My Top 3 Favorite Juice Cleanses

There are so many benefits to doing a juice cleanse! We take our cars for an oil change regularly, right?  I like to think of a juice cleanse as doing the same thing with my body.  Every now and then, we NEED to clean everything out.  A juice cleanse isn’t just for fast food addicts, it's for everyone.  We typically eat 3 meals a day with about 3 snacks.  It takes our bodies 18 hours to digest just one meal, which means that our digestive systems are working 24/7.  When you do a juice cleanse, you are giving your digestive system a much needed break! Typically, a juice cleanse is when you drink 6 fresh fruit and vegetable juices throughout the day.  I recommend that each juice is about 12-16 ounces, depending on the person.  A few of the benefits are: increased energy, regulated colon, repaired liver, better sleep, radiant complextion and hair, mental clarity, elimination of toxins, and weight loss.. just to name a few! 

Juicing can get expensive so purchase produce yourself and make your own.  Fresh juice is going to be the least expensive way to go about doing a juice cleanse.  However, we don't always have time for that.  I have tried a few different juice cleanses and these are my top 3 favorite juice cleanse that you can purchase pre-made! 

#1.  The Glow Bio Cleanse.  

I can't say enough good things about this cleanse! On the website, you will read that Kimberly's cleanse is, "more than just a typical cleanse" which is so true!  Kimberly has everything down to a science and has carefully planned out each drink to "maximize the cleanse experience." This cleanse offers a variety of options from a one day cleanse, to a seven day cleanse, and everything in between.  You can also choose between a beginner level 1 or a master level 2 cleanse.  This cleanse starts and ends with a smoothie, which is one reason why I love this cleanse so much.  The smoothies keep you full and help push everything out of your system.  Each day you are given a total of 8 products all of which taste delicious! Glow Bio uses all organic produce in their cleanse and they send very thorough instructions which I found helpful!  The best thing about this particular cleanse is that it's easy.  You will not only feel a change in your body, but you will notice a difference too!  For more information on this cleanse or to order one for yourself, Click HERE.http://www.myglowbio.com 

#2 Nekter Juice Cleanse 

 I stumbled across this juice bar while I was out of town in Phoenix, Arizona and I loved it! It's the cutest juice bar I have ever been to and they offer some really great products.  I ordered a 5 day juice cleanse from Nekter Juice Cleanse which I liked a lot.  This cleanse provides you with 6 products a day... all juices.  The last juice is a mix of cashew milk, vanilla bean, and cinnamon, which is a nice change and something to look forward to at the end of each day.  You also get a tasty lemonade in this cleanse that is to die for!  For more information on this cleanse or to order one for yourself, Click HERE. https://www.nekterjuicebar.com

#3 Squeezed Juice Bar Cleanse 

I love going to squeezed in Albuquerque, New Mexico!  It's by far my favorite juice bar in town and they offer some really delicious recipes! There isn't anything too fancy about this cleanse like there is with the first two, but I still enjoy this cleanse a lot.  You are given 6 juices per day.  All 6 are fruit and vegetable juices.  The nice thing about this cleanse (for those who live in abq) is that you do not have to pay for shipping!  5 of the 6 juices are VERY tasty... almost too good to be true.  You will get a juice in your cleanse called super juice which in my opinion can be a little rough.  Some people love it, but it's not my cup of tea.  You can also customize your order if you don't like certain juices.  My favorite cold pressed juices from squeezed are replenish, liquid sunshine, sweet burn, fatigue fighter, green machine, and thrive! All of those juices get five stars in my book! For the address to Squeezed and for more information on their cleanse, Click HERE http://www.squeezedjuices.com

Other places to purchase juice on the go.  

These are the juices that I give the ok to.  I always try and purchase juice as organic and fresh as possible.  Be careful when buying juice because the 100% juice label doesn't mean anything.  There is a difference between a marketing label and the ingredient list.  Read the ingredients on the label and if it says concentrated.. put it back! 

