Mint Chocolate Green Smoothie + Green Ice Cubes

I have a little secret to share! I'm sure you have all heard about the green smoothie craze that's everywhere. Maybe you've thought they're gross, or maybe you've wanted to try them, but are overwhelmed by all the fresh greens you'd need to keep on hand.

If you think they're gross, I promise you they're not! Start small, with just a handful of spinach, and I guarantee that you won't even notice it's in there. Even if you never add any more than that, at least you're still getting in some greens & all the nutrients that they hold!

If you're in the second group & overwhelmed by the vast quantity of greens you'd need to keep on hand, this tip is for you!

Whether you're a gardener or shop at farmer's markets, there's no question that greens are fresher, tastier, & cheaper when they are in season. I grow kale, Swiss chard, spinach & mixed lettuces each year. They're easy to maintain & they produce quite a lot! Toward the end of the season, I always have an abundance of kale & Swiss chard that I hate to see go to waste when the first frost comes. I take an hour one day in the fall to pick as much as possible, clean it, and make green ice cubes for our winter smoothies. It's easy & I'm always so grateful to have them when greens aren't so abundant.

Taking the time out to make the green ice cubes encourages me to make more green smoothies in the winter. I never have to worry about whether I bought fresh greens or how expensive they might be. I just reach in the freezer, pull out a handful of green cubes, & my smoothie is suddenly full of extra nutrients! I love knowing that these greens were freshly picked & frozen right away, straight from my garden.

 I know that now isn't the best time to be making green ice cubes, but I hope that you'll remember this & try it in the fall. If you start now, you could even try growing some kale yourself! Plant the seeds, water them occasionally, & watch them grow. You can dine well this summer/fall + have green ice cubes during the winter. In the meantime, if you want to try this smoothie, just use a couple handfuls of whatever greens you have on hand.

I thought this smoothie tasted like mint chocolate chip ice cream, so I just had to share. I think that if the Bup wasn't eagerly awaiting his half, I might have drank the whole thing! :-)

 
Mint Chocolate Green Smoothie
Serves 2

2 frozen bananas
6 green ice cubes (or 3-4 handfuls of spinach/other greens)
1 tsp. chia seeds
1/4 tsp. mint extract
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used vegan, non-GMO Pure Matters Chocolate Pea Protein)
2-3 c unsweetened almond milk

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender & process until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and serve immediately. Smoothie can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days. Shake/stir before serving.

Green Ice Cubes

3 bunches of kale, washed
3 bunches of Swiss chard or collard greens, washed
water

Remove the tough bottom part of the stems (about 1/3 up the stalk - the rest should blend just fine). Working in batches, tear leaves into pieces and blend in a high speed blender* with just enough water to allow the greens to move around. Once the first batch is blended, pour 2/3 of the greens into ice cube trays. Add more torn leaves into the 1/3 remaining mixture and blend again. By leaving some of the mixture in the blender, it allows the greens to blend more easily so that you don't need to add as much water. Continue this process until all greens are blended. Place filled ice cube trays in freezer. Once frozen (to be safe, allow at least 10 hours), remove cubes and store in zip lock freezer bags in the freezer. Remove cubes as needed, making sure to reseal the bag. Frozen green cubes should last about 6 months.

*If you don't have a high speed blender, I think you could use a food processor or a regular blender. You may need to completely remove the stems & add more water to get the greens properly blended.

Creamy Shells with Arugula, Peppers, Snow Peas, & Edamame

Some nights, I raid the fridge & throw together a dinner based on what's in there. Monday night was one of those nights. Usually, I don't bother with recording the recipe & sharing it with you, but we really liked this. It was creamy & filling while still being light, & it's full of veggies.

If you're ever interested in trying to eat vegan, but you just can't imagine going without your cream, this is for you. The sauce is creamy & cheesy, similar to an alfredo, but without all of the cholesterol & animal fats. Instead, it has a nice dose of Vitamin B12 (from the nutritional yeast), healthy fats (from the avocado), & calcium (from the almond milk).

It's the perfect summer pasta dish because you get the creamy texture without all of the weight. The fresh veggies provide crunch & nutrients. The edamame provides protein. I will warn you - I didn't de-stem our arugula quite enough & it was very bitter. Next time, I'll be more careful!

Creamy Shells with Arugula, Peppers, Snow Peas, & Edamame

Serves 6

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 lg. bell pepper, chopped (any color)

1/2 c edamame, shelled

1 c snow peas, cut in half

1/4 c dry white wine

3 c fresh arugula, chopped, thick stems removed

14 oz. whole wheat small shells

Sauce:

1 avocado

1/4 c lemon juice

1 c unsweetened original almond milk

1/4-1/2 tsp. garlic powder (to taste)

6 T nutritional yeast

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

In a large, nonstick skillet, cook onion and pepper until they start to soften and brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add edamame, snow peas, and wine. Cook briefly to reduce liquid and heat through, then add arugula. Turn off the heat while you prepare the sauce.

While the veggies are cooking, prepare pasta according to package directions.

