I’m so excited to share that my “Kid Approved Green Juice Smoothie” has been published in the Winter issue of Holistic Moms Network Wise Mom!
Kid Approved Green Juice Smoothie featured in Wise Mom
Commit to a Daily Healthy Habit
November 16, 2012 by 3 Comments
With the hustle and bustle of the holidays upon us, I urge everyone to commit to a daily healthy habit. Doesn’t have to be anything life changing, can be something as simple as practicing yoga, meditation, cooking a healthy meal for your family or drinking a green juice.
Before the craziness of the holidays takes over your life, commit to making like incorporating a green juice smoothie. It’s one of the best ways to meet your daily-recommended allowance of 5 fruits a day. And for those of you who are not big on eating vegetables, smoothie can be a great way to get your daily fill of fiber.
With the growing popularity of juice bars sprouting up everywhere nowadays and lifestyle gurus praising its benefits like Kris Carr of Crazy, Sexy, Cancer and Joe Cross from “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”, it’s no surprise then that a lot of people are starting to pick up on this healthy habit. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, its never too early or too late to get into smoothie drinking. Don’t worry if you’ve never made a smoothie in your life before now – it’s something even your 4 year-old niece can help you with.
So if you are committed to becoming healthier, then making sure you succeed in this habit of drinking healthy smoothies is a goal you need to aim for. Forming a habit takes time. Experts say that you need to repeat an action for 28 days for it to sink in and truly become a habit for you.
To help you reach that goal, here are some tips on how you can make smoothies part of your daily routine:
- Set a schedule. Are you going to incorporate a green juice smoothie as part of your breakfast? Perhaps an afternoon snack or pick-me up instead of your usual coffee and carb combo
- Research recipes. The possibilities are endless! Here are some simple and tasty recipes to try
- Find a buddy. Get your partner, friend or kids involved in the process. Go shopping for ingredients together, swap recipes but most of all experiment with combinations that appeal to your taste buds.
Here is a recipe for a tasty green juice smoothie that my husband came up with the other day. Enjoy!
Green Papaya Juice Smoothie
Yields 6-8 servings
1 ½ cup filtered water
2-3 cups fresh papaya
½ cup frozen strawberries
2 bananas
2 ½ cups mixed kale and baby spinach
1 knob of ginger
1-teaspoon Healthforce Nutritionals Vitamineral Greens
Place all ingredients in high-powered blender and blend for 60 seconds or more.
Do you have a favorite green juice smoothie recipe?
November Green Smoothie Challenge
October 31, 2012 by 1 Comment
Sorting through my Facebook timeline this morning amid the tragedy of Hurricane Sandy I came across the November Green Smoothie Challenge hosted by Got Greens Revolution and thought it would be something positive to share with everyone amid the chaos.
If you are interested in participating, here is the link to the event for a 14-Day Green Smoothie Challenge, which will last for two weeks and is a great way to incorporate green juices into your diet as well as learn about the amazing benefits green juices will have on your overall diet.
And if you are confused on the types of veggies to put in your green juice smoothies, check out Got Greens Revolution Nutrition Guide to assist you in choosing your greens to attain maximum nutrition in your diet whether it be in green smoothies or juices.
So what are you waiting for? Dust off your blender and get ready to join the revolution to better health!
Green Juice Smoothie Recipe – Live Long, Lean & Green
October 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Due to a high demand for the green juice smoothie I posted on my instagram over the weekend, I’m sharing my recipe for “Live Long, Lean & Green” in lieu of my usual meatless Monday post.
So why the obsession with green juice smoothies you may ask? Well for one it’s a great way to get my daily in-take of fruits and veggies without having to consume them in mass quantities at every meal.
I officially became hooked on the green smoothie elixirs a little over a year ago when I decided to completely cut out all processed foods out of my diet and instead enjoy a variety of in-season, local and organic foods.
Leafy greens are high in minerals and vitamins including: calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. In addition, they are jam packed with important nutrients and phytochemicals like fiber, folic acid, and chlorophyll. I recommend buying organic greens whenever possible, though do remember that eating non-organic greens is better than not eating ANY greens at all!
