The Perfect Smoothie

How to make the perfect smoothie

If you know me, you know that I am smoothie-obsessed. I make a smoothie for one of my meals every single day and I have noticed huge health benefits from it! Not only is it extremely easy to make but the health benefits are endless. I also love how I can customize my daily smoothie to fit that particular day & health goals. Going on a hard workout and need extra protein? Add a vegan protein powder in. Feeling sluggish? Add vitamin D. Feeling Stressed? Add an adaptogen like Ashwagandha! The customization options are endless. 

The Perfect Smoothie

Fruit + Greens + Protein + Healthy fat+ Customizable Supplements = The Perfect Smoothie

FRUIT-

when making a smoothie, its important to not overload it with sugary fruits. I usually add half of a banana, handful of strawberries, handful of blueberries, and acai to my smoothies. Rule of thumb- never put more fruit in your smoothie then you would actually eat in one sitting! 

GREENS-

Adding in greens to your smoothie is not only extremely nutritious but its also GENIUS because you can't even taste the greens! Greens also help balance out the sugar in the fruit and give your body the nutrients it needs for proper digestion. I always add either a handful of kale or spinach to my smoothies. 

PROTEIN-

I don't always add protein into my smoothies but when I do, its plant-based and low on sugar! My favorite way to get protein in my smoothies is Vital Protein Collagen Peptides. I love this because its not only a great source of protein but its also amazing support for hair, skin, nails, and your gut! I also love the Tone It Up plant-based protein and use it often. I don't eat very much meat and so adding in protein is super important for me because it keeps me full longer and keeps me from craving carbs!

HEALTHY FAT-

When making a smoothie, I love adding in healthy fats to help keep me full for longer. Healthy fats are good for so many other reasons as well such as brain function and prolonged energy. I usually add coconut butter or avocado in my smoothie and it also helps make it creamier! 

CUSTOMIZABLE SUPPLEMENTS-

I'm a huge fan of adaptogens! Adaptogens are special herbs that help the body adapt to different environmental stressors. I will do an entire blog post on these powerful herbs but my favorites to use in smoothies are Ashwagandha and Reishi! 

I hope this helps you in your own smoothie making! Aim to make a smoothie a day and just see how your overall health improves for the better! Making a Smoothie doesn't have to be difficult. Start small and you can always purchase different ingredients down the road once you get the hang of what you like and don't like in your smoothies. Have fun with it! I've learned all I know about smoothies from trial and error! :) 

Feel free to comment with any more questions you may have and Happy Smoothie Making! 

Current Favorite: Easy Breakfast

I posted my breakfast of choice on my Instagram story recently and got a ton of questions about it! I went back and forth between doing a blog post on it because it is seriously the EASIEST breakfast to make. Steel-cut oats, raw cacao, agave, coconut flakes, chia seeds, and anything else your little heart desires! On days I need something a little more hearty then an acai bowl or smoothie, this is my go-to. Full of fiber, omega's, healthy fats, and more. Try it out and add your own favorite toppings! 

Speak soon!

Lauren

RECIPE: The perfect bulletproof coffee

I remember when I started hearing about the "bullet-proof coffee" craze. I had no idea what it was or what was in it, but I had heard it had good health benefits and so I wanted to try it! After searching online, I found a bunch of complicated recipes with ingredients i'm not exactly sure I wanted to drink with my coffee! I've tried numerous different recipes but I've finally found my perfect cup o' joe! My recipe is simple and allows for some experimentation if you want to get even more fancy with it.

Also, I do NOT drink bullet-proof coffee as my entire breakfast and I suggest you don't either! Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day and so making sure you eat with your coffee is crucial. It will also make sure the coffee isn't too hard on your stomach!

Lastly, I want to add that I do NOT support the diet and lifestyle that was made around this drink. I am not a supporter of a heavy fat diet! I simply love the taste of this decadent drink and believe I have been able to come up with a recipe that is yummy, nutritious, and gets your brain goin'! 

Soooooo... here goes! 

What you need:

- blender

-8-10oz of hot coffee

- 1 tbsp Organic Coconut Oil

-1-1/2 tsp Blue Agave

- 1 tsp Organic, pasture-raised Ghee

- 1 tsp- Your superfood of choice! This is where the experimentation comes in. I LOVE putting Moon Juice's "Sex Dust" into my coffee because it helps with regulating and balancing women's hormones! I know many other people that put in collagen, amino acids, and many other things but I have found that this powder not only makes my coffee taste yummy (think, chocolate) but it really gives me energy and gets my brain going so I can have a productive morning! 

All you have to do to make the yummiest cup of joe is to put all of the ingredients in a blender or NutriBullet  and blend for 15 seconds! What will come out is a frothy, rich, decadent cup of coffee that is, in my opinion, guilt-free!

Lauren's Guilt-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Since coming to Hawaii, I finally have my own kitchen after being married for two years! I have been having so much fun learning how to cook. Every week I love trying new recipes and putting my own spin on the things that I make. I love making every ingredient count in improving my health. I view my food as energy: everything I put in my body is either sustaining it and keeping it healthy, or depleting it. I try to not eat things that I know aren’t adding to my health and so I substitute a lot of ingredients when cooking my favorite meals.

I am a sucker for a good chocolate chip cookie and am known to having one too many for dessert. :) I adapted this recipe from my mom’s original cookie recipe as well as others I have found online. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free (if you use Carob chips rather than chocolate chips). I also substituted regular sugar for coconut sugar which is MUCH healthier for you and is low on the glycemic-index!

This recipe has been tested by my husband, neighbors, and friends here in Hawaii and they all seem to love them and don’t even realize that they are “healthy”! I hope you try this recipe out yourself and loves these cookies just as much as we do! If you make them, take a pic and tag #kisseecookies!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

½ cup organic coconut oil

¾ cup coconut sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup carob chips (optional: you can just use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips if you don’t have carob)

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

-Mix together flour, baking soda, baking flour, and salt into a bowl

-In another bowl (with an electronic mixer) mix together coconut oil, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla

-Once well blended, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and continue mixing until smooth. Add in the chocolate chips last.

-Spoon tablespoon amounts of cookie dough onto cookie sheets and bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Lauren