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Drinks/ RECIPES

Sweet Tart Smoothie

SWEET TART SMOOTHIE

I call this a Sweet Tart Smoothie because that is exactly what I thought it tasted like!  How fun is it that a green smoothie can taste like candy?!

The sweet/tart flavor comes from  Aronia Berry.  This smoothie also contains mixed berries, a banana, chia (for those plant-based omega’s), kale (another powerhouse nutrient-filled food), and aloe vera juice.

SWEET TART SMOOTHIE BLENDER

SWEET TART SMOOTHIE ALOE VERA JUICE

Now THAT’S a healthy smoothie, AND it tastes like candy!  What more could one want?

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Have you heard of this powerhouse, superfood, full-of amazing-goodness  Aronia Berry?  Let me tell you a bit about it.

~Aronia berries have the HIGHEST antioxidant capacity among berries and other fruits evaluated to date. (as of 2012)

~they contain high levels of vitamin C which make them great immunity boosters

~the antioxidants they contain protect against many degenerative diseases, including cancer, heart disease and just aging in general

~they help protect the skin from harmful pollutants & the sun’s ultraviolet light. They keep our skin from aging and are part of an anti-wrinkle diet

~they have anti-viral properties and a rich history– Potawatomi Indians used them to cure colds.

~a group of Bulgarian scientists found Aronia melanocarpa to have in-vitro and antiviral activity against type A influenza virus.  It also was found to have anti-bacterial activity against Staph & EColi.

~reasearchers from the Department of Nutrition & Food Science at the University of Maryland analyzed the extracts in grapes, wild blueberries and aronia berries for their chemoprevention activity against colon cancer.  All three extracts inhibited the growth of cancer cells, but aronia berry extract was the most potent inhibitor.

~Aronia berries taste yummy

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I have read that they are so potent, that you do need to limit your consumption to a serving a day.

FROZEN ARONIA BERRIES

This works out well for me, as they are sold at our local food co-op in pretty small amounts for a pretty large penny! This package was $7.00.  It is worth it, as they are locally and organically grown & come frozen.  I’m willing to pay well for food that is THIS nutritious.

If you cannot find them fresh or frozen, you can order them dried on Amazon.  They are said to make a great tea when rehydrated.  Steer clear of Aronia Berry juice.  Most of the antioxidants are lost when juiced and bottled.

I’m excited to experiment with this little sweet tart berry.  I’ve seen Aronia Berry pie, cobblers & crisps.  I’m sure if we searched Pinterest, there would be all kinds of fun ideas.  I will share anything I try that I love with you in future posts.

Have you tasted the Aronia berry?  What do you think?

SMOOTHIE TO GO
 {Don’t you LOVE the lid and straw? My new favorite.  Click here to purchase}

Sweet Tart Smoothie

1 ripe frozen banana*
1/3 cup frozen aronia berries
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
1 handful baby kale
8 oz aloe Vera juice
1 tbls chia
 
Add all to a high-speed blender.  Blend until smooth.
 
If you don’t have a high-speed blender, start with the aloe vera juice & kale, blend well.  Add the rest of the ingredients & blend until as smooth as possible.  Your smoothie might have some texture to it, but it will be delicious!
*If you banana is not ripe, which makes it sweet, you may need to add either stevia or a couple of medjool dates or date paste for sweetness.

 

 

*source

Drinks/ RECIPES

Cinnamon Maple Iced Latte

mason jar of cinnamon maple iced latte

I recently was given an awesome hand-me-down espresso maker,(thanks Dad & Pam!) and I have been having great fun with it.  My latest concoction is this delicious Cinnamon Maple Iced Latte.

If you don’t have an espresso maker, don’t worry.  This can easily be made with cold-brewed toddy.  Cold-brewed toddy is a low-acid coffee made by simply soaking coffee grounds in water overnight, then straining.  Read here for instructions.

If you do have an at-home espresso maker, just make 4 ounces of espresso.  Don’t worry about cooling the espresso down, ice will do that job for you.

This recipe is a breeze if you do just a couple of steps ahead of time.  It uses a cinnamon syrup, which keeps really well in the refrigerator.  Make once and use for a week or two. If you skip the espresso process and use toddy, then that, too, can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.  Talk about streamlining the process of making a quick iced drink!  Just grab your jar of brewed toddy, grab the cinnamon syrup, grab your ice and milk and voila–a delicious and very inexpensive Cinnamon Maple Iced Toddy Latte.

