Greensicle Smoothie

 



It is another rainy day in Seattle, but it's Valentine's day! I have Ray LaMontagne crooning in the background, candles lit and am catching up on some housework while the hubby is working away. This smoothie was just what I needed to jump start my day. The green pigment is as vibrant as fresh spring grass and who doesn't want to be reminded of spring in February?!?  Oh, and the flavor is reminiscent of a creamsicle or an orange julius, just slightly grown up with a healthier edge. Also, the vitamin C from the OJ helps increase your absorption of the iron from the spinach. Give it a try!  

• 1 c 100% OJ (I like heavy pulp)
• 1 banana
• 1-2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• Ice
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

I add the OJ, banana, spinach, vanilla and almond milk and blend until smooth. Throw in a handful (7-10) of  ice cubes and blend before adding the scoop of vanilla protein powder (if desired). This prevents the protein powder from becoming "gummy" and adding an undesired texture to your smoothie. Pour in a pretty glass and think spring!

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip

On New Year's Eve, Dane and I spent the evening at home lounging in our pj's and sipping champagne while we working on a puzzle. I know, I know...this may sound lame to some. We decided to make a quick run to the store and Dane picked out this recipe to try.  It was effortless and super yummy!  With it's creamy garlic base and pops of artichoke and spinach you'll be tempted to eat the whole pan! Serves 4 for less than 200 kcal per serving.  

• 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts (packed in water, not marinated in oil), drained and roughly chopped
• 3 oz of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I chopped fresh baby spinach leaves instead)
• 3/4 c low-fat mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced (don't be shy, the garlic is my favorite part!)
• Pinch of crushed red pepper (we add a few pinches because we both enjoy the spice)

Preheat the oven to 450 F. In a medium bowl, combine the artichoke hearts, spinach, mayo, cheese, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread in and 8x8 baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the broiler to high and broil the dip-watching it carefully-until it is golden and bubbly (about 2 min). Serve with crackers, toasted baguettes, or tortilla chips.

Positive vibes....

The New Year...

Each year at this time I sit down and come up with a long list of new year's resolutions, most of them revolving around my health and relationships. I usually make a pretty scrapbook page and hang it on my bathroom mirror so I can look at them every morning.  Problem is, with a long list it's hard to actually make a lasting change. This year, I'm going to switch it up a bit and pick ***gasp*** just two things. I will focus on these two things for all of January and when the month is over I can choose to carry a few over or pick two new things for February. Having smaller, more attainable goals is less overwhelming and I will get more out of them this way.

For January I want to focus on detoxifying my body after a long holiday season of sweet treats, overindulging, and not enough exercise. For the next three weeks, I am going to pay attention to:

1) My diet:

For awhile now, I've been feeling foggy, slightly nauseous, and getting headaches. I started keeping track of when this was happening and it seemed to be after over indulging on sweets or gluten-containing foods. So, I am going to join the movement and try to incorporate green smoothies and juices into my morning routine most days of the week. In addition, limit my sugar and gluten consumption. I purchased Kris Carr's 'Crazy Sexy Diet' that includes a 21-day "adventure" cleanse. 

She suggests:

•  Eliminating animal products or at the very least reducing to no more than twice per week
• Saying sayonara to acidic drinks such as coffee, soda, energy drinks, and the booze
• Leaving those refined sugars and artificial sweeteners behind
• Banning 'The Whites,' white table salt, rice, bread and potatoes
• Cutting out gluten and dairy

Hmm, this is sure to be an adventure! Ha! I'm not going to stress about following this exactly, but I am going to use it as a guideline for my meal choices for the remainder of the month.

2) Yoga Practice

 One semester in college, I had signed up for a yoga class. We had to meet twice a week and I always left feeling more centered and relaxed (being able to touch my toes was just a bonus). Yoga for me, is more about my spiritual well being then it is about getting a good workout in. It's nice to have time set aside to slow down and be in the moment. Yoga does this for me. Why it's always on the back burner?? I have no answer for this. I have one slower yoga DVD at home and just ordered a Vinyasa Flow DVD and Jillian's Yoga Meltdown for the days I need to combine a workout with my yoga practice.  

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There, I did it. I successfully only picked two things to focus on the first month of the new year. I'm excited about them both. In fact, I started my morning off with a beginner's green smoothie (I used only 1 cup of spinach instead of the suggested 2 cups) and a cup of green tea in place of my usual coffee latte.

Dani's Green Goodness Smoothie:

• 1 c fresh, organic spinach
• 1 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 scoop of Spirutein chocolate protein powder
• 1 banana
• Handful of ice cubes

This was actually really good! Surprisingly I couldn't even taste the spinach!

Now I can start my day right and not feel overwhelmed about all the new things I have to work on. What are you going to focus on in the new year? There's no better day than today to go after your dreams!

Peace & positive vibes....