Super Green Salad Smoothie

I rarely share recipes for smoothies for two reasons, a) I rarely make the same smoothie twice since I typically just throw whatever is in my fridge into my vitamix, and b) because I created a smoothie guide to help you mix and match your way to your own superfood smoothies!

That said, this blend knocked my socks off the first time I made it, and after a little tinkering, I figured I’d share it.

1-2 medjool dates, pitted (or other sweetener)*

3-4 stalks of curly kale

¼ cup old fashioned oats

1 handful raw almonds soaked

3-4 broccoli florets (chopped)**

1 stalk carrot (chopped)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 frozen banana

½ teaspoon wheat grass powder or chlorella (optional)

4 cubes of ice

1 cup water or plant-based milk

* blending tip: if you soak the almonds and dates in water for 1 hour it will make blending easier, especially if you don't have a high-powered blender.

** blending tip: if you don't have a high-power blender, chop the broccoli and carrots into small pieces.

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.

Superfood Smoothies Review and Giveaway!

A few weeks ago Julie Morris’ second book, Superfood Smoothies was released. Similar to her first work, this book is elegantly put together, well-conceived, has stunning photos, and of course, the recipes, all featuring only the healthiest ingredients, are mouth-wateringly appetizing (and are all oil free!).  

Julie has a simple argument for writing this book and it basically goes like this: including health-boosting smoothies into your everyday routine is an excellent (and delicious) way to boost your energy and nutrition intake. I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been a huge fan of smoothies for several years and have come to rely on them to help me recover after long runs and hard rides. In fact, when people ask me for one tip on how to be a little healthier, I suggest adding a healthy, plant-based smoothie to their daily routine. And if you’re one of those people who are looking for an easy way to boost your nutrients without making a major change to your diet, Julie’s book is a great starting point.

Like her previous book, Julie’s book is more than just recipes. The first thirty pages of the book identify some of the main ingredients like acai, camu, flax, goji, greens, maca, maqui, and pomegranate and gives a brief but thorough review on their health properties. In this section, Julie also lays out the principles of creating superfood smoothies (first rule of superfood smoothies? There are no rules –but there are guiding principles!). Her principles and base ingredients are similar to mine. Her book also includes some lesser known ingredients, some of which were new even to me. For instance, I was unfamiliar with Sea Buckthorn juice, which is an herb that can help lower blood pressure while boosting immunity. 

While the ingredients I’ve listed above sound exotic and exto facto expensive, most of the smoothies include everyday superfoods like cucumbers and kale or spinach and in total only cost around $4 dollars per serving. Considering that any of the smoothies in this book will most likely be the healthiest part of your day, it’s more than worth the price. Also many of these smoothies work as an excellent meal replacement; and $4 dollars is a pretty cheap meal no matter how you look at it! Julie has also included a purchasing resource guide as an appendix to help first time buyers of some of these foods find good deals. And remember, building a “superfood” pantry doesn’t have to be done in one fell swoop, so if you don’t have all the ingredients don’t sweat it.

Julie’s book also identifies which smoothie recipes are good for bone strength, heart health, high in protein, high in antioxidants, healthy skin and more. However this is a bit of a gimmick, because in reality, each of these recipes are an excellent blend of all of these health properties so I wouldn’t spend too much time stressing over these details. 

The recipes are divided into a few easy sections: “Light and Fruity” section which have blends that are mostly under 300 calories; there’s a “Cleansing and Green” chapter; a “Rich and Creamy” section; a “Stealth” section, which “hides” the taste of various vegetables that maybe you want to consume in your diet, but don’t want to taste, (this section is perfect for picky kids) with smoothies like the Chocolate Cauliflower; and finally, there’s a “Premium” section. This last section puts an increased focus on superfoods, and hence will have a slightly higher price tag than the $4 per serving mentioned above. 

Above all, Julie stresses that smoothies are essentially experiments and really encourages people to use her recipes as guidelines rather than rigid orthodoxy. While that is partly what makes the book so fun, all of her recipes are designed to not only taste amazing, but are also stunning.  You will not find a single “gray” colored smoothie within these pages making her blends perfect for family-get-togethers and picky eaters who may be put off by bland colors.

While Julie marks “superfoods” with a special logo within the recipes, the truth is, all of the fruits and vegetables within these pages are super foods in their own way, and including them in your daily diet will certainly lead to better and longer lasting health. Also Julie offers some suggested substitutions if you don’t have access to the hardest to find ingredients.

