Looking for a healthy, low calorie, summer treat? Then you found it. This watermelon frosty is refreshing, delicious and simple to make.
Ingredients
2.5 cups of frozen watermelon (I diced some watermelon, put it in ziplock bags and put in the freezer for 24 hours)
1 fresh banana
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup water
Place all ingredients in a blender. Pulse blender until mixture resembles soft serve ice cream.
Makes 2 servings at 170 calories each.
Shakeology, the healthiest meal of the day! There are hundreds of Shakeology recipes. My personal favorite is Chocolate Peanut Butter.
The recipe is so simple anyone can do it. 12oz of almond milk, 1 scoop of chocolate vegan Shakeology powder and 1 tablespoon of all natural creamy peanut butter. Place in a blender and blend for one minute. Enjoy!
So what makes Shakeology so healthy?
Shakeology is known as the healthiest meal of the day. You may be wondering how they pack all that goodness into Shakeology. Scientists and Nutritionists from Beachbody travel the world to find exotic, natural sources for the many Super Foods that are contained in Shakeology. These ingredients are then combined with careful precision and control to maintain the maximum health benefit and natural nutrition. Here are just a few of the unique ingredients that provide some of the amazing health benefits of Shakeology
Kamut Grass: Coined “nature’s most powerful detoxifier”, Kamut grass cleanses the blood, detoxifies the liver and neutralizes toxins in our cells. Containing phytonutrients, living enzymes, chlorophyll and other array of nutrients, it works in synergy to restore health and vitality.
Acai berry -(ah-sigh-ee)- What makes Acai such a special and unusual berry is that it not only has a high level of antioxidants but also has healthy fatty acids, protein and dietary fiber. Its unsaturated healthy fats have a fatty acid ratio similar to olive oil. Açaí pulp contains omega 6 and 9 fatty acids.
Camu camu – a bush, native to the South American rainforest, that grows in the black water rivers of the Amazon. Camu camu fruits contain more vitamin C than any other plant in the world from 30 to 60 times more than an orange. They also contain amino acids including serine, valine, and leucine; and significant levels of beta carotene, calcium, iron, niacin, phosphorus, riboflavin, and thiamin.
Chia Sead Meal – Known as the running food, it’s used as a high energy endurance food and has been recorded as far back as the ancient Aztecs. It has about 3-10 times the oil concentrations of most grains and one and a half to two times the protein concentrations of other grains. Rich in omega 3, omega 6, protein, fiber and essential trace minerals.
(Mexico) Goji Berries- These berries contain 18 amino acids and are one of the richest sources of cartenoids, phytochemicals that act as antioxidants, of all known foods. Not only does goji berry improve eyesight, fertility and circulation but it supports your immune system and promotes a long life.
Sacha Inchi – This ingredient does SO much but one interesting facet is that it’s naturally rich in protein and fiber, so it’s a strong appetite controller—nature’s diet. Then it goes a step further by helping to speed your metabolism, so you burn those fewer calories you’ve consumed more efficiently and rapidly.
Maca Powder – considered by top researchers to be a true adaptogen.Adaptogens enable the body to enhance its power of resistance and adapt to external conditions. They work with the body’s natural rhythms to help rebuild weak immune systems, re-mineralize poorly nourished bodies, and increase energy and endurance.
Pomegranate – contains antioxidants like polyphenols, tannins, and anthocyanins, which are effective in removing free radicals from our cells. It has also been shown to prevent hardening of the arteries by reducing blood vessel damage, and it may even help reverse the progression of these maladies.
Yacon – a tasty, potato-like root vegetable found in Peru. When compared to sugar in sweetness, Yacon contains low ratios of simple sugars and calories. It also has a low glycemic index. Yacon supports the healthy regulation of intestinal flora, healthy elimination, and a healthy immune system.
Spirulina – a type of blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids (a type of antioxidant that can help protect cells from damage). It contains nutrients, including B complexvitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and gamma linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid).
These along with many other fantastic ingredients in Shakeology provide amazing health benefits in a convenient, cost effective and delicious way. If you are one of those people who doesn’t like to eat vegetables and isn’t adventurous with food this shake is for you. Shakeology tastes delicious and provides the essential nutrients that your body needs to be fit and healthy.
Let me start this blog by saying I am very skeptical of “programs”. I tend to think they are just a way to get as much of your money as possible while you do all the work to promote their company and/or product. I have made certain to stay away from companies like this. Sure, I have “hosted” parties at my house but I have never sold or worked for any company like this.
Then I started down my path toward health. I dove head first into research and gaining as much information as possible. Thanks to my friend I discovered Beachbody. My first thought was, this is just another one of those companies. And yes, the goal is to sell their products. But what is different about beachbody is it is a product I BELIEVE IN. I wear little to no makeup so I am not interested in any beauty company. I love cooking gadgets, but I pick and choose what I want and do not buy one specific product line, so I am not interested in cooking supply companies. I LOVE cleaning and cleaning supplies, but I believe in homemade products over chemical products, so I am not interested in cleaning companies.
