Nourish the
Body • Mind • Spirit

Ease into greens

Getting our 8 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit per day is one of the biggest challenges my clients face. Making sure there are lots of dark leafy greens in that daily menu is an even bigger challenge.

When I suggest that they can get a serving or 2 of greens out of the way at breakfast, sometimes I see the “deer in the headlights” look.

So – today’s blog is about easing into greens. And with that in mind, I’ve created a very friendly green smoothie recipe for you to try. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

El’s Green Smoothie for Beginners

¼ pineapple (fresh)

1 orange, peeled

1 small banana

½ lemon, peeled

½ lime, peeled

10 mint leaves (or more) roughly chopped

Knob of fresh ginger (about the size of your thumb), roughly chopped

½ cucumber

2 generous cups of fresh baby spinach leaves

Mix in blender until smooth and enjoy! Makes 2 large servings

Ready for the next step – replace the orange with an apple (cored),

add a carrot or two and a rib of celery.

Do you like cilantro or basil or parsley?– add a bunch

Just keep adding vegetables and cut back on the fruit ratio as your taste buds adjust to a more earthy less sweet concoction.

Please let me know if you have a favorite green smoothie recipe you’d like to share.

Here in our part of Canada it’s been a long cold winter – not as cold as Winnipeg – but still very cold. It’s enough to drive even the diehards inside. Walking and running have been treacherous and I had more than one client ask why they are craving carbs.

If your daily walking regime has been cut short or cut out altogether and you find yourself reaching for the bread basket or cookies to accompany your steaming cup of cocoa, it’s time to reset.

I would suggest cutting back, or even better cutting out, refined sugars. But I’m not suggesting you can’t have something to quell your sweet tooth. Here’s a simple recipe to try. It’s sweetened with Medjool Dates and can be a “sometimes” food : )

Chia seeds are indeed the same as the ones that grow the Ch-ch-ch-chia pets. Look for organic chia seeds.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

3 tbsp chia seeds

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 tbsp cocoa powder

4 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Hydrate chia seeds in almond milk for 15 minutes. Add Medjool dates to blender and pulse until they make a paste. Transfer chai seeds and almond milk to blender, add cocoa. Blend until creamy. Pour into 2 small bowls. Refrigerate until it is set.

Makes 2 servings. Serve topped with berries.

Warning: Chia is “slippery” like okra – so the texture may take a little getting used to. I loved it.