Last night we had a family movie night. My confession is that my favorite part of watching a movie is eating snacks while I’m watching. It’s truly no secret, I am in love with eating. My movie snacks have a few distinct qualities. After indulging, I have to know that I’ll still feel fantastic and not like I ate a pile of rocks (have you ever eaten popcorn from the movie theater)? They have to be fun, aesthetically pleasing, bite size finger foods. I have a whole list of fun snacks that I stash in my purse when I’m going out to a theater.
We used to love this tradition that started when we lived in South Jersey. We called it “pizza-wine-movie-night.” I decided that if I was going to have yummy, cheesy, greasy Jersey pizza that, if I had a glass of wine with it, it would cancel out all of the bad and I be left with only the good. Belief systems are the most important element of any diet [wink, wink]! We no longer live in Jersey, and I am now completely in tune with the way that Jersey pizza makes me feel. Very unpleasant after-effects. As for the wine; we become more and more health conscious, and we are less and less attracted to drinking liquor, and even having a glass of wine has become rather unappealing. Oddly enough, I used to consider myself a wino. I even worked on a winery in the Beaujolais region of France for two months!
My mother was visiting just a few weeks ago, and the night before she departed, we thought we would say goodbye with a bottle of our favorite Porto. I had about a glass and a half and was completely past the point of no return. Yes, lightweight. That’s me! Once in a while I’ll have a friend from home comment on this with an less than acceptable glare, considering the infamous reputation of our University town. The University of Wisconsin-Madison has been ranked as a “top party school” annually for decades because of the high number of students who binge drink on a regular basis. Thank goodness I learned rather quickly that it’s way sexier to be healthy and fit, and full of energy than sloppy drunk and drooling on myself. There’s nothing more unattractive to me than a gorgeous woman (or man) unable to stand up straight after one too many.
I must share that today, that I find so much more pleasure in indulging in drinks that make me feel like super woman—instead of hugging the toilet woman. Creating elixirs and concoctions that are filled with health benefits can be so delicious they are intoxicating for the senses. Before our movie last night we went on a quick mission to the grocery store to grab a bunch of delectable treats. Fruit! Raspberries. Blueberries. Strawberries! These bright, colorful, finger foods are certainly sensual pleasures. They are full of vitamins and nutrients, and stimulate the senses in every way, and are absolutely delicious.
Oh but the drinks! The drinks were the real treat! We bought organic carrots, fresh organic ginger, and sparkling water. I juiced about 20 carrots and 3 inches of ginger and combined the juice in the blender with about 10 strawberries. When I poured the magnificently orange colored fragrant juice into wine glasses, I filled half of the glass with sparkling water.
Kitchen items needed:
Juicer
Cutting board
Large bowl to soak/wash produce
Optional:
vegetable peeler
Ingredients:
20 carrots
3-4 inches of ginger
10-25 strawberries
1 liter sparkling water
Optional:
Orange, lemon, or lime (for zest)
Blueberries
Directions:
Juice carrots and ginger. Pour juice into blender and add strawberries. Fill half of a glass with sparkling water and top off with juice mixture from blender. Top with zest and decorate with slices of fruit and enjoy!
As the aesthetics of food are just as important as the nutrients; I thought of a million ways to dress up the drink. A sliver of orange or lemon zest, or a slice of orange or lemon, or even a lime to place on the rim… I decided on a strawberry, and threw in a blueberry as a hidden treat. It’s truly intoxicating to indulge in sensory pleasures, as opposed to consuming an alcoholic beverage that will only result in later physical discomfort. This is my personal opinion of course. However, I challenge you to start creating elixirs, tonics and concoctions with the plethora of options available in your local grocer’s produce aisle as opposed to drinks that negatively impact the precious temple you live in. It is an incredible gift to wake up in the morning and feel and completely alive and full of energy, ready to take on the day.
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn
Very recently, I had a friend who asked for my guidance to bring lovemaking back into her marriage– strengthening her libido. Although we’ve been implemented, a few powerful eating practices; the one most crucial shift is decreasing the amount of alcohol she consumes on a regular basis. Yes, over time, too much drinking can lead to a dead libido. Even if getting drunk gets you in the mood, it eventually wears off and wears down! Admittedly, I too, love to party with a drink in my hand. I’ve just found that filling my cup with something nourishing as opposed to booze keeps me from becoming the party pooper (in the bedroom)! My libido lacking friend has been adding more alkalizing, nourishing food to her a daily diet over the past week. Super foods and greens for breakfast, more water and soups; simple shifts that don’t take a whole lot of time. Let me share with you, it’s been less than a week, and she is already feeling the desire opening up.
My intention is not to urge you to never drink a glass of wine again, it’s to inspire you to try something new if something isn’t working with regard to your health. Personally, I have just as much fun mixing up a healthy drink on a Saturday night, as I did mixing up a cocktail—one just happens to leave me feeling amazing much longer, and I like that.
Do you ever create incredibly delicious, non-alcoholic drinks that intoxicate your senses? Share the recipe below! Would you like more ideas? Just ask! Please share your feedback, comments, and drink ideas in the comments section below and feel free to contact me personally if you’d like guidance moving toward greater health (and libido) in your life!