This really is a special tasting drink.  I like it better than what I can buy at my favorite coffee shops, especially when those said drinks cost me over $4.00 a pop!

 

Cinnamon Maple Iced Latte

1 Tbsp cinnamon syrup

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup (more or less depending on how sweet you like it)

4 oz espresso (or cold-brewed toddy)

4 oz milk of choice (I use vanilla almond milk–delish!)

glass full of ice

 

Cinnamon Syrup

1 cup filtered water

1 tsp cinnamon 

Combine water and cinnamon in a small saucepan over low heat for about 5 minutes, whisking often.  Do not go longer.  Overcooking will turn it into the consistency of egg white, and you DO NOT want that.  Pour the syrup into a jar and store in the refrigerator.

 

To Make Cinnamon Iced Toddy:

Fill glass with ice.  Measure milk into a glass measure.  Add maple syrup and cinnamon syrup. Stir, then pour over ice.

Add espresso or toddy.  Give a gentle stir.  Pop in a straw and enjoy!

 

I have a thing for drinking iced coffee drinks with a lid and straw.  I think I just got used to it from purchasing so many iced lattes in my lifetime! I have ADORED the mason jar lids and straw you see in the above picture.  They turn a mason jar into a portable cup with straw, or a sippy cup without the straw.

If you want even more fancy, use a pretty glass and pop one of these stainless steel straws in.  Love it!

 

Drinks/ Healthy Eating/ RECIPES

Creamy Caramel MilkShake

Resized- Caramel-Milkshake
{by Teniel Moore-Raw Foods Contributor}
Growing up I was always a sucker for a delicious creamy caramel milkshake.
So when I came up with this combination I was pretty happy with what I had created, and knowing it was raw, dairy free and no added sugar had me doing a happy dance in the middle of my kitchen.
Lucuma-Powder
This recipe uses some interesting raw powders that maybe you have used before, or maybe its something totally new to you.
“This high protein powder has a great mineral profile with significant quantities of calcium and magnesium.  It also contains the amino acid, lysine.  Mesquite has a sweet, distinctive flavor with a hint of caramel.  Its low GI if 25 helps maintain stable blood sugar levels.  Mesquite has been used as a staple food by native American desert dwellers for thousands of years.”
“An excellent source of carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals, Lucuma Powder smells divine and has a creamy citrus flavor.  This exotic Peruvian fruit is known as the “Gold of the Incas”, and is considered one of the lost crops of the Incas.
Lucuma Powder is a very versatile and tasty gourmet ingredients in ice cream, yogurt, milkshakes, cocktails, cakes and desserts.”
I encourage you to try these and see for your self how sweet and delicious they can make your raw treats.
So get your blender out and lets begin:

Creamy Caramel Milkshake

Serves One
1 cup of almond milk
1 heaped tsp of tahini
1 heaped tsp of raw carob powder
1 tsp of raw lucuma powder
1 tsp of raw mesquite powder
Blend in your until combined and creamy.
Serve in your favourite mason jar and enjoy.
Drinks/ Healthy Eating/ How-Tos/ RECIPES

A Delicious, Simple 3 Day Cleanse

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kaeng Raeng for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Kaeng-Raeng

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this cleanse. Kaeng Raeng is the first cleanse I have done that I KNOW I will use again & again. I’d like use it at least twice a year, if not every 3 months.

What is Kaeng Raeng? It is an all natural, vegan, gluten-free meal replacement cleanse program. Kaeng Raeng in Thai means “be healthy, be strong.” Despite it’s Thai name, Kaeng Raeng is 100% made in the USA.

Why I loved it?

1. It is truly all natural. All natural REALLY means all natural with Kaeng Raeng.  All of the ingredients in Kaeng Raeng shakes are familiar and easy to pronounce and all come from the earth, including vitamins which are derived from fruits and plants.  There is nothing in these shakes that is made in a lab.  There are no fillers, chemicals or preservatives.

2. It is made from real, fruit.  Not fruit flavors.   The fruit is picked and freeze-dried for preservation, then ground to a powder form.  The fruit is purchased locally in California which keeps a low-carbon footprint and keeps costs low.  The farmers Kaeng Raeng work with grow their fruit organically.  I love that there is no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

3. Fiber from plants The fiber in Kaeng Raeng is made from indigestible vegetable seed, safe for daily use.  Fiber is great in a meal replacement shake because it fills you up without adding additional calories.  It also keeps blood sugar levels stable.  This was huge for me, as I have had problems in the past with juice cleanses bringing on low blood sugar issues.  I did great on this cleanse and never felt weak or light-headed.  It was actually the opposite. I felt strong, full and energized.

