Sip Your Way Skinny: Day 2- "Green Smoothies"

Who doesn't love smoothies? I like to think of them as milkshake's healthy and better looking twin sister.

They have similar consistencies, are still delish, but are (usually) made with fruits and dairy that we're told that we need!

But what else are we told that we need probably more than anything?

Veggies.

If you're like me, it can be hard to find ways to get those 3-5 servings per day that the good old food pyramid suggests.

(Veggie sticks don't count apparently. Similarly, taking vitamins in the place of veggies isn't ok either, ...or so I've been told)

So, when the Internet started exploding with "GREEN SMOOTHIE" recipes, I had to see what it was all about. 

Adding romaine, kale, chard, collards, or ....spinach to your smoothie?

I wasn't so sure. So, I tried it out.

And I'm happy to report that it was good.

 Really good.

Like, "eating healthier without noticing" kind of good. (my favorite kind).

While there are lots of recipes floating around out there, I'll share what I did with you.

(It's a good starter one, because it's not even green and scary like some).

Here's what you need:

spinach

(I tried spinach because we had it, but really any of the greens listed above are used)

frozen blueberries

strawberries

raspberries

yogurt

(I used Activia, but using greek yogurt would be great to add protein)

ice

Here's how to do it:

Layer it all into your blender/magic bullet. (I mostly just used the measurements of "half spinach, half everything else, + a few ice cubes", there's a lot of flexibility based on your preferences).

Blend until smooth.

and sip your way skinny...

And incase you haven't heard about all the health benefits of greens, I compiled a list for you.

It's just a  few of the many health benefits that drinking green smoothies have been linked to:

1. clearer skin and stronger hair and nails

2. increased energy

3. weight loss

4. regular digestion

5. stabilized blood sugar.

This info was taken from here and here, but there are a lot of articles and more benefits if you want to research a bit more.

There you have it friends... go green!

Double the Chocolate (Double the Fun) Pumpkin Smoothie

Yesterday, Kedron kicked off our Pumpkin Week with a little twist on our favorite pumpkin spice latte and a DIY version for making it at home. YES!

Today, we wanted to keep talking pumpkin with you. So,what better fall combo is there than pumpkin and chocolate? We couldn't think of one. Which is why when we were thinking of what pumpkin drink to share with you guys we figured it had to include chocolate--even better, dark chocolate.

So what do you think about a Double Chocolate Pumpkin Smoothie? Did you say it sounds like a dream? Good, we hoped you'd feel that way.

Here's what you need:
1/3 c canned pumpkin
2/3 milk (we used skim)
2 T chocolate syrup (here's where we added the Hershey's Special Dark instead of just the regular. This step leaves lots of room for creativity.)
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 t cinnamon
4-6 ice cubes

Here's what you do:

Add all of these ingredients into your blender.

Blend until smooth.
Makes 1-2 servings.

Be sure to check back because the rest of this week is all.about.pumpkins.