Jillian Michael's Detox Drink

I am sure we have all seen this image floating around on Pinterest, Facebook, and other social media.

Well we both decided to give it a try.

Directions seem simple enough.

Worth a shot right?

I have read in other areas that you eat whatever you normally would 

while doing this so we are going to do just that.

Calls for 60 oz of water (Distilled or pure?)

Well we are not buying bottled water, we have spring water from our well so it will have to do.

a Tbsp of "sugar free" cranberry juice

Since Cranberry juice can't truly be sugar free I got Just Cranberry Juice.

It is like $7 at Publix. Most Cranberry juices you get in grocery stores are not true cranberry juice, they are mixed with apple and grape juices. Read the ingredients to know what you are getting.

1 Dandelion root tea bag

and 2 Tbsp lemon juice

I have found that 1 lemon = about 2 Tbsp lemon juice. 

For the 60 oz of water I just used an old juice bottle that held 60 oz of juice and filled with tap water.

I took about a cup out to heat up for the tea bag, letting it seep for about 5 mins before returning it to the big bottle.

Everything mixed together. 

It taste very bitter to me, but still tolerable. 

Rachel said it taste like lemon water.

We will see how it works!

In 7 Days we will give you our results!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Credit: Spongebob Squarepants)

Well it's a week later and we have to say we are not completely satisfied.

Rachel (who was on her period) did feel less bloated, but it didn't show. She lost about 2 lbs in actual weight.

I didn't loose anything. I didn't like the taste, and began hating it more and more everyday.

The ingredients were kind of expensive.

One good thing did come from this, Rachel found that she really likes Dandelion Root tea.

And the tea can help lower blood pressure! So Yay for me too.

If you have extra money and bloating is a severe enough problem for you, then Rachel would recommend it.

I on the other hand wouldn't.

Asian Ginger Flounder and Stir-Fried Veggies

We have been wanting to do a fish recipe for quite awhile now, but we wanted to do it with fresh fish from one of my Dad's fishing trips. Sadly he hasn't had much luck lately. So we went ahead and bought some from the store. The original recipe we found in a Woman's Day Magazine, you can find it HERE.

The original recipe called for Salmon, we can't really afford it at the moment so we went for one of our favorites in our price range, Flounder.

For this recipe you will need:

1 1/4 lb Flounder or Tilapia 

3 tbsp Hoisin sauce 

(If you don't have it, or can't find it HERE is a link to a great recipe for it)

1 tbsp Agave Nectar or Honey

1 tbsp and 2 tsp fresh grated Ginger

2 tsp vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic

1 Onion

1 lb baby bok choy 

2 large carrots

small bunch green onions (for garnish)

When we started to place our fish into a broil safe cooking dish we noticed there were some bones still in the fish. the bones were in the middle of the fillet so we carefully cut it out. 

Next you mix up 1 tbsp ginger, hoisin sauce, agave nectar, and 1 clove garlic together and set aside.

Using half of the sauce mixture coat the fillets and place in your oven set to broil.

Cook 7-9 minutes, fish should flake with a fork when done.

While the fish is cooking chop up your vegetables. We used a peeler on the carrots like our crispy Carrot Fries from a previous post.

Over medium heat add your vegetable oil to heat up and stir in the remainder of your garlic and ginger until it is super fragrant (should only take 30 seconds) 

Stir-fry your vegetables until they are to your liking.

Add the remaining sauce to the veggies

Fish should be done by now, because of the sauce the color didn't really change.

It did flake with a fork though!

The finished result!

You can serve this over noodles or rice, 

however it is wonderful on it's own if you are cutting out simple carbs.

I really liked this recipe, it was different and sweet.

I think I will add more bok choy next time though.

Rachel thought is was wonderful, but was expecting the fish to absorb more of the sauce's flavor. And would defiantly add more more bok choy next time as well.

This weeks kitty is Sate again!

My wonderful husband planted some cat grass in an old broken toilet for our cats.

The kitties love it, as you can see Sate is going to town on it!

Healthy Vegan Shamrock Shake

It's that time of year, almost St. Patty's Day where I would have run to McDonald's at the drop of a hat just to get a Shamrock Shake.

The only thing I would get there (not a huge burger fan).

Alas I gave up fast food.

Now this recipe Rachel has the credit of finding, HERE is the original recipe.

We of course twiked it to our liking.

This is a healthy Vegan Shamrock shake! How exciting is this?

