ON SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIES: MANGO AND PINEAPPLE GREEN SMOOTHIE BOWL

 

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a nice weekend!  Finally back in the swing of things.  If you missed it, I was over on Simple Green Smoothies on Friday with my Mango and Pineapple Green Smoothie Bowl.  Have a fabulous week!

 

 

 

POWER BERRY GREEN SMOOTHIE

 

 

 

Nothing starts my day better than having a smoothie or a fresh juice blend.  Don't get me wrong I may have my days here and there where I cheat, I am only human, but I am pretty religious about having my green smoothie.  Maybe one day I will share what my weaknesses are... haha!

 

I do have a favorite green smoothie that I have most mornings, but this time I decided to switch it up a little and I really loved this combination.  I hope you like it too.

 

POWER BERRY GREEN SMOOTHIE

 

1 cup almond milk

1/2 a frozen banana

3/4 cup frozen blueberries and blackberries

2 cups mix of baby spinach, baby kale, and baby chard

Optional: 1 table spoon maca powder

Optional Topping: Chia Seeds and Hemp Seeds

 

Blend all the ingredients together in a high speed blender and enjoy!  I like my smoothies on the thick and creamy side.  If you do too, and your smoothie seems a little too liquid, just add more frozen banana or berries. 

 

Happy drinking!

 

 

Join the discussion!

If you have a favorite dairy free smoothie recipe, feel free to share it in the comments below. Links are welcome!

 





SUPER GREEN SMOOTHIE IN A BOWL

For those of you who know me, you know I love my smoothie in the morning.  It really gets me going.  One of my favorite smoothies is my Green smoothie with Spinach and Almond Butter.  But, this time I took it up a notch and made it into a bowl, a meal for some.  I added in some of my favorite fixings like pomegranate seeds, blueberries, hemp seeds and almond slivers, and ate it with a spoon.  So delicious and nutritious!  Hope you do the same and enjoy your favorite smoothie in a bowl soon.

SUPER GREEN SMOOTHIE IN A BOWL

1 cup almond milk

1/2 frozen banana

1/4 cup frozen pineapple

1/2 cup frozen mango

1 table spoon almond butter or peanut butter

1 table spoon maca powder*

2 cups spinach

Blend all the ingredients together, pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppings.

Toppings as shown:  Hemp seeds, pomegranate seeds, blueberries, and almond slivers.

Click on the links for maca powder and hemp seeds and check out the nutritional benefits of both.  Hemp seeds are my new favorite topping.  They are super delicious on salads, smoothies and soups. 

Enjoy!

Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite green smoothie recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.

HAPPY SHAKE FOR A HAPPY MONDAY ... SUPER GREEN SMOOTIHIE

Happy Monday!  I had a fabulous weekend and I hope you did too.  A few months ago a read an article on The Chalboard Mag about a Raw  Food Nanny named Stacy Stowers.  I thought, what a great job she has!  She travels to families' homes to help them learn the basic of raw cuisine.  Fast forward 5-6 months later, I get a chance to meet her!  Jean-Marie met her through a friend and Stacy came out to Jean-Marie's for a one week stay and we had a raw food party Friday night.  So much fun!

I want to share with you her amazing Happy Shake.  It's perfect for this month of January when many of us are doing a 30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge with Simple Green Smoothies. It's the ultimate green smoothie if you ask me.

Here's a copy of the recipe she shares on her site.

HAPPY SHAKE

Step # 1 Liquid Base. Melody starts with 1/2 cup water. Step # 2 4 cups of loosely packed spinach.....save the kale for a nice kale salad. Step # 3 A Good FAT. You need the good fat for metabolizing the spinach and keeping you satisfied for hours. You may choose from 1 Tbs. coconut oil, 1 Tbs. hemp seed or 1 raw egg. (you may want to start with a bit less water if using an egg) Step # 4 THE HAPPY PART........1 Tbs. Maca for stamina, endurance and mental clarity. 1 Tbs. Raw Cacao for that HAPPY BLISS feeling. ~ with Melody Miles. A great option for some additional alkalizing GREENS.....add 1 Tbs. Vitamineral Green Step # 5 DO NOT add fruit yet...... Blend all ingredients into your "green sludge". Step # 6. Now add 2 cups frozen fruit (1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries & 1/2 cup frozen banana pictured here) to your "green sludge". BLUEberries+GREEN "sludge" = Chocolate BROWN! A NOTE on Super Foods ... Super Foods like Maca and Cacao are very powerful foods. These foods border medicine. This is a good time to do your own research on these two amazing foods. Start in small doses and listen to your body.

You may be wondering where you can get these ingredients.  I found these at my local Whole Foods Store.

And finally, here are some some Instagram pics of the raw cooking 101 session and raw food party where we were showing off our tastings of the Happy Shake.

