reFRESHing Homemade Lemonades

It's Thursday... and I'm thirsty!! 

There is nothing more refreshing than a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer day.  The problem is,  most lemonade is anything but FRESH.   Most pre-made lemonades are filled with preservatives, chemicals and flavor enhancers.  Making your own fresh lemonade is simple! Today I am going to share a few of my favorite variations! 

Replenish and Hydrate with these DELICIOUS summer recipes! 

Honey Lemonade: 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 1/2 Cups of  hot water 

1/2 Cup of Honey (preferably fresh local honey)

Pour everything into a heat-proof pitcher.  Stir until honey is dissolved.  Place the pitcher in the fridge  and let it cool before serving. 

Low Calorie Lemonade: 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 1/2 Cups of water

1/2 teaspoon of Stevia 

Stir all ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice.

Agave Lemonade: 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 1/2 Cups of  hot water 

1/2 Cup of Agave 

Pour everything into a heat-proof pitcher.  Stir until agave is dissolved.  Place the pitcher in the fridge  and let it cool before serving. 

Strawberry Lemonade: 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 Cup of fresh juiced strawberries 

1 1/2 Cup of water

Stir all ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice.

Spicy Lemonade: 

 6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 1/2 Cups of water

A few dashes of cayenne pepper 

2 Tablespoons of Agave 

Pour everything into a heat-proof pitcher.  Stir until agave is dissolved.  Place the pitcher in the fridge  and let it cool before serving. 

Sparkling Lemonade: 

This is a great replacement for soda and diet soda drinkers* 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

2 Cups of Sparkling Water 

1/2 teaspoon of Stevia 

Stir all ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice.

I hope you enjoy these summer lemonade recipes! 

Xoxo 

Ashley 

Last Minute Summer Slim Down Secrets

With June right around the corner (7 days to be exact!) you may looking for an emergency weight loss plan.  Well, look no further! Here are a few of my all time favorite & simple slim down secrets. 

7 Day Challenge 

1.  Start your morning off with 1 cup of warm lemon water.

Lemon water helps reduce inflammation, aids digestion, cleanses your system, and helps with weight loss. 

2.  Drink a green juice for breakfast.  (Make with JUICER)

2 cups of Spinach 

2 cups of Kale 

1 loose cup of Parsley 

2 Pears (or 3 Medium pears)  

1 Lemon 

Each night our bodies detox naturally.  By starting our morning off with lemon water, followed by a detox juice, we are prolonging that process.  It's important to continually detox rather than playing red light, green light with our bodies.  

3. Throughout the day sip on dandelion root tea.  It helps remove bloat.

4. Drink a glass of watermelon juice for morning snack. 

Not only are watermelons in season, but they are full of antioxidants, a great source of potassium, low in calories and high in nutrients.  The best part about watermelon juice is that it's loaded with amino acid citrulline which breaks down fat cells. Watermelons have a high water content so you will be able to make a lot of juice! 

5. Enjoy a refreshing salad for lunch.  

Fall in love with creating the perfect crunchy, yet healthy lunch! Keep it light and try to stay away from dairy and croutons (or any bread toppings) The last thing you want to do is have a four course meal with a side of lettuce.  My go to salad recipe is: 

Organic Lettuce 

Shredded Carrots 

Shredded Purple Cabbage 

Cherry Tomatoes 

Sunflower Seeds 

Kalamata Olives 

Olive Oil Balsamic Dressing 

6. Mid Afternoon Snack Choices: 

Laura Bar (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Organic)

Kale Chips (My favorite brand is Alive & Radiant) 

or 1 Slice of Ezekiel Bread 

7.  Have a green smoothie for dinner.

This may be hard for some.  I know the concept of not eating but drinking dinner is frightening, but remember that this challenge is only 8 days.  There 357 other nights to enjoy a sit down meal :) I recommend finishing your day with a green smoothie for a few reasons.  The first being that in order to get results- it's important start and end our day with foods that hold high detoxing properties. The second reason is that the fiber from the smoothie will not only keep you full, but the fiber will also help push/flush out the system.  This last step is vital in order to shed excess weight and drop any bloat. 

