Tag: Beverage

Healthy Body, Healthy Family

Jugo Verde: Mexican Green Juice

manton

 

 

My sister and I recently went to the City of Oaxaca, and it is always affirming for me to go to Mexico, but Oaxaca is just pure magic. Everything is so beautiful there — the textiles, the architecture, the pride of place, the colors, and of course, the food. We ate magnificently well there, from the 4 star Casa Oaxaca to the unpretentious La Florecita at El Mercado de la Merced. (Have you had squash blossom quesadillas? Amazing!)

We took a fabulous cooking class from La Maestra Reyna Mendoza in Teotitlan Del Valle. We learned how to make Mole Rojo in a beautiful outdoor kitchen. We grinded the chiles and spices on a metate! And then we got to eat everything!  

Everything we did was fantastic — one of the best vacations I have ever taken.  Being with my sister is such a joyful experience! I feel so blessed to be able play and work with her. It’s so much fun to eat with her because she can tell you what’s in the food while you’re eating it, just by taste. Let us not forget that she is La Madrina en La Cocina! She has developed and tested each and every one of our recipes! With the help of the fabulous Malena Perdomo, a certified nutritionist and diabetes educator, we bring you the healthiest food that our test kitchens have to offer.  

This edición is about making small but important healthy changes. We’re with you on your journey to a healthier life. We all know that eating more veggies and fruit are the cornerstone of healthy eating. We are constantly adding more delicious ways to add more plant-based foods to our day.

At De Las Mías, we recommend 3 cups of veggies and 2 fruits every day but the new USDA Dietary Guidelines are recommending that we go above and beyond.  There is no harm in eating more vegetables!

But how do we do that? One way to add more healthy fruits and veggies to your day is to add them to breakfast. Add a bell pepper and some spinach to your huevos, and some berries to your avena! OR….Have yourself a Jugo Verde!

 

 

On our last day in Oaxaca, as we were walking down Hidalgo Street, I was snagged by a beautiful display of bicicletas, in all colors, adorned with handmade wooden baskets at the lovely hotel, Casa de la Sierra Azul. We walked into the courtyard and heard the angels sing! We couldn’t resist the inviting patio restaurant and promptly sat down to peruse the menu and order breakfast.

The Jugo Verde caught my eye and I ordered it. It was the most refreshing and delicious juice I had ever tasted. Lori and I were trying to figure out what it had in it. It was psychedelic green! Not the green goop that you sometimes get from Odwalla in the States, but the most beautiful, vibrant green I’ve ever seen!

We knew it had spinach in it, and I could taste the pineapple but we couldn’t figure out the rest. We asked the waiter and he said it had fresh nopales and yerba santa.  

We struck up a conversation with the waiter and we told him about De Las Mías. He went on to tell us all about the magical properties of Jugo Verde, a time-honored Mexican tradition that promises to bring you good health, happiness, and beautiful skin.  

We vowed to get back to the states, do some additional research and start testing out some Jugos Verdes of our own.

We haven’t tried Jugo Verde with nopales, yet, and yerba santa is not that easy to find in Portland or Santa Fe, but here are 3 Jugos Verdes that I have been indulging in and I feel better already!

Starting off my day with a refreshing Jugo Verde just feels right! It sets the intention for your day, como dicen las del New Age. To feel more grounded I follow it with a strong cup of coffee and avocado toast. Add a handful of almonds for protein, ¡y párale de contar! You’re set!

Jugo Verde is a great way to include veggies and fruits with breakfast. These jugos are simple, don’t require any special equipment except a run-of-the-mill blender, and are packed with at least 2 servings of veggies and one serving of fruit! And that is just to get you going in the morning!  

I also find that Jugo Verde is very energizing for the mid-afternoon slump when all I want to do is plop down to watch depressing news! So slam down some Jugo Verde, put on your tenis, and take your dog for a walk instead! SOOO much better for you than more screen time!

Try these Mexican green juices!

 

 

La Diosa Verde.

This one is my favorite. I feel righteous and strong after this one!

