Happy Saturday, I Think.

So my Saturday started at 3:45am.  Not impressed.  I go through bouts of insomnia and was quite proud to have worked myself up to 5 hours of sleep per night but alas, it was short lived.  The rest of the day should be quite interesting!! 

Guests tomorrow so house to clean, football practice today followed by a football jamboree - give me strength.  Thinking I need a smoothie that's not only going to fill me but give me some much needed energy!

Introducing Citrus Surprise

1 whole orange, peeled
1 whole lemon, peeled
1 whole lime, peeled
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp flax seed
1 cup water or coconut water (I used coconut for some much needed potassium and hydration)
1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice

This recipe is good for two large servings with minimal points so enjoy!!

Here's hoping for a (at least somewhat) sunny day and a rockin' Jamboree!

At Last...It's Friday!

Today brings an end to "hell week" - you know that week where you are completely overbooked and everyone seems to want a part of you?  That was this past week.  I was going to count all the appointments we had to squeeze in but I got scared, lol.  So let's just say overbooked, shall we?

I am happy though and the last appointment of the day is with a wonderful, new client.  She's just lovely and we are off to a great start with the planning of her home.  Love it!  Hectic weekend begins Saturday but it includes football, friends and family and let's face, you can't be that!

Despite this hectic schedule I HAVE been tracking all my food and have, so far, been doing a great job!  I'm always nervous when the weekends hit as meals aren't always so well planned but I'm determined (if nothing else, lol)

So what's on the menu?

Coconut Chai Smoothie

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup ice or 1 frozen banana (depending on your points - I had my smoothie without it)

 100g Liberty coconut Greek Yogurt

Decadent? Yup
Delicious? Yup
Hittin' the Beach? Nope, but wish I could!

Enjoy and be kind to yourself!

 

Peach Melba

Ahhhhh, a conversation with the Boo (aka my 12-yr-old) sure can warm the heart.  Not overly hungry for lunch so he asked for a smoothie instead.  Love it!

His choice for today: 100g pineapple greek yogurt, 1 cup frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 whole lemon, water. 

I'm in heaven - he's getting in some protein and lots of fruity goodness.  But I don't fool myself...he'll be back in the fridge soon enough, lol.

I've been sipping cucumber lemonade all morning.  It's addictive and refreshing.  Not a whole lot of goodness, I know but it sure beats my staple, Diet Pepsi.

SO!  Have you indulged in peaches yet?  I picked some up this week.  Not bad, not great but smoothie worthy.

Peach Melba

1 Whole peach, pitted & chopped
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
100g Oikos peach and mango Greek yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup ice
Low-fat milk, few tablespoons

I started by blending the peach and yogurt with a little bit of milk until foamy.  Add the vanilla, raspberries and ice then blend again.  This comes out quite nicely and is not your typical smoothie consistency.

Be safe, be kind, be blendin' folks!

Baked Apple Baby!

 

OK!  Seriously?  It's not really baked but it tastes just like it!!! Indulge.  Seriously.

 

Baked Apple Smoothie

 

1/4 cup low-fat plain OR vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced (I use granny smith)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup ice

1/3 cup water

Large handful spinach

Sweetener or honey to taste (I used 1 tsp honey)

 

I'm going to include another recipe today because despite being a long weekend here in Montreal, I have to work!  Not complaining, believe me!  Love, love, love what I do!  I just may not be back tomorrow :-)

 

So try this...

 

Blueberry Orange Goodness

 

1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen or fresh banana
Ice, as needed

This one is great for the kids in the morning and packs a real nutritional punch!  Guaranteed to go over well with the whole family!

Frightening...

I was hit by the most painful migraine I have EVER experienced last night.  The type that makes you wish you could take a gun to your head to end the pain.  It was blinding.  It was acute.  It was numbing.  It was the worse pain I could imagine.  And of course it hit while I was driving.  The lights from the other cars were unbearable as I tried to apply pressure to the top of my head, praying that I wouldn't pass out from the pain.  Sweat ran down my face, my back and by the time I made it home my clothing was soaked with sweat.  I barely made it into the house before the pain, so intense, made me physically ill.  My wonderful husband held my hair and wrapped cold clothes around my neck but it just would not let go.  Not something I look forward to ever repeating...Thankfully this morning was business as usual and I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what may have triggered it. No luck yet.

Sadly, the last thing I had eaten before being sick was cooked Kale.  I loved cooked Kale.  Past tense.
Having been sick, I can no longer look at it, smell it.  I am really hoping that will pass.  I loved Kale.

So you may find it somewhat ironic that I'm posting a Strawberry Kale smoothie.  I seem to be able to stomach it in it's raw form so far...so I can still reap its benefits.