Green Smoothie:
1 cup of water 

2 Cups of spinach 

2 Cups of romain lettuce 

1/2 Banana 

1 Green Apple or 1 Pear 

1 Lemon 

After just one day of following this plan you should start to feel more energized and lighter.  Like I said earlier, this challenge is only 7 days!  You can do absolutely anything for 7 days! Kick off your summer feeling your best!

I was asked the other day what supplements I take and what I products I use.  After I started juicing over two years ago, I stopped using any kind of supplement or artificial products simply because when I started eating fresh, clean foods.. the weight started melting off my body.  Before, I was drinking protein shakes regularly and taking all kinds of different and harmful things- AND I wasn't getting the results I wanted.  However, when I started juicing regularly and feeding my body natural foods, I started losing weight.  Everyone is different- finding what works for YOU is always going to be a learning process, but juicing and eating naturally is what worked for me.   

A few natural products I love: 

Dandelion root tea: natural diuretic 

Probiotic: Keeps your gut healthy; improves digestive system  

Digestive Enzymes: Facilitates the breakdown of food  

Magnesium: Mineral that helps digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats

Smooth Move Tea:  Herbal tea that promotes digestion 

All of these can purchased at health food stores such as Whole Foods & Sprouts.  I highly recommend taking and using these during the 7 day challenge! I am going to be starting the challenge tomorrow... Send me a message and let me know if you will me joining me! 

Instagram: RealAshleyMora 

Twitter: RealAshleyMora 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/missnewmexicoworld 

Xoxo 

Ashley Mora 

5 Beauty Products I Love

5 Beauty Products I Love 

These are some of my all time favorite beauty products that I use daily!  For me, these products were game changers that became my essentials.  These are some of the very best beauty products on the market, in my opinion! I love them, I use them, and I recommend them!  

Chi Silk Infusion

This stuff is the real deal.  I have naturally curly hair, so whenever I straighten my hair, I try to avoid as much damage as possible. I ALWAYS use Chi Silk Infusion when straightening my hair.  I have tried many other serums when styling my hair and this is by far my favorite.  This product protects your hair from heat damage AND makes your hair feel silky and look shiny.  I can notice a big difference whenever I straighten my hair without using it. I also like this serum because it’s thin… it doesn’t leave your hair with that greasy feeling, which a lot of other serums do. It's a little expensive, however one bottle lasts forever.  I usually only use a small amount (dime size) before blow drying and then another small amount before flat ironing or curling.  

(Link Here...Sold at most drug stores) 

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer 

I use to think that eye shadow primer wasn’t necessary until I tried Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion.  I love this primer because it makes your eye shadow last all day and night.  This product does a fantastic job of keeping your makeup in place!  Your eye shadow will not crease, budge, or fade! This primer has the best balance when it comes to texture.  It’s creamy, and easy to apply without being too creamy.  It’s easy to blend and a little bit goes a long way.  One tube lasts about a year with daily use! 

(Link Here...Sold at Sephora and Ulta) 

There are four different “potions” I prefer the Eden because it’s a matte primer.  The others have shimmer in them.   

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheet 

I don’t like to re-apply makeup throughout the day so these babies are my saving grace.  Each pack comes with 50 sheets that you can blot your face with, removing the oil but not removing your makeup!  I have pretty oily skin, so I keep a pack of these in my purse and use them throughout the day.  I really dislike re-applying make up on an already dirty face, I think it’s harmful to the skin.  When I can do something to avoid a breakout, I take advantage of it! Love these things… I have been using them for years.  

(Link Here...Sold at most drug stores)

Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara 

 I looovveeee this mascara! It’s the best mascara on the market.  I have used several other name brand mascaras from expensive make up stores and I ALWAYS come back to this mascara.  The brush is perfect, very easy to apply.  I like the carbon black because it’s very black, giving your eye lashes a dramatic look.  It doesn’t flake, it comes off easily, it's not too thin or thick. I feel like it adds volume, length, doesn’t clump, and applies evenly! It’s just a really good mascara!  Whenever I go on modeling jobs, I check out the makeup artists collection of makeup and this specific mascara is used by almost all make up artists.   

