Kale based smoothie...

The kids and I have been loving our Kale based smoothies throughout the past week.  I now make them a nutrient packed smoothie (with or without protein) before their soccer & football games.  They have endless hours of energy and are not feeling heavy and weighed down as a result. This morning's smoothie consisted of 2 1/2 cups of kale, a handful of blueberries, strawberries, peaches, 2 tbsp of flax seed, pumpkin seed and granola.

Kale is being called “the new beef”, “the queen of greens” and “a nutritional powerhouse.” Here are ten great benefits of adding more kale to your diet:

1. Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.

2. Kale is high in iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.

3. Kale is high in Vitamin K. Eating a diet high in Vitamin K can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and the prevention of blood clotting. Also increased levels of vitamin K can help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

4. Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids help protect against various cancers.

5. Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

6. Kale is great for cardiovascular support. Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels.

7. Kale is high in Vitamin A.Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.

8. Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

9. Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

10. Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy. 

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4408/Top-10-Health-Benefits-of-Eating-Kale.html

Get creative and go get some kale (or any other green leafy vegetables) and incorporate them into your diet TODAY!!!

Yummy Smoothies!!!

Well, I'm back with a quick post to share 2 smoothie recipes with you all.  I apologize for being so sporadic with my posts/updates but life has me on the GO these days.  We just returned from a weekend trip to Florida and hit the ground running as soon as we returned!  While in FL the kids and I spent time at the pool, shopping and relaxing.  Here is some footage from our pool time; Check out my daughter with the "come from behind" victory! and take a look at some pool acrobats.  Ohhhhh what fun!  On our way back home we stopped and purchased some yummy Georgia Peaches!!!!  I couldn't wait to make a smoothie with them (as well as a few other treats) once we got home.

Upon arriving home (at 7pm), I noticed that my grass had grown quite a bit!  It really stood out because my neighbors (on both sides) had recently mowed their lawns which made mine look a hotttttt mess!!!  So, I quickly changed, gassed up my lawn mower and edger and went to work on my lawn with an hour of daylight remaining.  I managed to complete one side of my yard and the front before darkness hit. I woke up the next morning and completed the back lawn and the other side of my house.  It was quite labor intensive mowing the lawn in excrutiating temps (90 degrees), moving a huge trampoline, lifting heavy equipment and trimming the bushes.  The end result was well worth it!!! 

After completing this out door "cardio" session, I pulled out my Nutribullet and made a super delicious smoothie with those yummy Georgia Peaches!! Here it is:

INGREDIENTS/RECIPE: One LARGE peach, 1/2 cup of low fat milk (you can use almond milk or coconut milk if you'd like), 1/2 spoonful of vanilla protein powder, pumpkin seeds/flax seeds/granola (Nature's Path Organic Cereal), crushed ice and water. 

It was the peeeerfect drink I needed to replenish myself as I still had a long day ahead of me that included soccer practice!  Yes, SOCCER PRACTICE!!!!  It's back and in full swing!  I just knew I would be tired, sore and sluggish the next morning from my intense yard work session so I hit the grocery store before heading home.  I grabbed some veggies and fresh fruit along with the essentials and rushed home to relax for the night.  This morning, I awakened feeling alive and refreshed!  I rushed downstairs to make another delicious smoothie with the fresh veggies and fruit I had purchased last night.  Here's what I came up with:

INGREDIENTS/RECIPE: Kale, strawberries (4), banana (1), frozen blueberries (handful), pumpkin seeds/flax seeds/granola (Nature's Path Organic Cereal), crushed ice and water. 

This smoothie made 2-8oz glasses and I drank every last drop of it!!!  Give it a try!

Quick, Delicious, Nutritious Breakfast Smoothie!!

These days I don't have much time to spare.... with soccer going full speed ahead, the kids' social calendars, hubby's schedule, my exercising and studying for my PT exam time is always of essence.  It is vitally important to make time to get in a healthy, nutritious breakfast on a daily basis.  Sometimes i'll make a breakfast sandwich (whole grain english muffin, turkey sausage or turkey bacon, 1 egg and low fat cheese), grab a breakfast bar, a bowl of oatmeal or cream of wheat OR a nice bowl of cereal.  Here lately i've been on a smoothie kick!  They're quick, healthy and packed full of nutrition!!!  Here's one that I made today and I thought i'd share it with you:

Strawberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie

 

~ voskos plain greek yogurt,
~ a splash of 2% milk
~ 1 small banana
~ frozen strawberries
~ 1/2 cup of Kashi Go Lean Honey w/ Flaxseed Cereal
~ 1/2 cup of crushed ice...
Yummmm! Feel free to add a tsp of agave nectar if you want to sweeten it a bit. Only 165 cals per glass... this makes 2 glasses! I drank 1 glass pre workout and 1 glass post workout. This smoothie was full of protein and extra vitamins from the kashi cereal but you can add protein powder to it if you'd like.  Some other healthy additions would be pineapple, spinach, kale (a friend recommended I try this), chia seeds, blueberries, mango and any other fruit or nutritious veggie you'd like.  Have fun with it and ENJOY!!!! 

I'll be sure to take pix and share recipes for all of the other smoothies I try in the weeks to come.