Downing a glass of green pulpy stuff has been the craze for a while now… But green smoothies are not just a trend, they’re here to stay and here’s why!

Going Vegan Tips, Guest Blog Posts, Vegan Nutrition, Vegan Product Reviews, Vegan Recipes, Vegan-Related Books & Documentaries

Tags: easy vegan recipes, green drink, green smoothies, healthy eating, superfoods, vegan breakfast, vegan diet plan, vegan protein

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Green Smoothies: Why and How?

Downing a glass of green pulpy stuff has been the craze for a while now… But green smoothies are not just a trend, they’re here to stay and here’s why!

What is a green smoothie?

It is very simple actually, a green smoothie is just that, a smoothie with a base of leafy greens, fruit to cut the bitterness and help with digestion and liquid.

Here are some of the reasons why I love green smoothies:

Not only do green smoothies actually taste good they are also a wonderful way to get nutrient dense raw leafy greens into your daily diet.

Packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients, green smoothies not only give your body the best defenses for disease, but you are ingesting a variety of natural substances that are essential for optimum health, fitness and wellbeing.

These whole foods when blended provide a power pack boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients without bogging down your digestive system. The best natural energy booster out there!

Drinking green smoothies is a great way to get all your greens in. Many of us do not consume enough greens. By drinking two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough greens for the day to nourish your body, and all of the beneficial nutrients will be well assimilated.

Do green smoothies taste like grass?

No, the good news is, if made properly, a green smoothie tastes just as good as a smoothie of another color! The greens may add plenty of color to your recipe, but they shouldn’t alter the taste much at all. If you do make one that is slightly bitter for your liking, just add more fruit. Some greens are hidden (in terms of flavor) better than others. Spinach for example, is fairly neutral in taste, while kale has a stronger, more bitter flavor.

Summary of Sexy Fit Vegan’s ebook, How to Make Your Own Superfood Protein Shakes:

1. Choose your base. There are many different liquids you can choose from to use as the “base” of your green smoothie. First, there are many store-bought milk substitutes. It’s best to choose one that is “unsweetened” so you can create a smoothie that is free of any added sugars. Second, you have the option of making your own nut milk. It’s actually much easier than you may think. My favorite nut milk recipe can be found at www.sexyfitvegan.com/nutmilk. A third option is using coconut water, which will create great flavor with less creaminess. Coconut water also has plenty of health benefits including providing us with valuable electrolytes for hydration.

2. Seeds are a staple for your super food green smoothie. The three super food seeds that SFV recommends adding are hemp, chia, and flax seeds. All three are high in protein and fiber, and hemp seeds are among the few plant foods that are a complete protein.

3. Use Popeye Power to make it a Green smoothie. Popeye was smarter than he looked! Dark leafy greens are, calorie per calorie, the most nutritious foods on the planet!

4. Choose a thickener. Depending on how thick you like your shake, either banana or, believe it or not, avocado, can be added if it needs to be thickened.

5. Fruit Favorite. Now that we have the base ingredients set, it’s time to decide if you want to go with a fruity flavor, or go a different route (Ella gives you some great ideas!)

6. Super food add-ons. Depending on your individual health considerations, there may be additional supplemental foods that would be appropriate additions to your smoothies. Learn about the benefits of amla and maca powders in the book.

7. For the fitness freaks. If you are extremely active, do high-intensity workouts, and/or are looking to gain muscle mass, you may want to consider a few ways to get the extra energy and protein you need. Ella gives some great tips for making your green smoothie especially helpful to make gains.

8. Va Va Va Vitamix. A high-speed blender is a key component in successful shake and green smoothie creations. Many of the ingredients SVF suggests simply require a quality piece of equipment to fully breakdown and blend together.

