#14 - Super smoothie - energize your day w/"super foods" in your a.m. smoothie

So, some of you may or may not have heard of "super foods", but let me tell you, there are many.  What does the term mean to us?

Here's a few superfoods that we all know and can learn to love if we don't already:
Avocados, chard, kale, Acai berries, Maca powder, "true cinnamon" (from Sri Lanka), cacao, bee pollen, honey, nuts, seeds, sprouts.... the list goes on and on.

Here's a great article from Dr. Perricone who spoke about this topic on Oprah:
http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Perricones-10-Superfoods

Of course, my list is more extensive than his and brings up foods that you may or may not have heard of before.  I got all my information from my super-guru homeopathic doctor, Dr. Robert Selig.  Here's a link to his website and if you're in Chicago and have any sort of health ailment, bodily pain, mental struggles, etc., I highly recommend that you check him out (he does take insurance and bills everything under the umbrella of chiropractic care): http://www.backupchicago.com/. 

Here is a link to a short YouTube video of Dr. Robert Selig explaining all of the options he offers at his amazing office in Chicago (which I go to ONCE A WEEK - religiously)!!!  I will be sad to say goodbye when I move back to CA.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J-kvl8j0bw&feature=player_embedded

If you haven't heard of some of the super foods I listed above, please, Google them with the word "super food" and see what comes up.  BTW, the cinnamon we buy in stores is not the true cinnamon that gives us all the amazing health benefits that cinnamon can give us.  The "true cinnamon" comes from Sri Lanka.  Check out my next blog on "true cinnamon vs. cassia" for more info.

So, back to the topic at hand,
your recipe for a morning super smoothie:

Ingredients:

1 banana

4-6 strawberries

handful of blueberries

handful of blackberries

(Note: berries can be frozen, but should preferably be organic, when possible & you can use rasberries to as an additional berry or to sub the blueberries or blackberries)

1/2 teaspoon of bee pollen (get at Whole Foods (aka "WF")

1 tsp raw cacao (get at WF or online, but must state that it is "raw" to get full benefits)

8 oz of coconut milk - straight out of your fresh "young coconut" (get "young coconut" at WF and buy MANY as you will use them regularly)
1 teaspoon of "raw" honey

Couple pieces of coconut meat (scoop out of your "young coconut")

1 tbl of macca powder (you should be able to find at WF) - macca is a root from another country that they grind to a powder and it has many nutrients and healing elements and should be a staple in ALL your smoothies

3-4 spoonfuls of chia jell (get "Chia seeds" (can buy at WF or order online) - then you put 1/3 cup of seeds in a bowl with 1 cup of water and let sit overnite and it becomes a jel.  It should last 1-2 weeks and you scoop your spoonfuls out of this into your smoothie every morning.  Also a very important element in your daily smoothies. 

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ALTERNATE "Chia jell" with "Hemp Seeds".  Oh yeah, I said it, "hemp seeds" also referred to as "hemp hearts" (you can purchase them online at:  https://store.nutiva.com/hempseed/?gclid=CPGO7_KD_asCFYoDQAodTwOKng or do your own search online and also check with your local WF to see if they carry any).  So why alternate "chia jell" with "hemp seeds".... well, they are BOTH full of protein and very good for you so it's nice to give your body a treat to have one then the other.  I tend to use my "chia jell" mixture until I run out of the batch I made (usually 1-2 weeks) and then I switch and use hemp seeds in place of the chia jell for about a week, and then I go back to the chia jell.  Here is a great link on why hemp seeds are so good for us: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/hemp-seed-nutritional-value-and-thoughts.html.  Also, here's info. on the "hemp seed" product that I purchase: http://www.hemphearts.com/ - Ok, well, I did not find the "purchase" info. on their website, but they have lots of great info. about the product there, so check it out, but in the interim, to purchase email: clark@hemphearts.com OR call: (403) 380-1958.
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1 tsp "acai berry" powder (maybe at WF - if not, you can skip this ingredient, it's an extra)

1/2 tsp "moringa leaf" powder (maybe at WF - if not, also can skip this one, it's an extra)

1 tsp "coconut oil" (buy "organic coconut oil" at WF - extra virgin and organic, preferably, it will actually look like lard in it's consistency but is very healing and good for us.  Anything from the coconut is good for us)

1/4 tsp "true cinnamon" - I am not talking about the stuff we buy in the spice isle, as it's not the real stuff.  You will most likely need to research and find some online.  (You can Google "true cinnamon from Sri Lanka" for some links to help you purchase Ceylon "true" Cinnamon online). True cinnamon is also a very key ingredient in your daily smoothies, but you can still use all the other ingredients while waiting to get some of this in the mail.  You will not find "true" cinnamon in any grocer or even Whole Foods, it is only available online or in specific stores that reference that they have "ceylon cinnamon".  The cinnamon found in the stores is actually "Cassia" which is in the family of "true cinnamon" but is not actually true cinnamon (see my post #15 for detailed information on "cassia" vs. "ceylon/true cinnamon").

1 tbl organic dark molasses - (also found at WF) - dark molasses is very good for us (see my post #16 for all the details of its benefits), but in the interim, this is an added ingredient that I decided to throw in my smoothies as of late as it's an easy way for me to incorporate molasses in my daily diet.  You can opt to make your smoothie without or without it, but I suggest, throw it in there too (and check out my post #16 for several other ideas of how to use it, including replacing your "sugar substitutes")!

PS I've also recently started adding Vitamin C powder (see my blog #20 for more amazing details on the product I use and why it is the REAL DEAL).... and what better way to incorporate it into my daily diet than in my smoothie. 

Here's a link to the website where I purchase the Vit C from, but you can also "price search" the web for other places that sell their product as well:  http://www.healthforce.com/shop?page=shop.product_details&category_id=2&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=31

Instructions on blending ingredients:

Lastly, blend all ingredients together and viola, a great smoothie full of energy and vitality.  This is a meal replacement, so no need to eat anything else for breakfast.  I would, however, have your Himalayan salt water drink first thing in the morning and wait at least 15 min. before having your smoothie.

Good luck!  I personally love all fresh fruits, not frozen.  BTW, you can buy fresh berries and freeze them, which I think is better than buying the store bought frozen ones, cuz then there's no perservatives, but if you do buy store bought, get them at WF and get "organic".  A little pricier than non-organic, but I believe the frozen organic berries are cheaper than fresh, and ultimately, there's no price tag on your health.

Yummy, yummy on my tummy!  This is a "complete meal replacement" so you don't need to have anything else for breakfast other than your morning "Himalayan salt water" (see post # 2 for more info. on that topic) and you are good to go.... energized with minerals, nutrients and antioxidents!!!!  YEAH!!!

PS Here's a link to my online demonstration of how to put the smoothie together: http://www.youtube.com/user/ashtoncat70?blend=2&ob=5#p/a/u/0/QWc1ZcnNSNY