blueberry bliss smoothie

 Blueberry Bliss!

A perfect blend of sweet and tart, which will leave your taste buds begging for more!

Blueberry Bliss Smoothie ~ vegan ~ A sweet and tart blend of blueberries, bananas, nut butter, hemp seeds and greens!

The mix of tangy blueberries and a sugary banana compliment each other nicely, and of course I snuck in some greens!  Hemp seeds and nut butter provide protein power, excellent for a pre or post exercise snack or a light meal.

One smoothie is loaded with nutrients, fiber (insoluble and soluble), vitamins E, K, C, B, healthy fats, potassium, choline and phytonutrients to name a few…no big deal.

It’s a great recipe for introducing green smoothies to a green smoothie newbie, no one will ever know there is spinach in it :)

a perfect blend of sweet and tart, which will leave your taste buds begging for more!

blueberry bliss smoothie
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Drinks
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, sun butter or tahini)
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • handful baby spinach leaves
  • 1-2 dates, pitted (optional)
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend away!

a perfect blend of sweet and tart, which will leave your taste buds begging for more!

Blend ahead of time and have one now and one for later!

Tips for storing green smoothies:

-Use a glass jar with a lid such as a mason jar to store your smoothie.  Try not to use plastic!

-Fill the jar all the way up to the top leaving no room for air!  Exposure to air will make the fruit and vegetables oxidize rapidly causing discoloration and damage to nutrients.  You can even add a splash of fresh lemon juice to further slow oxidation.

-Store in the refrigerator for 1-3 days.  I admit, they don’t taste as good on the third day, but it’s better than nothing!

chia seed breakfast bowl ~vegan, gluten free~

Move over Wheaties…there’s a new breakfast of champions in town!  

The chia seed breakfast bowl is just as easy as to make as pouring a bowl of cereal, more nutritious and tastes even better!

chia seed breakfast bowl ~vegan, gluten free~

It takes 2 minutes to mix all the ingredients together, place in an air-tight container and refrigerate overnight.  Wake up and breakfast is ready!  You can also portion out into smaller containers for a great grab and go breakfast on the run!

This recipe makes 2 servings.  Each serving contains:

4564 mg Omega 3 and 1504 mg Omega 6

10 grams of fiber

12% daily value of calcium (from chia seeds alone)

250-300 calories and 10-15 grams of protein depending on the type of milk you use

I used a combination of soy milk and canned whole coconut milk to create a more custard-like quality…similar to Greek yogurt.  If you don’t like the tapioca consistency of chia seed pudding, blend it in a high-speed blender until creamy (that’s how I made this bowl!).

chia seed breakfast bowl ~vegan, gluten free~

This breakfast bowl will keep you energized all morning long!

chia seed breakfast bowl ~vegan, gluten free~
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup chia seeds
  • 1.5 - 2 cups milk of your choice (soy, almond, coconut, hemp, etc.)
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, whisk well to prevent clumping. Or blend all ingredients together using a high-speed blender.
  2. Note: For a thicker pudding, decrease amount of milk used.
  3. Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate overnight.
  4. Serve with toppings of your choice! Mangos, bananas, berries, kiwi, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon, maple syrup, pineapple, etc.

Check out my previous posts for more recipes and info on the superfood chia seeds!

cha cha cha chia

chocolate banana chia seed pudding recipe

pina colada chia seed pudding recipe

steel cut oats ~two ways~

Yup, another morning of snow…

Need a little warming up on these cold winter mornings?

Try a bowl of steel cut oats!

Two ways:

Cranberry Orange Flax 

my new favorite :)

Cranberry Orange Flax Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Coco Banana Cashew
Coco Banana Cashew Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Yes, steel cut oats take more time to cook than old-fashioned oats, and even more time than quick-cooking oats.   But…they are better for you and in my opinion, taste better too!  They are a bit chewier than regular oats and when dressed up with spices, nuts, fruit and maple syrup, they make for a perfect winter breakfast!

Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Steel Cut Oats

(for 4 servings)

4 cups water

1 cup steel cut oats

-Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

-Stir in oats, reduce heat to low.

-Simmer uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally for 25-30 minutes or until oats are tender.

Cranberry Orange Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Cranberry Orange Flax Oatmeal

~Add dried cranberries, orange zest, ground flax seeds, dash of cinnamon and drizzle with pure maple syrup~

Coco Banana Cashew Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Coconut Cashew Banana Oatmeal

~Top with sliced bananas, cashews, toasted coconut, dash of cinnamon and drizzle with pure maple syrup~

(would taste great with cacao nibs too!)

Helpful Hint:  To make mornings flow a little faster, cook a batch of oats the night before, separate into small containers and heat when needed.