The worst "juice" to buy is:

v8 

Naked Juice 

Zico 

Odwalla 

POM 

Simple Orange 

Bolthouse Farms 

Tropicana 

Ocean Spray 

Minute Maid 

Del Monte 

Welch's 

The best juice to buy: 

Fresh Juice from a local juice bar 

Whole Foods sells fresh cold press juice that they make in stores.  I have found their cold press juice to be the least expensive.  They offer a variety of juices. 

Suja Juice (Health Food Stores, Sprouts, Whole Foods)

Suja Elements (Health Food Stores, Sprouts, Whole Foods)

Trader Joe's Cold Press Juice (Trader Joe's)

Evolution (Starbucks, Health Food Stores) 

If you are new to juicing, I highly recommend starting off SLOW.  Start swapping out one meal or one snack a day with a juice.  Choose recipes that you will enjoy... if you hate vegetables, you won't be able to jump into a straight veggie juice right away.  If you are interest in purchasing a juicer, click HERE for the list of juicers I recommend.  

If you need recipes for your own juice cleanse, click HERE for a list of 50+ Juice Recipes.

 Since I started juicing, I have lost a total of 40 lbs and have never been healthier in my entire life! If you are skeptical... just give it a try! What do you have to lose? When you feel good on the inside, you look good on the outside, which is why I always say, "When you sparkle on the inside, you radiate on the outside!" 

Keep Sparkling, 

xoxo 

Ashley 

For daily tips and recipes follow me on: 

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Twitter: MissAshleyMoora

5 Smoothies for Long Luscious Hair

We all want it... that beautiful long luscious looking hair!

Did you know that damaged and corse hair can be caused by our diet?  The good news is we can reverse hair loss and damaged hair with a few delicious recipes! In fact, we can actually promote hair growth just by adding a few ingredients into our daily diet.

I typically blog about juicing, but keep in mind that these are smoothie recipes, so you will want to use a blender for these.. not a juicer!

Drink one each morning as your breakfast and you will be well on your way to healthier hair and skin.  These smoothies also promote weight loss, detoxification, disease prevention, bright eyes, increased energy, and improve over all health! #winning 

Hair Health Smoothies 

Glowing hair and skin

1 cup of spinach
1 cup of kale
1 banana
1 1/2 cups of pineapple
1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut or almond milk

Shiny Hair

2-3 cups of spinach
1 cucumber
1 avocado
1 cup of blueberries
1 banana

Long Luscious Hair

2 cups of romaine
2 cups of kale
1 cucumber
1 lemon
1/2 cup of water
1 pear

No More Split Ends 

2 cups of kale
1 cup of spinach
1 cup of blueberries
1 pear
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of ice

Minty Morning 

1/2 avocado
2 cups of kale
1 cup of spinach
1/2 granny smith apple
1/2 cup of mint leaves
1 cup of water

For all my juicers out there, you can absolutely juice these recipes if you prefer a juicer rather than a smoothie.  Keep in mind that the ingredient amounts will change and you cannot juice a banana or an avocado!

I highly encourage you to exchange your typical breakfast with one green smoothie.  Starting each day with green smoothie or juice will work wonders not only on your physical appearance but it will also start changing the way your body works on the inside.  Flushing your body out each morning with powerhouse food and greens will truly make you 'Sparkle From The Inside Out'

Have a fabulous week!
XoXo
Ashley

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

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Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

Total 3-Day Detox

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food." -Hippocrates 

Every few months it's important to take a few days and cleanse your mind and body. We all need it!  Toxins are everywhere... they are in the air we breathe, the food we eat, cleaning products we use... the list goes on and on.  Stress, anxiety, & negativity, also release toxins within our bodies.  It's impossible to live toxin-free, that is why it is so important to take the time to detox.  Every few months I like to follow these seven steps in order to detox my mind & body.  The length of my detox always varies.  It can be as short as 3 days or as long as 7.  You can make it however long you would like but if you are new to juicing I would recommend starting off slow!

