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Recipe: Green Lemonade Smoothie

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This is my NEW all-time favorite green smoothie…at least for the time being! 🙂  It’s so refreshing and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 celery “rib” (and yes, you can use the leafy tops!)
small handful of spinach
1 banana
1/2 lemon – peeled and seeded
2 slices of pineapple (flesh or core)
6-8 oz. of water
natural sweetener such as agave nectar, 100% pure maple syrup, etc.  (optional – only if needed)

Blend all ingredients (except sweetener) with 6 oz. of the water until well blended and smooth.  If needed, add the remaining water.  Smoothie should not be very thick, that is unless you LIKE it that way.  But in my opinion, it should be on the thinner side if it’s to be a green “lemonade”.

Taste it and if it’s not sweet enough, blend in a small amount of sweetener (please, no refined white sugar) to taste.

TIP:  Always use fresh pineapple when possible but in worst-case scenario, use either frozen (preferred) or if you must use canned, get the one with no sugar or heavy syrup.  When you buy fresh pineapple and cut it up, slice up the core and freeze it for later use such as this recipe!  Click here for even more fresh pineapple tips!

Recipe: Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding

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This rich, creamy chocolate pudding is unbelievable!  Not just because it tastes so yummy, but you won’t believe what it’s made with!  And no, it’s not tofu…this creamy delight is not only dairy-free, but also soy-free.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 small, ripe (but not overripe) avocado or half of a large one
2 TBS. raw cacao (or cocoa) powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. agave nectar (or you can use evaporated cane juice which is sugar that has not been bleached nor refined)
1-2 dashes of sea salt (optional)
1/4 c. cashews (optional, but makes it even creamier and more “dairy-like”)
6-8oz. of water – added gradually

Add all ingredients (except for the water) inside a high-powered blender.   Add about 2-4 oz. of the water and begin blending.  Blend for a few seconds and if mixture stops blending properly, add a little more and just gradually increase the amount of water until the mixture is blending without getting stuck.  Blend until well-blended and a creamy, pudding consistency.

Remove from blender using a rubber spatula (or spoon if you don’t have a spatula) and put into a sealable container.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving – if you can help not eating it up, that is!

Bonus tip:  To give my pudding a bit more of a health boost and added fiber, I add about 1 tsp. of Konsyl Fiber and blend that in.  Not only does this type of fiber act as a thickener, but again, it adds a healthy fiber boost to an already healthy dish!  You may need to blend a bit longer.

Skinny Fat: Why Being Small Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Being Healthy

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Skinny fat…

Sounds like a major oxymoron, doesn’t it?  And you’ve probably heard, read or even used that term before.  But what exactly does it mean?

Skinny fat is when you have a small‘ish frame but you may have excessive amounts flabbiness on your body, typically in the midsection, but can also be on the arms and in the booty/hip/thigh region.

Me, slowly but surely working towards going from skinny-fat, to fit and healthy!

When I told people I needed to lose about 10-15 lbs, they’d look at my small’ish frame and proceed to either laugh or roll their eyes at me. But they didn’t realize I was actually considered overweight at a height of 5’4″ and weighing over 150 lbs.

At least that’s what the BMI chart says, anyway. That may or may not be true, but I feel it’s ONLY if the 150+ lbs is excessive body fat, as opposed to lean muscle mass.

[Read more…] about Skinny Fat: Why Being Small Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Being Healthy

Does Iceberg Lettuce Have Any Nutritional Value Whatsoever?

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You may have heard (or thought) that iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value and isn’t worth eating, but I’d like to give you a different outlook.

I remember being a kid and eating salads, burgers, etc. with ONLY iceberg with its crunchy goodness.

Then I got older, more into healthy eating and all of a sudden… I found myself buying green leaf, red leaf, romaine and baby greens, and poor little lonely iceberg got no more attention from my household.

Why we ditched the ‘berg’

[Read more…] about Does Iceberg Lettuce Have Any Nutritional Value Whatsoever?

Tips To Help Digestion

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tips to help digestion
Tips to Help Digestion

In search of helpful tips to help digestion and get some much needed RELIEF from digestive issues?

Well, your relief is HERE…  so keep reading, please!

One of the biggest complaints for many people today is that they have digestive issues.

Heart burn, acid reflux, gas, belching and more plague many of us on a daily basis.

The sale of pills for these conditions are on the rise as more and more people seek relief.

But how can digestion be improved more naturally without all the harsh drugs? [Read more…] about Tips To Help Digestion