Old Blog Juice Bar

Summer is Here…Are You Beach Body Ready? 

If you’re anything like me, you’ve gained a few extra pounds this past winter to insulate your body from the harsh cold. This extra “coat” is absolutely normal, as we tend to gravitate towards heavier foods that provide more insulation from the cold. We also tend to stay indoors more, keeping us from exercising as much as we do when it’s warm. But winter, the season of hibernation, is long behind us and it’s time to welcome summer into our beautiful, beach body ready arms!

Summer is the season of abundance: vibrant flowers, lush green trees, and fresh, locally grown produce. And, not only does nature replenish and reenergize, but we do too, through all of the outdoor sports and activities that summer allows for! During this time, it’s hard to feel good if we’re eating those heavy winter foods, which is why in the summer we need to transition to seasonal foods that make us feel light and cool.

At Hawthorne, we practice what we preach and preach what we practice! For the past few weeks, I’ve been eating healthier and following an increased physical regimen — I didn’t spend my time and energy worrying about counting calories though! Instead of thinking about how many grams of fat, sugar, protein, or carbs were in my mostly liquid meals, I simply let Mother Nature balance my ideal weight from my nutrient dense living foods diet… But sometimes, we need a little boost to get on board with Mother Nature.

In conjunction with eating healthier, I developed a Beach Body Ready Cleanse designed to help you feel good and look good. The Beach Body Ready cleanse is different because it provides a pre-digested smoothie each day that contains fiber which helps you to feel full and satisfied. When I do a traditional all liquid juice cleanse, I tend to get hungry because that cleanse consists of just “liquid” juice, which causes me to “cheat” by adding in solid foods.

One of the great aspects of the Beach Body Ready Cleanse is that we add Mila Chia seeds to the juices, which are nutrient rich and great at creating a solid texture for consumption. Chia seeds with a liquid juice work like a miracle; chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and fiber, chia seeds expand right in the juice. Once this expansion occurs the seeds automatically make you feel full and satisfied as if you ate a hearty meal.

In addition, the Beach Body Ready Cleanse also includes a daily shot of wheatgrass. Wheatgrass contains over 100 elements of nutrients, and can be described as the ultimate cleanser. When my stomach feels bloated or “fat” I simply take a shot of wheatgrass each day for five days straight. I notice that after taking the wheatgrass shots daily, my stomach goes flat as if I’ve done 1000 sit-ups a day. Wheatgrass will also help you become regular with your eliminations since toxins are being stirred up and flushed from our body each day.

You can do this cleanse as many days as you like and modify it for longer times by adding a vegan soup, fruit salad or seasonal vegetable salad as your only solid meal per day. If you do extend your cleanse, don’t let that stop you from making dinner plans or special events! Just remember to eat what’s being served in moderation — no need to feel guilty about it. Don’t forget that life is meant to be enjoyable, simply restart your cleanse the next day to achieve balance!

In conjunction with the cleanse, we recommend regular physical activity which is a must to burn excess adipose tissue.

Follow this plan and you will be Beach Body Ready for some fun in the sun while looking and feeling fabuloso! xo JoAnna To book your cleanse please email: organicjuicebardc@gmail.com

Hawthorne Homemade—Washington, DC’s 1st Organic Juice Bar

On January 9, Hawthorne Homemade celebrated its 2nd anniversary!

Here is a look back on the past two years. We opened with certain core principles the #1 value being: Always make juices fresh on demand and keep our price points at affordable levels. Yes, this cuts into our profit margins–but this is not what drives us—Hawthorne will never become yet another commercial juice bar, instead we believe in quality over quantity.

We are truly honored to serve our customers, and we would like to thank our loyal customers for their continued support. In the past two years, we have literally prepared hundreds of juice cleanses, many of them for our “repeat cleansers”. Our customers are loyal, because they visually see and taste the difference in our fresh juices.

