Powerfully Packed Nana-Chocolate Smoothie

I am in love with this smoothie. I have it just about everyday and I've found it's a great way to pack all of my supplements into one healthy and delicious drink. Not only is it refreshing, but it's filling. It keeps me going for hours and is a great substitute for the traditional lunch meal. Enjoy!

~2 Cups Almond Milk
~1 banana
~1 Cup Spinach
~1 Tbs. Ground Flax Seed (flax seed needs to be ground to receive the nutritional benefits)
~Dash of Cayenne Pepper
~1 teaspoon of Blue Green Algae
~I tablet of Ashwaganda (powder removed from gelatin capsule)
~1-2 Tbs. of cacao powder (to taste)
~1 teaspoon trace minerals

This smoothie is packed with powerful ingredients. Here are some of the benefits:

Cayenne Pepper: Multiple studies have found cayenne to be effective in lowering blood pressure, improving circulation, and supporting heart health. Doctors have found that when cayenne pepper is administered to a person who is having a heart attack, it will stop the heart attack immediately. Powerful! Since discovering the benefits of cayenne, I have been adding it to my smoothies and fresh squeezed orange juice. It is amazingly delightful paired with citrus!

Ashwaganda: An important herb used in Ayurvedic healing, ashwaganda is restorative in nature. It is an adaptogenic herb, meaning it demonstrates overall enhancement of the body's ability to respond to stressors. Scientific research has found that this powerful herb combats the effects of stress, supports the immune system, and improves memory, reaction time, and learning. More information can be found at: http://www.chopra.com/ashwagandha

Trace Minerals: Trace minerals are something we used to get naturally from our soil. But as agriculturalization has depleted our soil of these minerals we are all completely deficient in these important minerals unless we make a point to take them ourselves. Trace minerals come in liquid form but be warned, it can taste awful! The brand that I have found has no real taste and mixes easily in a glass of water or smoothie without detection is ColloidaLife.

Strawberry-Banana-Chocolate Smoothie

A great way to start the day or a refreshing treat after work, this smoothie will make you go mmmmmmm! As most of my smoothies are, this is packed with nutrients and vitamins so it's a great replacement for the morning cup of joe or a quick breakfast on the run. Enjoy!

In a blender combine until smooth:

~Almond milk (I also add some water to conserve almond milk)
~Strawberries
~1 banana
~goji berries
~ground flax seeds
~1 large kale leaf
~cacao powder
~coconut flakes

Some great optional ingredients:
~a dab of coconut oil (great for hair, skin, and myelin sheath)
~chia seeds
~cashews

Mango Green Goodness

I am in heaven that I have found an easy (and delicious!) way to get my full serving of leafy greens! I don't really like the taste of most vegetables so getting my daily dose has always been a struggle, which often resulted in flat out neglect. But thanks to this smoothie I can get a daily serving of leafy greens (the leafy greens are SO important for our bodies) AND it tastes good!! You really can have your cake and eat it too!

You can vary the proportions to suit your tastes. Also, substitute different fruits that suit your liking!

~Fill blender with spinach and kale
~Add water (amount will depend on how thin or thick of a consistency you want)
~Add 1 banana
~Mango
~Cashews
~Flax seeds (ground)
~Probiotics, trace minerals, or any other liquid supplement you take
~Blend until smooth

This truly is a delicious and non-veggie tasting treat! It's also a much simpler alternative to juicing. Enjoy!

Tomato Basil Zucchini Pasta Sauce

Fresh and colorful, this was so much fun to make and even more fun to eat. I love working with fresh, fragrant foods! Although there are some delightful pasta sauces on the market I always enjoy making my own. The flavors are so much more vibrant and I know exactly what I'm getting. Another benefit to this sauce is that any leftovers can be used to make bruschetta. Scrumptious!

~4 vine-on tomatoes
~1 clove of garlic
~fresh sage leaves
~fresh basil leaves
~1 small zucchini

Quarter tomatoes and slice zucchini and put in food processor. Add all other ingredients and blend. For a chunkier sauce, less tomatoes and for a thinner consistency add more tomatoes. This recipe has a slightly thicker consistency.

While warming sauce on the stove, I stirred in some parmesan cheese. Toss with your favorite pasta (I like whole wheat spirals) and then top with provolone cheese (optional).


* For the leftover sauce I made bruschetta by toasting a few slices of organic quinoa flax bread then topped with the sauce and a slice of provolone cheese and warmed in a toaster oven until the cheese was melted. What a delicious treat!

Bon Appetit!

Blueberry Banana Breeze

I put the "breeze" in the name of this smoothie because it is so refreshing! Full of blueberries and other powerful super foods, it is full of antioxidants, immune system support, digestive enzymes and much more. I am so happy to find delicious alternatives to getting my vitamins and minerals. Hopefully some of my recipes will prove that 'healthy' is not synonymous with 'cardboard'. Feel free to add your own variations here; that's the beauty of smoothies...you can add just about anything you like. Enjoy!

* I do not include measurements because I simply don't use them (not for my smoothies anyway)! Just throw in what feels right to you. A little of this a little of that......:)

~Almond milk (less if you like a thicker consistence, more if you like a more liquidy consistency)
~fresh or frozen blueberries (I used half of a 16 oz bag because I wanted blueberry to be the predominant flavor)
~1 banana
~chia seeds
~goji berries
~coconut flakes
~raw cashews (or walnuts or almonds)
~acidophilus probiotic

Mix in a blender (the "liquify" setting seems to work best) until smooth.

All of these ingredients can be found at your local health food store. I shop at Whole Foods and they carry a nice selection of probiotics.

*Disclaimer: the blueberry tends to get stuck in the teeth. Wouldn't recommend this as something to take "on-the-go"!

Getting Started

I have recently fallen passionately, madly in love. With food. I have always thought I loved food, more than the average person, but what I realized was that I loved eating. It's different now. Now I am actually in love with the food itself, with the entire process of planning, selecting, and preparing the food for my meals. Walking through the grocery store is a blissful experience! All of the possibilities! I have fallen in love with everything about food: the textures, the colors, the flavors, the aromas. Preparing meals used to be a necessity, now there is a type of communion taking place between me and the foods I prepare.

But I do have a confession. I am a food snob. I am uber particular about what goes into my body. I try to eat only the freshest ingredients and always all natural. Organic whenever possible. My hunt for local AND organic will continue this summer at the farmer's markets. This desire for both has been a source of frustration for me for years. Local is readily available and so is organic, but both? That's the holy grail.

So what's this blog all about? It's basically my food journal as I explore new territory with my diet. I am always in search of new ideas and recipes that are flavorful and most support and benefit the body. I have recently gotten into "super foods" and how to incorporate those into my diet. It has been a blast and I have been continuously inspired in the kitchen so why not put it out there in the event anyone else finds this interesting as well? And I'm all about the sharing of recipes. So I will post mine here, as I discover new and exciting things, in the event someone else takes an interest and wants to whip up something new.

I take a holistic approach to life and my food. I am looking for foods and recipes that support whole body health and I also take environmental impact into consideration. I consider not just my physical health but my energetic body as well. I pay attention to the energy of food and to the energy that I am putting into my food as I prepare it. I always try to remember to add an extra dash of love and a helping of gratitude to my dishes!

I am an intuitive so a lot of the "inspiration" I receive is actually guidance from my teachers in spirit. I take them grocery shopping with me and they always give me great suggestions! I will share a list of remedies I have been given by my "teachers" that have proven effective with me and others who have tried them.

I'm off now to make a berry smoothie for breakfast full of super foods for a happy body! Recipe to follow shortly! Have a blessed and beautiful day!