(Link Here...Sold at most drug stores)

Instant Bronzer Shimmer Powder 

I received this as a gift years ago and have continued to purchase it ever since! I love this stuff… I don’t use it daily but I do use it a lot.  I love to dust myself in it for a little extra glow.  I feel like it gives my skin a pretty, sun kissed look! I usually sweep it on my chest, shoulders, arms and legs depending on what I’m wearing.  

(Link Here...Sold at Victoria’s Secret) 

I hope your week is off to a fabulous start and that you enjoyed this blog! 

I am very excited to share more of my beauty tips and tricks with you all! 

Xoxo 

Ashley 

How to Store Juice

 Happy Monday and Happy June! It officially feels like summer.. Woo Hoo! 

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is... "How long can I store my juice?"  Making fresh juice can be extremely time consuming and tedious (especially in the beginning... it gets better the more you do it, I promise) ...  If you are anything like me (busy busy busy) going thru the juicing process everyday is pretty much out of the question.  I simply just don't have the time for it, which is why making juice in advance is a must! 

If you do some research online you will almost always read that the beneficial nutrients in juice are dissipated after just a few hours and that juice is best when consumed within the first 24 hours.  While this is true... juice does in fact have the most nutrient value within the first day, you can still drink juice after the first 24 hours and get some of the benefits... you just have to store it the proper way!

Tips for Longer Lasting Juice 

1. NEVER leave juice unopened (i.e in a cup with no lid)  The more air that hits the juice, the more the nutrient value drops. You should never allow your juice to become warm. 
2. Never leave at room temperature.  Juice stays fresh longer when cold.  I just recently bought an Igloo cooler back pack that I take with me EVERYWHERE.  I have re-freezable ice cubes that I throw in my backpack every morning along with jars of juice and I take that baby with me in the car, to work, to the gym... literally everywhere.  It keeps my juice ice cold and it helps me stay on track with eating healthy all day.
   
   
3. Pour juice you don't plan on drinking right away in an airtight sealed container.  I like to use Mason Jars for several different reasons.  They are the best airtight sealed jars I've used, they are portable, easy to clean, and I have yet to break one... which is pretty amazing for me.  I have dropped one on concrete and it didn't break.. pretty impressive if you ask me! 
   
4.  Add extra lemon juice to preserve juice.  
   
5. Place your produce in the fridge.  Using fruit that is already cold will significantly help keep your juice fresh for a longer time period.  
6. Freeze your juice for long term storage.  If you know that you aren't going to be drinking the juice you made for several days, you can freeze it and it will stay good until you are ready to defrost it.  You can also do this so your juice will stay cold throughout the day, usually by lunch time your juice will be ready to drink.

***WARNING***

When your juice starts to change in color, smell, and taste... It's starting to go bad! I have personally stored juice up to 5 days and have not had any problems.  With that being said, a lot of juicing is trial and error.  Watermelon for example goes bad within a day and I have never been able to drink it after the first 12 hours.  So just be cautious when storing juice! 

With this week being the 1st week of June I just wanted to encourage you all to make the most out of your summer!  Make it your healthiest summer yet... You deserve to have the body you've always dreamed of! I know earlier I talked about being busy which most of us are but your first appointment of the day should always be with yourself.  It takes 4 weeks for you to start seeing changes in your body, it takes 8 weeks for friends and family to start seeing changes, and it takes 12 weeks for the rest of the world.  Once you start seeing results it  becomes an addiction! 

I received these pictures last week from two people who have started juicing since I started my blog and was completely inspired!  I am so glad that I can be a small part of other people's journey!

And here's a little transformation picture of my own! 

Have a blessed week everyone! Much love to you all! If you post a picture of your juice, tag me! I love seeing all the photos!

#Sparkingfromtheinsideout

XoXo,

Ashley

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

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 

50+ Juicing Recipes

There's nothing like starting the week off with some brand spankin' new juice recipes, so here ya go... 50+ of my favorite recipes!  

*** Just a few little tips***

Kale is pretty tasteless, so I like to add it to almost every recipe!  It's an easy way to sneak some greens in your juices.  

