Thickalicious Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Green Smoothie With *Benefits

This morning's smoothie was set up for my husband's jaunt off on his bike for a few miles and back.  It's sunny but cool.  He's just finished a Longevity class from the local ElderCollege and is keen on incorporating the Ayurvedic herbs into his daily diet. This Thickalicious Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Green Smoothie With *Benefits is a mouthful, in more ways than one.  Like my othersmoothies, this contains rolled oats to sustain him from hunger pangs on the trip, chia seed to give him great bursts of energy and perseverence, pineapple, banana, dates and coconut for that smacking good taste (and all those phyto-nutrients), and  ashwagandha and turmeric for the Ayurvedic *benefits: improved immune system, brain power, longevity!

Layer the following in a blender carafe (you might want to do two half-batches if you have a regular blender):

• 2 C. Frozen Pineapple chunks (or Fresh)
• 1 C. Rolled Oats (buy Gluten-Free if you are coeliac or sensitive to wheat / gluten)(Presoak in 1 C.of Water if you have the time)
• 1 Banana in chunks (Frozen is great)
• 6 Pitted Dates (I used Medjool but use what you like / can find)
• 1 T. Chia Seed ground in Coffee Grinder or 2 T. Chia Seed Gel http://techygran.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Make-Chia-Seed-Gel-and-How-To-Use-It
• 1/4 C. Coconut Shreds
• 1 tsp. Ashwagandha mixed with 3 T.*Coconut Sugar or 1 packet of stevia
• 1 tsp. Turmeric
• Large handful Tender Greens of Choice
• 1 C. Filtered Water, or as much as you wish.  Letting the contents of the Carafe sit for about 15-30 minutes is a good idea for the chia (chia gel) and the oats.. makes digestion easier.

Whirl up and drink right away!  You are going to feel satisfied and won't be given to the usual cravings, probably right up until lunch time!

Chai Pumpkin-Spice Avo-Banana Smoothie

This is a significant birthday for my dear husband.  It is a "longevity" marker, and if I say that we have been married going on 45 years and married young, you likely can guess his age?  He has been taking a class from the local ElderCollege about Age Reversal with a focus on Ayurvedic (Indian) wellness and longevity.  So, we have re-introduced butter (as in "Ghee", clarified butter) into our was-vegan life, and lots of exotic herbs and spices (eg., Turmeric, Ashwagandha, etc.)  I thought that a sort of "chai" smoothie would be lovely for the morning smoothie (and he has a meeting, so it will give him a boost before he goes off to that and should keep him energetic, sharp as a tack, and not hungry until lunchtime).  Here it is (recipe for two people):

Put the following ingredients into a Vitamix, or in batches into a less workhouse blender:

1 ripe Avocado
2 C. non-dairy Mylk + Filtered Water (you decide how much of each)
2 frozen Bananas
3 T. Maple Syrup, or more to taste OR/AND 1 packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia (to taste)
2-3  tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp. Turmeric Powder
1 tsp. Ashwagandha Powder
(A cup of icy chai tea might be a great addition-- I haven't tried that yet)

Blend until smooth and silky like a really great Pumpkin Pie custard!  If a spoon stands up in it and you would like it a little thinner, then add more Mylk or Water.

Click HERE to scroll other luscious Smoothie recipes containing Avocado