Switching things up a bit: Tropical Oats Smoothie

One thing about me is that i like trying new things, Food wise but I’m not much of a risk taker in other aspect. So since transitioning  I’ve been a green smoothie drinker addict. I went from one smoothie a day to sometimes three, I went from super sweet smoothies to barley  sweet smoothies the list goes on.  But I wanted to switch things up a bit cause a girl can only take so much green smoothies. So i decided to do  raw oatmeal smoothies instead, trust me I’m not sure how i came to that decision but it made perfect sense at that moment.   This is very similar to the No cook oat smoothie i did when i first started transitioning, but this has more nutritional and tasty  ingredients. I was excited and nervous to try this recipe because I’ve been on a mission to avoid food and drinks high in arginine for personal reason. So oatmeal was an issue, but i kept it to organic raw rolled oats ( it is said that instant oatmeal has a high arginine content but who knows).  Since I was avoiding nuts all together due to the foods i was avoiding  almond milk was a no go , so i opted  for SO Coconut milk unsweetened vanilla and Chobani Vanilla Greek yogurt.

So after i had those main staples ingredients, i  then added mix ins of fruits, juices and teas and water all to my liking. On this particular day this was what  i like to call my Tropical Oats Smoothie. If you follow me by now, you should know i  free hand everything so i  don’t have exact measurements. But, here’s the run down on my hearty nutritious smoothie

• Organic Raw Rolled Oats
• Coconut Milk Unsweetened (can use sweetened if preferred and any kind of milk)
• Greek Yogurt Vanilla
• Flax seeds
• Chia seeds
• Tropical Blend Frozen Fruits (Banana, Pineapple, Mango)
• a small ripe banana
• Coconut Water (optional)
• Unsweetened  Green Ice Tea ((optional)
• A couple dashes of cinnamon

Mix all that together and you get a satiating tropical  oatmeal smoothie. I find that using the NutriBullet give a  smooth silkiness that i never achieved with my blender ,but if you’re having  a hard time mixing add more liquid to the blender till you get the consistency that you want.

FYI: I don’t add protein powder because I’m not a fan of the gritty taste. If you want a hearty high fiber smoothie for breakfast,  sans protein powder double up on the the yogurt and oatmeal. This smoothie can be made a head of time and stored in the fridge in an air tight container for 1-2 days. A great on the go breakfast option but great for any time of the day as well!

Drink to health

Hey loves, It’s been a crazy couple weeks and the next few weeks will be too but i wanted to stop everything and say hi. With assignments, projects and quizzes due simultaneously on top of being sick 3 types of ways with a full time job, Updating you guys had taken the back burner. But I’m back and better than ever!  With all that’s has been going on i hadn’t really been eating the healthiest but i make sure to get at least 2 if not 3 green smoothies a day. This has help me to recover from being sick quicker than usual without the need for medicine. When sick i like to make a super alkalizing  green smoothie, that basically flush out toxins out my body while giving me the provided nutrients my body need. What’s in my Super alkalizing green smoothie you ask?

• bunches of Kale and Spinach (fresh or/and frozen)
• Pineapple chunks (Frozen)
• Green Grapes
• Water
• Coconut water
• Unsweetened Green Tea (can be bought in store, i use whole foods bottled version)
• Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar
• Matcha Green Tea
• Spirulina Tablets
• Wheat Grass powder/ tablets
• Vibrant Health GreenVibrance powder
• Honey(Optional)
• Avocado(Optional)
• Hemp protein(optional)
• Flax-seeds and Chia seeds (optional)

I know you’re thinking i just gave you a laundry list of ingredients, but the cool things about green smoothies are that you can put whatever you want in them.These ingredients listed are high in antioxidants and/or alkalizing to the body, With a bit of research your food can cure your sickness with no need for medicine. Drink to health my friends.

Best part of waking up is a Green smoothie in your cup

Mix it up!

