Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Here in Estonia, the season is slowly changing to autumn and this means loads of produce from vine ripe tomatoes to mushrooms in the forests. And of course, loads of apples. Apples are the superstar here in this breakfast bowl. I never peel apples if I know where they are from – most of the nutrients are directly under the skin and I don’t see any reason to waste them. The other very nutritious part of the apple is its seeds, so I often eat those too. To use in recipes, I still prefer to remove the cores for smoother results.

October is here! The weather is finally starting to turn a little cooler and we can feel the beginnings of the comfy fall vibes. We’re looking forward to hot drinks, warm blankets, jackets, scarves, and chilly walks among the fallen leaves. And we’re also looking forward to all of the baking that comes with the fall and winter seasons. We can probably all agree that almost nothing goes better with cozy sweater weather than a warm baked good.

It’s officially Fall in Colorado, and we’re already feeling the pumpkin madness. Enter the Pumpkin Spice Green Smoothie! Below is a savory-sweet and spicy green smoothie that we’ve been enjoying as an afternoon snack. Think nostalgic and warming healthy snack for you and your kiddos. You could even give it to your kiddos as a nutrient boost pre-trick-or-treating next month! We love the transition into Fall, but we recognize that it’s the season that we’re faced with tough decisions. The temptations start to roll in with the cooler weather and long list of holidays. So what do we do when faced with sugary treats?

Here is a hot recipe for you. And if I say hot, I mean really hot. But then again you can regulate it down a notch if you don’t like heat. I love heat and here is my recipe for homemade hot sauce I prepare every time I happen to have too many chilies. Chilies are powerful antioxidants and I personally feel they just make me happy! I did not give you a type of chilies OR the type of vinegar I use in the recipe, because this formula of a recipe really works with all different kinds of chilies and different kinds of vinegar in my experience. If you are not a lover of extreme heat, opt for milder chilies like long red ones or green jalapenos maybe. If you like heat, make sure you throw something spicier in too, or make the whole sauce out of scotch bonnets or bird's eye chilies. Habaneros have an awesome fruity taste and also quite a bit of heat. So, it is up to you and your taste buds.

Chickpeas are one of my favorite ingredients. They are extremely versatile, they work well in curries, vegetable patties, salads, and even in desserts. To be honest, sometimes I eat them straight out of a jar. Not often, but it does happen in some busy times when I don’t even have time to shop for fresh produce. Fortunately, I am quite good with time management and these times do not happen often. Besides – I don’t think that 10 minutes to prep a full meal is that much and this is about how long this simple recipe takes. If you are good with knives you most likely only need 5 minutes to make the salad. But even the most inexperienced cooks should be ready with the salad in 10 minutes. The secret to this recipe lays in the sauce. The combination of tahini, lemon, and yogurt is irresistible with just about anything and I often use it as a dip for fresh cucumber.

Berries are loaded with phytonutrients that prevent cell damage that comes with aging. Studies show that people who eat 2 cups of berries a week experience less mental decline compared to those who don’t. Berries are also known to enhance your immune system and limit your chances of developing Parkinson’s. For those who are looking to lose weight, try to consume 2-4 cups of berries a week. The cayenne and turmeric also help increase fat metabolism which is necessary for weight loss. This healthy smoothie is the perfect replacement for a mid-morning snack; it tastes delicious and will keep you full during the day. Get yourself into the habit of making a healthy smoothie every morning. They are quick and simple to prepare. If you don’t have them in the morning, try having them sometime during the day with a side of something light like a salad or sandwich.

Today I invite you to take a trip to your fridge and clean it out properly. I hate food waste and make a fridge clean-out type of dish at least once a month to use up all the odd ends of produce that are still good, but maybe not for very long. I will go for a vacation soon and this means nobody will eat anything out of my fridge for the next few weeks. So everything that is there needs to be used before I leave! I do share a recipe of what exactly went into my soup this time, but feel free to customize. In case you have any other veggies waiting to be used up – go for it! Carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, zucchini. They all work wonderfully! I usually always use onion in the base of my soups, but this time I did not have any. If you do, throw it in with leeks and celery. Adding the vegetables, always try to figure out which ones take the longest to cook and add them in first. If you have something that you don’t wish to puree, maybe it works as a topping? If you are a meat-eater, just crisp up all the odd ends of your sausages and bacon. If you eat cheese, maybe just sprinkle it on top or melt it in. The options are endless and these types of recipes always work out. And in addition to a good meal, you also get some peace of mind because you avoid food waste. Win-win!

When was the last time you thought about your hormones? When it comes to health and well-being, hormones don’t typically take center stage. But hormones play a big role in healthy organ function, metabolism, bone health, and even our sleep (think melatonin). Jules and I are both in our forties, and we both had babies over 40. So needless to say, hormones have been on our minds. We’re focused on up-leveling our hormone health so we can look forward to maintaining energy and strength as we age. What do we do to keep our hormone production healthy? We seek out nutritious foods that will help balance our hormones.

