Good Morning Smoothie

I've been trying to get back to the low carbs/sugar diet, but it's been challenging. At least I can start my day right with a nutritious smoothie.

Good Morning Smoothie

1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup frozen blueberry
1 banana
1 apple
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
Handful parsley
1/3 cucumber

Combine all and blend until smooth. Very hydrating, alkalizing, and filling smoothie. And did I mention delicious?

My hubby came home from work yesterday with flowers. I love it when he surprises me with flowers. He added, "And I didn't do anything bad." 

How sweet!

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Tropical Green Smoothie

I found mango flavored coconut water in store, so I decided to make a green smoothie using it. I've been liking parsley in my green smoothie lately. If you put parsley in, make sure to put lemon juice, too. Makes it taste so refreshing!

Good breakfast drink

Tropical Green Smoothie

2 cups mango flavored coconut water
1 banana
1 golden delicious apple
1/4 lemon, squeezed
1/3 cucumber
Handful of parsley
A few ice cubes

Combine all in a blender and blend until smooth.

I've been using coconut water in my smoothies.

Banana binds everything together.

There is a hint of mango in it, and fresh lemon tastes great in this smoothie. Parsley and cucumber add a nice fresh flavor.

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Hydrating Green Smoothie with Electrolytes

I've been trying to use more coconut water instead of water for my smoothies. When I wake up in the morning, I want to hydrate myself with something with electrolytes. Coconut water has electrolytes and potassium, but it has a lot less sugar than sports drinks. 

Hydrating Green Smoothie with Electrolytes

1 cup coconut water
Handful frozen kale
1/2 banana
1 apple
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/3 English cucumber

Cucumber adds such a fresh, clean, meadow-like flavor to your drinks. Love adding slices of cucumber to my water, cold soups, cocktails and smoothies.

Blend well to smooth out pulp.

You will feel you're doing something good to your body after this smoothie.

Coconut water = Good

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New Year's Antioxidant Smoothie

Feeling a bit guilty from the overindulgence during the holidays? Here you go, my first smoothie of the year! 

Colors don't frighten me anymore....

Kale, Blueberry and PB Smoothie

1 cup almond coconut milk
Handful frozen kale
Handful frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp chia seeds
4 oz. water
4 oz. orange juice

Blend all until smooth. I made a big batch and had a sip throughout the day. I'm feeling better already! 

Feel less guilty with every sip!

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Spiking Store-Bought Eggnog

Let the grocery store do the hard work for you: they've got pretty decent eggnog. I got a quart of eggnog from the store and added some liquor. One cup or 1/2 cup, depending on how strong you want.

Sorry, kids, this is not for you....

Spiked Eggnog

1 quart of pre-made eggnog
1/3 cup Jameson
1/4 cup of brandy, I used Hennessy
(If you want to make it strong, use 3/4 cup whiskey and 1/3 cup brandy.)
Nutmeg for garnish

Combine eggnog, whiskey and brandy. Use good grade whiskey and brandy. Some people prefer rum. If you are using rum, I suggest dark spiced rum. May I suggest Appleton rum or Coruba dark rum? They have the oaky aroma that reminds you of whiskey. If your eggnog doesn't already have nutmeg in it, mix some in for more flavor.

Store-bought eggnog 

Use something that tastes good on its own.

zzz...

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Cranberry Orange Sour

After running around all day to make your Thanksgiving Day perfect, you'd need one of these. Just cook down fresh cranberries with a hint of amaretto or brandy and cut it with sparkling water. Most of alcohol will be cooked off. Add vodka or gin for more kick!

Cranberry Orange Sour

1 cup cranberries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp apricot jam or marmalade
1 piece, thinly sliced ginger
2 Tbsp amaretto di saronno or brandy
A splash of vodka or gin
Elderflower syrup to taste, optional
A few ice cubes
Sparkling water to top off 

In a sauce pan, add cranberries, apricot jam, orange juice and water and cook until the mixture gets syrupy. Add amaretto or brandy and cook for another few minutes. Cool. In a tall glass, add about 1 Tbsp of the cranberry mixture, ice cubes, a splash of vodka, elderflower syrup and top off with sparkling water. Stir and serve.

My favorite jam. Smells so good.

Cook until syrupy.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

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Chestnut Cream Smoothie

With the chestnuts I cooked earlier last week, I made a smoothie. Why not incorporate a flavor of the season into your morning smoothie?

A flavor of fall

Scooped out chestnuts

Chestnut Cream Smoothie

1 cup cooked chestnuts, scooped out of the shells
2 cups coconut almond milk
1/2 cup ice cubes
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
2 dates, pitted
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp instant espresso
2 tsp maple syrup

Combine everything and blend until smooth. 

Flavor enhancers!

Molasses like flavor of maple syrup compliments the chestnuts.

This is where the magic happens!

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Hippie Butter Green Smoothie

We ordered a bag of hemp protein powder online for our smoothies. Hemp powder has lots of good trace minerals, fiber and protein. This one we ordered tastes pretty good. Hippie Butter makes butter-like hemp spread, hence the name Hippie Butter. I never knew you could make so many things with hemp.

Hippie Butter's organic hemp seed protein powder

Our First Hemp Powder Green Smoothie

1 cup coconut almond milk
3 Tbsp Hippie Butter Organic Hemp Seed Protein Powder
Handful frozen kale
Handful parsley
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp Chia seeds
4-5 slices frozen peaches
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 lelmon, juiced
1 apple
1 pitted date
4 oz. water

Blend all until smooth.

Our Blendtec can handle this NO PROBLEM!

Makes enough for two people

The smoothie tasted good. I was afraid to try it first because I heard that hemp powder can smell musty and taste "earthy." This powder didn't smell musty. And earthy, yes, but in a good way; it tasted grassy to me. I'm not bothered by this flavor at all. Of course, adding tons of fruits didn't hurt, either, but that aside, we like this hemp powder.

Peace, y'all!

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Apple Cinnamon Green Smoothie

You feel you had a little too much tequila last night? Start off your day right with a green smoothie. Cinnamon brings out the apple in this bright-flavored smoothie.

Tastes like fruit juice, only better!

Apple Cinnamon Green Smoothie

1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup frozen kale
Handful parsley
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 apple
1/2 orange, squeezed
1/3 cup frozen mango
1/3 cup frozen strawberries
Dash cinnamon

Blend, blend, blend...

You can use any fruits in addition, I happened to have frozen mango and strawberries in the freezer. They both help thicken the smoothie as well as sweetening it up. Blend all until smooth.

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