Things to avoid while detoxing: 

Solid Foods 

Coffee 

Sodas 

Bottled Drinks 

Alcohol 

Gum 

Smoking 

What to Take in while Detoxing: 

Fresh Juices without pulp 

Water 

Detox Tea 

Hot Lemon Water 

Step One:  Prepare for a Juice Detox.  Try and purchase organic produce while detoxing.  It will help aid the entire process.  I typically drink 6 16oz fresh juices a day during a detox.  I make all of my juices with a Breville Juicer (Not a smoothie maker) and I store the juice in mason jars.   

Step Two: Drink lots and lots of Hot Lemon Water.  There are so many amazing benefits to drinking hot lemon water especially while detoxing! Here are Few of them: 

• Aids Digestion 
• Better than Coffee
• Clearer Skin 
• Weight loss Aid 
• Natural Diuretic 
• Balances PH levels 
• Boots Immune System 
• Helps purify and Stimulate the Liver 
• Flushes Unwanted Materials
• During a juice detox, lemon water helps dissolve mucus and toxins from our cellular tissue!!!

Step 3:  Drink two cups of Detox tea a day when detoxing.  I prefer the Yogi tea... You can purchase it at almost every grocery store.  This tea is fantastic! Perfect for when you've had too much of a good thing over the weekend.  I especially love drinking it when I'm detoxing.

 Step 4:  Take a Detox Bath.  This is personally one of my favorite steps! A friend of mind by the name of Kylie turned me onto this detox bath recipe and I ALWAYS incorporate into my detox process now. Make a relaxing playlist, light some candles, add some rose pedals and enjoy! Go all out... You deserve it!

• Set aside 40 minutes of your day for your bath (The first 20 minutes are for detoxing, the second 20 are for absorbing all of the minerals in the water) 
• 2 cups of Epsom Salt 
• 2 or more cups of Baking Soda 
• 3 pints of Hydrogen Peroxide
• 2 ounces of Ground Ginger (or Ginger Tea Bags for less of a mess) 
• Tea Tree Oil ( I recommend using a small amount of Tea Tree Oil.. it can burn if you put too much)  

Step 5:  Take a break from the internet.  This is such an important step and it's so nice to do this every once in awhile! Spend the time you're detoxing, reflecting on things you are most thankful for in life!  

Step 6:  Write down 5 positive affirmations every morning and every night.  Take this time to reflect on your life.  The things you are thankful for, the things you want to succeed in, your goals, and your ambitions.  We are surrounded by so many beautiful blessings and sometimes we get distracted by our never ending to-do lists.  It's easy to take the small things for granted so use this time reflect and most importantly take this time for yourself.  

Step 7:  Relax your mind and meditate.  Spend a little extra time over these next few days praying, and quieting your mind.  Like I said earlier, toxins do not only come from bad food and cleaning products, They also come from stress and anxiety.  Take a hot yoga class, or before bed spend some time in a peaceful room alone reflecting on your life and the things you are most thankful for! It will make all the difference in the world. 

And there you have it! All the necessary step to a successful 3-Day Detox. Hope you all enjoyed this blog!

If you need recipes for your Juice Detox, You can check out my 50+ Juicing Recipes and My Super Green Detox.  

XoXo, 

Ashley

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

Juicing on a Budget

Squeeze the Most Out of Every Dollar! 

There is a little rumor going around that juicing is outrageously expensive.  Can it be pricey? Well, yes of course it can be... but it doesn't have to be! There are ways to squeeze the most out of every dollar when it comes to purchasing produce.  

Here are my 10 tips on how to juice on budget! 