4. Protein from plants Kaeng Raeng uses pea protein, my personal favorite type of protein. This pea protein is non-gmo.  That makes me happy!

5. Vitamins from plants Most of the vitamins in Kaeng Raeng come from fruit, but they also add 100%natural  vitamins that come from guava, lemon, sesbania, alma, and basil.  I had to look a few of those up to even know what they were! Most companies use vitamins that are synthetic and cheap to produce, which has been a very frustrating thing for me when searching for cleanses.

6. Probiotics I was happy enough with this shake knowing it had plant protein, plant fiber and vitamins, but the added benefit of probiotics pleasantly surprised me.  They really thought of everything and made the cleansing process convenient, safe and as beneficial as possible.  Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help to regulate and speed up digestion through the intestines and colon. Kaeng Raeng uses only non-dairy derived probiotic cultures.

7. It is not a fast.   You are allowed to eat as many raw fruits and veggies as you want.  I loved this.  So often with cleanses there are such strict rules involved that you feel set up for failure.  I also personally get really bored with just one type of texture for long periods of time, so I really loved that this cleanse allows for food.  I love plant food and found ways to manipulate plant food to provide all of the variety of texture my palate desired.

8. Adequate calories Each serving has fewer than 230 calories.  The recommended amount of servings to consume is 3 a day, which would provide 100% of your daily vitamin needs, including protein.  I personally could only consume 2 shakes a day, as they are incredibly filling, but I know I got enough nutrition each day as I also ate plenty of raw fruits and veggies.  I feel like this is the healthiest way to cleanse, as it is low-calorie, but not restrictive. There are different levels of cleansing, and I used the 3 day beginner cleanse.  You can take this quiz to know what level is good for you.

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So why do I think cleansing is an important thing to do occasionally?

Removes Toxins–toxins come in all forms, from chemicals in the foods we eat, medication, the environment, products we put on our body..especially women who use lots of beauty products.

From the Kaeng Raeng Website:

Your body can consume all natural ingredients easily, healthfully separating fiber and nutrients, and passing waste through your colon cleanly. When you consume additives, chemicals, toxins, and other processed foods, your digestive system cannot properly separate the healthy from the non healthy components of the food. Many times, these toxins will not pass through your colon properly, sometimes building up over days, weeks, months, or years. Kaeng Raeng works to “flush” all of those toxins by using all natural fibers and water to help eliminate that colon build up. Further, Kaeng Raeng is a restricted diet whereby you are abstaining from cooked, processed, heavily sugary or salted foods. By removing these foods from your diet, even for a short period of time, your body will naturally release toxic build up through the digestive system and skin. While challenging at first, your body will adapt to the raw vegan diet. During any cleanse, it is imperative to drink plenty of water to ensure a smooth cleanse. Never drink a cleanse product that has artificial ingredients as these counteract the benefits of detoxing.

Beauty from the inside out–cleansing reduces bloating, clears skin & makes it glow, even gives hair a healthy shine.

Jumpstart weigh loss— when properly conducted, cleansing can really help with weight loss.  I am on cancer meds that put me into a chemical menopause, and one of the side effects of this is an extra 15 lbs.  No matter how healthy I eat, my scale has not budged for months, until this cleanse that is!  In 3 days on Kaeng Raeng, I lost 4 pounds.  The waist of my jeans are comfortable again and I am so happy about that!  Kaeng Raeng is not recommended as way to lose weight quickly, but weight loss is great added benefit.

Reduce sugar cravings –this is a huge reason I do cleansing, and a side effect of cleansing that is most noticeable for me.  Right before I started this cleanse, I was on a weekend soccer tournament road trip with my Todd and Avery.  I love to snack while traveling and we did our share on this little getaway.  I came home with the worse sugar cravings after indulging all weekend.  Now that I am finished with day 3 of my cleanse, the cravings are gone.  They actually were gone by day 2, replaced with cravings for plant foods.

