smoothie update

Raw-Vegan Smoothies

It is about three weeks since I returned to regularly including raw smoothies to my nutritional values. I started with one every other day for about two weeks.

Currently I am transitioning to everyday with greens, specifically Kale and Celery. By the end of the week I am hoping to have transitioned to one a day for breakfast/lunch and then one every other day for supper/dinner.

The ultimate goal is x2 a day. We’ll see. The objective is to increase my raw food intake. I am unsure if becoming a raw vegan is in my future. However if half of my meals are raw, I am in a good standing nutrition-wise.

Chocolate Berry Kale Smoothie

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1 T Vega One Chocolate protein powder
1 T Hemp Pro
1 T oat meal
1 stalk of celery
1/2 c mixed berries

½ c frozen bananas

1 bunch of kale

product review: shred emulsifier

I call it the budget friendly Vitamaster. It’s a product endorsed by Dr. Ian Smith and Kimberley Locke. For those that do not know him, he’s a health and wellness psychologist who was the featured nutritionist from the show Celebrity Fit Club. He’s an author and is often a guest on many shows: Dr. Oz, The Doctors, Rachel Ray, etc. If you do not know Kim, she is a former contestant of American Idol "Band of Gold" notoriety and of course Celebrity Fit Club.

Enough plug-ins, here we go!

After a week of struggle with UPS and the delivery, it finally arrived. Opening the box was an adventure. This bad boy is huge! The base is enormous. The contents include: owner’s manual, quick start guide to ‘slim down’, and a recipe book.

If it can make a smoothie, fine and delicate it’s a winner for me! Let’s go! It has a powerful motor housed in the base. It's as loud as a Mack Truck, but it's a beast. I love it so far. I will post more recipes as I continue to learn more about my latest product purchase.

Berry Blast Smoothie

8-10 oz almond milk

2 T Vega One All-in-One Nutrition Shake

2 T ground oats

½ c mixed berries (strawberries/blueberries)

½ c frozen banana

½ t vanilla extract

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 Green Blast Smoothie

½ banana

½ pear

2 T ground oats
2 T Vega One All-in-One Nutrition Shake

1-2 celery stalks

¼ t ground cloves

8-10 oz almond milk

1 bunch of greens (kale or spinach)

meal replacement

A year past maintenance and folks are likely wondering why am I talking about meal replacement. It is simple. I get a little bored with my snack options. I am a lover of desserts, but would rather have a healthier alternative. I need to infuse more fruits, berries mostly, into my daily nutrition.

A few years ago I discontinued use of meal replacements. The ones I did stock reached expiration. However since, I occasionally picked up a packet here and there, but nothing major. I was always a fan of Spirutein and Hemp Pro. 

Going forward, I paid a visit to my favorite vitamin supplement site, and discovered a special for the new year on meal replacement/fitness powders. I found my old trusted Hemp Pro at a fabulous price. I also spun my wheels a bit looking for an additional plain and chocolate variety. The plain is a base that can be flavored to my taste. You can never go wrong with chocolate. The brand of choice is VEGA. It is plant-based. I have tried the plain with strawberries, blueberries, banana, and a teaspoon of vanilla flavoring. Delicious. 

I will try the chocolate. I have great expectations for it, like adding peanut butter, banana, and perhaps a couple of Tablespoons of oat powder. The serving size for VEGA is a huge scoop measuring approximately to 4 Tablespoons. That is a little aggressive for me to start. Two tablespoons is more my frequency. 

Many independent contractors approached me to try their meal replacements. I am not a fan of a lot of protein without a fiber content. Plus the price point must be friendly. I am very much aware that many of these companies are mostly multi-level marketing businesses, driven for-profit and prize. I am not here for that.