**As always we recommend keep an open mind,and only use fresh, local, organic ingredients to receive optimal benefits

Enjoy incorporating more green smoothies into your daily routine! Find more awesome smoothie recipes in The Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan as well 🙂

-Dani

29 Mar 2016

Danielle

Tags: easy vegan recipes, health, healthy eating, healthy vegan dishes, nutrition, plant based diet, vegan, weight loss

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Spring into Detox Salad

Spring into Detox Salad is CRUNCHY, SWEET and SAVORY, and is the perfect easy vegan recipe to make when your body is craving nutrients, and you need a nice and hearty salad to fill you up!

I have read that cabbage has many health benefits since it is packed with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients; cabbage is said to be helpful with weight loss, skin care / premature aging, purifying the blood, removing toxins, and the list goes on and on and on… with all that being said, I’ll have more cabbage… PRONTO! The veggies in this healthful, satisfying salad are tossed in a delicious creamy peanut sauce with a ton of ginger which is soothing to the stomach, reduces inflammation in the body, and may even help relieve muscle soreness. This special dish is topped off with sesame seeds, a great source of a variety of minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Colorful, nutrient rich, and easy to make… give this delightful recipe a try to welcome in the spring time! spring detox salad

Spring Into Detox Salad

The Veggies:

1 heaping cup chopped red cabbage
1 heaping cup chopped green cabbage
1 heaping cup chopped kale
3-4 sliced radishes
2-3 ribs of celery, diced

The Dressing:

A hearty 2-3 inch chunk of ginger, minced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons fresh peanut butter
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Toasted sesame seeds (topping)

Blend together all of the ingredients for the dressing. Toss the veggies in the dressing and top with toasted sesame seeds. Eat it all up and reap the benefits!

Hope you love it as much as I do!

-Danielle

15 Mar 2016

Going Vegan Tips, Guest Blog Posts, Vegan Nutrition, Vegan Recipes

Tags: easy vegan recipes, healthy vegan dishes, vegan breakfast, vegan desert, vegan diet plan, vegan ice cream, vegan recipes, vegan snacks

Mint Chip Banana Nice Cream

Mint Chip Banana Nice Cream… Say Goodbye to Dairy and Guilt!

For all you ice cream lovers out there, its time to jump on the banana nice cream train. Simple, smooth and creamy, this healthy vegan, low fat dessert can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Using bananas as the base, other fruits, super foods and essential oils can be blended in for a completely different flavor and texture. This is the ultimate “guilt-free” treat that everyone must try…Finally it’s ok to have ice cream for breakfast.

Yield: 2 cups, 2 servings
Time: 15 minutes
Prepare ahead: freeze bananas
Equipment: high-power juicer or blender

Optional: Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil (YLEO): Peppermint

Ingredients:

4 ripe bananas, peeled and frozen
1 tablespoon cacao nibs
1 teaspoon spirulina powder
1 drops Peppermint YLEO

Directions:

Push frozen bananas through a high-power juicer fitted with the blank plate to homogenize the fruit. It will be the consistency of soft serve ice cream.

Stir in the remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

Alternatively, use a high-power blender with the tamper, or a food processor, adding liquid as needed for blending.

Serve with toppings such as chopped nuts, fruit, shredded coconut, cacao nibs, or chocolate sauce.

Using bananas as the base, other frozen fruits can be added in such as mangoes or berries.

Recipe Gratitude to Amy Bacheller.

For more of Amy’s amazing raw recipes check out www.scentfromheaven-sb.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scentfromheavensb

Instagram: @amybbacheller

01 Mar 2016

Tags: chia seed pudding, chia seeds, easy vegan recipes, healthy recipes, healthy vegan dishes, vegan breakfast, vegan dessert, vegan diet plan, vegan snack

1 Comment

Omega 3 Triple Power Pudding

Chia pudding packs a powerful omega 3 punch and is a great way to start your day off right!

Known for increasing strength and stamina, chia seeds are an easy source of the all important omega 3 essential fats. Boost it even more by

adding flax and hemp seeds, well-documented plant sources of omega 3, beneficial for the health of our joints, heart, brain and hormonal balance. Who knew eating healthy could taste so good?!

