Carrot Avocado Smoothie

I have said it before and I will say it again - I LOVE MY VITAMIX... I made a smoothie with raw hard carrots and the Vitamix mixed them into a smooth smoothie!!! 

The Ingredients: 

5 raw carrots, washed and cut into big chunks

1/2 avocado

almond milk 

ice

The Directions:

Start with the carrots and blend until the carrots are in small pieces. Add just a little (1/4 - 1/2 cup) Almond Milk to help mix and smooth. Add the avocado and mix. Once the smoothie is smooth add the ice and blend!!! 

ENJOY!!!

p.s. Make sure you go and check out this new awesome cookbook!!! Make it Paleo coming in October. 

I am so excited for this cookbook to come out!!! 200 + grain-free healthy delicious amazing recipes!!! 

GO TAKE A LOOK, NOW!!! :)

Mango Pinacolada

The Ingredients:
handful of Frozen mango
2 handfuls of fresh pineapple
2 or 3 handfuls of baby spinach
coconut milk (until it's the right consistancy)
couple of drops of stevia
splash of vanilla

Monday Morning Mix-up

Good Morning and Happy Monday!!!!

My boys and I are enjoying this smoothie right now as I type! :) It is good!

4 whole strawberries
1 banana
1/2 avocado
1/4 - 1/2 cup Almond Milk
10 ice cubes

Strawberry and Pineapple Smoothie

Good Morning and Happy Monday Mix-up!!!!

We made it home safely and now trying to get organized and back in the swing of things! We had a wonderful vacation and I really enjoyed (cherished) my time with my boys! :) We stayed very active the entire trip. We went hiking twice, swimming everyday, went to a water park twice, played golf, played on the beach (of a lake), walked around, ran on large fields and much much more! I even enjoyed a relaxing hot stone massage!!!! :)

Since our quality of food was not perfect I made smoothies!!!! :)

I did not take any pictures but thought this was a cute drawing!!!! 

Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie

5 strawberries (stem and all!)

2 large pieces of pineapple

1 Amande Strawberry Almond Milk Yogurt

6 piece ice

1/2 cup Almond Milk

BLEND and ENJOY!

I am glad to be home!!!! 

Beef and vegetable soup

Hello SORE DAY! I have done a couple nights of videos this week and WOW am I sore!!!! I love feeling sore! I know that I worked hard and did my best at the workout. 

Today is Day 4 of my 30 day challenge to gain back control! I must admit that I quickly feel IMPROVED! It amazes me! Plus I feel great when I eat good and colorful!

 Eggs and Avocado

Strawberry, Spinach, Coconut, Almond Milk Smoothie

 The kids and I enjoyed leftovers!

I am so sorry for this terrible picture... I made soup the other night and SPACED taking a picture...

Beef and Vegetable Soup

The Ingredients:
Ground Beef
1 Zucchini
1 can tomatoes
1/2 red bell pepper
2 cups fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic
2 cups water

The Directions
Brown the meat. Drain the fat. Season the meat with Garlic Powder, Lemon Pepper, Basil, Nutmeg.

Add Spinach and cook down with the ground beef and garlic. Add can of tomatoes and water. Bring to boil. Add zucchini and bell pepper.

Once vegetables are tender serve and ENJOY!!!

This was a very quick and easy dinner! I just threw this together in 15 - 20 minutes.

Spinach and Strawberries

I am sorry that I did not post a Monday Morning Mix-up last week.. Things have been crazy. I have been making smoothies but forgetting to take pictures... 

SO BETTER LATE THEN NEVER!!!!

 3 strawberries
1 large handful Spinach
1/2 cup almond milk
5 ice cubes

ENJOY!!!!

Monday Morning Mix-up Vol. 3

Even though fruit is in the ingredient list-sugar is, too. The smoothies are made by adding ice and low fat yogurt to a fruit blend. McDonald’s sells two different kinds of smoothies: Wild Berry and Strawberry Banana. Here’s the ingredient list for each fruit blend:

Strawberry Banana Fruit Blend
Strawberry puree, banana puree, water, sugar, concentrated apple juice, contains less than 1% of the following: Cellulose powder, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, xanthan gum, citric acid, colored with fruit and vegetable juice, pectin.

Wild Berry Fruit Blend
Strawberry puree, water, sugar, blackberry puree, blueberry puree, concentrated pineapple juice, concentrated apple juice, contains less than 1% of the following: Cellulose powder, xanthan gum, colored with fruit and vegetable juice, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, pectin, citric acid.

Low Fat Yogurt (Added to both smoothies)
Cultured Grade A reduced fat milk, sugar, whey protein concentrate, fructose, corn starch, kosher gelatin. Contains active yogurt cultures.

The FDA requires the ingredient list to be written from greatest to least. This means that Strawberry Puree is the most added of the ingredients, and citric acid is the least (for the wild berry smoothie). With this rule in mind, Sugar is the 3rd ingredient on the Wild Berry Smoothie’s list. That means that a large portion of the smoothie is made of plain ol’ sugar.

Also, McDonald’s adds concentrated apple and pineapple juice to the smoothies. Juice concentrate is made by taking away the water from the juice, leaving the flavor and a lot of sugar left. On top of this, the low fat yogurt uses 2 more sugar ingredients: sugar and fructose. The sugar, concentrated juice, and fructose makes the smoothie one sugar-high drink. Look at the stats for proof:

Strawberry Banana-Small (12 oz.)

