PB&J Protein Smoothie

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It was your go-to snack as a kid. Whether you're the fancy pants who got mom to remove the crust and cut your sandwich into diamonds or the regular joe who ate whatever you got, crust and all, there is something nostalgic and comforting about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Your parents didn't just drown you in PB&Js because it was easy. They did it, at least in part, BECAUSE YOU LOVED PB&J. 

Now's the time to bring back that lovin' feelin' for your PB&J - but this time, instead of sandwiching it between carbohydrates, combine it with some protein and drink up!

PB&J Protein Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or any berry of choice - just as you had your favorite jelly back in the day, others work here, too!
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (feel free to substitute other nut butters if you have a peanut allergy)
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder or 3 tbsp Great Lakes Gelatin
• 1 cup water or coconut water

Directions:

1. BLEND
2. SERVE

^Yeah. It's that easy.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What's your favorite smoothie recipe?
• What's your secret ingredient?
• Do you like to add protein to your smoothies or just use them to get your vegetables?

Orange Juice (Romaine, Carrot, Ginger, Apple)

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The first winter holiday has come and gone, and you might find yourself in serious need of rejuvenation. Between stuffing, pie, and wine, your body gets a little confused about what the heck is going on. After you've 'over-celebrated,' juicing some nutrient-rich veggies can be a quick way to get your body back on track.

This juice might be orange, but there are no oranges in it. Instead, it's filled with some hard-to-beat ingredients that will give you energy and help you fight cancer.

Other benefits it offers...

• ENERGY! Carrots contain a significant amount of B vitamins (B1 and B6 to be exact) which increase your energy levels in a steady, no-2:30-crash kind of way.
  
• ANTIOXIDANTS! Carotenes, the famous ingredient after which carrots take their name, are a powerful antioxidant that combats a laundry list of diseases (acne, anemia, cancer, congestion, constipation, fertility, ulcers, and so on - see the list here). Apples also offer a host of antioxidants.
  
• ANTI-INFLAMMATORY! Ginger is known to reduce inflammation, which is common after the holiday binge cycle (especially if you are unknowingly gluten sensitive).
  
• DETOX! Apples and carrots are both natural diuretics which will help your body rid itself from those nasty toxins brought in by holiday pie and that extra glass of wine.
  
• ANTI-ALLERGY! Romaine lettuce's high folate content helps combat allergies.
  
• FIGHT YOUR COLD! That's right. Everything in this juice is packed with immune support and cold-fighting ninjas.
  
• DIGESTIVE SUPPORT! Ginger is the king of gut support, and thus a natural way to combat stomach and intestinal issues you may be experiencing.

Orange Juice (Romaine, Carrot, Ginger, Apple)
Servings: 1 large glass
Ingredients:

• 1 head romaine
• 2 long carrots
• 1 tbsp ginger or approximately 1 inch of natural ginger
• 2 apples

Directions:

1. Rinse/wash everything. Do not skip this unless you're interested in drinking a glass full of chemicals and pesticides.
2. Throw em all in a juicer and go, baby, go! (NOTE: If you do not have a juicer, you can blend everything very well and then strain using a cheese cloth or fine mesh strainer)

Sources:
Health Benefits of Carrots, Juicing-For-Health.Com
15 Health Benefits of Eating Apples, BestHealthMag.Ca
5 Health Benefits of Romaine, HealWithFood.Com
10 Health Benefits of Ginger, FoodMatters.tv

Paleo Cinnamon Roll Almond Butter

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I've been in the Vitamix club for almost a year now. I've done smoothies and ice creams galore, but I haven't been particularly adventurous until now.

Then again, is almond butter adventurous at all? It seems a lot of people have already done this.

BUT DID THEY MAKE IT TASTE LIKE A CINNAMON ROLL?

I got the pro tip from my friend Diane. She suggested freezing the almonds before blending, so that they are cold when you start. Since the Vitamix has such a powerful blade, it can overheat and turn itself off if things get too hot. So, freeze I did. And it worked like a charm.

I also added coconut oil to this recipe. I don't think it is necessary, and I have seen many, many recipes that do not use any oil at all (because nuts have a natural oil of their own that is released during blending). So, if you're not a fan, feel free to omit.

But, including it in this recipe will make your almond butter creamier and smoother, and shoot, it will just taste awesome. Not to mention that coconut oil has some crazy good benefits for your digestive system and skin. The only reason not to include it is if you are limiting your calories and fat. But, let's be real, if that's the case, why on earth are you eating nut butter?!?!?!