If you're craving a coke or maybe you're doing a cleanse and need a little boost, add sparkling water to any of the recipes and it adds a little flare to your juice.  I love adding sparkling water just to switch things up and trick my mind! 

Another fun thing to do with your juices is add chia seeds! They add a little bit of texture and they're packed with health benefits! Check out Chia seed benefits online when you get the chance, you wont regret it! 

There are a lot of fruit recipes in my blog... I get asked all the time if drinking mostly fruit juice is ok because of the high carb and high sugar content. Well, for me it was not only ok but drinking mostly fruit juices is how I lost 20lbs.  When I first started juicing I jumped into these crazy veggie juices thinking I would magically love the taste of vegetables but boy was I wrong.  In fact, drinking those straight veggie juices was kind off a turn off because I thought "juicing" was gross.  So my advice to you is start off slow... make those really yummy fruit juices and then slowly start adding in the veggies.  Before you know it, you will be craving fresh produce and a homemade V8 will sound and taste delicious BUT it's no change your taste buds will make over night.  

 Happy Monday and Happy Juicing!

Bluepeary

2 Pears

1 cup of Kale

1 cup of Blueberries

Replenish (A fav of mine)

½ pineapple

Mint Leaves

2 Green Apples

1 to  2 Lemons

Morning Glory

10 Strawberries

3 peaches

Half a mango

Half a cucumber

Chunk of Ginger

Metabolism Booster

2 Green Apples

1 Small cucumber

1 small beet root (beets are very earthy so use sparingly)

1 lemon

chunk of ginger

Simple Green Juice

Cup of Kale

2 Pears

1 Cucumber

Chunk of Ginger

1 Lemon

Fire Me Up! (All Time FAV!!)

2 Oranges

2 Green Apples

2 Limes

3 Medium sized Carrots

1 to 2 Jalapenos

SOO GOOD!

Anit-Flammatory

3 purple cabbage leaves

2 sticks of celery

2 pears

chunk of ginger root

Afternoon Pick Me Up

4 carrots

2 apples

1 lemon

chunk of ginger

Cranberry Cleanser

1 pear

1 apple

1 celery stalk

1 cup of spinach

1 cup of cranberries

Green Juice (Not for beginners)

Kale

Celery

Cucumber

Broccoli

Romaine Lettuce

Spinach

Green Apples

Lemon

Thyroid Remedy

1 cucumber

5 celery stalks

5 carrots

1 lemon

1 cup of pure coconut water

Thyroid Tonic

6 Carrots

1 cucumber

½ lemon

10 radishes

Allergy Reducer

1 medium sized carrot

2 large oranges

½ cucumber

handful of mint leaves

chunk of ginger

Immune System Booster

1 apple 3 stalks of celery

4 stalks of kale

½ lemon

chunk of ginger root

V8 (Not for beginners)