(Red Velvet Cake)



I’ve had the book for about a month now, and have made several blends but by far, my top three favorites are the Mint Chip (whose recipe I already shared), the premium Chocolate Mint, and the Red Velvet Cake. The Red Velvet Cake uses beets, and I slammed several of these drinks (with some added beet greens) prior to my most recent half marathon. In a book like this, it’s impossible to pick a favorite so my suggestion is randomly turn to a page, blend, and drink up… It can, literally improve your day! 

So now the Giveaway! Navitas Naturals continues to floor me with their generoristy. Not only are they going to send one lucky winner a copy of Julies' book, they are also including a bag of Navitas Naturals Organic Cacao Nibs to help start you one your way to building a Superfood Pantry!

GIVEAWAY

Here are the rules. First, the winner needs to live in the United States (sorry international readers, no disrespect). The contest will end on June 1st at midnight. To enter, you must be a subscribed reader to BYOL. To increase your chances of winning leave a comment on this post or/and "like" "Superfood Cuisine with Julie Morris" on facebook. You will also gain a point if you "like" the new Bring Your Own Lentils facebook page. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jockey Juice: A Smoothie by Julie Morris and the Perfect Mint Julep Alternative

It seems as if Old Man Winter has finally released us from its icy grips and is steadily retreating into spring! And nothing says spring quite like putting on an over-sized hat, sipping a refreshing minty beverage, and watching a small man (or woman, Go Rosie!) abuse an animal around a track! Obviously, I’m refereeing to the Kentucky Derby and the enduring Mint Julep.

Regardless of how you feel about the event, the Mint Julep is a classic for this time of year, especially if you are located below Mason’s and Dixon’s line! Just look at this excerpt from a letter penned in 1936, by a Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr to a friend of his who requested Buckner’s Mint Julep recipe:

“Your letter requesting my formula for mixing mint juleps leaves me in the same position in which Captain Barber found himself when asked how he was able to carve the image of an elephant from a block of wood. He said that it was a simple process consisting merely of whittling off the part that didn't look like an elephant.

        The preparation of the quintessence of gentlemanly beverages can be described only in like terms. A mint julep is not a product of a formula. It is a ceremony and must be performed by a gentleman possessing a true sense of the artistic, a deep reverence for the ingredients and a proper appreciation of the occasion. It is a rite that must not be entrusted to a novice, a statistician nor a Yankee. It is a heritage of the Old South, and emblem of hospitality, and a vehicle in which noble minds can travel together upon the flower-strewn paths of a happy and congenial thought.”

While I’m slightly offended by this guy’s insistence that a Yankee can’t do something (and personally I prefer the term “Winner” over Yankee) I can offer a perfect, healthy, and incredibly delightful alternative to the Mint Julep that any novice or even statistician can make and enjoy all summer long while still maintaining the quintessential essence of a bourgeois drink that will most certainly result in “happy and congenial thought.” And better yet, there is a simple formula to follow!

The Mint Chip Smoothie is one of the stars of Julie’s new collection of Superfood Smoothies, and is delicious, refreshing, and the perfect way to welcome the warmer days ahead! It is as much a ceremony as it is a drink. 

 

Mint Chip
2 cups frozen spinach
2 cups frozen bananas
1/4 cup raw cashews
3 tbsp cacao nibs
2 tbsp (packed) fresh mint leaves, minced
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups rice milk (original variety)
1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 tsp chlorella
Sweetener, to taste (optional)

Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. Taste, and sweeten as desired.

Makes two 18-ounce servings.

A quick note, I didn’t have frozen spinach but fresh spinach worked just as well. I also substituted the coconut water for regular water. It was simply amazing! I’d also add, that while the chlorella adds a beautiful blue-green color as well as a nutrition boost, don’t skip this recipe just because you don’t you have it in your pantry! The recipe works without it as well!  While I immensely enjoyed this radiant smoothie last night after work, I think it is really going to shine after a long hot bike ride or run!

 

Cheers and enjoy the festivities this weekend

Reprinted with permission from Superfood Smoothies © 2013 by Julie Morris, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Julie Morris.

Mean Green Split Pea and Hemp Soup

I rarely do anything special for St Patrick's Day but since it is absolutely frigid in NYC right now (screw you too Punxsutawny) creating a BYOL original green soup seemed the perfect way to celebrate as well as to help warm me up after a bone-chilling bike ride! This soup is high in protein as well as carbohydrates and antioxidants. It is also highly alkaline promoting, which helps reduce inflammation, so it is a perfect recovery meal, or anytime meal for that matter! A great way to boost your green veggie intake; to top it off it's pretty easy to make. Tossing in a few potatoes at the end is the perfect way to celebrate St. Patty's day. This nutrient dense soup is certain to make your inner-Irishman swoon! 

Here is this incredibly easy recipe.

