Friday, November 27, 2009

Veggies in a Bottle: Putting some flavour into this challenge

I'm halfway through, and I keep on with my water-drinking challenge. But like a diet without spice, this drinking challenge without teas or infusions is painfully boring. Remember, I'm dating an Englishman - I know what spiceless food is like (oh, jab!).

Anyhoo, I vowed that my challenge includes no caffeine and no sweet drinks, so in my need to find some tantalizing flavours to keep me motivated, I found some delicious water-alternatives...


Balancing Chlorophyll: If for no other reason, drinking chlorophyll water is a conversation starter -especially in my futurismo Voss container. Add a bit of this green matter found in plants to your water, and its like getting your veggies in a bottle. I personally opt for chlorophyll in liquid form rather than powder (more easily absorbable - and less Vata) which also has mint essential oil added to it for a (bit of extra zing). Drinking this all day makes keeps you refreshed and it alkalizes your body.

Semi-sweet Rooibos: This African red bush makes a lovely tea with a slight sweetness to it. Not POM juice sweet (love those reusable bottle/cups), but I'll take what I can get. Rooibos is a great anti-inflammatory for your digestive system and its reduction of heat seems and soothe your entire body. Pure + Simple makes a Rooibos blend with dried berries, lavender and chamomile petals - which clients also have told me is excellent for calming the skin topically (using compresses). I also am a fan of Rooibos in Chai instead of the traditional black tea base - you can get this from the Yogi Tea brand. This is great for those of you, who like me, who are sensitive to caffeine. "Sensitive" is actually an understatement, "makes me coo coo bananas" is probably more fitting.

Cool as a Cucumber-Lemon infusion: If you aren't in the mood for tea - another option is to throw some fruit or vegetables into your water. Slice some oranges, limes, apples, or chop up some cilantro and simply add it to your water. The water becomes laced with the lovely light favour of whatever you put into it which isn't overpowering and really wholesome tasting. A spa staple: water with lemon and cucumber slices. This not only looks really pretty, but reminds me of fluffy white robes and cozy slippers. Lemon and cucumber provide the perfect combination as lemon is also a liver detoxifier and cucumber is pitta pacifying.

Powerful Peppermint tea: I heart peppermint tea. On the go, when you really crave that sweet in the mid-afternoon, peppermint tea is the only tea which has potent enough flavour to appease this. But a word of warning to those of you drinking hot fluids while running around- last week I went to the Starbucks for a "Refresh tea" (Peppermint tea) and ended up with a nasty burn. Now, I'm very cautious about my tea drinking and order a Venti with half cold water, half hot. Well, they didn't have their A-team on that day because they didn't make the modification and I realized this as I poured it down my entire front side. Of course, as usual, you're always a klutz in the most awkward places, and I was on the Dundas streetcar sopping wet. To the surprise of my fellow streetcar riders, I began squealing like a pig and stripping off my scalding hot clothes - down to my undershirt.... I was really upset with both the Starbucks staff and myself, freezing cold from my wet clothes, and had to cab it chez moi to change making me really late for the HIV Legal Network fundraiser that evening. And still, with a bit of a sniffle and full of self-pity for my sore skin, in the taxi home I made a point of drinking what remained of crumpled cardboard cup for fear of not making my daily quota. If that isn't a show of devotion to this challenge, I don't know what is.

4 comments:

  1. Spiceless? Whats wrong with nuked vegetables and dry chicken?! Besides, what we lack in spice we more than make up in fat. See fish and chips, and full english fry up.

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  2. Sounds delish! Actually, I could go for a pasty right now...if it wasn't so drying and bad for us.

    But seriously, I blogged about Rooibos and Peppermint tea, but how yummy was that caramel-inspired tea Shawna got me for my birthday from David's Tea yesterday. I have a new favourite.

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  3. Lol - Well, you know I'm with you on this one.

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