apple pie smoothie ~vegan, gluten free~

The Apple Pie Smoothie!  

Tastes just like apple pie a la mode, but much healthier for you!

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Last weekend we extended our Big E vacation to include apple picking (along with the rest of Massachusetts, the place was packed!)!  But not to worry, the trees were dripping with sweet, ripe fruit!  Varieties of apples I have never even heard of before!  One of our new favorites was called the “Liberty” apple, super crisp, slightly sweet and a little tangy!

Apple Pie Smoothie ~vegan, gluten free~ Tastes just like apple pie a la mode, but healthier for you!

After a day of walking through the orchards, visiting farm animals and going on hay rides we got back in our car with loads of apples!

Apple Pie Smoothie ~vegan, gluten free~ Tastes just like apple pie a la mode, but healthier for you!

So, guess what’s in store for you?  

Yup, you guessed it…apple recipes!!!

apple pie smoothie ~vegan, gluten free~
 
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Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 apple, sliced
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1.5 cups almond milk
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 dates, pitted
  • 2 tablespoons pecans or walnuts
  • dash cinnamon
  • dash nutmeg
  • additional add-ins: ground flax seeds or chia seeds
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until creamy!

Apple Pie Smoothie ~vegan, gluten free~ Tastes just like apple pie a la mode, but healthier for you!

apple pie smoothie

apple pie smoothie ~ vegan, raw, gluten free~

Last night I was motivated to make almond milk.  It’s something I’ve been wanting to try for a while now but couldn’t find the time to get to it (story of my life!). Making almond milk takes a little planning, as you need to soak the almonds for 8 hours prior.

almond milk

But other than that it was very simple…and tasty!  You just drain the almonds and add to a blender with two cups water, ½ teaspoon of vanilla, a pinch of sea salt and a dash of cinnamon.  If you prefer smooth almond milk, strain it through cheesecloth.  Since I knew I would be making a smoothie I didn’t bother with this step.

almond milk

The inspiration for this recipe came from Kris Carr’s website.  I modified it by using the ingredients I had in the house…and added a touch of maple syrup for sweetness (shhh!)

Apple Pie Smoothie

2 apples

2 cups milk of your choice (I used homemade almond milk)

1 banana

3 pitted dates

2 tablespoons almond butter

1 tablespoon maple syrup

¼ – ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (depending on your taste)

1-2 tablespoons hemp seeds

1 large cup of ice cubes

 apple pie smoothie ~vegan, raw, gluten free~

place all ingredients in a blender, mix until smooth and frothy, enjoy!

apple pie smoothie ~vegan, raw, gluten free~

purple powerhouses

purple cabbage

In a salad rut?  Try adding purple cabbage to add crunch and color!

According the U.S. Department of Agriculture red/purple cabbage contains 36 different varieties of anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids that have been linked to cancer protection.  Anthocyanins are the purple pigments found in foods such cabbage, blueberries and grapes.  Not only do these purple powerhouses fight cancer they also improve heart health and brain function.  1 cup of cabbage also provides 85% of your daily vitamin C needs.  The health benefits of purple cabbage are more potent when eaten raw so it’s best to add to salads or chopped up and used for slaw.

Edamame Apple Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing

Ingredients:

2 cups purple cabbage, shredded

1 cup mixed salad greens

1 cup steamed edamame, shelled and cooled

1 cup carrot, shredded

½ gala apple, cubed

1/2 avocado

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Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

-Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl.

-Wisk together dressing and drizzle over salad.

-Top with sliced avocado.

-Enjoy!

Voila!

Voila!

A sweet and savory salad that is bursting with flavor and flavonoids!

Check out www.beginwithinnutrition.com for upcoming events!