A weird paradox exists in which people who make food professionally have strange relationships with food. My industry friends often joke about the contents of a culinary professional's home refrigerator: beer, condiments, and to-go containers, but few actual ingredients. I suppose it makes sense that when you get home from work the last thing you want to do on your “off-time” is the same things you do on your “on time.” I infrequently cooked for myself and my spouse when I spent 8+ hours a day cooking for other people. Actually, that is one of my favorite things about not working in a kitchen, and my family and friends enjoy the fruits of my culinary labor so much more these days.
So, I have an unhealthy relationship with food. After more than a decade of scarfing down burgers while standing over a trashcan in the ten minutes that are available before the next rush, I tend to ignore the signals that my body gives me. During the week, I am fueled by coffee for most of the day and seek out actual food only when “hungry” turns to “hangry.” I recognize that this system is not ideal for my health and wellness, or for my temperament, but old habits are hard to break. As a group, culinary folks wear their self-abuse on their sleeves like a badge of honor: hours worked in a day (12+), hours worked in a week (80+), came in on a day off, went all day without taking a break, and on and on.
Enter the smoothie.
These last few weeks, I have been putting my Vitamix blender into action every morning and the results have been amazing. Before I head out the door, I take exactly five minutes to blend up some veggies and fruit along with yogurt or ricotta cheese and some kind of liquid. I slurp down this nutritious and tasty tonic over the course of the morning and my whole day is better.
Here are a couple of smoothie recipes including my “go-to” mix. Smoothies are also a great vehicle for all sorts of supplements. I have been mixing in some vitex tincture from Great Basin Apothecary to help with all the lady things. Toss in some protein powder, vitamin supplements, some adaptogenic mushrooms, or whatever your jam.
Kelli’s Breakfast Smoothie
INGREDIENTS:
1 banana
1 avocado
2 big handfuls of spinach or baby kale
¾ c plain yogurt or ricotta cheese
8 oz of liquid - I tend to use half kombucha and half coconut milk
¾ c frozen peaches
¾ c frozen blueberries
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
CEDA Sara’s Green Breakfast Smoothie
INGREDIENTS:
2 big handfuls of kale or spinach
1 avocado
1 banana
¾ c frozen mango
¾ c frozen pineapple
1 ½ - 2 c vanilla oat milk
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Apples and Greens Smoothie - like Jamba Juice
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup ice
½ c apple juice
½ c strawberry juice
1 c green vegetable juice
1 handful spinach
1 banana
½ c frozen peaches
½ c frozen mangoes
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Newspaper Rachel’s Smoothie
INGREDIENTS
8 oz. liquid – distilled water or kombucha
One apple chopped in quarters
Half a cucumber
½ clump of parsley
Big handful of kale
Juice of one lemon
Tablespoon coconut oil
¼ tsp ground cayenne
DIRECTIONS
Place ingredients in Vitamix in order and blend until smooth.
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