Today is M and I’m going to tell you about a great MEAL deal at My H.E.B. Okay so I might be stretching the M part a little much. but I wanted to tell you about these meals I found at My local H.E.B. In the Texas Hill Country there is one grocery store. It started in Kerrville and grew from there, with a huge heart for non-profit work and giving back. They also pride themselves in local and healthy choices. I buy my organic bulk seeds and grains at My H.E.B.
Once I started making so many smoothies I needed to keep fruit in the freezer. I wasn’t looking for pre-made mixes but found the HEB Blendables. The best part? They were $1.50…Yes, that’s right. One dollar and fifty cents. That is cheaper than a happy meal. You could just add water and call it good, but I like to add my own little touch. It is still the cheapest meal you could get for the nutritional value.
Three of the Blendables from My HEB. Easy and fast smoothies
Here is one of My favorites.
Three of the Blendables from My HEB. Easy and fast smoothies
The Powerhouse Smoothie
Handful of fresh spinach
3 tbs hemp
half juice of a lemon
1 cup unsweetened almond/coconut milk
Plus there are the Spurs commercials.
Do you have a fast go to for an easy morning meal?
No surprise that Kale and Kiwi are on the list of healthy foods. Kale is a dark green that packs more iron in a serving than beef (calorie for calorie). It’s rich in carotenoids lutein & zeaxanthin.
Okay, and that means???
Kale delivers these to the retinas and they absorb the sun’s damaging rays. The nutrients in kale have been shown to help bone health, aid in natural (non-stressful) detoxification and it may lower the risk of cancer.
K in healthy food gives us Kale and Kiwi
It can get a little tough and bitter, so I take the stems off and with a little almond milk with smoothies or oil for salads you can “massage” the leaves to soften them. I also like the baby kale. Adding a fruit such as strawberries or kiwi helps too.
Kale is what’s happening in healthy foods
Kiwi:
The fuzzy skin of a kiwi can be eaten the same way the fuzzy skin of a peach can be eaten. It’s great when mixed with other fruits such as strawberries, pineapple and banana.
Kiwi! Antioxidant protection, potassium, fiber, magnesium and zinc and lots of vitamin C
It is actually a giant berry and has more vitamin C than an orange. It’s loaded down with fiber, vitamin E, polyphenolis, potassium, magnesium & zinc. And it is my nephew, Kennan Ward’s favorite fruit. (Kennan is another great thing that starts with K).
Kale, Kiwi & Banana Smoothie
2 kiwi, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 cup of kale
1 banana, peeled and chopped
quarter of avocado (love the color)
handful of sliced almonds
Half a lemon squeezed into mixture
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt
And there you have K – as you can tell I substituted spinach for kale (I didn’t know I was out of kale). I think this might be one of my favorite smoothies. What about you? Do you have a favorite kale or kiwi recipe or maybe another food in the K family?
Good Monday morning to you! It is April 4 and the third day of the A to Z Blogging Challenge and we have the letter C. Today I’m exploring some classics and some new-to-me foods.
Coconut comes in the dry form or the fresh brown shell. I’ve never been able to eat the crispy white flakes that come in a bag. If you want to stop me from eating a cookie or cake, sprinkle some of that…stuff on it and (shudder) I won’t touch it. Now the fresh coconut is a whole other story. Don’t let the hard shell stop you from buying one of these babies at the store. They are easy to open and use.
After draining the water, place the coconut in the oven at 350 for about 12 minutes. Then wrap it in a bag smash it with a hammer or throw it hard against a concrete floor. The harder the better.
Using a Philips screw-driver with a hammer or a wine bottle opener make holes in the three “eyes” of the coconut. Use a cup or bowl and drain out all the water. Some have mistakenly called this liquid coconut milk – but that is a different product that is make with the coconut flesh. Once all the water is out place the coconut in the per-heated oven (350) for 10 to 12 minutes. This helps pop the flesh right off the shell after you smash it. Smashing it can be fun. Either hit it with a hammer a bunch of times or throw it down hard against a concrete floor. It should break easily into several pieces. It will be good for about a week in your refrigerator.
You can use a cork-screw or a Philips screw-driver with a hammer to punch holes in the three “eyes” of the coconut.
The water doesn’t have the same nutritional value as the fruit, but it is a great way to add flavor to anything from a smoothie to rice. The Coconut itself contains a healthy portion of potassium that may help reduce stroke risk according to some research. It is high in fat and amino acids, which is good for muscle formation. If you’re losing weight you want to take care not to lose muscle. When you add it to your smoothie or sprinkle it over a salad the small amount of fat makes the nutrients of the other fruits and veggies more bio-available.
Carrots are a “mom” veggie. One of the vegetables she told you to eat along with broccoli and spinach. Well, once again she was right. They are nutritional rock stars and now you can find them in reds, purples and yellow along with the tried and true orange.
Carrots roasted with zucchini in a little Olive oil and garlic and herb mix from Mrs. Dash
Even though they taste sweet, carrots are low in sugar and have almost no fat. So they get a high score when you need something to chew on but don’t want a great deal of calories.
Slice them up and they can sweeten your smoothie.
