Upcycled Produce Smoothies

If you are like me, you purchase healthy produce with the best intentions of using all of it... strawberries, spinach, carrots, apples, celery, bananas, sweet potatoes, avocados and more.  However, my produce usually ruins before I can prepare it all.  Or it reaches a point where its texture turns my kids off to eating it.  Strawberries, for example, are great for a day or two, but once they get a bit mushy my kids won't touch them.  Same for bananas and apples.  This is where we moms can use this to our family's healthy advantage, by "upcycling" all that food into the base for delicious, healthy smoothies.

During the day, I tend to snack or eat unhealthy.  Now, I squeeze in the necessary food groups with a nutritious smoothie that won't cost extra money at a juice bar or health food restaurant and will use up all our wasted produce.  Here one example I whipped up today using my blender.  A fancy juicer or food processor is unnecessary.   (See the very end of this post for tastier kid smoothies.)

• 9 mushy strawberries
• 3 stalks Romaine lettuce (stalks and leaves)
• 4 slices of apple (I used two entire apples that were getting brown)
• 1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries
• 3 tablespoons fat free plain yogurt to give a creamier texture (you could also use natural peanut butter)
• Coconut Water

Wash produce thoroughly.  Add produce to blender first.

Next, add coconut water.  I add maybe a cup or cup and 1/2

Cover blender and blend on low setting, then switch to high setting.  You can also pulse if the produce isn't getting chopped enough.  Add any additional produce if you like.

You can also add as many ice cubes as you want and blend again.

Ta-da!  Ready to drink!  You can experiment as much as you like with all sorts of juices, milks, nuts, veggies, fruits, etc.  If it isn't sweet enough, add honey, agave or vanilla yogurt, etc.  I drink all of this for breakfast or as a meal substitute a few times a week.  Since it is all blended up, it's the same as eating all of these foods on a plate and drinking a glass of coconut water.

Here is the nutrition I'm getting, not to mention the fiber:

• Romaine lettuce - vitamins K, A and folate
• Strawberries - vitamin C
• Blueberries - vitamins K, C and manganese
• Coconut Water - potassium, super hydrating beverage

One perk is that my daughter loves the sweeter smoothies with fruit and veggies added.  Two quick examples (without photos) are below.  Google the nutritional value and you will be amazed. 

Chocolate Suprise Smoothie (AKA: Spinach Smoothie)

• one cup fresh spinach (it can be wilting, no problem)
• one or two bananas (ok if over-ripe or even turning dark)
• 1/2 cup frozen berries (black, blue, raspberries, whatever)
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• two tablespoons organic peanut butter
• vanilla Almond Milk (or chocolate)
• ice cubes

Orange Cream Smoothie (AKA: Veggie Surprise)

• 1/2 cup baby carrots (throw them in whole)
• one or two bananas
• carton vanilla low fat greek yogurt
• orange juice or half orange juice, half coconut water
• ice cubes
• (orange slices can also be added)

Experiment with your favorites and I guarantee you will find a million uses for your wasted produce!

Kettlebells and Grocery Lists

I love to eat.  Like most folks, I love carbs, sugar, etc.  But this week, I've started a food journal to figure out why I eat poorly and how to stop.  The journal is a simple spiral notebook, where I list breakfast, lunch and dinner.  For each veggie and fruit eaten, I include a colored foil star depicting that food's "color".  My kids are also doing this, to make sure they squeeze in the good stuff!  Try it!  Really, it's fun to track the food.  It's even more fun to think of healthy, creative ways to eat.  For instance, my lunch today was a 1/2 cup of strawberries and raisins, 4 small new potatoes (microwaved) topped with hummus, tofu and salsa.  This was very filling, and tasty.  All I can say is GET CREATIVE with the good stuff!

I've also printed out a copy of 100 Foods Dr. Oz Wants in Your Shopping Cart, a sort of cheat sheet to good eating.  He is big on frozen veggies because they are picked fresh and instantly sent to the freezer to keep the vitamins in.  He also likes canned tomatoes and tomato pastes, great sources of lycopene.  Lycopene is a cancer fighter and heart helper.  The preparation process during canning helps the lycopene become easier for our body to absorb.  All of this info is on www.doctoroz.com.

Dr. Oz's Shopping List from the website.

Finally, I have to plug Bob Harper's Kettlebell Workouts Cardio Shred and Sculpted Body! I'm so excited about this workout, seriously.  First off, Bob is the bomb.  We watch "The Biggest Loser" religiously and love both trainers.  However, Bob is the one I'd have on a deserted island.  He's just fantastic at what he does.  In Target the other day, his Kettlebell training DVD was staring at me from an end cap.  Something said "TAKE ME!", so I did, along with a 7 pound Kettlebell.  At home, the workout proved tough.  Sore thighs, hips, and more.  A lady even stopped me at the supermarket to ask how my biceps got so toned!  Go mommy!  Not that I want a body builder physique...  just tone.  I was hooked.  This morning, after the kids and hubby left for school and job, I drove down to Target for the 10 and 15 pound balls.  Used the 10 pounder today and FEEL IT.  Definitely try them out.  They work!

DVD image of Bob Harper's workout trailer.