Tropical Green Smoothie

Happy Friday kids. It is a cold rainy day here. Some places nearby had snow flakes. It does not even feel close to May. Maybe March. It was SO nice last weekend and now it is UGLY. Under the comforter in bed kind of day. But, unfortunately, I have work to do and sides jobs to also work at. One of these days, I swear, I will have a nothing weekend. Nothing to do..... but then, I will find house jobs to do.... I am so lame. A shopping excursion or a beach day....

In the spirit of tropical drinks, I came up with this drink. I was scoping out the frig, looking for something different, and stuff that needed to be eaten. Went through my recipes and come up with a concept. My usual green drinks are light and cleansing. This drink is still a water base drink, (less calories) but it is thick. Fills you up without loading on the calories. Except for the 1/2 of Avocado, which really is not bad, this is a great drink to indulge in. Indulging in healthy drinks, REALLY, it is not like I am eating ice cream. Drink this every day if you want.

Pale green. Can you see how thick and delicious this drink is. 

OK, it is just delicious and yummy.

Tropical Green Smoothie

adapted by ME

Ingredients

1 cup cold water

1/4 cup coconut 

1 frozen banana

4 dates, pitted

1/2 avocado, pitted

1 mango, pitted or 1/2-1 cup frozen 

1 squirt agave nectar

Ice if drinking immediately

Directions

Add water and coconut to your high power blender. Blend until smooth. (OR you can use coconut water) Add remaining ingredients in the order listed and blend for 2-3 minutes. Since my drink was going in the refrigerator overnight, I did not add ice. I would recommend if drinking immediately. 

If you wanted even more of a tropical feel, you could also add some fresh lime. 

This would give this drink a nice spin. None on hand, so maybe next time

Looks just like an avocado. 

Everything was so good in this drink. 

It took me a while to drink this drink. Slightly heavy, but not overwhelming.

SO, according to my phone, it is 40 degrees outside.

This drink is the closest thing to the tropics that I am getting.

I am going to buy some limes for more tropical drinks.

AND Hope for warmer weather. 

Strawberry Green Cleanse

I love green cleanse drinks. I drink them almost everyday. Definitely Monday - Friday. Weekends are always some kind of crazy for me. And this weekend will not be any different. I think the green thing is cleaning me out, and just giving me a great veggie - fruit kick. I feel full all day. My latest project is, I am making Kombucha. My Saturday morning yoga instructor gave me a starter with a Skoby. I am on my third batch. I have not quite perfected it yet. But, I am getting there. The MAJOR benefit to all of these drinks is, I am drinking more water type products. I feel fuller all day and I am helping my well being. The whole mental clarity thing is not happening, but some things just take longer..........

It is strawberry season around us. Or last week was Mother's day. Some dipped strawberries and and cool strawberry shortcake for customers. So what to do with all the left over strawberries. Let make a new drink.

This lovely tasting drink in a slightly pukey green color.

Strawberry Green Cleanse

designed by ME

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 cup cut strawberries

2 cups frisse, chou, kale mix (or Spinach)

1 green apple, cored and chopped

1 piece of fresh ginger

1 or 2 squirts of agave nectar

Directions

Place all ingredients in a high power blender in the order listed, blend until smooth. 2 minutes. Add ice if you want and refrigerate for the morning ride.

Just a couple of great ingredients
I like the Frisse, chou, kale mix. I cannot straight kale,
but this will work for me.

A couple of quick cuts and you are ready

Your piece of ginger can vary according to taste.
I LOVE Ginger

Lovely drink of nutritious goodness

No strawberry for decoration

PIna Colada Oatmeal Smoothie

Last night as I was making a Green Cleanse for today, I was thinking about something different for breakfast. If you choose not to blend the crap out of it, it can be an overnight Oatmeal. I made a drink. Even though I make all these drinks, I still like easy. Long drinks are not my style. Taking an hour just to drink your breakfast is not my style.

This smoothie just jumped out at me. Probably because it has been raining all week. We are at unseasonable cold weather. Will it ever get warm. Today is May, I have flowers, but I am not buying anything until is warms up significantly. My Mother is suppose to come home from Florida this weekend. She is just going to go into shock. It will feel like the Artic Circle to her.

Pina Colada Oatmeal Smoothie
slightly from oatgasm.blogspot.com
Ingredients
1/2 cup Almond or Coconut Milk
1 tablespoon Chia Seeds
1/2 cup Pineapple chucks and juice
1/2 cup Oatmeal
1 Banana
1 squirt Agave Nectar
3 tablespoons shredded coconut

Directions
The NIGHT BEFORE, Place milk and chia seeds in high power mixer. Let set for 5 minutes. Mix for a moment. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on high for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Place in glass or cup and cover. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

** If you want a more oatmeal feel to this, DO NOT place the oatmeal in the blender. Mix the rest of the ingredients, when done, add your oatmeal. Stir until completely mixed in. **

In the morning, you can eat or drink this cold or warm in microwave to desired temperature.

Breakfast at work this morning.

This is an awesome way to start my day

These are all easy ingredients that I have on hand

Sorry, the Chia Seeds did not make the main photo...

I had my milk and pineapple in the Vitamix, waiting for seeds

The seeds are IN. I stirred them in so that they could start to thicken

I should have used a larger to go mug. 

Another story of my life.

 Oatmeal Smoothie, Green Cleanse, Kombucha.

I will post a recipe for my tea. Next week, my second batch will be ready

Including a large cup of Tea, this is the start of my morning.

Have a great day. Tell me what you think of the Oatmeal.

Carrot Cake Smoothie

For my Husband's birthday in January, I made a fantastic Carrot Cake. It is his absolute favorite. Sadly, his cake tasted fantastic but was not photo worthy. It was supposed to be a goose, but looked like the Loch ness monster. Things are funny sometimes. Embrace the slight bombs and move on from there

When I came across this recipe, I thought ... a delicious dessert for a meal in a glass. PERFECT for us. It is a heavy drink. You cannot slam this one. But, a great source for a meal replacement. And it is not loaded in calories or fat. A great treat that is not bad for you. LOVE it.

I made this smoothie last night. So drinks fall together quickly, this one had prep. It actually gave it time to bring the flavors together. So instead of a bowl of cereal, I had a "drink" this morning. I felt full for hours.

It was not a bright orange color. Kind of blah, but it tasted amazing

Carrot Cake Smoothie

adapted from dishingupdirt.com

Ingredients

2 cups almond milk

1 tablespoon chia seed

2 frozen bananas, peeled

1 cup carrots, slightly cooked & chopped

5 dates, pitted

2 tablespoons almond butter

1 cup oatmeal, old fashioned

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 shake of nutmeg

1 fresh ginger, nail size

1 squirt agave nectar

Directions

Place almond milk and chia seeds in blender to soak. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.

Peel and chop carrots. Place in bowl of water and microwave for 3-5 minutes. Softened. Not overcooked.

Drain water and let carrots cool. Place in blender. Add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed and blend away. 

There are also OPTIONS to add or place on top. 

~~ raisins

~~ coconut

~~ walnuts

This also made two large drinks. Do not let the glasses mislead you. It could be 4 medium drinks.

This is a full list of items. There is some prep work for this smoothie

Let the Chia Seeds soak in the Almond Milk for 5-10 minutes

Microwave the carrots for 3-5 minutes. 

I did these for 4 minutes. Make sure your blender is capable.

Since this was done the night before, I did not let me carrots cool completely. 

I really feel this drink benefits with sitting overnight. The flavors meld together

If I was funner, I would have place a carrot in the glass. 

Working on my photography skills. It is what you think of later on.

Loaded with so much goodness, I could go on and on.

WELCOME to March. Do some yoga and try a new recipe. 

Hopefully the weather will get warmer where you are at.

Green Cleanse Mojito

Happy Friday Kids.... Weee hooo. I am ALWAYS glad it is Friday.
I am not going out dancing tonight or staying out until 3:00. Oh good Lord. I would be a waste product tomorrow. I have yoga, and appointment and a lunch date for tomorrow before 12. No hard core partying tonight. Besides, I am lame. I would need two days to heal from one night. It does stink sometimes about getting old.

This has been one of the craziest weather weeks in forever. Started the week out freezing cold, Monday 7-9 inches of snow. Wednesday night into Thursday we had rain, thunder and lightening. Yesterday the fog was like soup. Today, the sun is shining and it is 29..... WHERE is Spring. I am looking for it. I just want to see buds popping through the ground. It has been forever. I have not ran outside since mid December. I do not remember that every happening

So today is my fifth day in a row of green cleanse smoothies. I am not seeing any mental clarity, no weight loss, but I feel I am ridding my body of toxins. This drink is all about Friday. I like this drink because it is bursting with a couple of different flavors. My Husband really thought I should add Rum. Maybe over the weekend.

This was a rocket of bursting flavors popping in your Mouth

Green Cleanse Mojito

adapted by ME

Ingredients

1 cup Water

1 green Apple, cored and cut into pieces

1 small handful of fresh Mint

1/2 Lime juice

1 or 2 squirts Agave Nectar

1 cup Ice

Directions

Put all ingredients in the blender in the order listed above, blend until smooth. Drink or Chill for later.

This is SO easy. I wonder why more people are not drinking these.

This was only 1 Drink.

I always love this intense green color. 

Key Lime Smoothie

Green, Green, Green. I am getting closer to that All Important Green Cleanse Smoothie. I really hope I am not disappointed. The hype is almost just killing me..... I really want to get to water based smoothies. Getting closer. I came across this recipe yesterday and just had to try it. There were some slight modifications to this recipe, but really it all boils down to doing and eating what you like.

***** NOTE: Corrections, my niece Grace likes Chocolate Mint more than Gina. *****
I am correct in saying today, that my niece Gina does like LIMES. Grace may also, but I know that Gina will not suffer from Scurvy any time soon.

As with a large population in the United States, we have had record snow falls and VERY cold weather this winter. I want HOT weather again. I want to feel the sun baking me. Today it is -3. It is SO crazy.

I am back on Weight Watchers. I need to lose about 10 pounds. It is so hard to maintain your weight. Six years ago, I lost 28 lbs. Some of the weight has found me and started clinging to my body. All my clothes are getting tight, and I am NOT buying larger pants. NO Way. So hard core focus. Trying to be cleaner and healthier. And it takes forever to lose. That is the crappy part. This drink was a Weight Watchers points plus of 3. Not bad at all.

We are eating Sweet Potatoes this year. NO butter or sour cream on these puppies. Just baking them in the oven and placing some sort of topping on them. I will start to post pictures soon. They are not pretty photos, but they are delicious and very good for you. Last night on my sweet potato, I went with a Mexican theme. Cooked some beef, onions, black beans, cilantro, limes and salsa. Placed over the meat over the potato and then some cheese. Just a dinner. But we skipped the shells and chips. Healthier. 

This smoothie was perfect with dinner. Filling, but light. And the lime just bursted throughout the drink. Left a clean taste in your mouth. Perfect for a cold winter evening.

Key Lime Smoothie
adapted from cookeatpaleo.com
Ingredients
1 cup Almond Milk
1/2 - 3/4 avocado
zest and juice of 2 limes
1 or 2 squirt Agave Nectar or honey
1 cup of ice

Directions
Add all ingredients in this order to your Vitamix or blender. Blend until smooth.

 Just a few ingredients. Quick and Easy

My Avocado needed to be eaten. Starting to get the uglies

My Microplane is new and sharp. Try not to go to far.

I was thinking I would not use the Agave. Tried a pretaste, it needed a small amount of sweetener

This is totally up to you. 

Thick and Smooth. Just a burst of Flavor

My Husband was surprised with the flavor. Bursting.

I told him we are not about boring foods with boring flavors.