Bring on the Green!

Drinking your greens has to be the most popular way to incorporate green, leafy goodness. Nicknamed the Green Monster, I jumped on the blending bandwagon quite some time ago. I continue to receive great questions about my concoctions and decided to dedicate a post to these wonderful inventions.

Why do you drink them?

I drink them because they taste AMAZING! They are very soothing on my tummy and are easily digestible. I usually have mine for breakfast as I make them very thick and filling. But I will also make them for an afternoon pick-me-up OR a post workout snack. It’s a wonderful drink to make if you know you are hungry but just aren’t hungry for anything.

But they are also contain amazing nutrients. Most of us do not take in the recommended amount of veggies or fruit per day and this “treat” is a a sure fire way to get in AT LEAST 3 servings, if not more. It calms cravings, energizes you and makes you feel wonderful, inside and out!

What do you add to them?

The reason they are called Green Monsters is because they are green. But in order for them to become green you need to add some green, leafy goodness. My all time favorite is organic baby spinach. I use kale if I need to use it up and you can use any other kind of greens – chard, collard greens, wheat grass or lettuce.

I use 2-3 HUGE handfuls of spinach per drink. The reason I love adding spinach above the rest is because you cannot taste it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the taste of spinach, kale and other greens… but just not in my smoothie. And for those of you that do not like the taste of spinach, try a GM! I PROMISE you will not taste the spinach!

I also always use almond milk as my base, usually 8 oz. A nice amount of flax meal goes into it, along with a banana.

Then I go from there! I have experimented and have come up with some real winners… AND some real losers!

I have noticed a huge amount of powder’s and filling’s that other bloggers use: maca powder, xanthium gum, guar gum, protein powder’s… I have yet to try any of these so I cannot give any feed back.

I guess I like mine simple and “clean”.

Here is my favorite go-to recipe:

• 8oz almond milk
• 2-3 huge tablespoons flax meal
• 1 banana, half if it is huge
• 1-1 1/2 cups of assorted frozen fruit – peaches, strawberries, mango and grapes (I buy a big bag of this at the store in the winter time, and I use fresh in the summer time)
• 3 big handfuls of baby spinach, washed

BLEND and DRINK!

I also love making a berry drink with blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, along with vanilla almond milk.

I am fan of my GM’s being thick and COLD. If I am using fresh fruit I will add ice to chill it down and thicken it up.

It is also a great way for your kids to get their greens in! Jordan LOVES GM’s and drinks them daily with me.

Do you blend or juice? I have seen you do both.

I always blend my GM’s. If I am making a juice drink it will always come out red as I love adding beets. I do use greens when I juice, though. But for some reason I feel that I am wasting spinach when I do this. Maybe it’s my juicer but big chunks of leaves are always in the waste bucket. So I typically save them for my GM’s.

Other bits of info

- Someone had asked me why I add flax meal and if it sank to the bottom. I ad flax meal because I am a huge fan of flax and its health benefits. Flax contains a huge amount of Omega-3 fats that are heart healthy and helps the digestive system. I like to use flax meal instead of whole flax seeds as the seeds never seem to properly grind, and stay whole. While there is nothing wrong with this, I just didn’t care for whole seeds in my smoothies. I have never had a problem with the flax meal settling to the bottom, but like I mentioned above, I drink mine thick.

- PLEASE prewash your fresh produce, including pre-washed spinach. Do not trust the packaging! I have found bits of things in my spinach and the package clearly stated it was Pre Washed.

- No, I did not come up with the name Green Monster. I have seen it used over and over other blogs and it fit so well! =)

I hope this helps anyone that was curious about my Green Monsters! If I have missed anything or if anyone else has any more questions, please ask! I never get tired of questions! =)

Veggie Tales

Happy Wednesday! The week half over, folks!

Ok, so some fun things to tell you all about: I have decided to run a half marathon in 5 WEEKS!

My hometown, Wenatchee WA, is having their annual full, half, 10K and 5K on April 17th and I bit the bullet and signed up for it! I am currently training for a half marathon in June, but as soon as I saw this one I knew I had to do it. It’s my hometown, you know?!

I’m not looking to set a record or to finish first, but just to have fun! I haven’t been home in a while and I have been feeling a bit homesick; I thought this would help my blues go away. =)

AND this morning I bought a Garmin – man, who knew that simple running could have so many gadgets!

I have never been a runner until this past year. My first step was fitted shoes and I was hooked. I love to run now and I hope to continue for many years to come!

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I recently had a question concerning my dinner a few nights back. I thought it was a great question and wanted to share with all of you.

Kim asked if I thought Morningstar Veggie Burgers were really “clean”.

I do have a small correction on that post – that veggie burger was Gardenburger brand. Never the less, I still feel it’s an important topic to write about.

It is so simple for anyone to look in the freezer section and start buying non-meat products thinking they are a “healthy” alternative. But when you start looking at the actual ingredients in these products, they are filled with preservatives and ingredients the average person still cannot pronounce.

Here is an example from  Morningstar Farms® Grillers Prime® Veggie Burgers:

TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (WHEAT GLUTEN, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, WATER FOR HYDRATION), CORN OIL, SUNFLOWER OIL, EGG WHITES, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF CORNSTARCH, NATURAL FLAVORS FROM NON-MEAT SOURCES, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, SALT, CARAMEL COLOR, ONION POWDER, SPICES, HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (CORN, WHEAT, AND SOY), GARLIC POWDER, POTATO STARCH, MALTODEXTRIN, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE, SUCCINIC ACID, SUGAR, NONFAT DRY MILK, SOYBEAN OIL, WHEAT FIBER.