Serves 3-4

2 cups green split peas (soaked in warm water and rinsed before cooking)
2 large potatoes baked - chopped
2 cups spinach - chopped
3 stalks of celery - chopped
2 large carrots - sliced
1 cup broccoli floretts
4 tablespoons hemp seeds
3-4 cloves of garlic
8 cups water or veggie broth
1 generous pinch of onion or pea sprouts (optional but recommend)
onion powder, ginger, and black pepper to taste


After the peas soaked for a few hours rinse them well under warm water until the water runs clean. Add them to a pot with a splash of lemon juice and enough water to cover all of the peas by about 1-2 inches. Boil the peas until they soften - about 40 minutes depending on how long they soaked. If any foam rises to the top, simply scrap it off with a spoon.

While the peas are cooking, prepare the two potatoes and bake them for 30 minutes on 375. Once they are done it is your choice to peel them or not. I left the skin this time.

Also try adding some chopped walnuts

Once the peas are done cooking, drain the pot and add the peas, broccoli, garlic and about 1 cup of water or veggie broth to a blender or food processor. Blend until mostly smooth but leave some texture to the mix. Transfer the content to a large soup pot and put on medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, chopped potato, spices, and the rest of the water/broth. Let the soup come to a low boil and then turn down to medium-low. Again if any foam rises to the top, simply remove it.

After about 15 minutes, the veggies should have softened. Now add the chopped spinach and hemp seeds and let simmer for and additional 2-3 more minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Serve hot. Yesterday at the farmers market I found onion sprouts which made a great addition to this soup, however pea shoots are much more commonly found in grocery stores. If you don't have either, garnish with green onion. You can also make this a bit more hearty by adding cooked wild or brown rice to it before serving.

This soup is sure to help take the edge off this incredibly long winter!



enjoy

Wild About Greens and Curried Chickpeas with Sweet potatoes and Collards

Last week I learned about a new cookbook from of all places…Fox News. Don’t be mistaken. I am not NOT a follower of anything Fox. However, a friend posted an article about veganism they published (I’ll spare you the trouble, it wasn’t all that flattering of an article, although considering the source it wasn’t terrible either) and Nava Atlas, the vegan cookbook author extraordinaire, was featured in it.  At the bottom, it mentioned she had a new book out called Wild About Greens: 125 Delectable Vegan Recipes for Kale, Collards, Arugula, Bok Choy, and other Leafy Veggies Everyone Loves. I messaged a close friend asking if they had heard of it and a week later that very special friend gave me the book as a birthday present. I can assure you all that this is one present that will be getting a lot of use!

Having now read Wild About Greens from cover to cover I can say this is easily one of my favorite cookbooks. The first 25 pages gives short “biographical” sketches about each of the main greens featured throughout the book. Here you will find blurbs about taste and texture for common household named greens like spinach and kale as well as a few more rare treats such as escarole and dandelion greens. Nava Atlas also included a quick recipe finder in this section to spare the reader from having to search aimlessly in the index for recipes for specific greens. (Note: I’m not actually so sure how much more helpful this is then the index, but it’s a nice touch). Unlike other cookbooks I have, Atlas chose to only use relatively easy to find greens (all the greens in this book are commonly found in grocery stores, health stores, and CSA’s) in her recipes, this is a particularly appealing aspect of the book.

After this introduction to the greens, come her amazing recipes. If you are familiar with her other work, all of the recipes in this book sound as amazing as her more classic ones. The book is broken down into Basic Preparations; Greens with Beans, Grains, Pasta & Other Vegetables; Salads, Dressings & Dips; Greens in Soups & Stews; and concludes with a short section on Green Juices & Smoothies.

The book is well written and the directions are easy to follow. So far I’ve made a few recipes all of which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, but down below I decided to share my favorite!

There are two negatives in this otherwise excellent book. My first compliant is that the book was published in China. This just seems completely unnecessary with so many US printers. My second compliant is the lack of photos of the prepared food. Often times, I flip through a cookbook without reading a single word but instead just glance for the pictures that look appealing. This book, however, only offers 8 high definition photos found in the middle of the book. Still if you are looking to increase your intake of veggies, particularly of nutrient-dense greens, this is a must have cookbook!

Here is a remarkable recipe, which I altered just slightly. It is high in protein as well as vitamins and minerals. While I enjoyed it immensely in 90+ degree heat of the summer, I think it would really go-over well in the autumn and winter seasons.

