My face is currently gooped in raw honey as I sit here writing this post, and I’m drinking a cup of ginger tea. Gawd I’m a nerd, but hey, this is also why I’m sitting here typing out, and sharing with you my pearls of wisdom… or shall I say nerddom. Enough about that, it’s shake time babies so shake your stuff!
This weeks smoothie: CARROT GINGER APPLE CINNAMON LOVECHILD! Why Lovechild you ask? Because, It’s like a carrot, an apple, and some cinnamon were all in love, and they decided to have a baby and their baby is like, this super yummy shake… I know, I know, I’ll go ahead an stop there. Welcome to my weird brain. Whatever, I just love this recipe! Kick start your day with my spicy favorite.
RECIPE:
1/2 CUP BABY CARROTS. You may also use regular carrots, but baby carrots are softer so they blend faster. I remember my mom told me once that when she was little, her dad would tell her that eating carrots would put hair on her chest, and so she refused to eat carrots because she was terrified she would grow chest hair. You know as well as I do you won’t get chest hair, so eat your carrots, cuties. Carrots are full of goodies. Vitamin A (a powerful antioxidant for your skin, and beneficial for your eyes.)
1/2 APPLE. I prefer Pink lady apples for their tartness and tang, but you may use whatever apple your lil heart desires. Apples are full of antioxidants and a great source of fiber. You know what they say… and apple a day… blah blah blah, you know the rest.
1 SLICE RAW GINGER (As pictured above). Might I add, be conservative. Ginger is some potent stuff, so a little at a time. Ginger is an amazing root, full of enzymes which aid in digestion and help with food absorbtion. Ginger also stimulates blood circulation, helps to control nausea, and eliminate gas and bloating (great news for us vegans and vegetarians eh?!).
2 CUPS ALMOND MILK, unsweetened. The most alkalizing of all nondairy milks! A body that is more alkaline is a healthier body. Alkaline = less zits. Kapish?
1/2 Tsp CINNAMON POWDER. A great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium. Plus, studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol. Not to mention it pretty much makes everything better!
1/2 CUP SPINACH. C’mon, you gotta throw the greens in too. I find spinach to be virtually tasteless when blended into a smoothie. I mean, I put a friggin salad in my shake every morning, and It never tastes plant-y. So dump it in! A fairly good source of iron. It’s loaded with vitamins and minerals, some of which are hard to find in other foods. A surprisingly good source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A and other powerful antioxidants. After all, it did help Popeye score with Olive Oil… just sayin’.
2 Tbs HEMP PROTEIN POWDER. Hemp protein is considered a complete protein like diary, eggs and meat. Fancyyyyy! Whey and soy protein are not complete proteins. Not to mention it’s full of healthy fats and EFA’s (essential fatty acids) which are beneficial for your skin. I like to call it “moisturizing from the inside out”. Healthy fats like the ones found in, for example, hemp protein, raw nuts, and avocados, help your skin stay soft and supple. You can buy hemp protein at Trader Joe’s it’s about $10 for 16oz, however theirs does contain a small amount of sugar, so if your skin is acne prone I don’t recommend it. I usually order mine online at www.vitacost.com.
1/2 Tsp VANILLA EXTRACT. Vanilla is known to be an aphrodisiac, hey now… easy killer, and also contains high levels of antioxidants. Nice. I didn’t know either of those things until now. See, even Mama D be learnin!
STEVIA. Last but not least STEVIA to taste. I’m pretty sure Stevia is a miracle sweetener. It’s actually an herb and it has no side effects. Unlike sugar, including agave, which affect your blood sugar so you get that lovely crash. Not to mention how addictive sugar is. Seriously, I challenge you to cut out all sugar for a week. Including fruit. Then tell me wether or not you think you’re addicted to sugar. Think you can do it? Let me know if you do. Pick up your Stevia Trader Joe’s. I recommend the 100% pure stevia. It’s $10, but it’ll last forever because you only need the teeniest bit.
Enjoy! Let me know if you make the shake. I want feedback. Do you likey?
Love love love -D
xoxo