Here is the list of ingredients you need:

1 1/2 cup Almond milk

1 ripe frozen banana

2 handfuls spinach

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

2 pitted dates

1 heaping tablespoon of the highest % cocoa chocolate you can handle

(not pictured) 1 tablespoon of Agave Nectar 

The original recipe called for Cacao Nibs, we couldn't find any at our local store and didn't have to go out of town to the health food store to get some. So we found some 90% cocoa chocolate bar and grated it. 

*WARNING* If you are making your lunch in the oven at the same time do not set your chocolate bar on the stove top! It will melt as you can see.

Add in all ingredients, but the chocolate, to your blender.

pulse until all the spinach is pureed.

and last add in the chocolate and pulse just enough to have it evenly distributed throughout the shake.

The result is a shake that taste EXACTLY like a McDonald's Shamrock shake.

Oh my goodness it is just heaven, you can not taste the spinach that gives it the traditional green color.

It is just so awesome, I can't rave about this enough.

Rachel said it tasted just like Mcdonald's shake, but with all natural ingredients.

She would make it again Any day.

Back in 2011 Rachel made one of our cats into an LOLcat.

Her name is Salina and she doesn't really want your blood =^_^=

French Onion Bread Soup

This week we found a recipe from a blog you can see here.

French onion soup, one of my favorites. If it is on the menu when I go out to eat, it is the one I get!

This is French Onion Bread Soup. So more bread than soup really, but still good

If the kitchen we are working in this week seems different, it's because it is!

We are working in Rachel's new kitchen this week!

Here is the ingredients you will need:

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 lbs onions

1 clove garlic (we used more like 4 tbsp minced)

1 teaspoon dried thyme (we used 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups beef broth

1/2 a baguette (we used some much cheaper Puerto Rican bread)

2 cups shredded gruyere or monterey jack cheese

(We used Monterey Jack)

Rule number 1 when cooking with wine, do not drink it all!

Just have a taste!

Start off by chopping all those onions.

Rachel said if we keep water running next to where we were chopping the onions 

wouldn't affect our eyes so much.

She didn't seem to have a problem, but my eyes were not happy!

After chopping the onions it came out to about 9 1/2 cups of onions 

In a soup pot add the oil and seasonings.

And the onions on top and saute on med-hi heat. 

Next we peeled the cheese...

We couldn't find the cheese grater, must have gotten lost in the move.

If you have a cheese grater use it, if not, work with what you have!

It is a mountain of peeled cheese!

after about 30 mins of sauteing the onions they should be caramelized.

add in the wine and put the rest away. Far, far away.

Cook with wine for 3 mins.

Rachel loved the smell

Nest stir in the broth, reduce heat to low and let simmer.

Now cut into cubes you choice of hard bread. Use half the loaf.

In oven safe bowl put in a small layer of bread cubes and cheese and add 1/4 of the onion mixture to each bowl.

Then top with remaining bread cubes and cheese.

Preheat oven to 450.

Once preheated place on baking sheet and bake until everything is golden and bubbly.

About 10 mins.

Finished product!

It tasted great, I think it needed more broth. Way too much bread too, but it was in the title of the food. Bread soup, I should have expected lots of bread.

Rachel liked the top layer, but the closer she got to the bottom she didn't like it as much.

Now Rachel's future Mother-in-Law Linda loved it!

She said it tasted like a savory bread pudding.

I think I will stick to normal French Onion soup, without so much bread.

As I sat here doing today's post, Thorin decided to perch himself on my shoulder.

Sometimes I wish he were a kitten again, his 10 lb body hurts me when he sits there for longer than 15 mins.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Wow, I am 2 weeks late with these posts o_O

But life happens right? Or laziness... laziness happens too.

Sorry for the 2 weeks of nothing!

This week we made this absolutely amazing mousse we saw on Facebook.

I do not know who came up with the recipe, nor can I find the original post.

Rachel and I saw it and we decided to give it a try.

You will need:

(For 2 servings)

1 ripe avocado (pitted and peeled) 

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

We tippled the recipe to make sure there was enough for everyone to try.

All you do is add everything to your food processor...

No kidding, that is all you do!

Pulse the processor until you get a nice and smooth consistency.

You may need to use a rubber spatula to push down any stray avocado pieces.

Creamy looking isn't it?

Here is the end result!

A very sinfully delicious and surprisingly healthy dessert. 

The consistency to me is much more like pudding than mousse. 

It is great on it's own, but I loved it with some frozen strawberries cut up in it.

Rachel said it taste just like gourmet pudding, she loved it (this is a understatement) and we will both be making it again.

Doing a throwback this week! 

You all know Thorin and Sate from past posts, well this is a picture I took the first week we had Thorin. 

Squeeee!!!! Isn't he cute?

Sate was so patient with him, he puts up with a lot of kitten play still.

 Thank you for reading!