Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

This Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Smoothie is tart, but refreshing!  I add a packet of stevia (Sweet Leaf brand) just to give  it a little extra sweetness.  But otherwise, it is dyn-o-mite!  I'm kicking off the Christmas Smoothie Week here-- we will start every day with a lovely, high antioxidant smoothie to fend off the bugs and do some mild detox.  Hope you will join in!  If you are not already on the list and would like to be over the 7-Day Christmas Smoothie-ton, please just sign up below the recipe!
Cranberry - Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie Recipe: This recipe makes enough smoothies for 2 - 4 people depending on how much smoothie you imbibe! Put the following in your blender carafe and whirl up:

• 1 - 3 C. Fresh Cranberries
• 1 - 2 C. Frozen Seedless Grapes (mine are Green, but any table grapes will do!)
• 1 - 2 Apples, cored and chopped (washed well but not peeled)
• 1 T. ground Chia Seed (grind it in a Coffee Bean Grinder)
• Filtered Water to the 1/2 Mark on your Carafe
• 1 packet Sweet Leaf Stevia with Inulin (Optional)

To Your Health AND Merry Christmas!  ~Cynthia

Here are the other 6 Christmas Smoothie Recipes for you to sample!

Cranberry Lassi with Coconut Milk, Cumin, Chia and Ginger Smoothie

Mandaringo-Ginger Smoothie

Christmas Cake Smoothie

Luscious Eggless Nog Smoothie

Sweet Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Chocolate-Mint Smoothie

Thickalicious Exotic Tropical Green Smoothie With Cardamom

Today's lovely Thickalicious Exotic Tropical Green Smoothie is fragrant, sweet, delicious and packed with a ton of nutritional benefits.  The mango, pineapple, and banana are all fruits with endorsed health recognition, as well as the delightful flavour that you expect from yummy tropical fruits.  I use organic frozen fruit from Costco.  A half-cup of pineapple from a huge bag goes a long way and makes smoothies for two adults in our house, so don't be freaked out the initial output of $$.  Believe me, buying organic is worth it if you don't have access to local unsprayed products (many organic growers choose not to pay the rather exorbitant cost of registering their operations, but will advertise as 'unsprayed', etc.  If you shop at the 'farmgate' or a farmer's market, you can ask all about how they grow their fruits and veggies).  

I'm pretty sure you will also love the other items in this smoothie: the chia seed is one of the highest sources of balanced Omega-3 essential fatty acid (meaning that it is not overpowered by Omega-6, a not-so-useful fatty acid, very plentiful) which is great for hearts and brains of all family members, and provides good energy, as seeds often do, packed as they are with everything a plant needs to grow.

   Turmeric is used in a lot of our food prep these days since my husband took a longevity class at the local Elder College and learned about ayurvedic herbs, like turmeric.  Besides a whole list of impressive benefits, turmeric is a mild digestive, always nice to have when you are eating a variety of foods like a smoothie contains.  

Today's 'new' smoothie addition is the cardamom pod-- $150/k at our local health food store, so we didn't buy much (and it is light-weight).  You can read a little about it on the sidebar.  

And of course, the lovely sweetening coconut shards and the rolled oats that get imbibers of Thickalicious smoothies through from breakfast to lunch without cravings!

METHOD:

Layer the following in your blender:

• 1/2 C. organic Rolled Oats
• 1 T. Chia Seed (ground with Cardamom in a Coffee Bean Grinder)
• 5-6 organic Green Cardamom pods (ground with Chia in a Coffee Bean Grinder)
• 1 tsp. Turmeric
• 1 C. Coconut Shreds (organic, unsweetened preferred)
• 1/2 C. Frozen Organic Mango
• 1 organic Banana, ripe, chunked
• 1/2 C. Frozen  Pineapple
• 1-2 Handfuls of Tender Green (what makes it a Green Smoothie)
• 2-? C. of Filtered Water
• small packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia or other sweetener of choice (optional)

Let it sit in the carafe for a few minutes just to allow some soaking by the seeds and oats.  Then whirl up and enjoy!

Blueberry Ambrosia Green Smoothie

I got a little carried away with social networking this morning and forgot about eating.  Now, that tends to sound like a good thing for someone who could likely live on a desert island (but not a dessert island, haha) off the resources of several years of eating well, but what generally happens is that I get really hungry later into the evening and risk going into the *see-food diet until I finally haul myself off to bed. (*I see food, I eat it)  I am 64 years old.  I know now that if I skip meals, I end up hungry and hunting.

So, the best fast meal that I know of is a green smoothie.  And the most satisfying for me, in the place where I am at, sort of craving to feel full, but also wanting that not-too-sweet, fruit-and-greens combo, is a smoothie I refer to as Blueberry Ambrosia.  It has that plump silky yumminess of the old "fruit ambrosia" salad recipe that I remember from afternoon teas at some church as a young person.  My own mom actually never bothered fussing with dainty, yummy recipes, so I know that she didn't send it along with me (I was an inveterate tea-server as were all the young teens in my day who had any church connection in small-town Saskatchewan). But someone else's mother or grandmother took the time to make it, repeatedly, and I salute them with this thick smoothie (no, it is not 'thickalicious'-- there is no trademark oatmeal in this one).

INGREDIENTS:
1 Banana, Chunked (organic)
1 C. Frozen Blueberries (organic)
1 C. Frozen Mango (organic)
1 T. Chiaseed, ground in Coffee Bean Grinder
2 Handfuls of Tender Greens
2 C. Coconut Dream

Whirl up in your blender until thick and silky smooth.  Blueberries let no green shine through, so it will be a dark purply, brown colour.  The fruit and berries are filled with health phytonutrients that most of you are aware of, so don't be worried about "nasty carbs".  The coconut milk has medium chain fatty acids that help pump up the immune system, and the chia seed is the highest plant source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, good for heart and brain health.

