I’ve recently returned from a very celebratory birthday week in Chicago; I firmly believe in birth weeks instead of birth days. Being born is a miracle; and I don’t think that 24 hours does the affair justice. So I spent a week having drinks on patios, eating very indulgent meals; and renouncing all forms of exercise- unless you count all the walking from shop to shop.

But I digress. The party is over; and I feel puffy and more than ready to reacquaint myself with healthy living. In addition to hot yoga to flush out toxins, I have imposed a green juice, smoothie and food detox on myself.

I am a big fan of detoxing; but I don’t detox with lemon juice, cayenne pepper and honey. Oh no, I detox with whole foods, full of antioxidants and fiber. And one of the green juice benefits is that it serves to re-energize my body from a cellular level.

This green juice is what I like to call a savior- the sister savior; as it’s chocked full of antioxidants from the kale and spinach, but made sweeter and palatable by the pears and pineapple. And due to the fact that my liver is surely none too happy with me, the lemon serves to turn her (my liver) frown, upside down. For those who don’t have a juicer, this is just as easily blended and made into a smoothie- with the added bonus of fiber!

A juice that makes a week’s worth of indulgence negligible- yes, please!

Sister Savior Green Juice

Serves 1

3 leaves of kale, rib removed

4 oz fresh pineapple chunks

2 ½ oz fresh Bartlett pear chunks

¾ oz spinach leaves

1 lemon

Ice

Feed all ingredients through a juicer; and serve over ice immediately.