Tag Archives: fruit

Smoothie Shopping List

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I realized today when I was shopping at Trader Joe’s that I have a mental smoothie shopping list that I use.  I keep foods from this list in my kitchen so that my family can have a variety of smoothie options available to them.  So I’ve decided to put MY list down on “paper” and share it with you!  With smoothies, I encourage you to be creative!   Some are better than others, but soon you will find combinations you LOVE!  This happens to be my list, so feel free to add other foods to your list.


FRUITS 
bananas
apples
oranges
strawberries
rasberries
blueberries
blackberries
pineapple
mango
papaya
kiwi
dates
*If possible, choose ORGANIC and SEASONAL fruit.  If not, consider frozen fruit.  Also remember that fruit has a lot of sugar, so go easy and leave room for your green friends I list next!
 
GREENS
kale
spinach
parsley
cucumber
 
PROTEIN SOURCE
high quality time-release chocolate protein powder 
organic greek plain yogurt
almond butter
oatmeal
 
LIQUID
water
almond milk (we don’t have much dairy around here)
orange juice
coconut milk/water
and yes, coffee and herbal tea
 
EXTRA GOODIES
coconut oil – click HERE to check out the best coconut oil!  If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you!
honey
bee pollen
flax seeds
hemp seeds
spirulina
mint leaves
cinnamon
ginger
agave nectar
stevia
 



WHY I’M A FAN OF SMOOTHIES:

  1. Blending food takes care of the first step in digestion: chewing!  Food breaks down faster in the stomach.  It’s like a mini-vacation for your digestive system 🙂
  2. Smoothies offer a chance to “eat” food you usually wouldn’t eat.  For instance, I dislike Kale… a lot!  I’ve tried it different ways, it’s just gross to me.  One day I got brave and put a small amount in a smoothie.  Surprisingly I didn’t hate it!  In fact, I kinda liked it.  Slowly I began adding more and more kale.  Now I’m to the point where I crave it.  Yes, I’ve gone there!
  3. Smoothies offer a chance to sneak food to your kids body that they would NEVER imagine eating!  THIS REALLY WORKS!  At first my kids had no idea what they were “eating”, but by this point, they know I put all sorts of stuff in.  Both of my kids like their smoothie different ways, and I adjust them according to their preference.
  4. They are easy.
  5. They are fast.
  6. They are yum.
These are some of my favorite smoothies:
 
 BERRY GOOD SMOOTHIE
 
 
Please share the foods you add to your smoothies!

Super Healthy Tropical Smoothie

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IT’S GONNA BE GOOD! 

 If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you!

PRE & POST WORKOUT NUTRITION

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 We work hard during our workout sessions, but this is only the beginning of the process in reaching our goals.  Our body works around the clock – especially while we sleep – building and repairing muscle after a workout.  I want to make sure we take FULL advantage of our workouts by feeding our body appropriate pre- and post workout foods!  Eating smart before and after the workout can give the body what it needs to burn fat, gain muscle and recover to its full potential!  
 
PRE-WORKOUT FOODS…
You want to grab a snack 30-60 minutes before your workout to provide your body with energy it needs to push through and sustain your workout.  
Here are some of my favorite pre-workout snacks from a list that Greatist.com published:
 
  • Dressed Up Oats  Load up on carbohydrates for a longer workout with ½ cup cooked steel-cut oats topped with 1 tablespoon dried fruit and 1 tablespoon shaved almonds.
  • Yoberries A-Go-Go For the perfect blend of carbs and protein, try 1 cup non-fat vanilla bean Greek yogurt — which often packs more protein and probiotics than regular plain yogurt — with ½ cup fresh blueberries.
  • PB Apple  For a quick carb fuel-up, slice 1 medium apple and serve with 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut or almond butter.
  • Fruit and Cottage  Top ½ cup cottage cheese — a low calorie and higher protein option — with ½ cup fresh pineapple, berries, or melon. 
  • Pre-Workout Drink  Muscle Fuel – because sometime it need to be THAT easy!
POST-WORKOUT FOODS
 After a hard workout, our muscles are hungry and we NEED to feed them right to keep our metabolism rocking.  Eat within 1 hour of your workout.  
These are post-workout snacks that I eat and love:
  • Chocolate Almond Shake 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein –  Muscle Gain Protein  – 1/2 a banana, 1 TBSP almond butter, and 1 cup of almond milk
  • Ants On A Log Spread a heap of natural peanut/almond butter over celery and top with raisins. 
  • Black Bean Omelet Four eggs whites, 1 ounce low-fat cheese, and ¼ cup canned black beans — then spice it up with a savory salsa.
  • Green Monster Smoothie Blend 4 cups spinach, ½ cup vanilla bean yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter with ice — Claudine Morgan via Iowa Girl Eats.
  • Cottage Cheese Crunch One cup fat-free cottage cheese, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ cup whole-grain cereal, and a dash of cinnamon does a body good.
  • Pita and Hummus One 7-inch pita with two spoonfuls of  hummus adds a little pep back to your step with quick digesting carbs.
  • Egg Scramble Veg out after a hard training session with 2-3 whole eggs scrambled with a handful of chopped onion, spinach, and bell peppers.
  • Protein Bar  Sometimes you need something to grab and go!
  • Post-Workout Recovery Drink –
  1. Helps minimize muscle soreness after strenuous activity
  2. Supplies essential components for muscle repair to optimize muscle recovery
  3. Helps maintain and restore energy supplies during and after physical activity
  4. Contains branched-chain amino acids to support muscle recovery, growth and endurance.
 