Beachbody, so far in my journey, has been a support, a guide and a community that I found to be key in my fitness and health journey. I have turned my life around solely by hard work. I believe in weight loss, but I believe in weight loss through hard work and focusing on health as a higher priority than that of the weight loss itself. I am whole heartedly against crash or fad diets, pills and the like. Beachbody offers shakes, suppliments, home fitness programs and equipment, and a community of support. All the resources you need to get healthy and stay healthy.
I am very excited to be involved with Beachbody and align myself with something I view as worthwhile. If you are interested in your health, weight loss, etc check it out.
I ran across this article today on http://www.healthybeing.com and I found it so inspiring I thought I would share.
Owning Your Power
Posted on March 12, 2012 by Teresa Goetz
Three very strong words ~ but really, what do they mean? To me, true power is the strength to live with purpose and conviction, and in alignment with our true values. Power comes when we no longer (really) care that someone doesn’t like us or we feel rejected. This allows us to be ok with who we are. Power is inner strength.
Sure, there are times we doubt ourselves, feel insecure or less than. That is when choice comes in. If we are operating from our power base, or inner strength, we acknowledge that the “negative” or “threatened” thoughts and feelings we are having are not actually reality. (They are just thoughts and feelings!) They may be something to learn from, or, stretch beyond in order to grow. Owning our power means looking at issues with some distance, and not getting as personally involved. It’s having some objectivity.
Too often, women give their power away. When someone hurts us, we feel it, sure. But, too often we allow our minds to perseverate on the hurt to the point where it’s occupying way too much of our psychic energy. That gives our power away to the other person. We can choose to acknowledge the pain, create some distance and let go.
Here’s the biggest change you can make to step into your power: Know your thoughts and feelings are under your control; they do not control you. Change your thoughts and you can literally change your brain and it becomes your default not to take things personally. Your emotions will follow.
It’s really about gaining a bit more objectivity and loving where you are. Forgiving yourself and others doesn’t hurt either. It’s a powerful release of negative energy that allows us to propel into living more in positive realms.
To summarize:
What power is:
Being connected to a true sense of purpose in your life
Capitalizing on your strengths
Knowing you are in control of your thoughts and emotions
Forgiving
Taking care of yourself
Taking responsibility for your own thoughts, feelings and behaviors
Realizing that everything in life is an experience to live and learn from
Non-judgment
Sharing your divine gifts with the world
Inner peace
Being present
Letting go
This is what power is not:
Force
Winning so someone else can lose
Caring what everyone thinks of you
Being ruled by your thoughts and feelings
Judging others (because it means you also judge yourself pretty harshly)
Keeping tallies in relationships as to who does what more (or less.)
Wanting others to feel sorry for you.
Feeling sorry for yourself
Taking things personally Obsessively thinking of the goal, and not the process
Acting as if you have no control over your life
Living with guilt
Taking on too many “shoulds” or “need to’s”
Blaming others or the world for your situation or feelings
This is a lifelong journey, of course. I write this because once we shine a light on our less helpful behaviors, it diminishes their hold on us. Different people will demonstrate their power in different ways, but, as Rumi says, “”Outside ideas of right doing and wrong doing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
Summer is here and everyone is dusting off their backyard grills. That includes us vegans.
I have run into several people who are honestly shocked to find out we are grilling for dinner. I get the blank stares and “what can you eat from a grill”. Apparently, the idea of grilling vegetables is a foreign concept to such people.
Walking thru the grocery stores, there are an adundance of processed vegetarian burgers and even some vegan burgers. My favorite above all else is grilled portobello steaks. I could eat them every single day. They are simple and delicious.
You can buy packaged portobellos with the stems cut off for you. I prefer buying loose portobellos so I can pick and choose the ones I want.
If you buy loose portobellos, simply cut off them stems and fire up the grill. Once the grill is ready, spray the tops of the mushrooms with EVOO and place sprayed side face down on the grill. Cook for approximately four minutes, spray the face up side and flip. Cook another four minutes. You can cook them a little longer if you so desire.
Once finished you can put them in a whole wheat bun and eat as a hamburger or top with whatever you want and eat like a steak. I topped this one with sauted peppers and onions, a few slices of avocado and homemade sunflower seed hummus. Try it out, see how you like it and feel free to share your favorite vegetarian/vegan grill recipes.
I have been working on adding more raw foods to my diet. This raw granola has become my breakfast staple. Give it a try.
Ingredients
1/2 cup raw rolled oats
2 tablespoons raw unsalted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 banana sliced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon raw agave nectar
Place all ingredients into a bowl, stir to combine, top with almond (or other non-dairy) milk and enjoy.
You can add in whatever other ingredients you want as well. Walnuts instead of almonds, apricots or plums instead of a banana. This morning I had this exact recipe and added a handful of blueberries. The options are endless.
1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1.5 T baking powder
1/2 t fine salt
4 T raw sugar
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
1 cup non dairy milk
1/2 cup strawberries, cut in half
Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Whisk together milk and cream cheese until mostly blended then add to dry ingredients and mix together. Then add in strawberries.
Place 1/4 cup of batter onto heated griddle and cook approximately 3 minutes on each side. Top with sliced strawberries, almonds and lightly sprinkle with raw sugar. Makes 6 – 8 pancakes.
earthfriendlysara 