There are plenty of ingredients that are not “clean” nor are they natural.

Please do not think I am bashing Morningstar, or any other company that makes frozen, meatless food. In a pinch, I buy them. Jordan LOVES meatless chicken nuggets, too. And if I am at a restaurant that has veggie burgers, I order it with a smile.

The actual product that I was eating was Gardenburger GardenVegan.

BULGUR WHEAT WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, WATER, TEXTURED WHEAT PROTEIN (WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT FLOUR), COOKED BROWN RICE (BROWN RICE, WATER), ONIONS, MUSHROOMS, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF MODIFIED VEGETABLE GUM, WHEAT GLUTEN, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, GARLIC POWDER, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, SPICES, ANNATTO FOR COLOR, OLIVE OIL, CARAMEL COLOR, SOY LECITHIN.

Not horrible, in my opinion, and a lot “cleaner” than some.

Although this is one of my favorite pre-mad veggie burgers that I have eaten: Chez Gourmet.

You can read my review here – I love them!

However, 99% of the time I make my own veggie burgers. This is the simplest and most effective way to eat wholesome food – make it yourself! You know exactly what goes into your food and it ALWAYS tastes fresher and better than store bought!

Here is my go-to veggie burger recipe:

Spelt Veggie Patties

• 1 cup or one can cooked beans of your choice
• 1 carrot, chopped in large pieces
• 1 cup chopped onion in large pieces
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped in in large pieces
• 1/4 cup raw spinach
• 1/2 teaspoon dill
• 2-3 fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh cilantro (optional)
• tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 clove fresh garlic
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup of spelt flour
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking oil.

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor, MINUS the seeds and flour. Blend until mixture is creamy and dense, scraping the sides when needed. Remove the mixture and place in a large mixing bowl. Add seeds and stir until incorporated. Add flour a little at a time, stirring after each time. Salt and pepper the mixture to your liking.

Shape patties and bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serve them on your favorite bun, flat bread or wrap them in lettuce.

Makes 10 patties

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We are all busy and eating healthy takes time, I know this first hand. What is one thing that I say over and over in my posts?

BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE EATING! Know the ingredients, know the product and stay away from chemicals and preservatives.

Healthy Eating!

Carrot Ginger Soup

This soup is extremely light yet rich for being a vegan soup. Perfect with a spinach salad and warm piece of crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil + 1/2 cup vegetable stock for sautéing
• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 pound carrots – about 10 medium carrots, cut into large pieces
• 2 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered (Yukon gold works well)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons peeled and finely chopped ginger (about 1/2 inch piece – a little goes a long way!)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 table spoon agave or maple syrup (optional)
• 4-5 cups vegetable stock, or water

Directions

Add olive oil to large pot and turn heat on medium. Add garlic, onion, 1/2 cup vegetable stock and a pinch of salt, and sauté for a few minutes until onion is slightly soft.

Add carrots, ginger, potatoes, parsley, bay leaf, vegetable stock and salt and pepper. Simmer and cover until the carrots and potato are fork soft.

Turn of heat. Carefully transfer soup mixture to a blender or food  processor, one ladle at a time. If you have an immersion blender, blend soup right in the pot. Blend until creamy.

Transfer back to pot and cover.  This is the time to add more salt and pepper and sweetener, if desired. Stir well.

The soup will remain hot but if you are not going to serve for a while, turn stove on low.

Serve with bread and a simple salad. Enjoy!

Monday’s Eats

Happy Monday!

Breakfast was a yummy green monster!

• almond milk
• TONS OF SPINACH
• flax meal
• half banana
• frozen peaches, strawberries and grapes
• ice

I had a great at-home workout before lunch. I found a Jackie Werner session on our On Demand, and my legs and arms felt like jello after her 45 minute session. I loved it!

I showered quickly then had a filling lunch.

The last of my lentil soup and some buttered toast – I used Earth Balance.

I also had some melon for dessert and dried blueberries as a snack.

Then I got busy in the kitchen and made a batch of Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cookies – man, these things are GOOD! They tasted like brownies – you can;t even tell they are vegan and made with whole wheat flour!

I ended up eating some batter and a cookie – who said you can’t have dessert before dinner?!

After I loaded up on my fair share of chocolate, I decided I needed some veggies.

I had a MorningStar vegan burger on top of a bed of lettuce, covered with avocado, red onion, hot sauce, hummus and sunflower seeds. I also had a carrot. Hit the spot!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Vegan Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Don’t worry: you wont have to worry about remember the name of these cookies. Your mouth will be too full to even talk! Loaded with chocolate chips, these babies will satisfy ANY chocolate lover out there! Who said vegan had to be boring? ;)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground flax or flax meal
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3/4 cup dairy free, nonhydrogenated butter, such as Earth Balance
• 1 cup granulated sugar, I used organic, raw sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup nondairy semisweet chocolate chips or chunks – these are easier to find than you think. I used Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet chips.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flax seed and water in a bowl with a whisk. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds to a minute. Set aside and let set up; it will become thick and creamy. (This replaces the egg found in regular cookies)

In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar until creamy. Add flax mixture and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, blend flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add this mixture to the wet mixture, and mix until everything is well blended. If mixture becomes too dry you can always add a small amount of non-dairy milk or water.

Stir in chocolate. Form into 1 inch balls, flattening slightly as you put them onto an un-greased baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, checking at 12 minutes to see if more time is needed. The tops will no longer be gooey.

Makes 24 cookies.