Calories: 210, Fat: .5 g, Sodium: 35 mg, Carbohydrates: 49 g, Sugar: 44 g, Fiber: 2 g, Protein: 2 g

Wild Berry-Small (12 0z.)

Calories: 210, Fat: .5 g, Sodium: 30 mg, Carbohydrates: 48 g, Sugar: 44 g, Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 2 g

But, if you should choose to order the large smoothie, the sugar content jumps up to 70 grams!

WOW---ZERS!!!! How about you save yourself the $2+ it costs to buy a sugary McDonalds smoothie and make your smoothie at home! That way you can monitor how much sugar you are taking in and you can add some vegetables!!!!

The Ingredients:
1 cup spinach
1 clementine
2 strawberries
1/2 banana
ice
almond milk


Please comment on this post with your favorite smoothies!

Monday Morning Mix-up

My family and I love Nano Greens10. My husband first brought home Nano Greens over a year ago, when I was pregnant with baby. I was having some issues (infections, false labors, etc.) Nano greens has so many amazing ingredients (check below). We love it! My boys drink it and enjoy it! 

Last week, I started to drink this when I couldn't keep anything down. I wanted to make sure that I was putting high quality foods/drinks in my body. I started taking Nano Greens on Thursday, we were out before that, just in hopes to keep it in long enough to absorb the vitamins (and other goodness!) before loosing it. 

May I tell you Thursday was my worse day. May I also tell you Friday I was 95% better.

Bio Pharma - does carry a few other products that I hope to sometime try. Nano Red, Nano Omega, Nano Pro, etc. 

Nano Greens website

Check out the SUPER Ingredients:

Barley Grass Juice Powder*, Spirulina*, Chlorella (Japanese soft shell) 

Phyto-Nutrient Blend (Proprietary) 325 mg 

Blueberry, Green Tea Extract, Grape Seed Extract, Cranberry, Raspberry, Tart Cherry, Pine 

Bark Extract, Broccoli, Tomato, Carrot, Spinach, Kale, Brussels Sprout, Bilberry, Elderberry, 

Pomegranate, Blackberry 

Isoquercitin/Rutin 50/50 160 mg 

Raspberry Extract (20% Ellagic Acid) 50 mg 

Fruit & Vegetable Blend 900 mg 

(Proprietary; freeze-dried, low temperature dried) 

Apple*, Carrot*, Mango*, Sweet Potato*, Lemon*, Parsley*, Peach*, Kale*, Broccoli*, Spinach*, Leek*, Beet* , Cranberry* (Quinic Acid 6%) 

Acerola Cherry Powder* (17.5% Ascorbic Acid) 175 mg 

Rice Bran Soluble* 2500 mg 

Aloe Vera Powder Extract* (100:1 freeze dried) 30 mg 

Green Tea, White Tea (decaffeinated, 50% Polyphenol) 100 mg 

Polygonum Cuspidatum (15% Resveratrol) 50 mg 

Oat Beta Glucan* 2200 mg 

Cinnamon Blend (Proprietary) 50 mg 

Cinnamon Extract 8%, Cinnamon Bark Powder* 

Milk Thistle (20% Silymarin) 50 mg 

Marigold Extract (5% Lutein with Zeaxanthin) 50 mg 

Dunaliella Salina (Natural Carotenoids) 100 mg 

Enzymes (plant-based) 40 mg 

Alpha Amylase, Bromelain, Cellulase, Galactosidase, Glucoamylase, Hemicellulase, Lipase, Papain, Protease 

Lecithin (non GMO) 1925 mg 

Cabbage (Japanese, fermented) 30 mg 

Lycopene Extract-10% (from tomato) 25 mg 

Lemon Peel Powder* 25 mg 

Quinoa Sprout* 90 mg 

Artichoke Extract (5% Cynarin) 20 mg 

Atlantic Kelp Powder* (Laminara Digitata) 20 mg 

*Certified Organic Ingredient 

Other Ingredients: 

Natural flavors (plant-based), stevia, NanoSorb (phospholipids, lipid esters), citric acid. 

This Mornings Monday Morning Mix-up is Chocolate Avocado Smoothie. 

This raw, healthy milkshake is not only incredibly delicious, but contains an abundant amount of nutrients. You'll never have to feel guilty drinking a milkshake again!!!!

My 2 1/2 year old thought this was a ice cream milkshake! :) It is that good!!!

The Ingredients:

1 Avocado

2 TBSP Cocoa Powder

1 cup Coconut Milk

1/2 banana

2 TBSP RAW Honey (we prefer RAW but local or whatever honey you can get is fine too!)

1 tsp Vanilla

Handful of ice

The Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a blender for a minute or until smooth. You can add more or less milk, depending on how you like the thickness of the shake to be.

Feel free to get creative on the shake! Post your changes under the comment section!

Strawberry Coconut and Almonds

I am telling you, I have a problem! I am obsessed with my Vitamix!!!!!!

Hubby came up with this creation! 

4 whole strawberries, stems and all
1 banana
3 couple dates
2 TBSP walnuts
2 TBSP almonds
1 can coconut milk
ice

Add everything in the Vitamix and blend!

ENJOY!!!!