Green Mustaches

How great is this ???

Zachary

Cameron

Morgan

I think it is awesome!

THE GREEN WAVE

I am so excited about all the interest that has been generated by my green smoothie habit. I have so many friends, family members, and even total strangers adding it to their daily routine.  I am calling it the Green Wave!

It tells me that many of us are out there looking for health benefits that don't come in a pill.  We all want energy and optimal health.  In such a short time, three months, my life, health, attitude, and energy level has remarkably improved. Remarkably!

At the urging of my good friend and coworker, Ashley, we have decided to have an informal gathering to share our experience of Green Smoothies.  So if you have any questions, or just want to know what the hub bub is all about, please join us on Tuesday, November 16th, from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at St. Mary's library. (1347 E 49th Pl in Tulsa)

Come Talk Green with us!  

It is an excitement worth sharing!!  Let me know if you have any questions!

No Excuse 5:00 A.M. Green Smoothie

I so believe in these Green Smoothies,

 that I took a hunk of time and put everything together,

so it would be easy, easy, easy for my husband to make one at 5:00 a.m.

Here is his pile of ingredients:

He chose strawberries and bananas for his fruit. 

 Those bags are kept in the freezer.

I add a few supplements to our smoothies.

 Each little snack size bag has all of them combined. 

 There is spirulina, maca, flaxseed and cacao.

These bags are stored in the refrigerator.

And then comes the bags of greens.  

Each bag has a sprig or two of parsley, a few chunks of celery, 

and a good two cups plus of either spinach or kale.

Those too are in the refrigerator.

Everything is ready to just dump into the blender.

First the fruit, then the powders, followed by greens, 

a squirt of agave (sweetener) and 

about a third to a half can of coconut juice. 

 Blend, blend, blend. 

 If it is too thick add more juice or water.

Today was day one.  

And he made his smoothie at 5:00 a.m.

He had it with his Goodbye Cheerios Cereal.

It was a beautiful sight! 

I am so happy!!

(Because he is going to have way more energy, and be so healthy, so I can love him even longer!!!)

So Many Things To Love: Green-Smoothies

I got my first comment, on my blog post, I want to be the hummingbird, not the hibernating bear!, by a total stranger, who even has become a follower. It just blew me away!  I don't even know how she found my blog???

Her name is Gabriele Agustini, and she is the author the blog, So Many Things to Love, (with that title she has to be an amazing lady!) and I have spent lots of time browsing her site. One of her articles that I really want to share is her post: So Many Things To Love: Green-Smoothies.  It is so good for those who are a bit new to smoothies. The green mustaches on her grandchildren's faces are the best!  You must check it out!

I have just surpassed my 3 month point of drinking green smoothies and I cannot imagine a day without having one.  Test it out for yourself.  Replace your breakfast with a Green Smoothie for two to three weeks, even if you make no other changes in your diet, and see if you don't notice a remarkable difference in your energy. Oh, and as a side note, I bet you will see a difference on your scale too!

It really is easy to do.  Google Green Smoothies recipes and you will be amazed at what you can find.  I started out with my favorite fruit(s), a good handful of spinach, or romaine or kale, a heaping tablespoon of flaxseed, and water to make to the consistency I liked.  I didn't even have a blender - I used a Magic Bullet.  I ultimately had to get a blender because the Magic Bullet wasn't big enough for the amount I needed to make, so now my Mom uses it to make her green smoothies (how cool is that - 80 years old and loving Green Smoothies!).  I began on the fruity side but as time has gone by, I am more on the green side! This was a good blog today on how to select greens for a smoothie - video and all - so check that out for ideas, and the reasons why.  Ode to Green Smoothies is worth reading too.

It will change you! Seriously, give it a try.  What do you have to lose??? (Weight, lack of energy, just to name two things!)

Anner's Organic Coop is Awesome

What a fun experience this was.  I arrived around 5:30 p.m. to the smell of the pinion wood burning in the Chiminea outside the front door, to the warm welcome and smiles of the delightful folks inside. Fresh produce overflowed the baskets on the table, shelves lined with jars of beans, spices and mixes, people buzzing around gathering goods, all in this energized, happy, upbeat, and friendly atmosphere.

 This is Ed, Anner's husband. What a great smile!

And this is my pile of goodies that came home with me.

Local Benefits

I am excited about two of our local establishments.



I just joined the Tulsa Organic Food Coop and pick up my first order today.  I have heard great things about Anner's Wellness Works and I can't wait to see her shop, which is out of her home.  I'll take pictures!!

More on that in the next post.





In today's paper there was a great article about DoubleShot Coffee in Tulsa.  This is the best coffee I have ever had. I have to admit that since I started drinking Green Smoothies, my desire for caffine has remarkably been reduced, but it is the only coffee I drink these days. (Yes, I am a coffee snob!)

I love to support our local businesses.

Recipe for Goodbye Cheerios

A few days ago I wrote a post and referenced a cereal I created to replace my husband's morning Cheerios.  For those of you who wanted the recipe, here it is:  Goodbye Cheerios Recipe

Enjoy!

Bring on the Hello Pile!

Shopping, one of the nice side effects of losing weight!

And my first trip to the Loft, courtesy of Ashley!

Sequins, ruffles and bows!

All on sale!

I want to be the hummingbird, not the hibernating bear!

I follow a few blogs, and the Green Smoothie Blog is one of my favorites.  I just recently bought her new book, Green for Life, and this link will take you to an article that is from her new book.

It is pretty lengthy, but I think really worth reading.  If nothing else, check out the blog while you are there.  Fantastic source of all kind of information  and recipes. You might  also visit  the The Raw Family of Victoria, Sergei, and Valya Boutenko, otherwise known as The Raw Family, in addition to the blog.



So do you want to be a hummingbird, or a hibernating bear?

Quinoa, where have you been all my life?

I don't know why I've never heard of quinoa before this time?? We love this stuff! Tonight's recipe was excellent and as my husband says, " a do over."

This is a recipe I found on www.epicurious.com called Quinoa with Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew.  The title is linked to the recipe should you want to make it.  The side salad was a good compliment to the flavors of the stew, and it was simply spinach, cucumbers and tomatoes with a blob of Guacamole on the top. I really liked the combination of spices with the carrots and squash.

The Goodbye Pile

Today I cleaned out my closet.

This is the goodbye pile!

All these clothes are too big!

 How cool is that?

Goodbye Cheerios!

In my effort to eliminate refined sugar and processed food in our house, the Cherrios seemed to be winning the battle in my husband's breakfast bowl. Now there is evidence that they will be defeated!

After listening to a session of the Health Renegade, Kevin Giani, and hearing what he eats for breakfast, I decided to have my husband try it.  (He isn't ready to make a green smoothie at 5:00 a.m. yet) I have this mix myself occasionally as well, but I must have my green smoothie!

So what is he eating???

The Goodbye Cheerios Cereal Recipe

It is a power packed bowl of good things!! Hemp seeds, goji berries, coarsely ground flaxseed, cacao nibs, raisins, and fresh blueberries, a squirt of agave, and then topped off with So Delicious Coconut Milk. (the only milk in our house!)  This cereal has a great texture and a nutty taste. And best of all he likes it!!!

Now to go make my green smoothie!!

. . . and eat your cake too!

Today was one of those remarkable, memorable days.

I started out with a Dr.'s appointment that was delightful.  Dr. Malloy inspires me.  I am so grateful to him in many ways.  I cannot wait for his website to be launched, and I have high hopes that one of his other patients, Mary, will contact me.  He told me about an organic  Tulsa Coop , that I can't wait to check out.  This was my first return visit since he suggested I read "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and he was quite pleased with my improvements: feeling great, energized, and 18 pounds lighter!  Yay Me!!!!!!!!

A really thing nice happened to my oldest son today.  He is certainly due for some nice happenings.  And my youngest son did something really nice for me.  Tickets to Florida to go visit them.  It was a good feeling to have both of them in my day today.

So to celebrate, I made a cake!

It is from my newest cookbook: Raw Food Made Easy by Jennifer Cornbleet, page 138.  This cookbook, -  ha, nothing in it is cooked yet I still call it a cookbook!!  -  anyhow, it is filled with great dishes.  I love it!

Here's the recipe:
In a food processor blend 1 1/2 c. raw walnuts and a dash of salt until finely ground. Add 8 pitted medjool dates, 1/3 c. cacao, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 2 tsp water. Process until the mixture begins to stick together.

Transfer to a plate and form into a 5-inch round cake. Add raspberry sauce.

Raspberry sauce: Process 1 c fresh or frozen (thaw and drain) with 1/4 cup pitted medjool ates, soaked, until smooth.

So you can have a great day . . . and eat your cake too!

Am I going RAW???

I have found that I am favoring raw food lately and not eating much cooked food.  I also noticed that I haven't missed cooked food.  No cooked food since last Saturday?? Wonder what is happening??

It is amazing how energized I feel lately.  I sleep the whole night through, after months (maybe a year) of never having a full night sleep.  Maybe I am not always thrilled to get up in the morning, but I am not exhausted, nor am I as stiff or sore as days gone by.  My skin and hair is different - better.  No drugs. Minimal fibromyalgia pain.  That is huge.  Life is good.  Really, it is so good.

I loved dinner tonight.  I made Zucchini Pasta and Marinara sauce, put it on a bed of spinach, added a few black olives and some shredded vegetarian Parmesan cheese, and it was delicious!! It will be a repeated recipe.  Oh, and it is a totally raw recipe.

I found the recipe on a YouTube.  Jennifer Cornbleet has some great YouTube videos showing how to make all kinds of things - from Green Smoothies to desserts.  Her website has a number of her recipes and some interesting "stuff."


You might want to watch one of her videos.  The one below is how she made the Zucchini Pasta with Marinara Sauce.




She doesn't really give the amounts in her video.  This is what I used and it it turned out pretty good:

1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
3 tomatoes
1 1/2 red peppers
1/2 jar sun dried tomatoes (in olive oil) - about 4 ounces
1 clove garlic
basil, oregano, black pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper

I blended it in the food processor to the consistency of salsa.

I think it could be good heated up too.

Out on a ledge in Chicago!

Had a great time in Chicago celebrating Alex's 13th birthday (which was actually July 16th). We went to the Museum of Science and Industry, and to the Sky Deck at the Willis Tower. All in one day!

I still can't believe I went out on the ledge. 

The Sky Deck is amazing!  The cube of glass - 4 of them - stick out the side of the building on the 103rd floor.  Standing in it allows you to see straight down, as well as to the sides.  Simply remarkable technology.

Check out my slideshow.