The Healthy Green Drink Diet (11 page)

pungent and also greens that are dry and yellowing. And always buy organic when possible.

Some studies have shown organic produce to contain higher amounts of nutrition while other studies have

seen no significant increase. Either way, organic fruits and veggies contain, at most, pesticides derived

from natural sources rather than the carcinogenic pesticides that are synthetically manufactured, and that’s

reason enough to make the switch. Granted, organic is often more expensive, but if you stick to locally

grown produce from farmer’s markets and small local stores, there are generally deals to be had.

Saving

Start buying your most used greens in bulk. I like to stock up on spinach by buying huge prewashed bags at

places like Costco or Trader Joe’s. Also, consider purchasing your berries in large frozen bags and

buying bananas in bulk (freezing them before they get too ripe). These are all much less expensive than

purchasing in smaller quantities.

You can even freeze your spinach if the giant bag proves to be difficult to consume before going bad. All

of this is going to add some weight to your freezer, so I recommend a second deep freezer in the garage,

storage shed, or patio.

And then, of course, you can grow your own greens…

Growing

This is easier than you think, even for those of you living in apartments with no backyard access. At the

very least, all you need is a windowsill that gets a good amount of sunlight. Not only is it easy, but it’s the

cheapest way to get your green drink fix.

Here are three important steps to get you started:

Seeds—talk to the suppliers at your local farmer’s market or search online for open-pollinated,

nonhybrid, natural, non-GMO seeds. I like to use www.rareseeds.com (they have a very wide variety)

or www.sproutpeople.org (they specialize in sprouts).

Equipment—check your local home improvement store for planters in a variety of sizes, pick up some

wood if you want to build your own grow box (I recommend reading
All New Square Foot Gardening

by Mel Bartholomew if your space is limited), purchase a sprouting kit (I recommend

www.sproutpeople.org), and don’t forget the fertilizer and manure.

Space—grow in windowsills, patios, yards, porches, hanging baskets, the walkway on the side of your

house or apartment, homemade grow boxes, the list is endless. You can even rent a space from your

city’s community gardening location.

I suggest starting with a few herbs like basil and mint and a few easy leafy greens like spinach and lettuce

of any variety. Kale, strawberries, tomatoes, beets, chard, and carrots are also easy to grow if you have

the space.

Try adding some onions, marigolds, garlic, and hot peppers to keep the pests away. You can also

purchase ladybugs from your local nursery to rid yourself of aphids, or do what my grandmother used to

do and mix a bit of natural dish soap with water in a spray bottle and douse your plants to keep the critters

away.

There’s nothing like keeping your own fresh edible garden, so give it a try and reap the benefits.

Storing

Fresh fruits and greens last on average about one week. here are some tips to extend that time for as long

as possible:

Don’t prewash your fruits greens. If you do, you’ll find then molding, getting soggy, and wilting much

faster.

Store your greens, unwashed, in sealed plastic bags to keep out air and water.

Keep most fruits (except citrus) on the countertop and out of the refrigerator; otherwise, you’ll end up

with mealy fruit. Avocados can be ripened on the counter and stored in the refrigerator to slow the

process.

Store cut fruit in a sealed plastic bag to prevent it from absorbing weird refrigerator smells.

If something can’t be eaten before going bad, chop it up, put it in a sealable bag, and toss it into the

freezer.

Fresh basil and other herbs can be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel, or

you can freeze them in ice cube trays covered with water—a great way to chill your smoothies and get