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!

Cocoa-Banana & Fig Smoothie (Dairy-Free, Vegan, Gluten-Free)

 This is definitely one of those less-heathy, more nostalgic-for-chocolate-milkshakes smoothies. But as you can see above, it does have quite a lot of fibre and various phytonutrients going for it, so it is somewhat healthier than a choco shake.  It's a comfort food smoothie!  My husband is on an 8-day hike and I miss him already (and worry a little).

We're still enjoying fresh figs!  Today I made some fig jam that is absolutely the best jam I have ever eaten... I'll make sure you get the recipe (HERE).  Rather than using sugar, I thought that a fig would do (bananas are also sweet).

INGREDIENTS:
2 Frozen Bananas, peeled and chunked
1 Ripe, Fresh Fig, stem removed and quartered
2-4 T. Organic Cocoa (a Fair Trade brand is the most ethical)
1 T. Almond Butter (optional)
1-2 C. Almond Mylk

Whirl it up and enjoy!

Blackberry-Fig-Avocado Smoothie-- Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Ambrosia

 You know that I don't like to boast about all the fruit we are harvesting in our yard... you do know that, right?  Well, please forgive me today... I just can't help it... and I can't take the credit either, of course... that belongs to God!

Last year our son, the veggie farmer, looked over the pathetic little fig tree, the one that seemed to be 'cursed' (read Mark 11:13-14) and went about laying down some necessary lime and other minerals.  He said, "Watch it-- it will take off for you!" and, behold, he was right on.. this year the fig tree that had never treated us to more than 1 or maybe 2 fruits in the previous 6 years, suddenly produced a minor boom crop this year.  These are Green Figs, so while they look less ripe than Brown Figs, they are soft, and sweetly delicious.  My husband adores figs-- you might say he is a Fig Pig-- so I am also very happy that he gets to harvest and eat them before he goes out onto the North Coast Trail hike with his friend Brian in a few days. (He would have been so disappointed had he missed the ripe figs while on the hike).

So juicy sweet!

Okay, on with the Smoothie Recipe: (for about 20 oz. of Smoothie)

Combine the following in a high-speed blender (or other blender, in two batches):

• 3 ripe, juicy Figs (minus the tough stems)
• 1 C. Blackberries (I used frozen ones for the ice appeal)(Regular Raspberries would also be delish!)
• 1/2 ripe, soft Avocado flesh
• 1 C. Nut Mylk (as you can see, I opted for ready-made Almond Breeze-- use what you like)
• Water as desired (I like to bulk mine up with water-- so hydrating)

Thoroughly enjoy this Smoothie by God*

Persons with Type 2 Diabetes who are trying to eat as healthy as possible from the Plant-based regimen will be happy to know that this is a body-friendly grouping of fruits, that, in season (do not eat the high glycemic dry figs and eat the fruit raw),  fresh and ripe, will just make you feel lovely in this smoothie!  Enjoy!
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Click HERE to scroll other luscious Smoothie recipes containing Avocado

"First Fruits" Blackberry-Apple-Chard Green Smoothie (Vegan, Dairy-Free, Thyroid-Friendly)

 I'm calling this "First Fruits" because it is the first picking of a sizable couple of smoothie servings of thornless blackberries from the overloaded bushes in my backyard.  There is a sizable fresh excitement to go along with this activity.  The flavour is delightful, although a little tart, so I added a little Xylitol to sweeten it up (and apparently to inhibit any nasties that are doing a number on my skin).  I also added a small Granny Smith Apple, cored, and 2 large leaves of Swiss Chard (one of the few big green leaves that is not goitrogenic, that is, not healthful for the thyroid gland). And of course I stuck in my usual Chia Seed Gel (homemade- learn how HERE along with some other yummy recipes using the gel).

So, here is the recipe.  You can vary the amounts to suit you:

2 C. Ripe Blackberries (or frozen)
2 Large Leaves of Swiss Chard
1 Granny Smith Apple, cored and chopped
1/4 C. Chia Seed Gel
1/2 tsp. XYLA Xylitol Sweetener (or ?)
2-3 C. Water (ice  cubes if desired)

Whirl until smooth and pour into a large glass or mason jar to enjoy while doing your morning computer tasks, or as breakfast, or maybe at the end of the day, or when you need a lift!

Vegan "Buttah Mylk" (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, NON-Goitrogenic)

A few days ago my neighbour was rejoicing in some chives that she was given by another neighbour-- I told her that we had chives in our garden as well, but that I rarely use them.  She said, "But this is the buttermilk and chives season!" and I was immediately transported back to a time in my life when a frosty glass of buttermilk with chopped chives was the highlight of my Summer afternoon!  Maybe it's a farmgirl thang, not sure, but I suddenly got a hankering for buttermilk.  Problem: I am definitely adverse to dairy, or it is adverse to me.

Sooooooooooo.... how about a smoothie that tastes like buttermilk, but that has no dairy in it?

Here it is... it may be difficult for you to imagine a mix of avocado, lemon, chiaseed, banana, chives, and sea salt tasting like buttermilk... but they DO, they really DO-- very similar creamy, chunky texture, and very similar tart, sweet, salty, chive-y flavour!  Please try it and let me know if you agree!

VEGAN BUTTAH MYLK Ingredients:

• 1/2 ripe, soft Avocado
• 1/4 C. Chia seed Gel (instructions HERE)
• 1 small ripe Banana, chopped
• Small handful Chives, finely chopped
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt (all those 82 trace minerals!)
• 1/2 - 1 fresh Lemon, juice and zest - (I would go for closer to 1 whole lemon)
• 1 - 2 C. Water
• 2- 4 Ice Cubes

Go ahead and spin it up!  

Place in high speed blender (or in 2 batches in regular blender) and blend until smooth... Mmmm.... yum.... no dairy bloating, etc.  

Frozen Peach Smoothie Starter

Here is a delicious way to quickly and easily start your day with a smoothie-- called a frozen smoothie starter, it is basically a frozen smoothie pellet the size of a cupcake or muffin cup (whatever size your pan is) that you just pop into your blender along with whatever fruit, fluid or greens you want to add, and voila! A gourmet smoothie, no ice cubes needed! Dairy-free and Gluten-free.

This smoothie is made with fresh, tree-ripened, organic Okanagan-grown Red Haven Peaches, the absolute royalty among eating peaches!  But any peaches will do-- just make sure they are organic (as I explain in this blog, although they have amazing mouth appeal and health benefits, chemically-sprayed peaches are in the "Dirty Dozen" foods list).  You'll have summer in your glass whenever you pour out your peachy smoothie in the months to come!

Blend together the following Ingredients:

1. 6 well-washed (but unpeeled, if organic) Peaches, sliced
2. 4 C. Coconut Dream Coconut Milk (or Almond-Brasil nut mylk would also be delish!)
3. 2 T. shredded (unsweetened) Coconut
4. 1 T. Cinnamon powder

Pour into 12 muffin cups (I use silicone muffin pans for quick pop-out-ability but other muffin tins will do).  

There will likely be enough left over for a big smoothie base (add your fave greens, etc. and blend up again.) 

Put the muffin pans into the freezer and freeze until solid.

Put the frozen peachy-coconut discs into ziplock bags and back into the freezer for those coming days when fresh peaches will be just a dream from last summer!

To reconstitute, just add one or two of the frozen discs to a cup or two of fluid (water, juice, coconut milk, nut mylk, etc.) and add more fruit (a frozen banana goes well) if you want, and fresh chopped greens (with peaches I like cilantro, parsley, romaine or celery).  

Question: Who's the Clever Duck for getting their smoothies all ready to go in advance?