Over the past two years, Hawthorne has experienced plenty of growth and through our growing pains, we have had to reconfigure our storefront. In total our space has been changed five times in order to accommodate customer demand. For example: we had to remove our beautiful oversized wood credenzas filled with many grocery items, when we realized our customers were more interested in our prepared foods.

During our latest remodel, we cut our custom built produce stand down to half its size, and built our now infamous bright orange wall to create even more kitchen space.

In addition, to changes to our location, we have also designed labels that depict the vibrancy of our juices! Our new bottles are designed to be visually appealing and reflective of the quality within.

Although our storefront and packaging have undergone changes, we still hold our juices to the high quality standards that we set when we opened. We want to remind you that Hawthorne is still the place that you can trust with your juices and juice cleanses. Lots of businesses throw out buzz words such as “USDA certified organic”, “cold-pressed”, “100% organic”, “we’re the best”, and “the one and only” that make you assume their product is superior. Yes, in theory these claims should yield you the most superior product on the market, but just the opposite is happening. Blue Print Cleanse, which is sold in high end, stores such as Whole Foods and Dean & Delucca is one such example. They are facing a $5 million potential class action lawsuit for false advertising, creating unfair competition and basically deceiving the consumer with the plaintiffs accusing Blue Print of pasteurization (a process which kills live enzymes).

At Hawthorne all of our juices are always freshly made. We understand the importance of preparing and consuming freshly made organic juices–when vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other vital nutrients are at their peak and contain their medicinal value. We also juice in small batches daily to ensure optimal freshness. Once you have been juicing for many years and have gotten amazing results you know that the best juice really is fresh juice.

As we enter our 3rd year as a community based small business we have lots of exciting plans for the future. More workshops, a few retreats, collaborating with other holistic organizations to build our Wellness Network and keeping our small community feel at our rustic juice bar and prepared foods market.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support. We at Hawthorne wish you peace, love, joy and prosperity in 2014.

“When many Westerners think of yoga, they instantly think of Hatha yoga, the physical branch of yoga. Many do not realize however that there are six branches of yoga, Hatha yoga being only one of them. Do you meditate on a regular basis, if so you are practicing Raja yoga where meditation is the focal point of the practice. Hatha yoga is taking care of your physical body and was developed as a vehicle for meditation (Raja yoga). Do you volunteer on a regular basis?, if so you are practicing Karma yoga, the path of service. In Karma yoga all of our present efforts create a future that frees us from being bound by negativity and selfishness. Are you a leader in your community and stand up for what is right? Do you see the “divine” in all creation, accepting and tolerating all whom cross your path? If yes then you are practicing Bhakti yoga. Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mahatma Gandhi are wonderful examples of Bhakti yogi’s. If you study the scriptures and yoga tradition then you are practicing Jnana Yoga, the path of the sage or scholar. And then there is Tantra yoga, the most esoteric of the six branches of yoga. Tantra is also the most misunderstood or misinterpreted. In Tantra yoga, one takes a Ritualistic approach to life, which includes consecrated(to make sacred) sexuality. In Tantric Yoga we experience the divine in everything we do.” So in retrospect most of us practice yoga on a regular basis without even knowing it!

As a busy mom, I have no time to fool around. Like everyone else my days are filled with an endless to do list. All good and meaningful but busy. Mila helps me stay fueled, grounded and energized. I know that no matter what happens during my day at least I have given my body a healing and nourishing start.

So what is Mila? Bottom line, Mila is the “healthiest, most nutrient dense whole raw food on the planet,” says Dr. Brian Clement, Director of The Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida. A proprietary blend of six different chia seeds, Mila works at the cellular level to help heal our bodies naturally. High levels of omega-3s are what make Mila unique and anti-inflammatory. One serving of Mila is the equivalent of 8 to 10 fish oil pills!

So how is Mila different from generic chia? Chia is grown all over the world; however, optimal growing conditions along the Equator give Mila the highest levels of anti-oxidants and omega-3s of any chia. In blind studies by an independent lab, Mila tested 10 times higher than generic chia.   (http://www.lifemax.net/hawthornejuicebar/WhyMila).