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 photo 19cb5908-74b9-4767-a73b-2a8718115754_zps1418597f.jpg

Here is how my cleanse went:

Food day 1:

‘Daybreak’ shake

Black Coffee

Raw green beans (afternoon snack)

Raw Almonds (evening snack)

‘Into the Blue’ shake

I started with Daybreak shake, which is their mango/peach/pineapple shake. I mixed it with almond milk and water.  When I took my first taste, I felt like I tasted vitamins.  I dumped the mixture into my blender and added 1/2 banana and a handful of frozen mango chunks.  Mmmmm….now we are talking.  That made it delicious.  Kaeng Raeng site has more Recipes if you want some more ideas of fun things to add to their shakes, but I kept things pretty simple during my cleanse.

I kept drinking coffee during my cleanse.  I kept it to one cup a day and drank it black.  No lattes! Kaeng Raeng website recommends no coffee, but if a must have they say to keep it to one cup a day. I didn’t want to deal with a caffeine headache, and I figured coffee beans are plants…ha!  Do you like how I find a way to keep my coffee?  My coffee beans were organic and I highly recommend if you do keep drinking coffee keep it to one cup a day and NO CREAMER or SUGAR.  Keep things pure.

I was super surprised at how filling the shake was.  I passed lunch and still was sipping on my shake.  It makes 24-36 oz depending on how much liquid and frozen fruit you add, so that took me awhile to drink.  They also advise you to keep your water intake up to keep constipation at bay, which could be an issue due to all the fiber in the shakes.  It was not for me, as long as I kept drinking water. Needless to say, it is a lot of drinking.  I did not feel hungry until around 1 in the afternoon, and even then I was not  really hungry, just in the mood to crunch on something.  I ate some raw green beans.  I did sprinkle them with a bit of seasoning salt.

I made ‘Into The Blue’ shake for dinner. It is their blueberry/banana shake. I added a handful of frozen blueberries and it was yummy.  I drank it at dinner time and again felt full.  I had a handful of raw nuts before bed.

Food day 2:

‘Joyful’ shake

Black Coffee

Raw Kale Salad

‘Into the Blue’ Shake

Red pepper slices

Cucumber slices

Yellow Squash / Tomato Sauce

Almonds

I woke up with a bit of a headache.  This is pretty typical when detoxing.  You may have some physical symptoms the first day or two, headache, body ache or stomach ache…depending on how toxic your body is.  This is called the Herxheimer Reaction, which explains why sometimes a healing crisis occurs, where you feel worse before you feel better.  Mine was very small and passed the minute I got some shake in my belly.

I made the ‘Joyful’ shake for breakfast, which is their strawberry/raspberry/pineapple shake.  I added 1/2 frozen banana and a handful of frozen strawberries.  This one is my favorite.  It was really enjoyable and sweet.

My local coop has a deli that makes a great raw kale salad so I had about 1/2 cup of this for lunch.  Again, I was not really hungry, just wanted something to munch on. Late afternoon I made the ‘Into the Blue’ shake.  I was still sipping on it during dinner.  I made my family spaghetti.  I used my spiralizer to make raw yellow squash noodles, put some tomato sauce on them and they were delish!

Before bed I had a handful of raw almonds, some red pepper slices, and some cucumber slices. My digestive system got moving this day.  It was regular but impressive.  There is no laxative effect with this cleanse.  That is all I will say about that!

Food day 3:

Black Coffee

‘Daybreak’ shake

Yellow Squash / Tomato Sauce

Raw almonds & sunflower seeds

‘Joyful’ shake

BIG raw salad

Confession: A slice of pizza

Day 3 started out with the ‘Daybreak’ shake.  This time I decided to use less liquid.  24 oz instead of 36.  It made the shake thicker and I liked it better as it was easier to drink quickly. I added 1/2 frozen banana and blended it.

For lunch I had leftover spiralized yellow squash, and followed it with an afternoon snack of raw sunflower seeds.

For dinner, I made the ‘Joyful’ strawberry shake with 1/2 banana and some frozen mango.  I drank over half of this, made myself a large green salad topped with lemon juice and hummus,

then…confession time….I ended my dinner with a slice of pizza.  I know, I know…not the best way to end the cleanse, but it was family night and I just couldn’t resist.  I did not allow myself to eat the pizza until I had my shake and green salad, which kept me from gorging on pizza.  I recommend eating pizza on a full stomach, as a small piece is fulfilling and delicious!

