Berry Immunity Smoothie

I am really excited to share something special with you today! With my recent move and being sick this week, my friend Leanne from Healthful Pursuit is doing a guest post today. I've been following Leanne's blog for awhile and I know you will love her style as much as I do. Leanne is a holistic nutritionist with incredible creativity when it comes to making allergen-free recipes and treats! Some of my favorites include her (vegan) california rolls with edamame pate, bombay banana smoothie, and her raw and vegan nanaimo bars. Leanne made a beautiful smoothie to share with you today so I'll let her get to it!

Well hello there. I'm so thrilled to be here with you today while Sonnet is moving to her new home. I've been a reader of her blog for what seems like forever so getting a chance to create an exclusive recipe for you guys today has been quite a treat. Okay, let's get this party started!

Do you like green smoothies? 'Common, be honest. Are you captivated by their green glow, enthralled by their nutrient power? Do you feel healthier just looking at one?

If you answered no to any of those questions it's okay, you're not alone. Maybe the color throws you off a bit? I have a smoothie color discriminating individual in my life. He will not, can not drink a green (colored) smoothie. Nope, not happening. So I've had to get a bit creative in its delivery. Thankfully, berries work fabulously at masking a green smoothie's true identity. Just a little goes a long way in turning what was once a green smoothie into a red, purple or blue smoothie in a flash.

So now that you; or your friends' ;), aversion to drinking green things has been settled, there's nothing stopping you from getting one of these babies in your cute, little hands!

What I love most about smoothies is their nutrient potential. You can pack them full of whatever your heart desires. Since it seems that everyone and their dog is coming down with a flu bug these days, I chose to make today's recipe particularly good for strengthening immunity with cost-effective superfoods. Blueberries, cranberries, a bit of kale and homemade apple juice will give you 170% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C in one little glass and not break the bank. Not bad, not bad at all!

And last, but certainly not least, is something I like to do with all of my smoothies... add some fiber up in there. Just a tablespoon will do the trick. You see, if you add fiber to your smoothie, it'll 'latch' onto the sugars and help to ease spikes to your blood sugar level as you're drinking the good stuff. No spikes, no crashes, less cravings, happy days.




Chia, hemp and flax are great fiber boosting options. Each have their benefits so take a look at these stats and choose the one that best fits you. I'm a chia girl through and through, but it's a preference thing.

Okay, let's drink green purple smoothies!



Berry Immunity Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons homemade cranberry sauce

1 tablespoon of chia seeds, flax seeds or hemp seeds

1/2 cup homemade apple juice

1/2 fresh or frozen banana

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup tightly packed kale leaves

Directions:

Place all ingredients in your blender in the order listed, then blend for 30 seconds or until smooth.

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Author bio: Leanne Vogel is a holistic nutritionist on a pursuit of self-discovery through allergen-free recipes, travel, yoga and inward reflection. During a recent trip to India, Leanne was inspired to embrace her true self and begin to live authentically. After returning home, she left her highly successful corporate job of 7 years and moved across Canada in pursuit of the life she'd always dreamed of. You can find her living out her journey as she documents her latest adventures on her blog, www.healthfulpursuit.com.

Connect with Leanne...
Facebook: healthfulpursuit
Twitter:@be_healthful

Green Smoothie 101 [Video]

I'm a big fan of drinking green smoothies and if there is one thing I could get you to start doing today to change your health, it would be loading up on these healthy green drinks. Today I'm doing something a bit different and sharing a video with you to help inspire you to jump start your health with a green smoothie!