Chock full of omega-3s, which reduce inflammation, the root cause of most illness and chronic pain, Mila also has fiber to help balance blood sugar levels and protein. Meaning you will not crash in the afternoons and crave sugar. Mila helps you stay balanced throughout the day and fills you up to reduce hunger cravings. Toss some in a smoothie or protein shake, mix into oatmeal or applesauce, sprinkle on salads and quesadillas, bake into pancakes, brownies, cookies or muffins, or roll into meatballs for an easy dose of extra nutrition for you and your family. Versatile and tasteless, Mila can be easily combined with many of your family’s favorite foods. Helps boost brain health and improves attention for kids!

So, in the hustle and bustle of your day, try to add a little magic you can feel good about. Something simple, nourishing and energizing to help fuel your body naturally. And when you start sleeping better, can workout harder, start losing weight all while protecting your heart, lowering cholesterol and reducing stress, even better! Last December my seven-year-old son said, “Mom, let’s leave some Mila tea for Santa this year.” Mmm, looks like everyone could use a little extra something, something . . . even Santa.

For more information and to order Mila, please visit: http://www.lifemax.net/hawthornejuicebar http://www.hawthornejuicebar.fueledbymila.net dianabreynolds@mac.com

A Well Balanced Diet breeds a Well Balanced Life

Grandma always said eat your vegetables and low and behold she was right. It is very sad that we live in an advanced technological era but our health is declining at a rapid pace. “The more obsessed we become with our health the less healthy we become”, what an irony. Someone once said to me that we know a lot but understand very little. Eating healthy is very simple. Eat fiber rich foods, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes daily. Reduce your intake of animal products and eliminate processed and junk foods from your diet. Prepare natural fresh “raw” deserts for that occasional sweet tooth craving. Drink a freshly prepared vegetable juice cocktail daily, to help cleanse the body of toxins. In addition, schedule a colonic at least once a season and give yourself an enema at least once a month to speed up the removal of waste and toxins from the body. Combining live foods with proper rest, physical activity, meditation, and a healthy positive attitude, allows one to strengthen the body and spirit.

Juicing is a wonderful way to get the daily requirements your body needs of vitamins and minerals and enzymes. Once you begin a regular juicing program you will not need to take vitamin and mineral supplements. The nutrients in the juice work synergistically together in the body for optimal health. Since the freshly prepared juice is already separated from fiber, it is assimilated quickly into the body to nourish cells and tissue. Fruits and vegetables have a high water content (natures water) so a portion of you daily water requirements is being met. Juicing is also an excellent way to cleanse and detoxify the body of toxins.

1. Always use organic produce when possible.
2. Purchase local, seasonal produce to support sustainable farming.
3. Always add a dark leafy green vegetable to your juice; they are full of calcium, B Vitamins, and chlorophyll and other vital nutrients.
4. Wash produce thoroughly and remove bruised and moldy parts.
5. Use a combination of fresh lemon juice and water to clean non-organic produce. Remember the benefits of non-organic fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks so do not let this be a deterrent from juicing.
6. Drink a variety of different vegetables and fruits to maximize nutrient intake.
7. Make the juice RIGHT before you drink it. I have made juices at breakfast and drank them for lunch; however the longer the juice sits the more “enzymes” are lost.

The Green Goddess smoothie is one of the most popular drinks @HawthorneOrganicJuiceBar. People love it, because it’s both nutritious and delicious! It is jammed pack with nutrients and minerals that you need for energy and strength, but it also has a delicious fruity flavor. It’s the best of both worlds!

We invite you to try this recipe at home! Kids absolutely love it, and we nickname it the “Shrek” drink because of it’s green color but lovable flavor.  Yours in Health & Wellness,  Hawthorne Organic Juice Bar.

Green Goddess Recipe:

1/2 cup of pineapple                      1/2 cup of mango

1 cup of spinach leaves                 1 kale leaf

1/2 cup of apple juice, coconut water or water          1/2 cup of ice (optional)

Combine ingredients in your blender, and enjoy!