Hello! It's December and as you know this is my favorite time of year.  Spending time with friends and family is so important to me and the memories and laughs we share are priceless.  This week is my Birthday and I'm feeling more excited than usual! I'm finally feeling like I have found a direction that feels true to myself. Now I just need to find the courage to continue on this path and ignore my doubts and fears! I think I also love this time of year because it's a natural time of reflection(New Year, Winter Solstice etc). Looking back on this year I have experienced some of the biggest highs and lows of my life and I'm grateful for that because I've learned ALOT.  I'm super excited for 2015-I know it's going to be a life changing year because I'm going to make it one!

But back to the here and now...the last month was a super fun but I got run down.  I moved(stressful), traveled and partied with friends and family(alcohol, lack of sleep). Don't get me wrong I had a BLAST but it came at a price. I have been sick-ish for almost a month and that is just NOT ok! I go to bed with a sore throat every night and it kills me in the morning too! I knew that my body was telling me something--take care of yourself! I happened to watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead- an amazing documentary about Joe Cross, a guy who used the power of fruits and veggies in the form of juice to regain his health(I highly recommend watching it).  It really inspired me to harness the power of natures bounty! After watching that movie I immediately went out and bought a juicer(I sure hope Joe Cross is getting a cut for blowing up juicer sales!). On his website he has some amazing recipes for juices, smoothies, salads and soups all for free! I've tried a few and I've been blown away by how amazing they all are! I have been so inspired by how delicious clean eating can be that I wanted to share my favorites so far. All the recipes below you can do without a juicer(win if you don't have one)! I hope you enjoy them as I have:)

Farmer's Market with my almond milk latte in hand!

Green Detox Soup
This is a must try! I promise the whole family will enjoy:) 
Makes 4 servings
Nutrition per serving: 205 kCal; 857 kJ; 9 g protein; 30 g carbohydrates;
8 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 7 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 673 mg salt
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
1 leek
small head of broccoli
6 kale leaves
1 zucchini
2 celery sticks
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups (1 liter/32 oz) vegetable stock
handful of parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. Chop the garlic and all the veggies.
2. Warm the oil on low heat, then add the leek and garlic and cook slowly for 3–5 minutes.
3. Add the stock and the remaining vegetables and bring slowly to a boil. Cook for just
a few minutes, until the zucchini is soft. The less you cook the vegetables, the better.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste, then blend or process the soup to the desired
consistency, from smooth to chunky.
5. Serve the soup in bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

Roasted Acorn Squash stuffed with Mushroom and Sage
Honestly this is probably the best thing I've had all year! I'm in LOVE-
Makes 2 servings
Nutrition per serving: 229 kCal; 958 kJ; 3 g protein; 28 g carbohydrates;
14 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 4 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 11 mg salt
Ingredients:
1 acorn squash
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed (minced)
1 large Portobello mushroom, chopped
2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage
dash of crushed red pepper or chili flakes (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C/gas 8).
2. Trim off each end of the squash, then stand it upright and cut in half lengthways. Scoop out
and discard the pulp and seeds.
3. Brush each squash half with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down
on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and roast until the flesh is tender and the
edges are golden brown, about 25–35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic
and sauté for 2 minutes, or until the onion is just translucent.
5. Add the mushrooms, sage, salt and pepper, and a few of the pepper or chili flakes
(if using). Sauté until the mushrooms begin to soften—about 5 minutes.
6. Remove the baked squash from the oven and turn cut-side up. Fill with the mushroom
mixture and bake again for another 10 minutes.

Get Your Greens Smoothie
Good and SO good for you! 
Makes 2 servings
Nutrition per serving: 136 kCal; 568 kJ; 5 g protein; 31 g carbohydrates;
1 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 7 g fiber; 13 g sugar; 65 mg salt
Ingredients:
 cucumber
1 celery stick
1 apple, cored
1 cup (8 oz/250 ml) water
3 kale leaves
3 romaine lettuce leaves
 frozen banana
handful of ice cubes
1 date, for extra sweetness (optional)
Directions:
1. Cut the cucumber and celery in half or quarters and place in your blender.
2. Add the apple, water, and all the greens. Blend on high until well mixed.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for at least 1 minutes, or until a smooth
consistency is reached

Just blend all this up and enjoy!

All recipes are from rebootwithjoe.com so be sure to check it out if you are interested in other recipes!

Love & Light,
Kristin