Showing posts with label organic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organic. Show all posts

Superfood-Cherry-Banana Bliss

    

I ran across this cherry smoothie recipe on the Vivapura.com site and have made a few modifications. It sounds scrumptuous and oh-so-healthy.   I grow cherries and look forward to using them in this recipe!

1 C Organic Frozen Cherries
1 Organic Frozen Banana, chopped
1- 2 T Vanilla Coconut Creme
1 T Chia Seeds
1 T Hemp Protein Powder
1 T Bee Pollen
Honey to taste

Blend in a high-power blender all ingredients, except bee pollen.
Pour into a tall glass and mix in the bee pollen by hand for a refreshing crunchy treat. Enjoy!




Smoothie of the Week: Dragon-Time (Choco-Banana) Smoothie

Healthy Dragon-Time Smoothie   Image: Pixabay

*3 very very ripe organic bananas (peeled and frozen in a baggie)
*1 Tablespoon organic dark hot chocolate mix (I use Fair Trade Cocoa Camino)
*1 Rounded Tablespoon Almond Butter OR/AND 1 Tablespoon Virgin Coconut Oil
*1 Cup cold almond or hemp milk
*Hemp seeds for topping/garnish Read more about the health benefits of hemp seed HERE.

Whirr the above ingredients (except for hemp seeds) together until smooth and eat contemplatively with a spoon. Double the recipe if your partner would like to join you. This smoothie was designed for comfort and harmony during the Dragon times of the month. Enjoy!


This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions.





Smoothie of the Week: Cherry-Choco-Banana-Berry-licious Smoothie



Today's smoothie is super-delicious and full of super antioxidant zing....  I ordinarily don't use processed juices in my smoothies, just as I don't often (maybe once or twice a year) use dairy yogurt.  This is definitely on the "treat" list-- maybe a smoothie to serve when your mother-in-law is visiting?  As I have said before, if it is too difficult to digest, be sure to take your full-spectrum enzymes before, during or after you drink the smoothie.  Enjoy!

1/2 C. organic baby spinach
1/2 cup fresh Almond milk (10 soaked almonds & water in blender)
1/2 cup cherry- pomegranate juice (or one or the other)
1 tablespoon Free-Trade organic cocoa powder, not Dutch processed
1 cup frozen cherries
1 banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons chia gel (1/4 C. chia seeds in 1 qt. water)



This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions. If you found anything useful, intriguing, or have questions, I would really appreciate your feedback... please use the comment box below.  To your better and better health, ~Cynthia

Smoothie of the Week: Carrot- Apple Green Smoothie


Carrots and apples are a great sweet, fresh combo that measure up against bugs going around this time of the year-- and parsley is a boon for anyone with 'iron deficiency'.  Some people may find this a  little hard to digest.  In that case, be sure to take your enzymes somewhere in the process (before, during and immediately after drinking the smoothie).
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup fresh-juiced apple juice (or regular organic apple juice if necessary)
  • 1 cup of sliced apple (Pink Ladies are a winner for this smoothie!)
  • 1/4 cup raw applesauce (a cored apple chopped into the blender)
  • 1/2 cup fresh organic chopped carrots
  • 1/2 cup of fresh organic Parsley
  • 2 cups of ice
  • Blend this vegetable smoothie until smooth. 


This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions. If you found anything useful, intriguing, or have questions, I would really appreciate your feedback... please use the comment box below.. 
 To your better and better health, ~Cynthia


Smoothie of the Week: Pumpkin Howl

courtesy of JillWellington at Pixaby
Pumpkin Howl is just a real scary name for a delectable 'pumpkin pie' type smoothie. I think you'll love it:

Put the following in your blender canister:

  • Meat and Liquid from one Young Thai Coconut (or 12 oz of Coconut Water)
  • 1/2 C. of canned Organic pumpkin puree
  • 4 soaked dates (pit removed) or Stevia to taste or Maple Syrup to taste
  • Cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon or as desired)
(makes enough for two adult portions)  

Bwahahahahahah



Smoothie of the Week: Light and Green Smoothie


This nutritious and refreshing smoothie is dedicated to all those readers who live in places where the humidity is so high that they hardly have enough energy to think, let alone plan a nutritious meal.  This would make a terrific lunch– all on its healthy little own!
Per person, blend together in the blender:

  • 1 large peeled organic cucumber
  • 2 ripe kiwi (also peeled)
  • 1/2 organic apple, peeled, cored, seeds removed

This is so refreshing and tasty– finally, a salad the kids will love!