Benefits of dark leafy greens:
▪ Strengthened immune system
▪ Promotion of healthy intestinal flora
▪ Promotion of subtle, light and flexible energy
▪ Blood purification
▪ Cancer prevention
▪ Improved circulation
▪ Lifted spirit and elimination of depression
▪ Improved liver, gall bladder and kidney function
▪ Cleared congestion, especially in lungs by reducing mucus
Since incorporating the juice smoothies as part of my morning ritual, I have experienced dramatic improvements in my health, energy and mental clarity not to mention a weight loss of about 15 lbs. with minimal effort. Also now that I am pregnant I’ve started experimenting more by changing up ingredients and making sure my growing baby and I are getting the most optimal nutrients. And best of all, my husband who was a bit skeptical at first now enjoys drinking my elixirs and complains when we are all out.
So if there is anything that you change about your lifestyle, start with baby steps and build on healthy eating habits. Change takes time, so even if you simply incorporate a green juice smoothie into your daily routine I promise you will notice a big difference over time, which it may also surprise you that certain cravings may dissipate as well. . .
Here is my favorite green juice smoothie as of late, inspired by Terri New York “Live Long & Green Juice” with a few additions of my own:
Live Long, Lean & Green Juice Smoothie
Yields 6-8 Servings
Here is my Live Long, Lean & Green Juice Smoothie resting on my baby bump
Ingredients:
2 handfuls of organic Kale
2 handfuls of organic Spinach
2 kiwis, peeled and chopped
1 organic granny smith apple, sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
3 knobs of ginger (add more if she like a spicier kick)
1 whole organic cucumber (peel if not organic, otherwise use with skin)
3 cups of water (or more for a thinner juice consistency)
Place all ingredients in high-powered blender (my machine of choice is Vitamix 5200) and blend for 60 seconds or more until all ingredients are mixed together. Refrigerate contents in glass pitcher or jar and consume within 2-3 days for optimal freshness.
To get you started on your green juice smoothie journey, here are a few helpful links:
Beginners Guide to Green Smoothies – Care 2
Green Smoothie Recipes – Blender Girl
Green Juicing – Fit for Life
Anyone have a favorite green juice recipe they’d like to share? Post it in my comments below or on my Facebook page .
Green Monster Juice Recipe
October 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment
My love affair with veggies began not long after I enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, there I met a classmate who introduced me to the idea of drinking my fruits and vegetables instead of attempting to consume massive quantities at each meal. While juicing itself was a bit too short-lived for me aka attempting to clean out the machine each time was just a pain and I was not a fan of feeling as though I was wasting a ton of by-product that could be used for something else.
Then I was introduced to the life changing Vitamix 5200 , sure it costs a pretty penny but the amount of times I’ve used the machine since purchasing it has literally paid itself off ten fold at this point. Not only do I use it to make delicious green smoothies for my husband and I but I also make delicious soups such as my Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup, hummus and a plethora of delicious dishes, which I will be sharing here with you in the coming weeks.
See the difference with using the Vitamix is that I don’t end up wasting the precious pulp from my fruits and veggies, which means I end up consuming all the rich nutrients and fiber by products that I wouldn’t from a traditional juice not to mention that it takes longer to breakdown in my system leaving me satisfied longer and helping to clean out my digestive tract.
So if you are keen on trying green juicing, then grab a high powdered blender and give the following recipe a whirl!
In LOVE with my Progressive Veggie Keeper which keeps my spinach and kale fresh and wilt free
 Green Monster Juice
Yields 6-8 servings
2 handfuls organic Kale
2 handfuls organic baby Spinach
2 kiwis, peeled
1 granny smith apple, cut into chunks
1 knob of ginger
1 tpsn Vitamineral Green (optional)
2 1/2 cups filtered water
Place all ingredients in blender, cover and blend for about 60 seconds or until all ingredients are smoothly blended. If a thinner consistency is desired, add more water. Cheers to your health!
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