If you make it...they will drink it

Hello all of my faithful bloggy readers (i know that I have none!) I am BACK!!! After I finished up my smoothie challenge I didn't really know what else to really blog about. I am a stay at home mom (and that really isn't that interesting) but I am nevertheless dedicated to getting my family on a healthier eating track and I plan on staying that way. I am an avid RUNNER but I don't really think people really want to hear about the miles I am putting in or the races that I am planning on doing. But I am totally digressing from the reason that I am writing on this blog today. My oldest Ashley who is 7 (almost 8) wanted to be featured on the blog. I told her that in order to make an appearance on the blog that she must drink a smoothie.

Let's say a few things about my eldest child. She DOES NOT eat fruits and her favorite veggie is corn. She absolutely refuses every time I offer her a fruit or veggie in any form. So, this morning she told me to make her one (the only reason she wanted it was so she could be on the blog- CRAZY but I'll take it!)

I had a smoothie mix from the grocery store that I was supposed to make with milk ( and since we have all pretty much given up on milk I used water). I put the mix which was blueberry and pomegranate (no I did not battle another pomegranate- I learned my lesson!!) water, handful of spinach, and a banana.

It turned out VERY PURPLE but I guarantee that there was spinach in there!! She drank the WHOLE THING and did not complain once. She said that it tasted really good and then I told her what was in it. She really didn't seem too fazed by the fact that she had just drank 4 ingredients that she wouldn't ever eat if I placed them on her plate!

I told her I wouldn't be able to actually write the blog unless she drank every last drop- and she did (crazy motivation I know!)
Totally finished pic and she was very proud as was I. It was one of those moments where I did see that she is watching me and trying to do the same things as me. It's a HUGE responsibility and a new challenge to get my kids to drink/eat better. Society says that fast food is where it's at (don't get me wrong I love Chik-fil-a) but I don't want them to only be eating that for every meal. We are crazy busy with cheerleading, tae kwon do, swimming classes, running, etc. etc. etc. but I am committing to this blog and my family that I am going to cook 4 nights a week (healthy home made meals) and I will be posting here to keep accountable.

Please help me out if you have any good recipes ( I am really going to need some help!)

This post has turned out to be pretty long. I love my girl and am VERY PROUD OF HER!!!

One healthy choice made today...

30 DAY CHALLENGE-COMPLETE

...and you might be asking Are you stopping?? ummm..NO! I believe wholeheartedly that ANYONE can change what they eat and what their body is wanting if you just stick with what you are doing :) 30 day's may seem like a long time but it really isn't and it is a great way to train yourself into doing something you normally wouldn't. I have seen interesting changes in myself over the last 30 days...some good and some bad. I do feel better and healthier. I have increased energy and endurance. I feel more educated about the things I am eating and the fuel that it is giving my body. But the most important lesson I learned is an oldie...you won't know if you like it until you try it. I would NEVER had said on day 1 that I would really enjoy my smoothies everyday and that so many of my friends have at least made one and just tried it :)

water, spinach, banana, red grapes, peaches, strawberries, orange juice, wheatgrass (totally forgot to put in the flax seeds :()
I used the wheatgrass again in the base of my smoothie and I feel like it adds a nice kick to it- like the bottle says " a boost" to the vitamins I am getting
I added orange juice today because (shocking!!!) I was out of orange juice today. On a daily basis I am usually out of something and today it was oranges . 100% juice is a good substitute for them though and you can't tell the difference with the taste
The mix of fruit I used today had red grapes (would totally recommend them) strawberries, and peaches. Totally Sweet!!! You know how i love my sweetness and I didn't have to add agave at all with this mix. It did have some other fruit but I split it up so that I could make Dave the smoothie he requested (mangoes and pineapple- will let you know how he liked it)
Blend Blend Blend... love that sound

and it was a success just like the 30 day challenge :) Very nice balance of green and sweet with no added agave to help it out. Totally would suggest you try it. The challenge is over but the blog is not :) I will keep putting up my wonderful creations- ha! and also I have to get the crazy Kyle kids to be drink up some veggies so I will be posting some of that too...the sky is the limit if I just try right?
One healthy choice made today...

29 days and counting

No pictures today because my camera and blogger are NOT cooperating and i really have no idea how to fix the problem.

Today's smoothie had the Super Greens Mix, water, Wheatgrass, Maca Powder, Coconut Oil, Strawberries, Banana, Orange, and Agave.

The new elements of Maca (super energizer bunny energy) and Coconut Oil worked really well yesterday so I thought I would just dump them into the mix today. One of the greens in the Super Blend was a bit bitter (it seems I am having this problem with most of my smoothies). I think that my taste buds have not fully adjusted to some of the flavors and it is going to be a continued process in the next phase of my green smoothie drinking to challenge myself to continue trying new things. I can't believe tomorrow is day 30- it feels like I just started this journey and in some ways I have.

