Greetings Health Seekers! Here in northern, coastal Maine summer is in full swing and my veggie garden is FINALLY producing some much anticipated food! What a slow start this year. Cukes, orange sugar cherry tomatoes, snow peas, chard, baby beets and greens, summer squash, blueberries, raspberries, and wild blackberries are picked daily, but, sad-to-say, my winter squash might not be very productive this season . . . but I won't know until November! My decorative pumpkins and gourds are very tiny right now . . . so we'll see how my harvest is in October - when I'd like to put them on my front porch for display.
Anyway . . . today I'd like to share with you what I'm drinking for breakfast these days . . . it truly is a straight-from-the-garden meal. Early every morning I go into my garden shed, take out my two bird feeders, and place them on their posts. I can't leave them out overnight anymore due to the local, roaming, large black bear - in search of an easy meal - that likes to mutilate my feeders and suck out the seed during the wee hours of the night! After I've fed the birds, I mosey into my back garden and pick a handful of fat blueberries and raspberries, check the wild blackberry vines and pick what's available, then snip off a generous handful of greens - chard or beet. I prefer beet greens, chard has a stronger flavor.
I take my fresh, raw bounty back to the house, wash it, and place it into my Nutribullet (aka Magic Bullet)food extracting blender along with other ingredients (see recipe below). I recently saw David Wolfe's (he's a famous author and raw foodist) infomercial for this machine and decided to buy it . . . I love it. It fits on my kitchen counter perfectly and really pulverizes whatever you put into it. Better than a typical blender. A high-powered Vitamix would work just as well . . . but it is A LOT bigger and much more expensive. Tribest makes a personal blender that works great, too. For more information about the Nutribullet go to www.nutribullet.com. I should sell these things 'cuz I tell everyone about them.
Here's my complete morning smoothie recipe:
- handful of blueberries
- handful of blackberries or mix of raspberries and blackberries
- big handful of greens: chard, beet, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach etc.
- 2 tablespoons of brown flax seeds
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup Silk unsweetened soy milk
- 1 scoop of Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder
I blend all of this for about 45 seconds until it is smooth and deep green. The more blueberries or blackberries you add, the more blue-green it becomes. This blend really fills me up for several hours and keeps me mentally alert with loads of energy. It's the perfect breakfast for those on-the-go and also for those with dental problems, elderly, and infants (who can't chew) but still need nutrient-dense meals. It's easy on the digestive system, as well. My skin glows as a result of regular consumption and I have to say this . . . after initially drinking this green smoothie for 2-3 days, I lost 4 pounds. I swear that my colon emptied out all of the retained waste. All I did was poop for days (sorry, but I'm being honest) - in case this happens to you. My belly is very flat! That's a big plus.
If you think about it . . . this particular smoothie is loaded with live enzymes, plus easy-to-assimilate, blood-building chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, complex carbohydrates, protein, essential fats, fiber, natural sugars, and superb flavor! I hope you want to give it a try. If you don't have a garden "out back" like I do, then visit a farmer's market, better grocery store, or local food co-op for your ingredients.
And . . . if you dont' have a copy already of my book, Raw Energy: 124 Raw Food Recipes for Energy Bars, Smoothies, and Other Snacks to Supercharge Your Body then it's time to get one. In it you'll find all kinds of raw food recipes to stoke your energetic fire . . . and they're all ultra-yummy! Until my next blog . . . be well, be happy, and be blessed!
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