Tag Archives: spinach

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!

The 14 Anti-Aging Foods List

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We can’t turn back time, but we CAN

 slow down the inevitable aging process 

that we all must face!

We can improve our quality of life and reduce our risk of age-related diseases by what we eat!

Choose HEALTH by choosing these

Anti-Aging Foods:

  1. Wild Salmon

  2. Green Leafy Vegetables

  3. Blueberries

  4. Nuts

  5. Apples

  6. Cruciferous Vegetables

  7. Beans

  8. Pomegranate Juice

  9. Red Wine

  10. Prunes

  11. Dark Chocolate

  12. Oatmeal

  13. Spices and Herbs

  14. Tea


Anti-Aging: 6 Cruciferous Vegetables

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CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES

Cruciferous vegetables are from the mustard family ::

MUSTARD GREENS, CABBAGES, BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER, 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS, KALE


They prevent and slow down aging in the body!

They are filled with vitamins, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals.

By adding these foods to your daily diet, you may be lowering your risk for cancer!

Some have shown to STOP the growth of cancer cells

for tumors in the:

  1. breast
  2. uterine lining (endometrium)
  3. lung
  4. colon
  5. liver
  6. cervix

                                        according to the American Institute for Cancer Research

These vegetables fight against the overload of 

free-radicals that cause cancer by reducing oxidative stress.


Cruciferous veggies also protect against cardiovascular disease.  Studies have shown that diets rich in these foods lower amounts of inflammation in the body!

Which cruciferous vegetables have the most vitamin A, vitamin C, and folic acid?

The answers are:

  1. Kale (vitamin A)

  2. Broccoli (vitamin C)

  3. Brussels sprouts and broccoli (tied for folic acid)

Brussels sprouts have the most vitamin E (about 9% of the Daily Value) and vitamin B-1 (15% Daily Value). And it’s broccoli and Brussels sprouts again that have the most healthy plant omega-3s: A cup of broccoli contributes about 200 milligrams, and a cup of Brussels sprouts about 260 milligrams.

Here’s a comparison table of cruciferous vegetables, including the nutrients for which they contribute at least 10% of the Daily Value. Keep in mind that about half of the fiber in cruciferous vegetables is super-healthy soluble fiber.

Per 1 cup:

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cabbage

B. Sprouts

Bok Choy

Kale
(steamed) (frozen, cooked) (raw) (cooked) (cooked) (cooked)
Calories 44 34 22 60 20 36
Fiber 5g 5 2 4 3 3
Vitamin A 33% DV 1% 2% 16% 62% 137%
Vitamin B-2 16% 9% 3% 11% 10% 8%
Vitamin B-6 17% 12% 7% 21% 22% 14%
Vitamin C 165% 75% 38% 129% 59% 71%
Folic Acid 23% 18% 10% 23% 17% 4%
Magnesium 12% 5% 4% 10% 6% 7%
Potassium 14% 7% 6% 14% 18% 8%
Omega-3s 200 mg 140 mg 60 mg 260 mg 100 mg 100 mg

Tips for Enjoying Cruciferous Vegetables

To maximize taste and nutrition, here are some tips for buying and cooking cruciferous vegetables:

  • Don’t overcook cruciferous vegetables. They can produce a strong sulfur odor and become unappealing.

  • You can buy several types of cruciferous vegetables ready-to-go in the frozen or fresh packaged sections of your supermarket, including broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

  • No raw veggie platter is complete without dark green broccoli or snowy white cauliflower florets.

  • Add raw broccoli or cauliflower florets to your green salad to give the nutrients a big boost.

  • Add chopped cruciferous veggies to soups, stews, and casseroles.

  • When buying fresh broccoli, look for firm florets with a purple, dark green, or bluish hue on the top. They’re likely to contain more beta-carotene and vitamin C than florets with lighter green tops. If it has yellow in it or is limp and bendable, the broccoli is old — don’t buy it.

according to WebMD

Cauliflower Tomato Soup

One of my family’s favorites from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients


  • 1/4 cup sliced leek (white portion only)


  • 1/4 cup chopped celery


  • 1 tablespoon butter or margarine


  • 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted


  • 1 1/4 cups water


  • 1 cup fresh cauliflowerets


  • 1/2 cup frozen peas


  • 1/4 teaspoon dill weed


  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
  1. In a saucepan, saute leek and celery in butter until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 12-16 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Brown Rice and Steamed Broccoli & Cauliflower

I use this as a side dish or a stand alone meal.

  • cook the brown rice according to the instructions

  • steam either frozen or fresh broccoli & cauliflower

  • combine them

  • drizzle Braggs Liquid Amino’s and Flax Seed Oil on top and mix

  • if you are really feeling healthy, sprinkle kelp flakes over the rice and veggies!

OK, now it’s your turn.  I want to hear from you.

PLEASE share your Cruciferous Vegetables recipes!

SPINACH, BANANA, OJ – OH MY!

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CHOCOLATE or SPINACH tonight?
I’m so happy right now!

I was NEEDING something sweet.  I set out looking around the house for chocolate.  I might have hidden away for myself for just the right moment.  I usually have chocolate stashed.  

No such luck.
Then I opened the fridge and had a stare down with a large container of organic spinach I bought today at the store. NOT the same as chocolate, but I decided to use those leafy greens and turn them into a sweet treat.
DEE-LISH!!! — I’m serious
1 cup orange juice (or just water)
1/2 banana
a little honey
 a lot of spinach

Put it all in the blender
and BLEND.

This satisfied my sweet tooth, filled me up and awarded me with good amounts of
vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron calcium, vitamin C,
vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6!

Oh, and I also got some
protein, phosphorus, Vitamin E, zinc, dietary fiber, selenium, niacin, omega-3 fatty acids, and copper!
These are my goodies from the spinach alone!  If you don’t believe that this spinach smoothie could taste good, I have proof:  Withholding ALL information about the ingredients I used, I had my husband take a sip.
He said, “Sure, I could drink this.  It is good.”
My son responded, “YUMMMM Mom, that is good!”

There you have it.
Go fill your belly with a nutritionally packed sweet treat and share what you did!