Christine, Jean-Marie, Me and Stacy

When you have a chance, please try the Happy Shake.  You will feel energized!  It's oh so good!



Have a great Monday!

Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite green smoothie recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.

THE 30 DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE

 

 

THE 30 DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE

 

Come on! Let's do it!  Join The 30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge over at Simple Green Smoothies.  I started drinking one green smoothie a day a few months ago and it's helped me so much.  You will feel the difference and your body will thank you... Head on over to Simple Green Smoothies and check out the details.  If you sign up for the challenge on their site, you can download for free 5 Simple + Healthy Green Smoothie Recipes.  Let's start the new year off right! Join us! 

 

My all time favorite green smoothie right now is my Green Smoothie with Almond Butter and  Almond Milk.  This is a great one for newbies.  The flavors are well balanced and you won't even know you are drinking spinach.  Also, check out my Green Smoothie with Spinach, Strawberries and Dates and my Green Smoothie with Peas.

 

Let's do this!!

 

Have a fabulous week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



DAY 2: MOSTLY RAW FOOD CHALLENGE

Day 2: Mostly raw food challenge

It's been one day and I feel really good! The first day is always the hardest. But I stuck to my guns especially since I was going to have to tell you all what I am eating. LOL! 

My husband is doing the food challenge too and he said he felt so good all day. He had to take a class and he said he stayed focused the whole time. I agree with him, I already feel more focused and my body seems really happy with what's taking place thus far. 

So, here's what I ate: 
Breakfast: Kale Coconut Smoothie
Snack: same smoothie from breakfast
Lunch: Asian Salad with seasoned rice vinegar & toasted sesame oil ( the easiest and best dressing ever) 
Snack: nuts, dates, and an apple
Snack: Ginger Veggie Smoothie
Dinner: Veggie stir-fry with steamed organic red rice

Kale Coconut Smoothie

2 handfuls of kale
1 cup almond milk
1 cup water
Juice from 1 lemon
1 or 2 dates depending on how sweet you want it or how sweet your bananas are
2 bananas
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
1/4 cup frozen peas

Directions: blend kale and liquids first. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend till smooth.

This makes enough for 2 smoothies one I can enjoy now and the other for a snack. 

Ginger Veggie Smoothie

2 handfuls of spinach
2 carrots
2 Celery Stalks
1 Apple
A chunk of ginger
1 Tablespoons Black strap molasses 
2 Cups water

Directions: add everything to the blender and blend until smooth. If it comes out too thick add more water. It should be smooth and easy to drink. But depending on the size of your carrots or apples that could change how fiberous the drink is. 

I drink a 1/3 now and save the rest for a snack. I get about 3 out of this depending on how hungry I am.

Join the Discussion: 

How was your first day of the food challenge? What is going to be your staple food to get you through? 

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: HOW I GOT STARTED

 

 

 

Written by contibutor Jean-Marie Payne of Btanjerine and A Simply Raw Life.  Jean-Marie is a cancer survior who turned to Raw/Vegan food to combat this terrible disease with success.  

 

How I got started

 

So, Switiching to an all Raw/Vegan lifestyle isn't easy. Back in July when I made the switch it was out of necessity and so the switch happened literally over night. One day I was eating my normal Standard American Diet and the next day I was eating Raw/Vegan. The thing that proved to be the easiest and simpliest way for me to change so quickly was smoothies. I was drinking 3 very large smoothies a day... Each one was probably 32-38 oz each... and let me tell you if you drink that much green juice a day, there just really isn't enough room for that much food... LOL!! But what was great about this was they tasted good and I didn't have to think much about food. Just blend and go. And my body didn't have to do too much work in digesting either. We started experimenting and we did chocolate smoothies, fruity smoothies, and even some with just veggies... and just to make it fun I would sometimes just pick a color and everything in my fridge that was that color had to go into the smoothie... You would be so surprised at what tastes good in a smoothie. One of my favorite finds was zucchini. It has no taste and is packed full of nutirents and so in my smoothie they would go...

 

My challenge to you is try drinking 2 large smmothies a day and see how you feel at the end of the week or 10 days... You too will be loving your green smoothies, your new out look on life, and your new body!! Let me know how you feel after you do your week challenge...

My favorite smoothies drink base:

 

SMOOTHIE DRINK BASE

 

1 Banana

Hand full of Kale

1 cup of Almond Milk

1/4 cup frozen green peas or 1/2 to 1 fresh zucchini

1 date

Add anything else and you are golden

(if you need more liquid add water)

 

Chocolate powder gives you a dreamy chocolate shake

Strawberries & pineapple & coconut flakes gives you a more tropical feel

Anything is possible!!!