Green smoothies have a ton of benefits, such as:

• Green smoothies are perfect for enhancing the immune system, purifying the blood, and rejuvenating the body. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients. Since you are consuming the greens raw, you are also getting the full nutritional value of the greens as well as their digestive enzymes.  
• Green smoothies are really easy to digest.  Since the greens are blended up, your body doesn’t have to work as hard in order to extract the nutrients and it is much easier on your digestive system. So, if you are someone that has digestive issues, this is a perfect way to add more fruits and veggies into your diet. 
• Green smoothies are fabulous for kids! If you have children or teenagers, I highly encourage you to make a green smoothie with them.  The key is to get them involved and let them help make the smoothie so they feel like they are part of the process (rather than being pressured into drinking something unfamiliar). I have honestly make this smoothie with well over 300 children over the last two years and it always amazes parents what kids will drink when they get to be involved in the process.
• Green smoothies reduce your cravings! When I work with clients in my health coaching practice one of the first things I will get them to do is start drinking green smoothies.  Most of them will immediately notice a decrease in sugar cravings because they are crowding out those less-healthy foods and their body will naturally start to crave fresh foods.  

If you are ready to have more energy and change your health, start with a green smoothie.  

Regardless of the benefits of a green smoothie, if you think that green smoothies are going to taste like liquid barnyard, I’m sure you are not very psyched to get blending.  Today, I’m here to dispel the gross green smoothie myth and show you how to make a delicious smoothie that won’t traumatize you for life!

Helpful tips for beginners:

• It's okay to start slow. If you have never had dark, leafy greens before or are nervous about adding them to the smoothie, start with a small amount.  You can always add more later and there is no reason to overload your drink in the beginning and then gross yourself out! For beginners, I recommend starting with a 3:1 ratio of fruit to greens. 
• The key to making the smoothie delicious (besides the ratio of ingredients) is having the right texture. It's definitely easier to make a green smoothie properly if you have a high-speed blender with a powerful motor (I use a Vitamix 5200), but if you don't have a high-speed blender, start by blending your greens and liquid completely before adding any fruit.  This will ensure that your greens are completely liquefied and there are no green chunks left in the smoothie!
• Use frozen fruit instead of ice to make it cold and creamy! Frozen bananas, frozen mango, frozen berries, and other frozen fruit make the texture smoother than using non-frozen fruit and adding ice. 

Basic Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of raw greens (kale, chard, collards, spinach, etc)
• 1.5 cups liquid (non-dairy milk, fresh juice, coconut water, green tea, or water)
• 1 frozen banana (remove the peel, cut into 1-inch slices, and freeze overnight)
• 1 cup of frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries)

Directions: 

Remove any tough stems from the greens. Blend greens and liquid for 15 seconds - 1 minute (depending on your blender) on high. Add fruits and blend for 15 - 30 seconds, or longer as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Drink up!

You can also try my advanced Green Smoothie 2.0 recipe and my Kale Smoothie for Kids. 

In the comments below, tell me what your favorite green smoothie recipe is or, if you've never made a green smoothie before, let me know when you'll be trying it!  

(And don't forget about our 2013 Health Revolution! I'd love for you to share your smoothie photos with me via Twitter and Facebook!)

Super Antioxidant Smoothie

I think it's time we talked about the good, the bad, and the super awkward.

First, the good:  I am learning how to swim. After conquering a lifelong fear of water, drowning, and most certain death, I recently signed up for adult swim lessons. And I'm loving it! I'm loving it so much that I've been trying to practice in between lessons so I can keep improving... which leads me to the bad.

A bad idea, that is. It is a bad idea to go to the community pool for public swimming time on a Friday night. I was expecting to find the pool empty with maybe myself and a couple of adults getting in some late-night cardio. No such luck. Instead, the pool was packed with children of all ages and every single floaty device ever created. I could instantly tell I was going to be the oldest person there by over a decade, but I stuck with my (bad) decision and stayed to practice my kicks. And then it happened.

The super awkward. After 45 minutes I grew tired of getting kicked in the face by tiny feet and hit over the head with floaty things so I retreated to the hot tub to take a breather. Note to self: the next time I hear a prepubescent male voice say "Hey, what school do you go to?" get up, and leave. No explanation needed. Because things only get super awkward from here.

But my former naive self, who didn't want to seem rude and had no idea what was coming, politely responded, "I don't go to school." To which my young male friend asked, "Well what college do you go to?" Me: "Uh, I am sorta... post-college." I was met with widened eyes and an "Ohhh."