1. Purchase produce that has a high water content. Fruits and Vegetables that have a high water content tend to produce a lot more juice.  This weekend I juiced 1 medium sized watermelon and it made 6 16oz jars of juice.  Some other items that juice well are cucumbers, celery, apples, pears, and lemons. 
2. Cut back on the berries.  They don't produce a lot of juice and they are expensive.
3. Purchase your produce at a farmers market.  You can also save money by buying in bulk at places like Sam's Club or Costco.  They are now starting to offer organic produce. 
4. Buy produce that is in season. Produce that is in season typically costs less and is usually on sale.
5. Purchase a mint leaf plant (I got mine at Walmart)  I use a lot of mint leaves in my juices and the containers at the store can be pricey.  
6. Plan ahead.  It's easy to get excited when you go the grocery store but if you make a list ahead of time and stick to it, you can cut down the cost of your grocery bill.   
7. Grow Your Own Garden. I by no means have a green thumb but you can save a lot of money growing your own produce.
8. If your produce is about to go bad, juice it and then throw it in the freezer.  You can preserve the juice for a few weeks in the freezer without it going bad. 
9. Keep your produce in the refrigerator, it will help preserve the life of your produce. 
10. Stretch Juice out with sparkling water, coconut water, or ice cubes! It's very tasty and if you like carbonated drinks like diet coke, sparkling water is a great substitution.

 Low Budget Recipes  

 Recipes with minimal ingredients are typically less expenisive.  If you are a new juicer, these might not be the greatest juices to start off with because they are not as tasty as the recipes with a bunch of fruit. Check out my 50+ juicing recipes post for more creative ideas! 

Juice for $1.35 per Glass 

1 Beet, 3 apples, 1 lemon 

Juice for $1.65 per Glass 

15 carrots 

8 Celery Stalks 

2 Apples 

Juice for 1.45 per Glass 

2 1/2 Cups of Kale 

3 Apples 

1 Lemon 

Juice for $1.30 per Glass 

10 Carrots 

2 Apples 

Inch of Ginger Root 

Juice for $1.30 per Glass

1 Beet 

1/4 Watermelon 

Juice for $1.25 per Glass 

2 1/2 cups of Spinach 

3 Apples 

1 Lemon  

*** A Few Things to Keep in Mind***

We invest a lot of our time, money, and energy into things like clothes, shoes, an apartment, maybe a house, a car.... the list goes on and on.  The majority of the time our health is something we put on the back burner because we get so caught up in life.  When you start juicing, consider it an investment for your own health.  Just like with clothes, usually the more expensive the shirt, the better quality it is.  Food works the same way and it is SO important to always remember "benefits over cost" and I truly believe that juicing is one of the best ways to maintaining a healthy lifestyle! 


If you enjoyed this blog you might want to take a little look at "How To Get The Most Out Of Juicing" which will also help with juicing costs and my "50+ Juicing Recipes" blogs. 

Much love, 

Ashley 

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

Super Green Juice Detox

Super Green Juice Detox 

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted a blog in awhile... I have been out of town for several days! With that being said, I am in need of doing a major detox (One too many "cheat" meals in Texas)  and I thought I would share my three day detox with you all.  It's all natural, all fresh juice, and ALL GREEN.  

When doing a detox I like to drink a 15oz juice every two hours.  In between drinking fresh homemade juices I'll either drink water, detox water, or green tea, all of which help with detoxing process. 

Also, just a little tip that will rock your juicing world... add Chia seeds, sparkling water, or coconut water to just about any juice recipe for an extra little kick and it will change the juicing game for you!

Time to get Green in 2014 ;)  

Juice #1 

• Pineapple 
• Celery 
• Ginger 
• Cucumber 
• Green Apple 

 Juice #2

• Cucumber 
• Celery 
• Kale Leaves 
• Lemon 
• Granny Smith Apples
• Ginger 

Juice #3

•   Granny Smith Apples
• Cucumber 
• Celery 
• Mint 
• Kale 
• Spinach 
• Bok Choy 

Juice #4

•  Cucumber 
• Celery 
• Pears 
• Limes 
• Mint 
• Kale 

Juice #5

• Granny Smith Apples 
• Kale 
• Celery 
• Cucumber 
• Parsley 
• Spinach 

Juice #6

• Cucumber 
• Green Apple 
• Kale 
• Spinach 
• Lemon 
• Ginger 
• Cayenne

Juice #7

• Cucumber 
• Apple 
• Kale 
• Celery 
• Lemon 
• Parsley

Juice #8

•  Green Apples 
• Mint 
• Lemon 
• Orange 

• Cucumber 

DETOX WATER RECIPES 

  #1 Water, Lemon, Aloe Vera Juice 

#2 Lemon, Cucumber, Mint 

#3 Strawberries, Cinnamon, Lime 

#4 Juiced Ginger and Lemon mixed with water 

#5 Raspberries, lemon 

#6 Blackberries, Blueberries, Lemon 

 Excluding #4 the way to make all of these detox waters is to slice up the fruit, and add it to a pitcher, mason jars, or any type of container full of water.  Let the fruit infuse over night and then the next day you have yourself some delicious detox water! 