Strawberry/Kale Smoothie

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 large handful raw kale
100g plain or vanilla yogurt
1 tsp honey
Ice, as needed

I started by blending the kale with the milk to ensure it blended smoothly before adding the other ingredients.  The color is funky, so be warned.  But really, really good.

BEST.DAY!

Oh my!  What a fantabulous day!  I just scored another fabulous interior design job not far from home!  A beautiful home already - they are making it bigger and revamping!  I CANNOT WAIT to get started, tomorrow! WOOT!

Ok, I HAVE TO ASK!  Did you try the Chai smoothie? OH.MY.  I am now happily addicted :-) BeSt TaStE eVeR!  Do I sound excited today?  Well, I am.

I was soooo happy I had my nose re-pierced!  Hurt like the dickens the 1st time, then I lost it and the hole closed immediately.  The whole thing was so awful it was enough to turn me off the whole thing forever...or so I thought.  A friend of mine from Carissima Mobile Spa does it with a gun, just like the ears. NO pain!

I am one happy, happy camper today.  Just sayin'!!

Playin' with pears tomorrow - check it out!

Pear Deeelight!

1 whole pear (skin, core, it's all good!)
1 inch fresh ginger
100g vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup skim milk
Ice

Blend, blend, blend away!

My Boo is back from his grad trip tomorrow.  How I missed him!  Busy times ahead with football and his grad.  Need.To.Stay.On.Track!

Be kind everyone xo

Monday, Monday...

Monday Monday, so good to me,
Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be - The Mamas and The Papas

Hello Smoothie Lovers!  How did it go this weekend?  One day of sun and one miserable day of rain here. Not nice of Mother Nature on Father's Day but what can ya do?  We enjoyed a homemade breakfast together but then it was back to work!

It's our wedding anniversary today too.  Thankfully someone reminded us.  Yah.  Really.  We don't really celebrate our wedding anniversary - now that's not as bad as it sounds because we DO celebrate our "together" day.  Our "together" day is what's most important to us.  Yes, even more important 6than the actual wedding.  Crazy but true.  So watch out on October 26th - then we'll celebrate.

So we pondered butters this weekend.  Packed with protein, in moderation, this is pure goodness.  Nut butters.  Nutritious ~ Filling ~ Delicious....Try these on for size.You will want to go easy when adding nuts to your smoothie. Raw almonds, cashews or macadamia nuts are great options if you have a high-speed blender that can powder them prior to mixing your smoothie. Alternately, a tablespoon or two of almond, cashew or peanut butter can add a nutty flavor to a banana smoothie. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds are also great choices as well as hemp seeds, which are also high in protein.

Banana Walnut Smoothie

Ingredients

 

1/2  banana

1 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp toasted wheat germ (optional)

 

Blend the walnuts prior to blending the rest of the ingredients.  This is not overly sweet so you may feel it necessary to add additional sweetener.  I liked it as is :-)

 

Chai Almond Smoothie - prepare to be amazed!!

 

3 pitted dates      

3/4  cup unsweetened almond milk     

1  tsp unsweetened cocoa powder     
3/4 tsp freshly grated ginger     
1/4  tsp ground cinnamon     
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg 
3 whole almonds, ground    
1/8 tsp vanilla extract  

This will be a do-over and over and over again for me.  Not a meal by any stretch but definitely sit-on-the-sidelines and cheer worthy!  WOOT!

Be safe, be kind and for goodness sakes, be yourself cause that's your perfect you!  Have a great day folks!   

Status Quo

Weight remained status quo this week :-)  Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.  It's all good.

My refreshing "treat" this morning was indeed a great breakfast alternative.  Tasty and filling!


Fruit & Oatmeal

100g Liberty Greek Pineapple Yogurt
1/2 green apple
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 whole orange, peeled
Ice, as needed

I used about 5 ice cubes and the consistency was just perfect.  I'll be playing with nut butters on Sunday so I hope to have a few new recipes to share.  Packed with protein - nuts are a good thing.

Enjoy the sun, we never know how long it will last ;-)  Be kind to yourselves!

Good To Be Back!

Been staying REALLY on track and I can feel it!  It's a great feeling!  I'm considering a "Raw Challenge" although I have to think about it, lol.  All raw, all whole, no cooking for an entire week.  YIKES!  But I think I can do it!  Maybe.  Stay tuned.

I promised you the recipe for the fat burning soup so here it is.  It was given to me so I cannot claim it as my own but I cannot say enough good things about it.  It is DELICIOUS!