Ingredients:

1 cup liquid (coconut water, nut milk, or water)
2 tablespoons chia seeds, ground
1 tablespoon flax seeds, ground
1 tablespoon hemp seeds

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
Allow the pudding to sit for ten minutes.
Add berries, nuts, superfoods, sweetener and essential oils of choice.

Comments:

 The pudding in this photo has raspberries, pine nuts, and kelp powder, with Fennel and Spruce essential oils from Young Living (the best, purest and safest for culinary use).

 Sweetened with a few drops of Stevia extract from Young Living.

Recipe Gratitude to Amy Bacheller.

For more of Amy’s amazing raw recipes check out www.scentfromheaven-sb.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scentfromheavensb

Instagram: @amybbacheller

28 Feb 2016

Kirsten Mitchell

Tags: easy vegan recipes, healthy vegan recipes, vegan diet plan, vegan protein, vegan recipes

Grilled Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Healthy vegan comfort food anyone?

Yes please! This grilled chickpea sandwich is protein packed and reminiscent of the grilled cheese sandwiches I loved in my youth. Chickpeas are also extremely high in fiber.. two cups of them contain the total recommended daily value. Conveniently, canned beans seem to have about the same nutritional benefits as dried beans you soak and cook yourself (HERE is a video by Dr. Michael Greger explaining.)

Grilled Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp sriracha
3 Tbsp vegan mayo ( I used Vegenaise)
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 stalk of celery diced
2-3 green onions chopped
Ezekial bread or whole grain bread of choice
Vegan margarine ( I used Earth Balance)

Instructions:

Mash chickpeas with sriracha and then add the vegan mayo, nutritional yeast and salt. Mix and then stir in celery and green o ezekial nions. Make sandwiches, grill and enjoy!

I used Ezekial bread to up the protein content. Two slices contains 8 grams of protein.

If you haven’t tried it, I would definitely recommend it!

19 Feb 2016

Tags: healthy vegan dishes, healthy vegan recipe, raw pizza, raw vegan recipe, vegan diet plan, vegan pizza

Ever thought you couldn’t adopt a raw vegan diet because you couldn’t give up pizza?

Happy Friday everyone. Today I want to share with you a recipe that is guilt free, vegan, low lat, oil-free and even salt free! Yes, I’m talking about Guilt Free FullyRaw Pizza from FullyRaw by Kristina. These mini pizza’s are so delicious and are the perfect finger food for a fun time with friends. Pizza Night Anyone?

This recipe calls for local organic ingredients, if available.

Guilt Free FullyRaw Pizza

Recipe for the Sundried Tomato Crust:

2 medium sized zucchinis
1 cup sundried tomatoes
1 cup raw mushrooms
2 scallions
1 cup fresh basil
1 cup fresh sage
1 tablespoon thyme
handful fresh spinach or kale

Recipe for the Cauliflower Zucchini Thyme Crust:

2-3 small zucchinis
Half of 1 large cauliflower
Juice of half a lemon
After blending, sprinkle in some freshly picked thyme or rosemary

Pick which crust you would like to make and put all ingredients in a high powered blender. Once blended into a creamy consistency, place on your teflon sheet and tray, in the shape of a pizza crust. Smooth out and place in the dehydrator. Dehydrate these crusts at 112 degrees for 10 hours.

Don’t own a dehydrator? No problem! Turn your oven on to the lowest setting until desired consistency. Time may vary.

Recipe for the FullyRaw Marinara:

1 cup soaked and rinsed sundried tomatoes
1 cup red cherry tomatoes
handful fresh basil
sprinkle of fresh rosemary, thyme, or other herb of choice
Optional: slice of jalapeño

Blend all ingredients in high power blender until desired consistency.

