Apple and Aloe cleansing slim tea.

OK stay with me here but there's more: Apple, ACV (apple cider vinegar), Aloe Vera, Blueberry Slim tea. I had whipped this up the other day to test out how it actually tasted. Knowing about all the great beneficial properties of all these ingredients I thought I would combine them in a time saving effort. If you are like me and are on any sort of supplement regimen;  you're trying to get in all your water , meals and supplements and you are left with no time to do anything! Natural remidies take some dedication, and I am in a commitment at the moment.

I was also inspired by Bragg's ACV drinks. They are super tasty, but I wanted to utilize my healthy teas. I really wanted to figure out a combination that will taste great because ACV can be very over powering.  I don't like to drink a lot of straight juice due to the sugar overload, and adding ACV was more like a punch in the mouth. Woah! I used to just take my ACV as shot with lemon juice. Some days it would make me sick, I also found that too much undiluted ACV can hurt your esophagus and of course damage your teeth. Yikes!

Let's talk about my choice of ingredients and why I chose them. My base are teas are fruit teas. These are some of the least bitter and will add flavor, and balance and won't be too over powering like straight juice. The teas I was drawn too were Yogis Blue Berry Slim tea and Lipton Superfruit Green Tea; Acai and Blueberry. The fruit teas have added benefits along with great flavor :-)

 Aloe vera is known for its detoxification abilities and acts as a laxative and hence it is regarded as an effective colon cleanser.The medicinal properties present in aloe vera gel will not only improve the condition of your colon health, but it will also treat other health problems such as headache, skin infection, diarrhea, gastric pain and constipation.

Source.

Fresh apple juice is one of the best home treatments for colon cleansing. Regular intake of apple juice encourages bowel movements, breaks down toxins and improves the health of liver as well as the digestive system.

Source.

Apple Cider Vinegar every ones favorite right now also packs a healthy punch also. Apple Cider Vinegar may help improve bowel irregularity, thereby removing toxins from the body at a faster rate. Helps clear up skin conditions and blemishes giving a more smooth texture and appearance. Always make sure it's Organic with the "mother", this is where you will get the concentration of  nutrients. 

Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is made from nutritious, organically grown apples and retains many beneficial components because raw apple cider vinegar is not pasteurized. ACV undergoes two fermentation processes where it produces enzymes and life giving nutrients that make apple cider vinegar the powerhouse it is.

Source.

The first mix I did was in a 32 ounce bottle, the next day I doubled it!

Fill half your bottle with hot water, seep your tea bags( 1 of each) for minimum of 5 minutes.

Add 4 ounces of  aloe vera juice. 

2 ounces of Bragg's  ACV

4-6 ounces of apple juice*  (more for taste, but you might be surprised. Start with less)

Fill last few ounces with filtered water.

Enjoy warm, or pour on ice. I like to just keep it in its bottle and drink it warm to room temp. It fills me up and I also avoid snacking. 

*Two recommendations for apple juice, either a 100% organic with all the good chewy bits in it. I like to get the Santa Cruz brand, they come in a cool glass jug (for those later moon shinning efforts). I was able to get that at King Soopers/Kroger. Another option if you can't make it to a natural grocer is Healthy Balance less sugar than the Natural stuff. But keep in mind 100% natural Organic juice like Santa Cruz sugar is the natural sugar content of fruit VS Healthy Balance sweetened with Splenda! Its your choice, I use both.

I also suggest using Bigelow Lemon Ginger tea with probiotics, this will help if you have afternoon bloat. I like to use 1 lemon ginger, and 1 blueberry slim tea.

Healthy Balance Source

Sweetened with Splenda® 
75% Less Sugar, Calories & Carbs
100% DV Vitamin C
No Artificial Flavors or Preservatives
Gluten Free

Nutrition Facts
Contains 15% Juice Serving Size 8 fl oz (240mL) Servings Per Container 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 20	Fat Cal. 0
	% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0g	0%
Sodium 10mg	0%
Potassium 45mg	1%
Total Carb 4g	1%
Sugars 4g
Protein 0	0%
Vitamin A	0%
Vitamin C	100%
Calcium	0%
Iron	0%
Not a significant source of calories from fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or dietary fiber.* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs.
INGREDIENTS: Filtered water, apple juice concentrate, malic acid, caramel color, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), acesulfame potassium, sucralose (Splenda Brand).

Santa Cruz Organic     Source.

CONTAINS 100% JUICE

Nutritional Information

Serving Size 8 FL OZ (240 mL) Servings Per Container
Amount Per Serving
Calories 120
	% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0g	0%
Sodium 25mg	1%
Protein <1g
Potassium 180mg	5%
Carbohydrates 30g	10%
Sugars 30g
Vitamin C	6%
Iron	2%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Aloe Vera Juice by Realfood Organics, I find @ VitaCost

Apple Butter Crock Pot Pork Chops

I wanted a more flavorful crock pot recipe. Sometimes just the basic toss-ins doesn't feel like I am doing much. Regardless that my cream of chicken is my own "Cream of Something" and not from a can, or my Taco Seasoning isn't from a packet. I have really been crocking this month just to free up some time right now, and it's really great freezer food for lunches.

I found this little diddy @ The Frugal Foodie Mama. I didn't have all the exact ingredients, see my notes. But this was amazing, it was so flavorful. I wish I made the full amount, I would of loved to have had this for lunch the next day.

What you will need:

4 pork chops (bone-in or boneless)*

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium apples (any kind), cored and chopped

1 cup apple butter**

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard***

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 cup apple juice or cider (or white wine)

• In a small bowl, whisk together the apple butter, brown sugar, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and apple juice.  Set aside.

• Place the apples and onions in the bottom of the Crock Pot.  Add your pork chops on top and then pour the apple butter mixture all over this.

• Cook on Low for 5-6 hours.

* I do recommend using boneless. I cut the bone off mine. Because crock pot cooking makes the meat so tender at you scoop it out the bone falls off into all your goodies. VERY hard to find, and dangerous.

** Recipe for Crock Pot Apple Butter *NOM NOM*

***I didn't have any Dijon, I had some coarse ground mustard.

I was posed a question about how to make it all look good. Some times I like to show off and make a presentation of my meal. Crock pot meal are a bit more tricky. I like to first scoop out the extras and make a bed. Then using a slotted spoon to lift the the meat onto it's new bed. If not cooking potatoes in your meal, or you are doing rice you can add to the side or around the extras. A lot of the time I like to shred all y meat and just serve it up with a side of my homemade bread.