  • A handful of fresh spinach
  • 4 2-inch chunks of fresh pineapple
  • ½ a peeled cucumber
  • ½ a peeled apple
  • 1 cup of water
  • One or two squeezes of fresh lime
  • 1 teaspoon jalapeño juice
  • Ice cubes if you like ice in your jugo

Blend it on high until it turns into juice.  (Optional: Since I like sweet, I even add a ½ teaspoon of Stevia, but that’s just me.)

 

Amor al Kiwi.

If you like kiwi, you will love this Jugo Verde.

  • One peeled and ripe kiwi
  • A handful of spinach
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 1 cup of water
  • Ice cubes if you like ice in your jugo

Blend it until it turns into juice. (You can sprinkle Tajín on top for added punch!)

 

Sana Sana, Jugo de Manzana.

I choose a super sweet apple for this one.  Have you tried Opal Apples? They are so sweet and delicious. Pink Lady is another sweetheart.

  • 1 cored and peeled apple
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • 1 cup of water
  • A handful of spinach
  • Ice cubes if you like ice in your jugo.

¡Andale!  

 

A few notes on making Jugos Verdes in the blender: Basically, you can blend anything you like in your blender, so go nuts. You’ll need veggies, fruits and water for jugos. More on licuados and smoothies here. I sometimes add a bit of unsweetened juice, although water is really best. I also add a dash of salt, pepper, lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeño juice, or Tajín. You could even blend up a serrano in there if you dare! Just do what tastes good to you and makes you feel like the Righteous Green Goddess that you are!

I have recommended this little book to you before and I will do it here again: The Blender Girl by Tess Masters. I like her non-pretentious approach to eating more vegan meals and we could all stand to eat less meat and more veggies, fruits and plants of all kinds. Your body and Mother Earth will thank you.

Try these and let me know what you think! Keep it simple and delicious! Do you have a favorite Jugo Verde? Share your favorite with us and we’ll choose a few to feature on our Instagram feed!

 

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Mexican Food

Jugo Verde: Mexican Green Juice

shared

    My sister and I recently went to the City of Oaxaca, and it is always affirming for me to go to Mexico, but Oaxaca is just pure magic. Everything is so beautiful there — the textiles, the architecture, the pride of place, the colors, and of course, the food. We ate magnificently well there, from the 4 star Casa Oaxaca to the unpretentious La Florecita at El Mercado de la Merced. (Have you had squash blossom quesadillas? Amazing!) We took a fabulous cooking class from La Maestra Reyna Mendoza in Teotitlan Del Valle. We learned how to make Mole Rojo in a beautiful outdoor kitchen. We grinded the chiles and spices on a metate! And then we got to eat everything!   Everything we did was fantastic — one of the best vacations I have ever taken.  Being with my sister is such a joyful experience! I feel so blessed to be able play and work with her. It’s so much fun to eat with her because she can tell you what’s in the food while you’re eating it, just by taste. Let us not forget that she is La Madrina en La Cocina! She has developed and tested each and every one of our recipes! With the help of the fabulous Malena Perdomo, a certified nutritionist and diabetes educator, we bring you the healthiest food that our test kitchens have to offer.   This edición is about making small but important healthy changes. We’re with you on your journey to a healthier life. We all know that eating more veggies and fruit are the cornerstone of healthy eating. We are constantly adding more delicious ways to add more plant-based foods to our day. At De Las Mías, we recommend 3 cups of veggies and 2 fruits every day but the new USDA Dietary Guidelines are recommending that we go above and beyond.  There is no harm in eating more vegetables! But how do we do that? One way to add more healthy fruits and veggies to your day is to add them to breakfast. Add a bell pepper and some spinach to your huevos, and some berries to your avena! OR….Have yourself a Jugo Verde!     On our last day in Oaxaca, as we were walking down Hidalgo Street, I was snagged by a beautiful display of bicicletas, in all colors, adorned with handmade wooden baskets at the lovely hotel, Casa de la Sierra Azul. We walked into the courtyard and heard the angels sing! We couldn’t resist the inviting patio restaurant and promptly sat down to peruse the menu and order breakfast. The Jugo Verde caught my eye and I ordered it. It was the most refreshing and delicious juice I had ever tasted. Lori and I were trying to figure out what it had in it. It was psychedelic green! Not the green goop that you sometimes get from Odwalla in the States, but the most beautiful, vibrant green I’ve ever seen! We knew it had spinach in it, and I could taste the pineapple but we couldn’t figure out the rest. We asked the waiter and he said it had fresh nopales and yerba santa.   We struck up a conversation with the waiter and we told him about De Las Mías. He went on to tell us all about the magical properties of Jugo Verde, a time-honored Mexican tradition that promises to bring you good health, happiness, and beautiful skin.   We vowed to get back to the states, do some additional research and start testing out some Jugos Verdes of our own. We haven’t tried Jugo Verde with nopales, yet, and yerba santa is not that easy to find in Portland or Santa Fe, but here are 3 Jugos Verdes that I have been indulging in and I feel better already! Starting off my day with a refreshing Jugo Verde just feels right! It sets the intention for your day, como dicen las del New Age. To feel more grounded I follow it with a strong cup of coffee and avocado toast. Add a handful of almonds for protein, ¡y párale de contar! You’re set! Jugo Verde is a great way to include veggies and fruits with breakfast. These jugos are simple, don’t require any special equipment except a run-of-the-mill blender, and are packed with at least 2 servings of veggies and one serving of fruit! And that is just to get you going in the morning!   I also find that Jugo Verde is very energizing for the mid-afternoon slump when all I want to do is plop down to watch depressing news! So slam down some Jugo Verde, put on your tenis, and take your dog for a walk instead! SOOO much better for you than more screen time! Try these Mexican green juices!  