This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions.
  To your better and better health, ~Cynthia


Smoothies for Health

Smoothies are made by combining fresh fruit and/or veggies and/or other healthy stuff with a liquid (I go for water or coconut water most of the time).  My husband and I mostly drink what are called GREEN SMOOTHIES.  We make them ourselves in a heavy-duty blender called a VitaMix although there are certainly other heavy-duty blenders that do a good job, and there are actually cheap-o blenders you can pick up at the Sally Ann Thrift store that will serve you well enough (they may just break down earlier).  The chief advantage of the VitaMix is that it will rupture the plant cells in a few seconds and create a smoooooooth blended drink without strings and chunks and other things we sometimes come across in less powerful blenders.  However, in a less rugged blender you can still get the task done: simply run things through in several smaller batches and then re-combine when they are to the smoothness of your liking.

Some Questions that have come up about Green Smoothies include:
Q: Why do you add greens to your smoothie?  Doesn't that make it taste...um... bad?
>The delicate, mineral-dense greens that one adds to a Green Smoothie are generally over-ridden in taste by the intense flavour of whatever fruit you have added.  Use a 60% fruit to 40% greens ratio.  In putting together her thesis for the greens going into a Green Smoothie, Victoria Boutenko researched what the strongest, healthiest vegetarian mammals in their natural habitat, the gorilla, eat--  not only bananas, as some might think, but about 60% of their food is greens-- branches, grasses, etc.  A chimpanzee eats similarly in nature.  While humans generally begin to look older as they enter their mature years, an elderly chimp (35-60 years old) often is indiscernable from an adolescent chimp in her/his early teens.  Diet certainly has a lot to do with longevity.  Boutenko and others point to the high mineral bio-availability of greens that are well-chewed.  They are easily digested, full of chlorophyl and digestive enzymes, and the perfect match for a delicious, nutritious fruit.  Because most of us have weak jaws or compromised teeth, it is difficult for us to chew the greens and rupture open their cell walls as a chimp is able to do.  However, we now have these fabulous blenders to make up for our deficient jaws!

And yes, some people are called "tasters" and will find the flavour of the various greens unpleasant for sure-- so it is a good idea to up the fruit ratio until you no longer feel ill with the taste of the greens.  Victoria Boutenko herself said that she felt like vomiting when she first began to drink "green" drinks.  But, hang in there, because the health benefits far, far outweigh any unpleasant initial reactions.
Q: What about food combining?  I heard you're not supposed to eat vegetables and fruits at the same time... isn't that what you are doing with green smoothies? 
>I know that I sound like I'm chronically quoting Victoria, but she is the woman in the know.... she states that she sees "greens" as a category separate from vegetables and fruits... its own new category.  When blended up in the VitaMix or other high speed blender, the greens perfectly combine with the fruit-- no worries about indigestion.  I do practice a couple of precautions: when I use melon (cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew) I use it with greens, water and nothing else.  I know that cucumber is in the same family as melons but I don't seem to have any issues with using it with other things like tomatoes, garlic, and other ingredients in a "blended salad"....which I think I will have for supper! 
So, that's it for today!  Just screw up your courage and pick a fruit and some greens to try with some water, 60-40.  Blend until smooth and enjoy! If you are used to a lot of processed sugars, you could use a little Stevia, but you will be amazed at how quickly your body will adjust to cutting down on, and eventually out, processed sugars, table salt, etc.. SMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSSMSMSM

This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions. If you found anything useful, intriguing, or have questions, I would really appreciate your feedback... please use the comment box below.  
To your better and better health, ~Cynthia



Smoothie of the Week: Tutti-Frutti Orange Cream Smoothie

Orange Smoothie - from Pinterest
Oh yum, oh healthy yum-- here's my morning smoothie recipe today-- using the 'new' Superfoods, hemp and chia seed:

Tutti-Frutti Orange Creme Smoothie:
Put the following in your Vitamix or other strong blender:
*2 T. Hempseed Protein
*2 T. Chia seed Gel*
*Filtered Water to soak Protein
*1 Ripe Organic Banana
*5 Pitted Medjool Dates
*2 Organic Oranges, peeled & pipped
*2 T. unsweetened organic coconut flakes
*Small piece of organic orange peel (washed) (optional)
*1 very ripe Avocado (optional)
*1 small organic Apple, chopped and seeded
*Water (2-3 Cups or more-- as you like)

*Process and enjoy!!! This will satisfy your hunger and thirst, provide you with ample fibre, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and assorted whole food vitamin and minerals... for added minerals you could add a 1/4 teaspoon of kelp flakes.

*to make Chiaseed Gel, place 1/4 Cup of whole chiaseeds in a quart mason jar and add water to the top. Stir until the seeds are dispersed. Let absorb the water for at least 15- 20 minutes. Stir again. Put on lid and keep in the fridge to use with other recipes. Provides a high source of protein (4 gm in an ounce), fibre, calcium, magnesium, and more Omega3's than any other plant source, including flax seed. Use the "whole seeds" and not milled seeds. There is some indication that milled seeds lack the nutrients.

This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions.

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