Using a blender, combine all sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. Add sauce to skillet with veggie mixture and combine. Cook over medium heat until sauce is hot, but not boiling. Drain pasta and add to sauce and veggies. Stir to combine. Serve hot.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Eating Whole Foods: Breakfast

Two of my friends recently asked me about helping them eat a healthier diet. I love that kind of stuff, so I decided to do a segment on the blog about it.

One of the first questions was about breakfast, and since that's the first meal of the day, that's where we'll start. 

Tip #1: Don't skip breakfast. Ever. 

When you wake up, you most likely haven't eaten for at least 8 hours. That's fine when all you're doing is sleeping, but your body needs fuel to carry you through to lunch.

Tip #2: Eat a piece of fruit.

If you really can't handle eating in the morning, at least eat a piece of fruit. No, it's not really a big enough breakfast to tide you over until lunch, but at least you are eating something healthy to start the day. I like to add fruit to whatever I'm eating, like a banana on pb toast or peaches on oatmeal.

Another option is to make a smoothie. They're a great way to get in your daily servings of fruit and veggies. It's easy to make your smoothie the night before and keep it in the fridge to grab on the way out the door in the morning,

Kale Green Smoothies

Tip #3: Learn to like oatmeal. 

For me to talk about breakfast, I have to do an ode to oatmeal. Just hear me out.

I didn't always like oatmeal. My mom ate it for breakfast pretty often and I thought she was crazy. Then one day I thought maybe this was something I should try, so I asked her to get me some packets of cinnamon oatmeal, please!

It was like eating running, clumpy, sugary goo. Back to cereal and english muffins, thanks.

Then one day I had baked oatmeal when we were out. This stuff is incredible, like a muffin and cereal all rolled into one food. I figured maybe I could like oatmeal then, so I kept trying. I made my own baked oatmeal a few times and ate leftovers for a few days, but oatmeal still wasn't part of my daily breakfasts.

When I started reading more blogs, I got some great ideas that looked like they'd make oatmeal better. Making it on the stove or in the crock-pot with old-fashioned or steelcut oats tastes so much better than the packets.

Best discovery ever: top it with peanut butter!

Crock-Pot Steel Cut Oats

Oatmeal for Breakfast (with Wheat Berries)

Tip #4 Aim for whole grains.

No matter what you're having for breakfast, be it pancakes, muffins, bagels, toast, etc., have the whole grain version. If you're buying it, look for the first ingredient on the list to say whole grain. If you're making it, use white whole wheat or regular whole wheat flour in place of all or at least part of the flour. Unrefined carbohydrates give you energy for a longer period of time.

Stacked Strawberry Pancakes

Tip #5: Add protein to the meal. 

As much as it pains me to dwell on protein, since Americans are always hung up on it and actually get much more than is needed, it really does help keep you full longer. If you're going to eat breakfast, it should be worth your while. No one wants to be hungry 2 hours later. My favorite way to incorporate protein is by topping my breakfast with nut butter, but there are a lot of ways to get some protein. 

I like my breakfast to be on the sweet side, but if you like savory, eggs are a great option. They make a filling, protein rich breakfast and they're very versatile. Add some veggies for extra nutrients! 

Yogurt can also be a good way to get in some protein, but watch the sugar content because some of the varieties are full of it!

Dried Cranberry Yogurt

*I am not a nutritionist, these tips are simply what I have picked up through much research and personal experience. Everyone's bodies are different, so listen to your own body's needs.**

Veg Onward

I came across an excellent article this morning entitled "Low Carb Diet Rich in Animal Fat and Protein Increases Risk of Death" .

For all of you out there who shun carbs, stop! This article is just another example of how we should be eating more plant based foods and less animal products. Okay, so I'm talking about whole grain carbs, not just any old carbs. Interestingly enough, carbs are plant based. Here is a listing of 15 grains that we should eat more of. Guess what! Wheat berries are on the list!

Did you know that animal products are the main source of cholesterol in our diets? Plants contain virtually no cholesterol. Our bodies produce enough cholesterol on their own, so we don't really need to get it from food. If you're truly interested in the science behind it, go here.

I am by no means a strict vegetarian. In fact, I'm probably that person that vegetarians hate because I'm mostly vegetarian, but I'll eat seafood. And sometimes meat, like on Thanksgiving. I don't eat this way for one specific reason, but for a variety of reasons.

Reason #1:
I've never been a big meat eater. So when I found out through a variety of sources that there are multiple reasons to eliminate meat from our diets, it didn't take much to convince me. I recommend both of these books if you want some follow-up reading. The Omnivore's Dilemma takes some time to really get into, but it's worth it. Michaol Pollan gives excellent examples that really opened my eyes. Skinny Bitch is a lighter read, but they are very vocal with their beliefs, so read it with an open mind.

Reason #2:
I like happy cows. I don't like thinking about my meat being processed, contaminated, dirtied, recalled, or anything of the sort. And I don't want to consider how the animals were treated before they were killed. It's not that I have a problem with eating animals. I have a problem with the animals not being raised in the way God intended.














Reason #3:
My health. I feel better eating a vegetable based diet. It's easy to get the proper amount of protein, which is the main concern of most people. The list of vegetables is quite lengthy. And delicious!

I also found a cool website that lets you search foods by the nutritional needs that you have. It searches for foods by highest and lowest in each nutrient. Very useful if you find you're deficient in something.