If you have any Pre-or Post-Workout Snacks that you eat… PLEASE SHARE in the comments! 

Anti-Aging: 12 Oatmeal

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OATMEAL


Add oatmeal to your normal diet to slow down the aging process because it

  1. lowers cholesterol

  2. boosts immune system

  3. stabilizes blood sugar

  4. reduces risk of diabetes

  5. has special antioxidants to protect heart

  6. prevents breast cancer

  7. gluten-friendly – it has a small amount of gluten but studies have shown that adults and children with celiac disease can tolerate it

Add other Anti-Aging foods to your oatmeal… like

Check out  Mr. Breakfast.com for 144 

different ways to make oatmeal!

Let me know what you try and how you like it!

Quick Healthy Breakfast Ideas

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 BREAKFAST… 
THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY

 

Let me explain why…
 
Compare our bodies to a car and the food we eat to the gasoline that makes the car run.  We MUST fuel up before moving forward in our day.  Both brain and muscles need fuel.  Without breakfast, the brain operates slow and will impact the rest of the body.
 
Think of Breakfast as breaking the fast.  It is extremely important to “start your engine” – your metabolism – as early as you can in the morning.  Metabolism= the process of converting food into energy.  When the metabolism gets going, the body starts burning calories!… a GOOD thing!

 

F A C T :
  • Children who eat a proper breakfast perform better in school and tend to have less hyperactivity.  Breakfast is brain fuel!
  • Children and adults who eat breakfast have improved memory and concentration, mental performance, productivity and problem-solving ability.
  • A good breakfast helps us avoid over eating- people who don’t eat breakfast often consume more calories in their day
  • Eating breakfast keeps our weight in check.
  • For sustainable energy, eat foods full of protein, good fats, and fiber.  If your breakfast makes you hungry, you are eating too many simple carbohydrates.
I understand how crazy and hectic the mornings can be.  Getting dressed, brushing teeth, combing hair (I’m trying to convince my 10 year old daughter this is a must!), grabbing backpack for school or briefcase/laptop for work, showing up at school/work on time… these are all non-negocialbe.  Right?  What about breakfast.  It is EASY to skip!  We have to add this to our to-do list every morning.
 
I hope to help with some quick, healthy breakfast ideas for this most important meal of our day!

Watch how I make a 3 minutes breakfast

 

Granola-Yogurt-Fruit

 

Prepare fresh fruit in a to-go cup the night before.

 

In the morning, add yogurt
…and top with granola.
This is a quick, delicious, nutritious meal to take on the go!
For this meal, I used:
This granola has hemp seeds and flax seeds added- protein, fiber and omega-3
 
Another Idea…
 
Plan ahead, prepare hard-boiled eggs, cool and peel.  Place them in snack size zip-lock for each family member.
 
Cut up fruit and create mini fruit salads in individual bags, or use a whole piece of fruit.
 
Yogurt is also a great addition to this meal.
 
Finally, prepare a bag for each person filled with various nuts and seeds.

 

Egg Muffins…
preheat oven 375

 

  • Italian sausage and broccoli
  • 8 eggs
  • 1/4 milk
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • salt & pepper
  • personalize these to fit your taste – add cheese and other spices.  Be creative!
I cooked sausage & broccoli together
While the meat was cooking, I whisked my eggs, then add the following ingredients.

 

Grab your muffin pan.  
Either spray with non stick spray or use paper liners.
 I first put in the meat and veggies

Then I poured the eggs over the top

Then I baked them for 35 min.  
This may vary.

 

Add your own twist and let me know what you did!