Some of you may be wondering, "Whats so special about emerald colored juices anyways?"

-If you hate vegetables like myself, it's a whole lot easier to down a class of veggies masked by the taste of delicious fruit.  Sometimes one apple is sweet enough to make all those veggies taste great!

-You would never sit down and eat a full plate of cucumber, celery, apples, lemons, spinach, and kale.  Drinking a juice not only saves you time but it also saves some space in your belly.

-We need the detoxification.  That's pretty self explanatory. 

-Our digestive system needs a break every now and then! 

I always say... If I can do it, you can do it :)

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

I hope you all have a very, very blessed Sunday! If you are thinking about joining me on this three day green juice detox, let me know! I would love to hear from other people while I myself am doing a detox! 

XoXO

-Ashley

 

Quick and Painless Juicing

 

It's no secret that the WORST part of juicing is the clean up.  Juicing can be extremely time consuming and tedious but don't let that prevent you from juicing all together.  Here are some tips to make juicing quick and painless.  

Here is a list of things you will need. 

1. A Juicer 
2. Fruit and Veggies
3. Paper Towels 
4. All-Purpose Cleaner 
5. A GOOD knife.  (if you don't have one.. invest. It will make your life a lot easier) 
6. A Beach Towel 
7. A trash can/bag 
8. Grocery Bags 
9. A Big Bowl 
10. A Cutting Board 

Tip #1  ALWAYS, always, always, ALWAYS clean your juicer immediately after juicing.  If you leave pulp in your juicer all day it will dry up, making it nearly impossible to clean out. 

Tip #2  Take REALLY good care of the strainer.  That's the most important part of your juicer.  If your juicer did not come with a scrubbing brush I recommend going out and purchasing one (probably the one that has a soap dispenser) It is very important that no pulp is left on the strainer after making fresh juice.

Tip #3  Use warm water when cleaning your juicer out... it will simply make your life a lot easier.

Tip #4   Clean as you go... Juicing can get messy.  I find  it a lot easier to clean up a few small messes rather than one large one.  

Tip #5  Clean your juicer piece by piece.  I usually take off the smallest piece first, rinse that, and then go on to the next piece.  Before you know it, you'll this down to a science!

Here's run down of my juicing process....

I always assemble my juicer first. I use my left over grocery bags as "trash bag" for the pulp.

  After I've done that I lay a beach towel down on the floor because juicing gets messy no matter how careful I try and be (Juice spilling, fruit falling etc.)  Then I place a Trader Joe's paper bag to the left of where I'll be standing so I can throw all the peels that I cut off into the trash bag immediately.  If you have a trash can that is easy to move around you can also use that. 

 

 Once I have all of that done I like to get out the fruits and veggies I'll be using.  I also get out my cutting board, knife, bowl, and the mason jars I store my juice in.  I then clean all my produce and start cutting everything up....

As I clean and cut everything up, I throw the ready-to-go stuff in a bowl.  I find it easier to grab out of a bowl rather than trying to reach all over the counter. 

I throw all of my peels in the trash right away so I don't have a million things all over the counter. 

 Then I just start grabbin' from my bowl and start juicin' away...

Once I have all my juice made I start rinsing off my juicer piece by piece with warm water.  I then toss the pulp out (if I'm not re-using it)  

 Once I have my juicer cleaned I then wipe off my counter tops ASAP.  You never want to skip this step or else you will be left with some sticky counter tops.  After that, I usually shake out my beach towel and then toss it in the washing machine.  

I know the clean up seems like such a long process but you will develop a routine over time, I promise! And the results you'll get from juicing will be so worth it :) 

P.S.  Summer is right around the corner!!! 

