Between the current giveaway going on, yesterday’s post on children’s taste buds & bitters, and my post on cucumber shots, cucumber & cantaloupe cleansing benefits everyone seems already pretty busy on this website!

So I have a sweet and quick post where I collect some information from these previous posts 😀 I am mostly going to focus on bitters, one of my favorite types of greens.

I made two recipes today that were extremely simple, fast, and did not require much produce that were flavorful so I’m going to share them with you today.

I have several posts where I make mango spinach smoothies and sometimes I use pineapple instead of mango or kale instead of spinach. But the measurements are usually the same, it all depends what flavors you want and what goodies you have available.

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Mango Cayenne Spinach Smoothie

Makes 1 cup, serves one person

1 cup frozen mango

1 cup baby spinach

Optional, one dash cayenne pepper

1 cup filtered water

1/4 teaspoon or less freshly grated ginger

Blend until smooth and enjoy :D!

With smoothies and soups it is always best to add the high water content goodies first 😉 I know I have mentioned this before but just a friendly yummy reminder!

The cayenne and ginger of course are completely optional but it adds another dimension to the smoothie. It’s a more flavorful mix of ingredients to me personally. This makes for a great morning or evening snack and might just give you the boost of energy and fiber you need until your next meal.

The bitter element in this smoothie is the spinach, if you are not a fan of spinach but would like to use a bitter green here is my post with a list of options. Spinach is typically a favorite in smoothies and juices because the taste mixes well with most fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.

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 Tangy Arugula Cucumber Soup

Makes 2 cups, Serves 1 person

It’s bitter, spicy, cooling and surprisingly thick ❤ Whenever I think of arugula I hear an old school horn, ah-oo-gah…arrruuuugula 😉

1 cup arugula

1 cucumber chopped (about 1 and 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon sauerkraut juice/water or one teaspoon mellow/white miso

1 cup water

Crushed black pepper, freshly grated ginger & freshly grated turmeric according to taste

A quarter of an avocado for thickness, optional

Add high water ingredients first, blend until smooth and dig in! 

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I highly recommend having this soup with a spoon and not just drinking it down in a cup.

By chewing on liquids we can achieve that satiated feeling so we can control out appetite or any misplaced cravings. This is also helpful for those who tend to not focus while having a meal. If you focus on the food in front of you and in a sense meditate, stay present and just chew then it will click in your mind that you had a filling, nutritious meal.

Between the arugula, cucumber, and sauerkraut juice/water this soup is super duper cleansing and promotes a healthy gut. The sauerkraut adds a little tang, arugula has a lovely spicy bitter element and the cucumber cools if all off while adding some bitterness with the skin.

Once in a while I add different spices to this soup. Some of my favorites are curry and chipotle seasonings.

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These are both light recipes that promote cleansing and giving our metabolism a little kick in the caboose if it’s been lazy because of the long winter weather we have been dealing with. Both recipes having warming and cooling elements, a little balance 😉

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend with great company and delicious treats. Much love ❤ and raw power 😉

Jess