I think a case could be made for 2014 being named “The Year of Juicing.” It seems that everyone and their mom has tried some kind of juice cleanse (try being the operative word, since only the brave make it to the bitter end), and even for those of us who haven’t taken the plunge, the ubiquity of bottled juices at grocery stores and cold-pressed bars popping up all over the place has made juicing feel more commonplace that it did a year ago. I even found myself trading in my mimosa for a kale, apple & jalapeño concoction at our favorite brunch spot last weekend! Of course, my ears perked up when I got an invite to Daily Greens’ preview party for their new juice bar in Austin where I was promised the best of both worlds: cocktails virtuously mixed with all seven Daily Greens flavors of juices. Chanel and I stopped by to mingle, got the scoop on the brand’s inspiring roots from founder Shauna Martin, and of course, brought back some cleanse-approved (and completely delicious) recipes to share with you guys. Click through for all the details shot by Sweet Louise Photography…
First things first: the juice. Daily Greens sources the majority of its vegetables and fruits seasonally, from local farms that utilize sustainable farming practices that don’t harm the environment. The juices are intended to be both an integral part of a healthy daily lifestyle, as well as the foundation to Daily Greens’ unique detoxing and fasting plans (more on that later.) We asked Shauna to give us the lowdown on why we should all be drinking more juice:
(and because so many of you have asked, my dress is Maeve from Anthropologie.)
Today’s modern diets often require eating every 1 to 2 hours, never giving the digestive track a break to allow it to clean the body of its toxins: one of the primary directives of the intestinal track. Our digestive systems are not designed to work all day long, 7 days a week! Our juices are packed with vitamins and minerals and are super easy to digest, giving our systems a needed rest.
I headed to the bar (manned by Maureen Shannon from Hotel Saint Cecilia) and ordered a Renew Sunrise, which was like a super healthy spicy mojito.
Renew Sunrise
- 6 mint leaves
- 1.5 oz Chile Infused* Blanco Tequila
- .5 oz Fresh Pineapple Juice
- 1 whole lime (squeezed)
- .25 oz. Simple Syrup*
- 1 oz Daily Greens RENEW Juice Blend
In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint leaves, then combine all ingredients. Shake and serve over ice. Garnish with lime.
*****
- To make the Chile Tequila: Submerge three small dried red chilies w/o seeds in a bottle of tequila for at least 48hrs.
- To make Simple Syrup: combine equal parts raw cane sugar and water. Place on stove and simmer while stirring for 5-8 min. Let cool completely.
A few of my favorite flavors? Elevate (pear, spinach, cucumber, watercress, lime, madagascar vanilla), Renew (mint, spinach, cucumber, watermelon, dandelion, pineapple, celery, lime), and Enlighten (hemp milk, blue-green algae, vanilla, coconut, guava.)
Here’s the scoop on the Daily Greens’ cleanse (I like that it actually involves real food!)
We do not believe in “crash” juice cleanses in which only juice is consumed for days on end, as these types of diets can result in many negative side effects including hair loss, loss of lean muscle mass, and blood sugar and electrolyte imbalances.
We do, however, recommend an extended 3-4 day cleanse every few months to give the body a jump start on long-term health. Our seasonal cleanses include at least three bottles of Daily Greens™ per day, but they also include as much raw fruit and veggies as one needs to feel full. By eliminating food that takes longer to digest and consuming only quickly digesting raw fruits and vegetables, this type of cleanse allows the body an extended 4 day period of cleaning… a “Spring Cleaning” for the body.
Would you give it a try? All the cleanse recipes for each season are listed right here on their site!
This Raw Bok Choy Salad was passed around at the party, and also appears on Daily Greens’ spring cleanse menu. Here’s how to make it at home:
- Slice baby Bok Choy in half, and arrange on a plate. Add 2-3 thinly sliced scallions, 1 small diced avocado, a handful of raw almond slivers or peanuts and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.
- In a separate bowl prepare an Asian style vinaigrette by combining 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 3 Tbs. raw soy sauce (Nama Shoyu), 3 Tbs. of raw maple syrup, 1 tsp. raw chopped ginger, 1 tsp. raw chopped garlic, and 1 tsp. sesame oil. Whisk together and drizzle on top of baby Bok Choy.
The Daily Greens story started eight years ago, when Shauna was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 33. With a young family to care for, she struggled to recover from the trauma of multiple surgeries and the toxic effects of chemotherapy. Today, Shauna attributes her complete recovery from breast cancer in part to her current healthy lifestyle, which includes her regimen of drinking a green juice every day. Shauna decided that she wanted to share this life-enriching habit and spread the good word about drinking your vegetables… and Daily Greens was born. Watch her tell her inspiring story here.
Butter Lettuce Wraps
Wash and prep small pieces of butter letter to form cups. Spread out on a platter, then add chopped papaya and avocado to each and sprinkle with pistachios. Drizzle each cup with Papaya dressing
Papaya dressing:
- 1 Tbs. papaya seeds
- ¼ cup chopped papaya
- ¼ cup red onion
- ¼ cup cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 1/2 Tbs. fresh ginger
- 2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
- Juice of one lime
- 1 tsp. agave nectar
- Dash of sea salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Combine all in a blender except olive oil, and once blended gently spoon in ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil.
*recipe by John Cain
Shauna’s goal is to have as many people as possible get their daily greens, so she continues to create new flavors all the time. The company’s mission is to do everything in its power to ensure that we’re all drinking something that will change our lives for the better.
One final nugget of nutritional wisdom that I found pretty amazing (and that really drives home the importance of feeding ourselves the good stuff) :
Did you know that the intestinal track contains all the same tools as the brain, including a sophisticated network of neural circuitry, neurotransmitters and proteins? Sometimes referred to as our “second brain” the intestinal track actually plays a greater role than your real brain in maintaining mental clarity and an elevated mood.
Obviously Chanel and I drank a lot of juice at this party! 😉