Ok so the I thought I'll add strawberry and banana and it will be like a typical strawberry banana smoothie- problem is I really don't like strawberry banana smoothies- ha! I added in my standby -orange and it really didn't do the trick for me either. Enter in the AGAVE- my favorite weapon against bitterness and yes maam I used too much. It was a little sickeningly sweet but after the first couple sips and Lots and LOTS of stirring I was able to drink it down with no real problems- my hubs did not feel the same way and drank about a quarter and said that it "wasn't a good one today" and I would have to agree... tomorrow is a new day and thank goodness for second chances and other ingredients :)

One healthy choice made today...

The "Happy" Shake

So,we are on day 28- 2more days until I have been doing the green smoothies for a WHOLE MONTH, I really can not believe that I have stuck with this that long. It just does show that you can do anything if you really want to,

Shelley posted a recipe for this "Happy Shake" on our group page and it looked interesting but I really didn't really want to go and buy all these ingredients if I didn't really like it.

Welcome in one of my FAVORITE people in the WORLD- Tracy Wilson. Tracy made the shake and said it was pretty good and offered to let me try out some of her ingredients :) So off we went to Tracy's house (ha! my kids really wanted to just stay there forever) and this morning I made myself a "Happy Shake". All the instructions are from the recipe but I will put my wonderful commentary throughout :)

Spinach, Water, Coconut Oil, Navitas Maca Powder, Navitas Cacao Powder, Banana (not pictured) Frozen Jersey Blueberries
The Base: 3-4 cups fresh spinach and it said to start with 1/2 cup of water and add more and yes I added more- probably like 3/4 cup of water for the 4 cups of spinach I added
A Good Fat: 1 TBS Coconut Oil...ok this one was a little hard for me because it is solid!! Most oils that I have had the pleasure of cooking with are liquid so the fact that it was solid did freak me out a bit.
Navitas Maca Powder- 1 TBS- for stamina, endurance, mental clarity, and peak sexual performance for men ( taken directly from the recipe- i kid you not!!!)
Navitas Cacao Powder- 1 TBS- now this is like 100% cacao-( not Hershey's here) it is bitter if you are used to milk chocolate

there is disclaimer in the recipe here that you are blend into a sludgelike consistency. I did this BUT failed to take a picture- then and only then are you to add the fruit
I added half a banana and 3/4 frozen blueberries

and then I smelled it- ummmm really didn't smell to good and i took a tentative sip and it was bitter (remember not Hershey's) and so I added a nice little splash of Agave Nectar to sweeten it up a bit and it did do the trick (love the agave!!)

If you are expecting a dairy queen chocolate shake you will be disappointed greatly BUT if you are looking for a green smoothie to help with your chocolate obsession then I think that this does do the trick and it is healthy alternative for you.

Thank you Tracy for sharing your ingredients with me... I will be trying this one out again. Although I think you should be drinking the smoothies for a bit before trying to add this one in. I am off to make Dave a little less potent green smoothie for when he gets home from work.

I love that this is now in my morning routine (really -I do!)
One healthy and chocolatey choice made today...

From the Worst to the Best

Day 25-

Worst Smoothie YET!!!! and I really struggled to get the whole thing down. I was meeting the IRunMommies for a run and some breakfast and since I didn't want to skip a day of my smoothies I brought mine with me. I hadn't ever used these greens together and I used a different combo of fruit too and simply put - it was AWFUL!!

Kale, Butter Lettuce, peaches, blackberries, strawberries
I added and orange and some spinach to try to make it better and it wasn't very successful
Look at the brown color- ugh!!! When sitting at the Sea Star I HAD to ask for some honey just to cut the bitter taste and when I got home I made a totally different one for Dave to drink (i really didn't want to hear how bad it was since I already knew!)

Day 26

The BEST one yet!!!!
Super Greens, Banana, Wheatgrass Shot, Peaches, Grapes, Strawberry, Melon
Shelley told me that they had this group of greens at BJ's.- totally would recommend it! Very mild flavors and super good for you- ha!!
I had read A LOT about wheatgrass and went on a hunt where to find it around here. None of the "smoothie stores" offered it anymore and I know that it isn't supposed to taste very good- so when I saw these shots at BJ's I thought I would throw one into the smoothie to hopefully give me a little more green goodness and I didn't really taste a huge difference in my smoothie. I am going to keep adding this in the rest of the week and see if there I can feel a difference though.
YummY!!!
Grapes, Peaches, Strawberry, Melon
Banana :)
Love my oranges in my smoothies- i don't know if I would even think to make one at this point and not put in an orange
DELISH!!!! Notice that it is not brown- a point that I will look for as the ones that I haven't liked have been brownish in color. This one was a definitely HIT!!!!

One healthy choice made today...

A request from my hubs

I have been drinking and making my smoothies but I really had nothing more to say...so I thought I would wait until I made a really good one again and then bring it all to the 5 of you who visit me everyday. Dave has continued drinking the smoothies that I make him everyday. This makes me so giddy that you really can't understand. I feel this way because if both us are drinking the smoothies our kids are exposed to a healthy habit by both of their parents. Dave asked me to make a smoothie without my fallback friend the banana. So here goes...

Spinach (tomorrows will have Kale!) green grapes, pineapple, 2 oranges, and ice
I used 2 oranges to give some more vitamin C- and we all know I like things sweet
green grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe

really let's be honest here, I would have used most anything that came in a prepackaged way because I am LAZY!! I need to learn how to cut up whole fruit but it is so much easier and portion controlled when I buy the packages the lady at Publix makes for me (ha!)
Oranges and all fruit ready to BLEND BLEND BLEND!!

His and Hers Smoothies (so cheesy!!!)

This variation of fruit made the smoothies a much lighter green color and they were definitely sweet! I can't believe I have 6 more days of this challenge and then I will have been drinking the smoothies for 30 DAYS!!!! Wow- time sure does fly!

One healthy choice made today...

Keepin It Real

When I began this challenge I was under the impression that it was for 21 days...well I guess I wasn't paying attention too closely because the IRunMommies are doing this challenge for the entire month of June. (I obviously didn't read the fine print!) But at this point it isn't a challenge anymore, it is a daily habit that I have adopted and that I feel has made a big impact on the way I view and think about food. I have had MANY issues with eating and food in general and I am NOT a doctor (thank the Lord!) but I do know myself pretty well. I truly believe that by implementing these smoothies into my diet daily that a lot of my anxiety over the numbers on the scale have been diminished. My obsessiveness has not gone away (i still want to remain around a certain number) but if the number is a little higher I am not FREAKING OUT like I used to. I know that I have done what I can and if I have messed up, I pick myself up and start over the next day. The only thing in my life that has changed has been adding in the greens so I have to give them the props that they deserve-ha!
Ok heaviness gone- on to the smoothie for today...
Spinach (i know I need to switch it up) peaches, red grapes, strawberries, orange, banana, flax seeds

I know you cant see the peaches but they are in the bottom peeking out, strawberries, and red grapes ( 2 NEW INGREDIENTS-WOO HOO!!!!)

Oranges- this still kinda makes me laugh because I still wouldn't go but an orange and peel and eat it but sticking one in my smoothie is almost a daily staple

Same goes for the banana- I just really like the texture that it brings to my smoothies

All the yummy vitamins and nutrients into the Vitamix!!!

Blend Blend Blend

Oh and see these things with the number on them??? They are called speeds and if you hit them instead of the start button your smoothie will have a different texture. Who knew?? (I bet the makers of the vitamix knew and that they probably tried to tell me in that manual thing that came with it, but we have already established today that I am not very good about reading directions!).

Can you just see the difference in the smoothie quality here? Much better that the liquid goodness I have been drinking for the last 20 days. Today's combo I would recommend to anyone!!! It had a nice fruity flavor but I stuck a TON of Spinach in today too. And on a side note Dave took his smoothie to work at the fire station today...would love to hear what he told them it was :) I am so happy to be able to share this with him and to improve out health and family by just changing what we eat (drink) and how we do it. It really is a simple little change to implement. Now my next major road block will be Ashley, but I have renewed confidence since Dave is on board. Wish me Luck (because I will need a lot of it!!!)

One (or two) healthy choices made today...

Major Progress

I am so happy to say that after 20 days of my drinking green smoothies, that my hubs FINALLY tried one today. We were discussing them last night and I asked (begged) him to just try one and to my utter bafflement he said YES!!
Spinach, Blueberries (from his uncles farm in New Jersey!), banana, and water

I tried to use less spinach since it was his first one

good old Jersey blueberries right off of Billy Boy Farms

Banana

Blend Blend Blend and add some ice and agave nectar

and Dave had his first green smoothie. I asked him how it was and he said "it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be" and that folks is MAJOR PROGRESS!!! From Dave, that is praise :) He said it could have been thicker and sweeter so tomorrow will be another chance to experiment and TOMORROW is day 21 of my 21 days challenge :)

One more person to try it and

One healthy choice made today (by my hubs!)...

Happy Father's Day

I am blessed to have many father's in my life. First is my husband, the best daddy in the world. Then is my dad, who has literally made me who I am, and there is my father-in-law, and step father-in-law- I love them all and am blessed to have them in my life.
I thought today that I would keep it simple. Spinach, Strawberry, Pineapple, Kiwi, and water.

I used 2 things that I haven't before kiwi and pineapple. I thought the pineapple would make it sweet but for some reason it didn't.

I blended it all up with my ice and...

it was still not a truly pleasant enough flavor for me, so I added an orange...and it still wasn't sweet enough

So I added some agave nectar and that did the trick. Super yummy and I tried to get Lexi to take a sip and she said "mommy it's gross". From the mouth of the 2 year old shows that I am in for a long haul in changing the ideas of my kids. But nothing will change unless I model it for them first.

So...one healthy choice made today...