It is recommended to ease off the cleanse slowly.  Eating pizza like I did is not the best idea, although it did not make me feel sick.  I do think it would have been better for my body to start slow with some cooked vegetables and grains.

I’m excited to have 3 packets left of shakes since I could only fit in 2 a day instead of 3.  I will continue this great cleanse for 3 more days, having a shake for breakfast, a raw plant meal for lunch and a sensible plant-based dinner.  No sugar or processed foods. No meat or dairy. No alcohol.

If you can’t tell already, I am super happy with this cleanse.  My skin looks glowy and clear, my jeans fit, my stomach is not bloated, and my digestion is great.  I don’t have any sugar cravings and I’m craving healthful plant foods.  I never was hungry and other than the headache and a bit low energy on day one, I felt amazing the rest of the time.  I loved knowing I was getting all the protein, fiber and vitamins I needed, and it has really motivated me to continue to take great care of my body and be conscious of what I put in it.

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KAENG-RAENG 3

GIVEAWAY

What about you?   Have you ever done a cleanse?  What did you like about it?  What did you not like about it?  Would you consider Kaeng Raeng cleanse for your next cleanse?   Leave a comment and tell me why YOU want to try a vegan cleanse and it will automatically enter you in our Kaeng Raeng  3-Day Beginner program giveaway.  For an optional entry, like Kaeng Raeng on Facebook 

If you don’t want to wait, you can purchase Kaeng Raeng on Amazon, at www.kaengraeng.comand Select Whole Foods Markets. Users can leave a review with their experience on Amazon.com and receive a coupon for 15% off their next order atwww.kaengraeng.com.

OR

Can’t wait? use code: NewNostalgia15 {Exp. 6/20/14}

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*IMPORTANT

•Due to the calorie constricted nature of the cleanse, I do not recommend KR for pregnant women or women who are nursing. There is nothing in KR that will harm a pregnant woman or her baby, so it is fine to be used as a meal replacement. However, as a cleanse program, it is calorie constricted and not recommended for pregnant women or nursing moms.

•Kaeng Raeng is not intended for children.

Visit Sponsor's Site

Drinks/ RECIPES

Chai Spice Mix + Chai Spice Almond Coconut Smoothies

 

 

Oh how I love Pinterest.  I’m amazed by the things people come up with, and the awesomeness I find there.  I found a chai smoothie recipe and started drooling right away.  I pinned it to my smoothies board and made it the next day!

 

This smoothie is so satisfying.  You would never know you are getting great nutrients and healthy fats.  It is sugar free, but perfectly sweetened with the dates & coconut.  The almond butter and coconut oil are great fats that are good for you, and spices are a great way to get nutrients into the body.  I love that this recipe makes a sort of chai spic mixture, which is enough to make several chai spice smoothies!

 

Chai Spice Mix

 

 I think it would be great stirred into hot almond milk for a nice, comforting hot drink, too!  

Chai Spice Mix
 
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger (I used fresh 1/2 inch piece, grated)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp allspice (I had berries..had to crush mine)
1/2 tsp turmeric

Mix together and store in a small mason jar.

 

 

Chai Spice Almond Coconut Smoothie — filling enough to be a meal!

{from Coco Janelle}

1 cup almond milk

1 banana, frozen

1 heaping tbsp almond butter

1 tsp chai spice

2 tbsp chia

2 tbsp shredded coconut

2 medijool dates

1 tbsp coconut oil

Put all into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

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To read about the amazing benefits of coconut oil and why you should put it in your smoothies, click here.

To read about my favorite blender, click here and read my Green Smoothie For Kids post that tells you all about it.

Drinks/ RECIPES

The Velvet Elvis Smoothie

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Post Pebbles, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #PostWalgreens http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.”

One of my favorite smoothies comes from a local place called NuVibe Juice and Java.  They have an awesome smoothie called The Velvet Elvis smoothie.  It is unique, filling, creamy & tastes like a decadent peanut butter banana smoothie treat.  Nu Vibe uses milk, oats, Grape Nuts, peanut butter, banana, yogurt, whey protein powder and ice.

Since I don’t do dairy, I have them leave out the yogurt and use almond milk.  They also use whey protein powder, which I have them leave out, too.  I prefer a plant protein powder, if I use any. They end up adding more milk to make up for the creamy yogurt and also add more ice to mine.  I can’t tell anything is left out.  It is SUPER yummy, and so delicious that I had to recreate it at home.  I’ve done just that, and love how it tastes and how healthy it is!