Have a very blessed week and happy juicing!!! 

XoXo

Ashley

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

P.S.S. I never thought I would feel comfortable walking around with stomach showing... Like ever.  If I can do it... You can do it! 

15 Ways to Use the Leftover Pulp from your Juicer!

If you are anything like me, one of the not so great parts about juicing is feeling like you waste so much. (and after spending a fortune on fresh produce this thought can be very aggravating... I know) Well, here are a few ways you can use all of the pulp from your juicer!

1.  Freeze it and save it for later use! It may lose some of the nutrient value by sticking it in the freezer however, you will still have a significant amount of fiber left in pulp!  (Place fruit and Veggie pulp in separate containers)

2.  Fruit pulp can be used to add a little kick to your smoothies, muffins, bread, cookies, bread, granola bars, pie or cobblers. You can blend it up or cook it! 

3.  Meat Loaf:  Add some fresh vegetable pulp to your meat loaf to make for a healthier and more delicious meal! (Use ground turkey to make it even more healthy)

4.  Omelets:  Add some veggies to your eggs with fresh vegetable pulp... so good!

5.  Soups:  Try making a vegetable soup with fresh juice and add some pulp for flavor and texture

6.  Lasagna:  There are some REALLY good spaghetti squash recipes out there, add some fresh veggie pulp for even more flavor with a healthy lasagna!

7.  Put it back into your garden:  If you have a garden you can use pulp as fertilizer or maybe you don't want to cook with the extra pulp,  just throw it anywhere in your backyard and let the earth do it's thing with it.  Might as well not waste it!

8.  Bulk your burgers up with some vegetable pulp.  

9.  For those with young kids:  You can sneak some of pulp into some everyday food.  For example, take some traditional Mac&Cheese and add some spinach, tomato, or kale pulp into their food and BAM, kids are gettin' more veggies! 

10.  DIY Salad Dressings:  With some fresh pulp, a little olive oil, and some vinegar you have your own homemade (and healthy) dressing! 

11.  Hummus:  Ok, I have had an obsession with hummus lately.  I just recently made my own and added in some fresh vegetable pulp and it was SO GOOD! A must try!

12.  "Tea":  Add some fruit pulp to some hot water, add a pinch of cinnamon, let it set and then run thru a strainer.  

13.  Pancakes:  Add some flavor and moister to some oatmeal pancakes! 

14.  You can use leftover pulp to make some homemade scrubs and face masks. 

15.  You can dehydrate the pulp and make crackers with it. 

This weekend I made muffins with my leftover pulp.  Here is the recipe for 

Orange Nut Muffins 

2 cups of gluten free flour 

3 tablespoons of honey 

3 teaspoons of baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon of salt 

1 cup of fresh juiced orange juice 

3 tablespoons of coconut oil 

3 tablespoons of orange pulp 

2 egg whites 

1/4 cup of chopped nuts (pecan, macadamia, or walnuts) 

 Preheat oven to 400.  Mix everything together and then bake for 15-18 minutes at 400! 

Peel Oranges 

Juice Oranges 

Save the pulp 

Put your gluten free flour in a bowl 

Add Honey 

 Add baking soda

 Add  Fresh OJ

 Then your coconut oil

 Two egg whites

 I crack my egg whites in a separate bowl 

 Add em' in

 Chop up whatever nuts you decided to use and add them in!

 Stir Everything together until there are little to no clumps

Bake for 15-18 minutes on 400 and then these babies are done! 

I also made some "Carrot Cake" muffins with fresh pulp that were TO DIE FOR! 

Carrot Cake Muffins 

3 cups of gluten free flour 

1 tablespoon of baking soda 

3 1/2 cups of carrot pulp 

1 cup of pineapple pulp 

1 cup of honey 

4 tablespoons of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of nutmeg 

6 egg whites 

1 cup of coconut oil 

1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts 

preheat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients together.  Bake for 45 minutes!

Enjoy!!!


Xoxo
-Ashley

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora