Coconut Carrot Mango Smoothie {Two Ways}

   I know, what you're thinking... Smoothie? Again? Well, yes, because this is the most amazing smoothie I have ever made! Okay, I say that about all of the smoothies and juices I blog but I mean it this time, at least until I make another one tomorrow.

    This was another attempt to teach C to drink his way through the color spectrum. He liked this one, orange is his favorite color so that was to be expected. Poor guy bit the inside of his cheek the other day and it is painful so the acidity of this smoothie hurt him to drink too much. I promised him I'd make it again one day after he mouth heals. He is finally get a bit more adventurous with trying new things, so maybe my experiment is working.

   L on the other hand will eat anything we give him and then finish what is on our plates if we aren't careful. He particularly loves smoothies or "moo-bees" as he calls them. As soon as I reach for the blender her gets excited and if I start making one without him he comes busting in the kitchen as soon as he hears it. He jump, claps his hands and chants MOO-BEE MOO-BEE MOO-BEE and MINE MINE MINE until I hand him his own little glass.

 (Normally I use 8 oz jelly jars with these lids for the kiddos) 

   I actually have two recipes for you today. My husband is allergic to peaches so I made him one first then added the peaches and almond milk to mine and the boys' smoothies. I added the milk to add to the creaminess to the texture because that is the way that C likes his and I can always use the extra protein and calcium from the almonds. 

Coconut Carrot Mango Smoothie

Serves 2-3 people

1 large or 2 medium carrots

2-3 tablespoons flaxseeds

1 1/2 cups coconut water

2 cups frozen mango

1 cup orange juice 

1 tablespoon honey

In a blender, combine carrot and flax seed and pulse until chopped up. Add coconut water and blend until carrot has liquefied and flax seed is chopped up finely. Add mango, juice, and honey. Blend there are no longer chunks and is like a thick milkshake. Don't forget to taste it before drinking to make sure it doesn't need more honey.

Coconut Carrot Mango Peach Smoothie

serves 4-6 people

1 large or 2 medium carrots

2-3 tablespoons flaxseeds

1 1/2 cups coconut water

2 cups frozen mango

2 cups frozen peaches

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup almond milk 

1 tablespoon honey

In a blender, combine carrot and flax seed and pulse until chopped up. Add coconut water and blend until carrot has liquefied and flax seed is chopped up finely. Add mango, peaches, juice, milk and honey. Blend there are no longer chunks and is like a thick milkshake. Don't forget to taste it before drinking to make sure it doesn't need more honey.

Cheers!

Green Tea Blueberry Smoothie

I had no intention of sharing this smoothie. I mean, it's hideous. 

And, this is my first one experimenting with Matcha Powder.  

I planned on making a couple more with it before I shared one. 

But, then I tasted it. This thing is amazing! I mean A-MAZE-ING! 

May favorite Starbucks Frappuccino is the Green Tea Smoothie with a tiny bit of peppermint syrup in it.

 My new goal is to figure out a way to make a healthy version of it. 

But until then...

This may be my new favorite smoothie. 

GREEN TEA BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE:
makes approximately 4 cups

1 1/2 cups blueberries (frozen or fresh)
1 cup spinach
1 frozen banana
1 1/2 - 2 cups coconut milk (or almond)
2 teaspoons matcha powder
1-2 tablespoons honey (or whatever sweetener you prefer)

Combine everything in a blender and blend until all produce is broken up and has a milkshake like consistency. Drink immediately or chill until ready. 

Cherry Berry Coconut Smoothie {Violet Smoothie}

I have mentioned my picky eater situation before. Since I have to force feed this kid most veggies and several fruits, I decided to get creative. After the continued success with the green smoothie and the fact we have been talking about food coming in all different colors, like the rainbow, I have decided to make him "smoothies of the spectrum." Over the next few weeks, I plan to sneak new flavors into his smoothies and juices under the guise of tasting all the colors in the rainbow. Grocery shopping will be a blast matching all the colors and flavors together. 

   This is the first of colors we are doing is purple. This may not be the only purple smoothie or juice I make through this process because I liked it and L loved it, but C was not totally enamored with it. I'm not totally sure why he didn't love it. Normally, it would have been the type of smoothie he would declare his new favorite, but whatever his reasoning is, he proclaimed this one to be just okay. I should make it again when he's in a more agreeable mood. Clearly from the pictures below that little dude LOVED it, in fact he tried to steal mine. 

Cherry Berry Coconut Smoothie
Serves 3-4

1 large handful frozen cherries
1 small handful blueberries
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tablespoon flaxseed

Combine everything in a blender and blend until all produce is broken up, seeds are no longer visible and has a milkshake like consistency. Drink immediately.

Spinach Mango Flax Seed Smoothie aka Mommy's Magic Super Power Boosting Milk Shake Smoothie

   I finally gave up and re-shot the smoothie pictures that I complained about Tuesday. So here is my post I wrote on Monday for Tuesday but had to postpone until Wednesday but then forgot so now I'm posting on Thursday. Make sense? No? Yeah, I don't understand either. Just pretend you're reading this on Monday or Tuesday and it will all make sense.  

   This weekend I ignored my Doctor's recommendation to only eat small meals and stay away from raw fruits and veggies, hard to digest proteins, anything that is highly processed or has a lot of preservatives, basically anything other than carbs and liquids. (I know that a high carb diet does not sound like a healthy thing but it is what I have to do until we can figure out why my stomach no longer wants to digest anything these days) Fast food, lemon curd, cupcakes, rice krispie treats, bacon, brownies, olives, cheese, carrots, strawberries, chocolate cake, a chicken burger, a meatball sub, are just some of the things I devoured. To say that I was/am sick is an understatement! Since I refused to act like a responsible adult this weekend, and chose to eat like a crazed lunatic, I am on a liquid diet today. Therefore it's SMOOTHIE TIME!!!!!

   This smoothie is also the one way I can get more than a couple of bites of anything green into C. He swears aliens use green veggies to control minds. Yes, my 4 year old believes that if he eats broccoli an alien with take control of him. He makes life interesting, to say the least. This is my answer to it. He will also drink it with strawberry instead of mango. He believes that it will give his super powers a boost. He will tell me his Hulk strength is stronger, his Iron Man Blasters go boom better and he's as fast as the Flash almost immediately after drinking it! Don't judge me for lying to my kid! I'm desperate. He has gone multiple days skipping one or more meals because I implemented the, “You eat what I give you or you don't eat” rule, thinking that he was just being a kid who wanted to be picky, I now believe he honestly has a hard time with certain tastes and textures. I never let him go to the point it would be harmful, but this kids has will power like nothing I've seen before. Now, he will try three bites of anything I give him, often it is still a battle but he does try new things now, but he is simply not a fan of certain textures. I'm the same way when it comes to certain foods. I cannot even look at beans without feeling nauseated. I'll eat peas or chickpeas but they have to be pureed. I cannot bite into a whole, raw blueberry or a grape without gagging. So, I know he is trying and he really does want to like vegetables but right now it is a slow process. So I make him a glass of this smoothie a couple of times a week now. He thinks it takes like a milk shake and frankly so do I.

Serves 1-2 people

1 large handful of spinach

1 handful of frozen mango*

6 oz greek yogurt *optional*

2-3 tablespoons flax seeds

approximately 1/3 cup coconut water

approximately 1/3 cup orange juice

approximately 1/3 cup almond milk

Combine everything in a blender and blend until all produce is broken up, seeds are no longer visible and has a milkshake like consistency. Drink immediately.

*Just about any fruit would be good in this smoothie so feel free to swap things out. And, if you want to use fresh but still want the texture of the frozen fruit pre-freeze bananas and add one to each smoothie.

The smoothie pictured above does not have yogurt but I always add it when my son is going to be drinking it. The texture seems more “milkshakey” with the yogurt and he is more likely to drink anything if he thinks I added ice cream.

Strawberry Mango Coconut Smoothie

   I love smoothies. I mean I LOVE smoothies and so do my boys. We drink them fairly often and now that I'm under doctors orders to stay away from raw fruits and vegetables, unless they are pureed, we will be eating having them on a even more often. 

   Which, can I whine to you a little? I am craving a spinach salad like CRAZYYYY!!!!! The lack of raw veg in my life is making me cranky! And of course the other thing that I can't eat is junk food. Basically I need to eat as little preservatives as possible but I can't eat too many fruits, veg, or meat. Basically I can eat carbs. I know sounds like a dream right? Well, I'm less than thrilled. I always want what I can't have, at least when it comes to food. 

   Now, that is out of my system, let me tell you about this smoothie. I originally planned on adding carrot juice or spinach and flax seed but I am out of all of the above. I need to restock my refrigerator. But this smoothie is perfect for getting kids who are normally picky eaters to feel like they are drinking a milk shake. The Greek yogurt and coconut milk make it creamy enough to trick a picky eater into thinking, it is in fact, a treat. Like with any other smoothie, I wouldn't look at these portions as set in stone, just a guide. I added honey this time but if my fruit was a bit sweeter I wouldn't have added any this time. I would also rather use fresh produce but I often go to frozen for convenience. If you do the same, make sure you not using fruit that has been packed in syrup. You want fruit that has be cleaned cut and frozen. 

Strawberry Mango Coconut Smoothie

serves approximately 4 people

6 oz (3/4 cup) Greek yogurt (I used strawberry)

7 oz (1/2 can) coconut milk

6 oz (3/4 cup) coconut water

4 oz (1/2 cup) orange juice (I used fresh squeezed)

3 tablespoons oats

2 handfuls frozen mango

2 handfuls frozen strawberries

*honey* optional

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Drink immediately. 

Watermelon Coconut Cooler

Summer feels like its slipping through my fingers. I'm not sure why that's such a big deal to me. My kids aren't school age and we don't usually take a vacation in the summer, so it doesn't affect my day to day routine. Maybe its the thought that I won't be eating watermelon, berries, pineapple, mangoes, kiwis and coconut nearly as often in a couple of months. I love fresh produce. Send me to a farmer's market and I'm like a kid in a candy store. I'm just not ready for pumpkins and squash just yet. We are eating fresh and raw like nobodies business around here, well except for the Taco Bell we ate last night but try not to hold that against me. I'm not even sure Taco Bell in real food but every once in a while I can't help but indulge. Judge me, I deserve it...

Anyway... Back to real food. My Mom had a cookout last weekend and the food was amazing a usual. Not to brag or anything but my family can cook! This summery deliciousness was one of the drinks we served. The other was sweet tea with flavored syrups but more on that at a later date. This is a simple naturally sweet and refreshing drink that you can serve instead of punch and not worry about any extra funky business that you can't pronounce being in it. I love this stuff!!! It tastes like summer. Better yet while I was sipping on it I thought I heard waves. Maybe I just really need to go to the beach! Hint, hint husband!

Watermelon Coconut Cooler:
Juice of 1/2 a watermelon
36 oz coconut water (we used the kind with pulp)
1 lime, juiced

To juice the watermelon, cut you melon in chunks and either run through a  juicer or pop in a blender and blend until liquid and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Combine watermelon juice, coconut water, and lime juice. Refrigerate and serve cold!


*To make sparkling add a 2 liter of Sprite of Club Soda.
**Cut the remaining watermelon into chinks and freeze and stir in to keep it cold without watering it down.

Just Beet It {Watermelon Beet Berry Juice}

Michael Jackson inspired my juice today y'all! Just Beet It juice!!!! I'm feeling very punny today guys. Get it punny? Funny?  Punny? No? Not funny? Never mind me I've been viewing a few to many children's TV shows lately. Yeah... So anyway... On to the juice!

I was very skeptical of putting something that smelled just like dirt in my sweet watermelon juice but I was brave and put on my big girl pants and made this little darling. Since my watermelon was on it's last leg, I juiced the whole thing at one time. I have enough of this juice to last three days if no one else drinks it. The hubs was already at work when I made it and hasn't tasted it yet. I think he will like it though.

The watermelon and berries really cover up the overwhelming beet flavor. My little helper held his nose while I juiced the beet and until the smell cleared the kitchen. I was scared I just wasted money on something I wouldn't drink but I may even add more beets... maybe... We will see how brave I'm feeling next time. I am considering adding some club soda to my next serving and having a watermelon beet soda of sorts. We shall see though.

Watermelon Beet Berry Juice
for a pitcher full
Juice or blend and strain the following:
1 watermelon
3 beets
8-10 strawberries
2 handfuls of blueberries
4 apples
coconut water to taste

for a smaller portion
Juice or blend and strain the following:
1/4 of a watermelon
1/2 a beet
3 strawberries
1/2 handful of blueberries
1 apple
coconut water to taste

(I imagine blackberries would be wonderful but I was out this time)

Sweet Potato, Pineapple, Orange, Carrot, Ginger and Coconut Water Juice {Orange You Happy Juice}

Another post of an orange juice? Do I have a new favorite color? Maybe. While I was preggo I hate hate hated sweet potato juice. The husband LOVED it so he convinced me to try it again and SURPRISE! I like it! Sounds crazy, but paired with the right fruits and veg it is wonderful. Today's orange beauty was sweet potato, pineapple, orange, carrot and ginger topped off with coconut water to get my good and hydrated after this morning's doozy of a work out. I sipped on it while I cooled off and relaxed on my porch. 

Orange You Happy Juice
(makes two full glasses this size, perfect for breakfast or an after workout pick me up)
1/2 a sweet potato
2 med/large carrots
1/4 of a fresh pineapple
2 large oranges
a hunk of ginger
coconut water

Juice your fruit and veggies and strain. Pour into two glasses and top off with Coconut Water to fill your glasses. Chill and enjoy.

*No matter how much you strain this juice it is going to be slightly pulpy due to the orange and sweet potato. For juices like these I prefer to use the "blender cups" that have little wire ball that resembles a whisk in the bottom. When it settles you can shake it up and all is wonderful and no longer gritty feeling. 

**I don't think that using these juices as a meal replacement is a way of life however I do enjoy for breakfast often and lunch from time to time. They are filling and healthy. I give them to my my oldest to drink between meals. 

Blood Orange, Carrot and Pineapple

I know, I know, a juice that isn't green, you must think I've gone nutty! And it is gooooooood! Of course I have been on a major blood orange kick recently, somethings never change. It was a bit too spicy for the Mr. but I like the major ginger kick. He only likes ginger since he started juicing last year, before that he HATED it. Now he loves it and will even drink ginger ale and I don't have to lie bout if it is in food now. But this juice might have been over the line for him, I just happen to really like the spice from it. Maybe its because my Grandpa used to sneak a very strong spicy ginger ale to me in my sippy cup. My Mom would get so mad at him but he kept doing it anyway. He was a rebel like that. Even though I rarely drink ginger ale now I still love that bright heat that you get from fresh ginger. If you think its too much either use less ginger or toss in a frozen banana and blend it up and make it into a smoothie. 

This juice makes 2 to 3 meal replacement servings

Blood Orange, Carrot and Pineapple Juice

3 large or 4 small blood oranges
5 carrots
1/3 of a pineapple
1 apple
a 3 inch chunk of ginger

Process everything through the fjuicer, or blender then strain and drink. Or refrigerate first, I often do.

Yet Another Green Juice

Can you tell I'm infatuated with green juice? I can't help myself. I love to juice spinach. This particular juice is very clear and light colored because I was very careful to skim the pulp off the top when pouring it into my glass then I poured it through a very fine mesh strainer. I froze the pulp for a later use in a smoothie, can't  waste all those vitamins. I find that if I take too long drinking one of the pulpier juices that it gets a bit icky towards the end and I simply was not in the mood for that today. I really wish I had fresh mint or basil on hand for this juice, it would have been amazing. Maybe next time. This juice is very light refreshing and a bit tart at the same time.

Yet Another Green Juice:
4-5 Granny Smith Apple
2 Kiwi
1 cup Spinach and Arugula Mix
4 celery stalks
a large knob of Ginger

Juice your produce. Strain the mixture with a fine mesh strainer. Refrigerate and Drink.

Tropical Green Juice

I have created, okay, well I picked the stuff but the hubs actually made, the BEST JUICE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!  True story y'all! I could drink this everyday. Not too tart, not too sweet with a hint of peppery spice in the background. I  LOVE IT! I want to drink this everyday, forever! It totally rocked my socks off, well not technically since I wasn't wearing socks when I drank it, but it totally would have. For reals! It is a bit tart, of course the tartness/sweetness can vary depending on the ripeness of your fruit. I prefer it tart, but if it is too tart for you, add more kiwi or cut back on the pineapple. You could also stir in some agave nectar if you prefer.

This recipe should serve two people one 12 oz juice each or one person two portions as meal replacement. If you are juicing along with eating healthy then 4 portions are easy what I would expect to get out of this recipe. It was my breakfast and lunch today. Of course there is no way to predict the exact amount of juice you will get from your fruit but this make quite a lot.