4 tomatoes

4 green onions

½ green pepper

2 carrots

2 s talks of celery

handful of cilantro

handful of parsley

2 lemons

chunk of ginger 

pinch of garlic

Vitamin C Blast

2 Oranges

1 cup of Kale

2 Lemons

Handful of Mint

On Fire

2 Carrots

2 Oranges

1 Lemon

Chunk of Ginger

Cayenne

Green Ocean

½ Pinapple

1 Cup of Spinach

2 Green Apples

Pure Coconut Water

Skinnie Minnie

1 Cucumber

2 Green Apples

1 Cup of Kale

1 Cup of Spinach

1 Lemon

Chunk of Ginger

Cayenne

Carrot Cake

4 Carrots

2 Oranges

2 lemons

chunk of Ginger

ABC’s

2 Green Apples

3 Carrots

3 stalks of Celery

Princess Juice

4 Carrots

2 Apples

Chunk of Ginger

Veggie Lover

2 Celery Stalks

1 Cup of Spinach

2 Carrots

1 Cucumber

Handful of cilantro

Shine and Sparkle

2 Celery Stalks

2 Green Apples

1 Cup of Spinach

1 Jalapeno

handful of cilantro

Blood

2 Apples

Beets

Chunk of Ginger

2 Limes

Power Green

2 Green Apples

Cup of Kale

Cup of Spinach

Handful of Parsley

Romaine Lettuce

2 Celery Stalks

 2 Limes

Chunk of Ginger

Detox Juice

2 Apples

Beets

Cup of Kale

2 Celery Stalks

1 Lemon

Chunk of Ginger

Pretty In Pink

Beets

½ Pineapple

15 Strawberries

2 Red apples

Chuck of Ginger

Immunity Booster

2 Carrots

½ Pineapple

2 Oranges

2 Grapefruit

1 Lime

Chunk of Ginger

Hangover Helper

2 Green Apple

1 Cucumber

1 Cup of Kale

Ginger

1Lemon

Aloe Vera Juice

Pinch of mineral salt

Calcium Cleanser

2 Green Apples

½ Pineapple

1 Cup of Kale

2 Celery Stalks 1 Cucumer

1 Lemon

Dessert Juice

2 Medium Sized Carrots

1 Orange

handful of Strawberries

Handful of raspberries

1 Lemon

For Your Skin

2 Carrots

1 Cup Of kale

2 Cup of Cranberry

2 Golden Apples

Sleepy-Time Juice

1 Carrot

2 Green Apples

2 Stalks of Celery

Lettuce

Handful of Mint Leaves

1 Lemon

Kale Yeah

2 Cups of Kale

2 Green Apples

2 Pears

1 Lime

Summer Lovin’

1 Watermelon

1 Cup of Blueberries

1 Cup of Pomegranate seeds

Apple Pie

1 Sweet Potato

2 Carrots

1 Orange

Dash of Pumpkin Pie Spice

 Peach Chia

3 Peaches

10 Strawberries

Chunk of Ginger

Chair seeds

Cranberry Crush

1 Cup of Cranberries 

1 Red Apple

1 Orange 

Ginger Ale  (Great for soft drink replacement)

2 Green Apples 

1" of Ginger Root 

Lemon 

Kale 

Pour over ice and add Sparkling Water 

 Don't let the color fool you! (Good Green "starter" drink)

1 cup of Kale 

1 Pear 

1/2 Pineapple

1 Lemon 

1 Green Apple 

Immunity (Great for the Immune system) 

2 Oranges

1 Cup of Strawberries 

1/2 Pineapple  

2 Medium sized Carrots 

Healthy Orange Julius

1/2 Pineapple 

2 Oranges 

1" Ginger Root 

Pour over ice and add Sparkling Water

Cran-apple 

1/4 Cup of Cranberries 

1 Lemon 

1/2 Cup of Green Grapes 

2 Green Apples

Raspberry Lemonade 

1 and 1/2 cups of Raspberries 

1 and 1/2 cups of Blueberries 

2 Lemons

Pour over ice and add sparkling water 

Liquid Sunshine 

1" of Ginger 

2 Medium sized Carrots

1 Pear 

1 Tangerine 

1/2 Pineapple 

1 Lemon

Wine and Dine Me

2 Green Apples 

1/2 Cup of BlueBerries 

1/2 Cup of Blackberries

1/2 Cup of Raspberries 

1/2 Cup of Strawberries 

1/2 Cup of Grapes 

Skinny Margarita 

4 Celery Stalks 

2 Green Apples 

2 Limes 

1/2 Cup of Kale 

Pour over ice and add sparkling water 

Citrus Soda 

1/2 Pineapple 

1 Orange 

1 Lemon 

Pour over ice and add sparkling water

Green Machine 

1 head of broccoli

1 cucumber 

1 Green Apple 

1/2 Cup of Green Apples 

1 Cup of Kale 

2 Limes 

1" of Ginger Root 

Strawberry Lemonade

1/2 Pineapple 

1 Cup of Strawberries 

3 Lemons

Pour over ice and add sparkling water 

 If you have any questions about the recipes or how to juice certain fruits or vegetables, please shoot me a message! I have juiced almost everything so I know all the ins, outs, tips and tricks!

Well, Until Next Time :) 

Xoxo, 

Ashley

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora