Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Last night, I snapped this picture with our iPad and shared it on the Facebook page:

... And told you it was a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie.  You wanted to know how to make it.  I didn't realize I have never shared my recipe here with you before.  So here it is!  And who said you could only enjoy pumpkin in the Fall?  :)

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 15oz can organic pumpkin puree
2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
20-30 drops pure liquid stevia, to taste
8 ice cubes
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 handfuls organic certified gluten-free rolled oats (optional)
coconut milk (optional)

Add all ingredients to blender and puree until smooth.  I recommend adding the protein powder last, after all other ingredients are blended smooth, to prevent foaming.  If you like your smoothie thick, replace half of the almond milk with coconut milk.

Reworked: The Green Green Smoothie

If you're here as part of the Green Green Smoothie craze....welcome!  Pinterest has opened a whole new portal to sharing my recipes with newcomers, and really for this one I think I need to be thanking a handful of you for originally sharing the Green Green Smoothie recipe on your boards!  (Thank you!!)  I'm used to seeing a few thousand hits on a daily basis here on my site as a whole.  But, the Green Green Smoothie has been blown out of the water with a thousand hits of its own every single day for the past month or so!  Hope y'all are loving the flavor of the smoothie (I think it's superb), and you can't beat its immune boosting power!

I wanted to share my reworked version of the recipe.  This is my Advanced Plan version, and I like it even better than the original.  And Dr. Dave is hooked (always a good sign)!  Tap in and enjoy!

Green Green Smoothie II
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/4 cups cold filtered water
2 handfuls organic spinach
1 organic cucumber, chopped
3 stalks organic celery, chopped
2 organic Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
Small handful fresh cilantro
Small handful fresh parsley
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
20-30 drops pure stevia liquid (optional)
2 Tbsp flax seed oil (optional)
2 tsp probiotic powder (optional)
2 scoops plain or vanilla protein powder (optional) (I use Natural flavor Vega O.N.E)

Add spinach, cucumber, celery, apple, cilantro and parsley to blender.  Pour water over top.  Starting the blender on Low speed, blend until smooth, gradually moving to High speed (that's the trick for getting a smooth blend).  Add lime juice, cayenne, stevia, flax oil, probiotic powder, and protein powder.  Combine briefly on Low until all the protein powder is just dissolved.  Serve immediately.

For a thicker smoothie, freeze the veggies and green apple first.  Also, check out my Top 10 Smoothie Making Tips.

Now get pinning this version!  It needs to catch up to it's brother!  You can find my Pinterest Boards here.  If you're a fellow pinner, check out the Healing Cuisine Board and Natural Health Board to stay plugged in,  And follow me, so I can follow you!

Green Green Smoothie

Smoothies are always fun to create. It's especially fun to make green smoothies, hiding the sometimes bitter and pure vegetable flavors in a refreshing glass of energy. Feel free to twist around my Green Green Smoothie below. I throw in usually whatever we have on hand. Kale instead of spinach, a frozen cucumber or fresh grapefruit instead of banana. Play around with ingredients and see what new creations you can come up with in your blender!

Green Green Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/2 cups organic unsweetened almond milk
1 head organic Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 handfuls organic spinach
3 stalks organic celery, chopped
1 organic Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped, frozen
1 organic pear, cored and chopped, frozen (Core Plan only)
Small handful fresh cilantro
Small handful fresh parsley
1 organic banana, frozen (Core Plan only)
3 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 scoops plain or vanilla protein powder

Add almond milk, romaine lettuce and spinach to blender. Starting the blender on Low speed, blend until smooth.  Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple, pear, cilantro and parsley. Finally, add the banana and lemon juice. Finish with 2 scoops of your favorite protein powder. Serve immediately.

Raz-Apple Smoothie

A tasty tart and tangy smoothie!

Raz-Apple Smoothie
Makes 1 Serving

1/3 cup organic unsweetened coconut water or almond milk
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, chopped, frozen
1/3 cup organic raspberries, frozen
1/4 cup full-fat organic Greek yogurt or coconut milk
8 drops pure liquid stevia
1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder
Ice (optional)

Blend together the frozen apple and raspberries with coconut water until smooth.  Add in remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Serve immediately.

We're Back! & Melon-Lime Smoothie

Hi guys!

We are BACK!  And I am finally getting this post posted!  If you've been following us around on Facebook or Twitter, you'll know we made it back from our trip to the U.P. of Michigan a couple Saturdays ago.  And ever since I have been Internet deprived, and thus have had a huge lack in updates and new recipe postings to Healing Cuisine.  Good news is Dave ordered me an Internet package and we should be wired in by Monday or Tuesday of next week.  I can't wait!

We had a fabulous time in Michigan, albeit too short of a visit with family and friends.  We didn't have quite enough time to jump into Lake Superior, but we did accomplish just about every thing else we planned to on our visit home.  This included Dave taking charge and packing our 12ft Penske truck with all our earthly belongings, while my mom and I sat inside talking baby and looking at the gifts she crocheted for baby Schwartz.  We also successfully brought home 6 pasties.  Pasties have been the one and only food I have craved while pregnant, but haven't been able to find in Florida or North Carolina.  I was determined to bring some home with us to enjoy this final month of pregnancy.  Baby and I are in heaven!  (Core Plan heaven that is... ;)

The drive down from Michigan took us about a day and a half.  It wasn't too bad, I supported and propped up my body with plenty of pillows and a doughnut for my tush.  Baby and I handled it all pretty well.  After arriving home and getting the boxes and furniture all moved into our new diggs, nesting started and is in full swing!  Apartment is cleaned from top to bottom and all the baby stuff is washed and set out, ready to go!  About 4 weeks left until we get to meet our little bundle of joy, God's greatest blessing!

Here's an updated belly picture that we took during our trip home, at about 34 weeks.  Since, babe has dropped and we are right on track for a successful birth!

Hoping to be back to a more regular posting schedule by next week.  I'm working on a neat article all about dry brushing, so stay tuned!  That will be the next one to go live!  For today, enjoy a refreshing Core Plan smoothie perfect for beating this summer heat!

Melon-Lime Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1/2 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
2 cups organic frozen watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew melon, diced
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp fresh lime zest
2 scoops unflavored or vanilla protein powder
1-2 handfuls ice

Blend ingredients together in blender until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Sweet-n-Spicy Ginger Smoothie

Happy Father's Day to all dads and dads-to-be today!  What are you making for the special man in your life?  If you're not yet sure, I encourage you to try out my newest salad creation: Grilled Hamburger Salad!  It's quick and easy to make, and helps dad stay on his Maximized Living Nutrition Plan while still enjoying all the flavors of his favorite burger.

Stay tuned for Picnic Week starting tomorrow!  I've mastered 8 new picnic-friendly recipes that are simple to make and easy to tote!  Excited to share them with you over the next eight days.

Today, I am sharing what we had for breakfast this morning.  My tummy was feeling a little uneasy (thanks somewhat to the little person living inside of me I'm sure), so I wanted a gingery smoothie to help ease it.  This smoothie turned out very tasty!

Sweet-n-Spicy Ginger Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/2 cups full-fat organic Greek yogurt
1/2 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
1/4 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root
12 drops pure liquid stevia
2 scoops unflavored or vanilla protein powder
1 cup ice
Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Blend ingredients in blender until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Come back tomorrow for the kick-off to Picnic Week!!

Healing Cuisine's Top 10 Smoothie Tips

 1.)  PERFECT PROCEDURE    The perfect smoothie blending procedure is: liquid, frozen fruit/veggies, powders/supplements/add-ins, ice, fresh fruit/veggies.  Always add the ice cubes at the end, otherwise it could lead to over blending resulting in a watery smoothie.  Blend all of the other smoothie ingredients first until smooth, then add in your ice for a frosty texture.  If you don't have a high power blender (like a VitaMix), you can crush your ice separately, then blend into the smoothie ingredients.  This will aid in preventing ice chunks.

2.)  COCONUT WATER ICE CUBES    I use this trick especially in the summer.  On super hot days that we're outside a lot or just finished a workout, I like to replace water ice cubes with coconut water ice cubes.  Simply pour coconut water into an ice cube tray and freeze!   I like to fill a couple ice cube trays with coconut water and when set, store in a bowl in the freezer so I always have some on hand!  Coconut water is fairly neutral in flavor and goes well in any smoothie.  It naturally contains about 15 times more potassium than conventional (and toxic) "sports drinks," while providing manganese and magnesium as well.  A great option for hot summer days in the sun when we all could use some electrolyte replenishing!

3.)  FREEZE YOUR FRUIT & VEGGIES     A few notes on this.   1 -  If you have fruit/veggies that are starting to spoil but you don't want to or can't use them before its time to toss, wash, dice and store in the freezer for future smoothies.  2  -  Bananas: be sure to peel and dice before freezing.   3  -  Purchase large quantities of fresh organic berries, kale, spinach, avocados, etc, during their peak months or when on sale to save money in the long run.  When you get home, immediately wash and shake dry, dice if needed, and store in freezer for future smoothies thru the year.

4.)  BOOST TASTE     I encourage you to experiment with flavor layering your smoothies.  The most common smoothie ingredients are berries, kale and spinach.  While these are all incredibly healthy and taste great when combined, they lack much acid in their flavor.  Boost the taste of your smoothies by adding a splash of fresh lemon or orange juice or a tablespoon of citrus zest.  You'll be wowed by the results!

5.)  FIZZ IT UP     Incorporating your homemade Kombucha into your smoothies is great as it's an easy way to get your good probiotics and boost your immune system all in one glass.  Kombucha will add fizz to your blend, a great experience and taste for kids or picky eaters.

6.)  NO SUGAR HERE     Forgo the use of sugar in smoothies.  Stevia is a simple, natural alternative to sugar that won't spike your blood sugar (I recommend using a few drops of liquid stevia per serving).  Especially if you are looking to heal from disease, lose weight, or are enjoying your smoothie for breakfast, avoid sugar at all costs for maximum results.  And if you're on the Core Plan, be aware of the fruits you can have that pack a sweeter bang to the bite (like mangoes, pears, and bananas) and instead of adding refined sugar to your drink, go ahead and blend in sweeter fruits.

7.)  LESS LIQUID     It's better to start out with too little liquid than too much.  Start with 1/2 cup liquid total per serving, then see how thick your smoothie ends up after all fruits, veggies and ice are incorporated.  You can always add more almond milk, coconut water, or ice.  Better to play it on the safe side.

8.)  BEST ENJOYED     Your smoothie will be best enjoyed immediately after blending.  You'll also get the maximum health benefits from the ingredients by drinking it right away.  If you make too much smoothie, freeze the rest in a container with some extra room at the top as the smoothie will expand as it freezes.  Remove from freezer and re-blend/stir briefly before enjoying.

9.)  MAKE AHEAD SMOOTHIES     Similar to tip #8 above, you can blend up batches of smoothie in advance, freeze immediately to lock in the nutrients, then thaw slightly and re-blend just before you walk out the door.   Great for families on the go.  I will be doing this in preparation for the birth of my baby and the weeks to follow, so everything I need for breakfast is all ready to go and I can focus on my newborn.

10.)  COMPLETE THE MEAL     A common point that is often overlooked when it comes to smoothies is that it's not a complete meal without protein and good fat.  Sure, it may taste delicious with your berries blended up with water and ice.  But, to ensure your blood sugar levels stay stable and that you'll feel full for longer, make your smoothie a complete meal by adding protein (grass fed whey/pea/hemp/etc powder, raw nuts, almond butter, hemp seeds) and good fat (avocado, coconut milk, flax meal, raw nuts, fish oil, chia seeds, hemp seeds) to the blend.   Your body will thank you!

Product Review: The Organic Whey

A few weeks ago, I was a happy recipient of a container of The Organic Whey certified organic, "thoughtfully raw," 100% grass fed, hormone-free and gluten-free protein powder.  The company was kind enough to ship it to me so I could sample.  Happy to say I am so pleased with everything about this protein powder, and especially the company!

The Organic Whey was founded under a fabulous philosophy, which I and I'm sure many of you fall right in line with.  After they looked at dozens of protein powders on the market (which I'm sure most of them claimed to be natural), they found none to be truly natural.  And think about the slew of ingredients in most commercial whey proteins...food colorings, preservatives, denatured non-organic whey...etc.  This is what drove the founders of The Organic Whey to create this wonderful pure product.  I encourage you to read their philosophy and mission statement here.

What is unique about The Organic Whey is the specific way they process their whey (haha, sorry, couldn't help but laugh).  In order for any food to remain raw thru processing, meaning all nutritional value is left fully intact, it cannot be heated over 118 degrees F.  If raw fruits/vegetables/dairy/meat/nuts/anything is heated past that, the food is chemically altered to create carcinogens and an acidic food vs. alkaline food.  This is why I am SO excited about The Organic Whey!  Their protein powder is completely raw!  This means our bodies can thrive from it.

