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

Raw Chocolate Superfood Pudding

Do you ever have those days when, no matter what you do, you just can't stop thinking about something sweet?  I do.  Usually I can get away with munching on some raw carrot sticks or eating a piece of fruit to fill the urge.  But today?  Today is all about the chocolate.

And let me be clear: this is no ordinary chocolate dessert.  There is no flour, oil, or refined sugar in this one. Instead, this dessert is loaded up with four incredible raw superfoods to create a delectable, rich, and creamy chocolate pudding that will leave your taste buds and your body feeling satisfied.



This pudding starts off by mixing raw chia seeds with homemade almond milk.  Chia seeds are small greyish seeds that form a thick gel when soaked in liquid.  They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as full of fiber and antioxidants.  They make a perfect binder in smoothies, baked goods, or even with oatmeal for breakfast.  

Chia seeds give the pudding some texture, almost like tapioca.  The key is to mix the seeds with the almond milk well and give them enough time to soak so that they fully absorb the liquid.  (If you skimp on this step you might end up with clumps of hard seeds in the pudding... and nobody likes that.)

The chia seed and almond milk mixture is then mixed with raw cacao powder   Raw cacao powder has no added sugar and because the cacao beans are processed at low temperatures, this powder is full of antioxidants and minerals (like magnesium and iron) that you would find in the cacao bean.

Our next superfood is maca powder   Maca powder comes from the maca root, which has been used by Peruvian populations for centuries.  Maca powder contains a variety of phytonutrients which are said to support the body's endocrine system.  Maca is not only used to give your body an energy boost, but it can help with chronic fatigue and low libido. Maca powder also adds a nice malty taste to recipes.

Our final superfood is lucuma powder made from the sweet fruit of the lucuma tree. I like using lucuma in recipes for sweetness because it adds a nice flavor (almost like maple syrup) and is incredibly low in sugar.  One tablespoon of lucuma powder contains only 2 grams of sugar. Lucuma powder is a great alternative sweetener in desserts and smoothies for those who enjoy a little sweetness without the sugar crash.

This pudding will keep well in the refrigerator for several days and the recipe can be easily adapted to exclude the maca or lucuma powder if you don't have it. For those that enjoy something very sweet, you can also add in other sweeteners like agave nectar or stevia to taste.  For a fun presentation, add a small sprig of mint to the pudding just before serving.

Raw Chocolate Superfood Pudding
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup (raw) almond milk
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon (raw) cacao powder
1 teaspoon (raw) maca powder
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons (raw) lucuma powder
Note: if you desire extra sweetness, you can add other sweeteners like agave nectar or stevia to taste.

Instructions:
Whisk almond milk and chia seeds together (make sure that there are no clumps of seeds).  
Whisk in cacao powder, maca powder, lucuma powder, and additional sweeteners (if using).  Store in the refrigerator overnight.  Serve cold.