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Health Benefits That Pack A Punch

Warm

 

Peppery

 

Tangy

 

The backbone of any good curry.

 

Used for centuries as a dye.

 

TURMERIC

 

Turmeric, the yellow root with a jab and hook that can knock inflammation right out of the body, is powered by curcumin.

 

Curcumin, the chemical compound that gives turmeric its yellow color, packs a POWER punch.

 

Anti-inflammatory

 

Anti-oxidant

 

Anti-free radical

 

From a boil to a toothache, turmeric has been used for years to treat many conditions.

 

When paired with ginger, turmeric makes beans more easily digestible. When paired with pepper, curcumin’s power is more readily available for the body to use (bioavailability).
 

In studies its been proven to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

 

Studies continue to be conducted to determine its effectiveness in treating diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer’s.

 

In its fresh root form, it can be hard to find depending on what part of the world you live in. In the US, occasionally Whole Foods carries it. I’ve also seen it in Asian supermarkets.

 

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I generally take my turmeric in powder form. I purchase organic turmeric powder from my local food co-op. I place the powder in empty capsules or I added the powder to my smoothies. I also cooking Indian food at least once a week and turmeric is in there for sure.

 

[bctt tweet=”Try your hand at this Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie and release turmeric’s power to do its thing.”] These are health benefits that pack a punch.

 

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SMOOTHIE

 

1 Cup Coconut Water

4 Ice Cubes

½ Mango peeled and diced

½ Cup Pineapple

2 Leaves with stem Bok Choy

½ in X ½ in piece Ginger

¼ tsp turmeric  

 

Blend all ingredients in HIGH SPEED blender until smooth.

 

Enjoy!

 

Anti-inflammatory smoothie

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

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How To Build The Perfect Smoothie

Nearly every day for me starts with a green smoothie. Since breakfast is my least favorite meal of the day, drinking a smoothie ensures I get the jumpstart needed for my day in a gentle and nutritious way.

 

Follow these steps to master building the perfect smoothie.

 

First things first. You must have a good quality high-speed blender. On the market today are plenty to choose from; Ninja, Blend-Tec, Vitamix, and more, take your pick. I use this Ninja that was purchased for me as a gift and I love it. I use it at least once a day every day, sometimes even 3 times a day.

 

berry smoothie

If your produce has already been washed, you can make your smoothie in a matter of minutes. So grab an item from each of the categories below and let’s blend.

 

LIQUID

Always start with a few ice cubes unless you’re using frozen fruit. The high-speed motor on your blender is likely to slightly heat the contents of your drink as you are blending. And I don’t know about you but I don’t like drinking my smoothies hot.

 

Then add about one cup liquid of your choice. Some excellent options are:

~Coconut Water

~Non-Dairy Milks (Coconut, Cashew, Almond)

~Water

 

 

VEGETABLES/FRUITS

Here the combinations are endless. I do try not to combine too many high sugar fruits in one drink. Even though it’s natural sugar, we still want to be mindful of overall sugar intake. Some of my favorite fruits & veggies:

 

Veggies

~Spinach

~Kale

~Swiss Chard

~Beet Greens

~Cucumber

~Avocado

Spinach

Collards

 

Fruits

~Berries

~1/2 Banana

~Kiwi

~Apples

Strawberries

Raspberries

 

 

PROTEIN

If your drinking your smoothie as a meal replacement you’ll want to add protein. Some good choices:

~Nut Butters (Peanut, Almond, Sunflower Seed)

~High quality plant based protein powder

~Plain Greek Yogurt

 

 

ADD INS

Up the nutritional factor my adding some of these boosters:

~Spirulina

~Chia or Flax seeds

~Raw Cacao Powder

 

Ok friends, now that you’ve learned how to build the perfect smoothie, what are you waiting for? Get to blending!

 

Raspberry Smoothie

kale smoothie

Berry Smoothie

 

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Check out two of my favorite smoothie recipes

Apple Pie Smoothie

Black Forest Smoothie

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

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Black Forest Smoothie

Dessert for breakfast anyone? Here’s your guilt free way to enjoy dessert for breakfast or anytime. The chocolaty goodness of this smoothie rivals even the most moist, dense, chocolate tall cake (and I love chocolate cake).

 

This rich decadent smoothie not only tastes good but also is good for you. It is chock full of vitamins, minerals and nutrients to nourish and fuel your body. The chocolate in the smoothie comes from raw cacao powder, not to be confused with cocoa powder, which is roasted and loses some of its vital nutrient power in the roasting process. Raw cacao powder is high in antioxidants. Antioxidants stabilize and destroy free radicals, pesky little byproducts that form when your body attempts to break down environmental toxins. Antioxidants are also known to reduce inflammation. While you may have heard that green tea was the way to fight these free radical, here’s another weapon to add to your arsenal. Iron, zinc, potassium and manganese too? Then throw in some spinach and chia seeds and this smoothie gets better and better. For more on the benefits of chia seeds, click here.

  

 When cherries are in season, I’ll use fresh but since I just can’t wait, I’m using frozen frozen. And I’ve taken the liberty to use shredded coconut in place of the whipped cream you’d traditionally have with this dessert.

 

Without further ado, presenting my new best friend:   

Black Forest Smoothie

 

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 handful of spinach

1 date pitted

½ cup dark cherries

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tsp chia seeds

½ tsp vanilla extract

a few cubes of ice

 

Place all ingredients in high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

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Apple Pie Smoothie

 

My Apple Pie Smoothie is hands down my favorite green smoothie. Cool and creamy. Rich and decadent. Dessert in a jar. I usually have this for breakfast once a week.

3 cubes ice

1 cup plant-based milk

1 medium green apple cored and cut into chunks

1 cup of kale or spinach

1 tbsp nut butter (I use almond or sunflower seed)

1 tsp flax seed

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 medjool dates

Blend in high speed blender until smooth. Enjoy.

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