Ladies, you should know that what follows this will be the following three questions: "So, are you here with your friends?" then, "Do you come here often?"  and finally, "What are you doing next Friday night?"

It's awkward enough to get hit on by junior high boys in junior high... but in your late twenties, it's just a sign that you should stay away from public swim night.
The only way to recover after an awkward (although humorous) swimming experience?  An antioxidant smoothie.  This smoothie is packed full of nutrient-rich goodness.  I used dried goji berries and a mix of frozen berries (cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries).  Goji and other berries are high in antioxidants, which work to protect our cells from aging.  Antioxidants are also thought to help boost immunity and reduce the risk of some diseases.

I blended filtered water with cashews to make a creamy base with some healthy fats for the smoothie, but you could also sub any nut milk of your choosing.  If you have spinach or other greens on hand, this recipe is a wonderful green smoothie as well.  Blend with a frozen banana and enjoy your super antioxidant treat!

Super Antioxidant Smoothie
Serves 1

1.5 cups water
2 Tablespoons cashews
2 Tablespoons goji berries
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana, peeled and frozen

Blend water and cashews until creamy.  Add goji berries, frozen berries, and banana and blend.  Enjoy!

Energizing Green Smoothie

Hey dude that works the gym front desk every morning at 5 am.  I know I look like a crazy person.  I know that you see me stroll in here, half asleep, most likely still in my pj's.  I know that you notice me sometimes glaring at you from my one-awake-eye, wondering how you can be so perky at this time of the morning.  Don't get me wrong;  I'm not a grumpy person.  In fact, I'm pretty nice.  But until I've had my morning smoothie, don't mess with me... k?

The scary thing is that the dude that works the front desk every morning at 5 am knows what I really look like. The me without the shower, without my makeup, and without my kale.  It's horrifying, believe me. Green smoothie to the rescue!

Let's start with some basics!  This smoothie gets an energy boost with a base of your favorite green tea (I like Yogi brand).  If you don't drink caffeine, you always sub decaffeinated green tea, nondairy milk, or water. Next we add in our amazing greens.  Kale is one of the most nutritious (and delicious) green foods. Did you know that in addition to being full of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, fiber, folate, and calcium, kale also contains protein and omega-3 fats?  Unbelievable!

I like adding frozen bananas to smoothies because they add a creamy consistency and help to bulk the smoothie up.  Frozen berries also add a bit of tart sweetness while adding more vitamin C and antioxidants. Feel the power! 

A lot of smoothies use solely fruit for their base, but since I eat this one for breakfast, I like to add regular rolled oats in as well since the extra fiber helps me to feel full longer.  I also added in some almonds for healthy fats and extra hunger-fighting power.  

By itself, this smoothie has a tart sweetness from the banana and berries.  If you like your smoothies on the sweeter side, I recommend adding two pitted Medjool dates.  If you're really going the extra mile, I also recommend adding in a tablespoon of wheatgrass powder.  (I don't have a wheatgrass juicer so I love adding this wheatgrass powder to smoothies.)  Wheatgrass is full of chlorophyll, amino acids, and enzymes.  This will definitely give your day a boost and start you off on the right foot!

Energizing Green Smoothie
Serves 1

1 bag of green tea
12 ounces of hot water
4 large pieces of kale
1 banana, peeled and frozen
1 cup berries, frozen
1/4 cup regular rolled oats (or gluten-free if needed)
small handful of almonds (about 2 Tablespoons)
1 cup ice
1 Tablespoon wheatgrass powder (optional)
2 Medjool dates, pitted (optional)

Brew your green tea in 12 ounces of hot water.  Brew ahead of time and let sit in the refrigerator to cool.

Blend (cooled) green tea with kale, banana, berries, oats, almonds, ice, wheatgrass powder (if using), and dates (if using). Blend until smooth and drink up!

Note: if you do not have a Vitamix or high-powered blender, you can blend the green tea and kale first to ensure that the kale is thoroughly blended.  Then add your other ingredients and blend more.