Recipe for the FullyRaw Pesto:

2 medium sized zucchinis
4 tablespoons of raw pine nuts
Juice of one lemon or lime
Optional: 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 large handful of basil
1 large handful of fresh spinach

Blend all ingredients in high power blender until nice and creamy

Spread your FullyRaw Pesto and Marinara on your pizza crust. Add any toppings you desire like tomatoes, spinach, bell peppers, jalapeño, red onion, green onion, and more! Enjoy.

Posted with permission by FullyRaw by Kristina. Check out FullyRaw by Kristina for more tips, trick and recipes https://www.fullyraw.com/

16 Feb 2016

Kirsten Mitchell

Going Vegan Tips, Guest Blog Posts, Uncategorized, Vegan Recipes

Tags: breakfast ideas, easy vegan recipe, healthy breakfast recipes, vegan breakfast, vegan diet plan

5 Quick Power Packed Breakfasts

We’ve all heard it hundreds of times….breakfast is important!

I think the reason a lot of us skip it is because we are pressed for time, bored with the usual options or have failed to plan ahead. Here are five recipes that will hopefully not only have you eating breakfast everyday, but loving it too. It’s my favourite meal of the day!

You will notice that these are all of the sweet/fruity category, as I tend to gravitate to towards fruit in the morning and generally I have found savoury breakfasts to be more time consuming. The first three are quick and easy to make in the morning, and the last two you need to make the night before. Also I would strongly encourage investing in a high speed blender…I use mine multiple times daily and it really makes getting all those fruits and vegetable into your diet a breeze.

Mixed Berry Nice Cream

The simplest of them all! Nice Cream is literally frozen bananas (they must be ripe!) blended with a splash or two of non-dairy milk and the add ins of your choosing. Here I have used 1 banana with 1/2 C of frozen mixed berries and topped with sliced almonds. But you can add whatever you want….cocoa powder, peanut butter, different mixed fruit…the possibilities are endless. Just throw it in the blender and you have breakfast in seconds.

Pumpkin Spice Protein Smoothie Bowl

A variation on nice cream is the smoothie bowl. Same concept, different texture, and you can get a bit fancier 🙂 Again you can play around with it but this is one of my favourite versions:

1 1/2 ripe frozen bananas
1/2 C canned pumpkin
3/4 C non dairy milk ( I used unsweetened almond milk)
1 scoop of vanilla or unflavoured vegan protein powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice

Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Top with raw pumpkin seeds. granola and unsweetened coconut. Recipe adapted from Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl.

Chocolate Protein Pudding

1 package of soft tofu
2 ripe bananas (not frozen)
1 Tbsp almond butter
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Fresh fruit

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and voila… chocolate, high protein deliciousness. Top with fresh fruit. This makes a couple of servings and the pudding keeps well in the fridge.

Chia-Pudding

Chia Pudding

The basic ratio for chia pudding is 3 Tbsp of chia seeds to 1 C of non dairy milk. After that you can add what you want. Here I have combined the chia seeds with 2 tsp of maple syrup and a 1/2 tsp of vanilla. Whisk all ingredients together and refrigerate over night. I find that if you can whisk again a couple of hours into the cooling process it helps to get the consistency really smooth and lump free. In the morning layer with whatever fruits and nuts you like. Here I have added raspberries and granola.

Heavenly Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

I love oatmeal and baked oatmeal was a revelation for me. I can now make a big batch and just throw a serving in the microwave in the morning. This recipe is from Oh She Glows and is amazing…I could eat in for breakfast, lunch and dinner with this meal on hand! It does contain maple syrup but I have made it both with and without it and it tastes good both ways so if you are looking to reduce sugar in your diet try it without.

ENJOY!

Kirsten

09 Feb 2016

Danielle

Tags: gourmet vegan recipes, health food, healthy vegan dishes, lasagna, vegan, vegan diet plan, vegan lasagna, vegan recipes

3 Comments

03 Feb 2016

Ron Badach

Tags: curry, easy vegan recipes, healthy vegan dishes, vegan diet plan, vegan recipes, vegan soup