 

 

La Diosa Verde.

This one is my favorite. I feel righteous and strong after this one!

  • A handful of fresh spinach
  • 4 2-inch chunks of fresh pineapple
  • ½ a peeled cucumber
  • ½ a peeled apple
  • 1 cup of water
  • One or two squeezes of fresh lime
  • 1 teaspoon jalapeño juice
  • Ice cubes if you like ice in your jugo

Blend it on high until it turns into juice.  (Optional: Since I like sweet, I even add a ½ teaspoon of Stevia, but that’s just me.)  

Amor al Kiwi.

If you like kiwi, you will love this Jugo Verde.

  • One peeled and ripe kiwi
  • A handful of spinach
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 1 cup of water
  • Ice cubes if you like ice in your jugo

Blend it until it turns into juice. (You can sprinkle Tajín on top for added punch!)  

Sana Sana, Jugo de Manzana.

I choose a super sweet apple for this one.  Have you tried Opal Apples? They are so sweet and delicious. Pink Lady is another sweetheart.

  • 1 cored and peeled apple
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • 1 cup of water
  • A handful of spinach
  • Ice cubes if you like ice in your jugo.

¡Andale!     A few notes on making Jugos Verdes in the blender: Basically, you can blend anything you like in your blender, so go nuts. You’ll need veggies, fruits and water for jugos. More on licuados and smoothies here. I sometimes add a bit of unsweetened juice, although water is really best. I also add a dash of salt, pepper, lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeño juice, or Tajín. You could even blend up a serrano in there if you dare! Just do what tastes good to you and makes you feel like the Righteous Green Goddess that you are! I have recommended this little book to you before and I will do it here again: The Blender Girl by Tess Masters. I like her non-pretentious approach to eating more vegan meals and we could all stand to eat less meat and more veggies, fruits and plants of all kinds. Your body and Mother Earth will thank you. Try these and let me know what you think! Keep it simple and delicious! Do you have a favorite Jugo Verde? Share your favorite with us and we’ll choose a few to feature on our Instagram feed!  

Healthy Mexican Food

Tropical Infusion Smoothie

manton

This Tropical Infusion Smoothie is a delicious treat, and a great way to get your fruit in for the day. At De Las Mías, we love our licuados and batidos! Smoothies have a long-standing tradition for Super Mujeres on-the-go all over Mexico and Latin America and now they are gaining ground in the USA.  And why not?  What could be more delicious, healthy and quick than loading up your blender with fruits and veggies, watch it whirl, and enjoy?  No need for fancy equipment here!  This colorful Infusion will take you to the tropics!  What’s there not to like about mangoes, pineapple, papaya and strawberries?  This one calls for coconut water, but you can just add water, or a little bit of juice, or even yogurt!  Whatever combo works for you works!