It is also great that the ONLY ingredient in this whey protein powder is whey!  No added fillers, preservatives, colorings or flavorings.  Since this is a "plain" flavored powder, it is very versatile.  When we mixed with cold water, I personally thought it had a sweet almost light vanilla taste, but Dave thought it to be just a plain flavor.  It mixes well and isn't gritty.  I do love that there isn't that overpowering vanilla or chocolate flavor to the mix, which most commercial proteins take on.  This means YOU control the ingredients in your smoothies.  If you want vanilla, add some organic extract.  You want chocolate?  Add some organic cocoa powder and a little stevia.  Simple as that.

So, if you can't tell, I am very satisfied with The Organic Whey protein powder.  Here is a new smoothie we created using the powder.  It would also be great in any of my smoothies already on Healing Cuisine!

Green Tea Spinach Smoothie
Makes 1 Serving

12 organic frozen raspberries
2 heaping Tbsp The Organic Whey protein powder
1/2 cup strong brewed organic green tea, cooled/cold
1 big handful organic fresh spinach, rinsed
1/2 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup organic full-fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp ground flax seeds (optional)

Add frozen raspberries and spinach to blender and puree to a pulp (may need to add a little of the almond milk).  Add all remaining ingredients to and blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

Visit The Organic Whey:  http://theorganicwhey.com/.  I recommend signing up for their weekly newsletter, it's great!  Deals, organic recipes and more!  Give their protein powder a try and you will not be disappointed!  I love it!

A Quick Fix: Blueberry Kale Protein Smoothie

Hi guys!  Dave and I just enjoyed this tasty smoothie after a morning workout.  Delicious!  If you've never yet tried kale blended in your smoothie, seriously give it a try!  You can't even taste it!

Enjoy! :)

Last Chance to Enter the Giveaway!!

Hi all,

Just a reminder to enter the Season's Eatings holiday e-book GIVEAWAY!  This is the last day you can enter.  Contest closes at 11:59pm CST tonight.  Be sure to check back here tomorrow at 9:00am CST to see the winner!  Good luck to all!

Here is a tasty smoothie recipe for these wintery days.  We enjoy for breakfast or an after dinner treat!  A great breakfast or snack to serve your holiday guests.

Apple Pie Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings (1 if you're really hungry :)

1 organic Granny Smith apple, cored and diced, frozen

1/2 of an organic cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks, frozen

Large handful of spinach or kale, frozen

1/2 of a large avocado

2 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds, walnuts or pecans

1 Tbsp cinnamon (to taste)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

10-15 drops pure liquid stevia

1 1/2 cups unsweetened organic vanilla almond milk

1 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder (Maximized Living Perfect Protein or Garden of Life Raw Meal are great options!)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth, stopping to stir and scrape sides as needed.  Consume immediately.  Who ever said you can't enjoy apple pie for breakfast?  :)

Now, don't forget to enter the giveaway!  It's easy, and you might win a free copy of Season's Eatings!

Kombucha Smoothie

Kombucha Smoothie
Serves 1

3/4 cup raw Kombucha tea (plain or flavored, your choice)
1/2 cup filtered water
5-6 frozen organic strawberries (or handful of organic frozen blueberries/raspberries/blackberries)
2-4 frozen organic kale leaves
1 orange, peeled (omit if Advanced Plan)
1 pinch of spoonable stevia (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth and serve.

I haven't tried this with protein powder yet, not sure if the Kombucha would like that.. Watch out for foamage if you do add powder! :)  If you try it, please let me know how it goes!!  You'd be safe adding hempseeds for protein ==>  4 Tablespoons of hempseeds = 22 grams of protein!  And don't forget they're packed with healthy omega fatty acids!

Strawberry Lime Shake

Strawberry Lime Shake

1 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup organic full fat coconut milk
1 cup frozen organic strawberries
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 scoop grass fed/organic protein powder
1 Tbsp coconut oil (optional)
1-2 tsp lime zest (optional)

Add all ingredients into blender and blend speed until smooth.