Sometimes the only thing you need is a cake. Feels familiar? So let me introduce you to a chocolate and beetroot cake. No need to be afraid – we do use a lot of beets in this recipe, but you can’t taste it in the result. Also, if you are afraid of too many beets, then just skip the beetroot powder in the frosting (yes, there also is a frosting!) and substitute this with pink pitaya powder or just fresh berries or skip it altogether. The main purpose of the powder here is to color the “cheesecake” frosting into a nice pink-purple color anyway, so if you are happy with white, just go for it. The cake itself is quite moist and decadent anyway and a few of my friends have mentioned that this is the best vegan cake they have ever had. To make it even more luscious, I added a whipped tofu frosting for extra moisture. And of course, I needed to go the extra mile and also candied some beetroot ribbons. For this, I first created a sugar syrup – 1 cup of water and ½ cups of regular sugar. Bring to boil, add beetroot ribbons (or just very thinly cut beetroot slices), and simmer them for 30 minutes until they turn slightly translucent). Then drain them and leave them to cool. I also cooked the rest of the syrup down to beetroot caramel, but I am honestly not sure yet, where or how I will use this.

This is the easiest recipe ever and I usually don’t even bother writing down recipes this simple, but this drink has been on my menu almost every day this summer, so I figured it makes sense to jot this one down. In Estonia, where I live, we usually have a few weeks of real summer if we are lucky. Estonian summer means something around 70°F for days and 50-60°F during nights, so rather chilly. But this year has surprised us with a real heatwave and we have had the temperatures around and even over 80°F for almost 6 weeks already. This also means that the temperature inside my apartment is constantly around 80°F and this is not so nice anymore... At one point I seriously considered just sleeping in a hammock on my terrace where there is at least a little wind. But generally, I am rather happy with the hot weather.

We’ve officially entered the dog days of summer in Colorado, which according to Wikipedia is an expression that “refers to the hot, sultry days of summer especially in the Northern Hemisphere.” Today we’ve got the antidote to the dog days of summer – Chocolate Ice Cream! Check out the decadent summery sweet treat recipe below featuring frozen bananas and raw cacao. This ice cream is 100% vegan and dairy-free, making it truly 100% guilt free! And it’s so rich and chocolatey that you’ll never miss the real thing. Guilt-free ice cream? Sign us up!

Labor Day weekend is not too far away in the United States and it’s known to be the last big hurrah of the summer. With that in mind, we wanted to make certain that we “cooked” up the very best recipes for your barbecue weekend. Ditch the pies, cookies, and other sugary treats and opt for this Farm Fresh Raw Peach Tart, which is truly a slice of heaven. The key to this recipe is the ripe succulent peaches that are overflowing at the supermarket and local farmstands. I sourced the peaches for this recipe from Ela Family Farms in Hotchkiss, Colorado, and boy can you tell that these peaches didn’t travel very far! Whether buying peaches from your farmer or grocery store, the key is knowing which ones to choose. A quick tip for picking peaches is to use your schnoz. Yes, your sniffer! A peach is ripe and ready to be eaten when you can smell it’s sweet ripe fragrance.

Enjoy this simple and delicious yellow smoothie. Tropical flavors are great for waking you up in the morning. The use of Greek yogurt provides you with much-needed protein that you require to keep you going for the rest of the day. Bananas are the most important ingredients in most healthy smoothies, as they are loaded with potassium, magnesium and create a thick lining in your stomach which protects your digestive system. Make yourself this smoothie in the mornings and you have your healthy breakfast in a mug! Ingredients:

Mushrooms are good! One of my favorite things to forage, but of course, spring is not the high season for mushrooms (at least not in Estonia), so today I used king oyster mushrooms. I have made the same recipe with button mushrooms and while still delicious, king oysters work the best here. I like that they are not too watery and of course, the fact that 2 mushrooms are enough to make up dinner for one person helps as they are so simple to prepare. The mushroom recipe itself is very simple too, and I usually always have all the ingredients waiting in my fridge or cupboard.

Snacks are meant to be simple! While I do love spending time in the kitchen and sometimes don’t mind spending hours and hours to make a few little snacks, sometimes it makes sense to just whip up a quick dip, serve it with colorful veggies and call it a day. This is exactly what I did today and as I had some roasted carrots leftover from yesterday's dinner these found their way into my little dip. I am sure the dip would also work with roasted beetroot or maybe even sweet potato – whatever you happen to have leftover.

Summer is finally here in Estonia, and this means that my main meals are smoothie bowls. Strawberry season is still a few weeks away here and while my own strawberry bushes are still flowering, the frozen strawberries from the store are delicious in this recipe too and in fact, I recommend using frozen berries here as they give thicker, ice-cream like consistency that I really enjoy. Avocado brings the creaminess to the next level and the healthy fats there help to keep us feeling full for longer and as an extra bonus help to moisten our skin from the inside – always a good thing when spending a lot of time outside with the sun! To top the bowl I always use fresh fruit and berries – whatever I have waiting to be used up, nice plump blueberries this time, and of course something crunchy works well too! Both banana and strawberries can be frozen, but do not need to be. As it is quite warm outside where I am now, I always like to keep chopped-up bananas in my freezer for smoothies or ice-creams, so I always use frozen bananas, but sometimes I add fresh strawberries. Vice versa works well too. And if you only use fresh ingredients, just add in a few ice cubes to keep it cool!