My own preference is to blend the heck out of it with ice on a hot summer day.  I even infuse it with a shot of jalapeño juice, because, for me, everything goes better with chilito!

Our mera mera nutritionist Malena recommends that you pair it with protein.  So how about a piece of whole grain toast with avocado to go with it?  Or a handful of cashews or almonds to give it a protein punch?

 

 

Healthy Mexican Food

Tropical Infusion Smoothie

shared

This Tropical Infusion Smoothie is a delicious treat, and a great way to get your fruit in for the day. At De Las Mías, we love our licuados and batidos! Smoothies have a long-standing tradition for Super Mujeres on-the-go all over Mexico and Latin America and now they are gaining ground in the USA.  And why not?  What could be more delicious, healthy and quick than loading up your blender with fruits and veggies, watch it whirl, and enjoy?  No need for fancy equipment here!  This colorful Infusion will take you to the tropics!  What’s there not to like about mangoes, pineapple, papaya and strawberries?  This one calls for coconut water, but you can just add water, or a little bit of juice, or even yogurt!  Whatever combo works for you works!

My own preference is to blend the heck out of it with ice on a hot summer day.  I even infuse it with a shot of jalapeño juice, because, for me, everything goes better with chilito!

Our mera mera nutritionist Malena recommends that you pair it with protein.  So how about a piece of whole grain toast with avocado to go with it?  Or a handful of cashews or almonds to give it a protein punch?

 

 

Healthy Mexican Food

Agua Fresca de Cucumber

manton

When I think of Agua Fresca I think of Mexican markets on hot days, of walking in from the street to a cool Mercado to find a fruit stand with rows of enormous glass jars filled with bright-colored refrescos – white for horchata – dark rich brown for Tamarindo – purple for Jamaica… and then there are the aguas made with fresh fruits and veggies, with less sugar but every bit as “quenchy” and delicious.

Here is a healthy recipe for Agua Fresca de Cucumber.

Agua Fresca de Cucumber is a refreshing way to get some veggies into your day and stay hydrated. Most of us don’t drink enough water every day.  If one of your healthy habit goals is to drink more water, this is a great way of doing it.  The added benefits to this agua de pepino is the pepino!  Cucumber is rich in vitamins C, K, and B, and also according to WebMD, rich in minerals like copper, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. It’s hard to drink the 6 glasses of water a day and pepino is 95% water!  This one has celery which adds even more vitamins and minerals, and lest we neglect our chilito, this one also has jalapeño!

This recipe for agua fresca does not call for straining the drink, but some agua fresca aficionados like to strain their aguas.  You can strain or not strain.  Up to you. We like to blend it and not strain it because the pulp contains fiber. But if you like your aguas to be more like the a traditional agua fresca that you would get in a Mexican market, strain away!

We encourage you to get creative and use other fruits such as watermelon and melon to make aguas.  You can add a little sugar or stevia if you like them sweet. Make ahead, strain and leave in the refri for later.

Happy Healthy Drinking – ¡Salud!

Healthy Mexican Food

Avocado Mojito Smoothie

manton

Avocado Mojito Smoothie

This seemingly random combination of ingredients actually works to make a delicious and nutritious pick-me-up! If you like melon and you like avocado, you will love this licuado.  The coconut water, lime juice and mint give it a mojito vibe. This smoothie is a great way to get your healthy fat in from the avocado, as well as boosting your new habit of having more fruits and veggies every day.

Treat it as a satisfying elixir after-work or after-work-out!

We love this avocado smoothie because it’s great for breakfast too!  You can also turn it into a mid-day  meal by pairing it with protein.  It goes  nicely with a tuna salad, or tuna tacos, or you can keep it simple by making yourself a fresh ensaladilla with lettuce, tomato, and purple onion, dressed with a light olive oil vinaigrette.  With the olive oil and the avocado you’ve got your healthy fats covered.  And with a crisp, fresh salad with a little protein you are well on your way to treating your body right, Comadres!

Getting into the habit of adding healthy smoothies like this to your day will make it that much easier to live a healthier and satisfying life. Look for other De Las Mías smoothies and licuados in our La Cocina section and enjoy!

¡Andale!  You deserve to take care of yourself!

¡Buen Provecho!