Since  incorporating  green smoothies to my daily food intake, I feel healthier than ever. I went from one smoothie a day to two,  to sometimes even three. But just like shampoo once you start using it, it doesn’t feel that effective any more. So I switch up my smoothies every week or so,so my body doesn’t get use to drinking the same thing. So one week I’ll have  collard greens instead of kale and other times I’ll put spinach. I’ll also incorporated anything green, because green foods especially super-foods  are good for your body. I like to put in Wheat grass tablets as well as spirulina tablets or green super food packets to my morning smoothies, these give me  such a boost that coffee isn’t really needed. I also like to add Matcha Green tea sometimes to my smoothies for added  antioxidants. I’ve also tried incorporating hemp protein, but i can never get passed the chalky taste of protein powders. My recent mix-in that i think I’ll be incorporating  more often in my green smoothie is raw rolled oats. The raw oats give a hearty taste to the smoothies and has a great amount of fiber. I also love to mix in chia seeds and flaxseed to my smoothie for the omega -3 and the extra fiber that they provide.  Avocados are great mix-ins as well since they give a creamy texture to your smoothie but is also filling because of the good fats found in them. The best part about making these smoothie is you can put anything in there to your liking. With a little bit of research you can be on your way to a healthier you. Mix-in my friends! 🙂

 

 

 

Breakfast at Panera

Finding good wholesome breakfast on the go can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. While on an early morning outing, my fam and i decide to get some breakfast so we decide to grab some Panera Bread. This was my first time actually going to Panera bread during breakfast so i knew that this was going to be very interesting.  Way before i even became vegetarian, i  had a bad gag reflex to eggs. The smell of it , the taste of it, boiled, scrambled, poached, it didn’t matter i  just couldn’t eat eggs.  So my breakfast options growing up has always been limited, so when i got to Panera Bread i knew my only option was going to be a bagel. But once at the counter, I was please to see that on the menu was steel cut oatmeal.  I’m not gonna lie the oatmeal was a bit pricey but compared to what you find at you local drive thru. This oatmeal was out of this world, real ingredients,  fresh fruits and pecans and also vegan friendly too. I paired it with a wheat bagel and black coffee and had the most nutritious and delicious breakfast i had in a while.   If you’re an oatmeal fan and haven’t tried Panera’s  oatmeal you don’t know what you’re missing.  What your favorite Panera bread item?

What’s for Breakfast? (Coconut Chia Waffles)

The weekend is when i tend to sleep in and just get some well needed rest. For some reason this past weekend i got up earlier than usual and decided to make some breakfast. So i fired up some waffles, but these weren’t your regular type of waffles. These were Frozen Gurus’ flour-less waffles,I know i thought the same thing you’re thinking but they gave out samples at whole food that made me a believer. These waffles are smaller than your usual waffles but  are high in protein and fiber. I had the coconut chia flavor which was very different from any waffles that i ever had. These waffles consist of Non GMO Tofu,  Rolled Oats, Fruit Puree and in this case coconut and chia seed. These waffles are a bit pricey for the size and quantity but if you’re looking for a quality once in a while treat this might be it.  This product  is great for vegans or even gluten free people since these are egg-less ,flour-less and contains gluten free oats. I bought these at my local Whole Foods but chances are they might be find at your local nutrition/organic store  check for locations on their website .Bon Appétit !    http://frozenguru.com/store-locator/  

 

FYI: These waffles go great with Green smoothies. My daily green smoothie contains coconut water and chia seeds so these paired nicely with each other 🙂 .

 

 

Trip to the Farmers Market

So my sis and I decided to go to the farmers market to stock up on some fruits and veggies. We decided to be a little adventurous and try a new farmers market and finally decided on the Flamingo’s Farmer Market. This was more than a farmers market this was a plant Nursery as well. So this was basically a one stop shop kind of place, but we headed straight to the farmer market and stocked up on fruits and veggies for our Daniel fast . The prices were nothing short of the ordinary prices  at the regular grocery store but i did find a deal on beets.  I honestly have to say ,I  never thought i would like beets but i do.When you get pass the color they kinda of taste like earthy carrots. I haven’t juiced them or added them to my smoothies just yet but as a little snack they are pretty good.

