A Big Announcement and Banana Cream Pie Smoothie Recipe

It's been three months since my last post.  Oops!  I didn't mean to be gone so long, but life gets in the way sometimes.  Between work, chasing a toddler with a teenage attitude, rescuing animals, and trying to enjoy my few moments of free time each week by reading, doing yoga, and learning Spanish, I've just been plain busy.  I'm going to do my best to post more often, but I can't make any promises because I'm adding one more big responsibility to my life...

I'm going to yoga teacher training!  That's right, yours truly is enrolled for the winter session at the Sanctuary for Yoga in Nashville starting in late September.  By April, I'll be a licensed teacher and can start making a living doing something I love.  I'm extremely excited about taking this next step. I'm also terrified, but that usually means I'm right where I need to be.  It's going to be six months of dedication and crazy schedules, but I'm doing it.  It'll definitely be a lesson in balance.  I'll try to keep everyone posted on my progress as I go.  It's going to be a blast.

In the meantime, I've got a new smoothie recipe for you.  Charlotte and I have been loving this one lately.  Creamy and sweet, it's great any time of day, but especially for breakfast.  It gives us tons of energy for yoga and running errands or jumping on the trampoline.  I hope you enjoy.

Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (we like coconut milk best)

1/2 cup water

3-4 dates

4 frozen bananas

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 tbsp flax meal

Optional:  any green of choice (celery is great since it won't change the color.)

Add everything to the blender in the order listed and blend until smooth.  Enjoy it topped with coconut or raw cacao nibs for a serious reminder of your favorite banana pie.  

Recipe: Creamy Dreamy Mint Green Smoothie

Tonight, I experienced one of my toughest-yet power yoga sessions.  All of those warrior 2s, planks, and camels left me feeling like a champ... and starving.  After unpacking from the day and settling in, I whipped up this little treat to serve as my dinner.  

My favorite ice cream has always been mint-chip.  But since I no longer partake of standard dairy-based desserts, I like to get creative.  The nice thing about a raw food lifestyle is that you can enjoy something that tastes like dessert with zero guilt!  This milkshake-style smoothie contains plenty of vitamin-rich fruit and veggies with a great balance of carbs and protein for an after-workout recovery meal.  It tastes amazing, and won't weigh you down.  I will definitely be making this more often!

Creamy Dreamy Mint Green Smoothie

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I used my homemade hazelnut milk for this one.)

1-2 cups of kale

3-4 frozen bananas

1/2 cup fresh mint

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 scoop plant-based protein powder (I use Plant Head brand vanilla protein.)

2 tsp Dandy Blend tea (optional, but awesome.)

Pinch of salt

Sweetener of choice (I used a scoop of stevia for extra sweetness.)

Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Enjoy! 

"SweetTarts" Smoothie

It's been a long time since I had candy, but from what I remember, SweetTarts had a slightly sour and sweet flavor that I used to love.  I didn't set out to recreate that flavor, but this morning, it sorta happened by accident.  I did my usual "throw whatever I have available into the blender" routine, and when I took a sip, I thought "this is very familiar...".  After a few sips, it clicked.  It reminded me of those little candies I ate as a kid (and adult, who are we kidding?).  I thought I should probably share the recipe in case any of my readers crave sour-sweet snacks that aren't so healthy.  

"SweetTarts" Smoothie

1 cup chopped celery

2 frozen bananas

1 cup frozen pineapple 

1/2 cup raspberries

2 dates

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 scoop vegan protein (I used PlantHead vanilla raw vegan protein.)

Just blend all ingredients together until smooth and enjoy.  I topped mine with shredded coconut and cacao nibs for a little crunch, but that's totally optional. 

Gratitude Tuesday (and a recipe too!)

It's FINALLY my kind of weather!  Here in middle Tennessee, it's been sunny and 80-degree temperatures for the past few days, and it doesn't look like that cold mess will be making another appearance any time soon.  Thank goodness!  I was ready to pack my bags (with nothing but flip-flops, bikinis, and sundresses) and move to a tropical island.  This was the coldest winter I can remember, and if it's the new weather pattern for Tennessee, I'm definitely moving south.  But now, with the blue skies, light breeze, and hot sun, it seems like a distant memory.  With that in mind, I give you this week's gratitude list:

1.  Beautiful weather!!  I waited (not so) patiently for it to arrive, and now that it's here, I'm taking full advantage.  Stroller rides for Charlotte and long walks for momma, weekends spent in the garden or back yard, eating big beautiful salads on restaurant patios... These are few of my favorite things.  

2.  Spring flowers and greenery.  This area of the US is one of the most beautiful, but ONLY in spring and summer if you ask me. Our falls bring a week or two of pretty colors, but then make way for a blanket brown, dry, crisp leaves.  I understand the need for seasons, blah, blah, blah, but that doesn't mean I like the change.  However, when spring arrives in full force here, it's truly worth the bitter months of frigid rain.  Pink dogwoods and white Bradford pear blooms abound, and I'm reminded of why I've lived here so many years.  It's incredibly beautiful.

3.  Babies!  No, I'm not pregnant.  Charlotte keeps me busy enough without having to wonder if she's trying to smother a younger sibling with "love".  I'm talking about the new additions to my employers' "nature preserve".  The landfill where I spend my days is a no-hunting zone, so every spring we are blessed with fawns and goslings, too many to count.  They are a sign that winter has finally gone and spring is here to stay.  I love driving slowly in or out of the gate while watching the momma geese swim with four or five tiny gray specks following her, or the mother deer leading her clumsy offspring into the tree-line to find berries.  Watching other species demonstrate the same caring and loving attitude toward their children that I feel for mine is just one of the many reasons I stopped eating animals.