 

I always tried to drink one smoothie without nuts. Here's what I would put in this one:

 

FRUIT & VEGETABLE SMOOTHIE WITHOUT NUTS

 

1 or 2 Carrots

1 celery stalk(which is great for depression or sad thoughts)

1 orange (peeled), hand full of spinach

1 apple, ginger(just a small piece) & water.

 

Blend in the blender or vitamix. and strain out half of the pulp. I think the fiber is good thats why I don't juice this one. But it is super fiberous so if you can stand it drink everything. But for me I would just strain out part of the fiber.

Don't forget to add parsley when you have it. It is a super food and it has only a few properties less than wheat grass. And the taste isn't too bad. 

 

And remember you can top off your smoothie with chia seeds, fresh berries. gogi berries, coconut and the like.  Skies the limit!

 

 

Enjoy!!

 

 

Join the discussion!

Do you have a story about how Raw or Vegan food changed your life or a fabulous smoothie recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.

 

SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIES

 

 

 

 

SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIES

 

I am so excited for our friends over at Simple Green Smoothies!  These gals are amazing!! With thousands of followers on Instagram, they are now bringing the best smoothie recipes to you through their new website.  Click HERE to check out their new home which is www.simplegreensmoothies.com.  I can't wait to see what else they come up with!  Go Jadah & Jenn!!

 



 



BLUEBERRY + CUCUMBER SMOOTHIE

BLUEBERRY + CUCUMBER SMOOTHIE

 

Written by contibutor Britney Manuel of Btanjerine and A Simply Raw Life. 

 

 

Looking to add some unique smoothies to my repitore,  I came across this one again from the app Whole Living Smoothies (here's the link to the website).  I am always trying to make sure to incorporate something green, I mean might as well since you won't taste it anyway.  And this one came out light and mild.  Perfect in my opinion!

A few health tips.  Berries are full of anti-inflammatory and disease-preventing stuff (too many words I can't pronounce but trust me it's good stuff).  And cucumbers are loaded with water to help keep you hydrated.  They are also a source of silica, a trace mineral that strengthens connective tissue.

The Line-up before

Et Voila! The finished product!

BLUEBERRY + CUCUMBER SMOOTHIE

 

THE LINE-UP

1/2 c. frozen blueberries

1/2 cucumber

1 c. almond milk

1 pear

2 dates

THE PROCESS

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.

Makes 1 serving approximately 2 cups.

Enjoy!

RAW: GREEN SMOOTHIE WITH PEAS

Peas you say?  Yes, PEAS!  I am definitely on a raw green smoothie kick and hope to keep this up for a long, long while.  I have a handful of friends who really do not like to eat vegetables, but they love smoothies.  This is a great way to get some of the needed fruits and vegetable intake for the day. 

I know growing up, I didn't think peas were a viable vegetable, but when you think about it, one of the first vegetable babies eat are peas.  They are really packed with a lot nutrition.  See below for an in depth analysis of nutrients from this site:

 

Oh, and I have to mention another hidden gem in this blend.  Kiwis.   One cup of kiwi fruit contains more vitamin C than a cup of orange slices.  Check out more nutritional information on Livestrong.

Amazing!  Are you ready to try it?

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup peas

1 cup baby spinach

1 large banana frozen

2 kiwis, peeled

1 cup frozen straberries

1 cup frozen pineapples

juice from two navel oranges (for a less tangy flavor you can use 1/2 apple juice)

1/2 cup water

Blend all the ingredients together in a high speed blender.  Makes two generous servings.

Top it off with a table spoon of chia seeds.  Yet another powerful ingredient.  I talk a little bit about the power of chia seeds in THIS POST.

Enjoy!

GREEN SMOOTHIES & INSTAGRAM

Monday  mornings are tough...  I have to get up at the break of dawn and the best thing I can do for myself to pump me up for the day and get me out the door is make a smoothie.  Particularly a green smoothie.  Currently this one is my favorite.  I vary the fruits on different days, but seriously you guys, it tastes so good you don't even realize that you are drinking any vegetables.  My 3 year old even loves this one!  (He thinks he tastes chocolate in it, shhhhh.... don't tell him there isn't an ounce of chocolaet in it.)

INGREDIENTS:

Equal parts...
ALMOND MILK
FRESH APPLE JUICE
SPINACH - ADD A LITTLE MORE IF YOU WANT MORE GREEN
FROZEN STRAWBERRIES
FROZEN BANANAS
FROZEN PINEAPPLES (OR PEACHES)
2 CHOPPED DATES

You can even add in 2 table spoons of flax or chia seeds.
Blend all the ingredients together in a high speed blender.
Voila!

If you are on instagram also check out @simplegreensmoothies for more ideas.  Jadah also has a great website for healthy families called Family Sponge - A Playground for Parents.  If you are a newbie to green smoothies, her LINK on breaking into green smoothies is helpful.  What a great way to stay healthy.  I know my family LOVES it!

Have a great Monday!