The Smoothie Life

My delicious fruit and veggie smoothies have become a very important part of my day. In the evening I’m sipping a cool, sweet smoothie from a crystal wine glass. Very. Fancy. I don’t miss wine as much if I can still have beautiful glasses in my life. Maybe it’s all about the stemware after all?

What’s my current smoothie du jour recipe you’re wondering? Why, here it is…

Sunday Sunset Smoothie

• fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• handful of mixed leafy greens
• one orange
• 2 mangoes
• 1/4 cup cucumber
• pinch turmeric (very anti-aging)
• T. chia seeds (will totally fill you up)

My fave Sunday evening drink to sip on before heading out to the beach to take in sweet, soul-soothing sunsets like this.

Malibu Love

Travel theme: Pink

The current travel theme is pretty pink and since it’s Throwback Thursday too, I’m posting a few photos from a 2011 trip to California.

The pink part:  My friend Tammy and I lounging on a pink striped beach blanket at Zuma Beach, watching the waves roll in and a family of dolphins swim by.

More pink…We decide to take a break from the ocean waves and venture into town for an unbelievable fuchsia-coloured smoothie, made with nothing but freshly blended watermelons. Who knew that something so simple could be so delicious? Even my dog wants in on the action.

The travel part: Malibu. One of my favourite places. Ever. A corner of the world where I’m so insanely happy just sitting on the beach, listening to the waves and watching cute surfer dudes head to the ocean.

 

Well, When you put it that way…

“I really regret eating healthy today.”

Said no one ever.

A Juicy Grapefruit

What’s inside a juicy grapefruit?

• Antioxidants that lower LDL (bad) cholesterol
• A high water and fiber content that can help maintain a healthy weight by promoting a feeling of fullness.
• Vitamin C to help:

1.  encourage collagen production and keep your skin smooth and glowing
2. promote healthy gum tissue.
3. recovery frоm a cold or flu

And that’s just some of the good stuff in a ruby red grapefruit.

 

Raw Coco Bliss Balls

Eating a 70-80% raw diet is a really great goal to work towards for vibrant health. Raw food gives you tons of energy, keeps your weight under control effortlessly and makes your skin glow too. As much as I love the health benefits, I definitely have a sweet tooth to try to manage. One of the ways I manage my pesky craving for sweets is with the awesome recipe below. Coco Bliss balls satisfy my sugar craving without having any actual refined sugar in them. They also make you feel raw, healthy and fabulous while indulging in a sweet little something.

COCO-BLISS BALLS

Ingredients:

1.5 tsp raw maca powder (optional)

1 tbsp organic ground cinnamon

1 tbsp raw cacao powder

1/4 cup organic dark chocolate chips

8-10 soft medjool dates, pits removed

1/2 cup raw almonds

1 tsp pure organic vanilla extract

Place all ingredients into a high power food processor and blend until small pebbles form. Roll into balls and refrigerate. Makes approximately 10 cookie balls.

In case you are curious, below is a little info on two of the key super food, anti-oxidant ingredients:

MACA: This plant is known as the Peruvian “ginseng” even though it’s not ginseng at all. However, it is known to increase energy, stamina, libido and reduce stress. It is an adaptogen, meaning, it’s important to take over a longer period of time to notice the effects. Maca is also very nourishing to the pituitary and hypothalmus glands, making it great for helping to balance male and female hormones.

Raw Cacao: The purest form of chocolate on planet earth. This food’s effect on mood and libido is due to it’s natural chemicals including anandamide and PEA which are known to make you feel more “blissful” and “loving”. Additionally, it stimulates feel good hormones such as endorphins and may increase serotonin since it’s a source of tryptophan. Raw cacao is also an excellent source of antioxidants and, last but not least, it’s also bit of a libido-booster.

And, with these two loving, blissful and libido boosting ingredients, Coco Bliss Balls may be the perfect dessert to serve next time you have a romantic date on the agenda…