4.  Clover.  I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm kind of on a roll.  I've found no fewer than 15 four-leaf clovers in the past two weeks, and 3 five-leaf!  I didn't know that was possible!  I don't think they really equate to luck since I'm still a full-time employee and not sipping margaritas on a beach somewhere while my handsome husband drives around in a brand new Aston Martin, but it does make my inner 5-year-old giddy.  I've always been good at finding them, but this year, I've set a record.

5.  Rain.  I know, I know... It sound contradictory after my whole "I hate the winter" rant, but once it's warm and green, the light rain can feel so calming.  It seems to clear the air of negative energy (and pollen), and give way to brighter, sunnier days.  Plus, now that my garden is planted, I'll need some help getting that gorgeous food to grow.  Lord knows I don't have the greenest of thumbs.  My cactus in my office is barely clinging to life.  True story.

 

6.  Green smoothies!  After juicing my breakfast for a couple of months, I'm back in my smoothie-phase.  It's just quicker, and things have seemed rushed lately.  (The rush seems to have coincided with a certain little girl mastering the art of walking.)  I love the variations I can come up with in a hurry, and knowing that I'm starting my day with a big boost of nutrition keeps me focused throughout the day.  Charlotte has even been enjoying them on our way to grandma's house.  I'm so thankful that my health was challenged before I ever became pregnant so that I could learn how to raise a healthy child.  She will eat almost anything!  The kid loves veggies, and for that, I feel truly blessed.  

Since I'm honoring my love of green smoothies, I figured I'd share one of my favorites.  I don't use a "recipe" per se, but these are more like suggestions.  Feel free to alter it in any way to suit your taste buds.  Besides, a green smoothie is only good for you if you actually DRINK IT.  

Banana Strawberry Basil Breakfast Smoothie

1 cup almond milk

1-2 frozen bananas

1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries

1/4-1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil

1-3 stalks celery, chopped

2 dates

1 tsp vanilla

Dash of cayenne pepper

Optional toppings:  dried mulberries, sprouted buckwheat, cacao nibs, dried coconut flakes

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend away.  I love the taste that fresh basil adds to this smoothie, and it pairs so well with strawberries.  It's a very cool and crisp tasting drink that's perfect for hot days.  If you don't have or just don't like celery, use a cup or two of spinach, or even kale.  If you don't have dates, use a tablespoon of maple syrup or some stevia.  It's a great basic recipe to start adding some green into your mornings.  I like to add my vanilla protein powder and a scoop of Perfect Food Raw for an extra boost.  Give it a shot and see what you think.

Until next time, give thanks, eat green and live lean!

Smoothie Recipe: The Hormone Balancing Orange Dream

About three weeks ago, I received my new juicer, an Omega 8006.  Since then, I've been juicing every morning.  Typically, I'll wake up and drink a glass of warm lemon water followed by a green juice.  While I have the juicer going, I also prepare a sweet root juice to take to work, usually beet-carrot-apple-celery.  I call it "The Plant Blood."  

I like to go easy on my digestive tract in the early part of my day, so I will then make a smoothie to drink as my morning snack.  With oranges being in-season, I've been on a bit of a kick.  This recipe includes maca, of which I have shared the benefits in a previous post.  It's truly a SUPERfood.  It turned out so good that I just had to share with all of you.

The Hormone-Balancing Orange Dream Smoothie

2 oranges, peeled

2 frozen bananas

1-1/2 cups almond milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp chia seeds (I soaked mine in water overnight)

1 scoop protein powder (I used Garden of Life Raw Vanilla Protein)

2 tbsp Maca powder (optional)

Cinnamon & ginger to taste

Dash of cayenne pepper

Pinch of sea salt

I blended my fruits and almond milk until smooth before adding the other ingredients just to prevent over-processing of my superfoods.  I then topped my smoothie with a scoop of hemp seeds.  It reminds me of the orange dreamcicles that I had as a kid, but without all of the junk and processed sugar.  Delish!  Of course, you could add your favorite leafy green vegetable or some celery to this to give it extra nutrient power.  Please give this one a try.  It's amazing!

Lavender Chocolate Green Smoothie

Most mornings, I make a green smoothie.  It's one of the easiest ways to get extra mineral-rich leafy greens into your diet.  Sometimes I make them heavy with pineapple or berries, but more often than not, it's chocolate.  I know, I'm addicted. But if loving cacao is wrong, I don't wanna be right.  This morning, I wanted a cacao smoothie, but with a little twist.  I decided it was lavender kind of day.  With the crazy-cold weather we've had here in Tennessee, I needed a taste of spring.  Here's what I came up with:

Lavender Cacao Green Smoothie

3 cups spinach

2 cups fresh almond milk

1 banana

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

5 drops lavender essential oil

1 scoop Garden of Life Raw Vanilla protein powder

2 tsp wheatgrass juice powder

2 tbsp maca powder

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

Stevia or other sweetener to taste

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of sea salt 

Blend the banana, spinach, and almond milk until smooth, then add all other ingredients and blend to combine.  With super-foods, you want to blend them as little as possible to minimize heat exposure.  If you don't have raw cacao, use your favorite cocoa powder or even chocolate bar.  If you don't have maca, protein powder, or wheatgrass juice powder, just leave it out.  The main flavor comes from the vanilla and lavender oil, so the extra stuff is just for added body and nutrition.  You could, also, use any essential oil flavor that you like.  I may try orange or peppermint tomorrow.  

It's so easy to be creative with green smoothies.  Make sure you have a green vegetable, a fruit, and a liquid.  Where you take it from there is limitless.  What's your favorite green smoothie recipe?