I think you'll love it!

Thickalicious Apple-Grape Superfood Green Smoothie

This is a wonderful Green Smoothie, if I do say so myself.

There are three super-foods in this Apple-Grape "Superfood" Smoothie: Astragalus, Chia seed, and Cinnamon.  Although it is another Thickalicious smoothie, we have cut the oats down to a 1/2 Cup and amped up the (Medjool) dates to a dozen from the 6 I have used in the other recipes.  If you love Apple Crisp dessert, you will love this sweet and tasty breakfast smoothie.

Layer the following in a Blender Carafe (or in 2 bunches for less powerful blenders):

• 1/2 C. Rolled Oats                                               }soak in 1 C. of Water 30 min. before
• 1 tsp. Chia Seed (ground in a coffee bean grinder) }soak in above 1 C. of Water before
• 1 tsp. Astragalus Powder (More information about this Chinese herb at bottom of this post)
• 1 T. Cinnamon
• 12 Dates, pitted
• 1 C. Frozen Green Grapes
• 2 juicy Apples, cored and chopped (I used McIntosh Apples, juicy and flavourful)
• 1 large handful of Tender Greens

Whirl up and enjoy!

Product Description for Astragalus Astragalus root is one of many herbs  known by several names. Astragalus  membranaceus and Astragalus  propinquus are both Latin names for  the unique plant more commonly known as Astragalus root.  Astragalus comes from the pea family,  and has been used for thousands of  years in traditional Chinese medicine.  Astragalus herb is thought to boost  overall vitality. In Chinese medicine it has been historically used to promote healing and reduce pain. Click <----

Raspberry-Mango Superfood Smoothie

Raspberry-Mango Superfood Smoothie

Today's Raspberry-Mango Superfood Smoothie is an attempt to gain back some of the sunshine and soul of summer that seems to have washed away with these last several days (weeks?) of rain.

Yes, I know, and I AM grateful to be living on this paradise Island (Vancouver Island) where winters are rainy but also MILD.  I am happy to be married to a wonderful man, to be blessed with a roof over my head, food to eat, a car to drive, friends, loving children and grandchildren.  

But a lotta raining can bring on the blues...

So that is why today's Smoothie is a mix of summer-y tang and sweetness, bright colors, and Superfoods -- herbs that have been granted that title because of the superlative job they do of energizing, healing, protecting and balancing our body systems.  

To achieve this whimsical 'layered look' of a smoothie parfait, you must make two separate smoothies, each with the ability to hold its own place and not run into the other's space (although that is okay too.)   Mango is an emolient fruit that is great to use in any smoothie if you like one that doesn't separate out into its constituent parts before you get a chance to drink it!  Raspberries are watery little creatures and need the boost of something like CHIA seed, which is also emolient, but has extra superfood qualities as well!

THE MANGO LAYER

Put the following in the blender (I use Vitamix, but you should be able to do this in any blender... just take the time):

• 1 C. Organic Frozen Mango
• 1/2 tsp. Ashwagandha powder
• 1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
• 1 Ripe Organic Banana
• 1 C. Nut Mylk

Spin it up and pour into 2 glasses about 1/2 way up the glass... (this glass is half full! hehe)

Rinse out the Carafe

THE RASPBERRY LAYER

Put the following in and spin up:

• 1 C. Organic Frozen Raspberries
• 1 tsp. Chia Seed  ground up in a coffee bean grinder
• 1 packet of Sweet Leaf Stevia (or a shot of Maple Syrup, Honey if you aren't worried)
• 1 C. Nut Mylk

Whirl it up.  Let it sit in the blender for a couple of minutes.  Pour gently over the Mango Layer.  Drink!

You should be able to find the Superfoods in a nearby health store.  If you cannot, you can learn more about them and purchase them online/div>

Ginger Peach Anti-Candida Green Smoothie

There are all varieties of Green Smoothies out there from the dairy-rich ones that contain actual additional refined sweeteners along with fruit and greens to smoothies that are basically whirled up fresh greens, a banana, and water to recipes that are heavy on commercial "smoothie mixes"... and everything in between. I love 'em all but my body now seems most amenable to a larger proportion of fresh greens and a tablespoon of ground (or gel) chia seed along with a lower glycemic fruit (or berries)and some additional fresh ground spices or veggies like ginger or garlic.

These fresher tasting Green Smoothies are less apt to feed any nefarious fungus or  incorrigible candida overgrowth than the sweeter-type smoothies.  I hope you will want to follow along and try these high-fibre, nutrient-dense, low glycemic smoothies for yourself!  You will find the recommendation for these smoothies and other invaluable tips in the free 5-part Minicourse you can sign up for below the recipe.

GINGER PEACH ANTI-CANDIDA GREEN SMOOTHIE

Add the following to your blender carafe:

1-2 large handsful of Baby Spinach leaves
3 Celery stems (cut into 2 inch pieces to avoid stringing the gears)
2 halves, Frozen Peaches (or fresh is fine of course-- or other stone fruit like apricot or plum)
1 baby finger-size nob of fresh Ginger, grated
1 T. Ground Chia Seed (or equal portion of Chia Gel)
Optional: 1 teaspoon of Acerola Cherry Juice Powder
Optional: pinch of Stevia to sweeten if desired
About 4- 8 oz. cups of filtered water
Spin up until creamy.  Let sit for 15 minutes if Chia meal has not had a chance to soak, stir, and pour into glasses to drink.

Sign up for the free 5-Part Minicourse that will be delivered through your email.  You will learn about how candida overgrowth gets in the way of great health and tips for overcoming nasty yeast infections.

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