DAHL SOUP

Cooking Spray
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 clove garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup dried red or green lentils - rinsed and picked
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cardamon
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 dried hot chili pepper

Heat cooking spray in large pot.
Add onions, garlic and ginger and cook until translucent.
Add broth, lentils and spices and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 45 min.

After simmering for 45 minutes, I added another 4 cups of broth and doubled the spices (except the chili pepper) and let simmer for another hour or so. I added more cayenne than recipe calls for - love spicy!

It gets even better as leftovers :-D

3 points per 1 cup.

I kid you not!  I lose weight every time I eat this soup.  It's magical ;-)

Love Celery?  I do!!  Check this out!

EAT, CRUNCH, ENJOY!

Have a great day folks!  Be kind to yourselves xo

Nightcap

With plenty of points left in my day an additional treat was in order - this was easy to make and transport to the football field so I knew it would be a winner!

Blueberry Greens

1 cup frozen blueberries
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 handful spinach
1 whole lemon, peeled
1 sweetener of your choice
1 cup water
Ice, as needed

Note: Be sure to chop your celery first as not all blenders are created equal.  This has a cool, refreshing taste and the greens add a really nice tang.

Enjoy!

I'll be making some fantastic fat-burning soup today.  No joke!  This stuff is fabulous!  Low in points, really, really high in flavor - you'll love it!  Watch for the recipe!

Bam!

Whoda thunk it?  After last week's disastrous torture of the body it would appear I have lost .4lbs regardless.  Go figure.

Computer is back on track (well, this one anyways), stress level has descended (somewhat) and I'm working on a new marketing plan soooo...this week should be slow and steady.  Woot!

Relatively sunny here today - a lovely change of pace so I thought we'd bring in more sunshine!

This is sorta, kinda, almost, not quite, but just about the same as the famous Orange Julius.  Let me know your thoughts when you're done :-)

Fresh Orange Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 fresh oranges, peeled
• 1 cups ice
• 1/3 cup milk (your preference)
• 1 Tbsp. honey – optional
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• zest of 1/2 orange

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Add more ice if you would like.  For an icier treat, throw the oranges in the freezer for 30 mins.  Icy cool but not yet frozen through.

Have a great folks!  Be kind to yourself!

Epic...

As in epic fail.  Long moment of weakness.  Wednesday afternoon was a complete write-off for me.  Not happy.  I let the emotions get the best of me and there were many.  Up, down, all around then back again.  My choices were not good ones.  Between the computer (still not resolved), school events and just a general malaise it all became too much.  But I'm acknowledging it and moving on.  I can do that, right?  Today is a new day.

So we'll handle each hurdle, one at a time (what else can we do?) and see ourselves through.  Let's embrace the power of the berry today...

Cherry-Berry Smoothie

 

1/2 large banana

1 cup blueberries, frozen

1 cup frozen cherries

1 sweetener of choice

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1 1/2 cups water

3-6 ice cubes

 

Blend on low for 10-20 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium/high until smooth.

 

I hope this spreads a little sunshine your way - be kind to yourselves, don't do what I did, lol.  Have a great day folks!

Hell Hath No Fury...

Like a computer virus!  Still struggling here but hoping to have it fixed soon.  It was a doozy!  It even wiped out my security features - go figure.  Amazing I've been able to stay on track but I have!  Barely.  Can't say the temptation hasn't been there but I'm managing!

Two recipes for you today for being soooo patient with me (and my computer woes)

Mochachinno!

Throw out that leftover coffee no more!  Keep those last dredges of coffee from the pot for this great, cool smoothie.  Freeze your leftovers in ice cube trays and you're good to go!  NOWHERE near the points from a Timmies Ice Cap so enjoy all day long!

6-8 coffee cubes
1 cup skim milk or coconut or almond milk
1 TBSP cocoa
Sweetener of your choice (you will need it if you like your coffee on the sweet side)

Blend and enjoy!  If your program allows it, add 1 Tbsp of coffee cream for a creamier taste.  I don't need it but you may prefer it that way :-)

Pretty Green

1 large Granny Smith Apple, chopped
100g Liberty Greek Apple yogurt
1 lime, peeled and chopped
1 handful of spinach or romaine lettuce
1 cup coconut water
Ice, as needed

This was not only very refreshing but a filling breakfast too.

We're off again - we've just opened a new division of PHANCY so we're quite busy!  Not having all the computers up and running does not help but I'm sure our ancestors did fine running their businesses without all the gadgets ;-)  Although I can't do it for long, lol.

Stay safe everyone, smile and have a great day!

We Have A Glitch...

We have a computer GLITCH aka VIRUS - we're working on it and should be properly back online by Tuesday at the latest.  Please bear with us!

Stay clean, stay on track and keep blendin'!