The Green Kitchen: Apple Spinach Smoothie

The clock ticks by as if a cog is broken but instead of slowing down, it accelerates. Each time I glance at it, I am aware more time has passed. Five minutes. An hour. Suddenly I'm looking down the barrel at Friday when it was only Monday a few moments ago, wasn't it?

This week has blurred right by me. If I stop to think about all the tasks I have completed or at least started I can somehow account for the lost time but it doesn't seem to make me feel any kind of reassurance. Time is time.

I'm calling it. This is the moment to recharge with a healthy meal on the run. Sure I'm busy and off to work on the next project in a few short hours. Who cares? This girl must eat and what I put into my body, the fuel, the sustenance is what is most important when all other systems are flashing their red warning lights and blaring their alarms.

It's time to nourish.

Apple Spinach Smoothie
Serves 1

1 Red Delicious apple, cored, skin on
1 large handful of baby spinach
1 Tbs unsweetened Greek or natural yoghurt
1/2 cup chilled, unsweetened organic almond milk
1 tsp ground hemp seeds
1 tsp maca root powder
*1/8 tsp Spirulina (optional)
*small handful of ice cubes (optional for a chilled smoothie)

Place all ingredients into a blender, pulse until smooth. Savour on the go.

Be kind to yourself. Drink this. You'll feel better, I promise.

Bella xx

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My Green Kitchen: Cucumber Banana Smoothie

It seems we've been hit with the 'I Quit Sugar' craze that is proving as popular as The Paleo Diet and raw living food. Move over chia seeds, you've had your day in the spotlight (just kidding, I still love you, chia!).

Ever woken up and thought to yourself, 'I want something fresh for breakfast, not too sweet.' ? I had one such morning on Tuesday and this cucumber, green capsicum and banana smoothie was the answer. Stand by to have your preconceptions about smoothies blown out of the blender! Think cool, fresh, and green and you're almost there.

This smoothie will give you the energy to take the beach steps, two at a time.

If you are starting out on the I Quit Sugar diet, it is recommended that you exclude high fructose fruit, such as bananas. I've never gone on a fad diet however, I do prepare gluten-free meals to cater for my gluten intolerance- That's not a 'fad diet' choice, it's a necessity. I try to nourish my body with healthy food and firmly believe that what I eat should be a lifestyle choice, not a 12 week plan or a two week detox. Instead I am mindful of what I eat and make an effort to eat fresh, unprocessed and organic foods, substituting in raw foods here and there. Byron and I exercise several times per week, Coco (our little dog) is the best motivator around for encouraging long runs along the beach. I also happen to live in a region famous for local, organic bananas and as such, I have decided to keep bananas in my meal rotation because they taste so good!

Green Smoothie: Cucumber Banana Smoothie
Serves 2

1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled
1 green capsicum, deseeded
1 ripe banana
1 Tbs hemp powder or hemp oil
1 tsp maca root powder
1/2 tsp spirulina
1 1/2 cups chilled, unsweetened almond milk

Blend until smooth in a high power blender, for a thicker smoothie add 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsweetened natural or Greek yoghurt. You can always opt to exchange the banana for an avocado in this recipe. Doing this will lose some of the natural sugar found in the banana. To sweeten, blend a date, two drops of stevia or some agave nectar to taste. Serve with a slice of fresh cucumber to garnish. Enjoy before a relaxing beach walk. Take the stairs.

The fresh flavour of this smoothie lies in the ingredients. It has almost a savoury quality due to the addition of cucumber and capsicum and from a culinary standpoint, it might seem a little strange for a smoothie to be both sweet and savoury but I urge you to try it anyway. It's delicious!

Bella xx

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Raw Chocolate Smoothie

Most of us aim for good health through the nutrient-rich food we eat in moderation and regular exercise. Our diets are comprised of seasonal, whole foods that tend to change with the transition of the climate. Lately Byron and I have been dining on slow-cooked soups from my crock pot but on the occasional warmer morning, I have been boosting my energy the natural way, with raw food smoothies.

Raw food: Energy the Natural Way

This is a vegan superfood smoothie, inspired by the benefits to be gained from raw-food living. It is filled with organic, raw ingredients and loaded with magnesium from cacao. The naturally stimulating energy from the cacao and rich green spirulina will help you to focus, to create or in my case, to study for university exams.

This smoothie beats a black coffee for longer lasting energy and takes less time to prepare. If your morning is golden and warm or perhaps you intend to go for a run along the beach today, then I would wholeheartedly suggest you try this smoothie for it's cool, delicious flavour.

Raw Chocolate Smoothie
Serves 1-2

1 ripe banana or avocado
1 Tbs raw cacao powder or nibs
1 tsp hemp oil
1 tsp agave nectar
1 tsp maca root powder
1/2 vanilla bean (seeds only)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp spirulina
1/2 to 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (homemade if you have it to avoid heat-treated milk!)
1/2 cup ice

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Taste and add additional agave to sweeten if required. Pour into serving glasses and sprinkle with additional ground cinnamon or cacao nibs. Enjoy on a verandah overlooking the sea.

Did you happen to notice my new indoor plant? I took a picture of it outside on our timber deck for these smoothie photos, however it is now sitting proudly on my small coffee table in the downstairs lounge room. I was so sick of being indoors with the recent rainy weather and seasonably cooler temperatures and was craving a little bit of nature inside my home. Although I may be cooped up for long hours of study in our small, warm seaside cottage, I now have a beautiful green Peperomia plant to brighten my day. I can feel the subtle, positive energy that comes from growing living plants inside my home and it cost less than ten dollars.

Money well spent.

Bella xx

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