On this particular Farmers Market trip I was on a mission to find some avocados.  There weren’t really on sale but i needed them specifically to make my green smoothies extra hearty.  I used one avocado for two 160z servings that i would drink throughout the morning at work.In addition to the avocados, i would add apples, flax-seeds, chia seeds and loosed leaf green tea along with my leafy greens and fruits. These smoothies were so thick that there were days that i would consume the smoothies for lunch instead cause they made me feel that full. I know they say that too much avocado is bad for, which i  really  don’t believe. But after this fast i will be taking a break from avocados only because I’ve gotten tired of it after 20 plus days of consuming it straight.

 

 

Sunday Afternoon (The Daniel Fast )

So it’s day 15 of my Daniel Fast and despite some of the hunger pains i get through out the day I feel pretty good.  Before i started the fast, I’ve been reading the Bible from the beginning (Genesis).  I just happen to be mid-way thru  the book of Numbers when i started the Fast. It really cool to just read about how God had specific plans for the Israelites but it was cause of their attitudes the journey took longer than it really was suppose to. It makes you think about how much things in our lives could have been easier but our attitudes made getting to that point more difficult. It has definitely been an eye opener.

This pass weekend after Church, my sister and i decided to go to lunch .We wanted to stay within the guidelines of the fast so we practically drove around in circles thinking of places we can eat. After 30 minutes of driving  we  decided to eat at Whole foods to make our live easier. We hit the salad bar and tried anything that was vegan and non dairy, we also read the ingredients on each to see if they were natural as possible.

The conclusion was a bowl fill of Tabbouleh, Asian Noodles, Pico De Gallo, Steamed vegetables, Beets with Ginger and a Roasted Tomato Soup. I know the Daniel Fast guidelines suggest water as the only Beverage,but i have a gag reflex when i consume  too much water. Sounds weird i know but that how my body operates. So when eating meals like this i chooses unsweetened Green Tea. It’s not exactly the best tasting drink in the world but it help me to better digest food a whole lot better at the same time getting lots of antioxidants.

Never in a million years would i thought i would be eating this way let alone fasting for 40 days, but this experience has definitely showed me that if i put my mind to it i can do it with God’s help.

Have you ever tried the Daniel Fast? If so let me know about your experience.

The Daniel Fast

Hey y’all, Its day 6 of my spiritual fast and i finally got the hang of things.  Being that this is my first fast i did a lot of research on how to go about doing one. After much thought and research I decided to go along with the Daniel fast which primarily is a vegan diet with more restrictions . At first i thought this would be somewhat smooth since I’ve  been practicing a vegetarian/wholefoods lifestyle for a little less than a year. But these past 3 days have been  tough  but i know at the end of this fast it would be so worth it. I decided to do the fast from 6am to 6pm being that the Daniel fast is typically done for 21 days and I’m doing it for 40. After 6 pm i  eat whatever i want but still try to keep it close to the guidelines of the Daniel Fast.

I’ve came up with a plan that is working for me but as the weeks go i might tweak a few things.

For breakfast I make a big batch of green smoothies that makes about two 160z mason jar fulls with all the vegetable and fruits i want.

To make them hearty as possible i add one Hass Avocado, spoonful of flax-seeds and Chia seeds and Matcha green tea leaves. ( the actual leaves not the powder). I drink a 16oz full jar for breakfast with a banana  and one mid morning with raw walnuts and dried cranberries. Yes these item have a high fiber/high fat content, But don’t be fooled I’m still hungry by noon.

By 12:30 I have a banana, with a salad either a garden salad or  a mixture of any raw /steamed or lightly seasoned vegetable  at hand at the salad bar. I haven’t incorporated  grains yet but i plan to do so in the next couple days.

Garden Salad Lunch

 

So what are the actual specific for a Daniel fast you say? Based on the Book of Daniel  fruits  and vegetable, no meats or wine. But if you want to go into specifics here is a run down on what to can eat and what you should avoid.

