Going Green

Green smoothies have been all the rage for a while now, but I'd never tried one until just recently and I haven't been able to get enough since. So, before I go on about the yummy taste, palatable texture and the large list of health benefits, let me just debunk a few myths that had kept me from "going green" in the past.

MYTH 1: You need an expensive blender.

I have a $40 version from Walmart that's about 7 years old and it works just great, so don't freak out about forking upwards of three hundred dollars for a blender(though a Vitamix or Blendtec would be fabulous!) If your blender can handle ice (I use crushed from my freezer), chances are it will be able to blend up apple slices just fine and dandy. 

MYTH 2: It's torture to drink.

I love my baby spinach, but thinking of drinking down two-cups of it in one sitting just didn't sound so amazing to me. Thing is: the fruit completely evens out the taste. I have never prepared a green smoothie that tasted like grass, or anything unfavorable, for that matter.

MYTH 3: Produce is too expensive.

I'll still agree that yes, produce is expensive, but eating healthy really relies on a large amount of raw foods because they are so good for you! It's well worth it. I've discovered that I actually save money now that I am spending it on fresh produce instead of canned or processed food, candy and other fattening snack foods.

The beauty of a green smoothie is that you can prepare it any way you like. You can experiment and try new flavors and find a taste and texture that suits you best. But lets jot down a few things that you definitely need to keep in mind before you whip out the fruits and veggies. You will need:

- Liquid (Water or almond milk)

- Dark leafy greens (I prefer spinach and kale)

- Fruits 

- Ice (optional, but I prefer it with ice)

In any order, pile the ingredients into the blender, making sure to add at least a couple big handfuls of dark leafy greens. Pour in about a half-cup of liquid and blend! People may say that there is no wrong way, but what you do not want is a liquidy and frothy smoothie where all the pulp sinks to the bottom. To avoid this, make you sure add some soluble-fiber fruits such as banana or mango to thicken up the texture and eliminate froth. This will create a more palatable, creamy texture and a milder, yummier taste as well. 

Health benefits of drinking green smoothies are:

- Easy to digest. When blended well, most of the cells in the fruit and greens rupture, making it easy for the body to absorb valuable nutrients.

- Green smoothies have fiber, unlike fruit juice. Consuming fiber is essential to our elimination system.

- When consuming your greens in the form of a smoothie, you are greatly reducing oils and salt in your diet.

- Green smoothies provide a ton of nutrients, including protein and amino acids.

- They are filling and promote weight loss. The high water and fiber content make you feel full, they provide a lot of sustenance and depending on the ingredients, can be a very low calorie snack/meal.

So what are you waiting for? Whip out that blender and give it a try! Have a favorite recipe? Leave a comment, I'd love to hear it. 

Oat-Banana Bread

Today I threw together a bunch of substitute ingredients to make my favorite Betty Crocker Banana Bread more diet friendly and health-conscious. Things I've tried like mad to avoid are sugar, mainly, and flour. Both go straight to my poochie (aka stubborn lower belly) and that's just not okay any more.

So, without further ado:

OAT-BANANA BREAD

1/2 c   Unsweetened applesauce

2         Eggs

1/2 c   Raw Honey

2 c      Mashed Ripe Banana

1 t       Vanilla Extract

3 c      Ground Oatmeal

1/2 c   Flour

1/2 t    Salt

2 t       Baking Powder

1/4 t    Baking Soda

Prep:

Mash bananas, approx 3 or 4. Grind up oatmeal in blender, a cup at a time, until you have 3 cups of powdery and fine oat flour. Grease bottoms of 1-2 loaf pans, depending on size. Preheat oven to 350.

Mix: 

Combine all wet ingredients, until thoroughly mixed, add dry ingredients. Badda-boom. Should be pasty like cake batter, just chunkier. Slap into loaf pan, bake for 1 hour.  

Less sweet than the original, but every bit as good with a moist, satisfying texture and oatmeal cookie-like crunchy crust. Delish!

Another One Down

My weigh-in this morning was missing something: another 1.4 pounds. 


I'm sort of amazed by this, seeing how I don't really sweat everyday. I drop and give a few rounds of calisthenics,sure, but I haven't SWEAT in about two weeks. So this is proof! Healthy, calorie-mindful eating works wonders! Now all I need to do is find the motivation to go jogging or visit the gym (which I very shamefully have an unused membership at) and those pounds will have no chance at all!

It's funny how much motivation and good attitude determine success with exercise, and I resolve to actually get a little of each by the end of the week! 

As for eating, I'm doing very well, having gone from cookie-monster cravings down to hardly any. Don't get me wrong, if I need a sweet or salty pick-me-up, I'll cave but just a tiny bit. Like this morning, I wanted Nacho Doritos - so I had two. Lol, and then 16 oz of water and stick of gum. I am less hungry with each day, and I'm starting to absolutely enjoy my diet food - which is so weird to me - but true. Here's to today, and keeping under my calorie limit!

 

FAVE DIET LUNCH:
1/2 Grilled lemon-pepper chicken breast
(I grill a family-size package of these and keep them in the fridge for easy-access)
1 C spinach/spring mix lettuce
grape tomatoes
banana peppers
almonds
2 T Newman's Own Lite Balsamic Vinaigrette  

GUILTY PLEASURE:
Few Nacho Doritos
Cayenne pepper drops
(Kind of like Tabasco. It makes them spicy and yummy, and cayenne is proven to decrease appetite)

FAVE GOOD-FOR-ME DRINK:
Home-brewed ICED green tea
(Between tea and water, I drank 12 cups!)  

En-courage-d

So my weekend was a laughable diet-fail, but you know what? It's OKAY. It's okay because I have a wonderfully positive outlook on the next five days ahead of me. And yes, next weekend might be a colossal failure again, but you know what? I'll have given 5 days of my dieting best and HOPEFULLY before too long I'll want less sugar/carbfest - which, really, is one of my biggest goals. I'm feeling very encouraged today, which is new for me. Bring on that celery, bring on that popcorn! I can do this. I have the courage to try and change my habits for the BETTER. This is something I want to prove to myself and yeah - today is a good day. (:

 

FAVE DIET BREAKFAST:

1 c   cooked oatmeal

1  t   honey

        cinnamon

1/2 c unsweetened almond milk

Sweet without the sugar, double the calcium and protein of regular milk, lots of fiber to keep me feeling full longer. Also, I started with a glass of water and ended with a glass of water. VERY SATISFYING!