cup crushed ice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons raw honey or agave nectar
a generous pinch each of cinnamon & freshly grated nutmeg
Put all ingredients into a high speed blender and combine until smooth and creamy.
Chia Breakfast Pudding (Revealing Your Inner Rawk Star - page 13)
1/4 chia seeds
3/4 cup sweet vanilla almond or hemp milk
scant pinch of sea salt
raw honey, agave nectar and/or fresh berries can be added if desired
In a bowl, combine the chia seeds, almond milk and sea slat. This mixture needs to be stirred every 5 to 10 minutes. Within 20 minutes you will have a breakfast pudding that wil remoind you of tapioca, as the chia seeds plump and fill with milk. This breakfast will totally encourage your inner rawk star to shine throughout the day!
