People often ask, which is better, juice or smoothies? For us, they’re both amazing, wonderful, delicious, and oh-so-good! When we want a meal that includes fiber, we drink a smoothie. When we need to boost our energy or hydrate, we drink juice. We try to have juice first thing in the morning drink on an empty stomach, and the abundance of nutrients are taken up in the bloodstream within minutes. It’s such a wonderful way to wake up! 32 ounces (one quart) for each of us is ideal. The photo shows two big bowlfuls, and this amount of produce makes 64 ounces of juice.

Smoothies come later in the day with berries, bananas, hemp and chia seeds for healthy Omega 3’s, and some added protein. Or a green smoothie with mild greens. Spinach, chard, and baby greens are our favorites. The rest of the day is usually a salad or green wrap, or another smoothie or juice. We eat very simply... and this change has taken place over a period of years.

Recently I’ve been seeing some friends who work. Their schedules are so busy that I’ve wondered how they have the time to add in new recipes. This brings us to the weekends—the perfect time to try something new, and to make those precious two days about restoration and restoring any nutritional gaps that didn’t get met during the work week.

Here’s a simple menu for any Saturday or Sunday. Have a juice, a smoothie, and a salad each day. If you can add in a facial while soaking in the bath, or a foot soak while watching a movie, all the better. Your weekend is then like being in a spa! And by the way, Rex has found an incredible remedy for chlorine in the bath—simply add 1/4 teaspoon of Vitamin C. We’ve tried it and it works. No more smell!! (We don’t have heavily chlorinated water here, so you might need a bit more Vitamin C.)

JUICE: a recent morning favorite of ours is beet, carrot, celery, greens, apples, with lemon and a nice sized piece of ginger root. If you need to watch your glycemic count, use low glycemic apples (Granny Smith), use more celery or cucumber, lots of greens, and less carrots.

SMOOTHIES: Enjoy Green Smoothies, or a Mixed Berry and Banana Smoothie with Hemp and Chia Seeds. Sometimes we add in a scoop of our favorite green powder to help balance the fruits. We just use whatever we love. It’s all good! If we drink a quart of smoothie, and have a quart of juice, this makes 64 ounces of liquidy deliciousness for one day!

LUNCH OR DINNER: This is when we enjoy a big salad sprinkled with all kinds of goodies. We often make raw dressings from whole foods, such as tomatoes, celery, green onion or garlic, lemon juice, and a tablespoon of tahini for a super creamy dressing, and to pack in extra nutrients. Sometimes we use dates with ginger, tahini, Middle Eastern spices, a bit of water, and apple cider vinegar.

SNACK: This can be as easy as a piece of fresh fruit, or a handful of soaked almonds. Perhaps a super green drink is what we need for bone and body nutrition. Our favorite green powders come from Healthforce Nutritionals. They are certified as "true organic" which is a whole new category that Jameth Sheriden created to ensure the highest quality raw food products. We use Green Warrior Protein, Greener Grasses (for alkalizing), Spirulina and Chlorella Mana as mainstays. Over the years we’ve also sworn by Vitamineral Green, Protein Purity, and an all natural Vitamin C made from Acerola. These products are all so good and potent, and really bring the body those micronutrients and phytochemicals that we need. If you’re looking to get something like this, check them out, read the labels, and use your intuition to decide which products are the best for you! (They’re also perfect for extra busy days when there’s no time to juice.)

Just think of how many nutrients can be packed into the body in one or two days! For even more restoration, include meditation, contemplation, or prayer, some time for deep relaxation, walking, and being outside in nature.

If you feel you need a little something cooked, try a bowl of steamed veggies, or sprouted steamed lentils. They sprout in just 1-2 days, which makes them much easier to digest. Steaming only takes about 3 minutes.

All of the foods shown below are juicy (except the lentils) to hydrate the body, plump the skin, wake up the mind, delight the palate, and nourish the body and emotions. The colors are so gorgeous too—it’s like eating a rainbow! These are healing foods, and this is one of the reasons we call our site, The Healing Feast! Practices such as making juice, a salad, or a smoothie, often bring feelings of abundance, peace, and joy. They enhance our bodies through acts of self love and care. The practices fill us up, make us feel better, and then these good feelings soon touch the lives of family, friends, and co-workers. Raw and living foods are irrepressible!

Let us know what your favorite raw foods are—we’d love to hear from you!