a sweet blend

I love this smoothie so much, I mean, who doesn't want to eat a rainbow (okay, I know I have to give that one to Skittles)? I have this smoothie almost every time after I workout because I freeze almost all the ingredients, so it's nice and cold. And let me tell you, when my pale skin gets worked up my face is the color of a cherry tomato for hours, so I need everything, going in my body post-workout, to cool me down fast. 

                                         

It's so delicious and sweet that it feels like a treat, but it's deceptively filled with nutritious ingredients that are really good for me. 

The wonderful thing about a smoothie is the ability to customize a healthy, filling meal that includes so many essential nutrients. Do you like smoothies? If so, what do you normally put in yours?

Rainbow Smoothie for One

Makes 1 serving

Recipe Notes:

- Feel free to replace or add anything. I use apple juice because it’s pretty neutral in terms of flavor, but adds a little sweetness to the plain yogurt. If I have pomegranate juice on hand, I like that too. I think orange juice overpowers the flavors, but if you love that then by all means…

- If you’ve got banana’s that are bruised, dark brown, or you’ve only eaten half and the rest is at risk for being tossed (or attracting those annoying fruit flies!) than it’s time to put it into a baggie and place it in the freezer for your next smoothie.

- The same rule applies for any fruit or vegetable. Of course you can buy a lot of these items in the freezer section of your grocery store, but if strawberries are on sale, and I know I won’t eat all of them, I wash them, trim the tops off, dry them and place them on a wax paper (or parchment) lined baking sheet and place that in the freezer. Once the fruit (or veg) is frozen I then place it in a freezer-safe zip top baggie.

Ingredients:

1 Cup water (or juice, if you prefer it sweeter tasting)

½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt (optional)

about a ¼ cup of each frozen fruit/veg: carrots, spinach, banana, berries, mango, pineapple

1 Tbs. ground flaxseeds, or Chia seeds

protein powder (I use the scoop included in mine- it’s probably 2-3 Tbs. worth)

Directions:

1. Start off by pouring the water into the blender, then the yogurt (if using). Follow with the fruits and veggies and top that off with the seed of your choice and the protein powder. Blend until smooth, about a minute. Serve immediately and enjoy!

quick snack series:

I have a confession to make: about two years ago I was on a mission to lose 60 pounds. Once I lost 50 pounds though, I decided to start a baking and beauty blog. So, needless to say, the last 10 pounds have stayed quite happily as I've baked, fried, roasted and froze my way to not losing any weight. And then in October I broke my toe, so exercising was a non-option and then the holidays came annnnnd.... now I have 15 pounds to lose!

My toe is completely healed and I'm reenergized and committed to eating healthier and working out regularly. But please, don't worry. Even though I'll feature some healthier food options (which I've done before, I might add) the heart and soul of this blog will forever come from butter, sugar and vanilla. Oh, and some beauty tips thrown in.

These healthy snacks have saved me from eating one too many of Ruby's 'Nilla Wafers (and I don't even really like them...what's that all about?!). I have also eaten these snacks for breakfast, because they're full of nutrients that give me the energy to keep me going.

 Cinnamon Ricotta with honey, almonds and fresh fruit:

The addition of drizzled honey brings out the natural sweetness of the Ricotta, making the berries and almonds a perfect compliment. And since cinnamon is a natural appetite suppressor, this dish leaves you feeling full and satisfied.

Cinnamon Ricotta with honey, almonds and fresh fruit

1 Cup skim Ricotta cheese

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbs. almonds

½ Cup berries

2 Tbs. honey

-Place ricotta in a bowl, and top with cinnamon, almonds and berries. Drizzle with honey and enjoy!

Open-faced p.b. and fresh "j":

This is a fresh, lighter version of the typical pb & j. There is so much sugar in jelly, and you don't really need the extra bread. Getting your whole-grains, protein and a serving of fruit will stave off any hunger pains for hours. Since this recipe is basic, it doesn't really require a recipe.

Here's what I do: toast 1 whole-wheat piece of bread then spread about 2 Tbs. of peanut butter (I prefer the chunky kind). Top the peanut butter with your favorite fruit- I love sliced strawberries or raspberries.

Ground Chia Seed Vanilla Pudding: 

I know there are so many varieties of Chia puddings and while this is my favorite version yet, I'm still not obsessed with it. There's a silky, slippery texture that can only be masked with lots of crunchy things, like walnuts and roasted coconut chips. That's also the reason I ground my chia seeds; leaving them whole in the pudding is like eating roe on top of sushi... all that popping in my mouth just kinda freaks me out. It's worth a try though: Chia seeds are so good for you and it'll keep you going and going.