Juice
1/2 of a pineapple
1 mango
2 kiwi
2-3 cups of spinach arugula mix
2 stalks of celery
1/2 inch knob of ginger
Refrigerate and enjoy. :-)

Green Goodness Juice

I cheated. I skipped juicing for two days and boy was it a mistake. Juicing is work, it is not easy and I missed chewing so I skipped a couple of days. Because I stopped I felt like poo. I felt like I had a plague. So I'm back to juicing and being healthy. I have chicken thawing for a nice mostly healthy dinner and I'm enjoying this lovely beverage while I get to cracking on cleaning and rearranging the living room.

Green Goodness Juice

2 apples

2 pears

2 cups of fresh (not frozen) spinach

2 plums

a hunk of fresh ginger

Juice and enjoy!

You really really need the ginger, otherwise the juice is way too sweet. This is my favorite juice I have made so far this time around.

Sunshine Smoothie

 We started today with another yummy concoction. It looks like a lot of ingredients but in all actually it isn't. Lee came home with a gigantic bag of frozen fruit mix from the grocery store because it is perfect for my smoothie addiction. It is a mix of pineapple, strawberry, mango and peach. I made a  huge smoothie, as you can tell from the picture, for my breakfast and lunch today plus I had enough for Caleb to have a small smoothie with his breakfast.

 I find that carrots are a fairly strong flavor so I like to combine them with orange. They compliment each other in flavor and color which matters when getting kids to drink it. I know that Caleb refuses to drink anything that has muddy colors but he will drink anything with bright vibrant colors. 

Sunshine Smoothie

makes 2.5 servings

2-3 Blood  oranges, juiced

2 carrots, juiced

1 cup of frozen fruit mix

1/2 frozen banana  

Blend all ingredients and enjoy!

My Personal Revolution!

While I was away from the blog last year the hubby decided it was time for a major change in our lives. He bought a juicer and start juicing everything, we once joked about juicing a ham! Lee was pumped and loved every minute of it. He even drank some of the worlds worst combinations ever imagined. He lost 40 pounds by replacing two meals with juice or smoothies and eating healthy for dinner. I know that sounds crazy, extreme but it is was needed to break the junk food addiction that most of us have. I did not replace meals with juice because I was pregnant and didn't think that was the best idea. He was doing amazing but we stopped juicing when pregnancy complications started to arise. It was probably the best time to be juicing but it was just too much. We continued to eat fairly healthy through out the pregnancy especially since I tried to control my blood pressure issues with diet and vitamins. We still try to eat healthy more often than not. I know that is not completely obvious by my blog posts! 

This is not and never will be a permanent solution for my life. I am trying to do the same as Lee by juicing my first two meals and cooking a nice healthy dinner for 30 days. After one month I will revisit the way I eat and continue to juice when I need a little extra hit of veg or when I'll be on the run and won't have time for a proper lunch, if for no other reason to keep me away from the drive through window. I'm also trying to get Caleb drinking this typ of juice as opposed to store bought "100%" juice. He helped me make this recipe, which is why I have so much. He added an apple and an extra pear to the juicer while I was retrieving spinach from the fridge. He also had a glass of apple and pear with a bit of spinach in his robot cup with lunch. He only drank half but it was apparently "dewiscious" with his pb&j for lunch. Do not think I would ever put my child on a juice cleanse! I just want him to learn what real unprocessed fruit and veg tastes like. 

I plan on sharing some of my favorite creations but I will still be posting food and baking posts because treating yourself now and then is just fine. I need to strike a balance between eating what I want and eating what I need!

I call this one Funky Juice because it is U G L Y, it ain't got no alibi! It's ugly, yeah, yeah it's ugly!

But it is sooooooo good! I'm not a huge fan of vegetable or tomato juice, I'm hoping to change that, but for the time being there will be mostly fruit in my juice! Also you should know we have a Breville Juice Fountain Plus. If you have a different juicer follow the instructions for your machine. If you like yours cold, either refrigerate your produce the night before or you can refrigerate afterwards just remember to stir before you drink it because it will separate! 

Funky Juice

makes 1 to 2 portions

3 pears

1 apple

2 plums 

5 strawberries

a heaping handful of spinach (think side salad amount)

Wash your veggies! Remove the stems. Cut plums in half and remove the stone. Remove the tops from the strawberries and juice. Now if you don't have a juicer. Remove seeds and cores. Process in food processor or blender and strain through a fine mesh strainer.