Foods to include during the Daniel Fast

All fruits. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned.
All vegetables. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned.
All whole grains, including but not limited to whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats, barley, grits and whole wheat pasta
All nuts and seeds, including but not limited to sunflower seeds, cashews, peanuts, sesame. Also nut butters including peanut butter.
All legumes. These can be canned or dried. Legumes include but are not limited to dried beans, pinto beans, split peas, lentils, black eyed peas, kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans, white beans.
All quality oils including but not limited to olive, canola, grape seed, peanut, and sesame.
Beverages: spring water, distilled water or other pure waters.

Foods to avoid on the Daniel Fast

All meat and animal products including but not limited to beef, lamb, pork, poultry, and fish.
All dairy products including but not limited to milk, cheese, cream, butter, and eggs.
All sweeteners including but not limited to sugar, raw sugar, honey, syrups, molasses, and cane juice.
All leavened bread including Ezekiel Bread (it contains yeast and honey) and baked goods.
All refined and processed foods products including but not limited to artificial flavorings, food additives, chemicals, white rice, white flour, and foods that contain artificial preservatives.
All deep fried foods including but not limited to potato chips, French fries, corn chips.
All solid fats including shortening, margarine, lard and foods high in fat.
Beverages including but not limited to coffee, tea, herbal teas, carbonated beverages, energy drinks, and alcohol.
When you shop for food remember to READ THE LABELS to make sure the only ingredients in packaged foods are suitable for the Daniel Fast. You will want to be especially aware of chemicals, dairy products and sweeteners – all of which are not allowed on the Daniel Fast.

Though there is a lot of restrictions, this fast is more than just limiting food but getting closer to GOD.  We do this by prayer and reading the Bible and not just reading it but applying it to our everyday lives. I know that this 40 days is going to be tough, but enlightening , enriching and life changing, but i’m soready for it ! 🙂

Lunch at the Grocery Store

Lunch can sometimes be cumbersome, but I’ve made a strict plan to stay away from drive thrus as much as possible. For the number one reason being that there’s not much options for vegetarian, And as far as fish options they pretty much taste like cardboard. So that basically leaves me with the grocery stores for lunch, like Whole foods, Target and Publix. Though it would be great to always eat at  Whole foods for lunch daily , it does a number on my pockets so i usually alternate from the three. This day was Target’s day, i love going to Target because they have the Starbucks in there. No i don’t go to Starbucks for coffee or lattes , i go there for their hot  green tea. As  crazy as it sounds, Starbucks is the only place that offers hot green  in any food chain restaurant . Any-who,  this particular day i nix the green tea and scooped up a “Lunchable” type snack box at Target and added a Greek yogurt for extra protein and had it with my personal afternoon green smoothie. All of this ended up costing me less than 5 bucks, which i thought  was pretty sweet. If you haven’t tried shopping at a grocery store for lunch, i pretty much suggest that you do. Every week there’s practically a sale going on so you can pretty much get great deals compared to going to a fast food chain. Breaking out 6 bucks for a fast food combo when you can get so much more nutritious food at a  grocery store just make no sense!

Eating Cleanse

I’ve been on a mission on eating cleaner foods because let’s face it when you eat good you feel good. There’s no buts or ifs about, you can eat crap all day long but sooner or later its gonna catch up. So when i feel that I’ve been eating too much processed food, i like to go a couple days where i eat clean.  For me this usually consist of  fruits,veggies, salads , lots of green smoothies , coconut water and green tea. This tend to be hard so i usually try to add a little treat  that would make the mundane be not so mundane like cheese cubes, pesto or  peanut butter. After a couple days  of  eating clean I’m usually feeling great and light as a feather! The whole idea of  not eating for a week and living off of liquids, is something i cant picture myself doing. What i  found that works for me  is eating clean high fiber foods that have a  high water content, which in turn helps to detoxify the body the natural way!