Curried Sweet Potatoes with Chard & Chickpeas (4 servings)

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into chunks

1 16-20 oz can of chickpeas (I used 2/3 cup of dried chickpeas which I cooked ahead of time)

1 16 oz can of diced tomatoes

2 scallions (I used green onion)

8 to 12 oz of chard (I used collards)

2 to 3 cloves of garlic, diced

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ cup raisins

cilantro or parsley and salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the garlic over low heat until golden. Then add the sweet potato with 1½ cups of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sweet potatoes until they are tender. (I think if you prebake the sweet potatoes you can skip this step and save about 12 minutes of cooking time).

After most of the water has been cooked off and the sweet potatoes are tender, add the chickpeas, tomatoes, scallions, curry powder, ginger, and cumin and bring the mixture to a simmer again; cook over low heat for 10 minutes or so until the tomatoes have been reduced to a sauce and the flavors have mingled.

Meanwhile, strip or cut the chard leaves (collards) away from their stems. Slice the leaves into strips.

Add the greens to the skillet and cook briefly, just until the greens begin to wilt. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and optional raisins. I highly recommend the raisins. The sweet and spicy combination made this dish phenomenal!

                          (yes, I consider this a single portion)

Now besides swapping chard for collards, I also added freshly crushed red pepper seeds to the mixture as well as ½ cup cooked buckwheat that I had left over. While the dish certainly doesn’t need it, I couldn’t imagine making this again in the future without it! Finally I served the entire dish over fresh spinach adding just a little extra something special.

enjoy 

Superfood Smoothology

Since I’ve been getting tons of questions about smoothies, I thought I’d finally do a post on them. Smoothies are great on any occasion. Many people prefer to make a large smoothie for breakfast, others use them for a mid-day boost, but I love them as a way to help speed recover and restore energy levels after a hard workout.

Initially, I figured I would just blog the recipes of a few of my favorite combinations; but then I realized that most of my smoothies are made on the fly with whatever goodies I can get my paws onto. As such, instead of sharing a few rigid recipes, I thought I’d share the basic building blocks to the perfect superfood smoothie and leave it to your own imaginations to do the rest. And so here is my basic guide to creating the perfect blend.

Base: 

Water

Green Tea (excellent way to boost antioxidants) 

Almond Milk,

Sunflower Seed Milk (high in Omega 3s)

Rice Milk

Apple Juice

Orange Juice

Berries: (I often use frozen berries) (Antioxidants)

Blueberries

Strawberries

Goji Berries (dried) 

Mulberries  (dried)

Acai Berry Pulp (frozen)

Cherries

Fruit:

Bananas (I often freeze bananas)  

Pineapple

Apple

Mango

Pear

Greens and Veggies:

Kale

Spinach

Collards

Arugula

Beet Greens

Beets

Celery

Carrots

Wheatgrass powder (practically tasteless, navitas)

Nuts: (Proteins and Fats) 

Almonds,

Cashews

Walnuts

Brazilian nuts

Pine nuts

Powders/Spices: 

Vega One and Vega Protein

Sunwarrior

Hemp Powder

Hemp Protein by Nutiva

Pomegranate Powder (made by navitas)  

Amal Powder (Dried Indian Goose Berries. Very, Very High in antioxidants and Vit C.)

Maca Powder (excellent post exercise, helps relax the body)

Raw Cacao (very high source of antioxidants and magnesium which helps relieve cramping)

Cinnamon

Cloves (One of the highest sources of antioxidants)

Ginger (excellent for recovery)

Turmeric (Indian spice, helps fight cancer, helps blood circulation for recovery, must take with black pepper to metabolize) 

Oils: (I only use these on weeks were I've trained really hard and never more than half a teaspoon)

Coconut oil

Hemp Oil

Flax Oil

Olive Oil

Seeds:

Chia Seeds (Add a spoonful of chia to every smoothie to add Omega 3s and fiber to keep blood sugar from spiking from the fruit and sweetners)

Hemp Seeds/Powder (excellent source of protein)

Flax Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Sweeteners:

Dates

Date Sugar

Dried Figs

Lucuma Powder (navitas)

Sweet Palm Coconut Sugar

maple syrup 

Stevia (use sparingly)

Agave (use sparingly)

You may have noticed that I didn't include any algae. I don't use spirulina (except for the small amount found in Vega). While many believe it is a superfood because it is 60% protein, it has recently been found to breakdown muscles rather than rebuild them, and is has also been linked to liver cancer. Instead, I use to take small amounts of Chlorela when I felt I need the extra push but the payoff didn't seem worth the price, as I replaced it with Kale, which is much cheaper and can be found local!

More on Spirulina can be found here:

 http://nutritionfacts.org/video/blue-green-algae-spirulina/

Now go get out the Vitamix (or any other blender you may have) and mix and match to your hearts stomachs content.