Spicy Sweet Kale Shake

Spicy Sweet Kale Shake
2 Servings

1/2 bunch kale, rinsed
1 frozen banana
1/4 c seedless red grapes (I like to freeze first)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 dash cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/2 c ice
1 scoop flavorless protein powder
1/2 c water
sprinkle of stevia (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

[TIP:  You can also use frozen kale -- when you bring it home from the store, wash the leaves, destem them then chop up.  Store in freezer in individual containers, just enough per container to throw into your smoothie.  I do this with kale, spinach, broccoli and cabbage for our smoothies.  Freezing the greens first helps you taste them less in the shake!]

Banana Almond Smoothie

Banana Almond Smoothie

1 large frozen banana (peel and dice before freezing)
1 c organic almond milk (plain, unsweetened)
1/3 c organic coconut milk (full fat, no sugar)
4 ice cubes
1-2 Tbsp raw almond butter
1/4 tsp liquid stevia (optional)
1/2 tsp almond or vanilla extract
1 scoop plain or vanilla Whey Cool protein powder (optional)

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.  Enjoy!

Berry Coconut Breakfast Smoothie

Berry Coconut Breakfast Smoothie

1/2 can organic coconut milk (whole fat, unsweetened)
2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded organic coconut
1/4 tsp stevia powder (or to taste)
1 tsp organic vanilla extract or almond extract
one scoop vanilla protein powder
6 frozen organic strawberries (or other organic berry)
2-3 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend.  Add more ice if needed to thicken up and blend until desired consistency is achieved.  This makes a beautiful creamy smoothie that is not too sweet.

Shamrock Shake (GUEST POST!)

This is a St. Patrick's Day inspired recipe from my friend Lyra at Back on Track Family Chiropractic in Wisconsin.  I caught the words "Shamrock Shake" as I skimmed through my News Feed on Facebook and my eyes halted on Lyra's status which had this recipe laid out, ready for me to try!  And no people, this is NOT the chemically created shake that you get from a drive thru window, oh no.  This is a health-creating, nutrient and God fat rich energy shake.  Thank you Lyra!!  It is so good!

Shamrock Shake
Makes 1 Serving
 
1 avocado
1 1/2 cups ice
1 cup organic spinach
a few drops food-grade peppermint oil
30-40 drops pure liquid stevia (to taste)
chocolate chips to choco it up (optional)
1 scoop protein powder (optional)

Add all ingredients to blender and mix until smooth.  I didn't have the chocolate chips on hand, but can't wait to try (it still tastes great without chocolate)!  The second time I enjoyed this smoothie this week, I added half of a frozen banana and it was very yummy with the mint.

I was looking for a simple St. Patty's day quote to end this post with and besides a plethora of paragraph sized quotations, I came across this which I will leave you with.  Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Why should you never iron a 4-leaf clover?  You don't want to press your luck.  :)

Delicious, Easy Almond Milk

Almond milk is one of my favorite drinks -- it goes great with everything!  We've been buying it from Trader Joe's lately as it's the cheapest place we can find it at $1.29 a quart, but still, that's expensive when you go thru a quart in a day or two for morning smoothies!

Did you know you can make almond milk right in your own home??  Rich and creamy, it's easy to make and super nourishing.  Cut down on the cost and take control of what is put into your almond milk by trying this recipe at home!  While almond milk is a good alternative beverage for those on the Maximized Nutrition meal plan, a dairy-free kick or even a raw diet, I think it's just plain delicious and you should give it a try  no matter your dietary preference!  I usually drink it by the glassful, but it's also great in tea and smoothies or even for baking or cooking.

Making almond milk is super quick but just a little messy.  You will definitely get your hands wet as you squeeze and strain it thru the cheesecloth.  That extra effort is SO worth it! My absolute favorite way to enjoy this rich, gluten-free almond milk is in iced chai tea with a sprinkle of stevia.

Almond Milk

Makes about 6 servings

2 cups almonds
4 cups water
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

1. Soak almonds and vanilla bean in enough water to cover overnight
2. Discard soaking water and rinse almonds in a deep bowl of water, repeat until water is clear
3. Place soaked almonds, vanilla bean and 4 cups of water in a blender or food processor
4. Blend on highest speed for about 90 seconds or until completely smooth
5. Strain milk through cheesecloth lined strainer, discarding solids
6. Serve and enjoy, or bottle in a glass container and store in fridge up to 10 days.