These days, I typically will start my day with a low sugar green juice like this Fresh Start Green Juice OR I make this Energy Boosting Green Smoothie. It includes all the goodness of green juice, but it’s more filling because of all the fiber. I’ve been loving golden flax seeds as my boost lately too. They are great for healthy elimination (bye bye constipation), glowing skin, and balanced hormones. Flax seeds are also anti-inflammatory, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, and an amazing plant-based protein. Give this a whirl in your blender and let me know what you think! With love and green goodness,

Reusing the food from last night's dinner is a regular thing for me, but often I don’t feel like having exactly the same thing several days in a row. So sometimes I get a little creative and many of my recipes are developed this way. Today's featured leftover – quinoa. I used black quinoa, but whether you have a white, red, or mixed one – they all work well, and I am sure the recipe would also work with leftover barley, bulgur, or any other grains. I always use onion and celery in all sorts of patties, and these are not an exception. In case you don’t like them, just omit and feel free to add some garlic, for example. I am not a garlic lover and this is why it is almost never used in my recipes, but since we all cook for ourselves, it makes sense to trust our own tastebuds.

If you know us here at the Conscious Cleanse, you know we love our green smoothies! We believe that there’s no snack more versatile and nutritious than a freshly blended smoothie. Ranging from the protein-packed peanut butter and banana smoothie to the light and fruity blueberry & lemon smoothie to the palette-awakening cilantro & lime smoothie, these blended beauties are a simple, delicious, and customizable way to chug nutritious foods. Above all, however, is the smoothie’s unmatched ability to help reduce food waste in your kitchen. While you may not delight in munching on strawberry tops or lemon peels on their own, tossed in a blender, they keep your smoothie healthy and your compost empty.

My secret to inventing new recipes – being lazy and not having certain food groups at home. I realize that for most people baking bread does not qualify under being lazy, but if you ask from me, then spending 20 minutes on bread baking requires less energy compared to running out to the store to get bread. So this recipe was invented on one of those Saturday mornings when I was all out of baked goods, fancied bread, and simultaneously I needed to use up some coconut milk in my fridge. Two main ingredients here are coconut milk and plain flour. The recipe is also extremely easy to remember because flour and coconut milk are required in equal amounts. Add in a dash of baking powder for extra fluff and some seasonings and you are almost done!

Spring is cool and in my case, it is literally cool, because the temperatures here are still mostly chilly. Still, we already seeing some green outside, and of course, the first things that start to grow are all kinds of weeds. We usually want to get rid of weeds, but did you know that many plants we consider weeds are actually edible and good for you? That is if you live somewhere far away from the big roads and pollution, of course. I happen to live in the city center, but Tallinn, our Estonian, capital is small enough to go to the nearest forest by bicycle, and still be able to pick fresh greens from the forest! In my smoothie today, I used goutweed and stinging nettles. Both are extremely unpleasant friends in your flower garden, as they easily take over everything, but both are healthy and good for you if you pick them while they are still young.

I seem to have a thing with green food in the springtime. It just calls for me and so most of my food has been green for the past few weeks already. I already have many little plants growing on my windowsill and wishing to be planted outside soon, but it is still slightly too early for them. Luckily, my windows face south, so they have plenty of light to enjoy. So, the greens for today’s recipe are still store-bought, but very soon I hope to use my own herbs and salads! The pasta today is green too. Or, to be precise, the sauce is green and you can choose whatever your pasta preference is for the actual pasta part. My choice is usually whole wheat, but there are so many different gluten-free varieties out there as well – lentil pasta, quinoa pasta, oat pasta, and even a buckwheat one.

One of the most important skills we’ve developed is how to modify a recipe to make it “cleaner” or cleanse-friendly, so today we wanted to share some of our processes with you to make it easier for you to makeover your favorite recipes! I (Jo) and my husband found this recipe for Turmeric Black Pepper Chicken with Asparagus online and wanted to make it for our family, but before we could, we had to make some modifications to fit our dietary needs.

There’s a reason that conventional wisdom says breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But let’s be real – mornings can be hectic, and that’s putting it nicely. Just like with our cleansers, we like to set our kids up right with a quick and easy meal that loads us up with dark leafy greens. Our favorite is this Kid-Friendly Very Berry Green Smoothie! Kids love it and parents can feel good knowing that whatever else happens with their kid’s diet today, at least they got in this serving of fruits and vegetables! Kid-Friendly Very Berry Green Smoothie

Not really sure if anybody needs a recipe for a smoothie, but rather take this one here as inspiration. Smoothies are good for you! They are delicious, nutritious, and healthy. And maybe not everybody puts vegetables to the smoothies, but I recommend giving it a try! For harder veggies in your smoothies to work, you do need a powerful high-speed blender as you want it to be smooth and carrot has quite a bit of texture to it. With a good blender, you will not feel any harder bits in your drink. I have always liked carrots and orange together.