[This coming from a paleo afficionado... take it with a grain of salt]

^Speaking of salt, there is a sprinkle of sea salt in this recipe. Another thing you can omit, if you are limiting sodium (which I generally encourage, so go right ahead). It is a very small amount, though, and it truly does bring out the sweetness and flavor.

DID I MENTION HOW CREAMY THIS STUFF IS? It was so difficult to exercise self control as I scooped it out of the vitamix and into a jar. Thankfully, there were a few tablespoons that didn't quite fit into the jar...

Well, you know what happened to those ones ;-)

Paleo Cinnamon Roll Almond Butter

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of almonds, frozen beforehand
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (I used Carrington Farms)
• 1 dropper full of Vanilla Stevia Drops (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and a sprinkle of sugar or stevia)
• 1/8 tsp salt (just a sprinkle!)
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Before starting, melt coconut oil in a microwave-safe container, so that it is in liquid form instead of solid. It should take about 30-40 seconds.
2. Place almonds in the blender. If you are using a vitamix, follow these steps: (1) Turn the vitamix on, on level one. (2) Immediately turn the dial all the way up to 10. (3) Then quickly turn it onto high. (Doing this quickly will help it from overheating - thanks again to Diane for the tip!)
3. Use the tamper (like a long stick - or if you don't have one, use a sturdy plastic spoon/spatula) to help push the almonds down as they quickly turn from nuts into a meal/flour and eventually into a buttery paste. It took me about 3 minutes.
4. It will start to look like thick almond butter. At this point, add the coconut oil, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon, and then turn the blender back on and continue to tamp/mix it for another minute or two.
5. Turn the blender off. Taste test and adjust sweetness/cinnamon/salt to your preferences.
6. Use a spatula to scrape the almond butter out and into a jar.

Notes:

• As far as I can tell from reading around online, this should last about two to three months if kept in the fridge. Good luck keeping it around for that long, though...
• This fit almost perfectly into a 12 ounce mason jar, with just a few tablespoons left over for you to use on something as a reward for your hard work :)
• Special ingredients used in this recipe: NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Drops (these are amazing in baked goods, smoothies, coffee, you name it!) and Carrington Farms Coconut Oil.
• If you don't have a tamper, get one here for only 14 bucks! It makes such a difference!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• Do you have a special nut butter concoction you make? Any other secret ingredients? I am dying to try one with raw cacao powder, but I am worried it would be too rich for me to enjoy! 

Pumpkin Curry Soup

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[Day Two of The Twelve Days of Pumpkin - Keep up with all 12 days!]

Good morning :)

It is cold in Chicago already and half of the city seems to have the "ick" virus - the one where you don't have much of an explanation other than that you feel "ick" -- or "ugh," depending on your pronunciation.

So, in short, Chicago=Cold+Sick. But not me. Not with this soup :)

The colder it gets outside, the more heat this girl wants in her soup. Gotta get warm from the inside too, you know?

This soup reminds me of a butternut squash soup I was once obsessed with. I used to add cayenne pepper to that one to get the kick I like -- definitely not going to need to add any to this baby! The onion and curry really pop and the thickness of the soup makes it feel like a heavy cream based luxury - without actually being cream based (cream based = bad for you).

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients:

• 1/2 Pumpkin
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1 1/2 Yellow Onions
• 3 cloves Garlic

• 1/2 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Curry Powder
• 1/2 tablespoon Cumin
• 2 cups Skim Milk
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 5 cups Cubed Cooked Pumpkin

Cooking Directions:

1. Rinse pumpkin
2. Using a serrated knife, cut the pumpkin in half
3. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop out strings and seeds
4. Cut pumpkin into 6-10 pieces, small enough to fit numerous pieces into a steaming basket.
5. Place in steamer on stovetop. Add water and steam for 15-25 minutes, checking regularly to replace water. Pumpkin is cooked when a toothpick easily pierces its skin.
6. Let cool, then peel or cut skin off and discard.
7. Cube 5 cups worth of pumpkin "meat." Size is not particularly important, as it will all be blended in the end.
8. In a large pot, add butter, onions, and garlic and stir for 5 minutes.
9. Add Chicken Broth, Pumpkin, Curry, Cayenne, and Cumin and cook for 15 minutes.
10. One blender-full at a time, transfer soup to blender and blend, then transfer to a new pot of similar size.
11. In new pot, add milk and additional Curry to taste.
12. Serve. (Optional: Garnish with sour cream, cayenne pepper, and/or basil leaves).

[Day Two of The Twelve Days of Pumpkin - Keep up with all 12 days!]

[Day Two of The Twelve Days of Pumpkin - Keep up with all 12 days!]