Coconut/Carrot Smoothie: Perfect for a warm summer day.
One carrot
Fresh coconut
orange beet (if you can’t stand the beet add pineapple or mango. If your goal is to bring down blood sugar level be careful of the pineapple)
One medium banana
One tb of organic Chia
Cup of unsweetened Almond/coconut milk
2 Tb of Oikos Triple Zero Greek yogurt (Vanilla)
1/2 of a fresh squeezed lemon.
I toss it in my Ninja for 35 seconds and I might even put it in the freezer for 30 min to get a really ice cold treat.
Something that is very new to me is chia seed. I had heard of chia tea, but didn’t really know what it was other than a new trending “health” kick. I have learned that despite their tiny size, this gift from mother nature packs an incredible amount of good-for-you nutrition. With just two tablespoons it will deliver 11 grams of fiber, four grams of protein, five grams of plant based omega-3 fatty acid and just about 20% of your daily calcium needs. So throw them into you smoothie or mix them with your oatmeal and yogurt. That little crunch will add up to a lot of nutrient.
At my H.E.B I have found organic cocoa chia granola. For a snack on my drive home I’ll mix it with cashews or almonds. Maybe a little dried fruit. (again if you have blood sugar concerns be careful of dried fruit)
I have also discovered Mamma Chia granola mixes. They come in a variety of flavors. Two of my favorites are Vanilla Almond Clusters and Cinnamon Pecan Clusters. (noticed how I slipped in other C names? hehe).
This is the green layer for the smoothie on top of the post. I did add chia to the one in the picture, this one has flax seed. Top: Cucumbers, Green grapes, avocado, spinach, kiwi, fresh lemon, you could also add a bit of fresh coconut. I added unsweetened almond milk and blended for 30 to 40 seconds.
The bottom layer (purple): Frozen strawberries, blueberries, shredded beets (to taste or take them out), chia, Triple Zero Oikos Greek Yogurt and unsweetened almond milk.
There are so many C foods – do you have a favorite I left off or a smoothie using any of these foods. I’m always looking for a new smoothie to try. Have a great week.
Welcome to April 1st and the first day of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. I’m going to spend the month sharing what I have learned about eating for a healthier body which enables the mind to work at a higher efficiency and gives your spirit peace. LOL That’s what they tell me anyway. The bottom line? If I want to stay active in my own life I have to get in better shape. The numbers don’t lie.
Now that I’m hyper focused on what makes my body work better, I’m going to share some thing I have found in my journey of self-discovery. This is not medical advice and everyone has different needs depending on where you are at in life. It’s just my observations and experiences. (My lawyers made me say that).
My goal is to lose weight in order to get my numbers back on track. For me the discovery of smoothies was LIFE CHANGING. I’m a picky eater and it seemed all the “healthy foods” were ones I didn’t enjoy. But when you throw those babies in a Ninja and swirl them all together – lets just say I’m getting my full servings of vegetables and fruit everyday. Which means I’m not hungry. I feel great, I really do. No magic pill or drink, just good old mother nature, unprocessed, raw and beaten into submission.
So for the first day of April we will start with three of the superstars: Almonds, Apples & Avacad0s.
A in A to Z blogging challenge
Rumors about almonds are true, they are hiding a great deal of fat in that little teardrop nut. But it’s monounsaturated fat. Moderation is the word with this treat. Research has shown they can help maintain good cholesterol levels and slow your cognitive decline as you age. (Brain food). They keep your gut happy and build a strong immune system. They are full of protein and fiber, which will help you feel full longer.
Avocados also struggle against the fat rumors, but boy do these guys deliver. They contain nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and because of its make-up they are easily absorbed by the body instead of flushed straight out. A serving is a half to one third and you don’t need or want more than that in a day. They are great for a bright green smoothie and add a nice creamy texture. I hear they are also good for the heart and may reduce heart disease risk.
A in A to Z blogging challenge
The good old classic Apple. These girls are high in fiber which lead to a healthy gut and are great for regulating digestion. They also help lower cholesterol levels. They just help you feel fuller therefore reducing the over all calories you eat. The sweetness is a good mix to cut the bitterness if kale and some other greens.
Do you have a favorite healthy A food that I ignored?
On the top of the page is the smoothie I made with 1/2 avocados,
Handful of almonds
1 sliced red apple
1 cup of frozen berries
1 cup of kale (without the stems)
Pour a cup of unsweetened almond milk (use this if your cutting back on sugar)
I threw it all into my Ninja, blended for 35 seconds and WHAM! I have a smoothie that does all sorts of good things for my body. Enjoy!
If you have a good smoothie combo share! See you tomorrow with the B foods.
Today is M and I’m going to tell you about a great MEAL deal at My H.E.B. Okay so I might be stretching the M part a little much. but I wanted to tell you about these meals I found at My local H.E.B. In the Texas Hill Country there is one grocery store. It started in Kerrville and grew from there, with a huge heart for non-profit work and giving back. They also pride themselves in local and healthy choices. I buy my organic bulk seeds and grains at My H.E.B.
That little crunch will add up to a lot of nutrient.
Jolene Navarro 