Did you know February it is American Heart Month?  I am passionate about finding heart healthy foods.  Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in women, and breast cancer is the second.  Both concern me.  I had chemotherapy that is quite toxic to the heart when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, and also had radiation on the left side of my chest, which includes the heart area.  Keeping my heart healthy is key for my long term health and survival.

This smoothie is a great example of something that is super heart healthy.  

~The peanut butter has great protein & heart healthy fats.  Peanuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet.

~The banana has potassium which is amazing for the heart. It is “an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function.”

~Oats are known to keep cholesterol low which is good for the heart.

~Post Grape Nuts is key to make this smoothie a filling meal replacer. Did you know Grape Nuts are now free of GMO’s? A 1/2 cup serving has 7g of fiber, 8g of protein, & 90% of your daily iron needs.  It also has a high percentage of magnesium, which is the calming mineral.  This is a big deal as we all know what stress can do to our heart health!

This is not a low calorie smoothie, but it is very nutrient dense.  It really is breakfast in a cup, and will keep you full for hours.

Make this recipe. You will love it!  When you do, make sure to shop for your Post Grape Nuts Cereal at Walgreens.  They have an exclusive, in-store discount of Post cereals.

 

The Velvet Elvis Smoothie

1/4 cup peanut butter
1 banana
1/2 cup Post Grape Nuts Cereal
1 cup oats
1 1/2 cups almond milk (or milk of your choice)
2 Tbsp honey
1 cup ice

Add all ingredients to the blender.  Use a high speed blender for best results.  If you don’t have a high speed blender, let the oats and Grape Nuts Cereal sit in the milk for a few minutes to soften.  Blend until smooth.  Add more milk if needed.  Consistency is right when a vortex forms in the blender and contents move freely.

____

Some nutritional information:
This recipe makes 30oz of smoothie, which can replace a meal and snack or share it with someone to cut calories in half.

1,210 calories (605 for 1/2 recipe)
20 g fiber
21 g protein
50% daily calcium
50% daily vitamin e
100% daily iron
50% folic acid

And lots more!  High in potassium, niacin, and magnesium.
Enjoy the taste of this great smoothie and the amazing energy it brings.

(to cut calories even further, use 1/2 the amount of peanut butter, which would save you 190 calories, taking the 1/2 recipe down to 515 calories.)

 

{my niece shopping with me at Walgreens.  Isn’t her sparkly hat so cute?}
Drinks/ RECIPES

Clementine Mango Green Smoothie

A new favorite green smoothie recipe!  Clementine Mango Green Smoothie is super sweet and fresh. Kids and those new to green smoothies will love this one!

My Avery and I had it for breakfast this morning and it was delicious.  The banana I used was really ripe which adds great sweetness and creaminess to the smoothie.

Frozen mango added frostiness, and clementines added a nice citrus sweetness.  Say that 10 times…citrus sweetness, citrus sweetness…

{her smoothie was on the side table just out of sight of the camera}

My little one slurped away on her green smoothie while reading.  She commented between slurps that she liked being able to eat breakfast while reading at the same time.

When she finished she asked how many fruits and vegetables she just ingested.  I thought that was a great question.

I told her what she just drank was like eating a big spinach salad for breakfast.  I told her to picture a big handful of fresh leafy spinach on a plate, topped with 1/2 cup of mango chunks, one clementine, and 1/2 a banana.

We split the smoothie so this was 1/2 of the blender contents.

I told her if she ate some carrots with her dinner and berries for snack, she would have eaten all her servings of fruits and veggies for the day.

She grinned and said.. “yep, I’m eating the rainbow!”

I love that she thinks about the importance of getting all the colors in.  She is starting to get the importance of eating her fruits and vegetables.  Yes! #momwin

Clementine Mango Green Smoothie

2 large handfuls of spinach (about 2 cups)
2 clementines, peeled
1 cup frozen mango (fresh is ok but if fresh use a frozen banana)
1 ripe banana (can be frozen)
2 cups water


If you have a high-speed blender, go ahead and throw all in and blend away.

If not, start with spinach and one cup of water.  Blend well until spinach is in teeny tiny bits.

Add the rest of the ingredients and blend away.  

The key to good consistency is seeing a vortex in the middle.  Keep adding water until you see this.

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