Cyclist's Daily Launch Smoothie - Pineapple Mango Lime Coconut Thyroid-Happy Green Smoothie

Pineapple Mango Lime Coconut Thyroid-Happy Green Smoothie

This delicious fruity smoothie is made to NOT injure or irritate the thyroid, and to be a source of energy and high immunity.  My husband Ed has been drinking one of these almost every day of this month (and I mean 20 ounces by "one of these").  He has just completed riding 361 kilometers with this month's GREAT CYCLE CHALLENGE to support children and their families in their battles against Cancer.  You can learn more about that, and please donate (income tax receipted) by going HERE.

My husband and hero Ed rode his heart out for these little kids!

The Recipe: (Makes 2 - 20 oz. servings for you and someone you love)

*Your choice of Frozen Organic Fruit: 3 Cups  (My Faves are Pineapple and Mango, mixed)
*Scoop or more of Coconut Shreds
*Juice of 1 Lime, Squeezed  
* 1/2 Cup (about 200 ml) Organic Apple Sauce
*2 Scoops your fave Dry Greens Mix  (I use Thyroid Greens - Goitrogen FREE green superfood powder drink mix )
*2 tsp. (30ml) the herb/spice Turmeric
*Water to make 40 oz. (about 16 oz.-- if it is too thick, add more)

Place all the above in your VitaMix (or other blender) and whirl it up until creamy and smooth, like soft serve ice cream.  It is ever so much more tasty and refreshing!  And will definitely have you feeling great and full until Lunchtime!  You might even find yourself cycling over 100km and doing stair-running when you get there! 

These Sweet Guys say "Thank You"-- Please donate! Click on the Collage above.

Mango Coconut Chai Smoothie

Mango-Coconut-Chai Smoothie

This lovely bright yellow (thanks to the superfood, turmeric) Mango Coconut Chai Smoothie is just the thing if you are looking for a bit of sunshine in a gloomy morning-- or even a way to celebrate a gloriously sunny morning!  And, of course, this is a super-healthy smoothie!  The phytochemicals and vitamins in the fruits, the medium-chain essential acids in the coconut, and the antioxidants in the spicy chai add up to a powerful start to your day!  It doesn't hurt, either, that this smoothie is one of the most delicious ones you'll ever drink!

Chai tea is an ayurvedic drink traditionally made with milk (vegan milks work fine) and some combination of black, oolong, or green tea, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and/or fennel.  At the very least, chai is found to be a great drink for the digestion, and recently scientific research is suggesting that chai is high in antioxidants and as such, is offering yet another tasty, healthy preventative for cancer.*

If you are planning to try this smoothie in the morning, pop an ice cube tray of cooled chai tea into your freezer to freeze overnight.  You can also just opt to use individual herbs, such as fresh-grated ginger and a couple of cloves ground up in your coffee bean grinder.  You might even just try 1 - 3 drops of a therapeutic essential oil, such as cinnamon bark, clove or cardamom. (Caution: use only oils that are designated safe for human consumption, that have not been processed to include harmful solvents and other chemicals, and that do not contain the disclaimer that they are only for "external use".)

METHOD:

Put the following into the carafe of your blender:

• 1 Banana, chunked
• 1 C. Frozen Mango
• 1/2 C. Coconut Shreds (unsweetened)
• 1 tsp. Turmeric powder
• 3-4 Chai Tea Ice Cubes, or desired Chai herbs and spices as mentioned above
• 2 - 4 C. Coconut Dream or other vegan mylk
• 1 packet "Sweet Leaf" or other natural sweetener (optional)

Spin up and enjoy your healthy, sparky start to the day!

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!

Thickalicious Classic Tropical Green Smoothie Plus

This Thickalicious Classic Tropical Green Smoothie Plus is everything you expect when you think "Aloha" or "Muchas Gracias"-- tangy, yummy, refreshing, zesty, what you really wanted when you ordered those alcoholic cocktails with the little umbrellas.  No, there is no Grenadine or any other high fructose syrups in this baby... just the real fruity thing PLUS some great "superfood" herbs that will give you the gusto for the day (and maybe even a longer, happier life if my husband's class in Ayurvedics was correct).

Layer your blender carafe with the following and cover with filtered water; soak for at least 15 minutes:

• 1/2 C. organic Rolled Oats (the Thickalicious factor to get you through until lunchtime)
• 1 tsp. ground Chia seed (grind in your coffee bean grinder)
• 1/2 tsp.- 1 tsp. Ashwagandha
• 1/2 tsp.- 1 tsp. Turmeric

After soaking the above in the carafe for at least 15 minutes (to improve digestability), add in:

• 1 C. Frozen Mango chunks
• 1 C. Frozen Pineapple chunks
• 1 Banana, chunked
• 6 Dates
• 1-2 Handfulls of Tender Greens

Whirl up and Enjoy!

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!

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>

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

Tropical Green Smoothie with a Touch of the Ayurvedic

My dear husband is a great fan of (1)alternative healing methods and (2)the Comox Valley ElderCollege.  So, ever since he enrolled in a course in *Aging Reversal that looked closely at the philosophy of healing and wellness, he has been giving mini-lectures throughout the day at home and has stocked us up on some Ayurvedic herbs that we are incorporating into our eating. We are also imbibing a daily teaspoon each of Ghee, the wonderful clarified butter, which rather destroys my claim to be vegan, but there ya go-- I'm ever so submissive a wife (not).   Anyhow, there will be a few smoothie recipes to come that will contain various Ayurvedic herbs, or as David Wolfe, raw foodie guru would have it "SUPERfoods".  Today's Tropical Green Smoothie contains Turmeric (Ayurvedic) and Astragalus (Chinese)

Turmeric: Sometimes referred to as "the Indian Saffron" for the bright yellow colour that imparts warmth and earthiness to many familiar Indian curries, Turmeric is a current star in the Celebrity Health Wiz-dom Firmament of Dr. Oz et al.  Curcumin is the active ingredient in Turmeric, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.  And since many believe that low-grade inflammation is the basis of most Western disease, a good consideration of Turmeric is in order since it is seen to fight inflammation at a molecular level.  Turmeric also has other wonderful attributes: it is linked to improved brain function and to a decrease in the brain diseases that we fear most as we age: dementia, Alzheimers, brain tumors.  Apparently Turmeric is most effective if taken with a 'fatty meal' (I guess that is where the ghee comes in?) and black pepper-- swallowing a couple of black peppercorns whole when eating Turmeric is suggested.  hmmm...

Astragalus is an herb used in Chinese Traditional Medicine.  Among other things, it is said to regulate the immune system, and is used for kidney disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

You can do your own research, with the recommendation that you discuss taking any "medicines"-- alternative or otherwise-- with a trusted health and wellness person.  In Courtenay we have several: as well as physicians and other allopathic medical personnel, there are well-regarded naturopaths, and was at one time even a much-esteemed, albeit controversial, compounding pharmacist and traditional herbalist who was well aware of herbs and "supplements" and many other aspects of natural and orthodox western health provision.

Here is the recipe for today's delicious Tropical Green Smoothie with a Touch of the Ayurvedic:
Whirl the following up in a high speed blender, or in smaller batches in a regular blender for 2-4 servings:

• 1 C. Frozen Organic Mango Slices (Costco)
• 1 C. Frozen Pineapple (Costco) (or may by all means use fresh pineapple)
• 1 ripe, Organic Banana (riper the better for digestion, flavour, and texture)
• 4 C. of Tender Greens such as organic Baby Spring Greens, Chard, or Romaine.  If you are a long-timer at Green Smoothies, add in Cilantro, Parsley, etc.  
• 1 tsp. Turmeric
• 1 tsp. Astragalus
• 1-serving envelope of Stevia if you like your smoothies a little sweeter
• Filtered Water (2 - 4 cups)

This is a tasty, refreshing, and uplifting way to start the day!  Mango is particularly great in a smoothie because it is a natural emulsifier and the smoothie doesn't separate into water and veggies/fruit if you leave it sit in the fridge for a bit.  This is best ingested right after it is spun up.  You who think it is repulsive to look at and think you will gag if you try it, well, use a few less greens to start with and just savour the lovely reviving fruity flavours.  Romaine Lettuce has the benefit of being a watery green with no significant flavour when mixed with fruit, so is a great starter green.  Some greens (spinach and kale, for example) are favorites in the green smoothie crowd, but there is some suggestion that they might not be so friendly to the thyroid and are best used if they have been steamed or cooked (can't see that in a raw smoothie, can you?)  So, romaine is a good green to go with.  Bonne appetit!

*AGING REVERSAL – AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH  (6 Weeks)
Presenter: Kasandra Manering CVEC 5700
Thurs. Oct. 9 – Nov. 13 8:30 – 10:00
Our skin, liver, the cornea of our eyes, in fact nearly all of our body, is constantly    being rebuilt. Most of our body is less thantwo years old. Why and how do we age? Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old wellness system, has some novel answers – not only as to why we age but what we may choose to do about   it. This introductory course is full of practical, enjoyable options that you may choose to incorporate into your daily routine.< ~taken from the Comox Valley Elder College Newsletter for the Autumn 2014 p.5 of Course Outlines

The Green Smoothie vs. Radiation Poisoning

COMBINE THE FOLLOWING IN THE VITAMIX CANISTER:
*2-6 Celery stalks, chopped
*1 Apple, cored, chopped
*1 C. Blackberries, frozen or fresh
*1 T. Cinnamon
*1/2 tsp. Turmeric
*Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt
*1 T. Raw Honey
*1/4 C. Raw Pumpkin Seed
*1/4 C. dried Coconut
*Water (1 - 1 1/2 Quarts)

Spin up. Drink by itself (i.e., don't eat it with your breakfast, etc. Give yourself about an hour before and an hour after eating to digest this. There are several kinds of radiation that will be protected against by drinking Green Smoothies every day.  (recipe adapted from David Wolfe)
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