2.01.2013

Delightful Smoothie Recipe with Nutritional Information!

Well, it is official- I am done nursing babies FOREVER! I will never nurse another child and I am fabulous with that! There is a sense of freedom that I forgot about- the freedom to put anything I want in my body without having to worry about how it will effect my baby or my milk, etc.. I have a general philosophy that if something says "if nursing consult your physician before taking"- I don't take it! If there is any question- I just don't risk it! SO..now that I am done with all of that- I took a little swing through Whole Foods to make sure I am not missing out on anything! I am the type of person who likes to walk through the vitamin, supplement, nutrition aisle just for information. The "experts" working that department should run when they see me, haahaa. Of course I have a million questions and they are always sweet to walk me around! OK, so I found some new, delightful, things I want to share with you! 

FIRST, here is my new Smoothie mixture (more about the ingredients in a bit) you might remember my smoothie recipes for the girls HERE - they are just the "base" for anything I want to add to it. I call them "milkshakes" for the girls so they sound like a treat! (believe me, my girls know the difference between these and a REAL milkshake!)

Delightful Milkshake: 
(*the amounts vary based on how much you want to make! I use frozen because it is a) convenient and b) I know they freeze at the peak of nutrition- if I buy fresh- it spoils so quickly!)
I have been replacing one meal with these and I have so much energy and am really full from it. The girls love them too-well...or sometimes I force them to drink them..either way I am glad they get all of the nutrients/protein/antioxidants, etc.. 

- Strawberry Kefir
- Plain, nonfat Greet Yogurt 
- 1 banana
- Frozen mango
- Frozen Strawberries
- Frozen Blueberries
- Frozen Spinach and/or Frozen Green Leafy mix (I like Whole Foods mix- Kale, Collards, etc..)
- Ground Flaxseed (make sure to get ground- you can digest whole flaxseeds) 
- Cocoa Nibs 
- Chia Seeds 
- 1 Scoop Protein Powder (I like plant based) 
- Cover mixture with 1/2 water 1/2 100% pure OJ mixture

*Kefir: "With seven to ten billion CFU’s of 10 strains of bacteria, plus ProBoost, our exclusive pair of clinically proven probiotics, Lifeway Lowfat Kefir balances your body’s ecosystem and supports digestive health and immunity – that’s 12 live and active cultures per cup. Plus, it's an excellent source of calcium, protein and it’s 99% lactose free. Lifeway Kefir is a creamy and delicious yogurt-like smoothie the whole family will enjoy." from LINK)}
*Ground Flaxseeds: Some call it one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. There’s some evidence it may help reduce your risk of heart diseasecancerstroke, and diabetes. LINK
*Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt can have twice as much protein as regular yogurt. The extra protein will help you feel full and leave you feeling satisfied. Commercial Greek yogurts at supermarkets have almost double the protein content of standard yogurt brands. One cup of plain, low-fat conventional yogurt usually contains 5 to 10 grams of protein, where Greek yogurt averages about 13 to 20 grams of protein.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/86488-benefits-greek-yogurt/#ixzz2JgBWikEL

Now for my new finds: 

{Cocoa Nibs: "Used for: Longevity, Uplift Mood, Antioxidant, Brain Function, Children, Clarity, Depression, Endurance, Energy, Heart Health" Info HERE "Sunfood's Raw Cacao Nibs are packed with antioxidants, including polyphenols, catechins and epicatechins that help to fight off free radicals, giving you a healthy, complete superfood known as the Food of the Gods. In addition, flavonols help the body produce Nitric Oxide, a compound essential for proper heart function. Clean and microbe-free, cacao nibs offer a powerful boost of phenylethylamine (PEA) and anandamide, which both enhance positive feelings. Raw cacao is also a natural source of trace minerals, such as manganese, zinc and copper, which help to maintain healthy blood while theobromine, iron, chromium, magnesium and omega-6 fatty acids play an important role in heart health, brain function, growth and development."}

{Chia Seeds: 
  1. Help weight loss. Chia seeds are popular for weight loss. They reduce food cravings by preventing some of the food that you eat from getting absorbed into your system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes them a great diet helper.
  2. Feel fuller faster: They can also help your diet by making you feel full. This is because they absorb 10 times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel.
  3. Hydration for athletes: They are also great for athletes because the "chia gel" can hydrate the body.
  4. Reduce your blood pressure: There's evidence to suggest they can reduce blood pressure.
  5. Omega-3: They are the richest plant source of Omega-3 (the vital fats that protect againstinflammation—such as arthritis—and heart disease). In fact, they contain more Omega-3 than salmon!
  6. Benefits for diabetes: Because chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have great benefits for diabetics. MORE HERE}  

{My friend at Whole Foods suggested this protein powder- HERE- I am not going to lie, the first 5 times I ate this I had to hold my nose and chug it down- since then I am used to it and like it. I do think it gives me a lot of energy- although...I drink a lot of coffee so who knows!!  :) Anyway- I like having this in there- it includes: 
  • Two servings of veggies
  • 10 g of complete, plant-based protein
  • 5 g of fiber
  • 1 g of Omega-3




Let me know if you have anything else to add! 







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