Favorite pear

Today, did a riff on simple green smoothies sweet pear, but doubled the pear as I was out of bananas. Also added some flaxseed for some fat.

I find the smoothies less filling when I don't add protein powder, though.

Berry Blast & Bone Broth

I finally made a green smoothie that Z actually liked!

12 fl oz hemp milk
4 c red chard
1 c mixed berries
1/2 cucumber
1/2 avocado
1 apple
2 dates
2 scoops Aria powder

I also made an amazing bone broth over 2 days, trying to extract all the mineral goodness from some leftover chicken bits.  This is now sitting in my freezer, and I am thinking of extracting to make into a demi-glace. Z thinks that the smell was a little overpowering.

Bone broth links: Broth is beautiful

Spin class!

Woke up at 5am (what an ungodly hour) to go to spin class at the local gym at 5:30am.  Although markedly out of shape from my high of 5 years ago, I was able to make it through the class, barely.  Mona, the instructor, was sympathetic, but gave me encouragement as I had not quit though I wanted to.  She said she expected to see me next week, and I promised to make it a habit!

This morning's smoothie was pretty basic, and used the last of my swiss chard, and the last of my almond milk. Luckily, I still have a box of hemp! milk, and some dino kale from the Farmer's market.

4 c swiss chard
300 ml almond milk
1 apple, cored and sliced
2 honey dates
2 scoops Aria protein powder

Blend till smooth.  What a refreshing post workout smoothie!  A new thing I'm doing now is that when I clean my blender & morning glass, I save the rinse water and use it to water my roses.

chocolate avocado pudding

A simple silky, beautiful chocolate avocado pudding, where the richness comes from both avocado and greek yogurt.

2 tbsp rich dark cocoa powder
1 avocado
2 tbsp greek yogurt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
vanilla stevia to taste

Blend until smooth and creamy.  :D I couldn't wait, and I ended up eating it immediately, but I hear it gets better over time.

Other versions of this chocolate/avocado awesomeness include:
Giada de Laurentiis Chocolate Avocado Mousse
PaleOMG 5-ingredient chocolate pudding
Chocolate Avocado Mousse
Balanced Bites: Dairy-free Chocolate Avocado Mousse 

Reflections, or how I became besties with my blender

Been gluten free since Valentine's Day, and (mostly) grain/sugar free since though it is hard for a Filipina to give up her rice.  I've evolved my diet to a mostly plant-based, pastured meat diet. People have started to notice that I am looking better. I have lost a pants size even though I haven't lost weight.  My skin has a nifty glow that I've only ever achieved after a skin peel.  I feel less inflammation in my joints.  I am consuming more fruit and vegetables than I ever have in my entire life, and I am no longer constipated when I go do my business in the bathroom.  I have spent more money than a girl should on a kitchen appliances, which I think of it as an investment into my health and therefore worth every penny.  

I'm resolving to go to more farmer's markets to pick up fresh produce every week, and am determined to finish all my veg before they spoil in the fridge.

Kale is my new favorite vegetable.
Spinach is a close second.

I can't help think of Dr Jillian from Britain's "You are what you eat" and wonder what she would think of what I'm doing to myself.

I wonder what my blood work will show after Lent.

Pineapple banana bliss

Tastiest experiment I've done in while!

2 c almond milk
1/2 avocado
1 banana
1 c pineapple
3 c kale/beet greens
1 c frozen mixed berries
3 honey dates
2 scoops protein powder

Yesterday's smoothie didn't make enough to last me the day at work, and so I ended up feeling peckish for most of the day. OTOH bought some kale and veggie chips to snack on if the need arises again. Guarding against hunger pangs by bringing in a qt of green smoothie...

Farmer's Market delight

Went to the Farmer's market for the first time in a long while, where I found these lovely beet greens.  When I took the beets to the Farmer to pay for the haul, he asked me if I wanted him to trim the greens as a convenience.  To which I replied, I was buying them for the greens, they were lovely!

2 handful Beet greens
300 ml Almond Milk
1 apple,sliced
1/2 avocado
1 c frozen mixed berry
2 pitted dates
1" knob of ginger

Taste notes: Spicy, almost savory smoothie, even though it had a lot of fruit -- the ginger is the most overpowering flavor in this recipe.  Dates gave the needed sweetness that I needed to satisfy my sweet tooth, no extra stevia required.